In a recent interview with Tapology, “The Irish Hand Grenade” shared the following sentiments in regards to his immediate fighting future: “Nothing is official yet, but we’ve had a few offers…. I was hoping to hear from Strikeforce, but I know they’ve started that whole thing where they’re not taking UFC fighters coming off of losses. I completely understand… As far as Strikeforce is concerned, I can understand why they would want to continue that policy from a business standpoint. With me, the one thing that they miss out on—and it’s my major selling point to anyone—is that my fights tend to be exciting.”

Let’s give credit where credit is due: Marcus Davis is right, his fights are far more often exciting than they are boring. Whether he finishes or gets finished, Davis knows how to entertain a crowd. It’s perhaps the pivotal reason why he stuck around in the UFC for so long without ever fully emerging into a legitimate championship contender. Personally, I’m somewhat of a fan of Marcus Davis. I certainly appreciate his penchant for going out, giving his all, and making sure the fans are happy.

But if we’re giving credit where credit is due, let’s be honest and not sugar-coat the situation either. Signing a fighter that’s lost four of his last five fights is not something a major promotion like Strikeforce should be doing. Strikeforce already has to deal with a small (though vocal) section of the fanbase that constantly accuses them of hiring “UFC rejects”, and this label is being applied to high-profile athletes like Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, Paul Daley, and others. Most fans rightfully scoff at this idea and point out that those listed as “UFC rejects” have had very successful careers both in and out of the UFC. Sadly, the same can’t be said of Marcus Davis. If Strikeforce signed Davis right now, having lost four of five and being finished on three of those occasions, there’s really nothing to say to counter that “UFC reject” argument.

In the here and now, Davis needs to rebuild himself in the smaller leagues. I think Davis can one day catch the eye of Strikeforce, but he needs to go on a hotstreak in the lower-level promotions and try his best to erase the doubts and questions regarding his performance and abilities that this 1-4 streak has raised. It’s not the most ideal situation, and it’s certainly not the situation I wish for him as a semi-fan, but this is the situation he finds himself in whether he or I or anyone else wants to admit it or not. In the end, though, I wish Davis all the best and I do indeed hope that he turns it all around.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on what the future holds for Marcus Davis?

The “Irish Hand Grenade” competed as recent as last weekend when he took on up-and-comer Jeremy Stephens at UFC 125 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In his first bout as a lightweight, Davis looked good early on, staggering the spitfire Stephens in an early exchange, however the Mark Dellagrote protege failed to capitalize on the opportunity and would surely later regret as Jeremy was able to come from behind and knock out Marcus in the third round for a spectacular knockout victory.

The loss was Davis’ second consecutively, and overall his fourth in his last five outings. A victory over castaway Jonathon Goulet at UFC 113 was Marcus’ lone win in this stretch, which was sandwiched between losses to Dan Hardy, Ben Saunders, Nate Diaz, and the aforementioned Stephens (respectively).

The cut completed a 15-fight stint with the promotion, finishing his record with the UFC at 9-6, five of those performances earning the 37-year-old bonuses, including three times “Fight of the Night”, once “Knockout of the Night” and also “Submission of the Night”.

Davis’ longtime manager Joe Cavallaro broke the news to MMAJunkie.com earlier today.

I would like to be optimistic and say that Davis could eventually work his way back to the UFC, but I don’t think I just see that happening at this time. At 37-years-old, and the kind of wars he’s been in, I think his best days are behind him unfortunately. I would like to think that Marcus wouldn’t have any problem finding a home, though. Most likely, I think Strikeforce would be more then willing to give Davis a shot in a not-so-clear-lightweight division.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the recent cut? Where would you like to see Davis, and do you think he can eventually make a return to the UFC? Sound off in the comment section below.

According to MMA Junkie, the UFC 125 medical suspensions are as follows.

Frankie Edgar: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Gray Maynard: Suspended until February 16 with no contact until January 23 due to facial lacerations.

Chris Leben: Suspended until February 6 with no contact until February 1 for precautionary reasons.

Brandon Vera: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Marcus Davis: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early, Minimum suspension until March 3 with no contact until February 16.

Josh Grispi: Suspended until July 1 due to a jaw injury, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until February 16 with no contact until February 1.

Phil Baroni: Suspended until July 1 due to nasal fracture, though a doctor can clear him early. Minimum suspension until March 3 with no contact until February 16.

Diego Nunes: Suspended until January 23 with no contact until January 16 due to left-eye contusion.

Greg Soto: Suspended until July 1 due to a left-shoulder injury, though a doctor can clear him early.

It should come as no surprise that all four brothers of the broken nose had their noses wrecked, since all four received some brutal punishment throughout the night. Phil Baroni showed some early promise in his bout with Brad Tavares, but once again Baroni proved that his chin is suspect when hit cleanly, as Tavares ended up TKO’ing Baroni in Round 1. Marcus Davis looked to be doing good in his Lightweight debut against Jeremy Stephens… until Stephens landed a bomb that knocked Davis out cold. Brandon Vera’s injury needs no introduction, and it’s something that has to be seen to be believed. It truly is one of the most gruesome breaks I’ve ever seen in MMA. And Frank Edgar’s broken nose was most likely the result of the utterly insane amount of damage that he absorbed in Round 1, and to be honest, I’m still utterly baffled at how Edgar was able to survive Maynard’s onslaught.

All in all, I hope everyone heals up, because a lot of fighters put on some very entertaining performances at UFC 125 and I look forward to seeing all of them back into the Octagon sooner rather than later. And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of the UFC 125 medical suspensions?

5. Because despite all his problems, Phil Baroni still entertains. I personally dislike the man and even I can admit that he still knows how to put on entertaining fights. Love him or hate him, “The New York Badass” loves to strike and does his best to entertain. Phil Baroni is still good for a cheap thrill far more often than not, so his undercard fight at UFC 125 against Brad Tavares will more than likely warrant a watching.

4. The UFC debut of Antonio McKee. McKee is a showman through and through, and most recently compared himself to Muhammed Ali. It’s going to be very interesting to see if McKee can live up to his many (and believe me, I do mean many) verbal boasts. And McKee knows it’s a “do or die” situation whether he wants to admit it or not: he’s forty years old and a thirty-fight veteran, so there’s no time like the present.

