MMA Mania gives us an interesting recap of the situation. In a nutshell, here’s how it all broke down: BJ Penn and Jon Fitch took to Twitter to try and organize a rematch, with both fighters agreeing to the bout. However, Penn would later update his Twitter with a message saying that he talked to Joe Silva, the matchmaker of the UFC, and that Silva said “the fans don’t want it” and that he wasn’t interested. After that, Penn and Carlos Condit then agreed to fight each other, once again over Twitter, and it appears that the UFC is definitely interested in that fight.

Both Jon Fitch and BJ Penn have been inactive since their fight at UFC 127, which saw the bout end in a Majority Draw. A rematch was expected to take place at UFC 132, but Fitch would pull out with an injury and Penn would also pull out shortly thereafter. Carlos Condit, meanwhile, recently knocked out Dong Hyun Kim in one of the best performances of his career.

I have to admit, I’m a little let down knowing that there probably won’t be a Penn/Fitch rematch for quite some time. Part of me also really doesn’t get why Joe Silva shot this fight down. I mean, it was a very close fight between two top Welterweights. Plus it was a draw. All the ingredients are there for an immediate rematch. Perhaps too much time has passed since their first bout? I’m not sure. Either way, I would’ve liked to see Penn/Fitch 2 and it’s unfortunate that that’s not going to happen in the immediate future.

I’ll say this, though: Carlos Condit vs. BJ Penn is definitely a worthy replacement. I think that sounds like a great fight on paper, especially given how amazing Carlos Condit has looked lately compared to how relatively tough of a time BJ Penn has been having lately.

The career of BJ Penn is filled with high and low periods, and this current one is definitely low. Penn went from being an unstoppable Lightweight to winning one of his last four bouts. There’s a long list of reasons and a pretty fierce debate on why Penn always seems to follow up dominant runs with humbling losses, but the plain fact of the matter is that he’s doing that right now.

And with that said, that leads me to believe that the chances of Carlos Condit winning this fight are at least fifty-fifty. Penn is an incredible fighter, sure, but he’s in one of his “cold” periods now. Meanwhile, Condit has been knocking out people left and right and has lost only once in his last thirteen fights.

In the end, I think this is going to be a great fight no matter who wins. It’s not Penn/Fitch 2, but it may just be better.

I’ll start out with the thing I absolutely agree with: we need to reward those that consistently fight to finish. If a fighter that takes risks in order to finish his opponent sees a fighter that makes more money than him utilize the broken aspects of the Unified Rules of MMA to grind out a decision… that’s going to tempt the fighter that finishes to play it safe in his next bout in order to secure the win. I even think that finishers should be rewarded more even if fighters fight to entertaining decisions.

The argument that I’m half-agreeing with concerns the elimination of the judges. That’s a pretty radical change, but perhaps it’s needed? Penn is basically saying that the system right now is so broken that it’s beyond repair. And to be honest, part of me agrees with him. But if this were to happen, a whole lot more fighters will be getting draws on their record, and I think the lawmakers and athletic commissions will have a strongly negative reaction to this, basically making an argument that the removal of judges takes the UFC back to the “human cockfighting” days.

Which is why I pose the following compromise: it’s high time that the UFC implement some of Japan’s rules. I’m not talking about soccer kicks and foot stomps, I’m talking about yellow cards and being penalized for stalling. If you’re fined a certain amount of dollars for trying to stall out the clock, you’re less likely to try stalling. Also, I think it’d be very interesting to judge a fight on how actively a fighter tried to finish, and not who won an individual round.

And finally, I absolutely do not agree with Penn’s insistence that championships be removed from MMA. Just about every major sport in the US and in many, many other countries has some form of championship. It’s how we distinguish which one fighter/team/whatever is better than all the rest. And as some fans have already pointed out, I doubt Penn would’ve said this if he was still UFC Lightweight Champion.

In the end, Penn’s recent video saw him give some interesting, controversial thoughts. And as with all things controversial, there are aspects of it that I really agree with, I kinda-sorta agree with, and I definitely disagree with. In the end, though, I have to admit that this is probably just debate for the sake of debate, since the realist in me is pretty sure that nothing is likely to change and everything will probably stay the same. Still, at least it’s a fun debate.

After consecutive losses to current lightweight kingpin Frankie Edgar, Penn moved back to 170-pounds in order to complete a trilogy with rival Matt Hughes. And while the cards were stacked against him, Penn was able to knock out the resurgent UFC Hall of Famer, who at the time was riding a three-fight win streak heading into their final meeting.

Since the win, Penn has gone to a draw with consensus number two welterweight fighter Jon Fitch at UFC 127, and the two were expected to meet in a rematch to settle the score come UFC 132, however the American Kickboxing Academy protege has since bowed out of the bout due to injury. And while several fighters had begun campaigning to fight Penn in place of Fitch, namely Carlos Condit, the Hawaiian also has since suffered an injury which will keep him out of the pay-per-view event.

Recently, “The Prodigy” released a video which has since confirmed his removal from the highly anticipated July event, which has been one of the promotion’s highlight events.

Former WEC champion Carlos Condit had been lobbying for a bout with Penn, though nothing had materialized, and for good reason. Penn went on to detail that the shoulder injury that he has existed prior to his meeting with Fitch and the subsequent bout as well as gearing up for the rematch only made the shoulder worse, hence him withdrawing from the July event.

It looks like Penn will now hold out for the anticipated rematch with Fitch in the mean time, though nothing yet is set in stone. In the video, he goes on to mention Fitch and hopes that the two studs could meet in the immediate future, however if such is not the case, then Penn will be okay with seeking a different opponent.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the news? According to BJ, he will be resting the shoulder for 6-8 weeks and then will resume training once again, so he could very well be back in action by later this summer. Who would you like to see Penn step inside the cage with? Sound off in the comment section below.

Penn recently has bounced back from a disappointing two-fight losing skid in the lightweight division when he took on Matt Hughes last November in their rubber match, where heading into the bout both men had split victories.

In the end, BJ managed to knock out the UFC Hall of Famer in just seconds of the opening round. Next, Penn battled to a contentious and controversial majority draw against Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in Sydney Australia, where both men had their moments. The fans and media alike have been split on the decided victor of the bout, so the match was intended for an immediate rematch, however since then Fitch has suffered a shoulder injury in training.

Carlos Condit, the former WEC welterweight champion and budding UFC contender, is the one man who has been vocal about taking on the tall task in meeting with Penn come this July.

Condit was supposed to face then rising contender Chris Lytle at UFC 127 which took place in Sydney, Australia at the Acer Arena in February, however the Greg Jackson product suffered an injury in practice which has since been rehabilitated. Now, the former champ will hope to vie for a match-up with the famed Hawaiian fighter.

“To be honest with you, we’ve asked for that fight. We’ve put our name in the hat for that fight. I know Joe Silva’s hopefully going to try to make that fight. If B.J.’s healthy and can take that fight, hopefully he will”, said Malki Kawa, Condit’s manager, who recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com about the proposed bout.

However, the fight seems grim.

Since going to a draw with Fitch, Penn has expressed only interest in fighting Jon. At the time of the bout, Penn was noticeably upset about the outcome of the bout and even hinted towards potential retirement plans, if a bout with Fitch did not immediately materialize.

A fight with Condit and Penn will surely product fireworks and an immediate contender to the welterweight title, which will ring especially true in the case of Condit, whom would be a new face and welcomed addition to challenge for the welterweight crown, pending on the outcome of the Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields bout which will come to fruition at the end of the month.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the fight? Who would you lean towards–Condit or Penn? And do you think the winner of the bout should earn a title shot with a convincing win? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Josh Koscheck

Koscheck did just suffer an ultra-deflating loss to Georges St. Pierre… but BJ Penn knows a little something about being dominated by GSP. Even with the loss, Koscheck is still one of the top fighters in the division. Plus, he’s Jon Fitch’s teammate. Koscheck and Fitch aren’t mirror images of each other, but they do share some similarities and I think this would be a pretty good match. The unknown status of Koscheck (he’s still healing from a broken orbital bone) is the only reason he’s not ranked higher on this list.

4. Amir Sadollah

At one time, Sadollah was thought to be the next big thing. That hype and mystique didn’t last. But in the here and now, Sadollah has won two straight fights and just got done dominating DaMarques Johnson. This would be a big step up for Sadollah, but it would finally prove whether or not he’ll ever live up to his potential. His Muay Thai looked crisper and quicker and deadlier than ever against Johnson, and it’s been quite some time since Penn has faced a striker like Sadollah. I think this fight would be a lot closer than most people think.

3. Dong-Hyun Kim

“My name is Stun Gun and I want GSP”. That’s what this fighter said after beating Nate Diaz earlier this year. I scoffed at this notion, but if Kim were to beat Penn he would definitely prove that he’s worthy of a title shot. Kim is a very strong, very interesting fighter that’s never been defeated, although he does have one draw and one overturned fight. This would be a clash of both styles and nations, and Kim’s powerful wrestling could pose some interesting threats to BJ Penn.

2. Carlos Condit

When Carlos Condit entered the UFC, he had won the WEC’s Welterweight Championship and defended it three times. After a deflating loss to Martin Kampmann, Condit is currently in the midst of a great three-fight win-streak, finishing his two most-recent fights with back-to-back (T)KO’s. Condit has arguably never looked better than in his last fight, where he crushed what up until then had been the iron chin of Dan Hardy. Condit is both ready and willing to fight Penn, so I say: if he wants it, let him fight.

But the number-one fighter I’d like to see BJ Penn fight is…

1. Anthony Johnson

I think this fight has the most potential for excellence of all the potential fights on this list. Anthony Johnson is a different breed of Welterweight: he’s got one of the biggest weight cuts in the business, and it leaves him with near-unstoppable power, especially when it comes to taking down his opponents. I think it would be very engaging to see what Penn could do against such a powerful and athletic wrestler, since that’s been one of his weaknesses for a long time. Can Johnson fully move up to main-event status? Or will Penn’s latest comeback fully right itself after the draw with Fitch? I’d love to find out.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who would you like to see face Penn now that Fitch is out?

In their first encounter, Fitch and Penn battled to a contentious majority draw, much to the ire of the fans and media alike who were split on the decision, with some saying Penn deserved the win while others made the case for the American Kickboxing Academy product.

However, it has recently been revealed that Fitch has since suffered an injury and could not continue with the proposed match-up.

The injury and removal of Fitch from the bout was first reported by <a href="http://mmaweekly.com/jon-fitch-out-of-ufc-132-bout-against-b-j-penn-due-to-injury”>MMAWeekly.com who had confirmed the news with sources close to “the situation”–however vague and general that may seem.

In their original encounter at UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia, BJ Penn utilized a much different strategy than he had been accustomed to in the past, by trying to out wrestle the wrestler–and it worked. In the first-round, Penn stole the round by successfully pressing Fitch against the cage and eventually taking him down to the ground where he immediately took his back and fished for a rear-naked choke.

In the second, Penn did much of the same, however a late round rally by Fitch had the welterweight stud reverse position and close out the round on top scoring with punches.

The third was all Fitch, who managed a takedown early and kept Penn on his back for the rest of the round, dominating from within guard with short punches to the head and body.

In the end, two judges gave the first-two rounds to Penn and the last round to Fitch, with a score of 10-8. The final judge scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Fitch.

It’s unclear at this time whether Penn will remain on the card and wait for another potential opponent or if he will hold out for the rematch with Fitch–which is something that BJ stated in his post-fight interview as the sole motivation for returning to the cage.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the news? Should Penn wait or seek another opponent–and if so, who? Sound off in the comment section below

We head to MMA Weekly for a big announcement on two major UFC 132 matches. According to the report, the UFC recently announced that UFC 132 will feature a rematch between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch as well as a major Lightweight showdown between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham.

We then head to Sherdog for another major match-up for UFC 132. According to their report, the UFC is also targeting a fight between Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman for UFC 132.

UFC 132 is currently expected to take place July 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a big Jon Fitch fan, I’m very glad that he’s going to rematch BJ Penn. I want Fitch to prove once and for all that he can beat BJ Penn, because I believe without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he can. Their first fight was very close, up until the third round, where Fitch went back to basics and utilized his famed style of grinding to completely dominate Penn. If Fitch had fought all three rounds the way he fought the third round, we wouldn’t need a rematch.

But we definitely need one now, and I’m very glad that this match-up is coming together.

I think a bout between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham will really test where both men are in the UFC’s Lightweight division. Both men recently suffered some very deflating losses, and at one time both men looked like can’t-miss prospects. However, Dunham is on a two-fight losing-streak while the aura of invincibility surrounding George Sotiropoulos was pretty much torn down under the constant attacks of Dennis Siver. This is a fight where both men’s top-division (or near the top of the division) status may very well be on the line. As a fan of George Sotiropoulos, I’m honestly hoping that he won’t be the one to lose his hold near the top of the UFC’s 155-pound heap.

Matt Wiman vs. Dennis Siver is a fight that simply makes sense. Wiman has won seven of his last nine bouts, while Siver has won seven of his last eight. Siver is also coming off of the biggest win of his career, a major beat-down of the aforementioned George Sotiropoulos. Wiman also looked pretty impressive in his last bout, beating Cole Miller by Unanimous Decision. Unlike Sotiropoulos vs. Dunham, this fight will likely decide which fighter is ready to attain top-division status. I personally am pulling for Siver, who has got to be one of the best strikers in the UFC’s Lightweight division.

Overall, this is shaping up to be an awesome event and I’m sure we’ll be talking about this one a whole lot more when summertime rolls around. But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to UFC 132?

5. Anthony Perosh storming through Tom Blackledge.

UFC fans, even old-school UFC fans, only knew Anthony Perosh as a Heavyweight fighter that had gone winless in the UFC. But Perosh made his Light Heavyweight debut at UFC 127 in front of his hometown crowd. With the entire arena behind him, and at a weight where he could finally muscle opponents to the ground in order to use his considerable ground expertise (he now has eight wins by submission), Perosh turned in one of the best performances of his career, submitting his opponent in under three minutes, much to the delight of the Acer Arena fans. And much to my delight as well, because I felt that Perosh’s big win and dramatic post-fight celebration was one of the highlights of the night.

