UFC light heavyweights “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-5-1) and “Darth” Ryan Bader (7-0) will matchup at UFC 110 in Sydney February 21, according to an MMA Weekly report. ...

Brazilian light heavyweight Thiago Silva (15-1) knocked out "Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine (14-6-1) in 1:35 at UFC 102 in Portland Saturday night. 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. ...

After knocking Fighters.com's second-ranked light heavyweight "Sugar" Rashad Evans (13-1-1) silly at UFC 98 in Las Vegas in May, undefeated Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Dragon" Lyoto Machida (15-0) reigns atop the division with an awkward, frustrating style. In October, he'll defend his title from fifth-ranked "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-3) who's coming off a first-round KO of eighth-ranked "Iceman" Chuck Liddell (21-7).

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.

Fighters.com's eighth-ranked light heavyweight "Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine (14-4-1) edged "The Truth" Brandon Vera (9-3) in a split decision by judges scores of 29-28 twice for Jardine and 29-28 once for Vera at UFC 89 in Birmingham Saturday night. 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. ...

All UFC 89 fighters made their weight today at the NIA for Saturday's card in Birmingham. "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. ...

Fighters.com’s Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) won a decision over second-ranked "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (28-7), but was TKO’d by seventh-ranked "Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine (13-4-1). 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. ...

"The Ultimate Fighter" is now truly the ultimate fighter in the UFC's ultimate weight class. 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? ...

SpikeTV will air UFC 89 for free on tape delay from Birmingham 18 October, the UFC officially announced Monday. 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. ...

Fighters.com was live in Las Vegas 24 May to witness the fights that shook-up June's Welterweight Rankings.  What a night! 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. ...

At the post-UFC 84press conference Saturday night in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White was confronted with the report that Fighters.com's fourth-ranked light heavyweight "Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine (13-4-1) was paid a purse of $10,000 in comparison to Jardine's opponent tenth-ranked "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva's (32-8-1) purse of $150,000. 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. ...

“Satisfying!  Very satisfying,” described Fighters.com's fourth-ranked lightweight and UFC Lightweight Champion "Prodigy" B.J. Penn (13-4-1) after defeating fifth-ranked "Muscle Shark" Sean Sherk (32-2-1) by TKO after the third round at UFC 84 in Las Vegas Saturday. 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. ...

Fighters.com was live Friday at the UFC 84 weigh-ins at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 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. ...

I'm not sure Fighters.com tenth-ranked light heavyweight "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) understood all the questions I asked. 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... ...

Before an open workout for the media Wednesday, Fighters.com's fifth-ranked lightweight "Muscle Shark" Sean Sherk (32-2-1) answered a few questions for Fighters.com before his UFC title challenge Saturday versus fourth-ranked "Prodigy" B.J. Penn (12-4-1). 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..." ...

The suspects are usual on Fighters.com's May light heavyweight roster; but, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2) fell three rungs to the seven spot as fourth-ranked "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine's (13-3-1) 2006 loss to "American Psycho" Stephan Bonnar (11-4) and fifth-ranked Forrest Griffin's (15-4) 2006 loss to ninth-ranked "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz (15-5-1) passed their two-year expiration dates. 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. ...

The light heavyweights fall in line in Fighters.com's April rankings, the only rankings that matter. 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. ...

Tuesday the UFC officially scheduled a home and an away game slotted for 24 May in Vegas and 7 June in London. 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. ...