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

The two outspoken middleweights discussed their bout during the post-fight press conference where respect was shown throughout, at least regarding each other.

Check Out Highlights from the Sonnen-Bisping Bout

“I was surprised about everything. Michael Bisping hit me so hard in the first round I didn’t even know what day it was,” said Sonnen when asked if he was impressed by Bisping’s grappling prowess. “I remember when I came to, looking at him and thinking, ‘Oh my god you have no idea how bad you hurt me or you’d step in and do something about it.” I mean the whole fight I was never in a position I was comfortable, not one. It was fifteen awkward minutes.”

“I don’t have a bad thing in the world to say about the guy,” he concluded on Bisping.

As expected, the topic of Anderson Silva came up and Sonnen was a little less cordial in addressing him.

“I’d rather talk about real men like Mr. Bisping who steps in on ten days’ notice and fights me. Those are the kind of guys I’d rather give media attention to, not some bum hiding in Brazil,” replied Sonnen when asked if he felt Silva would agree to a rematch.

Check out the full press conference below with things starting up at about the thirty-minute mark:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

No new champions were crowned after Punk and Bryan retained their belts in fairly entertaining bouts. Meanwhile, Cena and Kane fought to a No Contest due to a count out. However, the action wasn’t over there as they fought backstage and eventually ran into Zack Ryder who suffered a Tombstone, “broken back” and all, for his troubles. Finally, Sheamus pulled off a major upset by emerging as the Rumble’s winner. His victory came after Big Show cleared out a number of remaining wrestlers, including both Miz and Cody Rhodes who were in the ring for more than forty minutes, but got eliminated himself. The final two men standing were Sheamus and Chris Jericho with the “Great White” eventually earning the Wrestlemania headlining spot.

Read below for a full rundown of Royal Rumble results:

Daniel Bryan def. Big Show vs. Mark Henry
Beth Phoenix/Natalya/Bella Twins def. Kelly Kelly/Eve/Alica Foxx/Tamina
John Cena vs. Kane – No Contest (Double Count-Out)
Brodus Clay def. Drew McEntyre
CM Punk def. Dolph Ziggler
Sheamus def. Chris Jericho to win the Royal Rumble

PHOTO CREDIT – WWE

The 30-year old has since reclaimed it to an extent, picking up consecutive victories over Shamar Bailey and Nik Lentz, the latter of which came this weekend at UFC on FOX 2 and was named Fight of the Night. Dunham spoke about his divisional standing after the bonus-winning performance where he mentioned already having an opponent or two in mind for his next bout.

“I don’t feel I’ve lost two. I feel I’ve lost one,” Dunham explained to MMAJunkie while putting an asterisk on a hard-fought outpointing to former champion Sean Sherk at UFC 119. “I did not lose that Sherk fight. I’m willing to fight him again to show that. I feel I’ve only lost to a real tough guy (Guillard), so I think I’m right up there fighting for that shot.”

Dunham Talks Bittersweet Loss to “Muscle Shark”

If Dunham can’t get a rematch with Sherk, who himself has not fought since the September 2010 win, he has an alternative in mind with two of the top 155ers on the roster set to face off in a few weeks.

“I want to fight whoever else is too (like) the winner of that Lauzon and Pettis fight. I’d love to fight the winner of that,” said Dunham while pointing to the UFC 144 match-up between Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis.

Dunham’s success against Lentz was the ninth stoppage of his career. He also holds past wins over Efrain Escudero and Tyson Griffin.

Submission of the Night went to Charles Oliveira after the dynamic young Brazilian tapped out opponent Eric Wisely with the first Calf Crusher in UFC history. The hold came after a scramble on the ground left Wisely’s leg in an awkward position with Oliveira recognizing the situation and capitalizing by leaning back to torque the limb. Oliveira won an extra $65,000 on top of his regularly contracted rate for the distinction.

Oliveira Making Featherweight Debut at UFC on FOX 2

No doubt making the team at Strikeforce proud, heavyweight newcomer Lavar Johnson looked spectacular in his UFC debut after knocking out the typically iron-jawed Joey Beltran who also happened to be in the best shape of his UFC career. Johnson hurt Beltran early with a body shot then kept the pressure on for the next few minutes into a well-placed strike followed up by a few uppercuts left Beltran face-down on the mat. Like Oliveira, Johnson also earned a $65,000 check for his performance.

