The Dane was originally scheduled to return to action last June when he was originally pitted against John Howard in a welterweight bout for “UFC on Versus 4″, though Martin subsequently suffered a knee injury which forced his removal from the bout.

It’s the same knee that forced him out of an originally scheduled middleweight bout with Rich Franklin at UFC 72 back in 2007–an opportunity of a lifetime that was cost due to the withered conditions of a knee that has seen the cutting board on three separate occasions.

Now, Kampmann is left with the memory of his last outing, a controversial decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter” season one winner, Diego Sanchez. The two met back in March, and while Martin displayed an impressive blend of striking and effective takedown defense, it wasn’t enough to sway the judges in his favor.

“I thought it was a great fight”, said Kampmann.

“I thought I beat him in the first fight, but it is what it is. Judges sometimes don’t see it your way and of course I would love to beat him up again.”

Back in the gym, Kampmann is slowly weening himself back into action, but is still on the mend, much like another notable welterweight in Jon Fitch. The American Kickboxing Academy product has since been shelved for a shoulder injury suffered in preparation for a second meeting with former champion BJ Penn. The two initially met in at UFC 127 in the main-event, where they both battled to a controversial draw at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Fitch has since come out and discussed what would be his next move, since Penn has been pitted with budding contender Carlos Condit, and his plans could include Kampmann.

“I think Martin Kampmann might be a smart fight right now”, said Jon in an interview with MMACanada.net.

“He’s the only guy I can think of right now who’s healthy and who doesn’t have a fight scheduled, and has a big name and is a very tough opponent.”

“I heard that he wanted to fight me, so that could be an exciting fight”, said Martin in reference to the challenge thrown down.

“I’m coming off of two losses, even though they were both very close fights, but definitely a win over Jon Fitch would put me right back on top. That would be a great opportunity and he’s a very tough opponent, he’s a grinder, he takes people down, wears them out, and those are tough guys to fight. I think anybody can be beat and so can Jon Fitch. It would make for an interesting match-up for sure.”

Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez–either fighter is fine by Kampmann (though Diego has since been penned in for a bout with UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes), however, his attention has become a simple, single thought. Win. Doesn’t matter who, just win.

“My focus is, I’m coming off of two losses, so I would love to get a win”, said the 29-year-old Xtreme Couture product.

“I just want to go in there and beat somebody up. Obviously it’s always nice if I can get a name opponent, that would help me get back on the right track. It’s up to the UFC, it’s up to my opponent…if (Matt) Hughes steps out, I would be happy to step in.

“I would always rather get the win. I’m there to win, I hate losing more than anything.”

The full, uncut, profanity-filled interview can be seen in its entirety here. Here are some of the best quotes as compiled by MixedMartialArts.com: “If you can’t beat my style, then you suck. Sorry. If you can’t beat it, you can’t beat it… I don’t see you as a complete fighter if you can’t f—— stay off your back… I’m irritated. I’m pissed off. I wanna hurt some people. I wanna finish a lot of people and I wanna do it in style. I’m tired of being skipped over and I’m tired of being ignored, and it’s time for me to make some noise.”

The interview also features Fitch talking about Nick Diaz at length. Fitch calls out Diaz for attacking his style, saying that Diaz was protected by being in Strikeforce when he made those claims. Fitch also states that he would love to fight Nick Diaz.

When the subject of a potential fight with Josh Koscheck comes up, Fitch was almost-painfully blunt. Remember, some insiders and fans have pointed to Fitch and Koscheck refusing to fight each other as one of the chief reasons why UFC President Dana White was so hesitant to give Koscheck a second fight with GSP and why Fitch is also having trouble getting another fight with St. Pierre. Nevertheless, Fitch says that he would rather “murder everyone and spend the rest of my life in jail” than fight his teammate and friend.

No matter what kind of fighter you are, these are some really strong words. When you consider that it’s Jon Fitch speaking them, you’ve just got to be surprised.

And since Fitch was so bluntly honest and open in this interview, here’s some open and honest bluntness of my own: I’ll believe it when I see it.

Make no mistake, I’m a fan of Jon Fitch. I coined the term “beautiful ugliness” to describe his way of grinding down opponents and making them look like they never took a wrestling defense class in their life. But Jon Fitch has never been a finisher, and one fired-up interview does not lead me to believe that Jon Fitch will come back to the UFC and start finishing people left and right.

Is it possible for Fitch to start finishing people? Of course it is. The man is ridiculously talented and vastly under-appreciated. But here’s even more blunt honesty for you: I’m a bigger fan of Nick Diaz than I am of Jon Fitch, and Jon Fitch will be in for a lot of trouble if he really wants to fight Nick Diaz. Let’s forget for a moment that everything is on the line for Diaz when he fights GSP. If Diaz fights Fitch, Jon Fitch will more than likely lose. Diaz is no joke on the ground, and most of the time he only goes to the ground if he chooses to. Also, and you can trust me on this one… as good as Fitch’s chin is, Nick Diaz can and will crack it. Nick Diaz can and will KO Jon Fitch if they ever met in the Octagon.

As a fan of Jon Fitch, that’s very tough for me to say. And as a fan of Jon Fitch, I really empathize with Fitch’s feelings of being alienated, alone, and under-appreciated. I think he has a legitimate argument, and the optimist in me hopes that he comes back to the UFC and starts absolutely destroying people.

But the realist in me knows that one interview does not make a fighter, and that if Jon Fitch wants to change the way people see him, he needs to start actually finishing and not just talk about finishing.

After consecutive losses to current lightweight kingpin Frankie Edgar, Penn moved back to 170-pounds in order to complete a trilogy with rival Matt Hughes. And while the cards were stacked against him, Penn was able to knock out the resurgent UFC Hall of Famer, who at the time was riding a three-fight win streak heading into their final meeting.

Since the win, Penn has gone to a draw with consensus number two welterweight fighter Jon Fitch at UFC 127, and the two were expected to meet in a rematch to settle the score come UFC 132, however the American Kickboxing Academy protege has since bowed out of the bout due to injury. And while several fighters had begun campaigning to fight Penn in place of Fitch, namely Carlos Condit, the Hawaiian also has since suffered an injury which will keep him out of the pay-per-view event.

Recently, “The Prodigy” released a video which has since confirmed his removal from the highly anticipated July event, which has been one of the promotion’s highlight events.

Former WEC champion Carlos Condit had been lobbying for a bout with Penn, though nothing had materialized, and for good reason. Penn went on to detail that the shoulder injury that he has existed prior to his meeting with Fitch and the subsequent bout as well as gearing up for the rematch only made the shoulder worse, hence him withdrawing from the July event.

It looks like Penn will now hold out for the anticipated rematch with Fitch in the mean time, though nothing yet is set in stone. In the video, he goes on to mention Fitch and hopes that the two studs could meet in the immediate future, however if such is not the case, then Penn will be okay with seeking a different opponent.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the news? According to BJ, he will be resting the shoulder for 6-8 weeks and then will resume training once again, so he could very well be back in action by later this summer. Who would you like to see Penn step inside the cage with? Sound off in the comment section below.

In their first encounter, Fitch and Penn battled to a contentious majority draw, much to the ire of the fans and media alike who were split on the decision, with some saying Penn deserved the win while others made the case for the American Kickboxing Academy product.

However, it has recently been revealed that Fitch has since suffered an injury and could not continue with the proposed match-up.

The injury and removal of Fitch from the bout was first reported by <a href="http://mmaweekly.com/jon-fitch-out-of-ufc-132-bout-against-b-j-penn-due-to-injury”>MMAWeekly.com who had confirmed the news with sources close to “the situation”–however vague and general that may seem.

In their original encounter at UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia, BJ Penn utilized a much different strategy than he had been accustomed to in the past, by trying to out wrestle the wrestler–and it worked. In the first-round, Penn stole the round by successfully pressing Fitch against the cage and eventually taking him down to the ground where he immediately took his back and fished for a rear-naked choke.

In the second, Penn did much of the same, however a late round rally by Fitch had the welterweight stud reverse position and close out the round on top scoring with punches.

The third was all Fitch, who managed a takedown early and kept Penn on his back for the rest of the round, dominating from within guard with short punches to the head and body.

In the end, two judges gave the first-two rounds to Penn and the last round to Fitch, with a score of 10-8. The final judge scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Fitch.

It’s unclear at this time whether Penn will remain on the card and wait for another potential opponent or if he will hold out for the rematch with Fitch–which is something that BJ stated in his post-fight interview as the sole motivation for returning to the cage.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the news? Should Penn wait or seek another opponent–and if so, who? Sound off in the comment section below

We head to MMA Weekly for a big announcement on two major UFC 132 matches. According to the report, the UFC recently announced that UFC 132 will feature a rematch between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch as well as a major Lightweight showdown between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham.

We then head to Sherdog for another major match-up for UFC 132. According to their report, the UFC is also targeting a fight between Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman for UFC 132.

UFC 132 is currently expected to take place July 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a big Jon Fitch fan, I’m very glad that he’s going to rematch BJ Penn. I want Fitch to prove once and for all that he can beat BJ Penn, because I believe without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he can. Their first fight was very close, up until the third round, where Fitch went back to basics and utilized his famed style of grinding to completely dominate Penn. If Fitch had fought all three rounds the way he fought the third round, we wouldn’t need a rematch.

But we definitely need one now, and I’m very glad that this match-up is coming together.

I think a bout between George Sotiropoulos and Evan Dunham will really test where both men are in the UFC’s Lightweight division. Both men recently suffered some very deflating losses, and at one time both men looked like can’t-miss prospects. However, Dunham is on a two-fight losing-streak while the aura of invincibility surrounding George Sotiropoulos was pretty much torn down under the constant attacks of Dennis Siver. This is a fight where both men’s top-division (or near the top of the division) status may very well be on the line. As a fan of George Sotiropoulos, I’m honestly hoping that he won’t be the one to lose his hold near the top of the UFC’s 155-pound heap.

Matt Wiman vs. Dennis Siver is a fight that simply makes sense. Wiman has won seven of his last nine bouts, while Siver has won seven of his last eight. Siver is also coming off of the biggest win of his career, a major beat-down of the aforementioned George Sotiropoulos. Wiman also looked pretty impressive in his last bout, beating Cole Miller by Unanimous Decision. Unlike Sotiropoulos vs. Dunham, this fight will likely decide which fighter is ready to attain top-division status. I personally am pulling for Siver, who has got to be one of the best strikers in the UFC’s Lightweight division.

Overall, this is shaping up to be an awesome event and I’m sure we’ll be talking about this one a whole lot more when summertime rolls around. But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to UFC 132?

5. Anthony Perosh storming through Tom Blackledge.

UFC fans, even old-school UFC fans, only knew Anthony Perosh as a Heavyweight fighter that had gone winless in the UFC. But Perosh made his Light Heavyweight debut at UFC 127 in front of his hometown crowd. With the entire arena behind him, and at a weight where he could finally muscle opponents to the ground in order to use his considerable ground expertise (he now has eight wins by submission), Perosh turned in one of the best performances of his career, submitting his opponent in under three minutes, much to the delight of the Acer Arena fans. And much to my delight as well, because I felt that Perosh’s big win and dramatic post-fight celebration was one of the highlights of the night.

4. Kyle Noke quickly dispatching Chris Camozzi.

It’s always important to start a Pay-Per-View event off with a bang. And nothing quite says “bang” like a quick finish in under two minutes. Noke made short work of Camozzi, finishing him via a great Rear Naked Choke at 1:35 of the very first round. It was a pretty big moment in Noke’s career: he’s now won five straight fights. It was definitely a highlight of the night.

3. Brian Ebersole upsetting Chris Lytle.

Once more Chris Lytle found himself in the middle of a tough war with a very skilled veteran, and once more he ended up fighting his heart out in a classic performance that he unfortunately was not able to win. Brian Ebersole completely took me by surprise, and I immensely enjoyed this fight. I hate to see Chris Lytle lose, but the fight was so entertaining that it was definitely a major highlight of the entire show.

2. Dennis Siver upsetting George Sotiropoulos.

It always seems like a cliché, like a relatively weak counter-point, whenever someone says “every fight starts standing”. But sometimes that saying isn’t such a cliché… sometimes it’s a hard lesson that a ground specialist has to learn before taking the next big step up the rankings. And that lesson was recently taught to Sotiropoulos when Dennis Siver thoroughly controlled him and nearly finished him. Siver cynics may call him one-dimensional, but his ability to keep his fight with Sotiropoulos in that dimension exclusively should be praised, alongside Siver’s impressive level of striking. Seeing Siver outright dominate Sotiropoulos was easily one of the most shocking and most interesting moments of the night.

And my personal top moment of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch” is…

1. Jon Fitch’s performance during the final round of his fight with BJ Penn.

This was the round where Jon Fitch left nothing to speculation, this was the round that made it very clear why Jon Fitch has only ever lost one time in the UFC. If Jon Fitch had fought this way for the entire fight, there’d have been no question as to who won it. In the third and final round, Fitch found a way to implement his famous style of grinding down an opponent with constant offense and smothering. Penn had nothing for Fitch in this third round, and it was this third round in particular that has led many to already cry foul at this fight being ruled a draw. This was the Jon Fitch that all Jon Fitch fans know and love, and even though we only saw him for one round, that round was definitely the highlight of the night for me.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What were your favorite moments from UFC 127: “Penn vs. Fitch”?

