UFC 130 medical suspensions: Jackson, Mir, Stann, Santiago face six-month layoffs

UFC 130's list of walking wounded was lengthy, and five fighters from this past weekend's card face medical suspensions of up to six months.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today requested and received the list of suspensions from the Nevada State Athletic Commissions.

The potential half-year suspensions went to main-event winner Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, co-main-event winner Frank Mir, main-card fighters Brian Stann and Jorge Santiago, and preliminary-card competitor Michael McDonald.

UFC 130 took place this past Saturday, May 28, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The night's main card aired on pay-per-view, and the preliminary card aired on Spike TV and streamed on Facebook.

Surprisingly, Santiago was the only losing fighter on the list of lengthy suspensions.

The full list includes:

• Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: Must have have left hand X-rayed, and if injured, suspended until Nov. 25, though he can be cleared by an orthopedic doctor; regardless, suspended with no contact during training until June 28
• Frank Mir: Suspended until Nov. 25 due to possible rib injuries, though he can be cleared by a doctor; regardless, suspended until June 28 with no contact until June 19
• Stefan Struve: Suspended until July 28 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons
• Brian Stann: Must have have right thumb X-rayed, and if injured, suspended until Nov. 25, though he can be cleared by an orthopedic doctor; regardless, suspended until June 28 with no contact until June 19
• Jorge Santiago: Suspended until Nov. 25 due to a possible left-orbital injury, though he can be cleared early by an ENT doctor or ophthalmologist
• Rafaello Oliveira: Suspended until July 28 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons
• Michael McDonald: Suspended until Nov. 25 due to a possible shoulder injury, though he can be cleared early by orthopedic doctor; regardless, suspended until July 28 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons

UFC 133's Davis-Evans dynamic a refreshing contrast to Evans-Jones soap opera

If it's glorified high-school drama between champion Jon Jones (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Rashad Evans (15-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC), then it's a mutual-admiration society between Evans and rising contender Phil Davis (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC).

There may be a single common denominator involved, but there's a stark contrast between the two relationships that have been on full display in recent weeks – ones available for public dissection and consumption.

The latter pairing – the much more tempered dynamic – happens to be the main event of August's UFC 133 event. It carries with it major title implications. What it doesn't carry is any indication it will amass any sort of bad blood over the next two months.

The heat generated from the Jones and Evans saga does not appear to have bled over to Davis in any way, shape or form. It seems to have fizzled out somewhere amid the shadow of the feud.

It's been full speed ahead for the 26-year-old Davis since he set foot in the UFC in 2010. He walked into the organization with an unblemished record on the regional circuit and a shiny resume full of wrestling accolades accumulated during his time at Penn State University.

He found success early and often inside the octagon. Over a span of 13 months, he collected five wins over formidable opponents Brian Stann, Alexander Gustafsson, Rodney Wallace, Tim Boetsch and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

For his efforts, Davis has firmly planted himself "in the mix" at the top end of the light-heavyweight division (to borrow one of UFC President Dana White's most-overused phrases).

He's made a swift ascension through the belly of the beast in one of the most talent-laden and turnover-prone divisions at its peak.

In the four years since Chuck Liddell's title reign, the belt has changed hands an astounding six times with only two collective title defenses. Parity has been the norm.

While Davis has forged a clean path so far, he will continue to swim with sharks for the foreseeable future. It comes with the territory. This is breaking news to no one.

"As early as Abu Dhabi (UFC 112), my second fight in, someone asked me if I'm ready for the title," Davis recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "'Ready for the title?' What? What title? It has all come along so fast."

After his most recent win over Nogueira in March, the plan was for some much-needed downtime to allow his body to heal and continue to evolve in the gym.

That idea was instantly scrapped when the Harrisburg, Pa. native was offered the chance to headline at UFC 133 in nearby Philadelphia against former champion Evans.

"I was seriously wanting to take some time off," Davis said. "You just can't pass up opportunities. If somebody said, 'Do you want a promotion?' You can't pass that up. You have got to be ready to go. I said, 'Yep, I'll take it.'

"Jon Jones is where he is right now because of good timing and always being ready to go. I don't have the luxury to say no."

With Jones waiting in the wings while his injured hand heals, the UFC could decide to go any number of ways to determine his next challenger.

Fresh off his dominating, yet lackluster, UFC 130 win over Matt Hamill, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (32-8 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is likely the current leader in the clubhouse depending on the status of his own injured hand.

Lyoto Machida (16-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) also could enter the fray as he currently does not have a fight scheduled following his recent highlight-reel knockout win over Randy Couture at UFC 129.

A third option would be to have Jones simply wait to fight the winner of Davis vs. Evans, though Davis may still be one more win away at that point.

It's a logjam, and Davis is trying to keep things in perspective while he focuses on the task at hand.

"If I beat him (Evans), I will be in the mix in the big picture," he said. "I have no idea really when I'll get a title shot. Winning this fight will probably put me in the neighborhood of another fight, another win away."

While Davis and Evans may be an intriguing matchup it has taken a backseat to the Jones and Evans fiasco.

The actual genesis of the feud began in March when Jones filled in for his injured teammate Evans in the title fight against Maurico "Shogun" Rua, which Jones won in convincing fashion.

Jones then was asked whether or not he would accept a fight from No. 1 contender Evans, to which he stated he wouldn't turn it down if UFC president Dana White proposed it to him.

The rhetoric caught Evans, a loyal friend and teammate at Greg Jackson's camp in New Mexico, completely off guard. He was not pleased, to say the least.

The Jones and Evans fight eventually was booked for UFC 133, which prompted Evans to leave Jackson's in order to avoid having to train at the same facility – with the same coaches and the same training partners. The inevitable fallout with Jackson himself also commenced.

A hand injury then forced Jones to withdraw from the fight with Evans, which prompted a public war of words between the pair with no expiration date in sight.

Davis, who took Jones' spot in the matchup without even flinching, has been rather mystified by it all.

"I don't know who is right and who is wrong," Davis said. "It's like 'Days of Our Lives,' man. It really is. It's like a soap opera. Only thing is – somebody needs to die and come back and then it would be legit.

"I like them both. I'll leave it at that."

Evans now has a laundry list of squabbles attached to his name, from Jones and Greg Jackson to his run-ins with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson during filming of season 10 of "The Ultimate Fighter" and in the weeks that preceded their fight at UFC 114, which Evans won by unanimous decision.

Whether it's organic or by design (or a little of both), fans don't quite know how to reconcile Evans' combative personality traits with his fun-loving, charismatic side. For what it's worth, he was a psychology major at Michigan State University.

Evans' double-barreled demeanor is what makes him a polarizing figure and keeps eyeballs glued to his actions outside the cage and, more importantly, to his fights.

This does not appear to be the case as his fight with Davis approaches. There's no sign of public bantering. No Twitter wars. No name-calling in interviews. No nothing.

In fact, it's quite the opposite. They appear to have a pretty friendly relationship founded on mutual respect.

This was on full display when Davis was a recent in-studio guest in Las Vegas for the 1,000th episode of MMAjunkie.com Radio.

At one point during Davis' interview, a caller with the handle "Michael from Chicago" and a very deep voice phoned in to speak directly to him.

"Michael" proceeded to ask Davis how he was doing and told him to "get his game up" because he had seen Evans in the gym and he was looking extremely good.

After a couple minutes, everyone figured out it was actually "Rashad from Chicago" on the line, as in Rashad Evans.

Davis quickly jabbed back, teasing Evans about a photograph that was used on a recent MMA television show that showed him getting taken down by a Penn State wrestler in college.

This led to an Evans crack regarding Davis' physique and how he appears as if he's wearing shoulder pads at all times.

