Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another new edition of “Best of the Rest”! I really enjoy taking the time to give my detailed thoughts on a show after watching it, but after the serious discussion and debate I’ll raise in topics like “Top 5 Best Moments” and “Best Performance of the Night”, I think it’d be nice to have a semi-serious, occasionally tongue-in-cheek topic where I give out some other “awards”. It’s all in good fun, although I’ll raise a serious point occasionally. So let’s dive right into this latest edition, now featuring “UFC on Versus 4”. ...

Whenever an article and/or opinion piece begins with the phrase “UFC contracts”, most MMA fans assume that another UFC star has been given the proverbial axe. However, two of the UFC’s newest stars can now breathe a sigh of relief, as both Welterweight Dong Hyun Kim and Lightweight Charles Oliveira recently signed new UFC contracts. Here are all the details. ...

Brazilians in mixed martial arts are a dime a dozen nowadays. In the UFC alone, 3 of it's 7 champions are from Brazil: featherweight Jose Aldo, middleweight Anderson Silva, and light heavyweight Mauricio Rua. So when Charles Oliveira came into MMA's "ultimate proving ground" with a world of hype behind him, we all knew that he was someone that we would want to bear witness to. And after impressive performances against Darren Elkins and "The Ultimatage Fighter" season eight winner Efrain Escudero in Charles' first two outings inside the octagon, there was a reason behind the hype. But now, after succumbing to his first career defeat, a first-round submission loss at that to top contender Jim Miller at UFC 124, many are questioning his validity as a threat in the lightweight division. ...

With absolutely no disrespect meant to UFC Middleweight Dan Miller, the recent UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2” event proved once and for all that he’ll likely remain “the other Miller brother” for a long, long time. While Dan fought to a tough Split Decision win over Joe Doerksen, his brother Jim Miller surprised everyone in attendance by snatching up Charles Oliveira’s leg and getting the tap-out over the highly-touted prospect. In a new interview, Miller stated that his dominant performance is due in no small part to the fact that he was fighting for respect in the UFC’s increasingly-competitive Lightweight division, to which I say: mission accomplished. ...

UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2” was a banner event for the promotion, one of the best MMA shows of the year in fact. Fans were treated to several impressive finishes, several entertaining three-round wars, and a fantastic performance turned in by the one and only Georges St. Pierre. The UFC recently handed out its traditional post-fight bonuses, including a “Fight of the Night” award that was selected via fan vote for the first time ever. And according to Dana White, that's never going to happen again. Here are all the details. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another edition of “What’s Next”, where I pull out my trusty crystal globe and take a glimpse at what I think the future holds for the big winners and losers of a major MMA event. UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2” was definitely a major event, and it had plenty of big winners and losers. In the main event, Georges St. Pierre utterly outclassed Josh Koscheck in perhaps one of the best performances GSP has ever given us in his vaunted career. So let’s get right to it with another edition of “What’s Next.” ...

The final UFC event of the first decade of the new millennium is now in the history books, fans and friends. And what an event it was: from the preliminary card featured live on UFC.com to the Pay-Per-View itself, this was a night loaded with fantastic fights and amazing finishes. One could seemingly not ask for a better way to end the year, as Georges St. Pierre put on yet another classic performance and dominated Josh Koscheck for five straight rounds. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary on UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2”. ...

Heading into his ufc 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2” fight with Jim Miller, young gun Charles Oliveira has been gaining a considerable amount of momentum. His two-year, fourteen-fight career is completely unblemished, with not a loss to his name, and that includes two fights in the UFC, the best and most competitive MMA promotion in the world. Oliveira recently beat formerly-famed and (at the time of the fight) grossly overweight Efrain Escudero, the former “Ultimate Fighter” winner that had at one time been a big part of the UFC’s drive into Mexico. In a recent interview with Tatame.com, Oliveira shed some light on where he stands now that he’s finding his footing in the UFC. Here are the highlights. ...

As the year is coming closer to an end, the now annual World MMA Awards, which is hosted by Fighters Only Magazine, has recently announced their finalists for the December 1st event, which will take place once again in Las Vegas, Nev., which has become a hot bed for all things fighting related. 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. ...

The future looked bright for the season 8 winner of "The Ultimate Fighter", Efrain Escudero. After laying claim as the new lightweight champion of his season, and a dominant win turned in at the shows finale against fellow finalist, Phillipe Nover, Escudero now finds himself in the same situation as Nover--he's been pink slipped by the UFC. After claiming the TUF title in December of 2008, injuries left "Hecho en Mexico" out of action until September of 2009, where he came in overweight for a lightweight match up against fellow TUF veteran Cole Miller. While he was able to pick up the win, an impressive knockout victory inside of the first round, this was the start of what UFC President Dana White indicated as "complacency" for Efrain. ...

A fighter winning a season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, the popular and long-running UFC reality TV show, usually signals the debut of a can’t-miss prospect. TUF winners carry a huge pedigree: several have been champions, several have competed for championships, and many have found themselves in a consistent state of mid-to-upper-level status. However, a recent bit of news signaled the end of the favoritism usually shown to TUF winners (the standouts from past seasons are usually given multiple second chances if they go on losing streaks). Efrain Escudero, the winner of TUF Season 8, has been given his walking papers. ...

After an exciting night of fights turned just under a day ago, many fighters came out on top, both notching another win to their records, while picking up a hefty bonus in addition to their performances. The bonuses were delivered last night following the conclusion of "UFC Fight Night 22", which took place in Austin, Texas in front of a stellar crowd at the Frank Erwin Center before an estimated 7,724 people in attendance. ...

As a lead in to the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”, UFC Fight Night 22: “Marquardt vs. Palhares” certainly served its purpose of giving the fans a great night of live action to compliment the inaugural debut of a new TUF season. In a key Middleweight match-up pitting Nate Marquardt against Rousimar Palhares, Nate “The Great” would win in dominating fashion in a moment of controversy that was quickly cleared up. Here are the official results of Fight Night 22 as well as my thoughts on the card. ...

UFC Lightweight, Efrain Escudero (13-1), suffered his first career loss to Evan Dunham back in January.  He followed that up with a convincing decision win over Dan Luazon at UFC 114. Now, the Ultimate Figher 8 winner looks to build a new win streak when he faces Charles Oliveira, an undefeated (13-0) Jiu Jitsu brown belt at UFC Fight Night 22 on Sept. 15 in Austin, Texas. It is a matchup that has taken a winding road to arrive.  Escudero was first slated to fight John Gunderson which was then switched to Matt Wiman.  Wiman suffered an injury and the UFC tapped Oliveira.  Nonetheless, Escudero told the collected media on Thursday’s UFC Fight Night 22 conference call that the flip-flopping of opponents is no big deal. ...

Poor, poor Efrain Escudero. The season 8 winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" has faced some hurdles since his inception into the UFC, not so long ago. After suffering his first career loss to contender Evan Dunham last January, via arm bar submission in the third round of their lightweight affair, "Hecho en Mexico" bounced back against Dan Lauzon last May on the preliminary card. ...