First up we have a report from MMA Weekly that states that the UFC is looking to hold a “Fight Night” event at the LG Arena in Birmingham, England on November 5.

However, there’s a conflicting report on Sherdog that says that, according to their sources, the event will actually be UFC 138 and not a “Fight Night Live” special. The Sherdog article also states that the LG Arena is being targeted as the venue of choice, and adds that the event will more than likely be headlined by a Middleweight clash between Chris Leben and Mark Munoz. The event will more than likely air on Spike TV via tape delay in the US.

Since debuting in the UFC in 2009, Mark Munoz has maintained his role of a competitive gatekeeper. Recently, however, Munoz has taken several large steps towards breaking out of that role thanks to some very convincing victories. Munoz is currently on a three-fight win-streak and has won six of his last seven, and he scored a hard-fought victory over former UFC Middleweight Championship challenger Demian Maia in his most-recent bout.

Chris Leben, meanwhile, recently rebounded from a tough TKO loss to Brian Stann by KO’ing MMA legend Wanderlei Silva in under thirty seconds. Leben has won four of his last five fights, with three stoppages. In addition to his victory over Silva, Leben holds a major victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama .

In all honesty, I kinda hope that this event is a “Fight Night Live” special after all. I’ve raised this point before, but since it keeps happening, I think I need to raise it again: I think it’s time the UK fans finally started asking more of the UFC.

Let’s face facts here: the UFC is making this a “numbered” UFC event in order to enhance its prestige. If it’s marketed as a Pay-Per-View, it’ll probably get more money, more attention, and more fans in seats than a “Fight Night” special. But the question we must ask ourselves is this: is this an event worthy of Pay-Per-View status?

Of course, we Americans get it for free so that’s great. But for the UK fans, this is a glorified “Fight Night” special that they now have to pay for. I say this without an ounce of disrespect intended towards Chris Leben and Mark Munoz, but that fight is simply not a fight that headlines a Pay-Per-View. It’s just… not.

It’ll probably be a good fight, and I’m sure the UFC will announce some other good match-ups to entice us to watch this show in November. But I still contend that UFC 138 is already off to a bad start, especially considering how super-stuffed the UFC is making UFC 136 and UFC 137.

The winner of said bout will be making a strong case for himself to challenge for the promotion’s middleweight crown, as Demian Maia and Mark Munoz will now be meeting inside the octagon.

The June event in question, UFC 131, which takes place in Vancouver, Canada at the Rogers Arena on June 11. The main-event of the pay-per-view will pit former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar against top contender Junior dos Santos, and with that much generated interested on said bout, both Maia and Munoz will be in an unenviable position to be viewed by millions of fans world wide.

UFC officials recently announced said middleweight bout, which could potentially see co-main event honors on said card.

Maia was last seen in action when he picked up a dominating decision win last December at “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale” when he bested season 3 winner of TUF, Kendall Grove over the course of the three-rounds of action. The win helped extend a two-fight win streak which began on the heels of his loss to current title holder Anderson Silva in April of last year.

Munoz, meanwhile, is also enjoying a two-fight winning streak inside the UFC. Earlier this month, Mark was pitted against another talented wrestler in TUF veteran C.B. Dollaway. While many were wary of the match-up pitting two wrestlers against one another, the fight produced fireworks very quickly, as Mark was able to stun Dollaway almost immediately. Eventually, the “Kings MMA” product was able stun C.B. with a sharp right hand, followed by an uppercut which sent him staggering to the canvas. A few more shots eventually had secured Munoz the victor by way of knockout in just 54 seconds of the opening round.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new match-up? Who do you favor? Mark has some of the best wrestling credentials in the business, and while Maia is lauded for his world class submission skills, will he be able to take Mark to the ground and implement his game? Only time will tell. Sound off in the comment section below.

Next for Joe Stevenson: “Daddy” will dine on a diet of prospects for the foreseeable future. Stevenson promised that 2011 would be his year, but clearly that is not the case. Stevenson has now lost three straight, and although I hate to say this, I’m going to be bluntly honest and say that I firmly believe that Joe’s time has passed him by. If he wins his next fight, he’ll be the UFC’s Lightweight gatekeeper until he either retires or goes on enough of a losing streak to get the boot. And if he loses his next fight, he’ll get the boot.

Next for Damacio Page: I can also see Page being put into the role of a gatekeeper. Or if not that, someone who likes to brawl. Page is always down to fight, and any day now there’s going to be an influx of lighter-weight fighters hungry to come into the UFC and get their fair share out of the world’s biggest MMA promotion. As a member of the old guard, Page would do best as one of the ones to meet the charge of those incoming hot prospects.

Next for Brian Bowles: If he keeps the momentum going from his UFC debut, Bowles is only a fight or two away from a shot at the championship. I think a rematch with Miguel Torres is definitely called for. It’s the right move for all involved, since Bowles needs another huge win and Torres was the biggest win of his career. Plus, it would likely be a totally different fight from their first encounter due to Miguel’s completely different style. If not “Angel”, look for Bowles to get another top-division fighter whenever he fights next.

Next for Chris Weidman: Another middle-tier opponent, someone who can really test Weidman’s skills both as a wrestler and a striker. I think Chris Leben would be a pretty good choice, considering that he’s coming off of a big loss but he’s also still a very dangerous opponent. If not Leben, then perhaps CB Dollaway, who’s in the same exact position as “The Crippler”. No matter who Weidman draws in his second UFC fight, expect no easy tests for the hot prospect now that he’s proved himself against a tough, grizzled veteran.

