Strikeforce heavyweight champion “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-10) will fight at DREAM.12 in Osaka October 25, Fighters.com has confirmed with a reliable source. ...

Heavyweight “Colossus” James Thompson (14-9) will face Piotr Kusmierz (1-1) at Cage Rage 28: VIP in his hometown of London, England, 20 September. Thompson lost his last fight in May against “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-0) via a third-round TKO that burst his cauliflower ear. Kusmierz lost a unanimous decision to Stav Economou (7-0) at Cage Rage last month. ...

I snapped this shot at the entrance to a bar on Broadway in Nashville Friday.  Notice anything? Is this a victory for the UFC or a problem? The MMA nation cringes when a newbie refers to mixed martial arts as "ultimate fighting". (On teleconferences, I parse the serious fight writers from the general press corp by just that phrase.  One would expect a sports journalist at bare minimum to know what the sport they're covering is called.) For years the UFC encouraged the press to refer to MMA as "ultimate fighting". ...

Fighters.com's fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-6) posted about last Saturday's controversial stoppage of the EliteXC middleweight title bout between champion and sixth-ranked middleweight "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) and "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) on his blog Monday: "I know Scott had a hurt leg from throwing kicks and Scott started to look very frustrated.  I think Scott’s aches and pains and frustrations had maybe a little to do with the stoppage.  That’s just my opinion." Hughes trains Lawler and was cageside cornering his H.I.T. Squad student. No one has been willing to state blatantly that Smith encouraged the controversial doctor stoppage Saturday night in Newark, outside of New York City, after he was poked in the right eye by Lawler's thumb. However, Hughes's opinion bolsters New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Counsel Nick Lembo's description to Fighters.com of events inside the cage immediately after the eye poke. ...

New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Counsel Nick Lembo told Fighters.com Monday that "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith(13-4) told two Control Board, cageside doctors he couldn't see after absorbing a thumb in his eye from Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) in an EliteXC title fight in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night. The exciting stand-up war was stopped by doctors at 3:26 of round three for a no contest. "I can't see," Smith told Dr. Angela Gagliardi, the first doctor in the cage, according to Lembo. Lembo wanted a second opinion and, after 30-seconds or so, called on veteran fight doctor Sherry Wulkan.  "I told her, 'This is a title fight,'" Lembo stressed. According to Lembo, Wulkan asked Smith, "What's wrong?" Smith told the second doctor, "I can't see!" "You took a finger in the eye," Wulkan explained.  "What do you mean you can't see?  Is your vision blurry?  Dark?" Smith repeated, "I can't see." Wulkan asked, "Is it getting better?" ...

CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights was a success! According to Nielsen, ratings for Saturday's first nationally broadcast, prime time MMA event lead in all key demographics. Perhaps most importantly and telling, like the original The Ultimate Fighter finale that lit MMA dynamite in North America three years ago, viewers of CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights increased as the night went on. Mikey liked it! The face of EliteXC, heavyweight "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) got a scare from as close to a mixed martial artist as he's been locked in a cage with, "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9). Thompson isn't a great martial artist, but the big lug has cage cred having stood across from Fighters.com's tenth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) and "Ironhead" Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) and even beating Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6-1) and "Predator" Don Frye (19-6-1) in the September of the former UFC champion's years. With what looked like about two weeks of jiu-jitsu and an intensive course in basic wrestling with the cauliflowered left ear to prove it, Thompson beat Slice for two rounds before Slice popped Thompson's ear with a right hook and the prime time neutered ref waved the fight over. In the post-fight press conference, the fighter who had kayoed Thompson in Thompson's previous fight, "The Grim" Brett Rogers (7-0) called slice "garbage". ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight and EliteXC Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) and "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) sizzled in three-and-a-half-rounds of stand-up in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night in the prime time network premier of mixed martial arts. In the main event, "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9) exposed "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) in a third-round stoppage loss. Former Ultimate Fighters Lawler and Smith fought to a controversial no contest halted when Smith absorbed a finger in his right eye from a defending Lawler. Smith protested the end of a fight that was building into the primetime MMA era's sequel to Griffin v Bonnar, while Lawler hung his head in disappointment. "Hands of Stone" opened round one of his title challenge establishing his high kick.  Lawler was cagey in defense, pawing a jab and feigning a takedown. It wasn't long before the fireworks shot off and didn't end.  Lawler countered a Superman punch from Smith with a straight right.  Smith belted back with a right high kick, backing up the champion.  Lawler threw haymakers in defense, then clinched up to throw hooks to Smith's head.  The warriors traded body kicks to end round one. Lawler established his jab in round two, setting up an uppercut.  Smith defended with Thai clinch in which he landed knees and elbows as Lawler struggled to free himself.  The fighters crashed into the cage and dirty boxed, Lawler landing uppercuts while Smith countered with elbows. The fireworks came to an anti-climactic end in round three as doctors inexplicably called an end to the fight after Smith took a Lawler finger to the eye. ...