It was the kind of exchange you might see at a local bar between friends watching a ballgame over a few beers.

It's also the kind of tame, forgettable back-and-forth that is easily whitewashed in the circle of MMA fandom that craves sexy narratives and a good reason to invest time and money into a future pay-per-view.

As of right now, the interest level for Davis and Evans appears to be minor with no sign of gaining momentum. There's no good vs. evil, no proverbial protagonist pitted opposite antagonist that we've grown accustomed to recently when Evans is involved in a high-profile fight.

The kinship Davis and Evans have developed – some sort of Big Ten wrestling bond (or whatever) – appears to be genuine and here to stay.

Their name values alone, coupled with the supporting fights on the UFC 133 card, will have to sell the event.

Davis and Evans couldn't generate "Jones and Evans heat" or "Rampage and Evans heat" if they tried. They can't help it.

And, it's oddly refreshing.

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale fight card: Ed Herman vs Tim Credeur preview

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale will feature a pair of veteran middleweights squaring off this Saturday night (June 4, 2011) in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a long-awaited battle between two men itching to make their Octagon returns for over a year and a half.
Ed Herman was last seen in August of 2009 inside the cage against Aaron Simpson at UFC 102. "Short Fuse" injured his knee badly in both the first and second rounds of the match and literally went down swinging after his knee gave out on a head kick attempt. After re-aggravating the injury and going through multiple stints of surgery and rehabilitation, TUF 3 finalist is finally ready to make his return.
Tim Credeur was in a similar situation.
He injured his foot badly before a scheduled UFC Fight Night 20 match against Mike Massenzio and a brain abnormality in his CT scan before a UFC 113 bout aagainst Tom Lawler kept him from the cage for another full year while he went through a rigorous series of tests. "Crazy" Tim finally got the green light and he'll be stepping into the cage for the first time since September of 2009.
With a combined 41 months away from the Octagon, can both men shake off the rust and put on a show for the fans? Will Herman's knee problems be an issue with his offensive grappling and top control fighting style? How "crazy" will Credeur be inside the cage after surviving a life-altering scare?

Ed Herman
Record: 21-9 overall, 4-4 in the UFC
Key Wins: Scott Smith (UFC 72), David Loiseau (UFC 97), Nick Thompson (Hand 2 Hand Combat)
Key Losses: Aaron Simpson (UFC 102), Alan Belcher (UFC Fight Night 15), Demian Maia (UFC 83)
How he got here: Ed Herman busted his butt on the local Pacific northwest circuit before back-to-back victories over Nick Thompson and former UFC champion Dave Menne earned him an invite to TUF 3. Herman made it to the finals where he would lose a gritty decision to Kendall Grove in a fight that impressed Dana White so much that he awarded both men a "six figure" UFC contract.
Since being awarded the contract, "Short Fuse" has been a mid-level middleweight, defeating all the guys he was supposed to beat while losing to the Demian Maias and Alan Belchers of the world. He showed what type of fighter he was against Aaron Simpson at UFC 102. He injured his knee in the first round of the fight and came out for the second round anyway, falling to the canvas on a head kick attempt early in the round. Herman considered retiring after re-aggravating the injury in training but he stayed the course and is finally ready to go after 21 months outside the Octagon.
How he gets it done: There aren't too many surprises when Ed is in the cage. He's going to fight very hard, he's going to shoot for takedowns and he's going to try to beat his opponent up on the ground or submit them.
Despite having 13 of his 21 career victories coming by way of submission, don't expect one from Herman on Saturday night. With Credeur's excellent jiu-jitsu skills, it will most likely be Herman who's using his grappling defensively, warding off attempts while he tries to ground and pound from above.
Unless he's drastically improved in his time away from the cage, Herman's stand-up leaves something to be desired. His best chances of winning this fight will be to work his offensive wrestling skills to take Credeur down early and often. Once has has "Crazy" Credeur down, expect some nasty short elbows from above as "Short Fuse" looks to either end the fight by cut, ground and pound stoppage or decision due to positional dominance.

Tim Credeur
Record: 12-3 overall, 3-1 in the UFC
Key Wins: Nick Catone (UFC Fight Night 18), Cale Yarbrough (UFC Fight Night 14)
Key Losses: Nate Quarry (UFC Fight Night 19), Chael Sonnen (Bodog Fight: Costa Rica)
How he got here: Tim Credeur (pronounced "crater") hails from Louisiana where he runs the Gladiator gym. He gained a reputation as a fierce finisher as the first 14 fights of his professional career were all stoppages inside the first two rounds. Tim was one of the favorites of TUF 7 but fell short against Jesse Taylor in the show's semifinals.
Once in the UFC, he scored three consecutive stoppage victories on UFC Fight Night cards before earning a shot at TUF season one veteran Nate Quarry. His fight with Quarry was legendary, with both men trading knockdowns and scrapping in a sloppy brawl for three straight rounds. It was the first fight of Credeur's career to go to a decision but it earned him a "Fight of the Night" bonus as well as being a contender for "Fight of the Year."
Credeur would injure his foot badly while training with Forrest Griffin in preparation for a UFC Fight Night 20 bout against Mike Massenzio. After recovering from the foot injury, doctors discovered a brain abnormality during a routine CT scan in the lead-up to his UFC 113 fight against Tom Lawler. Credeur would be sidelined for over a year, waiting to get official confirmation on whether the abnormality was a tumor or an aneurysm. After multiple expensive tests and a ton of stress, he was relieved to find out that the abnormality was nothing more than a birth mark, something that's been in his head most likely since he was born and he'd be able to resume his career. He plans on taking out all his frustration on Herman this weekend.
How he gets it done: Credeur, while a fantastic Brazilian jiu-jitsu player, is a bit of a jack of all trades. No matter how he tries to get it done, there's no doubt about it that he'll be shooting for the finish from the time the referee starts the fight until the final horn sounds.
"Crazy" Tim has improving boxing technique and he showed it in his last fight against Nate Quarry, constantly pushing forward and throwing his hands, clipping "The Rock" and nearly finishing the fight in the first round. There's no doubt he's been working on his technique in the time he's been away from the cage so expect Tim to have the advantage standing.
On the ground, Credeur is relentless. He has eight submission victories in his career, most by armbar, but is not afraid of being put on his back at all. He has a dangerous guard and some excellent defense off his back. If Herman takes him down, expect submission after submission to be thrown his way until he either catches "Short Fuse" or the round concludes.
Fight "X-Factor:"  There's no doubt about it, the "X-factor" for this fight has to be how each man spent his time away from the cage during their long layoffs.
Ed Herman spent much of his time rehabbing his injured knee. He was on his way to recovery before re-injuring it in early 2010. The re-aggravation was so frustrating that Herman even considered walking away from the sport. He's finally healed and ready to go again, but honestly, "Short Fuse" hasn't had a lot of time to work on improving his skills since he's mainly just trying to get back into the groove again.
Unlike Herman, Tim Credeur has been able to train consistently in the time he's been away from the cage. He was running his Gladiator gym in Louisiana as the head trainer during his down-time and he's been constantly improving. The brain abnormality wasn't a physical thing so he hopes to be fresh, improved and deadly once the cage doors close on Saturday night.
Bottom line: With the injury to Jonathan Brookins, this fight was bumped to the televised card and both fighters are going to scrap and claw until someone can no longer continue. These are two men who have put it all on the line in the past and they won't let the fans down. Herman is going to constantly pressure with his wrestling and ground and pound while Credeur tries to defend and punish him with submissions and standing strikes. These guys don't know the definition of cage rust.

