Lesnar, the largest pay-per-view draw in the UFC, has recently been sidelined once again with a second battle with diverticulitis, an intestinal disease which previously had him sit out from active competition for just under a year due to the severity of the condition.

Brock was originally scheduled to be taking on Junior dos Santos in a title eliminator at UFC 131 where the two men were to headline the event. Now, Lesnar has since been replaced by former interim champion Shane Carwin, to which current titleholder Cain Velasquez thinks that the promotion made the right decision.

Cain has always been a man of few words. Even in defeating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110 and following up the performance with an impressive first-round TKO victory over the aforementioned Lesnar last October to claim the title, he was still relatively tamed for a man now considered to be the number one guy in his division.

So don’t expect his reaction to Lesnar’s dismissal and Carwin’s ascension to headliner status to be any different.

Once word broke out, MMAFighting.com spoke with the current champion in order to touch base on the many happenings and shuffles that have been made to his division now that Lesnar has exited, momentarily. Cain spoke empathetically about Brock’s situation, however asserted that the promotion did it’s best in finding a suitable replacement for the Lesnar.

“I think (they made the right call), yeah,” said Cain.

What do you think MMA peeps–was Carwin the rightful replacement or could you think of somebody more suitable for the job? Put it this way–UFC President Dana White stated that there would be no cross promotion between the UFC and Strikeforce, despite both organization being under the same banner. However, when Jon Olav Einemo was left without an opponent once Carwin was pulled from their previously scheduled match-up, officials plucked Aaron Rosa from the Strikeforce roster and he is now a UFC fighter. Think about it. Sound off in the comment section below.

“He was next in line, for sure. He’s a tough guy. I think it was a good call.”

”I agree that Cain Velasquez holds the number one position; he had a very good year and beat the champion in very impressive fashion,” Overeem said.  “Now Cain is sidelined for the rest of the year and having the Strikeforce GP tournament in 2011 there is enough room to take that number one spot. The winner of the GP should be number one in the rankings because I still believe Strikeforce has the best heavyweight division in the world.”

First, Overeem is no doubt correct that Velasquez deserves to be ranked as the best heavyweight in the world right now.  We’re talking about a guy that over the last two years has dominated Denis Stojnic (TKO), Cheick Kongo (decision), Ben Rothwell (TKO), Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (KO), and Brock Lesnar (TKO).  Not to mention, he currently rules the roost in the top MMA organization on the planet.

On the flip side, Strikeforce heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, as great as his career has been, has only fought three times over the past two years, going 2-1.  What’s more, even his wins over Brett Rogers and Andrei Arlovski were rather close until rocket shots were landed, leaving some doubt in people’s minds; whereas all of Velasquez’s fights have been very one-sided.  Overeem has won five fights against competitors like Tony Sylvester (guillotine choke), James Thompson (guillotine), Kazuyuki Fujita (KO), Brett Rogers (TKO), and Todd Duffee (KO).  Further, he’s looked really good in doing it.  But when you look at the talent he’s gone up against, it fails terribly in comparison to what the UFC champion has taken on (at least in MMA).  Then, of course, there’s Fabricio Werdum, the fighter that defeated Emelianenko, ending his unbeaten streak by way of triangle armbar.  Werdum has gone 3-0 over the past two years with wins over Fedor, Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (decision), and Mike Kyle (guillotine choke).  Not a bad list of competitors.  That said, just previous to that string Werdum fell to UFC heavyweight Junior Dos Santos by TKO.  So even with the huge win over Emelianenko, he falls short, in my opinion.

Which leads to Overeem’s second statement- “Now Cain is sidelined for the rest of the year and having the Strikeforce GP tournament in 2011 there is enough room to take that number one spot. The winner of the GP should be number one in the rankings because I still believe Strikeforce has the best heavyweight division in the world.”

Hmmm…..Not a definite.  But is it possible?  Yep.

Keep in mind the sheer talent on display at the Strikeforce World Grand Prix.  A tournament with the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Sergei Kharitonov, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva, Josh Barnett, and Brett Rogers is nothing to scoff at.  Imagine for a second that Werdum were to defeat Overeem, Fedor (again), and another big name from the tourney in strong fashion.  Well, you could make an argument for him overtaking Velasquez.  The same could be said for another fighter, depending on who it is and how it all breaks down.

So whether you believe that the winner of the Strikeforce GP deserves the number one heavyweight MMA ranking or not, the idea isn’t all that crazy.  Which speaks, by the way, to just how awesome an idea the whole tourney is.  Can’t wait for this one to start.

In 2010, the proud Mexican-American knocked out former PRIDE champion and legend Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira last February. The fight put him in place to challenge for the promotion’s heavyweight crown later that year, and the American Kickboxing Academy product did not disappoint as he dismantled then titleholder Brock Lesnar inside of the first-round of their October meeting. The win dubbed Velasquez as the best heavyweight fighter on the planet, as well as the new heavyweight champion, but it came with a price.

TMZ and Sherdog.com have been able to confirm with sources close to the fighter that Velasquez is undergoing surgery today, most likely while this article is being written.

Cain, though dominant in his bout with Lesnar, reportedly suffered a torn rotator cuff that would sideline him for the better part of the year with the current invasive surgery. The shoulder injury happened during his fight with Lesnar at UFC 121, and squelched any chances of the champion competing against number one contender Junior dos Santos, since Cain will likely be out for approximately 6-8 months, according to his trainers.

Since the news of the debilitating injury, dos Santos will now be a featured coach on the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and will be pitted against the aforementioned Lesnar. The two will meet in a heavyweight showdown most likely in June for UFC 131 in Vancouver where the winner will battle Velasquez for the title.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Who would you rather see Velasquez meet as he returns back to the octagon later this year or possible early next year? Sound off in the comment section below.

So, there are wrestling credentials and then there is Daniel Cormier’s wrestling credentials.  He will bring all that history with him tonight as he faces Cole, another strong wrestler.

“I know that he’s a wrestler and a strong guy with a lot of experience.  It’s going to be my toughest fight to date, for sure.  I think I’ve prepared well and trained hard so I feel confident.”

Cormier may be the template for future Olympic veterans and Olympic hopefuls alike, looking to leverage their skills to pay the bills.

“For younger athletes, I think the lure of MMA is going to take them away before they get to the Olympics.  Guys that want to chase the money or NCAA champions — guys who had the potential to be in the Olympics.  A few of them will cut their careers short in order to pursue a career where they can make money.”

Cormier, who has been seen in the corner of most of his UFC teammates from the AKA gym, like Cain Velasquez and Josh Koscheck, will now take center stage with his undefeated record on the line.  Will Cormier solely use his wrestling?  How far has his tool kit evolved?

“I don’t feel pressure to stay undefeated.  I’ve handled pressure at the highest level in wrestling.  I accept the responsibility that comes with all the wins.  Expectation is part of it so you deal with it.”

—

What up Strikeforce fans?  Can Cormier keep the train rolling tonight.  Are you watching Strikeforce tonight?  Why?

@john_moody

With potential MMA riches on the horizon, Woodley’s task now is executing against fighters he should beat, which is far from easy.  Saffiedine has won 9 of his last 10 fights and brings a kickboxing pedigree.

“He’s well known for being a great kick-boxer so my job is to neutralize what he does best while I do what I do best to get the victory.  He baits guys in well and defends take-downs well so I need to set up my take-downs well with strikes. If I don’t get the take-down, I can’t get frustrated.  I have to come back up swinging.

Woodley showed his power in his last win over Andre Galvao, but may be planning to fall back to on his wreslting tool kit Friday night.

“A lot of guys he’s fought, he’s defended the takedown once and his opponents haven’t tried a second or third take-down on him.  The guys that have, have taken him down.  So, my plan is not to expect to pop him one time with a good penetration shot and get him off his feet, but to continue to work and grind.  That’s what we do best.”

Woodley, now 28, has learned fast how this MMA game works.  It is a business and job, yet with a whole different vibe than the college days, which he actually found to be more difficult in some regards.

It’s a lot tougher than MMA — not having full control of your training, the seven-month season, competing 50 times a year.  It was a lot for me.  (In MMA), you have more control over your training.  I can take a day off if I feel sore and come back the next day.  The other training we do — boxing and Muay Thai – is fun.”

The Missouri native, now with American Top Team in Florida is aware of the budding hype circling him as he enters ring tonight.  A fight that could be his last in the Challenges series with Strikeforce and propel to the marquee show.

“I don’t even worry about that.  Every fight is the most important.  The fights that come after this, will come after, but winning this fight in dominant fashion is key.  I don’t worry about staying undefeated.  I worry about winning this fight.”

–

You guys watching Strikeforce tonight?  Woodley is worth it.  Share your thoughts.

@john_moody

In a new interview with Portal Vale Tudo, with translations courtesy of Fighters Only, “Cigano” recently said the following: “I’m really outraged. How does a person leaves a fight versus Brock Lesnar in perfect physical condition and then get hurt without being in training? …How did he get injured? …Fighting is my life, not just because I love doing it, but also because I need to fight for a living. I don’t make as much money as the top fighters, so I really need to work… I do think what would be most fair, would be Dana gives me the opportunity to fight for an interim belt.”

Before I start, I’d just like to say that I’ve been a fan of Junior dos Santos for some time. I’ve loved watching him compete, I think JDS is one of the best the UFC has to offer. His uncanny striking ability mixed with his outright inability to get taken down and kept down makes him easily one of the most marketable, entertaining fighters in the entire UFC. JDS has earned his shot at the championship, of that there can be no doubt.

But the man is a moron and an incredibly insensitive jackass to insinuate that Cain Velasquez is ducking him by faking an injury or even purposely getting himself injured.

Cain Velasquez has done absolutely nothing to warrant such an accusation. Velasquez has fought hard and fought some of the best the UFC has to offer in order to win the championship, and he’s done it all with an incredible amount of humility and respect for the sport. I understand that Junior dos Santos is frustrated, believe me I do. Simply as an MMA fan I’m frustrated at this, I can’t imagine what it must be like for the man that’s been training for the biggest and most important fight of his life to hear that it’s being postponed for at least six months.

But Cain did not go out and purposely injure himself, the notion is absurd. Especially given how serious rotator cuff surgery is. Do a little research on this one, fans and friends: MMA Junkie in particular wrote a fantastic article detailing how difficult it is to recover from this type of injury. Velasquez’s punching power could be severely diminished, his fighting ability may never be the same.

Attacking him as a person is completely cruel and unquestionably uncalled for.

While I still admire him as an incredibly skilled fighter, I just lost a whole lot of respect for Junior dos Santos, the man. This interview was inexcusable, JDS should have kept his feelings to himself rather than quite literally adding insult to Cain’s very serious injury. I’m still looking forward to seeing Cain tangle with JDS, but now I’m planting my flag firmly in Cain’s camp. I guess it’s true what they say about never saying never, because I once said that I’d never again bet against Junior dos Santos.

And if JDS does fight for an Interim Championship, it’ll be just as meaningless as the two Interim Heavyweight Championships that came beforehand. I can certainly respect JDS for wanting to remain active and not wait for Cain to recover, but if he does fight for and win an Interim Championship, the only person thinking that that belt would hold any kind of relevance or prestige… would be the man holding it.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on JDS’s controversial stance on Cain’s injury?

For those of you that need a crash course, the UFC’s Heavyweight division has developed quite an interesting history over the last few years when it comes to its recent champions. It all started when Randy Couture became embroiled in contract negotiations that kept him out of the UFC for quite some time. An Interim Champion was crowned, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and then the Interim Champion was kept out of the Octagon for almost a year. Things were on the upswing when a mini-tournament resulted in Brock Lesnar becoming the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion… then Lesnar famously battled a potentially career-ending bout of diverticulitis that kept him out of the cage for so long that another Interim Champion, Shane Carwin, was crowned. Lesnar would beat Carwin and then go on to face and lose to Velasquez.

And now we find ourselves at the main part of today’s story, as the one and only Sherdog reports that Cain Velasquez has suffered a shoulder injury. The injury was confirmed by UFC President Dana White, and it is being said that Velasquez will be out of action for six months at the least and eight months at the most. It was thought that Velasquez/JDS would fight at the pivotal upcoming UFC event in Toronto, in front of what could end up being over 60,000 fans, but the timing of the injury effectively nixes this idea. According to other various reports around the internet, Junior dos Santos does not intend to wait for Velasquez and is currently pursuing a suitable replacement fight.

I think it’s highly ironic that the UFC Heavyweight division continues to evolve while its championship continues to be mired in controversy and plagued by injuries. There was a time where the UFC’s Heavyweight division was basically an afterthought, no one really took it seriously and PRIDE FC fans in particular knew that the big boys stepping into the Octagon probably couldn’t hold a candle to the Heavyweight warriors stepping into the ring. Now the Heavyweight division is arguably one of the UFC’s best.

As a UFC and MMA fan I’m frustrated that the UFC Heavyweight Championship continues to hit so many bumps in the road now that it’s becoming a lot more prestigious than it once was. But in the end, there’s really no one to blame for it. Even though it sucks that we’re going to have to once again play the waiting game, the simple fact of the matter is that injuries happen.

So I won’t be holding this against Cain Velasquez, and neither should you, fans and friends. We really have no reason to, even though it sucks that we’re once again going to have to wait for a champion to defend his championship. I’m really looking forward to seeing Cain Velasquez defend his championship, because I think Cain is an amazing fighter and I very much believe that the best is yet to come when it comes to Cain Velasquez.

I don’t want to wait to see Cain back in the Octagon. I don’t want to wait to see Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos, because I know, I just know, that it’s going to be one of the best fights of the year.

But unfortunately, I don’t have a choice.

And what about you, fans and friends? Are you as deflated by this injury as I am? What do you think the future holds for the UFC’s Heavyweight division?

The proud Mexican-American recently claimed the heavyweight strap when he defeated former champ Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 this past October in Anaheim, Cali. Velasquez battered the South Dakota native with stinging punches in bunches that eventually left Lesnar unable to properly defend himself, which called for the TKO stoppage in the waning moments of the first round.

Cain now has a new challenger on the wings in Junior dos Santos, and the two men could be meeting as soon as April, just in time to fight before a ruckus crowd in Toronto, Canada.

Junior has been anything short of awesome since his inception in the octagon in 2008. In his debut, dos Santos defeated the highly touted, current top-3 heavyweight star in Fabricio Werdum with a rousing first-round knockout victory. The upset-win set the tone for his next performances inside the cage, as he would go on to rattle off five wins in a row, all coming by some form of knockout. In his sixth fight inside the octagon, “Cigano” met with former IFL champion Roy Nelson, and though the Brazilian dropped him twice in the first round, he could not capitalize and eventually settled for a clean sweep-unanimous decision victory.

TATAME.com, a Brazilian media forum has kept tabs on their future title challenger through his boxing trainer Luis Carlos Dorea, who stated that no official word has come down from the UFC brass concerning a definitive date for their heavyweight tilt, however has relied on some rumors in order to speculate when it might all be going down.

“I’ve heard some speculations, people said maybe it’ll be at the end of April in Canada (Toronto), but nothing has come to us yet”, said Dorea. “We’re doing the basic work, the technical part, and now we’re only waiting to know when it will happen”.

Toronto has been a newly acquired market for the UFC, with the Canadian province having just embraced mixed martial arts as a sport that will be governed by the Ontario Athletic Commission. The UFC has been rumored for an April inception into Toronto, and if director of operations Tom Wright, who heads the Canadian forefront, has anything to do with it, he’d like to see a championship double header for April, which could include Junior and Velasquez in the equation.

“What I’m lobbying for, I’d like to see two championships, a UFC 100 type of card”, said Tom who spoke with MMAWeekly.com recently.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the possibility of dos Santos and Velasquez meeting in April? Of course, if right had it his way, Canada’s favorite son in Georges St. Pierre would be the perfect fit in the equation. Sound off in the comment section below.

According to MMA Weekly, both Frank Mir and Brendan Schaub have verbally agreed to fight each other sometime in early 2011, although nothing has been signed and an exact date is still to be determined. After a convincing Unanimous Decision over former UFC Heavyweight Championship contender Gabriel Gonzaga (who has since been released by the UFC), former “Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 cast member Brendan Schaub vocally called for higher-level competition. In fact, “The Hybrid” called out Frank Mir in particular. Schaub is on a three-fight win-streak with two finishes, and has only lost once in the UFC.

As stated earlier, Frank Mir was tentatively scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar for a third time following Lesnar’s recent loss to newly-crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 121. The two men have a sordid and storied history: in their first fight, not only did Frank Mir spoil Lesnar’s debut, he handed him his first-ever loss. In their second fight, Lesnar resoundingly trounced Mir and left his face a bloody, bruised mess. To this day, the two men remain arch-rivals. Despite all of this, early reactions towards Mir/Lesnar 3 were so negative that Dana White basically called off his plans to make it happen. It appears that Mir has found his next opponent.

I like this fight for several reasons, and I think both men have it in them to put on an entertaining performance. First and foremost, I don’t think Brendan Schaub is afraid of Frank Mir or his ground game. The biggest problem I saw with the Mir/Filipovic fight was that Frank Mir was afraid to strike with Mirko Cro Cop and Mirko Cro Cop was afraid to grapple with Frank Mir. In his four fights in the UFC, Schaub has shown no fear of facing anyone in any facet of the MMA game.

If push comes to shove, Schaub will push the pace and force Mir to engage with him. And that’s an entertaining fight for several reasons. It always feels like Frank Mir’s best has to be dragged kicking and screaming out of him, but when it does emerge, Mir is an amazing performer. His striking has gotten a lot better, and his submission skills have always been at the top of the division.

Brendan Schaub is also no joke, and I think he’s proven once and for all that he’s ready for top-division competition. His loss to Roy Nelson is basically a distant memory now that he’s gotten some convincing wins under his belt. This fight will be the biggest test of Schaub’s career so far, and that includes the Nelson fight. If Schaub beats Mir, he’ll have all the base he needs to campaign for and ultimately receive a rematch with “Big Country” Roy Nelson, if he chooses to do so. And if Schaub wins that rematch, or any other match against a top-division athlete, I think we’ll have finally seen Schaub emerge as a legitimate championship contender.

So big, big things are in store for either man if one of them is able to finish and finish convincingly. Regardless of who wins, a boring performance is the last thing both fighters need right now, so expect this fight to be one to remember. And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early opinion on this planned fight?

According to MMA Weekly, UFC 124, emanating from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, now holds the record for the largest audience in North American history: 23,152 fans filled the arena to the brim. The gate receipt, while massive, did fail to break the current record. The live gate ended up being around 4.6 million dollars.

And according to a new report coming from MMA Junkie, two huge fights may make Montreal’s gate receipts and attendance figures pale in comparison to the UFC’s debut show in Toronto. UFC 131, which is currently scheduled to take place in the 69,000-seat Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on April 31, could see Georges St. Pierre defend his championship against current top contender Jake Shields. GSP has already expressed interested in fighting in April, UFC President Dana White was noncommittal about the fight. However, the article also states that Cain Velasquez could also end up defending his newly-won UFC Heavyweight Championship against current top contender Junior dos Santos at UFC 131, but once again, White would only give a tentative “maybe” regarding the bout.

I would love to see both fights happen, and to be honest, I think it’s highly likely that Georges St. Pierre will be good to go by April. If GSP takes a month off to heal, that would still basically give him three whole months (considering the exact date of the card) to prepare for Jake Shields. And that’s even assuming that GSP takes any time off to begin with: with absolutely no disrespect meant to Josh Koscheck, GSP came out of his UFC 124 fight with barely a scratch on him.

I’d also love to see Cain Velasquez take on Junior dos Santos, I think that’s an epic match in the making and I’d watch it no matter where it takes place. Both men have basically been engines of destruction from the moment they stepped into the Octagon; this fight could end up being one of the best in recent history, and even one of the best UFC Heavyweight fights of all time. I’ve got that much faith and respect for both men: they’re both incredible athletes with amazing win-streaks.

All in all, I think Montreal’s new record will be positively shattered by Toronto’s if the UFC can bring these two huge fights together for UFC 131. And despite Dana White only giving us a few glimmers of hope, I think the UFC knows exactly what they’re doing and will milk Canada for all it’s worth. I have a very strong feeling that, before all is through, we will indeed be getting Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos and Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields at UFC 131. It’s going to be an amazing, amazing card.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think the UFC will bring these two bouts to Toronto, or like Dana, do you think it’s too soon to say?

There are several reasons why I think Lesnar vs. Nelson would be a great match-up. First and foremost, Roy Nelson is ready for the best and he’s hungry to get back inside the Octagon now that his bout with Shane Carwin has fallen apart. And Lesnar finds himself in almost the exact same spot as the man he so famously submitted: with his back against the wall, needing to prove quite a lot in his next bout. If Roy Nelson fit the mold as the best opponent Shane Carwin could face to both get a huge win over and prove himself against, and Brock Lesnar fits Shane Carwin’s mold, then Lesnar/Nelson is more common sense than fantasy match-making.

Plus, let’s be honest here, it’s a fantastic aesthetic. These two couldn’t possibly be more different. It would be quite a spectacle to see the hulking Viking goliath take on the curly-haired big-bellied brawler. I wouldn’t call this a “freakshow” match despite the huge difference in the physiques of both men, though. I think both Lesnar and Nelson have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they belong in the UFC. This has the potential to be a fantastic fight based solely on the strengths of both men, seeing the disparity in body builds between the man that’s seemingly carved out of granite and the man who carves a path through Burger King would only be a bonus.

Another interesting thing about this match is that both men have all the tools necessary to win and win big. If Lesnar can avoid Nelson’s stand-up, he could probably take Nelson down through sheer force alone. Nelson doesn’t come from a wrestling background, and he certainly doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree that Cain Velasquez has. Lesnar’s takedowns only looked so bad against Velasquez because Velasquez himself is such an amazing wrestler, against Roy Nelson Lesnar’s dreaded Ground and Pound could end up working beautifully and scoring him a major and dominant win.

However, Roy Nelson has good stand-up and a vastly under-appreciated ground game. He also has an extremely solid chin, as seen in his recent bout with Junior dos Santos. I think Nelson has proved that he does have KO power, and I also think that Lesnar has proven unable to cope with the pressure of being rocked. If Nelson can clip Lesnar, I think “Big Country” may actually have it in him to take out the Vanilla Gorilla. Also, Lesnar would be wise to not sleep on Big Country’s ground game. Lesnar’s ground game is so effective because he can put so much weight on you, but the same holds true for Nelson. And if Lesnar tries to power out from underneath Nelson’s girth through sheer force alone, he may leave himself open to a submission.

Ultimately, I think this fight would be too close to call and that’s why I’d love to see it. It’s not a matter of me giving Lesnar more credit or Nelson more credit, I think it’s more about me giving both men the credit they deserve. Both men are highly gifted and very competitive athletes. Styles make fights while personalities sell tickets, and this match-up has the potential to be one of the best and biggest of 2011.

But what do you think, fans and friends? How interested would you be in a Brock Lesnar vs. Roy Nelson fight? And what do you think would win?

As if you couldn’t guess, UFC mega-star Brock Lesnar earned the most money at UFC 121. In fact, he earned double that of his opponent, despite losing to Velasquez in very humbling fashion. Lesnar’s situation is mirrored by Tito Ortiz, who pocketed a cool quarter million despite Matt Hamill making easy work of him. Here’s how everyone’s pay scale broke down, courtesy of MMA Weekly.

Cain Velasquez: $200,000 (includes $100,000 win bonus) defeated Brock Lesnar: $400,000. Jake Shields: $150,000 (includes $75,000 win bonus) defeated Martin Kampmann: $27,000. Diego Sanchez: $100,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus) defeated Paulo Thiago: $18,000. Matt Hamill: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus) defeated Tito Ortiz: $250,000. Brendan Schaub: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win. Court McGee: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) defeated Ryan Jensen: $10,000. Tom Lawlor: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) defeated Patrick Cote: $21,000. Daniel Roberts: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Mike Guymon: $8,000. Sam Stout: $32,000 (includes $16,000 win bonus) defeated Paul Taylor: $16,000. Chris Camozzi: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Dongi Yang: $8,000. Jon Madsen: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) defeated Gilbert Yvel: $30,000.

Ironically, Lesnar finds himself the most well-paid fighter of UFC 121 but also the fighter that may be out the longest due to injuries sustained during the fight. Unless Lesnar is medically cleared, he’s looking at a six-month layoff thanks to Cain Velasquez’s barrage of fists. Jake Shields could also be sitting on the sidelines for 180 days unless he too is cleared by a doctor. Courtesy of MMA Mania, here are the full list of medical suspensions for UFC 121.

Brock Lesnar, Jake Shields, Diego Sanchez, and Court McGee are all suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a doctor for various injuries incurred during the course of their fights. Brendan Schaub, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Jensen, Dongi Yang, Gilbert Yvel, and Gabriel Gonzaga were all suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days, for precautionary reasons. Paulo Thiago and Chris Camozzi were suspended 60 days, with no contact for 60 days, due to the cuts they sustained during their fights. Both men are looking at reduced suspensions if they are cleared by a doctor.

Love him or hate him, I think Brock Lesnar earned every penny of his almost half-million salary. Everyone is still talking about UFC 121, and that’s a good thing even if you hate Lesnar. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this Lesnar-headlined card drew another million buys, which seems to be the norm for him nowadays. And people wonder why UFC President Dana White looked so crestfallen when he had to put that big lump of gold around Cain’s waist. In regards to the fighter suspensions, they all seem par for the course.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Who earned their dollars and who got an easy paycheck at UFC 121? And anything noticeable about the suspensions from where you’re sitting?

The guy rarely ever smiles, keeps to himself, humble as all hell, but is still so… Fedor-esque I guess would be the best analogy to describe the proud Mexican-American, who recently claimed a life long goal in capturing the UFC’s heavyweight championship. The American Kickboxing Academy’s first UFC champion captured the title from the seemingly unbeatable Brock Lesnar, in a swift TKO victory last Saturday at UFC 121.

Even after the win, Cain had stated in the post-fight press conference that while happy to cinch the victory, he wasn’t completely pleased with his performance.

Whoever knew it would take another Mexican to bring the smile back on Cain’s face, and he did just that when Velasquez appeared as a guest on the “Lopez Tonight” show last night, where he was candid and all smiles.

“Lopez Tonight”, hosted by the infamous George Lopez, had invited the current UFC heavyweight champion on stage in front of a adoring crowd, which may or may not have been of the Mexican persuasion (Southern California…hello).

“Brock said if he won, that he was going to have a traditional burrito and a Corona”, said George with a grinning Velasquez listening closely for the punch line.

“But since you beat Brock Lesnar, I think we should have a traditional American meal. To celebrate the victory, Cain and I are going to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the nice dressed, talkative Velsaquez? It’s a good change of pace.
Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what Dana had to say regarding the situation in a video posted on MMA Weekly: “Obviously when you move into other countries and try to do business there, there’s obstacles and different things that you have to deal with that you don’t have to deal with in the United States… We’re always going to face different obstacles: the stuff going on in Germany, the stuff going on in France, it’s just part of doing business and doing business globally.”

I’ll start off by saying that I think the UFC could definitely be very successful in Mexico. I think they could’ve been successful with or without newly-minted Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez, but I think the UFC is practically guaranteeing themselves a sellout and a live attendance gate worth several million dollars if they head down south for one of Velasquez’s title defenses. I don’t think Mexico will ever get on the UK or Canada’s level (both markets have given the UFC some of their biggest attendance numbers of all time), but I do think Mexico could be a valuable international market and that it would be a huge boon to the UFC to claim that they’re now accepted across North America.

