UFC 133 Fight Card: Will Yoshihiro Akiyama Be Cut If He Loses?

When Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama joined the UFC in 2009, he came in as one of the most highly touted Judoka's to enter the Octagon.

A 3rd dan Black belt in Judo, Akiyama's international success in the art translated well into mixed martial arts, sporting a 12-1-0 (2) record before facing Alan Belcher in his UFC debut.

With all his success in and outside of fighting, "Sexyama," as he is lovingly called by fans, was looking to take his immense popularity in Japan to the international level.

Now more than two years removed from his debut at UFC 100, the once promising Japanese middleweight is on the brink of being cut by the promotion if he his defeated by former champion Vitor Belfort at this weekend's UFC 133.

Since taking a close split decision against Belcher, Akiyama has dropped his last two fights to Chris Leben and Michael Bisping in sub-par performances.

Despite all three of his UFC bouts earning Fight of the Night honors, Akiyama himself did not look like the powerhouse star fans were expecting.

One reason why fans are disappointed with him is his cardio.

In all three of his UFC fights, "Sexyama" has gassed going into the later rounds, making him seem slow and less aggressive when compared to his opponents.

His worse loss with the promotion came against Chris Leben last year.  Leben was a late replacement for an injured Wanderlei Silva and had fought two weeks prior, taking Knockout of the Night honors against Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale.

Akiyama actually dominated the opening two rounds of that fight, controlling Leben with his superior Judo and getting the better of the heavy hitter in the striking department.

But his Achilles heel—cardio—reared its ugly head, with Akiyama gassing hard in the final frame.

With just 20 seconds left in the round, he was forced to submit to Leben's triangle choke.

In his next fight, Akiyama lost a unanimous decision to Michael Bisping. 

Despite flashes of brilliance, having rocked "The Count" in the first round, Akiyama just didn't have the tools to take out Bisping.

With back-to-back losses, a third straight defeat is usually the magic number when it comes to getting cut by UFC president Dana White.

The only thing keeping Akiyama relevant is his massive appeal with the Japanese population. 

It's no secret that Japanese fighters have had a less than stellar track record within the UFC, but Akiyama's superstar status will continue to bring in fans from the Far East.

However, his appeal will only get him so far, with a win on Saturday being a must.

Taking out the quick handed Belfort is imperative for Akiyama to not only stay viable within the middleweight division, but also to ensure he still has a job with the UFC.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJuulMMA.

"Like" Matt on Facebook.