“I’ll be ready to fight soon,” exclaimed the popular pugilist on Twitter earlier this week after thanking his bosses for a bonus related to the social networking site.

Le and Silva went toe-to-toe for nearly ten minutes in their Fight of the Night tilt before the former Strikeforce champ was stopped with strikes. The loss dropped Le’s overall record to 7-2 but did little to decrease his standing with fans.

Striker Le Feels Career Has Come Full Circle with UFC Run

Unfortunately Le did not mention any specifics as far as when he plans to return or who he might face.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to Cesar Gracie, Diaz’s manager/trainer, a second scrap will not happen anytime soon if at all.

GSP Willing to Forfeit Title to Face Diaz

Gracie confirmed his belief to both MMAJunkie and MMAWeekly on Wednesday though opted not to give specifics as to his reasoning. White has not commented since his original remarks on the rematch taking place.

Discussion surrounding an immediate re-pairing of the two surfaced shortly after the controversial decision was read on Saturday night. Many viewers felt Diaz had been robbed after actively pursuing a constantly moving Condit while Diaz was so disgusted with the scoring he announced his impromptu retirement from MMA.

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Cerrone was a win away from earning a title-shot before running into Nate Diaz at UFC 141 where he was on the wrong end of a relatively one-sided beatdown, failing to land nearly as many strikes as Diaz and ultimately losing a Unanimous Decision. Prior to the stumble he had strung together six straight wins including impressive performances against Charles Oliveira and Dennis Siver.

A Closer Look at Diaz-Cerrone

Meanwhile, sixty-fight veteran Edwards shared a fate similar to Cerrone’s in his Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale bout against Tony Ferguson. Edwards, who also lost a clear-cut decision, is 41-18-1 in his career with 32 stoppages and past victories over the likes of Rafaello Oliveira, Aaron Riley, Hermes Franca, and Josh Thomson.

UFC on Fuel 3 is set for May 15 in Fairfax, Virginia. The only other match-ups announced thus far are Igor Pokrajac-Thiago Silva and Tom Lawlor-Jason MacDonald.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to a press release from Lion Fight Promotions, the full-rules Muay Thai fight between Joe Schilling (12-1) and Simon Marcus (22-0) on February 25 at Battle in the Desert 5 was approved for the terms this week by the Nevada State Athletic commission.

“Joe was talking a lot about what he’s going to do to me and this and that, so I said ‘Put your money where your mouth is’. Money has never been the most important thing to me. What’s important to me is that I show people – especially the media that have him ranked ahead of me – that I can dominate Joe,” explained Marcus of the situation.

“I’m going to kick his ass either way and, now it’ll just be more money in my pocket,” retorted Schilling, a training partner of UFC welterweight Nick Diaz. “I’m going to expose him and show everyone that he’s just a pop tart.

Even the NSAC weighed in on the matter with chief executive Keith Kizer saying, “The winner take-all purse concept has rarely been used in Nevada. This certainly should bring added interest and intrigue to this contest.”

PHOTO CREDIT – Lion Fight Promotions

The catalyst for the change may have occurred over the weekend when St. Pierre was quoted by Kenny Florian on UFC Tonight as saying he would give his belt up to fight Diaz, a rival who has gotten under the French-Canadian’s skin with a number of inflammatory comments and his attitude in general.

Condit’s Camp Says They Don’t Want Second Fight with Diaz So Soon

All told, the situation has been a rollercoaster kicked off by a closely contested decision at UFC 143 seeing Condit emerge with his hand raised despite his counter-pointing strategy in comparison to Diaz’s aggression and ring control. Shortly thereafter Diaz announced his retirement, White said he would be open to a rematch, and Condit’s camp changed their tune from saying he would be willing to defend the interim title he’d just won to wanting to wait for Diaz. Whether the ride has ended remains to be seen.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

In this clip from Yahoo Sports’ Blindsided, a show making athletes the victims of various pranks, Edgar exits his gym only to find out his car is about to be towed.

UFC cameras were also on the scene, presumably filming Edgar for a Countdown show related to his upcoming title-defense against Ben Henderson at UFC 144.

Check Out a Preview for Edgar’s February 26 Fight in Japan

Watch below as Edgar starts to flip out over the possibility of his car being hauled away and repossessed despite having made all of his payments:

“Listen, Nick Diaz is up in arms, Cesar Gracie is up in arms, and I understand that, you want to win, it’s a championship fight. That’s what you’re in this business for and I can appreciate all the passion and support for those guys,” said Condit’s manager Malki Kawa to MMAWeekly when asked about his client fighting Diaz again before GSP. “Believe it or not, I’m a fan of Nick Diaz. I like the Diaz brothers; I like the way they fight. I think they’re true fighters and good for the sport, but when you look at it, Carlos Condit won that fight. Two judges scored it four rounds to one, one judge scored it three to two; It wasn’t a split decision; it was a unanimous decision across the board.”

“That rematch can happen later on in the future,” Kawa continued. “No one’s afraid of Nick, but we have to do what’s best for (Carlos’) career and in my opinion and the people around me and the advice that we’ve been taking, the best fight and the only fight is Georges St. Pierre.”

Gracie: “It takes two to make a dogfight.”

Condit and St. Pierre are expected to fight in November. Diaz’s future remains uncertain after hastily retiring from MMA based on his disgust with the judges’ decision. Many people felt Diaz deserved the decision based on aggression and ring control while others, including those keeping an official score of the fight, gave the nod to Condit based on his ability to “stick and move”.

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Even worse was the video clip from Taker as a response to HHH’s actions. There’s nothing wrong with putting together a package like that and as a stand-alone piece it was entertaining. However, having him take that route rather than make his comments in person was silly and did nothing to elevate what is supposed to be one of the biggest angles of this year’s big show.

By the way, hearing that Shawn Michaels will be at RAW next week was affirmation to me he may be involved in the Wrestlemania bout. Why not do a Triple Threat with three of the company’s icons, plus what more impressive way to have Taker go 20-0 and retire?

Big Show-Daniel Bryan remains a strange storyline to me and I’m not sure what the payoff will be. Bryan’s heelishness seems forced and let’s be honest – is AJ supposed to be the least intelligent Diva on the roster? The way her cluelessness is being sold to viewers implies a bottle of Jim Ross’ BBQ sauce has more intellectual prowess than Bryan’s girlfriend.

Having Sheamus beat David Otunga, not to mention sell to the point of only finishing the bow-tied brawler based on his overconfidence, made little sense to me. If they’re trying to get Otunga over as a worker the WWE should reconsider. He looked stiff in there and way too stunt-oriented as opposed to being able to flow. Also, was it me, or did it seem like both men were working a little rough against each other? Some of the execution had a shootish feel.

I was more disappointed in CM Punk’s silent response to Chris Jericho’s behavior than I was by the weeks of Y2J not talking. As long as they eventually start going at each other verbally I’ll be happy, as it will highlight two of the best talkers in the business, and I understand the reason Punk let his belt send the message. It frustrated Jericho, was great for the storyline, and was unique so WIN X 3 on that front.

The tag-team bout between Khali-Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes-Wade Barrett could have been much better, giving Rhodes-Barrett a chance to shine instead of focusing fully on the simmering feud between Khali and RKO. Who isn’t drooling over that one, right? Sarcasm aside, Orton was left looking like a golden boy, i.e. business as usual.

Nothing much to be said about the Divas’ tag-teamer other than that I don’t understand why Tamina doesn’t work barefoot to get over the “Superfly” angle and the Bella Twins’ outfits would make Attack of the Show’s Candace Bailey proud based on glitter and a certain animal’s toe.

I enjoyed the Six Pack Challenge without question and thought the end went over well. Jericho vs. Punk is clearly being built for Wrestlemania and I for one can’t wait to watch it develop.

The show ended with Kane stalking Eve Torres. All I’ll say is the “Big Red Meh-Chine” has done his job by bringing out the hate. Not John Cena’s, mind you, but mine in terms of how much I despise this angle. It’s ridiculous on so many levels it isn’t funny and does nothing for either man other than to show Cena knows how to do a psychotic smile while dishing out damage.

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According to manager Jorge Guimaraes, 4-1 submission specialist Roger Gracie is contemplating a move down to middleweight at some point in 2012.

“He’s considering dropping, but it’s not set in stone yet,” said Guimaraes in a conversation with TATAME.

The 30-year old has lived up to his family’s iconic last name with a decorated BJJ career including multiple wins in the sport’s biggest competitions. He started out with four straight wins after transitioning to MMA though lost his last outing against former champion Muhammed Lawal.

Gracie Says MMA is Now his Top Priority

Also interesting, Guimaraes also revealed Gracie could be joining Team Blackhouse in the near future as well. The gym plays home to a number of top fighters including explosive UFC title-holder Anderson Silva.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

However, in the end it appears Tate has been more appreciative than upset regarding Rousey’s trash-talk, as it has lit a fire in her she hadn’t felt burning for some time.

“I think it’s just what I need, actually. I think that I’ve been fighting for long enough that sometimes I get a little bit comfortable, that’s the truth of the matter. And when you don’t like someone, the idea of losing to them is just unbearable,” said Tate in an interview with MMA Heat. “I cannot think of losing to this girl, it cannot happen. My pride is on the line here, people. You don’t understand. It’s not just winning the fight or keeping my title, it’s like, this bitch is not going to beat me, there’s no way this is going to happen.”

“I think, for me, it’s just going to make it that much more exciting because you’re going to see a much more exhilarated me, you’re going to see a much more pumped and vicious,” she continued. “I don’t want to just fight this girl, I don’t want to just beat her, I want to really hurt her. I really do, I want to mar her face if at all possible, that’d be nice.”

Tate-Rousey Talk Future Match-Up

The 12-2 Tate has won her last six fights while Rousey is 4-0 with four first round finishes, all by way of Armbar. Other bouts scheduled for the March event include Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle, Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson, and Josh Thomson vs. KJ Noons.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The headliners’ figures, along with those belonging to the remaining fighters on the card, were revealed in a release from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Check Out a Complete Rundown of UFC 143 Results

Fabricio Werdum and Josh Koscheck were also among the group earning a six-figure pay day for work at last weekend’s event with the former making $100,000 and the latter $146,000 (assisted by a win bonus). The opponents, Roy Nelson and Mike Pierce, made significantly less at $20,000 each.

Here is a complete list of UFC 143 salary information:

Stephen Thompson: $77,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus, $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus) def. Dan Stittgen: $5,000
Rafael Natal: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Michael Kuiper: $6,000
Matt Riddle: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) def. Henry Martinez: $6,000
Matt Brown: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) def. Chris Cope: $8,000
Edwin Figueroa: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Alex Caceres: $8,000
Dustin Poirier: $89,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus, $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus) def. Max Holloway: $6,000
Ed Herman: $62,000 (includes $31,000 win bonus) def. Clifford Starks: $8,000
Renan Barao: $22,000 (includes $11,000 win bonus) def. Scott Jorgensen: $20,500
Josh Koscheck: $146,000 (includes $73,000 win bonus) def. Mike Pierce: $20,000
Fabricio Werdum: $165,000 (no win bonus, includes $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus) def. Roy Nelson: $85,000 (includes $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
Carlos Condit: $110,000 (includes $55,000 win bonus) def. Nick Diaz: $200,000

Donaire, who hasn’t lost in a decade, improved his record to 28-1 via Split Decision against apt adversary Wilfredo Vazquez to add a junior featherweight belt to his mantle after already winning championships at flyweight and bantamweight. “The Filipino Flash” improved his overall record to 28-1 with the performance, though appeared to have suffered some sort of injury to his hand during the bout and could be on the shelf for awhile depending on what doctor’s find.

