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• Michael Bisping: 'Wanderlei Silva knows deep down inside his soul that I beat him'
• After three days and 6,000 fans, Wanderlei Silva is ready to fight in Toronto (Video)
• WEC 52: Joseph Benavidez replaces Brian Bowles, meets Wagnney Fabiano on Nov. 11
• Marloes Coenen: Strikeforce 'has done a great thing' by pushing women's MMA
• UFC 124: Dan Miller vs Joe Doerksen possible for Dec. 11
• UFC President Dana White to be awarded the PromaxBDA "Game Changer" award in November. Jonathan...
• MMA Quick Quote: Josh Thomson eyes Gilbert Melendez rubber match with win over 'JZ' Cavalcante
• Strikeforce: Johnson vs Zwicker, Olsen vs Budd set for 'Challengers 11' on Oct. 22
• Fedor? Overeem? Werdum? Scott Coker 'going to put these fights together' in 2011
• Strikeforce media open workout video highlights for 'Diaz vs Noons II'
• UFC 125: Nate Diaz vs Stun Gun in the works for Jan. 1
• Georges St. Pierre: I get to answer back a 'disrespectful' Josh Koscheck with my fists
• Strikeforce: Roger Gracie vs Mike Kyle on tap for Dec. 4
• UFC 124: Jim Miller vs Charles Oliveira booked for Dec. 11
• UFC 124: Jason MacDonald returns to face Rafael Natal on Dec. 11

Michael Bisping: 'Wanderlei Silva knows deep down inside his soul that I beat him' Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:34 PM PDT "I mean, I had a [loss] to Dan Henderson last year, you know, I made some mistakes. And, in hindsight, that was the best thing to ever happen to me. It made me go away and work hard on (finding) mistakes I was making. But other than the Dan Henderson fight, other than the bullshit decision to Wanderlei Silva, I don’t think I’ve lost any of the fights at middleweight. I got beat by Dan Henderson, and that’s it. You know, I feel I won the fight against Wanderlei, and other than Dan Henderson, I’ve never been beat at middleweight ... I’d love to avenge the loss to Wanderlei. I feel I beat him on that night, and I’d love to fight him again ... You know, I mean, Wanderlei asked for the rematch. I think if he wants a rematch, that’s because he knows deep down inside his soul that I beat him. I didn’t have a mark on me that night, and his face was quite totally messed up." Heading into his Oct. 16 main event against Yoshihiro Akiyama, Michael Bisping talks to the press during the UFC 120 pre-fight press conference about his "bullshit" decision loss to Wanderlei Silva. The Wolfslair product nearly succumbed to the Brazilian on two separate occasions at UFC 110 when "The Axe Murderer" strangled the TUF star with a punishing guillotine to close out the second round and then again had a stoppage within reach after dropping the Brit in the waning seconds of the fight. Both times Bisping was saved by the bell but really didn't see any part of the fight that he didn't control outside of those two isolated incidents. Any fight fans out there siding with "The Count?"

After three days and 6,000 fans, Wanderlei Silva is ready to fight in Toronto (Video) Posted: 07 Oct 2010 01:11 PM PDT

WEC 52: Joseph Benavidez replaces Brian Bowles, meets Wagnney Fabiano on Nov. 11 Posted: 07 Oct 2010 12:27 PM PDT The search for Brian Bowles' replacement has ended less than 24 hours after it started as Joseph Benavidez has agreed to step up and face Wagnney Fabiano at WEC 52 on Nov. 11 in Las Vegas. MMA Weekly brought word of the change earlier today. Benavidez will look to come back strong after losing his bid to become WEC bantamweight champion in a rematch with Dominick Cruz back at WEC 50 in August. "Joe B-Wan Kenobi" Benavidez has only two losses on his record, both of them to Cruz. Benavidez was coming off the biggest win of his career, submitting former bantamweight title holder Miguel Angel Torres going into the championship bout. Fabiano is looking to extend his winning streak to three in a row. After being submitted by Mackens Semerzier back in December of last year, "The Silencer" defeated both Clint Godfrey and Frank Gomez by unanimous decision. WEC 52 will feature former featherweight champion Urijah Faber making his 135-pound debut against one of the division's toughest in Japanese striking sensation Takeya Mizugaki. Two critical 145-pound match ups were also made official -- Chad Mendes will tangle with Javier Vazquez and Josh Grispi will collide with Erik Koch -- that could determine the division's next number one contender. Keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for more WEC 52 updates as they become available.