4. Kyle Noke quickly dispatching Chris Camozzi.

It’s always important to start a Pay-Per-View event off with a bang. And nothing quite says “bang” like a quick finish in under two minutes. Noke made short work of Camozzi, finishing him via a great Rear Naked Choke at 1:35 of the very first round. It was a pretty big moment in Noke’s career: he’s now won five straight fights. It was definitely a highlight of the night.

3. Brian Ebersole upsetting Chris Lytle.

Once more Chris Lytle found himself in the middle of a tough war with a very skilled veteran, and once more he ended up fighting his heart out in a classic performance that he unfortunately was not able to win. Brian Ebersole completely took me by surprise, and I immensely enjoyed this fight. I hate to see Chris Lytle lose, but the fight was so entertaining that it was definitely a major highlight of the entire show.

2. Dennis Siver upsetting George Sotiropoulos.

It always seems like a cliché, like a relatively weak counter-point, whenever someone says “every fight starts standing”. But sometimes that saying isn’t such a cliché… sometimes it’s a hard lesson that a ground specialist has to learn before taking the next big step up the rankings. And that lesson was recently taught to Sotiropoulos when Dennis Siver thoroughly controlled him and nearly finished him. Siver cynics may call him one-dimensional, but his ability to keep his fight with Sotiropoulos in that dimension exclusively should be praised, alongside Siver’s impressive level of striking. Seeing Siver outright dominate Sotiropoulos was easily one of the most shocking and most interesting moments of the night.

And my personal top moment of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch” is…

1. Jon Fitch’s performance during the final round of his fight with BJ Penn.

This was the round where Jon Fitch left nothing to speculation, this was the round that made it very clear why Jon Fitch has only ever lost one time in the UFC. If Jon Fitch had fought this way for the entire fight, there’d have been no question as to who won it. In the third and final round, Fitch found a way to implement his famous style of grinding down an opponent with constant offense and smothering. Penn had nothing for Fitch in this third round, and it was this third round in particular that has led many to already cry foul at this fight being ruled a draw. This was the Jon Fitch that all Jon Fitch fans know and love, and even though we only saw him for one round, that round was definitely the highlight of the night for me.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What were your favorite moments from UFC 127: “Penn vs. Fitch”?

Next for Chris Lytle: As much as I wish I didn’t have to say this, it’s back to the drawing board for “Lights Out”. This was simply a must-win situation that Chris Lytle didn’t win. Lytle gutted his way through a very tough, close fight that earned him yet another post-fight bonus, so I think we’ll see Lytle back on UFC Pay-Per-Views before long. In the here and now, however, I think the UFC will put Lytle into the role of a gatekeeper for his next fight.

Next for Brian Ebersole: It all depends on how active Ebersole wants to be as a UFC fighter this late into his career. If Ebersole wants big fights, I think the UFC will give them to him at least once. I can see him facing someone like Paulo Thiago, or the loser of the upcoming Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez fight, or even Josh Koscheck whenever he returns. Ebersole made a serious impact at UFC 127, so I think the UFC will throw him right back into the shark tank for his next fight.

Next for George Sotiropoulos: My feelings on “G-Sot” closely mirror my feelings on Chris Lytle: it’s time to retool and refocus. I think announcer Joe Rogan said it perfectly: George needs to learn the “American wrestling” style of shooting for takedowns in order to fully implement his ground game. But he also needs to keep developing his striking, the fight with Siver proved that George’s stand-up still has plenty of room to grow. We can expect to see Sotiropoulos on a “Fight Night Live” card in the near future, and I think we’ll probably see the best Sotiropoulos yet when he does make his comeback. There’s still plenty of time left to realize his potential, and I think this loss was an important learning experience for him.

Next for Dennis Siver: Probably the loser of Guida/Pettis or Edgar/Maynard 3, that or another high-level Lightweight star. Now that BJ Penn and Kenny Florian have left the division, the UFC could use another good striker with real finishing power. Plus, Siver’s takedown defense looks excellent, so he should be a worthy challenge to the other ground wizards at 155. We can expect to see Siver right back on a UFC Pay-Per-View and challenging one of the UFC’s best for his next fight.

Next for Jon Fitch/BJ Penn: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. This is one of the few occasions where I believe that an immediate rematch is absolutely called for. As much as I think Jon Fitch beat BJ Penn, I want this rematch so Fitch can leave nothing to speculation. I don’t want this fight to hover over his head, I don’t want all these unanswered questions to remain unanswered. For better or worse, I say we do this again.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

Chris Lytle seemed to think that he could bring his standard boxing offense and dispose of UFC newcomer Brian Ebersole.  Ebersole proved otherwise with a funky offense featuring half cartwheel kicks, solid takedowns, and strong foot movement to dodge Lytle’s right-handed haymakers.  Ebersole looked more and more comfortable and clearly the stronger fighter as the rounds passed.  Lytle actually would have had a better chance against his originally planned opponent, Carlos Condit, in a more traditional pocket-boxing affair.  Congrats to Ebersole in his debut.

Big props to Dennis Siver.  I fully expected George Sotiropoulos to find a way to get the fight on the mat and work a submission.  Siver dropped GS in round one, stuffed takedowns in rounds two and three and never seemed all that threatened by the Australian.  Siver imposed his kickboxing while GS never had a chance to open his ground game tool kit against the German.

I had predicted Michael Bisping would beat Jorge Rivera, but due to points in a three round decision.  Instead, we saw the most convincing version of Bisping in his last four fights.  He was faster, more precise with his blows and showed a killer finish at the end.  There was some controversy when Bisping drilled Rivera with a knee to the head while he was on his knees, drawing a point deduction.  However, I think Bisping proved to be the more versatile and complete fighter as round two proceeded.  Bisping didn’t want this fight, yet it provided the perfect showcase for the Brit to dominate and sets him up for a marquee bout the next time out.

The main event was a very close fight, yet I do believe Jon Fitch won round two closely and dominated round three to give him the win by a score of 29-27.  Not to be.  Two of the three judges saw the fight 28-28 generating a draw … leaving nobody happy.  The most surprising element to this fight was Penn’s decision in the beginning of rounds one and two to rush Fitch and engage in the clinch on the fence and proceed to go for takedowns.  While he succeeded at this, in part, in each round, this was not taking the fight to where Penn had his best advantage.  I thought Penn should have tried to keep the fight in the standing, boxing realm for as long as possible in each round.  Penn’s hands are far better than Fitch’s hands and I expected him to try and fight the fight where he has the greatest advantage.  Additionally, once again, I think cardio played a role, per Penn, in round three as Fitch came out and connected with a right hand, took Penn down, and beat him up for all five minutes of the round.  This was the most dominant either fighter was in any round and showed Fitch to be the stronger combatant at the end.

–

Your thoughts.  What did you take away from UFC 127?

Jon Fitch and BJ Penn fight to a Majority Draw. Michael Bisping defeats Jorge Rivera by TKO (Strikes) at 1:54 of Round 2. Dennis Siver defeats George Sotiropoulos by Unanimous Decision. Brian Ebersole defeats Chris Lytle by Unanimous Decision. Kyle Noke defeats Chris Camozzi by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:35 of Round 1. Ross Pearson defeats Spencer Fisher by Unanimous Decision. Alexander Gustafsson defeats James Te Huna by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:27 of Round 1. Nick Ring defeats Riki Fukuda by Unanimous Decision. Anthony Perosh defeats Tom Blackledge by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:45 of Round 1. Tiequan Zhang defeats Jason Reinhardt by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:48 of Round 1. Mark Hunt defeats Chris Tuchscherer by KO (Punch) at 1:41 of Round 2. Curt Warburton defeats Maciej Jewtuszko by Unanimous Decision.

The “UFC Prelims Live” specials continue not to disappoint, and I’m very glad that I watched both the Facebook stream and the ION TV broadcast. However, I absolutely believe that Riki Fukuda was robbed of a victory against Nick Ring.

It really, really saddened me to see Chris Lytle lose again. I honestly don’t know how many times he can keep starting over, and I just don’t know if he’ll ever get to this point again. Brian Ebersole put on a fantastic performance, though, so at least Lytle didn’t lose a boring fight. Lytle went out on his shield, and I definitely commend him for it. But still… there are a lot of questions now surrounding the future for Chris Lytle.

With this win, I think we’ve seen the full ascension of Dennis Siver. Siver looked awesome in this fight, with great striking and awesome takedown defense. I’m a bit sad that Sotiropoulos wasn’t able to continue his hotstreak, but I think this win solidified Siver as a top-division fighter. I look forward to seeing what he does with this massive win.

I really enjoyed the Bisping/Rivera fight, and I think it lived up to most of its potential. But I absolutely believe that Bisping intentionally threw an illegal knee in order to get some revenge on Rivera, and I honestly don’t know how to feel about that right now. I suppose I’ll have to wait until Rivera shares his side of the story, and his reaction to the illegal knee. Right now though, I’m mostly happy that Bisping scored a dominating win, even though I think the beginning of the end started with an illegal strike.

In all honesty, BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch was one of those fights where I didn’t want to see either man lose. I’ve been a fan of both fighters for quite some time now, and I think both men fought a very hard, very competitive fight. But I honestly think Jon Fitch deserved to win. BJ Penn performed admirably, but my gut reaction is that Fitch won this fight. But there can now be no doubt: this fight needs a rematch.

Overall, I really enjoyed UFC 126. It had a little something for everybody, and now more and more I’m noticing a trend in UFC and MMA shows in general as we head ever-deeper into 2011: a lot of my favorite fighters are losing, but the shows that they’re losing on are just so good that I can’t stay upset for long. This was another very, very solid UFC event, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

And that’s that, fans and friends! But what about you? What did you think of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

As we head closer and closer to this show going live, I find myself more and more conflicted about who I think will win between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch. I certainly know who I want to win: Fitch, who I’ve vocally defended several times and is actually one of my favorite fighters. But without a doubt, this is Jon’s toughest test since he fought and lost to Georges St. Pierre. BJ Penn seems very focused and motivated going into this bout, and a focused and motivated BJ Penn is one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet.

Part of me really hopes Jorge Rivera is able to beat Michael Bisping. I stand by what I said in my “picks and predictions” post, I think Rivera will more than likely come in overly aggressive and Bisping will more than likely catch him. But I would hate for Rivera to be just another fighter that talked a big game and didn’t back any of it up. As much as I like Michael Bisping, I’ve busted a gut at countless Rivera videos where he and his team proceed to mock “The Count”. Hopefully all that wonderful, hilarious trash talk was not in vain. It should certainly be a good fight no matter what happens.

I think it’s really nice that the UFC is giving its more-hardcore fans so many ways to watch the preliminary fights of their Pay-Per-View events. It’s getting to a point where every UFC Pay-Per-View has a couple of free preliminary fights somewhere, and that’s in addition to the UFC’s busy schedule of Spike TV and “UFC on Versus” events. Some fans and insiders are already wondering if this is becoming too much of a good thing, but for my money, free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing. I think the UFC will continue these “UFC Prelims Live” specials until they’re no longer successful, and if the ratings of the last several specials were any indication, the future of this series is ripe with potential.

Speaking of “ripe with potential”, I really hope George Sotiropoulos wins his upcoming bout with Dennis Siver. I think Sotiropoulos could become a serious contender to the UFC Lightweight Championship before the year is through. And even if that doesn’t pan out, there’s still a lot of potentially awesome fights for George Sotiropoulos at 155.

Overall, I’m really looking forward to this card and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. The UFC has been off to an excellent 2011, and I’d like for this show to continue that trend. With plenty of great encounters and several fights on free TV, UFC 127 is shaping up to be the benchmark for the UFC’s international efforts in 2011. Here’s hoping it lives up to my expectations.

And those are my “Finally Final” thoughts on UFC 127, fans and friends. But what about you? What’s on your mind as we get closer and closer to this show?

Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi: This is a pretty tough fight to pick. Both men are on four-fight win-streaks, both have only lost a handful of times, and both men are pretty versatile. Camozzi has four (T)KO’s, five submissions, and five decisions, while Noke has six (T)KO’s, seven submissions, and five decisions. It’s going to be a tough brawl, but based on the level of competition he’s fought and beaten, I’m picking Kyle Noke to win via Unanimous Decision.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole: Brian Ebersole won’t make it easy, but in the end I just think that there’s no stopping Chris Lytle. Lytle may have lost more times, but Ebersole has been submitted nine times and Lytle has 19 submission wins on his record, this despite the fact that Lytle always shows up to bang and has some pretty heavy hands. Everyone seems to sleep on Lytle’s ground game, and I think Ebersole’s susceptibility to submissions will result in Chris Lytle taking a submission win in Round 2.

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver: Dennis Siver is a quality match-up for anybody, but against George Sotiropoulos, I just don’t think he has what it takes. George is quickly shaping up to be the next big can’t-miss prospect at Lightweight, and he’s gone a long way towards realizing that destiny with several impressive victories that have really shown his growth into a complete Mixed Martial Artist, rather than just a submission specialist. But since Siver has lost a majority of his fights by submission (four of seven), I’m calling for a classic “G-Sot” performance that ends with a first round submission.

Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera: I hate to say what I’m about to say, because I’ve really become a fan of Jorge Rivera thanks to his hilarious, bust-a-gut video interviews where he mocks Michael Bisping. But I just don’t think Rivera is on Bisping’s level. Part of me hopes he proves me wrong, but a larger part of me knows that Bisping fights hardest when he has a chip on his shoulder. The last time Bisping was this fired up was after he had gotten KO’d by Dan Henderson and wanted to prove that he was still a force at Middleweight. He proceeded to dominate and TKO the once-feared Denis Kang and send him right out of the UFC. With this in mind, I think Bisping will catch an overly-aggressive Rivera and TKO him in Round 1.

BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch: So it finally comes down to this: after weeks of speculation it’s now time for me to definitively choose a side. I’m a big fan of both BJ Penn and Jon Fitch, and this is honestly one of those fights where I really wish that neither man had to lose. But I’ve been siding with Fitch from the get-go, and in spite of recent developments, it’s Fitch that I’m going to stay with. Fitch will grind out BJ Penn and deplete his cardio to the point where we’ll see the same defeated, exhausted Penn we saw during the later rounds of Penn’s second battle with Georges St. Pierre. Jon Fitch will win this fight by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s it for me, fans and friends. But what about you? Who’ve you got winning, and why, for UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

5. Four free fights, two on Facebook and two on ION Television.

Does it really get any better than that? If you’re of the mind to do so, you’re basically getting two free, full hours of MMA action in addition to the normal UFC Pay-Per-View broadcast. The UFC definitely knows how to give back to its fans, and the great thing about this is that the free fights have plenty of potential even if you have no idea who’s fighting who. Free MMA on TV plus good MMA on TV equals a major reason to watch UFC 127.

4. The continuing evolution of George Sotiropoulos.

Sotiropoulos is on a fantastic eight-fight win-streak with seven of those wins occurring inside the world’s most prestigious Mixed Martial Arts organization. But Sotiropoulos faces a very tough threat in the form of Dennis Siver, Siver has won four of his last five fights and has several “Of The Night” honors to his credit. This is exactly the kind of test Sotiropoulos needs right now, with the UFC needing just a bit more proof before they book him as the next major threat at Lightweight. If he wins and wins decisively at UFC 127, expect George Sotiropoulos to become a championship contender before the year is through.

3. Is Chris Lytle really ready for top-division status?

I’m disappointed that Carlos Condit had to pull out of this fight, but Brian Ebersole is no throw-away opponent. Ebersole is a tough veteran with a gigantic 44-14-1-1 record, but most recently, he’s won his last seven fights. It wouldn’t be the first time that a tough newcomer upset the heavy favorite, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about Chris Lytle possibly losing this bout. If “Lights Out” can beat Ebersole, he’ll take one big, important step closer to this latest run towards championship relevancy.

2. Can Jorge Rivera really beat Michael Bisping?

This is the million-dollar question when it comes to this fight, isn’t it? Rivera has been striking comedic gold for the past several weeks with his hilarious YouTube videos, but that’s come at a price: Bisping now wants to knock Rivera’s head off. Can Rivera really hang with a fighter that’s consistently hovered around the top of his division for the last several years? Or were his interviews, as vastly entertaining as they were, simply a matter of all show and no go?

And my number one reason to watch UFC 127 is…

1. Does Penn have another title run in him? Can Fitch really beat one of the best in the sport?

If Rivera/Bisping was the million-dollar question, I suppose those are the billion-dollar questions. BJ Penn and Jon Fitch are both at crucial parts of their careers: Fitch is closer than ever to getting both the title shot and the respect that he’s been hungering for ever since losing to Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn is on the verge of another dramatic comeback in a career that’s been highlighted by amazing comebacks. It’s a fight between two of the UFC’s best with a whole lot more than just a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship on the line, and it’s definitely the biggest reason to tune in and watch this show.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”, scheduled for February 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Because of the time differential, the event will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View in the United States on February 26, 2011 starting at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. Two preliminary fights will be streamed live on the UFC’s Facebook page at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. Two additional preliminary bouts will be shown on the Ion Television network at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: The card is filled with some of the best of the best when it comes to the UFC’s international talent, and in the main event, BJ Penn and Jon Fitch lock horns to determine the next man to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. This is a very important point in both men’s fighting careers, and it isn’t a match that should be missed. Plus, many of the matches simply look like a whole lot of fun on paper.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Penn and Fitch are chasing a title shot, but for very different reasons. Penn is all about cementing his legacy, Fitch is all about getting the credit he rightfully deserves. Fitch will come out hungry and look to grind down Penn, Penn will come out fiery and looking to serve up another KO after recently blasting Matt Hughes into unconsciousness. Both men will show up at the top of their game, and it’s going to be a great fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: For the past several weeks, Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera have been embroiled in bitter verbal warfare with plenty of mudslinging and much spitting of venom. Both men pretty much hate each other, so look for them to come in trying to knock each other’s heads off. Rivera does not fear Michael Bisping, and he wants to prove that he’s no longer simply a “journeyman” fighter. Bisping wants to prove that Rivera was never on his level and that the UFC needs to start giving him legitimate championship contenders. It’s going to be a fast-paced brawl with neither man giving an inch.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It’s simply loaded with talent, and the potential for good fights is very high. Not only that, but you’re getting four free preliminary fights across Facebook and ION Television. Even if you disregard the main and co-main events, you’ve still got big names like George Sotiropoulos, Chris Lytle, and more. This is one of the UFC’s best international events by far.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly can’t think of any real reason to give this show a pass. You may not be a Jon Fitch fan, he’s certainly got his fair share of detractors, but the sheer quality of all the other fights makes this one event that’s difficult to pass up. This card really does have a “something for everybody” feel.

Closing Thoughts: I’m very excited for this event, and I think it’s going to be one of the year’s best shows. The UFC is already off to an amazing 2011, and this show will more than likely continue that trend. Mixed Martial Arts in general seems to be having a banner year, so I’m incredibly optimistic about where the sport is going as we head into Spring 2011.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends! What about you? What’s your opinion on UFC 127?

5. The last time Fitch fought the best of the best, he was resoundingly beaten.

Fitch has fought a whole lot inside the Octagon, but the one time he faced the absolute best in the world, he got trounced for five straight rounds. I sincerely believe that loss still haunts Jon Fitch, but I think that for BJ Penn, fighting for a title or with a title on the line is second nature to him. Penn is comfortable in these types of situations, Fitch simply hasn’t been in this situation except for one time, and we all know how that turned out. If Penn can exploit that, he’s got a great shot at winning.

4. Penn is awesome on the ground.

A lot of people tend to forget this, and maybe even Penn himself has forgotten this just a little bit in his most-recent fights, but Penn is a deadly submission machine on the ground. He was the first non-Brazilian winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He has six submission victories, many of them so memorable that they remain on his highlight reel to this day. When (not if) Fitch takes this to the ground, he may be in for a rude awakening if Penn is able to grab hold of something and lock in a submission or sweep Jon Fitch and put him on his back.

3. Penn has always had KO power, and he’s recently re-discovered it.

As gifted as Penn is on the ground, he’s equally as deadly standing up. Let’s not forget that Penn emerged as one of the best UFC Lightweight Champions ever by pounding out his opponents: from his brutal barrage that stopped Sean Sherk to the hideous gash he opened up on Diego Sanchez, Penn is a great striker. And now that he’s got another KO on his record, Penn has the confidence necessary to finish an opponent early. Fitch’s chin may be near-unbreakable, but nothing is for certain in MMA. A good, clean shot followed up with a classic BJ barrage just might be enough to send Fitch to the land of dreams.

2. Penn knows how much this fight means to him and his career.

A hungry and motivated BJ Penn is one of the most dangerous men on the planet, no matter what weight class he competes in. Let’s not dwell on the fact that when Penn isn’t at his best, he’s usually at his worst. Instead, let’s focus on the recent past, let’s focus on the BJ Penn that annihilated UFC Hall of Fame Member Matt Hughes in about thirty seconds. Penn knows that there’s a lot on the line for this match, just as he knew there was a lot on the line heading into his third and final bout with Hughes. If he fights at his best, Jon Fitch can’t stop BJ Penn.

And the number-one reason why I think BJ Penn could beat Jon Fitch is…

1. BJ Penn finishes opponents. Jon Fitch does not.

BJ Penn has won sixteen fights in his professional MMA career. He has won by decision three times. With his wins and losses combined, Penn has fought to a decision eight times. Jon Fitch has won twenty-three times in his pro MMA career. He has won by decision thirteen times. With his wins and losses combined, Fitch has fought to a decision fourteen times. Just consider that number: over half of the fights of Jon Fitch’s professional career have gone to a decision. It’s the #1 thing people criticize him for, it shines a harsh light on his record, and that light shines even brighter when compared to Penn’s track record of dramatically finishing opponents. Fitch is ready for a three-round war. Penn has the ability to end the fight on a moment’s notice.  Penn’s killer instinct is by far his biggest weapon against Jon Fitch.

And that’s it, fans and friends! This wraps up my four-part one-day-only series. One last time: Jon Fitch vs. BJ Penn. Who’ve you got winning, and why?

5. Fitch is at his hungriest and most motivated when he knows a title shot is on the line.

Unfortunately for Fitch, the UFC has made a habit out of putting the 13-1 MMA veteran into “contender eliminator” fights and then going with somebody else to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. But whenever the UFC claims that Fitch will get a shot at the belt if he wins his next fight, he always shows up to that fight in incredible shape and scores a dominant victory. History has a strong chance of repeating itself at UFC 127.

4. Penn struggles against Fitch’s kind of dominant wrestlers.

I know some Penn fans are going to immediately shout “GreaseGate” at this accusation, but even without grease I think it’s clear that Penn struggles against Fitch’s style, the stocky grinder that wears him down by constantly pushing the pace and constantly scoring takedowns. Look no further than Penn’s second encounter with Frank Edgar for proof. Outside of his natural weight class and against a wrestler easily as dominant and grind-focused as Edgar, Penn could be in a lot of trouble.

3. Fitch has fought and beat plenty of high-level competition.

No matter who you are or what opponents you fight, you only get a record like 13-1 in the UFC if you’re the absolute best of the best. Fitch has stumbled only once, one single time, in the five years he’s been with the UFC. Not even BJ Penn can say that. Fitch has beaten a host of top-level talent, and while Penn is definitely a step above almost everyone, this is not a fight that Fitch is unaccustomed to.

2. Jon Fitch has a great chin.

Fitch has faced knockout artists and beat them, and against Georges St. Pierre, he was beat down and bruised and he still never went out. Jon Fitch has a great chin, and it’s held up remarkably well despite having to take several tough shots throughout his long UFC career. Penn may be coming off of a huge KO win, but if Fitch’s chin is put to the test, it will probably pass. Penn may just break his hand before he cracks Fitch’s chin.

And the number one reason Jon Fitch could beat BJ Penn is…

1. Jon Fitch is a grinder.

You’ve heard Joe Rogan say it: “embrace the grind”. Fans of fighters.com will know my own saying regarding Jon Fitch: there’s a “beautiful ugliness” to Jon Fitch’s style. Fitch wears people down to the point where it’s almost easy for him to get his takedowns. If Fitch sticks to his style and has the guts to implement it to its fullest, he’s got a great shot at beating BJ Penn.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the final part of this four-part series, it’ll be up soon. But for now: do you think Jon Fitch can beat BJ Penn? Why or why not?

If BJ Penn wins, people will be falling over themselves in order to be the first to shout “BJ Penn is back!”

It’s the nature of the fight game, and I think we’ll all be remembered of this when/if Penn destroys Jon Fitch. In short: a whole lot of people will be jumping back onto the BJ Penn bandwagon if he wins two fights in a row at Welterweight. Fair-weather fans have already started their march back to the bandwagon when Penn KO’d Matt Hughes, expect a flood of “He’s the best ever!” to sweep across the internet if Penn makes it 2-0 in this latest run at Welterweight.

If Georges St. Pierre is still the UFC Welterweight Champion, BJ Penn won’t beat Georges St. Pierre.

I hate to say this, but I simply think that Georges St. Pierre is just too good for BJ Penn right now. Only the absolute best of the best are able to show that Penn will always be a Lightweight moving up and not a Welterweight that moved down, and GSP is undoubtedly one of the best of the best. The only difference between Penn/GSP 3 and Penn/GSP 2 will be that GSP’s dominating victory won’t be tarnished by greasing allegations.

If Jake Shields is the UFC Welterweight Champion, BJ Penn will beat Jake Shields.

I certainly don’t seem to be too much of a Jake Shields fan right now, do I? I actually like Shields a lot, I just think that both Fitch and Penn are horrible match-ups for Shields’ style. Shields is a submission-based grappler, Penn is a master of the ground game. Penn was overpowered by stocky and bulky wrestlers, but Shields has always been a “lean and mean” fighter. If it comes down to Penn vs. Shields, Shields will put up a hell of a fight but he’ll end up losing the championship.

If BJ Penn becomes UFC Welterweight Champion, he’ll have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.

There’s really no other way to describe Penn if he manages to win the UFC Welterweight Championship again. Many people are already calling him the greatest Lightweight MMA fighter of all time. If Penn wins the championship again, it really won’t matter how long he ends up keeping it. His place in the UFC Hall of Fame will be secured.

And that’s it for the “What If He Wins” section, fans and friends! Next up is another addition to my “5 Reasons Why” series, featuring five reasons why Fitch could beat Penn and also five reasons why Penn could beat Fitch. But for now: what do you think will happen if BJ Penn beats Jon Fitch?

If he wins, people will still dislike Jon Fitch simply because of his style.

It’s a cliché, but it also perfectly summarizes why Jon Fitch is rarely taken seriously by a portion of the MMA fanbase: haters gonna hate. Some people just don’t like Jon Fitch’s style of doing moderate damage while wearing an opponent’s defenses down with constant grappling and takedowns. Nothing will change their minds, no performance is good enough to fully silence them. Even if Fitch beats Penn, people will continue to hound Fitch about his supposedly-boring style, unless he somehow manages to pull off a highlight-reel KO, and even as a fan of Fitch, I can admit that that’s not very likely.

If Georges St. Pierre is still the UFC Welterweight Champion, Jon Fitch will beat Georges St. Pierre.

Yep, you heard me. If GSP hasn’t permanently moved up to Middleweight by the time Jon Fitch is healthy enough to get the title shot he’s being promised if he beats Penn, then I think that Fitch will find it in him to even his rivalry with St. Pierre to one win each. I just think that Fitch is on too good of a role right now: if he beats Penn there’s no stopping him. He’ll find a way to beat Georges St. Pierre.

If Jake Shields is the UFC Welterweight Champion, Jon Fitch will beat Jake Shields.

I also think Fitch will beat Jake Shields if Shields beats Georges St. Pierre in their upcoming showdown. Shields is a great grappler with good takedowns, but this is Jon Fitch we’re talking about. He’s neutralized some of the best, and the only time he’s ever been submitted was when he fought for the first time as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but Fitch will beat Jake Shields.

If Jon Fitch becomes UFC Welterweight Champion, he’ll finally get the respect he deserves.

Then and only then will people finally start warming up to Jon Fitch, because if Fitch does become UFC Welterweight Champion, there can be no denying that he’s the best in the world at his weight class. I think Fitch as champion may even spark a rebirth in the division, the same way the Lightweight division and its rankings were blown wide open following Frank Edgar’s series of victories over BJ Penn. It’ll be a whole new ballgame if Fitch becomes champion, but those wanting to step up and challenge the new King are in for a rude awakening if they think that a man that’s gone 13-1 in the world’s most prestigious MMA organization is going down without a fight.

And that’s it for Part 1, fans and friends! Stay tuned, the other parts will follow soon. But for now: what do you think will happen if Fitch beats BJ Penn?

While it was widely considered that Jon Fitch, the number two man in the welterweight division for the last several years, would likely earn a title shot with a win over former champion BJ Penn, seems like the same would be at stake for the “Hilo Boy” should he record a victory here.

Current champion Georges St. Pierre will be taking on Jake Shields in his sixth consecutive title defense, and should the French Canadian leave the bout the victor, he will be moving up to the middleweight division in order to face titleholder Anderson Silva, leaving the 170-pound class wide open for either Penn or Fitch to rule.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news during the pre-fight proceedings for the upcoming pay-per-view event, “UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch” which takes place on February 26 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

“They’re definitely in the title picture. Either guy that wins that fight, let’s face it, the reality is B.J. Penn has held titles in both weight classes, Fitch has fought for the title and has literally dominated that division for a long time, just couldn’t win the title,” said the UFC head honcho.

“Either one of these guys that wins this fight is in the mix. They’re the No. 1 guy.”

The American Kickboxing Academy product in Fitch has rattled off a five-fight win streak since his loss to Georges St. Pierre in August of 2008. The “Fight of the Night” performance Jon turned in remains his only blemish in his 14-fight stint inside the octagon, which includes victories over Diego Sanchez, Paulo Thiago, and Thiago Alves (twice).

Penn meanwhile has reasserted himself into the 170-pound title picture since returning to the division with a vengeance. After dropping back-to-back bouts to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Penn moved up to the welterweight class for a rubber match with rival Matt Hughes last November, where he scored a 21-second knockout over the UFC Hall of Famer.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news–which is courtesy of MMAWeekly.com. Do you think either man deserves a title shot with the win, or one more than the other? Sound off in the comment section belowl

Brock Lesnar becoming a mixed martial artist, let alone champion, is right up there. Randy Couture recapturing a heavyweight title in his 40′s almost tops the list. Fedor Emelianenko losing, EVER, was another big one.

But to see Matt Hughes and BJ Penn train with one another was almost mind boggling, that I’ve had to re-watch the tape time, and time again. And it’s true. The former two-time welterweight champion Hughes, who has gone 1-2 in bouts with Penn, is training the Hilo Boy for his upcoming bout with perennial contender Jon Fitch on February 26.

MiddleEasy.com first drew eyes to the story, which originally aired KHON 2 Sports, a news outlet broadcasting in Hawaii.

The two men last competed against one another this past November, where Penn scored a swift 21-second knockout over Hughes with a barrage of strikes at UFC 123 in Detroit. Both men have lamented that there was always a bond that kept them cordial, even if it didn’t always appear that way inside the octagon.

“We respect each other, and we’ve really never not gotten along”, said Hughes in an interview with KHON.

“We never had a falling out of any type. We’re competitors and when we had a fighting coming up, we always went in with the attitude that we were going to beat the other one. We fought I think the week before Thanksgiving, and he beat me pretty good, pretty quick, but that was a match and now he’s got a next fight and I’m trying to help him out.”

“I kept thinking ‘who is going to try to grind me out, push me into the fence, and do the ground and pound stuff’. I was like, you know Matt (Hughes) would be the perfect guy to come in and help me out…he surprised me in a few positions”, said ‘The Prodigy’.

“He’s got some stuff to show me.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the two former champions training with one another out of Penn’s native Hilo, Hawaii? Do you think Hughes is the right type of fighter to help BJ prepare for Fitch? Sound off in the comment section below.

It wasn’t too long ago that I was predicting that Hughes would be able to win the UFC Welterweight Championship again, and I still stand by making that prediction when I did. Hughes was on a very impressive win-streak and his new attitude seemed to be breathing new life into his already-fabled career. Hughes had and continues to have the mentality of fighting just because he can. With nothing left to prove and his legacy intact, Hughes can begin experimenting with new things and trying out new opponents simply to see if his body can still hold up.

And I think it can, which is why I think Hughes isn’t done in the UFC.

Hughes has always had a mental advantage over most of his opponents, whether it’s his intense drive to be a champion or his new mentality of taking things as they come. His body has held up remarkably well despite its age and despite the style Hughes uses, which necessitates super-intense training.

I think Matt Hughes simply got caught by BJ Penn, which is something that has happened to a lot of people. No champion has been immune to an outright embarrassing performance; every champion faces a stumbling block. BJ Penn has always had Matt’s number, you could argue that the only reason their rivalry was tied at one apiece is due to the fact that during their second fight Penn broke a rib when going for a sweep (a sweep which he got, by the way). If a fighter fights long enough at a high enough level, eventually they’ll simply run into somebody that’s their kryptonite.

It’s not like Matt Hughes hasn’t overcame adversity before, he’s had to endure some tough losses and he’s had to more or less completely start over more than once in his career. Whether it was Georges St. Pierre or Thiago Alves or anyone else, Hughes always found a way to survive and then later thrive after a deflating loss.

So what’s left for Matt Hughes? Quite a lot, if only he has the determination to grasp it. Hughes is already a legend, and I and many other people enjoy watching him compete in the Octagon. So long as Hughes wishes to compete, I believe the UFC will always be his home. Love them or hate them, but the UFC usually has an excellent track record of treating its legends fairly. There will always be new and emerging talent for Hughes to test himself against, and if he one day retires? He’ll certainly be remembered as one of the best of all time. I just hope that day doesn’t come quit so soon.

And what do you think, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on the future for Matt Hughes?

After initially claiming eight-victories in a row since his initial inception into the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion, Fitch was granted a title shot against current champion Georges St. Pierre, though he came up short in his bid as he was on the losing side of a unanimous decision.

Since then, the American Kickboxing Academy product has rattled off five straight wins against top competition, which includes victories over Paulo Thiago and most recently former title challenger Thiago Alves at UFC 117 last August.

Now, Jon will be gearing up for arguably one of his most toughest challenges to date when he takes on former welterweight and lightweight champion BJ Penn.

“It’s right at the top”, said Fitch concerning the importance of a fight with BJ Penn, while speaking with iBN Sports as part of the Sherdog network.

“Other than my fight with GSP for the title, this is my biggest fight so far.”

Both Penn and Fitch will serve as the headliner for UFC 127, which is the organization’s second trip to Sydney, Australia which takes place on Feb. 27 at the Acer Arena before an already sold out crowd.

For Jon, who has went to a decision eight times in his last eight outings, he is hoping for a finish against Penn and he knows just how to do it.

“I just need an impressive performance, more of myself grinding out beat downs and being more aggressive for the finish and just putting a lot of pressure on BJ.”

A win over Penn could signal a shot at the welterweight title between the winner of the future match up pitting Georges St. Pierre against top contender Jake Shields, though Fitch has his eyes set on the French Canadian.

“As you could see from the first fight, I gave him a better fight than anybody else”, said Jon speaking of his match against GSP at UFC 87, where both men walked away with ‘Fight of the Night’ honors.

“I have vast improvement in my stand up game, my Jiu-Jitsu game is off the charts right now, and I’m just a better fighter all around, and the second time that we match up I’ll beat him.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the Fitch’s statements? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Both men are high-level wrestlers. There are two things, one bad and one good, that usually happens when two gifted athletes who share the same top attribute (in this case, it’s both men’s wrestling) meet each other for a fight. The first and worst is that they nullify each other and we’re left with a rather mundane fight. But sometimes two gifted athletes get into an amazing war and push each other’s skills to the limit. People are wrongly associating Maynard/Edgar 2 with the first scenario and not the second. Based on both men’s recent performances, the second scenario seems far more likely.

4. Edgar performed brilliantly in his most recent fight. Has anyone ever out-worked BJ Penn like Frank Edgar out-worked BJ Penn? Penn has had to deal with tough losses in the past, but who else dominated Penn like Edgar? Only Georges St. Pierre in his second fight with BJ Penn comes anywhere close, and that fight was mired in the whole “GreaseGate” scandal. In Penn/Edgar 2 there was no scandal, no question as to who won, and Penn was beaten and humbled in his own weight class. Edgar/Penn 2 proved that Frank Edgar can compete and dominate at the highest level, and I see no reason to believe that that’s a trend that’s going to end.

3. Edgar has the confidence necessary to stay at the top. Confidence always seems to be the “X” factor that can change the outcome of a fight no matter how uneven the fight looks on paper. Edgar knows he can compete against the best in the world, and he knows he can beat them. With this knowledge, he’ll continue to improve and look to dominate his opponents. When you know you’re the best, you perform at your best, so long as you take your opponent seriously. And based on their history, Edgar is taking Maynard very, very seriously.

2. Maynard has the confidence necessary to make a serious run to the top. Confidence swings both ways, and in the case of Gray Maynard, how can you not have all the confidence in the world going into this title fight? Maynard has beaten Edgar once before, when it comes to confidence-building, nothing else really comes close. And based on his recent destruction of Kenny Florian, Maynard also knows that he can compete at a high level and dominate.

1. There’s a very real, decidedly bitter rivalry here. For Frank Edgar, it’s all about getting revenge on the only man that’s ever beaten him in his entire career. But make no mistake; revenge is also a huge motivating factor for Gray Maynard. Edgar lost to Maynard yet Maynard was passed by and overlooked, while Edgar rocketed to the top and began headlining Pay-Per-Views. Bitter rivalries sell fights, and while this rivalry stems from professional reasons rather than personal vendettas, it’s still remarkably bitter and both men are still very eager to pound each other’s faces in. And that always makes for an awesome fight.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five reasons why this fight should be one to remember. But what about you? What are your feelings on Maynard/Edgar 2?

In an exclusive interview with Tapology, Edgar recently said the following in regards to the criticism he’s had to deal with ever since emerging as a top-division Lightweight: “We’re all going to find out whether or not I can beat Maynard on January 1st, so hopefully that will shut everybody up… He gets a lot of flack for not being the most entertaining guy, but that’s not what it’s about. He wins… I do hear [the critics]. I’m not really a computer guy, but I do hear it. I do think I’m an exciting fighter, though… It’s just the fans and the media. You hear dominant wrestlers getting a lot of flack.”

I think Edgar is preaching to the choir… I’ve been a strong supporter of both him and Jon Fitch for quite some time now. Frank Edgar made a firm believer out of me in his second fight with BJ Penn, so I just don’t understand why people still think he has something to prove. Make no mistake, fans and friends; I do think that some of the flack wrestling-based Mixed Martial Artists get is justified. I hate “lay and pray”, I hate “wall and stall”, and I positively, absolutely loathe wrestlers who constantly shoot for takedowns and do nothing with them.

But Frank Edgar isn’t the type of fighter that does that, and it’s unfair that so many people are still grouping him in that category. I’ve followed Frankie for some time, and I’ve never once felt like he’s been inactive on the ground. He does go to the ground a whole heck of a lot, but he’s always hunting for something or doing damage. When it goes to the ground, Frank Edgar wants to mount you, he wants to punch your face in, he wants to put you in the most disadvantageous position possible and score as many points as he can, and even finish you outright if that’s possible. Edgar is willing to fight tooth-and-nail for every takedown and he’s just as willing to get into a prolonged battle once the fight ends up on the ground. And it both saddens and frustrates me that so many people don’t give him the kind of respect that type of wrestling-based style deserves.

A boring fight is a boring fight no matter if it’s fought on the ground or on the feet. But Frank Edgar doesn’t compete in boring fights. He may have narrowly beat out BJ Penn the first time (even I had my doubts), but the second time around he made it look easy and handed Penn arguably the most embarrassing loss of BJ’s entire career. Edgar fought for and won my respect way before he ever fought for and won top-division status. His two victories over Penn simply sealed the deal and made me an outright fan of the man. It seems like I’m one of the rare ones both in the media and the general fanbase that can’t wait to see Edgar face Maynard. And I’ve got to tell you, fans and friends… it shouldn’t be that way.

But of course, that’s my opinion. What about you? What are your thoughts on Frank Edgar and his recent comments?

5. Paulo Thiago

It’s one of the biggest losses of his career, and in a way, Koscheck is still fighting to get out of the shadow of this loss. And what better way to do just that than by stepping back inside the Octagon with Paulo Thiago in order to prove once and for all that Thiago’s victory was more fluke than fantastic? If Koscheck can return the favor and KO Thiago, he’ll have permanently closed the book on the entire situation and he’d also take a firm step on the comeback trail.

4. Chris Lytle

A lot has changed since Chris Lytle first met Josh Koscheck in 2008. It now appears that, after years of fighting tooth-and-nail up the rankings, Chris Lytle has finally emerged as a top-division star. His boxing has never looked more crisp and precise, and his ground game has resulted in several amazing submission wins in several of his recent fights. This would be an important test for both men, and if Koscheck can make his record against Lytle a perfect 2-0, he’ll have firmly established that he’s far from done in the UFC’s Welterweight division.

3. Thiago Alves

I know this list does seem to have a large amount of rematches in it, but to be fair, every single one of these matches makes sense and would really help further along Koscheck’s career. After hitting a rough patch ever since he lost to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100, Thiago Alves most recently found his inner “Pitbull” when he thoroughly outclassed John Howard. If the old Alves really is back, he represents a major opportunity for Koscheck to reestablish himself.

2. BJ Penn

This match makes sense for so many reasons. If BJ Penn beats Koscheck’s teammate Jon Fitch in their upcoming encounter, this will be an awesome grudge match. If Fitch beats Penn, it’ll be Penn that looks for revenge against another member of the American Kickboxing Academy. Both men also have very impressive stand-up and, for the most part, very strong chins. This match sounds great enough on paper, but add a little BJ Penn vs. AKA rivalry into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for an awesome and pretty important fight.

And my #1 opponent for Josh Koscheck to fight in the near future is…

1. Matt Hughes

Josh Koscheck has been campaigning for this match for quite some time, and he’s vocally called out the UFC Hall of Fame member in the past. With Hughes turning towards retirement, this would be an epic showdown, and it would be a tremendous moral victory and a huge motivating factor if Josh Koscheck ends up being the man that retires Matt Hughes. And of course Matt Hughes wouldn’t go down without a fight. Not only would this be an incredibly important fight, it also would more than likely be one of the year’s best.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think Koscheck should face in the near future, and why?

MMA Weekly brings word from a huge Australian press conference where UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik recently made the card official. While anything can happen between now and February, currently the card stands as follows: Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn, Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera, Dennis Siver vs. George Sotiropoulos, Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke, Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle, Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna, Tom Blackledge vs. Anthony Perosh, Riki Fukuda vs. Nick Ring, Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson, Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton, and Mark Hunt vs. TBA.

I’m looking forward to this card for several big reasons, and I honestly think it has the potential to be an early front-runner for the best UFC event of the year, perhaps even the best MMA event overall of 2011. First and foremost, I’m a massive fan of both Jon Fitch and BJ Penn and I can’t wait to see how their wildly different styles clash. Both men are amazing fighters and are coming off some big wins, and I think if Jon Fitch is able to pass this test, he’ll finally be given his long-awaited and long-overdue rematch with Georges St. Pierre.

I’m also looking forward to this card because I’m a big fan of Michael Bisping, and I think he’s going to KO Jorge Rivera. Rivera is an experienced veteran who’s on a good win-streak right now, but Bisping has always been hovering around top-division status and Rivera is clearly a middle-of-the-road somewhat-threat. Bisping has proven dangerous against top competition even if he’s lost to a few of them, so I think UFC 127 will be an important step for Bisping’s career as he grabs up another huge and convincing win.

I’m also a growing fan of George Sotiropoulos, and I think he’s definitely the next major threat at Lightweight. I was a bit hesitant to get behind him thanks to what I like to call the “Magic Submission Pants”, but his recent performances have proven that Sotiropolous is a great fighter no matter what he’s wearing. The clothes don’t make the man, Sotiropoulos could show up to an MMA event stark naked and probably still dominate his opponent… not that anyone would want him to, of course, I simply say this as a converted fan.

And finally, I’m a big fan of Chris Lytle. I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time, in the past, I’ve even said that my often-used and much-loved term “dark horse favorite” originated with Chris Lytle. If Lytle beats Condit he may finally step into the “promised land” and achieve top-division status. For someone who’s battled his way through the UFC for so many years, I can admit that it’d certainly be unexpected to see Chris Lytle finally emerge as a legitimate Welterweight contender in 2011. Unexpected… but certainly not impossible. So I’ll be pulling for “Lights Out” in a major way, and I wish him all the best.

So there you have it, fans and friends. For several reasons, UFC 127 is shaping up to be my can’t-miss event of the year. What about you? What are your early opinions on the card?

Here are the highlights from a group of quotes assembled by MMA Weekly: “I don’t know what the plan is now… Of course, the fight didn’t go like I had planned it… It’s funny how styles make fights… I don’t know what I’ll do now. I’m definitely going to take the winter off and some of the spring. I had three fights this year, so I’ve just got some other things I want to do; but I will say that this was one big step closer to retirement for me.”

It’s unfortunate that Hughes was so thoroughly destroyed during his recent UFC 123 bout… unfortunate, but not exactly unexpected. Let’s all be honest here: BJ Penn has always had better hands than Matt Hughes. With nothing left to lose, Penn had almost no choice but to go for broke from the get-go and try to land the big one on Hughes from the second the bell rang. Penn was reckless and it paid off, it could have gone the other way entirely, with Hughes using that recklessness to shoot in on Penn and score a takedown. Penn just ended up clipping Hughes at the most opportune time.

I really don’t think Matt Hughes is done after this losing performance to BJ Penn. The man was on a three-fight win-streak before this bout, with two of those wins by stoppage. He beat two talented (and still dangerous, no matter what anyone else says) veterans in the form of Renzo Gracie and Matt Serra, and then he beat Ricardo Almeida, Renzo’s disciple, at his own game, choking him out early in the first round. It may be true that Hughes is 3-3 in his last six outings, but in his entire career, he’s only lost a total of eight times. He’s had over fifty fights as a professional, and he only loses to the best competition the UFC has to offer.

Ultimately, the only one who can decide the future for Matt Hughes is Matt Hughes himself. But I’d sure like to see him get back in the Octagon. Perhaps I’m being selfish, or getting my hopes up too high, but I think Matt Hughes still has some fight left in him. He’ll go down as one of the best ever, of that I have no doubt. I’d simply hate to see him end his career in this fashion. I sincerely hope that Hughes ultimately decides to go out with a roar rather than a whimper, and attempts one final comeback before his book is closed permanently.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you want to see Matt Hughes do in the future, and what do you think his chances are in the UFC’s continually-evolving Welterweight division?

According to MMA Mania, the one-hour “UFC 123 Prelims LIVE” special that aired on Spike TV was good enough to draw in 1.5 million viewers, the same number the last special (for UFC 121: “Lesnar vs. Velasquez) earned. This latest broadcast saw Brian Foster submit Matt Brown, while Mark Munoz fought three tough rounds against Aaron Simpson and won by Unanimous Decision. The UFC continues to deliver fans in both its and Spike TV’s core audiences, with the special garnering a 1.31 in the men 18-49 demographic and a 1.21 in the men 18-34 demographic.

Next up is MMA Weekly, which recently reported the official medical suspensions for UFC 123. They are as follows: Matt Hughes is suspended for sixty days following his KO loss to BJ Penn. Karo Parisyan, Mike Lullo, and TJ O’Brien have all been suspended for thirty days. Lullo must also be cleared by a physician for an undisclosed injury before he is able to compete again. Surging Lightweight George Sotiropolous must also be medically cleared for an undisclosed reason before he can fight again, although he was not technically suspended for any length of time.

I really enjoyed the “Prelims LIVE” special for UFC 123, so I’m glad that it drew in a decent little rating. If nothing else, it was free MMA on TV, so it at least deserved a passing glance. However, I feel that this special in particular deserved a complete watching. You had two great fights happen on this one-hour broadcast, and they really got me pumped up for the main Pay-Per-View card. In particular, I really enjoyed the hard-hitting war between Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson. I think these “Prelims LIVE” specials are delivering good MMA on such a consistent basis that they may even be encroaching upon “under-rated” territory.

In regards to the medical suspensions, nothing really shocks me. I honestly think that, in the case of Matt Hughes, even more time off could have been warranted. That was an absolutely brutal knockout courtesy of BJ Penn, and it was certainly sad to see a legend that I respect so much humbled so thoroughly. Then again, as a massive BJ Penn fan, I’m immensely happy that Penn has practically vaulted down the comeback trail and set himself up as a legitimate threat at Welterweight. It’s going to be a very, very, very interesting 2011 for “Baby Jay” and his legion of fans. Overall, UFC 123 was a great event and a great way to close out the year.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of the “Prelims LIVE” special, and do any of these medical suspensions surprise you?

Here’s what Fitch recently had to say in an interview with USA Today: “This is my second opportunity to fight a legend. You’ve got to beat a legend to become a legend, so this is a great opportunity for that… I think it’s an awesome match-up, I think it’s an awesome fight, I think the fans are going to be very happy about this… I’m not getting a title shot, so I need to be fighting the next best opponent, and right now it looks like BJ’s the next best opponent… I’m just going to keep fighting hard, keep training hard and put my best performances out there. The best of Jon Fitch is yet to come.”

I’ll be saying this loudly, proudly, and quite often as we head closer and closer to UFC 127: Jon Fitch is going to beat BJ Penn. Everything he’s done up to this point leads me to believe that we’ll see Jon Fitch put on his best performance against “The Prodigy” and ultimately beat the legend and establish himself as the one true Welterweight Championship contender. And remember, this is coming from a massive BJ Penn fan.

Throughout BJ Penn’s career, one of his biggest downfalls has been his inability to combat dominant wrestlers. It’s one of the chief reasons why he went for broke the second the bell rang in his recent fight with Matt Hughes. It’s why his corner had no choice but to throw in the towel after Georges St. Pierre battered Penn for four straight rounds. It’s why Frank Edgar shocked the world when he narrowly beat Penn the first time and then cemented his place atop the rankings as well as establish a large portion of his legacy when he demolished Penn in the rematch. And Jon Fitch is one of the most dominant wrestlers in the game.

Not only that, but the man can take an incredible amount of damage and still remain conscious. His five-round war with GSP proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Fitch might have to absorb some good flurries and walk through some big shots in order to fully implement his gameplan, but at his best I think Fitch has all the tools necessary to shut down Penn’s offense and even dominate “The Prodigy”.

But he won’t have it easy, I’ve got no problem admitting that. BJ Penn is a legend, and for good reason. Every time he loses, he comes back better than ever. And this return to the UFC’s Welterweight division seems to be another rebirth in a long line of rebirths. Other than St. Pierre, I can’t imagine a more difficult test for Jon Fitch right now other than BJ Penn.

But at the end of the day, I’m picking Fitch and nothing is going to change that. This is going to be an amazing fight, one that’s long overdue, and I think Fitch will win it in a big way and take a giant step towards the championship rematch that has unrightfully eluded him for so very long. And I’ll be pulling for him every step of the way.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see winning this match-up, how, and why?

UFC 123 took place in the suburbs of Detroit, at the Palace of Auburn Hills before a stellar crowd. The main event of the evening was billed as a battle between two former light heavyweight champions in Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida.

While the 205-pound match up was the main affair, a few men shined a little bit brighter then the rest, and have since been the hot topic of discussion, and deservedly so.

BJ Penn completed a trilogy with rival Matt Hughes, serving as the co-main event of the evening during lat nights festivities. Penn struck hard early when he dropped the UFC Hall of Famer in just a few seconds inside of the first round. The former welterweight champion in BJ capitalized on the opportunity to finish Hughes on the ground, where a few additional punches sealed the deal. And at just 21 seconds inside of the very first round, Penn was declared the winner. For his efforts, “The Prodigy” picked up the nights “Knockout of the Night” award, and has now snapped a two-fight losing streak.

Phil Davis, one of the budding contenders in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, did not disappoint those in attendance when he was able to finish Tim Boetsch inside the second round. The NCAA Div. 1 wrestling champion was able to take down the savvy UFC veteran early and often, and in the second round was able to control “The Barbarian” with his budding Jiu-Jitsu skills, eventually looking up a modified kimura lock, and forced the tap out not once..but twice. The referee did not see the initial tap, but caught the second, which is unfortunate for Boetsch, but he appeared fine following the bouts conclusion. For his efforts, Davis picked up “Submission of the Night” and also pocketed a cool $80k. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and remains undefeated as a professional.

Joe Lauzon and George Sotiropoulos had some bad blood heading into the cage, and it showed in the first round. Heading into the bout, Lauzon complained of George’s fighting attire, which consisted of several applications on his legs, including the traditional shorts, knee pads, ankle supporters, and additional garments. But, cooler heads prevailed and the bout went on as scheduled. Lauzon was sharp in the opening round, stuffing takedowns and working well inside the clinch with short strikes, and clipped George on a few occasions. The second round though was a different story, and the Aussie native was able to work his strong Jiu-Jitsu game, eventually submitting “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran with a kimura. Both men picked up the nights “Fight of the Night” award for their strong performances.

So, MMA peeps, do you agree with the winners? Do you think anyone else was more deserving of said honors? If so, speak up. Sound off in the comment section below.

Next for Karo Parisyan: I’m not unsympathetic to Karo Parisyan, I’m just very skeptical. And his one-sided loss at UFC 123 pretty much proved me right. Parisyan was a shadow of a shadow of his former self, and I don’t think Karo Parisyan belongs in the UFC. He’ll be back to fighting overseas or in mid-tier promotions in the US before he inevitably calls it a career and closes the book on one of the most interesting “what could have been” stories in Mixed Martial Arts.

Next for George Sotiropolous: I know this next statement is going to come off as incredibly bold, but, hey, I’m in the mood to be incredibly bold. So here it is: I’m predicting that George Sotiropolous will be the UFC Lightweight Champion before the end of 2011. Everything he’s done up to this point leads me in that direction. His victory over Joe Lauzon was yet another example of how well-rounded he is, how he’s able to remain cool under pressure, and how he has the killer instinct necessary to become a champion. Big, big, big things are in store for George Sotiropolous.

Next for Maiquel Falcao: Something tells me that the UFC is going to do whatever they can to get rid of Maiquel Falcao. For one, he ruined the hotstreak of Gerald Harris, and the UFC had been building him up as the next big monster athlete. Secondly, Falcao earned himself no fans when he coasted in the third round and basically stopped fighting once he realized that he had won the first two rounds and didn’t really have to do anything if he didn’t want to. Falcao is going to be facing some incredibly stiff competition in the coming months, and if he loses more than once I think the UFC will wash their hands of him.

Next for Matt Hughes: What a trip it’s been for Matt Hughes. And no matter what anyone else says, I personally don’t think the trip is over. Hughes is going to come back, he’s certainly not going to end his career on perhaps the biggest loss he’s ever had to endure. He’ll face a lower level of competition when he returns, but he will return. There aren’t many steps left on the comeback trail for Matt Hughes, but this loss to Penn is a temporary roadblock and not a permanent impasse. Sooner rather than later we’ll see Hughes back in the Octagon and winning again.

Next for BJ Penn: It’s been announced that Penn will face Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in Australia, and I for one can’t wait to see that fight. I’ll have more to say about this in the coming days, but for now, I’ll say this: love him or hate him, I think Jon Fitch is the perfect fighter to beat BJ Penn. Stay tuned.

