First, we head to MMA Junkie for the UFC’s side of the story. UFC President Dana White recently said the following in regards to the situation: “…Machida accepted the fight. Then… Machida’s people came back and said, ‘We’ll tell you what. You pay us what you pay Anderson Silva, and we’ll take the fight.’ …I said, ‘Are you [expletive] kidding me? I’ll tell you what. You tell Machida (if) he achieves what [expletive] Anderson Silva has achieved, then maybe he’ll make Anderson Silva money.”

The Machida side of the story, however, can be best seen over at the one and only Sherdog. Lyoto Machida’s wife of all people recently said the following: “After a conference, Lyoto, his managers and the UFC representatives decided it wouldn’t be a good decision for him to fight… His professionalism made him turn down the fight. No one is playing anymore [in professional MMA], everyone is very focused and serious, so it would be silliness to accept.”

Well, this is quite an interesting story. On one hand, I agree with the UFC. On the other hand, part of me also agrees with Machida’s people. A high-profile fighter turning down a high-profile fight can always cause a lot of controversy, and I think it’ll be tough to figure out the real truth of who said what to whom and who did what for what reason. Here’s what I think, though.

I don’t think Lyoto Machida is scared of rematching Rashad Evans, he has no reason to be. Machida gave Evans an incredibly humbling loss, one that Evans cynics still use to make fun of him to this day. The problem here is that Machida didn’t want to prepare for any fight, especially a high-level fight, on such short notice.

If the story about wanting “Anderson Silva” money is true, then I can admit that I did lose a little respect for Machida and his camp. If you agree to take a fight, you shouldn’t then threaten to back out of the fight in order to try and increase your paycheck. Not only is that an under-handed thing to do, it puts you on the “crap list” of the promoter you’re working with, and with a promoter as volatile as Dana White, it’ll be hard to get off that list. So while I won’t say that this “Anderson Silva money” thing means that I’ve stopped supporting Lyoto, it does mean this: if this story is true and Machida did try to pull out of the fight at the last moment for more money, then Machida deserves to endure the wrath of Dana White and jump through whatever hoops White places in front of him.

But in the end, I think Machida made the smart choice. He chose his career over one opportunity, and as debatable as that is, I can at least respect Machida for not wanting to go into a fight unprepared.

Recently, Nogueira gave his thoughts on Dana White’s recent assertion that Wanderlei Silva should more than likely retire after losing to Chris Leben. White even hinted that he might “Chuck Liddell” Wanderlei and basically force “The Axe Murderer” to retire.

Courtesy of Bloody Elbow, here’s just some of Nogueira’s response: “I think he was unfortunate with his comments. They’re idols of the sport, (Dana’s) not a God who decides on everyone’s career… I loved the fact that Tito Ortiz won his last fight. You see that these people were not champions for nothing. Ortiz, Wanderlei and Fedor were top fighters for a reason.”

I’ll start out by saying that I agree with “Big Nog” on one key item: Dana White isn’t some all-seeing, all-knowing deity. He’s perhaps the most powerful man in MMA, but he’s not the be-all end-all. MMA is a sport, the UFC is simply a promotion within that sport. And the sport of MMA is filled with veterans that have prolonged their careers by staying active after getting cut by the UFC.

But I will say this: when it comes to playing a pivotal role in your career… yep, that pretty much sums up Dana White to a tee.

If you’re a UFC fighter, Dana White can do… well, he can do pretty much whatever he feels like whenever he feels like it. He can ban you for life and you’ll simply have to deal with the knowledge that you’ll be forever forbidden from making the big, big money. He could bring you in with months of hype and then promptly cut you after one or two losses. He can fire you pretty much whenever he feels like it. Dana White may not be all-powerful… but for most fighters fighting under the Zuffa empire, especially the young upstarts… he’s honestly pretty close.

So, does it makes sense to call out Dana White? Only when you have a legitimate bone to pick. And to be honest, Nogueira does have a point. A fighter should choose when to call it a career, even if it means packing it in far after his peak. As veterans, they’ve earned that right. The most we can hope for is that they make the smart decision and retire before their win/loss ratio of recent years starts to overshadow the conquests of old.

And if we’re being brutally honest? Maybe Nogueira is feeling a bit spiteful because he knows that he too is coming up on the end of his career. The overall record of “Big Nog” is still ridiculously positive, but he’s lost two of his last three fights. And both of those losses were by (T)KO. So while Nogueira may have a point, a case could be made that he’s throwing stones in a glass house.

It’s a story that’s been sweeping the internet, and it’s already divided a legion of fans. Some of the more-popular rumors is that Marquardt showed up overweight, or tried to cheat some type of test, or even that he had some type of viral infection. However, many top MMA journalists, including Ariel Helwani, have stated that we’ll probably never know the full extent of the situation. The athletic commission is currently very tight-lipped when it comes to discussing the situation.

MMA Weekly gives us a good recap. Basically, the laws concerning this issue prevent anyone other than Nate Marquardt himself from disclosing the full extent of his medical situation. All that’s known is that Marquardt was given several weeks to clear up whatever was afflicting him, and apparently he did not. When he showed up at yesterday’s weigh-ins, he was medically forbidden from competing. This then led Dana White to remove him from the “UFC on Versus 4” main event against Ricky Story, bump the Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry co-main event up to main event status, give Story Charlie Brenneman as a replacement opponent, and then fire Marquardt.

As a fan of Nate “The Great”, I’m honestly pretty sad to see him go. I think it’s very unfortunate that this situation is clouded in mystery. Hopefully Marquardt comes out with the truth, if only to clear his name. If he doesn’t I think Marquardt will have a cloud hanging over him for at least a year or so, as he competes in other promotions and tries to build his credibility back up.

Speaking of which, where does Marquardt go from here? He certainly can’t go to Strikeforce, the UFC owns them now. He could go to Bellator, they’ve got their fair share of former UFC fighters. But Marquardt was set to be in the main event of a pretty major UFC show. Can Bellator afford him? How much will Marquardt be charging in order to step into a cage that doesn’t belong to the UFC, doing it for the first time since 2005?

Since no one really knows what medical condition he had that led to him being forbidden to fight and even suspended, I think it’s unfair to judge Nate Marquardt harshly and assume it was steroids or that he tried to cheat a drug test. With his history as a respectable and entertaining fighter, I personally think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. This is a very unfortunate situation, but right now I do wish Marquardt the best. And that won’t be changing unless it’s officially revealed what he did that landed him in suspension and out of the UFC.

First up is a report from MMA Fighting that states that the UFC has shown interest in purchasing a controlling share in the G4 cable channel. According to the report, G4 has a little over half the potential viewership of Spike TV, so it would require a whole lot of work on the part of the UFC to turn a stagnating channel into a viable property. Then again, with complete control of the network comes the ability to do pretty much anything and take the network in any direction they so choose, a freedom not afforded them on Spike TV.

We then head right back to MMA Fighting for a further update on the situation. White recently addressed the rampant rumors concerning the possible G4 sale by saying the following: “I told you guys the last time we all talked, we’re talking to everybody right now. It actually blew my mind that huge media sources would go out and announce that when there is no deal… I told you guys last time, we’re in negotiations, and negotiations are never fun… It’s stupid for me to talk about this while we’re in negotiations.”

And so the plot thickens. I have some very conflicting ideas on the UFC basically creating its own network and/or absorbing the G4 channel. So I’ll take it from the top and go from there.

First up: I remember watching the G4 channel early into its lifespan and really liking it. It was a total nerd channel, built around a very small niche and marketed exclusively to that niche. It was a great channel for me to watch as a video game nerd, which I always was and always will be. But apparently that small niche was just too small.

Right now, G4 is a network dominated by repeats and one or two original programs. It doesn’t surprise me at all that the network is in shambles. What does surprise me is that the UFC wants to buy it and rebuild it from the ground up. That’s an incredibly ambitious move, and even if the UFC is riding an incredible wave of success, I don’t know if they can take a property like G4 and breathe new life into it solely on the basis of the UFC name.

But if they do? We could be in for an amazing few years. Just think about it: the UFC gets complete creative freedom and control, they can put on what they like whenever they like and change everything and anything. We could see so much more than the typical Spike TV fair, which boils down to pre-fight hype specials, live events, “The Ultimate Fighter”, and repeat/highlight shows. With primary control over an entire television network, the UFC could craft an entirely new experience for its fans.

In the end, I suppose it’s too early to tell. I think the UFC has undergone some massive changes in the last few years, but I don’t think most of it compares to possibly leaving the television network that saved the UFC from impending doom and brought them fully back into the mainstream. With Strikeforce being acquired by the UFC, with the UFC leaving Spike TV, with Spike TV rumored to being picking up Bellator to replace the UFC… it looks like 2012 will be a real game-changer for MMA as a whole.

The three bits of news have been revealed throughout the week, and the one and only Sherdog provides us with a great recap of the situation. Here’s what we know so far: Nick Diaz is now a UFC fighter, which has caused him to relinquish his Strikeforce Welterweight Championship. So his upcoming championship encounter with Georges St. Pierre will not be a “champion vs. champion” fight.

In addition to that, the UFC has mandated that all future live event main events will be five-round fights. This will likely not apply to “co-main event” fights. However, upcoming main events that have already been signed as three-round fights, such as the upcoming fight between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, will proceed as agreed upon and be three-round fights. This applies to both Pay-Per-View main events and the UFC’s televised main events, such as their “Fight Night Live” specials.

And finally, word has come down that the UFC is interested in opening up a Flyweight division for fighters that weigh a maximum of 125 pounds. This would be the UFC’s eighth division, and the smallest weight division officially recognized by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. According to several rumors, the UFC may implement a Flyweight division by the year’s end. Two additional rumors peg Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson as two likely Bantamweight fighters that could possibly drop to Flyweight if/when the weight division is announced.

First and foremost, I’d like to address the reaction that the Flyweight division has been getting. I see a lot of disinterest, I see a lot of people making fun of these lighter-weight fighters and saying that they weigh as much as little girls. I see a lot of internet tough guys saying “I used to weight 125… when I was twelve years old”.

To which I say: get over yourselves. A fighter is a fighter, and it takes a tremendous amount of heart and skill to be a Mixed Martial Artist.

I know I’m getting on the soapbox right now, but I’m just really tired of the lighter-weight fighters not getting the respect they deserve. Talent is talent, regardless of weight class. I measure a fighter by his talent, not by what weight class he competes in. A good fighter will be a good fighter no matter what weight class he competes in. I once held a prejudice against lighter-weight fighters, and the WEC didn’t just shatter it completely, it made me realize that lighter-weight fighters are pound-for-pound the most consistently entertaining fighters on the planet. If the Flyweights come in and start stealing shows left and right with their great fights, then I’ll be more than happy to welcome them to the UFC with open arms.

In regards to Nick Diaz vacating his Strikeforce championship? It is what it is, although I really wish it didn’t have to be this way. Now that it’s officially confirmed that Nick Diaz is a UFC fighter, this had to have been a major acquisition for the UFC. If Strikeforce was still on its own, the UFC would have basically plucked Strikeforce’s best and most dominant champion right out from under them and while he’s in the prime of his career. Whoever takes Diaz’s place as Strikeforce Welterweight Champion will have a long way to go if they want to get out of Diaz’s shadow.

And finally, I don’t have too much to say about five-round non-title fights. I think it’s a good idea, but it’s such a drastic change that I’ll hold off judgment until I see it put into practice.

During the broadcast of the UFC’s “Prelims LIVE” series of fights, White announced that Lesnar had successfully undergone a major, potentially (most likely) life-altering surgery. The one and only Sherdog brings us a recap, with White saying the following: “Brock Lesnar had surgery yesterday. They removed about 12 inches of his colon, and they repaired it. He says he feels great. He’s a little sore, but the operation was a huge success. We’re hoping that he can be back by the first of the year. He’s excited to recover and get back in the UFC.”

And there you have it, fans and friends: Brock Lesnar has taken drastic measures for a drastic disease. I am not a medical professional, so please forgive me if the following statements are without merit. But these are my honest reactions to this very interesting bit of news.

First and foremost: I think Brock Lesnar won’t be the same athlete anymore. Typically, whenever a fighter undergoes major reconstructive surgery, they’re just not the same. It could be one major surgery, or repeated surgeries on the same appendage.

