Chief among them, I thought I would never see Michael Bisping finish someone on the feet, since collectively I’ve heard that he is the “pillow hands” of the middleweight division, that could have also been a whole lot of fighters that were in attendance at the Acer Arena were not necessarily the biggest fans of “The Count”.

While Bisping’s feat was impressive in of itself, several men shined brighter and earned the evening’s coveted “Fight Night” awards and all took home an additional $75k in bonus earnings.

Mark Hunt recorded his first victory in nearly five-years when he knocked out veteran Chris Tuchscherer this past weekend, showing some much improved takedown defense and patience inside the cage. The former K-1 world champion walked right through the wrestling standout, staggering him in the opening moments of the fight before taking Chris into the second-round, connecting on a well placed short right-uppercut which sent Tuchscherer, a training partner of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, crashing to the mat face first. Hunt knew the action was over, and walked away after the blow landed without waiting for the referee to intervene in on the action. The classy walk-off KO earned Hunt the evening’s “Knockout of the Night” award, pocketing him some extra change in his pocket, and all before an adored hometown crowd in Australia.

An early upset on the card, UFC newcomer Brian Ebersole made good on his first foray inside the octagon when he defeated budding contender Chris Lytle on the pay-per-view event. Lytle was the heavy favorite heading into the bout, while Ebersole, largely an unknown to the casual fan, was stepping up on a few weeks notice for an injured Carlos Condit. However, Brian did not deter, and out grappled, and outstruck Lytle en route to a decision win–even knocking down the noted striker with a big knee to the chin. For their efforts, both men left the Acer Arena with an additional $75k for their “Fight of the Night” performances.

Finally, Kyle Noke, the season eleven veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter” made quick work of former castmate Chris Camozzi, submitting him with a swift rear-naked choke. Camozzi’s attempt at a takedown was botched when Noke was able to reverse position and immediately wind up in mount, eventually securing Chris’ back and sunk in the fight ending submission hold which came in less than two-minutes of the opening round. With the win, Noke not only recorded a win before his beloved Australian natives, but left the cage with the “Submission of the Night” award and some extra cash to boot.

According to MMA Weekly, the UFC was able to draw an attendance of 18, 186 fans to the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. And those fans ended up giving the UFC a massive 3.5 million dollars in gate receipts. According to the report, the UFC raked in over a million more dollars for this event than they did for their first Australian event.

MMA Weekly also brings us the scoop on who took home the UFC’s traditional post-fight awards and bonuses. This time, four fighters each received a $75,000 bonus for their spirited performances at UFC 127.

In one of the biggest upsets of the night, Brian Ebersole fought tough UFC veteran Chris Lytle to a tough three-round decision. Both men performed so admirably that the UFC saw fit to award their encounter “Fight of the Night”. The UFC’s “Knockout of the Night” award was given to MMA veteran and PRIDE FC notable Mark Hunt, who scored his first win in almost five years at UFC 127. Hunt broke an epic six-fight losing-streak by nearly breaking his hand over the head of Chris Tuchscherer. Tuchscherer has now lost three of his last four bouts, with all three losses coming by way of (T)KO. The “Submission of the Night” award went to Kyle Noke for his thrilling and lightning-fast Rear Naked Choke victory over Chris Camozzi.

All in all, it seems like this event was a pretty big success. I think the UFC has put on two pretty entertaining cards in Australia, both of which have been greeted with an avalanche of fans and support. I think the UFC will have big plans for Australia in the next few years.

I also think that Brian Ebersole and Chris Lytle definitely deserved “Fight of the Night” for their thrilling war of attrition. Win or lose, Chris Lytle once again took home a post-fight bonus. He may never become a UFC champion, but Chris Lytle remains one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC’s Welterweight division and, dare I say it, in the UFC in general. I’m honestly not too sure what the future holds for Chris Lytle, but I know I’ll be ready to support him no matter where he goes from here.

I’m honestly pretty glad that Mark Hunt was able to finally… and I do mean finally… win an MMA bout. He didn’t exactly beat a world-class opponent, but still, he scored a pretty great KO. I’m pretty sure the UFC won’t keep Hunt around for long, but at least he’s finally broken his losing streak, and he did it in the world’s premiere Mixed Martial Arts organization. I also really enjoyed Kyle Noke’s submission win and I think he fully deserved his “Submission of the Night” bonus.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of UFC 127’s live attendance and gate receipts and/or UFC 127’s post-fight bonus winners?

MMA Junkie first brings word that a deal is in place to bring Spencer Fisher and Ross Pearson together for a fight on the preliminary card. A thirty-fight veteran, Spencer “The King” Fisher comes into this bout on a one-fight win-streak, and this fight with Pearson will mark his fifteenth appearance inside the famed Octagon. Pearson, the Lightweight winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9, recently had a four-fight win-streak broken by a submission loss to Cole Miller.

