UFC 140 Predictions: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida

UFC 139 Predictions: Dan Henderson vs Shogun Rua

A dream fight becomes a reality!

The Friday Fight Feature: Countdown to UFC 137

BJ Penn takes on Nick Diaz in the highly anticipated UFC 137 main event. This week's Friday Fight Feature is a UFC Countdown segment that takes a closer look at tomorrow match up.

Dana White UFC 137 Video Blog

UFC 136 behind the scenes footage.

The Friday Fight Feature: "Once I was a Champion"

"Once I was a Champion" is an upcoming documentary that covers the life story and tragic death of former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner.  "Like" the film trailer on youtube, the top ten films are entered into an upcoming festival.  Looks like it's going to be an amazing documentary.  
 

UFC 137 St Pierre vs Condit, Penn vs Diaz Predictions

Fight Block Prediction Grand Prix: SIGN UPS

FIGHT BLOCK PREDICTION GRAND PRIX: The Beta Season

1. 16 MMA predictors compete for a chance to claim title of the FIGHT BLOCK Prediction Grand Prix Season 1 Champion (Prize for the winner will be included).

2. Head to head tournament style, single elimination, competitor with the most points advances to the next round.

3. The tournament will span over four UFC events.

4. In the event someone does not make their picks, an alternate will be selected to step in (so if you did not make the list of 16 predictors, do not give up there still may be a chance to win! See rules for more details).

FIGHT BLOCK PREDICTION GRAND PRIX RULES

1. Must be subscribed to the FIGHTBLOCK Youtube channel and replied/signed up on the Fight Block Prediction Grand Prix video.

2. RULE CHANGE: In order to prevent copiers, whoever submits their picks in first, their opponent may not have the exact same picks (Ex: A youtuber submits a prediction video two weeks before the event, opponent may not use his same picks).
3. Must send a direct message to FIGHTBLOCK on youtube/twitter containing picks prior to the start of the show.

4. Picks must include winner, finish, and round of the main card match ups as well as Fight, Submission, and TKO/KO of the Night award selections (this could come from any fight on the card and is usually announced within an hour of the PPV conclusion).

5. Points System: 10pts for winner, 5pts for finish, 3pts for round.

6. Bonus points (10pts) will be awarded for correct selection of each Fight, Submission, TKO/KO of the Night awards.

7. Tie breaker rules will be addressed at a later date should two competitors end with the same amount of points.

8. In the event a competitor does not submit their picks on time or breaks the rules, the opportunity for an alternate to step in will become available. This includes the Championship match up (example: Steve Jennum stepping into the finals at UFC 3 and winning).

MORE DETAILS TO COME SOON!

The Friday Fight Feature: It's Miller Time!

I'm starting up a new weekly post here on the blog.  Each Friday I will feature a MMA clip.  It might be a fight, a preview, an interview, a short clip, pretty much anything and everything.  So in spirit of Jason "Mayhem" Miller being undefeated thus far on The Ultimate Fighter here is the first Friday Fight Feature.  



Always an entertaining entrance!

Bellator 53 Recap: Saunders Advances to Finals

More great fights and finishes from Bellator.

Dana White UFC 136 Video Blog

Behind the scenes footage from UFC 135, nothing but class from the fighters.

UFC 136 Edgar vs Maynard III Predictions

Another great card from the UFC, two title fights, here are my predictions.

Bellator 52 Recap: Heavyweight Tournament

UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs Johnson Predictions

Bellator 51 Recap

UFC 135 Bones Jones vs Rampage Jackson Predictions

UFC Fight Night Shields vs Ellenberger Predictions

Bellator 49 Recap

Strikeforce Barnett vs Kharitonov Recap

Strikeforce Barnett vs Kharitonov Predictions

The Morning After Pill: UFC Rio

Article written by Matt Cooper

As the big day finally came, there were questions aplenty for the participants of UFC: Rio. How would the Brazilian crowd react? Is Anderson Silva showing any signs of slowing down? Is Minotauro done? Can Forrest Griffin pull a second rabbit out of his hat? Buy or sell the Brendan Schaub hype? And the list goes on….As the night drew close, fans were met with answers to nearly every one of these questions. It also didn’t hurt that the card was one of the most thrilling in recent memory. Where the last pay per view outperformed expectations, Rio lived up to the great hype it had been built upon.

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Thiago Tavares got the best of Spencer Fischer. Nothing else needs to be said. At this point in his career, Fischer may want to consider following the path of fellow entertaining gatekeeper, Chris Lytle.
On the same token, to say Erick Silva got the best of his opponent would be a gross understatement. Silva seems to have great speed, KO power, and athleticism, not to mention he trains with Team Nogueira…I hear those guys are pretty okay…and guys with the last name Silva seem to do okay for themselves more often than not.

Paulo Thiago picked up a much-needed win over a game David Mitchell. The Dave Terrell pupil’s gameplan spelled trouble for the scorecards. Preferring to fight off of your back doesn’t win over the judges if you don’t submit your opponent. Thiago’s black belt credentials ensured this wasn’t going to happen. Not to mention, conceding that many takedowns to get in position gets you down on the scorecards. That being said, this was supposed to be a sacrificial lamb fight for Thiago. The same guy who was supposed to be perennial title challenger after thrashing two of the three AKA musketeers looked very sluggish at times against Mitchell. Perhaps now that Jardine’s in Strikeforce, Thiago can take solstice in officially being the ugliest man on the roster.

Rousimar Palhares seems to forget he’s there to fight, not referee the matchups. It cost him dearly against Marquardt and it nearly cost him against Miller. Still, though, Palhares showed his stand-up has improved leaps and bounds. At times, this seemed to be the most dominated we’ve seen Dan Miller in the UFC (aside from maybe Sonnen). Palhares really is the dark horse of the potential middleweight contenders; it’s time UFC gave him another step up. He seems to be ready for it this time. Some have suggested the loser of Bisping and Miller and I see no problem with that.

MAIN CARD:

Stanislav Nedkov defeats Luiz Cane via TKO (Punches) in Round 1

One of the questions that could’ve been added to the list would have been, does Luiz Cane suck? That may sound harsh and while I don’t think so, it is a question that has been bluntly put by many fans. Cane has a strong skillset but his defense is truly lagging. He also is not always the most likeable fellow, i.e. blaming James Irvin for exaggerating his injury after Cane illegally kneed him in the face while he was downed. Final call for now is that Cane is good enough to keep around, but may forever be a gatekeeper who wins against most, but goes down in a blaze of glory whenever it counts. Don’t be surprised if he’s on the chopping block, though. If he doesn’t get fired, the UFC may match him against the likes of Karlos Vemola.