Meanwhile, the 25-year old son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez maintained his unbeaten record at 45-0-1-1 by defeating Marco Antonio Rubio, himself an impressive 53-6-1. Chavez Jr. slugged it out with Rubio throughout the duration of the bout with neither ever taking a knee. The judges’ nod went to Chavez Jr., giving him yet another successful defense of his WBC middleweight belt.

After the fight the newly crowned interim champ admitted he even knows he has room to grow, especially if hoping to take out an opponent the caliber of Georges St. Pierre.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot more improvement to be made,” said Condit to UFC cameras a few moments after his victory at UFC 143. “Georges is a true champion and he’s the best in the world.”

As far as his fight with Diaz, Condit appeared pleased with the outing even if it wasn’t necessarily a dominant win.

“This is just another step towards my ultimate goal of being among the best Mixed Martial Artists in the world. He was talking, I was landing punches. I think I was winning. No matter how much he talked, I was hitting him hard, I was hitting him solid, and that’s what I came here to do. I didn’t come to talk.”

Dana White Feels Condit Won but Open to Rematch to Clear Up Any Confusion

Condit’s immediate future remains cloudy, as it’s possible he could be asked to fight Diaz again in a rematch while St. Pierre heals from a knee injury, face a different opponent like Johny Hendricks/Jake Ellenberger, or wait until November when GSP is expected to return.

Check out the full interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“It’s not signed, but it’s verbally agreed to,” said Dana White of the match-up when asked for an update on the scrap’s status at the post-even press conference for UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit.

Sonnen Confident Silva Is Trying to Avoid Him

The UFC President’s statements marked the first time actual confirmation of the clash was provided with comments being speculatory in nature prior to this past weekend’s news.

The two talented 185ers have been going back and forth at each other since meeting at UFC 117 where the dynamic Brazilian retained his title in dramatic fashion. Sonnen has been the primary aggressor in terms of trash-talk, bringing Silva’s wife into the discussion and even offering to retire if beaten a second time.

Silva has been healing from a shoulder injury and has only recently made his return to training.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

A preview for the upcoming event was recently released where Edgar’s success is recapped before Henderson is introduced as the man who plans to stop his run.

“The Answers” Discusses Excitement Over Fighting in Japan

Edgar last fought in October where he stopped Gray Maynard with strikes at UFC 136 while Henderson’s previous pairing involved Clay Guida who he outpointed in convincing fashion this past November. Edgar holds a 14-1-1 record while “Bendo” is 15-2 in his career.

Check out the preview below:

UFC President Dana White, who has never been afraid to criticize judging, offered up his take on the headlining tilt after the event had concluded where he found no fault in the outcome but understood criticism from fans/media who felt Diaz earned the interim belt based on aggression and having taken Condit’s back in the fifth round.

A Round-by-Round Look at Condit vs. Diaz

“Nick Diaz is the master of getting you to fight his type of fight,” said White in a conversation with MMAJunkie. “Fighters have egos, and millions of people are watching. When you start getting open-hand slapped by the other guy and he’s calling you names – ‘Alright, you want to do this?’ – they step in, and they do it. Carlos Condit kept his cool tonight, fought a perfect fight. He started early, chopping those legs, and that did make a big difference toward the end of the fight. It slowed Nick down a lot – body shots, too.”

However, with Georges St. Pierre out until November while recovering from knee surgery, it appears White is willing to do his part in providing a more satisfying conclusion to the Diaz-Condit saga by having them fight again in a few months.

“It’s crazy, but…I was thinking about it after the fight. People are bitching, and people think that was close…we could do that fight again before GSP comes back,” explained White before adding, “It depends on Carlos, too. Carlos has got to say – and Nick’s got to say, ‘I want to fight him again,’ too.”

A disappointed Diaz said he was retiring from MMA immediately after the scores were read, disgusted with the notion of losing despite dictating the bout’s pace. A second shot at Condit could prompt him to return, while Condit’s camp has said “The Natural Born Killer” would be open to a title-defense before facing St. Pierre.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Poirier Says He Trained for Holloway as Though He Was Facing Anderson Silva

Meanwhile, Fight of the Night went to the combined efforts of Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum. The heavyweights went at it for fifteen minutes with “Big Country” fending off the Brazilian’s brutal Muay Thai. Similarly to Poirier, each man won $65,000 for the event-specific bonus.

Last but certainly not least, debuting welterweight Stephen Thompson lived up to the hype by scoring an opening round finish with a beautiful head-kick to earn Knockout of the Night honors. Thompson is now 6-0 after winning more than 50 fights as a kickboxer without ever tasting defeat. He too took home $65k for his performance.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

UFC 143 finally rolled around and with it came as fine a main event as could be asked for, as polished pugilists Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz duked it out for the interim welterweight title and a chance to fight linear champion Georges St. Pierre later this year. Both men entered the bout on impressive winning streaks and have a propensity for putting opponents away rather than seeing things go to the judges’ scorecards. However, when the smoke cleared it was Condit who emerged with his hands raised without a submission or TKO in tow.

After things were said and done, Diaz wasn’t happy with the outcome and expressed such by prematurely retiring from MMA, saying he didn’t want to play a game where pushing a guy backwards the entire time resulted in a loss.

The card also featured Scott Jorgensen falling to Renan Barao in what may have earned the Brazilian a title-shot, Josh Koscheck barely beating Mike Pierce via controversial Split Decision, and Fabricio Werdum putting on a great show with Roy Nelson, going fifteen minutes with his Muay Thai edging out Nelson’s heart and determination.

