Be sure to head to Heavy for the full interview, there’ are quite a few gems in there if you’re a Chael Sonnen fan. What I’d like to focus on, however, is Sonnen’s early reactions to Brian Stann. Here are some highlights: “It’s a lot harder fight than I thought I was going to have… I was trying to get an easy one. I was trying to get Wanderlei or Anderson or “Bigfoot” or just some Silva in general would have been really nice… They’ve thwarted my plans here, and now I’ve got to go and do a real match… That’s a really hard match, and that’s a really great guy.”

So, fans and friends, now we know for sure what Chael Sonnen has to say about Brian Stann. And to be honest, this is basically what I expected from Sonnen. Unless Stann tries to trash-talk Sonnen, and I don’t think he will because Stann has never been much of a trash-talker, I expect Sonnen to keep the pre-fight hype friendly going into this bout. That’s a strong departure for him, sure, but only when you don’t consider who he’s going up against.

When you do consider that Brian Stann is Brian Stann, you’re left with a feeling of “well, what else was Sonnen supposed to do?” A lot of people have accused Sonnen of playing a role just to sell fights, and even if that were true, I don’t think even Sonnen is willing to trash-talk a guy like Brian Stann. The man is a recipient of the Silver Star for his brave actions serving in the Marines in 2005, only six years ago. He’s a good fighter, a good person, and without hyperbole, the man is an American hero.

The only person I can remember that has gone after Brian Stann in recent memory is Jeff Monson, and that’s not really all that unexpected given Monson’s social views. I’m not saying Chael Sonnen is a flag-waving super-patriot, but I do remember him using “in America, we…” and “Back where I come from…” in some of his pre-fight interviews.

So, in the end, this doesn’t surprise me at all. I actually think it’s a breath of fresh air to hear Sonnen talk so nicely about a man he’s going to step into a cage against. And for all the fans whose days just aren’t complete without a classic Sonnen interview, it appears that he’s still going to be calling out everyone under the blue moon. So at least you have that.

In a strange way, I’m actually looking forward to seeing Chael Sonnen return to the UFC.

This is probably the last thing you’d expect to read from someone who’s been one of Sonnen’s harshest cynics all throughout his many troubles, both legal and fight-related. But, and this is something I pointed out in some of my most-recent articles concerning Sonnen, you can only kick a man while he’s down so many times. Eventually it loses all purpose.

So allow me to say this: make no mistake, I know who Chael Sonnen is. I know that his professional and personal life self-imploded through his own actions. I know that he’s not exactly the best role model or spokesman for the sport of MMA. I don’t like Chael Sonnen, although at one time he was one of my “love to hate him” fighters. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever like Chael Sonnen.

That doesn’t mean that he’s not a good fighter, nor does it mean that he’s not one hell of a showman.

For instance, Chael Sonnen recently sat down with Ariel Helwani for a long (about twenty minutes) interview in which he proceeded to talk about all manner of things and people. In it, he slammed basically everyone he has a problem with, and he made several jokes that you’ll probably find either incredibly hilarious or incredibly insensitive. In short: Chael Sonnen was Chael Sonnen.

And now that Chael Sonnen is back, I’m ready to see if he can back up his hype once again.

As I’ve said many times in the past, I’m a realist through and through. Chael Sonnen has a huge fanbase and he is now legally allowed to fight. So why not put him in the cage? Why not make some money off of someone that’s wildly controversial but backed most of it up when push came to shove?

Plus, I think Brian Stann is being given a great opportunity here. Stann has looked amazing in his last few fights, he’s been wrecking people left and right. But is he good enough to beat someone like Sonnen? It’d be quite the sight to see Stann spoil Sonnen’s UFC return. And it’d probably even be an interesting sight to see Sonnen take down a fast-rising talent like Brian Stann.

And be honest… don’t you just have to know how Sonnen is going to trash-talk Stann? Stann is a former Marine, he’s a great person in general, the man is practically ripped from a “Be All That You Can Be” propaganda poster. How does Sonnen sell this fight in his typical fashion without coming off as anti-American? It’ll certainly be interesting to find out.

In the end, let’s remove the names from the equation for just a brief moment. In one corner, you’ve got a great wrestler with passable stand-up that’s very controversial but also very popular, and his last fight was for the championship. In the other corner you’ve got an o.k. wrestler with great stand-up that’s really starting to make a name for himself thanks to a great back-story and a penchant for knocking people out. When you remove the names from this equation, this fight makes perfect sense. Maybe a little later I’ll discuss whether or not Chael Sonnen deserves a second chance in the UFC. Right now, all I’m saying is that he’s getting it… and to be honest, it’ll probably be a good fight.

Let’s head first to MMA Junkie for the live attendance and gate receipts of UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”. According to their report, UFC 130 drew 12,816 fight fans with a total gate receipt of 2.57 million dollars. MMA Junkie also states that those numbers put UFC 130 at or near what UFC 125 drew.

We then head to MMA Weekly for a list of the UFC’s traditional post-fight awards and bonuses. For UFC 130, the bonuses were set at a cool seventy thousand dollars.

“Knockout of the Night” went to Travis Browne, to the surprise of no one. Browne more than earned the bonus with an electric Superman Punch KO.

“Submission of the Night” was awarded to Gleison Tibau. The long-time journeyman looked great at the UFC 130 preliminaries, dropping Rafaello Oliveira with crisp strikes, nailing some huge Ground and Pound, and then sinking in a choke for the win.

“Fight of the Night” went to Brian Stann and Jorge Santiago. Santiago was coming into the UFC after a fantastic run in Japan, while Stann was coming off of a major victory over Chris Leben. The two fighters exchanged at will, with Stann ultimately putting Santiago to sleep with some thunderous punches. Santiago’s UFC career may already be in doubt, but at least he’s got seventy grand to comfort him.

All in all, I’ve got no real problems with any of the post-fight bonuses. I actually think Travis Browne won me over as a fan in this fight. His striking is just a little sloppy, but he’s got a lot of heart and he doesn’t mind trading at will. And of course, I loved that Superman Punch KO. I think Gleison Tibau is a skilled journeyman, and while I don’t ever think he’ll become a top-level star, he’s consistently entertaining to watch. And I’m officially in the “Stannwagon”, as some fans are already calling it. Brian Stann is the real deal, and I think he’s going to shake things up at Middleweight.

In regards to the live attendance and gate receipts, this is one of those “it is what it is” situations. I knew the attendance and gate receipts would take a hit after the main event was nixed. As much as I like Matt Hamill and Quinton Jackson, I’m generally against the procedure of simply bumping the co-main event to the main event when the main event gets pulled. It’s a co-main event for a reason, and just bumping it up leaves a hole in the card.

Overall, UFC 130 was a decent event and it seems to have done a decent number… at least by the UFC’s mega-standards.

When Jorge Santiago entered the UFC for the first time back in 2006, he entered with a passable record of 11-5. Santiago made a big splash in his UFC debut, winning by first-round KO. Unfortunately, he would then lose back-to-back fights, getting KO’d two straight times. It’s not like a nobody beat him, though: Santiago’s two losses were to Chris Leben and Alan Belcher. Still, the UFC saw fit to release Santiago.

From then on, Santiago fought like a man possessed and underwent a major career revival. He would go on to win nine straight fights, all of which came by knockout or submission, almost half of which occurred in the very first round. Santiago achieved some pretty notable victories in that time, including winning Strikeforce’s one-night-only Middleweight Grand Prix, wining Japanese promotion Sengoku’s 2008 Middleweight Grand Prix, and winning the Sengoku Middleweight Championship. Santiago finally lost to Mamed Khalidov in a non-title fight in November 2009, but immediately rematched him (this time with the title on the line) and beat him. Santiago’s last fight in Sengoku was an awesome five-round war against Kazuo Misaki that ended with an unbelievable fifth-round finish. The fight took home several “Fight of the Year” awards.

Santiago’s opponent, Brian Stann, is a decorated war veteran that has turned himself into a robust, complete, and highly dangerous Mixed Martial Artist. A Captain in the Marine Corps, Stann is a recipient of the rare Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor in combat. Stann began training to fight professionally and later fighting professionally while still on active duty, using accumulated leave to hone his skills.

Stann made a big name for himself in the WEC, winning five straight fights and the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship in the process. He would then go on to lose his next fight and the championship before the WEC folded its higher-weight divisions into the UFC. Stann would also lose his UFC debut, but he quickly rebounded with back-to-back decision wins. Stann’s next opponent was Phil Davis, who defeated him via unanimous decision. After a hit-and-miss career as a UFC Light Heavyweight, Stann dropped to Middleweight and has experienced an immediate revival of his career. Currently, Stann has won back-to-back fights with back-to-back stoppages. His most-recent fight was an excellent first-round TKO’ing of Chris Leben, who is famous for his near-impenetrable chin.

I think this is going to be a great fight between two very-skilled competitors. Both men have been (T)KO’d before, and that’s exactly how I think this fight will end. Unfortunately for Jorge Santiago, Brian Stann has the benefit of only being TKO’d once. Santiago has been (T)KO’d five times, and if Stann’s striking in the fight with Leben is any indication, Santiago’s chin won’t be able to hold up against good, clean, repeated strikes.

And that’s it for the first fight of the UFC 130 Pay-Per-View card, fans and friends. Stay tuned as I continue “A Closer Look At UFC 130”.

After a brief stint with the promotion where he went 1-2, with consecutive knockout losses to hard hitters Chris Leben and Alan Belcher, respectively, he has since gone 11-1 since his exit and things are only looking up.

During this stretch, Santiago has posted two wins over Japanese legend and perennial top-10 fighter Kazuo Misaki, he avenged his only loss in the 12-fight stint by dominating Mamed Khalidov in their rematch and has since become the Sengoku middleweight champion.

Now that he has re-signed with the UFC earlier this year, things began looking up for the Brazilian, however after an abrupt split from his previous home of American Top Team, many have wondered where Santiago lies mentally, but he insists that he is better than ever.

Just some weeks ago, Santiago, “JZ” Cavalcante and the Villefort brothers all exited the ATT school which has housed the talents since the early stages of their careers. While nothing has been said specifically by either parties, speculation has run rampant that the reason for the exit was due to managerial disagreements.

“I don’t have much to say about it, I’m not feeling like talking about it, but that’s truth, we left to prepare our own trainings”, said Santiago who spoke with TATAME.com on the matter.

“We believe it’s best for our careers. Everybody has a way to handle a gym, and we thought it was best for us to leave the gym and train with each other that things will be best for us.”

As ATT has emerged as one of the leading schools in the country, they have invited many more fighters to their roster, which to most have become a big burden in the main training center of Coconut Creek, Florida. Aside from these four, former EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva, and UFC vets Marcus Aurelio and Luiz Cane have all since made their exits as well.

However, despite the loss of the ATT facility, Santiago has headed a new camp with some of the “refugees” of the ATT team, and in preparing for his bout with Brian Stann at UFC 130 upon his return to the organization, he is in best of spirits, and says he is breathing new life into his mixed martial arts career.

“I’m feeling young. I’m starting it all over again, falling in love with the sport again, I’m happier to train, reminding how I began… You’ll see Jorge Santiago moving forwards, more aggressiveness, wanting to play the game harder. I’ll play my game as I do on the gym.”

The former Sengoku middleweight champion has since left the Japanese based promotion after beating all of the organization’s best 185-pounder’s, including two exciting title bouts with the legendary Kazuo Misaki, finishing off the perennial top-10 fighter in the fifth-round (first with a rear-naked choke and second with a TKO in the waning moments of the bout).

Since his exit from the UFC in 2006 following a 1-2 stint, Santiago has emerged as one of the best fighter’s in his weight class, and now the American Top Team product will have the chance to reassert himself as a possible title contender in the world’s largest organization as he will next be taking on budding contender Brian Stann this May.

Though the match-up has been rumored for some time now, UFC officials have recently made the bout official, which will be pitted for “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III” which takes place on May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Stann is recently coming off of a dominating performance over perennial contender Chris Leben at UFC 125, dropping “The Crippler” three times inside of the first-round before the referee finally called a halt to the bout, declaring Brian the winner via TKO. The win pushed Stann to a perfect 2-0 since dropping down to the middleweight division.

During his absence from the UFC, Santiago has amassed a stellar 11-1 record, which included a one-night four-man tournament in Strikeforce, where Jorge knocked out UFC veterans Sean Salmon and Trevor Prangley inside of the first-round. He also holds a first-round submission win over former UFC title challenger Jeremy Horn. His lone loss, an upset TKO at the hands of middleweight prospect Mamed Khalidov, was later avenged when Santiago defeated Mamed with a dominating five-round decision in defense of his Sengoku 185-pound strap.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the middleweight bout? Who wins, and where does a victory place either man in the stacked weight-class? Sound off in the comment section below.

Current Sengoku middleweight champion, or former depending on the context, Jorge Santiago is now ufc bound.

The Brazilian mixed martia artist will be making his second-foray into the octagon following a leave in 2006, where after he has since become reognized as one of the best fighters in his weight class. Santiago will have the chance to reassert himself as one of the best in the UFC should he make an expected debut come this May against budding contender Brian Stann,

The American Top Team product had been expected to have signed with the UFC as early as last week, however Jorge insisted that he has not signed any paperwork as of yet that would indicate an immediate return to the cage. However, MMAWeekly.com has been able to confirm with sources close to the UFC that they have recieved Santiago’s signature on paper and expect the 185-pound dynamo to return to the octagon very shortly.

Jorge initially debuted within the promotion in 2006 with a knockout win over Justin Levens. However, a victim of his exciting style, Santiago was later on the recieving end of two consecutive knockout losses to notables Chris Leben and Alan Belcher which signaled his exit.

Since then, the ATT star has notched up victories over the likes of UFC veterans Jeremy Horn, Sean Salmon and Trevor Prangley–finishing all of them inside of the first-round. Next Jorge made his way to Japan where he captured the engoku middleweight title, defeating perennial top-10 superstar Kazuo Misaki in the tournmanet finals with a fifth-round rear-naked choke. He defended his title twice after avenging a loss to Mamed Khalidov and defeating Misaki once again, this time with a fifth-round TKO. Their rematch has been considered by many to be one of the greatest fights in MMA history, and was honored as such at the 2010 World MMA Awards hosted by Fighters Only.

Jorge, 30, is 11-1 since his release from the UFC in 06′, avenging the lone loss against Mamed.

Santigo has been rumored for sometime to be facing Brian Stann upon his return, which is anticipated for UFC 130 this May.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? How do you think Jorge will fair in his second outing with the promotion? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to Heavy.com for the full scoop. According to their sources, the rumors of Wanderlei Silva simply refusing to fight Brian Stann are true. Silva’s continued refusal to accept the fight appears to be due to his own personal belief that he would have no choice but to assume the role of the “bad guy” if he were to fight Stann. Stann, a decorated military officer, is a recipient of the prestigious Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest medal of valor.

Taking Silva’s place is Jorge Santiago, who had been rumored to be making an impending return to the UFC for the last several days. Since leaving the UFC on the heels of back-to-back KO’s, Santiago was able to amass a nine-fight win-streak before losing to Mamed Khalidov in December 2009, and has won eleven of his last twelve bouts. All nine wins in that nine-fight win-streak were stoppages, four of them taking place in the first round of action. Santiago is also currently the Sengoku Middleweight Champion.

I think this is an interesting test for both men, and I look forward to this match-up. To be bluntly honest, though, I really wanted to see Stann take on Wanderlei Silva. It’s very unfortunate that Silva’s opinion couldn’t be changed, because I think that would have been an awesome brawl between two warriors that don’t have a single ounce of quit in them. But as he nears the end of his career, I can understand why Silva wants to go out with the fans on his side.

I think this fight between Santiago and Stann will eventually boil down to a classic “striker vs. grappler” encounter. Santiago has twelve wins by submission, and that’s a dangerous number even if you’ve only been submitted once before (Krzysztof Soszynski made Stann tap out back in April 2009). Meanwhile, Stann has seven wins by (T)KO, and that’s not good for Santiago since five of his eight losses have been by (T)KO.

Even though I think Jorge Santiago will be a great test for Stann and that this fight should be pretty entertaining, I’m going to go ahead and side with Stann early on and call for the early-round (T)KO. I just think that Stann is on too hot of a hotstreak right now, he just blasted through one of the toughest chins in the Middleweight division and he should be able to blast through someone who’s lost by (T)KO five times. Santiago may be a threat to Stann on the ground, but I think that Stann’s impressive power and his constantly-improving technique will result in him catching and then finishing Santiago before long.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on this impending encounter?

Dana White, President of the UFC, indicated less than a month ago that the proposed middleweight fight was something the organization was targeting for the May event, however such may not be the case, at least not quite yet.

During the organization’s special Ultimate Insider, a web-series featured at UFC.com, indicated that both Silva and Stann had already been signed and delivered for UFC 130, however MMAFighting.com has since disputed those claims.

The mixed martial arts media source states that bout agreements have not been signed, and that Wanderlei, the former PRIDE middleweight champion, will not be healthy in time for the May show.

