For the first time in his career, Tyson Griffin’s future is uncertain. The twelve-fight UFC veteran never fully matured into the title contender many thought he would one day become when he first entered the UFC, but for the most part, Griffin is an exciting fighter that boasted a pretty high win/loss ratio. Now he’s lost his last three fights, and was KO’d for the first time in his career back when he fought Takanori Gomi in August 2010. It’s recently been announced that Griffin may follow in the footsteps of many of his contemporaries and seek a drop down in weight to rejuvenate his career. ...

From lightweight contender Tyson Griffin most recently suffered his third consecutive defeat inside the octagon last Saturday when he faced talented wrestler Nik Lentz. Serving on the preliminary portion on the nights pay-per-view event, which is something that is uncommon for Tyson who has become a fan favorite since his inception into the ufc back in 2006, Griffin's loss to Lentz wasn't without controversy. After three rounds of action, the bout went to the judges score cards and Nik was awarded a baffling split-decision win. ...

In a duel between former champions, light heavyweight's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida are now officially set to face each other later this month, serving as the headliners for UFC 123. The 11-bout card has been made official by the promotion today, including two-televised Spike TV bouts serving as the lead in for what is shaping up to be a good night of fights. Along with the highly anticipated light heavyweight match up, a pair of former welterweight champion's are set to face one another for a third time in order to put to rest a rivalry that has lasted for over 7 years, when BJ Penn meets UFC Hall of Famer, Matt Hughes in the co-main event of the evening. ...

Former ufc Welterweight Championship contender Dan Hardy was controversial before he posted an internet rant railing against UFC fighters who do nothing but score takedowns and do nothing with them. But the resulting fervor surrounding his comments quickly added to Hardy’s bad-boy image. Nate Marquardt and Shinya Aoki would get in on the action, with Marquardt decrying Hardy while Aoki agreed with him. Well, fans and friends, prepare for Round 2 in the “Wrestling in MMA” debate, since Dan Hardy recently posted another heated column once again attacking wrestlers in the UFC, and he even took some shots at Marquardt and internet journalists. ...

It wasn't all that long ago that Tyson Griffin appeared in the front lines of a short list of contenders for the UFC lightweight title. However following consecutive losses (the first in his career) to standouts Evan Dunham and former Pride Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi (who knocked out the Xtreme Couture product in the first round), respectively, Griffin finds himself fighting for his spot not only in the lightweight division, but in the UFC. ...

The UFC’s choice to air select preliminary fights from select Pay-Per-Views free on Spike TV remains a novel idea that should work in theory but has rarely worked in practice. For one, new programming is generally more interesting to watch than repeats, so new UFC as opposed to old Spike TV reruns should be a formula for success. Also, these are preliminary fights to major Pay-Per-Views, so it should be a great incentive to get fans to order the Pay-Per-View itself. It’s a win-win for both Spike, who can look forward to a ratings bump, and the UFC, who can look forward to a buyrate bump. However, the recent UFC 118 preliminary fights delivered the lowest ratings yet seen for these “Prelims Live” specials, putting the entire effectiveness of the process in doubt. ...

When one goes to the buffet at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas on a Sunday morning, you look forward to tasting a range of great offerings, from the French Toast and Filet Mignon to endless dessert options.  The diner is attracted to the diversity of possibilities and chance to execute on those options.  If all that was offered were toast and potatoes, the allure would not be the same. Now, what does this have to do with MMA?  Well, it serves as a metaphor of sorts.  When UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and President Dana White are contemplating a match-up, I can imagine all the possibilities they might envision the two different fighters will bring to the Octagon and the array of skills that could be on display for fans to consume.   On paper, I am sure they thought George St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy would thrill with Hardy throwing bombs and St. Pierre working his diverse tool kit of stand-up and ground skills.  On paper, I am sure they thought Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves would excite with Alves' dangerous hands vs. the ground game of Fitch. On paper, I am sure Silva and White even thought the range of talents between Andre Winner and Nick Lentz at UFC 118 would offer a national Spike-TV audience lots to consume across the spectrum from wrestling to head kicks. As it turned out, all those fights gave fans was a great big serving of toast and potatoes. ...

As UFC 119 looms closer, the promotion has made official one more card on the bout. 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. ...

Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked lightweight “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (12-4) and former PRIDE champion “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-6) both made the lightweight limit for their matchup at Fight Night 21 in Charlotte Wednesday night. ...

UFC lightweights “Saint” Rob Emerson (10-8) and “Carny” Nik Lentz (14-3-2) will matchup at UFC Fight Night 21 in Charlotte March 31, according to MMA Junkie. Emerson won a unanimous decision over "Filipino Assassin” Phillipe Nover (4-3) at UFC 109 in Las Vegas February 6. Lentz fought to a draw with Thiago Tavares (15-3-1) at UFC Fight Night 20 in Fairfax January 11. ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked welterweight Josh Koscheck (13-4) will follow-up his first-round knockout of “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-7) at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19 with a challenge from propsect Mike Pierce (6-1) at UFC Fight Night 20 in Virginia January 11, according to an MMA Junkie report. ...

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. ...