Fresh off of his first round submission victory over heavyweight Mark Hunt at DREAM 9 event, former DREAM Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi confirmed that his next fight will be against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort at Affliction 3 on August 1.

Prior to his win over Hunt, Mousasi (25-2-1) last competed on K-1 and DREAM's co-promoted K-1 DYNAMITE!! 2008 back on New Year's Eve. He TKO'd Musashi in the first round of their kickboxing bout.

Mousasi's last mixed martial arts tussle came in September when he put Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza to sleep in the first round of the Middleweight Grand Prix Finals. With the victory, Mousasi became the first ever middleweight champion of the organization.

Since exiting the UFC over four years ago, Belfort (18-8) had struggled to find his hold form. He dropped three of his next five, however has rebouded nicely to take his last four.

Belfort tells Brazilian MMA magazine TATAME that he would face Mousasi only at middleweight. Belfort has been very successful as a middleweight, winning both of his Affliction fights with devastating knockouts over Terry Martin and Matt Lindland.

Mousasi, who will be making his US debut at the event, extended his win streak to ten with his submission win at DREAM 9 against Hunt in the opening round of the Super Hulk Tournament. Outweighed by 68.4 pounds, Mousasi took Hunt to the mat and snatched an arm for the kimura. Mousasi will face either Ikuhisa Minowa, Hong Man Choi or Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou after the Belfort fight.

As expected, at the UFC 98 post-event press conference, UFC President Dana White announced that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida's first title defense will be against former champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (picture). While White didn't announce the date for the title defense, if recent rumors of Rampage and Machida coaching season ten of The Ultimate Fighter are true, then the fight would take place in late December.

Both Machida and Jackson were fighting for the World Fighting Alliance when Zuffa bought the company out in December 2006.

"We bought the WFA to acquire his contract and Rampage's," White noted at the press conference. "I've always thought this kid (Machida) was talented."

"I was blown away by his performance tonight," White continued. "Absolutely blown away."

The UFC, in conjunction with Tequila Cazadores, awarded former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin the first ever UFC Authentic Spirit Award. Tequila Cazadores is the official spirit sponsor of the UFC.

The award will be given to a UFC fighter monthly who exemplifies social responsibility, dedication to their art of mixed martial arts and good sportsmanship.

Griffin was announced as the recipient by UFC President Dana White at a media event held by the UFC, Tequila Cazadores and THQ at Tabu in the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

Griffin was given the award for his work with the Wounded Warriors Project. The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors.

Griffin actively enlists his time and energy to raise awareness for the needs of severely injured servicemen and women and supports them on the road to healing both physically and mentally.

For winning the award, Tequila Cazadores will make a $1,000 donation in Forrest Griffin's name to the Wounded Warrior Project. Each month, Tequila Cazadores will award a fighter with the UFC Authentic Spirit Award, culminating with a larger award given to the fighter that best exemplifies all the parameters through the course of the year.

A $10,000 charitable contribution will be presented to the winner with full proceeds benefiting the fighter's charity of choice.

The UFC will return to California for the first time in over two years on October 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The UFC's last trip to California was on September 22, 2007 at UFC 76 at the Honda Center in Anaheim and the last time the UFC was at the Staples Center was on May 27, 2006 for UFC 60, headlined by then UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes taking on UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie at a catchweight of 175 pounds.

The Staples Center is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Kings.