Leben, an original The Ultimate Fighter contestant, is required to have a CT scan of possible facial fractures before his suspension is lifted.

Heavyweight Chris Tuchscherer (15-2) has been suspended 45 days with a facial laceration after his first-round TKO loss to “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4).

Middleweight “Short Fuse” Ed Herman (15-8) was TKO’d with a left knee injury in his fight versus Aaron Simpson (5-0) and has been suspended indefinitely until cleared by a physician.

Middleweight “Phillipine Wrecking Machine” Mark Munoz (4-1) suffered a right elbow injury in his split decision over Nick Catone (7-2) and has been suspended 30 days.

Heavyweight “Nsane 1″ Justin McCully (9-5-2) has been suspended 30 days with a possible left eye injury following his UD loss to Michael Russow (12-1).

All UFC 102 fighters were suspended a minimum of seven days. Headliners Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) and eighth-ranked “Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) have both been suspended 30 days. Besides Herman’s indefinite suspension, Canadian “Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (8-2) received the longest suspension, 60 days after being KO’d in seven seconds by American Top Team’s Todd Duffee (5-0).

“Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) retains the Fighters.com heavyweight championship, which he’s set to defend from ninth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) at Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy in Anaheim 1 August.

But, with Affliction’s run thought to be at its end, Fighters.com worries that whomever wins will return to Japan to fight freaks and middleweights.

Up I-15 in Las Vegas 11 July, UFC 100 features a fight for the soul of MMA’s top promotion when second-ranked Frank Mir (12-3) and third-ranked Brock Lesnar (3-1) rematch for the UFC title.

Mir represents the martial artists of MMA’s origins, while uber-athlete Lesnar proudly proclaims he fights for a paycheck and is likely the future of the sport whether he wins Saturday or not.

Fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1) is set for a showdown with fellow legend and eighth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-9) at UFC 102 in Portland 29 August, but only after the fight has lost the significance it would’ve had just a year ago.

On the undercard, seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (8-1) will fight overmatched “Insane 1″ Justin McCully (9-4-2).

Fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (8-0) is gunning for Strikeforce champ “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (27-10) after knocking out tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7) in 22 seconds 6 June in St. Louis.

Finally, sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0) is rumoured to be mulling a match-up versus fellow UFC up-and-comer Cain Velasquez (6-0).

In welterweight action, Dale Hartt (5-1) defeated Corey Hill (2-2) via TKO (doctor stoppage due to leg injury) at 0:20 of the second round in what appeared to have been a potential broken leg after Hartt checked a leg kick.

Naval officer, “Hollywood” Steve Bruno (10-4) defeated Johnny Rees (10-2) via submission (rear naked choke) at the 3:44 mark of round two. Following the fight, Bruno thanked the enthusiastic crowd largely composed of Army personnel for saving his life following a helicopter crash in Iraq.

Former Ultimate Fighter Luigi Fioravanti (14-4) defeated Brodie Farber (12-5) via unanimous decision.

The remaining bouts are:

Luigi Fioravanti (13-4) v Brodie Farber (13-4)
Dale Hartt (5-1) v Corey Hill (2-1)
“Berserk” Ben Saunders (6-0-2) v Brandon Wolff (7-2)
Timothy Credeur (10-2) v Nate Loughran (9-0)
“Hater Hurter” Johnny Rees (10-1) v Steve Bruno (11-4)
Justin McCully (8-4-2) v Eddie Sanchez (8-2)

Five fighters on the card have served in the military.  Fioravanti was a Marine, Hartt, Credeur, and Bruno served in the Navy, and Wolff was a Navy SEAL.

Missing from the card is a previously announced match between former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion “All American” Brian Stann (6-1) and current champ Steve Cantwell (6-1).  Stann, a former Marine, has reportedly sustained a foot injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Fioravanti last fought at the TUF finale in June and was TKO’d by “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (19-2) in the last minute of round three.

Farber had his six-fight win streak snapped at Fight Night 14 in July when Rory Markham (16-4) KO’d him with a head kick at 1:37 of the first round.

Hartt suffered his first career loss in July at his UFC debut, submitted via first-round rear naked choke by fellow debutant Shannon Gugerty (11-2).

Hill, a TUF 5 lightweight, lost his last fight to Justin Buchholz (8-2) via rear naked choke in round two in July.

Saunders, a TUF 6 alum, won his last six, most recently submitting Ryan Thomas (9-2) with a second-round armbar in August.

Wolff will be making his Octagon debut.  He won his last fight in May with a split decision over “The Grinder” Chad Reiner (18-6).

