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The UFC’s welterweight division just become home to another big name. Former number one contender to the UFC middleweight title Nate Marquardt will make the move to the 170 pound weight division. This debut will occur at UFC Live on Versus 4 and awaiting him is Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
With a 2-2 record during his last four fights, Marquardt is looking to reinvent a career that has hit a hurdle in the 185 pound division. In 2007 he was soundly defeated by Anderson Silva by technical knockout in the first round. Since then he has not been able to regain his spot as the top contender in the division despite a resume anchored by wins over Demian Maia, Martin Kampmann, Rousimar Palhares, and Dan Miller.
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson looked strong in his comeback from a year off due to a knee injury, using his wrestling to earn a unanimous decision victory over British striker Dan Hardy. Johnson’s victory went a long way towards quieting some of his critics, who felt that because of his issues making weight he should move up to middleweight. During his UFC career Johnson has amassed a 6-3 record that includes victories over Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Hardy, and Luigi Fioravanti.
A move to welterweight for Marquardt brings an interesting new feel to the 170 pound division. With the talk of Georges St. Pierre potentially moving to middleweight and a need for new contenders, Marquardt can fit nicely into this role. A number of interesting fights should await the welterweight newcomer. Marquardt was a big middleweight, so he will certainly have a size advantage over most of his competitors in this weight class.
This fight is set for UFC Live on Versus 4, which will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 26th. Other fights on the card include Patrick Barry versus Cheick Kongo, Tyson Griffin versus Manny Gamburyan, and Martin Kampmann versus John Howard.