Next for Chris Lytle: As much as I wish I didn’t have to say this, it’s back to the drawing board for “Lights Out”. This was simply a must-win situation that Chris Lytle didn’t win. Lytle gutted his way through a very tough, close fight that earned him yet another post-fight bonus, so I think we’ll see Lytle back on UFC Pay-Per-Views before long. In the here and now, however, I think the UFC will put Lytle into the role of a gatekeeper for his next fight.

Next for Brian Ebersole: It all depends on how active Ebersole wants to be as a UFC fighter this late into his career. If Ebersole wants big fights, I think the UFC will give them to him at least once. I can see him facing someone like Paulo Thiago, or the loser of the upcoming Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez fight, or even Josh Koscheck whenever he returns. Ebersole made a serious impact at UFC 127, so I think the UFC will throw him right back into the shark tank for his next fight.

Next for George Sotiropoulos: My feelings on “G-Sot” closely mirror my feelings on Chris Lytle: it’s time to retool and refocus. I think announcer Joe Rogan said it perfectly: George needs to learn the “American wrestling” style of shooting for takedowns in order to fully implement his ground game. But he also needs to keep developing his striking, the fight with Siver proved that George’s stand-up still has plenty of room to grow. We can expect to see Sotiropoulos on a “Fight Night Live” card in the near future, and I think we’ll probably see the best Sotiropoulos yet when he does make his comeback. There’s still plenty of time left to realize his potential, and I think this loss was an important learning experience for him.

Next for Dennis Siver: Probably the loser of Guida/Pettis or Edgar/Maynard 3, that or another high-level Lightweight star. Now that BJ Penn and Kenny Florian have left the division, the UFC could use another good striker with real finishing power. Plus, Siver’s takedown defense looks excellent, so he should be a worthy challenge to the other ground wizards at 155. We can expect to see Siver right back on a UFC Pay-Per-View and challenging one of the UFC’s best for his next fight.

Next for Jon Fitch/BJ Penn: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. This is one of the few occasions where I believe that an immediate rematch is absolutely called for. As much as I think Jon Fitch beat BJ Penn, I want this rematch so Fitch can leave nothing to speculation. I don’t want this fight to hover over his head, I don’t want all these unanswered questions to remain unanswered. For better or worse, I say we do this again.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

Chris Lytle seemed to think that he could bring his standard boxing offense and dispose of UFC newcomer Brian Ebersole.  Ebersole proved otherwise with a funky offense featuring half cartwheel kicks, solid takedowns, and strong foot movement to dodge Lytle’s right-handed haymakers.  Ebersole looked more and more comfortable and clearly the stronger fighter as the rounds passed.  Lytle actually would have had a better chance against his originally planned opponent, Carlos Condit, in a more traditional pocket-boxing affair.  Congrats to Ebersole in his debut.

Big props to Dennis Siver.  I fully expected George Sotiropoulos to find a way to get the fight on the mat and work a submission.  Siver dropped GS in round one, stuffed takedowns in rounds two and three and never seemed all that threatened by the Australian.  Siver imposed his kickboxing while GS never had a chance to open his ground game tool kit against the German.

I had predicted Michael Bisping would beat Jorge Rivera, but due to points in a three round decision.  Instead, we saw the most convincing version of Bisping in his last four fights.  He was faster, more precise with his blows and showed a killer finish at the end.  There was some controversy when Bisping drilled Rivera with a knee to the head while he was on his knees, drawing a point deduction.  However, I think Bisping proved to be the more versatile and complete fighter as round two proceeded.  Bisping didn’t want this fight, yet it provided the perfect showcase for the Brit to dominate and sets him up for a marquee bout the next time out.

The main event was a very close fight, yet I do believe Jon Fitch won round two closely and dominated round three to give him the win by a score of 29-27.  Not to be.  Two of the three judges saw the fight 28-28 generating a draw … leaving nobody happy.  The most surprising element to this fight was Penn’s decision in the beginning of rounds one and two to rush Fitch and engage in the clinch on the fence and proceed to go for takedowns.  While he succeeded at this, in part, in each round, this was not taking the fight to where Penn had his best advantage.  I thought Penn should have tried to keep the fight in the standing, boxing realm for as long as possible in each round.  Penn’s hands are far better than Fitch’s hands and I expected him to try and fight the fight where he has the greatest advantage.  Additionally, once again, I think cardio played a role, per Penn, in round three as Fitch came out and connected with a right hand, took Penn down, and beat him up for all five minutes of the round.  This was the most dominant either fighter was in any round and showed Fitch to be the stronger combatant at the end.

–

Your thoughts.  What did you take away from UFC 127?

Jon Fitch and BJ Penn fight to a Majority Draw. Michael Bisping defeats Jorge Rivera by TKO (Strikes) at 1:54 of Round 2. Dennis Siver defeats George Sotiropoulos by Unanimous Decision. Brian Ebersole defeats Chris Lytle by Unanimous Decision. Kyle Noke defeats Chris Camozzi by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:35 of Round 1. Ross Pearson defeats Spencer Fisher by Unanimous Decision. Alexander Gustafsson defeats James Te Huna by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:27 of Round 1. Nick Ring defeats Riki Fukuda by Unanimous Decision. Anthony Perosh defeats Tom Blackledge by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:45 of Round 1. Tiequan Zhang defeats Jason Reinhardt by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:48 of Round 1. Mark Hunt defeats Chris Tuchscherer by KO (Punch) at 1:41 of Round 2. Curt Warburton defeats Maciej Jewtuszko by Unanimous Decision.

The “UFC Prelims Live” specials continue not to disappoint, and I’m very glad that I watched both the Facebook stream and the ION TV broadcast. However, I absolutely believe that Riki Fukuda was robbed of a victory against Nick Ring.

It really, really saddened me to see Chris Lytle lose again. I honestly don’t know how many times he can keep starting over, and I just don’t know if he’ll ever get to this point again. Brian Ebersole put on a fantastic performance, though, so at least Lytle didn’t lose a boring fight. Lytle went out on his shield, and I definitely commend him for it. But still… there are a lot of questions now surrounding the future for Chris Lytle.

With this win, I think we’ve seen the full ascension of Dennis Siver. Siver looked awesome in this fight, with great striking and awesome takedown defense. I’m a bit sad that Sotiropoulos wasn’t able to continue his hotstreak, but I think this win solidified Siver as a top-division fighter. I look forward to seeing what he does with this massive win.

I really enjoyed the Bisping/Rivera fight, and I think it lived up to most of its potential. But I absolutely believe that Bisping intentionally threw an illegal knee in order to get some revenge on Rivera, and I honestly don’t know how to feel about that right now. I suppose I’ll have to wait until Rivera shares his side of the story, and his reaction to the illegal knee. Right now though, I’m mostly happy that Bisping scored a dominating win, even though I think the beginning of the end started with an illegal strike.

In all honesty, BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch was one of those fights where I didn’t want to see either man lose. I’ve been a fan of both fighters for quite some time now, and I think both men fought a very hard, very competitive fight. But I honestly think Jon Fitch deserved to win. BJ Penn performed admirably, but my gut reaction is that Fitch won this fight. But there can now be no doubt: this fight needs a rematch.

Overall, I really enjoyed UFC 126. It had a little something for everybody, and now more and more I’m noticing a trend in UFC and MMA shows in general as we head ever-deeper into 2011: a lot of my favorite fighters are losing, but the shows that they’re losing on are just so good that I can’t stay upset for long. This was another very, very solid UFC event, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

And that’s that, fans and friends! But what about you? What did you think of UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

As we head closer and closer to this show going live, I find myself more and more conflicted about who I think will win between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch. I certainly know who I want to win: Fitch, who I’ve vocally defended several times and is actually one of my favorite fighters. But without a doubt, this is Jon’s toughest test since he fought and lost to Georges St. Pierre. BJ Penn seems very focused and motivated going into this bout, and a focused and motivated BJ Penn is one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet.

Part of me really hopes Jorge Rivera is able to beat Michael Bisping. I stand by what I said in my “picks and predictions” post, I think Rivera will more than likely come in overly aggressive and Bisping will more than likely catch him. But I would hate for Rivera to be just another fighter that talked a big game and didn’t back any of it up. As much as I like Michael Bisping, I’ve busted a gut at countless Rivera videos where he and his team proceed to mock “The Count”. Hopefully all that wonderful, hilarious trash talk was not in vain. It should certainly be a good fight no matter what happens.

I think it’s really nice that the UFC is giving its more-hardcore fans so many ways to watch the preliminary fights of their Pay-Per-View events. It’s getting to a point where every UFC Pay-Per-View has a couple of free preliminary fights somewhere, and that’s in addition to the UFC’s busy schedule of Spike TV and “UFC on Versus” events. Some fans and insiders are already wondering if this is becoming too much of a good thing, but for my money, free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing. I think the UFC will continue these “UFC Prelims Live” specials until they’re no longer successful, and if the ratings of the last several specials were any indication, the future of this series is ripe with potential.

Speaking of “ripe with potential”, I really hope George Sotiropoulos wins his upcoming bout with Dennis Siver. I think Sotiropoulos could become a serious contender to the UFC Lightweight Championship before the year is through. And even if that doesn’t pan out, there’s still a lot of potentially awesome fights for George Sotiropoulos at 155.

Overall, I’m really looking forward to this card and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. The UFC has been off to an excellent 2011, and I’d like for this show to continue that trend. With plenty of great encounters and several fights on free TV, UFC 127 is shaping up to be the benchmark for the UFC’s international efforts in 2011. Here’s hoping it lives up to my expectations.

And those are my “Finally Final” thoughts on UFC 127, fans and friends. But what about you? What’s on your mind as we get closer and closer to this show?

Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi: This is a pretty tough fight to pick. Both men are on four-fight win-streaks, both have only lost a handful of times, and both men are pretty versatile. Camozzi has four (T)KO’s, five submissions, and five decisions, while Noke has six (T)KO’s, seven submissions, and five decisions. It’s going to be a tough brawl, but based on the level of competition he’s fought and beaten, I’m picking Kyle Noke to win via Unanimous Decision.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole: Brian Ebersole won’t make it easy, but in the end I just think that there’s no stopping Chris Lytle. Lytle may have lost more times, but Ebersole has been submitted nine times and Lytle has 19 submission wins on his record, this despite the fact that Lytle always shows up to bang and has some pretty heavy hands. Everyone seems to sleep on Lytle’s ground game, and I think Ebersole’s susceptibility to submissions will result in Chris Lytle taking a submission win in Round 2.

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver: Dennis Siver is a quality match-up for anybody, but against George Sotiropoulos, I just don’t think he has what it takes. George is quickly shaping up to be the next big can’t-miss prospect at Lightweight, and he’s gone a long way towards realizing that destiny with several impressive victories that have really shown his growth into a complete Mixed Martial Artist, rather than just a submission specialist. But since Siver has lost a majority of his fights by submission (four of seven), I’m calling for a classic “G-Sot” performance that ends with a first round submission.

Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera: I hate to say what I’m about to say, because I’ve really become a fan of Jorge Rivera thanks to his hilarious, bust-a-gut video interviews where he mocks Michael Bisping. But I just don’t think Rivera is on Bisping’s level. Part of me hopes he proves me wrong, but a larger part of me knows that Bisping fights hardest when he has a chip on his shoulder. The last time Bisping was this fired up was after he had gotten KO’d by Dan Henderson and wanted to prove that he was still a force at Middleweight. He proceeded to dominate and TKO the once-feared Denis Kang and send him right out of the UFC. With this in mind, I think Bisping will catch an overly-aggressive Rivera and TKO him in Round 1.

BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch: So it finally comes down to this: after weeks of speculation it’s now time for me to definitively choose a side. I’m a big fan of both BJ Penn and Jon Fitch, and this is honestly one of those fights where I really wish that neither man had to lose. But I’ve been siding with Fitch from the get-go, and in spite of recent developments, it’s Fitch that I’m going to stay with. Fitch will grind out BJ Penn and deplete his cardio to the point where we’ll see the same defeated, exhausted Penn we saw during the later rounds of Penn’s second battle with Georges St. Pierre. Jon Fitch will win this fight by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s it for me, fans and friends. But what about you? Who’ve you got winning, and why, for UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”?

5. Four free fights, two on Facebook and two on ION Television.

Does it really get any better than that? If you’re of the mind to do so, you’re basically getting two free, full hours of MMA action in addition to the normal UFC Pay-Per-View broadcast. The UFC definitely knows how to give back to its fans, and the great thing about this is that the free fights have plenty of potential even if you have no idea who’s fighting who. Free MMA on TV plus good MMA on TV equals a major reason to watch UFC 127.

4. The continuing evolution of George Sotiropoulos.

Sotiropoulos is on a fantastic eight-fight win-streak with seven of those wins occurring inside the world’s most prestigious Mixed Martial Arts organization. But Sotiropoulos faces a very tough threat in the form of Dennis Siver, Siver has won four of his last five fights and has several “Of The Night” honors to his credit. This is exactly the kind of test Sotiropoulos needs right now, with the UFC needing just a bit more proof before they book him as the next major threat at Lightweight. If he wins and wins decisively at UFC 127, expect George Sotiropoulos to become a championship contender before the year is through.

3. Is Chris Lytle really ready for top-division status?

I’m disappointed that Carlos Condit had to pull out of this fight, but Brian Ebersole is no throw-away opponent. Ebersole is a tough veteran with a gigantic 44-14-1-1 record, but most recently, he’s won his last seven fights. It wouldn’t be the first time that a tough newcomer upset the heavy favorite, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about Chris Lytle possibly losing this bout. If “Lights Out” can beat Ebersole, he’ll take one big, important step closer to this latest run towards championship relevancy.

2. Can Jorge Rivera really beat Michael Bisping?

This is the million-dollar question when it comes to this fight, isn’t it? Rivera has been striking comedic gold for the past several weeks with his hilarious YouTube videos, but that’s come at a price: Bisping now wants to knock Rivera’s head off. Can Rivera really hang with a fighter that’s consistently hovered around the top of his division for the last several years? Or were his interviews, as vastly entertaining as they were, simply a matter of all show and no go?

And my number one reason to watch UFC 127 is…

1. Does Penn have another title run in him? Can Fitch really beat one of the best in the sport?

If Rivera/Bisping was the million-dollar question, I suppose those are the billion-dollar questions. BJ Penn and Jon Fitch are both at crucial parts of their careers: Fitch is closer than ever to getting both the title shot and the respect that he’s been hungering for ever since losing to Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn is on the verge of another dramatic comeback in a career that’s been highlighted by amazing comebacks. It’s a fight between two of the UFC’s best with a whole lot more than just a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship on the line, and it’s definitely the biggest reason to tune in and watch this show.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: UFC 127 “Penn vs. Fitch”, scheduled for February 27, 2011 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Because of the time differential, the event will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View in the United States on February 26, 2011 starting at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. Two preliminary fights will be streamed live on the UFC’s Facebook page at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. Two additional preliminary bouts will be shown on the Ion Television network at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: The card is filled with some of the best of the best when it comes to the UFC’s international talent, and in the main event, BJ Penn and Jon Fitch lock horns to determine the next man to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. This is a very important point in both men’s fighting careers, and it isn’t a match that should be missed. Plus, many of the matches simply look like a whole lot of fun on paper.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Both Penn and Fitch are chasing a title shot, but for very different reasons. Penn is all about cementing his legacy, Fitch is all about getting the credit he rightfully deserves. Fitch will come out hungry and look to grind down Penn, Penn will come out fiery and looking to serve up another KO after recently blasting Matt Hughes into unconsciousness. Both men will show up at the top of their game, and it’s going to be a great fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: For the past several weeks, Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera have been embroiled in bitter verbal warfare with plenty of mudslinging and much spitting of venom. Both men pretty much hate each other, so look for them to come in trying to knock each other’s heads off. Rivera does not fear Michael Bisping, and he wants to prove that he’s no longer simply a “journeyman” fighter. Bisping wants to prove that Rivera was never on his level and that the UFC needs to start giving him legitimate championship contenders. It’s going to be a fast-paced brawl with neither man giving an inch.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It’s simply loaded with talent, and the potential for good fights is very high. Not only that, but you’re getting four free preliminary fights across Facebook and ION Television. Even if you disregard the main and co-main events, you’ve still got big names like George Sotiropoulos, Chris Lytle, and more. This is one of the UFC’s best international events by far.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I honestly can’t think of any real reason to give this show a pass. You may not be a Jon Fitch fan, he’s certainly got his fair share of detractors, but the sheer quality of all the other fights makes this one event that’s difficult to pass up. This card really does have a “something for everybody” feel.

Closing Thoughts: I’m very excited for this event, and I think it’s going to be one of the year’s best shows. The UFC is already off to an amazing 2011, and this show will more than likely continue that trend. Mixed Martial Arts in general seems to be having a banner year, so I’m incredibly optimistic about where the sport is going as we head into Spring 2011.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends! What about you? What’s your opinion on UFC 127?

5. The last time Fitch fought the best of the best, he was resoundingly beaten.

Fitch has fought a whole lot inside the Octagon, but the one time he faced the absolute best in the world, he got trounced for five straight rounds. I sincerely believe that loss still haunts Jon Fitch, but I think that for BJ Penn, fighting for a title or with a title on the line is second nature to him. Penn is comfortable in these types of situations, Fitch simply hasn’t been in this situation except for one time, and we all know how that turned out. If Penn can exploit that, he’s got a great shot at winning.

4. Penn is awesome on the ground.

A lot of people tend to forget this, and maybe even Penn himself has forgotten this just a little bit in his most-recent fights, but Penn is a deadly submission machine on the ground. He was the first non-Brazilian winner of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. He has six submission victories, many of them so memorable that they remain on his highlight reel to this day. When (not if) Fitch takes this to the ground, he may be in for a rude awakening if Penn is able to grab hold of something and lock in a submission or sweep Jon Fitch and put him on his back.

3. Penn has always had KO power, and he’s recently re-discovered it.

As gifted as Penn is on the ground, he’s equally as deadly standing up. Let’s not forget that Penn emerged as one of the best UFC Lightweight Champions ever by pounding out his opponents: from his brutal barrage that stopped Sean Sherk to the hideous gash he opened up on Diego Sanchez, Penn is a great striker. And now that he’s got another KO on his record, Penn has the confidence necessary to finish an opponent early. Fitch’s chin may be near-unbreakable, but nothing is for certain in MMA. A good, clean shot followed up with a classic BJ barrage just might be enough to send Fitch to the land of dreams.

2. Penn knows how much this fight means to him and his career.

A hungry and motivated BJ Penn is one of the most dangerous men on the planet, no matter what weight class he competes in. Let’s not dwell on the fact that when Penn isn’t at his best, he’s usually at his worst. Instead, let’s focus on the recent past, let’s focus on the BJ Penn that annihilated UFC Hall of Fame Member Matt Hughes in about thirty seconds. Penn knows that there’s a lot on the line for this match, just as he knew there was a lot on the line heading into his third and final bout with Hughes. If he fights at his best, Jon Fitch can’t stop BJ Penn.

And the number-one reason why I think BJ Penn could beat Jon Fitch is…

1. BJ Penn finishes opponents. Jon Fitch does not.

BJ Penn has won sixteen fights in his professional MMA career. He has won by decision three times. With his wins and losses combined, Penn has fought to a decision eight times. Jon Fitch has won twenty-three times in his pro MMA career. He has won by decision thirteen times. With his wins and losses combined, Fitch has fought to a decision fourteen times. Just consider that number: over half of the fights of Jon Fitch’s professional career have gone to a decision. It’s the #1 thing people criticize him for, it shines a harsh light on his record, and that light shines even brighter when compared to Penn’s track record of dramatically finishing opponents. Fitch is ready for a three-round war. Penn has the ability to end the fight on a moment’s notice.  Penn’s killer instinct is by far his biggest weapon against Jon Fitch.

And that’s it, fans and friends! This wraps up my four-part one-day-only series. One last time: Jon Fitch vs. BJ Penn. Who’ve you got winning, and why?

5. Fitch is at his hungriest and most motivated when he knows a title shot is on the line.

Unfortunately for Fitch, the UFC has made a habit out of putting the 13-1 MMA veteran into “contender eliminator” fights and then going with somebody else to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. But whenever the UFC claims that Fitch will get a shot at the belt if he wins his next fight, he always shows up to that fight in incredible shape and scores a dominant victory. History has a strong chance of repeating itself at UFC 127.

4. Penn struggles against Fitch’s kind of dominant wrestlers.

I know some Penn fans are going to immediately shout “GreaseGate” at this accusation, but even without grease I think it’s clear that Penn struggles against Fitch’s style, the stocky grinder that wears him down by constantly pushing the pace and constantly scoring takedowns. Look no further than Penn’s second encounter with Frank Edgar for proof. Outside of his natural weight class and against a wrestler easily as dominant and grind-focused as Edgar, Penn could be in a lot of trouble.

3. Fitch has fought and beat plenty of high-level competition.

No matter who you are or what opponents you fight, you only get a record like 13-1 in the UFC if you’re the absolute best of the best. Fitch has stumbled only once, one single time, in the five years he’s been with the UFC. Not even BJ Penn can say that. Fitch has beaten a host of top-level talent, and while Penn is definitely a step above almost everyone, this is not a fight that Fitch is unaccustomed to.

2. Jon Fitch has a great chin.

Fitch has faced knockout artists and beat them, and against Georges St. Pierre, he was beat down and bruised and he still never went out. Jon Fitch has a great chin, and it’s held up remarkably well despite having to take several tough shots throughout his long UFC career. Penn may be coming off of a huge KO win, but if Fitch’s chin is put to the test, it will probably pass. Penn may just break his hand before he cracks Fitch’s chin.

And the number one reason Jon Fitch could beat BJ Penn is…

1. Jon Fitch is a grinder.

You’ve heard Joe Rogan say it: “embrace the grind”. Fans of fighters.com will know my own saying regarding Jon Fitch: there’s a “beautiful ugliness” to Jon Fitch’s style. Fitch wears people down to the point where it’s almost easy for him to get his takedowns. If Fitch sticks to his style and has the guts to implement it to its fullest, he’s got a great shot at beating BJ Penn.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the final part of this four-part series, it’ll be up soon. But for now: do you think Jon Fitch can beat BJ Penn? Why or why not?

If BJ Penn wins, people will be falling over themselves in order to be the first to shout “BJ Penn is back!”

It’s the nature of the fight game, and I think we’ll all be remembered of this when/if Penn destroys Jon Fitch. In short: a whole lot of people will be jumping back onto the BJ Penn bandwagon if he wins two fights in a row at Welterweight. Fair-weather fans have already started their march back to the bandwagon when Penn KO’d Matt Hughes, expect a flood of “He’s the best ever!” to sweep across the internet if Penn makes it 2-0 in this latest run at Welterweight.

If Georges St. Pierre is still the UFC Welterweight Champion, BJ Penn won’t beat Georges St. Pierre.

I hate to say this, but I simply think that Georges St. Pierre is just too good for BJ Penn right now. Only the absolute best of the best are able to show that Penn will always be a Lightweight moving up and not a Welterweight that moved down, and GSP is undoubtedly one of the best of the best. The only difference between Penn/GSP 3 and Penn/GSP 2 will be that GSP’s dominating victory won’t be tarnished by greasing allegations.

If Jake Shields is the UFC Welterweight Champion, BJ Penn will beat Jake Shields.

I certainly don’t seem to be too much of a Jake Shields fan right now, do I? I actually like Shields a lot, I just think that both Fitch and Penn are horrible match-ups for Shields’ style. Shields is a submission-based grappler, Penn is a master of the ground game. Penn was overpowered by stocky and bulky wrestlers, but Shields has always been a “lean and mean” fighter. If it comes down to Penn vs. Shields, Shields will put up a hell of a fight but he’ll end up losing the championship.

If BJ Penn becomes UFC Welterweight Champion, he’ll have cemented his legacy as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.

There’s really no other way to describe Penn if he manages to win the UFC Welterweight Championship again. Many people are already calling him the greatest Lightweight MMA fighter of all time. If Penn wins the championship again, it really won’t matter how long he ends up keeping it. His place in the UFC Hall of Fame will be secured.

And that’s it for the “What If He Wins” section, fans and friends! Next up is another addition to my “5 Reasons Why” series, featuring five reasons why Fitch could beat Penn and also five reasons why Penn could beat Fitch. But for now: what do you think will happen if BJ Penn beats Jon Fitch?

If he wins, people will still dislike Jon Fitch simply because of his style.

It’s a cliché, but it also perfectly summarizes why Jon Fitch is rarely taken seriously by a portion of the MMA fanbase: haters gonna hate. Some people just don’t like Jon Fitch’s style of doing moderate damage while wearing an opponent’s defenses down with constant grappling and takedowns. Nothing will change their minds, no performance is good enough to fully silence them. Even if Fitch beats Penn, people will continue to hound Fitch about his supposedly-boring style, unless he somehow manages to pull off a highlight-reel KO, and even as a fan of Fitch, I can admit that that’s not very likely.

If Georges St. Pierre is still the UFC Welterweight Champion, Jon Fitch will beat Georges St. Pierre.

Yep, you heard me. If GSP hasn’t permanently moved up to Middleweight by the time Jon Fitch is healthy enough to get the title shot he’s being promised if he beats Penn, then I think that Fitch will find it in him to even his rivalry with St. Pierre to one win each. I just think that Fitch is on too good of a role right now: if he beats Penn there’s no stopping him. He’ll find a way to beat Georges St. Pierre.