3. The UFC re-debut of Mike Thomas Brown. Mike Brown has been in a prolonged struggle to right the ship ever since Jose Aldo famously finished him and took his WEC Featherweight Championship. At UFC 125, Brown looks to put together a two-fight win-streak over the 15-1 Diego Nunes. Like Brown, Nunes is a versatile fighter that’s comfortable in and can finish opponents in all areas of the game. Whoever wins this fight will take an important step forward and more than likely make the main card in their next fight.

2. To see Dustin Poirer either do the impossible against Josh Grispi… or get utterly annihilated by him. Either way, we’re in for a great fight. Dustin Poirer has the odds stacked against him considerably; many consider Josh Grispi the last, great test for Jose Aldo at Featherweight. If he wins, Poirer will explode onto the scene and immediately emerge as one of the UFC’s premiere Featherweights. Standing in his way is a man that’s almost as much of an engine of destruction as the champion he was originally scheduled to face. It’s going to end violently, most likely in the first round, and it should be an amazing fight no matter how long it lasts.

And my #1 reason to track down and watch the UFC 125 prelims/undercard is…

1. The Lightweight debut of Marcus Davis. You know what you’ll be getting when you see Marcus Davis step into the Octagon: a hard-hitting brawl that’s pure entertainment even if it’s lacking a lot in the finesse department. Against an opponent like Jeremy Stephens, Davis has all the tools necessary to make this an excellent war of attrition. Davis has stated that the drop down to Lightweight has given him a renewed sense of purpose and that he’s healthy both mentally and physically. At least on paper, this should be one of the best fights of the night.

So there you have it, fans and friends. What’s your take on UFC 125’s undercard?

In a new interview with the Canadian Press, “The Irish Hand Grenade” said the following: “I’m healthy and what I’m really looking forward to is going out there and surprising some people. I want people to see that there’s a different me… A lot of that weight I was carrying around before was unhealthy stuff… Next thing you know I’m walking around a smaller, more streamlined version of me but I’m healthy… My mind went from contemplating retirement to now I’m looking at making a run in the 155-pound division.”

I’ve been a bit of a fan of Marcus Davis for some time now, and I’m glad to see that he’s healthy, focused, and determined. There’s a long line of fighters in the UFC that have found new life in a different weight division, and while it remains to be seen if Davis becomes one of those athletes, the odds of it happening certainly look good. Davis has always been an iron-chinned striker, in a division where he’ll likely have a muscle advantage and finally won’t be at a significant reach disadvantage, Davis may be able to start putting together some impressive wins.

I hesitate to buy into his talk of making a run at the championship, however. There’s plenty of top-division talent already in the UFC’s Lightweight division, and even more are about to come in thanks to the WEC/UFC merger. Marcus Davis has got his work cut out for him if he ever wants to challenge for the UFC Lightweight Championship, especially when you consider that the division as it stands right now is dominated primarily by submission specialists and wrestlers.

I think there’s quite a lot riding on Davis’ upcoming fight with Jeremy Stephens, who is no slouch by any stretch of the imagination. Both men match up together so well: they’re both veterans, they’ve both had up-and-down UFC careers, and they’ve both got an impressive number of wins by (T)KO. “Lil’ Heathen” does in fact have more than double the (T)KO’s of Marcus Davis, but again, Davis is dropping down and should retain a lot of the power that made him famous. Plus, Davis has a very under-rated ground game and Stephens has been submitted three times in his six career defeats.

All in all, I’m really looking forward to this match. This one’s going to be a brawl to remember, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended via KO. I’ll plant my flag in the camp of Marcus Davis, but I know that Jeremy Stephens is no joke and will fight Davis tough-and-nail. And what about you, fans and friends? Any opinion on Davis’ recent comments or his upcoming Lightweight debut?

UFC 125 has some obvious sales points mainly centering around the main card title fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.  However, some second tier questions will also get solved or advanced towards solution come January 1^st.

What is the future for Brandon Vera?

Vera was heralded as a multi weight-class phenom when he knocked out Frank Mir in 2006.  Then he went into exile for a couple years when he had contract issues with Dana White.  Since his return, he has rarely flashed the same cage dominance.  Now, after consecutive losses to Randy Couture and Jon Jones the question is … will we ever the see Brandon Vera circa 2006 again?  Thiago Silva, his opponent at UFC 125, will provide more than an adequate measuring stick towards that answer.  I think Vera needs to win or must engage in a dynamic “Fight Of The Night” style affair to keep his good graces with the UFC.  However, working in his favor to stay with the UFC is his Phillipino heritage.  With the UFC expanding to Asia, Dana White may well give Vera every chance to keep his job.

Is Marcus Davis fighting to keep his career alive?

The Bangor Maine pugilist may be in his last UFC fight unless he wins on January 1st.  At 38, and 1-3 in his last four fights, Davis was unable to execute his brawling style against Nate Diaz, Ben Saunders, and Dan Hardy.  His opponent at UFC 125, Jeremy Stephens, may be just what the doctor ordered for Davis.  Stephens is a guy who is all about getting into a fist fight.  Davis will need to overcome his shortcomings from his last fight against Nate Diaz … which was finding way into range to connect.  Stephens does not have the reach that Diaz carried, so he may find more success.  If this is the end for Davis, he has had a tremendous career considering he started as a boxer and was able to round out his skill set to compete out at the highest levels of MMA.

Will a Nate Diaz win elevate him to serious contender status at 170lbs?

Nate Diaz, at times, has shown to be as talented as any fighter in the UFC as he shuttled between the 155 and 170-pound weight classes.  Apparently settled now at the 170lb level, Diaz now looks for his 4th win in his last 5 fights against Dong Hyun kim.  Diaz has used his smothering jab and peppering boxing style to keep opponents at bay while dropping a heavy volume of leather to the body and brain.  Despite impressive wins over Marcus Davis, Rory Markham, and Melvin Guillard of late, Diaz has not been considered in the top 6 of either weight class. If Diaz can beat Kim and settle into the 170lb class, he certainly has the talent to compete at the highest level.  Can this fight start his rankings climb?

It’s all yours folks … will UFC 125 answer these questions for Vera, Davis and Diaz?

@john_moody

Frankie Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann, Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera, Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim, Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida, Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens, Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier, Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Diego Nunes, Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto, and Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann.

