UFC on FX 2: Pre fight press conference staredown photos

March 1, 2012
Sydney, Australia
UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann Press Conference

• Main Event: Thiago "Pitbull" Alves (19-8) vs. Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann (18-5)

• Flyweight Tournament Bout: Joseph Benavidez (15-2) vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6)

 • Flyweight Tournament Bout: Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson (9-2) vs. Ian "Uncle Creepy" McCall (11-2)













via: @ufc

UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann Pre Fight Press Conference Live Stream

The live presser kicks off right around 7 PM EST . That would be 11 AM tomorrow in Sydney, Australia which is where this presser is taking place.

Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey Greatest Hits

via: shosports

Full Fight Card here.

Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II Trailer

via the great NickTheFace2

Must See MMA….Five fights you can’t miss this weekend!

If you’re free this weekend, you will have your fill of MMA to watch.  Friday night there is a UFC event on FX, a Titan event on HDNet and then Saturday Strikeforce takes over Showtime with a night full of amazing action.  There are solid scraps on all the cards, but here’s who should definitely shine and should not be missed!

Ian McCall vs. Demetrious Johnson (UFC Main Card on FX)

This fight is part of the four man UFC Flyweight elimination tournament to crown the UFC’s inaugural 125 pound Champion.  Ian McCall is on a four fight winning streak and is 11-2 overall.  He’s also currently the Tachi Palace Fighting Flyweight champion.  Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is coming off of a loss in his bid to capture the Bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz.  These guys fight like lightning bugs at 135, just imagine the pace at 125.  It’s must-see as it will be a wild scrap and serves as the UFC’s first Flyweight tilt.  

Ultraviolence: The Benson Henderson upkick of smooth doom

"This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence."


Anthony Pettis kicked off the Main Card of UFC 144 with a bang. The Duke Roufus wunderkind's 1st round head kick KO of Joe Lauzon netted him his second bonus during his Zuffa tenure so far. 


The upkick that Benson Henderson landed (that likely stole him the 2nd Round) on then Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar has been dubbed as the turning point of the fight. After Henderson broke up the bridge of Edgar's nose he followed up with some stellar ground and pound for the remaining handful of seconds he had to work with. Was Edgar saved by the bell? Would this upkick of knocked out or made any other fighter not named Frank Edgar quit? 

What this upkick did was change the judges, and the fans introspective about the fight going on in front of them. Henderson became the dominant fighter at this moment. The stats tell us that Edgar landed more strikes and hit more takedowns than Henderson. Our eyes told us that from the second this upkick landed until the end of the fight Henderson was seemingly the bigger threat of the two to end things at any given moment. 


So what do we take from this? My take is that Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis are the most dangerous and gifted fighters in the 155 lb division. They bring a unique ever evolving arsenal of tools into the cage every time they are faced with a new challenger. What happened in the WEC cage on December 16th, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona was a magical fight for the hardcore MMA fans, the ones who would decide to tune into Versus on a Thursday night before the holidays. If you're the UFC you make Henderson vs. Pettis II now. Along with the Bantams and the Feathers this is the reason why you absolved the WEC into the UFC. The excitement that these WEC fighters brought smaller audiences needs to be witnessed on a larger scale. Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis are a big part of that and in their second year as UFC fighters they have just shown us a small sample of whats to come.

UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann Fight Card

UFC on FX 2
March 2, 2012
Sydney, Australia
Allphones Arena

Main Card (FX)

• Thiago Alves (19-8) vs. Martin Kampmann (18-5)

• Flyweight Tournament Bout: Ian McCall (11-2) vs. Demetrious Johnson (9-2)

• Flyweight Tournament Bout: Joseph Benavidez (15-2) vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6)

• Court McGee (13-1) vs. Constantinos Philippou (9-2)

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV):

• James Te Huna (13-5) vs. Aaron Rosa (17-4)

• Anthony Persoh (12-6) vs. Nick Penner (11-1)

 • Cole Miller (18-5) vs. Steven Siler (19-9)

• Kyle Noke (19-5-1) vs. Andrew Craig (6-0)

• TJ Waldburger (14-6) vs. Jake Hecht (11-2)

• Mackens Semerzier (6-3) vs. Daniel Pineda (16-7)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Oli Thompson (9-2) vs. Shawn Jordan (12-3)

The Weekend in Violence: Three Stars

I feel like a teenage kid whose dad just gave him the keys to the family car.  Hank Booth, in his ultimate wisdom (and complete lack of common sense) has handed over the reins The Weekend in Violence 3 Stars column to yours truly, Dan Rose.  Well, I’m not one to overlook the little guy so this will include both the astonishing UFC 144 card and a gem from Legacy Fighting Friday night.  Sit down, buckle up and let’s get stupid. 

1. Anthony Pettis

Showtime, Showtime, Showtime…this kid is nasty!  Anthony Pettis kicked off a PPV the way it should be kicked off, and nearly kicked Joe Lauzon’s head off in the process.  Wordplay kids, it’s not hard.  Pettis came out and before Joe could get warmed up, drilled him with a high kick to the face that sent Joe Lauzon to the mat.  Cue the ancillary follow up shots and it was a smashing good way to kick off the PPV.  With Ben Henderson pulling off the win the in Main Event, Pettis has to be chomping at the bit for another shot to let his feet do the talking.   

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Trailer

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Fight Card

UFC 144 Results: Benson Henderson is the new lightweight champion of the world

Benson Henderson can officially put the "Showtime Kick" in his rear view mirror.



The former WEC lightweight champion became the current UFC lightweight champion in Japan just moments ago after leaving Frankie Edgar bruised and battered. While Edgar did have the advantage over Henderson when it came to total strikes and takedows, Henderson left the cage looking the same as when he entered, aside from the belt strapped around his waist. Edgar on the other hand left a beaten man, one eye shut and the bridge of his nose ripped open.

There will be plenty of controversy surrounding this fight in the coming days in regard to some folks believing Edgar got jobbed. What I want to concentrate on for now is reality. We are living in a world where Benson Henderson is the new lightweight champion of the world. So who's next for Benson? I have a sneaking suspicion that Henderson vs. Pettis II may be announced during today's post fight presser. If that's not the case then expect it sooner rather than later. Pettis and Henderson emerge as the two biggest stars tonight on a card packed with incredible performances top to bottom.

Final Result: Lightweight Championship: Benson Henderson (C) (16-2) defeats Frankie Edgar (14-2-1) via UD (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)

UFC 144 Post Fight Press Conference Feed, Fighter Bonuses

$65,000 bonuses were awarded to the following fighters:

Fight of the Night: Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson

Knockout of the Night: Anthony Pettis

Submission of the Night: Vaughan Lee

UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Live Quick Results

Main Card (PPV)

• Lightweight Championship: Benson Henderson (C) (16-2) defeats Frankie Edgar (14-2-1) via UD (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)

• Ryan Bader (14-2) defeats Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-10) via UD (30-27 x 3)

• Mark Hunt (8-7) defeats Cheick Kongo (17-7-2) via TKO (punches) (Round 1, 2:11)

• Jake Shields (27-6-1) defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-5) via UD (30-27 x 3)

• Tim Boetsch (15-4) defeats Yushin Okami (26-7) via TKO (uppercuts) (Round 3, 0:54)

• Hatsu Hioki (26-4-2) defeats Bart Palaszewski (36-15) via UD (30-27, 29-28 x 2)

• Anthony Pettis (15-2) defeats Joe Lauzon (21-7) via KO (head kick and punches) (Round 1, 1:21)

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Takanori Gomi (33-8) defeats Eiji Mitsuoka (18-8-2) via TKO (strikes) (Round 2, 2:21)

• Vaughan Lee (12-7-1) defeats Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (18-6) via armbar (Round 1, 4:29)

• Riki Fukada (18-5) defeats Steve Cantwell (7-6) via UD (29-28, 30-27 x 2)

• Chris Cariaso (13-3) defeats Takeya Mizugaki (15-7-2) via UD (29-28 x 3)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Issei Tamura (7-2) defeats Tiequan Zhang (15-3) via KO (punch) (Round 2, 0:32)

UFC 144 Results: Mark Hunt makes quick work of Cheick Kongo

A man of few words, Mark Hunt let his fists do the talking today inside of the legendary Saitama Super Arena.


The New Zealander caught his French adversary early with a precise left hand on the jaw that left the Team Wolfslair fighter wobbled. Hunt maintained his composure refusing to follow his opponent. When the two exchanged again Hunt got the better of Kongo stunning him with a monster right and finishing him with consecutive blows to the skull. 

That's 3 in a row for Hunt now after dropping 6 straight. Do we dare call a man who entered the UFC with a 5-6 record one of the top 20 Heavyweights in the world? My answer is yes.

Final Result: • Mark Hunt (8-7) defeats Cheick Kongo (17-7-2) via TKO (punches) (Round 1, 2:11)

photo via: combatlifestyle

UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch's comeback is one for the ages

"The greatest comeback in the history of the UFC" . Those were Joe Rogan's words not mine.

Although the calming walkout music of Yoshihiro Akiyama seemed to bring Rogan to his senses. He later retracted his statement saying he may have flown off the handle a little bit.

That said, the miraculous comeback by Mr. Boetsch after being dominated by one of the top three Middleweights in the world was ONE of the greatest UFC comebacks of all time.

Okami was putting it all together inside the cage keeping Boetsch at bay with his stiff jab work. He even landed a few high kicks (a la the one that marked the beginning of the end him in Rio last August) continuing to batter Boetsch, threatening to finish him from the mount with a late flurry in the 2nd Round.

Boetsch was told by his corner in between rounds that he had to go for the KO. Easier said than done right? 54 seconds later Boetsch found himself celebrating victory while Okami lay dazed on the canvas, victim of a hearty uppercut helping served by a very happy Barbarian.

Final Result: Tim Boetsch (15-4) defeats Yushin Okami (26-7) via TKO (uppercuts) (Round 3, 0:54)

UFC 144: Anthony "Showtime" Pettis shin to chin goodnight GIF

UFC 144 Results: Anthony Pettis KO's Joe Lauzon via head kick

Anthony Pettis wants his UFC title shot. After another highlight reel kick (showtime kick part deux?) he may have just earned it. A straight shin on chin devastator, brought to you by the Duke Roufus trained mastermind, knocked Lauzon senseless. Pettis left the unconscious Lauzon with a few parting shots just for good measure. 

From the starting bell everything that Pettis landed he landed heavy. Lauzon, a dangerous fighter in his own right, just didn't look comfortable in there with "Showtime" from the start.

If Benson Henderson does defeat Frankie Edgar and become Lightweight Champion tonight, Henderson vs. Pettis II is a no brainer.

Final Result: Anthony Pettis (15-2) defeats Joe Lauzon (21-7) via KO (head kick and punches) (Round 1, 1:21)

UFC 144 Results: The Fireball Kid Is Back

Hometown hero Takanori Gomi survived a late 1st Round scare Sunday afternoon in Saitama, Japan. His opponent Eiji Mitsuoka caught him with a brutal counter right. Instead of going for the TKO, Mitsuoka followed Gomi to the ground and looked to flatten his opponent out, sinking in the triangle. Luckily for Gomi he was saved by the bell and the fight continued.

Gomi entered Round 2 throwing with reckless abandon, looking to go out on his shield. Mitsuoka was more than happy to oblige. Gomi landing some heavy shots, sensing his opponent losing steam, finished a curled up Mitsuoka with a dozen or more consecutive shots. Mitsuoka has to be kicking himself for not simply pounding a dazed Gomi out when he had the chance late in the 1st.

Takanori Gomi (33-8) defeats Eiji Mitsuoka (18-8-2) via TKO (strikes) (Round 2, 2:21)

UFC 144 Results: 4089 Days Coming, the UFC birth of Issei Tamura

4089 days ago on December 16, 2000 the UFC held its 29th numbered card in Tokyo, Japan. It featured then Lightweight Champion Pat Miletich and was headlined by Middleweight Champion Tito Ortiz. Miletich and Ortiz successfully defended their title's on a card that marked the end of the SEG era. Zuffa would take the reigns of the promotion and thus the Ultimate Fighting Championship would steer clear of Japan for many years.

Present Day: The UFC has invaded Japan with what seems to be little to no resistance. Fans have packed the Saitama Super Arena to the gills in anticipation of a Sunday afternoon delight of fights. The first match is ready to go with Zhang Tiequan entering the Octagon to square off against promotional newcomer Issei Tamura, the underdog who stepped in for an injured Leonard Garcia on very short notice.

The Shooto mainstay rocks Zhang early in the 1st which causes the Japanese faithful to explode. This kind of eruption is uncharacteristic of JMMA crowds, they usually take in these sorts of moments with silence. Tamura follows Zhang to the ground and gifts him with relentless hammerfists. It's clearly a 10-9 round for Tamura.

What we witness in the 2nd Round is one of those magical MMA moments. Tamura lands a gorgeous right hand directly on Zhang's chin that sends him landing awkwardly on the canvas. Zhang eats another unnecessary punch as Tamura is pulled off him by referee Herb Dean and this one is etched in the history books.

Final Result: Issei Tamura (7-2) defeats Tiequan Zhang (15-3) via KO (punch) (Round 2, 0:32)

UFC 144 Fight Preview Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson

It’s time for the Main Event of the evening…yeah, I stole that from Bruce Buffer.  It’s time to break down the Lightweight Championship fight between champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar and Benson “Smooth” Henderson.  This is a classic battle between two fighters in the prime of their careers, both of which have a legitimate chance to win this fight.  Let’s take a look!

Ben Henderson is a well-rounded and dangerous fighter sporting a 15-2 record and is a former WEC World Champion.  He looked unbelievable in defeating Jim Miller and is coming off of a fight of the night performance in defeating Clay Guida.  He has Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, good standup and amazing conditioning.  His only two career losses came to Anthony Pettis and Rocky Johnson early in his career.   He can beat anyone at 155 on any given night.    

