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Jon Fitch videos training Muay Thai in Thailand Posted: 31 Oct 2008 08:10 AM CDT Check out another one of Fitch with Brodie Farber after the jump.

Nick Diaz formally files breach of contract against Elite XC Posted: 30 Oct 2008 11:38 PM CDT Former Elite XC lightweight contender Nick Diaz today formally filed a breach of contract notice against Elite XC, which closed its doors earlier this month, to ensure that he can legally remain an active fighter in the days and months ahead with no restrictions. The title of the letter read, “Notice of Breach - Unarmed Combatant Promotional Agreement between Nick Diaz and EliteXC Live, Inc.” It was made available in its entirety over at GracieFighter.com. The breach obviously comes from the promotion being unable to fulfill the number of fights on his contract. The promotion has 30 days to remedy the situation; however, that remains a very slim possibility now that it no longer exists. Diaz was set to face Eddie Alvarez for the company’s vacant lightweight title on November 8. That bout was scrapped when Elite XC announced its plans to fold. The Cesar Gracie-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is always in great shape and seems to want to fight a lot. So this letter should make him eligible to fight anywhere he pleases after 30 days. Here’s a snip: “Pursuant to Article 43 of the Agreement, EliteXC Live Inc. has thirty (30) days to cure such material breach by posting a bond or other form of escrow in such an amount as set forth in the Agreement that must be payable to Mr. Diaz upon completion of each contemplated Bout set forth in the Agreement and any extensions thereof, and, specifically to evidence EliteXC Live Inc.’s ability to fulfill its obligations under Article 47. If EliteXC Live Inc. fails to cure such material breach in the manner set forth above within thirty (30) days of receipt this written notice, then in Accordance with Article 43, the Agreement and any extensions thereof will be terminated.” Diaz has been clear in the past that he enjoys competing in Japan under their rules and in a ring. In fact, he has been rumored for months to be facing “Mach” Sakurai for the DREAM welterweight crown. The Japanese have traditionally always put together solid events on New Year’s Eve and 2008 is no exception. Therefore, if Diaz becomes a free agent, don’t be surprised to see him compete one more time before year’s end … perhaps on the stacked DREAM K-1 card. Time will tell.

HDNet purchase IFL video library and more for $650,000 Posted: 30 Oct 2008 11:22 PM CDT The premium cable and satellite channel HDNet was cleared by The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York on Tuesday to buy the remaining assets of the now extinct International Fight League (IFL) for a cool $650,000. The finding was made public on Thursday through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If and when the Mark Cuban-owned network decides to finalize the purchase, it will own the entire library of video footage and all the rights that go with those for the complete history of the organization, as well as its Web site and any remaining television contracts that were left over. HDNet has quickly become a hot spot for mixed martial arts footage on television. The only problem is that a lot of cable outlets don’t provide the channel, which leaves a lot of MMA fans in the dark. Perhaps continued popularity for the sport and more acquisitions like this for HDNet might lead to more cable companies offering it. One would hope at least. Regardless, this was a real nice pick up for the fast rising network. There is some great footage in that library from some world class caliber fighters. Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, Chris Horodecki, Jens Pulver, Renzo Gracie, Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn, Matt Lindland, Robbie Lawler, Jens Pulver, Jeff Curran and plenty of other top fighters have competed on IFL cards in the past. Whether or not it pays long-term dividends remains to be seen. So from now on, the only place you can see those fights is on HDNet … if you’re among the relative few who are fortunate to get the channel, of course.

Dana White ‘lukewarm’ to Anderson Silva vs Chuck Liddell Posted: 30 Oct 2008 11:01 PM CDT Props: Yahoo!Sports.com “I think the fight for Silva is one against Liddell on Jan. 31 at UFC 94 in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White has been lukewarm on it so far, but it would be a fun battle and it certainly would be a fight that would have Silva motivated…. [White] didn't seem all that interested. I had talked with him about it in a private phone conversation about 10 days earlier and he was no more interested in it then. I'm not saying it won't happen, just that Dana doesn't seem enthused by the idea” Yahoo!Sports reporter Kevin Iole talks about Dana White’s reaction to a potential showdown between UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell in a 205-pound showdown. “The Spider” has just five fights left possibly in his career, which means that the promotion will likely try and get the most out of its most talented fighter before he exits stage left. He recently topped Patrick Cote at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” on October 25 because of a freak knee injury that prevented the Canadian from continuing; however, Silva’s performance was puzzling and received an avalanche of criticism. As a result, he is eager to return to competition as soon as possible to prove that it was just an aberration and not an indication of his ability or representative of his respect for his opponents and the sport. Liddell has lost three of his last four fights, but is still perhaps the most recognized fighter on the roster, making a fight between Silva and Liddell more than likely a huge money maker. “The Iceman” is really the only high profile 205-pound fighter who is available to compete anytime soon besides maybe Keith Jardine.

UFC 92 fight card official for ‘The Ultimate 2008′ in Las Vegas Dec. 27 Posted: 30 Oct 2008 07:21 PM CDT The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today announced the final line up for its New Year’s Eve pay-per-view (PPV) special, which is slated for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 27. This is the blockbuster year-end pay-per-view (PPV) event for the promotion, which features three ridiculous bouts atop the fight card, as well as several other intriguing match ups. UFC 92 features the second half of the heavyweight tournament undisputed title eliminator between interim division champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir in the main event, as well as the light heavyweight championship bout between 205-pound title holder Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans. And, of course, arch enemies Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Wanderlei Silva will collide for the third time in a light heavyweight clash between two of the most exciting and hard-hitting fighters in the sport. Here is the complete UFC 92 fight card: Main event: 205 lbs.: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) vs. Rashad Evans (12-0-1) Main card (Televised): 265 lbs.: UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira (31-4-1) vs. Frank Mir (11-3) 185 lbs.: C.B. Dollaway (7-7) vs. Mike Massenzio (11-2) 205 lbs.: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (28-7) vs. Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) 265 lbs.: Cheick Kongo (12-4-1) vs. Mustafa Al-Turk (6-3) Under card (May not be broadcast): 185 lbs.: Yushin Okami (21-4-1) vs. Dean Lister (11-5) 265 lbs.: Antoni Hardonk (7-4) vs. Mark Burch (9-2) 205 lbs.: Matt Hamill (4-2) Vs. Reese Andy (7-2) 170 lbs.: Ryo Chonan (15-8) vs. Brad Blackburn (12-9-1) 265 lbs.: Dan Evensen (10-3) vs. Pat Barry (3-0) For all the UFC 92 news and information you can handle be sure to hit up our event archive right here. Remember that we will also be the spot for up-to-the-minute LIVE results and coverage on fight night.

