The “Enough is Enough and It’s Time for a Change” Award: MMA gloves, for their continued inability to prevent eye pokes. Due to this, the most promising fight on the “Overeem vs. Werdum” preliminary card available on HDNet was called off and ruled a No Contest. And if you’ve seen the post-fight pics, you’d know that Justin Wilcox definitely couldn’t continue after Gesias Cavalcante accidentally poked him in the eye. This is an issue that isn’t going away anytime soon, and I think it may finally be time to change the gloves Mixed Martial Artists use.

The “One Tough SOB” Award: Jeff Monson, for never giving Daniel Cormier the satisfaction of knocking him out. Cormier definitely dominated Monson, but Monson proved that he’s still an incredibly tough fighter. He caught several good shots that hurt him momentarily, but Monson was never in danger of getting stopped. Sometimes when you’re a fighter, you come across an opponent that can simply absorb all of your shots and keep pressing forward. It’s very rare, and it’s even rarer when it’s a fighter that’s as old as Monson. And that’s pretty commendable.

The “Credit Where Credit Is Due” Award: Jorge Masvidal, for his admittedly excellent performance against KJ Noons. I’d like to say that Masvidal only shined because Noons didn’t look like himself, but typically you can only say that for a close fight. This fight wasn’t close… at all. Masvidal simply out-struck a really good striker, bloodying Noons up and giving him a big hematoma to boot. It was one of the most surprising performances of the night, and Masvidal may just get a title shot due to it. And to be perfectly honest? As much as I dislike the man, he can now make a really good case for getting the next crack at Gilbert Melendez.

The “One in a Million” Award: Mauro Ranallo, for saying something I actually agree with for once. To be honest, the main Strikeforce commentary team is so bad right now that I simply tune them out most of the time. But during the “Overeem vs. Werdum” broadcast, my interest was piqued when the team started talking about the judging system in MMA. After a bit of back-and-forth, Mauro Ranallo said something similar to “that’s why some judges shouldn’t be judges”. And I wholeheartedly agreed. That’s a very rare thing for me, so I’m “awarding” Ranallo for that one-in-a-million time where I actually like (and not just tolerate) what he says.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. And remember, it’s all in good fun… mostly.

Next for Valentijn Overeem: Strikeforce may or may not decide to keep “the other Overeem” employed. If they do, he’ll serve a decent role as a gatekeeper until he loses a few in a row. If they don’t, he’ll go back overseas and compete in smaller organizations.

Next for Chad Griggs/Brett Rogers: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. I think that Griggs is due for a shot to get into the upper-echelon. Plus, this fight would prove once and for all if Brett Rogers has anything left to give. If Rogers wins he takes the first step on a badly-needed comeback, if Griggs wins he continues his Cinderella story and emerges as a legitimate top Strikeforce Heavyweight. It’s a win-win.

Next for Jeff Monson: If Strikeforce doesn’t keep Monson employed, he’ll drop to Light Heavyweight and go back to demolishing people in smaller promotions and fighting three or four times per month (yes, per month). If they do keep him employed, Monson will likely be dropping to Light Heavyweight anyway, unless Strikeforce wants him to stay at Heavyweight. Either way, I think either division could use a veteran talent like Monson and I hope Strikeforce keeps him employed.

Next for Daniel Cormier: In terms of his immediate future, I think Cormier will be the first man that receives a phone call if any of the remaining Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix participants gets injured. If everyone stays healthy, Cormier may get a Heavyweight like Andrei Arlovski, and it’s possible that a showdown with Chad Griggs could be in his future.

Next for Josh Barnett: A battle with Sergei Kharitonov, who has as much knockout power as Brett Rogers and a whole lot more experience. Barnett put his “catch wrestling” system on display against Brett Rogers, and he showed that his style is still very effective. If Barnett can use his powerful base and ground prowess to get Sergei to the floor, it’ll then just be another waiting game until Sergei slips up and gets himself caught in a submission.

Next for Fabricio Werdum: I honestly don’t know what to think about Fabricio Werdum now. I don’t know how some people are saying that Werdum won against Overeem. For the majority of this fight, Werdum’s only response to Overeem’s striking was to pull guard. Werdum simply looked like he didn’t want to fight. Other than a rematch with Fedor Emelianenko, I have almost zero interest in Fabricio Werdum right now.

Next for Alistair Overeem: Antonio Silva, another tough opponent in a long line of tough opponents that will help Overeem establish his legacy and assert his dominance. Even though Silva is an accomplished grappler, I think both men will come out looking for the KO the moment the cage door closes. With this victory over Werdum, Overeem has got to be the favorite to win the entire tournament. He’s certainly who I’ve got currently pegged to emerge the victor.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

Alistair Overeem defeats Fabricio Werdum via Unanimous Decision. Josh Barnett defeats Brett Rogers via submission (arm triangle choke) at 1:11 round two. Jorge Masvidal defeats K.J. Noons via unanimous decision. Daniel Cormier defeats Jeff Monson via unanimous decision. Chad Griggs defeats Valentijn Overeem via TKO at 2:08 round one.  Gesias Cavalcante vs. Justin Wilcox results in a no contest because of an accidental eye poke in round two. Conor Heun defeats Magno Almeida via unanimous decision. Nah-Shon Burrell defeats Joe Ray via unanimous decision. Isaac Vallie-Flagg defeats Brian Melancon via split decision.

I was able to watch the preliminary card of this event on HDNet, and it’s very apparent that Strikeforce’s prelims are not at the same standard of the UFC’s. Nothing was bad, I did enjoy myself, but nothing came out and stole the show. The preliminary card was about as average as it gets, with some good fights and some decent ones. But “UFC Prelims LIVE” prelims outright steal the show occasionally. Those fighters are the the ones getting more and more post-fight award bonuses, they’re my “dark horse favorite”. The commentary team of Mike Schiavello and Bas Rutten were amazing as always, though.

Although it only took him one round instead of what I predicted, I did predict that Griggs would stop Overeem if he started landing. This fight proved that Valentijn Overeem will continue to be a hit-or-miss fighter until he retires. Chad Griggs is quickly becoming a “dark horse” contender in Strikeforce, and I’m increasingly interested in seeing him fight.

I feel bad for Jeff Monson, I knew he would get dominated but I still held out hope that maybe it wouldn’t happen. But it did, and Daniel Cormier once again proved that he’s an amazing talent. I sincerely hope Jeff Monson gets another shot in Strikeforce, though. Monson is considering a drop down to Light Heavyweight, hopefully that will be enough to get Strikeforce interested in booking Monson again.

As much as I dislike Jorge Masvidal, I have to admit that he impressed me by controlling and dominating KJ Noons, reducing the former champion to a bruised and bloody mess. I don’t want to say much more than that or else I’ll be in danger of starting a rant. I’ll end by saying this: Jorge Masvidal looked great, but I don’t see him beating Gilbert Melendez.

Josh Barnett… what to say about Josh Barnett. He’s a puzzling man. He’s controversial and brash and arrogant and he likes to cut shoot promos like he was back in a pro wrestling ring in Japan… but the man is still a brilliant fighter, he’s always been a brilliant fighter. Josh Barnett dominated Rogers and mounted him so easily that it looked like he was practicing the mount position with a sparring partner. I’m not sure if I’m fully ready to forgive Josh Barnett, but I have no problem giving credit where credit is due and recognizing greatness when it presents itself. And part of me quite frankly loves Josh Barnett, simply because he took the mic away from Gus Johnson for a few seconds.

And in the main event… well, the main event was just plain weird. What was Fabricio Werdum thinking? Honestly, I can’t remember another time when a fighter has pulled guard so many times. It was an incredibly bizarre performance. Overeem couldn’t really get going because whenever he started landing, Werdum would just pull guard again. It bordered on disgraceful. With this loss, I think Werdum’s five minutes of fame for beating Fedor Emelianenko may finally be over.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this event and I’m immensely happy that Strikeforce is putting on shows again. But man… what a weird main event.

5. The return of KJ Noons.

I’ve had my issues with KJ Noons in the past, but I’ve never had anything bad to say about his abilities. Noons is a championship-level fighter, and he’s heading back down to a weight class that is much more natural for him. His opponent, Jorge Masvidal, is a brash-talking all-rounder who’s just begging to be put in his place. Depending on who wins and how they win, the winner of this fight could very well get the next shot at the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

4. Can Jeff Monson beat Daniel Cormier?

Notice the wording of that sentence, and how it’s not “Can Cormier beat Monson?” As skilled as Jeff Monson is, Daniel Cormier is a huge threat to him. Cormier is a former Olympic-level wrestler, he’s never been submitted, he’s never even been beaten. He also has knockout power in his hands. Monson deserves another shot in a major promotion, but in order to do that he’ll have to find a way to beat one of the biggest, baddest, most “can’t-miss” prospects in the entire world, and not just Strikeforce.

3. What’s left for Josh Barnett and Brett Rogers?

Both men have fallen on very hard times of late: Brett Rogers is 1-2 in his last three with both losses by (T)KO stoppage. Josh Barnett has pretty much vanished from almost everybody’s radar. Can Rogers re-assert himself as the knockout artist that seemed destined to take Strikeforce by storm? Can Barnett remind everyone why he was once consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 best in the world, even Top 5, for several years? Whoever wins this fight will be given a second chance, the loser will only slide further into obscurity. And that kind of incredible motivation tends to result in spectacular fights.

