By John Moody 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. ...

It took quite some time to finally find out who’s coaching the next season of the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”, but the major announcement mostly made up for the long period of waiting. The MMA world is buzzing now that Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos have been named the TUF 13 coaches. UFC President Dana White recently commented on the situation, and gave some very interesting insight into the eleventh-hour decision of Lesnar/JDS as coaches. ...

For many, many, many, many… many reasons, Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos is already being thought of as one of the best possible fights of 2011. Cain Velasquez is the current UFC Heavyweight Champion, while JDS has been rocketing to the top and knocking out opponents left and right. But unfortunately, it seems as if the “Heavyweight Curse” has reared its ugly head again, as it was recently reported that Cain Velasquez has suffered an injury and won’t be competing for at least six months. ...

Say what you want about the ufc and its always-controversial President Dana White, but both the company and the man have never been against supporting the troops. The UFC is set to hold its second “Fight for the Troops” event in 2011, a special “Fight Night Live” card held in front of troops and designed to raise money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit organization established to help veterans and the families of veterans. In addition to that, Dana White also wants to hold an event in Afghanistan, and in a new interview, he even went as far as to say that the outright bombing of his first planned location doesn’t deter him in the least. ...

What’s next for Georges St. Pierre? What does the future hold for Josh Koscheck? These questions are on everyone’s mind following GSP’s brilliant performance and Koscheck’s “stand there and get hit” performance at the recent UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2”. Whereas many are wondering what’s left for GSP in a division where he has basically demolished almost every single viable threat, the reverse is true for Josh Koscheck, with many wondering what kind of future he has in a division that’s ruled by a man that has dominated him twice and shows no signs of ever losing his championship. According to UFC President Dana White, the one thing neither man should be looking forward to any time in the future is… each other. Here are all the details. ...

It seems as if everyone is wondering what the future holds for former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar nowadays. Lesnar is coming off a humbling loss to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121, and the vultures started circling the moment Velasquez TKO’d Lesnar at 4:12 of Round 1. Many cynics predicted that Lesnar would even leave the sport and return to the WWE, where he first made his mark on the mainstream. UFC President Dana White was quick to shoot down such rumors, and he recently addressed the situation once again. ...

With its twelfth season now officially over and done with, many are once again wondering what the future holds for the popular and long-running ufc reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”. With the planned WEC/UFC merger looming on the horizon, many fight fans are calling for Bantamweight and Featherweight editions of TUF. As the UFC continues its rapid expansion, fans have also been calling for international editions of TUF. Recently several reports surfaced that shed new light on the future of the show, including when the thirteenth season is scheduled to air as well as new developments on international versions of the show. ...

Dana White doesn’t mind making enemies. Time and time again, the controversial UFC President has proven that he’s more than willing to state his opinion on any given subject no matter what his reaction garners. Most recently Dana White vocally criticized famed MMA coach Greg Jackson and the entire Greg Jackson team. But Greg Jackson has never been one to lay down and be humbled, and recently, he’s fired back an impressive salvo at the UFC’s head honcho. Here are all the details. ...

It will always be hard to precisely measure the two largest MMA organizations when comparing a Strikeforce event on pay cable vs. a UFC event on free TV the same night.  However, Dec. 4^th will provide another opportunity to see if Strikeforce can stand up to the monster on the block in the UFC. 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? ...

Ready for a little sincere honesty, fans and friends? I know you are. So here it is: I’m a completely unabashed and unapologetic fanboy when it comes to Featherweight and Bantamweight fighters. I’ve vocally supported them in the past, I’ll continue to do so, and on more than one occasion I’ve pushed hard on the idea of a Bantamweight and Featherweight version of “The Ultimate Fighter”, even going as far as to say that a 145/135 version of TUF would likely have some of the best fights ever seen in the history of the program. So, as you could imagine, it would take a whole lot to convince me that a version of TUF featuring Bantamweight and Featherweight fighters should be postponed. But UFC President Dana White may have done just that in a recent interview. ...