Matt Hamill vs Reese Andy UFC 92 fight official Posted: 30 Oct 2008 07:00 PM CDT Light heavyweights Matt Hamill (4-2) and Reese Andy (7-2) will go toe-to-toe inside the Octagon at UFC 92: “The Ultimate 2008″ at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The promotion today announced the match up, which is not guaranteed to make the televised pay-per-view (PPV) telecast on New Year’s Eve weekend. Hamill is coming off a tough technical knockout loss to his friend and former training partner, Rich Franklin, at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” back in September. It marked the second loss in his last three appearances for the former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter. The loss was perhaps not as hard to swallow as the performance — Hamill refused to apply his elite wrestling skills and instead was content to eat more than his fair share of punches from “Ace.” Expect to see him go back to his roots against Andy, who is no slouch himself on the ground. Andy was on a four-fight win streak, including impressive victories over Krzysztof Soszynski, Justin Levens, Mike Ciesnolevicz and others, before colliding with Brandon Vera at UFC Fight Night 14 back in July. The former International Fight League (IFL) standout lost a lackluster unanimous decision that night in Las Vegas. The University of Wyoming wrestling alum will be in search of his first UFC win on December 27. UFC 92 features a light heavyweight clash between 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin and top contender Rashad Evans in the main event, as well as a heavyweight bout between interim division champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira and Frank Mir. To check out the official UFC 92 fight card click here.

‘MMA Live’ episode 25 video on UFC 90 fallout and more Posted: 30 Oct 2008 02:30 PM CDT

UFC 91 Web site complete for ‘Couture vs. Lesnar’ Posted: 30 Oct 2008 01:48 PM CDT Props: 91.UFC.com

Strikeforce fight card for ‘Destruction’ in San Jose Nov. 21 finalized Posted: 30 Oct 2008 01:29 PM CDT Strikeforce officially announced the full fight card for its “Destruction” event set for the HP Pavillion in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, November 21. The event will air live on the premium cable and satellite channel HDNet, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. As expected, the two featured bouts of the evening will place the Strikeforce lightweight world title and the Strikeforce light heavyweight world titles on the line. The main event will be Josh “The Punk” Thomson’s first 155-pound title defense since winning the gold from Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez back in June. His opponent will be former MMA journeyman and UFC/Elite XC veteran Yves Edwards. The two fighters previously competed against one another at UFC 49 in August of 2004 with Edwards getting the better of “The Punk” with a first round highlight-reel knockout via flying head kick. The co-main event will pit company 205-pound champion Bobby Southworth against the very talented and equally dangerous Brazilian Renato “Babalu” Sobral. Originally the pair was scheduled to face off at the second Playboy Mansion event last month for the division crown, but both fighters eventually had to pull out with injuries. The rest of the card is shaping up nicely as well for the organizations first trip back home to San Jose since the June “Melendez vs. Thomson” event. Here’s what we have to look forward to on November 21: Main event: 155 lbs.: Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson (16-2) vs. Yves Edwards (34-14-1) Rest of the card: 205 lbs.: Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7) 170 lbs.: Joe “Diesel” Riggs (28-11) vs. Luke Stewart (6-1) 175 lbs.: Lemont Davis (2-1) vs. Brian Schwartz (0-1) 135 lbs.: Brad Royster (1-1) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (4-2) 185 lbs.: Tony Johnson (3-0) vs. Eric Lawson (7-2) 145 lbs.: Alvin Cacdac (4-4) vs. Jose Palacios (3-1) 155 lbs.: Bobby Stack (5-1) vs. Cyrillo Padilha (2-2) 155 lbs.: Zakary Bucia (0-1) vs. Jaime Rodriguez (0-0) 185 lbs.: Kurt Osiander (3-1) vs. Raul Castillo (5-0) 185 lbs.: Nik Theotikos (5-1) vs. Luke Rockhold (2-1) Remember, MMAmania.com will be your spot for all your Strikeforce: “Destruction” news before, during and after the event, so keep it locked right here.

Kimbo Slice vs Seth Petruzelli rematch rumored for New Year’s Eve in Japan Posted: 30 Oct 2008 11:28 AM CDT Kimbo Slice (3-1) is eyeing a return to action against the man who defeated him in just 14 seconds at Elite XC: “Heat” on October 4, Seth “The Silverback” Petruzelli (10-4), according to an interview in a recent article with the Sun-Sentinel. The possible destination for the rematch is the DREAM K-1 New Year’s Eve event in Japan. Petruzelli was a last minute replacement for an injured Ken Shamrock when he faced Kimbo the first time around. He stunned the bearded brawler and an arena full of his hometown faithful that night by landing a straight right directly on the button and finishing him off in only 14 seconds. The win didn’t come without some negative effects for Petruzelli, however. He made some comments on an Orlando morning radio program two days later that reeked of possible match fixing. The interview sparked an investigation into Elite XC and later was among the contributing causes to the promotion going under. Regardless, Petruzelli was quick to say he would give Slice a rematch at the post event presser in Sunrise. And realistically it was only a matter of time before the fight was inked. But with the demise of the promotion, it was uncertain whether or not Petruzelli vs. Kimbo II would ever happen. Both fighters are free agents now (or will be soon) and if this latest report is active, we’ll be seeing the two square off again before the end of 2008. Petruzelli is a wrestling and karate expert who likes to finish his opponents with his striking. Nine times he’s had his hand raised because of a knockout. His only losses in his eight-year career have come to UFC veterans Gan McGee, Mario Neto, Matt Hamill and Wilson Gouveia. Kimbo made his mark on the entertainment world by knocking out dudes in Miami backyards. By airing the footage on YouTube.com he became an overnight celebrity and fighting professionally soon became his calling. He enlisted the help of legendary mixed martial artist Bas Rutten as his head trainer and he’s been training consistently for more than two years now. His first setback was the loss to Seth and it’ll be interesting to see how he responds in his next fight … especially if it’s a rematch with “The Silverback.” Also rumored to be competing on the DREAM K-1 New Year’s Eve event are Joachim Hansen, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Masakazu Imanari, Takeshi Yamazaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Minowaman, Kiyoshi Tamura, Seichi Ikemoto, Yuichi Nakanishi, Yasuhiro Kido, Yoshihiro Sato, Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto, Caol Uno, Hideo Tokoro, Masakatsu Funaki, Katsuyori Shibata, Junichi Sawayashiki, Taishin Kohiruimaki, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Gegard Mousasi and Hong Man Choi. Star studded to say the least. With a lineup like this, it’s safe to say Kimbo and Seth won’t be main eventing this one. If so, it will be the first time in his career that the Miami native was not the headliner. We’ll keep you posted on more news regarding this fight and event as it’s announced.

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Georges St. Pierre talks UFC 94 bout against BJ Penn (Video) Posted: 29 Oct 2008 11:49 PM CDT x x x

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8: Episode 7 recap and discussion Posted: 29 Oct 2008 09:03 PM CDT Episode seven of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is now underway and with a title like “Body Bag” one has to wonder what exactly we’re in store for before (or perhaps during) tonight’s light heavyweight elimination fight. We get a quick recap of last week’s Browning vs. Delgado fight and while Roli gets props for his heart and determination (despite the split-decision loss), Team Blue is running a train on Junie for his inability to finish what most perceived to be the show’s weakest link. Coach Mir said it best: “Okay let’s be realistic, you just went three rounds with Rolando.” Afterward, Team Mir hits practice with an upbeat feeling, having tied things up at two fights apiece and retaining control of the fight picks. That is until Krzysztof Soszynski gets hitchhiker’s thumb courtesy of Eliot Marshall’s flailing man-bag. Krystos is convinced it’s either broken or fractured, but vows to fight on with no problems or complaints. We shall see. Coach Mir has also recruited Rafael Alejarra, Wanderlei Silva’s personal trainer to help teach his troops how to train for fight conditioning and not just good gym cardio. With that, out comes the snorkels to restrict oxygen and mimic the effects of being wiped in the later rounds of a grueling fight. To keep any of the guys from dropping dead, they pay homage to Millvina Dean by dumping them into a garbage pail filled with ice water immediately following their workout to reduce muscle inflammation and restore blood flow. Mir ends the segment with his second best quote: “People can take physical pain, people can take mental anguish, but cardio pain crushes everybody.” Then he has to go and ruin my newfound admiration for him by telling Vinny Magalhaes that he (Mags) has better jiu-jitsu than Coach Noguiera. Vinny (who by his own admission is despised in Brazil) just nods in agreement like its common knowledge and says that Nog’s jits is “very basic.” We’re talking about a guy who has ended 20 professional fights via submission - against some of the worlds best fighters. Can we show a little respect? If there is justice in this world, someone will pay for this heresy. Speaking of Big Nog, Team Nogueira also hits the gym and starts running back and forth with their arms interlocked like a human coin pusher from the mall arcade. Team Red appreciates the lighthearted approach though Coach Nogueira longs for the days when he had control of the fight picks. They continue the party-like atmosphere back at the house when Jules and Phillipe bake Nog a cake for his birthday. Jules says baking a cake for Nogueira is a dream come true and one of the best experiences of his life. They cook up a literal feast and chow down while laughing and having fun. The cynic in me wanted to point my finger and laugh but truth be told I almost wished I was there (I like cake). Though I will admit Nog looked a little Corky-ish sitting there clapping his hands in excitement after blowing out the candles on his cake. A bitter and jealous Shane Nelson says that Team Red is too close and sucks each other’s d*%& too much. Sounds like someone didn’t get a piece of cake. Vinny takes over for Junie in the A-hole department and starts calling Team Nogueira fake for all their camaraderie and admits he’s there not for his team but for himself. Mags is sure to get recruited by a great MMA camp with that attitude. At the fight announcement, Team Mir chooses Vinny Magalhaes to fight Jules Bruchez because Mir is convinced that Jules will easily be destroyed by the jiu-jitsu black belt. We get a closer look at Vinny as he prepares for his fight with Jules and he does have an impressive grappling resume but as Mir states, still has a few areas that need attention before he can be considered a complete fighter. Unfortunately for Vinny, Junie Browning has the verbal restraint of an African Grey Parrot and tells some of the Team Red guys about Vinny’s belief that he is equal or superior to Nogueira when it comes to jiu-jitsu. Nog smiles on the outside and detonates on the inside. He explains to the guys that there is a marked difference between what you can do in training and what you can do inside a locked cage and says Vinny has “little balls.” In addition, Nog finds Vinny in the gym and blacks out on him in Portuguese. After telling him they are now “enemies,” Vinny has nothing to say except how he respects Nog and he never said anything of the sort and blah, blah, blah. Nog also tells him they are not on speaking terms and that Vinny blew his chance of having any contact with him now or in the future. Vinny begs him to check the tape to clear his name and then later in the confessional goes right back to being a tough guy and mouthing off about how he doesn’t care if Nog speaks to him or not. After the dust settles we go to the training of Jules Bruchez. Coach Stankie tells him it would be nice if he was good on top so that he wouldn’t have to go down and dirty and smell all those farts. For a moment I felt like I was back in my sex-ed class in high school. Coach Noguiera likes the power in Jules hands and thinks his heart will be the difference. Back at the house, Krzysztof decides its time to get his prank on and orders a fake tombstone and body bag for Jules bedroom. I’m still trying to figure out where they got the body bag. Presumably from the supply closet at Stankie’s nursing home. Anyway, I get the feeling Krzysztof is picking Vinny in this fight. Team Red comes home to find the mock-funeral and once again it ends rather anti-climatically for the simple reason that Bruchez was more impressed by the prank then offended by it. In the locker room before the fight, Vinny admits he had a dream that he was submitted by Jules. Mir vows to quit as a coach if that dream comes true. Jules on the other hand would be content just to knock Vinny’s head clean off. Team Mir’s Vinny Magalhaes (2-2) vs. Team Nogueira’s Jules Bruchez (0-0) Round 1: Vinny opens with two high kicks and a right, none of which land. He follows with an inside leg kick that does. Jules answers with one of his own that just gets the shin. A frightened Jules has the head movement of John the Baptiste. Vinny lands another inside leg kick. Jules misses a punch, Vinny misses a kick. Nice body kick by Vinny who follows it with an inside leg kick. Hard body kick by Vinny. And another. Both fighters seem content to do nothing but bob and weave. Jules lands a jab and a front kick, misses with another. A background shot of Dan Henderson has him looking bored. Jules charges with a combo and a Vinny clinch turns into a flying armbar attempt. It’s unsuccessful but they go to the ground and Vinny easily mounts. Vinny shows impressive flexibility as he starts with a gogoplata and finishes with an armbar. Vinny Magalhaes defeats Jules Bruchez via submission (armbar). Tedious fight. UFC President Dana White was not impressed with the phantom stand-up from either fighter. I can’t blame Jules since he owns a professional record of 0-0. Nice finish by Vinny but again his striking could prove to be his downfall in the semis. Stay tuned next week as the latest prank involves stolen food and one man’s retribution, two lightweights square off for a chance to advance and a shocking betrayal by one fighter leaves the house in shock. See you in seven!

