While they may not be in the limelight of the big named promotion's at the moment, that hasn't stopped the forward momentum of both Bobby Lashley and Phil Baroni--two fighters that at one point or another in their careers, were thought as top prospects in their respective divisions. Prior to their Titan Fighting Championship debut yesterday, both men were coming off of losses--in Phil's case, consecutive losses--three-in-a-row. However, both men were able to gut out clear-cut decision victories over their respective opponents, however it wasn't without extenuated efforts put forward by both combatants. ...

If there’s one thing DREAM and K-1’s mixed-card New Year’s Eve “DYNAMITE” extravaganza can’t be accused of, it’s an inability to drum up hype. It seems that not a day goes by without some new bit of news surrounding the card or some hot piece of gossip that gets the rumor mill churning. A few days ago I gave my opinion on one such rumor, which hinted that a fight between Bobby Lashley and Alistair Overeem may be going down. It now appears that the rumor was just that, but fear not “Ubereem” fans: another rumor has popped up to take its place, and this one pits Overeem against the man who officially holds the record for the fastest-ever KO in UFC history. Here are all the details. ...

If you believe the rumors, the big year-end Japanese MMA/K-1 mash-up show “DYNAMITE” just might have gotten a whole lot bigger. The card already features big names like Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, Gegard Mousasi, and more. But according to a recent report, the Japanese-based DREAM MMA promotion recently just signed a colossal showdown in every sense of the word. DREAM looks to be putting together a fight between two big stars and two hulking athletes. While nothing is officially confirmed as of yet, it’s been revealed that strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem vs. Bobby Lashley for some sort of DREAM Heavyweight Championship could be going down. Here are all the details. ...

Perhaps the doomsayers were a bit too hasty in their rush to say doom. Perhaps you really should never say never. It was recently reported around the internet as well as on fighters.com that Bobby Lashley, the former pro wrestling champion and current Strikeforce star, is now a free agent. Many, including myself, speculated that this may be the end of Lashley’s MMA career, since Strikeforce is obviously looking to re-sign him at a lower asking price with diminished focus now that Lashley has a huge loss on his record. But according to Bobby Lashley, rumors of his abrupt MMA retirement are just that: rumors. ...

I’ve said this a lot recently: what a difference a fight can make. I’ve said it mostly in reference to a fighter I didn’t like (Nick Diaz) or didn’t have faith in (Marloes Coenen) winning me over with their spirited performances, but the absolute reverse also holds true for another strikeforce fighter. Bobby Lashley, the pro wrestler turned Mixed Martial Artist that was heralded as the next Brock Lesnar when he began his career, is now apparently on the chopping block. Lashley’s current Strikeforce contract has ran its course, and according to several reports, this may mean that Lashley is done with MMA entirely. Here are all the details. ...

strikeforce may be gaining a lot of momentum on the Showtime network by consistently putting on worthwhile events, but heading into 2011 their future on national television seems far more uncertain. CBS seems hesitant (some would even say “unwilling”) to take another chance on Strikeforce after they televised “Nashville”, the event that saw the infamous brawl between Jason Miller and several members of Team Cesar Gracie. What will it take to get Strikeforce back on CBS? Nothing short of an absolutely star-studded card. In that vein, here’s my personal “dream card” that I think is more than good enough to land a primetime slot on the CBS network. ...

Dave Bautista is back in the headlines. The former World Wrestling Entertainment (pro wrestling) champion landed on everyone’s MMA radar a few months ago when it was revealed that he would be making the transition to MMA. Bautista, known as “Batista” in the WWE, hopes to follow in the footsteps of recent, notable pro wrestling crossover stars Bobby Lashley and current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Known as “The Animal” in the WWE, the two big questions on everyone’s minds are: will he debut in strikeforce against Bobby Lashley, and will he be able to channel his big muscles and raw aggression into a successful MMA career despite his age? Here’s what the big man himself had to say, courtesy of an interview posted on the YouTube channel of MMA journalist Aaron Tru. ...

