MMA News Thread

[RM211]

Pat Curran vs. Daniel Straus title fight joins Bellator 106 pay-per-view

Bellator MMA's pay-per-view debut now has a third title fight.

Officials today announced featherweight champion Pat Curran (19-4 MMA, 9-1 BMMA) will rematch Daniel Straus (21-4 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) at the event.

Bellator 106 takes place Nov. 2 at Long Beach Arena in California. Former UFC champions and recent Bellator signees Tito Ortiz and Quinton Jackson meet in the headliner.

Curran is ranked No. 5 and Straus is No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA featherweight rankings.

"Pat Curran's one of the best mixed martial artists we have in the game today," Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. "Before breaking his hand, Straus was a fixture in the top 10 rankings with a huge amount of talent. Curran vs. Straus is a fight I've wanted to see since Daniel won the tournament a year ago last May. This should be an epic world title fight and our pay-per-view provides the perfect stage."

Curran looks for his seventh straight win and his third consecutive title defense. Prior to joining Bellator in 2010, he picked up a knockout win over Straus at XFO 29 in 2009. Although most of the Illinois-based fighter's wins previously came via decision earlier in his career, three of his past four (including a recent submission victory over Shahbulat Shamhalaev) have come via stoppage.

Straus, meanwhile, earned his title shot by winning a Season 6 tournament. Although the title fight has been delayed due to scheduling, injury and legal issues, the Ohio native now looks for his first major title and his sixth consecutive win. In fact, in his past 18 fights, his only loss has come via decision to Patricio "Pitbull" Freire in a Season 4 tournament final.

The latest Bellator 106 card includes:
Quinton Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz
Champ Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez - for lightweight title
Champ Pat Curran vs. Daniel Straus - for featherweight title
Muhammed Lawal vs. Emanuel Newton - for interim light heavyweight title

 

[InfamousICON]

Cheick Kongo Signs With Bellator For Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament

Y! SPORTS

Bellator officials on Wednesday announced the signing of former UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo.

He will make his promotional debut in September and fight in the upcoming Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament, although his first opponent has yet to be named.

The move comes several months after Kongo left the UFC, vigorously denying he was headed to Bellator.

Kongo (18-8-2) left the UFC following a loss to Roy Nelson at UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen in April. It was the final fight on his contract. The French fighter had been offered a new UFC contract prior to that bout, but declined.

After some time to see how things have shaped up for his Wolfslair teammate, Rampage Jackson, Kongo eventually decided to make the move to Bellator as well.

“After my contract was up in the UFC, I really wanted to take some time and reflect on everything,” Kongo said. “After talking to the people around me, especially someone like my longtime friend in Rampage, he told me how well Bellator has been treating him and what we can do with Bellator, and after getting to know Bjorn Rebney, it just seemed like the right fit for me. I know I have plenty of fight left in me, and my (next) fight is the first step to getting that Bellator Heavyweight Title.”

Kongo holds notable victories over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Pat Berry and Matt Mitrione during his time with the UFC.

“If you’re an MMA fan, you’re a Kongo fan,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “No matter who he fights he’s always going to bring the fight and put on a great show, and he’s one of the best guys you’ll have the pleasure of dealing with in MMA. This is another example of our alliance with Wolfslair and Anthony McGann resulting in our signing an exciting, explosive fighter to our roster who fans know and love.”

Additional details on the signing along with Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament pairings will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

[Count_Slapula]

Sad shit, Kongo was a vet in the UFC and put on a ton of memorable fights.

 

[RM211]

we have a new bellator hw champ!

 

[RM211]

25 post-event facts about 'UFC Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann II'

"UFC Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann II" went down Wednesday, and in the organization's first mid-week fight card in nearly a year, viewers were given a handful of quality MMA bouts.

Carlos Condit (29-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) righted a wrong from his UFC debut back in 2009 by avenging his first loss inside the octagon to Martin Kampmann (20-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in the main event, which aired on FOX Sports 1 from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

After 15 minutes of competitive action, the former interim UFC welterweight champion stopped "The Hitman" early in the fourth round with a flurry of strikes.

The co-main event saw Rafael dos Anjos (20-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) remind everyone why he is a name to remember in the lightweight division with a clear-cut decision victory over Donald Cerrone (20-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Several other fighters also performed admirably on the undercard.

It was a more-than-worthwhile fight card to get MMA fans through hump day, and several notable figures emerged. With the help of FightMetric, it's time to recap 25 post-event facts to come out of UFC Fight Night 27.

GENERAL

UFC Fight Night 27 drew an announced attendance of 5,950 for a live gate of $355,290.

Condit ("Fight of the Night"), Kampmann ("Fight of the Night"), Brandon Thatch ("Knockout of the Night") and Zak Cummings ("Submission of the Night") earned $50,000 post-fight bonuses.

Betting favorites went 7-4 on the card.

Total fight time of the 12-bout fight card was 2:02:12.

MAIN CARD

Condit became one of just nine fighters in history to land 100-plus significant strikes in two separate UFC bouts. Condit landed 100 significant strikes against Kampmann, the most of any fighter on the card.

Condit's ninth finish in UFC/WEC welterweight competition ties Matt Brown for second most in 170-pound history. Matt Hughes leads the category with 10.

Condit's knockout at the 0:54 mark of Round 4 marked the earliest stoppage ever in a UFC bout with extended/championship rounds. The 29-year-old earned just the third-ever fourth-round stoppage victory in a non-title UFC bout.

Condit has been taken down at least once in 13 of his 14 career UFC/WEC fights. "The Natural Born Killer" has given up a total of 25 takedowns in his past three bouts.

Condit earned the ninth post-fight bonus of his Zuffa career, the second most among welterweights behind Chris Lytle (10). Condit has earned a bonus in six of his past seven bouts for a total of $390,000. His past three UFC appearances have been awarded "Fight of the Night."

Kampmann fell to 3-4 in his past seven fights and 3-2 in UFC main event bouts.

Kampmann's six completed takedowns were a personal best in his 17-fight UFC career.

Dos Anjos tied T.J. Grant for the second longest active winning streak in the lightweight division at five. Champion Benson Henderson leads the category with seven.