Nedkov got hit plenty, but persevered with that overhand right like a true wrestle-boxer would. If he wants to go places, he’s going to have to throw more than that one punch. It was enough against Cane, but Nedkov looked like a stiffer version of Ryan Bader out there. All the same, props for making Cane do the gnarliest stanky-leg dance I’ve ever seen, which included a brutal flying kick to the cage. Predicted next fight: Kyle Kingsbury

Antonio Rodriguo Nogueira defeats Brendan Schaub via KO (Punches) in Round 1

Well, I was right about Schaub, but boy was I wrong about Nogueira…and you know what? I’m glad. By that I mean that I questioned just how good “The Hybrid” was. He was on his way to losing a decision to Cro Cop before he clipped him behind the ear. I wondered why the UFC would waste sacrificing legendary names to build the reputation of a prospect who was far from the being the next big thing. In being correct that Schaub wasn’t that great, I overlooked the fact that it was going to be Big Nog who reminded us that “The Hype” might be a more fitting name than “The Hybrid” for Schaub. While I admit, my heart made me pick Nogueira, I can’t take full support of my pick because my brain still told me Schaub would likely pull it off. Minotauro’s win was by far the most emotional on the card and meant the most to the fans both casual and hardcore alike.

Schaub goes back to the drawing board against the loser of Barry/Struve or the loser of Kongo/Mitrione. If the UFC really wants to rebuild him, they may toss him Christian Morecraft since he’s still on the roster, apparently. The future is a bit cloudy for Big Nog, though…he finds himself in a place where he just defeated a man considered to be towards the high end of the B-listers. But I’m not so sure competing against some of the A-listers is where Nogueira should be, either.

He wants a rematch against Frank Mir which most likely won’t bode well for the resurgent legend if it happens. There’s talk of using him to welcome Overeem into the UFC should he be signed, but I for one don’t want to see Nogueira pitted against a devastating heavy-hitter, at least not until he wins at least one more. Although he has the chops to knock Nog out, a trilogy fight against Barnett on the discussed UFC Japan card seems to be the best A-list fight to make, should the card come to fruition. I know Barnett is Strikeforce and has his hands dirty with the tournament presently, but Nogueira’s post-fight parting words were that he was going to take some time off to help his teammates, so anything’s possible at this point. All of this withstanding, the fight that actually makes the most sense is one for the fans. A potential swan-song bout against Cro Cop is a fight that both men have eagerly requested. It makes sense at this point in each respective career and would serve as a fitting, yet rewarding loser leaves town match.

Edson Barboza defeats Ross Pearson via Split Decision

I second the sentiments that Pearson won, but not the ones that he got robbed. This was a fight that elevated both fighters’ stock in the eyes of fans and UFC brass alike. It was a close fight in all fairness to Barboza; by no means was it a terrible decision like Hamill/Bisping. I’m beginning to think that this may be Pearson’s most memorable fight, and that’s a good thing, loss aside. His name deserves to be right up there with Bisping and Dan Hardy’s as far as UK imports are concerned. If he doesn’t retire, the UFC could easily book Pearson against Fischer or perhaps against Yves Edwards. There’s plenty of lightweights available for Barboza, but I’m predicting the UFC gives Barboza somewhat of a step sideways rather than a step up, considering the controversial nature of the decision. Maybe Sam Stout or Donald Cerrone.

Mauricio Rua defeats Forrest Griffin via KO (punches) in Round 1

Four years is a long time to wait to avenge a loss. Less than two minutes is all it took for Shogun to show the world what should have happened the first time around. He was quick to assure the main card got back on track to the first round knockout theme, brutally squashing Forrest Griffin until the referee had seen enough. With this win, Rua proves he can still be a champion when he’s on his game. Rumors of an injury during his camp were rampant, though I couldn’t notice whether during the fight (maybe someone can point it out to me in his movement). Either way, Rua didn’t let the fight go on long enough for us to know. An injury free Shogun means a Shogun who is on point with his movements and cardio….the problem is we still can’t guarantee that Shogun is the one we’ll get. Because of that, I’m not going to invest stock into whether he can regain the title, but it’s safe to say that a healthy Shogun is still one of the top four light heavyweights in the world.

The UFC has options aplenty for Shogun. He could serve as a test for up-and-comer, Phil Davis, who is waiting to take a step up in competition. A rematch against Rampage Jackson could be booked if Jones defeats Rampage at 135. A welcome back bout against Dan Henderson would be a fantastic matchup that never happened despite the fact that both men have competed in both Pride and UFC at the exact same time. Henderson’s stock is high enough to warrant an immediate title shot, though, so it depends on if they want him to take a number after Rashad or keep busy.

While Shogun questions involve who people want to see him fight next, a substantial portion of fans are questioning whether Griffin should fight again. I strongly disagree with this notion that Griffin needs to retire, though. If revenge was the story for Shogun going into this fight, validation was that of Forrest Griffin. He was out to prove that it wasn’t cardio and/or a knee injury for Shogun that earned himself the W….unfortunately for Griffin, he never quite got off. He looked slow and sluggish on the feet compared to usual, and never even hinted as if he was going to go for the gameplan that he used to win the first fight; no takedowns to speak of. I have to feel for Griffin. He fought in a foreign country on the very week that his wife was due to have a child. There’s no way he was focused purely on the task at hand.

Unfortunately, there are more serious questions to answer for Griffin. Self-admittedly, his motivation is at an all-time low. This nasty loss capped off a forgettable victory over Rich Franklin and a squeaked-out split decision over Tito Ortiz. If Forrest is looking for motivation, it should be in protecting his legacy. As of now, both of his biggest wins are doing bigger and better things and in Shogun’s case, he proved his excuse for losing the first time was legitimate. Whether Rampage’s meltdown the following week played a factor in his loss to Griffin remains to be seen, but Griffin should hang around, health permitting, to do what he does best: create memories. He’s already a future hall of famer, but I’d like to see him do his best to be regarded as one of the elite, rather than a fan favorite before he calls it a career. Predicted next fight: Winner of Bader/Brilz, Vladimir Matyushenko, Lil Nog, or a trilogy with Tito Ortiz.

Anderson Silva defeats Yushin Okami via TKO (strikes) in round two to retain the UFC Middleweight Chamionship

Death. Taxes. Anderson Silva. The three constants in this crazy world. If you were to watch most Anderson Silva fights as your first exposure to MMA, you might think the sport wasn’t that difficult he makes it look so damn simple. Just as if he’s folding laundry, he’ll just as easily fold his legs over in a triangle choke to strangle the life out of an opponent. Or much like bringing his hand up to hit a crosswalk button, he’ll shoot his hand up from his waist and drop a fellow prize fighter. Too bad we can’t find a way to clone the man and give him his wish.

