Now that 2011 is already halfway through, multiple websites and even the UFC have released their fair share of “Best of the Half-Year” awards. I recently got in on the fun as well, but recently an additional thought hit me: there’s a lot of good fights heading our way! So since I’ve already looked back on the best moments of 2011, I think it’d be great to take a look forward at what will probably be some of the defining moments of the rest of the year. So here we go: these are my top five most-anticipated fights for the rest of 2011. ...

At UFC 132, we barred witness to the seeming resurrection of Tito Ortiz. Ortiz came out and demolished Ryan Bader, once viewed as a top prospect, with shocking ease. Coming into this fight, it seemed as if Ortiz was destined for failure and would leave UFC 132 a defeated and ultimately retired fighter. But now, many people are wondering what’s next for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”. Here’s my answer to just that: the top 5 opponents for Tito Ortiz. ...

As stated before, there are several ways of answering the question “how successful was the ufc’s latest event?” It should also be pointed out that that’s a question that takes on an entirely different meaning when you’re one of the proud few inside the Octagon. For fighters, success is measured in two chief ways: how healthy you are once the fight is over, and if the money you make made it all worthwhile. We now have official numbers on both. Here are the full medical suspensions as well as fighter salaries from “UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill”, featuring some huge pay discrepancies and some potentially-long layoffs. ...

UFC 130 was, as a whole, an unfortunately underwhelming event. But it was not a bad event, far from it in fact. UFC 130 saw a host of big fighters fighting in big fights, with several interesting wars of attrition and some big highlight-reel KO’s But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about in the following weeks? Here’s my take on the matter: my top 5 best moments of UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”. ...

UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill” is now a thing of the past. Quinton Jackson has now taken a big step towards another shot at a UFC championship, and so has Frank Mir. Meanwhile, Matt Hamill and Roy Nelson must somberly reflect on what changes they need to make in order to beat top-quality competition. Now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after such an event? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring UFC 130. ...

Another one went into the history books tonight, fans and friends. The ufc continued its long journey by holding its one hundred and thirtieth event yesterday, featuring what was expected to be several interesting matches between big-name stars. So, how was “Rampage vs. Hamill”? Unfortunately, this is one of the rare instances where I’m wrong for all the right reasons. I wanted to like this card, I tried to keep telling myself that it’d be better than everyone was saying it would be. And it was… just not by much. Here are the full results as well as some commentary on UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”. ...

Today the UFC will hold its highly-anticipated “UFC 130” event, featuring a jam-packed main card and five free fights through Facebook and Spike TV. The card features an ensemble cast of former champions, former title contenders, and more: Frank Mir, Roy Nelson, Quinton Jackson, Miguel Torres, and Thiago Alves are just some of the names attached to this card. 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 watch UFC 130. ...

We’re now only a few days away from UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”. In the main event, former “Ultimate Fighter” contestant Matt Hamill takes on his toughest test to date: former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir takes on “Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 winner Roy Nelson. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring UFC 130. ...

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 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”. ...

Hello again fans and friends, and welcome to the finale of my special mini-series “A Closer Look at UFC 130”. I’ve done my best to cover each and every UFC 130 fight in as much detail as I possibly can, and after four days of coverage, we’re finally at the conclusion. The only fight left is the main event, which puts a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion against a man that’s been working his way towards a title shot for the last several years. It’s Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill, and it’s the final entry in “A Closer Look at UFC 130”. Let’s dive right in. ...

Ever since it was announced that both Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard were forced to pull out of their main event showdown at UFC 130, reception to the replacement main event has been decidedly mixed. For those unaware, UFC 130 is now set to be headlined by a Light Heavyweight showdown between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and Matt Hamill. And unlike some, I think this will be a great main event. Why do I think so? Here’s just that: five reasons why Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill should be a great fight. ...