Marloes Coenen: Strikeforce 'has done a great thing' by pushing women's MMA Posted: 07 Oct 2010 09:49 AM PDT But are mixed martial arts fans embracing it? "Strikeforce is the only big organization that really pushes women, and they've shown confidence in me to fight on televised cards, so I think Strikeforce has done a great thing. There are still some cases where women only become popular if they're cute, but I think most American fans realize that there are a lot of women who are athletes in this game and that we train just as hard as the men do and we should be respected in the same way by the audience. American fans are more knowledgeable than fans in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, we know the Thai boxing, but when the fight goes to the ground, the fans don't understand it. And then in Japan it's just a completely different culture. You fight over there and they're very quiet. I think the American fans are way more advanced than other audiences." The Dutch damsel states her case at MMA Fighting as she heads into her 135-pound title fight against Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: "Diaz vs. Noons II" on Oct. 9 in San Jose. Can female fighters like "Rumina" get respect from the average fan? Or is women's MMA only as popular as the "cute" fighters who populate it?

UFC 124: Dan Miller vs Joe Doerksen possible for Dec. 11 Posted: 07 Oct 2010 09:36 AM PDT Two Millers for the price of one. Resurrected middleweight standout Dan Miller will join his brother Jim on the upcoming UFC 124 fight card when he throws hands with Joe Doerksen on Dec. 11 in Montreal, according to MMA Weekly. After dropping three straight unanimous decisions, Miller fought his way back from the brink of cutsville to choke out John Salter at the UFC 118 pay-per-view back on August 18. It was a bittersweet win for the Sparta native, who opened to a promising 3-0 start within the promotion but suffered both personal and professional setbacks after his newborn son became ill. Now that Miller has turned a corner, he looks to start his winning streak anew by battling the "Dirte" Canadian. After nearly 60 fights as a professional mixed martial artist, Doerksen found himself on the losing end of a first round guillotine choke at the hands (and arm) of C.B. Dollaway during the UFC 119 event just last month. Prior to being strangled by "The Doberman," Doerksen quietly assembled a streak of seven consecutive wins. UFC 124 will be headlined by Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre taking on fellow TUF 12 coach Josh Koscheck. Thiago Alves and John Howard as well as Dustin Hazelett and Mark Bocek are also expected to hook 'em up. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still developing fight card.

UFC President Dana White to be awarded the PromaxBDA "Game Changer" award in November. Jonathan... Posted: 07 Oct 2010 09:01 AM PDT UFC President Dana White to be awarded the PromaxBDA "Game Changer" award in November. Jonathan Block-Verk, president of Promax, credited White with the "evolution of the UFC brand," saying "its meteoric rise under his watch perfectly exemplify what it means to be a game changer in the sports marketing arena." Props: MediaPost.com

MMA Quick Quote: Josh Thomson eyes Gilbert Melendez rubber match with win over 'JZ' Cavalcante Posted: 07 Oct 2010 08:33 AM PDT "I expect another tough fight. We have totally contrasting styles. It’s all going to come down to who enters the ring with the best strategy and to who implements their plan the best. I feel good and I’m as ready as can be. Get past this one and, deep down, I hope to fight Gilbert (Melendez). But it depends on Strikeforce and other things, likes injuries. Plus, Gilbert might have a commitment to fight next in Japan. But I definitely want to fight again soon -- in December, January or February." Former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson talks to reporters at yesterday's media open workout about getting his hands on Gilbert Melendez in a potential rubber match for the division gold. Standing in his way is dangerous import Gesias Cavalcante, who may have a thing or two to say about contending for the title when they throw down this Saturday (Oct. 9) at the "Diaz vs. Noons II" Showtime event. Will Thomson get Punk'd by "JZ?" Or steamroll his way back into the number one contender spot?