EliteXC has announced the official fight card of its 31 May CBS debut called CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights. The main event, reported last week by Fighters.com, will match "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (2-0) versus "The Colossus" James Thompson (14-8) in a heavyweight scrap sure to end before the final bell. "The Grim" Brett Rogers (6-0) earned a spot on the broadcast card when he knocked out "The Colossus" in February, though it evidently wasn't enough to challenge "Slice" in the main event.  He'll fight Jon Murphy (4-2), who comes off of a KO over Dave Huckaba (4-2) last August. Also previously reported, Fighters.com's number six middleweight "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) will defend his EliteXC championship versus "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4). Finally, "New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni (10-9) will try to bounce back from his recent TKO loss to Icon Middleweight Champion Kala Kolohe Hose (6-1) versus "Ninja" Murilo Rua (15-8-1), who last crossed the Atlantic to pickup a stoppage in CageRage after Lawler knocked him out in his EliteXC debut. "In terms of recognition and perception, I believe May 31 is the biggest and single most important MMA fight card ever," said Gary Shaw, EliteXC Live Events President.  "It will forever change the landscape of the sport and how it is perceived." Given the pedestrian fight card and spectacle of a main event, let's all hope not. The card will air live in America at 9:00 PM EST/PT. ...

NBC Sports has reported confirmation that "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (2-0) versus "The Colossus" James Thompson (14-8) will headline EliteXC's 31 May network debut on CBS. The website cites sources close to one of the fighters. The fight has been rumored for weeks. Thompson has a notoriously weak chin, which was exploited in his last fight by "The Grim" Brett Rogers (6-0) who KO'd "The Colossus" in two-and-a-half minutes. ...