 Frankie Edgar is the little engine that could, that never realized he was the little engine to begin with.  He’s the toughest fighter in MMA and has incredible heart and determination.  He’s not just a scrappy guy with a ton of heart though, he’s vastly skilled.  He has all the tools and has defeated Gray Maynard, and BJ Penn, twice.  Simply stated, he’s a champion in every sense and I’d favor him over anyone in the Lightweight division.  

UFC 144 'Japan': Staff Main Card Pick 'Em

The last time we did a full staff (aka army of two) Pick 'Em was UFC 143. Mr. Rose and I both finished with our very own unique 9-2 record. For this card we're doing a quick Main Card Pick 'Em for Saitama's UFC 144 afternoon delight. Not quite Fitch vs. Hendricks quick, but quick nonetheless. More like Ellenberger vs. Shields quick. Okay enough tomfoolery, without further ado, here are the picks - 

• Lightweight Championship: Frankie Edgar (C) vs. Benson Henderson

Hank Booth: 

After everything Frankie Edgar has shown us, all the odds hes defied, it makes it extremely difficult to pick against him. I just don't like this match up for him. Both men put on a show once again in a back and forth battle for the ages. Frankie may be put in another rematch situation here but it could be him fighting for his belt back next time around. 

I believe Benson Henderson has "The Answer" for Edgar.

Henderson via submission, 4th Round

Dan Rose:

This is going to be a tremendous fight. I believe Frankie Edgar is not only the best lightweight on earth, I feel he’s pound for pound the toughest fighter in MMA. Ben Henderson brings a lot to the table skill wise and will certainly test the champion. Frankie has superior stand up and wrestling, but if this fight hits the ground for any lengthy period of time, Henderson could submit Edgar. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume this fight will be a five round war, and at the end, the tougher fighter will win.

Frankie Edgar will defeat Ben Henderson by Unanimous Decision.

• Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Ryan Bader

Booth:

A KO win for Ryan Bader over Quinton Jackson puts him right back in line for a rematch against Jon Jones. Call me crazy for saying it but I believe its true. Jon Jones vs. anyone these days is marketable. Especially the first sequel of his career, that is if Bader wants it.

Bader does have heavy hands but so does Rampage. He also has the crowd in his corner. You've seen Rampage say it over and over in the Countdown show and the promos." I just wanna put on the best show the world has ever seen."  When Rampage wants to deliver, he can... and he will. I believe Rampage leaves this one with his hand raised and breaks bread with Joe Rogan post fight.

Rampage via KO, Round 1 (Jackson puts in a little something extra for the Japan faithful and KO's Bader via slam followed by punches to the face)

Rose:

If this fight were taking place in Las Vegas instead of Japan, I might look at it somewhat differently.  Quinton Jackson belongs in Japan, and this is a fight he asked for. Ryan Bader is a big strong kid, but Quinton is known as “Rampage” for a reason. Bader is going to have to weather some serious storms if he is to take the fight to the mat and control Quinton, if he is able to do so at all. I like Quinton in this fight, and I like him big.  I expect fireworks early, and if Quinton were looking for a retirement opportunity, this might be it.

Quinton Jackson will defeat Ryan Bader by 1^st Round Knock Out.

poster via: olieng

UFC 144: Can Benson Henderson find "The Answer"?

A Case for "The Answer",  a case for "Smooth"

When asked who his favorite superhero was at the UFC 144 Presser, Henderson answered Clark Kent, Superman's alter ego. Frankie Edgar has been called "Iron Man" on account of his chin (FE is also the symbol for the chemical element Iron, which Edgar has featured on a t-shirt).

UFC Lightweight #1 Contender Benson Henderson's has made no secret about his penchant for comic books. As a lifelong fan of superheroes and villains myself, it's difficult not to see the comic book undertones of this incredible main event.  The thing about this fight though is that there is no villain. So much for that take. So instead we'll make a case for each fighter. What will it take for "Super Smooth" to dethrone the three-time defending world champion. What does "Frankie Iron" have to do to break the current record of Lightweight title defense currently held by "The Prodigy". This article will resume after the break.

Your guest ring girl for UFC 144 'Japan' is...

The beautiful Asuza Nishigaki. Nishigaki has put in work as a model in Japan and has also worked as a ring card girl for Sengoku. Asuza also competed for Miss Universe Japan 2008 where she came up short to the lovely Hiroko Mima.

Nishigaki and Arianny Celeste bonded today in a Kodak moment where they giggled like school girls when Sexyama" took the stage for to weigh in.




Dear Dana White,

 Feel free to bring Miss Asuza along to future events. Thanks in advance

   Signed,

                     Everyone

You can find a photo of Asuza with her partner in crime after the break.

UFC 144 – Symphony of Violence

Sometimes reading about what a fighter is like, or reading a breakdown of a fight doesn’t give you a total view.  With me, if I can attach a song or a video to something, it helps define it for me.  That being said, I’ve decided to fill you in on what songs I relate to certain fighters from the UFC 144 card this Saturday night.  I didn’t provide songs for everyone, because frankly, when Tim Boetch fights, I don’t hear music.  Here’s what I’ll be listening to in my mind, while muting Goldie and Rogan.

Frankie Edgar  - Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi http://tinyurl.com/27v4jye

There’s something endearing to this song.  It’s about a kid who just does what it takes to get what he wants.  Of course, in this case you have to substitute The Octagon for Gina, and Frankie for Johnny, but work with me.  Edgar is a tough as nails kid from Jersey who doesn’t look the part of a world champion.  He is though, livin on a prayer.  Love this song, love this fighter.  Put this on and think about Edgar doing his GTL; Gym, Tan, Leave the Octagon world champion! 

UFC 144 'Japan': Live Weigh In Feed/Results

The first fighter tips the scale right around 11 PM Eastern - 8 PM Pacific.

Main Card (PPV)

• Lightweight Championship: Frankie Edgar (C) (154) vs. Benson Henderson (154)

• Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (211)* vs. Ryan Bader (205)

"Rampage" forfeits 20% percent of his purse to Bader. The fight will go on regardless. 

• Mark Hunt (264) vs. Cheick Kongo (229)

• Yoshihiro Akiyama (169) vs. Jake Shields (170)

• Yushin Okami (185) vs. Tim Boetsch (186)

• Hatsu Hioki (145) vs. Bart Palaszewski (146)

• Joe Lauzon (156) vs. Anthony Pettis (155)

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Takanori Gomi (155) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (154)

• Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (136) vs. Vaughan Lee (135)

• Riki Fukuda (185) vs. Steve Cantwell (185)

• Takeya Mizugaki (135) vs. Chris Cariaso (136)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Zhang Tiequan (146) vs. Issei Tamura (145)

UFC 144: Frankie Edgar - The Rocky Balboa of the UFC

via: CainPainTrain

Check out our fight result piece from last October, posted minutes after Edgar KO'ed Maynard: Frankie Edgar is a real life Rocky Balboa

Dana White UFC 144 'Japan': Vlogs 1 & 2

Vlog #2 takes us behind the scenes of Wednesday's Press Conference in Japan. You can find Vlog #1, which takes us behind the scenes of the 143rd numbered event in Vegas after the break. 