However, I think Dana White is doing a great disservice to the strife brewing south of the border by claiming that it will be another day at the office when they try to book a show in Mexico. This isn’t an angry media or a hesitant athletic body… this is a bloody war that has the potential to destroy the Mexican government as we know it. This isn’t an obstacle you can simply sweep under the rug. Whether the UFC wants to admit it or not, it’s going to take a lot of maneuvering to both hold a show in Mexico and guarantee the safety of all involved.

In all honesty, I think it may be in the UFC’s best interest not to push into Mexico for the foreseeable future. The cartel wars see no signs of slowing down, in fact, there’s a good chance that it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better. If the UFC wants to milk Cain for all he’s worth, then they should and most likely will simply market him to Mexican-Americans and have him fight in places like California, or Texas, or Arizona. I think Mexico could one day become a good partner and a sound investment for the UFC, but until the political climate evens out, the UFC is best served avoiding Mexico altogether.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Would it really be just another day at the office if the UFC tried to book an event in Mexico? And are the cartel wars just another obstacle in a long line of obstacles that the UFC has faced when breaking into new international markets?

Here’s what “The Engineer” had to say over at his official website: “Those of you writing Brock off should consider this. The man walked into the UFC at the top level (who does that?) and won and defended the UFC HWT Belt… He nearly lost his life and he came back and found a way to win… He is a real champion, a real warrior and as long as he keeps training and learning MMA he will continue to be a force… Win or lose he should be respected for being the warrior he is.”

Hindsight being 20-20, it’s easy to kick a guy when he’s down. Many fans are all-too-willing to get their shots in after the fact. I myself received a harsh lesson in humility when I sat back and let the insults fly free following the conclusion of UFC 118, which saw James Toney get demolished by Randy Couture after I had spent quite some time predicting and defending that Toney would win. I know that’s not even close to Brock’s situation, but I can certainly empathize with the man.

One bad performance does not make or break your career! I can’t say it enough, it applies to every Mixed Martial Artist and especially to Lesnar. Lesnar rebounded from his loss to Frank Mir by beating Heath Herring, Randy Couture, avenging his loss to Mir, and submitting Shane Carwin after coming back from a potentially career-ending and life-threatening fight with diverticulitis. And he showed remarkable improvements in each and every single one of those fights before Cain Velasquez ran right through him.

I honestly think Lesnar is being held to an unfair standard, especially when you consider how this has happened to virtually every major UFC star in recent history. No division is immune, no star has not faltered. BJ Penn just got dominated by Frank Edgar. Lyoto Machida was KO’d by Mauricio Rua. Rashad Evans was KO’d by Lyoto Machida. Georges St. Pierre famously lost to Matt Serra. Anderson Silva was dominated by Chael Sonnen. All of those men are still widely considered to be at or near the top of the division, but Brock Lesnar is suddenly done as a Mixed Martial Artist and was never all that good to begin with? Spare me.

I’m not even that huge of a fan of the man, I’m just able to recognize that Lesnar is being held to an unfair standard simply because he’s controversial and a lot of people don’t like him. Lesnar was humble in victory over Shane Carwin, he was humble in defeat against Cain Velasquez. At this point I don’t think anything would convince the anti-Brock cynics to change their opinion on the man. But I can say this: they’ll hate Brock even more (if that’s even possible) once he makes his triumphant return and gets right back into title contention by the time 2011 is over and done with.

And what do you think, fans and friends? What do you make of Shane Carwin’s comments, and Lesnar’s future in the UFC in general?

New UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez was rightfully awarded “Knockout of the Night” for making quick work of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. The fight was blissfully brief: both men traded takedowns, then Lesnar got clipped and Cain pounced on him like the monster that he is. Daniel Roberts earned himself $70,000 as well for a great Anaconda Choke on Michael Guymon that Guymon fought bravely against but ultimately tapped to. And finally, Paulo Thiago and Diego Sanchez each got their additional $70,000 as well, as the two men received the “Fight of the Night” award for their fast-paced and very exciting encounter.

I think Cain Velasquez definitely deserved “Knockout of the Night” for his amazing performance against Brock Lesnar. If you recall, I thought Cain would win it by TKO, but I had Lesnar lasting four rounds and succumbing to punches out of fatigue more than anything. Instead, Cain picked his shots, delivered huge power right onto Lesnar’s chin, opened up a massive gash on his cheek, and pounded out the man who famously survived the striking game of Shane Carwin. In an era where “bigger is better”, Velasquez proves that you don’t need to tip the scales at 265 to be a UFC Heavyweight Champion. I wish him all the best and am really looking forward to seeing him defend his championship.

As for Paulo Thiago and Diego Sanchez, I was very impressed by their fight as well. Paulo Thiago always seems to have a problem when it comes to justifying his hype, he’s never truly gotten out of the shadow of his KO win over Josh Koscheck but he’s made some admirable attempts. Diego Sanchez seemed to discover that old fire inside himself in this fight, and I think he earned himself another worthy entry into his highlight reel when he ran screaming across the cage with Paulo Thiago on his shoulders before sending the man crashing down to the mat with a massive slam.

Overall, UFC 121 was a big event and saw some big finishes that were awarded with big bonuses. I’m glad that the UFC’s “Of the Night” bonuses continue to increase, the athletes receiving them usually fully deserve them, and a huge bonus is a great incentive to keep producing entertaining and engaging fights. I think UFC 121 set up quite a lot of fights that will play out in 2011, so I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of the UFC 121 fight bonuses, and UFC 121 as a whole?

1. Brock Lesnar is the archetypal “giant with skill”.

Lesnar is a giant among giants; he’s a monster heavyweight in an era where monster heavyweights are becoming increasingly more common. Yet unlike hulking behemoths like Bob Sapp, Lesnar has a huge amount of skill to back up his huge amount of muscles. Despite his loss to Velasquez, Lesnar’s credentials haven’t magically disappeared: he’s still an incredible collegiate wrestler, and he’s still beaten some of the best in the game.

2. Brock Lesnar is a massive Pay-Per-View draw.

Every single one of Lesnar’s last few fights have all been on Pay-Per-View cards that pulled in over a million buys. People are practically falling over themselves in their rush to order a fight card headlined by Lesnar. The UFC knows full well that he’s an incredible cash-cow, and they’re not going to squander the boon they’ve been given. Whether the cynics like it or not, Lesnar is going to be competing in co-main and main events until the fans get tired of him, and with how controversial he always seems to be, I just don’t see that happening anytime soon.

3. Brock Lesnar has seven fights as a professional Mixed Martial Artist.

The man has lost twice and people are already thinking that he should call it a career. Lesnar is thirty-three years old, he’s been competing in MMA for a little over three years. Most people don’t even get into the UFC in the first three years of their career, but Lesnar has climbed the mountain and even defended his UFC championship twice before losing it. I think Lesnar could fight until he’s forty if he wanted to. If Brock Lesnar really wants to stay in the MMA game, there’s virtually nothing preventing him from having a long career as a Mixed Martial Artist.

4. Brock Lesnar usually shows a huge amount of improvement on a fight-by-fight basis.

Losing to Frank Mir motivated Brock Lesnar so much that he came back and immediately ran over everyone in his path. Just imagine what this loss to Velasquez will do for him. I think Lesnar hates losing, and I also think that he’s going to train even harder now that he’s lost twice. Compare his loss to Mir with his first fight after that loss, a huge win over Heath Herring, and it’s like a night-and-day transformation. If Lesnar is able to do that again now that he’s lost again, he’ll be challenging for the title before the year is through.

5. Brock Lesnar can take a punch whether you want to admit it or not.

Brock Lesnar nearly got KO’d by Shane Carwin and got (T)KO’d by Cain Velasquez. Newsflash people: Cain Velasquez has (T)KO’d everyone he’s ever faced except for Cheick Kongo, Shane Carwin had eight wins in twelve fights due to strikes before he met Lesnar. Lesnar’s jaw is not made of glass. He can take a punch, he just has problems taking a bunch of punches from two of the deadliest strikers currently competing in Mixed Martial Arts. This was the first (T)KO loss of Lesnar’s career, let’s wait to see if it happens again before we say that he has no chin.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. Love him or hate him, Brock Lesnar has accomplished a lot in an amazingly short period of time, and he’s done it in the biggest, best, and most competitive MMA organization in the world. But what about you, fans and friends? What do you think the future holds for Lesnar?

Perhaps the craziest thing about this match is the realization that both men are so young both as human beings and as Mixed Martial Artists. Both men are in their twenties: Velasquez is 28 while Dos Santos is 26. Dos Santos has barely entered double digits in his MMA fights (he’s 12-1) while Velasquez’s fight with “Cigano” will be his first double digit fight (Cain is now 9-0). I think the one thing you can say for certain about this fight is that neither man is going anywhere anytime soon. Look for both fighters to remain in direct title contention for the foreseeable future, regardless of who wins the UFC Heavyweight Championship when the two meet in the Octagon.

Now, let’s focus on both men’s striking, because this is where it gets interesting. Both men seem to be very evenly matched in terms of striking power, Cain has huge power in his hands but Dos Santos is the definition of an explosive Heavyweight. Neither man has ever been knocked out, but let’s be perfectly honest here: Cain has come a lot closer to the land of dreams while in the middle of the Octagon than Dos Santos. Despite the incredible performance he put on last night, I just don’t think Cain Velasquez has the striking advantage over Junior dos Santos. Cain fights smart, picks his shots, and knows when to explode. Junior dos Santos does that, and I honestly believe that he does it better. But it’s going to be close. Very, very close.

It’s also going to be close on the ground for one simple reason: Junior dos Santos has shown complete disdain for the ground game and no one has ever been able to hold him on the ground for long. Then again, Junior dos Santos has never faced a high-level wrestler like Cain Velasquez. If Velasquez can get this to the ground and keep it on the ground, he’s got a massive advantage. I know that “Cigano” fans will counter this by saying that he trains with the Nogueira brothers, but let’s be perfectly honest here: we all know where he butters his bread, and the ground game is absolutely not Junior dos Santos’ strong point.

Right now I honestly believe it’s too close to call. But I can say one thing: even though I can’t pick a definitive winner, I know this fight is going to be amazing. Both men have proven themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt, and this fight has all the makings of an explosive, wildly entertaining encounter. If either man wins this one decisively and easily I’d be incredibly shocked. We’re in for a war with this one, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your early thoughts on Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez?

Next for Brendan Schaub: In all likelihood it’ll be a rematch with Roy Nelson once Roy Nelson loses to Shane Carwin. I love me some “Big Country”, but I just don’t see him being able to withstand Carwin’s raw punching power, which I think is the pound-for-pound best in the UFC right now. If Nelson does beat Carwin somehow, then Schaub might get another gatekeeper like Cheick Kongo.

Next for Gabriel Gonzaga: Gatekeeper status, as harsh as that sounds. Gonzaga has been hit-or-miss for a long while now, and his performance against Schaub proved that that’s not going to change anytime soon. He’ll always have the Mirko Filipovic KO to look back on, but he’s never again going to be anywhere close to a UFC championship. Even with all that said, though, he’ll probably be a pretty good gatekeeper. I still like Gonzaga, I’m just being a realist when I say that he’s going to be welcoming rookies into the upper echelon or sending them back down the pecking order for quite some time.

Next for Tito Ortiz: Retirement. No more excuses, Tito. Ortiz looked downright bad against Matt Hamill, and with absolutely no disrespect meant to the man, Matt Hamill has never been a top-division fighter. No matter how many corrective surgeries he’s had or how healthy he keeps saying he is, Tito Ortiz hasn’t gotten a good win over a relevant opponent in a long, long, long time. It’s time to pack it in and call it a career before you become your most hated adversary, Ken Shamrock.

Next for Diego Sanchez: It’ll be a trip back down to 155 as earlier reported, but now I can safely say that I think Sanchez will work his way back up to title contention when he cuts to Lightweight once again. Sanchez put on a vintage performance and rejuvenated a career that had honestly begun to stagnate. If we see the Diego Sanchez of UFC 121 show up in the UFC’s Lightweight division as it stands right now, we’re looking at a possible champion.

Next for Jake Shields: It’s already been confirmed that Dana White has made Jake Shields the top contender to the UFC Welterweight Championship. How do I think he’ll do? It depends who he’s facing. I think Jake Shields is a phenomenal fighter that simply made a few mistakes and perhaps let the pressure get to him, which is why he gassed out and barely edged out Martin Kampmann at this event. Whether it’s Georges St. Pierre or Josh Koscheck, I think Shields will once again do a lot better than virtually anyone gives him credit for and perhaps even win the title.

Next for Brock Lesnar: He’ll be back and better than ever, that’s all I can really say right now. Lesnar isn’t done, and he’s still growing by leaps and bounds as a Mixed Martial Artist. In his next fight, we’ll either see a Lesnar with an incredibly improved stand-up game or a Lesnar that does nothing but shoot for a takedown. Either way, I think Lesnar will jump right back into the title picture and may even get another shot at it by the end of 2011.

Next for Cain Velasquez: Junior Dos Santos if we’re talking specifics, getting marketed for everything he’s worth by the UFC if we’re talking in generalities. With how stacked the Heavyweight division has been lately, the UFC is going to milk Cain’s status as the first Mexican UFC Champion for all it’s worth, both because it makes sense and also because he may lose to Dos Santos.

And that’s what I see when I stare into my little crystal ball, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think is next for the winners and losers of UFC 121 “Lesnar vs. Velasquez”?

In the end, many, including this writer, were wrong.   Along with this, here are 3 things we learned or were able to confirm about Cain Velasquez at UFC 121.

1. Velasquez is as cool a customer as they come: Lesnar came out very aggressively from the get-go in their fight, clinching up quickly and throwing punches/knees with a vengeance.   The situation probably would’ve overwhelmed anyone else in the heavyweight division.  But it did not overwhelm Velasquez.