Credeur, from TUF 7, TKO’d Cale Yarbrough (0-1) in round one in July.  He has gone past round one only once,

Loughran, who has submitted all but one opponent, caught Johnny Rees with a first-round triangle choke at their UFC debuts in July.

Bruno lost his Octagon debut in August by unanimous decision to Chris Wilson (14-4).

McCully was submitted via kimura in 1:57 by Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked heavyweight “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) in July.

Sanchez was TKO’d in round two by Antoni Hardonk (7-4) at UFC 85 in June.

His dismantling of “Big” Tim in 36 seconds earned him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, jumping from sixth and dumping Sylvia from third to seventh.

The “W” strips naked UFC President Dana White’s proclamation that all other promotions are the minor leagues, at least at north of 205-pounds.

In fact, Emelianenko’s victory makes clear that the Octagon hasn’t been the proving grounds for the world’s top heavyweights for quite some time.

The UFC Champ, second-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), took a thrashing from Sylvia in February before tapping the two-time UFC titlist in a guillotine.

Nogueira loses his Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, falling into the top contender spot, but a top contender whose register already records two UD losses to the new champ four years ago.

Nog’ is set to clash with un-ranked former UFC Champ Frank Mir (11-3) after Mir tapped rook’ Brock Lesnar (1-1), which tells you all you need to know about the UFC heavyweight class.

But, Emelianenko’s new promoter, Affliction, is playing the name game too.

Emelianenko will fight fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) in October after Arlovski knocked out up-and-comer “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-6) on the same Affliction debut card.

Fighters.com considers “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett(23-5) Affliction’s top contender after MMA’s otoko viciously knocked “Rock” Pedro Rizzo(16-8) cold and leap-frogged Arlovski to place third in August’s rankings.

Rizzo may not be the fighter of UFC highlight reels; but, Barnett stood with the still-dangerous striker to earn the KO.

But, Affliction opted for the highly recognizable and heavily hirsute mug of Arlovski over Barnett, whom, though legendary across the Pacific, is only just re-acquainting his babyface with the mainstream North American audience.

Fighters.com considers fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) the top contender to the UFC title; but, the Brazilian lingers as Nogueira v Mir remains an unscheduled inevitability.

Sixth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) drops four spots in August due to inactivity.

Fighters.com quizzed sources at Xtreme Couture about why the originally intended October Emelianenko v Couture match-up was so quickly brushed aside by Affliction and got responses reflecting the increasingly pessimistic outlook from Couture’s camp, “There is no sense waiting for something that’s not guaranteed to ever happen.”

Eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) fights Brock Lesnar (1-1) next weekend in Minneapolis in the face of odds-makers’ slights.

“Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) found a bit of his old mojo last month with gimme’ “W” over Justin McCully (8-4-2), propelling him into the ninth ranking.

Tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) failed to meet California State Athletic Commission Standards to fight “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10) in Anaheim 19 July, but no one is confirming why.

Fighters.com heard the Hepatitis rumor the day after Affliction’s premier, but hasn’t reported it because no one will confirm it.

August Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1)

Emelianenko took his right-left combo and used it to erase “doubt” from Fighters.com’s rankings when he dismantled Sylvia.  The depth of his recent opposition remains shallow; but, taking Sylvia apart quicker than anyone else earns him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship to defend from Arlovski in October.

2. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com’s top contender spot.

3. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5)

“Babyface Assassin” is on a tear with a KO of Pedro Rizzo, UD over Jeff Monson, and submission of Hidehiko Yoshida, but no recent work at the top of the division.  Arlovski got the October nod versus Emelianenko, but Barnett should get a top ten test too.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5)

“Pitbull” got his bite back versus Ben Rothwell, adding the KO to a UD over Werdum and a pair or wins over lesser competition.  Arlovski will need all the bite he has left versus Emelianenko in October.

5. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera‘s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and probably Fighters.com title.

6. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

7. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are only to legends Emelianenko, Nogueira, and Couture.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

There were a couple of shakers this month, but no movers.

In London 7 June, seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) played a samba on “The Truth” Brandon Vera‘s (8-2) noggin for a first round TKO.

Werdum remains the top contender to “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira‘s (31-4-1) UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Of course, Big Nog’ is pitted versus struggling, but dangerous former UFC Champion Frank Mir (11-3) in a made-for-TUF match-up in October.

Werdum will probably draw the winner of 9 August’s eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) versus Brock Lesnar (1-1) fight, maybe on the same October UFC card to build the follow-up versus the winners.