UFC 144: Rampage returns to Japan (Video)

In this video from the folks over at mmafighting (if the video above doesn't work on your browser follow this link) we catch up with Rampage Jackson on the streets of Tokyo. Rampage opens up to Ariel Helwani (the resident Mean Gene Okerlund of MMA) about a variety of subjects including his soft spot for Japan. What the folks over at mmafighting did here was create a timeless video featuring one of the great competitors who played a large part in putting mma on the map. Check it out.

UFC 144 'Japan': Edgar vs. Henderson Press Conference Video

This one will begin right around 11 P.M. Eastern time. 1 PM Japan time.

Attending the presser will be UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Ryan Bader, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jake Shields and of course the President, Dana White.

You can peruse the full fight card here.

UPDATE: Live streaming of this Presser has been cancelled. Watch out for the video to be uploaded sometime overnight or tomorrow.

Video is now up and running. 

Full Countdown to UFC 144 Video

From start to finish for your viewing pleasure.

UFC

UFC 144 Fight Preview: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo

Two kickboxing KO artists look to use each others face for a canvas this Saturday in Saitama

The greatest wins of Mark Hunt's career came in his PRIDE days. This Kiwi boy is no stranger to Saitama, Japan. He holds wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop there when both legends were in their prime. While Japan may be a new setting for Kongo's fighting life, the Wolfslair Frenchman has to be one of the coolest customers in all of the sport. A win for him this weekend puts Kongo on a five-fight winning streak, a feat that is virtually unheard of these days in the Heavyweight division. Unless of course your name is Junior dos Santos.

Let's have a little fun with this breakdown after the jump off.

"Stand and Bang": Dan Hardy has a new opponent

Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has a date for Memorial Day Weekend with a man who likes to stand and "Bang".





The fine folks over at the UFC have announced that Hardy will be taking on Duane "Bang" Ludwig (21-12 MMA, 4-3) as a part of the UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Overeem card.

Dan Hardy couldn't be stopped during his first two years under the UFC banner. The Nottingham bred fighter reeled off four wins in a row earning himself a much deserved title shot against Welterweight title holder Georges St. Pierre.The two years that followed weren't as kind.

Hardy enters his next fight coming off four straight losses. His latest fight of the night performance against Chris Lytle may have saved him his job, even in defeat. In Ludwig, Hardy has been given another opponent to suit his "war" style.

Ludwig is best known for his record setting 6.06 second KO of Jonathan Goulet all the way back at UFC Fight Night 3. The last time we saw him he was choked out in the 1st Round by Josh "The Dentist" Neer on the inaugural UFC on FX card.

Don't expect Duane Ludwig to pull a Anthony Johnson com May 26th. If "Bang" promises Hardy a stand up affair, well, that's exactly what "The Outlaw" and us fans will get. This is one of those fights to mark on your MMA calendar.

(Video) Will Ferrell introduces the cast of UFC 144

This is must see viral T.V. right here folks.

UFC 144 Fight Preview: Ryan Bader vs. Quinton Jackson

Another day, another fight breakdown for this weekend’s UFC 144 card airing live on PPV from the Land of the Rising Sun.  This preview will help break down the Light Heavyweight clash between Ryan Bader and “Rampage” Jackson.  Quinton spent a large part of his career fighting in Japan in the Pride organization and raised hell both in and out of the cage.  If you haven’t seen his work from back in Pride, please check out his fights with Wanderlei Silva, and his gravity defying slam/KO of Ricardo Arona.  

Ryan Bader was considered by many a blue chip can’t miss future star after his season winning stint on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter.  A wrestler out of Arizona State he has all the tools to compete at the highest levels in the sport.  He was a perfect 12-0 before consecutive losses to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz had his back against the wall.  He rebounded impressively defeating Jason Brilz by KO in just over a minute at UFC 139.  This fight with Quinton Jackson could be the most important of his career as a loss here, and there’s really no overstating how damaging it would be to his career in the UFC.   

Breaking News: Nate Marquardt has a new home

It appears Nate Marquardt won't be fighting outside of the Zuffa banner after all.

UFC President Dana White made it official on Fuel TV's UFC Tonight program just minutes ago. Nate Marquardt will be giving a much needed jolt to a very shallow Strikeforce roster in desperate need of star power. The last time we saw Marquardt in action was against Dan Miller at UFC 128 where he was awarded a Unanimous Decision victory, his 10th as a UFC fighter.

@Arielhelwani later confirmed that "Nate the Great" will be competing at Welterweight. It's likely that Marquardt will make his Strikeforce debut against the undefeated American Top Team wrestling standout Tyron Woodley.

The first time Marquardt was tapped to make his Welterweight debut came last August in Pittsburgh.  Marquardt got canned just one day before his headlining stint against Rick "The Horror" Story, and was promised that he would never fight for the UFC again.
 
Marquardt was then scheduled to headline a show for the BAMMA promotion against Yoshiyuki Yoshida early this year. The show kept getting pushed back and Nate was eventually allowed to leave the promotion to "explore other options". 

Even after this extended and unforeseen layoff, Marquardt still remains one of the consensus Top 10 Ranked Middleweight fighters in the world.

UFC 144 'Japan': Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama fight preview

After it's all said and done, hopefully Yoshihiro and Jake can co author a book about the best hair product's to use for men in training and MMA. 

When I look this card up and down, I cannot for the life of me find two fighters who need a win more than these two gentlemen. Hometown hero Yoshihrio Akiyama, who is making his 170 lb debut, carries a rather heavy three-fight losing streak into the cage with him.

His adversary, Jake Shields, has dropped two in a row himself. On top of that lets just say his Octagon debut before this mini losing streak wasn't that impressive. While some may tag his opponent Mr. Excitement, you won't find a whole lot of folks calling Shields the same. So just how do these two match up in what could possibly be a loser goes home without a job scenario? Lets take a gander after the jump.

UFC 144 Fight Preview: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis

Let’s be honest, this weekend’s UFC event live from Japan is a remarkable card jammed packed with potentially exciting scraps.  Among those fights, perhaps the most interesting fight will take place in the Lightweight Division between Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon.  Anthony is among the most exciting fighters in the UFC and Joe Lauzon is one of the most venomous finishers in the sport.

Anthony Pettis owns a very impressive record of 14-2.  He was the last WEC Lightweight champion who defeated Ben Henderson, who coincidentally will be in the main event going for the UFC Lightweight Championship against Frankie Edgar.  Don’t feel bad for Pettis though, he’s an exciting fighter who has won five of six with his loss coming via decision to the highly regarded Clay Guida.  

On the flip side of this fight is Joe Lauzon.  He brings a healthy 21-6 record including an impressive 8-3 record inside the Octagon.  More impressively is that in those 8 wins,  none have gone the distance. He is a finisher.  He is much stronger than he looks and has the ability to manhandle people at 155.  His submissions are spot on, considering he has submitted 17 of the 21 fighters he’s defeated.  In fact, laying claim to being one of the most exciting fighters in the game, he has never gone the distance in his 21 wins and has only needed the judges in one of his career fights.  Another astounding fact is that he has won an award for either fight of the night, or submission of the night in 8 of his 11 UFC fights. 

Strikeforce 'Tate vs. Rousey' Behind the Scenes Showtime Shoot

You can find the finished product here.

