Hello and welcome to another round of my traditional start-of-month posts, with several definitive lists designed to give my full thoughts on all the MMA I watched in the previous month. Near the beginning of every new month, I’ll wrap up the previous month of action by counting down and listing off some of the month’s biggest moments and brightest stars. Now it’s time for the top five fights of July 2011, featuring all the best and can’t-miss moments of last month. Let’s dive right in. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another new edition of “Best of the Rest”! I really enjoy taking the time to give my detailed thoughts on a show after watching it, but after the serious discussion and debate I’ll raise in topics like “Top 5 Best Moments” and “Best Performance of the Night”, I think it’d be nice to have a semi-serious, occasionally tongue-in-cheek topic where I give out some other “awards”. It’s all in good fun, although I’ll raise a serious point occasionally. So let’s dive right into this latest edition, now featuring UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”. ...

Without hyperbole, UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber” was one of the best MMA events I’ve seen in 2011, and perhaps even in the last few years. We had so many interesting fights, so many entertaining all-out wars, so many dramatic and unexpected finishes. Now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after Dominick Cruz beat the only man that ever defeated him, after Wanderlei Silva was destroyed by Chris Leben, after Tito Ortiz finally got another win in the Octagon? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring UFC 132. ...

UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber” is now in the history books, and what a history lesson it was. Without the benefit of a UFC mega-draw, headlined by a championship fight in a smaller weight division featuring a champion that was fighting in the UFC for the first time, UFC 132 was an event at odds with itself. But in true UFC fashion, this is an event that lived up to and far exceeded its perceived potential. Fans and friends, we’ve got a strong contender for “Event of the Year”, and UFC 132 may have beaten out the amazing UFC 129, which I said would be the benchmark for the rest of the year. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary for UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”. ...

On July 2, 2011, the UFC will hold its highly-anticipated “UFC 132” event, featuring champion Dominick Cruz defending his UFC Bantamweight Championship against the only man he’s ever lost to, Urijah Faber. Also, MMA legend Wanderlei Silva returns from an extended absence and challenges tough, veteran brawler Chris Leben. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to watch UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”. ...

We’re now only a few days away from UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”. In the main event, UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz makes his long-awaited UFC debut and takes on the only man to have ever beaten him: Urijah Faber. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as legendary brawler Wanderlei Silva takes on Chris Leben, who has always been one of the best pure brawlers in the UFC’s Middleweight division. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring UFC 132. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 132: “Cruz vs. Faber”. ...

It’s now time, fans and friends: with this entry, my special two-day, six-part, ultra in-depth look into ufc 132 draws to a close. Throughout the series I’ve given my analysis of, the history behind, and even early predictions for all of UFC 132’s major Pay-Per-View bouts. The first part of the series can be seen here. Part 2 is available here, with part 3 right here. Part 4 can be seen here, and part five is right here. Now it’s time to focus on the biggest Bantamweight showdown of the summer: UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz makes his long-awaited UFC debut against one of the most popular lighter-weight fighters of all time, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber. This is the main event of UFC 132, and this is the finale of “A Closer Look”. ...

Although the past two months have certainly seen a UFC dry spell, the largest MMA promotion in the world has some big plans for the summer and fall. Chief amongst them is their UFC 132 event, which is scheduled for the July 4 weekend and features some of the UFC’s best and brightest stars. Eleven full fights have recently been made official for this event, including the highly-anticipated grudge match between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. Here are all the details. ...

After Georges St. Pierre's not-so-impressive performance against Jake Shields at UFC 129 this past April, many have been clamoring for a "super fight" pitting GSP against Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. Many have pointed out that some of the holes that St. Pierre displayed in his last outing with Shields would be picked up by possible a more intelligent, or rather more adept striker--such as Diaz, whom arguably holds some of the best hands in the mixed martial arts world. And though some obstacles may be lingering in the potential for the bout, that hasn't left people speculating the inevitable outcome. Urijah Faber, the former WEC featherweight champion and current number one contender for the UFC bantamweight title, has officially jumped on the Diaz bandwagon. ...