Last but not least, lightweights Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz battled it out for ten minutes before a doctor intervened to end things based on a badly cut/swollen eye-socket. While Dunham exited the Octagon with his hand raised both men left with $65,000 and Fight of the Night for their highly-entertaining effort.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

As always, Fighters.com was  tuned in and relaying live results back to readers throughout. In the end it was Evans who came away with a fairly dominant decision win while Sonnen picked up a similar victory though a bit more controversial one given the competitiveness of his collision with Bisping. Weidman also outpointed Maia, earning the biggest win of his career on less than two weeks’ notice.

Read below for a full list of results as they unfold in real time from the United Center in Chicago:

Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via Submission Round 3 (Guillotine Choke)
Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes)
Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via Unanimous Decision
Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via Submission Round 1 (Calf-Crusher)
Cub Swanson def. George Roop via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Mike Russow def. John Olav Einemo via Unanimous Decision
Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz via TKO Round 2 (Doctor’s Stoppage – Cut)
Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via Split Decision
Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via Unanimous Decision
Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via Unanimous Decision

Former top contender Josh Koscheck and Team Quest grappler Mike Pierce were booked to battle after a role-reversal of sorts saw Pierce call Koscheck out for a fight. The decision to do so apparently rubbed “Kos” the wrong way, prompting him to accept the challenge rather than dismiss Pierce based on his relative lack of name value.

“I don’t see how he has the right to call me out,” Koscheck explained of Pierce’s move during an extended preview for the February 4 event. “I think he just made a big mistake, that’s for sure. Not being cocky but I think I have what it takes to beat him.”

“Now I’ve got a reason that I’m gonna kick his ass,” he continued. “Pierce has never been submitted or knocked out in his UFC career. I’m gonna be the first guy to do it.”

However, Piece clarified his interest in facing Koscheck in an understandable way, saying, “I’m in this game to fight the best and be the best,” before making it clear Koscheck isn’t the only one who will be looking for a finish in the fight.

“If I press the action he’s gonna make mistakes and he’s gonna go to sleep at the end of the night,” the 13-4 Pierce concluded.

Koscheck and Pierce have both won four of their last five fights. The former is coming off quick knockout of Matt Hughes while Pierce was last seen outpointing Paul Bradley at UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos.

See what else the two had to say about their bout at the 5:15 mark of the preview with the preceding segment looking at the main event between Carlos Condit-Nick Diaz:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The infamous line delivered by Russell Crowe in the opening moments of Gladiator is one of the most quoted in recent cinematic history and understandably so given the inherent truth contained therein. For UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans the words may ring truer than they do for many, as one of the former champion’s primary goals in MMA is to solidify a legacy as being one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Evans discussed his mindset in an interview with the UFC’s website where he spoke about wanting to be remembered years from now and how much motivation he pulls from the possibility.

“I come from nothing,” the 32-year old humbly admitted. “Growing up I didn’t really have too much, and I can tap into that anytime that I want to and just remember how bad things were for me growing up and just knowing that I never want to go back there and I don’t want my kids to go through it. So what I’ve got to do is I gotta stay strong and I gotta drive. And more than anything else, this is a dream of mine to become the best and in other words, immortal. How many other people get a chance to be remembered forever? And that’s what I really want. I want to be remembered forever.”

With a 16-1-1 record including wins over names like Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson, and Chuck Liddell he certainly seems to be on his way there. However, success aside, a fire still burns in Evans’ belly.

“I never want to get content. I never want to think that I’m at a certain spot and I’m gonna stay there, because this organization’s hard to stay in, and this is the wrong place to get complacent in,” Evans continued. “You’ve got so many guys coming up and putting in work, and everybody wants to be in my position, so I gotta be paranoid and think that if I’m not producing, if I’m not going out there and winning fights and winning impressively, I’m gonna be replaced. And I don’t like that and that’s not an easy feeling for me, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.”

Evans Anxious to Stop Talking, Start Fighting

The next opportunity for Evans to perform up to his own expectations comes later tonight at UFC on FOX 2 against unbeaten grappler Phil Davis. The broadcast starts at 8:00 PM EST on FOX.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Two of tomorrow night’s primary pairings featured opponents with identical weights, as Rashad Evans-Phil Davis were both 205 pounds on the dot with Michael Bisping-Chael Sonnen each coming in at 185. Meanwhile Chris Weidman was actually a pound lighter than Demian Maia, a shock when considering he had only been given ten days to prepare for the fight.

