hov-mma

'UFC 160 Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2' Complete Event Results

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Sun, 26 May 2013 05:11:00 +0000

Controversial decisions, bloodbaths, upsets, records being broken, a former champion announces his retirement from the sport, the heavyweight title of the world being successfully defended... or did it change hands? Maybe you already know what happened. Maybe you don't. Maybe you just feel like you missed a little something. That's what we're here for.

For the complete results from 'UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2', along with fighter bonuses, and the post-fight press conference feed - join us below.

• Featherweight Bout: Jeremy Stephens (21-9) defeats Estevan Payan (14-4) via UD (30-26 x 2, 30-27)

• Bantamweight Bout: George Roop (14-9-1) defeats Brian Bowles (10-3) via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 1:43

• Welterweight Bout: Stephen Thompson (7-1) defeats Nah-Shon Burrell (9-3) via UD (29-28 x 2, 30-27)

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Catchweight Bout (158.5 lbs): Khabib Nurmagamedov* (20-0) defeats Abel Trujillo (10-5) via UD (30-27 x 3)

• Welterweight Bout: Robert Whittaker (11-2) defeats Colton Smith (3-2) via TKO (punches) - Round 3, 0:41

• Featherweight Bout: Dennis Bermudez (11-3) defeats Max Holloway (7-2) via Split Decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)

• Welterweight Bout: Mike Pyle (25-8-1) defeats Rick Story (15-7) via SD (29-28 x 2, 28-29)

Main Card (PPV)

• Lightweight Bout: Donald Cerrone (20-5) defeats K.J. