Recently, Nogueira gave his thoughts on Dana White’s recent assertion that Wanderlei Silva should more than likely retire after losing to Chris Leben. White even hinted that he might “Chuck Liddell” Wanderlei and basically force “The Axe Murderer” to retire.

Courtesy of Bloody Elbow, here’s just some of Nogueira’s response: “I think he was unfortunate with his comments. They’re idols of the sport, (Dana’s) not a God who decides on everyone’s career… I loved the fact that Tito Ortiz won his last fight. You see that these people were not champions for nothing. Ortiz, Wanderlei and Fedor were top fighters for a reason.”

I’ll start out by saying that I agree with “Big Nog” on one key item: Dana White isn’t some all-seeing, all-knowing deity. He’s perhaps the most powerful man in MMA, but he’s not the be-all end-all. MMA is a sport, the UFC is simply a promotion within that sport. And the sport of MMA is filled with veterans that have prolonged their careers by staying active after getting cut by the UFC.

But I will say this: when it comes to playing a pivotal role in your career… yep, that pretty much sums up Dana White to a tee.

If you’re a UFC fighter, Dana White can do… well, he can do pretty much whatever he feels like whenever he feels like it. He can ban you for life and you’ll simply have to deal with the knowledge that you’ll be forever forbidden from making the big, big money. He could bring you in with months of hype and then promptly cut you after one or two losses. He can fire you pretty much whenever he feels like it. Dana White may not be all-powerful… but for most fighters fighting under the Zuffa empire, especially the young upstarts… he’s honestly pretty close.

So, does it makes sense to call out Dana White? Only when you have a legitimate bone to pick. And to be honest, Nogueira does have a point. A fighter should choose when to call it a career, even if it means packing it in far after his peak. As veterans, they’ve earned that right. The most we can hope for is that they make the smart decision and retire before their win/loss ratio of recent years starts to overshadow the conquests of old.

And if we’re being brutally honest? Maybe Nogueira is feeling a bit spiteful because he knows that he too is coming up on the end of his career. The overall record of “Big Nog” is still ridiculously positive, but he’s lost two of his last three fights. And both of those losses were by (T)KO. So while Nogueira may have a point, a case could be made that he’s throwing stones in a glass house.

5. Melvin Guillard KO’ing Shane Roller

For the longest time, Melvin Guillard was an entertaining Lightweight fighter with a penchant for crazy finishes. Unfortunately, he was also generally perceived as a journeyman. At UFC 132, however, Guillard took another big step towards top-contender status when he laid out Shane Roller. Roller had never been stone-cold KO’d before, and he did take a lot of shots before he went down. But the end result was a highlight of the night: Roller stiffened up, in the “fighter’s crucifix”, and with Guillard giving us another outstanding finish in a division that’s known for decisions.

4. Rafael dos Anjos KO’ing George Sotiropoulos in under a minute.

Wow… who would’ve thought that Rafael dos Anjos of all people would KO George Sotiropoulos? It’s sad to see George fall from grace so harshly, and I didn’t like that dos Anjos gave George some unnecessary strikes after the initial KO. But it was one of the most unpredictable moments of a card that thrived on its unpredictability. And that’s why it deserves a spot on this list.

3. Chris Leben KO’ing Wanderlei Silva

We got what we were promised… two guys stepped into the Octagon and started throwing bombs, and then one guy went down. That’s what this fight was all about, that’s what everyone wanted to see, and that’s what we got. But it came at the cost of seeing one of MMA’s all-time greats unconscious on the canvas once again. If you’re a Leben fan, it made you practically ecstatic. If you’re a fan of Wanderlei, your heart sank about as low as it could go. It was one of those “best of times/worst of times” moments, and undoubtedly one we won’t soon forget.

2. Carlos Condit KTFO’ing Dong Hyun Kim.

I’ve rarely been this happy to see a high-level fighter get KTFO’d. I just couldn’t stand “Stun Gun” Kim coming into this fight, he seemed downright egotistical and he talked a whole lot about how he was not only better than Condit, but how he was better than virtually everybody else and how Condit was over-rated. To see him get put in his place made me so very happy that only one other finish outshone this one. Carlos Condit was my white knight in shining armor at UFC 132, and he delivered a stunning KO flurry that I won’t soon forget.

And my personal pick for the best moment of UFC 132 is…

1. Tito Ortiz nearly KO’ing and then submitting Ryan Bader.

This was just… wow. WOW. With his career on the line, with everyone picking against him… for one night, Tito Ortiz morphed into the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” of old. That’s the only way to describe how he took a young upstart, nearly knocked him out, and then choked him out in the very first round… before the fight was even two minutes old. Not even Jon Jones finished Ryan Bader in the first round. With an incredible “risen from the ashes” story behind it, there’s no doubt in my mind that Tito Ortiz’s victory over Ryan Bader was the best moment of UFC 132.

So there you have it, fans and friends: those are the moments I’ll be remembering from UFC  132 “Cruz vs. Faber”.

Next for Melvin Guillard/Dennis Siver: Each other, which is why I’m grouping them together. These two have been tearing through the Lightweight charts recently, although Guillard gave the better performance at UFC 132. Then again, Siver was generally thought of as higher on the food chain than Guillard coming into UFC 132. With those two factors in mind, this fight makes perfect sense, and with both men’s styles, this would also be a wildly entertaining fight.

Next for Carlos Condit: If his huge win at UFC 132 fight didn’t earn Carlos Condit the next shot at the title, he’s only one fight away from doing so. There’s a host of potential high-level Welterweight fighters that Condit could face, but the one thing most of them have in common is that Georges St. Pierre has already beaten them. I say we roll the dice and simply make Condit the next championship contender once GSP and Nick Diaz get through fighting. With his penchant for amazing finishes and his long years as a veteran, I think it’s deserved.

Next for Ryan Bader: Coming into UFC 132, Bader was still generally thought of as a top-division fighter. With this loss, he’s been sent packing to the middle of the division. I think a very smart match-up to make would be to put Bader up against another fighter who’s trying to escape the mid-level after a long time spent as a journeyman. Luis Cane comes to mind.

Next for Tito Ortiz: Some breathing room… for the first time in a long time. Some of the power now lies in Ortiz’s hands, and I think we’re going to see him back in the Octagon soon. Perhaps a third and final showdown with Forrest Griffin? Maybe a rematch with Rashad Evans if he loses to Phil Davis? Either way, don’t expect Ortiz to get anything less than top-division talent for his next fight. He was put to the final test at UFC 132, and he succeeded. So while the rebirth has started, another war is also about to begin for Tito Ortiz.

Next for Wanderlei Silva: I honestly don’t know. Retirement maybe? Silva’s chin just can’t seem to hold up anymore. He’s lost a lot more than he’s won lately. If not now, I think Wanderlei’s retirement is only one or two more losses away. Whatever happens, I certainly wish him the best and I’ll follow him wherever he goes.

Next for Chris Leben: Leben is now more or less on the same ground he was on coming into his fight with Brian Stann. Leben just might be able to make a serious run, but it’s not certain. When you rebound from a humbling KO loss with a fantastic KO win, there are still some questions that linger. If he’s willing to wait that long, a great match-up for Leben would be the loser of the upcoming Michael Bisping vs. Jason Miller fight.

Next for Urijah Faber: Faber won’t be going anywhere until he decides to retire. The UFC loves him, the UFC fans love him, and he continues to put on entertaining fights win or lose. As much as some people dislike it, expect Faber to keep getting a title shot every time he strings together two/three wins.

Next for Dominick Cruz: Whoever it is, they probably won’t beat him. Cruz is one of the most complete fighters out there, and that was clearly evident at UFC 132. The sky’s the limit for Dominick Cruz in the UFC.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

Dominick Cruz defeats Uirjah Faber by Unanimous Decision . Chris Leben defeats Wanderlei Silva by KO (Punch) at 0:27 of Round 1. Dennis Siver defeats Matt Wiman by Unanimous Decision. Tito Ortiz defeats Ryan Bader by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:56 of Round 1. Carlos Condit defeats Dong Hyun Kim by TKO (Strikes) at 2:58 of Round 1. Melvin Guillard defeats Shane Roller by KO (Punch) at 2:12 of Round 1. Rafael dos Anjos defeats George Sotiropoulos by KO (Punch) at 0:59 of Round 1. Brian Bowles defeats Takeya Mizugaki by Unanimous Decision. Aaron Simpson defeats Brad Tavares by Unanimous Decision. Anthony Njokuani defeats Andre Winner by Unanimous Decision. Jeff Hougland defeats Donny Walker by Unanimous Decision.

There’s so much I’d like to say about this event, so I guess I’ll just start from the beginning.

I really, really enjoyed the “UFC Prelims LIVE” fights for UFC 132, both on Facebook and on Spike TV. The Facebook fights kept going to a decision, but they were all very entertaining fights. Jeff Hougland and Donny Walker really impressed me, and I can’t remember the last time Anthony Njokuani looked that dominant. Add in some other interesting performances, and you’ve got a solid Facebook stream.

Then, of course, the Spike TV prelims came out and blasted everything on Facebook right out of the water. Despite the fact that he ended the fight with unnecessary strikes as the referee was pulling him off of his opponent, Rafael dos Anjos looked awesome against George Sotiropoulos. As a semi-fan of “G-Sot”, it’s really hard to see him take such an epic fall from grace. Melvin Guillard also looked amazing on Spike TV, and has now turned into a bonafide title contender.

And now we get to the epic Pay-Per-View card.

When it comes to the first fight of the night, all I can really say is this: I literally screamed myself hoarse shouting “YES! YES!” when Carlos Condit KTFO’d Dong Hyun Kim. That made my night, and it was the first fight of the card.

After that, I got to see Tito Ortiz utterly shock the world and demolish Ryan Bader, looking like the Tito Ortiz of old. That also made my night, since I’ve been an Ortiz semi-fan for quite some time. It’s too soon to say Tito is back, but I know that I can’t wait to see what he does in his next fight.

After that, Dennis Siver won a tough, semi-controversial fight against Matt Wiman. I personally think that Siver deserved the win, but I’d love to see a rematch.

As a fan of Wanderlei Silva, it broke my heart to see Chris Leben destroy him. But as a fan of fun fights, I’m very glad that this fight was as brutally amazing as it was hyped to be. I don’t know where Silva goes from here, but I wish him nothing but the best.

And in the main event, Dominick Cruz again proved that he’s the best in the world while simultaneously getting revenge on the only man that’s ever beaten him. It was a very tough fight and was pretty close, so I’d love to see a rematch for this fight as well.

Overall, this was one of the best MMA events of the year. UFC 132 had a little bit of everything for everyone, and it’s a night of fights I won’t soon forget.

5. Several good fights anchoring the “UFC Prelims LIVE” broadcasts on both Spike TV and Facebook.

The UFC is spoiling me. I freely admit it. For so long, we only got to see unaired preliminary fights on UFC DVDs or when the UFC needed to fill time on their Pay-Per-View broadcasts. But in the here and now, we get the opportunity to watch every single fight from virtually every single UFC card and it barely phases us anymore, it’s basically become an expected occurrence. But if the UFC ever took these preliminary fights away from me I’d inevitably spiral into an all-out temper tantrum and demand my free fights back. I’ll freely admit that as well. For the UFC 132 preliminaries, we’ll get a chance to see (for free!) names like Brian Bowles, George Sotiropoulos, Melvin Guillard, and more. The free prelims remain one of the biggest reasons to check out all the latest UFC events.

4. Can Dennis Siver rise above the tumultuous Lightweight scene and capture the next title shot that so many other fighters are pursuing?

Everyone wants a shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship nowadays. What’s changed since the BJ Penn era is that there’s so many Lightweights deserving of a championship and that could prove a serious threat to the champion. One of those fighters just so happens to be Dennis Siver, and he’ll have a big chance to prove himself at UFC 132.

3. In a world where nearly every top-division Welterweight has felt bitter defeat at the hands of Georges St. Pierre, Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim are new, interesting threats.

This is assuming that GSP gets past Nick Diaz, of course. And when (not if) Diaz beats GSP, the last thing the UFC needs to do is give Diaz all the old fighters that GSP dominated. Condit and “Stun Gun” Kim are two very different fighters, and they add an interesting dynamic to an always-crowded Welterweight top-contender scene. If this fight ends in stunning fashion, it’s not too far-fetched that the winner will become the next challenger to the UFC Welterweight Championship. With that kind of opportunity on the line, that should bring out the best in these two and give us one of the best fights of the night.

2. Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben… wow. It makes so much sense I have to wonder why it hasn’t happened sooner.

Stylistically, you can’t really imagine a more fitting opponent for Wanderlei Silva than Chris Leben. Leben has grown less one-dimensional with time, but he has been and always will be a brawling-based fighter. He loves taking two to give one, it’s a strategy that’s worked out well for him for the most part, even though his chin has been suspect as of late. With the way Silva’s chin has also become a bit suspect, there’s a chance that either fighter could end this fight in stunningly vicious fashion. And that’s a huge incentive to both check out this fight and the event in general.

And the number-one reason to watch UFC 132 is…

1. Two of the best Bantamweights fighting today do battle in the main event, with a championship on the line and a bitter rivalry fueling both men.

Despite practically being the spokesperson for MMA fighters with laid-back attitudes, to this day Urijah Faber is not without his fair share of cynics. One of those men, Dominick Cruz, just so happens to be the UFC Bantamweight Champion. He also just so happens to be the man that Faber humbled so badly at Featherweight that the loss spurred Cruz’s original drop to Bantamweight. Despite his recent troubles, Faber seems to have found new life in a smaller weight class. It just so happens to be the class Cruz is reigning over with an iron fist. It’s always great when a big rivalry gets settled inside the Octagon, but when it’s this fierce of a rivalry between two fighters as good as Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, then that’s an absolute can’t-miss fight.

So there you have it, fans and friends: five great reasons to tune in and see UFC 132.

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber: Faber has simply had too many losses lately, and Dominick Cruz has been looking too good lately. If this was the Faber before the TKO loss to Mike Brown, before the rematch that saw him get controlled by Mike Brown, and before the fight with Jose Aldo that saw Faber practically eaten alive in the stand-up… then this fight would be just about dead-even. As it stands, Cruz is just too good even if he hasn’t finished anybody in a while. Dominick Cruz wins by Unanimous Decision.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben: I want to believe in Wanderlei Silva… I do believe in Wanderlei Silva. I think Wanderlei wants to win this fight very badly, and I know he’s a better brawler than Chris Leben. Leben could catch Silva with a good punch and possibly KO him, Silva is also coming off of a long layoff. But that just isn’t enough to force me to pick against one of my favorite fighters in the game. This will be a very tough test for Wanderlei, but one that I both hope and believe he will pass. Wanderlei Silva wins by Unanimous Decision.

Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader: It’s curtains for Tito Ortiz, fans and friends. I just don’t see him beating a hungry upstart like Ryan Bader, especially with Bader coming off of an incredibly humbling loss. Bader will take his recent loss to Jon Jones and turn it into a learning experience, and this will be the fight where Bader begins to realize his full potential. Ryan Bader wins by TKO in Round 2.

Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim: We all know what I want to happen: I want Condit to go out there and take “Stun Gun” Kim’s head off. If Kim does try and stand with Condit, that’s exactly what’s going to happen, and Carlos Condit will win by KO in either Round 1 or 2, most likely Round 2. But if Kim does what everyone is suspicious of and decides to blanket himself on Condit for three rounds, he’ll win a Unanimous Decision. As much as I dislike the notion of Kim winning this fight, I have to admit that it’s definitely a possibility.

Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman: Both men are within shouting distance of each other’s records, but MMA today is a constant game of “what have you done lately?” And lately, Dennis Siver has looked like a wrecking machine in the cage. It becomes tougher and tougher to finish a Lightweight fighter as you get higher and higher up the food chain, which is why I’m thinking Siver won’t get the (T)KO. But I do think Siver will control and even dominate Matt Wiman with crisp, precise kickboxing. Dennis Siver takes a very clear Unanimous Decision.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends.

The Event: UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber”, currently scheduled for July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Four free preliminary fights will air over the UFC’s Facebook page starting at 6:15 PM ET. Two additional preliminary fights will air on Spike TV starting at 8:00 PM ET. The five-fight main card will be broadcast live on Pay-Per-View starting at 9:00 PM ET.

Why You Should Care: This is the UFC’s big summer event, it takes place on Independence Day weekend and it features the UFC debut of Dominick Cruz. Even better, he faces one of the most popular and skilled lighter-weight fighters of all time, Urijah Faber. Then you’ve got Wanderlei Silva facing Chris Leben in what should be an epic brawl, plus Tito Ortiz fights with his job, nay, his entire career on the line against Ryan Bader. And on top of all that, you’ve got two big match-ups at Lightweight and Welterweight that should establish the winner as a top contender in the division. And, of course, you get a bunch of free fights on Spike TV and Facebook.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: Dominick Cruz hates Urijah Faber… truly hates him. Cruz losing to Faber sparked a fire that has now resulted in Cruz claiming the mantle of the best Bantamweight on the planet as of now. Urijah Faber wants to breathe new life into his career, and he wants to do so not just by beating Dominick Cruz, but by humbling him in the same way he humbled him in their first fight. Both men are two of the best Bantamweights in the world, and their intense rivalry will bring out the best in each other. This fight could end in many different ways, and seems destined to be a “Fight of the Year” contender.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t love a fight between guys like Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva? These two love to have wild brawls, Silva will probably go down as one of the best brawlers in the history of the sport once all is said and done. This fight could end in an instant, or it could see both men swing for the fences for three straight rounds and never give an inch. If you’re a fan of good fights, this is one you just can’t miss.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It may not be stuffed with superstar talent, but UFC 132 features a host of big names in very well-booked fights. A lot of these fights are brimming with potential thanks to the fact that so many fighters match up stylistically well with their opponents. We may not get to see the biggest stars the UFC has to offer, but we’ll probably be getting a boatload of good-to-great fights.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: The only fights I’d recommend missing are the prelims if you absolute have to and the bout between Dennis Siver and Matt Wiman, also only if you have to. Every fight on this card has plenty of potential, but I’m not so optimistic that I believe that every fight will live up to its potential. I think most of them will, though, and this should be a good card.

Closing Thoughts: I’m very, very, very pumped up for this card. I think it’s going to be a sure-fire “Event of the Year” contender, although I don’t think anything will out-shine UFC 129 this year. Still, I think this one is going to be a hit and I’m going to walk away at the end of the night a very happy UFC fan. Definitely count me in for UFC 132.

Chris Leben is one of the original “bad boy” fighters that fans of “The Ultimate Fighter” developed a “love to hate” relationship with. Leben, as well as fellow Season 1 cast member Josh Koscheck, practically pioneered the “that guy” role on “The Ultimate Fighter”. You know the one: the guy that shows up and lives like a rockstar, seems to be only interested in his fifteen minutes of fame, and does several incredibly stupid things (usually with the help of large amounts of alcohol) that makes him an enemy of almost everyone else in the TUF house.

Leben’s UFC career has been an up-and-down whirlwind of good brawls, tough losses, and epic KO’s. At one point, Leben strung together five wins in the Octagon before running into a fighter by the name of Anderson Silva. Leben would go on to lose that bout and two of his next three. He would then go 2-2 before a big three-fight win-streak that included big wins over Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama. But Leben would falter once again, recently losing to Brian Stann via first-round stoppage. But even with his hit-and-miss record, it should be noted that Leben has usually been a very entertaining fighter to watch.

His opponent, Wanderlei Silva, is one of the biggest legends in the game. Known as “The Axe Murderer” and once feared as the scariest, most dangerous striker on the planet, Silva is now adored by many due to the respect he commands and the close relationship he has with his fans. Silva’s original run in the equally-legendary PRIDE FC promotion simply cannot be touched: Silva faced some of the best competition in the world and beat them all, winning fifteen out of seventeen fights with one No Contest and one Draw.

Dark days were ahead for Silva in 2006, though. Towards the end of 2006, Silva embarked on a downward spiral that saw him lose five out of his next six bouts. Even worse, three of those losses were by KO. It’s true that the losses were to some of the best competition in the world at the time: Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, Rich Franklin, and Mirko Filipovic. But the huge win/loss disparity prompted Silva to drop to Middleweight for the first time in his career. In a thrilling back-and-forth exchange, Wanderlei Silva narrowly beat out top Middleweight Michael Bisping and breathed new life into his career.

Heading into this fight, I think one question and one question only will determine the outcome: will Wanderlei Silva’s chin hold up? I’ll never question Silva’s heart or fortitude, I know how badly he wants to win and I know how good he is when he gets fired up. He beat Michael Bisping, who is a great fighter and generally a better fighter than Chris Leben. But Chris Leben strikes harder than Michael Bisping, and he’s knocked out plenty of people.

Everyone knows this fight is going to turn into a brawl, and if Silva shows up ready and focused, I think he can win that brawl even though he’s coming in after a long layoff. But can Silva withstand Leben’s repeated power punches for three rounds, if need be? If he can, Silva will weather the storm and may even knock Leben out. If he can’t, Chris Leben may add another KO loss to Silva’s record.

And that’s another down and only one more to go! Stay tuned as “A Closer Look At UFC 132” wraps up with my next entry, which will take a look at the big Bantamweight showdown between UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz and former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber. I’ll see you there, fans and friends.

We head to the one and only Sherdog for news that the UFC recently made almost a dozen fights official for the July 2 card. UFC 132 “Cruz vs. Faber 2” will now featuring the following match-ups: Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber, Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben, Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz, Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim, Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman, Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller, George Sotiropoulos vs. Rafael dos Anjos, Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki, Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Aaron Simpson, Andre Winner vs. Anthony Njokuani, and Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson.

I think UFC 132 is a very interesting card. It does feature some big stars, but not any of the UFC’s mega-stars: no Georges St. Pierre, no Jon Jones, no Anderson Silva, etc. However, the great thing about this card is that it’s not dependent on any one match in particular. What I mean by that is simple: this isn’t a one-note show, every single fight looks very interesting on paper.

In fact, this entire show looks so interesting on paper that I hope the UFC pulls a UFC 129 and makes every single fight available either through Facebook, Spike TV, or Pay-Per-View. The preliminary card of this event is so good, in fact, that I think you could make a serious argument that it’s “UFC Fight Night” caliber.

That’s not hype talking: the undercard features popular Lightweights Melvin Guillard and George Sotiropoulos as well as former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles. You’ve event got Jason Miller competing, who recently signed to the UFC from Strikeforce and made some pretty big waves by doing so.

As if that wasn’t good enough, the Pay-Per-View card is shaping up really nicely as well. I think Dennis Siver has truly begun to realize his potential and is starting to turn a lot of heads. Depending on if he beats Wiman and also how he beats him, Siver may find himself amongst the shortlist of possible UFC Lightweight Championship contenders. You’ve then got Carlos Condit taking on “Stun Gun” Kim in what I think will be a fight that will put the winner as the next challenger to the UFC Welterweight Championship, so long as the finish is dramatic enough.

And further atop the card, you’ve got a trifecta of big matches, with a whole lot on the line in each and every one of them. There’s no other way to put this: if Tito Ortiz loses to Ryan Bader, he’ll most likely be fired and he’ll also most likely retire. The situation isn’t as dire for Wanderlei Silva, but if he wants to make one final comeback before he too decides to retire, he’s got to beat Chris Leben.

And in the main event, you have two great fighters who absolutely despise each other stepping into the cage and trading leather. Dominick Cruz is definitely the most “complete” fighter in the UFC’s 135-pound division, but Urijah Faber is considered one of the best lighter-weight fighters of all time. I don’t think Faber will beat Cruz, but I certainly won’t rule out the possibility.

In the end, this looks like it’s going to be a great card and I plan to see as much of it as I possibly can. And what about you, fans and friends? Anyone out there anticipating UFC 132?

With credit going to MMA Fighting, the current UFC 132 card is now: Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber, George Sotiropoulos vs. Evan Dunham, Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman, Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller, Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben, and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader.

There’s been a lot of bad blood boiling between Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, so I honestly wasn’t surprised when it was announced that Faber would be getting a shot at the championship after winning only one fight in the UFC. I am and always will be a Urijah Faber fan, but I think even the biggest super-fan knows that Faber has a habit of getting rushed right back into the title picture because of how well-known and marketable he is. Making him the headlining attraction of a major card should fully test his marketability in the UFC, and at the end of the day, I’m looking forward to this bout.

Another bout I’m really, really looking forward to is Chris Leben vs. Wanderlei Silva. I will admit, though, that I would’ve liked it more if Wanderlei fought Vitor Belfort when the UFC returns to Brazil later this year. But this is a pretty great alternative. This will be a hard-hitting brawl and I don’t think it’ll go past the second round. It may not even make it out of the first. But regardless of how long it lasts, it should be one of the most entertaining fights of the night, and depending on how long it lasts, it may even go down as a possible Fight of the Year candidate.

I’m also looking forward to seeing Melvin Guillard back in action after his supremely dominating performance against Evan Dunham. Guillard faces an interesting challenge in Roller, who is coming off a two-fight win-streak that saw him take home both a “Submission of the Night” and a “Knockout of the Night” award.

Speaking of Evan Dunham, he should be an interesting challenge for George Sotiropoulos, especially with George coming off of the first loss of his UFC career. And the man that beat him, Dennis Siver, will also be in action against an interesting opponent: Matt Wiman is currently on a three-fight win-streak.