They say that fighters traditionally don’t try many crazy, unpredictable moves unless they truly believe they have their opponents timing and rhythm (or riddum if you’re GSP) figured out….yet this has become commonplace for Silva. Even in his most lackluster performances, there’s a least one flash of creative brilliance that floats to the surface. Saturday was no different as Silva showed he was on another level yet again by unleashing his patented, “gotcha” hands down stance with brutal results.

Okami finally got his shot but fell short like so many others before him. There’s no shame in losing to the best at this point, but it has to be disheartening to reach the peak and then get shut down hard. Many of Fedor’s opponents have never been the same after getting crushed by the last man before Silva to be considered the best. I’m not sure why Okami was hesitant to stick to his gameplan of clinch work mixed with a healthy dose of dirty boxing.

Here’s hoping Okami realizes his mistakes and goes back to the drawing board to become more motivated rather than less. He’s a fine 185’er. One of the best, no doubt. But if it took this long for him to get a shot in the first place, he did little in this fight to make anyone want to see him get another fight against the champ for a long time. His best hope is to keep piling up the W’s as he did before and hope that Silva retires by the time he earns another shot. He should continue his recent trend of being more exciting, though, otherwise no one will buy into a potential rematch. Predicted next fight: Demian Maia or perhaps someone like Constantinos Phillipou if UFC wants to make him start from the ground up. The loser of the Belcher/MacDonald fight makes sense, too.

We’ve gotten used to talk of GSP and the light heavyweight division in the wake of each Anderson Silva fight. That’s all well and good IF it happens, but the most likely situation is the winner of Stann and Sonnen. Some have correctly pointed out that if Silva does take off (retirement or divisionally speaking) before Sonnen has his number one contender’s bout, that he will gloat for life about how Silva would rather disappear than face him again. Rather than let the talk go ala Bas Rutten and Kevin Randleman, I know Silva will want to protect his legacy and is willing to stick around at 185 for a bit longer to do so.

UFC Rio Silva vs Okami Predictions

The Morning After Pill: UFC 133 Edition

Article written by: Matt Cooper

Another weekend came and went, another UFC event notched in the books. Why do some of the most seemingly dismal cards tend to deliver more often than not? Is it the lack of great expectations placed on the event’s shoulders that leave the viewer susceptible to being easily satisfied? Is it the fact that the fighters with less buzz-inducing power behind their name are out to prove they belong in the same sentence as the main draws? Whatever the case may be, I’ll take the end results any day. And from the satisfied reactions I’ve seen to last night’s pay-per-view, so will the rest of you.

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Chad Mendes relinquished his title shot in order to shatter his hand in an undercard fight. That pill isn’t as hard to swallow since Mendes not only won, but is still widely viewed as the next contender after everyone’s favorite Weightwatcher’s client Kenflo gets it on with Mendes’ hand was the takedowns of Rani Yahya. He needs to train with more high-level wrestlers if he’s going to rely on getting the fight to the floor. Perhaps a trip to Arizona Combat Sports is in order?

Mike Brown lives to fight another day, but I agree with those who had the fight scored a draw. It’s also clear that Brown will probably never reach the same height again. Nam Phan walks away with another reason to hate the judges; time to try and avenge his last one. I see a rematch with Leonard Garcia happening.

Alexander Gustaffson is a force to be reckoned with. Had he been on the main card we may be hearing his name as much as Rory MacDonald’s. Maybe pair him up with his original opponent, Vladdy Matyushenko, who makes sense as a logical step forward without rushing the young prospect. Matt Hamill looked dreadful. He’ll be kept around and fed a gimme opponent so the UFC can capitalize off of his upcoming film (editor’s note: it looks like Hamill has called it a career. Good for him if he wants to pull the plug. A fighter retiring too early is far better than the opposite option).

Good job Nick Pace and Ivan Menjivar for their entertaining scrap. Same to Johnny Hendricks and Mike Pierce. Pierce could potentially be cut without too much surprise, but I think he’ll live to fight another day.

MAIN CARD:

Rory MacDonald defeats Mike Pyle via TKO (strikes) in Round 1.

Nothin’ like a little peer pressure. Rory MacDonald just put puberty in his rear view mirror not too long ago; now he has much of the MMA community comparing him to the man considered one of the greatest of all time, Georges St. Pierre. What happens in his future remains to be seen, but he’s at least been good enough to turn heads so far, which means something in the contemporary MMA scene for sure. I was never in the loop that believed Pyle was going to maintain his momentum all the way to a title shot, but he has been on quite an impressive roll lately. Although there was some back and forth action in the battle, MacDonald got the best of Pyle and pounded him out. Torch officially passed.

Since no one else is pointing it out, I’ll mention the fact that if there was one weakness I noticed, it was MacDonald’s takedown defense. However, training with GSP should improve this area exponentially over time, so it’s not something worth fretting over just yet. Furthermore, the UFC would be wise to keep Pyle around as an entertaining, tough-as-nails challenge for anyone who brings the fight. There’s nothing wrong with being a gatekeeper at the highest level and Pyle is perfect in that role.

There’s plenty of booking options for Pyle. I could see them pairing him with a number of foes….maybe Dennis Hallman or Mike Pierce. As for MacDonald, I see the winner of Brenneman/Johnson as a logical step forward or even the winner of Paulo Thiago vs David Mitchell. It could be someone totally different if they’re in a reach to stick him on the same card as GSP in October.

Constantinos Phillipou defeats Jorge River via Split Decision

It wasn’t the slugfest that the UFC probably anticipated, but “Costa” was coming off a loss and may have had his back against the wall, short notice or not. He did what he had to in order to win, and I have to say I don’t think it he has to walk away ashamed. He knew it wasn’t his best, but it was a far cry from some of the worst we’ve seen ala Nick Lentz prior to his recent performances. Rivera is intent on not retiring and I can’t blame him. He doesn’t have anything left to accomplish and is already a fan favorite. I think win or lose, he wants to go out on an exciting fight. I think the stubbornness will prevail and the elusive fight with Sakara gets booked. Hopefully the fourth time’s the charm. As for “Costa”, I think he gets the loser of Rousimar “Paul Harris” vs. Dan Miller.