In their heyday, both David "Batista" and Bobby Lashley were two of some of the most polarizing figures in the world of professional wrestling. The epidemy of strength, speed, and entertainment--these two always delivered. However, Lashley's foray into his new world, in mixed martial arts, has not gone quite as swimmingly. Since his inception into MMA, which started on the regional circuit, garnering notable victories over the likes of journeyman Jason Guida (that's right, the former "The Ultimate Fighter" season 8 hopeful and brother to lightweight fighter Clay Guida) and former K-1 star Bob Sapp. A 4-fight unbeaten streak helped set him up in the big show of Strikeforce, where on his third fight in the promotion, he lost via TKO against the unheralded Chad Griggs. Now in need of a gimmick to get Bobby back into the limelight, why wouldn't this be the best time to bring in "The Animal" to lock horns with "The Dominator"--at least, that's what Scott Coker thinks. ...

It seems as though just about everybody (including myself) wouldn’t give Chad Griggs the time of day leading into his match-up with former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley at the recent Strikeforce: “Houston” event. A former IFL veteran that had been inactive for about a year, Griggs looked like easy pickings for Lashley, who up to that point had made quick work of admittedly less-than-stellar competition. But such was not the case: after dominating Griggs for two rounds, Lashley gassed out so badly that the referee in charge of the fight pulled Lashley off of Griggs (due to Lashley's inactivity) when Lashley was in full mount, the most advantageous ground position in all of Mixed Martial Arts. A last-minute Hail Mary salvo of punches at the end of the second round gave “The Grave Digger” the first-ever win against Lashley, and as he deals with his newfound fame, Chad Griggs recently revealed that he has set his sights on Brett Rogers. ...

I really enjoyed Strikeforce: “Houston”. We had some upsets, some shocking surprises, some highs, some lows, some quick finishes, some all-out wars, and even a couple of controversial moments. From Chad Griggs beating Bobby Lashley to Rafael Cavalcante KO’ing Muhammed Lawal, “Houston” was a solid event and gave MMA fans a great night of action. It’s true that the future is never certain, but here’s what I think the months ahead will hold for the winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Houston”. ...

For a man that once said something along the lines of “let me build slowly or give me Fedor Emelianenko”, Bobby Lashley certainly seemed to have had a bloated opinion of himself and his abilities. During the Strikeforce: “Houston” telecast, however, any hope of Lashley being a championship contender in the near future was sent crashing down to earth. Little-known Chad Griggs proved to be the latest example of the “never say never in MMA” idiom, an idiom that has perhaps never seen more use than in the shocking 2010 year. A former IFL fighter, Griggs was on a three-fight win-streak despite not having competed in over a year. Lashley, to his credit, was a flawless 5-0, and had displayed impressive speed and dominant wrestling in all five fights leading up to this one. And this one seemed to be going the exact same route as all the others, until Lashley fell to the one fatal opponent of all jacked-up hulking behemoth Heavyweights: the dreaded cardio monster. ...

Today marked the official weigh-ins for the upcoming Strikeforce: "Houston" event, scheduled for August 20, 2010 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event features controversial Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed Lawal, better known as “King Mo”, in his first defense of the championship he won after beating the highly-regarded Gegard Mousasi to win the belt. The co-main event will also be a championship affair, as feared submission wizard (his nickname, “Jacare”, means Alligator) Ronaldo Souza takes on 12-2 Tim Kennedy for the vacant Middleweight Championship, which was rendered vacant when former champion Jake Shields promptly left the promotion and signed with the UFC after defeating new Strikeforce signee and MMA legend, Dan Henderson. The “Houston” weigh-ins weren’t immune to a bit of controversy, as several fighters failed to make weight. Here’s how it all broke down. ...

