There are many fans and journalists of MMA that look at men like Randy and Mark and see old guys that are to stubborn to know when to tap out of a sport they have been apart of for over a decade. I see men who still have that drive to fight and believe that they can still stand inside the Octagon with the men half their age.

Randy has shows time and time again that you can never count him out. He lost at UFC 57 to Fighters.com eighth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) and after that fight many thought Randy was done and that he should retire. His next fight saw him move up to the heavyweight division to fight for the title against”Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (25-6) in Columbus, Ohio at UFC 68. His detractors said he was old, had not done well at heavyweight in the past and that Tim was just to much for the old guy. Then as if out of spite, Randy shocked the world by knocking Tim done in the first exchange of the fight. Nationwide Arena was on their feet and rocking and through five rounds became what I believe to be the loudest crowd at an MMA fight in the history of the sport. Randy won a unanimous decision, the UFC heavyweight title and some respect that night. Moments like this are what sports are all about.

Mark Coleman is a legend in the sport as well and has had some of the best fights in the sport in Pride and the UFC. His return to the Octagon was one many cringed at due to the fact that Mark looked run down, only a fraction of the fighter he was once. He changed some training methods and decided to get back in the Octagon once again. He lost his “Welcome Back” fight at UFC 93 against third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)in a fight that ended in a TKO but was very lackluster in that both fighters seemed to be running on empty after the first round. It was back to the drawing board for Mark and fans spoke loudly about his inability to compete in the UFC at his age. UFC 100 rolled around and Mark was facing The Ultimate Fighter fan favorite Stephan Bonnar (11-6). Shocking almost everyone in the sport, Coleman won a via unanimous decision. He was back and ready for war once again.

This week we have heard rumors of yet another legend in MMA coming back to the UFC to do battle inside the Octagon. The always rousing “The Predator: Don Frye (20-8-1) was talked about by Dana White in a report from the Bleacher Report. Dana said “I’m not saying Don Frye’s coming back to fight in the UFC,” What I’m saying is, Don Frye’s coming back to dominate the UFC. I called Don Frye and asked him if he was in fact coming back to the UFC. He told me he could not lie to a man of the cloth (although my title is Reverend it is merely for the sake of marrying friends) so he would not comment on that question. Don’s silence on the issue leads me to only one conclusion, he will be back inside the Octagon if for nothing else than for a one fight deal. I can see Don stepping inside the Octagon after the Coleman and Couture fight to challenge Coleman. After all, he did lose to him back at UFC 10: The Tournament via TKO due to punishment.

Don is such a popular fighter amongst the hardcore fans that many will love seeing him back as he is a fighter that displays true grit and told me on MMA Gospel Radio that it is a fighters job to not tap. You fight until you lose and never give up. How will the casual fan that may not remember Don Frye see his return?

Yet another fighter in his middle 40s trying to hang with the boys or as a grizzled veteran hungry for more and ready to once again go to war? Guys like Don Frye, Mark Coleman and Randy Couture dominated the sport at one time and I feel they still have that fight like Randy versus Tim Sylvia in them to bring the crowd to their feet and make us rethink our opinion of legends getting back to action. They have been the elite in the sport at one time and in my opinion they always will have that level of commitment and the shear will to keep fighting and hold on to that status.

The Internet broadcast will cost just $5.95 and can be purchased at Shark Fights’ website beginning at 6:30 PM CST Saturday. Tickets starting at $20 can be purchased at PandhandleTickets.com.

The full card includes:

Nissen Osterneck (5-2) v “Hurricane” Gerald Harris (13-2)
Phil Cardella (8-4) v Ran Weathers (12-5)
“Money” Marcus Sursa (5-4) v Isaac Villanueva (3-1)
“Bam Bam” Pat Healy (17-13) v “TJ” Anthony Waldburger (10-5)
Bryan Humes (5-0) v Lance Friedenstein (2-0)
Lorenzo Borgomeo (4-2) v Anselmo Martinez (5-0)
Karen Darabedyan (7-1) v Estevan Payan (6-2)
Robert Clayton Hantz (3-1) v Tony Castillo (1-0)

Breakthrough gets started at 7:30 PM local time at Memorial Hall in KC and the meat of the of the card will be broadcast on HDNet at 10:00 PM EST. Outside of the United States, the entire card will be streamed via the Internet. Details are available at M-1 Global’s website. Tickets starting at $25 can be purchased at Ticketmaster and there’s a buy-one-get-one-free offer.

