Here are some highlights from an interview Junior dos Santos recently had with Fighters Only: “Look, when a fighter begins either to lose, or not to get satisfactory results, what does he do to promote himself? He talks… He certainly may hit hard… but he also is very talkative. I think I would fight Mir any day – if he qualifies himself to face me… If one day he qualifies, I will fight him with pleasure and will give 100 percent of myself to win the fight and he would feel who would hit harder, right?”

Most of the time, I don’t have that strong of an opinion on Frank Mir, neither positive nor negative. When he’s on, he’s great. When he’s not, he gets humbled pretty badly. He’s hot and cold, and sometimes he says completely stupid things while other times he speaks with a lot of wisdom.

Unfortunately, this is one of the times where Frank Mir put his foot right into his mouth just to try and drum up hype for himself.

Really, all this takes is a simple look at both men’s records. Allow me to save you some time and put the disparity between these two into simple terms.

Frank Mir has been fighting as a professional MMA fighter for at least ten years. Junior dos Santos has been competing for about five. Frank Mir has (T)KO’d three opponents in his entire career, which is less than 1 KO every three years.

In half the time and with six less fights on his professional record, Junior dos Santos has KO’d eight opponents. That number should realistically be nine, because he has a “submission due to punches” victory on his record.

So, simple mathematics states: Junior dos Santos hits harder. Nine stoppage victories due to strikes in five years beats three stoppage victories due to strikes in ten years.

Also, Mir’s argument is even more moronic when you consider the following: Frank Mir has actually lost more times by (T)KO than he’s won! Every single one of Frank Mir’s five losses have all been as a result of a (T)KO.

I’m all for trash-talking to hype a fight or even to hype a potential fight, but Mir’s statements struck me as so ludicrous that I didn’t even feel the need to call him out on it when he initially gave that interview. But since Junior dos Santos has been getting his fair share of cynics lately, I’m proud to say that I agree completely with Junior dos Santos on this issue and that I think that anyone that doesn’t is, quite simply, dead wrong.

Frank Mir does not hit harder than Junior dos Santos… and if he ever fought Junior dos Santos, he’d probably get KTFO’d. And that’s that.

First up, let’s head to MMA Mania for news on how the fighters of UFC 130 are holding up. The official medical suspensions stand as such.

Quinton Jackson: Must have left hand x-rayed; if positive then must be cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Frank Mir: Must have left ribs cleared by doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Stefan Struve: Suspended until 07/28/11; no contact until 07/13/11 for precautionary reasons.

Brian Stann: Must have right thumb x-rayed; if positive then must be cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension, no contest until 06/28/11, no contact until 06/19/11.

Jorge Santiago: Must clear left orbital fracture with ENT or ophthalmologist or no contest until 11/25/11.

Rafaello Oliveira: Suspended until 07/28/11; no contact until 07/13/11 for precautionary reasons.

Michael McDonald: Must have left shoulder cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 11/25/11; minimum suspension until 07/28/11, no contact until 07/13/11.

Next up, we go to the one and only Sherdog for the official list of reported payouts for UFC 130. As expected, several of the major headlining attractions left with a considerable chunk of change. Here’s what everyone made.

Quinton Jackson — $250,000 (no win bonus) def. Matt Hamill — $32,000

Frank Mir — $250,000 (including $125,000 win bonus) def. Roy Nelson — $15,000

Travis Browne — $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus) def. Stefan Struve — $21,000

Rick Story — $34,000 (including $17,000 win bonus) def. Thiago Alves — $33,000

Brian Stann — $46,000 (including $23,000 win bonus) def. Jorge Santiago — $36,000

Demetrious Johnson — $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Miguel Torres — $30,000

Tim Boetsch — $36,000 (including $18,000 win bonus) def. Kendall Grove — $28,000

Gleison Tibau — $50,000 (including $25,000 win bonus) def. Rafaello Oliveira — $10,000

Michael McDonald — $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Chris Cariaso — $4,000

Renan “Barao” Pegado — $10,000 (including $5,000 win bonus) def. Cole Escovedo — $6,000

So it does look like both Quinton Jackson and Frank Mir could be out for nearly the rest of the entire year, which is a shame since both men scored big wins at UFC 130. But they’re both dealing with serious injuries, and I wish them both the best as well as a speedy recovery.

In regards to the UFC payroll, it doesn’t surprise me that Jackson and Mir made off with a quarter of a million. What surprised me is how much their opponents made in comparison. Here’s some simple math for you, fans and friends.

According to this payroll, Quinton Jackson made nearly eight times as much money as his opponent, “Ultimate Fighter” standout and longtime journeyman fighter Matt Hamill.

The discrepancy gets even worse when you compare Frank Mir’s salary to that of Roy Nelson. The former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion, Mir, made nearly seventeen times more money that the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10, Roy Nelson.

Of course, this money does not include things like bonuses, whether traditional or untraditional. It also doesn’t include things like sponsorship deals.

But still… that’s one whopper of a discrepancy. The UFC is definitely home to the big, big paychecks… it just appears that that’s only true for a very select few.

5. Travis Browne

In terms of pure fight quality, Travis Browne outperformed Frank Mir at UFC 130. He was in an exciting fight that saw a completely unexpected, incredibly exciting finish. Browne is quickly rising up the Heavyweight ranks, and he remains officially unbeaten for his entire professional Mixed Martial Arts career. This fight doesn’t make as much sense as the others on this list, though, considering that Browne needs at least one more fight, preferably against a divisional gatekeeper, before earning a shot at a former champion. And that’s why he’s starting out this list.

4. Brendan Schaub

Schaub is right on the cusp of breaking out into a major Heavyweight star, and that’s why he outranks Browne. Schaub improves on a fight-by-fight basis, and has looked incredibly dominant in all of his UFC fights except for his UFC debut, where he was knocked out by Roy Nelson. Schaub will be getting his shot at entering the upper echelon when he faces Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira later this year, and if he wants to go from a “bottom of the top” situation to a full-fledged championship contender, he’ll need to face someone like Frank Mir.

3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

But if Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira beats Brendan Schaub, a rematch with Frank Mir not only makes more sense, but it’s got a great story to go alongside it. Mir is the first person that ever stopped “Big Nog”, but fans of Nogueira love to point out that he was dealing with a staph infection at the time of their bout. Despite both men taking different paths in their careers since their bout, the question does remain: could a healthy “Big Nog” beat Frank Mir? If Nogueira does rebound from his recent losses with a big win over an up-and-comer like Schaub, that’s one question I’d love to see answered.

2. Brock Lesnar

There are two main reasons why former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar takes the #2 spot despite Mir and Lesnar having one of the biggest and highest-drawing rivalries in the sport. One is that Lesnar is on the sidelines recovering from major life-altering surgery and will be out until the start of 2012 at the very earliest. The second reason is that Mir was resoundingly brutalized in both bouts, he just took advantage of a controversial point deduction in their first fight. Nevertheless, only one other fight would do a better job of proving once and for all that Mir is ready for another shot at the gold.

And the number-one opponent for Frank Mir is…

1. The loser of the Shane Carwin vs. Junior dos Santos fight.

One of the best ways to get on the shortlist of likely title contenders is to beat the man that just got done fighting in a fight where the winner does get the next shot at the title. Plus, both men would make very interesting opponents for Frank Mir. Could Mir take down Junior dos Santos, who has so far displayed a penchant for only going to the ground when he chooses? Could Frank Mir beat Shane Carwin, the man who brutally pummeled him in humiliating fashion? Mir would prove the most by beating either of these men, and that’s why both earn the top spot.

5. Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson living up to its potential.

I was very hesitant about Miguel Torres after his bore-fest of a UFC debut, I’ve made no secret of that. But he honestly redeemed himself a whole lot (though not completely) at UFC 130. This was a Miguel Torres I could like: his style is wholly different, but the old fire and passion is still there, as is the hunger to get a dramatic finish. Johnson was simply the better man, and as I predicted, this fight saw him fully emerge as a UFC Bantamweight Championship contender. All told, it was the best fight of the UFC 130 preliminary card.

4. Frank Mir controlling and dominating an over-matched and overweight Roy Nelson.

When Frank Mir is off… he’s way, way off. But when Frank Mir is on? When Frank Mir is on, it becomes very apparent why he’s a former Heavyweight champion. Mir showed up in great shape and really controlled Roy Nelson, who is a tough opponent for anybody. Both men ended up gassing, but mostly because the first round of their fight was so frantic and exciting. It wasn’t the best performance of Frank Mir’s career, but it did demonstrate that he’s still a force in the UFC’s Heavyweight division after all this time.

3. Quinton Jackson fully shaking off the ring rust against Matt Hamill.

Jackson didn’t look too impressive against Rashad Evans, the same could be said for his bout with Lyoto Machida. But when you look at his UFC 130 fight with Matt Hamill and consider that he had a fractured hand going into the bout… Jackson looked very impressive. With some of the shots he hit Hamill with, you have to wonder if those shots would’ve knocked Hamill out if “Rampage” had his hands at full strength. This wasn’t the full rebirth of the Quinton Jackson of old, but it was a huge step in the right direction.

2. Brian Stann dominating Jorge Santiago.

Even if we put aside the tremendous story of a former Marine and Silver Star recipient fighting on Memorial Day weekend, it’s tough to look at Brian Stann and not picture him as a possible title contender before the year is through. Stann seems to be putting it all together at Middleweight: fast hands, crisp striking, and dangerous KO power. Jorge Santiago came into the UFC after an amazing run in Japan… and Brian Stann may have just sent him back there. It was a fantastic performance, and when you add in Stann’s background, it was the best feel-good moment of the night.

And my personal pick for the best moment of UFC 130 is…

1. Travis Browne’s Superman Punch KO on Stefan Struve.

If you ever wondered why this was called the “Superman Punch”, here’s your answer: if someone knows how to use it correctly and has good power in his hands, it’s nearly guaranteed to knock an opponent senseless. Like many flashy strikes, it’s mostly used not to damage but to create openings and get inside an opponent’s head. But Browne utilized the move to its full effect when he folded up the gigantic Stefan Struve. That’s a highlight that will be on Browne’s reel for the rest of his career, and it was honestly the best moment of an underwhelming UFC 130.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”.

Next for Brian Stann: Now that he’s dropped down to Middleweight, Brian Stann just keeps finding a way to finish people in dramatic fashion. He’s now on a three-fight win-streak with three stoppages: tww KO’s and one submission. He’s also got one “Fight of the Night” award under his belt as a Middleweight. Stann is a huge breath of fresh air in a division still recuperating from Anderson Silva’s reign of destruction, so I see Stann being immediately put into a “contender eliminator” fight in his next bout.

Next for Roy Nelson: I feel quite sad to say this, but it’s time for “Big Country” to lose the “big”. Perhaps it’s Nelson getting up there in years, perhaps it’s the simple fact that what everyone said would happen finally is happening. But Roy Nelson has got to lose weight, and fast. His cardio is abominable if it goes past the first round, and Mir proved that it’s even abominable in the very first round if you know how to work him. If Nelson doesn’t show up to his next fight at a trim 220, 240 at maximum, then he’s doomed to stay knocking out UFC Heavyweight bottom-feeders until he loses a few in a row and the UFC cuts him.

Next for Frank Mir: What an interesting situation Frank Mir finds himself in. He continues to find ways to prolong his career as a top-flight UFC Heavyweight, and to be honest, I think he looked awesome against Roy Nelson. I don’t have anything against Frank Mir, I actually consider myself a bit of a fan of the man. But it worries me that he can look great in some fights only to get pummeled in other fights. Based on his name and style, Mir will probably get a “contender eliminator” fight for his next fight… but if it’s someone who knows his tricks and has good punching power, he could lose his shot at the title once again. And since he’s been fighting in the UFC for so long, there are a lot of people out there that know his tricks. And since it’s the UFC Heavyweight division, a lot of people have good punching power.

Next for Matt Hamill: Much like Roy Nelson, I truly hate to say this. But I think this fight proved that Matt Hamill is and always will be a gatekeeper. He’s awesome against a certain type of opponent, but that opponent doesn’t have “best in the world” status. Expect Hamill to be a staple of the UFC’s “Fight Night Live” outings for the foreseeable future.

Next for Quinton Jackson: At least for now, Quinton Jackson has preserved his spot as one of the best 205 fighters in the UFC. What’s next is anyone’s guess, considering how many top-ranked Light Heavyweights are in the UFC and constantly fighting for their shot at the championship. I will say this, though: one way or another, we’ll know by the end of the year whether or not Quinton Jackson will fight for a championship. If he does, he faces a tough but not insurmountable task. If he doesn’t, he’ll continue fighting for one and winning more than he loses so long as he shows up in shape, focused, and healthy.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of UFC 130: “Rampage vs. Hamill”?

Full results courtesy of MMA Weekly.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson defeats Matt Hamill via unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Frank Mir defeats Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26). Travis Browne defeats Stefan Struve via KO at 4:11 of the first round. Rick Story defeats Thiago Alves via unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Brian Stann defeats Jorge Santiago via TKO at 4:29 or round two. Demetrious Johnson defeats Miguel Torres via unanimous decision (29-28 x3). Tim Boetsch defeats Kendall Grove via unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Gleison Tibau defeats Rafaello via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:28 of round two. Michael McDonald defeats Chris Cariaso via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28). Renan Barao defeats Cole Escovedo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

I’ll begin with my most prevalent reaction to this card: as the title says, this card lives up to the “anti-hype”. Some fights were good, but some fights weren’t. Some fighters gave good performances, some fighters gave marginal, average, and occasionally sloppy/bad performances. It was an average event in a day and age where “average” is below average. This is the UFC we’re talking about, and most people decried this as a glorified “Fight Night Live” card. With only a few exceptions, they ended up being right.

Renan Barao left me honestly a bit disappointed. With his kind of record, I thought he would totally blitzkrieg Cole Escovedo and set himself up as an immediate Bantamweight Championship contender. I said the exact same thing about Michael McDonald, who once again showed tremendous talent but squeaked his way past a close decision. Gleison Tibau put on a good performance, but he’s the definition of a journeyman.

I think Tim Boetsch could be a force at Middleweight, but he seemed to be playing it safe for most of his fight and it got a little boring at times. On the very positive side, Miguel Torres took a huge step forward in redeeming himself with his heartfelt, entertaining performance against Demetrious Johnson. In losing to “Mighty Mouse”, Torres actually gained back some of the respect that I lost for him when he made an incredibly boring UFC debut.