Once again former World Wrestling Entertainment star Bobby Lashley finds himself on the main card of a Strikeforce event. Having gone a perfect 5-0 since debuting in MMA in 2008, Lashley has been subjected to a lot of criticism due to his penchant for fighting newcomers, has-beens, and never-weres. Lashley’s slow build towards legitimate competition seems best served in low-scale regional promotions, but instead, his brick-by-brick ascent to actual credibility has been broadcast on major cards from MMA’s second-largest promotion. Heading into his Strikeforce: Houston match with former IFL fighter Chad Griggs, Lashley is once again seemingly being spoon-fed an opponent. Griggs recently commented on his fight with Lashley, and while I respect the man for taking on the challenge of bringing Bobby Lashley down to earth, I have to say that I don’t like his chances. ...

Fedor Emelianenko is not done yet…but he’s not UFC-bound either. M-1 Global, Fedor’s management team, recently released a statement saying that Fedor would like to sign a 4-6 fight contract with Strikeforce once his current deal with them expires. As expected, Fedor detractors have called this latest statement yet another admission that Fedor is ducking the UFC. As one of the biggest Fedor fans walking the planet right now, even I can admit that Strikeforce doesn’t have the kind of roster necessary to give Fedor 4-6 fights that are actually interesting. I’m being honest here: I’m trying to think of six fights involving Fedor against Strikeforce’s Heavyweight division that really interest me, and at the most I’m able to come up with three. ...

Ever since it was confirmed that former World Wrestling Entertainment performer Dave Batista would be making the transition to MMA, fans have been matching him up with fellow former wrestler and current Strikeforce fighter Bobby Lashley in a fight that has so many dollar-signs written on it that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker commented that he would rather put that fight on Pay-Per-View instead of giving it away for free on CBS or Showtime. Lashley recently talked with Sherdog.com about the situation, and to summarize, Lashley feels that Batista would be a step backwards. To which I say: have you seen the opponents you’ve been fighting lately, Mr. Lashley? ...

When I think of the current rumors concerning former World Wrestling Entertainment performer Dave Batista (known in the WWE as simply Batista) breaking into the world of Mixed Martial Arts via the Strikeforce promotion, the phrase “whatever it takes to succeed” comes to mind. Let’s not mince words here: Batista fighting in Strikeforce would be a “freak show” in every sense of the word, no matter who his opponent would be. ...

Strikeforce: Los Angeles takes place June 16 at the Nokia Theatre in California and according to MMA Junkie "The Dominator" Bobby Lashley (5-0) will be fighting Ron Sparks (2-0) on the televised portion of the card. ...

Strikeforce is coming to Los Angeles June 16 at the Nokia Theatre with an event that will coincide with the widely popular Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). ...

MTV's Bully Beatdown host “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) will fight Tennesse-based fighter Tim Stout (8-7) at Strikeforce in Nashville April 17, Sherdog reported Monday. ...

Strikeforce heavyweight prospect “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (5-0) has been added to the CBS-televised card in Nashville April 17, according to MMA Junkie. ...

Strikeforce welterweight title challenger Nick Diaz (20-8) and heavyweight prospect “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (4-0) both made weight for their respective fights at Strikeforce in Miami January 30. ...

Fighters.com second-ranked super heavyweight “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (4-0) and three-time UFC vet and The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant "Whole Show' Wes Sims (22-13-1) will matchup at Strikeforce in Miami January 30, according to an MMA Junkie report. ...

Fighters.com second-ranked super heavyweight “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (4-0) won't fight fifth-ranked “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (14-8) at Strikeforce in Miami January 30, according to an MMA Junkie report. Though Ambriz was approved by the Florida State Boxing Comission, Strikeforce has nixed the bout for undisclosed reasons, according to MMA Junkie.  The FSBC had previously refused to santion a fight between Lashley and Yohan Banks (2-1). ...

