5. Rashad Evans

Coming off of a loss to Chuck Liddell in December 2006, Ortiz looked to rebound in 2007 with a win over a hungry young upstart by the name of Rashad Evans. The fight would end up being ruled a draw, with Ortiz being penalized one point for holding onto the fence. Since then, Evans has become a star in his own right and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Currently, Evans will be fighting Phil Davis. Win or lose, I think both Evans and Ortiz would prove quite a lot by fighting each other again.

4. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

For the most part, Ortiz has fought nothing but hungry young fighters in his recent fights. I say it’s time for a veteran fighter that has the experience and skill to be a threat in all major areas of the game. And although his career is winding down, “Little Nog” can still go. Personally, I think this would be an awesome fight between one of the best, most experienced, most versatile ground wizards in the division and the man that became synonymous with vicious Ground and Pound.

3. Quinton Jackson

Jackson ranks higher because of his status as a former champion and for his one-hit KO power. He also ranks higher than “Little Nog” because I think this fight would mostly stay on the feet, and to be honest, a stand-up fight between Jackson and Ortiz simply interests me more than a ground war between Ortiz and Little Nog. Ortiz displayed some good striking at UFC 132… can he hang with a striker like Jackson? If he wants to get this fight on the floor, can he deal with the great takedown defense of Jackson? Those are two questions I’d definitely pay to see answered.

2. Lyoto Machida

When you think about it, Machida’s big victory over Tito Ortiz is what got most people to finally start paying attention to Machida. Machida would be the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion only two fights removed from his decision win over Ortiz. But in the here and now, Machida has recently gotten over a two-fight (some say it should be three) losing-streak with a fantastic KO win over aging legend Randy Couture. That’s not exactly the same thing as winning what many felt would be the final fight of your career by dramatic stoppage, but it’s in the same ballpark. This is another rematch that simply makes a lot of sense right now, and I’d love to see it happen.

And the number-one next opponent for Tito Ortiz is…

1. Forrest Griffin

If Tito Ortiz really wants to prove that he’s “back”, he needs to beat the man that spoiled his heavily-hyped UFC return in 2009. Following that fight, Griffin was out of action for over a year and then took Rich Franklin to a boring decision. Whereas Ortiz found that old flame at UFC 132, Griffin looked like he was only focused on winning and not giving fans a good show when he defeated Rich Franklin. This is a rivalry with a very rich history: Ortiz has won one, Griffin has won one, and both wins were by Split Decision. I think it’s time we end this rivalry once and for all, and I really can’t think of a better way for Ortiz to prove that he’s back.

Don’t get me wrong, my opinion on Mauricio Rua hasn’t changed. I still think his knees are shot. I still think that he’s past his prime. I still think that all the fervor generated around him was simply due to old-school PRIDE fans finally getting to brag that one of the most dominant PRIDE fighters finally got himself some gold. My opinion on Mauricio Rua has not changed.

It’s just that my opinion on Forrest Griffin has.

Forrest Griffin is on a two-fight win-streak, but he’s fighting less and less per year. And to be bluntly honest, he hasn’t really looked all that impressive in those two fights. He beat Tito Ortiz, but it’s pretty well-documented that Tito is past his prime. He then beat Rich Franklin, who I’m a fan of and who I think can definitely still go. The only problem was that it was a pretty boring fight.

After the fight, Forrest gave an interview where he basically said “I don’t care if it was boring, I just wanted to win”. That statement immediately rubbed me the wrong way, and I think I know why.

Forrest Griffin became a UFC Light Heavyweight Champion because he didn’t care about winning or losing and just wanted to fight. That scrappy attitude helped him reach one of the pinnacles of this sport. To hear him adopt this “a win is a win” attitude flies in the face of the Forrest Griffin I’ve come to both know and respect.

Here’s what I think the problem is. I think the fact the Griffin suffered two back-to-back (T)KO losses really mellowed him out on the idea of going into every fight and trying to make it a brawl. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Griffin is running scared, I just think that he now knows that his chin is not impenetrable and has changed his style to suit that.

But that’s the problem: by doing that, Griffin has lost a lot of what made him great.

Compare this to Mauricio Rua, who basically beat Lyoto Machida twice and then had to take a long time off. Rua was dominated by Jon Jones in his return… but Jon Jones dominates everybody. You may remember that I called for Jones’ domination. That feeling of vindication, of seeing what I said would happen actually happen, has really helped me dial down the aggression when it comes to discussing Mauricio Rua.

In the end, I like this match. I think these two could bring out the best in each other. My problem with this fight isn’t that Mauricio Rua is the same man he was when he fought Forrest Griffin the first time. I think Jon Jones proved that those old weaknesses are still there, it just takes a really great fighter to bring them out. My problem is that Forrest Griffin isn’t the same fighter that he was back when he surprised us all and submitted “Shogun”. That’s why I think this rivalry is going to go to 1-1 by the time “Rio” is over.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any opinion on this match-up?

A previously mentioned between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami has already been speculated to be the main-event of the evening, which is also a rematch of a fight that originally took place in 2006 under the now defunct Rumble on the Rock banner in Hawaii.

However, perhaps a more intriguing rematch has been pitted between former champions Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Forrest Griffin, which could see co-main event status as it is a pivotal fight in the 205-pound division.

TATAME.com originally reported the anticipated rematch between the two light-heavyweight standouts, whom originally met in September of 2007 at UFC 76. The event first introduced “Shogun” to the masses on a card that was headlined by the newly removed 205-pound champion in Chuck Liddell, so all eyes were on the Brazilian to make an impressive debut following his stint in the PRIDE organization.

His would be impressive debut was halted by Forrest, who eventually submitted the Brazilian after a back-and-forth battle in the waning moments of the fight, with just seconds to spare. The win catapulted Griffin into the title picture where he eventually dethroned then titleholder Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

After the loss to Griffin, Rua would go on to compile a two-fight win streak over former champions Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell which vaunted him into the title picture. After a controversial loss to Lyoto Machida for the belt, Mauricio exacted revenge with a first-round knockout over his fellow countryman in their next meeting.

Now the two are on very different paths in their careers, with Forrest climbing back up the ranks of the division after losing his title in 2009 to Rashad Evans, he is now on a two-fight win streak, while Rua is attempting to regain his belt after he was dethroned last March by phenom Jon Jones.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? Who do you favor? I think an obvious question here is “which Rua will show up”? We’ve seen him in the past be every bit the world beater he is billed to be, however some of his last outings have not been up to par with the legend that we are all familiar with. Sound off in the comment section below.

Recently, the fan-favorite Forrest took to Twitter to release some of his quick jabs that have made him one of the leading men in the business, and it looks like Ortiz may have taken the comments to heart and lashed out in proper Tito manner.

Now, it doesn’t look like it would be much of a stretch should these two men meet again in the foreseeable future.

For Griffin, it was just a normal day full of bad punch lines and improper hyperbole’s. And whether or not Ortiz was meant to be the direct victim of such antics remains to be seen, but one things for certain, Forrest got his attention.

“I am the new tito, bitch about injuries after everyfight win or lose, hold guys down a much as possible, never finish a fight.checkallboxs (sic)”, tweeted the season one winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”.

When Ortiz caught win of Griffin’s remarks, all hell broke loose.

“Hey go f*ck yourself! run forest run like a bitch! never defended a world title!, been KTFO!, runs out the cage like a bitch! Check all the above!”, said Tito who responded in kind.

Probably the more civil thing to do would just leave the matter as is, but we all know that Griffin couldn’t let Ortiz have the last word. And while his intention’s seemed anything from malice, things took a turn toward hostile once the back-and-forth escalated.

“You mean like defend it like 5 times over 3 years? Naw sounds like a lot of work. People forget quick,” quipped the wily Griffin.

“The longest reigning LHW champ and longest competing UFC fighter.- Tito Ortiz,” posted ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’. “My career was tarnished by lies but my name will live forever!”

Even though both men have fought twice before, both bouts “Fight of the Night” worthy, it looks like a trilogy is on the horizon. And why not? Both men have split both bout 1-1 a piece, with both respective matches ending with a split-decision, with Griffin taking the latest encounter in November of 2009 at UFC 106.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the recent Twitter war? Who do you favor in the trilogy? Sound off in the comment section below.

Champion Anderson Silva deftly defended his title with a rousing first-round knockout of former friend and teammate Vitor Belfort with a surprising front kick which floored the Brazilian. Following up with a few additional blows was all that “The Spider” needed to end the night of the former light heavyweight titleholder.

Forrest Griffin made a successful return to the cage, following a year-plus spent away from the cage, when he defeated former middleweight champ Rich Franklin, defeating the legend in a clean sweep decision victory.

The night produced several more exciting fights over, however some of those bouts came with their price.

UFC 126 took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas this past Saturday, and while some men listed below were victorious, they didn’t leave without their fare share of some bumps and bruises. Griffin especially has the potential to face some serious time away from the cage once again. The Xtreme Couture product returned to the octagon following a slew of personal problems and nursed injuries following a decision victory over Tito Ortiz, which took place in November of 2009. Griffin didn’t miss a beat in his return, but he may have re-aggravated a fracture in his foot that could have him out of action for large put of 2011.

Jake Ellenberger who was also victorious in a rousing welterweight affair against the previously undefeated Eduardo Rocha, could potentially be sitting alongside Forrest as he is required to have both of his hands x-rayed before he returns to action.

Below is a featured list of suspensions, courtesy of MMAJunkie.com by way of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The full list of suspensions included:

* Vitor Belfort: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 for precautionary reasons

* Forrest Griffin: Suspended until Aug. 5 unless right foot is X-rayed and cleared by an orthopedic doctor

* Carlos Eduardo Rocha: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 due to a scalp laceration

* Jake Ellenberger: Suspended until Aug. 5 unless both hands are X-rayed and cleared by an orthopedic
doctor

* Paul Kelly: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 due to a right-eyebrow laceration

* Michihiro Omigawa: Suspended until April 7 with no contact until April 7 due to a right-eyebrow right brow
laceration and head blows

* Chad Mendes: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 for precautionary reasons

* Gabe Ruediger: Suspended until April 7 with no contact until April 7 due to a right-eyebrow laceration and
head blows

* Ricardo Romero: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 for precautionary reasons

* Kenny Robertson: Suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8 for precautionary reasons

So, MMA peeps, any surprises you see here? Sound off in the comment section below.

Forrest Griffin deftly defeated former champ Rich Franklin in a pivotal light heavyweight match-up, moving him closer to the title, however Jon Jones beat him to it when he submitted then-undefeated prospect Ryan Bader with a second-round submission.

However nothing surprised me more then some of these fighter pay-outs with some seeming valid, while others have me scratching my head in humble confusion.

It looks like the fruit of Jones’ labor is finally paying off, as the 205-spitfire has since earned his first six-figure payday inside the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion, which is justified by his exciting fight-finishing performances in the octagon.

On the same token, Anderson Silva, who is currently on a record breaking 13-fight win streak in the cage, as well as an equally impressive eighth-straight title defense, was a top earner on the pay-per-view card, however earned a reported $175k less than fellow countryman Vitor Belfort, whom Anderson knocked out inside of the first-round.

MMAJunkie also claims that should “The Phenom” had taken home the “W” last Saturday, he would have came home with an additional $100k for his efforts (win bonus). Most likely, Silva earned a large portion of his purse due to the PPV revenue that the super bowl card has picked up.

MMAJunkie.com has reported the following figures, which they had originally requested from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Champ Anderson Silva: $200,000 (includes no win bonus)
def. Vitor Belfort: $275,000

Forrest Griffin: $275,000 ($150,000 win bonus)
def. Rich Franklin: $75,000

Jon Jones: $140,000 ($70,000 win bonus)
def. Ryan Bader: $20,000

Jake Ellenberger: $32,000 ($16,000 win bonus)
def. Carlos Eduardo Rocha: $8,000

Miguel Torres: $56,000 ($28,000 win bonus)
def. Antonio Banuelos: $9,000

Donald Cerrone: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $19,000

Chad Mendes: $19,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Michihiro Omigawa: $8,000

Demetrious Johnson: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus)
def. Norifumi Yamamoto: $15,000

Paul Taylor: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)
def. Gabe Ruediger: $8,000

Kyle Kingsbury: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Ricardo Romero: $10,000

Mike Pierce: $28,000 ($14,000 win bonus)
def. Kenny Robertson: $6,000

So, MMA peeps, are you surprised by any of the payouts you see here? The figures above however do not include any “Fight Night” awards that several fighters earned over the course of the evening. Sound off in the comment section below.

Next for Antonio Banuelos: Unemployment, or a fight where if he loses he gets fired. Banuelos had a chance to shine on the grand stage like he never had before, and to say he blew it would be a colossal understatement. The Banuelos we saw in the UFC was a far cry from the WEC version, who prided himself on taking two to give one and giving the fans a good show. Not even Antonio’s close friendship to Chuck Liddell will be able to save his job for long if he keeps fighting the way he did at UFC 126.

Next for Miguel Torres: Torres himself seemed pretty happy regarding his performance, but he also seems to be the only one. Torres’ timid and tepid performance was also a far cry from when he was tearing through the WEC, and I honestly hate to think that most UFC fans will now judge Torres by this fight and not his stellar WEC run. But Torres has nobody but himself to blame. Expect Torres to be put on prelims or on free TV until he starts fighting like he means it.

