MMA News Thread

[InfamousICON]

Nick Diaz suspended for 6 months with a $3,000 fine

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=Au51Vufh4.8yykePvG39_LA9Eo14?slug=ap-ufc-diaz-suspension

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Mixed martial arts fighter Nick Diaz won’t be competing in Nevada any time soon.

The Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday handed the UFC welterweight a temporary suspension for testing positive for marijuana after his Feb. 4 loss to Carlos Condit in Las Vegas.

Commission executive Keith Kizer says Diaz can respond to the positive drug test allegation at a full disciplinary hearing if he seeks reinstatement. No hearing date was set.

Diaz lost his license for six months and was fined $3,000 by the commission after another positive marijuana test following a win in 2007.

Diaz manager-trainer Cesar Gracie didn’t immediately respond to a message at his business in Pleasant Hill, Calif.

lol that suspension don't really mean shit, Nick was planning on taking an extended break anyway before he fought GSP.

 

[RM211]

and that suspension is only "temporary" he could very likely get more, most likely a year...

 

[RM211]

Bellator inks DREAM champ Marius Zaromskis

Bellator has signed DREAM champion and former Strikeforce welterweight title challenger Marius Zaromskis (16-6 MMA, 0-0 BFC) to a multi-fight deal.

Bellator officials today confirmed the signing with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), which MMAFighting.com first reported.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and a debut date and opponent have not been finalized for the 31-year-old fighter.

However, he's expected to debut at some point during Bellator's sixth season, which begins in two weeks.

Zaromskis, who won the 2009 DREAM world welterweight grand prix to become the Japanese-based promotion's first champ in the weight class, has defended his belt just once in nearly three years. Additionally, he's fought for the organization just once in the past 14 months; he defeated late replacement Eiji Ishikawa in a non-title bout this past summer.

It's part of a 3-1 run for the 31-year-old Lithuanian, who went 0-2 (with one no-contest) with Strikeforce in 2010. The losses came to then-champ Nick Diaz and veteram Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos.

Most recently, Zaromskis scored a flashy somersault-kick knockout of Bruno Carvalho at a November regional event in Sweden. It was his 12th knockout in 16 career wins.

 

[RM211]

UFC 144's Cheick Kongo 'surprised' to fight onetime training partner Mark Hunt

TOKYO – Five months ago, heavyweights Cheick Kongo (17-6-2 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) and Mark Hunt (7-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) were sucking air together in the elevation of Denver.

Present for a training camp that concluded with Hunt's meeting with Ben Rothwell and Quinton Jackson's fight with champ Jon Jones, Kongo wasn't particularly close to the New Zealand native in the weeks before UFC 135.

He was surprised, nonetheless, when the Kiwi came up as his next opponent at this weekend's UFC 144 event. It didn't occur that he might have to fight Hunt.

"I said, 'Hey, really? Weird,'" Kongo told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Kongo said he would never ask to fight a training partner since it would be a "betrayal" of their time together. But he doesn't have much of a choice. Six years into his UFC career, he's not about to say no.

Kongo vs. Hunt is part of the main card of UFC 144, which takes place Saturday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main card airs live on pay-per-view while preliminary-card fights air on FX and stream on Facebook.

Kongo earlier told MMAjunkie.com that his ultimate goal is to win the belt and retire. But he's not worried in the slightest about what Saturday's fight means for his career.

"I don't expect anything," he said. "If you call out people, most of the time, you get the wrong guys. At this level, you don't care what's going on. The only thing you need to do is be prepared so you can be ready to fight a big name as soon as possible."

Kongo has dispatched most lower-tier fighters he's come across, but he's stumbled against high profile opponents. A draw with the unheralded Travis Browne two years ago at UFC 120 did little to improve his stock, but that could change with a third consecutive win in the octagon. The UFC's heavyweight division is not the powerhouse it was two years ago, and while he's already lost to former champs Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, he is perhaps another win or two from a No. 1 contender's spot.

Getting his employer to agree has been another matter. Back-to-back wins over Pat Barry and Mitrione were a step in the right direction, but so far, no one has promised him another big fight. He's stuck in a sort of limbo.

Facing a former training partner is not something Kongo would choose. But if he has to do it, he'll do it as best he can. He's lost his taste for making a fuss.

"Of course, I'm feeling the disrespect," Kongo said. "But whatever; it's just a game. Maybe I can change the situation if I scream really loud. I'm just tired as to what they did. So I just do my job, and that's it.

"I have enough trouble in my own life to be crazy with sports. I'll just take my time. If the thing happens, good. If not, whatever. Right now, it's not a big deal that I used to be champion in different organizations (in) muay Thai and MMA. I have nothing to prove. The only thing I want to prove for myself that I can reach this [goal]. If I can, that's good."

Known primarily as striking specialists, Kongo and Hunt have diversified their skill sets in recent years. Kongo sealed a recent victory over Mitrione by taking the fight to the ground in the final moments of the fight, and Hunt managed to outwrestle Rothwell at UFC 135 for a decision victory.

