Although I’ve only heard about it in passing, it appears that the BAMMA organization has quickly become a major force in Britain. In fact, their recent event featured Murilo Rua, the former PRIDE fighter and Elite XC Middleweight Champion, as well as the older brother of current UFC fighter and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua. Unfortunately, that main event ended with “Ninja” getting TKO’d and subsequently retiring. Read on for the full details as well as my thoughts on how this retirement strengthens my stance on “ring age”. ...

As the World MMA Awards of 2010 begin to loom closer and closer, UFC middleweight fighter Wanderlei Silva has made no secret who's vote he will be casting in, for trainer of the year. Rafael Cordeiro, Silva's former trainer for his Chute Boxe days, tops the list. The two have reunited this year when "The Axe Murderer" made a successful debut in the 185-pound division, after a long and storied career n the light heavyweight division, defeating Michael Bisping at UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia, with Cordeiro in his corner. Assisting him in the weeks leading up to the fight, Silva has acknowledged that training again with whom he calls his "Master", Cordeiro has replicated the same success in other fighters and will now assist Silva in bringing back the old Chute Boxe team once again. ...

For someone who once approached the upcoming video game “EA Sports MMA” with an incredible amount of hesitation, now more and more I’m thinking that October 19 can’t get here soon enough. In order to generate interest and encourage fans to open their wallets and put down a pre-order, EA Sports is revealing the entire roster of the game on a week-by-week, division-by-division basis. The Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight roster has already been revealed, and recently the Middleweights took center stage. EA Sports also recently revealed a teaser image of a famous venue that has yet to see a Mixed Martial Arts event. ...

Brazilian middleweight “Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1), brother of Fighters.com’s third-ranked light heavyweight contender “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4), will fight at DREAM.14 in Seoul April 24, according to Tatame. ...

“Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1), brother of Fighters.com's third-ranked light heavyweight contender “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4), and Falaniko Vitale (25-8) will matchup at Shine Fights third iteration tentatively scheduled for spring 2010. Rua is fresh off a TKO of Golden Glory’s Jason Jones (3-9-1) at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo December 12. Vitale has been on hiatus since losing a three-round decision to “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) at Strikeforce in Denver in October 2008. ...

Fighters.com's eighth-ranked middleweight “Ely” Paulo Filho (17-1) and “Ninja” Murilo Rua (18-10-1) earned victories at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo Saturday. ...

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger “Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-2) and The Pit’s Glover Teixeira (8-2) will matchup at Bitetti Combat 5 in São Paulo December 12, according to Tatame. ...

Former PRIDE 205-pound contender "Brazilian Tiger" Ricardo Arona (14-5) and former WEC middleweight champion “Ely” Paulo Filho (16-1) both rang up three-round unanimous decisions at Bitetti Combat in Rio de Janeiro Saturday night. Arona beat “Beastman” Marvin Eastman (16-10-1), who nearly missed the fight due to Brazilian visa miscommunications. The win was Arona's first MMA fight since getting KO'd in round one versus "African Assassin" Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4) at PRIDE 34 in Tokyo in April 2007. Arona had turned to professional surfing during his hiatus from fighting, but is now devoted to MMA. Filho, himself on course for a sort of comeback after a disappointing conclusion to his WEC stint last year, beat Alex Schoenauer (13-10) controversially. Filho's hometown crowd booed the judges' decision. ...

Okay...now “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) has officially jumped ship from the Bitetti Combat card in Rio de Janeiro 12 September and has been replaced by "Ninja" Murilo Rua (16-10-1), brother of Fighters.com's sixth-ranked light heavyweight and UFC title challenger "Shogun" Mauricio Rua (18-3).

Rua will fight Nogueira's intended opponent, “Brazilian Killa” Alex Stiebling (19-10-1), in what becomes a more evenly matched fight. Rua lost a two-round UD to Riki Fukuda (12-4) at DREAM 8 in Nagoya 5 April.

Stiebling lost by second round TKO to "Chteki" Moise Rimbon (12-8-2) at Bodog Fight 3 in Costa Rica in February 2007.
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American Top Team middleweight Benji Radach (19-4) knocked out "Ninja" Murilo Rua (16-9-1) at 2:31 of the second round Saturday night in Sunrise, north of Miami. Radach is expected to earn an EliteXC title shot versus fourth-ranked "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-4). "Man, I hit him so hard a lot of times," Radach said after the referee pushed him off of Rua after landing four unanswered punches to Rua's head as he lie on the mat. "Ninja" had stumbled after launching a flying knee and Radach fed him a straight right, then three right hooks. The finish resembled the entire fight: Radach landing sledgehammers to Rua's head. Rua was most successful on the mat in the first round when he worked a Kimura, then nearly locked in a heel hook until Radach rolled free. ...

EliteXC has confirmed several bouts for the 4 October event to air on CBS’s Saturday Night Fights, happening at the BankAtlantic Center near Fort Lauderdale, FL. UFC Hall of Famer and “World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (26-13-2) was named as “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson's (3-0) opponent for the night’s main event. Fighters.com’s third-ranked welterweight Jake Shields (21-4-1) will defend his EliteXC title for the first time against Brit “Semtex” Paul Daley (18-6-2). Benji Radach (18-4) will make his EliteXC debut against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1) in a middleweight match-up. ...

EliteXC middleweight Joey Villasenor (26-6) will fight in their 20 September event, possibly against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1), he told MMA Junkie Saturday. "It sounds like it's going to be in my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico," Villasenor said. "We’re just waiting on confirmation of who it's going to be [against]." "They keep on bringing up Ninja's name. They're bringing up other names, but Ninja is the one that is sticking out right now." Villasenor has won his last three fights, most recently against “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni (12-10) in May via first-round TKO. His last loss was by second-round TKO to Rua in June 2007, when they battled for EliteXC’s first-ever middleweight title. Rua lost the belt in his next fight in September to current champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) via TKO in round two. ...

Saturday night in Honolulu, EliteXC 160-Pound Champion "KJ" Karl James Noons(7-2) TKO'd challenger Yves Edwards (34-14-1) in 48 seconds. "I’m the champion and have the EliteXC belt," Noons declared after his impressive victory.  "I’ll fight anybody!" Noons may be destined for a rematch with the fighter EliteXC created the 160-pound division to crown as champion, Nick Diaz (17-7). ...

Jackson's Submission Fighting's Joey Villasenor (25-6) will replace "Ninja" Murilo Rua (15-8-1) on CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights 31 May, EliteXC announced. Villasenor has won twice since losing to Rua by TKO in June 2007.  He won a split decision over Riki Fukuda (9-3) and knocked out Ryan Jensen (11-4) last month. Baroni returns after losing an Icon middleweight title bout to Kala Kalohe Hose (6-1) in March. No explanation for the change has been given. ...