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". ...

The heavyweight division paces like a heavyweight slog.  I'm tempted to switch to a semi-annual evaluation...but not until after this weekend. There were a couple of shakers this month, but no movers. In London 7 June, seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) played a samba on "The Truth" Brandon Vera's (8-2) noggin for a first round TKO. Werdum remains the top contender to "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's (31-4-1) UFC Heavyweight Championship. Of course, Big Nog' is pitted versus struggling, but dangerous former UFC Champion Frank Mir (11-3) in a made-for-TUF match-up in October. Werdum will probably draw the winner of 9 August's eighth-ranked "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) versus Brock Lesnar (1-1) fight, maybe on the same October UFC card to build the follow-up versus the winners. Also in action this rankings period, tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) blew through confidence-booster Justin McCully (8-4-2) in Las Vegas 5 July to break a two-fight losing streak for the man who sentenced "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) down a spiral the Croatian has yet to ascend from. ...

Fighters.com's third-ranked heavyweight "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia talked strategy versus sixth-ranked "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) Thursday. "I'm going to stand-up and brawl, defend the takedown at all costs, and try to knock him out," Sylvia revealed. Sylvia also promised, "Elbows will be apart of my gameplan." Fighting in PRIDE since 2002, Emelianenko hasn't had to defend elbows on the ground. The technique confused "Cro-Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) in his first trip to his back after joining the UFC from PRIDE, leading indirectly to his KO loss to tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) in Manchester last year. Sylvia will also have to adjust because the 19 July Affliction fight will be fought in a ring instead of the caged Octagon Sylvia won his UFC championships in. "I prefer the ring," Sylvia claimed.  "It's easier to cut someone off in a ring." So confident is Sylvia in his stand-up game in the ring, he bragged, "I'll beat any heavyweight boxer out there at their own game." ...

Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight,current UFC co-Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Famer "The Natural" Randy Couture(16-8) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com from his Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas Monday afternoon. Couture graciously confronted and answered questions about his beef with the Zuffa, LLC and UFC President Dana White and third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-4) and his own prospective fight with sixth-ranked "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), shared opinions about fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-7), "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), and Brock Lesnar (1-1), and made picks on future fights. Fighters.com: You've said you've accepted that you might get a bad court ruling and not fight again. Have you lost some competitiveness from being inactive for so long? The Natural: I still want to compete. I'm still in training as much as I can be with all this other stuff going on. I still seem to be able to hold my own, even with the lack of serious, hardcore training, with all the top guys that I have in the gym. I'm having fun being in the gym learning new tools, new skills and being there with a lot of the other guys that have been there for me, so I'm not too worried about that. The courts are going to do what the courts are going to do. We'll deal with it when it comes in. Fighters.com: Not many fighters have wives who also train. Does that give you both a different perspective and more understanding? ...

Fighters.com was live in Hoffman Estates, east of Chicago, Friday for the Adrenaline MMA weigh-ins. Late main event replacement for "Snowman" Jeff Monson (24-8), former middleweight Jason Guida (17-5) weighed-in at 241.5 pounds, and it didn't look like he found heavyweight girth in the gym (unless "The Gym" is the name of a pizzeria in Little Italy.) Guida's opponent, Chicago police officer Michael Russow (9-1) looked svelte at 243.2 pounds. Middleweights Terry Martin (16-4) and bleached blond Daiju Takase (7-11-1) made their weight class at 185.2 and 185.8 pounds repectively. IFL veteran Rory Markham's (13-4) opponent, Jay Ellis (5-18), will give up nearly twenty pounds to Markham in their 180-pound catch weight match-up.  Markham weighed 180.1 pounds and Ellis weighed 161.6 pounds. Fighters.com's third-ranked heavyweight "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) attended with his girlfriend, who didn't weigh-in but stood about 5'1" next to 6'7" Sylvia, and chided "Meat Truck" Kerry Schall (21-9), shouting, "Meat Trick!" as Schall weighed in. ...

