MMA News Thread

[RM211]

UFC on FUEL TV 3 adds Stephens-Cerrone, Shalorus-Dos Anjos, Soto-Gashimov

UFC on FUEL TV 3 has two new bouts with the additions of lightweights Kamal Shalorus (7-2-2 UFC, 0-2-0 UFC) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (15-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and bantamweights Azamat Gashimov (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Alex Soto (6-1-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), officials today announced.

Additionally, as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, officials confirmed lightweight Jeremy Stephens (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) has replaced injured Yves Edwards (41-18-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) in a bout with Donald Cerrone (17-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

And finally, two previously reported fights are now official: lightweights T.J. Grant (17-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Carlo Prater (30-10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and bantamweights Jeff Curran (33-14-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC) vs. Johnny Eduardo (25-9 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

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.

Officials haven't announced how the fights will be divvied up between the two cards.

Shalorus, a former WEC fighter, finds himself in a must-win situation. The Iranian-born fighter and veteran wrestler made his octagon debut in early 2011 and since has suffered a TKO defeat to top contender Jim Miller and then a submission loss to undefeated promotional newcomer Khabib Nurmagomedov.

He looks to right the ship against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Dos Anjos, who recently spoiled a 4-1 run in the UFC with a split-decision defeat to Gleison Tibau. The loss dropped his UFC record to .500, though the losses have come to notables such as Clay Guida and Stephens.

Gashimov, meanwhile, is a Russian-born competitor now fighting out of New Jersey. A veteran of his country's regional circuit, he racked up six stoppages (four submissions and two knockouts) in six career wins. After a two-year layoff, he returned to competition this past June and submitted Azay Mamedov with an armbar.

He now meets Soto, who served as an injury replacement and suffered a knockout loss to Michael McDonald at UFC 139 in his promotional debut. Before the loss, the U.S. Navy dolphin trainer racked up a 6-0-1 record in California and Mexico.

The latest UFC on FUEL TV 3 card now includes:

•Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung
•Donald Cerrone vs. Jeremy Stephens
•Igor Pokrajac vs. Thiago Silva
•Tom Lawlor vs. Jason MacDonald
•Jorge Lopez vs. Amir Sadollah
•Mike Easton vs. Yves Jabouin
•T.J. Grant vs. Carlo Prater
•Cody McKenzie vs. Aaron Riley
•Brad Tavares vs. Dongi Yang
•Jeff Curran vs. Johnny Eduardo
•Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Kamal Shalorus
•Azamat Gashimov vs. Alex Soto

 

[RM211]

Australia, India and the Philippines next for 'The Ultimate Fighter,' White says

With the first live season of "The Ultimate Fighter" kicking off next week in the U.S. and the first international edition of the reality series currently in production in Brazil, the focus now turns to new locales.

Up next?

Australia, India and the Philippines, UFC president Dana White said.

"They're up next week," White said at a UFC on FX 2 press conference in Sydney. "We just need to finalize the (broadcast) deals."

"TUF 15" is the first season of the seven-year-old series to air on the UFC's new cable partner, FX, following a long and fruitful run on Spike TV. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, FUEL TV officials have confirmed "TUF: Brazil" will air on the FOX-owned cable station, though details haven't been finalized.

The show airs locally on Globo, which has quickly become a destination for the UFC in Brazil.

Brazil, of course, is an MMA hotbed, and two recent pay-per-view events in the country have laid the ground work for a bigger UFC presence. But after that, the attention turns to other new countries.

Australia, for example, hosts its third event in two years with this weekend's UFC on FX 2 show. With a quickly growing regional scene, more and more talent is coming out of the country. "TUF: Australia" would identify some of the best and open a door to competing in the UFC along the likes of Australians of James Te Huna, Kyle Noke and George Sotiropoulos.

The same goes for India and the Philippines, which have never hosted a UFC show but long been on the organization's radar. Currently, no events are scheduled for either country, but a "TUF" season could set the groundwork.

 

[RM211]

UFC boss admits mixed feelings on Edgar's next move, still thinks 145 is right

SYDNEY – UFC president Dana White has always contended that as a promoter, it's not his job to tell his fighters what they can and can't do in terms of career direction.

That said, White remains confident he knows the best decision for former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) as he looks to rebound from a UFC 144 loss.

White, who today promised Edgar an immediate shot at the featherweight title if he's willing to make the drop, still believes "The Answer" should be at 145 pounds. That said, he's still not going to make anything a requirement.

"Here's the thing: I really care about this kid," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I like him a lot. There's only so many wars you can have in your career, and I hate – hate, hate, hate – guys fighting out of their weightclass. He did it because he had to do it because there was no other weightclass, and you can't deny a guy a way to make a living. But I would love to see him at 145.

"I can't tell him where to go, but I can [expletive] heavily persuade him."

The 5-foot-6 Edgar, of course, has long been linked with a potential drop to 145 pounds. But when the WEC played home to the division, the payout didn't match that of octagon fights. Add in the fact that Edgar was more than holding his own in the UFC – twice defeating B.J. Penn and building a seven-fight unbeaten streak in the division – and White admits there was little he could do.

"When you talk about respecting a guy, I have so much respect for Frankie Edgar," White said. "He did what he had to do at 155 pounds because he had to – because there wasn't a 145-pound division. He did it."

But after Edgar was dethroned by former WEC champ Benson Henderson at this past weekend's UFC 144 event, White openly admitted he'd like to see Edgar make a run at 145 pounds and challenge current titleholder Jose Aldo (21-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC).