Next for Jake Ellenberger: Ellenberger will keep plodding along near the mid-level, since Carlos Eduardo Rocha exposed some problems that paint a pretty clear picture: Ellenberger isn’t ready for top-division competition. At least, not yet. Expect to see Ellenberger fight his way through the opening contest of Pay-Per-Views or on “Fight Night Live” events at least until 2011 comes to a close.

Next for Ryan Bader: Bader’s quest for top-division status was sidetracked but not derailed by his deflating loss to “Bones” Jones. Bader’s next opponent will be tough, but not as tough as Jones. Expect Bader to fully reassert himself in his next few fights and add a few highlight-reel KO’s to his name as he rebuilds and regroups.

Next for Jon Jones: I’ll likely talk a lot more about this in the days and weeks to come, but say it with me now: Jon Jones is your UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Say it now, because you’ll be saying it for real before long. Jones is going to blast his way through Mauricio Rua and “Shogun” will have nothing to answer back with. It’s Jones’ time now, and “The Era of Bones” is only one fight away.

Next for Forrest Griffin: A win is a win is a win, and with this win Griffin kept his status as a top-division athlete. Expect Griffin to face either a tough veteran hoping to make a comeback or a hot prospect looking for top-division status in his next fight. Griffin fought Franklin to prove that he’s still a high-level star, his next fight will probably put him into the role of a high-level UFC gatekeeper. Even though I’m a fan of Forrest Griffin, he needs at least one more fight before anyone starts taking him seriously as a championship contender again.

Next for Anderson Silva: UFC President Dana White said during the post-fight press conference that we may finally get Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre if GSP beats Jake Shields. So my prediction is… we’re going to get Georges St. Pierre vs. Anderson Silva. It may or may not be in Cowboys Stadium, or an arena in Brazil, or the Rogers Centre. But when it happens, expect the UFC to pull out all the stops to make it the fight of the century and the best card in UFC history. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it, and I think we’ll finally get this mega-match before the year is through.

So that’s my take, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 126?

Anderson Silva defeats Vitor Belfort by KO (Front Kick and Punches) at 3:29 of Round 1. Forrest Griffin defeats Rich Franklin by Unanimous Decision. Jon Jones defeats Ryan Bader by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:20 of Round 2. Jake Ellenberger defeats Carlos Eduardo Rocha by Split Decision. Miguel Torres defeats Antonio Banuelos by Unanimous Decision. Donald Cerrone defeats Paul Kelly by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:48 of Round 2. Chad Mendes defeats Michihiro Omigawa by Unanimous Decision. Demetrious Johnson defeats Norifumi Yamamoto by Unanimous Decision. Paul Taylor defeats Gabe Ruediger by KO (Kick) at 1:42 of Round 2. Kyle Kingsbury defeats Ricardo Romero by TKO (Strikes) at 0:21 of Round 1. Mike Pierce defeats Kenny Robertson by TKO (Strikes) at 0:29 of Round 2.

I’m incredibly happy for Anderson Silva right now, and to those thinking that “The Spider” is back, I honestly think that’s not true. He never left in the first place. Say what you will about his occasional antics inside the cage, but this fight with Belfort once again proved why Anderson Silva is one of the best of all time and will likely go down as the most dominant UFC champion of all time. I never doubted Silva, I never stopped being a fan of Silva, and I’ll always believe in Anderson Silva. Because if that crazy front kick of doom told us anything, it’s that Anderson Silva still has plenty of tricks left up his sleeve.

I was equally impressed with Jon Jones, who once again proved why I’ll never again bet against him. Jones beat Bader and made it look easy… he’s beaten everybody and made it look easy, even if he accidentally got himself disqualified one time. I’ll say this right now, loudly and proudly and for all to see: Jon Jones is the next UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jones will blitzkrieg Mauricio Rua and “Shogun” will have nothing for him. “Bones” will reduce Rua’s already-damaged knees to rubble with constant takedowns, and he’ll either choke him out or knock him out. Rua won’t be able to deal with Jones’ ground game, explosiveness,  or stand-up. “The Era of Bones” is only a few months away.

And that’s my early commentary, fans and friends. Overall, I enjoyed this event even though some of the bouts were a bit under-whelming. I still think that the UFC is off to an amazing start in 2011, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort will enter the cage looking to knock each other’s heads off.

If you haven’t seen the video of the UFC 126 weigh-ins, please, track it down right now. When Silva donned his white mask and got nose-to-nose with Vitor Belfort, it was as if the air was practically crackling with electricity. This is going to be an all-out war and it’s not going to end until someone is lying face-down on the mat. Now more than ever I fully believe that this is going to be a fight for the ages. I’m pulling for Silva, but Belfort showed absolutely no fear at the weigh-ins and has proven throughout his career that he doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him. This one is definitely going to give me goosebumps.

Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin… I love to see them fight, I hate to see them lose.

I have the same feeling regarding the upcoming Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida match. I respect both Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin, and I enjoy watching them fight far more often than not. I think these two match up very well with each other, so much so that we’re practically guaranteed a great war that’s going to keep us on the edge of our seats. It’ll be an awesome fight, but I wish someone didn’t have to lose. I don’t think either man can afford it right now.

KID Yamamoto is going to destroy Demetrious Johnson.

I honestly don’t have a single problem with Demetrious Johnson, but I do have complete faith in Norifumi Yamamoto. I think this drop down to Bantamweight has both awakened and rejuvenated “KID”, and I also think that we’ll see the best Yamamoto yet when his fight goes live on Facebook. Yamamoto seems intensely focused and surprisingly humble going into this bout, and I think he’s going to viciously KO Johnson. It should be a pretty fun fight no matter what happens.

Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos may be able to take “Fight of the Night”.

The more I think about this fight, the more appealing it gets. Miguel Torres seems to be on the verge of a great comeback, but Antonio Banuelos is a tough opponent for anyone. It’s true that Banuelos is definitely outmatched by the former WEC champion, but Banuelos always makes it a fight and doesn’t mind taking two to give one. It’s a fight that is definitely overshadowed by most of the UFC 126 main card, but this is still a very solid match-up that should turn into a very competitive, entertaining fight.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Any last thoughts on this event? And what do you think of this possible new series?

A middleweight title clash pitting the reigning and defending 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort has become official, as both fighters stepped on the scales at 185-pounds on the nose.

All fighters successfully made weight, all but one.

Mike Pierce, who meets UFC newcomer Kenny Robertson in a welterweight bout, came in a pound-over the 170-pound affair, coming in at 172 lbs., a full pound over the already generous one pound allowance allowed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Pierce will have two hours to come back on the scales to lose the extra pound, or he will be forced to relinquish a percentage of his purse to Robertson.

Perhaps the most interesting happenings of the weigh-ins was the headliner, where Brazilians Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort squared off in a heated stare down. “The Spider” made light of Vitor’s comments heading into the championship contest, wearing a white mask mocking Belfort’s comments of the previously figurative additive to which he attributes to the facade the Silva puts on pre-fight. The two went nose-to-nose and were held back by UFC execs before matters could escalate.

Here are the weigh-in results in their entirety, the format courtesy of MMAJunkie.com:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Champ Anderson Silva (185) vs. Vitor Belfort (185)
* Forrest Griffin (205) vs. Rich Franklin (203)
* Ryan Bader (205) vs. Jon Jones (206)
* Jake Ellenberger (171) vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha (170)
* Antonio Banuelos (136) vs. Miguel Torres (136)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Paul Kelly (155) vs. Donald Cerrone (155)
* Chad Mendes (146) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (146)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

* Demetrious Johnson (136) vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (135)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised)

* Gabe Ruediger (155) vs. Paul Taylor (156)
* Kyle Kingsbury (205) vs. Ricardo Romero (205)
* Mike Pierce (172)* vs. Kenny Robertson (170)

Needless to say, the two are fired up and ready to go.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the weigh-ins as is? More importantly, what do you think of the card as a whole? You have the UFC debut of Japanese legend “Kid” Yamamoto, two title-implicated light heavyweight fights, and of course the all Brazilian main-event. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. A Night Of Nostalgia For WEC Fans

If you were a huge WEC fan like me, you probably still feel a bit down in the dumps now that the WEC has officially been folded into the UFC and now solely exists in our memories. But “Silva vs. Belfort” should give us a good bit of nostalgia and also maybe some “I told you so” moments, as the card features both Miguel Torres and Donald Cerrone in what should be very exciting matches. Watching these two fighters go from the blue cage to the fabled Octagon in two high-profile encounters should make for some good, nostalgic entertainment.

4. Two Isn’t As Good As Four, But Free MMA Can’t Hurt

UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” marks the return of the “UFC Prelims Live” specials to the place of their inception, Spike TV. Spike will give MMA fans a full free hour of MMA action, with both Donald Cerrone vs. Paul Kelly and Chad Medes vs. Michihiro Omigawa confirmed to air during the broadcast. It’s not as good as the four free fights the UFC recently gave us over Facebook, but free and legal MMA on TV is always a good thing, and with the increasing quality of the “Prelims Live” specials, it should be an hour well worth watching.

3. The Future In Action: Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader

If you’ve ever seen either of these two fight, then you understand how I can say without hyperbole that these two fighters will one day be the future of the UFC Light Heavyweight division, one of the most stacked, most competitive divisions in the entire world. Both men seem to have it all and are able to do it all, they can seemingly do no wrong while winning dramatically and dominantly. This is going to be an awesome, awesome fight.

2. Putting The “War” Back Into “War Of Attrition”: Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin

I honestly think this is the type of fight where neither man goes down unless he’s completely knocked senseless. This is the perfect match-up for both men, it should be a wild brawl between two men who shine in wild brawls. Neither will give an inch, and both won’t be afraid to take two to give one. This will be a down and dirty, bloody and brutal brawl… and it has all the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate.

1. Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, “The Fight of the Century”

Those are Belfort’s words and not mine, by the way. But they do certainly fit the bill, this does have all the makings of one of the best fights in UFC history. It just has to work out the way we all think it will, with Belfort aggressively moving forward and Silva staving him off with the best counter-strikes he’s ever thrown. I’ve said it more than once, but I’m so pumped for this fight that it absolutely bears repeating: so long as it lives up to its potential, this is going to be an amazing, astounding fight.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort: This sure is one hard fight to pick. I’m a gigantic Anderson Silva fan, but I have an immense amount of respect for Vitor Belfort. So long as this fight lives up to its potential, I honestly don’t care who wins. I just want these two to put on the fight I know they’re capable of putting on, because that fight could be one of the best of the last several years. Simply because I have to make a choice, I’m predicting that Silva will keep finding a home for his counters and eventually land a fight-ending barrage in Round 3, winning by TKO.

Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin: Rich Franklin has had a decidedly up-and-down career ever since losing to Anderson Silva for the second time back in 2007. Then again, the same could be said of Forrest Griffin ever since he won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship from Quinton Jackson. I think this will be a great fight that ultimately boils down to one simple fact: age. Franklin is five years older and has showed signs of slowing down in his recent bouts. Forrest Griffin will take a Unanimous Decision.

Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones: Following his victory over Vladimir Matyushenko, a fight in which I vocally defended my stance that “The Janitor” would defeat “Bones” in the days/weeks leading up to the bout, I made one single, simple promise: never again will I bet against Jon Jones. That’s just not going to change. Ryan Bader is a good fighter and should ascend to top-division status one day, but in the here and now, I truly think this amazing rocket to the top for Jonny Bones won’t stop until he has some gold around his waist. Jon Jones takes the TKO in Round 1.

Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha: There’s a reason Ellenberger was originally expected to face Jon Fitch before Fitch was moved up to the upcoming UFC 127 main event: Ellenberger is a skilled 23-5 veteran with twenty of his wins by stoppage. Carlos Rocha, meanwhile, is a 9-0 submission specialist. It probably won’t be an easy victory for Ellenberger, but I think his toughness mixed in with his versatility and experience will result in him staving off several submission attempts and taking home a Unanimous Decision victory.

Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos: I like Antonio Banuelos, I really do. I just happen to like Miguel Torres more. I think Torres is primed for a major comeback, one that’s going to fully kick off with a big win over Banuelos. Banuelos has simply faltered against top-ranked competition too often, and Torres looked excellent in his recent winning performance against Charlie Valencia. It’ll be a highlight of the night, and I’m thinking that Miguel Torres takes a TKO in Round 2.

So there you have it, fans and friends: my UFC 126 predictions. What about you? When it comes to “Silva vs. Belfort”, who do you see winning, how, and why?