Silva recently suffered broken ribs in preparation for a middleweight clash with Japanese Judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama, and had also obtained surgery on an injured knee from which he is still rehabilitating. The two were expected to meet at UFC 116 last July before Silva had pulled out of the bout, where former top contender Chris Leben had stepped in his place on just a few weeks notice. “The Crippler” submitted Akiyama in the third-round, and next called for Silva upon his return.

However, Leben then suffered a savage first-round TKO loss to the aforementioned Stann, who has since settled into the top of the middleweight division with the dominating performance.

So, MMA peeps, who do you think Stann should face in the mean time? Should he wait on Silva–who is a big “question mark” as far as when he can make an immediate return. Sound off in the comment section below.

With credit going to MMA Junkie, the UFC recently confirmed as official the following bouts for UFC 130: Frank Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva, Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson, Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story.

MMA Junkie also recently revealed that a match-up pitting Stefan Struve against Travis Browne was official for the UFC 130 preliminary card.

This comes on the heels of the major announcement that the UFC 129 fight card is now officially complete, and features several amazing matches that will take place in front of a possible crowd of at least 40,000.

While I don’t think that UFC 130 is as good as UFC 129, I do think it’s an amazing show and fully encapsulates how hard the UFC is focusing in on making all the best fights come together in 2011.

There’s simply too much to like when it comes to UFC 130. Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 should be an amazing encounter that has the potential to be an even bigger, even better match than their second encounter. I still believe in Frank Edgar, and I know that if he can come back from the beating “The Bully” gave him in the first round of their second fight, he can pretty much come back from anything. My early prediction is that this will be another super-close fight between two incredibly gifted athletes, but I think the third time will be the charm: this time Edgar will finally solve the puzzle, and he will finally beat Gray Maynard.

Add to that the awesome wars that should be Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson and Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva. In particular, Silva/Jackson should be an epic brawl that I expect will end with a dramatic KO. Both men are at pivotal moments in their careers, and a big KO will almost certainly put the winner right back “into the mix”. Stann/Silva should also be a major proving point for both fighters, and will likely be one of the most explosive fights of the night.

And to top it all off, you’ve got Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story, which are important matches for all involved and should be some very exciting fights to watch.

So while UFC 129 may be shaping up to be one of the best cards of the last several years, UFC 130 is also shaping up to be a landmark event and possibly one of the best events of 2011, which has already been a fantastic year for Mixed Martial Arts and should turn out to be a banner year for the sport as a whole.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to the UFC 130 card?

A slew of opponents have already thrown their name in the hat to face “The Axe Murderer” including Chris Leben, Chael Sonnen, Alan Belcher–and most recently Brian Stann.

The former Marine came off of an impressive performance in his last outing when he took on “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran and former top contender in Leben, who he defeated with a deftly accurate array of strikes which eventually lead to a first-round TKO victory.

Silva has been sidelined recently since suffering a knee injury that required invasive surgery in preparation for a middleweight affair against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116, though Leben inevitably stepped up to the plate for the 185-pound contest.

UFC President Dana White, according to MMAFighting.com’s Mike Chiapetta, stated that Wanderlei could next meet with “The All-American” upon his UFC return later this year.

No date has been discussed as of yet for the Brazilian’s return, who last competed in February of 2010 when he defeated Michael Bisping by unanimous decision in Sydney, Australia.

Following his performance at UFC 125 where in the co-main event Stann took care of business against “The Crippler”, Brian had this to say when addresses who he would like to fight next: “I think I’d like to fight Wanderlei [Silva] next,” said Stann. “He’s a guy that I’ve watched for years. Before I ever put a glove on. He’s amazing. He’s as tough as they come, as good as they come, and a multiple weight champion. I think I’d like to fight him next, but I’ll be prepared for anybody.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the potential match up? Is this something you would like to see upon Silva’s return, and who do you think takes this fight? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Demian Maia

After several big “fall from grace” moments that came in the form of a KO loss to Nate Marquardt and a humiliating Unanimous Decision loss to Anderson Silva, it appears that Demian Maia has finally begun to win back some of the luster he had when he first entered the UFC and was being hailed as the next Royce Gracie. Stann has only been submitted once, but he’s never faced an expert the caliber of Maia. This fight would prove that Stann is well-rounded enough to overcome any threat in all areas of the MMA game, because make no mistake, Maia is still an ace on the ground and his stand-up continues to show noticeable improvement.

4. Alan Belcher

This fight would test Stann’s adaptability and especially his takedown defense. It would be entertaining, of that there can be no doubt, because Belcher has no problem making it a brawl if you want to make it a brawl. The test for Stann, however, lies not in who brawls the best, but what he’ll do if and when Belcher feels that he’d stand a better chance of winning the fight by taking Stann down. If Stann can deal with Belcher’s strong takedowns and his brawling prowess, he’d set himself up for several major match-ups in the future.

3. Michael Bisping

We know Brian Stann can beat Chris Leben, but we also know that, for all intents and purposes, Michael Bisping is a better version of Chris Leben. Bisping has better Octagon control, more precise punches, and a very good ground game. Much like Leben, Bisping is also on a pretty good win-streak right now and once again he’s flirting with top-division status. If Stann puts another halt to another good win-streak, he’ll have earned a sizeable amount of credibility with the UFC top brass, who will most likely begin taking him seriously as a true top-division threat.

2. Nate Marquardt

I think we’ve all been forced to realize that Nate Marquardt shines against mid-level competition but consistently falters when matched up against high-level threats. More than any other fight, this one would prove which of those two classes of fighters Stann belongs to. If Stann isn’t ready for the absolute best, Marquardt should be able to beat him and perhaps even beat him dramatically. But if Stann is a true championship contender, he’ll prove that by beating Marquardt.

And my #1 pick for Brian Stann’s next opponent is…

1. Wanderlei Silva

I admit that this is the Wanderlei Silva fanboy in me talking. A lot of people have taken to calling out Wanderlei recently, now that he’s established some credibility in the Middleweight division by scoring a thrilling victory over Michael Bisping. I think Wanderlei vs. Stann would be an epic brawl that would only end with one man face-down on the canvas and out cold. Even though Silva is still in the process of finding himself in the crowded UFC Middleweight division, this fight has the most potential to be exhilarating, entertaining, and a firm step in the right direction for whomever ends up winning it.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think of Brian Stann, and who would you like to see him fight in the future?

Next for Clay Guida: Once again it’s time to see if Clay Guida is ready to fight top-division talent. Guida looked great against Gomi even though he’s already being accused of doing a fantastic Willow Smith impersonation (because HE WHIPS HIS HAIR BACK AND FORTH HE WHIPS HIS HAIR BACK AND FORTH HE WHIPS HIS… you get the point). Even though Guida normally always ends up with a deflating loss whenever he goes on an impressive hotstreak, few can doubt that he’s once again earned his chance to prove everyone wrong and finally ascend to top-division status.

Next for Nate Diaz: Even though I think Nate Diaz has progressed admirably in his most recent run at Welterweight, it’s still very clear that the Diaz style, at least the way Nate utilizes it, is still a work-in-progress. Diaz was in no trouble on the ground, but he kept getting taken down, and he needs to address that issue. If he truly wants to excel to the highest levels of the UFC, Nate needs to realize that completely relying on your ground game and having virtually no takedown defense is an incredibly one-dimensional way of thinking.

Next for Brandon Vera: Strikeforce, Shark Fights, DREAM, SHINE Fights… take your pick. Putting it plainly and bluntly, I’d be shocked if Brandon Vera kept his job after this performance. With this loss to Thiago Silva, “The Truth” has permanently put himself into the “what could have been” files. It was a humiliating defeat, and one that will likely haunt Vera for some time. I honestly don’t know how successful Vera will be on the minor circuit or in second-tier promotions… I just know he’s headed there.

Next for Brian Stann: The world is Stann’s oyster, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more deserving individual. Stann has an incredible backstory and a lot of skill, so he’s got all the tools necessary to become a major draw and also a top-ranked athlete. Stann really and truly impressed me at UFC 125, and I think he’ll quickly find himself fighting top-division talent as he rolls into 2011 with an incredible amount of momentum.

Next for Chris Leben: This was a crippling blow for “The Crippler”. As harsh as this sounds to say, I think this fight finally closed the book on Leben’s championship aspirations. The man has been in too many wars, he’s eaten too many big shots and while his style is entertaining, it’s “take two to give one” nature continues to be his biggest downfall. I don’t think Chris Leben will ever be outright fired from the UFC, he’s got the skills to be a mid-level threat for quite some time and he’ll always be a marketable bad-boy brawler, but I do think that we’ve seen the last of any serious talks of Chris Leben as a top-division athlete.

Next for Frank Edgar: Anthony Pettis, of course. I know how a lot of people are already calling for an immediate rematch, but it just doesn’t seem fair to make Pettis wait until after Maynard/Edgar 3. So I’m all for “The Answer” meeting “Showtime” and giving us the much-talked-about WEC/UFC Lightweight Championship Unification Bout.