Court McGee improved to 2-0 since dropping to the welterweight division.

Robert Whittaker became the 17th fighter in UFC history to earn a 30-27 scorecard and still lose a decision.

Takeya Mizugaki earned the seventh win of his UFC/WEC bantamweight career, which is tied for the third most in the division's history.

Mizugaki passed reigning champ Dominick Cruz for the second most total fight time in UFC/WEC bantamweight competition at 2:54:20. Only Scott Jorgensen's 3:06:19 of total fight time ranks higher all-time among bantamweights.

Mizugaki passed Cruz for second most total strikes landed in UFC/WEC bantamweight competition with 937. Only Jorgensen's 945 total strikes rank higher all-time among 135-pound fighters.

Brad Tavares' four-fight UFC winning streak is third the longest in the middleweight division.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Brandon Thatch has finished his opponent by first-round knockout or submission in all 10 of his professional victories.

Papy Abedi and Justin Edwards suffered the first knockout losses of their professional careers.

Darren Elkins took sole possession of the UFC record for most featherweight wins with six. Elkins improved to 6-1 since his June 2011 debut in the 145-pound division.

Elkins' 100 total strikes landed gave him a total of 593 in his UFC career, passing Nam Phan for the most in UFC featherweight history. Elkins' 593 total strikes are fourth most in UFC/WEC featherweight competition.

Hatsu Hioki is on the first three-fight losing streak of his 35-fight career. All seven of Hioki's career defeats are by decision.

Zak Cummings earned the 10th D'arce choke victory in UFC history.

Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo was the first UFC fight to be ruled a no-contest in the cage since Iuri Alcantara vs. Pedro Nobre at UFC on FX 8 in May.

 

[RM211]

USA TODAY: 11 years later, UFC 164's Josh Barnett resumes title mission

Josh Barnett isn't shy about his standing in the UFC's heavyweight division.

Despite an 11-year absence from the promotion, aided by a rocky relationship with its executives, the 35-year-old thinks he's picking up right where he left off when he beat Randy Couture in 2002 and won the title.

The way he sees it, other fighters who held the belt were merely carrying interim titles.

"It's about reconquering lands I let go," Barnett told USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com).

When he meets Frank Mir (16-7 MMA, 14-7 UFC) in the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 164 event at Milwaukee's Bradley Center (pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET), Barnett (32-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) says he's defending his title for the first time in more than a decade.

"It's another guy signing on the dotted line, giving me the opportunity to go out there and wreck his face," Barnett said. "I'm going back to the UFC. The back story behind the relationship between myself and the UFC, it all makes for a pretty monumental story."

The story is one you probably won't read about often in MMA, especially when you consider Barnett's history with the promotion.

Barnett was at the peak of his career when, after his fight with Couture, he tested positive for a trio of steroids and was stripped of the title by the UFC. After a nasty breakup, he followed an opportunity overseas to Japan, where he became a champion in Pancrase and a star in Pride Fighting Championships.

When UFC parent company Zuffa acquired Pride in 2007, it might have provided an opportunity to reconcile with his former employer. But Barnett cut his own path through a series of UFC competitors and racked up win after win before landing in Strikeforce.

When Zuffa also acquired Strikeforce in 2011, Barnett finally made amends and eventually signed a contract with the UFC.

With no clear No. 2 contender in the heavyweight division, he is poised to regain his standing with a victory against Mir, who fought on the preliminary card when Barnett beat Couture in 2002.

Mir, 34, became one of the UFC's best heavyweights, winning the title in 2004 before a motorcycle crash forced him to relinquish it. Although he has failed to regain the title and lost a recent bout to Strikeforce standout Daniel Cormier, Mir's submission game has left several opponents with injured limbs.

Barnett, who has won no fewer than 19 fights by submission, thinks he can beat Mir where he's best.

"Even if it was a grappling match, I would not intend for it to go 15 minutes," Barnett said. "If it goes for 15 minutes, I didn't do my job.

"He's been ranked above me. I would argue that I've had a lot more accomplishments. It does gnaw at you. People asked for the matchup based on the expectation of what a fight between us would entail. I just want to get out there and put my hands on him and see how it goes."

 

[RM211]

Dana White: With 'scumbag' Bjorn Rebney, UFC not banking on easy Ben Askren deal

INDIANAPOLIS – While the UFC may be interested in signing Bellator champion Ben Askren, UFC President Dana White doesn't believe it'll be a smooth process due to one person.

Askren (12-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA), an Olympic wrestler and undefeated MMA welterweight who recently fought the last bout on his Bellator contract, has expressed interest in joining the UFC. After Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said he'd waive the exclusive 90-day negotiating period and didn't expect to make a new offer to the fighter, Askren told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) that Rebney would be "doing me a favor" if he let him go to the UFC.

White, though, doesn't believe it'll be a smooth process due to the former boxing promoter.

"Bjorn Rebney's a scumbag," White said Wednesday night. "The guy says, 'Yeah, we're going to let him go. Let's just part ways.' You ain't f---ing parting ways with him. He's got a matching right and all that bulls---. This guy is a f---ing typical boxing piece of s---. Everybody knows the guy is a scumbag.

"We'll see what happens with Ben. First they say they're going to let him go. They're not going to let him go. They'll probably end up suing him too and make him sit out and lose a bunch of money and f--- him in a deal. Bad guys. They're bad guys."

White's opinion was at least partially formed due to the recent situation with Eddie Alvarez. After the lightweight fighter's Bellator contract was up, the UFC made a play to sign Alvarez. However, it resulted in a nearly 10-month legal fight between Bellator and Alvarez – which got personal at times – that wasn't resolved until earlier this month. Terms of the new contract weren't disclosed, but Alvarez will remain with Bellator and is scheduled to rematch lightweight champion Michael Chandler at the organization's pay-per-view debut on Nov. 2.

As for Askren, White believes Rebney is simply trying to drive down his price, as he did with Alvarez.

"He had the opportunity to go out there and find out what he's worth, yet he didn't get what he's worth," White said.

That means it could be anything but a smooth process to get Askren on the UFC's 170-pound roster.

