The main-event of the evening will pit welterweight standouts Chris Lytle against former title challenger Dan Hardy, though Stephan Bonnar and Karlos Vemola will not get lost in the shuffle.

For Bonnar, a win over Vemola will mean that he could still hang with some of the up and coming talent in the division, and for Karlos, a victory over a well respected veteran will vaunt him into the upper echelon of the division.

Bonnar, the season one finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter”, first tweeted the news of the bout stating “Who is karlos vermola? That’s ez, Bonnar’s next fight! Just released @Jon_anik and @ngaugeinc are the first 2 know. yeah dewd!!!”.

Subsequently, ESPN’s MMA Live host Jon Anik tweeted the same sentiments revealing “Looks like Stephan Bonnar’s next opponent will be Karlos Vemola on August 14th in Milwaukee. #UFC”.

UFC officials later confirmed that verbal agreements are in place for the match-up.

After a disappointing three-fight skid, Bonnar is now on the heels of two-fight winning streak. In his last outing, Stephan scored a unanimous decision win over the always dangerous Igor Pokrajac at “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale” last December in his own backyard of Las Vegas. The win came just a few short months after Stephan managed to exact revenge against Krzysztof Soszynski, finishing the Team Quest product with strikes in the second-round.

Now, Bonnar will face a stern test in Czechoslovakia’s own in Vemola, who on paper stands as one of Stephan’s worst match-up scenarios in the light heavyweight division. A juggernaut of a 205-pounder, Vemola made a successful debut in his new weight class when he soundly defeated veteran Seth Petruzelli on first-round strikes in a sort of gorilla-esque fashion. A 6-time national wrestling champion, Vemola has all the physical tools to be a top contender in the division in the very near future, and at just 25-years-old, he has all the time to do it.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the news? Who do you favor in this bout? Bonnar has the better credentialed Jiu-Jitsu skills and has experience on his side, but what Vemola brings to the table is pure strength, aggression, and relentlessness, which seems to have posed a threat all of his opponents. Karlos stands at 8-1, with all of his wins coming by stoppage inside of the first-round. Sound off in the comment section below.

We all know how fun it can be to watch Anderson Silva dump an upkick to the grill of Vitor Belfort or Jon Jones drop sledgehammer elbows to Brandon Vera‘s skull.  But hey, we kind of expect this, these are some of the best pound for pound fighters walking the planet.  So what about the fighters not always front and center of every MMA chit chat.  Well here are some guys, that rarely, if ever, fail to excite and entertain in the cage.

Hector Lombard (Bellator Middleweight Champion)

Known as the Mike Tyson of MMA, Hector Lombard is a chiseled bull swinging hammer fists in the first three minutes of the first round.  Only one of his last five fights (all wins) have made it past the first round.  Four of the five wins were stopped due to TKO or KO.  For me, Hector Lombard is appointment viewing.  Most often, you are guaranteed fireworks in the first round.

Anthony Pettis (UFC Lightweight)

We all know the – flying off the fence kick – to stop Benson Henderson and win the WEC Lightweight Title that still makes Top Ten lists on ESPN, yet this kid finds a way to be exciting wherever the fight goes.  He is one of the most active fighters off his back, never settling to just neutralize a hand or arm to prevent his opponent from doing damage.  He is always searching and probing for an offensive Jiu Jitsu move to score or finish.  His head kick to stop Danny Castillo was just a fun to watch as his triangle choke of Shane Roller.  Can’t wait to see how he deals with the frenetic style of Clay Guida ahead.

Melvin Guillard (UFC Lightweight)

The thing with Melvin Guillard is you don’t always see the excitement coming.   He can have periods of slower activity in a fight and then boom, drops the led  - fight over – as he did with Denis Siver and Evan Dunham.  If he has one more performance, like the Dunham fight, he will be in the top ten pound for pound chat and not on this list. He is a great striker, yet has the wrestling skills to defend an opponents wrestling which allows the fight to stay up.  This is the downfall of other great strikers, without high-level wrestling.

Joe Warren  (Bellator Featherweight)

Warren made this list off of one fight … his last win over Joe Soto.   I don’t know if he will ever be this exciting again.  Regardless, I will be watching his Bellator 41 fight tonight.  Against Soto, he was being dominated and almost finished in the first round.  Things did not look good heading to round two.  But, like the Strikefoce’s Scott Smith, when things look darkest, sunlight is usually a moment away.  Warren stunned Soto with a right and quickly finished the fight in the first minute of the second round.  It is this reversal of fate, amazing will to overcome that left the San Antonio crowd wowed and added one more follower to Joe Warren’s twitter feed.

Stephan Bonnar (UFC Light Heavyweight)

Ok, any long time MMA fan knows all about Stephan Bonnar and his legendary first fight with Forrest Griffin that put the UFC on the map …  as the ratings on Spike TV soared with every blow.  What excites me about Bonnar, is I know, in most of this bouts, the fight will become a brawl.  Not every fight he is in will be a total barnburner, water cooler material, but I know Bonnar is trying to take the fight to a space where it could become such a fight.  He is always pushing the fight into a brawling bloody clash of wills area, as he did in the Krzystof Soszynski 2 fight.  This makes me want to watch him fight more than a fighter looking to use his wrestling first or a counter puncher needing the opponent to engage first.  Bonnar is always angling for a war, which makes him good MMA entertainment.

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Who would you add to this list and why … there are more!

First we head to MMA Weekly, where a report indicates that the unofficial attendance for the TUF 12 finale stands at around 1,622. The live gate receipt was about $380,000. According to the report, these unofficial numbers come from UFC officials at the show’s post-fight press conference. The Nevada State Athletic Commission will release the official numbers in the next few days.

