UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• TUF 10 Finale: Frank Edgar vs Matt Veach booked with Kurt Pellegrino hurt
• Tito Ortiz on his ‘exciting fight’ against Forrest Griffin at UFC 106 (Video)
• Kurt Pellegrino vs Frank Edgar scratched from TUF 10 Finale with ‘Batman’ back injury
• Vale Tudo Japan 2009 results and quick recap
• Brett Rogers video talks Nov. 7 Strikeforce fight against Fedor Emelianenko
• Boxing promoter Don King getting prepared to monetize MMA; take on the UFC
• UFC 106: Amir Sadollah vs Phil Baroni fills vacancy left by Ortiz vs Griffin 2
• UFC 106: Karo Parisyan is going to eat Dustin Hazelett for breakfast
• Tachi Palace Fights poster for ‘Brawl in the Hall’ in Lemoore on Dec. 3
• Knee injury forces Thiago Alves to withdraw from UFC 107 rematch against Jon Fitch (Updated)

TUF 10 Finale: Frank Edgar vs Matt Veach booked with Kurt Pellegrino hurt Posted: 30 Oct 2009 01:31 PM PDT H.I.T. Squad product Matt Veach will fill-in for the injured Kurt Pellegrino and take on Frank Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale from the "The Pearl" at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 5. MMAmania.com learned about the replacement earlier this afternoon shortly after news broke that “Batman” suffered a back injury during training. More on this breaking news shortly. TUF 10 Finale will feature a showdown between the top two finalists from the Spike TV reality show, as well as a light heavyweight war featuring Jon "Bones" Jones as he inches his way closer to contention against Matt "The Hammer" Hamill.

Tito Ortiz on his ‘exciting fight’ against Forrest Griffin at UFC 106 (Video) Posted: 30 Oct 2009 12:07 PM PDT

Kurt Pellegrino vs Frank Edgar scratched from TUF 10 Finale with ‘Batman’ back injury Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:31 AM PDT Kurt Pellegrino has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming lightweight fight against Frank Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale on Dec. 5 after suffering a back injury during training. “The Answer” dropped the injury bomb via his official Twitter account earlier today and MMAmania.com has since confirmed that a back injury has felled the “Batman.” This unfortunate news comes just hours after Thiago Alves was forced to withdraw from his UFC 107 fight against Jon Fitch after the “Pitbull” hurt his knee in practice. Add that to the UFC 106 cancellation by Brock Lesnar and it’s been nothing but bad news since UFC 104 last Saturday night. Edgar also hinted that a replacement bout may be in the works. Like the Alves situation in the welterweight division, there should be no problem finding a suitable replacement for Pellegrino in the talent rich 155-pound weight class. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt defeated former lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" back on May 23 for what was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career. It's going to be a tough challenge for whoever steps up to take Pellegrino’s place. The TUF 10 Finale will feature a showdown between the top two finalists from the Spike TV reality show as well as a potential light heavyweight war featuring Jon "Bones" Jones as he inches his way closer to contention against Matt "The Hammer" Hamill. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for an update on the status of Edgar’s participation in the Dec. 5 event as soon as it becomes available.

Vale Tudo Japan 2009 results and quick recap Posted: 30 Oct 2009 11:30 AM PDT Shooto promoter Sustain resurrected the classic “Vale Tudo Japan” series on Oct. 30 at JCB Hall in Tokyo where some of the venerable Shooto stars and alumni on the card earned emphatic victories at the memorable event. In one of the two five-rounders under the specially designated VTJ rule, current Shooto 143-pound champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue solidified his champion status in the Shooto history book by defeating the former champion, Alexandre “Pequeno” Franca Nogueira via TKO in Round 4. “Pequeno,” the former Shooto champion, continues his devolution from the undisputed featherweight king of the world into a relic in the fast-evolving world of MMA: He has lost four of his last five fights, dating back to 2005. Shooto pioneer and longtime fan favorite, Rumina Sato, restored himself to the winning column by making a quick work of Cory Grant via KO in the first round. Grant, fellow Team Quest member of Sato’s original opponent, Joe Warren, came in as a last-minute replacement after Warren was unable to come to terms with Sustain over the provisions of the match. Shooto bantamweight star, Mamoru Yamaguchi broke his year-long hiatus to pound out Guamanian prospect, Jesse Taitano in the first round. In the main event of the night, former PRIDE lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi, edged past KOTC lightweight champ, Tony Hervey, after five rounds via unanimous decision. The victory is the second in a row for the former lightweight kingpin after a deflating two-fight losing streak that led to his fall from grace. Yet, Gomi’s performance was hardly what his fans expected from the “Fireball Kid” who once tore through his competition in PRIDE. Gomi picked apart Hervey with superior stand-up and groundwork for three rounds; however, his running low on gas at the end of the third round. He mustered every last ounce of grit to survive the fourth and fifth rounds, but with his gas severely depleted, he raised the specter of his loss to Nick Diaz at PRIDE 33: At the end of the fourth round, he struggled to walk back to his corner. Once again, a thick cloud hovers over Gomi’s future, as he seemingly has lost the luster of his reign in PRIDE. When Gomi took the mic immediately after the fight, he was out of breath and struggled to deliver his words to the crowd. He apologized to the crowd for his performance and admitted to the lack of preparation. Curiously enough, the announcement he had in store for the fans in JCB Hall that he alluded to during the pre-fight press conference was his desire to challenge K-1 icon, Masato on New Year’s Eve. Not surprisingly, Gomi retracted his words: Masato is now set to face the newly crowned K-1 MAX winner, Georgio Petrosyan. Full results: Takanori Gomi def. Tony Hervey via unanimous decision (47-45, 46-45, 46-44) R5 5:00 “Lion” Takeshi Inoue def. Alexandre Franca Nogueira via TKO (punches) R4 2:58 Rumina Sato def. Cory Grant via KO (punches) R1 3:20 Tito Jones def. Tenkei “Fujimiya” Oda via unanimous decision (30-28, 30-27, 30-29) R3 5:00 Willamy “Chiquerim” Freire def. Kenichiro Togashi via TKO (doctor stoppage) R1 2:05 Mamoru Yamaguchi def. Jesse Taitano via TKO (punches) R1 4:41 Jung Ming Kang def. Yoichiro Sato via KO (punches) R1 2:48 Kosuke “Jukucho” Eda vs. Masato Sannai was ruled a majority draw (19-19, 18-19, 19-19) R2 5:00 For our complete Vale Tudo Japan 2009 archive click here.

Brett Rogers video talks Nov. 7 Strikeforce fight against Fedor Emelianenko Posted: 30 Oct 2009 09:53 AM PDT

Boxing promoter Don King getting prepared to monetize MMA; take on the UFC Posted: 30 Oct 2009 09:23 AM PDT Props: USA Today Quoteworthy: “UFC is a great contribution. It’s a return to glory for people who like sophisticated barbarism. Dana White and (co-founder) Lorenzo Fertitta have done a phenomenal job. I’m the people’s promoter. Whatever the people want, I’m going to promote. Whatever the public wants, that’s what I want to give them. I want to give it to them with candor so they can quantify, qualify and identify with whoever the athlete is. Who am I to say that something is wrong with them when I’m always crying about, ‘Why you’re treating me this way?’ They bring competition. They bring people. Let’s enrich it and monetize it. Let’s bring the people something. When I bring my guys in we’ll be getting prepared to take on Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta in their league vs. our league. The same thing I want to do with the sport of boxing I want to do with MMA. Make it competitive, man. Make it a comparison. Even though they’ve put on good fights, let’s see what they do with someone totally independent.” Famed boxing promoter Don King, who once joined the likes of Bob Arum in trashing the world’s fastest growing sport, can no longer ignore the dollar signs attached to the millions of loyal fans it now draws. It also helps that Dana White and the Fertitta brothers have been doing most of the heavy lifting over the past five years and Mr. Opportunity perhaps thinks it’s now time to strike while the iron is hot. Does he pose a threat? Or will he eventually have an honorary tombstone in White’s office alongside Affliction and PRIDE?

UFC 106: Amir Sadollah vs Phil Baroni fills vacancy left by Ortiz vs Griffin 2 Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:57 AM PDT The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 winner Amir Sadollah (1-1) will welcome Phil Baroni (13-11) back into the Octagon in a welterweight clash planned for UFC 106 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21. And now he gets to do it on the televised portion of the card. After an illness forced Brock Lesnar to withdraw from his main event fight against Shane Carwin, the UFC promoted the rematch between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz into the main event slot. That promotion created a vacancy on the main card, which the UFC has confirmed will be filled by Sadollah vs. Baroni. Amir suffered a series of injury-related setbacks since a submission win over CB Dolloway at TUF 7 Finale. He was expected to follow up that performance against Nick Catone at UFC 91: "Lesnar vs. Couture" on November 15. However, just four days before fight night he had to withdraw because of a leg infection. After more than a year on the sidelines, Sadollah finally got back into the cage at UFC 101 last month in his welterweight debut. Unfortunately his return was short lived after Johnny Hendricks put him down in the first round (with a little help from much-maligned referee Dan Miragliotta). Now the likable and hard-working Sadollah will get a chance to erase those bad memories with a big win over potential opponent and master of self-promotion Phil Baroni. "The New York Bad Ass" last appeared in St. Louis back in June of this year, dropping a unanimous decision to fellow MMA journeyman Joe "Diesel" Riggs. The loss marked his first defeat in four fights since rebounding from a three fight losing skid, as well as his first loss at 170 pounds. The 33-year-old Pride FC, Elite XC and Strikeforce veteran recently agreed to return to where his career essentially began with the UFC, likely facilitated by his good relationship with company president, Dana White, and his colorful ability to promote fights. Baroni competed eight times inside the Octagon between 2001 and 2005, compiling a lackluster record (3-5) during that span. He fought Evan Tanner and Matt Lindland twice (four total fights) and lost all of those middleweight matches. Baroni is perhaps best known for being upset by up-and-comer Pete Sell thanks to a guillotine choke that put the Long Island, N.Y., native to sleep. How he performs against the up-and-coming Sadollah on November 21 will say a lot about his future in the UFC — and MMA overall. For all the latest on the UFC 106 fight card and rumors click here.

UFC 106: Karo Parisyan is going to eat Dustin Hazelett for breakfast Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:40 AM PDT Props: FightHype Quoteworthy: “I think it’s a great style for me. It’s a great matchup. I eat Jiu Jitsu guys for breakfast a lot of times. He’s tough and he’s got really good Jiu Jitsu and good standup. He’s a well-rounded fighter, but I have fought 2 and 3-time Jiu Jitsu world champion guys man. And I’m a grappler myself so I really have some surprises for him. I have a tremendous respect for Dustin as an opponent. I don’t know him as a person, but he looks like a nice guy. But like I said, I have been training a lot with tall and lanky guys. I think it is a great matchup due to the fact that I should be able to overpower him, beat on him a little bit and catch him in submissions myself. Dustin is not going to do anything that I’ve never seen before. He’ not going to throw anything my way that I’ve never seen. He’s good off of his back and a good Jiu Jitsu guy, but that’s all he is. I’m a grappler myself, a Judo artist. I have good takedowns and my standup has come a long way, so it’s a very good matchup man. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to get in the cage and it’s going to be a lot of fun.” – Former number one welterweight contender Karo Parisyan talks about his road back to becoming relevant again in the crowded 170-pound title chase. "Heat" will embark on that journey against submission specialist Dustin Hazelett at UFC 106: "Griffin vs. Ortiz 2″ from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21. The Armenian-born Judoka has not competed since a No Contest against “Stun Gun” Kim at UFC 94 back in January. He tested positive for painkillers following the bout and served a nine month suspension. What can we expect from Parisyan — who hasn’t won since UFC 78 — when he returns?

Tachi Palace Fights poster for ‘Brawl in the Hall’ in Lemoore on Dec. 3 Posted: 30 Oct 2009 08:39 AM PDT Details after the jump: MAIN EVENT Middleweights Parlier, Calif.'s Mike Moreno (5-2) vs. Paris, France's Xavier Foupa-Pokam (20-11) CO-MAIN EVENT Featherweights Las Vegas, Nev.'s Eddie Yagin (13-3-1) vs. Atlanta, Ga.'s Diego Saraiva (13-8-1) Light Heavyweights Milwaukee, Wis.'s Rob Smith (20-13-1) vs. Paris, France's Cyrille Diabate (14-6-1) Flyweights Las Vegas, Nev.'s Ulysses Gomez (4-1) vs. Sioux Falls, S.D.'s Ben Nguyen (4-2) Welterweights Santa Rosa, Calif.'s Kyle Pimentel (7-0) vs. Sacramento, Calif.'s Marcus Gains (6-7) Featherweights Seattle, Wash.'s Shad Lierely (5-2) vs. Clovis, Calif.'s John Reedy (8-3) Featherweights Porterville, Calif.'s Shawn Klarcyk (9-4) vs. Merced, Calif.'s Jesse Bowen (6-3) Heavyweights Lemoore, Calif.'s Dashi Salas (1-0) vs. Fresno, Calif.'s Mike Guirdy (1-0) Welterweights Lemoore, Calif.'s Andrew Martinez (5-2-1) vs. Coarsegold, Calif.'s Nikk Covert (3-4) Lightweights Oakland, Calif.'s Romulo Melo (2-0) vs. TBA Tickets are now on sale and start at just $30. Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and fights start at 6:30 p.m. The weigh-ins will take place at the Den Sports Bar located on the third floor of the Palace. Weigh-ins are slated to begin at 5 p.m. and fans are encouraged to come mingle with the fighters.

Knee injury forces Thiago Alves to withdraw from UFC 107 rematch against Jon Fitch (Updated) Posted: 30 Oct 2009 07:19 AM PDT Former number one welterweight contenders Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch are no longer fighting at UFC 107 after the “Pitbull” was forced to withdraw from the Dec. 12 event with a knee injury, according to MMA Fanhouse. Fitch was taken off the UFC 106 pay-per-view and inserted into the Memphis show after Ricardo Almeida bowed out of the Nov. 21 event with knee problems of his own. Like Fitch, Paulo Thiago was also scheduled to throwdown at the FedEx Forum until he was abandoned by Alves, who got the call to replace “Cachorrao” on short notice for the incoming Fitch. Alves was hoping to avenge his 2006 loss to the Purdue wrestler prior to getting hurt. From a logistical standpoint, filling the now-vacant slot with Fitch vs. (Paulo) Thiago makes perfect sense; however, they recently met at UFC 100 on July 11, a bout Fitch won in convincing fashion via unanimous decision. A second fight is likely out of the question. What plans the promotion has for either of these fighters remains to be seen (Thiago is rumored to be fighting Jacob Volkmann), but the positive side to this is that the 170-pound division is not short on talent. UFC 107 will feature a main event between lightweight division champion, BJ Penn, defending his title against number one division contender, Diego Sanchez. In the co-featured fight of the night, former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir will "begin his quest for a third title" when he takes on Cheick Kongo. Keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for more updates on a possible replacement for Alves. In the meantime, you can check out the latest UFC 107 fight card and rumors here. ***Update: MMAmania.com has been able to confirm that Alves will not compete at UFC 107 and that a request will be made to rebook the fight for late January or early February.

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UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• Fedor Emelianenko vs Brett Rogers video preview for Strikeforce on CBS Nov. 7
• Urijah Faber next fight possible against Raphael Assuncao at WEC 46 on Jan. 10
• WEC 45: Joseph Benavidez vs Rani Yahya announced for Dec. 19
• WEC 45 poster for ‘Cerrone vs Ratcliff’ in Las Vegas on Dec. 19
• Shogun Rua: The judges will say anything to justify their results
• UFC 106 fallout, Marcus Jones, UFC 104 and more on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’
• MMA Quick Quote: Brett Rogers is living the American success story
• Vale Tudo Japan 2009 news and notes from weigh-ins and press conference
• Forrest Griffin agreed to fight Tito Ortiz to make life easier at Starbucks (Video)
• UFC 107 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Penn vs Sanchez’ on Dec. 12 in Memphis

Fedor Emelianenko vs Brett Rogers video preview for Strikeforce on CBS Nov. 7 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 06:02 PM PDT

Urijah Faber next fight possible against Raphael Assuncao at WEC 46 on Jan. 10 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:58 PM PDT Former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber’s (22-3) will likely return to action against one-loss submission expert, Raphael Assuncao, at WEC 46 from the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2010, according to MMAWeekly.com. “The California Kid” is on the mend from a broken hand suffered during the first round of his rematch with Mike Brown in the WEC 41 main event back in June. Of course, Brown is the man who originally defeated Faber to snatch his 145-pound championship title last year. Faber manned up and lasted the full five rounds in the rematch, but he fell short on the scorecards. MMAmania.com talked to the Sacramento resident the day after the rematch with Brown. Here’s what he said his plans were following the injury and loss: "I plan on healing and I would like to come back, fight one fight, and get back in there for another title fight. I don't make the rules, but I think I proved that I was ready to compete last night and am one of the top fighters in the world. Brown is number one, and I am number two, for now." He’ll get his wish with at least one fight before a potential third installment of the Brown/Faber saga, but he’s no lock to win. Assuncao has won both of his fights in the WEC since joining the promotion earlier this year. In fact, the Brazilian ha only been defeated once in his career — a majority decision loss to Jeff Curran three years ago. At WEC 40 he outpointed Jameel Massouh for a unanimous decision win and sic months later at WEC 43 he held off a game Yves Jabouin for the split decision nod. While the Brazilian didn’t get the finish in either of his first two fights under the WEC banner, he’s still displayed some impressive skills and toughness in gutting out the two wins. This is certainly a worthy opponent for Faber’s return from injury. A good showing in this fight would likely mean Brown vs. Faber III. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this developing fight card.

WEC 45: Joseph Benavidez vs Rani Yahya announced for Dec. 19 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 05:57 PM PDT A fantastic bantamweight match up between, Joseph Benavidez (10-1), and decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist, Rani Yahya (15-4), has been announced as the co-headliner for WEC 45: “Cerrone vs. Ratcliff” at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 19. Benavidez — the protege and training partner of Urijah Faber — last fought Dominick Cruz in a number one contender eliminator match in the co-main event of WEC 42: “Torres vs. Bowles.” The 25-year-old lost the first fight of his career that night, missing out on his chance to face the 135-pound division champion, Brian Bowles. Like most bantamweights, Benavidez uses his speed and quickness to win fights. He’s also a fantastic wrestler, which complements his athleticism nicely. Before the loss to Cruz, the Team Alpha Male product had won both of his appearances in the WEC cage by decision over Danny Martinez and Jeff Curran. He’s clearly near the top of the food chain in the fast growing WEC bantamweight division. Yahya, too, is near the top of that food chain. However, he’s a different style fighter than Benavidez, relying on his grappling and submission skills to win fights, as evidenced by his 94 percent rate of finish by submission. His jiu-jitsu is so good that he won the ADCC featherweight championship — the most prestigious grappling tournament in the world — in 2007. He’s also amassed a record of (4-1) in the WEC cage, and he’s currently on a three-fight win streak with victories over Yoshiro Maeda, Eddie Wineland and John Hosman. The only losses of his career thus far have been to JZ Cavalcante, Fredson Paixao, Chase Beebe and Kid Yamamoto. That’s some very good competition. This should be a very competitive fight and it’s going to be interesting to see how Benavidez chooses to deal with Yahya’s jiu-jitsu. Lightweights Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Ed “9mm” Ratcliff will square off in the main event for WEC 45, marking the third main event appearance for Cerrone in 2009. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this developing fight card.

WEC 45 poster for ‘Cerrone vs Ratcliff’ in Las Vegas on Dec. 19 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 04:24 PM PDT

Shogun Rua: The judges will say anything to justify their results Posted: 29 Oct 2009 01:36 PM PDT Props: Gazeta do Povo Quoteworthy: “You just have to look at my face and his (Lyoto). I didn't suffer one kick, only some knees but he has a rib broken neither get to walk and his mouth is stitched. They made some fighting analysis and I landed the double of hits. Will the judges say they didn't see that? They will speak anything to justify the result. I feel pissed for my score (18-4), I prize a lot for it and I don't consider this loss. I didn't meet Lyoto after the fight but he's a man I respect so much. He's blameless, it's judges' culprit. Only them say the fight that way. I don't blame Machida at all.” Mauricio Rua fires back at recent comments made regarding the officiating for the UFC 104 main event that pitted the former PRIDE star against current UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. "Shogun" appeared to be getting the better of the exchanges in their five round title fight; however, cageside judges Nelson Hamilton, Marcos Rosales and Cecil Peoples scored the contest unanimously in favor of “The Dragon.” While UFC President Dana White promised a rematch “as fast as possible,” questions still remain following the event as to the fairness and effectiveness of the current scoring system. Let’s hear your solutions in the comments section below.

UFC 106 fallout, Marcus Jones, UFC 104 and more on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’ Posted: 29 Oct 2009 11:31 AM PDT

