The fight had been renegotiated as a 172-pound catchweight fight after Daley couldn’t make the 171-pound welterweight limit Friday.

Among hardcore American UFC fans, the fight was to be a second coming out for Hazelett, considered one of the best MMA submission grapplers in any division.  But, for Daley and his English fans, it was a coming out for the explosive kickboxer instead.

Hazelett utilized his four-inch height advantage with jabs and teep kicks to keep Daley outside early.  And, Hazelett launched a snapping high kick to keep Daley honest, though Daley blocked the brunt of the kick.

But, 15 seconds or so after the two minute mark of the co-main event, the jiu-jitsu blackbelt, Hazelett, and Muay Thai champion, Daley, stood toe-to-toe in an exchange that ended with a Daley looping left hook flooring Hazelett.  Daley pounced, but it was academic as Hazelett was finished after the big shot and the referee ended the fight.

The win for Daley is marred by his inability to make the 170-pound limit and therefore doesn’t count towards the division rankings, though he was awarded the $50,000 Knockout of the Night award denied to “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-3) after he missed weight then KO’d eighth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

Ironically, UFC President Dana White announced after the fight that sixth-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) is a likely next opponent for Daley.  Koscheck was Johnson’s follow-up to Johnson’s overweight KO performance and Koscheck tapped Johnson in a rear naked choke at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.

Daley is without question an exciting kickboxer, but Fighters.com remains skeptical Daley will be able to compete at the top of the division due to his lack of basic grappling skills.  He’s been submitted five times, most recently in an armbar by second-ranked Jake Shields (24-4-1) at EliteXC Heat in October 2008.  Though the UFC’s emphasis on exciting stand-up fights has benefitted Daley in his two knockout wins, Daley will be put on his back eventually like “Assassin” Houston Alexander (9-5) before him.

The loss is particularly disappointing for Hazelett.  It was his second time stepping up in competition and again ended in Hazelett layed out on his back.  And, it’s the third consecutive disappointment to come out of the Cincinnati-based camp headed by Jorge Gurgel (13-6).

“Thiago Silva was a tough opponent.  He was legit all the way around,” said Evans after winning.  “I just wanted to go out there and give the fans a good fight.”

But, though it was an exciting matchup of styles on paper, it couldn’t have been more disappointing in the Octagon.  Go figure.

Evans jitterbugged around Silva, throwing combinations to set-up shots.  That tactic was affective with Evans scoring takedown after takedown in rounds one and two.  Silva didn’t sprawl out of Evans’s shots until round three, but consistently scrambled back to his feet after every Evans takedown.  In round one, Evans even took full mount over Silva; but, Silva was able to wrestle himself erect.

“I need to train more wrestling, because takedowns are hard for me,” Silva exclaimed in the dressing room after the fight, throwing his hands to his head, then to the ground.

Evans said, “That was the big thing, to stick to my game plan, to go back to my wrestling, to go back to what made me strong in the division.”

Twice Silva raised his hands above his head and goaded Evans into a brawl.

But, Evans wasn’t biting.  “He tried to coax me out a little bit, use the crowd against me…but I’m too seasoned for that.”

Silva’s frustration culminated in Silva mimicking Evans’s jitterbug in round three.  Ironically, it was Silva’s most successful tactic.  After a right hook landed square, he had Evans doing the “stanky leg” reminiscent of Evans’s loss to Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) at UFC 98 in Las Vegas May 23.

“I didn’t really think I was rocked because I felt like I rolled with the punch,” said Evans after the fight.

Silva pounced and landed several more shots to Evans’s head, but gassed out in the process.  Knowing he needed a stoppage for a “W” after losing the first two rounds, Silva didn’t have the will or stamina to finish Evans when the opportunity to steal the fight and earn a title shot was spread out on the Octagon mat before him.  Silva gave up.

Silva admitted after the loss, “I had a hard time defending his wrestling.  It tired me out a lot.”  About not being able to finish when the win was within his grasp, Silva added, “I just couldn’t.  I have no excuses.”

MMA Gospel Radio (MGR): We are excited to have you on the show. You are on of the biggest up and coming fighters right now. Everyone is talking about Dustin Hazelett. You earned your black belt under Jorge Gurgel, you have three submission of the night honors. People see you as a jiu jitsu guy. Tell me about your stand up game because I know you have been working on it.

Dustin Hazelett (DH): I have been working really hard on my stand up for a long time. I have been helped out a lot by my thai coach Dorian Price who is an excellent coach. Also he is built a lot like me so I can utilize alot of the same moves, tricks and tools that he uses. It has been a huge help. I have been looking forward to fighting since I have been working so hard on it for so long and putting so much hard work into it. I am looking forward to kind of showing it off.

MGR: We talked about your submission game. You are being touted as having one of the best submission games in MMA. How does it feel to be compared to guys like Demian Maia and Jacare?

DH: It is awesome to be compared to people like that because they are obviously so great at jiu jitsu and I really don’t think of myself like that so it is cool to see other people think of me like that.

MGR: I asked our previous guest Luke (Zachrich) a similar question, having earned your black belt under Jorge, I know it frustrates me, I know Jorge and it frustrates me watching him fight at times knowing he is going against his strong point. Is it frustrating for you as well?

DH: You mean to watch him stand there and brawl instead of using his jiu jitsu?

MGR: Exactly!

DH: (laugh) Yeah, it’s kind of frustrating but I have talked to him about it a couple times at length. He says he just has fun standing and MMA is one of those things that you can’t get into for the wrong reasons. You can’t get into it if you don’t love doing it. I am a firm believer in that and you should have fun doing it. If you have fun standing and brawling then I guess you should stand and brawl.

MGR: I guess so. Honestly, I scream at the TV when I watch Jorge fight sometimes.

DH: You and me both (laugh)

MGR: Getting back to you, you hold wins over Josh Burkman, Tamdan McCrory. Of those two who do you feel was the most difficult opponent for you?

DH: I would say Burkmann was the more difficult opponent for me. It is tough to say. I caught Tamdan off guard with that head kick and when we hit the ground I believe he was barely conscious so that made my job a lot easier catching the submission

MGR: I watched your fight with Josh Koscheck. I thought for sure you were going to take that fight, it looked like you got clipped on the back of ear. You were doing well with your distance in the fight, moving well. How important is it for you to get that fight again, I know it was a big fight for you.

DH: Obviously I would like a rematch with him but it is not one of my top priorities. I am looking no further than Paul Daley. That is my main priority and I am not looking past that right now

MGR: You mentioned Paul, he is your next opponent at UFC 108. Everyone knows Paul is a striker, the guy has heavy hands. They call him Semtex for a reason. I personally thought in his last fight with Martin (Kampmann) Martin made the mistake of not taking the fight to the ground. Can you scout Daley for us from what you have seen thus far?

DH: I think you pretty much summed it up. He is a great striker. I think his ground game is a weaker point.

MGR: I am looking forward to this fight but all the fans I talked to wanted you to fight Karo Paryisian in the jiu jitsu versus judo battle. Karo seemed to be disrespecting jiu jitsu a little bit. I know he has some personal issues but do you hold a grudge against him?

DH: No I don’t hold any grudges against him. Obviously the things he said about jiu jitsu and eating jiu jitsu guys for breakfast upset me but at the end of the day there are more important things than fighting and he has some of those to deal with. When I found out I was obviously very disappointed and shocked but I was not as upset as I thought I would be. It is fully because and believe in God’s plan. You never know when something like that is happening why it is happening but I believe that if you continue to have faith then good things will come out of it. Now I have this fight with Daley that is the co-main event so I think good things will come of it.

MGR: I have always been a fan Dustin and I guess I was screaming Dustin Hazelett before most knew who Dustin Hazelett was so I am looking forward to you getting to make your mark at UFC 108. My co -host Gary wanted to know what is more exhausting for you when training, striking or jiu jistu?

DH: I am starting to get more comfortable with my striking now so I am not getting as tired doing it now but in the past it had been the striking.

MGR: Let’s step away from fighting for a second. I know you used to be social networking sites like MySpace. It seems like you have dropped away from those. Is there a reason you have gotten away from them while so many fighters are using them to promote themselves these days?

DH: I am not a big fan of hyping up fights or anything like that. I am more of a shy person, not a people person. I have never been a people person, never been overly charismatic or good with large groups of people or anything. My whole life I have been the outcast, never talked to a lot of people and I kind of gotten used to that throughout the course of my life. Once I started getting a little famous everybody wanted to talk to me and it is very odd for me. I feel like all that stuff promoting the fights and stuff, all the smack talking I am firmly against. I feel your previous fights should hype up your next fight. If your last fights aren’t good enough to hype up the next fight then you should be put back on the  under card until you get more exciting fights. That is kind of where I stand on that. Basically all I do all day is train, play video games and read. That is about it.

MGR: One of the listeners in our live chat, Cageside Chat, wanted to know what kind of beard you would be rocking at UFC 108?

DH: I am not sure. I kind of wing it. I go by how I feel and right now I have the thick beard. I don’t strategically plan it out. MGR: So it is not part of your training camp to grow the beard out?

DH: No,actually a lot of times I end up having to trim it because it gets to long and starts getting caught and it is very unpleasant having pieces of your beard ripped out.

MGR: Not looking past Daley, where would you like to be in this sport in two years?

DH: The obvious answer to that would to be the champion, ultimately that is my goal. That is why I got in to this. If I did not believe I had what it took to be a champion then I probably wouldn’t be doing this because just fighting around and losing fights and never making it to the top doesn’t sound very appealing to me. I firmly believe I have the ability to become a champion someday so that is my goal.

MGR: My co-host Gary wanted to know, since you mentioned you like to read, what have you been reading recently?

DH: Recently I have been trying to read the bible cover to cover. I have always wanted to do it, I grew up in church and stuff and I am a christian. I have never actually read the bible cover to cover. I have read a lot of excerpts. Right now I am working on that and it is a massive undertaking. I still read other books on the side to take a break from it. Just today I was reading “As A Man Thinketh” I am really into psychology. I believe the stronger I can make my mind the better fighter I will be so I read a lot of psychology books.

MGR: IF you get a title shot what do you feel it would take to beat GSP? Do you see something you could exploit?

DH: I feel I match up better against St. Pierre than many of the fighters in the division right now because his wrestling is so good. The welterweight division is so wrestler heavy. There are a lot of great wrestlers like Koscheck, Fitch and that is to just name a couple. None of them can take him down and when they get put on their backs, most grapplers are better top guys. I am one of the better guys off their back with jiu jitsu in mma. I think that gives me a distinct advantage over the other challengers to the title, that is to be able to fight off my back.

MGR: I wish you the best of the luck. I am a big fan. Maybe you will get another sub of the night at UFC 108. Any sponsors you would like thank before we let you go?

DH: I would just really like to thank everybody at JG MMA Academy for helping me out. It is tough training through Christmas and the holidays. It is good to have the support of my team there. Also Ecko.

Daley weighed-in one pound over the 171-pound welterweight division limit Friday.  According to MMA Weekly, Daley was prevented from attempting to lose the extra pound when the Nevada State Athletic Commission witnessed Daley wobbling.

Fighters are customarily given an hour to make weight after missing weight at the initial weigh-in.  However, the health of the fighter is the NSAC’s primary concern.

Fighters.com has little patience for fighters who miss weight and doesn’t count catchweight fights in division rankings.

Welterweight prospect “Rumble” Anthony Johnson (8-3) missed weight by five pounds before his matchup versus eighth-ranked welterweight “Zenko” Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.  Johnson KO’d Yoshida in 41 seconds, but because the fight was renegotiated as catchweight fight, Johnson didn’t take Yoshida’s spot in Fighters.com’s welterweight rankings.  Simply, it wasn’t a welterweight fight.  It was a 176-pound catchweight fight.

Notably, Johnson was submitted in a rear naked choke by sixth-ranked Josh Koscheck (14-4) after making weight for his next fight at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.

Unfortunately for Hazelett and fans, because Daley didn’t make weight Friday, Saturday night’s fight isn’t a welterweight fight either.

Rashad is a fighter that started out has a pure wrestler and has since found a stand up game that he used to beat Fighters.com eighth-ranked light heavyweight “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) and fifth-ranked Forrest Griffin. He did this using patience and counter strikes mixed with his footwork. Rashad’s footwork is not very technical rather it is more natural as is his balance which comes from his wrestling background.

Thiago Silva is a fighter that uses controlled aggression to push the fight and force exchanges with his opponent. These exchanges is where he excels. Silva will try to get Evans to trade with him so he can use his short straight punches to hurt Evans. Thiago throws some of the straightest punches in mixed martial arts (MMA). Silva will have to temper this agregssion and become very patient going against Evans as Rashad can frustrate even the most patient fighter.