In addition to that bout, UFC 127 will now see a battle of big Heavyweights who need a big win in a big way. MMA Junkie also recently reported that Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer would also be taking place at UFC 127, also on the preliminary card. Mark Hunt’s recent debut in the UFC fulfills contractual obligations that have been postponed since the fall of PRIDE, all the way back in 2007. Hunt hasn’t won a fight since 2006 and is on a six-fight losing-streak. Chris “The Crowbar” Tuchscherer is a noted training partner of Brock Lesnar, and has gone 1-2 in his most recent Octagon efforts.

According to the MMA Junkie report, the announcement of these two bouts brings together a finalized UFC 127 card. So long as no fighters come down with injuries, the official card stands as follows (from top to bottom): Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn, Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera, Dennis Siver vs. George Sotiropoulos, Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle, Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke, Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson, Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna, Riki Fukuda vs. Nick Ring, Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer , Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton, and Tom Blackledge vs. Anthony Perosh.

I’m really looking forward to this event, and I can’t wait to see it happen. I would have watched this show for the main event alone, but I commend the UFC for putting together such a fantastic card around what is already a fantastic main event. In regards to these two match-ups, I think Spencer Fisher will be a good test for Ross Pearson, who continues to struggle to break the mid-level barrier at Lightweight. If Pearson manages to beat the talented veteran, he’ll probably find himself back on the main televised card of a UFC event sooner rather than later.

It honestly breaks my heart, just a bit, whenever talks turn to Mark Hunt. So many people are quick to make him the butt of a joke, so many people just assume he’s garbage. Mark Hunt is definitely a victim of his own shortcomings, but the guy isn’t a bad person, and he always comes into his MMA fights looking to entertain. He’ll throw caution to the wind, striking with strikers and grappling with grapplers, just because he knows the fans want a show. Even with his gargantuan losing streak, Mark Hunt gets a pass from me… even though I think Tuchscherer is probably going to extend that losing streak.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on these two match-ups, and the completed UFC 127 card in general?

In an interview with The Garv, McCorkle said the following: “I just was very eager to rub my lightning quick submission victory in the faces of my haters… I’m going to beat Struve, and I’m going to make it look easy.  Then all my haters will talk about how he was never any good to begin with. Just like they did with Mark Hunt… Many people have claimed to see a blue-ish light surrounding me like Obi Wan Kenobi’s ghost.  I think there’s just a very positive energy that surrounds me… I can’t really explain it.  But once you’ve been touched by it, you’ll never forget it.”

Consider me touched. Sean McCorkle does seem to have all the skills that a true keyboard warrior has to possess in order to stay alive in the shark tank of the internet. He’s witty, hilarious, and has just the right amount of arrogance to back up his skills, which are admittedly nothing to joke about. McCorkle is a five-year ten-fight veteran, his record stands at a perfect 10-0, and he’s only been to a decision once in his career. Even if he’s begun to become infamous on the internet, I very much believe that Sean McCorkle is the real deal.

He will have his work cut out for him against Stefan Struve, though. Struve is also a five-year veteran but has more than double the fights McCorkle has. He’s also got far more experience inside of the UFC than McCorkle, having compiled a 4-2 record in the promotion. Despite the fact that Struve has lost to Roy Nelson and Junior dos Santos, he’s still been inside the Octagon against some very credible opponents. In fact, the two men he lost to were the two men that recently battled it out against each other to determine the #1 contender to the UFC Heavyweight Championship. If Sean McCorkle wants to use Stefan Struve as a stepping stone, Struve is going to be one tough stone to crack.

Ultimately I can see this fight going either way. Although I did get a kick out of this verbal beatdown by Sean McCorkle, I think Stefan Struve is the perfect opponent for McCorkle’s skill level and experience. Stefan Struve is a tough mid-to-lower-end Heavyweight that knows how to come back from the brink of defeat and possesses both knockout power and serious submission skills. These two match up very, very well, so look for this to be a competitive and close fight with the winner taking a firm step into the mid-level of the UFC’s Heavyweight division.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Sean McCorkle’s comments, and do you see him getting past Stefan Struve?

Beginning to make noise in the heavyweight division, “Skyscraper” will meet with perhaps his most well-known opponent to date, when he tangles with internet sensation, Sean McCorkle.

Perhaps still largely unknown to the main stream mixed martial arts audience, “Big Sexy” has become a true hardcore favorite with his infamy which has been derived from the popular Underground Forums, of MixedMartialArts.com, where his zany antics and outlandish claims have eventually landed him in the big show of the UFC. Obviously, his talent has had something to do with that.

An undefeated giant, standing at 6’7 and cutting down to the 265-pound limit, McCorkle made his UFC debut most recently at UFC 119 in Indianapolis, Indiana before a hometown crowd. The unblemished prospect made short work of former PRIDE star, Mark Hunt. The action unfolded quickly when the reinvigorated Samoan quickly closed the gap with punches, which is indicative of his K-1 background. Sean took control, bringing the fight to the ground where he was eventually able to lock on a fight-ending arm bar, at just 63 seconds inside of the first round.

