American Top Team's Wilson Gouveia (12-7) has inked a big return to mixed martial arts after being cut by the UFC following consecutive losses.  Monday he signed a multi-fight deal with Edmonton-based Maximum Fighting Championship and will fight Canadian star "Big Deal" Ryan Jimmo (8-1) at MFC 25: Vindication at the Winspear Centre/Enmax Hall in Edmonton April 9. ...

At least four fighters who were eliminated in the season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 8 last week have found work in other promotions. Joe Duarte (3-0), who was submitted via rear naked choke by Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) in round two, told Fighters.com, “I just cut much weight too rapidly. I thought I could make it easy but it didn’t turn out that way.  I was real slow and sluggish during the fight.  I will come back stronger next time....” “Next time” will be 26 September at the Alberta-based Colloseo Championship Fighting in Edmonton, against MFC veteran Ryan Heck (5-2). Heck was TKO’d in the first round at his last fight by Ryan Machan (5-2) in July. “Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1), who was eliminated when he lost a majority decision to Antwain Britt (4-1), will headline XFights: Ontario vs Maritimes 4 October in Moncton, New Brunswick. Jimmo, a Saint John, NB, native who now trains in Halifax, will face Toronto’s “Lethal” Jason Cecil (3-5). ...

"The fight starts right now," proclaimed Fighters.com's top heavyweight contender "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) about his eventual UFC title defense turned fight for top UFC contendership versus Frank Mir (11-3). UFC President Dana White proclaimed the same thing to this season's 32 contestants to be coached by Nog' and Mir for the TUF 8 championship at lightweight and light heavyweight; but, before he could finish his sentence, Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) hit the deck in a fainting spell. "Fainting Phillipe" White called him; and, Nover had a tough opening challenge versus Joe Duarte (3-0). "I'm going to have to make him faint again," Duarte said before the fight. But, it was Duarte who had to tap in a Nover rear naked choke in the second round to keep from fainting. Nover opened the first round with a head kick, followed by a body kick. "He hits like a heavyweight," Nog' said. But, Duarte countered a Nover leg kick with a straight left that dropped Nover. Duarte pounced; and, Nover gave up his back and ate an elbow.  But, Nover actually pounded Duarte while Duarte had his back and attempted a rear naked choke. ...

“Big Deal” Ryan Jimmo (6-1) is a light heavyweight on The Ultimate Fighter 8, premiering tonight.  Jimmo has fought most of his fights as a heavyweight but his last few were at 205 pounds.  He is a former Pan Am Games silver medalist in karate. The 26-year-old Canadian from Halifax trained at Titans MMA but recently switched gyms and is currently at Fitplus.  Jimmo answered a few questions for Fighters.com this week. Fighters.com: How did you get involved with TUF 8? Ryan Jimmo: I got involved with TUF 8 by a friend that sent me an email about the tryouts in Boston. I went down to the tryouts, got past the grappling, striking and interview rounds then down to Vegas for medicals and more interviews. And the rest is history (I always wanted to say that). Fighters.com: Are you training full time right now, or do you have other work? Ryan Jimmo: I'm training and working part time right now. Working as a doorman 2-3 nights on the weekend as well as teaching kickboxing and personal training. ...

Monday the UFC officially announced its line-up for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, premiering 17 September on SpikeTV. The 16 lightweights and 16 light heavyweights will be coached by Fighters.com's top heavyweight contender and interim UFC Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and former UFC Heavyweight Champ Frank Mir (11-3). Lightweights Jose Aguilar (0-0) Fernando Bernstein (0-0) Junie Allen Browning (1-0) Rolando Delgado (0-0) Joseph Duarte (0-0) Efrain Escudero (10-0) Brandon Garner (4-1) David Kaplan (0-0) Eric Magee (1-1) Brian McLaughlin (0-0) Wesley Murch (3-2) Shane Nelson (9-3) Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) Ido Pariente (8-3) John Polakowski (2-1) George Roop (8-3) Light Heavyweights Ryan Bader (7-0) Antwain Britt (3-1) Jules Bruchez (0-0) Charles Diaz (3-0) Lance Evans (2-2) Karen Grigoryan (6-1) Jason Guida (17-17) "Big Deal" Ryan Jimmo (6-1) Kyle Kingsbury (7-1) Tom Lawlor (4-1) Ryan Lopez (4-4) "Pezao" Vinicius Magalhaes (0-1) Eliot Marshall (5-1) Sean O’Connell (0-0) Shane Primm (1-0) Krzysztof Soszynski (15-8-1) ...