BJ Penn: "Everytime you get out they try to pull you back in"

via: bjpenn.com

Follow: @ElaineCastroLV

Video: "The art of the flying ear"

From Fight Lab 20: MMA Cage Fights.

The official decision - Kenneth Crowder defeats Shane Tyner via UD (30-27 x 3)

That means Tyner kept fighting after part of his ear went flying off. Both guys win in this situation. This UltraViolence took place at Coyotes Joe's in Charlotte, NC.

via: MMA on the Rise

UFC Japan "Lets Fighting Love" Promo

The song is "Lets Fighting Love" by the great DVDA.

Star Wars creator George Lucas' daughter is a mixed martial arts champion

By champion I don't mean the combat repulsocraft employed by the Naboo security force during the invasion of Naboo. I mean the Women's DEEP Openweight Championship, which was up for grabs this past weekend in Tokyo.

Amanda Lucas has come a long way from going into Tosche Station to pick up power convertors for Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Young Lucas now finds herself on a three-fight submission victory streak under the DEEP banner. Her latest, being of the keylock variety over pyramid driver extraordinaire Yumiko Hotta, made her the very first DEEP Openweight Women's Champion.

What's next for the newly crowned champ? According to SI's Loretta Hunt, she'll be sticking around Japan to cheer on her teammate Jake Shields at this weekend's UFC 144 in Saitama.

Check out Lucas's impressive finish after the jump:

UFC 145's Rashad Evans: " I don't respect Jon (Jones) as a person, Jon is fake"

UFC 145 headliners Jon Jones and Rashad Evans are already making the rounds to promote their upcoming spring title fight in Atlanta.

This interview done by the fine folks over at Sportsnite on CSS really shows the contrast between the up and coming self proclaimed "Greatest of all Time" and his nemesis, the former veteran Champion. Will "Bones" be humbled, or will he make "Suga" the fourth former Light Heavyweight Champion on his victim's list? Since we won't know for another couple of months yet, why not enjoy the mind games that these two will play with each other until then.



Part 2 after the break:

Cage Warriors 45 Live Main Card Results

You can take part in the live Cage Warriors 45 event via mmajunkie starting at 4 PM EST today.

Main Card Results:

• Bobby Brents (12-2) defeats Rogent Lloret (11-3-1) via arm triangle choke (Round 1, 4:41)

• J.P. Reese (6-2) defetas Brad Wheeler (7-6) via UD (30-27 x 3)

• Chris Fields (9-3) defeats Jack Mason (17-10) via KO (left foot head kick) (Round 1, 0:50)

• Conor McGregor (10-2) defeats Steve O' Keeffe (6-2) via TKO (elbows) (Round 1, 1:33)

• Dave Keeley (6-4) defeats Eddy Bengtsson (4-3) via TKO (elbows) (Round 1,4:40)

• Brett Sizeland (5-1) defeats Brett Bassett (7-3) via TKO (cut- doctor stoppage) (Round 2, 1:47)

"Mayhem" Miller vs. C.B. Dollaway slated for UFC 146

According to Jason "Mayhem" Miller's Twitter account the fighter will indeed stay employed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, much to his monkey's delight.


via  @mayhemmiller:

"Breaking News: I'm fighting on @ufc 146. World exclusive."

"I'm fighting Theebee Dollaway."

"won't gas. CARDIO. CARDIO. TIME TO TRAIN HARD. MEDITATE. ZEN. "


UPDATE: Minutes later Mayhem tweeted the following after deleting his first two tweets regarding UFC 146 : "Whenever my next fight is. I won't let you down #whateverittakes"

• Jason "Mayhem" Miller (24-8 MMA, 0-2 UFC) vs. C.B. Dollaway (10-3 MMA, 5-4 UFC)

More on this fight announcement and UFC 146: Overeem vs. dos Santos as it approaches.

photo via: ufc

UFC on Fuel: Ivan Menjivar Submission of the Night Highlight

Ivan Menjivar (24-8) choked out John Albert (7-2) to kick off last Wednesday's UFC on Fuel TV inaugural broadcast. Menjivar cements himself as a top UFC Bantamweight now boasting a career 3-0 record inside the Octagon.

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Full Press Conference Video

Rashad Evans: "This fight won't go 5 Rounds."

Jon Jones: "Mark...his...words."

The first of many stare down photos between these two for the press can be found after the jump:

Happy Brittney Palmer Day

What better way to celebrate the official release date of Brittney's Playboy Cover debut than checking out this video of the March 2012 cover girl in action. This video is courtesy of the fine folks over at HDNet.

As of today you can find the ring card girl/artist's on the cover and in between the pages wherever adult magazines or sold - or online over at Playboy.com .

UFC on Fuel: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger Fight of the Night Highlights

Another Fight of the Night performance was turned in last night by Diego "The fighter formerly known as the Nightmare" Sanchez last night. "The Dream" ended up on the losing end of a very entertaining 3 Round war with Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger. Both fighters took home an extra 50K and may very well have been the reason why every UFC Main Event from here on out will be 5 Rounds per UFC President Dana White. White, who was rather disappointed that they dropped the ball, confirmed this with Fuel TV post fight.

Final Result: Jake Ellenberger defeats Diego Sanchez via UD (29-28 x 3)

fuel tv

UFC on Fuel (Video): Stipe Miocic KO's Philip De Fries

The former Cleveland State University baseball phenom only needed 43 seconds to run his professional Mixed Martial Arts record up to 8-0 with his unforgiving knockout of Sunderland, England's Philip De Fries.

Miocic was awarded Knockout of the Night honors at last nights UFC on Fuel debut which landed him an extra 50K. Not bad for a under a minutes work on a Wednesday night in Omaha.

UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger Live Quick Results

Main Card (Fuel TV)

• Jake Ellenberger (27-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) defeats Diego Sanchez (23-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) via UD (29-28 x 3)

• Stefan Struve (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) defeats Dave Herman (21-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) via TKO (punches) (Round 2, 3:52)

• Ronny Markes (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) defeats Aaron Simpson (11-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) via SD (29-28 x 2, 28-29)

• Stipe Miocic (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) defeats Philip De Fries (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) via KO (Round 1, 0:43)

• T.J. Dillashaw (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) defeats Walel Watson (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) via UD (30-25 x 2, 30-26)

• Ivan Menjivar (24-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC) defeats John Albert (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) via RNC (Round 1, 3:45)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Jonathan Brookins (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) defeats Vagner Rocha (7-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) via KO (punches) (Round 1, 1:32)

• Buddy Roberts (11-2 MMA, UFC Debut) vs. Sean Loeffler (25-5 MMA, UFC Debut) * - scrapped due to a late ankle injury suffered by Sean Loeffler

• Justin Salas (10-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeats Anton Kuivanen (16-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) via UD  (30-27 x 2, 29-27)

• Tim Means (17-3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeats Bernardo Magalhaes (11-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) via UD (30-27, 30-26 x 2)

photo via: twitter

So you wanna see Brittney Palmer nude?