MMA Quick Quote: Brett Rogers is living the American success story Posted: 29 Oct 2009 10:36 AM PDT "The hardest part has been having someone (camera persons) on the mat during training that I CAN'T hit. Normally, the rule is, if you're on the mat, you're fair game to get some. It's been fun to share my story. I feel that I am living the American success story. And I hope that others can take some level of inspiration from it. I am really looking forward to seeing the show, but to be honest, I won't be in the right frame of mind next week to really enjoy it. I'll have to go back and watch it in a couple of weeks to digest it all. The film crew has been here for more than five days. I tell you, it is a surreal experience to have the world watching you, watching me do what my fight team and I have been doing for five years in relative obscurity day in and day out. All of a sudden, to have my life become worthy of this attention is amazing, shocking almost. But we are having fun with it. We've had various training partners roll through the past few days and it's been odd to explain what the cameras are doing here. They aren't expecting it. The first few days the crew was here, it was a bit suffocating. To have them shadow me through my every move, not just in training, but at home with my family, during meals, everywhere. After a few days, though, I kind of got used to it." – Undefeated heavy-handed heavyweight, Brett Rogers, isn't going to let his new-found fame (and a few cameras) get in the way of what he has to do at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Nov. 7. "The Grim" has taken a serious step up in competition after knocking out Andrei Arlovski at the "Lawler vs. Shields" event back in June. And he's apparently unfazed about now taking on Fedor Emelianenko, who is widely regarded as the most talented and dominant mixed martial artist ever, at the next major Strikeforce event that will air on national television (CBS). To get a behind the scenes look at the Rogers training camp, be sure to check out FIGHT CAMP 360: “Fedor vs. Rogers” via Showtime on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Vale Tudo Japan 2009 news and notes from weigh-ins and press conference Posted: 29 Oct 2009 10:33 AM PDT The participants for Vale Tudo Japan 2009 gathered at Garden Palace Hotel in Tokyo today for the official weigh-in and pre-fight press conference. VTJ ‘09 will take place at JCB Hall in Tokyo, and the main card will kick off at approximately 5AM ET Friday morning. Aside from Alexandre “Pequeno” Nogueira’s lone struggle to shed the pounds, there were no weighty issues at the scale: While Pequeno skipped the official weigh-in and press conference to drop to the 65kg for his non-title bout with current Shooto lightweight champion, “Lion” Takeshi Inoue, all other fighters were on weight. Former Pride FC lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi will square off with current KOTC champ, Tony Hervey in the main event of the night for his putative farewell bout in Japan. With his streak of insipid performances during the recent years still fresh in the collective memory of the MMA world, Gomi will have all eyes on him scrutinizing the quality of his performance and level of motivation. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue and “Pequeno” Nogueira meet in a showdown between past and present champions, and longtime Shooto fan favorite, Rumina Sato, faces Cory Grant, a Team Quest prospect and late replacement for the original opponent, Joe Warren. From Takanori Gomi: “(Reflecting on the weigh-in and pre-fight press conference) I don’t feel enough tension and nerves in the air. Shooto has always been like my hometown and it is a tremendous upside, but the tension needs to be running higher. Since the battle has already begun, everyone needs to be able to feel the visceral, spine-tingling vibe. I have attended pre-fight press conferences that were awash in suspense for events like PRIDE Bushido. I really want to recreate the same vibe in my fight against Hervey. As for my motivation (heading into his last fight in Japan)… there is something that just crossed my mind, but I want to win tomorrow in an exciting fashion and then take the mic because I have something I want to share with everyone.” Here are the official Vale Tudo 2009 weigh-in results: Main Event – VTJ Rules – 5R x 5 min. Takanori Gomi (71kg / 156.5 lbs) vs. Tony “Lionheart” Hervey (70.9kg / 156.3 lbs) VTJ Rules – 5R x 5 min. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue (65kg / 143.3 lbs) vs. Alexandre “Pequeno” Nogueira (65kg / 143.3 lbs) VTJ Rules – 3R x 5 min. Rumina Sato (63kg / 138.9 lbs) vs. Cory Grant (63kg / 138.9 lbs) VTJ Rules – 3R x 5 min. Tenkei “Fujimiya” Oda (66.9kg / 147.5 lbs) vs. Tito Jones (65.2kg / 143.7 lbs) Shooto Welterweight Championship Bout – 3R x 5 min. Willamy “Chiquerim” Freire (69.8kg / 153.8 lbs) vs. Kenichiro Togashi (69.9kg / 154.1 lbs) Shooto Rules – 3R x 5 min. Mamoru Yamaguchi (55.7kg / 122.8 lbs) vs. Jesse Taitano (55.1kg / 121.5 lbs) Shooto Rules – 2R x 5 min. Yoichiro Sato (75.8kg / 167.1 lbs) vs. Jung Min Kang (75.4kg / 166.2 lbs) Shooto Rules – 2R x 5 min. Kosuke “Jukucho” Eda (62kg / 136.7 lbs) vs. Makoto Sannai (61.8kg / 136.2 lbs) For all the latest on Vale Tudo Japan 2009 click here.

Forrest Griffin agreed to fight Tito Ortiz to make life easier at Starbucks (Video) Posted: 29 Oct 2009 10:32 AM PDT

UFC 107 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Penn vs Sanchez’ on Dec. 12 in Memphis Posted: 29 Oct 2009 09:19 AM PDT Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently made several official additions to the line up for its upcoming UFC 107 pay-per-view (PPV) event, which is scheduled for the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee, on Dec. 12. “Sanchez vs. Penn” will feature a main event between lightweight division champion, BJ “The Prodigy” Penn, defending his title against number one division contender, Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez, filling in the hole left by “Sugar” Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson after "Rampage" went Hollywood. In the co-featured fight of the night, former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir will "begin his quest for a third title" when he takes on Cheick Kongo. In addition, a welterweight showdown between former number one contenders Thiago “Pitbull” Alves and Jon Fitch has also been confirmed. Here is the current UFC 107 line up: Main event: UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn (14-5-1) vs. Diego Sanchez (21-2) Main card (Televised): 265 lbs.: Frank Mir (12-4) vs. Cheick Kongo (14-5-1) 155 lbs.: Kenny Florian (11-4) vs. Clay Guida (25-10) 170 lbs.: Thiago Alves (16-6) vs. Jon Fitch (19-3) 265 lbs.: Paul Buentello (27-10) vs. Todd Duffee (5-0) Under card (May not be broadcast): 185 lbs.: Wilson Gouveia (12-6) vs. Alan Belcher (14-6) 155 lbs.: Matt Wiman (10-5) vs. Shane Nelson (12-4) 170 lbs.: Ricardo Funch (7-0) vs. Johny Hendricks (6-0) 185 lbs.: Rousimar Palhares (9-2) vs. Lucio Linhares (13-4) 170 lbs.: DaMarques Johnson (9-7) vs. Edgar Garcia (7-1) 170 lbs.: Kevin Burns (7-3) vs. TJ Grant (14-3) MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 107, beginning with the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night. We're still a few weeks away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Penn vs. Sanchez" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event. For everything you need to know about UFC 107 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

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• UFC 109: Phillipe Nover next fight possible against Rob Emerson on Feb. 6
• Top 5 Halloween costumes with UFC ring girl Natasha Wicks (Video)
• UFC Quick Quote: Ed Soares manages Bentleys, not Toyotas
• Cecil Peoples: If you don’t like the way I scored ‘Machida vs Shogun’ you can go to hell
• UFC rankings/MMA rankings featured in USA Today for October 2009
• TUF 10: ‘The Aftermath’ now available on Spike.com (Episode 7)
• WEC 44 video preview for ‘Brown vs Aldo’ Nov. 18 event
• The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10: Episode 7 recap and discussion
• ‘SRC Spirit’ previews Sengoku 12 supershow for Dec. 31 event
• UFC President Dana White sounds off on Rampage, Hendo, Strikeforce and more (Video)

UFC 109: Phillipe Nover next fight possible against Rob Emerson on Feb. 6 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 04:36 AM PDT The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season eight blackout artist Phillipe Nover is expected to return to action against Rob Emerson at UFC 109 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 6, 2010, according to MMAWeekly.com. Nover recently suffered what was initially reported as a seizure in the locker room at UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16, forcing the cancellation of his undercard bout against Sam Stout. It wasn’t the first time the former Brooklyn nurse lost consciousness — he lost his legs on the first episode of the Spike TV reality show last year. He has been medically cleared to fight. And “The Filipino Assassin” is more than likely extremely anxious to prove he still belongs on the UFC roster after his latest episode, as well as a questionable stoppage that led to a first round technical knockout loss to Bradley at UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" back in May. It was the second straight loss for "The Next Anderson Silva," who came up short against a determined Efrain Escudero in the TUF 8 Finale last December. Will he be able to break out of his slump against Emerson? “The Saint” is looking to bust out of a two-fight skid of his own after most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 103: “Franklin vs. Belfort” back in September. Prior to the back-to-back losses Emerson had compiled an impressive six-fight win streak, which included the rare double knockout-tapout “No Contest” against top division contender Gray Maynard in 2007. However, he has been unable to get back in the win column since meeting up with Kurt Pellegrino at UFC Fight Night 17 earlier this year. "Batman" slapped on a fight-ending (rear naked choke) in round two, ending Emerson's dominating run. Like Nover, Emerson will undoubtedly look to get back to his winning ways in “Sin City” on fight night. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on UFC 109, which has yet to be officially announced by the promotion, as it develops.