And to top it all off, I’m even looking forward to Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz. This will absolutely be Tito Ortiz’s last call. When it comes to him finally making good on his promise of an epic comeback, it’s now or never. With his job and possibly his career on the line, perhaps the dominant Tito Ortiz we all once knew will finally make an appearance in the modern-day UFC.

Overall, this may not go down as one of the best UFC events of the year or one of the most star-studded, but already I’m thinking that I’m going to enjoy a majority of these bouts. And what about you, fans and friends? Any thoughts on UFC 132 as it stands right now?

5. It’s the rematch that’s been over ten years in the making.

October 16, 1998. Do you remember what you did on that day? Both of these men probably did: that’s the day that Belfort pounded out Silva within the first few seconds of their fight in the last event the UFC ever held in Brazil. It’s one thing to give a rematch a few years to develop, but to say that both men are different fighters than they were in their first bout would be a colossal understatement. This is the kind of legacy fight both men need as they approach the last years of their careers, and what better way to add to a legacy than to either avenge a crucial loss or once again beat a feared opponent?

4. Vitor Belfort needs an important rebound fight.

Get ready for a bit of tough love, fans and friends: the situation Belfort finds himself in right now is the exact same situation he’s found himself in numerous times, and although he does eventually rise back up, he falls off the face of the earth first. Belfort usually continues to fall downhill after a deflating loss, and he needs a strong opponent to prove that he can break that trend. There are a lot of questions hovering around Vitor Belfort right now, giving Silva the fight of his life would answer almost all of them.

3. Wanderlei Silva needs big-name opponents to make the most out of this (final?) resurgence.

Here’s some more tough love: Wanderlei Silva probably has one last run in him, the run he’s on right now, and he needs quality opponents in order to legitimize himself in the UFC’s Middleweight division after a string of tough losses at Light Heavyweight. I truly think that this may be Silva’s last shot at relevancy; if he beats Belfort he sets himself up as a possible championship contender. And we haven’t been able to say that about Wanderlei Silva for quite some time.

2. It’s UFC, it’s Brazil, it’s Vitor and Wanderlei. How could it not sell out?

Many fans are speculating that this fight would take place whenever the UFC goes back to Brazil in 2011, and that’s because it’s so simple to understand yet stands the chance of making everyone involved a boatload of money. Belfort vs. Wanderlei is a marquee match-up that would undoubtedly help sell out the planned venue for “UFC: Rio”.

And my number one reason is…

1. Neither man will back down or go down until they’re completely removed from consciousness.

I think both fighter’s recent fights proved that, no matter what else, they both have a warrior’s spirit and won’t quit no matter what. Belfort was blasted in the face with a heinous kick and it still took two more shots to properly put him away. Wanderlei Silva fought Michael Bisping to a standstill for three tough rounds and even likely stole said rounds with his emphatic last-minute flurries. If this fight were to happen, fans would likely be treated to one of the best brawl of the year.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. I really hope this match-up sees the light of day. And what about you? What’s your take on Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort?

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort is coming off of an embarrassing first-round knockout to current middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva last Saturday at UFC 126. After a precarious few minutes spent with both men gauging one another, Silva unleashed a front kick to the face that helped set-up the knockout in less than four-minutes of action.

Wanderlei Silva knows all about embarassing defeats, as he was the victim of one opposite of Belfort, and while Wanderlei seeks redemption in a bout with Vitor, “The Phenom” looks to do the same with a potential win in his next outing.

The two originally met many years ago, when the UFC was first making their efforts in expanding the organization, as they brought a live event to the two fighter’s native Brazil back in 1998. Belfort caught “The Axe Murderer” early with a barrage of strikes, which helped set up the TKO win in just 44 seconds of the opening round.

Since that time, both of their careers have taken drastic changes. Wanderlei would go on to dominate the competition over seas, defeating the likes of Ricardo Arona, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (twice), Kazushi Sakuraba (three times), Hidehiko Yoshida, Guy Mezger, and Dan Henderson, which eventually led the Brazilian to the promotion’s middleweight title where he ruled with an iron fist for many, many years. He’s arguably one of the greatest light heavyweight fighters of all time.

Vitor, however, has not received the same sort of accolades that Silva has. After capturing the UFC’s 205-pound title in 2004, Belfort would go on to a three-fight losing streak before leaving the organization for hopes to compete permanently for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, though Vitor performed with mixed results once again before racking up a five-fight win streak (before the loss to Silva) since beginning to train full time out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.

In a lot of ways, should this fight materialize, it’s a cross roads match-up for these men. Both legends of the sport (to some degree), and both are some of the most iconic figures in Brazil in the world of mixed martial arts, to me, this bout makes all the reason in the world, and both Vitor and Wanderlei believe so, as well.

“Let’s do it, brother. I accept it”, said Vitor when proposed with the match-up in an interview with TATAME.com. “He’s a great athlete, a great champion, and it would be a pleasure to fight him. It’d be a highly anticipated fight, very important for the sport.

“I’d give him the number one (on the line to fight me) easily, I’m challenging him … I want him”, said Wanderlei, who has long campaigned for a rematch with Belfort since his return to the octagon.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of the fight? Who would win? While Silva is rumored to be facing Brian Stann this May, would you rather see Vitor step in in his place? Sound off in the comment section below.

Dana White, President of the UFC, indicated less than a month ago that the proposed middleweight fight was something the organization was targeting for the May event, however such may not be the case, at least not quite yet.

During the organization’s special Ultimate Insider, a web-series featured at UFC.com, indicated that both Silva and Stann had already been signed and delivered for UFC 130, however MMAFighting.com has since disputed those claims.

The mixed martial arts media source states that bout agreements have not been signed, and that Wanderlei, the former PRIDE middleweight champion, will not be healthy in time for the May show.

Silva recently suffered broken ribs in preparation for a middleweight clash with Japanese Judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama, and had also obtained surgery on an injured knee from which he is still rehabilitating. The two were expected to meet at UFC 116 last July before Silva had pulled out of the bout, where former top contender Chris Leben had stepped in his place on just a few weeks notice. “The Crippler” submitted Akiyama in the third-round, and next called for Silva upon his return.

However, Leben then suffered a savage first-round TKO loss to the aforementioned Stann, who has since settled into the top of the middleweight division with the dominating performance.

So, MMA peeps, who do you think Stann should face in the mean time? Should he wait on Silva–who is a big “question mark” as far as when he can make an immediate return. Sound off in the comment section below.

With credit going to MMA Junkie, the UFC recently confirmed as official the following bouts for UFC 130: Frank Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard for the UFC Lightweight Championship, Quinton Jackson vs. Thiago Silva, Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson, Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story.

MMA Junkie also recently revealed that a match-up pitting Stefan Struve against Travis Browne was official for the UFC 130 preliminary card.

This comes on the heels of the major announcement that the UFC 129 fight card is now officially complete, and features several amazing matches that will take place in front of a possible crowd of at least 40,000.

While I don’t think that UFC 130 is as good as UFC 129, I do think it’s an amazing show and fully encapsulates how hard the UFC is focusing in on making all the best fights come together in 2011.

There’s simply too much to like when it comes to UFC 130. Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 should be an amazing encounter that has the potential to be an even bigger, even better match than their second encounter. I still believe in Frank Edgar, and I know that if he can come back from the beating “The Bully” gave him in the first round of their second fight, he can pretty much come back from anything. My early prediction is that this will be another super-close fight between two incredibly gifted athletes, but I think the third time will be the charm: this time Edgar will finally solve the puzzle, and he will finally beat Gray Maynard.

Add to that the awesome wars that should be Thiago Silva vs. Quinton Jackson and Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva. In particular, Silva/Jackson should be an epic brawl that I expect will end with a dramatic KO. Both men are at pivotal moments in their careers, and a big KO will almost certainly put the winner right back “into the mix”. Stann/Silva should also be a major proving point for both fighters, and will likely be one of the most explosive fights of the night.

And to top it all off, you’ve got Roy Nelson vs. Frank Mir and Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story, which are important matches for all involved and should be some very exciting fights to watch.

So while UFC 129 may be shaping up to be one of the best cards of the last several years, UFC 130 is also shaping up to be a landmark event and possibly one of the best events of 2011, which has already been a fantastic year for Mixed Martial Arts and should turn out to be a banner year for the sport as a whole.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your early reaction to the UFC 130 card?

A slew of opponents have already thrown their name in the hat to face “The Axe Murderer” including Chris Leben, Chael Sonnen, Alan Belcher–and most recently Brian Stann.

The former Marine came off of an impressive performance in his last outing when he took on “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran and former top contender in Leben, who he defeated with a deftly accurate array of strikes which eventually lead to a first-round TKO victory.

Silva has been sidelined recently since suffering a knee injury that required invasive surgery in preparation for a middleweight affair against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116, though Leben inevitably stepped up to the plate for the 185-pound contest.

UFC President Dana White, according to MMAFighting.com’s Mike Chiapetta, stated that Wanderlei could next meet with “The All-American” upon his UFC return later this year.

No date has been discussed as of yet for the Brazilian’s return, who last competed in February of 2010 when he defeated Michael Bisping by unanimous decision in Sydney, Australia.

Following his performance at UFC 125 where in the co-main event Stann took care of business against “The Crippler”, Brian had this to say when addresses who he would like to fight next: “I think I’d like to fight Wanderlei [Silva] next,” said Stann. “He’s a guy that I’ve watched for years. Before I ever put a glove on. He’s amazing. He’s as tough as they come, as good as they come, and a multiple weight champion. I think I’d like to fight him next, but I’ll be prepared for anybody.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you think about the potential match up? Is this something you would like to see upon Silva’s return, and who do you think takes this fight? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Demian Maia

After several big “fall from grace” moments that came in the form of a KO loss to Nate Marquardt and a humiliating Unanimous Decision loss to Anderson Silva, it appears that Demian Maia has finally begun to win back some of the luster he had when he first entered the UFC and was being hailed as the next Royce Gracie. Stann has only been submitted once, but he’s never faced an expert the caliber of Maia. This fight would prove that Stann is well-rounded enough to overcome any threat in all areas of the MMA game, because make no mistake, Maia is still an ace on the ground and his stand-up continues to show noticeable improvement.

4. Alan Belcher

This fight would test Stann’s adaptability and especially his takedown defense. It would be entertaining, of that there can be no doubt, because Belcher has no problem making it a brawl if you want to make it a brawl. The test for Stann, however, lies not in who brawls the best, but what he’ll do if and when Belcher feels that he’d stand a better chance of winning the fight by taking Stann down. If Stann can deal with Belcher’s strong takedowns and his brawling prowess, he’d set himself up for several major match-ups in the future.

3. Michael Bisping

We know Brian Stann can beat Chris Leben, but we also know that, for all intents and purposes, Michael Bisping is a better version of Chris Leben. Bisping has better Octagon control, more precise punches, and a very good ground game. Much like Leben, Bisping is also on a pretty good win-streak right now and once again he’s flirting with top-division status. If Stann puts another halt to another good win-streak, he’ll have earned a sizeable amount of credibility with the UFC top brass, who will most likely begin taking him seriously as a true top-division threat.

2. Nate Marquardt

I think we’ve all been forced to realize that Nate Marquardt shines against mid-level competition but consistently falters when matched up against high-level threats. More than any other fight, this one would prove which of those two classes of fighters Stann belongs to. If Stann isn’t ready for the absolute best, Marquardt should be able to beat him and perhaps even beat him dramatically. But if Stann is a true championship contender, he’ll prove that by beating Marquardt.

And my #1 pick for Brian Stann’s next opponent is…

1. Wanderlei Silva

I admit that this is the Wanderlei Silva fanboy in me talking. A lot of people have taken to calling out Wanderlei recently, now that he’s established some credibility in the Middleweight division by scoring a thrilling victory over Michael Bisping. I think Wanderlei vs. Stann would be an epic brawl that would only end with one man face-down on the canvas and out cold. Even though Silva is still in the process of finding himself in the crowded UFC Middleweight division, this fight has the most potential to be exhilarating, entertaining, and a firm step in the right direction for whomever ends up winning it.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? What do you think of Brian Stann, and who would you like to see him fight in the future?

The Oregon native was last seen in action when he was pitted against reigning middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva last August at UFC 117 in Oakland, Cali. Sonnen dominated the Brazilian for a majority of the fight, even dropping the dynamic striker in the opening moments of the fight. However, a mental lapse in the fifth and final round allowed Chael to be submitted in the waning moments of the fight, and with a triangle choke in place, Sonnen tapped out with less than two minutes to go in the fight.

Following the 185-pound contest, Sonnen was suspended on initial suspicion of steroid use when post-fight medicals showed that the 33-year-old had elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

It was later revealed that Chael in fact did not take any performance enhancing drugs, however was using testosterone replacement therapy for a condition called hypogonadism which decreases functionality of the gonads.

After it was all said and done, Sonnen eventually was handed down a 6-month suspension following a lot of litigation and a meeting before the California State Athletic Commission (which reduced an initial 12 month suspension to 6) and can resume competition in March of next year. Recently, the outspoken middleweight star has traded barbs with legend and former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva. The conflict originally came to a head when the brash Sonnen spoke negatively against the Nogueira brothers, who remain close friends with “The Axe Murderer”, however it was when Chael spoke unfavorably to Silva’s native Brazil that really but him over the edge.

“Have respect or lose your teeth” were the wise words of advice that the future UFC Hall of Famer had to share with Sonnen, and since then the Team Quest product has done little to hold any punches back in kind.

“We get through all the red tape in just a matter of months. The very first of March we’ll resume training and I’m looking to have a fight immediately following”, said Chael who appeared recently on MMA Live, discussing his immediate future in the world of mixed martial arts.

“There’s three shows going on in that month, I’m going to get tabbed on one of them.

‘I’m not feeling quite up to myself. I’m suspended and can’t resume training until early March, so I’m looking for an easy fight, I took an easy target and I called out the guy (Wanderlei Silva) with the worst record in the history of the UFC.”

Sonnen is nothing short of a UFC pay-per-view miracle. If the guy lost all of his limbs, he would still be able to convince you that he could win a decathlon.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Sonnen’s recent claims? Does a fight with Silva interest you? Who do you think will walk away the victor from the middleweight affair? Sound off in the comment section below.

Here’s what Wanderlei had to say over at Fighters Only: “…Our first fight did not prove anything really; it was a technical error and also a lucky moment… I am a different fighter now and this time the one who is going to do the knocking out is me. I’ll beat him badly… Everybody knows he is strong but is psychologically weak. Everybody knows he goes to bits before going in to fight, so I’m damaging his mind already… Now he won’t get that luck of the first time. Now I’m going to knock him out.”

I personally would absolutely love to see the rematch that’s been ten years in the making. Both men are at such different points in their careers that it isn’t remotely feasible to compare the two based on their first fight. Wanderlei Silva had never stepped inside a PRIDE ring when he met Vitor Belfort. At the time of their first fight, Belfort was best known as a major threat… at Heavyweight. The first Belfort/Silva is about as “ancient history” as ancient history gets in the fight game.

I think this match-up is highly likely if Belfort ends up losing to Anderson Silva. And if that happens, I also think that there’s a huge possibility that this fight would go down in Brazil, since the last time the UFC was in Brazil was also the last time Belfort and Wanderlei fought each other. So not only would it be a huge match between two fantastic strikers, it would also benefit from an electric atmosphere.

And I personally think that Wanderlei Silva does have what it takes to beat Vitor Belfort. All the wars he’s been in have resulted in Wanderlei not being as good as he once was, but no amount of wear and tear could ever take out Wanderlei’s incredible heart and passion. Silva has simply never competed in a boring fight, and with so much on the line as he enters this latest and perhaps final stage of his career, I think Silva would fight Belfort as if his life depended on it and ultimately emerge the winner. Belfort still has dynamite in his hands, but it’s going to take nothing less than a “KTFO” moment to stop Wanderlei if this match ever comes to fruition.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you make of Wanderlei’s recent comments, and if it happens, who do you think would win this bout?

5. The UFC 126 “Super Bowl Super-Show”.

It’s not enough that the UFC is giving us Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, oh no. In addition to the mega-fight that’s been several years in-the-making, we’ve got Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin and Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader. Basically, we’ve got three fights that could each easily, and I do mean easily, headline an event on their own. And it all goes down during Super Bowl Weekend, where everyone is hosting parties and having fun anyway. UFC fans are in for a real treat with this one.

4. UFC in Brazil for the first time in over ten years.

Georges St. Pierre in Canada. That’s the kind of reaction I think the Brazilian fans will give if they get someone like Wanderlei Silva or Anderson Silva or even Renzo Gracie or Royce Gracie to compete at the upcoming UFC event in Brazil. From the beginning, from the moment the idea for the first UFC tournament popped into the head of Rorion Gracie, Brazil has been tied to the UFC. While the UFC will most likely forever be headquartered in Las Vegas, heading back to Brazil is almost like coming home. It should be an amazing show featuring an unbelievable atmosphere.

3. UFC in Toronto in front of over 60,000 fans.

But even the tentatively-titled UFC: “Rio” virtually pales in comparison to the UFC’s upcoming debut in Toronto. The UFC owes almost as much to Canada as it does to Brazil, Canada was the first major step on the road to the UFC becoming a global brand and it remains a key player in the UFC’s international development. And UFC’s debut in Toronto will be in the Rogers Centre, better known as the Toronto SkyDome, which can seat anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 people. I can hardly begin to imagine how epic the crowd alone will be, let alone the amazing card the UFC will likely put on in order to attract the most fans possible.

2. The thirteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter”.

It’s been repeated so many times by so many fans and insiders that it’s practically a cliché, but it’ll always be true: “The Ultimate Fighter” broke the mainstream barrier and is perhaps the single most important thing to have ever happened to the UFC outside of its original founding. We’re heading into our thirteenth season of TUF, and things just keep getting better. No season is perfect, but the steady ratings and improved fight quality of Season 12 have left me incredibly pumped up for TUF Season 13. Even though I’m a bit sad that we won’t see Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva coaching against each other, there’s really no reason to miss out on Season 13.

And #1 on the list goes to…

1. Better per-event fight quality thanks in no small part to the influx of WEC talent and the addition of the Bantamweight/Featherweight divisions in general.

As a WEC super-fan, could I have really picked anything else to top this list? With two new divisions and a host of world-caliber talent, the WEC/UFC merger should begin paying out enormous dividends almost immediately. I have a great feeling that this is going to be a “best of both worlds” scenario, where we get the same great WEC action except on a much larger scale. Both the merger and the new weight divisions should give a lot of otherwise-underwhelming UFC events a big shot in the arm, especially the international events. It should be an awesome, awesome year of fights.

And that’s the end, fans and friends! My four-part “All I Want for Christmas” mini-series is now officially over and done with. I’d like to thank all my readers for their continued support, and once again I’d like to wish you all a very happy and very merry Christmas, and happy holidays in general. So, what about you? What are you looking forward to for the UFC in 2011?

Silva recently spoke with Fighters Only and had some less-than-kind words for the abrasive, mile-a-minute trash-talker and former UFC Middleweight Championship contender. Here are some highlights: “I trained with him one time at Xtreme Couture and I killed him there… Sometimes I talk, we talk, it’s making the fight more interesting. I like to talk about my opponents, no problem. I am not afraid of anybody.”

It’s pretty easy to see why so many people were looking forward to Silva and Sonnen coaching against each other: they’ve got two radically different personalities, but they’re also two of the most entertaining talkers in the business. When Wanderlei Silva speaks, he speaks in an incredibly down-to-earth tone, so when he says something important, people immediately pay attention. Chael Sonnen is the polar-opposite, inundating fans with constant verbal barrages to the point where they have no other option than to listen to what he has to say. But of course, none of that would have mattered had Sonnen not been at his comedic best when throwing his verbal jabs.

And Silva vs. Sonnen does certainly sound like an excellent match-up on paper. Sonnen’s striking has improved a whole lot lately, but Wanderlei Silva still possesses a large amount of the famous KO power that once had both fans and fighters speaking of “The Axe Murdered” in hushed, near-reverent tones. It’s true that Wanderlei Silva is not what he once was, but I’ve yet to see the man compete in a boring fight throughout all his numerous ups and downs. I think these two men would bring the best out of each other if this fight does happen, and us fans would be treated to a great fight as well as several awesome weeks of build-up.

As to who I think would win the fight, my head says it’s relatively fifty-fifty while my heart just has to side with Wanderlei. I think a properly-motivated Wanderlei Silva can still be a threat in the Middleweight division, he’ll probably never hold a championship but I think he has a few high-level fights left in him. And Silva would have all the motivation in the world against someone like Chael Sonnen. Likewise, Sonnen would also be incredibly motivated to perform at his best if he ever signed on to fight Wanderlei.

In the end, I really hope this fight happens. I would have enjoyed it immensely if these two coached a season of TUF against each other, but I’ll be more than happy to settle for Silva vs. Sonnen happening, period. It’s a great fight that appeals to several different sections of the general MMA fanbase, so I think the UFC would really be losing out if they overlooked this match. And what about you, fans and friends? What are your feelings on Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen?

According to a report seen on MMA Mania, journalist Ariel Helwani recently took to Twitter for a pair of announcements: that TUF Season 13’s coaches have still not been finalized, and that both Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva are officially out of the running. The two men were widely rumored to be coaching opposite each other for weeks, with many anticipating the inevitable showdown thanks in no small part to a classic video that showed “The Axe Murderer” laying a verbal beatdown on a somber, borderline-apologetic Sonnen.

We then head to MMA Weekly for a report concerning a possible Brazilian version of TUF. For those unaware, there’s been a lot of talk recently surrounding which country/countries will get the first shot at their own version of TUF. Regarding a possible Brazilian version, UFC President Dana White had this to say: “…Imagine the talent that would come off that show… So yeah, we want to do it. I don’t know how fast it would be that we could get it done, but trust me, we’re moving pretty quickly… We want to take ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ everywhere. All these places and all these different countries that we’re going, we want to take ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ to these places.”

I have to admit, I had my heart set on Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva coaching against one another. Chael Sonnen is certainly charismatic enough and infamous enough for the role of a coach. Plus, Wanderlei Silva is so good-natured and kind that I think fans across the world would find yet another reason to become a fan of “The Axe Murderer” once they get to know who he really is outside of the Octagon: the kind of man that once stated “I don’t have fans. I have friends.” The contrasting ideals and potential dynamic between these two could have given us some of the best TUF drama in years, perhaps ever, and I’m honestly sad that it’s not happening.

In regards to a Brazil-exclusive version of TUF, I fully agree with Dana White: this is a no-brainer. Brazil has bred an incredible amount of MMA champions, it’s one of the premiere destinations for Mixed Martial Artists no matter what discipline they’re looking to train. I’d love to see a Brazilian version of TUF, I think the fight quality would be off the charts.

All in all, it’s going to be very interesting to see how things shake out for “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2011. And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think about these recent TUF developments?

The event is currently scheduled to take place on August 27, 2011 in Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. At maximum capacity, the venue can hold anywhere from 15,000 to 18,000 fans. Reportedly, the UFC finally pulled the trigger on their long-awaited and long-planned return to Brazil based on the country’s recent and rapid economic expansion. Speaking to Yahoo Sports, UFC President Dana White had this to say: “The economy is doing extremely well… It just made sense. The economy has really been kick started and there are a lot of good things going on in Brazil… People were always asking me about Brazil and when it would happen and I always said it probably won’t happen for a while… But when they got the Olympics, I said, ‘Now we’re interested,’ and we really began to look at Brazil.”

After weeks of rumor and speculation, I think it’s great to finally get official confirmation that we can look forward to the UFC’s return to Brazil. The market does seem lucrative enough, and with Brazil’s deeply-rooted ties to all forms of fighting, the UFC should be a perfect fit. As with all the international cards, I think we can expect to see this event jam-packed with Brazilian competitors. And the best thing about that? A large portion of the UFC’s top talent are Brazilian.

However, this event does pose an interesting problem: yes, a lot of the UFC’s top-divisions stars are Brazilian, but a lot of them have been tied to other events. Several major fights have already been announced for 2011, many of them featuring the UFC’s top Brazilian stars. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see if any planned/rumored fights are shuffled around in order to better guarantee a sellout. But even without big stars like Anderson Silva, the UFC does have a host of other Brazilians that could easily make this card: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, and more.

At the end of the day, I’m incredibly excited for the UFC’s return to Brazil. In general, I always appreciate a good international card. Only a select few have all the major stars, but far more often than not international cards are enjoyable no matter who’s headlining. And I think the UFC will do everything in their power to make sure that this particular card is a success. 2011 looks to be an amazing year both for MMA in general and the UFC in particular.

And what about you, fans and friends? What do you think of the UFC’s return to Brazil, and what are some matches you hope the UFC puts together for this card?

UOL Esporte, with translations courtesy of MMA Mania, reports that the UFC is planning to hold an event in Brazil in August of next year. The target venue is the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The arena is a dual music/sporting arena and can hold anywhere between 8,000 to 18,000 people depending on what event/concert is being featured. The report also states that some of the biggest Brazilian stars the UFC has to offer have all been asked to participate in the event. No less than Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira have all been tied to this event.

I’ve been a vocal supporter of the UFC returning to Brazil ever since the announcement was made, so I’m very glad that plans are already in motion to make this a stellar card. I think the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts as a whole owes a whole heck of a lot to Brazil, and I’m glad that the UFC is looking to give back in a big way. Without an ounce of hyperbole, I firmly believe that Brazil has consistently given us some of the best Mixed Martial Artists of all time. From one generation to the next, there seems to be no stopping the influx of young, wildly-entertaining, ridiculously-skilled Brazilian competitors.

In regards to the card itself, there are simply too many great fantasy match-ups to think about. I’d love to see Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva fight each other, it’s a rematch that’s been over a decade in the making. The UFC could also have the rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira go down in Brazil, that would likely almost guarantee a sellout. And if they want to ensure that the HSBC arena is packed past capacity, the UFC could give us the rematch everyone is waiting for and book Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 2.

So the UFC is not without options, not by a long shot, especially since the new year isn’t even here yet and a lot of the UFC’s plans for 2011 are still only in the planning stages. I’m really looking forward to what the UFC produces in 2011 as a whole, especially with their two new lighter-weight divisions thanks to their absorption of the WEC. But this “Ultimate Brazil” event honestly seems like it could be one of the most interesting events in recent MMA history. Here’s hoping it lives up to the considerable hype it’s beginning to build for itself.

And what about you, fans and friends? As the rumors continue to swirl, what are your early thoughts on the UFC’s return to Brazil?

In a recent interview with Fighters Only, Marquardt said the following: “…My next opponent needs to be an elite fighter who will stand and bang with me in the center of the Octagon until one of us is knocked out. The fight that makes the most sense to me is Wanderlei Silva.  I have a ton of respect for Wanderlei and have wanted this fight for years… Wanderlei is an amazing fighter who is very aggressive, I will pursue him with unwavering tenacity, then I will knock him out! I promise the UFC, Dana, my fans, my team, my coaches and most importantly myself that never again will there be a question about my cage aggression.”

If you’re keeping track, fans and friends, several notable UFC fighters have called out Wanderlei Silva in recent months. In addition to Marquardt, both Chris Leben and Alan Belcher have vocally called out Wanderlei Silva and more or less made the same promise as Marquardt: that they would come at Wanderlei aggressively and knock him out.

As a Wanderlei Silva fan, I’m just happy that people are beginning to take “The Axe Murderer” seriously again. It wasn’t too long ago that Silva was facing possible retirement, and the unfortunate fact remains that he’s lost five out of his last seven fights. Silva needed a big win in a big way, and he got just that when he made his Middleweight debut and narrowly edged out Michael Bisping at UFC 110 back in February. It’s tough to say what the future holds for Wanderlei Silva, this comeback of his has just barely gotten underway and he’s just started to figure himself out as a Middleweight.

But I can say one thing for certain: I think Wanderlei Silva could beat Nate Marquardt, and Alan Belcher, and Chris Leben, and anyone else for that matter. On any given day, Wanderlei Silva could beat practically anybody. His skills may not match up perfectly, his opponents may be younger and somewhat faster, his hand speed and his punching power and even his chin may not be what they used to be back in his legendary PRIDE FC days… but don’t tell that to Silva himself, because he won’t believe you. And even if he does, he’ll ignore it and continue fighting with every fiber of his being.

Because that’s what Wanderlei Silva does. I can’t recall a single occasion where I’ve been bored watching a Wanderlei Silva fight. It’s just not computing. Now that he’s got a fresh cast of characters looking to make a name for themselves by knocking him out, I think the future is quite bright for “The Axe Murderer”. If nothing else, he’s got three potential fights against three big-name Middleweights. And who knows? If he answers all three calls and beats all three, he may even challenge for a championship. Far, far stranger things have happened.

In the end, I can’t wait to see what’s next for Wanderlei Silva. Whether it’s Alan Belcher, Chris Leben, Nate Marquardt, or anybody else, I think Silva will approach his next fight with the same tremendous heart and same fierce aggressiveness that has been his hallmark since the days when PRIDE was the be-all and end-all while the UFC played second-fiddle. It’ll be an interesting 2011, that’s for sure.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who should Wanderlei Silva face next, and what do you think his chances are as a Middleweight?

We go first to Fighters Only, where current #1 contender to the Middleweight Championship Vitor Belfort had this to say in regards to a recent blog post where Wanderlei predicted that Belfort would find himself in a whole heap of trouble when he met Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship: “I didn’t waste my time watching [Wanderlei Silva's video blog]. It’s just a spectator’s opinion. Spectators can say whatever they want. He just wanted to get some attention for himself. I don’t take it seriously.”

Next up is MMA Fighting, where the returning Alan Belcher recently said the following: “I want to fight Wanderlei Silva. And I think he needs to fight someone like me, a top young guy, to really stay in the mix. He needs to do that to stay a legit fighter and not just a legend selling pay-per-views because he has a name… I think a passing of the torch is the perfect way to put it… I feel I’m better than him. Wanderlei definitely poses a threat…but at this point, I am more technical, well-rounded and I can beat him in any part of the game… I want to make myself a legend off of this fight.”

And finally we head to MMA Mania, who compiled the following message from Wanderlei Silva’s Twitter account: “You know, I was missing something. But then I found out I needed a rival. I never trained as hard as the time I fought (Ricardo) Arona. But now, I want (Vitor) Belfort, and I’m already trained for you. I’m gonna get you, you’ll see!”

I think both these fights would be awesome and really boost Wanderlei Silva’s credibility as he ventures down this latest career path. Silva and Belfort last fought over ten years ago at the UFC’s “Ultimate Brazil” show, with Belfort famously TKO’ing Wanderlei forty-four seconds into the round. If most people look forward to a rematch a year or two down the road because of how different both fighters have become, just imagine how different a Belfort/Silva rematch would be now that both men have had over ten years to hone their craft. More than likely it will be an incredible stand-up war.

Alan Belcher represents a very different threat to Wanderlei Silva, but still a pretty big one. Belcher has excellent wrestling, the kind of chin required to consistently shoot for takedowns, and his stand-up isn’t anywhere close to bad. It would be a clash of styles for sure, and highly competitive too. It would also be an important milestone and proving point for both men. All that added up makes me think that Belcher/Silva would be an amazing fight.

And after all that, Chris Leben still waits in the wings. No matter who Wanderlei Silva fights next, I’m looking forward to seeing him return to the Octagon. Silva’s legions of fans will follow him and support him no matter what, but I personally think that the time is right for a rebirth and return of “The Axe Murderer”. It may not happen overnight, but it may just be that the best is yet to come when it comes to Wanderlei Silva.

And what about you, fans and friends? Who do you think Wanderlei should fight next, and what do you think of his chances against Leben, or Belfort, or Belcher?

According to the Graciemag article, the UFC is looking at a possible November event in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. The HSBC Arena is currently the rumored venue of choice for an event that is supposedly going to be called “Ultimate Brazil”. The first “Ultimate Brazil”, also known as “UFC Brazil” and UFC 17.5, took place over twelve years ago in a Brazilian gymnasium. The event featured such notable fights as Vitor Belfort TKO’ing Wanderlei Silva and Pedro Rizzo KO’ing David Abbott.

I think Brazil could easily become a major player in the UFC’s international excursions in the very near future. The UFC has left Brazil untapped for over a decade, and it’s high time that they test the waters once again. No matter what card they put together, I think the UFC will be very successful in their first UFC show.

But if you want my opinion? I say stop making “Brazil vs. USA” cards in principal and start putting them into practice. What I mean is that the UFC has made several notable Pay-Per-View events in recent history that have been filled with Brazilian fighters taking on American fighters, but they’ve never come out and directly marketed the “country vs. country” dynamic. For the UFC’s first show in Brazil, I’m calling for a “Brazil vs. USA” card so blatant that I’d even want it to be called “Brazil vs. USA”.

Not only that, but just imagine the type of fights that the UFC could put together if they truly want to make this foray into Brazil a resounding success. We could see the third encounter between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. We could get Wanderlei Silva facing off against Vitor Belfort once again, after all this time. How about a rematch between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir? And if the UFC really wanted to ensure a sell-out, they could book the match that practically everyone in the world wants to see: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva 2. If the card really does take place in November, Chael’s one-year suspension (if he does end up serving the entire length of the suspension) would have ended with more than enough time to prepare for this rematch.

I know I could be accused of getting my hopes up, and rightly so, but it’s hard not to when I think of all the great Brazilian stars competing in the UFC and how the UFC always tries to fill the first card in a new market with talent that’s native to that region. Depending on how big of a statement the UFC wants to make when they return to Brazil, we could end up getting one of the best events of the past several years. It may be a year away, but I can’t wait to see this card come to fruition and I look forward to seeing what big-name athletes the UFC brings to the table when they return to Brazil.

And what about you, fans and friends? How excited are you about the UFC returning to Brazil, and what fights would you like to see?

Rafael Cordeiro, Silva’s former trainer for his Chute Boxe days, tops the list.

The two have reunited this year when “The Axe Murderer” made a successful debut in the 185-pound division, after a long and storied career n the light heavyweight division, defeating Michael Bisping at UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia, with Cordeiro in his corner.

Assisting him in the weeks leading up to the fight, Silva has acknowledged that training again with whom he calls his “Master”, Cordeiro has replicated the same success in other fighters and will now assist Silva in bringing back the old Chute Boxe team once again.

The old Chute Boxe, for the uninformed, produced some of the greatest Brazilian monsters, in the world of mixed martial arts. The aforementioned PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva, current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, UFC light heavyweight champion “Shogun” Rua, former EliteXC middleweight champion Murilo Rua (among others) all called Chute Boxe home at one point.

While these greats went their separate ways, it’s Wanderlei’s dream to reunite everyone once again, in order to gain back that positive energy that all of these friend’s had shared together once before.

“This guy is an idol now”, said Silva while speaking with trainer Cordeiro of Mauricio.

“And the guy is amazing. Shogun is gnarly. Come back and bring back your energy for us. We need your energy here. Ninja (Murlio Rua). Come on Ninja, come train with us. I think that all of us with the same spirit and the same ideals… we have to unite again.”

During the video, Silva makes mention that Mauricio has already came down to the Wand Training facilities in Las Vegas, Nev. in order to speak with his former head trainer, Cordeiro, in order to have the Brazilian back amongst the ranks of Wanderlei and some new partners, including Fabricio Werdum, Renato Sobral and UFC’s Mark Munoz to name a few.

“The secret is union, sincerity, loyalty and a strong spirit”, says Rafael, who like Wanderlei would like to assemble his former protege’s in a conductive and fun working environment.

“Another person who I would like to help, and right now I’m making myself available to help, I can’t train right now, but even if it’s just psychological… Anderson (Silva)”, said the MMA legend.

“Anderson, we want to help you in anyway you need”.

If Wanderlei had his way, he’s mentioned the likes of Jose Aldo, the WEC featherweight champion as well.

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of the news? Sound off in the comment section below.

5. Demian Maia

If Bisping wants to prove once and for all that he’s truly ready for top-level competition, he needs to face a top-level grappler. Maia has fallen from grace pretty hard, but he’s still a submission expert and Bisping would be in a lot of danger if it ever got to the ground. This fight would be a perfect showcase of Bisping’s well-roundedness if he wins it, so it’s definitely good enough to make this list.

4. Nate Marquardt

This is assuming that Nate Marquardt loses to Yushin Okami at UFC 122. I think a win over Marquardt would be huge for “The Count” and immediately put him into title contention. Marquardt has been looking fantastic in his fights lately; this would be a tough all-out war that would earn Bisping a lot of credibility if he won it.

3. Chris Leben

This is the perfect rematch: both men are at very different points in their careers than when they first met, and both men have displayed some interesting improvements since that first encounter. They’ve always been good strikers, yet we’ve recently seen how well-rounded both men are. This would still be a war, but it would be a lot more technical than I think a lot of people would give both fighters credit for leading up to this second fight.

2. Vitor Belfort

This is assuming that Belfort loses to Anderson Silva at UFC 126. I personally think a win over Belfort as he is now (a resurgent “Phenom”) would be as big for Bisping as a win over Dan Henderson would have been if Bisping beat Henderson at UFC 100. Bisping would enter top-division status with a roar and not a whisper if he managed to take down Vitor Belfort. This would likely be the toughest test for him out of anyone on this list, but it comes in at number two simply because I think my top pick is one that everybody wants to see.

And of course my number one pick goes to…

1. Wanderlei Silva

As a huge fan of Wanderlei Silva, I say this with absolutely no malice: Silva only won the first fight with Bisping because he stole some rounds with his round-ending flurries, and I think Bisping can beat and even KO “The Axe Murderer”. If Bisping fights in a style designed to drain Wanderlei’s energy, and if he avoids any and all flurries towards the end of the round, Bisping will be able to tee off on Silva at will by the third round, and Silva’s chin simply isn’t what it once was. This would be a huge rematch for both men, and I think nothing would erase the errors of the past for Michael Bisping quite like a big win over Wanderlei Silva.

But what about you, fans and friends? Who would you like to see Michael Bisping get in the Octagon against, and what did you think of my picks?

At a recent UFC 120 pre-fight press conference, with text transcriptions courtesy of MMA Mania, Bisping said the following: “…Other than the Dan Henderson fight, other than the bull**** decision to Wanderlei Silva, I don’t think I’ve lost any of the fights at middleweight. I got beat by Dan Henderson, and that’s it. You know, I feel I won the fight against Wanderlei… I’d love to avenge the loss to Wanderlei. I feel I beat him on that night, and I’d love to fight him again … You know, I mean, Wanderlei asked for the rematch… He knows deep down inside his soul that I beat him. I didn’t have a mark on me that night, and his face was quite totally messed up.”

Now, before I drop the hammer, I’d like to once again state that I usually harbor no ill will towards “The Count”. He’s a talented performer and a proven UFC draw, he can talk a little smack if he wants to. I think it’s unfair that so many people count him out of so many of his fights simply because he’s cocky and he’s got a major KO loss on his record. Many stars have come back from epic KO’s, for some it’s the best thing that has ever happened to them. So normally I’d take a “get over it” approach to Bisping’s tirades and ultimately wish the man the best.

But don’t you mess with Wanderlei Silva, Bisping. The reason Wanderlei asked for a rematch is because he wants to beat Bisping clearly and in dominating fashion. It doesn’t mean that Wanderlei thinks he lost, all it means is that he didn’t win the way he wanted to win and he wants to try again.

Ultimately, it’s Bisping’s fault for not winning the Wanderlei fight. The fight was very close, I have no problem admitting it. But Wanderlei stole all three rounds with his end-of-round flurries. Wanderlei finished all three rounds in a dominating position, he started strong and ended stronger, so of course the judges gave him the Unanimous Decision. Michael Bisping was in danger of getting TKO’d and even submitted when he fought Wanderlei. Keeping his pretty face intact while Silva’s looked nasty doesn’t come close to Silva nearly finishing the fight on several occasions.

But if Bisping really wants this rematch, I say give it to him. I think that Michael Bisping can beat Wanderlei Silva, but I also know that Silva can thoroughly dominate in the rematch. It would likely be a very different fight either way, and it’s definitely a rematch that I would really look forward to. And what about you, fans and friends? What are your thoughts on the first Silva/Bisping fight as well as the possible rematch?

In a video posted on the YouTube channel of MMACanada.net, here’s what the former PRIDE FC Middleweight Champion  had to say: “My plan [is to be back in] March. I want to try to make my next fight in Las Vegas or in Canada. I think Chris Leben is my next opponent. Nothing is official, but I’m thinking it probably is him.”

Directly after his winning performance against Akiyama, Chris Leben loudly called out Silva in his UFC 116 post-fight interview, shouting out “Come on Wanderlei, I’ll take you out, too!”. After serving a hefty suspension for testing positive for steroids following a loss to Michael Bisping in 2008, the future looked bleak for the notorious “Ultimate Fighter” bad boy, as he lost his return bout in 2009 against Jake Rosholt. Since then Leben has been on a tear, winning three straight and getting the victory over Akiyama with little less than two weeks to prepare for the fight. Leben’s next opponent is Brian Stann at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day.

I think the fight with Silva is inevitable, and it’s one that all the fans want to see. If Silva does return in March, it would give Leben about two months to prepare for their fight. As active as he’s been lately, I think it’s very possible that we’ll see this one go down sooner rather than later. And even if it doesn’t, this is a fight that simply needs to happen. Even if Dana White has shown some hesitation to making this fight in the past, you just don’t keep two of your best strikers in the division away from each other for long. Sooner or later they’ll have to trade wits and fists.

And it’s going to be epic. I’ve been a fan of Wanderlei Silva for a very long time, and like my recent turnaround concerning Nick Diaz, I’ve begun to appreciate Leben as a fighter even if sometimes I still don’t fully respect him as a person. If Silva wants to prove once and for all that he’s still a force to be reckoned with in Mixed Martial Arts, he needs to become only the second person in history to ever KO Chris Leben (the first being long-reigning and record-breaking UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva) . This fight will be all strikes from the first bell to the final second, and as far as wild brawls go, this has potential to be one of the wildest in recent history.

And what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about Leben/Silva, and who do you see winning the showdown?

Most famously, the former title challenger in Sonnen came under some fire when he was stuck with former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva for an extended amount of time, traveling with “The Axe Murderer” between gym openings and fan signings. The whole duet can be featured on the WandFightTeam Youtube channel, where Silva confronted Sonnen face to face concerning some of the outlandish things Chael had to say, primarily about his native Brazil and good friends in the Nogueria brothers.

However, even after the fall out, Wanderlei feels that the year long suspension that the Team Quest product is beginning to endure, following a failed drug screening post-UFC 117, is too much even for the brash middleweight fighter.

“After I talk with him in the car, he had a lot of opportunities for talk some things to me, and he said just ‘thank you’. It’s okay, no problem”, proclaimed Silva regarding Sonnen in a recent interview MMACanada.net, on their way to Ottawa, Canada, beginning a signing tour which will culminate in Toronto.

“Maybe he going to fight with me, but he’s one year out”, said Silva regarding Chael’s suspension, which was handed down by the California State Athletic Comission after his spirited defeat against middleweight champion Anderson Silva last August.

“But, that’s tough. I think a year, that’s too much time. I agree with what Dana (White) said, ‘the guys take his job for a year’, that’s terrible”, said a sympathetic “Axe Murderer” (go figure).

“This guy has a family, this guy needs work. I think six months is okay. A year, is too much time.

“For sure, this is wrong”, said Silva in regards to the alleged steroid use of Sonnen.

“But you can’t take a job from a guy for a year, that’s not so good”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Wanderlei’s sentiments regarding Sonnen? If Wanderlei agrees that Sonnen’s suspension is too long, do you? Sound off in the comments section below.

“The Axe Murderer”, through his WandFightTeam YouTube channel has produced new and entertaining snippets of his everyday life. Whether it be a happy birthday to his son Thor, a new sporty tattoo, or signing contracts come fight time, Silva has allowed his fans and viewers to delve into his life on a more personal level, always delivering positive messages and words of encouragement in every webisode.

In his most recent webisode, Wanderlei had his little run in with Chael Sonnen, which is already making some headlines as Silva had openly confronted face-to-face the brash middleweight contender, who was recently found to have taken steroids prior to his bout with Anderson Silva. Some other neat topics had risen from said webisode that I felt needed to be addressed.

Among his many accolades, a future Hall of Famer and his long and storied career in PRIDE where he won the middleweight Grand Prix and defended his title on several occasions, he was also honored in Texas at the Texas Capitol Building alongside UFC President Dana White, all while he was in town for the Q&A session for the lucky fans in attendance who were there for UFC Fight Night 22 in Austin, Texas.

It’s great to see that well after his years served in Japan, that he is getting his just deserves and on the biggest stage of them all.

In the midst of his stint in the Capitol Building before being honored, Wanderlei turns to White and they exchange words above the movement of MMA, and what’s next for the company.

Wanderlei: “This is awesome, no Boss? This is awesome”, said Silva to White, admiring his surroundings inside the very lavish and historic Capitol Building.

Wanderlei: “You every time more, going up and up. When are you going to talk to (Barrack) Obama?”

Dana: “(chuckle) Actually it’s funny that you should say that. Actually…”

Wanderlei: “Next week (chuckles)!”

Dana: “Soon. I’m working on it.”

Wanderlei: “Awesome”

Dana: “Yeah, I’m working on something right now”.

Well if that’s not encouraging, then I don’t know what is.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Dana and Obama coming to head? I encourage everyone to check out the WandFightTeam webisodes, they are all very gratifying and interesting to watch. Sound off in the comments section below.

Courtesy of the Wand Fight Team’s YouTube channel, Silva really let Sonnen have it by saying the following: “You make a challenge. You sell the fight, you make a promotion, it’s good. But you need to be careful talking about some things, like Brazil. You’re talking bad things about Brazil. You don’t know Brazil. When there is something you don’t know, you need to respect that thing. You’ve been to Brazil, but I am Brazilian. Like you’ve been talking about the Nogueira brothers. These guys are the history of the sport, we have to respect these guys. The promotion is good, but you need to respect some things. These guys need respect. We need to have a good conduct about that. Don’t do that anymore. In Brazil we have a saying- ‘You have respect, you don’t lose your teeth.’ In Brazil we say that. Give respect. Because we don’t know about the future, no?”

Even though I’ve said multiple times in the past that I’ve enjoyed Chael Sonnen’s numerous rants and raves, I have to say that Wanderlei Silva makes an excellent point. For someone that maintained the image of a cold-blooded killer for so long, Wanderlei also comes off as a highly articulate, very intelligent, very humble man. He has a way with words that completely bypasses his rough Brazilian accent. When you look at it from Wanderlei’s perspective, Sonnen did go pretty far in his pre-fight trash-talk.

I think all Chael Sonnen fans and closet fans (and I’m a closet fan, I admit it) should admit that the man says some incredibly stupid/ignorant things at times. It’s largely overshadowed by the comedic gems he keeps churning out, but they are there. I got plenty of chuckles when Sonnen referred to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira as “Roy Nelson in a Frankenstein mask”, but he went way too far when he compared a Nogueira black belt to a Happy Meal toy. His “no bowing in Brazil” rant was also a bit too much, and I’m sure it certainly angered Silva, who has been a proud Brazilian all his life. It most likely offended a lot of other people too, since the majority of top-ranked fighters in the entire MMA world are, for the most part, either Brazilian or American. Simply put: Sonnen was a fool when he tried to poke fun of a country that has given us some of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.

So, is Chael Sonnen vastly entertaining? Of course. But is Wand 100% right in this video? You better believe it. Win or lose, Silva’s place in the history books is certain. Sonnen’s place may forever be mired by his still-unfolding steroid scandal. Perhaps this is one time where Chael should actually listen to a voice that’s not inside his own head and turn it down a few notches, at least when it comes to broad and sweeping remarks that hurt and offend far more people than just his next opponent.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Do you agree with Silva that Sonnen went too far? Or, as the saying goes, is this a case of “all’s fair in love and war”?

The former Pride champion revealed his plans during a Q & A session during the Fan Expo in Boston, for UFC’s first trip into the new market.

MMAJunkie.com was the first to report the news, where reporters were on-site to pick up some quick tad bits from the MMA legend. According to Silva, he’s looking for a February or March return to the octagon, and he’s not looking for any tune-ups. He’s looking towards the top of the heap, and hopes to make an immediate impact upon his return.

The UFC star was last seen in action, when he defeated perennial contender and UK star Michael Bisping, by unanimous decision at UFC 110, in Sydney, Australia. It marked his first win at 185-pounds after a lengthy and storied career at 205.

“I had surgery on my knee,” said Silva, who was originally scheduled to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116 last July before bowing out due to a rib injury. “In this last year, I repaired my face, I repaired my knee, and I feel better now. I think I’m going to fight for another six years. I want to fight into my 40s.”

As hungry as ever, Silva 2.0 is ready to make his return, and has added Chris Leben (who defeated Akiyama in Silva’s place), Chael Sonnen, and Vitor Belfort on his hit list.

“I saw Leben’s fight with Akiyama. It was a great match. He’s a real tough guy. I think he’s a perfect opponent for my next fight.”

While a bout with Leben seems like the next logical step, Silva is still gunning for a shot at Vitor, a rematch from their bout in 1998, which was Silva’s initial UFC debut.

“I want to fight with (Belfort) soon,” continued the Brazilian. “He’s a good opponent, and I know we’re going to have a good match. I’m going to try to beat him.

“Vitor Belfort is a good opponent. I want to fight with him in the future.”

And the infamous Chael, who whether you like him or hate him he gets your attention, says that it’s Sonnen’s sharp tongue and witty comebacks that would make a fight with him all the more interesting and motivating, should the bout materialize.

“I like to fight with guys like that because it makes more motivation for training,” proclaimed the 34-year-old.

“Sometimes you fight a guy that’s so respectful. That’s good because this is our job. But sometimes when you fight guys that talk a lot, it’s great.”

Hoping that his best days are not behind him, Silva is looking onwards towards his career, gearing for another shot at a coveted UFC title to anchor his already sterling career.

“I was world champion in 2003,” Silva said. “Those days were the best days of my career. Now, I think my best days are going to be back soon.”

So, who would you like to see Silva match up with next? Is Belfort on deck for a classic rematch? Will Leben be willing to wait for the Las Vegas resident in order to propel his own career? Or perhaps the Politician/Realtor/Fighter/Comedian will descend his thrown and throw Silva a bone.

I think the main problem with Michael Bisping is that his attitude overshadows his attributes. I don’t want to call anybody xenophobic, but maybe we should admit to ourselves that it’s easier to hate a cocky Brit than a lot of other cocky fighters? Some people loved Chael Sonnen’s antics, some people loved Brock Lesnar’s. But it seems like almost every American fan is unified in hating Michael Bisping for his cocky, brash attitude. It’s very easy to embellish the losses and understate the victories of a fighter you passionately hate, and quite a lot of people really can’t stand Michael Bisping.

But Bisping has far more experience inside the Octagon than Akiyama. It’s true that both men started fighting in 2004, but Bisping has a whopping twelve UFC fights to Akiyama’s two. Bisping’s record stands at 9-3 inside the world’s best and biggest MMA promotion, Akiyama’s is 1-1. And if you argue that Bisping should be 8-4, resurrecting the zombified corpse that is the Matt Hamill vs. Michael Bisping fight, then you must also take into consideration that Akiyama should be 0-2, as his debut win against Alan Belcher at UFC 100 was not without its own fair share of controversy. Bisping has fought some of the best Middleweights and Light Heavyweights in the UFC, and even if he’s lost a time or two, that experience has propelled him to continually refine himself and emerge a better overall performer each time he’s faced adversity. Now that Akiyama has tasted defeat in a big way via a loss to Chris Leben’s fight-stealing Triangle Choke at UFC 116, it will be interesting to see if Akiyama has such rebirths in him.

I’d also argue that Michael Bisping has better striking than Yoshihiro Akiyama. It’s true that, in the eyes of many, Akiyama got the better of heavy-handed striker Chris Leben in their recent fight, but Leben and Bisping have very different styles. And did you know that, despite being known for his striking far more than Michael Bisping, both Bisping and Leben actually have the same number of (T)KO’s on their records? And after the particularly humbling KO loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 100, Bisping’s striking has gone up several levels. Against Dennis Kang it looked unstoppable, against Dan Miller it looked inescapable, and despite it failing him in the Wanderlei Silva fight, Bisping held his own in a predominantly stand-up fight with one of the best strikers MMA has ever seen.

Now, this is not to say that Michael Bisping is invincible, or that Akiyama is without skill. The title says “probably beat”, not “will beat”. In fact, if this article convinces you that Bisping has at least some chance, rather than none, then I’ll consider it a success. In truth, I like both of these guys. I think this will be an awesome fight, and while I can grudgingly admit that it’s a less-than-stellar main event for a PPV card, it’s a very solid fight and a great main event for British fans, where Bisping is most famous. Bisping is simply deserving of a lot more credit than I see being given to him leading into this fight.

But what do you think, fans and friends? How good of a chance does Bisping have to beat Akiyama?

Said bout, a middleweight affair against Jorge Rivera against fellow banger Alessio Sakara has stayed alive. The bout will mark a true push for each competitor, as one another will look for contenders’ status in a crowded 185-pound division, dominated by Anderson Silva–though Chael Sonnen might argue the point.

UFC 118 takes place in Boston, Mass., Rivera’s hometown. The 185-pound veteran is based out of Team Sityodtong, under the tutelage of Kru Mark Dellagrotte.

Rivera has seen a resurgence in his lengthy and storied career, and for the first time has been able to string together a 3-fight win streak inside the octagon. After a split-decision victory over Nissen Osterneck, “The Conquistador” was able to put together two back-to-back TKO victories over the likes of Rob Kimmons and fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” veteran Nate Quarry, respectively.

Sakara too, has had the benefit of posting three in a row as well, starting with a head kick, knockout victory over Joe Vedepo, Alessio put together quality wins beginning with a split decision win over former 185-pound title challenger Thales Leites, and then the grizzly, emaciated, veteran–James Irvin, by first round TKO.

Both Rivera and Alessio are on their best standings since their respective inceptions into the UFC, and will now vie for a spot towards contender status within the UFC, which is slowly thinning since Anderson Silva has run through most top-flight competition in the weight class.

With that said, who do you think holds the key to victory in this match up? Who would you like to see the winner challenge next? And who do you think holds the best shot at defeating the 185-pound kingpin that is “The Spider”?

Let’s start with the basics: everybody loves a comeback, and Belfort’s latest career comeback is perhaps his best, as the fourteen-year veteran hasn’t been beaten since 2006 and has finished all but one of his fights since that loss by (T)KO, including fantastic victories over Matt Lindland and the aforementioned Rich Franklin. Belfort has fought and at times excelled in three different weight classes: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and now Middleweight. His eight losses were all humbling for one reason or another, but they also all happened to be against some of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists ever: Kazushi Sakuraba, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, etc.

So I honestly can’t wait to see Vitor Belfort back in the UFC. Even with the Anderson Silva fight still a distant (though not hopeless) possibility, there are a lot of great fights for Vitor Belfort at Middleweight. Chael Sonnen vs. Vitor Belfort would kill two birds with one stone, besides the fact that it would also be an excellent fight. Should he win, Belfort would have a big win at Middleweight, which is what many people think he needs to have before getting a shot at the Middleweight Championship. If Chael wins, he would also have a big win over a very credible opponent, which is what some people think he needs to get before he gets a rematch. Fights with Michael Bisping, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Chris Leben would also be all-out wars that would cement Belfort’s status as a worthwhile competitor.

But I think the best match for Vitor Belfort’s return to the UFC would be a Middleweight mega-fight against another Silva: “The Axe Murderer”, Wanderlei Silva. It’s been over a decade since these two stone-fisted warriors met at “UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil”, and it would be a sad understatement to say that both men have changed a lot since that first fight. Despite being one of the most popular fighters of all time (and with damn good reason, I say), Wanderlei Silva needs to continue winning at Middleweight to prove that he’s still got a lot left to give the UFC. If Vitor Belfort were to win, it would prove that he’s still a threat to anyone and everyone in the UFC’s Middleweight division, including the man that was once thought of fondly as the most dangerous man walking the planet. I think Belfort/Wanderlei is a fight the fans would love to see, a fight that would both impress many and prove quite a lot, and it may just steal the Fight of the Year award when all is said and done. But regardless of who he fights and when, look for Vitor Belfort to put on some amazing performances when he returns to the UFC.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Will Belfort make an example of someone and prove that he does deserve a shot at Anderson Silva? If not, who do you see as being the one that brings Vitor’s comeback dreams crashing back down to earth?

First up is Damien Maia, since I think this rematch finds both men at radically different points in their careers. Following Mai’s first-round submission victory over Sonnen, people were flipping their lids and calling Maia the next Royce Gracie. Then Nate Marquardt knocked him out in twenty-one seconds. Then Dan Miller completely nullified all of Maia’s vaunted takedowns and ground game, even though Miller would go on to lose the fight. Then Anderson Silva proceeded to clown on him for five rounds. Meanwhile, Chael would go on to win three straight and dominate Anderson Silva like he’s never been dominated before. Sonnen’s confidence has never been higher, and Demian Maia’s stock has never been lower. A victory over the man who defeated him so easily in the past would be a big step forward on Sonnen’s comeback trail, while another fast submission by Maia would go a long way towards reestablishing his aura.

Another person that would make a very exciting match-up for Sonnen’s comeback is Wanderlei Silva. Wanderlei may have lost a little finesse since his glory days in PRIDE FC, but he’s still got serious power in both hands and a pretty under-rated ground game. I have a feeling that this one would turn into a serious slugfest, and if Sonnen is able to dominate Wanderlei on the ground the same way he dominated Anderson, he’ll have sent a clear message that he wants the belt back bad. If Silva were to knock out Sonnen or beat him by decision, it would prove that Sonnen still has a lot to work on despite his fantastic performance at UFC 117, and that Wanderlei Silva may be preparing a pretty decent little comeback of his own.

My final match-up for Sonnen is quite the long shot, but I can dream, can’t I? A lot of chips would have to fall into place for this to happen, chief amongst them being Sonnen’s opponent getting off of his lazy ass, getting off of whatever drugs he’s smoking or snorting or otherwise doing, and rededicating himself to his Mixed Martial Arts career before it’s too late and he squanders all of his natural, quite extensive abilities. If he ever gets his act together, I’d love to see Paulo Filho take on Chael Sonnen for a third and final time. This may sound weird from the man that inducted their second encounter into a running series called “Infamous Moments in MMA History”, but I just can’t help but wonder…could Chael Sonnen really beat Paulo Filho at his best? A dominant performance over a rejuvenated Paulo Filho would erase the damage the two previous encounters did on Sonnen, where he was submitted in the first fight and was unable to finish an out-of-his-mind Filho in the second fight. A win over Sonnen would prove once and for all that Filho’s darkest days are behind him, and he’d once again be one of the most dangerous Middleweights in the world. It may never happen, but it would be an epic grudge match.

And what about you, fans and friends? What (or who) do you think is next for Chael Sonnen?

Alves has been able to work through these difficult weight cuts time and time again, pulling out win after decisive win (other than his lopsided loss to current champion Georges St. Pierre), but that’s quite the double-edged sword when you consider the following. First and foremost, continually making hard weight cuts has a negative, cumulative effect on a fighter’s body. Alves may not be showing the signs just yet, but as they continue to build up in his body as he continues to pack his massive frame down to 170 pounds, it won’t be too long before his body betrays him. Also, coming in overweight gives Thiago Alves an unfair advantage, no matter if it’s half a pound, three pounds, or ten pounds. If he continues to miss the mark and yet still win his fights, more and more people are going to put a negative spin on his performance, claiming that the only reason Alves continuously looks so dominant is because he can’t play by the rules and always utilizes an unfair weight advantage over his opponent.

Continuing to miss weight has very real financial repercussions, as Alves likely already knows. I get the whole “fighter mentality” thing where if you’re in it for the money you’re supposedly in it for the wrong reasons. But let’s be honest here: no professional athlete has an infinite shelf life. They owe it to themselves to utilize whatever talent they have to make as much money as they can for as long as they can. It breaks my heart to see fighters like Ken Shamrock and Jens Pulver still compete far past their prime simply because they have bills to pay and fighting is all they know. If Alves continues to miss weight, his fines will most likely increase and he may even face suspension. If Alves won’t make the jump in weight to preserve his body, he should do it to preserve his financial stability.

Now, with all that said, here’s something positive about Thiago Alves moving to Middleweight: Alves has basically faced all the great welterweights in the UFC, but in the middleweight division, he’d be put in all kinds of great matches that would easily be as big and as marketable as any fight he could have at welterweight. How about Thiago Alves vs. Chris Leben, or Alan Belcher, or Vitor Belfort, or Michael Bisping, or Yoshihiro Akiyama, or Wanderlei Silva? I’d say that all those fights are more than worthy of co-main event status, and a few are arguably headline attractions. In a division dominated by wrestlers, Thiago Alves is one of the last, great pure strikers left in the UFC’s Welterweight division. If he were to move up to 185, he would have a host of opponents more than willing to engage him in a series of bloody, wildly entertaining brawls.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Should Alves move up in weight, or does he just need a better diet? And how do you feel about him missing the mark once again?

Though MMA legends highlighted the card, such as Rich Franklin, Wanderlei Silva, and Mirko Cro Cop, it was Stefan Struve who received the most attention that night, when after suffering a laceration on his forehead, he began to bleed profusely on the mat.

That seems to be what all the German media remembered from what was supposed to be a ground breaking night for the UFC and fans alike.

“We have to ban this insanity,” said Werner Schneyder,” a well-known German boxing announcer. “We have to accept crippled fighters and deaths. They are trying to sell brutality as something impressive.”

To hear such opposition towards a sport as un-mundane and safe–yes, I said safe–as MMA, is hard to swallow for many who are accustomed to keeping things “simple” and “safe”.

You can argue that German’s are somewhat “sheltered”, especially when earlier reports arose stating that Government officials had prompted Germany’s Athletic commission, during UFC 99, to only allow those of the ages 17 and older to eligible to attend the event.

And while strong opposition was still relevant here in 2010, the UFC moved forward, not backing down, and will in fact, be holding an event in November, reportedly for UFC 122.

5. Junior dos Santos

This should be simple enough: mix a couple dozen decaying fleshbags with two big fists, and you’ve got a recipe for getting out of a close-quarters worst-case scenario relatively unscathed. The problem here would be minimizing splatter, so as not to infect those around you. The process would be simple enough: loot a sports hardware store for some boxing gloves. Loot a local police station for some riot gear, especially the helmet. Add the two together, make sure there are no open wounds on him, and then let JDS loose to knock some heads off of some shoulders. When he returns covered in gore and with a giant sack of gurgling zombie heads ready to be disposed of, be sure to thank him.

4. War Machine

The fighter formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver seems to continuously redefine the term “rock bottom” on a month-to-month basis, whether it’s busting some skulls at a porn party or heading off to serve a year’s hard time. Having no brain to speak of, in a zombie apocalypse Mr. Machine would be a Holy Grail of stupid. Just send him into a crowd of zombies, make him grunt and shamble away aimlessly as if in search of food, and revel in your good fortune as the undying hordes turn tail and leave you alone, having been thoroughly convinced that Mr. Machine is just as brainless as they are, and therefore just as reliable when it comes to tracking food. There should be plenty of booze left over now that the world has ended, so just keep that liquor pumping through his veins and he’ll be the gift that keeps on giving.

3. Lyoto Machida

If you made a list of people that would not only survive but actually thrive in a zombie apocalypse, “The Dragon” would have to be near the top. First and foremost, Machida is a survivor. If your water supply is suddenly cut off, Machida would be the first in line to go into the bathroom and come out with a tasty, life-sustaining beverage. Plus, he could probably weave in and out of a crowd of zombies and emerge without a single bite-mark or even a scratch, giving you ample time to run in the other direction

2. Wanderlei Silva

I know what you’re thinking…it’s because of the whole “Axe Murderer” thing, right? Not so. Wanderlei Silva would survive a zombie apocalypse simply because I’ve only met a handful of people that have ever had a bad word to say about Wanderlei Silva. Even in their newfound unlife, the necrotic masses will likely find Wanderlei’s charm and good-natured attitude irresistible. Expect to see Wanderlei signing pictures and posing with fans even as a zombie-fan’s arm falls off after attempting that weird twisty-spin thing Wanderlei always does with his hands.

And the #1 pick, as if you were expecting anyone else, is…

1. The Korean Zombie

If I was a betting man, and the wager was an army of zombies versus Jung Chan Sung, I’d put everything I ever owned on The Korean Zombie. Not only am I convinced that he would absorb everything the zombies could throw at him, I’m almost positive that whatever’s left of their feeble little brains will recognize how impossible their task is and actually become followers of the Zombie. A zombie apocalypse would be his dream and our nightmare. Always marching forward with his ever-growing army of the damned, Jung Chan-Sung would be the death of us all.

So don’t pretend like it couldn’t happen. Because it’s coming, sooner or later. But what about you, fans and friends? Which fighters do you think would survive in the land of the living dead?

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

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

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

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

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

The entire UFC 116 card as of this release:

MAIN CARD

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

PRELIMINARY CARD

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

Tito has been blasted for lying to fans and telling them the fight between him and Chuck was still on even though he knew he was off of the card. His response came via Twitter and is one all fans and media alike should understand.

“I haven’t lied to anyone. I was told not to say “Anything”! Having a chance to be sued for $5 million was not a chance I wanted to take. So watch TUF 11 and see what happens. I was just doing what I was told, for once. Sorry!”

Fans and media alike are well aware of the nondisclosure agreement coaches and fighters appearing on”The Ultimate Fighter” must sign. It comes as no shock to Fighters.com that he was unable to tell the truth. Regardless many fans felt he should have just stated they would have to wait and see what happens. Now using our brains here, had he come out and not responded to the questions regarding his health, him leaving the show and his fight with “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-7) the media would have gone crazy with it. The only way to ensure that the information stayed locked away until the UFC was ready to release it was to say that everything was still a go and leave it at that.

Regardless of what Tito said or did not say, the change of fighters in the main event seems to have made an impact on the sale of tickets for UFC 115.

UFC 115 takes place in Vancouver and on Tuesday pre-sale tickets were available. UFC fans were not messing around as the set a new record for the fastest sellout in UFC history, with the event selling out just 30 minutes after tickets went on sale at 10 AM PT. Dana White announced it via Twitter by saying “Vancouver sold out in 30 mins!!!! Thank you Vancouver we worked hard on getting it there. Thank you Mayor Robertson.”

There is no way to tell if the change from Tito to Rich had any effect on the speed of ticket sales but I would venture to say that it was a factor. Consider what the headline was and what it has now become.

Chuck versus Tito is a fight fans have twice before and neither fight was very competitive. Chuck did what he wanted in both fights and Tito never really seemed to have a shot during the fight. Other than the fact that so many enjoy watching Tito get beat, what other motivation would there be for fans to rush out and buy tickets to the event? Chuck is now fighting Rich Franklin and this fight is much more intriguing.

Chuck Liddell is on a slide in the UFC with four losses in his last five fights. Even though there have been talks of his retirement by UFC president Dana White, Chuck still has the drive to fight and carries the power to put people to sleep. Chuck has beaten the best during his reign as UFC light heavyweight champion. He has ten knockouts inside the Octagon and had seven consecutive at one time. A UFC Hall of Famer, Chuck is coming in prepared to get back on the winning track.

Chuck told MMA Weekly “I’m ready for this fight, I’m in the best shape of my life, and I can’t wait to get back in the Octagon.”  “I can’t tell the fans what happens in the Ultimate Fighter 11, you have to watch the show, but I’ll tell you how this is gonna end, I’m knocking Rich out.”

Rich on the other hand is a fighter that has been in limbo since his defeats to Fighters.com and UFC middleweight champion “The Spider” Anderson Silva (26-4). He has had a couple of fights at a catch-weight of 195 as well as fights at 205. Rich currently has twelve wins inside the Octagon and is now looking to make a run at the light heavyweight championship as he takes on the former champion.

“Chuck is a gamer,” Franklin said. “He is a professional – take Randy for example. He and Randy are friends, but he didn’t have a problem fighting Randy and punching him in the head, so he sure won’t have a problem punching me in the head. I’m excited about fighting Chuck, I’m going to give everything I have, and I look forward to giving fans a great fight in Vancouver.”

Rich is the epitome of a company man, always saying the right things and doing whatever is needed of him by the UFC. He did not want to coach again on TUF yet here he is stepping in to take over for Tito and face a man who regardless of public opinion, can take you out with one punch.

This is a fight fans love to see, two former champions trying to get back what they once had and coveted. Two true fan favorites who will give us what Anderson Silva did not, non-stop action. I have been asked by fans if I believe Rich has the chin to stand and trade with Liddell and honestly I don’t have an answer to that question. We all watched as Rich stood and traded with a man many thought was the scariest on the planet when he was in Pride, “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (34-10-1). Rich went on to win by unanimous decision in that fight. So can he take a shot? I believe he can but I doubt Rich will attack like the fallen that have stood before Chuck in the past.

Liddell is known for his ability to suck fighters inside and is one of the best counter-punchers in the game. Rich is well aware of this and his trainer Matt Hume is sure to develop a game plan that will include getting inside, using the clinch and working some dirty boxing. I would not be shocked to see Rich try and take Chuck down either but getting Chuck down and keeping him there has never been an easy task.

The bottom line is that this fight is one I believe had much to do with the fastest sell-out in UFC history. Two legends known to bring the fight to their opponents and both looking to rise up out of the ashes.

Tito lied but really had no choice, just like the fans in Vancouver had no choice but to clammer for tickets to see what is sure to be a great main event.

Silva won a unanimous decision over “Count” Michael Bisping (18-3) at UFC 110 in Syndey February 21, Silva’s debut in the middleweight division after a long run in the top ten at 205 pounds, including a PRIDE belt in that weight class.

Akiyama won his UFC debut with a split decision over “The Talent” Alan Belcher (14-6) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas last July.

The matchup has been rumored for UFC 115 in Vancouver in June, but according to Fighters Only and MMA Junkie, the fight is now pegged for UFC 116.

It was a surprisingly short fight capping a night of grueling wars.  Velasquez dropped Nogueira with a two-punch combo then finished the MMA legend with five unanswered punches on the mat before referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 2:20.

But, those nostalgic for PRIDE can take comfort that tenth-ranked light heavyweight “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (34-10-1) picked up a respectable unanimous decision win in his move down to middleweight versus “Count” Michael Bisping (18-3).  The judges’ scores were 29-28.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The UFC frowns on fighters that have multiple losses in a row and they tend to get cut. Wanderlei is coming into his fight with “The Count” Michael Bisping (18-2) with back to back losses. His last win inside the Octagon came at UFC 84 in May of 2008 against “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-6-1). Obviously Silva wants a win but what happens if he were to lose Bisping?

The UFC would not cut Silva like they have other fighters with three straight losses. Wanderlei is a high profile fighter who has been involved in some of the best MMA fights we have ever witnessed. One does not release a guy like that as it would be promotional suicide. The UFC would essentially be giving a huge gift to Scott Coker and Strikeforce.

Dana White and the UFC brass would need to do something if he were to lose and the only option I see is them forcing him into retirement. Much to the dismay of fans of the now defunct Pride FC, this is the only solution that makes sense for the UFC.

They can allow (force) him to retire and use him as a spokesperson for the UFC. Of course all this talk is premature as the fight has yet to happen and Wanderlei told us in the media conference call that he was looking to bring back the destructive knees we saw him use in Pride. Since his arrival in the UFC those knees have been MIA and many fans have been calling for Wanderlei to get back to his roots.

This fight will be a great one involving two men that desperately need wins but for much different reasons. Wanderlei needs to win in order to keep the talks of retirement away but there is not a chance in hell that the UFC would cut him.

Pride FC was a Japanese MMA organization that began in October of 1997 and ran until April of 2007 when Zuffa bought them out. There were some differences in rules from the UFC as well as the fights taking place in a ring rather than a cage. The difference in rules from the Unified Rules were significant.

Pride did not allow elbow strikes to the head of an opponent. Many think that this would have an effect on the numbers of fights that were finished in devastating fashion but that could not be further from the truth. They had a rule or two that led to some of the most devastating finishes in the sport. They allowed kicking and kneeing the head of a downed opponent. They also allowed what I call the Shogun Stomp to the head of an opponent. This move seemed to be perfected by Fighters.com third-ranked light heavyweight “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4) who used it as a guard pass that just happened to be quite caustic.

Many Pride fans still debate which rules were better for the sport of MMA. They debate seems to revolve around fights ending due to cuts from elbows which can happen even if a fighter is winning the fight.

Fights in Pride seemed to never be dull and that may be due to the rule of inactivity. If fighters failed to engage they got a yellow card issued by the ref which took away ten percent of their fight purse.

Some of my fondest memories from Pride come from fights such as “Predator” Don Frye (20-8-1) versus Yoshiro Takayama (0-4) which was less of a technical fight and more of a raw and gritty battle that had me glued to the television in awe of what I was watching. These two men met in the middle of the ring at Pride 21: Demolition in what turned out to be more like a hockey fight than a mixed martial arts fight, none the less it was amazing.

There are many great fights that I remember from Pride and the for those that are unfamiliar with the now defunct organization I will list a few here:

“Shogun” Mauricio Rua versus “Minotoro” Antonio Nogueira at Pride: Critical Countdown 2005

Royce Gracie verus “The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakauraba at Pride: Grand Prix 2000 Final Round

‘The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko versus”Minotauro” Antonio  Nogueria at both Pride 25: Body Blow and Pride: Shockwave 2004

Takanori Gomi versus Luiz Azeredo at Pride: Bushido 7

This is a small list and I could go on forever including men like Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop but these are the ones that stand out to me. What fights stand out to you as the best Pride had to offer?

When you look back on an organization that hardcore MMA fans look upon as the holy grail in the sport what comes to mind first? The different rules, the crazy female announcer or the epic wars? No matter what Spike TV is bringing back those fond memories and I am eating it up.

You can join me and my co-host, Gary Friedman, on MMA Gospel Radio each Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST by going to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel. Join in the live chat and tell us your favorite Pride memories or call in to the show by dialing 347-857-1337 and tell us on air what stand out in your mind.

The first fight ended in a controversial decision for Machida.  The rematch should crown a definitive champion at 205 pounds.

If Rua wins, we could even see a mouthwatering matchup versus top contender “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), who also reigns as Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion.  Silva has indicated his unwillingness to fight training partner Machida, but Silva and Rua have a war of words between them and a title fight would be a grudge match as well.

Fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1) won a workmanlike unanimous decision over fifth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-2) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with a return to his wrestling base.  Next for Evans is seventh-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) at UFC 114 in Las Vegas May 29.

Silva should get a second crack at a top ten opponent in his next fight.

Sixth-ranked Forrest Griffin (17-6) and eighth-ranked “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) are likely to matchup at UFC 113, though the fight isn’t yet official.

Ninth-ranked Strikeforce champ “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) expects he’ll fight rising star “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0) at Strikeforce in April on CBS.

Tenth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) has been preparing to return after facial surgery, but into the middleweight division.

Fighters.com’s January Light Heavyweight Top Ten

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1)

5. Thiago Silva (15-2)

6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

7. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

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

9. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1)

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

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)