UFC 86 DVD ‘JACKSON VS GRIFFIN’ Posted: 29 Oct 2008 08:45 PM CDT UFC 86 ‘Jackson vs. Griffin’ was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on July 5, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event featured the five-round thriller between UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and challenger Forrest Griffin, who also served as coach opposite Jackson on season seven of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) back in April. In addition, don’t miss the middleweight match-up between Ricardo Almeida and Patrick Cote to determine the number one contender for Anderson Silva’s 185 lb title. Here is the complete card for UFC 86 ‘Jackson vs. Griffin’: UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: 205 lbs.: Quinton Jackson (28-6) vs. Forrest Griffin (15-4) Main Card: 185 lbs.: Patrick Cote (12-4) vs. Ricardo Almeida (9-2) 155 lbs.: Joe Stevenson (28-8) vs. Gleison Tibau (15-5) 170 lbs.: Josh Koscheck (10-2) vs. Chris Lytle (25-15) 155 lbs.: Tyson Griffin (11-1) vs. Marcus Aurelio (16-5) Under Card: 265 lbs.: Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) vs. Justin McCully (8-3-2) 155 lbs.: Cole Miller (13-3) vs. Jorge Gurgel (12-3) 155 lbs.: Melvin Guillard (21-7-2) vs. Dennis Siver (11-5) 155 lbs.: Corey Hill (2-0) vs. Justin Buchholz (7-2) UFC 86 "Jackson vs. Griffin' is now available for sale in our DVD store for $19.99 by clicking here. To check out our massive library of MMA DVD titles, including PRIDE DVD and UFC DVD click here. We also have Elite XC, WEC, Cage Rage, IFL, King of the Cage and other products for sale in our store. Looking for a title but don't see it in our store? Email us and we'll be happy to check its availability. Please keep in mind that we are only able to ship within the continental United States at this time.

UFC Quick Quote: Dana White respects Strikeforce; Gina Carano Posted: 29 Oct 2008 08:42 PM CDT “I hope they do 10 million viewers next week. Have you heard me say a bad word about Strikeforce? I wish them all the luck in the world. I have nothing bad to say about guys who are running the right promotion … Gina Carano’s a talented fighter, she’s a star. She should’ve been the main event (on CBS’ last EliteXC broadcast). My thing with women and fighting is there isn’t enough good women to create a whole division. Could I do some one-off fights here and there? Yeah, but that’s not really what we do.” -UFC President Dana White as quoted in USA Today about what place Strikeforce and Gina Carano have in today’s world of mixed martial arts. Perhaps Mr. White isn’t the meglomaniacal dictator some people make him out to be. You decide.

Spirit MC 19 ‘Termination’ trailer and quick preview Posted: 29 Oct 2008 08:20 PM CDT South Korean promotion Spirit MC has finalized the card for their upcoming ‘Termination’ event which will take place on Thursday, October 30 at the Chungcheong University in Cheongju City, South Korea. And it’s a doozy. First up is the middleweight (176lbs) title bout that pits Jae Suk Lim against Sang Il An. Fans may recognize Suk Lim from his previous stints with Strikeforce and Elite XC. He looked great in his last bout, submitting Jung Hwan Chan in the first round via rear naked choke at Spirit MC 17 ‘All In’ which took place back in June. Il An is coming off a lesser performance than Suk Lim’s after battling to a draw against Dong Hyun Kim (no, not the UFC fighter) at Spirit MC 18 ‘The Champion’ last August. Il An had impressive back-to-back knockouts earlier this year and is sure to be looking for his third against Chan. Next in championship action will be the highly anticipated fight between Kwang “Crazy” Hee Lee who will put his welterweight (154lbs) title on the line against undefeated Ui Cheol Nam. Hee Lee has won all five of his fights in Spirit MC - all by way of KO or TKO and certainly has a vicious pair of hands. He faced his first loss however back in May competing at ‘Sengoku Second Battle’ losing to Eiji Mitsuoka via rear naked choke in the first round. He’ll be looking to get back to his winning streak and possibly provide the fans with another knockout. It won’t be an easy task however since his opponent Cheol Nam is undefeated at 8-0. This fight has the potential to be one hell of a brawl. The event also features a handful of newcomers including three MMA debuts. Check out the trailer for ‘Termination’ after the jump: Here is the official fight card for Spirit MC 19 ‘Termination’: Main Card: Jae Suk Lim (10-4) vs.  Sang Il An (2-2-1) Kwang Hee Lee (5-1)) vs. Ui Cheol Nam (8-0) Landon Showalter (7-10-1) vs. Myung Ho Bae (0-0) Kyeong Ho Kang (3-1) vs. Seung Hwan Kim (4-3) Jung Gyu Choi (12-6, 1 NC) vs. Chang Hu Lee (1-0) Jin Suk Jung (3-2) vs. Gi Young Nam (1-5-1) Undercard: Hyeung Seok Lee (2-1) vs. Ho Joong Kim (1-2) Hwang Young Jim (1-0) vs. Young Sam Jung (0-2) Kim My (1-0) vs. No Joo Ki (0-1) Du Ho Choi (0-0) vs. Jeong Jun Hoe (0-0)