With the victory, McCorkle is successful in his UFC debut, and has pushed his record to a perfect 10-0, launching him into the big time.

Hoping to derail the momentum of the UFC rookie, Stefan Struve is looking for his second-straight win, when the two giants meet in the cage on December 11, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for UFC 124.

The news of the bout was first reported by MMAJunkie.com, which will most likely serve preliminary duties on the pay-per-view card, which is headlined by a title fight pitting reigning and defending champion, Georges St. Pierre against rival “The Ultimate Fighter” season 12 coach, Josh Koscheck.

Struve, 22, brings a wealth of experience into the cage at a tender and young age. At 20-4 (4-2 in the UFC), Stefan’s age and experience are unrivaled in the heavyweight division. Let alone, the fact that “Skyscraper” stands as the tallest fighter in the UFC, at a staggering 6’11, which rivals any other fighter in the promotion.

The Dutchman is coming off of an exciting slug fest with the previously undefeated Christian Morecraft, at UFC 117 last August. The early goings of the bout saw Christian largely in control, punching Stefan on several occasions standing, before bringing the action to the ground, mounting, and finishing strong, arguably earning a lopsided 10-8 round. A dejected Struve came back storming in the second. The two heavyweights traded punches against the cage before Struve landed a right hand to the chin in a wild exchange, dropping Morecraft to the ground, polishing it off with a few additional strikes before referee Herb Dean called a halt to the bout in just 22 seconds into the second round.

The win moved Struve improved his record to 20-4 overall, and garnered the Holland native 4 wins in his past 5 fights inside the octagon.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match up? Who do you have pegged as the early favorite? Will McCorkle’s size match with “Skyscraper’s”? Sound off in the comment section below.

Both Matt Serra and Mirko Cro Cop received indefinite suspensions following their losing efforts to Chris Lytle and Frank Mir respectively. Both men are indefinitely suspended until they get a head CT scan by a doctor and are medically cleared to fight again, at which point their suspension is reduced to a minimum of 180 days. Co-main event fighter Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was suspended for thirty days, with no contact for thirty days. The “thirty-thirty” suspension also applies to Joey Beltran and Steve Lopez. Evan Dunham was suspended for 45 days with 45 days no contact. Sean Sherk and Sean McCorkle were also suspended thirty days, with 21 days no contact for both fighters. Matt Mitrione was suspended for thirty days with twelve days no contact. Mark Hunt was suspended indefinitely, pending the results of an X-Ray on his left elbow, with thirty days no contact.

It’s unfortunate that both Mirko Cro Cop and Matt Serra are looking at basically a half-year off even if they’re medically cleared. Both are getting older and, based on their UFC 119 performances, their abilities may be on the decline as well. In Serra’s case, realistically he simply made the mistake of standing with a former boxer in order to give the fan’s a good fight. I think Serra shouldn’t be criticized, though, because he did give us a good fight, and I personally felt both he and Lytle were robbed of “Fight of the Night” honors. But ultimately, Serra’s desire to make up for their lackluster first fight caused him to take a ton of damage. Hopefully he takes these six months off to heal up, attend to any nagging injuries, and come back with a renewed sense of purpose and a back-to-basics approach.

Mirko Cro Cop’s indefinite suspension is, at least in my honest opinion, yet another nail in the man’s coffin. Robert Rousseau recently penned on article detailing why he thinks Mirko Cro Cop should retire, and I have to tell you, fans and friends…I agree with him wholeheartedly. If Mirko Cro Cop hasn’t lost his heart, he’s certainly lost his desire and tenacity. Some Cro Cop fans are saying that Mirko may have one last good run in him as a divisional gatekeeper, but honestly, is that something we need to see? After failing so hard in his attempts at UFC glory, shouldn’t we be spared the pain of seeing him flop around as a gatekeeper only to keep getting blasted whenever he’s put against a top-division athlete? I predicted Filipović would lose from the beginning, and even I don’t want to see him reduced to such a state.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Where will we see these fighters, especially Serra and Cro Cop, once their injuries heal up and their medical suspensions are lifted?

There were two Co-Fight of the Night performances on the card. Matt Mitrione and Joey Beltran made the “Prelims LIVE” special on Spike TV well worth watching. Both men displayed iron chins, heavy hands, and a willingness to engage that so many fighters seem to be lacking these days. While neither man is anywhere near top-division status, both men are still talented individuals and are now $70,000 richer for their efforts at giving the fans a fun fight.

The other Fight of the Night award was given to both Sean Sherk and Evan Dunham for their three-round war of attrition. Despite a sizable layoff, Sean Sherk looked to be back to his former glory in the first round of their three-round tilt, scoring several impressive takedowns and nailing good Ground and Pound, the highlight of which was an elbow that produced a sizable gash on Dunham’s head. Dunham would go on to rebound and in my fans’ eyes win rounds 2 and 3, although the judges would ultimately give the decision to Sherk. Even though the ending was controversial, the fight itself was very entertaining and both men deserve their $70,000 bonuses.

