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UFC Quick Quote: Matt Hughes knee injury wont require surgery … for now Posted: 26 Jun 2008 08:19 AM CDT “I found out my results, I've got a totally torn MCL that is still attached to my femur. I've got a partially torn PCL. They really think that the PCL will repair itself and that MCL has a chance of repairing itself. So we're going to hold off on surgery right now. I am going to get a second opinion this week, so that might change; but for now we're going to hold off on surgery.” – Former welterweight champion Matt Hughes provides an update via his official blog regarding the knee injury he sustained during his fight with Thiago Alves at UFC 85: “Bedlam” earlier this month. Hughes was rocked with a flying knee in round two of the 170-pound main event, which caused his lower half to contort, twisting his knee in a bad way. “The Pitbull” quickly pounced on top of Hughes and pounded him out for the win. Hughes is believed to be taking on Matt Serra in his next fight; however, there’s no telling if this knee injury will persist and delay the showdown … again.

Cung Le is ‘at a crossroads’ in his career Posted: 25 Jun 2008 10:34 PM CDT Props: TopGunMMA.com Quoteworthy: “I just landed a big movie role with Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster. It’s been pretty exciting for me. I didn’t even get the role for my fighting abilities. I actually auditioned and I got it off straight acting. (It’s not based on martial arts) it’s science fiction. So far, the two movies that I did had fighting. They were saying that’s the best fight scene and they’re actually going to send it in to see if that fight scene gets best fight scene of the year with me and Channing Tatum. I feel like I still got a couple more good fights in me but at the same time I have to be smart. I’m at a crossroads. There’s a lot of great fighters out there. Of course, there’s the great Anderson Silva but that matchup doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to happen. He’s UFC, I’m Strikeforce. In the meantime, my next opponent is this movie. It’s an opportunity where I get to carry the action the whole movie and have a lot of acting. I’ve done a lot of fighting and I’ve done a lot for martial arts, but I’m sure if I get taken away for a couple of years or for good … it’s all pretty much in God’s hands right now.” Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Cung Le talks about his acting career taking off in a big way during a recent interview. The mash up quote above is a combination of things he said in the interview, rather than an answer to just one question. However, the gist is that he’s considering taking on acting full time and taking a step down from competing in mixed martial arts sometime in the relatively near future. Le will also play Marshall Law in the big screen version of the popular video game, Tekken, which is done filming and set to come out next year. There’s no word yet on when he will defend his new 185-pound title for the first time. Get him back in the cage … fast.

Ricardo Almeida: ‘My goal is to submit’ Patrick Cote at UFC 86 (Video) Posted: 25 Jun 2008 09:42 PM CDT

Elite XC makes ‘Unfinished Business’ official for CBS on July 26 (Update) Posted: 25 Jun 2008 06:52 PM CDT We all knew it was coming, but today Elite XC officially announced its second installment of “Saturday Night Fights” on CBS — “Unfinished Business” is set to take place at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif., on Saturday, July 26. In addition, as earlier reported the promotion will indeed split the event into a co-telecast between CBS and Showtime. Therefore, Showtime will air three high profile fights from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m ET, culminating with the first ever Elite XC heavyweight championship title bout between Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and an unnamed opponent. When pressed for the possible challenger, Elite XC officials would not budge on Silva’s potential opponent at this time. However, International Fight League (IFL) champ Roy “Big Country” Nelson and Dave “Pee Wee” Herman have both been mentioned in the past couple weeks as possibilities. Update: Sherdog.com is reporting that Segei Kharitonov is the possible opponent lined up for Silva. Stay tuned for more details. In addition, 145-pound standout and Brazilian jiu-jitsu stud Wilson Reis is also rumored to be a part of the Showtime portion of the event. The main card that will air on network television (CBS) will feature the Elite XC middleweight title rematch between champion, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, and challenger, Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith, as the main event. There is indeed plenty of unfinished business between the two after an all out war was prematurely stopped on the first CBS event because of an inadvertent thumb to Smith’s eye. CBS will air three other fights during its two-hour portion of the co-telecast, running from 9:00 p.m through 11:00 p.m. Two of those three fights have been confirmed, including the inaugural Elite XC welterweight title fight between Jake Shields and Nick “The Goat” Thompson, as well as a lightweight showdown between hometown fighter Nick Diaz and Thomas “Wildman” Denny. The other fight rumored to be aired on CBS is a womens match that will decide Gina Carano’s opponent for the company’s first womens championship in October. That fight is believed to be between Shayna Baszler and Kelly Kobald. Seven fights in all, including three title fights, will be on display via Showtime and CBS in Stockton, Calif., on July 26. There were mixed reviews for the first “SNF” event, but the ratings told a different story. It will be interesting to see how Elite XC does with its second bite at the primetime apple. We’ll keep you posted as more news is revealed involving this event.

