Shark Fights is quickly becoming one of the stronger regional promotion's in the country. There secret to success has been the use of top tier talent in one or two fight stints. With names such as UFC and Srtrikeforce vets Paul Daley, Jorge Masvidal, Trevor Prangley, and Keith Jardine having made their way through the organization, Shark Fights is yet again delivering the goods with more notable fighters gracing their upcoming event. In the main-event of the evening, UFC veteran Chris Camozzi will be taking on former EliteXC title challenger Joey Villasenor in middleweight clash with more fighters gracing the card that the general public would be all too familiar with. ...

The glorified “recruitment drive” that strikeforce has been on ever since acquiring the bulk of the assets of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion and emerging as a major player on the global MMA scene… seems to have finally ran its course. After snatching up plenty of contracts and signing many fighters to deals, Strikeforce recently passed on the likes of Efrain Escudero and Gerald Harris in order to better focus on their current roster. Now it appears that Strikeforce has taken that goal a step farther, and has actually begun trimming the fat. Recently it was revealed that Strikeforce has released both Joe Villasenor and Joe Riggs. ...

Shark Fights, a well respected regional promotion, is upping-the-ante as they now intend on making "Shark Fights 13" main card, a pay-per-view affair. ...

After a seven-month hiatus, middleweight “Smokin’” Joey Villasenor (27-6) has signed a four-fight deal with Strikeforce and anticipates a March return to mixed martial arts on Showtime, the veteran explained to MMA Weekly Radio. "I signed a multi-fight contract and it's exciting," Villasenor said. "I'm just glad that it's all over with. There was some other competitors in there that were trying to get my services and Strikeforce rose to the occasion and they really fought for me. Now I get the opportunity to show them thanks by going and fighting for them." ...

ProElite, Inc. has cancelled it's 8 November EliteXC MMA event, ceased operations, and filed for bankruptcy, according to numerous reports. ProElite, Inc. is the parent company of the EliteXC promotion that is nationally broadcast in the States on CBS, as well as owner of the MMA brands King of the Cage, CageRage, ICON, and Spirit MC. ProElite's website is functioning and has no mention of the company's bankruptcy. However, Gracie Fighter, the website of EliteXC fighter Nick Diaz's  (18-7) manager, Cesar Gracie, posted Monday evening, "We are confirming that EliteXC has folded." The cancelled event was to have taken place in Reno and aired on Showtime featuring title fights in two weight divisions. ...

A rematch between Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked middleweight and EliteXC Champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) and Joey Villasenor (26-6) was announced Friday. It will take place 8 November and air on Showtime. Villasenor will look to avenge his KO loss to Lawler in October 2006.  Lawler’s flying knee ended the bout in 22 seconds. Villasenor won his last fight over “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (12-10) via first-round TKO in May. Lawler’s win over Villasenor began his current win streak.  He last fought “Hands of Steel” Scott Smith (13-5) in July, TKO’ing him in the second round and successfully defending his title. Lawler's first bout versus Smith in May ended in a No Contest. ...

Fighters.com's seventh-ranked middleweight "Twinkle Toes" Frank Trigg (17-6) made a successful comebackwith an anti-climactic unanimous decision over Makoto Takimoto (4-5) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 25 August and plans to fight Falaniko Vitale (26-8) 3 October in Denver. Trigg also welcomed a son, Stone, to his family in September.  Congratulations from Fighters.com. The remainder of the Middleweight Top Ten was on holiday last month...well, at least at middleweight. Top contender "Ace" Rich Franklin (23-3) made a successful return to light heavyweight in Atlanta 6 September.  He remains wishy-washy about his future in either division. But, before Franklin could move-up to 205, Fighters.com's Middleweight Champion "Spider" Anderson Silva (22-4) beat him there.  Franklin must wonder whether Silva is going to move to Cincinnati and start teaching high school math too. Silva is preparing to defend his Fighters.com and UFC titles versus "Predator" Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October. Third-ranked "Ely" Paulo Filho's (16-0) WEC title defense versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) was postponed from tonight to 5 November due to Hurrican Ike. Fourth-ranked EliteXC champ "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-4) is rumored to be considering a rematch versus Joey Villasenor (26-6), whom Lawler KO'd in 22 seconds in 2006. ...