My early thoughts on this card are very simple and easily summarized: wow. This is an awesome-looking card. I say this without hyperbole: I think all of the main card fights could have headlined their own “Fight Night Live” special. Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann should be a great back-and-forth war. Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera is going to end very, very violently. Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim should be an important stepping stone and proving point for both men, especially if either one is able to finish and finish convincingly. And then you have Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida: it won’t be technical by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s going to be one entertaining scrap and a fantastic way to kick off the PPV portion of the show.

We’ve even got some pretty good names on the undercard. Marcus Davis always steps into the Octagon ready to brawl. Josh Grispi would have been the next man to face Jose Aldo if Aldo hadn’t pulled out with an injury. Mike Brown is a former WEC champion. You’ve even got veterans like Antonio McKee, Phil Baroni, and Jeremy Stephens. Some may say that the preliminary card has a lot of fighters that are down on their luck in their most-recent fights, but I personally think that shouldn’t and ultimately doesn’t overshadow the fact that they almost always put on entertaining fights.

And in the main event, you’ve got two great Lightweights competing for the championship of a division that’s been blown wide open ever since Frankie “The Answer” Edgar managed to beat BJ Penn not once, but twice. In an era where “The Prodigy” is back at Welterweight and Frank Edgar is the #1 Lightweight in the world, it’s literally anyone’s ballgame. This should be a fantastic fight between two great wrestlers, and I personally can’t wait to see it happen. I know that some fans are quick to criticize how both men haven’t finished their opponents in what feels like forever, but I’m willing to give both these men a pass since they’re entertaining throughout their long wars that end up going to the judges. Don’t believe the doom-sayers, fans and friends: Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard is going to be an awesome fight.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Now that everything is “officially official”, what’s your opinion on UFC 125: “Resolution”?

Since his inception in the UFC in 2005, Davis has been known for his boxing prowess, having knocked out three of his opponents inside the octagon. However, his submission game has been playing catch-up. In addition to his knockout ability, Davis has shown that he is no one trick pony, having submitted four opponents in the cage as well, adding veterans Pete Spratt, Paul Taylor and Paul Kelly among his victims.

Losing three of his last four bouts, “The Irish Hand Grenade” knew that a change was in order. So when he announced his drop to the lightweight division a couple of weeks ago, and when Jeremy Stephens took to twitter begging for the fight, it looked like it would only be inevitable.

Stephens, like Davis, has no qualms with punching people in the face. A noted brawler in the 155-pound division, Jeremy is looking to regain some momentum in his career as well. After riding a two-fight win streak inside the octagon with victories over Justin Buchholz and the always tough Sam Stout, he rise to the top was quickly halted when “Lil Heathen” met with the resurgent Melvin Guillard.

Billed as a potential “Fight of the Night” candidate, the bout did not deliver to the hype. A methodical and slow tempo to the bout left many in attendance yawning at UFC 119 last September, and in the end Guilard edged out Stephens by split-decision after three rounds.

Stephens has since apologized about his performance, and will look to rectify those mistakes when he meets the wily veteran in Davis.

Both men are coming off losses and should be leaving it all out on the line, in order to record an impressive performance to vaunt themselves back into the thick of the things in the lightweight division. For Davis, who was recently submitted by Nate Diaz at UFC 118, a win here is especially important for him. At 37-years-old, a win right now in this point of his career is everything.

UFC 125 takes place on January 1., at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nev. MMAJunkie.com reported the validity of the bout.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the match up? This has the potential of being either a “Fight of the Night” or “Knockout of the Night” candidate. How will Davis perform after the weight cut? Sound off in the comment section below.

From bell to bell, “Lil Heathen” is gunning for the knockout victory, which is evident through his victories over standouts Rafael dos Anjos and Cole Miller. So when Stephens called out fellow slugger Melvin Guillard to action, it was a bout that was implicated as an all out slug fest.

Unfortunately, the two dynamic lightweights didn’t exactly deliver to the billing, and the three-round affair turned lackluster very quickly. In the end, “The Young Assassin” was declared the victor by split-decision, extending his winning streak to three-in-a-row while snapping Stephens’ two fight win streak inside the ufc.

However, Jeremy will have the chance to vindicate himself should he successfully campaign himself for a bout against former welterweight contender, Marcus Davis, who suggests that his career will continue now as a lightweight.

Twitter has become a phenomenon all on it’s own doing. And Stephens is perpetuating the movement by recently tweeting his desire to take on Davis, and he took it straight to the top.

“@Ufc I see Marcus Davis is droppn to 155. PLEASE give me that fight! No disrespect, but I don’t think Marcus will RUN like my last opponent”, wrote Stephens on his twitter account (please excuse his diction).

Davis recently announced the news of his drop the 155-pound division with the MMAJunkie.com crew, after a glorified career at welterweight, where at one time Marcus was considered among the worlds best in his weight class.

After a recent rough patch, where “The Irish Hand Grenade” had been defused by the likes of Dan Hardy, Ben Saunders and most recently Nate Diaz in three of his last four performances, it was then that Sityodtong product opted to make a move to the lightweight division, where he will be on equal footing with opponents of equal stature.

“I think the UFC has me at a 70 (inch reach), and I think they do that because they feel bad for me,” said Davis while speaking with MMAJunkie. “My reach is 69 (inches). That’s got to be the worst reach at 170. Every fight that I’ve had in the past year and a half, I think the closest (opponent) to my reach has been six inches longer than my reach.”

At 37, it’s not likely that Marcus can work his way up to another title shot, and he knows that. But if he can knock a few heads around and entertain a few more people before his time is up, Davis is more than welcome to oblige.

“I’m not going to blow smoke up anybody’s ass and say I’m going to be this phenomenal 155-pound fighter and I’m going to be a champion,” he said. “I know that I’m a 37-year-old guy who’s basically got the body of a 55-year-old guy, and I’ve got a face that likes to open when you look at it wrong. Those are things that I’m always going to battle as a fighter.

Should the bout come to fruition, it would undoubtedly be an exciting one for the fans. Neither Davis nor Stephens have been known to back down from a slug fest.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the potential match up? Sound off in the comment section below.

In baseball it goes … “good pitching beats good hitting.”

In MMA should it go … “good wrestling beats good standup?”

