Roy Nelson vs. Junior Dos Santos in the works for UFC 117 main card

Roy Nelson (15-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) won't be tussling with Cheick Kongo after all.

Kongo (15-6-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has withdrawn from a rumored meeting with Nelson at UFC 116 due to a back injury, according to multiple reports. In his place, the UFC has slotted a surprising replacement: Junior Dos Santos (11-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC).

According to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) sources close to the event, at least one fighter has agreed to the contest, now targeted for the main card of UFC 117, with the intention to sign a bout agreement.

UFC 117 takes place Aug. 7 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. A middleweight title match between champion Anderson Silva and challenger Chael Sonnen is expected to headline.

Nelson, 33, racked up his second consecutive octagon victory with a shellacking of 6-foot-11 Stefan Struve at UFC on Versus 1 in March. The winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 10" bucked most predictions by quickly getting inside on Struve and knocking him out with a right hand in just 33 seconds.

Previously, Nelson completed a decisive, yet controversial, sweep of the "TUF 10" heavyweights with a first-round knockout of Brendan Schaub in the show's finale. UFC president Dana White criticized his tactical approach to his fights on the show, and despite some initial push-back with the outspoken UFC figurehead, he later told MMAjunkie.com that he is now a "company man."

The 25-year-old Dos Santos fought alongside Nelson at UFC on Versus 1 and delivered his fifth consecutive stoppage victory when he knocked out former contender Gabriel Gonzaga in less than four minutes. The victory put the up-and-comer on many observers' lists as a serious contender in the division, which could make the fight with Nelson all the more pivotal.

The only man to make it out of the first round with Dos Santos is former PRIDE champion Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, who verbally submitted to the Brazilian in the third round after being battered for more than two rounds.

Dos Santos also owns a first-round knockout victory over Struve, which took place at UFC 95 this past February.

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Your thoughts on this? Does Roy have a chance? Is he being fed to JDS who is being kept away from Cain?

I would rather have JDS-Cain and Roy-Gonzaga

This is a very exciting fight! JDS is clearly the favourite but Roy can NOT be ruled out. In my opinion this is fantastic matchmaking!!

Axe watch me rule out Nelson!

I cant see Nelson winning this. I dont think he has any hope, its a really bad matchup for him. JDS is a huge favorite ro put him away on the feet and I just dont think Roy has what it takes to sub him, I dont think Roy will be able to get this fight to the ground and keep it there.

Good fight. I wish they would put Cain in with Mir but I think Cain is going to have to sit around doint nothing till after the Lesnar fight incase him or Carwin gets Injured.

who wrote that article?

Nelson/Struve was at UFN: Florian vs Gomi, not UFC on Versus.

anyway....

Although Nelson has won his last 2 fights by KO, he would be a fool to stand with Dos Santos, the Arlovski fight showed he can be overwhelmed by exactly the kind of attack Dos Santos likes to use.

I expect Nelson to be able to take him down if he gets the chance, he does have about 30 lbs on him.

From there its all about JDS' getting up skills, which he showed were great against Gonzaga, i can see Dos Santos taking this via KO in the first round. But i am not willing to count out Roy considering the lack of evidence of a good guard passing defence from Junior.

So Nelsons ability to win will depend on wether he can get JDS to the ground and keep him there long enough to Sub him?

Nelson is firstyl going to have to close the distance on JDS, something Nelson is probabally used to but closing the distance on JDS with hands than Dangerous is risky business in itsself.

Can he take JDS down? Nelson hasnt the best TD's in MMA, and will be considerabally less Physical than JDS whos strength is disproportunate to his weight. JDS may not be 265lbs but he is probabally as powerfull as some of te bigger guys, Gonzaga certainly didnt seem to have much luck holding him down and Roy is smaller and less powerfull.

We havnt seen a lot of JDS groundgame but given his time with Nog in Blackhouse I think he should be able to at least Survive Nelson on the ground.

I think Nelson is in for a 1st round KO loss here for sure. Nothing is certain in MMA but I cant see this one going Nelsons way.

What are Mir/Cain/Nog doing not matched up with anyone!!! Thats shocking!

Mir to fight the Rothwell vs Yvel winner and Nog to fight the Mirko vs Barry winner?

Roy is giving away 3-4 inches in height and reach here, and Gonzaga didnt find it too easy to take down JDS. And JDS BJJ is getting better everyday considering the people hes training with.

JDS must surely be heavy favourite here.

Yeah Ben i think that could happen because i dont think they are doing Mir-Nog 2 because they would have made that fight by now.

JDS will go into this as favourite, but I'm backing Big Roy. Excellent matchmaking imo, should be a great fight.

Heterocyclic, think Roy can Sub him or do you see him winning on the feet. Nelson doesnt really impress me, he gave Monson a 50/50 fight in a seriously boring match and thats what level of ability I put him on. I dont see him beating any solid top 10 heavys ever. I think he has climbed as high as he is going to go.

I dunno what it is about Roy, but he's one of my favourites. He's just a right character. Dana didn't seem to understand what sarcasm was during the filming of TUF 10. Dana just rubs me up the wrong way.

Don't get me wrong, JDS is a monster, and I like him as a fighter too, but Roy is a personal favourite. Would love to see Roy win, then the camera cuts to Dana's face. That would make quality television. If it does go to the ground, Roy will be instigating it, and JDS will get up quickly. Someone is getting knocked out this fight.

great match sadly Nelson is going to sleep in this one

Nelson to take this one by smother in the first round!!!!!

I can't see this going any other way than a JDS win,I mean those head down over hand rights that caught Schaub and Struve,I don't think will be effective against a striker of JDS's calibre,JDS's head movement and striking is on a completely differant level from those two.

Roy needs to take him down and smother him untill exhausted,it's the only way I see him pulling this one off but still,I expect JDS's to be more than capable of defending and exploding back to his feet from the ground if we ever see him put there.

JDS by KO round 1.

Ok i am biased but, JDS is a bad matchup for Nelson. He is a much better striker and he has enough strength to keep the fight standing, even if it goes down, JDS has showed he can keep big men off him.

Nelson needs to take this fight to the ground, put the moon on JDS's face and then punch him in the forehead until the ref stops it.

It won't happen though.

JDS by KO in the 1st.