I think we all saw this coming whether we’d like to admit it or not. This was Hague’s comeback fight, and while some may say that this was done too hastily, I think it’s something that had to happen. Normally it raises a few eyebrows when a fighter is let go after only one loss, but in Hague’s case, this is realistically his fourth loss. I won’t discredit what Hague did outside the Octagon, winning two straight fights by back-to-back KO is certainly a good enough record to justify getting a shot back inside the UFC.

But Tim Hague just had nothing for Matt Mitrione. I don’t think Hague would have been released if he had made it more of a fight, but as tough as Tim Hague is, Mitrione made it look easy to beat him. And one of the quickest ways to go from a UFC fighter to unemployed is to be finished dramatically in your comeback fight. Hague isn’t the first example of this trend, he’s simply the most recent.

I certainly do wish the man all the best, though. He may not be able to compete at a UFC level in the here and now, but as he himself recently said, he’s only 27. Tim Hague’s future is far from over. It’ll probably take more than a two-fight win-streak in order for Hague to be invited back into the UFC, but as the saying goes, anything is possible in MMA. Who’s to say that Hague won’t be able to once again find new life on the regional circuit? Hague even seems to be tossing around the idea of cutting to Light Heavyweight, which could be a very interesting career move. A drop down in weight has reinvigorated the careers of many MMA fighters, after all.

At the end of the day, I’m not particularly surprised, nor am I outright upset that Tim Hague was released by the UFC. I’m a fan of blunt honesty, and to be bluntly honest, Hague wasn’t cutting it. That doesn’t mean he’ll never be able to cut it, it just means that right now the UFC is not the place for him to be if he wants to do better than 1-4 (his record in the UFC). Yet I can certainly empathize with the man. I definitely wish him all the best and hope he pulls it all around one day.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on the UFC releasing Tim Hague?

Coming off of an impressive win over former UFC fighter Travis Wiuff, knocking out the near 80-fight veteran inside of the first-round, it looked like Hague had finally put everything together in order to be successful in the organization’s ultra-talent-rich heavyweight division.

However, the native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada instead went on to disappoint when he suffered a first-round TKO to rising prospect Matt Mitrione last Saturday at “UFC Fight for the Troops 2″. In turn, the loss also posed the reason why he was released yet again by the worlds largest mixed martial arts promotion.

This marks the third-time that the heavyweight star has been released from the promotion. Following a 1-2 run inside the octagon with consecutive losses to Todd Duffee and Chris Tuchscherer on the heels of his lone win over Pat Barry (first-round guillotine choke), he was let go from the UFC, however was later resigned when the organization needed a late replacement for the tough Joey Beltran last May.

Hague was then on his second-leg, however lost a close decision to “The Mexuctioner” and was subsequently released from the organization.

After a two-fight win streak outside of the organization (the aforementioned Wiuff as well as a knockout win over Ultimate Fighter veteran Zak Jensen), he returned to the UFC against Mitrione, however with the loss and subsequent release thereafter, it might be sometime before the Zuffa company will be calling for the Canadian for any immediate duty.

“After getting released from the UFC again today, I’m gonna take a little break away from MMA, let the brain heal from my concussion, and get the passion/fire back. Even toying with the idea of trying a cut to 205″, said Hague via his personal Facebook page.

Though the UFC pink slip is crushing in of itself, Tim stayed relatively jovial about the whole experience and believed that he could soon be returning in the future if he plays his cards right.

“I will be back though, I’m only 27, and I will make it back to the UFC,” said Tim.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Should Tim have been cut so decisively and quickly? Well, 1-4 results inside the cage is certainly not anything to gawk at. Do you think Tim, who regularly weighs-in about 256-pounds, could make the light heavyweight division? Sound off in the comment section below.

Coming to us courtesy of MMA Weekly, Mitrione recently said the following: “For this fight, I wanted to emulate Dominick Cruz…  I love the way you fight brother, you’re elusive, and I wanted to be just like that… I can’t say where this really puts me as far as my progression as a martial artist… I haven’t really had the chance to capitalize or really see where my ground game is…  I know as a stand-up guy I can really let ‘em fly… I’m just saying I don’t exactly know where (my ground game) is. I prefer to trade leather, I’d prefer to let my shins and my hands fly.”

For someone who was known as “Meathead” during his time on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, Mitrione sure has progressed considerably. I think the sky’s the limit for Matt Mitrione, and I can’t wait to see how he does against the UFC’s best. It will be very interesting to see whether or not a higher level of competition will finally be able to give Mitrione the early-career setback that some hot prospects have fallen victim to, or if Mitrione is destined to become the next Jon Jones or Junior dos Santos.

