Pride, not a belt, on the line – NBC Sports Philadelphia

"Congratulations, you get to fight Anderson Silva next."

While thats probably what the winner of the Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Vitor Belfort fight wants to hear, its not likely to happen. It is tough to see the winner of this fight moving closer to a title shot against middleweight champion Silva, so basically, both are just picking up a paycheck here.

The winner of Sonnen vs. Stann or Munoz vs. Leben is more likely to determine who gets the next shot at Silvaunless UFC finally gives us what we have all been wanting, and matches GSP up against Silva sometime next year.

Then again, as we have seen with the rash of injuries leading up to Akiyama vs. Belfort, availability seems to be much larger determining factor for fight cards as of late, so we will have to wait and see whos healthy enough to fight.

If you are just now starting to follow the sport, Belfort is "the guy that got kicked in the face by Silva" after a little advice from Steven Segal ... Probably not how he wants to be remembered. Out of the UFC for more than four years from UFC 51 to UFC 103, Belfort was fighting in other promotions. In that UFC 51 fight way back in 2005, the man who beat him was none other than Tito Ortiz.

Three of the 11 men who have held the UFC light heavyweight title will be in action at UFC 133 on Saturday in Philadelphia: Ortiz, Belfort, Evans. While no belts will be on the line, getting so many former champions on one card should make for some exciting fights.

So here's what you need to know about Belfort vs. Akiyama. Belfort gained the nickname The Phenom as the youngest man to win a fight in the Octagon at UFC 12 at the ripe age of 19. He has an impressive resume, which includes wins over Tank Abbott, Randy Couture and Wanderlai Silva. Add to that his 12 first-round KOs, and he is no doubt an exciting fighter.

Belfort held the light heavyweight belt for eight months in 2004. So even for seasoned fans who started following the sport with the launch of the Ultimate Fighter in 2005, Belfort seems like a man back from the pages of history. He has faced seven former UFC or PRIDE champions (Silva, Couture, Liddell, Franklin, Ortiz, Silva and Dan Henderson).

Hes had a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu since before most fans could spell Jiu-Jitsu. Very versatile on the ground, he may be even better standing up. It may not have shown in the Silva fight, but Belfort has great hands and loves to attack first, in his famed blitz attacks. He has the killer instinct that it takes win inside the cage. Remember, this isnt the same man who won in the UFC as a teenager. He has matured during his more than 14 years of experience.

Judo master Akiyama has trained with Greg Jacksons camp in the past, which will come as a surprise to most. Why is this important, you ask? Well, because fighters from this camp have a winning percentage of over 80 percent. However, Akiyama has not been helping improve that stat as of late, as he was the second man Chris Leben beat in just two weeks last year. Following the Leben loss, Akiyama also dropped a decision to Michael Bisping.

Hes entering this fight off two consecutive losses, but always shows up to fight. Since joining the UFC in 2009 at UFC 100, each of his three fights have earned Fight of the Night honors. His expertise in Judo is something not many American fighters can simulate, as there are very few training partners his opponents can find with such high level Judoof course, it has not helped his record in the UFC, which now stands at 1-2.

Do not feel too bad for Sexyyama though, as those Fight of the Night bonuses have earned him bigger paychecks each time around in the UFC, and having Japanese model Shiho Yano comfort him after a loss is not the worst thing in the world.

A win by Akiyama would move him up the heap significantly, as Belfort is a big name, but both men probably still need at least one more quality win before getting offered a shot at the title. Even then, they will face a tough task, as Joe Rogan called Silva, The best theres ever been.

Keep in mind: by the time he fights Yushin Okami, Silva will have held his belt 601 days longer than Mike Tyson was heavyweight champion. So while Akiyama vs. Belfort may not play into the title picture immediately, getting to see a former champion take on a three-time Fight of the Night winner after both are coming off a loss may push both to open up their game, so be on the look for an early knockout.

If the early KO doesn't materialize, the two have been fighting professionally for a combined 24 yearsthis one may come down to will to win in the late rounds. Whether it goes long or short, it should make for an exciting fight.