Brian Ebersole defeats Dennis Hallman via TKO (elbows) in Round 1
Though Dennis Hallman’s speedo, or rather, the reactions to it have had full articles dedicated to it and it would be easy for me to spare time, and not mention it….this segment is called, The Morning After Pill. Meaning with a title that appropriate, I feel obligated to comment when a modern day gladiator rocks a banana hammock into battle. Some have called White’s comments on the matter homophobic, but our friends over at Middleeasy.com made it painstakingly clear that “Superman” did indeed have a wardrobe malfunction. Though Silva and GSP’s shorts don’t leave much to the imagination either, this should quell any flak Uncle Dana has taken if you ask me. If Hallman gets cut, this is absolutely another story, but my guess is that if it was going to happen, it would’ve already. Another fun(ny) fact is that Dennis the Menace now has something else in common with good friend, Jeff Monson, other than The Jiu Jitsu Cookbook they cowrote….both combatants have now been nude in some form at a martial arts event. Take that as you wish.

As for the fight itself, it was a momentum-shifter that saw Hallman almost immediately take the back of Brian Ebersole and threaten with the rear naked choke. Ebersole remained calm in spite of the pocket rocket pressed to the small of his back and actually escaped the position. Whether it was pure skill or Ebersole’s pride simply refusing to let him get choked out by a speedo-sporting opponent, it was impressive; as was the sequence of ground and pound that followed. I see Ebersole getting his wish and possibly fighting Matt Serra. I think Matt Brown would make more sense, though. Hallman will get another shot, possibly against the very same opponent (Serra), or maybe Amir Sadollah.

Vitor Belfort defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama via KO (punches) in Round 1

A rather large group of people have been lambasting Belfort for his final two shots to Akiyama in the alleged illegal area. While it’s clear that these were the final nails in the coffin, Akiyama was going nowhere (other than a state of unconsciousness) fast. This foul was not one flagrant “deal-breaker” ala Charles Oliveira on Nick Lentz and absolutely should not call for a restart of pause of action. As some have pointed out, vicious slams or even the standard take down often subject the victim to a more dangerous back-of-the-head shot than anything seen in this fight.

The blitzkrieg finish was vintage Vitor Belfort; a showcase of what exactly to expect from the man they call, “The Phenom.” It’s hard to say how impressed to be, though. On one hand, Akiyama is actually underrated by my estimation. Japan may have overrated him, but U.S. fans may view him as an Asian version of Keith Jardine-a warrior who always comes to fight, but who often comes up short. And for your information, yes, I just compared the sexiest man in MMA with the ugliest…quite appropriately, at that. So it’s become the popular thing to forget that he defeated legit contender, Alan Belcher, who’s been on quite the roll. Or that he was about 30 seconds away from winning what would have been a 30-27 decision against new major player, Chris Leben. The Bisping fight was really the only “Sexyama” fight that was remotely nearing one-sided-yet even that was competitive and showed that Bisping mainly won the fight not because he was outclassing his foe with superior skill, but rather with a reach advantage and better cardio. More on that later.

At any rate, the sexy one came into this bout unfairly devalued. Unfortunately for him, though, Belfort made sure this fight got a bonus, but this time it was the receiving end of KO of the night, not fight of the night. Back to the main point, though, the flipside of the coin for Belfort is that this performance, though undoubtedly impressive, didn’t answer any questions as to whether he wilts when dragged into the deep waters. His striking did look more diverse thanks to his work with Ray Sefo, but I want to see how Belfort fairs against an opponent that’s almost guaranteed to take him into the later rounds before he’s earned another shot at the belt. This won’t be too difficult, as 185 has gone from being horrendously shallow to one of UFC’s premier divisions. The winner of Stann/Sonnen will be getting the next shot, but it’s anyone’s guess after that. The next title eliminator after that ought to be good, no matter what. Assuming the brass doesn’t make Leben vs Munoz a title eliminator, Belfort versus the winner of that fight makes the most sense for the next contender after either Stann or Sonnen gets their chance. Another attractive factor here is that Leben’s difficult to finish early and Munoz’s style may force Belfort into later rounds. Though it is entirely possible that he beats both men early, too. However, if UFC wants to build Belfort up more slowly since he just fought for the belt (as White hinted to at the post-fight press conference), it may be more likely that we see him face Alan Belcher should he defeat Jason MacDonald. Or the winner of Maia and Santiago. All of the possibilities are attractive for different reasons.

As for Akiyama, it’s time for a drop in weight. This would help his only true weaknesses-cardio and reach disadvantage. His style gave many top guys trouble at 185, so he could go from being an exciting guy to standout contender in a short time (see Stann, Brian).

Main Event: Rashad Evans defeats Tito Ortiz via TKO (knee & punches) in Round 2

The scariest part about Rashad Evans 2.0 is the fact that his performance came after two opponent swaps and a massive layoff…..meaning next time we see him he may be even better….Usually if you were to tell me a fighter left Team Jackson’s, I’d probably tell you what a bad idea that’d be. But for Rashad, it seems like the right decision so far. One question that time will answer is whether Evans’ improvements are signs of training even harder to spite Jones and company out of bitterness or whether he had just been at Jackson’s too long, needing new perspectives and style. It seems out of the realm of possibility to assume that Imperial Athletics can devise better gameplans than Jackson & Winkeljohn, but we’ll see how everything plays out in time. For now, I was happy to see Rashad 2.0 and eagerly await his next appearance

Tito has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. He put forth a valiant effort and though I don’t think the result would have been much different in terms of the W versus L column had he underwent a full training camp, it is worth noting how well he performed on two weeks’ notice. As much as fans may love to hate the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” his commitment and dedication to his sport and his company can no longer be denied. For every diva moment, every facepalm-inducing sentence, and each cringe-worthy situation, the man has stepped up to the plate, creating memories that are undeniably etched in stone for as long as the sport exists.

We already know Evans’ next opponent will be the winner of Jackson/Jones, but who knows for Tito? After stunning Bader, the UFC will likely do away with trying to get rid of him in pushing up-and-comers. I see them using him in big-name, marquee fights to help sell pay-per-views. I could see him being used against Rich Franklin next or the loser of Griffin/Rua.

That concludes this edition of the Morning After Pill. Have a better idea for any opponents? Anything you’d like to add? Sound off, Fight Block Groupies!

Dana White UFC 133 Post-Fight Interview

UFC 133 Evans vs Ortiz II Predictions

Brian Stann's "Heart for the Fight" Book Review

Awesome story, MMA fan or not pick this book up.

Strikeforce Fedor vs Henderson Predictions

PART ONE

PART TWO

ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Rad Martinez

UFC 132 Cruz vs Faber Predictions

Cheick Kongo vs Pat Barry Recap

UFC on Versus 4 Afterthoughts: Kongo Barry Delivers

It was a wild night of fights on  Versus with several jaw dropping moments.  Even though the main event had to be scrapped due to the unanswered medical issues with Nate Marquardt, the card still delivered.  The Fight Night shows deliver great fights more often than not.  Tonight was no different.