But how is Edgar going to do against the final WEC Lightweight Champion? If his performance at UFC 125 is used as a basis…  Frank Edgar is going to get knocked out. If Pettis catches Edgar the way Maynard caught Edgar, Pettis has the kind of killer instinct necessary to finish the job and emerge the champion. My respect and even admiration for Frank Edgar continues to grow on a per-fight basis, but I’ve been saying that Pettis will become the UFC Lightweight Champion for a while now. And while his fight at UFC 125 was excellent, Edgar simply didn’t show me enough to make me change my stance.

So that’s what I see when I gaze into my crystal ball and try to channel my inner Nostradamus, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 125: “Resolution”?

Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard fight to a Split Draw. Brian Stann defeats Chris Leben by TKO (Strikes) at 3:37 of Round 1. Thiago Silva defeats Brandon Vera by Unanimous Decision. Dong Hyun Kim defeats Nate Diaz by Unanimous Decision. Clay Guida defeats Takanori Gomi by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:47 of Round 2. Jeremy Stephens defeats Marcus Davis by KO (Punch) at 2:33 of Round 3. Dustin Poirier defeats Josh Grispi by Unanimous Decision. Brad Tavares defeats Phil Baroni by TKO (Strikes) at 4:20 of Round 1. Diego Nunes defeats Mike Brown by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Daniel Roberts defeats Greg Soto by Submission (Kimura) at 3:45 of Round 1. Jacob Volkmann defeats Antonio McKee by Split Decision.

So much for the “Muhammed Ali of MMA”, it appears as if Antoni McKee was a victim of his own hype… hype that pretty much only existed in his own head. Speaking of failed hype, Josh Grispi looked completely out of his element against Dustin Poirier, it was honestly a downright embarrassing performance. I guess Dustin wasn’t lying when he said that we’d all know his name before UFC 125 is over. I can’t wait to see how Poirier builds off this pretty huge win.

I was very impressed by Thiago Silva’s performance, and I think that this was one of those fights where you can undoubtedly say that the winner is “back”. Silva looked fantastic as always on the feet and seemed to have found new life on the ground, plus he gave Brandon Vera one of the most heinous broken noses ever seen in MMA. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Thiago.

Brian Stann made a gigantic statement at UFC 125, and I think huge things are in store for this man in the future. He’s already incredibly marketable due to his backstory, but being the man to end arguably the hottest hotstreak of Chris Leben’s career immediately puts him into a prime position in the UFC. We might just have seen a possible UFC Middleweight Championship contender emerge at UFC 125.

The main event was wildly entertaining and fully lived up to the amazing potential I just knew it had. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for both competitors, and I think Edgar/Maynard 2 has officially set the quality benchmark for 2011. While I am disappointed that the fight didn’t have a clear winner, I think both men proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re far from boring and are two of the UFC’s absolute best and brightest. I can’t wait to see what’s next for both men.

All in all, I was pretty glad that I tuned in to UFC 125. The event had several memorable fights and several fantastic finishes. I was a bit gutted that some of my perennial favorites like Marcus Davis, Chris Leben, and Nate Diaz would all lose, some of them dramatically, but all in all, I hesitate to call any of the UFC 125 fights bad. The UFC had a pretty good kickoff to 2011, which is already shaping up to be an utterly amazing year.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your early thoughts on UFC 125: “Resolution”?

To prepare for UFC 125 here is your Chris Leben homework.  Watch Leben’s 2003 battle with Otto Olson in Seattle.  This type of affair has become indicative to how Leben fights.  Trouble early, then lookout!

They say styles make fights in the cage.  In the case of Brian Stann vs. Chris Leben, this fight is made by virtue of their styles outside of the cage.  Brian Stann is a well documented war hero from his service in Iraq and was awarded the Silver Star, America’s third highest award for valor in combat.  A graduate and former football star at the Naval Academy, Stann enters his UFC 125 fight against Chris Leben as the quintessential vision of American goodness with a serving of apple pie to boot carving a squeaky clean image.

On the other hand … Chris Leben has a more accomplished Octagon record yet a far more checkered personal story … to say the least.  Much of the country was first introduced to Leben on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter show on Spike-TV.  Leben grabbed attention when he got drunk and urinated on another fighter’s bed.  Later in the series Leben punched out a window after being sprayed with a hose.  Leben has also been suspended from the UFC for steroid use and was recently arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in Hawaii.   So, it is clear Leben has had issues away from the cage which has painted a far different caricature of him than that of Brian Stann.

Is it good guy vs. bad guy?  No, I don’t see it so black and white.  Leben is not a bad guy by any means. He has just traveled a more difficult personal journey due to many factors … many we surely don’t even know about.  But for sports talk purposes, it is an intriguing contrast likely to play a role only in the sense that Stann is probably the more disciplined fighter and will stick to his game plan.  Is that due to his military training? – probably.  But, anybody familiar with Chris Leben knows he thrives on the chaos of a fight.  When a structured fight becomes a messy brawl is when he is best and has made a ton of money in fight bonuses over the last few years for just this reason.

How will this fight go?  Well, Stann was impressive in winning via triangle choke over Mike Massenzio in his last fight, but that was an aberration.  Yes, he has been working on his ground game, but Stann is a stand-up fighter first.  A good one, but not as good as Leben.  In my view, he is tailor made for Chris Leben.  Leben has good ground skills as evidenced in his win over Yoshihiro Akiyama but “The Crippler” is a banger at heart and in his blood.  Leben has more cage savvy and multidimensional skills to pull from if needed, but shouldn’t.  He is also nearly impossible to knockout with an otherworldly ability to take punishment. Like many of his fights, Leben will weather the first round and may lose it on the scorecards.  However, he will gain momentum and cage control of the fight as the rounds move on until he lands a decisive blow and starts to finish a tiring Stann.

It will be fun to talk about the radical differences between these two fighters outside of the cage, before and during the scrap, but in the end “The Not All American Kid” Chris Leben will be too much for Brian Stann.

Chime in peeps.  Who do you think will win this one?

@john_moody

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi: I think Gomi still swings hammers when he throws punches, but I also think that Clay Guida knows this. This fight will all depend on the mentality Clay Guida brings when he faces the former PRIDE FC destroyer. If Guida avoids brawling and sticks to taking Gomi out of his element, Guida is well-rounded enough to virtually coast to an easy Unanimous Decision win. But if Clay Guida comes in looking to strike for whatever reason, I think Gomi will eventually land something huge and be the first man to (T)KO Clay Guida, probably in the second round.

Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim: I’ve enjoyed watching “Stun Gun” go to work in his time with the UFC, but I think this fight will focus almost exclusively on the continuing evolution of Nate Diaz. Diaz seems to have finally learned how to duplicate his brother Nick Diaz’s vaunted “punches in bunches” style, and both Diaz brothers have never looked better. Diaz may be a dark horse when it comes to a future shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship, but I’m very confident that he’ll win this fight by TKO in Round 2 or 3.

Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva: It’s been an interesting, long, winding, and considerably rocky road for Brandon Vera, the “next big thing” that never was. Vera is dangerously close to the precipice, one more loss gives him a three-fight losing streak, and it’s become generally accepted that that’s the golden number where you start looking expendable in the eyes of the UFC. Unfortunately for “The Truth”, I think Thiago Silva is just too much for Brandon Vera. Thiago Silva will win by Unanimous Decision.

Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann: Chris Leben should come out of his corner swinging like his life depended on it, because in a way, it does. While this may be a co-main event, Brian Stann is a step backwards compared to the talent Leben has been facing and beating recently. A loss to Stann would be the absolute worst thing to happen to “The Crippler” since Anderson Silva made his UFC debut by pounding Leben’s face into mush. The added pressure combined with Leben’s already-aggressive style has me thinking that Chris Leben wins by KO in Round 1.

Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard: Get ready for a war, because this one is going all five rounds and both men are going to tear each other apart from the first bell to the final second. Expect to see big takedowns, huge slams, lots of striking, and an amazing pace. If Gray Maynard doesn’t show up in monster shape, Edgar’s uncanny cardio may be his biggest ally in the fight with “The Bully”. I don’t know how he’ll specifically do it, but every indicator I have points towards Edgar once again coming into a big fight with the best gameplan possible and once again forcing everyone to shut up and take him seriously. Frank Edgar wins by Unanimous Decision.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see emerging as the big winners and losers when UFC 125 is over?