2. Can Fabricio Werdum do the unthinkable… again?

Fabricio Werdum can’t beat Alistair Overeem… right? Of course not, Overeem is just too good… isn’t he? Admit it, fans and friends: when you think of this match and you’re an Overeem fan, you get an uneasy feeling in your gut and you wonder if lightning can strike twice and miracles do give repeat performances. I should know, I’m a gigantic Overeem fanboy and that’s exactly how I feel heading into “Overeem vs. Werdum”. I want to say I have complete and utter faith in Alistair Overeem, but in the back of my head, some part of my brain continues to whisper “anything is possible in MMA”. I don’t think Fabricio Werdum will beat Alistair Overeem… but I don’t know. I just don’t know. And I certainly want to find out.

And the number-one reason to watch this event is…

1. The return of “The Reem”, Alistair Overeem

Fans of Overeem know that despite all the cynics, Alistair Overeem is easily one of the Top 5 Heavyweights in the world. Some people thought  that the only reason he looked so amazing lately was because of the quality (as in, the lack thereof) of the opponents he had been facing, and then Overeem went out and demolished Brett Rogers and made it look easy. And yet Overeem still has his fair share of doubters and cynics. Me, personally? I think Overeem is going to prove everybody wrong once again, he’s going to dominate once again, he’s going to knock someone out once again… and I can’t wait to see it happen.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see Strikeforce: “Overeem vs. Werdum”.

Valentijn  Overeem vs. Chad Griggs: I think this fight is going to be a tough war, and I think it has a good chance of going to a decision. Then again, it has a good chance of ending in the first round, too. I don’t think Overeem can knock Griggs out, Griggs has too tough of a chin. So here’s what I think: if Overeem’s chin holds up and he doesn’t get caught with a vicious counter, he’ll win by Unanimous Decision. But if Griggs starts landing, Griggs will win by TKO in either Round 2 or 3.

Daniel Cormier vs. Jeff Monson: This is a rare moment for me: my heart and my head are in total disagreement. I want Jeff Monson to win very badly, I think he’s sorely under-rated and is long overdue for a big comeback in a major promotion. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Cormier is the epitome of this recently-emerging new breed of wrestler, with ridiculously good wrestling skills and ridiculously good camps that know how to utilize that skill. And that new breed of wrestler is finding it easier and easier to neutralize anyone on the ground, even really good submission fighters. My heart wants Jeff Monson to win by TKO in Round 2 or Submission in Round 3, my head thinks both situations are far less likely than Daniel Cormier winning by Unanimous Decision. As much as I love being an optimist, I’m a realist first, so I’ll pick Cormier by Unanimous Decision.

KJ Noons vs. Jorge Masvidal: It’d be hard for me to pick against KJ Noons no matter who he was facing, but I’m practically giddy that I get to side with KJ Noons while consequently siding against Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal needs another rude awakening, he needs another “Inverted Triangle Choke” moment, and I think Noons is going to give it to him. Noons has KO power and is fighting in his domain, at Lightweight. KJ Noons wins by KO in Round 1.

Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers: In the end, I think experience will win out and Josh Barnett, for all his flaws, will prove that he’s still a Top 10 fighter. In this fight. I think Barnett is going to pick Rogers apart standing, avoiding any major one-hit KO blows before forcing the fight up against the cage. After that, Barnett will then smother Rogers with tight clinch wrestling and some precise, hard-hitting dirty boxing. Eventually Rogers will weaken and Barnett will take him down, and from there, it’s just a matter of transitioning from one submission or another once Rogers throws his hands up, shifts his weight, and attempts to buck off his opponent. Josh Barnett wins by submission in Round 2.

Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum: I’m not counting out Fabricio Werdum, I’d like to make that very clear before making this prediction. I just think Overeem is unstoppable and would be supremely shocked if Werdum beat him again. So, can Werdum defy the odds and make us all eat some humble pie once again? Certainly. But I think it’s far, far more likely that the second “Ubereem” starts letting the “Reem Hammers” go, Werdum isn’t going to get stunned and dropped, he’s going to get stone-cold KTFO’d. And unlike the fight against Fedor Emelianenko, Werdum won’t be able to stay conscious long enough to scramble and trap Overeem in a submission. Alistair Overeem wins by KO in Round 1.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

The Event: Strikeforce “Overeem vs. Werdum”, currently scheduled for June 18, 2011 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Five free preliminary fights will be shown live on HDNet starting at 8:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card will be broadcasted live on the Showtime network starting at 10 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: This fight is packed with great Heavyweight talent, from young up-and-comers like Daniel Cormier to grizzled veterans like Jeff Monson. You’ve got former UFC fighters, former UFC champions, knockout artists, and submission specialists. And you’ve also got the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion competing in one of the two final quarterfinal bouts of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Don’t blink. Alistair Overeem is a juggernaut, a hulking behemoth, and virtually no one has been able to withstand his incredible blend of speed, technique, and massive punching power. But Fabricio Werdum is a submission wizard and has beaten Overeem once before. Whoever wins this fight will likely emerge as the favorite to win the entire tournament. It’s a fight that absolutely should not be missed.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Josh Barnett is a master of catch-wrestling, and his many years of experience means that he’ll know how to do with the awesome power of Brett Rogers. Brett Rogers has been outclassed and dismantled recently, but even if he is just a one-dimensional power-puncher, the power he packs into his punches is still phenomenal. Barnett has the technique, the savvy, and the mind to not only beat Brett Rogers, but possibly dominate him. But that all goes right out the window the second that Brett Rogers lands a good, solid punch to the chin. It’s just a matter of not giving “The Grim” that opportunity.

Why You Should Watch This Card: There’s just so much potential in all five of these main card fights. Plus you get several more fights for free if you’ve got an HDTV and are subscribed to HDNet. I encourage anyone wanting to know why to watch this card to take a look at my “A Closer Look” series, which gives a lot of detail on all five main card bouts and why you should be excited for them. To summarize: it’s the best of both worlds and all five of these fights should be vastly entertaining.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I can’t think of one, and that’s not the Strikeforce fanboy in me talking. Strikeforce has been on an incredible roll as of late, putting on amazing events back and forth and, to be honest, outright outshining the UFC on several occasions. If Strikeforce and the UFC were still separate promotions right now, I think this would be the type of show that turns a lot of heads and would have taken a huge step towards legitimizing Strikeforce as a very real, very powerful, very worthy alternative to the UFC. It’s one of the best-looking cards of the season, perhaps of the year, and it simply shouldn’t be missed.

Closing Thoughts: I can’t wait for this event, and I honestly feel like I’ve waited too long as it is. Strikeforce took a month off last month, and I’m ready for more Strikeforce. They’ve had so many awesome shows lately that my anticipation for their upcoming events has never been higher. Even though they now belong to Zuffa, for the time being Strikeforce is still Strikeforce, and Strikeforce is an amazing promotion that gets better on a per-show basis.

A good way to summarize Daniel Cormier would be to say this: there are good wrestlers, and then there’s wrestlers like Daniel Cormier. The man is a former Olympian in amateur wrestling, he’s got a list of amateur wrestling credentials that would just about fill out the rest of this article. Cormier burst onto the MMA scene in 2009, debuting in Strikeforce at a “Strikeforce Challengers” event and winning by second-round TKO.

From then on, Daniel Cormier has been on an absolute tear and currently holds an undefeated record of 7-0. He also holds two Heavyweight Championships in minor promotions. Following his debut, Cormier managed to put together a string of five first-round finishes, his quickest coming at just 1:02 into the first round. Cormier’s last opponent, Devin Cole, was the first man to ever take him to a three-round decision. Still, Cormier won the bout by Unanimous Decision.

His opponent, Jeff Monson, has fought so many times that to list all his opponents would also likely fill out the rest of this article. Monson is a throwback to the 90’s era “bad man with a bad attitude” fighter: he’s a devout anarchist, is covered in tattoos, and has big knockout power as well as serious submission skills. The man fights like an animal and has a fight schedule that’s nearly inhuman: in 2010 alone, in his thirteenth year spent fighting as a professional Mixed Martial Artist, Jeff Monson competed a total of nine times.

Although Monson has lost eleven times, he has nearly four times as many victories: he is officially 42-11 with twenty-eight stoppages. He is also currently on an eight-fight win-streak. And to top it all off, Jeff Monson has only been submitted twice in his career but has submitted twenty-six opponents.

I have to admit, fans and friends: it’s hard for me to restrain myself and not jump feet-first into the Jeff Monson bandwagon. I’ve followed Monson for quite some time, and I’ve always liked what I saw. He’s controversial, but he rarely has a boring fight and he’s been finishing people left and right. The optimist in me and the fanboy in me would both like to see Monson go on a big comeback and maybe finally get the respect and big paydays that I think he deserves.

The realist in me knows this: Jeff Monson fought nine times in 2010, and that’s great. But who’d he beat? I don’t say that to take anything away from the people Jeff Monson fought, I’m just trying to compare them to a fighter like Daniel Cormier. And there’s really no comparison.

Daniel Cormier has got to be one of the biggest Heavyweight prospects in Strikeforce right now, quite possibly the biggest. I can’t really think of anyone else other than Shane del Rosario that is in Strikeforce, is a Heavyweight, and has so much potential. Daniel Cormier is a huge threat to Jeff Monson, and it’s going to take all Jeff Monson’s many skills in order for Daniel Cormier to receive the first loss of his professional career.

