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• Big Guns: UFC 108 video trailer for 'Evans vs Machida' on Jan. 2
• Drunken boxing, snake fist, hadoken: Minowaman's secret weapons against Sokoudjou
• Remy Bonjasky declines rematch with Badr Hari at 'It's Showtime' event
• NSAC denies Jon Jones appeal to reverse Dec. 5 DQ loss to Matt Hamill
• Strikeforce 'Evolution' video recap and highlights from Dec. 19 event
• Thiago Silva: I fight like it's a title match -- regardless of opponent
• MMA Quick Pic: Diego Sanchez healing fast from UFC 107 loss to BJ Penn
• UFC 110: Chris Lytle vs Brian Foster slated for Feb. 21 with 'Stun Gun' Kim hurt
• For a better world: Merry Christmas from the 'Axe Murderer' (Video)
• Dan Hardy and Michael Bisping UFC 105 bouts coming to UK's FIVE Network on Jan. 3
• Dana White ready to bring the excitement of big fights back to Boston
• Comical: Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson gets animated for A-Team comic book (Pic)

Big Guns: UFC 108 video trailer for 'Evans vs Machida' on Jan. 2 Posted: 23 Dec 2009 05:39 PM PST

Drunken boxing, snake fist, hadoken: Minowaman's secret weapons against Sokoudjou Posted: 23 Dec 2009 02:27 PM PST Sokoudjou had better watch out, because the always entertaining and enigmatic Minowaman has some nasty tricks up his sleeve! Minowaman (Ikuhisa Minowa) has built his reputation for his entertaining entrances, pro-wrestling derived maneuvers, and taking on opponents of all shapes and sizes throughout his MMA career. During the media workout on December, 23, he unveiled some new techniques he has been perfecting. At Dynamite!! 2009 on New Year's Eve, he will face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the final of the infamous DREAM Super Hulk Tournament. Unlike his typical freakshow opponent, Sokoudjou is far from a lumbering behomoth. Minowaman realizes that he cannot just dive for leg locks against the athletic and explosive Sokoudjou like he did against Bob Sapp and Hong Man Choi. Thus, he has been preparing accordingly, emphasizing strength training to match the Team Quest members' brute physicality. Additionally, he has looked to movies and video games for inspiration. The fast-rising UFC light heavyweight fighter, Jon Jones has revealed that he absorbed striking from watching YouTube videos and martial arts films when his original gym in upstate New York did not have a striking coach: Not to be outdone, Minowaman takes the practice to a whole new level. Pictures of Minowaman demonstrating the snake fist, hadoken, and some other drunken boxing techniques after the jump.

Remy Bonjasky declines rematch with Badr Hari at 'It's Showtime' event Posted: 23 Dec 2009 01:43 PM PST K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 concluded earlier this month, but the infamous footstomp incident by Badr Hari during the 2008 Grand Prix Final remains seared in K-1's collective memory. Dutch Kickboxing/MMA organization, It's Showtime, attempted to resurrect the match between Badr Hari and Remy Bonjasky for the two to settle the score in the main event of its big Amsterdam Arena show next year. Unfortunately, it looks like the promotion's effort has failed to come to fruition. Headkick Legend reports that Bonjasky has declined the rematch with Hari, citing the threatening letters he had received from Hari's fans in the wake of the footstomp incident. According to the three-time K-1 World Champion, the letters had cast gloom over the well-being of him and his family. Therefore, he is unwilling to face Hari (and deal with his fans) again. Rumors suggest that Gokhan Saki may replace Bonjasky, but the news awaits confirmation. Bonjasky was among the eight finalists in the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009. He defeated Errol Zimmerman via unanimous decision in the quarterfinal but fell to the eventual winner and vanquisher of Badr Hari in the finals, Semmy Schilt.