"I think Jose Aldo is awesome," White said. "I think he's pound-for-pound one of the best in the world. So is Frankie Edgar, and there's nothing more fun than when guys are both at the same weight and go in there and fight."

Thus far, Edgar has balked at White's offer. But the UFC boss said the two have remained in close contact since UFC 144, and he hopes the former lightweight champ will eventually share his point of view.

"I talked to him on the phone," White said. "I think everybody's pretty clear on what I would like to see. I'd like to see him go down to his natural weight of 145 pounds."

Edgar's supporters, as well as the former champ himself, point to the two rematches that he gave during his title run (one each to Penn and Gray Maynard) as reason why he should be given the same courtesy. But White points to a number of contenders currently in line – including Anthony Pettis, who stepped aside for Edgar-Maynard III – as to reason why this situation is a little different.

That said, the UFC boss agrees it's a difficult situation he simply wished he didn't have to deal with right now.

"We still have (Nate) Diaz and (Jim) Miller fighting on FOX," White said. "That weight division is so stacked, and there's so many guys in line.

"I have a lot of different feelings about the rematch. First and foremost, I feel like Frankie Edgar absolutely deserves one, seeing as how every fight this guy's fought, he's given everybody else a rematch. And I don't want him to fight at 155 pounds. I want him to go to 145 and fight for that title. If we do give him a rematch, it clogs up – there's other guys that are there waiting.

"It's just a big mess, man. Controversy sucks. I like fights that are clean clear, we know who won."

For now, it appears that Pettis will get the first shot at Henderson's title, and with the history between the two from their famed WEC title bout, it will certainly be a marketable affair. As for Edgar's next move, White is hopeful the two can quickly get on the same page – page No. 145.

"You can say whatever about Frankie, this guy's fighting with 155-pounders, guys that are cutting from 170-plus, and are always so much bigger than him, and the guy has absolute wars and pulls out decisions that are so controversial every time. I really respect him. I like Frankie Edgar as a human being. Take the whole fighting thing out of it.

"This guy belongs at 145 pounds. When you're a professional fighter, you have a small window of opportunity as it is to compete and be a professional athlete. There's only so many wars you have in you. You can't have this long, amazing career fighting wars all the time.

"I don't know. This whole thing's a nightmare, and we'll see what happens."

 

[RM211]

Bellator 66 headed to Cleveland with Alvarez-Aoki, Eye-Daly rematches

Bellator Fighting Championships is heading to Ohio for the third time when Bellator 66 takes place April 20 at the I-X Center in Cleveland.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney today announced a headlining rematch between lightweights Eddie Alvarez (22-3 MMA, 6-1 BFC) and Shinya Aoki (30-5 MMA, 0-0 BFC).

Additionally, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that the organization is finalizing a rematch between 125-pounders Aisling Daly (13-2 MMA, 0-1 BFC) and Jessica Eye (6-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC).

Bellator 66's main card airs on MTV2 while preliminary-card fights stream on Spike.com.

MMAjunkie.com previously passed along news of the Alvarez vs. Aoki fight. The pair originally met in December 2008, when Aoki needed just 92 seconds to submit Alvarez via heel hook at DREAM "Dynamite!! 2008." Since that meeting, Aoki has pieced together an 11-2 mark while Alvarez has gone 8-1, which included a November Bellator title loss to Michael Chandler is one of the year's best fights.

Eye and Daly, meanwhile, met in a June 2011 NAAFS title fight in Cleveland, where Daly used a fourth-round submission to deliver Eye her first career loss. Both fighters are now carrying-three fight win streaks. In fact, following an NAAFS win over Kelly Warren earlier this month, Cleveland's Eye campaigned for a rematch with the Irish fighter, as detailed in this week's Women's MMA Report.

"I've got to be upfront and honest here," she said. "Aisling Daly beat me fair and square. I'll never take anything away from that because she beat me but ... that's the past, and I've got a bright future."

Additional Bellator 66 fights will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bellator's first Ohio show took place in Dayton at Hara Arena in 2009. The event, Bellator 5, featured Toby Imada's inverted-triangle-choke victory over Jorge Masvidal, which won that year's World MMA Award for "Submission of the Year." Additionally, this past September, Bellator 51 took place at Canton Memorial Civic Center in Canton.

 

[RM211]

Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung title qualifier headlines UFC on FUEL TV 3

A previously announced featherweight bout between Dustin Poirier (12-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Chan Sung Jung (12-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will now headline May's UFC on FUEL TV 3 event.

Officials today announced the bout as a five-round main event.

The winner "is expected to emerge as a challenger to the UFC 145-pound title currently held by Brazilian star Jose Aldo," according to the release.

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. The UFC recently announced a number of fights for the card, including main-card bouts of lightweights Jeremy Stephens (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) vs. Donald Cerrone (17-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and bantamweights Mike Easton (12-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Yves Jabouin (17-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC).

"We're excited to head back to the Patriot Center again with another great night of fights, including a featherweight main event pitting Dustin Poirier against 'The Korean Zombie,'" UFC president Dana White stated. "Poirier and 'The Korean Zombie' are two of the most exciting fighters in the UFC. This is going to be a fun fight. From top to bottom, I will deliver for the fans in Virginia."

Poirier returns after a UFC 143 victory over octagon newcomer Max Holloway. The win was Poirier's fifth straight and brought his record to 4-0 since dropping to 145 pounds.

Jung fights for the first time since a shocking seven-second knockout win over Mark Hominick at this past December's UFC 140 event. Prior to that, he made his UFC debut and submitted Leonard Garcia with a twister that earned a 2011 World MMA Award.