The Event: UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort, scheduled for February 5, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two free preliminary fights will be shown live on Spike TV starting at 9:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View starting at 10:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: All eyes are on the main event, and for good reason, even though “Silva vs. Belfort” boasts a solid undercard. Anderson Silva takes on one of his biggest challenges to date, former UFC champion Vitor Belfort. It’s a dream-match that’s taken a long time to finally happen, and to make things even better, you’ve got what should be a fantastic brawl between Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin as the co-main event, with an epic showdown between fast-rising prospects Jon Jones and Ryan Bader rounding out the card.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Non-stop action from two of the best strikers in Mixed Martial Arts, both in the here and now and of all time. Silva’s counter-striking is legendary, as is Belfort’s punching power. If this fight stays standing, it’s going to be like poetry in motion, and we can probably expect to see some things we’ve never seen in an Octagon before. This fight has been a long time coming, and on paper, it has all the makings of a Fight of the Year encounter.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: I think Rich Franklin said it best when he described the type of fighter he was are and then made a point about Griffin being almost the exact same type of fighter. This is going to be a brawl between two tough men who don’t like to quit and fight at their best when they get a little beat up and bloody. It’ll be a war of attrition from the second the first bell rings, with both men giving and taking at will and scoring big blows throughout. I fully expect both men to put on a fantastic show.

Why You Should Watch This Card: The UFC is taking no prisoners early in 2011, which is when they generally hit a bit of a slump. There’s no winter slumber here, this is a massive show featuring some of the most well-known talent the UFC has to offer. The event features multiple weight classes, dominant champions, hot prospects, tough veterans, and more. It’s a stacked card in pretty much every sense of the term.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: To be honest, the only thing really negative about this card is the fact that it takes place over Super Bowl Weekend. Also, two of the five main card fights have potential to be good but aren’t as epic or as attention-getting as the other three. If you’ve got other plans that you absolutely cannot miss, you can always catch a replay. But if you’re a big MMA fan, you owe it to yourself to watch this one live.

Closing Thoughts: Putting it plainly and putting it simply: I can’t wait for this card. Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort is a fight I’ve waited a long, long time to see, and I have a great feeling that it’s going to live up to every bit of its potential. Then you’ve got Franklin vs. Griffin, which is a fight between two of my favorite “dark horse” fighters. And to top it all off, Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader should also be an insane fight and fully propel whoever wins into top-division status. The UFC is bringing out the big guns early in 2011, and I’m definitely not missing this one.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”?

Forrest Griffin may soon face Jon Jones.

Griffin has joked about not wanting to face Jon Jones, but a big victory over “Ace” will likely put Griffin on the shortlist of potential upper-level challenges for “Bones” Jones, so long as Jon Jones wins his upcoming fight against Ryan Bader. If that were to happen, Jones will have officially emerged as a legitimate top-division athlete, instead of just the hot prospect that can seemingly do no wrong. You beat the best by beating the best, and Griffin would make an excellent first test of Jones’ newly-won top-division status.

Forrest Griffin may also soon face Quinton Jackson again.

Again, it all depends on whether or not Griffin’s would-be opponent wins his next fight. If both Griffin and “Rampage” put a mark down in the “W” column, I think a second encounter between the two becomes very possible. Despite the up-and-down path both fighter’s careers have taken since they first met, the controversial nature of their first encounter persists. Did Griffin really beat Rampage? Could the new and improved Rampage win the rematch? It’s a smart, easy fight to make, and I think it’ll probably happen sooner rather than later, so long as both competitors keep winning.

Forrest Griffin will emerge as an unlikely title challenger… which is how he won the championship in the first place.

If Forrest Griffin beats Rich Franklin, Griffin will have firmly made a case to still be considered a top-division athlete. Griffin may be an unlikely title challenger, considering how stacked the upper echelon of the UFC Light Heavyweight division is right now, but that’s the role he played the first time he challenged for the championship. The constant battle for control of the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship has led to a number of moments many fans thought we’d never see, and since Griffin has already done it once, becoming a championship contender again and even winning the belt again would only moderately surprise me.

And my final thought on what will happen if Forrest Griffin beats Rich Franklin is…

People will still hound Griffin over his performance against Anderson Silva.

I hate, absolutely hate, to admit this as a Forrest Griffin fan. But this victory, like the one he recently had over Tito Ortiz, just won’t be enough to silence every critic. Forrest Griffin will likely have to deal with questions over his performance against Anderson Silva for years to come, and it really shouldn’t be that way. With a big win over Franklin, Griffin will silence some, but not all, of the critics that still cling to this loss even though it happened over a year ago. I honestly think some cynics may never stop holding that loss against Griffin, even if he one day becomes UFC Light Heavyweight Champion again.

So there you have it, fans and friends: what I think will happen if Forrest Griffin beats Rich Franklin. What about you? What do you think the future holds for Forrest if he manages to get by “Ace”?

UFC officials released the information today, though it was only a matter of time.

The pay-per-view event features one of the best assembled cards of the new year, touting five former champions on the all-star card, as well as a much anticipated title defense pitting current champ Anderson Silva as he defends his middleweight title for a record-setting eighth time as he takes on former teammate Vitor Belfort in the evenings headlining bout.

The event takes place next Saturday on February 5 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, which holds approximately 12,000 in total attendance. UFC 126 makes the ninth consecutive event that has taken place on Super-bowl weekend, which has consistently been the organization’s fight card that has been riddled with talent.

And this card is no exception.

Aside from the middleweight title clash, former champions Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin will also meet in a pivotal light heavyweight match-up. Griffin, the original winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” was last seen in the octagon in November of 2009 in an anticipated rematch against rival Tito Ortiz at UFC 106, exacting revenge and taking home a split-decision win from the former champion. The win snapped a two-fight skid that Griffin suffered when he faced Rashad Evans, relinquishing his title by way of third-round knockout in a fight he was largely dominating. Next, the fan-favorite dropped another knockout loss, this time to the aforementioned Silva inside of the first-round. Forrest has been sidelined due to a shoulder injury when he was training for an upcoming bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 114 last May.

Franklin, like Griffin, is coming off of a win of his own, when he bested former title holder Chuck Liddell last June at UFC 115, knocking out the UFC Hall of Famer in the waning moment’s of their main-event fight. The loss helped “Ace” bounce back from a disappointing performance against the resurgent Vitor Belfort in a catch-weight bout of 195-pounds. Belfort connected on a left hook, followed up with a barrage of punches that eventually left Franklin out on the canvas. The fight was stopped just a little over three-minutes inside of the first-round in September of 2009.

With a win here, it’s conceivable that either Franklin or Griffin (who serve co-main event honors at UFC 126) could be next in line for a shot at the title.

Bouts with Ryan Bader, Jon Jones, Miguel Torres, and Antonio Banuelos will also grace the main-card, while in preliminary action featherweight standouts Michihiro Omigawa and Chad Mendes will be featured on the Spike telecast alongside a lightweight bout pitting three-time WEC title challenger Donald Cerrone as he takes on veteran Paul Kelly.

“Fans have been telling me how excited they are for this card ever since we announced the event,” said UFC President Dana White in the release.

“This is a stacked card from top to bottom, and fans responded by making UFC 126 a sellout.”

The entire event is as follows, courtesy of MMAJunkie.com:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Champ Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort (for middleweight title)
* Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
* Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
* Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones
* Antonio Banuelos vs. Miguel Torres

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Paul Kelly vs. Donald Cerrone
* Chad Mendes vs. Michihiro Omigawa

PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised)

* Gabe Ruediger vs. Paul Taylor
* Demetrious Johnson vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
* Kyle Kingsbury vs. Ricardo Romero
* Mike Pierce vs. Kenny Robertson

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the card? Which bout sticks out the most for you? Personally speaking, I would take the “Kid” Yamamoto promotional debut bout against Demetrious Johnson over most fights to see on the PPV event, but that’s just my fanboy in me talking. Sound off in the comment section below.

5. The UFC 126 “Super Bowl Super-Show”.

It’s not enough that the UFC is giving us Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, oh no. In addition to the mega-fight that’s been several years in-the-making, we’ve got Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin and Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader. Basically, we’ve got three fights that could each easily, and I do mean easily, headline an event on their own. And it all goes down during Super Bowl Weekend, where everyone is hosting parties and having fun anyway. UFC fans are in for a real treat with this one.

4. UFC in Brazil for the first time in over ten years.

Georges St. Pierre in Canada. That’s the kind of reaction I think the Brazilian fans will give if they get someone like Wanderlei Silva or Anderson Silva or even Renzo Gracie or Royce Gracie to compete at the upcoming UFC event in Brazil. From the beginning, from the moment the idea for the first UFC tournament popped into the head of Rorion Gracie, Brazil has been tied to the UFC. While the UFC will most likely forever be headquartered in Las Vegas, heading back to Brazil is almost like coming home. It should be an amazing show featuring an unbelievable atmosphere.

3. UFC in Toronto in front of over 60,000 fans.

But even the tentatively-titled UFC: “Rio” virtually pales in comparison to the UFC’s upcoming debut in Toronto. The UFC owes almost as much to Canada as it does to Brazil, Canada was the first major step on the road to the UFC becoming a global brand and it remains a key player in the UFC’s international development. And UFC’s debut in Toronto will be in the Rogers Centre, better known as the Toronto SkyDome, which can seat anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 people. I can hardly begin to imagine how epic the crowd alone will be, let alone the amazing card the UFC will likely put on in order to attract the most fans possible.

2. The thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”.

It’s been repeated so many times by so many fans and insiders that it’s practically a cliché, but it’ll always be true: “The Ultimate Fighter” broke the mainstream barrier and is perhaps the single most important thing to have ever happened to the UFC outside of its original founding. We’re heading into our thirteenth season of TUF, and things just keep getting better. No season is perfect, but the steady ratings and improved fight quality of Season 12 have left me incredibly pumped up for TUF Season 13. Even though I’m a bit sad that we won’t see Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva coaching against each other, there’s really no reason to miss out on Season 13.

And #1 on the list goes to…

1. Better per-event fight quality thanks in no small part to the influx of WEC talent and the addition of the Bantamweight/Featherweight divisions in general.

As a WEC super-fan, could I have really picked anything else to top this list? With two new divisions and a host of world-caliber talent, the WEC/UFC merger should begin paying out enormous dividends almost immediately. I have a great feeling that this is going to be a “best of both worlds” scenario, where we get the same great WEC action except on a much larger scale. Both the merger and the new weight divisions should give a lot of otherwise-underwhelming UFC events a big shot in the arm, especially the international events. It should be an awesome, awesome year of fights.

And that’s the end, fans and friends! My four-part “All I Want for Christmas” mini-series is now officially over and done with. I’d like to thank all my readers for their continued support, and once again I’d like to wish you all a very happy and very merry Christmas, and happy holidays in general. So, what about you? What are you looking forward to for the UFC in 2011?

In a new episode of Mixed Martial Barts, Griffin was interviewed and, as was expected, talks of Anderson Silva quickly arose. Here’s some of what Griffin had to say, with thanks going out to MMA Mania for the transcription: “…It’s been over a year, it’s not that recent… I would probably poison [Anderson Silva] beforehand with some sort of drug that would make him slower [if we ever had a rematch]… Let me tell you what, me and you are never gonna be friends.” It was at this point that Griffin hung up on the interviewer.

I honestly hate the fact that Griffin’s loss to Anderson Silva has virtually overshadowed all of the accolades he’s gained throughout his career. How soon, how very soon we forget, fans and friends. We forget that Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar 1 is still widely regarded as the fight that brought the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts as a whole into the mainstream. We forget that Forrest Griffin has shown a tremendous amount of heart and skill in nearly all of his UFC performances. We forget that the man is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, an unlikely one at that, but one fully deserving of wearing the gold. But we’re more than willing to dwell on a fight that, as Griffin himself is more than happy to point out, occurred a year ago.

I get it. Anderson Silva dominated him. He outright manhandled him. How long can we hold that against Forrest, though? As a top-level UFC athlete, hasn’t he at least earned our respect to the point where we don’t trot out this loss every single chance we get? Remember, fans and friends, this is coming from what has to be one of the biggest Anderson Silva fans on the planet. My fandom of “The Spider” knows almost no bounds, and even I am tired of seeing this loss hound Forrest Griffin.

I’d much rather focus on the future: Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin sounds like a spectacular fight on paper. Both men are former champions, and both men have good reason to win big. It has all the makings of a wild brawl with serious “Fight of the Night” potential and more than a little “Fight of the Year” potential.

So, all in all, I think it’s high time that we all moved on and stopped living in the past. Anderson Silva’s destruction of Forrest Griffin will always live on as one of the most one-sided beatings in UFC history, but to keep opening up that wound every time you get a chance to interview Forrest Griffin is just a deliberate and shallow attempt to get your interview more views by asking him questions that you know are going to push his buttons. As a fellow journalist/opinion columnist I can respect the need to ask the tough questions, but this question stopped being tough about six months ago. Now it’s just plain cruel.

And what about you, fans and friends? Where do you stand on this particular argument?

“Forrest and I are both very tenacious fighters and both of us are very known for our cardio and our willingness to not quit. So I think that is going to make for an exciting fight… Mentally, I’m in a good spot… I know I’m going to come on top of my game, but I know it’s not going to be an easy fight either… I don’t put the carriage before the horse because once you try to map out your road, you’re going to find out that road has speed bumps that you didn’t see coming… This is what it boils down to. Strip Forrest, strip his name out of the equation, I’m fighting a very tough opponent in February, somebody who is going to bring it. And I have to be ready.”

I like this fight for a number of reasons, chief of which is the one that “Ace” himself mentioned. Both men are known for their incredible toughness and impressive cardio. I know it’s hard to overlook the fact that both men have been humbled so thoroughly in the past by Anderson Silva, especially when it comes to Forrest Griffin, who was on the receiving end of what had to be one of the most one-sided beatdowns in UFC history. But far more often than not, these two have shown an incredible resilience as well as the kind of championship drive necessary to remain a consistent threat as the fight heads into the later rounds.