While both are undoubtedly more comfortable throwing punches and kicks than executing armbars, Kongo isn't ready to sign off on a kickboxing match, and he expects Hunt feels the same way.

"It's just about the opportunity to be comfortable for the fight, and for that, I didn't expect something different," Kongo said. "I just try to do my job, and that's it. If I find the opportunity to use the ground, I'll use the ground. If not, I'll still strike."

 

[RM211]

Will Japan join the U.S. and Brazil as cornerstone UFC markets?

AND CANADA...


Before mixed martial arts entered the combat-sports lexicon, no-holds-barred, vale tudo and shoot fighting were the common phrases describing what was still more spectacle than sport, more a fight than the sport of fighting.

Brazil 1951: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Helio Gracie vs. prodigious judoka Masahiko Kimura.

Salt Lake City, Utah, 1963: "Judo" Gene Lebell vs. boxer Milo Savage.

Tokyo 1976: Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki vs. Muhammad Ali, "The Greatest."

Brazil, the U.S. and Japan were pioneering countries of mixed-fighting contests decades before the Ultimate Fighting Championship became the catalyst to MMA on Nov. 12, 1993 at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver.

The UFC's progress through rule changes and regulation into its current globetrotting fighting form advertises MMA as a unified concept – one art comprised of the best from multiple arts like Bruce Lee envisioned. PRIDE Fighting Championships, the now-defunct Eastern counterpart to the UFC, failed to identify that way despite evolved combatants such as Hayato Sakurai, Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. What PRIDE was until it closed its doors was fighting's entertainment extension, a cultural question of whether or not pro wrestling could defeat the proven commodity: Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Had Rickson Gracie, the torchbearer for his family's grappling brand, lost to famous pro wrestler Nobuhiko Takada at PRIDE's first event on Oct. 1, 1997, PRIDE would have ended that night due to pro-wrestling validating itself via Takada. It did when Kazushi Sakuraba, an unassuming and charismatic pro wrestler, transformed into "The Gracie Hunter," a brilliant lynchpin star that earned the respect of no-holds-barred's first family. Rather than drop the issue, it continued its obsession with it. Sakuraba's decline resulted from PRIDE – and then K-1 and DREAM – officials begging him to repeat his magic against dangerous freestyle fighters imported from a different sporting realm than Sakuraba and his contemporaries such as Wanderlei Silva.

The desire to showcase Japanese pro wrestling – and later, judo – contributed to fixed fights (see Takada's dubious submission of Mark Coleman) or downright neglect for fighter safety (witness Hidehiko Yoshida being dragged center ring to continue receiving a beating) to prop up native stars in PRIDE.

The UFC's angle on the sport leaves little room for such damaging favoritism. Arriving in Japan with two gaijins – non-Japanese – the UFC pits lightweight champion Frankie Edgar against challenger Benson Henderson in the UFC 144 headliner on Sunday morning at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama (for a live Saturday night pay-per-view broadcast in the U.S.). It signals the Land of the Rising Sun will receive no special treatment from the UFC. The headliners are the headliners, and the homegrown fighters get their spots on the card based on their skill level in relation to their star.

A Japanese champion would be welcome in the UFC – but not absolutely necessary for its survival as it was for PRIDE.

Just like PRIDE, Strikeforce or any other fight promotion that couldn't get foothold in the UFC's backyard, Las Vegas, the UFC couldn't infiltrate PRIDE's market while it operated. The disappearance of the white ring housing head stomps and soccer kicks opened the market's gates and five years later – 12-years after the UFC's most recent trip to Japan – the UFC plans to walk through them.

With UFC officials expecting a sellout of nearly 20,000 fans, it's clear the Japanese MMA landscape is tired of treading water at best. The second coming of the octagon will infuse the scene – at least at the elite level. How promotions such as DREAM, DEEP and Shooto fair – and whether or not training standards and facilities increase – is up to them. While the UFC established the U.S. and Canadian markets to a boom during "The Ultimate Fighter" Era between 2005-2010, the early FOX Era (2011-present) will be defined by the UFC fleshing out the historically integral homelands of the sport into ripe markets for ultimate fighting.

Japan is another test of the Aldo Effect. Take a great fighter abroad, and his performances are noted. Place that same fighter in his homeland, and his performances resonate. Having the crowd behind a fighter for nationalistic reasons can be the difference between a high-level mixed martial artist and a star. In cases in which the fighter can't speak English, fighting in one's homeland sets an excitable atmosphere to elevate that combatant's stock on television and PPV.

There's a reason "The Ultimate Fighter" is already underway in Brazil, and prior to the octagon door shutting at UFC 144, UFC president Dana White discussed the possibility of Japan getting its own octagon reality treatment and an annual event like Brazil did based on the success of UFC 134 this past August.

In the U.S., Brazil and Japan – should all the signs of success come to fruition – the UFC is positioning itself for the trifecta. Maybe not for the highest ticket sales, but for the most historically relevant, fervent cultural cornerstones of the sport.