Rashad bob and weaves and uses the aforementioned footwork to lull his opponents into frustration. Once they decide to press the action he lets them inside and unloads one of his power punches that is well timed and perfectly placed. This is something he will need to do in order to win this fight but as I already mentioned, that will not happen.

Here is how I see the fight going. Both fighters will come out looking to feel each other out. Silva will throw some jabs and small combinations to see how Rashad will react and move. Rashad will be moving, staying just on the ouyside so that he can counter. This will go on for the most of the first round until Silva decides he has the distance and timing down and is tired of waiting and will push the fight. The round will end with Silva and Evans trading punches and Silva getting the better of the exchanges.

Round two starts and right away Silva will try to get back to the exchanges. Rashad will do everything he can to move out of the way and use his angles to counter. Eventually Thiago will cut Evans off and unload on him leading to a whirlwind exchange. This is where Rashad does not want to be because his punches are the wide looping kind and as I already mentioned, Silva throws very straight punches. You can imagine who will get hit first in this exchange. Straight punches have the shorter distance and as we all know, Silva has power in those hands.

Rashad may think about the take down at this time but that may not be the best idea as Silva has a very good, albeit underrated ground game. After all, Silva has a black belt in Jiu Jitsu under Macaco. He used to teach Jiu Jitsu in Brazil before becoming a professional MMA fighter

This is where I see Silva hurting Evans and possibly looking to take him down to the ground and punish him. Typically Rashad would be able to defend take downs from Silva unless he just out muscled Rashad. However, having eaten some big punches from Silva, he will find himself on the mat being beaten and battered until the ref stops the fight.

This is MMA so anything can happen but I feel confident in the fact that Silva will be to much for Rashad to handle. The only thing that beats Silva in this fight his himself. If he tries to push the action to hard and to fast, throwing with reckless abandon one of those looping punches of Rashad’s may just land and put his lights out. I find this highly unlikely though.

The end of UFC 108 will leave us with a Rashad Evans who is on a serious slide with many questioning his ability to compete with the best in the division and a Thiago Silva hunting for another shot at the elusive “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0). The fans will also be left with joy as the cursed card is finally over and all of us can start to look towards UFC 109.

Do you feel I am wrong about this fight or have I somehow overlooked something? Feel free to join myself and co-host New York Gary Friedman on MMA Gospel Radio every Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST at www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel. There is a live MMA chat where you can talk to other fans as well as myself. Not good enough for you? You can also call into the show by dialing the guest line at 347-857-1337 or email me personally at turk@fighters.com

White wouldn’t disclose the nature of Cantwell’s ailment at the UFC 108 pre-fight press conference Wednesday.

UFC 108 will go on with ten bouts (as of today), five to air on pay-per-view, two on SpikeTV, and the first three for the live audience.

Matyushenko has been promised a return on a future UFC card.

Li’l Nog’ knocked formerly ranked fellow Brazilian “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-2) out of the top ten in the same fashion Nog’ himself was removed from the rankings after being TKO’d by “African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-5) in 23 seconds at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas in February 2007.  Nogueira took 1:56 to finish Cane at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21 and capture the seventh spot at 205 pounds.

On the same card, fifth-ranked Forrest Griffin (17-6) returned to winning with a split decision over “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-7-1), a rematch Griffin had lost by SD in 2006.

Shortly after the fight, UFC President Dana White announced Ortiz will  complete a trilogy versus “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) in 2010.  Usually  trilogies are reserved for rubber matches, or at least matchups that have been compellingly close in previous fights.  Liddell has TKO’d Ortiz twice this decade, but if the trend holds – second round in 2004 and third round in 2006 – perhaps Ortiz will survive to a decision in 2010.

Fighters.com Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0) and third-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) is the kind of matchup deserving of a rematch, and in 2010 the two will replay their fight that ended in a controversial UD in favor of Machida at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

Second-ranked “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will await the outcome as he defends his Fighters.com and UFC middleweight titles versus tenth-ranked middleweight “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8).  A Rua win in the Machida-Rua rematch could mean a Silva challenge for a second UFC belt.

Fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) and tenth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-1) will headline UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) waiting in the wings to reignite his rivalry with Evans if Evans wins, and probably even if Evans loses.

Ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) has dropped down to make a run at middleweight.

Fighters.com’s December Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

5. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

6. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

7. “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)

8. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

9. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

10. Thiago Silva (15-1)

MMa Weekly reported “Bang” Duane Ludwig (19-9) will replace Sherk versus Miller.

Sherk himself was a replacement for Tyson Griffin (14-2), but Sherk suffered a cut over his right eye while training that required stitches.

Ludwig will enter the Octagon for the first time since leaving with a bang, knocking out Jonathan Goulet (22-10) in 11 seconds at Fight Night 3 in Las Vegas in 2006.

Ludwig submitted “Tetetete” Ryan Roberts (10-9) on punches at Ring of Fire 36 in Denver December 4.

Miller won a TKO 45-seconds into round two at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19 when Steve Lopez (2-2) injured his shoulder in his Octagon debut.

Sherk was scheduled to fight “Tractor” Rafaello Oliveira (8-2) on the same card.  A new opponent will be found for Oliveira.

Sherk lost a unanimous decision to sixth-ranked “The Answer” Frank Edgar (10-1) at UFC 98 in Las Vegas May 23.

Miller won a TKO 45-seconds into round two at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19 when Steve Lopez (2-2) injured his shoulder in his Octagon debut.

Griffin withdrew from the fight with an injury.

The Evans versus Jackson grudge match was originally scheduled for UFC 107 this Saturday in Memphis, Jackson’s hometown, and hyped by the two serving as coaches on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10.  But, Jackson pulled out of the fight to star as BA Baracus in The A-Team movie and eventually announced his retirement in response to the heat put on him by White after Jackson’s withdrawal.

But, last Friday, Jackson vowed to return to the UFC “to shut Rashad’s mouth up & shut Dana’s mouth up.”

White didn’t indicate Jackson’s likely opponent if Evans loses to Silva.

Hazelett will replace former WEC welterweight champion “Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit (23-5).

Hazelett will return from surgery on a torn right ACL. At UFC 91 in Las Vegas last November, he tapped fellow lanky, young welterweight talent “Barn Cat” Tamdan McCrory (11-3) in an arm bar in the first round.  Hazelett was scheduled to return versus “Heat” Karo Parisyan (18-5) at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21, but Parisyan bailed on the fight at the last moment.

Daley TKO’d Xtreme Couture’s “Hitman” Martin Kampmann (15-3) at 2:31 of round one in Daley’s UFC debut at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.

Gonzaga is suffering from a staph infection, preventing the original dos Santos versus Gonzaga fight.

However, Yvel might be a worthier challenger to dos Santos and proves that the UFC and M-1 Global can do business together when a deal makes sense.  Yvel is managed by M-1 Global and knocked out former UFC champion “Rock” Pedro Rizzo (17-9) at Fight Force International in Biloxi June 27.

Dos Santos will return from a stoppage over another storied kickboxer, “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic’s (23-6-2) at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.

Emelianenko’s fallen foe at M-1 Global/Strikeforce, fifth-ranked “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-1), wants to comeback versus Strikeforce heavyweight champion “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-10).  And, Overeem seems ambivalent about who he fights and whether or not he’s defending his title or not.

And so,  four men makeup what Strikeforce and M-1 Global might call “a good problem to have” atop the Strikeforce heavyweight division.  Especially since the UFC is finding it hard to find four top heavyweights who are healthy enough to fight.

Second-ranked UFC champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) is out indefinitely after minor intesting surgery, but is excpect to return versus sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0).

Fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) has had to postpone a fight versus Cain Velasquez (6-0) for the interim UFC title until UFC 110 in Sydney February 21 due to a staph infection.

And, seventh-ranked “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1) lost his UFC 108 opponent, “Napão” Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4), due to Gonzaga’s staph infection.

Third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) will fight Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) at UFC 107 in Memphis December 12.

Eighth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) is negotiating a return to Pancrase in 2010 to defend his heavyweight King of Pancrase title.

Tenth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10) has moved down to light heavyweight.

Fighters.com November Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1)

2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)

3. Frank Mir (12-4)

4. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1)

5. “Grim” Brett Rogers (10-1)

6. Shane Carwin (10-0)

7. “Cigano” Junior dos Santos (9-1)

8. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5)

9. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1)

10. “The Natural” Randy Couture (17-10)

The previously scheduled main event between fourth-ranked heavyweight “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) and Cain Velasquez (6-0) has been postponed due to a staph infection to Nogueira.