There are several precedents for this: Mirko Cro Cop hurting his knees/legs so many times that his kicks were never the same. The same thing could be said with the same injury for Mauricio Rua. Tito Ortiz got major reconstructive back surgery and said he was a new man… he has yet to win a single fight in the UFC after returning. Nate Quarry got the same type of major reconstructive back surgery… he did wage a bit of a comeback, but his last fight saw him lose by second-round TKO and he hasn’t fought since March of last year.

So, what does this mean for Brock Lesnar? It’s simple: to become a UFC Heavyweight Champion again, he’ll have to do something that virtually no one has ever been able to do: he has to recapture what made him a champion while dealing with the major surgery that saved his life but will possibly lead to a shorter career.

The good thing about this is that Brock Lesnar is a man that thrives on doing the near-impossible.

No one thought Brock Lesnar would be a UFC Heavyweight Champion, and then he beat Randy Couture, pulverized Frank Mir, and submitted Shane Carwin. If anyone can come back from this kind of debilitating injury, it’s Brock Lesnar. I’ve always been a fan of Brock Lesnar, and until he officially retires from the sport, I’ll always love to see Brock Lesnar fight. Win or lose, the man is a mega-star and a mega-draw.

All in all, my reaction to this news is positive. I’m glad Lesnar decided to permanently deal with this disease, I think that’s going to give him a better life and I think that’s going to allow him to stay happy and healthy both inside and outside of the Octagon. I’m a little wary on how this surgery will affect his performance, but I guess we’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

With full credit going to MMA Weekly, Dana White recently addressed the problems surrounding the thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” by saying the following: “In our deal with Spike for this season we don’t have as many episodes as we’ve had in the past… We really, really, really made a big mistake not having these guys fight to get in the house. I guarantee you that will never happen again… You know what the problem is? We changed time; I don’t like the time change… We didn’t have any say in that.”

If nothing else, I think this season has been an interesting trial in what does and doesn’t work. For example, here’s something we now know no longer works: eliminating the “fight to get into the house” rule. This season and the infamous tenth season both abandoned that rule, and the fight quality really suffered for it. I know the trade-off is that it takes more time to do things with that rule, and that the first episode becomes a glorified clip-show because so many fights take place. But I truly believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

Another thing we now know doesn’t work: two big coaches that don’t have any real strong opinion of each other. Junior dos Santos is a knockout machine and a very exciting fighter. Brock Lesnar is incredibly controversial and a major draw. But there’s no real beef between these two, and Lesnar has said multiple times that he only sees Junior dos Santos as an obstacle and not an enemy.

It really adds to the drama when the two competing coaches legitimately don’t like each other, like the season featuring Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, or the tenth season featuring Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans. It’s still interesting even if one coach is charismatic and the other isn’t, like in the season that featured Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck, or the one with Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson. Not only do rivalries sell fights, they also produce plenty of entertainment during the course of a television show.

I’m not saying that every season of “The Ultimate Fighter” needs a clearly-defined good guy and bad guy, that’s a bit too theatrical for my taste. But I want interaction, I want drama, I want heated exchanges. This is reality television, after all. And it honestly is a bit boring when Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos barely interact with each other.

When it comes to the change in time, I can see how that would affect the ratings of the program. I honestly can’t comment too much, though, since I usually don’t watch “The Ultimate Fighter” live. But I do think it was a little callous to move an established television show, one that has delivered impressive and consistent ratings for thirteen straight seasons, in order to showcase a show about coal miners.

I think it’s pretty interesting to see Dana White recognize the mistakes the UFC made with this season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. It’s not actually that bad of a season, but I do think mistakes were made. So long as Dana White makes good on his promise of correcting those mistakes, I don’t think I’ll stop watching TUF any time soon.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on this bit of news?

Whether it be his first-round submission victory over former title challenger Joe Stevenson, his dominant decision victory over Roger Huerta, or his third-round submission win over former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi–Florian has an impressive body of work in the 155-pound class.

However, as Florian prepares to make the drop to the featherweight division, he was so bold as to ask his friend and employer, UFC President Dana White if he will be next in line for a shot at the title, to which White answered in the affirmative.

Twice has Florian earned a title shot in the lightweight division. First it came against Sean Sherk at UFC 64 in October of 2006, where both men battled for the then vacant-155 strap. Kenny was unsuccessful at claiming gold when the wrestling powerhouse was able to nullify all Florian’s offense by grinding out a five-round decision win. Next, Kenny would go on a six-fight win streak to earn another crack at the title in 2009, which was now held by the legendary BJ Penn. After a competitive first few rounds, Penn was eventually able to cinch in a fourth-round rear-naked choke.

Now, after having failed at his bid to earn another shot at the title at 155-pounds when he was bested by current number one contender Gray Maynard last August, Kenny decided to make the move to the featherweight class in order to put himself in a position where he can quickly become a contender for the title.

With his name value and experience in the UFC, Florian would be an easy sell as a top contender in the division, especially if he proves successful in his next outing. Kenny will be taking on Nova Uniao product Diego Nunes at UFC 131 this June in Vancouver, Canada. While the featherweight strap is contested this weekend between champion Jose Aldo and challenger Mark Hominick, Florian took the opportunity to throw his name in the hat for the title picture when he had UFC head honcho Dana White on ESPN’s “MMA Live” show, which Kenny often co-hosts with Jon Anik and Franklin McNeil.

“…and Dana, I’m going to put you on the spot because I can. Will I get a shot? If I get by (Diego) Nunes, and (Jose Aldo) get’s by (Mark) Hominick, will I get the next shot after that?”, asked Florian.

“Oh here we go”, said White in his not-so subtle sarcastic tone.

“This is usually what the reporters would ask me, and now you’re the reporter asking me and the fighter…as far as you getting the title shot after (the UFC 129 fight)—everybody who’s watching knows where you stand in the sport and obviously if you can get in there then yes. If you make that weight Kenny, and then yeah, you’re probably going to get the next title shot.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Does Florian deserve the shot at the title? Sound off in the comment section below.

Though he has competed in the organization in the past, he has since been fighting in a variety of promotions, most recently being Strikeforce.

Miller was originally scheduled to face off against Tim Kennedy in a rubber match at the March 5th Strikeforce event in Columbus, Ohio, though he was subsequently removed from the bout for no apparent reason. Well now it looks like said reason stems from Miller’s involvement in the infamous “Nashville Brawl”, which left him banned from both Showtime and CBS alike. All this is from Miller’s newest employer in UFC President Dana White.

Jason, the host of the ultra-popular “Bully Beatdown” show on MTV, was in the midst of a near in-cage riot this time last year. Miller stepped inside the cage moments after then champion Jake Shields defended his middleweight title against the legendary Dan Henderson in Nashville, Tennessee at the Bridgestone Arena. Jason confronted Shields about a potential rematch, stemming from their initial meeting in November of 2009. A push and a shove lead to Miller and the rest of Shields’ camp, including Gilbert Melendez, Nick and Nate Diaz, taking part in a brawl on national television, airing live in CBS.

Needless to say, the folks at CBS (the parent company for Showtime) have not taken kindly to Miller’s antics, and though he was forced to pay a fine like everyone else involved, the head execs opted to not have Jason return to the Strikeforce fold.

“Mayhem Miller had a contract with those guys,” said UFC President Dana White to a group of reports following the pre-fight press conference for this weekends UFC 129 event–according to 5thRound.com.

“Mayhem, he’s banished from CBS for life. He wasn’t being fought because he couldn’t fight on Showtime, he couldn’t fight on CBS, so he was in a bad position.

“So that’s why [we signed him to the UFC].”

The last time Miller was seen in action was when he took on Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba under the DREAM banner last September. Sakuraba had only been submitted once in his career, by heavyweight Kimo Leopoldo in his mixed martial arts debut many years ago, and has since made a career of submitting many opponents himself, including notables Renzo Gracie, Royler Gracie and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. However, Jason was able to systematically dismantle his idol and eventually submit him with a first-round arm triangle choke. Funny enough, the submission was the same hold that Kimo had caught the Japanese sensation with back in 1996.

Regardless of how Miller ended up in the organization, he should still be a welcomed addition, especially in a thinning middleweight class that needs a new face in the title picture.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Caught me off guard, too. I remember Cesar Gracie making mention of it first at MMAJunkie.com, though I thought it was him just being “bitter” towards “Mayhem” considering Miller’s beef with most of Cesar’s stable of fighters, but it looks like theres some truth to the story. Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what MMA Fighting had to say on the situation: “UFC president Dana White has indicated to MMA Fighting that the promotion has no interest in offering a fight to Brazilian pioneer Royce Gracie.”

UFC 134 is currently scheduled for August 27, 2011 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Royce Gracie currently holds a 14-2-3 record in MMA and has been out of MMA competition since 2007, when he tested positive for steroids following a match-up with Kazushi Sakuraba. Gracie started his fabled career at the very first UFC event, and would go on to win the first, second, and fourth UFC tournaments. Gracie is widely regarded as one of MMA’s greatest pioneers, and also the main figure that led to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s esteemed place atop the MMA fighting styles hierarchy.

I’m honestly pretty conflicted about this news. It’s tough to be a realist and an optimist, but I’d like to consider myself both. Here’s what the realist in me thinks.

The realist in me thinks that Royce Gracie has been gone too long and likely wouldn’t have had a good fight even if he fought a hand-picked opponent. Gracie’s dominance in the early UFC tournaments will always be a shining hallmark of what BJJ can accomplish in MMA, but Gracie’s inability to adapt with the times and become a well-rounded fighter means that he’s best served as a forefather and not an active competitor. We really need to look no further than the thrashing Gracie received all the way back at UFC 60 by Matt Hughes for an indication that Gracie’s unevolved style isn’t good enough to beat a well-rounded fighter. And UFC 60 was almost five years ago. The sport has evolved a lot from that point.

So the realist in me recognizes that Royce Gracie competing at “UFC: Rio” would be more of a novelty than anything else. But here’s the interesting thing: the optimist in me understands that it would’ve been one hell of a novelty.

How can you book the UFC’s return to Brazil after over a decade and not have a Gracie? The Gracie family invented Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Royce Gracie is arguably the most-famous member of the Gracie clan. I know Dana White hates making “freak-show fights”, but would it really be so bad to feature Royce Gracie on the card? You’d practically guarantee a sellout in Brazil, just with Royce Gracie’s return alone. And Royce Gracie’s return isn’t nearly as much of a “freak-show fight” as James Toney vs. Randy Couture was.

In the end, part of me thinks “this is smart decision-making” while another part of me thinks “what would have been the harm?” And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on Dana White shooting down these Royce Gracie rumors?

Here are some highlights from an interview White recently gave to USA Today: “…We look at other sports leagues and say, ‘Ok, we can be this big or bigger. How do we do it?’… It’s hilarious to me that when all the media and the fans talk about stuff — when you guys talk about Strikeforce and Affliction and IFL and all these other guys that were out there… If that’s seriously what you guys think is our (freaking) competition, you guys are (freaking) way out of the loop… My competition is the NFL. My competition is Major League Baseball.”

Here’s what I think is interesting about this interview. You may look at this interview and laugh at White comparing the UFC to sports leagues like the NFL and MLB. You can call him crazy to put himself on the level of two sports that are both revered as national pastimes in the USA. You could say that he’s skirting the issue of other promotions because, right now, he’s either bought out or killed all his major competition and that makes him look pretty ruthless. Here’s what I think.

I think Dana White is a ruthless businessman, but I also think you have to be ruthless in order to stay successful in a sport like MMA, with total mainstream acceptance still hanging in the balance and with the sport still not even legal in several big-money states. I think Dana White may be aiming too high when he looks to become a rival to the NFL and MLB, but I also think setting his sights too high is what led Dana White to be in the position he’s in right now: one of the key players in the largest, most successful, most prestigious MMA organization in the history of the sport.

People can laugh and mock Dana all they want, but this is something I’ve been saying for a long time now: I truly believe that Dana White continues to do everything he possibly can to make the UFC the biggest promotion of the biggest sport on the planet. Some of it I don’t agree with, some of it I wholeheartedly endorse. But the man lives, breathes, sleeps and dreams the UFC. And if you respect nothing else about Dana White, respect the fact that he wants to make MMA the biggest sport in the world and he believes that he can.