Been wondering what UFC Octagon ring card engineer Brittney Palmer looks like sans her required work uniform? Me too. Luckily for anyone that knows how to utilize google search or has ability to trade in hard currency for top shelf wrapped in plastic product, you're in luck.

The irreplaceable Miss Palmer's photo spread can be seen in the pages of the newest issue of Playboy which hits shelves this Friday February 17th. The March 2012 issue of Playboy marks the 3rd time an Octagon girl has graced the cover of this fine publication. Miss Brittney follows in the footsteps of Arianny Celeste (November 2010) and Rachelle Leah (November 2008).

UFC on Fuel 1: Winners before the bell

                                                                                                                                                           

Anytime you breakdown fights and predict the winners, you need to do hours of painstaking research, film breakdown and play out hundreds of scenarios in your head.  Or, you can just wing it like I am about to do. Last event I went 9-2, so the wing it plan sometimes works.  Let’s get started with UFC on Fuel 1, winners before the bell.

Ivan Menjivar vs. John Albert

John Albert entered the 14^th season of The Ultimate Fighter a perfect 6-0.  He lost in his debut in the house to John Dodson who wound up winning the entire competition.  He fights out of Victory Fighting out of Washington and has been very solid on cards in Washington.  In his UFC debut he defeated Dustin Prague inside the first 90 seconds by TKO.  He gets a tougher test this time out in the form of crafty veteran Ivan Menjivar.   

 Ivan has 31 fights to his credit and has won 23 of them.  He’s been in there again top level talent such as Urijah Faber, Georges St Pierre, Brad Pickett, Caol Uno, Joe Lauzon and Matt Serra to name a few.  He is fighting at Bantamweight this fight which is a solid weight for him, if he can make it.  He failed to make weight against Nick Pace and that fight was held at 138 pounds.  He’s fought everywhere from 135 pounds up to 170 in his career.  He is currently on a 2 fight UFC winning streak and has all the skills to make it three straight.  

Strikeforce: Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey Showtime Trailer

The most important title fight in Mixed Martial Arts this coming March takes place on the 3rd in Columbus, Ohio. Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate will make the first defense of her belt against undefeated Judokan/Destroyer of Arms, Ronda Rousey.
 
With Gina Carano sitting pretty in Hollywood and Cristiane Santos on the shelf due to steroid issues, all eyes in the WMMA community are on these two. Will the pre fight hype live up to the scrap itself? The only thing that's for certain is that this is one you do not want to miss.

SHOSports

"It's Time!" : UFC Undisputed 3 is now available for purchase

If you just so happen to be an MMA fan and reside somewhere in North America I probably don't need to tell you what you already know. That being said, I'd be a complete jag off if I didn't play the role of Captain Obvious today and send out this friendly reminder:

UFC Undisputed is now available on XBOX 360 and PS3 as of right now in North America. It'll be available for purchase on February 17th in Europe. 

• UFC Undisputed 3 demo now available for XBOX 360 & PS3

• UFC Undisputed 3: Evans vs. Davis Simulation

• UFC Undsipted 3 Full PRIDE FC Roster

• UFC Undsipted 3: "This is the Moment" Official Trailer

• Anderson Silva is a real life video game character

• UFC Undisputed 3 Combat Trailer

• Now Anderson Silva can fight his clone

• UFC Undisputed 3 Trailer

• Don't F**k with Frank Mir

• The Answer and Smooth battle in Toronto

UFC on Fuel TV : Sanchez vs. Ellenberger Live Weigh In Video / Results

Main Card (FuelTV)

• Diego Sanchez (170) vs. Jake Ellenberger (170)

• Stefan Struve (256) vs. Dave Herman (234)

• Aaron Simpson (186) vs. Ronny Markes (185)

• Philip De Fries (241) vs. Stipe Miocic (240)

• T.J. Dillashaw (136) vs. Walel Watson (135)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• John Albert (135) vs. Ivan Menjivar (135)

• Jonathan Brookins (145) vs. Vagner Rocha (145)

• Buddy Roberts (184) vs. Sean Loeffler (185)

• Anton Kuivanen (156) vs. Justin Salas (155)

• Tim Means (155) vs. Bernardo Magalhaes (155)

UFC on Fuel TV: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger Fight Card Odds

Make your Wednesday night a little more interesting. Get a piece of the action!

fight odds via bovada.lv

Main Card (Fuel TV)

• Diego Sanchez (+250) vs. Jake Ellenberger(-325)

• Stefan Struve (+110) vs. Dave Herman (-140)

• Aaron Simpson (-115) vs. Ronny Markes (-115)


• Philip De Fries (+350) vs. Stipe Miocic (-500)

• T.J. Dillashaw (-255) vs. Walel Watson (+195)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• John Albert (+210) vs. Ivan Menjivar (-270)

• Jonathan Brookins (-225) vs. Vagner Rocha (+175)

• Buddy Roberts (-105) vs. Sean Loeffler (-125)

• Anton Kuivanen (+105) vs. Justin Salas (-135)

• Tim Means (+170) vs. Bernardo Magalhaes (-210)

Joe Lauzon UFC 144 Vlog #1

via: JoeLauzonDotCom

New UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Poster, Updated Fight Card

What do you guys think?

Tickets go on sale this week for the most anticipated title fight of the season. As usual tickets will be available for Fight Club members first this Wednesday at 10 A.M. EST. Newsletter subscribers get the next crack come Thursday at 10 A.M and the general public gets what left come this Friday morning at 10 A.M.

Here is the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Fight Card as it stands today:

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans
April 21, 2011
Atlanta, Georgia
Philips Arena


Main Card (PPV)

• Light Heavyweight Championship: Jon Jones (C) vs. Rashad Evans

• Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills

• Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell

• Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman

• Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs

• Stephen Thompson vs. Matt Brown

• Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin

• John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani

• Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero

• Marcus Brimage vs. Maximo Blanco

• Keith Wisniewski vs. Chris Clements

UFC on FOX 3: Koscheck set to play the role of Avenger this May

TUF Season 1 alum Josh Koscheck (17-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) gets an opportunity to play the role of avenger on May 5th in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Coincidentally, the ultra popular and highly anticipated Marvel major motion picture "The Avengers" will be released the day before he targets Welterweight on the rise Johny Hendricks (12-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

It took Hendricks (the kids like to call him Big Rig, I call him The Bearded Assasin) all of 12 seconds to finish Koscheck's close friend and training partner Jon Fitch at UFC 141 late last December. Although Koscheck publicly stated that he had indeed parted ways with AKA following his split decision victory over Mike Pierce, he also made it very clear that himself and Mr. Fitch will still never trade blows for money.

Koscheck vs. Hendricks will likely serve as the Co Main event for UFC on FOX 3. You can find the full UFC on FOX 3 fight card as it stand today right here.

 @JoshKoscheck - Yes,weR may5 is going2 be the best main event yet! Redemption 4 my brother!Now I am motivated RT @danawhite Koscheck vsHendricks is on4 FOX!

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Is there a better press conference photo in MMA history? That's rhetorical. Thank you All Elbows.



Sunday Morning Coming Down = News, opinions, and quotes in a nutshell from the past week in MMA.