Strikeforce: Johnson vs Zwicker, Olsen vs Budd set for 'Challengers 11' on Oct. 22 Posted: 07 Oct 2010 08:22 AM PDT NEW YORK (Oct. 6, 2010) - Heavyweight star Lavar "Big" Johnson (14-3), of Madera, Calif., will continue his courageous cage comeback against aggressive-minded Virgil "RezDog" Zwicker (8-1) during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event presented by Rockstar Energy Drink at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), on Friday, Oct. 22. A second fight announced today by STRIKEFORCE will pit unbeaten, world-ranked Shana "Rock Solid'' Olsen (4-0), of Diluth, Minn., against highly regarded Canadian Muay Thai Champion Julia "The Jewel" Budd (pro debut), of Sechelt, British Columbia, at middleweight (145 pounds). Budd is the only fighter to have defeated Gina Carano in Muay Thai. In the Oct. 22 main event, Relentless" Roger Bowling (8-0) will put his unbeaten record on the line one more time against "Vicious" Bobby Voelker (22-8) of Kansas City, Kan., in a rematch of an exciting fight last May 21 that ended prematurely due to an accidental poke in the eye Undefeated prospect and Fresno resident Billy Evangelista (10-0, 1 NC) will make his long-awaited return to the cage when he faces Waachiim "Native Warrior'' Spiritwolf (8-6-1) of San Diego in a 165-pound catch weight fight. The hard-hitting Johnson, who will be making his second start since being gunned down at a family barbeque in 2009, is coming off a second-round TKO (punches) win over then-undefeated Lolohea Mahe last March 26 on STRIKEFORCE Challengers at Save Mart Center. To date, all of Johnson's wins have come via knockout, TKO or submission. The 6-foot-2, 33-year-old Johnson survived three gunshot wounds on July 4, 2009, sustained during the walk-by shooting that led to the death of a cousin. Johnson spent 30 days in a hospital, fighting for his life, and several more months rehabilitating. Zwicker, a 6-foot-2, 28-year-old, is a member of the San Pasqual band of Kumeyaay Indians. He won his initial eight outings, including a second-round TKO over Ovince St. Preux on Sept. 26, 2009. In his most recent start last April 25, Zwicker dropped a decision to Cody Goodale. Zwicker's scheduled opponent was a no-show the day of the fight so he agreed to take on Goodale, who was 40 pounds heavier. "I had so many friends, family and fans that had already got tickets. I had to go ahead with the fight," Zwicker said. "I didn't want to let them down." Zwicker grew up and still lives on the San Pasqual Indian Reservation near San Diego. In his younger days, he seemingly fought every day against guys from other reservations and street thugs from nearby Escondido. The pavement punchouts ultimately got him into trouble, but he turned his life around when he followed in a brother's footsteps into the MMA gym. "I was a tough guy who wanted to fight all the time," Zwicker said. "I definitely had a reputation." Once he got into MMA, Zwicker distanced himself from the rabble-rousers and is now married and the father of two young children, Duke and Maniya. "I am proud that I could separate myself from everything," said Zwicker, whose nickname "Rezdog" is in reference to the reservation. "I got out of the rut and expanded my life. I'm very happy where I'm at. Now, I can focus on my family and career. Fighting has created many opportunities and opened doors for me I'd never had on the reservation. "I am beyond excited to be able to fight for STRIKEFORCE. I've always wanted to perform on the big stage and prove my ability, and this is my chance." Olsen will be making her fifth start since turning pro on May 6, 2009. She showed her superior ability by scoring a second-round TKO over 2007 HOOKnSHOOT Grand Prix Champion Kaitlin Young in her second outing. The 5-foot-7, 28-year-old Olsen earned an entertaining decision over then-world-ranked seasoned veteran Yoko Takahashi in her last start April 24. Olsen's first fight for STRIKEFORCE has been a long time coming. She thought she'd be facing Erin Toughill in August but the bout was scrapped when Toughill couldn't make the contracted weight. A visibly irritated Olsen expressed her displeasure with Toughhill in an open letter that ran on various MMA websites. The focus now for a member of the Minnesota Fight Factory, however, is solely on Oct. 22, and to ultimately be acknowledged as the No. 1 fighter in the world. "Fighting Cyborg, Erin or anyone else is not my goal; my goal is to be a world champion fighter," Olsen said. "To have the opportunities to fight the best fighters and to prove myself, these are my goals. The fighters I face are the obstacles on the path to my goal and if I let what they say or what they do take me from that path, then I have already lost." Budd is a dedicated 5-foot-7, 27-year-old athlete who has been yearning for a shot in the spotlight. "I'm so excited to finally fight in MMA," said Budd, who played all sports while growing up in a small town before, she says, "I decided to try something different. Once I started in the martial arts, I got hooked and just loved it. I look forward to a great, exciting fight." Budd, who graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor's degree in human kinetics, is a personal trainer and Pilates instructor at Gibson Kickboxing in Port Moody BC. Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Save Mart Center box office, select Save Mart Supermarkets, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors will open at 4:45 p.m. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT. The first main card bout will start at 8 p.m.