Check out the Countdown to UFC 143 Special

Find a complete rundown of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit results below:

Stephen Thompson def. Daniel Stittgen via Knockout Round 1 (Head Kick)
Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper via Unanimous Decision
Matt Riddle def. Henry Martinez via Split Decision
Matt Brown def. Chris Cope via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Cacaeres via Split Decision
Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway via Submission Round 1 (Mounted Armbar-Triangle Choke)
Ed Herman def. Clifford Starks via Submission Round 2 (Rear-Naked Choke)
Renan Barao def. Scott Jorgensen via Unanimous Decision
Josh Koscheck def. Mike Pierce via Split Decision
Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Carlos Condit def. Nick Diaz via Unanimous Decision

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Werdum was recently asked about Mir in relation to a comment the longtime UFC fighter had made complimenting the Brazilian’s BJJ as being better than his.

“I didn’t see it coming, I’ve always seen him as a ‘cocky’ guy. I guess he’s a very good athlete, and he proved the world he has great Jiu-Jitsu level,” said Werdum of Mir’s comment in a conversation with TATAME. “I don’t see myself as the best on the ground, but I’ve shown the world I can handle things there.”

When talk turned to a potential fight with Mir, Werdum seemed interested in the match-up although he made it clear his focus is on his bout against Nelson.

“I guess this fight could happen, absolutely. My next appointment is Roy Nelson, but it’s one of the fights that might come up,” responded the 14-5-1 Werdum.

Nelson-Werdum Acknowledge Importance of Victory in UFC 143 Co-headliner

Catch Werdum vs. Nelson tonight on PPV when things start at 10:00 PM EST with Facebook/FX prelims hitting the airwaves at 7:00 PM EST.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Contrarily, the man Condit faces tonight – Nick Diaz – will apparently take the opposite approach, opting to fight as a middleweight while holding on to the interim strap until GSP returns from injury.

Condit Calls Diaz the “Toughest Guy He’s Fought” Entering UFC 143 Headliner

“I don’t blame them,” said Malki Kawa (Condit’s manager) to MMAJunkie Radio of Diaz’s team’s decision before continuing, “But if there’s another fight that makes sense stylistically, a guy staying busy – I’ve seen – is better than a guy who takes long breaks.”

“You can build a bigger fan base and get people excited,” he continued, adding, “It’d make the GSP fight even bigger…So if the right opponent steps up, I think we maybe need to take the fight.”

Catch Diaz-Condit tonight to see what the future of the division holds when they meet on PPV with the broadcast starting at 10:00 PM EST. Prelims are on Facebook/FX starting three hours earlier.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Tonight’s One to Watch is Michael Kuiper (who fights Rafael Natal)

Check Out the UFC Countdown Special for UFC 143

Kuiper enters the middleweight division cut from a similar cloth to UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald – a young and flashy multi-disciplined fighter from the newest generation of MMA training. Only 22, Kuiper has eleven victories to his name with only one decision. Despite a combination BJJ and Judo background, Kuiper’s speed and crisp striking make him as dangerous standing as on the ground.

He draws BJJ blackbelt Natal who, after entering the UFC to much fanfare, has looked far from impressive en route to a 1-1-1 record in the Octagon. In Kuiper he draws somebody who will take the fight to him right away and won’t be afraid to challenge him on the ground. Kuiper has ridiculously fast hands, and that speed gives him the striking edge over Natal. Many of Kuiper’s wins have come by fast, and hard hitting knockouts, showing experience of somebody well beyond his years.

Natal will have to take the fight to the ground early, and hope that his advanced grappling will be enough to subdue the Dutch fighter. Natal does have good striking prowess, Otherwise, a loss to Kuiper could send him out of the UFC.

You can catch their fight on the Facebook prelims starting at 7:00 PM EST. The main card will take place live on PPV from Las Vegas, featuring a main event for the Interim Welterweight Championship between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

While specifics weren’t offered, Machine announced his status on Twitter, expressing frustration after getting his life on track again six months ago when he was released from prison for a separate yearlong sentence.

War Machine Gets Second Chance from Bellator

Bellator hasn’t wasted any time finding a replacement for Machine, filling his vacancy with the hard-hitting Chris Lozano. “The Cleveland Assassin” holds an overall record of 9-2 with seven TKOs.

“After the last tournament, I knew I needed to grow, so I decided to make the move to Greg Jackson’s,” said Lozano in an official press release from Bellator. “Over the last months, I have just elevated my game by leaps and bounds. Every day I’m surrounded by some of the best fighters in the world, and it has made me a better fighter. It’s controlled chaos. I’ve really gotten back to some of the things that made me so dangerous, and I can’t wait to show off all the training and hard work this March.”

Amoussou seemed unfazed by the change in opponent, saying, “I don’t care who I fight in the upcoming Bellator Welterweight Tournament. I’m going to rock the Bellator welterweight division and destroy every fighter that stands in front of me. I don’t care where you train or who you are, if you are in my way to the belt, I feel sorry for you.”

The two will face off on March 30 at Bellator 63. The other three bouts scheduled for the tourney’s quarterfinal round include Ben Saunders vs. Raul Amaya, and Bryan Baker vs. Carlos Pereira, and Brian Foster vs. David Rickels.

“I didn’t really know who this guy was when I agreed to fight him. I remember he fought Jon Fitch but not too well. I think I remember that fight, he didn’t get anything going until the very last minute,” said Koscheck at an open workout for UFC 143. “I know he called me out, so he must think he can win… but they all think that until I punch them in the face.”

However, regardless of opponent, Koscheck was happy to take the tussle because it’s his job and he enjoys fattening his bank account.

“I get paid the same whether I am fighting Mike Pierce or Carlos Condit, so I don’t care who I fight. I am a gold digger, I fight for money,” Koscheck explained. “You’d be a dumb SOB to fight for free but I do enjoy my job and I fight my ass off. I have a big mouth and I don’t want to lose…I want to look good out there.”