Next for Mark Munoz: I’d like to see Munoz take on Jorge Rivera, personally. I think that would be a very entertaining fight. It would definitely test Munoz’s stand-up, and it would be a close and competitive match. I’d also like to see what Dan Miller would be able to do against someone like Munoz. Although Munoz is still a far cry away from championship contender status, he definitely took a step up the ladder when he KO’d CB Dollaway.

Next for Diego Sanchez/Martin Kampmann: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. Once again, this fight was a perfect example of judges not being able to appreciate the finesse of a truly skilled MMA fighter. Sanchez threw wildly and missed plenty of shots, but simply because he threw like a madman the judges thought he was in control. In reality, Kampmann never seemed to be in any real danger and reduced Diego’s face to mush before their fight was through. I say make the rematch to give Kampmann the shot at vengeance that he rightfully deserves.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of “UFC on Versus 3”?

The Lightning Strikes Twice Award: Brian Bowles, for beating the same man, by the same maneuver, at the exact same minute of the very same round. On both March 3, 2011 at “UFC on Versus 3” and on August 3, 2008 at WEC 35, Brian Bowles beat Damacio Page by Submission due to a Guillotine Choke at 3:30 of Round 1. Also, both times he was awarded a “Submission of the Night” bonus for doing so.

The “Hills Have Eyes” Award: Diego Sanchez, who looked like someone had shot him in the face during his bout with Martin Kampmann, and who looked like a “Hills Have Eyes” reject after the final bell had rung. In typical Sanchez fashion, “The Dream” fought better when he was pushed around and bloodied up, turning it on in the later rounds and even wobbling Martin Kampmann at one point.

The Greg Jackson Award For Silliest Nickname: Diego Sanchez, for changing his nickname from “Nightmare” to “The Dream”. At least “Nightmare” was somewhat original even if most people rolled their eyes when they heard it. “The Dream” just sounds like Sanchez is trying way too hard to distance himself from his former nickname. And does anyone else notice how so many of Greg Jackson’s fighters have ridiculous nicknames? “Sugar” or sometimes “Suga”, “Rush”, “The Carpenter”, “The Natural Born Killer”, “The Engineer”, and now “The Dream”. The team with some of the best fighters on the planet has most of the ridiculous nicknames. Go figure.

The Leonard Garcia Award For Outstanding Achievement In Windmill Imitation: Damacio Page, who fought Brian Bowles by doing what he always does: throwing caution to the wind and swinging for the fences with huge looping punches that even the crowd can see coming a mile away. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but at least Page tried to make the bout exciting. It’s a shame that he would end the night in an unconscious heap, because he helped give fans one of the best fights of the night.

The Scott Smith Award For Most Inspiring Comeback After Getting Your *** Kicked: Shane Roller, who received one hell of a beatdown at the hands of Thiago Tavares for much of the first round of their preliminary fight. Roller, however, would come back strong in Round 2 and nail a Hail Mary punch on Tavares that hit so solidly and with so much power that Tavares was unconscious before he hit the ground. It’s just further proof that anything really can happen in MMA.

The Cecil Peoples Award For Best Display Of Utter Blindness And Ineptitude: The judges of “UFC on Versus 3” that gave Diego Sanchez the win against Martin Kampmann. This just further shows that most MMA judges either don’t understand or don’t appreciate the finesse and skill involved in picking your shots and not wildly swinging for the fences like your life depended on it. Even though I’m a Diego Sanchez fan, it’s clear that Kampmann was the more tactile and successful puncher, and as Kampmann himself stated, simply look at his face compared to Diego’s to see which one really won this fight.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Any thoughts on this new series?

As always, I like to start this piece with a bit of context. For the most part, Mark Munoz has been a non-entity in the UFC’s Middleweight division. He was one of those fighters that most people simply don’t pay attention to, for one reason or another. It probably has to do with his position on UFC cards: for the most part, Munoz was never a highly-marketed fighter. He had some pretty good wins on his record, but those were overshadowed by high-profile losses to both Matt Hamill and Yushin Okami. So, in a nutshell, Mark Munoz was a pretty entertaining fighter that, for one reason or another, no one ever really paid any sincere attention to.

Compare this to CB Dollaway, his opponent at “UFC on Versus 3”. Dollaway had the benefit of being on the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”, in fact, he made it all the way to the finals of the “TUF” season he competed in. Dollaway was also on a pretty good three-fight win-streak, and leading up to this fight, many were calling for Dollaway to win this fight in dramatic fashion and take an important step towards realizing the potential he had been struggling to capture since losing “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 to Amir Sadollah.

In short: Munoz was Dollaway’s stepping stone to mid-tier competition.

But of course, that didn’t happen. What did happen was this: Munoz came out guns blazing and caught CB Dollaway in a huge way, putting him on the floor and in serious trouble. A few seconds later, Mario Yamasaki, the referee in charge, halted the action and gave Munoz the TKO win. Dollaway would pop back up to his feet several seconds later and complain about an early stoppage.

However, it was clear that the damage had been done. Dollaway may have recovered quickly from going out, but he definitely went out. Even if it was for only a few seconds, Mark Munoz knocked CB Dollaway unconscious. And as longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan pointed out, one of the cameras perfectly captured CB Dollaway’s face shortly after Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight. Putting it plainly: it was clearly evident that Dollaway had no clue where he was.

