"ufc 126: Silva vs. Belfort" changed a lot of things in the foreseeable future in the mixed martial arts world. Anderson Silva continued his reign of dominance by deftly defeating former teammate Vitor Belfort with a first-round knockout, defending his UFC middleweight title once again. Forrest Griffin has now extended a two-fight win streak for himself inside the octagon with a dominant performance turned in over former titleholder Rich "Ace" Franklin. Meanwhile, Jon Jones submitted then-undefeated light heavyweight star Ryan Bader with a second-round guillotine choke. The win came with an unexpected prize, earning Jones the 205-pound title shot when an injured Rashad Evans bowed out of the championship bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua--who insists that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was initially offered the fight, however turned it down immediately after. Jackson didn't take too kindly that the Brazilian took to the media to reveal the proposed bout. ...

The dynamo Jon Jones has made good on an opportunity presented in front of him. The light heavyweight phenom has since earned his shot at a UFC title shot when he submitted then-undefeated star Ryan Bader last Saturday at UFC 126. Jones took home the win with a second-round guillotine choke, where after Joe Rogan informed Jones that the organization was granting Jon the shot at the belt once it was confirmed that teammate Rashad Evans had bowed out of the March fight with champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. However, the Brazilian recently indicated that former rival Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was originally intended to be the man to step up on short notice, however the fan-favorite slugger turned down the title opportunity. ...

"UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort" went without a hitch. The preliminary card bought tons of action during Saturday's night of fights, with knockouts, submissions galore, however few fights stood above the rest and in the end those respective matches took home an extra bit of change of their efforts. ...

Before we get started, I’d just like to say that I don’t say any of the following out of spite. I’m a fan of Rashad Evans, and I’ve come to his defense more than once in his recent period of hiatus, I even outright called for Evans to destroy Mauricio Rua on several occasions. But now he’s on the sidelines, and apparently, he and his camp are toying with the notion of either moving down or up in weight if teammate Jon Jones wins the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. I don’t agree with this at all, and I think Evans’ home should be at Light Heavyweight even if "Bones" becomes champion. Here’s why. ...

It was recently announced last Saturday that Jon Jones will now be facing Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the light heavyweight title come this March. Jones earned the shot at the championship strap with a second-round submission victory over then-undefeated fighter Ryan Bader, the season eight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter". Ultimately, though, the opportunity came when teammate Rashad Evans had to bow out of the title fight with Rua when he suffered a knee injury in preparation for the bout. Now, Evans' camp is indicating that should Jones defeat the Brazilian next month, Rashad is willing to either move up or down in weight class. ...

Following ufc 126 this past weekend, a lot of new story lines have arose. Anderson Silva re-solidified himself as not only the best middleweight in the world, but arguably best pound-for-pound fighter and the greatest of all time, when he knocked out Vitor Belfort in impressive fashion in his middleweight title bout. Forrest Griffin deftly defeated former champ Rich Franklin in a pivotal light heavyweight match-up, moving him closer to the title, however Jon Jones beat him to it when he submitted then-undefeated prospect Ryan Bader with a second-round submission. However nothing surprised me more then some of these fighter pay-outs with some seeming valid, while others have me scratching my head in humble confusion. ...

There are few moments in mixed martial arts history that have been embedded in my mind's "eye". First, there's the four-second knockout that the legendary "Kid" Yamamoto laid upon a young Kazuyuki Miyata, which took a flying knee and all of four seconds to complete. Next, there's Chuck Liddell retirement announcement during the pre-fight presser for UFC 125 last December--it's hard to believe that just a couple of years ago, the UFC Hall of Famer was arguably the greatest light heavyweight fighter in the world. Then, there was an exuberant Jon Jones realizing his life's work when UFC commentator stepped into the cage to announce "Bones" as the next challenger to the light heavyweight title. Elated, Jones fell to knees in disbelief and the appreciation of such an opportunity was painted on his face. ...

UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” was not without its fair share of interesting moments. True, some of the fights were a bit underwhelming. Maybe the Pay-Per-View event as a whole didn’t live up to all of its potential. But still, the night was filled with surprises and moments of greatness. So let’s take a look at what made it so special, with my latest entry into the “Top 5 Best Moments” series, featuring UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. ...

It’s that time again, fans and friends. At the close of every major MMA event, most fans have one question on their mind: “what’s next?” And following some of the fantastic performances and shocking surprises that went down at UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”, there’s certainly a lot to think about. Here’s my take on the matter with the latest entry into my “What’s Next” series of articles, featuring all the big stars from UFC 126. Let’s get to it. ...