"He's f---ing him," White said. "He's doing the same thing he did to Eddie. He's not letting him really go out and get a fair – do you really think honestly, everyone here, do you think that if Eddie Alvarez did a deal with us, that Eddie Alvarez wouldn't have made a lot of money? (Former Bellator middleweight champ) Hector Lombard did. Hector Lombard got paid.

"When you go out and find out what you're worth, that's what that thing in the contract is. But these guy are signing these contracts over there that just f--- them."

 

[RM211]

'UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson' official for Nov. 9 on FOX Sports 1

As expected, Vitor Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) and Dan Henderson (29-10 MMA, 6-4 UFC) will meet in a light-heavyweight headliner at UFC Fight Night 32.

Following Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 27 event, UFC President Dana White confirmed the Nov. 9 event will air on FOX Sports 1. The channel is expected to air both a main card and part of the prelims. Facebook also is expect to stream some opening bouts.

UFC Fight Night 32 takes place at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Goias, Brazil. It marks the organization's debut in the city.

MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) passed along news of the bout this past week, though broadcast plans hadn't been finalized.

Belfort and Henderson first met at PRIDE 32 in 2006. Henderson took home a unanimous-decision win.

Currently, Belfort is ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA middleweight rankings, and Henderson is ranked No. 6 in the light-heavyweight rankings.

Belfort recently has earned back-to-back stoppage wins over top middleweight contenders Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping. "The Phenom" had hoped those wins would be enough to earn him a shot at the middleweight belt, but December's UFC 168 rematch between current champ Chris Weidman and former titleholder Anderson Silva put those plans on hold. In the meantime, Belfort turned down a fight with Tim Kennedy and expressed his desire to fight at 205 pounds or even heavyweight while waiting for a shot at the 185-pound title.

Henderson, meanwhile, looks to rebound from a pair of disappointing split-decision losses to Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. "Hendo," a former Strikeforce champion, had been on the verge of a UFC light-heavyweight title shot before the defeats sent him sliding down the rankings.

 

[RM211]

Dana White: Chael Sonnen vs. Phil Davis 'could happen' at UFC 167

Despite the best efforts of Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva to pick a fight with each other, it doesn't look as if that's a bout that will go down before year's end.

So if Sonnen (29-13-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) wants to fight again, and especially if he wants to be a part of November's UFC 167, which will celebrate the promotion's 20th anniversary, someone else will have to do.

According to UFC President Dana White, that someone could be Phil Davis rather than Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC).

Sonnen called out Silva after his win earlier this month over Mauricio Rua, which headlined UFC on Fight Night 26 in Boston. Silva responded to that challenge with a YouTube video in Portuguese that told Sonnen what he thinks of him.

But White reiterated on Wednesday following the post-event news conference for UFC Fight Night 27 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis that Silva was injured.

"He's not going to be healthy till January," White said. "He can't even start training till January."

So that rules him out of the running for UFC 167, which takes place Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

White said Sonnen, who recently has challenged for titles in both the middleweight and light heavyweight very likely could wind up getting his wish to fight on the card – and hinted that a recent Davis callout of Sonnen could lead to a pairing of the two in a light heavyweight bout.

"We talked a little bit tonight," White said of Sonnen. "He wants to fight on that 20th anniversary card. He wants to co-main that (card). I'm working on it. That fight (against Phil Davis) could happen."

Prior to Sonnen's win over Rua, he dropped a light heavyweight title fight to champ Jon Jones. Before that, he was stopped in the second by Anderson Silva in a middleweight title rematch.

Davis, meanwhile, is coming off a split-decision win over former champion that gave him a three-fight winning streak.

 

[RM211]

UFC president: Vitor Belfort fights in Brazil due to Globo, not TRT

According to UFC President Dana White, the biggest reason Vitor Belfort keeps fighting in Brazil is TV network Globo – not because of his testosterone-replacement therapy.

"(If) they have a big fight that's going to be on Globo, they wanted Vitor," White told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) following Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 27 event in Indianapolis. "So if they want Vitor, they're going to get Vitor. Whoever they say they want, I'm going to try to make it happen."

White said the Brazilian channel is so important to the UFC that the organization once delayed a Lyoto Machida fight nearly 20 minutes on fight night. Why? So the bout would air at the precise minute Globo wanted it to.

"The second most important media (outlet) that we're in business with is Globo," he said.

The first, of course, is FOX, which is now in the second year of a seven-year broadcast deal with the UFC that's critical to the fight promotion's domestic business. Internationally, however, Globo has fed an MMA boom in Brazil. A reported 12 million people tuned in to watch UFC 153, which featured former middleweight champ Anderson Silva in a bout with the now-retired Stephan Bonnar.

It's clear, however, that one byproduct of that broadcast relationship is suspicion about why Belfort, who in January was outed as a TRT user, has fought in Brazil in three of his past four fights.

Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) is next scheduled to rematch Dan Henderson (29-10 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 32, which is set for Nov. 9 in Goiania, Goias, Brazil.

Perception among many fans is that the UFC is keeping the former champ down south because a 2006 steroid suspension would keep him from being licensed in the promotion's home city of Las Vegas. One of MMA's most noted journalists, Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, recently took to Twitter to call Belfort's tenure in Brazil "shady."

The word drew a fiery response from White, who said he jumped on the phone with the reporter while at SeaWorld for his daughter's birthday.

"[Iole] was like, 'I wasn't calling you shady; I was calling Vitor shady,'" White said. "Vitor doesn't choose where he fights. He tries to pick who he fights, but he doesn't choose where he fights, and we put him down there."

(Iole was traveling and unavailable for comment.)

It's Belfort's frequent and outspoken callouts that White cited as evidence why there's nothing underhanded going on with the fighter. In the past, White has called Belfort crazy and declined to answer questions about the fights he's called about.

"Obviously, we're not in a Chuck Liddell situation here where it's like, 'This guy is my best friend. Whatever Chuck wants, we're going to do,'" White said. " ... Vitor Belfort is not cheating. Vitor Belfort is not not being tested."

For UFC events in Brazil, that job is done by regulators with the Comissao Atletica Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA), which is a member of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation. UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner, who is a former executive director for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, chairs the IMMAF's technical committee.