Kevin James, has permission to use the UFC brand in his upcoming MMA comedy

Former "King of Queens" and avid mixed martial arts fan, Kevin James, has permission to use the UFC brand in his upcoming MMA comedy titled "Here Comes the Boom." Deadline.com describes the flick as "a science teacher (James) whose school faces drastic cutbacks. In an attempt to save his best friend's job and the music program his students love, he moonlights inside the Octagon as a mixed martial arts fighter, ultimately leading to brawling in the UFC." What fighter cameos should we expect in the 2012 release?

Jake Rosholt appeals disqualification loss at Titan Fighting Championships 18

Jake Rosholt believes officials made the wrong call this past Friday.

The ex-UFC middleweight fought John Ott at Titan Fighting Championships 18 and was disqualified after he threw an illegal knee in the third and final round.

But Rosholt today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the knee was unintentional and the fight should have been ruled a technical decision or no-contest rather than a disqualification.

Officials made the ruling after determining Ott was unable to continue the fight, which took place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and aired live on HDNet. Rosholt had dominated the fight – and left Ott a badly bloodied mess – before the illegal blow landed.

Rosholt and his management team appealed the ruling and have been told the Kansas Athletic Commission, which oversaw the bout, is reviewing the fight. KAC officials could not be reached for comment.

"When you go back to the video, his knee is down, and he was on his way back up," Rosholt said. "I'm not trying to say it wasn't (illegal). I'm saying it was completely unintentional. I had no idea his other knee was on the ground."

A technical decision can result when a foul brings a halt to a fight, according to the Unified Rules of MMA. If the foul is ruled unintentional, one or more points are deducted from the offending fighter's scorecard, and judges render their decision based on the completed rounds. The fight also can be ruled a no-contest. However, if the fight is ruled intentional, a disqualification results.

Titan CEO Joe Kelly said the Unified Rules were used for this past Friday's bout.

"In situations like that where it's a nationally televised show, decisions have to be made spur of the moment," he said. "Wrong, right or indifferent, that's why they have the appeal process. It is being looked at by the commission as we speak, and a decision should be made pretty expeditiously."

The loss broke a four-fight win streak for Rosholt (11-4), who was released by the UFC in late 2009 after a loss to Kendall Grove at UFC 106. Ott (9-8), meanwhile, got back in the win column after a decision loss to Bobby Lashley at Titan Fighting Championship 17.

As an example of the rule, Rosholt pointed to the first fight between Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone, which took place at WEC 38 and was ruled a technical decision in favor of Varner when Cerrone threw an unintentional knee that rendered his opponent unable to continue. The bout was contested in California, which also utilizes the Unified Rules.

In that case, Rosholt said, the rulings should be similar.

"I feel like if it's called correctly in how I've seen fights called in the past, that's how it should go," he said. "But if worse came to worse, and it's decided to be a no contest, I'm completely happy with that too.

"I just feel like having to take a loss on my record for something that was unintentional – that just doesn't seem right."

UFC's Rich Franklin hosts Friday country-music fundraiser in Northern Kentucky

UFC veteran and Ohio native Rich Franklin is hosting a country-music fundraiser on Friday in northern Kentucky.

The event, the "Country Cures Concert," benefits cancer-research facilities in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

The concert takes place at Madison Theater in Covington, Ky. (730 Masison Ave.). Artists/bands Heather Roush, the Danny Frazier Band and Dallas Moore all are scheduled to perform.

The event begins at 8 p.m. ET, and doors open at 7 p.m. Franklin's Keep it in the Ring Foundation is presenting the event. (Ticket/event information, can be found at www.richfranklin.com, where donations also can be made.)

"We do so much charity work away from home we thought we should bring an event to our home town to help those in need in our own community," Franklin stated. "Cancer has touched just about everybody in some way. We need to get rid of it."

In addition to the concert, the event features raffles and a silent auction with autographed memorabilia from Franklin, other MMA fighters, and additional celebrities. Franklin will be on hand for a meet and greet with "Country Cures" attendees.

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer killed 569,000 Americans in 2010, and 1.5 million new cases were diagnosed in the country.

"I hope we can have a great crowd and raise some difference making money to help knock out cancer," he stated. "If not us, then who will step up?"

Dana White explains super fights between UFC and Strikeforce champions will happen “as soon as possible”

UFC President, Dana White has been speaking about when we might get to see the best of the Las Vegas based promotion go head-to-head with the best from Strikeforce, explaining these fights should go down “as soon as possible”.
When asked about possible crossover super fights, Dana said:

“As soon as possible. We literally have nothing done on that yet,”

When asked about possible problems with television network, Showtime, Dana said:

“I don’t even want to get into that, a whole other headache.”

The first rumoured fight between champions from both organisations involved welterweight champions, Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz although the likely hood of it happening at UFC 140 on December 10^th seem to have been shot down by the Las Vegas based promotion.

Lyoto Machida says he’ll be ready to step in against Jon Jones if Quinton “Rampage” Jackson can’t make it

Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida has revealed that he’ll be ready to step in against champion Jon Jones for the injured Quinton “Rampage” Jackson if he doesn’t recover from a hand injury which hampered his last fight inside the octagon.
Speaking via Tatame Magazine, Machida said:

“There’s nothing yet, but it’s a great chance for me. I don’t want to create hopes, I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but if they do it I’ll get this big opportunity to restart my walk in the UFC. I’m ready… I’m already moving to another training part, and it’d be ready to fight in 12 weeks”.

“We know Jones is a great champion, he showed why (against Shogun), but everybody has strong and weak points. I haven’t studied Jones’ game yet because he was never ‘my problem’, but I already saw him fighting”

Machida will have to wait and see if Jackson recovers from a fractured hand he picked up around the turn of the year messing around while he was in Japan before re-injuring it when he took on Matt Hamill this past weekend at UFC 130 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua says he’s come out on top if he was to rematch Jon Jones (video)

Check out this video interview conducted with former UFC light heavyweight champion, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua where he backs himself to win if he was to square off with current champion, Jon Jones in a rematch.

Picture of the Day – Arianny Celeste goes topless

Check out the latest picture from UFC Octagon Girl, Arianny Celeste as she shows off the kind of curves that have made her a favourite with the fans over the years.
Follow Arianny on Twitter @AriannyCeleste.

TUF 13 Finale – Scott Jorgensen says the pressure is off him having already fought for a UFC title

UFC bantamweight contender, Scott Jorgensen has said the pressure is off him after of his “Ultimate Fighter” season thirteen finale showdown with Ken Stone having already fought for the UFC title last time out, despite this happening inside the WEC cage at the time.
Speaking via UFC.com, Jorgensen said:

“Everybody keeps asking about my Octagon debut, but I’ve already fought for a UFC championship and it doesn’t get much bigger than that. Whether people say it was in the WEC or not – I fought for the UFC belt. It is something that everyone fighting longs for and I’m getting back on track to get that belt. I’ve already fought for the belt, so the pressure is not on me.”

“I fought 10 times under Zuffa and that is more than most guys have ever fought for them. This is not my first rodeo, I’ve been to the big show, and I’ve fought for the most important thing I could ever fight for. I grew up in the WEC, I grew up fighting for Zuffa, I grew up fighting the best guys in the world – it is no different on June 4th. I’m fighting one of the top guys in the world and I’m back to being the good old Scott Jorgensen that everyone loved.”

“The old mentality of mine was to go in there and go 110 mph and make something happen. If I can’t strike with him, then take him down; if I can’t take him down, then I’m going to strike with him. I’ll find a way to win. The biggest thing that helps me put on these exciting fights is that I don’t go into the cage just to win. I want to get the guy tired. I want to drag this guy through hell. I want to make him wish he had took an easier opponent.”