So can Monson do it? I’d like to think he can. Will this be a very tough test for him? There’s no arguing that. Will this be one of Monson’s toughest tests? Given Cormier’s status as a prospect and not a proven Heavyweight, that’s honestly debatable. But what’s not debatable is that this fight will be a huge stepping stone and a major proving point for whoever wins.

As strange as it sounds, I’ve come to really like Jeff Monson. Some of this has to do with Monson’s character: a take-no-prisoners Heavyweight that is an unabashed anarchist. But what’s more important is that I’ve seen Jeff Monson compete in smaller organizations for the past several years, at times taking fights within weeks of each other, and I always thought that Monson deserved another go in a big promotion. The facts don’t lie: Monson hasn’t lost since May 2010, and he’s currently on an eight-fight win-streak that includes five submission stoppages.

Just think about that for a second: this will be Monson’s fourteenth year competing as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. He’s a veteran of over fifty pro MMA fights. And he’s still got an incredibly active schedule, to the point where he’s fighting almost once every month. And yet he shows no signs of slowing down, and he keeps winning. I’m not sure how smart that is at his age (Monson is now forty years old), but it certainly takes a crazy amount of intestinal fortitude to keep fighting and keep winning at such a frantic pace. And I can’t help but applaud something like that.

But then of course you have Daniel Cormier. Cormier has all the tools necessary to become a Heavyweight Champion in a few short years, at the most. Cormier is a highly-decorated amateur wrestler, and although the phrase “highly-decorated” has become a bit over-used in recent years, it perfectly applies to the former Olympian. Cormier may have competed only seven times, but those seven wins include six stoppages, and five of those seven wins have occurred in Strikeforce.

With all that said, I think it’ going to be pretty tough to choose a winner for this bout. Cormier has some big punching power, but Jeff Monson hasn’t been finished by strikes since 2007. Jeff Monson has a great submission game, but Daniel Cormier is a very dominant amateur wrestler and that’s a huge Achilles Heel to any submission-based fighter. If Cormier tries for a takedown, Monson could catch him in a Guillotine. If Monson tries his ground wizardry and tries to pull off his favorite submission (the complicated but very effective North/South Choke), Cormier could buck him off, reverse position, and spend most of the round serving up some heinous Ground and Pound.

There’s also the question of the age discrepancy between these two fighters: Cormier is approximately eight years younger than Monson. It’s true that with age comes experience, and Monson has plenty of it, but 40 has become the dreaded cut-off date where it’s generally assumed that an MMA fighter’s body begins to deteriorate. Plus, MMA is a young man’s game more and more nowadays.

So, who do I think will win this fight? It’s really tough to call, so I’m actually going to refrain from choosing a side this early. But I will say this: I’ve seen both men fight, and I respect and am consistently entertained by both men. This could be an all-out war or it could be a total domination, and if it lives up to its potential it might just be a candidate for “sleeper hit of the year”.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you see this fight going?

Daniel Cormier, the two-time Olympian was originally scheduled to meet with fellow budding prospect Shane Del Rosario at the June 18th event, however a car accident has since sidelined the Team Oyama product for the foreseeable future.

The bout was scrapped, though officials have since been able to find a more than suitable replacement for Del Rosario as Strikeforce has now reportedly signed UFC veteran Jeff Monson and he will now be taking on Cormier at the upcoming event.

Strikeforce officials announced the match-up, which will be taking place on June 18th at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The main-event of the evening will pit champion Alistair Overeem against rival Fabricio Werdum in a non-title bout, serving as one of the last two remaining quarter-final bouts for the illustrious grand prix.

Though Shane was originally put into the tournament as a reserve fighter should an injury call another out of action, the winner between Monson and Cormier could find themselves in the thick of things in the GP.

Jeff, a one-time title challenger to the UFC heavyweight strap, will be riding an eight-fight win streak heading into his bout with Cormier. In his last two outings, Monson picked up both the ISKA and the “Strength & Honor” heavyweight straps. Along the way, Jeff has recently acquired notable wins over the likes of Bellator and King of the Cage veteran Tony Lopez as well as UFC veteran Travis Fulton.

A touted grappler who regularly competes in the Abu Dhabi World Submission Wrestling Championship’s, Monson will be the toughest test in Cormier’s young career and though some may feel that Jeff could be a case of “too much, too soon” for the American Kickboxing Academy product, Daniel is definitely up for the challenge.

In seven visits to the cage, Daniel remains undefeated in his developing mixed martial arts career, which began in September of 2009. In his last bout, Cormier took on Devin Cole last January. Though Daniel has been accustomed to finishing his opponents mostly in the first-round, he settled instead for a dominant decision win over the tested veteran and will will likely be inching towards title contention if he has an impressive showing against Monson.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? It seems that Monson’s biggest strengths play right into Daniel’s game. I can’t necessarily see how Monson will work the world class wrestler to the ground to look for a submission and now that Cormier has shown his more than adept skills on the feet, Jeff could find himself face first on the mat if he over extends himself on a takedown attempt. Sound off in the comment section below.

The two fighters met at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, California for “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg” in a featured main-card bout, with the Jiu-Jitsu world champion in Roger submitting the American Kickboxing Academy product inside of the first-round, making it look a little too easy.

Along with the submission victory, Roger was also able to display some true stand-up ability against his South African opponent who counts wins over the likes of Keith Jardine, Travis Luttler, and Anthony Ruiz.

So what’s next for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt? Well MiddleEasy.com is indicating that Roger could next be in the cage against former UFC title challenger Jeff Monson in his next Strikeforce bout.

The longtime heavyweight fighter is currently riding a six-fight win streak, has fought some of the best fighters in the world and holds notable wins over Marcio Cruz, Kazuyuki Fujita and Sergei Kharitonov.

Against Roger’s undefeated record of 4-0, Monson holds a 40-11 record throughout his 13-year-career as a professional.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the potential bout? It’s unclear at this point whether the bout will be contested in a heavyweight contest, or if Monson will toy with the idea of once again dropping down to the 205-pound division. Sound off in the comment section below.

The world class wrestler was last seen in action in a losing effort to current title holder Rafael Cavalcante this past August. The Brazilian striker and training partner of Anderson Silva, was able to connect on a knee in the second round that rocked “King Mo”. Additional blows would later call a halt the bout, and just as quickly as Muhammed had earned the title in April of this year in a five-round war of attrition against then champ Gegard Mousasi, he lost it just as swiftly.

However, Mo may now have the opportunity to add another name to his mantle if he is successful in dispatching long time veteran, Jeff Monson.

MiddleEasy.com first reported the possibility of the match up which will take place under the Strikeforce banner, and apparently in the light heavyweight division.

Monson tried his hand at the 205-pound division in the past, most memorably at UFC 29 opposite of “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell, though he came over the designated weight limit. Since then, Monson has competed against some of the sports top and most notable heavyweight fighters, including Pedro Rizzo, and former UFC champions Ricco Rodriguez, Tim Sylvia, and Josh Barnett.

Monson is currently riding a five-fight winning streak since dropping back-to-back fights to the likes of Travis Wiuff and Shamil Abdurahimov (respectively).

Standing at 5’9 and no more than 230 pounds in his stocky frame, it’s no wonder why Monson may be thinking the path of least resistance in his career may be at light heavyweight, rather then battling Goliath’s in the heavyweight class.

No official word from the Strikeforce has come about this particular bout, but if it is in the works, what do you think MMA peeps? Do you think Monson dropping down to 205 will benefit him enough in order to defeat Mo? Will his elite grappling skills (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt) stack up against Muhammed’s wrestling credentials? Sound off in the comment section below.

Israel FC, an upstart promotion out of–you guessed it–Israel has began to take on a steady stream of veterans in for their promotional debut in what is turning out to be an all star cast of competitors.

MMAFighting.com first reported the event and it’s full lineup reads as the following:

Jeff Monson vs. Sergey Shemetov
Frank Trigg vs. Roy Neeman
Ricco Rodriguez vs. Daniel Tabera
Hermes Franca vs. Moshe Kaitz
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Valdas Pocevicius
Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett vs. Ariel Abergel
Daniel Gracie vs. Martin Wojcik
Shonie Carter vs. Jeremy Knafo
Thiago Meller vs. Fabrice Riconneau
Vitaly Shemetov vs. Alexandro Ceconi
Joshua Hewlett vs. Ido Pariente
Akop Stepanyan vs. Marc Berger
Serob Minasyan vs. Vitali Krbrsky

Hermes Franca, perhaps one of the most notable veterans on the card, is coming out of retirement to return to action here in Israel against the unheralded Moshe Keitz. Franca was last seen inside the UFC when he lost to lightweight standout by knockout at UFC 103.

It was only the second time the Brazilian had ever been knocked out, however, when Franca aimed for a comeback after his UFC release, he suffered an additional knockout victory, against Eric Wisely. In a rematch, Franca lost yet again to Wisely just three days ago at an SFC event, however made it to see the final bell. He lost on points, when Eric took home the unanimous decision victory, and left Franca with his third loss in a row.

So, MMA peeps, any other fighters stand out to you here? Looks like Trigg is aiming for a comeback, following his own UFC release, which ended a two-fight losing streak, which included two-knockout losses to Josh Koscheck and Matt Serra, respectively. The former two-time UFC title challenger brings a worlds of experience into the cage, as well as a chin that has seen better days.

Sound off, and let your opinions be heard in the comments section below.

Monson recently lost a unanimous decision to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (17-9) at Bitetti Combat 4 in Rio de Janeiro September 12.  After the loss, Monson told Fighters.com that he was cutting to 205 pounds.

