The Dane was originally scheduled to return to action last June when he was originally pitted against John Howard in a welterweight bout for “UFC on Versus 4″, though Martin subsequently suffered a knee injury which forced his removal from the bout.

It’s the same knee that forced him out of an originally scheduled middleweight bout with Rich Franklin at UFC 72 back in 2007–an opportunity of a lifetime that was cost due to the withered conditions of a knee that has seen the cutting board on three separate occasions.

Now, Kampmann is left with the memory of his last outing, a controversial decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter” season one winner, Diego Sanchez. The two met back in March, and while Martin displayed an impressive blend of striking and effective takedown defense, it wasn’t enough to sway the judges in his favor.

“I thought it was a great fight”, said Kampmann.

“I thought I beat him in the first fight, but it is what it is. Judges sometimes don’t see it your way and of course I would love to beat him up again.”

Back in the gym, Kampmann is slowly weening himself back into action, but is still on the mend, much like another notable welterweight in Jon Fitch. The American Kickboxing Academy product has since been shelved for a shoulder injury suffered in preparation for a second meeting with former champion BJ Penn. The two initially met in at UFC 127 in the main-event, where they both battled to a controversial draw at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Fitch has since come out and discussed what would be his next move, since Penn has been pitted with budding contender Carlos Condit, and his plans could include Kampmann.

“I think Martin Kampmann might be a smart fight right now”, said Jon in an interview with MMACanada.net.

“He’s the only guy I can think of right now who’s healthy and who doesn’t have a fight scheduled, and has a big name and is a very tough opponent.”

“I heard that he wanted to fight me, so that could be an exciting fight”, said Martin in reference to the challenge thrown down.

“I’m coming off of two losses, even though they were both very close fights, but definitely a win over Jon Fitch would put me right back on top. That would be a great opportunity and he’s a very tough opponent, he’s a grinder, he takes people down, wears them out, and those are tough guys to fight. I think anybody can be beat and so can Jon Fitch. It would make for an interesting match-up for sure.”

Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez–either fighter is fine by Kampmann (though Diego has since been penned in for a bout with UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes), however, his attention has become a simple, single thought. Win. Doesn’t matter who, just win.

“My focus is, I’m coming off of two losses, so I would love to get a win”, said the 29-year-old Xtreme Couture product.

“I just want to go in there and beat somebody up. Obviously it’s always nice if I can get a name opponent, that would help me get back on the right track. It’s up to the UFC, it’s up to my opponent…if (Matt) Hughes steps out, I would be happy to step in.

“I would always rather get the win. I’m there to win, I hate losing more than anything.”

MMA Mania brings word that the UFC recently confirmed the bout for UFC 135 “Jones vs. Rampage”, an event currently scheduled for September 24 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The event will be headlined by UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones defending the belt against Quinton Jackson.  There are several other bouts currently rumored for UFC 135, including Damacio Page vs. Norifumi Yamamoto, Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi, Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt, and Tony Ferguson vs. Aaron Riley.

With a record of 45-8 and over thirteen years of experience in MMA, with over a decade of experience in the UFC, Matt Hughes is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest Welterweight fighters of all time. He was at one time also one of the most-dominant fighters on the planet, winning the UFC Welterweight Championship and successfully defending it five times with four stoppages. Hughes is also a two-time Welterweight Champion.

His opponent, Diego Sanchez, has fought some of the best the UFC has to offer both at Welterweight and Lightweight. Sanchez’s recent return to Welterweight has seen him go 2-1 with big wins over Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann. The win over Kampmann was not without its fair share of controversy, however, as many believe that Kampmann should have won the bout.

I think this is a smart fight for both men, and a pretty tough fight for both men as well. Even though he’s Matt Hughes, there are a lot of questions surrounding Hughes right now. How is he going to come back from one of the most-humbling losses of his career, especially this late into his career? With his legacy intact, and with him already being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, how many more years does Matt Hughes want to do this?

And make no mistake, there are a lot of questions hovering around Diego Sanchez right now as well. Sanchez always seems to struggle against top-division competition, and although he’s fought for a UFC Championship once before, he was totally controlled and dominated in that fight. And as I pointed out earlier, there’s a large and vocal contingent that believe that Martin Kampmann was robbed when Sanchez beat him at “UFC on Versus 3”.

In the end, I think both men have a lot to prove with this fight, and I hope that brings out the best in both Matt Hughes and Diego Sanchez. Because at their best, this has all the makings of a very good fight.

I’d like to say this right off the bat: being gifted a decision win doesn’t mean that Diego Sanchez is a bad fighter, and being stopped in twenty-one seconds does not mean that Matt Hughes is now irrelevant. Allow me to explain.

It’s great that Diego Sanchez has re-discovered the fire inside of himself. After being on the wrong end of a five-round thrashing by BJ Penn, Sanchez promptly lost his semi-hyped return to Welterweight. However, everything fell into place for his big Unanimous Decision win over Paulo Thiago. Even if he changed nicknames, the old Diego Sanchez returned in that fight, best seen when he carried Thiago across the cage and nearly slammed him through the mat, screaming the entire way.

But something went wrong against Martin Kampmann, and only some blind and/or biased judges gave Sanchez the win. Sanchez had the same fire and tenacity, but he showed up almost out of shape and with none of the finesse. It was a momentary stumbling block that should have been a loss. But that doesn’t mean that Diego Sanchez is done. One bad performance does not break your career.

The same holds true for Matt Hughes. BJ Penn may have TKO’d Hughes in twenty-one seconds, but that type of flash knockout can happen to anybody, given the right circumstances. And the circumstances were definitely right: Hughes didn’t expect Penn to come out headhunting, but Penn felt as if he had nothing to lose and went for the Hail Mary barrage. It just happened to work.

That shouldn’t overshadow the three-fight win-streak Hughes was on before the loss. Hughes is a veteran of over fifty fights, and he’s won forty-five of them. That’s very, very impressive. If Hughes brings out his best and isn’t caught off-guard, he’s still very relevant in today’s Welterweight division.

For this fight, I think Matt Hughes is going to shine and give Sanchez the humbling loss he should have received at the hands of Martin Kampmann. It’s been almost three years since Sanchez (T)KO’d anybody, and as good as Diego’s wrestling is, Hughes was one of the best wrestlers in the business for a long, long time. In terms of pure ground game, very few match up to Matt Hughes even to this day. If it goes to the ground, Hughes will serve up some vicious Ground and Pound and may even be able to stop Sanchez.

For Sanchez to win, he’ll have to rediscover that fire like never before: he’ll have to go for broke and hunt for the finish every single second he’s in the cage with Matt Hughes. If you could combine the tenacity and ferocity of the old Diego with the experience of this new Diego, you may have a good enough fighter to one day be a champion. But that’s a balance that Sanchez finds very hard to maintain, and it’s led to some big losses for him. And against a fighter like Hughes, I think Diego Sanchez will struggle again and ultimately be found wanting.

But that’s just what I think. What about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on who wins this match-up?

However, the former welterweight world champion doesn’t seem like he’s quite ready to hang it up quite yet. In fact, Hughes will be returning in the Fall and he will be taking on season one winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Diego Sanchez.

The bout is pivotal for both men. Sanchez, who wants to prove that he belongs in the upper echelon of the division, and Hughes, who wants to remain relevant in todays day and age of mixed martial arts.

Officials announced the match-up earlier and UFC President Dana White had some words for the upcoming welterweight tilt, which as of right now does not have any specific date or venue.

“A matchup between two welterweight fan favorites has been verbally agreed to as Diego ‘The Dream’ Sanchez will face former UFC welterweight champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes,” stated White in the release.

Diego was last seen in action in an early candidate for “Fight of the Year” when he stepped inside the octagon against Martin Kampmann at “UFC on Versus 3″ last March. The two men stood toe-to-toe for the entire three-rounds. Sanchez managed only just a few takedowns and weathered storms from Kampmann while rocking the Dutch striker on several occasions as well. In the end, Sanchez walked away the victor by a contentious decision. However, both men ended up winning the evenings “Fight of the Night” award as the clear cut favorite.

Hughes, meanwhile, has seen better days in his career. Matt recently had compiled a three-fight win streak inside the cage which began with a decision win over rival and former champion Matt Serra, Hughes would go on to TKO the legendary Renzo Gracie, and finally choke out Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Ricardo Almeida, inside of the first-round

In his last outing, Matt was knocked by rival BJ Penn in November of last year at UFC 123, and since the bout many speculated that Hughes would finally hang up the gloves after a long and historic career which has seen Matt become a 2-time welterweight champion and arguably the most dominant 170-pound fighter, ever—though I’m sure fans of Georges St. Pierre would likely disagree.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the match-up? It’s a surprise for me as I imagine it would be for you. Who do you favor? Both men seem fairly evenly matched, though the edge in grappling would have to go to Hughes. Sound off in the comment section below.

“We’re supposed to sit down and talk in Toronto (about UFC Rio),” said Gracie, regarding the UFC brass and he on a recent episode of Inside MMA. That said, Gracie still noted some uncertainty about whether or not he would be on the card. If Gracie were to fight in Rio, he indicated that he had a potential opponent in mind.  Though he didn’t come out and specifically state it during the telecast, it was hard to miss that he was talking about Hughes. In fact, the whole thing became so obvious that Kenny Rice, one of the hosts of the show, said, “We look forward to that fight with Matt Hughes,” to some laughter.

After a more than 11 year absence from the Octagon, Gracie returned to face Hughes at UFC 60. Unfortunately for him, he was thoroughly dominated by the then Miletich fighter on the ground, eventually succumbing by way of TKO in the round one. We’re talking about being mounted, flattened out on the canvas, and having his arm stretched beyond normal limits. Afterwards, Gracie blamed overtraining for his loss and indicated the desire for a rematch.

But what if the fight Gracie seems to want doesn’t happen? Well, there’s a couple of names from the past that want in. One of them is Art Jimmerson, a man that finished his boxing career with an overall record of 33-18. Old “One Glove” is known as such because at UFC 1 he attempted to fight Gracie with only one boxing glove on. In what amounted to Gracie’s first UFC win, he took Jimmerson down, mounted him, and scared him enough there to compel him to tap. Well, Jimmerson has since done some training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wants to right the wrongs of the past.

“I want to stay as close as we can to the Original Rules! I AM IN GREAT SHAPE,” Jimmerson told FullMount.co.uk. “I will DEFINITELY BE MORE AGGRESSIVE! I WILL THROW MORE PUNCHES AND FIGHT MY FIGHT! Royce will not dictate this one! I will not allow him to take me to the GROUND!…. Yes, I WILL WEAR THE OTHER GLOVE!”

Adding fuel to the fire here, no matter how improbable this match up may seem, is that in addition to Jimmerson training at the UFC gym, he’s also been added to their roster of fighters on UFC.com.

Hmmmm.

Finally, there’s Dan Severn. Severn is 52 years old and is still quite active in the sport. With a 99-16-7 overall MMA record, he’s already fought three times in 2011, albeit against less than stellar competition. Still, he wants to erase the memory of his first tournament experience at UFC 4 where he dominated Gracie on the ground until such time as he found himself caught in a triangle choke.

“Since the hint of a UFC event in Brazil hit the online rumor mill, Dan Severn has been passionate about his intentions to take part in this event as his finale match to his fans and the MMA community,” a statement from Severn’s camp read. “Dan has said on numerous occasions that if he had the opportunity to have such a match in Brazil, he would want it to be with Royce Gracie.

“In light of Royce publicly announcing his intent to take part in a UFC event in Brazil, Dan Severn is, officially, throwing out the challenge to Royce Gracie. Wanting to take it to the cage, one last time, in an all-out ground war – two legends of the octagon can thrill and amaze the UFC audience of yesterday and today, one last time.”

So who will it be? Will Gracie get his we-can-only-assume wish and fight Matt Hughes at UFC: Rio? Will a strange set of circumstances somehow pit him against someone from his past? Or will he fight someone not yet named, or be left off the card altogether?

Can’t wait to find out.

The former UFC welterweight champion and pound-for-pound great has been in a tough patch over the last couple of years. Still regarded by many as the dominant welterweight fighter of all time, Hughes has since lost his title in 2006 and has amassed an overall record of 4-4 in his last eight bouts, the last of which has been the most devastating of his career.

After earning a three-fight win streak inside the octagon, Hughes’ win streak was snapped by a vicious 23-second knockout by rival BJ Penn last November in their rubber-match. While many have assumed that Matt would likely hang up the gloves at this point of his career, the UFC Hall of Famer will still like to have at least one or two fights in before the end of the year. Anything else after that is still up for debate, as he knows that the time retirement is rapidly approaching.

In an interview with Ron Kruck of HdNet’s: “Inside MMA” program, Hughes makes apparent that at his age, 37, the level of competition in the UFC will not get any easier on him, and that his time in the sport is quickly coming to a close.

“I’ll be honest, I’m 37 years old, my competitors are around 28 years old. It’s about time for Matt Hughes to find something else to do,” said Matt. “I don’t have a whole lot of fights left in me.”

In all of his losses during the 4-4 stretch, Hughes has been stopped each time–first by Georges St. Pierre whom took the welterweight crown in 2006, via second-round TKO. A win over Lytle helped sandwich another loss to GSP, who this time submitted Matt in the second-round of their title bout.

Next, Matt met with Brazilian slugger Thiago Alves, who used a flying knee and punches to stop the collegiate wrestler in the second-round. While seeming to be back in the thick of things in the welterweight class after the three-fight win streak, BJ Penn ruined the part with the KO win.