If Jake Shields is the UFC Welterweight Champion, Jon Fitch will beat Jake Shields.

I also think Fitch will beat Jake Shields if Shields beats Georges St. Pierre in their upcoming showdown. Shields is a great grappler with good takedowns, but this is Jon Fitch we’re talking about. He’s neutralized some of the best, and the only time he’s ever been submitted was when he fought for the first time as a professional Mixed Martial Artist. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but Fitch will beat Jake Shields.

If Jon Fitch becomes UFC Welterweight Champion, he’ll finally get the respect he deserves.

Then and only then will people finally start warming up to Jon Fitch, because if Fitch does become UFC Welterweight Champion, there can be no denying that he’s the best in the world at his weight class. I think Fitch as champion may even spark a rebirth in the division, the same way the Lightweight division and its rankings were blown wide open following Frank Edgar’s series of victories over BJ Penn. It’ll be a whole new ballgame if Fitch becomes champion, but those wanting to step up and challenge the new King are in for a rude awakening if they think that a man that’s gone 13-1 in the world’s most prestigious MMA organization is going down without a fight.

And that’s it for Part 1, fans and friends! Stay tuned, the other parts will follow soon. But for now: what do you think will happen if Fitch beats BJ Penn?

While it was widely considered that Jon Fitch, the number two man in the welterweight division for the last several years, would likely earn a title shot with a win over former champion BJ Penn, seems like the same would be at stake for the “Hilo Boy” should he record a victory here.

Current champion Georges St. Pierre will be taking on Jake Shields in his sixth consecutive title defense, and should the French Canadian leave the bout the victor, he will be moving up to the middleweight division in order to face titleholder Anderson Silva, leaving the 170-pound class wide open for either Penn or Fitch to rule.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news during the pre-fight proceedings for the upcoming pay-per-view event, “UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch” which takes place on February 26 at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

“They’re definitely in the title picture. Either guy that wins that fight, let’s face it, the reality is B.J. Penn has held titles in both weight classes, Fitch has fought for the title and has literally dominated that division for a long time, just couldn’t win the title,” said the UFC head honcho.

“Either one of these guys that wins this fight is in the mix. They’re the No. 1 guy.”

The American Kickboxing Academy product in Fitch has rattled off a five-fight win streak since his loss to Georges St. Pierre in August of 2008. The “Fight of the Night” performance Jon turned in remains his only blemish in his 14-fight stint inside the octagon, which includes victories over Diego Sanchez, Paulo Thiago, and Thiago Alves (twice).

Penn meanwhile has reasserted himself into the 170-pound title picture since returning to the division with a vengeance. After dropping back-to-back bouts to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Penn moved up to the welterweight class for a rubber match with rival Matt Hughes last November, where he scored a 21-second knockout over the UFC Hall of Famer.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news–which is courtesy of MMAWeekly.com. Do you think either man deserves a title shot with the win, or one more than the other? Sound off in the comment section belowl

Brock Lesnar becoming a mixed martial artist, let alone champion, is right up there. Randy Couture recapturing a heavyweight title in his 40′s almost tops the list. Fedor Emelianenko losing, EVER, was another big one.

But to see Matt Hughes and BJ Penn train with one another was almost mind boggling, that I’ve had to re-watch the tape time, and time again. And it’s true. The former two-time welterweight champion Hughes, who has gone 1-2 in bouts with Penn, is training the Hilo Boy for his upcoming bout with perennial contender Jon Fitch on February 26.

MiddleEasy.com first drew eyes to the story, which originally aired KHON 2 Sports, a news outlet broadcasting in Hawaii.

The two men last competed against one another this past November, where Penn scored a swift 21-second knockout over Hughes with a barrage of strikes at UFC 123 in Detroit. Both men have lamented that there was always a bond that kept them cordial, even if it didn’t always appear that way inside the octagon.

“We respect each other, and we’ve really never not gotten along”, said Hughes in an interview with KHON.

“We never had a falling out of any type. We’re competitors and when we had a fighting coming up, we always went in with the attitude that we were going to beat the other one. We fought I think the week before Thanksgiving, and he beat me pretty good, pretty quick, but that was a match and now he’s got a next fight and I’m trying to help him out.”

“I kept thinking ‘who is going to try to grind me out, push me into the fence, and do the ground and pound stuff’. I was like, you know Matt (Hughes) would be the perfect guy to come in and help me out…he surprised me in a few positions”, said ‘The Prodigy’.

“He’s got some stuff to show me.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the two former champions training with one another out of Penn’s native Hilo, Hawaii? Do you think Hughes is the right type of fighter to help BJ prepare for Fitch? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Mauricio Rua/Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones

This is more about the ascension of Jon Jones than it is about Mauricio Rua or Rashad Evans, although both men are great fighters and pose a varied assortment of problems to “Bones”. No matter who ends up wearing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, I can’t wait to see Jon Jones finally get his crack at the most hotly-contested and arguably the most prestigious championship in the UFC. With the title being on the line, and given whom Jones may end up facing, we’d most likely see a brilliant performance by “Bones” that utterly eclipses anything he’s ever done in the Octagon before. And that’s a dream come true for Jon Jones fans.

4. Nick Diaz vs. Jason Miller

At this point I think both men can barely stand to be in a room with each other, and I can only imagine how vicious these two would be if they ever got the opportunity to fight each other. This fight has been talked about at length for a long time, and I have personally done my best to keep both myself and my readers constantly up-to-date on this rivalry. And there’s a good reason for that: outside of the Heavyweight division, I truly believe that this fight is the most marketable and most interesting fight that Strikeforce conceivably has access to. And even though I’ve had a few issues with Jason Miller’s antics in the past, make no mistake: I’d still absolutely love to see this fight.

3. Jon Fitch vs. Georges St. Pierre 2

I’ve been a fan of Jon Fitch for a long, long time. I think he’s an amazing athlete, an incredible wrestler, one of the UFC’s best assets, and the recipient of far more criticism than he deserves and far less recognition than is fair. I’d love to see this fight because I think Jon Fitch has it in him to prove a lot of people wrong. Plus, it would likely bring out the best in Georges St. Pierre, who continues to evolve at an astonishing rate. Both as a Fitch fan and a GSP fan, I’d go out of my way to make sure I watched this fight if it ever ends up happening.

2. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum 2

Be honest, you knew it was coming. And for good reason, too: I think Fedor Emelianenko is the greatest Mixed Martial Artist that has ever fought. I think he made a mistake against Fabricio Werdum after a lifetime of performing flawlessly, and I think he has every intention of correcting that mistake in the most heinous, destructive way possible. The first fight shook the MMA world to its core, the rematch would be talked about for years to come. There’s not a lot I wouldn’t give to see this fight.

But, as if there could be any doubt, my top dream fight as we head towards 2011 is…

1. Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre

Even though it won’t look like it, I’m going to say this without an ounce of hyperbole on my part: I truly believe that Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre is the biggest dream-fight currently conceivable. Pick your poison, it’s all the same to me: it doesn’t matter if it’s Fedor vs. Randy Couture, Fedor vs. Brock Lesnar, Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem, or any and all of the rest. I truly believe that this fight would define a generation and go down as the biggest fight in MMA history. In the immediate future, I don’t think anything has a chance of toppling this fight as my top “dream fight”.

And so Part 2 comes to a close, fans and friends. Stay tuned for the final two parts as we head into the second half of “All I Want for Christmas”. And what do you think? What are some big dream matches you’re looking forward to?

Here are some very interesting quotes, straight from Story himself, courtesy of the one and only Sherdog: “I know that somebody like Thiago Alves, beating him, it would make people realize, ‘This guy is for real.’ I just want everybody to know that I am for real and I’m not going to stop… For one, he’s a standup striker. And two, he’s great at takedown defense… I just think that it would be great. It would be a great fight and it’d be fun to stand and trade with him.”

While some may say that Story will be out of his league if he fights Alves, I have to agree with Story that the fight would probably be very entertaining to watch. Regardless of where he’s at in the rankings, I think Story has earned a shot at the main stage. He’s won five straight in the UFC, that simply doesn’t happen unless you’re a very good fighter. So what if Alves may mop the floor with Story if “The Pitbull” shows up at his best, like he did in his recent UFC 124 performance where he heinously assaulted John Howard? Story’s earned the right to try and prove everyone wrong.

Plus, this fight would be a good fight for Thiago Alves too. As I said in a recent article, I’m very hesitant to buy into all this “Alves is back” hype. A very short while ago, Alves was struggling to make weight and looking downright horrible in his fights with Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch. I won’t hold those bad performances and those weight difficulties over his head forever, but I also won’t believe that “The Pitbull” of old is back after only one performance. However, if Alves beat someone like Rick Story, I may just end up buying into the belief that Thiago Alves has returned to his days of outright wrecking opponents.

In the end, this is a fight I’d love to see and I think the outcome of it will be determined by what Thiago Alves shows up. If it’s the one that beat down John Howard with cringe-inducing, shotgun-sounding leg kicks, then on paper, Alves should decimate Story. But if Alves shows up at anything less than his best, or especially as the Alves that lost to GSP or Jon Fitch, I think Rick Story could turn in an incredible performance and jump right into the shark tank by beating “The Pitbull”.

And what about you, fans and friends? If this fight happens, who do you think would win?

After initially claiming eight-victories in a row since his initial inception into the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion, Fitch was granted a title shot against current champion Georges St. Pierre, though he came up short in his bid as he was on the losing side of a unanimous decision.

Since then, the American Kickboxing Academy product has rattled off five straight wins against top competition, which includes victories over Paulo Thiago and most recently former title challenger Thiago Alves at UFC 117 last August.

Now, Jon will be gearing up for arguably one of his most toughest challenges to date when he takes on former welterweight and lightweight champion BJ Penn.

“It’s right at the top”, said Fitch concerning the importance of a fight with BJ Penn, while speaking with iBN Sports as part of the Sherdog network.

“Other than my fight with GSP for the title, this is my biggest fight so far.”

Both Penn and Fitch will serve as the headliner for UFC 127, which is the organization’s second trip to Sydney, Australia which takes place on Feb. 27 at the Acer Arena before an already sold out crowd.

For Jon, who has went to a decision eight times in his last eight outings, he is hoping for a finish against Penn and he knows just how to do it.

“I just need an impressive performance, more of myself grinding out beat downs and being more aggressive for the finish and just putting a lot of pressure on BJ.”

A win over Penn could signal a shot at the welterweight title between the winner of the future match up pitting Georges St. Pierre against top contender Jake Shields, though Fitch has his eyes set on the French Canadian.

“As you could see from the first fight, I gave him a better fight than anybody else”, said Jon speaking of his match against GSP at UFC 87, where both men walked away with ‘Fight of the Night’ honors.

“I have vast improvement in my stand up game, my Jiu-Jitsu game is off the charts right now, and I’m just a better fighter all around, and the second time that we match up I’ll beat him.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the Fitch’s statements? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are the highlights from an interview Alves recently had with MMA Weekly: “…I want to be back by the beginning of April. My next fight I want it to be in UFC Rio on August 27 so if they schedule that, I’ll (fight) beginning of April and then August 27… I just want to fight whoever’s going to bring me closer to the belt again. It doesn’t matter who it is… I want to be the welterweight champion. Whoever’s going to bring me closer, I’m ready for it… Welterweight division, watch out, I’m back.”

Now, I have no problem admitting that Thiago Alves did put on a classic performance against John Howard at “St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2”. He came in on weight, in top shape, fought like a monster, and decimated his opponent. So while I do think I’m raining on Thiago’s parade (not without reason, of course), I don’t want to take anything away from the fact that Alves took a giant leap down the comeback trail when he beat John Howard. But one good fight does not a triumphant return make.

If Thiago Alves wants me to start taking him seriously again as a major threat in the UFC’s Welterweight division, he needs to continue to do what he did to John Howard, he needs to permanently bring back the Thiago Alves that reacted to his opponent’s gameplan with utter disdain and then pounded their face in or reduced their legs to jelly. If that Thiago Alves is brought back and brought back consistently, I’ll be the first one to hop the next trampoline and jump back onto the Thiago Alves bandwagon.

But it’s going to take more than one good performance for me to forget how utterly out of his league Alves looked against Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch. In particular, the memories of Alves looking like a shell of his former himself against Fitch will remain in my head for quite some time until I’m convinced to sweep them under the rug. But the potential certainly is there. Thiago Alves stands to have an amazing 2011 if he lives up to all of his promises. But anything is possible in MMA. I know most fans, including myself, use that term when talking about seemingly-unbeatable champions. But make no mistake, the reverse is also true. Thiago Alves could be back and better than ever in 2011… but he could also take a wrong step on the comeback trail and end up falling down a chasm.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Like me, are you hesitant to fully believe Alves’ promise that he’s “back”? Or do you think that his admittedly great performance at UFC 124 is enough to justify what he said in this recent interview?