This will be the first time we’ve seen Jorgensen since he lost to current 135 pound champion, Dominick Cruz last December inside the WEC cage. Prior to that he’d been on a five-fight winning streak. Stay tuned to MMABay in the coming days for more on this as we get it.

Dana White reveals their close to landing a Philippines TUF season, future plans for multi-nation grand-prix

UFC President, Dana White has this week revealed that the Las Vegas based promotion is inching ever closer to a Philippines based “Ultimate Fighter” season, with the eventual goal being a multi-national grand-prix event.
Speaking at a recent press conference in Las Vegas, Dana said:

“We’re like one piece away from finishing the thing.”

 

When asked about other nations joining the pot down the line he added:

“It’s like the World Cup of ‘TUF’. Dude, if we can nail that one, that’s my dream.”

The next season of the popular reality show was just announced with former winner and coach, Michael Bisping returning to give it an international feel. Star of MTV’s Bully Beatdown, Jason “Mayhem” Miller will coach opposite the Brit.

UFC Quick Quote: Phil Davis is better than Rashad Evans

Photo via Sherdog.com

"I have some good training partners, so, so far, the training is going really well ... I’ll be pretty close to a title shot if I beat him, so I should be doing really well after this win. He’s one of the biggest names I’ve ever fought, and he’s big on out league category. I think he has pretty good wrestling for MMA, but I guess I’m a little bit of a better wrestler, but he’s good in mixing the strikes in wrestling, so it’s not bad. But I think I’m better ... It’s good because Jon Jones has only been winning fights, so, you know, he wins and it’s good because he’ll say: ‘This guy has won all of his fights too,' so he’s doing that comparison now. It’s good."

Surging UFC light heavyweight contender Phil Davis gives Tatame.com a "Wonderful" assessment of his Octagon skills as he heads into a UFC 133 main event opposite former 205-pound champion Rashad Evans on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia. The undefeated wrestler out of Penn State could potentially earn a title shot in early 2012 if he can prove he is indeed sweeter than "Suga" in the "City of Brotherly Love." Anyone think Davis gets the big win in Philly? Or will Evans crack him like the Liberty bell?

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale preview and predictions for 'Guida vs Pettis' preliminary card

After what seemed like an agonizing lull following Georges St. Pierre's defeat of Jake Shields at last month's UFC 129 pay-per-view, Zuffa roared back with a vengeance with UFC 130 over the Memorial Day Weekend and is now prepared to deliver its second offering in what will be a six-week span that features at least one major mixed martial arts event per weekend.
This Saturday night (June 4, 2011) on Spike TV, the world's largest fight promotion will look to one-up themselves with the live finale of The Ultimate Fighter 13 (TUF), which pits uber-puncher Jeremy Stephens against Roufusport warrior Danny Downes while walking highlight reel Anthony Pettis takes on the hirsute bobblehead that is Clay Guida.
That's not all, though, as we will get four preliminary fights as an appetizer, though there is no word as to whether we will be able to watch them on Facebook. Expect to hear more of that as the TUF 13 season wraps this Wednesday night.
TUF 13 Finale preliminary card preview and predictions:

185 lbs.: Ed "Short Fuse" Herman (21-9) vs. Tim "Crazy" Credeur (12-3)

Where most people have bed bug infestations, Herman has a comparable issue with the injury bug. 4-4 in his stint in the UFC since falling in the finale of TUF 3 to Kendall Grove and in the midst of a dismal 1-3 run, Herman badly injured his knee against Aaron Simpson and, almost two years and as many knee surgeries later, he is set to have another go at the middleweight elite. Having fallen short against the likes of Jason MacDonald and Alan Belcher, his time in the UFC could be at an end with a loss this Saturday.

Fellow Ultimate Fighter veteran Credeur has not had any better luck, not competing since his Fight-of-the-Night loss to Nate Quarry in September of ’09. This is the third fight he has had scheduled since, being forced to drop out of a fight with Mike Massenzio due to injury and out of one with Tom Lawlor due to a brain irregularity. Fans of exciting fights should be eagerly awaiting his return, as the Quarry fight was the first of his fifteen to reach the judges and he has no intention of making that a trend.

It’s rare to find a case of such immense combined ring rust in a single fight, so to determine which of them has an advantage, it’s best to look at the circumstances surrounding their respective vacations. Of the two, Herman’s two knee surgeries stand out, and while neither he nor Credeur could be compared to "Shogun" Rua without at least twenty minutes of sustained derisive laughter, being a diehard fan of the Brazilian and the proud recipient of a torn meniscus have taught me not to pick the guy whose knees are made out of plywood.

Since the two seem rather evenly-matched, having scored solid wins over lesser competition but struggling on the higher rungs, I think I’ll stick with the one less likely to wind up with his femur sticking out of his shoulder on his way to the cage.

Prediction: Credeur by decision

135 lbs.: Scott "Young Guns" Jorgensen (11-4) vs. Ken Stone (9-2)

A high-octane wrestler with a penchant for slugfests, Jorgensen affirmed his place in the upper echelon of the bantamweight division with dominant wins over the like of Takeya Mizugaki and the ever-scrappy Brad Pickett, earning a shot at champ Dominick Cruz at the WEC’s final event. Despite a steadfast refusal to cry "uncle," the speckled soldier’s luck ran out and Cruz ran over him, looking every bit as untouchable as he had in his previous efforts and taking Jorgensen down at will. He’ll look to make a good first impression on the UFC fanbase against sophomore Stone.

American Top Team-trained Ken Stone had quite the unfriendly welcome into the ZUFFA umbrella, competing on the undercard WEC 53 against inaugural bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland. While he showed some vicious leg kicks during the brief period the two spent trading, he made a critical error in attempting a standing guillotine on the lanky striker and paid for it with the kind of slam that would give Ricardo Arona PTSD flashbacks. Thankfully alive and well after his short flight on Air Wineland, Stone is out to make sure his legacy isn’t defined by that incident.

I don’t know if Stone accidentally prepositioned Joe Silva’s girlfriend at the last Fan Expo or if he’s simply the unluckiest man at 135, but Jorgensen is in no way a step down from Wineland. Though he may not be the hardest puncher, he possesses the staggering cardio and powerful grappling onslaught to keep almost anyone at his weight on his heels.

While Stone did show flashes of something dangerous in his lone WEC effort, it’s hard to say how he will come back from it; that knockout was the sort of thing that would send lesser men hightailing it back to graduate school and a less horrifically painful career. I expect Jorgensen to come in with plenty of frustrations, both from being so impotent against Cruz and for being stuck on the undercard, and to unleash it with extreme prejudice upon Stone in the form of a supremely dominant decision.

Prediction: Jorgensen by decision

205 lbs.: Kyle "Kingsbu" Kingsbury (10-2) vs. Fabio Maldonado (18-3)

Hard-hitting Kyle Kingsbury entered the cage at UFC 126 with a fever and no cowbell in sight against submissions whiz Ricardo Romero. Thankfully for his beleaguered immune system, a quick flurry put Romero down in a grand total of twenty-one seconds. He has won three straight since losing to "Filthy" Tom Lawlor in his UFC debut and intends to further entrench that fight in the past.

Sporting a (numerically) fantastic pro boxing record in addition to an impressive 18-3 MMA ledger that includes two wins over exiled destroyer Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves, Team Nogueira representative Maldonado announced his presence in the division with a brutal beatdown of James McSweeney that saw phenomenal use of a body attack turn the tide after an unimpressive first round. With deadly hands and a phenomenal camp behind him, Maldonado is a headache-in-the-making for the stacked light-heavyweights.