Olympic Judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii signs with FEG Posted: 29 Oct 2008 05:33 PM CDT Olympic Judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii was set to make his mixed martial arts debut on New Year’s Eve at the FieLDS Dynamite show at the end of this year. However it now looks as though he will just be making a brief cameo appearance like Fedor Emelianenko did back at DREAM 6 in September according to our friends at Nightmare of Battle. While fans may be disappointed that he won’t be competing, the good news is he’s officially signed with Japan’s Fighting & Entertainment Group (FEG) and is expected to compete in an upcoming DREAM event sometime in Spring 2009. I’m sure he’ll elaborate when his fan club holds a celebration party on November 3, but for now he is remaining tight-lipped about the details. The December 31 Dynamite card features a plethora of top-tier fighters and fan favorites such as Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai, Joachim Hansen, Yoshihiro Sato and many more. One of the names being kicked around for Ishii’s debut according to Tokyo-Sports is fellow Judo gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida (8-6-1). Nothing is certain yet, but both athletes rank very high in the court of public opinion and a fight between them would no doubt be a huge draw. After winning an Olympic gold medal in Judo this summer in Beijing, many Japanese fans regard Ishii as a national hero. His appearance in and of itself might help to bring Japanese mixed martial arts back into the mainstream like the glory days of PRIDE FC. After winning his gold medal, Ishii issued an open challenge to heavyweight deity Fedor Emelianenko. I guess he didn't see what Fedor did to silver medalist Naoya Ogawa at PRIDE Final Conflict back in 2004. Fedor of course smiled and went about his business, as Ishii has yet to prove that he can transition from Judo to mixed martial arts and a few questions have been raised of his ability to strike - or be struck. In addition, his Judo Federation doesn't seem too keen on the idea of him making the jump from Judo to mixed martial arts, despite Ishii’s persistence. This could be the spark that FEG needs to help ignite DREAM’s sagging ratings. Unless of course he gets smashed by a journeyman ala Kimbo Slice. Looks like we’ll have to wait until November 3 to find out the rest.

Scott Smith offers a fighter’s perspective on the fall of EliteXC Posted: 29 Oct 2008 02:19 PM CDT Former EliteXC middleweight contender Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith was set to face Cuban Judo Olympian Hector "Shango" Lombard at Elite XC "Night of Champions” on November 8 live on Showtime from the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. It was supposed to be the last event for Elite XC in 2008 … and it was shaping up to be perhaps the promotion's best offering to date. Two world title fights were on the line, including a 185-pound showdown between division champion Robbie Lawler and Joey Villasenor and a 160-pound dream match up between Nick Diaz and Eddie Alvarez for the vacant lightweight crown. Smith had trained hard and was prepared to make the most of the opportunity, until a late night phone call changed his career forever. “I was hearing rumors and I actually got a call from a guy that works for the UFC and he was like ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ and I was like I don’t know, you probably know more than I do. Then my manager called and said it was pretty much a done deal.” Little more than two weeks after its biggest star, Kimbo Slice, lost in just 14 seconds to replacement journeyman Seth Petruzelli in front of 4.5 million people on CBS, Elite XC was forced to close its doors forever. “When I saw Kimbo lose (to Seth Petruzelli) I thought oh this isn’t good for EliteXC, they’ve got all their eggs in one basket. Then when I saw the controversy I knew it was just a matter of time at that point. We were kind of hoping for the November card just to get one last payday but everybody knew it was inevitable, it was just a matter of when.” That payday was one that not only Smith, but hundreds of other EliteXC employees were probably counting on. What made it even more difficult for Smith was the timing of the collapse. The closer he got to ‘Night of Champions,’ the more hopeful he became about the event still taking place. “I’ve been in camp for over eight weeks and I’ve been pushing myself hard. It’s one thing if [it happens] two months out from a fight, but two weeks? It’s devastating. Even if I lost, worst case scenario, (including sponsorship money) I would still be out close to $40,000. Until all the paperwork and everything is done I’m not going to be cleared to fight somewhere else before the end of the year. It’s close to the holidays, I got a mortgage to pay, I’ve got two kids, it’s tough.” The company dug a deep $60 million hole of which it was never able to climb out. Obviously, no money — investors who were supposed to keep the company alive at least until the end of the year never materialized — equals no events, especially when there's not even a pay-per-view (PPV) deal to fall back on. “It was purely financial.” Smith explains. “They had to have funding by a certain time, I believe it was Sunday or Monday night. If they didn’t get that funding the next day they were filing for bankruptcy. Everybody pretty much knew they weren’t going to get the funding. Supposedly CBS backed out because of the controversy with the [Petruzelli] fight, they were going to buy the company, but I personally think it was because of the whole Kimbo thing. He’s not nearly as marketable now that he got exposed. I think they’re using the controversy as an excuse. I talked to Showtime and they invested too much money in EliteXC and they had to draw the line and this was the line and they couldn’t put another penny into it.” In the end, the talent was there near the top … it just wasn't enough to compensate for all the other shortcomings and struggles that upstart mixed martial arts promotions face attempting to get off the ground. Especially one that builds a promotion around a fighter that has never been tested against real competition - something that Smith believes was their downfall from the beginning. “[Kimbo] was getting a lot of attention. He was definitely worth fighting and putting on cards and promoting, but they were getting too much away from the Robbie Lawlers and the Jake Shields of the company and just focusing too much on Kimbo. I’ve remained friends with a lot of people from the UFC and they were really upset about [the Kimbo push] calling it a joke. All I can do is support the company I’m working for and hope for the best. I do like Kimbo as a person, he’s a great guy. I have no problem with them promoting Kimbo and building him up because he does have potential to be a great fighter but it was [too much, too soon].” For a company that was plagued with rumors of poor decision making and gross mishandling by its executives, Smith defends the EliteXC management’s handling of the fiasco, specifically by Head of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen. “Jeremy Lappen actually called me last night. He was very professional, very nice. He apologized for having to cancel the card and I kind of felt bad for the guy, that’s a tough phone call to make. (Lappen) said they even offered for upper management not to get a paycheck for this fight to try to make (the November card) happen. I consider Jeremy a friend and I really appreciated that phone call, it was very professional of him.” Despite the financial loss, the sudden end and subsequent unemployment hasn’t soured Smith on his experience under the Pro Elite banner. In fact, Smith considers his tenure with EliteXC to be one of the best of his career. “I’m happy I did it. Everybody from EliteXC treated me great, they took care of me, they paid me well - better than what I was getting at the UFC. I got great exposure, gained some great sponsorship including Affliction which I would have never gotten had I stayed in the UFC. Even how things turned out, I would do the same thing again. I made more money in 2008 then I made - ever.” With the experience behind him, Smith must now concentrate on an uncertain future. While he has been approached by smaller organizations who are interested in his services, Smith still has to wait for the paperwork to be sorted out. In the interim, he’s optimistic that one of the bigger promotions will be ready and waiting for him when that time finally comes. “The hard thing is I just don’t know what’s going to happen. All I can do is keep training. And if I’ve ever said anything bad about Strikeforce or the UFC or Affliction, I take it all back. I love all those guys!” For more on Scott Smith and the demise of EliteXC, check out his interview on MMAmania’s exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio by clicking here.