MMA Weekly brings word from a huge Australian press conference where UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik recently made the card official. While anything can happen between now and February, currently the card stands as follows: Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn, Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera, Dennis Siver vs. George Sotiropoulos, Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke, Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle, Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna, Tom Blackledge vs. Anthony Perosh, Riki Fukuda vs. Nick Ring, Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson, Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton, and Mark Hunt vs. TBA.

I’m looking forward to this card for several big reasons, and I honestly think it has the potential to be an early front-runner for the best UFC event of the year, perhaps even the best MMA event overall of 2011. First and foremost, I’m a massive fan of both Jon Fitch and BJ Penn and I can’t wait to see how their wildly different styles clash. Both men are amazing fighters and are coming off some big wins, and I think if Jon Fitch is able to pass this test, he’ll finally be given his long-awaited and long-overdue rematch with Georges St. Pierre.

I’m also looking forward to this card because I’m a big fan of Michael Bisping, and I think he’s going to KO Jorge Rivera. Rivera is an experienced veteran who’s on a good win-streak right now, but Bisping has always been hovering around top-division status and Rivera is clearly a middle-of-the-road somewhat-threat. Bisping has proven dangerous against top competition even if he’s lost to a few of them, so I think UFC 127 will be an important step for Bisping’s career as he grabs up another huge and convincing win.

I’m also a growing fan of George Sotiropoulos, and I think he’s definitely the next major threat at Lightweight. I was a bit hesitant to get behind him thanks to what I like to call the “Magic Submission Pants”, but his recent performances have proven that Sotiropolous is a great fighter no matter what he’s wearing. The clothes don’t make the man, Sotiropoulos could show up to an MMA event stark naked and probably still dominate his opponent… not that anyone would want him to, of course, I simply say this as a converted fan.

And finally, I’m a big fan of Chris Lytle. I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time, in the past, I’ve even said that my often-used and much-loved term “dark horse favorite” originated with Chris Lytle. If Lytle beats Condit he may finally step into the “promised land” and achieve top-division status. For someone who’s battled his way through the UFC for so many years, I can admit that it’d certainly be unexpected to see Chris Lytle finally emerge as a legitimate Welterweight contender in 2011. Unexpected… but certainly not impossible. So I’ll be pulling for “Lights Out” in a major way, and I wish him all the best.

So there you have it, fans and friends. For several reasons, UFC 127 is shaping up to be my can’t-miss event of the year. What about you? What are your early opinions on the card?

Why an opponent suddenly stops showing the kind of cage explosiveness as Alves did against Hughes and before that in TKO wins over Karo Parisyan and Chris Lytle is hard to define.  Here are a few theories.

1.  The loss to Georges St. Pierre.

Alves lost to St. Pierre decisively as GSP took Alves down at will and laid out the blueprint for how to defeat him.  Alves entered that fight on a high and sounded confident his stand-up would offset GSP’s overall skill set.  Alves was dominated and this fight showed the welterweight division he was far from a vicious beast when on his back.

2. The brain injury.

Alves was originally slated to face Jon Fitch at UFC 111 in New Jersey but was scratched from the card when a pre-fight physical showed an arteriovenous malformation in the brain.

This condition was not life threatening and was corrected via surgery.  No one knows for sure if or how such an injury can impact a fighter’s sense of self control and aggressiveness, even if only from a psychological standpoint.  Can such an injury affect his self confidence and sense of aggressiveness, even if only subconsciously?

3. Weight!

Against Matt Hughes and again vs. Jon Fitch most recently, Alves failed to make the 170lb weight limit for welterweights.  What is going on?  It is well documented that Alves often “walks around” at 190lbs between fights, if not more.  And he has been known to arrive to fight week 12-15 pounds over the 170lb limit.  Now, some fighters are highly skilled at cutting weight and can do this.  Alves has proven not have this skill.  Being a “big” welterweight seemed to help him earlier in his career.  But, if Alves can’t make weight or the cut is sapping his energy – he must move up to 185.  I think there is value in not having to cut weight and living closer to one’s fight weight.  Frankie Edgar may be carving a new path and showing how being smaller in a weight class can be more useful and provides great stamina and thus ability to employ a variety of tactics.

So, what will we see on Saturday night against John Howard?  I think Alves may be in luck.  UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has served up a brawler who has preferred to bang, of late, which may allow Alves to return to his native style of stand-up fighting and worry less about take down defense.  I will be watching how easily Alves makes weight, how aggressive he is early in the fight, and how he takes a clean blow from Howard – given his brain surgery.

If Alves can answer these questions, he will certainly be on the road back to his old form and the UFC will have another dangerous contender back in the mix.

Thoughts, fight fans?  Can Alves reclaim his former glory?

@john_moody

Here’s what Thiago recently told Tatame, with English translations courtesy of MMA Mania: “I think if I lose I’m out. I have to train all that has to be trained… I am just training hard and waiting for my next fight, they still have not told me anything about my next fight… Now it’s kill or be killed, just one more chance.”

Thiago is 3-3 in the promotion since debuting in early 2009. Big wins over the aforementioned Josh Koscheck as well as Koscheck’s teammate Mike Swick have been tempered by losses to Jon Fitch (another one of Koscheck’s teammates) and Martin Kampmann. Thiago entered the UFC with a flawless 10-0 record, his three career losses have all occurred inside of the famed Octagon.

Perhaps most importantly, Thiago is on a two-fight losing-streak, suffering back-to-back losses to Kampmann and most recently Diego Sanchez. Barring a few exceptions here and there, there’s a clear precedent in the UFC that a three-fight losing-streak is the surest way to find yourself in the unemployment line. Thiago was not over-embellishing, not in the slightest, when he said that his situation was “kill or be killed”.

I think Paulo Thiago is simply another hot-and-cold fighter in a long line of hot-and-cold prospects that don’t live up to all of their hype but aren’t necessarily bad fighters either. I can’t really point to one thing in particular that Thiago has done wrong, he seems to match up perfectly against some opponents while other opponents make it look easy to beat him. I will say this, though: if Paulo Thiago loses his next fight it wouldn’t surprise me at all if word came in the following days that he had been released from the UFC.

I know that’s a harsh stance to take, but as the UFC itself is so eager to point out nowadays, it’s a dog-eat-dog world in MMA’s #1 promotion. If Paulo Thiago wins his next fight, and rest assured, there’s a good possibility of that happening, then I’ll be more than happy to see him continue to try and find secure footing in the UFC. But if he loses again, I think it’s time for the UFC to put Thiago in the “what could have been” bin and send him back down to the minor leagues. And who knows? Maybe a temporary UFC exile will be good for Paulo Thiago.

Despite the fact that Thiago is a very talented Mixed Martial Artist, dark days do appear to be ahead for the man. But as the saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn. Perhaps this two-fight losing streak will come to a dominant end in Thiago’s next fight, perhaps he’ll finally make the changes necessary to realize his full potential. Anything can happen in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, and I look forward to seeing which Paulo Thiago becomes the dominant Paulo Thiago as we head into 2011.

And what about you, fans and friends? How important do you think Paulo Thiago’s next fight is, and do you think we’ll ever see him compete for a UFC championship?

Here’s what Fitch recently had to say in an interview with USA Today: “This is my second opportunity to fight a legend. You’ve got to beat a legend to become a legend, so this is a great opportunity for that… I think it’s an awesome match-up, I think it’s an awesome fight, I think the fans are going to be very happy about this… I’m not getting a title shot, so I need to be fighting the next best opponent, and right now it looks like BJ’s the next best opponent… I’m just going to keep fighting hard, keep training hard and put my best performances out there. The best of Jon Fitch is yet to come.”

I’ll be saying this loudly, proudly, and quite often as we head closer and closer to UFC 127: Jon Fitch is going to beat BJ Penn. Everything he’s done up to this point leads me to believe that we’ll see Jon Fitch put on his best performance against “The Prodigy” and ultimately beat the legend and establish himself as the one true Welterweight Championship contender. And remember, this is coming from a massive BJ Penn fan.

Throughout BJ Penn’s career, one of his biggest downfalls has been his inability to combat dominant wrestlers. It’s one of the chief reasons why he went for broke the second the bell rang in his recent fight with Matt Hughes. It’s why his corner had no choice but to throw in the towel after Georges St. Pierre battered Penn for four straight rounds. It’s why Frank Edgar shocked the world when he narrowly beat Penn the first time and then cemented his place atop the rankings as well as establish a large portion of his legacy when he demolished Penn in the rematch. And Jon Fitch is one of the most dominant wrestlers in the game.

Not only that, but the man can take an incredible amount of damage and still remain conscious. His five-round war with GSP proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Fitch might have to absorb some good flurries and walk through some big shots in order to fully implement his gameplan, but at his best I think Fitch has all the tools necessary to shut down Penn’s offense and even dominate “The Prodigy”.

But he won’t have it easy, I’ve got no problem admitting that. BJ Penn is a legend, and for good reason. Every time he loses, he comes back better than ever. And this return to the UFC’s Welterweight division seems to be another rebirth in a long line of rebirths. Other than St. Pierre, I can’t imagine a more difficult test for Jon Fitch right now other than BJ Penn.

But at the end of the day, I’m picking Fitch and nothing is going to change that. This is going to be an amazing fight, one that’s long overdue, and I think Fitch will win it in a big way and take a giant step towards the championship rematch that has unrightfully eluded him for so very long. And I’ll be pulling for him every step of the way.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you see winning this match-up, how, and why?

Most surprisingly was the announcement of former champion BJ Penn remaining in the welterweight division for the time being, where he will next face former title challenger and current top contender Jon Fitch in his next bout.

Dan White confirmed the news during the post-fight press conference following last nights affair in Michigan at the Palace in Auburn Hills before a loud and ruckus crowd.

BJ Penn was by far the most impressive in last nights co-main event, when he was able to dispatch his rival in Matt Hughes. The bout was billed as a battle of legends, where both men had faced each other twice before, and were there to complete a trilogy that has been 6 years in the making. Both men had split wins before coming into their third meeting, and the final bout was for all the marbles.

After two disappointing losses to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Penn revitalized his career when he was able to knockout Matt Hughes, the latest UFC Hall of Famer who was riding a three fight win streak heading into the match. It took just 21 seconds inside of the first round for “The Prodigy” to make his mark once again inside the octagon.

With the victory, Penn has now placed himself up on the map in the welterweight division and will now face Jon Fitch, serving as the headliner for UFC 127. The event takes place at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia on February 27.

Fitch was originally expected to face budding welterweight prospect Jake Ellenberger at UFC 126, but has since been pulled from that match up in favor of a headlining spot against Penn.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Do you prefer BJ in the 170-pound division? How do you favor in the Fitch/Penn match up? Sound off in the comment section below.

TATAME brings word that Thiago will call the UFC home for the foreseeable future despite most recently losing two fights in a row. His back-to-back losses to Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez marked the first time in Thiago’s entire MMA career that he’s lost consecutively. As of this report, both the date and the opposing fighter for Paulo Thiago’s next fight has not been set.

For better or for worse, I think Paulo Thiago is a victim of circumstance. I hesitate to call his dramatic KO win over Koscheck “lucky”, anyone who’s followed me for any length of time knows that I believe that there is no such thing as luck in MMA. Let’s just say this: Thiago capitalized on his opponent taking him lightly and engaging carelessly despite being a wrestling-based fighter, and those mistakes have simply not been made by some of Thiago’s other opponents. Thiago was on the verge of real welterweight legitimacy after submitting Mike Swick, but this two-fight losing streak has set him back considerably. He’s not back to square one, but he’ll have to string together some big wins before he gets within shouting distance of title contention.

I also hesitate to call Thiago “overhyped”. He opened a lot of eyes when he KO’d Koscheck, and that puts a lot of pressure on a fighter. Thiago has risen to the occasion more than once in the UFC, and even in his losing efforts he’s tried very hard and usually he produces some very entertaining fights. The fact that half of the six fights Thiago has competed in have earned “Of the Night” honors is a testament to his ability to keep pace with some of the UFC’s best while also producing the kinds of fights that fans pay to see.

But if we’re being completely honest, I think a step back in competition would be good for Paulo Thiago. Thiago has proven to be a hit-or-miss fighter when matched up against the UFC’s welterweight elite. If he keeps rushing in full-tilt against the UFC’s best and brightest, he’ll continue to hover around a 1.0 win/loss ratio in the UFC. I don’t think Thiago’s UFC record will ever take a dramatic turn for the worse, but I also don’t see it being anything to build a championship on if he keeps getting high-level fighters.

Right now, I think a trip back down to the mid-level would be the best thing that could possibly happen for Paulo Thiago. He’s signed for four fights, I’d say let him fight and beat two mid-level welterweights and then give him another crack at the top tier. Because even if the UFC has signed Thiago to a new contract, ultimately no job is safe if a losing streak remains unbroken. At the end of the day, I wish Paulo Thiago all the best and I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think the future holds for Paulo Thiago?

The two are very familiar with one another. Not only have they trained together over the years out of the American Kickboxing Academy where Fitch is coveted as the team’s “Captain” and Shield’s is known to split his time there and of course the Cesar Gracie Academy, but they have also competed against one another in the past, albeit a grappling tournament where Jake was victorious.