Starting with the prelims, Nik Lentz and Charles Olivera put on one of the more entertaining first rounds in awhile.  It was back and forth with big shots, grappling reversals, near submissions, had me fired up!  Unfortunately, the fight ended controversially in the 2nd round after Olivera landed a blatant and brutal illegal knee which the referee "did not see."  However, I have no idea what the ref was watching because on the replay it looked like he had a clear view of the action.  The athletic commissioner came into the cage and instantly informed the referee he had missed an illegal knee.  Joe Rogan then informed the audience that the commission would immediately review the fight and could possibly change the fight to a no contest.  The knee definitely cost Lentz the fight, I don't think Olivera is a dirty fighter, but it was an unfortunate way to end what was a very entertaining fight (won fight of the night, despite the controversial ending).

In the first fight on the Versus card, Matt "Meathead" Mitrione took on Christian Morecraft.  I said before the fight that I still wasn't sold on Mitrione's heart and skills but once again Mitrione put on an impressive performance.  Meathead dominated the stand up rocking Morecraft several times in the first round.  I was surprised with Morecrafts lack of takedown attempts.  His corner was telling him to push Matt against the cage and take the fight to the ground, and although Morecraft was able to do this twice, he just laid on Mitrione and seemed complacent with resting rather than working.  Mitrione went on to finish Morecraft with a beautiful hand combination and rather than pounding on the fallen Morecraft, Mitrione demonstrated class and walked away.  That's five in a row for Matt Mitrione and I think it's time for a step up in competition, possibly a match up with Kongo is on the horizon.  
In a fight that had job security implications, Matt Brown defeated John Howard by way of decision.  Both fighters claimed the fight would be fight of the night, however, it wasn't the most exciting.  Howard seemed slow, and gassed only after one round.  Nothing much to talk about in this one, but looks like Matt Brown lives to fight another day in the UFC.  Howard could find himself on the chopping block.  

In a shocking momentum killer, underdog and last minute replacement Charlie Brenneman stunned the surging Rick Story.  Brenneman's wrestling was the difference maker in this fight.  Brenneman cruised to a two round lead after taking Story down and controlling him on the ground.  I'm not sure if Story may have over trained or was fatigued stepping in on short notice but he looked noticeably slower in this fight.  Props to Story for taking the fight with Brenneman on one days notice with really nothing to gain from the fight and everything to lose.  Story looked good in the final round locking in several close submissions but it was too little too late.  Brennanmen pulled off the stunner and left cage with the biggest victory in his MMA career.

In the main event, Cheick Kongo and Pat "HD" Barry stepped up and ended the show with a bang!  Both fighters started off exchanging low kicks with the advantage going to Kongo.  However, Barry lands a huge overhand right dropping Kongo.  Barry jumps on Kongo as the referee runs over and nearly stops the fight.  Kongo grabs a hold of Barry's waist but Barry lands another big shot dropping Kongo again.  Kongo looked to be out several times but was able to recover quickly after both crushing shots.  Kongo makes it back up to his feet, visibly wobbly, he gets backed up against the cage.  Barry is looking for the kill but Kongo lands a desperation right hand that stuns Barry then lands a huge uppercut that drops Barry.  Kongo pounces with a couple of hammerfists but Barry is out cold!  It was one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history.  From the jaws of defeat, Kongo rises from the dead to pull off a miracle!  Crazy.

Great night of fights,  UFC 132 coming up this weekend, that's all I got for now.  PEACE!   

UFC on Versus 4 Marquardt vs Story Predictions

Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Afterthoughts

The opening round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix is complete, and the semi final match ups are set.  It was a solid, yet somewhat bizarre night of fights in Dallas.  I've got a lot on my mind following this show, so let's get started with my post fight afterthoughts.

The first fight was Valentijn Overeem taking on Chad Griggs.  Griggs, known for his brawling style, showed some nice technique in this fight.  Griggs had a great takedown, using Overeem's forward momentum to flip him over as they fell to the ground.  Overeem immediately found himself in trouble with Griggs pounding away at his head.  Overeem eventually rolled over to his stomach, covered up, and tapped by way of strikes.  I know fighters get a lot of heat for tapping to strikes but sometimes I feel it's justified (GSP tapping to Serra).  Overeem just looked like a fighter without any heart.  He did very little to scramble and to me it didn't seem like Griggs's attack was doing all that much damage.  I'm not taking anything away from Griggs's performance, first round finishes are always nice to have on the record.  It just seemed like Overeem lacked desire, whereas Griggs came to win.

In the next fight, up and coming talent and undefeated Daniel Cormier defeated veteran Jeff Monson.  Both fighters are very much undersized for the heavyweight division.  I thought Cormier would come in with a size advantage when actually height wise I think he was slightly shorter than Monson which was surprising.  Anyways, I wasn't all that impressed with Cormier in his last fight against Devin Cole; however, he stepped up his game against Monson.  Cormier's striking looked very much improved.  He landed several combos that had Monson stumbling.  Cormier reminds me a lot Rashad Evans.  Both started out as undersized heavyweights with strictly wrestling backgrounds.  Rashad made huge strides in his striking which eventually led to his success in becoming a UFC Champion.  If Cormier wants to be successful in MMA, he must continue to improve his striking but also make the cut to light heavyweight much like Rashad did.  Cormier has huge potential, but would struggle against the larger heavyweight talent.  Overall, this was a great showcase fight for Cormier and solidified his status as a dangerous up and coming prospect.

In one of the more surprising fights, at least for me, Jorge Masvidal delivered a beating to former EliteXC Lightweight Champion K.J. Noons.  I thought Noons would have the experience advantage coming off his recent five round battle with Nick Diaz.  However, Noons was hit early and often.  Blood poured from Noons's forehead throught the entire fight.  I think it might have been a knee that caught Noons early in the first rounded that cut him.  Masvidal nearly had the fight finished in the first, but Noons's heart willed him through.  Noons never seemed to fully recover from the first round beating.  With that being said, it was an impressive performance by Masvidal.  The fight had title implications and I think Masvidal did enough to earn a shot at Gilbert Melendez.  

In the co-main event of the evening Josh Barnett took on Brett Rogers in a first round Grand Prix match up.  I said in my predictions that this was a major mismatch in terms of style and skill and it was.  Josh Barnett showed no ring rust and dominated Brett Rogers.  Barnett controlled Rogers with his wrestling, never giving Rogers the chance to land a power punch.  Barnett also had two highlight takedowns.  The first was somewhat padded by Rogers grabbing the cage on his way down, but the second was a big one as Barnett rolled Rogers over with their momentum sending the two sliding halfway across the mat.  Barnett easily controlled Rogers on the ground getting mount position in both the first and second round and eventually forcing Rogers to tap by way of arm triangle.  I was very impressed with Barnett's return and I think with his wrestling and grappling skills he has a great shot at winning the tournament.  