Bobby Lashley MMA debut for Mixed Fight Alliance set for Dec. 13 Posted: 29 Oct 2008 02:16 PM CDT Former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley will make his long awaited mixed martial arts debut at Mixed Fight Alliance: “There Will Be Blood” at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla., on December 13. No opponent has been named at this time, but that hasn’t stopped local radio stations in the South Florida area from promoting the appearance almost two months out from the actual event. Lashley was a three-time national champion collegiate wrestler at Missouri Valley College from 1996-1998. After college he turned professional and it wasn’t long before the enormous and naturally gifted athlete made his way into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) … the pinnacle of the industry. WWE President and CEO Vince McMahon more or less brought Lashley in as a replacement for Brock Lesnar — who at the time had recently retired and now competes under the UFC banner. He needed a big buy like Lesnar who could come in and wow the crowd with his freakish size, strength and athleticism. Ironically, Lashley is once again following in Brock’s footsteps as he attempts to make the transition into the sport of mixed martial arts. Lesnar — who will fight for the UFC heavyweight championship next month in only his fourth professional fight — has obviously already made his presence felt big time in the fight game. It’s going to be interesting to see if Lashley can produce similar results. It certainly doesn’t hurt his cause that he gets his day-to-day training at American Top Team (ATT) in Coconut Creek, Fla., which has a sick stable of fighters, including heavyweights Antonio Silva, Jeff Monson, Thiago Alves, Gesias ‘JZ’ Cavalcante, Wilson Gouveia, Denis Kang, Thiago Silva and many others to train with and learn from. Lashley is 32 years old, which isn’t young in today’s mixed martial arts world, so he’ll have to learn quickly if he wants to make his mark. But his background in wrestling along with his size and strength advantage should provide him with enough of a base to be competitive on a big stage right away. We’ll find out on December 13. Lashley is currently under contract with the American Fight League (AFL). The two parties inked a two-fight deal with an option for a third earlier this year. But like most of the other fighters under contract with the fledgling promotion, he still has the freedom to fight in other organizations so long as it doesn’t interfere with any AFL obligations. The promotion decided to hold off on its inaugural event until sometime in early 2009, clearing the way for Lashley to compete on the December 13 MFA show. Jeff “The Snowman” Monson (26-8) is also expected to be in action at the American Airlines Arena along with Lashley. An opponent has not yet been named for him either at this time.

Nate Diaz next fight possible at UFC 94 on Jan. 31 Posted: 29 Oct 2008 12:42 PM CDT The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 lightweight winner Nate Diaz will likely not compete inside the Octagon again in 2008 and will instead look to earn a spot on the UFC 94 main card, which is scheduled for the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 31. His trainer, Cesar Gracie, recently relayed the news via his gym’s official Web site, adding that a rumored bout against Clay Guida at TUF 8 Finale on December 12 had fallen through because of a recent foot injury sustained by “The Carpenter” in training. Here’s a snip: “With every viable UFC contender having already been paired for fights in the next couple of months it became clear that Diaz would not have an opponent ready for the rest of 2008. Nothing has been signed as of yet, however we are hoping to see Nathan fight early in 2009.” Diaz has been nothing short of brilliant inside the cage since his stint on TUF, stopping four out of his five most recent opponents and defeating them all.  He most recently headlined UFC Fight Night 15 last month against Josh Neer and the two put on an action-packed three-round show for the fans. He’s clearly ready to graduate and take on the top contenders in the 155-pound division in 2009. Diaz’s mixed martial arts skills are well beyond his 23 years on this planet — he appears to get better and better each time out. It’s scary. UFC 94 will feature the welterweight superfight between former 170-pound champion and current lightweight kingpin BJ Penn versus reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, as well as the highly anticipated showdown between light heavyweight unbeatens Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva. To check out the latest UFC 94 fight card and rumors click here.