“The bout between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva is a fight we always talked about as a main event, and now these guys have the chance to headline UFC 108 and kick off the new year in impressive fashion,” said UFC President Dana White. “At the same time, we wish Antonio Nogueira a speedy recovery and can’t wait for his return.”

Evans has told AOL FanHouse of the matchup versus Silva, “I think I match up really well with Thiago Silva.  He’s a great striker, and I love his focus.  He’s going to be a challenge, and that’s the kind of fight I want.”

Silva responded via Tatame, saying, “We’re two aggressive fighters, it’ll be a good fight, the game matches.  I want to fight with the bests and show my work to be close to a title shot.”

Fighters.com has not confirmed the report; but, if true, the first UFC event 2010 will require a possibly unprecedented fourth main event.  Originally, a title fight between Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) and tenth-ranked “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) was scheduled to headline UFC 108, but Silva was forced to postpone the fight after elbow surgery.  A title fight between second-ranked, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1) and sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (9-0) was postponed to UFC 108 after Lesnar came down with mononucleosis, but the fight was postponed indefinitely as Lesnar’s illness has become more serious.  The matchup between big Nog’ and Velasquez was the UFC’s third try to fill the top of the bill for what is often one of the year’s biggest events.

Fighters.com broke Carwin’s previous revelation that he had also suffered a bout with H1N1 virus, erroneously called “swine flu”, while training for the matchup originally scheduled for UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.

Due to an unspecified Lesnar illness, the fight was rescheduled to UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2, then postponed indefinitely.  It remains unscheduled.

Carwin’s agent told MMA Gospel, Fighters.com’s partner Internet radio broadcast, “It’s not an issue.  Unlike Brock, if Shane fell ill or got hurt they would slot another top guy into the spot and the show would go on.  This is one of the aspects of being the contender not the Champion.  We’re fine, we are training.”

Via Twitter, Carwin simply stated, “Gotta battle through this.”

Chad Edward contributed to this report.

The winner is in line for the next shot at the UFC heavyweight title currently held by second-ranked Brock Lesnar (4-1).

Nogueira lost the interim UFC heavyweight title to third-ranked Frank Mir (12-4) at UFC 92 in Las Vegas in December 2008, later returning to victory over tenth-ranked former UFC Heavyweight champion “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-10) at UFC 102 in Portland August 29.

Velasquez moved forward in contention after a TKO stoppage of “Big” Ben Rothwell (26-7) at UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.

Lesnar  was previously scheduled to fight sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (10-0) UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21, but withdrew due to a reported flu-like illness.  The championship bout had been rumored for UFC 108, but it is not yet certain if Lesnar will be ready for the fight.

Chad Edward contributed to this report.

Rua confounded and flustered Machida with kicks to Machida’s legs and body for at least three out of five rounds in Los Angeles October 24, and some have argued Rua won four rounds.  But all three judges scored the fight 48-47 in favor of the champ.

Across the great South American nation from which both fighters have travelled around the world to entertain and awe fight fans, familiar lines are being redrawn because of the controversial UFC 104 main event.

Second-ranked “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) of Black House, a team made-up largely of former Brazilian Top Team members, told Tatame, “In my opinion, Lyoto won every round.”

And, ninth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1), formerly of Chute Boxe with Rua, declared to Tatame, “[Rua] is the new champion.”

Years ago Brazilian Top Team and Chute Boxe played out one of MMA’s greatest camp rivalries in the now defunct PRIDE promotion.  The hot blood between the two camps was thought to have cooled after many of the greatest fighters from both camps moved on to other camps or started their own gyms.

But, the title fight between Machida and Rua has heated up the old adversaries and reignited excitement about MMA in Brazil.

UFC President Dana White promised an immediate rematch between Machida and Rua; and, Since UFC 104, Machida has announced he will undergo surgery on his left hand, postponing the rematch in 2010.

Brazil deserves the rematch!  It would be a huge UFC return to Brazil since their only Brazilian event in São Paulo in October 1998.

And, besides the top three spots in MMA’s most competitive and popular division being held by Brazilians, three other Brazilians are also ranked among the top ten at 205.