MMA Junkie’s report didn’t indicate the weight class Monson will compete in for Shine Fights.

Monson lost a five-round UD to then UFC heavyweight champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (25-6) at UFC 65 in Sacramento in November 2006 and notched a UD over most recent The Ultimate Fighter champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson’s (14-4) at Square Ring Promotions in Pensacola March 21.

Monson lost a unanimous decision to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (17-9) at Bitetti Combat 4 in Rio de Janeiro September 12.  The same night, Teixeira  submitted “Chocolate” Leonardo Lucio Nascimento (7-7) in a guillotine choke in the first round.

Rizzo will matchup versus “Python” Valentijn Overeem (26-21) in the main event in São Paulo.

Overeem comes in to the fight off a first round loss to Rafal Dabrowski (3-1) at Beast of the East in Gdynia, Poland November 14.

“Ninja” Murilo Rua (17-10-1) also returns to Bitetti Combat versus Jason Jones (3-8-1).

You can listen live as well as join the chat room at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel

Monson will fight “Ironman” Travis Fulton (211-44-8) at Alabama Pride at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama December 12.

Fulton submitted Tony Crawford (0-2) in a rear naked choke at Midwest Fighting Championship 8 in Knoxville, Iowa August 14.

Monson lost a disappointing three-round unanimous decision to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-9) at Bitetti Combat 4 in Rio de Janeiro September 12, halting a two-year climb back up the heavyweight ladder since getting TKO’d by Rizzo at Art of War 3 in Dallas in September 2007.

The 5’9″, roughly 240-pound fighter lost a five-round UD to then UFC heavyweight champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (25-6) at UFC 65 in Sacramento in November 2006.  Sylvia held an 11-inch height advantage.

Though rippling muscle from head-to-toe at 240 pounds, Monson’s 5’9″ height has always rendered him at a disadvantage in a heavyweight division where most fighters are 6’4″ or taller.  A successfull cut to 205 pounds will eliminate at least a lot of the very tallest fighters in MMA and allow Monson to take back a lot of that height and reach advantage he’s given up throughout his career.

Reliable sources have also mentioned to Fighters.com that Monson and Strikeforce are in talks and Monson could actually debut at 205 pounds in Strikeforce in 2010.  Neither Monson nor Strikeforce could confirm, but Monson did confirm he continues talks with Strikeforce.

“Chad, I am not going to do this interview,” Sylvia graciously responded.  “I don’t like how this whole thing is coming accross.  Sorry.”

Below are the questions that Sylvia refused to answer along with what Fighters.com could dig-up.  You decide if Fighters.com’s questions were out of line.  Of course, Fighters.com would prefer to put Sylvia on the record on the issues fans are chattering about.   And, Fighters.com stands by everything written here as told by reliable sources, but sources can only speak from their point of view.   It’s unfortunate Sylvia won’t tell his story.

Fighters.com: Looking back, was the “Merciless” Ray Mercer (1-1) fight a good decision?

Sources close to Adrenaline MMA 3 told Fighters.com that, good decision or bad, Sylvia’s fight versus the 48-year old former boxing champion was a career move that Sylvia and his manager, Monte Cox, felt was safe enough.

Recall Sylvia had pocketed $800,000, not including unreported bonuses, for his 36-second submission loss to Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1) at Affliction in Anaheim in July 2008, an unsustainable salary for Affliction to continue paying out after the loss and damage to Sylvia’s marketability.  Recall also that Affliction had begun renegotiating contracts after their debut and Fighters.com’s sources say Sylvia’s purse was slashed for his scheduled return versus “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9).  Promotions in Japan were also calling Sylvia, but offering about two-thirds Sylvia’s asking price without providing fights highly visible in the important American market.

Sylvia had long fancied himself a potential boxing champion and thought boxing could provide additional opportunities to score paydays while he rebuilt his status in mixed martial arts.

It was Mercer’s manager who originally contacted Cox to pitch an MMA fight between Mercer and Sylvia, a fight Cox and Sylvia were not interested in because it couldn’t rebuild Sylvia’s status in MMA.  However, both Cox and Sylvia were interested in a boxing match to serve as Sylvia’s debut in the squared circle.

Sylvia was quite blatant about his intentions.  “It’s not secret I intend to use Ray as a stepping-stone for boxing.  No doubt about it,” Sylvia admitted during a pre-fight presser.

Sylvia’s and Cox’s attitudes were, “What do we have to lose?”  If Sylvia had out-boxed Mercer, it could’ve lead to some highly-visible boxing matches that could’ve reignited Sylvia’s MMA marketability and provide a secondary income stream.  If Sylvia had been out-boxed by Mercer, he would’ve been beaten by a former Olympian and world heavyweight champion boxer in a sport Sylvia had never fought in before and Sylvia would’ve been satisfied that his dreams of boxing glory were only dreams.

Perhaps lost among those career considerations was the fight itself versus a still-dangerous Mercer, except among Sylvia’s friends.

“Li’l Evil” Jens Pulver (22-12-1) ominously warned Sylvia, godfather to Pulver’s son, before the fight, “Professionally, sometimes you just got to step back and go ‘Damn, Tim.  What are you doin’?'”  Pulver added,  “I think they’re taking this fight with Mercer as a sparring bout.  And you’re gonna find out real fast…Mercer probably isn’t taking it as a sparring bout.  He’s not going to swing like it’s a sparring bout.”

And, Sylvia’s physical condition entering the fight implied he and his trainers weren’t taking the boxing match seriously.  Syliva weighed a career-high 310.6 pounds for the fight.

But, Sylvia was further emboldened when the Association of Boxing Commissions reversed its initial decision to allow the River Cree Combative Sports Commission to sanction the boxing bout in Alabama, a state without its own sanctioning body, and declared the boxing match illegal.  Mercer agreed to change the rules to MMA, but challenged Sylvia’s manhood to fight Mercer’s fight regardless of the rule changes.

As an MMA fight, it should’ve been a safe bet for Sylvia.  Cox could be heard just before the bell telling Sylvia, “Don’t fuck around with this guy.  Don’t let him get to you.  Go in there, take him down, and finish him on the ground.”

But, Mercer had evidently got to Sylvia’s pride.  At the first ding-ding, Sylvia walked directly to the middle of the cage, threw a pawing leg kick, and proceeded to box Mercer in their four-ounce MMA gloves.  Nine-seconds later, Sylvia was on his back after a short Mercer right hook.

Fighters.com speculates that it wasn’t the matchup versus Mercer Sylvia regrets, but perhaps his attitude towards it.  Sylvia’s and Cox’s initial estimations that the matchup was safe enough were probably correct, but, again, lost among the career considerations was the fight itself and how serious even a 48-year old former boxing world champion is.

Fighters.com:  In a video at tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski‘s (14-7) website recently, Andrei identified you as the guy he’d most like to fight, probably the same way you want to get your hands on third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4).  What do you think about another rematch with Arlovski?   ”Snowman” Jeff Monson also told Fighters.com he’d like a rematch with you. With two known, good heavyweight free agents calling you out, why are you fighting Riley?  Is the downside risk versus Riley much greater than any reward, like it was in the Mercer fight?

A source close to Sylvia’s camp told Fighters.com, “Arlovski’s manager would be crazy to let [Arlovski] fight Tim again.  [Arlovski] has already been beaten twice by Tim and everyone thinks Arlovski is washed-up too.  If Tim beats him again now, it doesn’t do anything for Tim.”

To be clear, Arlovski’s manager is not the one publicly calling for the rematch.  It’s Arlovski himself, who recently repeated that he’d fight Sylvia again “any time, any place” and added about Sylvia’s UFC return aspirations, “Nobody don’t want to sign Tim Sylvia.”  It’s becoming a battle of words about who’s considered more washed-up between the two former UFC champs.

About a rematch versus Monson, Fighters.com’s source said, “It was so boring the first time, I don’t think I could sit through another three rounds of that fight.  Who would pay to watch that again?”

Actually, Sylvia’s and Arlovski’s dilemmas are the same.  They’re marquee names and still competitive heavyweights, but their perceived marketability has been devalued by their recent losses.  But, as soon as Sylvia and Arlovski accept paydays lower than their established purses, they’ve devalued themselves.  So, they want to be stubborn about the paydays they’ll accept in order to maintain their status in the market.  Sylvia is surely taking a pay cut to fight Riley at Adrenaline MMA, but it’s a pay cut his manager, Cox, can obfuscate because Cox is also the fight’s promoter.

They also want their fights televised because they’re trying to prove to MMA fans they’ve got a lot of fight left.  For Sylvia and Arlovski, fighting a fight that no one sees, even for a big payday, doesn’t help them rebuild.

Except for the UFC and Strikeforce, that’s a tall order for any smaller promotion.  And, once a small promotion lays out the cash to put Sylvia or Arlovski atop their fight card, there’s not a lot of cash left to match them versus an equally big-named opponent.  So, when Sylvia or Arlovski find that golden deal, they’re going to be fighting guys like Riley.  It’s the economics of the industry that has made Riley Sylvia’s opponent at Adrenaline MMA 4 Friday.  Sources close to the event told Fighters.com they were lucky to find Riley because no one wanted to fight Sylvia at the available payout.

Guys like Riley aren’t big names, but are dangerous fighters.  Though Sylvia is the favorite, Riley is both capable of beating Sylvia and has nothing to lose, like Mercer in Sylvia’s previous fight.  Sylvia has everything to lose if he gets beaten by Riley.  So, the risk Sylvia is taking to fight Riley is the end of his career as a top-paid heavyweight fighter should Sylvia lose, while the reward is the continuance of Sylvia’s career as a top-paid heavyweight fighter should Sylvia win.  It’s an all or nothing gamble.