We then head to Sherdog for a report that reveals which fighters pocketed the traditional “Fight of the Night”, “Knockout of the Night”, and “Submission of the Night” bonuses that are handed out at the end of every UFC event. Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan both received the “Fight of the Night” award for their fight, despite the fact that it ended in a highly-controversial decision that saw Garcia the victor when an overwhelming majority felt that the fight should have gone to Phan. Preliminary card fighter Pablo Garza scored the only KO of the evening, but it was quite the vicious KO, so he rightfully received the “Knockout of the Night” award. “Submission of the Night” went to former TUF 12 contestant Cody McKenzie and his dreaded, patented Guillotine Choke. All four men received a $30,000 bonus for their spirited performances.

While I do think that Phan/Garcia was “Fight of the Night”, part of me suspects that this award was handed to them chiefly as a consolation prize. I’ve already said my piece on this fight, I’ve spoken about it at length in fact, so all I’ll say is that this fight typified the best and worst things about the UFC right now: it was an entertaining and fast-paced fight between two talented fighters that ended in a decision that absolutely went to the wrong man. I know this isn’t the UFC’s fault, as so many are quick to point out, but something must be done about this, and soon.

I was able to catch the Pablo Garza KO online, and I can say without hyperbole that it gave some of the Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu” KO’s a run for their money. The sound of Garza’s knee hitting his opponent’s chin was a big “jump out of your seat” moment. I really wish that fight could’ve made the main card.

Cody McKenzie’s guillotine was a good submission, but more and more I’m thinking that he’s a one-trick pony. It’ll be interesting to see how McKenzie does against either a high-level striker or a high-level submission expert. For now, though, who am I to criticize? He may have only one weapon, but so long as it keeps working, I can’t fault him for winning fights. It’s up to his opponents to prepare for the choke, but for now, McKenzie made a great UFC debut and scored himself a good win.

So, what about you fans and friends? Any opinion on the award winners, their fights, or the unofficial attendance and gate numbers?

Next for Leonard Garcia/Nam Phan: If you’ve followed this series, you’d know by know why I occasionally group two fighters together. For those new to “What’s Next”, however, here’s a brief explanation: I’m grouping them together because they need to fight each other. In order to get rid of all the controversy and the unfair criticism that’s been put on the shoulders of Leonard Garcia rather than on the ridiculous judging system, Garcia and Phan should be booked in an immediate rematch. Phan would more than likely win, true, but perhaps Garcia will finally get the respect he deserves for his vastly entertaining style afterward.

Next for Demian Maia: Why not a rematch with Nate Marquardt? It would be an important stepping stone for both men. If Maia is able to beat Marquardt, he’ll have avenged the defeat that, if we’re being honest, almost single-handedly proved that Maia was not all he was hyped up to be. Maia would stop scratching and clawing his way back to relevancy and would instead take a big step forward if he was able to beat Nate “The Great”. Conversely, another win over Maia would really help Marquardt stay afloat as he struggles to shake off his track record of looking excellent against lower-level competition and failing hard against top-division athletes.

Next for Kendall Grove: Obscurity, plain and simple. This is the last we’ve heard of Kendall Grove. Trust me, I know how harsh that sounds. But Grove’s time has simply passed. He’s going to be relegated to the UFC’s background fighters, the ones that win a couple, lose a couple, and never really emerge as anything more than cannon fodder. I truly believe that this was Grove’s last opportunity to try and establish himself as a top-division athlete.

Next for Stephan Bonnar: Bonnar will stay at the mid-level for the foreseeable future. The UFC knows exactly how to handle Bonnar: they give him good, mid-level competition known for striking and watch Bonnar entertain the fans as he lures his opponent into a wild brawl. Bonnar may have shifted that perception by focusing on his wrestling against Igor Pokrajac, but I think it’s going to take more than one fight for the UFC to change their booking philosophy.

Next for Michael Johnson: I think Michael Johnson has the ability to go very far in the UFC so long as he keeps training with Greg Jackson and company. Johnson is a great wrestler with some pretty decent power in his hands. He’s got all the tools., right now he just needs an expert craftsman. It may take a year or two, or even three, but Johnson has a great amount of potential and could conceivably compete at a top-division level one day in the future.

Next for Jonathan Brookins: Brookins’ situation is very similar to Johnson’s: the raw talent is there, he needs to find a good camp that suits him well in order to properly hone it. What Brookins needs most right now is a good boxing camp, for two chief reasons. One, Brookins swings with a lot of power but lacks the finesse to outright KO his opponent. Two, he fights with his chin so far up in the air that it may as well have a target painted on it and flashing lights pointing towards it. All the pieces of the puzzle are there, so long as Brookins has the drive to put them all together and a good camp behind him to help him along the way, his future is very bright.

So, that’s what my inner Nostradamus has to say, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”?

Jonathan Brookins defeats Michael Johnson via Unanimous Decision. Stephan Bonnar defeats Igor Pokrajac via Unanimous Decision. Demian Maia defeats Kendall Grove via Unanimous Decision. Ricky Story defeats Johny Hendricks via Unanimous Decision. Leonard Garcia defeats Nam Phan via Split Decision. Dave Branch defeats Rich Attonito via Unanimous Decision. Pablo Garza defeats Fredson Paixao via KO (Knee) at 0:51 of Round One. Nick Pace defeats Will Campuzano via Submission (Modified Choke) at 4:32 of Round 3. Cody McKenzie defeats Aaron Wilkinson via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:03 of Round One. Ian Loveland defeats Tyler Toner via Unanimous Decision. Kyle Watson defeats Sako Chivitchian via Unanimous Decision.