After his win over former title challenger Thiago Alves last August at ufc 117, Fitch was considered by many to be the number one contender to the welterweight title, but UFC President Dana White has been known to make some quick and hasty decisions. And after an impressive 15-fight win streak coupled with a not so impressive debut in the organization by Shields against veteran Martin Kampmann at UFC 121, winning by split-decision, he was granted his title shot and now Fitch will have to get through a dangerous welterweight standout in Jake Ellenberger to reclaim his number one spot.

Ellenberger was last seen in action against former top contender John Howard. After three hard fought rounds against “Doomsday” at “UFC Live: Jones vs Matyushenko” last August, Jake was declared the winner by unanimous decision. Prior to the bout with Howard, Jake was able to display the infamous punching power he possesses in his hands when he was able to knockout veteran Mike Pyle, 22-seconds in the second round and even in a split-decision loss in his octagon debut against Carlos Condit, where he was able to drop the former WEC champion several times inside of the first-round. Jake is currently riding a 2-fight win streak heading into his bout with Fitch.

With his win against Thiago last August, Fitch improved his win streak to five in-a-row. He’s 13-1 since debuting in the UFC in 2005, with his lone loss coming to the hands of Georges St. Pierre.

The bout against Jake and Jon will likely determine a new number one contender, which can be especially true in Fitch’s case who has more than earned his way to the shot at the gold once again, even though most may not be as impressed with his most recent performances. His last 8 fights have gone to a decision.

MMAJunkie.com first reported the match up, will take place at UFC 126 on February 5, in Las Vegas, Nev. The headliner of the evening is expected to be a middleweight title fight pitting champion Anderson Silva against former training partner Vitor Belfort.

So, MMA peeps, who do you think takes this bout? Will the hard punching wrestler be able to take out the AKA product, or will Fitch prevail once again? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here are the highlights of an interview “The Natural Born Killer” did with MMA Weekly: “So far in my UFC career I haven’t been as dominating as I was in the past, so I was just trying to get back on track… I’m just showing people what they might have forgot… I feel like I’m coming into my prime now.  It’s now or never if I’m going to get that belt around my waist… I think [Jon] Fitch, that would be a great fight… I’d have to work my butt off, but I like a challenge.”

I have to admit, I was one of the ones that never really took notice of Carlos Condit in the UFC. It’s not a decision I particularly regret, it is what it is. But the fact is that Condit stood up and made me take notice when he nearly knocked Dan Hardy’s head off of his shoulders. I along with many can appreciate a good KO, and that stands out as one of the best of the year. I think the time for doubt is over: Carlos Condit has arrived as a certifiable contender in the welterweight division.

In regards to a fight with Jon Fitch, that’s a fight I would really enjoy seeing and I think both men would offer up a lot in this fight. Condit has a lot of punching power, but Fitch is another fighter that seems to have an impenetrable chin. I honestly don’t think Condit would be able to KO Fitch, Fitch wouldn’t get into the kind of striking exchanges that would give Condit the chance to. The best Condit could do, at least as far as I see the fight going, would be to catch Fitch coming in for a takedown, scoring an uppercut in order to daze him and get the TKO victory.

But if it ever goes to the ground, and you’re a fool if you think a Jon Fitch fight won’t spend time on the ground, then Jon Fitch eats Carlos Condit alive every single second. Jon Fitch has shown outright disdain for his opponent’s takedown defense or submission abilities; it’s gotten to the point where he can virtually get anybody to the ground and dominate them no matter what kind of weight/power/submission advantage they have over him. Fitch would once again grind out the Unanimous Decision by completely nullifying Condit’s best assets, forcing Condit to fight his fight, and remaining active on the ground with his “beautifully ugly” ground game.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Carlos Condit. I think he has a bright future in the UFC, and that he’s definitely ready for top-division athletes. But Jon Fitch is simply a horrible match-up for Carlos Condit. I’d much rather see Condit face a gifted striker like Thiago Alves or Chris Lytle, rather than a dominant wrestler like Jon Fitch. Despite his flashes of brilliance, I think the ground game will be Condit’s Achilles Heel in the UFC. I could be wrong, I’ve been proven wrong plenty of times before, but I think it’s a safe bet to say that Condit has a good ground game that simply pales in comparison to some of the other ground games in the UFC.

But what about you, fans and friends? Who would you like to see Condit face next, and what do you think his chances are against a top-division wrestler in the UFC?

That’s according to an interview Fitch did over at MMA Weekly, where he stated that he’d likely be moving up to Middleweight if teammate Josh Koscheck won his upcoming rematch with rival Georges St. Pierre and became the UFC Welterweight Champion. Here are some of the highlights: “It would be like a two year process for me to move up a weight class. Because I have unfinished business at 170. The thing is I would move up if Josh would win the title and defend it. So he’d have to hold on to it for a while… I could fight GSP non-title, I could fight Jake Shields, I could fight Martin Kampmann, I could fight Carlos Condit… Then that would be the optimum time I would be looking for other challenges if I want to move up a weight class… “

I think there are a lot of interesting options for Jon Fitch if he does indeed decide to move up to 185. I see Fitch competing at or near a championship level, regardless of what division it’s in, for the next several years. If it’s at Middleweight, that means big-time showdowns with Vitor Belfort, Nate Marquardt, and even divisional kingpin Anderson Silva. In particular, I’d love to see Fitch take on Alan Belcher or Chael Sonnen, once Belcher returns and when/if Chael Sonnen gets his steroid scandal over with, which will probably include serving the remainder of the one-year suspension he’s been slapped with.

As always, I think Jon Fitch doesn’t get nearly enough credit for where he’s at and who he’s beaten in the UFC. He’s 13-1 in the UFC, and at one time he was a co-holder of the “most consecutive wins in the UFC” record alongside greats like Anderson Silva and Royce Gracie. As I’ve said several times before, I think it’s unfair to lump Jon Fitch in with some of the more blatant “lay and pray” offenders, who I can admit are becoming an increasing problem in the UFC and MMA in general. I’ve always felt that Fitch has been very active even if he gets it to the ground almost always nowadays. There’s a “beautiful ugliness” to the way Fitch fights, and it really frustrates me that I’m one of the few who sees it.

Jon Fitch is going to face some really tough challenges at Middleweight, but ultimately, I could see him challenging for the championship before all is said and done. Dominant wrestling is dominant wrestling, and Fitch’s wrestling is some of the most dominant in all of Mixed Martial Arts. No matter what the future holds for Jon Fitch, I’ll be looking forward to it.

And what about you, fans and friends? How interested would you be to see Jon Fitch move up a weight class?

The world-ranked and fiercely dominant Jon Jones recently said the following in an interview with ESPN: “[I would] absolutely not [fight Rashad Evans]. If Rashad Evans won the belt, which I’m hoping he does, my only goal would be to be the toughest contender there is, and keep whipping butt without being champion. I’d stay at 205 and be the second best. That would be my goal. As I said, I’m hoping he wins, we’re very proud of him. I can’t do it.”

I’ll say this right now: I think Jon Jones is only hindering himself if he keeps this promise and doesn’t fight Rashad Evans. I’ll go one step further: not fighting your teammates is asinine, and it prevents you from competing against the best competition possible. Now, before I get my trusty flame shield out and primed for an assault, hear me out on this one.

I get that it’s hard to fight a friend. But this is the UFC, this is MMA…it’s a hard sport. When that cage door closes, everything gets left out and the only thing that matters is you and your opponent. If you can’t separate your friendship for fifteen to twenty-five minutes, what does that really say about you as a top-level fighter? To be the best you have to beat the best, and if you don’t fight the best out of some misguided principle, ultimately the only thing you’re doing is hurting yourself and depriving the promotion and its fans of a potentially money-making bout.

I think Jon Jones will keep this promise no matter what I think, but for just a second, try to imagine what Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones would look like. If both men bring out their best, we’ve got a “Fight of the Year” fight on our hands. The same goes for encounters like Jon Fitch vs. Josh Koscheck. These are fantastic matches that could potentially make everyone involved a huge amount of money. And it’s not going to happen simply because some fighters aren’t willing to put aside their friendship for one little fight.

I understand the sentiment, part of me even agrees with it in principle, but I just don’t like the fact that more and more high-level UFC fighters are refusing to fight each other because they’re part of the same camp. A fight is a fight is a fight: either fight the best and prove yourself or stagnate against lower-level and unworthy competition. Either put your friendship on the back-burner for a couple of minutes and reap the noticeable rewards, or stick to your precious principles and anger everyone from the promoters to the fans. The choice is yours.

And what do you think, fans and friends? When it comes to teammates fighting teammates, where do you stand?

WHO: Football Legend turned Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Herschel Walker

WHAT: Live Interviews on ESPN First Take, The Herd with Colin Cowherd & SportsCenter

Walker will discuss his upcoming, second professional STRIKEFORCE MMA bout  at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) on Saturday, Dec. 4.

Walker will face an opponent to be determined in a televised heavyweight bout.  MMA superstar Dan Henderson will take on former STRIKEFORCE world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral at light heavyweight (205 pounds) in the main event.

The 48-year-old Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL Pro Bowl competitor, is undefeated at 1-0 in his latest athletic endeavor – MMA.  A 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee, the 6-foot-1, 220 pound Walker was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year.

Walker has been training alongside a host of MMA superstars at American Kickboxing Academy (A.K.A.) in San Jose, Calif., since last year.  A longtime martial artist, he holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do as well as additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo. .

Walker was recently a contestant on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice reality series.  An entrepreneur at heart, Walker is the founder and CEO of Herschel’s Famous 34, a food services company.

WHERE:         ESPN, ESPN 2 & ESPN Radio

WHEN:            Wednesday, Oct. 20 on ESPN 2’s ESPN First Take at 11:20 a.m. ET / 8:20 a.m. PT

Wednesday, Oct. 20 on ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd at 11:45 a.m. ET / 8:45 a.m. PT

Wednesday, Oct. 20 on ESPN’s SportsCenter at 3:40 p.m. ET / 12:40 p.m. PT

—-

What do you guys think of Walker?  Should he keep fighting at age 48?

Read on for questions 2-7…

2. How will Carlos Condit fight in the first round vs. Dan Hardy?  Why is this important? Because, “The Natural Born Killer” has been extremely slow to get going in his last two fights vs. Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald, needing big comebacks to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.  Against Hardy, if he is slow to fire, he may never get his chance in the third round, instead falling prey to Hardy’s heavy hands.

3. Has Dan Hardy truly developed a sturdy takedown defense?  I am interested to see, not how good his wrestling and Jiu Jitsu have become once on the mat … I want to see if he has improved his takedown defense.  This is the most important element in his growth. No matter how good he gets on the ground, his bread and butter will always be his standup.  His long-term success requires he keep fights standing against all the great wrestlers he will face going forward.  He needs to stay on his feet to leverage his greatest asset.  Chuck Liddell is the best example of this.  He became a master at stopping takedowns to keep fights in his sweet spot.

4. Can Michael Bisping finally deliver a thrilling offensive performance from start to finish?  In his last several fights we have seen a tentative, strategic Bisping unable or unwilling to let all his artillery fly.  He needs to win, first, but then be exciting to capture back the idea that he is title contender worthy, provided he keeps winning.  UFC suits would love for him to thrill so they can leverage his UK fan base and keep growing “The Count” into an international star.

5. Will Yoshihiro Akiyama display the crisp and crunching standup weapons we saw in the first three minutes of his fight against Chris Leben?  This version of “Sexyama” should be able to dispatch the UK’s Michael Bisping.

6. Will Mike Pyle finally show the UFC a dominating performance?  Pyle has long been lauded as one of the more talented mixed martial artists in the game to those around the sport. He has been a core cog in team Randy Couture and a Couture MMA trainer in Las Vegas.  However, his UFC performances have been hot and cold.  He has impressive career wins against Jon Fitch, Dan Hornbuckle, Shonie Carter, and Matt Horwich, but has gone 2-2 in the UFC alternating wins and losses recently.  Yes he beat Fitch, and not only did he beat him way back in 2002, but is the only man to ever submit the UFC welterweight star.  I have a gut feeling on Pyle at UFC 120 that he is ready to let loose a decisive performance.

7. Has Cheick Kongo diversified his MMA tool kit?  Before losing to Cain Velasquez, Cheick Kongo had started 7-2 in the UFC and was on a three fight win streak and starting to be in title discussion.  But the losses to Velasquez and Frank Mir set him back into more of grizzled seasoned veteran role.  Can he start another run?  Has he evolved to a new level?  We shall see in his fight against Travis Browne.

Here’s what Marquardt had to say regarding Dan Hardy’s comments: “I think that’s just something from someone who isn’t a good wrestler. I think wrestling is a big part of MMA, and you shouldn’t complain about it, you should learn it and learn how to defend against it… With mixed martial arts we see waves of changes, trends in the sport where one minute it’s strikers that are dominating the sport, then all of a sudden it’s the wrestlers, then it kind of goes back and forth, and I think it’s just something you have to pay attention to and be prepared for.”