Top 5 Halloween costumes with UFC ring girl Natasha Wicks (Video) Posted: 29 Oct 2009 04:11 AM PDT Arghhhhhhhhhhh:

UFC Quick Quote: Ed Soares manages Bentleys, not Toyotas Posted: 29 Oct 2009 04:02 AM PDT "We don't have a tremendous amount of guys in comparison to some who are out there. I've seen some management companies with 60, 70 guys that they're representing. I kind of look at it as a car dealership. When you look at the car dealership, well, thank God there are Toyota dealers. There's nothing wrong with Toyotas. They're great cars, reliable cars, but there are 3,000 of them on the lot. Walk into a Bentley dealership, though, and there are only 12, 15 cars in the place. There are two things about that: The guy's walking in to buy the car, and you know they're not going to be negotiating price when they're buying a Bentley. And that's how I feel about our fighters. You want one of our fighters, you're going to get a high-performance fighter. I like to keep it that way…. We have what I consider our 'Three Kings.' Anderson Silva is the pound-for-pound king. Lyoto is the king of karate, and we have Nogueira, who is the king of heart because he has so much heart. Those are our three big cards. In a card game, if I were playing poker and I had three kings, I'd think I had a pretty good hand." – Ed Soares talks to Yahoo!Sports.com about his path to becoming a manager and spokesperson for several of the top mixed martial artists on the planet. The Portuguese-speaking 37-year-old prefers quality over quantity when it comes to fighters who he represents. And with his “Three Kings” from Brazil it’s clear that he and his partner have a recipe for success. Of course, his job is not all sunshine and roses. He often finds himself caught up in the middle of various difficult situations — look no further than Anderson Silva’s win over Thales Leites and Lyoto Machida’s decision over Shogun Rua for proof of that. Nonetheless, his fighters win more than they lose, making Soares one of the more successful and high profile managers in the sport today. Will that success continue in early 2010 when Silva is supposed to take on Vitor Belfort or will he keep him parked in the garage until something better rolls around?

Cecil Peoples: If you don’t like the way I scored ‘Machida vs Shogun’ you can go to hell Posted: 28 Oct 2009 11:49 PM PDT Props: MMAWeekly Quoteworthy: “The fans and all the naysayers, I don't worry about. I don't back down because it's not popular. My thing is, Rua did hit him more. But Machida hit him harder, especially in the early rounds. I'm really perplexed about how you give (Rua) [Round 1], because Shogun was kicking (Machida) a lot in the legs, but every time he kicked him in the legs, he got hit in the face. Shogun would put his hand up, and Machida would go right through, sweat's flying off (Rua's) face. Shogun kicked (Machida) in the belly –- that's how he got the red mark. But you gotta remember, Machida is stepping back, so when he gets kicked, he's getting brushed. But he counters Shogun with a hard kick to the belly. Which one counts more for the exchange? I give it to the (second one), because it was harder. It wasn't brushed. Machida was controlling that round because he was dominant in not getting beat up in that round. He was the general in that first round. I give the fight to Machida in a very, very close fight. Now you're pissed off because it's my fault that you lost your money. No, it's not. It's Machida's fault. If you don't like it, you can go to hell.” Strong words from a defiant and oft-criticized scorekeeper, Cecil Peoples, who places emphasis on the quality of damage inflicted over the total number of strikes landed. Peoples came under fire along with Nelson Hamilton and Marcos Rosales at UFC 104 after awarding a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida, who appeared to be on the receiving end of a Shogun beatdown in last Saturday’s (Oct. 24) main event. Is Peoples merely a victim of the system? Or a loose cannon with no understanding of what he’s seeing? And how do you respond to his “go to hell” attitude? Sound off, Maniacs.

UFC rankings/MMA rankings featured in USA Today for October 2009 Posted: 28 Oct 2009 11:01 PM PDT Our partners in crime over at BloodyElbow.com have once again published their divisional rankings for mixed martial arts in the nation's largest daily newspaper, USA Today, for the month of October 2009. For those of you unfamiliar with the process, here's how it works: "The rankings, which will offer a definitive perspective of top MMA fighters across all weight-classes, will be released monthly and published in the Sports section of USA TODAY, online at USATODAY.com and on SB Nation's MMA commentary and community blog, BloodyElbow.com … The USA TODAY/SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings are compiled each month by Nate Wilcox and Richard Wade of BloodyElbow.com. The rankings utilize each of the top MMA rankings from multiple unique sources. A weighted-formula is applied to normalize and distill the various rankings into one consensus ranking per weight class." To check out the latest USAT/SBN rankings click here. We've also listed their top 10 in each class after the jump for your convenience. What do you think? Share your ranking rants in the comments section below. Heavyweight: 1. Fedor Emelianenko 2. Brock Lesnar 3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 4. Frank Mir 5. Josh Barnett 6. Shane Carwin 7. Junior Dos Santos 8. Brett Rogers 9. Randy Couture 10. Andrei Arlovski Light Heavyweight: 1. Lyoto Machida 2. Rashad Evans 3. Quinton Jackson 4. Mauricio Rua 5. Forrest Griffin 6. Anderson Silva 7. Thiago Silva 8. Gegard Mousasi 9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira 10. Luis Cane Middleweight: 1. Anderson Silva 2. Nate Marquardt 3. Dan Henderson 4. Jorge Santiago 5. Demian Maia 6. Vitor Belfort 7. Chael Sonnen 8. Yushin Okami 9. Robbie Lawler 10. Yoshihiro Akiyama Welterweight: 1. Georges St. Pierre 2. Jon Fitch 3. Thiago Alves 4. Josh Koscheck 5. Mike Swick 6. Matt Hughes 7. Jake Shields 8. Carlos Condit 9. Paulo Thiago 10. Martin Kampmann Lightweight: 1. B.J. Penn 2. Shinya Aoki 3. Eddie Alvarez 4. Kenny Florian 5. Frank Edgar 6. Gray Maynard 7. Diego Sanchez 8. Tatsuya Kawajiri 9. Joachim Hansen 10. Sean Sherk Featherweight: 1. Mike Brown 2. Urijah Faber 3. Jose Aldo 4. Hatsu Hioki 5. Bibiano Fernandes 6. Rafael Assuncao 7. Leonard Garcia 8. Wagnney Fabiano 9. Takeshi Inoue 10. Mackens Semerzier Nothing brings MMA fans closer together than a list of divisional rankings. Let's hear it: Who belongs and who doesn't? And be sure to say why. "He sucks" is not a valid argument.

TUF 10: ‘The Aftermath’ now available on Spike.com (Episode 7) Posted: 28 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT In case you didn't get your fill of Episode 7 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 last night (Oct. 28), the UFC and Spike.com are presenting "The Aftermath," a 15-minute Webisode that airs immediately following the show on Spike.com. "The Aftermath" will recap the previous show, as well as get insight from some of the contestants and recurring Spike host, Amir Sadollah. In addition, the Webisodes will feature unaired content, exclusive bonus material and a sneak peek of the upcoming televised episode. TUF fans can go to the Spike.com message boards after each Wednesday episode to submit questions and sound off on the events that occurred during the show. Questions will be selected at random and answered on the following installment of "Aftermath." To check out this week's webisode: "Voices in My Head," which features Matt Mitrione and Scott Junk discussing their fight as well as the bizarre behavior exhibited by “Meathead” (aka “The Rat”) click here. And be sure to check out our TUF recap every Wednesday night following the show. To get up to speed on last night's episode click here.