Lawlor had three exciting fights, albeit going 1-2, leading into UFC 121, and showed a mixture of ground and standup skills across those matuch-ups. In a thrilling win over CB Dollaway he pulled the upset in a frantic ground battle ending with Lawlor sinking in the guillotine to finish in the first round.  Against Aaron Simpson, Lawlor stormed his opponent with improved standup, nearly ending the fight in the first, but gassed in the third to lose a close decision. However, it was highly entertaining, due to each fighter bringing strong wrestling skills to the cage, negating each other, which prompted Lawlor to look to his standup.

Wrestler v. Wrestler: ala Frankie Edgar/Tyson Griffin usually is entertaining as neither can leverage the ground game as much and one looks to stand and bang or we get a diverse multi-level fight.

Puncher v. Puncher: ala Chris Lytle/Marcus Davis usually is entertaining as each wants to use the hands and knows the other is not natively inclined to work for the takedown.

In Lawlor v. Cote, both fighters are responsible for the fight staying down.  Clearly Lawlor took the fight to his sweet spot, but Cote can be knocked for not being able to stop the takedown.  Stopping the takedown seems to be the greatest weakness pure standup fighters have.  Dan Hardy had no take down defense v. George St. Pierre, Phillipe Nover had no takedown defense against Efrain Escudero in the Tuf – 8 Finale, and Andre Winner had difficulty as well in this area against Nik Lentz.  If Hardy, Nover or Winner could stop the takedown, just half the time, all those fights may have had a different outcome and likely more entertainment value.

Note: I am not criticizing Lawlor for his strategy.  He was in a “must win” situation from a career standpoint.  He did exactly what he had to do to get a win.  I am just looking down from 50,000 feet and a business/entertainment value standpoint and all the elements a matchmaker has to consider before booking a fight.

Joe Silva may have contemplated … ‘what if Cote stuffs Lawlor’s first three take-down attempts?’  How does the fight play out?  Lawlor loses confidence, Cote inches forward and unloads his hands and we have a crowd pleasing brawl.  But Cote, couldn’t stay on his feet, Lawlor had to have a win via wrestling, so this becomes a relatively boring ground affair.  What if Lawlor came out as he did against Aaron Simpson, with fists flying?  Then, Joe Silva may have pondered, …’we have a fight of the night candidate.’

One thing I am sure Silva is learning, is that, when push comes to shove elite level wrestling always has the potential to neutralize the excitement value of an opponent with strong standup skills.

As wrestlers continue to mute opponents with strong hands and take the zing out of fights, it will be interesting to see how this affects UFC matchmaking going forward.

—

Do you agree?  How should fights be booked?  Should Joe Silva match pure wrestlers with pure boxers?

Nick Osipczak was suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons. Greg Soto was suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons. Amilcar Alves was suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons. John Salter was suspended for up to 180 days due to a possible left hand fracture, pending X-ray results, with a minimum suspension of 30 days with no contact for 21 days. Dan Miller was suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons.

Gabe Ruediger was suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons. Nate Diaz was suspended for a maximum of 180 days due to a possible nasal fracture, pending X-ray results, with a minimum suspension of 60 days with no contact for 60 days. Marcus Davis was suspended indefinitely due to possible head trauma, pending a CT Scan, with a minimum suspension of 60 days with no contact for 30 days. Kenny Florian was suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons. Gray Maynard was suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons.

As is the case with most medical suspensions, most of the fighter’s suspended won’t really be affected. Many fighters take a month off to rest anyway, and since most UFC fighters only fight a handful of times a year, it’s not like they’ll be missing any opportunities. I was surprised at Nate Diaz’s suspension, though, the barrage Davis hit him with at the beginning of their fight must have done a lot more damage than it looked like. Then again, Davis has always had some very powerful hands. Here’s hoping Nate is cleared by his doctors and gets back into the Octagon soon, because I think he’s quickly becoming a great addition to the UFC’s welterweight division.

Speaking of Marcus Davis, I wish him the best and hope that nothing goes wrong with his CT scan. I want to say that the athletic commission may have over-reacted based on how gruesome Davis’ face looked after the Diaz fight, but then again, you can never really be too careful when it comes to head trauma. I still think much of the damage Diaz did was superficial, though. What I mean by that is: Nate put a real hurting on “The Irish Hand Grenade”, but I don’t see Davis developing any sort of lasting trauma because of it. It sure looked nasty, but it’ll heal up fine. Davis is a tough guy, and I have a pretty good feeling that he’ll bounce back from this.

With only a few major suspensions that will likely be reduced pending a full examination by a doctor, I’d say the UFC 118 fighters pulled through pretty well.

At UFC 118, Nate Diaz put on one of the best performances of his career, although it could have been his worst. Never one to let an opportunity to showboat slip by, Nate almost got TKO’d when he showboated a bit too much and left himself open to a big shot from heavy-handed striker Marcus Davis. Diaz recuperated and seemed invigorated thanks to the near-brush with disaster, and went on to pick Davis apart en route to trapping “The Irish Hand Grenade” in the modified Guillotine Choke that has become Nate’s specialty. With two straight victories over two notable Welterweight talents under his belt, Diaz wants the best and will more than likely be given the best.

But is he ready? I personally think so. I think Nate’s striking may not be on Nick’s level just yet, but it’s certainly getting there. He still can’t quite pull off the showboating like Nick can, but when his back is against the wall, more often than not he turns up the heat and clinches a victory. I’d love to see how Diaz would fare against heavy-handed strikers like Dan Hardy, Thiago Alves, or Chris Lytle. Nate keeps looking better and better at Welterweight, so I think now is the time to see if he can finally make the jump in competition and become a title contender.

For Nick’s part, he’s currently set to face arch-rival KJ Noons for the second time, this time with the strikeforce Welterweight Championship on the line. Both men hate each other so much that they took part in a well-publicized post-fight brawl in the defunct Elite XC promotion. In an interview with Strikeforce, Noons had this to say regarding the upcoming rematch: “On October 9^th, I’m fighting a guy that, if I had a kid, I wouldn’t want him looking up to. He’s a trash-talking, pot-smoking chump… Nick says he’s bringing his guys, but so am I. They’re going to need to beef up security… This is beyond a grudge match. I’m going to light him up like a Christmas tree. He’s going to have to kill me. It’s very personal.”