Rather, the AKA fighter accepted Lesnar’s strikes easily.  When he was taken down, which happened on two occasions, he was able to get right back up.  But perhaps the most interesting part was that the expression on his face during all of this, including when he was pressed up against the cage wall by his hulking opponent, was one of complete calm.  Velasquez doesn’t just think he’s good.  He doesn’t only believe in himself a little.

Velasquez looked like he knew he was the best and it was just a matter of time before everyone else in the arena did as well.  It’s easy to stay calm with that kind of confidence.

2. Velasquez’s takedown defense and ability to get up is stellar:  Following a valid attempt to overwhelm Velasquez, Lesnar took him down.  And Velasquez got right back up as if the man on top of him wasn’t the biggest, strongest heavyweight in the land with a couple of college national championships in wrestling to his credit.  After Lesnar fought hard for another takedown along the cage wall, the exact same thing happened.

Now ask yourself- how many times in Lesnar’s short MMA career do you remember someone getting back up easily against him?  That’s how good Velasquez’s takedown defense is, which is something we really hadn’t had the chance to witness yet, as he was almost always the attacker, not the attacked.

3. Velasquez’s toughness is confirmed once again: Once again, Velasquez demonstrated all the things we know as ‘toughness’.  We all knew he had tremendous cardio, and it seems somewhat crazy to say this was confirmed in a fight that went less than a round, but when you consider Lesnar’s size plus the fact that the first round was an absolute blur of activity, well, you get the picture.  Afterwards, Velasquez looked as if he had just taken a walk in the park, which was a stark contrast to how Shane Carwin looked in Lesnar’s previous bout.  Guess is that if the fight had gone five rounds, he might’ve looked the same way.

Beyond that, Lesnar attempted to overwhelm him and hit him with several strikes (punches and knees) during their encounter.  Though few of the strikes were right on the button, previously Lesnar had dizzied opponents with far less.  But Velasquez showed the kind of toughness and heart that we had already witnessed in his prior fights once more.  You better bring your lunch pail if the plan is to tussle with this guy; he simply will not be outworked.  No one wants to win any more than him.

Which is the main reason why he holds the UFC heavyweight title right now.  Next up?  Let’s see how long he can keep it.

Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga: I honestly believe that Schaub is overlooking Gonzaga and is beginning to believe his own hype. There’s no doubt that Schaub is talented, but the fact that he’s already talking about a title shot convinces me that he’s not nearly focused enough on “Napao”, who can still be a major threat to the right opponent. Gonzaga may be a glorified gatekeeper, but he’s got a lot of fight left in him. Expect him to catch Schaub off-guard and get the (T)KO in the second round.

Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago: I think this is a make-or-break fight for both fighters, although much more for Sanchez. Even if it’s been revealed that Sanchez is dropping back down to Lightweight win or lose, I think that another loss would put his job in serious jeopardy. For Thiago, it’s all about getting the hype train rolling again after Martin Kampmann derailed it. I simply think Sanchez has more experience and wants the win more, but it’s going to be close, so I’m picking Sanchez by Unanimous Decision with 29-28 scores across the board.

Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill: Part of me hates myself for doing this again, but I truly believe Ortiz when he says that he’s back and healthy and better than ever. I think Matt is a good fighter, but he’s consistently proven that he’s just not up to top-level standards. And if Ortiz really is as healthy as he says he is, he’s still a top-level athlete. This is another do-or-die situation, with Ortiz squarely in the cross-hairs. Because he needs it badly and says that he hasn’t felt this good since he went on his historic run as UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, I’m picking Ortiz to win via Unanimous Decision. But if he loses again, and worse yet, if he makes more excuses, Tito Ortiz may as well call it a career.

Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann: His performance against Dan Henderson fully converted me; I now consider myself a Jake Shields fan. As such, I’m pulling for him as well as picking him to defeat Kampmann. I think Kampmann will always be a real-life example of “so close and yet so far away”, I see him hovering around the top of the division for the foreseeable future but rarely getting into true title contention. Shields is already a proven champion, so I think he’ll really impress in his UFC debut. I don’t expect him to outright dominate Kampmann, but I do think he’ll finish this fight. I’m picking Jake Shields to submit Martin Kampmann early in the third round.

Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar: I’ve been favoring Velasquez from the start, and that hasn’t changed. Cain has incredible cardio, serious power, unbreakable will, incredible heart, and trains with one of the most prestigious training camps in Mixed Martial Arts. Lesnar won’t be able to withstand the pace Cain will set and the leather he will throw for what could turn into a five-round fight. I’m still thinking Lesnar gasses out, despite the negative reaction that opinion has been getting. Trust me: Lesnar’s cardio has looked great because he’s controlled the pace for every single one of his fights, other than the Shane Carwin fight where he just absorbed punishment and survived to the end of the round. Cain will push Brock like he’s never been pushed before and tire him out. Look for Cain to nail one last barrage on a weakened and slow Lesnar and get the TKO in the fourth round.

And those are my picks, fans and friends. It’s not final call: who’ve you got for UFC 121 and why?

Stay tuned to Fighters.com for Part 2 of our video interview where we talk about Matt Hughes, Ricardo Almeida, and the upcoming Frankie Edgar v. Gray Maynard lightweight title fight.  Coming soon.

Click through to watch the video.

The following is taken from a press release that has found its way onto several major news and business websites: “Boost Mobile, a leader in the no-contract wireless space with $50 Monthly Unlimited with Shrinkage, is joining forces with UFC®, the world’s fastest growing sports organization, as the official wireless sponsor. To celebrate its entry into the sport, Boost Mobile will present the heavyweight showdown UFC 121, featuring reigning champion Brock Lesnar against undefeated Cain Velasquez on Saturday, Oct. 23, in Anaheim, Calif.”

Bob Stohrer, one of the higher-ups at Boost Mobile, had this to say: “The popularity of UFC has exploded during the past few years, solidifying its position as a mainstream competitive sport. This is an ideal partner for Boost as the sport aligns well with our competitive nature and will give our brand heightened visibility with UFC’s avid and growing fan base.”

For fans who aren’t familiar with the cell phone scene, Boost Mobile is an “urban-themed” cell phone company with a focus on prepaid no-contract phones, and is owned by Sprint. Up until this partnership, Boost Mobile had been a proud sponsor of several MMA fighters, most notably former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and former MMA fighter, backstreet brawler, and ratings juggernaut Kimbo Slice.

I think this is a smart move for all involved. In particular, I think the UFC made a very wise choice by going with Boost rather than some of the heavy-hitters like Verizon. Despite their rampant popularity and mainstream acceptance, the UFC has maintained a bit of a counter-culture aspect to themselves for their entire history. While the UFC has taken great pains to increase awareness and legitimize Mixed Martial Arts as a sport, they’ve always had this distinct “underground” appeal.

I think signing with Boost Mobile is a further continuation of that trend. The UFC is hip, new, exciting, and growing whether you like it or not. They need a partner that is sleek and slick, maybe not as well known as the other heavy hitters in the game, but one with a definitive brand and appeal. With its focus on looking cool and attracting young well-to-do men and women, Boost Mobile is a perfect partner for the UFC.

I think it’s great to see that the UFC hasn’t stopped their drive for mainstream acceptance even as they amp up their focus on international expansion. While the UFC is on very stable footing in the US right now, their position could always be better. New and interesting partnerships like these will continue to build the UFC brand and allow more men and women access to it. And the best thing about this deal is that it’s strategically sound and makes sense.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Do the benefits of the right demographic and the right image make Boost Mobile a worthy partner to the UFC, or should the UFC had signed to a major, more well-known cell phone company?

The point being, is you can teach a player to shoot, dribble, pass, set picks, play defense, run a fast break, and all the basics of the sport, however you can’t teach a player to get taller.  A seven-foot player has certain abilities and opportunities that are unique to him, such as, easy lay-ups, easy rebounds, passing above the zone D, blocking shots … due to height.

Per MMA, I will now originate a like-minded term…

You can’t teach Brock!

His massive size matched with fast twitch quickness is something you can’t teach or truly train for in the gym.  There is not a coach out there that can properly prep his fighter for Brock Lesnar‘s physical attributes.  Lesnar’s force is able to control the ground game to a disproportionate level.  If another heavyweight, say a Couture or Nogueira, were on top of Cain Velasquez this weekend at UFC 121, he could employ a variety of escape or neutralizing options.  I think v. Brock, Velasquez will quickly experience some panic, on his back, he did not expect which burns energy and may lead to bad decisions altering his game-plan.

Lesnar’s size also plays a role in defending submission holds.  His limbs and torso are so large they make securing an arm or neck that much more difficult.  Lesnar can invalidate some degree of loose Jiu Jitsu with pure power.  Now, Frank Mir did catch him in a leg lock, so, it is not impossible, yet will be harder and harder as Lesnar improves skill wise matched with his bulk.

Every fighter acknowledges Lesnar’s size, but I am not sure they really appreciate it until it may too late.  Velasquez told the media last week he was not able to replicate training for Brock in his camp.  This is a major issue.

“We have good wrestlers in the gym, but nobody his size, the way that he moves. Guys that are big, but not his size, guys with credentials also but not his size.  That is a big factor, but I am confident in the guys we have brought in.”  Again…

You can’t teach Brock!

Velasquez has superior cardio, and possibly stand-up, however, if Lesnar gets him to the ground, there will be little Velasquez has done in camp to prepare him for the size and strength of Lesnar. Opponents don’t find this out till they are in the cage and realize their training partners were not as big, strong or as fast as Brock Lesnar.   Will Velasquez proves me wrong?  He certainly has the right attitude.

“I haven’t faced anybody that size and athletic ability and power.  I am in a position I want to be, the original reason I wanted to fight was to be in this position, to have that belt, fight for the title.  All I have to do is train as hard as I can in the gym, get as much sparring partners as I can that are good wrestlers and make the best of it.  I definitely feel confident in my abilities.”

–

What say you… How can Cain Velasquez overcome Brock.  Do you believe in the saying “You Can’t Teach Brock” ???

No. Far from it even.

But controversial and polarizing, he is. The current UFC heavyweight champion has made no secret’s as far as where he thinks he stands in “his” heavyweight division. After defeating the likes of notables Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and most recently Shane Carwin at UFC 116 in a dramatic comeback, Lesnar has made the case for himself to be the best in his class.

However, some of his recent antics, though prompted by the promotion, has displayed anything but “class”.

Heading into his third title defense against Cain Velasquez, a proud Mexican-American who has worked his way from obscurity, to one of the biggest prospects ever in mixed martial arts history in a matter of two-plus years inside the UFC, Brock has not held back at attacking his opponent in anyway he see’s fit before their heavyweight clash this Saturday. Even if that means attacking and stereotyping the one thing that Cain is most proud of: his heritage.

“Shane Carwin was supposed to be the guy (to defeat me). Randy Couture was to be the guy. Frank Mir was supposed to be the guy”, said Lesnar in a pre-fight interview heading into his title defense at UFC 121, in Anaheim, Cali.

“Listen, you’re (Cain) not better than me. When I get done whooping your ass, I’m going to go drink a Corona and eat a burrito, just for your Hispanic heritage.”

While Lesnar has made no apologies for his brash and cocky behavior, there’s something to be said about him attacking someones heritage, which comes off as a little bit bigoted and racist. To stereotype an entire community as “burrito” and “Corona” enthusiasts, is a bit on the ignorant side, even for Lesnar.

Velasquez, has pulled no punches along the way, and has even states on several occasions that he admires the heart and grit that Brock demonstrated in his fight against Shane Carwin, which saw the Greg Jackson fighter drop Lesnar with a barrage of punches. Brock did not quit, and instead survived the onslaught to rally back in the second round and submit Carwin, which was something that Velasquez came to admire.

But, maybe not so much anymore.

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

For any of you living in a cave in Tora Bora the past three years, that is a quick snapshot of who Brock Lesnar is, how he arrived to be the biggest name in MMA and why he will sell out the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA this Saturday when he defends his title against Cain Velasquez.

The basic breakdown of this fight lines up as the quicker, cardio king in Velasquez will use speed and diversity to frustrate the bigger Lesnar hoping to wear him down and take the fight in the fourth and fifth rounds.   Lesnar would admit Velasquez may have a little quickness on him, but he doesn’t think for a minute the Mexican born fighter works any harder or will be in any better shape.  If it is one thing Lesnar knows, it is hard work and preparation.  He has been doing this since he was kid back on the plains of South Dakota.

“It has just been a way of life.  Just remember everybody working, doing their part on the farm.  It is not something, oh gosh I pay attention … It is not like we sit back and ponder ‘oh we used to work really hard,’ we still work really hard every day.  As long as I can remember, everybody has been working.”

This just may be the best version of Lesnar, ever.  This is his second fight since his nearly career ending illness, diverticulitus.  And against Shane Carwin, he learned he could take a big punch and recover from a bad spot in the Octagon.

“I think it is just a confidence thing.  You bang around in the gym and you have 18-20 ounce gloves on.  You can take a punch in the gym.  Up until the Carwin fight I wasn’t … always some question in my mind, plus it was a comeback fight.  It is just a confidence thing for me, just getting back in there being able to compete and be the best is my main focus.”

Lesnar also will bring his legendary confidence with him from his home in Minnesota.  But, don’t mistake his sure-fire talk as arrogance.  He has much respect for the AKA fighter who will be seeking his strap this weekend.

“The way the Heavyweight division is now, obviously Cain trains to be the best in every category you can be.  If you want to be at the top you have to be well-rounded fighter.  I understand my background is wrestling and his is wrestling, we are both junior college wrestlers and Division-1 athletes, so we both understand, at least I do, that I will have to evolve.  He poses threats as a wrestler, he poses threats as a boxer, and we both want to improve on everything.”