For the most part, I wholeheartedly agree with Marquardt, and not simply because I’m a fan of the man. I think those that do nothing but whine and complain about dominant wrestlers doing nothing with their takedowns are simply angry at themselves for not being good enough wrestlers to avoid being taken down and grinded out. I’ve used this term before, but it’s a very fitting analogy: there’s a “beautiful ugliness” that comes from a dominant wrestler grinding out a decision. Look at Chael Sonnen and Jon Fitch:  they’re always active on the ground, but they rarely finish their fights. Their skill comes in taking an opponent into their area of expertise and dominating them so thoroughly in that one area that, by the time the final bell rings, the judges have no choice but to give them the Unanimous Decision victory.

But as I’ve said before, let’s not sugar coat this: there is a growing amount of “lay and pray” going on in the UFC. This problem isn’t UFC-specific, it’s happening in other promotions around the world too, but the problem is heightened in the UFC because they set the standard for all other MMA promotions to follow. And boring one-sided fights aren’t the standard the UFC wants to set. I think Dan Hardy is actually right: if a fighter is not active on the ground, stand them up. If they keep going to the ground and doing nothing with their advantageous positions, start taking points away.

Now, this is not a knock on the UFC’s talented roster of word-class wrestlers. The problem I have is with how some fighters choose to implement their wrestling in a UFC octagon. There are a host of excellent examples besides Fitch and Sonnen of wrestling-based fighters producing very entertaining fights: Brock Lesnar, Georges St. Pierre, and of course, UFC legend and Hall of Fame member Randy Couture. A few bad apples do not indicate that the bunch as a whole is spoiling. So Nate Marquardt and Dan Hardy are both right in some cases and wrong in others.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Do you side with Dan Hardy, who thinks that wrestlers should be stood up as quickly as possible if they don’t do anything with their takedowns? Or do you agree with Nate Marquardt that a fighter can only blame himself if he gets dominated by his opponent’s superior wrestling?

“There are a lot of people out there calling themselves ‘UFC fighters’ who are nothing of the kind. In the UFC, you should go for finishes. You should work for 15 minutes to knock your opponent out, submit him, or improve your position to give yourself the best chance of doing either. But there’s guys out there who just want to use wrestling to hold a stalemate for 15 minutes, without ever risking going for ground and pounds or attempting submissions. This isn’t ‘cheating within the rules’ – it is actually against the rules. ‘Timidity’ is outlawed in the Unified MMA rules and what better describes [that than] the act of holding on to an opponent and waiting for the clock to tick down with no attempt or inclination to do any damage? …The Athletic Commissions need to look at the scoring and refereeing to stop this from becoming a problem. If a guy is in a dominant position, but not actually doing anything offensive – stand ‘em back up. If he is consistently trying to tie the other guy up to avoid actual fighting – warn him and then start taking points. It is supposed to be a fight.”

Here’s what I think. Hardy earned my respect for the toughness he displayed while Georges St. Pierre was busy dominating him in every conceivable way possible, but let’s be honest here: is Dan Hardy saying anything we haven’t heard/read/seen/etc. hundreds of times before? It’s coming out of Dan Hardy’s mouth, but it’s the same old argument.

And if you’re wondering, it’s actually an argument I agree with. Fighters should be penalized for stalling. Fighters should be penalized for not engaging. There’s a difference between playing it safe and being a coward. Randy Couture played it safe when he immediately took down James Toney and submitted him. Georges St. Pierre played it safe when he took down Thiago Alves and Dan Hardy time and time again and proceeded to Ground and Pound them and try to submit them. But fighters who use “lay and pray” or “wall and stall” are simply detrimental to the sport as a whole.

However, I don’t see this issue going away anytime soon. Why? Simply put: one man’s inactivity is another man’s dominance. Where do we draw the line between tactics and stalling? Is there a mathematical formula, an X amount of punches/submission attempts you have to land/go for per Y minutes on the ground, in order to not be classified as a “lay and pray” fighter? Unless there are some drastic changes, I don’t see decision-heavy, wrestling-based UFC fighters changing their styles just because it draws the ire of some fans and even some fighters. How they win is a tactic like any other, and until the referees and judges put their foot down on the matter, look for the zombified corpse of this debate to continue to rear its ugly head time and time again.

And how do you feel on the matter, fans and friends? How harshly should wrestlers be penalized for their inactivity, and perhaps most importantly, where do you draw the line between an active and inactive ground game?

Now, what does this have to do with MMA?  Well, it serves as a metaphor of sorts.  When UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and President Dana White are contemplating a match-up, I can imagine all the possibilities they might envision the two different fighters will bring to the Octagon and the array of skills that could be on display for fans to consume.   On paper, I am sure they thought George St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy would thrill with Hardy throwing bombs and St. Pierre working his diverse tool kit of stand-up and ground skills.  On paper, I am sure they thought Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves would excite with Alves’ dangerous hands vs. the ground game of Fitch. On paper, I am sure Silva and White even thought the range of talents between Andre Winner and Nick Lentz at UFC 118 would offer a national Spike-TV audience lots to consume across the spectrum from wrestling to head kicks.

As it turned out, all those fights gave fans was a great big serving of toast and potatoes.

Despite all the tools that were brought into the Octagon for each of those fights, very few were on display for the fan to consume.  As if, Mandalay Bay left all the eggs, French Toast, Filet Mignon, and dessert in the kitchen denying the buffet diners of the best choices.  Unlike the buffet analogy, Joe Silva has no control over which tools are put on display, once a fight starts, for the fans to consume.  The fighters are in control, and more specifically, wrestling is in control.

In each of the mentioned fights, the winning fighter’s dominant wrestling utterly controlled the pace, scoring, and entertainment value of the fight.  GSP, Fitch, and Lentz each took the air out of the fight via slow, grinding, methodical wrestling to prevent their highly talented opponents from ever using their best and very entertaining standup tools.  There is nothing unfair or illegal about this tactic.  In fact, it is quite smart for purposes of winning the fight … why would the wrestler ever expose themselves to the best strengths of their opponent, if possible?  While this is a winning course to follow – it limits what the UFC “diner” can enjoy.  So many great items were on the “menu,” or brought into the cage, yet only one was available for consumption.

These fights all had so much potential for excitement but are mostly thought of as disappointments from an entertainment standpoint.  I do like ground fights, but admittedly, ones that are more Jiu Jitsu based, and part of an overall ground and pound package.  I love watching Anthony Pettis on his back, searching and probing for a loose limb to rip off or how Joe Lauzon transitioned from ground and pound to finish with an arm bar against Gabe Ruediger.  When dominant wrestling is used only as a neutralizer of the opponent’s most exciting tools instead of an offensive weapon itself, I find myself flipping to watch a New Jersey housewife throw a table or pull some hair.

Wrestling is taking over MMA more and more.  However, I am not a wrestling “hater” in general.  Frankie Edgar was masterful, mixing his wrestling with the full array of MMA tools: Muay Thai, Boxing, Judo throws, and BJJ to cement his title belt at UFC 118.  I am only a basher when a persistent neutralizing wrestling style takes away all my MMA buffet dining options in fights with potential for so much more.

—

Is wrestling taking the air out of some potentially great MMA fights?  Are wrestlers too dominant?  sound off!

@john_moody

After his losses to former champion BJ Penn at lightweight, and then budding welterweight star John Hathaway, Diego will try his hand once again at the 170-pound division at UFC 121 against Paulo Thiago. Sanchez largely made his name after winnings “The Ultimate Fighter” season one as a middleweight, before dropping down to the welterweight division in dominating fashion.

After defeating fellow finalist Kenny Florian at the TUF finale, Diego would make a name for himself in victories over Karo Parisyan, Nick Diaz, and Joe Riggs. While Diego can attribute a large amount of his success to his hard work and dedication, but in some respects a little of that success also needs to be addressed to the man, the myth, the legend–Greg Jackson.

In the beginning, Sanchez was one Greg Jackson’s first success stories. Soon more would follow, and flock towards Albequerque, New Mexico, to be trained under his tutelage. Now, Jackson hosts some of the worlds top fighters in all different weight classes, including UFC phenom Jon Jones, welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre, former champions Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and additionally WEC contenders Damacio Page, Leonard Garcia and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

Early rumors dubbed Sanchez’ initial reasons for leaving the camp was due to none other than one GSP who joined the crew before meeting with adversary BJ Penn at UFC 94, where at the time Diego was dubbed at the top of the heap in that division, before meeting his first set of back-to-back losses against division standouts and American Kickboxing Academy teammates Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch (respectively).

After a move with Saulo Ribeiro‘s school was short lived, spanning just the last couple of fights, Diego is hoping that a change to New Mexico might be the difference maker–and he’s going to need it, should he expect to fair well against welterweight standout Paulo Thiago.

So, is the change back to Jackson’s camp too little-too late for Sanchez, or will he have a shot against Thiago? You decide.

It’s generally agreed upon that a divisional champion should not switch weight divisions, however permanent or impermanent that switch may be, until he has thoroughly ran through his division and eliminated any and all worthwhile contenders. Penn seemed on the verge of doing just that with a win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 112, but as we all know, Edgar pulled off the upset. However, Penn raised an interesting point recently regarding that generally-held rule: in a promotion as large and intensely competitive as the UFC, no weight division remains free of championship contenders for long. Penn said this specifically: “Even if you do clean out the division, then you go to welterweight for a little while, there’s going to be another new Frankie, and all these guys. They’re always going to be popping up.”

This holds true for a number of reasons. However brief a break a champion takes from his division, it always seems that a new contender emerges to fill in the gap. Look no further than the case of Anderson Silva, perhaps the clearest example of a MMA fighter almost completely cleaning out his division. Even with mismatched opponents like Thales Leites, Patrick Cote, and Demian Maia, Silva always had someone to defend against, no matter how deserving or undeserving of a title shot they seemed to be. And now that Silva has gotten past a brief absence of quality Middleweight contenders, the Middleweight division seems to be recuperating and bringing up several worthwhile challengers to the throne, with the prime example being Chael Sonnen, who dominated Silva for nearly 23 minutes in their recent championship fight. Other than a rematch with Sonnen, a superfight with Vitor Belfort is waiting in the wings, and there are several perennial Middleweights that are finally becoming championship-caliber: Alan Belcher, Michael Bisping, even Chris Leben. 2010 has proved that no one is invincible or unbeatable, so even if a division has to go through a period of recuperation, no division in the UFC has ever been permanently down and out.

I look forward to BJ Penn giving the welterweight division another go-round for one main reason: there’s a lot of good, quality competition he hasn’t faced, and the competition at Welterweight he has faced are at different points in their careers and I’d honestly enjoy seeing some rematches. I’d love to see how Jon Fitch or Josh Koscheck would fare against BJ Penn, and I think rematches with Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, and even Georges St. Pierre would make for exciting fights. I still think Penn has it in him to beat GSP, and a trilogy fight to prove as much would likely bring in huge buys, especially with MMA now being legal in Ontario and Hawaii. Like Penn, I think it’s critically important to only be paying attention to the rematch with Edgar, but one more run at Welterweight would likely only further add to the already-great legacy of BJ Penn’s career.

And what do you think, fans and friends? If BJ Penn were to make the trip to the land of 170 once again, how successful do you think he would be?

After Anderson pulled out a Hail Mary, fifth round submission, after challenger Chael Sonnen dominated the Brazilian for the better part of 4 and half rounds, the Blackhouse teammate was able to pocket “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” honors, on top of a hefty payday.

The figures below, which is formatted from MMAJunkie.com, were originally disclosed by the California State Athletic Commission, following the bout on August 7.

Anderson Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. Chael Sonnen: $35,000

Jon Fitch: $108,000 (includes $54,000 win bonus)
def. Thiago Alves: $60,000

Clay Guida: $56,000 ($28,000 win bonus)
def. Rafael dos Anjos: $12,000

Matt Hughes: $200,000 ($100,000 win bonus)
def. Ricardo Almeida: $35,000

Junior Dos Santos: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Roy Nelson: $15,000

Rick Story: $22,000 ($11,000 win bonus)
def. Dustin Hazelett: $18,000

Phil Davis: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Rodney Wallace: $6,000

Johny Hendricks: $40,000 ($20,000 win bonus)
def. Charlie Brenneman: $8000

Tim Boetsch: $32,000 ($16,000 win bonus)
def. Todd Brown: $6,000

Stefan Struve: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Christian Morecraft: $6,000

Dennis Hallman: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Ben Saunders: $12,000

So, Anderson and Matt Hughes were the night’s top earners, deservedly so, but…is anyone surprised by the numbers? For a long time, Anderson has been coveted by UFC President Dana White, as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, however his numbers don’t represent that. 6 figures, yes, however, a 12-0 i run in the UFC, and moves to light heavyweight would attract a larger base pay and win bonus for the Brazilian, should GSP rack in larger numbers.

Some can make the argument that yes, Georges St. Pierre is a much more popular fighter than Silva of course, at least with Anderson’s most recent performances (aside from UFC 101 and 117), but should popularity or credentials be more decisive come contract time, and a fighters due?

