Bloody Elbow, for MMA and UFC news

In featherweight action, Duke Roufus-trained fighter Erik Koch battled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Raphael Assuncao on the UFC 128 preliminary card. Koch has been heralded as one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in the UFC's featherweight division, losing only once in his career to NCAA Division I wrestler Chad Mendes.

At a catchweight of 195 lbs., 29-year-old New Jersey native Nick Catone squared off against BloodyElbow.com's #6 ranked middleweight prospect Costantinos Philippou in the opening bout of the UFC 128 fight card. Catone was originally set to battle Dan Miller, but Yoshihiro Akiyama withdrew from a marquee match-up with Nathan Marquardt due to the recent events in Japan.