I loved seeing Brian Stann go to town, and I also liked seeing Travis Browne KTFO Stefan Struve. But I have to wonder if either of those two fights belonged on the main card of a major UFC Pay-Per-View. I personally found the bout between Rick Story and Thiago Alves very boring. And after being a fan of Roy Nelson for most of his career, I now have no choice but to admit that Roy Nelson’s quirky physique has stopped being quirky and started becoming the Achilles Heel everyone says it would end up becoming. As much as he loves it, Nelson needs to lose his gut… and quickly.

And in the main event of UFC 130, a star-struck Matt Hamill fought an injured (we’d find that out in Jackson’s post-fight interview) Quinton Jackson. Even Jackson himself gave his performance a failing grade, rating it a five out of ten. Jackson kept himself alive in the Light Heavyweight title hunt, but Matt Hamill seemed so far out of his element that I think many people will rightfully question what this win proved.

Overall… I normally don’t mind being wrong, but I really wish I had been right. I really wish this card had been a “sleeper hit” and answered all the cynics. But it didn’t… and that’s very unfortunate.

5. Three free fights on Facebook.

The main event of the free Facebook preliminary broadcast features a battle between two journeyman UFC fighters, and that’s always an interesting and competitive bout. But you’ve also got two fighters who basically don’t belong on the prelims and could be major stars in a very short amount of time. The first one is Renan Barao, who possesses an incredible record of 25-1. The second is Michael McDonald, with a record of 12-1 with eleven stoppages. Those fighters shouldn’t be missed, so the Facebook stream shouldn’t be missed.

4. Two big fights on Spike TV

Speaking of journeyman, one of the UFC’s most popular Middleweight journeyman will be in action at UFC 130: Kendall Grove. Grove takes on Tim Boetsch, who recently had a four-fight win-streak broken. But even bigger than that, you’ve got former top-ranked Pound-for-Pound stalwart and long-reigning WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres taking on the fiery Demetrious Johnson. Whoever wins that fight will be only one or two fights away from a shot at the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

3. Brian Stann fighting on Memorial Day Weekend.

No matter what your personal feelings are on the current war situation, we should all agree that Memorial Day is a time best served for reflection and honoring the fallen. Brian Stann will fight for both his country and his comrades when he steps into the cage at UFC 130, which takes place during Memorial Day weekend. Stann is so pumped for this fight that he recently gave an interview where he said that he’d fight every single day of this weekend if he could. Depending on how his fight with Jorge Santiago goes, Stann may take a huge step towards the UFC Middleweight Championship at this event.

2. Nelson vs. Mir is going to surprise a lot of people.

People are thinking this is going to be a good fight and a fun brawl… and I honestly think they’re wrong. It’s going to be a good fight… and a superbly-technical ground war. In a way, this is the fight Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira should have been: striking will be put on the backburner although not abandoned entirely, while both men dazzle fans with their ground wizardry. If you’ve got even a modicum of respect for the ground game, this is a must-watch fight.

And the number-one reason to watch UFC 130 is…

1. Matt Hamill’s coming-out party.

I’ve talked about it for so long, and now the day is finally here. Later today, I fully believe that Matt Hamill will finally step into the role of a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship contender. He’ll be facing arguably the toughest test of his career, but that’s going to motivate him to put on the best performance of his life. I can’t wait to see Matt Hamill triumph over adversity one more time and become the fighter I always knew he could be.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 130. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill: I’ve staked my claim in Matt Hamill’s corner ever since this fight was first announced, and that’s not changing anytime soon. I know Matt Hamill can beat “Rampage”, I’ve seen his heart and will carry him through too much to ever doubt him again. We’re going to see the best Matt Hamill we’ve ever seen in this fight, and he’s going to surprise a lot of people. Hamill will show up in great shape and very focused, and will beat Jackson by Unanimous Decision.

Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson: It all comes down to two things: size and strength. Both of these fighters have it, but I think Roy Nelson has more of it. As awkward as it is, Roy Nelson’s big belly allows him to really control people on the ground, it’s nearly impossible to get out from under it. Nelson also has big one-hit knockout power, whereas Mir has good power but really needs to soften a guy up before TKO’ing them. Even the big power punch he landed on Cheick Kongo wasn’t enough to turn out the lights in an instant, and that was full-force and dead square on the chin. Both are so good on the ground that neither one of them is getting submitted, and although Nelson has both speed and power in his strikes, I think Frank Mir won’t get stopped and dropped. Roy Nelson wins a tough, close bout by Unanimous Decision.

Travis Browne vs. Stefan Struve: Stefan Struve is a bit of an enigma. When he’s put up against a good opponent, his size, reach, and heart all make him a very formidable foe. When he’s put up against someone with huge punching power, though, he can go out like a light in under a minute. Unfortunately for Struve, eight of Browne’s ten wins have come by some form of (T)KO. If Struve takes this fight to the ground, he’ll likely win by Submission by Round 2. But if Struve wants to stand and bang just to prove that he can, that chin is going to betray him before long, and Browne will win by TKO by Round 2.

Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago: Santiago has been on a very good run outside of the UFC, but it’s an entirely different level of competition inside the Octagon. Brian Stann is quickly molding himself into a top-tier Middleweight, and he looked excellent in his fight with Chris Leben. I just can’t get past the fact that Santiago has been dropped and stopped five times in his career, over half of his career losses have come from someone cracking his chin. That’s exactly what I think is going to happen here: Brian Stann wins by first-round KO.

Rick Story vs. Thiago Alves: Story may be on a good five-fight win-streak, but three of those wins were decisions and two were Split Decisions. Thiago Alves hasn’t fully recaptured the magic of his 2008 run, though. However, he looked like he was well on his way to doing just that in his last fight. I think this fight will end with Alves taking a firm step towards another title shot, even though Story will make him work for it. Thiago Alves wins by TKO in Round 3.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? Who do you see winning, and why, at UFC 130?

The Event: UFC 130, currently scheduled for May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Three preliminary fights will be streamed at the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 6:45 PM ET. Two additional preliminary fights will then be shown on Spike TV starting at 8:00 PM ET. The main UFC 130 Pay-Per-View card starts at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This isn’t hype talking: this card really does have something for everybody. You’ve got a great grappling/BJJ match-up in Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir in the co-main event. In the main event, Quinton Jackson is a knockout artist while Matt Hamill is the journeyman that’s closer than ever to realizing his dream. You’ve got strikers like Thiago Alves, submission specialists, grinders, wrestlers, “jack of all trades” fighters, and more.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Quinton Jackson and Matt Hamill want a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. For Matt Hamill, it’s a dream he’s spent most of his MMA career working towards. For Quinton Jackson, it’s a shot at redemption after some tumultuous years, and quite possibly his last chance to capture UFC gold before he retires. Both men will push the pace and make this fight exciting no matter where it goes.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Frank Mir and Roy Nelson are two very different fighters, but they share several interesting similarities. Mir recently abandoned his super-muscular 265 pound physique in favor of his more-natural 240 or so, while Nelson routinely tips the scales near the Heavyweight weight limit based mostly on the size of his famous beer belly. But the one thing these two share most in common is that they’re highly-distinguished grapplers and submission specialists with fierce punching power. Much like Hamill/Jackson, this fight should be entertaining no matter where it goes.

Why You Should Watch This Card: In addition to the great co-main and main events, you’ve got several good fights on the main Pay-Per-View card and especially the free preliminary cards. If you’re a WEC fan, you’ve also got some big former WEC names competing on the card, names like Miguel Torres. If you’re a fan of the mid-tier, Kendall Grove and Gleison Tibau are competing. The list of fighters competing at UFC 130 runs the gamut, and while they may not be the best the UFC has to offer, they’re certainly an interesting group of good-to-great fighters.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: As I just admitted, these honestly aren’t the best fighters the UFC has to offer. Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is a good fight, I even keep promising it’s going to be great, but I agree with the cynics that it’s not a particularly notable main event. Mir/Nelson is good, but then you have to ask yourself if you think Mir and/or Nelson could really pose a threat to the UFC’s upper-echelon Heavyweights. UFC 130 features a host of matches that should be good, sure, but very few of them are particularly meaningful.

Closing Thoughts: For all the cynicism this card has inspired, I’m actually really looking forward to UFC 130. It’s shaping up to be a great event, overall. It may not be the best or most star-studded event in UFC history, but it should be an excellent way to kick off the UFC’s summer endeavors.

And what about you, fans and friends? Anybody out there looking forward to UFC 130?

Frank Mir has spent most of his professional career in the Octagon: to date, only two of his nineteen professional MMA fights have occurred outside of the UFC. In Mir’s original UFC run from 2001 to 2004, he quickly took the Heavyweight division by storm, winning six of seven bouts and the UFC Heavyweight Championship. The UFC’s Heavyweight division was admittedly one-dimensional back then, and Mir’s submission skills were a breath of fresh air amongst a crop of fighters who normally used their large size to swing big punches. Few old-school fight fans can forget when Mir snapped Tim Sylvia’s arm like a twig to claim the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Unfortunately, a very bad motorcycle accident forced Mir on the sidelines for so long that the UFC stripped him of his championship. Mir attempted a comeback in 2006, but the fight seemed to have gone out of him: he was sloppy as well as out of shape. Mir found new life and underwent a major career resurrection when he fought Brock Lesnar at UFC 81. Booked as little more than a sacrificial lamb, Mir submitted Lesnar in the first round and began an epic rivalry with the soon-to-be UFC Heavyweight Champion. Since then, Mir has fought for and won the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship, lost it to Lesnar, and then fought for it again against Shane Carwin. Mir’s four most-recent fights have seen him go 2-2, with both wins and both losses via stoppage.

His opponent, Roy Nelson, is a puzzle amongst the Heavyweight division. Famous for his big gut, Nelson made waves in the short-lived IFL organization and won that promotion’s championship. He also made waves after the IFL folded when he revealed that the UFC would only allow him into the Octagon if he lost weight. Nelson refused to do so and ultimately had to compete on “The Ultimate Fighter” to earn his shot inside the world’s most prestigious MMA organization.

But when the time came, Nelson seized his opportunity. Nelson ran right through the woefully-mismatched Season 10 cast, ultimately KO’ing Brendan Schaub to win the season. He then followed that up with a thirty-nine second KO of Stefan Struve. Most recently, Nelson lost to Junior dos Santos via Unanimous Decision. Nelson likely took solace in the fact that he was the only fighter to ever take the feared Brazilian wrecking machine to a three-round decision.

The thing I like the most about this match is that it could go anywhere and still be entertaining. Frank Mir’s stand-up has improved a lot, and Roy Nelson’s standup has always been very dangerous. When it goes to the ground, both men are very gifted. Aside from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mir may have the best pure ground game in the UFC’s Heavyweight division. Nelson’s may not be as good, but it’s definitely good enough to stand toe-to-toe with Mir’s for a prolonged period of time. It could go either way, so I’ll reserve judgment until my official “Picks and Predictions” post.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Only one entry remains in “A Closer Look at UFC 130”. Be sure to be here tomorrow when the series concludes and I give my official UFC 130 picks and predictions!

In a new interview with MMA Weekly, Nelson recently said the following: “You’ve got Frank, he’s a two-time UFC champion… He’s a living legend of the heavyweight division for the UFC… I’ve got to be the better striker, the better grappler, because at the end of the day Frank’s one of the most complete mixed martial artists… It’s a fight that going to be a complete mixed martial arts fight… I think it’s one of the fan favorites for the weekend. I like to say we’re saving the card.”

Before I begin explaining why I wholeheartedly disagree with Roy Nelson’s statement, I’d just like to say that I’m a big fan of Roy Nelson. My fandom wavered a bit during Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” when he was portrayed as someone who thought he was bigger than TUF, but to be honest? With the level of success he’s had in the UFC, he pretty much was bigger than TUF. I’m glad “Big Country” has managed to overcome the stigma of his unique body type and become one of the UFC’s go-to Heavyweights.

I think Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir will be a great match, if it lives up to its potential. I even agree with Nelson that it’s a fan favorite: it’s certainly one of the fights I’m looking forward to the most. I think Frank Mir needs a huge and dramatic win after the abomination of a fight he had with Mirko Filipovic. And I think Roy Nelson gets right back into title contention if he beats a former champion like Mir. There’s a lot on the line in this fight, and if that brings out the best in both men we’ll be in for a real treat.

But as far as “saving” the card? I just don’t see it. It’s a great match, yes. But it’s not the only great match of the scheduled broadcast. Even with the loss of Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3, UFC 130 is shaping up to be a very solid event. As I keep saying, Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is going to surprise a lot of people. Don’t believe me? That’s fine. Nobody believed me when I said Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 2 would be an awesome fight. I know I’ve made a wild prediction or two in my time, but I’m a big fan of “Rampage” and I think Matt Hamill doesn’t get nearly enough credit as an entertaining fighter. Trust me, it’s going to be a good one.

Plus, you’ve also got fighters like Thiago Alves and Stefan Struve competing on the main card. Both are entertaining fighters that love to finish and constantly look for the KO. In addition to that, you’ve got the great Brian Stann facing a resurgent Jorge Santiago, who’s won eleven of his last twelve fights. And to top it all off, you’ve even got Kendall Grove and Miguel Torres fighting on the Spike TV prelims.

So while I may be a big fan of Roy Nelson, that doesn’t mean that I have to agree with everything he says. UFC 130 will be a solid event, and while Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir adds a whole lot of value to this card, it’s not “saving” anything.

Instead, what he wants to do is reclaim the top spot in his division. It wasn’t all that long ago when Mir had become the promotion’s most coveted star. A submission whiz with knockout power and good looks to boot, however a subsequent motorcycle accident derailed much of the allure that surrounded the young champion way back when in 2004.

Now, after having come back from his ordeal, and notching up victories over the likes of former champions Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Mirko “Cro Cop”, Mir is looking to reestablish himself as a viable heavyweight contender, however the submission ace doesn’t necessarily feel that a potential win over Roy Nelson will do much for his career.

The two heavyweights are scheduled to meet on the main-card for “UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard III” on May 28th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Mir, 31, last competed at UFC 119 where he knocked out the KO artist in “Cro Cop” with a big knee in the final round of their heavyweight tilt, which served as the main-event of the evening.

Hoping to add on to the win, Frank was looking forward to names such as Shane Carwin that would help vaunt him back to the upper echelon of the division. Never one to turn down a fight though, Mir accepted the bout with Nelson when it was presented to him, though he felt that a win wouldn’t do anything for his career necessarily.

“Roy is coming off a loss and the way our sport works I want to fight a fight where I have a lot to gain,” said Frank during a recent interview with MMA 30.

“A win for either of us doesn’t move us towards a title shot. I was looking for a fight with Carwin, he has only lost in a title fight.”

Nelson is currently coming off of a loss to top contender Junior dos Santos last August. Despite a gutsy performance turned in by “Big Country”, which saw the heavyweight fighter go to a decision with the Brazilian striker, Nelson found himself dominated from start to finish. The loss snapped a two-fight win streak for Nelson, who was able to score knockout victories over Brendan Schaub (to win the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”) and budding contender Stefan Struve. Prior to his stint in the UFC, Roy lost back-to-back fights against Andrei Arlovski (his first and only knockout loss to date) and a controversial decision to former title challenger Jeff Monson.

So overall, Roy is just 2-3 in his last five bouts, which doesn’t necessarily breathe “heavyweight contender”, but the UFC has done stranger things, case in point: Shane Carwin vs. Olav Einemo.

So, MMA peeps, what do you thin of Mir’s assessment on the bout? Do you agree with it, and if so, who would you have liked to see Mir step back inside the cage with? Sound off in the comment section below.

With credit going to MMA Junkie, the UFC recently confirmed as official the following bouts for UFC 130: Frank Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva, Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson, Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story.

MMA Junkie also recently revealed that a match-up pitting Stefan Struve against Travis Browne was official for the UFC 130 preliminary card.

This comes on the heels of the major announcement that the UFC 129 fight card is now officially complete, and features several amazing matches that will take place in front of a possible crowd of at least 40,000.

While I don’t think that UFC 130 is as good as UFC 129, I do think it’s an amazing show and fully encapsulates how hard the UFC is focusing in on making all the best fights come together in 2011.

There’s simply too much to like when it comes to UFC 130. Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 should be an amazing encounter that has the potential to be an even bigger, even better match than their second encounter. I still believe in Frank Edgar, and I know that if he can come back from the beating “The Bully” gave him in the first round of their second fight, he can pretty much come back from anything. My early prediction is that this will be another super-close fight between two incredibly gifted athletes, but I think the third time will be the charm: this time Edgar will finally solve the puzzle, and he will finally beat Gray Maynard.

Add to that the awesome wars that should be Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson and Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva. In particular, Silva/Jackson should be an epic brawl that I expect will end with a dramatic KO. Both men are at pivotal moments in their careers, and a big KO will almost certainly put the winner right back “into the mix”. Stann/Silva should also be a major proving point for both fighters, and will likely be one of the most explosive fights of the night.

And to top it all off, you’ve got Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story, which are important matches for all involved and should be some very exciting fights to watch.

So while UFC 129 may be shaping up to be one of the best cards of the last several years, UFC 130 is also shaping up to be a landmark event and possibly one of the best events of 2011, which has already been a fantastic year for Mixed Martial Arts and should turn out to be a banner year for the sport as a whole.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to the UFC 130 card?

Coming to us courtesy of MMA Weekly, Mitrione recently said the following: “For this fight, I wanted to emulate Dominick Cruz…  I love the way you fight brother, you’re elusive, and I wanted to be just like that… I can’t say where this really puts me as far as my progression as a martial artist… I haven’t really had the chance to capitalize or really see where my ground game is…  I know as a stand-up guy I can really let ‘em fly… I’m just saying I don’t exactly know where (my ground game) is. I prefer to trade leather, I’d prefer to let my shins and my hands fly.”

For someone who was known as “Meathead” during his time on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Mitrione sure has progressed considerably. I think the sky’s the limit for Matt Mitrione, and I can’t wait to see how he does against the UFC’s best. It will be very interesting to see whether or not a higher level of competition will finally be able to give Mitrione the early-career setback that some hot prospects have fallen victim to, or if Mitrione is destined to become the next Jon Jones or Junior dos Santos.

Moving forward, I think the key here will be finding ways to test Mitrione in all areas of the game and against an increasingly-higher level of competition. In a recent post I speculated that Mitrione’s next opponent should be Pat Barry, and I definitely still stand by that claim. I think this would be a great fight, since Mitrione has shown a lot of skill as a boxer while Barry is most dangerous when he’s given room to utilize his experiences as a kickboxer. It would definitely be quite exciting to see how Mitrione’s punches match up to Barry’s leg kicks.

I think Mitrione should also face a ground expert and/or submission specialist sooner or later, though the Heavyweight division seems to be lacking them for the most part (although, now that I think of it, Sean McCorkle may be a good candidate). The two best Heavyweight ground specialists, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, are probably a bit higher than the skill level Mitrione should be facing right now. A fight with either of those two would be the equivalent of getting thrown into the shark tank: Mitrione has a chance of winning, but his chances of losing would be at their highest. I think Mitrione would take a fight with Mir or Nogueira without hesitation, but I also think that that’s not the type of fight he needs to be having right now.

So I say give Mitrione another striker, but one that’s at a higher level than any he’s faced before. Other potential opponents include Cheick Kongo, Brendan Schaub, or even Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin. But no matter what the future holds for Matt Mitrione, I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on him and I look forward to seeing him continue to evolve into a complete Mixed Martial Artist.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Mitrione’s comments, and what do you think the future holds for him?

Here’s what Nelson had to say over at MMA Junkie: “It’s definitely frustrating when you put your time and effort into something and then the rug is kind of pulled out from underneath you… I’ll fight Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez – any of those guys I’m cool with… For me, it really doesn’t matter. My goal is always to be champion.”

As I said at the start of this piece, I’ve always been a fan of Roy Nelson. I’ve watched Roy ever since he started knocking people out in the IFL, and I’m very happy that he’s had the success that he has. Nelson is entertaining, a finisher, and has shown a lot of skill in his numerous wars. Most MMA fans continue to judge him by the size of his gut, but for me, it’s his big heart that has continuously made me a fan of the man.

Is it so strange to envision a world where Roy Nelson is UFC Heavyweight Champion? I can admit that it doesn’t seem likely, but as hectic and unpredictable as MMA has been lately, would it really surprise you? A lot of the purists balk at the idea of Roy Nelson becoming a UFC champion, but then again, a lot of them balked at the idea of a former pro wrestler becoming a UFC champion. That’s not said to disrespect Brock Lesnar, that’s said only to prove my point, which is that you can never judge a book by its cover and that the only way to truly find out if a fighter is a potential champion is to put them against the best and see how they do.

If people keep underestimating Roy Nelson, he’ll keep proving them wrong. Many fans thought Nelson would be easy pickings for JDS, but Nelson absorbed some of JDS’s best punches and still took the man to a decision, in the process nearly gassing JDS out and exposing some potential flaws in a surging Heavyweight monster that, until then, had been a flawless engine of destruction. He’ll have his hands full with Frank Mir, but Frank Mir will have his hands full too. It’ll be a great fight between two skilled competitors, and the fact that both men have their fair share of detractors and cynics shouldn’t take away from that.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Roy Nelson’s recent comments, and how far do you think he’ll be able to go as he continues to fight the best in the UFC?

If you’ll remember, fans and friends, I was one of the Nelson fans that basically campaigned for “Big Country” to receive a match with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. A lot of people seemed to reject the notion of Lesnar vs. Nelson, but I felt that it would have been a fantastic match. The difference in size and muscularity alone made it an instant must-see, but let’s not forget, Roy Nelson has quickly become a legitimate major-level star in the UFC.

If Lesnar beat Nelson, it would have immediately established that Lesnar was here to stay and wanted his championship back. If Nelson beat Lesnar, it would have given Nelson the kind of victory he would have had if he had beaten Dos Santos, instantly making him a championship contender. Everybody wins, and it would have been a very interesting fight between two men that love taking it to the ground and smothering their opponents, albeit in hugely different ways.

But Frank Mir is no slouch, and despite the downright boring performance he put on when he mercifully KO’d Mirko Cro Cop after three utterly atrocious rounds, the man is still a top-division UFC fighter. He played it safe to a fault against Cro Cop, but I think Mir will open up against Nelson. Or Nelson, unlike Cro Cop, won’t be as afraid to go to the ground with Mir as Mir was to keep the fight standing.

It’ll be interesting to see who takes control of the fight on the feet, since Frank Mir’s striking game seems to fluctuate bizarrely on a per-fight basis. He looked like he could more than hold his own against Cheick Kongo and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, but against Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar he faltered and faltered hugely. Some may say that that’s just Frank Mir not being able to cope with large wrestlers, but the thing of it is… in certain ways, Roy Nelson is a large wrestler.

Does Roy Nelson have bulging biceps and a body that looks to be carved out of granite? If you’ve ever seen him fight, you’d of course be laughing right now. But consider this: doesn’t Nelson do the same thing those muscle-bound behemoths do? Doesn’t he set up his takedowns with those big fists? Doesn’t he vigorously pursue a takedown and use his size and weight advantage to bull-rush opponents? Lesnar and Carwin may use their ridiculously-toned bodies to keep their opponents down while Roy Nelson uses his sizable gut, but isn’t the outcome the same? Don’t all three use their distinct advantages to smother, stifle, and ultimately pound out opponents?

This is why I think Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson is so interesting. In a quite bizarre point I’m sure some people will criticize me for making, Roy Nelson is of the same build as a Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin. He uses his size, strength, and unusual speed for a man of his size and stature in order to get the better of his opponents. Like Carwin and Lesnar, sometimes it doesn’t work. But when it does, much like Lesnar and Carwin, there seems to be no stopping him. Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson should be an amazing fight, and I personally can’t wait to see it happen. And, in case you needed it officially confirmed, I’m definitely pulling for “Big Country” in this bout.

But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on this fight, and who do you think will win it?

Instead, the Jiu-Jitsu specialist will now be facing Roy Nelson at an unannounced event, UFC 130 which is rumored to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Mir’s territory.

Nelson, the season ten winner of the TUF series was recently embroiled in a contract dispute when Square Ring Promotion’s, which is owned by boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., suggested that Roy was still under contract with their organization, however now everything seems to be free and clear since Nelson is now scheduled to compete in the octagon once again.

“Big Country” was last in action when he was pitted against Junior dos Santos last August at UFC 117. Though he showed a lot of heart throughout the 15-minute affair, surviving some massive shots throughout, it wasn’t enough and in the end the Brazilian walked away the winner and in turn earned the number one contender position for the UFC heavyweight title.

Nelson was scheduled to return at UFC 125 earlier this month, however Nelson’s contract obligations with Jones Jr.’s organization, which to date has only held one event where Roy lost a decision to former UFC title challenger Jeff Monson, came into question.

Now that the issues are no longer paramount, Nelson can now prepare to meet former champ Frank Mir in May for UFC 130. Mir will look to build upon a September victory over Mirko “Cro Cop” when he meets the former IFL champion. Frank was lethargic, to say the least, in the opening moments of the heavyweight tilt with the former PRIDE champion, which headlined UFC 119 several months ago. However, in the third-round the ever improving striker was able to connect on a big knee which halted the bout and earned Mir the knockout win.

Since capturing the interim heavyweight title in December of 2008 with a victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92, Mir has alternated wins and losses inside the octagon, losing the chance to unify titles when he was defeated by Brock Lesnar, then submitting Cheick Kongo, then getting knocked out by Shane Carwin, followed up by the victory over Mirko (respectively).

Should either Mir or Nelson come out the victor, the winner could see a big push towards the title in 2011, if the fight ends in impressive fashion.

So, MMA peeps, who do you think takes this match? Will Mir make another run to the title or will Nelson match gut with brawn against Frank? Sound off in the comment section below.

He doesn’t like cameras, he doesn’t like attention, so a coaching stint on the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter” would seem like the furthest thing from reality…but it could very well be happening soon.

Recently rumors have circulated concerning the next season of TUF, as far as who will take up the coaching slots. Fighters ranging from Wanderlei Silva, Chael Sonnen, Urijah Faber, and Dominick Cruz have all been discussed as possible candidates to coach the upcoming field of welterweight/middleweight fighters, however all signs point to former champions Lesnar and arch rival Frank Mir.

Mir was rumored to face Brendan Schaub in the first quarter of 2011, however plans have changed. Suddenly, Schaub, who was a finalist on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” is now scheduled to take on budding prospect Stefan Struve in an upcoming event in the beginning of the new year. No event has been pegged, however verbal agreements are in place according to MMAWeekly.com.

Frank is no stranger to the reality show. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist was featured as the head coach opposite of former UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira on season eight, which culminated in December of 2008.

Mir was last seen in action when he defeated former PRIDE champion Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 119 this past September. After a sluggish first-two rounds turned in, Frank unleashed a big knee in the third round which knocked out the Croation striker in the final moments of the fight.

Lesnar, meanwhile, recently relinquished the heavyweight strap when he was paired up with proud Mexican-American Cain Velasquez. The South Dakota native stormed the American Kickboxing Academy product early, however Velasquez’ superior stand up came into play and in the waning moments of the fight, Cain was able to record the TKO victory and claim both “Knockout of the Night” honors and the heavyweight title last October at UFC 121 in Anaheim, Cali.

Both Mir and Lesnar are very familiar with each other, which can only be described as a huge understatement. Frank got the first crack at Brock when he made his inception into the worlds largest mixed martial arts organization when the two men met at UFC 81 in February of 2008, eventually submitted the former WWE star with a knee bar.

Lesnar exacted revenge 17-months later after claiming the title from then champion Randy Couture. In a battle to unify Brock’s strap and Mir’s interim title (which he claimed in a victory of Antonio at UFC 92), the NCAA wrestling champion unleashed an aggressive dose of ground-and-pound on Mir, eventually stopping the Las Vegas resident in the second round.

Now it seems that both men will be able to settle the score in the near future, but only after what will soon look to be an intense season between the two. Both Brock and Mir have shared words between one another both in the cage and in the media, but never before on TV for millions of people to see. Maybe, now they will.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the possibility of a Mir-Lesnar season? MMAWeekly.com seems to agree, and the sudden pull of Mir from a heavyweight tilt opposite of Schaub is suspicious, to say the least. When the two men meet again, who will reign supreme in the rubber match? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to the one and only Sherdog for a report that states that Schaub vs. Struve is going down in March, with one rumor putting the bout on the televised portion of the upcoming “UFC on Versus 3” event. No official date has been confirmed, but the UFC has plenty of outings in March, so it’s very likely that the two big Heavyweights will find a spot somewhere, given how both recently competed in high-profile matches.