White said the UFC would never jeopardize its standing as MMA's industry leader to give any fighter a license to skirt the rules.

"Vitor Belfort is not fighting in Brazil because he can get away with something down there," White said. "That's ridiculous. First of all, we wouldn't do that for anybody. Anybody. We would never put together a situation where a fighter has an advantage over another fighter.

"There's all these other things that come into play, like, you've got to fight Vitor Belfort in Brazil. Those are the only type of advantages a guy will get. Plus, Vitor doesn't live in Brazil. Vitor lives in Florida. You realize that, right? Why isn't he fighting in Nevada? He was going to fight in Nevada. I think in the last scrum I told you that. They want him in Brazil, so that's where he's going to fight.

"Vitor Belfort is being tested, and Vitor is within the limits of what he's supposed to be when he fights. To call us shady – especially a guy like Kevin Iole, and I've never said this publicly before, but Kevin Iole is a guy from Vegas who we've known for a long time from the boxing days or whatever, and when all that s--t went down with Randy Couture, when he was f---ing lying about how much he made, I literally called Kevin and said, 'C'mon down here right now. You can go through every f---ing contract and look through all the papers and you can find out who's f---ing lying and who's telling the truth.' And he did.

"So we've always been upfront. You think we would lie about that and risk the credibility of the sport, the UFC as a brand, so that Vitor Belfort could fight in f---ing Brazil and cheat? So we're going to flip this whole f---ing thing upside down for Vitor Belfort, my best friend? It just makes no sense."

 

[RM211]

little twiiter beef going on between barnett and askren.




"Love how the (UFC 164) Countdown show glanced over the fact (Josh) Barnett tested positive for 3 banned substances after Couture fight," Askren, Bellator's reigning welterweight champion, posted on Twitter Wednesday morning.

Not surprisingly, it didn't take long for Barnett to respond.

"Did I piss in your cheerios or something or do you just like the view from your high chair? Have fun in obscurity," Barnett wrote back.

"I won't even acknowledge VADA. They're entirely agenda driven and that agenda is NOT sport."

From there the conversation continued, with each man challenging the other and raising the stakes.

"I know it doesn't matter to you, but I can look at myself in the mirror and be ok with choices," Askren said. "In 20 years you will have a very hard time doing the same."

"Hardly," Barnett replied. "I lose no sleep at night in the least. You on the other hand have to judge & throw stones just to be relevant. ... It must feel terrible knowing that without casting insults my way nothing you say matters. You're nearly invisible. Rough life.

"Lastly, go f--k yourself you high & mighty prick. If you want to be famous just come run your mouth next time you see me," Barnett finished.

Askren will be in the blue corner supporting his Roufusport teammate Anthony Pettis at UFC 164, so given the opportunity, he couldn't help but get in one last word.

"Maybe we will end up in the same locker room Saturday

 

[RM211]

Matt Brown vs. Tarec Saffiedine targeted for December UFC event

Matt Brown (18-11 MMA, 11-5 UFC) appears he'll get his wish to fight a notable welterweight.

The surging 170-pound contender has been targeted for a December matchup with former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine (14-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), UFC President Dana White confirmed with FOXSports.com.

White said the booking is dependent on Saffiedine's health, so an exact date hasn't been nailed down. However, the UFC has events planned for Dec. 14 (UFC on FOX 9), Dec. 21 (a UFC Fight Night event in Australia) and Dec. 28 (the year-end UFC 168).

Brown currently is ranked No. 10 and Saffiedine is No. 15 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA welterweight rankings.

Brown had campaigned for a top 10 opponent after his latest win. In the UFC's official rankings, Brown and Saffiedine are ranked No. 10 and No. 8, respectively.

Once a mere .500 fighter, Brown has resurrected his career while fighting in the world's most prominent MMA organization. "The Ultimate Fighter 7" cast member recently dismantled Mike Pyle in 29 seconds at UFC Fight Night 26 and picked up a "Knockout the Night" award. It marked the Ohio-based fighter's sixth consecutive victory, five of which came via knockout.

Saffiedine, meanwhile, makes his promotion debut after a 6-1 run in Strikeforce, where he defeated Nate Marquardt to win the welterweight title before the organization closed shop. He's currently riding a four-fight winning streak. However, a planned UFC on FOX 8 bout with Robbie Lawler earlier this year was scrapped when the Belgian fighter suffered an undisclosed injury.

 

[RM211]

Rashad Evans: UFC 167 bout with Chael Sonnen 'definitely could happen'

Chael Sonnen hasn't had much luck getting Wanderlei Silva to fight him at the UFC's 20th anniversary show at UFC 167. But he'll make his own, thank you very much.

Sonnen on Thursday night took to Twitter to ask his commentating pal, former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans, if he had some free time this fall to get punched in the face.

And from Evans' response on Twitter and to MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com), it looks like his calendar is clear.

"I think it's something that definitely could happen," Evans today told MMAjunkie.com. "I think it's the fight that makes sense for both of us. Even though we are friends and we have a great relationship, we have the same goal, and we're in the same weight class."

That's at 205 pounds, where Evans (18-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) has fought the bulk of his career and where Sonnen (29-13-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) recently returned after a long stint at middleweight.

And for his part, Sonnen obviously said he's down for the fight.

"I got bored waiting for a chump, and I needed a challenge," Sonnen told MMAjunkie.com. "And Rashad is a challenge with a capital 'C.'"

UFC 167 takes place Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It's headlined by a welterweight title bout between reigning champ Georges St-Pierre and Johny Hendricks.

Evans, who recently snapped a two-fight skid with a split call over former champ Dan Henderson, said he hasn't spoken to UFC President Dana White about the potential bout. But will he find it tough to fight a friend?

"I think it's a difficult question, because you never know how it's going to be when you get in the cage with somebody," he said. "But having had the experience of dealing with it before, I know how to emotionally handle it better than I did before."

In other words, Evans doesn't think he's going to get as wound up as he did when a fight with his now-former teammate and current champ Jon Jones materialized 16 months ago.