So, in the end, I think this was a justified stoppage and I commend Mark Munoz on his brilliant performance. Munoz completely took me by surprise at “UFC on Versus 3”, and I think I’ll definitely be paying attention to him from now on. For stepping over and knocking out the fighter who was supposed to be using him as the stepping stone, Mark Munoz earns my unofficial “Best Performance of the Night” award.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who took home your unofficial end-of-night accolades?

5. Chris Weidman dominating and slicing open Alessio Sakara.

It’s always tough to debut in the UFC. It’s even tougher when you’re relatively new to Mixed Martial Arts as a whole. It’s even tougher still when you debut against a tough veteran, both in MMA in general and in the UFC in particular. That’s exactly the spot Chris Weidman found himself in when he took on Alessio Sakara, and Weidman absolutely made the most out of the opportunity: with his constant wrestling and some vicious elbows, Sakara was a bloody, defeated mess by the time the fight was over. It was a big win for the newfound newcomer, and definitely a highlight of the night.

4. Shane Roller “Hail Mary” KO’ing Thiago Tavares.

Comeback KO’s are always a thing of beauty. Not only that, they represent one of the best things about this sport: its utter unpredictability. Sometimes it only takes one punch, and that’s a lesson that Tavares unfortunately had to learn at “UFC on Versus 3”. Shane Roller somehow found a way to survive the numerous onslaughts of Tavares in the first round of their fight, and in the second, Roller saw one brief opening and capitalized on it immediately. Seeing Tavares go from looking like a stone-cold killer to being stone-cold unconscious was definitely a big “WOW!” moment.

3. Mark Munoz knocking out CB Dollaway.

I have to admit, I thought both men would grind their way through a tough fight. I fully expected this one to go to a decision. Instead, Mark Munoz shattered my expectations and, in the process, shattered the chin of his opponent. I absolutely do not think that the ref stopped this fight too early, and I give Munoz all the respect he rightfully deserves. Seeing him KO Dollaway was one of the best moments of the night for me.

2. Brian Bowles choking out Damacio Page.

This fight and its outcome gets the number two spot for two main reasons. First and foremost, as a WEC fan I’m very glad that this fight lived up to its potential. It was a fight that featured constant action and lots of punches, and it ended quite dramatically. Secondly, I’m glad that Brian Bowles is back. Bowles is a proven champion, and I think he’s going to go very far in the UFC. I enjoyed seeing him debut in the world’s premiere MMA organization very, very much.

And my person pick for best moment of “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann” is…

1. Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann. The entire fight.

Even though the end of this fight was very controversial, with many people thinking that Martin Kampmann should have won, this was still a great fight. There’s really no other way to describe a three-round war that saw both men wobbled by punches and bloodied up. Kampmann was tactile and effective, while Sanchez was fiery and once again showed his fearlessness. Even if you think Kampmann should have won (and believe me, I do), I think at the end of the day you’ve simply got to give this fight the credit it deserves. It was a great main event.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”. But what about you? What do you think everyone will be talking about in the days/weeks to come?

Diego Sanchez defeats Martin Kampmann by Unanimous Decision. Mark Munoz defeats CB Dollaway by TKO at 0:54 of Round 1. Chris Weidman defeats Alessio Sakara by Unanimous Decision. Brian Bowles defeats Damacio Page by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:30 of Round 1. Cyrille Diabate defeats Steve Cantwell by Unanimous Decision. Danny Castillo defeats Joe Stevenson by Unanimous Decision. Shane Roller defeats Thiago Tavares by KO at 1:28 of Round 2. Takeya Mizugaki defeats Reuben Duran by Split Decision. Dongi Yang defeats Rob Kimmons by TKO at 4:47 of Round 2. Rousimar Palhares defeats Dave Branch by Submission (Heel Hook) at 1:44 of Round 2. Igor Pokrajac defeats Todd Brown by TKO at 5:00 of Round 1.

For the most part, I enjoyed the free preliminary fights on Facebook. Danny Castillo and Joe Stevenson fought a very tough, very close fight, and gave us several solid minutes of entertainment. The Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell fight was entertaining at times, but dragged on a bit due to Diabate’s inability to go for the kill even when it was practically screaming at him. Cantwell looked dead on his feet from the start of the second round, but Diabate either didn’t want to risk getting caught with a Hail Mary salvo or he gassed himself out. Either way, the fight was a bit underwhelming. However, at the end of the day it’s still two free fights on Facebook. I really can’t complain too much.

I’m glad that the fight between Brian Bowles and Damacio Page lived up to its potential even though it was so short. Part of me really hoped that Page would somehow pull off the miracle/upset and land one of his huge looping punches that I’m sure Bowles could see coming a mile away, but in the end, the outcome of this fight didn’t surprise me in the least. With this win I think Brian Bowles has officially staked his claim in the UFC, give him one or two more fights and Bowles will be right back up there, challenging for the championship.

I was pretty happy to see Chris Weidman pick up a win over Alessio Sakara. I think Weidman definitely proved that he’s got a very bright future in the UFC, and I think we may be talking a whole lot more about him before the year is through. Weidman showed up with very little time to prepare and proceeded to control and slice open a very respected UFC veteran. I can only imagine what Weidman fights like with a complete training camp under his belt.

