Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez, teammates under the infamous Cesar Gracie brand, were both successful in their respective title bouts, with Diaz laying claim as one of the best and most dangerous welterweight fighters in the world with his first-round TKO over UFC castout Paul Daley, and Gilbert with his highly anticipated rematch with Japanese sensation Tatusya Kawajiri, which resulted in a one-sided TKO win for “El Nino”.

While the two men were perhaps among the nights most impressive winners, they were also among the top-earners for the entire event.

Here are the full fighter payouts, which are courtesy of MMAJunkie.com by way of the California State Athletic Commission:

Nick Diaz: $175,000 (no win bonus)
def. Paul Daley: $65,000

Gilbert Melendez: $150,000 (no win bonus)
def. Tatsuya Kawajiri: $97,612.50

Gegard Mousasi: $150,000
drew Keith Jardine: $25,000

Shinya Aoki: $73,637.50 (no win bonus)
def. Lyle Beerbohm: $10,000

Robert Peralta: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Hiroyuki Takaya: $2,740

Virgil Zwicker: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Brett Albee: $1,000

Joe Duarte: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Saad Awad: $1,500

Herman Terrado: $1,500 ($500 win bonus)
def. A.J. Matthews: $1,000

Rolando Perez: $3,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Tom Peterson: $1,000

Casey Ryan: $2,000 ($1,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Song: $750

So, MMA peeps, any surprises here? What stands out first for me is Mousasi’s payday. So, had he won, how much money would he have made? Should his pay scale be more than that of Nick Diaz? Sound off in the comment section below.

Champions and teammates Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz were able to retain their titles in memorable bouts with some of their toughest tests to date, as both men challenged hard hitters in Tatsuya Kawajiri and Paul Daley (respectively) with both men earning first-round TKO wins.

Shinya Aoki, the DREAM lightweight champion also returned victorious under the Strikeforce banner as he took out former top prospect Lyle Beerbohm with a first-round submission victory.

And then there was the Gegard Mousasi and Keith Jardine bout, which resulted in a very disappointing majority draw, a decision which has been panned by the media and fans alike. However, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has a simple solution to that problem. Let’s let them do it, again.

Scott Coker spoke with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com where he spoke about how he felt the fight should have been scored in the long run.

“I think Gegard won that fight”, proclaimed Coker without any hesitation.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Keith Jardine, but I think Gegard won the fight.”

Jardine took the bout on just 9-days notice when Mousasi’s original opponent Mike Kyle bowed out of the light heavyweight tilt due to injury, and subsequently took the former Strikeforce 205-pound champion to a decision, much to the surprise of everyone who believed Gegard would be able to easily dispatch of the “chinny” Jardine.

Gegard seemed to be in control of the bout all throughout, however an early upkick on the ground caused Mousasi to lose a point in the first-round, which would later prove detrimental when the scores were read 29-27 (in favor of Mousasi) and 28-28 (twice) which produced the majority draw.

Therefor, two of the three judges gave Jardine a round during the fight, likely due to the takedowns mounting for Jardine, though the Greg Jackson product did little to advance on his opponent or damage Mousasi on the ground.

“I can’t speak for the judges, and I don’t want to go there, but it’s a draw and let’s them do it again”, said Coker in closing.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the decision? Should have Mousasi won the bout, or did Jardine do enough to take the fight to a draw? Do you think they should fight again? Sound off in the comment section below.

He always seems like the type of fighter that can always rise to the occasion, despite possessing one of the more infamously panned “chins” in the mixed martial arts community. He’s pulled off the upset plenty of times. Having beaten Chuck Liddell who was just removed from his strap as the UFC light heavyweight champion and defeating Forrest Griffin with a first-round TKO, proves that Jardine is certainly no push over.

However, if you would have told me that the Greg Jackson product had only nine-days to prepare for a fighter of the caliber of Gegard Mousasi, I would have told you that it’s almost a “gimme” that the former Strikeforce titleholder would dismantle Jardine inside of the first-round. Such was not the case, and the result of the bout is the reason why this fight was my particular “Upset of the Night”.

Mousasi, though his status as a light heavyweight top-10 fighter is different depending on which media source you uncover, is reveered as one of the brightest stars in the MMA world. Coupled with a prodigious professional kickboxing record of 5-0, the wan holds victories over K-1 stars such as Musashi and the current heavyweight champion in Kyotaro, whom Gegard defeated last December under the DREAM banner. Along with his stand-up skills, Mousasi’s ground game is the equivalent of any accomplished Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, with his ability to stave off submissions as well as apply many of his own, which include his triangle and rear-naked chokes which account for 11 of his 30 victories.

Though he’s of a smaller frame compared to most 205-ers, he can certainly hold his own. One his knacks, however, has been his inability to defend the takedown, which become obvious in his decision loss to former Strikeforce champ “King Mo” in April of last year. Since then, Mousasi has insisted that his takedowns have improved exponentially, however such was not the case when he locked horns with Keith Jardine.

Though he ate many shots for his efforts, Jardine was able to out muscle and work Mousasi to the ground over and over again for the first-two rounds, though based on damage, submission attempts and his ability to get off the mat, Gegard should have taken the rounds decisively. In the first-round, Mousasi landed an illegal upkick which immediately resulted in the penalization of a point, which would later prove detrimental in the bout. In the final round, Mousasi reversed the script and took “The Dean of Mean” to the mat himself, and controlled the rest of the round without much question.

In the end, the bout was ruled a majority draw after three-rounds of action, with scores of 29-27–in favor of Mousasi, and 28-28 (twice) resulting in the panned decision. Immediately following the ruling, UFC President Dana White tweeted ”
You have to be (expletive) me!!!!”, which is a sentiment I’m sure everyone watching the bout shared.

While Gegard should have decidedly been the victor of the bout, he didn’t do much to make the case for himself as the true number one contender for Dan Henderson‘s Strikeforce title. One can imagine what would have happened if Mousasi would have performed the same against the injured Mike Kyle, as originally intended. The Armenian hardly looked to be the fighter who knocked out Renato Sobral inside of a round, nor the fighter who won DREAM’s inaugural 16-man middleweight grand-prix.

Step your game up, Mousasi! You’re better than that.

Sound off in the comment section below.

The Cecil Peoples Award For The Best Display Of Utter Blindness And Ineptitude: The judges who scored the bout between Gegard Mousasi and Keith Jardine a Draw. I keep having to hand this award out, and it keeps infuriating me each and every time. Even with Mousasi losing a point for an illegal upkick, there’s no way this fight was anything other than a commanding victory for Mousasi. Gegard got taken down a few times, but Jardine was a bloody, bruised mess by the end of this fight. It was another fight plagued by horrendous judging, and a further reminder of why I’m so very glad that most Strikeforce fights nowadays don’t go to the judges.

The Phoenix Award: Shinya Aoki, who breathed new life into his career with a thrilling first-round submission over Lyle Beerbohm. Aoki displayed that his ground game is still as flawless as ever, and that he could one day possibly be a major star in Strikeforce. Strikeforce is definitely in need of more stars in their Lightweight division, and so long as Aoki is used correctly and given opponents where his ground game is allowed to shine, Aoki could become Strikeforce’s Lightweight “submission magician”.

The Evil Mirror Universe Award: This is a reference to a classic Star Trek episode, and it goes to Gilbert Melendez because of how he rocked a goatee and showed up a very different fighter at “Diaz vs. Daley”. Melendez was always tough and loved to brawl, but he showed up to this event wanting to knock Tatsuya Kawajiri’s head off. It honestly startled me to see Gilbert Melendez go headhunting, and in fact, this was only the third first-round stoppage of his career. While his performance was radically different than what I’m accustomed to, it was also a fantastic performance, so it deserves to be highlighted as much as possible.

The “So Close And Yet So Far Away” Award: Paul Daley, for hurting and nearly finishing Nick Diaz several times throughout their epic first-round encounter. Daley had Diaz in a whole lot of trouble at several different points in this fight, but somehow he was unable to bring the fight to a close. He certainly came close, but whether it was Diaz’s ability to adapt when the fight went to the ground (even if the fight went to the ground because Diaz was floored) or Diaz’s near-impenetrable chin, the fight did not end with Daley as champion. But it certainly could have.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. And remember, it’s all in good fun… mostly. What about you? Any thoughts/opinions ready to be shared?

5. Shinya Aoki’s domination of Lyle Beerbohm.

Shinya Aoki is an interesting case of “what should have been”. Or at least, that’s generally how fans thought of him before this fight with Lyle Beerbohm. Now fans are thinking of Aoki as a case of “what still might be”. Shinya Aoki may never be a multi-dimensional threat, but last night he proved that no one save for the best in the world can hang with him on the ground. So long as Strikeforce utilizes him correctly, they can look forward to many more first-round submissions. Aoki’s heartfelt performance combined with an emotional post-fight celebration was a great way to start the night.

4. Gilbert Melendez’s “Hellbows”.

I’ve made it no secret that I loathe Mauro Ranallo. But I agreed with him on this matter: Gilbert Melendez’s vicious, vicious elbows, the ones that put an end to his fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri, deserve to be called “Hellbows”. I remember emphatically telling my friend “This is what you get when you allow elbows on the ground!” It was a very dramatic finish, and if it weren’t for the Zuffa brass doing away with the Strikeforce-only rule that prevented such a strike, it may never have happened. I for one am very, very glad that elbows to the head on the ground are now legal in Strikeforce.

3. Keith Jardine taking Gegard Mousasi to a three-round decision.

Let’s put aside our feelings of anger over this fight going to a Majority Draw. If you can do that, then answer me this: how tough is Keith Jardine? The man took the fight on ultra-short notice, and he still managed to take down Mousasi several times throughout the fight. He finished the fight a swollen, bloody, and tired mess… but he did not go down. He did not submit and he was not knocked out. Jardine has the heart of a warrior, and seeing him reaffirm that at “Diaz vs. Daley” was honestly a great moment even when taking into account the horrendous decision.

2. Gilbert Melendez’s call to unify the UFC and Strikeforce championships.

I want it, you want it, everyone wants it. But Gilbert Melendez voiced it. It’s one thing for fans and journalists to get together and call for action. It’s another thing entirely when one of your most high-profile champions, one of your biggest stars, takes the microphone in front of a live audience, in front of hundreds of thousands of fans watching live on Showtime, and asks for some unification bouts. Melendez’s performance will have everybody talking for weeks to come, but his post-fight call to arms for a “Strikeforce vs. UFC” war will likely have people talking for months.

And my personal pick for the best moment of Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley” is…

1. Nick Diaz finishing Paul Daley.

In February 2006, Paul Daley lost by TKO due to a dislocated thumb. It was the first and only TKO on Daley’s record. That was the case… until last night. Last night, Nick Diaz fought Paul Daley’s game, survived Paul Daley’s best shots, and then served up his own unique form of brutal punishment. Whether it was the killer body blows or the hard shots right to the dome, Daley ended the fight staggered and defeated, needing help to even make it onto his corner’s stool. Nick Diaz dropping and stopping Paul Daley was by far the best moment of “Diaz vs. Daley”.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from “Diaz vs. Daley”. But what about you? What do you think everyone will be talking about in the days/weeks to come?

Next for Lyle Beerbohm: I’ll make this short and sweet: Lyle Beerbohm is headed back to Strikeforce’s “Challengers” series of shows. I hate to say that about a man I’ve found so entertaining, but there’s really no other option for him after Shinya Aoki made such quick work of Beerbohm. I definitely think Beerbohm could one day be a major player in Strikeforce, but for now, he’s best served filling the co-main or main event slots of a “Challengers” show.

Next for Shinya Aoki: Aoki’s future is a bit uncertain. Aoki’s home is the Japanese-based DREAM promotion, but Japan is still dealing with its numerous tragedies, and DREAM has been plagued with rumors of its financial demise for the last several months. If not Japan, Aoki’s next fight will definitely take place in Strikeforce, since Aoki breathed new life into his career at “Diaz vs. Daley”. Aoki may not be ready for another shot at Gilbert Melendez, but he proved that he’s still very much the “Master of Flying Submissions”.

Next for Keith Jardine/Gegard Mousasi: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. Keith Jardine will likely postpone his move to Middleweight for one more fight, in order to give fans a firm winner. I know Gegard Mousasi can beat Keith Jardine, and I think we all know Mousasi should have won that fight. But at “Diaz vs. Daley”, Jardine showed that he’s still game, and that he can take on anyone at any time. I say: give Jardine a full camp to prepare, and let’s see who wins the rematch.