Of course, Evans and Sonnen have exchanged only words, not blood and sweat – so they're probably not as tight.

"Hey Rashad, let me ask you a question... You busy Nov 16th?" Sonnen wrote on Twitter.

"Nah not really!! What's up?" replied Evans, who occasionally works alongside the three-time title contender as a commentator and analyst on FOX Sports 1.

Sonnen then posted a mock UFC 167 poster with the two of them front and center – with top billing over the St-Pierre vs. Hendricks title fight.

"That looks like a good idea to me!" Evans wrote. "I knew you had something you really wanted to say to me yesterday on the show!"

On Wednesday, the two playfully jousted while working the analyst desk for UFC Fight Night 27 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That was before UFC President Dana White said he had something different in mind for Sonnen, who most recently turned in an impressive first-round submission of Mauricio Rua at UFC Fight Night 26.

White said he was interested in a fight between Sonnen and Phil Davis, who was one of several to call out "The American Gangster" following his win over Rua.

Sonnen stumped for a fight with his rival Silva, but time, and lack of pay-per-view bonuses, nixed that.

 

[RM211]

10 reasons to watch UFC 164

On Saturday the UFC returns to Milwaukee for UFC 164, an intriguing 12-bout event that airs on pay-per-view (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) following prelims on FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET) and Facebook (6:30 p.m. ET).

The last time the UFC touched down at Milwaukee's Bradley Center, welterweight favorite Chris Lytle was swinging for the fences in his retirement bout, Versus was still a TV channel, and Benson Henderson was on the road to redemption after losing his WEC title to upstart Anthony Pettis, a kickboxer and MMA fighter three years his junior.

That was August 2011, six months before Henderson traveled to Japan and came back with the UFC lightweight title, and three months after Pettis let his title momentum ride and lost in the octagon against Clay Guida.

In just two years, Henderson has established himself as a dominant force in the lightweight division, and he has aspirations to beat former middleweight champ Anderson Silva's record of 10 title defenses. Pettis, who hasn't lost since his gamble against Guida, looks to prove his decision win over Henderson in the WEC's final event in 2010 was no fluke.

With the crossover of several WEC fighters to the UFC, the latter's lightweight division looks very different than it did back then. For one, Gray Maynard is on the road to redemption, and Guida is now a featherweight, as is former champ Frankie Edgar. But the young blood from the defunct promotion has brought great talent such as Henderson and Pettis into the UFC and given them the stage to perform – so put your fan caps on.

1. Pettis vs. Henderson

Pettis (16-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) looked like a man destined for something bigger when he first fought Henderson (19-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) nearly three years ago. He was just a little more crisp in the striking department and quick to turn the tables to his advantage when the two inevitably locked up. In two of three UFC performances, Pettis has looked no less like a champion. But in the UFC, Henderson often has looked like the one with destiny on his side, winning several razor-thin decisions.

The biggest question is whether the two will make different music in the time since their first meeting. Their closely matched skills seem to guarantee another close five-round fight, but given their unpredictability in the cage, as best shown by Pettis' aerodynamics, anything could happen. And seriously, how can you not hope it does – preferably in the form of another gravity-defying kick?

2. Who's the next lightweight contender?

Sure, on paper, it's Canadian lightweight T.J. Grant. He's the guy who stopped Maynard in impressive fashion to secure the title shot, and it's only because he's injured that he's not fighting Henderson on Saturday. But what happens if the champ's rematch with Pettis is one for the ages? What if the winner is benched afterward by injury? It's always good to hear it from UFC President Dana White's mouth who the next guy in line is, and immediately after the event at the news conference, there should be confirmation on who’s fighting the winner of UFC 164’s headliner.

3. Does Barnett still have it?

Hardcore fans know that Josh Barnett (32-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who won the UFC belt in 2002 before a positive steroid test promoted a move overseas, can beat just about any heavyweight outside the industry-leader, but his loss to Daniel Cormier under the Strikeforce banner indicated he might be behind the sport's young lions. Frank Mir (16-7 MMA, 14-7 UFC) isn't one of those, of course, but he does offer an intriguing style matchup and a starting point for what's likely Barnett's last shot at a major title. Not only that, it’s his chance to expose himself to a whole new audience. The UFC's promotional machine suggests this is a showdown of two expert grapplers who have run parallel to each other over the past decade, but don't be surprised if you see Barnett stand and attempt to expose the standup weaknesses that others have against former champ Mir.

4. Speaking of Mir ...

The former champ has lost his past two inside the octagon, and, according to White, could retire if his skid continues. Why wouldn't he? The 34-year-old fighter isn’t going to get a title shot any time soon, having been knocked out in an interim title fight with the now-retired Shane Carwin and by Junior dos Santos for the undisputed belt. Does the jiu-jitsu black belt have one last dash in him before he hangs up his gloves? Barnett isn't a bad measuring stick, but he could also bring the career reaper.

5. Featherweight backup plan

Like Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) hit his glass ceiling against champ Jose Aldo. With Ricardo Lamas in queue for a title fight, it might be a while before he gets a chance to avenge a first-round KO to the current champ. Guida (30-13 MMA, 10-7 UFC), who dropped to 145 pounds at the start of this year, isn't tainted by a previous loss to Aldo, though his recent performances haven't won the approval of the UFC. That might prove to be a bigger barrier to the title shot, but the matchup is a key fight in the division, with the winner perhaps in line for the No. 2 or No 3. spot.

6. Vera returns to heavyweight, Rothwell returns on TRT

Seven years ago, Brandon Vera (12-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) was the hottest thing in the UFC heavyweight division. He was ambitious, too, gunning for titles in the big-man and light-heavyweight classes. Then a pair of losses sent him back to earth, and he never really regained his step. With a 1-3 record (and one no-contest) in his recent career, Vera had nowhere to go but up – in weight. He returns to his old division to meet another fighter at a crossroads, Ben Rothwell (32-9 MMA, 2-3 UFC). The former IFL and Affliction fighter has struggled with injuries and hasn't fought much like his younger self in the UFC. Maybe that's why he decided to join the ranks of those undergoing testosterone-replacement therapy. Now, fans can see if Vera was right when he told MMAjunkie.com, "It won’t help."