Koscheck Vows to Be First to Finish Pierce

See if Koscheck can live up to his own hype Saturday at 10:00 PM EST on PPV with undercard action firing up three hours later on Facebook/FX. UFC 143 is headlined by Condit vs. Nick Diaz for the interim welterweight championship with other match-ups include Scott Jorgensen vs. Renan Barao and Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Despite the amount of time off involved, it appears “Hendo” is opting to sit and wait for Evans-Jones to settle their score instead of take another fight in the interim. UFC President Dana White revealed Henderson’s plan at a pre-event press conference related to UFC 143. White did not elaborate on whether or not the UFC would to comply with the Californian’s request or pressure him to remain active.

The iconic PRIDE/UFC veteran was offered some action against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in April but declined, explaining he did not feel the fight made sense or was something fans wanted to see. At the time Evans had not beaten Phil Davis, as he did last weekend on FOX, to solidify his shot at Jones.

Henderson Details Decision to Turn Down Nogueira Fight

Even if the winner of Evans vs. Jones exits the UFC 145 pairing with a perfect bill of health it’s likely the champion would not be ready to defend his belt until August at the earliest when Henderson turns 42. Then again, given the injury history of both men, Henderson could be crossing his fingers an opening appears in the near future.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Brunson currently holds a 9-0 mark including seven opening round stoppages and a fairly even split between TKOs/tap-outs. The 28-year old, who spends much of his time training with Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico, last fought in November where he outpointed Nate James at Strikeforce Challengers 20.

In “Jacare” Brunson will face the stiffest test of his career, a 14-3 BJJ blackbelt with past victories over Matt Lindland, Jason Miller, Robbie Lawler, and Tim Kennedy. The March 3 fight will come nearly six months to the day Souza dropped his belt to Rockhold after a hotly contested five round affair.

Souza Retires from BJJ Competitions to Focus 100% on MMA

Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Tate is headlined by Miesha Tate’s defense of her bantamweight belt against Olympic judoka Ronda Rousey with other match-ups including Paul Daley vs. Kazuo Misaki, Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle, and KJ Noons vs. Josh Thomson.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The scheduled match-up no doubt left a smile on Vera’s face who publicly lobbied for a rematch with Silva as soon as the Brazilian’s suspension was lifted last month.

“The Truth” Out to Show How Much He Hurts in Silva Rematch

Vera won his only fight since the loss to Thiago, outpointing Eliot Marshall in October to improve his overall record to 12-5. Other victories on Vera’s record include those over Keith Jardine, Krzysztof Soszynski, and Frank Mir. Comparably, Silva is 14-2 in his career with eleven TKOs and success in the cage against Jardine and Houston Alexander.

No headliner has been announced for UFC on FX 3 though a bout between middleweights Tom Lawlor and Jason MacDonald has also been attached to the card.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Mayweather Jr. Trying to Squeeze in Fight Before Jail Sentence Starts

“Miguel Cotto is a world-class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing, It will be a challenge for me to compete with him at this weight, but this is the type of test I thrive on and gives me the motivation to train even harder,” said Mayweather Jr. in a statement to ESPN. “I have no doubt in my mind that my title belt collection will increase once again and Cotto’s reign as champion will come to an end on May 5.”

Meanwhile, Cotto also appeared excited about the challenge he’ll face, saying, “”I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing. I’ve never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me. I have accepted everything to give the fans what they like — great and exciting fights. That is what the sport of boxing is all about, making the fights that the fans want and deserve to see. On May 5, stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.”

Cotto holds an overall record of 37-2 in comparison to Mayweather’s mark of 42-0. The 31-year old Puerto Rican has won five of his last six fights with the lone exception being a twelfth round TKO to Pacquiao.

Beltran announced his status on Twitter where he also hinted at dropping down to 205 pounds.

Johnson Takes Home Knockout of the Night for Win over Beltran

“The Mexicutioner” started out at 2-0 in the UFC including wins over Tim Hague and Rolles Gracie before hitting a brick wall starting with Matt Mitrione at UFC 119. The 30-year old Beltran holds an overall mark of 13-7 with eleven strike-based stoppages. In addition to Gracie/Hague, Beltran has also found past success in the ring against Wes Combs, Aaron Rosa, and Houston Alexander.

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UFC on FOX 3 is scheduled for East Rutherford, New Jersey and will feature match-ups including Tony Ferguson-Dennis Hallman and Nate Diaz-Jim Miller.

The May date will mark Johnson’s second fight in the UFC since coming over from Strikeforce. He made his debut last weekend at UFC on FOX 2 where he did the previously unthinkable by rendering Joey Beltran into a puddle of good with a series of stiff shots. The 16-5 Californian has scored stoppages over all of the opponents he’s beaten including fourteen TKOs.

Johnson Wins Knockout of the Night at UFC on FOX 2

Barry is also no stranger to blasting adversaries into orbit, a fact he put on display two weeks ago against Christian Morecraft. Six of Barry’s seven total victories have involved a strike-based finish.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

UFC welterweight Nick Diaz has been accused of the latter by some, acting out in a controversial manner to foster attention. However, Diaz says the opposite is true, as his behavior reflects his genuine feelings and that more of his peers would probably be viewed in a similar light if they weren’t afraid of being themselves.

“What you see is what you get. You get real martial arts, you get real fighting, (and) you get a real warrior mentality,” explained Diaz in a conversation with MMAFighting while at the open workouts for his upcoming bout with Carlos Condit. “Some people aren’t mature enough to handle it. This isn’t soccer. I have no problem being sportsmanlike about this whole thing. I understand it’s a sporting event. But to me this is a fight. I’m not going to let things change that to help this sport become what it is. I think this sport IS what it is. I don’t worry about looking good. I do what I’ve got to do to survive, to keep my teeth in my head, and my head on my shoulders. I apologize to whoever can’t put that together and understand that.”

“People try to say, ‘Nick Diaz, he’s crazy or not crazy or fake crazy’. I’m like, ‘Hey, bro, what you see is what you get.’ I’m not out here trying putting on an act like I’m crazy. In my opinion, everyone else is crazy,” he continued. “They’re the ones who put on an act for you, doing what they’re told in front of the camera…They turn these guys into robots. I’m just not going to be that guy. Don’t tell me I’m crazy. I’m out here acting natural. I’m the only one here being realistic out here about this sort of thing.”