Next for Quinton Jackson: With a big (albeit controversial) win over a great opponent, the UFC will officially begin building “Rampage” back up towards a title shot. Jackson will be facing some big threats very soon, look for him to remain on a steady diet of top-level competition. Before 2011 is through I think we’ll see another major rematch for Rampage, whether it be against Rashad Evans or Mauricio Rua.

Next for Lyoto Machida: The man who once won sixteen straight fights has now lost two straight. It’s a tough time to be Lyoto Machida. I personally think Machida may be the next man to test out Jon Jones, or possibly Ryan Bader. As much as it pains me to admit it, I think the UFC will soon be testing out Machida as a gatekeeper and seeing how he does. But if it happens, I also predict that Machida will blast the competition and firmly put himself back “into the mix”. It’s always darkest before the dawn, and Lyoto Machida isn’t going anywhere.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 123?

Most surprisingly was the announcement of former champion BJ Penn remaining in the welterweight division for the time being, where he will next face former title challenger and current top contender Jon Fitch in his next bout.

Dan White confirmed the news during the post-fight press conference following last nights affair in Michigan at the Palace in Auburn Hills before a loud and ruckus crowd.

BJ Penn was by far the most impressive in last nights co-main event, when he was able to dispatch his rival in Matt Hughes. The bout was billed as a battle of legends, where both men had faced each other twice before, and were there to complete a trilogy that has been 6 years in the making. Both men had split wins before coming into their third meeting, and the final bout was for all the marbles.

After two disappointing losses to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Penn revitalized his career when he was able to knockout Matt Hughes, the latest UFC Hall of Famer who was riding a three fight win streak heading into the match. It took just 21 seconds inside of the first round for “The Prodigy” to make his mark once again inside the octagon.

With the victory, Penn has now placed himself up on the map in the welterweight division and will now face Jon Fitch, serving as the headliner for UFC 127. The event takes place at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia on February 27.

Fitch was originally expected to face budding welterweight prospect Jake Ellenberger at UFC 126, but has since been pulled from that match up in favor of a headlining spot against Penn.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Do you prefer BJ in the 170-pound division? How do you favor in the Fitch/Penn match up? Sound off in the comment section below.

Quinton Jackson defeats Lyoto Machida via Split Decision. BJ Penn defeats Matt Hughes via KO (strikes) at 0:21 of Round 1. Maiquel Falcao defeats Gerald Harris via Unanimous Decision. Phil Davis defeats Tim Boetsch via Submission (Kimura) at 2:55 of Round 2. George Sotiropoulos defeats Joe Lauzon via Submission (Kimura) at 2:43 of Round 2. Brian Foster defeats Matt Brown via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:11 of Round 2. Mark Munoz defeats Aaron Simpson via Unanimous Decision. Dennis Hallman defeats Karo Parisyan via TKO (strikes) at 1:47 in Round 1. Edson Barboza defeats Mike Lullo via TKO at 0:26 of Round 3. Paul Kelly defeats T.J. O’Brien via TKO (strikes) at 3:16 of Round 2. Nik Lentz defeats Tyson Griffin via split decision.

I have very, very mixed feelings in regards to the main event. I consider myself a fan of both men, but a bigger Machida fan. I think this is a fight that’s going to be debated at length for the next several weeks, at the very least. I think it was a very close fight with the third round unquestionably going to Machida. However, with or without controversy this match managed to live up to most of its potential. I’m excited for a rematch, and I think we’re going to get one sooner rather than later.

I guess this is what I get for doubting BJ Penn. It’s unquestionable and undeniable: BJ Penn is back on the comeback trail and perhaps better than ever. He looked amazing against Matt Hughes, who I and many other people thought had more than a passing shot at beating “Baby Jay”. BJ needed a big and dominant win in about the worst way possible, and he got just that at UFC 123. No matter what the future holds for BJ Penn in either the Welterweight or the Lightweight division, one important question was answered at UFC 123: BJ Penn is not done. Not by a long shot.

I also noticed that the “UFC 123 Prelims Live” special delivered a solid hour of action to lead into the official Pay-Per-View telecast. Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson gave us three good action-packed rounds, while Brian Foster and Matt Brown fought to a very entertaining submission finish. Add in a showing of the Parisyan/Hallman fight that took place earlier in the evening, and you had ample reason to tune in and watch some free MMA on TV.

Overall, UFC 123 was a very strong event with several noteworthy fights. I think we’ll be feeling the repercussions of this event for quite some time, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for some of the night’s big winners and losers.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 123?

The nights headliner between former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida quickly became heated when the two met for the stare down, after both had came in at 205-pounds on the nose.

Machida squared off with Jackson with the traditional fist to face motion, which Quinton apparently didn’t take kindly, and before it was all said and done, a scuffle was quickly averted when UFC head honcho Dana White interjected between the two strikers.

After the awkward tension alleviated, cooler heads prevailed and the two shook hands out of respect and went their separate ways.

For the most part, all fighters came in at the exact weight limit with all but one fighter not needing the extra pound allowance. Aaron Simpson, who is featured as one of the two bouts in the Spike TV portion of the special “UFC Prelims”, came in at 185.5.

Also interesting to note, both former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, who serve as the co-main event of the evening and will meet for the third time in an epic trilogy, came in at a svelte 169 pounds; a pound under the maximum weight requirement.

Here are the weigh in results in their entirety, thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (205)
* Matt Hughes (169) vs. B.J. Penn (169)
* Tim Boetsch (205) vs. Phil Davis (205)
* Joe Lauzon (155) vs. George Sotiropoulos (155)
* Maiquel Falcao (185) vs. Gerald Harris (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown (170) vs. Brian Foster (170)
* Mark Munoz (185) vs. Aaron Simpson (185.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman (170) vs. Karo Parisyan (170)
* Edson Barboza (155) vs. Mike Lullo (155)
* Paul Kelly (155) vs. T.J. O’Brien (155)
* Nik Lentz (155) vs. Tyson Griffin (155)

George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon: This could end up being a great fight…depending on which George Sotiropolous shows up. But I don’t think there’s any doubt that George will win this one. At least, I’d be incredibly surprised if Lauzon pulled out the victory. For all intents and purposes, Sotiropolous is being groomed as the next big threat at Lightweight while living up to that mantle. Look for him to take the submission win during Round 2.

Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch: I have to admit, I’m not too familiar with either fighter. To me, it seems as if Boetsch has more experience in the UFC while Davis has more potential as a young and undefeated UFC newcomer. We might just have a very entertaining war on our hands. Based on his undefeated track record and his penchant for toughing it out, I’m thinking that Phil Davis takes a hard-earned Unanimous Decision at the end of three good rounds of action.

Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao: There seems to be no stopping Gerald Harris. The man is on a ten-fight win-streak, a five-fight TKO streak, and has stopped each and every single one of his opponents since August 2008, when he last recorded a Decision win. But Maiquel Falcao is also on a very high win-streak (seven) with a huge amount of finishes. This fight doesn’t just have sneaky “Fight of the Night” potential, it may be good enough to land on some people’s “Fight of the Year” lists. Look for Gerald Harris to win by KO in Round 2 after an amazing Round 1.

Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn: If you had asked me about this match back when Penn still had the UFC Lightweight Championship, I would have answered without a moment’s delay: this is BJ’s fight to win. Now I’m honestly not so sure. I look at where Penn is right now compared to where Hughes is, and I’ve got to say: Hughes seems to have the better mentality going into this fight. Now that Hughes is fighting just for the fun of it, he’s able to take a lot of risks that end up paying off more often than not. I hate to pick against someone I’ve been such a big fan of for such a long while, but both my heart and my head tell me that Matt Hughes is going to fight his way towards a Unanimous Decision win.

Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson: I’ve said a whole lot about this fight in the days and weeks leading up to it, so I’ll keep my predictions short and sweet. We’re going to witness the rebirth of “The Dragon”. He’s going to come on strong and finish stronger. “Rampage” will put forth a solid effort, but he’ll crumble underneath a resurgent and resurrected Machida. Lyoto Machida KO’s Rampage Jackson by Round 2 at the very latest.

So that’s what I think is going to go down, fans and friends. What about you? What does your inner Nostradamus have to say regarding the big match-ups at UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Machida”?

But, ironically enough, he’s arguably also one of the sports greatest disappointments. A man who is naturally gifted with athletic abilities people could only wish for. It seems like his greatest potential achievements have been squandered away by poor habits and worse decisions.

He’s promised time and time again that he will reinvent himself, and after back-to-back defeats inside the octagon, Penn’s back is against the wall, even if he may not feel like it.

After three title defenses as the lightweight champion, Penn would go on to lose his title to Frankie Edgar, the only man to defeat him in the 155-pound class. A closely contested match, which looked to swing in Penn’s favor at UFC 112, was met with a disappointing result when the New Jersey native was awarded the unanimous decision. A rematch was prepared for at UFC 118 in Boston last August, but this time Edgar thoroughly dominated the former champ and left no doubts as to who the true 155-pound title holder should be.

“I was kind of bummed out (after the loss to Edgar)”, said Penn during a recent media teleconference.

“When I got home after the fight, there were a couple of days where I didn’t train. I just hung out, and there was nothing to do. I don’t want to sit in the bar and drink. I didn’t get banged or bruised up too much, so I just got back to training and thought about getting the lightweight title back.”

A sluggish performance turned in by the Hawaiian fighter left many wondering Penn’s worth in the MMA world. An icon, a legend perhaps in the sport, had turned in two sub-par performances back-to-back. Rather then drown in his sorrows, BJ would return to the welterweight division against rival Matt Hughes. The two have become very familiar with each other over the years. Penn had initially defeated the “farm boy” at UFC 46 in 2003, and later Hughes exacted revenge in 2006, splitting the victories 1-1. Now the two will meet for the final time, serving as the co-main event at UFC 123.

“I’ve been changing my training, doing roadwork, trying to push my different energy systems”, asserted Penn.

“You’ve got to improve everything — boxing, takedowns, wrestling. [Regarding Hughes], I haven’t done anything drastic. I’ve just been training. I brought in good sparring partners for the fight, and it feels like yesterday when I was fighting at welterweight. I’m just preparing for the legend, preparing for Matt.”

Now with a new training regime behind him, the 31-year-old former welterweight champion will look to climb the ranks once again with a win over Hughes. He’s not disillusioned with the idea that he can regain the 170-pound title anytime soon, especially with a tall task in hand with Matt, but he still relishes the day when he can someday regain what was his.

“I think it’s premature to be talking about a title fight. I definitely think Matt has worked his way back up the ranks. My goal is to be the welterweight champ again, and I wouldn’t mind being the lightweight champ again, but I’m taking it one step at a time. (I’m comfortable at either) 155 or 170. If I do well against Matt and feel good at welterweight, there’s no doubt I’d like to fight best welterweights out there.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Penn’s assertions? Do you favor him in his match up this Saturday? Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MMABay.co.uk for the transcribe.

The Event: UFC 123 “Rampage vs. Machida”, which airs live on Pay-Per-View Saturday, November 20 from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Why You Should Care: The main event features two former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions, both of whom are very popular and have very powerful strikes. The co-main event also features two former UFC Welterweight Champions that are widely regarded as two of the best Mixed Martial Artists of all time, and they’ll be fighting each other for a third time.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Quinton Jackson is known for his street-tough personality that bleeds into his fighting style. The man known as “Rampage” is heavy on the brawling and the striking, so he very rarely has a boring fight. Lyoto Machida is also a very versatile and cunning fighter, with very good counter-punching and sneaky one-hit KO power. If this becomes a brawl, look for someone to get viciously KO’d and for both men to add several moments to their highlight reel during the course of this bout.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Matt Hughes and BJ Penn have a long and historic rivalry. BJ Penn put an end to the long championship reign of Matt Hughes in their first fight, and in their second fight Hughes became the first man to ever finish BJ Penn (Hughes won by TKO, until that point Penn had only ever lost by decision). Both men are at a crossroads in their career: Hughes is fighting for a legacy while Penn is fighting to recapture his relevancy. These two always bring out the best in each other, and since they’re so good to begin with, this has all the makings of an incredible fight.

Why to Buy This Card: The main event and co-main event puts most other MMA cards to shame. Hughes/Penn 3 could headline its own card, having it as the co-main only sweetens the pot. Rampage vs. Machida is better than most championship matches.

Why Not to Buy This Card: Besides the co-main and main event, the rest of the card seems decidedly average, maybe even a bit underwhelming. Anything is possible when the Octagon closes, but on paper, the top two matches clearly anchor this show and everything else feels a little flat.

Closing Thoughts: Having two great fights doesn’t make your card a “super-card”, but it does make your event well worth watching. If you go in expecting greatness from Rampage/Machida and Hughes/Penn 3, I sincerely doubt you’ll be disappointed. If you go in expecting greatness from the start of the show until the show’s end, you may be a little bit disappointed. But, all in all, the strength of the two marquee matches easily propel this card into “definitely buy it” territory.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Look for more “Crash Courses” in the near future. Until then, please let me know: what do you think of this new series? What areas did you like or dislike, what would you add or subtract? Comments and opinions are welcome. Also, what’s your take on “Rampage vs. Machida”?

5. Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis

The WEC would be hard-pressed to find a better fight to go out on than this headlining attraction at WEC 53, the final WEC event before the entire promotion is folded into the UFC. In one corner you have the unlikely champion Ben Henderson, who established himself as a worthy champion with several incredible performances against the WEC’s best and now stands poised as possibly one of the best Lightweights in the game. Then in the other corner you have Anthony Pettis, an incredibly dynamic and wildly entertaining fighter. This fight as a whole sums up the WEC’s long history of solid matchmaking, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

4. Dan Henderson vs. Renato Sobral

This is one for the old-school fans, let’s get that straight right off the bat. But if you do consider yourself a diehard or simply a fan of the old-school, this fight has quite a lot to offer. It features two aging fighters that still seem to have a lot left to give, trying to recapture the old magic that made them champions in the past. It’s also the classic “styles clash” match-up pitting the heavy-handed striker versus the grappler, and also the wrestler versus the Brazilian Jui Jitsu practitioner. It has all the makings of a good fight between two big names from the past, so it definitely deserves a watch.

3. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes

Like Hendo/”Babalu” but bigger. This fight happens at a critical moment in both men’s careers. Now that he knows his legacy is intact, Matt Hughes has been fighting for the fun of it without the added pressure of wanting a title shot. If he beats Penn, he might just get one. Conversely, the added pressure of having to constantly defend his Lightweight Championship ultimately spelled doom for “The Prodigy”, and he looks to a Welterweight return to reestablish and reinvigorate himself. Whoever wins this one takes a massive step forward, but Penn has a lot more to lose if Hughes gets the better of him. It’s the end of a rivalry that has spanned several eras in Mixed Martial Arts, so you should definitely watch it.

2. Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre

I never would have believed that you could still have an incredibly bitter rivalry where one side does all the talking, but here we are and there it is. This fight is going to be insane for a number of reasons. The reaction GSP will get will be monumental, as will the boos Koscheck will receive. The fight itself should be wildly entertaining as GSP lets loose months of pent-up rage while Koscheck sets out to prove that he’s an entirely different fighter compared to when he lost to GSP the first time. It’s an epic main event and the culmination of a very bitter rivalry, so of course it takes the #2 spot.

But my top spot simply has got to go to…

1. Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson

This non-title fight could put just about any other promotion’s championship fights to shame. This is a massive match between two phenomenal athletes with two clearly divided fanbases. I’ve vocally supported Machida from the get-go, and I can’t wait to see him rise from the ashes and prove once and for all that “The Machida Era” has been postponed, not cancelled. He can do just that if he beats “Rampage”, one of the most well-known and feared strikers in the history of the business. It’s a colossal showdown that you absolutely must not miss.

So that’s where I stand, fans and friends. What about you? What matches do you think should absolutely not be missed as 2010 draws to a close?

6. Tito Ortiz (5,294,000 PPV Buys)

Ortiz’s name on this list proves to me that a once-great star can still have drawing power so long as his fans continue to chase a dream while his cynics keep wanting to see him lose. Ortiz had his day in the sun as a dominant Light Heavyweight Champion, but his continued success as a Pay-Per-View draw is due to his fans wanting to believe that he can finally make good on his promises of a comeback, while those that dislike the man dislike him to such a degree that they’ll consistently purchase Pay-Per-View where he fights just so they can see him lose again. Ortiz proves that a fighter with an established, loyal fanbase can remain a big draw no matter what kind of win/loss ratio he has.

7. Frank Mir (5,209,000 PPV Buys)

Like Forrest Griffin, this one took me by surprise a little. Let’s be honest, Mir doesn’t have the most entertaining style, in fact, many people were quick to call his last fight (against Mirko Filipovic) downright atrocious. And yet Mir has made a mint off of getting fans riled up. His name on this list says to me that you can still be a huge draw even if a vast majority of fans are tuning in solely to see you lose.

8. BJ Penn (5,025,000 PPV Buys)

BJ Penn’s name on this list is indicates that MMA fans don’t forget a dominant face, even if he goes away. Penn has had his fair share of highs and lows, but above all else, people still remember his dominant win over Matt Hughes, his epic win over Diego Sanchez, etc. etc. Even though MMA has entered a mainstream that always looks for the next hot thing and is quick to abandon whatever falls out of favor, Penn’s #8 slot proves that MMA fans may be a fickle bunch in some matters, but they’ve also got quite a memory.

9. Randy Couture (4,767,000 PPV Buys)

I think Randy Couture’s spot on this list is all the proof I’ll ever need in order to know that MMA is a tough addiction to quit. As strange as it may sound to say, consider that there could honestly be some MMA fans that grew up watching Randy Couture. He’s certainly competed in a main event or close to main event capacity long enough for this to happen. Throughout all the years Couture has been competing, his fans have stayed with him and with the sport. In a world dominated by the Males 18-34 demographic, Couture’s spot on this list tells me that the old dogs have a lot more influence than we might think when it comes to who draws in this sport.

10. Anderson Silva (4,650,000 PPV Buys)

Our final entrant on this list, I think Anderson Silva proves above all else that the UFC Hype Machine knows how to make stars. Anderson Silva was always a fantastic fighter, but thanks to the UFC’s marketing juggernauts, Silva has been built up as the be-all and end-all in the UFC, with UFC President Dana White consistently calling him the top “Pound-for-Pound” athlete in the world despite a few puzzling fights where Silva seemed to have little fight in him. Silva is living proof that a great fighter will always be great, but a great fighter marketed correctly can bring in a huge amount of money.

So that’s the list, fans and friends. Remember, the full list can be found on MMA Manifesto. And now it’s your turn: did anyone in the bottom 5 surprise you? Do you think someone should be ranked higher than someone else? And what do you think these athletes say about our sport?

The 11-bout card has been made official by the promotion today, including two-televised Spike TV bouts serving as the lead in for what is shaping up to be a good night of fights.

Along with the highly anticipated light heavyweight match up, a pair of former welterweight champion’s are set to face one another for a third time in order to put to rest a rivalry that has lasted for over 7 years, when BJ Penn meets UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes in the co-main event of the evening.

In addition the 170-pound fight, a pivotal match up in the lightweight division has been arranged, with two “The Ultimate Fighter” veterans squaring off on the pay-per-view event. Joe Luazon will meet George Sotiropoulos, who is currently riding a 6-fight win streak inside the octagon, with his last victory coming over the likes of perennial contender Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 116. For Lauzon, a win could vaunt him back into the title mix.

Here is the full card in it’s entirety. Thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the lovely format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown vs. Brian Foster
* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O’Brien
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

5. Jamie Varner vs. Nate Diaz

This is assuming that Diaz would be willing to drop back down to 155. I think this would be a excellent match-up between two bad-boys that has a whole lot of potential. I think it would be great to see how Varner deals with Nate’s “punches in bunches” style, and if this fight goes to the ground, this could end up being a very engaging and wildly entertaining ground war. Plus, could you imagine the kind of venom both men would spew leading up to this match? I can’t even begin to imagine how bitter this rivalry could get if Diaz and Varner began to trade barbs.

4. Donald Cerrone vs. Clay Guida

Donald Cerrone is one of the most entertaining fighters in the WEC’s Lightweight division, and the same could be said for Clay Guida in the UFC’s Lightweight division. This would be a bench-setting brawl where both men would absorb incredible amounts of punishment and just keep swinging. Cerrone would most likely win, but Guida would pull a Fight of the Year contender out of “Cowboy” before all was said and done.

3. Anthony Pettis vs. Diego Sanchez

I don’t think I can accurately put into words just how crazy this fight could be. Sanchez seems to have rediscovered the fire inside himself following his huge victory over Paulo Thiago at UFC 121. For “Showtime” Anthony Pettis, that fire has never gone out and in fact continues to grow. This would be a wild, wild fight, with constant action. Both men would practically be flying around the cage if they show up in top condition and start to get competitive. On paper it has all the right ingredients for one of the most explosive matches in recent history.

2. Ben Henderson vs. Frank Edgar

It’s a battle of the underdogs-turned-champions, and I’d love to see it happen. Both men share very similar fates: no one thought they had it in them to be champion, and now they stand tall as the unquestioned best of their promotion’s Lightweight division. Both men are hard-working champions that have the impressive cardio to last five rounds and be dangerous from the first bell to the last. Take my word for it, if it ever happens this fight would be a lock for Fight of the Year.

But of course, my #1 “UFC vs. WEC” dream match just has to be…

1. Jose Aldo vs. BJ Penn

I know, I know. This could be considered “cheating”. Aldo would have to move up in weight while at the same time Penn would have to move down, since “The Prodigy” is heading back to the land of welterweights and is unsure of when he’ll return to 155. But if it happens, just imagine how a fight between a prime Jose Aldo and a focused BJ Penn would turn out. Aldo would come out throwing everything he has at “Baby Jay” with Penn not giving an inch and even returning the favor more often than not. If this fight ever sees the light of day, it will probably go down as one of the best fights of the last several years.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? How is your fantasy “WEC vs. UFC” card filled out?

Although his in-ring antics against Mizuto Hirota at “Dynamite!! 2009″ would inidicate otherwise, the grappling ace usually keeps to himself and refrains from doing a lot of outlandish things. Maybe that’s why the Japanese have embraced him as their leading man in the world of mixed martial arts.

However, most recently, the famed Judoka has stepped out of his shell and lit the MMA world abuzz once again, with his almost brutal honesty, on how he views the Western MMA scene (um…us) and how they can benefit by tuning into DREAM, once in a while.

Here is a transcript from a short interview Aoki, the DREAM lightweight champion, had done with Grappling Dummy, in an official DEEP affiliated gym, in Tokyo, Japan. Props to MiddleEasy for the find.

If you’d like to read the transcript in it’s entirety, the tread along, otherwise, if your looking for the meat and potatoes, what he thinks about the UFC, his favorite fighters, etc, then scroll on down towards the end.

GD: Are you any closer to achieving the “ideal self” you talked about in recent interviews?

SA: Yes… by practicing everyday, I get closer to my ideal self. It’s the training itself, every day.

GD: Amateur Wrestling is helping out a lot of fighters win fights. Do you think you can counter it by training more wrestling?

SA: I am not a wrestler, so… But I do have elements of wrestling in my style. I don’t think I’m going to change what I do that much.

GD: Now that prize money is offered in grappling competitions like Abu Dhabi Pro, would you compete in jiu jitsu again?

SA: Abu Dhabi Pro… What’s the prize money?

GD and Associates: (scuffling, and some back and forth) Do you have any idea? No, I don’t know. Maybe it’s like… five thousand dollars. Pretty small.

SA: Multiply that by ten and I might do it!

GD: How do you feel about the western fighters comparing themselves to the samurai of Japan?

SA: Samurai are the guys with the chon-mage haircut and swords… They aren’t walking around today. It’s probably a misunderstanding of the Japanese culture.

GD: Are martial arts just fighting or do they teach you to be a better person?

SA: Well, it’s my job. I don’t really know if it would benefit me… A lot of people say that fighters are good people, but I’m not sure how useful it is for a professional fighter to be a nice guy.

:::: Free conversation, starting with BJ Penn‘s loss to Frankie Edgar ::::

SA: BJ lost the fight, but… I am a really huge fan of BJ Penn. In fact, he’s my favorite fighter. Technically he lost, but… Real martial arts means a knockout or a submission. I still think he is the “number one”. I think the problem in the fight was that BJ didn’t try hard enough to get the submission and finish the fight. I think that was the problem. Maybe technically it was a good game, but not very interesting.

GD: Do you want to see Gray Maynard vs Frankie Edgar?

SA: I don’t! (laughs).

:::: Free Conversation Concerning Western MMA; Specifically, the UFC ::::

SA: I am a really big fan of the UFC. I love it. But the wrestling style of take down, holding… Standing, a little boxing, then another take down… It’s boring. Going for the submission, the KO, is much more interesting. That’s what Japanese MMA is all about. Lately, in the UFC, there are some amazing fighters, but… It’s not always exciting.

:::: Favorite Fighters ::::

SA: My favorite fighters are BJ Penn, Joe Stevenson, Kenny Florian, Melvin Guillard, Nate Diaz. I like aggressive fighters. All this wrestling is boring.

:::: The Gilbert Melendez fight in Strikeforce, last April; his last loss ::::

SA: (In the Melendez fight) it had nothing to do with the cage. I was simply weak. I can’t really explain it in words, but… Step by step, I’m improving. It will be fine.

:::: His opinion on the top 4 fighters in the lightweight division ::::

SA: BJ Penn, Eddie Alvarez, Gilbert Melendez, Frankie Edgar… Anyway, there’s four (top lightweights). With BJ as number one. The most aggressive is Eddie Alvarez. The most defensive is Franke Edgar. Gray Maynard!…He’s a…(hesitating) good wrestler.

:::: MMA Promotions Aoki watches ::::

SA: I watch all the American MMA shows. From Elite XC, then Strikeforce, the UFC… Basically I watch everything. When a fighter get’s released from the UFC, they move down to a local promotion. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose. With tough fighters coming up, it’s good.

GD: How much weight do you cut?

SA: Five or Six kilograms (which translates to 11 to 13 pounds). (Cutting lots of weight) is not good for the body. American fighters train so hard, they use a lot of supplements. So their fighting peak is pretty small.

(except Randy Couture)

SA: (Smiles and nods)

I encourage everyone to watch the video when they have a chance. I’m sure the little nuances and such would be much better translated on video instead of me writing it all out, inch by inch.

So, MMA peeps, what’s your take on Aoki now? Have your views changed? Do you agree with his assessment of the Western MMA scene? Sound off in the comment section below.

Headlining the nights festivities will be former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in a non-title bout, with a trilogy between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn being completed that night, serving as the co-main event of the evening.

Prior to these bouts, a pair of middleweights and 170-pound fighters will be in action as part of the Spike TV special, which will have the potential to reach 96.1 million people at home in these United States.

MMAJunkie.com has indicated that match ups between middleweights Mark Munoz vs Aaron Simpson, and Matt Brown vs Rory MacDonald, will serve as the two bouts selected for the Spike broadcast.

Munoz, a heavy handed wrestler is coming off the sting of his first defeat in the middleweight division, where he lost a close split-decision to top contender Yushin Okami. The Japanese star brought it to the former NCAA champion early and often, dropping Munoz on one occasion and stuffing all of his take down attempts. Mark hung tough, and even managed to wobble Okami to the ground and pressured him with his improved stand up arsenal. In the end it wasn’t enough, and Munoz saw a three-fight win streak snapped with the loss.

Aaron, meanwhile, is coming off a loss as well, his first as a professional mixed martial artist. A two-time NCAA champion in 96′ and 98′, became an assistant wrestling coach for Arizona State, where he initially compiled 110 victories for the university.

There, he coached the likes of UFC standouts CB Dollaway, Ryan Bader, and current UFC heavyweight number one contender, Cain Velasquez. Being bit by the biting bug, Aaron opened up to the idea of fighting as a living in 2007, and compiled a perfect 4-0 before joining the UFC. Going on to garner a three-fight win streak within the promotion, his run was snapped when Simpson met with Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 11 finale, losing by TKO in the second round.