Surprisingly enough, no “KO of the Night” bonus was awarded. Usually this only happens when no KO is recorded, but UFC 119 saw the dramatic KO’ing of feared Croatian striker and PRIDE FC legend Mirko Cro Cop at the hands (more specifically, the knees) of former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. It’s true that the finale came near the end of a rather boring three-round stall-fest, where both men nailed only small offensive flurries, but I think Mir should have gotten his $70,000. Even if the fight itself was boring, let’s not kid ourselves: the UFC just found another great segment to add to Frank Mir’s highlight reel, and you can bet that they’ll be milking it for every cent it’s worth in Mir’s next fight. Due to that I really think Mir should have been awarded “KO of the Night”.

I also disagree with the Matt Serra/Chris Lytle fight not being awarded “Fight of the Night” status. I felt that the fight was an easy pick for such an award. Neither man ever left his feet, but neither man ever wavered either. Both men were constantly moving forward, constantly landing shots, it was like their first rather-boring fight had never happened. What we saw was two incredibly tough veterans slugging it out, leaving it all on the line, and having absolutely nothing to apologize for when the final bell rang. I won’t dispute that Mitrione/Beltran and Dunham/Sherk were both very fun and entertaining fights, but I honestly think Serra/Lytle beat them both out by a not-inconsiderable margin.

I’m very glad that this event was such a success, and I’m equally as glad that the UFC continues to up the ante and award bigger and bigger “Of the Night” bonuses. UFC 119 was an entertaining event, period. It may not have lived up to everyone’s expectations, it may have featured some controversial decisions, some fights may have been a bit on the boring side, and the main event may have seen the man mostly vilified by the masses KO the man who holds semi-revered status with most MMA fans. But none of that makes it an event that was boring overall, or horrible. It wasn’t “Event of the Year” material, but in a world where everyone’s a critic and nothing is as good as it could have been, UFC 119 got my seal of approval.

But what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 119, and what do you think about these “Of the Night” bonuses?

Next for Mark Hunt: Retirement. No one comes back from six straight stoppage losses. Hunt did give us an exciting fight, but he got submitted so quickly that I honestly don’t see him ever being taken seriously again. There will always be a home for him in places like lower-level promotions and (most likely) the entirety of Japan, but I think he should just save himself the trouble and retire already.

Next for Sean Sherk/Evan Dunham: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. Trust me: this story will see a second chapter. It may happen immediately, it may not, but Sherk/Dunham 2 must take place before Sherk is ever taken seriously again. Despite sporting a hideous gash on his head for most of the fight, Dunham remained dynamic, engaged frequently, and should have taken the Split Decision victory. Even Dana White has said that he hated this decision, so a rematch is a no-brainer.

Next for Ryan Bader: Losing to Jon Jones, plain and simple. Bader proved at UFC 119 that his “dynamic mode” has an “off” switch. When he doesn’t want to engage he can be downright boring. Bader’s tepid performance was certainly good enough to give him the win, I’m not disputing that. But unless he brings his best from the first bell to the last, the Ryan Bader we saw at UFC 119 will be easy pickings for Jonny Bones, who doesn’t seem to know how to fight in any style other than “awesome”.

Next for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: A decent run at Light Heavyweight that never truly lives up to the potential it could have had when Nogueira knocked out Luis Arthur Cane. “Little Nog” will likely stick around and be successful just like his bigger brother, but like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, his success will only go so far. And unlike “Big Nog”, I don’t see Rogerio ever becoming a UFC champion. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the Nogueira brothers are a part of the “old guard” that today’s current stars are quickly passing by.

Next for Frank Mir: A rematch with Shane Carwin, perhaps? Or maybe someone like Roy Nelson. Mir took an important step towards re-establishing himself as an elite-level Heavyweight, but he’s not there yet. I’d be a hypocrite if I said that Mir is at the top of the rankings after beating Cro Cop, because I’ve adamantly stated and defended my stance that Mirko Cro Cop is not a top-division UFC fighter. When you look at it from that point of view, and when you consider how timid Mir was until he scored the surprise KO, Mir still has quite a road ahead of him before he’s up there and challenging for the belt again. But beating Cro Cop did prove that it’s still a possibility.

Next for Mirko Cro Cop: I bet right about now a lot of people are expecting me to go on a big “TOLD YOU SO” rant, especially when you consider how I sat back and let the critics get in their shots when Randy Couture demolished James Toney. But you know what? I honestly felt sad when I saw Cro Cop go limp. Cro Cop was a good fighter. No, that’s wrong. He was an amazing fighter. His run in PRIDE rivals all the other famous runs that PRIDE fans loved so much: Wanderlei Silva’s, Fedor Emelianenko’s, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s, the list goes on. But he’s a shadow of a shadow of his former self, and this fight proved it. So, yeah, I’m honestly sad that Mir proved once and for all that Cro Cop will never be relevant in the UFC, even after the Cro Cop defenders lambasted me for saying as such. I honestly don’t know where Mirko goes from where, but I can say with certainty that it won’t be anywhere good.