Underwhelming. I hate to say it, fans and friends, but when compared to its competition, that’s exactly what this event was. Strikeforce: “Henderson vs. Babalu” had four straight KO finishes that were all televised on the main card. This event didn’t have four finishes period. Now, this is not to say that a KO can redeem a bad fight… Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipovic pretty much killed that train of thought. And a fantastic all-out war of attrition can indeed beat an epic KO. But the simple fact of the matter is that none of that happened. None of the Strikeforce fights that ended via KO were boring leading up to that KO. And none of the fights on the TUF 12 card stood out as particularly epic brawls.

This is not to say the event in and of itself was bad, however. Judged purely on its own, this was actually quite a nice night of fights and a worthy send-off to what I felt was one of the best seasons of TUF in recent memory. Demian Maia kept himself afloat with a good, solid win over Kendall Grove. Stephan Bonner used his wrestling, his wrestling of all things, to crank out a very good, winning performance against Igor Pokrajac. And despite the fact that even the announcers were quick to point out how many rookie mistakes both Jonathan Brookins and Michael Johnson seemed to be making, at the end of the day both men put a lot of heart and effort into their fight.

In all honesty, the one thing that disappointed me the most at this event were its fans. I say this without hyperbole: I was disgusted by the reaction Leonard Garcia received at the end of his fight. It completely undermined the strong performance he gave, and it ruined a very entertaining fight. Garcia was putting every ounce of his heart and soul into that performance, he was swinging for the fences from the first second of the fight until the last horn, and this fight is the second time in recent memory that he’s nearly been boo’d out of the arena.

That doesn’t sit right with me, fans and friends. Not by a long shot. I understand why fans were upset, this was yet another fight in the increasing list of fights that seems to point towards the MMA judging system as a whole being flawed beyond repair and in need of a drastic overhaul. But take that up with the judges, don’t boo the talented men and women that put every ounce of their being into a performance. Because when you do, it completely belittles the performer. And it makes you look like a complete jackass.

So, fans and friends, all in all it’s a big bag of mixed feelings for “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”. At least, that’s how it ended up for me. But what about you? What did you think of this event?

All but one fighter, WEC veteran Nick Pace, were successful in making weight on their first attempts.

Pace was eventually deducted twenty-percent of his purse when he was unable to lose the additional 3 pounds which was required to reach the 136-pound limit of the bantamweight division.

Finalists Jonathon Brookins and Michael Johnson made 154 and 156 pounds, respectively, on their first attempts. It’s interesting to note that Brookins is a 2-1 favorite heading into the lightweight affair, however prior to the show has regularly competed as a featherweight, which in turn speaks volumes on his skill.

Both Demian Maia and Kendall Grove tipped the scales at 186 pounds even for their middleweight affair, which is featured as the co-main event of the evening.

The main event, the original finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” Stephan Bonnar at 205 pounds in incredible shape, ironically both the leanest and biggest he’s looked in any of his most recent fights–where conditioning has never been an issue with the Las Vegas native. His opponent, Igor Pokrajac also came in at 205 on the nose tremendous shape as well.

Here are the rest of the weigh in results as presented by MMAJunkie.com, whom were on site for the event.

MAIN CARD

* Jonathan Brookins (154) vs. Michael Johnson (156)
* Stephan Bonnar (205) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205)
* Kendall Grove (186) vs. Demian Maia (186)
* Rick Story (170) vs. Johny Hendricks (171)
* Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (146)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Cody McKenzie (154) vs. Aaron Wilkinson (155)
* Ian Loveland (145) vs. Tyler Toner (146)
* Kyle Watson (156) vs. Sako Chivitchian (156)
* Will Campuzano (136) vs. Nick Pace (138)*
* Pablo Garza (126) vs. Fredson Paixao (125)
* Rich Attonito (185) vs. Dave Branch (185)

Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac: It’s going to get dirty, fans and friends. Real dirty. Heinously dirty. By the time this one is through, look for both men’s faces to be swollen and blood-stained. I’m picking Stephan Bonner because he always shines brightest in these types of fights: wild brawls where his opponent usually has good KO power but somehow just can’t get the job done against “The American Psycho”. Stephan Bonner wins by Split Decision after three fantastic rounds of action.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Michael Johnson: This is a fight that’s going to be ridiculously tough to call. Both men are very talented and showed some amazing potential in their numerous TUF 12 fights. I think Johnson has the better chance on paper, but Brookins is just so unorthodox. My gut and head are in firm disagreement on this one. In the end I’m a fan of the sport first and foremost, so I’m going with who I want to win and picking Jonathan Brookins to take a close Split Decision and become the TUF 12 Champion.

Demian Maia vs. Kendall Grove: I think a fellow fighters.com writer said it best when he said that this fight is “win or become irrelevant”. Honestly, where do these two go from here if they lose? Kendall Grove has been chasing Middleweight relevancy since… well, let’s be honest, he’s never stopped chasing Middleweight relevancy. If he loses this fight, I think Demian Maia has earned his place in the “what could have been” column. This fight will force both men to come out with their best, and Maia is simply a better all-around fighter than Grove. Maia wins by submission in Round 2.