In boxing rankings, champions have mandatory defenses versus the number one challenger and voluntary defenses versus a top-fifteen challenger. Through no fault of his own of course, Fighters.com's Heavyweight Champion "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) won't meet either threshold when he defends his UFC title versus Frank Mir (11-3). So, what's Fighters.com to do?  Second-ranked "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) admitted this week to Canada's Globe and Mail, "I'm also OK with the idea that [I may not fight again].  I may get a bad [court] ruling and I can't really see myself at this point going back and fighting two more times for the UFC if that's what the state says I have to do." Should 19 July's more competitive match-up between third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and sixth-ranked "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) be for Fighters.com's Heavyweight Championship? Both Sylvia and fourth-ranked "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) climbed two spots on fifth-ranked "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett's (22-5) inability to put away "The Snowman" Jeff Monson in Tokyo last month coupled with Barnett's submission of ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) falling off his two-year record. Of course, Arlovski officially announced today that he'll fight top heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5) 19 July.  Rothwell steps-in well-hyped from the IFL and Arlovski looks to shake out of his funk. Barnett returns on the same undercard to seek revenge from a 2001 KO loss versus now largely irrelevant "The Rock" Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and Aleksander Emelianenko fights "The Headhunter" Paul Buentello (25-10) in my pick for fight of the night in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles. This weekend in London, seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and returning prospect "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) will battle for the UFC's top contender spot. Eighth-ranked "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) will fill-in for injured "Hammer" Mark Coleman (15-9) versus the UFC's version of market-friendly "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar (1-1), in a fight that shouldn't even be sanctioned, but only a big lug like Herring could find a way to lose. In July, tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) has a lot to prove versus Justin McCully (8-3-2); and, McCully might be thinking the same thing. ...

Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) announced Wednesday that he has signed a three-fight deal with Affliction and will fight Ben Rothwell (29-5) on 19 July in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles. "I had tears in my eyes," Arlovski described to Sherdog his reaction when he realized he would end his eight-year relationship with the UFC. Of Rothwell, Arlovski said, "He's very good.  He's very dangerous on his feet," then added a jab at his UFC nemesis, "I think [Rothwell] is a little bit better than Tim Sylvia." Arlovski joins fourth-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4), who defeated Arlovski twice in the Octagon, on the debut Affliction card. "[The losses are] very personal to me," Arlovski said, and hoped for a rematch. Fighters.com has reported the likelihood of an Arlovski/Rothwell match-up since April, even after Rothwell denied the fight would happen. ...

Adrenaline MMA announced Monday that Fighters.com fourth-ranked heavyweight "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and former IFL Heavyweight Champion Ben Rothwell (29-5) will on the promotion's 6 September fight card at the i wireless Center in Moline, Illinois. No opponents were named for either fighter. "Because Sylvia and Rothwell are fighting in the [July] Affliction event, they will be unavailable for the first Adrenaline MMA event on June 14 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.  Both are scheduled to compete in the second Adrenaline MMA event on Sept. 6 at the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill.," published Adrenaline MMA at their website. Sylvia will fight sixth-ranked heavyweight "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) in Anaheim outside of Los Angeles at Affliction's debut card. Rothwell's opponent has not been announced. Fighters.com will be live at Adrenaline MMA's debut card in Chicago in June. ...

Is there any real wonder why the UFC is divesting in the heavyweight division?  It's dead! The only April action was a first round TKO of Silvao Santos (1-1) by tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3).  It might as well have been a Monday morning sparring session. So, why did "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) sink a spot respectively?  Sylvia's stoppage of "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) in 2006 fell off their two-year records, which is the time span Fighters.com considers when ranking fighters. The division's future is just as bleak as the recent past. Adrenaline MMA still insists Emelianenko's claim of an official fight with Sylvia in June is false.  To boot, the promotion that promotes Sylvia and rising heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5) claims Emelianenko's delinquent repayment of a $500,000 signing bonus left over from the M-1 Global era is also holding up a fight for Rothwell on the same card.  Though Rothwell insists it ain't happenin', he's been rumored to have been matched versus Arlovski. All four fighters and the entire division need those two fights. Unfortunately, third-ranked "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett's (21-5) rise will be short-lived because his submission of tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will fall off his two-year record next month.  He's scheduled to grapple with always competitive "The Snowman" Jeff Monson (24-7) at Sengoku this month; but, even the expected "W" can't replace the submission of Emelianenko. The UFC has scheduled a contender match-up between seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) for London in June.  A win for Vera will launch him into the division's top ten; a win for "Vai Cavalo" will prove that he belongs. First-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) is rumored to be mauling a UFC title defense against Frank Mir (11-3).  For the love of God!  Mir is a gentleman, a technician on the mat, and a fine fighter.  He is not the top heavyweight contender in the UFC. So goes a division where “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (2-0) and Brock Lesnar (1-1) make bank at the box office. May Heavyweight Rankings 1. "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) It ain't pretty! Nogueira has turned "blocking punches with your face" into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him Fighters.com's first ranking at heavyweight. 2. "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6'8" riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC's title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO. 3. "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) "The Babyface Assassin" returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years. 4. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) The oft maligned "Maine-iac" has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson. 5. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) “Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire. 6. "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn't fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months.   He'll take sixth and like it, or take first in a real fight.  It's his decision. 7. "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) "Vai Cavalo" spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE. 8. "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold. 9. "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, "Napao" risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart? 10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) Fedor's li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of "The Last Emporer". In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov. ...

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.  The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War Remember the World Fighting Alliance?  Perhaps not since only a generously estimated 300,000 watched their last event, King of the Streets, on 22 July, 2006. After an aggressive free agent signing campaign that netted the WFA Fighters.com's first-ranked light heavyweight "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (28-6), third-ranked light heavyweight "The Dragon" Lyoto Machida (12-0), eighth-ranked heavyweight "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13), tenth-ranked welterweight "Mayhem" Jason Miller (20-5), former WEC Lightweight Champion "Razor" Rob McCullough (15-4), WEC Featherweight Champion "California Kid" Urijah Faber (20-1), and veterans "The Law" Matt Lindland (20-5), "El Guapo" Bas Rutten (28-4-1), and "The Beastman" Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), the Las Vegas-based promotion folded and eventually sold-out to cross town competitor the UFC. Marquee names and great fighters don't equal guaranteed market share.  The 2006 WFA final hurrah sold just 2,300 tickets and an estimated 50,000 PPV buys. Marquee names and great fighters do cost a lot of green. You don't have to be an MBA to realize high costs and low sales don't add up. Hold that thought for a moment.  Switch gears. A lot of MMA fans are confused since the UFC started cutting weight from their fighter roster. Perhaps it started when heavyweight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) was granted release from his contract in February.  In March, third-ranked heavyweight "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia was also granted release. Many of the UFC's unranked, but popular fighters have been released in the last month, perhaps perfectly symbolized by the widely reported release of heavyweight prospect "Irish" Jake O'Brien (10-1).  Yesterday, "The Serial Killer" Travis Lutter (9-5) announced he had been released too, to the dismay of many fans. OK, now hold both thoughts.  Let's review a few facts. Fact: Second-ranked heavyweight "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) is paid $250,000 per win in base salary by the UFC.  Couture thinks he's so underpaid that he's refused to continue fighting for that salary. Fact: M-1 Global formed to promote fights for fifth-ranked heavyweight "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), but never produced an event due to Emelianenko's prohibitive purse rendering any event immediately in the red, according to Adrenaline MMA CEO Monte Cox. Fact: EliteXC offered Emelianenko $400,000 per win, which he turned down in favor of an undisclosed deal with Affliction.  (Emelianenko requested $2 million per fight according to ProElite Live Events President Gary Shaw.) According to two of the most popular MMA promotions, somewhere between $250,000 and $400,000 is the market price for a top heavyweight. But, the MMA market is more competitive than it ever has been and promotions are bidding up fighter purses. Emelianenko eventually signed with Affliction for an undisclosed amount before Affliction has staged a single event.  Assume Emelianenko was offered more than $400,000 per win, beating EliteXC's offer. That doesn't necessarily mean Emelianenko's presence on a fight card guarantees he'll make back the purse he'll be paid.  Remember the WFA? Promotions are in a rush to buy market share.  They have deep pockets and see MMA as a good investment. Companies can buy market share, but they'll pay a premium.  They'll overpay for fighters who can't deliver their salary in PPV buys. UFC President Dana White knows the market is more competitive and saturated than ever before and competing promotions are willing to overpay for any fighter they can slap on a poster labeled "former UFC". The UFC can either try to outspend the competition buying-up and holding on to fighters; or, flood the market with fighters and let the competing promotions outbid each other into bankruptcy to feature "former UFC title contender Travis Lutter" at their next event. The forum freaks who're appalled White would release Lutter after two losses know they're not going to shell out $44.95 to watch him gas after one round again. But, Lutter isn't going to bankrupt anyone.  It's the big guys who're the key to White's strategy. It's the thinning UFC heavyweight class that's confusing many fans. White paid "Cro Cop" $1,050,000 to beat Eddie Sanchez (8-1), get mauled by "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3), and nearly retire in the cage versus Cheick Kongo (11-4-1).  Can even the most loyal Filipovic fan contend White got his money's worth? White had to drop $200,000 every time tough Sylvia won, but Sylvia is one of the most disliked fighters in MMA.  The UFC couldn't even headline the two-time champion's third title challenge versus "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) at UFC 81.  MMA rookie Brock Lesnar (1-1) was the main event. Remember too, Emelianenko's North American debut at PRIDE 32 broke no PPV or attendance records. The heavyweight class salaries are irrational based on the revenues heavyweights generate. White is chumming the MMA waters with fighters hoping sharks like Affliction, HDNet Fights, and EliteXC go on a feeding frenzy into bankruptcy like the WFA and BodogFight before them. ...

Apparel-maker-turned-MMA-promoter Affliction announced the label for their 19 July premier event in Dallas Friday night.  Banned. It's a swipe at the UFC's apparent ban of the company's apparel due to Affliction's relationship with UFC heavyweight co-titlist "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8), who is in litigation to tap out of his UFC contract. "The Law" Matt Lindland (20-5) made the announcement on Inside MMA.  Lindland is scheduled to fight in Dallas, though no opponent has been named. Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelinenko (27-1) confirmed at his websitethat a match-up versus third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia will headline the card. However, Adrenaline MMA, Emelianenko's former promoter (then known as M-1 Global), won't release the Russian from his agreement with them until Emelianenko repays a $1.5 million signing bonus. Thursday, Adrenaline MMA VP Brian Patton told Fighters.com, "Fedor [fighting Sylvia] is still not official." Sylvia signed with Adrenaline MMAafter receiving his release from the UFC.  Adrenaline MMA's CEO, Monte Cox, is Sylvia's manager. Patton confirmed Adrenaline MMA's other heavyweight, Ben Rothwell (29-5), will also appear on the card if Emelianenko repays the final $500,000 he owes the promotion. "Rothwell is scheduled to fight in July; but, I would think Fedor's deal would need to come through in order to pull off both fights," Patton explained.  "Big difference only having one of those fights to promote as a promoter versus both fights." ...

Despite "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko's (27-1) official website claim that he has signed a contract to fight Fighters.com's third-ranked heavyweight "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4), the fight is not yet official. Emelianenko, Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight, must repay the $1.5 million signing bonus to the group that formed M-1 Global in October 2007 before he is officially released from the agreement he made with M-1 Global. That M-1 Global group has since formed Adrenaline MMA.  Andrenaline MMA's Vice-President Brian Patton said today, "[Emelianenko and his management] have only paid part of [the debt] and are not released yet." ...

UFC heavyweight "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) is in the Philippines promoting the UFC, which will begin to air in the nation on SkyCable Channel 34. Vera's father, Ernesto, is Filipino from Quezon and "The Truth" is Tagalog-fluent. A report by Manila Standard Today quotes Vera as describing his 6 June foe, Fighters.com's seventh-ranked heavyweight "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum, as "My most dangerous foe to date.  I’ve never fought someone as good and as dangerous as Fabricio." Vera will rebound from an October 2007 unanimous decision loss to Fighters.com's third-ranked heavyweight and former UFC champ "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) in which "The Truth" injured his thumb. "The fight was boring," Vera told the Manila Standard Today.  "It’s one of those fights that I wish I never fought.  It looked like it took half a day when it took only 15 minutes to finish it.” Vera and Werdum will fight in London on the undercard of the "Iceman" Chuck Liddell (21-5) versus Rashad Evans (11-0-1) main event. ...

As cautioned first by Fighters.com, the proposed fight between "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) is indeed NOT signed, despite a report at Sherdog that Emelianenko had confirmed the bout. Today Adrenaline MMA Vice-President Brian Patton said, "Fedor still has to pay his signing bonus back before he can do anything.  At this point that has not happened, so he has not been released from his previous agreement yet.  It is suppose to happen in next couple of days." The $1.5 million signing bonus was paid to Emelianenko for the agreement with M-1 Global which is to dissolve once Emelianenko pays back the money.  The American M-1 Global executives have since formed Adrenaline MMA. Just this hour, MMA Junkie reported that Emelianenko's manager Vadim Finkelstein has confirmed that their is no final agreement. Details have also emerged about the proposed deal between Affliction and Emelianenko. A reliable source confirms that Affliction has offered Emelianenko a three-fight, seven-month deal. A fight between Sylvia and Emelianenko appears likely; however, the Red Devil is in the details.  ProElite Live Events President Gary Shaw has confirmed that Emelianenko is demanding $2 million per fight.  The value of Affliction's offer is unknown. ...

Sherdog is reporting the Fighters.com's third and fifth ranked heavyweights, "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) respectively, will headline a 19 July Affliction-promoted card in Dallas. Sherdog reports confirmation of the fight from Emelianenko.  However, a reliable source informs Fighters.com that, though negotiations are close to concluding with a deal, there is no signed contract for the fight. Sylvia lost to interim UFC Heavyweight Champion "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), Fighters.com's first-ranked heavy, in February. Emelianenko would end a two-and-a-half year draught of quality competition versus Sylvia. Fighters.com was first to report the negotiations between the two fighters' camps had begun.  More details to come as the story unfolds. ...

I've corresponded with an executive carry-over to Adrenaline MMA, Vice-President Brian Patton, about the Sylvia steal and his new promotion debuting 14 June in Chicago. Last Friday, former M-1 Global CEO Monte Cox announced he and the American M-1 team would part ways with Global to form Adrenaline MMA.  He also announced he had negotiated "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-4) early release from the UFC and signed Fighters.com's third-ranked heavyweight to a non-exclusive contract along with former IFL star heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5). Cox manages both Sylvia and Rothwell; and, I asked Patton whether Cox had a conflict of interest acting as both manager negotiating contracts and promoter signing the two top heavies to contracts. "I do not believe there is an ethical [conflict of] interest in anything Monte has done," Patton contended.  "As more information is released, I believe you will come to the same conclusion, but I cannot comment further." Both Sylvia and Rothwell have been ecstatic about their new deals; but, Rothwell at least is aware of the potential conflict, if only because everyone else is wary. Rothwell told CagePotato.com, "What will happen is I’ll probably be represented by someone else now and Monte will be the CEO of this new company, just to avoid the conflict of interest problem that people keep talking about.  I don’t want to deal with that.  As of right now he can be my manager, but that will probably change." Rothwell and Sylvia are both Miletich fighters, training together in Davenport; but, Patton said, "Ben and Tim - they could fight down the road." Sylvia had a fight left on his UFC contract; but, UFC President Dana White was evidently immediately receptive to his two-time champion's release. "I think the UFC received the request well.  It is my understanding the deal was made pretty quickly with the UFC," Patton said. Cox concocted the plan to bring Sylvia into his promotion after M-1 Global's original fighter, "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), asked for his release from the promotion, which had yet to organize its first event. Patton said, "[Cox] began talking to Tim after the Fedor's request had been processed.  I believe they approached the UFC in just the past two weeks.  I believe it was last Wednesday or Thursday when it was official." Sylvia called out Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight, Emelianenko, on "Inside MMA" last Friday; and, Patton said, "There have been discussions since [Sylvia signed with Adrenaline MMA] of the possibility of Fedor and Tim fighting. Neither the UFC or M-1 Mixfight replied to my requests for confirmation of Patton's claims. ...

Sure to appall, enrage, offend, and shake-up the MMA world, Fighters.com has released it's April heavyweight rankings. 1. "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) It ain't pretty! Nogueira has turned "blocking punches with your face" into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him Fighters.com's first ranking at heavyweight. 2. "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6'8" riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC's title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO. 3. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) The oft maligned "Maine-iac" has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson. 4. "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) "The Babyface Assassin" returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years. 5. "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn't fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months. He'll take fifth and like it, or take first in a real fight. It's his decision. 6. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) “Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07. Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire. 7. "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) "Vai Cavalo" spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins. He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE. 8. "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March. Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold. 9. "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, "Napao" risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum. The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart? 10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) Fedor's li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of "The Last Emporer". In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov. ...

Each of the following four fighters received a bonus of $60,000. KO of the Night: Chris Lytle Submission of the Night: Frank Mir Fight of the Night: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Tim Sylvia  In addition, the following fighters in the co-main events were paid:  Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira = $200,000 Tim Sylvia = $100,000 Frank Mir = $80,000 Brock Lesnar = $250,000 ...

"That's why [Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira] is the best in the world," former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia proclaimed after suffering a guillotine submission loss to the Brazilian in the interim heavyweight title main event at UFC 81 Saturday night. The fight pitted former world champions from the UFC and PRIDE, but was overshadowed by the MMA debut of former NCAA and pro wrestling champion Brock Lesnar. Significance was also diminished by Randy Couture's departure from the UFC while holding the title after defeating Sylvia in March 2007. 6'8" Sylvia pot-shotted the Sao Paulo native from the opening ding and occasionally popped a power shot in Nogueira's mug, even dropping him with a combo in the first session and again in the second. The Miletich-trained "Maine-iac" fiercely dominated the opening two rounds. Stubborn Nogueira had no quit, even as his face began to swell at the end of Sylvia's tremendous reach. "Minotauro" attempted takedowns; but, Sylvia's balance is exceptional for a big man. The train from Maine derailed in the third when Nogueira's notorious resilience muscled the battle to the mat. "He went for the guillotine, which we knew he was going to do," a distraught Sylvia explained post-fight. Nogueira became the first fighter to hold both UFC and PRIDE heavyweight titles when Tim Sylvia tapped out at 1:28 of the third round. "That's what he does to everybody," Sylvia echoed the sentiments of MMA faithful who've watched a battered Big Nog pull out seemingly impossible victories before. Nogueira's victory sets up a possible first defense versus French kickboxer Cheick Kongo, if Kongo can beat Heath Herring in Columbus next month.  But, both Fabricio Werdum and Andrei Arlovski have claims to the top contender-ship too. Sylvia may be headed for a history-loaded rematch with the man who broke his arm: Frank Mir. Another former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Mir, defended MMA's honor against powerhouse rookie Brock Lesnar by submitting him in a kneebar at 1:30 of the first round. Mir got dumped on his ass early by the massive Minnesotan who hovered and hammered fists and elbows. "He was so strong!"  Mir explained in the locker room. Tactic and technique determined the outcome though.  "It wasn't a textbook, perfect finish, but I ended up doing it 80% right." 80% is all it takes versus an inexperienced opponent.  As Lesnar stood to yank his arm from an armbar attempt, Mir secured a leg and rolled into a kneebar. "Frank [Mir] and I have some unfinished business," Tim Sylvia had taunted at a pre-fight press conference. The high profile "W" for Mir makes that rematch marketable. At 185-pounds, Nathan Marquardt entered the Octagon off a loss to division champ Anderson Silva to fight 79-17-5 Jeremy Horn, a late replacement opponent. The veteran Horn absorbed punishment on the mat before nearly catching Marquardt in a gogoplata in the first round. It was Marquardt, however, who applied a guillotine choke during a scramble and tapped Horn at 1:37 of the second round. After a four-year hiatus from MMA, Ricardo Almeida invoked nostalgia over his earlier successes by submitting another late replacement, undefeated Alaskan Rob Yundt, in a guillotine choke at 1:08 of round one. Almeida is a welcome addition to the scant 185-pound division. Lightweights Tyson Griffin and Gleison Tibau tussled for three exciting rounds to open the televised card. The shorter fighter, Griffin, popped Tibau with precise punches while Tibau seemed to take down the wrestler at will. In the end, the judges saw it unanimously for Tyson Griffin, though Gleison Tibau lost no one's respect. "Lights Out" Chris Lytle treated 13-5 Kyle Bradley's head like a speed bag in a 33-second TKO victory. Light heavyweight Tim Boetsch reminded MMA fans of "Tank" Abbott in tossing Oklahoman David Heath to the mat and pummelling a TKO out of him at 4:52 of round one. Terry Martin suffered another disappointing defeat, this time in a unanimous decision to "The Beastman" Marvin Eastman. The event opened with a spirited lightweight scrap won in split decision by Robert Emerson over Japan's Keita Nakamura. ...