Surrounded by rumors of financial insecurity and even impending bankruptcy, Fighting and Entertainment Group’s “DREAM.16” event was seen by many as a make-or-break show. In fact, I myself posted an article entitled “If DREAM Falls, is Japanese MMA Doomed?” in the days leading up to the event. And now the ratings for in for the event which saw Gegard Mousasi become the DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion, Jason Miller beat his idol and Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba, and top-ranked Lightweight Japanese star Shinya Aoki score his twenty-fifth win. So what does the future hold for Japanese MMA? ...

As the year is coming closer to an end, the now annual World MMA Awards, which is hosted by Fighters Only Magazine, has recently announced their finalists for the December 1st event, which will take place once again in Las Vegas, Nev., which has become a hot bed for all things fighting related. The 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States. ...

In the face of unsettling financial troubles, the Japanese-based DREAM recently held their sixteenth event. “DREAM.16” featured notable Japanese stars like Kazushi Sakuraba and Shinya Aoki, as well as a host of other talented performers that included the ever-controversial but always-popular Jason Miller and the dynamic, talented Gegard Mousasi. In the main event, Mousasi would make quick work of his opponent in order to become the DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion. Mousasi has now become the first man to hold two championships in two different weight classes in DREAM. Here are the full results as well as my opinion on the card. ...

It appears that DREAM isn’t going down without a fight. I’ve already written about the problems the Japanese-based MMA company has had with their upcoming “DREAM.16” event, with several fights getting cancelled, several fighters pulling out, and rumors of financial instability running rampant. But the promotion itself seems undeterred, or at the very least, they’re trying to go out with a bang. In a recent press conference in Tokyo, DREAM officials revealed three new fights that are now officially part of the DREAM 16 card. Here’s how it all breaks down. ...

I don’t know how it happened, considering how much I used to absolutely loathe him, but I’ve somehow become a fan of Nick Diaz. I think Diaz has emerged as one of the premier Welterweights in the sport, and one of Strikeforce’s best assets. He’s very controversial, but he backs it all up. Now more and more I find myself really looking forward to every single one of his fights. With that in mind, here are my top five picks for opponents I’d like to see Nick Diaz fight, regardless of promotion or availability. ...

There are two things that Jason Miller is no stranger to: controversy and Japan. The man who lives every day of his life perpetually trying to justify his nickname “Mayhem”, Miller most recently snatched up headlines with some verbal (and video game) beatdowns of Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, who along with what seemed like the entire Cesar Gracie Fight Camp led a gang initiation-style group beatdown on Mayhem during the live, CBS-aired Strikeforce: “Nashville” telecast back in April. Miller vs. Diaz does sound like it has a lot of potential, but with the recent announcement of a Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2 match, it’s likely not going to happen for some time. But fear not, “Mayhem monkeys”. Miller will step inside the ropes in the land of the rising sun once again, and this time, he’ll be taking on one of the sport’s biggest legends. ...

While DREAM is moving forward with it's 16th event, one man intended to be on the card is holding out for something better. DREAM, one of the more popular Japan based organizations following the demise of Pride, is holding an event for September 25th in Nagoya, Japan--a card that was intended to be headlined by current featherweight (139 pounds) champion, Bibiano Fernandes. ...

For someone who once approached the upcoming video game “EA Sports MMA” with an incredible amount of hesitation, now more and more I’m thinking that October 19 can’t get here soon enough. In order to generate interest and encourage fans to open their wallets and put down a pre-order, EA Sports is revealing the entire roster of the game on a week-by-week, division-by-division basis. The Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight roster has already been revealed, and recently the Middleweights took center stage. EA Sports also recently revealed a teaser image of a famous venue that has yet to see a Mixed Martial Arts event. ...

Strikeforce: “Houston” has now drawn to a close, and it made for quite an eventful night of fights. But the biggest story to come out of “Houston” had to have been the crowning of two Brazilian champions, both of whom train in the prestigious Black House gym, home to such famous fighters as Lyoto Machida, the Nogueira brothers (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira), Junior Dos Santos, and Anderson Silva. For “Houston”, Black House was represented by Ronaldo Souza in a fight to crown a new Strikeforce Middleweight Champion after the title had been vacated due to former champion Jake Shields parting ways with the company, and also by Rafael Cavalcante in the first defense of Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal’s belt. Both fights were back-and-forth wars of non-stop action that fully proved the heart, dedication, determination, and skills of both “Jacare” and “Feijao”. Here’s how it all broke down. ...

Today marked the official weigh-ins for the upcoming Strikeforce: "Houston" event, scheduled for August 20, 2010 from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event features controversial Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Muhammed Lawal, better known as “King Mo”, in his first defense of the championship he won after beating the highly-regarded Gegard Mousasi to win the belt. The co-main event will also be a championship affair, as feared submission wizard (his nickname, “Jacare”, means Alligator) Ronaldo Souza takes on 12-2 Tim Kennedy for the vacant Middleweight Championship, which was rendered vacant when former champion Jake Shields promptly left the promotion and signed with the UFC after defeating new Strikeforce signee and MMA legend, Dan Henderson. The “Houston” weigh-ins weren’t immune to a bit of controversy, as several fighters failed to make weight. Here’s how it all broke down. ...

Strikeforce elite Nick Diaz and Jason Miller have certainly been doing their part to help promote a fight that may never happen. It all started last April, Strikeforce held it's first event in Nashville, Tenn., on a CBS card at that, sporting a record three championship bouts with such stars as Gilbert Melendez battling Shinya Aoki for the lightweight strap, 205'ers Muhammed Lawal and Gegard Mousasi, and then middleweights Jake Shields and Dan Henderson. ...

The Tennessee Athletic Commission determined yesterday that five individuals engaged in "conduct that is detrimental to a professional contest of unarmed combat." Those five individuals will receive fines and suspensions. ...

This is the first column of this sort for Fighters.com. I am going to be doing these once a week where we get a look at some of the smaller stories, one liners, much more all pertaining to mixed martial arts. ...

Last night I was unfortunate enough to watch mixed martial arts (MMA) take a step back, a ten year step back. Strikeforce allowed the members of the Cesar Gracie camp to put a beating on a man for simply asking for a rematch live on national television. ...

Strikeforce is coming to Los Angeles June 16 at the Nokia Theatre with an event that will coincide with the widely popular Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). ...

Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields (25-4-1) won a five-round unanimous decision over former two-division PRIDE champion “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-8) by judges' scores of 49-46, 49-45, 48-45 to retain his title in Nashville Saturday night.  Fighters.com scored the fight 49-45 for Shields. Shields dominated rounds two through five by putting Henderson on his back with tenacious takedowns, often initially stuffed by Hendo', and tagging the former UFC challenger with punches from the mount.  Henderson was lost on his back, regaining his guard periodically, but never putting up much of a fight to get Shields off of him. ...

MTV's Bully Beatdown host “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) will fight Tennesse-based fighter Tim Stout (8-7) at Strikeforce in Nashville April 17, Sherdog reported Monday. ...

Strikeforce is doing all it can do in order to push their promotion and as they prepare for the second event on network television they have some fighters looking to make a splash on MTV. ...

The M-1 Global/Strikeforce fight between Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-1) that ended on the impact of an Emelianenko KO punch in the second round on CBS November 7 is now viewable at CBS's website in standard and high definitions. ...

Fighters.com's second-ranked middleweight Jake Shields (23-4-1) earned the previously vacant Strikeforce title in a tangled ground battle against MMA veteran and host of MTV's Bully Beatdown "Mayhem" Jason Miller (22-7) at Strikeforce in Chicago Saturday night. ...