Everything about this fight tells me that it’s going to go all three rounds, and that each and every round will be one to remember. Throughout his tenure in the UFC, Forrest Griffin has shown more heart than virtually anyone, and it’s a sad fact that his few losses have come to overshadow his long streak of tough performances where he gutted out the win through nothing but sheer determination and a desire to never give up.

The same holds true for Rich Franklin. It’s a real shame that most people only remember him as the man that Anderson Silva built most of his reputation off of. Franklin is a great fighter and a true veteran of the sport, he’s a consistent threat no matter who he’s facing. He’s bounced back from some tough losses in some big ways, and you can never truly count Rich Franklin out of any fight.

This fight could easily steal the show if both men show up at the top of their game. On paper, it has all the makings of an absolutely incredible brawl. No matter what your opinion is of these two fighters, you at least have to admit that this is a great Light Heavyweight showdown between two former UFC champions. And I personally can’t wait to watch it happen.

But what about you, fans and friends? How excited are you for this match-up, and who do you think will end up the  victor?

1. Georges St. Pierre (6,985,000 PPV Buys): Georges St. Pierre is simply the perfect mix of everything. He’s incredibly humble. He’s a very good-looking man. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s got an entire country (his native Canada) on his side. In a list mostly filled with brash talkers or knockout artists, GSP stands out as the squeaky-clean do-gooder. Above all else, GSP getting the #1 spot proves that MMA fans aren’t just a bunch of knuckle-dragging Neanderthals that only want to see fighters rip each other’s heads off.

2. Chuck Liddell (6,324,000 PPV Buys): I think that “The Iceman” making the #2 spot proves two things: that rivalries sell fights, and that image is everything. For the longest time, Liddell had the look of a man who had just gotten out of prison with the attitude and serious punching power to back up his mystique. His incredibly bitter rivalry with Tito Ortiz also gave the UFC a huge amount of PPV buys, and stands the test of time as one of the best MMA rivalries in the history of our sport. Chuck Liddell is the embodiment of the old-school MMA mentality: sometimes all you need is the ability to heinously separate an opponent from his consciousness in order to be a huge MMA star.

3. Brock Lesnar (6,045,000 PPV Buys): While Liddell embodies the old-school mentality of the gruff and tough brawler that the fans can’t get enough of, Lesnar is probably the definition of the phrase “controversy creates cash”. You can love him, you can hate him, but you still pay to see him fight. At this point, just the mere mention of Lesnar’s name is enough to stir up a heated debate in just about any online community. Lesnar’s high rank on this list says that MMA fans can be incredibly divided on a fighter while still paying again and again to see that fighter fight. It’s one of the biggest keys to success for both an MMA fighter and an MMA promotion: whether you pay to see him lose or pay to see him win, at the end of the day, everyone pays.

4. Forrest Griffin (5,630,000 PPV Buys): I have to admit, this one shocked me considerably. Seriously: Forrest Griffin has helped sell over five million Pay-Per-View buys? What this says to me is that “The Ultimate Fighter” deserves all the credit it constantly gets for being the bridge the UFC walked over to get to the land of mainstream acceptance. Griffin also proves that you don’t have to be the best fighter to be a big draw, sometimes all it takes is a self-deprecating sense of humor and the uncanny ability to absorb crazy amounts of damage. Forrest Griffin is a fighter that comes to fight, and he doesn’t mind if he gets beaten to a bloody pulp in the process, and that’s why I think MMA fans have embraced him so thoroughly.

And rounding out both the top five and Part 1 of this two-parter is…

5. Matt Hughes (5,399,000 PPV Buys): Matt Hughes is living proof that a country boy can survive. Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. I think Matt Hughes’ spot on this list proves that MMA fans are a loyal bunch, they’ll support a once-dominant champion through thick and thin so long as he keeps turning in quality fights. Hughes has only lost a step or two from when he was tearing through the UFC’s welterweight division, and he remains one of the UFC’s biggest stars. His spot on this list proves that if a high-level fighter has staying power, his drawing power will stay equally as high.

That’s it for today, fans and friends. Tune in tomorrow when I cover the rest of the Top Ten UFC PPV Draws of All-Time and give my thoughts on what I think they say about our industry as a whole. And what about you? Did any of these entrants take you by surprise, and what do you think their spot on this list says about the MMA world as a whole?

While the event, which was to be a pay-per-view card, was under consideration by the promotion, has now been dubbed null altogether.

UFC 125, which is expected to be headlined by current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar defending his title in a rematch against fellow wrestler Gray Maynard, will be taking place on January 1 of the new year, and now what was originally considered to be UFC 127, will now become 126.

Somewhat confusing, I know.

But, UFC 126, which will be taking place on February 5. at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., is expected to be a star studded affair, and one of the largest events coming up in the immediate future. A middleweight title fight, which has been anticipated for sometime, is expected to pit Brazillians and former teammates against one another, when current 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva attempts to defend his title for a record 8th time opposite of former light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort.

The two talented strikers are expected to take headlining duties over the super bowl weekend card, according to MMAJunkie.com which first reported the news of the canceled Jan. 29 event.

Also on the card, former champions Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin will meet in a light heavyweight match up, which will propel the winner closer to title contention. The bout is expected to be the co-headliner of the evening.

Talented wrestlers and budding contenders Ryan Bader and 205-spitfire Jon Jones will also grace the card alongside an explosive lightweight match up between Evan Dunham and former lightweight title challenger, Kenny Florian.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the mix up? For those having planned to attend the Jan. 29 event, you might want to recall your travel agent. Sound off in the comment section below.

The headliner, a rumored bout pitting UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva against former teammate Vitor Belfort is tentatively scheduled for the event, as well as light heavyweight bouts pitting former champions Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin against one another, as well as Ryan Bader versus phenom, Jon “Bones” Jones.

Said lightweight match up, which will be Kenny Florian against Evan Dunham, is a fight that no true mixed martial arts fan would want to pass up.

Florian was last seen in action when he faced the talented and suffocating wrestler in Gray Maynard, in Kenny’s own backyard of Boston, Mass., for UFC 118. Against Maynard, “Ken-Flo” never pulled the trigger, and was taken down almost at will, over and over again. The uninspired loss snapped a two-fight win streak for Kenny, and also had him elude a third run at the lightweight title. He was unsuccessful in his initial attempt to capture the gold at UFC 63 against Sean Sherk, for the vacant title, then lost against former kingpin BJ Penn at UFC 101, by fourth-round rear-naked choke.

Dunham, meanwhile, is on the upswing of his career, despite coming on the heels of a loss in his last UFC outing–his first loss in his MMA career at that.

Undefeated as a professional heading into UFC 119, Dunham had impressed many, by seemingly coming out of nowhere with his rise above the heap in the lightweight division. Wins over season 8 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”: Efrain Escudero, Marcus Aurelio, and perennial contender Tyson Griffin cemented his spot as the next big thing in the 155-pound ranks. With the very controversial loss to Sean Sherk, which saw the Xtreme Couture product dominate the former champion standing up with effective combination’s (kicks and knees galore) as well several submission attempts, his star has only grew brighter.

Florian, albeit “choking” in big fights (ala Dana White), is talented nonetheless. An adept Muay Thai striker with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kenny has been a thorn in the side of several up-and-coming fighters in the lightweight division, including notables Clay Guida, Joe Lauzon, and former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi–all of whom, the Boston native has finished.

The part-time ESPN personality announced the news on “MMA Live” just yesterday, saying “We’ve verbally agreed to fight Evan Dunham, which is great news. Phenomenal opponent, which I’m very excited about, and it looks like it may happen on Super Bowl weekend”.

UFC 127 takes place on February 5th, at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Who do you think takes this fight, in what has the potential to be an early candidate for “Fight of the Night”. Sound off in the comment section below.

The once undefeated fighter tore his way to a title shot after dispatching some of the best in his weight class, in Will Ribeiro, Damacio Page and Marcos Galvao, en route to a title shot against then champion, Miguel Torres.

Seemingly unbeatable, the Georgia boy made quick work of the mullet-wonder with a swift first round knockout, cementing his spot as the best bantamweight in the world–though his glory and accolades didn’t hold up for all that long.

MMAJunkie.com has reported that an undisclosed injury has prevented the return of Bowles, who hails out of the famed Hardcore Gym, which is run by former UFC fighter Rory Singer, and has produced some of the best fighters in the world, including former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

In his loss to Cruz, the then undefeated Brian was unable to counter the speed and precision that Cruz’ operated on, which advanced striking skills that elude people still in the 135-pound weight class. At the end of the second round, Bowles was unable to answer the bell to reengage in combat when he suffered a broken hand in the fight. The loss to Dominick snapped an undefeated 8 fight win streak.

Brian was to make his much anticipated return to the cage on November 11 at Pearl at the Palms Casino, in Las Vegas, Nev., for WEC 52 against top bantamweight fighter, Wagnney Fabiano.

The search is currently underway for a new fighter to replace Bowles, and it is rumored that former title challenger Joseph Benavidez is tapped as Brian’s replacement, however, no formal announcement has been made yet.

So, MMA peeps, are you disappointed with the removal? Would Benavidez provide a good replacement? Sound off in the comment section below.

Previously mentioned, the main event of the evening is looking like it will be a battle between Brazilians when Vitor Belfort challenges former teammate Anderson Silva for the ufc middleweight title. Also on the card, a battle between light heavyweights Ryan Bader and Jon Jones will battle it out for top contenders status in a stacked 205-pound division.

Seemingly a shoe in for co-main event honors, the bout was trumped when a recent news breaker was published, which will garner a lot of attention come fight time.

MMAJunkie.com has recently reported that a battle between former champions is in place, when Forrest Griffin (a former light heavyweight champion) will do battle with Rich Franklin (former middleweight champion).

Franklin is coming off a devastating knockout over UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck Liddell, last June, at UFC 115. Then dramatic ending came when it appeared that Franklin was on the ropes in the waning moments of the fight, as he was reeling back against the cage, Franklin uncorked a right hand that put “The Iceman” down and out. The win helped Rich bounce back from a knockout loss to Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 in September of last year.

Forrest, meanwhile, was last seen in action at UFC 106, in November of last year. There, Griffin met with rival Tito Ortiz. The two had met a few years back, in April of 2006 at UFC 59, where Ortiz had won a very controversial split-decision victory. Forrest was then sent on the fast track towards the top of the weight class and eventually became the 205-pound champion. He proved to be victorious over Tito, gaining a bit of revenge over his rival, and evening the score. The win helped snap a two-fight losing streak that Griffin has sustained against Rashad Evans, in an unsuccessful attempt to defend his title, and than a knockout loss to current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, at UFC 101.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match up? Sound off in the comments section below.

Former Pride light heavyweight contender Ricardo Arona, a permanent fixture in the MMA scene overseas, is claiming that not only has he been signed to the world’s largest organization, but that he will be eligible to make his debut as early as November.

According to an interview with GracieMag, he is still on his toes about everything MMA and is itching to get back in there, sooner rather than later. “I watch everything and everybody, I’m keeping up with things, and I can say I have what it takes to the UFC light heavyweight division, the most stacked of them all”, said Arona while speaking with the Brazilian magazine.

While on a stint on the Sensei-fight specific television show, Ricardo went into detail discussing some of his lingering issues concerning fighting. In the last three years, Arona has only fought once, in a bout against the proverbial journeyman, Marvin Eastman at “Bitetti Combat MMA 4″ in September of last year where Arona won by unanimous decision.

An excerpt from GracieMag: “According to Arona, if the doctors give the go-ahead, he’ll fight in November, which would then take him to the UFC light heavyweight division.”

If November is the date, Arona might be a prime suspect for the stacked UFC 123 card.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Can Arona make an impact? who would you like to see him against? Griffin will be all healed up by then, presumably–maybe Forrest? Lets hear what you have to say. Let your opinions on the matter be heard below.

UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has undergone successful knee surgery this past June, and is still in recovery mode. According to UFC President Dana White in a recent interview with Sportscenter revealed that he intends on making Rua’s return in the Spring or early Summer of next year.

Dana also made a mention on the champ’s proceedings towards his knee surgery, which marks Shogun’s third in just under three years, that he had Rua come to the states to have the surgery done. The first two surgeries took place in his native Brazil, though some might remember Rua’s sluggish returns to the octagon post-knee surgeries. His initial UFC debut against Forrest Griffin at UFC 76 in Anaheim, California in 2007, did not go quite as easily as most fans and media alike had predicted. “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran submitted the former Pride champion with a third-round rear naked choke.

Over a year later, at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland, “Shogun” returned on the winning side of things when he rallied back against then UFC fighter Mark Coleman, defeating the former heavyweight champion with strikes in the third round. However since those sluggish performances, Shogun is red-hot.

Despite sporting a subtle 3-2 record inside the cage, his actions speak volumes. After earning his bid for a title shot after knocking out former champion and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell at UFC 97, Rua then went the distance with then champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 103 and on all accounts beat “The Dragon”, but in a surprising turn of events, lost by unanimous decision, much to the dismay of the fans and press alike, who were all left scratching their heads.