Now, does anybody else believe that the UFC could not only eclipse leagues like the NFL or MLB, but that MMA could become the biggest sport in the world? It depends who you ask. Me? I’d love to live in a world where the sport I love is universally accepted and appreciated. I’d love to live in a world where the mass media covers the next big UFC event as enthusiastically as they cover the World Series or the Super Bowl. It may take a long, long time before that ever happens. And to be honest, it may never end up happening.

But if Dana White dreams of doing the impossible, I say let him. He’s certainly achieved just that plenty of times in the past.

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

5. Randy Couture

Couture is a perennial entry in my “Apocalypse” lists, and for good reason. The man is so versatile, I think he could survive whatever horror my imagination feels like throwing at him. In most alien movies, there’s always that one grizzled veteran that everyone respects, the one that helps lead the rebels to victory and overcome the alien masses. Plus, Couture earns an immediate spot on this list for his ability to recruit the other members of “The Expendables”, which would undoubtedly and quickly become the most savage, most vicious, most notorious anti-alien team on the face of the planet. Picture “Inglourious Basterds”, except with aliens. And Sylvester Stallone. That’s what will happen if Randy Couture is thrust into an alien apocalypse.

4. Brock Lesnar

In most alien films that involve the aliens taking over, there’s always that one big action scene where the imprisoned humans stage an outbreak and score the first concrete victory for humanity. Normally it’s the hero of the film that gets all the credit, but there’s usually a hulking, usually-silent behemoth there to help him. Brock Lesnar could be that hulking behemoth. Whether it’s holding something open so the prisoners can escape or saving the hero in the nick of time by pulverizing an alien’s brains between two giant fists, Lesnar would be two hundred and sixty-five pounds of pure humanity-saving muscle.

3. Dana White

Who said you had to be on the human’s side to survive an alien apocalypse? Dana White is the king of the shocking deal: we never thought he’d buy PRIDE and he did, we never thought he’d buy Strikeforce and he did. In the new world of alien domination, I can definitely see Dana White staying alive by negotiating with the aliens and ensuring his survival by trying to lead humanity to its doom. Everyone vilifies Dana White already, so I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks that White would be humanity’s Benedict Arnold, working together with the alien overlords to ensure his continued survival while at the same time ensuring humanity’s destruction.

2. Bruce Buffer

There isn’t a single “alien apocalypse” movie I can think of that doesn’t feature some grand motivational speech somewhere in the course of the movie. And who better to give that speech than Bruce Buffer? Buffer practically explodes with energy and all he does is announce who’s fighting. Buffer would probably give himself a heart attack if he had to rally humanity against its evil alien overlords. But before he did, he would probably give the best pre-fight rallying speech in history. Just picture him screaming “IT’S TIME” to a couple thousand eager rebels and try not to get goosebumps. And if Buffer does survive such a speech without his head exploding, he’d certainly be the go-to motivational speaker for the entire resurgent human race.

And the number-one fighter I think would be most likely to survive an alien apocalypse is…

1. Phil Davis

Look at this man. Really look at him.

Does that man look human? No? Well, there’s a reason for that: it’s because he’s not. Phil Davis is an alien, and in an alien apocalypse he would be the good alien that all the bad aliens try to eliminate. And just when you think all hope is lost for “Mr. Wonderful”, the cavalry arrives: an army of Phil Davis alien clones. That’s right, not only is Phil Davis an alien, he’s his own alien race. Alien clone Phil Davis army: humanity’s greatest weapon.

And if you hadn’t clued in before: APRIL FOOLS, fans and friends. This was all in fun and I hope you enjoyed it. But I just have to ask: who do you think could survive an alien apocalypse?

Tonight, the first episode of the thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” has wrapped up.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar coaches opposite of Junior dos Santos a field of 14 welterweight hopefuls who will work there way through the competition to meet in the finals this June in Las Vegas to determine the next winner of the TUF series, who will battle for the six-figure UFC contract.

An early favorite for the show in Jury, is now sidelined from the show during a freak injury and he has since been replaced.

During the evaluation process where both Lesnar and Dos Santos had their chances to preview the new batch of fighters to enter the show, and during a sparring session, Myles in a scramble turned his knee the wrong way and laid motionless on the mat in pain for a few moments. The injury didn’t seem to severe, though later things took a turn for the worse.

As team picks were completed and Jury was casted as part of Team Lesnar, he visited with Dr. Jeffrey Davidson for the analysis of his knee, which he later revealed was a completely torn ACL, which would inevitably sideline him from the show.

UFC President Dana White later broke the news to Jury that he would have to leave the show but in a manner of speaking indicated that because of Jury’s record, and his age, that he could find himself in the UFC very soon.

Chuck O’Neil later would joined the program and replaced Myles as part of Team Lesnar.

So, MMA peeps, what did you think of Myles’ exit? Those of you who are not familiar with the 22-year-old, you should look him up on the interweb and see why he was a heavy favorite on the program. Sound off in the comment section below.

Previously, UFC President Dana White had asserted in a media teleconference earlier today that both Strikeforce and the UFC will operate as two separate companies, at least for the time being. There will be no sort of co-promotion and fighters that are under contract with said organization’s will remain with their brand, despite some early backlash from the media and fans alike.

However, some changes that have been made are the use of the unified rules of combat that Strikeforce has now adopted. Also, the pay-per-view model for Strikeforce will quickly come into play, which can be as early as June when the second leg of the heavyweight grand-prix goes underway.

When prompted by members of the media, UFC head honcho Dana White answered simply “Yeah, I think so” when asked whether the organization will adopt the pay-per-view model that has made the UFC so popular over the years.

Strikeforce top dog Scott Coker has long discussed the possibility of moving into the PPV market, however the organization has not yet moved on with said plans, however with the backing of the UFC behind their brand now, it looks like Strikeforce can move ahead with said plans almost immediately.

The second leg of the heavyweight GP takes place on June 18 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, and will feature the two final quarter-final matches pitting current Strikeforce champ Alistair Overeem against rival Fabricio Werdum, as well as Brett Rogers against former PRIDE star Josh Barnett.

“That was a decision that was made way before this thing was inked,” said Scott during the teleconference. “So it had nothing to do with it, and really, it had more to do with finding the right location for the heavyweight tournament. Once we found Dallas as a venue, we notified the fighters, and they were all OK with it.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? The use of PPV’s in Strikeforce will generate more capital for the fighters, meaning larger paydays however is it a case of too much too soon? And how will fans respond to the lack of shows that will now appear on Showtime? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to MMA Weekly to see what “Hendo” had to say regarding the situation. Henderson, who left the UFC amidst a very high-profile contract dispute, said, “It’s a little shocking. I had no idea… I don’t know what to feel about it, I don’t necessarily think, it might not be the best thing for the sport… I had no plans of leaving [Strikeforce], but I don’t know what this is going to do those plans, but I have one fight left on my deal and we’ll see what happens.”

Knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley, who was given a permanent ban from the UFC after a post-fight attack on Josh Koscheck, had this to say over at “The Underground”: “Business as usual, what if i dont wanna fight for DANA WHITE? …Someone better holla at my manager real quick… Dana white bans me for life from the UFC, Then buys STRIKEFORCE, and thinks im still gonna be EASY and fight on one of the most anticipated fights of the year (vs Diaz)? Which will no doubt make ZUFFA/Dana White money… Not sure what im gonna do right now, honestly…”

I can understand why a section of the fanbase is taking a strong negative stance against this latest bit of news. I can even understand why fighters like Henderson and Daley feel very uncertain about their futures right now. However, I think this all boils down to one thing: Zuffa purchased Strikeforce, not Dana White. And Zuffa, LLC is much more than just Dana White.

Although the UFC President is by far the most well-known of the bunch, Zuffa, LLC is still a four-part team: brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, White himself, and Abu Dhabi’s Flash Entertainment. The Fertitta brothers still own an overwhelming majority of Zuffa, and by extension the UFC. It’s easy to look at Dana White and assume that fighters like Henderson and Daley are as good as done for. But that’s simply not the case. Nothing is for certain right now, and while Dana White always seems to be perceived as the “Big Bad” to the type of underground fan that appreciates Strikeforce, in truth he’s just one cog, albeit a very, very vocal one, in a large, ever-spinning wheel.

I think Paul Daley would be making a serious mistake if he burned his bridge with Strikeforce, which according to White himself will continue to operate as a promotion, simply because Dana is now the man behind the curtain. Because honestly, what’s left for him? The UFC will never be an option again. He’s about to fight for a major championship of a major promotion. With no UFC and no Strikeforce, all that’s left for Daley are promotions like Bellator or international promotions like BAMMA, which he has expressed interest in. But either option represents a severe paycut compared to what he could be making as a Strikeforce headliner.

At the end of the day, I’m going to try and remain positive about this deal. It’s very easy and even understandable to have a strong negative reaction since this was so unexpected and very few people thought it would happen as quickly as it did. But it’s happening whether we like it or not, so I choose to think positive and hope for the best.

But what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on what “Hendo” or “Semtex” had to say?

I’ve said it several times throughout the year that MMA in general is off to an amazing start in 2011, but I truly had no idea that something like this would happen. I didn’t even think something like this was possible, even though I along with many other fans loved to occasionally give my thoughts on “Strikeforce vs. UFC” dream matches.

I think the reason everyone is so floored at this news is because Strikeforce was doing so well. Strikeforce had been on a pretty epic streak lately, with most of their main, televised fights ending with big finishes. Some events saw every single fight end dramatically. Strikeforce also just recently started off its World Heavyweight Grand Prix, which was something I had been looking forward to so much that I wrote a fourteen-piece mini-series solely devoted to my thoughts on the tournament. Normally an MMA promotion is only bought out or scooped up when it’s in the middle of some financial crisis or other scandal. For all intents and purposes, 2011 was supposed to be the year that Strikeforce emerged as a viable alternative to the UFC.

And perhaps that’s the main reason why the UFC decided to purchase it. The UFC still had all the best competition, they were still the best promotion in the world bar none, but Strikeforce was growing in power.

I think this is a very smart move by the UFC, it’s the smartest move they could have made and the only reason I never suggested that they do it was because I thought this was impossible. I can’t even begin to imagine the kind of heights the UFC can now reach now that Strikeforce exists only as a subsidiary of Zuffa. And looking towards that future, there are so many questions swirling in my head right now. UFC President Dana White told Ariel Helwani that Strikeforce will be “business as usual”, but those same kinds of promises were made about PRIDE, and we all know how that turned out.

It’s all speculation and rumor at this point, but here’s something you may not be expecting from me: a little positivity. The future is uncertain, of that there can be no doubt, but I encourage any and all MMA fans and all of my readers to embrace this change and accept it. That’s all we really can do, other than needlessly dwell on the negatives. I believe in the UFC. I believe in MMA. Thanks to “The Ultimate Fighter” and the acquisition of PRIDE FC, the UFC put MMA back on the map and back into the mainstream, and has led the charge to get MMA legalized across the United States and even across the world. With this new merger, the sky really is the limit.

So while you may be shocked, surprised, or even angry, just take a second to think about what this means for MMA. Put the promotional allegiances aside and realize one thing: this wouldn’t have been possible if the UFC wasn’t experiencing previously unheard-of success, this wouldn’t have been possible if Strikeforce wasn’t recording record-high ratings. This was possible because Mixed Martial Arts as a whole is bigger than its ever been and only getting bigger. 2011 was shaping up to be an amazing year… it will now likely be one of the most important years in the history of this sport. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Any early thoughts on this huge news?

The UFC has officially acquired strikeforce.

Think of it in every sense of the word. Acquired: to come into possession or ownership of; get as one’s own: to acquire property. 2. to gain for oneself through one’s actions or efforts.

If the UFC wasn’t considered the juggernaut promotion of mixed martial arts, there would be no denying them now, as they have come to be in the possession of their biggest competitor in the industry. Now they are officially boundless.

UFC President Dana White recently disclosed the deal when he spoke earlier with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com.

While the acquisition now eliminates the mixed martial arts promotion’s biggest competitor, both companies will continue operate as their own entities. So If you were expecting to see “The Last Emperor” or “The Demolition Man” make their octagon debuts in the immediate future, don’t be so sure.

“Strikeforce is going to continue to run business as usual,” said Dana when speaking with MMAFighting.com

“There’s contracts in place. These guys are on Showtime. Strikeforce pulls good ratings for Showtime. I think Showtime is happy with them. All those contracts will be honored. These guys are going to remain Strikeforce fighters.”