While Kingsbury does like to mix it up, he also possesses a solid wrestling attack honed at AKA, and he will most certainly have to rely on it against Maldonado. As a professional boxer, the Brazilian’s knockout rate was well over 90%, and James McSweeney’s ribs can attest to the face that it wasn’t just weak opposition.

It seems more like a distinct lack of pattern recognition than it does wisdom to pick a Brazilian striker over an American wrestler, but I think Kingsbury might be in a bit over his head here. While I don’t doubt that he can get Maldonado down or that he can outgrapple him once there, one of Maldonado’s weaknesses might turn out to be a lifesaver: like teammate Junior Dos Santos, he tends to keep his hands low and rely on his phenomenal chin to save him, which means it should be easier for him to get underhooks and avoid the power double.

Plus, as a fellow Maniac I cannot recall once said about Sergei Kharitonov, Maldonado is like a slow-moving train: he may not start out quick, but you’d best get off the tracks once he gets going. Look for Kingsbury to dictate the pace early with repeated takedowns before being eroded by a vicious body attack and crumbling late.

Prediction: Maldonado by TKO

135 lbs.: Reuben Duran (7-3-1) vs. Francisco "Cisco" Rivera (5-1)

When discussing difficult Octagon debuts, Duran’s is near the top of the list, as he was given the unenviable task of facing perennial contender Takeya Mizugaki on short notice during the organization’s third trip to the Versus channel. Surprising all in attendance, especially Mizugaki, Duran fought valiantly enough to receive the nod on one of the judge’s cards. He’ll be attempting to use his high-speed offense to get at least one more judge on his side, provided he can’t break up the relationship between Rivera and his consciousness.

Joe Silva wasn’t any kinder to Rivera, who drew up-and-coming Roufusport wrecking ball Erik Koch for his first trip to the cage and was promptly put down with a knockout-of-the-night award winning head kick. Before being replaced by Duran, he was slated to take on the aforementioned Mizgaki, but will instead seek to gain redemption at the expense of his fellow ZUFFA sophomore.

If Rivera has some sort of speed or power surplus, his ear was too busy trying to mate with Koch’s shin to display it. Duran, on the other hand, very nearly defeated a man who gave Miguel Torres everything he could handle and has shown a quick, well-rounded offense. While neither has the most impressive résumé when it comes to solid opposition, Duran’s significantly more impressive first trip to the Octagon and the fact that he has nearly double the experience lead me to believe he’ll give "Cisco’s" first concussion a new friend.

Anderson Silva: Yushin Okami shouldn't be training with a doping loser like Chael Sonnen

Photo via Francis Specker Photography

Tell us how you really feel!
UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva will defend his division title against 185-pound number one contender Yushin Okami at the upcoming UFC 134: "Rio" pay-per-view event from the HSBC Arena on Aug. 27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"The Spider," widely-considered one of the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artists on the planet, looked practically invincible during his incredible championship run inside the Octagon -- until Chael Sonnen almost knocked him from his perch at UFC 117: "Silva vs. Sonnen" back in 2010.
Almost.
The trash-talking ex-Realtor dished out four rounds of punishment and was minutes away from a monstrous upset in the fifth and final frame before a careless guard attack left him strangled inside a triangle choke.
Nevertheless, Sonnen got a lot closer to the Brazilian's gold than anyone else in his division, prompting Okami to align himself with the currently-suspended fighter in hopes of gaining a competitive edge come August.
And Silva tells O Globo, Brazil’s second largest newspaper (via Sherdog.com), it was a bad choice:

"You have to find the best people to train with, and I think [Okami] chose wrong. I’d never align myself with a loser, a loser in every sense. He didn’t win the fight [between us] and got caught doping. You want to be a champion? Get with good people, with winners. Moreover, Sonnen wasn’t a tough opponent for me. I was injured with cracked ribs and fought five rounds. If I hadn’t been injured, the fight would have been different."

Silva and Okami first met inside a cage back in 2006, with "Thunder" scoring a controversial win over "The Spider" via disqualification (illegal upkick). Silva has not lost since, winning an astonishing 14 straight fights and cementing himself as among (if not the) best mixed martial artists in the world along the way.
This will mark a record ninth time (and counting) Silva will defend his middleweight title inside the Octagon.
Okami, meanwhile, has built an impressive UFC resume of his own, winning 10 of his 12 fights with the promotion, the most recent of which, over Nate Marquardt in Germany, earned him a long-awaited shot at the middleweight crown.
The Japanese import now finally gets his chance to become the first man to defeat the Brazilian within the not-so-friendly confines of the eight-sided playground ... in hostile territory no less.
Can he get it done? And will Sonnen's insight help his friend on fight night?

UFC 130: Thiago Alves thought he won Rick Story fight (Video)

Rampage Jackson motorboats female MMA reporter, who 'wasn't offended' by his interview antics

In case you missed all the "Rampage" hubbub this past weekend, Karyn Bryant is here to keep you abreast of the situation.

The female mixed martial arts reporter, who conducted this now famous video interview with Quinton Jackson following his three round unanimous decision win over Matt Hamill at UFC 130 back on May 28, "wasn't offended" by the former light heavyweight champion's desire to motor her boats.
From her Twitter:

Since every1's asking: if it wasn't already obv, I wasn't offended by @Rampage4real at all. We were clowning around. I thought it was funny!

The MMA community has been largely divided over "Boob Gate." Jackson fans attribute his "clowning around" to "typical Rampage" silliness while others find it demeaning and offensive.

UFC 130's Johnson says advantages in striking, wrestling earned nod over Torres

The boo birds of UFC 130 warmed up their vocal chords with the announcement of Demetrious Johnson's unanimous decision win over former WEC champ Miguel Torres.

Online, the opposition was more clearly expressed. Fans felt Torres' constant submission threats outweighed Johnson's takedowns and top control on the ground.

Johnson (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) disagrees. Whether it be in the grappling or striking departments of the fight, he believes he did more, and did more with less at his disposal.

Johnson said Torres badly hurt his leg by checking a kick in the first round. He informed his coach Matt Hume about the injury between rounds but promised to do his job. Meanwhile, Torres continued to attack.

"He's taller (with) a 77-inch reach," Johnson said. "[I have] 66. I was pushing forward and I was hurt."

The former WEC champ made it difficult for Johnson to mobilize an offense when the action hit the ground, which served as the root of fans' anger at the decision. With constant submission threats, it seemed like "Mighty Mouse" was merely hanging on rather than winning points.

Johnson, though, said he was in control. And when it came to dealing with Torres' massive reach advantage, he made do.

"I don't think he hit me once on the feet," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Not once. And on the ground, I controlled the top in the wrestling. There's two aspects of the game right there.

"He was throwing submissions, but he couldn't finish me. I passed guard and I kept coming. I was hurt. I never backed up. I always came forward, so that's my argument right there."

It's the second big-time win for Johnson, who's win streak now stands at four with wins over Torres and Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto in his previous outing.

Asked whether he might be in line for a top contender that would open the door to a title shot, Johnson deferred to his employers.

"That's up to the UFC," he said. "My job is just to come here and fight and go back to the gym and get better. So it's up to Dana White and (UFC matchmakers) Joe Silva and Sean Shelby."

While not everyone agrees on how the bout was scored, Johnson is content that he did enough to win.

With "Mayhem" out, Aaron Simpson now meets Brad Tavares at UFC 132

With his coaching appointment on "The Ultimate Fighter 14" forcing original opponent Jason "Mayhem" Miller out of the fight, Aaron Simpson (8-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) now will meet middleweight Brad Tavares (7-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at UFC 132.

UFC officials announced the switch overnight while stating verbal agreements in are place.

The bout is slated for the untelevised preliminary card of UFC 132.