The rematch was set, and at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in May of this year, the Brazilians battled it out and “Shogun” exacted revenge when he knocked out Machida inside of the first round, to claim Number One supremacy.

The knee surgeries were taxing on the Brazilian, but the UFC head honcho is more optimistic about Rua’s recovery time and methods of returning back strong this time around. With what looks like a year-long layoff for both “Shogun” and challenger Rashad Evans–who was last seen in action in May as well, with a unanimous decision win over heated rival Quinton Jackson at UFC 114.

Do you think the fight being pushed to a later date would benefit both fighters on a stint with “TUF”? Rashad was an excellent coach, “Shogun” is the man–though his English is limited.

Im my opinion, the longer this fight is pushed, the less attention it will receive and the less relevant it will become, even if it is a title fight. So to keep both competitors in the public eye, a visit towards a possibility with “The Ultimate Fighter” should be addressed.

In an era where reality television shows were getting increasingly insane in their gimmicks in order to cash in on the success of such runaway shows as Survivor (see: Joe Millionaire, Boot Camp, etc. etc.), The Ultimate Fighter was so simple that it actually became quite the breath of fresh air: a bunch of fighters have to live in a house with each other and ultimately fight each other. They’re split into two teams, each team led by a big-name UFC star. They’ll learn from the best, train with the best, and try to live with each other despite the fact that they’re all competing for the same thing: a six-figure UFC contract. For a reality television show, there were relatively few gimmicks. And that’s one of the main reasons the Ultimate Fighter proved so successful: the UFC effectively worked past the stigma of MMA fighters being ruthless animals by presenting real, candid footage of how these talented men think, train, live and breathe.

That’s not to say that the first season was without controversy. We’re talking about a cast of fighters that included Diego Sanchez and Chris Leben, after all. “TUF” established from relatively early on that there will always be one or two attention-hogs that desperately want their fifteen minutes of fame. But honestly…the jackasses are part of what makes reality TV so much fun. It just makes the moment when they finally gets what they deserve all the sweeter. And while a bunch of fans may have tuned in the first time to see what crazy thing Chris Leben would do next, they kept tuning in because of the great fights and engaging fighters.

It all culminated in what is perhaps the biggest coming-out party in North American MMA history. An induction in its own right, TUF Season 1 ended with a stellar war of attrition between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, the headline of a show that would ultimately pull a 1.9 rating, which was completely unheard of for a Mixed Martial Arts show. Many of the TUF 1 alumni would all go on to have stellar careers in the UFC, with quite a few competing and in some cases winning UFC gold.

Let’s not sugar-coat it, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 was a gamble. But it paid off beautifully. It set the precedent that MMA fighters are real people, real athletes. Some are crazy, some are funny, some are stupid, some are just there to hog the camera…but at the end of the day, everyone had their turn to fight in the cage and prove themselves to both their coaches and the nation. TUF Season 1 broke down barriers, it paved the way for the UFC’s current reign of dominance, where they stand virtually unchecked as the biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the world. It all had to start somewhere, and for the UFC, it started with TUF. And that’s a “Great Moment in MMA History”.

While the former light heavyweight champion has been on the mend since having necessary shoulder surgery following his win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 106 in November of last year, he has taken the opportunity to follow up his best selling book “Got Fight?” with another reader-pleaser, and is now en route on a book tour across the country.

The new book, cleverly titled “Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down: A Survival Guide to the Apocalypse”, is being sold where all major books can be purchased, and Forrest Griffin is answering any and all questions along with his book tour, and also addressed the issue that Jon Jones is beginning to become in the light heavyweight division.

“That’s just ridiculous,” he said in an interview with WWUZ. “(Vladimir) Matyushenko’s been around a decade. He fought Tito (Ortiz) for 25 minutes. He’s a great guy. So I haven’t really been paying attention, but I keep hearing he’s the next big thing, and I’m inclined to believe it.”

While Griffin is not inclined to take on any fights while he is still healing up from injury, he throws in his two cents, and is campaigning for a Jones-Silva match up.

“I think they should fight. I really do,” said Griffin about a potential bout with Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. “I think that’s a great fight. I think Jones is the next thing, man. I’ve known this for a while, and I thought Brandon Vera would be the test for him.”

So Griffin thinks Silva and Jones should get together, what do you think? Too much, too soon?

Even in a losing effort (albeit a disqualification) to TUF veteran Matt Hamill, Jones looked every bit as dominant as he has in wins over perennial contender’s Brand Vera and most recently, Vladimir Matyushenko.

It’s hard to say what will be next for the 205-pound wrestling stud, but Jones in the mean time is enjoying his most recent triumph none the less, which now moves him to 11-1 overall, and marks his fifth win, inside the octagon.

“It’s very exciting. Vladimir (Matyushenko) has the best record I’ve ever gone against”, said Jones while speaking with Sherdog.com in regards to the win.

“It’s an honor for me. It’s a testament to all my hard work and passion for this sport. It’s just great. My goal is to keep climbing from here, and that’s what I’m trying to do”.

UFC President Dana White has stated on several occasions, that a win over Matyushenko would not only garner Jones top billing in the light heavyweight division, but a crack into the top-8 of the weight class. Jones, though, is a little bit hungrier, and won’t settle for less than a top-5 opponent in his next bout.

“My fight’s have been going real well…but not to sound arrogant, that’s the last thing I would ever want, but these fight’s have been going real fast”, said the Greg Jackson product.

“I think it will take a top-5 guy to make it a great fight, and that’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for that war, I’m looking for that experience, and a top-5 guy would be good for me, I feel”.

While Jon hopes for a top tier opponent, it would be hard to imagine who will be available in the not-so distant future. Everyone seems to be tied up with fights, or injured. But for arguments sake, the light heavyweight picture, the top-5 at 205 in the UFC (below the champion, Mauricio Rua), are the following in my opinion: Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Quinton Jackson, Anderson Silva, and Antonio Rogerio Nogueria.

Lyoto Machida and Rampage will be tied up soon.

Rashad Evans and Jones train together, so that’s a no, no.

Anderson Silva has stated on several occasions that at the moment, has no desire to fight at 205, and in all honesty, may be a little bit more than Jones can chew at the moment.

Antonio Nogueria is on tap to face Ryan Bader…

Well, how about Forrest Griffin? Now that, would be a fight.

So, what do you guys think? Should Jones hold out for some of the upper echelon guys, or wait till Forrest is done kissing babies, and signing autographs on his book tour (while he’s healing up from injury)?

5. Forrest Griffin

Griffin has got an impressive track record for pulling victories seemingly out of nowhere, and he’s done it by utilizing nothing more than a hard chin, an ability to absorb crazy amounts of punishment, and the willingness to stand and bang with reckless abandon, smiling all the way. A former Light Heavyweight champion, I think it would be very interesting to see how Jones would measure up in a brawl against one of the best brawlers in the game. If Griffin can nullify the explosiveness of “Bones” with the same vicious leg kicks that led to the downfall of then-champion Quinton Jackson, Jon Jones may be in for the toughest test of his career so far.

4. Junior dos Santos

That’s right, fans and friends: “Cigano”. There have been off-and-on talks of Jones moving up to Heavyweight for a mega-fight, and I think the best possible opponent in the UFC’s ever-expanding Heavyweight division would be fellow knockout artist Junior Dos Santos. The concrete hands of Santos mixed with his impressive ground training at the hands of the Nogueira brothers could put Jones somewhere he’s never been: forced to play his opponent’s game instead of forcing an opponent to play his. How Jones would adapt to such a scenario would be can’t-miss TV.

3. Quinton Jackson

This has “all-out war” written all over it. If Rampage really wants to hit the comeback trail, he couldn’t possibly make a bigger statement than being the first man to legitimately beat Jonny Bones. Rampage has always had excellent wrestling, but who knows what would happen if it was put against one of the most explosive, never-know-what-he’s-going-to-hit-you-with wrestlers in the entire UFC? And if it remains on the feet, we’re practically guaranteed to see fists flying non-stop, with both men swinging for the fences. It may not have the raw hatred of the Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans super-fight, but it has all the potential.

2. Lyoto Machida

This one gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Despite all the detractors saying that the Machida riddle has been solved, I think Lyoto Machida is destined for another reign as Light Heavyweight Champion. His elusiveness and his ever-improving stand-up would be a perfect foil for Jones’ dominant grappling and unpredictable striking. If it ever happens, I fully expect both men to pull out some of the craziest things we’ve ever seen in the Octagon.

But my number one spot just has to go to…

1. Anderson Silva

Talk about a dream-match. So long as we get the “fighting” Silva and not the “dancing” Silva (even a hardcore Silva fan such as myself will admit that there are seemingly two sides to the suddenly-controversial long-reigning UFC Middleweight Champion), this has the potential to be one of the greatest MMA fights of all time. I can’t even imagine how awesome it would be to see Jon Jones try another one of his crazy strikes or throws, only for Silva to land an even-crazier dodge or counter-strike. This one would be all over the place, but every single second would be one to remember. If it ever happens, this fight would go down as the toughest fight of Jon Jones’ career, and I’m not talking about “up to that point”, I’m talking about his toughest fight ever, period, regardless of who he faces in a career that looks so bright, has so much potential, and could last for quite some time.

So that’s my picks, fans and friends. Who do you want to see try and solve the enigma that is Jon “Bones” Jones?

Is it hard to remain motivated when you’re donned the best in what you do?

Not just on a small scale–but with near universal acceptance?

Anderson Silva, the UFC’s middleweight kingpin, has been referred to as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet by media, fighters, and fans alike.

Always possessing a somewhat child like demeanor, with his fun-loving spirit and nonchalant attitude, Silva has come under heavy fire in the last couple years for some of his lack-luster and bizarre performances against Patrick Cote, Thales Leites, and most recently Demian Maia–opponents viewed as lesser challenges than Silva has faced in the past, with the likes of MMA greats, Forrest Griffin, Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt, and Rich Franklin fitting the bill, where Anderson added exciting finishes to his sometimes impressive highlight reel.

Now coming on to his 7th title defense at UFC 117 on Aug. 7, and after a verbal whooping he’s taken in recent months from the sharp-tongued aspiring politician and his next challenger, Chael Sonnen, “The Spider” appears tired. Tired of the questions. Tired of making excuses, and tired of the media alike.

When asked whether his brilliant performance at UFC 101, a stunning first-round knockout victory over former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, and his dismal display against Demian Maia at UFC 112, was the cause of any change leading up to the fight, Silva mustered up all he could think of, putting all the cards on the table, and putting the questions to rest. He finally replied with a resounding “no”.

Okay? Well…was his short answer any indication that he is in fact tired of dealing with the media? The Brazilian answered back with a more jovial, uplifted “no”.

Though middleweight champion had few words to say, he did however respond to the way the fight has been promoted thus far, with Sonnen leading the helm in what is a one-sided verbal mayhem of rememberable one-liners, saying Silva will be on his back “more than a porn star with a mortgage”.

“whats in his mind is that he’s going to go in there and do his job”, said manager Ed Soares on behalf of Silva.

“Everyone has their own way of promoting a fight, this is the way the Chael is choosing to promote the fight. And that’s his choice. On August 7., I have a job to do, that’s when I’m going to go in there do. My job. Not mess around, talk a bunch of crap about people.”

While the reporters let Silva off the hook with his short, bland answers, Sonnen wouldn’t have it.

Penny Buffington of MMA Today was so bold as to ask Anderson what changes he decided to make from his last fight, going into this fight with Chael, Silva proclaimed that it was the help of B-rated action star Steven Seagal’s obvious prowess as a martial artist, that has helped him prepare for his fight with Sonnen.

“Well Penny, you knew when you asked him a question that you were setting yourself up for a boring answer, and you got one. So, what are you going to do”, said Sonnen, with an irritated tone.

“This is Anderson, yet again. He truly believes the answer he gave a few minutes ago, that people are tuning in to see a fight and not anything else, he really means that. He feels like he’s taking the moral high ground. He couldn’t be more wrong. Does he know anything about business? Has this guy ever done anything? That’s not what people are tuning in to see”, continued the Oregon native, saving the teleconference with another tirade of interesting, quote worthy remarks.

“People just don’t want to see two people fight, they want to know why they’re fighting. He comes on here and says something stupid as though he’s saying like some kind of nobel prize winning statement. He couldn’t have this industry more backwards. It’s shocking that he actually believes that and stands there with his chest out, like we should all pat him on the back and go ‘oh, good job Anderson, your training really hard’, well guess what dummy. I’ve been training really hard since I was nine years old, and I still have time to bring interest to people seeing me whip your ass on August 7.”

Thank you, Chael.

Let’s start with something simple: Shogun’s less-than-stellar run in the UFC before he met Machida. Leading up to his first fight against Lyoto Machida, Shogun won 2 fights inside the Octagon against relatively weak competition. Against Forrest Griffin, many predicted that Shogun would walk all over the scrappy UFC veteran. It was not the case: Forrest used a gameplan that confused Shogun, completely gassed him out, and opened him up for a submission from a fighter that was never known for his submissions and in fact hadn’t had a submission victory in over two years.

