A three-time title challenger for the UFC heavyweight crown, Pedro Rizzo has seen and done it all in the sport. While "The Rock" has seen better days throughout his 14-plus years as a professional mixed martial artist, having fought against some of the best fighters in the world including Josh Barnett, Jeff Monson, and Andrei Arlovski amongst others--all of whom Rizzo holds victories over--he is still the type of guy to become genuinely excited when a new fight is on the horizon. And in this case, Rizzo is all too familiar with both men, as fellow countryman Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort clash in February in a fight that Pedro not only has invested interest in, but a desire to watch an explosively exhilarating bout. ...

Pedro Rizzo is a lot of things. He's a pioneer in our sport, a knockout artist, proud Brazilian and an all around good guy. But one thing that the Nova Uniao product is not, is a UFC fighter. Once one of the most feared fighters to grace the octagon, a 20-something-year-old Rizzo was something that no heavyweight wanted to be in the cage with. Having knocked out the likes of Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, and 'Tank' Abbott in his early days within the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion mad the Brazilian one of the most recognizable fighters in the organization. Now, he's fighting his way to get back in and claim the glory that once sorrounded his name not all that long ago. ...

Earlier this week, Pedro Rizzo, a three-time ufc title challenger told Graciemag.com that with a win over Tim Sylvia in February, the Brazilian legend may be granted a welcomed return to the octagon. All this according to "The Rock" came from UFC President Dana White himself. Well Pedro, not exactly. ...

Both Tim Sylvia and Pedro Rizzo left the worlds largest mixed martial arts organization on their own accords. Rizzo, received a big push by the ufc and was sought out to be the promotion's heavyweight champion when he was granted back-to-back title shots against former champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Randy Couture. Unsuccessful in both his attempts, Rizzo would eventually exit the world's largest organization in 2003, on the heels of a two fight win streak with victories over Ricco Rodgriguez and Tra Telligman. Running a 9-5 record inside the octagon, "The Rock" looked to capitalize on his name in the world of mixed martial arts, and looked to replicate the same success he enjoyed in the UFC when he traveled overseas to the "land of the rising sun". According to Pedro, it would be the biggest mistake of his career. ...

Longtime veteran Vladimir Matyushenko has secured his spot with the MMA juggernaut that is the UFC. Since his inception into the world of mixed martial arts, Matyushenko has experienced the full gamut that the sport as had to offer, the highs and lows. The former IFL light heavyweight champion holds signature wins over Jamal Patterson, Pedro Rizzo and Antonio Rogerio Nogueria. He's challeneged for the UFC's 205-pound strap against then champion Tito Ortiz, was a contender in it's heavyweight division, but has never been able to secure a top spot in the organization. ...

Does Tito Ortiz still peak interest with MMA fans? How about Kazushi Sakuraba? Does the "Gracie Hunter" still make you wish you would have paid attention to Japanese manga more and bought a cheap leatard and called yourself a wrestler? Well, I didn't think so. ...

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. ...

“Big” Ben Rothwell (33-6) confirmed Wednesday to CagePotato that he has signed to face “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (16-8) at Affliction’s second show 11 October in Las Vegas, but not before some changes of plan were made. “[Agent] Monte [Cox] turned down their original offer for this fight, so that’s why he said none of his guys would be fighting on the show. Then they came back with another offer that was better, so we agreed to it,” Rothwell said. Both heavyweights were part of Afflction’s debut event in July; both fighters lost their fights. Rothwell was knocked out in round three by Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked heavyweight “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5). Rizzo was knocked out in round two by third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5). ...

From Russia with gloves, "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko(28-1) stamped his heavyweight dominance on "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-5) head in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, 19 July. His dismantling of "Big" Tim in 36 seconds earned him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, jumping from sixth and dumping Sylvia from third to seventh. The "W" strips naked UFC President Dana White's proclamation that all other promotions are the minor leagues, at least at north of 205-pounds. In fact, Emelianenko's victory makes clear that the Octagon hasn't been the proving grounds for the world's top heavyweights for quite some time. The UFC Champ, second-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), took a thrashing from Sylvia in February before tapping the two-time UFC titlist in a guillotine. Nogueira loses his Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, falling into the top contender spot, but a top contender whose register already records two UD losses to the new champ four years ago. Nog' is set to clash with un-ranked former UFC Champ Frank Mir (11-3) after Mir tapped rook' Brock Lesnar (1-1), which tells you all you need to know about the UFC heavyweight class. But, Emelianenko's new promoter, Affliction, is playing the name game too. ...

After knocking out "Rock" Pedro Rizzo (16-8) Saturday night in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, to avenge a 2001 knockout loss, "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) told the press that revenge isn't always sweet. ...

It only took 36 seconds for "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) to leave "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-5) laid out on the mat in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, Saturday night. Just thirty-six seconds to answer questions raised by Fighters.com about Emelianenko's two-year hiatus from top competition. At the bell, Sylvia exited his corner in an awkward, low crouch. Obviously...Emelianenko wasted no time blasting Sylvia with a left, right hook combo, followed by an uppercut. "I've never been hit that hard in my life," said Sylvia after the fight.  "He's not human." The "Maine-iac" dismantled to the mat; and, Emelianenko stuck in a rear naked choke that forced Sylvia to tap. After the fight, the Russian was nonchalant, but not arrogant about his destruction of one of the world's top heavyweights. The victory cemented him as the top heavyweight in the world, the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, and perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist ever. ...

"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) def. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (26-6) via submission (rear naked choke), 0:36 of round one. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (13-5) def. "Big" Ben Rothwell (33-6) via KO, 1:13 of round three. "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (26-5) def. Pedro Rizzo (16-8) via KO, 1:44 of round two. "The Machine" Mark Hominick (16-8) def. Savant Young (9-8) via submission (armbar), 4:25 of round two. "Babalu" Renato Sobral (30-7) def. Mike Whitehead (23-7) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27) "The Law" Matt Lindland (21-5) def. Fabio Negao (8-4) via unanimous decision (30-26; 30-27; 30-27). "Minotoro" Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (14-3) def. "Babyface" Edwin Dewees (35-13) via TKO, 4:06 of round one. "Quicksand" Mike Pyle (17-5-1) def. JJ Ambrose (8-2) via submission (rear naked choke), 2:51 of round one. "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort (17-8) def. Terry Martin (17-5) via KO, 3:12 of round two. "Head Hunter" Paul Buentello (26-10) def. "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge (23-18-1) via unanimous decision (30-27; 30-27; 30-27). ...

"[Affliction] should be happy to have me," Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (25-5) joked...I think...at an Affliction presser in Los Angeles Wednesday.   ...

The heavyweight division paces like a heavyweight slog.  I'm tempted to switch to a semi-annual evaluation...but not until after this weekend. There were a couple of shakers this month, but no movers. In London 7 June, seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) played a samba on "The Truth" Brandon Vera's (8-2) noggin for a first round TKO. Werdum remains the top contender to "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's (31-4-1) UFC Heavyweight Championship. Of course, Big Nog' is pitted versus struggling, but dangerous former UFC Champion Frank Mir (11-3) in a made-for-TUF match-up in October. Werdum will probably draw the winner of 9 August's eighth-ranked "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) versus Brock Lesnar (1-1) fight, maybe on the same October UFC card to build the follow-up versus the winners. Also in action this rankings period, tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) blew through confidence-booster Justin McCully (8-4-2) in Las Vegas 5 July to break a two-fight losing streak for the man who sentenced "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) down a spiral the Croatian has yet to ascend from. ...

Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight,current UFC co-Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Famer "The Natural" Randy Couture(16-8) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com from his Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas Monday afternoon. Couture graciously confronted and answered questions about his beef with the Zuffa, LLC and UFC President Dana White and third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-4) and his own prospective fight with sixth-ranked "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), shared opinions about fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-7), "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), and Brock Lesnar (1-1), and made picks on future fights. Fighters.com: You've said you've accepted that you might get a bad court ruling and not fight again. Have you lost some competitiveness from being inactive for so long? The Natural: I still want to compete. I'm still in training as much as I can be with all this other stuff going on. I still seem to be able to hold my own, even with the lack of serious, hardcore training, with all the top guys that I have in the gym. I'm having fun being in the gym learning new tools, new skills and being there with a lot of the other guys that have been there for me, so I'm not too worried about that. The courts are going to do what the courts are going to do. We'll deal with it when it comes in. Fighters.com: Not many fighters have wives who also train. Does that give you both a different perspective and more understanding? ...

In boxing rankings, champions have mandatory defenses versus the number one challenger and voluntary defenses versus a top-fifteen challenger. Through no fault of his own of course, Fighters.com's Heavyweight Champion "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) won't meet either threshold when he defends his UFC title versus Frank Mir (11-3). So, what's Fighters.com to do?  Second-ranked "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) admitted this week to Canada's Globe and Mail, "I'm also OK with the idea that [I may not fight again].  I may get a bad [court] ruling and I can't really see myself at this point going back and fighting two more times for the UFC if that's what the state says I have to do." Should 19 July's more competitive match-up between third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and sixth-ranked "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) be for Fighters.com's Heavyweight Championship? Both Sylvia and fourth-ranked "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) climbed two spots on fifth-ranked "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett's (22-5) inability to put away "The Snowman" Jeff Monson in Tokyo last month coupled with Barnett's submission of ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) falling off his two-year record. Of course, Arlovski officially announced today that he'll fight top heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5) 19 July.  Rothwell steps-in well-hyped from the IFL and Arlovski looks to shake out of his funk. Barnett returns on the same undercard to seek revenge from a 2001 KO loss versus now largely irrelevant "The Rock" Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and Aleksander Emelianenko fights "The Headhunter" Paul Buentello (25-10) in my pick for fight of the night in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles. This weekend in London, seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and returning prospect "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) will battle for the UFC's top contender spot. Eighth-ranked "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) will fill-in for injured "Hammer" Mark Coleman (15-9) versus the UFC's version of market-friendly "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar (1-1), in a fight that shouldn't even be sanctioned, but only a big lug like Herring could find a way to lose. In July, tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) has a lot to prove versus Justin McCully (8-3-2); and, McCully might be thinking the same thing. ...

SI.com reported Tuesday that middleweight "The Law" Matt Lindland (20-5) is likely to be matched versus Team Oyama's Fabio Negao (8-3) on the 19 July Affliction card. On Inside MMA 18 April, Lindland had floated "The Soul Assassin" David Terrell (6-2) and Brazilian Top Team leader Murilo Bustamante (14-7-1) as possible opponents. Even after setting the bar...there, a match-up versus Negao is likely to disappoint Lindland fans who haven't seen him fight since hurdling two weight divisions in a losing effort to Fighters.com's sixth ranked heavyweight "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) in April 2007. Negao would also enter the fight off a loss to BTT's "Toquinho" Rousimar Palhares (7-1) (who debuts in the UFC at 84) last December. Perhaps most notably, Negao won a UD over UFC welterweight "Jucao" Roan Carneiro (12-6) in 2006. The Affliction debut was rumoured to be taking place in Dallas, but now seems likely to be held in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles. Sherdog reported Tuesday that a rematch between third-ranked heavyweight "Babface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) and "The Rock" Pedro Rizzo (16-7) has also been added to the card. ...