 Don't get in between Nick Diaz and his medicine 

Is it really fair to penalize a fighter who may have ingested his medicine 5, 10, 15, maybe even 20+ days before he was scheduled to fight? Maybe Cesar Gracie or brother Nate made him brownies a few weeks ago for a job well done. It's quite possible that Uncle Jake or even Cousin Gil may have brought some hempseed oil for a salad party to celebrate fight week.

Nick Diaz has been penalized for using a medicine that is legal in 16 states (including his home state of California). The very commission that is in charge of his fate is accepting suggestions from the public come February 22nd. I'm sure the Diaz camp has a suggestion or three for the NSAC. Medical Marijuana is not a PED. It should not be used on the night of a fight because it could cause an unfair advantage. However, using it anywhere between one and three weeks before to his social anxiety and adhd as opposed to ritalin or any other pill. Nick Diaz found a medicine that works for him and he continues to use it. Years from now people will laugh at a "controversy" like this. "Wait...weed was illegal?", they will cry. Yes...it was, and it may take a year away from a 28 year old fighter following a doctors orders.

Jamie Varner, Gracie love, and who should be next for Carlos Condit after the break:

UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Extended Video Preview

Full Fight Card here.

UFC KO of the Week: Edgar finally finds 'The Answer' for the Bully

It took 43 minutes and 54 seconds for Frankie Edgar to find some closure in regards to his ongoing rivalry with Gray "The Bully" Maynard. Now that these two adversaries sit at 1-1-1 after three tilts one has to ask, was it really complete closure? Expect Edgar vs. Maynard IV to happen in the not so distant future if Maynard keeps winning. 

Frankie Edgar will once again defend his Lightweight Title on February 25th against Ben "Smooth" Henderson in Japan. Expect plenty of coverage right here in the following couple weeks to close out this month.

Georges St. Pierre's commentates Diaz vs. Condit cageside

" Man, Carlos is spoiling the party now"  - Georges St. Pierre

UFC Ultimate Insider

UFC on Fuel TV 3 Fight Card

UFC on Fuel TV 3
May 15, 2012
Fairfax, Virginia
Patriot Center

* card is subject to change






Main Card (Fuel TV)

• Main Event (3 Rounds): Chan Sung Jung (12-3) vs. Dustin Poirier (12-1)

• Thiago Silva (14-2) vs. Igor Pokrajac (24-8)

• Donald Cerrone (17-4) vs. Yves Edwards (41-18-1)

• Tom Lawlor (7-4) vs. Jason MacDonald (25-15)

UFC on FOX 3: Diaz vs. Miller Fight Card

UFC on FOX 3
May 5, 2012
East Rutherford, New Jersey
IZOD Center




Main Card (Live on FOX)

• Main Event (5 Rounds) : Nate Diaz (15-7) vs. Jim Miller (21-3)

• Josh Koscheck (17-5) vs. Johny Hendricks (12-1)

• Alan Belcher (17-6) vs. Rousimar Palhares (14-3)

• Pat Barry (7-4) vs. Lavar Johnson (16-5)

Preliminary Card

• John Dodson (12-5) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (7-3)

• Tony Ferguson (13-2) vs. Dennis Hallman (51-14-2)

• Pascal Krauss (10-0) vs. John Hathaway (15-1)

• Danny Castillo (13-4) vs. John Cholish (8-1)

• Mike Massenzio (13-6) vs. Karlos Vemola (8-2)

• Louis Gaudinot (5-2) vs. John Lineker (19-5)

photo via : ukfightsite

This Friday in UFC fight announcements and rumors

Is Fairfax, Virginia ready for a Zombie Attack?






It may not be a fight weekend for the Ultimate Fighting Championship but the promotion did make some rather large waves on what would typically be a weigh in day. It all started when UFC Co-Owner Lorenzo Fertitta engaged with fans on a popular social networking site and ended with a UFC on Fuel TV 3 Main Event revelation.

Here are your fight announcements and rumors for what was a memorable Friday February 10th, 2012.

• Chan Sung Jung (pictured) vs. Dustin Poirier (ufc)

The Korean Zombie and Dustin Poirier will meet in what could very well be a Featherweight Title Eliminator in Fairfax, Virginia on May 15th. This 3 Round UFC on Fuel TV 3 bout will serve as the Main Event of the evening and will be the first time either fighter has headlined a show while under contract with Zuffa.

• Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem (@lorenzofertitta)

Junior dos Santos will make the first defense of his UFC Heavyweight Championship on Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas. "Cigano" is coming off a 64 second victory over former champ Cain Velasquez which took place on the inaugural Fox show. His challenger Alistair Overeem comes in riding a 12 fight win streak in the Heavyweight division not having dropped a fight since being KO'ed by Sergei Kharitonov in 2007.


• Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz III (@lorenzofertitta)

Some say why? I say why not? Two future UFC Hall of Famers will meet in a rubber match that could be the end of the road for one, if not both of them. Neither Light Heavyweight is in line for or even interested in a title shot at this point in their career. Forrest seems to have lost his fire and there's a 99.9 % chance that this will be Tito's final shot at a last hurrah. A three round stand up war between two guys who believe their opponent will be an easy victory is about all these former Champions are good for in 2012. It's not yet know when or where this slugfest will take place but one can only guess a Co - Headlining stint on a Summer show.

• Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez (@FrontRowBrian/@themmashow)

It's not yet been officially announced yet but if Lorenzo Fertitta tweets it, well that's as official as it gets. Twitter guerrilla journalist FrontRowBrian told Mauro Ranallo that this contest will likely serve as a #1 Contenders bout on the same card as dos Santos vs. Overeem on May 26th making UFC 146 a four man Heavyweight Tournament of sorts.

• Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber III (@lorenzofertitta)

Another trilogy fight, but this is one that the fans actually want. It wasn't a matter of if they were fighting it was just a matter of when and where. UFC 148. Las Vegas. July 7th. MGM Grand Arena. Expect fireworks. Again. This will make two straight years that Cruz and Faber have headlined the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the worlds 4th of July weekend show. Cruz retained his title by defeating his sworn enemy via Unanimous Decision in one of the most entertaining fights of 2012 thus evening the score at one a piece. The top two Bantamweights in the world will have plenty of time to take verbal jabs at one another leading on the set of The Ultimate Fighter Season 15 which debuts on FX March 9th at 9 PM ET.

'I Am Bruce Lee' Official Film Trailer

You can catch this movie tonight (2.9.12) or on 2.15.12 only. Check your local listings for a theater showing 'I Am Bruce Lee' near you.

Follow on Twitter - @iambruceleefilm

Like on Facebook - D&E Entertainment

Nick Diaz has tested positive for marijuana metabolites

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer sent out an email just after noon today to members of the MMA media explaining that there was at least one positive test for an unnamed substance in regards to UFC 143. Of course media folk and fans alike may end up on the name Nick Diaz when landing on their Initech jump to conclusions mat. Not necessarily because he's tested positive for a banned substance before but more so because of the Condit vs. Diaz rematch drama and forced silence on the subject from Cesar Gracie over the past day. Sometimes everyone's assumptions turn out to be fact.