Next for Gilbert Melendez: What’s left in Strikeforce’s Lightweight division? “El Nino” has pretty much done it all, and his performance at “Diaz vs. Daley” was one of the most dominating of his career… and Melendez was coming off nearly a year-long layoff. Melendez needs to take on Bellator’s Eddie Alvarez, because there’s very few people left in Strikeforce that could conceivably pose a threat to him.

Next for Paul Daley: “Semtex” will likely take one or two fights in Britain before making his Strikeforce return in the late summer or early fall. Expect Daley to get some more (T)KO’s on his record and then show up ready to take on someone like KJ Noons or Evangelista Santos. So long as Daley makes weight and isn’t involved in any more post-fight shenanigans, Daley will have a home in Strikeforce so long as Strikeforce remains Strikeforce.

Next for Nick Diaz: Much like Gilbert Melendez, I’m struggling to find a worthy opponent for Nick Diaz in Strikeforce. Diaz is now the most dominant Strikeforce title holder in the history of the promotion. I supposed Tyron Woodley would be an interesting match-up. But I think it’s high time that Nick Diaz moves up to Middleweight or a 180-pound catchweight. Whoever he fights there is up to him.

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 “Diaz vs. Daley”?

Virgil Zwicker defeats Brett Albee via TKO at 1:46 of Round 1. Joe Duarte defeats Saad Awad via armbar submission at 2:45 of Round 2. Herman Terrado defeats AJ Matthews via TKO at 4:16 of Round 1. Rolando Perez defeats Edgar Cardenas via Unanimous Decision. Casey Ryan defeats Paul Song via triangle at 1:39 of Round 1. Robert Peralta defeats Hiroyuki Takaya via Split Decision. Shinya Aoki defeats Lyle Beerbohm via submission at 1:33 of Round 1. Gegard Mousasi and Keith Jardine fight to a Majority Draw. Gilbert Melendez defeats Tatsuya Kawajiri by TKO at 3:14 of Round 1. Nick Diaz defeats Paul Daley via TKO 4:57 of Round 1.

I was very, very surprised that it only took Shinya Aoki a minute and a half to submit Lyle Beerbohm. But it was a pleasant surprise. For all his flaws, part of me still very much enjoys watching Shinya Aoki fight. This fight once again proved that Aoki’s ground game is without question one of the best in the sport. It was a dramatic performance for the Japanese fighter, and with the rumored downfall of the Japanese-based DREAM promotion, I can see Aoki finding a new home and new life in Strikeforce.

I thought Gegard Mousasi would win this fight. I knew Keith Jardine would make him work for it. What I didn’t know is that my respect for Jardine would grow higher while my hopes around Mousasi being a good opponent for current champion Dan Henderson crashed and burned. Mousasi displayed great striking, as always, but Mousasi also displayed an inability to deal with takedowns. I was very surprised that the fight ended in a Draw, and I think that was the final straw in killing Mousasi’s comeback hype.

Ring rust may be real… but Gilbert Melendez is much, much realer. Without a doubt, he deserves to be ranked near the top of the Lightweight division… not just in Strikeforce, but in all of MMA. I honestly don’t know what’s left for him in Strikeforce. I want Melendez to finally get the chance to fight Bellator’s Eddie Alvarez. But no matter what happens, Melendez proved tonight that he’s one of Strikeforce’s best fighters.

And in the main event, Nick Diaz and Paul Daley simply gave Strikeforce fans the best round of the year so far, one of the best rounds of the past several years in fact. I was biting my nails when Diaz decided to strike with Daley, and I was very, very worried about Paul Daley stopping Nick Diaz. He certainly came close. But then Nick Diaz did what he does best, he landed a crazy number of shots, remained focused, remained tough, and finished Paul Daley. It was an amazing performance, and there can be no doubt: Nick Diaz is the best fighter in Strikeforce.

Overall, this was a great night of fights for Strikeforce. Shinya Aoki grabbed a very dramatic finish, while Gegard Mousasi and Keith Jardine was a tough war that really displayed Jardine’s heart. And there’s one word that perfectly describes Gilbert Melendez’s performance: perfect. And as for Nick Diaz, what’s left to say? Love him or hate him, loathe him or revere him, Nick Diaz is for real. He’ll fight your fight and knock you out. Laugh at his interviews if you want, but no amount of money will ever convince me to step into a cage against Nick Diaz. Not even for a minute.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of “Diaz vs. Daley”?

After a heavyweight tilt with Kerry Schall in the finale, Jardine moved down to the light heavyweight division where he managed to notch up impressive victories over the likes of notables Wilson Gouveia, Brandon Vera, and former champions Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin.

After his exit from the promotion in 2010, which came on the heels of a four-fight losing skid, Jardine has since comprised a two-fight streak and hopes to add Gegard Mousasi–whom he meets this Saturday in Strikeforce–to his list of impressive victories. Regardless of the outcome though, “The Dean of Mean” intends to make a run in the middleweight class.

Jardine has recently stepped up on short notice in order to take on Mousasi in a bout which was originally intended for Mike Kyle, though the fellow UFC vet had been sidelined with a broken hand suffered in training.

The opportunity is a big one for Keith, who has been known to rise to the occasion against some of the best fighters in the world, and Mousasi is just one of those fighters. A former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and two-time DREAM titleholder, Gegard brings an array of skills to the bout, and though Jardine has had more or less two weeks to prepare, he’s as game as they come.

The Dutch striker was to be fitted for a number contender bout with Kyle for current champion Dan Henderson‘s light heavyweight strap, so a potential win for Jardine here would be huge. However, in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, a noticeably more lean “Dean of Mean” discussed his intentions to drop down to the middleweight class for the first time in his career.

At 35-years-old, Jardine knows his window in the sport is closing, and hopes that a run in the 185-pound division will spur a possibility for him to enter title contention sometime in the near future. He points to the UFC’s middleweight class, and says the lack of talent there was one incentive in order to make the move.

So, MMA peeps, aside from his bout with Mousasi this Saturday–what do you think of the news? How do you think Jardine will fare at 185-pounds? Sound off in the comment section below.

Is it wrong that I still like Shinya Aoki? I know he’s been faltering a lot lately, I know he’s done some stupid things, I know his stand-up is utterly atrocious. But I still love it when he gets a fight to the ground and is able to work his wizardry. This is the guy that gave us the Mounted Gogoplata, remember? Aoki may have taken a tumble down the rankings, but when he gets the fight in his comfort zone he’s a very entertaining and incredibly dynamic performer. So part of me does still honestly hold out hope for the “Tobikan Judan”.

I feel like some of my comments I’ve made towards Keith Jardine could be construed as disrespectful, so I apologize if it came off that way and I would like to once again state that I consider myself a fan of Keith Jardine. It is quite saddening that my opinion of him has become so deflated. At one point, I considered Jardine a very under-rated and under-appreciated fighter. But now? It’s going to be a long, hard road back to relevancy, and Gegard Mousasi is a former champion. Part of me really, really hopes Jardine pulls off the upset, but the other 99% of me knows that that’s almost impossible.

Am I a bit angry at Gilbert Melendez? Maybe I am. He did take almost a year off, and his fight with Eddie Alvarez never materialized. It may be unfair to blame Melendez considering how insanely difficult it must be to make a co-promotional champion vs. champion super-fight happen, but I just generally don’t like it when a fighter takes a prolonged absence that isn’t injury-related. I’ve made some exceptions, of course, but normally I don’t. However, I will say that a rusty Melendez should be more than capable of beating Tatsuya Kawajiri so long as he doesn’t get caught and puts Kawajiri on his back with regularity.

Nick Diaz isn’t knocking out Paul Daley. I’m sorry, but, it’s just not happening. I’m one of the biggest Diaz supporters out there, but Nick Diaz’s style prides itself on cumulative damage that takes a few rounds to really start hurting the opponent. That just isn’t going to work against a striker like Daley, who has demonstrated an iron chin for most (if not all) of his entire career while also demonstrating true one-hit knockout power. Diaz is far, far more likely to submit Daley than he is to (T)KO him. And no matter what, I’m still in Nick’s corner and I can’t wait to see him win again.

And that’s that, fans and friends: my final say on “Diaz vs. Daley”. But what about you? Any last thoughts on the card?

Mousasi cynics will decry his win due to Jardine’s recent losing-streak.

There’s simply no way of covering this one up: if Mousasi beats Jardine, he’ll have beaten a fighter that’s won two of his last seven bouts. The cynics will have all the ammunition they need to throw Mousasi under the bus and claim that he’s still not ready for another shot at the championship. Even if Mousasi wins, I think we’ll see a vocal contingent of fans asking if beating Keith Jardine this late in the game is really anything to be proud of.

If Mousasi doesn’t dominate, he likely won’t earn a shot at the championship.

Even though I don’t fully agree with some fans in thinking that Jardine isn’t a worthwhile opponent, I have to admit that the only way Mousasi wins this fight and retains his credibility is if he goes out and dominates Keith Jardine. Jardine is one tough fighter and I respect him immensely for it, but in the here and now Mousasi should be way too tough a test for Jardine, who has only just started to emerge from the ashes of a five-fight losing-streak.

If Strikeforce is smart, they’ll book a Mousasi/Lawal rematch and/or give Mousasi one more opponent before a title shot.

This is Strikeforce’s best, safest bet if they don’t want to be accused of rushing yet another fighter to a title shot. Strikeforce has a habit of saying “forget the rankings” and making the big-money matches as quickly as they can, but now that they’re under the Zuffa umbrella, there’s a chance that cooler heads may prevail. With the financial security of Zuffa could come a heightened focus on the long-term building of the Strikeforce brand and its fighters, which means waiting to pull the trigger on Mousasi’s big second run at the championship… at least until he beats a proper Strikeforce star and not a last-minute replacement.

If Strikeforce wants big matches now, they’ll immediately book Mousasi vs. Henderson.

The alternative, of course, is that “business as usual” means Mousasi gets an immediate fight against Dan Henderson for the championship if he beats Jardine. I honestly think this is likelier to happen since Strikeforce has a habit of doing this. For better or worse, Strikeforce knows that Mousasi vs. Henderson would be an excellent match and they probably won’t wait to make it happen.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Any thoughts on what the future holds for Mousasi if he beats Jardine?

5. This will be the first “Arena Series” event under the Zuffa umbrella.

While “Challengers 15” holds the distinction of being the first-ever Strikeforce event now that Strikeforce exists as a subsidiary of Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, this will be the first major show of Strikeforce’s “Zuffa Era”. “Challengers 15” didn’t feature a whole lot of changes, other than the obvious rule change about elbows to the head on the ground now being allowed, but that could be due to the fact that “Challengers” is and always will be the “B” show. There’s still a chance that we could see some pretty big changes to the way Strikeforce presents itself, and that’s a pretty alluring reason to give this show a watch.

4. What’s left of Shinya Aoki?

A few years ago, Shinya Aoki’s ground game was approaching “legendary” status. It didn’t matter that he had terrible stand-up because he always found a way to get the fight to the ground and work his magic. Then several things all happened to cause Aoki’s star to come crashing back down to earth: he got KO’d by Hayato Sakurai and then had an atrocious match with Vitor Ribeiro, he became a “bad boy” only to get dominated by Gilbert Melendez, and on New Year’s Eve 2010, he embarrassed himself before getting KO’d once again. Now Aoki is set to face Lyle Beerbohm, a rising star that is hungrier than ever considering he just lost for the first time ever. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if Aoki has anything left to give, because if he doesn’t, this fight should prove once and for all that Aoki’s one-dimensionality has finally caught up to him.

3. How on earth does Keith Jardine survive against Gegard Mousasi?

I like Keith Jardine, I really do. But Jardine just barely put two wins together after losing five, count ‘em, five straight fights. It’s great that Jardine is on a two-fight win-streak, but when you put it into context, those wins are the beginning of a long, hard climb out of “rock bottom”. This fight against Mousasi just isn’t one that Jardine needs if he wants to keep the win-streak going. Jardine is tougher than almost anybody and will also fight everybody, so he definitely gets my respect for taking this fight. I can’t see him winning, but part of me hopes he proves me wrong, and all of me knows that he’s going to make it a fun fight no matter what happens.

2. Will Gilbert Melendez dominate even though he’s been gone for almost a year?

With the skill and technique he’s demonstrated in Strikeforce so far, Gilbert Melendez could stay a champion for a long, long time. But it’s been almost a year since he last fought, and as I keep saying, ring rust is very real. Tatsuya Kawajiri is still a good fighter, and he can still be a threat to Melendez if Melendez shows up rusty. And getting to see which Gilbert Melendez shows up at “Diaz vs. Daley” is one of the biggest reasons to check out this show.

And the number one reason to watch Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley” is…

1. Diaz. Daley. ‘Nuff said.

Now this is a main event. In one corner, you’ve got the powerful champion that’s absolutely wrecked everyone he’s ever been paired up against in Strikeforce. In the other, you’ve got a man with over twenty KO’s on his record and a very high-profile mean streak. If Diaz takes this fight to the ground, this could be one of the most dominating performances of the year. If it turns into a brawl, it could be one of the best brawls of the year. There’s only one way to find out, and that’s definitely the main reason to tune in and watch “Diaz vs. Daley”.

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

Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley: This one’s the million-dollar question of the night. Here’s how I think it will go: I think Diaz will put the ego away and focus on his counter-striking. Daley will land, but he’ll never land with the kind of power to one-hit KO Diaz. He might stagger Diaz, but Nick will go into survival mode and take Daley down. If Daley doesn’t land that kind of shot, Diaz will take him down anyway just because he can. Once Diaz realizes how easy it is to put Daley on his back, he’ll keep doing it. Nick Diaz wins by Submission in Round 3, possibly Round 2.

Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri: Although he’s primarily known as a striker, the last time “Crusher” Kawajiri (T)KO’d anyone was in 2009. In fact, the last time he was able to string together at least two straight (T)KO wins was in 2006. Worse yet, Melendez already holds a victory over Kawajiri. There’s a chance that Melendez will show up rusty and Kawajiri will nail a KO blow, but I just don’t see that happening. Gilbert Melendez will win this one by Unanimous Decision.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Keith Jardine: It’s too much and too soon for “The Dean of Mean”. Since getting the boot out of the UFC on the heels of a four-fight losing-streak that saw him get KO’d twice, Jardine has gone 2-1 on the regional circuit, beating two non-entities and losing to Trevor Prangley. It truly pains me to say this, but I don’t think Jardine has done anything to deserve a fight with a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. If Jardine wins this one, I’d be beyond shocked. I’d even be surprised if he makes it out of the first round, which I don’t think he will. Gegard Mousasi wins by first-round TKO.

Shinya Aoki vs. Lyle Beerbohm: If this was a few years ago, back when Aoki was tearing people’s limbs off with reckless abandon, I’d immediately call for Beerbohm to lose by submission. But not only has Aoki slowed down a bit, several of his glaring weaknesses continue to be exploited, namely his relatively weak chin and his nearly-nonexistent stand-up game. I think Beerbohm will have to fight through some submission attempts, and I won’t rule out Aoki grabbing something and forcing the tap, but my gut and my head are in agreement: Beerbohm will more than likely be able to dominate Aoki standing as well as on the ground, all the while avoiding and/or eventually breaking any submission attempts. Lyle Beerbohm wins by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? Who do you see winning, and why, at Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”?

The Event: Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”, currently scheduled for April 9, 2011 at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California. The main card will be broadcast live on the Showtime network starting at 10:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This is the first “Arena Series” event after Zuffa’s surprise purchase of the Strikeforce promotion. Also, two championships are on the line, with two of Strikeforce’s biggest and brightest stars taking on some pretty tough challenges. As if that wasn’t enough, former UFC star Keith Jardine makes his Strikeforce debut by taking on former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley is being marketed as one of the biggest matches of the year, both for Strikeforce and for MMA in general. While it may not quite measure up to some of the UFC’s mega-matches planned for this month and beyond, it’s definitely one of the biggest matches Strikeforce could make at this point in time. At least for Strikeforce, it doesn’t get much bigger than putting your best, most marketable, most notorious champion against an iron-fisted knockout artist that is almost as notorious.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Gilbert Melendez looks to make the second defense of his Strikeforce Lightweight Championship after unifying the belt back in 2009. Much like his first defense, Melendez will take on a Japanese import. But unlike his fight against Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri is an exciting brawler that loves to knock people out. And Melendez has been out for almost a year. It’s a fight where anything is possible, and it should be one of the night’s most entertaining bouts.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Simply put: there are two titles on the line, featuring two of Strikeforce’s best fighters facing legitimate, tough challengers to their championships. You’ve also got the aforementioned Jardine/Mousasi bout, which should be a real proving point for both men. It remains to be seen what happens if Jardine wins, but if Mousasi wins he’ll most likely be getting a shot at the title. And you’ve even got ground wizard Shinya Aoki taking on Lyle Beerbohm, who recently suffered his first loss in a great fight with Pat Healy.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: Here’s some rare criticism of Strikeforce: if all four of these televised fights go the way assorted fans are predicting they’ll go, we’re in for a night of mismatches. Don’t believe me? If Nick Diaz takes Paul Daley to the ground, it’s all over. If Gegard Mousasi can keep the fight standing against Keith Jardine, it’s all over. If Gilbert Melendez can outwrestle Tatsuya Kawajiri, it’s all over. If Shinya Aoki can get and keep Lyle Beerbohm on the ground, it’s all over. All of the fights could be competitive, or they could end up being like the recent Anthony Johnson vs. Dan Hardy fight. I’m not saying they will turn out like that, and I definitely still have a lot of faith in Strikeforce, but I do feel the need to point out that the possibility is there.

Closing Thoughts: In the end, I think Strikeforce’s recent track record of incredible shows more than earns them the benefit of the doubt for this show. In fact, I’ll go one step further: I think this could end up being one of the best Strikeforce events of 2011. Not only do I think the fights will live up to their potential, I think a few of them will even exceed it. I’m very pumped for this show, and I look forward to tuning in and watching live.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on “Diaz vs. Daley”?

Here are some interesting quotes from Jardine courtesy of MMA Weekly: “Right now I’m enjoying my first real time off in eight months… I’ve been taking these fights and maybe some fights I shouldn’t have. I don’t think I was as smart as I should have been… Now I’m taking a look at my career and where I need to go and my goal is to get back in the UFC…I want to fight for that title and I feel like my career’s not going to be complete until that happens… I’m on a one-win winning streak and I’m in control of my destiny and I’m going to go make it two pretty soon.”

In addition to the disastrous events that plagued the Nemesis Fighting show, Jardine also had to contend with an early rumor that he was greased at the event. This is not the first time a Greg Jackson fighter has been accused of greasing, but since virtually nothing has been made of the rumor and nobody has followed up on it to either justify the rumor or even keep it alive, I think it’s safe to say that Jardine’s win came without controversy and the rumor in question was just a bit of sour grapes.

So, for the first time in a long time, I can actually look at Keith Jardine’s future with a bit of positivity. I know how disastrous a five fight losing-streak can be, and how virtually no one has ever came back from one to challenge for a championship, but as the saying goes… anything is possible in MMA, right?

But to be honest, that’s just the Keith Jardine fan in me that thinks that. The realist in me knows that Keith Jardine will continue to scratch and crawl his way back to the UFC, and the odds are against him ever being invited back into the Octagon. He picked up a win, that’s great. I respect his ability to still perform despite all the setbacks and I even admire his fighting spirit, which has carried him through some very tough losses. But, again, the realist in me knows that Keith Jardine beat a no-name opponent at an event that, according to reports, may have been attended by as few as fifty people.

So while I commend Keith Jardine for fighting his way out of the pit and climbing the first rung on the ladder, he still has quite a lot to prove if he ever wants to get back into a major league promotion. He’ll have to continue to win fights, and with the numerous wars he’s put his body through, that’s going to be pretty difficult. And while that’s certainly not impossible, it’s definitely improbable.

But what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Jardine’s recent comments, and what do you think the future holds for “The Dean of Mean”?

MMA Weekly reports that fighters involved in the Nemesis Fighting promotion’s “MMA Global Invasion” event have yet to see a single penny from the promotion. The event took place on Monday (December 13) after a tropical storm forced the original date of the event (November 13) to be pushed back a month. The event featured MMA veterans like the aforementioned Keith Jardine as well as Paul Buentello, Terry Martin, and Dean Lister.

According to the report, fighters were handed out checks following the event, but everyone’s checks started bouncing when the fighters attempted to cash them. The report also states that at least eight fighters have officially reported that their checks have bounced. Mike Winkeljohn, one of the head trainers at Greg Jackson’s famed MMA camp, had this to say regarding the situation: “As far as I know none of the fighters got paid… The checking account bounced those checks. It did not have any money in it… It’s a black eye to the sport… The other gentleman involved, his name is Tim Fields, and he’s been involved in some shady deals in the past… I’ll step up to the plate and be that guy and I’ll let everybody know to stay away from that guy cause he’s a scam artist.”

Now, I know the cynical/harsh response is to ask “what did you expect?” The event took place in the Dominican Republic. According to Winkeljohn, one of the men involved in this show had a shady reputation to begin with. It is what it is, what did the fighters expect?

They expected to be treated fairly. That’s all.

No matter what the situation, I will always come down hard on promotions that don’t pay their fighters. I don’t care what reasons are involved, I don’t care what mitigating circumstances should be taken under consideration.

Pay your damn fighters.

You’re not the one dealing with the emotional and physical difficulties of training for a fight for months and then putting it all on the line by stepping into a cage or ring to either hit or get hit. You may be the one pulling the strings and putting everything into motion, but you’re not the one the fans show up to see. This is not a two-way street, unless you’re the UFC or Strikeforce, nine times out of ten MMA fighters don’t need you as badly as you need them.

And to top it all off, there’s no mitigating circumstances here. There were deliberate actions taken to ensure that the promoters and individuals involved in putting this show together could sneak off into the night with their money before anyone discovered that their checks would bounce. So, yeah, the only harsh response I have to this story is the one I have towards the jackals that put on this show.

But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on the matter?

The event, “Nemesis Fighting: MMA Global Invasion”, takes place at the Barcelo Convention Center in the Dominican Republic. The card features a who’s who of top mixed martial arts talent that you won’t find in the UFC, or at least not yet, but most of them have been on the big stage before. Case in point, Jardine, a veteran who spanned 13 fights within the worlds largest mixed martial promotion from 2005-till June of this year.

Now riding a 5 fight losing streak, it’s now or never for “The Dean of Mean” to let everyone know that he is still relevant in a sport that he has delivered many memorable performances for.

After succumbing to a 4-fight losing streak inside the octagon against top flight competition in Quinton Jackson, Thiago Silva, Ryan Bader, and finally Matt Hamill (respectively) signaled the inevitable release for the Greg Jackson product from Zuffa and company.

Following his release, Jardine suffered another loss against dual-division fighter Trevor Prangley. A fellow UFC vet, Prangley took the first-two rounds with against Jardine when the two men served as the main-event for “Shark Fights 13″ last September, and Keith stormed back in the final frame, but it was too little too late. Trevor, a product of the American Kickboxing Academy did enough during the bout to earn the judges nod, when he took home a unanimous decision win.

Keith will next face Francisco France, a native of Brazil who holds a 6-1 record against Jardine’s 15-9-1. France holds a notable win over “The Ultimate Fighter” season 7 veteran, Cale Yarborough. His lone loss came by way of knockout against Chris Davis in April, earlier this year.

All 6 of Francisco’s victories have come by way of submission, with 4 of them finished by his trademark arm-triangle choke. It’s safe to say that “Kiko” is adept on the ground, as he holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The rest of the card holds other notable fighters. Here is the full card as it stands:

* Francisco France (6-1) vs. Keith Jardine (15-9-1)
* Paul Buentello (28-13) vs. Kerry Schall (23-11)
* Oscar Sosa (5-0) vs. Chaun Sims (2-1)
* Chris Davis (9-2) vs. Eliot Marshall (9-2)
* Jeff Curran (31-13-1) vs. Travis Marx (15-2)
* Marcus Hicks (9-3) vs. Terry Martin (20-8)
* John Dodson (9-5) vs. John Moraga (6-0)
* Dean Lister (11-7) vs. Kyle Seals (6-2)

Thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the heads up.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the card? And how about Jardine–could he mount a comeback, or is his career subjected to another devastating loss? Sound off in the comment section below.

“The bottom line is, and the way that that’s been in the UFC, it’s been a camp thing… This isn’t personal… You train, you work hard to be the best mixed martial artist you can be, and you’re going out to compete against other mixed martial artists to prove you’re the best… What I think, is when one guy says, ‘oh he’s my friend I won’t fight him,’ that means ‘I train with this guy and this guy’s probably going to kick my ass.’ That’s what I get out of that.”

Now, the norm for me is that I usually half-agree, half-disagree with Dana White. But this time, I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with him. The phrase “It’s nothing personal, just business” applies perfectly to teammates fighting each other. This is a business, in order for this thing to work and for everybody to make some money, promoters and fighters need to get together and work on making the best and biggest fights a reality.