With the historic ufc 129 “St. Pierre vs. Shields” event now over and done with, the UFC is once more looking towards the future. Traditionally, one of the UFC’s biggest events of the summer is their Pay-Per-View that takes place on July 4 weekend. For 2011, that’s UFC 132, which features a main event pitting UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz against Urijah Faber. With many different bouts now being announced, it appears as though the UFC 132 card is complete. Here are all the details. ...

After a pretty large deluge of ufc shows in the month of March, UFC fans will only have “The Ultimate Fighter” to tide themselves over as we head towards the end of the month. We’ll have to wait until April 30 for the next UFC pay-per-view, and in the meantime, several interesting new developments have made the upcoming UFC 132 fight card more complete than ever. With several intriguing match-ups now added as more-or-less confirmed, UFC 132 is shaping up to be a pretty memorable card. Here’s all the latest info. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to another new edition of “Best of the Rest”! I really enjoy taking the time to give my detailed thoughts on a show after watching it, but after the serious discussion and debate I’ll raise in topics like “Top 5 Best Moments” and “Best Performance of the Night”, I think it’d be nice to have a tongue-in-cheek topic where I give out some other “awards”. It’s all in good fun, so don’t take any of it too seriously. So let’s dive right into this latest edition, now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

At UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”, names were made and stars were crushed. Veteran talent fell to hot prospects in two major match-ups, while the lighter-weight fighters shined in big and very entertaining bouts. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be talking about in the following weeks? Here’s my take on the matter: my top 5 best moments of UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

UFC 128 will likely be talked about for many months to come, whether it’s due to Mirko Cro Cop getting KO’d again, Jim Miller staking his claim atop the UFC’s Lightweight division, or the obvious: Jon Jones destroying Mauricio Rua. But now once again it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after so much seems to have changed? Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Another huge UFC event went into the history books tonight, fans and friends. UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones” is over and done with. It was a night that saw four free preliminary fights, several amazing knockouts, and the ascension of several fighters to top-division status. And in the main event, Jon Jones kick-started “The Era of Bones” by utterly dominating Mauricio Rua. Here are the full results as well as some early commentary on UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

By John Moody Urijah Faber will be facing his first fight in the UFC tonight against Eddie Wineland.  For many, this would cause jitters, but Faber has been here before.  As a former WEC champ, he has played to packed arena crowds in his hometown of Sacramento.  Granted, the New York City scene is a different beast, but the California Kid took it all in stride this week when facing the Big Apple media about his UFC 128 battle. Watch Faber at the UFC 128 press conference. ...

Welcome back fans and friends to the second part of today’s new entry into my “5 Reasons Why” series. At UFC 128, former long-reigning WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber makes his long-awaited UFC debut. Standing in the way of “The California Kid” is former WEC Bantamweight Champion Eddie Wineland. For five reasons why Wineland could beat Faber, click here. Now it’s time to focus on five reasons why Urijah Faber could beat Eddie Wineland. ...

I want Urijah Faber to win at UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones” this Saturday. That’s no secret, nor is my hope that he wins dramatically and with a dominant performance. But that does not mean that I’m counting out his opponent, Eddie Wineland. It seems I’m one of the few, though, as many people are considering Wineland an after-thought. So in my own attempt to shift some perceptions, here’s a new entry in my “5 Reasons Why” series. We’ll start with five reasons why Eddie Wineland could beat Urijah Faber, with the reverse soon to follow. ...

I’ve talked about it, you’ve talked about it, everyone’s talked about it, heard about it, and debated or even argued about it. But the time for all of that is quickly coming to an end: this Saturday will be the day where Mauricio Rua returns from injury to make the first defense of his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. It’s UFC 128, and this is another edition of “Finally Final Thoughts”. Here’s what I have left to say when it comes to what should certainly be one of the best events of the year. ...

We’re now only a few days away from UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones”. In the main event, Mauricio Rua defends his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Jon Jones. The co-main event will also be an interesting match-up, as former long-reigning WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber takes on Eddie Wineland. As is customary, here is my official “picks and predictions” post (covering who I think will win and why), now featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

On March 19, 2011, the UFC will hold its highly-anticipated “Shogun vs. Jones” event, featuring UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua making his long-awaited return from injury by defending his championship for the first time. His opponent, Jon Jones, is considered by many to be the future of the division Also, former WEC Champion Urijah Faber makes his long-awaited debut in the UFC by taking on tough Bantamweight Eddie Wineland. Still, some fans may be asking themselves: what are the best reasons to check out this card? Here’s my answer to just that: 5 reasons to watch UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the latest edition of “Crash Course”. “Crash Course” is a series of articles designed to give readers a quick rundown on all the relevant information they need to know heading into an upcoming major MMA event. Everything from why you should watch, what you should expect in the co-main and main event, and even where and when you can find it on TV is all covered in detail. So let’s get right to it with today’s edition, featuring UFC 128: “Shogun vs. Jones”. ...

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the start of a brand-new series! Recently I started up another series called “Sneak Peek”, a once-per-month, end-of-month series designed to give fans a look at what to expect for next month. Today’s new series follows the same vein, except it’ll be once per month at the start of every month, and whereas “Sneak Peek” focused on the events as a whole, this new series will focus on my most-anticipated fights in particular. So here we go: these are my most anticipated fights for March 2011. ...

With absolutely no disrespect meant to Demetrious Johnson, I really wish this list would have been “Top 5 Opponents for KID Yamamoto”. I’m saying that solely as a big Norifumi Yamamoto fan. But there can be no debate: in the preliminary fight broadcast live on Facebook, “Mighty Mouse” Johnson outright dominated “KID” with flawless takedowns, blistering speed, and constant pressure. With this win Johnson sets himself up as a fighter that UFC fans should pay close attention to, because big things are in store for him in the very near future. So without further ado, here’s my list of the Top 5 Opponents for Demetrious Johnson. ...

As UFC 128 looms closer, the final additions to the pay-per-view event have been announced and in total, the card will feature a staggering 12-card lineup, with a preliminary card that could surely anchor most Spike TV telecasts all on it's own. The headliner will pit former PRIDE star turned UFC light heavyweight champion in Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as he defends his title for the first time when he takes on former titleholder Rashad Evans. The event takes place at on March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. ...

Although it has been rumored for some time now, we can all take solace in that a light heavyweight title fight is coming to the east coast. Reigning and soon-to-be defending UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will be pitted against former title holder Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 128, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on March 19. ...

Dominick Cruz is now recognized as the UFC bantamweight champion of the world. Now that, doesn't suck. For five rounds, Cruz coasted a seemingly easy, but hard fought decision victory over the always tough Scott Jorgensen. With his wrestling and boxing credentials on full display, Dominick, did everything short of finishing the fight in order to wow the crowd at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. With eight straight wins bolstering his recent success in the professional world of mixed martial arts, Cruz now has a one track mind: beat Urijah Faber. ...

Today marks the end of what I fully believe will one day be remembered as one of the most important Mixed Martial Arts promotions of all time. Just like the UFC itself broke down barriers with the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and live, free events on Spike TV, the WEC broke the weight barrier by putting all the best lighter-weight fighters together and making them fight each other time after time. In the process, the WEC helped proved that weight is only a number, and that exciting finishes and amazing fights can happen regardless of how big or small you are. I know I’ve only been a fan of the WEC for a short time, and believe me, I wish that wasn’t the case. Nevertheless, since all the major sites are bidding farewell to the WEC in their own special way, here’s my top 5 memories from my all-too-brief time as a WEC fan. ...

wec 52: “Faber vs. Mizugaki” represented an important, close-to-final stepping stone for the WEC and its best and brightest less than two months away from the highly-anticipated UFC/WEC merger. We saw some great fights, plenty of finishes, and a “California Kid” take the first step in rising from the ashes. Recently both the official fighter salaries as well as the official medical suspensions of WEC 52 have been made public, so here’s how everything breaks down. ...