After debuting in the organization in 2006 with a victory over Eddie Sanchez at ufc 67, Mirko has compiled a record of 4-5 inside the octagon, which is not up to par with the man that many people are familiar with from the PRIDE days. The man who competed in a historical open-weight grand prix which featured some of the biggest names in the sport, including Wanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Josh Barnett. In the end, the Croation star was the man left standing and was dubbed the 2006 open-weight champion, and among other things, one of the best fighters in the world.

Now, all Mirko asks is to have one more win to cap off his illustrious career before he calls it quits.

It’s been approximately 20-years since Mirko stepped foot inside a ring or a cage. He began his career as a highly accomplished kickboxer, several times reaching the pinnacle of the K-1 circuit, though he was never able to claim the title of heavyweight champion. From there, he adverted his attention to mixed martial arts where at his time, he stood out above the rest. To this date, Cro Cop is the only man in history to have defeated Josh Barnett not once, not twice, but a staggering three times in mixed martial arts competition.

Battles with Nogueira, and the great Fedor Emelianenko are among his career highlights, though it was his grand prix run that opened up the eyes of the fans and media alike, taking witness to the rise of one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time, though the allure was short lived once he made his way to the UFC.

“There’s one fight left on my UFC contract. I will have this fight, regardless of what the reporters think,” said Mirko during an interview with ESPN.

“However, there’s a possibility that the UFC will insist on not allowing me to fight. I will accept their decision.”

The appeal of Cro Cop is still felt, as fans are always clamoring for a win which breathes “high-kick”, though we have yet to see such a feat.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think? Should Filipovic hang it up as it is, or would you like to see him try to go out on a win? Sound off in the comment section below.

For many years, Mirko was considered one of the top-3 fighters in the heavyweight division, being the only man to defeat Josh Barnett three times throughout his illustrious career, the Croation will once again have the chance to prove himself and before all of his fans this weekend when he takes on another hungry young up-and-comer in Brendan Schaub, who with a convincing win over Mirko could be poised for a title shot in the immediate future.

“Cro Cop” made his career with his obvious striking acumen, which dates back to his early days as a high level K-1 kickboxer. While he never won the heralded world grand-prix title, he came close on many occasions.

After there was no future left in competing in the kickboxing realm for the Croation, he took his talents elsewhere and began his career as a mixed martial artist for the PRIDE organization. There, he became an instant classic and fan favorite with his decaptiting head kick knockouts, which includes a specific victory over perennial top-10 talent Aleksander Emelianenko, brother to the legendary Fedor.

Be left the organization in 2006 and has since mediocre success in the UFC. In his last outing, Mirko was knocked out by a knee that landed flush to his jaw when he stepped inside the cage opposite of the resurgent Frank Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion. Mirko did take the fight on just six-weeks notice, and did it make it to the third-round with Mir, however most of the action was dim. Next up for the former PRIDE star will be Brendan Schaub, perhaps not as equally adept a striker as Mirko, however he does throw with power behind those punches.

Schaub was a contestant on the ultra-popular “The Ultimate Fighter” series, where he made it to the finals opposite of former IFL champion Roy Nelson. Although Schaub suffered an embarassing knockout loss, he has since rallied back with a three-fight win streak, which includes consecutive knockout wins over Chase Gormley and Chris Tuscherer. In his last bout at UFC 121 last October, Schaub soundly defeated former title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga by unanimous decision, dropping the hard nosed Brazilian early in the first-round.

The edge in experience clearly goes to Filipovic, who has fought and defeated some of the best in his class. However, Brendan has more momentum behind him and will likely gun for the weak-chinned Mirko early, and search for the knockout win, which I suspect he will get.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think? Agree or disagree? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what “The Hybrid” had to say over at Fighters Only: “I think guys get so caught up in respecting Mirko so much they don’t approach him with a killer instinct… They go out there and show him too much respect. I respect the guy just as much as those guys do if not more… I respect these guys so much that I give them the best fight I can on the night. That’s my way of showing respect to these guys – I go in there and try and take their heads off.”

In all honesty, I think this is the perfect strategy for Schaub as he heads towards this fight. There was a time where Schaub would have gotten laughed out of the room for daring to say that he’d like to strike with Mirko Cro Cop, and there would probably even be a section of the fanbase questioning Schaub’s sanity.

That time passed quite a while ago.

There are conflicting theories on why Mirko Cro Cop never stormed through the UFC the same way he stormed through PRIDE. Some say it was the difference in rules, others say it was Mirko’s inability to adapt to a cage versus a ring. Some say Mirko’s various injuries are to blame, others think that Mirko’s one-dimensionality has finally caught up to him in a world where MMA fighters are dangerous and deadly in all areas of the fight game.

But no matter what your opinion is on the “how” of it, the fact of the matter remains the same: Mirko Crop Cop hasn’t beaten a legitimate top-ranked fighter since the PRIDE days, and his UFC tenure continues to be defined by his KO loss to Gabriel Gonzaga, who was in fact recently released by the UFC.

I think Mirko Cro Cop is standing on the precipice, and Brendan Schaub is about to shove him off. Schaub rebounded from one bad performance with three virtually flawless outings, and I think Schaub has all the tools necessary to become a big star in the UFC. The days of Mirko Cro Cop kicking people’s heads off are long gone, and his punching power was never all that spectacular to begin with. If Schaub makes good on his word and forces Mirko Cro Cop to engage in a competitive fight, I think Cro Cop will more than likely crumble. His chin isn’t what it used to be, his striking power isn’t what it used to be… nothing is what it used to be.

Putting it plainly, Brendan Schaub is the absolute worst kind of opponent for Mirko Cro Cop right now. He’s young, he’s energetic, he’s a finisher, and he’s brave enough to venture into Cro Cop’s realm and see if he can get the better of the man that was once regarded as the deadliest striker in the game. If this was back in Cro Cop’s heyday, Schaub would be in for a colossal beating. But in the present day, I think Schaub is going to win this fight by KO’ing Cro Cop in the first round.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you have winning this fight, and how?

The fight has been rumored for nearly a week now, though UFC officials have since solidified the match up earlier today for the March pay-per-view event.

Filipovic, the 2006 Pride Open-Weight Grand Prix Champion, was last inside the octagon when he was pitted against former champion Frank Mir. Though a Jiu-Jitsu specialist, Mir was unable to work the fight to the mat, and after an uninspired two-plus rounds turned in, Frank eventually connected on a hard knee to the head, knocking out the Croatian in the waning moments of the September fight.

The loss to Mir snapped a two-fight win streak inside the cage, with victories over Anthony Perosh and Pat Barry–during the fight with the two K-1 veterans, Filipovic was able to knockdown Barry with a late barrage in the third-round, staggering the kickboxer to the ground before locking up a fight ending rear-naked choke which earned him “Submission of the Night” for his efforts.

Schaub, however, has been faring better then the MMA legend, as the Greg Jackson fighter has been able to rattle off a three-fight win streak inside the octagon. After working his way to the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter” in season ten, Schaub was knocked out by Roy Nelson in the live finale, however rather then sulk he was able to rebound in impressive fashion. Brendan notched two-quick back-to-back knockout wins over Chase Gormley and Chris Tuchscherer–both fights recorded under two-minutes of ring time combined.

“The Hybrid” picked up the biggest win of his career when he bested former title challenger and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 121 last October, knocking down “Napao” in the first-round with a strong hook. Schaub was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and instead settled for a decision win after fifteen-minutes of action.

UFC 128 takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on March 19 where a championship headliner pitting titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will meet with former champ Rashad Evans with the belt on the line.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the heavyweight fight? Will Mirko be able to reinvigorate his career here with a win over Schaub, or is the younger Brendan too much for the Croatian to handle? Sound off in the comment section below.

The Croatian heavyweight recently spoke with a local television program where he discussed his next plans in his mixed martial arts career, even claiming that 2011 will be his year, and will be much better than 2006 where he defeated the likes of Hidehiko Yoshida, Wanderlei Silva, and Josh Barnett all in a three-month span.

However coming off of a loss to former heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 119 last September, a knockout at that, did little to help people from believing that Mirko’s best years are behind him and prospect Brendan Schaub will be there to remind ‘Cro Cop’ as such.

Both Schaub and Filipovic are expected to meet at UFC 128 on March 19 which is rumored for the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will most likely grace the main-card for the pay-per-view event.

Over his last four fights, Mirko has gone 2-2 inside the cage with consecutive wins over Anthony Perosh and Pat Barry sandwiched between losses against future title challenger Junior dos Santos and the aforementioned Mir.

Schaub debuted in the UFC in disappointing fashion, with the knockout artist succumbing to an equally impressive knockout loss. Brendan battled his way to the finals on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and met with former IFL champ Roy Nelson in the finals which took place in Las Vegas in December of 2009.

Nelson knocked out Schaub inside of the first round, and where most people would crumble, Brendan didn’t let the highly publicized loss effect him, as he would go on to record a three-fight win streak inside the octagon. His first-two wins beginning his streak came with swift knockout victories over the likes of Chase Gormley and Chris Tuchscherer, both inside the first round.

His most notable win to date has become a unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga in his last apperance at UFC 121. Schaub dominated the Brazilian round after round, even dropping the Jiu-Jitsu specialist in the first round.

Both Schaub and Mirko need a victory here in order to stay relevant in the heavyweight picture, in order to breakthrough and become a contender.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the new heavyweight tilt? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

The 1999 K-1 World Grand Prix finalist is set to make his return to the cage in the first quarter of 2011, most likely in February.

Filipovic was last seen in action under the UFC banner in a lackluster affair opposite of former heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 119 last September. Taking the fight on a few weeks notice filling in for an injured Antonio Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira, the former member of the Croation Parliament in “Cro Cop” engaged Mir however was pressed up against the cage each time he advanced. Finally, Mir connected on a knee in the third round that instantly knocked out the MMA legend.

While Mirko has been seen in true form as of late, going 2-2 in his last 4 bouts, he has shown glimpses of the man that once ruled the heavyweight division with an iron fist, or in his case a left high kick to the face.

MiddleEasy.com recently picked up the beat on the 36-year-old’s whereabouts and what he hopes to accomplish in the upcoming year. Prior to his most recent statements, many rumors flew about Filipovic possibly retiring in the immediate future, however with his reinvigorated state of mind, that seems like it’s now far from a possibility. He’s going to be around a little while longer.

“Finally I should be OK now”, said Mirko who spoke with a local Croation television program concerning his physical health after rehabbing injuries that have mounted over the years.

“I invested a lot in trainings, therapies, and I think 2011 will be my year… better then 2006.”

In 2006 is when Mirko really came into his own. In that year, ‘Cro Cop’ entered into the PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix and dispatched of highly touted opponents in Ikuhisa Minowa, Hidehiko Yoshida, Wanderlei Silva, and finally Josh Barnett all en route to claiming the GP title, highlighting the pinnacle of his mixed martial arts career.

Since his run in 2006, Mirko has gone 6-4-1 with stints in both DREAM and in the UFC, with his losses coming to notable heavyweight stars in Gabriel Gonzaga, Cheick Kongo, Junior dos Santos, and the aforementioned Mir.

He may not be kicking people’s heads off their shoulders anymore, but if your a nostalgic hardcore fan, your still waiting for Filipovic to return to form and tear through the heavyweight division. Now, by February we will see where Mirko will go from here on out.

“I have two options in February, which of these two will be I don’t know but for sure I will fight in second month (of the new year)”, said Mirko.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of ‘Cro Cop’s’ claims to rise back to the top? Does it sound sophomoric and redundant? Perhaps. But what do you think? Can Mirko make his way back to the top? Sound off in the comment section below.

We head to the one and only Sherdog for a report that states that Schaub vs. Struve is going down in March, with one rumor putting the bout on the televised portion of the upcoming “UFC on Versus 3” event. No official date has been confirmed, but the UFC has plenty of outings in March, so it’s very likely that the two big Heavyweights will find a spot somewhere, given how both recently competed in high-profile matches.

But will Schaub/Struve even happen? Maybe not, according to a new report just barely released by Fighters Only. The report indicates that a “source very close to the situation” has given word that Schaub’s next opponent will be PRIDE FC legend Mirko Cro Cop, who ironically recently found himself on the wrong end of a KO courtesy of Frank Mir, Scuab’s originally-intended opponent. This bout, if it were to materialize, would take place at the upcoming UFC 128 event, currently scheduled for March 19.

Part of me wishes that Brendan Schaub would find himself an opponent already, but the realist in me knows that MMA lives in a world of rumors and anything juicy just has to get reported. And I find both Schaub/Struve and Schaub/Cro Cop particularly succulent. I think both bouts sound great on paper, and would pretty much prove where all involved are at in their careers.

If we get Schaub/Struve, we’ve basically got a fight where both men are guaranteed a position as a top-division athlete if they finish the fight and win dramatically. Schaub has been on a three-fight win-streak with two (T)KO’s and has only lost once in his career, while Struve is on a two-fight win-streak with back-to-back (T)KO’s and most recently competed in the co-main event of a major UFC Pay-Per-View.

Schaub vs. Cro Cop also has some interesting possibilities, given Schaub’s eagerness to engage and Cro Cop’s dwindling career. After an utterly atrocious fight was capped off with Cro Cop eating a sloppy knee and getting knocked unconscious, many fans and insiders are once again turning to talks of Cro Cop’s retirement. A big win over Schaub would give Mirko Cro Cop’s career the shot in the arm that it so desperately needs, while adding a victory over an MMA legend would certainly be a big feather in Brendan Schaub’s cap.

The only thing I don’t like about these two fights is that neither one of them has been officially confirmed. Schaub/Struve sounds like it would be a great stand-up war, while Schaub vs. Cro Cop holds a very interesting “rookie vs. veteran” dynamic. I think Schaub/Struve at “UFC on Versus 3” would be icing on an already-delicious cake, but Schaub/Cro Cop at UFC 128 would provide a big boost to a card that’s still very much in-the-works. So, all in all, I really don’t have too much of a problem with either match-up and I’d like to see both of them happen, to be honest.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you want to see Schaub fight, and why?

Making his run towards the Strikeforce heavyweight title in 2007 over UFC veteran Paul Buentello, “The Demolition Man” has shined in performances against Mirko Filipovic, Kazuyuki Fujita, and most recently Brett Rogers, which came via TKO in the first round last May under the Strikeforce banner, in defense of his title.

While he has come into his own in the MMA world, Overeem may be finding that his success in MMA can account for his devastating rampage through the K-1 circuit, as a part-time professional kick boxer.

Training with the likes of killers Errol Zimmerman, the estranged Semmy Schilt (who on occasion holds his own stable of fighters he trains with), Gohkan Saki, and Stefan Leko–all veterans of the K-1 circuit, there really should be no surprise why Overeem has been able to translate into the stand-up realm so efficiently. Finally growing (fast) into his 6’5 frame, and putting behind his gaunt days as an un-glorified light heavyweight, Alistair has added another head to his mantle of KO victims.

Just yesterday, Alistair officially became part of the final 8 in the K-1 World Grand Prix tournament when he defeated fellow qualifier and 2010 K-1 World Champion (Canberra), in Australia’s own Ben Edwards. The Aussie hung tough early on, leading the attack right off the bat with fast and quick combos, though nothing connected.

Alistair seemed like he was biding his time before he struck, and when he struck, the damage was mounting. After knocking down Edwards with a counter right hook, he stalked his opponent, waiting for the opening, which came when he was able to throw an almost Chuck Liddle-esque looping over hand right knocking Ben down for the second time. While his chin remained a mystery, no one can doubt the heart of Edwards, where after receiving the most punishment he’s taken in his career, was able to stand up once again. Another demolition-right hand sealed the deal, and Alistair was declared the winner by TKO, in possibly his most technically proficient K-1 bout to date.

Holding victories over now Ben Edwards, Peter Aerts and Badr Hari in the kickboxing realm is a difficult feat for any competitor to accomplish, and given the fact that Alistair delves in both the MMA and K-1 realm, and is seen as at the top of both leagues, it’s impressive to say the least.

His next opponent, neither in MMA or kickboxing has been decided yet, but one thing is for certain: If your fighting Alistair Overeem, your in for a fight–which is something I don’t know a lot of people could have been saying a few years ago.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Alistairs move through the Final 16 in K-1? Do you think his stand up skills are on par with his MMA game, or vice versa? Sound off in the comments section below.

“I have no clue about Frank. To talk the stuff he does, and then fight like he fought, that’s a little frustrating. Once Cro Cop stuffed his takedown attempt, his heart fell out on the floor. If Frank Mir can’t bully you, his heart shrinks to the size of the Grinch’s. If he can’t take you down, his heart shrinks to the size of a pea…You really, really need to show up and deliver. This is a job… You go to your job and don’t perform, what will happen? And when people say, ‘Hey, these guys put their lives on the line,’ that’s a crock of s—. This sport is so safe. These guys have chosen to be fighters! These guys aren’t going into Afghanistan. The U.S. military puts their life on the line. Police, firefighters walk into the line of fire … UFC fighters do not.”

This is typical Dana White, and like the majority of what the controversial figurehead says, I find myself both agreeing and disagreeing with him. I do believe that one of Frank Mir’s biggest problems in his fight with Cro Cop was confidence. The simple fact of the matter is that Frank Mir had been pummeled quite badly in two of his most recent fights: Brock Lesnar turned his face into mush while Shane Carwin destroyed him in near-record time. Going up against a man who was once the most feared striker in the world, it’s painfully obvious that Mir did all he could to not get into any sort of striking exchange with Cro Cop until the very last possible moment.

However, I would argue that Mir’s tentativeness was equal parts fear and common sense. Mir learned his lesson against Lesnar and Carwin, of course he wouldn’t try to strike with Cro Cop. If Mir had just gotten some of his takedowns this could have been a radically different fight. And honestly, what else could he have done when Cro Cop continued to block his takedowns? Throw caution to the wind and just try to strike with him? It may have made for a more entertaining fight, but it would have also been the absolute stupidest thing Mir could have done given the situation.

And as I find myself so often repeating, it takes two to tango. Frank Mir wanted to avoid striking and get the fight to the ground, Mirko Cro Cop wanted to avoid the ground game and keep the fight standing. Both men’s gameplans cancelled each other out, and both should be criticized for not adapting to the situation and sticking to their original plans far past the point of boredom. So while I think that Dana White does have a point about Mir losing his confidence, like so many others I think he’s over-embellishing the facts.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your reaction to Dana White’s comments?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Will Chris Lytle Ever Hold a Championship?

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

3. What’s Left for Sean Sherk?

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

2. Do the Nogueira Brothers Still Have It?

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

And my number one spot quite obviously goes to…

1. Does Mirko Cro Cop Still Have It?

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

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

Now, as the fight looms closer, an injury and insufficient time to prepare, cited by “Cro Cop”, may give the Croation the disadvantage come Saturday night.

In an excerpt that was produced by Sherdog.com originally from an undisclosed Croation newspaper, it appears that Mirko is wary on his chances of defeating the former UFC heavyweight champion–that is, if the fight goes past the first couple rounds.

“I will most certainly go for a win but I think I did a lot just by accepting this fight,” he told Croatian newspapers. “I will try to do my best…if the fight goes to the third round it will be [a] handicap for me.”

The endeared former K-1 striker, is already limiting himself before the fight actually happens come Saturday, which to me is a little bit strange, to say the least. His bout with Frank Mir will mark the part time politician’s 38th professional fight in mixed martial arts, which is a feat that not many competitors are blessed to have such a long and storied career like Mirko.

After winning the PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix in 2006, which was the crown to his MMA career thus far, he has shown slight improvement over the years, at least in the octagon.