And I honestly think part of this “I’ll never fight a friend” mentality is definitely based on fear. If it’s not the fear of being humbled by your training partner, it’s the fear that your friendship isn’t strong enough to survive a fifteen or twenty-five minute fight. I think a lot of fighters are afraid that they won’t be able to leave their friendship at the door and their performance will suffer, or that their opponent won’t be able to leave his friendship at the door and will break off the bromance if he gets his face pounded in.

And since we’re being so honest, I do think that some fighters are specifically avoiding fighting their teammates out of fear that their best buddy will dominate them and make them look stupid. As much as I appreciate his warrior spirit and tenacity, just imagine what would happen if Keith Jardine fought Rashad Evans right now. Rashad Evans would most likely humiliate Keith Jardine so badly that Jardine would be forced to retire. So you can sit there and tell me that it’s all “No way, he’s a friend”, but much like Dana White, I’m almost certain that there’s far more to it than just that.

I’ll end this spat of honesty by being bluntly honest: I’ve gotten so fed up with this “teammates not fighting each other” nonsense that I actually think Dana White should force their hand and make these guys fight their buddies. He’ll likely be criticized a lot for it, but I think Dana White should grab hold of this problem and put an end to it right now. Because before long, we’ll see everybody refusing to fight everybody else, and what we’ll be left with is a few good fights here and there while a vast majority of dream-matches never come to fruition simply because everyone considers everyone else a friend.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel on this subject, and what’s your response to Dana White’s thoughts?

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?

Sherdog brings word that Jardine’s next fight will pit him against Francisco France at “MMA Global Invasion”. Another example in a growing list of small-time promotions breaking new ground in new locations with recognizable faces, the event is scheduled to take place on November 13 in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. France holds a 6-1 record and has a two-fight winning-streak coming into this bout, which includes a win at Strikeforce: “Heavy Artillery” against Lee Brousseau. Jardine won’t be the lone veteran on the card despite facing a relative newcomer in his main-event fight. Veterans Paul Buentello, Kerry Schall, Jeff Curran, Terry Martin, and Marcus Hicks (who boasts a shockingly horrifying 10-20 record) have all been slated to appear according to the report.

I think it’s a testament to how entertaining Keith Jardine is that his marquee value has virtually remained intact despite his long losing streak. Even though he’s no longer tied to the biggest and best MMA promotion in the world, I think the name “Keith Jardine” is one that’s still very fresh in a lot of people’s minds. As a kinda-sorta almost-there-but-not-quite fan of Keith Jardine, I’m glad that the guy keeps getting second chances. I don’t mean any disrespect to any other fighters when I say this, but fate sure picked the wrong guy to give a losing streak to. Jardine is a warrior, a humble man, and a real class act. Seeing him consistently try his hardest and come up short just plain sucks.

I still believe in Keith Jardine, despite what his record says, despite how his future looks. It’s likely that Jardine won’t make an epic comeback, that I can freely and fully admit. But I can hope, can’t I? And let’s be honest, hope is one of the few things us Keith Jardine kinda-sorta almost-there-but-not-quite fans have left. I’ll be pulling for “The Dean of Mean” to kick this losing streak once and for all with a big win in the Dominican Republic. Because if he doesn’t, if Jardine loses again, this won’t just be another nail in his coffin. Things have gotten so bad nowadays that if Jardine loses again, it will be more like placing a coffin on top of Jardine’s growing collection of nails.

Also, I have to ask: won’t this anger the Texas athletic commission? Jardine is facing an indefinite suspension after shoving a referee at “Shark Fights 13”, the last event he competed on. The Dominican Republic is obviously out of their jurisdiction, but athletic commissions have come down hard in the past on fighters who go beyond their borders and outside of their jurisdiction in order to keep fighting.

Overall, Keith Jardine’s future remains a mystery. I certainly hope he’s able to make a comeback and gain solid ground over the many stumbling blocks he’s had to deal with lately, but it’s looking more and more likely that that’s just not going to be the case. But what do you think, fans and friends? What does the future hold for Keith Jardine?

But, none the less, both competitors will find themselves pitted against one another when the collegiate wrestlers meet at an as of yet announced event in Las Vegas, Nev., for UFC 127.

Jones, the proverbial golden boy of the light heavyweight division, has been nothing but impressive since his inception into the UFC. While his record reads 11-1, by all means the Endicott, New York, native is an undefeated prodigy. His lone loss, a disqualification against “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Matt Hamill, showed the new and improved Jon Jones, who had then transitioned to Greg Jackson’s camp. Almost immediately, Jones was able to take down the accomplished with a trip, mount, and unleash a hellish barrage of ground and pound, however the fight was stopped when Hamill was deemed unable to continue after illegal elbows were thrown.

While Jones picked up the first loss of his career, he also picked up the biggest push as well. In his next two fights, “Bones” was pitted against veterans Brand Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko–two men who have fought some of the best guys in the world, contenders in their division, and were deemed the toughest challenges in the 23-year-old Jones’ career. I guess someone forgot to tell Jon, whom ended both fighters inside of the first round with his patented ground-and-pound assault, with elbows as his weapon of choice.

The less flashy of the two, Bader, a collegiate wrestling All American, has risen to the top of his division with victories over veterans Eric Schafer, Keith Jardine, and most recently, top-5 light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueria.

Against “Minotoro” (not to be confused with “Minotauro”), Bader excelled with his wrestling prowess, which all took place at UFC 119 on September 23. Taking down the former PRIDE star all throughout the bout, the fight was decided only a little bit on the feet, where Ryan found he was a few years behind his Brazilian counterpart, who was part of Brazil’s Olympic Boxing team. Eventually, Bader was able to squeak out a unanimous decision victory, though the bout was much closer than the scores would indicate.

The two light heavyweight contenders are expected to meet at UFC 127, on Super Bowl weekend on February 5, in Sin City.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match up between the two prospects of the 205 pound division? While Jones’ style is flashy and aggressive, Bader does represent a legitimate test as a power house wrestler. Sound off in the comments section below.

Here’s what he had to say: “I just had a pretty slow start. I never make excuses for my fights, but coming out before this fight I had the worst migraine in the world. It took me two rounds to get through that, everything he was touching me with hurt. I was in a bad situation, so I gritted it out and in the third round my head kinda cleared up and things worked out well in that round, but I guess not well enough to win the fight. I really don’t know [what to do next]. I’m just going to keep fighting and see what happens. I don’t know. We’ll see.”

It’s really tough to see Keith Jardine in this situation. It’s always hard to see someone with so much potential fail to live up to it, but it’s especially rough when that person has little-to-no personal defects. Jardine doesn’t have an inflated ego or an inflated sense of self-worth, he hasn’t ruined his potential by juicing or getting hooked on drugs or the party lifestyle. Jardine has always been and likely always will be a very humble tough-as-nails fighter that wants to give the fans a good show win or lose. When that kind of fighter falls on hard times, it just plain sucks.

I really don’t know where Keith Jardine goes from here. Some fans and insiders are already predicting that Jardine will be the next Jens Pulver or Ken Shamrock and will compete far past his prime in low-level promotions and still not have any sort of positive win/loss ratio. Some are even saying that Jardine should save himself the trouble and retire right now, and just come to grips with the fact that he’s peaked at 34 and should bow out of the sport that has kept him fed since 2001.

Others seem a bit more optimistic, and I’m currently siding with them. Jardine isn’t dead yet. Five straight losses is an incredibly tough hole to dig yourself out of, but if anyone can do it, Jardine can. As they say, it’s always darkest before the dawn. Jardine is still a talented fighter, he still has name value, he can still make his money and get his fights. If anyone deserves one last chance, it’s the guy who gave us some incredibly wild brawls and some greatly entertaining fights.

And for my money? I’ll propose something a bit radical. I think Keith Jardine should change his camp. It may sound ludicrous to leave Greg Jackson, the man behind people like Georges St. Pierre and Rashad Evans, but I honestly think that Jardine’s unorthodox style is stagnating at Greg Jackson’s camp. All of the best fighters in Jackson’s camp, the past and present champions, have always been wrestlers. Jardine has never been and never will be a wrestler. He needs to get into a striking-based camp that can best utilize and understand his wildly unorthodox style.

And what do you think, fans and friends? What kind of future does Keith Jardine have left in MMA, if he has one at all?

Courtesy of MMAMania.com, the fights went down as follows: Trevor Prangley defeats Keith Jardine via Split Decision. Houston Alexander defeats Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via TKO (Strikes) at 1:31 of Round Two. Paul Daley defeats Jorge Masvidal via Unanimous Decision. Danillo Villefort defeats Joey Villasenor via Unanimous Decision. Tarec Saffiedine defeats Brock Larson via Unanimous Decision. Ronnie Mann defeats Douglas Evans via Split Decision. Paul Bradley defeats Johnny Reese via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:28 of Round One. Aaron Rosa defeats Devin Cole via Unanimous Decision. Daniel Straus defeats Karen Darabedyan via Unanimous Decision. Eric Davila defeats Pete Spratt via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:49 of Round Two.

I didn’t get a chance to check out the full undercard on Sherdog, but I did catch a few fights here and there. I’ve got no major complaints with what I saw. When it comes to the main card, it was a bit hit-and-miss to be honest. I didn’t like how most of the fights went to the judges, with almost every decision fight having at least one boring round. Although, for the most part, we got ourselves some good fights from some talented athletes.

In regards to specific fights, Paul Daley proved once again that he badly needs to work on his wrestling. Masvidal seemed to be taking him down at will, with Daley offering very little in the way of defense. I think the only thing that saved Daley was a late-round resurgence built upon a key referee stand-up that did seem debatable. Even though he won, Daley proved that he still needs a lot of work and that he isn’t always the one-hit KO artist he’s hyped up to be.

I think Alexander vs. Sokoudjou was easily the Fight of the Night. I was a little hesitant about this fight, thinking that I’d be in for a long and boring night if the Houston Alexander that fought Kimbo Slice showed up against the Sokoudjou that fought Lyoto Machida. What we got was both men at their relative best, with Sokoudjou landing some crazy shots in Round 1 but Alexander somehow surviving, rallying, and beating a gassed-out Sokoudjou down in Round 2. It was an intense, emotional fight. It wasn’t technical by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a good brawl.

If one emotion could summarize my feelings regarding the main event of Shark Fights 13, it would be “sadness”. Love him or hate him, for all his ups and downs, you’ve simply got to respect the Techno Viking. Keith Jardine came out to fight and tried his best to beat Trevor Prangley, including a fantastic resurgence in Round 3 that was unfortunately a case of “too little, too late”. Prangley deserves a lot of credit for his methodical counter-punching style, and I think he could go far as the Shark Fights Light Heavyweight Champion. But man it hurt to see Jardine lose five in a row.

I honestly don’t know where “The Dean of Mean” goes from here. 0-5 is an incredibly hard hole to dig yourself out of, even if those five losses were against some super-stacked competition. I honestly believe that nothing short of a complete overhaul, starting from the ground up, will save Jardine’s career. But wherever he does go from here, I’ll be pulling for him. I’m going to hold out hope for Keith Jardine. The alternative is the sad realization that one of my “dark horse” favorites has peaked at the age of 34 and has no future in this business. And I’m simply not ready to accept that yet.

And what about you, fans and friends? Now that it’s come and gone, what did you think of Shark Fights 13?

Courtesy of MMAMania.com, the weigh-in results were as follows: Keith Jardine (204.5) vs. Trevor Prangley (202.75), Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (204.75) vs. Houston Alexander (204.75), Paul Daley (172) vs. Jorge Masvidal (168.75), Joey Villasanor (185.5) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.5), Tarec Saffiedine (169.75) vs. Brock Larson (170.75),  Douglas Evans (144.25) vs. Ronnie Mann (144.75), Paul Bradley (170.5) vs. Johnny Reese (169.25), Aaron Rosa (241.75) vs. Devin Cole (233.25), Karen Darabedyan (155.75) vs. Daniel Straus (152.75), Eric Davila (176.5) vs. Pete Spratt (170.25)

Paul Daley was given an hour to cut the necessary weight in order to make 171, but after tipping the scales once again, had lost only a fourth of a pound. Daley, who has struggled to make the cut to 170 in the past, will now forfeit a whopping ten percent of his fight purse to his opponent.

I have to wonder what Paul Daley’s doing wrong. His body and build seems like a natural welterweight. Sure, he’s a bit on the bulky side. But he’s nowhere close to athletes like Thiago Alves, who I’m convinced could make Middleweight with his eyes closed and could even make Light Heavyweight if he tried. Daley is a small, compact fighter, and I think Welterweight is the best place for him. I think his striking power and speed would be not-insignificantly diminished if he jumped up to Middleweight. I’ve been a vocal proponent of fighters moving up to their natural weight class, especially when they miss weight repeatedly. But for Paul Daley, I honestly think that he may just not be trying hard enough.