Before a sellout crowd of 6,187 that produced the single largest gate in the history of the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami, Kimbo Slice registered a spectacular 43-second, first-round knockout over David Abbott Saturday on Showtime. The exciting event, which was presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s EliteXC, aired on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  It will be replayed a few times in the next several days, including Wednesday on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET/PT. As far as homecomings go, it doesn’t get better than this, as the incredibly popular Pride of Perrine, Fla, gave the raucous but well-behaved fans what they came to see: a devastating knockout win. A YouTube legend and legitimate mixed martial arts superstar, Kimbo’s performance put an exclamation point on what was an excellent night of MMA action. “We promised the fans a good, classy show and we delivered a great one,’’ said “EliteXC Live Events President and University of Miami alum, Gary Shaw.  “EliteXC showed tonight, once again, what MMA is all about.  There were great fights with dramatic finishes, a little bit of everything for everybody. “As a promoter, you want the fans to leave with a good taste, and I truly believe that each and every person in attendance here tonight left the venue happy and completely satisfied. “I couldn’t be prouder of the athletes, who acted like world champions before, during and afterward, or the fans, who turned out in record numbers.  We look forward to returning to Miami again. “This was just a tremendously exciting night from start to finish.  Honestly, I don’t think any organization puts on better, more competitive fights that we do.’’ Kimbo (2-0), who may indeed be more popular than sliced bread, wowed the crowd en route to demolishing Abbott, an MMA icon who entered the cage to win.  But Tank spent more time on the ground than on his feet, going down three times from legitimate punches and a couple other times from slips. “I wanted him to get up, I wanted to bang,’’ Kimbo said.  “I had to push him off because we were too close.   Then I just knocked him down.  It was great fighting in front of the hometown fans.  I’d be lying if I told you they didn’t jack me up. Miami, you are my home.  “I have a lot of respect for Tank.  This was one of my dream fights, along with Mike Tyson.  But I am ready to fight anybody and ready to fight again really soon. “I want to thank Showtime and EliteXC for making this night possible for me and my family.”  Abbott (9-14), of Huntington Beach, Calif., gave it his all, as expected.  “I tried to take it to him at the start and take him to the ground, but then I just said, the heck with that and started to fight,’’ Tank said.  “But I ran into one and that was it. I was just getting started. “It is still too early to know how good or great Kimbo will be.  But what I do know is that I absolutely want to keep fighting. Maybe I will go after Ken Shamrock.’’ In other Showtime fights Saturday, “Big Foot” Antonio Silva (10-1), a highly touted Brazilian who lives in Coconut Creek, Fla., recorded a hard-fought three-round split decision over former champion Ricco Rodriguez (27-8), of Staten Island, N.Y., unbeaten Brett Rogers (8-0), of  St. Paul, Minn., blasted out England's "The Colossus" James Thompson (16-8) in the first round, “Hands Of Steel’’ Scott Smith (15-4), of Sacramento, Calif., knocked out Australian "The Ozzie" Kyle Noke (14-4-1), the bodyguard of the late Steve “Crocodile Hunter’’ Irwin, in the second round and Yves Edwards (33-13-1), of Conroe, Tex., stopped  "Little Tiger" James Edson Berto (14-5-1), of Tampa, Fla., in the opening session. In non-televised undercard fights that aired for free on MMA Internet site,  ProElite.com: Moyses Gabin (2-0), of Miami, registered a 2:32, first-round knockout over Jirka Hlavaty (1-2), of Miami, Lorenzo Borgameo (3-0), of Miami, won by submission (triangle) at 4:11 of the second round over Mike Bernhard (3-1), of Miami; Eric Bradley (3-1), of Las Vegas, Nev., took a unanimous  decision over Mikey Gomez (6-4), of Orlando, Fla.; Dave Herman (10-0), of Indiana, scored a third-round TKO over Mario Rinaldi (6-3), of Miami, Yosmany Cabezas (5-0), of Tampa, Fla., won by second-round submission (rear naked choke) over Jon Kirk (10-3), of Houston, and Rafael Feijao (4-1), of Brazil, knocked out John Doyle (6-2), of Allentown, Pa., at 2:17 of the first round. All the fights were scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.  Silva, whose initial nine victories had come in the first round, got the nod on two of the judges’ cards by the scores of 30-27 and 29-28. The third judge had it for Rodriguez, 29-28. “Ricco is a dangerous fighter,’’ said Silva, who was making his second start since dropping down after competing as a 300-pound super heavyweight.  “I knew it was going to be a tough fight.  I fought hard and came out with a victory, but it was a difficult fight for me.   “I want that belt.  I am sorry that this was not the best night of fighting for me, but I promise I will deliver in my next bout.  I want that heavyweight title.” Rodriguez entered the cage with a vast advantage in experience, having fought and defeated some of the biggest names in MMA, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Tim Sylvia, Jeff Monson, Andrei Arlovski, Pete Wilson, and Randy Couture.  “The reality is, I didn’t train as long for this fight as I needed to, but I think I showed that I am still dedicated and can fight,’’ Rodriguez said.  “I am in this for the long haul and appreciate the opportunity EliteXC is giving me.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we fought a rematch.  I would love to fight Silva again.’’ Smith, who has won all 16 of his fights inside the distance, knocked out Noke in devastating fashion.  After losing the first round, he came out blazing in the second.  Two brutal right hands did all the damage.  The referee halted matters at 0:07 of the round.  “I’m sorry for that first round, that’s not the way I fight,” Smith said.  “I didn’t start to get comfortable until toward the end of the round. “When I got to my corner between rounds, I told my trainer that I had found my range.  I came out pumped and made up for it.  I was fighting way too much on the outside, but once I got inside -- bam, I knocked him down.” Noke had a four-fight unbeaten streak (3-0-1) end.  “This is a different feeling for me,’’ he said.  “I’ve never been knocked out by a punch before.  I felt good after the first round, but I got caught in the second. Scott is a good, strong fighter.” Edwards earned his fourth consecutive victory by knocking out Berto with a knee and punch combination at 4:56 of the first round. Berto had a three-fight winning streak snapped. “I am back and ready to fight anybody,’’ Edwards said.  “I’d love to fight [EliteXC lightweight champion KJ] Noons.  He’s the guy with the gold.  If you’re not doing this to be a world champion, you better do something else.’’  In an upset in the first Showtime fight, the hard-hitting Rogers spoiled the United States debut of Thompson, bringing “Colossus” down to size with a flurry of powerful combinations at 2:24 of the first round. “I don’t think I have to say anything; it showed for itself,” Rogers said.  “He’s got a weak chin and I knew it was going to happen. “All he kept trying to do was wrestle me to the ground.  I got back up and I knocked him out.  When I touch him, he’s going down.  There’s going to be more of Brett Rogers on EliteXC.” Thompson offered no excuses.  “He caught me with good punches,” he said.  “He hits a lot harder than I thought.  I’m very disappointed.  My confidence isn’t where it should be or where I would like it to be since after my last fight.  I would fight him again in a rematch.’’ ...