It’s been over a year since Sean Sherk last competed in a ufc Octagon. The former one-time UFC Lightweight Champion was last seen losing a Unanimous Decision to the man who is now the undisputed best Lightweight in the world, current UFC Lightweight champion Frank Edgar. It was Sherk’s fourth loss in a career that has spanned ten years and nearly forty professional fights. A string of injuries has kept Sherk away from competition since that loss in May 2009, but his return once again nears. If all goes according to plan, Sherk will face Evan Dunham at the upcoming UFC 119: “Mir vs. Cro Cop” event. “The Muscle Shark” recently did an interview with UFC.com, and here’s what he had to say regarding his opponent. ...

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

Fighters.com's fifth-ranked lightweight “Bully” Gray Maynard (8-0) will matchup versus Nate Diaz (10-5) at UFC Fight Night 20 at the Patriot Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and will air on Spike TV January 11, the UFC announced Monday. ...

ATT lightweight "Maximus" Marcus Aurélio (18-7) will return to the UFC at 102 in Portland 29 August versus Xtreme Couture's Evan Dunham (7-0), Fighters.com has confirmed. Aurélio was originally scheduled to fight Carlo Prater (24-7-1) at Shine II in Miami 4 September, but has cancelled the fight to return to the Octagon. Aurélio replaces Matt Veach (8-0) and tapped Joey Gorczynski (13-7) in a rear naked choke at 5150 Combat League in Oklahoma 27 June. Undefeated Dunham knocked out Per Eklund (14-4-1) in his UFC debut at 95 in London 19 February. ...