Diaz Thinks He’s MMA’s Most-Rounded Fighter

Fans can catch Diaz-Condit at UFC 143 when things begin on PPV at 10:00 PM EST. The main card will be preceded by undercard pairings on Facebook/FX starting three hours earlier.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

News of the match-up was confirmed by the UFC.

Ferguson, whose boxing has been a force to reckon with thus far, holds a 13-3 overall record and is on a six-fight winning streak including his knockout of Ramsey Nijem at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale. Eight of his victories have involved a strike-based stoppage with another three submissions to his credit.

“El Cucuy” Sees Himself as Ushering in the Next Generation of Fighters

Comparably, Hallman (51-14-2) had more than a decade of in-ring experience under his belt before Ferguson even turned pro in 2008. “Superman”, sadly remembered for his decision to wear blue Speedos in a recent fight, is 3-1 in his last four fights including victories over Karo Parisyan, John Makdessi, and Ben Saunders.

UFC on FOX 3 is set to take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The only other announced pairings thus far are a battle between flyweights John Dodson-Darren Uyenoyama as well as a clash between lightweight contenders Nate Diaz and Jim Miller.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Last night the Countdown special for UFC 143: Condit vs. Diaz made its debut and featured headliners Carlos Condit-Nick Diaz discussing their bout, as well as the players in the evening’s other featured fights between Fabricio Werdum-Roy Nelson and Mike Pierce-Josh Koscheck. The UFC has now released the video online, giving those who missed it a commercial-free chance to check things out.

“Everybody hits hard,” dismissed Diaz when asked about facing someone with Condit’s power. “If you’re gonna fight in the UFC you’re probably stronger than I am. You probably lift a lot more weights, push more weight….you probably hit harder, run faster. I just worked harder than a lot of these guys in training and they know it.”

Condit Discusses the Insanity of his Road to Diaz

Check out the entire Countdown below and make sure to tune into UFC 143 when the preliminary pairings start on Facebook/FX at 7:00 PM EST:

Now two weeks past his 46th birthday, Goodridge has penned his memoirs in a look back at his storied career, and with the help of ECW Press has released his autobiography Gatekeeper: The Fighting Life of Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge, a colorful collection of stories from the man fans affectionately knew as “Big Daddy” in the ring, as well as a look at the pressured life of a husband, father, and company man struggling his way through his fighting years.

Released today (February 1 2012), Goodridge traces his life from his birth in Trinidad and Tobago to his family’s move to Barrie, Ontario, Canada, where he grew up and still calls home. Following a strict upbringing, Goodridge found success as a world ranked arm wrestler before leaving a steady job to become an MMA fighter in his last 20s. With his thirteen second knockout of Paul Herrera at UFC 8, the groundwork was laid for a career spanning some fourteen years and nearly 100 professional fights (split amongst MMA and K-1) in nearly a dozen countries.

Told to the reader from a fairly casual vantage point, Gatekeeper goes from a typical fact-spitting autobiography to 189 page journey into the very foundation of a man whose dedication to his craft and need to provide (for his family/fans) made him the guardian waiting at the front gates of a company ready to challenge the next heavyweight hopefully looking to take the next step. This “gatekeeper” role (one he embraced fully) made him, in a way, MMA’s answer to an Earnie Shavers or Louis Monaco and was one he held for more than half a decade in PRIDE before trying his luck fulltime in K-1 at the beckoning call of contractual agreements between both those companies.

Always affable, Goodridge describes wins and losses in his career in vivid detail, stopping to tell a few funny stories along the way such as choosing between steel and plastic jock cups (he suggests metal after an unfortunate incident in the PRIDE 2000 Grand Prix), the motivation behind his landmark taunts during his fight with Amir Rahnavardi, and some of backstage antics of fighters on the road. This was some of the makeup of the life of “Big Daddy,” a man who stood through the rise of MMA in Japan, and fought in front of the some of the largest record crowds in history. Unlike many autobiographies that only celebrate in-career successes, Goodridge spends as much, if not more time in his book describing his losses. Never one to discredit those who bested him, Goodridge almost always has something positive to say about everybody (with a couple of exceptions), a reflection of his friendly and outgoing personality. Goodridge treated his fighting life like his business and career; his foes later became his friends.

Throughout the book, however, Goodridge occasionally peels back his “Big Daddy” persona to reveal a man struggling with his many flaws in life. From marriages failed due to his infidelity to the custody battles for his daughters (which would eventually lead him to retire, albeit temporarily) to struggles with his many injuries and his experiences with corruption in combat sports around him. The book is unlike any other in the young history of MMA thus far. Goodridge unapologetically affirms subjects otherwise taboo in the world of mixed martial arts from performance enhancing drugs and the ways fighters would take advantage of the lack of standardized testing in Japan to successful and failed attempts at match fixing (Goodridge discusses offers in length, but admits he never participated in match fixing.)

Perhaps the greatest chapter in Goodridge’s life is the story he will live in for the rest of his life. Goodridge discusses the permanent physical pain he lives in, and more importantly the brain damage incurred from his years in fighting. He talks his trouble with basic cognitive functions as well as changes to his personality, speech patterns, and short term memory recognition. He is one of the first MMA fighters to chronicle these struggles publicly, reminiscing on the fact that he should have retired when the saw the first signs of trouble. These troubles have (at his own admittance) left him unable to take many jobs, and he enters his life after fighting even more unsure of his future than the first time he stepped into the Octagon.