Also in action this rankings period, tenth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) blew through confidence-booster Justin McCully (8-4-2) in Las Vegas 5 July to break a two-fight losing streak for the man who sentenced “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) down a spiral the Croatian has yet to ascend from.

This weekend in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, Affliction will twist the heavyweight Rubik’s cube and a lot of colorful riddles will turn black-and-white.

With bated breath, the MMA world awaits the answer to biggest mystery in the division:  How good is sixth-ranked “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)?

Many rank the Russian tops, but even his minions struggle like “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1) in an armbar to defend Emelianenko’s two-year dearth of top competition.

Will third-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) shake his history of choking in the face of the big challenges?  Sylvia has always fought tougher as an underdog…

On the same card, fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5) have heavyweight questions to face-up to.

Can Arlovski regain his pre-Sylvia KO tenacity that earned him the nickname “Pitbull”; or, is he comfortable fighting “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) for the title of “MMA’s Most Elusive”?

Is Rothwell “Big” enough for the top ten?

Also, fifth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5) will try to avenge a vicious 2001 knockout to “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and earn a fight versus the winner of Sylvia/Emelianenko.

Finally, ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will slug it out with “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (25-10) on the undercard’s main event, possibly the most exciting fight of the night.

Fighters.com will be live in Anaheim Saturday for the biggest heavyweight MMA card in history.  Get the true scoop as it happens right here.

The odd man out is legally-challenged top contender “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8), who could lose his top contender status this weekend if Emelianenko beats Sylvia by stoppage.

July Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

5. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and UD Jeff Monson and is the last man to beat Noguiera. He also holds a submission of hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 33 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it or take first by defeating Sylvia in July.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera‘s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and probably Fighters.com title.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongoin March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

10. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

New UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) demoralized and upset former Champ “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6) by unanimous decision Saturday night in Las Vegas.

“This is the greatest night of my life,” Griffin said after toppling the odds.

Though Jackson won the first round by staggering Griffin with a left, then dropping the challenger with a right uppercut, Griffin laid the groundwork for his decision victory by whittling away at Jackson’s lead leg with low kicks.

“He jacked my leg up,” Jackson admitted.

In the second round, Griffin buckled the champ with a leg kick and passed to mount on the mat, grinding elbows into Rampage’s head, but doing little damage.

Rampage limped into round three searching for a knockout, but managed only a combination that Griffin weathered, though he admitted, “Every punch that motherfucker threw hurt.”

Jackson scored a fourth-round takedown; but, Griffin wrapped a leg triangle, then transitioned to an omoplata when Jackson freed himself from the triangle.

Jackson stood out of the submission and cracked Griffin with a right hand, opening a cut on the challenger’s right eyelid, then followed with a left as the bell ended the round.

It was back-and-forth and both fighters felt they needed the final round to win; but, Jackson seemed disappointed by the situation, while Griffin was inspired.

Griffin got back to game plan in the fifth round, stinging Rampage’s lead leg, as Jackson threw desperate haymakers without landing.

The judges scored the fight 48-46 twice and 49-46 once for Griffin. Fighters.com scored it 48-46 for Griffin, our new champion.

“He whupped my ass,” Jackson admitted after the battle; but, Griffin said, “It was close and I think we’re gonna have to do it again.”

Cote Wins Title Shot

“Predator” Patrick Cote (14-4) won a spot in line to the UFC Middleweight Championship owned by Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4) by winning a split decision over “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-3) Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Cote explained the split decision, “I got three knockouts in a row. I can’t do that all the time, especially against this kind of guy.”

Judges scores were 29-28 twice for Cote and 29-28 once for Almeida. Fighters.com scored the fight 29-28 for Cote.

But, it didn’t feel like Cote’s night in the first round.

Almeida pulled guard into a guillotine to open the fight; but, Cote defended; and, the fighters regained their feet.

Almeida shot and passed into Cote’s half-guard where “Cachorrao” stuffed lefts down Cote’s throat, winning the round with G’n'P.

Between the first and second round, there was a curious delay as Almeida’s glove seemed to have busted at the seams and needed to be repaired.

Cote may have changed the tide at the end of a slow second round when a right hand found Almeida’s head as the horn ended the round.

“My game plan was to sprawl’n'brawl and that’s exactly what I did the last two rounds,” Cote said after the fight.

Almeida was winded by round three; and, it was a Cote kickboxing academy in the third as “The Predator” lined-up straights with both fists and lit-up Almeida’s legs with kicks.