In a somewhat disappointing and bizarre main event, Alistair Overeem won a very close and to some a controversial unanimous decision victory over Fabricio Werdum (all three judges scored the fight 29-28 for Overeem).  It was evident from the start that Werdum wanted nothing to do with standing and striking with Overeem.  It was also evident from the start that Overeem wanted nothing to with going to the ground and grappling with Werdum.  This is where things started to get weird.  Werdum was pulling guard as much as possible and would then proceed to beg, literally hands together begging, Overeem to come to the ground with him.  This fight was tough to call because even though Werdum appeared to be knockdown several times by Overeem's strikes, I think Werdum was almost pro-wrestling style "selling" shots to try and bate Overeem to pounce on him on the ground.  I was also not impressed by Overeems stand up last night.  In fact, it's possible Werdum actually got the better of Overeem.  Werdum was landing some big knees from the clinch and had Overeem covering up and backing up against the cage several times.  Nonetheless, Overeem pulled off the win and advances to take on Antonio Silva in the semi finals of the tournament.  

Overall, it was a solid night of fights.  My quick prediction for the rest of the Strikeforce Grand Prix is Overeem vs Barnett in the finals with Barnett defeating Overeem to take the crown.  Thanks for tuning in, PEACE!   

Strikeforce: Overeem vs Werdum Predictions

The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix continues this Saturday, live on Showtime.  The event has taken a bit of a blow with the injury of Gina Carano, but the card is still stacked!  There are some awesome and interesting match ups.  Haven't had access to my video camera this week but thought I would write out my predictions here on the blog.  Check back post fights for some afterthoughts!

Alistair Overeem (34-11) vs Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) (Non-Title Fight)

This is a rematch from their 2006 match up where Werdum submitted Overeem by kimura in the final moments of the fight.  Up until he found himself tapping, Overeem was controlling the fight.  Most of the fight took place on the ground with Overeem controlling Werdum and avoiding submissions.  A lot has changed in 5 years.  Alistair Overeeem, current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, has beefed up in size and has improved his striking immensely (proving this by winning the 2010 K-1 tournament).  Werdum, is coming off the biggest win of his career submitting the legendary Fedor Emelianenko and is looking to continue to surprise.  

Overeem is a heavy favorite in this fight and it's tough to pick against him.  I think Overeem will fight smarter and keep this fight standing as much as he can.  Overeem has a huge advantage on the feet and has the power to finish Werdum.  Unlike their first fight, I see Overeem not playing into Werdums strengths and doing all he can to keep this fight a striking battle.  Overeem has looked like a beast lately and if he puts the pressure on Werdum I think he will finish the fight with by TKO.

Prediction:  Overeem by 2nd Round TKO

Josh Barnett (29-5) vs Brett Rogers (11-2)  

A former UFC Champion, Josh Barnett is by far the more experienced fighter in this fight.  However, he has been out of action for almost a year and may show some cage rust.  Rogers opened a lot of eyes in his battle with Fedor Emelianenko and quick finish of Andre Arlovski.  Rogers has the power to finish anyone with a single punch.  Barnett will be looking to take this fight to the ground where he should be able to control Rogers.  Although Rogers possess the power punch, I think this is quite a mismatch.  Barnett has far more skills and really the only way Barnett loses this fight is if he gets caught by a punch much like Rogers did to Arlovski.

Prediction:  Josh Barnett by 3rd Round Submission (rear naked choke)

K.J. Noons (10-3) vs Jorge Masvidal (21-6)

With Carano out, we get the Noons vs Masvidal match up on the main card which is a great fight!  Noons is coming off his recent three round war with Nick Diaz, falling short by way of decision.  Masvidal went the distance in his last fight with Billy Evangelista, earning the victory.  However, I was not all that impressed by Masvidal in his last fight.  He was noticeably the better fighter over Evangelista but really seemed to lack the tenacity to finish the fight.  Noons,  a former Strikeforce Champion, is back down to Lightweight which is the right division for him.  I think Noons has the better stand up where I think most of this fight will take place.  This should be a great battle, glad it made it onto the main card.

Prediction:  K.J. Noons by Unanimous Decision

Daniel Cormier (7-0) vs Jeff Monson (42-11)

The rook takes on the veteran.  Monson is quite an undersized heavyweight which may put him at a disadvantage in this fight.  It's an interesting match up.  I wasn't all that impressed by Cormier's stand up in his last fight and feel Monson has the advantage in the striking department.  However, Monson also has a solid background in jiu jitsu while Cormier has Olympic caliber wrestling.  Does Cormier try and take Monson down and avoid submissions?  Or does he attempt to stand and trade?  It's tough to call this one but I think Cormier's size will be the factor in this fight.  I think he will be able to wrestle this fight to the ground and avoid Monson's subs. 

Prediction:  Cormier by Unanimous Decision

Valentijn Overeem (29-25) vs Chad Griggs (10-1)

Griggs continues to surprise me.  The guy doesn't really look the part of a fighter but shows up and brawls and has proved to be effective with the style.  With a record like he has, I'm surprised Overeem continues to fight.  I guess he's just one those guys that loves the sport.  I think this fight will be a stand up battle.  If Griggs can survive the early fury from Overeem I think he has the better gas tank and can fish Overeem later in the fight.   

Prediction:  Griggs by 2nd Round TKO

Dana White UFC 131 Post Fight Interview

UFC 131 Dos Santos vs Carwin Predictions

Dos Santos vs Carwin is going to be insane! GET PUMPED!

Dana White UFC 131 Video Blogs

Video Blog Day 1

Video Blog Day 2

Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale: The Afterthoughts

Well my picks were off tonight and although I pulled an O-for on the predictions none of the outcomes surprised me.  There were some great fights, finishes, and all around it was entertaining show.  Here is a quick rundown of my post fight thoughts for The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

Danny "Boy" Downes had nothing to lose tonight stepping in for Johnthan Brookins on short notice...or so he thought (nearly lost his arm!).  Jeremy Stephens caught Downes in a deep and nasty kimura, nearly breaking the arm right out of the shoulder.  Downes had a ton of heart to survive three rounds with Stephens but he was just out matched.  Stephens wins by dominating fashion and that's four wins in his last five fights with the only loss coming by way of split decision to recently surging Melvin Guillard.    