Both Rory MacDonald and Matt Brown are coming off losses as well. The Canadian shined though, in his bout against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, last June at UFC 115. Arguably ahead on the score cards going into the third round after getting the better of the stand up against Condit, Rory was notably fatigued in the final round. Carlos was eventually able to work the fight to the floor, eventually mounting the former King of the Cage lightweight and welterweight champion, pounding him out for a TKO victory in waning moments of the fight. Prior to the loss, MacDonald made a successful debut into the organization with a first-round arm bar over fellow KOTC veteran Mike Guymon at “UFC Fight Night 20″ in January of this year.

Brown, however is feeling the sting of defeat well and hard. The former contender is coming on the heels of two consecutive losses, submissions at that, to standouts Ricardo Almedia and most recently current top contender Chris Lytle.

In the bout with Lytle at UFC 116, which was the second in the series, the two traded blows early, Brown effective on the feet, the welterweight battle found its way to the floor in the early stages of the second round. Both fighters were jockeying for position, and Lytle was eventually able to secure an arm, and completed the bout ends with an arm bar victory over Brown.

Prior to the losses to Ricardo and Chris, Brown was riding a three-fight win streak in the organization and four of his last five overall. However now on the cusp of his UFC career, this is a must-win situation for both Brown and MacDonald. A loss for either could spell pink slips, which can also be said of Munoz and Simpson.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the UFC 123 prelims? Worthy? Do you have any other bouts in mind as far as what you would rather see in place of said matches? Sound off in the comments section below.

The UFC just made official today the fight card, which will include a headlining bout pitting former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson versus Lyoto Machida, in a contenders bout.

Also on the card, BJ Penn and Matt Hughes try to settle the score once again when the two competitors meet for the third time. Both men have split victories, BJ Penn getting the better of the “farm boy” at UFC 46, where he was able to slip in a rear naked choke and claim the welterweight title from then champion Hughes. Matt, meanwhile, got a little bit of a taste of revenge when he was able to pound out the former lightweight star (at the time) inside of three rounds.

While no animosity exists, according to the two competitors, there is a healthy rivalry that has carried over the last 6 years of their lives, and this will give them the chance to settle the score once and for all. Hughes is riding a 3 fight win streak inside the crowded 170-pound division where he is slowly sneaking ahead of. Most recently, he continued the streak when he put to sleep Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Ricardo Almeida, with a modified guillotine win over. The victory at UFC 117 las August, was perhaps one of Hughes’ most impressive in recent years.

BJ, mean while has been on a slope, dropping his last two contests in the lightweight division, with decision losses to current champion Frankie Edgar.

Here is the card as follows: formatted by MMAJunkie.oom

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson
* Matt Brown vs. Rory MacDonald
* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. Gabe Ruediger
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the card? If you are in the Detroit/Auburn Hills area, I highly suggest you make an effort to catch the event live. Who do you think will take which bout? Sound off in the comments section below.

I think this attitude will benefit Penn in a number of ways when fight-time rolls around. For one, I think his last few fights have proven that a frustrated BJ Penn is a rather lackluster BJ Penn. If Penn were to come in with a chip on his shoulder, feeling a large amount of animosity towards Hughes, he likely would have been frustrated at Matt’s new “nothing fazes me” attitude. Hughes has said on more than one occasion that he’s competing just for the sake of competing nowadays, so Hughes’ relaxed nature may have had a not-inconsiderable effect on Penn’s mental strategy.

In many ways, it seems as if Penn is in fact adopting Matt’s recent attitude. However, it remains to be seen if Penn really means this. After all, he did say that he trained hard for the Edgar rematch, and then went out and got humbled in a huge way. But if Penn can adopt a no-pressure attitude in earnest, I think he’ll be quite successful in his return to 170.

At the end of the day, veterans like Penn and Hughes need to realize that they have nothing left to prove. If they can come to terms with the fact that they may never hold a championship again, they may end up getting another shot at the gold after all. With no pressure, with their legacy more or less set in stone, fighters like Penn and Hughes can take crazy chances just to see if they’ll work. It’s why Hughes choked out a highly-decorated submission specialist like Ricardo Almeida.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that everyone should adopt this mentality. For the young guns it’s very important to be incredibly driven to the point of falling asleep at night and dreaming about the belt being around your waist. But for the veterans, removing the stress and just fighting for the sake of fighting is a very smart, very mature move that will likely do more good than harm. I wish both Penn and Hughes all the best in this third showdown, which should be decidedly epic.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you believe Penn when he says that he doesn’t harbor any ill will anymore towards Hughes? And who do you see winning the third encounter?

Limitless potential, incredible skill, and the Hawaiian still hasn’t figured out the right recipe in order to become a dominant champion. His prowess is obvious, as he still remains a prodigy before his time, earning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt within just a few years into the game, winning tournaments, transitioning into mixed martial arts and holding both titles in the lightweight and welterweight divisions, BJ Penn will be remembered for some time.

However, after succumbing to his second consecutive loss to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, in an uninspired performance which saw the former champion drop a land slide of a decision to the New Jersey native, BJ Penn should have the right motivation when he steps into the cage in November to face rival Matt Hughes.

“That fight (UFC 118, Frankie Edgar), I don’t know why I ended up performing the way I did that night”, said BJ while speaking with Fighters Only Magazine.

“I would think that if I was out of shape, that I would have been like fast and explosive in the beginning and then fell off. You know, under-trained people, they really go hard and then they kind of just hit a wall and drop off, but I think it was a little of none. I don’t know why I didn’t perform very well that night. I know I didn’t perform very well that night, and I guess I just got to keep fine-tuning and keep adjusting until I find what works for me.”

Now with the bout behind him, BJ has Matt Hughes to look forward to. The two have faced off twice before, splitting victories. Penn originally got the better of Hughes 6 years ago at UFC 46, when he was able to submit the powerhouse wrestler inside of the first round. It was Matt’s first loss then in 3 years, and snapped a 13 fight win streak and five successful title defenses.

When the two met again in 2006, though, it was a whole different story. After a dominant round turned in by BJ in the first, the momentum changed and Hughes was able to take control for the next couple of rounds. Eventually in the third, Hughes was getting the better of Penn on the feet, eventually working the bout to the mat, and was able to secure a crucifix on BJ, and pounded him out for the TKO victory.

So, needless to say, BJ still harbors some animosity, right? Wrong.

“I have compassion to fight Matt Hughes. We are, in a way, rivals I guess”, said BJ concerning his relationship with the UFC Hall of Famer.

“If you would have asked me 6 years ago if I like Matt Hughes, I probably would have said ‘no’. If you were ask me today, I would probably say ‘you know what–I have closer friends, we’re not close, but there’s not anything I wouldn’t do for Matt Hughes if he ever asked me’. Time heals all wounds, time changes things. I’ve got no animosity towards Matt Hughes whatsoever. What I do have to do is go out there and beat the sportsman, that is Matt Hughes, and that’s what I’m preparing to do”.

With no animosity within him, BJ still appears to be motivated to fight, none-the-less. While belts and titles come and go, one thing remains the same, Penn want’s to keep the fire burning inside him, and whether he holds another championship is irrelevant. If that is all that he desired, then he might as well hang it up now.

“I told JD (older brother and manager) if our goal is to do nothing else but to get the UFC championship and do nothing else, then we might as well stop now”, said Penn.

“We’ve had the UFC championship a couple of times, we have some belts at home. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. I don’t want to be trained for the two big fights, the three big fights a year. I just want to fight consistently and kind of do it. Get my name out there, and keep it out there and hold on”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Penn now? He’s the most on and off fighter that pops to mind, but probably also the most talented. What do you make of his chances against Hughes at UFC 123? Can he still pull it out and make another run at the top? Sound off in the comments section below.

Perhaps the most unlikely champion in years, Frank Edgar shocked the world at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi when he defeated top-ranked pound-for-pound darling BJ Penn in a semi-controversial fight that was quickly given an immediate rematch. At UFC 118, “The Answer” left nothing to the imagination, defeating “The Prodigy” yet again in a five-round blowout that left absolutely nothing to the imagination and saw absolutely no one question his Unanimous Decision victory.

Gray “The Bully” Maynard has slowly been working his way towards a title shot since entering the UFC in 2007, and remains undefeated both in the UFC and his professional MMA career as a whole. The lone blemish on Maynard’s record came in his first official fight in the UFC, a No Contest that occurred when he accidentally KO’d himself trying to slam Rob Emerson, a slam which Emerson tapped to. Maynard was last seen beating up former top-ranked Lightweight and two-time championship contender Kenny Florian. Maynard also holds the only victory over the current UFC Lightweight Champion: when he and Edgar met in 2008, Maynard wrestled his way towards a Unanimous Decision win.

This is going to be a great rematch for a number of reasons. First and foremost, both men are at radically different points in their careers and both men seem to be very different fighters. There are no more arguments left to make: Frankie Edgar is the best Lightweight Mixed Martial Artist in the world right now. And when it comes to his opponent, Maynard’s undefeated record and lopsided manhandling of “KenFlo” makes “The Bully” a very worthy championship contender. When they first met both men were fighting for Lightweight legitimacy. Now they’ll be fighting for Lightweight dominance. It’s a great story, and it should make for an entertaining fight.

However, I have to at least grudgingly admit that the cynics could be right. The potential is there for this fight to be boring. I disagree wholeheartedly with the assertion that this fight will be an abysmal stall-fest, but I’m not going to ignore that claim and pretend that it has no merit. At its absolute worst, this fight could be atrocious. But you can say the same thing about any fight. And that’s my point: I think both men are being unjustly criticized just because they’re wrestling-based fighters with a large amount of wins by decision.

A fight can still be entertaining even if it goes to the judges, even if both men are wrestlers, even if we’d rather see fighters like BJ Penn or Kenny Florian in the Octagon fighting for that big hunk of gold that means so much. I think both men will put on a fantastic performance, and I honestly believe that this early criticism will do nothing except make Edgar and Maynard want to win that much more. So lighten up and don’t worry so much, fans and friends. I’ve got a feeling that this is going to be a good one.

But what about you? What do you think we’ll see when Edgar/Maynard 2 finally happens?

Here’s what Hughes had to say: “These last couple fights, I’ve really, really had a good time. The walk-out, in the locker-room. It’s all just been extremely fun. I think I’ve found a way, and I can’t explain it, where I’m just having a good time out there. I’m just having fun with it. I’m still fighting because I still enjoy getting in there.”

As I’ve said in the past, I think this is the perfect mentality for Matt Hughes to have as he enters the latest (I won’t say “final” just yet) phase of his career. It’s the same mentality that has allowed Randy Couture to compete at such a high level for so long. With his legacy as one of the best UFC fighters of all time now more or less set in stone, Matt Hughes can do things and try things just to say he did them and tried them. It may not work out every single time, but when it does, we get amazing/crazy moments like when he choked out submission specialist Ricardo Almeida.

And honestly, I think Hughes has a great shot at beating BJ Penn, and I say this as a massive BJ Penn fan. Both men are at radically different points in their careers from when they met both times previously. Hughes won’t have to play it tentatively, he can go in charging, guns-blazing non-stop from the start of Round 1. Meanwhile, Penn is in a do-or-die scenario fighting for his legitimacy as a top-ranked Mixed Martial Artist. Putting it plainly, Penn needs this win far more than Hughes does. That’s a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of “The Prodigy”, and if his recent fights have proven anything, it’s that BJ Penn doesn’t always thrive under pressure.

It won’t be easy though, I’d like to make that clear. As I said, I’m a huge “Baby Jay” fan and still have a lot of hope for him. Penn has always hit roadblocks in his career only to come back better and stronger than ever. He’s reinvented himself whenever the need arises, and I think this fight with Hughes could signal another career rebirth. Penn hasn’t peaked, and if he can keep a level head he definitely has a shot at making it a 2-1 trilogy.

It should be an excellent fight either way, which is one of the reasons I’m anticipating the UFC 123 card so highly. It’s a fight that everyone can enjoy, it’s a fight that’s marketable, entertaining, and makes sense right now. If Matt Hughes wins I sincerely believe that he’ll become UFC Welterweight Champion again. If BJ Penn wins I believe that he’ll hang around Welterweight for a few more fights before taking Lightweight by storm and getting “his” belt back. Even though Hughes has said that he’s fighting for the fun of it, there’s a lot riding on this fight for both men. So I can’t wait to see it happen.

And what about you, fans and friends? It’s Hughes/Penn 3: who wins it, how, and where do they both go should they win/lose?

In other words, both fighters need a win at ufc 123 if they want to become truly worthy of a shot at a belt anytime in the future.  That said, their third fight at UFC 123 won’t be about today.  Rather, it will be about yesteryear.  It’s a fight for longtime MMA fans.

Both times that Hughes and Penn tangled in the past, the fight ended up being historically relevant.  Back in January of 2004, Penn moved up from the lightweight division to take on Hughes at UFC 46.  At the time, no one thought that anyone could touch Hughes.  He had won 13 straight- almost all by stoppage- and it seemed like his blend of power and wrestling was simply going to be too much for a fighter moving up in weight.  But during the fight Penn’s legend was cemented, as he managed a rear naked choke victory in the first round.

People forget because of Penn’s reputation today, but at the time it was one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. 

Their second fight came after Penn’s hiatus from the organization at UFC 63.  In the interim, Hughes had recaptured the welterweight belt.  Early on it looked as if Penn would once again reign supreme, as he nearly caught Hughes in a triangle choke and dominated him in the stand up department.  But in the third round, Hughes took a fatigued and injured Penn down after beating him up some, secured the crucifix position, and pounded his way to a referee stoppage.  Some believe it was one of the greatest fights in MMA history, and it certainly cemented Hughes’ status as the greatest welterweight champion ever.

For longtime MMA fans, Hughes vs. Penn has meant greatness in the past.  It’s one of those match ups that people who know MMA usually have a strong opinion about.  Though neither fighter’s status is what it used to be, that won’t matter for most hardcore fans. 

This is a rivalry that needs a third fight.  Great to see the UFC is putting it together at UFC 123.