But will Schaub/Struve even happen? Maybe not, according to a new report just barely released by Fighters Only. The report indicates that a “source very close to the situation” has given word that Schaub’s next opponent will be PRIDE FC legend Mirko Cro Cop, who ironically recently found himself on the wrong end of a KO courtesy of Frank Mir, Scuab’s originally-intended opponent. This bout, if it were to materialize, would take place at the upcoming UFC 128 event, currently scheduled for March 19.

Part of me wishes that Brendan Schaub would find himself an opponent already, but the realist in me knows that MMA lives in a world of rumors and anything juicy just has to get reported. And I find both Schaub/Struve and Schaub/Cro Cop particularly succulent. I think both bouts sound great on paper, and would pretty much prove where all involved are at in their careers.

If we get Schaub/Struve, we’ve basically got a fight where both men are guaranteed a position as a top-division athlete if they finish the fight and win dramatically. Schaub has been on a three-fight win-streak with two (T)KO’s and has only lost once in his career, while Struve is on a two-fight win-streak with back-to-back (T)KO’s and most recently competed in the co-main event of a major UFC Pay-Per-View.

Schaub vs. Cro Cop also has some interesting possibilities, given Schaub’s eagerness to engage and Cro Cop’s dwindling career. After an utterly atrocious fight was capped off with Cro Cop eating a sloppy knee and getting knocked unconscious, many fans and insiders are once again turning to talks of Cro Cop’s retirement. A big win over Schaub would give Mirko Cro Cop’s career the shot in the arm that it so desperately needs, while adding a victory over an MMA legend would certainly be a big feather in Brendan Schaub’s cap.

The only thing I don’t like about these two fights is that neither one of them has been officially confirmed. Schaub/Struve sounds like it would be a great stand-up war, while Schaub vs. Cro Cop holds a very interesting “rookie vs. veteran” dynamic. I think Schaub/Struve at “UFC on Versus 3” would be icing on an already-delicious cake, but Schaub/Cro Cop at UFC 128 would provide a big boost to a card that’s still very much in-the-works. So, all in all, I really don’t have too much of a problem with either match-up and I’d like to see both of them happen, to be honest.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you want to see Schaub fight, and why?

According to MMA Weekly, both Frank Mir and Brendan Schaub have verbally agreed to fight each other sometime in early 2011, although nothing has been signed and an exact date is still to be determined. After a convincing Unanimous Decision over former UFC Heavyweight Championship contender Gabriel Gonzaga (who has since been released by the UFC), former “Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 cast member Brendan Schaub vocally called for higher-level competition. In fact, “The Hybrid” called out Frank Mir in particular. Schaub is on a three-fight win-streak with two finishes, and has only lost once in the UFC.

As stated earlier, Frank Mir was tentatively scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar for a third time following Lesnar’s recent loss to newly-crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 121. The two men have a sordid and storied history: in their first fight, not only did Frank Mir spoil Lesnar’s debut, he handed him his first-ever loss. In their second fight, Lesnar resoundingly trounced Mir and left his face a bloody, bruised mess. To this day, the two men remain arch-rivals. Despite all of this, early reactions towards Mir/Lesnar 3 were so negative that Dana White basically called off his plans to make it happen. It appears that Mir has found his next opponent.

I like this fight for several reasons, and I think both men have it in them to put on an entertaining performance. First and foremost, I don’t think Brendan Schaub is afraid of Frank Mir or his ground game. The biggest problem I saw with the Mir/Filipovic fight was that Frank Mir was afraid to strike with Mirko Cro Cop and Mirko Cro Cop was afraid to grapple with Frank Mir. In his four fights in the UFC, Schaub has shown no fear of facing anyone in any facet of the MMA game.

If push comes to shove, Schaub will push the pace and force Mir to engage with him. And that’s an entertaining fight for several reasons. It always feels like Frank Mir’s best has to be dragged kicking and screaming out of him, but when it does emerge, Mir is an amazing performer. His striking has gotten a lot better, and his submission skills have always been at the top of the division.

Brendan Schaub is also no joke, and I think he’s proven once and for all that he’s ready for top-division competition. His loss to Roy Nelson is basically a distant memory now that he’s gotten some convincing wins under his belt. This fight will be the biggest test of Schaub’s career so far, and that includes the Nelson fight. If Schaub beats Mir, he’ll have all the base he needs to campaign for and ultimately receive a rematch with “Big Country” Roy Nelson, if he chooses to do so. And if Schaub wins that rematch, or any other match against a top-division athlete, I think we’ll have finally seen Schaub emerge as a legitimate championship contender.

So big, big things are in store for either man if one of them is able to finish and finish convincingly. Regardless of who wins, a boring performance is the last thing both fighters need right now, so expect this fight to be one to remember. And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early opinion on this planned fight?

Soares recently talked to ESPN and said the following: “He’s a great guy, so he’s always in good spirits… He is rehabbing [his knee] right now in Brazil. He’s not training, just rehabbing… I am assuming [his return] will be sometime in late spring, early summer… I think [Nogueira-Mir II] is a great fight. Does he want to even the score? Absolutely! …Big Nog is a warrior. He’s never chosen an opponent. Whoever you put in front of him, he will fight.”

I still hold out hope for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and I don’t think I’m hoping in vain. Nogueira is still one of the best Brazilian Jui Jitsu specialists to ever compete in MMA. I think you can say with a credible amount of certainty that he probably has passed his prime, but it does him a great disservice to think that he’s entirely done as an MMA fighter. If you’re a fighter the caliber of “Big Nog”, you can still score some big wins and get some huge fights lined up for yourself even if you’re technically past your prime.

Nogueira won’t have it easy, but it’s not like the man will become a glorified gatekeeper. It’s up to Nogueira himself to figure out where he stands in the increasingly-competitive UFC Heavyweight division. And while I won’t get my hopes sky-high, I also won’t be predicting doom. The days of Nogueira dominating a fight are most likely over, but on any given day he can still be a threat to any opponent.

Personally, I’d love to see a Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira rematch. I think “Big Nog” does possess the abilities to even the score, and I also think that Frank Mir needs a marketable match that he could conceivably end in dramatic fashion. After the lukewarm reception (to say the very least) his performance against Mirko Filipovic garnered, a rematch with “Big Nog” would go a long way towards restoring some of Mir’s lost prestige. And if Nogueira wins, it will set him up for more big matches in the future and even a possible high-profile comeback.

So while the future may be uncertain for “Big Nog”, I wouldn’t say that dark days are ahead. Nogueira will be facing some tough tests for sure, of that I have no doubt. But the man has made a career out of rising to the occasion and defying the odds. When Nogueira returns he’ll have ample opportunity to do just that. And as a PRIDE fan and a fan of the man himself, I’ll certainly be pulling for him.

But what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s chances in the UFC once he returns from rehabbing this injury? And what future opponents do you think he should face?

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

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

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

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

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

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

To say that these two fighter have disdain towards one another would be a huge understatement.

At least, that’s what you would think, but Mir has since tampered his temper and found some solace in his career and where he stands in the heavyweight division.

Both competitors have split victories, with Lesnar getting the better of the two in their last meeting at ufc 100, when the former NFL hopeful pounded Mir en route to a TKO victory inside of the second round.

However, with Lesnar’s recent setback against Velasquez, Mir see’s a potential bout with Lesnar as a step down essentially in competition, given Brock’s performance at UFC 121.

“Honestly right now, probably no”, said Frank while speaking with MMASucka, giving his feelings on a potential third bout with the former UFC heavyweight champion.

Frank went on to elaborate more on his decision to not pursue a trilogy with Lesnar. It dates back to his performance against Shane Carwin, a man whom Mir is all too familiar with. While Mir succumbed to strikes against the behemoth heavyweight at UFC 111, Lesnar fared better, submitted the Greg Jackson product in the second-round at UFC 116 last July. However, Brock faced a troublesome first round when he was nearly finished with a barrage of Carwin strikes.

“Just because the (Shane) Carwin fight, (Lesnar) didn’t look all that spectacular. I think a lot of people might have thought that he lost that fight”, said Mir.

But the bout with Velasquez was really the icing on the cake. The now Mexican-American heavyweight champion dominated Lesnar at UFC 121, managing a take down of his own, and eventually pouring it on the former WWE personality en route to a first-round TKO victory.

“And then the (Cain) Velasquez fight obviously, Velasquez made (Brock) basically shout ‘Stop, Enough, Enough’ before he tapped due to strikes and that looked really bad”, concluded Mir.

So, MMA peeps, looks like a third bout with the two former champions may not be in the works–but then, who would you like to see both competitors matched up with? Sound off in the comment section below.

UFC President Dana White alongside color commentator Joe Rogan served as the special guest’s during UFC 122′s pre-fight Q&A session with the fans, in Oberhausen, Germany at the Konig Pilsener Arena.

Earlier today, the head honcho spoke about potential match ups for his stars in the future, chief among those in question was the recently dethroned former UFC heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar.

It had been rumored for sometime now that Lesnar could face Roy Nelson, the season 10 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” in his next match up, however nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, according to White, Lesnar would like another shot at his arch rival (if mixed martial arts had arch rivals, these two would be the epitome) Frank Mir.

“The last I did hear from him, he said that he wanted to fight Frank Mir again,” White said about his former heavyweight champion during the Q&A session when prompted by a fan. “That fight kind of makes sense. You know, rubber match, we’ll see.”

A rubber match would mean big bucks for both men, and would also mark the first trilogy in the UFC’s heavyweight division. Mir recently bounced back from a knockout loss to Shane Carwin with a third-round knockout over former PRIDE champion, Mirko Cro Cop, at UFC 119.

Earlier rumors circled around Lesnar potentially asking for a match up with the aforementioned Nelson, which in his mind served as an easier match up than most other competitors in the heavyweight field, allowing him to bounce back from his crushing defeat at UFC 121 at the hands of current title holder Cain Velasquez.

“That’s not true, he never asked for Roy Nelson,” expounded the UFC President.

So, with Brock vs Mir 3 next on deck, potentially, how do you think it will shake out now, MMA peeps? Given Brock’s new aura of vulnerability, does Mir have a chance? Sound off in the comment section below.

6. Tito Ortiz (5,294,000 PPV Buys)

Ortiz’s name on this list proves to me that a once-great star can still have drawing power so long as his fans continue to chase a dream while his cynics keep wanting to see him lose. Ortiz had his day in the sun as a dominant Light Heavyweight Champion, but his continued success as a Pay-Per-View draw is due to his fans wanting to believe that he can finally make good on his promises of a comeback, while those that dislike the man dislike him to such a degree that they’ll consistently purchase Pay-Per-View where he fights just so they can see him lose again. Ortiz proves that a fighter with an established, loyal fanbase can remain a big draw no matter what kind of win/loss ratio he has.

7. Frank Mir (5,209,000 PPV Buys)

Like Forrest Griffin, this one took me by surprise a little. Let’s be honest, Mir doesn’t have the most entertaining style, in fact, many people were quick to call his last fight (against Mirko Filipovic) downright atrocious. And yet Mir has made a mint off of getting fans riled up. His name on this list says to me that you can still be a huge draw even if a vast majority of fans are tuning in solely to see you lose.

8. BJ Penn (5,025,000 PPV Buys)

BJ Penn’s name on this list is indicates that MMA fans don’t forget a dominant face, even if he goes away. Penn has had his fair share of highs and lows, but above all else, people still remember his dominant win over Matt Hughes, his epic win over Diego Sanchez, etc. etc. Even though MMA has entered a mainstream that always looks for the next hot thing and is quick to abandon whatever falls out of favor, Penn’s #8 slot proves that MMA fans may be a fickle bunch in some matters, but they’ve also got quite a memory.

9. Randy Couture (4,767,000 PPV Buys)

I think Randy Couture’s spot on this list is all the proof I’ll ever need in order to know that MMA is a tough addiction to quit. As strange as it may sound to say, consider that there could honestly be some MMA fans that grew up watching Randy Couture. He’s certainly competed in a main event or close to main event capacity long enough for this to happen. Throughout all the years Couture has been competing, his fans have stayed with him and with the sport. In a world dominated by the Males 18-34 demographic, Couture’s spot on this list tells me that the old dogs have a lot more influence than we might think when it comes to who draws in this sport.

10. Anderson Silva (4,650,000 PPV Buys)

Our final entrant on this list, I think Anderson Silva proves above all else that the UFC Hype Machine knows how to make stars. Anderson Silva was always a fantastic fighter, but thanks to the UFC’s marketing juggernauts, Silva has been built up as the be-all and end-all in the UFC, with UFC President Dana White consistently calling him the top “Pound-for-Pound” athlete in the world despite a few puzzling fights where Silva seemed to have little fight in him. Silva is living proof that a great fighter will always be great, but a great fighter marketed correctly can bring in a huge amount of money.

So that’s the list, fans and friends. Remember, the full list can be found on MMA Manifesto. And now it’s your turn: did anyone in the bottom 5 surprise you? Do you think someone should be ranked higher than someone else? And what do you think these athletes say about our sport?

According to the Graciemag article, the UFC is looking at a possible November event in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. The HSBC Arena is currently the rumored venue of choice for an event that is supposedly going to be called “Ultimate Brazil”. The first “Ultimate Brazil”, also known as “UFC Brazil” and UFC 17.5, took place over twelve years ago in a Brazilian gymnasium. The event featured such notable fights as Vitor Belfort TKO’ing Wanderlei Silva and Pedro Rizzo KO’ing David Abbott.

I think Brazil could easily become a major player in the UFC’s international excursions in the very near future. The UFC has left Brazil untapped for over a decade, and it’s high time that they test the waters once again. No matter what card they put together, I think the UFC will be very successful in their first UFC show.

But if you want my opinion? I say stop making “Brazil vs. USA” cards in principal and start putting them into practice. What I mean is that the UFC has made several notable Pay-Per-View events in recent history that have been filled with Brazilian fighters taking on American fighters, but they’ve never come out and directly marketed the “country vs. country” dynamic. For the UFC’s first show in Brazil, I’m calling for a “Brazil vs. USA” card so blatant that I’d even want it to be called “Brazil vs. USA”.

Not only that, but just imagine the type of fights that the UFC could put together if they truly want to make this foray into Brazil a resounding success. We could see the third encounter between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. We could get Wanderlei Silva facing off against Vitor Belfort once again, after all this time. How about a rematch between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir? And if the UFC really wanted to ensure a sell-out, they could book the match that practically everyone in the world wants to see: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva 2. If the card really does take place in November, Chael’s one-year suspension (if he does end up serving the entire length of the suspension) would have ended with more than enough time to prepare for this rematch.

