UFC 133 Fight Card: Tito Ortiz and 5 Fighters with the Most to Lose This Weekend

The following five fighters may have the most to lose this weekend but they also have the most to gain if they come out victorious against their opposition.

In the main event, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz looks to pick up his second victory in a row when he takes on another former champion in Rashad Evans.

In the co-main event, Yoshihiro Akiyama looks to rebound from two straight losses when he battles it out with dangerous striker Vitor Belfort.

Other fights featured on the card include Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole, Mike Pyle vs. Rory MacDonald and Jorge Rivera vs. Costantinos Philippou.

No. 5: Rory MacDonald

After his dominating victory over Nate Diaz, Rory MacDonald opened a lot of eyes among MMA fans and has a lot of momentum behind him as he progresses in the welterweight division.

MacDonald showed great potential in his UFC debut when he lost by TKO in the final seconds of his fight with Carlos Condit. It was probably the most important thing that could have happened to him at that point in his young career.

At 22, MacDonald has the time to evolve as a fighter but he needs to do it quickly. A win over Pyle will push him into a fight versus a top 10 welterweight. He may only be three or four wins away from a title shot.

The best thing that can happen for MacDonald this weekend is for him to have a closely contested fight with Pyle. A close decision loss won’t necessarily be bad for him either, but he will lose a lot of his momentum if he comes up short.

No. 4: Yoshihiro Akiyama

Will a fourth straight fight of the night performance save Akiyama’s career if he loses to Belfort?

If not, his career in the UFC could be on the ropes this weekend. The experienced judoka is coming off two losses to Chris Leben and Michael Bisping. He was scheduled to face Nate Marquardt at UFC 128 but pulled out after the disaster in his homeland of Japan.

This could be his final fight in the UFC if he suffers a third defeat in the Octagon, especially if it comes by knockout early in the fight.

Akiyama may display a more cautious and calculated striking attack while utilizing his judo skills to try to get Belfort down. If he can’t, he will need the chin to withstand the speed and power of Belfort.

No. 3: Tito Ortiz

Ortiz claims he is back, and the MMA fanbase appears to be divided on whether or not they believe him. His fight with Rashad Evans will prove which side is right.

A loss won’t be as devastating for Ortiz because he did accept the fight on short notice and retains his position in the UFC no matter what happens this weekend. He will be guaranteed some big fights as his career comes to a close.

It was just one fight ago when his MMA career may have been soon over. He could be one loss away from being stuck back in the same position. Either way, a closely contested fight with Evans shouldn't hurt his legacy at all. That is one thing he can never lose.

No. 2: Chad Mendes

Featherweight fighter Chad Mendes is 10-0 in MMA and will be looking to retain and build his undefeated record when he takes on Rani Yahya this weekend.

It is an undercard bout and will be broadcast on Spike TV before the PPV.

The former NCAA Division I wrestler went 4-0 in the WEC before making his UFC debut in March when he dominated Michihiro Omigawa to win a decision. His top five ranking in the 145-pound division leads many to believe he is one or two fights away from a title shot.

Some fans are disappointed that Kenny Florian is getting a shot before him, but he is certainly closer to it than anyone else at the moment.

A win over Yahya, who has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, will solidify his position as the No. 1 contender.

No. 1: Rashad Evans

It was supposed to be teammate vs. teammate when Jon Jones and Evans agreed to meet on Saturday.

After Jones pulled out due to an injury, Evans was forced to wait for his chance at the title. Jones would go on to accept a title fight versus Rampage Jackson at UFC 135.

After sitting out for over a year, Evans finally returns to the cage and will have a lot of ring rust to get off before he gets his title shot. He will need to make it past Ortiz first, and it won’t be an easy task.

A loss would set Evans’ career back, and a long-awaited title shot will have to wait even longer for the former champion.