Fighters.com: Did you bed Arlovski’s ex-girlfriend, Patricia Mikula?

This question is personal, but Fighters.com told Sylvia he didn’t need to answer it.  The rumor is persistent and Fighters.com wanted to give Sylvia the opportunity to address it.

Fighters.com can only confirm Sylvia and Mikula were together in public at Adrenaline MMA 1 outside of Chicago in June 2008.

Fighers.com: What are you going to weigh coming in to Omaha?

Sylvia weighed-in at 310.6 pounds before his knockout loss to Mercer in June, 47.6 pounds over his previous fight at Affliction in July 2008.  Fighters.com was told by a source close to Sylvia that Sylvia weighed approximately 285 pounds two weeks ago and should weigh-in Thursday near the 265-pound MMA heavyweight limit.

Fighters.com: How do you feel when you hear UFC President Dana White dog on you now, saying that it was a weak division when you were UFC champion?  Other than Adrenaline MMA, what other organizations might you fight in over the next year?

Evidently Sylvia isn’t taking White’s barbs personally because he told Inside MMA he plans to return to the Octagon.  Steady paychecks soften hard feelings.  However, Fighters.com has been told by sources inside Sylvia’s camp that they feel like White is sacrificing Sylvia’s legacy as UFC champ to talk down Emelianenko as the world’s top heavyweight, whom quickly handled Sylvia and refuses to sign with the UFC.

Fighters.com’s sources have also confirmed Sylvia has already lined-up another fight before the end of 2009 on a smaller show, though the sources wouldn’t reveal the name of the promotion.

Fighters.com: Have you ever considered training anywhere else than “Croatian Sensation” Pat Miletich‘s (29-7-2) gym in Davenport?

Yes.  Fighters.com has confirmed that Sylvia has spent time training in other camps, including with Mark DellaGrotte at Sityodtong in Boston and “El Guapo” Bas Rutten (28-4-1) at Elite MMA in Los Angeles.  However, Militech’s gym remains Sylvia’s home gym.

The following questions remain unswered because only Sylvia knows their answers.  However, Fighters.com doesn’t think asking these questions was out of line.

Fighters.com: After the shape you came in and the result of the Mercer fight, a lot of fans are questioning whether your heart is in fighting anymore. How was the loss to Fedor Emelianenko affected your attitude towards this sport?

…

Fighters.com: Arlovksi recently admitted playing Russian roulette after losing his fight to Emelianenko and fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0). Was your lowest point ever that low?

…

Adrenaline MMA 4 will be held at the Mid-American Center in Council Bluffs on September 18.  The undercard will start at 7:30 PM; the main card will be broadcast on HDNet beginning at 9:00 PM.  Pre-sale tickets start at $33 for general admission, $103 ringside, and $530 for a table of ten.  Purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.

Arona beat “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (16-10-1), who nearly missed the fight due to Brazilian visa miscommunications. The win was Arona’s first MMA fight since getting KO’d in round one versus “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4) at PRIDE 34 in Tokyo in April 2007. Arona had turned to professional surfing during his hiatus from fighting, but is now devoted to MMA.

Filho, himself on course for a sort of comeback after a disappointing conclusion to his WEC stint last year, beat Alex Schoenauer (13-10) controversially. Filho’s hometown crowd booed the judges’ decision.

Fellow Brazlian “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (17-9) also scored a three-round UD over “Snowman” Jeff Monson (31-9) in a rematch Rizzo had won by TKO at Art of War 3 in Dallas in September 2007.

“Ninja” Murilo Rua (17-10-1) TKO’d Alex Stiebling (18-11-1) in the first round with a head kick followed up with a barrage of punches.

The Pit’s Glover Teixeira (8-2) submitted “Chocolate” Leonardo Lucio Nascimento (7-7) in a guillotine choke in the first round.

Fabio Maldonado (5-1) won a three-round UD over Vitor Miranda (1-2).

Milton Vieira (9-6-1) won a three-round split decision over Luciano Azevedo (13-7).

“Besouro” Luis Dutra, Jr. (1-0) TKO’d “Chocolate” Henrique Nogueira (5-5-1) with punches in round one.

Cassiano Tytschyo (6-3) submitted Fausto Black (1-2) in a guillotine choke in round one.

“Pulga” Alexandre Pimental (2-0) won a UD over “Yzzy” Luciano Corea (1-2).

Both UFC title contenders will compete in the -87.9kg division, along with “Toquinho” Rousimar Palhares (11-3). Sengoku judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura (13-9) and DREAM welterweight Andre Galvao (3-0).

UFC welterweight champ “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) will compete in the -76.9kg division, along with the UFC’s “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-3), Japanese free agent “K-Taro” Keita Nakamura (15-4-2), and Brazilian free agent “Uirapuru” Marcelo Azevedo (3-5).

In the -98.9kg division, Strikeforce light heavyweight “Babalu” Renato Sobral (32-9), free agent “Brazilian Tiger” Ricardo Arona (13-5), The Ultimate Fighter 8 contestant “Pezao” Vinicius Magalhães (3-5), former UFC and PRIDE fighter “Boogey Man” Dean Lister (11-6), The Pit’s “Brazilian Pit Bull” Glover Teixeira (7-2), Brazilian heavyweight free agent “Pe De Pano” Marcio Cruz (6-2), and Aussie light heavyweight “Hippo” Anthony Perosh (6-4).

Strikeforce heavyweight contender “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) and American free agent “Snowman” Jeff Monson (27-8) highlight the +99kg division. Former IFL heavyweight title challenger Antoine Jaoude (8-3) and M-1 Global heavyweight Rogent Lloret (6-1) will also compete in the highest weight divsion.

In the lowest weight division, -65.9kg, WEC featherweight contender “Big Frog” Jeff Curran (31-12-1) and WEC bantamweight contender Rani Yahya (14-3) will compete with SHOOTO vets “Iron” Hiroshi Nakamura (4-3-4) and “Finisher” Baret Yoshida (5-6-1).

Every division will also include grapplers who don’t compete in MMA.

Every other year, the ADCC creates the most interesting moments and exciting matchups in submission grappling. Always a highlight, the absolute division pits grapplers of all weight classes against each other to crown an absolute champ. Past absolute division matchups include DREAM welterweight “Mach” Hayato Sakurai (35-10) versus former UFC heavyweight champion “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (32-8-3) and DREAM lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (17-4) versus Sengoku heavyweight Roger Gracie (2-0).

Emirati Sheik Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his BJJ instructor Nelson Monteiro created the event that has become the gold standard in submission grappling in 1998 and in 2003 the tournament began touring to locations outside the UAE.

The grapplers will compete at Pavello Olimpic de Badalona in Barcelona beginning at 11:00 AM on 26 September. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.

“Finding an opponent for [Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1)] in such a short period of time was a huge endeavor and I’m thrilled at the amount of fighters willing to take on this challenge,” said Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction Entertainment. “But in the end, we just didn’t have enough time to promote a new fight to our standards.”

Emelianenko was left without an opponent after ninth-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) tested positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid, and was denied a license by the California State Athletic Commission to fight.

Barnett denies using steroids.

Both Xtreme Couture middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (17-8) and heavyweight “Snowman” Jeff Monson (27-8) had verbally agreed to replace Barnett, and “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (3-0) lobbied hard for the matchup via the Internet.

Emelianenko called out fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (8-0), who declined the fight on short notice to focus on an October Strikeforce fight.

But, none of the available fighters made a compelling matchup for Emelianenko. The result would’ve only made news if the icon Emelianenko lost, and even that would’ve left a sour taste in MMA fans’ mouths.

What was one of the most anticipated and stacked fight cards of 2009, Trilogy has quickly become a travesty and Barnett might take the brunt of the blame.

A charming, popular fighter, Barnett could quickly replace UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (3-1) as MMA’s heavyweight heel for canning such a huge fight for the sport, himself, Emelianenko, and Affliction.

It’s been widely speculated that the future of Affliction, a clumsy but able competitor to the UFC, was resting on the success of Trilogy, and therefore squarely on the shoulders of Emelianenko and Barnett.

If his eventual appeal to the CSAC fails to clear his name, Barnett’s mistake could ripple through mixed martial arts for years, knocking out an alternative to the UFC for both top fighters and fans, denying Emelianenko the last proven elite heavyweight matchup outside of the UFC, and tarnishing Barnett’s own legacy with the label of “cheater” and denying him the realistic shot of defeating an icon in the sport.

Barnett tested positive Tuesday and was subsequently denied a California State Athletic Commision license to fight Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) at Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy in Anaheim 1 August.

Atencio stated Barnett was awaiting the results of a second sample taken with the first, but that Atencio was moving forward to find a replacement opponent for Emelianenko.

Atencio indicated there were three fighters in contention. Fighters.com confirmed with “Snowman” Jeff Monson‘s (27-8) camp Wednesday afternoon that the one-time UFC title challenger is negotiating for the matchup. Other sources have confirmed Xtreme Couture middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (17-8) has also been contacted about fighting Emelianenko.

Fighters.com has yet to find a denial from Barnett, and Atencio didn’t offer one Wednesday afternoon. The positive test would be Barnett’s second.