After an initial run that procured a 1-2 record in his first three bouts in the UFC, he is now riding on a 2-fight win streak inside the cage, and most recently bested fellow revered striker Pat Barry at UFC 115, though many will point that Frank Mir is another animal entirely.

So, MMA peeps, is Mirko limiting himself, or is he being a little too hone st about his limitations coming into the fight? He’s had, in my opinion, ample time to prepare, and the infamous eye poke that caused a stir, now appears to be under wraps. Sound off in the comments section below.

Courtesy of the official UFC.com website, the press release is as follows: “Legendary Croatian striker Mirko Cro Cop has been examined by an ophthalmologist in Indianapolis, site of Saturday’s UFC 119 event at Conseco Fieldhouse, and has been medically cleared to compete in the main event this weekend against former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Cro Cop suffered a poke in the eye in the last round of his final sparring session for the bout last week, but after a few days of rest, he is in tip top shape for this pivotal battle of heavyweight contenders.”

I’m very glad that Mirko got the go-ahead, since I think Mir/Cro Cop is a solid main-event that I’m quite honestly looking forward to. And if I’m being perfectly honest, I’m looking forward to this entire card. So here are my predictions for some of the major fights of UFC 119 “Mir vs. Cro Cop”.

Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

Say hello to the return of the wrestler. Sherk will come in with a not-insignificant amount of ring rust, but due to that he’ll rely almost solely on his wrestling and only use his striking to set up takedowns. And Sherk’s wrestling has always been incredibly dominant. It’ll be another case of “beautiful ugliness” when Sherk continues to take Dunham down, slamming him into the canvas with authority on more than one occasion, and pounding his opponent out. Sherk takes a dominating three-round decision and immediately puts himself back “into the mix”.

Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle

My prediction is that I’m going to both love and hate this match. I’m a fan of both men, and I really, really don’t want to see either man lose, especially when a big win for Lytle puts him “into the mix” again, while Serra stays “in the mix” if he beats “Lights Out”. It’s going to be a fantastic war, and I think we’ll see a sizable chunk of this fight go to the ground. And it’ll be just as exciting as when both men are standing up and swinging for the fences. I’ve just got to go with Lytle, but only because I want him to win more. Lytle takes a super-close, grueling three round decision.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader

Look for “Darth Bader” to cement his status as a top 205’er with a big win over “Little Nog”. I hate to pick against a Nogueira brother, but Little Nog’s fight with Jason Brilz left a sour taste in my mouth. Nogueira still has plenty of years left in him, but he’ll have a very hard time against Bader, who has solid wrestling and super-sneaky one-hit KO power. He’ll be only the second man in history to ever do it, but I’m predicting that Ryan Bader is going to KO Rogerio Nogueira. But it won’t be easy, which is why I’m also predicting that it’ll happen late in Round 2 or early in Round 3.

Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop

Nothing has changed from my first opinion piece about this fight. I firmly believe that Mirko Cro Cop is not relevant in today’s Heavyweight division and that nothing short of a full-on rebirth a la Randy Couture will make him relevant again. I’ll eat my crud yet again if Mirko does the seemingly-impossible, but time and time again I see people boiling this fight down to two simple things: people hate on Mir for his attitude while lauding Cro Cop for his accomplishments in PRIDE. The reality is this: Frank Mir can be quite an unlikeable person, but he’s also got an incredible amount of skill. And Mirko Cro Cop may have been one of the best PRIDE FC fighters ever, but he hasn’t beaten any top-ranked opponents since PRIDE and has in fact looked horrible in several of his recent losses to top-ranked talents. Mir will likely be called all manner of derogatory terms for it, but I see him wasting no time in getting a takedown and scoring a submission. Look for Frank Mir to win by submission early in Round 1, Round 2 at the latest.

And those are my picks, fans and friends. How do you see UFC 119 going down?

The September card, which is headlined by former champions Frank Mir and Mirko Filipovic, better known simply as “Cro Cop”, is now going 11-deep with the addition of the lightweight match up of veteran Thiago Tavares against octagon debutant Pat Audinwood.

Tavares, a once prominent contender in the UFC’s 155-pound weight class, has largely struggled as of late inside the cage. In his last four performances, Tavares has only picked up only one win, a decision victory over “The Ultimate Fighter” season five finalist Manny Gamburyan who left the UFC in early 2009 to try his hat at 145 in the WEC. In his most recent outing, Thiago drew with fellow lightweight Nik Lentz this past January after having a point deducted in the third round after repeated low blows–Tavares was ahead on the score cards and likely on his way to victory before the final 9-9 round enabled the draw decision.

Before the win and subsequent draw, Tavares was riding a two-fight losing streak to standouts Matt Wiman and Kurt Pellegrino, respectively.

Audinwood, an undefeated prospect from the east coast, hails from “Team Bombsquad” out of Cortland, New York–the same team that heralded UFC veteran Tamdam McCrory and UFC phenom Jon Jones. A pro since 2007, Pat is ten fights into his mixed martial arts career, sporting a 9-0-1 record, 4 of his victories come by way of submission. “Awesomely Awesome” (yes, that’s his real nick name) doesn’t hold an “Awesome” signature victory to his credit, but a win over Tavares is certainly a step in the right direction for the UFC rookie.

The lightweight match up is important for both men, a means to an end for Audinwood and all his hard work leading up to this point, and a chance for Tavares to reassert himself as a viable fighter in a deep 155-pound division, where he was once regarded as one of their best.

The bout takes place on the night’s untelevised, preliminary card.

Here’s what Frank said in its entirety regarding the situation: “I don’t know if he’s ever really lost his step. I just think the fighters now in the UFC are just a little bit more aggressive than the fighters in PRIDE. Studying tape on him, I noticed that guys that back away from him and give him that respect, it seems like they get unleashed on a little harder than the guys that come forward… I think Cro Cop has a good sprawl; he has a good double underhooks. I think if I were to try to just drop and shoot on him, he would stop my shot. I think standing up with him is actually the route to go at first and then eventually when you work in the clinch, going to the ground is obviously a lot easier to do with him than Nogueira.”

I think Frank Mir has a point, but only when it comes to aggressive opponents being Cro Cop’s kryptonite. Cro Cop first gained his fearsome reputation by brutally knocking out opponents that were mostly wrestlers, and in the case of Igor Vovchanchyn and Dos Caras Jr., a fighter that was past a prime that was never all that good to begin with and a Mexican Luchador that had no business in a PRIDE ring. By the time he took on predominantly striking-based fighters, those fighters were wary to engage with a man whose highlights involved knocking opponents senseless with legs seemingly made out of concrete.

Ever since Gabriel Gonzaga decided to not buy into the hype and instead try to beat Cro Cop at his own game, Cro Cop has floundered and flopped his way through two very boring, uneventful runs in the UFC. It’s true that Cro Cop is 5-1-1 since a loss to Cheick Kongo sent him out of the UFC in 2007, but Cro Cop hasn’t faced anyone with any skill and actually won since he beat Josh Barnett in 2006. Cro Cop has been feeding from the bottom of both the Japanese and UFC barrels in order to pad out his record with meaningless wins. Even past his prime, Cro Cop is still too much to handle for these bottom-level talents. It’s when Cro Cop faces somebody, anybody, with actual skill that he loses and loses convincingly.

So I applaud Frank Mir for keeping it clean against Cro Cop, but in all honesty, he’s got a lot to work with if he ever decides to get his hands dirty. You’ll never see Mirko Cro Cop win a UFC Heavyweight Championship. You’ll never see him reach the same heights as he did in PRIDE. What you will see him do is consistently fail against the UFC’s growing top-tier of Heavyweights, then go back to Japan and pick up a few decent wins over the slim pickings there. Expect Mir to win this one and win it quickly, either by out-boxing Cro Cop or taking him down and submitting him.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Does Mirko Cro Cop have a career rebirth in him, or do you agree with me in saying that his best days are long over?

With an opening like that, which earned both him and Gouveia “Fight of the Night” honors, the sky appeared to be the limit for the Croatian sensation, who has trained alongside legend Mirko “Cro Cop”.

However, a 2-year lapse would follow where Goran had suffered from a serious back injury, putting him out of commission, and out of the minds and ears of the fans and media alike.

Following his return, it marked a first for the Croatian, who began his career as a heavyweight eventually paring down to 205. Goran returned to the UFC after having successfully healed from injury as a middleweight, against “The Ultimate Fighter” season 7 finalist, C.B Dollaway.

Unsuccessful in the return, Goran was taken down repeatedly by the collegiate wrestler, who trains alongside standouts Aaron Simpson and Ryan Bader out of Arizona Combat Sports. Goran would make another run at 185, this time against season 4 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Kendall Grove.

The decision while controversial by some accounts, went to the favor of the Hawaiian, giving Goran his only his second loss.

Now it appears that Reljic will try his luck again at 205, against one of the biggest men in the division, Krzystof Soszynski.

The former body builder and self proclaimed “Polish Experiment”, has found some success in the UFC’s crowded 205-pound division, and was in early talks to becoming a serious contender when he stormed through with three consecutive victories since leaving the 8th seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter”. With wins over Stephan Bonnar and Brian Stann anchoring his career highlights, The Canadian will prove to be Goran’s toughest test yet.

UFC 122 is expected to take place sometime in November, marking the UFC’s second trip to Germany, where Croatians run rapid.

So, was Goran’s move back to 205 made too hastily? How do you like his chances against the “Polish Experiment”?

All signs point to a third loss and a UFC pink slip following his walk away from the cage.

Frank Mir, a former heavyweight champion who first obtained championship gold after a run through the 265-pound division after compiling an impressive 5-1 run before defeating then heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia, with a 50 second armbar, into the first round, back at UFC 48.

Mir, though, has fallen on tough times, as he has lost two of his last three bouts. An impressive win over division standout Cheick Kongo is sandwiched between two losses to current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, and most recently a loss to heavyweight contender and alleged steroid user Shane Carwin, at UFC 111 in March of this year.

“Cro Cop”, a Pride superstar made headlines back in 2006 when he decided to sign with MMA juggernaut, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, though he competed with mixed results, garnering a 1-2 run with his first outing with the UFC.

After a brief stint with DREAM, Mirko is now on the heels of a two-fight win streak inside the octagon, and a 5-1 record in his last 6 fights, with wins over Anthony Perosh and an impressive performance against the dynamic, Pat Barry at UFC 115 last June. Filipovic was in rare form, after being knocked down twice in the first round, Mirko stormed back to steal the second frame, and eventually was able to overwhelm “HD” in the third with a barrage of strikes, dropping the New Orleans native, and eventually securing a rear naked choke to close the show, and pocketed “Submission of the Night” honors for his efforts.

I think fans, and media alike, are pleased with the sudden change up, as UFC 119 was first sought to be where Brock Lesnar would make his title defense against challenger Cain Velasquez, before his fellow Minnesotans. However, after having just competed at UFC 116 in a successful title defense against challenger Shane Carwin, the heavyweight king pin needed some time away from the cage, and with the family, while Lesnar was expecting his next child to be born that July, the same month he last competed.

Then, Mir vs Nogueria II, a rematch nearly two years in the making, was put into effect, to some dismay as the waning interest in the fight was found to be null. However, in a term of both unfortunate and fortunate events, Nogueria was pulled from the card after the former Pride and UFC heavyweight champion suffered a hip injury.

“Cro Cop” was expected to make his return at UFC 123, a rumored event for Germany that is riddled with people of Croation descent, making him an ideal candidate for the card.

However it appears that Mirko had no qualms about stepping up on short notice against Mir, a Jiu-Jitsu specialist who now has a penchant for striking.

So, what do you think? Is everyone pleased with the change, or were we all anticipating the Nogueria vs Mir rematch?

Can “Mir KO” pull out a victory, or is defeat imminent?

The news was delivered by Brazilian website, Tatame.com, where “Minotauro” explains what’s up next for him.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert was set to make a return to the octagon come UFC 119 for headlining duties, against foe Frank Mir, in a rematch from their initial meeting at UFC 92, where Mir captured the then interim heavyweight championship after defeating Nogueria with second round strikes.

Antonio had long wanted the rematch, and was finally getting his due, before a long going hip injury took him out of contest. Nogueria will now go under the knife to correct the injury, once and for all.

“I hurt my hips training and I’ll have to go on surgery,” Nogueira told Tatame, which doubles as a magazine as well. “I’m only depending on a few exams, but I think it’ll be done by the weekend.

“The surgery will be on both sides of my hips, and I’ll operate my knee too. If everything goes alright I’ll be back on training in four months.”

So, should Nogueria get Mir, who now fights Cro Cop in place of Nogueria, when he comes back?
Or is there someone you would rather see the Brazilian face?

Personally, I much prefer the Cro Cop vs Mir fight. It will show where both stand in the division and I think proves more detrimental to their careers than Nogueria’s, since unfortunately, he is often referred to as being his “twilight”–not to be confused with the tween movie/book sensation.

Before the injury forced him to pull out of UFC 119, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was set to share the spotlight with his brother, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. “Little Nog” is expected to fight in the co-main event slot against rising Light Heavyweight prospect and Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Ryan Bader, who was coached by “Big Nog” during that season of TUF. It is not known what injury has forced the Nogueira brother out of the main-event slot, but it likely isn’t anything minor, as the Nogueira brothers are notorious for their toughness.

When it comes to Mirko “Cro Cop” vs. Frank Mir, I admit that this fight makes some pretty decent sense. Frank Mir looked excellent against Cheick Kongo but looked horrible against Shane Carwin. Mirko Cro Cop looked excellent against Pat Berry but looked horrible against Junior Dos Santos. Cro Cop is most famous for his dreaded Left High Kick that scalped more than a few heads back in the glory days of PRIDE, while Frank Mir is perhaps best known for either submitting Brock Lesnar and spoiling his UFC debut, or to more old-school fans, snapping Tim Sylvia’s arm and winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Cro Cop has always had a good enough ground game to where he’s rarely been submitted and usually is able to get back to his feet; Frank Mir’s stand-up has looked markedly improved in his fights with Kongo and Nogueira. For two men with such radically different fighting styles, they share a lot of similarities.

However, I think Frank Mir will ultimately win this fight. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’ll be a blowout. I’ll say it right now: both these men are past their prime and it’s very unlikely that either will win a UFC championship in today’s UFC Heavyweight division. I just think that Frank Mir still has a few good years hovering around the elite (basically, a glorified gatekeeper), while I personally believe that Cro Cop is only a few losses away from retiring. It’s true that Frank Mir is 2-2 in his last four fights while Cro Cop is 3-1. But Frank Mir has both beaten and lost to bigger names. The only victories Mirko Cro Cop has in the UFC are against the bottom of the barrel, or mid-level talent at best. He’s never beaten a quality UFC fighter, not once, and despite his recent losses, you’ve still got to hand it to Frank Mir and give him his due as a quality UFC fighter. His losses to Cheick Kongo, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Junior Dos Santos were three big nails into Cro Cop’s career coffin, and look for that pounding to begin again when Frank Mir either submits him or wins via Unanimous Decision.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Are you still excited for the main event of UFC 119? And who do you think will win this match, and how?

“Cro Cop” finished “Hippo” Anthony Perosh (10-6) due to doctor stoppage after a Filipovic elbow opened a cut on Perosh’s head at UFC 110 in Sydney February 20.  Perosh was a late replacement for “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5) who came down with the flu before the fight.

Barry knocked out Antoni Hardonk (8-6) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles last October.

Barry was originally scheduled to fight Dutch kickboxer “Hurricane” Gilbert Yvel (33-13-1) in Vancouver, but Yvel will fight Rothwell according to MMA Junkie.

Yvel was knocked out by Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked heavyweight “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.

Rothwell lost by TKO to Cain Velasquez (9-0) at UFC 104.

Roufus told MMA Junkie, “It was a really bad virus. He got really sick and lost a lot of weight and hadn’t eaten for 48 hours.”

“Cro Cop” went on to finish “Hippo” Anthony Perosh (10-6) due to doctor stoppage after a Filipovic elbow opened a cut on Perosh’s head.

Roufus told MMA Junkie that Rothwell would like to try again with “Cro Cop” at UFC 115 in Vancouver June 12.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Cain Velasquez (242 lbs./110 kg)

Wanderlei Silva (184.8 lbs./84kg) vs. Michael Bisping (184.8 lbs./84 kg)

Joe Stevenson (154 lbs./70 kg) vs. George Sotiropoulos (154 lbs./70 kg)

Keith Jardine (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Ryan Bader (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Anthony Perosh (215.6 lbs./98 kg)

Stephan Bonnar (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

Chris Lytle (169.4 lbs./77 kg) vs. Brian Foster (171.7 lbs./78 kg)

C.B. Dollaway (184.8 lbs./84 kg) vs. Goran Reljic (184.8 lb.s/84 kg)

James Te Huna (205 lbs./93 kg) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205 lbs./93 kg)

The Aussie Perosh enters the fight on a day’s notice after Rothwell was pulled from an intersting matchup with an illness.

Perosh had a brief and wholly unsuccessful 0-2 stint in the UFC in 2006, but steps in versus Cro Cop off of a TKO win over Kym Robinson (5-4) at Rize 3 in Australia December 5.

Thirty-five-year old Filipovic embarassingly verbally submitted to Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight ”Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.

Pride FC was a Japanese MMA organization that began in October of 1997 and ran until April of 2007 when Zuffa bought them out. There were some differences in rules from the UFC as well as the fights taking place in a ring rather than a cage. The difference in rules from the Unified Rules were significant.

Pride did not allow elbow strikes to the head of an opponent. Many think that this would have an effect on the numbers of fights that were finished in devastating fashion but that could not be further from the truth. They had a rule or two that led to some of the most devastating finishes in the sport. They allowed kicking and kneeing the head of a downed opponent. They also allowed what I call the Shogun Stomp to the head of an opponent. This move seemed to be perfected by Fighters.com third-ranked light heavyweight “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) who used it as a guard pass that just happened to be quite caustic.

Many Pride fans still debate which rules were better for the sport of MMA. They debate seems to revolve around fights ending due to cuts from elbows which can happen even if a fighter is winning the fight.

Fights in Pride seemed to never be dull and that may be due to the rule of inactivity. If fighters failed to engage they got a yellow card issued by the ref which took away ten percent of their fight purse.

Some of my fondest memories from Pride come from fights such as “Predator” Don Frye (20-8-1) versus Yoshiro Takayama (0-4) which was less of a technical fight and more of a raw and gritty battle that had me glued to the television in awe of what I was watching. These two men met in the middle of the ring at Pride 21: Demolition in what turned out to be more like a hockey fight than a mixed martial arts fight, none the less it was amazing.

There are many great fights that I remember from Pride and the for those that are unfamiliar with the now defunct organization I will list a few here:

“Shogun” Mauricio Rua versus “Minotoro” Antonio Nogueira at Pride: Critical Countdown 2005

Royce Gracie verus “The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakauraba at Pride: Grand Prix 2000 Final Round

‘The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko versus”Minotauro” Antonio  Nogueria at both Pride 25: Body Blow and Pride: Shockwave 2004

Takanori Gomi versus Luiz Azeredo at Pride: Bushido 7

This is a small list and I could go on forever including men like Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop but these are the ones that stand out to me. What fights stand out to you as the best Pride had to offer?

When you look back on an organization that hardcore MMA fans look upon as the holy grail in the sport what comes to mind first? The different rules, the crazy female announcer or the epic wars? No matter what Spike TV is bringing back those fond memories and I am eating it up.

You can join me and my co-host, Gary Friedman, on MMA Gospel Radio each Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST by going to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel. Join in the live chat and tell us your favorite Pride memories or call in to the show by dialing 347-857-1337 and tell us on air what stand out in your mind.

Both seventh-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0) and unranked Cain Velasquez (7-0) have been hyped as top contenders ahead of dos Santos primarily because Carwin is all-American and Velasquez is Mexican-American, two key UFC demographics.  Dos Santos has a better record than both Carwin and Velasquez over the last two years and with every bit as exciting finishes as either.  But, dos Santos has been underhyped also because Nogueira is both still a contender and a big draw.  Only one of them can be marketed as a potential contender at a time because they won’t fight each other, and Nogueira is the bigger name.

But, Fighters.com thinks dos Santos’s time gaining experience versus quality opponents like Yvel and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) will benefit him in the long run more than being rushed to a title shot like Carwin and Velasquez have been.

In boxing, prospects take a long road to a title shot, building their record and experiences on the path.  They beat power punchers, technical fighters, European stylists, pressure fighters, brawlers, and every look they can get while gradually increasing their level of competition.  They might even lose a fight or two along the way and good fighters will learn from those losses as much as from their wins.  By the time they fight for a title, if they’re management has served them well, they’ve seen it all and are confident going into their first title challenge.

In MMA, prospects are often rushed through the ranks and granted title shots because they’re getting a lot of hype or are marketable, not necessarily because they’re ready physically and mentally.

However, because dos Santos’s rise through the ranks has been limited by his teacher’s contendership, he’s earning an eventual title shot the old fashioned way.  And, he’ll benefit from that in the long run.

Just in the UFC, he’s beaten a world-class submission grappler and certified top ten heavyweight ninth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1), a 6’11″ young thoroughbred “SkySkraper” Stefan Struve (23-3), an MMA legend and patient kickboxer Filipovic, and now a intimidating, wild kickboxer in Yvel.  Dos Santos also has one loss under his belt, a 2007 armbar submission to Joaquim Ferreira (3-3).

Dos Santos is already a top contender, though you wouldn’t know it in the UFC’s marketing.  However, when his time finally comes, he’s going to have the skills, experiences, and seasoning to be a long-serving champion.

Fighters.com January Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1)

2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)

3. Frank Mir (13-4)

4. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1)

5. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (10-1)

6. “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-1)

7. Shane Carwin (10-0)

8. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5)

9. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1)

10. “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10)

Thirty-five-year old Filipovic recently embarassingly verbally submitted to Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked heavyweight ”Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.  In the aftermath, the visibly defeated Filipovic stated to media sources that he was ready for retirement.

On the other side of the potential UFC 110 matchup stands Ben Rothwell.  A former champion of the now-defunct International Fight League, Rothwell is also coming off a TKO loss in his UFC debut against Cain Velasquez (7-0) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

Fighters.com has learned Rogers has trained at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose for the fight, where UFC contender Cain Velasquez (6-0) and “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (27-9) train full-time.

In September, seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) cemented his ranking for October when he forced once-feared “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-8-2) to quit at 2:00 of round three at UFC 103 in Dallas.  The win wasn’t enough to push dos Santos ahead in the rankings though.  Let’s face the fact that Cro Cop is a shell of the fighter he once was.  Still, the “W” further justifies dos Santos’s place among the elite heavyweights.

The heavyweight “Cigano” forced from the top ten with a first round KO at UFC 90 in Montréal last October, “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1), returned to the elite list in October at the nine spot.  He tapped “MAK” Mike Kyle (11-7-1) in a guillotine in 1:24 at Strikeforce in San Jose August 15.

Second-ranked Brock Lesnar (4-1) will defend his UFC title from Shane Carwin (10-0) UFC 106 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas November 21.  The hype around this monster fight has been strangely muted, hasn’t it?

Former UFC champ and recent challenger, third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) will fight Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) at UFC 107 in Memphis 12 December.

Tenth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) has evidently followed through on his intimations to leave the heavyweight division and return to 205 where he’ll fight “Truth” Brandon Vera (11-3) at UFC 105 at M.E.N. Arena in Manchester November 14.

“Minotauro” Rodrigo-Nogueira”>Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) and “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) are waiting in limbo for potential title shots, Nog’ versus the winnner between Lesnar and Carwin and Barnett possibly versus “Junior” Antonio Silva (13-1) for a Sengoku title.

Fighters.com October Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1)

2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)

3. Frank Mir (12-4)

4. “Minotauro” Rodrigo-Nogueira”>Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1)

5. “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0)

6. Shane Carwin (10-0)

7. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1)

8. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5)

9. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1)

10. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10)

“Jesus, I love you,” shouted Belfort in the Octagon after the fight, and in his dressing room he added,  “God gave me a gift and I’m using it.  And, I’m ready.  A lot of people thought I was done, you know, and that’s what I’m bringing to this game – hope, faith, and hard work.

In Dallas, Franklin’s disastrous strategy most evidently handed Belfort his fifth straight victory since losing a UD to “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7) at PRIDE 32 in Las Vegas in 2006.  The usually cool as a cucumber Franklin pawed impatiently at Belfort with his right jab, leaving himself exposed to Belfort’s quick hands.

“First round, you have to feel your opponent, see where he are,” explained Belfort post-fight.  “I saw he was kind of rushed trying to pace the fight.  And then, I was just taking my time.”

One lunging Franklin jab too many and the quick-handed former UFC champion dropped Franklin with a grazing counter left hook and pushing right hook.

“I just listen to all my coaches,” said Belfort.  “They were saying, ‘Find your distance and throw.’”

Franklin fell to his knees, face down; and, Belfort crammed another left hook into Franklin’s jaw.  Franklin’s body limped up; and, referee Yves Lavigne pushed Belfort off Franklin.

Though Belfort and Franklin fought at 195 pounds, Belfort’s last several wins were earned in the middleweight division.  He now finds himself contending with Henderson and “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) for a title shot against Fighters.com Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4).

Franklin falls to 1-2 in his last three and remains without a clear future at either middleweight or light heavyweight.  “Losing wasn’t part of my plan,” Franklin admitted after the loss.  “So I’m just going to have to let the dust settle and figure out what’s going on.”

In the co-main event, heavyweight prospect “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) forced once-feared “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-8-2) to quit at 2:00 of round three after a dos Santos straight right blinded Filipovic.

Though Filipovic overpowered the larger “Cigano” in the clinch in the first two rounds and connected a smattering of straights that left a healthy mouse beneath dos Santos’s left eye, “Cro Cop” phoned in another jittery performance in the Octagon. 

“My game is to move forward and be attacking at all times,” “Cigano” described after the fight.

When dos Santos advanced whipping combos at “Cro Cop”, “Cro Cop” backpedaled and threw his hands out to halt dos Santos’s advance.  Though Filipovic’s defensive strategy had the sophistication of a playground brawl, it actually kept the fight within reach for two rounds.

In round three though, dos Santos connected an uppercut beneath Filipovic’s defensive tactic and unloaded an assault of knee strikes to Filipovic’s body and head, until a knee to Filipovic’s body in the clinch against the fence opened “Cro Cop” up for the punch that left him blinded and waving off the fight.

“I’m here to finish fights,” proclaimed dos Santos after the third win during his 11-month UFC career.
 
Welterweight “Semtex” Paul Daley (19-9-2) TKO’d Xtreme Couture’s “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (15-3) at 2:31 of round one in Daley’s UFC debut.  Daley staggered Kampmann with a left hook, sending Kampmann reeling to the cage.  Another left hook clammed Kampmann up as Daley teed off in the barrage of punches that ended Kampmann’s night.  Referee Yves Lavigne stepped in to stop the fight while Kampmann was still on his feet.

“I was saying to myself at the beginning of the fight, standing across the cage from him, ‘I’m going to knock you out.  I’m going to knock you out,’” Daley said after the fight.  “I just kept repeating it in my head.  ‘I’m going to knock you out.  I’m going to knock you out.’  I stood there looking at him thinking, ‘I’m going to knock you out.’  And, there you go.”

American Kickboxing Academy welterweight Josh Koscheck (13-4) TKO’d “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) with a straight right at 1:25 of round one as Trigg clutched the cage.  Trigg dropped to the mat and Koscheck followed-up with two right hands before the referee stepped in.

After the victory, Koscheck announced, “I know there’s a guy who just signed a new contract.  His name is Matt Hughes. I’ve been asking for that for a long time.”

Xtreme Couture lightweight Tyson Griffin (14-2) TKO’d Hermes Franca (19-8) at 3:26 of round two.  Griffin crumpled Franca with a straight right, then pounced in a flurry while dodging Franca’s submission attempts until Griffin landed flush to end the fight on the mat.

Lightweight Efrain Escudero (8-0) TKO’d American Top Team’s “Magrinho” Cole Miller (15-3) at 3:36 of round one.

Middleweight “Gorilla” Tomas Drwal (17-2) tapped out Miletich Fighting Systems’ “Massacre” Drew McFedries (8-6) in a guillotine choke at 1:03 of round two.

Lightweight “Mongoose” Jim Miller (15-2) won a TKO 45-seconds into round two when Steve Lopez (2-2) injured his shoulder in his Octagon debut.

Lightweight “Carny” Nik Lentz (14-3-1) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Tractor” Rafaello Oliveira (8-2).

Welterweight Rick Story (6-2) tapped out Brian Foster (12-4) in an arm triangle at 1:09 of the second round.

Light heavyweight Eliot Marshall (7-1) won a three-round split decision over “Hitman” Jason Brilz (17-2-1).

Light heavyweight “Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (23-4) won a three-round unanimous decision over Igor Pokrajac (14-6).

Lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos (13-3) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Saint” Rob Emerson (9-8).

Other publications have reported “Cro Cop” is scratching his head over why Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1) hasn’t signed a fight contract with the UFC, but it seems to Fighters.com that “Cro Cop” in fact has several opinions on the subject and was playing coy with his answer. You decide if you agree. His response to questions about Emelianenko’s decision not to sign with the UFC begin around 4:16.

UFC 103 will begin at 6:30 PM local time at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas 19 September and tickets starting at $50 are available at Ticketmaster. UFC 103 will be broadcast on pay-per-view beginning at 10:PM EST and Fighters.com post live results after each fight.

If you’re not North American or you’re one of the 50,000 or so North Americans who plunked down $34.95 for PRIDE 32, your poster depicts Emelianenko within a golden aureole striding a mound of pummeled flesh bags that includes fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1), tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7), and former UFC heavyweight champion “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-6).

If you’re North American and cut your MMA teeth on The Ultimate Fighter circa 2007 or anxiously anticipating the first F5 stoppage in MMA history, your poster depicts Emelianenko cowering within the block-headed shadow of the man-mountain that is second-ranked UFC champ Brock Lesnar (4-1).

Both posters are idealized. It’s time we get real.

Emelianenko told a post-Strikeforce signing press conference, “I’d like to develop MMA and also make some money at the same time. If Strikeforce is able to offer more than the UFC, why should we sign with the UFC?”

For Emelianenko, MMA is strictly business. It’s quite literally all about the Benjamins.

“If the numbers published on the Internet were the real numbers, we would’ve signed with the UFC,” Emelianenko added, referencing the $5 million per fight reportedly offered by the UFC.

Emelianenko even directly addressed UFC President Dana White’s criticism, “This guy doesn’t want to fight the best in the world,” by admitting, “I don’t think that I need really good fighters because the last two fights I’ve had were really good opponents.”

For the former group of fans to understand Emelianenko, they have to take the halo off of his head. For the latter group, they have to recognize that there was MMA before The Ultimate Fighter and Lesnar, and even before Dana White.

The reality is that Emelianenko is a great fighter in the second half of his career. Today Emelianenko is the best heavyweight in the world, but he turns 33-years old on the 28th of this month and is starting consider how best to taking care of himself and his family when he’s no longer the world’s greatest heavyweight.

“I feel very sorry for my fans,” Emelianenko admitted after declining the last, best opportunity for him to fight in the UFC. “But, I also think I deserve some respect to look out for my best interest.”

His best interest is establishing M-1 Global, the promotion he co-owns with Vadim Finkelchtein, as a lasting, stable international MMA promotion. That’s why Emelianenko flew from Stary Oskol to New York City for an open workout promoting his Strikeforce/M-1 Global fight versus fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0) in the autumn, then flew the next day from New York City to Kansas City to spar the same night around 4:00 AM Stary Oskol time with Strikeforce light heavyweight champion “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) in front of approximately 1500 Midwestern fans, and the following day flew back home to his family in Russia.

And, headlining that M-1 Global card in Kansas City was forty-year old former UFC champion “Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr (14-11), who replaced forty-three year old former UFC champion “Predator” Don Frye (20-7-1), both still fighting past their prime because they weren’t lucky enough to be dominant in MMA during a period when you could turn the sport into a comfortable retirement. That’s what Emelianenko is trying to avoid.

Emelianenko has drawn a legit opponent this autumn in Rogers, who is ranked higher than Lesnar’s next opponent at UFC 106 in Las Vegas 21 November, sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0). So, at least in the short-term, no one should have any complaints about either matchup.

At UFC 102 in Portland last Saturday, fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) notched up a spot after a UD over ninth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10), who dropped a notch this month. Nog’ has publicly called for the winner between Lesnar and Carwin for a UFC title fight, but White hasn’t committed to the matchup.

As reported by Fighters.com, third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) will fight Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) at UFC 107 in Memphis 12 December. Mir will have to remaine focused as he forays outside of the top ten.

Seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (8-1) will try to legitimize his spot in the top ten versus former top tenner “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipoic (25-7-2) at UFC 103 in Dallas 19 September.

After testing positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid, and causing the cancellation of Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy, eighth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) will probably return to Sengoku in Japan. Barnett was never enthusiastic about fighting Emelianenko, whom he considers a friend, at Trilogy; and, Fighters.com wonders if testing positive isn’t some kind of subconcious self-fulfilled will of Barnett’s. For the record, Barnett denies using steroids, the the California State Athletic Commission confirmed Barnett’s B sample also tested positive.

Finally, tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7) is a man without a promotion since Affliction cut him and UFC President Dana White recently remarked that he has no interest in signing Arlovski. Arlovski has stated he plans to make his professional boxing debut at the end of September or early October, but Fighters.com couldn’t get a firm answer from Arlovski’s manager concerning his first boxing bout.

Fighters.com’s September 2009 Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1)

After two years fighting freak shows, Emelianenko has stopped consecutive top tenners: Arlovski and then-ranked Tim Sylvia to establish legitimacy as Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champ. He’ll keep it elite when he faces Rogers in the autumn.

2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)

Lesnar’s dominance over Mir in their rematch demonstrated how far the UFC champ has come since his Octagon debut, earning him the top contender slot. He’ll fight a game opponent very similar to himself in Carwin in November.

3. Frank Mir (12-4)

Mir’s second wind after a career-threatening motorcycle crash has earned him two distinctons: the only man to beat UFC champ Lesnar and the only man to knockout former PRIDE champ Nogueira. He’ll try to maintain focus versus Cheick Kongo in December.

4. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1)

Though unable to stop Couture, Nog’ clearly whooped the legend to add his name with Barnett and then-ranked Tim Sylvia as former UFC champs he has slain in the last two years.

5. “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-0)

Rogers’s 22 second knockout of Arlovski welcomed him into the top ten, but no one could imagine then that it’d also be a ticket to a matchup versus Emelianenko. We’ll see what Rogers is really made of this autumn.

6. Shane Carwin (10-0)

Carwin has never been out of the first round, but the 1:09 knockout of Gabriel Gonzaga has earned him a five-round title fight versus Lesnar in November. Can Carwin neutralize the force of nature that is Lesnar?

7. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (8-1)

Nog’s pupil came out of nowhere, like his uppercut that KO’d Fabricio Werdum. Not much is known about “Cigano” and his record reveals a 2007 tap out to another Brazilian unknown, but he’ll be tested versus Mirko Cro Cop in September.

8. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5)

“Babyface Assassin” is on a tear with a KO of Pedro Rizzo, UD over Jeff Monson, and submission of Hidehiko Yoshida, but no recent work at the top of the division. Unfortunately he flubbed the biggest fight at heavyweight: Emelianenko.

9. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10)

Is Fighters.com going to have to be the first to say Couture is starting to look his age? There’s no shame in being overpowered by Lesnar, nor coming up short versus Nog’, but it might be time for the final retirement.

10. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7)

“Pitbull” got his bite back versus Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson, but was a chew toy for Emelianenko and Rogers. The free agent is going to throw his hat into the boxing ring in late September.

M-1 Global isn’t asking for 50 percent of the UFC in exchange for Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko‘s (29-1) viscerally craved debut inside the Octagon.

Fighters.com isn’t sure whether that’s UFC spin strategized to pressure Emelianenko to surrender his co-promotion demand by persuading fans he’s unreasonable or a genuine misunderstanding by White about what Emelianenko is demanding.

M-1 Global isn’t demanding any ownership stake in the UFC at all. To present their demands in such a way is either disingenuous or ignorant of White and Iole. Their demands are only on revenues derived from particular events and merchandise featuring Emelianenko.

Iole wrote, “The demand was kind of like an owner in the Continental Basketball Association demanding 50 percent ownership in an NBA team before allowing his player to sign.”

That’s a dishonest analogy. A better analogy is an actor who earns enough fame to carry movies on name recognition alone. Said actor creates a production company to increase their share of revenues from films they perform in. They have slim functional role in the film’s production and promotion, but are given an honorary “Executive Producer” credit and their production company’s logo appears on the film’s marketing.

Fighters.com isn’t arguing that Emelianenko’s demands are reasonable or deserved, just explaining what M-1 Global is actually demanding as opposed to what the UFC is claiming they’re demanding.

Fighters.com has confirmed that Emelianenko has three offers he’s seriously considering, among them the UFC’s and Strikeforce’s. But, Emelianenko’s most likely adversary in Strikeforce, “Grim” Brett Rogers (8-0), who notched up a spot to fourth this month, isn’t banking on a showdown with the world’s best heavyweight.

Rogers’s manager, Mike Reilly, told Fighters.com about a potential fight with Emelianenko, “We have really heard nothing of the sort. We are planning on fighting in October. No idea who. Doesn’t even matter at this point.”

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1), who rose to the second slot this month after pummeling now third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas 11 July, probably isn’t banking on a fight versus Emelianenko either. He told Jim Rome last month that he’d like several more fights before challenging Emelianenko. If Emelianenko doesn’t sign with the UFC, Lesnar will fight the winner of sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0) versus Cain Velasquez (6-0) to take place at UFC 104 in Los Angeles 24 October.

Mir will take on Velasquez’s seconds against Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) at UFC 107 in December, Kongo confirmed to Fighters.com.

This month in Portland at UFC 102, battle-hardened vets fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1) and eighth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-9) will battle to determine who becomes a threshold for rising prospects and who has a glimmer of hope for another title run, though Couture has hinted at returning to light heavyweight win or lose.

Next on the top ten heavyweight agenda, seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (8-1) will fight one-time feared heavyweight “Crop Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-7-2) at UFC 103 in Dallas 19 September.

After testing positive for 2a-methyl-5a-androstan-3a-ol-17-one, an anabolic steroid, and causing the cancellation of Affliction M-1 Global’s Trilogy, ninth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) will probably return to Sengoku in Japan. Barnett was never enthusiastic about fighting Emelianenko, whom he considers a friend, at Trilogy; and, Fighters.com wonders if testing positive isn’t some kind of subconcious self-fulfilled will of Barnett’s. For the record, Barnett denies using steroids, the the California State Athletic Commission confirmed Barnett’s B sample also tested positive.

Finally, tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7) is a man without a promotion since Affliction cut him and UFC President Dana White recently remarked that he has no interest in signing Arlovski.

“Alistair is begging for this fight but this fight will not go ahead on New Year’s Eve at ‘Fields Dynamite!!’,” Tanigawa said.

“We will look to match them up on a different card.”

Although Overeem and Filipovic had both publicly called for a rematch of their DREAM.6 bout in September – which was ruled a No Contest when Filipovic was unable to continue after being kneed in the groin – the fight was never made official.

Overeem has been accusing Filipovic of dodging him.

“I’m afraid Mirko is trying to run from me again,” he told Sherdog recently.  “FEG wants to make it happen… so the only obstacle here is Cro Cop.  He’s the one who hasn’t signed the contract yet and he’s the one who is trying to avoid fighting me again because he knows that he will get his ass kicked again.”

Filipovic responded by calling Overeem a fool in an interview with Dnevnik Friday, and said that if he didn’t believe he wants to fight, “[Overeem] can come to Zagreb next weekend and we can fight in my cage with neutral referees.”

As Fighters.com reported 21 October, Filipovic expects the rematch on New Year’s Eve, but has yet to receive confirmation from FEG, the company who promotes the Dynamite!! event.

The MMA media has been referencing an interview “Cro Cop” gave to Croatian website Dnevnik, but has evidently mistranslated the article from Croatian.

The 28 October article clearly states “no potvrde za to još nema”, which translates from Croatian to English as Filipovic “doesn’t yet have confirmation.”

FEG is probably awaiting Overeem’s match-up versus “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) at Glory 10 in Arnhem, east of Amsterdam, 9 November to make the rematch versus “Cro Cop” official or not for New Year’s Eve.

Fighters.com will cover the Overeem v Goodridge fight live.

“We will fight, we will have a rematch for New Year,” “Cro Cop” said, then added, “We have already agreed in principle about it, but it has not been confirmed 100 percent.”

Overeem too has publicly expressed interest in a New Year’s Eve rematch, saying, “I want to finish ‘Cro Cop’ and put his name on my list, especially now because he has been arrogant and big-mouthed.”

The MMA stars in Japan fought to a No Contest at DREAM 6 in Saitama 23 September.

The fight was stopped after Overeem slammed three separate knee strikes into “Cro Cop’s” groin.

Filipovic confided, “The third hit was very hard and it has given me small complications.  I had to undergo a small operation later, but it is that kind of a job.  I urinated a little blood, but that is all a part of the sport.”

Overeem was in control of the one-time top heavyweight until the knee strikes.

But, “Cro Cop” argued, “Overeem started well, but his condition is his disadvantage.  I will not say too much, we will repeat the match.”

Overeem will fight “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) at Glory 10 in Arnhem, east of Amsterdam, 9 November.  Fighters.com will cover the fight live.

“As of now it is in discussion, but I’m very adamant on getting the fight to finish what I’ve started,” Overeem stated.

“I want to finish Cro Cop and put his name on my list, especially now because he has been arrogant and big-mouthed.”

Overeem added, “I don’t like him, the fact that he picks his opponents, he stays in another, more expensive hotel and doesn’t want to socialize with other fighters.  He thinks he is a superstar.  He is an arrogant fighter who talks a lot to keep face.”

Overeem’s heavyweight bout with Filipovic at DREAM.6 in September ended in a No Contest when Filipovic was hit with accidental knees to the groin and could not continue.

Before a rematch with Cro Cop can happen, Overeem has to fight in November.  His next match is at Shooto Holland’s Glory 10 event 9 November in Arnhem, Holland, against former UFC and PRIDE fighter “Big Daddy” Gary Goodridge (23-18-1).

Goodridge last fought in July, losing a unanimous decision to “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10).

The one-time PRIDE Heavyweight GP Champion, Filipovic, was thoroughly beaten by Overeem until the illegal blows, which earned Overeem a yellow card.

Overeem controlled where the fight was fought.  He scored takedowns and battered “Cro Cop’s” body on the mat and continued the midsection assault with knees from the clinch when the two fighters stood.

Since losing his last three PRIDE fights at light heavyweight, Overeem is  3-1 at heavyweight, with stoppages of “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10) and  Mark Hunt (5-4).

His only loss during his latest heavyweight run was in a rematch to tenth-ranked Sergei Kharitonov (16-3), who debuted in DREAM Tuesday night with a KO of “Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (13-10-1).  Overeem won their original PRIDE fight, which means they’ve split the series.  Dum dum dum….

Filipovic, however, is 2-2 since his impressive PRIDE GP run, with barely mentionable wins over Eddie Sanchez (8-2) in Cro Cop’s Octagon debut and Tatsuya Mizuno (4-4) in the Croatian’s return to Japan.

“Some people think I don’t have it in me anymore,” Goodridge said, “but I am training hard and, on November 9, I will be ready for Alistair Overeem.  As a matter of fact, I am ready now, so bring it on!”

Overeem tapped kickboxer Mark Hunt (5-4) in Osaka 21 July, his third straight stoppage since getting TKO’d to Fighters.com’s tenth-ranked heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov (15-3).

“Cro Cop” TKO’d Tatsuya Mizuno (4-4) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 15 March, his first victory in three tries since April 2007 and his first fight since retiring from the UFC.

“Big Daddy” lost his third straight in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, 19 July versus “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10), a fighter Overeem submitted with knees to the body in November 2007; however, Goodridge fought a rescpectable UD loss in a fight he took on less than 24-hours notice.

Goodridge will follow-up Overeem with a fight versus “Tartar” Gabor Nemeth (5-7) in late November.

Kharitonov TKO’d “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11) in Yokohama in September 2007; but, has been more active on the rumor mill than in the ring since.

He was floated as “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic‘s (23-6-2) opponent at DREAM.4 in June and lately was mentioned as a challenger for the EliteXC Heavyweight Championship versus “Bigfoot” Antonio Silva (11-1).

Kharitonov found his way into neither fight and may have a short stint as a top ten big boy as fighters beneath him line-up legit matches.

A spot opened for Kharitonov when “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-14) was mauled by physical phenom Brock Lesnar (2-1) in Minneapolis 9 August, shoveling Herring out of the eighth rank.

Eighth-ranked “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) and ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) each moved up a spot respectively on Herring’s loss.

“Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) retained the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship during a slow month that saw no changes in the top seven spots.

Emelianenko pulled out of Affliction’s second event in Las Vegas 11 October in which he was matched versus fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) with a hand injury sustained in his 36-second destruction of seventh-ranked “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5).

Emelianenko was replaced by third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (22-5) in the main event.

Top contender “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira‘s (31-4-1) title challenge versus Frank Mir (11-3) got slightly more interesting when Lesnar, who got tapped by Mir in February, dominated Herring…but only slightly.

The UFC’s top heavyweight contender, fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) will probably draw either Lesnar or Cheick Kongo (12-4-1) in his next fight.

Sixth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) is rumored to be considering a return to the UFC; but, Fighters.com has not confirmed that.

Sylvia (24-5) licks his wounds and awaits a match-up at Affliction’s return.

September Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1)

Emelianenko took his right-left combo and used it to erase “doubt” from Fighters.com’s rankings when he dismantled Sylvia.  The depth of his recent opposition remains shallow; but, taking Sylvia apart quicker than anyone else earns him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship.

2. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com’s top contender spot.

3. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5)

“Babyface Assassin” is on a tear with a KO of Pedro Rizzo, UD over Jeff Monson, and submission of Hidehiko Yoshida, but no recent work at the top of the division.  Arlovski will be his toughest fight since losing a decisiong to Nog’in 2006.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5)

“Pitbull” got his bite back versus Ben Rothwell, adding the KO to a UD over Werdum and a pair or wins over lesser competition.  Arlovski will need all the bite he has versus Barnett in October.

5. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera‘s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and maybe Fighters.com title.

6. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6’8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.  Does he have a winning strategy to return to MMA?

7. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are only to legends Emelianenko, Nogueira, and Couture.

8. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

9. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Kharitonov.

10. Sergei Kharitonov (15-3)

Kharitonov followed a TKO loss to Aleksander Emelianenko with consecutive first-round stoppages of Michael Russow and Alistair Overeem; but, has been laid up in Russia for the last year. His return would give a the division a needed dose of excitement.

If Atencio can make Emelianenko v Couture, Barnett and Arlovski will fight for the right follow-up Couture versus Emelianenko, since Couture has intimated his intention to retire win, lose, or draw versus Emelianenko.

However, the more intriguing matchmaking question in the heavyweight division after Saturday night is what to do with “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5) and “Big” Ben Rothwell (33-6) after their losses. They present two very different matchmaking problems.

“Big” Ben should get no rest after his gutsy brawl versus legit heavyweight stud Arlovski. Rothwell took everything Arlovski dished and dished back until the end.

Rothwell closed distance despite Arlovski’s superior footwork, rolled out of the “Pitbull’s” leg locks, and worked Arlovski over from the top position on the mat.

As soon as Rothwell is healthy, he should get another challenge just a little less monumental than Arlovski.

Adrenaline MMA President Monte Cox, who will probably hold Rothwell for his Adrenaline sequel this autumn, should parachute into whichever Siberian boot camp Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) is teaching Russian soldiers how to snap necks in and convince Kharitonov to take the fight.

Kharitonov is an Arlovski-lite with an international amateur boxing pedigree and combat sambo ranking, but without the refinement and explosiveness of the “Pitbull”.

The match-up allows Rothwell to roll his training for Arlovski over into a camp for a similar opponent and maintain the intensity required to compete near the top.

For Kharitonov, the match-up allows him to return near the top of the division after a year’s holiday, make a splash in the U.S. in the wake of Emelianenko’s Russian wave, and pick-up a big win if he can watch the tape from Saturday night where Arlovski wrote the book on beating Rothwell.

If Kharitonov can’t be lured into the cage for a reasonable purse, “Snowman” Jeff Monson (25-8) provides a sufficient technical challenge to Rothwell in a very different kind of fighter than Arlovski.

Monson could sprinkle a little of his magic jits’ powder on Rothwell and steal Rothwell’s momentum back into big fights, maybe even a rematch with Sylvia.

After Rothwell’s solid showing versus Arlovski, it’s important the rising star not be given a pass in his next fight. Tell him what a good look he gave in Anaheim, get him in the gym, and give him another challenge to stay hungry for.

Sylvia is a different matter altogether. He’s fought and failed versus the three top heavyweights in the world in his last four fights; and, the magnitude of the whole situation in Anaheim got into his head.

Can you blame him? Emelianenko was Sylvia’s last and best opportunity to trump the booing crowds and UFC “co-main event” slights with an irrefutable historical legacy. It may have been his last chance to conquer a legend and create his own legend for posterity.

And, while Emelianenko is naturally aloof of such things and, anyway, was secluded in St. Petersburg, Sylvia was having the import of his task beat into his brain day-in and day-out as he managed the majority of hype duties for the Affliction debut.

Give him a break, at least psychologically.

Match Sylvia versus Adrenaline MMA’s debut heavyweight main event Michael Russow (10-1).

Russow isn’t a gimme’. In fact, the powerful wrestler is a great physical and technical challenge for Sylvia; but, importantly, it’s a low-key fight that Sylvia can focus on without the daily grind of international marketing and promotion.

For Russow, a win would propel him into big fights and all he has to do is watch Couture’s lesson on wrestling Sylvia to a “W”.

On the off chance that Sylvia wants to climb back into the ring in September, a heavyweight in a similar situation is looking for an opponent across the Pacific.

A match-up between Sylvia and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) pits two former top five heavyweights who are both struggling with the mind-fuck of going from “I’m really good.” to “How good am I really?”

Sure, they’re both significant challenges for each other; but, Filipovic is righting himself at home, sweet home in Japan and the TLC the Japanese would show a big gaijin like Sylvia would be a stark contrast to the booing he endures at home.

Hell, Sylvia might get fitted for a kimono and never come back from The Land of the Rising Sun, win, lose, or draw versus “Cro Cop”.

Again, nothing is wrong with either fighter physically or technically. Both fighters need to get their minds right and, at least psychologically, they’re evenly matched for an explosive fight in a more comfortable atmosphere.

Cox could make the fight. He’s already loaned out lightweight Eddie Alvarez (15-1) to DREAM with results that have propelled the former Bodog welterweight into the lightweight top ten.

It’s a matter of Sylvia’s agent Monte Cox convincing Sylvia’s promoter Monte Cox that the trip to Tokyo is for the long-term benefit of his heavyweight more than headlining him on the second Adrenaline MMA card.

He underwent a successful arthroscopy on 7 July and is already back on his feet.

“I’m resuming my trainings and I should be able to train at full intensity soon,” Filipovic wrote.

“I can say for sure that I’ll be fighting on September 23 at DREAM 6, hopefully against a top level opponent. No matter who will be the opponent, I just want to fight and I’m eager to make a strong comeback one more time.”

Filipovic is recovering in the city of Pula, Croatia, on the Adriatic Sea, for two weeks.

According to Cro Cop, “I was about to face Jerome LeBanner [3-1-1] but he decided to fight in K1 against [“Hightower” Semmy] Schilt [25-14-1]. Mighty Mo [Siala Siliga (3-0)] was the alternative and I accepted this challenge, but unfortunately Mighty Mo pulled off from the fight.”

This reprieve gives the PRIDE veteran a chance to recover more fully from elbow and leg injuries that have been plaguing him.

“I had difficulties using my kicks and over last few weeks I focused more on boxing and grappling. I really wanted to fight on July 21 and I was even ignoring doctor’s suggestions, but now I’ve reached the point from which I can’t continue with my normal training regimen due to my injuries,” he added.

Filipovic is scheduled for arthroscopy Monday morning, a minor surgical procedure that will keep him from training for 2-3 weeks.

Filipovic last fought at DREAM.1 in March when he TKO’d Tatsuya Mizuno (3-3) in 56 seconds.

He was scheduled to meet LeBanner in June, but that bout was postponed, making place for a grappling match with Ralek Gracie (2-0), which also did not happen.

Cro Cop will look to return to the ring in September.

Neither Filipovic nor DREAM announced a reason for canceling the match.

However, several MMA media outlets have reported that Macedonia-based news organization Dvenik had reported Filipovic withdrew due to an elbow injury re-aggravated during his preparation for the match; but, the report is apparently no longer published at the Dvenik website.

Filipovic announced on 8 May that he would fight “Geronimo” Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) at DREAM.5 21 July.  No announcment has been made by Filipovic or DREAM regarding the status of that fight.

The match will be governed by modified Abu Dhabi rules featuring two five-minute rounds and no points system.

Unless there’s a tapout, the result will be declared a draw.

Filipovic told Nokaut he prefers a points system in which he could score with throws and takedowns, but looks forward to testing his grappling.

Filipovic is scheduled to fight kickboxer “Geronimo” Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) at DREAM.5 21 July, originally scheduled for DREAM.4.

The bout was originally scheduled for DREAM.4 on 16 June.

Croatian news site Javno reports Cro Cop has been spotted in Zagreb wearing a brace on one of his legs.

Cro Cop described it as a “special bandage” to Nokaut and explained, “I suffered a minor leg injury last week, but it doesn’t affect my trainings.  During a wrestling session, I slipped and felt pain in my left knee, but the medical exams have confirmed that no damage was done.”

Cro Cop’s left leg delivers the infamous high kick Filipovic has ominously described as a sentence to the “cemetery”.

Remember the World Fighting Alliance?  Perhaps not since only a generously estimated 300,000 watched their last event, King of the Streets, on 22 July, 2006.

After an aggressive free agent signing campaign that netted the WFA Fighters.com’s first-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-6), third-ranked light heavyweight “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0), eighth-ranked heavyweight “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13), tenth-ranked welterweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5), former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (15-4), WEC Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (20-1), and veterans “The Law” Matt Lindland (20-5), “El Guapo” Bas Rutten (28-4-1), and “The Beastman” Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), the Las Vegas-based promotion folded and eventually sold-out to cross town competitor the UFC.

Marquee names and great fighters don’t equal guaranteed market share.  The 2006 WFA final hurrah sold just 2,300 tickets and an estimated 50,000 PPV buys.

Marquee names and great fighters do cost a lot of green.

You don’t have to be an MBA to realize high costs and low sales don’t add up.

Hold that thought for a moment.  Switch gears.

A lot of MMA fans are confused since the UFC started cutting weight from their fighter roster.

Perhaps it started when heavyweight “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) was granted release from his contract in February.  In March, third-ranked heavyweight “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia was also granted release.

Many of the UFC’s unranked, but popular fighters have been released in the last month, perhaps perfectly symbolized by the widely reported release of heavyweight prospect “Irish” Jake O’Brien (10-1).  Yesterday, “The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) announced he had been released too, to the dismay of many fans.

OK, now hold both thoughts.  Let’s review a few facts.

Fact: Second-ranked heavyweight “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) is paid $250,000 per win in base salary by the UFC.  Couture thinks he’s so underpaid that he’s refused to continue fighting for that salary.

Fact: M-1 Global formed to promote fights for fifth-ranked heavyweight “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), but never produced an event due to Emelianenko’s prohibitive purse rendering any event immediately in the red, according to Adrenaline MMA CEO Monte Cox.

Fact: EliteXC offered Emelianenko $400,000 per win, which he turned down in favor of an undisclosed deal with Affliction.  (Emelianenko requested $2 million per fight according to ProElite Live Events President Gary Shaw.)

According to two of the most popular MMA promotions, somewhere between $250,000 and $400,000 is the market price for a top heavyweight.

But, the MMA market is more competitive than it ever has been and promotions are bidding up fighter purses.

Emelianenko eventually signed with Affliction for an undisclosed amount before Affliction has staged a single event.  Assume Emelianenko was offered more than $400,000 per win, beating EliteXC’s offer.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Emelianenko’s presence on a fight card guarantees he’ll make back the purse he’ll be paid.  Remember the WFA?

Promotions are in a rush to buy market share.  They have deep pockets and see MMA as a good investment.

Companies can buy market share, but they’ll pay a premium.  They’ll overpay for fighters who can’t deliver their salary in PPV buys.

UFC President Dana White knows the market is more competitive and saturated than ever before and competing promotions are willing to overpay for any fighter they can slap on a poster labeled “former UFC”.

The UFC can either try to outspend the competition buying-up and holding on to fighters; or, flood the market with fighters and let the competing promotions outbid each other into bankruptcy to feature “former UFC title contender Travis Lutter” at their next event.

The forum freaks who’re appalled White would release Lutter after two losses know they’re not going to shell out $44.95 to watch him gas after one round again.

But, Lutter isn’t going to bankrupt anyone.  It’s the big guys who’re the key to White’s strategy.

It’s the thinning UFC heavyweight class that’s confusing many fans.

White paid “Cro Cop” $1,050,000 to beat Eddie Sanchez (8-1), get mauled by “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3), and nearly retire in the cage versus Cheick Kongo (11-4-1).  Can even the most loyal Filipovic fan contend White got his money’s worth?

White had to drop $200,000 every time tough Sylvia won, but Sylvia is one of the most disliked fighters in MMA.  The UFC couldn’t even headline the two-time champion’s third title challenge versus “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) at UFC 81.  MMA rookie Brock Lesnar (1-1) was the main event.

Remember too, Emelianenko’s North American debut at PRIDE 32 broke no PPV or attendance records.

The heavyweight class salaries are irrational based on the revenues heavyweights generate.

White is chumming the MMA waters with fighters hoping sharks like Affliction, HDNet Fights, and EliteXC go on a feeding frenzy into bankruptcy like the WFA and BodogFight before them.

The Croation and Frenchman tangled under K-1 rules 12 years ago, making the match-up a rematch of sorts.

“Cro Cop” eked out a “W” by five-round unanimous decision in 1996 and is favored under MMA rules due to his experience.

LeBanner has taken a two-year hiatus from MMA since knocking out “The Titan” Jimmy Ambriz (11-9-1) in K-1 Hero’s.

“Geronimo’s” only loss was by submission to Tadao Yasuda (2-4) in LeBanner’s 2001 MMA debut.

The prolific kickboxer owns 73 wins against 14 losses in kickboxing.

Filipovic comes off 56-second KO of Tatsuya Mizuno (3-3) at DREAM.1.