Phil Baroni vs Scott Jansen Cage Rage main event set for July 12 Posted: 25 Jun 2008 02:14 PM CDT We reported earlier this week here on MMAmania.com that Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni (10-10) was moving down to the welterweight division for the first time ever and would compete on the Cage Rage: “Step Up” card on July 12. Today, his opponent, Scott Jansen (3-2), was revealed. In addition, the 170-pound fight will be featured as the main event of the evening. Jansen is a hometown English-born fighter who has competed mostly in the Cage Rage “Contenders” shows. He should make for an exciting match up for Baroni because he’s never gone the distance. And all three of his wins have come via technical knockouts and his two losses are by submissions. Clearly, Jansen prefers to stand and bang it out with his opponents and has some work to do on his submission defense. I doubt he’ll have to worry too much about defending submissions in this fight, however, because Baroni isn’t known to be much of a jiu-jitsu afficionado himself. In fact, Baroni’s cited his move to the 170-pound division as a result of the weight class not having many one-punch knockout artists such as himself. He thinks it’s something he can capitalize on and finally capture that world championship that has alluded him thus far in his career. “The New York Badass” is coming off three straight losses under the Elite XC banner, most recently losing on the May 31 “Saturday Night Fights” CBS show to Joey Villasenor by first round technical knockout. This should be an entertaining fight for the British fans. Baroni is a showman and is usually very exciting to watch despite his ridiculously long entrances. The co-featured fight of the night will be a heavyweight showdown between Robert “Buzz” Berry (12-7) and Neil Grove(5-1).

Affliction MMA to partner with Fight Network to air ‘Banned’ Posted: 25 Jun 2008 01:51 PM CDT Over the weekend, The Fight Network announced that it has landed exclusive rights to air the one hour under card portion of the July 19 Affliction: “Banned” pay-per-view (PPV) event on its network. The Fight Network's president and CEO, George Burger, made the announcement at a press conference held at the MMA Expo in Toronto, Canada. Burger was flanked at the press conference by Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio; Fight Network Senior Vice President and founder Mike Garrow; Mark "The Machine" Hominic; as well as heavyweights, Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski and “Big” Ben Rothwell, who are set to face each other on the star studded card. Here's a snip from Burger on the news: "This is a stellar card, arguably the best collection of heavyweights under one roof in the history of MMA. The Fight Network is excited to be working side by side with Affliction in taking the launch of this promotion worldwide … Not only are we showing the undercard live and exclusively on our Network, a great lead-in to the Pay-Per-View event, but we are also distributing the Pay-Per-View in Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom." Mauro Ranallo was the emcee for the press conference and revealed that both he and “Big” John McCarthy will be calling the play-by-play on July 19. The Afflicition Banned main event showcases the return of Fedor Emelianenko against former UFC heavyweight champion, Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The rest of the card reads like a rolodex of match ups any promotion would be eager to put together in a heartbeat. The question now remains: Do we pay to watch an absolutely spectacular card Affliction card or do we peep the best pound-for-pound fighter take a step up in weight and headline a card that is taking shape nicely for free? Set the Tivo … it's going to be a busy weekend. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Ultimate Fighter 8 video trailer and preview Posted: 25 Jun 2008 01:37 PM CDT The next installment of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is set to kick-off its eighth season on September 17 on Spike TV with a mix of lightweights and light heavyweights. Here’s the video trailer for those who missed it over the weekend: (Thanks to BloodyElbow.com for the assist.)

Brad Blackburn vs James Giboo UFC Fight Night 14 fight booked Posted: 25 Jun 2008 12:07 PM CDT The steady drumbeat of fresh faces continues with official confirmation that welterweight newcomers Brad Blackburn (12-9-1) and James Giboo (11-2) will lock horns at UFC Fight Night 14 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 19. Blackburn –- a seven-fight International Fight League (IFL) veteran –- has had his share of bright moments with impressive wins against high-caliber opponents such as Delson Heleno, Jay Hieron and Chris Wilson, among others. However, recent losses to Mark Miller and Rory Markham have overshadowed those accomplishments. He'll look to keep a two-fight win streak alive and avoid any setbacks when he makes his Octagon debut against Giboo. A veteran fighter of the Midwest mixed martial arts scene, Giboo is a submission specialist (nine in 12 professional bouts) who has never been past round two in his career win or lose. In fact, several of those submissions are of the verbal variety, meaning he has a punishing ground and pound attack, too. Giboo most recently stopped Zeke Schilling at Iowa Challenge 47 just 70 seconds into round one. UFC Fight Night 14 features light heavyweight debut of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva against hard-hitting James Irvin. To check out the most recent fight card, which is now almost complete and official, click here.