Overall, “Gatekeeper” is an intriguing look at the Herculean personality and heart of a man who put a stamp on the passport of early Mixed Martial Arts. Always thankful for what he was given in life no matter the outcome, Goodridge has published a book full of his thoughts and reflections of the two decades to share with his fanbase. It’s a personal glimpse into the life of a charismatic individual who won fans with his tenacity and perseverance. From Jordan Breen‘s thought-provoking foreward to Goodridge’s final thank you, it is a book that does its best to remind you of the successes, and haunt you of the dangers associated with the life of professional fighting.

“Gatekeeper: The Fighting Life of Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge” is available now at all major print and online retailers. The book is available in both print and electronic format.

We will soon be discussing Gatekeeper and a celebrated career in fighting with  Goodridge himself in the near future. Please keep your eyes peeled for this series of interviews coming soon.

“The way I see it, I am not the champion anymore on Saturday night. I have not fought since April, against my will, but I understand the champion must fight,” said St. Pierre in an interview with the UFC’s website. “You have to put the belt on the line in order to call yourself champion, the best in the world. Right now I am not the best in the world, I am injured. The winner of this fight on Saturday will be more than just the new #1 contender, but he won’t be the new champion either. The winner of this fight will have to beat me to become the true world champion and I will have to beat the winner of this fight in order to call myself the best in the world again.”

St. Pierre Back in the Gym

“I like the format where the winner of this fight will have to fight me and I have to fight the winner to truly become the UFC champion,” GSP continued. “That is what the UFC is about…competition. This is fair to all of us, we have to beat each other to be the undisputed champion.”

St. Pierre will clearly be tuned in on Saturday night to see who wins though he admits he’s rooting for Diaz.

“I respect Carlos Condit, but I want Diaz to win. It will be a weird feeling, sitting at the Mandalay Bay wanting Nick Diaz to win. I want this fight with Diaz so badly, as badly as I wanted the title shot when I got down on my knees. I have never asked Dana White for anything, but I did ask to fight Nick Diaz. I was (crushed) when I had to pull out of this weekend’s fight hurt, but I am determined to get back to the Octagon as soon as possible to fight this guy. He needs to hold up his part and beat Carlos Condit on Saturday to make this fight happen.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The show kicked off with a segment with Punk serenading Interim GM John Laurinaitis with the infamous “nah nah nah nah” chant in expectations that “clownshoes” would be fired later in the show during a performance evaluation with HHH. I thought Laurinaitis showed some personality for the first time during the segment, as he did again when confronted by HHH, and his ass-kissing was entertaining (nearly foreshadowing too as it turned out).

Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler was a fantastic fight with Ziggler selling his ass off for an animated “Apex Predator”. To me Ziggler is a star in the making since he’s above average on the stick and does a great job telling a story through his in-ring action. My only issue with the segment was Wade Barrett watching from a luxury box. There’s no reason he should be afraid of Orton after the past exchanges they’ve had, many of which he came out ahead in through underhanded means, and if the idea was to show he wanted to watch Orton from afar he could have just done it from backstage or the top of the ramp.

The Brodus Clay bout was standard fare with the exception of showing he can indeed be damaged. The slow build on his vulnerability is a smart move by WWE, as it will make him out as someone who is tough to take down but not invincible. He also showed a few new moves including his “Hulk Up” shimmy. Last but not least, his dancers looked fantastic. I’m pretty sure they account for at least half of my appreciation for Clay’s character.

The interaction between Daniel Bryan and Punk was fun, especially for hardcore fans who are familiar with their work on the indie scene, and the bout played out as nicely as it could without giving away too much or making either look immensely better than the other. I’m also interested in seeing how Punk’s feud with Chris Jericho develops. Then again, I suppose Y2J needs to actually start talking again before the world will find out what the deal is. However, once the two of them go back and forth it’s going to be brilliant given their shared ability to cut terrific promos. The resulting fight will be good too as both are smart, solid workers.

On the opposite front, the John Cena-Kane thing I can still do without on all levels. Eve Torres’ involvement was predictable, as was Cena swooping down to save the day while showing how tough he is by beating Kane down. It’s simply not an interesting storyline to me and seems forced as WWE waits for The Rock to show back up for the final push towards Wrestlemania.

Speaking of Wrestlemania, the final segment on RAW was heavy on teasing a second scrap between HHH and the returning Undertaker but we’ll get to that in a second. I thoroughly enjoyed HHH’s performance review of Laurinaitis. He let him twist in the wind and for a second I actually thought WWE was going in a megalomaniac direction with HHH actually letting Laurinaitis join the “Kiss My Ass Club”. However, Taker’s gong hit and then the true brilliance of the bit played out. BTW – Laurinaitis was never fired so he’s still Interim GM, an aspect I’m sure will be touched on next week.

It’s always a blast to see the Undertaker show up. Something about the lighting, music, and general aesthetic of his entrance takes me back to being a kid. Though his interaction with HHH was little more than pantomime, the intention was clear – Taker wants to fight him and HHH isn’t taking the bait. Maybe he’ll claim to do so as a means of moving on in his career, maybe he’ll claim it’s about avoiding the danger of permanent injury after his close call with Kevin Nash. Regardless, in the end I’m fairly certain the two of them will face off at Wrestlemania and for some reason I can see Shawn Michaels being involved. There’s clearly more to the story and I have to congratulate WWE because I’ve bitten the hook.

Oh, and my omission of Sheamus was not intentional. I honestly forgot he showed up until after reviewing my mental recap. I cannot think of a more forgettable role for a Rumble winner on a post-PPV RAW than the one he played last night. I’m still unsure as to why he was given the Rumble rub to begin with. Clearly they’re setting him up to face Bryan but is that really “headliner” worthy? The whole thing stinks like week-old fish as far as I’m concerned.

PHOTO CREDIT – WWE

Nelson provided some insight into his mentality in a recent interview where he revealed his thrives off facing top level adversaries.

Werdum’s Coach Says Pupil is Ready for a “Big Fight”

“I feel like I can beat anyone that is in the heavyweight division,” began Nelson in an interview with the UFC’s website.