Fedor? Overeem? Werdum? Scott Coker 'going to put these fights together' in 2011 Posted: 07 Oct 2010 07:38 AM PDT And tells the "Beatdown" radio show that fans can expect an announcement in the next four weeks. "One thing I can tell you is all these guys … Alistair, Fedor, Fabricio, Josh Barnett, ‘Bigfoot’ (Antonio Silva), (Sergei) Kharitonov, Andrei Arlovski, Brett Rogers, all those guys are all going to fight each other in 2011. We’re not going to hold anything back. You’re going to see these guys fight the toughest guys because really, if you’re a heavyweight, there are no easy fights in Strikeforce. It’s arguably the best heavyweight division in the world, and I think Josh Barnett said it best. The competition is here. He signed with us because he wants to fight all those guys. We’re going to put those fights together, and I think the fans are going to love it." PRIDE Redux? It looks like Strikeforce has some ambitious plans for their 2011 fight campaign, one that the San Jose boss expects to feature a bevy of marquee heavyweights mixing it up for a chance to capture Alistair Overeem's division title. Based on some of these high-maintenance contracts, anyone think this is just wishful thinking? Or will the Strikeforce heavyweight division become the toast of the town? Of the names mentioned, which match-up do you consider a "must-see?"

Strikeforce media open workout video highlights for 'Diaz vs Noons II' Posted: 07 Oct 2010 07:18 AM PDT Strikeforce: "Diaz vs. Noons II" goes down Saturday night (Oct. 9) live on Showtime.

UFC 125: Nate Diaz vs Stun Gun in the works for Jan. 1 Posted: 07 Oct 2010 07:09 AM PDT   Not even the most jaded fight fan can ignore this one. UFC 125 is looking to bring fireworks to the MGM Grand after securing verbal agreements between welterweight warriors Nate Diaz and Dong-Hyun Kim, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Korea's MFight announced the pending deal yesterday afternoon. Diaz tinkered with the lightweight division to mixed results before returning to 170-pounds at UFC 111 back in March. It was a move that left nobody second guessing him as he pounded out Rory Markham just three minutes into the opening round. Another stiff test awaited him in Marcus Davis and it was another one he passed with flying colors. The wily grappler detonated the "Irish Hand Grenade" via guillotine choke to close out their UFC 118 contest last August. He may be in cruise control since his welterweight return, but that doesn't mean he can coast through Kim, the undefeated Korean import who's made a habit out of stopping win streaks. After the Karo Parisyan fiasco at UFC 94 that resulted in a no decision, "Stun Gun" posted back-to-back unanimous decision victories over T.J. Grant and Amir Sadollah. A convincing win over Diaz and it may be time to change his status from "prospect" to "contender." UFC 125, though not officially announced, is expected to be headlined by division champion Frankie Edgar, as he defends his title in a rematch against undefeated Gray Maynard. Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann and Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera are also expected to be announced for the Jan. 1 pay-per-view in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates to this still-developing fight card.

Georges St. Pierre: I get to answer back a 'disrespectful' Josh Koscheck with my fists Posted: 07 Oct 2010 06:25 AM PDT Props: Fighters Only Quoteworthy: "I’m so happy that I get to fight Josh Koscheck in front of my home crowd. He was very disrespectful during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter and I didn’t say a word. Now on December 11th, I get to answer back with my fists. Last time I fought in Montreal, it was so loud the Octagon was shaking. I know the crowd will be even louder for this fight." Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Koscheck. UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre has a mad-on after being disrespected during his run as coach on Season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). GSP has, to date, been rolling with the verbal punches on the Spike TV reality show but now that all is said and done, he wants to "Rush" into the cage and pay back his fellow coach in Montreal. Will this be a repeat of their UFC 74 contest? Or will Koscheck shock the world on Dec. 11?