Renzo Gracie on life as a fighter; feud with BJ Penn (video) Posted: 29 Oct 2008 10:47 AM CDT Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and mixed martial arts legend Renzo Gracie was featured in a documentary titled "Renzo Gracie: Legacy" at the inaugural U.S. Sports Film Festival last Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Perhaps best known for his battles with Dan Henderson and Kazushi Sakuraba back in the days of PRIDE Fighting Championship, Gracie (13-6-1) last competed at Elite XC: "Destiny" where he defeated Frank Shamrock via disqualification. The movie chronicles Gracie’s life from his days as a boy growing up in Brazil to his time spent as a top competitor in Japan and beyond. Of particular interest was his feud with BJ Penn back in 2005. Penn first studied the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo’s brother Ralph Gracie, who took the gifted Hawaiian under his wing and molded him into a formidable grappler. Penn eventually left the Gracie school and in 2005 went against Gracie tradition by calling out one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most revered pioneers in Rodrigo Gracie. After taking the decision win, Penn then set his sights on Rodrigo’s cousin and brother of his mentor, Renzo Gracie. As if it wasn’t bad enough that a Gracie-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter was calling out another, Renzo took exception to the fact that it was Penn’s father who made the call and not BJ himself. Renzo explains in our exclusive video after the jump: Renzo and BJ fought to a very close decision that saw Penn win a battle of positions. Renzo would later get his revenge when one of his star pupils (at the time) Georges St. Pierre outpointed Penn in similar fashion at UFC 58. Will GSP do it again in their rematch at UFC 94? Gracie has enjoyed his time away from the sport, but still doesn’t consider himself retired. In fact the 41-year-old fighter plans to get back into the mix - after shedding a few extra pounds. Where he fits in to the big picture is hard to say. He still has the ability to draw in Japan and could be a nice addition to one of the upcoming cards in either DREAM or Sengoku. And of course he could always head over to Strikeforce to rematch Frank Shamrock, who got DQ’d for driving his knees into Gracie's head while he was on the ground at ‘Destiny’ (despite being warned by referee Herb Dean regarding an earlier infraction involving the back of the head). Time will tell. Renzo Gracie: ‘Legacy’ is expected to be available on DVD this November.

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Brock Lesnar requests Steve Mazzagatti not referee Randy Couture UFC 91 fight Posted: 29 Oct 2008 08:41 AM CDT The legal team that represents Brock Lesnar recently filed paperwork with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), requesting that referee Steve Mazzagatti be removed from consideration as the man who will be in charge of the action during the main event at UFC 91: "Couture vs. Lesnar" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 15. Mazzagatti officiated Lesnar's Octagon debut against Frank Mir at UFC 81: "Breaking Point" earlier this year. In the opening seconds of the heavyweight bout, Lesnar stormed the former champion and began to maul him with a flurry of strikes. It appeared that Lesnar was on his way to an impressive technical knockout victory; however, the former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star landed several questionable — and according to Mazzagatti — illegal blows to the back of the head. As a result, the action was stopped and Lesnar was docked one point. And when the action restarted Mir survived another blitzkrieg and locked in a fight-ending submission (kneebar) just 91 seconds into the match. Of course, several fans blamed Mazzagatti and his ruling for the result rather than Lesnar and his inability to defend submissions and/or land legal blows. Regardless, when all was said and done, it was perhaps the most hectic and crazy minute and a half of action inside the Octagon in all of 2008. So now that Lesnar is paired against heavyweight champion Randy Couture in what is being billed the "biggest fight in UFC history," he apparently does not want to take any chances with Mazzagatti making the same alleged "mistake" twice and affecting the outcome of his fight. That's just fine according to the mustached wonder. "I’m [not offended] at all," Mazzagatti said in a recent interview with Dave Farra that is now up on YouTube.com. "He’s a professional — they’re both professionals — and they have to do what they have to do. It’s fine with me. I’m going to enjoy watching the fight" Talk about taking the high road. Sherdog.com recently reported that in addition to Mazzagatti, "Herb Dean, Josh Rosenthal and Mario Yamasaki were under consideration to officiate the Couture-Lesnar match." NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer — who praised Mazzagatti for his work inside the Octagon on February 2 — eventually granted the request from Lesnar. Yamasaki is now the man in charge, which hopefully means that Lesnar can now focus 100 percent on Couture come fight night.

Miguel Torres video on early MMA career and more Posted: 28 Oct 2008 11:13 PM CDT The super talented WEC bantamweight champion returns to action against Manny Tapia on December 3.

WEC Quick Quote: Leonard Garcia wants Jens Pulver to throw in the towel Posted: 28 Oct 2008 10:04 PM CDT [Jens] reaction time is a little slower than it used to be. I’m a little younger, a little quicker and a little stronger. My goal in this fight is to break him mentally. I don’t care about knocking him out, I don’t care about submitting him - my perfect night is him turning to the referee and telling him he doesn’t want to fight anymore. -WEC featherweight contender Leonard Garcia talks to MMAmania’s own Pro MMA Radio about his number one contender fight with mixed martial arts legend Jens Pulver at WEC 36 on November 5th. Will the “Bad Boy” retire the former UFC lightweight champion? Or is “Little Evil” too much for the fiesty up-and-comer? We’ll find out next week.

CSAC denies Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva steroids appeal and upholds year-long suspension Posted: 28 Oct 2008 01:48 PM CDT “There was no appellation. The suspension stays. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The Commission showed that doesn't like MMA fighter, mainly Brazilian. Sean Sherk took nandrolone, it was proved, but they reduced his punishment, but with me they didn't leave.” Elite XC Heavyweight Champion Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva shares his disappointment with Tatame.com about the recent decision made by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)  to uphold his year-long suspension and $2,500 fine for testing positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone following his win over Justin Eilers in July. Silva’s manager, Alex Davis added this: “The commission didn't prove Bigfoot`s fault, there are doubts, but anything proved, and then the facts pass to be unimportant, and the opinion of six or seven commissionaires, who doesn't understand anything about chemistry, predominate. The Commission, although have not proved the facts, continue to keep the suspension. We'll sit down and see what we can do.” Basically, Silva’s management doesn’t believe their client got a fair shake with the CSAC, but at this point it looks like “Bigfoot” will have to take it on the chin and serve the suspension regardless of his guilt or innocence. The suspension will keep the first and only Elite XC heavyweight champion out of action until at least July 26, 2009. He has the option to fight outside the United States during this time; however, it would be heavily discouraged and frowned upon by the CSAC and other regulatory bodies nationwide. Thanks to CombatLifestyle.com for the photo of Antonio Silva.