What does the future hold for Quinton Jackson? We all know about his past: “Rampage” was one of the hallmarks of the legendary PRIDE FC promotion, and he translated those skills into a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, dethroning the longtime Light Heavyweight kingpin Chuck Liddell. But after Jackson’s notorious “rampage”, after taking a year off to film “The A-Team”, and after winning a controversial decision against Lyoto Machida, the question of “what’s next?” is becoming increasingly important. Here’s what Jackson thinks is in store for the future. ...

Lyoto Machida’s dramatic KO’ing of UFC legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 seems to have given new life to the career of “The Dragon”. At UFC 129, Machida proved that parts of his “Machida Enigma” remain unsolved, and that he can evolve his style over time in the same way that all long-reigning champions evolve their style. Now that a two-fight losing-streak is behind him, here are my thoughts on who I think Lyoto Machida should fight next. ...

Everyone has been talking about it: Strikeforce is now a Zuffa-owned company. It’s become apparent that the upstart promotion will continue to operate as its own entity for at least the next two years or so, but after that it’s anyone’s guess. So of course, many are hoping that there comes a day where the UFC’s best meets Strikeforce’s best. I too can’t wait for that day, so here’s a little something we’ve all been discussing lately: my top 5 Strikeforce vs. UFC matches. Let’s get to it. ...

It’s rare that I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with ufc President Dana White. It’s not because I have some sort of vendetta against the man, unlike some of his cynics I’m well aware of the contributions he’s made to this sport and I don’t have a problem giving credit where credit is due. I tend to often disagree or partially disagree with him simply because he’s a controversial man that says controversial things. But recently, Dana White perfectly summed up my feelings on why Matt Hamill vs. Quinton Jackson isn’t getting half the praise that it should be: Matt Hamill fights to finish, and Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson was a boring fight. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome back to the latest installment of my “5 Reasons Why” series. Today’s dual entries focus on the impending showdown between former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and Matt Hamill. For the first part, covering five reasons Hamill could beat “Rampage”, click here. Now it’s time to focus on five reasons why Jackson could beat “The Hammer”. ...

A certain section of the fanbase doesn’t seem too happy that Quinton Jackson will soon step into the Octagon against Matt Hamill. Even “Rampage” himself recently said that he would rather fight Rashad Evans again. But I actually like this match a lot. Some think that Hamill will be an easy fight for “Rampage”, but I definitely disagree. So with that in mind, I’d like to present the newest entry in my “5 Reasons Why” series, this time focusing on five reasons why Matt Hamill could beat Quinton Jackson, with the reverse soon to follow. Let’s get started. ...

What a difference a few days can make. A short time ago the MMA world was buzzing that Thiago Silva may have been pulled from his upcoming bout with Quinton Jackson, and a popular rumor pointed towards a second encounter between “Rampage” and arch-rival Rashad Evans. It’s now been more or less confirmed that Matt Hamill will be taking on Jackson, and the reaction to this bout has been lukewarm at best. My question is: why? I’m actually pretty interested in this bout. In fact, here are five reasons to already be looking forward to Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill. ...

As the news has recently come in about a recent shuffle for UFC 130, already people have been weighing their opinions on the proposed match-up pitting Quinton Jackson against Matt Hamill. "Rampage", a former UFC light heavyweight champion, was originally scheduled to face off against Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva before he came under scrutiny with recent allegations of a failed drug test post-UFC 125 last January. Since that time, a rumor had been floating around that rival Rashad Evans would instead take Silva's place, however multiple sources have confirmed that Hamill, not Evans, will be meeting with Jackson come this May, though if you'd ask Quinton, he'd much rather face off against the Greg Jackson product. ...

As reported earlier, Thiago Silva's bout with former champion Quinton Jackson looked to be in jeopardy. The light heavyweight contender recently scored a dominating decision win over former contender Brandon Vera at UFC 125, however since then his future has come under question, when the Brazilian's post-fight drug test results have gone anything but smoothly. MMAJunkie.com previously reported that the American Top Team product was the sole fighter on the January fight card who's post-fight drugs screenings were still under the scope, and since then Silva has admitted some foul play, though suggests that no performance enhancing drugs were involved. Now, his loss is another man's gain, as Matt Hamill has since stepped up in his place. ...