In regards to the fights themselves, I have to admit, this is one good-looking card. I like that Shark Fights is trying to play to their fighter’s strengths when making their match-ups. I think Keith Jardine has a very good shot at taking a large step forward on the comeback trail in his fight with Prangley. I don’t see him scoring a big one-hit KO, but I can see him softening up Prangley in Round 1 and finishing him in Round 2 with a final barrage of TKO-inducing strikes. Alexander vs. Sokoudjou also interests me because both men have given us epic KO’s as well as extremely lackluster performances. It will be very interesting to see which versions of themselves show up at Shark Fights, but if they fight at their best, it could be one of the best fights of the night.

All in all, I’ve got no real problem with Shark Fights. Their main-card fights are loaded with potential, and their undercard should give us at least a couple sleeper hits. So I like what they’re doing and I wish them success. And don’t forget that Sherdog.com will be hosting a free, live stream of the undercard bouts on their website.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Now that all the fights are official, what’s your take on Shark Fights in general and this card in particular?

Speaking on his future plans as well as his relationship with the UFC, here’s what Jardine had to say: “There’s no bad feelings [between myself and the UFC]; we left on good terms. I expected it. I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately and, the thing is, they really want me to go out and beat up a couple guys, and then come back and get in the title picture — and that’s what I’m going to do. That’s what’s cool about Shark Fights: it’s top-notch competition, and every fight is going to be a great fight.”

Now, I hate to come out against someone who’s been both willing and able to put it all on the line simply to entertain the fans, but I think Keith Jardine is wrong if he thinks he’ll face top-notch competition outside of the UFC. The UFC has all the best talent in the world on lockdown, and even if there are a few athletes that aren’t in the firm grasp of the world’s largest MMA promotion, they’re either in Strikeforce or to a lesser extent the Japanese-based DREAM. Simply put: Jardine has faced top-notch competition, and Trevor Prangley isn’t top-notch competition.

Trevor Prangley is decent competition, simple as that. In a free agent’s market filled mostly with slim pickings, he’s a good fighter. His fight with Jardine should be a fun fight and a worthy main event, but if Jardine beating Prangley gets “The Dean of Mean” right back into the UFC, I think it will honestly have more to do with the UFC showing favoritism towards one of their former stars, rather than because Jardine has proved once and for all that he’s once again ready to take on the best in the world.

I’m not trying to discredit Keith Jardine, I’m just trying to be realistic. A four-fight losing streak is a four-fight losing streak, even when you consider that it was against some of the best competition the best promotion in the world had to offer. Changes, serious changes, need to happen before Jardine is anywhere close to being ready for a title shot. Can those changes happen? I say yes. I would love to see a new, reinvigorated Jardine try to avenge some losses and get some big wins under his belt. I think Jardine can be molded into a champion one day. But it won’t happen overnight, and it’s certainly not going to happen after only one or two fights outside of the UFC.

So I honestly kinda hope that Jardine doesn’t rush right back to the UFC. I’d like to see him stay in the lower-to-middle tier of MMA promotions until he displays the changes that have to come if he ever wants that big hunk of gold around his waist. It won’t happen overnight, but if Jardine doesn’t rush it, he’ll have all the skills necessary to finally realize his potential when he does return to the UFC, a return which I think is inevitable.

And what do you think, fans and friends? How long should Keith Jardine stay out of the UFC? How many wins do you think he should get under his belt before he’s ready for another go at best-in-the-world competition?

According to the Sherdog report, the live stream will feature matches like Douglas Evans vs. Ronnie Mann and Marcus Hicks vs. Karen Darabedyan. The main event features Keith Jardine taking on Trevor Prangley. Prangley was on a five fight win streak before drawing with Karl Amoussou and then getting submitted via Rear Naked Choke by Tim Kennedy. Jardine is on a four-fight losing streak, piling up some very unfortunate and very tough losses to the likes of Quinton Jackson, Thiago Silva, and Ryan Bader. Until his recent termination, Jardine was a thirteen-fight veteran inside the UFC, which is unquestionably the world’s best MMA promotion with the deepest roster of best-in-the-world fighters. Jardine had also gained a sizeable following in the UFC due to his willingness to engage and ability to tough out a victory.

The other bouts slated for the event also feature a host of former UFC, Strikeforce, and even PRIDE FC stars. The official lineup for Shark Fights 13 reads as such: Keith Jardine vs. Trevor Prangley, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Houston Alexander, Paul Daley vs. Jorge Masvidal, Joey Villasenor vs. Drew McFedries, Brock Larson vs. Tarec Saffiedine, Douglas Evans vs. Ronnie Mann, Paul Bradley vs. Johnny Rees, Devin Cole vs. Aaron Rosa, Karen Darabedyan vs. Marcus Hicks, and Pete Spratt vs. Eric Davila.

While some may be quick to point out that this card is mostly filled with people who weren’t good enough for the major promotions, I’m more of a “glass half full” kind of guy. On any given day, these fighters could go out and put on great performances. Many have done so in the past. They may have fallen on hard times recently, but that shouldn’t overshadow the expansive skills they’ve shown at their best. I think these fights make sense, and that Shark Fights made some great match-ups with the talent they’ve been given. This should be an entertaining event, and I applaud both Shark Fights for taking the gamble on Pay-Per-View and Sherdog for giving Shark Fights more exposure while giving fight fans more quality Mixed Martial Arts.

It probably won’t register on anyone’s “Events of the Year” list, but a solid event is a solid event. I have to be honest and admit that I won’t be counting off the days and marking my calendar to see either the free streaming undercard or the main card on Pay-Per-View. But there are far worse things I could be doing with my time than watching some free and most importantly legal streaming Mixed Martial Arts. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I can see myself giving this promotion a chance come September 11.

And what about you, fans and friends? With a portion of the card now free and easily accessible to anyone with a high-speed internet connection, how excited are you for the upcoming “Shark Fights 13” event?

Anchored by notables Trevor Prangley, a Strikeforce middleweight standout who also serves as Shark Fights’ light heavyweight champion, will face UFC veteran and MMA notable Keith Jardine in a 205-pound match that will be contested as a non-title, three round affair.

The rest of the card is littered with other UFC notables such as additional light heavyweights Houston Alexander taking on the “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

Also confirmed for the broadcast is UFC castoff, Paul Daley against an as of yet announced opponent, a middleweight slug fest against Drew McFedries and Joey Villasenor.

The main card is said to be priced at $29.95, a considerable amount for Shark Fight’s first go around on a PPV broadcast, but with a card that stacked, its considerably a desirable watch.

The card takes place on September 11, at the Amarillo Civic Center in Texas, which has been home to several of Shark Fights’ previous endeavors.

Even though preliminary card can serve as a main card in most cases, and the promotion is not ruling out possible plans to feature said preliminary’s in some capacity, whether it be an online stream, or something of that nature.

Doug Evans, a former UFC lightweight turned featherweight, will take on Sengoku veteran Ronnie Mann for the 145-pound title.

Former WEC top welterweight contender and UFC standout Brock Larson will also be in action, though no opponent has been mentioned as of yet.

Sengoku, Bellator, and EliteXC veteran Dave Herman will be in a heavyweight clash against Strikeforce veteran Aaron Rosa, while WEC veterans Marcus Hicks and Karen Darabedyan will meet in a sure crowd pleaser, meeting at 155-pounds.

It’s almost exhausting having to name all of these fighters, but all are recognized fighters in the world of MMA, and none should be left out vicariously, in a card that will be one of the biggest outside of the UFC or Strikeforce banners.

So, will you be buying this particular card, or rather, is it worth the $29.95? (iN DEMAND)

Chuck comes into this fight coming off back-to-back losses yet is amongst other mixed martial arts (MMA) writers and fans he seems to be the very clear favorite in this fight.

Chuck came into the weigh-ins looking better than Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio has ever seen him. He had a visible six pack which many see as a sign that Chuck is in the best shape of his life. However there have been times when fighters come in looking tight and very lean which could be a sign of a tough weight cut.

Chuck has always been a very big light heavyweight and this fight is one that will test Rich’s ability to seriously make a run for the title in the division.

Can Rich deal with the size of Liddell and/or the power of such a big fighter? I fully believe he will tonight.

Rich has always been a very cerebral fighter and one with good technical striking. He comes into fights with a very specific game plan and sticks to it, even if it doesn’t seem to be working. This has been a positive and negative for Franklin.

Rich did not leave his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio to train for this fight. The past few fights he has traveled out west to Seattle  to train with world renowned Matt Hume. Could staying home make the difference in this fight?

No, it won’t be the difference maker but will be is the stand-up game of both men.

Chuck brings amazing power into this fight which has been the Achilles heal of Franklin in his past fights. He tends to get lost when a fighter has more power and it has shown in his losses to UFC middleweight champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (26-4) as well as “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8). This fight will come down to where Rich excels though and not what his weakness seems to be in fights.

Rich is a southpaw that has done very well working angles, moving away from big right hands and using kicks to the legs and body to wear opponents down. This strength is something Chuck has struggled with in the past, “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-7-1) ring a bell to anyone?

I see Rich circling away from the big looping punches Chuck throws with reckless abandon and using his kicks to work the lower end of Liddell and to drain him of some of the power he needs to win this fight. Rich will use his range to stay just out of the reach of Chuck’s big shots, which come very slow. Chuck has taken advantage of fighters pushing forward as they get frustrated and then landing the big, slow and looping counter punch to end the fight. Rich will not be suckered into this and will be content to grind out a victory here.

Will this fight see the end of Chuck Liddell’s career inside the Octagon? Only Chuck and UFC president Dana White have the answer to that.

Fighters.com wants to know who are you picking in this fight and why?

The two men will go to war to determine who will become the TUF season 11 champion and earn the six-figure contract from the UFC.

Court was a true dark horse coming into the competition but one Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio felt was highly promotable due to his background story.

Court has stated he is a drug addict. His story is one of redemption after being clinically dead from a heroin overdose.

“I’d lie, cheat, steal. I didn’t have anything. I pawned the majority of the [expletive] I had. I didn’t have anything. I lost pretty much everything I had. Life wasn’t looking good. Guys at my workplace didn’t want me around and I got switched from crew to crew. My life was horrible. It was nothing. I was a waste,” he told Yahoo Sports.

His first venture into black tar heroin is one he will never forget. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” McGee says. “I remember what vein it was in. I sat there and he made one up in a spoon. He shot it, just a little bit, and I remember I fell back in my seat and two tears rolled out of my eyes. They hit my earlobes and I just went ‘Ahhhh.’”

Court tells us about the night his life changed when he took that does of heroin that had him declared dead.

“At the time, they were using Meth and the rule was nobody in the house but me,” McGee says. “They walked in and saw this girl there and they were angry right away. ‘Who the [expletive] are you?’ They were freaking out that she was there. And she was freaking out and yelling back, ‘I think he’s dead. I think he’s dead.’ “

After coming back to life Court spent time in a rehab facility and as with most addicts he relapsed a few times. Once, as talked about on TUF, he took a drink in Las Vegas and wound up in Iowa with a long sleeve shirt on and no pants, unsure of how he’d gotten there but craving Meth.

His turn-around came on April 16 2006, Easter Sunday where he quit drinking and doing drugs for good. He has been sober ever since. Hoe fought drug addiction and now faces another fight, the fight to become “The Ultimate Fighter”.

Standing in his way is a very tough Kris McCray. Kris began studying martial arts at the age of 12 with Tae-Kwon-Do and Karate. As Kris got older he played many other sports but none gave him that excitement he felt from wrestling and kickboxing.

After a successful high school wrestling career, Kris went off to college, while teaching high school wrestling in his spare time. Kris entered the U.S. Army Reserve at age 21, spending 6 years in service. During this time, Kris began learning Jiu Jitsu and joined Team Gold Medal Grappling, a Master Lloyd Irvin affiliate. Kris also worked many odd jobs to support himself, ranging from taking tickets at a movie theater to bouncer, security guard, butcher, and anything else he could do to make ends meet.

Kris started fighting amateur MMA in 2006/2007 and went undefeated, with a record of 10-0-0. His talent caught the eye of MMA promoter S. Marcello Foran and in October 2008, Kris began fighting on the professional MMA level. He quickly became a rising star in the UWC – Ultimate Warrior Challenge. After going 4-0-0 (all first round victories), it was clear Kris was ready to test himself against the best in the world.

Now he sits ready to make a name for himself and earn the six-figure contract that all the men entering TUF 11 wanted to call their own. He had a hard road to the finals actually setting a TUF record of fighting five times.