“Ever since I started fighting, I’ve just always wanted to fight the best in the world. Move up the rankings and fight the best in the world. I think that’s pretty much always my goal. You only retire when you can’t compete with the best in the world still,” he continued while referring to Dan Henderson as someone who is still doing so despite his age.

As far as Werdum, a 14-5-1 grappler with a number of major wins under his belt, Nelson made it clear he’s not taking “Vai Cavalo” lightly.

“I saw the fight with (Alistair) Overeem and Overeem was very tentative because Fabricio is a guy who can beat you in a lot of spots. Fabricio had already beaten Overeem (in the past), so it’s not like he wasn’t cautious because of that. The biggest thing with Fabricio is he is a well-rounded martial artist,” Nelson explained. “He actually beat Overeem on the standup. You have to be definitely cautious with his ground game because of what he’s done to Fedor (Emelianenko) and what he’s done to a lot of fighters in the UFC. I’ve prepared myself to be the most well-rounded mixed martial artist.”

Other than beating Werdum and moving closer to his dream of fighting for a UFC title, Nelson also has another goal for this weekend’s event.

“Everyone has goals and you just have to make sure you accomplish them. Expectation wise for this fight, it’s just to go out there and win and put on a show, so that the fans will appreciate it.”

Catch Nelson-Werdum on the PPV portion of the card with things starting up at 10:00 PM EST. UFC 143 is headlined by an interim title-fight featuring Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit. Prelims start a few hours earlier on Facebook/FX.

ESPN Star Sports is Asia’s biggest sports content provider and Adam Zecha, Executive Vice President, Head of Sales (SEA), ESPN STAR Sports, said, “ESPN STAR Sports has always been at the forefront in offering innovative and engaging programming to sports fans across the region. We have successfully showcased a diverse range of combat sports events to fans, and with this long-term partnership with ONE Fighting Championship, mixed-martial arts sports fans can now look forward to more exciting action on our networks.”

ONE Fighting Championship plan to put on at least eight events in 2012 with shows in Jakarta, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur already confirmed. CEO/Owner Victor Cui explained,  “Asia has been the birthplace and home to martial arts for the last 5,000 years and ONE Fighting Championship has a vision of bringing mixed martial arts to the 3.9 billion people living in Asia. ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s biggest provider of sports content, is a wonderful partner to help with that mission.”

Rodrigo Ribeiro Talks Upcoming fight at ONE FC 2

ONE FC’s next event is scheduled for February 11 at the BritAma Arena in Jakarta. The main event sees Filipino Ole Laursen take on Felipe Enomoto from Japan while Bob Sapp and Rolles Gracie also go head to head in a super heavyweight clash.

With his status in the International Boxing Hall of Fame already in place after joining the elite group this past summer, Tyson will be honored in late March by World Wrestling Entertainment with enshrinement in the Celebrity Wing of their Hall of Fame. WWE announced the news earlier today with an official reveal expected tonight on RAW.

Said Tyson of the distinction, “I was the youngest heavyweight champion of all time, but the most fun I ever had in the ring was with WWE.”

Tyson had memorable WWE run-ins with the likes of Degeneration X, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and Chris Jericho. The 45-year old will join the likes of Drew Carey, Bob Uecker, and Pete Rose as one of the celebrities whose work in WWE have been recognized by the world’s foremost professional wrestling organization. The induction ceremony will take place on March 31, the night before this year’s Wrestlemania.

White spoke about the show in an interview on Fuel TV’s post-event coverage where he said Rashad Evans looked off and credited Phil Davis with going the distance against a fighter of Evans’ caliber even if in defeat.

“I think the fact Rashad Evans blazed through Tito (Ortiz) and the fact that he went five rounds tonight I would say, yeah, Davis did fine tonight and he was ready for this,” White explained of how the previously unbeaten grappler did. “This was definitely the biggest stage he’s ever been on but…he went five rounds with Rashad Evans tonight.”

A Full Rundown of UFC on FOX 2 Results

As far as the middleweight match-ups, White revealed he “had Bisping two rounds to one” and also sang the praises of Chris Weidman for handling Demian Maia on short notice.

Check out the entire interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The All-American wrestler with knockout power is once again putting himself out there to make sure the public hasn’t forgotten his name where contendership is concerned, lobbying for a shot at the winner of this weekend’s headlining bout at UFC 143 between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit rather than a title-eliminator beforehand.

An Extended Look at UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

“I’ve been telling everybody I really want the winner of (Diaz vs. Condit),” Hendricks explained to ESPN’s website. “You don’t get this opportunity too often. Now that I’ve done it in the ring, I’ve got to do it outside the ring. If I don’t promote myself outside the ring — I mean, there are great fights going on and now they’re happening almost every week. You can be forgotten.”

Hendricks acknowledged upcoming fights between Mike Pierce-Josh Koscheck and Sanchez-Jake Ellenberger could bump him down the ladder, a situation he hopes to avoid if at all possible.

“Here’s the thing,” Hendricks continued. “Unless the UFC says, ‘Johny, you have to fight — we want you to get a shot at the title, but we have some questions, and you need another one first,’ then of course I’m not going to bite the hand that feeds me. I’m going to do what they say,” before adding, “But if it’s up to me, I’d much rather go for the UFC interim belt. I’ve seen so many people who are right there, right there to get that shot and something happens … it never fails, something happens, and they don’t win. And then it takes them three or four fights to get back, which is a year to a year-and-a-half back, and that’s if everything lines up perfectly.”

While he’s not ready to become Chael Sonnen just yet, Hendricks did say you can expect to see him pleading his case publicly because he’s started to grasp the importance of self-promotion outside of the Octagon.

“You’ve got to,” he casually concluded.

It is expected the winner of Diaz-Condit will defend the interim championship at least once before linear title-holder St. Pierre returns to action from a torn ACL he suffered in preparation for a February fight.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC