Easily accessible cyclooctadienyl vinyl ketones can generate fused bicyclic 8-5 (bicyclo[6.3.0]undecadienone) ring systems via the Nazarov cyclization when treated with Lewis acid. The resultant products contain three new stereocenters as well as olefins suitably situated to allow further structural elaboration. This concise sequence allows for the rapid preparation of intermediates that should be applicable to a variety of natural product targets containing this bicyclic core.