I know I could be accused of getting my hopes up, and rightly so, but it’s hard not to when I think of all the great Brazilian stars competing in the UFC and how the UFC always tries to fill the first card in a new market with talent that’s native to that region. Depending on how big of a statement the UFC wants to make when they return to Brazil, we could end up getting one of the best events of the past several years. It may be a year away, but I can’t wait to see this card come to fruition and I look forward to seeing what big-name athletes the UFC brings to the table when they return to Brazil.

And what about you, fans and friends? How excited are you about the UFC returning to Brazil, and what fights would you like to see?

Speaking with Fighters Only, here’s what Mirko Cro Cop had to say on the situation: “I know nothing about it, this is the first I heard of it. But it would be an interesting fight for sure. I think Roy’s style matches very well with mine, we could have a good fight. I didn’t hear anything from the UFC yet, but let’s see if they call me.”

Both men have lost one and won one in their most-recent fights. Roy Nelson recently became the only man to ever survive all three rounds against Junior dos Santos, losing to the heavy-handed and heavily-feared striker via Unanimous Decision. Mirko Filipovic was last seen eating a late-round and fight-ending knee by former champion Frank Mir in a fight that some have called one of the worst UFC main events in recent history.

Now, if you’ll recall, I was one of the most adamant nay-sayers when it came to Cro Cop vs. Mir. I’ve been saying for quite a while now that Cro Cop is not relevant and will never be relevant in the UFC. And despite the negativity I know it’s going to inspire, I still firmly believe that, and that’s why I don’t want to see this fight happen.

Mirko Cro Cop does not deserve another top-card fight against another top-level UFC star. Roy Nelson has to endure an incredible amount of mud-slinging due to his unusual physique, but at the end of the day, the man is a great fighter and deserves his spot at or near the top of the card. Mirko Cro Cop hasn’t done anything lately to make me believe that he should get one last “last chance”.

In regards to who I think should face Roy Nelson, I honestly think Frank Mir would be a great choice, or perhaps a rematch with Brendan Schaub. I think both fights would be very entertaining for several different reasons: Mir vs. Nelson would be an incredibly competitive ground war, while Nelson vs. Schaub would be an epic stand-up battle especially when you consider how much of a tear Schaub has been on since losing to Nelson.

So while I’m willing to admit that a Cro Cop vs. Nelson fight does have potential, ultimately I’m siding against this one. If Mirko Cro Cop is given one last “last chance”, it needs to be lower on the cards and against someone who’s an up-and-comer looking to make a name for himself. It may seem harsh, but being a gatekeeper is the only viable option Cro Cop has left if he wants to remain in the UFC.

But what do you think, fans and friends? How interested would you be if Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson became Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson?

Here are the highlights from a new interview with the folks over at MMAWeekly: “With TV cameras, cell phones, Flip cameras, you’ve got to walk the line and be responsible. There is responsibility with being the champion. First and foremost, I have to be a good role model to my own kids… People are going to trip and people are going to make mistakes, that’s human nature. As long as you learn from those mistakes and take responsibility, what more can you ask for?”

All this coming from a man who once rode Heath Herring like a rodeo bronco, flipped off the crowd, endorsed the competition to one of the UFC’s biggest and most notable sponsors, and told Frank Mir “talk all the **** you want now” after pounding his face in. While I respect Lesnar’s sudden turnaround and commend him for adopting the values of a true champion, ultimately the man is no saint and he’s got a long way to go if he really wants to keep this image.

But here’s the thing: was Lesnar’s previous image really all that bad to begin with? Yes, I realize that professional athletes, especially top-tier professional athletes, should all be squeaky-clean role models so as not to corrupt the impressionable youth. But let’s not put our heads in the sand here. Everybody loves a bad boy. Brock Lesnar didn’t become the UFC’s biggest draw because he kissed babies and made nice with his opponents.

A huge amount of people that tune in to a Brock Lesnar fight do so because they hate his guts and want to see that cocky smile blasted off of his face. An equally massive amount of people tune in because they hate the cynics and want to see them get proven wrong. There is no middle ground with Brock Lesnar, the overwhelming majority either loves him or hates him. And no matter what, everyone notices him. He may not be the world’s greatest role model, but the last three UFC events Brock Lesnar competed in all surpassed one million Pay-Per-View buys.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for this Brock Lesnar “face turn” as so many of his former pro wrestling fans seem to be calling it. Lesnar deserves an incredible amount of respect for returning after such a debilitating injury, and especially for keeping his championship, and he likely wouldn’t have gotten it if he had been the same cocky Lesnar that caused such a stir at UFC 100. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I wasn’t entertained by Brock Lesnar’s antics before UFC 116. Brock Lesnar is a fantastic athlete, a great champion, and a wildly entertaining personality… no matter what that personality entails. As the biggest bad boy on the planet or as a humble champion of champions, I’m in Brock Lesnar’s corner no matter what.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of this new, humble Brock Lesnar?

Carwin himself, in fact, made the news of his return on his official Twitter page (@ShaneCarwin), and since then many have speculated who the former title challenger will be facing.

In his last outing, Carwin attempted to unify his interim heavyweight title, which he earned with a first round knockout of former champion Frank Mir at UFC 111, when he tangled with the current title holder in Brock Lesnar, at UFC 116 last July. After a dominant first-round turned in, where “The Engineer” was able to drop Lesnar with a barrage of punches, eventually gassing himself when he unloaded a heavy dose of ground and pound that had left Brock on the ropes, but otherwise still in the fight.

Lesnar survived the first round scare to turn it all around in the second, eventually taking down the former Division II All-American collegiate wrestler, working to mount, before submitting the 265-pound Goliath with a an arm-triangle choke. The loss snapped an undefeated streak of 12-wins in a row for the Greg Jackson product.

Now returning to action after the disappointing loss, Carwin will tangle with former IFL heavyweight champion and “The Ultimate Fighter” season 10 winner, Roy Nelson.

“Big Country” himself, is coming off a loss of his own. After going 2-0 inside the promotion with a win over hot prospect Brendan Schaub, to claim the TUF title last December, and an additional win over up-and-comer Stef Struve (UFC Fight Night 21, in March of this year)—both by way of knockout, Nelson’s run to the top was derailed when he met Brazilian striker, Junior dos Santos.

Though competitive throughout the whole bout, unfaltering even after being knocked down twice inside of the first round, Nelson walked away from the bout the loser, when a unanimous decision went the way of the Team Nogueria product, who trains alongside the Nogueria brothers (of course) as well as champions Rafael “Feijao” of Strikeforce, and current UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.

Junior and Nelson were vying for a number one contender’s spot, against the winner of the Brock Lesnar/ Cain Velasquez showdown, which is going down at UFC 121 on October 23.

Nelson and Carwin, though not officially confirmed, will likely serve on the main card for the January pay-per-view card, which is taking place in Las Vegas, Nev. The news was first broke by MiddleEasy.com.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? Who do you think will walk away the victor? Sound off in the comment section below.

The 265-pound striker was last seen in action, in attempt to unify the UFC heavyweight titles against current champion Brock Lesnar.

Carwin had initially garnered the promotions interim heavyweight title when he defeated former champion Frank Mir at UFC 111. The victory moved Carwin’s then undefeated record to a perfect 12-0, and pushed his UFC record to 4-0, all coming by some form of knockout inside of the first round.

The victory over Mir help set up, literally, the biggest heavyweight match up in the promotions history. Arguably the two-biggest heavyweights in the division, the two talented wrestlers turned mixed martial artists battled at UFC 116 last July. In the first round, Carwin was able to land his patented heavy handed strikes on Lesnar, dropping the champion in the early goings of the first round, and followed up with a powerful assault of ground-and-pound. However, Lesnar survived and Shane was noticeably fatigued.

In the second round, Carwin was only a shell of a man he was in the first, and Lesnar capitalize by taking down the Greg Jackson product immediately, eventually working to mount, and transitioned to an arm-triangle choke, and Carwin had no choice but to tap out. The dramatic ending came as a surprise to many, as Shane was pegged as the man to reign victorious over the Minnesota native. The loss snapped Carwin’s 12-fight undefeated win streak.

Carwin Tweeted the news recently, though no opponent was indicated.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Carwin’s return? Who do you think he will be matched up with? Sound off in the comments section below.

“I have no clue about Frank. To talk the stuff he does, and then fight like he fought, that’s a little frustrating. Once Cro Cop stuffed his takedown attempt, his heart fell out on the floor. If Frank Mir can’t bully you, his heart shrinks to the size of the Grinch’s. If he can’t take you down, his heart shrinks to the size of a pea…You really, really need to show up and deliver. This is a job… You go to your job and don’t perform, what will happen? And when people say, ‘Hey, these guys put their lives on the line,’ that’s a crock of s—. This sport is so safe. These guys have chosen to be fighters! These guys aren’t going into Afghanistan. The U.S. military puts their life on the line. Police, firefighters walk into the line of fire … UFC fighters do not.”

This is typical Dana White, and like the majority of what the controversial figurehead says, I find myself both agreeing and disagreeing with him. I do believe that one of Frank Mir’s biggest problems in his fight with Cro Cop was confidence. The simple fact of the matter is that Frank Mir had been pummeled quite badly in two of his most recent fights: Brock Lesnar turned his face into mush while Shane Carwin destroyed him in near-record time. Going up against a man who was once the most feared striker in the world, it’s painfully obvious that Mir did all he could to not get into any sort of striking exchange with Cro Cop until the very last possible moment.

However, I would argue that Mir’s tentativeness was equal parts fear and common sense. Mir learned his lesson against Lesnar and Carwin, of course he wouldn’t try to strike with Cro Cop. If Mir had just gotten some of his takedowns this could have been a radically different fight. And honestly, what else could he have done when Cro Cop continued to block his takedowns? Throw caution to the wind and just try to strike with him? It may have made for a more entertaining fight, but it would have also been the absolute stupidest thing Mir could have done given the situation.

And as I find myself so often repeating, it takes two to tango. Frank Mir wanted to avoid striking and get the fight to the ground, Mirko Cro Cop wanted to avoid the ground game and keep the fight standing. Both men’s gameplans cancelled each other out, and both should be criticized for not adapting to the situation and sticking to their original plans far past the point of boredom. So while I think that Dana White does have a point about Mir losing his confidence, like so many others I think he’s over-embellishing the facts.

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

Both Matt Serra and Mirko Cro Cop received indefinite suspensions following their losing efforts to Chris Lytle and Frank Mir respectively. Both men are indefinitely suspended until they get a head CT scan by a doctor and are medically cleared to fight again, at which point their suspension is reduced to a minimum of 180 days. Co-main event fighter Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was suspended for thirty days, with no contact for thirty days. The “thirty-thirty” suspension also applies to Joey Beltran and Steve Lopez. Evan Dunham was suspended for 45 days with 45 days no contact. Sean Sherk and Sean McCorkle were also suspended thirty days, with 21 days no contact for both fighters. Matt Mitrione was suspended for thirty days with twelve days no contact. Mark Hunt was suspended indefinitely, pending the results of an X-Ray on his left elbow, with thirty days no contact.

It’s unfortunate that both Mirko Cro Cop and Matt Serra are looking at basically a half-year off even if they’re medically cleared. Both are getting older and, based on their UFC 119 performances, their abilities may be on the decline as well. In Serra’s case, realistically he simply made the mistake of standing with a former boxer in order to give the fan’s a good fight. I think Serra shouldn’t be criticized, though, because he did give us a good fight, and I personally felt both he and Lytle were robbed of “Fight of the Night” honors. But ultimately, Serra’s desire to make up for their lackluster first fight caused him to take a ton of damage. Hopefully he takes these six months off to heal up, attend to any nagging injuries, and come back with a renewed sense of purpose and a back-to-basics approach.

Mirko Cro Cop’s indefinite suspension is, at least in my honest opinion, yet another nail in the man’s coffin. Robert Rousseau recently penned on article detailing why he thinks Mirko Cro Cop should retire, and I have to tell you, fans and friends…I agree with him wholeheartedly. If Mirko Cro Cop hasn’t lost his heart, he’s certainly lost his desire and tenacity. Some Cro Cop fans are saying that Mirko may have one last good run in him as a divisional gatekeeper, but honestly, is that something we need to see? After failing so hard in his attempts at UFC glory, shouldn’t we be spared the pain of seeing him flop around as a gatekeeper only to keep getting blasted whenever he’s put against a top-division athlete? I predicted Filipović would lose from the beginning, and even I don’t want to see him reduced to such a state.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Where will we see these fighters, especially Serra and Cro Cop, once their injuries heal up and their medical suspensions are lifted?

In an interview with Sherdog, Frank Mir was quick to criticize his lackluster performance against the PRIDE FC legend. Here are the highlights: “A ****ty win is better than a ****ty loss. Other than that, I’m pissed off about my performance. I’m not happy at all… The mistake I made was fighting him at kickboxing range. I should have closed distance more. I made the mistake of stepping back when Mirko closed the distance. In this situation, that bubble helped him… Against the cage, halfway through the round I’m bitching at myself about mistakes I’m making.”

I find myself in a very awkward position when it comes to this fight. I’m an adamant Mir supporter, and an adamant Mirko Cro Cop cynic. I think this fight proved once and for all that Cro Cop will never be anything in the UFC, but I also recently promised not to flaunt any “TOLD YOU SO” kind of attitude. Yet I have to wonder how much of this negative backlash is “sour grapes”. I have to wonder if all this negativity isn’t because the fight was boring, but because Cro Cop got KO’d right when it looked like he may finally have a shot at top-division status in UFC after all. It sucks to see your favorite fighter or one of your favorite fighters underperform, it must bite even harder to see them get KTFO’d by what was, for all intents and purposes, a lazy and sloppy knee that was thrown with almost no conviction.

Am I wrong here? I may have more of a point than most people are willing to admit. I heard it all leading up to this fight: Cro Cop would kill Mir, the dreaded Left High Kick would be making its triumphant return, Mir is garbage and will always be garbage, etc. etc. And then Frank Mir, Frank Mir of all people, went out and KO’d Mirko Cro Cop. It’s easy to criticize a lackluster fight, but it’s even easier to criticize the winner of the fight if he’s a fighter you don’t like. By calling the fight atrocious and the event itself a colossal letdown, perhaps Cro Cop fans are trying to get some form of revenge by diminishing Mir’s victory as much as possible.