 

[RM211]

UFC 144 medical suspensions: Henderson, 'Rampage' possibly out six months

The UFC issued medical suspensions to nine fighters from this past weekend's UFC 144 event.

Three of them – main-event winner Benson Henderson and co-main-event loser Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, as well as Elji Mitsuoka – could be out up to six months.

The UFC, which served as its own regulatory body for the overseas event, today confirmed the suspensions with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

UFC 144 took place this past Saturday, Feb. 26, at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The main card aired on pay-per-view (on Feb. 25 due to the time difference), and FX and Facebook carried the prelims. Because no regulatory body was available, the UFC acted as its own under the direction of UFC executive and former Nevada State Athletic Commission head Marc Ratner.

Henderson, who defeated Frankie Edgar via decision to win the UFC lightweight title, is suspended 180 days due to possible hand and left-foot fractures. A doctor can clear him early, but regardless, he's suspended 45 days with no contact during training for 30 days for precautionary reasons.

Jackson's 180-day suspension is the result of a possible right-knee injury, though he, too, can be cleared early. Regardless, he's suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.

The same goes for Mitsuoka, who needs a his nose cleared to avoid a 180-day suspension. Regardless, he's also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.

Receiving precautionary suspensions of 45 days (with no contact for 30 days) were Edgar, Joe Lauzon, Yushin Okami, Cheick Kongo and Tiequan Zhang.

Tim Boetsch was suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days for precautionary reasons.

 

[RM211]

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson suggests next octagon appearance will be his last

According to former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-10 MMA, 7-4 UFC), his UFC career is just about done.

Jackson on Tuesday wrote that his next UFC appearance will be his last, though he said he'll continue to fight on in some other fashion.

"I feel sorry for my next opponent, no matter who or what it is," Jackson wrote via Twitter. "I will fight whoever they put in front of me – I always have – but it will be my last fight in the UFC."

Jackson fought most recently at February's UFC 144 event, where he missed weight by six pounds and then lost a lackluster decision to Ryan Bader. Following the fight, Jackson revealed that a knee injury prevented him from training at full strength, as well as putting in the road work necessary to complete his weightcut.

He then offered a controversial interview with "Fighters Only" magazine where he admitted to using testosterone replacement therapy at the suggestion of UFC-employed doctors.

UFC officials have yet to comment on the situation, but Jackson said he's nearly done with the promotion, taking a swipe at the UFC payscale while announcing his intentions.

"I have other things on my mind," Jackson stated. "I didn't say I would be done fighting; I just said I'm not fighting for the UFC (u fight cheap)."

Jackson, a 12-plus year veteran of the sport, made his UFC debut in February 2007, following the collapse of PRIDE Fighting Championships, where Jackson became a superstar of the sport. In just his second octagon appearance, Jackson scored a first-round knockout of Chuck Liddell and earned the UFC light heavyweight title. He then defended the belt against Dan Henderson before dropping the title in a contentious decision to Forrest Griffin.

Jackson has since posted a 4-3 UFC record in his efforts to regain the title.

Jackson has long contended he wouldn't fight past 35 years old, and prior to fighting Bader, many MMA pundits believed his UFC 144 appearance could potentially be his final fight.

Despite the losing result, Jackson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he was encouraged by his training prior to injuring his knee.

"honestly, before I hurt me knee, you guys should have seen the way that I was training," Jackson said. "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.'"

However, Jackson now suggests if that's true, it may not be with the UFC.

"I don't need them or anybody else negative dealing with my career," Jackson stated.

 

[RM211]

Champ Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem official for May's UFC 146 in Las Vegas

As expected, UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will make his first title defense on May 26 in Las Vegas.

UFC officials today revealed the long-rumored booking, which sees Dos Santos face former Strikeforce champ Alistair Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who earned the shot with a recent win over former UFC champ Brock Lesnar.

The fight headlines UFC 146, which takes place May 26 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Ticket information is expected to be revealed shortly, but UFC officials announced they will go on sale later this month.

Overeem, a former Strikeforce champion who was released by the organization and quickly signed by its sister promotion, made his official UFC debut at UFC 141 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. By knocking out ex-champ Lesnar (for his 11th straight win), he set up the upcoming heavyweight title fight with current champ Dos Santos, who was healing from a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Dos Santos fights for the first time since winning the title with a first-round knockout of Cain Velasquez this past November. He'd been sidelined by a torn meniscus in his left knee but has since said he's recovered 100 percent.

Dos Santos is undefeated in the UFC and currently boasts a nine-fight win streak.

The full lineup for UFC 146 currently includes:

•Champ Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem (for heavyweight title)
•Edson Barboza vs. Evan Dunham
•Dan Hardy vs. Duane "Bang" Ludwig
•Diego Brandao vs. Darren Elkins
•C.B. Dollaway vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller
•Shane Del Rosario vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
•Kyle Kingsbury vs. Glover Teixeira
•Paul Sass vs. Jacob Volkmann

 

[RM211]

With Diaz, Miller expecting post-UFC on FOX 3 title shot, White still addressing Edga

You could say Dana White is trying to prevent another logjam.

During a press conference held in New York City in support of UFC on FOX 3, the UFC president said that he's meeting today with former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar to (respectfully) convince him that he belongs at featherweight, where an immediate title shot possibly awaits.

"I'd like him to go to 145," White said. "So I'm talking to Frankie, and we'll figure this thing out."

UFC on FOX 3 takes place May 5 at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The event's main card airs live on FOX while preliminary-card fights air on FUEL TV.

