UFC and Strikeforce to have a belt-a-palooza to start off 2011

Clear your calendars, folks. 2011 starts out with a bang, as five different major championship belts will be on the line in the first quarter. 

Jan. 1 -- Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard: This fight is not only for the lightweight belt, but will also give Edgar a chance to avenge the one loss on his record. Not only that, but whoever wins has his next fight decided, as WEC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis will get a chance to unite the belts.

Jan. 29 -- Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Cyborg and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Robbie Lawler: Strikeforce will put two belts on the line at this San Jose event. Though we're not getting the hoped-for bout of Diaz vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller, the Jacare-Lawler match-up is a classic striker vs. grappler matchup. 

Feb. 5 -- Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort: By the time he gets in the Octagon, Belfort will have had a 16-month break from the Octagon. Silva will be coming back from his last-minute submission win over Chael Sonnen. 

Mar. 19 -- Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Rashad Evans: In Newark at UFC 128, Rua will test out the knee that's long been a problem while Evans will get a second shot at getting the light heavyweight belt.

It's also possible that Jose Aldo will get his first chance to fight in the UFC in the first quarter, as he expects to be fighting as soon as March. 

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-and-Strikeforce-to-have-a-belt-a-palooza-to-?urn=mma-299398

Michael Bisping John Hathaway Mike Pyle Travis Browne