Johny Hendricks vs. Rick Story: This is another fight that’s really tough to call. Both men are on pretty impressive win-streaks, Story’s stands at four while Hendricks has a flawless 9-0 record that includes wins in both the WEC and the UFC. Both men have shown a willingness to engage, so I think we’ll see this one eventually turn into a stand-up war . With that in mind I’ve just got to favor the undefeated fighter that has more (T)KO’s on his record than his 11-3 opponent. Johnny Hendricks wins via TKO in Round 2.

Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan: You really can’t ask for a better show opener if this fight does indeed start the night out. It’s a fantastic fight on paper, both men have incredibly solid chins and some serious power in their punches. With absolutely no disrespect meant to the man, I honestly don’t see Phan having the kind of punching power necessary to (T)KO Leonard Garcia. I also think Garcia is so well-versed as a high-level fighter that the experience gap between these two will be too much for Phan to handle. It’s going to be an awesome brawl, but Leonard Garcia wins by Unanimous Decision.

And that’s it for me, fans and friends. Now it’s your turn: how do you see everything turning out once this live night of fights gets underway?

The Event: “The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs Team Koscheck Finale”, commonly abbreviated as “The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale”, takes place on December 4 from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will be broadcast live on Spike TV.

Why You Should Care: The “Ultimate Finale” event is the live finale to any given season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, so we’re looking at a live, free night of fights that caps off an entire season of great reality TV. If you’ve followed the season this far, you owe it to yourself to see who ends up becoming the TUF champion. If you haven’t followed the season at all, you’re still in for a good night of fights by some very talented UFC fighters.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: How can you not like Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac for a main event? Try and remember the last time Stephan Bonner had a boring fight. He’s lost some big ones, of that there can be no doubt, but has the man ever not entertained and not given his all? Against a veteran striker like Pokrajac, we’re more than likely going to be treated to a three-round war of attrition that sees both men absorb and dish out crazy amounts of damage.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Jonathan Brookins vs. Michael Johnson to crown the “TUF 12” Champion is an interesting match-up for several reasons. Both men are very gifted on the ground, and both are pretty good with their hands too. Johnson is a highly orthodox wrestler, while everything about Brookins, from his fighting style to his personality, screams “unorthodox”. We always see the final TUF fight bring out the best in both of the finalists, and if their performances in the lead-up to this final showdown are any indication, this could be the Fight of the Night.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It’s a free night of fights featuring a variety of different fighters, fighting styles, and personalities. You’ve got established UFC stars, up-and-coming UFC stars, stars from TUF 12, and even stars from the WEC. It’s a night that’s loaded with action and, on paper, many of the fights have amazing potential.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: There’s a pretty big reason why you shouldn’t watch this card, but it has nothing to do with the card itself. Strikeforce’s “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” will take place on the same day and at more-or-less the same time, so you’re faced with a tough decision if you’re a fan of multiple promotions.

Closing Thoughts: I hate to pick sides, but I stand by my previous “Crash Course”, where I said that I think “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” is the better pound-for-pound card. Make no mistake, though, in just about any other situation I’d be hard-pressed to urge against watching this show. If you’re a UFC fan through and through, this is the obvious choice and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the slightest. And even if you’re a Strikeforce fan, at the very least this show deserves an occasional channel-flip. It’s going to be a great night of fights on December 4.

So, what about you fans and friends? Have you picked a side yet?

5. Leonard Garcia vs. Tyler Toner

Watch this one for the simple fact that Leonard Garcia always shows up to entertain and gives consistently amazing performances win or lose. It’s going to be awesome to see him back in the UFC, and the opponent he’s facing is no slouch either. Toner is 10-2 with six knockouts, so this has all the makings of a wild, can’t-miss brawl.

4. Stephan Bonnar vs. Igor Pokrajac

It’s got a lot of the same appeal of Garcia/Toner, but this one ranks higher because it involves two bigger names and two arguably better brawlers. Bonnar’s true potential doesn’t come through until he’s bloodied up, and he’s all too willing to take two to give one. Pokrajac has seven losses, twenty-two wins, and plenty of (T)KO victories. While Garcia/Toner will be a great and wild brawl, this one will be a bloody and entertaining war of attrition.

3. Scott Smith vs. Paul Daley

I don’t think it’s likely that we’ll see this one going past the first round, and I’d be shocked if it got past the second. Someone is going to get knocked out and it’s going to be brutally entertaining to watch. Look for “Semtex” and “Hands of Steel” to be throwing bombs from the first second of the first minute. This fight, above all the others on the list, has the potential to end the quickest, but that’s rarely a bad thing when you’ve got two heavy-handed power-punchers going in and swinging for the fences from the very start.

2. The TUF 12 Finale Fight

It’s the culmination of an entire season’s worth of drama, effort, tough fights, humbling defeating, and amazing victories. I don’t know who’s going to fight in the finale, but I do know that the finale is always the can’t-miss fight of the show. I look forward to seeing which TUF hopefuls end up fighting for the big prize on the main stage. Regardless of who ends up vying for the UFC contract, look for it to be a very exciting fight.

1. Dan Henderson vs. Renato Sobral

In the end, I just had to go with this pick. This fight has an amazing amount of potential, and it’s a fight between two highly-decorated former champions that both want to win and win big in order to set up a comeback. Not only does this fight have the biggest name-value stars, it also has the most potential given how multi-dimensional both fighters are. This one could go everywhere, it could end at any moment, and it’s definitely a worthy main event.

And what about you, fans and friends? Which side are you choosing, or do you plan to watch both shows simultaneously? Also, which show do you think is the better one?

The long time UFC competitor splits his record inside the octagon at a pedestrian 6-6–though his losses have come to tough competition such as Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, and Rashad Evans to name a few.