Another one went into the history books tonight, fans and friends: UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” is now a thing of the past. Despite a few misses, especially the underwhelming bout between Miguel Torres and Antonio Banuelos, the night was eventful to say the least. Jon Jones earned a surprise title shot shortly after demolishing Ryan Bader, as it was announced that then-current top contender Rashad Evans had blown out his knee. Now Jones will face his date with destiny and challenge for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Mauricio Rua. And in the main event, Anderson Silva busted out a bizarre front kick that nevertheless knocked Vitor Belfort senseless, prolonging the win-streak that has seen “The Spider” never lose, not even once, in his time inside the Octagon. Here are the full results to UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. ...

As one of the best cards of the year begin tomorrow night, all fighters stepped on the scales for their respective match-ups for "ufc 126: Silva vs. Belfort" which takes place at the Mandalay Bay and Events Center in Las Vegas. A middleweight title clash pitting the reigning and defending 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort has become official, as both fighters stepped on the scales at 185-pounds on the nose. All fighters successfully made weight, all but one. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome back to the latest entry into my “5 Reasons Why” series of articles. Today I’m focusing on the highly-anticipated Light Heavyweight clash between Jon Jones and Ryan Bader set to go down at ufc 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. For the first part, detailing five reasons why Jon Jones could beat Ryan Bader, please click here. Now it’s time for part two, with five reasons why Ryan Bader could beat Jon Jones. Let’s get to it. ...

While it’s true that I’ve already given my prediction on who I think will win the upcoming ufc 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” bout that sees Jon Jones take on Ryan Bader (read my prediction here), it’s also true that this is one of the fights I felt most conflicted about when it came time to give my predictions. I’m a fan of both these fighters, and I think both men have a good shot at beating each other. So, in that regard, here’s the latest entry into the “5 Reasons Why” series of articles, with “5 Reasons Why Jon Jones Could Beat Ryan Bader”, with the reverse soon to follow. Let’s get right to it. ...

On February 5, 2011, the one and only UFC will hold its highly-anticipated “Silva vs. Belfort” event, featuring an epic showdown between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort, with Silva’s UFC Middleweight Championship on the line. Also, former champions Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin meet in what should be a hard-hitting fight filled with non-stop action. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to look forward to UFC 125 “Silva vs. Belfort”. ...

We’re now only a few days away from UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. In the main event, long-reigning UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva will put his UFC Middleweight Championship on the line against what could be his toughest opponent to date, former UFC champion and heavy-handed striker extraordinaire Vitor Belfort. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin takes on former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin. As is customary, here are my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why) for UFC 126 "Silva vs. Belfort". ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. ...

It shouldn't be any surprise, but "UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort" is officially a sellout. UFC officials released the information today, though it was only a matter of time. The pay-per-view event features one of the best assembled cards of the new year, touting five former champions on the all-star card, as well as a much anticipated title defense pitting current champ Anderson Silva as he defends his middleweight title for a record-setting eighth time as he takes on former teammate Vitor Belfort in the evenings headlining bout. ...

Thiago Silva, one of the best light heavyweights in the world, returned to form at UFC 125 when he defeated former contender Brandon Vera in very convincing fashion on Jan. 1. The American Top Team product bested the Muay Thai specialist throughout the fifteen-minute affair, recording his first decision victory inside the octagon. The win over Vera helped Silva bounce back from a disappointing loss to Rashad Evans in January of last year. It also marked his return after a near-year absence following a debilitating back injury that had the Brazilian sidelined for the time being. Now back in form, Silva will next meet with former champion Quinton Jackson at an event later this year, but before his fight with "Rampage" Silva has addressed some remarks made by light heavyweight phenom Jon Jones, and it looks like Thiago wouldn't mind tangling with the Greg Jackson product in the future. ...

Welcome back to “All I Want for Christmas”, fans and friends, my special four-part Christmas Day mini-series that celebrates a day of well-wishing and familial bonding. I’ve got high hopes for MMA in 2011, and hopefully these various Top 5 lists have filled you with a sense of wonder as well. Take it as my little effort to spread some holiday cheer, to get some spirits up and inject a little positivity into a medium that so often only focuses on the negative. With that said, let’s head right into the final entry of today’s list, the Top 5 things I’m looking forward to for the UFC in 2011. ...

Welcome back to “All I Want for Christmas”, fans and friends, my special Christmas Day mini-series where I share some thoughts and hopes on what I’m looking forward to as we head towards the second decade of the new millennium. Next up is everyone’s favorite topic: dream fights. Even fans who don’t like to play “armchair promoter” love to trot out their personal picks for the fights they’d like to see. So here are my “Top 5 Dream Fights for 2011”, focusing on high-profile fights that could conceivably happen next year. Let’s get to it. ...