“My conditioning was there. I was running against him in the third round and my conditioning was still there,” said Cote.

Cote pleaded in the locker room after the victory, “I want some credit, man. I want some credit that I’m well-rounded. I’m not just a slugger. I proved tonight that I’m able to wrestle, I’m able to do on the ground, I can kick, I can elbow, I can do jiu-jitsu.”

Daddy Guillotines Tibau

After a first round spent bothered, but not troubled in a Gleison Tibau (15-6) omoplata attempt, “Daddy” Joe Stevenson (34-8) caught the Brazilian in a guillotine when Tibau shot for a double-leg takedown at 2:57 of the second round.

Fought mostly on the mat, and lingering for several minutes in a Tibau omoplata attempt, Stevenson and Tibau decided to compare BJJ belts.

Tibau came up short, though defended two guillotines before Stevenson locked in the winner as Tibau shot.

Stevenson explained after the fight, “Honestly, you know, he just put his head there and I took it. It was nothing fancy.”

Koschek’s Elbows Open Up Lytle

Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked welterweight “Kos” Josh Koscheck (13-2) chiseled crevices above both eyebrows of “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-16-5) during a UD for “Kos” Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Koscheck planted Lytle on the mat in all three rounds and worked elbows and leather like pistons to Lytle’s forehead, opening gashes in the second round.

“I thought they were going to stop it,” Koscheck said after the fight, “because he had some pretty bad cuts.”

Lytle wasn’t “Lights Out” though, catching Kos in two guillotines at the shots and a heel hook in round one; but, Koscheck was ice cube-cool defending the subs and returning to work on Lytle’s head.

“The only [guillotine] that got really tight was the last round there,” Koscheck explained, “But, I’m pretty good at getting out of them. I just roll…like an alligator.”

With his blood puddled on the mat, Lytle mustered one final flurry after referee Yves Lavigne stood the fighters in round three.

Kos avoided any damage and walked out of the Octagon with crimson-tinged hair and a decision by 30-26, 29-27, and 30-28, but declaring respect for the man he had just mangled.

Dominant Tyson Griffin UD

Lightweight Tyson Griffin (12-1), known as a wrestler, performed a breakout kickboxing display in a UD over “Maximus” Marcus Aurelio (16-6) Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Over all three rounds, Griffin tenderized Aurelius’s ribs and nearly spun his BJJ blackbelt opponent around with leg kicks.

The body barrage left “Maximus” worn by round two. He made only weak attempts to take Griffin to the mat, but stayed away from most of Griffin’s upstairs bombs.

Griffin admitted after the fight, “I hit him with some good shots; and, he didn’t fall down, so…hey!”

Unable to put Aurelius away on his feet, Griffin scored a single-leg takedown in round three.

“I don’t want to be a guy that dominates two-and-a-half rounds and gets caught,” Griffin explained, “so, you know, I decided to take him down, control the rest of the fight, and, you know, get that ‘W’.”

Aurelius sucked up Griffin’s left arm, then his right; but, Griffin defended and bloodied the right side of Aurelius’s face until time ended the fight.

Griffin scored 30-27 three times for the “W”.

Gonzaga Mauls McCully

Tenth-ranked heavyweight “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) wasted no time getting back to winning by tapping Justin McCully (8-4-2) in a Kimura 1:57 of round one.

Gonzaga dropped McCully with a leg kick, pounced, passed to mount, and applied the shoulder lock surgically to force the tap.

“I come from real Brazilian jiu-jitsu school and I’m proud of my Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills,” said Gonzaga after the fight.

Miller Taps Gurgel With 12 Seconds Left

American Top Team lightweight “Magrino” Cole Miller (14-3) tapped Jorge Gurgel (12-4) in a triangle with 12 seconds remaining in their fight.

It was a hot one!

The first round was a back-and-forth brawl that saw both fighters score in combinations, with Gurgel getting the best of Miller.

Miller decided to take Gurgel to the mat in round two and scored from top position with G’n'P while passing to half-mount.

“I was just getting out-pointed, so I thought on the ground would be the best bet,” explained Miller after his victory.

Gurgel scrambled free, but found himself in a guillotine, which he defended.

After three Gurgel takedowns led to nothing for the Cincinnatian, Miller took advantage of the final trip from Gurgel. During a scramble, Miller locked in the triangle choke and forced Gurgel to tap at 4:48 of round three.

“The biggest mistake I think he made was just not being in as good of shape as me,” Miller reflected. “He left his hand in there. He was a little more tired than me.”