Prior to his last bout, the Las Vegas native had gone on a three-fight losing streak in the UFC. While returning from an extended lay off due to injury, Bonnar became Jon Jones’ inception into the big time, where at UFC 94: St Pierre vs. Penn 2, Stephan lost a lopsided decision to the 205-spitfire.

Following his loss to Jones, Bonnar trended in a loss once again to another talented, though a succumbing to age, wrestler: Mark Coleman. The fight largely showed case Bonnar’s inability to defend the take down, which was also on display in fights with the aforementioned Jones and most notably with former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

Bonnar suffered an additional loss to Krzysztof Soszynski, though in controversial fashion. After a back and forth two rounds at UFC 110, “The Polish Experiment” accidentally clashed heads with his fellow TUF veteran, opening a cut that was deemed fight ending, and Bonnar picked up his third-straight loss. Bonnar attempted to appeal the decision, but The Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales, which was prompted to oversee the UFC 110 event in Sydney, Australia deemed the appeal inadmissible.

The 33-year-old returned to his winning ways, when in his rematch with Krsysztof at UFC 116 last July, Bonnar was able to put a definitive end to the bout, blasting the Team Quest fighter with a knee to the head, followed his downed opponent with punches and bunches, and the fight was stopped midway through the second round.

Bonnar will now try to go two in a row inside the cage when he meets Croation, Igor Pokrajac. The 31-year-old who hails from Zagreb and is part of the Croation Top Team is on the heels of his first win inside the UFC, after succumbing to a two-fight losing streak inside the octagon to notables Vladimir Matyushenko in his debut at UFC 103, then to James Te-Huna at UFC 110 in Australia.

Igor defeated the hot-and-cold James Irvin by way of rear naked choke in his last UFC appearance at “UFC Live: Jones vs Matyushenko” last August–inside of the first round, picking up his first win in three tries in the worlds biggest promotion.

News of the proposed match-up was first reported by ESPN’s: MMA Live show, anchored by the smooth Jon Anik.

“The Ultimate Fighter” 12 finale will be the culmination of a season shared by welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and top contender Josh Koscheck. The two are expected to meet for GSP’s 170-pound title at UFC 124, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the Bell Centre.

The TUF 12 finale is expected to take place on December 4th, at the Palms Casino Resort, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bonnar would decidedly have the home field advantage, though the TUF veteran is well traveled and endeared by many.

So, how do you, the MMA community, feel about the 205 match up? Bonnar should be the decided favorite, though Pokrajac should not be overlooked. Lets your opinions heard below.

Jonny Bones has utterly destroyed every single opponent he’s ever faced. The only person to ever beat Jon Jones has in fact been Jon Jones, when Jones lost his head for a moment and landed some illegal elbows to Matt Hamill which forced those in charge to disqualify Jones. Jones dominated Stephan Bonnar like no one had ever dominated him before, he’s only one of two men that have ever (T)KO’d Brandon Vera, and he currently holds the record for the quickest (T)KO win over thirteen-year veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, a record that was held by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski since 2003. I hate to say this, but I think Brandon Vera may be a bit bitter that Jones is realizing his potential as a superstar when Vera himself was in this same position a few years ago, only to hit some very hard stumbling blocks and ultimately fail at becoming a big-time star. Whereas Brandon Vera was touted as the future of the Heavyweight division and failed to live up to such acclaim, Jon Jones has done everything in his power to prove once and for all that he is definitely the future of the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division.

And remember, this is all coming from someone who went against the grain and predicted that Matyushenko would be the one to beat Jones. Instead, Jones gave us arguably the best performance of his career and seemed to have it all too easy finishing off a man that started fighting as a professional Mixed Martial Artist when Jon Jones was ten years old. I honestly don’t see Jones’ domination ending anytime soon, even as he finally transitions into fights with the super-elite of the Light Heavyweight division. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jon Jones is “the chosen one” destined to bring about an end to the string of UFC Light Heavyweight Champions losing the belt in their first few fights. Jones will likely have his string of quick, all-out dominating finishes brought to a halt when he’s matched up with people like Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, or Mauricio Rua, but I gotta say: I think Jon Jones could win every single one of those fights.

In all honesty, I think Brandon Vera may be a little jealous, a little green with envy, when it comes to Jon Jones. I think a Jones/Vera rematch doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless Vera gets some good wins under his belt, but I wouldn’t mind seeing it if Vera works his way back up. If Vera truly believes he can beat Jon Jones, actions always speak louder than words. I think Brandon Vera can work his way up to a rematch with Jon Jones if he tries hard enough, but until then, Vera is just stirring the pot and trying to keep his name out there while he heals up from the elbow Jones hit him with that broke his face in three places.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Does the prospect of Jones/Vera II appeal to you?

With an opening like that, which earned both him and Gouveia “Fight of the Night” honors, the sky appeared to be the limit for the Croatian sensation, who has trained alongside legend Mirko “Cro Cop”.

However, a 2-year lapse would follow where Goran had suffered from a serious back injury, putting him out of commission, and out of the minds and ears of the fans and media alike.

Following his return, it marked a first for the Croatian, who began his career as a heavyweight eventually paring down to 205. Goran returned to the UFC after having successfully healed from injury as a middleweight, against “The Ultimate Fighter” season 7 finalist, C.B Dollaway.

Unsuccessful in the return, Goran was taken down repeatedly by the collegiate wrestler, who trains alongside standouts Aaron Simpson and Ryan Bader out of Arizona Combat Sports. Goran would make another run at 185, this time against season 4 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Kendall Grove.

