"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (30-1) entered his 15th month as Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion in October.  Emelianenko will defend his title versus fifth-ranked "Grim" Brett Rogers (10-0) at Strikeforce west of Chicago and broadcast in the U.S. on CBS November 7. ...

Xtreme Couture's "Phenom" Vitor Belfort (18-8) scored his bulliest victory in four-plus years TKOing Fighters.com's ninth-ranked middleweight "Ace" Rich Franklin (26-5) at 3:02 of round one in a 195-pound catch weight main event at UFC 103 in Dallas Saturday night. "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. ...

UFC heavyweight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (25-7-2) fielded questions from the media Tuesday afternoon. "Cro Cop" will fight "Cigano" Junior Dos Santos at UFC 103 is Dallas 19 September. 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. ...

On the walls of MMA fandom there are two contrasting posters of Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (30-1).

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).
...

In an analysis posted Friday, Yahoo!Sports MMA and boxing writer Kevin Iole spouted the UFC line, "If the UFC was in the business of giving 50 percent of its company away every time it tried to sign an elite fighter, it would have been in worse shape a lot sooner than Chrysler." The article should've ended with a full disclusore that Yahoo!Sports and the UFC have a business partnership because Iole's cozy nest in the UFC tree has affected his usually uncomprimised reporting. 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. ...

The anticipated rematch between “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-11) and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) will not happen at Dynamite!! on NYE, FEG President Sadaharu Tanikawa announced at a press conference Thursday. “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.” ...

Despite reports that Croatian heavyweight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) has confirmed a rematch versus Dutchman "Demoliton Man" Alistair Overeem (28-11) at Dyanamite!! in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 31 December...he hasn't. 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. ...

DREAM heavyweight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) expects to rematch "Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem (28-11) at Dynamite!! in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 31 December, he told Croation website Javno. "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. ...

A New Year’s Eve rematch between “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11; 1NC) and “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2; 1NC) is in discussion, reported Fighters Only Tuesday. “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). ...

After splitting both of "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic's (23-6-2) eyes, "Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem (28-11) let what would've been the biggest win of his career slip away in a No Contest due to repeated accidental knees to "Cro Cop's" groin. 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. ...

“Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11) will fight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 23 September, then follow-up versus "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) in Amsterdam 9 November. "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. ...

Elusive Russian Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) breached Fighters.com's Heavyweight Top Ten in September without having fought for a year. 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. ...

Affliction Veep Tom Atencio wants "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) to fight "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) at Affliction's October sequel if Couture can get a judicial nod to fight; but, if not, Emelianenko will be matched versus either "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) or "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5). 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. ...

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) will return from surgery to fight on the DREAM.6 card, he announced on his blog Tuesday. 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. ...

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) announced on his blog Sunday that he will not fight at DREAM.5 on 21 July. 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. ...

A modified Abu Dhabi-rules grappling match between heavyweights "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) and Ralek Gracie (1-0) was cut from 15 June's DREAM.4 undercard Monday. 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. ...

DREAM heavyweight "Cro Crop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) has agreed to grapple with young Ralek Gracie (1-0) at DREAM.4 15 June, according to Nokaut. 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. ...

DREAM heavyweight "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic's (23-6-2) match-up versus "Geronimo" Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) has been rescheduled to 21 July's DREAM.5 card, according to Cro Cop in an interview published at Nokaut. 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". ...

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.  The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War 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. ...

"Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) will return to the ring versus K-1 kickboxer "Geronimo" Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) at DREAM.4 16 June in Tokyo, reported Cro Cop's sponsor MMA-ID today. 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. ...