But I’ll be completely honest, I know this wasn’t a good fight. It doesn’t matter who you were rooting for, both men underperformed. But is it really as bad as everyone is making it out to be? It doesn’t register on my “Worst MMA Fights I’ve Ever Seen” list, not at all. What we got were two guys who were very hesitant to engage. It happens. And the only reason I’m going against the majority in this situation is because I honestly feel that the majority is over-reacting.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Is Mir/Cro Cop really as bad as everyone says it is?

There were two Co-Fight of the Night performances on the card. Matt Mitrione and Joey Beltran made the “Prelims LIVE” special on Spike TV well worth watching. Both men displayed iron chins, heavy hands, and a willingness to engage that so many fighters seem to be lacking these days. While neither man is anywhere near top-division status, both men are still talented individuals and are now $70,000 richer for their efforts at giving the fans a fun fight.

The other Fight of the Night award was given to both Sean Sherk and Evan Dunham for their three-round war of attrition. Despite a sizable layoff, Sean Sherk looked to be back to his former glory in the first round of their three-round tilt, scoring several impressive takedowns and nailing good Ground and Pound, the highlight of which was an elbow that produced a sizable gash on Dunham’s head. Dunham would go on to rebound and in my fans’ eyes win rounds 2 and 3, although the judges would ultimately give the decision to Sherk. Even though the ending was controversial, the fight itself was very entertaining and both men deserve their $70,000 bonuses.

Surprisingly enough, no “KO of the Night” bonus was awarded. Usually this only happens when no KO is recorded, but UFC 119 saw the dramatic KO’ing of feared Croatian striker and PRIDE FC legend Mirko Cro Cop at the hands (more specifically, the knees) of former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. It’s true that the finale came near the end of a rather boring three-round stall-fest, where both men nailed only small offensive flurries, but I think Mir should have gotten his $70,000. Even if the fight itself was boring, let’s not kid ourselves: the UFC just found another great segment to add to Frank Mir’s highlight reel, and you can bet that they’ll be milking it for every cent it’s worth in Mir’s next fight. Due to that I really think Mir should have been awarded “KO of the Night”.

I also disagree with the Matt Serra/Chris Lytle fight not being awarded “Fight of the Night” status. I felt that the fight was an easy pick for such an award. Neither man ever left his feet, but neither man ever wavered either. Both men were constantly moving forward, constantly landing shots, it was like their first rather-boring fight had never happened. What we saw was two incredibly tough veterans slugging it out, leaving it all on the line, and having absolutely nothing to apologize for when the final bell rang. I won’t dispute that Mitrione/Beltran and Dunham/Sherk were both very fun and entertaining fights, but I honestly think Serra/Lytle beat them both out by a not-inconsiderable margin.

I’m very glad that this event was such a success, and I’m equally as glad that the UFC continues to up the ante and award bigger and bigger “Of the Night” bonuses. UFC 119 was an entertaining event, period. It may not have lived up to everyone’s expectations, it may have featured some controversial decisions, some fights may have been a bit on the boring side, and the main event may have seen the man mostly vilified by the masses KO the man who holds semi-revered status with most MMA fans. But none of that makes it an event that was boring overall, or horrible. It wasn’t “Event of the Year” material, but in a world where everyone’s a critic and nothing is as good as it could have been, UFC 119 got my seal of approval.

But what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 119, and what do you think about these “Of the Night” bonuses?

Next for Mark Hunt: Retirement. No one comes back from six straight stoppage losses. Hunt did give us an exciting fight, but he got submitted so quickly that I honestly don’t see him ever being taken seriously again. There will always be a home for him in places like lower-level promotions and (most likely) the entirety of Japan, but I think he should just save himself the trouble and retire already.

Next for Sean Sherk/Evan Dunham: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. Trust me: this story will see a second chapter. It may happen immediately, it may not, but Sherk/Dunham 2 must take place before Sherk is ever taken seriously again. Despite sporting a hideous gash on his head for most of the fight, Dunham remained dynamic, engaged frequently, and should have taken the Split Decision victory. Even Dana White has said that he hated this decision, so a rematch is a no-brainer.

Next for Ryan Bader: Losing to Jon Jones, plain and simple. Bader proved at UFC 119 that his “dynamic mode” has an “off” switch. When he doesn’t want to engage he can be downright boring. Bader’s tepid performance was certainly good enough to give him the win, I’m not disputing that. But unless he brings his best from the first bell to the last, the Ryan Bader we saw at UFC 119 will be easy pickings for Jonny Bones, who doesn’t seem to know how to fight in any style other than “awesome”.

Next for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: A decent run at Light Heavyweight that never truly lives up to the potential it could have had when Nogueira knocked out Luis Arthur Cane. “Little Nog” will likely stick around and be successful just like his bigger brother, but like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, his success will only go so far. And unlike “Big Nog”, I don’t see Rogerio ever becoming a UFC champion. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the Nogueira brothers are a part of the “old guard” that today’s current stars are quickly passing by.

Next for Frank Mir: A rematch with Shane Carwin, perhaps? Or maybe someone like Roy Nelson. Mir took an important step towards re-establishing himself as an elite-level Heavyweight, but he’s not there yet. I’d be a hypocrite if I said that Mir is at the top of the rankings after beating Cro Cop, because I’ve adamantly stated and defended my stance that Mirko Cro Cop is not a top-division UFC fighter. When you look at it from that point of view, and when you consider how timid Mir was until he scored the surprise KO, Mir still has quite a road ahead of him before he’s up there and challenging for the belt again. But beating Cro Cop did prove that it’s still a possibility.

Next for Mirko Cro Cop: I bet right about now a lot of people are expecting me to go on a big “TOLD YOU SO” rant, especially when you consider how I sat back and let the critics get in their shots when Randy Couture demolished James Toney. But you know what? I honestly felt sad when I saw Cro Cop go limp. Cro Cop was a good fighter. No, that’s wrong. He was an amazing fighter. His run in PRIDE rivals all the other famous runs that PRIDE fans loved so much: Wanderlei Silva’s, Fedor Emelianenko’s, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s, the list goes on. But he’s a shadow of a shadow of his former self, and this fight proved it. So, yeah, I’m honestly sad that Mir proved once and for all that Cro Cop will never be relevant in the UFC, even after the Cro Cop defenders lambasted me for saying as such. I honestly don’t know where Mirko goes from where, but I can say with certainty that it won’t be anywhere good.

So there’s my take, fans and friends. What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 119?

Sean McCorkle defeated Mark Hunt via Submission (Kimura) at 1:03 of Round 1. TJ Grant defeated Julio Paulino via Unanimous Decision. Waylon Lowe defeated Steve Lopez via Split Decision. Thiago Tavares defeated Pat Audinwood via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:47 of Round 1. Matt Mitrione defeated Joey Beltran via Unanimous Decision. C.B. Dollaway defeated Joe Doerksen via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:47 of Round 1. Melvin Guillard defeated Jeremy Stephens via Unanimous Decision. Sean Sherk defeated Evan Dunham via Split Decision. Chris Lytle defeated Matt Serra via Unanimous Decision. Ryan Bader defeated Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via Unanimous Decision. Frank Mir defeated Mirko Filipovic via KO (Knee and Punches) at 4:02 of the Round 3.

I’m gutted that Mark Hunt lost and lost so quickly, I honestly don’t think he has any sort of future in MMA. I still respect the man a lot, but it really doesn’t get much worse than a six-fight losing streak. I really enjoyed the Mitrione/Beltran fight, as both men displayed near-infallible chin and spared no time swinging for the fences. CB Dalloway’s fight was also a blast, and I was practically falling out of my seat when he and his opponent began rolling and rolling.

Did the main card let me down? I’ll be honest, it kinda did. Sherk vs. Stephens started off wildly with Stephens immediately catching Guillard, but then it slowed down considerably. It just felt like neither man was all that wiling to engage. Things got a little better in the Sherk/Dunham fight, though, but the judging in that fight was atrocious. I’m a huge Sean Sherk fan, I really wanted him to win this fight, but I honestly think that Dunham was robbed. It’s going to be very interesting to see where both men go from here.

I was positively ecstatic that Chris Lytle defeated Matt Serra in the easy pick for Fight of the Night. I’ve been a fan of Lytle for so long that to see him take another step towards top-contender status made my night. His striking looked awesome in this fight, and his chin is as near-indestructible as ever. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see some UFC Welterweight gold around his waist, but everyone, including me, enjoys an against-all-odds story. Right now, Chris Lytle has cemented himself as a top-division athlete. And that’s more than good enough for me.

Unlike Lytle, Ryan Bader entered top-division status with a whimper. I’m glad he won, but it was honestly a very boring fight. There’s really not much to say about it because not much happened. I think Bader does deserve some big names to match up against now that he’s beaten a Nogueira brother, who are legends in this sport, but I’m disappointed that we didn’t see the dynamic striker that KO’d Keith Jardine.

I’ve got conflicting feelings regarding the main event. Make no mistake, I’m overjoyed that Mir won and KO’d Cro Cop. He proved me right: Cro Cop will never be big in the UFC, he’ll never be relevant again in today’s Mixed Martial Arts. But Mir simply seemed afraid to go for broke against Cro Cop. Cop seemed just as afraid, but as a fan of Mir, I was disappointed in his overall performance. Even though seeing him turn Cro Cop’s lights out brought me immense joy.

Overall, UFC 119 was an interesting event. It wasn’t “Best of the Year” status, but I’ve already seen people call the event “horrible” and I have to tell you, fans and friends…I disagree with them wholeheartedly. But what about you? What did you think of UFC 119?

Courtesy of MMAWeekly, the weigh-ins went down as follows: Frank Mir (252) vs. Mirko Filipovic (227). Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (205) vs. Ryan Bader (205). Chris Lytle (171) vs. Matt Serra (170). Evan Dunham (156) vs. Sean Sherk (155). Melvin Guillard (155) vs. Jeremy Stephens (155). C.B. Dollaway (186) vs. Joe Doerksen (186). Matt Mitrione (253) vs. Joey Beltran (239). Thiago Tavares (155) vs. Pat Audinwood (156). Steve Lopez (156) vs. Waylon Lowe (154). T.J. Grant (170) vs. Julio Paulino (170). Mark Hunt (265) vs. Sean McCorkle (263).

I think it’s funny how Frank Mir still talks about potentially dropping down to Light Heavyweight when he’s weighed in at 265 for his last few fights and only cut thirteen pounds for this fight. I’m saying this half-critically and half as a Mir fan. Mir just wouldn’t work at Light Heavyweight, he’d be downright emaciated. Mirko Cro Cop as a 205’er I can see. In fact, that may be his only option left once Mir gets through with him. Mir’s sizable weight advantage should give him a lot more power in his takedowns, which will put Cro Cop in a heap of trouble.

I think it’s interesting that Lytle took advantage of the one-pound-over limit when he’s always been a smaller Welterweight. I’m also surprised that Evan Dunham used the same allowance while his opponent Sean Sherk didn’t need it, because Sherk has always been a muscular and massive Lightweight. I don’t think that one pound will help either man: Sherk has always been an incredibly dominant wrestler while “Lights Out” is facing one of the toughest tests in his career when he rematches Serra.

Something that absolutely did not take me by surprise was the fact that Mark Hunt came in at 265. Hunt is a Super Heavyweight no matter what anyone says and I respect him a whole lot for making what I know must have been a not-inconsiderate weight cut. It remains to be seen how much of that 265 is muscle, and how the cut affected Hunt’s cardio, but I’m honestly pulling for him.

In other weigh-in news, I think Matt Mitrione will have a pretty good fight with Joey Beltran, but I actually see the weight disparity acting in Beltran’s favor. If Beltran can keep it active and avoid the heavy hands of “Meathead”, he may actually tire Mitrione out and leave him open for some big shots.

And now that all is said and done, the anticipation continues to build. With every fight official and no fighters missing weight, I can’t wait to see what UFC 119 has in store for us. It should be a very fun night of fights.

And what about you, fans and friends? This is your last shot to get your opinions in on UFC 119 before the Octagon door closes and we go live on both Spike TV and Pay-Per-View. What did you think of the weigh-ins, and who do you see emerging as the big winners and losers of UFC 119?

5. Does Mark Hunt Deserve to be in the UFC?

It seems as if many have taken on a tone of negativity when it comes to Mark Hunt’s impending undercard debut in the UFC. People are quick to point out that he would normally not be given a second glance by UFC President Dana White due to the fact that Hunt has lost so many fights recently. But whether we like it or not, Hunt is in the UFC. And whether his detractors admit it or not, Hunt has an incredible amount of heart and always tries to put on a great performance. If Mark Hunt proves that he’s deserving of his place in the top promotion in the world, we may have a certifiable mid-level attraction on our hands.

4. Will Chris Lytle Ever Hold a Championship?

Chris Lytle hasn’t been within shouting distance of a title shot in quite some time (cynics would say “never”, but I find that a bit too harsh). Now that he’s on a three fight win streak, with two great submissions back-to-back, Lytle is ready to put himself into prime title contention if he can get past the super-tough Matt Serra. I know that many find it very unlikely that Lytle will ever hold a championship, but 2010 proved that even the impossible is possible. If Lytle beats Serra, we may have a new challenger for GSP.

3. What’s Left for Sean Sherk?

Sherk hasn’t competed in over a year, and was last seen going 1-2 in his last three fights. As Sherk creeps ever closer to the dreaded four-zero, it remains to be seen if his aging body can combat the sizable amount of ring rust he’ll have going into his fight with Evan Dunham. If Sherk can beat Dunham, he’ll make a solid addition to a Lightweight division that has been blown wide open now that Frank Edgar is unquestionably the best Lightweight in the world. If he loses, we may be seeing the beginning of the end for one of the hardest-working fighters in MMA.

2. Do the Nogueira Brothers Still Have It?

One paragraph would never do justice to the amount of heart, will, and fighting spirit that the Nogueira brothers have. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira are two are the best Brazilian Jui Jitsu-based MMA fighters that have ever competed…but unfortunately, they’ve begun to show their age. “Big Nog” was last seen getting  his once-unbreakable chin shattered by Cain Velasquez, “Little Nog” was last seen squeaking out a victory against Jason Brilz. If Rogerio can rebound with a dramatic win over “Darth Bader”, he’ll put himself into prime title contention. If not, it seems as if the Nogueira brothers may be nearing the end of their shelf-life.