UFC 132, which is the UFC's Independence Day-weekend show, takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view, and two preliminary-card results air on "Spike TV."

Miller surrendered the slot against Simpson this past week when he agreed to coach opposite Michael Bisping on "TUF 14." As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported at the time, Simpson was expected to remain on the card.

Simpson returns to action after a recent one-sided beatdown of Mario Miranda at UFC Fight Night 24. The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for Simpson, who had dropped back-to-back outings against Mark Munoz and Chris Leben. Prior to the skid, Simpson had notched seven-straight wins to open his career, including three UFC victories and one win under the WEC banner.

Tavares, a semifinalist on "The Ultimate Fighter 11," is undefeated in official pro bouts. After opening his career with a 5-0 mark in his native Hawaii, he's posted a decision win over Seth Baczynski and a first-round knockout of Phil Baroni in UFC bouts. Six of his even career wins now have come via stoppage.

The latest UFC 132 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

• Champ Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber (for bantamweight title)
• Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
• Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz
• Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
• Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

• Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller
• Rafael dos Anjos vs. George Sotiropoulos

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki
• Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares
• Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner
• Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson

"DREAM.17: Japan GP Final" gets Mousasi vs. Izumi, Takaya vs. Miyata title fights

DREAM.17 is slated for July 16 at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, official recently announced.

The event features a championship doubleheader with light-heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi (30-3-2 MMA, 8-0 DREAM) vs. Hiroshi Izumi (4-1 MMA, 2-0 DREAM) and featherweight titleholder Hiroyuki Takaya (15-9-1 MMA, 6-2 DREAM) vs. Kazuyuki Miyata (11-7 MMA, 4-1 DREAM).

The organization's Japan bantamweight tournament also concludes at the show.

No broadcast plans have been announced for the show.

In addition to the title fights, DREAM's eight-man Japan bantamweight grand prix concludes with finalists Masakazu Imanari (23-8-2 MMA, 2-1 DREAM) vs. Hideo Tokoro (29-23-1 MMA, 7-6 DREAM). Additionally, a third-place fight between semifinalists Atsushi Yamamoto and Kenji Osawa (17-10-2 MMA, 2-1 DREAM) also is slated for the card.

The tournament kicked off this past weekend at "DREAM: Fight for Japan." Imanari and Tokoro, as well as the Yamamoto vs. Osawa winner, will take part in a world grand prix planned for later this year.

Also slated for DREAM.17 is a lightweight bout between Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-7-2 MMA, 7-1 DREAM) vs. Willamy Freire (17-4 MMA, 0-0 DREAM). It's Freire's first fight since a one-and-done deal with the UFC, which resulted in his release following a decision loss to Waylon Lowe at UFC Fight Night 23.

The latest DREAM.17 card now includes:

• Champ Gegard Mousasi vs. Hiroshi Izumi (for light-heavyweight title)
• Champ Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Kazuyuki Miyata (for featherweight title)
• Masakazu Imanari vs. Hideo Tokoro (Japan bantamweight-tourney finale)
• Atsushi Yamamoto vs. Kenji Osawa (Japan bantamweight-tourney third-place fight)
• Willamy Freire vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri

UFC vet Kurt Pellegrino announces MMA hiatus, potential retirement

Kurt Pellegrino's days as a professional fighter may be over, he recently announced.

The veteran UFC lightweight, who had climbed into title contention with a recent four-fight win streak and 8-2 run, is taking a hiatus from active MMA competition.

Pellegrino said the disappointment of a recent two-fight losing skid, as well as outside interests, have prompted him not to seek a UFC contract renewal.

"At this time I am choosing to take some time off and step away from the sport as a fighter," he wrote today on kurtpellegrino.com. "Over my most recent fights, I have come to the realization that at this point I no longer can [or] want to make fighting my first priority."

Pellegrino had posted consecutive wins over Thiago Tavares, Rob Emerson, Josh Neer and Fabricio Camoes (with one "Submission of the Night" and one "Fight of the Night" bonus) before recent decision losses to George Sotiropoulos and Gleison Tibau.

Pellegrino, a fan favorite who interacts daily with the MMA community on Twitter, now wants to focus on teaching (his Kurt Pellegrino MMA academy now has nearly 300 students), his family (he and his wife recently welcomed a second child to the family), and improving his own skills. He event suggested he may compete in some grappling tournaments and take a pro-boxing bout.

"There are also a few business opportunities for me personally that I would like to pursue, but was unable to do so because of training and fighting," he wrote. "I just want to take this time to focus on some other things in my life and see if I get the itch to fight again."

Pellegrino, 32, is a onetime WEC fighter who competed primarily on the East Coast before making a UFC debut in 2008. His record currently stands at 16-6, which includes a 7-5 mark in the UFC. The Braziian jiu-jitsu black belt fought on two UFC cards in his home state of New Jersey.

"It is bittersweet to possibly end my career on a loss and something I will have to deal with on my own, but overall it has been a rewarding 11 years for me, and I want the end to be on my terms and no one else's," he wrote. "It's hard to make a decision like this, but I feel it's best for me to step away for now, and time will tell what the future will bring for me. I don't want to retire, but I need to find myself and find my love for this sport again."

UFC 130 salaries: "Rampage" Jackson ($250K), Frank Mir ($250K) lead fighter payroll

Co-main-event winners Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Frank Mir were the top earners at this past weekend's UFC 130 event. The total payroll for the show was $931,000.

Both competitors earned disclosed paydays of $250,000. Jackson's was a flat rate while Mir earned $125,000 to show and an additional $125,000 as a win bonus.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today requested and received the list of disclosed paydays from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

UFC 130 took place this past Saturday, May 28, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The night's main card aired on pay-per-view, and the preliminary card aired on Spike TV and streamed on Facebook.

The full payouts included:

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: $250,000 (no win bonus)
def. Matt Hamill: $32,000

Frank Mir: $250,000 (includes $125,000 win bonus)
def. Roy Nelson: $15,000

Travis Browne: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)
def. Stefan Struve: $21,000

Rick Story: $34,000 ($17,000 win bonus)
def. Thiago Alves: $ 33,000

Brian Stann: $46,000 ($23,000 win bonus)
def. Jorge Santiago: $36,000

Demetrious Johnson: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Miguel Torres: $30,000

Tim Boetsch: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus)
def. Kendall Grove: $28,000

Gleison Tibau: $50,000 ($25,000 win bonus)
def. Rafaello Oliveira: $10,000

Michael McDonald: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Chris Cariaso: $4000

Renan Barao: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus)
def. Cole Escovedo: $6,000

Now, the usual disclaimer: The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter's income. They also do not include any other "locker room" or special bonuses the UFC oftentimes pays. They also do not include portions of the pay-per-view revenue that some top-level fighters receive.

For example, as previously reported, UFC officials handed out additional $70,000 UFC 130 bonuses to Browne ("KO of the Night"), Tibau ("Submission of the Night"), and Stann and Santiago ("Fight of the Night").