EliteXC middleweight Joey Villasenor (26-6) will fight in their 20 September event, possibly against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1), he told MMA Junkie Saturday. "It sounds like it's going to be in my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico," Villasenor said. "We’re just waiting on confirmation of who it's going to be [against]." "They keep on bringing up Ninja's name. They're bringing up other names, but Ninja is the one that is sticking out right now." Villasenor has won his last three fights, most recently against “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (12-10) in May via first-round TKO. His last loss was by second-round TKO to Rua in June 2007, when they battled for EliteXC’s first-ever middleweight title. Rua lost the belt in his next fight in September to current champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) via TKO in round two. ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight and EliteXC Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) and "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) sizzled in three-and-a-half-rounds of stand-up in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night in the prime time network premier of mixed martial arts. In the main event, "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9) exposed "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) in a third-round stoppage loss. Former Ultimate Fighters Lawler and Smith fought to a controversial no contest halted when Smith absorbed a finger in his right eye from a defending Lawler. Smith protested the end of a fight that was building into the primetime MMA era's sequel to Griffin v Bonnar, while Lawler hung his head in disappointment. "Hands of Stone" opened round one of his title challenge establishing his high kick.  Lawler was cagey in defense, pawing a jab and feigning a takedown. It wasn't long before the fireworks shot off and didn't end.  Lawler countered a Superman punch from Smith with a straight right.  Smith belted back with a right high kick, backing up the champion.  Lawler threw haymakers in defense, then clinched up to throw hooks to Smith's head.  The warriors traded body kicks to end round one. Lawler established his jab in round two, setting up an uppercut.  Smith defended with Thai clinch in which he landed knees and elbows as Lawler struggled to free himself.  The fighters crashed into the cage and dirty boxed, Lawler landing uppercuts while Smith countered with elbows. The fireworks came to an anti-climactic end in round three as doctors inexplicably called an end to the fight after Smith took a Lawler finger to the eye. ...

Jackson's Submission Fighting's Joey Villasenor (25-6) will replace "Ninja" Murilo Rua (15-8-1) on CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights 31 May, EliteXC announced. Villasenor has won twice since losing to Rua by TKO in June 2007.  He won a split decision over Riki Fukuda (9-3) and knocked out Ryan Jensen (11-4) last month. Baroni returns after losing an Icon middleweight title bout to Kala Kalohe Hose (6-1) in March. No explanation for the change has been given. ...