So, after a tame UFC 120 out of London, buckle up for Brock and Cain to lock horns on Saturday in Anaheim.   What version of Brock will we see?  Lesnar believes he is still growing yet will be at his best against Cain Velasquez.

“I feel I am right on, I am as lean as I have ever been.  Guys say they have good camps, I can go back and say every camp is the best camp.  I really think everybody – that is the truth for everybody.  I have gotten better and better and better.  I really don’t think I am the best I can be.  Come October 23^rd, on that night, I will be the best.

—

Who you got?  Can Cain the pull the upset?  Would it be an upset?

Carwin himself, in fact, made the news of his return on his official Twitter page (@ShaneCarwin), and since then many have speculated who the former title challenger will be facing.

In his last outing, Carwin attempted to unify his interim heavyweight title, which he earned with a first round knockout of former champion Frank Mir at UFC 111, when he tangled with the current title holder in Brock Lesnar, at UFC 116 last July. After a dominant first-round turned in, where “The Engineer” was able to drop Lesnar with a barrage of punches, eventually gassing himself when he unloaded a heavy dose of ground and pound that had left Brock on the ropes, but otherwise still in the fight.

Lesnar survived the first round scare to turn it all around in the second, eventually taking down the former Division II All-American collegiate wrestler, working to mount, before submitting the 265-pound Goliath with a an arm-triangle choke. The loss snapped an undefeated streak of 12-wins in a row for the Greg Jackson product.

Now returning to action after the disappointing loss, Carwin will tangle with former IFL heavyweight champion and “The Ultimate Fighter” season 10 winner, Roy Nelson.

“Big Country” himself, is coming off a loss of his own. After going 2-0 inside the promotion with a win over hot prospect Brendan Schaub, to claim the TUF title last December, and an additional win over up-and-comer Stef Struve (UFC Fight Night 21, in March of this year)—both by way of knockout, Nelson’s run to the top was derailed when he met Brazilian striker, Junior dos Santos.

Though competitive throughout the whole bout, unfaltering even after being knocked down twice inside of the first round, Nelson walked away from the bout the loser, when a unanimous decision went the way of the Team Nogueria product, who trains alongside the Nogueria brothers (of course) as well as champions Rafael “Feijao” of Strikeforce, and current UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.

Junior and Nelson were vying for a number one contender’s spot, against the winner of the Brock Lesnar/ Cain Velasquez showdown, which is going down at UFC 121 on October 23.

Nelson and Carwin, though not officially confirmed, will likely serve on the main card for the January pay-per-view card, which is taking place in Las Vegas, Nev. The news was first broke by MiddleEasy.com.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Who do you think will walk away the victor? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what the man himself had to say courtesy of MMA Mania: “I don’t go in there expecting to finish [opponents] really quick – it’s just happened. Right now, they got me on that Carwin track. You know, he beat two guys, knocked them out really quick, and then he got Gabe Gonzaga. So, am I ready for it? No doubt. I can compete with, I think, anyone in the top five in the world. As far as growing and becoming a better fighter, man, everyone has their plan. I can definitely beat Gabe. If I fight to my highest ability and he fights to his highest, I beat him every time. So, that’s the plan… I’m sick of fighting these fat wrestlers, man. I gotta be honest with you. I’m ready for a challenge and I think this is the right step. I’m sure as heck not gonna argue with it or put up a fight. It’s such a great opportunity.”

If Schaub thinks he’ll have it easy in the UFC’s Heavyweight division, Gabriel Gonzaga should be more than capable of giving him a harsh lesson in humility. It’s true that “Napao” has mostly cemented himself as a Heavyweight gatekeeper, but he’s still an opponent to be feared. He’s fought over ten times in the UFC and has far more experience than Schaub when it comes to going up against top-level competition. He’s even challenged for the UFC Heavyweight Championship before. Gonzaga has good striking and an excellent ground game, so even if most of the current top-ranked Heavyweights have used him as a stepping stone, most of the time he’s still a tough stone to step over.

I also think Schaub makes an interesting parallel when he compares himself to Shane Carwin. Carwin was and remains a wrecking machine, but his flaws have already been exposed. The man simply can’t go past the first round, his cardio just isn’t there. Carwin was basically dead on his feet by the time Brock Lesnar took him down and submitted him. I still think Carwin is a good fighter, but my point is that he was built up as a monster and was incredibly humbled in his first loss. Perhaps the same is in store for Schaub if he keeps this better-than-everyone attitude.

Now, don’t get me wrong fans and friends. I love a little cockiness. But only when it’s earned. Schaub hasn’t beaten anyone of note in the UFC, Roy Nelson TKO’d him, and he still hasn’t proved himself as a top-division athlete. His fight with Gabriel Gonzaga will do the job nicely, but as it stands right now, if you asked me who would win if Schaub faced competition like Junior dos Santos or Cain Velasquez, you’d see me pick Cain and “Cigano” with relatively little forethought.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think Schaub’s boasting is justified? And do you think he’ll beat Gonzaga?

This card certainly brings the goods with Lesnar topping the slate but it is the Spike TV bouts and undercard which really makes this night shine.  Patrick Cote and Ryan Lawlor kick off the two fights on free TV while fans in the house will be treated to the always exicting Sam Stout battling Paul Taylor at lightweight and Gilbert Yvel brawling with Jon Madsen at heavyweight.

Are you ready for BROCKTOBER?  Read on for all the latest event details from the UFC.

These fights were confirmed as final for UFC 121 today by the UFC:

Back in the Octagon^® for the first time since a submission victory over Kris McCray to win Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter^®, Court McGee (fighting out of Orem, Utah / 11-1) will put his six-fight professional winning streak on the line against Ryan Jensen (fighting out of Omaha, Neb. / 16-5). The 33-year-old is coming off a submission win over Jesse Forbes barely a minute into the fight. The pair of middleweights are sure to put on a grappling clinic, with 15 of the 27 wins between them coming by submission and each fighter winning Submission of the Night honors in their last fight.

Patrick Cote (fighting out of Quebec City, Quebec Canada / 14-6) looks to re-establish himself as a middleweight contender after blowing out his knee in a title fight against Anderson Silva after four straight UFC wins that include first-round knockouts of Drew McFedries and Kendall Grove. But first, “The Predator” will first have to get through “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (fighting out of Orlando, Fla. / 6-3, 1 NC), the last fighter to beat C.B. Dollaway, doing so in under a minute with a guillotine choke that earned him Submission of the Night in his middleweight debut at UFC 100.

In a welterweight matchup, Mike Guymon (fighting out of Lake Forest, Calif. / 13-3-1) looks to build on his recent success, having won six out of his last seven bouts, including a unanimous decision victory over Yoshiyuki Yoshida in his last fight at UFC 113 to pick up his first UFC victory. “The Joker” will meet up with Daniel Roberts (fighting out of Tulsa, Okla. / 10-1). “Ninja” boasts excellent wrestling, as an NAIA All-American wrestler, and jiu-jitsu skills, with seven of his wins coming via submission, and he is coming off a decision victory over Forrest Petz that earned him his first win in the Octagon at UFC 116.

Sam Stout (fighting out of London, Ontario Canada / 16-6-1) has quickly become a fixture in the UFC, with good reason. The 26-year old veteran, “Hands of Stone,” has received five total and three straight Fight of the Night awards in his career, including wins over Joe Lauzon, Matt Wiman and Spencer Fisher. Stout has another Fight of the Night candidate on the horizon as he takes on Paul Taylor (fighting out of Walsall, England / 10-5-1, 1 NC). “Relentless” is dropping from welterweight to lightweight for this battle, and is a three-time Fight of the Night winner himself. Taylor will look to add another award to his resume in his first-ever pro fight in the United States.

Despite breaking his jaw during a preliminary victory at the start of The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 and being unable to continue onto the show, Chris Camozzi (fighting out of Lakewood, Colo. / 13-3) refused to give up on his dream and was rewarded with a fight against James Hammortree at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale, which resulted in a unanimous decision win. The 23-year old will match up with the undefeated Dongi Yang (fighting out of South Korea / 9-0), who is making his UFC debut. Yang has never been to a decision, winning eight bouts by knockout and one by submission, and has allowed a fight to last into the third round only once in his professional career.

In a bout that pits experience against youth, heavyweight Gilbert Yvel (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. / 36-15-1, 1 NC) looks to use his extensive mixed martial arts experience to propel him to victory; “The Hurricane” has been in there with standouts like Junior Dos Santos, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson and many more. On the other side of the Octagon^®,Jon Madsen (fighting out of Granite City, Ill. / 6-0) has just six professional fights under his belt, but is yet to taste defeat. Madsen has been able to use his technical boxing and impressive wrestling skills to guide him to a perfect 3-0 record in the Octagon to date.

–

BROCKTOBER is finally here!  Sound off about this card.  Which fight are you most interested in?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States.

While some categories have changed, in order to be politically correct, must stay the same. Voting continues until November 26, where till then you can cast your votes online at All winners are determined by a fan vote, and ballots can be cast through Nov. 26 at www.worldmmaawards.com.

The full list, which was formatted by MMAJunkie.com, of finalists includes:

CHARLES “MASK” LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Anderson Silva
* Brock Lesnar
* Frankie Edgar
* Jose Aldo
* Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

* Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen at UFC 117
* Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin at UFC 116
* Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung at WEC 48
* Chris Leben vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116
* Jorge Santiago vs. Kazuo Misaki at Sengoku 14

KO OF THE YEAR

* Anthony Njokuani vs. Chris Horodecki at WEC 45
* Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110
* Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 113
* Mike Russow vs. Todd Duffee at UFC 114
* Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 115

SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR

* Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117
* Chris Leben vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116
* Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon at UFC 108
* Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen at UFC 118
* Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum”

BEST PROMOTION

* Bellator
* DREAM
* Strikeforce
* UFC
* WEC

LEADING MAN OF THE YEAR

* Bjorn Rebney, Bellator founder and CEO
* Dana White, UFC president
* Joe Silva, UFC VP of talent relations
* Michael Schiavello, HDNet broadcaster
* Scott Coker, Strikeforce founder and CEO

INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Alistair Overeem
* Dan Hardy
* George Sotiropoulos
* John Hathaway
* Shinya Aoki

BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Charles Oliveira
* Evan Dunham
* George Sotiropoulos
* John Hathaway
* Jon Jones

FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
* Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii
* Miesha Tate
* Sarah Kaufman
* Zoila Frausto

COACH OF THE YEAR

* Cesar Gracie
* Firas Zahabi
* Greg Jackson
* Rafael Cordeiro
* Shawn Tompkins

GYM OF THE YEAR

* American Kickboxing Academy
* American Top Team
* Black House MMA
* Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting
* Wand Fight Team

RING GIRL OF THE YEAR

* Arianny Celeste
* Brittney Palmer
* Chandella Powell
* Natalie Skyy
* Rachelle Leah

BEST LIFESTYLE CLOTHING BRAND

* Affliction
* Fight Chix
* RVCA
* Silverstar
* TapouT

REFEREE OF THE YEAR

* “Big” John McCarthy
* Dan Miragliotta
* Herb Dean
* Josh Rosenthal
* Mario Yamasaki

MOST MEMORABLE RING ENTRANCE

* Anderson Silva
* Clay Guida
* Jason “Mayhem” Miller
* Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal
* Tom Lawlor

BEST TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT BRAND

* Everlast MMA
* Fairtex
* Hayabusa
* TapouT
* Venum

BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING BRAND

* Bad Boy
* Hayabusa
* Jaco
* TapouT
* Venum

MEDIA SOURCE OF THE YEAR

* “Inside MMA” on HDNet
* MMAjunkie.com
* MMAWeekly.com
* MMAFighting.com
* Sherdog.com

MMA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

* Aaron “Tru” Teweles, Freelance
* Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com/Versus.com
* Conner Cordova, MMAReligion.com
* Gareth A. Davies, Telegraph.com
* John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com

So, MMA peeps, any surprises here? Anyone you would have liked to seen in some of these categories? Who do you think will take home some of the honors of the night? Sound off in the comments section below.

The UFC recently put up a press release with all the info, but here are the highlights: “Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) returns to movie theaters with the biggest fight of the year with UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez  featuring this championship heavyweight battle in more than 300 select movie theaters nationwide on Saturday, October 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. The baddest man on the planet, reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar will attempt to successfully defend his title for a third-consecutive time, this time against unbeaten Cain Velasquez, who is looking to take Lesnar’s belt and become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion in fighting history. Broadcast live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the much anticipated fight card also features the light heavyweight match-up between Tito Ortiz and his former “The Ultimate Fighter” protégé, Matt Hamill.”

I’ve never been to one of these theater screenings myself, but I’ve heard conflicting reports from different sources. Some think it’s a waste of money, while others feel that it’s a worthwhile excursion. I think both sides have some points.

If you can’t get a few friends together, I honestly don’t know how or why you would pass up UFC on the big screen in HD in favor of just watching it at home. The crowds and crazy concession prices have been and always will be a chore to deal with, but surely it’s worth it when you get to partake in what is probably an incredible viewing experience? I know I’d try to do it just once if I had any theater nearby that was showing UFC, just to say that I did.

However, I think the theater experience pales in comparison to having a bunch of friends lounging around your house and crowded around your television to see the big fights. Just about everything’s almost always better when you’ve got a pack of friends along for the ride. Of course, you could always bring your friends with you to the theater, but you’d be held to at least some small standard of decency. Hijinks happen when friends get together, and why behave yourself in a theater when you could let loose with your friends at home?

So, how successful are these theater showings, really? I don’t see them breaking the bank, but obviously somebody is making money since the UFC keeps getting theater companies to agree to show their shows. For better or for worse, I think this is just another option for fight fans to get their fix. So when you look at it that way, I’ll actually support “the UFC in theaters” idea in principle and maybe a couple of times in practice.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your feelings on the UFC putting their shows on in theaters?