The Event: UFC 125 “Resolution”, scheduled for January 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will air live on Pay-Per-View starting at 7 PM PT/10 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: The UFC is starting 2011 with a bang. The #1 Lightweight in the world defends his championship against the only man that’s ever beaten him, Gray Maynard. Despite the criticism this match has been getting, I’ve vehemently defended it as what should be a very entertaining fight between two amazing wrestlers. Plus, you’ve got big names like Nate Diaz, Thiago Silva, Chris Leben, Brandon Vera, Clay Guida, Marcus Davis, and Mike Thomas Brown all competing at some point throughout the night.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Constant, blistering action between two men with fantastic cardio and serious wrestling skills. There’s a very personal rivalry between these two, and with the championship on the line, they’ll be bringing their absolute best for this event. Maynard will continue to try and live up to his nickname “The Bully”, while Edgar will once again look to combine his ridiculous cardio with his uncanny ability to put together the best gameplan possible. It’s going to be close, it’s going to be a war, and it’s going to be an awesome fight no matter what anyone else says.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Look for two big strikers to come out headhunting the second the bell rings. Leben wants to end this decisively and quickly, since he’s arguably never been this close to getting a shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship. Brian Stann is fighting for relevancy in the increasingly-crowded UFC Middleweight division, and being the man that ends the best win-streak Chris Leben has ever been on would immediately put him on everyone’s radar. It won’t last very long, but it’ll be immensely entertaining until someone gets (T)KO’d.

Why You Should Watch This Card: This card is a strong indicator that the WEC/UFC merger is already paying dividends. This card is filled with fantastic talent, and they’re all smartly booked. It’ll be the first MMA event of 2011, but I have a feeling that it’ll also be remembered as one of the best events of 2011.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly, sincerely cannot think of a good reason. The only thing you can really hold against this card is that there’s only one championship on the line. Even though the main card is loaded with potential, most of the fighters involved are working their ways towards top-division status rather than actually being top-division talent. Still, even the untelevised undercard is filled with interesting match-ups and potential. From Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi to Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim, this looks to be an action-packed night of fights that has a little bit of something for everyone.

Closing Thoughts: The UFC may not be throwing us its biggest guns and its brightest stars to start off the New Year, but they’ve put together an incredible card nonetheless. The only question surrounding this card is whether or not it can live up to its potential. I’ll certainly be giving it a watch, and while it’s true that anything is possible in MMA, I’m very confident when I say that this show should be well worth a purchase and even repeated viewings.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on UFC 125?

Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann, Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera, Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim, Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida, Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens, Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier, Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Diego Nunes, Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto, and Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann.

My early thoughts on this card are very simple and easily summarized: wow. This is an awesome-looking card. I say this without hyperbole: I think all of the main card fights could have headlined their own “Fight Night Live” special. Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann should be a great back-and-forth war. Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera is going to end very, very violently. Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim should be an important stepping stone and proving point for both men, especially if either one is able to finish and finish convincingly. And then you have Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida: it won’t be technical by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s going to be one entertaining scrap and a fantastic way to kick off the PPV portion of the show.

We’ve even got some pretty good names on the undercard. Marcus Davis always steps into the Octagon ready to brawl. Josh Grispi would have been the next man to face Jose Aldo if Aldo hadn’t pulled out with an injury. Mike Brown is a former WEC champion. You’ve even got veterans like Antonio McKee, Phil Baroni, and Jeremy Stephens. Some may say that the preliminary card has a lot of fighters that are down on their luck in their most-recent fights, but I personally think that shouldn’t and ultimately doesn’t overshadow the fact that they almost always put on entertaining fights.

And in the main event, you’ve got two great Lightweights competing for the championship of a division that’s been blown wide open ever since Frankie “The Answer” Edgar managed to beat BJ Penn not once, but twice. In an era where “The Prodigy” is back at Welterweight and Frank Edgar is the #1 Lightweight in the world, it’s literally anyone’s ballgame. This should be a fantastic fight between two great wrestlers, and I personally can’t wait to see it happen. I know that some fans are quick to criticize how both men haven’t finished their opponents in what feels like forever, but I’m willing to give both these men a pass since they’re entertaining throughout their long wars that end up going to the judges. Don’t believe the doom-sayers, fans and friends: Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard is going to be an awesome fight.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Now that everything is “officially official”, what’s your opinion on UFC 125: “Resolution”?

Hawaii News Now reports that “The Crippler” was driving on the H-1 Freeway, lost control of his vehicle, and crashed into a wall near an off-ramp. It is currently not known how seriously Leben was injured in the crash, if he was even injured at all. When the police arrived at the scene, Leben was arrested on suspicion of operating the vehicle while intoxicated. According to the report, Leben was also driving without insurance and even without a license. Leben quickly posted bail and is now a free man, but is expected to appear before a Hawaiian judge next month. Leben could be looking at some very serious repercussions for this, since this is not the first time he has been charged with driving under the influence. In fact, Leben served thirty-five days in jail in 2008 after violating his parole, which he had been serving due to a previous DUI.

All the details are not out yet, this story hasn’t even begun to unfold, all the facts have not been made clear. Yet make no mistake: this does not mean that I can’t be critical of Chris Leben. If this is true, and I have a sinking feeling that it is, then I think that Chris Leben just crippled his career.

This honestly could not have come at a worst time, of that I’m definitely convinced. Chris Leben has finally gotten himself on a good win-streak and is truly and emphatically getting back into the title hunt for the first time in what feels like forever. Leben is even scheduled to face Brian Stann at the next UFC “super card”, UFC 125: “Resolution”. After years of “so close but so far away”, Chris Leben has finally begun putting all the pieces together and finding a working formula for success. And now he’s likely facing even more jail time if he really did operate a vehicle without a license, without insurance, and while intoxicated.

That’s a trifecta of stupid right there, it’s a Holy Trinity of “you done goofed”, it’s a triple-threat of bad driving etiquette. Chris Leben will have his day in court, of this I’m certain. I won’t gather the mob just yet, my pitchfork and lantern will stay safely tucked away. But I’ll say this right now: if the facts come out, and if they say beyond a reasonable doubt that Chris Leben was operating a vehicle without a license, without insurance and while intoxicated…if all that happens, then Chris Leben is a colossal moron and should be ashamed of himself.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Will Chris Leben bounce back from this setback, or are we witnessing another self-implosion that severely hinders his career?

Next New Year’s, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC will return to Nevada with a lightweight title fight pitting current champion Frankie Edgar, who is riding on a 5-fight win streak (which included two back-to-back victories over former champion BJ Penn) will look to exact revenge when he defends his title against the only man to defeat him, undefeated UFC lightweight title challenger Gray Maynard.

Also in action, former Interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin is coming back to action after succumbing to his first defeat as a professional at UFC 116 when he tangles with the former IFL heavyweight champion and season 10 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Roy Nelson.

Nate Diaz has recently been announced as a new addition to the card. Making his third consecutive trip to the welterweight division, Diaz will look to go three-in-a-row following some recent success with victories over Rory Markham and Marcus Davis (respectively) finishing both competitors before it went the distance.

Meeting Diaz will be Korean Judoka, Dong Hyun Kim. An undefeated prospect in the 170-pound division, Diaz will arguably be his toughest test to date, and should Dong come away from the bout in impressive fashion, it could spell title implications.

While no official word has come as far the order of the match ups, though I would assert that the card should look something like this. Here is the event in it’s entirety, though additional match ups are soon to be announced.

Main Card:
-Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar (champion) vs. Gray Maynard
-Heavyweight bout: Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson
-Lightweight bout: Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi
-Middleweight bout: Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
-Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Preliminary:
-Light Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva
-Middleweight bout: Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
-Lightweight bout: Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of match ups so far? Any additional bouts you would like to see make the main card? Which bouts do you think, should they be featured, for the Spike Prelims special?
Sound off in the comment section below.

Belfort, who was originally set to meet fellow contender Yushin Okami at UFC 122 in November in Germany, has been pulled from the bout in light of what has happened to Sonnen and his failed post-fight drug test from UFC 117 in August, and will now meet the fellow Brazilian.

Another interesting middleweight bout has been added to the card, and will be a sure crowd pleaser for all in attendance.

According to MMAJunkie.com, who confirmed the bout with sources close to the event, Leben, a former cast member on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” will take on the former WEC light heavyweight champion and Iraqi war veteran Brian Stann, in a middleweight match up.

The bout will serve as Leben’s 17th fight with the promotion (impressive) and “The Crippler” will be looking for his fourth straight win. After a slide of 4 losses in 6 fights from 2006 through 2009, Leben has since rebounded with three straight victories.

Most memorably, after defeating the previously undefeated Aaron Simpson at “The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale” on June 19th, Chris returned just a little over two weeks later on short notice, filling in for an injured Wanderlei Silva, who was expected take on Japanese star Yoshihiro Akiyama in the nights co-main event at UFC 116. After a tough back and forth battle in the first two rounds, Akiyama succumbed to a triangle-choke in the waning moments in the third round–marking the first time that the revered Judoka was submitted in a mixed martial arts bout.