If Shogun’s performance against Griffin could be called underwhelming, his performance against Mark Coleman could be called downright pitiful. The only real competition in that fight was to see which one could tire themselves out the fastest. For all of Shogun’s accomplishments in PRIDE, I don’t think anyone can deny that his second fight with Mark Coleman was a horrible sight to see. Against Chuck Liddell, the “old” Shogun seemed to re-emerge, but it was all smoke and mirrors. Putting it plainly: by the time Shogun finally met the Iceman, Liddell’s chin was glass just waiting to be smashed.

And now we come to the two title fights that Shogun fans point to in droves as the clearest evidence that their beloved fighter is back on top and better than ever. Again, I’ll make my thoughts short and sweet. In the first fight Shogun confused Machida, in the second fight he caught him off-guard. Machida’s vaunted elusiveness stems from fighters trying to attack him head-on. Against someone like Shogun, who attacked the legs and the body and came out with an admittedly superior gameplan, Machida was unprepared. In the second fight, Machida seemed more than ready for more of the same, but once again, Shogun proved to have a superior gameplan, this time looking for the knockout from the start.

But now that he stands atop the UFC Light Heavyweight division, Shogun finds himself facing some of the best talent in the world…once he gets back from yet another knee surgery. And therein lies the rub: the mind is willing but the body is weak. Shogun is as tactful as ever, I’ll give him that. He’s an incredibly smart fighter that knows how to play an opponent.

But his body is failing, regardless of the fact that he’s not even 30 yet. Shogun may still have it in him to compete for the next several years, but not against the type of talent that is consistently ranked as “best in the world”. He may have won the championship in dominating fashion…but so has every single other Light Heavyweight Champion since Liddell, with the exception of Forrest Griffin.

Against a solid wrestler, repeated takedowns will tire Shogun out within the first few rounds. Against a competent ground technician, Shogun looked like a shadow of his former self in the few times his UFC fights have gone to the ground in addition to the fact that Rua hasn’t faced a world-caliber BJJ fighter since 2005. When I think of Shogun facing people like Rashad Evans or Jon Jones, in addition to an ever-expanding list of up-and-comers hungry for a shot at the title…I frankly see them passing Shogun by.

So that’s my belief and I’m sticking to it. Shogun’s many injuries combined with his many surgeries will inevitably overwhelm him, and we’ll see a return of the Shogun that looked completely lost against Forrest Griffin and completely past his prime against Mark Coleman. PRIDE fans and fans of Shogun may think that a new day dawned when Shogun knocked out Machida…but trust me, fans and friends, Shogun’s empire will fall. And soon.

So what do you think, readers? Whose “camp” are you in? Let’s get some debate going.

The first fight went the full five rounds and was left in the hands of the judges. What transpired was, in my opinion, highway robbery. The judges gave the fight to Machida despite the fact that Shogun constantly attacked the legs of Machida which effectively took away his ability to attack. He used Octagon control and effective striking yet lost the fight.

Shogun was visibly stunned by the loss and the UFC agreed to an immediate rematch between the two men. Shogun used that 25 minute fight as a learning experience and came into this fight determined to not let the fight get in the hands of the judges.

“For my first fight, I trained and studied Lyoto Machida‘s game and tried to fight according to his style – in a safer way,” Rua said. “For this fight, I knew him better, so I tried to exploit him and to take more risks and take more chances and go to try and finish the fight.”

This is exactly what happened as he pushed forward from the start of the fight. Machida used that aggression to take Rua down but the often talked about yet seldom seen ground game of Rua’s allowed him to get back to his feet. Then the aggressive Shogun of old paid a visit to the Octagon. He used strikes to push Machida against the cage, unleashing a flurry. Machida slid his way out and they stood in the center of the Octagon, Rua pushing forward and Machida delivering a good body shot. Then Shogun caught Machida with what appeared to be a glancing shot off his head that sent the champion to the mat. Shogun wasted no time following him, achieving full mount and unloading powerful shots. The “Dragon” had been knocked out cold and before the referee could even stop the fight, Shogun was already standing up to celebrate. Things were suddenly right in the world as the man many called the champ had just become the champion.

All of this came from his new gameplanning which is an added component to his approach to fights. This is the reason he seems to be a much smarter fighter than during his streak back in 2005.

“I think now I’m a different fighter than I was back then,” Rua said. “I think now I train much more based on my opponent because I think this is the evolution of MMA nowadays.”

There are many journalists and fans alike that had given up on any of the old Pride fighters, especially on Shogun. His loss to Forrest Griffin (17-6) at UFC 76 followed by his abysmal performance at UFC 93 against “The Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-10) led fans to believe he was finished in the sport. However there were a select few who still believed in the man that was once one of the most feared strikers on the planet. Those who supported him through thick and thin were given a gift unlike any other. The gift of redemption as their fighter came back from the dead to become a world champion.

The comeback of a lifetime even had Dana White singing the praises of Rua. “To go out and knock out Lyoto Machida in the first round in the way that he did, I mean to say it’s impressive is stupid,” White said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s incredible.

“When [Rua] first came over into the UFC and I was talking about the ring rust – he had had the back-to-back knee surgeries – I always believed that once this kid got back in and was active, he had the possibility to do some great things again. Let me tell you what: ‘Shogun’ Rua is back. Not only is he the champion of the light heavyweight division, he is back.”

Let’s start by trying to define what the “MMA Hardcore” actually means. The hardcore MMA fan usually defines oneself as someone who has been around MMA since it’s birth or shortly thereafter. They watch the UFC but have a strong affinity towards the now defunct Pride Fighting Championships. They watch as much of the sort as they can get often scouring the internet for videos of fights from Japan and other far off places. They spend time on Twitter following fighters and industry insiders and listen to MMA podcasts such as MMA Gospel Radio. I believe this is a fair assessment of the hardcore fan in a nut shell.

Hardcore fans of the sport think of mixed martial arts as “theirs” and this is a stance that I highly disagree with. This automatically alienates any newcomers to the sport. Rather than trying to keep the sport of MMA to ourselves we need to be willing to share the sport with everyone we come in contact with on a day to day basis. The growth of the sport depends on bringing in new fans and tutoring them on the sport, the fighters and the history.

Many come to Twitter or to MMA message boards on various sites and rather than be welcomed they are chastised. I spoke with @BigDog_KA via Twitter and he stated “People seemed kind of annoyed at me for being new. Like it’s a club, and I have to be a fan for X years til I can get in.” How can the hardcore MMA fans want the sport to grow and to become the top sport in the world yet ridicule and cast aside new fans that can do just that?

I understand how annoying it can be when someone tells you that they consider Fighters.com fifth-ranked light heavyweight Forrest Griffin (17-6) one of the pound for pound best in the sport with elite striking a solid chin. However rather than belittle them and possibly take the chance of souring them to the sport, why not take the high road and work to educate these new fans?

I asked the followers of @mmagospel on Twitter their thoughts on hardcore fans verus the casual fan and @scream13 said “Splintering the fan base of MMA always seemed very Anti-MMA to me. My eyes light up when I meet any MMA fans. period.” I happen to know that @scream13 is a hardcore MMA fan. I found it refreshing to see someone so passionate about the sport take the proper stance on new fans. I happen to agree that the splintering of the fan base is bad for the sport as a whole.

There is a class system being established inside the sport and that goes against sports in general, does it not? Aren’t sports a pastime that is supposed to bring together the masses? Regardless of age, sex, race or background sports is something that has welcomed us all and allowed us to form bonds with those that we may not normally run across in our everyday lives.

The elitism of some current MMA fans could lead to a stalled growth in the near future. This will not come specifically because of those on the MMA message boards and forums but it will be the patient zero so to speak. If a person can sit there and turn their back on someone new to the sport who thinks enough about it to actively seek out new information in the form of a message board, how do you think they would treat an even more casual fan?

In today’s economy and with the number of pay-per-view events we are being offered each month, people are flocking to their local bars or pubs to watch the fights. This is where the elitist attitude can have a direct and very negative impact on the sport. I admit that I have been to a bar to watch the fights and heard someone make a comment that made me laugh at first and then got my blood boiling. It was ignorant and told me all I needed to know about their MMA IQ. Later I realized that I was given an opportunity at that moment. It is times like these when you can share your knowledge of the sport. Of course one must do it in a non-condescending way so as not to anger the person but you have the chance to educate and that is a chance all MMA fans need to take.

Some hardcore fans can also be found making fun of those wearing certain combat sport brand clothing. I have witnessed on more than one occasion where someone sees a person wearing a TapouT shirt and laughs at them. They feel they know more about MMA than that person and that they are just being “posers”. Again, obviously they have some sort of connection to the sport. Rather than laugh at them, call them names and think you are better than them because you have been to live events, met fighters and have watched the sport for a long time, invite them to watch the next fight with you.  Yes hardcore fans, I am suggesting you take “The Ultimate Fighter Noob” and allow them to watch the fights with you. This way they become part of the conversation, can hear someone with real knowledge of the sport, learn more than they could on their own and become a real part of the massive growth of this sport.

It is the duty of all fans of the sport to bring in new fans and to make sure these new fans are as educated as possible. It is far time we think of MMA as less of “our sport” and more a sport for every man and woman. Let’s drop the insults and elitist attitudes and welcome the masses that are sure to come with wide open arms.

The first fight ended in a controversial decision for Machida.  The rematch should crown a definitive champion at 205 pounds.

If Rua wins, we could even see a mouthwatering matchup versus top contender “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), who also reigns as Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion.  Silva has indicated his unwillingness to fight training partner Machida, but Silva and Rua have a war of words between them and a title fight would be a grudge match as well.

Fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1) won a workmanlike unanimous decision over fifth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-2) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with a return to his wrestling base.  Next for Evans is seventh-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) at UFC 114 in Las Vegas May 29.

Silva should get a second crack at a top ten opponent in his next fight.

Sixth-ranked Forrest Griffin (17-6) and eighth-ranked “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) are likely to matchup at UFC 113, though the fight isn’t yet official.

Ninth-ranked Strikeforce champ “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) expects he’ll fight rising star “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0) at Strikeforce in April on CBS.

Tenth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) has been preparing to return after facial surgery, but into the middleweight division.

Fighters.com’s January Light Heavyweight Top Ten

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1)

5. Thiago Silva (15-2)

6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

7. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

8. “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)

9. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1)

10. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

Forrest is coming off a win against “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1) at UFC 106 bringing his UFC record to 8-4.

Nogueira made his UFC debut the same night his current opponent was winning a split decision against Tito. Antonio fought seventh-ranked “Banha” Luiz Arthur Cane (8-2) stopping him via strikes in the first round.

Forrest has had his share of hard to handle losses in the UFC and is hell-bent on trying to get back the title he once held. Standing in his way is Antonio who is not only a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt but happens to be a good striker as well. Griffin has had problems with heavy handed strikers in the past.

This fight added to the card that already includes seventh-ranked welterweight Josh Koscheck versus Paul Daley and Fighters.com and UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida versus third-ranked Mauricio Rua makes UFC 113 the best card of the year to date.

Li’l Nog’ knocked formerly ranked fellow Brazilian “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-2) out of the top ten in the same fashion Nog’ himself was removed from the rankings after being TKO’d by “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-5) in 23 seconds at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas in February 2007.  Nogueira took 1:56 to finish Cane at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21 and capture the seventh spot at 205 pounds.

On the same card, fifth-ranked Forrest Griffin (17-6) returned to winning with a split decision over “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1), a rematch Griffin had lost by SD in 2006.

Shortly after the fight, UFC President Dana White announced Ortiz will  complete a trilogy versus “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) in 2010.  Usually  trilogies are reserved for rubber matches, or at least matchups that have been compellingly close in previous fights.  Liddell has TKO’d Ortiz twice this decade, but if the trend holds – second round in 2004 and third round in 2006 – perhaps Ortiz will survive to a decision in 2010.

Fighters.com Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) and third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) is the kind of matchup deserving of a rematch, and in 2010 the two will replay their fight that ended in a controversial UD in favor of Machida at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

Second-ranked “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will await the outcome as he defends his Fighters.com and UFC middleweight titles versus tenth-ranked middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8).  A Rua win in the Machida-Rua rematch could mean a Silva challenge for a second UFC belt.

Fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) and tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-1) will headline UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) waiting in the wings to reignite his rivalry with Evans if Evans wins, and probably even if Evans loses.

Ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) has dropped down to make a run at middleweight.

Fighters.com’s December Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

5. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

6. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

7. “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)

8. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

9. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

10. Thiago Silva (15-1)

Former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1) labeled his return to the Octagon another run at the title and warned the light heavyweight division to “watch out, Tito Ortiz is back.”

He was right!  Tito is back in all of his ridiculously excuse-filled ways. Ortiz said countless times prior to UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21 that this was the first time he had been 100% in years and that not since he lost a unanimous decision to “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) at UFC 44 in 2003 had he been able to train like he had for his UFC 106 rematch versus Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked light heavyweight and former UFC champ Forrest Griffin (17-4).

Tito went on to say that his training camp was the best he’d had, and that, not only had his stand-up improved, but his already respected wrestling was much better due to this rigorous camp. He guaranteed a victory in his UFC return and said that he’d prove the first split decision win over Forrest at UFC 59 in 2006 wasn’t a fluke.