However, it doesn’t go without saying that their may be some possibilities that will open up in the future.

White went on to discuss that while in the future, what could happen is a cross over of fighters from the UFC being signed to the Strikeforce roster, the same could be said for Strikeforce to the Zuffa banner. So in other words, when a fighter’s contract is up, Dana White and the UFC could make an effort to sign said fighter under contract with the Las Vegas based promotion.

So will we see these super fights? Most likely, yes. But not for some time. At least not immediately. Regardless, we have a lot to look forward to come 2011.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? I encourage everyone to watch the entire interview for full details and then sound off in the comment section below.

He was originally scheduled to be facing off gainst current titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua come this march for the coveted belt, however a freak injury in training camp has since sidelined “Sugar”.

Now, in his place, friend and teammate Jon Jones has since stepped up to the plate in order to vie for the world title. And according to Evans, it was hard enough to work his way back up the ladder the first time since his losing his title in May of 2009, but now that thing’s are sour between him and UFC President Dana White, he predicts that he may have to wait a bit longer.

Since losing his strap against Lyoto Machida in 2009, Rashad has posted back-to-back decision wins over Thiago Silva and former champion Quinton Jackson before he was granted his shot once again at UFC gold.

Rashad, though he never say’s it specifically, paints the UFC as a “dictatorship”. That he will only get his shot at the belt again when him and UFC President Dana White are on better terms, which he says is not as often as it would appear.

“The problem is, there’s no governing body to the UFC to decide who gets the title shot”, said Rashad who spoke with Ben Fowlkes of MMAFighting.com on the matter.

“There’s no ranking, so how do I know when I’ll get a title shot again? What, when Dana White likes me enough? It’s basically on when he likes me, and you know as well as I know, that’s not that often. If I get the opportunity to fight for a title because he says so, then I’m going to take it. If I have to wait to take it, I’ll wait to take it.”

Thanks to MiddleEasy.com for the find.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Rashad’s comments? Can you point to any one time where pubicly Rashad and White have been in the midst of conflict? Sound off in the comment section below.

White recently said just that in a new interview over at USA TODAY. Here are the highlights: “Talking’s fun before the fight, but if you do all this talking and then you go in there and don’t fight, who wants to see that (crap) again? Rampage-Rashad, the (freaking) snoozefest? …When have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill’s going to go in there and try to beat him.”

Much like Dana White, it honestly baffles me how many people have vocally opposed the idea of Hamill/Rampage in favor of a second Rampage/Evans encounter. Let’s not sugar-coat it: their first encounter was a bad fight.

When people think of Jackson/Evans 2, I think they’re putting on a pair of rose-colored glasses and remembering the months leading up to the fight, not the actual fight itself. And to be fair, the pre-fight hype and altercations leading up to Jackson/Evans was some of the best build the UFC has seen in years. The season of “The Ultimate Fighter” they coached against each other was vastly entertaining, solely on the strength of both men’s hatred towards each other and in spite of the fact that TUF Season 10 featured some of the worst fights in the show’s entire history.

But when it came time to actually fight, the intense give-and-take brawl fans had been waiting for never materialized. Instead, what we were left with is a very disappointing fight that many fans seem to be sweeping under the rug with a laundry list of excuses.

To fans thinking that the second fight will be the encounter the first fight should have been, all I can ask is: why? Why do you think that? I understand that you have faith in your favorite fighters, but what’s with all this talk of seeing a rematch to a fight that was vastly underwhelming, when Jackson is instead getting a new, fresh opponent that is hungry for top-division status and wants to achieve that status by dismantling Rampage?

It’s really as simple as that: when have you not seen Matt Hamill fight? Matt Hamill is an entertaining, dynamic fighter, and he’s currently on a major win-streak. Hamill deserves this opportunity, he’s earned it, and he’s fought through some tough wars both in the Octagon and in life in general in order to earn his shot at championship relevancy. So while fans continue to be divided on this upcoming match, I’ll keep shouting it from the rooftops until someone listens: Matt Hamill vs. Quinton Jackon is actually going to be a pretty good fight.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any reaction to Dana White’s comments?

Quietly making his way up the lightweight ranks, “The Ultimate Fighter” season six veteran has racked up an impressive 7-fight win streak inside the ufc, and remains undefeated inside the octagon.

In fact, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt’s lone career losses have come to the hands of Kyle Noke (at middleweight) by split-decision. He later avenged that loss and his only other blemish stems from a controversial disqualification defeat at the hands of perennial top-10 fighter Shinya Aoki in 2006.

With another potential win in grasp, UFC President Dana White deems Sotiropoulos worthy of a title shot.

George will next step back inside the octagon when he takes on the talented striking dynamo in Dennis Siver, in his native Australia for “UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch”. The pay-per-view event takes place on February 26 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

“If he can win and pull this fight out, he’s in the line for the title shot,” White said. “There’s no doubt about it”. The UFC head honcho devulged the plans during a recent conference call promoting the event, which was later reported by MMAJunkie.com.

In his last outing, George bested fellow TUF veteran Joe Lauzon. The Massachusetts native came out storming early, throwing with abandonment against Sotiropoulos and clinched the first-round with his barrage of strikes. However, his pace fatigued Lauzon heading into the second-round, where George then capitalized and caught Joe in a fight-ending kimura. It marked Lauzon’s first submission loss in more than four years. The bout earned both men “Fight of the Night” honors at UFC 123 last November.

Siver is also coming off of an impressive finish of his own, where the German lightweight standout took it to Andre Winner, a prospect in the 155-pound class coming off of the ninth season of TUF. Winner was stinging Siver in the early going’s of their bout with deftly fast strikes, however Dennis caught the Brit in a counter dropping him with a left-hook. Siver followed Winner to the ground where he locked up a rear-naked choke to finish the bout. Before his native Germany at UFC 122 last November, Dennis was able to pick up the “Submission of the Night” award and pocket some extra cash with the win.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Will Siver spoil George’s title shot opportunity, or will the submission specialist notch up his eigth consecutive win? Sound off in the comment section below.

SBNation reports that Dave Meltzer, head of the Wrestling Observer newsletter, recently said that he had talked to Dana White and that White had personally picked Barnett to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Dana White also said that he believed that Barnett would meet Fabricio Werdum in the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix, effectively giving fight fans a complete look at how he thinks the Strikeforce tournament will shake out.

If you’ll remember, fans and friends, I put together a list of what I thought Barnett had to do in order to win the Heavyweight Grand Prix. As with all the tournament participants, I think Barnett has a shot of winning it all. It’s just that a lot of people, including me, believe that he has less of a perceived chance than some of the tournament’s heavy hitters, like Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. Then again, the same was said about Sergei Kharitonov and Antonio Silva, and we all know how those fights ended up turning out.

I think that it’s honestly very possible that Josh Barnett will end up in the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix. Brett Rogers has dynamite in his hands, of that there can be no doubt, but Barnett has tons of experience on him. I think “The Grim” is a tough test for anyone, but Barnett is the odds-on favorite to win the match and I like those odds.

Getting past Sergei Kharitonov will be equally tough, but if the fight with Rogers goes the way many think it will, what Barnett does to beat Brett Rogers will also work against Kharitonov. If Barnett can utilize his catch wrestling while weathering the storm of Kharitonov’s punches thanks to some good footwork and a solid chin, Barnett should end up neutralizing Sergei with some intense Ground and Pound.

But then we come to the finals, and that’s definitely where I find myself disagreeing with Dana White.

I hate to sound like an unabashed fanboy, but I absolutely believe that Alistair Overeem is going to be the one to win this tournament. Overeem knows better than to fall into Fabricio Werdum’s many traps, he’ll go in for the kill only when Werdum is already half-unconscious to begin with. Against Silva, even the mighty chin of “Bigfoot” won’t be able to withstand the blows of the K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. And in the finals, you’ll have Barnett face Overeem in a bout that shows Barnett’s true toughness, but eventually Overeem’s superior technique will shine through once again and Barnett will be dropped and stopped.

But of course, that’s just what I think will happen. So let’s get some debate going, fans and friends. Who do you side with, me or Dana White? Or do you think someone entirely different will win the Grand Prix?

Here’s what White had to say during a recent conference call, courtesy of MMA Weekly: “The ‘Ultimate Fighter’ is going to start airing in every country… We’re doing it everywhere… We’re doing nothing but cultivating new talent… I’m pretty sure the first one’s probably going to be the Philippines.”

I’m mostly in favor of this idea, and I think this will end up being a natural progression of the show as a whole. We’ll probably see a host of new TUF seasons exclusively featuring international talent that may or may not be broadcast stateside. I think this is an idea that’s worth trying out, because if it works it brings more attention to the sport as a whole and more money to the organization leading the charge for MMA’s worldwide globalization. I think there are going to be some hurdles to clear along the way, and that the UFC will only continue to bring these internationally-exclusive versions of their show to the locations that bring in the highest ratings, but as a whole, this is a forward-thinking move that could end up producing a lot of fresh, young, interesting talent in the next several years.

But to be honest, I just don’t know how American fans will respond to these international versions of TUF if they’re presented with them. In all areas of television, including reality TV, there’s a history of international shows being given “American versions” and being “Americanized” in order to better appeal to the average United States citizen. I don’t take this as some grand moral issue or as a statement about the nation’s xenophobia, I just think this is a case of knowing your market and appealing to what they like. Personally, I have no problem wading the cultural gap and appreciating a good show for being a good show. I’m just not sure how many mainstream MMA fans will accept international, unfamiliar versions of the reality show they’re already getting so much of.

But at the end of the day, I’m pretty optimistic about this idea. I agree with what Dana White’s been saying for years: fighting translates across all boundaries and cultures. I’d love to see a TUF version featuring Canadian fighters, or Mexican fighters, or Brazilian fighters.  I’d also love to see more “Team USA vs. Team Foreign Country” seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter”, or even something like “Team Canada vs. Team Brazil”. Despite its long history, “The Ultimate Fighter” formula remains one that’s open to a lot of experimentation and still has plenty of potential. And that’s definitely a good thing as MMA continues its march towards global dominance.

And what about you, fans and friends? Now that it’s closer than ever, what do you think about international versions of “The Ultimate Fighter”?

We head to MMA Fighting for some interesting quotes regarding Fedor’s future: “If the fighter doesn’t want to fight you’re not gonna want him to fight… And if he wants to retire then it’s time to walk away. But I don’t think that’s the case … and I think the loser of Overeem and Werdum, that would be a great fight for Fedor… I have no doubt he will be back.”

MMA Fighting also recently asked Coker to comment on Dana White, who went on a Twitter tirade immediately following Emelianenko’s loss. Here are some of the highlights from that interview: “At least the guy’s watching, right? …As long as he wants to keep watching Strikeforce that’s a good thing… I respect Dana and what he’s done. Their success is great and our success is great, too.”

I really respect Scott Coker for approaching these two issues from such a unique point of view. I won’t get into an argument over which promoter is better, but I’d just like to note how vastly different Coker seems to be in comparison to Dana White. Coker is looking at all this in a “bigger picture” sense, whereas I think Dana White normally concentrates on the here and now: the next big fight, the next huge buyrate, etc.

Whereas White would’ve launched a counter-tirade of his own, Coker is taking White’s Twitter rant in stride. Whereas White would’ve been prone to speculation if he had a fighter in Fedor’s situation, Coker is an optimistic as well as a realist. It’s a pretty dramatic difference, and I think that’s a good thing for a sport like ours, especially when you consider how different Strikeforce is from the UFC.

I honestly agree with Scott Coker too. It’s a cliché, but sometimes haters will do what they do best. Dana White obviously still has some lingering issues with Fedor Emelianenko and his notoriously difficult management team, and is basically kicking the famed fighter when he’s down. It’s a bit of a low blow, but do we really expect anything else from a guy that’s not-so-sarcastically referred to himself as “The Grim Reaper” of other MMA promotions?

In regards to Fedor Emelianenko’s future, I think Coker has the best possible outlook on the situation. Nobody can force Fedor to fight if he doesn’t want to, but if he still wants to fight, there are still several very entertaining potential match-ups left for Fedor in Strikeforce. It’s Fedor’s right to call it a career when and if he wants to, but if he doesn’t, he’s got no shortage of challengers ready to test themselves against him even if he’s coming off of two straight losses.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on Scott Coker’s recent comments?