MMA Quick Quote: Fans calling for a UFC 5 rematch? Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:50 AM CDT The second time I beat him in every aspect of the fight; in fact his corner had to carry him out. Fans have been calling for a rematch ever since. After this particular fight Royce left the UFC. As a matter of fact I ran the entire Gracie family out of the UFC. His talk is cheap. Let's settle it in the cage. I heard Royce agree to a rematch three times now, every time he has come up with a reason not to fight me. Royce and my brother Frank should get together and write a book about how to set up fights and not fight. – UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock fires back at Royce Gracie who dismissed the aging star as irrelevant in today’s fight game in a recent interview with MMAyou.com. Shammy last competed at Cage Rage 25 where he was knocked out by Robert “Buzz” Berry and is just 2-8 in his last 10 fights.

DREAM 5: Fomer PRIDE heavyweight Mark Hunt to appear? Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:22 AM CDT While nothing has been announced, it’s interesting to see the face of former PRIDE heavyweight Mark Hunt (5-3) on the promotional banner for DREAM 5, which coincidentally features a heavyweight showdown between Mirko Cro Cop — who also appears on the banner — and Jerome LeBanner — who does not. Hmmm …

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Gina Carano: ‘I want to fight’ Tara LaRosa Posted: 25 Jun 2008 08:12 AM CDT Props: AOLSports.com Quoteworthy: “[If I could fight anyone it would be] Tara LaRosa. And I want to say that I respect her. She’s got an amazing record and she’s got really good people. She’s got 12 wins 1 loss and 1 draw. And I want to fight her, not because I’m trying to call her out or anything but because I want to test myself against what everyone else thinks is the best. But the up and comers in the sport are the ones to watch out for too. A hungry Kaitlin Young – I look at her the same way I look at Tara LaRosa. You never know. I was an up and comer, I had all these girls laughing at me like I wasn’t serious. Then I’d whoop ‘em. So I would watch out for who’s coming. But Tara LaRosa, for sure.” Top Elite XC female mixed martial artist, Gina Carano (6-0), shares her thoughts on who she would like to fight next if it were her choice. This comes on the heels of LaRosa signing a huge deal with the AFL that is believed to have made her the highest paid woman in the sport. In fact, she reportedly stands to make somewhere between $500,000 and $700,000 over a three fight span. The rivalry between Carano — who is believed to be the most well known female fighter in the world — and LaRosa — who is believed to be the best female fighter in the world — has been steadily brewing for quite some time. LaRosa has called Carano unprofessional in the past for her inability to make weight, and went as far as to say the 140 pound Elite XC weight class was made specifically for her benefit. Carano responded on the Yac and J show by saying LaRosa looked like a man. Eventually these two are going to have to lock ‘em up. It’s only a matter of time.

UFC Quick Quote: Heath Herring trains with Randy Couture for Brock Lesnar UFC 87 fight Posted: 24 Jun 2008 11:29 PM CDT “I’ve been down at Randy’s a lot. Actually, Randy’s really helped me out so far. I really have got to give him a lot of credit for helping me out and kind of helping me with takedown defense and things like that.” – Heath Herring talks about the preparation for his upcoming fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” with MMAWeekly.com. “The Texas Crazy Horse” was taken down at will in a loss to Jake O’Brien in his Octagon debut and striker Cheick Kongo implemented the same game plan against Herring (although it didn’t work). Lesnar is a collegiate wrestling champion and has tremendous skills and speed — he’ll likely be looking to put Herring on his back and pound him out. It should be interesting to see if “The Natural” can impart any Greco-Roman wisdom that keeps Herring upright.

Strikeforce weigh-ins for ‘Melendez vs Thomson’ on June 26 Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:53 PM CDT The weigh-ins for Friday night’s Strikeforce: “Melendez vs. Thomson” event will be held this Thursday (June 26) at the Dave and Busters in the Great Mall Plaza of Milpitas, Calif. The fighters will begin to tip the scales at 5:30 p.m. local time. The HDNet televised event will be headlined by the long-awaited Strikeforce lightweight championship bout between champion, Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-1) and number one contender, Josh “The Punk” Thomson (14-2). The Strikeforce light heavyweight title will also be on the line Friday night, as champion and “The Ultimate Fighter 1″ (TUF) alum Bobby Southworth (8-5) will defend his strap against the hard hitting Anthony “El Toro” Ruiz (20-10). If you’re in the area and want to get an up close and personal look at these competitors as they go through with the last of the formalities before fight time, make sure and stop by and check it out. Here’s the Strikeforce: “Melendez vs. Thomson” card in its entirety: Main card (televised portion): 155 lbs.: Lightweight champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-1) vs. Josh “The Punk” Thomson (14-2) 205 lbs.: Light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth (8-5) vs. Anthony “El Toro” Ruiz (20-10) 178 lbs. (catchweight): Luke Stewart (5-1) vs. Joe “Diesel” Riggs (27-10) 185 lbs.: Raymond “The Real Deal” Daniels (0-0) vs. Jeremiah Metcalf (8-4) 155 lbs.: Billy Evangelista (6-0) vs. Nam Phan (14-4) 150 lbs.: (women’s match): Miesha Tate (1-1) vs. Elaina Maxwell (2-2) 135 lbs.: Chris Cariaso (6-1) vs. Anthony “Antdawg” Figueroa (4-2) Under card (May not be broadcast): 190 lbs.: Jesse Gillespie (1-1) vs. Dave Martin (0-1) 155 lbs.: Bobby Stack (4-1) vs. Jose Palacios (3-0) 140 lbs.: Brian Caraway (4-2) vs. Alvin Cacdac (4-3) 170 lbs.: Cyrillo Padhillo (1-2) vs. Jesse Jones (2-0) 155 lbs.: Eric Jacob (1-3) vs. Alexander Trivino (1-0) 190 lbs.: Jorge Interiano (0-0) vs. Travis Johnson (0-0) The HDNet broadcast will start at 10:30 p.m. ET, airing live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. MMAmania.com will be the place to check in before, during and after for all the updates and results.