5. Miguel Torres vs. Urijah Faber

Both men are likely only one fight away from this massive dream match-up. If Torres can beat Charlie Valencia at WEC 51 and Faber makes a successful Bantamweight debut at WEC 52 against Takeya Mizugaki, I think the WEC would immediately make this match. It’s true that both men have fallen on hard times and that the match itself loses some of its luster due to that, but it’s a fight that’s been on people’s minds for a long time and still features two of the best fighters the WEC has ever seen, so it’s definitely good enough to make this list.

4. Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez

I’ve talked about this fight in the past, but it could easily happen in 2011. In fact, it’s only a matter of who wins what. If Brock Lesnar beats Cain Velasquez to retain the UFC Heavyweight Championship, a match with Carwin is an immediate possibility. If Velasquez beats Lesnar, then Carwin is only a few fights away from another title shot, perhaps only one fight away if Lesnar/Carwin 2 is booked and Carwin manages to even the score to 1-1. Even though Lesnar is the UFC’s golden boy of PPV ratings, Carwin/Velasquez would do monster business and definitely be a landmark occasion.

3. Randy Couture vs. Mauricio Rua

Of course, this is assuming that Couture keeps winning and Rua remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. This would be a huge fight that would pit the unlikely comeback of Mauricio Rua against the Comeback King, Randy Couture. No matter where it’s held, I think the arena that has this fight would explode if Couture somehow beat “Shogun” and became champion once again. Seeing the ageless wonder with gold around his waist once again would go a long way towards outdoing 2010 in terms of can’t-miss happenings.

2. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 2

It was one of the most hyped, talked-about, and shocking fights of 2010…and it’s very likely that 2011 will see Chapter 2 written. Everyone wants to see this fight. I’m convinced that those that say Chael Sonnen doesn’t deserve an immediate rematch even want to see this fight. We need to know once and for all: was the first fight a fluke? Is Chael Sonnen really that good, or was Silva’s rib injury the cause for his near-downfall? Will this be the return of the old Anderson Silva or the final coronation of the people’s champion? The first fight made history, the rematch should be even bigger.

And in that regard, my #1 spot goes to…

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum 2

I don’t know when it will happen, how it will happen, or even where it will happen. But it’ll happen in 2011, I have a strong feeling about that. Fedor Emelianenko’s first legitimate loss was the biggest story in years, and the rematch would likely set several records if marketed correctly and promoted heavily. It’s the ultimate test of Emelianenko’s career, it would finally and definitively answer the avalanche of questions surrounding that defeat. Did Emelianenko get careless? Was Werdum just that good? Is Fedor done? Was he ever all that good to begin with? This rematch would settle all the scores, and due to that, it’s number one on my list.

And what about you, fans and friends? As big a year as 2010 was and still is, what fights do you think could happen in 2011 that would make it even bigger?

Lesnar, who was last seen in action in a successful title defense against juggernaut and alleged steroid-user Shane Carwin at ufc 116 this past July, will meet the undefeated wrestling phenom from the American Kickboxing Academy in a heavyweight clash this October for UFC 121, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

The two are now officially tapped for the Spike TV special, for “UFC: Primetime“, a series which has carefully selected key bouts, beginning with UFC 94: BJ Penn vs Georges St. Pierre II.

Most recently, Spike and the UFC brass opted for the light heavyweight grudge match against former champions Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 114 last May–which to date, has pulled in the largest audience with 1.2 Million average viewers (0.9 overall)

The special is much like the popular Countdown series the UFC produces, however takes a much more intimate look at the main-event fighters, including daily routines and their everyday lives in the waning days before the fight.

A monster like Lesnar, and a soft-spoken killer like Velasquez is sure to be a ratings success for the series, which I’m sure Spike and the Zuffa brand are banking on.

As a headliner, Brock has translated into the PPV market with extreme success. At UFC 91, which marked his first inception as top-billing for a PPV card, he has performed well into the 1 million buy rate. According to Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports, the former NCAA champion raked in just over 1 million for UFC 91, 1.6 million at UFC 100, and most recently at UFC 116 this past July–between 1.05 and 1.28 million.

Undoubtedly, the head honchos are hoping the numbers here will translate with the show, and vice-versa.

The first episode of the three episode series is set to begin October 6 at 11 p.m., and will run it’s course until October 20, an episode per week for three weeks–leaving it just one day before the October 21st show.

So, MMA peeps, how do you feel about the “Primetime” selection? Pretty good, I must say. Lesnar actually declined duties to go “Primetime” with Shane Carwin, but has seemingly warmed up to the idea this time around. Let your opinions known below.

5. Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle

I know it may be considered a “dark horse candidate”, but this fight interests me for several reasons. The winner will most likely be put back “into the mix” with a strong victory. Both men are veteran fighters that have almost always given us some very entertaining fights. It’s a rematch, but the best kind of rematch: both men are at very different points in their careers compared to when they first fought. And most importantly, this is a fight between a fighter with a great ground game and very under-rated striking going against a fighter with great striking and a very under-rated ground game.

4. Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann

I admit that you could put Jake Shields inside the Octagon against thin air and he’d still probably make this list, but I think Martin Kampmann is a great opponent for Jake Shields’ first fight inside the UFC. Kampmann was in serious contention for a title shot not too long ago, and Shields has never looked better. Shields is also coming off of the biggest win of his career, and will most likely receive a hero’s welcome based on how Strikeforce mistreated and mishandled Shields leading up to his surprise victory over PRIDE FC legend Dan Henderson. On the feet or on the ground, this should be a very, very exciting fight.

3. Jose Aldo vs. Manvel Gamburyan

To be bluntly honest, I don’t see anyone beating Jose Aldo for quite some time. But I also see every fight being immensely fun to watch and bringing something new to the table. In regards to top-tier opponents, Manvel “The Anvil” doesn’t get much better, given the great steak of wins he’s been on for over a year, which includes wins over a former WEC Featherweight Champion and a WEC Featherweight Championship contender. But Aldo is one of the most dynamic, exciting fighters currently fighting in MMA , and the best fighter in the WEC. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Jose Aldo, so I can’t wait to see this fight.

2. Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2

Now this is the type of rematch everybody loves. Both men have a lot of ill will and bad blood towards each other, and both are at very different points in their careers. Noon has had to re-introduce himself to MMA fans following a stint in pro boxing, while Diaz needs no introduction and is standing tall as Strikeforce’s Welterweight Champion. Diaz’s striking has never looked better, while KJ’s stint in boxing has made his striking even more precise and powerful. There’s going to be fists flying a mile a minute in this fight, and as wild brawls go, this has the potential to be one of the wildest we’ve seen in quite some time.

But my number 1 must-see fight has simply got to go to…

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

So many questions will be answered in this match. Can Cain handle Brock’s wrestling? Can Brock stand up to the punching power Cain will be throwing consistently throughout all five rounds (if it goes that long) of their fight? How will Lesnar’s cardio look when he’s not almost completely dictating the pace of the fight? Both men are great wrestlers, both men are big Heavyweights, and both men have an amazing amount of skill. A few years ago the UFC Heavyweight division was a non-entity, but now, the division grows by leaps and bounds with every single fight.

So those are my picks, fans and friends. What remaining fights are you still looking forward to as we get closer and closer to 2011?

Let’s start with something simple: the reasoning behind Velasquez getting his “Brown Pride” tattoo wasn’t racist. The motivation wasn’t racist, and unless you believe that there are certain things that are inherently racist by their nature (and believe me, that’s a pretty back-and-forth debate in its own right), that reason should be enough to convince you that Cain doesn’t hate white America. Velasquez has said over and over that, in his early years, he had practically no role-models. Despite all of that, and especially despite his very difficult upbringing (Cain is the son of an illegal immigrant), Cain has always been a proud Mexican. And that’s what the tat means: he’s not a racist, he’s just proud of his heritage. In a country that is growing ever more insensitive and uncaring to the plight of illegal immigrants, having pride in your Mexican-American culture is in short supply. Cain should be praised for sticking to his roots and having pride in his people now more than ever, when a growing majority of Americans have begun to vilify illegal Mexican aliens.

And I know the obvious response that’s been shouted from the rooftops every single time this gets brought up: “if someone had ‘White Pride’ tattooed on their chest, they’d be singled out as a racist”. And you know what? Those who say that are absolutely correct. But do you know whose fault that is? You guessed it: the racists. Racist, bigoted Americans have caused the term “white pride” to become synonymous with the white supremacy movement. There’s a reason your mind immediately goes to the Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis when you hear “white pride”. It’s because those radical groups have adopted the term and made it their own. The negative connotations of the term “white pride” comes from the decades of its use by Americans who believe all other races are inferior than their own, and in some cases, by people who are willing to kill innocent civilians both to prove and defend that belief.

So, yes, it’s not fair that Cain can have “Brown Pride” on his chest while those that have “White Pride” on their chests are singled out as racists. Is it a double standard? Sure. But who really cares? Which one of you really believes that a person with “White Pride” displayed proudly on his body is deserving of your sympathy to their plight? They don’t deserve your sympathy, and they damn sure aren’t getting mine. If you want to show that you’re proud of your race, which in and of itself is not inherently racist, then try to choose a term that hasn’t been used for decades as a symbol of a race supremacy movement. “Brown Pride” isn’t a calling card of the Hispanic/Latino supremacy movement. It just means that Cain Velasquez is proud to be brown. So I’d like to address those that stick to this issue as a whole, and collectively say: grow up, gentlemen. And get over yourselves.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Isn’t it time that we all get past Cain’s tattoo? If you’ve still got a reason to not let this issue go, I’d love to hear it.

SpikeTV officials were able to confirm that the one hour special will two bouts, both in the middleweight division.

According to Spike, winner of the eleventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Court McGee will make his second appearance inside the octagon, and first after winning the competition. The former drug addict-turned sober fighter will take on veteran Ryan Jensen, as part of the “UFC on Prelims” feature, for UFC 121–headlined by a heavyweight clash between champion Brock Lesnar who attempts to defend his title against top contender, Cain Velasquez.

Additionally, fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran and wild man, Tom Lawlor will take on former middleweight title challenger Patrick Cote, on the aforementioned “UFC on Prelims” special, on October 23, at the Honda Center, in Anaheim, Calif.

Lawlor, though colorful, charismatic and clearly talented, will likely be fighting for his spot in the UFC alongside Cote, as both middleweights are coming off back-to-back losses against top competition.

Cote, who returned to the UFC after a long absence due to a knee injury following a loss to Anderson Silva in a bid for his title back in 2008, returned last June at UFC 115 in Vancouver, in a losing effort to contender Alan Belcher by rear naked choke in the second round.

Lawlor, meanwhile earned his bid in the UFC after defeating fellow cast mate on the eighth season of TUF, Kyle Kingsbury by unanimous decision. The fight was contested at light heavyweight, where after the 205-pounder turned middleweight defeated CB Dollaway by guillotine choke, at UFC 100. The win nabbed the American Top Team product “Submission of the Night” honors for his efforts.

Since then, Lawlor dropped a split decision to fellow wrestler Aaron Simpson, after rocking Simpson early with a barrage of punches, and appearing to have gassed in the latter parts of the fight. He then took on late-replacement Joe Doerksen at UFC 115, losing by rear naked choke against the veteran who has competed in nearly 60 fights as a professional.

Is everyone pleased with the match ups, or would you have rather seen a different fight on the prelims special for Spike?

10-1 Court McGee will make his return to the Octagon in his second UFC fight, and his first since beating Kris McCray and becoming the Ultimate Fighter Season 11 champion. When you consider the fact that McGee has struggled with substance abuse to the point of it nearly costing him his friends, family, and even his life, McGee’s dramatic win via Rear Naked Choke was one of the best feel-good moments in MMA in 2010. Standing in Court’s way at UFC 121 will be 15-6 Ryan Jensen, a six-fight UFC veteran that is 2-2 since his return to the UFC in 2008. While it’s your basic run-of-the-mill “veteran vs. up-and-comer” match, both men have shown flashes of brilliance and should give fans a great preliminary fight.

Former UFC Middleweight Championship contender Patrick Cote will also be in undercard action at UFC 121, taking on the energetic and entertaining Tom Lawlor. Known for his hilarious spoofs of classic UFC fighters in the weigh-ins leading up to a fight, Lawlor has struggled to find success in the UFC, having lost two straight fights after a win over C.B. Dollaway at UFC 100. Patrick Cote is perhaps best known for his loss to current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, and needs a win just as badly as Lawlor, having lost two straight as well. It’s a very real possibility that a loss could result in either man receiving his pink slip from the UFC, so the need to get back into the win column should make for an exciting match.

Veteran fighter and UFC newcomer Michael Guymon will take on submission specialist Daniel Roberts in what should be another exciting match. 2010 marked the first and only time that Roberts lost a pro MMA fight, and his 10-1 record comes with seven submissions. An eleven-year veteran of the sport, Michael Guymon would conceivably have the advantage over Roberts, when you consider that Guymon has only lost three times and that Roberts has only been competing in pro MMA for three years. However, two of Guymon’s losses were due to submission, even though he has six submission wins to his name. So there’s a very real possibility that this fight will turn into a back-and-forth ground war, with one man taking his opponent’s ligaments home as a trophy.

The final preliminary fight officially announced for UFC 121 features Sam Stout stepping inside the Octagon against Paul Taylor. A battle of the “young veterans”, both men have a combined fifteen years of experience under their belts, even though Stout is only 26 and Taylor 30. Both men are knockout specialists with eight “Fight of the Night” awards between them, so they should give fans a great brawl, and it’s very likely that somebody is getting KO’d before all is said and done.

With the addition of these preliminary match-ups, I’m looking forward to UFC 121 even more, and my anticipation of this event was already sky-high. All four preliminary fights offer something different, but they all have one thing in common: they’re all great fights on paper. Anything can happen when the cameras go live, but right now, UFC 121 is shaping up to be another impressive milestone for the world’s largest MMA promotion.

And what about you, fans and friends? How excited are you for UFC 121, and what do you think of these newly-announced fights?

