UFC 127 Results: Is Dennis Siver the Lightweight Dark Horse?

Dennis Siver defeated George Sotiropoulus in UFC 127 on Saturday by unanimous decision.

Siver got in a few good punches in the first round, and especially hurt Sotiropoulus with a nice left hook which put him on the ground.

The second and third rounds were very close, but Siver was able to pull out the victory against the hometown hero.

Sotiropoulus Was a Top Contender

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 27: George Sotiropoulos of Australia punches Dennis Silver of Russia during their lightweight bout as part of UFC 127 at Acer Arena on February 27, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

George Sotiropoulus was undefeated in the Octagon before Saturday's fight, and was only a couple wins away from a title shot.

He was also highly favored, but Siver was able to win pretty convincingly in front of a crowd who was behind Sotiropoulus all the way.

If Siver could dominate this matchup, maybe it's time for him to get a real shot in the lightweight division.

Siver Is on a Hot Streak

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 27: Ross Pearson of Great Britain punches Spencer Fisher of the USA during their Lightweight bout UFC 127 at Acer Arena on February 27, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Siver has won six of his last seven fights, with his only loss coming from Ross Pearson.

Anyone who can get back-to-back victories or better in the UFC will gain tremendous amounts of confidence. Siver is on a huge hot streak, and has the potential to beat anyone in the division.

He Has All the Tools

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 27: George Sotiropoulos of Australia punches Dennis Silver of Russia during their lightweight bout as part of UFC 127 at Acer Arena on February 27, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

One thing that makes Dennis Siver so dangerous is the fact that he can win in so many ways.

So far in the UFC, Siver has knocked out three opponents, submitted two and won by decision twice. Not only can he take the fight to the ground, he can also stand up with nearly anybody and has good enough conditioning to last an entire fight.

Siver Has the Spotlight Now

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LAS VEGAS - JULY 11: (Top) Jim Miller battles Mac Danzig during their lightweight bout during UFC 100 on July 11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Miller defeated Danzig by unanimous decision. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

Siver doesn't have the star power that some of the other fighters in the lightweight division have.

Other contenders, like Anthony Pettis, Sean Sherk and Sotiropoulus are favored more by the fans, and by the UFC itself.

With his win in UFC 127, the spotlight is now on Siver, and his popularity will probably grow a ton.

Can Siver Contend for a Title?

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 13: Frankie Edgar, UFC lightweight champion, poses during a press conference to announce commitment to bring UFC to Madison Square Garden and New York State at Madison Square Garden on January 13, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by M

The current title holder, Frankie Edgar, is scheduled to fight Gray Maynard again in May, and the winner of that fight will most likely take on Anthony Pettis.

If Siver can win a couple more fights, and the winner of Maynard/Edgar can beat Pettis, Siver may get a shot.

I think the odds would be very highly stacked against him, and would probably need the fight of his life to capture the title. Still, he has proven people wrong time and again, and will look to get bigger and better opportunities in the future.