In other words, the above figures are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

UFC 130 results: The most exciting fight card that everyone was disappointed with

Photo by Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

UFC 130: "Rampage vs. Hamill" went down this past Saturday night, May 28, 2011 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Filled with compelling match-ups, the fight card showed promise, even with losing its main event just a few weeks away from showtime.
Then it happened and the reaction was tepid at best
I've seen the entire card called "uneventful and lacking excitement" as well as those who have chosen to simply harp on the main event, calling it a plodding three round mismatch.
Color me confused.
For the sake of this discussion, let's discount the three Facebook fights, although they featured an interesting clash in Michael McDonald vs. Chris Cariaso and the eventual "Submission of the Night" winner Gleison Tibua choking out Rafaello Oliveira.
That leaves seven fights that all delivered in some form or another ... that is, if your standards aren't impossibly high.
Maybe Tim Boetsch's destruction of Kendall Grove doesn't necessarily suit your fancy, and that's fine. "The Barbarian" controlled "Da Spyder" for three rounds, potentially sending him to the unemployment line with yet another listless and uninspired performance.
What about Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson? That not good enough either? The controversial nature of the bout only serves to add to the excitement and intrigue surrounding it.
Whether you come down on the side of "Mighty Mouse," who won the fight with effective wrestling and top position, or Torres, who nearly took it with a relentless attack from the bottom and plenty of near submissions, it was a highly gratifying scrap.
And those were just the lead-ins to the big show.

When reading and listening to criticism of the show, it's clear exactly where the collective ire is drawn. Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is absorbing a ton of criticism and it doesn't necessarily deserve it, or at least not the fervor with which it's being delivered.
Was it pacing? No, couldn't be. "Rampage" wasn't as aggressive as he's been in times past but he wasn't exactly Kalib Starnes in there. He pushed when it was called for and he held back when necessary. What's wrong with that?
Perhaps it was "The Hammer" and his unbelievable lack of success in taking Jackson down. This is a man known widely as an elite wrestler, taking on a man just as well known for his defensive deficiencies, who went a staggering 0 for 17 on takedown attempts.
Epic fail.
More than that, he looked sloppy and uneven in the process. There was very little rhythm or rhyme to his game and by the time it was all over, it was clear he was in way over his head.
Still, when taking the fight for what it was, it was entertaining nonetheless. Yes, it was no Griffin vs. Bonnar at the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 1 Finale but even that fight had its slow spots.
I don't know about you, but I was on the edge of my seat every time "Rampage" waded in with punches, landing clean uppercuts that were staggering the hard-headed Hamill. A finish always felt close, like it was just a matter of another clean shot or two.
The fact that it never came should not be a mark against the fight as a whole. Not every fight has to be Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung part one. Really, it doesn't.
There's also issue with the co-main event of the evening. Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson, whose friendship storyline was beaten to death in the lead-up to the bout.
That narrative had fight fans nearly dry-heaving in the days leading up to the show; however, come fight time, it was the two BFF's that were heaving for breath after just one round of action.
Mir might have a broken rib to blame for that and that's certainly understandable. But Nelson has no such excuse and a big belly target for both Dana White and expectant fans disdain.
Again, though, when not looking through the clouded lens of bloodlust and impossible expectations, it was, overall, a fun fight.
Watch this .gif (via IronforgesIron.com) and tell me you didn't light up in delight:

The first round saw most of the action but even deep into the third, Mir was taking his beefy opponent to the mat, flinging his girth around with expert precision, and landing big elbows from on top.
Frank Mir, the wrestler. Who'da thunk it?
Yet, Dana White again controlled the post-fight narrative, blasting this as an "ugly heavyweight fight" that deeply disappointed. His reasoning, other than the previously mentioned talking points, was that they didn't "bring it" with the necessary "bang" for a co-main event billing.
Poppycock.
It should be noted that White later retracted his criticisms of Mir, lauding his game plan and effective implementation of it, all the while battling through an apparent injury.
Which takes us to the rest of the card and this is where the boxing mentality becomes evident. What I mean by that is that folks pay for the headliners. If you're not on the event poster, the assumption becomes you don't matter and therefore your fight is given less weight in the grand scheme.
Which is the dumbest attitude ever.
Brian Stann started the night with a ridiculously strong performance, absolutely destroying Jorge Santiago with multiple knockdowns and vicious striking.
Illustration (via IronforgesIron):

Stann, a former Marine, did this against a former champion who was 11-1 in his last 12 fights, on Memorial Day weekend.
That's just b-e-a-utiful.
If that wasn't enough, Rick Story went out next and put on an impressive display of grappling mixed with an inhuman ability to absorb punishment from a "Pitbull" like Thiago Alves.
"Horror" had his way with Alves throughout the first two frames, doing the necessary deeds to deliver the proverbial "W." He was also completely willing to stand in the pocket and trade with the Brazilian eating shot after shot in the final round and walking right through it.
But, you know... nothing that made anyone stand up, right?
To complete the trifecta of destruction, Hawaiian hitman Travis Browne went out and skillfully applied his knowledge of Stefan Struve's tendencies to earn himself an unbelievable knockout win via, of all things, a superman punch.
Watching "Hapa" raze the "Skyscraper" inside the first round, and then learning exactly how he did it, was nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Last .gif to show my point:

Oh yes, indeedy, feed the needy, f*ck the greedy.
Keep in mind, this is Stefan Struve, the man that went toe-to-toe trading blows with Paul Buentello and Christian Morecraft, taking an unreal amount of punishment before eventually winning the former fight by decision and the latter fight by knockout.
This man was felled by just one punch from Browne.
That's a holy sh*t moment if there ever was one and yet, it wasn't enough to overshadow a main and co-main event that pundits and bloodthirsty fans just couldn't enjoy.
I'm not preaching that you should accept mediocrity in your entertainment. But don't outright look for a reason to throw a turd in the punchbowl.

DREAM 17 – Gegard Mousasi set to defend his title against Hiroshi Izumi on July 16th in Japan

DREAM light heavyweight champion, Gegard Mousasi looks set to defend his title against Olympic Judo silver medallist, Hiroshi Izumi on July 17^th in Japan it has tonight been revealed.
The news comes via InsideFights.com who stated sources close to one of the two men revealed the fight to them earlier today although it’s unclear how far along negotiations are.
Mousasi captured the title last September when he defeated Tatsuya Mizuno at DREAM 16 via submission. He was last in action on a recent Strikeforce card, picking up a draw against former UFC veteran Keith Jardine in the process.
Izuma heads into this one with just a 4-1 record having started his MMA career in September 2009. He currently holds wins over British fighter James Zikic and Japanese crowd favourite Ikuhisa Minowa.

UFC 132 – Chris Leben vows to go toe-to-toe with Wanderlei Silva in Las Vegas, Nevada (video)

UFC middleweight slugger, Chris Leben talks about his upcoming fight at UFC 132 on July 2^nd with the legendary Wanderlei Silva, vowing to go toe-to-toe with him on the night in what should be one of the best fights of the year.

UFC 130 winner Rick Story thinks Jon Fitch is best opponent for next fight

He's done well so far to request the fights that make the most career sense to him, and Rick Story (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) already has a guy in mind for his next appearance.

Story, who earned his biggest win to date against Thiago Alves this past Saturday at UFC 130, said he'd like to fight perennial contender Jon Fitch.

"Me and my coach Pat White were discussing this, and we think that the next opponent that would best suit us would be Jon Fitch because he's the next guy in line," Story said following the event, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Story should be thankful to be in the position to make a request. He took a knee to the jaw in round three that sent his teeth through his mouthpiece. Alves also cracked him with several punches to the jaw. The fight ended with both men swinging for the bleachers.

Yet some in the audience felt the action wasn't good enough and booed – a common theme throughout the pay-per-view event.

"I actually thought it was a great fight," UFC president Dana White said. "I don't know what those people were watching. Rick Story fought a great fight.

"He got crushed with that knee, and the fight changed. Thiago had a chance to jump in there and take that fight over, in my opinion, and he didn't. Rick kept his head together (and) kept his composure like a pro."

Story requested the fight with Alves following a decision win over fellow up-and-comer Johny Hendricks. This past Saturday's victory was his sixth consecutive win.