This will be a battle of two very good wrestlers who also love to stand and bang. Fighters.com expects this to be one heck of a fight that will likely end up being a stand-up war.

The official line up for “The Ultimate Fighter 11″ finale is as follows:

MAIN CARD

Matt Hamill vs. Keith Jardine
Court McGee vs. Kris McCray
Chris Leben vs. Aaron Simpson
Spencer Fisher vs. Dennis Siver
Rich Attonito vs. Jamie Yager

PRELIMINARY CARD

John Gunderson vs. Mark Holst
Seth Baczynski vs. Brad Tavares
Josh Bryant vs. Kyle Noke
Chris Camozzi vs. James Hammortree
Travis Browne vs. James McSweeney

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Cain Velasquez (242 lbs./110 kg)

Wanderlei Silva (184.8 lbs./84kg) vs. Michael Bisping (184.8 lbs./84 kg)

Joe Stevenson (154 lbs./70 kg) vs. George Sotiropoulos (154 lbs./70 kg)

Keith Jardine (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Ryan Bader (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Anthony Perosh (215.6 lbs./98 kg)

Stephan Bonnar (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

Chris Lytle (169.4 lbs./77 kg) vs. Brian Foster (171.7 lbs./78 kg)

C.B. Dollaway (184.8 lbs./84 kg) vs. Goran Reljic (184.8 lb.s/84 kg)

James Te Huna (205 lbs./93 kg) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205 lbs./93 kg)

The UFC frowns on fighters that have multiple losses in a row and they tend to get cut. Wanderlei is coming into his fight with “The Count” Michael Bisping (18-2) with back to back losses. His last win inside the Octagon came at UFC 84 in May of 2008 against “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-6-1). Obviously Silva wants a win but what happens if he were to lose Bisping?

The UFC would not cut Silva like they have other fighters with three straight losses. Wanderlei is a high profile fighter who has been involved in some of the best MMA fights we have ever witnessed. One does not release a guy like that as it would be promotional suicide. The UFC would essentially be giving a huge gift to Scott Coker and Strikeforce.

Dana White and the UFC brass would need to do something if he were to lose and the only option I see is them forcing him into retirement. Much to the dismay of fans of the now defunct Pride FC, this is the only solution that makes sense for the UFC.

They can allow (force) him to retire and use him as a spokesperson for the UFC. Of course all this talk is premature as the fight has yet to happen and Wanderlei told us in the media conference call that he was looking to bring back the destructive knees we saw him use in Pride. Since his arrival in the UFC those knees have been MIA and many fans have been calling for Wanderlei to get back to his roots.

This fight will be a great one involving two men that desperately need wins but for much different reasons. Wanderlei needs to win in order to keep the talks of retirement away but there is not a chance in hell that the UFC would cut him.

Fighters.com has not confirmed the matchup; but, both Jardine and Bader confirmed via Twitter that they know their next opponents.

Depending where you stand, the matchup can be seen as a step down for Jardine or a step up for Bader, but the matchup certainly features two fighters at a crossroads.

Former top ten 205er, Jardine has dropped his last two fights to Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) at UFC 96 in Columbus March 7 and tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-1) at UFC 102 in Portland August 29.  He’s lost three of his last four in the Octagon, only eeking out a split decision over “Truth” Brandon Vera (11-4) at UFC 89 in Birmingham in October 2008.

Since TKOing “Pezao” Vinicius Magalhaes (4-4) to win the eighth season of SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter in Las Vegas last December, Bader has surged with unanimous decisions over “Fury” Carmelo Marrero (9-3) at Fight Night 18 in Nashville April 1 and “Red” Eric Schafer (12-4-2) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

If Bader remains undefeated after fighting Jardine, the consequences for both fighters will be drastic.  Bader will catapult himself into a new tier of competition in the Octagon, the circles Jardine has fought in consistently for the last two years.  For Jardine, the loss could mean a cut from the UFC, though that’s unlikely for the popular fighter even after three losses.  It’ll certainly dig Jardine deeper into the hole that has lead him to the role of potential stepping stone for Bader at UFC 110.

Jardine leaned into a left uppercut and Silva countered with a left hook that floored the American. Silva followed-up with a straight left to Jardine’s chin while hovering inside his open guard and Jardine’s legs flattend out on the mat.

“I was just throwing the punch to make sure he don’t get up again,” explained Silva post-fight.

Referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight as a confused Jardine slowly raised his head off the mat and questioned the stoppage.

After the fight, Silva addressed his future: “Whatever the UFC wants to do, whoever they want me to fight, I will be ready. I’m here to fight.”

UFC President Dana White has publicly pleaded for Liddell to retire. Liddell had barely woken up from his last knockout before the UFC put all Chuck Liddell merchandise on sale. But, is losing four out of five, three by knockout, a fitting end to a storied career? Does Liddell have one more big win in him so he can retire with dignity?

Evans and fourth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) have been pegged to coach The Ultimate Fighter 10 and meet in the Octagon in December.

Third-ranked Forrest Griffin (16-5) has drawn the honor of finding out whether Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (24-4) is ready for the big time at 205 next month in Philadelphia at UFC 101.

Tenth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-5-1) and former top ten Thiago Silva (14-1) will battle for a place at the bottom of the rankings at UFC 102 in Portland next month.

Sixth-ranked “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1), seventh-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7), and ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) are all without named or rumored opponents.

After a Jardine takedown to begin round one, Vera opened a cut on Jardine’s head with elbows from his guard.  The referee stood the fighters and Vera rattled Jardine with an uppercut; but, Jardine countered with a right hand that dropped Vera to a knee and Jardine beat-up Vera at the cage as the bell sounded.

Jardine began round two scoring with leg kicks until Vera took Jardine down and landed two crushing knees.  Jardine worked his way up, but caught a Vera body kick.

In round three, Jardine rushed face-first into a left hook, then caught another kick to the body.  Jardine clinched with Vera, maneuvered to to Vera’s back, and landed a barrage of right hands.  Vera wrestled away and landed a left hook.  The fighters searched, sometimes frantically, to seal the deal with a big shot, but the bell dinged with both fighters on their feet.

With the win, Jardine erased the memory of his 36-second knockout to seventh-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) at UFC 84 in Las Vegas 4 May.

“I’m sure I’m going to get another top ten guy real soon,” said Jardine after the win.  “So, no easy fights for me.  I’ve got to get back to work.”

Once boasting that he could hold titles at heavyweight and light heavyweight, Vera finds himself at a crossroads, having lost his last two fights versus top ten heavyweight opposition and, now, having lost his first fight versus a top ten 205er.

“Count” Michael Bisping (16-1) 185 pounds v “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4) 186 pounds

“I’m glad you guys let me into your country,” main event fighter Leben said at Thursday’s press conference.  “I was a little worried on the plane.”

Leben was originally scheduled to fight Bisping in London 7 June, but opted to put to rest legal issues in Oregon stemming from an earlier DUI arrest to ensure a legal UK visa.

But, the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of Brit Bisping, who told the press, “I am on a quest.  Losing this fight for me is not an option.”

Leben, wearing tight cornrows, chided his opponent, saying, “It seems to me that, when Michael Bisping fights, self-preservation is top on his list.”

A brawl would certainly benefit Leben.  Bisping’s stand-up style is a bit more circle-and-poke, while Leben is happy to plant and throw bombs.

“We’re going to be lettin’em fly!  We’re going to be having fun doin’ it,” Leben promised, which usually means they’ll knock their heads together shooting for takedowns at the opening bell.

But, let’s hope not.

Eighth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) 205 pounds v “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) 203 pounds

At the pre-fight press conference Thursday, a very serious Vera turned to Jardine and challenged, “We’re going to be together for 15 minutes in the Octagon and I hope, I hope we get to find out a lot about each other before one of us goes to sleep.”

Jardine agreed, and quipped, “He’s got a real pretty style; and, me, I got a real awkward, real mean style.  So, it’s kind of going to be kind of like a beauty and the beast type thing.”

Jardine is coming off a 36-second knockout loss to seventh-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-81) in May; and, Vera made a disappointing debut at 205-pounds in a unanimous decision “W” over Reese Andy (7-2) in July.

Vera, a former heavyweight, summed up the meaning of the fight: “Me and Keith are both at a point in our career right now where we get either to take one huge step forward or end up taking two or three steps back.”

“Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (14-4) 169 pounds vs. “Tellys” Paul Kelly (7-0) 169 pounds

Davis will try to come back strong from a loss to “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2) in June versus Kelly, who Davis called “a brawler.”

Davis put down the weights for this fight in favor of getting back to his boxing background.

“I’m going to make-up for it in technique and speed.  Being able to fight off angles and stuff like that.  It might look like I’m right in front of him, but I’m actually not going to be right in front of him,” Davis said.

Kelly, of Wolfslair Academy, revealed, “You never know where it’s going to be.  It’s MMA.  You know?  I can’t guarantee I’m going to put Marcus on the mat.  We’ve worked on what we think he’s going to do.”

Ninth-ranked “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) 205 pounds v “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) 206 pounds

“Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-16-5) 170 pounds v “Relentless” Paul Taylor (9-3-1) 170 pounds

Akihiro Gono (28-12-7) 171 pounds v “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (19-6) 169 pounds

Shane Carwin (9-0) 264 pounds v “Old Skool” Neil Wain (4-0) 254 pounds

David Bielkheden (12-6) 156 pounds v “Joker” Jess Liaudin (12-10) 155 pounds

Terry Etim (10-2) 155 pounds v “Hands of Stone” Sam Stout (13-4-1) 155 pounds
 
David Baron (16-2) 155 pounds v Jim Miller (11-1) 155 pounds

“Dog” Samy Schiavo (10-5) 156 pounds v Per Eklund (13-3-1) 156 pounds

Jackson lost a decision to Griffin, but won a decision over third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7) and knocked out fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)…twice.

Henderson knocked out sixth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), but lost the aforementioned decision to Jackson.

Liddell won a decision over Wanderlei Silva, but lost a decision to seventh-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) and, again, got knocked out by “Rampage”…twice.

Silva knocked out Jardine and has two TKOs of Jackson from PRIDE, but got knocked out by Henderson and lost a decision to Liddell.

Which leads me back to Jardine, who TKO’d Champ Griffin before he was Champ and won a decision over Liddell, only to be kayoed by Wanderlei Silva in 36 seconds.

Somewhere in that mixed soup of wins and losses from one through seven in Fighters.com’s September Heavyweight Rankings there’s order.  The following is Fighters.com’s version of it.

Conspicuously left out of the party is fifth-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0).  UFC President Dana White chose to match him down to formidable tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (13-0) rather than take his hard-earned shot at one of the division’s studs.

Evidently Machida still needs to prove himself while heavyweight Brock Lesnar (2-1) leap-frogged fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) this week for a crack at returning UFC Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) after going 1-1 in the Octagon.  Hmmm…

After winning a UD over “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1), Machida should’ve drawn Liddell to determine a true top contender to the UFC title; but, instead, Liddell will make his case for a UFC title shot Saturday in Atlanta versus unranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1).  Hmmm…

“Rampage” seems fated to avenge PRIDE-era losses to Wanderlei Silva or ninth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3) in December…or not avenge those losses?

Jardine will fight former heavyweight “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) in Birmingham; and, eighth-ranked Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) will fight fast-rising “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1).

Unfortunately, Henderson probably won’t return to the division he’s been most successful in the last two years.

September Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. Forrest Griffin (16-4)

“The Ultimate Fighter” is now truly the ultimate fighter after a close decision over Jackson, but now carries a target on his back in MMA’s most competitive division with Jackson, Liddell, and Machida taking aim.

2. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

Jackson returned from a 10-month holiday to lose a close UD to a hungry Griffin, but is 4-1 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage.  He’s out-wrestled Olympian Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice.

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

4. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

5. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish; but, his UD over Tito Ortiz was back to boring. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to excite.

6. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1)

It’s been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but a 36-second slaughter of Jardine in May means the division still has to deal with one of it’s most popular names.

7. “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1)

A 36-second knockout loss to Silva, the third time he’s been kayoed in under a minute, left the “Dean” exposed amidst a division of big punchers.  But, wins over Liddell and Griffin keep him in the 205 mix.

8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”.  Another big punch knocking out Kaz Nakamura in June stamped Sokou firmly in the top ten.

9. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him out of active duty until December.

10. Thiago Silva (13-0)

Undefeated in four Octagon appearances, Silva was the first to expose Houston Alexander‘s ground game and recently made “Antonio Mendes scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.  He’s only seen the second round once in the last two years.

In Las Vegas 4 July, Fighters.com’s new Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) worked over now top contender “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) with leg kicks in a close unanimous decision.