NSAC denies Jon Jones appeal to reverse Dec. 5 DQ loss to Matt Hamill Posted: 23 Dec 2009 12:00 PM PST The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) on Monday denied a formal request from UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones to overturn his disqualification loss to Matt Hamill at the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale in Las Vegas back on Dec. 5, according to Sherdog.com. "The Hammer" was completely obliterated on the ground, perhaps mere seconds away from a technical knockout until Jones rained down a few 12-6 elbows that caused referee Steve Mazzagatti to halt the contest. After Hamill could not continue and instant replay was utilized, Jones was disqualified for the illegal elbows. "Bones" and Co. argued that Mazzagatti's ruling was inconsistent with the injuries that prevented Hamill from continuing. The former TUF 3 contestant was not evaluated by a physician prior to the ruling and later pointed to a shoulder injury as the beginning of the end. More from the Jones camp: "Nobody wants to lose. [Jones] knows he put on a good performance. We talked with him about the protest, and he was for it. He just wanted things looked at, whether it was overturned or not. He’s fine with everything." We had some good points," Ciotoli said. "Nothing against them. We just wanted them to review it. Everybody makes mistakes, and you’ve got to take a look at those mistakes. To not do that is wrong. It’s unfortunate they didn’t even look anything over, but we kind of knew that going in. If they did decide to look at it and overturn the decision, it would not make them look weak." The NSAC has not commented on their decision to reject Jones' appeal but Hamill himself has gone on record stating that he "definitely" did not win the match and Jones "definitely" didn't lose it. The NSAC does not concur. Do you?

Strikeforce 'Evolution' video recap and highlights from Dec. 19 event Posted: 23 Dec 2009 10:37 AM PST SCOTT SMITH DELIVERS THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!

Thiago Silva: I fight like it's a title match -- regardless of opponent Posted: 23 Dec 2009 10:26 AM PST Props: Graciemag.com Quoteworthy: "To me each fight might as well be my last. I fight like it was a title match regardless of the opponent. It’s an important fight for me, because it puts me on track for the belt. All my fans expect a show. I don’t run from opponents and I’m going in to win. It’s a great challenge, against one of the best in the world. It’s just what I wanted. I have faith in my style, my Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and striking. I’m ready to take on anyone, to be champion.” Thiago Silva headlines UFC 108 against former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans on January 2, 2010 in a match that places the winner on the way to a 205-pound title shot. The ATT fighter comes off an overwhelming victory over Keith Jardine while “Sugar” was expected to square off Quinton Jackson after the end of The Ultimate Fighter season, where both worked like coaches, but “Rampage” preffered to take a role at A-Team movie acting like B.A. Baracus. Do you think the Evans vs Silva match will determine the next contender? And who wins?

MMA Quick Pic: Diego Sanchez healing fast from UFC 107 loss to BJ Penn Posted: 23 Dec 2009 10:20 AM PST Photo courtesy of "Nightmare's" official Twitter account.

UFC 110: Chris Lytle vs Brian Foster slated for Feb. 21 with 'Stun Gun' Kim hurt Posted: 23 Dec 2009 09:39 AM PST Chris Lytle (27-17-5) is still on schedule to compete "down under" thanks to Brian Foster (13-4), who steps in to replace the injured Dong Hyun Kim on the upcoming UFC 110 fight card booked for the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 21, according to a recent MySpace post from Foster. "Lights Out" was last seen taking a unanimous decision win over Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9 Finale last June, in what was an exciting showdown that saw Lytle earn his third "Fight of the Night" bonus in as many attempts. He was quickly penciled in to do battle with former WEC kingpin Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 19 back in September; however, Lytle's knee imploded during training and forced him to withdraw from the Spike TV event. The Ultimate Fighter 4 runner-up will be looking to notch his fourth straight win this February against the very dangerous Foster -- who like Lytle has been in his fair share of entertaining bouts throughout his short but memorable UFC tenure. The HIT Squad standout dropped a submission loss to Rick Story in his Octagon debut at UFC 103: "Franklin vs. Belfort" back on September 19 -- but not before claiming his half of the "Fight of the Night" bonus for lighting it up inside the cage. Instead of moping around the gym about coming up short, Foster returned to action just two months later, pounding out the venerable Brock Larson en route to a second round stoppage. A similar performance against Lytle could go a long way in establishing him as a force to be reckoned with at 170-pounds. UFC 110 pits Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Cain Velasquez in a bout that could determine the next heavyweight number one contender. In the co-main event, Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva will try to put TUF grad Michael Bisping down for "The Count." For more on the Australian event click here.