The decision while controversial by some accounts, went to the favor of the Hawaiian, giving Goran his only his second loss.

Now it appears that Reljic will try his luck again at 205, against one of the biggest men in the division, Krzystof Soszynski.

The former body builder and self proclaimed “Polish Experiment”, has found some success in the UFC’s crowded 205-pound division, and was in early talks to becoming a serious contender when he stormed through with three consecutive victories since leaving the 8th seasons of “The Ultimate Fighter”. With wins over Stephan Bonnar and Brian Stann anchoring his career highlights, The Canadian will prove to be Goran’s toughest test yet.

UFC 122 is expected to take place sometime in November, marking the UFC’s second trip to Germany, where Croatians run rapid.

So, was Goran’s move back to 205 made too hastily? How do you like his chances against the “Polish Experiment”?

All signs point to a third loss and a UFC pink slip following his walk away from the cage.

In an era where reality television shows were getting increasingly insane in their gimmicks in order to cash in on the success of such runaway shows as Survivor (see: Joe Millionaire, Boot Camp, etc. etc.), The Ultimate Fighter was so simple that it actually became quite the breath of fresh air: a bunch of fighters have to live in a house with each other and ultimately fight each other. They’re split into two teams, each team led by a big-name UFC star. They’ll learn from the best, train with the best, and try to live with each other despite the fact that they’re all competing for the same thing: a six-figure UFC contract. For a reality television show, there were relatively few gimmicks. And that’s one of the main reasons the Ultimate Fighter proved so successful: the UFC effectively worked past the stigma of MMA fighters being ruthless animals by presenting real, candid footage of how these talented men think, train, live and breathe.

That’s not to say that the first season was without controversy. We’re talking about a cast of fighters that included Diego Sanchez and Chris Leben, after all. “TUF” established from relatively early on that there will always be one or two attention-hogs that desperately want their fifteen minutes of fame. But honestly…the jackasses are part of what makes reality TV so much fun. It just makes the moment when they finally gets what they deserve all the sweeter. And while a bunch of fans may have tuned in the first time to see what crazy thing Chris Leben would do next, they kept tuning in because of the great fights and engaging fighters.

It all culminated in what is perhaps the biggest coming-out party in North American MMA history. An induction in its own right, TUF Season 1 ended with a stellar war of attrition between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, the headline of a show that would ultimately pull a 1.9 rating, which was completely unheard of for a Mixed Martial Arts show. Many of the TUF 1 alumni would all go on to have stellar careers in the UFC, with quite a few competing and in some cases winning UFC gold.

Let’s not sugar-coat it, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 was a gamble. But it paid off beautifully. It set the precedent that MMA fighters are real people, real athletes. Some are crazy, some are funny, some are stupid, some are just there to hog the camera…but at the end of the day, everyone had their turn to fight in the cage and prove themselves to both their coaches and the nation. TUF Season 1 broke down barriers, it paved the way for the UFC’s current reign of dominance, where they stand virtually unchecked as the biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the world. It all had to start somewhere, and for the UFC, it started with TUF. And that’s a “Great Moment in MMA History”.

Other additions to the main card were “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) versus ninth-ranked light heavyweight “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (34-10-1) and “The Experiment” Krzysztof Soszynski (20-9-1) and Stephan Bonnar (11-7) rematch.

Fights for the un-aired prelim card were also made official. Brendan Schaub (4-1) versus Chris Tuchscherer (16-2), “Da Spyder” Kendall Grove (11-7) versus Goran Reljic (8-1), “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (28-17-5) versus Matthew Brown (11-8) and Jonathan Madsen (3-0) versus Karlos Vemola (4-0).

Rumors had been flying around about Akiyama and Silva meeting inside the Octagon for well over a year. This fight is one the MMA hardcore are very excited about and a fight that will have the casual fan on the edge of their seats. This very well could win “Fight of the Night” at UFC 116.

The MMA world was buzzing after the fight between Bonnar and Soszynski ended in a TKO victory for “The Experiment”. Bonnar suffered a nasty cut on his head that came from an inadvertent headbutt but the referee ruled the cut stemmed from legal strikes. Bonnar appealed the decision and shockingly the Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales decided not to overturn the decision even though there was clear evidence of the headbutt. Now they get the chance to go back to war and the fans are hoping the result will be much different this time.

Bonnar needs a win here as he has lost three straight and five of his past seven. His opponent is 7-1 in his past eight fights with only one loss in the UFC. That loss came via a unanimous decision to “Truth” Brandon Vera (11-5)back in 2009 at UFC 102.

The entire UFC 116 card as of this release:

MAIN CARD

Champ Brock Lesnar vs. interim champ Shane Carwin (heavyweight title-unification bout)
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Wanderlei Silva
Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropoulos – rumored
Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson- rumored

PRELIMINARY CARD

Brendan Schaub vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Matt Brown vs. Chris Lytle
Kendall Grove vs. Goran Reljic
Jon Madsen vs. Karlos Vemola

Bonnar had appealed his UFC 110 loss to The Ultimate Fighter 8 light heavyweight “Polish Experiment” Krzysztof Soszynski (20-9-1) in Sydney February 20.

The fight was stopped at 1:04 of round three by the doctor after Bonnar’s wig was split due to an accidental headbutt.  Bonnar appeared to be winning the exciting fight up to the accidental headbutt.

Bonnar immediately appealed for the fight to be ruled a no contest and has lobbied for a rematch.  According to reports, Bonnar and Soszynski will rematch at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale in Las Vegas June 19.