So there’s my take, fans and friends. What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 119?

Sean McCorkle defeated Mark Hunt via Submission (Kimura) at 1:03 of Round 1. TJ Grant defeated Julio Paulino via Unanimous Decision. Waylon Lowe defeated Steve Lopez via Split Decision. Thiago Tavares defeated Pat Audinwood via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:47 of Round 1. Matt Mitrione defeated Joey Beltran via Unanimous Decision. C.B. Dollaway defeated Joe Doerksen via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:47 of Round 1. Melvin Guillard defeated Jeremy Stephens via Unanimous Decision. Sean Sherk defeated Evan Dunham via Split Decision. Chris Lytle defeated Matt Serra via Unanimous Decision. Ryan Bader defeated Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via Unanimous Decision. Frank Mir defeated Mirko Filipovic via KO (Knee and Punches) at 4:02 of the Round 3.

I’m gutted that Mark Hunt lost and lost so quickly, I honestly don’t think he has any sort of future in MMA. I still respect the man a lot, but it really doesn’t get much worse than a six-fight losing streak. I really enjoyed the Mitrione/Beltran fight, as both men displayed near-infallible chin and spared no time swinging for the fences. CB Dalloway’s fight was also a blast, and I was practically falling out of my seat when he and his opponent began rolling and rolling.

Did the main card let me down? I’ll be honest, it kinda did. Sherk vs. Stephens started off wildly with Stephens immediately catching Guillard, but then it slowed down considerably. It just felt like neither man was all that wiling to engage. Things got a little better in the Sherk/Dunham fight, though, but the judging in that fight was atrocious. I’m a huge Sean Sherk fan, I really wanted him to win this fight, but I honestly think that Dunham was robbed. It’s going to be very interesting to see where both men go from here.

I was positively ecstatic that Chris Lytle defeated Matt Serra in the easy pick for Fight of the Night. I’ve been a fan of Lytle for so long that to see him take another step towards top-contender status made my night. His striking looked awesome in this fight, and his chin is as near-indestructible as ever. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see some UFC Welterweight gold around his waist, but everyone, including me, enjoys an against-all-odds story. Right now, Chris Lytle has cemented himself as a top-division athlete. And that’s more than good enough for me.

Unlike Lytle, Ryan Bader entered top-division status with a whimper. I’m glad he won, but it was honestly a very boring fight. There’s really not much to say about it because not much happened. I think Bader does deserve some big names to match up against now that he’s beaten a Nogueira brother, who are legends in this sport, but I’m disappointed that we didn’t see the dynamic striker that KO’d Keith Jardine.

I’ve got conflicting feelings regarding the main event. Make no mistake, I’m overjoyed that Mir won and KO’d Cro Cop. He proved me right: Cro Cop will never be big in the UFC, he’ll never be relevant again in today’s Mixed Martial Arts. But Mir simply seemed afraid to go for broke against Cro Cop. Cop seemed just as afraid, but as a fan of Mir, I was disappointed in his overall performance. Even though seeing him turn Cro Cop’s lights out brought me immense joy.

Overall, UFC 119 was an interesting event. It wasn’t “Best of the Year” status, but I’ve already seen people call the event “horrible” and I have to tell you, fans and friends…I disagree with them wholeheartedly. But what about you? What did you think of UFC 119?

Courtesy of MMAWeekly, the weigh-ins went down as follows: Frank Mir (252) vs. Mirko Filipovic (227). Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (205) vs. Ryan Bader (205). Chris Lytle (171) vs. Matt Serra (170). Evan Dunham (156) vs. Sean Sherk (155). Melvin Guillard (155) vs. Jeremy Stephens (155). C.B. Dollaway (186) vs. Joe Doerksen (186). Matt Mitrione (253) vs. Joey Beltran (239). Thiago Tavares (155) vs. Pat Audinwood (156). Steve Lopez (156) vs. Waylon Lowe (154). T.J. Grant (170) vs. Julio Paulino (170). Mark Hunt (265) vs. Sean McCorkle (263).

I think it’s funny how Frank Mir still talks about potentially dropping down to Light Heavyweight when he’s weighed in at 265 for his last few fights and only cut thirteen pounds for this fight. I’m saying this half-critically and half as a Mir fan. Mir just wouldn’t work at Light Heavyweight, he’d be downright emaciated. Mirko Cro Cop as a 205’er I can see. In fact, that may be his only option left once Mir gets through with him. Mir’s sizable weight advantage should give him a lot more power in his takedowns, which will put Cro Cop in a heap of trouble.