Ortiz said he was 60% when he beat Forrest the first time, and now he is the best he’s ever been. He called himself a legend, and reiterated that he was still one of the top light heavyweights in the world.

“I’m a legend, you say UFC, they say Tito Ortiz,” said Ortiz of his own self-perceived awesomeness.

Ortiz stopped just shy of admitting that he could walk on water. Ortiz was going to beat Forrest again, and even more soundly than the first time. Period.

While Ortiz was preparing for war in what he said was the toughest and best training camp of his career, Forrest merely said, “This isn’t one of those ‘If I win, I win, if I lose, I lose.’  This is, ‘I’m going to win this fight.’”

And win he did. Griffin won the decision over Ortiz, and for the first time in a while the UFC fan base wasn’t up in arms over a judge’s decision. Most saw the fight the way the judges did, most everyone but Tito Ortiz of course, who has said over-and-over that he was “robbed.”

When the decision was announced, Tito, who was standing with his arm raised, dropped his arm and smiled. For once Tito looked like he was going to lose like a man. UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan stepped into the Octagon to interview the winner, and Griffin was the same stand-up guy he usually is and thanked Tito and the crowd. Forrest said he would agree to a fight and even used some self deprecating humor to talk about a sweep that took longer than it should have. Forrest didn’t rub the win in Tito’s face, and walked out to an ovation from a crowd that appreciated the respectful victor.

Next, Tito got to speak on the loss. Once again, in the words of Dana White “here we go again.” Tito started off with acknowledging Griffin’s broken foot that Griffin had suffered in training camp.  Ortiz went on to say that he himself had only been able to have “half of a sparring session one day.”  Rogan asked Ortiz what injury he had that barred him from sparring and Ortiz came up with this gem of an excuse: “I had a bulging disc, F, uh, S, was it C11, C6 or C6 and C7.”

Tito, did I hear a “niner” in there?

Then, Ortiz took his hat off and said, “I want to see someone fight with a cracked skull” and pointed to a black eye he was sporting before the fight.  At this point, the crowd realized that Tito was back in all of his grandeur and began booing.

Forrest even stepped in, once again being the nice guy, and defended Ortiz saying, “If you train to fight, you get hurt people.”

Ortiz won the crowd over with his typical “Were you pleased with the show?” question and acted like he single handedly fought himself in the cage, saying he steps up and he…blah blah blah.

UFC 106 is over, the wrap-up is done, and so is Tito, right? Wrong! Don’t forget the after fight press conference, where Tito proclaimed that the fight of the night awards should obviously be his. Tito was asked about his conditioning, where once again we got a 10-minute Ortiz lecture on how amazing he is, how he gave his heart and soul, and he was amazing considering he had a neck injury and only sparred once. When asked about why he said he was 100%, Ortiz said he was selling a fight.  Ortiz spent over ten minutes explaining why he couldn’t win, and capped it off with: “I come in and I fight. I don’t look for excuses.”

Tito is right! He doesn’t look for excuses and he doesn’t have to because he already has the excuses ready. Ortiz isn’t 100% fighter like he proclaims. He isn’t 50% fighter. Tito is an entertainer who has athletic ability. If you say you are here to fight and dominate, and come up short, then don’t reach for any excuse as to why and say that if this or that hadn’t happened you would have won.

Tito said he lied in the pre-fight interviews to sell a fight and that he wasn’t healthy.  Are you lying now about the injury to cover for poor training and the inability to win on that given night? Which time were you telling the truth?

Tito’s antics have damaged his credibility, and who knows when he is telling the truth. In a time when the UFC is hurting to put together cards due to injuries and illnesses, Dana White has brought back someone to sell fights. Tito Ortiz isn’t making a run at the title and. let’s be honest, Ortiz can’t handle the stand-up of Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0), as we’ve seen already. Ortiz’s wrestling would be negated by fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans‘s (13-1-1) equal abilities. Ortiz doesn’t have the tools to put away fighters like he did earlier in his career. The talent pool is too deep, the sport has passed him by, and quite frankly his annoying excuses are going to prove detrimental to the UFC and the credibility of Dana White’s “I do what the fans want.” proclamation.

Tito, learn to lose like a man because your winning days seem long gone, especially with your newly announced neck injury. Tito Ortiz – the “legend” and self-proclaimed “best pound-for-pound fighter” who’s making a run at the title?  How about Tito Ortiz – the best excuse-for-excuse, injury manufacturer, running his mouth, which will always hold the title for biggest legend in his own mind?

MMA Gospel Radio is live from MMA Big Show: Onslaught at Belterra Casino tonight from 6:00-8:00 PM ET.  You can listen live as well as join the chat room at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel.

Ortiz had won a split decision over Griffin in 2006.

Though Ortiz admitted his loss in the Octagon after the fight Saturday, saying, “Forrest was the better man tonight.  I’ve got to give it to him,” he added during the post-fight press conference, “I thought I won the fight. I pulled it off two rounds to one.”  He added, “Letting down fans, knowing that I came and I gave my heart and soul. To be robbed like that. It is what it is. I’ll be back.”

Griffin said, “I thought I won,” but added, “I think we’ll have to do a third.”

UFC President Dana White complained after the fight about one judge’s 30-27 score.  “The 30-27 score is outrageous.  It’s insane,” White said after the fight.

Ortiz suggested he and Griffin coach on SpikeTV’s “The Ultimate Fighter 11″ before having a rubber match.

White responded, “I don’t know. We’ll have to look at it. We’ll see.”

Topping the bill is the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) as he is set to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) in a rematch of the 2006 fight that was Griffin’s first loss in the UFC.

Although a winner of the inaugural Ultimate Fighter reality show, to many observers Griffin’s loss to the veteran Ortiz was the fight that catapulted the Xtreme Couture fighter into the deeper ranks of professional MMA. Now currently coming off a two fight losing streak, Griffin has a lot to win and a lot to lose when he faces Ortiz for the second time.

For Ortiz, UFC 106 will be a triumphant return to the promotion following over a year of bad blood with the organization. His last appearance in the Octagon was a losing effort at the hands of current UFC light heavyweight champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) at UFC 84 in May, 2008.

UFC 106 will also feature two heavy-handed welterweights as Josh Koscheck (13-4) is set to clash against “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-2) in the co-main-event. Johnson is recently coming off a devastating win over “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) in 41 seconds of a catchweight bout at UFC 104.

The fight card is rounded out by a series of bouts that set a theme of old versus new when veteran of the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (13-11) returns to the Octagon for the first time since UFC 51 in 2005 to face off against The Ultimate Fighter 7 champ Amir Sadollah (1-1).

Fighters.com seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) and fellow Brazilian ”Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (12-3) continue the theme of veteran versus up-and-comer. Nogueira makes his UFC debut following a near decade-long career worldwide.

Remaining main card bouts for UFC 106 include UFC veteran and Judo superstar “The Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) as he meets Dustin Hazelett (11-4). “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (14-4) is set to fight American Top Team’s “KIlla B” Ben Saunders (5-0-2 ). And the Ultimate Fighter 3 winner, “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (9-6) will take on wrestler and WEC alumnus Jake Rosholt (6-1).

UFC 106 is rounded out by Paulo Thiago (7-1) versus Jacob Volkmann (9-0), Brock Larson (27-3) versus Brian Foster (9-12), Caol Uno (25-11-4) versus Fabricio Camoes (6-0), and George Sotiropoulos (10-2) versus Jason Dent (29-9).

The addition of Cane versus Nogueira adds some much-needed weight to to the UFC 106 main card.

Cane is a rising star amongst fans with a trio of consecutive wins in the UFC. Following a disappointing debut with a disqualification due to an illegal knee, Cane has blazed through an experienced heap of MMA light heavyweights inching his way closer to the top ten.

Nogueira, often referred to as “Little Nog” by fans, is the twin brother of former interim UFC heavyweight champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1). Nogueira makes his UFC debut following a near decade-long career worldwide with his entrance into the American Octagon being one of potential legend.

Now sitting at the top of the UFC 106 bill is the previous co-main-event between “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) and fourth-ranked light heavyweight Forrest Griffin (16-4). Although an exciting rematch, the return of Ortiz to the Octagon fell a bit short.

Rua confounded and flustered Machida with kicks to Machida’s legs and body for at least three out of five rounds in Los Angeles October 24, and some have argued Rua won four rounds.  But all three judges scored the fight 48-47 in favor of the champ.

Across the great South American nation from which both fighters have travelled around the world to entertain and awe fight fans, familiar lines are being redrawn because of the controversial UFC 104 main event.

Second-ranked “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) of Black House, a team made-up largely of former Brazilian Top Team members, told Tatame, “In my opinion, Lyoto won every round.”

And, ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1), formerly of Chute Boxe with Rua, declared to Tatame, “[Rua] is the new champion.”

Years ago Brazilian Top Team and Chute Boxe played out one of MMA’s greatest camp rivalries in the now defunct PRIDE promotion.  The hot blood between the two camps was thought to have cooled after many of the greatest fighters from both camps moved on to other camps or started their own gyms.

But, the title fight between Machida and Rua has heated up the old adversaries and reignited excitement about MMA in Brazil.

UFC President Dana White promised an immediate rematch between Machida and Rua; and, Since UFC 104, Machida has announced he will undergo surgery on his left hand, postponing the rematch in 2010.

Brazil deserves the rematch!  It would be a huge UFC return to Brazil since their only Brazilian event in São Paulo in October 1998.

And, besides the top three spots in MMA’s most competitive and popular division being held by Brazilians, three other Brazilians are also ranked among the top ten at 205.

Of course, Anderson Silva will defend his Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Championship from Brazilian “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) sometime in 2010.  That previously UFC 108 slotted main event could also be postponed until the UFC can put on a show in Brazil next spring, making a Brazilian card with two all-Brazilian title fights at the top.

Seventh-ranked Brazilian “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) will fight countryman “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 11.

Wanderlei Silva is expected to lead the UFC into Australia at UFC 110 February 20, 2010 in a middleweight fight versus tenth-ranked middleweight “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2).

Newly tenth-ranked Brazilian Thiago Silva (15-1) will get a chance to step-up versus fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.

Fifth-ranked American Forrest Griffin (16-6) will welcome former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) back to the UFC at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21 in a rematch Ortiz won the first time.

Sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) remains retired; but, eighth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) is expected to come out of retirement in 2010.

Fighters.com’s November Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

5. Forrest Griffin (16-6)

6. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

7. “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1)

8. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

9. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

10. Thiago Silva (15-1)

What began as an uninteresting matchup forced after fifth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) turned down a title shot versus Machida has become a bona fide grudge match between the Brazilians.

Top contender “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will be tied-up through January defending his Middleweight Championship versus countryman “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.  Silva has repeated that he won’t fight his friend Machida, but Fighters.com sources say the fight could be made if UFC President Dana White meets certain conditions.  But, if Rua beats Machida at UFC 104, former Chute Box training partners Silva and Rua have been tossing verbal barbs back and forth and would make an exciting 205-pound title fight.

Third-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) swapped a much-hyped grudge match versus “Rampage” for a fight versus Thiago Silva (14-1) at UFC 108.

“Rampage” has evidently retired, but Fighters.com isn’t buying it.  I’ll put money down that Jackson will fight in the Octagon in 2010.

The winner between Evans and Silva is next in line for the UFC title shot if Machida successfully defends.

Seventh-ranked “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) will welcome fellow Brazilian “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Noguiera (15-3) to the Octagon at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.  The winner will quickly enter the title mix.

Fourth-ranked Forrest Griffin (16-5) has been laying low since his embarrassing knockout loss to “Spider” Silva at UFC 101 in Philadelphia August 8.

Eighth-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) is a free agent and in negotiations to return to the UFC, but Hendo’ told Sherdog negotiations aren’t going well.

Ninth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) has also “retired” and can be seen on “Dancing with the stars”, but Fighters.com expects to see Liddell return to the Octagon in 2010 as well.

“Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) is preparing to debut at 185-pounds.

Fighters.com October Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

4. Forrest Griffin (16-5)

5. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

6. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3)

7. “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1)

8. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7)

9. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

10. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

Penn stunned Florian with a pair of uppercuts, then dumped “KenFlo” to his back in half mount. Penn slashed at Florian with his elbows and pummeled Florian’s head, opening a small gash in his jaw. Florian rolled and Penn briefly tooks his back, then transition to mount. Florian rolled to his stomach again, and Penn returned to his back, jabbing his heel into Florian’s abdominal. Florian reached to defend and Penn locked in the rear naked choke until Florian tapped out.

Until the last 90 seconds, Florian had worked a strategy to wear Penn down with wrestling. Penn had landed the more solid shots, but Florian was controlling the fight and seemed to be succeeding at wearing Penn out.

“Spider” spent two minutes timing the former UFC light heavyweight champion before making Griffin look downright silly.

Griffin charged at Silva, who consistently left his hands at his waist, and threw a 1-2 combo. Silva dodged the combo and stung Griffing with a single straight right that dropped Griffin and left him flailing.

It was the second time Griffin had been dropped in the fight, previously with a right hook and a straight left.

The referee waved his hands over Griffin, declaring Silva the winner by TKO and a new contender at 205 pounds.