First off, beating the top fighter in the world does not instantly make you the top fighter in the world, especially considering the splintered nature of MMA’s Heavyweight division, where almost all the best Heavyweight athletes are in the UFC. Leading up to his shocking win against Fedor, Werdum had beaten Mike Kyle and Antonio Silva himself. Leading up to his shocking come-from-behind submission win over Shane Carwin, Brock Lesnar had beaten UFC Hall of Fame member and then-current UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and then-current UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir.

In short: Werdum beat a nobody and then a mid-level opponent that has only recently begun to emerge as anything more than a freak-show attraction, and then he got a great win under his belt. Brock Lesnar beat a champion who is also a legend in this sport, and then he beat another champion and the only man who ever beat him, and then he scored a fantastic come-from-behind win over someone who had just obliterated anyone that ever went up against him up to that point. Even with his remarkable win over Fedor, Fabricio Werdum simply hadn’t faced the same level of competition that Brock Lesnar had, and so I think it’s perfectly justifiable to have Lesnar as the number one Heavyweight, Werdum at two, and Fedor at number three.

I agree with Silva that it’s crazy to have a fighter with a 5-1 record being ranked as the top Heavyweight in the world. But that’s actually a compliment to Brock Lesnar. It’s a testament to his off-the-charts skills, power, and wrestling pedigree that Lesnar basically came in, conquered the UFC, and now stands atop the world as the best Heavyweight. I personally think that Cain Velasquez will prove to be Lesnar’s kryptonite, but until that time comes, Lesnar is without equal.

And to be perfectly honest, I don’t think Antonio Silva should be throwing stones while living in a house made of glass. It wasn’t long ago that “Bigfoot” was nothing more than a freakshow attraction, used by promoters to milk his impressive size and his average fighting ability. Until his recent win over Andrei Arlovski, the only real name-value opponent on Silva’s record was Fabricio Werdum, and Silva lost that fight. Antonio Silva has only just begun to be accepted as an elite-level Heavyweight fighter, rather than just a big guy with big hands. He should take a hard look at himself, and how promoters booked him in the past, before he begins criticizing the UFC and their rushing of Lesnar into the spotlight.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Do Antonio Silva’s words have merit, or is he sticking his nose into places where it doesn’t belong?

Frank Mir, a former heavyweight champion who first obtained championship gold after a run through the 265-pound division after compiling an impressive 5-1 run before defeating then heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia, with a 50 second armbar, into the first round, back at UFC 48.

Mir, though, has fallen on tough times, as he has lost two of his last three bouts. An impressive win over division standout Cheick Kongo is sandwiched between two losses to current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and most recently a loss to heavyweight contender and alleged steroid user Shane Carwin, at UFC 111 in March of this year.

“Cro Cop”, a Pride superstar made headlines back in 2006 when he decided to sign with MMA juggernaut, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, though he competed with mixed results, garnering a 1-2 run with his first outing with the UFC.

After a brief stint with DREAM, Mirko is now on the heels of a two-fight win streak inside the octagon, and a 5-1 record in his last 6 fights, with wins over Anthony Perosh and an impressive performance against the dynamic, Pat Barry at UFC 115 last June. Filipovic was in rare form, after being knocked down twice in the first round, Mirko stormed back to steal the second frame, and eventually was able to overwhelm “HD” in the third with a barrage of strikes, dropping the New Orleans native, and eventually securing a rear naked choke to close the show, and pocketed “Submission of the Night” honors for his efforts.

I think fans, and media alike, are pleased with the sudden change up, as UFC 119 was first sought to be where Brock Lesnar would make his title defense against challenger Cain Velasquez, before his fellow Minnesotans. However, after having just competed at UFC 116 in a successful title defense against challenger Shane Carwin, the heavyweight king pin needed some time away from the cage, and with the family, while Lesnar was expecting his next child to be born that July, the same month he last competed.

Then, Mir vs Nogueria II, a rematch nearly two years in the making, was put into effect, to some dismay as the waning interest in the fight was found to be null. However, in a term of both unfortunate and fortunate events, Nogueria was pulled from the card after the former Pride and UFC heavyweight champion suffered a hip injury.

“Cro Cop” was expected to make his return at UFC 123, a rumored event for Germany that is riddled with people of Croation descent, making him an ideal candidate for the card.

However it appears that Mirko had no qualms about stepping up on short notice against Mir, a Jiu-Jitsu specialist who now has a penchant for striking.

So, what do you think? Is everyone pleased with the change, or were we all anticipating the Nogueria vs Mir rematch?

Can “Mir KO” pull out a victory, or is defeat imminent?

After Anderson pulled out a Hail Mary, fifth round submission, after challenger Chael Sonnen dominated the Brazilian for the better part of 4 and half rounds, the Blackhouse teammate was able to pocket “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” honors, on top of a hefty payday.

The figures below, which is formatted from MMAJunkie.com, were originally disclosed by the California State Athletic Commission, following the bout on August 7.

Anderson Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. Chael Sonnen: $35,000

Jon Fitch: $108,000 (includes $54,000 win bonus)
def. Thiago Alves: $60,000

Clay Guida: $56,000 ($28,000 win bonus)
def. Rafael dos Anjos: $12,000

Matt Hughes: $200,000 ($100,000 win bonus)
def. Ricardo Almeida: $35,000

Junior Dos Santos: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Roy Nelson: $15,000

Rick Story: $22,000 ($11,000 win bonus)
def. Dustin Hazelett: $18,000

Phil Davis: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Rodney Wallace: $6,000

Johny Hendricks: $40,000 ($20,000 win bonus)
def. Charlie Brenneman: $8000

Tim Boetsch: $32,000 ($16,000 win bonus)
def. Todd Brown: $6,000

Stefan Struve: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Christian Morecraft: $6,000

Dennis Hallman: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Ben Saunders: $12,000

So, Anderson and Matt Hughes were the night’s top earners, deservedly so, but…is anyone surprised by the numbers? For a long time, Anderson has been coveted by UFC President Dana White, as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, however his numbers don’t represent that. 6 figures, yes, however, a 12-0 i run in the UFC, and moves to light heavyweight would attract a larger base pay and win bonus for the Brazilian, should GSP rack in larger numbers.

Some can make the argument that yes, Georges St. Pierre is a much more popular fighter than Silva of course, at least with Anderson’s most recent performances (aside from UFC 101 and 117), but should popularity or credentials be more decisive come contract time, and a fighters due?

It’s something I run back and forth with, and can’t really decide. I guess that’s why they leave it up to head honchos to figure that kind of stuff out, but what do you think? Performance vs Popularity, which is greater?

In the co-main event slot, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and Elite XC Welterweight Champion Jake Shields will make his debut in the UFC, fresh off his five-round outclassing of Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville in April of this year. Standing in his way is the tough Martin Kampmann, who rebounded from a KO loss to UFC exile Paul Daley with big wins over Jacob Volkmann and Paulo Thiago. Speaking of Paulo Thiago, the man still trying to step out of the shadow of his surprise KO over the current UFC Welterweight Championship #1 Contender Josh Koscheck will also be competing at UFC 121. Facing Thiago will be Diego Sanchez, in Sanchez’s second Welterweight fight since losing a fight for the UFC Lightweight Championship to then-champion BJ Penn.

Also announced is a fight between popular UFC Light Heavyweight Matt Hamill and his friend/coach/mentor Tito Ortiz, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and one of the most controversial fighters to ever step foot in the Octagon. Ortiz will be returning from an injury that forced him to back out of a proposed third fight with Chuck Liddell. It’s been four long years since Tito Ortiz has scored a win inside the Octagon. Rounding out the main card is a fight pitting Heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Gabriel Gonzaga against each other. Gonzaga may have been cast in the role of elite-level gatekeeper in his recent fights, but should prove a very tough test for Schaub, who has looked excellent in all his UFC fights save for a KO loss to Roy Nelson.

UFC 121 is shaping up to be one of the best cards of the year, an astonishing fact considering that 2010 gave us “Aldo vs. Faber” and UFC 116. This card is loaded with potential from top to bottom, and I think every single Pay-Per-View fight could have been a headline attraction in their own right. Lesnar vs. Velasquez is a no-brainer. With the mentor vs. student appeal, Ortiz vs. Hamill could have headlined its own Pay-Per-View. Shields/Kampmann could easily have led a British PPV or a Fight Night Live, as could Paul Thiago vs. Diego Sanchez and Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. Anything can happen when the cameras go live, but on paper, the Pay-Per-View card is filed to the brim with can’t-miss fights. If all the fights live up to their potential, UFC 121 will be like a Christmas gift come early, even though it takes place near Halloween.

And what do you think, fans and friends? How excited are you for UFC 121, and which fight in particular are you looking forward to the most?

I don’t think it will happen quite as quickly as it did to “Minotauro”, but I think “Minotoro” is getting knocked out if he stands up for the majority of this fight. It’s true that he’s only been knocked out one time in his long career in MMA, but Ryan Bader’s punching power is sneakily powerful. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy that could knock you out, and some may say that he’s more of a wrestler than a striker, but the records don’t lie: with a KO over Nogueira, Bader would have as many KO’s on his record as he does Submissions and Decisions combined. His punching power has a way of catching up to you, as it did recently against Keith Jardine, where Jardine seemed able to withstand Bader’s punishment only to ultimately fall to Bader’s superior power near the middle of the last round.

While Nogueira looked great in his debut UFC fight against Luis Arthur Cane, his performance against Jason Brilz clearly shows that Nogueira has begun to slow down, even at the age of 34. I think Nogueira is simply a victim of the “PRIDE curse”. Here’s how it breaks down: despite “Little Nog” only being 34, it’s generally been proven that all the former PRIDE stars aren’t what they used to be in PRIDE no matter how young or old they are. This is simply because fighting in PRIDE took so much out of them. PRIDE was the best promotion on the planet for a long time for one simple reason, and that reason was that all the major-name PRIDE stars practically killed themselves in the ring with brutal wars of attrition that shaved years off of their careers.

I think Nogueira should have faith in his ground game, which is still one of the best in the business. It may have nearly failed him against Brilz, but it still gave him the win. It’s true that Nogueira knocked out a knockout machine when he destroyed Luis Cane, but going up against someone young and unbeaten, with a great ground game and some serious power in his hands, I think the odds are just too stacked against the Nogueira brother. To some extent, this fight mirrors Velasquez/Nogueira. I don’t think Ryan Bader is on the same level as Cain Velasquez, which is why I don’t see this fight ending as quick as the “Minotauro” Nogueira fight did. But I do think that Bader will be able to neutralize Nogueira’s stand-up and pounce on any opportunity he’s given, up to and including a (T)KO. Consider this fight Ryan Bader’s coming-out party.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Which fighter do you think has the superior striking, and does Ryan Bader have enough power to crack those notoriously difficult Nogueira chins?

Emelianeko, legend and former Pride and WAMMA heavyweight champion, is apparently in good standings with his new home with Strikeforce.

Just two month’s removed from his first “real” loss as a professional to then heavy-underdog Fabricio Werdum, who submitted the sambo specialist with a tight, tight triangle choke, just 69 seconds into the first round, Emelianenko spoke with m-1global.com (owned by M-1 Global, Fedor’s management company) and hinted to a possible contract extension with Strikeforce.

After making his debut in devastating fashion over the hard-hitting Brett Rogers, Fedor would eventually lose to Werdum some months later, halting an impressive 27 fight win streak which dates back to 2000, when Fedor lost to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka via TKO (cut), in what was considered controversial since elbows were not allowed in the tournament format Fedor was competing in.

While many speculated when the former consensus number one heavyweight fighter would eventually make his UFC debut, where arguably the best competition exists with current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and challengers Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin exist, it appears that we will all have to wait a little bit longer.

Though his next move is still uncertain, Strikeforce is seemingly securing the heavyweight star while still under contract, extending the 33-year-old contract.

“As far and I’m concerned we should discuss the possibility of signing another contract for four to six fights”, said Emelianenko to m-1global.com.

And outside of Fedor himself, M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan, wants to reciprocate those same intentions.

“The relationship between ourselves, Strikeforce and Showtime is a good one,” he said. “We had a great event in June in San Jose, and we look forward to more good events with our partners.

“(M-1 Global and Strikeforce) are in talks to extend the contract for Fedor and at the same time to settle on who, when and where he is fighting next. These talks are going smoothly, and we are hopeful of a full resolution very shortly.”

While the UFC offers a bevy of dream matches for the Russian, and much stiffer competition with the aforementioned UFC fighter’s, Strikeforce does have some notables to offer.

Bret Rogers, though tough, is largely irrelevant, unfortunately, in the Strikeforce heavyweight division, following losses to Fedor and current champion Alistair Overeem.

Overeem himself would be an excellent match up, though said fiight has lost some of it’s allure following Fedor’s loss, and Alistair’s impressive run in the past couple of years in both the MMA and Kickboxing circuit.

A rematch with Werdum would be a logical choice for the promotion, in order to get the Russian back in good standings in the heavyweight division and erase the setback the Brazilian presented. However, following the fight last June, the Abu Dhabi Grappling veteran has since received surgery on a nagging elbow injury, and will be out for the rest of 2010.

So, the next logical conclusion may be Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. The American Top Team product made his debut in a losing effort to the top-5 heavyweight Werdum, when the fight went to the judges score cards.

However, “Pezao” bounced back in a big way, when he nabbed a unanimous decision over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski last May.

I’m personally vouching for a fight with Silva, and then possibly a rematch with Werdum, where then with two “hypothetical” wins underneath his belt, Fedor might have gained some notoriety back and challenge Overeem, in what has been discussed as a possible headliner for Strikeforce’s first Pay Per View card.

So, outside of the UFC, what is the next match up that you, the fans, would like to see for Fedor?

Is everyone disappointed that the Russian may end up lock-and-sealed with Strikeforce?

Voice your opinion.