The WEC, a Zuffa owned company, has always done well in the production department but last night they made a huge error in using “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (11-7) as on air talent. We usually find Fighters.com third-ranked Frank Mir (13-4) behind the mic but due to his upcoming fight they needed to bring in another person. Bonnar looked wide-eyed when the camera was on him and generally made me want to turn away from the television. He creeped me out to be completely honest. Then to have to be subjected to his commentary, it was as if someone was punishing me. The pick of Bonnar confuses me as he is not a huge star and I am sure with all the fighters that had already planned on being in Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold’s Sports Festival someone better suited could have been found. Hopefully the next time Frank is training for a fight they can find anyone other than Bonnar or else I will have to listen with the television on mute.

Once again the quality of most of the fights was top notch. There was the exception of the fight between LC Davis (15-1) and Deividas Taurosevicius (12-4). This fight offered little in the way of quality action with most of the fight taking place against the cage in the clinch. Normally I love good clinch work and some dirty boxing but this fight seemed to drag on as I was sitting there hoping for it to end and did not care how it ended, unlike the main event.

The main event featured WEC champion Brian Bowles (8-1) taking on Dominic Cruz (14-1) in a fight many thought would be a knock out victory for Bowles. Sadly the fight did not exactly go as fans and media would have liked. No one likes a fight to be stopped for an injury. It leaves you feeling unsatisfied and not confident that the win is actually a win. I do understand that the doctor can stop a fight at any time and it is their job to keep the fighters safe. Having said that, at the end of the second round I was excited and looking forward to the rest of this war. Then I hear Bowles can’t continue and was sitting there in disbelief. I am sure Bowles was feeling worse than any of us as he just lost his title and was not knocked out, submitted nor did he lose a decision. That is a hard pill to swallow both for the fighters and the fans albeit part of the sport.

We also witnessed what may be the end of a legend when “Lil Evil” Jens Pulver (22-13-1) lost last night in the first round via armbar to “Showtime” Javier Vazquez (13-4). Jens was working hard on the ground and I was actually impressed with some of his reversals and escapes but Javier was just to much and you knew if Jens could not get back to his feet eventually he would get submitted. No one likes to see a legend in any sport go out with five losses in a row and seven of his last eight. We tend to cheer for guys like Jens but sometimes it happens. I know I will miss seeing him inside a cage and hope to see him get a job with the WEC. Maybe he can fill in for Frank Mir next time so we can all be spared.

One of the highlights of the night was the fight between Joseph Benavidez (9-1) and Miguel Torres (36-3). Torres came into the fight with something to prove after losing his title to Bowles at WEC 42. The mark of a champion is after all, how they rebound from defeat. Torres is a good but not great striker but his ground game is excellent. It was amazing to see him get submitted via Guillotine Choke in the second round. I look forward to watching him fight again as I think these losses are great learning experiences and will fix some of the holes in his game.

All in all I was once again impressed with the WEC and Reed Harris. It was without a doubt a great show on an amazing weekend in Columbus, Ohio.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Cain Velasquez (242 lbs./110 kg)

Wanderlei Silva (184.8 lbs./84kg) vs. Michael Bisping (184.8 lbs./84 kg)

Joe Stevenson (154 lbs./70 kg) vs. George Sotiropoulos (154 lbs./70 kg)

Keith Jardine (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Ryan Bader (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

“Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (233.2 lbs./106 kg) vs. Anthony Perosh (215.6 lbs./98 kg)

Stephan Bonnar (204.6 lbs./93 kg) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (204.6 lbs./93 kg)

Chris Lytle (169.4 lbs./77 kg) vs. Brian Foster (171.7 lbs./78 kg)

C.B. Dollaway (184.8 lbs./84 kg) vs. Goran Reljic (184.8 lb.s/84 kg)

James Te Huna (205 lbs./93 kg) vs. Igor Pokrajac (205 lbs./93 kg)

Randy Couture is a fighter that I admire and have a hard time picking against but he is not near the top of the division. How can a fight against Coleman, a man not in the top ten of the light heavyweight division, suddenly put Randy in the top five? If Mark had beaten a top tier fighter in his last fight then I might be able to see an argument for it but his win was over Stephan Bonnar (11-6) whose last win inside the Octagon was in October of 2007.

The light heavyweight division is not a weak division. If it was not so stacked with guys ready to make title runs then putting Randy in their makes sense.

Currently you have guys like “Little Nog” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) and “Bones” Jon Jones (9-1) making a splash in the division and the top spots held by Fighters.com and UFC light heavyweight champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) and “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4). Rounding out the top five is “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1) in my opinion. This leaves Randy on the outside of the top 5 at the very least. That does not include the fact that Fighters.com and UFC middleweight champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) has fought a few fights in that division and has to be considered a contender.

I can easily put Randy in the top ten of the division but that would be it for now. He has slowed a bit with age and doesn’t get his punches off as fast nor are his take downs as explosive. The only way to see exactly where he fits in the rankings is to put him in a fight with someone like “Bones” Jones, “Little Nog” or even Anderson Silva.

Silva has a fight coming up against “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) and with Randy fighting as often as he has been this fight would be to far out for it to be the next fight for Randy. It is a fight that would bring in massive pay-per-view numbers though. The man many feel is the pound-for-pound best in the world versus Captain America is an easy sell.

Who should Randy fight next in order to keep moving toward a title shot in the future? Would Jones be to much for him? Maybe a fight with Thiago Silva (15-2) who is coming off a loss to Evans at UFC 108 would be smart.

No matter who Dana White and Joe Silva find for Randy to fight, I am sure many will say it is a fight Randy can’t win but history shows it is never smart to count out Randy Couture.