I think it’s interesting that Lytle took advantage of the one-pound-over limit when he’s always been a smaller Welterweight. I’m also surprised that Evan Dunham used the same allowance while his opponent Sean Sherk didn’t need it, because Sherk has always been a muscular and massive Lightweight. I don’t think that one pound will help either man: Sherk has always been an incredibly dominant wrestler while “Lights Out” is facing one of the toughest tests in his career when he rematches Serra.

Something that absolutely did not take me by surprise was the fact that Mark Hunt came in at 265. Hunt is a Super Heavyweight no matter what anyone says and I respect him a whole lot for making what I know must have been a not-inconsiderate weight cut. It remains to be seen how much of that 265 is muscle, and how the cut affected Hunt’s cardio, but I’m honestly pulling for him.

In other weigh-in news, I think Matt Mitrione will have a pretty good fight with Joey Beltran, but I actually see the weight disparity acting in Beltran’s favor. If Beltran can keep it active and avoid the heavy hands of “Meathead”, he may actually tire Mitrione out and leave him open for some big shots.

And now that all is said and done, the anticipation continues to build. With every fight official and no fighters missing weight, I can’t wait to see what UFC 119 has in store for us. It should be a very fun night of fights.

And what about you, fans and friends? This is your last shot to get your opinions in on UFC 119 before the Octagon door closes and we go live on both Spike TV and Pay-Per-View. What did you think of the weigh-ins, and who do you see emerging as the big winners and losers of UFC 119?

5. Does Mark Hunt Deserve to be in the UFC?

It seems as if many have taken on a tone of negativity when it comes to Mark Hunt’s impending undercard debut in the UFC. People are quick to point out that he would normally not be given a second glance by UFC President Dana White due to the fact that Hunt has lost so many fights recently. But whether we like it or not, Hunt is in the UFC. And whether his detractors admit it or not, Hunt has an incredible amount of heart and always tries to put on a great performance. If Mark Hunt proves that he’s deserving of his place in the top promotion in the world, we may have a certifiable mid-level attraction on our hands.

4. Will Chris Lytle Ever Hold a Championship?

Chris Lytle hasn’t been within shouting distance of a title shot in quite some time (cynics would say “never”, but I find that a bit too harsh). Now that he’s on a three fight win streak, with two great submissions back-to-back, Lytle is ready to put himself into prime title contention if he can get past the super-tough Matt Serra. I know that many find it very unlikely that Lytle will ever hold a championship, but 2010 proved that even the impossible is possible. If Lytle beats Serra, we may have a new challenger for GSP.

3. What’s Left for Sean Sherk?

Sherk hasn’t competed in over a year, and was last seen going 1-2 in his last three fights. As Sherk creeps ever closer to the dreaded four-zero, it remains to be seen if his aging body can combat the sizable amount of ring rust he’ll have going into his fight with Evan Dunham. If Sherk can beat Dunham, he’ll make a solid addition to a Lightweight division that has been blown wide open now that Frank Edgar is unquestionably the best Lightweight in the world. If he loses, we may be seeing the beginning of the end for one of the hardest-working fighters in MMA.

2. Do the Nogueira Brothers Still Have It?

One paragraph would never do justice to the amount of heart, will, and fighting spirit that the Nogueira brothers have. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira are two are the best Brazilian Jui Jitsu-based MMA fighters that have ever competed…but unfortunately, they’ve begun to show their age. “Big Nog” was last seen getting  his once-unbreakable chin shattered by Cain Velasquez, “Little Nog” was last seen squeaking out a victory against Jason Brilz. If Rogerio can rebound with a dramatic win over “Darth Bader”, he’ll put himself into prime title contention. If not, it seems as if the Nogueira brothers may be nearing the end of their shelf-life.

And my number one spot quite obviously goes to…

1. Does Mirko Cro Cop Still Have It?

I’ve debated it. You’ve debated it. Everyone has debated it. It’s by far the most important question that UFC 119 will answer. Mirko Cro Cop is staring down a former UFC Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight Champion when he faces Frank Mir tomorrow. Mir is a submission specialist that famously broke Tim Sylvia’s arm, became the first man to ever stop Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and put a temporary halt to the meteoric rise of current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar by submitting him via kneebar. Mir is a top-division athlete and by far the toughest opponent Cro Cop has ever faced in the UFC. Does the famous Croatian striker have one last run in him? I certainly don’t believe he does, but that’s the thing: never say never. I can’t say that I won’t be biting my nails in anticipation, hoping that Mir proves me right. And no matter who you support, we’ll soon find out just which one of these fighters still has it in him to remain relevant in the increasingly-competitive UFC Heavyweight Division.

So there’s my list, fans and friends. What about you? What are some important questions that you think will be answered at UFC 119?