WEC 44 video preview for ‘Brown vs Aldo’ Nov. 18 event Posted: 28 Oct 2009 08:46 PM PDT

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10: Episode 7 recap and discussion Posted: 28 Oct 2009 04:18 PM PDT Episode 7 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10 gets underway and Rampage opens the show with his impression of Rashad Evans getting knocked silly by Lyoto Machida back at UFC 98. He also endears himself to GLAAD by calling him “Gayshad.” Coach Evans responds by pairing up Matt Mitrione against Scott Junk for the next elimination fight. Junk, aside from having the greatest name in the business, has some Octagon experience under his belt and could be the one to break Team Evans’ undefeated streak. That leaves Marcus Jones versus Michael Wessel for Episode 8. Shortly after the picks, we get the “War of Words” this show was built around and since we’ve already seen it ad nauseam thanks to the power of the ‘Net, it has little impact. The fact that Rampage is somewhere in Hollywood driving a black van instead of prepping for UFC 107 isn’t helping matters either. During the break we get what can only be described as an advertising fail as the throaty UFC announcer pimps Swine Flu vs. Whine Flu for UFC 106, despite the fact that it’s already been canceled. Back at the house, it seems Mitrione has been passing notes during study hall. When read aloud they say something to the effect of “Mike Wessel is a pussy.” Meathead thinks Marcus Jones put the fear of God in Wessel and decided to let the entire house know it. Mitrione then rambles on about the voices in his head — and something about demons. While I’m sure he was trying to play the crazy card, he instead comes off as desperate. I’m afraid not even Fedor’s bearded super-priest can save this lost soul. In contrast, Junk gets in the confessional and talks about fighting with heart. He sounds pretty convincing and looks good in the cage throwing leather. He also calls Mitrione a scumbag, presumably for running his mouth day in and day out. The next morning Jon Madsen gets irked because Mitrione is sucking down all of his orange juice. Meathead contends that it’s for the house, not just the lips of Madsen, who also threatens to slap him. Mitrione appears not to hear him so it doesn’t escalate…yet. No word on whether it was pulp or pulp free. So not coincidentally they get picked to spar in the gym and told to go 60-percent in the first few minutes. Meathead ignores the orders and lets it fly. Madsen walks away after taking too much abuse and Mitrione blows a gasket, screaming and flailing his arms. Coach Evans blasts him in the locker room and tells him to save the “bullshit aggression” for his fight and not his team mates. Mitrione tries to hulk up and look tough but Evans is hardly intimidated. Meathead can’t take the scolding and walks off the set. Later in the show he goes out to shoot hoops and the rest of the house starts laying odds as to when “The Rat” is going to snap. Wes Sims decides to expedite the process by dressing up like a ninja, running up behind him and pressing his manhood against him. They meet up again in the house and Mitrione warns him not to touch him ever again. Sims responds by jumping into a variety of karate poses. Junk starts thinking about Mitrione during breakfast and promises to start banging him. Uh, I’m sure he meant “stand and bang.” Marcus Jones begins to feel sorry for the beating Mitrione is going to take. Aside from doing any actual training, Mitrione is having conversations with his wife and friends inside his head. Junk on the other hand has been talking only to himself — about beating the crap out of Matt Mitrione. Heavyweight elimination fight #7: Scott Junk (6-2-1) vs. Matt Mitrione (2-0) Round 1: Coach Evans spins his cap around like Lincoln Hawk. Mitrione jabs and drops Junk in a quick flurry but Junk is unharmed. He jumps up but gets clipped again and falls. Mitrione tries to finish but Junk is too fresh and gets back to his feet. Junk kicks, gets his leg caught and gets dropped again. Luckily this isn’t boxing with a three-knockdown rule. On his feet for two seconds and Junk falls, possibly by his own volition. He’s back up and Mitrione is wailing on him. Failed shoot turns into Junk clinging to Mitrione’s ankle like a kid getting dragged out of Toys R Us. Junk looking like, well, Junk. Mitrione appears gassed, presumably from pounding on Junk for three and a half minutes. Junk pushes him to the cage and then takes a rest. They make their way back to the center of the Octagon and Junk starts landing big shots. Mitrione is too gassed to do anything but absorb punishment. Junk runs out of steam too and it quickly turns ugly, with two flabby heavyweights throwing airballs in slow motion. Grotesque. Round over. Round 2: Dana revels in the excitement of the fight. A true promoter. Mitrione throwing marshmallow jabs and a eats a hard right from Junk. Inside kick from Mitrione. Another. Junk stalking. Mitrione sucking wind. Junk shoots, and I use that term loosely, and wrestles Mitrione to the ground. Mitrione has the guard of a dead spider. Referee Josh Rosenthal has seen enough (cough) “ground work” and stands them up. Unfortunately it’s just as ugly on the feet. Mitrione eats a huge right and staggers around like Shemp when he needed cheese. Both guys are beyond exhausted. Mitrione tries a fading backhanded bitch-slap. If this wasn’t in a gym with Dana White cageside I’d swear it was Bum Fights: Las Vegas. Round ends. Mercifully, so does the fight. Matt Mitrione defeats Scott Junk by majority decision. After the fight, Rampage goes ape-shit and breaks down the gym door in a homage to Brock Lesnar’s UFC 100 video fail. Ironically, Rampage versus the door is the season’s best fight. Stay tuned next week as Marcus Jones flies off the handle, Darryl Schoonover gets in Rampage’s face (again), and we have the final elimination match before the semifinals. See you in seven!

‘SRC Spirit’ previews Sengoku 12 supershow for Dec. 31 event Posted: 28 Oct 2009 04:17 PM PDT The countdown to World Victory Road’s  monumental New Year's Eve event has begun. Sengoku Gold, a weekly half-hour digest that features fighter interviews, behind-the-scene footage, and event recaps, has been re-branded as the "SRC (Sengoku Raiden Championship) Spirit," starting Oct. 4. In anticipation of the event that will rechristen Sengoku as the Sengoku Raiden Chapionship, "SRC Spirit" offers glimpses into the personal lives and training of the fighters who will grace the ring. The event is slated to feature at least three title bouts and culminate with the main event pitting two judo golden boys: 1992 Olympic gold medalist and Japanese MMA icon, Hidehiko Yoshida, and the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and prodigiously hyped MMA debutant, Satoshi Ishii. In the four, documentary-style episodes that have aired thus far, Yoshida and Ishii have shared their thoughts and training footage as the clock ticks for their epic showdown. A tireless road warrior, Ishii has traveled to South Florida, Brazilian Amazon, and various gyms in Japan in preparation for his MMA debut. He is now itching to showcase his transformation from a judo Olympic gold medalist to full-fledged MMA fighter. Ishii states that Yoshida, whom he has always admired as a fellow judoka, is a stepping stone to bigger and better things in his career. As evidenced by his initial UFC venture, he already possesses an outsized ambition to make his mark in the MMA world. Yoshida, on the other hand, puts his pride and veteran credential on the line against Ishii. He seeks to show Ishii the challenge and rigor of MMA, as someone who has traveled the road that Ishii has just begun to toe. Other highlights from the "SRC Spirit" episodes: • Also featured are the Sengoku featherweight and lightweight contenders who head into the upcoming Sengoku 11 for high-stake battles to earn their shot at the title on NYE: Hatsu Hioki, Michihiro Omigawa (in the upcoming episode), Eiji Mitsuoka, Kazunori Yokota, and Satoru Kitaoka. • Hatsu Hioki, who defeated Masanori Kanehara in the semi-final bout of the Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix, was forced to withdraw from the final due to concussion. He states that the deflating experience of watching Kanehara move on to the final and steal the tournament crown is in the past: He is focused on his bout with Michihiro Omigawa for a chance to earn his belt on NYE. • Eiji Mitsuoka, seen working with his personal trainer at Gold's Gym, speaks about his newly developed power that has accentuated his wrestling and striking. • Kazunori Yokota, on the other hand, prides himself on his speed that he hopes will help him edge Mitsuoka and earn him a rematch with Mizuto Hirota for the lightweight title on NYE. • Satoru Kitaoka faces American Top Team prospect, Jorge Masvidal at Sengoku 11. He speaks about his disorienting encounter with fame in the wake of becoming the Sengoku lightweight champion, decision to retire after his loss to Hirota, and newfound vigor for his fighting career. • Akihiro Gono discusses his current three-fight skid and the highs and lows he has experienced over the course of his fifteen-year career: He appears refreshingly content, even when reflecting upon the tribulations. The 35 year-old Gono states that his professional and personal lives have never been more fulfilling than they are now. • The Oct. 25 episode shows a scene from the celebration held to mark the founding of Japan Martial Arts Games Association. The new organization unites the committees responsible for oversight of various martial arts/combat sports, including MMA under its wing. The notable figures in attendance at the celebration, such as former boxing world champions, Yoko Gushiken and Koichi Wajima, and Sumo wrestler, Asashoryu, voice their excitement about the Yoshida-Ishii bout on NYE. Check out the "SRC Spirit" episodes below, or to access the playlist and select individual episodes, click here. Keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for more on SRC Spirit and the upcoming Sengoku New Year’s Eve event.