Davis Says Evans in for a Shock on Saturday Night

UFC on FOX 2 takes place tomorrow with prelims starting at 5:00 PM EST on Fuel TV and the main card firing up at 8:00 PM EST.

Check out a full list of weights below followed by video of the Sonnen-Bisping and Evans-Davis staredowns:

Chris Camozzi (185 lbs) vs. Dustin Jacoby (185 lbs)
Joey Beltran (228 lbs) vs. Lavar Johnson (252 lbs)
Shane Roller (156 lbs) vs. Michael Johnson (156 lbs)
Charles Oliveira (144 lbs) vs. Eric Wisely (145 lbs)
George Roop (145 lbs) vs. Cub Swanson (145 lbs)
John Olav Einemo (253 lbs) vs. Mike Russow (251 lbs)
Evan Dunham (155 lbs) vs. Nik Lentz (155 lbs)
Demian Maia (186 lbs) vs. Chris Weidman (185 lbs)
Chael Sonnen (185 lbs) vs. Michael Bisping (185 lbs)
Rashad Evans (205 lbs) vs. Phil Davis (205 lbs)

CM Punk has been a longtime supporter of Mixed Martial Arts (and self-admitted BJJer), even incorporating certain techniques into his move-set that are pulled from some of the disciplines featured in the sport. However, while Chicago-product Punk had agreed to walk down with Sonnen, WWE CEO Vince McMahon quickly reneged on his original approval of the situation.

McMahon Shoots Down Punk on FOX

Punk recently spoke about the issue, among other things, in an interview with MMAFighting where he said he felt the stars had aligned properly given the event’s location and him originally having tomorrow off from house-show work.

“We were introduced by Gerald Briscoe, old school wrestler obviously and road agent for WWE now,” said Punk of his original introduction to Sonnen. “He scouts a lot of the amateur wrestling tournaments and stuff around the country so obviously that’s the link. He knows Chael. He put us on the phone one day, like spur of the moment…and I think we’re alike in a lot of ways.”

“I get a kick out of anybody that’s entertaining,” the WWE Champion continued on Sonnen, mentioning Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz as two other fighters who seem to have embraced the power of showmanship.

The popular Punk also weighed in on Brock Lesnar’s future where he said, “He split. He left us high and dry. Now, there’s a code in the locker room when you’re the champ you kinda toe the line and the money you make kinda gets distributed to everybody else. So I think maybe five years ago I would’ve been more up in arms about it…but, once again, I won’t fault anybody for making money.”

“I would welcome Brock back. I don’t think Brock wants to come back. But that’s just my opinion,” Punk continued. “He’s done his time here, he’s done his time in MMA. I think he was great at both. And there (are) a few guys that are out there that I don’t know that there’s really a place for them in modern day WWE and Brock might be one of them. Doesn’t like the road, doesn’t like people, and I just don’t know if they’d be willing to spend all the money, like the one big payday, for him to come in and work Wrestlemania.”

PHOTO CREDIT – WWE

Henderson recently offered up his thoughts on both match-ups where he made it clear one of the two bouts wouldn’t be nearly as close as the other.

“I don’t see Bisping even having a chance,” said Henderson to TATAME, opting to favor Sonnen’s takedown attack more than the Brit’s striking. The pick was far from surprising given his love of wrestling and memorable knockout of Bisping when the two faced off at UFC 100.

As far as the fight impacting his future in a direct sense, “Hendo” went with former champion Evans who he sees as being more fit than the lanky Davis.

“Rashad should win,” the 41-year old legend revealed. “Rashad has better hands and they’re both good wrestlers. I think it is gonna come a lot down to conditioning, I think. Who’s in better shape…”

Evans Anxious to Finally Fight Davis

If Evans should fall many believe Henderson would get a crack at current 205-pound title-holder Jon Jones though it appears Henderson isn’t so sure himself.

“I don’t know if I made Dana mad when I said ‘No’ to (Antonio Rogerio) Nogueira,” Henderson laughed. “But, you know, for me it didn’t make sense right now. Nogueira lost to Davis and (Ryan) Bader, then beat Tito Ortiz…It really did make sense to me. What was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.”

Like the rest of us, Henderson will have to tune in tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST when UFC on FOX 2 unfolds from Chicago to see how his picks play out. Make sure to check Fighters.com for live coverage throughout including preliminary results starting at 5:00 PM EST.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE