First up is the question of the all-mighty dollar. MMA Junkie brings us the official fighter salary totals of Strikeforce’s most recent event, and they stand as such.

Dan Henderson: $250,000 (no win bonus) defeated Rafael Cavalcante: $28,000

Marloes Coenen: $10,000 (no win bonus) defeated Liz Carmouche: $5,000

Tim Kennedy: $50,000 (no win bonus) defeated Melvin Manhoef: $10,000

Jorge Masvidal: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus) defeated Billy Evangelista: $20,000

Roger Bowling: $7,000 (includes $3,500 win bonus) defeated Josh Thornburg: $2,000

Jorge Gurgel: $8,000 ($4,000 win bonus) defeated Billy Vaughn: $1,500

Jason Freeman: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Jason Riley: $1,500

Brian Rogers: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Ian Rammel: $1,500

Mitch Whitesel: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated Marc Cofer: $1,500

John Kuhner: $3,000 ($1,500 win bonus) defeated J.P. Feity: $1,500

In addition to those figures, we also have MMA Junkie to thank once again for the official list of fighter injuries and medical suspensions resulting from “Feijao vs. Henderson”. Here they are in their entirety:

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante is suspended 60 days for precautionary reasons due to his knockout loss. Jorge Masvidal is suspended indefinitely until his hand is cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Billy Evangelista is suspended indefinitely until his eyes are cleared by an ophthalmologist. Billy Vaughan is suspended 30 days for precautionary reasons. Jason Riley is suspended indefinitely until his eyes are cleared by an ophthalmologist; he is also suspended 30 days for precautionary reasons due to his TKO loss. Ian Rammel is suspended indefinitely until medically cleared. Mitch Whitesel is suspended 90 days per the Ohio State Athletic Commission’s mandatory rest period for accumulated bouts. J.P. Felty is suspended 60 days for precautionary reasons due to his knockout loss.

There’s nothing too serious on the injured front, a lot of precautionary layoffs and not much else. Depending on what the doctors say, “indefinite suspensions” could end up being a few weeks maximum. Regardless, I wish everyone the best and hope that everyone is back in the cage healthy and ready before long.

In regards to the fighter’s salaries, I’m honestly bordering on angry at how little Marloes Coenen made. I rarely criticize Strikeforce, but honestly: look at that number and then ask yourself why Cristiane Santos hasn’t stepped into the cage in so long. It’s clear as day. I rarely criticize Strikeforce, but as a converted Marloes Coenen fan, I hate to see her pocket ten thousand as a champion while the other champion of the night, Dan Henderson, made twenty-five times more than her. Twenty. Five. Times.

Now, I know what the response to that is going to be: Marloes Coenen is not Dan Henderson. And I most definitely agree. But even when you consider that, just look at some of the fighters who made more money than her. Billy Evangelista? Jorge Masvidal? Evangelista doubled her paycheck, Masvidal tripled it. Are those seriously two names you think of when you think “champion”? After her incredible come-from-behind victory at “Feijao vs. Henderson”, I certainly think of “champion” when I think of Marloes Coenen.

But what’s your take on this, fans and friends? As I said, I rarely criticize Strikeforce, so I honestly am wondering if I’m misguided in whole or in part, or even if I’m outright wrong, when I accuse them of mistreating Coenen. Let the opinions fly.

First up are the live attendance figures of Strikeforce’s latest “Arena Series” shows, courtesy of MMA Junkie. According to their report, “Feijao vs. Henderson” drew 7,123 fans to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Next up are the TV ratings for the event, again brought to us by MMA Junkie: “Feijao vs. Henderson” averaged 412,000 viewers during the course of its live broadcast on the Showtime network. According to the report, that number is almost half that of the “Fedor vs. Silva” card Strikeforce held in early February.

These numbers do seem a bit deflating at first glance, but I’m actually quite positive about how this show performed. Remember, this is the first event that Strikeforce has ever held in Ohio. When you think of it that way, the live attendance seems like a pretty respectable number. And even if you’d consider this number a loss, you have to at least admit that it’s not a very big one.

Likewise, the ratings decline from this show compared to “Fedor vs. Silva” also doesn’t seem so bad if you put everything into context. As much as I respect all parties involved, there simply wasn’t a whole lot of hype surrounding this main event, nor the co-main event. Rafael Cavalcante was an unproven champion, while Henderson’s status as a top-division star was iffy at best: he scored a big KO over Renato Sobral, but before that he suffered a very deflating loss to Jake Shields.

Also, there just wasn’t a whole lot of hype over Marloes Coenen defending her championship against Liz Carmouche. The main reason for this was simply a matter of timing: Coenen’s expected opponent, Meisha Tate, pulled out very close to fight time and Strikeforce was left to scramble together some promotion for Carmouche. And while Carmouche did prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she’s one of Strikeforce’s top females, Strikeforce simply didn’t have enough time to properly promote this match-up.

Consider that, and consider the promotion behind the start of Strikeforce’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is easily one of the biggest MMA happenings of the year, and at “Fedor vs. Silva” in particular, Strikeforce had months and months to promote the return of Fedor Emelianenko, who fought for the first time since his dramatic submission loss to Fabricio Werdum.

At the end of the day, I’m going to go ahead and call this one a success for Strikeforce. It’s certainly a step in the right direction, and it continued the amazing streak Strikeforce has been on lately, with a majority of their televised fights not going to the judges, with many of them ending dramatically. I’ve still got a lot of faith in Strikeforce, and I still think they’re going to have an amazing year.

But what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on the numbers for this show?

The Maiquel Falcao Award For Best Fighter That Coasted To A Victory Simply Because He Didn’t Want To Risk Losing: Jorge Masvidal, who was a classless act through and through in his Strikeforce debut. I’ve had my issues with Masvidal in the past, and nothing he did at “Feijao vs. Henderson” changed my opinion. In fact, I now think even less of Masvidal, and the only opponents I look forward to seeing him fight in Strikeforce will be the ones that will either knock him out or choke him out.

The Cheick Kongo Award For Outstanding Achievement In The Art Of Turtle Mimicry: Melvin Manhoef, as if there could be anyone else. Manhoef and Kongo are so cut from the same cloth that they could be clones of each other. On the feet, they’re wrecking machines. On the floor, they’re still pretty good so long as they’re on top. But the second they get put on their backs on the ground, you might as well give yourself a bathroom break, because you should know by now what’s going to happen. It’s a real shame that Manhoef’s Achilles Heel is weaker than ever, because Strikeforce could really use a great stand-up fighter like him.

The Anderson Silva Award For “Hail Mary” Submission Of The Night: Marloes Coenen, who was pretty much a female Anderson Silva facing a female Chael Sonnen. Like Sonnen, contender Liz Carmouche outright dominated the fight and shut down most, if not all, of the champion’s offense. But like Silva, Coenen never let her will break and always hunted for the submission, eventually getting it late into the fight, in the championship rounds no less. It was a win that proved once again that true champions never give up.

The Last Punch You’ll Never See Award: Dan Henderson, who continues to find a way to land his massive right despite the many years where that one punch has been his calling card. Henderson’s entire fighting stance focuses on keeping that right hand cocked and ready, and yet most of his opponents just haven’t found a way to avoid it. It really is the last punch you’ll never see, even though it’s Henderson’s pride and joy. It’s a tribute to Henderson’s lasting ability, and looking forward, it’s the one thing all Strikeforce Light Heavyweights should be in constant fear of. Because the second you doubt its power, the second you think you’ve found a way to consistently dodge it… that’s the one second you get before you’re on the floor wondering what just happened.

The Gus Johnson Award For Outstanding Achievement In Failing As An Announcer: Mauro Ranallo, for his incessant and idiotic branding of Dan Henderson’s right hand as the “H-Bomb”. This is by far one of the stupidest, most ridiculous nicknames I’ve ever heard in MMA, and that’s saying quite a lot considering how MMA is the home of the goofy nickname. Ranallo is trying way too hard to get this nickname to stick, and I cringe every time I hear it.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. And remember, it’s all in good fun… mostly What about you? Any thoughts/opinions ready to be shared?

Next for Melvin Manhoef: Most likely Manhoef will return to Japan, whether to compete in K-1 or the Japanese-based DREAM promotion. In his immediate future, Strikeforce should entertain the idea of booking a rematch between him and Robbie Lawler. Considering how dramatic their first fight was, and how “Ruthless” is coming off of a loss, I think a rematch makes sense. If not, Manhoef needs another stand-up brawler that won’t take the fight down. That’s where he shines brightest, and that’s where Strikeforce will get the most mileage out of him. The only problem is that Strikeforce doesn’t have many of those fighters in their Middleweight division.

Next for Tim Kennedy: If Strikeforce can convince Jim Miller, Kennedy and “Mayhem” to determine the next Middleweight contender makes the most sense. However, anything can happen when it comes to Jason Miller, and this fight was supposed to happen once before. If it fails to materialize, I think Kennedy made a big enough statement against Melvin Manhoef to earn another shot at the championship outright.

Next for Marloes Coenen: The person she was originally expected to face: Meisha Tate. Depending on the timing of this bout and how fast Tate recovers from her current knee injury, this very well may be a fight that sees Tate come in after a year-long absence. If that happens, ring rust and Coenen’s impressive size, reach, and submission game may be too much for the scrappy Tate to handle. Either way, it should be another excellent bout that stands a great chance of stealing the show.

Next for Rafael Cavalcante: I think it would be very interesting to book a rematch between Rafael Cavalcante and Muhammed Lawal. If “Feijao” beats “King Mo” again, it’s a firm step on the comeback trail. The same goes for “King Mo” beating Cavalcante. If not Lawal, then perhaps Renato Sobral. Either way, look for “Feijao” to bounce back from this loss and face a pretty tough opponent in his next bout. From here on out, it’ll only be Strikeforce’s best for “Feijao”.

Next for Dan Henderson: Henderson will likely meet the winner of the upcoming Gegard Mousasi vs. Mike Kyle bout. In Mike Kyle, Henderson faces a man ten years younger than him, but a veteran nonetheless, and someone who loves knocking people out. Against Gegard Mousasi, “Hendo” faces a man fifteen years younger that many once considered the future of the sport. Although I personally believe he’ll be the one to break “the curse”, there’s definitely a chance that Henderson’s first title defense will be his last. Both men pose very interesting, very different threats to the newly-minted champion.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What do you see happening in the near and not-so-near future of the big winners and losers of Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

5. Tim Kennedy submitting Melvin Manhoef.

Once again Tim Kennedy put on an excellent display of heart and talent when he stepped into the cage against one of the most dangerous pure strikers in MMA: Melvin Manhoef. And for a while, Manhoef seemed to be controlling the fight. At one point, Manhoef nailed a leg kick so vicious that Kennedy’s leg gave out right underneath him. But like the warrior that he is, Kennedy survived Manhoef’s initial onslaught, took him down, and choked him out. At “Feijao vs. Henderson”, anyone who thinks Tim Kennedy isn’t one of Strikeforce’s best Middleweights got a firm reminder that they’re wrong.

4. Everything Liz Carmouche did up until she was submitted.

I was honestly shocked at Liz Carmouche’s performance against the very tough Marloes Coenen, but in a good way. Carmouche simply seemed to have all the answers. Coenen has a big reach advantage? Carmouche closed the distance and kept it a close-quarters brawl, which she was winning. Coenen has super-long legs? Carmouche simply powered out of anything and everything. It was a dominating performance, and it set Carmouche up as one of the can’t-miss females of Strikeforce’s growing female divisions.

3. Rafael Cavalcante nearly knocking out Dan Henderson.

Sometimes even a jaded internet journalist can have his jaw hit the floor. That’s pretty much how I reacted when “Feijao” landed a punch that sent “Hendo” crashing down to the canvas. It was one of those “OH!” moments, and as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I shouted (and yes, I literally shouted) when it happened. It was a firm reminder that Cavalcante packs quite a punch, and the tense few seconds between the punch connecting and Henderson recuperating were some of the most thrilling seconds of the night.

2. Marloes Coenen submitting Liz Carmouche.

A true champion doesn’t just survive under pressure, he/she thrives. And that’s exactly what Marloes Coenen did against Liz Carmouche. Coenen was down but never out, she was beat up but never beaten. A true champion never gives up and always looks to finish no matter what position he/she is in, and that determination and sheer willpower allowed Coenen to trap Carmouche in a Triangle Choke and make her tap. Marloes Coenen is definitely one of the best female fighters in Strikeforce, and seeing her win was a big highlight of the night.

And my personal pick for the best moment of Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson” is…

1. Dan Henderson knocking out Rafael Cavalcante.

As a fan of the old-school through and through, it really didn’t get much better than seeing Dan Henderson earn yet another KO in his long line of KO victories. And he won another championship to boot. MMA may have found itself another ageless wonder in Dan Henderson, and I can’t wait to see how far Henderson goes as a Strikeforce champion. I believe in Henderson, and I think he could be the one to “break the curse” and become the first-ever champion to successfully defend the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship more than once.

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

Dan Henderson defeats Rafael Cavalcante by KO (Strikes) at 0:50 of Round 3. Marloes Coenen defeats Liz Carmouche by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 1:29 of Round 4. Tim Kennedy defeats Melvin Manhoef by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:41 of Round 1. Jorge Masvidal defeats Billy Evangelista by Unanimous Decision. Roger Bowling defeats Josh Thornburg by Unanimous Decision. Jorge Gurgel defeats Billy Vaughan by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at :44 seconds of Round 1. Jason Freeman defeats Jason Riley by TKO (Strikes) at 1:52 of Round 1. Brian Rogers defeats Ian Rammel by TKO (Strikes) at 4:23 of Round 1. Mitch Whitesel defeats Marc Cofer by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:55 of Round 1. John Kuhner defeats JP Felty by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 4:31 of Round 2.

To be completely and bluntly honest, I wasn’t a fan of Jorge Masvidal coming into this fight and I’m certainly not a fan of him after this fight. This was a typical performance from a guy that just oozes cockiness out of every pore. He clearly won, but he displayed very little killer instinct. The only good thing I have to say about this fight is that the other fights made up for it.

I knew Melvin Manhoef was done for the second his fight with Tim Kennedy hit the ground and Manhoef wasn’t on top. Any longtime Manhoef fans knows what to expect when that happens. Manhoef has some good takedown defense thanks to his tree trunk legs, which is also why he has some of the most vicious leg kicks in the business, but as far as submission defense goes? It’s just not there. But I will give credit where credit is due: Tim Kennedy is a warrior and once again displayed why people should really start considering him one of Strikeforce’s best at 185.

As a converted Marloes Coenen fan, I never lost hope and I was positively thrilled when Coenen snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Liz Carmouche is definitely the real deal, and I think this performance has easily set her up as one of the best female fighters in all of Strikeforce. However, as the old saying goes… it’s not over until it’s over.

And in the main event, Dan Henderson added another championship to a trophy case that by now must be overflowing. There’s really no other way to describe Henderson’s victory than to say that he fought like the champion he is. He fought through a rough stretch where he was dropped, he got his wits back, he readjusted, and eventually, the cinder block masquerading as his right hand found a home on Rafael’s chin. I honestly don’t know if Henderson will be the one to break the Light Heavyweight curse, but if he does? It wouldn’t surprise me. And I certainly wish him all the best.

Overall, this was another very solid event courtesy of the folks at Strikeforce. Strikeforce has been hitting it out of the park a whole lot lately, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. But what about you, fans and friends? What did you think of “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

I find myself pretty conflicted when it comes to the Tim Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef match-up. Part of me definitely wants Manhoef to win, because when he’s “on”, the man is a destroyer and incredibly entertaining. Up until Robbie Lawler KO’d him, Manhoef looked amazing in his Strikeforce debut. I think Strikeforce needs someone like Manhoef in their growing Middleweight division, someone who will always go after it and brings Strikeforce some international appeal. Manhoef may always be a one-trick pony, but I respect him for constantly trying to finish his fights.

But then again, I’ve also got a whole lot of respect for Tim Kennedy, and that’s only partially because of his history as a decorated war veteran. Most of my respect for him has to do with what he’s shown inside the Strikeforce cage: he’s a pretty humble person and also as tough as they come. He came pretty close to beating Ronaldo Souza, and he’s definitely emerged as one of Strikeforce’s premiere Middleweight fighters.

All I hope is that this fight turns out to be as entertaining as I think it will be.

I’m also really looking forward to seeing Marloes Coenen back in action. I’m definitely a converted fan, and I think it’s going to be very interesting to see how Coenen performs now that she’s a champion. She’s got quite a tough battle ahead of her: Liz Carmouche is no joke, and I can see her beating Coenen if presented with an opportunity to do so. This is definitely worthy of co-main event status, and I look forward to seeing the women steal the show once again.

Dan Henderson vs. Rafael Cavalcante is another one of those fights where I really don’t want either man to lose. I really respect Dan Henderson, and part of me feels an outright obligation to support the old-school fighters simply because they’re trying their best to stay relevant in today’s world of rapidly-evolving, ever-changing techniques and styles.

However, Rafael Cavalcante is a very entertaining fighter and I think he has it in him to be a dominating champion. This fight is very, very important for him: it’s going to set the tone for the rest of his championship reign, if he does manage to beat Henderson. Since its inception, the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division has never had a truly dominant champion, in fact, only one champion has ever successfully defended his championship after winning it. I absolutely believe that Cavalcante possesses the heart, talent and raw potential to turn that tide… all that’s left for him to do is seize the opportunity.

In the end, I’m definitely looking forward to this card. It’s not the greatest Strikeforce card ever, but sometimes the events that don’t feature the absolute best also end up being really solid and entertaining. I have faith in this card and faith in Strikeforce in general, so I feel confident in saying that we’re going to have a fun, free night of fights on our hands.

And that’s that, fans and friends. But what about you? Any last thoughts on “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Masvidal: It’s tough to say, really. Evangelista has never lost, but as a whole, Masvidal has fought (and sometimes beaten) higher quality competition. However, every time I think of Jorge Masvidal, my mind goes to one of two places: one is his recent, deflating loss to Paul Daley. The other is the epic Inverted Triangle Toby Imada used to choke Masvidal unconscious. I think it’ll be a tough fight for both, but in the end I think Billy Evangelista will win by Unanimous Decision.

Tim Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef: I hate to pick against Tim Kennedy, really I do. But Melvin Manhoef’s Achilles Heel comes in the form of two fighters: submission specialists, and strikers with epic one-hit knockout power. Tim Kennedy is neither of those things. Here’s what Kennedy is: he’s a very tough brawler with good hands, good cardio, and not an ounce of quit in him. But Manhoef is simply far better in the stand-up game. This will be the dominating victory that his loss to Robbie Lawler should have been. Melvin Manhoef wins by TKO in Round 1.

Marloes Coenen (c) vs. Liz Carmouche for the Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Championship: This will all come down to experience. Both women want this championship badly, but Coenen has over four times as many fights as Carmouche. Coenen knows both defeat and victory, and she’s a force at 135 given her size, reach, submission ability, and power. Carmouche isn’t going down without a fight, so expect a tough first round. However, it’ll all end before the third round. Marloes Coenen wins by Submission in Round 2.

Rafael Cavalcante (c) vs. Dan Henderson for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship: And now we get to the million-dollar question of today’s “Picks and Predictions” post. I’m honestly a bit conflicted: I wouldn’t call myself a super-fan of either of these two, but I honestly don’t want either of them to lose. I respect Dan Henderson a lot, he’s a great veteran and he can usually still go. I also think Rafael Cavalcante has all the makings of a great and prestige-building champion. Both of these two match up so well with each other, so it’s a pretty difficult choice to make. I could easily see this fight going either way, I can even see it ending by dramatic finish in any round at any time, but because I have to choose, I’m picking Rafael Cavalcante by Split Decision.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. But what about you? What are your picks and predictions for Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”?

5. Is Jorge Masvidal really ready for the big time?

I’ve had my disagreements with Jorge Masvidal in the past, but in general, I don’t think of him as a boring fighter. But the fact remains that Masvidal registers relatively low on my radar. That may change soon, depending on his performance at this event. Masvidal faces the very tough Billy Evangelista at “Feijao vs. Henderson”, and if he’s able to win dramatically, we could see him become an overnight star in Strikeforce’s admittedly-shallow Lightweight division.

4. Once again Strikeforce has booked a women’s MMA fight with serious show-stealing potential.

I’ve said this before, but it does bear repeating considering the harsh stance I took against her in the weeks leading up to the fight where she won the championship. So here it is again: I’m a converted Marloes Coenen fan. Not only was her win against Sarah Kaufman a very dominating performance, it was also a very entertaining fight. On March 5, Coenen faces an opponent that’s never been beaten and has finished four of her five professional MMA bouts. I learned a while back that the women are pretty good at stealing the show, so I’ve got high hopes for this match.

3. Can Melvin Manhoef erase the mistakes he made in his Strikeforce debut?

Up until the last few seconds of his fight with Robbie Lawler, Manhoef debuted in Strikeforce the best way possible: by pummeling and even outright dominating one of Strikeforce’s bigger names at Middleweight. Of course, that fantastic debut would come screeching to a halt when Lawler landed a Hail Mary blow that put Manhoef down and out. Has Manhoef learned from his mistakes? Can he really beat the tough Tim Kennedy, especially now that he (Manhoef) is on a two-fight losing-streak? It’ll certainly be interesting to find out.

2. How many tricks does the old dog still have up his sleeve?

Even the staunchest Dan Henderson supporter has to admit that he’s been pretty hit-or-miss since the legendary PRIDE FC promotion went under. The hits: a brilliant performance against Michael Bisping, a huge KO win over Renato Sobral. The misses: deflating losses to both Anderson Silva and Jake Shields, two opponents that managed to thoroughly dominate Henderson before their fight was through. So which Dan Henderson shows up to take on Cavalcante? It’s arguably the biggest question that needs to be answered at this event, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m going to be tuning in.

And the number one reason to watch this show is…

1. The ascension of Rafael Cavalcante.

It’s the big leagues for “Feijao” now, and there’s no going back. At one time Cavalcante was supposed to be the next big thing, and once again he’s been put into that position. Not only does a big win over Dan Henderson stabilize and legitimize Rafael Cavalcante, it stabilizes and legitimizes the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division as a whole. This will be the toughest test of Cavalcante’s career, and I can’t wait to see him prove himself or die trying.