WEC 36 fight card complete for Nov. 5 at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood Posted: 28 Oct 2008 11:58 AM CDT The fight card for WEC 36, which will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on November 5, was made final and official yesterday by the Zuffa-owned mixed martial arts promotion. It is scheduled to air live on the Versus network, beginning at 9 p.m. ET next Wednesday night. As expected, the main event will feature “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1) defending his 145-pound featherweight title for the sixth time against American Top Team product Mike Brown (19-4). Brown has recent victories over Yves Edwards and Jeff Curran and hasn’t lost a fight since late in 2005. His lone victory under the WEC banner came in June at WEC 34 against Curran. Here are his thoughts on the fight: "I just want the win. I don't care how it comes. I just want to be the No. 1 guy … this is the biggest fight of my life." There are plenty of other intriguing match ups on hand for this event as well, including former lightweight champ “Razor” Rob McCullough (16-4) taking on undefeated Greg Jackson trainee Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (8-0), as well as Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (15-3) locking horns with former UFC champion Jens “Little Evil” Pulver (22-9-1) just to name a few. Oh, and WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho will attempt to dismember Chael Sonnen in their 185-pound rematch. Here’s the complete WEC 36 fight card: Main event: 145 lbs.: WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah “The California Kid” Faber (21-1) vs. Mike Brown (19-4) Main card (Televised): 185 lbs.: WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho (16-0) vs. Chael Sonnen (22-9-1) 145 lbs.: Jens " Little Evil" Pulver (22-9-1) vs Leonard Garcia (15-3) 185 lbs.: Jake Rosholt (4-0) vs. Nissen Osterneck (5-0) 155 lbs.: "Razor" Rob McCullough (16-4) vs. Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone (8-0) Under card (May not be broadcast): 145 lbs.: Jose Aldo (10-1) vs. Jonathan Brookins (8-2) 205 lbs.: Alex Schoenauer (14-9) vs. Steve Steinbeiss (4-1) 155 lbs.: Ed “9mm” Ratcliff (6-1) vs. Danny Castillo (5-1) 135 lbs.: Rani Yahya (12-4) vs. Yoshiro Maeda (23-5-2) 205 lbs.: David Avellan (2-0) vs. Aaron Simpson (3-0) WEC 36 was originally scheduled for September 10 in South Florida, but the threat of Hurricane Ike in the area caused promotion officials to reschedule the event for November 5 “just in case.” Because of the switch, there are a few subtle changes to the fight card from its original form. Stay locked in to MMAmania.com for all your WEC 36 coverage.

UFC Quick Quote: Rich Franklin not approached about TUF 9 coaching gig … yet Posted: 28 Oct 2008 11:36 AM CDT "There's been rumors and supposedly news that I'm going to be the coach of the next season (of TUF) with a victory over Dan (Henderson), but the UFC hasn't actually approached me about that or not. I know that they spoke to Dan several months ago about him being a coach, and that was probably well before this fight was planned. But as for me, they haven't talked to me about it. I actually tried putting a phone call in to Dana himself to ask him about it, and he hasn't gotten back to me yet. So, I can't confirm or deny that rumor at this point … I never say never, but it's not really something that I'm particularly interested in doing again. But with the right incentive, anything can look appealing." — Rich Franklin talks to MMATraining.com on whether or not he has been approached for a coaching spot on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9: "U.S. vs. U.K." It's interesting to note that Franklin claims not to be interested in the opportunity, but yet placed a call in to UFC President Dana White to talk specifically about it. Perhaps "Ace" is working an angle here — money talks. Regardless, when Franklin and Henderson meet for the main event at UFC 93: "Dublin" on January 17, you can expect fireworks. The TUF coaching job may not be the only thing on the line, as the winner will likely face opposing coach Michael Bisping immediately after the TUF 9 Finale, followed by what could be a title shot.

Dana White on Nick Diaz possible return to UFC Posted: 28 Oct 2008 11:27 AM CDT Count UFC President Dana White among the many interested suitors interested in possibly securing the services of 25-year-old mixed martial arts veteran, Nick Diaz (18–7), now that Elite XC is no longer. That is, of course, if the Stockton, Calif., native can cool his temper outside the cage. "I think Nick Diaz is a bad ass. Nick Diaz is a tough kid," White said in a recent radio interview with TapouT Live. "Nick Diaz doesn't handle himself right all the time in public. I like him — I respect him as a fighter. I love his attitude. I love the way that kid fights. But you can't do the stuff that this kid does in public. You can't get into fights when the fight is over … you can't do that stuff." White is perhaps referring to an incident in the wake of UFC 57: "Liddell vs. Couture 3" in 2006 when Diaz was so fired up that a decision didn't go his way in a fight against Joe Riggs that he dropped "Diesel" in the hospital afterwards. He remained with the promotion after the post-fight fisticuffs, going on to lose his next bout against Sean Sherk via unanimous decision. The defeat to the "Muscle Shark" was his third straight inside the Octagon; however; Diaz, felt at the time that he should have won all the fights during that rough stretch. Diaz would go on two fight twice more under the UFC banner, collecting stoppages over Josh Neer and Gleison Tibau, before signing on to challenge Pride FC golden boy, Takanori Gomi, once his contract with Zuffa expired. He initially defeated the "Fireball Kid" with a thrilling submission (gogoplata), ending a explosive clash that up until that point was an absolute war. However, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) changed the result to a "No Contest" when Diaz tested positive for marijuana in his post-fight drug test. Diaz signed with upstart promotion Elite XC quickly thereafter in early 2007, emerging as one of its most marketable stars. And while he failed in his attempt to capture the vacant 160-pound title, Diaz put together a solid record (4-1) while with Elite XC (and one fight with DREAM). Of course, Diaz — who had been a staple in the UFC 170-pound division for several years — would be an instant force in the lightweight division if he were to return to the organization and compete at 155. His younger brother, Nate Diaz, currently competes in the category and has enjoyed tremendous success, including winning the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).

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