While I think the whole “you have to kill me to beat me” boast is so over-used that it’s completely meaningless, I also think that Noons will be a huge test for Diaz. Diaz looked unstoppable at Welterweight, but his first fight with Noons was a rarity: Noons was the one doing the picking apart. A stint in pro boxing has made KJ’s hands better, deadlier, and more technical than ever, and it’s going to be really interesting to see if Nick’s advancing skill is enough to even the score to 1-1.

I think some very interesting things are in store for the Diaz brothers. If Nate can keep winning in a division where virtually all the top stars have fought and lost convincingly to long-reigning UFC Welterweight Georges St. Pierre, I think he’s only two or three fights away from a shot at the title, so long as Georges St. Pierre wins the rematch between himself and current contender Josh Koscheck. If Nick can continue his streak of dominating wins with a (T)KO over Noons, I frankly don’t see any Strikeforce welterweight being able to beat him in the near future. It’s proving time for both brothers, but I fully believe that their time is now.

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

Next for Nate Diaz: A fight with another good technical striker: Dan Hardy. Even if it’s not Hardy, look for Diaz to get a shot at a top-tier opponent. Perhaps even Thiago Alves should be the next challenge for Nate.

Next for Marcus Davis: Once again Davis has been stopped in dominating fashion. While I don’t see him losing his job anytime soon, if ever, I also think that this fight permanently moved Davis to mid-level gatekeeper status. Look for him to receive a steady stream of UFC newcomers for his next several fights.

Next for Kenny Florian: He needs to come to grips with the fact that he’s a divisional gatekeeper if he doesn’t improve his ground game from the bottom. When fighters are able to take “KenFlo” out of his element, Florian has always looked downright lost in the Octagon. Florian is still one of the best fighters in the Lightweight division, but his inability to come back when the odds are stacked against him is a real hindrance.

Next for Demian Maia: In Maia’s continued quest to regain his Middleweight relevancy, his domination of Mario Miranda was a big step in the right direction. I think Maia is ready for a rematch with Nate Marquardt. If not Marquardt, I say give Maia another good striker, like Chris Leben, in order to highlight the submission skills that made him so famous and/or to highlight his admittedly improving striking.

Next for Randy Couture: Why not Jon Jones? Couture has had nothing left to prove for the last several years and he’s still had more wins than losses. Now that he’s got a three-fight win-streak under his belt, why not welcome Jon Jones to the UFC’s elite in a big way with a very tough opponent? I think it would be amazing to see how Jones’ wrestling holds up to Couture’s, and if Couture can stand up to the dynamic striking of Jonny Bones.

Next for James Toney: Kimbo Slice in a boxing ring. I don’t see James Toney going anywhere near an Octagon for at least a couple of years. If he ever does return to the UFC, he’ll likely face a predominantly striking-based fighter, someone like Cheick Kongo. I think Kimbo vs. Toney is very likely if only because the fight will generate a lot of interest and make everyone involved a boatload of money. Look for Toney to take the KO, by the way.

Next for BJ Penn: It’s tough to say. Has the Lightweight division finally caught up to BJ Penn, or is Frankie Edgar simply his kryptonite? If BJ stays at Lightweight, he’s got to learn how to deal with today’s version of the dominant wrestler, as opposed to someone like Sean Sherk, who Penn outright dominated. This issue is even further heightened if Penn moves to Welterweight, since it’s practically controlled by dominant wrestlers. Tough times are ahead for BJ Penn, whether he or his fans or anyone else wants to admit it or not.

Next for Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard: Each other, obviously. Look for this to be heavy on the wrestling, with Maynard trying to nullify Edgar’s impressive speed and off-the-charts cardio by holding him constantly and trying to grind out a decision. I think Edgar will be a wholly different fighter for this rematch, so I’m betting that Edgar evens it to 1-1. Maynard impressed against Florian and I have no doubt that he’s ready for his shot at the gold, but Frankie Edgar simply impressed me far, far more.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Where do people like Penn, Edgar, Couture, Florian and Maynard go from here?

Frankie Edgar defeats BJ Penn via Unanimous Decision to retain the UFC Lightweight Championship. Randy Couture defeats James Toney via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 3:19 of Round 1. Gray Maynard defeats Kenny Florian via Unanimous Decision. Demian Maia defeats Mario Miranda via Unanimous Decision. Nate Diaz defeats Marcus Davis via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:02 of Round 3. Joe Lauzon defeats Gabe Ruediger via Submission (Armbar) at 2:01 of Round 1. Nik Lentz defeats Andre Winner via Unanimous Decision. Dan Miller defeats John Salter via Submission (Ninja Choke) at 1:53 of Round 2. Greg Soto defeats Nick Osipczak via Unanimous Decision. Mike Pierce defeats Amilcar Alves via Submission (Armbar) at 3:11 of Round 3.

And here’s what I thought of the event itself.

I was right that Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis had a good shot at stealing the show. It was certainly the best fight of the night up to that point. As much as I used to hate the Diaz brothers, it’s plain to see that their “punches in bunches” style has finally found its niche. Diaz just completely dominated Davis in the striking, even though Davis had Diaz in a lot of trouble early in the fight. I think that brush with disaster calmed Nate down and brought the killer out in him. I see big things in store for Nate Diaz.

It killed me to see “KenFlo” so thoroughly dominated. I’m a huge fan of Kenny Florian, but he just doesn’t know what to do when he’s not in complete control of a fight. Gray Maynard vs. Frankie Edgar should be a lot of fun even though people are already predicting that it’s going to be boring. Based on how good both men looked at UFC 118, I’m going to give that fight the benefit of the doubt.

For those wanting my opinion on Couture/Toney, you can read all about it here.

In regards to the main event, Frankie Edgar proved once and for all that he’s the best Lightweight in the world right now. Penn honestly looked lost in the later rounds. Frankie Edgar’s cardio is amazing, his punching is so crisp and fast, and his takedowns look more unstoppable by the minute. Frankie Edgar put the world on notice in this fight: he’s no fluke champion, and that belt belongs around his waist. I have a lot of respect for Frankie Edgar, I respected Edgar even before he beat Penn the first time, but now you can officially call me a fan of the man. We’re entering a whole new chapter in the UFC’s Lightweight division, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

And how about you, fans and friends? What do you think of UFC 118, and as far as “Event of the Year” goes, where does it rank with you?