 

[RM211]

UFC boss suggests Ben Henderson's first title defense will see Anthony Pettis rematch

SAITAMA, Japan – WEC never die, indeed.

With a pair of impressive wins at Sunday's UFC 144 event in Saitama, Japan, former WEC champions Benson Henderson (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Anthony Pettis (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will now apparently meet for the UFC lightweight title.

Following the pay-per-view event in which Henderson earned the UFC belt with a unanimous-decision win over Frankie Edgar and Pettis scored a highlight-reel finish of Joe Lauzon, UFC president Dana White suggested that was the likely plan.

"I think he's going to get it," White said when asked if Pettis had earn a shot at the belt.

UFC 144 took place at Saitama Super Arena, and the event's main card aired in the U.S. on pay-per-view.

Henderson and Pettis have a well-documented history, of course. The two met in December 2010's WEC 53 event, the final fight card in that promotion's history, and "Showtime" used a fifth-round kick off the cage to score a unanimous-decision win and take the belt from Henderson.

Pettis was then supposed to face then-UFC champ Edgar for the belt, but a rare championship draw forced "Showtime" to the sidelines while the champ rematched Gray Maynard. During that span, Pettis lost to Clay Guida, putting his championship aspirations on hold.

Meanwhile, Nate Diaz and Jim Miller meet in the main event of May's UFC on FOX 3 event, and many MMA pundits had that contest pegged as a No. 1 contender fight.

White declined to speculate on how the whole scenario will play out.

"We'll see what happens," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I hate to do this the night of the fights, and you guys know that, but you always ask me.

"We'll see what happens. I guess I'll leave you guys in suspense."

When Edgar was informed of the potential plans, he admitted he was disappointed.

"I'm not trying to shoot anybody out of anything they deserve, but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what's fair?" Edgar asked.

Unsurprisingly, Pettis was a bit more upbeat in regards to the revelation.

"I was supposed to get a title shot last year," Pettis said. "We've got some unfinished business. Let's take care of it."

 

[RM211]

'Rampage' Jackson admits he expected UFC 144 loss but promises return

SAITAMA, Japan – Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-10 MMA, 7-4 UFC) dreamed of a return to Japan, but the result ended up as more of a nightmare in truth.

And following his decision loss to Ryan Bader (14-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) at Sunday's UFC 144 event in Saitama, Japan, Jackson admitted he wasn't terribly surprised at the result.

"If I'm going to be critically honest, I'm not surprised that I lost the fight," Jackson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Jackson's troubles, of course, began far before he stepped into the cage with Bader. A knee injury suffered in training threatened his participation in the fight, though Jackson ultimately elected to carry on in hopes of putting in a crowd-pleasing performance in front of the same Japanese crowd that cheered him on during the glory days of his PRIDE run.

Despite committing to the fight, Jackson encountered problems during his weightcut and was only able to make it down to 211 pounds for the light heavyweight matchup.

"I almost didn't make it to the fight, but I didn't want to pull out for the Japanese fans," Jackson said. "I injured my knee pretty bad, and my doctor told me not to fight. But it wasn't real serious. I didn't need surgery or nothing, but he told me it wasn't a good idea to fight. I decided to fight anyway."

Jackson looked tentative when the fight began, and he had trouble landing any significant blows on the feet. He had one vintage moment in the second round when he slammed Bader on his head and neck. However, Bader quickly bounced back and scored a slam of his own, and Jackson admitted he wilted after that turn of events.

"I re-injured the knee when Bader slammed me," Jackson said. "It was one of those things. I was worried about it. Before the slam, I wasn't doing a really good job. I was worried about it, and I had to lose a lot of weight since I couldn't really run and stuff. It was downhill from there.

"I hurt my knee, and I just wanted to put on an exciting fight, and I was just happy to make it here and try and put on a show for the Japanese fans."

With the result, Jackson has now suffered back-to-back defeats and isn't in any real title contention. A potential rematch with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua still looms on the horizon, but there aren't too many more obvious matchups in line.

Prior to the UFC 144 fight, many MMA fans and pundits speculated that it could potentially be Jackson's final career outing. He's admitted in the past he struggles to find motivation to train, and he's also expressed his desire to hang up the gloves at age 35.

After Jackson's UFC 144 performance, the talk quickly resurfaced, but the longtime veteran (currently 33 years old) said he was actually re-energized by what he saw in camp prior to the injury.

"I know I'm getting to the end of my career because I said I didn't want to fight past 35," Jackson said. "But honestly, before I hurt me knee, you guys should have seen the way that I was training. I've got really good sparring partners, and I've got this really good wrestler names Tyson Jeffries that kicks my butt, and in this camp, I was kicking his butt. I was taking him down and wrestling got real competitive. That's how I hurt me knee because he's one of the best wrestlers I know.

"I was sparring really good, and I was looking like a superstar, then I hurt me knee. That made me think, 'Oh, man, I've got a lot more time to fight.' When I got hurt, it was just unfortunate, but now, I know what I can do if I come in 100 percent."

 

[RM211]

White admits he likes Edgar vs. Aldo, but former champ noncommittal on drop

SAITAMA, Japan – Once again, Frankie Edgar proved why he's often called the Rocky Balboa of MMA.

At Sunday's UFC 144 event, the diminutive Edgar battled the much-larger Benson Henderson tooth and nail for the course of 25 minutes, but he came up short in a unanimous decision and was forced to relinquish his lightweight title.

Following the result, UFC president Dana White admitted he'd like to see Edgar (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) make the move to 145 pounds and challenge current featherweight champ Jose Aldo (21-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC).

"I've been asking him to go to 145 for a long time," White said. "I would love to see him move to 145. I think he'd a force to be reckoned with there, and I think he'll be a great challenge for Jose Aldo."

It's not the first time Edgar has been asked about a move down in weight. At just 5-foot-6, Edgar admits he only cuts a pound or two to meet the 155-pound limit. He's made a career out of using speed to his advantage, even against massive opponents such as Henderson and Gray Maynard, who cut huge amounts of weight for each fight.

But despite the talk, Edgar continued to defy the odds, racking up a seven-fight unbeaten streak that was snapped by Henderson at Saturday's pay-per-view event, which took place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

White said he's continually talked to Edgar about a potential move, but it's been more and more difficult with each successive win.

"I'm never a big fan of guys fighting out of their weight classes," White said. "I'm not a big fan of it at all. But like I said, it's hard to argue with a kid that's done as many great things as he has."

The timing seems appropriate. After all, Aldo currently boasts a 14-fight win streak, and while challengers such as Hatsu Hioki and Dustin Poirier are putting themselves in line for a shot, fans aren't exactly clamoring for the matchups. But a fight with former champ Edgar could be a highly marketable affair.

When presented with the option, Edgar said it was just too soon to even consider.

"I don't know," Edgar told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "That's not something I'm thinking about right now, to be honest with you."

Edgar, who took immediate rematches with B.J. Penn and Maynard in recent bouts, doesn't appear likely to earn the same courtesy, so his next step is currently uncertain. Anthony Pettis appears to be next in line for a title shot, and the winner of May's bout between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller is close behind.

So whether or not it's his top choice, a move to 145 pounds may provide Edgar the quickest shot at regaining UFC gold.

White said he would support the decision, but he knows he can't force "The Answer" into a position in which he isn't interested.

"At the end of the day, it's his decision," White said. "If you'll look at what he's accomplished, for me to come in – like before when I was telling him, he was a world champion and had beat B.J. Penn twice and everybody else in that division. His only loss ever was to Gray Maynard, which he avenged big time.

"It's going to be up to him, but I'd love to see him do it. A fight between him and Jose Aldo would be fun."

 

[RM211]

UFC 144's surprise contender Tim Boetsch looking for another top-level opponent

SAITAMA, Japan – This is the same Tim Boetsch who was unceremoniously dumped after a 2-2 record in his first UFC stint, right?

The same guy everyone disregarded following a submission loss to Phil Davis upon his 2010 return?

Following a drop to middleweight and a stunning come-from-behind victory over recent title challenger Yushin Okami on Saturday at UFC 144, Boetsch has solidified his surprise content status.

Following his loss to Davis at UFC 123, Boetsch – who was already a large 205-pounder – opted to make the drop to 185 pounds. Most saw it as little more than a last-ditch effort to salvage a career in the world's biggest MMA promotion.

Since the move, though, Boetsch (15-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has rattled off wins over Kendall Grove, Nick Ring and now Okami (26-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who fought for middleweight champion Anderson Silva's belt in his previous bout. Okami faltered, but he had clearly earned the title shot after posting a 10-2 record against the cream of the UFC middleweight division's crop.

Boetsch was a heavy 4-to-1 underdog against Okami, and he was battered for two rounds with punches and knees that left him with multiple facial cuts. But with his back against the wall and an impassioned directive from his corner to go for broke in the final round, Boetsch quickly secured one of the most enthralling comebacks in recent MMA history just 54 seconds later.

"I fully intended on coming over here and beating the guy, but I didn't so much want to get beat up for two rounds to do it," said Boetsch, who used dirty boxing – and a series of devastating uppercuts – to get the win. "I'm certainly very happy to set him down with that uppercut that I'd been looking for forever. I'm real excited."

Whether you consider the victory (Boetsch's seventh in his past eight fights) a fluke really doesn't matter. Not only did Boetsch win over Japanese fans, he won praise from his bosses. And if you impress UFC president Dana White, big matchups are undoubtedly in your future.

"Everybody knows how much respect I have for Yushin Okami," White said. "But I say it all the time. What I tweeted tonight, and what I told Tim backstage, was when a fighter is down two rounds to nothing, that's exactly what you're supposed to do in the third round.

"I wish more guys would do that. When you're down like that, what do you have to lose? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain to go out there and go balls to the wall and go after it and try and win, try to finish. That's exactly what he did, and that's what everybody should do when their down two rounds in a three-round fight. It was awesome."

Boetsch, a hard-nose NCAA Division I wrestler, isn't exactly the boastful type. He's a fighter's fighter – a workman who shows up to fight and is as likely to knock you out (seven times in 15 career wins) as he is to submit you (five times). But after knocking off a perennial top-five middleweight and making a splash on one of the biggest UFC cards of early 2012, Boetsch knows the time is now to capitalize on it.

"Certainly, [this win] launches me toward the top of the ladder, and I'm real excited to keep climbing," he said. "There's only a couple more guys up there higher than Okami, and I welcome the challenge to whoever is next."

 

[RM211]

'The Ultimate Fighter 15' cast unveiled with 32 lightweight fighters

The UFC and FX have revealed 32 lightweight fighters who have been selected to compete on "The Ultimate Fighter 15."

The show (also dubbed "TUF: Live") debuts March 9 on FX with a two-and-half-hour episode that features 16 live elimination-round fights. All the winners earn official cast-member status.

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and top contender Urijah Faber serve as coaches on the tournament-based show, which initially was slated to feature both lightweights and welterweights.

However, the field now includes just lightweights. Notable 155-pounders from the list include "TUF 13" competitor Myles Jury (who was forced off the show with a torn ACL), Cristiano Marcello and James Krause. Cast members come from the U.S., England, Northern Ireland and Brazil.

The "TUF 15" debuts airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT (meaning the West Coast will get a delayed feed). Future episodes then air every Friday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. After the live debut, the remaining 12 episodes include pre-taped content and then a live fight to close out each show.

The show's live finale takes place June 1, when a "TUF 15" champion will be crowned.

"TUF 15" is the first season to air on the FOX-owned FX. All previous seasons aired on Spike TV.

The official "TUF 15" cast includes:

•Akbarh Arreloa (Chula Vista, Calif.)
•Al Iaquinta (Wantagh, N.Y.)
•Ali Maclean (Belfast, North Ireland)
•Andy Ogle (Tynemouth, England)
•Austin Lyons (Cordova, Tenn.)
•Brendan Weafer (New York, N.Y.)
•Chris Tickle (Bloomington, Ill.)
•Cody Pfister (Amarillo, Texas)
•Cristiano Marcello (Curitiba, Brazil)
•Chase Hackett (Littleton, Colo.)
•Chris Saunders (Long Beach, Calif.)
•Dakota Cochrane (Omaha, Neb.)
•Daron Cruickshank (Wayne, Mich.)
•Drew Dober (Omaha, Neb.)
•Erin Beach (San Diego, Calif.)
•James Krause (Blue Springs, Mich.)
•James Vick (Fort Worth, Texas)
•Jared Carlsten (Los Angeles, Calif.)
•Jeff Smith (Mechanicsburg, Penn.)
•Jeremy Larsen (Phoenix, Ariz.)
•Joe Proctor (Pembroke, Mass.)
•John Cofer (Hull, Ga.)
•Johnavan Vistante (Pearl City, Hawaii)
•Jon Tuck (Hagtna, Guam)
•Jordan Rinaldi (Matthews, N.C.)
•Justin Lawrence (Villa Ridge, Mo.)
•Mark Glover (Liverpool, England)
•Michael Chiesa (Spokane Valley, Wash.)
•Myles Jury (San Diego, Calif.)
•Mike Rio (Miami, Fla.)
•Sam Sicilia (Spokane Valley, Wash.)
•Vinc Pichel (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)

 

[RM211]

Edwards out, Stephens in against Cerrone at UFC on FUEL TV 3

An undisclosed injury has forced lightweight Yves Edwards (41-18-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) to withdraw from a fight with Donald Cerrone (17-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) at UFC on FUEL TV 3.

Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that veteran Jeremy Stephens (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) has been tapped to replace Edwards.

UFC on FUEL TV 3 takes place May 15 at Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. The event's main card airs live on FUEL TV while preliminary-card fights are expected to stream on Facebook.

It's not clear where Stephens vs. Cerrone will be situated on the lineup.
Edwards had hoped to rebound from a decision loss to "The Ultimate Fighter 13" winner Tony Ferguson. The longtime UFC vet had previously stopped Rafaello Oliveira by TKO at UFC on Versus 6.

Once considered the uncrowned UFC lightweight champ in the UFC lightweight division's dark days, Edwards fell on hard times in 2005 and 2006 and was forced to work his way back to the UFC. He eventually did so, making good on a short-notice fight at UFC Fight Night 22. Since then, he's gone 3-2 in the octagon and once earned dual bonuses for "Submission of the Night" and "Fight of the Night" in a victory over Cody McKenzie at UFC Fight Night 23.

Stephens is also on the mend after a split-decision loss to the surging Anthony Pettis, who knocked out Joe Lauzon this past weekend at UFC 144 for an almost certain No. 1 contender spot.

Although not always successful against top-ranked competition, Stephens has carved out a firm spot in the lightweight division with four performance bonuses and wins over Sam Stout, Marcus Davis and Cole Miller. He currently trains at Victory MMA and Alliance MMA in San Diego.

Cerrone, meanwhile, saw an impressive six-fight win streak come to an end when he was outstruck and outpointed by Nate Diaz at UFC 141. The loss halted what many fans believed was a march toward title contention (Diaz is now slated to fight Jim Miller in a fight that could have an impact on the title picture.) A two-time title challenger in the now-defunct WEC, "Cowboy" trains at Jackson/Winkeljohn's MMA in Albuquerque, N.M.

 

[RM211]

Blagoi Ivanov stabbed, Bellator asks for 'thoughts and prayers'

Bellator is asking fans for their thoughts and prayers as Bulgarian heavyweight Blagoi Ivanov reportedly clings to life.

Over the weekend, multiple reports stated the Bellator veteran was attacked by a group of men at a bar in Sofia, Bulgaria, and remains in critical condition after being stabbed in the chest.

"Right now, we do not have all of the details, but our thoughts and prayers are with Blagoi and his family," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a statement released today to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Ivanov (6-0 MMA, 2-0 BFC), a world champion in the Russian hand-to-hand fighting art sambo, made his Bellator debut this past March and immediately announced his presence with a first-round TKO victory over William Penn. He then earned the right to compete in the promotion's season-five tournament and advanced to the semifinals after a second-round submission victory over "The Ultimate Fighter 10" veteran Zak Jensen.

However, Ivanov would withdraw from the competition when he injured himself training for a bout with Thiago Santos at Bellator 56 this past October. He returned two months later to TKO former UFC champ Ricco Rodriguez at an MMA event in Moscow.

A report from "Sofia News Agency" said that surgeons saved Ivanov after he was brought to an area hospital, but the fighter is on artificial life support.

Police are investigating the incident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday. Witnesses said a group of eight men armed with bats and knives attacked Ivanov and a group of friends in the bar. The report said another person was shot in the leg in the same bar earlier this month.

Ivanov rose to prominence in 2008 when he handed former PRIDE champ Fedor Emelianenko his first loss in combat sambo in eight years.

 

[RM211]

UFC institutes 'sudden victory' rounds for UFC on FX 2's flyweight-tourney semis

The UFC's first-ever flyweight bouts could each potentially go four rounds now that the promotion has instituted a "sudden victory" round in the case of a tie.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the plans, which were first revealed by tourney participant Demetrious Johnson in an interview with TapouT Radio.

However, an additional round will not be scheduled for the finals, which will utilize a five-round format to crown the UFC's first-ever 125-pound champion, MMAjunkie.com was told.

The UFC's four-man flyweight tournament sees Johnson (9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Ian McCall (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Joseph Benavidez (15-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at this weekend's UFC on FX 2 event, which takes place at Sydney's Allphones Arena (the main card airs live on FX on Friday night). The winners then meet later this year to decide the promotion's flyweight champ.

The UFC already uses the "sudden victory" round on "The Ultimate Fighter," in which bouts go to a third round if scores are tied after the first two. In this instance, the semifinal fights will go to a fourth round if there's a tie after three regulation rounds.

Johnson looks to rebound from an October loss to UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz in a failed bid for the promotion's 135-pound title. "Mighty Mouse" has long been considered an undersized bantamweight, yet he still put together a four-fight win streak while competing for the UFC and WEC.

He now meets McCall, who makes his UFC debut. "Uncle Creepy" also competed three times under the WEC banner, where he earned a win over Coty Wheeler but also fell short to Cruz and Charlie Valencia. McCall currently boasts a four-fight win streak and will vacate Tachi Palace Fights' flyweight belt in order to move to the octagon.

Benavidez, who's been competing at bantamweight, looks to remain undefeated in the UFC after notching back-to-back decision wins over Eddie Wineland and Ian Loveland. The Team Alpha Male product's lone career losses came in the WEC in two failed attempts to down Cruz.

Urushitani brings a five-fight win streak into his UFC debut. The 35-year-old Shooto bantamweight champion has been fighting professionally since 2001 and holds notable career wins over John Dodson and Mamoru Yamaguchi, among others.

 

[InfamousICON]

Big Nog is a beast, he's already sparring after that arm break from a couple months ago.

[video=youtube;Y4U5sFQsjYs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U5sFQsjYs[/video]

 

[RM211]

where does big nog go from here??
he's got nothing left to offer...maybe a struve or mark hunt

 

[RM211]

Siyar Bahadurzada leaves Golden Glory, cites 'trust issues' for departure

Unhappy with his longtime management company and MMA team, Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is leaving Golden Glory.

In a brief interview today with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), the UFC welterweight cited pay and contract issues for his decision.

"They didn't pay me my money for the Glory World Series that I fought in May 2011, and they're keeping me in the dark about my contract and extended the contract for another five years," Bahadurzada said.

Bahadurzada's move comes two months prior to his UFC debut, which comes at UFC on FUEL TV 2. The former Shooto champion is slated to face Paulo Thiago (14-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) on the main card of the event, which takes place April 14 at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. (Main-card fights air on FUEL TV while preliminary-card fights stream on Facebook.)

Representatives for Golden Glory could not be reached for comment.

Bahadurzada was slated to receive $150,000 for winning the Glory World Series, which took place between 2010 and 2011. Prior to his win, he was told he was signed to a contract with Strikeforce and would make his debut in late 2011.

Instead, he sat on the shelf and publicly blasted the promotion, which would later be acquired by UFC parent company Zuffa. This past September, he signed a contract with Zuffa to fight in the UFC and began training in Holland and the U.S. for his meeting with Thiago.

"Right now I don't have any manager," Bahadurzada said. "My friend, Ryan Parsons, is helping me through my next fight. I think I'll be training between U.S. and Amsterdam, like I am now. We'll see."

Bahadurzada is the latest fighter to leave Golden Glory. Current UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem – a frequent training partner of Bahadurzada's in Holland – is now embroiled in dueling lawsuits with the team after a highly publicized split this past September.

 

[RM211]

FUEL TV confirms it'll televise 'The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil,' broadcast times TBA

FUEL TV will air the first international edition of the UFC's reality series – "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" – for U.S. audiences.

FUEL TV officials today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) they'll air episodes from the show, which debuts March 25 on Globo in Brazil.

However, they haven't finalized what day of the week or what time the episodes will air.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta recently tweeted that "TUF: Brazil" will stream in real time and with subtitles on UFC.com. It's not clear if FUEL TV, which long has been rumored as a broadcast partner for "TUF: Brazil," also will air the show at the same time Globo debuts it in Brazil. It's possible instead it could air a few days later.

"TUF: Brazil," of course, features MMA legends Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort as coaches. They'll coach teams of featherweight and middleweight fighters in a tournament format. Silva vs. Belfort, as well as the two tourney finals, are slotted to take place at UFC 147. The event takes place in June in either Rio da Janeiro or Saol Paulo. Fellow Brazilian and middleweight champ Anderson Silva headlines the event opposite Chael Sonnen.

Unlike the upcoming live season of "TUF 15" on FX, "TUF: Brazil" uses the show's traditional format in which all content, including the in-house drama and fights, is pre-taped.

 

[RM211]

Michael Bisping stumps for May return, wants UFC 147's Silva-Sonnen II winner

Michael Bisping believes he beat Chael Sonnen two rounds to one, but he's not bent out of shape over losing a unanimous decision at UFC on FOX 2.

The way he sees it, he'll get his title shot sooner or later. And in doing well against Sonnen, he's already made a good argument for getting it sooner.

"I don't think it was a step backward," Bisping told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "If anything, I cemented myself as one of the top contenders in the division. I want to fight again soon. I'm aching to fight."

For now, though, Sonnen will step in front of the line when he meets middleweight champ Anderson Silva in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 147 in June. That leaves Bisping time to rebuild momentum so he can meet the winner of the title fight.

"I was just going back and forth with (UFC president) Dana (White) last night, so I'm not sure where we're at, but I'm hoping that (with) one more good win over a good opponent, I should fight the winner of Chael and Anderson later in the year," he said this past week.

But in talking with White, Bisping (22-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) isn't sure who fits the bill.

"All the top guys seemed to be booked up at the moment, so I'm scratching my head thinking of who to ask the UFC for," Bisping said. "I'm sure they'll come up with someone decent for me. That's what they do. I just tend to accept the fights and try to do my best. I was thinking about that last night, and I couldn't think of anyone."

Middleweight Tim Boetsch certainly made an impression this past weekend at UFC 144 with an improbable comeback win over onetime title challenger Yushin Okami. Then there's an upcoming fight pitting submission ace Rousimar Palhares against Alan Belcher, as well as Chris Weidman, who minted his status as a top competitor after outpointing onetime title challenger Demian Maia at UFC on FOX 2. Mark Munoz is on the mend and could be ready by the summer.

It's arguable, though, that the opponents don't carry the same kind of name recognition of other middleweights such as Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva, who are scheduled to meet at UFC 147 as part of their run as coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil." Bisping was outpointed by Silva when they met two years ago and could provide a good rematch.

"The Count," who recently relocated to the U.S. and signed with Paradigm MMA Management, is open to whatever the UFC offers. But regardless of their choice, he wants to get back into action soon and suggested a return at UFC 146, which takes place May 26 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He felt underworked this past year after accepting a coaching position on "The Ultimate Fighter 14" opposite Jason Miller and wants to fight four times in 2012.

"If I fought again in May, there would still be seven months left in the year," he said. "I only had two fights last year because of 'The Ultimate Fighter (14),' so I want to remain busy. I'm in my prime, and I want to fight a lot."

But even if he manages to get back into contention, Bisping isn't sure who will be waiting for him.

"From my own greedy thoughts, I'd like Chael to go out there and beat him," he said. "And everybody says, 'Well, Michael Bisping beat him and he beat Anderson,' but who knows. Apparently, Anderson had a broken rib or something and that affected his performance. Who knows if that was the case or not.

"Anderson is an amazing fighter – pound-for-pound, the best in the world. I would probably lean toward Anderson, but we all saw what Chael did the first time around."

 

[RM211]

'Kimbo Slice' to host Spike TV's 'The Ultimate Fighter Fridays' debut on March 9

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson – the star of the highest-rated season of "The Ultimate Fighter" in the show's history – is making a return to the reality series. Sort of.

Ferguson will host Spike TV's debut of "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays" on March 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The weekly three-hour specials counter-program new episodes of "The Ultimate Fighter 15," which also debuts March 9 – on FX, the series' new broadcast home.

Ferguson will share details and new footage from "TUF 10," in which he competed alongside the likes of Brendan Schaub, Matt Mitrione and eventual show champion Roy Nelson. The heavyweights-only season of the reality series shattered previous records and averaged a staggering 3.4 million weekly viewers.

Future editions of "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays" will feature full episodes and themed specials from the first 14 seasons of the show, which launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters while producing champions such as Forrest Griffin, Matt Serra and Rashad Evans.

As part of a landmark seven-year deal between the UFC and FOX, future seasons of "TUF" moved to the FOX-owned FX. As a change, FX will air live fights (rather than taped fights) at the conclusion of each episode. "TUF 15" features lightweight fighters who are coached by UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and upcoming opponent Urijah Faber.

As with other live events on the FOX-owned channels, Spike TV officials are dipping into the UFC library (they own the rights until the end of the year) for counter-programming. Such counter-programming efforts have produced respectable ratings figures in recent months.

Ferguson, the famed backyard brawler who became a YouTube sensation, hasn't competed in MMA since 2010, when he concluded a 1-1 stint with the UFC. Recently, he's turned his focus to pro-boxing bouts, where he's built a 3-0 record on the regional circuit.

 

[RM211]

Strikeforce's Muhammed 'King Mo' Lawal battling post-surgery staph infection

After undergoing a seventh procedure on Sunday to remove infectious matter from his recently repaired knee, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal is biding his time.

Antibiotics that had to be administered 24 hours a day via a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line have been switched to another type that are administered twice a day.

Lawal hopes the new treatment will kill the staph infection that nearly cost him his leg following ACL surgery this past month. In the meantime, he's hooked up to two machines that drain excess blood and pus.

"I'm just trying to stay positive and hoping this medicine works," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If this medicine works, I can't wait to get back in the cage."

Lawal (9-1 MMA, 4-1 SF) tore his ACL a third time prior to a fight with Lorenz Larkin (12-1 MMA, 3-1 SF) this past month at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," and he underwent corrective surgery four days later. Since then, he has had his knee treated multiple times for an infection that spread after the procedure and spent 12 days in the hospital.

Yet another checkup is scheduled for tomorrow to make sure the infection is dying down.

The grappling involved in MMA makes staph infections common among fighters. Staphylococcus and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are two that can be life-threatening if not treated properly. Symptoms include abscesses and boils on the surface of the skin and, in the case of MRSA, bacteria that literally eats away the skin.

A decorated amateur wrestler, Lawal has battled staph infections on his face and elbow in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

"I naturally have a low white-blood-cell count, which most black athletes do, and I guess that with the anesthesia made my system worse," he said. "They say anesthesiology helps cause infection because it lowers your white-blood-cell count and your immune system."

Lawal's first bill for the surgery and its aftermath totaled $96,000. However, his share was only $1,400 because of a previously existing health plan. Additionally, a sponsor, MMA Elite, has gone above its financial obligations by supporting him during his layoff.

"I've got it taken care of," he said. "People make it seem like I've got $100,000 in debt, but it's not true. I made sure I had a plan going into this thing."

The former Strikeforce champ was paid $95,000 for his victory over Larkin, which included a $15,000 win bonus. However, he could face fines and/or suspension as the result of a positive post-fight drug test following the January event.

Prior to the fight, Lawal had his knee drained multiple times prior to the fight and took an over-the-counter testosterone supplement he had previously taken to combat instability in the joint. As it turned out, that supplement may have also caused him to test positive for the steroid Drostanolone. The Nevada State Athletic Commission, which oversaw the Strikeforce event, filed a disciplinary complaint against the fighter this past month, and he is likely to appear before the commission in March after sending a letter to the Nevada Attorney General's Office disclosing a list of supplements he took and a statement on the possible cause of the failed test.

Lawal steadfastly denies using performance-enhancing drugs and notes he never tested positive for drugs during his amateur wrestling career, in which he faced a litany of tests. But before he makes his voice heard before the commission, he'd like to be healthy, and that depends on the success of his treatment.

"Man, it's irritating," he said. "The thing is, I'm right there. My ACL is good, but (with) this bacteria, I can't do anything now. It's on my doctor. I'm hoping that his gameplan will work."