I’ll start with the positives first: Mark Hunt is an entertaining fighter. He’s lost a lot, but he always seems to go down in spectacular fashion. We’re talking about a guy who bum-rushed Melvin Manhoef, Melvin Manhoef of all people, because he wanted to give the fans a show. He’s fought fighters from all different styles and disciplines, and he always forces them to engage. If Mark Hunt flops out of the UFC, he won’t do it by going quietly into the night. Hunt’s main goal is to finish or get finished, and in an era that increasingly favors fighters who play it safe and grind out decisions, you have to respect him for his tenacity.

But that’s the problem: today’s generation of MMA athletes are beginning to realize the strengths of playing it safe, forcing your opponent into your area of expertise, and then dominating them long enough to grind out a decision. Hunt’s incessant need to entertain is the reason he’s lost so many times. In the here and now, flashy and reckless fighters don’t win fights. And if they do, it’s only until they meet a fighter that can take them out of their element. In today’s world, you either need to be supremely technical with your flashy moves (Jon Jones comes to mind), or you need to abandon them entirely. Hunt should be applauded for trying to make his fights entertaining, but he should also be criticized for taking a lot of unnecessary risks.

That’s the main reason he’s lost five fights in a row, and that’s an atrocious record to have as you head into the biggest MMA promotion in the world. It just makes the UFC look bad. You really can’t fault Dana White for trying to distance himself as much as possible from a man that hasn’t won a fight since 2006. So of course Mark Hunt is carrying a Scarlet Letter with him when he enters the Octagon. How can he not?

The only real redeeming factor about those five losses is that they were against top-quality opponents. These aren’t rookies Hunt lost to. Since his last win in 2006, Hunt has lost to Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, Melvin Manhoef, and Gegard Mousasi. I don’t think there’s any shame in losing to any of those five men. Losing to them all in a row does carry some shame, but I think that has to do with the losing streak in and of itself, not with the quality of names he’s been fighting. Mark Hunt has lost five in a row, but he’s lost against some of the best competition in the world.

So, in the end, where should the fans stand in their opinion on Mark Hunt? It’s tough to say. Is it better to fail spectacularly or succeed boringly? Is it better to pad out your record with relatively easy wins, or fight the best and lose? Personally, based on all he’s done in the past, I think Mark Hunt at least deserves a chance to impress in the UFC. He’s going to debut whether Dana White likes it or not, whether anyone likes it or not for that matter. What should matter right now is what Mark Hunt will do with the opportunity he’s been given, and right now, that’s all I care about.

But what about you, fans and friends? What are your feelings on the impending UFC debut of Mark Hunt?

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked lightweight “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3) will face third-ranked Eddie Alvarez (13-1), and heavyweight Mark Hunt (5-2) will face Jerome LeBanner (4-1-1).

A fight with Aoki had been offered to fifth-ranked middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-2), but he decided not to fight at all NYE.

“I’m tired of negotiating with [Akiyama],” said FEG executive Sadaharu Tanikawa.

“He doesn’t understand what fans expect from him and his position.  I don’t know the reason why he turned down the offer.  I’m very disappointed in him.”

Aoki last fought at DREAM.6 in September, submitting “Maniac” Todd Moore (10-3) with a neck crank in round one.

Alvarez made it to the Lightweight Grand Prix finals at DREAM.5 in July with a first-round TKO of “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (23-5), but was unable to compete due to injury.

Alvarez is also scheduled to fight a yet-to-be-announced opponent 23 January at Extreme Challenge in Atlantic City.

Hunt has lost three consecutive fights, submitting to “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem’s (27-10) keylock at DREAM.5.  The other two losses were to Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) and seventh-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (19-5).

LeBanner most recently fought in March 2006 when he KO’d “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (12-8) in the first round.

Hansen was originally eliminated from the tournament at DREAM.3 11 May after dropping a decision to Eddie Alvarez (15-1), but was drafted into the final after slapping an armbar on “Black Mamba” Kultar Gill (10-8) at 2:33 of round one in the tournament’s reserve fight Sunday.

Ironically, Hansen replaced Alvarez after Alvarez knocked out “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2) at 7:35 of round one in a thrilling slugfest.  A right hook, right uppercut combo floored “Crusher” and Alvarez pounded the Japanese fighter out, but sustained a cut over his right eye in the action that would prevent him from fighting for the title.

Tournament favorite “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (17-3) contorted himself into the final versus Hansen in a unanimous decision over “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (25-11-4), throwing everything in the “Judan” book at Uno: armbar, triangle choke, heel hook, rear naked choke, gogoplata, etc.  Though Aoki wasn’t able to stop Uno, he dominated for the decision.

The final was set: Aoki v Hansen; and, in most people’s minds, already settled in favor of the Japanese favorite.

Aoki quickly pressed his advantage and put Hansen on the mat, running through his repertoire of locks and chokes.  Hansen defended and worked into top position inside Aoki’s guard.

Pow!  Hansen tore into Aoki with punches from the top and a big left stunned the “Tobikan Judan”.  Hansen quickly finished off the helpless favorite with strikes at 4:19 of round one to win DREAM’s first Lightweight Championship.