Stann meanwhile, has since just transitioned to the middleweight division after a career made in the WEC at 205, where he laid claim as a top prospect in the light heavyweight division after defeating then champion Doug Marshall for the promotions title. After the WEC’s light heavyweight, middleweight, and welterweight divisions were merged into the UFC’s, Stann had found some troubles. After losing his title and first professional mixed martial arts bout in the WEC against foe Steve Cantwell (who he later re-matched and defeated for a second time), Stann then met Krzysztof Soszynski and lost by the Canadian’s patented submission, kimura, inside of the first round at UFC 97.

After some early growing pains, and a snapped two-fight win streak inside the octagon after meeting collegiate wrestling star Phil Davis at UFC 109 in February, Stann looked in true form when he defeated another wrestler in Mike Massenzio. After an early back and forth battle where both competitors appeared to have traded round for round, Stann showed the full gamet of his new game, when he rocked Massenzio early in the third, and eventually submitted him in the waning moments on the final round.

This marked “The All American’s” first submission victory and his first win at 185.

Both noted banger’s, the bout between Leben and Stann is expected to take place on the nights televised portion of the pay-per-view, and is a near guarantee for either “Fight of Night” or “Knockout of the Night” honors.

So, MMA peeps, what say you about the match up? Who do you think takes it? How do you think it will play out? Let your opinions be heard in the comments section below.

With an opening like that, which earned both him and Gouveia “Fight of the Night” honors, the sky appeared to be the limit for the Croatian sensation, who has trained alongside legend Mirko “Cro Cop”.

However, a 2-year lapse would follow where Goran had suffered from a serious back injury, putting him out of commission, and out of the minds and ears of the fans and media alike.

Following his return, it marked a first for the Croatian, who began his career as a heavyweight eventually paring down to 205. Goran returned to the UFC after having successfully healed from injury as a middleweight, against “The Ultimate Fighter” season 7 finalist, C.B Dollaway.

Unsuccessful in the return, Goran was taken down repeatedly by the collegiate wrestler, who trains alongside standouts Aaron Simpson and Ryan Bader out of Arizona Combat Sports. Goran would make another run at 185, this time against season 4 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Kendall Grove.

The decision while controversial by some accounts, went to the favor of the Hawaiian, giving Goran his only his second loss.

Now it appears that Reljic will try his luck again at 205, against one of the biggest men in the division, Krzystof Soszynski.

The former body builder and self proclaimed “Polish Experiment”, has found some success in the UFC’s crowded 205-pound division, and was in early talks to becoming a serious contender when he stormed through with three consecutive victories since leaving the 8th seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter”. With wins over Stephan Bonnar and Brian Stann anchoring his career highlights, The Canadian will prove to be Goran’s toughest test yet.

UFC 122 is expected to take place sometime in November, marking the UFC’s second trip to Germany, where Croatians run rapid.

So, was Goran’s move back to 205 made too hastily? How do you like his chances against the “Polish Experiment”?

All signs point to a third loss and a UFC pink slip following his walk away from the cage.

After knocking out Tyson Griffin in just over a minute in the first round of their lightweight affair, Gomi not only picked up an impressive win over a perennial contender, he picked up the “Knockout of the Night”, which added additional pleasure to his already impressive portfolio, as the former Pride Lightweight champion.

Here are the fighter payouts, initially reported by MMAJunkie.com, through the California State Athletic Commission. Gomi earned the event high.

The following is in bout order.

The total list of paydays include:

Jon Jones: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Vladimir Matyushenko: $31,000

Yushin Okami: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Munoz: $22,000

Jake Ellenberger: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. John Howard: $15,000

Takanori Gomi: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Tyson Griffin: $30,000

Jacob Volkmann: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $17,000

Matt Riddle: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. DaMarques Johnson: $10,000

Igor Pokrajac: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. James Irvin: $20,000

Brian Stann: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Massenzio: $5,000

Charles Oliveira: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Darren Elkins: $8000

Rob Kimmons: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Steve Steinbeiss: $6,000

http://mmajunkie.com/news/20176/ufc-on-versus-2-fighter-salaries-takanori-gomi-earns-event-high-80k-payday.mma

Do any of the figures above shock you, or are they as expected? I personally though, Jon Jones would be receiving a bigger pay day by now, since Brandon Vera was at one point making a flat rate of $100,000, after 3 fights into his UFC career, though at the time, Vera can be likened to the phenom that is Jones.

Though Jones was the coveted star of the evening with his impressive finish, many others were equally–if not more–impressive, on Sunday evening.

“The Fireball Kid” looked as the Pride star of old, when he dispatched of perennial contender Tyson Griffin, with a rousing first round knockout. Griffin looked tight early, while Gomi characteristically was hanging his hands low, wading in with strong jabs and punches to the midsection.

Just as Tyson moved in with a right leg kick, Gomi countered with a right hook of his own, with Griffin crashing face first into the mat. A few additional punches sealed the dealed, and earned Gomi his first win inside the octagon, and his “Knockout of the Night” bonus.

Brian Stann and Mike Massenzio were able to secure “Fight of the Night” honors, as both battled it out in a middleweight affair. Early on, Massenzio was able to negate the punching prowess of Stann early on, with effective takedowns and ground control, though Stann never really found himself in trouble.

In the third round, Stann was able to connect on a strong hook, but was taken down for his efforts. As he had been doing the whole fight, the former Marine Lieutenant was active from guard, threatening with submissions, where eventually he was able to secure a tight triangle choke, signaling the end of the bout after Massenzio was unable to escape and forced to tap, which now welcomed Stann into the crowded 185 pound division.

UFC newcomer Charles Oliveira, a brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, was likened to being the Jon Jones–just on the ground–a proverbial phenom.

Darren Elkins, who was 1-0 inside the UFC with a win over Duane Ludwig in his octagon debut, was there to halt the hype–but he merely became a victim of circumstances. Elkins took Charles down early, and was initially in half-guard. Quickly, Oliveira moved to full guard, trapped an arm, through his legs up, and before you knew it had a cinched in triangle choke, showing his dexterity by applying the choke without the use of his arms.

From there, Charles deftly moved to an armbar and ended the bout after Elkins tapped, just 41 seconds into the first round, earning Oliveira the “Submission of the Night” award.

All recipients of the UFC bonuses earned an additional $40 thousand for their efforts.

The first fight that sticks out is “The Filipino Assassin” Phillipe Nover (4-2) versus “The Saint” Rob Emerson (9-8). This is a fight that has big consequences for both fighters. Both fighters are coming off of back to back losses staring at the three strike rule. When you have a fight in which one fighter must win to stay in the UFC, it tends to bring out the best in them. This is special because both men are trying to avoid getting the dreaded pink slip from Dana White and Joe Silva.

Emerson is a very aggressive fighter that loves to stand and trade shots with his opponent. Nover is no stranger to striking as he has trained in one martial art or another since he was ten years old. He has been focusing on his jiu jitsu for a while now and may want to try and end this fight early with a take down and submission. Now matter where the fight goes you can be sure that these two will leave it all in the Octagon in hopes of keeping their job with the most recognized MMA organization in the world. Fireworks should go off inside the Octagon during this one and sadly we may not see it.

The next intriguing match up you may not see is between Mostapha al Turk (4-4) and Rolles Gracie Jr. (3-0). Mostapha is a man who has not been able to have any success since his arrival in the UFC. He has been TKOed in both fights which I don’t think he will have to worry about in this match with UFC newcomer Rolles Gracie. Rolles is undefeated with all wins coming via submission which is not surprising being that he is a Gracie. I am always intrigued by the chance to see a Gracie step inside the Octagon. After all, it was another Gracie that many of us watched eyes glued to the television, as he submitted much larger men with moves most of us had never seen before. Now we have yet another Gracie entering into the UFC. Rolles has been splitting his time training between Greg Jackson’s MMA and Team Renzo Gracie (13-6-1). It will be interesting to see how far along his stand up game has evolved as most of the Gracie’s have lacked solid striking. However going against an admitted submission wrestler in al Turk, we could see the fight hit the mat very fast and witness the newest generation of Gracie pull off a submission reminding us all of Royce Gracie (14-3-3) and the start of the UFC.

The last fight that I wish was on the main card features “All American” Brian Stann (8-2) welcoming “Mr Wonderful” Phil Davis (4-0) to the UFC. I know Brian Stann has not come in with guns blazing since he came over from the WEC but the fact that he has transferred to Jackson’s Academy should intrigue anyone. Jackson has a knack for making average fighters become top ten fighters. Brian is very athletic and Greg Jackson is sure to have given him some new tools for his tool belt. Brian is also a fan favorite due to his hero status as a recipient of the Silver Star while serving in the Marine Corps.