UFC President Dana White sounds off on Rampage, Hendo, Strikeforce and more (Video) Posted: 28 Oct 2009 03:38 PM PDT Check out part two of his in-depth interview after the jump.

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• UFC 105 video preview for ‘Couture vs Vera’ on Nov. 14 (Extended)
• UFC 104 fighter salaries and paydays for ‘Machida vs Shogun’
• Dear haters: Watch UFC 104 without audio and you might see a different fight …
• A closer look at the official scorecards for UFC 104: ‘Machida vs Shogun’ (Pic)
• UFC Quick Quote: Takanori Gomi could knock out BJ Penn — if Dana White wasn’t so hard to deal with
• UFC 108: Jake Ellenberger vs Mike Pyle on tap for Jan. 2
• Lesnar camp: Brock felt ‘really bad’ about decision to pull out of UFC 106
• UFC 108: Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen booked for Jan. 2
• Vitor Belfort: Nate Marquardt deserves Anderson Silva more than I do (Video)
• Josh Barnett receives second extension for CSAC steroid appeal

UFC 105 video preview for ‘Couture vs Vera’ on Nov. 14 (Extended) Posted: 27 Oct 2009 04:41 PM PDT

UFC 104 fighter salaries and paydays for ‘Machida vs Shogun’ Posted: 27 Oct 2009 04:37 PM PDT The official fighter purses for those who competed at UFC 104: “Machida vs. Shogun” this past Saturday night (Oct. 24) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., were released earlier today by that state athletic commission. Main event participants, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida and challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, accounted for nearly 40 percent of the entire payroll with their combined salaries ($355,000). Former number one lightweight contender, Joe Stevenson ($94,000), and surging heavyweight contender, Cain Velasquez ($70,000), rounded out the top earners of the evening. Here is the complete list of UFC 104 payouts: Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida — $200,000 Mauricio "Shogun" Rua — $155,000 Machida defeated Rua via unanimous decision Cain Velasquez — $70,000 ($35,000 to show, $35,000 to win) Ben Rothwell — $50,000 Velasquez defeated Rothwell via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Gleison Tibau — $38,000 ($19,000 to show, $19,000 to win) Josh Neer — $14,000 Tibau defeated Neer via unanimous decision Joe Stevenson — $94,000 ($47,000 to show, $47,000 to win) Spencer Fisher — $26,000 Stevenson defeated Fisher via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Anthony "Rumble" Johnson — $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)* Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida — $12,000 Johnson defeated Yoshida via technical knockout (strikes) in round one Ryan "Darth" Bader — $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win) Eric "Red" Schafer — $13,000 Bader defeated Schafer via unanimous decision Pat Barry — $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win) Antoni Hardonk – Barry defeated Hardonk via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Chael Sonnen — $54,000 ($27,000 to show, $27,000 to win) Yushin "Thunder" Okami — $18,000 Sonnen defeated Okami via unanimous decision Jorge "El Conquistador" Rivera — $36,000 ($18,000 to show, $18,000 to win) Rob "The Rosedale Reaper" Kimmons — $9,000 Rivera defeated Kimmons via technical knockout (strikes) in round three Kyle Kingsbury — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win) Razak Al-Hassan — $3,000 Kingsbury defeated Razak Al-Hassan via split decision Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve — $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win) Chase Gormley — $10,000 Struve defeated Gormley via submission (triangle choke) in round one *Required to forfeit 20 percent of purse and pay it to Yoshida for missing the 170-pound division limit at the official weigh in. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 104 go here. The total base fighter payroll for the blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) event, which attracted an official crowd of 14,892 attendees and a solid gate of $1.9 million, was $922,000. For complete results and coverage of “Machida vs. Shogun” click here and here.

Dear haters: Watch UFC 104 without audio and you might see a different fight … Posted: 27 Oct 2009 11:21 AM PDT … Yours truly, Lyoto Machida. “I thought it was a very even and tough fight. I had the opportunity to see the fight again and I thought I won four rounds and Shogun took the last one. Some people say he won the fourth and fifth round, but for sure I won at least the first three rounds. The American commentators were pretty much biased. If you see the fight without audio, you will probably see a different fight. Shogun was a great opponent and had a nice strategy. He deserves all my respect as a fighter, but I was superior. I had three or four chances to finish the fight, and he never put me in danger. I didn't get (dazed) at any moment of the fight, but I put him in danger three or four times. He kicked my legs a couple of times, but he wouldn't knock me out with that. This fight was judged by professionals, so I'm pretty much comfortable with the result.” Reigning light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida talks to Sherdog.com about his controversial unanimous decision win over challenger Mauricio Rua at UFC 104 last Saturday night in Los Angeles. "Shogun" appeared to be getting the better of the exchanges in their five round title fight but “The Dragon” blames biased American commentators for selling Rua’s offense as more than it actually was. Is it possible that a majority of fans were hypnotized by the pro-Rua ramblings of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg? Or has Machida been looking at the replay through urine-colored glasses? Where do you stand, Maniacs?

A closer look at the official scorecards for UFC 104: ‘Machida vs Shogun’ (Pic) Posted: 27 Oct 2009 11:20 AM PDT Props: MMAWeekly Cecil Peoples Take a closer look at how Marcos Rosales and Nelson Hamilton scored “Machida vs. Shogun” after the jump. Marcos Rosales Nelson Hamilton Thoughts?