Akiyama Has Something Up His Sleeve

Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1) returned from an eight-month stint on the DL to choke out Katsuyori Shibata (2-5) with the sleeve of his gi at 6:34 of round one.

Shibata held his own for the first half of the round as he exchanged with the heavily-favoured Akiyama.

However, once the fighters went to the mat, Akiyama was able to get on top, get into mount, and put Shibata to sleep.

Overeem Taps Hunt

“Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11) accepted the challenge from Kiwi kickboxer Mark Hunt (5-4) on three-days’ notice and gave little notice to Hunt before tapping him in a keylock at 1:11 of round one.

It was Hunt who took Overeem to the mat to begin the fight; but, Overeem used the position to his advantage.

Hironaka Wins DREAM Debut

Fresh from a poor showing in the Octagon, Kuniyoshi Hironaka (12-5) stopped a two-fight losing streak with a solid straight that gashed  Motoki Miyazawa‘s (4-1) left eye.

The fight had been a fairly even stand-up war; but, the cut prompted a doctor stoppage in favor of Hironaka at 8:57 of round one.

Other Fights

Featherweight Joseph Benavidez (8-0) remained undefeated after tapping “Kodo” Junya Kudo (6-2-2) in a guillotine choke at 2:42 of round one.

Welterweight Daisuke Nakamura (15-9) followed a straight right to Andy Ologun (1-1) into a takdown and slick armbar to tap Ologun at 3:41 of round one.

Though issued a yellow card for low blows, featherweight Hideo Tokoro (22-13-1) won a unanimous decison over Takeshi Yamazaki (14-8-2).

Hunt will look to rebound from his last two fights, submission losses to Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked heavyweight “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) and fifth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (22-5).

Overeem will look to extend his two-fight win streak.  He KO’d Tae Hyun Lee (1-2) in 36 seconds at DREAM.4 in June.

Yoshihiro Akiyama (10-1; 2 NC) v Katsuyori Shibata (2-4)

“Hellboy” Joachim Hansen (17-7-1) v “Black Mamba” Kultar Gill (9-7)

Kuniyoshi Hironaka (11-5) v Motoki Miyazawa (4-0)

Mark Hunt (5-3) is also slated to fight, but no opponent has been named.

Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked middleweight Akiyama has not fought since New Year’s Eve, when he faced eighth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2; 1 NC).  Akiyama was KO’d by an illegal soccer kick, ending the fight in a No Contest.

Shibata lost his last four fights, to Ralek Gracie  (2-0), “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-11-1; 2 NC), Min Suk Heo (2-5), and most recently to tenth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-6) at DREAM.3 in May.

Hansen, a PRIDE and Shooto veteran from Norway, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Eddie Alvarez (14-1) at DREAM.3.

Gill, from Canada, last fought at DREAM.1 in March where he lost to “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-4-2) in a unanimous decision.

Hironaka hopes to recover from a two-fight losing streak, both second-round TKOs in the UFC by “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (15-3) in September and Jonathan Goulet (22-9; 1 NC) in April, although that fight earned him a $75K “Fight of the Night” bonus.

Miyazawa has won all four of his fights at the Greatest Common Multiple events.

PRIDE veteran Hunt was submitted in his last two fights, in 2006, via first-round kimura, first by Fighters.com’s sixth-ranked heavyweight “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), then to fifth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (22-5).

The article reports that Hunt will return to K-1 kickboxing versus “Hightower” Semmy Schilt at K-1′s Europe Grand Prix Final in Amsterdam 26 April; however, K-1′s website posts the bout as the main event at the World Grand Prix 2008 in Yokohama 13 April.

“It was part of the contract I was offered,” Hunt said of the Schilt fight.  “I did not want to fight K-1 since I have won the title already, but always up for a challenge; and, when the window of opportunity opens for me, I try to always take it ’cause it does not always open, you know?”

It’ll be Hunt’s last kickboxing bout.

“Well, it is only one K-1 fight to start with; the rest of my contract is all MMA,” Hunt promised.

The hard-headed Hunt fought MMA exclusively in PRIDE, until that promotion’s demise.  He scored back-to-back split decision victories over “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2), followed by consecutive Kimura submission losses to “The Babyface Assasin” Josh Barnett (21-5) and Fedor Emelianenko (27-1).

“K-1 and DREAM are partners so the rest of my MMA fights are with DREAM,” Hunt explained, and designated 8 May for his return to mixed martial arts.

“[A rematch with Emelianenko] is another fight that will happen in the near future,” Hunt said.  ”I can’t say anymore!”

MMA math is trash, but MMA geometry?

Hunt’s MMA contract is in DREAM.  Emelianenko is reportedly divorcing M-1 Global to seek fights in other promotions.  Hunt promises a second dance with Emelianenko.

Assuming Hunt’s promise isn’t just a DREAM on his part….  Well, you see the same dots I do.  See if you can’t connect them.