And while he claims there is no pressure going into the fight with Nelson, which serves as a number one contender bout after the Brock Lesnar-Cain Velasquez title bout takes place at UFC 121, Dos Santos acknowledges that Nelson is a formidable opponent and it will make his perform at his best, since this fight has so much riding on the line.

“I’m happy for this (opportunity to face Nelson in a number one contender bout). It brings me more confidence, because if I win the fight, and I will win, I will fight for the title. It’s very good for me and I am happy for this news”, said dos Santos, using a new and improved English-repertoire, while speaking with Danny Acosta of Fight! Magazine.

“Everybody can watch, that these guys are amazing fighter’s”, said Junior in regards to his training partners Anderson Silva and Minotauro Nogueria.

“It’s good for me to train with them, and I just want to say ‘thank you’ for them, for training with me and helping me”, said the grateful heavyweight contender.

Nelson, though he has been knocking people out as of late in the UFC, beginning with Brendan Schaub in the finale of the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and following up his performance with another first-round knockout to heavyweight prospect Stefan Struve, many people may forget of his obvious ground prowess.

Roy is a black belt under Renzo Gracie, and has legitimate skills on the ground, holding a victory over Frank Mir in a grappling exhibition some years ago, though dos Santos is unperturbed and equally unimpressed, since he thinks his brown belt and ever evolving ground game may come as a surprise to “Big Country”.

“I’m just training a lot, training my Jiu-Jitsu too, there in Bahia, Brazil. I feel very good for this fight, (with my) confidence, and I have my strategy, and I will follow my strategy.”

However, the one thing he seems to be impressed with, is his size.

“He has a big belly. I’m going to put some punches there”, said the Brazilian, with a smile.

“Watch this fight, UFC 117. Some very good fighters are participating in this event, and I feel good. I promise a good show for you guys.

Let’s face facts, here: being able to absorb crazy amounts of punishment does not make you a fantastic fighter, it just means you have a hard head. Lesnar should be praised for absorbing so many Shane Carwin bomb-punches and toughing it out and ultimately making a comeback, but if modern-day Mixed Martial Arts has proven anything, it’s that even the toughest iron chin can crack. Look no further than Chuck Liddell for a prime example of a man who could absorb some insane shots for quite a long time, only to eventually have it backfire on him in the end, as those tough shots eventually weakened his chin so much that it led to a string of gruesome knockout losses. Lesnar’s chin was put to the test and obviously passed when it comes to Shane Carwin…but I think it’s a very real possibility that Carwin loosened up Lesnar’s chin and that it won’t be long before Lesnar’s chin fails him, especially against the kind of power that Cain will constantly be throwing his way.

Plus, much has been said of Carwin’s inability to last past the first round. Cain Velasquez has already lasted three full rounds against one of the best pure strikers in the Heavyweight division (Cheick Kongo), and has always displayed some wildly impressive cardio. Carwin may hit harder, but Velasquez has always fought smarter. And most importantly, every time he’s seen an opportunity, not only does he capitalize on it, but he remains focused and doesn’t get lost in the heat of the moment, a tactic that hasn’t once failed him.

Lesnar may possess a size advantage, but I think Velasquez’s training will prepare him for the worst outcome (on his back with Brock on top of him) while setting him up for the best (knocking Brock out). Lesnar may be known for having a crazy training regimen, but his actual camp only boasts Sean Sherk as another fighter of note. Meanwhile, Velasquez trains with one of the best MMA camps of all time- the American Kickboxing Academy, home to such greats as Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Cung Le, Josh Thomson, and a host of others. The simple fact is that those that surround themselves with great fighters become a better fighter, and Cain Velasquez trains with some of the best in the world. I can’t say for sure how Cain is going to get past Lesnar’s impressive size, but I don’t have a single doubt in my mind that his training will pay off in the end and he’ll get the job done.

If I can play Nostradamus for a bit, here’s what I see happening. I think this fight will be a lot tougher and a lot longer than most people, including the fighters themselves, think. With both men’s ability to absorb and dish out punishment, as well as their wrestling pedigrees, this one will easily reach the third round. But eventually Lesnar’s size will lead him into the same trap that Shane Carwin fell into. It will take the championship rounds and Velasquez’s relentless pace to do the trick, but ultimately Brock Lesnar will gas himself out and open himself up for one last salvo of shots from Cain, who will force a TKO and give us a brand-spanking-new UFC Heavyweight champion.

So that’s how I see it all going down, fans and friends. Who do you think takes it between Cain and Brock, and how, and why?

Traveling to the land down under, Cormier made his third mixed martial arts appearance when he took on native Aussie, Lucas Browne. A true heavyweight, who stood at a staggering 6’6 and weighed in at the limit of 265 pounds, Cormier put his wrestling to the test, taking down his much larger opponent, before opening up a ground and pound assault that would halt the contest, inside of the first round.

After winning his bout against the previously undefeated Browne on July 31st, Cormier was unsure of his next move, though he was hoping to be able to return to his home in Strikeforce, which saw him debut in September of last year in a win over Gary Frazier, finishing him with strikes in the second round.

Possibly sooner then he anticipated, Cormier will be making his fourth appearance inside a cage, when he will face Jason Riley on August 21., in Houston, Tex., on the preliminary card underneath headliner and friend, “King” Mo, who defends his light heavyweight title for the first time against challenger Rafael Feijao.

Daniel, who has honed his skills along side UFC heavyweight number one contender Cain Velasquez out of AKA, will look to keep his undefeated record intact against the man who is probably more recognized for his bout against former UFC champ Tim Sylvia, losing by first round strikes.

Can Cormier past the test, and keep his winning streak alive, and make his way up the ranks of Strikeforce’s heavyweight division?

5. Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves

You can say whatever you want about Jon Fitch’s penchant for grinding out decisions, but don’t try and tell me that Fitch doesn’t deserve another shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship if he manages to make it 2-0 against the dynamic and constantly improving Thiago Alves. You just can’t overlook five straight wins in a row, especially given that Fitch has gone up against some of the stiffest competition in the division, and will face perhaps his toughest test since Georges St. Pierre in this rematch with Thiago Alves. This one has been shelved several times for several reasons, which has only served to heighten my anticipation. When it does (finally) go down, I think both men will be out to prove a whole hell of a lot, resulting in a wild fight that should see some type of finish.

4. Quinton Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida

As I talked about in my previous article regarding Machida vs. Jackson, both men possess an awful lot of similarities despite their vastly different fighting styles. I think Jackson will come out hungry and hunting for the knockout, due to the fact that he’s been critical of Machida’s elusive style, and also to prove that he still belongs near the top of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division. Machida will come back with a redefined style: not a drastic overhaul, but a series of subtle tweaks that could and probably will allow him to regain his aura of invincibility. Even though I’m siding with Machida, this is simply a fight that features two of my favorite fighters and two of the best fighters in the world stepping inside the Octagon and throwing hands. It doesn’t get much better than that.

3. BJ Penn vs. Frank Edgar 2

I truly believe that the UFC Lightweight Championship should still be around the waist of BJ Penn. In the first encounter, I had Penn winning a very close, very tough fight…but I had him winning nonetheless. This return fight should prove once and for all that Penn is still the Lightweight wrecking machine he has always been… or it will prove that Edgar’s victory was not a fluke, and he’ll finally and fully be given the mantle of “Best Lightweight in the World”. If Penn can finally bring it back to the ground, which is something he hasn’t done in his last few fights, I’m thinking that he can finish Edgar quickly.

2. Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva

After so very much trash-talking, Chael Sonnen’s date with destiny is growing ever nearer, and I can’t wait to see how it all goes down once “The Spider” can finally make Chael answer for his comments. I think we’ll see the return of the “scary” Anderson Silva in this fight, with Silva abandoning the dance routine and obliterating Sonnen the same way he’s obliterated nearly all of his UFC opponents. If Sonnen can win this one, it’d be one of the bigger upsets in a year already packed with big upsets. If Silva wins once again, it will further cement his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.

And my top pick unquestionably goes to…

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

This is going to be an awesome fight. Cain has serious knockout power in both hands and the cardio to keep throwing them for five straight rounds. Lesnar has shown an ability to absorb crazy amounts of punishment, but it remains to be seen if he can absorb the type of shots he took from Shane Carwin for five straight rounds. It will once again be a battle of the behemoths, and it should once again be a truly epic encounter.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What are some fights you’re looking forward to for the rest of 2010?

Should Dos Santos find himself staring across the Octagon at Cain Velasquez, Junior’s best bet is to pace himself and fight smarter, not harder. However, if he can rock Cain the way Cheick Kongo rocked Cain, he may have to throw it all out there and go for the kill. If Dos Santos finds himself on his back, people seem to forget that Dos Santos trains BJJ with the Nogueira brothers. I don’t see Dos Santos dominating Cain on the ground, but I do see him being able to get the fight standing after absorbing minimal damage. I think Cain may find it hard to even get Dos Santos down, since “Cigano” looked almost insulted and easily blocked the takedowns of Gabriel Gonzaga in their recent fight. So long as the fight remains standing and Dos Santos picks his shots while possessing the cardio to last five rounds, Junior Dos Santos would have a great shot at winning via KO or TKO.

Against Brock Lesnar, Dos Santos wins this one so long as he is once again able to keep it standing, and this will be a tall order against someone that possesses one of the fiercest takedowns in the business. This would simply be a case of a regular-sized Heavyweight going up against the freakishly athletic behemoths that are quickly becoming the norm for the UFC’s Heavyweight division. Even with his BJJ background, I think Dos Santos would be taken down at will in a fight with Brock Lesnar. Junior’s best bet would be to make Lesnar pay each time he tries a takedown: even if it results in him still getting taken down, Dos Santos needs to knee Brock in the face or land an uppercut before inevitably getting dragged to the ground. Constantly getting taken down will likely be Dos Santos’ downfall if the fight goes to the judges, but if he can land just one good counter, Dos Santos has a shot at knocking Lesnar out or TKO’ing him.

If it’s Roy “Big Country” Nelson that takes on Cain Velasquez, Nelson would actually be better suited taking Velasquez to the ground. If Nelson trades with Velasquez for too long, he could find himself getting TKO’d by a superior striker, which is exactly what happened when Nelson met Andrei Arlovski. The Arlovski fight suffered from a clearly biased judge that stood the fight up right as Nelson was making his way into a dominant position, and since then, people seem to have attached this stigma of Roy Nelson just lying on his opponents whenever the fight goes to the ground. If Nelson can remain active on the ground, I don’t see Cain having the power to brute-force Nelson off of him. Nelson needs to advance to his beloved Crucifix position and rain down enough blows to force a stoppage. It’s worked wonderfully in the past, and if he can get it on Cain Velasquez, it’ll work again.

Nelson’s gameplan is almost entirely reversed when it comes to fighting Brock Lesnar instead of Cain Velasquez. Lesnar has enough freakish strength to both take down Nelson with relatively little struggle, and to also shove Nelson off from on top of him through brute force alone. Nelson should only take this one to the ground if he’s close to scoring a TKO, otherwise I see Lesnar getting the better of him. Big Country’s striking has never looked better since he came into the UFC, and Lesnar’s striking has never looked as bad as it did during his recent fight with Shane Carwin.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think Junior Dos Santos or Roy Nelson have the ability to beat Cain Velasquez or Brock Lesnar? Also, who do you see winning the fight between Dos Santos and Nelson?

The first and perhaps most obvious choice is Cain Velasquez. Velasquez is seemingly the perfect amalgam of Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin: Cain possesses both brutal ground and pound and vicious one-hit knockout power. Cain is also relatively new to the sport of MMA, and like Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin, his quick and relatively painless run to the top leaves the door open for years of domination. Velasquez is also one of the UFC’s most marketable stars. The son of an illegal immigrant, Velasquez will likely be a key figure in developing and continuing any sort of UFC deal with Mexico, up to and including an event in Mexico or even coaching a “Team Mexico” for The Ultimate Fighter. Even without his heritage, Velasquez’s seemingly unstoppable mix of grounding, pounding, and striking makes him one of the best Heavyweights in the world, a fact that I don’t see changing for quite some time.

Another choice that will likely come as a shocker to none is Junior Dos Santos. I’ve said it in the past, and it bears repeating: I’ve learned to never again bet against Junior Dos Santos. For all the MMA purists that swear up and down that a good ground fight is just as good as and even better than two guys sloppily swinging for the fences, nobody can deny that the chance to see a highlight-reel KO is one of the main reasons we all tune in to this sport of ours. And Junior Dos Santos has delivered at least one highlight-reel moment in every single one of his UFC fights to date. Most fans are well aware that his ground skills have yet to be truly tested, and while I think he will have his hands full if he takes on wrestling powerhouses like Lesnar and Velasquez, I truly believe that Dos Santos could separate any and every man currently competing in the UFC’s Heavyweight division from his consciousness. The UFC Heavyweight Division has lacked a championship-level “pure striker” since the days of Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia, and Junior Dos Santos fits that mold perfectly. Even if he won’t be able to stand up to the ground game of some of the Heavyweight elite, I see Junior Dos Santos consistently near the top of the cards for the next several years.

My final choice may shock a few people, it may not. But here it is: Roy Nelson. I’ve been a fan of “Big Country” since his days in the IFL, and his performances inside the Octagon have got me thinking that Roy Nelson has only just begun to realize his potential. His striking has never looked sharper, and his ground game continues to evolve and improve. Plus, he’ll always have the appeal of being a non-standard Heavyweight. Seeing Big Country rub his big belly after turning in another exciting performance will likely never get old. While it’s anyone’s guess as to if he can get past Junior Dos Santos in their upcoming fight, I think Nelson has more than enough skill to consistently be “in the mix”. He may not reach the same heights as Junior Dos Santos or Cain Velasquez, but if he continues to improve, the top-tier better be ready to handle the weight of Big Country.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Who do you see sitting atop or consistently being contenders to the UFC Heavyweight throne?