I’m siding with Joe Rogan on Mark Munoz vs. CB Dollaway. In a world of horrendous referees, Mario Yamasaki has never struck me as one. He’s actually one of the few refs I consider fair and balanced. The stoppage may have been a bit premature, but Munoz had Dollaway in deep, deep trouble, and I think Yamasaki saved CB from some extra and unneeded damage.

I found myself immensely enjoying the main event that saw Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann battle to a thrilling three-round decision. Both fighters took several hard shots throughout the bout, and Diego’s face was a bloody mess by the time all was said and done. It was a great main event, and a fitting end to what turned out to be a very solid, very entertaining event.

And there you have it, fans and friends: another UFC show has come and gone. But what about you? What did you think of “UFC on Versus 3”?

I think there are a lot of good preliminary fights on this card, and I hope I get to see at least a few of them. In particular, I’d like to see Joe Stevenson’s fight, because he’s usually pretty entertaining. Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabate should also be a good fight. I’d like to see Takeya Mizugaki fight too, he’s always good for a fun fight win or lose. I’d even like to see Rousimar Palhares fight.

I really think Damacio Page vs. Brian Bowles is going to be the “sleeper hit of the night” if it lives up to all of its potential. This has all the makings of a fast and furious brawl that could go all three rounds or just as easily could be stopped within the first few minutes. It all depends on how hungry both men are for a win and how badly they want to push the pace. However, I have to be honest and admit that part of me is dreading that this fight could turn into a near-duplicate of the recent Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos fight, which I found very boring and supremely disappointing. I certainly hope it doesn’t come to that.

Part of me really wants Chris Weidman to win, but another part thinks that Alessio Sakara just has too much of an edge on him. I think Weidman has a very tough test for his UFC debut, and if he does win, he’ll immediately make some waves. However, I just think this is a matter of “too much, too soon”. My head is 100% behind Alessio Sakara, but my heart does wish that Weidman finds a way to pull off the upset. It’ll certainly be an interesting fight no matter how it unfolds.

Although neither man has really stood out in the Middleweight division, CB Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz is a very solid match. I haven’t ever really followed both men throughout their careers, so I can’t say much besides that. I do think it’ll be a pretty entertaining fight, though. I just don’t know what the future holds should they win or lose.

I think the main event will be a terrific fight, but again, only if it lives up to its potential. I think Sanchez will push Kampmann and throw Kampmann and bully Kampmann, unless Kampmann shows up at his best. I think the best is yet to come for Diego Sanchez, and I think before the night is through we’ll see him once again run screaming across the cage with his opponent on his shoulders. This is going to be a very close fight, but ultimately, I’m hoping Diego picks up the win.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Those are my final, assorted thoughts on “UFC on Versus 3”. But what about you? And final thoughts or predictions for this card?

Brian Bowles vs.  Damacio Page: I’ve simply got to favor the former WEC Bantamweight Champion. It’s been almost a year since Bowles last fought, though, so I expect him to show up a bit rusty. Even so, Damacio Page simply hasn’t been able to do too much against top-ranked competition. Even worse, Bowles has beaten him once before. But thanks to ring rust and Page’s toughness, I’m predicting that Brian Bowles wins by Unanimous Decision.

Alessio Sakara vs.  Chris Weidman: I hate to pick against Chris Weidman, because I really think the man has a very bright future both in the UFC and in general, but this is a terrible first fight for him, especially considering that Sakara is on a fantastic three-fight win-streak that includes two (T)KO wins, one of which earned him a “Knockout of the Night” award. This is simply a matter of too much experience, it’s too tough of a test for Weidman’s first go-round in the UFC. Part of me hopes that Weidman proves me dead wrong and wins by TKO in Round 1, but I’m going to side with my head and not my heart on this one and call for Alessio Sakara to win by TKO in Round 2.

C.B. Dollaway vs.  Mark Muñoz: This is definitely a tough fight to call, since both men share so much in common. They’re both relatively new to the sport. They’ve both lost twice. They’ve both had some pretty dominating victories in the Octagon. Both have stumbled against some tough competition in the past. In the end, I’ve simply got to go with the man that’s currently on a three-fight win-streak, and took home a “Submission of the Night” award for his last fight. CB Dollaway will win by Unanimous Decision.

Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann: This is certainly the toughest fight to call, given how multi-dimensional and evenly-matched both men are. I think both men are incredibly motivated for this fight, and that they’re at their best when they’re this motivated. It’s going to be a total war, with lots of give-and-take, but I simply think that Sanchez has it in him to give Kampmann the first two-fight losing-streak of his career. Diego Sanchez wins by a very tough, very close Split Decision.

And that’s what I think will happen when “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann” goes live on the Versus network, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think will win big at “UFC on Versus 3”, and why?

5. Plenty of solid undercard bouts we’ll probably end up seeing.

Most live UFC shows tend to have a few preliminary fights shown during the official live broadcast, that’s just the nature of the game when you’re broadcasting a sport as unpredictable as MMA. Depending on how fast the main card fights end, we could see some pretty entertaining preliminary fights on Versus, featuring stars like Joe Stevenson, Steve Cantwell, Takeya Mizugaki, and more.

4. We have to support MMA on Versus or else one day we might end up not getting MMA on Versus.

When it was revealed that the UFC/WEC merger would result in a noticeably diminished schedule of live MMA events on the Versus network, UFC President Dana White basically said “yeah, sorry, we’ll try to make it up to you by making the cards worthwhile”. And I firmly believe that if these “UFC on Versus” shows aren’t successful, the UFC very well may choose not to sign a new deal with Versus once their current deal expires. I know I’ve said “free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing” countless times, but I also fully believe that the reverse is true as well: less MMA on TV is rarely a good thing.