Moving forward, I think the key here will be finding ways to test Mitrione in all areas of the game and against an increasingly-higher level of competition. In a recent post I speculated that Mitrione’s next opponent should be Pat Barry, and I definitely still stand by that claim. I think this would be a great fight, since Mitrione has shown a lot of skill as a boxer while Barry is most dangerous when he’s given room to utilize his experiences as a kickboxer. It would definitely be quite exciting to see how Mitrione’s punches match up to Barry’s leg kicks.

I think Mitrione should also face a ground expert and/or submission specialist sooner or later, though the Heavyweight division seems to be lacking them for the most part (although, now that I think of it, Sean McCorkle may be a good candidate). The two best Heavyweight ground specialists, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, are probably a bit higher than the skill level Mitrione should be facing right now. A fight with either of those two would be the equivalent of getting thrown into the shark tank: Mitrione has a chance of winning, but his chances of losing would be at their highest. I think Mitrione would take a fight with Mir or Nogueira without hesitation, but I also think that that’s not the type of fight he needs to be having right now.

So I say give Mitrione another striker, but one that’s at a higher level than any he’s faced before. Other potential opponents include Cheick Kongo, Brendan Schaub, or even Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin. But no matter what the future holds for Matt Mitrione, I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on him and I look forward to seeing him continue to evolve into a complete Mixed Martial Artist.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Mitrione’s comments, and what do you think the future holds for him?

We head to the only and only Sherdog for the official list of medical suspensions for UFC “Fight for the Troops 2”. According to the report, Matt Mitrione is suspended indefinitely due to an injured left hand and must be cleared by an orthopedist. Williamy Freire is also suspended indefinitely due to injuries to the right hand and right cheek and must be cleared by an orthopedist and facial surgeon. Finally, the following three fighters were all suspended until February 22 as a precaution: Evan Dunham, Tim Hague, and George Roop.

Mitrione’s injury shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who saw him fight, since the man himself stated that he was almost positive that he had broken his hand in his post-fight interview. I look forward to seeing Mitrione bounce back from this injury and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the surging Heavyweight talent. Even though he’s still a newcomer, Mitrione has come a long, long way from his days as “Meathead” on the tenth season of the popular UFC reality TV show “The Ultimate Fighter”. I truly believe that big things are in store for Mitrione, so I wish him a healthy and speedy recovery.

And of course, I wish the same to all of those who were injured on “Fight for the Troops 2”.

I’m also very thankful that this event wasn’t plagued by the same string of injuries that plagued the first “Fight for the Troops” event. If you’ll recall, fans and friends, several fighters had to be outright hospitalized following their fights at the event. And to top it all off, the first “Fight for the Troops” event saw arguably the most heinous broken limb ever seen in an MMA bout, as Corey Hill literally had his leg snapped in half after his opponent, Dale Hartt, checked a leg kick.

So, all in all, it seems as if “Fight for the Troops 2” was a resounding success. The event likely raised a large amount of money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which is a fantastic cause run by a group of wonderful people. The UFC shined on its Facebook stream, giving fans four free preliminary fights with little-to-no hiccups in quality. The main card broadcast on Spike TV featured a varied cast of characters, from submission experts to knockout artists to veteran all-rounders. There was something for everybody and it all went to a great cause, and I’m very glad that “Fight for the Troops 2” turned out to be such a good show.

And what about you, fans and friends? Any general thoughts on “Fight for the Troops 2” or these medical suspensions in particular?

Next for Mike Thomas Brown: What a difference a year or two can make. Has it really been that long ago that Brown seemed to be ruling the Featherweight division with an iron fist? Brown is now 1-3 in his four most recent bouts, and the future is looking quite grim. In all honesty, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was announced in the next several days that Brown has been fired from the UFC. If not that, then Brown will have one last shot on yet another preliminary card. It’s do-or-die time for Mike Brown no matter who he faces next.

Next for Cody McKenzie: McKenzie hit a bump in the road, but he’ll be back and better than ever. For his gutsy performance against Yves Edwards, I think McKenzie will be bumped up to the main card of a UFC “Fight Night Live” event, although the quality of his opponent will likely remain the same. McKenzie may have lost the fight, but he gained a lot of respect in the eyes of many, so his job is definitely secured for the time being.

Next for Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. They both playfully called each other out during their post-fight interviews, and since they both won their fights in dominating fashion, I think this would be a great scrap and could even headline a “Fight Night Live” event. Both men are hungry to prove themselves worthy of entering into the Heavyweight elite, and whoever wins this fight would take a big step in the right direction.