Now more than ever, especially with the wec merger looming on the horizon, the point must be made: the ufc is by far the most competitive Mixed Martial Arts organization on the planet. More and more fighters are being let go on a per-event basis. Everybody and anybody is getting released, and it seems as if no job is safe unless you perform to the absolute best of your abilities. And according to UFC President Dana White, that’s just how he likes it. And he doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. ...

From lightweight contender Tyson Griffin most recently suffered his third consecutive defeat inside the octagon last Saturday when he faced talented wrestler Nik Lentz. 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. ...

Former top welterweight contender Karo Parisyan returned last night inside the octagon when he faced MMA iron man, Dennis Hallman on the nights preliminary portion of the pay-per-view event. 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. ...

Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem is currently ranked amongst the Top 10 Heavyweights in the world on most major MMA websites. His actual rank varies, but few debate Overeem’s stance as one of the better Heavyweights currently in the game. However, one of those few just so happened to be UFC President Dana White, who recently stated that he thought that Overeem didn’t deserve a spot anywhere close to the Top 10. The “Demolition Man” recently responded to White’s claims. ...

A second chance. It seems like they’re in short supply nowadays, and that so few of us ever get one. It’s even rarer to get multiple second chances. But that’s exactly where always-controversial former ufc Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz finds himself right now: he’s staring one final “second chance” right in the face. It’s been “make or break” time for the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” for quite awhile now, but the stakes have gotten even higher as Ortiz heads into a planned match-up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. UFC President Dana White recently confirmed that the bout with “Little Nog” will be Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC unless Ortiz gets back in the win column. Here are all the details. ...

As the new wave of World Extreme Cagefighting fighters make their way into the ufc fold, the organization is currently in a settling in process with it's two new weight classes, featherweights and bantamweights. 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. ...

While Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem is often regarded as a consensus top-10 fighter by the fans and media alike, there's still one man who is holding reservations about the Dutch fighter. 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. ...

Dana White is controversial. The man has said and done so many controversial things that it’s pretty much a fact of life by now. One of his most-recent controversies involves the would-be trilogy match-up pitting Brock Lesnar against arch-rival Frank Mir for the third and last time. The rumored bout was announced by White himself, but in a recent interview, White said that an extremely negative fan reaction to this bout may force him to reconsider. ...

After some speculation about Roy Nelson potentially fighting Brock Lesnar, or Frank Mir, or even his previous opponent Shane Carwin, will all be on hold. 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. ...

Following the events of UFC 122, it's safe to say that Dana White wasn't all that satisfied with some things that had taken place at last Saturday's night of fights. 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. ...

I’ve said it a lot recently, but it bears repeating: it’s tough to be a fan of Nate Marquardt nowadays. Nate “The Great” has once again hit a major stumbling block on his three-year journey towards another championship opportunity: he recently lost a #1 Contender match to Yushin Okami at ufc 122 in Germany. Marquardt’s situation now closely mirrors the one he found himself in when he lost to Chael Sonnen back in February of this year: many are wondering where he stands in the Middleweight division. Marquardt, however, remains confident in his abilities, even while UFC President Dana White recently speculated that (much like his controversial feelings on Kenny Florian) Nate Marquardt chokes in big fights. ...

During a special Q&A session leading into tonight's festivities, emcee's Joe Rogan and Dana White took center stage to speak in front of the fans in attendance. The Question and Answer took place just before the weigh-ins for tonight's UFC 122 event, which takes place at the Konig Pilsener Arena, in Oberhausen, Germany. Both avid fans of the sport, the UFC President and color commentator were happy to address any questions the fans had, including debunking rumors, free tickets, and of course potential stars that the organization might be looking forward to sign in the future. ...

