[jas123]

July 19 could become a crowded night for mixed martial arts.

The UFC is currently planning an event that Saturday night to be televised live on Spike TV, Sherdog.com has learned from multiple industry sources.

The proposed event would take place the same evening that popular clothing line entrepreneurs Affliction will make their foray into the pay-per-view market with "Banned," its first MMA event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Zuffa's impromptu event, which is being pulled together on five weeks' notice, is tentatively scheduled to be held in Las Vegas.

Studied strikers Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) and Brandon Vera (Pictures) have been approached to clash in a light heavyweight main event, though other combinations of one or both of these fighters are also being considered.

Vera, who has made all six of his Octagon appearances at heavyweight, has long expressed his interest in the 205-pound division. The San Diego, Calif. resident will look to rebound from a controversial first-round stoppage loss to Brazilian Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) at June 7's UFC 85 "Bedlam" in London.

After a disappointing start in the Octagon with a hard-fought loss to Chuck Liddell (Pictures), former Pride 205-pound champion Silva earned praise for his swift 36-second knockout of Keith Jardine (Pictures) at UFC 84 "Ill Will" last April in Las Vegas. The victory snapped a three-fight losing streak, which also included losses to Dan Henderson (Pictures) and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

[Rodja]

Dana would try to pull this sh!t. They would have to pull a good trick out of their ass for this to work. A Wand/Vera fight would be nice to see, but I'll DVR that sh!t to watch the Affliction card.

[jas123]

Yeah, it's really just irritating more than anything and makes me not want to watch the UFC. I'll definitely watch Affliction if possible.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by Rodja

Dana would try to pull this sh!t. They would have to pull a good trick out of their ass for this to work. A Wand/Vera fight would be nice to see, but I'll DVR that sh!t to watch the Affliction card.

Exactly. Fedor>Dana.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by jas123

Yeah, it's really just irritating more than anything and makes me not want to watch the UFC. I'll definitely watch Affliction if possible.

Why wouldn't it be possible? It's on PPV.

[jas123]

Fedor is a farce.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by jas123

Fedor is a farce.

He's no Lightning Lee, but he's pretty decent.

[jas123]

Can't order PPVs at my apartment, but I don't think I'll have a problem watching it elsewhere.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by jas123

Can't order PPVs at my apartment, but I don't think I'll have a problem watching it elsewhere.

Oh man. You need to be by yourself concentrating heavily to watch this Affliction card. Don't tell me you'll be watching it at some bar with Poly bombing and asking you horrible questions constantly.

[Reaper329]

I actually like to see Wand v Vera with a few other big names

[jas123]

Wand turned down the possibility of this fight due to inadequate prep time.

[Rodja]

Originally Posted by jas123

Wand turned down the possibility of this fight due to inadequate prep time.

Now I don't have a reason to really pay attention to this card. Wandy comes through for me again...

[Reaper329]

well they will need something huge for this to even matter

[jas123]

They can't throw something together last minute that would compare to Affliction. The major name fighters would want more prep time than 4 weeks I would think, which means that you'd have fights like Anthony Johnson vs. TUF guy.

[rugger48]

welp, i guess the deal is Anderson Silva is the main event @ 205.

[jas123]

Yeah, it's a go with Anderson-James Irvin and Vera-Reese Andy, both at 205. Not very exciting and can't compete with Affliction IMO.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Anderson Silva is about to make the jump.

The UFC middleweight champion has accepted an invitation to move up to the light heavyweight division for a bout with James Irvin (Pictures) at an impromptu UFC event July 19 in Las Vegas. Heavyweight prospect Brandon Vera (Pictures) has also agreed to make a move in the opposite direction -- he'll face former International Fight League rep Reese Andy (Pictures) in a co-featured bout at 205 pounds, multiple sources have confirmed to Sherdog.com.

The event, which is being assembled on five weeks' notice, will air live on Spike TV the same night that Affliction Entertainment hosts its first pay-per-view card, "Banned," at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Silva will not vacate his 185-pound title and is expected to return to the division he has dominated handily to defend his crown. The Brazilian, known as "The Spider" for his long limbs and athletic prowess, could continue to fight in both weight classes in the future though.

Silva silenced many critics at UFC 82 on March 1 in Columbus, Ohio, when he tagged Pride middleweight champion Dan Henderson (Pictures) with strikes, then finished the Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler with a rear-naked choke late in the second round. The victory unified the two world titles.

Silva, 33, tore his way through the UFC's middleweight ranks, notching victories over Travis Lutter (Pictures), Nate Marquardt, Henderson and former champion Rich Franklin (Pictures) on two occasions.

His bout with Irvin will mark Silva's second appearance on cable television since his 49-second destruction of "The Ultimate Fighter" alumnus Chris Leben (Pictures) at Ultimate Fight Night 5 in June 2006.

Irvin cleared his path to Silva when he knocked out Houston Alexander (Pictures) at UFC Fight Night 13 last April. The native of Sacramento, Calif., was slated to face "The Ultimate Fighter 2" winner Rashad Evans (Pictures) at UFC 85 in London but was replaced after he broke his foot in preparation. Irvin has recently returned to a full training schedule.

The multifaceted Vera will have only a six-week turnaround for his bout with Andy following a controversial first-round stoppage loss to Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) at UFC 85 on June 7 in London. After a promising four-fight win streak in the Octagon, Vera dropped a three-round decision to former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (Pictures) at UFC 77 last October. Vera sustained a broken hand in the bout.

A resident of Seattle, Andy posted five victories in six fights for the IFL, rotating between light heavyweight and heavyweight for the Tiger Sharks team. Andy holds notable wins over Mike Ciesnolevicz (Pictures), Jamal Patterson (Pictures) and Krzysztof Soszynski (Pictures), whom he edged out via a split decision in his last appearance in June 2007.