This morning, former PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix Champion "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) chatted live from Zagreb with fans and even MMA broadcaster Stephen Quadros at MMA-ID, where Filipovic also writes a blog. "Cro Cop" began by claiming, "Everyone can be beaten.  I'm in good shape and I'll prove that in my next fight.  My motivation is very high, I've never been so motivated!" The Croatian later admitted, "[I'll have] surgery [on my elbow] coming up soon after my next fight," but added about his next opponent, "I still don't know unfortunately." Filipovic described his immediate future: "Two more fights for DREAM, then I want Fedor [Emelianenko] for NYE or the UFC," and speculated long-term: "Sometime I'll have to retire.  But not [for] three to four years." Emelianenko's (27-1) manager, Vadim Finkelstein, recently told South Korea's MFight,  "I think Cro Cop needs to recover and up his game after two losses in the UFC.  If he can go back to his former self, he'll be able to fight Fedor.  But I don't think that is the case right now." "Cro Cop" later added "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), Cheick Kongo (11-4-1), and "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) to his hit list, all rematches with fighters who've defeated Filipovic. To a question about fighting "Iceman" Chuck Liddell (21-5), he responded, "I would like to fight him," but at heavyweight because "Cro Cop" could make 205-pounds, "Only if I chop off my leg." All but one of  Filipovic's intended victims are in the UFC, the promotion he described as "dominant", and he stated, "I'll be back to the UFC definitely," though he admitted, "I don't like elbows, much damage is done with them." Elbow strikes are a weapon in the UFC, but illegal in DREAM.  It was Gonzaga's vicious ground'n'pound elbows that stunned Filipovic and setup the night-ending high kick from "Napao". "Cro Cop" described UFC President Dana White as, "A very capable guy," and agreed DREAM is the reincarnation of PRIDE. He also made a few predictions.  In the speculated matchup between "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and Emelianenko, "Cro Cop" said, "Minor advantage goes to Fedor."  However, versus "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8), he predicted, "Fedor for sure."  He also said, "["The Babyface Assassin" Josh] Barnett has a chance [versus Emelianenko] if he's having one of his best days." "Cro Cop" also predicted UFC Light Heavyweight Champion "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (29-6) will defeat Forrest Griffin (15-4). Finally, we learned the former Croaition politician has a pet bunny rabbit, enjoys the sea, and has the hots for Charlize Theron. ...

Saturday's DREAM.1 at Saitama Super Arena was the whole Japanese MMA shabang from tip to toe. The K-1/former-PRIDE collaboration featured mismatches of size and skill, world-class MMA, late stoppages, carnival theatrics, a tournament format, and the banshee herself, Lenne Hardt, introducing it all. The card featured the opening round of DREAM's lightweight grand prix in which Eddie Alvarez (13-1), "Buscape" Luiz Firmino (12-3), "Hellboy" Joachim Hansen (17-6-1), "Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida (16-3-1), "Crusher" Tatsuya Kawajiri (21-4-2), and Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2) all advanced to the next round. The tournaments seventh and most anticipated match-up betwen "Tobikan Judan" Shinya Aoki (14-2) and "JZ" Gesias Calvancante (14-1-1) ended in a No Contest. In non-tournament bouts, "Mach" Hayato Sakurai (32-7-2) and "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic both won first round TKOs and "The Punk" Ikuhisa Minowa won a first round submission. Ishida and Korean judoka Bu Kyung Jung (0-2) fought the most competitive bout with Ishida squeezing a unanimous decision over the MMA rookie. The Japanese wrestler, Ishida, whirled around Jung for the first two minutes, peppering leg kicks into the Korean's thighs.  On Jung's lunging clinch attempt, Ishida slammed him to the mat. On the mat, inside Jung's tightly closed guard, Ishida heaved him into the air and slammed him again before raising back to his feet. Jung followed and lunged to clinch again, but Ishida ducked.  Jung slammed face first into the corner, Ishida pouncing atop him. From a full guard body lock, Jung transitioned into an armbar as the Japanese fighter tried to yank free.  It was close, and Jung took the opportunity to kick the struggling wrestler in the face before Ishida broke free.  Another powerful Ishida slam countered Jung's near miss. As the ground game went on, Ishida's spurts of G'n'P became more effective as the Korean filed through submissions, but the ref stood them anyway. Backed into a corner, Ishida threw a clumsy left roundhouse kick Jung blocked as Ishida slipped.  This time it was Jung who pounced, locking Ishida's head beneath his armpit for another tight neck crank submission attempt. Again, Ishida popped free, both fighters slick with sweat by that point, and worked an effective ground'n'pound until the ref stood the fighters. This time it was Ishida who lunged for a single leg takedown and Jung pulled guard, then slipped a slick armbar on the wrestler.  Again, the "Endless Fighter" slipped free and hammered on the judoka to the first round bell. The second round began as the first, with Ishida avoiding a head-on collision by circling.  Ishida shot for the same single leg takedown that got him in trouble near the end of round one and Jung again pulled guard and sucked up arms at angles looking for submissions.  Ishida countered by grinding fists into Jung's face until the ref stood them up. Ishida made it a trilogy with a third identical takedown and Jung responded as he had to the first two.  Both fighters exchanged leather while Jung worked his high guard into a weak triangle choke, but wasn't able to lock his leg beneath his knee. The bout ended with both exhausted fighters pitty-patting each other on the mat. An argument could be made to give the judoka the win, but the judges saw Ishida's aggressive ground'n'pound as the deal breaker and awarded him a unanimous decision. In another exciting tournament fight, at the bell Alvarez and "Dida" Andre Amade (6-3-1) stormed to the center of the ring throwing leather.  The American shot a single leg and stood-up with the ankle he had snatched.  He swept Dida's other foot from beneath him and dumped the BJJ black belt on his back. The ref stood Dida and he immediately resumed throwing haymakers, catching Alvarez square on the chin with two big left hooks, then dropping him with a third as the American retreated. But on the mat Alvarez's superior wrestling positioned him for a two-minute vicious ground'n'pound onslaught that lead to the TKO stoppage at 6:47 of round one.  Dida was simply overpowered and out-positioned. Tattooed Norwegian Hansen resembled a snow leopard feasting on Kotetsu Boku (13-5-1) of Krazy Bee.  Since becoming the first MMA fighter to tap in a gogoplata in 2006, the former kickboxer Hansen has been all out on the mat.  He took Boku to the ground and paired an octopus-like submission game with brutal ground'n'pound for the entire 15 minutes.  The decision was unanimous for Hansen. "Buscape" of Brazilian Top Team found a rear naked choke on undersized Kazuyuki Miyata (5-7) at 7:37 of round one. In a mild upset, Nagata took a unanimous decision over the Russian Artur Oumakhanov (7-3). Kawajiri earned the sixth spot in round two of DREAM's lightweight grand prix with a unanimous decision over surprisingly durable "Black Mamba" Kultar Gill (9-7) of Canada. The tournament's most hyped match-up fizzled when Aoki took an errant elbow to the back of the head from Calvancanti after much ado about nothing.  There's been no clarification about a rematch or whether either fighter will advance in the tournament. Hidetaka Monma (14-8-3) was never in his fight with Sakurai, but evidently the ref was unaware of the mismatch.  From the top position, Sakurai pounded Monma in the head 20-seconds longer than necessary before the referee called a stoppage at 4:12 of round one. I'm hereby dividing the MMA universe into two halves.  Those, like me, who're disgusted to witness "Cro Cop" as a characterture of himself matched up against veritable heads-on-a-tee like Tatsuya Mizuno (3-3) and those who lust to see the former PRIDE OWGP champ served-up such heads for entertainment, not sport.  "Cro Cop", in an awkward performance, TKO'd Mizuno at :56 of round one. And in the last of the three rings that made-up non tournament action at DREAM.1, Minowaman swung from half mount into a kneebar to submit overweight Korean Bum Chang Kang (1-2) at 1:25 of round one. DREAM.2 follows on 29 April with the first round a a middleweight grand prix. ...

"Mighty Mo" Siala-Mou Siligia's (3-0) agent, Steve Rusich, has confirmed that "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2) turned down a DREAM.1 debut versus Rusich's fighter from American Samoa. "Mo was excited," Rusich said.  "He wants to get more MMA fights.  A win over Cro Cop would've been huge!" "Mighty Mo" fights a K-1 kickboxing match versus Keijiro Maeda in Yokohama 13 April, but is undefeated in mixed martial arts versus softies.  "Cro Cop" would've been a leap forward. "What they do is offer [Filipovic] three options.  We had the whole thing negotiated with K-1," Rusich explained, "but, they came back and said Cro Cop turned down the fight." Agent Bas Boon has also alleged "Cro Cop" nixed DREAM.1 fights with his charges, "Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem (26-11) and Gokin Saki (0-1), who may have been the other two fighters in K-1's original offer to Filipovic. Boon hasn't replied to my request for further explanation. "Apparently he wanted James Thompson," Rusich added. "The Colossus" Thompson (14-8) has slept through the finale of seven of his eight losses, earning him a reputation for his glass jaw.  Thompson was laid out in just over two minutes in his last fight versus "The Grim" Brett Rogers (6-0) in EliteXC. "Cro Cop" returns to Japan after a nosedive in the UFC, losing consecutive battles with “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) and Cheick Kongo (11-4-1). DREAM, a K-1 MMA promotion, originally paired "Cro Cop" with "Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (6-1); but, Nakao dropped the fight without official explanation. DREAM then dug up veritable head-on-a-tee Tatsuya Mizuno (3-2), whom Filipovic will take aim on today in Tokyo. ...

"["Kiss" Yoshihiro] Nakao will be sunk in Tokyo Bay by the terrible Yakuza [if he fights "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic]," posted "The Oriental Mystery" Takumi Yano (9-8-3) last week on his blog at blog.livedoor.jp/ugokai. Yano trains Nakao (6-1), who recently pulled out of his announced DREAM.1 bout with Cro Cop (22-6-2) without explanation. Yakuza, or Japanese mafia, connections to combat sport promotions in Japan have long been alleged, most notoriously resulting in PRIDE's loss of Japanese television coverage leading to their eventual demise. My request to Yano for comment received the mysterious response: "Gone fishing." Kidding... Yano didn't respond to my English request, most likely because he speaks Japanese. I can't decide which is more dangerous: posting the comment as a joke or posting it because it's the truth. ...

"People didn’t get tested [for performance enhancing drugs in PRIDE]," "Hollywood" Dan Henderson (22-7), the last to don PRIDE straps at 90- and 83-kilos, told Sam Caplan in January. The convo' revolved around "Ely" Paulo Filho (16-0), and took a serious turn quickly. "Are you saying Filho may be a juicer?"  Caplan quizzed. "Well that’s my opinion anyway," Hendo admitted.  "He hasn’t looked good since he left PRIDE.  I think that’s what not being able to use steroids will do to you." In an entirely unrelated story... Filho's on-again-off-again WEC middleweight title rematch with Hendo's stablemate Chael Sonnen (19-9-1) is off...again. From the suits at WEC headquarters: "WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho has chosen to withdraw from his March 26th title defense against Chael Sonnen after voluntarily checking himself into an undisclosed rehabilitation center in Brazil on Thursday morning, March 13, to seek help for a substance abuse problem." But, Tatame had documented Filho's intention days before. "I wasn’t on a good moment, had depression," Filho revealed to the Brazilian website.  "I wasn’t motivated to train, wasn’t training well, so I decided to do what the contract says and transferred the fight to June." Maybe it was something in the water in PRIDE, as they say. Filho's fellow PRIDE standout, "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2), misplaced his motivation around the same time his urine came under the scrutiny of American state athletic commissions too. “I was empty before fights, depressed, I hated myself," Cro Cop told DREAM's first press conference about his nightmare in the UFC. Later, on his blog at www.mma-id.com/CROCOP, Filipovic elaborated.  "The losses came from a lack of motivation.  I was really empty, I had no fire left in me." Cro Cop joined the UFC after winning PRIDE's Open Weight Grand Prix by knocking out "The Axe Murder" Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) and submitting "The Babyface Assasin" Josh Barnett (21-5) on strikes on the same September night in 2006. It was the pinnacle of Cro Cop's career. But at his new address, Filipovic lost consecutive battles with "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) and Cheick Kongo (11-4-1), nearly filing papers for his retirement pension in the cage with Kongo. Of course, with three current UFC belt-holders having 43 PRIDE fights among them, not all PRIDE fighters have shared the same sudden depression and lack of motivation after joining the big show.  And, those who haven't are naming names... "I knew Dan would knockout Wanderlei [Silva]," "Rampage" Quinton Jackson (29-6) said during a conference call promoting his light heavyweight title unification bout with Henderson last September in the UFC.  "Wanderlei wasn't allowed to use that juice he like to use," 'Page explained about the 2007 Vegas PRIDE fight in which Hendo punched out Silva in the third round. Silva, known for his sustained balls-to-the-wall MMA onslaughts, debuted in the UFC last December versus "Iceman" Chuck Liddell (21-5) sporting a noticeably more svelte physique and a new, energy-conscious fight game even the crunchies at Greenpeace could be proud of. Now, Silva, the former long-time PRIDE 90-kilogram champ who fought Filipovic weighing more than the heavyweight, is openly contemplating a drop to 185-pounds. Anyone can peep my 16-inch guns and know I've never used performance enhancing drugs, nor experienced the withdrawal symptoms of quitting the junk; but, a quick perusal of the "Anabolic Steroids" fact sheet at the Center for Substance Abuse Research reveals depression, mood swings, and fatigue as withdrawal symptoms of "that juice", as Rampage called it. And, one needn't be Columbo to deduce that lost muscle mass is another clue. Fighters talk to me too.  The dish is that those who seemed to have bottomless tanks over seas, but suddenly gas State-side; like, say...in round three of a 205-pound scrap versus a lovable, but lower-ranked opponent, are minus a lab-detectable dose of EPO. Erythropoietin (EPO) is abused by endurance athletes to increase the number of red blood cells oxygenating their blood stream. It's Big Bear in a bottle; or, the canned equivalent to circuit training while wearing a snorkel. It's important to note that none of the athletes mentioned in this muse have failed drug tests, that I'm aware of.  I presume they're all clean. For all UFC fighters, their Octagon performance is their staunchest alibi or their bitter betrayer. And the most bitter withdrawal symptom of abusing performance enhancing drugs is the lube-less mind-fuck on your pride. One day your chin is high, standing atop a mound of crumpled opponents, tough mothers in their right, but confident in your ability, your stature in the world's toughest athletic contest. Now, the training regiment you once ate up is nearly impossible.  When you leave the gym, you have just enough energy to dread going back the next day.  Suddenly, you hate training.  You muddle through, sure the smell of blood will right your ship, but it's no longer in you to best a fighter you would've beaten like a red-headed stepchild before. Were you ever the beast you knew you were?  Was it ever you, or was it always what was in the bottle?  Can you ever stand atop that mound on your own? To avoid coming to Jesus, a man might scurry back to a place that doesn't ask for a urine sample, or check out of a fight that could force answers his ego can't handle. ...

In his cage hiatus back to familiar fight turf in Japan, "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2) aims to follow Fedor Emelianenko's (27-1) latest career path of exploiting kickboxers debuting in MMA. "There's a possibility of facing some good fighters from K-1 under MMA rules [in DREAM]," Cro Cop posted Tuesday on his blog at http://www.mma-id.com/CROCOP. Cro Cop meets Japanese tomato can Tatsuya Mizuno (3-2) at DREAM.1 this weekend. Filipovic also revealed, " I've been having troubles with my left elbow.   It's nothing too serious but I'm scheduled for a surgery later this month." The fighter expects to return to the gym a couple of days after surgery. ...

DREAM rotated tomato cans Monday for this weekend's DREAM.1 debut event featuring "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic. "My opponent will be Tatsuya Mizuno," Cro Cop announced via his blog at http://www.mma-id.com/CROCOP.  "Although I announced Yoshihiro Nakao as my first opponent in DREAM, this fight is not going to happen.  I'm not familiar with reasons and I won't be asking for any." Mizuno is a 3-2 Japanese judoka who's only fought in Pancrase.  He's bowed to any competition stiffer than a licorice stick. Short-notice gives Mizuno little time to prepare for the Croatian kickboxer short of getting fitted for a neck brace, which one hopes was written into his contract gratis. "The most important thing is that I'm going to fight on Saturday," Cro Cop assured, unflustered by the change. There was a time when the most important thing to the feared striker was proving himself against top competition in the sport; but, that has become but a DREAM. ...

Former PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix champion "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (22-6-2) has announced via his blog at www.mma-id.com/CROCOP that his 15 March DREAM opponent will be "Kiss" Yoshihiro Nakao (6-1). "Kiss" earned his tongue-in-cheek moniker after planting a wet one on "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring during the stare down before a 2005 K-1 contest. Herring promptly decked him, leaving Nakao stiff and unconscious on the mat.  "I'm not gay," Herring called out. ...

UFC President Dana White announced via letter to Croatian sports website Javno Thursday that he has terminated heavyweight Mirko Filipovic's contract pursuant to a clause that allows renegotiation after Cro Cop lost two consecutive fights. At the same time in Tokyo, Cro Cop shocked a press conference announcing the creation of a new Japanese mixed martial arts promotion called Dream. "I'm very excited to be here again," Cro Cop said.  "I'm so excited to be part of this." Cro Cop scored a single victory in the cage while disappointing twice, in a vicious knockout to Gabriel Gonzaga and a grueling tussle with Cheick Kongo. Cro Cop indicated he preferred fighting in a ring, but hoped to return to the Octagon one day. White welcomes him whenever he's ready. The 33-year old explained, "I left because I couldn't wait any longer.  I asked for a fight earlier, as early as March 1; but, I was offered May, or even later.  I asked for a rematch with Gonzaga in Zagreb; but, he lost to [Fabricio] Werdum, so that fell through.  And I'm in shape, I gained muscle mass, I'm 105 kilograms and I want to fight." Cro Cop's departure from PRIDE to the UFC in December 2006 was exciting, most predicting a virtual coronation as UFC Heavyweight Champion. Cro Cop, however, was unprepared for the Brazilian Gonzaga and uninspired versus the Frenchman Kongo, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of White, Cro Cop, and MMA fans. Cro Cop admitted, "The last two years I've been in some kind of mental blockade.  I was empty before fights, depressed, I hated myself.  I'm sorry to have disappointed my English fans who welcomed me like a king." Dream will be a homecoming of sorts, returning Cro Cop to his comfort zone. The promotion is a collaboration between ex-K-1 and PRIDE executives.  Norifumi Yamamoto, Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai, Gesias Calvancante, and Royce Gracie have all joined Filipovic at Dream. The Saitama Super Arena will host the first fight card March 15 when Calvancante and Aoki will finally showdown and Cro Cop will return versus an unnamed opponent. ...