205lb UFC phenom Jon Jones is a man on the rise.  Widely regarded as the young fighter with the most potential in the UFC, the upstate New York native took a few minutes to speak with Fighters.com last weekend.  Jones elaborated on his feelings for his next opponent, Ryan Bader, and shared how his brother - Art Jones - is faring as a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens. Click through to watch the video. ...

After a lot of back and forth, it looks like now everyone will be safely assured that Jones Jones against Ryan Bader, a pivotal match up in the light heavyweight division, will continue as scheduled for February. Previously, UFC President Dana White cited that some issues with Bader would have conflicted with the scheduled match up. Originally, both competitors were expected to meet in December, however the former Division I wrestling All-American had some other business to tend to... the guy is getting married. So, the match up was held off until February, adorning the UFC 126 card, which is expected to be headlined by current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defending his title for a record setting 8th time when he meets former teammate Vitor Belfort. ...

Should teammates fight each other? It’s a topic that only pops up ever so often, but when it does, it usually ignites a pretty big debate.  Many famous MMA stars have come out against the idea, in particular, Jon Fitch and Keith Jardine have stated several times that they will never fight their teammates. Other fighters seem a bit more willing to say “never say never”. However, you can add another big name to the list of fighters who aren’t only saying “never”, but “never ever not in a million years.” And that man just so happens to be one of the brightest prospects the ufc has ever seen. Here are all the details. ...

In a division filled past the breaking point with incredible championship-caliber athletes, Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader stands out as a landmark match that will likely crown the next ufc Light Heavyweight superstar. But will it even happen? Reports surfaced recently that Bader may have pulled out of his scheduled showdown with Jonny Bones at UFC 126 on February 5, but according to famous MMA reporter Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting, that may not be the case after all. Here are all the details. ...

A previously rumored event for January 29th, which was dubbed as ufc 126, has been pulled off the table. While the event, which was to be a pay-per-view card, was under consideration by the promotion, has now been dubbed null altogether. UFC 125, which is expected to be headlined by current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar defending his title in a rematch against fellow wrestler Gray Maynard, will be taking place on January 1 of the new year, and now what was originally considered to be UFC 127, will now become 126. ...

An exciting lightweight match up has been added to the seemingly stacked UFC 127 card, which will be taking place in February of next year, in Las Vegas, Nev. The headliner, a rumored bout pitting UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort is tentatively scheduled for the event, as well as light heavyweight bouts pitting former champions Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin against one another, as well as Ryan Bader versus phenom, Jon "Bones" Jones. Said lightweight match up, which will be Kenny Florian against Evan Dunham, is a fight that no true mixed martial arts fan would want to pass up. ...

As the new year looms closer and closer, the Super Bowl weekend card looks to be a star studded affair. Previously mentioned, the main event of the evening is looking like it will be a battle between Brazilians when Vitor Belfort challenges former teammate Anderson Silva for the ufc middleweight title. Also on the card, a battle between light heavyweights Ryan Bader and Jon Jones will battle it out for top contenders status in a stacked 205-pound division. Seemingly a shoe in for co-main event honors, the bout was trumped when a recent news breaker was published, which will garner a lot of attention come fight time. ...

Can anyone in the UFC handle Jon Jones? It honestly doesn’t look like it, at least so far. Perhaps the true test for Jonny Bones will be taking on true best-in-the-world competition, and the likely final stepping stone to getting fights just like that comes in the form of a fight with fellow surging Light Heavyweight star and winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8, Ryan Bader. The two are set to meet at UFC 127 on Super Bowl Weekend, which has always been an event of very high importance in the UFC. But according to Jones, Bader is just another name in a list that has gotten so long that Bones is beginning to get sick of fighting fighters like Bader. ...

As the year is coming closer to an end, the now annual World MMA Awards, which is hosted by Fighters Only Magazine, has recently announced their finalists for the December 1st event, which will take place once again in Las Vegas, Nev., which has become a hot bed for all things fighting related. The 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States. ...

The meteoric rise of Jon Jones has been well documented, while the less flashy climb to the top that Ryan Bader has traveled has been perhaps less noticeable. But, none the less, both competitors will find themselves pitted against one another when the collegiate wrestlers meet at an as of yet announced event in Las Vegas, Nev., for UFC 127. Jones, the proverbial golden boy of the light heavyweight division, has been nothing but impressive since his inception into the UFC. While his record reads 11-1, by all means the Endicott, New York, native is an undefeated prodigy. ...