In 2002, after TKOing eighth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-9) for the UFC belt at UFC 36 in Las Vegas, Barnett tested positive for a banned substance and left competition in the United States until returning to Las Vegas to tap Pawel Nastual (1-4) in an ankle lock at PRIDE 32 in 2006.

A charming, popular fighter, Barnett could quickly replace UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (3-1) as MMA’s heavyweight heel for canning such a huge fight for the sport, himself, Emelianenko, and Affliction.

It’s been widely speculated that the future of Affliction, a clumsy but able competitor to the UFC, is resting on the success of Trilogy, and therefore squarely on the shoulders of Emelianenko and Barnett.

If his second sample confirms the results of his first, Barnett’s mistake could ripple through mixed martial arts for years, knocking out an alternative to the UFC for both top fighters and fans, denying Emelianenko the last proven elite heavyweight matchup outside of the UFC, and tarnishing Barnett’s own legacy with the label of “cheater” and denying him the realistic shot of defeating an icon in the sport.

“We are working on it now,” a source inside “The Snowman’s” camp told Fighters.com Wednesday afternoon. Monson is excited about the possibility, Fighters.com’s source said.

Barnett has been denied a license to fight by the California State Athletic Commission after testing positive for “performance-enhancing substance,” according to Affliction Veep Tom Atencio in Sports Illustrated Wednesday morning.

Xtreme Couture middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort‘s (17-8) camp has told several sources the one-time UFC heavyweight champion is willing to return to heavyweight to replace Barnett. He’s already scheduled to fight American Top Team’s Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago (21-7) at Trilogy. Belfort’s trainer, Shawn Tompkins, told Sports Illustrated making that fight would come down to money.

In response to a text message, management for heavyweight “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9), also already on the card, replied to Fighters.com Wednesday afternoon, “Nothing yet.”

Also rumored, pro-wrestling convert “Dominator” Bobby Lashley (3-0) told Sherdog, “I don’t know if I would want [to fight Emelianenko] right now.”

In response to replacing injured Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (27-10) versus “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1) in San Jose 15 August, manager of fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (8-0), Mike Reilly, told Fighters.com Tuesday that Rogers was training for an October fight and wasn’t interested. Fighters.com doubts the rising talent would want to take a fight versus the world’s best over 205 pounds on 10-days notice.

From the UFC’s “Fight for the Troops” on Spike TV Wednesday night in Fayetteville to the debut of Mixed Fighting Alliance in Miami, American Top Team set the pace of champions. ATT fighters scored big as well at CQC “In the Cage” in Charlotte and during the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter Season 8 Finale in Las Vegas Saturday night.

“Snowman” Jeff Monson (25-8) defeated “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (30-9) via unanimous decision Saturday night during the main event at the Mixed Fighting Alliance debut in Miami.

“I am happy with the win but I was a little sloppy tonight.” Monson told Fighters.com following the fight.

The main event battle at MFA “There Will Be Blood” was a full round war with each fighter going the distance but Monson winning on all cards in the end. Monson, famous for his blunt honesty, had criticism for his performance.

“A win is a win but I need to improve.” The Abu Dhabi and UFC veteran told Fighters.com. “My jiu-jitsu felt good in the fight but my boxing was a little weak.” Monson continued, “I need to spend more time in the American Top Team gym here in Florida. You know, I need to work with more guys down here to prepare for fights.”

When asked what the future holds beyond the World Grappling Championship in Switzerland 20 December and a fight at Sengoku in March 2009, Monson responded, “I’d really like a shot at Affliction eventually. I think I’d do well there.”

Monson’s teammate and former WWE star Bobby Lashley (1-0) won his MMA debut at MFA in Miami as well when he defeated Joshua Franklin (0-1) in devastating fashion with a TKO stoppage due to strikes in the first round. Lashley quickly raced forward scooping Franklin up and slamming him down into the canvas followed by a barrage of ground-and-pound cuing the referee to step in and stop the action.

Saturday night brought another big win for American Top Team when Micah Miller (10-2) defeated Jason Palacios (6-6) via submission at CQC: “In the Cage” in Charlotte to become the featherweight champion.

When asked about the victory, Miller told Fighters.com, “It was a good win but tonight I went out and fought conservatively. In the fight I lost against Josh Grispi (12-1) I was too aggressive. I think in the future I need to find a happy medium between the two.”

The championship bout at CQC was a war where Miller expressed respect for the punching power of Palacios. Miller stated, “Jason [Palacios] hits hard. Tonight he didn’t hit me flush but I could feel the wind and power from his punches.”

Miller powered through himself and defended the attacks of Palacios to score a strong rear naked choke for the win at the 4:23 mark of the second round. Miller revealed, “Eventually Jason [Palacios] slipped on his feet in the second round and as he was getting up, I jumped on his back and got the the choke.”

In other action Saturday night, American Top Team saw additional success during The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 Finale in Las Vegas when Wilson Gouveia (12-5) submitted Canadian middleweight “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald (19-11) with elbow strikes during the opening round.

Although Gouveia missed weight for the fight he vowed to never let it happen again when questioned by Joe Rogan.

“Killa B” Ben Saunders (7-0-2) set the tone of things to come from American Top Team for the second week of December when he defeated Brandon Wolff (5-3-0) via TKO stoppage at 1:49 of round one Wednesday night at Fort Bragg during the UFC’s “Fight for the Troops” event.

Saunders’ performance was brutally efficient and triggered comparisons to UFC middleweight champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (23-4).

American Top Team fighter and Ultimate Fighter alumnus Luigi Fioravanti (14-4) stayed in theme for the week by defeating Brodie Farber (12-5) via unanimous decision on the undercard of UFC’s “Fight for the Troops” event as well.

At minimum, such a streak of wins by one gym in a span of one week speaks to the strength and competitiveness of American Top Team positioning the Coconut Creek institution as one of the best mixed martial arts training centers in the world.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeff Monson:  Thanks, anytime. 

Fighters.com: On November fifth you’re facing “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-0) for the WEC featherweight title.  Some analysts have labeled Faber the best MMA featherweight in history.  Does facing a popular fighter like Faber bring intimidation or do you find motivation in the potential dethroning of a champion during the peak of his career?

Mike Thomas Brown:  I love being the underdog.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  Urijah is a very tough guy; but, I train with tons of tough guys.  It’s just another day at the office.

Fighters.com: Would you say that the approaching title bout is the most important fight of your life?

Mike Thomas Brown:  Every fight is important because each fight aligns you with the next.  This is for the WEC featherweight title, the most prestigious title for those in the 145-pound division.  The guy who holds that title is number one in the world.  This is my goal.  It’s the final piece of that puzzle.  It’s been a long, long journey.

Fighters.com: It must have been a real letdown to have the title fight rescheduled back in September due to Hurricane Ike.

Mike Thomas Brown:  I was crushed.  I poured everything into it.  I live down here in South Florida so I was here and ready to fight.

Fighters.com: How has the rescheduling affected you mentally?  Has the extra time provided you additional determination?

Mike Thomas Brown:  It is what it is.  It’s almost like training for an entirely new fight, but there is no extra determination.  This was already the biggest fight of my life.

Fighters.com:  You’re currently on a winning streak numbering seven fights and spanning nearly three years with the bulk of your only losses coming early in your career against big names such as “Neo-Samurai” Genki Sudo (15-5-1), Hermes Franca (18-7), and “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (17-4).  What do you say to those critics who possibly do not see you as top contender alongside these fighters you lost to many years earlier?

Mike Thomas Brown:  I’m one of those guys that have kind of slipped through the cracks.  I just haven’t had the big media push like other guys.  I think the majority of people’s opinions are molded by the media.  Most of my fights haven’t been televised.  I just haven’t had that media push.  Hardcore fight fans know what I’m capable of doing; but, some people don’t know anything beyond The Ultimate Fighter television show.

Fighters.com:  Both you and Urijah share recent wins over “Big Frog” Jeff Curran (29-10-1).  Yours by decision; Faber’s by submission.  Do the recent and mutual fights against Curran provide any insight for you when preparing for Faber?

Mike Thomas Brown: Its hard to make comparisons in the fight.  Every fight is different and who knows.

Fighters.com: Some insiders are saying that Urijah has the edge over you in wrestling; whereas, others have stated that you are sneaking in under the radar with an edge in power and natural strength.  What do you say to such opinions?

Mike Thomas Brown: Uriah is a great fighter; but ,I honestly think I’ll be the stronger fighter in this fight.

Fighters.com: Of course, there are those who also say that you may bring more aggression in the fight as well.  Is this an accurate assessment?

Mike Thomas Brown: Well, I have nothing to lose and I’m a big underdog; and, so, it’s easy to throw caution to the wind and get wild.

Fighters.com: Do you train sometimes with veterans such as “Snowman” Jeff Monson (26-8) at American Top Team?

Mike Thomas Brown: I am a featherweight, so I actually don’t train much with any of the heavyweights here at American Top Team.  We have about twenty world class fighters around my same weight.

Fighters.com: Speaking of Monson, most MMA fans recall the prank video he put up on Youtube.com calling out “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1).  Then, of course, you put up a video a few days later calling Jeff out.  What’s the inside story behind these hilarious videos?

Mike Thomas Brown:  (laughing)  The “Munson” video was funny.   Here at American Top Team we are always busting balls and making fun of everyone and everything.  So, I came in one day; and, we were out back watching the Monson video and we thought it would be funny if I were to retaliate and call out Monson. It was pretty funny.