Of course, Anderson Silva will defend his Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Championship from Brazilian “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) sometime in 2010.  That previously UFC 108 slotted main event could also be postponed until the UFC can put on a show in Brazil next spring, making a Brazilian card with two all-Brazilian title fights at the top.

Seventh-ranked Brazilian “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) will fight countryman “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3) at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 11.

Wanderlei Silva is expected to lead the UFC into Australia at UFC 110 February 20, 2010 in a middleweight fight versus tenth-ranked middleweight “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2).

Newly tenth-ranked Brazilian Thiago Silva (15-1) will get a chance to step-up versus fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.

Fifth-ranked American Forrest Griffin (16-6) will welcome former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) back to the UFC at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21 in a rematch Ortiz won the first time.

Sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) remains retired; but, eighth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) is expected to come out of retirement in 2010.

Fighters.com’s November Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

5. Forrest Griffin (16-6)

6. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

7. “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1)

8. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

9. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

10. Thiago Silva (15-1)

According to Silva’s management, January 2 is simply too soon for the champ to return to the Octagon. Manager Ed Soares told the media that Anderson is recovering well from his recent elbow surgery but not quick enough for the first of the year bout.

“He’s not fighting January 2,” stated Soares. “He won’t be ready.”

Lesnar withdrew from his UFC 106 title defense versus Carwin (10-0) due to illness, according to Yahoo!Sports.

UFC President Dana White wasn’t immediately positive what would happen to Carwin’s title shot, but Carwin told MMA Gospel Monday afternoon that his manager confirmed to him the fight has been rescheduled for UFC 108.

Carwin’s manager, Jason Genet, told MMA Gospel, “We’re disappointed.  Shane had H1N1 and still wanted to fight!  We will just be that much better come January.”

White had earlier denied that Lesnar’s illness is the H1N1 flu virus, erroneously called “swine flu”.

Fighters.com has not confirmed the rescheduled fight with the UFC.

MMA Gospel broadcaster and Fighters.com staff writer Josh Turner contributed to this report.

Fighters.com hasn’t confirmed the date of the fight and no contracts are signed.  If the matchup is in December, it’s likely to occur at UFC 107 at the FedExForum in Memphis December 12.  However, according to unconfirmed reports, that card is already stacked with pay-per-view quality matchups.  UFC 108 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas January 2 and is also a likely event for the matchup.

“Cigano” forced once-feared “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (25-8-2) to quit at 2:00 of round three at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.  Gonzaga TKO’d Chris Tuchscherer (15-2) in 2:27 at UFC 102.  Dos Santos’s only loss is by armbar submission while Gonzaga is a notoriously skilled and powerful submission grappler, making the matchup keenly interesting.

The matchup also continues a trend in the UFC of Brazilians fighting Brazilians in big fights. 

The UFC 104 main event in Los Angeles October 24 will pit Fighters.com and UFC light heavyweight champion “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0) versus sixth-ranked “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3), both Brazilians.  At UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 11, Big Nog’s brother, “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (15-3), will debut in the UFC versus seventh-ranked light heavyweight “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1).  Second-ranked welterweight “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (16-4) and fellow Brazilian fifth-ranked Paulo Thiago (7-1) will fight at UFC 107 along with a middleweight matchup between “Toquinho” Rousimar Palhares (11-3) and “Spartan” Lucio Linhares (12-3).  Finally, at UFC 108 Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will defend his titles from “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8).

Perhaps the sudden trend of Brazilian-on-Brazilian violence in the UFC is simply the result of the increasing prominence of Brazilian fighters.  However, it could also be preparation for the UFC’s promised return to Brazil.

At UFC 102, UFC President Dana White promised an upcoming UFC event in Brazil, the first since 1998.  “What we’re starting to do is ramp up down in Brazil right now.  We just hired this big PR firm, we got a television deal down there.  The ratings are kicking ass.  We’re going to start getting a lot of these guys who deserve to be seen and known by the Brazilian fans.  That’s what we’re working on now.  That’s our footprint.  We go in there, we start on free televsion, and then we bring a live event down,” White told Tatame.

Belfort earned the title shot by upsetting ninth-ranked “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5) in just over three minutes in a 195-pound catch weight bout at UFC 103 in Dallas September 19.  Due to the catch weight, the victory over Franklin doesn’t earn Belfort a ranking in Fighters.com’s middleweight top ten.

After former champ Cung Le (6-0) stepped aside to focus on another film role, second-ranked Jake Shields (23-4-1) will fight for the vacant Strikeforce 185-pound title versus “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-5) in Chicago November 7.

Seventh-ranked Chael Sonnen (22-10-1) will fight “Thunder” Yushin Okami (23-4) on the untelevised undercard of UFC 104 in Los Angeles October 24.  Fighters.com thinks it’s outrageous to relegate this battle of contenders to the untelevised undercard.

Tenth-ranked “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2) is rumored to follow-up his victorious UFC debut versus “The Talent” Alan Belcher (14-6) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas July 11 versus tenth-ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) at UFC 108.  Silva will be debuting at middleweight.

Third-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) is a free agent and in negotiations to return to the UFC, but Hendo’ told Sherdog negotiations aren’t going well.

Fourth-ranked “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) and Hendo’ will probably fight for the next UFC title shot if Henderson and the UFC can agree to a contract soon.

Fifth-ranked “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1) has stated he won’t return to the middleweight division and now holds the Strikeforce light heavyweight title; but, Fighters.com has met Mousasi and he’s a small 205er.  If Mousasi decides to compete at the top of the 205-pound division, he’ll be at a severe disadvantage.

Sixth-ranked Demian Maia (10-1) will look to rebound soon from his first-round KO loss to Marquardt at UFC 102 in Portland August 30.

Eighth-ranked Dan Miller (11-2) is recovering from an injury which kept him from fighting “Doberman” CB Dollaway (8-2) at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City September 19.

Franklin is in limbo after losing to Belfort and continues to contemplate his future at 185- and 205-pounds.

Fighters.com October Middleweight Rankings

1. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

2. Jake Shields (23-4-1)

3. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7)

4. “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)

5. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1)

6. Demian Maia (10-1)

7. Chael Sonnen (22-10-1)

8. Dan Miller (11-2)

9. “Ace” Rich Franklin (26-5)

10. “Sexyama” Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-2)

What began as an uninteresting matchup forced after fifth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) turned down a title shot versus Machida has become a bona fide grudge match between the Brazilians.

Top contender “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) will be tied-up through January defending his Middleweight Championship versus countryman “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2.  Silva has repeated that he won’t fight his friend Machida, but Fighters.com sources say the fight could be made if UFC President Dana White meets certain conditions.  But, if Rua beats Machida at UFC 104, former Chute Box training partners Silva and Rua have been tossing verbal barbs back and forth and would make an exciting 205-pound title fight.

Third-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) swapped a much-hyped grudge match versus “Rampage” for a fight versus Thiago Silva (14-1) at UFC 108.

“Rampage” has evidently retired, but Fighters.com isn’t buying it.  I’ll put money down that Jackson will fight in the Octagon in 2010.

The winner between Evans and Silva is next in line for the UFC title shot if Machida successfully defends.

Seventh-ranked “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1) will welcome fellow Brazilian “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Noguiera (15-3) to the Octagon at UFC 106 in Las Vegas November 21.  The winner will quickly enter the title mix.

Fourth-ranked Forrest Griffin (16-5) has been laying low since his embarrassing knockout loss to “Spider” Silva at UFC 101 in Philadelphia August 8.

Eighth-ranked “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7) is a free agent and in negotiations to return to the UFC, but Hendo’ told Sherdog negotiations aren’t going well.

Ninth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) has also “retired” and can be seen on “Dancing with the stars”, but Fighters.com expects to see Liddell return to the Octagon in 2010 as well.

“Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) is preparing to debut at 185-pounds.

Fighters.com October Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (15-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1)

4. Forrest Griffin (16-5)

5. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

6. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-3)

7. “Banha” Luis Arthur Cane (8-1)

8. “Hollywood” Dan Henderson (24-7)

9. “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7)

10. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

Lauzon tapped “Li’l Heathen” Jeremy Stephens in an armbar at UFC Fight Night 17 in Tampa February 7.

Stout won a three-round unanimous decision over Matt Wiman (10-5) at UFC 97 in Montréal April 18.

UFC 108 is expected to be headlined by a title fight between Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4) and Xtreme Couture’s “Phenom” Vitor Belfort (18-8).