Tomasz Drwal vs Andre Gusmao UFC 87 fight official Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:40 PM CDT Promising up-and-coming light heavyweight talents Andre Gusmao (5-0) and Tomasz Drwal (14-2) are set to clash at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on August 9. Gusmao is an undefeated fighter who most recently competed in the International Fight League (IFL). In fact, his first round knockout win (knee) of Mike Ciesnolevicz sealed the victory for the Renzo Gracie-led New York Pitbulls at the 2007 Team Championship Final in September. He was supposed to make his Octagon debut at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” against David Heath; however, contractual obligations with the IFL prevented him from competing in the 205-pound bout. It appears that the red tape has now been lifted. Drwal was actually inserted to replace Gusmao against Heath, but the Polish fighter sustained a knee injury during training and had to withdraw from the bout. “The Gorilla” dropped his Octagon debut to Thiago Silva at UFC 75: "Champion vs. Champion" via technical knockout in a spirited effort back in September 2006. It's good to see him return, as well as Gusmao finally in the fold — this is good fight between two rising young stars. To check out the latest UFC 87 fight card, which is headlined by the welterweight championship fight between Georges St. Pierre and challenger Jon Fitch, click here.

Joe Lauzon vs Kyle Bradley UFC Fight Night 15 fight planned Posted: 24 Jun 2008 09:59 PM CDT Joe Lauzon (16-4) will return to action against Kyle Bradley (13-5) in a lightweight tilt at UFC Fight Night 15 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 17. MMAmania.com today confirmed that the reported bout would take place during the Spike TV Wednesday night special that serves as the lead-in to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 season debut. “J-Lau” recently has a six-fight win streak snapped when he dropped a fight against Kenny Florian via technical knockout (strikes) at UFC Fight Night 13 back in April. The former TUF 5 alum was the victim of some questionable (and ferocious) elbows that appeared to be illegal. The action was stopped, but he wasn’t the same after sustaining the hits. Lauzon has three wins in four attempts inside the Octagon, including a sensational upset in his debut against former 155-pound champion, Jens Pulver, at UFC 63: “Hughes vs. Penn” in September 2006. He’ll look to get back on track against Bradley — a one-fight UFC veteran. In his inaugural performance, Bradley was overwhelmed by veteran Chris Lytle in a welterweight bout at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” earlier this year. “Lights Out” had Bradley so punch drunk that when the referee, Yves Lavigne, stopped the fight Bradley continued on and was defending Lavigne from full guard. Perhaps the move down to 155 pounds will help the knockout specialist adjust to the step up in competition. UFC Fight Night 15 will feature the main event between scrappy lightweights, Clay Guida and Mac Danzing, as well as a solid match up between TUF 5 winner, Nate Diaz, and Josh “The Dentist” Neer. To check out the most recent UFC Fight Night 15 card and rumors click here.

Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley to return against Bojan ‘Zelva’ Kosednar at Cage Warriors Posted: 24 Jun 2008 08:04 PM CDT British mixed martial arts sensation Paul “Semtex” Daley (17-6-2) will make his return to the cage after a five month hiatus from the sport, according to Sherdog.com. Daley sited personal reasons for his short-lived retirement, but is apparently ready to get back into the swing of things. In his last fight, Daley knocked out Sam Morgan with some nasty standing elbows at a January Sho XC Challenger Series event in Atlantic City, NJ. Other notable wins for the explosive Cage Rage welterweight champ include Duane Ludwig, Jess Liaudin, Mark Weir and Xavier Foupa-Pokam. He’ll stay close to home in his re-debut, fighting on July 12 in his hometown of Nottingham, England, at Cage Warriors: “Enter the Rough House 7″ — a promotion usually geared toward up and coming fighters — against undefeated Slovenian Bojan “Zelva” Kosednar (6-0). Here’s a quote from Daley on the decision to fight for Cage Warriors: “I needed a fight. I needed something to bring about greater focus. I approached them [Cage Warriors]. They run a great show in my hometown, and a lot of my friends and family have never seen me fight live.” “Zelva” is not an walk in the park for Daley’s first fight back. He has increased his level of competition in each fight since his August 2007 debut, most recently winning a decision over a very tough and experienced Fabricio Nascimento (19-6) in May. “Semtex” will need to be in top form to be able to handle the strength Kosednar brings to the table. Cage Warriors matchmaker Ian Dean had this to say on the July 12 return for “Semtex:” “I wanted to make it a competitive bout and I think we have done that with a dangerous, unbeaten fighter. And to his credit, Daley leapt at the opportunity to fight him, and I think it has re-energized him as well.” If Daley is victorious in this bout, hopefully he’ll make his way back to the states and either onto a Showtime or CBS televised card under the Elite XC banner.

Anderson Silva is the ‘Worlds Most Dangerous Man’ (Video) Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:48 PM CDT Sorry, Ken Shamrock, but the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards say different:

Dan Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares UFC 88 fight set for Atlanta Posted: 24 Jun 2008 06:55 PM CDT Brazilian jiu-jitsu submission specialist Rousimar Palhares (8-1) has signed a contract to take on Dan Henderson (22-7) in a middleweight bout at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on September 6, according to MMAWeekly.com. "Dangerous Dan" –- with his proven chin and prestigious Greco Roman wrestling pedigree –- was supposed to be the man to derail the seemingly invincible champion, Anderson Silva. And in the first round of their fight at UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion," Henderson appeared to be well on his way. However, Silva came out in the second frame and finished Henderson with a submission (rear naked choke) -– the first time that the former Pride FC dual champion had been stopped early since 2005. With two straight losses since his return to the Octagon it’s safe to say that this is a must win for Henderson. Palhares was impressive in his Octagon debut, submitting mixed martial arts veteran Ivan Salaverry via super slick armbar at UFC 84: “Ill Will” back in May. It was so slick, in fact, it earned him a $70,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus. Henderson is no doubt the biggest test to date for the young Brazilian Top Team-trained fighter and it would brand him an instant force in the 185-pound division. And if there is one weakness in Henderson’s tight game it’s his submission defense — three of his seven career losses have come via submission (the other four are decisions). Put simply, it’s a big fight for both fighters for different reasons. UFC 88 will showcase a main event between former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 heavyweight winner Rashad Evans. Stay tuned for more UFC 88 fight card updates.

Report: ‘Gary Shaw’s days at ProElite may be numbered’ Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:14 PM CDT Props: MMAPayout.com Quoteworthy: “Speculation within the MMA industry suggests that Gary Shaw’s days at ProElite may be numbered. Rumors suggest that Shaw may be out by the end of the summer, possibly soon after the July 26 CBS event … the expected move is another example of CBS’s growing influence on the company. Santa Monica Capital Partners, the largest shareholder in the company, is also believed to have taken a more active role in the company of late.” Professional boxing promoter-turned mixed martial arts promoter, Gary Shaw, could be on the ropes as Elite XC Live Events President if the report is indeed accurate. (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “Crazy” for the assist.)

UFC Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale medical suspensions and injuries Posted: 24 Jun 2008 03:20 PM CDT The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today released its medical suspensions for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale that took place on Saturday, June 21, from The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas. It was actually a card that did not include many violent finishes or back-and-forth battles that can cause cumulative injuries. Accordingly, most fighters escaped their respective bouts with just minor injuries. Here's the complete list of injuries and their medical instructions: Evan Tanner — The former middleweight champion is suspended August 6 because of a left eye laceration and there is no contact permitted until July 22. Diego Sanchez — "The Nightmare" is suspended until July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Luigi Fioravanti – The American Top Team-trained fighter must have his right knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor or he will be unable to compete until December 19. He is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no permitted until July 13. Spencer Fisher — "The King" is suspended until July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Matthew Riddle — He must undergo x-rays on his fifth finger and have it cleared by a doctor otherwise he will be unable to compete until December 19. He is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Josh Burkman — "The People's Warrior" is suspended until August 6 and there is no contact permitted until July 22. Marvin Eastman — "The Beastman" is suspended until August 21 and there is no contact permitted until August 6. Matt Brown — The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 alum is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Matt Arroyo — TUF 6 alum is also suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For complete TUF 7 Finale results and coverage click here.

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UFC 86 video: Patrick Cote on long road to Ricardo Almeida fight Posted: 24 Jun 2008 08:29 AM CDT

Phil Baroni to welterweight ‘to be a world champion’ Posted: 24 Jun 2008 08:01 AM CDT After dropping four out of his last five bouts at middleweight — albeit to pretty good competition (Kazuo Misaki, Frank Shamrock, Kala Hose and Joey Villasenor) — Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni has decided to drop down to 170 pounds for the first time ever and try his luck at welterweight. It’s a 15-pound decision that he hopes will help him become a world champion in the near future. Here are his exact thoughts: “Im making the move because I want to be a World Champion. I dont fight for pay day’s or fame, to be on tv or chick’s. I got into MMA because I wanted to be the best fighter in the world. This is what I feel at this point in my career I need to do. Im feel Im a better fighter than Ive shown in the ring esp as of late. As far as the move to Welter Weight goes I feel great. Im more athletic. Im in much better condition, my hand speed is back, an I would go as far as to say Im a lot quicker than I was at my previous best. I feel just as strong physically if not stronger do to much greater flexibility. Im not going to make any predictions or promises. Ive been very humbled as of late. Ive been handed a real wake up call. Im going to give it my all 100% and do my best. Its Do or Die for me. Im All In! I love to fight. Im a real fighter, an like I said the day I dont think I can be a World Champion is the day Ill retire. Im not done yet, I have alot of fight left inside me. I have alot to prove to myself an alot of people to prove wrong. NEVER SAY DIE !!!” Baroni — who has heavy hands and “one punch knockout power” — would certainly be a dangerous opponent for anyone at 170 pounds. The former bodybuilder, however, has often been criticized for his lack of dedication in the gym before fights, which would also have to change if he plans on having any success regardless of weight class. And “The New York Badass” will waste no time in testing the welterweight waters. He’s been signed to fight on the July 12 Cage Rage 27: “Step Up” card against an unknown opponent. Cage Rage promoter Dave O’Donnell had this to say about Baroni in a recent MMAWeekly.com interview: "Baroni will be fighting on the July 12 show, but I can't release the name of his opponent yet. He will be a British guy and it will make for an exciting fight, as we all know how Baroni likes to go about things. We are talking to a few people now, but until contracts are signed, I won't be mentioning any names." Baroni is 10-10 in his professional mixed martial arts career — essentially a clean slate. Perhaps the timing for a change could not be better. Time will tell.

UFC 89: Birmingham, England, the likely destination on October 18 Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:33 PM CDT UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, recently revealed that the promotion is heading back to England on October 18 with UFC 89, according to Fighters Only Magazine. It will be the fifth major event to be staged there in 18 months; however, the show will likely take place for the first time ever in Birmingham at the National Indoor Arena (NIA). The venue can hold about 4,500 mixed martial arts fans, which seems a bit too intimate for this type of show and it could change to a larger venue such as the NEC Arena. Prior to his fight at UFC 85: “Bedlam” earlier this month, Michael Bisping hinted that he would likely participate on the card. And while there is no official confirmation it would make sense that he take on Chris Leben — the two were supposed to meet at the O2 Arena in a middleweight showdown before the bout was scrapped. The report indicates that highly touted British welterweight prospect, Dan Hardy, is also expected to make his Octagon debut at UFC 89 against a yet to be named opponent. England in particular and Europe in general is clearly a top priority for the promotion even though officials often admit that the events come at a financial loss. However, if the UFC can win over more fans — and it appears to be doing that — another report today indicates that a massive show in an outdoor soccer stadium is possible in the near future. Here’s a snip from United Kingdom UFC President Martin Zelaznik via UK.EuroSport.com: “We are going to continue to do four big events in the UK per year.We will be confirming our next UK event in a couple of weeks. We hold records in the biggest indoor venues in the UK already, and the next step is running big outdoor shows. The UFC in a UK football stadium would be an incredible fan experience…. If you think back to where we were in the UK two years ago, with a live UK show and live coverage of US cards nothing but a dream for our fans, to where we are now, just think about how great things are going to be two years down the road from here.” Indeed, the prospect of a major UFC show from historic Wembley Stadium, for example, would be downright insane. Stay tuned for more details, updates and fight announcements regarding UFC 89.

Nick Diaz and KJ Noons will not fight on July 26 Posted: 23 Jun 2008 09:28 PM CDT MMAmania.com has just learned that Nick Diaz will not fight Elite XC Lightweight Champion KJ Noons on the next CBS show entitled “Unfinished Business,” which is slated for July 26. The match up appeared to be all but guaranteed — Noons and Diaz were involved in a post-fight tussle at the “Return of the King” show earlier this month after Noons defended his 160-pound title against Yves Edwards. Diaz was invited in to the ring to discuss a rematch with Noons and the entire situation descended into chaos rather quickly. Noons defeated Diaz via technical knockout (cuts) at Elite XC: “Renegade” back in November 2007. It was a decision that did not sit well with the volatile Diaz and the smack talk has escalated ever since. Recent speculation has the July 26 CBS show headed for Stockton, Calif., which is where Diaz calls home. He’ll likely still compete on the card, considering it’s possibly in his backyard and his scheduled fight against Hayuto “Mach” Sakurai for the Dream welterweight title fight on July 21 (just five days prior to “Saturday Night Fights”) was recently scrapped because of contractual obligations with Pro Elite (the Elite XC parent company). Stay tuned for more details on this developing story.

Jake Shields vs Nick Thompson Elite XC title fight set for July 26 on CBS Posted: 23 Jun 2008 08:06 PM CDT Nick “The Goat” Thompson (36-9-1) has been named as the opponent to take on Jake Shields (20-4-1) for the first-ever Elite XC welterweight championship bout during the second installment of “Saturday Night Fights” on CBS to be held on July 26. At this point, Shields has to be thrilled just to be finally fighting for this 170-pound belt regardless of the opponent. And “The Goat” just so happens to be a serious competitor. Two previously scheduled fights between Shields and Drew Fickett were scrapped earlier this year because of injuries sustained to both fighters in training. It was believed Fickett would still get the opportunity to fight for the inaugural championship, but in a bizarre turn of events, he pulled a Houdini act with Elite XC officials after fighting without the promotion’s knowledge on a small show in Arizona. In steps Nick Thompson. “The Goat” is no step down in competition for Shields. In fact, the former Bodog champion has an insane amount of fights to his credit and has only been competing for a little more than five years. It’s fitting the announcement for the biggest fight to date for the young, talented and experienced fighter would come today on his 27th birthday. He is currently riding a 12 fight win streak and remains the only man to defeat fast rising star Eddie Alvarez. it came with a second round knockout last April to earn the Bodog welterweight crown. Shields is a name that is quickly becoming one of the more recognized in the business. After defeating Dave Menne in January of 2006, he went out three months later to beat Yushin Okami and Carlos Condit in the same night to win a Rumble on the Rock eight-man grand prix tournament. Needless to say, Shields opened up a lot of eyes and the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie is on everybody’s top 10 welterweight list. He’s on a nine fight winning streak of his own, including three straight wins under the Elite XC banner. He is one of the brightest stars Elite XC has on its roster and he was a shoe in for their first welterweight title fight. “Unfinished Business” is on it’s way to becoming a great night of fights with two title fights confirmed and two more rumored to be taking place on the CBS card. A venue for the event has not been confirmed as of yet, but the rumor mill has been spinning, naming Stockton, Calif., as the leading candidate

EliteXC DVD ‘Shamrock vs. Baroni’ Posted: 23 Jun 2008 05:09 PM CDT THE LEGEND VS. THE BAD ASS. Years of trash talking … internet insults … call outs … now it comes down to this as the legendary Frank Shamrock takes on long-time adversary Phil “The New York Bad Ass” Baroni in the EliteXC cage! Also featured: To crown the first ever EliteXC Middleweight Champion, Chute Boxe star Murilo “Ninja” Rua goes head to head with top ranked “Smokin” Joey Villasenor, San Jose star Cung Le vs. UFC veteran Tony “The Freak” Fryklund, dynamic lightweight Josh “The Punk” Thompson vs. Nick Gonzales, and a match of top heavyweights as Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello takes on striker Carter Williams. Let the battle begin! FIGHT CARD: EliteXC Middleweight Championship Fight: Frank Shamrock vs. Phil “New York Bad Ass” Baroni Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. “Smokin” Joey Villasenor Cung Le vs. Tony “The Freak” Fryklund Paul “Semtex” Daley vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig Josh “The Punk” Thomson vs. Nick Gonzalez Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello vs. Carter Williams James Edson Berto vs. Victor “Joe Boxer” Valenzuela BONUS FIGHTS (Not seen on TV): Mike “Quicksand” Pyle vs. Aaron “Slam” Wetherspoon Dr. Seth Kleinbeck vs. Sam Spengler Luke Stewart vs. Jason Von Flue Chris Cariaso vs. Anthony Figueroa Rex Richards vs. Ray Seraille Running Time: 195 minutes EliteXC ‘Shamrock vs. Baroni’ is now available for purchase in our DVD store for $19.99 by clicking here. To check out our massive library of MMA DVD titles, including PRIDE DVD and UFC DVD click here. We also have Elite XC, WEC, Cage Rage, IFL, King of the Cage and other products for sale in our store. Looking for a title but don't see it in our store? Email us and we'll be happy to check its availability. Please keep in mind that we are only able to ship within the continental United States at this time.

Dustin Hazelett vs Josh Burkman Ultimate Fighter 7 fight (Video) Posted: 23 Jun 2008 02:39 PM CDT Props: UFC.com In a rare move, the “Fight of the Night” at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale between Dustin Hazelett and Josh Burkman is available to watch for FREE over on UFC.com. Check it out when you can … “McLovin” has got some nifty tricks up his sleeve and he seems to get better with each fight. What a fantastic finish.

Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale fighter paydays and salaries Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:58 PM CDT MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) today received the fighter payouts for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for the event held on June 21 at The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas. The original TUF winner, Diego Sanchez, was the top earner of the evening, raking in $70,000 for his hard-fought three round battle against Luigi Fioravanti. Spencer Fisher and TUF 3 winner, Kendall Grove, also earned more than $30,000 each for their performances. Here are all TUF 7 Finale payouts: Kendall Grove — $32,000 ($16,000 to show, $16,000 to win) Evan Tanner — $25,000 Grove defeated Tanner via split decision Amir Sadollah — $16,000 CB Dollaway — $8,000 Sadollah defeated Dollaway via submission (armbar) in round one Diego Sanchez— $70,000 ($35,000 to show, $35,000 to win) Luigi Fioravanti — $10,000 Sanchez defeated Fioravanti via technical knockout (strikes) in round three Spencer Fisher — $36,000 ($18,000 to show, $18,000 to win) Jeremy Stephens — $8,000 Fisher defeated Stephens via unanimous decision Matthew Riddle — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win) Dante Rivera — $8,000 Riddle defeated Rivera via unanimous decision Dustin Hazelett — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win) Josh Burkman — $10,000 Hazelett defeated Burkman via submission (armbar) in round two Drew McFedries — $26,000 ($13,000 to show, $13,000 to win) Marvin Eastman — $9,000 McFedries defeated Eastman via technical knockout (strikes) in round one Matt Brown — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win) Matt Arroyo — $8,000 Brown defeated Arroyo via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Dean Lister — $28,000 ($14,000 to show, $14,000 to win) Jeremy Horn — $25,000 Lister defeated Horn via submission (guillotine choke) in round one Rob Kimmons — $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win) Ron Yundt — $5,000 Kimmons defeated Yundt via Submission (guillotine choke) in round one *Note that Tim Credeur and Cale Yarbrough each received their $8,000 show purses even though the fight was cancelled at the last minute, according to NSAC Executive Director, Keith Kizer. For more on that fiasco click here. 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 TUF 7 Finale go here. The total base fighter payroll for TUF 7 Finale was $402,000. For complete results and coverage of the fight night special that aired on Spike TV over the weekend click here.

Cain Velasquez vs Jake O’Brien UFC Fight Night 14 fight official Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:14 PM CDT Over the weekend, the heavyweight showdown between Cain Velesquez (3-0) and jake O’Brien (10-1) was made official for Ultimate Fight Night 14 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 19. It’s a match up that pairs two young and decorated former collegiate wrestlers — Velasquez was an All-American at Arizona State University and O’Brien racked up a solid career while on the Purdue University squad for two years. Velasquez lived up to the lofty expectations in his Octagon debut, overwhelming Brad Morris at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ en route to a first round technical knockout. The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) stand out is regarded as a raw blue chip prospect who has adapted well to mixed martial arts and could one day challenge for a division title. O'Brien was actually among several fighters cut from their contracts when the promotion was out to trim its roster. In hindsight, it was perhaps to soon because O’Brien had just one loss in four attempts inside the Octagon. And that was a defeat to former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 82: “Pride of a Champion” back in March. He holds notable wins over Heath Herring, Josh Shockman and Kristof Midoux while under contract with promotion. This could be a tough fight for O’Brien who has traditionally relied on his athleticism and strong wrestling skills to defeat his opponents. That’s because Velasquez more than likely is the better wrestler and is just as — if not more than — athletic in this pairing. UFC Fight Night 14 features the light heavyweight debut of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva against James Irvin in the main event of the Spike TV special presentation. To check out the most recent fight card click here.

UFC Quick Quote: CB Dollaway ‘didnt fully commit to the tap’ Posted: 23 Jun 2008 12:03 PM CDT “With the tap, I didn’t fully commit to the tap, but I did hit him once. I guess they ruled that a tap. I thought you had to go on and start tapping out. I did hit him once. Right as I did that, I felt my arm get into a position where I could get out. At that point Herb (Dean) ruled it as a tap out.” – CB Dollaway tells MMAWeekly.com that he tapped but he didn’t really tap during his fight with Amir Sadollah for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 middleweight crown. There was some controversy in the wake of the tussle that referee Herb Dean perhaps blew the call. However, it seems that Dollaway began to tap and then had second thoughts while in the armbar. Therefore, it’s difficult to blame Dean — seeing the movement — for an early stoppage — he had no choice but to waive off the bout.

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