Chris Cope dominated Chuck O'Neil on the feet working his way to a decision victory.  I was never really impressed by Chuck on the show.  He just came across to me as an average fighter who thought he was tough stuff.  However, Cope was not all that impressive himself either.  However, he did look improved tonight, mixing up his striking and adding some flashy attacks.  I side with Joe Rogan on the "Woos," at times it seems a little too much, other times its well timed and hilarious!  Only thing is, it's not original, we all know who made the "Woo" famous and that's former pro-wrestler Ric Flair as Joe gave gave surprising credit to during the broadcast.  Spencer Fisher is also known to "Woo" frequently, but only because he's a big fan of Flair.  Regardless, I don't see Cope ever quitting the "Woo" any time soon and he'll be sticking around a bit longer following tonight's win.

Great slugfest between Kyle Kingsbury and Fabio Maldonado.  Took home the fight of the night honors and bonus.  Close fight but I agreed with the Kingsbury decision, I had him winning the fight.

Welcome back to the UFC Ed Herman!  Nothing like coming back from a two year layoff consisting of two knee surgeries and a long difficult rehab to KO your opponent in the first round.  Could not have gone any better for "Short Fuse."  He looked a little stiff on the feet but it's been awhile and he finished the fight so quick he never got the chance to loosen up.  Glad to see Herman back and healthy.  Big win for his career.

I feel really disappointed for Anthony Pettis.  I just hate the whole "promised title shot" thing Dana does.  More often than not it never works out.  Usually fighters are granted these promised shots because they either truly deserve it or it's a match up fans really want to see.  I really wanted to see the WEC vs UFC Lightweight Title merger fight!  Champion vs Champion!  Unfortunately, that won't be happening.  Unless you hypothetically follow the WEC title with Guida and where it goes from there, but that's pointless.  I predicted Pettis to win this fight, I thought with his active guard he could catch Guida in submission (which he almost did).  Not the most entertaining effort from Guida but it won him the fight.  Pettis's jumping spinning heel kick off the cage was awesome, something I had never seen before.  I'm still a huge fan of Pettis, but looks like he may struggle against tough wrestlers and there a lot of them in the lightweight division. 

So what's next for Clay Guida?  Well the other current stand out contender is Jim Miller who will be fighting Ben Henderson at UFC on Versus 5 in August.  I think Guida needs one more win before he is deserving of a shot and since the lightweight title fight has been postponed there is time to get him another match up.  I think if Miller beats Henderson he deserves the title shot 100% (that would be eight wins in a row in the UFC...an eight fight winning streak!  Give the man what he deserves if he beats Bendo).  However, if Henderson pulls out the win I think a fight between him and Guida makes sense.  Melvin Guillard would also make for a solid match up for Guida.  I know they both are fighting out of Greg Jackson's camp but I don't see this preventing the potential match up from happening.

Not much to say about the TUF 13 Finale.  Tony Ferguson packs power in his punches, but I think he has a long way to go before he makes any kind of impact in the welterweight division.  The same can be said for a lot of the recent TUF champions, there hasen't been many stand out winners in lately.  Ramsey needs to work on his stand up, the bull rush all out style is not smart.  I'm not a fan of Tony, but he finishes fights and tonight's knock out was a good one.  

Great day/night of fights (nice having all the prelims on Facebook!).  As always, thanks for following, and check back for UFC 131 predictions.  PEACE!       

Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale Predictions

The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale is live this Saturday (6/4) on Spike TV starting at 9 p.m. eastern (9 p.m. for west coast viewers on tape delay).  Overall, I was a bit disappointed with Season 13.  There weren't really any fighters that caught my attention, I thought the talent level was pretty low, there weren't many exciting fights, and there was zero interaction between Lesnar and Dos Santos (not that it would have amounted to anything since Lesnar just had surgery and Dos Santos now faces Shane Carwin at UFC 131).  However, fights are fights and in the end I much rather watch The Ultimate Fighter than anything else on television so no more complaining.  I was stoked when I heard Anthony Pettis would be taking on Clay Guida, I think the two best fighters from TUF made it to the finals, and it's great to see Ed Herman back in the UFC after his brutal injury, so I'm actually really looking forward to Saturday's fights.  Here's a quick rundown on my thoughts and predictions.

Anthony "Showtime" Pettis (11-1-0) vs. Clay "The Carpenter" Guida (28-8-0)

I think the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard rematch had to happen following the draw, but I was disappointed for Pettis because I really wanted to see the unification title fight between WEC and UFC champions and Pettis deserved his shot.  Pettis is coming off the matrix kick heard around the MMA world and has a bunch of momentum behind him.  I'm pulling for Pettis in this fight and would still really like to see an official unification title fight.  

Fan favorite Clay Guida has been on a roll lately.  After dropping back to back fights to Diego Sanchez and Kenny Florian, Guida has won his last three fights all by submission.  Guida's strengths are his relentless pressure and wrestling.  His aggression has cost him in past fights, but Guida himself has said he is now a smarter fighter and we saw this in his latest win over Takanori Gomi.  Guida was much more patient and picked his attacks wisely.  Guida wins this fight by pressing the action, closing the distance, pushing Pettis up against the cage, and utilizing his wrestling to take Pettis down and control the fight.   

Everyone has been waiting to see Anthony Pettis step back into the cage following his impressive decision win over Ben Henderson in the main event of the final WEC event.  Pettis's stand up arsenal is crazy.  Not only does he throw wild spinning kicks and strikes but he's been landing them consistently.  Pettis's strengths are his stand up and submissions.  Pettis has an underrated ground game, he has a very active guard which was on display in his fight against Henderson.  I think Pettis has more ways than Guida to win this fight.  His stand up is superior to Guida, and even if Guida takes this fight to the ground I think Pettis is just as dangerous with his submissions.  Although it is his signature look, I think Guida's long hair will cost him in this fight (tougher to get out of a submission).

My pick is Anthony Pettis by 2nd Round Submission.  I see Guida taking Pettis down to the ground only to get caught in triangle choke.  The fight should be nothing short of fireworks, and screams fight of the night.  

TUF Finale:  Ramsey Nijem (5-1-0) vs Tony Ferguson (11-2-0)

As the Ultimate Fighter show progressed I found myself becoming a fan of Ramsey Nijem.  The guy is a little bit on the strange side, but when it comes to fighting he means business.  Each time he stepped into the cage, he fought his heart out and you could tell by his tenacity he wants to win this show.  Ramsey comes to fight and he will be up in your face the entire time.  Junior Dos Santos said early on that Ramsey was the best fighter there.  After his semi-final TKO of Chris "Wooo" Cope, Ramsey now has the opportunity to prove Junior right.