And my number one spot quite obviously goes to…

1. Does Mirko Cro Cop Still Have It?

I’ve debated it. You’ve debated it. Everyone has debated it. It’s by far the most important question that UFC 119 will answer. Mirko Cro Cop is staring down a former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion when he faces Frank Mir tomorrow. Mir is a submission specialist that famously broke Tim Sylvia’s arm, became the first man to ever stop Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and put a temporary halt to the meteoric rise of current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar by submitting him via kneebar. Mir is a top-division athlete and by far the toughest opponent Cro Cop has ever faced in the UFC. Does the famous Croatian striker have one last run in him? I certainly don’t believe he does, but that’s the thing: never say never. I can’t say that I won’t be biting my nails in anticipation, hoping that Mir proves me right. And no matter who you support, we’ll soon find out just which one of these fighters still has it in him to remain relevant in the increasingly-competitive UFC Heavyweight Division.

So there’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? What are some important questions that you think will be answered at UFC 119?

Now, as the fight looms closer, an injury and insufficient time to prepare, cited by “Cro Cop”, may give the Croation the disadvantage come Saturday night.

In an excerpt that was produced by Sherdog.com originally from an undisclosed Croation newspaper, it appears that Mirko is wary on his chances of defeating the former UFC heavyweight champion–that is, if the fight goes past the first couple rounds.

“I will most certainly go for a win but I think I did a lot just by accepting this fight,” he told Croatian newspapers. “I will try to do my best…if the fight goes to the third round it will be [a] handicap for me.”

The endeared former K-1 striker, is already limiting himself before the fight actually happens come Saturday, which to me is a little bit strange, to say the least. His bout with Frank Mir will mark the part time politician’s 38th professional fight in mixed martial arts, which is a feat that not many competitors are blessed to have such a long and storied career like Mirko.

After winning the PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix in 2006, which was the crown to his MMA career thus far, he has shown slight improvement over the years, at least in the octagon.

After an initial run that procured a 1-2 record in his first three bouts in the UFC, he is now riding on a 2-fight win streak inside the cage, and most recently bested fellow revered striker Pat Barry at UFC 115, though many will point that Frank Mir is another animal entirely.

So, MMA peeps, is Mirko limiting himself, or is he being a little too hone st about his limitations coming into the fight? He’s had, in my opinion, ample time to prepare, and the infamous eye poke that caused a stir, now appears to be under wraps. Sound off in the comments section below.

Courtesy of the official UFC.com website, the press release is as follows: “Legendary Croatian striker Mirko Cro Cop has been examined by an ophthalmologist in Indianapolis, site of Saturday’s UFC 119 event at Conseco Fieldhouse, and has been medically cleared to compete in the main event this weekend against former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Cro Cop suffered a poke in the eye in the last round of his final sparring session for the bout last week, but after a few days of rest, he is in tip top shape for this pivotal battle of heavyweight contenders.”

I’m very glad that Mirko got the go-ahead, since I think Mir/Cro Cop is a solid main-event that I’m quite honestly looking forward to. And if I’m being perfectly honest, I’m looking forward to this entire card. So here are my predictions for some of the major fights of UFC 119 “Mir vs. Cro Cop”.

Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

Say hello to the return of the wrestler. Sherk will come in with a not-insignificant amount of ring rust, but due to that he’ll rely almost solely on his wrestling and only use his striking to set up takedowns. And Sherk’s wrestling has always been incredibly dominant. It’ll be another case of “beautiful ugliness” when Sherk continues to take Dunham down, slamming him into the canvas with authority on more than one occasion, and pounding his opponent out. Sherk takes a dominating three-round decision and immediately puts himself back “into the mix”.

Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle

My prediction is that I’m going to both love and hate this match. I’m a fan of both men, and I really, really don’t want to see either man lose, especially when a big win for Lytle puts him “into the mix” again, while Serra stays “in the mix” if he beats “Lights Out”. It’s going to be a fantastic war, and I think we’ll see a sizable chunk of this fight go to the ground. And it’ll be just as exciting as when both men are standing up and swinging for the fences. I’ve just got to go with Lytle, but only because I want him to win more. Lytle takes a super-close, grueling three round decision.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader

Look for “Darth Bader” to cement his status as a top 205’er with a big win over “Little Nog”. I hate to pick against a Nogueira brother, but Little Nog’s fight with Jason Brilz left a sour taste in my mouth. Nogueira still has plenty of years left in him, but he’ll have a very hard time against Bader, who has solid wrestling and super-sneaky one-hit KO power. He’ll be only the second man in history to ever do it, but I’m predicting that Ryan Bader is going to KO Rogerio Nogueira. But it won’t be easy, which is why I’m also predicting that it’ll happen late in Round 2 or early in Round 3.

Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop

Nothing has changed from my first opinion piece about this fight. I firmly believe that Mirko Cro Cop is not relevant in today’s Heavyweight division and that nothing short of a full-on rebirth a la Randy Couture will make him relevant again. I’ll eat my crud yet again if Mirko does the seemingly-impossible, but time and time again I see people boiling this fight down to two simple things: people hate on Mir for his attitude while lauding Cro Cop for his accomplishments in PRIDE. The reality is this: Frank Mir can be quite an unlikeable person, but he’s also got an incredible amount of skill. And Mirko Cro Cop may have been one of the best PRIDE FC fighters ever, but he hasn’t beaten any top-ranked opponents since PRIDE and has in fact looked horrible in several of his recent losses to top-ranked talents. Mir will likely be called all manner of derogatory terms for it, but I see him wasting no time in getting a takedown and scoring a submission. Look for Frank Mir to win by submission early in Round 1, Round 2 at the latest.

And those are my picks, fans and friends. How do you see UFC 119 going down?

The September card, which is headlined by former champions Frank Mir and Mirko Filipovic, better known simply as “Cro Cop”, is now going 11-deep with the addition of the lightweight match up of veteran Thiago Tavares against octagon debutant Pat Audinwood.

Tavares, a once prominent contender in the UFC’s 155-pound weight class, has largely struggled as of late inside the cage. In his last four performances, Tavares has only picked up only one win, a decision victory over “The Ultimate Fighter” season five finalist Manny Gamburyan who left the UFC in early 2009 to try his hat at 145 in the WEC. In his most recent outing, Thiago drew with fellow lightweight Nik Lentz this past January after having a point deducted in the third round after repeated low blows–Tavares was ahead on the score cards and likely on his way to victory before the final 9-9 round enabled the draw decision.

Before the win and subsequent draw, Tavares was riding a two-fight losing streak to standouts Matt Wiman and Kurt Pellegrino, respectively.

Audinwood, an undefeated prospect from the east coast, hails from “Team Bombsquad” out of Cortland, New York–the same team that heralded UFC veteran Tamdam McCrory and UFC phenom Jon Jones. A pro since 2007, Pat is ten fights into his mixed martial arts career, sporting a 9-0-1 record, 4 of his victories come by way of submission. “Awesomely Awesome” (yes, that’s his real nick name) doesn’t hold an “Awesome” signature victory to his credit, but a win over Tavares is certainly a step in the right direction for the UFC rookie.

The lightweight match up is important for both men, a means to an end for Audinwood and all his hard work leading up to this point, and a chance for Tavares to reassert himself as a viable fighter in a deep 155-pound division, where he was once regarded as one of their best.

The bout takes place on the night’s untelevised, preliminary card.

Here’s what Frank said in its entirety regarding the situation: “I don’t know if he’s ever really lost his step. I just think the fighters now in the UFC are just a little bit more aggressive than the fighters in PRIDE. Studying tape on him, I noticed that guys that back away from him and give him that respect, it seems like they get unleashed on a little harder than the guys that come forward… I think Cro Cop has a good sprawl; he has a good double underhooks. I think if I were to try to just drop and shoot on him, he would stop my shot. I think standing up with him is actually the route to go at first and then eventually when you work in the clinch, going to the ground is obviously a lot easier to do with him than Nogueira.”

I think Frank Mir has a point, but only when it comes to aggressive opponents being Cro Cop’s kryptonite. Cro Cop first gained his fearsome reputation by brutally knocking out opponents that were mostly wrestlers, and in the case of Igor Vovchanchyn and Dos Caras Jr., a fighter that was past a prime that was never all that good to begin with and a Mexican Luchador that had no business in a PRIDE ring. By the time he took on predominantly striking-based fighters, those fighters were wary to engage with a man whose highlights involved knocking opponents senseless with legs seemingly made out of concrete.

Ever since Gabriel Gonzaga decided to not buy into the hype and instead try to beat Cro Cop at his own game, Cro Cop has floundered and flopped his way through two very boring, uneventful runs in the UFC. It’s true that Cro Cop is 5-1-1 since a loss to Cheick Kongo sent him out of the UFC in 2007, but Cro Cop hasn’t faced anyone with any skill and actually won since he beat Josh Barnett in 2006. Cro Cop has been feeding from the bottom of both the Japanese and UFC barrels in order to pad out his record with meaningless wins. Even past his prime, Cro Cop is still too much to handle for these bottom-level talents. It’s when Cro Cop faces somebody, anybody, with actual skill that he loses and loses convincingly.

So I applaud Frank Mir for keeping it clean against Cro Cop, but in all honesty, he’s got a lot to work with if he ever decides to get his hands dirty. You’ll never see Mirko Cro Cop win a UFC Heavyweight Championship. You’ll never see him reach the same heights as he did in PRIDE. What you will see him do is consistently fail against the UFC’s growing top-tier of Heavyweights, then go back to Japan and pick up a few decent wins over the slim pickings there. Expect Mir to win this one and win it quickly, either by out-boxing Cro Cop or taking him down and submitting him.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Does Mirko Cro Cop have a career rebirth in him, or do you agree with me in saying that his best days are long over?

First off, beating the top fighter in the world does not instantly make you the top fighter in the world, especially considering the splintered nature of MMA’s Heavyweight division, where almost all the best Heavyweight athletes are in the UFC. Leading up to his shocking win against Fedor, Werdum had beaten Mike Kyle and Antonio Silva himself. Leading up to his shocking come-from-behind submission win over Shane Carwin, Brock Lesnar had beaten UFC Hall of Fame member and then-current UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and then-current UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir.

In short: Werdum beat a nobody and then a mid-level opponent that has only recently begun to emerge as anything more than a freak-show attraction, and then he got a great win under his belt. Brock Lesnar beat a champion who is also a legend in this sport, and then he beat another champion and the only man who ever beat him, and then he scored a fantastic come-from-behind win over someone who had just obliterated anyone that ever went up against him up to that point. Even with his remarkable win over Fedor, Fabricio Werdum simply hadn’t faced the same level of competition that Brock Lesnar had, and so I think it’s perfectly justifiable to have Lesnar as the number one Heavyweight, Werdum at two, and Fedor at number three.

I agree with Silva that it’s crazy to have a fighter with a 5-1 record being ranked as the top Heavyweight in the world. But that’s actually a compliment to Brock Lesnar. It’s a testament to his off-the-charts skills, power, and wrestling pedigree that Lesnar basically came in, conquered the UFC, and now stands atop the world as the best Heavyweight. I personally think that Cain Velasquez will prove to be Lesnar’s kryptonite, but until that time comes, Lesnar is without equal.

And to be perfectly honest, I don’t think Antonio Silva should be throwing stones while living in a house made of glass. It wasn’t long ago that “Bigfoot” was nothing more than a freakshow attraction, used by promoters to milk his impressive size and his average fighting ability. Until his recent win over Andrei Arlovski, the only real name-value opponent on Silva’s record was Fabricio Werdum, and Silva lost that fight. Antonio Silva has only just begun to be accepted as an elite-level Heavyweight fighter, rather than just a big guy with big hands. He should take a hard look at himself, and how promoters booked him in the past, before he begins criticizing the UFC and their rushing of Lesnar into the spotlight.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Do Antonio Silva’s words have merit, or is he sticking his nose into places where it doesn’t belong?

Frank Mir, a former heavyweight champion who first obtained championship gold after a run through the 265-pound division after compiling an impressive 5-1 run before defeating then heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia, with a 50 second armbar, into the first round, back at UFC 48.

Mir, though, has fallen on tough times, as he has lost two of his last three bouts. An impressive win over division standout Cheick Kongo is sandwiched between two losses to current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and most recently a loss to heavyweight contender and alleged steroid user Shane Carwin, at UFC 111 in March of this year.

“Cro Cop”, a Pride superstar made headlines back in 2006 when he decided to sign with MMA juggernaut, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, though he competed with mixed results, garnering a 1-2 run with his first outing with the UFC.

After a brief stint with DREAM, Mirko is now on the heels of a two-fight win streak inside the octagon, and a 5-1 record in his last 6 fights, with wins over Anthony Perosh and an impressive performance against the dynamic, Pat Barry at UFC 115 last June. Filipovic was in rare form, after being knocked down twice in the first round, Mirko stormed back to steal the second frame, and eventually was able to overwhelm “HD” in the third with a barrage of strikes, dropping the New Orleans native, and eventually securing a rear naked choke to close the show, and pocketed “Submission of the Night” honors for his efforts.

I think fans, and media alike, are pleased with the sudden change up, as UFC 119 was first sought to be where Brock Lesnar would make his title defense against challenger Cain Velasquez, before his fellow Minnesotans. However, after having just competed at UFC 116 in a successful title defense against challenger Shane Carwin, the heavyweight king pin needed some time away from the cage, and with the family, while Lesnar was expecting his next child to be born that July, the same month he last competed.

Then, Mir vs Nogueria II, a rematch nearly two years in the making, was put into effect, to some dismay as the waning interest in the fight was found to be null. However, in a term of both unfortunate and fortunate events, Nogueria was pulled from the card after the former Pride and UFC heavyweight champion suffered a hip injury.

“Cro Cop” was expected to make his return at UFC 123, a rumored event for Germany that is riddled with people of Croation descent, making him an ideal candidate for the card.

However it appears that Mirko had no qualms about stepping up on short notice against Mir, a Jiu-Jitsu specialist who now has a penchant for striking.

So, what do you think? Is everyone pleased with the change, or were we all anticipating the Nogueria vs Mir rematch?

Can “Mir KO” pull out a victory, or is defeat imminent?

The news was delivered by Brazilian website, Tatame.com, where “Minotauro” explains what’s up next for him.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert was set to make a return to the octagon come UFC 119 for headlining duties, against foe Frank Mir, in a rematch from their initial meeting at UFC 92, where Mir captured the then interim heavyweight championship after defeating Nogueria with second round strikes.