Fighters.com: What did you think about the recent devastation of Kimbo Slice at the hands of a fellow American Top Team fighter, “Silverback” Seth Petruzelli (10-4)?

Mike Thomas Brown: I kind of thought it was going to happen.  I just thought it was going to happen on the ground.  Kimbo has some decent boxing; so, I figured he would be okay there.

If Atencio can make Emelianenko v Couture, Barnett and Arlovski will fight for the right follow-up Couture versus Emelianenko, since Couture has intimated his intention to retire win, lose, or draw versus Emelianenko.

However, the more intriguing matchmaking question in the heavyweight division after Saturday night is what to do with “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (33-6) after their losses. They present two very different matchmaking problems.

“Big” Ben should get no rest after his gutsy brawl versus legit heavyweight stud Arlovski. Rothwell took everything Arlovski dished and dished back until the end.

Rothwell closed distance despite Arlovski’s superior footwork, rolled out of the “Pitbull’s” leg locks, and worked Arlovski over from the top position on the mat.

As soon as Rothwell is healthy, he should get another challenge just a little less monumental than Arlovski.

Adrenaline MMA President Monte Cox, who will probably hold Rothwell for his Adrenaline sequel this autumn, should parachute into whichever Siberian boot camp Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) is teaching Russian soldiers how to snap necks in and convince Kharitonov to take the fight.

Kharitonov is an Arlovski-lite with an international amateur boxing pedigree and combat sambo ranking, but without the refinement and explosiveness of the “Pitbull”.

The match-up allows Rothwell to roll his training for Arlovski over into a camp for a similar opponent and maintain the intensity required to compete near the top.

For Kharitonov, the match-up allows him to return near the top of the division after a year’s holiday, make a splash in the U.S. in the wake of Emelianenko’s Russian wave, and pick-up a big win if he can watch the tape from Saturday night where Arlovski wrote the book on beating Rothwell.

If Kharitonov can’t be lured into the cage for a reasonable purse, “Snowman” Jeff Monson (25-8) provides a sufficient technical challenge to Rothwell in a very different kind of fighter than Arlovski.

Monson could sprinkle a little of his magic jits’ powder on Rothwell and steal Rothwell’s momentum back into big fights, maybe even a rematch with Sylvia.

After Rothwell’s solid showing versus Arlovski, it’s important the rising star not be given a pass in his next fight. Tell him what a good look he gave in Anaheim, get him in the gym, and give him another challenge to stay hungry for.

Sylvia is a different matter altogether. He’s fought and failed versus the three top heavyweights in the world in his last four fights; and, the magnitude of the whole situation in Anaheim got into his head.

Can you blame him? Emelianenko was Sylvia’s last and best opportunity to trump the booing crowds and UFC “co-main event” slights with an irrefutable historical legacy. It may have been his last chance to conquer a legend and create his own legend for posterity.

And, while Emelianenko is naturally aloof of such things and, anyway, was secluded in St. Petersburg, Sylvia was having the import of his task beat into his brain day-in and day-out as he managed the majority of hype duties for the Affliction debut.

Give him a break, at least psychologically.

Match Sylvia versus Adrenaline MMA’s debut heavyweight main event Michael Russow (10-1).

Russow isn’t a gimme’. In fact, the powerful wrestler is a great physical and technical challenge for Sylvia; but, importantly, it’s a low-key fight that Sylvia can focus on without the daily grind of international marketing and promotion.

For Russow, a win would propel him into big fights and all he has to do is watch Couture’s lesson on wrestling Sylvia to a “W”.

On the off chance that Sylvia wants to climb back into the ring in September, a heavyweight in a similar situation is looking for an opponent across the Pacific.

A match-up between Sylvia and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) pits two former top five heavyweights who are both struggling with the mind-fuck of going from “I’m really good.” to “How good am I really?”

Sure, they’re both significant challenges for each other; but, Filipovic is righting himself at home, sweet home in Japan and the TLC the Japanese would show a big gaijin like Sylvia would be a stark contrast to the booing he endures at home.

Hell, Sylvia might get fitted for a kimono and never come back from The Land of the Rising Sun, win, lose, or draw versus “Cro Cop”.

Again, nothing is wrong with either fighter physically or technically. Both fighters need to get their minds right and, at least psychologically, they’re evenly matched for an explosive fight in a more comfortable atmosphere.

Cox could make the fight. He’s already loaned out lightweight Eddie Alvarez (15-1) to DREAM with results that have propelled the former Bodog welterweight into the lightweight top ten.

It’s a matter of Sylvia’s agent Monte Cox convincing Sylvia’s promoter Monte Cox that the trip to Tokyo is for the long-term benefit of his heavyweight more than headlining him on the second Adrenaline MMA card.

The event is headlined by “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8) and one-time UFC Heavyweight Champion “Suave” Ricco Rodriguez (28-9). Rodriguez is the replacement for “The Monster” Kevin Randleman (17-12), who had to withdraw due to injury.

Also on the card: former UFC Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante (14-7-1) facing TUF 3 competitor “Bring the Pain” Josh Haynes (9-10).

No reason was given for the postponement, although Monson’s hand injury, which caused him to pull out of last weekend’s Adrenaline MMA event, may have been one factor.

Guida, older brother of UFC lightweight “Carpenter” Clay Guida (23-9), will fight Michael Russow (9-1) in Chicago.

“Say what you will about Guida, but when you need somebody to jump in on short notice and fight anybody…he’s the guy,” said Adrenaline CEO Monte Cox.

Fighters.com foreshadowed the eventuality of Monson’s injury in a May interview:

Fighters.com: Aren’t the odds pretty high that at least one of these [three] fights [in six weeks] will be canceled?  I mean, even assuming you win them all, the likelihood of sustaining a cut or other injury that doesn’t heal between fights is high, isn’t it?

Monson: If I fight to my potential, I should be alright.  To be honest, the training is harder than the fights; so, if I make it to the fight date OK, I like my chances.

Check Fighters.com Saturday night for live Adrenaline MMA updates from the Sears Center.

The 14 June event in Chicago will air live at 9:30 PM and is headline by a heavyweight fight between “Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-8) and Michael Russow (9-1).

HDNet Fights has previously aired live events from Strikeforce, IFL, DREAM, and other promotions.

Heavyweight “Monster” Kevin Randleman (17-12) also pulled out a UD over Pancrase star Ryo Kawamura (8-3-2).  The decision was considered controversial.

Monson and Randleman are scheduled to fight on a 24 June card in Charlotte.

Highly-touted Roger Gracie (2-0) remained undefeated after tapping MMA vet Yuki Kondo (48-22-6) in a rear naked choke at 2:40 of round one.

“Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (7-1) called out “Ironhead” Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) after knocking out Kiwi “Big” Jim York (9-2) 46-seconds into round two.

American Top Team welterweight Jorge Santiago (17-7) fought off near-submissions before finding his own submission of Grabaka’s Yuki Sasaki (21-14-1) in a third-round armbar at 2:10.

Lighweight Eiji Mitsuoka (13-5-2) took only 4:15 to sink a rear naked choke submission in on “Crazy” Kwang Hee Lee (5-1).

Xtreme Couture welterweight “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (16-5-1) locked in a triangle choke to tap “Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-2) at 4:52 of round one.

Welterweight Pancrase vet Satoru Kitaoka (20-8-9) submitted Aussie Ian James Schaffa (7-5-1) in a guillotine choke in just 50 seconds to begin the night.

As reported by Fighters.com, the main event matches grappler “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) versus wrestler Michael Russow (9-1) in a mat struggle.

“The Snowman” will fight Russow just two weeks after taking on Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight “Babyface Assasin” Josh Barnett (21-5) at Sengoku II in Tokyo.

UFC fighter turned boxer Terry Martin (16-4) will fight Japanese middleweight Daiju Takase (7-11-1) before his hometown crowd.

Martin comes off UFC losses to “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) and “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), but won his boxing debut 12 April with a knockout of Ricardo Upchurch (0-2 in boxing).

Lightweight jiu-jitsu player Alberto Crane (8-2), who lost both of his UFC fights, will bounce back matched against King of the Cage vet Clay French (15-2).

IFL lightweight standout “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski (28-11), who’s taken three tough losses consecutively, will rebound in his hometown versus Jeffrey Cox (9-5), who lost his UFC debut to “Pitbull” Manvel Gamburyan (8-2) last month in Denver.

Also on the card to be held at the Sears Centre:

“The Freak” Tony Fryklund (14-9) v Brian Gassaway (28-17-2)
Taiwan Howard (4-1) v Rory Markham (13-3)
James Giboo (11-2) v Mark Miller (8-3)
“Herc” Antoine Hayes (6-5) v “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall (21-9)
Rob Kimmons (20-3) v Hector Urbina (11-4)
Aaron Rosa (10-2) v “Killing Fields” Ron Fields (22-25-1)
Dom O’Grady (4-0) v Mike Stumpf (9-1)
Joe Jordan (39-12-2) v Ryan Williams (5-2)
Christian Reynosa (6-2) v John Hosman (7-3-1)

Myth one: “I can beat Rich Franklin.”

Or, whoever you have a delusional cage fantasy about.  I only say second-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3) because I live in Greater Cincinnati and most often hear his name when I reveal I write about MMA; but, I’m sure, if you live in Vancouver, it’s Denis Kang (29-10-1) and, in Boston, it’s Florian.

You can’t beat any of them, even if you saw them get thrashed by another elite fighter.

Neither can your cousin who just got out of jail, nor your friend who just reached brown belt in BJJ.