On the other hand, Brock Lesnar was saying Tony Ferguson was the best fighter on the show.  I started out liking Tony a lot.  He was one of the few fighters finishing his opponents and I liked his decision to present himself as a classy, well dressed fighter.  I dig it when fighters like GSP, Rashad, Jon Jones dress professionally.  I don't think everyone should do it, but when there's a select few, it's cool.  So I was down with Tony, that was until he went off on his "black out" drunk tirade.  The guy was disgraceful with his remarks and was insincere with his apology.  The whole "I dress nice, I have class, I'm  a professional" persona went down the toilet for me when that happened.  I now not much of a fan of Tony and I don't think he's deserving of repping the "swag" as Evans and Jones put it.  On to the the fight prediction. 

As mentioned before, I think these are the two best fighters in the finale.  Tony has definitely shown that he packs a power punch.  He's a tall strong guy with solid stand up.  If I remember correctly, he was taken to the ground in his first fight on the show and demonstrated that he's got a decent ground game.  However, Ramsey is a pitbull.  He pushes the action and has the wrestling ability to take the fight to the ground.  I think Ramsey's pressure will surprise Tony, and if Ramsey doesn't get caught by a power punch rushing in, I think Ramsey will eventually get this fight to the ground.  Ramsey should then be able to control Tony and work his way to good positioning.

My pick is Ramsey Nijem by 2nd round submission.  Ramsey will get Tony's back and end the fight by rear-naked choke.  

Ed "Short Fuse" Herman (17-7-0) vs Tim "Crazy" Credeur (13-5-0)

Before I begin this, I just want to say it is awesome to see Ed Herman back in the UFC.  Herman suffered one of the more brutal and unfortunate injuries I've seen when he blew out his knee in his fight against Aaron Simpson.  Herman hurt his knee in the first round but decided to fight through the pain and continue.  Visibly limping and struggling, Herman attempted throw a kick or punch and the weight exerted on his knee made it pop.  Herman instantly crumpled to the ground in a heap of pain and the fight was ended.  It was tough to watch.  It's a great comeback story for the former Ultimate Fighter 3 finalist, and a win would make a return even sweeter.

Both fighters have not stepped into the cage since 2009.  Credeur has been battling injuries himself as well.  Herman was somewhat underachieving following his Ultimate Fighter 3 stint, dropping fights to up and coming fighters Demian Maia and Alan Belcher.  He bounced back earning a decision victory over returning UFC veteran David "The Crow" Loiseau, then hurt his knee in his next fight.  Tim Credeur was somewhat of a surprise on the Ultimate Fighter 7.  He opened a lot of eyes in his gritty second chance, decision loss, to C.B. Dollaway in the show's semi-finals.  Tim showed huge improvements in his fight game winning three fights in a row in the UFC following the Ultimate Fighter show.

This fight will be a brawl and is tough one to call since I neither man  has fought for awhile.  I have no idea what kind of shape they'll be in, or if ring rust will play a factor.  I think Herman is the more well rounded fighter and has a solid ground game, but Tim does have a Black Belt in BJJ and will be tough to submit.  I would give Tim a slight advantage in the stand up department.  I'll be pulling for Herman, a win would make for a great comeback story, but I think Tim will do enough to pull off a decision win.  It should be a close contest.  

My pick is Tim Credeur by Split Decision

Travis Browne KOs Stefan Struve at UFC 130

A well deserved Knock of the Night Award for Browne.

Dana White UFC 130 Post Fight Interview

"Big Country" Roy Nelson KOs Stefan Struve

 The size difference made this match up look like a freak show fight!

UFC 130 Rampage vs Hamill Predictions

In my opinion, one of the tougher fight cards to call in awhile.

"Warrior" Movie Trailer

Aside from the pro-wrestling like powerbomb, looks decent.

Chillen with Dan Hardy

"Like Water" Anderson Silva Documentary Trailer

UFC 129 GSP vs Shields Predictions

"Fightville" Movie Trailer

 MMA making its way to the movie industry, great looking documentary!

CNBC UFC Documentary: Fist Full of Dollars

MMA Live: Fight Night and Ultimate Fighter Recap

Brock Lesnar on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Brock Lesnar promoting The Ultimate Fighter starting this Wednesday.

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley Predictions

This card is stacked!  Should be some awesome fights on April 9th!

Dana White UFC 128 and TUF Tryout Blog

The walk back to the locker room really sums up what it means to be a champion.

Strikeforce: Carano vs Cyborg Pictures

UFC Fight Night 24 Predictions: Nogueira vs Davis

Special Edition prediction video!

UFC 128 Recap: Jones finishes Shogun, New Champion

Special Edition recap of UFC 128, great night of fights.

UFC 128 Post Fight Interviews: White and Marquardt

ESPN MMA Live: UFC 128 Preview

Thoughts on UFC Purchasing Strikeforce

Shocking announcement! Wow!

UFC Purchases Strikeforce: Dana White Interview

Strikeforce Hendo vs Feijao Recap

UFC 128 Shogun Rua vs Jon Jones Predictions

UFC Sanchez vs Kampmann and Penn vs Fitch Recap

UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann Predictions

HDNet Fight of the Week: Kharitonov vs Mizuno

At Dream Dynamite!! 2010 The heavy handed Sergei Kharitonov took on Tatsuya Mizuno.  Following this fight Kharitonov was granted the opportunity to participate in Strikeforce's Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament.  Kahritonov defeated Andrei Arlovski by first round knock out this past Saturday, earning him a spot in the semi-finals against the winner of the Brett Rogers and Josh Barnett fight which takes place on April 9.

Fight Block Ep 1: UFC 127 Predictions

Evan Tanner Documentary: Once I was a Champion

Dana White UFC 126 VBlog Day 3

Dana White UFC 126 VBlog Day 1-2

MMA Live: Recap of UFC Fight for the Troops

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker post show Interview

Strikeforce Diaz vs Santos Results

MAIN CARD

• Champ Nick Diaz def. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos via submission (armbar) - Round 2, 4:50 (retains welterweight title)
• Champ Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza def. Robbie Lawler via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 3, 2:00 (retains middleweight title)
• Herschel Walker def. Scott Carson via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 3:13
• Roger Gracie def. Trevor Prangley via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 4:19

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Nate Moore def. Nathan Coy via KO (punches) - Round 2, 0:25
• Isaiah Hill def. Bobby Stack via submission (triangle choke) - Round 1, 1:02
• Ron Keslar def. Eric Lawson via submission (armbar) - Round 1, 1:57
• Germaine de Randamie def. Stephanie Webber via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 4:25
• James Terry def. Lucas Gamaza via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 3:26
• Jenna Castillo def. Charlene Gellner via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 3:57

Results provided by MMAJunkie.com