Showtime clocked in with 1.1 million viewers for the Fedor / Silva fight.  This is a huge number and bodes well for continued support from Showtime and for the growth of Strikeforce.  However, the next round of fights in the Heavyweight tournament will reveal if Strikeforce can keep this level or if this is all due to the lure of Fedor.  While Dana White tweeted a smiley face… As Fedor went down, the UFC does have some competition here.  This heavyweight tournament has gravitas and respect.  White can’t dismiss this group of fighters as second rate.  With Barnett, Overeem, and Kharitonov still alive, the winner of this tournament will have a legitimate claim as best in the world.

Gian Villante has a lot to learn.  Villante lost badly to Chad Griggs in the second fight of the main card.  Villante had been knocking out guys easily in the Ring Of Combat.  Griggs, I would argue, does not have more athletic ability than Villante, but he was not intimidated by the bright lights and showed more conviction and purpose in his action.  Villante, who once told me that he prefers to just “bang”, must appreciate the need to game plan and strategize.  He will not last long, as a 225lb heavyweight, by simply unloading the chamber in the first minute of a fight hoping he lands something worthwhile.  Villante has the firepower to succeed, but does he have the brainpower to sustain a long career.

Andrei Arlovski may be done.  The way he went down, now the fourth time in a row, instantly had me thinking of Chuck Liddell and how his last several fights unfolded and how he seemed to check out on shots which five years earlier would have been absorbed as the fight continued.  It has to be hard to be near the end of a career, when your hand speed and power may still be intact but your chin just can’t defend itself the way it used to.

I hate the entrance staging Strikeforce employs to bring fighters into the cage.  It reeks of Vince McMahon and the WWE.  The cheapo fireworks and the fighters pimping and dancing up on the stage is a big negative.  There is no rule that Strikeforce can’t copy boxing and the UFC, allowing the fighter to enter on the ground floor surrounded by his team and fans.  This latter approach is just so much more authentic to the history of fight sports and just feels more like a true sport and less like an entertainment product.

Two names we should be hearing about for a long time to come.  John Cholish and Shane Del Rosario.  Cholish is the 155lb Cornell bred wrestler who works on Wall St. by day and trains at Renzo Gracie gym by night in Manhattan.  Cholish submitted Marc Stevens in round two his fight.  The 248lb Del Rosario looked composed and multifaceted, as he weathered the storm brought by Lavar Johnson to take the fight to his home base on the mat, to get the arm bar.

How bout it friends?  What was your big take away from last Saturday’s Strikeforce event?

First, here’s some of what the always-controversial UFC head honcho had to say over at MMA Weekly: “You’ve got to understand all this stuff is brand new… If I take your song and let people download the song, the song isn’t ruined… When our event gets stolen then it’s over. You know the results, a live event is different than anything else. We’re fighting [internet piracy] hard.”

White makes a strong point about internet piracy, one that I fully agree with. The sports industry is fighting a very difficult, very different battle than the music industry, or the film industry, or even the (ahem) “adult film” industry.

As White himself said, the major appeal of a UFC event is its live nature. It’s true that any sporting event does have a certain amount of replayability, but it’s just not the same as watching an event live and not knowing what’s going to happen.

When you think of it like that, it becomes apparent that the UFC really should do everything in their power to protect their brand and their copyright. And they appear to be doing just that: many major streaming websites have been slammed with lawsuits and even restraining orders. This goes all the way to the top: justin.tv and even the almighty Google have incurred the wrath of the Zuffa legal team.

It’s getting harder and harder to find a stream, and those that are put up are quickly hunted down and taken down. It’s a bold move for sure, and it will likely alienate a section of the fanbase, but it’s a smart strategy and the ends justifies the means. And that alienated section of the fans were all pirates anyway, right?

However, I find myself making the same argument again and again because nobody ever seems to address it, or when they do, they sweep it under the rug. Take, for instance, the last line of the MMA Weekly article that the interview with Dana White comes from: “The battle will obviously continue and the war against online piracy may never truly end, but stopping the worst offenders now will make those who attempt it later much less likely to try.”

To which I simply and bluntly say: no. No it won’t.

I certainly applaud the UFC for trying, though. But pirates will be pirates, and the anonymity of the internet will ensure that the streaming scene never fully dies no matter how far it slips into the underground. We’re only one or two lawsuits away from everyone switching over to international servers on internationally-hosted sites anyway, and that’s a point that MMA Weekly’s Damon Martin did raise.

So where does this leave us, in the end? The same place it always leaves us: the UFC scores a few big victories and chops off a few heads of the Hydra, but one way or another, the virus will always find a way. It’s certainly interesting to see what the UFC does about it, though, and I look forward to seeing the UFC continue to rightfully protect its copyrights.

And what about you, fans and friends? Is the UFC trying to build a dam in the middle of the ocean by trying to take down online pirates? How successful do you think the UFC has been and will be in the future, in regards to preventing online piracy?

After originally raising eyebrows following his spirited fifth-round submission loss to Anderson Silva, where the Oregon native was linked to Performance Enhancing Drugs due to high levels of testosterone found in his system–which was ultimately attributed to hormonal injections for a disease called hypogonadism.

Since then, the former title challenger has plead guilty to Money Laundering charges, a felony punishable up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 worth in fines. Needless to say, his life isn’t exactly where he would like it to be, and UFC President Dana White believes that the 185-pounder needs more time reassess his current dilemma.

The UFC head honcho recently suspended Sonnen from active competition within the mixed martial arts promotion, freezing his contract until further notice.

MMAFighting.com caught up with White who had this to say regarding his troubled brash fighter: “I really don’t know,” he said. “There’s no timetable. We still have to see what happens with all his personal problems.”

Chael has reportedly used his guilty plea to parlay his Money Laundering conviction, which stems from his former career as a Realtor, in order to not face any jail time. Instead, his Real Estate license has been revoked and a fine of $10,000, as well as a two-year probation period.

With all of the hoopla surrounding his life, it was in the best interest of the UFC to distance themselves from one of their noticeable athletes. Sonnen was scheduled to make a return to the octagon this March opposite of Japanese Judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama for “UFC 128: Shogun vs. Evans”, however with his recent suspension at hand, Nate Marquardt has since taken his place.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Sonnen’s current situation? Would you like to see him back in the cage, and if so against whom? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what the controversial UFC President had to say during a recent interview with Karyn Bryant of MMA H.E.A.T.: “The way that guys stay great at fighting is to keep fighting… I think Rashad Evans was insane to take that layoff and wait all that time for the fight, but that’s what he chose to do… My philosophy is: you’re either the best or you’re not… You’re going to end up fighting all the guys anyway. You might as well stay busy, stay active, make some money, and be ready for [Mauricio Rua]. Or have any advantage over ‘Shogun’ by staying active.”

As I find myself so often doing, I both partially agree and disagree with what Dana White says. I think he has a good point about Evans having to fight all the top guys anyway, and that it’s better to stay active than sit on the sidelines if at all possible. I think it’s been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that ring rust is very real and has affected many MMA stars, from the bottom of the barrel all the way to the top of the heap. But here’s the thing: with this statement, Dana White basically gave one answer to a very multi-faceted question.

That question is “Why risk it?”

This is why I’m not faulting Rashad Evans for choosing to stay on the sidelines. There are a lot of variables involved in this equation, too many for Rashad’s taste, and I don’t get why people complain about this. What if Evans took another fight and got injured? What if he won his “staying active” fight but Dana White still decided that someone else was more deserving of the shot? It’s no secret that White changes his mind all the time.

Putting it plainly and simple: the UFC made Evans a promise, and he’s holding them to that promise. They promised him the next title shot, and he chose to wait until the champion healed up. He’s fully in his rights to do so, and since it’s his body and his career, who are we to doubt him or accuse him of being afraid to fight? Can you really blame Evans for holding the UFC and its President to their word, especially in today’s UFC where no contract is safe and the title hunt can change drastically on a per-event and even a per-fight basis?

I really don’t think you can, so I’m not going to. In the end, I’m still siding with “Sugar” and calling for the fall of the “Shogun” empire. Rashad is one of the best and trains with some of the best, and I think everyone is going to be in for a very rude awakening when Rua shows up with far more ring rust than Rashad and proceeds to get grounded, pounded, and ultimately stopped. Maybe then people will finally start giving Rashad Evans the credit he deserves.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on this situation?

Dana White took time recently to speak with Fighters.com and hit on some of the biggest topics in MMA. White reacts to the coming Strikeforce Heavyweight tournament, Randy Couture‘s pending return to the cage, and how Brock Lesnar will fare as a coach on the Ultimate Fighter reality show.  Good stuff from the boss, and he too thought Frankie Edgar was going to lose when he was rocked early in the first round against Gray Maynard.

Click through to watch the video.

With credit going to MMA Fighting, White recently said the following at a Q&A session: “[Machida’s] had two losses in a row… Now he’s fighting Randy Couture in Toronto – and this is a must-win for him… Tito’s got to win this fight to stay in the UFC. If he loses this fight, he’ll probably retire.”

As a semi-converted kinda-sorta Tito Ortiz fan, I have to admit that I do feel bad that Ortiz’s promised comeback has never remotely gotten a chance to materialize. Was it really so long ago that Ortiz was the feared “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” that was known around the world as the most dominant, most popular, and most controversial star in the entire UFC? Because it certainly feels like it’s been an eternity since the last time Ortiz was relevant.

I honestly think Ortiz should indeed cut his losses and call it a career if he loses his next fight, which is scheduled to be against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the headlining bout of UFC “Fight Night 24”, also known as “Fight Night: Ortiz vs. Nogueira“. Ortiz hasn’t won an MMA fight since 2006, and his last two wins were both against a past-his-prime Ken Shamrock (and yes, Shamrock was well past his prime even in 2006). And unless Ortiz wants to become his old arch-rival, ruining a once-great career and turning it into a joke, it may be time to hang up the gloves once and for all.

As a huge Lyoto Machida fan, I’m very conflicted when it comes to his impending showdown with Randy Couture. On one hand, I’ll follow Machida no matter where he goes. On the other, I know Machida has another championship run in him and that he’ll shine brightest facing and overcoming the UFC’s best. On one hand, I’d love to see Machida KO Couture and take a huge step back on the comeback trail. On the other, I’m also a massive Couture fan and I really hate it when Couture loses, especially when you consider that he’s quickly approaching the tail-end of his stellar career.

At the end of the day, I think both Ortiz and Machida could conceivably remain employed in the UFC. Ortiz is facing near-insurmountable odds, but as we so often say nowadays, anything is possible in MMA. Machida seems far more likely to remain in the Octagon, and as always, I wish “The Dragon” nothing but the best and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the former champ. So while I agree with Dana White that both men should approach their next fight as if they’re fighting for their jobs (and there’s a pretty good chance they will be, let’s be honest), I’m also very optimistic and hope that these two turn it all around.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Dana White’s comments?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Frankie Edgar set up shot in the Madison Square Garden today to push the message that MMA needs to be sanctioned in the New York.  I got all the video interviews with the principles and surrounding players. Stay tuned for exclusive video interviews with White, Fetitta, Edgar and others in the days ahead about this issue and other buring topics around the UFC.  Here is the the Q & A portion from today’s press conference featuring Dana White answering media questions.  Some great insight into what the UFC is facing in getting MMA legal in New York.

Here are the highlights from a media conference call the notorious UFC head honcho had recently, brought to us by the one and only Sherdog: “There were a lot of different people we were looking at… I was literally driving to work one morning and I said, ‘You know what? This makes sense. Let’s see if we can do this’… To put [Junior dos Santos] on the shelf for a long time is ridiculous, and much credit to him for not wanting to go on the shelf… It’s gonna be a tough season. I know it is.”

The report also states that White responded to the question of whether or not Lesnar was a credible TUF coach by saying that the question was one of the dumbest he had ever heard.

Currently, “The Ultimate Fighter Season 13” is set to premiere on March 30. For my insights into Lesnar vs. JDS, click here. For some great reasons to already be looking forward to this season, click here.

All in all, I’m very pleased with Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos as coaches. I think both men are top-division stars in the most competitive promotion in the world, so I think they’re both fully deserving of a coaching gig. Lesnar is a former UFC champion, JDS is a wrecking machine in human form. Why would anyone want to pass up an opportunity to learn from them?