What is it about mixed martial arts, the most grueling and graceful athletic endeavor in organized sport, that makes couch potatoes think they can put down their Cheetos, brush the orange dust from their stained fingers, and compete at an elite level?

No one watches baseball and thinks they can hit a 95 mph cut fastball 450 feet like Alex Rodriguez.  No one watches gymnastics and thinks they can roll out of bed into a triple axel.  (Well…no one watches gymnastics…)

UFC fighters, as well as many mixed martial artists in other promotions, are elite athletes.  They’re experts in the fighting skills of many disciplines, but that’s just where it begins.  Their cardio and strength training is as regimented and diligently-followed as the top athletes in any other sport, perhaps more so.

The fact is, even if you are as skilled in martial arts as a UFC fighter, there’s a genetic element that most of us just aren’t born with.  Just like many of us will never run a 4.4 forty or bench press 700 pounds, no matter how dedicated we are.

It’s often a comment from someone who’s never trained or hasn’t trained since they were in high school wrestling and doesn’t realize they’re neither 18-years old, nor in any kind of athletic shape anymore.

The only thing worse than saying, “I can beat Rich Franklin,” is saying, “I still think I can beat Rich Franklin,” a week after he picks you apart like a chicken carcass in front of 22,000 at the Centre Bell.  That’s not ignorant; that’s insane.

Myth two: “Kenny Florian: Not Your Average Fighter.”

Again, Florian or whoever in the sport can pack a coherent sentence with more than eight words is considered unique.  Often, it makes a headline in main stream media; but, I’ve seen it creep into MMA media too.

Elite fighters are as intelligent as computer geeks.  Wait,that’s “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (16-4).  Well, they’re as intelligent as people with master’s degrees.  Well, that’s Rich Franklin.  OK, they’re as intelligent as lawyers.  Oops…that’s first-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and “Hungarian Nightmare” Christian Wellisch (8-3).  As intelligent as Ph.D.s?  Yeah…that’s “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) and UFC fighter Terry Martin (16-4).  None of them are unique among fighters in their intellect, they’re just a few names off the top of my head.

I think the stereotype of the meathead fighter stems from a self-consciousness that prevents some people from allowing for a guy who can both kick their ass and outwit them in a debate on ontological empiricism.  It’s a way some people protect their own egos by reducing fighters to cavemen, regardless of the truth.

Now, of course there are meatheads in MMA; but, if you scan the top of the sport, most of the elite fighters are college-educated, artistically gifted, or intellectually interesting.

Intelligence is not unique among mixed martial artists, just like ignorance isn’t unique among those who’re surprised to meet a fighter who isn’t beating their chest.

Notes from around MMA

* Rich Franklin (23-3) turned down a fight versus ninth-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7) that was offered while the UFC rushed to bolster their London fight card after seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) was pulled from the main event with a pulled hamstring.

* Despite Franklin’s agent Monte Cox’s assertions on MMAWeekly Radio, Franklin is not considering a career move to 205-pounds, but would consider a one-off in the heavier division “if it was an interesting match-up”.  But for an unlikely challenge of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and first-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson, what meaningful fight could lure Franklin into a one-off?  Maybe a rematch with “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0)?  That’s interesting…

* TUF 7 contestant Brandon Sene (2-0) was robbed on Wednesday night’s episode of the the UFC’s reality program.  Fighters.com scored both of the first two rounds 10-9 for Sene, who was more aggressive and intent on inflicting damage to his opponent, Dante Rivera (10-2).  BJJ player Rivera was able to take the fight to the mat, but managed few serious attempts to end the fight with a submission and was largely unable to avoid Sene’s striking from his back.  Fighters.com did score the final, sudden-death round 10-9 for Rivera; but, the fight should’ve never made it to sudden death.

* The Tennessee House of Representatives will vote Tuesday on a bill to create a state athletic commission with the goal of attracting a UFC fight card and the $100 million in revenue that the big show’s events generate for local economies.  Now, which Tennessee native son might like to belt out a howl in a main event on the Mississippi?

*  According to the Winnipeg Sun, “Road Warrior” Jonathan Goulet (22-9) and his girlfriend will put the $75,000 bonus he won for “Fight of the Night” versus Kuniyoshi Hironaka (11-5) at UFC 83 towards a down payment on a home.  Goulet hits the road to London 7 June to fight Paul Kelly (7-0).

* UFC glove maker, Century, revealed to Fighters.com contributor Jason Wawro that the legend of Brock Lesnar’s (1-1) 4X-sized glove is a myth.  Despite rumors that Lesnar was the first MMA fighter to wear 4X gloves since “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1), a Century executive claimed, “I have the receipts right here and Brock Lesnar, Cheick Kongo, and Heath Herring all ordered 3X-sized gloves.”

* When asked about the CBS deal to air EliteXC MMA events, Fox Sports president Ed Goren replied that his company hasn’t struck a deal to air the sport because, “We don’t need money that badly.”  This from an executive of a company popular for such high-brow entertainment as When Animals Attack! and Celebrity Boxing featuring matches between Todd Bridges and Vanilla Ice and Paula Jones and Tonya Harding.

Monson answered a few questions exclusively for Fighters.com.

Fighters.com: Most fighters at the highest level of competition don’t fight so often.  Do you prefer the type of schedule you’ve signed-up for?

Jeff Monson: It’s just when they are scheduled.  I don’t particularly like them so close together, but it is good as well because once I am in fight shape for the first one, it’s easier to prepare for the following fights.

Fighters.com: Will you continue this level of frequency?

Jeff Monson: I am in good shape and I want to fight, so I will look at offers and assess each one.

Fighters.com: Is this a business decision?  You were offered good money to fight and you can’t turn it down?

Jeff Monson: Money really didn’t come into play.  They are all good organizations and I wanted to fight.

Fighters.com: Are there any unique training challenges to having three different opponents so close together?

Jeff Monson: Of course.  They are all different fighters and all of them tough fights as well; so, the training is different for each one.

Fighters.com: Aren’t the odds pretty high that at least one of these fights will be canceled?  I mean, even assuming you win them all, the likelihood of sustaining a cut or other injury that doesn’t heal between fights is high, isn’t it?

Jeff Monson: If I fight to my potential, I should be alright.  To be honest, the training is harder than the fights; so, if I make it to the fight date OK, I like my chances.

YAMMA Pit Fighting recently lost a main event in it’s debut when “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-16-1) was knocked out in Seoul two-weeks prior and the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board refused to license him.

Monson’s 12 June fight is the main event of Adrenaline MMA’s debut card, two-and-a-half weeks after Monson’s 18 May Sengoku II match-up versus Barnett.

Adrenaline MMA VP Brian Patton said, “[Monson] must be a lot tougher than me.  Jeff has taken some licks and seems to be able to recover quickly.  There is always a concern with fights that close together; but, I think we will be OK.”

While it seems to take a trained hostage negotiator to get a deal done between “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), “The Snowman” has picked up three fights in five weeks.

Count’em:

24 June versus “The Monster” Kevin Randleman (16-12) at Godz of War in Charlotte.

12 June versus Michael Russow (9-1) at Adrenaline MMA in Chicago.

And, today World Victory Road announced Monson will fight Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked heavyweight “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5) 18 May at Sengoku II in Tokyo.

Monson last fought MMA in December, picking up a unanimous decision over Hakim Goram (4-3).

Grabaka veteran Yuki Sasaki (21-13-1) will face American Top Team’s Jorge Santiago (16-7).

Sasaki, who’s made the international rounds from Shooto through Pancrase, DEEP, and even a unanimous decision loss to “The Boogeyman” Dean Lister (10-5) in the UFC, comes off a first round armbar submission of debuting South Korean Bo Guk So (0-1) in DEEP last July.

Santiago, who also had an unsuccessful stint in the UFC, last TKO’d Trevor Prangley (17-5) at Strikeforce last November.

After Adrenaline MMA announced “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) would headline its 14 June card in Chicago, the heavyweight has been removed from the 18 May Sengoku appearance list.

The list now includes “The Monster” Kevin Randleman (16-12), Roger Gracie (1-0), “Big” Jim York (9-1), and “Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (6-1), who recently bailed on an announced DREAM match with “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2).

Previously announced fights include:

Eiji Mitsuoka (12-5-1) v “Crazy” Kwang Hee Lee (5-0)
Satoru Kitaoka (19-8-9) v Ian James Schaffa (7-4-1)

I believe him!

Today Adrenaline MMA, formerly M-1 Global, announced Monson will headline their debut card versus Michael Russow (9-1) 14 June in Chicago.

On a call from Scotland tonight, where Monson is giving seminars, he asked, “Who’s Mike Russow?  What do you know about him?”

Russow is a wrestler from Chicago coming off a first round north/south choke submission of Roman Zentsov (16-12) on New Year’s Eve.  Russow’s only loss was to Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) at PRIDE’s last American dalliance, after which Russow compalined to the referee that Kharitonov had held his glove to secure the armbar.

“That’s Monte Cox’s promotion?”  Jeff asked.  “Yeah, I knew my manager was talking to him.  We’ll do anything with Monte.”

Monson hasn’t fought since December either, when he won a unanimous decision over Hakim Goram (4-3).

In November 2006, Monson lost a UFC title fight to “The Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4), another recent Adrenaline MMA signee.

He said, “I don’t feel I fought my best in that fight; but, no, I’m not seeking revenge or anything like that.”  He added, “If I were offered the fight [with Sylvia], I’d take it.”