UFC 125 Fight Card: Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera Primer

Brandon Vera (11-5, 7-5 UFC) may be fighting for his UFC career against Thiago Silva (14-2, 5-2 UFC) at UFC 125.

Vera, who was once the hottest young heavyweight in the UFC, is 2-3 with the promotion as a light heavyweight. He lost to Jon Jones at UFC on Versus 1, suffering a broken orbital bone from a Jones elbow smash to the face. Prior to that he dropped a controversial decision to Randy Couture at UFC 105. 

Things were very different for the 33 year old Vera four years ago when he was an undefeated heavyweight with four straight wins in the UFC. But after he annihilated former champ Frank Mir at UFC 65 he got embroiled in management difficulties and ended up passing on a title shot and sitting out for almost a year. He's never been the same since.

He moved down to light heavyweight after losing his next two fights at heavyweight, but has never regained the dynamic form that had fans talking about him as a future two division champ. 

For his part, Thiago Silva roared to near the top of the UFC's light heavyweight division with four straight KO wins before he collided with Lyoto Machida at UFC 94. Machida finished him in the first round. Since then Silva has finished Keith Jardine and dropped a decision to Rashad Evans at UFC 108. Injuries have kept the Brazilian out of action for the bulk of 2010.

Vera brings a collegiate Greco-Roman pedigree, a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under world champion Lloyd Irvin, and considerable Muay Thai skills to the bout. 

Silva is currently ranked at #8 in the 205lb division by the USAT/SBN Consensus MMA Rankings. He trains at the American Top Team in Florida but his aggressive style is a throwback to the brawling Muay Thai style that made the Chute Boxe camp famous.