To be completely honest, though, Lesnar and JDS weren’t my top picks for TUF 13. Although it was a rumor that was quickly shot down, I really would have liked it if Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva had been the coaches for this upcoming season. Then again, with Sonnen’s latest media scandal, he’s probably not going anywhere close to a UFC Octagon for the foreseeable future.

In the end, I think this is going to be a great season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. Lesnar remains one of the most controversial athletes in the UFC despite his recent, more-somber attitude. Fans remain incredibly divided on the man, but they always seem to join together when it comes to paying to see him fight, since Lesnar has quickly become one of the biggest UFC Pay-Per-View draws of all time. Junior dos Santos is a pretty big star in his own right, as well. And, of course, you’ve got all the classic TUF drama we all know and love, as a bunch of young prospects are crammed inside one giant house and left to battle it out week after week in order to determine the next TUF champion.

So while it may not be the most ideal situation, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 should be a season that everyone will be talking about for quite some time. And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on this season and its coaches?

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?

Here’s what Dana had to say in a new video courtesy of MMA Weekly: “I’ll tell you guys what happened with Afghanistan: we had a place, and the place got bombed really bad. And they put us off indefinitely, from that tour. So, when the US military says we can go in, we’ll go. We’re ready… We’ll do it. We’ll do it tomorrow if they tell us to. We’re ready… I’m in, man, I’m ready to go.”

Personally, I honestly admire Dana White’s continued efforts to support the troops and give back to the brave men and women that defend our country. I hate to sound like a flag-waving super-Republican, especially when you consider that I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and how that fact makes me look like an even bigger stereotype, but this is one issue I’ll always stand firmly on: as the son of a veteran, I’m 100% in favor of supporting the troops and giving back to the brave souls that help keep this country safe. Regardless of your political views, it’s only right to give them a helping hand whenever they need it.

And I do think the UFC is just crazy enough to hold an event in Afghanistan. I’d love to see them do it, and I think it would be a fantastic way to give back to the troops over there. The atmosphere alone would be electric, and I’m sure the UFC would bring over some good fights and some great fighters. We probably won’t see this for a while, if ever, and I honestly wouldn’t criticize any fighters who chose not to compete at the event out of fear for their safety. Still, if it ever happens, I’d overwhelmingly support a UFC show in Afghanistan.

Until then, we’ve got a great-looking “Fight for the Troops 2” event heading our way. Currently scheduled for January 22, 2011 and taking place at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, the event will see Melvin Guillard take on Evan Dunham, Matt Mitrione fight Tim Hague, and Pat Barry go to war against Joey Beltran. And the undercard features stars like Mike Swick and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. It should be a pretty entertaining night of fights.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about a proposed UFC event in Afghanistan? Do you think this idea will ever actually come to fruition?

MMA Weekly brings word that GSP/Koscheck 3 will almost definitely never see the light of day. The report states that, while initially never wanting to fight Koscheck again if he beat him at UFC 124, current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre recently said that he would consider a third fight with Koscheck sometime in the future due to Koscheck’s toughness and his (GSP’s)  own inability to finish the fight. However, UFC President Dana White strongly disagreed and basically closed the book on a third encounter. In fact, White had this to say: “…Koscheck [is] in a real bad position in the welterweight division unless somebody else beats Georges St-Pierre… George said it to him at the (pre-fight) press conference, and he was right. He would have had to beat him tonight to ever have a chance [at a third fight].”

Most of the time I half-agree and half-disagree with what Dana White says. It just comes with the territory, considering how White loves to shout his opinion from the rooftops and how he feels that a controversial subject just isn’t complete without his opinion. However, this is one of the rare times where I wholeheartedly agree with Dana White. Even as a big Josh Koscheck fan and supporter, I don’t think we’ll ever see Koscheck/St. Pierre 3, and for good reason.

Josh Koscheck had three years to prepare for another encounter with GSP. In those three years he improved in all facets of his game, in some cases he improved by leaps and bounds. Koscheck’s biggest strength, his wrestling, continued to improve. Koscheck began developing his hands to the point where he actually started having KO power. Koscheck’s stamina and cardio carried him through several tough three-round wars, his heart and determination gave him another shot at the title. In the end, there was only one thing that kept Josh Koscheck from becoming the new UFC Welterweight Champion: the fact that Georges St. Pierre also had three years to grow as a Mixed Martial Artist.

What a different world it would be if Georges St. Pierre never existed. But he does, and at UFC 124, he proved that he’s one of the best that’s ever been inside the Octagon. I honestly don’t think anything would change if these two met for a third time. GSP would obviously not employ the same strategy, his first fight with Koscheck in comparison to his second fight with Koscheck proves that. But it would be the same basic principle: GSP would control the fight in every facet, and end up dominating Koscheck. And as a Josh Koscheck fan, that’s not something I want to see happen for a third time.

But what about you, fans and friends? Will we ever see GSP/Koscheck 3? And if not, what’s left for Josh Koscheck to do in the UFC’s Welterweight division?

Here are the highlights from a recent UFC 124 pre-fight press conference, courtesy of MMA Weekly: “We’ll see what happens… [Brock Lesnar] will not wrestle in Wrestlemania. Won’t happen, cause he’s under contract with me… I don’t want to blur those lines… He’s done incredibly well. I don’t want him going back to the WWE, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s not.”

I have to be honest, fans and friends: I just don’t understand how anyone could take the rumor of Lesnar returning to the WWE seriously. It’s easy to forecast doom on a fighter you dislike when he actually falters, and worse yet, it seems as if everyone is trying to sweep Lesnar’s accomplishments in the UFC under the rug completely. According to the cynics, Frank Mir was never good, Randy Couture was too old, and Shane Carwin beat himself as much as Brock Lesnar beat Shane Carwin. According to the cynics, Brock’s only recourse is to return to the land of “fake fighting” to spare both himself and the UFC any further embarrassment.

None of that makes sense to me. Before he lost to Velasquez, Lesnar had three straight fights with three champions, and won them all in dominating fashion. Randy Couture was the UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir was the Interim Heavyweight Champion, Shane Carwin was also the Interim Heavyweight Champion. Lesnar has faced stiff competition, he has been in there with some of the best. In the UFC, you don’t become a champion unless you’re one of the best fighters in the world. That includes interim championships. Frank Mir was good. Randy Couture wasn’t too old. Lesnar saw an opportunity, took it, and beat Shane Carwin.

Also, why would Lesnar want to return to the WWE when he’s already become one of the biggest Pay-Per-View draws in UFC history? WWE would undoubtedly spare no expense to bring Lesnar back, but Lesnar would be working the same hectic schedule that led to his leaving the WWE in the first place. After his UFC fights, Lesnar practically vanishes off the face of the earth, and that’s how he likes it. If he ever went back to the land of the squared circle, he’d once again be working hundreds of days per year, subjecting his body to the constant aches and pains that being a pro wrestler entails. Why would he return to the lifestyle that he grew to hate so fiercely that, in the end, he would ultimately walk out of the WWE despite being one of its biggest and highest-paid stars at the time?

In all honesty, I’m tired of this rumor somehow remaining persistently prevalent when talks turn to Lesnar’s future. Is this a possibility? Sure. But it’s an incredibly remote one, and it’s only being talked about because anti-Lesnar cynics want him to go back to the WWE. They want Lesnar to return to “fake fighting” so they can further feel vindicated. That’s why people are still talking about this: they want it to happen so badly that they conveniently forget the fact that there’s very little chance of it actually happening.

I look forward to seeing Brock Lesnar return to the UFC, which he will. I look forward to seeing how he deals with the pressure of a loss. The last time Lesnar lost in a high-profile match-up, he went on a four-fight win-streak that saw him capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship and skyrocket to the top of the Heavyweight rankings. If he pursues this latest comeback with the same amount of vigor, the Brock Lesnar that emerges from the rubble of the beating Cain Velasquez gave him will be downright scary.

MMA Weekly brings word that TUF Season 13 has been pegged for a March 2011 debut, March 30 to be exact, with a “Fight Night Live” special expected to air four days beforehand. According to the report, the show has officially begun its casting process but lacks any definitive coaches. UFC President Dana White recently revealed that he’ll be deciding who coaches TUF Season 13 soon. March 2011 is shaping up to be a huge month for the UFC, with a rumored event in Abu Dhabi, TUF Season 13, the “Fight Night Live” special that precedes it, and a “UFC on Versus” special all tentatively in the works and scheduled for March.

MMA Junkie also recently reported on the international future of the show. Here’s what UFC President Dana White recently told the site: “There will actually be three (international editions)… We’ll get it done in 2011. There will be three, and then Canada will probably be fourth… We’re going to figure out how to get them to everybody.” White has yet to reveal which countries would receive their own version of the popular reality TV show.

All in all, I’m really looking forward to the thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”. After the dip in fight quality (but a spike in ratings, thanks in no small part to names like Roy Nelson and Kimbo Slice) that was “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10, Season 11 and Season 12 have seen a big return to some great fights on a per-episode basis. In fact, I’ve stated multiple times that I firmly believe that Season 12 gave us some of the best fights of recent TUF history.

In regards to international editions of TUF, I think they’ll be difficult to pull off but, if they are pulled off, will be crucial in the development of overseas territories. The original TUF did wonders for the UFC, I think the possibility exists that these international editions may end up working the same magic. All I hope is that the UFC makes them available to us Americans, hopefully with subtitles. If everything works out, we MMA fans could be treated to more great fights and more crazy drama than ever before.

In the end, I don’t think this is a case of “too much too soon”. I’m ready for another season of TUF, and I think international editions have been a long time coming. It’s up to the UFC to make the most out of this situation, but their track record alone proves that the UFC knows how to keep TUF entertaining and relevant despite its long, long run. The future of TUF is actually quite bright, and I personally can’t wait to see how it continues to evolve in 2011 and beyond.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about TUF Season 13 and international editions of TUF?

MMA Fighting recently conducted an interview with Greg Jackson himself, and here are some of the highlights: “Here’s a quick stat for you. So there’s been 22 [UFC events] this year? We had 12 bonuses so far this year. So one out of every two, one of my fighters got Submission of the Night, Knockout of the Night, or Fight of the Night… It didn’t bug me until Dana said it… If you look at my stats, they’re insane. Imagine you give your life to something and then your boss comes up and says, ‘Man, you suck.’ Well, wait a minute, just this year alone, half your bonuses have gone to my guys. So what are you talking about?”

It’s pretty tough to argue against that type of cold, hard evidence… and to be perfectly honest, arguing against it doesn’t interest me in the slightest. I’ve got a grudging respect for Dana White… most of the time. I’ve even agreed with him on several controversial issues more than once. But when it comes to this particular mini-scandal, my allegiances lie with Greg Jackson, and my feet are firmly planted in the Jackson’s MMA bandwagon.

How do you just try and shrug off and sweep under the carpet all of the success this camp has had? Honestly, why would you even try doing something like that? The notion baffles me. Maybe Dana White doesn’t like the fact that Jackson’s MMA has so many of his top-division stars, maybe he’d prefer it if all the top dogs had scattered allegiances so he could better control them and even get them to fight each other. But it just seems counter-productive and downright petty to loudly criticize one of the best camps in the game just because they make the occasional mistake.

How can you be a fan of the fighter and not the camp? How can you just completely try and disregard all the dedicated individuals that are constantly pushing that fighter to such great heights, and constantly working with him and honing him in order to make him the best fighter possible? I’m not joking here, I’m not over-embellishing, I honestly think you can’t overstate how important it is to align yourself with a great MMA camp. You hear this term repeated a lot nowadays, but it’s never been truer: steel sharpens steel.

Greg Jackson’s camp may not be perfect, they’ve made some mistakes and some of their fighters have had to deal with some very humbling losses. But I just don’t understand how you could call into question the entire camp when they’re breeding champions and winning fights far, far more often than not. Whether Dana White likes it or not, whether you, dear reader, likes it or not, Jackson’s MMA is one of the most prestigious, well-known, and successful MMA camps in MMA history. Both Dana White and all the other cynics need to get over themselves and give Team Greg Jackson the respect they deserve.

But of course, fans and friends, that’s all my opinion. So how about we get some debate going? What side do you stand on in this argument, and why?