The main reason I’m looking forward to this fight is because both men’s styles match up so well with each other. Even though a majority of his wins have come via submission, Nate Diaz loves to strike. Marcus Davis needs no introduction as a striker; he’s competed in some awesome all-out striking wars and has displayed a resiliency that sometimes seems superhuman.

The key difference between the two is their unique punching styles. Davis was a professional boxer for seven years, and that mentality hasn’t died yet, but rather evolved. Through trial and error, the more-traditional striking of Marcus Davis has bridged the gap between boxing and MMA and given “The Irish Hand Grenade” seventeen wins in a seven-year career. Nate’s style is vastly different and far trickier than that of Davis. Like his slightly-more-famous brother Nick, Nate has adopted the “punches in bunches” style of peppering shots that are designed to do cumulative damage rather than definitively KO an opponent.

It’s true that Diaz is 2-3 in his last five fights while Davis is 3-2, but also like big-brother Nick, I think the smaller Diaz brother is finally beginning to realize his potential. Still, Davis poses a big threat to Nate, since Davis has always been a rather large Welterweight while Nate Diaz just got done with a stint at Lightweight. If the weight advantage isn’t enough, I’ll be frank and admit that Davis has more power in his punches. Remember, the reason both Nick and Nate adopted the “punches in bunches” style to begin with was because of their inability to one-hit KO their opponents. Then again, Nate Diaz has never been knocked out before, while the iron chin of Davis finally cracked against an explosive knee courtesy of former UFC fighter Ben Saunders. Davis may have more pure power, but Diaz is super-tough and has very long arms, so his peppering shots may find home so often that they’ll wear out Davis enough to diminish his fierce punching power. Or Davis could go for broke like he almost always does and become only the second man to ever legitimately (T)KO a Diaz brother.

The one area of expertise that Diaz clearly has over Davis is the ground game. The younger Diaz has become known as a submission specialist, and for his near-inescapable modified Guillotine Choke in particular. More often than not, fighters faced with the realization that Diaz is getting the better of them at the striking game attempt to take him down, only to end up getting submitted. Diaz’s style of punching is very frustrating, and I think it’s quite possible that Davis will lose his head and attempt to go for broke if Diaz begins to pick him apart, which will lead to Diaz either taking Marcus down or being taken down himself, but getting the submission either way.

But no matter what happens, this should be an excellent match. Could it steal the show against bouts like Edgar/Penn 2 or Toney/Couture? Maybe not when you consider how much hype is surrounding those two fights, but trust me, Diaz vs. Davis has “sleeper hit” written all over it. It’s a shame these two haven’t seen their time in the spotlight nearly enough as Couture, Toney, Penn, or Edgar. It may not put either man “in the mix” but sometimes you have to appreciate a fun fight just because it’s a fun fight. And this one is going to be a whole lot of fun.

But what do you think, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis?

As fans filed out of the Bell Centre after UFC 113 in Montreal, a very unexpected encounter between bitter rivals took place in the locker room of welterweight Marcus Davis (17-6).  He had just defeated Jonathan Goulet (22-11) to break a two fight losing skid and rejuvenate his career. Davis requested that UFC officials bring Dan Hardy into his locker room for a meeting.  UFC brass had previously kept these two fighters apart at all costs, given the rancor that existed stemming from their controversial June 2009 fight.  As die-hard MMA fans know, Hardy waged a crude psychological war of words in advance of his UFC 99 fight with Davis.  A smack talk battle that ultimately lured Davis into saying things he now regrets and feels adversely affected his performance.  Coupled with Davis losing the decision to Hardy in a fight he adamantly believes he won, the effects from this period of time lingered with the Irish Hand Grenade.

As Davis states, it was time for him to come to peace with this ordeal and do the right thing.

“I asked the UFC to go get him and bring him to my locker room cause I needed to talk to him to clear some things up.  Everybody was freaking out, but you know he came back and I said, ‘look I know you and I got problems and they are not resolved and not fixed, but I have to apologize for some things that I said, because that is out of character for me now, teaching my kids what it is to be a good person and a Christian and doing the right thing.  What I did was wrong, even though I was just trying to attack you.  Things that I said would upset your family and people that care about you and love you, just like the things you did to me, upset and hurt people that care about me.  So, I just did the same thing you did and I am apologizing for that.  I am sorry I did that.’  And I shook his hand for the first time.”

Davis said as they shook hands that Hardy responded in a more casual fashion.

“He (Hardy) said ‘hey don’t worry about it.  It is over and in the past.’ He said he didn’t think it was a big deal and thought it was funny.”

Davis achieved a cease-fire in what was one of the more bitter MMA feuds over the past year.  It does not, however, lessen Davis’ desire for a rematch with Hardy and reverse what he feels was a grossly unfair judging decision the first time around.

“I would like nothing better than to get another fight with Dan Hardy and he would welcome that too.”

With Davis coming off an impressive TKO win over Jonathan Goulet and at least partially exorcising the ghost of Dan Hardy, he is now squarely set on his return to the Boston Garden to fight Nate Diaz (12-5) at UFC 118.  It will be Davis’ second fight there since he fought, as a boxer, on the last boxing card ever at ‘The Garden’ knocking out Joe Larue in December of 1994.  Diaz, 12 years Davis’ junior at 25 years of age, will pose challenges with a unique boxing style and world class jiu jitsu game.

“I am not going to grapple with Nate Diaz, makes absolutely no sense. I got good anti jiu jitsu.  I have only been submitted one time. And so, I am not easy to submit, but why in the hell would I take a guy like him down and stay on top.”

Davis will lean on his professional boxing pedigree to keep this a standup affair, yet the Bangor Maine fighter will not be looking for a slugfest.

“I got to be able to get in, get off, and get out, not stand right in front of him.  Most guys, he (Diaz) comes forward, they get into that range where he is peppering them and then they try to get off and he just keeps coming forward and they just clinch with him.  He (Diaz) comes forward and they shoot.  I am not going to do either one of those, I am not going to grab, not going to take him down, I am going throw what I have to do, move my head, and get out of there.”

With Father Time ticking, Davis knows he must stop Nate Diaz to keep his career moving forward, preserve one more run at a title shot, and maybe a chance to scrum with his ‘pal’ Dan Hardy again.

“I am 37 years old and every fight in the UFC when you are this age and this point in your career is the most important fight.   But this one, I got a young kid who just inked a four-fight deal with the UFC, so they are looking to hold onto this kid.  A kid who won the Ultimate Fighter, and I am fighting in my backyard basically.  All these important factors are involved, so I am trying to do everything I can to be smart.”