The controversy following Edgar's loss to Ben Henderson at UFC 144 creates a delicate situation. The UFC could appease critics and set up an immediate rematch between the two. Edgar (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) has openly campaigned for such an opportunity, and Henderson (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has responded in kind by saying he doesn't want to be accused of ducking the former champ.

Or, the promotion could choose the next contender from the existing field of top lightweights, which, at the moment, is represented by former WEC champ Anthony Pettis (16-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Nate Diaz (15-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Jim Miller (21-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC).

Miller and Diaz, who meet in the main event of UFC on FOX 3 and attended the presser, have their own feelings about that.

"I personally don't feel that Pettis' win over Stephens and the knockout of Lauzon is a title run, but I don't make those decisions," Miller said. "Other than the possible rematch, I think Nate is the only guy you could put in right away.

"But we're scheduled to fight in May, so I'm sure either of us hopes that a win will put us in that top position."

Diaz, characteristically, was more blunt.

"I thought the winner of this fight was getting a title shot," he said.

For now, it looks as though Diaz is right.

"We said the winner of this fight would get the shot," White said.

But that may be contingent on whether the UFC president can convince Edgar to drop weight. White has said the New Jersey native is qualified for an immediate fight with featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Edgar, though, has been hesitant to commit to move down, mainly because he's been so successful at lightweight. Prior to his setback against Henderson, he twice defeated B.J. Penn and avenged a loss and subsequent draw to Gray Maynard. Leaving out the six wins of his earlier UFC career, Edgar has made the most of a deficit in physical size.

So there is the tough sell for White.

 

[RM211]

UFC champ Henderson says it 'doesn't matter' who's next, welcomes Edgar rematch

New UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) doesn't yet know who will get the first crack at his belt, but according to him, it doesn't matter who is given the slot.

After all, Henderson said, he's more than willing to fight each and every fighter on the UFC roster.

And that includes those he's already defeated, including former champ Frankie Edgar (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC).

"I really don't care," Henderson said on Monday's new edition of "Inside MMA," HDNet's weekly MMA news show. "It doesn't matter to me.

"The fan in me, I definitely understand where Frankie is coming from, having to be the guy that gave two rematches. I don't want to be the guy where the say, 'Oh, Henderson was afraid to give Frankie a rematch.' He had to give two rematches. I don't want to be the champ who that's said about."

Henderson, of course, earned a unanimous-decision win over Edgar at February's UFC 144 event. Edgar, who gave rematches to both Gray Maynard and B.J. Penn during his title run, assumed he'd be given the same courtesy. However, UFC president Dana White named Anthony Pettis the top contender and suggested Edgar would be best served by moving down to 145 pounds and challenging featherweight champ Jose Aldo.

A formal announcement has yet to be made, but Edgar and his camp have since maintained their position, and White has also remained unwavering in his opinion.

Henderson, who lost a WEC 53 decision to Pettis in a bout famous for his opponent's "Showtime kick," said he's open to a rematch with Pettis, but he now also seems to be leaning toward a shot at putting Edgar in his rear-view mirror.

"Anthony Pettis, he has his statement," Henderson said. "He has a win over Jeremy Stephens, a split decision, and one quality win over Joe Lauzon, who's a quality opponent. Other than that, not a whole lot of depth in his UFC career. But whoever it is, it doesn't matter. I'll take them all on."

Henderson is currently riding a four-fight win streak, and his December 2010 loss to Pettis is his only defeat in his past 15 trips to the cage. But "Smooth" insists he's not very concerned at who comes next. After all, as champ, Henderson wants to put down each and every challenger in his division.

"All of them – line 'em up, one after another," Henderson said. "I want to compete with every single 155-pound guy on the roster of the UFC."

 

[RM211]

With surprising fan support, Tim Sylvia 'pretty much begging' for UFC second chance

If you're an MMA fan and you spend any time at all on Twitter – or Facebook, MMA forums or any other online destination – you've probably seen a fairly big campaign to get Tim Sylvia back in the UFC.

Even Sylvia, a former UFC champ, admits the support is surprising.

But he hopes it'll amplify his message to the UFC: "I made a mistake. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I screwed up. But give me a second chance please. I'm pretty much begging."

Sylvia (30-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) has been persona non grata at the UFC since 2008, when he requested out of the one remaining fight on a UFC contract he found unsatisfactory. He then signed with Affliction Entertainment – a now-defunct promotion that briefly tried to compete with the UFC – and suffered a submission loss to Fedor Emelianenko.

Then came an embarrassing nine-second knockout loss to 47-year-old boxer Ray Mercer, and Sylvia dropped off the MMA radar.

Since then, though, he's quietly amassed a 6-1 record with five stoppages. He's defeated some decent names such as Paul Buentello and Andreas Kraniotakes. Admittedly, though, it's hard to find top-tier heavyweight competition anywhere but the UFC.

That's why he hopes UFC official can forgive him.

"It was a stupid mistake I made, especially with how it all worked out," Sylvia today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "But I know (UFC co-owners) Dana (White) and Lorenzo (Fertitta) and all those guys have given second chances – Tito Ortiz being one of them, B.J. Penn, Mark Coleman, the guys who did the rape jokes on Twitter and all that stuff. Even Nate Marquardt is getting a second chance with Strikeforce."

And really, that's all Sylvia wants: a second chance. "The Maine-iac," who celebrates his 36th birthday today, doesn't see fighting past the age of 40. And after spending six years with the UFC from 2002 to 2008 – including stints as the heavyweight champ – and building his name there, he hopes to end his career there, as well.

In fact, he said his desire is so pure – that it's about the competition, not the money – that he's making UFC officials an interesting proposition.