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

The Event: Strikeforce: “Feijao vs. Henderson”, also known as Strikeforce: “Columbus”, currently scheduled for March 5, 2011 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The main card will be broadcast live on the Showtime network starting at 10 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: There are a lot of questions surrounding the two champions defending their titles at “Feijao vs. Henderson”. Is Rafael Cavalcante really championship material, especially considering how the last two Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champions (Gegard Mousasi and Muhammed Lawal) lost the title in their first defense? Did a drop to 135 truly resurrect Marloes Coenen? These are important questions that all Strikeforce fans should be thinking about, and they’ll be answered at this show.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Dan Henderson wants to capitalize on the wave of momentum he’s riding since knocking out Renato Sobral, and he wants to do it by knocking out Rafael Cavalcante and becoming the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Meanwhile, Cavalcante wants to legitimize himself as champion and would do just that if he were to finish the grizzled MMA veteran. Both men have a whole lot riding on this match and should show up at their best, and if they do, Strikeforce fans are in for one epic encounter.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Marloes Coenen will look to duplicate her recent performance at Strikeforce: “San Jose”, except now she’ll try to do it against the unbeaten Liz Carmouche. Coenen will use her long reach to constantly assault Carmouche while taking minimal damage herself, and if the fight goes to the ground, Coenen’s sizable frame and long legs make her a submission threat to anyone. As a finisher, Carmouche will come in looking to swing leather. It has all the makings of a great brawl.

Why You Should Watch This Card: If you’re a Dan Henderson fan or an old-school MMA fan in general, you really should think about watching this card. This may or may not be Dan’s “swan song”, this is the fight that will once and for all prove if Dan Henderson can still be a force in today’s MMA. In addition to that, Strikeforce has put together several solid fights, including another championship bout, to anchor this championship bout.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: Unless you’re a fan of Women’s MMA (and you should be, by the way), this is pretty much a one-fight card. Most mainstream fans either don’t know or don’t really care about Jorge Masvidal and Billy Evangelista. Tim Kennedy certainly turns a few heads since he’s a war veteran and a pretty solid fighter, but anybody who hasn’t followed the international scene only knows Melvin Manhoef as the guy that put a beating on Robbie Lawler right before Lawler KO’d him. Strikeforce is saving all its best talent for the upcoming second part of the opening round of their Heavyweight Grand Prix, and depending on how you feel about that, you may not lose too much sleep if you miss this card.

Closing Thoughts: I honestly like how this card is shaping up, and I think Strikeforce fans are going to be treated to a very fun night of fights. All the fights sound very solid on paper, and in particular, I’m really looking forward to the two championship fights. Strikeforce has been on an incredible hotstreak lately, with many awesome shows, so I have faith in their ability to put on quality shows even if this card in particular isn’t as filled with as many A-list talents as their last major outing.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your thoughts on this upcoming card?

One of their biggest flaws has always been the manner in which they put together bouts on a given fight card, case in point “Strikeforce: Columbus” which has already rustled through three fighters in a single bout. Initially, a middleweight match-up pitting Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Tim Kennedy was expected to take place on the March event, which is scheduled to coincide with the Arnold’s Sports Festival, however the promotion has since scrapped those plans for the trilogy bout.

Then, it was announced that Kennedy would instead be facing budding contender Luke Rockhold in a middleweight fight, and as of today that fight has been put on the back burner also.

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Manhoef, a veteran K-1 fighter, will instead meet Tim Kennedy in the 185-pound fight, which is expected to be part of the Showtime televised main-card. The event is to be headlined by a light heavyweight title bout featuring champion Rafael “Feijao” against legend Dan Henderson.

Kennedy was last seen in action on the losing side of a hard-fought 25-minute decision to current titleholder Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza when the two met last August–the both were vying for the then vacant middleweight crown, which was left up for grabs when former titleholder Jake Shields signed with the UFC.

Manhoef was last inside the Strikeforce cage when he was shockingly knocked out by the “Ruthless” one, Robbie Lawler. Melvin was dominating the former EliteXC champ early with a barrage of leg kicks that had the H.I.T Squad co-founder on the defense, however Lawler still managed to uncork an over hand right that sent the Dutch striker crashing to the mat. A followup blow cemented the knockout win for Robbie.

Since the middleweight affair, Melvin subsequently lost to Tatsuya Mizuno in a light heavyweight match-up in the quarter-finals of DREAM’s inaugural 205-pound Grand Prix. Manhoef was TKO’d inside of the first-round.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the new bout? Strikeforce is a head ache and a half when it comes to these late minute matches. I still remember when I was at Strikeforce: Evolution in San Jose in December of 2009, where the aforementioned Lawler was still waiting to see if a new opponent would come in on late notice after both Benji Radach and Trevor Prangley bowed out of the middleweight bout..and this was on the day of the weigh-ins. Sound off in the comment section below.

He has the chance to capture the very prestigious Strikeforce welterweight title from one of the more recognizable and enigmatic figures in the sport, champ Nick Diaz.

However, while the honor in of itself in claiming gold would be great, Evangelista has already set up a hit-list of sorts on those he would like to exact some revenge on in his near 14-year career as a mixed martial artist.

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi and former Cage Rage light heavyweight champion Melvin Manhoef are on the top of his list.

Santos recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com who went back and forth with the Chute Boxe protege as he was making the final preparations for his upcoming fight this Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California opposite of the fan-favorite Diaz.

“After 15 years of searching for my ideal weight, I have finally found a home in the welterweight division”, said Santos, husband of Strikeforce women’s middleweight champion Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos.

“I fought 155 pounds at 18 years old then I ballooned up to 205 pounds. Now I’ve found a home that is comfortable for the first time in my career. I spent 42 fights looking for my ideal weight; all of that experience has made me a better fighter.”

He made good on his welterweight debut when he was able to record arguably one of the biggest wins of his career, knocking out DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis last June to claim the number one contenders spot.

Confident in his skills, which he feel are more than adequate to match Diaz’ great boxing skills coupled with his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu prowess (which is made evident with his black belt under Cesar Gracie), Santos gave some insight as far as he sees as his next challenges in the future after the Stockton native.

“Once I take the belt, I want to fight Gegard Mousasi and Melvin Manhoef in any weight class.”

Melvin defeated Santos in a hellish defense of his then Cage Rage light heavyweight title in 2006, where the two hard-hitters slugged it out for an allotted amount of time. Eventually fatigue and mounting punches were enough to subdue the Brazilian and Manhoef recorded the KO win just under four-minutes in the second-round.

The bout with Mousasi was the more recent of the two, where the talented Dutch striker was able to record the TKO win inside of the first-round in their 2008 meeting under the Hardcore Fighting Championships banner.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Santos’ comments? Do you give a chance in defeating Diaz, let alone rematches with Manhoef or Mousasi? Sound off in the comment section below.

“I don’t know how he thinks it is going to be but I have been working on my skills, my wrestling and I have been working on everything.  I think you have to ask Matt how easy he thinks it will be. I think he thinks it will be tough and it will be.”

Lawler would likely prefer, if history is a guide, to keep this fight in the boxing phase.  And, when-if the time comes to seal the victory over LIndland, “Ruthless” Robbie has no trouble finishing off a damaged opponent.

“It feels good. When you hurt someone you just have to go in there and look for the finish and get it done.”

But, first Lawler will have to navigate around Lindland’s world-class takedowns and ground n’ pound.

“I except Matt to come out and be in my face and me to have a chance to hit him.  I think he is a smart fighter.  I don’t think he is just going to go in there and wrestle from the start.  He’s been working on all his skills, so I am ready for a little bit of standup before he closes the distance.”

A win for Lawler, could set up two possible major fights.  One would require Nick Diaz to leave the Welterwieght division to give Lawler a rematch from their 2004 UFC battle.  The second would be a Lawler title shot against current Middleweight Champion, Ronaldo Souza.  Both would be marquee matchups and keep Lawler’s long MMA career in high gear.  But, Lawler first has to stop Lindland.

“I am not too worried about what is happening after this fight. I am worried about training for Matt and going to get in there and doing my best.”

—

What are your thoughts about Lawler / Lindland?  Who will win and why?  Sound off.

The famed Dutch striker whom has part timed with Mike’s Gym in Holland and American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, will be returning to Japan for the first time since a disappointing loss to the previously unheralded, Tatsuya Mizuno, who eventually made his way to the finals of the light heavyweight DREAM grand prix, where he lost to current champion Gegard Mousasi.

Manhoef has no fared so well as of late and is looking revitalize his career in his next performance.

Holding a two-fight losing skid in both his professional kickboxing career as well as in his mixed martial arts career.

Possibly the most devastating of his losses was when the Dutch striker matched up with former Icon and EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler last January. Melvin was aggressive from the get-go of their 185-pound match up, battering the HIT Squad member with brutal leg kicks and effective striking combination’s. Then, in a moment of weakness, an over zealous Manhoef left his hands down when Lawler was able to effectively counter with a right hook which dropped Melvin, followed up with follow up blows on the ground and knocked out the former Cage Rage light heavyweight champion, cold.

Melvin will return for Dynamite!! 2010, Dream’s annual year end show which features both professional kickboxing and mixed martial arts main attractions. His opponent has yet to be determined.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Melvin’s return? Who would you like to see him fight?
Sound off in the comment section below.

He takes on all comers, never turns down an opponent, and always comes to fight. And while the former Pride Welterweight Grand Prix Champion has seen the brighter side of things just a few years ago and has recently fallen on back-to-back losses, he’s putting all on the line–and according to Misaki himself, it was his life that was at stake in his last fight with Sengoku Champion, Jorge Santiago.

The Sengoku contender entered his bout with Misaki with fierce determination. After succumbing to a disappointing and controversial knockout loss to K-1 veteran Melvin Manhoef before entering his bout with Santiago (for the second time), a Strikeforce tournament champion and reigning Sengoku middleweight champion, Misaki had all the incentive to go after his foe for another hard five rounds, or die trying.

While Misaki took the action to Santiago early, rocking him on several occasions in the opening rounds, Santiago’s resilience and relentlessness was no match for Kazuo, who prior to the bout had little-to-no training preparation due to a multitude of injuries. While Misaki was likely 3-4 rounds on the judges score cards, he was found in dire straits in the early goings of round five of the title clash. The American Top Team product was able to mount the Japanese fighter early after rocking him with a head kick, followed up with heavy doses of ground and pound etched in with some submission attempts.

With a little over twenty seconds left in the round, it looked like Misaki only needed to survive the last few seconds of the fight before walking away the victor. However, the fighter formerly known as the “Grabaka Hitman” found himself with his second consecutive loss once his corner men threw in the towel, much to the surprise of the fans and media alike.

While Misaki was not in the best of shape coming into the bout, you won’t hear any excuses from the beloved fighter.

“Standing in the ring in whatever condition I’m in is my way of life”, said the famed middleweight, during a press conference put together by the SRC exec’s in a promotional gym, where 8 days after the fight and after a short stint in the hospital post-Santiago. It was the first time Misaki spoke of the fight, since he was unable to attend the post-fight press conference to due to his injuries sustained.

“My full strength was no match for Santiago.”

Misaki, though is convinced his conerman saved his life from impending death, even if it was just 22 seconds left in the bout.

“He (the cornerman that threw in the towel) saved my life so I’m thankful”, said Misaki.

“I don’t think the injury was the cause for my defeat, I lost being in 100% condition at fight day. It’s possible that Santiago might have been injured as well, I lost because my best was insufficient, only mortifying thoughts remain now. I think I would’ve entered the ring even if I lost one of my legs, I’m a fighter who fights, not with technique, but with heart.”

While it was clearly his heart that was on display, it’s going to be a long and winding road for Misaki to reach top billing again. After losing for the second time to Santiago, and both times in the fifth round, you would think Kazuo may be deterred and otherwise disappointed with where he stands in his career.

“He (Jorge Santiago) has become the most important being in my life.”

“Once more, just once more I want the chance to fight Santiago…”

Well apparently, not.

But first, here’s how the Middleweight roster breaks down. Looking at the title picture from left to right, the EA Sports Middleweight roster features Benji Radach, Lyman Good, Matt Lindland, Luke Rockhold, Frank Trigg, Joe Riggs, Kazuo Misaki, Scott Smith, Murilo Rua, Tim Kennedy, Pat Miletich, Jake Shields, Nick Thompson, Melvin Manhoef, Robbie Lawler, Dan Henderson, Gegard Mousasi, Jason Miller, Cung Le, Nick Diaz, Frank Shamrock, and Ronaldo Souza.

It should be noted that eight fighters in the Middleweight division are carry-overs from the already-announced Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions. There’s some debate going around the internet gaming forums as to whether or not this is a cheap move in order to cut the time down on coding and creating different fighters, or a good way to ensure quality cross-division super-fights. I personally think it’s a little of both: I think the roster is a little limited, but the fact that you can play as your favorite fighter in several different weight classes mostly balances that out. Plus, with download-a-fighter being included, I think this game’s roster will be massive once people start creating famous MMA fighters are putting them online for anybody and everybody to download.

Much like the UFC including the famous Madison Square Garden in their “UFC Undisputed” games, it’s recently been confirmed that EA Sports MMA will have the Cowboys Stadium as an in-game venue despite the fact that a major Mixed Martial Arts event has never been booked there. An online image has already surfaced, which you can view here. Even as a huge fan of UFC Undisputed 2009, I think Madison Square Garden was really under-played in both UFC 2009 and 2010. Not so with Cowboys Stadium- the images revealed so far look downright amazing. I may actually get goosebumps when my Create-a-Fighter either defends or tries to get at the Strikeforce Championship in that mega-arena.

The last time I was this excited for a sports game, my hopes met quite the rude awakening. So, even with all the hype I’m buying into, I know that there’s still a chance for EA Sports MMA to let me down in much the same way that UFC Undisputed 2010 let me down. But until that day, I have to say…this is shaping up to be a genre-defining game. Every time I hear something new about this game, it’s something I think I could find myself enjoying immensely. When October 19 hits, I’ve got a pretty good feeling that there’s going to be a new Undisputed Champion of Mixed Martial Arts video games.

But what about you, fans and friends? How high would you rate your anticipation of “EA Sports MMA”?

DREAM lightweight champion “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (24-5) forced “Crusher” Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2) to tap out in an Achilles lock at 1:53 of their DREAM.15 title fight in Saitama Saturday.

Aoki returned from a drubbing by Strikeforce champion “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (18-2) at Strikeforce in Nashville April 17 to defeat his longtime Japanese rival.

Aoki bit first and deep, shooting for a single-leg takedown.  Kawajiri stuffed it and attempted to reverse to top position, but that was just fine with Aoki.  Aoki flowed with the transition and pulled Kawajiri atop him.  By the Kawajiri realized he didn’t want to be anywhere on the mat with Aoki, Aoki had gobbled up Kawajiri’s left leg and was rolling with a heel hook.

Kawajiri rolled in defense and Aoki transitioned into an Achilles lock.  Kawajiri dotted Aoki’s left eye with two heel kicks with his free leg, but Aoki bit harder on Kawajiri’s left leg.

Kawajiri grimaced in pain.  For a moment it seemed as Aoki had worn himself out on the grip, but with one final tug he forced Kawajiri to tap out.

Aoki’s title defense was the main event on a seven-fight card that gradually and unintentionally developed the theme of rejected fighters from United States promotions UFC and Strikeforce.  Aoki was once regarded as a rival to former UFC champion  “Prodigy” BJ Penn (15-5-1), but was exposed as woefully one-dimensional at Strikeforce versus Melendez.

Earlier in the evening, “Uno Shoten” Caol Uno (25-13-5) announced his return to DREAM after a 0-2-1 run in the UFC.  Dutch kickboxer  ”No Mercy” Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1) returned to DREAM off of a first-round knockout loss to former EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-6) at Strikeforce in Miami in January, only to lose to unheralded Tatsuya Mizuno (8-5).  UFC rejects Kazuhiro Nakamura (15-1) and Michihiro Omigawa (11-8-1) each walked away with wins at DREAM.

The era of Japanese MMA rivaling American MMA on an equal footing is over, even in the lower weight classes, and the Japanese sport is now unquestionably a minor league to both the UFC and Strikeforce.

I was shocked with the patience Manhoef showed once the bell rang as he is normally and very explosive fighter. I feel he is learning more about the MMA game each and every fight. Lawler’s tactics were quite odd to say the least but in the end it worked and the crowd got what it expected. The highlight reel knock out came after getting his leg battered, bruised and practically kicked off. Manhoef made one mistake by dropping his left while trying to finish the hurt Lawler. Lawler shocked many by winning the fight in the stand up game as many experts, myself included, thought he needed the fight to hit the mat in order to win.

Herschel Walker (1-0) made his media rounds to promote this fight and it had many watching the sport for the first time. It was a good thing that he won and looked as solid as he did. I will admit his stand up was atrocious as he was flat-footed, stiff legged and robotic. However he did get off a few shots and once the fight went to the ground he showed just why the guys at AKA were ranting and raving about him. He had tight control, moved from position to postion effortlessly and defended some submission attempts. His use of the crucifix was impressive as was his cardio. While I am not one to say he will be a force to be reckoned with, there are some interesting fights for him if he decides to keep fighting.

Another one of the positives for Strikeforce last night was the fight between Strikeforce 145 pound woman’s champion “Cyborg” Cristiane Santos (9-1) and Marloes Coenen (14-3). Most people gave Coenen very little chance in this fight so to sit down and end up seeing such an entertaining fight was a real treat. Coenen used leg kicks and straight punches early on to stave off the trademarked rapid fire aggression of Cyborg. Cyborg is a true champion though, found a way to get inside and use her strength to her advantage. This fight was a true highlight for women’s MMA and Strikeforce.

Strikeforce: Miami was not all lollipops and rainbows though as there were some lows to the event starting with the name. How can an organization name an event after a city unless they don’t plan on going back to that city? I think they need to work on a more creative way to name shows but this was a small low point overall.

My next issue was with the commentating during the event, especially during the Cyborg versus Coenen fight. At one point Conenen was using one of my favorite moves from the clinch, the foot stomp. Announcer Mauro Ranallo thought it would be cute to say that “maybe she doesn’t like the color of her nail polish.” Now I know that many announcers use some comedy in their broadcasts but Mauro is no Michael Shiavello. As I stated earlier, many potential new fans were watching thanks to the hype behind Herschel Walker. That being the case you want to put the fights in the best light possible. I thought the comment was demeaning to women’s MMA and to both Coenen and the champion, Cris Santos. The ringside commentators have a duty to be proffesional and to help to keep these new viewers in the sport of MMA.

Two more lows are on my list and the first is the time management of Strikeforce. Many of the main event fights ended early and yet they still had to push back the fight between Michael Byrnes (0-2) and David Zitanick (1-1) due to “time constraints” This has happened before with Strikeforce but at least the fight was not scrapped all together. If they did not interview Rex Ryan of the NFL as well as others, maybe they would have had time to fix the huge mistake I felt was the biggest low.

This would be the “Thoroughbred” Jay Hieron (16-4) debacle. Jay has been beaten up by Scott Coker and Strikeforce over and over again. He seems to be in line for a title shot but keeps getting passed over. The they put him on the under-card. Due to fan backlash EASportsMMA.com decided to air his fight against “Diesel” Joe Riggs (31-12) on their site. Sadly and much to the dismay of hardcore MMA fans, the site was ill prepared to handle the number of people trying to view the fight. Many fans could not get the feed to play and for those that did, including myself, the feed had a terrible lag and was grainy at best. This is a slap in the face to MMA fans who flock in mass to purchase video games such as the EA Sports MMA game. Strikeforce and EASportsMMA.com owe Jay an apology and a title shot but it does not seem like that will happen.

According to a report from MMAFight.com, Coker already has plans for title shots for his champions, including new champion Diaz. It seems Coker is looking to his Japanese friends to bring in “Mach” Hayoto Sakurai
(32-8-3). While I think this fight would be a gift to hardcore fans, I have to state that Jay deserves the title shot regardless of his performance last night.

Future Strikeforce events will need to get better if they want to keep fighters and keep ratings. We expect much more and they need to deliver.

Diaz weighed 169.5 pounds while his opponent “Whitemare” Marius Zaromskis (12-2) weighed 169 pounds.

Lashley weighed 253.25 pounds while his opponent “Whole Show’ Wes Sims (22-13-1) outweighed him at 258.25 pounds.

Former NFL Pro Bowler Herschel Walker (0-0) weighed 214.25 for his MMA debut while his opponent Greg Nagy weighed 210.5 pounds.

Rounding out the main card, middleweight “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-5) weighed 185.75 pounds and “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (23-5-1) weighed the same.

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.

Lawler was supposed to return from a loss to Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight and Strikeforce champ Jake Shields (23-4-1) at Strikeforce in St. Louis June 6 versus “Razor” Benji Radach (19-5), then Shark Fights light heavyweight champion Trevor Prangley (20-4) at at Strikeforce in San Jose December 19, but both Radach and Prangley pulled up lame.

Manhoef upset former Sengoku middleweight champ “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (22-10-2) at Fields Dynamite!! 2009 in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve.

Lawler’s manager, Monte Cox, told MMA Junkie the fight is likely, but no bout agreements have been signed.

This is a matchup of exciting strikers that Fighters.com can get excited about.

Misaki strangled judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura (13-10) in a guillotine at 3:03 of round one at Sengoku Ninth Battle in Tokyo August 2.

Manhoef is coming off of a first-round submission loss to eighth-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1) at DREAM.10 north of Tokyo July 20.

Manhoef has fought at both middleweight and light heavyweight.  Strikeforce didn’t indicate in which weight division Manhoef is likely to compete in Strikeforce.

Interestingly, Manhoef suffered a first-round loss to current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1) in DREAM’s Middleweight Grand Prix in September 2008.

However, the 5’8″ fighter born in Suriname is likely to take a run at Strikeforce’s middleweight title, currently held by Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight Jake Shields (23-4-1), due to his height disadvantage versus most of the world’s top 205-pounders.

Manhoef is coming off of a first-round submission loss to eighth-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1), but has career victories over heavyweight Maori Mark Hunt (5-6), Japanese MMA hero “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (22-13-1), and “The Machine” Ian Freeman (19-7-1).

Sakuraba was originally scheduled to fight “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-5-1), but Manhoef bailed with an injury.

“Benkei” tapped in an armbar to “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2) in the DREAM middleweight grand prix at DREAM.6 north of Tokyo in September 2008.

Saku’ tapped boxer Rubin Williams (0-1) in a Kimura at DREAM.11 in Yokohama October 6.

DREAM.12 will be broadcast on HDNet in North America.

Lithuanian “Whitemare” Marius Zaromskis (12-2) upset “Mach” Hayato Sakurai (32-9-3) and Jason High (7-2) both with fight-ending head kicks to win the Welterweight Grand Prix.

Returning to Japan after an odd stint in the WEC and returning to MMA after nine months off, Filho was rusty and lucky to exploit the chink that has resulted in three of Manhoef’s six losses: the armbar.

After eating murderous uppercuts and a left hook from the Dutch kickboxing champion, Filho slid into the fetal position in a corner of the ring and Manhoef followed. Filho may have been playing possum as he clammed up on his side and grasped for Manhoef’s wrists as Manhoef tried to sneak punches through Filho’s guard. But, Manhoef wisely stood out of the corner and invited Filho back to his feet.

Manhoef stalked Filho into the ropes, but a nifty hip toss from the clinch put Manhoef on his back with Filho passing from side mount to full mount swiftly. Filho secured Manhoef’s right arm and climbed his mount high on Manhoef’s chest before twisting into the armbar that left Manhoef slapping frantically to end the fight.

Filho won, but it should be noted that he missed weight for the second consecutive fight.

Wearing both trunks and matching leggings in the pattern of the Japanese flag, Aoki fended off Ribeiro, draped in Brazil’s colors, with an incessant left roundhouse kick to the body. Aoki threw little else, most were blocked, and a few were caught and countered with a stiff jab, straight, or single-leg takedown. But, the ones that landed left a red welt on “Shaolin’s” left rib cage, wearing on him and keeping him at bay. Midway into the second round, Riberio planted Aoki with a double-leg takedown, but the “Tobikan Judan” held on in adequate, if dull, defense for the judges’ unanimous decision.

Zaromskis went on a reckless, but effective tear through DREAM’s welterweight contenders, beginning with an almost inconcievable KO of Grand Prix favorite Sakurai. After walking through big punches and returning fire that left Sakurai with cuts over and under his left eye that required a doctor’s opinion, Zaromskis connected his left shin to Sakurai’s skull to move into the final versus High.

After handin Andre Galvao (3-1) his first loss in a split decisino, High crowded Zaromskis early in the final, taking him to the mat twice and controlling the grappling. But, after Zaromskis crawled to his feet, he struck like a scorpion with a right roundhouse kick that put High on his back, limp and unconcious.

Welterweight Katsunori Kikuno (6-0-1) TKO’d “Dida” Andre Amade (1-3) at 3:47 of round one. If Sakurai doesn’t secure a rematch with Zaromskis, Kikuno might step in to challenge the new DREAM champion.

The Ultimate Fighter alum “JT Money” Jesse Taylor (9-2) beat middleweight Dong Sik Yoon (2-7) by submission after Yoon injured his foot one minute into the first round.

Team Quest’s “Sponge” Tarec Saffiedine (2-0) won a two-round UD over Seichi Ikemoto (13-15-4) in the Welterweight Grand Prix reserve fight.

Mousasi wasted no time tackling the “Marvelous” kickboxer shortly after the opening bell and wrestling him to the mat in full mount.  Manhoef surrendered his back, but rolled into Mousasi’s full guard in defense of a rear naked choke.

“It’s my own fault that I understimated him a bit,” said Manhoef. “I thought he would stand with me.”

From his back, Mousasi allowed Manhoef to punch himself into a leg triangle.

Manhoef admitted, “It’s a little bit stupid of me because I was too anxious to go ground’n'pound.”

Manhoef squat pressed Mousasi, hanging from his neck, into the air, but slammed to the mat still wrapped in the triangle.

Manhoef tapped at 1:28 of round one; and, Mousasi earned a spot in the Middleweight GP final.

If Mousasi defeats the Dutchman, he’ll move into the final the same night versus the winner of Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) and “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-3).

Fighters.com: After defeating Denis Kang (29-10-1) at DREAM.2 in 29 April, you called out “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) for your next fight and had called him out even before then.  Why has Manhoef been on your hit list?

Gegard Mousasi: I consider myself a young, up-and-coming fighter, who has to fight the strongest opponents.  Besides that, it was also a personal thing for me to get more exposure in Holland.  In Holland, most of the people only know “Hurricane” Gilbert Yvel (33-12-1), “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11), and Melvin Manhoef, all of whom I very much respect and with some of them I have had regular trainings.  By fighting Melvin , the people in Holland (and, of course, the rest of the world) will recognize that Holland has a new kid on the block.  I need to prove something in Holland!

Fighters.com: Manhoef comes out aggressively at the bell.  Does he leave himself open at his initial charge?

Gegard Mousasi: I agree that he is very aggressive when he comes out.  Every fighter will have his weakness; but, I consider Melvin as one of the best strikers in the 185-pound category.  But, that makes it more exciting to take the challenge.  I know I can fight him standing up.  He will have problems with my reach.

Fighters.com: How will you use your extra four inches over Manhoef as an advantage?

Gegard Mousasi: Just by using it. big smile  Surprise, surprise!  It’s all in the gameplan. baby!

Fighters.com: Is Manhoef the most dangerous striker you’ve ever fought under MMA rules?

Gegard Mousasi: Yes, but the challenge is good for me.  It makes me train harder.  As I already said, he is one of the best strikers in MMA.  Once again, I like the challenge.

Fighters.com: You’ve never been knocked out.  Manhoef has been submitted in half of his losses.  Is the fight as simple as that?

Gegard Mousasi:  I have never been kayoed.  I know that [Manhoef] has been training with the American Top Team and got special training with one of Holland’s best MMA trainers, “Grizzly” Remco Pardoel (9-6-1).  So, it gives me more motivation to train harder and concentrate more on my game plan.  Actually, I also invested in extra training.  So, I trained several times with Jerrel Venetiaan (4-3), who also trained with “Last Emperorer” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) for his fight agains “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2).  The team I train with gives me so much confidence and supports me really professionally.  I also plan to go over to the Red Devil school in St. Petersburg to train with Fedor and his fighters from the M-1 team challenge.  Also, that gives me much mental support perhaps mostly through the fact that Fedor never allows foreign fighters.  But, I ain’t planning to submit him.  I’m ready for 15 minutes of fight.

Fighters.com: You split time between Holland and Armenia?  How do people in both nations react to you?  Are you recognized on the street in Holland or Armenia?

Gegard Mousasi: I live in Holland; and, now some people know who I am in my city.

Fighters.com: Who’s your pick to win the other semi-final: Souza or Galesic?

Gegard Mousasi: I think “Jacare”; but, Zelg is always dangerous.  In the end, it doesn’t matter.  The final is the final.  I won’t withhold anything!  So, when the bell rings, I will give all my effort to win.  I really respect “Jacare” as well as Zelg; but, since the last grand prix I won versus Hector Lombard at the age of 20, I’ve trained for three years and my only goal is to be the best in my weight category.

Fighters.com: You’ve previously stated that you want to be a restaurateur. It would serve Armenian food?  Do you cook yourself?

Gegard Mousasi: No.  Fast food, MacDonlads. Ha ha!

Read Fighters.com’s original interview with Mousasi to learn more about MMA’s fast-rising middleweight.

Trigg also welcomed a son, Stone, to his family in September.  Congratulations from Fighters.com.

The remainder of the Middleweight Top Ten was on holiday last month…well, at least at middleweight.

Top contender “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3) made a successful return to light heavyweight in Atlanta 6 September.  He remains wishy-washy about his future in either division.

But, before Franklin could move-up to 205, Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) beat him there.  Franklin must wonder whether Silva is going to move to Cincinnati and start teaching high school math too.

Silva is preparing to defend his Fighters.com and UFC titles versus “Predator” Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho‘s (16-0) WEC title defense versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) was postponed from tonight to 5 November due to Hurrican Ike.

Fourth-ranked EliteXC champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) is rumored to be considering a rematch versus Joey Villasenor (26-6), whom Lawler KO’d in 22 seconds in 2006.

Seventh-ranked “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) will fight “Benkei” Zelg Galesic in DREAM’s Middleweight GP semi-final in Saitama 23 September, then, if Souza wins, the winner of Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) versus “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) in the final the same night.

Ninth-ranked “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) will fight “Diesel” Joe Riggs (28-10) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, 20 September.

Fifth-ranked Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1), sixth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4), nor tenth-ranked “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5) have fights on their dockets.

September Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4)

“Spider” fights like he’s hacked the matrix, making top-tier opponents look like they’re clumsily swatting at a web. In March he choked out former PRIDE champ Hendo’. His two-year record has both volume and quality with a “W” next to each challenger.

2. “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3)

Despite two stoppages to Silva, Franklin is still the best of the rest, even according to Silva himself. “Ace” finessed from a Travis Lutter armbar to pick the TUF champ apart in April and outwrestled notoriously powerful Okami for a decision last year.

3. “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-0)

Filho’s perfect rap sheet lists solid foes, but only an ’06 KO of Misaki among top-tenners. Chael Sonnen gave him hell in a controversial stoppage, but Filho missed the March rematch. A strong comeback in the November rematch will solidify Filho’s ranking.

4. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4)

“Ruthless” rides a five-fight “W” streak since being choked out by Miller in ’06, including a KO of Trigg and stoppages of solid fighters Scott Smith, Murilo Rua, and Joey Villasenor.

5. Yoshihiro Akiyama (11-1)

The Zainichi judoka ran the gauntlet of weight-mismatched spectacles before bursting into 185-pound contention with a KO of Denis Kang. Akiyama drew Misaki on NYE, but the the result was a NC. He choked out Katsuyori Shibata in his July comeback.

6. “Thunder” Yushin Okami (22-4)

Okamihas been most active among the top ten in the last two years and comes off a knockout of former UFC champ, the late Evan Tanner.  His only UFC loss was to Franklin, but could’ve conceivably been a “W” had he went after “Ace” before the final two minutes.

7. “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (17-6)

With all Trigg does, you may have missed his comeback at middleweight the last two years, starting with a TKO of Miller and a UD over Misaki. Lawler iced him at Icon, but he’s returned with a quick stoppage of Edwin Dewees and UD of Makoto Takimoto.

8. “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1)

“Jacare” finally fulfilled the hype surrounding the BJJ world champion by overwhelming Miller on the way to a UD in June, but besides “Mayhem” his record needs bolstered with two big wins to take the DREAM GP.

9. “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2)

Misaki has made successful hits on Denis Kang and Hendo’, but also dropped decisions to Trigg and Hendo’ and a stoppage to Filho. Regardless, he’s won and lost among the division’s best, and may have added a “W” versus Akiyama if PRIDE rules ruled K-1.

10. “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5)

Always entertaining “Mayhem” has thrown in a stoppage over Lawler, a stoppage by Trigg, and a lost decision to Souza into a mixed bag of competition the last two years.

“Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) and “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-3) will take part in the Middleweight Grand Prix, as will “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) and Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1), who all fought at DREAM.4 in June.

Also announced is a featherweight match-up between Hideo Tokoro (21-13-1) and Atsushi Yamamoto (11-5-1).

“Jacare” defeated “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-6) via unanimous decision at DREAM.4.

Galesic got a TKO victory over Taiei Kin (3-3) when Kin injured his elbow.

Manhoef TKO’d “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-11-1) in the first round in July.

Mousasi most recently won a unanimous decision over Dong Sik Yoon.

Tokoro fought at DREAM.4 and DREAM.5, earning unanimous decision victories over Darren Uyenoyama (4-2) and Takeshi Yamazaki (14-8-2).

Yamamoto, a Pancrase and Shooto veteran, lost his last fight unanimous decision to Masakatsu Ueda (8-0-1) in March.

Adorning his sprayed-on, gaudy long johns, Aoki scored two takedowns, mounting Nagata on the second.  Aoki pounded his victim as Nagata bucked.

Aoki wasn’t going anywhere!

He smothered Nagata and slipped his foot out of nowhere into the pretzel that ended the fight, advancing Aoki to the Lightweight Grand Prix semi-finals.

“If you want to be the legend, you have to kill the legend,” “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) said after slaying “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-11-1) with a kick in the first round and advancing to the Middleweight Grand Prix semi-finals.

“That’s what I did today.”

Manhoef finished the Japanese legend with a knee to Sakuraba’s head from side control followed by hammerfists to his face before the referee ended the fight.

Hideo Tokoro (20-13-1) and American Olympic grappler Darren Uyenoyama (4-2) battled the most exciting fight on the card in a bantamweight match-up

The fight spanned all ranges and levels as the two fighters rolled and stood, attacked with strikes and tried submissions, defended and reversed, and recovered.

But, it was Tokoro’s consistent knee strikes that won him the two-round UD.

Ninth-ranked middleweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-6) pulled one Houdini escape after another in a two-round UD loss to “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1).

Souzadictated the mat match and consistently mounted “Mayhem”, but couldn’t submit the slippery Miller.  Nonetheless, Souza advanced into the Middleweight GP semis.

The uneven match-up between Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) and Dong Sik Yoon (4-5) lasted longer than it should’ve.

Yoon shot for an ever-elusive takedown most of the fight, while Mousasi worked Yoon’s bandaged leg like a soccer ball.

In the first round, Yoon freed one of Mousasi’s arm for a joint lock; but, Mousasi rolled free.

Mousasi put Yoon on his back in round two, hammering fists as the clock counted down to the UD for Mousasi, who advances in the Middleweight GP semis.

“Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (27-11) demolished Tae Hyun Lee (1-2) in 36 seconds with left hook-right hook-left uppercut combo followed by a knee that left Lee on the mat.

Overeem added his name to “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic‘s (26-3-2) dance card after his DREAM debut.  “Demolition Man” has accused Filipovic of ducking him.

Ralek Gracie (2-0) wants “Cro Cop” too.  He challenged DREAM’s premier heavyweight after tapping Alavutdin Gadzhiyev (7-2) in an armbar at 3:02 of the first round.

Gracie was originally scheduledto grapple with the Croatian kickboxer.

An elbow injury at 1:05 of round one gift wrapped a TKO “W” for “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-3), sending him into the Middleweight GP semis.

The Croatian launched a high kick at Taiei Kin (3-3) before taking Kin to the mat hard and awkwardly on Kin’s right arm, buckling the Korean’s elbow.

Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked middleweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (21-5) will fight Brazilian BJJ enigma “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-1).

Fast-rising Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1) will face Korean judoka Dong Sik Yoon (4-4).

MMA legend “Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-10-1) is matched versus “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (21-4-1).

Finally, “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (8-3) will fight Taiei Kin (3-2).