Though Griffin hopped seven spots to take the championship, the decision loss was close enough that Jackson only drops one rank.

Jackson has declared his next opponent to be sixth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), who drops a rank on Griffin’s ascension; but, no official word has come from the UFC.

Jackson versus Silva would make a trilogy that Silva dominated 2-0 in PRIDE.

Griffin will probably fight the winner of fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) versus “Sugar” Rashad Evans (11-0-1), which gets on in Atlanta 6 September, but may also take on the winner of fifth-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) versus tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (13-0) in Birmingham 18 October.

The debate rages across Internet message boards about who the top contender to Griffin’s title is: Jackson, Liddell, or Machida?

It seems third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson will stay at 185-pounds after an impressive three-fight run at light heavyweight.

Seventh-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) will fight former heavyweight “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2) in Birmingham.

On the same card, eighth-ranked “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) will fight rising dark horse “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1).

Ninth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3) remains on the DL with a knee injury.

August Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. Forrest Griffin (16-4)

“The Ultimate Fighter” is now truly the ultimate fighter after a close decision over Jackson, but now carries a target on his back in MMA’s most competitive division with Jackson, Liddell, and Machida taking aim.

2. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

Jackson returned from a 10-month holiday to lose a close UD to a hungry Griffin, but is 4-1 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage.  He’s out-wrestled Olympian Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice.

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-7)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

4. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

5. “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish; but, his UD over Tito Ortiz was back to boring. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to excite.

6. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1)

It’s been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but a 36-second slaughter of Jardine in May means the division still has to deal with one of it’s most popular names.

7. “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1)

A 36-second knockout loss to Silva, the third time he’s been kayoed in under a minute, left the “Dean” exposed amidst a division of big punchers.  But, wins over Liddell and Griffin keep him in the 205 mix.

8. “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”.  Another big punch knocking out Kaz Nakamura in June stamped Sokou firmly in the top ten.

9. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him out of active duty until December.

10. Thiago Silva (13-0)

Undefeated in four Octagon appearances, Silva was the first to expose Houston Alexander‘s ground game and recently made “Antonio Mendes scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.  He’s only seen the second round once in the last two years.

The UFC also confirmed two more bouts on the card, between light heavyweights “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) and “The Truth” Brandon Vera (9-2), and between welterweights “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (25-16-5) and Paul Taylor (9-3-1).

Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked Jardine looks to rebound from a 36-second knockout loss to fifth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) in May.

Vera won a unanimous decision over Reese Andy (7-3) at Ultimate Fight Night 14 last week.  He is 1-0 since moving down a weight class.

Lytle lost a unanimous decision in May to fourth-ranked Josh Koscheck (13-2).

Taylor won a split decision over “Joker” Jess Liaudin (13-11) in June.

Of course, “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6) remains Fighters.com’s Light Heavyweight Champion and will defend his UFC title versus eighth-ranked Forrest Griffin (15-4) 5 July in Las Vegas.

But, Jackson’s nemesis from the past, “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), closed in on a rematch with the champion he’s conquered twice before.

Silva demolished “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) in 36 seconds, jumping five spots to the fifth ranking and sending Jardine down two rungs to number six.

If he takes out Griffin, Jackson may first have to unravel the riddle that is his new top contender, “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0), before a rematch with Silva.

Machida retired previously ninth-ranked “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) from the top ten and the UFC in a unanimous decision “W”.  Can we all say “elusive”?

Machida’s win welcomed a fellow undefeated Brazilian, another Silva in fact, to replace “The Axe Murderer” at number ten.

American Top Team’s Thiago Silva (13-0) survived a scary kick to the noggin to make “Samuray” Antonio Mendes (14-3) scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.

“African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) held steady at number seven by re-establishing himself as a one-punch knockout threat in a TKO of “Kaz” Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-8).

With the win and the single word “Shogun”, Sokoudjou took the opportunity to challenge eighth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3), a challenge that’s traveled across the Pacific with the two former PRIDE stars.

With a lack of live action in the 205-pound class, ‘Page’s most competitive challenge since entering the Octagon, “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-6), drops to the third rank and has no announced or rumoured fights on his dance card in either of his two weight classes.

“Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) takes two steps closer to his own rematch with the champ at number four and will be announced this week as the main event when the UFC goes to Atlanta in September.

No opponent has been named, but Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4) has been rumoured to be considering the fight.  Fighters.com thinks that match-up makes no sense, by the by.

June Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6)

Jackson is 4-0 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage. He’s out-wrestled Olympians Lindland and Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice.  He’s earned Fighters.com’s title, but losses to Rua and Silva whisper questions from the past.

2. “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish; but, his UD over Tito Ortiz was back to boring.  His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch.  His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to excite.

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-6)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding.  A UD of  Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

4. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

5. “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1)

It’s been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but a 36-second slaughter of Jardine in May means the division still has to deal with one of it’s most popular and scariest names.

6. “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1)

A 36-second knockout loss to Silva, the third time he’s been kayoed in under a minute, left the “Dean” exposed amidst a division of big punchers.  But, wins over Liddell and Griffin keep him in the 205 mix.

7. “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”.   Another big punch knocking out Kaz Nakamura in May stamped Sokou firmly in the top ten.

8. Forrest Griffin (15-4)

The TUF 1 champ dug himself out of the “one hit wonder” abyss with an impressive stoppage of touted Rua and earned a UFC gold run versus Jackson.  But like Jardine, Griffin has proven beatable on any given night.

9. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kaz Nakamura.

10. Thiago Silva (13-0)

Undefeated in four Octagon appearances, Silva was the first to expose Houston Alexander‘s ground game and recently made Antonio Mendes scream “uncle” beneath a brutal first-round G’n'P barrage.  He’s only seen the second round once in the last two years.

This week, that report has circulated in the media, inciting outrage among some.

A reporter at the post-fight press conference quizzed White, “Is that right?”

White countered, “Does that sound right to you?”

“No,” the reporter replied.

“‘No’ is right,” White agreed.

The reporter followed-up, “Then why is it like that?”  He was referring to the discrepancy in the amount of Jardine’s and Silva’s purses for the same fight.

White assured, “[Jardine] was paid more,” but declined to reveal the exact amount.

Wednesday, Jardine’s agent would neither confirm nor deny White’s claim.

Jardine did tell Fighters.com last Thursday that he had turned down “a lot of money” to wear his own Mean Jardine brand apparel in the Octagon versus Silva.  Apparel company sponsorship is a major component in total fighter compensation.

Veteran referee Mario Yamasaki determined that Sherk was unable to continue after a Penn flurry at the cage that left Sherk on the mat at the end of the third round.

The three five-minute rounds were fought entirely standing up, resembling a boxing match.

Penn worked a slicker boxing style set-up with a long, snapping jab.  Sherk threw left and right hooks in a stiff, technical style.

Penn established his jab in the first round as Sherk pressured.

Sherk clinched to muffle “The Prodigy’s” reach advantage; but, Penn landed an uppercut to break the clinch.

Sherk attempted to counter with his own jab, but threw it short as Penn followed down the pipe with his left.  Sherk clinched again; but, Penn threw him off.

Sherk began round two with a cut under his right eye from Penn’s relentless jabbing.  He shrugged his shoulders before the bell, disappointed with his first-round performance.

But, the Minnesotan took the fight to Penn in the second round.  Penn clinched inside Sherk’s left/right hook combo and hammered knees to “The Muscle Shark’s” body.

Again, Penn clinched; but, Sherk overwhelmed him with a flurry.  Penn pushed out of the clinch.

Unable to solve Penn’s boxing riddle, Sherk began to test his leg kick; but, Penn answered with a left hook.

Penn had all the answers Saturday night.

Sherk began round three with another cut under his left eye.  Before the bell rang, he sized himself up on the above-Octagon screen.

Increasingly desperate to overcome Penn’s reach advantage, Sherk began lunging with his punches.

Penn timed an uppercut as Sherk lunged into a punch, sending Sherk backpedaling to the cage.  Penn followed him with a flying knee that landed square on Sherk’s jaw.  Penn mounted and pounded Sherk to the bell.

Penn describe the flurry, “He got caught.  I hit him and I knew the fight was done when he put his hands up and looked at me like, ‘Yeah, you got me.  It’s over.’”

The referee Yamasaki stopped the action at the bell, but determined Sherk was no longer fit to fight another round after Sherk  remained on his knees and awarded Penn the TKO.

When asked if the stoppage was justified, Sherk replied, “I’m not real sure.  I didn’t even hear the bell ring.”

“I was surprised [Sherk wanted to box],” Penn admitted.  “I thought he was going to try to use his combinations to setup his takedowns. ”

After the fight, Penn asked the 15,000-person crowd, “You want GSP?  You want B.J. Penn to fight GSP?”  He was referring to top-ranked welterweight “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (16-2), who won a split decision over Penn in 2006.

UFC President Dana White told reporters that Penn has at least one more fight before “clearing out the lightweight division” and earning a rematch with the 170-pound champion St. Pierre.

White was referring to the winner of the August match-up between seventh-ranked “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (9-3) and “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-1-1).

Penn admitted it’d be hard for him to take a fight against the winner of Florian versus Huerta seriously after dominating Sherk, considered the second-ranked lightweight in the UFC behind Penn.

The “Axe Murderer” Is Back

Tenth-ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-81) is back!  Back to winning!  Back to demolishing with a 36-second TKO over fourth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1).

Shortly into the first round, Jardine lunged into a flurry that Silva countered with a right hook that collapsed the “Dean of Mean”, then followed with a left and right hook as Jardine fell.

Silva pounced and pounded Jardine until he went stiff and the referee waved off the carnage.

Jardine lay prone several minutes after the stoppage as Silva became emotional at the mic.

Machida Sends Ortiz Packing

UFC President Dana White got the last laugh on ninth-ranked light heavyweight “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1).

He matched him versus third-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0), who routinely sucks the air out of the world’s most exciting sport.

Machida won a paced UD over Ortiz by 30-27 on all three judges score cards.

Machida may have sucked the air out of Ortiz’s big-dollar post-UFC plans by forcing another boring fight on an exciting fighter.

Ortiz stalked the elusive “Dragon” for a takedown throughout the fight; and, Machida, to his credit, avoided all but one of “Bad Boy’s” shots.

At the end of round one, Machida even slammed Ortiz into side control and chiseled open a gash on the bridge of Ortiz’s nose with elbows.

After several attempts to engage Machida in the second round, frustrated Ortiz dropped his hands and waved Machida on.

Machida responded with a 1-2 combo; and, Ortiz nodded and countered with a body kick and punch before the bell halted the action.

In round three, Ortiz took a Machida flying knee to the body; and, Machida followed Ortiz to the mat.  Ortiz recovered and smothered Machida’s G’n'P, then locked on a triangle choke.

The capacity crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena took their feet; but, it was too late; Machida was too slick rolling over and too slippery yanking free as Ortiz transitioned into an armbar.

Fighters.com gave the decision to Machida by the score 29-28.

Ortiz left open the possibility of returning to the UFC in his post-fight comments; but, it was clear in the post-fight press conference that he was unwanted.  Ortiz crashed the press conference and refused to leave, prodded on by his girlfriend, Jenna Jameson, shouting, “You don’t have to go anywhere, baby!”

Soukoudjou: “Just one thing: Shogun.”

Seventh-ranked light heavyweight ”African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2) got back to what brought him to the big show Saturday night at UFC 84 in Las Vegas when a straight right turned the lights out on “Kaz” Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-8) in the first round.

Sokou’ landed snapping leg kicks throughout the round, but was frustrated by Nakamura’s in-and-out flurries and elusive defense.  Finally, after landing a body kick he had tested out earlier in the round, Sokou’ followed with a straight right that dropped Kaz’.

The bell rang before it was clear how much damage the big punch had done; but, when Nakamura first tried to stumble from the Octagon thinking the fight had been stopped, then collapsed on his stool, the fight was stopped after the first round.

After the fight, Sokoudjou announced, “Just one thing: Shogun.”

Yoshida Silences War Machine

Tenth-ranked welterweight ”Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-2) put “War Machine” Jon Koppenhaver (5-2) to sleep in an anaconda choke 56 seconds into round one.

“It was just the way I expected,” Yoshida said after his victorious UFC debut.

Koppenhaver fired first with a leg kick, then clinched with the Japanese judoka.

Bad move!

“Zenko” flipped Koppenhaver into side mount and wrapped up the anaconda choke toot sweet.  Referee Herb Dean tugged on Koppenhaver’s arm and determined he was unconscious, ending the fight.

Yoshida said, “The anaconda choke was right there for me.”