Antonio had long wanted the rematch, and was finally getting his due, before a long going hip injury took him out of contest. Nogueria will now go under the knife to correct the injury, once and for all.

“I hurt my hips training and I’ll have to go on surgery,” Nogueira told Tatame, which doubles as a magazine as well. “I’m only depending on a few exams, but I think it’ll be done by the weekend.

“The surgery will be on both sides of my hips, and I’ll operate my knee too. If everything goes alright I’ll be back on training in four months.”

So, should Nogueria get Mir, who now fights Cro Cop in place of Nogueria, when he comes back?
Or is there someone you would rather see the Brazilian face?

Personally, I much prefer the Cro Cop vs Mir fight. It will show where both stand in the division and I think proves more detrimental to their careers than Nogueria’s, since unfortunately, he is often referred to as being his “twilight”–not to be confused with the tween movie/book sensation.

Before the injury forced him to pull out of UFC 119, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was set to share the spotlight with his brother, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. “Little Nog” is expected to fight in the co-main event slot against rising Light Heavyweight prospect and Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Ryan Bader, who was coached by “Big Nog” during that season of TUF. It is not known what injury has forced the Nogueira brother out of the main-event slot, but it likely isn’t anything minor, as the Nogueira brothers are notorious for their toughness.

When it comes to Mirko “Cro Cop” vs. Frank Mir, I admit that this fight makes some pretty decent sense. Frank Mir looked excellent against Cheick Kongo but looked horrible against Shane Carwin. Mirko Cro Cop looked excellent against Pat Berry but looked horrible against Junior Dos Santos. Cro Cop is most famous for his dreaded Left High Kick that scalped more than a few heads back in the glory days of PRIDE, while Frank Mir is perhaps best known for either submitting Brock Lesnar and spoiling his UFC debut, or to more old-school fans, snapping Tim Sylvia’s arm and winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Cro Cop has always had a good enough ground game to where he’s rarely been submitted and usually is able to get back to his feet; Frank Mir’s stand-up has looked markedly improved in his fights with Kongo and Nogueira. For two men with such radically different fighting styles, they share a lot of similarities.

However, I think Frank Mir will ultimately win this fight. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’ll be a blowout. I’ll say it right now: both these men are past their prime and it’s very unlikely that either will win a UFC championship in today’s UFC Heavyweight division. I just think that Frank Mir still has a few good years hovering around the elite (basically, a glorified gatekeeper), while I personally believe that Cro Cop is only a few losses away from retiring. It’s true that Frank Mir is 2-2 in his last four fights while Cro Cop is 3-1. But Frank Mir has both beaten and lost to bigger names. The only victories Mirko Cro Cop has in the UFC are against the bottom of the barrel, or mid-level talent at best. He’s never beaten a quality UFC fighter, not once, and despite his recent losses, you’ve still got to hand it to Frank Mir and give him his due as a quality UFC fighter. His losses to Cheick Kongo, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Junior Dos Santos were three big nails into Cro Cop’s career coffin, and look for that pounding to begin again when Frank Mir either submits him or wins via Unanimous Decision.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Are you still excited for the main event of UFC 119? And who do you think will win this match, and how?

Emelianeko, legend and former Pride and WAMMA heavyweight champion, is apparently in good standings with his new home with Strikeforce.

Just two month’s removed from his first “real” loss as a professional to then heavy-underdog Fabricio Werdum, who submitted the sambo specialist with a tight, tight triangle choke, just 69 seconds into the first round, Emelianenko spoke with m-1global.com (owned by M-1 Global, Fedor’s management company) and hinted to a possible contract extension with Strikeforce.

After making his debut in devastating fashion over the hard-hitting Brett Rogers, Fedor would eventually lose to Werdum some months later, halting an impressive 27 fight win streak which dates back to 2000, when Fedor lost to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka via TKO (cut), in what was considered controversial since elbows were not allowed in the tournament format Fedor was competing in.

While many speculated when the former consensus number one heavyweight fighter would eventually make his UFC debut, where arguably the best competition exists with current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and challengers Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin exist, it appears that we will all have to wait a little bit longer.

Though his next move is still uncertain, Strikeforce is seemingly securing the heavyweight star while still under contract, extending the 33-year-old contract.

“As far and I’m concerned we should discuss the possibility of signing another contract for four to six fights”, said Emelianenko to m-1global.com.

And outside of Fedor himself, M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan, wants to reciprocate those same intentions.

“The relationship between ourselves, Strikeforce and Showtime is a good one,” he said. “We had a great event in June in San Jose, and we look forward to more good events with our partners.

“(M-1 Global and Strikeforce) are in talks to extend the contract for Fedor and at the same time to settle on who, when and where he is fighting next. These talks are going smoothly, and we are hopeful of a full resolution very shortly.”

While the UFC offers a bevy of dream matches for the Russian, and much stiffer competition with the aforementioned UFC fighter’s, Strikeforce does have some notables to offer.

Bret Rogers, though tough, is largely irrelevant, unfortunately, in the Strikeforce heavyweight division, following losses to Fedor and current champion Alistair Overeem.

Overeem himself would be an excellent match up, though said fiight has lost some of it’s allure following Fedor’s loss, and Alistair’s impressive run in the past couple of years in both the MMA and Kickboxing circuit.

A rematch with Werdum would be a logical choice for the promotion, in order to get the Russian back in good standings in the heavyweight division and erase the setback the Brazilian presented. However, following the fight last June, the Abu Dhabi Grappling veteran has since received surgery on a nagging elbow injury, and will be out for the rest of 2010.

So, the next logical conclusion may be Antonio “Big Foot” Silva. The American Top Team product made his debut in a losing effort to the top-5 heavyweight Werdum, when the fight went to the judges score cards.

However, “Pezao” bounced back in a big way, when he nabbed a unanimous decision over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski last May.

I’m personally vouching for a fight with Silva, and then possibly a rematch with Werdum, where then with two “hypothetical” wins underneath his belt, Fedor might have gained some notoriety back and challenge Overeem, in what has been discussed as a possible headliner for Strikeforce’s first Pay Per View card.

So, outside of the UFC, what is the next match up that you, the fans, would like to see for Fedor?

Is everyone disappointed that the Russian may end up lock-and-sealed with Strikeforce?

Voice your opinion.

Love him or hate him, I always love when former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir comes out to “Amazing” by Kanye West. I think the song fits Mir to a tee, since it’s about being amazed at how many people are tuning in for the sole purpose of watching you, only to realize that your fame is deserved due to your brilliance. It’s rare that a song can mix a sense of awe with cockiness, but that fits Mir to a tee. As a fighter that’s come back from an injury that should have not only ended his career but seriously crippled him for the rest of his life, Mir always seems incredibly humble when talking about the long road he took to recovery, and how thankful he is that the UFC accepted him back. But when it comes to discussing his skills, Mir has a bit of an inflated ego, and that’s putting it lightly. Nevertheless, “Amazing” is a great song by a controversial musician, used by a controversial fighter with serious fighting ability.

While he’s come under fire recently for his penchant for long, drawn-out decisions, Jon Fitch’s entrance theme of “Rusty Cage” by Johnny Cash always gets me pumped to see him fight. I think “Rusty Cage” also has the benefit of fitting its fighter perfectly: the lyrics aren’t filled with any swearing or gratuitous violence, but you get the feeling that the man singing the song is no man to be messed with. The quiet power that has always been Johnny Cash’s voice perfectly reflects the quiet power that is Jon Fitch: whether you like it or not, right now he’s easily the most dominant wrestler in the UFC not named Georges St. Pierre.

But my favorite fighter entrance theme, by quite a large margin in fact, is Anderson Silva’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” by DMX. If quiet power defines Jon Fitch, then soft-spoken malevolence defines both this song and Anderson Silva. The lyrics are little more than a long warning: don’t mess with me or bad things happen to you. When it’s “on”, there’s no sunshine, only darkness. It’s not presented as a challenge, or egotistical, or even angrily: the song’s message is presented as if it were simply stating a fact of nature. There’s no need for a flashy chorus or a rocking tempo: if you mess with Anderson Silva, you’ll get destroyed. This song really hammers home the fact that anyone ready to step inside the Octagon with Anderson Silva must also be ready to receive a painful lesson in humility from one of the best in the world.

So those are my picks, fans and friends. Who do you think has some great entrance music, and why?

I think this match will be much more of a ground war than the first fight. Both men have found themselves on the receiving ends of humbling knockouts in their most recent fights. I think both men will want to play this one safe and take it to where they both excel. I’m not saying this match will be completely devoid of striking, but Nogueira must know by now that his chin is not what it once was, and Mir must know by now that his improved striking has started to fail him.

I think the physical and mental health of both fighters will play a key part in this figh. Both men need a win and need it bad, so I think both men will put everything on the line. I don’t see either man “coasting” or trying to take it easy. Both men badly want to reclaim their status as a top contender, and with the heart and determination both men have displayed in the past, I think both will come into this fight with a do-or-die mindset.

Certain news reports have Mir dropping back down to a more natural weight of 240 pounds for this fight, instead of the jacked-up 265 he was at for some of his previous fights. I think Mir’s weight will definitely play a factor in this match. If he shows up at 265, he may be able to bully Nogueira around the cage and might actually choose to keep it on the feet. If he shows up at 240, he may look to use his increased speed to catch Nogueira off-guard either with counter-punches or takedown attempts.

However, barring any unfortunate incidents, Mir will be facing a completely healthy “Big Nog” at 119. If you believe the reports, Nogueira had barely just recovered from a pretty serious staph infection leading into the first fight. Nogueira should be able to absorb a lot more punishment this time around, which poses several problems for Mir at both rumored weights. At 265, Mir may punch himself out and find Nogueira still standing. At 240, Mir’s punching power may not be hard enough to significantly damage the former PRIDE champion.

In the end, I’m picking “Big Nog” to take the rematch. Nogueira will show up hungry, healthy, and with the experience of having fought Mir before. He won’t take as many chances on the feet, but I also don’t see him getting TKO’d again. It’ll take every ounce of his being to pull off a submission against Mir, who is undeniably the best ground technician in the Heavyweight division besides Nogueira, but I think Big Nog will return the favor from their first fight and do something to Mir that no man has ever done before: I’m predicting that Nogueira is going to win this one via submission and give Mir the first submission loss of his career.

But what do you think, fans and friends? It is too crazy of an idea to have Big Nog submitting Mir? Do you think Nogueira will even win at all? And where does this fight leave the winner as well as the loser in the UFC’s ever-expanding Heavyweight division? Opinions please.

For Fighters.com and UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (5-1) it’s been a three-year roller coaster from MMA novelty to undisputed heavyweight champion.  But, after former top-ranked “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko’s (31-2) stunning loss to “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)  at Strikeforce/M-1 Global in San Jose June 26 and Lesnar’s arm triangle submission of Shane Carwin (12-1) at UFC 116 Saturday, there can be no dispute among any rational fan, fighter, journalist, or promoter that indeed Lesnar now sits atop the mountain in the world heavyweight rankings.

The debate is over, for now.

Lesnar already has second-ranked Cain Velasquez’s (8-0) name on his dance card to defend his new status.

Throughout the last year’s Emelianenko-Lesnar debate, UFC President Dana White repeated “the best fighters in the world fight the best three times per year.”  Yet, Lesnar has never passed that threshold.  Of course, Lesnar suffered from diverticulitis for several months, which postponed his UFC title defense until Saturday.  However, even without the illness, Lesnar would’ve only fought twice in 2009.

Fighters.com challenges White to make good on his promise to keep Lesnar on a four-month fight schedule, which would perch the Lesnar-Velasquez matchup at the top of the UFC 121 card rumored to be heading for Oberhausen, Germany.  More likely though, White will end the year with the matchup at UFC 122 in Las Vegas.

At UFC 117 in Oakland August 7, it seems the next top UFC contender will be decided betwen third-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (11-2) and The Ultimate Fighter 10 champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson (15-4).

Werdum ascends to the fourth spot with his submission of Emelianenko in the matchup promoted to determine the next Strikeforce title challenger to ninth-ranked “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (33-11).  However, it seems that was only if Emelianenko had won. Since the inconcievable Werdum victory, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has thrown just about every potential matchup at the wall to see what sticks except the natural Overeem-Werdum title fight to crown a clear Strikeforce champion.  Maybe Werdum and Emelianenko will rematch.  Maybe Overeem and Emelianenko will fight for the title to determine who gets the next crack at higher-ranked Werdum.  It’s all confusing and Fighters.com encourages Coker to go with plan A and match the champ Overeem with the top contender Werdum.

Carwin drops to the fifth spot with his loss to Lesnar.  Carwin…dare I use the word…dominated Lesnar in round one, but exposed a weakness on his back in round two that must be fixed if 35-year old Carwin expects to make another run to the top.

Emelianenko drops to the sixth spot.  I’m willing to have a reasonable discussion about where Emelianenko ranks, but not with anyone who’ll continue to rank Emelianenko first.  You’re delusional.  Part of Emelianenko’s ranking is just circumstantial.  For right now, Werdum is a better fighter than Emelianenko as evidenced by the actual fight in which Werdum defeated Emelianenko.  There’s no would’ves, should’ves, or could’ves to discuss after two fighters fight.  Therefore, Werdum must rank above Emelianenko.  Similarly, Werdum was knocked out by dos Santos at UFC 90 west of Chicago in October 2008.  In an effort to rank fighters presently and not historically, Fighters.com limits the considered record of fighters to their work in the previous two years.  Therefore, dos Santos must rank above Werdum who must rank above Emelianenko.  That’s Fighters.com’s method and why Emelianenko ranks sixth after losing to Werdum.

Neither seventh-ranked Frank Mir (13-5) nor eighth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1) have any scheduled or rumored fights on their calendars.

Though Coker had mentioned rematching tenth-ranked “The Grimm” Brett Rogers (10-2) and former UFC heavyweight champion “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (15-8), Fighters.com has confirmed both with Rogers’s camp and Strikeforce that the rematch has never been officially offered to Rogers.

Fighters.com’s July Heavyweight Top Ten

1. Brock Lesnar (5-1)
2. Cain Velasquez (8-0)
3. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (11-2)
4. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)
5. Shane Carwin (12-1)
6. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-2)
7. Frank Mir (13-5)
8. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1)
9. “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (33-11)
10. “The Grimm” Brett Rogers (10-2)