3. Let’s see if Chris Weidman can live up to the hype.

There’s been a lot of talk about Chris Weidman and his impending UFC debut, especially on fighters.com. Weidman is an undefeated 4-0 prospect and he’ll basically burst onto the main stage if he’s able to beat talented veteran Alessio Sakara. It’s always interesting to see whether or not a fighter lives up to the hype, and seeing Weidman try to live up to his should be one of the most interesting moments of the night.

2. Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page should be a wild brawl.

In a way, I think this is the fight that Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos should have been. In one corner we’ve got a former WEC champion, the first man to ever stop Miguel Torres, who had both won and finished every single one of his fights as a professional MMA athlete up until he lost to current UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. In the other corner is Damacio Page, who always shows up to entertain and either finish his opponent or get finished. If it lives up to its potential, this should be one of the best fights of the night.

And the number one reason I think fans should watch “UFC on Versus 3” is…

1. The main event is going to be awesome.

Again, it all has to do with living up to the potential the match has on paper. On paper, these two are a perfect match for each other. They’re fast, they’re fluid, they’re good at basically everything. Both just don’t want to win, they want to dominate in order to prove that they belong at the top of the division. This fight easily could have been on Pay-Per-View, so it’s great that we’re getting it for free on Versus and it’s definitely the biggest reason to tune in and give this show a watch.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see “UFC on Versus 3”. What about you? As the date draws ever-closer, what are you most looking forward to for this event?

The Event: “UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann”, currently scheduled for March 3, 2011 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The main card will be broadcast live on the Versus network starting at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: With the WEC officially being folded into the UFC at the start of the year, these are the sole live MMA outings left on the Versus network. That’s a big gap that the UFC must fill, and with it comes a smaller amount of shows than WEC and Versus fans are used to. To overcome that problem, the UFC is putting together a solid card that seems to be a step above their usual “Fight Night Live” outings.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: In his last fight, Diego Sanchez re-discovered the fire inside him when he ran right through Paulo Thiago. Sanchez seems to be a new man thanks to famed trainer Greg Jackson. Meanwhile, Martin Kampmann is still chasing the shot at the championship that he’s never been able to firmly grasp hold of. Both men want and need a win pretty badly, so expect plenty of fireworks for this fight.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Expect a fast pace and a lot of hard work when CB Dollaway and Mark Munoz battle it out. Both men could use a big win on their records right now, and both are coming off of pretty decisive wins. Dollaway in particular is on a three-fight win-streak, so expect him to show up very motivated. They may not be the brightest stars on the card, but these two workhorses should put on a pretty entertaining scrap.

Why You Should Watch This Card: Simply put: potential. The potential is there for all the “UFC on Versus” fights to not only be entertaining, but surpass your expectations. The main event should be a great fight, and a lot of the undercard bouts feature smart match-ups between tough fighters.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: The card has undergone some pretty significant changes since it was first announced, so several of the must-see match-ups have gone through serious revisions. As a whole, the card just isn’t as appealing as it was when it was first announced. It’s still a pretty solid event, but only the main event comes close to “must watch” status, and given that Sanchez is just barely starting a comeback and Kampmann lost his last fight, it may not even deserve that status.

Closing Thoughts: The card honestly isn’t as good as it once was, but that’s hardly the UFC’s fault. I really like the main event of this show, and free MMA on TV is rarely a bad thing, so I’m definitely going to be tuning in to watch this event. If it happens, it wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve come into a show with relatively low expectations and proceeded to be blown away by the quality I’m presented with. There’s a chance that this show could be underwhelming, but there’s also a chance it could be a great night of fights. I’m willing to take the risk.

And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on “UFC on Versus 3”?

MMA Weekly reports that a 170-pound tilt between top-division athlete Martin Kampmann and former UFC Lightweight Championship contender Diego Sanchez is being pegged early on as the main event for the first “UFC on Versus” of 2011.

Diego Sanchez recently cleared a pretty rough series of hurdles: his dreams of becoming UFC Lightweight Champion were crushed into nothingness courtesy of a dominant humbling he received at the hands of BJ Penn, while his return to Welterweight was spoiled by hot prospect John Hathaway. “Nightmare” needed a big win in a big way… and got just that, recently putting on a classic performance against Paulo Thiago that saw Sanchez earn the Unanimous Decision win as well as a “Fight of the Night” award.

His opponent, Martin Kampmann, has made several attempts to become the next man to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship, but has been beaten back every time. Most recently, Kampmann lost to former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields, who was making his UFC debut.

MMA Weekly also reports that Mark Munoz is expected to face CB Dollaway at the event. Munoz recently gutted out a Unanimous Decision win over his friend, Aaron Simpson. C.B. Dollaway was last seen submitting Joe Doerksen via guillotine choke to keep his three-fight win-streak alive.

All in all, I’m a fan of both of these fights and I think they give the first “UFC on Versus” card a lot of potential. As far as free TV main events go, Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez is a really, really good one. Diego Sanchez looked great against Paulo Thiago, so he should put on an excellent performance against the always-dangerous Martin Kampmann. Kampmann may have lost to Jake Shields most recently, but he always puts on a good performance and he’s beaten some pretty good competition in the past. This one should be hectic, wild, and very entertaining.