Guillard Big Punchin’

“Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (22-7-2) registered a hit on German lightweight Dennis Siver (11-6) in a 36-second TKO.

Guillard fired a big right at the opening bell, dropping Siver.

Siver wasn’t out though. The German defended Guillard’s follow-up G’n'P with an armbar attempt.

But, Guillard yanked free and finished the job with strikes.

After the TKO, Guillard said, “If I get [Roger] Huerta after [Kenny] Florian done with him, that’s good. If I don’t, oh well. But, that’s a rematch I want. I want to avenge that to myself. That’s something personal.”

Buchholz Taps Hill

Lightweight Justin Buchholz (8-2) tapped stringbean-physiqued Corey Hill (2-1) in a rear naked choke at 3:57 of round two.

The young fighters burned a furious pace into the second round. Buchholz pulled guard for the second time in the fight and tried to contort a gogo’ that Hill defended.

In defense, Hill gave his back; and, Buchholz scrambled behind Hill and locked in the choke.

Buchholz described the finish after the fight, “Got the rear naked and choke just started praying, ‘Please God tapout. Please God tapout!’”

Rampage weighed in at 205-pounds, as did eighth-ranked title challenger Forrest Griffin (15-4).

Xtreme Couture’s Griffin said, “It’s nice to fight in your hometown.  Thank you, guys.”

Griffin smirked in the gaze of an intense Rampage stare down.

All fighters on Saturday night’s card made weight.

Only lightweight Gleison Tibau (15-5) missed the mark, but by the allowed one pound at 156-pounds.  Tibau will fight “Daddy” Joe Stevenson (33-8).

6’4″ lightweight Corey Hill (2-0) looked absolutely emaciated at 155-pounds.

All the weights from Vegas are below.

“Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-6) 205-pounds v Forrest Griffin (15-4) 205-pounds

“Predator” Patrick Cote (13-4) 185-pounds v “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-2) 185-pounds

Fourth-ranked“Kos” Josh Koscheck (12-2) 170-pounds v “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-15-5) 170-pounds

Tyson Griffin (11-1) 155-pounds v “Maximus” Marcus Aurelio (16-5) 155-pounds

“Daddy” Joe Stevenson (33-8) 155-pounds v Gleison Tibau (15-5) 156-pounds

Tenth-ranked“Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) 249-pounds v Justin McCully (8-3-2) 236-pounds

Jorge Gurgel (12-3) 155-poundsv “Magrino” Cole Miller (13-3) 155-pounds

“Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard (21-7-2) 155-pounds  v Dennis Siver (11-5) 155-pounds

Corey Hill (2-0) 155-pounds v Justin Buchholz (7-2) 155-pounds

Through no fault of his own of course, Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) won’t meet either threshold when he defends his UFC title versus Frank Mir (11-3).

So, what’s Fighters.com to do?  Second-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) admitted this week to Canada’s Globe and Mail, “I’m also OK with the idea that [I may not fight again].  I may get a bad [court] ruling and I can’t really see myself at this point going back and fighting two more times for the UFC if that’s what the state says I have to do.”

Should 19 July’s more competitive match-up between third-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and sixth-ranked “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) be for Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Championship?

Both Sylvia and fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) climbed two spots on fifth-ranked “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett‘s (22-5) inability to put away “The Snowman” Jeff Monson in Tokyo last month coupled with Barnett’s submission of ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) falling off his two-year record.

Of course, Arlovski officially announced today that he’ll fight top heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5) 19 July.  Rothwell steps-in well-hyped from the IFL and Arlovski looks to shake out of his funk.

Barnett returns on the same undercard to seek revenge from a 2001 KO loss versus now largely irrelevant “The Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and Aleksander Emelianenko fights “The Headhunter” Paul Buentello (25-10) in my pick for fight of the night in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles.

This weekend in London, seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and returning prospect “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-1) will battle for the UFC’s top contender spot.

Eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) will fill-in for injured “Hammer” Mark Coleman (15-9) versus the UFC’s version of market-friendly “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-0), former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar (1-1), in a fight that shouldn’t even be sanctioned, but only a big lug like Herring could find a way to lose.

In July, tenth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) has a lot to prove versus Justin McCully (8-3-2); and, McCully might be thinking the same thing.

June Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

5. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (22-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and UD Jeff Monson and is the last man to beat Noguiera. He also holds a submission of hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 33 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it or take first by defeating Sylvia in July.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s matched versus fellow UFC title contender Brandon Vera 7 June.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emperor”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

10. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?