Strikeforce: Roger Gracie vs Mike Kyle on tap for Dec. 4 Posted: 06 Oct 2010 10:43 PM PDT Grappling guru Roger Gracie is back to face the rough-and-tumble Mike Kyle on the upcoming Strikeforce :"Henderson vs Babalu" fight card scheduled for Dec. 4 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. GracieMag.com brought word of the pending match-up yesterday evening. Gracie made his Strikeforce debut back in May, submitting former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman. The bout was also the submission specialist's debut at light heavyweight. The win improved Gracie's record to 3-0. Roger is of course known for carrying the Gracie name, but he's also recognized for the numerous submission tournaments with nearly 70 official submission grappling matches to his credit. Trying to keep it standing will be Kyle (17-7-1), who got back into the mix with his impressive submission win over "Abongo" Humphrey last July. Like Gracie, "MAK's" last bout was his debut at light heavyweight. Kyle has won four of his last six bout, though one of those fights ended in a "no contest" when he knocked out Travis Wiuff after the bell. Six months prior to that, Kyle suffered a submission loss to top Strikeforce heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum. Strikeforce: "Henderson vs. Babalu" will feature a light heavyweight rematch between longtime veterans of the sport, Dan Henderson and Renato Sobral. "Hendo" defeated "Babalu" via majority decision under the RINGS banner way back in 1999. Also strapping on the gloves will be former NFL great and MMA sophomore Herschel Walker against an opponent to be named. For the current Strikeforce: "Henderson vs. Babalu" fight card and rumors click here.

UFC 124: Jim Miller vs Charles Oliveira booked for Dec. 11 Posted: 06 Oct 2010 05:26 PM PDT There's a fantastic lightweight match-up brewing between up-and-coming division prospects Jim Miller and Charles Oliveira, as the crafty 155'ers are currently in talks to throw down at the upcoming UFC 124 pay-per-view on Dec. 11 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MMA Weekly brought word of the pending match-up earlier today. It was Miller time at UFC Fight Night 22 after the streaking Sparta native outworked the venerable Gleison Tibau en route to a unanimous decision victory. It was Miller's fifth straight win since being outpointed by Gray Maynard back in March 2009. The victory puts Miller at 7-1 in the division and 13-2 overall. Also taking home the "W" in Austin was Oliveira, as the submission specialist gave former TUF champ Efrain Escudero his walking papers (literally) via rear naked choke in the third round of their lightweight war. "Do Bronx" is a perfect 14-0 with 13 finishes. UFC 124 will be headlined by Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre taking on fellow TUF 12 coach Josh Koscheck. Thiago Alves and John Howard as well as Dustin Hazelett and Mark Bocek are also expected to hook 'em up. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still developing fight card.

UFC 124: Jason MacDonald returns to face Rafael Natal on Dec. 11 Posted: 06 Oct 2010 12:59 PM PDT Return of "The Athlete," take two. Former division middleweight standout Jason MacDonald will get a chance to prove he still belongs inside the Octagon (again) when he makes his return against Rafael Natal at UFC 124 on dec. 11 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dominance MMA tweeted the big news on Oct. 6. McDonald's return to the UFC went from dream to nightmare after breaking his leg while defending a takedown against opponent John Salter at UFC 113 back in May. The grisly injury required surgery and has kept "The Athlete" away from action for several months. Natal entered the Octagon as a highly touted but relatively unknown fighter with a record of 12-2. "Sapo" would drop his promotion debut to Ultimate Fighter (TUF) cast member Rich Attonito by unanimous decision on Sept. 15. UFC 124 will be headlined by Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre taking on fellow TUF 12 coach Josh Koscheck. Thiago Alves and John Howard as well as Dustin Hazelett and Mark Bocek are also expected to hook 'em up. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still developing fight card.

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