A proposed bout, that was beginning to intrigue my fancy, between lightweight standouts Antonio McKee and Shinya Aoki has since been scrapped from the upcoming DREAM event. The promotion was set to make it's anticipated return for "DREAM 17: Fight for Japan", which is set to kickoff on May 29th at the Saitama Super Arena Hall in Saitama, Japan. The event is set in conjunction with several charities in an effort to help expedite the relief efforts to aid the since fallen country. McKee, a recent UFC cast out, recently spoke about the bout and officials made it official earlier this week, however now Antonio will be forced to withdraw from the event thanks to circumstantial issues that will not allow him to compete in Japan. ...

Since his release from the ufc, Antonio McKee's next move has been a big question mark. The former MFC lightweight champion, Antonio was originally expected to make his return to the Maximum Fighting Championships earlier this year in a title bout against the resurgent Drew Fickett, however a subsequent knee injury left him unable to accept the bout. Inevitably, MFC stripped McKee of his title and they will now pit Fickett against fellow UFC veteran Hermes Franca for the now vacant 155-pound title. While the promotion suggests that the vacation of Antonio's title was "mutual", McKee suggests otherwise, however in the meantime the 40-year-old will return to action come this May to take on "The Baka Survivor", Shinya Aoki. ...

As DREAM 17 begins to loom closer and closer, the promotion is now adding several new bouts to the upcoming event, which will coincide with several charities in order to help with the relief efforts for Japan, following the many disasters that have since ravaged the land, totally damages in the billions for the land of the rising sun. What better way to help then to add one of Japan's most well-known commodities in grappling ace Shinya Aoki to the card, as he will now be taking on UFC veteran Willamy Freire in the upcoming card. DREAM 17, the promotion's first foray back into the mixed martial arts world following it's last event in December of last year: "Dynamite!! 2010", will take place on May 29 at the Saitama Super Arena Hall in Saitama, Japan. ...

While Japan has seen better days, with the country having recently been ravaged by tsunamis and earthquakes galore, one thing remains strong, and that is the mixed martial arts community. We've seen that first with the recent Strikeforce event, where three of Japan's best participated on the card, with DREAM's featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya, lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, and perennial contender Tatsuya Kawajiri all in action. Though the participants left the the event with mixed results, with Shinya Aoki the only one emerging victorious with a first-round submission win over lightweight prospect Lyle Beerbohm, DREAM hopes to give an extra push towards Japan's relief efforts by holding their May event side by side with various charities. And said event will also feature the organization's inaugural bantamweight grand-prix, which will feature many notable fighters. ...

Last Saturday, arguably strikeforce's most successful event went off without a hitch, as two of the organization's more dominant champions successfully defended their titles before an electric crowd in San Diego, California. Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez, teammates under the infamous Cesar Gracie brand, were both successful in their respective title bouts, with Diaz laying claim as one of the best and most dangerous welterweight fighters in the world with his first-round TKO over UFC castout Paul Daley, and Gilbert with his highly anticipated rematch with Japanese sensation Tatusya Kawajiri, which resulted in a one-sided TKO win for "El Nino". While the two men were perhaps among the nights most impressive winners, they were also among the top-earners for the entire event. ...

While the submission in of itself wasn't a gogoplata, or an omaplata, or even a flying arm bar, it was an impressive submission victory nonetheless. The "Baka Survivor" Shinya Aoki has long been reveered as one of the top lightweight fighters in the world, having defeated a bevy of the sports elite fighters, including the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Joachim Hansen (to name a few), he has not been able to make his mark over here in the United States. Aoki had his chance this past Saturday when he reentered the Strikeforce cage for the second-time, taking on then 16-1 lightweight prospect in Lyle Beerbohm on the main-card of the Showtime televised card. And though many were banking on Beerbohm to record the upset win, Aoki proved his naysayers wrong as managed to make successful second-first impression, earning his first win under the Strikeforce banner. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another new edition of “Best of the Rest”! I really enjoy taking the time to give my detailed thoughts on a show after watching it, but after the serious discussion and debate I’ll raise in topics like “Top 5 Best Moments” and “Best Performance of the Night”, I think it’d be nice to have a tongue-in-cheek topic where I give out some other “awards”. It’s all in good fun, so don’t take any of it too seriously. So let’s dive right into this latest edition, now featuring Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

Strikeforce’s recent “Diaz vs. Daley” event featured several big finishes from some of Strikeforce’s brightest stars. And above all else, it was Team Cesar Gracie that showed their dominance, with Gilbert Melendez dramatically finishing Tatsuya Kawajiri while Nick Diaz became the first man to ever legitimately TKO Paul Daley. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about in the following weeks? Here’s my take on the matter: my top 5 best moments of Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley” was an interesting event to say the very least. It was a night of fights that featured brutal stoppages, fantastic submissions, and one very controversial Majority Draw. Now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after “Diaz vs. Daley”? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

The first Strikeforce “Arena Series” show held under the Zuffa banner took place tonight, and “Diaz vs. Daley” is now in the history books. It was a night of fights that started big and got progressively bigger. Two championships were on the line tonight, and several amazing finishes occurred throughout the broadcast . Here are the full results as well as some early commentary on Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

We’re now only a couple of days away from Strikeforce’s “Diaz vs. Daley” event. It’s a live, free night of fights on the Showtime network that I’ve spent a lot of time talking about. And for good reason: it’s a stacked “Arena Series” show with two dominant champions taking on two very worthy challengers. But now it’s time for my final say: this is another “Finally Final Thoughts”, covering my last, assorted thoughts and feelings before “Diaz vs. Daley”. Let’s get to it. ...