Munoz vs. Dollaway is also a fight that has a lot of entertainment value on paper. Both men have what it takes to go the distance, but both also have the ability to finish the fight if an opportunity presents itself. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of either man, but I certainly respect their abilities and I think this fight will be an important stepping stone for the winner.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you think these two match-ups are a good sign of things to come, or is it still too early to say that the first “UFC on Versus” show will be a success?

According to MMA Mania, the one-hour “UFC 123 Prelims LIVE” special that aired on Spike TV was good enough to draw in 1.5 million viewers, the same number the last special (for UFC 121: “Lesnar vs. Velasquez) earned. This latest broadcast saw Brian Foster submit Matt Brown, while Mark Munoz fought three tough rounds against Aaron Simpson and won by Unanimous Decision. The UFC continues to deliver fans in both its and Spike TV’s core audiences, with the special garnering a 1.31 in the men 18-49 demographic and a 1.21 in the men 18-34 demographic.

Next up is MMA Weekly, which recently reported the official medical suspensions for UFC 123. They are as follows: Matt Hughes is suspended for sixty days following his KO loss to BJ Penn. Karo Parisyan, Mike Lullo, and TJ O’Brien have all been suspended for thirty days. Lullo must also be cleared by a physician for an undisclosed injury before he is able to compete again. Surging Lightweight George Sotiropolous must also be medically cleared for an undisclosed reason before he can fight again, although he was not technically suspended for any length of time.

I really enjoyed the “Prelims LIVE” special for UFC 123, so I’m glad that it drew in a decent little rating. If nothing else, it was free MMA on TV, so it at least deserved a passing glance. However, I feel that this special in particular deserved a complete watching. You had two great fights happen on this one-hour broadcast, and they really got me pumped up for the main Pay-Per-View card. In particular, I really enjoyed the hard-hitting war between Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson. I think these “Prelims LIVE” specials are delivering good MMA on such a consistent basis that they may even be encroaching upon “under-rated” territory.

In regards to the medical suspensions, nothing really shocks me. I honestly think that, in the case of Matt Hughes, even more time off could have been warranted. That was an absolutely brutal knockout courtesy of BJ Penn, and it was certainly sad to see a legend that I respect so much humbled so thoroughly. Then again, as a massive BJ Penn fan, I’m immensely happy that Penn has practically vaulted down the comeback trail and set himself up as a legitimate threat at Welterweight. It’s going to be a very, very, very interesting 2011 for “Baby Jay” and his legion of fans. Overall, UFC 123 was a great event and a great way to close out the year.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of the “Prelims LIVE” special, and do any of these medical suspensions surprise you?

The 11-bout card has been made official by the promotion today, including two-televised Spike TV bouts serving as the lead in for what is shaping up to be a good night of fights.

Along with the highly anticipated light heavyweight match up, a pair of former welterweight champion’s are set to face one another for a third time in order to put to rest a rivalry that has lasted for over 7 years, when BJ Penn meets UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes in the co-main event of the evening.

In addition the 170-pound fight, a pivotal match up in the lightweight division has been arranged, with two “The Ultimate Fighter” veterans squaring off on the pay-per-view event. Joe Luazon will meet George Sotiropoulos, who is currently riding a 6-fight win streak inside the octagon, with his last victory coming over the likes of perennial contender Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 116. For Lauzon, a win could vaunt him back into the title mix.

Here is the full card in it’s entirety. Thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the lovely format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown vs. Brian Foster
* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O’Brien
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

Headlining the nights festivities will be former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida in a non-title bout, with a trilogy between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn being completed that night, serving as the co-main event of the evening.

Prior to these bouts, a pair of middleweights and 170-pound fighters will be in action as part of the Spike TV special, which will have the potential to reach 96.1 million people at home in these United States.

MMAJunkie.com has indicated that match ups between middleweights Mark Munoz vs Aaron Simpson, and Matt Brown vs Rory MacDonald, will serve as the two bouts selected for the Spike broadcast.

Munoz, a heavy handed wrestler is coming off the sting of his first defeat in the middleweight division, where he lost a close split-decision to top contender Yushin Okami. The Japanese star brought it to the former NCAA champion early and often, dropping Munoz on one occasion and stuffing all of his take down attempts. Mark hung tough, and even managed to wobble Okami to the ground and pressured him with his improved stand up arsenal. In the end it wasn’t enough, and Munoz saw a three-fight win streak snapped with the loss.

Aaron, meanwhile, is coming off a loss as well, his first as a professional mixed martial artist. A two-time NCAA champion in 96′ and 98′, became an assistant wrestling coach for Arizona State, where he initially compiled 110 victories for the university.

There, he coached the likes of UFC standouts CB Dollaway, Ryan Bader, and current UFC heavyweight number one contender, Cain Velasquez. Being bit by the biting bug, Aaron opened up to the idea of fighting as a living in 2007, and compiled a perfect 4-0 before joining the UFC. Going on to garner a three-fight win streak within the promotion, his run was snapped when Simpson met with Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 11 finale, losing by TKO in the second round.