For a better world: Merry Christmas from the 'Axe Murderer' (Video) Posted: 23 Dec 2009 09:13 AM PST

Dan Hardy and Michael Bisping UFC 105 bouts coming to UK's FIVE Network on Jan. 3 Posted: 23 Dec 2009 07:59 AM PST London, December 22 – The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization is proud to announce two of the most significant British wins in UFC history – Dan Hardy’s points victory over Mike Swick, and Michael Bisping’s second round TKO over Denis Kang – will be screened on terrestrial network television this holiday season. Both bouts, which took place at UFC 105 on November 14, will be broadcast at midnight on Sunday January 3 on channel FIVE as UFC: Main Event returns. UFC 105 was the biggest British fight night of 2009, cramming nearly 17,000 fans into Manchester’s MEN Arena for what was one of the most memorable evenings in the history of British Mixed Martial Arts. First, Michael ‘the Count’ Bisping recovered from an early knockdown to stop highly regarded Denis Kang in a hugely significant middleweight victory. Then, Dan ‘the Outlaw’ Hardy earned the first ever title shot for a British fighter when he punched his way past top welterweight Mike ‘Quick’ Swick. Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC’s UK Division President, said: "We are delighted to give FIVE viewers the chance to see these two incredible performances by Dan and Mike. Their victories at UFC 105 are quite possibly the two biggest wins for British fighters in the history of the UFC. These two performances are easily in the top five by any British fighter since the UFC’s inception in 1993." Indeed, ‘the Count’ was dropped in the opening seconds of the very first round and spent much of the opening stanza on his back defending against his Canadian opponent’s attacks. But the Manchester fighter roared back in the second round, unleashing a relentless ground and pound assault which Kang had no answer for. "It was a defining fight for ‘the Count,’" Zelaznik said. "It re-established him as a serious contender at middleweight and proved the kind of fighting heart he has. The support he received from the Manchester fans was deafening." And in the featured bout of UFC: Main Event, Nottingham’s Dan ‘the Outlaw’ Hardy outpoints top welterweight Mike ‘Quick’ Swick over three exciting rounds. With the win, Hardy became the first Briton to earn a shot at a UFC World Championship. Hardy will challenge welterweight king George St-Pierre in early 2010. Zelaznik said: "Dan started as a big underdog in this fight against Swick, but, like he has in all four of his UFC bouts to date, the Outlaw proved the doubters wrong. He hurt Swick early on in the bout with a huge right hand and dictated the pace from there. Hardy clearly carries thunderous power in his hands but what surprised a lot of people is that he could match ‘Quick’ Swick for handspeed too. "Dan’s win was a huge one for all of British MMA and we are excited to give FIVE viewers the chance to watch these two big British victories." UFC: Main Event hits the FIVE airwaves at midnight on the night of Sunday, January 3.

Dana White ready to bring the excitement of big fights back to Boston Posted: 23 Dec 2009 07:33 AM PST Props: ESPN.com Quoteworthy: "Boston's got a big chip on its shoulder. It's a place that says, 'We're the best and we're gonna kick everybody's ass.' It's got that whole fighting vibe to it and I love it. Boston has a great history as a fight town, but boxing has fizzled out from where it was. I'm going to bring the fight game back to Boston. I'm going to bring back the excitement of big fights, the energy of it. Everybody's always telling me, 'Hey, I bet you can't wait till you can bring the UFC to Madison Square Garden. No, I want the [expletive] Boston Garden, OK? One of the things I love about a Boston show is that you're not just pulling people from Massachusetts, you're pulling people from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, even New Jersey and New York. We're going to blow people away with how many fans come." UFC President Dana White is ready to return home to Boston -- complete with his MMA empire and rabid fan base. The state of Massachusetts recently approved a bill to afford regulation for the sport of mixed martial arts and the Zuffa brass wasted no time in lining up an August 28 date at the TD BankNorth Garden for their Beantown debut. White also promised the show to end all shows. If that's the case, what can we expect for the August mega-event? Fan Expo? Five title fights? The return of Brock Lesnar? Let the speculation begin...

Comical: Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson gets animated for A-Team comic book (Pic) Posted: 23 Dec 2009 06:26 AM PST See more here.

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