It’s something I run back and forth with, and can’t really decide. I guess that’s why they leave it up to head honchos to figure that kind of stuff out, but what do you think? Performance vs Popularity, which is greater?

Alves has been able to work through these difficult weight cuts time and time again, pulling out win after decisive win (other than his lopsided loss to current champion Georges St. Pierre), but that’s quite the double-edged sword when you consider the following. First and foremost, continually making hard weight cuts has a negative, cumulative effect on a fighter’s body. Alves may not be showing the signs just yet, but as they continue to build up in his body as he continues to pack his massive frame down to 170 pounds, it won’t be too long before his body betrays him. Also, coming in overweight gives Thiago Alves an unfair advantage, no matter if it’s half a pound, three pounds, or ten pounds. If he continues to miss the mark and yet still win his fights, more and more people are going to put a negative spin on his performance, claiming that the only reason Alves continuously looks so dominant is because he can’t play by the rules and always utilizes an unfair weight advantage over his opponent.

Continuing to miss weight has very real financial repercussions, as Alves likely already knows. I get the whole “fighter mentality” thing where if you’re in it for the money you’re supposedly in it for the wrong reasons. But let’s be honest here: no professional athlete has an infinite shelf life. They owe it to themselves to utilize whatever talent they have to make as much money as they can for as long as they can. It breaks my heart to see fighters like Ken Shamrock and Jens Pulver still compete far past their prime simply because they have bills to pay and fighting is all they know. If Alves continues to miss weight, his fines will most likely increase and he may even face suspension. If Alves won’t make the jump in weight to preserve his body, he should do it to preserve his financial stability.

Now, with all that said, here’s something positive about Thiago Alves moving to Middleweight: Alves has basically faced all the great welterweights in the UFC, but in the middleweight division, he’d be put in all kinds of great matches that would easily be as big and as marketable as any fight he could have at welterweight. How about Thiago Alves vs. Chris Leben, or Alan Belcher, or Vitor Belfort, or Michael Bisping, or Yoshihiro Akiyama, or Wanderlei Silva? I’d say that all those fights are more than worthy of co-main event status, and a few are arguably headline attractions. In a division dominated by wrestlers, Thiago Alves is one of the last, great pure strikers left in the UFC’s Welterweight division. If he were to move up to 185, he would have a host of opponents more than willing to engage him in a series of bloody, wildly entertaining brawls.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Should Alves move up in weight, or does he just need a better diet? And how do you feel about him missing the mark once again?

3. Develop a personality…any personality.

When I think of Jon Fitch, I think of dominant wrestling. But that’s it. When I think of Brock Lesnar, I think of dominant wrestling, one giant chest tattoo that is supposed to be a sword but actually looks like an intimate part of the male anatomy, and his uncanny ability to get everyone riled up. When I think of Georges St. Pierre, I think of dominant wrestling, Under Armor commercials, and the reaction he garnered at UFC 83, where he had an entire nation on his side. Jon Fitch has always been a simple, humble man…but we should all admit that today’s era of MMA fans want personalities as well as fighting ability. It’s one of the main reasons Chael Sonnen has become a star overnight. I’m not saying Fitch should begin taking lessons from teammate and bad-boy extraordinaire Josh Koscheck, but I will say that Fitch’s low-key stance on practically everything will only hurt him in an era that lives off of sound bites and intense rivalries. If Fitch really wants to get his name out there to the more casual UFC/MMA fan, he needs to do his part in promoting his fights, much more so than he has done in the past.

2. Start fighting his teammates.

Fitch’s camp, the American Kickboxing Academy, practically runs the UFC Welterweight division, and it’s gotten to the point where their unwillingness to fight each other is sorely undermining the legitimacy of a fighter’s #1 contender status. Consider this: if Thiago Alves manages to beat Jon Fitch, he’ll have won exactly one fight post-GSP to get another shot at the belt. We might have even seen Paul Daley get a shot at the belt, if he had somehow gotten past Josh Koscheck. Then there’s Dan Hardy, who was dominated for five straight rounds. The UFC is actually beginning to hotshot welterweights into the title hunt simply because AKA fighters won’t fight each other. Would anyone have honestly questioned the validity of giving the winner of a Josh Koscheck vs. Jon Fitch fight a shot at the belt? Instead we’re left wondering if Alves deserves a rematch so soon, or if Hardy deserved a championship opportunity at all.

1. Start finishing opponents.

What a shocker, right? Just like his need to develop a personality, his need to start putting some (T)KO’s and submissions on his record is rooted in the reality of the modern-day MMA landscape. People love quick fights. When fans get an epic KO or submission, no one complains that they didn’t get their money’s worth even if content providers are left with nothing else to show than the undercard matches in order to fill TV or PPV time. I’ll always love Jon Fitch for how he can mercilessly grind a Unanimous Decision win out of his opponents, but until he begins to actually finish his fights, more and more people will lose interest in him.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What does Jon Fitch need to do in order to grab you as a fan, and if you are a fan, does he have to do anything at all?

While the match up has been discussed for as far back as UFC 107, nearly ten months ago, the 170-pound division standouts will finally opposite one another, on Saturday night.

Apparently, with a little more at stake, it was confirmed at the Pre-fight press conference by a Mr. Dana White, the UFC head honcho.

While some might be confused by the decision, as Alves has only just returned from a lengthy layoff that dates back nearly 13-months ago, when he was last seen in action in a losing effort to welterweight kingpin, Georges St. Pierre, at UFC 100, both we’re promised the title shot, without any discrepancies as to who may win, as some may view Jon Fitch as the more worthy number one contender.

The fight is actually a rematch that date’s back to 2006, which saw Fitch and Alves battle it out, with the AKA product gaining the upper hand in the second round, landing a vicious up-kick before following Thiago to the ground and finishing him off with Fitch’s now rarely seen ground and pound.

So, who doe’s everyone think will take this bout, and earn number one contender status (again)?
To me, I feel like Alves has been the more diverse fighter, who has really stepped up and evolved his game, and done well against top-competition (with the exception of Georges St. Pierre, but no shame there).

Meanwhile, Fitch has employed a more safe approach to most of his fights, and was even in trouble early against a lower tier fighter in Mike Pierce, after Pierce landed a strong hook, staggering Fitch in the latter part of the fight.

5. Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves

You can say whatever you want about Jon Fitch’s penchant for grinding out decisions, but don’t try and tell me that Fitch doesn’t deserve another shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship if he manages to make it 2-0 against the dynamic and constantly improving Thiago Alves. You just can’t overlook five straight wins in a row, especially given that Fitch has gone up against some of the stiffest competition in the division, and will face perhaps his toughest test since Georges St. Pierre in this rematch with Thiago Alves. This one has been shelved several times for several reasons, which has only served to heighten my anticipation. When it does (finally) go down, I think both men will be out to prove a whole hell of a lot, resulting in a wild fight that should see some type of finish.

4. Quinton Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida

As I talked about in my previous article regarding Machida vs. Jackson, both men possess an awful lot of similarities despite their vastly different fighting styles. I think Jackson will come out hungry and hunting for the knockout, due to the fact that he’s been critical of Machida’s elusive style, and also to prove that he still belongs near the top of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division. Machida will come back with a redefined style: not a drastic overhaul, but a series of subtle tweaks that could and probably will allow him to regain his aura of invincibility. Even though I’m siding with Machida, this is simply a fight that features two of my favorite fighters and two of the best fighters in the world stepping inside the Octagon and throwing hands. It doesn’t get much better than that.

3. BJ Penn vs. Frank Edgar 2

I truly believe that the UFC Lightweight Championship should still be around the waist of BJ Penn. In the first encounter, I had Penn winning a very close, very tough fight…but I had him winning nonetheless. This return fight should prove once and for all that Penn is still the Lightweight wrecking machine he has always been… or it will prove that Edgar’s victory was not a fluke, and he’ll finally and fully be given the mantle of “Best Lightweight in the World”. If Penn can finally bring it back to the ground, which is something he hasn’t done in his last few fights, I’m thinking that he can finish Edgar quickly.

2. Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva

After so very much trash-talking, Chael Sonnen’s date with destiny is growing ever nearer, and I can’t wait to see how it all goes down once “The Spider” can finally make Chael answer for his comments. I think we’ll see the return of the “scary” Anderson Silva in this fight, with Silva abandoning the dance routine and obliterating Sonnen the same way he’s obliterated nearly all of his UFC opponents. If Sonnen can win this one, it’d be one of the bigger upsets in a year already packed with big upsets. If Silva wins once again, it will further cement his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.

And my top pick unquestionably goes to…

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

This is going to be an awesome fight. Cain has serious knockout power in both hands and the cardio to keep throwing them for five straight rounds. Lesnar has shown an ability to absorb crazy amounts of punishment, but it remains to be seen if he can absorb the type of shots he took from Shane Carwin for five straight rounds. It will once again be a battle of the behemoths, and it should once again be a truly epic encounter.

So that’s my list, fans and friends. What are some fights you’re looking forward to for the rest of 2010?

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

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

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

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

The rematch was originally scheduled for UFC 11 in Newark March 27, but Alves couldn’t pass a pre-fight CAT scan and Fitch fought and beat tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-2-2) instead.

Fitch won the original fight by TKO at Fight Night 5 in Las Vegas in 2006.

Alves hasn’t fought since losing a five-round unanimous decision in his first title challenge of Fighters.com and UFC Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre’s (20-2) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas last July.

“I thought he would have posted up a little and done a little more ground-and-pound, thrown some more elbows, but he controlled the fight,” Fitch told the post-fight press conference. “He lost some vital opportunities to finish with the kimura, armbars and even his back control.  I still see flaws in his game and that’s why I want to fight him next. There’s nothing more important to me right now than fighting for a title.”

For his part, St. Pierre agreed, saying “I was not that pleased about my performance.  I won, but I haven’t beat my performance of last time, so I’m not happy.  I wanted to finish, you know, have a clean win and for me, like this, it’s not clean.”

But, Fitch himself only managed a UD over tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-2-2), his sixth consecutive victory by decision.  Fighters.com thought it was quite ironic and a bit ridiculous for Fitch to criticize St. Pierre for not finishing his opponent.

TMZ broke the news stating “UFC’s Thiago “Pitbull” Alves will not fight at Saturday’s UFC 111, because a CAT Scan shows an irregularity in his brain, TMZ has learned. Thiago was scheduled to rumble with Jon Fitch on Saturday, but a pre-fight CAT Scan revealed an irregularity. A source close to 26-year-old Pitbull tells TMZ the irregularity involves an artery in the brain.

UFC honcho Dana White tells TMZ he will fly Pitbull to a specialist for further evaluation. White says, “If it’s true, it can be career-ending.” No one will replace Pitbull on Saturday.

The last statement about no one replacing Alves is not quite true as news is breaking as I write this but I will get to that in a minute.

First, this is awful news for Alves who has been a top contender for some time now. No one wants to see such a strong fighter go out due to a brain irregularity. We at MMA Gospel and Fighters.com hope the best for Thiago and hope to see something positive come from all of this.

Now back to the UFC 111 fight card and what the UFC is doing to fix this problem. Alves was slated to face third-ranked welterweight Jon Fitch (20-3) but now it looks like the UFC has bumped Jake Ellenberger (21-5) from the card in order to give fight fans a fight between Fitch and Ellenberger’s original opponent tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2).

This is a fast move by the UFC and one I will applaud. Not only are they working hard to still give fans quality fights but they have paid Jake his show and win money for the last minute change. This is a show of class and just goes to show that contrary to many reports, the UFC does care about the fighters on their roster.

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio for more information on Thiago’s ongoing medical problems.

Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) and fifth-ranked “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6) are set to battle for the top spot at UFC 111 in Newark March 27.  Predictions range far and wide, from Hardy has one foot in the grave to Hardy is the man to upset St. Pierre like “The Terror” Matt Serra (9-6) di at UFC 69 in Houston in 2007.

Fighters.com doesn’t worry about Hardy’s health, but think he’ll be easily handled by the champ.

An exciting rematch between second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and third-ranked Jon Fitch (20-3) has also been rumored for UFC 111.  Fitch TKO’d Alves at UFC Fight Night 5 in 2006 and claims he gets a rematch versus St. Pierre if he stops Alves.

Fourth-ranked Paulo Thiago (8-1) and ninth-ranked “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3) of American Top Team will matchup at UFC 109 in Las Vegas Saturday.  Thiago is 1-1 versus ATT, knocking out seventh-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) and losing a decision to Fitch.

Koscheck will take on “Semtex” Paul Daley (20-9-2) at UFC 113 in Montreal May 8.

Eigth-ranked Matt Hughes (41-7) and and PRIDE veteran Renzo Gracie (13-6-1) will fight at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi April 10.

Tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2) and “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-3) will matchup at UFC 111.

Sixth-ranked Jake Shields (24-4-1) has moved to middleweight as the champion in Strikeforce.

Fighters.com’s February Welterweight Top Ten

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (20-3)

4. Paulo Thiago (8-1)

5. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

6. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

7. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

8. Matt Hughes (41-7)

9. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

10. “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2)