At UFC's Ultimate Fight Night 21 in Charlotte Wednesday night The Ultimate Fighter 10 champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson(15-4) knocked out 6'11" heavyweight prospect “Skyscraper” Stefan Struve (23-4) in 39 seconds, an impressive win for a "fat guy" with a nearly one-foot height disadvantage. I noted to a friend recently that an MMA Junkie article listing the UFC's top heavyweight talent included, of course, UFC champion and Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight Brock Lesnar (4-1), his title challenger Shane Carwin (10-0), next in line Cain Velasquez(9-0), ”Cigano” Junior dos Santos (10-1), recently defeated former UFC champion Frank Mir(13-4), and former PRIDE and interim UFC champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira(32-6-1).  The article also threw Struve and Cheick Kongo(14-6-1) into the mix at the top of the UFC's heavyweight division...but no Nelson.  My point to my friend was that I wouldn't mind leaving Nelson out of a discussion of the UFC's top heavyweights, but if you're going to throw in Struve and Kongo, you have to include Nelson. ...

UFC heavyweight “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (26-8-2) and “HD” Pat Barry (3-2) will matchup at UFC 115 in Vancouver June 12, according to MMA Scraps Radio. ...

UFC heavyweight “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5) withdrew from his matchup versus “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (26-8-2) at UFC 110 in Sydney February 20 with what Rothwell trainer Duke Roufus called "traveler's flu", according to MMA Junkie. ...

“Hippo” Anthony Perosh (10-5) will replace “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5) versus “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) at UFC 110 in Sydney February 20. ...

UFC heavyweight “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic's (23-6-2) retirement appears to be on hold again.  The Croatian MMA legend is close to signing to fight "Big" Ben Rothwell (29-5) at UFC 110 in Sydney February 20, according to a report at Five Ounces of Pain. ...

Heavyweight Cain Velasquez (7-0) TKO'd "Big" Ben Rothwell (26-7) by referee stoppage due to strikes 58 seconds into round two at UFC 104 in Los Angeles Saturday. ...

Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0) weighed in two-and-a-half pounds under the 205-pound light heavyweight limit Friday, a day before he'll defend his titles from sixth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3) at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles Saturday. ...

UFC 104 Countdown will premiere on SpikeTV Monday October 19 at 11:00 PM EST/PT. The popular broadcast goes behind the scenes as fighters prepare for their matchups. Monday night's episode will follow Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0) and his UFC 104 challenger sixth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3) as they train in their native Brazil to go at each other October 24 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. ...

Friday the UFC confirmed that the contender matchup between Fighters.com's seventh-ranked middleweight and former WEC champ Chael Sonnen (22-10-1) and UFC contender “Thunder” Yushin Okami (23-4) is not scheduled for the pay per view broadcast of UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24. ...

Tickets for UFC 104 featuring Fighters.com Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Ryoto Machida (15-0) versus fifth-ranked "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-3) in Los Angeles 24 October will go on sale Saturday, 29 August at 10 AM PT, the UFC announced Monday. The event will be staged at the STAPLES Center and tickets will be priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets will be available online at Ticketmaster, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000 and are also available at the STAPLES Center box office. Prices do not include service charges. Heavyweights Cain Velasquez (6-0) and "Big" Ben Rothwell (26-6) will fight on the undercard. ...

"Croatian Sensation" Pat Miletich (29-7-2) defeated Thomas Denny (25-18) via knockout in the main event of Adrenaline MMA 2 Thursday night in Moline. Ben Rothwell (26-6) set the tone during the bout just before Miletich's victory with a submission victory of his own via strikes over Chris Guillen (13-12). Showing no rust from age, the forty-year-old Miletich revisited yesteryear with a dominant performance over Denny. The victory by knockout was both impressive and surprising in contrast to Miletich's fight record richly built off of submission wins. Pat Miletich officially won via knockout at 0:50 of the second round. Heavyweight Ben Rothwell (26-6) showed no remnants of his recent loss to "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (14-5) when he quickly dispatched Chris Guillen (13-12) in the opening round with a barrage of heavy elbows. Ben Rothwell officially won via submission due to strikes at 3:40 of the first round. ...

“Big” Ben Rothwell (33-6) confirmed Wednesday to CagePotato that he has signed to face “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-8) at Affliction’s second show 11 October in Las Vegas, but not before some changes of plan were made. “[Agent] Monte [Cox] turned down their original offer for this fight, so that’s why he said none of his guys would be fighting on the show. Then they came back with another offer that was better, so we agreed to it,” Rothwell said. Both heavyweights were part of Afflction’s debut event in July; both fighters lost their fights. Rothwell was knocked out in round three by Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked heavyweight “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5). Rizzo was knocked out in round two by third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5). ...

“Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) versus “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5) will headline Affliction’s second event Day of Reckoning 11 October at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, to air on pay-per-view. The official announcement was made Monday. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) was expected to feature on the card but according to some reports, a hand injury will prevent him from competing. Arlovski knocked out “Big” Ben Rothwell (33-6) in round three at Affliction: Banned in July. Barnett knocked out “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-8) in round one at the same event. ...

From Russia with gloves, "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko(28-1) stamped his heavyweight dominance on "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-5) head in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, 19 July. His dismantling of "Big" Tim in 36 seconds earned him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, jumping from sixth and dumping Sylvia from third to seventh. The "W" strips naked UFC President Dana White's proclamation that all other promotions are the minor leagues, at least at north of 205-pounds. In fact, Emelianenko's victory makes clear that the Octagon hasn't been the proving grounds for the world's top heavyweights for quite some time. The UFC Champ, second-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), took a thrashing from Sylvia in February before tapping the two-time UFC titlist in a guillotine. Nogueira loses his Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, falling into the top contender spot, but a top contender whose register already records two UD losses to the new champ four years ago. Nog' is set to clash with un-ranked former UFC Champ Frank Mir (11-3) after Mir tapped rook' Brock Lesnar (1-1), which tells you all you need to know about the UFC heavyweight class. But, Emelianenko's new promoter, Affliction, is playing the name game too. ...

Affliction Veep Tom Atencio wants "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) to fight "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) at Affliction's October sequel if Couture can get a judicial nod to fight; but, if not, Emelianenko will be matched versus either "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) or "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5). If Atencio can make Emelianenko v Couture, Barnett and Arlovski will fight for the right follow-up Couture versus Emelianenko, since Couture has intimated his intention to retire win, lose, or draw versus Emelianenko. However, the more intriguing matchmaking question in the heavyweight division after Saturday night is what to do with "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-5) and "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-6) after their losses. They present two very different matchmaking problems. "Big" Ben should get no rest after his gutsy brawl versus legit heavyweight stud Arlovski. Rothwell took everything Arlovski dished and dished back until the end. Rothwell closed distance despite Arlovski's superior footwork, rolled out of the "Pitbull's" leg locks, and worked Arlovski over from the top position on the mat. As soon as Rothwell is healthy, he should get another challenge just a little less monumental than Arlovski. ...

 After knocking out "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-6) in scintillating stand-up war Saturday night in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5) reluctantly explained the difference between his last two snoozers in the UFC and his balls-to-the-wall onslaught in his Affliction debut.  ...

It only took 36 seconds for "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) to leave "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-5) laid out on the mat in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, Saturday night. Just thirty-six seconds to answer questions raised by Fighters.com about Emelianenko's two-year hiatus from top competition. At the bell, Sylvia exited his corner in an awkward, low crouch. Obviously...Emelianenko wasted no time blasting Sylvia with a left, right hook combo, followed by an uppercut. "I've never been hit that hard in my life," said Sylvia after the fight.  "He's not human." The "Maine-iac" dismantled to the mat; and, Emelianenko stuck in a rear naked choke that forced Sylvia to tap. After the fight, the Russian was nonchalant, but not arrogant about his destruction of one of the world's top heavyweights. The victory cemented him as the top heavyweight in the world, the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, and perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist ever. ...

"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) def. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (26-6) via submission (rear naked choke), 0:36 of round one. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5) def. "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-6) via KO, 1:13 of round three. "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) def. Pedro Rizzo (16-8) via KO, 1:44 of round two. "The Machine" Mark Hominick (16-8) def. Savant Young (9-8) via submission (armbar), 4:25 of round two. "Babalu" Renato Sobral (30-7) def. Mike Whitehead (23-7) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27) "The Law" Matt Lindland (21-5) def. Fabio Negao (8-4) via unanimous decision (30-26; 30-27; 30-27). "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) def. "Babyface" Edwin Dewees (35-13) via TKO, 4:06 of round one. "Quicksand" Mike Pyle (17-5-1) def. JJ Ambrose (8-2) via submission (rear naked choke), 2:51 of round one. "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort (17-8) def. Terry Martin (17-5) via KO, 3:12 of round two. "Head Hunter" Paul Buentello (26-10) def. "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27). ...

Wednesday at an Affliction presser in Los Angeles, heavyweight "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-5) promised a hot one between him and fourth-ranked "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) Saturday in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles. ...

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. ...

Golden Boy Promotions PR Director Ramiro Gonzalez told Fighters.com Wednesday that fourth-ranked heavyweight "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) is not "secured" to dip his toes into the sweet science on the undercard of the Joel Casamayor versus Juan Manuel Marquez interim WBO lightweight title fight 13 September in Las Vegas. "As of now, the only fight secure is Casamayor-Marquez, and I do not have information related to the undecard," Gonzalez told Fighters.com. Arlovski's boxing trainer Freddie Roach agreed Wednesday, "I know he has a future in boxing, of course.  But I don't believe there's anything set out there." ...

Heavyweight prospect "Big" Ben Rothwell (29-5) is taking dedicated instruction from Muay Thai champion Duke Roufus in preparation for his 19 July bout versus Fighters.com's fourth-ranked heavyweight “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles. "[Roufus] has a way of getting people fired up and his style that he coaches is right up a wrestlers alley," said WEC featherweight "Li'l Evil" Jens Pulver (22-9-1), who trains at Miletich Fighting Systems in Davenport, Iowa with Rothwell. Roufus won and defended the International Kickboxing Federation World Superheavyweight Championship in 1998. Roufus lives and operates the Duke Roufus Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee, but has been making trips to Davenport to mentor Rothwell. ...

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? ...

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. ...

YAMMA Pit Fighting Heavyweight Champion "Diesel" Travis Wiuff (52-11) will fight on the undercard of Affliction: Banned 19 July in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles, according to the Rochester Post-Bulletin. No opponent was named. Though there is no official indication, Wiuff may be Plan B for heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5), who is also opponent-less as fight day draws near. Negotiations for Rothwell to fight Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) remain mysterious. Fighters.com reported Arlovski has always been Rothwell's intended opponent, despite Rothwell's denials. However, recently both Rothwell and his agent, Adrenaline MMA President Monte Cox, have admitted Arlovski is on the table. "Of course [Affliction] talked about Andrei, but I don’t know what his contract status is," Cox told Cage Potato on 12 May.  "[Arlovski] was supposed to be free from his UFC contract on May 1, but I honestly don’t know if it will be Ben and Andrei fighting in that show." Rothwell corrected his denial, "I was trying to clear up that I was not fighting [Arlovski] in September on another [organization] as the original rumor stated.  I tried to never say if I was/was not fighting [Arlvoski]." Arlovski has remained mum on the issue. Wiuff comes off his YAMMA tournament victory in which he won UDs over "Pato" Marcelo Donald Pereira (1-1), "Suave" Ricco Rodriguez (28-9), and Chris Tuchscherer (13-1) on the same night in April. Wiuff is also scheduled for the biggest pay day of his career in Japan, fighting "Ironhead" Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) at Sengoku III on 8 June. ...

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. ...

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." ...

Fighters.com has received confirmation from a reliable source that a fight between Fighters.com's sixth ranked heavyweight "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) and former IFL star Ben Rothwell (29-5) is on the table for 19 July in Dallas. The match-up would be on the same Affliction-promoted card that could be headlined by a match-up between Fighters.com's third- and fifth-ranked heavyweights "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1).  That fight is still being negotiated. Arlovski's management has not responded to Fighters.com's request for comment.  The former UFC Heavyweight Champion is coming off an untelevised second-round TKO over "Irish" Jake O'Brien (10-1) in March, concluding his contractual obligation to the UFC. Rothwell concluded his obligation to the IFL last September with a unanimous decision over former UFC Heavyweight Champion "Suave" Ricco Rodriguez (27-8). Though Arlovski would be the odds-on favorite to beat Rothwell, the Belarussian has fought timidly since going night-night at the end of a Sylvia punch in 2006. Rothwell is undefeated since 2005, but would enter a new atmosphere of competition versus Arlovski. Both fighters would enter the fight with something to prove and the fight would have critical consequences for both fighters' futures. ...