UFC Quick Quote: Takanori Gomi could knock out BJ Penn — if Dana White wasn’t so hard to deal with Posted: 27 Oct 2009 09:02 AM PDT “I want to fight BJ Penn again. He knows I'm the unique guy of this division able to knock him out. It would be the biggest champions fighting. Imagine how this match would be … but it's not close to coming true. I don't want to talk over UFC … Mr. Dana White is a great manager and I respect him but is a person hard to deal with. I'm not an art martial beginner, I am a MMA champion. What about him? What would he be?” -- Former Pride FC lightweight deity Takanori Gomi talks to Tsutaya Online about his fighting future as he prepares for Tony Hervey at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 30. "The Fireball Kid" flirted with a stateside move a few years ago when Zuffa — the UFC parent company — purchased the Japan-based mixed martial arts promotion; however, he decided to stay loyal and close to home, competing in front of the fans who watched him ascend to stardom in the "Land of the Rising Sun." He was persuaded once again to fight on US soil until Affliction MMA collapsed and left him high and dry. Will he ever compete for the UFC? And if so, does he have any chance of avenging his 2003 submission loss to current lightweight champion BJ Penn?

UFC 108: Jake Ellenberger vs Mike Pyle on tap for Jan. 2 Posted: 27 Oct 2009 09:01 AM PDT There’s a welterweight brouhaha cooking between 170-pound veterans Jake Ellenberger (21-5) and Mike Pyle (19-6-1) for the upcoming UFC 108 card from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 2, MMAmania.com can confirm. Ellenberger is a dangerous striker who got people talking after shutting off the switch on Marcelo Alfaya at Bellator Fighting Championships 9 back on June 12. The former middleweight made his Octagon debut against the crafty Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 19  just last month. The Elite Performance product was pouring it on in the opening round, but “The Natural Born Killer” hung on and survived, squeaking out a split decision victory. That loss interrupted a four fight winning streak that saw Ellenberger take eight out of ten bouts with five (T)KO stoppages. Like Ellenberger, Pyle didn’t exactly have it easy in his UFC debut. “Quicksand” was knee deep in submissions trying to overcome the offense of top WEC prospect Brock Larson when he debuted at UFC 98: “Evans vs. Machida.” Despite getting choked out, Pyle quickly rebounded and did some choking of his own, sending Chris Wilson packing in the third round of their bout at UFC Fight Night 19. Expect an entertaining and highly competitive scrap between these two. UFC 108 is expected to feature a main event between 185-pound division deity Anderson "The Spider" Silva defending his division title against former light heavyweight champion Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. Another former 205-pound champion, Rashad Evans, will also likely return to action against another Brazilian, Thiago Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night. How the recent dissolution of the UFC 106 main event between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin — now rumored to be heading for Jan. 2 — affects this tentative line up, remains to be seen. In the meantime, check out the latest UFC 108 fight card and rumors click here.

Lesnar camp: Brock felt ‘really bad’ about decision to pull out of UFC 106 Posted: 27 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT Props: Las Vegas Sun (via Bloody Elbow): Quoteworthy: “He actually practiced (Sunday) and thought he might be feeling alright. He said, 'Wow, I think I'm doing OK today.’ (Monday) he got here and it was the same old stuff — fatiguing right away, not being all there. After practice we were all sitting around, we were actually going to come back later at night to work out again, and he basically told us, 'Hey guys, I'm going to pull out of this thing. There's a lot of cases of (swine flu) around here. I don't want to say it's that for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. He was very excited for this fight. He was always in good spirits. I could tell he was kind of let down today and he told us he felt really bad.” Chris Tuchscherer, friend and team mate of current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar,  recalls the events that led up to the champ’s decision to withdraw from his UFC 106 main event title fight against Shane Carwin on Nov. 21. Lesnar was reportedly sick for weeks and unable to prepare for his pending title defense, prompting him to withdraw from the card altogether as the clock was winding down. The UFC is trying to move the fight to UFC 108 on Jan. 2. Does that mean we get a super-sized show that not only features the former WWE star, but the elbow-impaired Anderson Silva as well? Or does the inclusion of the pay-per-view friendly Lesnar give the UFC a reason to postpone “The Spider’s” bout with Vitor Belfort? Still a lot of debris to sift through. Thoughts?

UFC 108: Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen booked for Jan. 2 Posted: 27 Oct 2009 07:38 AM PDT Up-and-coming middleweights Mark Munoz (6-1) and Ryan Jensen (14-5) have agreed to hook ‘em up in a 185-pound affair at UFC 108 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 2, MMAmania.com can confirm. Munoz first turned some heads with two strong showings under the WEC banner in 2008. The collegiate wrestling champion from Oklahoma State University debuted for the promotion at WEC 34: "Sacramento," scoring an impressive first round technical knockout win over Chuck Grigsby. Six months later he was back in action on the WEC 37: "Torres vs. Tapia" card. And, again, he was impressive with a first round technical knockout, this time over WEC newcomer Ricardo Barros. Munoz looked to carry that momentum into his UFC debut against Matt Hamill on March 7, unfortunately "The Hammer" used a brutal head kick to send  "The Philippine Wrecking Machine" to his first career loss — and a date with a ringside stretcher. After shaking the cobwebs out, Munoz returned to UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira to outpoint a game Nick Catone to steal the split decision win and hopes to take that momentum into his Jan. 2 affair. Jensen had a rough start inside the Octagon. After debuting with back-to-back losses to submission specialists Thales Leites and Demian Maia, the Elite Performance fighter went 2-1 outside of the promotion only to return and get submitted by Wilson Gouveia at UFC Fight Night 15. In what was unquestionably a do-or-die situation, he submitted Steve Steinbeiss via guillotine choke back in September at Fight Night 19 to record his first UFC win. UFC 108 is expected to feature a main event between 185-pound division deity Anderson "The Spider" Silva defending his division title against former light heavyweight champion Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. Another former 205-pound champion, Rashad Evans, will also likely return to action against another Brazilian, Thiago Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night. How the recent dissolution of the UFC 106 main event between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin — now rumored to be heading for Jan. 2 — affects this tentative line up, remains to be seen. In the meantime, check out the latest UFC 108 fight card and rumors click here.

Vitor Belfort: Nate Marquardt deserves Anderson Silva more than I do (Video) Posted: 27 Oct 2009 06:42 AM PDT

Josh Barnett receives second extension for CSAC steroid appeal Posted: 27 Oct 2009 06:41 AM PDT Affliction Grim Reaper and former PRIDE star Josh Barnett has applied for — and received — a second extension for his appeal directed towards the ruling of the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) after he was popped for steroids in a random drug test prior to his August 1 bout against Fedor Emelianenko, according to Sherdog.com. “The Babyface Assassin” returned a positive "B" sample on July 31, all but confirming his initial test result that began a downward spiral for his employer and fellow fighters. Barnett's positive test led to Affliction MMA's house of cards to come crashing down, calling it quits as a fight promoter and returning to the UFC as a corporate sponsor with its clothing brand. Several intriguing fights were scrapped as a result, forcing fighters to search for work elsewhere … Barnett included. The former UFC Heavyweight champion issued a press release last month, calling into question the integrity of those results alleged by the CSAC — who does have a fairly sordid history dating back to the Sean Sherk scandal and beyond. From his official press release: Mr. Barnett was shocked at these allegations and was extremely disappointed to learn that Affliction had made the hasty decision to cancel the August 1st event in its entirety. Mr. Barnett vehemently denies intentionally ingesting any banned substances in preparation for the August 1st fight and he is looking forward to presenting his case to the California State Athletic Commission. Barnett is appealing this most recent steroid finding with the CSAC but was likely counting on his second "B" sample to help dispute the initial positive result. In light of this new development, Barnett will not be eligible to reapply for a  license to fight in the United States for at least a year, forcing him to remain exiled in Japan until then. With a FieLDS Dynamite!! card looming and a successful wrestling career; however, it may not be too difficult to find work. Keep in locked on MMAmania.com as we'll let you know more on Barnett's future when it's announced.

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