It has become clear for serious followers of the UFC what kind of fighter president Dana White likes.  He likes Chris Leben.  He likes Sam Stout.  He likes Stefan Struve.  He likes Carlos Condit.  He likes Stephan Bonnar.  Do you see the trend?  He likes guys that come forward … guys that will eat two shots to give one.  Guys that thrive when the fight becomes a brawl.  Guys that understand this is a business and fans need to be entertained at the peril of their won/loss record.  For these reasons, Dana White must love Jorge Rivera.  Rivera fights Alessio Sakara this weekend at UFC 122 in Germany and not only is the type of brawler White admires, but he says all the right things about why he loves MMA and the UFC. ...

For the most part, WEC Featherweight Champion (and soon-to-be UFC Featherweight Champion) Jose Aldo has maintained a squeaky-clean image outside of the cage while demolishing his opponents in brutal, dominating fashion inside of the cage. However, Aldo earned himself a bit of controversy when it was revealed that he had turned down a fight in the UFC against Kenny Florian (this was before the announced UFC/WEC merger). With Aldo’s next fight set (he’ll face Josh Grispi at UFC 125), the “Junior” camp recently revealed that the Florian fight wasn’t turned down due to the fear of Aldo being beaten: it’s because Kenny Florian wasn’t perceived as a big enough name for Aldo to face in his UFC debut. ...

In the world of professional combat sports, there seems to always be two types of fight promoters. One sticks to the shadows to such a degree that their presence is practically ghostly. The other is so embedded in the public spotlight that news about him and his controversial opinions can sometimes generate as much or even more interest in an upcoming fight than the fighters themselves. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently called it the Bob Arum/Don King dynamic, and guess which one Coker says UFC President Dana White comes closest to emulating. Here’s what the soft-spoken head of the second-largest MMA promotion in the world had to say about how fight promoters promote fights. ...

As we draw ever closer to the end of the wec, morale remains high from virtually all trainers, professionals, fighters, and management involved in the ufc’s recent decision to absorb their “sister promotion”, adding two new weight divisions and a host of incredible talent. I have also joined in on the fun and can’t wait to see how the UFC changes now that it has a Featherweight and Bantamweight division, but as I’ve said in the past, not everyone benefits from this merger. And as strange as it sounds, we as MMA fans will also be negatively affected by this merger, since no more WEC on TV means less MMA on TV. Don’t believe me? UFC President Dana White recently confirmed this. Here are all the details. ...

It's been talked about ever since December of 2006, when Zuffa (the parent company governing the UFC) purchased World Extreme Cagefighting. While there has been some back and forth between UFC President Dana White and the general media concerning a time line when we can see a possible merger happen, it looks like the wait is finally over. With the growing expansion of what is considered to be the worlds largest organization in the UFC, the need for additional fighters and fights was paramount, and a decision was made to finally fold WEC completely into the UFC. ...

After a lot of back and forth, it looks like now everyone will be safely assured that Jones Jones against Ryan Bader, a pivotal match up in the light heavyweight division, will continue as scheduled for February. Previously, UFC President Dana White cited that some issues with Bader would have conflicted with the scheduled match up. Originally, both competitors were expected to meet in December, however the former Division I wrestling All-American had some other business to tend to... the guy is getting married. So, the match up was held off until February, adorning the UFC 126 card, which is expected to be headlined by current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defending his title for a record setting 8th time when he meets former teammate Vitor Belfort. ...

Throughout its history, one thing has eluded the UFC. Despite all their successes in the US and abroad, despite their rampant international expansion, despite their vaunted mainstream acceptance, a network TV deal has never fully come to fruition. And perhaps with good cause- network TV puts an incredible amount of stress on a promotion, and has played a not-insignificant part in the closing of former MMA promotions like EliteXC and the IFL. But according to UFC President Dana White, the UFC will continue to get bigger and better throughout 2011…and that includes network TV. ...

Now that the ufc has their first-ever champion of Mexican descent, a lot of fans and insiders are beginning to wonder how long it will take for the UFC to hold an event in Mexico. In the past, Mexico hasn’t seemed like that much of a priority to the UFC despite their rapid international expansion. Could this be due to the rampant political strife and ongoing war between the Mexican government and the drug cartels? Shockingly enough, UFC President Dana White sees that as just another obstacle. ...