—

What are your thoughts on Marcus Davis making peace with Dan Hardy?  How will he do against Nate Diaz at UFC 118?

Davis lost a split decision to Hardy at UFC 99 in Cologne in June 2009 and lobbied after the fight for a rematch that never came.  Instead, Hardy went on to earn a title shot versus Fighters.com and UFC Welterweight Champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2) after a unanimous decision over ninth-ranked “Quick” Mike Swick (14-4).  And, Davis went on to another knockout loss to tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2).

Davis’s Tweet comes on the heels of Fighters.com’s third-ranked heavyweight and former UFC champion Frank Mir (13-4) telling WXDX radio in Pittsburgh, “[I want Brock Lesnar to be] the first person that dies due to Octagon-related injuries.”  Mir subsequently issued an apology.

Davis hasn’t apologized, but did admit the Tweest was in “bad taste” but “fitting [after] he did the gay photos towards me which is worse. This was words; those are up for life.”

Before the Hardy-Davis matchup, Hardy PhotoShopped photos of Davis with homosexual references.

The hour-long broadcast will run commercial-free followed by UFC 106 live on pay-per-view at 10:00 PM. ET. Additional fights from the UFC 106 undercard may also air on SpikeTV depending on the length of the two scheduled bouts.

Topping the bill is the return of former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) as he is set to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) in a rematch of the 2006 fight that was Griffin’s first loss in the UFC.

Although a winner of the inaugural Ultimate Fighter reality show, to many observers Griffin’s loss to the veteran Ortiz was the fight that catapulted the Xtreme Couture fighter into the deeper ranks of professional MMA. Now currently coming off a two fight losing streak, Griffin has a lot to win and a lot to lose when he faces Ortiz for the second time.

For Ortiz, UFC 106 will be a triumphant return to the promotion following over a year of bad blood with the organization. His last appearance in the Octagon was a losing effort at the hands of current UFC light heavyweight champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (13-0) at UFC 84 in May, 2008.

UFC 106 will also feature two heavy-handed welterweights as Josh Koscheck (13-4) is set to clash against “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-2) in the co-main-event. Johnson is recently coming off a devastating win over “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) in 41 seconds of a catchweight bout at UFC 104.

The fight card is rounded out by a series of bouts that set a theme of old versus new when veteran of the UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championship “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (13-11) returns to the Octagon for the first time since UFC 51 in 2005 to face off against The Ultimate Fighter 7 champ Amir Sadollah (1-1).

Fighters.com seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) and fellow Brazilian ”Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (12-3) continue the theme of veteran versus up-and-comer. Nogueira makes his UFC debut following a near decade-long career worldwide.

Remaining main card bouts for UFC 106 include UFC veteran and Judo superstar “The Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) as he meets Dustin Hazelett (11-4). “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (14-4) is set to fight American Top Team’s “KIlla B” Ben Saunders (5-0-2 ). And the Ultimate Fighter 3 winner, “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (9-6) will take on wrestler and WEC alumnus Jake Rosholt (6-1).

UFC 106 is rounded out by Paulo Thiago (7-1) versus Jacob Volkmann (9-0), Brock Larson (27-3) versus Brian Foster (9-12), Caol Uno (25-11-4) versus Fabricio Camoes (6-0), and George Sotiropoulos (10-2) versus Jason Dent (29-9).

UFC champ and Fighters.com’s second-ranked heavyweight Brock Lesnar (4-1) will defend his title versus sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0) in the UFC 106 main event.

Also on the card, light heavyweights “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) and “Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-9) will fight in a battle of UFC legends.

“No fights yet,” Davis said. “UFC is holding me out till November, I think.”

It’s no surprise though. Davis hasn’t fought in the Octagon stateside since tapping out “Secret Weapon” Pete Spratt (18-15) at UFC 69 in Houston in 2007. He’s been an integral component of the UFC’s European strategy.

He lost a split decision to prospect “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (22-6) at UFC 99 in Cologne last June.

Lytle had called for the match-up after winning a controversial unanimous decsion over “Relentless” Paul Taylor (9-4-1) at UFC 89 in Birmingham last weekend.

But, the lack of a contract hasn’t stopped Davis from trash talking Lytle to Eurosport.

“I don’t know whether [Lytle] deserves a fight against me.  People always say that Chris is the ‘gatekeeper’ to our division; but, I think that I am past the gate,” Davis told Eurosport Friday.

Davis tapped “Tellys” Paul Kelly (7-1) in a guillotine at 2:16 of round two at UFC 89.  Both Davis and Lytle won bonuses for their performances.

Davis added, “I have spoken to a few people who have told me that they actually think Paul Taylor won that fight against Chris.  I beat Paul in one round, so I’m just not sure.”

Davis confirmed he will fight in Dublin and said, “If [Lytle] is the fight that the UFC wants, then I am more than happy.”

“I felt great, man,” Davis said after the fight.  “I felt fast!”

In the second round, Kelly threw a right hook, then shot for a takedown that he had scored in round one.

Davis described the series of tactics, “I got the underhook on my left side, got the hand around the head.  I was going to let go of the head to get the underhook on that side to totally get out, but I noticed that he kept pushing his head forward even though I had a hook around his neck a little bit.”

Kelly had to wriggle free of a Davis guillotine attempt in the first round.

Davis continued, “I just said to myself, ‘You know what?  I’m going to back out a little bit and see if he keeps pushing his head forward.  If he keeps pushing his head forward, I’ll let go of my left underhook and I’ll shoot the guillotine.’  And, that’s what happened.”

Davis won the UFC’s $40,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus.

Davis also responded to the challenged issued by “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (26-16-5) after Lytle’s victory, saying, “If Chris wants to fight me and he wants to do it in Ireland, then let’s get it on.”

“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

Kelly made his Octagon debut in January, earning a unanimous decision over fellow countryman Paul Taylor (9-3-1).

UFC veteran Davis suffered his first loss in twelve fights last month in London, a unanimous decision that went to “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2).

Hughes stalked Alves for a takedown at the first bell, settling for bottom position by pulling guard, but never finding the submission opportunity he thought he could force.