Both Rory MacDonald and Matt Brown are coming off losses as well. The Canadian shined though, in his bout against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, last June at UFC 115. Arguably ahead on the score cards going into the third round after getting the better of the stand up against Condit, Rory was notably fatigued in the final round. Carlos was eventually able to work the fight to the floor, eventually mounting the former King of the Cage lightweight and welterweight champion, pounding him out for a TKO victory in waning moments of the fight. Prior to the loss, MacDonald made a successful debut into the organization with a first-round arm bar over fellow KOTC veteran Mike Guymon at “UFC Fight Night 20″ in January of this year.

Brown, however is feeling the sting of defeat well and hard. The former contender is coming on the heels of two consecutive losses, submissions at that, to standouts Ricardo Almedia and most recently current top contender Chris Lytle.

In the bout with Lytle at UFC 116, which was the second in the series, the two traded blows early, Brown effective on the feet, the welterweight battle found its way to the floor in the early stages of the second round. Both fighters were jockeying for position, and Lytle was eventually able to secure an arm, and completed the bout ends with an arm bar victory over Brown.

Prior to the losses to Ricardo and Chris, Brown was riding a three-fight win streak in the organization and four of his last five overall. However now on the cusp of his UFC career, this is a must-win situation for both Brown and MacDonald. A loss for either could spell pink slips, which can also be said of Munoz and Simpson.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the UFC 123 prelims? Worthy? Do you have any other bouts in mind as far as what you would rather see in place of said matches? Sound off in the comments section below.

The UFC just made official today the fight card, which will include a headlining bout pitting former light heavyweight champions Quinton Jackson versus Lyoto Machida, in a contenders bout.

Also on the card, BJ Penn and Matt Hughes try to settle the score once again when the two competitors meet for the third time. Both men have split victories, BJ Penn getting the better of the “farm boy” at UFC 46, where he was able to slip in a rear naked choke and claim the welterweight title from then champion Hughes. Matt, meanwhile, got a little bit of a taste of revenge when he was able to pound out the former lightweight star (at the time) inside of three rounds.

While no animosity exists, according to the two competitors, there is a healthy rivalry that has carried over the last 6 years of their lives, and this will give them the chance to settle the score once and for all. Hughes is riding a 3 fight win streak inside the crowded 170-pound division where he is slowly sneaking ahead of. Most recently, he continued the streak when he put to sleep Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Ricardo Almeida, with a modified guillotine win over. The victory at UFC 117 las August, was perhaps one of Hughes’ most impressive in recent years.

BJ, mean while has been on a slope, dropping his last two contests in the lightweight division, with decision losses to current champion Frankie Edgar.

Here is the card as follows: formatted by MMAJunkie.oom

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
* Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Gerald Harris
* Tim Boetsch vs. Phil Davis
* Joe Lauzon vs. George Sotiropoulos

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Mark Munoz vs. Aaron Simpson
* Matt Brown vs. Rory MacDonald
* Dennis Hallman vs. Karo Parisyan
* Darren Elkins vs. Edson Barboza
* Paul Kelly vs. Gabe Ruediger
* Nik Lentz vs. Tyson Griffin

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the card? If you are in the Detroit/Auburn Hills area, I highly suggest you make an effort to catch the event live. Who do you think will take which bout? Sound off in the comments section below.

With his charm and obvious in-ring ability, “Rush” has become something of an ambassador for the sport. With his help, he has helped ushered in the UFC into the Canadian market, where in their first trip to our brothers of the North, at “UFC 83: Serra vs St. Pierre II”, broke multiple records for the organization.

Hoping to set a precedent, the organization has now sent their most beloved son, and of course welterweight champion and pound-for-pound great, to the Philippines. With talks of an eventual event to be held there sometime in the near future, the worlds largest organization is beginning to lay the ground work necessary to establish a connection with the fans and media alike, of the Philippines. While GSP’s media run through the country has been highlighted by a stint on a popular program there, where he was seen attempting to sumo wrestle a rather large man, but let him live.

While the UFC only runs on two notable Filipino stars, middleweight contender Mark Munoz, and “The Truth” Brand Vera, the promotion will surely be bringing in fresh new talent by the time they venture into their new territory, or, may not need the assistance of too much home town influences, since the organization in of itself is already very popular in the Philippines.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of said country being a commodity to the organization? Do you think it will become a hot bed of MMA events? Sound off in the comment section below.

In addition to Jackson-Machida and the previously announced BJ Penn vs Matt Hughes trilogy taking place in Detroit alongside one another, two standout wrestlers will be squaring off to remain amongst the best in the ultra-talented middleweight division of the UFC.

Aaron Simpson, a training partner of CB Dollaway and Ryan Bader out of the famed Arizona Combat Sports Team, will be squaring off against budding contender Mark Munoz.

Both men are coming off of losses and will look to find some traction when they meet inside the cage on November 20th, at the Palace in Auburn Hills, in suburbs of Detroit.

Munoz, who was riding a three-fight win streak inside the UFC before meeting Yushin Okami last August for “UFC Live on Versus: Jones vs Matyushenko” was competitive in his bout with the Japanese middleweight. While his patented take downs were nullified by Okami’s strong base, he found success in some spots when he knocked down “Thunder” with a looping right hook, but Munoz couldn’t capitalize, and Okami went on to win a split-decision victory.

Simpson like wise was riding a three-fight win streak prior to his last set back. Prior to his last bout with Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale” last June, Simpson was undefeated and held wins over the likes of Ed Herman and Tom Lawlor to anchor his résumé. However, when Simpson met with “The Crippler”, he appeared to have gassed early in the fight, and was ultimately TKO’d by Leben, clinching Chris’ 24th victory and handing Aaron his first loss as a professional.