7. Two featherweights, plenty of hits

Erik Koch (13-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was once the guy to fight Jose Aldo. A training partner of Anthony Pettis and protege of the reknowned Duke Roufus, he displayed flashes of striking brilliance in the cage. What happened? As per the usual in this game: injury. The champ got injured, and then Koch did, too. When he returned, Lamas bloodied him on national TV. His fight with Dustin Poirier (13-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) offers a chance to show again why he's one of the most promising guys at 145 pounds. Poirier, who won four straight after dropping from lightweight, is a guy who can’t afford to fall much further after losses to Chan Sung Jung and Cub Swanson. They're both motivated to make a statement, and that very often makes for some highlight-reel fighting.

8. Blue-light special

The flyweight class is the land of opportunity for guys who safely drop from bantamweight. It's the smallest division in the UFC, and Manic Panic lover Louis Gaudinot (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) presents a fresh threat to champ Demetrious Johnson. He's got the speed to catch his foes and the wrestling to dictate where a fight goes. On Saturday, he needs an impressive performance against Tim Elliott (9-3-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) so he can give his promotion more title challenger options than Joseph Benavidez.

9. Couture redux

As the son of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, Ryan Couture (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had impossibly big shoes to fill. But the young fighter put together some big wins in the now-defunct Strikeforce promotion and deserved to cross over to the UFC. He didn't deserve the grief that came along with it – a bitter spat between his dad and his dad's former employer, who banned “The Natural” from attending UFC events – or the out-of-his-league opponent he got when he made his way to the octagon. Now, after a bad second-round TKO loss to Ross Pearson, he gets a more managable challenge in "The Ultimate Fighter 15" finalist Al Iaquinta (5-2-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who's returning from a long layoff and looking to bag a big name.

10. Wisconsin pride!

UFC 164 will have a decidedly Milwaukee feel to it with six fighters either training in Milwaukee or natives of an hour away, which means you're bound to hear one of those pumped, partisan crowds at Bradley Center. Mixed in with all those foil-rich MMA shirts could be a healthy dose of Packers green and yellow. Main-card fighters Pettis and Koch train at Roufus' Milwaukee gym, as do preliminary-card fighters Pascal Krauss and Chico Camus. Rothwell is from an hour outside of the city in Kenosha, Wis. And Guida grew up near the Wisconsin border, just an hour away in Johnsville, Ill.

 

[RM211]

10 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night 28

The UFC's march to mainstream dominance is a marathon, but its late summer schedule has been a sprint.

When UFC Fight Night 28 goes down Wednesday at Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the event might be as notable for its spot on the calendar as for the fights on its card. In one month's span, UFC parent company Zuffa has run no fewer than six shows, with three of them coming within a week.

That means oodles of fights to keep up on and more names to keep track of. Although Wednesday's card might not have the wattage of this past Saturday's UFC 164 event, like most cards broadcast on free-ish TV, UFC Fight Night 28 has rising stars and key matchups in several divisions.

UFC Fight Night 28 marks the promotion's eighth trip to Brazil as it looks to extend a boom in the country and grow regional stars. It's the second time the octagon has landed in Belo Horizonte, following UFC 147 in June 2012. That event drew a reported 16,643 fans to Mineirinho Arena, but the card also featured two major stars, Brazilian legend Wanderlei Silva and former champ Rich Franklin, in the headliner.

The question leading into the event is whether the guys on the posters are capable of taking that role somewhere down the road. "Ace" and "The Axe Murderer" aren't getting any younger, after all.

Wednesday's main and preliminary cards air live on FOX Sports 1 (5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT) following a lone Facebook prelim (4:30 p.m. ET).

Here are 10 reasons to watch the event.

1. Glover Teixeira's title viability. Although the UFC Fight Night 28 headliner spent far too much of his career toiling in his native Brazil due to visa issues, Teixeira (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has proven himself the real deal in the UFC, winning four straight fights, including a "Submission of Night" victory against James Te Huna at UFC 160. The ongoing question is whether he spent his most formative years in his homeland, and whether he'll be able to meet the challenges posed by the light heavyweight division's top 5. The UFC seems intent on getting an answer, and there's been rumblings of an imminent title shot for the 33-year-old fighter. Teixeira is just the kind of heavy-handed finisher whom the promotion likes, and another test against Ryan Bader (15-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) brings him what could be the stiffest test of his sprawl when "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner inevitably dives for his legs.

2. Can the "Gator" roll? At times, former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo Souza (18-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) looked like the fighter who could give former middleweight champion Anderson Silva a run for his money. That still might be the case, and now that Silva no longer is the sheriff of the division, Souza's story gets all the more interesting. Once a decorated submission grappler, he dove into MMA and developed a striking game. Now, he'll need both to get past the 185-pound division's toughest gatekeeper, Yushin Okami (29-7 MMA, 13-4 UFC), who's ruined more than a few contenders with his tactical gameplans. If Souza can win, he's perhaps one fight away from a title shot, so it's a critical fight.

3. Flyweight rematch anyone? It's been clear so far that Joseph Benavidez (18-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is a cut above all but one fighter in the 125-pound division: champ Demetrious Johnson, who beat him this past year to seize the inaugural title. But being that flyweight is the most shallow division on the UFC's talent roster, you're never too far away from a title shot. A win over Jussier Formiga (15-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who debuted in the octagon as a top-ranked flyweight but disappointed out of the gate, would almost certainly guarantee Benavidez another shot at "Mighty Mouse."

4. Can "Massaranduba" make Hallman fall? At 35 years old, lightweight Francisco "Massaranduba" Trinaldo (13-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has a limited amount of time to make his bones in the UFC. But recently, he's worked quickly in the promotion. After losing to veteran Gleison Tibau, he's reeled off two straight wins via arm-triangle choke. Newcomer Piotr Hallmann (13-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is an Eastern European prospect with a similar record, but against inferior competition. So it's up to the Brazilian fighter, whose nickname is taken from a sturdy tree, to get the fight to the ground, where his technical jiu-jitsu is something to behold.