"I don't care about the money," he said. "I've made that statement. I don't need a lot of money. I just want to end my career in the UFC and retire fighting the best. I even made a bold statement where I don't even want a show purse. Just give me my win bonus or if I win a fight-night bonus, give me that.

"I don't even care about fighting for a title."

Soon after Sylvia's campaign caught steam, MMAjunkie.com asked White if he was paying attention. White, though, said the Mercer loss was his only recollection of Sylvia's post-UFC career, and he apparently was unaware of his recent run on the regional circuit.

White also said that the heavyweight division now is more mature – much more so than when Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski's three fights were about the only thing of note in the UFC's paper-thin division.

"If you look at when Tim Sylvia was in the heavyweight division, I say it all the time: It's when we had the weakest heavyweight division in the company's history," White said. "Him and (Andrei) Arlovski were knocking each other out every weekend."

In other words, White isn't sure Sylvia can compete with the new generation of big men.

Sylvia, though, doesn't see it that way. He thinks he can compete with just about anyone in the division, including champ Junior Dos Santos ("he has holes in his game") and top contender Alistair Overeem ("he has a better physique than I do, but I think I'm just as strong and just as good a striker").

In fact, if you look the next rung on the heavyweight ladder, he thinks he's both a better fighter and a more marketable draw.

"I don't why they won't let me back, but I know I'm more of a draw than half those guys," Sylvia said. "I know I'm more of a draw than (Pat) Barry and (Christian) Morecraft and (Matt) Mitrione and (Cheick) Kongo. Even if they have something against me, marketing wise and money wise, it seems like it would be smart on their half to use me."

So for now, Sylvia keeps fighting the good fight. He'll take what MMA bouts he can, and he'll continue to campaign for a UFC return online. In the meantime, he and manager Monte Cox hope they'll eventually get a call for a return to the octagon.

"I just want to put on a great show for the fans," he said. "That's what the fans want to see. They've spoken. The fans have spoken, and they want to see me back in the UFC.

"At least just give me one shot."

 

[RM211]

Sean McCorkle follows comeback to Bellator 60, still eying UFC return

Sean McCorkle talks a big game and often wages legendary trash-talking campaigns against his opponents.

But "Big Sexy," who continues a post-UFC run on the prelims of Friday's Bellator 60 event, said such bravado sometimes masks his own nerves and stress. For example, there was the time UFC president Dana White pulled him aside just before a massive UFC 124 co-main-event opportunity.

"You know, if you win this, it'll change your life,'" White told him before an eventual TKO flop to Stefan Struve.

As McCorkle told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), the fight – which followed a UFC 119 submission win over Mark Hunt and a 10-0 start to his career – led to many sleepless nights. He grandstanded and waged an Internet campaign against Struve. His mouth wrote a check – one that got him a pay-per-view co-headlining slot – that he feared his butt couldn't cash.

"I was so stressed to lose and not embarrass myself," he said. "And that's exactly what happened.

"I gassed out in 45 seconds. I couldn't breathe, and my arms felt heavy. But it wasn't for a lack of cardio training. The pressure just got to me. I had talked so much trash."

In fact, McCorkle was feeling the nerves backstage at the event. White's words were meant to be encouraging, but they simply compounded the problem. And as McCorkle walked to the cage in front of more than 23,000 fans at Montreal's Bell Centre, he said he nearly passed out from the pressure.

McCorkle lost the fight via TKO, and in his next bout against Christian Morecraft, he fought "not to lose" because he was so scared to get cut. As often happens in such cases, it simply set him up for another loss. A few weeks later, the UFC cut ties with the fighter – one that many fans have written off as a flash in the pan.

But McCorkle is out to prove the doubters wrong. He's 5-0 with five first-round submission victories since the release. He looks to make it 6-0 on Friday, when the Indianapolis-based McCorkle (15-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC) meets Richard White (15-12 MMA, 0-0 BFC) on the Spike.com-streamed Bellator 60 preliminary card at The Venue at Horseshoe Hammond in Hammond, Ind.

McCorkle is preliminary-card filler. He's a local guy to draw a local crowd to sell tickets. Bellator just wanted him for a one-fight deal, but McCorkle said he, too, simply wanted a one-and-done contract.

"Because my goal is to fight in the UFC one more time," he said. "I think I blew my chance with that Struve fight. But I'm going to have twice as many fights, experience-wise (if I come back). I'm not going to care this time. That first fight against Mark Hunt, I felt like I had nothing to lose. It felt like a dream.

"The next time, I don't want to say I'm going to go out there and not care, but I'm not going to stress about it. I've already been embarrassed. How much worse could it get?"

A post-UFC 6-0 record would certainly be a convincing case for the UFC, though it's impossible to know if the organization is interested. And critics could certainly point to the talent level of his recent opponents (or lack thereof) as a reason the UFC shouldn't rush to bring him back.

But it's not for a lack of trying, he said.

He wanted to fight former UFC champ Andrei Arlovski in the recently resurrected ProElite, but he "turned me down twice," McCorkle said of Arlovski. He campaigned for a fight with famed heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko that ultimately went to Jeff Monson. He also pushed for a fight with former Strikeforce fighter Brett Rogers that never materialized.

So in the meantime, he takes what he can get. That includes this weekend's Bellator fight – plus another one later this month down in Texas.

A second UFC shot could give him that top-level competition he currently can't get. Until then, though, he has bills to pay.

"It's not like I'm not trying to fight someone known, but I can't wait three or four months trying to get something set up," he said. "I might as well fight and make some money and pick up a win in the meantime."

 

[RM211]

UFC on FX 2 ratings: 1.4 million FX viewers and 113,000 FUEL TV viewers

This past weekend's four-fight UFC on FX 2 event, which was the second UFC main card to air on the FOX-owned FX, averaged 1.4 million viewers.

Additionally, the night's six-bout preliminary card averaged 113,000 viewers on FUEL TV.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the ratings information with industry sources.

UFC on FX 2 took place March 3 at Syndey's Allphones Arena. Martin Kampmann submitted fellow welterweight contender Thiago Alves in come-from-behind fashion in the night's main event. The UFC also debuted its brand new flyweight divisions on the Saturday-morning show, which aired live in the U.S. on Friday night due to the time change.

The two-hour main card, which boasted four fights on FX, earned a slight increase of 100,000 viewers over the 1.3 million that tuned in for January's UFC on FX 1 event.

The three-hour preliminary card, which featured James Te Huna earning a brutal first-round TKO of Aaron Rosa, featured six bouts and saw a slight decrease of 35,000 viewers from UFC on FX 1, netting 113,000 viewers for the card.

The UFC recently moved much of its live-event programming from Spike TV to FX and FUEL TV thanks to the seven-year deal with FOX. By comparison, UFC Fight Night and The Ultimate Fighter Finale events on Spike TV averaged approximately 1.8 million to 2.2 million viewers in recent years. A January "UFC Prelims" special for UFC 142 averaged 880,000 FX viewers prior to the night's pay-per-view main card.

 

[RM211]

'Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey' ratings: Event scores 431,000 viewers

The number marks a 25 percent increase from January's "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event, which drew 344,000 viewers during a "free-preview" weekend.

"Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey" took place this past Saturday, March 3, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The event's main card aired live on Showtime while preliminary-card fights aired on Showtime Extreme. (Ratings for Showtime Extreme weren't immediately available.)

In the night's main event, undefeated judoka Ronda Rousey secured a brutal first-round armbar to submit former champ Miesha Tate and claim the promotion's female bantamweight title.

Strikeforce's eight 2011 "Arena Series" events drew an average audience size of 521,375 viewers to Showtime. The promotion's two events thus far in 2012 have averaged 387,500 viewers

Prior to this past weekend, the most recent event, January's "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," averaged 344,000 viewers.

The ratings for Strikeforce "Arena Series" shows since 2011 include:

1. "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva" (February 2011): 741,000 viewers
2. "Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum" (June 2011): 624,000
3. "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson" (July 20011): 571,000
4. "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg" (January 20011): 561,000
5. "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley" (April 2011): 528,000
6. "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal" (December 2011): 460,000
7. "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey" (March 2012): 431,000
8. "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" (March 2011): 412,000
9. "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" (January 2012): 344,000
10. "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov" (September 2011): 274,000

Strikeforce and Showtime recently reached a new deal that calls for up to eight events this year. The prospects-driven Strikeforce Challengers event series has been phased out as part of the new deal.

 

[RM211]

Welterweight contenders and pretenders

Is it wrong to kind of like a George St. Pierre-less welterweight division?

Not that we don’t want him back in November, but these last few months have been kind of fun, yeah? For starters, the St. Pierre injury story is great in itself. No fighter has been able to legitimately challenge him in years. Can a knee injury do it?

Because to be honest, the novelty of St. Pierre ho-hummingly dominating opponents one five-round fight after another had started to wear off. It was still an impressive run, absolutely, but -- come on. In sports, we’re supposed to get drama. We like two-minute drills. We like half-court prayers. We like a man on third, two outs in the bottom of the ninth, down by one.


What’s been kind of nice about St. Pierre being out to start 2012 is that it’s allowed us to envision a welterweight division without such a dominant champ. And what that vision looks like are razor-thin title fights and a serious group of contenders who would trade the belt back and forth between themselves for years.

From a business standpoint, you don’t mind the St. Pierre model. A dominant champ entices casual fans to watch and see what the fuss is about. Hardcore fans will tune in as well, if for no other reason to make absolutely sure they are watching when he loses.


But from a sports fan perspective, I think most would admit they’re ready to see what “St. Pierre in trouble” looks like again. The eye injury he suffered during the Jake Shields win was certainly adversity he had to overcome, but it’s not like the outcome of that fight was ever in question.

So, here’s the question: Can any of these welterweights we’re getting excited about during St. Pierre’s absence actually beat him when he comes back? As I did in October with the lightweights, let’s sort out which of these guys has the best shot at being the one to end St. Pierre’s reign.

The “if stars align and everything imaginable goes your way then maybe ... but still probably not” Group: Dan Hardy, Diego Sanchez, John Hathaway, Rick Story, Dong Hyun Kim.

Go on, laugh at Hardy even being included on this list. Hey, he’s about as long as a long shot can be. But if the organization is willing to hang on to him after four fairly miserable outings, then what’s to say they wouldn’t reward him with a title shot quickly if he were to get hot again?

Sanchez is interesting because if I’m a UFC welterweight I say to myself, “Man, I should call out Diego. I’m pretty sure I can beat him and he’s a big name to add to my résumé.” The only problem is I do that, then I get to the third round of the fight and Sanchez is still coming forward, spewing blood from the nose I’m pretty sure I broke with my knee in the first round and, suddenly, I’m scared. Not sure of what exactly, but definitely scared. This will happen in the next two years: A rising prospect calls out Sanchez and loses.

The “Any way we could combine these two?”: Thiago Alves, Martin Kampmann.

I think last weekend’s fight summed up both fighters pretty well. Kampmann is a gamer with tremendous will but he lacks elite-type athleticism. Alves is the opposite -- he might be the best athlete in the division but he’s vulnerable to mental lapses.