Both will be looking for a win in what should turn into an exciting fight against two ultra talented wrestlers.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of this match up? How do you think the fight will be decide since both are talented wrestlers? Who till take it? Let your opinions be heard in the comments section below.

After knocking out Tyson Griffin in just over a minute in the first round of their lightweight affair, Gomi not only picked up an impressive win over a perennial contender, he picked up the “Knockout of the Night”, which added additional pleasure to his already impressive portfolio, as the former Pride Lightweight champion.

Here are the fighter payouts, initially reported by MMAJunkie.com, through the California State Athletic Commission. Gomi earned the event high.

The following is in bout order.

The total list of paydays include:

Jon Jones: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Vladimir Matyushenko: $31,000

Yushin Okami: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Mark Munoz: $22,000

Jake Ellenberger: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. John Howard: $15,000

Takanori Gomi: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Tyson Griffin: $30,000

Jacob Volkmann: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Paul Kelly: $17,000

Matt Riddle: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. DaMarques Johnson: $10,000

Igor Pokrajac: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. James Irvin: $20,000

Brian Stann: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Massenzio: $5,000

Charles Oliveira: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Darren Elkins: $8000

Rob Kimmons: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Steve Steinbeiss: $6,000

http://mmajunkie.com/news/20176/ufc-on-versus-2-fighter-salaries-takanori-gomi-earns-event-high-80k-payday.mma

Do any of the figures above shock you, or are they as expected? I personally though, Jon Jones would be receiving a bigger pay day by now, since Brandon Vera was at one point making a flat rate of $100,000, after 3 fights into his UFC career, though at the time, Vera can be likened to the phenom that is Jones.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Munoz, who is trained by former WEC champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber(21-2), was taken down early in the opening round by Barros. Soon after, Munoz was able to work up to his knees and put Barros on his back. Munoz took side control and suddenly found Barros giving up his back. Munoz took the gift and made good on it by landing numerous power shots to the side of Barros’s h*ead. Barros had no answer for the punches, cuing referee Steve Mazzagatti to step in and stop the fight at 2:26 of the first round.

Mark Munoz officially won the bout via TKO stoppage at 2:26 of round one.

The “California Kid” packed a big right hook counter to Pulver’s southpaw boxing in the first session.  Faber landed the punch just enough to make Pulver think twice.

The fight only went to the mat once in round one, when Faber fell mid-kick and Pulver pounced; but, Faber locked up Pulver and stood out of “Li’l Evil’s” mount.

In round two, Faber felt Pulver respected his stand-up enough to shoot to the mat with single-leg takedowns.  Faber scored most attempts; but, Pulver’s guard smothered Faber’s offense.

Faber decided to throw with the noted striker, Pulver, in round three and beat “Li’l Evil” by popping in and out with jolting shots and mixing in a high kick to keep Pulver guessing.

In the fourth, Faber took Pulver back to the mat and hammered elbows into his skull until the bell.

By the final round, Pulver was gassed and Faber closed the UD with jabs and right hooks to Pulver’s head.

Torres Shuts Maeda Down

WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres (34-1) boxed Yoshiro Maeda‘s (23-5-2) right eye shut, convincing the cageside doctor to stop the fight after the third round.

Maeda drew first blood in round one, splitting Torres’s forehead with a knee in the clinch.

The cut didn’t slow Torres’s forward onslaught.  In round two, Torres landed kicks at all levels before clsoing distance with a jab/right hook/knee combo into the clinch where Torres hammered knees to Maeda’s body.

Maeda was game!  He brawled the champ to the mat and slipped on a nifty toe lock.  Torres reciprocated before they both released and scrambled.  Maeda reached again for the toe lock; but, Torres swung his legs into a near triangle choke.  Maeda slipped free and the fighters returned to their feet.

By round three, Torres’s jab had ballooned Maeda’s right eye.  A straight punch direct hit proved how little Maeda could see from his lead side and the cageside docter ended the fight.

Munoz Mauls Grigsby

Mark Munoz (4-0) solved Chuck Grigsby‘s (13-4) reach advantage to pound him out at 4:15 of round one.

Grigsby exploited his advantage early, landing an uppercut that drove Munoz to the cage.  But, Munoz was persistent with the takedown, scoring it beneath Grigsby’s combos.

Once Grigsby was back to the mat, Munoz postured out of Grigsby’s guard and landed several looping, lunging overhands.  Grigsby reached for Munoz’s ankle and Munoz kneeled and landed three right hooks, the second of which knocked Grigsby cold for the Munoz victory.

“Razor” Dull in Return

Former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-4) and “The Machine” Kenneth Alexander (5-3) wanted nothing to do with each other in a three-round McCullough split decision.

The kickboxer and wrestler circled each other most of the fifteen-minute affair.

McCullough scored consistently with a sharp leg kick, frequently countering an Alexander straight; but, Alexander took the kickboxer McCullough to the mat just as often.

Alexander couldn’t score on the mat, nor keep “Razor” pinned; and, McCullough’s strikes added up on the cards in the meantime.

Fighters.com scored the fight 29-28 for McCullough.

Cerrone Taps Castillo

“Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (8-0) tapped WEC debuting Danny Castillo (5-1) in an armbar in the first round.

Castillo took lanky Cerrone to the mat; but, Cerrone wrapped up the armbar from rubber guard.