Next for Mark Hominick: The toughest test of his career, but one that he’ll be prepared for. Hominick is now staring down a shot at Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship, and I honestly can’t think of a better fight to properly introduce UFC fans to the phenom that is Jose Aldo. This fight has “Fight of the Year” written all over it, so when it happens, I’m predicting that I’ll tune in and be amazed. Regardless of who wins, this is going to be an epic fight.

Next for Evan Dunham: A rematch with Sean Sherk, unless the injury bug bites Sherk once again. If not “The Muscle Shark”, Dunham should probably face another middle-tier Lightweight. Dunham needs a tough opponent to prove he’s still relevant, but he also needs an opponent that he stands a chance of winning against. It would prove more if Dunham kept throwing himself into the shark tank, but for now, perhaps the best way to keep himself afloat is to go back to fighting middle-of-the-road competition in order to get his career on stable ground.

Next for Melvin Guillard: Whatever is next, it’s going to be big. Guillard is going to be on Pay-Per-View in his next fight, and it’ll probably be against someone like Kenny Florian, Jim Miller, or George Sotiropoulos. For better or worse (and it’s hard to say “worse” considering how awesome he looked against Evan Dunham), Guillard has now thrown himself “into the mix” in the UFC’s Lightweight division. He’s now on the shortlist of possible championship contenders, so expect his next few fights to be a series of “contender eliminator” encounters.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think the future holds for the big winners and losers of “Fight for the Troops 2”?

Melvin Guillard defeats Evan Dunham by TKO (Strikes) at 2:58 of Round 1. Matt Mitrione defeats Tim Hague by TKO (Strikes) at 2:59 of Round 1. Mark Hominick defeats George Roop by TKO (Strikes) at 1:28 of Round 1. Pat Barry defeats Joey Beltran by Unanimous Decision. Matt Wiman defeats Cole Miller by Unanimous Decision. Yves Edwards defeats Cody McKenzie by Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:33 of Round 2. DaMarques Johnson defeats Mike Guymon by Verbal Submission (Body Triangle) at 3:22 of Round 1. Rani Yahya defeats Mike Brown by Unanimous Decision. Waylon Lowe defeats Willamy Freire by Unanimous Decision. Charlie Brenneman defeats Amilcar Alves by Unanimous Decision. Chris Cariaso defeats Will Campuzano by Unanimous Decision.

Once again I found myself really enjoying the UFC’s “Prelims Live” outings. The UFC took to Facebook to stream four free fights, and for the most part, the broadcast went off without a hitch. The opening bout (Lowe vs. Freire) was a bit of a misfire, but when you consider the fact that you had three other fights to balance it out, it was a stream well worth watching. In particular, I really enjoyed the fight between Yves Edwards and Cody McKenzie. I think McKenzie has a bright future in the UFC despite the loss, and I also look forward to seeing what the future holds for Yves Edwards.

The main card itself was all kinds of interesting. Matt Wiman looked excellent against Cole Miller, while Pat Barry put on a fiery performance against the super-tough Joey Beltran. I laughed when Barry joked during his post-fight interview that, if their fight had been five rounds, Beltran would have been hopping around on one leg and still moving forward. And the reason I laughed is because Pat Barry was telling the truth. I’m very glad that Pat Barry scored such a big win, but Beltran also earned himself some major points for his uncanny ability to never back down.

Mark Hominick looks to be an excellent opponent for Jose Aldo, and I for one wasn’t angry in the least when the referee stopped the fight. If you ever need a real-life example of being “out on your feet”, fans and friends, it was George Roop in the dying seconds of that fight. Hominick and Aldo should put on a sure-fire barnburner.

Allow me to sum up Matt Mitrione’s performance in one sentence: Matt Mitrione has arrived. I think some huge things are in store for Mitrione in a very short period of time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the fight that takes Mitrione out of the woods and onto the mountain path. While he’s not a high-level star just yet, he’s definitely emerged into a bonafide prospect and I’m really looking forward to seeing how he handles increasingly stiffer competition.

I think much of the same can be said of Melvin Guillard, who put on undoubtedly the best performance of the night against the super-tough Evan Dunham. Guillard seems to have finally put together all the pieces, and this performance may have rightfully put Guillard on the shortlist of possible championship contenders.

All in all, I really enjoyed this event. Sometimes it doesn’t take major stars and massive fights to make an event that’s very enjoyable. The UFC continues to really impress me with their 2011 outings, and I’m very hopeful for the future. It’s going to be an amazing year, fans and friends.

And what about you? What did you think of “Fight for the Troops 2”?

Before his fellow countryman, at Fort Hood in Killeen, Tex. during tonight’s “UFC Fight for the Troops 2″, Mitrione put on arguably the best performance of his career when he utilized his improved stand up abilities, courtesy of trainer Duke Roufus.