Top Strikeforce welterweight contender Drew Fickett (33-5) locked in his title bid versus champ Jake Shields (20-4-1) in the form of a guillotine choke around the neck of intended Nick Diaz (15-7) opponent "The Korean Icepick" Jae Suk Lim (9-4) at 1:14 of the first round in San Jose Saturday night. Fickett was signed to challenge Shields on tonight's Showtime-televised card; but, Shields injured his back heaving a sledgehammer during training. Fickett drew Lim after Shields's partner, Diaz, was denied a license by the California State Athletic Board. The title fight has reportedly been rescheduled for 14 June in Hawaii. The absence of Shields and Diaz, popular Nor Cal warriors,  agitated thousands of hungry fight aficionados at HP Pavilion. They packed in to feast on a middleweight mixed martial arts title fight between Strikeforce champion Frank Shamrock (24-9-1) and Cung Le (6-0), heroes from opposite sides of the Capital of Silicon Valley. What they were fed was two-and-a-half rounds of brisk San Shou sparring and two-and-a-half minutes of MMA. Le remained undefeated when Shamrock quit with a broken arm after the third round, relinquishing his belt to the Vietnamese kung-fu stylist.  "He kept blocking," Le explained,  "so I kept aiming at that part of the wrist." With local street cred on the table, both fighters answered the opening bell cautious of the other's prowess. Shamrock circled in a crouching stance while pumping a lazy jab in Le's general direction, while Le waltzed warily from a safe range. When the hammer did fall, beginning with a Shamrock kick to Le's midsection countered by a Le left hand, it was in single-strike spurts followed by congratulatory high fives. They grinned at each one-off as the crowd chanted "Boring!" Shamrock closed round one with a knee busting Le's lip, but lost the round in range of Le's snapping kicks. Le opened the second frame knocking Shamrock's mouthpiece out with a left high kick. As Le learned Shamrock wasn't interested in taking him to the mat, he became more comfortable launching left and right middle kicks to setup punches to Shamrock's head, catching Shamrock with a right hook towards the round's final bell. Le topped Shamrock in round two as well. Midway through the third round, a fight broke out and the champion and challenger traded flurries against the cage. A hard left kick to Shamrock's core backed the champion into the fence and Le followed with a spinning back fist as Shamrock advanced. Shamrock walked through the worst of Le's attack and pounded punches in a flurry marked by a right fist that staggered Le against the cage. Le countered with another lightning strike body kick followed by a flurry of hooks as the bell signaled an end to the round and, as Shamrock chose not to answer the fourth round's bell, the end of the fight. "This is a dream come true," Le said after the fight.  "Coming from Vietnam under gunfire and now world champion, I love it." In undercard action, top ten lightweight "El Niño" Gilbert Melendez (14-1) shook-up and opened the anticipated can of whoop ass on last minute opponent Gabe Lemley (11-7). Referee Herb Dean showed mercy on the seemingly awe-struck Iowan and called an end to Melendez's G'n'P onslaught at 2:18 of the second round. Melendez returned like a typhoon from a loss to "The Endless Warrior" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1) in Japan, the first of "El Niño's" career. Strikeforce newbie Wayne Cole (11-6) surprised "MAK" Mike Kyle (9-7-1) in an armbar 45-seconds after the opening bell. Kyle, win-less since 2005, was rusty from a two-year absence from professional competition. In a sloppy, but entertaining 4:45 minute punch-up, middleweight Joey Villasenor (25-6) of Jackson's Submission Fighting popped late replacement Ryan Jensen (11-4) with a right hand, knocking the former UFC fighter out in his third consecutive first-round stoppage loss (all against tough competition). Team Oyama welterweight Tiki Ghosn's (10-7) takedown defence kept his scrap with young Luke Stewart (5-1) where Ghosn could pick at Stewart's stand-up.  The veteran nickle-and-dimed his way to a unanimous decision of 29-28 twice and 30-27. Stewart picks up his first "L" after five stoppage wins, all in Strikeforce affairs. Team USA grappler Darren Uyenoyama (4-1) broke bantamweight Strikeforce regular Anthony Figueroa's (4-2) two-fight win streak by sweeping from half guard into a guillotine choke, enticing the tap at 1:27 of the first frame. Undefeated Jesse Jones (2-0) exposed Jesse Gillespie (1-1), transitioning in back control from a rear naked choke to G'n'P for a 35-second TKO. Lightweight Billy Evangelista (6-0) knocked out Marlon Sims (3-3) at :39 of the third round to end the night. ...

"Cyborg" Evangelista Santos (15-11) will replace "Diesel" Joe Riggs on Strikeforce's 29 March card in San Jose. Santos will fight Joey Villasenor (24-6). Riggs was replaced due to a back injury requiring surgery he suffered at last month's Strikeforce event in Tacoma. Santos fights Makoto Takimoto (4-3) on World Victory Road's debut event in Japan today. He returns from a 1 February TKO loss to Gegard Mousasi at an HCF event in Calgary. Villasenor comes off a split decision victory over Riki Fukuda (9-3) at a September 2007 EliteXC show. ...