The NSAC released an official statement that Mr. Diaz had tested positive for marijuana metabolites just after 5 PM EST today. A complaint has been filed against Diaz and a lengthy suspension anywhere between 6 months to a year could be in order since this is the fighters second offense. More on this matter and the reaction from the Diaz camp and President Dana White will be posted within the coming hours and days.

For more insight on this situation check out bjpenn.com

Bellator 60: Warren vs. Curran Fight Card

Bellator 60: Warren vs. Curran
March 9, 2012
Hammond, Indiana
The Venue at Horseshoe Casino

* fight card subject to change

Main Card (MTV2)

• Featherweight Championship: Joe Warren (C) (7-2) vs. Pat Curran (16-4)

• Featherweight Quarterfinals: Marlon Sandro (20-3) vs. Roberto Vargas (12-1)

• Featherweight Quarterfinals: Waggney Fabiano (14-3) vs. Ronnie Mann (21-4-1)

• Featherweight Quarterfinals: Alexandre Bezerra (12-1) vs. Genair da Silva (11-4)

• Featherweight Quarterfinals: Daniel Straus (17-4) vs. Jeremy Spoon (12-0)

Preliminary Card (SpikeTV.com)

• Sean McCorkle (14-2) vs. Richard White (15-12)

• Shamar Bailey (13-5) vs. Josh Shockley (8-1)

• Travis Wiuff (65-14) vs. Anthony Gomez (5-1)

• Mike Corey (11-2-1) vs. Bobby Reardanz (8-10)

Windsor Fight Night: Bellator is coming back to Ontario, Canada for Season 6

Undefeated Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben "Funky" Askren has been tapped to headline the promotions 64th numbered show which will take place just beyond the Ambassador Bridge. His opponent, Bellator Season 5 Welterweight Tournament winner Douglas Lima, just so happens to be a perfect 4-0 when fighting in Canada.

Two Season 6 Featherweight Tournament semifinal bouts will also take place on this card. When the smoke clears on the  night of March 9th at Bellator 60 we will know which four featherweights will be making a trip to Windsor. Bellator 47 last summer at the Casino Rama marked the promotions Canadian debut.

You can catch every Bellator fight this season on either MTV2 or Spike.com . Lineups will be released here and at bellator.com prior to every Friday Night during the season.

Condit vs. Diaz 2 Update - A rematch is not likely

Late last night it appeared that the Natural Born Killer and the golden child of the 209 would be entering Round 6. What seemed to still be even more of  a reality earlier today is now looking to be a no go. Something appears to be rotten in the State of Denmark.

According to mmaweekly Cesar Gracie now claims that his fighter will not star in a sequel with Carlos Condit.

FrontRowBrian also reports that an issue had arisen in the Diaz camp causing the rematch to be squashed before the dotted lines were signed. FRB was the first to report on the rematch being a go yesterday evening.  

Word around the campfire is that Carlos and his manager Malki Kawa will still be in Vegas on Friday to sign a deal for his next fight. Whether or not it will be to unify the titles with St. Pierre, a scrap with Josh Koscheck or if Diaz will even come back around remains to be seen. As always, stay tuned.

photo via: vegasnews

Condit vs. Diaz 2 Twitter Timeline

Newly crowned Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit get's an opportunity to throw more of his new found spinning shit at his current bff Nick Diaz on a Saturday TBD soon

 photo via: mmafighting (Esther Lin)

UPDATE: This bout is still not official. It's been rumored that problems have arisen in the Diaz camp. We should know by Friday whether or not this is a go.

Both camps denied it earlier in the week. Now something is making them reconsider. With a plethora of new events being announced yesterday by the promotion it would seem that UFC on FOX 4 in Los Angeles would be the most likely landing spot for a fight of this magnitude. Of course Memorial Day and 4th of July Weekend wouldn't be a wild guess either.

As always, it was a pleasure watching this one unfold via Twitter. Lets timeline it after the break shall we? -

February 2012 MMA Rankings

The #1 Lightweight in the world Frankie "The Answer" Edgar (left) will defend his coveted UFC Lightweight Championship against #3 Lightweight Benson "Smooth" Henderson (right) to close out the month in Saitama, Japan.

The following are some of the upcoming match ups around the world that hold rankings implications:

• UFC on Fuel TV (Feb 15th, Omaha, Nebraska)

 Welterweight Bout: #4 Jake Ellenberger vs. #10  Diego Sanchez

• UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson (Feb 26th, Saitama, Japan)

  Lightweight Championship: #1 Frankie Edgar (C) vs. #3 Ben Henderson

  Light Heavyweight Bout: #5 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. #14 Ryan Bader

  Welterweight Bout: #9 Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

  Heavyweight Bout: #12 Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt

  Middleweight Bout: #3 Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch

  Lightweight Bout: #9 Anthony Pettis vs. #12 Joe Lauzon

• UFC on FX 2 (March 3rd, Sydney, Australia)

 Welterweight Bout: #11 Martin Kampmann vs. #14 Thiago Alves

 Flyweight Semifinals: #2 Bantam Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani

 Flyweight Semifinals: #5 Bantam Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall

• Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey (March 3rd, Columbus, Ohio)

 Women's Bantamweight Championship: #2 P4P Miesha Tate (C) vs. #10 P4P Ronda Rousey

 Light Heavyweight Bout: #9 Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle

 Lightweight Bout: #14 Josh Thomson vs. K.J. Noons

 Women's Bantamweight #1 Contender's Bout: #5 P4P Sarah Kaufman vs. Alexis Davis

 Middleweight Bout: #11 Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Derek Brunson

 • Bellator 60 (March 9th, Hammond, Indiana)

 Featherweight Championship: #13 Joe Warren (C) vs. #4 Pat Curran

 Featherweight Bout: #9 Marlon Sandro vs. Roberto Vargas

The rest of this months rankings can be found after the break or as always on the rankings page.

The Weekend in Violence: Three Stars (UFC 143 Edition)

1. Stephen Thompson

Wonder Boy. The White Lyoto Machida. Call him what you will.




The truth is this will be the last time you see him opening a fight card. His head kick KO of Dan Stittgen surely just put him on the fast track. I'd love to see him fight either Brian Ebersole or John Hathaway next.

photo via: wonderboymma

2. Dustin Poirier

Whether or not Poirier's mounted triangle armbar finish was made possible by Holloway's lack of ground skills or Dustin's overall nastiness isn't relevant. Just enjoy the beauty of it because you probably won't see something like that in the UFC for a minute.

3. Fabricio Werdum / Roy Nelson (tie)

I hate ties. This was going to Werdum and Werdum only until I feasted my eyes upon this little quote from Fab himself (from BE via sportv.globo.

" It's unbelievable. My leg is hurting, I can't even walk right because of the knees I threw. It was four or five in the same place. It opened up a cut and it broke his nose. It's impressive how he can endure punishment. The guy is a warrior, 35 years old and he can really take it. He showed this physically, even though it doesn't show."

Werdum puts a hole in Nelson's face and he's the one in pain for the wounds he inflicted. Roy Nelson may just earn a special spot in the Hall of Violence for being impervious to pain. He is truly the Zeus of MMA.


photo via: @roynelsonmma