Mitrione stated that he wanted to emulate current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and use the in-and-out movement coupled with effective punches and kicks. I’m sure Mitrione did the champ proud, as the 260-pound heavyweight bounced around on his toes, picking apart the equally large Hague, dropping the 4-time UFC veteran twice before finally pouncing on him for the TKO win.

The victory, which was recorded at 2:59 of the very first-round, helped push Matt’s undefeated record to a perfect 4-0, and he now holds a four-fight win streak inside the octagon, since making his professional debut in the promotion in December of 2009.

According to CompuStrike, the budding heavyweight prospect landed 20 of his 31 strikes thrown, 16 of which were power shots.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Matt’s performance? From “meat head” on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, to surging heavyweight contender, it’s awesome to see the progression he has made in his career, thanks largely due to his athleticism and trainer’s such as Duke Roufus and veteran Chris Lytle. Sparring with Pat Barry, a K-1 level striker, certainly doesn’t suck either. Who would you like to see Matt fight next? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what Hague had to say over at TSN.ca: “MMA is such a crazy sport. A guy can lose a fight at any time so you never know what’s going to happen… It’s not the end of the world if I end up losing, knock on wood. I’m just going to go out there and fight as hard as I can and be proud of myself for what I’ve accomplished… It’s crazy the way things worked out… One thing about me is you’ll never see me quit. You can turn my face into mashed potatoes and I’ll keep going.”

Hague is currently scheduled to face Matt Mitrione at tomorrow’s UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” event. Mitrione is a perfect 3-0 newcomer to the sport most famous for his TKO victory over Kimbo Slice as well as his stint on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”.

I’ll admit that I’m one of the many that only remembers Tim Hague as the guy that was on the receiving end of the fastest KO in UFC history. I’ll even admit that I’m picking Mitrione to win and feel decently comfortable in doing so. But Tim Hague promises not to go down without a fight, and he’s more or less lived up to that promise every time he’s stepped into the Octagon, so for that he definitely earns my respect.

And it’s not like he’s facing an insurmountable foe. Matt Mitrione is on a very good hotstreak and has shown a lot of potential in his time inside the Octagon, but he’s still a relative newcomer, and he’s still got plenty of rough edges that a skilled MMA tactician can exploit. If this turns into a brawl, realistically it’s anyone’s ballgame. Hague has six wins by (T)KO, so he knows how to separate a man from consciousness.

And let’s not forget, no hot prospect is safe no matter how great they look in the Octagon. Everyone loses eventually, and nothing is impossible in MMA. Take, for instance, Josh Grispi‘s last fight. I along with a vast legion of fans expected Grispi to tear through Dustin Poirier, but what we witnessed was Poirier outright dominating Grispi to the point where Grispi’s championship contender status vanished in the blink of an eye. Tim Hague may only be a four-year veteran with sixteen fights, but that’s thirteen more fights that Mitrione has had. With a mixture of experience, heart, determination, and some heavy hands, Hague may end up beating Mitrione by the time all is said and done. I’m still siding with Mitrione, but I certainly wish Hague all the best. It should be a pretty entertaining scrap regardless of who wins.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of Hague’s chances against Mitrione?

If Mitrione finishes Hague, he’ll have finally and fully erased his bizarre antics on the set of TUF 10.

It’s basically become a fact of life: no season of “The Ultimate Fighter” is complete without a bad-boy that is universally loathed and yet somehow gets more than his fair share of screen time due to his bizarre antics and juvenile, frat-boy shenanigans. During TUF 10, Mitrione was definitely the bad-boy of the group, but he is perhaps best known for his strange behavior that caused even his coach to refer to him as “Meathead”. However, Mitrione is 3-0 with all three of his professional MMA fights occurring inside the UFC, with two TKO’s to his credit. If Mitrione pounds Hague’s face in, the days of “Meathead” will be nothing more than a distant memory, since people will start considering Mitrione a credible threat in the UFC’s constantly-evolving Heavyweight division.

Matt Mitrione should probably fight Brendan Schaub.

There was a clear hierarchy during TUF 10, and that’s basically followed all the notable TUF 10 stars into the UFC. First we have Roy Nelson, the winner of the season who has now fully emerged into a top-division star. Next there’s Brendan Schaub, who will likely also approach top-division status if he’s able to win his upcoming fight against Mirko Filipovic and extend his current win-streak to four straight fights. Last but not least there’s Mitrione. If Mitrione is able to beat Hague, fighting Schaub next makes a whole lot of sense and would be a real proving point for both fighters, in addition to a fun and marketable fight to watch.

Mitrione should face a ground specialist so we can find out how well-rounded he truly is.

In three straight fights, Mitrione has faced opponents overwhelmingly known for their striking game. Joey Beltran has ten of his twelve wins by some form of (T)KO. Kimbo Slice needs no introduction. Marcus Jones had three of his four MMA wins by (T)KO. There aren’t that many submission specialists in the UFC’s Heavyweight division, but there are enough to where I feel that Mitrione needs to face one of them in order to prove his versatility and set himself up as a well-versed all-rounder that has all the tools necessary to make a deep run at the top.

Does anyone see Matt Mitrione as the UFC Heavyweight Champion?

While I think Mitrione can fight his way to the top and start facing the UFC’s best and brightest, I have to be honest and admit that I really don’t know how well he’ll do against athletes like Roy Nelson, Frank Mir, Junior dos Santos, Shane Carwin, and Brock Lesnar. I still consider Mitrione a talented newcomer that’s shown flashes of brilliance, but I just don’t like the idea of immediately throwing him into the shark tank and seeing if he gets eaten alive. If Mitrione beats Hague and continues to work his way up the divisional ladder, this is a question that people are going to be focusing on more and more. And my early opinion is that Mitrione will be in for some of the most difficult fights of his life, some of which I just don’t see him winning.

And what about you, fans and friends? Where will Matt Mitrione go if he beats Tim Hague?

Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman: Both men are relatively young but still quite skilled in the Octagon. This is definitely an important fight for both men, both are on two-fight win-streaks and chasing relevancy in the UFC’s ever-crowded Lightweight division. With more wins, fewer losses, and some excellent submission skills, Cole Miller should be the favorite to win this one. I’ll pick Miller to take a second-round submission.

Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran: It all depends on how often either man lands the strikes they like, which are the ones that have given them a majority of their wins by (T)KO. Barry has a tough chin, so it’s unlikely, although not impossible, that Beltran will be able to outright KO “HD”. Barry, on the other hand, could end up stopping Beltran if he can land his patented, vicious leg kicks. It’ll be a close fight, but I think Pat Barry will win this one by Unanimous Decision.

Mark Hominick vs. George Roop: Roop is coming off what has to be the biggest win of his career, a thunderous KO victory over “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. However, that only briefly overshadowed the fact that Roop has been a tremendously up-and-down fighter for much of his career. Meanwhile, Mark Hominick hasn’t lost since 2008 and has finished three of the four bouts that have gone into his current four-fight win-streak. Hominick has fought more often, fought bigger names, and beaten more quality opposition. Mark Hominick takes a Unanimous Decision.

Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague: Tim Hague is still very much trying to get out from under the shadow of his dramatic KO loss to Todd Duffee, which holds the official record as the fastest KO in UFC history. Mitrione, meanwhile, is an undefeated prospect that’s got nowhere to go but up. I think Hague is definitely being cast as the sacrificial lamb, and unfortunately for him, I see him playing that character to perfection. Matt Mitrione wins by first-round (T)KO.

Evan Dunham vs. Melvin Guillard: I think Guillard is the posterboy when it comes to the “Greg Jackson Formula” being able to turn a fighter’s career around. Dunham will surely be a can’t-miss fighter in the near future, but in the here and now, Guillard simply has too many ways to win. He’s always been a very talented fighter, but Greg Jackson seems to have finally put together the right formula to turn Guillard into a true championship contender. I’m predicting that Guillard takes the KO in Round 2.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What are your predictions for UFC “Fight for the Troops 2”?

The Event: UFC “Fight for the Troops 2”, scheduled for January 22, 2011 at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas. The main card will be broadcast live on Spike TV starting at 9 PM ET and 6 PM PT.

Why You Should Care: This is a charity event that takes place on a military base and is being put on in order to help raise awareness and money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit charity that helps veterans and the families of veterans. In addition to this very worthy cause, the event also features several interesting match-ups featuring a great cast of tough veterans and hot prospects.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Evan Dunham is a fantastic newcomer and could be the next George Sotiropoulos, based on his great submission skills and tremendous heart. Melvin Guillard always shows up to perform and has had several awesome fights in the UFC, and new life seems to have been breathed into his career ever since he switched camps and went over to Greg Jackson’s. If Dunham beats Guillard, he’ll have the big win over a respected veteran that he should have gotten when he lost a supremely controversial decision to Sean Sherk. If Guillard wins, he puts himself into prime position to once again start receiving top-division opposition.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: It’s another “veteran vs. newcomer” fight, and it should be a very worthy co-main event. Matt Mitrione was the bad-boy of Season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter”, but now that he’s in the UFC, he’s proven himself as an interesting prospect that loves to engage and has serious knockout power. Tim Hague is a veteran fighter that just recently avenged a three-fight losing-streak by going on a two-fight win-streak, with both wins coming by (T)KO. Whether they swing for the fences or engage in the pocket, these two Heavyweights are going to get down and dirty very quickly, and in the process they’ll give us a pretty entertaining brawl.