Will he ever be a champion again? Probably not. But for Hughes, these one or last two fights that he wants to take on in 2011 are not solely for the purpose of returning to the top of the division, but simply to push himself in competitive fashion, because at the end of the day, he’s just a fighter.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the news? Should Hughes hang it up now or should he take on these next few fights? Who would you like to see him inside the cage with? Sound off in the comment section below.

Brock Lesnar becoming a mixed martial artist, let alone champion, is right up there. Randy Couture recapturing a heavyweight title in his 40′s almost tops the list. Fedor Emelianenko losing, EVER, was another big one.

But to see Matt Hughes and BJ Penn train with one another was almost mind boggling, that I’ve had to re-watch the tape time, and time again. And it’s true. The former two-time welterweight champion Hughes, who has gone 1-2 in bouts with Penn, is training the Hilo Boy for his upcoming bout with perennial contender Jon Fitch on February 26.

MiddleEasy.com first drew eyes to the story, which originally aired KHON 2 Sports, a news outlet broadcasting in Hawaii.

The two men last competed against one another this past November, where Penn scored a swift 21-second knockout over Hughes with a barrage of strikes at UFC 123 in Detroit. Both men have lamented that there was always a bond that kept them cordial, even if it didn’t always appear that way inside the octagon.

“We respect each other, and we’ve really never not gotten along”, said Hughes in an interview with KHON.

“We never had a falling out of any type. We’re competitors and when we had a fighting coming up, we always went in with the attitude that we were going to beat the other one. We fought I think the week before Thanksgiving, and he beat me pretty good, pretty quick, but that was a match and now he’s got a next fight and I’m trying to help him out.”

“I kept thinking ‘who is going to try to grind me out, push me into the fence, and do the ground and pound stuff’. I was like, you know Matt (Hughes) would be the perfect guy to come in and help me out…he surprised me in a few positions”, said ‘The Prodigy’.

“He’s got some stuff to show me.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the two former champions training with one another out of Penn’s native Hilo, Hawaii? Do you think Hughes is the right type of fighter to help BJ prepare for Fitch? Sound off in the comment section below.

It wasn’t too long ago that I was predicting that Hughes would be able to win the UFC Welterweight Championship again, and I still stand by making that prediction when I did. Hughes was on a very impressive win-streak and his new attitude seemed to be breathing new life into his already-fabled career. Hughes had and continues to have the mentality of fighting just because he can. With nothing left to prove and his legacy intact, Hughes can begin experimenting with new things and trying out new opponents simply to see if his body can still hold up.

And I think it can, which is why I think Hughes isn’t done in the UFC.

Hughes has always had a mental advantage over most of his opponents, whether it’s his intense drive to be a champion or his new mentality of taking things as they come. His body has held up remarkably well despite its age and despite the style Hughes uses, which necessitates super-intense training.

I think Matt Hughes simply got caught by BJ Penn, which is something that has happened to a lot of people. No champion has been immune to an outright embarrassing performance; every champion faces a stumbling block. BJ Penn has always had Matt’s number, you could argue that the only reason their rivalry was tied at one apiece is due to the fact that during their second fight Penn broke a rib when going for a sweep (a sweep which he got, by the way). If a fighter fights long enough at a high enough level, eventually they’ll simply run into somebody that’s their kryptonite.

It’s not like Matt Hughes hasn’t overcame adversity before, he’s had to endure some tough losses and he’s had to more or less completely start over more than once in his career. Whether it was Georges St. Pierre or Thiago Alves or anyone else, Hughes always found a way to survive and then later thrive after a deflating loss.

So what’s left for Matt Hughes? Quite a lot, if only he has the determination to grasp it. Hughes is already a legend, and I and many other people enjoy watching him compete in the Octagon. So long as Hughes wishes to compete, I believe the UFC will always be his home. Love them or hate them, but the UFC usually has an excellent track record of treating its legends fairly. There will always be new and emerging talent for Hughes to test himself against, and if he one day retires? He’ll certainly be remembered as one of the best of all time. I just hope that day doesn’t come quit so soon.

And what do you think, fans and friends? What’s your opinion on the future for Matt Hughes?

The “Farmboy” was last seen inside the octagon on the losing side of a savage knockout to rival BJ Penn at UFC 123 last November, where the two former champions settled a near seven-year rivalry with Penn going 2-1 in their three outings.

The loss snapped a three-fight win streak Hughes had accomplished inside the cage with a decision win over former champ Matt Serra and finishes of legend Renzo Gracie and then-budding contender Ricardo Almeida (respectively).

And although many believed that Hughes was poised to make another run at the title prior to the defeat against Penn, some have questioned how competitive he can be against some of the worlds best in the welterweight division, and Matt is ready to answer some of those questions.

Tony Medina of MMANews.com was able to catchup with Matt as he was in San Jose, California getting ready to corner friend and longtime training partner Robbie Lawler when he takes on Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for the Strikeforce middleweight title coming up later tonight.

And as far as an immediate future in his upcoming mixed martial arts career?

“To be honest, I’ve got nothing coming up. No talks, no nothing. No ideas in my head. I fought three times last year which is a lot for me–and spend time with the family…I’ve got a hunting show so I’ve been doing a lot of hunting on the hunting show, and that’s it. No fight talk whatsoever.”

With that said, the former titleholder didn’t completely rule out a return to the cage in the immediate future. For now, Hughes is making up for loss time with the family, however hopes to make his way back inside the octagon when the time is right.

“I’m going to fight again, it’s just I don’t know when. I’ve just got other things going on with the hunting show and the family, so my top priority right now is not the UFC, it’s my family. I was away from them a lot last year. At times I would train away from home, and with three fights I was gone a lot, I’m just trying to get that time back.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Hughes’ comments? Do you think the welterweight standout should retire or does he have a few good fights left in him? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Paulo Thiago

It’s one of the biggest losses of his career, and in a way, Koscheck is still fighting to get out of the shadow of this loss. And what better way to do just that than by stepping back inside the Octagon with Paulo Thiago in order to prove once and for all that Thiago’s victory was more fluke than fantastic? If Koscheck can return the favor and KO Thiago, he’ll have permanently closed the book on the entire situation and he’d also take a firm step on the comeback trail.

4. Chris Lytle

A lot has changed since Chris Lytle first met Josh Koscheck in 2008. It now appears that, after years of fighting tooth-and-nail up the rankings, Chris Lytle has finally emerged as a top-division star. His boxing has never looked more crisp and precise, and his ground game has resulted in several amazing submission wins in several of his recent fights. This would be an important test for both men, and if Koscheck can make his record against Lytle a perfect 2-0, he’ll have firmly established that he’s far from done in the UFC’s Welterweight division.

3. Thiago Alves

I know this list does seem to have a large amount of rematches in it, but to be fair, every single one of these matches makes sense and would really help further along Koscheck’s career. After hitting a rough patch ever since he lost to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100, Thiago Alves most recently found his inner “Pitbull” when he thoroughly outclassed John Howard. If the old Alves really is back, he represents a major opportunity for Koscheck to reestablish himself.

2. BJ Penn

This match makes sense for so many reasons. If BJ Penn beats Koscheck’s teammate Jon Fitch in their upcoming encounter, this will be an awesome grudge match. If Fitch beats Penn, it’ll be Penn that looks for revenge against another member of the American Kickboxing Academy. Both men also have very impressive stand-up and, for the most part, very strong chins. This match sounds great enough on paper, but add a little BJ Penn vs. AKA rivalry into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for an awesome and pretty important fight.

And my #1 opponent for Josh Koscheck to fight in the near future is…

1. Matt Hughes

Josh Koscheck has been campaigning for this match for quite some time, and he’s vocally called out the UFC Hall of Fame member in the past. With Hughes turning towards retirement, this would be an epic showdown, and it would be a tremendous moral victory and a huge motivating factor if Josh Koscheck ends up being the man that retires Matt Hughes. And of course Matt Hughes wouldn’t go down without a fight. Not only would this be an incredibly important fight, it also would more than likely be one of the year’s best.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? Who do you think Koscheck should face in the near future, and why?

Why an opponent suddenly stops showing the kind of cage explosiveness as Alves did against Hughes and before that in TKO wins over Karo Parisyan and Chris Lytle is hard to define.  Here are a few theories.

1.  The loss to Georges St. Pierre.

Alves lost to St. Pierre decisively as GSP took Alves down at will and laid out the blueprint for how to defeat him.  Alves entered that fight on a high and sounded confident his stand-up would offset GSP’s overall skill set.  Alves was dominated and this fight showed the welterweight division he was far from a vicious beast when on his back.

2. The brain injury.

Alves was originally slated to face Jon Fitch at UFC 111 in New Jersey but was scratched from the card when a pre-fight physical showed an arteriovenous malformation in the brain.

This condition was not life threatening and was corrected via surgery.  No one knows for sure if or how such an injury can impact a fighter’s sense of self control and aggressiveness, even if only from a psychological standpoint.  Can such an injury affect his self confidence and sense of aggressiveness, even if only subconsciously?

3. Weight!

Against Matt Hughes and again vs. Jon Fitch most recently, Alves failed to make the 170lb weight limit for welterweights.  What is going on?  It is well documented that Alves often “walks around” at 190lbs between fights, if not more.  And he has been known to arrive to fight week 12-15 pounds over the 170lb limit.  Now, some fighters are highly skilled at cutting weight and can do this.  Alves has proven not have this skill.  Being a “big” welterweight seemed to help him earlier in his career.  But, if Alves can’t make weight or the cut is sapping his energy – he must move up to 185.  I think there is value in not having to cut weight and living closer to one’s fight weight.  Frankie Edgar may be carving a new path and showing how being smaller in a weight class can be more useful and provides great stamina and thus ability to employ a variety of tactics.

So, what will we see on Saturday night against John Howard?  I think Alves may be in luck.  UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has served up a brawler who has preferred to bang, of late, which may allow Alves to return to his native style of stand-up fighting and worry less about take down defense.  I will be watching how easily Alves makes weight, how aggressive he is early in the fight, and how he takes a clean blow from Howard – given his brain surgery.

If Alves can answer these questions, he will certainly be on the road back to his old form and the UFC will have another dangerous contender back in the mix.

Thoughts, fight fans?  Can Alves reclaim his former glory?

@john_moody

Here are the highlights from a group of quotes assembled by MMA Weekly: “I don’t know what the plan is now… Of course, the fight didn’t go like I had planned it… It’s funny how styles make fights… I don’t know what I’ll do now. I’m definitely going to take the winter off and some of the spring. I had three fights this year, so I’ve just got some other things I want to do; but I will say that this was one big step closer to retirement for me.”

It’s unfortunate that Hughes was so thoroughly destroyed during his recent UFC 123 bout… unfortunate, but not exactly unexpected. Let’s all be honest here: BJ Penn has always had better hands than Matt Hughes. With nothing left to lose, Penn had almost no choice but to go for broke from the get-go and try to land the big one on Hughes from the second the bell rang. Penn was reckless and it paid off, it could have gone the other way entirely, with Hughes using that recklessness to shoot in on Penn and score a takedown. Penn just ended up clipping Hughes at the most opportune time.

I really don’t think Matt Hughes is done after this losing performance to BJ Penn. The man was on a three-fight win-streak before this bout, with two of those wins by stoppage. He beat two talented (and still dangerous, no matter what anyone else says) veterans in the form of Renzo Gracie and Matt Serra, and then he beat Ricardo Almeida, Renzo’s disciple, at his own game, choking him out early in the first round. It may be true that Hughes is 3-3 in his last six outings, but in his entire career, he’s only lost a total of eight times. He’s had over fifty fights as a professional, and he only loses to the best competition the UFC has to offer.

Ultimately, the only one who can decide the future for Matt Hughes is Matt Hughes himself. But I’d sure like to see him get back in the Octagon. Perhaps I’m being selfish, or getting my hopes up too high, but I think Matt Hughes still has some fight left in him. He’ll go down as one of the best ever, of that I have no doubt. I’d simply hate to see him end his career in this fashion. I sincerely hope that Hughes ultimately decides to go out with a roar rather than a whimper, and attempts one final comeback before his book is closed permanently.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you want to see Matt Hughes do in the future, and what do you think his chances are in the UFC’s continually-evolving Welterweight division?

The event, which took place at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit Suburbs on Nov. 20 held witness to the climb of former UFC title challenger Dennis Hallman as well as the demise of former champion Matt Hughes.

Hallman, who prior to last Saturday vindicated himself with a unanimous decision victory over Ben Saunders following a knockout loss to contender John Howard in his return to the octagon, scored a first round TKO victory over former top-10 welterweight Karo Parisyan on the under card of the UFC 123 pay-per-view event. Dennis scored the win on strikes at 1:43 inside the first frame, placing him back on the map in the welterweight division.

Hughes, didn’t fair as well.

“For myself as a fighter, I don’t have anything to gain,” said the near 60-fight veteran, who recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com post-UFC 123.

Any interest in a fight between Hallman and Hughes would stem from their two previous meetings, both of which Dennis was the winner of, recording two swift submission victories over the UFC Hall of Famer. Both submission victories came in twenty seconds or less.

“If it financially made sense for me, I would want to do it. If it wasn’t something that made sense financially for me then I don’t have anything to gain from it. It’s kind of like that situation.”

At the moment, it’s unclear whether or not the 37-year-old Hughes would even return to fighting altogether after suffering a brutal knockout loss to rival BJ Penn last Saturday. Both men co-headlined the event in what was billed as one of the sport’s most coveted trilogies, with Hughes and Penn splitting victories in the past. Penn came out the better man, needing only 21 seconds to dispatch a rivalry that dated back to 2004 when BJ upset then champion Hughes for the belt.

For Hallman, it’s all about numbers and the demand from the fans.

“If the people want to see it then I’m sure the UFC will make it happen,” said the Washington native.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the potential match up? Would you like to see Hughes/Hallman 3? Sound off in the comment section below.

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?

UFC 123 took place in the suburbs of Detroit, at the Palace of Auburn Hills before a stellar crowd. The main event of the evening was billed as a battle between two former light heavyweight champions in Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida.

While the 205-pound match up was the main affair, a few men shined a little bit brighter then the rest, and have since been the hot topic of discussion, and deservedly so.

BJ Penn completed a trilogy with rival Matt Hughes, serving as the co-main event of the evening during lat nights festivities. Penn struck hard early when he dropped the UFC Hall of Famer in just a few seconds inside of the first round. The former welterweight champion in BJ capitalized on the opportunity to finish Hughes on the ground, where a few additional punches sealed the deal. And at just 21 seconds inside of the very first round, Penn was declared the winner. For his efforts, “The Prodigy” picked up the nights “Knockout of the Night” award, and has now snapped a two-fight losing streak.

Phil Davis, one of the budding contenders in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, did not disappoint those in attendance when he was able to finish Tim Boetsch inside the second round. The NCAA Div. 1 wrestling champion was able to take down the savvy UFC veteran early and often, and in the second round was able to control “The Barbarian” with his budding Jiu-Jitsu skills, eventually looking up a modified kimura lock, and forced the tap out not once..but twice. The referee did not see the initial tap, but caught the second, which is unfortunate for Boetsch, but he appeared fine following the bouts conclusion. For his efforts, Davis picked up “Submission of the Night” and also pocketed a cool $80k. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and remains undefeated as a professional.

Joe Lauzon and George Sotiropoulos had some bad blood heading into the cage, and it showed in the first round. Heading into the bout, Lauzon complained of George’s fighting attire, which consisted of several applications on his legs, including the traditional shorts, knee pads, ankle supporters, and additional garments. But, cooler heads prevailed and the bout went on as scheduled. Lauzon was sharp in the opening round, stuffing takedowns and working well inside the clinch with short strikes, and clipped George on a few occasions. The second round though was a different story, and the Aussie native was able to work his strong Jiu-Jitsu game, eventually submitting “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran with a kimura. Both men picked up the nights “Fight of the Night” award for their strong performances.

So, MMA peeps, do you agree with the winners? Do you think anyone else was more deserving of said honors? If so, speak up. Sound off in the comment section below.

Next for Karo Parisyan: I’m not unsympathetic to Karo Parisyan, I’m just very skeptical. And his one-sided loss at UFC 123 pretty much proved me right. Parisyan was a shadow of a shadow of his former self, and I don’t think Karo Parisyan belongs in the UFC. He’ll be back to fighting overseas or in mid-tier promotions in the US before he inevitably calls it a career and closes the book on one of the most interesting “what could have been” stories in Mixed Martial Arts.

Next for George Sotiropolous: I know this next statement is going to come off as incredibly bold, but, hey, I’m in the mood to be incredibly bold. So here it is: I’m predicting that George Sotiropolous will be the UFC Lightweight Champion before the end of 2011. Everything he’s done up to this point leads me in that direction. His victory over Joe Lauzon was yet another example of how well-rounded he is, how he’s able to remain cool under pressure, and how he has the killer instinct necessary to become a champion. Big, big, big things are in store for George Sotiropolous.

Next for Maiquel Falcao: Something tells me that the UFC is going to do whatever they can to get rid of Maiquel Falcao. For one, he ruined the hotstreak of Gerald Harris, and the UFC had been building him up as the next big monster athlete. Secondly, Falcao earned himself no fans when he coasted in the third round and basically stopped fighting once he realized that he had won the first two rounds and didn’t really have to do anything if he didn’t want to. Falcao is going to be facing some incredibly stiff competition in the coming months, and if he loses more than once I think the UFC will wash their hands of him.

Next for Matt Hughes: What a trip it’s been for Matt Hughes. And no matter what anyone else says, I personally don’t think the trip is over. Hughes is going to come back, he’s certainly not going to end his career on perhaps the biggest loss he’s ever had to endure. He’ll face a lower level of competition when he returns, but he will return. There aren’t many steps left on the comeback trail for Matt Hughes, but this loss to Penn is a temporary roadblock and not a permanent impasse. Sooner rather than later we’ll see Hughes back in the Octagon and winning again.

Next for BJ Penn: It’s been announced that Penn will face Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in Australia, and I for one can’t wait to see that fight. I’ll have more to say about this in the coming days, but for now, I’ll say this: love him or hate him, I think Jon Fitch is the perfect fighter to beat BJ Penn. Stay tuned.

Next for Quinton Jackson: With a big (albeit controversial) win over a great opponent, the UFC will officially begin building “Rampage” back up towards a title shot. Jackson will be facing some big threats very soon, look for him to remain on a steady diet of top-level competition. Before 2011 is through I think we’ll see another major rematch for Rampage, whether it be against Rashad Evans or Mauricio Rua.

Next for Lyoto Machida: The man who once won sixteen straight fights has now lost two straight. It’s a tough time to be Lyoto Machida. I personally think Machida may be the next man to test out Jon Jones, or possibly Ryan Bader. As much as it pains me to admit it, I think the UFC will soon be testing out Machida as a gatekeeper and seeing how he does. But if it happens, I also predict that Machida will blast the competition and firmly put himself back “into the mix”. It’s always darkest before the dawn, and Lyoto Machida isn’t going anywhere.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of UFC 123?

Quinton Jackson defeats Lyoto Machida via Split Decision. BJ Penn defeats Matt Hughes via KO (strikes) at 0:21 of Round 1. Maiquel Falcao defeats Gerald Harris via Unanimous Decision. Phil Davis defeats Tim Boetsch via Submission (Kimura) at 2:55 of Round 2. George Sotiropoulos defeats Joe Lauzon via Submission (Kimura) at 2:43 of Round 2. Brian Foster defeats Matt Brown via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:11 of Round 2. Mark Munoz defeats Aaron Simpson via Unanimous Decision. Dennis Hallman defeats Karo Parisyan via TKO (strikes) at 1:47 in Round 1. Edson Barboza defeats Mike Lullo via TKO at 0:26 of Round 3. Paul Kelly defeats T.J. O’Brien via TKO (strikes) at 3:16 of Round 2. Nik Lentz defeats Tyson Griffin via split decision.

I have very, very mixed feelings in regards to the main event. I consider myself a fan of both men, but a bigger Machida fan. I think this is a fight that’s going to be debated at length for the next several weeks, at the very least. I think it was a very close fight with the third round unquestionably going to Machida. However, with or without controversy this match managed to live up to most of its potential. I’m excited for a rematch, and I think we’re going to get one sooner rather than later.

I guess this is what I get for doubting BJ Penn. It’s unquestionable and undeniable: BJ Penn is back on the comeback trail and perhaps better than ever. He looked amazing against Matt Hughes, who I and many other people thought had more than a passing shot at beating “Baby Jay”. BJ needed a big and dominant win in about the worst way possible, and he got just that at UFC 123. No matter what the future holds for BJ Penn in either the Welterweight or the Lightweight division, one important question was answered at UFC 123: BJ Penn is not done. Not by a long shot.

I also noticed that the “UFC 123 Prelims Live” special delivered a solid hour of action to lead into the official Pay-Per-View telecast. Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson gave us three good action-packed rounds, while Brian Foster and Matt Brown fought to a very entertaining submission finish. Add in a showing of the Parisyan/Hallman fight that took place earlier in the evening, and you had ample reason to tune in and watch some free MMA on TV.

Overall, UFC 123 was a very strong event with several noteworthy fights. I think we’ll be feeling the repercussions of this event for quite some time, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for some of the night’s big winners and losers.

And what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of UFC 123?

The nights headliner between former champions Quinton Jackson and Lyoto Machida quickly became heated when the two met for the stare down, after both had came in at 205-pounds on the nose.

Machida squared off with Jackson with the traditional fist to face motion, which Quinton apparently didn’t take kindly, and before it was all said and done, a scuffle was quickly averted when UFC head honcho Dana White interjected between the two strikers.

After the awkward tension alleviated, cooler heads prevailed and the two shook hands out of respect and went their separate ways.

For the most part, all fighters came in at the exact weight limit with all but one fighter not needing the extra pound allowance. Aaron Simpson, who is featured as one of the two bouts in the Spike TV portion of the special “UFC Prelims”, came in at 185.5.

Also interesting to note, both former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, who serve as the co-main event of the evening and will meet for the third time in an epic trilogy, came in at a svelte 169 pounds; a pound under the maximum weight requirement.

Here are the weigh in results in their entirety, thanks to MMAJunkie.com for the format.

MAIN CARD

* Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (205) vs. Lyoto Machida (205)
* Matt Hughes (169) vs. B.J. Penn (169)
* Tim Boetsch (205) vs. Phil Davis (205)
* Joe Lauzon (155) vs. George Sotiropoulos (155)
* Maiquel Falcao (185) vs. Gerald Harris (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Matt Brown (170) vs. Brian Foster (170)
* Mark Munoz (185) vs. Aaron Simpson (185.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Dennis Hallman (170) vs. Karo Parisyan (170)
* Edson Barboza (155) vs. Mike Lullo (155)
* Paul Kelly (155) vs. T.J. O’Brien (155)
* Nik Lentz (155) vs. Tyson Griffin (155)

George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon: This could end up being a great fight…depending on which George Sotiropolous shows up. But I don’t think there’s any doubt that George will win this one. At least, I’d be incredibly surprised if Lauzon pulled out the victory. For all intents and purposes, Sotiropolous is being groomed as the next big threat at Lightweight while living up to that mantle. Look for him to take the submission win during Round 2.

Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch: I have to admit, I’m not too familiar with either fighter. To me, it seems as if Boetsch has more experience in the UFC while Davis has more potential as a young and undefeated UFC newcomer. We might just have a very entertaining war on our hands. Based on his undefeated track record and his penchant for toughing it out, I’m thinking that Phil Davis takes a hard-earned Unanimous Decision at the end of three good rounds of action.

Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Falcao: There seems to be no stopping Gerald Harris. The man is on a ten-fight win-streak, a five-fight TKO streak, and has stopped each and every single one of his opponents since August 2008, when he last recorded a Decision win. But Maiquel Falcao is also on a very high win-streak (seven) with a huge amount of finishes. This fight doesn’t just have sneaky “Fight of the Night” potential, it may be good enough to land on some people’s “Fight of the Year” lists. Look for Gerald Harris to win by KO in Round 2 after an amazing Round 1.

Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn: If you had asked me about this match back when Penn still had the UFC Lightweight Championship, I would have answered without a moment’s delay: this is BJ’s fight to win. Now I’m honestly not so sure. I look at where Penn is right now compared to where Hughes is, and I’ve got to say: Hughes seems to have the better mentality going into this fight. Now that Hughes is fighting just for the fun of it, he’s able to take a lot of risks that end up paying off more often than not. I hate to pick against someone I’ve been such a big fan of for such a long while, but both my heart and my head tell me that Matt Hughes is going to fight his way towards a Unanimous Decision win.

Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson: I’ve said a whole lot about this fight in the days and weeks leading up to it, so I’ll keep my predictions short and sweet. We’re going to witness the rebirth of “The Dragon”. He’s going to come on strong and finish stronger. “Rampage” will put forth a solid effort, but he’ll crumble underneath a resurgent and resurrected Machida. Lyoto Machida KO’s Rampage Jackson by Round 2 at the very latest.

So that’s what I think is going to go down, fans and friends. What about you? What does your inner Nostradamus have to say regarding the big match-ups at UFC 123: “Rampage vs. Machida”?

But, ironically enough, he’s arguably also one of the sports greatest disappointments. A man who is naturally gifted with athletic abilities people could only wish for. It seems like his greatest potential achievements have been squandered away by poor habits and worse decisions.

He’s promised time and time again that he will reinvent himself, and after back-to-back defeats inside the octagon, Penn’s back is against the wall, even if he may not feel like it.

After three title defenses as the lightweight champion, Penn would go on to lose his title to Frankie Edgar, the only man to defeat him in the 155-pound class. A closely contested match, which looked to swing in Penn’s favor at UFC 112, was met with a disappointing result when the New Jersey native was awarded the unanimous decision. A rematch was prepared for at UFC 118 in Boston last August, but this time Edgar thoroughly dominated the former champ and left no doubts as to who the true 155-pound title holder should be.

“I was kind of bummed out (after the loss to Edgar)”, said Penn during a recent media teleconference.

“When I got home after the fight, there were a couple of days where I didn’t train. I just hung out, and there was nothing to do. I don’t want to sit in the bar and drink. I didn’t get banged or bruised up too much, so I just got back to training and thought about getting the lightweight title back.”

A sluggish performance turned in by the Hawaiian fighter left many wondering Penn’s worth in the MMA world. An icon, a legend perhaps in the sport, had turned in two sub-par performances back-to-back. Rather then drown in his sorrows, BJ would return to the welterweight division against rival Matt Hughes. The two have become very familiar with each other over the years. Penn had initially defeated the “farm boy” at UFC 46 in 2003, and later Hughes exacted revenge in 2006, splitting the victories 1-1. Now the two will meet for the final time, serving as the co-main event at UFC 123.

“I’ve been changing my training, doing roadwork, trying to push my different energy systems”, asserted Penn.

“You’ve got to improve everything — boxing, takedowns, wrestling. [Regarding Hughes], I haven’t done anything drastic. I’ve just been training. I brought in good sparring partners for the fight, and it feels like yesterday when I was fighting at welterweight. I’m just preparing for the legend, preparing for Matt.”

Now with a new training regime behind him, the 31-year-old former welterweight champion will look to climb the ranks once again with a win over Hughes. He’s not disillusioned with the idea that he can regain the 170-pound title anytime soon, especially with a tall task in hand with Matt, but he still relishes the day when he can someday regain what was his.

“I think it’s premature to be talking about a title fight. I definitely think Matt has worked his way back up the ranks. My goal is to be the welterweight champ again, and I wouldn’t mind being the lightweight champ again, but I’m taking it one step at a time. (I’m comfortable at either) 155 or 170. If I do well against Matt and feel good at welterweight, there’s no doubt I’d like to fight best welterweights out there.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Penn’s assertions? Do you favor him in his match up this Saturday? Sound off in the comment section below.

Thanks to MMABay.co.uk for the transcribe.

The Event: UFC 123 “Rampage vs. Machida”, which airs live on Pay-Per-View Saturday, November 20 from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Why You Should Care: The main event features two former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions, both of whom are very popular and have very powerful strikes. The co-main event also features two former UFC Welterweight Champions that are widely regarded as two of the best Mixed Martial Artists of all time, and they’ll be fighting each other for a third time.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Quinton Jackson is known for his street-tough personality that bleeds into his fighting style. The man known as “Rampage” is heavy on the brawling and the striking, so he very rarely has a boring fight. Lyoto Machida is also a very versatile and cunning fighter, with very good counter-punching and sneaky one-hit KO power. If this becomes a brawl, look for someone to get viciously KO’d and for both men to add several moments to their highlight reel during the course of this bout.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Matt Hughes and BJ Penn have a long and historic rivalry. BJ Penn put an end to the long championship reign of Matt Hughes in their first fight, and in their second fight Hughes became the first man to ever finish BJ Penn (Hughes won by TKO, until that point Penn had only ever lost by decision). Both men are at a crossroads in their career: Hughes is fighting for a legacy while Penn is fighting to recapture his relevancy. These two always bring out the best in each other, and since they’re so good to begin with, this has all the makings of an incredible fight.

Why to Buy This Card: The main event and co-main event puts most other MMA cards to shame. Hughes/Penn 3 could headline its own card, having it as the co-main only sweetens the pot. Rampage vs. Machida is better than most championship matches.

Why Not to Buy This Card: Besides the co-main and main event, the rest of the card seems decidedly average, maybe even a bit underwhelming. Anything is possible when the Octagon closes, but on paper, the top two matches clearly anchor this show and everything else feels a little flat.

Closing Thoughts: Having two great fights doesn’t make your card a “super-card”, but it does make your event well worth watching. If you go in expecting greatness from Rampage/Machida and Hughes/Penn 3, I sincerely doubt you’ll be disappointed. If you go in expecting greatness from the start of the show until the show’s end, you may be a little bit disappointed. But, all in all, the strength of the two marquee matches easily propel this card into “definitely buy it” territory.

And that’s it, fans and friends! Look for more “Crash Courses” in the near future. Until then, please let me know: what do you think of this new series? What areas did you like or dislike, what would you add or subtract? Comments and opinions are welcome. Also, what’s your take on “Rampage vs. Machida”?

5. Ben Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis

The WEC would be hard-pressed to find a better fight to go out on than this headlining attraction at WEC 53, the final WEC event before the entire promotion is folded into the UFC. In one corner you have the unlikely champion Ben Henderson, who established himself as a worthy champion with several incredible performances against the WEC’s best and now stands poised as possibly one of the best Lightweights in the game. Then in the other corner you have Anthony Pettis, an incredibly dynamic and wildly entertaining fighter. This fight as a whole sums up the WEC’s long history of solid matchmaking, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

4. Dan Henderson vs. Renato Sobral

This is one for the old-school fans, let’s get that straight right off the bat. But if you do consider yourself a diehard or simply a fan of the old-school, this fight has quite a lot to offer. It features two aging fighters that still seem to have a lot left to give, trying to recapture the old magic that made them champions in the past. It’s also the classic “styles clash” match-up pitting the heavy-handed striker versus the grappler, and also the wrestler versus the Brazilian Jui Jitsu practitioner. It has all the makings of a good fight between two big names from the past, so it definitely deserves a watch.

3. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes

Like Hendo/”Babalu” but bigger. This fight happens at a critical moment in both men’s careers. Now that he knows his legacy is intact, Matt Hughes has been fighting for the fun of it without the added pressure of wanting a title shot. If he beats Penn, he might just get one. Conversely, the added pressure of having to constantly defend his Lightweight Championship ultimately spelled doom for “The Prodigy”, and he looks to a Welterweight return to reestablish and reinvigorate himself. Whoever wins this one takes a massive step forward, but Penn has a lot more to lose if Hughes gets the better of him. It’s the end of a rivalry that has spanned several eras in Mixed Martial Arts, so you should definitely watch it.

2. Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre

I never would have believed that you could still have an incredibly bitter rivalry where one side does all the talking, but here we are and there it is. This fight is going to be insane for a number of reasons. The reaction GSP will get will be monumental, as will the boos Koscheck will receive. The fight itself should be wildly entertaining as GSP lets loose months of pent-up rage while Koscheck sets out to prove that he’s an entirely different fighter compared to when he lost to GSP the first time. It’s an epic main event and the culmination of a very bitter rivalry, so of course it takes the #2 spot.

But my top spot simply has got to go to…

1. Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton Jackson

This non-title fight could put just about any other promotion’s championship fights to shame. This is a massive match between two phenomenal athletes with two clearly divided fanbases. I’ve vocally supported Machida from the get-go, and I can’t wait to see him rise from the ashes and prove once and for all that “The Machida Era” has been postponed, not cancelled. He can do just that if he beats “Rampage”, one of the most well-known and feared strikers in the history of the business. It’s a colossal showdown that you absolutely must not miss.

So that’s where I stand, fans and friends. What about you? What matches do you think should absolutely not be missed as 2010 draws to a close?

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

1. Georges St. Pierre (6,985,000 PPV Buys): Georges St. Pierre is simply the perfect mix of everything. He’s incredibly humble. He’s a very good-looking man. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s got an entire country (his native Canada) on his side. In a list mostly filled with brash talkers or knockout artists, GSP stands out as the squeaky-clean do-gooder. Above all else, GSP getting the #1 spot proves that MMA fans aren’t just a bunch of knuckle-dragging Neanderthals that only want to see fighters rip each other’s heads off.

2. Chuck Liddell (6,324,000 PPV Buys): I think that “The Iceman” making the #2 spot proves two things: that rivalries sell fights, and that image is everything. For the longest time, Liddell had the look of a man who had just gotten out of prison with the attitude and serious punching power to back up his mystique. His incredibly bitter rivalry with Tito Ortiz also gave the UFC a huge amount of PPV buys, and stands the test of time as one of the best MMA rivalries in the history of our sport. Chuck Liddell is the embodiment of the old-school MMA mentality: sometimes all you need is the ability to heinously separate an opponent from his consciousness in order to be a huge MMA star.

3. Brock Lesnar (6,045,000 PPV Buys): While Liddell embodies the old-school mentality of the gruff and tough brawler that the fans can’t get enough of, Lesnar is probably the definition of the phrase “controversy creates cash”. You can love him, you can hate him, but you still pay to see him fight. At this point, just the mere mention of Lesnar’s name is enough to stir up a heated debate in just about any online community. Lesnar’s high rank on this list says that MMA fans can be incredibly divided on a fighter while still paying again and again to see that fighter fight. It’s one of the biggest keys to success for both an MMA fighter and an MMA promotion: whether you pay to see him lose or pay to see him win, at the end of the day, everyone pays.

4. Forrest Griffin (5,630,000 PPV Buys): I have to admit, this one shocked me considerably. Seriously: Forrest Griffin has helped sell over five million Pay-Per-View buys? What this says to me is that “The Ultimate Fighter” deserves all the credit it constantly gets for being the bridge the UFC walked over to get to the land of mainstream acceptance. Griffin also proves that you don’t have to be the best fighter to be a big draw, sometimes all it takes is a self-deprecating sense of humor and the uncanny ability to absorb crazy amounts of damage. Forrest Griffin is a fighter that comes to fight, and he doesn’t mind if he gets beaten to a bloody pulp in the process, and that’s why I think MMA fans have embraced him so thoroughly.

And rounding out both the top five and Part 1 of this two-parter is…

5. Matt Hughes (5,399,000 PPV Buys): Matt Hughes is living proof that a country boy can survive. Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. I think Matt Hughes’ spot on this list proves that MMA fans are a loyal bunch, they’ll support a once-dominant champion through thick and thin so long as he keeps turning in quality fights. Hughes has only lost a step or two from when he was tearing through the UFC’s welterweight division, and he remains one of the UFC’s biggest stars. His spot on this list proves that if a high-level fighter has staying power, his drawing power will stay equally as high.

That’s it for today, fans and friends. Tune in tomorrow when I cover the rest of the Top Ten UFC PPV Draws of All-Time and give my thoughts on what I think they say about our industry as a whole. And what about you? Did any of these entrants take you by surprise, and what do you think their spot on this list says about the MMA world as a whole?

Stay tuned to Fighters.com for Part 2 of our video interview where we talk about Matt Hughes, Ricardo Almeida, and the upcoming Frankie Edgar v. Gray Maynard lightweight title fight.  Coming soon.

Click through to watch the video.

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 2009 event opened up to a large audience, and has become a propellant in the mixed martial arts world, opening up the eyes to a mainstream audience, by the community taking leaps and bounds in order to legitimize itself as not only a legitimate sport, but one that deserves that same sort of recognition that most others receive, here in these United States.

While some categories have changed, in order to be politically correct, must stay the same. Voting continues until November 26, where till then you can cast your votes online at All winners are determined by a fan vote, and ballots can be cast through Nov. 26 at www.worldmmaawards.com.

The full list, which was formatted by MMAJunkie.com, of finalists includes:

CHARLES “MASK” LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Anderson Silva
* Brock Lesnar
* Frankie Edgar
* Jose Aldo
* Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

* Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen at UFC 117
* Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin at UFC 116
* Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung at WEC 48
* Chris Leben vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116
* Jorge Santiago vs. Kazuo Misaki at Sengoku 14

KO OF THE YEAR

* Anthony Njokuani vs. Chris Horodecki at WEC 45
* Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110
* Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 113
* Mike Russow vs. Todd Duffee at UFC 114
* Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 115

SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR

* Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117
* Chris Leben vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116
* Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon at UFC 108
* Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen at UFC 118
* Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum”

BEST PROMOTION

* Bellator
* DREAM
* Strikeforce
* UFC
* WEC

LEADING MAN OF THE YEAR

* Bjorn Rebney, Bellator founder and CEO
* Dana White, UFC president
* Joe Silva, UFC VP of talent relations
* Michael Schiavello, HDNet broadcaster
* Scott Coker, Strikeforce founder and CEO

INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Alistair Overeem
* Dan Hardy
* George Sotiropoulos
* John Hathaway
* Shinya Aoki

BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Charles Oliveira
* Evan Dunham
* George Sotiropoulos
* John Hathaway
* Jon Jones

FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

* Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
* Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii
* Miesha Tate
* Sarah Kaufman
* Zoila Frausto

COACH OF THE YEAR

* Cesar Gracie
* Firas Zahabi
* Greg Jackson
* Rafael Cordeiro
* Shawn Tompkins

GYM OF THE YEAR

* American Kickboxing Academy
* American Top Team
* Black House MMA
* Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting
* Wand Fight Team

RING GIRL OF THE YEAR

* Arianny Celeste
* Brittney Palmer
* Chandella Powell
* Natalie Skyy
* Rachelle Leah

BEST LIFESTYLE CLOTHING BRAND

* Affliction
* Fight Chix
* RVCA
* Silverstar
* TapouT

REFEREE OF THE YEAR

* “Big” John McCarthy
* Dan Miragliotta
* Herb Dean
* Josh Rosenthal
* Mario Yamasaki

MOST MEMORABLE RING ENTRANCE

* Anderson Silva
* Clay Guida
* Jason “Mayhem” Miller
* Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal
* Tom Lawlor

BEST TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT BRAND

* Everlast MMA
* Fairtex
* Hayabusa
* TapouT
* Venum

BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING BRAND

* Bad Boy
* Hayabusa
* Jaco
* TapouT
* Venum

MEDIA SOURCE OF THE YEAR

* “Inside MMA” on HDNet
* MMAjunkie.com
* MMAWeekly.com
* MMAFighting.com
* Sherdog.com

MMA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

* Aaron “Tru” Teweles, Freelance
* Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com/Versus.com
* Conner Cordova, MMAReligion.com
* Gareth A. Davies, Telegraph.com
* John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com

So, MMA peeps, any surprises here? Anyone you would have liked to seen in some of these categories? Who do you think will take home some of the honors of the night? 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.

I think this attitude will benefit Penn in a number of ways when fight-time rolls around. For one, I think his last few fights have proven that a frustrated BJ Penn is a rather lackluster BJ Penn. If Penn were to come in with a chip on his shoulder, feeling a large amount of animosity towards Hughes, he likely would have been frustrated at Matt’s new “nothing fazes me” attitude. Hughes has said on more than one occasion that he’s competing just for the sake of competing nowadays, so Hughes’ relaxed nature may have had a not-inconsiderable effect on Penn’s mental strategy.

In many ways, it seems as if Penn is in fact adopting Matt’s recent attitude. However, it remains to be seen if Penn really means this. After all, he did say that he trained hard for the Edgar rematch, and then went out and got humbled in a huge way. But if Penn can adopt a no-pressure attitude in earnest, I think he’ll be quite successful in his return to 170.

At the end of the day, veterans like Penn and Hughes need to realize that they have nothing left to prove. If they can come to terms with the fact that they may never hold a championship again, they may end up getting another shot at the gold after all. With no pressure, with their legacy more or less set in stone, fighters like Penn and Hughes can take crazy chances just to see if they’ll work. It’s why Hughes choked out a highly-decorated submission specialist like Ricardo Almeida.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that everyone should adopt this mentality. For the young guns it’s very important to be incredibly driven to the point of falling asleep at night and dreaming about the belt being around your waist. But for the veterans, removing the stress and just fighting for the sake of fighting is a very smart, very mature move that will likely do more good than harm. I wish both Penn and Hughes all the best in this third showdown, which should be decidedly epic.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you believe Penn when he says that he doesn’t harbor any ill will anymore towards Hughes? And who do you see winning the third encounter?

Limitless potential, incredible skill, and the Hawaiian still hasn’t figured out the right recipe in order to become a dominant champion. His prowess is obvious, as he still remains a prodigy before his time, earning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt within just a few years into the game, winning tournaments, transitioning into mixed martial arts and holding both titles in the lightweight and welterweight divisions, BJ Penn will be remembered for some time.

However, after succumbing to his second consecutive loss to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, in an uninspired performance which saw the former champion drop a land slide of a decision to the New Jersey native, BJ Penn should have the right motivation when he steps into the cage in November to face rival Matt Hughes.

“That fight (UFC 118, Frankie Edgar), I don’t know why I ended up performing the way I did that night”, said BJ while speaking with Fighters Only Magazine.

“I would think that if I was out of shape, that I would have been like fast and explosive in the beginning and then fell off. You know, under-trained people, they really go hard and then they kind of just hit a wall and drop off, but I think it was a little of none. I don’t know why I didn’t perform very well that night. I know I didn’t perform very well that night, and I guess I just got to keep fine-tuning and keep adjusting until I find what works for me.”

Now with the bout behind him, BJ has Matt Hughes to look forward to. The two have faced off twice before, splitting victories. Penn originally got the better of Hughes 6 years ago at UFC 46, when he was able to submit the powerhouse wrestler inside of the first round. It was Matt’s first loss then in 3 years, and snapped a 13 fight win streak and five successful title defenses.

When the two met again in 2006, though, it was a whole different story. After a dominant round turned in by BJ in the first, the momentum changed and Hughes was able to take control for the next couple of rounds. Eventually in the third, Hughes was getting the better of Penn on the feet, eventually working the bout to the mat, and was able to secure a crucifix on BJ, and pounded him out for the TKO victory.

So, needless to say, BJ still harbors some animosity, right? Wrong.

“I have compassion to fight Matt Hughes. We are, in a way, rivals I guess”, said BJ concerning his relationship with the UFC Hall of Famer.

“If you would have asked me 6 years ago if I like Matt Hughes, I probably would have said ‘no’. If you were ask me today, I would probably say ‘you know what–I have closer friends, we’re not close, but there’s not anything I wouldn’t do for Matt Hughes if he ever asked me’. Time heals all wounds, time changes things. I’ve got no animosity towards Matt Hughes whatsoever. What I do have to do is go out there and beat the sportsman, that is Matt Hughes, and that’s what I’m preparing to do”.

With no animosity within him, BJ still appears to be motivated to fight, none-the-less. While belts and titles come and go, one thing remains the same, Penn want’s to keep the fire burning inside him, and whether he holds another championship is irrelevant. If that is all that he desired, then he might as well hang it up now.

“I told JD (older brother and manager) if our goal is to do nothing else but to get the UFC championship and do nothing else, then we might as well stop now”, said Penn.

“We’ve had the UFC championship a couple of times, we have some belts at home. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. I don’t want to be trained for the two big fights, the three big fights a year. I just want to fight consistently and kind of do it. Get my name out there, and keep it out there and hold on”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Penn now? He’s the most on and off fighter that pops to mind, but probably also the most talented. What do you make of his chances against Hughes at UFC 123? Can he still pull it out and make another run at the top? Sound off in the comments section below.

Here’s what Hughes had to say: “These last couple fights, I’ve really, really had a good time. The walk-out, in the locker-room. It’s all just been extremely fun. I think I’ve found a way, and I can’t explain it, where I’m just having a good time out there. I’m just having fun with it. I’m still fighting because I still enjoy getting in there.”

As I’ve said in the past, I think this is the perfect mentality for Matt Hughes to have as he enters the latest (I won’t say “final” just yet) phase of his career. It’s the same mentality that has allowed Randy Couture to compete at such a high level for so long. With his legacy as one of the best UFC fighters of all time now more or less set in stone, Matt Hughes can do things and try things just to say he did them and tried them. It may not work out every single time, but when it does, we get amazing/crazy moments like when he choked out submission specialist Ricardo Almeida.

And honestly, I think Hughes has a great shot at beating BJ Penn, and I say this as a massive BJ Penn fan. Both men are at radically different points in their careers from when they met both times previously. Hughes won’t have to play it tentatively, he can go in charging, guns-blazing non-stop from the start of Round 1. Meanwhile, Penn is in a do-or-die scenario fighting for his legitimacy as a top-ranked Mixed Martial Artist. Putting it plainly, Penn needs this win far more than Hughes does. That’s a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of “The Prodigy”, and if his recent fights have proven anything, it’s that BJ Penn doesn’t always thrive under pressure.

It won’t be easy though, I’d like to make that clear. As I said, I’m a huge “Baby Jay” fan and still have a lot of hope for him. Penn has always hit roadblocks in his career only to come back better and stronger than ever. He’s reinvented himself whenever the need arises, and I think this fight with Hughes could signal another career rebirth. Penn hasn’t peaked, and if he can keep a level head he definitely has a shot at making it a 2-1 trilogy.

It should be an excellent fight either way, which is one of the reasons I’m anticipating the UFC 123 card so highly. It’s a fight that everyone can enjoy, it’s a fight that’s marketable, entertaining, and makes sense right now. If Matt Hughes wins I sincerely believe that he’ll become UFC Welterweight Champion again. If BJ Penn wins I believe that he’ll hang around Welterweight for a few more fights before taking Lightweight by storm and getting “his” belt back. Even though Hughes has said that he’s fighting for the fun of it, there’s a lot riding on this fight for both men. So I can’t wait to see it happen.

And what about you, fans and friends? It’s Hughes/Penn 3: who wins it, how, and where do they both go should they win/lose?

In other words, both fighters need a win at ufc 123 if they want to become truly worthy of a shot at a belt anytime in the future.  That said, their third fight at UFC 123 won’t be about today.  Rather, it will be about yesteryear.  It’s a fight for longtime MMA fans.

Both times that Hughes and Penn tangled in the past, the fight ended up being historically relevant.  Back in January of 2004, Penn moved up from the lightweight division to take on Hughes at UFC 46.  At the time, no one thought that anyone could touch Hughes.  He had won 13 straight- almost all by stoppage- and it seemed like his blend of power and wrestling was simply going to be too much for a fighter moving up in weight.  But during the fight Penn’s legend was cemented, as he managed a rear naked choke victory in the first round.

People forget because of Penn’s reputation today, but at the time it was one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. 

Their second fight came after Penn’s hiatus from the organization at UFC 63.  In the interim, Hughes had recaptured the welterweight belt.  Early on it looked as if Penn would once again reign supreme, as he nearly caught Hughes in a triangle choke and dominated him in the stand up department.  But in the third round, Hughes took a fatigued and injured Penn down after beating him up some, secured the crucifix position, and pounded his way to a referee stoppage.  Some believe it was one of the greatest fights in MMA history, and it certainly cemented Hughes’ status as the greatest welterweight champion ever.

For longtime MMA fans, Hughes vs. Penn has meant greatness in the past.  It’s one of those match ups that people who know MMA usually have a strong opinion about.  Though neither fighter’s status is what it used to be, that won’t matter for most hardcore fans. 

This is a rivalry that needs a third fight.  Great to see the UFC is putting it together at UFC 123.

The event is set to take place in Auburn Hills (a suburb of Detroit) at the Palace in Auburn Hills, and will feature one of the more stacked cards of the year.

Bouts already announced include a light heavyweight match up, one that has been speculated for sometime now, pitting former champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson opposite of Lyoto Machida–serving as the night’s headliner.

In the co-main event of the evening, former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn will complete a trilogy when they meet in the November.

The two have split their bouts, Penn taking the first contest at UFC 46 in 2004, claiming the welterweight title from then champion Hughes by submitting him with a rear-naked choke inside of the first round. Matt would have his chance at revenge at UFC 63 in 2006, and sealed the deal TKO’ing Penn with his patented ground-and-pound assault in defense of his reclaimed title.

Now the two will look to settle the score once and for all.

While Hughes is in good standing even after having gone on a previous 1-3 skid with losses to Georges St. Pierre twice in title fights, and standout Thiago Alves–he has since gone on a three-fight win streak which includes victories over Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie, and most recently Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117 in perhaps the UFC Hall of Famer’s most impressive performance in recent memory when he was able to knockdown the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist with a left hook and followed it up with a modified guillotine which put Almeida to sleep.

Penn, will look to bounce back after suffering back-to-back losses to current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Most recently, BJ competed at UFC 118 in Boston and was dominated round after round by Edgar, and turned in one of his worst performances to date. He will try his hand once again at 170, where he has gone 1-3 in the division, with losses to Georges St. Pierre (twice) and of course, Hughes.

Rampage and Lyoto will both look to bounce back from sub-par performances. Quinton was last seen in action when he lost a unanimous decision to foe Rashad Evans at UFC 114 last May, which served as the culmination of a long heated feud which began when the two served a stint on the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” as opposing coaches. Prior to the bout, Jackson was riding a two-fight win streak with wins over Wanderlei Silva and Keith Jardine.

Lyoto, the previously undefeated Brazilian-Japanese fighter, lost his title against former Pride Grand Prix champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 113 in May. Machida was knocked out inside of the first round by his fellow Brazilian, where previously at UFC 103 the two had met before and Lyoto proved victorious in their first outing, winning by unanimous decision–though the decision wasn’t without its own controversy, as the media and fans alike panned the decision, claiming that Rua had won their first meeting.

So, MMA peeps, are you excited for this card? If their was any fight to get BJ Penn reinvigorated, it would definitely be against Hughes. What do you guys think? Let your voices heard in the comments section below.

This would be BJ Penn’s first fight at Welterweight since losing to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 in January 2009. Penn is 2-3 in his last five fights, with the loss to GSP coupled with two back-to-back losses to current Lightweight Champion Frank Edgar. This would be the third Penn/Hughes match. Penn made history in their first encounter back in 2004 when he ended the long reign of Matt Hughes, who at the time had held the UFC Welterweight Championship since 2001 and had made five successful defenses of it.

It would be another two years before the two warriors stepped into the Octagon against each other once again, and once again history was made. At UFC 63, Hughes became the first man in history to ever stop BJ Penn, TKO’ing him at 3:53 of Round 3 after Penn had suffered a rib injury. Matt Hughes, now a member of the UFC’s Hall of Fame, needs no real introduction. Hughes was and still is one of the most dominant wrestlers to ever compete in the UFC, and though he’s hit his low points in recent years, he’s now flying high with a three fight win streak and I personally have already written a piece on why I think Matt Hughes could make it to the top once again.

In regards to the fight itself, I think it couldn’t have happened at a better time for both men. Matt Hughes has hit his latest comeback trail and hit it hard, with a great TKO over Renzo Gracie and a shocking submission win over feared Brazilian Jui Jitsu artist Ricardo Almeida. The shadow of Penn’s serious rib injury still lingers, and if Matt Hughes can prove once and for all that he can beat BJ Penn at his best, I honestly believe that winning the third encounter will put Hughes directly in line for a title shot.

For BJ Penn, this is the ultimate test to prove that he still belongs at the top of the UFC in whatever division he chooses to compete in. Believe it: this will be Penn’s “make or break” fight. If BJ Penn can’t beat Matt Hughes, it will likely send him back to middle-level competition for the first time in what feels like forever. If he can beat his rival, he sets himself up for a possible run at Welterweight, and an inevitable return to Lightweight if he finds success. As the saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn, and if BJ Penn uses this fight to make a statement, we could be seeing yet another rebirth that results in a BJ Penn that’s better and badder than ever before.

And if you want my opinion? I honestly don’t know who to give it to. It’s a toss-up right now, especially when you consider the myriad differences between the two in both fighting styles and current career motivations. Penn is fighting to survive but coming up short, Hughes is fighting for the hell of it and being successful. I think it all boils down to what BJ Penn shows up when that cage door closes. If it’s the one that ran through Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez, look for Penn to end the trilogy in his favor. But if it’s the one that got outwrestled by GSP and outmaneuvered by Frankie Edgar, look for Hughes to take a huge step forward in his quest for one more shot at the gold.

And what about you, fans and friends? It’s Hughes/Penn 3: who takes it and how?

It’s generally agreed upon that a divisional champion should not switch weight divisions, however permanent or impermanent that switch may be, until he has thoroughly ran through his division and eliminated any and all worthwhile contenders. Penn seemed on the verge of doing just that with a win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 112, but as we all know, Edgar pulled off the upset. However, Penn raised an interesting point recently regarding that generally-held rule: in a promotion as large and intensely competitive as the UFC, no weight division remains free of championship contenders for long. Penn said this specifically: “Even if you do clean out the division, then you go to welterweight for a little while, there’s going to be another new Frankie, and all these guys. They’re always going to be popping up.”

This holds true for a number of reasons. However brief a break a champion takes from his division, it always seems that a new contender emerges to fill in the gap. Look no further than the case of Anderson Silva, perhaps the clearest example of a MMA fighter almost completely cleaning out his division. Even with mismatched opponents like Thales Leites, Patrick Cote, and Demian Maia, Silva always had someone to defend against, no matter how deserving or undeserving of a title shot they seemed to be. And now that Silva has gotten past a brief absence of quality Middleweight contenders, the Middleweight division seems to be recuperating and bringing up several worthwhile challengers to the throne, with the prime example being Chael Sonnen, who dominated Silva for nearly 23 minutes in their recent championship fight. Other than a rematch with Sonnen, a superfight with Vitor Belfort is waiting in the wings, and there are several perennial Middleweights that are finally becoming championship-caliber: Alan Belcher, Michael Bisping, even Chris Leben. 2010 has proved that no one is invincible or unbeatable, so even if a division has to go through a period of recuperation, no division in the UFC has ever been permanently down and out.

I look forward to BJ Penn giving the welterweight division another go-round for one main reason: there’s a lot of good, quality competition he hasn’t faced, and the competition at Welterweight he has faced are at different points in their careers and I’d honestly enjoy seeing some rematches. I’d love to see how Jon Fitch or Josh Koscheck would fare against BJ Penn, and I think rematches with Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, and even Georges St. Pierre would make for exciting fights. I still think Penn has it in him to beat GSP, and a trilogy fight to prove as much would likely bring in huge buys, especially with MMA now being legal in Ontario and Hawaii. Like Penn, I think it’s critically important to only be paying attention to the rematch with Edgar, but one more run at Welterweight would likely only further add to the already-great legacy of BJ Penn’s career.

And what do you think, fans and friends? If BJ Penn were to make the trip to the land of 170 once again, how successful do you think he would be?

After Anderson pulled out a Hail Mary, fifth round submission, after challenger Chael Sonnen dominated the Brazilian for the better part of 4 and half rounds, the Blackhouse teammate was able to pocket “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” honors, on top of a hefty payday.

The figures below, which is formatted from MMAJunkie.com, were originally disclosed by the California State Athletic Commission, following the bout on August 7.

Anderson Silva: $200,000 (no win bonus)
def. Chael Sonnen: $35,000

Jon Fitch: $108,000 (includes $54,000 win bonus)
def. Thiago Alves: $60,000

Clay Guida: $56,000 ($28,000 win bonus)
def. Rafael dos Anjos: $12,000

Matt Hughes: $200,000 ($100,000 win bonus)
def. Ricardo Almeida: $35,000

Junior Dos Santos: $80,000 ($40,000 win bonus)
def. Roy Nelson: $15,000

Rick Story: $22,000 ($11,000 win bonus)
def. Dustin Hazelett: $18,000

Phil Davis: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus)
def. Rodney Wallace: $6,000

Johny Hendricks: $40,000 ($20,000 win bonus)
def. Charlie Brenneman: $8000

Tim Boetsch: $32,000 ($16,000 win bonus)
def. Todd Brown: $6,000

Stefan Struve: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Christian Morecraft: $6,000

Dennis Hallman: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Ben Saunders: $12,000

So, Anderson and Matt Hughes were the night’s top earners, deservedly so, but…is anyone surprised by the numbers? For a long time, Anderson has been coveted by UFC President Dana White, as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, however his numbers don’t represent that. 6 figures, yes, however, a 12-0 i run in the UFC, and moves to light heavyweight would attract a larger base pay and win bonus for the Brazilian, should GSP rack in larger numbers.

Some can make the argument that yes, Georges St. Pierre is a much more popular fighter than Silva of course, at least with Anderson’s most recent performances (aside from UFC 101 and 117), but should popularity or credentials be more decisive come contract time, and a fighters due?

It’s something I run back and forth with, and can’t really decide. I guess that’s why they leave it up to head honchos to figure that kind of stuff out, but what do you think? Performance vs Popularity, which is greater?

If his post-fight interview after submitting Ricardo Almeida is any indication, Hughes has adopted the same mentality that has led to Randy Couture being able to still compete at a high level despite his age: he knows he has nothing left to prove, and simply wants to fight to stay competitive. He jokingly referenced that being in the UFC Hall of Fame but still actively competing put some pressure on him, but he seems to be taking it in stride. In the past, Hughes had put so much pressure on himself and been so obsessed with getting (and keeping) the UFC Welterweight Championship that it eventually caused him to overlook opponents. I know it seems paradoxical that having no championship aspirations is beneficial to your career, but for Matt Hughes, this is actually a great mentality for him to have.

I don’t want to say that Hughes doesn’t care anymore, though. Of course he cares. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be fighting anymore. I have no doubt about that. It’s just that his focus has shifted. Instead of constantly being in pursuit of the Welterweight championship, Hughes seems to be focused on seeing how long he can compete at an elite level, just to prove that he can. He knows that his legacy is set in stone, and because of this he can start having a little fun, which comes in the form of trying crazy things like the submission he used to choke out Almeida (which I don’t think anyone saw coming). With relatively little pressure, and with a willingness to try things he wouldn’t try before because he was too focused on winning, Matt’s natural ability will continue to shine through.

That’s why I think one more UFC Welterweight Championship opportunity is in store for Matt Hughes. He no longer needs the belt to cement his legacy, but he’s still one of the best Welterweights in the UFC, as well as one of the best Welterweights in history. In the here and now, with a three-fight win-streak against some excellent competition, Matt Hughes is only a few fights away from getting one more shot at the gold. I won’t say “one last” because honestly, who can tell in today’s crazy MMA landscape? If 2010 has proved anything, it’s that no man is unbeatable in MMA. With a fresh attitude, some of the best wrestling and Ground and Pound ever seen in the UFC, and with the willingness to go out and try something he’s never tried before just for the hell of it, I firmly believe that Matt Hughes is right in the middle of one of the biggest comebacks we’ll ever see in Mixed Martial Arts.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Is Hughes destined to hold the UFC Welterweight Championship one more time, or is it time for him to retire? Also, what are some opponents that you’d like to see Matt Hughes face in order to prove that he’s ready for another shot at the gold?

A Renzo Gracie student, Almeida has made a successful transition to the 170 pound division after a well established career as a middleweight, which has seen him garner wins over the likes of Kendall Grove, Kazuo Misako, and perennial contender Nate Marquardt.

Matt Hughes, has had a long and storied career in the UFC. After making his debut nearly 10 years ago, a 20 second submission loss to nemesis Dennis Hallman, Hughes would then go on to capture the welterweight title with a knockout slam over then champion Carlos Newton, and would then go on to set the precedent for 5 consecutive defenses–the most ever cemented in the welterweight division.

While both have had successful careers, it’s Hughes who will be garnering the most attention come this Saturday, for several reasons dating back since 2000.

In 2000, Hughes was a participant in the Abu Dhabi competitions, where he crossed paths with Ricardo Almedia, winning on points in the grappling tournament. Six years later, at UFC 60, Matt Hughes defeated former multiple-time UFC tournament champion Royce Gracie, and made it look easy. After taking the fight to the floor–which most eluded to being the Gracie’s sweet spot with his obvious ground prowess–the two Hall of Famer’s engaged in what turned into a one-sided beatdown, with Hughes able to secure back mount, and after a failed submission attempt, settled for pounding the legend, before he was saved by the referee.

Thereafter, Hughes would go on to eventually lose his title to current kingpin Georges St. Pierre, and follow up the loss with another to top contender Thiago Alves, before bouncing back with back-to-back wins over foe and former champion Matt Serra, and the aforementioned Renzo Gracie.

In the bout with Renzo at UFC 112, the bout saw Hughes take advantage of the aged Gracie, where after a sluggish start in the third round for the brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master, would eventually signal the end, as the 35-year-old, Hughes would end the welterweight contest after crippling him with leg kicks, and ending it with powerful punches against the fence, marking the first time that the former two-time champion had ended a fight with strikes, on the feet.

While Almeida has attested that he requested this bout, not out of malice or out of a sense of “revenge”, it would be hard to imagine that while his master Renzo, and fellow idol Royce had fallen short to Hughes, that Almeida wouldn’t feel a sense of urgency, to reclaim what was lost.

While Matt is riding a two-fight win streak, and with a “win” over Almeida, it’s Ricardo who appears to have the upper hand. More athletic, explosive, competent striker is Ricardo over his predecessor Renzo, and with time on his side, it seems that Hughes’ run through the Gracie clan may be short lived.

Do you think Hughes still has the upper hand? Or will Ricardo reclaim the Gracie name, and exact revenge?

Now Ricardo Almeida, a Renzo Gracie protege, will get his chance to crack the Hughes puzzle at UFC 117.  Of course, Hughes is still a pretty difficult guy to beat.  But below are some reasons that Almeida stands the best chance of all the Gracie fighters to date of upending Hughes.

1. Almeida is a big welterweight: Almeida was doing well in the UFC middleweight division, defeating fighters like Rob Yundt, Matt Horwich, and Kendall Grove.  So the fact that he’s now a 170 pounder means that he’s a pretty big welterweight, which is not an advantage that Gracie fighters like Serra, Royce, and Renzo enjoyed.  Hughes is still a big, strong guy, but his size and strength won’t be near as obvious here as it was against the former Gracie stylists he’s taken on.

2. Almeida is more than serviceable on his feet: From a defensive stand up perspective, Almeida is pretty good; in fact, he hasn’t been stopped by TKO since Andrei Semenov in 2002.  And since that time he’s laced them up against good stand up fighters like Matt Brown, Kendall Grove, Patrick Cote, and Nate Marquardt.  Is he excellent offensively on his feet?  No.  But he can definitely compare with Hughes there, which was Renzo’s undoing.  Of the aforementioned, only Serra held a distinct advantage on his feet against Hughes.

3. Almeida has great BJJ credentials: Sure, they all did.  Still, it’s worth noting that this is a guy who has placed in the top three at the ADCC on three separate occasions.  Almeida possesses a 3rd degree black belt in BJJ under Renzo Gracie.  If he gets put on his back, he can still fight.  If he ends up on top of Hughes, that’s bad news for the former UFC welterweight champion.

4. Motivation: Almeida truly respects and admires Renzo Gracie; they are close.  Further, as seen in this interview, he is not turning away from the idea that this is a revenge match.  And it’s a revenge match for a man that Almeida thought enough of to name his own child after.  In other words, he is motivated.

In the end, does this mean that Hughes will fall to Almeida?  Not necessarily.  But Almeida should be his staunchest test since taking on Thiago Alves, let alone the most appropriate sized of all his Gracie fighter opponents to date. 

Interestingly, the winner will immediately find themselves in the mix at 170.  Looking forward to this one.

Since returning to the UFC in 2008 after a three-year hiatus, Almeida is 4-1 coming off a convincing stoppage of Matt Brown at UFC 111.  The New York born, Brazilian-raised fighter believes his best work is still ahead and credits the quality of his regular training with the UFC’s Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, UFC middleweight contender Nick Catone, plus StrikeForce’s Roger Gracie, and occasional sparring with Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez.

Almeida chatted with Fighters.com last week about fighting Matt Hughes, UFC 116 highlights, training with Frankie Edgar, and why Fedor Emelianenko lost to Fabricio Werdum.

Moody: You know you will be getting a ton of questions about Matt Hughes beating three of your fellow Team Gracie fighters and if this is revenge for you?  Do you buy into that kind of question?

Almeida: If I said I didn’t care, I would be lying.  I asked for the fight immediately as Joe Silva was walking into the Octagon to congratulate Hughes for beating Renzo.  It is not anything personal with Matt, but being competitive, as I am, and he beat a couple guys on my team, and I want to get the win back for my team more than anything and keep climbing the ladder.

Moody: How is training going and what did you learn about Matt Hughes from his fight against Renzo Gracie?

Almeida: It (training) is going pretty good, you know, I am ahead of schedule.  My weight is pretty good.

For sure, Matt is a great competitor, it looked like he was having a little of a tough time in the standup with Renzo in the first round but came back with leg kicks in the second round.  Matt is a guy you have to put away to beat him. He is going to keep coming back. He is going to change between rounds.  I have to come out and have to be ready for his kick-boxing, ready for his wrestling, ready for his ground and pound, and do my homework, you know, and put it all together in the fight.

Moody: The place Hughes would want the fight is on the ground for his wrestling and the place most people would think you would want the fight is on the ground with your Jiu Jitsu. So do you go to the mat or keep it standing?

Almeida: Matt is the kind of a guy, no matter where the fight goes, he will make the adjustments and give himself a chance to win the fight and is always looking to put you away. So, I am not really focused on one thing. For this fight I am just focused on getting better and be a better fighter than when I fought Matt Brown.  Brown is a tough guy, but Matt Hughes is a legend.

Moody: You were in Frankie Edgar’s corner when he beat BJ Penn (15-6-1) for the lightweight title.  Also, you have been training with him every week – what has he brought to your team in Hamilton, NJ and what have you learned from him?

Almeida: I have never seen someone train harder or with more intensity than Frankie Edgar (12-1). The kid is just phenomenal; his endurance is second to none.  He pushes himself to the limit every single session.  To me, it is inspiring, being there and seeing someone doing it … and now he has the belt and it holds me to a higher standard.

The other day was a Saturday, and a couple of the guys had fights. It was just me and Frankie, some amateurs and our boxing coach.  Our coach paired-up me and Frankie for boxing five five-minute rounds. It was like being in a title fight.  We just attacked each other.  It is those kind of training sessions that you remember, and carry into the ring.

Moody: What do you think about when you watch a fighter like Chris Leben (21-6) get into a brawl and put on a show like he did against Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-2) at UFC 116.  Do you like a fight like that or does it entice you to get away from your strengths in order to please the crowd?

Almeida: I thought it was a great fight, very entertaining, it was back and forth and a lot of great technique. I like watching Akiyama’s takedowns and Leben had some really good guard work from the bottom.  The whole back and forth of the whole fight and how Leben, little by little, started surging and Akiyama, little by little, started fading, it was definitely drama with that and how he ended it with the submission.  It was a very entertaining fight.  I try to fight a little more inside the game plan that my coaches draw up for me and a little more precise and calculating.  I still love watching guys fight like that but that is never how I am going to fight.

Moody: Favorite song on your iPod now?

Almeida: My walk out song … ‘Ball and Chain’ by Social Distortion

Moody: As a third degree Gracie Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, you are as qualified as anybody to critique what happened to Fedor Emelianenko (32-2) in his recent loss.  How did you see his fight go against Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) and is there anything he could have done to escape the submission?

Almeida: Werdum is one of those guys that has heavy legs and it is hell to be in their closed guard. Him and Roger Gracie, they just have heavy hips and legs and once they lock the triangle, it is going to be tough to get out of.  I felt that once Fedor knocked him down, I felt it was a mistake to get in his guard. He was able to get out the first try and then he should have stood back up.  Plus, you have a guy like Werdum, who just locked that ankle under the knee and pulled the head down, it is going to be tough to get out whether it is the triangle or arm lock.  So, I thought he should have recognized it. Fedor is the kind of guy who has the killer instinct and wants to put you away, but that can work against you.  I am sure he is going to come back and be the dominant force that we’ve seen over the past ten years.

Moody: You are 33 now.  What are your goals at this point?

Almeida:  My goal is to be in the top five before the end of the year.  Depending what happens in the Hughes fight, I keep climbing up.  After this fight, I would like another fight before the end of the year and establish myself as a top welterweight, but I am not thinking past Hughes, honestly. Hughes is a really tough guy. Some people say he is past his prime; he might have slowed down here and there.  But I am watching tape and am like ‘who are these guys watching,’ he was the best welterweight ever; finishing all these guys, that is the guy I am getting ready to fight.

Moody: Final thoughts on your next opponent.  Sometimes Matt Hughes comes off a bit arrogant and this rubs folks the wrong way … as it did with Matt Serra.  Do you agree with that perception?

Almeida: I mean, you know, he has a different personality than me and people I am around. But that doesn’t bother me.  Whether I like him or dislike him, it does not matter.  I am in there to win, whether I like him or not.  There was a lot of trash talk when he fought Matt Serra and a little with Renzo Gracie.  Sometimes, Hughes can rub people the wrong way.  But I am watching tape and looking at a phenomenal fighter.

Moody: Ricardo, good luck and thank you for taking time to talk to Fighters.com.

What are your thoughts on Ricardo Almeida fighting Matt Hughes at UFC 117 on August 7^th?

Follow @john_moody

The ceremony took place during the UFC Fan Expo on the main stage at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. UFC President Dana White made a presentation of Matt’s achievements and then presented Matt with the award. Matt Hughes thanked the fans for the award.

“To be honest, it’s you guys that pay that admission that write my check, so I’ve got to take my hat off to you guys,” Hughes said.

Dana stated that Matt could have taken other offers to move to other promotions but he chose to stay in the UFC all these years.

“He’s acting very humble here; he’s been a great partner and been one of the people who have helped build this sport and the UFC to what it is today,” White added.

Hughes’ first fight inside the Octagon came at UFC 22 before Zuffa purchased the company. He defeated Valeri Ignatov (0-2) via unanimous decision. Since that time he has fought 22 more times in the UFC going 17-5.

His most recent fight came at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi where he beat Renzo Gracie (13-7-1) in the third round via TKO. This is his second win in a row after defeating former Renzo student and rival “The Terror” Matt Serra (10-6).

Matt’s next fight will be against another Gracie pupil as he steps inside the Octagon to take on “Cacharrao” Ricardo Almeida (12-3) at UFC 117 in Oakland, California.

Matt holds the record for the longest welterweight title run in UFC history with five consecutive defenses from UFC 34 to UFC 45. He lost the belt to “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn (15-6-1) before regaining the title with a submission win over current UFC welterweight champion “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (20-2) at UFC 50 and defended it another two times before Georges avenged the loss at UFC 65.

Matt Hughes joins Fellow UFC Hall of Famers Royce Gracie (14-3-3), “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (27-14-2), “The Beast” Dan Severn (93-16-7), “The Natural” Randy Couture (18-10), “The Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-10), “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) and Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr.

How do you feel about current fighters being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and who do you feel should have been inducted?

MMA Gospel Radio (MGR): Welcome Ryan, I have to say, I am happy to hear you got another shot. (in the Bellator tournament)

Ryan Thomas: Yeah, I am too, it’s one I definitely deserved I think. I think people are happy to see me back in this Bellator tournament.

MGR: First off, what got you interested in MMA and how long have you actually been training?

RT: I have been wrestling my entire life, ever since I was about five years old. All the way through college. I wrestled for two years at a junior college and then transferred to Eastern Illinois University. That is where Matt Hughes and Matt Veach wrestled at and I was there for a year. Then my program got cut while I was wrestling there and I wanted to keep competing. My assistant coach at Eastern, Clay French,he was the King of the Cage Champion and I started training with him. I also trained with Chase Beebe, the WEC bantamweight champion. Derick Noble worked out with us back then and been fighting ever since, about four years now. It has been a roller coaster ride, that’s for sure.

MGR: You experienced something this week something I would imagine very fighters have had to experience. With all the ups and downs it should make you feel unique.

RT: Yeah it does, it has been pretty cool and has really helped to get my name out there. That is part of the whole game though. If you want to be one of the best in the world you have to jump on these opportunities, roll with the punches if things don’t go your way. When they do you have to adapt and be flexible and that is what I am trying to do, make the best out of it, keep my head up and hope to get back in there and win this tournament.

MGR: What would say right now are your strengths and weaknesses as a fighter and how have you been working on each of the weaknesses?

RT: I guess I could have started younger with the jiu jitsu and the muay thai but anymore people are starting much younger. I know my opponent Jacob McClintock has been doing jiu jitsu since he was like 12 years old. One weakness I have is I am training in East Central Illinois and there aren’t very many gyms around there and the people I am competing against are at real big gyms that have all the resources at their fingertips. They have a muay thai coach, a jiu jitsu coach and a wrestling coach and surrounded by world class fighters as training partners all in one facility. I am driving all over the midwest, Chicago and Indianapolis and in little Matsue, Illinois where my main gym is but it has been worth it. It got me in the UFC and now in Bellator and I am going to make the best of it.

MGR: Do you ever envision yourself maybe moving to another location, for instance New Mexico or Vegas where there are some of the larger gyms?

RT: Yeah, I am. That is something me and my coaches have been talking about. They all agree with me that I have kind if outgrown where I came from in East Central Illinois. I have outgrown the gyms there and may need to move to a bigger gym where I have more high quality training partners than what i have got right now.

The only bad part is I just graduated from college with my elementary education degree in December. I am taking a couple extra classes so I can be a P.E. teacher also. So I can’t leave right now because I am in the middle of these classes. I need to wait until May till these classes are over. When I signed up for them I didn’t expect to be in Bellator and was having a hard time getting fights so it was the right thing to do at the then. After this semester I am probably going to have to go elsewhere.

MGR: You started your career at middleweight and since dropped to welterweight after just a few fights. Some people find it hard to understand how much difference there is in size from a middleweight compared to a welterweight. Did you feel a big difference in the strengths of opponents when you fought at 185 as opposed to 170?

RT: I don’t think the strength was that big a deal for me because when I first started. The more I fought and as I got to welterweight I stated to fight tougher opponents and a lot of them were stronger than the middleweights I fought. I think welterweight is my home because as I train and learn more about nutrition I have gotten leaner and leaner and I like to cut a little weight anyway so it works out well for me.

MGR: Your two fights in the UFC were against Ben Saunders and Matt Brown. How stressfull was it fighting in the UFC and can you give us just a few thoughts on each of those fights?

RT: The first one I took on short notice, it was 12 days and I had to cut 26 pounds. I really didn’t get to fight to my full potential in that one. I am not happy with how I performed. In that one everything happened so quickly, I did not have time to really enjoy with trying to get in shape and getting medicals. I really didn’t get to have fun with that one like I hoped to. The next one I was supposed to fight Matt Riddle but he got hurt so I got Matt Brown instead. I fought him pretty tough and definitely thing I was winning that fight and I just got caught in an armbar. Yeah, it was pretty awesome fighting in the UFC, it has always been a dream of mine.

MGR: Very few people can say they were able to do that and if you win Bellator you could possibly be back on your way there.

RT: Yeah maybe, I am happy with Bellator. If I can win this tournament and get that belt I am not going to want to go anywhere. I am happy with Bellator and how Bjorn Rebney (Bellator CEO) has treated me.

MGR: We had Bjorn on the show and all our listeners were impressed, as were we and it is nice to hear that you would like to stick with them.

RT: Yeah, they have treated me great. I was really happy for them to bring me on board for the tournament and then after everything that happened last Thursday he made me the first alternate and here I am in Connecticut getting ready to throw down again. He is a great guy. He didn’t have to do all this. With me fighting Thursday in Chicago, I guess Connecticut is one of the stricter commissions and they really didn’t want me to fight but Bjorn pleaded with them and really put his neck on the line and kind of talked them into bringing me on board. He told them what happened to me and the promise he made me about being the first alternate and he really came through for me.

The next installment will be up tomorrow and we will get to hear about the fight with Askren and much more.

After Fighters.com second-ranked and Strikeforce welterweight champion Jake Shields (25-4-1) won a lopsided unanimous decision victory over “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-8) the typical post-fight interview was about to begin.

The always colorful “Mayhem” Jason Miller (23-6) entered the cage to call out the champion, asking for a rematch. These two fought back in November of 2009 at the Fedor versus Rogers fight where Shields won by decision in a fight many thought was a snooze-fest.

Miller, known for his crazy ring walks and in general for being quite goofy, stepped up and stole some of Jake’s spotlight by asking when he was going to get his rematch. This is where all hell broke loose starting with “El Nino” Gilbert Melendez (18-2) trying to push Mayhem out of the views of the camera.

Jake Shields then decided it would be a good idea to push Miller and of course there can’t be a brawl inside the cage without Nick and Nate Diaz involved. Miller ended up being down on the ground and was kicked multiple times while being held there. All of this airing live on CBS as moronic Gus Johnson tells the audience “Sometimes these things happen in MMA”.

Gus Johnson is an ill-informed person who allowed the first-time viewers to believe that this is something that is typical in the sport of MMA. Nothing could be further from the truth.

What happened inside that cage after the licensed and regulated fights took place was paramount to a gang attack. It is felonious assault and as such those involved should have been arrested and charged. If you, a fan of MMA, got in the cage and started throwing punches and kicks to someone you can bet you would have been arrested on the spot.

Many are putting the blame on the shoulders of Jason Miller and I feel that this could not be further from the truth. Did Matt Hughes and his camp jump Georges St. Pierre after he entered the cage and said he was not impressed by Matt? So who is to blame for this event?

Strikeforce is the number one culprit here for a couple of reasons. No one actually knows if they asked, told, or gave the OK for Mayhem to enter the cage but regardless it is their job to control who can and can’t enter the cage at all times. So the bottom line is they allowed Miller inside the cage in one fashion or another. How did they think that was goinjg to turn out when you have the Diaz brothers in there? They are known for their antics and were involved in another post-fight brawl inside the cage in the during the EliteXC days.

Nate and Nick Diaz are also to blame for this event. After the cage was cleared MMA Fanhouse reporter Ariel Helwani talked to Nick Diaz who had the following to say, “I apologize, it wasn’t my fault”. Very interesting apology Nick. Nick said that he had his partners back and would expect his corner to have his back if he had just fought. This is an error in thinking because there should be no need for anyone to have someone’s back post-fight, hence the term post-fight.

The Diaz Brothers needed to realize that at that time there friend and training partner had just successfully defended his title against a man many thought would KO him in the first round. Not only that but they were live on network television as people were tuning in to catch the local news. What they found instead was the a brawl inside a cage which did nothing but solidify the opinion that MMA is brutal and nothing more than a bunch of thug bar brawlers.

Most of the MMA critics could not be more wrong when they discuss the sport but the actions of a few last night loaded the near empty guns of those critics. They now have video evidence of the fact that MMA fighters are nothing more than glorified thugs and gangsters.

Mixed Martial Arts has always been about respect and honor. Respect for you opponent and the arts as well. Mayhem Miller may have shown Shields little respect by stealing the spotlight but what transpired afterward was the complete opposite of what the sport is all about. This was not the streets of Stockton, California but rather inside the cage in Nashville, Tennessee.

The fans of MMA deserve more than they got last night and sadly, the sport took a huge step backwards. I know Dana White was happy by what he saw but he has to realize that it hurt Strikeforce but will also have an effect on all of MMA.

Matt Hughes was one of the most dominant fighters the UFC welterweight division. Matt has stepped into the Octagon 21 times and only tasted defeat a total of five times with three of those coming in the last four years.

The former champion controlled the Octagon like no other before him using his far superior wrestling which included highly dominant top control. That dominant control lead to a UFC record nine straight title defenses in which he beat a legend in Royce Gracie (14-3-3) at UFC 60.

I know that for many the fight between Royce and Hughes was hard to watch. It is difficult to watch the man many give credit to for bringing them into the sport and falling in love with jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts (MMA) get thoroughly beaten. Enter Renzo Gracie to defend the family name.

Renzo has been involved in MMA for a long time now and as a Gracie, he feels the need to defend the family name. This is something we have seen time and time again from the Gracie family. When one man goes down another steps up to take his place. Renzo very well could be on the verge of revenge.

Royce was dominated in his fight with Hughes but that was almost four years ago. The Matt Hughes then is not the same Hughes we see today. This is a fight many would think would end up being a stand up war like so many fights between wrestlers and jiu jitsu guys. They cancel each other out and end up trading. I don’t think this is how this fight will go down though.

Hughes has said he needs to get back to what got him the title in the first place. That would be his wrestling and even though he seems to have lost a step, I believe he can get Renzo down. The problem is that Renzo works very well off his back unlike a former opponent Matt faced.

Matt fought “The Terror” Matt Serra (10-6) at UFC 98 where he won a unanimous decision. During that fight Hughes put Serra on his back often. Serra is a jiu jitsu black belt but rarely have we seen him work well off his back. Yet in that fight he did well off his back and some believe Serra could have won that fight. Renzo is a different beast altogether though.

Renzo will work to not just tie up Hughes on the ground but will be looking to use the infamous Gracie jiu jitsu to submit the man that beat his cousin.

This may be a fight between two men who are past their primes but how can one not be intrigued by another Gracie inside the Octagon looking to defend his families honor against a dominant ex-champion? Regardless of age or recent defeats, drama can be found in this fight and should be rather than be dismissed as a battle between two men who have no significance in the division at this time.

You also have to take into consideration that if Renzo wins this fight he will be looking to drop down to 155 so that he can work to avenge his own loss to the top-ranked and UFC lightweight champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1) which came at K1: World Grand Prix in 2005. Renzo dropped a decision in that fight and has talked of dropping down after this fight. A win will allow him to do that while a loss makes that possibility very slim even though BJ has talked about moving to 170 once again if he can get past “The Answer” Frank Edgar(11-1) on the same night.

As fans we must be willing to look past age, significance of the fight in the division and many other factors. We can always find something that makes the fight worth watching and something to look forward too.

Saturday will be round two in the battle between Gracie versus Hughes and I am one that is excited to see the results.

UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi is where the fight will take place and many seem to be writing off Maia. While Maia has obvious weaknesses in his stand up game there are other points we must take into consideration. Before doing that though we need to examine Silva and what he brings to the table as one of the most dominant champions in the history of the UFC.

Anderson Silva busted onto the scene by systematically destroying everyone they put inside the Octagon with him. If he should beat Maia he would hold the all-time record for title defenses in a single reign. His next record should he win at UFC 112, would be the most wins in title matches for a career. That record is currently held by both Matt Hughes (41-7) and “The Natural” Randy Couture (18-10) who have nine and Silva sits at six currently. Since his introduction to the UFC he has finished every fight except for one and has yet to taste defeat inside the Octagon. Other than a disqualification back in 2006 for an illegal upkick, his last loss was in back in 2004. Dominant is a word that seems to fit perfectly when discussing Silva.

Maia is stepping into the Octagon with a man whose biggest strength is his biggest weakness. We were able to witness just how behind Maia is in the striking game when he decided to stand in his fight with “The Great” Nate Marquardt (29-9-2) at UFC 102. Maia came out looking to use some kicks and in :21 seconds the fight was over after Nate put him out cold with one punch. However after that fight it became very clear that Maia was focusing on his striking when he fought Dan Miller (11-3) at UFC 109. Dan is another fighter in the UFC with very good jiu jitsu but just not on the same level as Maia. Most, including myself, expected Maia to get back to his bread and butter and take the fight to the ground and show Miller just what elite level jiu jitsu is all about. That was not the case in the least bit. Maia actually kept the fight standing and used much improved head movement and a jab that before was nowhere to be found. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea and think that due this I believe Maia can stand and trade with Silva. Miller’s striking is much different than Silva’s and light years apart. However it is a part of the game Maia has improved on and will need to use in order to avoid the big shots from Silva.

The only way I have heard that people think Maia can win is if he can get it to the ground. I think that is pretty obvious but I am shocked by those that think his chances of taking Silva down are slim to none. Silva will easily be the bigger man in this fight but that does not mean Maia can’t take him down.”Hendo” Dan Henderson (25-7) took Silva down and controlled him from top position until he got away from his own game-plan. I know that Maia is not the wrestler Hendo is but look at his fight with another top contender in the division, Chael Sonnen (24-10-1). Maia came out and shocked people by out wrestling Sonnen. There is no question what happened in that fight. He takes his shot, works off of Chael’s whizzer attempt and then uses better wrestling to gain the dominant top position.

This is what people seem to be glossing over when discussing Maia’s chances of taking Silva down. Anderson Silva does have a long reach and strikes from odd angles and Maia will have to avoid that brutal shot to get inside and take this fight to the ground. Yet Maia has much better wrestling than he is being given credit for and I feel he will be able to put Silva on his back. Once there he will have to make sure to not get locked up in the body triangle Silva loves to work off his back and this is where the fight could become quite the battle.

Demian Maia will surprise a lot of people by being able to do what only a could have been able to accomplish thus far, putting Silva in a spot where he is least comfortable. Will Maia walk away the champion this Saturday? I have no idea but I do know Maia should be as easily dismissed as he is being right now from other media outlets.

The beginning of the UFC saw a small stature man twisting his opponents into knots and putting them in moves most of the world had never seen before.
Royce Gracie (14-3-3) was that man. He introduced us to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or rather Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Fast forward to modern day and we had to sit in pain and watch him get beat senseless by Fighters.com eighth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (41-7) at UFC 60. Then at UFC 109 Rolles Gracie Jr. (3-1) put on what was a miserable and embarrassing performance in his defeat.

Enter Renzo Gracie who will face Matt Hughes, the man that beat his cousin, at UFC 112. Not only did Hughes beat his cousin but he also beat one of Renzo’s prized pupils in “The Terror” Matt Serra (10-6) after a long war of words leading up the fight.

Renzo told MMA Junkie Radio that his wife feels he is going through a mid-life crisis but rather than buy a sports car he is getting back inside a cage. Renzo said “I was able to set up all the goals I had before – to set-up my schools and tune-up my business so I could push my art to future generations of my family. I was able to do that, so now my business is running by itself, and I can just concentrate on myself for the first time in my life and just train to fight. I believe I’m going to surprise a lot of people.”

I am not sure he will actually surprise people as most of us still expect a lot out a Gracie, especially a well-respected and veteran fighter such as Renzo. What we can expect is for him to tep up and defend the family name.

When talking about the Matt Hughes that beat his cousin he states “I hope to fight that guy. That’s the guy I want to see in April – in that kind of shape. I want to test myself against the best that [Hughes] has ever been. I hope he’s in good shape. I believe where Royce came up short, I’m coming up to get the flag. We are a large family, and anywhere a Gracie comes up short, someone should be there to push that thing forward.”

This is what we have come to expect from the long line of the Gracie family. When one goes down another rises up to accept the challenge for the family. Excepting this challenge means Renzo will have to step inside the Octagon prepared to do more than work submissions.

Matt Hughes was an accomplished wrestler that used his wrestling to beat fighter after fighter, win the UFC welterweight title and become one of the most successful fighters in the history of the sport, cementing himself as a future Hall of Famer.

Renzo will need to utilize striking in order to get inside on Hughes. Trying to ignore the striking game and just go for broke with a take down would be a futile attempt against a Division I NCAA wrestler. “You cant take a wrestler down,” Gracie said. “If you’ve got a Division I wrestler, I’m not taking him down. I will need the striking to take him down. If I get him out of balance by striking, I’m able to shoot, and even a Division I wrestler will end up on his butt. But if you just go in, and he’s not afraid of getting hit by you, you’re going to be on your back every single time. How are you going to take a guy like Matt Hughes down if you’re not going to strike? That’s the reality.” said Renzo.

It seems like Renzo is in a good place in his life where he will be able to focus solely on him and his fight with Hughes. With a six-fight contract signed this is his first step in defending the Gracie name and taking the family back to the top of mixed martial arts.

Melvin is known as more than just a K-1 level striker, he is known as a force of mass destruction. All of his wins but one have come by way of knock out or TKO. He is an aggressive fighter with the power of Zeus in his hands who fights out of the world famous Mike’s Gym in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is very clear what his game plan will be come Saturday night in Miami at the BankAtlantic Center. Manhoef will want to put his fists through the face of Robbie Lawler and everyone on the planet knows this.

Robbie Lawler is gutsy brawler that ends fights with his fists as well. Most of his fights have ended the same way that Melvin has ended his and this is what makes people believe we will see fireworks inside the cage when these two collide. Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion until they went bankrupt and he found a new home in Strikeforce. Once hailing from the Miletech camp, he now trains out of the gym he co-owns with former UFC champion and  Fighters.com eighth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (41-7), the H.I.T. Squad.

Robbie is known as a guy that take a punch with many reffering to his chin as being made of granite. However, training being such an experienced fighter and training with guys like Hughes, you have to think his camp is revolving around wrestling and the ground game, the glaring weakness of Dutch striker, Manhoef.

Robbie will need to avoid the initial onslaught of Melvin and work his way inside to get this fight t the ground where he can easily finish the fight. One thing stands in his way of getting back to his winning ways, his ego.

Men like Lawler are easily swayed from their solid game plans by the crowd noise and the mere anticipation of the fight ending in a KO. Wednesday night I interviewed “Razor” Rob McCullough (17-6) on MMA Gospel Radio and asked him just how easy it was to feel you can KO anyone after doing it a few times. He told us that it was very easy to get away from the game plan and it sometimes leads to disaster. Lawler must avoid this at cost in order to win this fight.

What separates the two fighters is that Manhoef has next to no ground game and while not known for his submissions, Lawler trains with Hughes who is an amazing wrestler. You have to think that after all his time working with his friend and business partner that he has picked up some wrestling knowledge. One thing is for sure, Matt Hughes used to put together good game plans and for this fight I would be shocked if the game plan was anything other than taking the fight to the mat and making it a quick night.

Lawler has the steel chin to stave off the Manhoef Blitzkrieg and should have the wrestling skills to get this fight where he is guaranteed a win. All the tools are there and the only thing getting in the way of his win on Saturday is himself.

Pride and ego can make or break a fighter and Saturday we will see how it works out for Robbie. No matter the outcome the fans are the true winners after this fight.

You can join me and my co-host Gary Friedman each Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST as we talk MMA news, interview the best in the business and discuss the latest combat sports rumors. MMA Gospel Radio can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel as well as available for download on iTunes.

If Hardy wants to win he has to be aggressive, unlike second-ranked “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) was when he turned into a poodle in the Octagon versus St. Pierre at UFC 100 in Las Vegas last July.

Now, it’s likely…  No, let me correct myself.  St. Pierre is going to slam Hardy to the mat every time Hardy throws a combination.  But, St. Pierre is going to do that anyway.

So, my message to Hardy, if he’s reading, is this: Go ahead and let me know now whether you’re going to be satisfied with going five rounds on your back just so you can claim you went the distance.  That way I can save $44.95.

However, if you want to take the slim chance that you can connect on GSP and, if not finish him, at least reset the dynamics of the fight and give yourself an oppotunity for an upset, then you can have my $44.95.

On the undercard of UFC 111, newly tenth-ranked “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2) and “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (16-3) will matchup.

Saunders made the list this month and Hardy jumped from ninth to fifth after Hardy’s disqualification loss to “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-4) in 2007 expired from Hardy’s two-year record.  Yoshida will need to prove himself to return to the welterweight top ten.

Fighters.com’s January Welterweight Rankings

1. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (19-2)

2. “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4)

3. Jon Fitch (20-3)

4. Paulo Thiago (8-1)

5. “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (23-6)

6. Jake Shields (24-4-1)

7. Josh Koscheck (14-4)

8. Matt Hughes (41-7)

9. “Quick” Mike Swick (14-3)

10. “Killa B” Ben Saunders (8-1-2)

According to the Brazilian magazine, Emirates Team leader Carlos Santos has been contacted by both fighters to use his training facility in Abu Dhabi in the days leading up to UFC 112.

The fight was originally scheduled for UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, but Silva required surgery on his elbow forcing the rescheduling.

In the meantime, Fighters.com and UFC lightweight champion “Prodigy” B.J. Penn (12-4-1) also announced in a video at his website his expectation to fight at UFC 112, though no fight has been agreed to.

Recent UFC signee and former PRIDE champion “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-6) has been speculated as a potential opponent for Penn.

UFC 112 already features amatchup between Fighters.com seventh-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (43-7) and PRIDE veteran Renzo Gracie (13-6-1).