On April 9, 2011, Strikeforce will hold its highly-anticipated “Diaz vs. Daley” event, featuring Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz defending the belt against one of the hardest strikers anyone at 170 could possibly face: KO machine Paul Daley. Also, Gilbert Melendez returns after an extended hiatus to defend his Strikeforce Lightweight Championship against Keith Jardine. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to watch Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

We’re now only a few days away from Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley. In the main event, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz looks to successfully defend his belt for the third time (which would make him the most dominant champion in Strikeforce history) by beating challenger and notorious bad-boy Paul Daley. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez returns after almost a year off to make the second defense of his championship, this time against Tatsuya Kawajiri. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring Strikeforce: "Diaz vs. Daley". ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley” ...

Former welterweight title challenger KJ Noons will now be returning to the lightweight division. The native Hawaiian was originally expected to square off against budding contender Jorge Masvidal, however with the recent tragedies in Japan, it looks like KJ may have the opportunity to put himself right back into title contention as he is now back in camp, preparing for a possible showdown with top prospect, Lyle Beerbohm. "Fancy Pants" was originally expected to face off with DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, however the Judoka's participation in the contest has come under question after his native Japan has seen a series of tragedies occur, including tsunami's and earthquakes galore. ...

Although strikeforce fans will have to wait longer than originally expected for the second half of the opening round of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix to get under way, Strikeforce has still plenty left in their arsenal besides big names like Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum. In fact, Strikeforce recently confirmed four matches for their upcoming April 9 event, with each one sounding absolutely awesome on paper. Here’s the latest on Strikeforce: “Diaz vs. Daley”. ...

It only just happened, but Ryan Couture is now an undefeated 2-0 professional MMA fighter. The son of the legendary Randy Couture, Ryan fought a tough three-round battle against an outmatched Lee Higgins at Strikeforce: “Challengers 14”.. Even though Higgins staved off several submission attempts and worked through several close calls, in the end this was a fight that was all Ryan, almost all the time. But what does this mean? Is Ryan Couture ready for the main stage? Here’s my answer to that question: my top 5 opponents for Ryan Couture. ...

A previously rumored bout that was originally intended for the DREAM promotion may be coming under the Strikeforce banner after all. Josh Thomson, the former Strikeforce lightweight champion, was previously rumored to be facing current DREAM lightweight titleholder Shinya Aoki at last year's year-end extravaganza dubbed "Dynamite!! 2010". However Aoki ultimately fought in an exhibition bout with K-1 fighter "Jienotsu" Nagashima, losing by knockout in the second-round of their mixed rules match. Thomson inevitably faced off against perennial top contender Tatsuya Kawajiri that night, losing a dominating decision to "The Crusher". Now, both Aoki and Thomson could face off in a pivotal 155-pound match-up targeted for Japan. ...

Shinya Aoki is having a hard time finding some consistency in his life as of late. The DREAM lightweight champion ventured to unfamiliar territory last year when he came state side to challenge current Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez for his lightweight strap, however the submission specialist was unsuccessful in doing so and in the end lost a shut-out decision. He returned overseas with a strong showing against perennial contender and rival Tatsuya Kawajiri, submitting his fellow Japanese countryman with an achilles lock inside of the first-round. He would go on to rattle off another two wins to secure a three-fight win streak, however was embarrassed when DREAM decided to pit their best grapplers against one of K-1's best strikers in Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima at the promotion's annual year-end extravaganza, where the world ranked lightweight was knocked out in the second round of the exhibition bout. Well it looks like Aoki has now had about enough of DREAM and Japan altogether. Hello, Strikeforce. ...

The past couple of years have been a long and bizarre experience for Japanese MMA star Shinya Aoki. Aoki stands out as one of the few MMA stars that have been to both sides of the fan spectrum: he spent much of his career as a baby-faced Japanese idol, beloved for his warrior spirit, incredible heart, and amazing submission skills. One broken appendage and one extremely spiteful post-fight celebration later, Aoki became one of the biggest bad-boys in Japanese MMA. After being subjected to plenty of scorn and intense mockery following his embarrassing defeat at the K-1/DREAM super-show “DYNAMITE!! 2010”, a new report states that Aoki may be considering retirement. Here are all the details. ...

And we’re back for the epic conclusion to the series that will soon take the internets by storm: What If MMA Fighters Played Call Of Duty? In the first part of this groundbreaking event, we saw how five prominent MMA fighters were very similar to five prominent ways to play any number of games in the amazing Call of Duty franchise. Up next is five more inductees into this exclusive club of CODly goodness. Let’s dive right in to Part 2! ...

Japanese fans were treated to a bit of a second Christmas today, as the traditional MMA/K-1 New Year’ Eve super-show “DYNAMITE!!” continued to prove why it’s seen as the be-all and end-all in Japanese MMA year after year. No less than Alistair Overeem, Shinya Aoki, Gegard Mousasi, and Kazushi Sakuraba all competed at the event, with some coming out of the event much better than others. And to continue a tradition of my own, here’s the latest edition of “What’s Next”, featuring DREAM/K-1’s “DYNAMITE!! 2010”. ...

Who wants to wait a day for their MMA action? While most American fans are eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s UFC 125: “Resolution”, Japanese MMA fans were treated to a stacked card featuring MMA, K-1 kickboxing, and even a few “mixed rules” fights. “DYNAMITE!! 2010” has now come and gone, and several important fighters made several important statements at the massive year-end 2010 event. Highlights included Alistair Overeem dominating in classic Overeem fashion and Shinya Aoki being KO’d. So let's get right to it: here are the full results to DREAM/K-1’s “DYNAMITE!! 2010. ...

Aoki is believed to be a cerebral fighter. His brilliant submission skills is evidence enough of his effectiveness as a mixed martial artist in today's day and age. For a fighter that is so one dimensional, Aoki still finds a way to dominate overseas and is universally considered one of the best lightweight fighters in the world for his accolades. Shinya is currently the reigning DREAM lightweight champion, and a 7-year veteran of the sport. So why in the hell did he accept a special rules bout with a K-1 striking star, with the first round being contest under kickboxing rules? ...

Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson has seen the ups and downs of his career. Now, on the cusp of another crack at the title he lost against rival Gilbert Melendez since going two-straight inside the Strikeforce cage, Thomson will risk it all on a whim when he faces perennial top-10 fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri. Though the fight is a big one in of itself, Kawajiri was not originally in the cards for Thomson, as Josh's original opponent Shinya Aoki was pulled from the match for a more popular fight with K-1 kickboxer, Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima in a special-rules match up at this year's Dynamite!! show. ...

The famed New Year's Eve “DYNAMITE” show in Japan has traditionally been one of the most star-studded events of the year, combining both K-1 and MMA fights into one super-show that usually sells out arenas with ease. But this December, Japanese fight fans won’t be able to look forward to seeing one of their biggest stars get a shot at both revenge and redemption. According to a new report, Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki 2 has now been officially scrapped from the upcoming “DYNAMITE 2010” card. Here are all the details. ...

With the limited number of quality opponent's to adhere to Melendez' request, Scott Coker finds himself in a bind. The Strikeforce CEO has put "El Nino" through the ringer, and he has delivered each and every time. Having defeated the likes of Tatsuya Kawajiri, Rodrigo Damm, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Josh Thomson and now Shinya Aoki last April, Melendez is looking for new and exciting quality opponents. While a third match with Thomson, who has recently bounced back from the loss to his fellow Californian native last December with two consecutive wins over Pat Healy and "JZ" Cavalcante, would be appealing to fans, it's something that Melendez has openly criticized, wanting to face new competition. With a potential fight with Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez dangling in the wind after Bjorn, the organization's CEO, and Coker have had it out in the media, the back and forth has nearly solidified the fact that the two parties may never come to an agreement. ...

Although Bellator FC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez stands out as the fighter most talked about in regards to next opponents, when it comes to strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez nothing is certain. It had been rumored that Melendez would rematch DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki at the annual end-of-year Japanese super-show “DYNAMITE”. Aoki famously lost to Melendez stateside at Strikeforce: "Nashville" earlier this year. But according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, there’s a large possibility that Melendez/Aoki 2 won’t be happening now that rumors of fiscal irresponsibility have begun to plague DREAM. ...

Deep 50, which was a historic event in the promotion's history, went without a cinch. Largely unknown to the uneducated fan, but Deep has become a staple in the Japanese MMA movement for years. Made evident by it's home grown star, Shinya Aoki, the promotion has helped produce some of Japan's greatest rising stars and has cemented it's place in the Japanese mixed martial arts industry, especially with Saturday's night of fights. (or Sunday morning, depending on where you are) The promotion was in rare form, when it was able to secure some of the biggest names in the sport for one night, and what a night it was. ...

A staple in Japan's growing featherweight division, it looks like the former UFC veteran could be making his mark once again in the U.S. After losing back-to-back fights in the UFC's lightweight division against standouts Matt Wiman and Thiago Tavares (respectively), Omigawa then decided to try his hand in the 145-pound weight class. Though his debut was spoiled by none other than "The Korean Zombie" in a DEEP event in 2008, the talented Judoka practitioner has since rattled off an impressive 8-1-1 record, with his only loss coming to the hands to former Sengoku featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara in 2009, in an attempt to vie for the then vacant title. ...