Why You Should Watch This Card: There are several reasons, but two big ones make this card one that’s well worth watching. Judged solely on the quality of its fights, this card is definitely a good Spike TV live special. It has a pretty engaging mix of name-value stars, smartly-booked fights, and fresh faces mixed in with veteran talent. But almost as important is the goal of this show, which is to raise money for a very worthy cause.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: There are some decent names here, but nothing that screams “you need to watch this”. In similar fashion, a lot of these fights look good on paper, but none of them really stand out as potentially amazing bouts. It should be a fun night of fights, but there’s relatively little chance of anything earth-shattering occurring at this show.

Closing Thoughts: In the end, I strongly encourage any and all reading this little blurb to tune in and watch this show. I applaud the UFC’s continued efforts to give back to the troops, and I encourage those of you that can give money to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to give and give generously. With a great cause behind it and several smartly-booked fights rounding it out, “Fight for the Troops 2” should end up being a good show.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on “Fight for the Troops 2”?

5. The first “Fight for the Troops” event was a successful show despite its bizarre history.

The original “Fight for the Troops” show featured a lot of interesting match-ups that unfortunately ended with several fighters having to go to the hospital. Nevertheless, it definitely served its purpose, since it gave fans a memorable (to say the least) night of free fights while also helping raise several million dollars for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. “Fight for the Troops 2” seems to have the same aura of unpredictability and should lend the same helping hand, and hopefully history only repeats itself when it comes to the good fights and the crazy amount of coin raised, and not the heinous injuries.

4. The card features a lot of young, emerging talent.

Evan Dunham could be a key Lightweight player by the time 2011 is through, while Matt Mitrione is slowly but confidently building himself up as a potential star at Heavyweight. The main card also features the hard-hitting Pat Barry and the submission artist Cole Miller. The undercard also features a lot of new and emerging talent, so fans are practically guaranteed plenty of fast-paced goodness throughout the night.

3. The co-main event should be a wild brawl.

Tim Hague is a tough veteran that comes to either KO or get KO’d, while Matt Mitrione has also shown some very impressive fists in the cage. Hague wants to engage to prove he’s still relevant, and the best way to come back from a three-fight losing-streak is a three-fight win-streak with all wins by (T)KO. Mitrione wants to keep his hotstreak going since he’s an undefeated prospect and the Heavyweight division currently needs a new prospect since Junior dos Santos has been elevated to a championship level. Both men should come out swinging, and it should be a very entertaining fight.

2. The main event should be great.

Evan Dunham is an incredibly versatile 11-1 Lightweight, with many believing that he was cheated out of a victory over Sean Sherk and should be an unbeaten 12-0. Dunham can do it all even though he’s mostly known for his submissions. Likewise, Melvin Guillard can do it all even though he’s mostly known for his KO’s. Even though Dunham is two years older, this is still a very “rookie vs. veteran” fight given that Guillard will be fighting for the thirty-sixth time when he faces Dunham. Both men are known as exciting, versatile fighters, so this one should be a war no matter where it goes.

And the number one reason to already be looking forward to “Fight for the Troops 2” is because…

1. It’s for a great cause.

I normally hate to get all preachy and up on the soapbox, but I’ve got no problem making an exception when it comes to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. This is an amazing charity that deserves all the help it could possibly get. No matter how you feel about MMA, the UFC, or even our veterans, you should feel very proud that the UFC is teaming up with a non-profit charity in order to give back to the brave men and women who have fought to defend the USA. I certainly do.

And there you have it, fans and friends: “Fight for the Troops 2” should be a very interesting show that’s well worth watching. But what about you? What do you think of the event?

After appearing on the ultra-popular 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” where “Meat Head” didn’t make it past the quarter-finals when UFC light-heavyweight James McSweeney defeated him via guillotine choke (albeit in an exhibition match up). However, following his stint on the show, Mitrione, a former NFL defensive tackle, was invited back to the season’s finale show in December of 2009. Successful in his UFC debut, Matt was able to dispatch of fan favorite and season semi-finalist Marcus Jones, knocking him out in just 10 seconds in the second-round.