The fight card from Philadelphia includes:

“Prodigy” B.J. Penn (13-5-1) v “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (11-3) for the UFC lightweight strap

Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight Forrest Griffin (16-5) v UFC middleweight champ ““Spider” Anderson Silva (24-4) in 205-pound matchup

The Ultimate Fighter 7 champ Amir Sadollah (1-0) v John Hendricks (5-0)

“Cacharrao” Ricardo Almeida (10-3) v The Ultimate Fighter 3 champ “Spyder” Kendall Grove (10-5)

“Batman” Kurt Pellegrino (14-4) v “Dentist” Josh Neer (25-7-1)

Aaron Riley (27-11-1) v Shane Nelson (11-3)

“Doomsday” John Howard (11-3) v “Barn Cat” Tamdan McCrory (11-2)

Thales Leites (14-2) v “Legionarius” Alessio Sakara (13-7)

Dan Cramer (3-0) v Matt Riddle (2-0)

George Sotiropoulos (9-2) v George Roop (9-2)

“Indio” Danillo Villefort (7-2) v “Ox” Jesse Lennox (13-1)

UFC President Dana White has publicly pleaded for Liddell to retire. Liddell had barely woken up from his last knockout before the UFC put all Chuck Liddell merchandise on sale. But, is losing four out of five, three by knockout, a fitting end to a storied career? Does Liddell have one more big win in him so he can retire with dignity?

Evans and fourth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) have been pegged to coach The Ultimate Fighter 10 and meet in the Octagon in December.

Third-ranked Forrest Griffin (16-5) has drawn the honor of finding out whether Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (24-4) is ready for the big time at 205 next month in Philadelphia at UFC 101.

Tenth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-5-1) and former top ten Thiago Silva (14-1) will battle for a place at the bottom of the rankings at UFC 102 in Portland next month.

Sixth-ranked “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1), seventh-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7), and ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) are all without named or rumored opponents.

Fighters.com: Jeff, the last time we spoke was just before your win over “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr (14-9) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, north of Charlotte, 27 September.  You have a fight coming up at Mixed Fight Alliance  in Miami 13 December against Ricco Rodriguez.  It’s a rematch of a fight you originally lost at UFC 35 in 2002.  What are your thoughts on facing Rodriguez again?

Jeff Monson: Well, I like Ricco.  He’s a good fighter and a big name; but, I’d like to get back at him for losing to him the first time.  [laughing]  Hopefully it’ll be a different result this time around.  But I don’t really have revenge in mind or anything.  It’s been seven years or whatever.  But, I think I definitely put a lot more into my fighting than I think he does, so, you know, I should to go out and get the win.

Fighters.com:  You’re on a two-fight win streak in recent months with the Kerr victory and a win over “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (12-8) at Beatdown in New Town, northwest of Bismark, 11 October.  Where do you think a victory over Rodriguez will put your career?

Jeff Monson: Well, I need to win a few more in a row.  So, I want to take them, you know, like the old cliché, “one fight at a time.”  I’m taking this particular fight very seriously.  Ricco’s a big name.  And he kicked my ass before.  It was probably one of the worse beatdowns I ever experienced in a fight from start to finish.  [laughing]  So, I know he’s capable of doing well.

Ricco has fought a lot of big names.  He’s beat about everybody and, even the fights he’s lost were to top fighters, you know, so Ricco’s tough.   I just think I need to win every fight right now.  My career cannot take another loss at this point.  Saying that, I am taking this fight very serious.  I know I need to win a few in a row to get a shot at a title somewhere or get back to the top again. 

Fighters.com: Will a win in December take you back to Sengoku in Japan?  The last loss on your record was to Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked heavyweight ”Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (19-5) at Sengoku in Tokyo 18 May.

Jeff Monson: Yeah, well, I’m fighting in Sengoku in March regardless.  Win or lose the fight with Ricco Rodriguez.

Fighters.com: There’s been some drama on the business side of things in the world of mixed martial arts recently.  What are your thoughts on the demise of EliteXC? 

[Note: EliteXC maintains that it's parent company, ProElite, has not filed for bankruptcy.]

Jeff Monson: I think Elite’s going under is good for mixed martial arts.  I don’t think they were ever good for the sport in the first place.  They were out there selling sex and violence and promoting fighters that did not belong there.  I mean, Kimbo?  I don’t want to say he was a victim in the matter.  He participated along with the entire situation.  And, Kimbo is a legitimate fighter, but he’s not a legitimate name to base an entire organization around.  So, when he lost, the whole show went under. 

Elite’s television commercials and marketing were not good for MMA either.  They were trying to promote things like WWE or something.  Which is fine in its own right, because people know what they are watching when they watch WWE.  But its not fine when you have people legitimately training and fighting in an MMA event.  You know, they had some really good fighters on the cards.  Gina Carano and Robbie Lawler and so on.  And all of these fighters got lost in the hoopla and the way Elite was promoting its shows.  Even a lot of the fighters on the actual cards questioned what EliteXC was doing. 

Fighters.com: There’s a big buzz this week over UFC 91.  And, of course, there is a divide amongst fans over the heavyweight title fight.  One side of the spectrum says Brock Lesnar (2-1) doesn’t deserve the fight this weekend; and, another side says Lesnar is the future of the sport.  As a veteran of the UFC yourself, what are your thoughts on Brock Lesnar getting a title shot so soon in his career and who do you think will win the bout between him and fourth-ranked UFC Champion ”Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)?

Jeff Monson: Well, Lesnar does not deserve the shot yet.  Let’s see, he won his first MMA fight, then he lost his first fight in the UFC, and then won his second fight.  So, he’s one and one in the UFC.  I mean, he lost by submission within a couple of minutes and then won a decision.  And now he’s fighting for a UFC title.  It’s all based on potential, I guess.  He’s a physically immense guy and really strong and powerful.  He’s training in a good camp too.  So no, he doesn’t deserve the shot.  But, saying that, I do think Lesnar is going to win the fight against Couture. 

This is just one of those fights that’s a match-up nightmare for Couture.  Randy normally wins against the fence.  He clinches against the fence.  He grounds-and-pounds his opponents against the fence, wears them out, and then takes their hearts away.  Then, he gets them on the ground and finishes the fight.  It’s pretty much standard; and, Randy is so damned good at it that an opponent can know he’s going to do these things and Randy will still get away with it.

Randy is one of the smartest fighters out there. Every time I have picked Randy, he always ends up winning. But, I don’t think he’s going to win this time against Lesnar. 

You know, if Randy does win the fight, it’s because he is in great shape.  I am sure he’ll be in top shape.  And he could win maybe by outlasting Lesnar, making him tired, and getting on top of him.  You know, nobody’s seen Lesner on his back.  So, who knows what can happen there.  I think if Randy gets him down, he can possibly make some things happen.

Randy’s not a big striker though.  He’s okay.  But Lesnar’s shown that he can punch.  Randy’s not a submission guy like Frank Mir either.  You know Frank was getting his ass kicked but was still able to pull off a submission on Lesnar and survive.

On paper, it simply looks like a really tough fight for Randy.  I don’t know how Randy wins other than gassing out Lesnar, outlasting him, and then taking it to him when he’s got him tired.  But, if Lesnar is in shape, it’s a match-up nightmare for Randy.

Fighters.com: Well of course Randy has been criticized in the past for coming up short against larger heavyweights, but he did very well against ninth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3).  And Gabriel Gonzaga is a large heavyweight that was just coming off of a devastating win over “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-7-2) when they faced one another.

Jeff Monson: Yeah sure, but I mean, Gonzaga is a different fighter.  Gonzaga’s not a wrestler.  He’s a big, strong guy, but he’s not a wrestler.  I have seen Gonzaga at Abu Dhabi; and, he pulled guard on everyone. Lesnar as a wrestler, right now at his age, is probably a notch higher than Randy or at least the same level. And Lesnar’s going to be at least thirty or forty pounds heavier going into the fight.  So, Randy’s not going to put him up against the fence for any length of time or ground-and -pound him there.   So, that’s what I am talking about when I mention the match-up problems for Randy.

The things that Randy does well to win fights, he’s not going to be able to do in this fight.  So, Randy has to figure out a different way to win; and, the different ways to win this fight are not Randy’s fortes.  You know, knocking Lesnar out or getting a submission, things like that.  So, that’s what we are looking at here.  On paper, how can Randy win? 

But, like I said earlier, if Randy does pull out a win, I think it’s because he outlasts Lesnar.  You know, maybe Lesnar gets tired; and, Randy gets on top and sinks a choke from the top.  Or maybe Randy punches him out from the top; and, the referee stops the fight or something.

Randy is the smartest guy out there, but he’s got to know on paper that he’s not going to be able to put Lesnar up against the fence and do what he normally does.  It will be interesting to see what Randy comes out with.  Certainly, if anyone can do it, Randy can.  He’s done it time-and-time again.  But, it’s going to be a tough one. 

Fighters.com: Since we are talking about future UFC title fights, I have an interesting question for you. Early in your career you lost a decision to current UFC and Fighters.com Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4).  There’s a reasonably historic light heavyweight title fight coming up that features two previous winners of The Ultimate Fighter reality show when Forrest defends the title against fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (12-0-1).  Who do you think will win this fight?

Jeff Monson: I think Forrest will win.  Rashad has looked absolutely fantastic lately; but, if Forrest fights and trains the way he has for his previous fights the past year or so, I say Forrest will win.  If Forrest has not let winning the title change his approach to training and fighting, then I think he keeps the title.  And I don’t know how really.  Probably a decision.

Fighters.com: Some analysts are saying that Forrest might win a war of attrition by wearing Rashad down and landing a submission in the late rounds.

Jeff Monson: Yeah, maybe.  I mean, they are both tough-minded guys. It will be a very interesting to watch. I think Forrest wins in a pretty close fight. I mean, I think the odds on that one are going to be really tight. But I think Forrest wins because he trains so damned hard.  [laughing] 

Fighters.com: A good friend and teammate of yours and current WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Thomas Brown (15-4) just shocked “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-2).  What are your thoughts on this fight and how things happened?

Jeff Monson: I thought Mike was going to win a decision.  But, what I mean by winning a decision is that I thought Mike was going to win most of the rounds.  Mike has just improved so much.  He’s beat a lot of good fighters.  I think he’s just flown under the radar for a long time.

Mike has obviously been working on his boxing.  He just doesn’t get a lot of credit.  Most people, except for his teammates at American Top Team, don’t know how good Mike really is.  Now everybody knows. He’s a nice guy and a good teammate.  I couldn’t be happier for him. 

Mike’s the kind of guy to have as a teammate that you’re happy to see win the title.  I mean, I am always  happy to see a teammate win but Mike’s got a special place with me.  You know, he tore his bicep over a year ago.  So, he’s coming off a complete bicep tear where he was in a cast for a while.  And now he’s completely repaired and won a bunch of fights in a row to earn the shot at Urijah Faber.  And he won it. 

When Mike tore his bicep, he never gave up.  He didn’t quit.  He was working out a few days later, working his legs and stuff.  He was immediately trying to find out what he could do to get better.  He always maintains a positive attitude.  He always has a positive attitude towards everyone on the team.

Mike helps everyone out as well.  He drills with people extra and so on.  Mike is the epitome of a great teammate.  I think everyone on the team is really happy for him to win the title.  He deserves it.  He’s worked really hard.  And he’s just a great guy. 

Fighters.com: Before we part, I have a question about the World Grappling Championship in Switzerland. Honestly I was surprised to discover that you are competing in a grappling tournament just days after your fight against Ricco Rodriguez in December.  Can you explain the tournament a bit and how you earned a spot?

Jeff Monson: Yeah, it’s exactly what happened last year.  [laughing]  I lost a fight to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo by technical knockout.  [laughing]  I had nineteen stitches on my left eye and then went to Turkey the following weekend to compete in the World Grappling Championship.  Hopefully this year I’ll come in a little better shape than last year.  [laughing] 

The United States team is set.  We’ve already had the national tournament.  The winners and the guys who came in second are part of the U.S. team that go over to Switzerland.  There’s fifty other countries involved: Russia, Turkey, Japan, England, Switzerland, Ireland, and so on.  The place winners from these countries’ national tournaments make up their teams as well.  It’s like an Olympic games for grappling, so to speak. It’s set up just like the Olympics, similar to how wrestling is done. 

Myself and Brandon Ruiz are representing the U.S. in the heavyweight division.  Brandon took second place in the nationals.  So, the top two guys are going over to the tournament.  Brandon and I can possibly meet in the finals.  I mean, if we meet it will only be in the finals because we’ll start at opposite ends of the brackets. So yeah, the top two guys in the U.S. are going over to Switzerland to compete. 

Fighters.com: Jeff, thanks for the enthusiastic interview.  Best of luck in your upcoming fights.

Jeff Monson:  Thanks, anytime. 

Fighters.com’s second-ranked light heavyweight

Also headlining the event is an interim heavyweight title match between Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and Frank Mir (11-3).

Jackson and Silva previously fought twice before in PRIDE, with Silva coming out the victor both times.

Jackson last fought in July when he lost his title to Griffin in a unanimous decision.

Silva is coming of a 36-second KO of “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) in May.

Griffin will be defending his title for the first time against Evans.

Evans most recently upset fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-6) in September by second-round KO.

Nogueira and Mir are coaches in the current season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Evans detractors should notice Evans’s humility after the fight.