A fight with Jon Fitch would undoubtedly move Story to within striking distance of a shot at welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Fitch is currently recovering from a shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from a rematch with B.J. Penn at UFC 132 (The two fought to a draw at UFC 127).

White's ears may be more open to requests given his praise for Story's performance.

"He showed some big stuff tonight against a tough guy who's been in big fights," White said. "I thought it was a great fight. No reason to boo."

A National Moment of Remembrance On Memorial Day

That poem about where “poppies blow”
And, “the crosses, row on row”
Still rings true, these ninety years
After written, still brings tears.

We still have Dead, “amid the guns”
And lose our young and our loved ones
Those who lived, “short days ago”
Who, “felt dawn, saw sunset glow”.

In Flanders Fields, “the poppy red”
Still grow near where the blood was bled
They, “Take up our quarrel with the foe”
And still die for Freedoms that we know.

They pass, “The torch” to, “hold it high”
And not, “break the faith with us who die”
For they, “shall not sleep, though poppies grow”
Beneath all those, “crosses, row on row”
In Flanders Fields.

Mike Dolce confirms he’s interested in helping Roy Nelson, says he could get him down to middleweight if he wanted

World renowned nutritionist, Mike Dolce has confirmed that he’s interested in helping “Ultimate Fighter” season ten winner, Roy Nelson get in shape ahead of his next fight inside the octagon, adding he could even help ‘Big Country’ make 185 pounds if he wanted.
Speaking via MMAWeekly.com, Dolce said:

“In my honest and humble opinion, I believe I could help Roy Nelson unlock his full potential as an athlete, as a fighter, but also in health potential as a human being. I used to be 280 pounds, so at five-foot-nine I walked around 20 pounds heavier than Roy weighed in at the UFC, and now I’m 188 pounds this morning at six percent body fat.”

“I can get him down easily if he wants to be a chiseled heavyweight. I can certainly do that. If he wants to be a light heavyweight I can do that. I could probably get him down to middleweight depending on what his goals are. I could do it the most healthy way possible, extend his life, extend his vitality, all of those things. But in the short term take every possible advantage to get the utmost of his ability.”

“The heavyweight division is just filled with guys that walk around not paying attention to diet because they only think in terms of weight class, they don’t think in terms of longevity or athleticism. I like the guy, I’d invite him to my house to have dinner with my family, that’s the criteria for anybody I work with. Roy’s on that list. His wife was very pleasant and personable. They’re good people.”

Nelson is due to meet with UFC President, Dana White for showdown talks following his latest below-par performance inside the octagon and Dolce’s involvement could be enough to delay ‘Big Country’s’ stay of execution for at least another fight.

Jorge and Zoila Gurgel enjoying married life, eyeing MMA greatness

In mixed martial arts, it's almost a job requirement for fighters to spend countless hours away from their families, and in some cases depart their homes in order to seek the proper instruction needed to be successful.

But Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel (14-7) and his wife Zoila (11-1) no longer have to seek out guidance, as they now have each other.

Earlier this year, the pair exchanged vows in a private ceremony, and Jorge recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he's happier than ever.

As for Zoila, her husband now serves as her head coach, and she feels that they are living the ideal life.

"Everything's covered now," Zoila said. "I came from a place that I had to look to find everything I needed. Now, I have everything in one place, so to bring all that together, I'm more than excited to start learning more and to get to the best of my ability.

"Everything is perfect, and now it's getting to the top and staying up there."

In March, the couple accomplished a rare feat by earning victories on the same night. Zoila defeated Karina Hallinan by decision at Bellator 35, and Jorge scored a swift 44-second submission win over Billy Vaughan at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson."

"I think it was the greatest day," Jorge said. "She's really the hero of the whole story because all the cornermen stayed with me, and she had to leave and go by herself to California. She had all new cornermen that never coached her in the camp, and she went in there and pulled out the victory.

"It turned out to be a great start to the year for us."

The couple's passion for the sport runs deep, and the say their marriage is improving every aspect of their lives and careers, especially once they step inside of the cage.

"I think it makes the passion for everything better," Zoila said. "Love makes everything better, so when it comes to what we do and the passion we have for the sport, it brings the best out of both us. I believe it was great for both of us to of found each other."

"We have a rule at the house," Jorge explained. "We say, 'I'm the boss, but she comes first.'

"I know how to train for a fight, but my main goal is to make sure she's getting the best
training she can, the best nutrition she can, the best information, and she's evolving as fast as she can."

Fittingly, the Jorge Gurgel MMA Academy in Cincinnati is where the couple calls home for training, and for Jorge, he believes his wife is destined to reach the sports elite.

"I want her to be ranked pound-for-pound," Jorge said. "Before her career's over, no one's going to touch her at 115, 120, or 125 pounds."

Strikeforce tickets for 'Fedor vs Henderson' in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on July 30, on sale soon

Tickets for Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Henderson," which was recently made official for the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on Saturday, July 30, 2011, will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, June 4, 2011, at 10 a.m. CT.
UFC Fight Club members and Strikeforce/UFC Newsletter subscribers, naturally, will be able to scoop up tickets prior to them being available for public consumption.
"Fedor vs. Henderson" will feature former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko as he attempts to rebound from two consecutive losses by taking on current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Dan Henderson.
Here is the Strikeforce tickets sales schedule:

• UFC Fight Club presale: Thursday, June 2 at 10 a.m. CT
• Strikeforce/UFC Newsletter presale: Friday, June 3 at 10 a.m. CT
• General tickets sale: Saturday, June 4 at 10 a.m. CT

Strikeforce tickets can be purchased through StubHub.com (Note: StubHub often has seats available even if the event is "sold out"). It will also be available to watch on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET on fight night.

Search still underway in Arizona for missing MMA fighter Todd Whitzel

Search is still underway for 27-year-old Arizona professional mixed martial arts fighter and Rage in the Cage veteran Todd M. Whitzel, who has been missing for 18 days.
If anyone has any information relating to Todd Whitzel’s location or this case please contact Sgt. Alvarez at the Marana Police Department in Marana, Ariz., at 520-382-2000.

* Name: Todd Michael. Whitzel
* Height: 5′ 10″
* Weight: 165 lbs.
* Race: Caucasian
* Hair: Brown
* Recognizable features: Has an Ace of Spades tattoo on the back of head
* Last seen: 5-11-11 on a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle near Tucson, Ariz

Whitzel was involved in an altercation against two men outside a bar when a group of men from inside came out and joined in. At this point, apparently a gun was pulled by a friend of Whitzel’s to keep the crowd at bay, giving Whitzel time enough to escape on his Harley Davidson motorcycle with his friend on the back.

  according to the friend, Whitzel dropped him off at his home about four minutes away. He asked Whitzel to stay but he declined and said he needed to go. That was the last anyone has seen or heard from Todd Whitzel.

Whitzel’s aunt said his girlfriend made a call to his mobile phone at 3:01 a.m. early Friday morning, May 13. The phone was answered and she stayed on the call for 23 minutes calling out for Whitzel but all she could hear was the motorcycle, until finally, the bike shut off and she heard a dog bark but there was still no response. 

Fedor Emelianenko set to pocket $1.5 million for next fight, Dan Henderson takes home $800,000

A staggering purse of $1.5 million will reportedly be taken home by formerly ranked number one fighter on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko following his next fight inside the Strikeforce cage, almost twice the amount his opponent, Dan Henderson will earn for his part in the proceedings.
The figures were quoted by ESPN over the weekend after speaking to a source close to the fight which will go down on July 30^th at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Fedor is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his mixed martial arts career leaving many to question whether he can still compete at the highest level in the heavyweight division. A fight with Henderson, although no doubt entertaining, will do little to answer that question but it will make the Russian a hefty sum of money.