Phil is one of the world’s top prospects in the sport being a four time All-American wrestler at Penn State University, a national champion and finishing his college career with a record 0f 116-20. These are major accomplishments that have the MMA world watching and waiting to see how he will fare in the sport. Training out of Alliance Training Center in San Diego he has managed to keep his record perfect even if it was only four fights.

All Star wrestler and world class prospect debuting against the Marine Corp Captain who many call an American hero. Intrigued yet? I don’t know about you but I get very excited to see fighters making their UFC debuts, especially when the guy happens to be such a major prospect. If he beats Stan his status of prospect becomes set in stone and he will sky rocket in popularity. That is if anyone other than those attending the event actually were to see the fight.

Those are three most intriguing fights we may not see at UFC 109. Is there a fight I did not mention that you feel belongs here? Maybe a fight I mentioned that you laughed out loud while reading about here? As always you can join me on MMA Gospel Radio every Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST by logging into www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel. We have the “Cageside Chat” open where you can talk with our other listeners as well as myself and co-host. Hope to see you there.

Also confirmed is a previously reported welterweight fight between “Superman” Dennis Hallman (41-12-1) and “Doomsday” John Howard (12-3) and a lightweight matchup between Mark Bocek (7-2) and Matt Veach (8-0).

Fighters.com broke the news of the UFC’s signing of Wallace and followed him as he prepared for Vendetta FC’s eight-man tournament and eventual victory in Aruba September 5 when he tapped out “Juggernaut” Antwain Britt (11-3) in an armbar in the tournament’s finale after disposing of Gregory Milliard (1-2) by decision in the first round and Team Quest’s Aaron Stark (9-5) by decision in the semi-final.

Former WEC champion Stann won a unanimous decision over “Robot” Steve Cantwell (7-2) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 16 in the third iteration of a trilogy that began in the WEC in 2007.

Hallman returns to the Octagon four years after losing a UD to “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (16-7) at UFC 55 in Uncasville. He tapped Justin Davis (11-10) in a rear naked choke in just 27 seconds at Strikeforce Challengers in Seattle 19 June.

Howard won a split decision over “Barncat” Tamdan McCrory (11-3) at UFC 101 in Philadelphia 8 August, his second Octagon win in as many outings.

Heavyweight “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) is all but confirmed to make his UFC debut at the event, but his opponent remains a mystery.

The two finalists from the current season of SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 will also fight for a six-figure UFC contract.

Fighters.com broke the news of the UFC’s signing of Wallace and followed him as he prepared for Vendetta FC’s eight-man tournament and eventual victory in Aruba September 5 when he tapped out “Juggernaut” Antwain Britt (11-3) in an armbar in the tournament’s finale after disposing of Gregory Milliard (1-2) by decision in the first round and Team Quest’s Aaron Stark (9-5) by decision in the semi-final.

Stann won a unanimous decision over “Robot” Steve Cantwell (7-2) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 16 in the third iteration of a trilogy that began in the WEC in 2007.

The holdovers from the WEC’s downsizing split a pair in Zuffa’s little show, Stann TKOing Cantwell at WEC 26 in Alabama in March 2007 and most recently Cantwell equaling the result at WEC 35 in Las Vegas in August 2008.

Cantwell is 1-1 in the Octagon, most recently dropping a UD to “Banha” Luiz Arthur Cane (8-1) at UFC 97 in Montreal 18 April.

Stann is 0-1 in the Octagon, suffering a consecutive TKO to “The Experiment” Krzystof Soszynski (19-8-1) at the same event.

The remaining bouts are:

Luigi Fioravanti (13-4) v Brodie Farber (13-4)
Dale Hartt (5-1) v Corey Hill (2-1)
“Berserk” Ben Saunders (6-0-2) v Brandon Wolff (7-2)
Timothy Credeur (10-2) v Nate Loughran (9-0)
“Hater Hurter” Johnny Rees (10-1) v Steve Bruno (11-4)
Justin McCully (8-4-2) v Eddie Sanchez (8-2)

Five fighters on the card have served in the military.  Fioravanti was a Marine, Hartt, Credeur, and Bruno served in the Navy, and Wolff was a Navy SEAL.

Missing from the card is a previously announced match between former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-1) and current champ Steve Cantwell (6-1).  Stann, a former Marine, has reportedly sustained a foot injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Fioravanti last fought at the TUF finale in June and was TKO’d by “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (19-2) in the last minute of round three.

Farber had his six-fight win streak snapped at Fight Night 14 in July when Rory Markham (16-4) KO’d him with a head kick at 1:37 of the first round.

Hartt suffered his first career loss in July at his UFC debut, submitted via first-round rear naked choke by fellow debutant Shannon Gugerty (11-2).

Hill, a TUF 5 lightweight, lost his last fight to Justin Buchholz (8-2) via rear naked choke in round two in July.

Saunders, a TUF 6 alum, won his last six, most recently submitting Ryan Thomas (9-2) with a second-round armbar in August.

Wolff will be making his Octagon debut.  He won his last fight in May with a split decision over “The Grinder” Chad Reiner (18-6).

Credeur, from TUF 7, TKO’d Cale Yarbrough (0-1) in round one in July.  He has gone past round one only once,

Loughran, who has submitted all but one opponent, caught Johnny Rees with a first-round triangle choke at their UFC debuts in July.

Bruno lost his Octagon debut in August by unanimous decision to Chris Wilson (14-4).

McCully was submitted via kimura in 1:57 by Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked heavyweight “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) in July.

Sanchez was TKO’d in round two by Antoni Hardonk (7-4) at UFC 85 in June.

Stann won their first fight via TKO in 41 seconds back in March 2007, but Cantwell TKO’d Stann in the second round in August to take his title.  The Fort Bragg fight will be their first in the UFC.

For Stann, who used to serve in the Marines, fighting at the military base is “a dream come true”.

“I have so much experience with my guys that suffer from TBI [traumatic brain injury] and to get to fight on a military base. I was in Iraq when they fought on the marine base last time so I didn’t get a chance to fight or even be there.”

He added, “Most people go to fights to watch their heroes or their role model fight.  For me, to fight in Fort Bragg, and Fort Bragg is only an hour and 15 minutes away from my old Marine corps base, so a ton of my Marines are going to be up there, plus all the young soldiers.  That’s like a dream come true to me.  Now, I’m fighting in front of my heroes, the people who inspire me.”

At 4:43 of round four, Condit touched – and, maybe that’s all too literal of a description – Miura with a knee to the noggin.

Miura’s body and heart gave in to a brutal back-and-forth battle.  He dove for Condit’s ankle, and that was it.  He had nothing left.

Several times, Condit could’ve similarly surrendered on the receiving end of clean punches from the one-time middleweight, but didn’t.

That’s why Condit is a champion and Miura isn’t, both tonight and in general.

However, before the fight Condit made clear that he didn’t feel like Miura should be on the other side of the cage from him.

Isn’t that always the preface to a brutal back-and-forth battle?

Condit sits on the precipice of the welterweight top ten; and, now, Miura sits on a 9-5 record.

Condit was dumped on the mat thrice in the first round alone, swept from the mount consistently, and tagged with clean power shots from Miura.

Should Miura have been such a challenge?  Untested at the top of the division, Condit’s “W” only exposed how far the rising star has to go.

“All American” Brian Stann (6-1) has still farther.

Stann didn’t so much collapse at the end of any particular strike from Steve Cantwell (6-1) as collapse at the end of all of them.

Cantwell won the WEC Light Heavyweight Championship by TKO at 4:01 of round two when Stann fell face first into the mat.

Both fighters were gassed at the second round’s opening bell after a first session fought in scintillating spurts and won by Stann on all three judges’ scored cards.

Cantwell sustained the pressure with a mixed bag of fists, knees, and feet while Stann withered.

Cantwell’s win was revenge for a 2007 TKO loss to Stann, but may be for naught as the WEC will knockout its 205-pound division before the end of this year.

Fighters.com speculates that the next time Stann fights it’ll be in the UFC’s middleweight division.

WEC Lightweight Champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (15-2) looked like he got hit by…well, a “Wrecking Ball” after a minute in the cage with Marcus Hicks (8-1).

Varner was slammed twice, nearly tapped in Hicks’s bread-and-butter guillotine, and couldn’t get a beat on the 5’7″ brawler standing-up.

“He kept taking me down.  I’ve never been taken down like that in MMA before,” Varner admitted after the fight.

But, one minute was about how long it took Varner to find his range.

Once Varner rattled Hicks with a knee as Hicks shot to dump Varner, it was all “Worm” digging holes in Hicks’s skull.