And after impressive performances against Kevin Ferguson, better known as “Kimbo Slice” and most recently Joey Beltran in front of a hometown crowd at UFC 119 in Indianapolis, Ind. In the fight with Beltran, Matt had only two professional fights to his credit against Beltran’s 15. However, Mitrione proved that skill beats experience, and was able to walk away with a unanimous decision victory.

Now riding a three fight win streak, Matt will look to build on his recent success when he meets another veteran of the game, in Tim Hague.

Hague, who most probably remember from his quick knockout loss to the previously undefeated sensation Todd Duffee at UFC 102 in August of 2009, is back on track in his mixed martial arts career. After exiting the UFC this year with a 1-3 record overall, with three consecutive losses, Tim was able to bounce back with two back-to-back knockout victories. In his most recent outing, Hague was able to dispatch of the near 80-fight veteran in just a little under two-minutes inside of the first round, in front of a hometown crowd in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Tim will return to the UFC and hope to derail the hype that is surrounding the strangely charismatic Mitrione, who now trains full time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin out of Duke Roufus’ camp alongside fellow UFC stars, Eric Schaefer, Pat Barry, and current WEC title challenger Anthony Pettis.

The match up between the two heavyweight’s will be either Matt’s coming out party into the upper echelon of the heavyweight division, or Hague’s return to his winning ways inside the octagon.

The match up, which was first reported by MMAFighting.com, is scheduled to take place January 22 at Fort Hood, Killeen Texas for “UFC Fight for the Troops 2″.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of this match up? Who do you favor? Sound off in the comment section below.

The heavyweight star made waves right away in the division when his much anticipated octagon debut met and exceeded all expectations, when the 24-year-old knocked out veteran Tim Hague in just 7 seconds at UFC 102 in August of last year.

Sidelined due to injury, Duffee returned 9 months later and was thoroughly dominating PRIDE veteran Mike Russow for two and a half rounds. Then, out of nowhere, the body builder was put down by the body spiller, when a vicious right hand connected for Russow, another one followed and Duffee was out cold.

Now this wouldn’t be enough reason to release a previously undefeated heavyweight prospect with the kind of buzz that surrounded Todd, but if you read you might see why he got his UFC walking papers.

His meteoric rise to the top made him an overnight success in the UFC, after recording the fastest knockout in the company’s history, sky looked like it was the limit for Duffee before the bandwagon was derailed by Russow. However, even after the bout–which Duffee left from relatively unscathed, Todd was geared up and ready to go for a second time around. However, what ensued following the loss to Russow was a young-minded Duffee digging himself into a bigger grave over and over again, according to Travis of MMA Scraps Radio.

“Original fight (before Russow) was McSweeny but Duffee turned it down for a “bigger named opponent” He fights and losses, but that isn’t that big of a deal (it ends up being the way UFC can release him, but whatever) He accepts fight with Madsen, but then pulls out after mentioning that he needed time to do a movie. Apparently after that, he then said he was injured. UFC asked for paperwork from his doctor and it was sent, so he was covered there. He was given the go ahead to do the movie He tweeted some stuff about being broke and made comments about needing money. The final straw was when he talked a bunch of crap about the UFC to one of the UFC employee’s wives and Dana found out about it. That sealed the deal. Dana ordered him fired.”

If that wasn’t reason enough for the Zuffa company to serve Duffee notice and hand him his pink slips, then I don’t know what is.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of this excerpt? Was his release valid in the long run? Should the UFC had held on to Duffee? Will he make an inevitable return? Sound off in the comments section below. Thanks to MiddleEasy.com for the find.

What a difference a bad performance can make. Duffee seemed on track to becoming the next breakout Heavyweight star. He was tall, he was handsome, and he looked to be carved out of stone. He was a massive man in a weight division that has been seeing an influx of truly gargantuan Heavyweight stars.  But most importantly, Todd Duffee seemed to have real fighting skill, since it took him seven seconds to drop Tim Hague down to the canvas. After claiming in the post-fight interview that his fight with Hague was only an appetizer, Duffee seemed well on his way to star status.

But Mike Russow had other ideas. Russow, who was mocked by UFC announcer Joe Rogan as a “before-and-after picture” in comparison to Todd Duffee, met Duffee at UFC 114 and proceeded to eat shot after shot without going down. Duffee kept firing salvo after salvo, scoring points and winning rounds, but not finishing his foe. The non-stop barrages ultimately tired Duffee out, allowing Russow to land a crushing right hand that KO’d Duffee in what many would consider one of the most dramatic comebacks in UFC history.