There are many fans and journalists of MMA that look at men like Randy and Mark and see old guys that are to stubborn to know when to tap out of a sport they have been apart of for over a decade. I see men who still have that drive to fight and believe that they can still stand inside the Octagon with the men half their age.

Randy has shows time and time again that you can never count him out. He lost at UFC 57 to Fighters.com eighth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) and after that fight many thought Randy was done and that he should retire. His next fight saw him move up to the heavyweight division to fight for the title against”Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (25-6) in Columbus, Ohio at UFC 68. His detractors said he was old, had not done well at heavyweight in the past and that Tim was just to much for the old guy. Then as if out of spite, Randy shocked the world by knocking Tim done in the first exchange of the fight. Nationwide Arena was on their feet and rocking and through five rounds became what I believe to be the loudest crowd at an MMA fight in the history of the sport. Randy won a unanimous decision, the UFC heavyweight title and some respect that night. Moments like this are what sports are all about.

Mark Coleman is a legend in the sport as well and has had some of the best fights in the sport in Pride and the UFC. His return to the Octagon was one many cringed at due to the fact that Mark looked run down, only a fraction of the fighter he was once. He changed some training methods and decided to get back in the Octagon once again. He lost his “Welcome Back” fight at UFC 93 against third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)in a fight that ended in a TKO but was very lackluster in that both fighters seemed to be running on empty after the first round. It was back to the drawing board for Mark and fans spoke loudly about his inability to compete in the UFC at his age. UFC 100 rolled around and Mark was facing The Ultimate Fighter fan favorite Stephan Bonnar (11-6). Shocking almost everyone in the sport, Coleman won a via unanimous decision. He was back and ready for war once again.

This week we have heard rumors of yet another legend in MMA coming back to the UFC to do battle inside the Octagon. The always rousing “The Predator: Don Frye (20-8-1) was talked about by Dana White in a report from the Bleacher Report. Dana said “I’m not saying Don Frye’s coming back to fight in the UFC,” What I’m saying is, Don Frye’s coming back to dominate the UFC. I called Don Frye and asked him if he was in fact coming back to the UFC. He told me he could not lie to a man of the cloth (although my title is Reverend it is merely for the sake of marrying friends) so he would not comment on that question. Don’s silence on the issue leads me to only one conclusion, he will be back inside the Octagon if for nothing else than for a one fight deal. I can see Don stepping inside the Octagon after the Coleman and Couture fight to challenge Coleman. After all, he did lose to him back at UFC 10: The Tournament via TKO due to punishment.

Don is such a popular fighter amongst the hardcore fans that many will love seeing him back as he is a fighter that displays true grit and told me on MMA Gospel Radio that it is a fighters job to not tap. You fight until you lose and never give up. How will the casual fan that may not remember Don Frye see his return?

Yet another fighter in his middle 40s trying to hang with the boys or as a grizzled veteran hungry for more and ready to once again go to war? Guys like Don Frye, Mark Coleman and Randy Couture dominated the sport at one time and I feel they still have that fight like Randy versus Tim Sylvia in them to bring the crowd to their feet and make us rethink our opinion of legends getting back to action. They have been the elite in the sport at one time and in my opinion they always will have that level of commitment and the shear will to keep fighting and hold on to that status.

Bonnar fought most recently at UFC 100 in Las Vegas July 11, losing by three-round unanimous decision to former UFC heavyweight champion “Hammer” Mark Coleman (16-9).

Soszynski’s last fight was at UFC 102 in Portland August 29 where he also lost a three-round unanimous decision to “Truth”  Brandon Vera (11-3).

On 15 August at the Britannia Arms in San Jose, Arlovski will join “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (7-2), Cung Le (6-0), and Jon Fitch (19-3) to “Knock Out Dog Fighting”.

Known as the “Pitbull”, Arlovski has long been a defender of man’s best friend. His own best friend’s name is Maximus.

You can RSVP for the event, which will be from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, at:

http://www.arlovski.com/events/knock-out-dog-fighting-charity

On 22 August at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, the former soldier known as “Captain America”, Couture, will host a Texas Hold-Em poker tournament to benefit his charity, the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation. Fighters.com has supported Couture’s foundation by the Xtreme Couture Operation Freedom 5k Run in May 2008.

You can play with Couture, “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (25-7), “American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (11-6), and “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (19-6) in Couture’s poker tournament. More information is available at:

http://www.xtremecouturegifoundation.org

Bonnar described Jones as “pretty strong, explosive, and young,” but said, “I got more experience and I’ll take care of business.”

Bonnar will be returning to the Octagon for the first time since he TKO’d “Red” Eric Schafer (10-3-2) in the second round at UFC 77 in October 2007.

He has been recovering from surgery after suffering a serious knee injury during training in February.

Jones won his UFC debut in August with a unanimous decision over Andre Gusmao (5-1), a fight he took on short notice.

Clips of a reunion special filmed recently at the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas will air throughout the marathon.

TUF 1 cast members involved in the reunion are Fighters.com’s Light Heavyweight Champion and current UFC champion Forrest Griffin (16-4), Chris Leben (18-4), “American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar (11-4), Josh Koscheck (11-2), “Rock” Nathan Quarry (10-2), “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (10-3), “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez (19-2), Bobby Southworth (9-5), and “Quick” Mike Swick (12-2).

The reunion special will be hosted by Joe Rogan, and UFC President Dana White will also be on hand to discuss the impact the show has had on the UFC and on the sport of mixed martial arts.