It’s not a terrible idea to go for a takedown in the final minute of a fight you’re winning to remove the flash KO threat, but in these circumstances (Kampmann has five submission wins in the UFC against one TKO) it was bad judgment. And the worst part is, fair or not, we’ve sort of come to expect this from Alves. For the record, though, of these two, I still give Alves a better shot overall at ever holding the belt.

The potential feel-good story of the century: Jake Shields.

If this were Hollywood, wouldn’t you lay everything you’ve got on Shields having a monster year in 2012 and claiming the belt in 2013? In the movie world, St. Pierre would be made out as a way more sinister foe in their first fight and maybe, after the loss to Ellenberger, movie Shields would go on some month-long drinking/partying binge that threatens to end his fighting career. But by the time the credits rolled, he’d be pointing up to the sky with a title belt around his waist.

It could happen. We know the guy is talented. He’s 33 and hasn’t taken a ton of damage despite a lengthy career. And I still think, for whatever reason, we caught Shields on an off night at UFC 129.

The blazing hot prospect and the simmering hot prospect: Rory MacDonald, Erick Silva.

Some of you will no doubt have MacDonald higher on your list, but I can’t quite pull the trigger on a 22-year-old whose biggest win is arguably over string bean Nate Diaz. Don’t get me wrong, I love MacDonald as a future titleholder, just not sure if you can rank him higher than these other guys right now.

Silva, same thing. He certainly looks the part, but so far both opponents he’s fought in the UFC took the fight on short notice and both came within friendly confines of his home country.

The old faithfuls: Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch.

These guys have been here for years and they’ll continue to be here through at least 2013. Fitch’s loss to Johny Hendricks could mean nothing. It was 12 seconds. He was facing some serious ring rust. If you think it’s the last we’ve seen of him, it’s probably because you just don’t like him and it’s clouding your judgment.

Koscheck gets the opportunity to avenge his friend’s loss against Hendricks in May. It’s a surprising fight to me because you’re risking a possible No. 1 contender to a guy who, as long as St. Pierre has the belt, can’t really be a No. 1 contender. Koscheck is high on this list because of his skills but frankly, a lot of things outside his control need to happen if he’s ever going to win the welterweight title.

The "highly" unlikely: Nick Diaz.

He’s probably getting a one-year suspension. If that’s the case, he can’t fight until February 2013. What kind of fight does he pull when he gets back? There will still be a lot of interest in a St. Pierre fight, even if St. Pierre isn’t even holding the belt, but do you really like his chances in that fight after such a long layoff? I don’t. So, would he get a “tune-up” fight first? Even if he did, it would be against a legitimate guy with a real chance at beating him. If that happens, he probably needs to win two more fights to get a title shot. Sorry, but there are just enough unknowns right now that I no longer love Diaz’s chances. He still claims a high spot on this list though because when he comes back, a matchup against St. Pierre is so marketable the UFC will so its best to put it together.

The favorites: Carlos Condit, Jake Ellenberger, Johny Hendricks.

In that order. Condit sits at the top thanks mainly to the intangibles on his side. He’s getting the next opportunity to do it -- at least that’s what it looks like. St. Pierre will be dealing with a very long layoff and he’ll be competing for the first time on his reconstructed knee. Stylistically, he faces an uphill battle in my opinion but not an insurmountable one. If he can stay on his feet, he’ll hit St. Pierre. He’ll get taken down but he’s terrific at escapes and he’s very tough mentally. He won’t be intimidated and he’ll keep working even if things don’t go well early.

Ellenberger is actually my favorite to get it done from a stylistic standpoint. I think he’s the most athletically gifted of the three and I like his standup a little over Hendricks’, although they both clearly hit hard. It would be good if he was a little bigger, but St. Pierre isn’t a huge welterweight either. He’d be very dangerous in a fight against the champ, especially early in the fight.

Hendricks is right there as well. He has the game changer in the left hand and, although St. Pierre would frustrate him a bit in the speed aspect, he’s not an easy opponent to control.

When it’s all said and done though, I guess this is all for naught because it’s very difficult to see anyone unseating St. Pierre. My guess is he makes this whole knee-injury, layoff ordeal look easy. That is, after all, the St. Pierre we’ve come to know.

 

[RM211]

Nelson to drop to 205 if he loses Facebook bet

Roy Nelson will drop to the UFC's light-heavyweight division, if he can get 100,000 Facebook likes in two weeks.

Nelson has been competitive without ever looking like championship material in the heavyweight division, most recently losing to Fabricio Werdum via unanimous decision.

UFC president Dana White is a big advocate of a potential drop into the 205lb ocean for Nelson, who has been steadily slimming over the past 12 months. Now it seems possible that Big Country will soon be targeting Jon Jones and Co, if he loses a bet with his friend.

"The reason is my friend and I had a discussion about what was better? I think Twitter just because of use and for fans interaction, but Facebook is 20x bigger," Nelson was quoted as saying by Bloody Elbow.

"So we decided to bet. I said if it is so easy and great I should be able add 100,000 fans in two weeks because I have that on Twitter. Facebook is bigger and better so this should be easy. Right?

"Bet is I will try to get to 205 if I can add 100,000 to Facebook.com/RoyNelsonUFC in two weeks. I love to win bets. Plus he will have to give me a part in his next movie."

Nelson, at the time of writing, has 32,936 likes on Facebook.

 

[RM211]

UFC title album missing some pictures

The UFC’s flyweight division was exactly one fight old when things went haywire at the top.