Fighters.com asked Mousasi to explain the exhibition sparring format last Thursday. “It’s just like a light sparring,” he said, and added that the exhibition won’t turn competitive in front of thousands in Kansas City. “We are not animals. We can control ourselves.”

Coming off a unanimous decision over Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (9-3-2) at Sengoku Seventh Battle in Tokyo last March, Lawal will fight late replacement forty-year old “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr (14-10).

Kerr replaced Lawal’s original opponent, forty-three year old former UFC champion “Predator” Don Frye (20-7-1).

Frye told MMA Junkie Sunday, “I didn’t drop out; I walked away. Here’s the deal: [The event] didn’t just move from LA. It went from the Staples Center to the LA Convention Center. From the LA convention center to the Hilton in Las Vegas. From the Hilton in Las Vegas to an Indian casino on the Oklahoma-Texas border. From the Indian casino on the Oklahoma-Texas border to an Indian casino up in Tulsa, which is North Oklahoma. And from there up to Kansas City.

“So you know, after four or five times changing the venue, and then we asked [M-1 Global Chief Operating Officer Joost Raimond] ‘Hey, what are you doing for advertising? Are you sending a photographer out to Don’s house?’ He says, ‘No, we’re just going to use stock photos off the Internet.’”

“So at that point we said, ‘You know what? You just ain’t got your shit together. We’re walking away.’”

Raimond had released a statement saying, “Don Frye had a signed contract with M-1 and part of that signed commitment allowed us to change the venue if needed. From our perspective, Don should still be in this fight. However, for reasons that we aren’t exactly sure of, he has backed out. Don still has not provided us with a clear reason as to why he is refusing to fight. It just doesn’t make sense because the old Don Frye was willing to fight anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. Perhaps the fire is gone and he underestimated the challenge that ‘King Mo’ presents?”

Kerr will bring his four-fight losing streak into the ring in Kansas City. He was tapped out in a rear naked choke by “Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-8) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, North Carolina last September. He’s 2-9 in the last nine years.

Linhares will rematch Red Devil Sport Club’s Mikhail Zayats (8-3). Zayats won the original two-round contest by UD in St. Petersburg at M-1 Challenge 4 in June 2008.

Linhares comes off a 1:25 KO of countryman “BBMonstro” Valdir Araujo (1-1) at M-1 Challenge 16 in Kansas City last June.

Zayats lost a unanimous decision to Alexander Machado (3-1) at M-1 Challenge 15 in Sau Paulo last May.

Perhaps Frye is to blame? M-1 Global Chief Operating Officer Joost Raimond thinks so, saying Monday, “Don Frye had a signed contract with M-1 and part of that signed commitment allowed us to change the venue if needed. From our perspective, Don should still be in this fight. However, for reasons that we aren’t exactly sure of, he has backed out. Don still has not provided us with a clear reason as to why he is refusing to fight. It just doesn’t make sense because the old Don Frye was willing to fight anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. Perhaps the fire is gone and he underestimated the challenge that ‘King Mo’ presents?”

Ostentatious former NCAA wrestling champion “King Mo” won a unanimous decision over Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (9-3-2) at Sengoku Seventh Battle in Tokyo last March. He’ll fight for the first time in his home nation at Breakthrough.

Kerr was tapped out in a rear naked choke by “Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-8) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, North Carolina last September. He’s 2-9 in the last nine years.

Lawal has the tools and charisma to fight to the top of the middleweight or light heavyweight divisions, but must seek fights versus other contemporary contenders even if it means smaller paydays now.

Originally scheduled to coincide with the International Mixed Martial Arts Expo in Los Angeles 27-29 August, Fighters.com’s sources have inidcated the IMMAE is considering rescheduling for the weekend of UFC 104 in Los Angeles 23-25 October.