Silva Welcomes Mendes

Rising light heavyweight Thiago Silva (13-0) welcomed “Samuray” Antonio Mendes (14-3) to the UFC.  Well…used him as a welcoming mat in a first-round TKO “W”.

Mendes surprised Silva early with a left roundhouse kick to the head, dropping Silva.  Mendes declined the ground game.  Again, Mendes caught a Silva body kick and dumped him to the mat, but declined to follow for long.

When it was Silva’s turn with a nice trip takedown at the cage, it was clear why Mendes wanted to stay on his feet.

Silva easily passed to mount and pounded a flailing Mendes to a TKO stoppage.

Reljice Debuts Victoriously

Croatian light heavyweight Goran Reljic (8-0) stopped Brazilian Wilson Gouveia (10-5) at 3:15 of round two with a well-timed overhand left to Gouveia’s jaw as Gouveia kicked at Reljic’s leg.

Gouveia dropped; and, Reljic followed, pounding Gouveia for another twenty seconds before referee Herb Dean woke up and realized he should stop the fight before Gouveia was brain damaged.

Palhares Slick Victory

Brazilian Top Team’s “Toquinho” Rousimar Palhares (8-1) made a slick conversion from a rear naked choke he was working on Ivan Salaverry (12-7) to tap Salaverry in an armbar at 2:36 of round one.  The fight was all Palhares and all BJJ, earning the UFC’s $75,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus.

Kim Mandhandles Tan

Debuting UFC welterweight Dong Hyun Kim (10-1-1) outclassed Liverpudlian Jason Tan (5-3) in every aspect to win a third-round TKO.

Tan shot for a double-leg takedown to begin the first round; but, Kim proved nimble, avoiding the mat while elbowing a gash into Tan’s skull.  Kim eventually relented to the mat, but on his terms, tossing Tan and mounting.

Tan took a pounding from Kim’s punches and elbows, but survived for a second round.

Tan switched his strategy in round two, throwing high and low kicks to begin the round; but, Kim avoided contact.

Tan again shot for a takedown; and, again Kim hip tossed Tan to the mat, mounted, and pounded him to the bell.

Tan worked rubber guard, attempting an omoplata; but, Kim made him pay for every submission attempt by avoiding and following up with a punch.

Kim came out to the third-round bell to take Tan out.  Kim threw two big, off-target hooks before clinching and throwing Tan to the mat to pound him out with elbows for the TKO.

Carwin Clobbers Wellisch

Also debuting UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin (9-0) clobbered “Hungarian Nightmare” Christian Wellisch (8-4) with a right hook 44 seconds into round one.

A wrestler, Carwin established his jab from the opening bell.  Wellisch timed Carwin and grazed him with a left hook 25 seconds into the round.  Carwin popped another jab in Wellisch’s face, which Wellisch followed into a head-on collision with Carwin’s fight-ending right hook, knocking Wellisch’s mouthpiece to the mat.

Clementi Continues Streak

“No Love” Rich Clementi (32-12-1) continued his rebound with a unanimous decision over Liverpudlian Terry Etim (10-2) by scores of 29-28 on all three judges cards.

Clementi survived an all-Etim first round.

“His lankiness was hard, hard, hard to deal with,” Clementi admitted after the fight.

Clementi got tagged with low and high kicks as he closed range for the takedown.  Midway through the round, Clementi finally succeeded in taking the fight to the mat, but Etim smothered his offense, causing the referee to stand the fighters.  Six-foot-one Etim continued to exploit his reach advantage.

The second and third rounds were different entirely.  Clementi’s relentless pressure, which caused him to take some shots in the first round, began to wear on Etim.  Clementi began scoring his takedowns, mostly single-leg into half-mount.

Etim continued to smother Clementi on the mat; but, Clementi put together a pitty-pat G’n'P that scored on the judges cards and eventually opened up a gash under Etim’s right eye.

In the third round, Clementi held Etim’s left arm beneath Etim and landed hammer fists.

The accumulation of strikes on the mat won Clementi his sixth straight.

Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked lightweight “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (9-3), former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner (32-7), and “Hammer” Mark Coleman (15-8) signed autographs and third-ranked lightweight “JZ” Gesias Calvancanti (14-2-1) was in the crowd with his smokin’ hot girlfriend.

First up to the scale was debuting UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin (8-0) weighing in at 253 pounds. Carwin fights “Hungarian Nightmare” Christian Wellisch (9-3), who weighed 230 pounds.

Wellisch said, “He’s not as big as he looked on video.”

Next to the scale was DEEP vet, UFC debuting Dong Hyun Kim (9-1-1) weighing 171 pounds and his opponent, 170-pound Liverpudlian Jason Tan (5-2).

Another UFC first-timer, tenth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (9-2) weighed 170 pounds, the same as his opponent, “War Machine” Jon Koppenhaver (5-1).

Antoher Liverpudlian pugilist Terry Etim (10-1) weighed 155 pounds to match his UFC 84 opponent, “No Love” Rich Clementi (31-12-1).

“Kaz” Kazurhiro Nakamura (11-7) weighed a pound over light heavyweight at 206 pounds (“Without the Easter basket,” UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan commented). His UFC 84 opponent, seventh-ranked “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2), weighed in a pound under at 204 pounds.

Brazilian Top Team’s “Toquinho” Rousimar Palhares (7-1) looked large at 185 pounds, which matched his Speedo-clad foe Ivan Salaverry (12-6).

UFC debuting “Samuray” Antonio Mendes (14-2) weighed two pounds under the light heavyweight limit at 203 pounds. His opponent, Thiago Silva (12-0), met the 205-pound limit. Mendes looked about as big around as one of Silva’s thighs.

Ninth-ranked “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) wore a shirt that read “Dana White Is My Bitch” and weighed 205 pounds. His opponent, third-ranked “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0), shook his hand at the face-off, after matching his weight.

UFC debuting Goran Reljic (7-0) nudged his opponent Wilson Gouveia (10-4) at the face-off; but, American Top Team’s Gouveia didn’t flinch. They both weighed 205 pounds.

Tenth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) and fourth-ranked “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-3-1) both weighed 205 pounds.

Fifth-ranked “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (32-2-1) and fourth-ranked “Prodigy” B.J. Penn (12-4-1) both weighed 155 pounds for the UFC 84 main event title fight.

These girls didn’t weigh in; and, I didn’t think it polite to ask.

In fact, it seemed like he was answering a different interview than I was giving.

But, cut him some slack. In ten minutes I listened to Silva give interviews in three languages: English, Spanish, and his native Portuguese.

I overheard another interviewer ask him a question I thought could’ve been better worded, but loved Silva’s response.

(Paraphrased)

Interviewer: Will we see the old Wanderlei Silva Saturday night?

Wanderlei Silva: Every fight I give it my all. You guys don’t understand. These guys are so much better, stronger, they can stand, good on ground.

Does that settle the UFC v PRIDE debate? Somehow, I doubt it…

In a light moment, Sherk asked the assembled media if he should remove his shirt before hitting the pads for photographers. When there was no reply, Sherk replied, “Thanks guys…”

Of course, 205 king “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6) is matched versus Griffin for July; and, we all await fireworks between the two jolly light-giants on season seven of TUF.

Third-ranked “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0) and Ortiz cross paths at the end of May as their careers cross roads.

Who says UFC President Dana White doesn’t make big fights in his fighters’ last contract fights?  A win for Ortiz before his promised exit to greener pastures could reignite “The Bad Boy’s” box office appeal.

A notch in Machida’s belt may mean he has to shop for a new belt, a shiny, gold one.

Jardine and tenth-ranked “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) will tell the same tale of fighters colliding as their careers move in opposite directions.

Sixth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) was yanked from his match-up versus “Suger” Rashad Evans(11-0-1) in London with a pulled hamstring, leaving on the table the originally scheduled UFC 85 main event between Liddell and eighth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3), also on the disabled list, to be fought in September.

Before being bumped down the Fighters.com rankings, Sokoudjou got bumped off the televised card at UFC 84, where he’s matched versus fellow judoka “Kaz” Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-7).

The next three months could turn the 205-pound division upside down with all of the top ten action.

May Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6)

Jackson is 4-0 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage. He’s out-wrestled Olympians Lindland and Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice. He’s earned Fighters.com’s top rank, but losses to Rua and Silva whisper questions from the past.

2. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-6)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page.  Until next time?

3. “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to ascend.

4. “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-3-1)

A blip on Jardine’s record to Houston Alexander belies focused performances over Liddell and Griffin; or, is it the other way around?  Regardless, “The Dean of Mean’s” roller coaster will play bumper cars with “The Axe Murderer” this month.

5. Forrest Griffin (15-4)

The TUF 1 champ dug himself out of the “one hit wonder” abyss with an impressive stoppage of touted Rua and earned a UFC gold run versus Jackson.  But like Jardine, Griffin has proven beatable on any given night.

6. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine.  He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

7. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”. His career has been too brief to predict whether his future is north or south of his Fighters.com #7 ranking.

8. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.  His injured knee leaves him off active duty until a probable September date with Liddell.

9. “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1)

Ortiz has served as gate keeper to the UFC gold in a win over Griffin and draw with Rashad Evans, but was unable to last three full rounds with then champ Liddell.  Machida at the end of May will show whether Ortiz is ready for another run at the top.

10. “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1)

It hasn’t been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” that last two years, but he’s been the victim of two of the best light heavyweights in the world in Henderson and Liddell.

1. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (29-6)

Jackson is 4-0 since bringing his “Rampage” to the cage. He’s out-wrestled Olympians Lindland and Hendo and became the only man to put Liddell on ice twice. He’s earned Fighters.com’s top rank, but losses to Rua and Silva whisper questions from the past.

2. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (22-6)

To think 205 is Hendo’s other weight class is astounding. A UD to Vitor Belfort paved a path for him to hold the PRIDE belt after a KO of long-time champ Silva. Henderson came up just short of unifying titles in a slog with ‘Page. Until next time?

3. “The Dragon” Ryoto Machida (12-0)

Versus Sokou, the undefeated “Dragon” proved he could fly high and finish. His measured style is as tough for opposition to decipher as it sometimes is for fans to watch. His “W” column reads like a who’s who of MMA, but Machida needs stoppages to ascend.

4. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2)

Sokou had been punching fighters out of their top ten ranking until he ran into Machida, but there’s no shame in tapping to “The Dragon”. His career has been too brief to predict whether his future is north or south of his Fighters.com #4 ranking.

5. “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-3-1)

Blips on Jardine’s record to Houston Alexander and Stephan Bonnar belie focused performances over Liddell and Griffin; or, is it the other way around? Regardless, “The Dean of Mean” has ridden a roller coaster of inconsistency the last two years.

6. Forrest Griffin (15-4)

The TUF 1 champ dug himself out of the “one hit wonder” abyss with an impressive stoppage of touted Rua and earned a UFC gold run versus Jackson. But like Jardine, Griffin has proven beatable on any given night.

7. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5)

Liddell has faced the toughest schedule the last two years, but fell consecutively to Jackson and Jardine. He looked tough in his return to winning in the long-awaited face-off with Silva.

8. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (16-3)

Whether injury, energy, or focus was the issue, Rua debuted in the UFC with a loss to then-struggling Griffin after earning the kudos of many with PRIDE wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem and Kazuhiro Nakamura.

9. “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-5-1)

Ortiz has served as gate keeper to the UFC gold in a win over Griffin and draw with Rashad Evans, but was unable to last three full rounds with then champ Liddell.

10. “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1)

It has been a bloody mess for “The Axe Murderer” the last two years, but he’s been the victim of two of the best light heavyweights in the world in Henderson and Liddell.

Loose lips had already divulged details for both events.

At the MGM Grand Garden Arena 24 May, “The Prodigy” BJ Penn will defend his UFC Lightweight Championship against the improper advances of former 155-pound champ Sean Sherk, returning from a banned substances suspension.

My Portuguese is a little rusty, but Wanderlei Silva has also confirmed via his blog that he’s signed to fight Keith Jardine on the Vegas strip.

Other rumored bouts include:

Ryoto Machida v Tito Ortiz
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou v Kazuhiro Nakamura
Rashad Evans v Thiago Silva
Wilson Gouveia v Goran Reljic
Rousimar Palhares v Ivan Salaverry
Dong-hyun Kim v Jason Tan
Terry Etim v Jeremy Stephens
Shane Carwin v Christian Wellisch

At 02 Arena in London 7 June, light heavyweights Chuck Liddell and  Mauricio Rua will headline in a fight that not too long ago would’ve been considered the king-maker at 205.

Brandon Vera has also confirmed he’ll return versus Fabricio Werdum in London.

Brock Lesnar is also rumored to return on this fight card.