Aaron Simpson Takes On “The Ultimate Fighter” Alum Chris Leben And Lightweight Contenders Dennis Siver and Spencer Fisher To Square Off

NEW YORK, NY, May 19, 2010 – The live finale of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs Team Ortiz” on Spike TV will include two bouts showcasing four of the UFC’s most exciting fighters.  Emanating from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, June 19 at 9:00 PM ET, the fights announced today include a middleweight bout between Aaron Simpson (7-0) and Chris Leben (19-6), and a lightweight matchup pitting Dennis Siver (15-7) against Spencer Fisher (24-5).

Currently sporting a 7-0 record, with all but one of his victories coming via knockout, Aaron Simpson is a former All-American wrestler who is developing into a lethal striker.  He left a lasting impression on the minds of fight fans with his 18-second knockout of David Avellan at WEC 36 in November 2008. After entering the UFC, he continued to display his devastating punching power, defeating Tim McKenzie and Ed Herman via TKO early in successive bouts, before running his UFC win streak to three with a decision victory over Tom Lawlor this past January.

Simpson’s opponent is the enigmatic Chris “The Crippler” Leben (19-6), who was one of the breakout stars from the historic first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”  Leben’s UFC career began with seven straight wins over such notables as Jorge Rivera, Patrick Cote, and Luigi Fioravanti.  Never one to back down from a challenge, Leben had his streak snapped in April 2006 by current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.  Since then, he has continued to take on all comers, and following a win over Jay Silva earlier this year, he hopes that a victory over the undefeated Sampson will further him on the path for a shot at the UFC middleweight title.

Hailing from Mannheim, Germany, Dennis Siver has 22 professional bouts under his belt, and only four have gone to decision.  He made his UFC debut in 2007, but it was in January 2009 that he truly announced his arrival as he took home “Knockout of the Night” honors with a TKO victory over Nate Mohr at UFC 93, knocking out his opponent with a spinning back kick.  After a win over Dale Hartt at UFC 99 in his native Germany, he once again scored a “Knockout of the Night” bonus with the same spinning back kick against Paul Kelly at UFC 105 in November 2009.  He had his four fight winning streak stopped by Ross Pearson this past March, but will look to bounce back against his opponent, Spencer Fisher, on June 19.

North Carolina native Spencer Fisher has established himself as one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC over the course of his five year career with the organization.  He holds wins over such UFC notables as Thiago Alves, Sam Stout, and Jeremy Stephens, and has twice won “Fight of the Night” honors for his relentless attack inside the Octagon™.  Coming off of a tough loss to Joe Stevenson at UFC 104, Fisher hopes to have his hand raised at the end of what promises to be an exciting fight with Siver.

Other bouts, including the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs Team Ortiz,” will be announced at a later date.  The two finalists will be competing for a six-figure contract with the preeminent mixed martial arts organization in the world, The Ultimate Fighting Championship®.

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