As Thiago Silva was gearing up for arguably the biggest fight of his career, the Brazilian light heavyweight star has since come under fire with recent speculation surrounding him and his post-fight drug screening from ufc 125. On January 1, Silva defeated former top contender Brandon Vera in a one-sided unanimous decision victory at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. However, since then several media forums have reported, as per the Nevada State Athletic Commission, that Silva's drug screening's have not come along swimmingly, to say the least. The news leaves his upcoming bout with former champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in some serious doubt. ...

Although several facts still need to be worked out, already there’s a major storm brewing across the internet focusing on an important development that could drastically affect the upcoming bout between ufc stars Quinton Jackson and Thiago Silva. Nothing is for certain as of this article’s publication, but several sites are reporting that the fight may be off, and that Rashad Evans may be stepping in to replace Thiago and take on “Rampage” Jackson for the second time. Here are all the current details on this still-developing story. ...

Recently, Quinton Jackson has found himself back under fire from a certain section of the MMA fanbase when news broke that he was originally tapped to be Rashad Evans’ last-minute replacement for the upcoming return fight of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua. Certain fans are decrying “Rampage” for declining to fight for the championship, but should we be so quick to criticize? Here’s why I’m pulling the “LEAVE HIM ALONE” card for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. ...

"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. ...

For several reasons, ufc 125 “Resolution” has already emerged as the possible “Sleeper Hit” of the year, thanks in no small part to the epic second showdown between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard. A large section of the fanbase doubted Edgar’s and Maynard’s ability to put on an exciting fight, but in the end, the two headlining attractions of UFC 125 gave us five amazing rounds of action in a fight that has already emerged as a “Fight of the Year” contender. The UFC recently announced the hotly-anticipated third encounter between the two, as well as several other awesome bouts, for their upcoming UFC 130 show, which is now officially UFC 130 “Edgar vs. Maynard 3”. Here are all the details. ...

When it was recently announced that Quinton Jackson would most likely face Thiago Silva in his next fight, I was equally excited, interested, and slightly disappointed. I think this will definitely be an interesting test for Jackson, but to be completely honest, it’s really not the fight I wanted. Of course, that’s said with absolutely no disrespect towards Thiago Silva, who I think is officially “back” and will bring the best out of “Rampage” whenever the two inevitably lock horns. It’s a big fight with major championship implications, so here’s some early thoughts on Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva. ...

With his first victory under wraps in 2011, Thiago Silva will now return in May to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Silva was last seen in action on the main card for "UFC 125: Resolution" when he soundly defeated former top contender Brandon Vera by unanimous decision last Saturday. The victory was the Brazilian's first in 2011, and first in nearly a year. Before his bout with "The Truth", Silva was last inside the cage when he was defeated by former champ Rashad Evans, who bested the Brazilian with effective takedowns en route to a decision win. Now, Thiago is back on track and hopes to add the "A-Team" star to his list of victims. ...

Believe it or not, James Toney is back in the news again. After receiving a gargantuan amount of press leading up to his UFC 118 fight with Randy Couture, Toney may as well have fallen off the face of the earth following his lightning-fast loss to the UFC legend and former two-division champion. It was revealed a while back that Toney would love to come back to MMA if given the chance and the right opponent, and recently, the controversial boxing champion has set his sights squarely on Quinton Jackson. Not only did Toney call out “Rampage” in a new, controversial interview (is any James Toney interview not controversial?), he even called him an “Uncle Tom”. ...

For the first time in his storied career, former ufc Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida faces a two-fight losing streak. Machida lost a controversial Split Decision to fellow former champion Quinton Jackson at the recent UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Jackson” event. Once again Machida was gracious in defeat following the loss, offering up no major objections while promising to do better. In a recent interview, Machida re-asserts that his future is far from over. ...