Varner unloaded a barrage that Hicks seemed to walk through until the final onslaught beginning with two knees square on Hicks’s jaw and three straight rights that finally left Hicks limp on the mat at 2:08 of round one.

“I’m sure I’ll see [Hicks] again,” Varner said after the TKO title defense.

Bantamweight Brian Bowles (6-0) fell “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-4) at 3:30 of round one in a guillotine choke cinched as Page hoisted Bowles for a slam.

Page stumbled with Bowles monkeyed around him holding the submission before rocking backwards and collapsing as he tapped out.

The fighters had exchanged evenly to begin the fight, Page taking his advantage standing while Bowles had nearly locked a guillotine on the mat early in the round.

“Fluke” Josh Grispi (9-1) tagged Micah Miller (9-2) with an overhand right to Miller’s temple that spiraled Miller to the mat.  Grispi closed the show with a pair of rights before referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight at :50 of round one.

Brock Larson (23-2-1) slobberknocked Carlo Prater (23-6-1) with a straight left and finished him off on the mat at :37 of round one.

Las Vegas favorite Blas Avena (3-2) wheeled lefts and rights at the cage, dropping opponent Dave Terrel (5-2), then leaving him slumped and eating clean shots until the referee stoppage 1:07 of the first round.

Lightweight Shane Roller (4-1) finally locked in a guillotine choke on his third attempt at 3:00 of the first round to tap “Maniac” Todd Moore (9-2).

Lightweight Mike Budnik (7-0) tapped Greg McIntyre (5-3) by triangle choke at 3:21 of round three.

Bantamweight Scott Jorgensen (5-2) won a unanimous decision over Kenji Osawa (13-8-2).

Everyone made weight, except for WEC lightweight title challenger “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0), who needed an hour to drop one pound before stepping into the cage across from Champ “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2).

Curiously, WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann (6-0) weighed 201 1/2 pounds, causing “Version 2.5″ Rory Singer (11-8) to shout from the crowd, “201!  What!?”

Stann’s opponent, Steve Cantwell (5-1), weighed-in at the 205-pound limit.

Refresh Fighters.com tonight for live coverage from The Joint in Las Vegas.

Condit has obliterated the 170-pound field since joining the WEC from Pancrase, winning four-straight, all by stoppage, three of the four in the first round.

In February, it took Condit just 3:48 to vanquish Brazilian Carlo Prater (22-6-1) in a guillotine choke before Condit’s hometown crowd in Albuquerque.

Miura has won two straight since losing his WEC debut by UD to Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5).

In March, Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of round one.

The WEC also officially announced light heavyweight champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-0) will defend his title from Steve Cantwell (5-1) and lightweight champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (14-2) will be challenged by “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0); but, Fighters.com readers already knew that…

“Jus’ gonna play my game,” Hicks said about his strategy to take Varner’s title.

Varner TKO’d “Razor” Rob McCullough (15-4) in February to claim the gold.  Hicks will be his first defense.

“Wrecking “Ball” has been just that since joining the WEC in April 2007, submitting all three of his opponents by guillotine choke, most recently dealing “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) his first loss.

The card will be headlined by “All American” Brian Stann‘s (6-0) first defense of his light heavyweight title in a rematch versus Steve Cantwell (5-1).

Stann TKO’d Cantwell in March 2007.

“We’re still trying to figure that out,” White admitted, but added, “We’re going to make the WEC the smaller weights and the UFC will be the heavier weights.  We’ll probably take some of the guys in the higher weights, the champions over there and bring them into UFC.”

The WEC currently features featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight divsions.  The UFC includes lightweight up to heavyweight divisions.

The UFC has recently lost several top heavyweight talents, including Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4), who was released by white and signed by Adrenaline MMA.

Fighters.com’s second-ranked heavyweight, “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) “resigned” from his UFC contract in October 2007; though, White continues to consider Couture a co-holder of the UFC heavyweight title with “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1).  Friday, White repeated his invitation to Couture to settle the championship versus Nogueira.

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked heavyweight “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) is currently a free agent and expected to leave the UFC, though White repeated Friday his optimism in re-signing Arlovski.

Former top-ranked heavy “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) was also recently released from his UFC contract after losing two straight.

Champions who could be changing promotions are WEC Light Heavyweight Champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-0), WEC Middleweight Champion and Fighters.com third-ranked 185-pounder “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0), and UFC Lightweight Champion and Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked 155-pounder “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn (12-4-1).

White also mentioned his desire to match WEC Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (20-1) versus “Kid” Norifumi Yamamoto (17-1).  The two fighters are considered the world’s best at 145-pounds.  White stated that “Kid” “comes with a big price-tag.”

On the undercard of 33, lightweight “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0) swung through formerly undefeated “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) in 1:42.

Steve Cantwell (5-1) impressed in a first round rear naked choke deconstruction of 205-pound “Wrecking Machine” Tim McKenzie (11-5).

Top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) scored a unanimous decision after a three-round workout with late replacement Bryan Baker (6-1).

“Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) went into the trenches with lightweight Sergio Gomez (7-2) to score a unanimous decision.

Also on the card, Hiromitsu Miura (9-4), Brock Larson (23-2), Alex Serdyukov (7-4), and “The Pink Pounder” Logan Clark (10-1) added wins to their respective records.

Bantamweights Kenji Osawa (13-7-2) and American Top Team’s Chris Manuel (6-0-2) reached a split draw by scores of 29-28 for Osawa, 29-28 for Manuel, and 28-28.

The main event between Stann and Marshall spanned the most action-packed 1:35 of the televised card.

At the bell, Stann marched forward while a more cautious Marshall circled in a hurky-jerky Muay Thai stance.

Stann scored first, a kick to Marshall’s thigh.  Marshall countered with the same, but Stann grazed a right hook across the “Rhino’s” horn.

Again, the light heavies traded leg kicks, but Marshall’s counter was checked by a statuesque “All American”, sending the champion off-balance into the cage.

Stann was just too powerful as Marshall wrapped a Thai clinch around the back of his opponent’s neck at the cage, but wasn’t strong enough to control Stann’s head.

Marshall broke the clinch with a right haymaker and Stann countered with a spot-on left hook that dropped Marshall to his ass.

Stann followed Marshall to the mat with a barrage of fists, but referee Herb Dean waved the battle finished as Marshall struggled to avoid the onslaught.

Stann burst into tears upon victory.  “This belt represents all my Marines and my friends who couldn’t be here right now, who died in combat with me.”

Stann looked polished in victory after spending time with Team Quest to prepare and will be a tough customer for future challengers.

Another tough customer, lightweight Marcus Hicks, treated formerly undefeated Ed Ratcliff to a man-sized, first-round whoopin’.

After a clumsy standing guillotine against the cage by Hicks, “The Wrecking Ball” broke the clinch with an uppercut, then retreated with looping roundhouse that landed flush on Ratcliff’s chin.

Hicks pressed and dumped shell-shocked “9mm” on the mat in a double-leg takedown.  This time Hicks’s guillotine would bite deep and Ratcliff tapped.

The 5’6″, stocky Texan, Hicks, improves his high-pressure strategy with every outing.

After suffering a 41-second TKO premier in the WEC c/o newly-crowned champion, Stann, Steve Cantwell has followed with consecutive first round stoppages.

A Cantwell right high kick partially landed and backed up Tim McKenzie, a light heavyweight with a win over former division champion Doug Marshall.

Cantwell followed with a right piston, left hook combo that dropped McKenzie.

On the mat, Cantwell wrestled into the full mount where still-dazed McKenzie rolled to his stomach under Cantwell’s looping G’n'P.

Cantwell easily dug-in a rear naked choke causing McKenzie to tap once and weakly.

Chael Sonnen appeared ready for WEC Middleweight Champion “Ely” Paulão Filho (16-0); but, late replacement for Filho, Bryan Baker wasn’t prepared for Sonnen.

Sonnen out-positioned and banged Baker in three rounds fought mostly on the mat.

In another three-round decision, Rich Crunkilton won unanimously in a bloody slog with Sergio Gomez also fought mostly on the mat because of Gomez’s inability to clear his feet during Crunkilton’s textbook takedowns.

The blood started flowing in the first frame, obviously from a Crunkilton elbow to the back of Gomez’s head unseen by referee Herb Dean.

Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of the first round.

“The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) was disqualified in 1:50 after kneeing middleweight Larson in the noggin while his knees were down.

Welterweight Serdyukov blemished Ryan Stonitsch’s (8-1) perfect record in the kickboxer’s WEC debut with a triangle choke submission at 1:35 of round one.

“The Pink Pounder” rebounded from a loss to TKO WEC rookie middleweight Scott Harper (8-4) at 4:37 of round one.