“[Breakthrough] may move to northern California or Nevada [because of the IMMAE rescheduling],” said Fighters.com’s source.

The IMMAE has not replied to Fighters.com’s request for comment.

Sports Illustrated reported Wednesday that M-1 Global had not yet approached the California State Athletic Commission for a license to stage the fight card.

Days after UFC President Dana White mocked M-1 Global for suggesting the promotions co-promote in exchange for sealed deal with Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko’s (29-1), M-1 Global’s lack of attention to detail seems amateurish, especially for an international promotion.

Also announced was a middleweight matchup between “Goat” Nick Thompson (38-11-1) and Frenchman “Psycho” Karl Amoussou (11-1-1).

Ostentatious former NCAA wrestling champion “King Mo” won a unanimous decision over Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (9-3-2) at Sengoku Seventh Battle in Tokyo last March. He’ll fight for the first time in his home nation at Breakthrough.

Certain MMA Hall-of-Famer Frye tapped Richard Moss (7-4) in a rear naked choke at Shark Fights 4 in Lubbock last May.

Both Lawal and Frye are former Oklahoma State University wrestlers, though not on the same squads.

Former BodogFight welterweight champion Thompson will continue his run at 185 pounds after submitting to punches to The Pit’s Timothy Kennedy (11-2) at Strikeforce in Kent, south of Seattle, 19 June.

Kickboxer Amoussou knocked out Kazuhiro Hamanaka (3-6-1) with a flying knee in twenty-three seconds at M-1 Challenge 14 in Tokyo last April.

The event will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008.  Tickets for the event will go on sale March 8, and can be purchased through  Ticketmaster.

This first matchup will witness two MMA legends battle in a totally new and unique arena.  The veteran fighters will face off in one of the ‘Masters Superfights’, one-on-one matches that feature some of MMA’s most illustrious and legendary fighters. 

“Don Frye needs to do only two things: fly to Russia and stay there for ten years to study Sambo.  Then, maybe he’ll be ready,” said Oleg Taktarov about his upcoming face off with Frye.

In addition to the Superfights, the 11 April event will showcase the skill and endurance of eight fearsome competitors in a tournament match for the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion.  Tournament fighters include:

“Pato” Marcelo Pereira – a multiple world and Brazil BJJ champion known for his strong chin and very heavy hands with an MMA record of 5-0-0.

Sherman Pendergarst – a 6’1 230-pound former collegiate wrestler and state high school wrestling champion with a background in BJJ, boxing, and kickboxing with an MMA record of 10-8-0.

Rex Richards – a former lineman for the Indianapolis Colts and Machado BJJ brown belt.  Richards is a veteran of Strike Force and Art of War with a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-1-0.

Tony Sylvester – a boxing/wrestling expert who is considered to be one of the top up-and-coming heavyweights in the nation with a MMA record of 10-1-0.

“The Diesel” Travis Wiuff – a UFC, Pride and IFL veteran, and current IFO World Champion with an MMA record of 47-11-0.  He is known for his well-rounded fighting style with vicious elbows on the ground

The additional three tournament fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Meyrowitz has formed YAMMA Pit Fighting, an MMA promotion set to return to the tournament format of the original UFC events.

“It’s with great excitement that we launch YAMMA Pit Fighting,” says Bob Meyrowitz.  “Our deep and proven knowledge of the entertainment and MMA spheres put us in a great position to add a new dimension to the presentation of MMA as it moves into the future.”

YPF will debut at the Trump Taj Mahal with a main event featuring 44-year old Fry versus Russian UFC veteran Oleg Taktarov.

Since sitting out 2005, Frye, 18-6-1, has remained active since submitting Chad Rowan in K-1 Hero’s in May 2006.  He’s 4-1-1 since 2006.

Taktarov, 15-5-2, retired in 1998, but returned in 2007 with kneebar submission of John Marsh in BodogFIGHT.

Despite being apart of the same era of UFC competition, the two fighters have never faced each other.

 The YPF debut will be broadcast via PPV.