That’s so 2012 in the UFC. When title belts are in play, all paths look more like construction zones with detours.

This time, Ian McCall appeared as if he’d won a back-and-forth fight to advance in the shudder-speed flyweight tournament. Then the scorecards were read and it was actually Demetrious Johnson who won a majority decision, turning "Uncle Creepy’s" maestro swagger off as fast as it came on.



His depression didn’t last long.

To the chagrin of flyweight matchmaker Sean Shelby, who was in Columbus for Strikeforce some 10,000 miles away, the Australian athletic commission miscalculated the scorecards on McCall/Johnson. The result should have been a majority draw, and somewhere in the bowels of Allphones Arena in Sydney they informed Dana White, whose only response could be the obligatory tirade of profanity. They weren’t. And the disheartening thing for the UFC was that this was an eventuality it had prepared for by introducing a sudden victory round -- à la "The Ultimate Fighter" format -- to resolve any draws at the end.

But there’s no accounting for human error, and nothing much can be done in that situation except adopt the common shoulder-shrugger’s refrain: it is what it is.

Now Joseph Benavidez -- who TKO’d Yasuhiro Urushitani -- will wait for a rematch that most will be stoked to see and yet shouldn’t have to see. Flies in the Vaseline, they are. Sadly, the UFC’s newest division adds to the already algebraic complications going on with the UFC’s title pictures.

Go back a week and start there. Benson Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in a close fight to take home the lightweight strap. Seeing that it was a close fight, one that could be interpreted either way, Edgar asked for an immediate rematch. Problem is that Anthony Pettis, who knocked out Joe Lauzon the same night, wants his shot at the belt, too. He was the last man to defeat Henderson, and was at one point the solid No. 1 contender (a position he fancies himself in again). Jim Miller and Nate Diaz are operating with the understanding (delusion?) that their May 5 fight in New Jersey is a title eliminator.

It’s complicated.

Of everyone, Edgar is the unignorable here. The UFC wants him to challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight belt, but Edgar doesn’t want to. He rematched B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard without quibbling, and he wants some return love. It’s hard to argue. Before his fight with Henderson, the UFC romanticized Edgar as a Rocky-esque figure in the hype process. Yet not even Rocky was Rocky coming off of wins. He was Rocky because of how he responded to losses. First with Apollo Creed, then with Clubber Lang. And later, after losing the vainglorious Creed to a killing machine from Russia, against Ivan Drago.


How can the UFC draw upon a man’s heart and not give him the chance to show its full dimensions? Having lost to the bigger, stronger Henderson sets the table for a truer representation of his nonfictional Rocky story.

As an extension of the uncertainty at 155 pounds and Edgar, the featherweight division is in limbo. What next for Aldo? Then you glance at the welterweight title picture, and that's way out of focus. Georges St. Pierre is recovering from ACL surgery, and is either way ahead of schedule or possibly right on schedule or something else. He is tentatively looking at a November return. Interim titleholder Carlos Condit is waiting to see something definitive in that timetable before deciding what to do next. Jake Ellenberger is waiting to see what Condit does, and now so is Martin Kampmann (the last man to defeat Condit). It’s possible we don’t see an “actual” title defense at 170 pounds this year.

By slotting Dominick Cruz against Urijah Faber as the coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 15, that means Cruz won’t defend his bantamweight belt until the summer. And that means any challengers beyond Faber -- guys like super-sensation Renan Barao -- are out of luck until winter.

As for middleweights, Anderson Silva is finally going to fight again in June after recovering from bursitis in his shoulder. There’s a chance we see just one middleweight title fight in 2012.

With eight weight divisions, and a conservative average of two fights per year, there should be in the neighborhood of 16 title fights. That won’t be the case in 2012. There might be 10, if we're lucky.

Can you imagine if Jon Jones had made good on his request to take a few months off? Light heavyweight is the closest the UFC has to a normally functioning division right now. And it looks like Junior dos Santos is ready to go, if Alistair Overeem can avoid injuries and conflicts beforehand.

Otherwise, title fights are scarce to come by this year. Which means we’ll be watching a lot more PFC (Penultimate Fighting Championship) than UFC (the Ultimate variety).

 

[ELPOLLITO]

Edgar getting the rematch

 

[RM211]

^^ yea lookin like summertime

 

[RM211]

Silva replaces injured Nogueira, faces Gustafsson at UFC on FUEL TV 2

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first Swedish event has received a facelift, as Thiago Silva (14-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will now compete in the main event.

Silva replaces an injured Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (20-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and now faces Alexander Gustafsson (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC on FUEL TV 2.

UFC officials today announced the change for the April 14 bout, which takes place at Stockholm's Ericsson Globe Arena.

Silva had been expected to face Brandon Vera at Mat's UFC on FX 3 event. However, "The Truth" was forced to withdraw from the fight, and Silva had not yet received a replacement opponent. It's the Brazilian's first fight since January 2011.

A year ago, the Nevada State Athletic Commission served Silva a formal complaint after two separate urinalysis samples revealed a substance that was "inconsistent with human urine," which indicated that he "submitted an adulterated and/or substituted specimen for testing for the urinalysis." Silva then admitted to taking a prescription steroid, delivered by a doctor via epidural, on two separate occasions prior to 2011's UFC 125 event.

Gustafsson recently scored a first-round TKO of notable Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141. It marked his fourth straight UFC win (all of which have come via stoppage), which followed his lone career loss. That defeat came via submission to current UFC contender Phil Davis, who now serves as one of the Swede's primary training partners in California.

A knee injury forced Nogueira out of the matchup, and a timetable has yet to be established for his return.