5. The hammer of Tor. Swedish middleweight Tor Troeng (16-4-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) first appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter 17," where he lost to eventual semifinalist Josh Samman in the reality-show tournament. He fared much better when he returned to the cage in April, dominating fellow "TUF 17" vet Adam Cella en route to a first-round rear-naked-choke victory. Against Belo Horizonte native Rafael Natal (16-4-1 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC), he hopes to play the role of spoiler and climb the middleweight ranks. Natal always makes it a fight regardless of whether he's got a sound gameplan or not, and this should be an entertaining scrap.

6. From Russia with glove. Highlight reels don't guarantee good performances in the UFC, and resumes often fail to translate. But it's hard to ignore 28-year-old Dagestani native Ali Bagautinov (10-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and his list of accomplishments in advance of his main-card fight with "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" veteran Marcos Vinicius (20-4-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), and in the relatively anemic flyweight division, he offers more depth. In Russia, Bagautinov is a world champion in combat sambo and holds regional titles in pankration, wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. His international credentials are slim, so again, it's a gamble whether he'll be able to compete with the best in the UFC. But the aggressive Vinicius, who's coming off a knockout loss to Johnny Bedford at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale, is a good start.

7. Ronda's meltdown. OK, so "The Ultimate Fighter 18" debut is not exactly part of the card. But it's almost an extension, with more than a dozen fights featuring both male and female bantamweights set to open the season's first episode on FOX Sports 1. Of course, if you're watching the reality show in the first place, it's not just about fighting. With UFC women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey coaching opposite rival Miesha Tate, "TUF 18" promises to be one of the most dramatic seasons in the show's recent history. And since the UFC cut a promo highlighting Rousey's initial reaction to Tate, who replaced an injured Cat Zingano, you kind of have to watch what happens after the show's opening, when the champ storms about the Ultimate Training Center in Las Vegas.

8. Five-hour energy. The UFC's new home for live events, FOX Sports 1, pretty much renders obsolete the three-stage fight cards seen in the promotion's previous offerings on FOX and its sister channels. One step is no longer needed: You don't need to log on to Facebook, click to FX, and then head to FOX. Now, you go to Facebook, and the rest is on FS1. That's five hours of live UFC action, so have snacks at the ready. And if you want to see it live on the West Coast, take off from work early: The first leg of the televised portion of the card starts at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. (Thursday's overnight ratings should be interesting given the early start.)

9. Facebook flush. As MMA analyst Reed Kuhn detailed in a report on Fightnomics, fighters who compete on the Facebook-streamed preliminary card are statistically unlikely to win a performance bonus. Could welterweights Yuri Villefort (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) or Sean Spencer (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) change that? Villefort is coming off two losses and could be cut with a third, and Spencer lost in his UFC debut. The climate could be right for the type of scrap that stays fresh in the UFC's memory when the extra checks are cut (but not sent, at least until drug test results are in). It's a long shot, sure, but you never know.

10. Tough crowd. Sure, yelling "You're going to die!" isn't the nicest thing to say to an out-of-towner. But the slogan, now a fixture of live events in Brazil, kind of has its own charm. When an arena full of rowdy Brazilians says it, you just can't help but join in in your head. Vai Morrer!

 

[RM211]

UFC 165's TV lineup finalized, Healy vs. Nurmagomedov kicks off PPV main card

The lineup is set for this month's UFC 165 event, which includes bouts on pay-per-view, FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.

UFC 165 takes place Sept. 21 at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, and the 13-bout lineup includes a pair of title fights.

In the headliner, UFC light-heavyweight champion and No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter Jon Jones (18-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) takes on Alexander Gustafsson (14-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). In the co-headliner, interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao (30-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meets Eddie Wineland (20-8-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC).

The night's PPV lineup kicks off with an intriguing bout between rising lightweight contenders Pat Healy (29-16 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (20-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC).

A four-bout prelims special on FOX Sports 1 concludes with a bout between lightweights Myles Jury (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Mike Ricci (8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC).

The latest UFC 165 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Champ Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson - for light-heavyweight title
Champ Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland - for interim bantamweight title
Matt Mitrione vs. Brendan Schaub
Francis Carmont vs. Constantinos Philippou
Pat Healy vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)

Myles Jury vs. Mike Ricci
Ivan Menjivar vs. Norifumi Yamamoto
Chris Clements vs. Stephen Thompson
Mitch Gagnon vs. Dustin Kimura

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 6 p.m. ET)

Renee Forte vs. John Makdessi
Michel Prazeres vs. Jesse Ronson
Alex Caceres vs. Roland Delorme
Nandor Guelmino vs. Daniel Omielanczuk

 

[RM211]

Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva targeted for UFC's December return to Australia

A heavyweight matchup between Mark Hunt (9-7 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Antonio Silva (18-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is expected to headline the UFC's December return to Australia.

Brazilian outlet Combate first reported the news, and MMAjunkie.com has since confirmed that verbal agreements are in place for the contest, and contracts are expected to be finalized shortly.

Further, while there have been conflicting reports as to the date and location of the event, MMAjunkie.com has learned it will take place Dec. 7 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Queensland, Australia.

Due to the time change, the event will air on the U.S. on Friday night, Dec. 7. Broadcast plans for the event have yet to be announced.

"Bigfoot" Silva returns to the action for the first time since a failed beat for the UFC's heavyweight title. The UFC 160 bout saw Silva suffer a first-round TKO loss to champ Cain Velasquez. Still, the 33-year-old Brazilian still sits at No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA heavyweight rankings.

He now meets No. 9 Hunt, a 39-year-old New Zealander with devastating power. A longtime kickboxer, Hunt's MMA record hovered was below .500 when he joined the UFC, but he rattled off wins over Stean Struve, Cheick Kongo, Ben Rothwell and Chris Tuchscherer in fan-friendly style to secure his spot on the UFC roster. The four-fight win streak came to an end at the hands of Junior dos Santos who scored a third-round knockout over Hunt in UFC 160's "Fight of the Night."

 

[RM211]

UFC on FOX 9 slated for Dec. 14 in Sacramento

The previously announced UFC on FOX 9 card now has a host city: Sacramento, Calif.