Again, Hughes took the Brazilian to the mat mid-way through the first and smothered the kickboxer; but, Alves utilized butterfly guard to neutralize Hughes’s offense.

The only damage done on the mat in round one was after the confident “Pitbull” bulldogged the veteran to the mat and hammered a crevice in Hughes’s nose with an elbow strike.

Hughes, like Gracie at UFC 60, was impotent. Alves wasn’t falling for the tried and true tricks, wasn’t physically overwhelmed by the stocky farm boy from rural Illinois, and wasn’t intimidated by the future Hall of Famer’s legacy.

The second round was short; the end poignant.

Hughes ducked for the takedown that’s served as a sure-shot for ten years; and, Alves flew the distance between him and Hughes, colliding into Hughes’s right jaw with his left knee.

One punch later and referee Herb Dean waved off the fight, and, officially, the Matt Hughes era.

Alves never doubted the outcome, but remained humble while pleading from the Octagon, “Mr. Dana White, I’ve been a good boy, please give me a title shot!”

“He got me, no doubt,” Hughes admitted.

For Hughes, there remains a grudge match with fourth-ranked “Terror” Matt Serra (9-5), then a lot of prayer and consultation with his family for the proudly Christian husband and father of two.

UFC 85′s co-main event featured a pair of UFC heavyweight title contenders, seventh-ranked“Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum(11-3-1) and perennial Pinoy prospect “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-2), ending in a controversy that’s much ado about nothing.

Werdum quite simply spanked “The Truth” from full mount to a first round TKO at 4:40.

“There was 15 seconds left [in round one]. Let me take my ass whupping and let’s go to a second round,” complained Vera.

But, that’s not the rule Octagon referees are instructed to enforce. Vera had made no attempt to improve his position or fight back while mounted by “Vai Cavalo” and he knows clamming-up and waiting for the round to end is not an “intelligent defense.”

After two exciting finishes, Werdum moved passed his boring Octagon debut versus fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski(12-5) into the UFC top contender’s spot.

After being outsized for the second straight fight, Vera should seriously comtemplate a move to 205-pounds.

Take a cue from “The Count” Michael Bisping (16-1), who again ran roughshod over an opponent in his new weight class of 185-pounds.

Canadian “Dooms Day” Jason Day (17-6) withered under the pressure of the big lights in London and big fists of Britain’s Count of The Cage, Bisping, in a first-round TKO at 3:42.

“People think I have no wrestling, no ground game. Have a bit of faith!” Bisping said after taking Day to the mat twice before pounding him out.

Day was intended to serve a challenge on the ground to Bisping, who’ll now look for bigger match-ups in the middleweight division.

And, “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2) propelled himself into contender talk in his new weight class of 170-pounds after ending “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis‘s (14-4) eleven-fight win streak in a dominating UD.

Davis never overcame 6’1″ Swick’s height and reach advantage, neutralizing Davis’s powerful boxing combos.

When Swick took Davis to the mat, “Quick’s” dynamic assault sealed the 29-27 times three unanimous decision which left Davis with a deep crevice on his left cheek.

Middleweight Thales Leites (13-1) won a split decision on point deductions over Nathan Marquardt (26-8-2).

Leites floored Marquardt with a straight right in the first round, which was later avenged with a right uppercut from Marquardt that sent Leites to the fence.

Marquardt dominated the final two rounds with G’n'P that broke Leites’s nose in the second round.

However, Marquardt was deducted a point in the second round for an illegal knee to Leites’s head while Leites’s knees were still touching the mat.

In the third, referee Herb Dean deducted another point from Marquardt for an elbow to the back of the head after Dean repeatedly warned the former title challenger. Upon replay, the strike seemed to land on the side of Leites’s head, not the back.

One judged scored the fight 28-27 for Marquardt; but, the other two agreed with Fighters.com with the score of 28-27 for Leites.

In the events most exciting fight, “Handsome” Matt Wiman (10-3) upset lightweight prospect Thiago Tavares (13-2), leaving Tavares slumped at the cage after a barrage of Wiman punches knocked Tavares out at 1:57 of round two.

Xtreme Couture kickboxer “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-2) tapped middleweight veteran “El Conquistador” Jorge Rivera (15-7) in a guillotine choke at 2:44 of round one.

UFC debuting Kevin Burns (6-1) earned “Submission of the Night” with a triangle choke of American Top Team “Jucao” Roan Carneiro (12-7) at 2:53 of round two.

“Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) TKO’d “Punisher” Jason Lambert (23-8) at 2:07 of round one in a light heavyweight fight.

Brit welterweight Paul Taylor (9-3-1) won a split decision over Frenchman “Joker” Jess Liaudin (12-10).

Dutch heavyweight Antoni Hardonk (7-4) TKO’d Eddie Sanchez (8-2) at 4:15 of round two.

Sanchez looked like a lamb being lead to slaughter entering the Octagon to become Cro Cop’s cage debut.  He took an “L” at 4:33 of round one by TKO.

He was to become Cro Cop’s only cage victim in three starts.

Had Sanchez known Cro Cop was…human (as we found out in fights versus Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo), he may have done enough to see the final bell, maybe even win.

Sanchez may be given a second chance, this time with the vital intel’ going in.

The rumor among fighters is that Sanchez is getting the call to face Brock Lesnar at UFC 85 in London.

Lesnar debuted in the Octagon versus Frank Mir and was quickly submitted via knee bar.

Neither Sanchez nor Lesnar has confirmed.  Mum is the consistently official word at the UFC; so, I didn’t even ask for official confirmation.

Also rumored for the UFC’s return to 02 Arena is a welterweight scrap between “The Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis and “Quick” Mike Swick.

The fight is tabled and awaiting signatures from the principles.

Davis comes off a one-minute knockout of Jess Liaudin in Newcastle, making four stoppages and 11 wins in a row.  Swick’s last night’s work was a lackluster majority decision debut at 170-pounds versus Josh Burkman.

Sokoudjou has confirmed judoka on judoka violence at UFC 84 in Vegas versus Kazuhiro Nakamura.

“He’s someone I respect,” Sokou says.  “It’s just business.  Nothing personal.”

Both return from losses to “The Dragon” Ryoto Machida.

“The Hungarian Nightmare” Christian Wellisch says,  “I have not signed a contract for another fight.”

Wellisch is rumored to welcome hulking wrestler Shane Carwin to the Octagon at UFC 84.