The major question I have is … how many of the newbie UFC fans have become true followers of MMA at large and now seek out great fights to watch beyond the UFC brand?  To date, it has really been the UFC lapping the next closest competitor in Strikeforce.  Yet, if  “A rising tide lifts all boats,”  has the power of the UFC really spilled over and helped Strikforce or is the UFC such a unique brand that the new fans only connect to the names and faces that Dana White and the Ferttita brothers have built and marketed so well?

If a new fan that has fallen hard for the UFC were really doing some homework, he/she would find that Strikeforce might have the better card on Dec 4^th.  Yes, for the UFC it is “only” an Ultimate Fight night card, which features less established fighters and not the superstars, so understandably they are not competing against Strikeforce with their big guns on Dec. 4^th. However, the UFC has out-rated Strikeforce before with even lesser TV programming, such as repeats of old events going against a new/live Strikeforce event.

So, I wonder, will newbie fans dabble over to Showtime to find one of the potentially great standup affairs of the year in Paul Daley v. Scott Smith?  Will they take a few minutes and flip away from Spike TV to look at Robbie Lawler v. Matt Lindland and how much cache does Dan Henderson v. Babalu Sobral carry – two former big names in the UFC.

I will be juggling both events, as one who normally likes to watch up and coming fighters as well as the proven stars.   On the UFC card, I think Nick Pace has a ton of potential, but can he execute under the bright lights of Las Vegas against Will Campuzano?  Stephan Bonnar is one of the guys I will watch fight anywhere.  Always brings it and he is little nuts. … Always fun.  And, Kendall Grove v. Demain Meia is a fight loaded with talent and technical ability on both sides.  Can Grove keep it standing? Should be fun to watch.

So, on a weekend that will offer a ton of College and Professional football for the sports junkie, hopefully some of the newly minted MMA fans will soak up the great lineup of action from both the UFC and Strikeforce.

—-

Thoughts – c’mon man.  Are you watching both events, or just one? Why?

Here’s what the always-controversial UFC head honcho had to say regarding the matter: “The thing I don’t like about doing [a Bantamweight/Featherweight version of “The Ultimate Fighter”] right now is you take [the coaches] out of the mix for months, and we’re just introducing these guys. The last thing I want to do is introduce them and then put them on the shelf for however long… You don’t have to watch ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ to like Jose Aldo.”

In principal, I think this is some very sound logic. While I’ve closely followed the WEC for all of 2010 and have enjoyed every single one of the events they put on, I can admit that, for the most part, the WEC has fallen under the radar of many a casual UFC fan. In order to make the UFC/WEC merger work to perfection, the UFC needs to be promoting the WEC stars constantly and featuring them constantly in Pay-Per-Views and Fight Night cards. It’s true that a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” gives fans weekly access to a fighter, and that it can do wonders to help further a fighter’s career, but as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. And nothing says “pay attention” quite like seeing Jose Aldo steamroll the competition or Ben Henderson put on an amazing performance time and time again.

However, this logic only works for keeping the WEC fighters out of coaching gigs, it basically falls apart when used as an argument to postpone a Featherweight/Bantamweight season of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a whole. In the history of the program, there have been a large number of TUF coaches that have coached fighters outside of their own weight division. Season 10 featured two Light Heavyweights coaching an all-Heavyweight season. Season 8 saw two Heavyweights coach a cast of Light Heavyweight and Lightweight fighters. And that’s just off the top of my head.

So while I support keeping the incoming WEC talent active and utilizing them often, I’m still a firm supporter of getting a Bantamweight/Featherweight season of TUF underway as soon as possible. Some of the magic may be lost when a cast of lighter-weight hopefuls aren’t coached by the talented men who set the stage for their arrival, but that can always happen further down the line in future seasons. In the here and now, the UFC should utilize all the tools in their arsenal to establish their two new divisions as competitive, exciting, and well worth watching. And “The Ultimate Fighter” is one of the best tools the UFC has.

So, what about you fans and friends? What do you make of Dana White’s comments, and how soon do you think we should see a Bantamweight/Featherweight version of the popular UFC reality TV show?

In a new interview with MMA Fighting, the always-controversial UFC figurehead recently said the following: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world. There’s so many good guys out there, you’re literally fighting for your UFC life every time you fight… You want to stay at the top of the food chain, you deal with it. If you don’t, you won’t… These are the big leagues, no different than Major League Baseball, no different than the NFL. You perform or you go away.”

As I find myself so often doing these days, I both agree and disagree with Dana White. I think increased scrutiny on a fighter’s performance can be a huge and successful motivating factor…but only up to a certain point. In theory and even (most of the time) in practice, holding your fighters to a high standard is the most effective way to trim the fat and have only the best compete on your roster.

We’re far gone from the days of the UFC being the “little promotion that could”. The era where Japan was the be-all and end-all of MMA has come and gone. The UFC is now the standard-bearer for Mixed Martial Arts as a whole. As one would imagine, that puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on the company. They’re perceived as the best, if they don’t live up to that calling, fans will tune out in droves. If you subscribe to the philosophy of the ends justifying the means, then the UFC can do no wrong in allowing only the best and most entertaining athletes to remain in their organization. At the end of the day, it’s basically the only way they can ensure the survival of their promotion.

But when I think of the counter-point to that argument, I think of what one fighters.com fan recently said: “If you don’t fight like you’re trying to save your kids from a movie villain, you better sharpen your pencils, because you’re going to be filling out job applications before the last bell rings.”

Take some time to let that quote sink in for a bit. I know it’s tongue-in-cheek, but there’s a real point to be made there. At what point does the UFC cross the line from acceptable to unacceptable pressure? At some point, a spot in the UFC will become so coveted that fighters may hurt themselves, both trying to get a job and keep their job. Several examples pop into my head right off the bat. What if a fighter practically kills himself in the gym because he’s so afraid of losing his job? What if a fighter turns to steroids because he thinks it’s the only advantage he has left?

At the end of the day, I’m not criticizing the UFC for their efforts to keep only the best fighters on their roster. I’m just cautioning against what might happen if that idea is pushed too far. I agree with holding athletes to a higher standard if you’re the big game in town. But holding them to too high of a standard breeds cheating and recklessness. When the UFC gets to that point, or even if they’ve passed it already, is up for debate. So let’s get some going.

What do you think, fans and friends? Is the UFC putting too much or not enough pressure on their athletes to perform?

Serving on the preliminary portion on the nights pay-per-view event, which is something that is uncommon for Tyson who has become a fan favorite since his inception into the ufc back in 2006, Griffin’s loss to Lentz wasn’t without controversy. After three rounds of action, the bout went to the judges score cards and Nik was awarded a baffling split-decision win.

One judge in fact scored the fight 30-27 in favor of Tyson, however the two other judges saw the bout 29-28 in favor of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy product.

Griffin’s latest skid began with a split-decision defeat to fellow teammate and top contender Evan Dunham at UFC 115 last June. Then, in a quick turn around, Griffin stepped in to replace an injured Joe Stevenson in order to face the former PRIDE lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi. Griffin lost by knockout in 64 seconds inside of the first round. Then of course was the subsequent loss to Lentz at UFC 123.

In his UFC tenure, Griffin has won an astounding 6 “Fight of the Night” bonus awards in his 12 appearances inside the octagon. An additional “Submission of the Night” award anchors his résumé.

President of the UFC Dana White announced following the nights festivities that Griffin was safe within the company due to his history, and based on the mind boggling decision loss.

“Tyson Griffin got [expletive] big time tonight,” said Dana while speaking with MMAJunkie.com.

“You know how I feel. “I like guys who come in and fight. I’d rather keep a guy who lost a dogfight than keep a guy who ran around in circles for three rounds and won.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Glad your boy Tyson is still a UFC lightweight? Some speculation has risen that suggests that Tyson may be considering a move to the featherweight class now that the UFC has adopted the new division -but of course, it’s just a rumor. Sound off in the comment section below.

UFC 123, which took place in the suburbs of Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills, played host to a trilogy completed, a light heavyweight title eliminator put in the books, and now the quick return and exit of “The Heat”.

As fast as Karo was invited back into the octagon, he was quickly dispatched. Some may remember UFC President Dana White ranting about the million different ways that Parisyan had betrayed him both on a personal and professional level with his antics inside the UFC, namely pulling out of a scheduled match up against Dustin Hazelett at UFC 106. Since the incident, Karo had been removed from the organization roster, but later returned when he picked up a win outside the promotion.

Karo had battled for years with an addiction to pills, coupled with a lot of anxiety which ultimately lead to debilitating panic attacks, the 28-year-old had said those days were behind him heading into his match up with Hallman.

Everything looked bright for Karo, but it didn’t last long. The Armenian was dropped early in the first round in a wild exchange where Hallman clipped him with a right hook. Pouncing on the opportunity, Dennis quickly unloaded a barrage of hammer fists on his downed opponent, which called a halt to the welterweight affair at just a little under two minutes inside of the opening round.

Following the bout, Dana White had spoke with a field of reporters during the nights post-fight proceedings, and stated bluntly that Karo, at least for the time being, is done in the UFC.

“I’ll never put a fighter in harm’s way,” said the head honcho. “But Karo came in here tonight and proved he can’t compete at this level anymore”.

So, MMA peeps, do you agree with White’s assessment? Is Karo unfit to compete in the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion? Will he return, and if so, what does he need to do to get his affairs in order? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are the highlights from an interview the champion recently had with lowkick.com: “Dana is entitled to his own opinion and has some valid arguments to claim his case but I don’t feel that they are that strong… The fact of the matter is that I’m a very active fighter… I’m undefeated since 2008 when I became a heavyweight and even more important I have finished all the fights in the first round… The fact of the matter is I like that people are debating the rankings but I don’t take them that seriously.”

While I personally love to debate the rankings, I think Alistair Overeem has a very good mindset. He’s approaching this in a very smart way, and it’s one of the chief reasons of his continued success. Overeem is a high-level fighter, how high that level may be is up for debate. But ultimately, Overeem doesn’t let it change who he is or how he fights. And that’s a great way to approach the entire debate. Alistair Overeem is not ruled by his place in the rankings. He has an opinion on it, sure, but none of it is getting inside his head and causing him harm.

As a fighter, that’s one of the best options you could take. If a fighter becomes too obsessed with proving that he’s the best ever, he begins to put a lot of unwarranted pressure on himself. Look at BJ Penn for a recent example: Penn became so caught up in cementing his legacy that he let Frank Edgar basically creep up on him and completely surprise him. If Overeem only sees his next opponent and not how that opponent will change his legacy, he’ll most likely continue to win since his skillset is so high.

I, however, am more than willing to throw my hat into the mix and get waist-deep into this debate. I think Alistair Overeem absolutely deserves to be ranked as one of the Top 10 fighters in the world. He’s incredibly successful, immensely skilled, and has quite the undefeated streak going. His long layoff from Strikeforce certainly caused him to fall down a few spots, but his triumphant and dominating return healed a lot of damage and firmly established Overeem as one of the best Heavyweights Strikeforce has to offer.

Ultimately, I think Dana White was just being Dana White when he made his comments about Alistair Overeem. White has been all-too-happy to take shots at the competition in the past, this is nothing new and doesn’t come as any sort of a surprise. Nothing Dana White says could take away the fact that Overeem is a fantastic Heavyweight, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for “The Demolition Man”.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you side with Dana White or Alistair Overeem? And where do you think Overeem belongs in the Top 10 list?

Here’s what the brash-talking UFC head honcho had to say in a new interview with MMA Weekly: “I thought I was going to cut him… I talked to Tito, me and Tito had a conversation, and Tito said ‘I’m not done, I feel healthy, I feel good’, and he asked me for one more chance. So I’m going to do it. I’m not the evil bastard everyone thinks I am… [but] this is definitely his last chance. And he knows that too.”

I honestly can’t blame Dana White. I recognize how dominant Ortiz was in the past, and how big of a draw he used to be. But it’s been a long, long time since Ortiz was considered relevant in today’s Mixed Martial Arts. The man hasn’t won a fight in four years. His last two victories were both against a horribly-past-his-prime Ken Shamrock. The person Ortiz beat before that (Forrest Griffin) recently evened the score to 1-1 in Ortiz’s much-hyped return to the UFC.  Things just haven’t been working out for the former UFC champion.

I honestly don’t see how you can argue that he still belongs in the UFC if he ends up losing to Nogueira. If Ortiz loses again, he’ll officially be on a four-fight losing streak. No one, not even Tito Ortiz, should remain in the UFC if they’re on a four-fight losing-streak. I think Ortiz’s prior fame and his history as one of the UFC’s biggest draws is good enough to earn him this final shot at redemption, but if he fails once again, I’ll fully support Tito Ortiz being given his pink slip courtesy of Dana White and company.

But don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t consider myself a Tito Ortiz cynic. Press me and I may even admit that I’m a slight fan of the man. I’m simply being realistic here. The reality of the situation is that Tito Ortiz has been in “do or die” mode for a long time now, and all he has to show for it are a large number of nails being hammered into his coffin. It’s tough to say why he keeps failing, and that’s an argument that’s definitely up for debate. But, again, the realism of the situation is this: Ortiz has had some dark days recently, and those days will only get darker if he loses to “Little Nog”.

So, will I be pulling for Tito Ortiz in this last, desperate chance to remain relevant in a division that many wholeheartedly think has passed him by? It’s tough to say. I’m a fan of the Nogueira brothers too, you know. Right now, all I’ll say is that this fight sounds great on paper, and that if Ortiz really does have something left in his tank, he’ll need all of it to handle Rogerio. And maybe some part of me does indeed think that the UFC just wouldn’t be the same if Tito Ortiz wasn’t a part of it.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on Ortiz/Nogueira, and the repercussions it may produce?

However, ever since the wec was purchased by Zuffa, they have long focused on the lighter weight fighters in the world, though one weight class had always been on the cusp of entering the promotion, but never came to fruition.

Now, people are asking for the flyweight division to come to head, and Dana White, the President of the UFC, says that we may see the 125-pound weight class inside the octagon sooner than you think.

Many fighters even now who compete in the bantamweight division have already openly discussed dropping down to the flyweight division, specifically former 135-pound title challenger Joseph Benavidez, who has long been considered a top fighter with victories over Jeff Curran, Miguel Torres, and most recently a submission win over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Wagnney Fabiano. Joe is considered to be a consensus top-3 fighter in his over-sized division.

“It’d be hard, but if (Urijah) Faber were champ and there was a 125-pound class, there’s the answer right there. It’d be the right thing to do – to have me, Urijah and Chad all competing in different weight classes and all in title contention”, said Benavidez while speaking with MMAJunkie.com.

Joseph has competed as a bantamweight division his entire career, however since his mentor, training partner, and friend in Urijah Faber has stepped into the weight class and may very well be the next immediate player in the title picture, flyweight is looking more and more attractive everyday.

“There are some good 125-pounders out there that would do a great job,” he said. “There are some international guys who are real good, and there are some great fighters here in America. We have some great ones in our own gym. And I think there are some current 135-pounders who would drop down.

So Dana, it’s in your hands. When will we see a flyweight division in the UFC?

“Eventually we will do 125lbs”, said White during a Q&A session at UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Germany last Friday.

“I believe we will open it up a lot sooner than people think we will. There are going to be more title fights in more places.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the potential new weight class? It will most likely create a stir among the lighter weight fighters. Demetrious Johnson who most recently submitted top-10 fighter Damacio Page last Saturday at WEC 52, has stated that he himself could make the drop to the 125-pound division. Who else do you think could make the cut? Sound off in the comment section below.

It seems like a common with UFC President Dana White.

Almost always, the mixed martial arts head honcho discredits high profile fighters who don’t compete under the Zuffa banner. Fedor Emelianenko for years was considered the best heavyweight fighter on the planet, up until his loss to Fabricio Werdum earlier this year.

And of course after he lost to Werdum, who went 2-2 inside the UFC, White was quick to discredit the Abu Dhabi veteran’s victory, and in turn equated the win to simply a victory over an aging fighter. Whatever the case may be when it comes to non-UFC fighters, most get top athletes don’t get the credit they deserve from Dana White, and Alistair is now among them.

Some might remember Overeem in talks with Dana White, specifically sighting the K-1 veteran at UFC 93 in January of last year. White was in the courting phase with Overeem then, who went 4-0-1 in his last five fights at the time (with one no-contest coming against Mirko Cro Cop in DREAM). Negotiations didn’t go too far, and Overeem would go undefeated in his next four fights, knocking out Brett Rogers in defense of his Strikeforce title in his most recent performance.

Coupled with his effective MMA skills, Alistair has since developed into one of the best K-1 strikers in turn. “The Demolition Man” made it into the final four in 2009′s K-1 World Grand Prix, eventually losing to finalist Badr Hari, a man who Alistair upset in December of 2008, knocking him out in the first round.

Now, Overeem is gearing up for his third K-1 World Grand Prix appearance, and is currently among the final 8 of the tournament, which culminates on December 11th in Tokyo, Japan.

Even with all of his accolades, Dana White is not impressed.

“I actually find it hilarious that he’s ranked in the top 10 by some of the websites”, said White while speaking with the media following UFC 122.

“I find it hilarious. What has he done in MMA to be ranked in the top 10? I’d like somebody here to answer that question. We’ve got a lot of media guys here; what has Alistair Overeem done to be ranked in the top 10 of mixed martial arts’ heavyweight division?”

“How do you figure because he’s such a good K-1 fighter (that) he can parlay that into being a mixed-martial-arts fighter?” continued the UFC President.

“That’s what makes the mixed-martial-arts media [expletive] stupid – that they would even rank this guy in the top 10 because he’s fighting in K-1. That makes absolutely no [expletive] sense, and I would love to hear somebody make sense of this guy being ranked in the top 10.

“Has he fought anybody worth mentioning? Uh, yeah that would help. Guys that fight the top guys in the top 10, three times a year in mixed martial arts – those are the guys that are ranked in the top 10. How bout the fact that he’s fighting in K-1, where you just kick and punch? There’s no wrestling, there’s no this, and there’s no that. How does any credible (expletive) MMA guy put him in the top 10 in the heavyweight division? It’s hilarious.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Dana White’s turn around on Overeem? He seems to be playing it the same way the whole Fedor fiasco unfolded. Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the transcribe.

Here’s what the always-controversial Dana White had to say in a YouTube interview with Fighters Only Magazine: “I announced [Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir 3] at the Q&A yesterday, and I didn’t get a very popular response. People on my Twitter have been going crazy, saying ‘we hate this [expletive] fight, no way’. So, listen, I believe my job is to give the fans the fight that they want to see, so, maybe I’ll rethink that.”

I have to agree wholeheartedly with the fans on this one. I really don’t want to see another Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir fight, at least not in the immediate future. It just seems like too much of a throw-away match, for lack of a better term. Allow me to explain.

Both men are at dubious points in their careers. Frank Mir just got done competing in one of the most boring UFC main event fights in recent history, a three-round snooze-fest that mercifully ended with him TKO’ing aging relic Mirko Filipovic. Mir’s act, for lack of a better term, has gotten old and stale. I’m tired of seeing him talk ridiculous amounts of trash only to get his face beaten in, or only for him to spend three rounds tip-toeing around the Octagon, afraid to engage with a striker that’s horrendously past his prime. Even with the big KO over Mirko Cro Cop, Mir’s credibility is pretty low right now.

The same holds true for Brock Lesnar, and this is coming from a guy that thinks that Brock Lesnar normally doesn’t get enough respect. His performance against Cain Velasquez was simply abysmal. Cain shrugged off his takedowns like they were nothing, he had Lesnar backpedaling and twirling the entire fight, and Cain made beating Brock look easy. The vultures were circling to begin with, but now they’re in a feeding frenzy over Lesnar. The cynics are practically falling over themselves in their rush to say things like “Brock Lesnar is garbage” or “Brock Lesnar should just retire” or even “Brock Lesnar will go back to the WWE”. What Lesnar needs right now is a huge win, not a third fight with Frank Mir.

Honestly, Lesnar vs. Mir 3 wouldn’t have proved anything, and hopefully Dana White is serious when he talks about shelving this fight. Neither Lesnar nor Mir seem to have evolved much as fighters since their second fight at UFC 100 in July of 2009, and that’s really the only way a third fight works. Lesnar vs. Mir 3 would have been a painfully obvious attempt to salvage the credibility of the winner at the expense of the loser. It’s not a fight I want to see, not by a long shot, and I’m glad that a lot of people agree with me.

But what about you, fans and friends? What are your feelings on Lesnar/Mir 3 and the fact that it may be cancelled/shelved?

In fact, his entire UFC career altogether will be put on hold.

Following his scratched heavyweight bout against the aforementioned Carwin at UFC 125, which was to serve as the evening’s co-main event, Nelson had been rumored with a multitude of different opponents. However, some recent events have surfaced indicating that “Big Country” may be heading elsewhere in his career.

Back with former world boxing champion, Roy Jones Jr.

The boxing legend and MMA enthusiast claims to still have the season 10 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” under wraps with his own show. Jones began Square Ring Promotions and in March of 2009 but together a mix of boxing and mixed martial arts on one night of fights, cleverly titled “March Badness”, where Nelson competed against former UFC title challenger Jeff Monson, losing by unanimous decision.

Nelson gave everyone the impression that it was a “one and done” type of deal, especially when he signed on to the popular reality show and later signed a fighting contract with the worlds leading MMA promotion, the UFC.

“These guys go out and sign with these rinky-dink little promotion companies and sign these bad contracts, and let’s just say Roy Nelson is involved in a bad contract right now that he had before”, said White following the UFC 122 in Oberhausen, Germany last Saturday.

“There’s a couple of different organizations out there that do it.”

“There’s organizations that are locking these guys up to the old-school boxing contracts. The contracts that King and those guys were doing back in the 60s, 70s and 80s where they have options on top of their options – so your contract never ends with these guys.

“These are the kinds of contracts that some of these guys are signing in these other organizations out there that some of these MMA websites go, ‘Oh, stick up for these guys, they’re the small guys.’ The small guys are the guys that are really [expletive] the fighters.”

Until his contract issues subside, there’s no telling when the Renzo Gracie black belt will return to the octagon.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the recent news? Is it a publicity stunt in part of Jones, possibly picking some attention to gear up for a second show? Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MiddleEasy.com for the transcribe and the find.

The UFC head honcho spoke openly about his feelings concerning the card, but was mostly critical of the main event of the evening.

In a match that pitted two of the organization’s top middleweight contenders in Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami, both men met each other in the center of the cage with the promise of an immediate title shot for the middleweight title.

However, neither competitor, especially Marquardt, fought with any sense of urgency that would warrant said person with the coveted shot at the championship. UFC President Dana White won’t hold back on his promise, but still has his opinions on Marquardt and now has his eyes set on the Jackson camp.

“He is a choker, he choked tonight”, said White following UFC 122. Marquardt never seemed to pull the trigger on Saturday’s middleweight main event, and in the end Okami walked away the victor by unanimous decision.

Nate, since riding a four-fight win streak heading into the UFC, has gone 5-4 with pivotal losses to Anderson Silva, Thales Leites, Chael Sonnen and the aforementioned Okami.

Dana blames the Greg Jackson camp for Marquardt’s troubles.

“Marquardt is such a talented guy, and what I’m seeing is stuff from the Greg Jackson camp, this camp continuously, when these guys fight, their corner is either telling them they’re ahead or they’re winning”, said White.

“I mean, Nate Marquardt sat here tonight and said that he thought he won the fight. Where the [expletive] is his corner? You go into the last round and you’re getting outstruck by a wrestler, and you think you won the fight? And this is consistent with the Greg Jackson camp.”

I’ll admit, when push comes to shove, Nate doesn’t seem to have an answer for well established wrestler’s in the game. Against Silva, he was outclassed by superior technique, both on the feet and grappling, but you can chalk that up to championship jitters. Plus, the bout took place over three years ago.

Against Leites, the 31-year-old was deducted of two-points due to illegal strikes, and lost by split-decision.

In Okami and Sonnen, whom are now regular training partners, Marquardt succumbed to their superior wrestling skills and was unable to negate their momentum.

So, MMA peeps, do you agree with White’s sentiments? Is the Jackson camp feeding the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt false information? Did you have Nate ahead on the score cards or was Okami the clear cut winner? Whatever the case, it’s clear that the dude needs to work on his wrestling. Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MiddleEasy.com for the transcribe and find.