Officials today announced the location for the Dec. 14 event, which includes a main card on FOX and prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.

No fights have been confirmed for the card, though local product and bantamweight contender Urijah Faber is likely to get a featured slot.

Sleep Train Arena (formerly ARCO Arena) plays host.

The UFC hasn't hosted a show in Sacramento since 2007, when UFC 73 took place in the city and featured a championship headliner between then-middleweight champ Anderson Silva and challenger Nate Marquardt, who suffered a first-round TKO loss. Additionally, recently retired Sean Sherk defended his lightweight belt with a decision victory over Hermes Franca in the co-headliner, though both competitors ultimately failed their drug tests. Sherk was subsequently stripped of the title.

Faber (29-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who's long called Sacramento home, recently defeated Yuri Alcantara at UFC Fight Night 26. Michael McDonald (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) also picked up a win on the card, and he and Faber mentioned the possibility of a future class.

 

[RM211]

Rashad Evans vs. Chael Sonnen set for UFC 167 at light heavyweight

A recently rumored fight between former champion Rashad Evans (18-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) and three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen (29-13-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is now set for UFC 167.

UFC officials today confirmed the bout, which takes place at light heavyweight and serves as the co-main event.

Both fighters openly discussed the possibility of the fight this past week.

UFC 167 takes place Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and the main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.

Sonnen vs. Evans will be part of the PPV main card, which also features a welterweight title bout between reigning champ Georges St-Pierre and Johny Hendricks.

Evans, a former light-heavyweight champion, recently snapped a two-fight skid with a split-decision win over Dan Henderson. Prior to the needed win, Evans had suffered back-to-back losses to Jon Jones and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, which halted the progress of a four-fight winning streak.

Sonnen also halted his own two-fight skid, which came in title losses to Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, with a quick submission victory over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC Fight Night 26. Sonnen was briefly linked to a fight with Phil Davis before talk of the Sonnen bout quickly drowned it out.

The latest UFC 167 card now includes:

Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Johny Hendricks - for welterweight title
Rashad Evans vs. Chael Sonnen
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald
Josh Koscheck vs. Tyron Woodley

 

[RM211]

25 post-event facts about 'UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader'

It's over. The UFC's record run of 35 fights in seven days came to a conclusion on Wednesday, and quite the run it was.

In all there were 15 decisions, 12 knockouts, seven submissions and one no-contest during the stretch of events that spanned three cities and two continents, and in all, each card produced in its own unique way.

What made Wednesday's "UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader" event in Brazil special was the trend of quick knockouts to close out the evening.

The final three bouts on the card lasted less than nine minutes in total, with Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) rallying to stop Ryan Bader (15-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Ronaldo Souza (19-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) quickly starching Yushin Okami (29-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC), and Joseph Benavidez (19-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) turning out the lights on Jussier Formiga (15-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC).

It's been more than 75 UFC events since three first-round knockouts ended a card, and despite the underwhelming action on the prelims, it ultimately comes down to how the main attractions deliver.

Now that the exhausting stretch of UFC action is over and fans can take a breather until later this month, it's time (with the help of FightMetric) to look back at 25 post-event facts to come out of UFC Fight Night 28.

GENERAL

UFC Fight Night 28 was the first event since "UFC Fight Night 23: UFC Fight For The Troops 2"" in January 2011 – a span of 77 events – where the final three fights on the card ended in a first-round knockout.

UFC Fight Night 28 drew an announced attendance of 5,126.

Teixeira, Piotr Hallmann (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Rafael Natal (17-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) and Tor Troeng (16-5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) earned $50,000 post-fight bonuses.

In the nine events the UFC has held in Brazil, Brazilian fighters are 47-16 against foreign opponents. Fighters from the country went 5-4 against foreign opponents at UFC Fight Night 28.

Betting favorites went 8-3 on the card.

Debuting fighters went 5-1 at the event.

Total fight time of the 11-bout card was 1:47:17.

MAIN CARD

Teixeira's five-fight UFC winning streak is the second longest among active light heavyweight fighters. Only Alexander Gustafsson (six) and champ Jon Jones (nine) lead him.

Teixeira's 20-fight MMA winning streak is tied with Renan Barao and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the longest among active UFC fighters.

Teixeira is 5-0 in the UFC with four stoppages.

Teixeira lands 6.35 significant strikes per minute, the second highest rate ever in UFC history (min. of five fights). Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez leads the category at 6.50 significant strikes per minute. The 33-year-old Teixeira also lands 51.5 percent of his significant strike attempts, the fifth highest accuracy rate among active light heavyweights (min. five fights and 350 significant strike attempts).

Teixeira lands 4.62 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting, the highest average among active light heavyweights and second highest all-time at 205 pounds (min. five UFC fights). Alessio Sakara leads the category with 4.86 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting.

Bader has been stopped inside the distance in all four of his career defeats.

Souza is 5-0 with four first-round stoppages since losing the Strikeforce middleweight title to Luke Rockhold in September 2011. Souza's current five-fight winning streak is his longest since 2008.

Souza recorded the 15th first-round finish of his career but just his second-ever knockout.

Okami's loss at the 2:47 mark of Round 1 was the quickest of his eight professional defeats.

Benavidez's knockout of Formiga moved Team Alpha Male fighters to 13-0 in the UFC since hiring Duane Ludwig as head coach in December 2012.

Benavidez tied champ Demetrious Johnson for the most flyweight wins in UFC history with four.

Benavidez became the first fighter to record three knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition. "Joe-Jitsu" has finished consecutive fights by knockout for the first time since 2006-2007.

Formiga has been knocked out in both of his UFC defeats.

Hallmann became just the second foreign fighter (Phil Davis) to submit a Brazilian at a UFC event in Brazil.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Lucas Martins' (14-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) submission of Ramiro Hernandez (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at the 1:10 mark of Round 1 is the fastest submission finish by a debuting UFC bantamweight.

Hernandez was submitted for the first time in his 18-fight career.

Keith Wisniewski (28-15-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC) suffered his third straight UFC defeat.

Sean Spencer (10-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) landed 99 significant strikes against his opponent, the most of any fighter on the card.