It is currently not known where Duffee will choose to spend the next phase of his career. Personally? My money is on Strikeforce. They need some good Heavyweights, and despite the KO loss, I still think Todd Duffee is a good Heavyweight, with the possibility of becoming great. He’s six and one with six (T)KO’s, after all. I say put him against Chad Griggs, maybe. Or perhaps Shane del Rosario. Don’t throw him into the shark tank, but don’t go easy on him either.

I say this because I think Todd Duffee can still become a star. He has all the tools necessary, some of them just needing some honing. His punching power is good, his striking is good, but that cardio of his needs a whole lot of work. If Duffee can find a way to get out of the trap that so many of his fellow super-Hulk Heavyweights fall into (not being able to go past the first round without gassing out), then I think he could bring in big money in the future.

And if we’re being completely honest? I think the UFC jumped the gun in letting Duffee go. He generated a lot of interest when he burst onto the scene with his record-setting KO. He generated a lot of interest when he got KO’d in one of the most epic come-from-behind victories I’ve ever seen. I honestly believe he would’ve generated a lot of interest if he had been given a shot at redeeming himself. Duffee lost a lot of his luster when his cardio fell through and he got KO’d, but a fighter’s quest for redemption always makes for entertaining television.

I can’t say I ever considered myself a fan, but I can certainly empathize with Todd Duffee. He’s still got a long career ahead of him, and if he works on his flaws I can quite easily picture him being offered a second change in the UFC. Now is the time to prove what he’s made of, and I look forward to seeing how Duffee bounces back from this situation.

And what about you, fans and friends? Do you agree with Duffee getting the boot so soon? And where do you think he’ll end up now that he’s a free agent?

Matt Mitrione Versus Joey Beltran

Just days after they both won at UFC 113, Truefighting is reporting that Matt Mitrione (2-0) and Joey Beltran (10-2) are in talks to fight at UFC 117 in August.

Matt is coming off a TKO victory over Kimbo Slice (4-2) in which he looked much improved. The improvement came by training with kickboxing legend Duke Roufus and UFC heavyweight prospect “HD” Pat Barry (3-2).

Beltran was on the winning end of a unanimous decision over “The Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (8-4).

Shogun

It was stated on MMA Live before the fight between “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-1) and now UFC light heavyweight champion “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (19-4) that the winner would defend their title based on the outcome of another fight. That fight would be the long-anticipated bout between “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) and “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1) which takes place May 29 in Las Vegas at UFC 114.

However after Shogun won via KO, UFC president Dana White was asked at the post-fight press conference about the match-up. He stated he was unable to answer that at this time and would have to wait and see what happened in that fight. Now it looks like we will see that fight after all. Dana was interviewed by Carmichael Dave and stated “The winner of the Rampage Jackson vs Rashad Evans fight will get the first shot at Shogun.”

The better fight from a promotion standpoint would Rampage versus Shogun as they met back in Pride:Total Elimination 2005 when Shogun knocked out Jackson in 4:47.

A win over Rashad would put Rampage on a three fight win streak and without a loss to Machida like Evans has, would make him a clear-cut contender for the title.

Randy Couture

Speaking of Shogun, former champion “The Natural” Randy Couture (18-10) heard that Shogun and his manager had been discussing a fight with him. Randy posted the following via his Twitter account: “Just finishing the deal for Toney and every ones talking about shogun . Love to fight him but toney first ! He must Have called me out and I missed it . Great performance by rua . Id love a crack at him after toney in aug . Maybe rua in oct ufc 120″

Randy has stated that his next fight is all but signed with former boxing champion “Lights Out” James Toney (0-0) in what many call boxing versus MMA.

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio as we keep you updated on all the latest around the world of MMA.

Leben, an original The Ultimate Fighter contestant, is required to have a CT scan of possible facial fractures before his suspension is lifted.

Heavyweight Chris Tuchscherer (15-2) has been suspended 45 days with a facial laceration after his first-round TKO loss to “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4).

Middleweight “Short Fuse” Ed Herman (15-8) was TKO’d with a left knee injury in his fight versus Aaron Simpson (5-0) and has been suspended indefinitely until cleared by a physician.

Middleweight “Phillipine Wrecking Machine” Mark Munoz (4-1) suffered a right elbow injury in his split decision over Nick Catone (7-2) and has been suspended 30 days.

Heavyweight “Nsane 1″ Justin McCully (9-5-2) has been suspended 30 days with a possible left eye injury following his UD loss to Michael Russow (12-1).

All UFC 102 fighters were suspended a minimum of seven days. Headliners Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) and eighth-ranked “Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) have both been suspended 30 days. Besides Herman’s indefinite suspension, Canadian “Thrashing Machine” Tim Hague (8-2) received the longest suspension, 60 days after being KO’d in seven seconds by American Top Team’s Todd Duffee (5-0).