Strikeforce is still working on getting the contracts signed for Fighters.com's second-ranked super heavyweight "Dominator" Bobby Lashley (4-0) and fifth-ranked "Titan" Jimmy Ambriz (14-8) for the January 30 Strikeforce car in Miami. According to most reports there is no guarantee this fight will take place. Bobby Lashley is a man Strikeforce is hoping will develop nicely and be a star for the promotion, yet I see Bobby Lashley being unable to make the climb to the top tier of mixed martial arts (MMA).  There is no denying that Lashley is an athlete. He is a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) wrestling champion. He wrestled in the Army and was training to compete in the Olympics in 2003 before being injured. After the injury Bobby went to professional wrestling where he would later become a "world champion" He has natural athletic ability but his wrestling credits are not on par with the likes of another pro wrestler turned MMA fighter, Fighters.com's second ranked heavyweight and UFC champion Brock Lesnar (4-1). Brock's success inside the Octagon have come from his massive size advantage accompanied by his elite wrestling abilities. It is tough to compare a NAIA champion to a NCAA National champion but most would agree that the better wrestler would be the NCAA champion. Brock is not someone we can compare Lashley to despite the parallels in their careers. Bobby is not Brock and will not see the success Brock has seen thus far in MMA. ...

Fighters.com second-ranked super heavyweight “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (4-0) and fifth-ranked “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (14-8) will matchup at Strikeforce in Miami January 30, according to an MMA Junkie report. Lashley is coming off a three-minute beatdown of “Beast” Bob Sapp (10-5-1) at Fight Force International in Biloxi last June and making his Strikeforce debut. ...

Fighters.com's fourth-ranked super heavyweight "Mondragon" Geronimo dos Santos (4-1) tapped out "Big Monster" Douglas Humberto (0-2) at FC 2 in Boa Vista, Brazil November 8, the only top five super heavyweight action since Fighters.com's original rankings. ...

Below is Fighters.com’s inaugural Super Heavyweight Rankings, a listing of the top five mixed martial artists over 265 pounds.   But!  I’m not at all happy with this list, and disappointed in MMA's big boys. Let's be brutally straight.  The 185-pound Japanese eccentric, “Minowaman” Ikuhisa Minowa (40-28-8), who regularly meets'n'beats super heavyweights, is as worthy of the top slot as Fighters.com’s first Super Heavyweight Champion "Giant" Jan Nortje (2-6), and I’m not sure a “Minowaman” rolling kneebar wouldn’t clear out the entire top five. ...

Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) could possibly fight "Snowman" Jeff Monson (27-8) instead of ninth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) at Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy in Anaheim 1 August.

"We are working on it now," a source inside "The Snowman's" camp told Fighters.com Wednesday afternoon. Monson is excited about the possibility, Fighters.com's source said.

Barnett has been denied a license to fight by the California State Athletic Commission after testing positive for "performance-enhancing substance," according to Affliction Veep Tom Atencio in Sports Illustrated Wednesday morning.

The second week of December brought with it a big week in mixed martial arts competition as equally as it delivered a big week of success for the increasingly impressive American Top Team gym headquartered in Coconut Creek.

From the UFC's "Fight for the Troops" on Spike TV Wednesday night in Fayetteville to the debut of Mixed Fighting Alliance in Miami, American Top Team set the pace of champions. ATT fighters scored big as well at CQC "In the Cage" in Charlotte and during the UFC's Ultimate Fighter Season 8 Finale in Las Vegas Saturday night.

"Snowman" Jeff Monson (25-8) defeated "Suave" Ricco Rodriguez (30-9) via unanimous decision Saturday night during the main event at the Mixed Fighting Alliance debut in Miami.

"I am happy with the win but I was a little sloppy tonight." Monson told Fighters.com following the fight.

The main event battle at MFA "There Will Be Blood" was a full round war with each fighter going the distance but Monson winning on all cards in the end. Monson, famous for his blunt honesty, had criticism for his performance.

"A win is a win but I need to improve." The Abu Dhabi and UFC veteran told Fighters.com. "My jiu-jitsu felt good in the fight but my boxing was a little weak." Monson continued, "I need to spend more time in the American Top Team gym here in Florida. You know, I need to work with more guys down here to prepare for fights."

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