Former UFC fighter Rory Markham, following his release from the UFC and recovering from amounting injuries, was recently signed to budding promotion, Bellator Fighting Championships. Bellator has done an excellent job in bringing in relevant talent to their fold, while giving their home-grown fighters some credibility, should they prove successful in defeating some of the imported, former UFC standouts. Markham will forever be remembered in infamy, when he knocked out Brodie Farber in his UFC debut in 2009, with a vicious head kick. After the initial UFC outing, he struggled in performances against contender Dan Hardy and "The Ultimate Fighter" season five winner, Nate Diaz. ...

The UFC's Fight for the Troops delivered excitement and thrills to MMA fans and military personnel alike Wednesday night at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville. In preliminary results, Justin McCully (9-4-2) defeated "Manic Hispanic" Eddie Sanchez (8-3) via unanimous decision. In welterweight action, Dale Hartt (5-1) defeated Corey Hill (2-2) via TKO (doctor stoppage due to leg injury) at 0:20 of the second round in what appeared to have been a potential broken leg after Hartt checked a leg kick. Naval officer, "Hollywood" Steve Bruno (10-4) defeated Johnny Rees (10-2) via submission (rear naked choke) at the 3:44 mark of round two. Following the fight, Bruno thanked the enthusiastic crowd largely composed of Army personnel for saving his life following a helicopter crash in Iraq. Former Ultimate Fighter Luigi Fioravanti (14-4) defeated Brodie Farber (12-5) via unanimous decision. ...

The rest of the UFC Fight for the Troops fight card, happening 10 December in Fayetteville, NC, has been revealed by USA Today.  The event will be headlined by Fighters.com’s fourth- and ninth-ranked welterweights Josh Koscheck (11-2) and Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2). The remaining bouts are: Luigi Fioravanti (13-4) v Brodie Farber (13-4) Dale Hartt (5-1) v Corey Hill (2-1) “Berserk” Ben Saunders (6-0-2) v Brandon Wolff (7-2) Timothy Credeur (10-2) v Nate Loughran (9-0) “Hater Hurter” Johnny Rees (10-1) v Steve Bruno (11-4) Justin McCully (8-4-2) v Eddie Sanchez (8-2) Five fighters on the card have served in the military.  Fioravanti was a Marine, Hartt, Credeur, and Bruno served in the Navy, and Wolff was a Navy SEAL. Missing from the card is a previously announced match between former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-1) and current champ Steve Cantwell (6-1).  Stann, a former Marine, has reportedly sustained a foot injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the event. ...

“Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) def. “Sandman” James Irvin (14-5) via KO (punches), 1:01 of round one. “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) def. Reese Andy (7-3) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 29-28). “The Answer” Frank Edgar (9-1) def. Hermes Franca (18-7) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27). Cain Velasquez (4-0) def.  Jake O’Brien (10-2) via TKO, 2:02 of round one. “The Fire” Kevin Burns (7-2) def. “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (5-2) via TKO, 3:35 of round three. “Doberman” CB Dollaway (7-1) def. Jesse Taylor (6-3) via submission (Peruvian necktie), 3:58 of round one. Timothy Credeur (10-2) def. Cale Yarbrough (0-1) via TKO (punches), 1:54 of round one. Rory Markham (16-4) def. Brodie Farber (13-4) via KO (head kick), 1:37 of round one. Nate Loughran (9-0) def. Johnny Rees (10-1) via submission (triangle), 4:21 of round one. “Bad” Brad Blackburn (15-9-1) def. James Giboo (11-3) via TKO (strikes), 2:29 of round two. Shannon Gugerty (11-2) def. Dale Hartt (5-1) via submission (rear naked choke), 3:33 of round one. ...

Wednesday the UFC officially announced that six newcomers will face each other in their Octagon debuts at Fight Night 14 on 19 July, airing on SpikeTV: Rory Markham (14-4) v Brodie Farber (13-3) James Giboo (11-2) v “Bad” Brad Blackburn (12-9-1) Dale Hartt (5-0) v Shannon Gugerty (9-2). IFL veteran Markham, of Chicago, submitted Jay Ellis (6-19) with a first-round triangle choke at Adrenaline MMA’s debut event this month. Farber last lost in May 2006; since then he has finished off all six opponents he faced in the first round, most recently knocking out Eduardo Gonzales (1-4) in January. Giboo, a schoolteacher from Des Moines, will look to extend his six-fight win streak. He has never fought past the second round and submits most opponents, including Zeke Schilling (0-2) in March. Blackburn, another IFL veteran, (T)KO’d both “Pe de Chumbo” Delson Heleno (13-5) in April and Jay Hieron (15-4) last June, and has a “No Contest” against Travis Cox (5-5; 1 NC) between the two wins. Hartt last fought in March, when he submitted Keith Ferreira (1-1) via strikes in the first round. He has never been to a decision. Gugerty is a Total Combat veteran and is coming off a six-fight win streak, most recently putting a guillotine choke on Johnny Torres (5-1) in March. ...