Former top ten ranked UFC light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-2) of Brazil and 6'6" French UFC newcomer “Snake” Cyrille Diabate (15-6-1) will matchup at UFC 114 in Las Vegas May 29, according to an MMA Fighting report. ...

UFC light heavyweight "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) has emerged from a two-year hiatus from the top ten rankings, during which much of the new MMA fandom knew him only as the brother of Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1). ...

The remaining bouts for UFC 106 on November 21 in Las Vegas Nevada are now finalized, the UFC announced today. Topping the bill is the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) as he is set to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) in a rematch of the 2006 fight that was Griffin's first loss in the UFC. ...

The UFC officially confirmed the clash between Fighters.com seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) and fellow Brazilian "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (12-3) to fill out the UFC 106 card following the postponement of the former main event title fight between Fighters.com and UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (2-1) and sixth-ranked heavyweight Shane Carwin (9-0). ...

As controversial as the UFC 104 judges' unanimous decision in favor of Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Dragon" Lyoto Machida (16-0) over seemingly obvious victor, now-third-ranked "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-4), was among North American MMA fans, nothing compares to the heat over the fight among Brazilian MMA fans. ...

Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0) will defend his championships from sixth-ranked "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-3) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24. ...

Brazilian "Banha" Luis Arthur Cane (9-1) TKO'd Fighters.com's ninth-ranked light heavyweight "African Assassin" Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-3) in a second-round barrage ending at 4:15 at UFC 89 in Birmingham Saturday night. "I was going forward.  Sokoudjou was keeping the distance.  Everyone was expecting Sokoudjou to go forward; but, he was not the aggressor this time," said "Banha" after the "W". ...

All UFC 89 fighters made their weight today at the NIA for Saturday's card in Birmingham. "Count" Michael Bisping (16-1) 185 pounds v "Crippler" Chris Leben (18-4) 186 pounds "I'm glad you guys let me into your country," main event fighter Leben said at Thursday's press conference.  "I was a little worried on the plane." Leben was originally scheduled to fight Bisping in London 7 June, but opted to put to rest legal issues in Oregon stemming from an earlier DUI arrest to ensure a legal UK visa. But, the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of Brit Bisping, who told the press, "I am on a quest.  Losing this fight for me is not an option." Leben, wearing tight cornrows, chided his opponent, saying, "It seems to me that, when Michael Bisping fights, self-preservation is top on his list." A brawl would certainly benefit Leben.  Bisping's stand-up style is a bit more circle-and-poke, while Leben is happy to plant and throw bombs. ...

"The Ultimate Fighter" is now truly the ultimate fighter in the UFC's ultimate weight class. In Las Vegas 4 July, Fighters.com's new Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) worked over now top contender "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (28-7) with leg kicks in a close unanimous decision. Though Griffin hopped seven spots to take the championship, the decision loss was close enough that Jackson only drops one rank. Jackson has declared his next opponent to be sixth-ranked "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), who drops a rank on Griffin's ascension; but, no official word has come from the UFC. Jackson versus Silva would make a trilogy that Silva dominated 2-0 in PRIDE. Griffin will probably fight the winner of fourth-ranked "Iceman" Chuck Liddell (21-5) versus "Sugar" Rashad Evans (11-0-1), which gets on in Atlanta 6 September, but may also take on the winner of fifth-ranked "Dragon" Lyoto Machida (13-0) versus tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (13-0) in Birmingham 18 October. The debate rages across Internet message boards about who the top contender to Griffin's title is: Jackson, Liddell, or Machida? ...

Tuesday the UFC announced three new fights for UFC 89 in Birmingham 18 October. Fighters.com's seventh-ranked light heavyweight "African Assassin" Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) will shake his big right fist across the Octagon at "Banha" Luis Arthur Cane (8-1). Welterweight "Outlaw" Dan Hardy (19-6) draws a tough Octagon premier in front of his countrymen versus Akihiro Gono (28-12-7). Undefeated heavyweights Shane Carwin (9-0) and Neil Wain (4-0) will try to deal the other their first professional loss. ...

Watching Fighters.com's fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes(42-7) TKO'd at 1:02 of the second round by younger, stronger, faster, and more complete (currently) sixth-ranked "Pitbull" Thiago Alves (15-3) last night at UFC 85 in London, I couldn't help but recall the country boy whoopin' Hughes put on the original Ultimate Fighter Royce Gracie (14-3-3) two-years ago. Hughes stalked Alves for a takedown at the first bell, settling for bottom position by pulling guard, but never finding the submission opportunity he thought he could force. Again, Hughes took the Brazilian to the mat mid-way through the first and smothered the kickboxer; but, Alves utilized butterfly guard to neutralize Hughes's offense. The only damage done on the mat in round one was after the confident "Pitbull" bulldogged the veteran to the mat and hammered a crevice in Hughes's nose with an elbow strike. Hughes, like Gracie at UFC 60, was impotent. Alves wasn't falling for the tried and true tricks, wasn't physically overwhelmed by the stocky farm boy from rural Illinois, and wasn't intimidated by the future Hall of Famer's legacy. The second round was short; the end poignant. Hughes ducked for the takedown that's served as a sure-shot for ten years; and, Alves flew the distance between him and Hughes, colliding into Hughes's right jaw with his left knee. One punch later and referee Herb Dean waved off the fight, and, officially, the Matt Hughes era. Alves never doubted the outcome, but remained humble while pleading from the Octagon, "Mr. Dana White, I've been a good boy, please give me a title shot!" "He got me, no doubt," Hughes admitted. For Hughes, there remains a grudge match with fourth-ranked "Terror" Matt Serra (9-5), then a lot of prayer and consultation with his family for the proudly Christian husband and father of two. ...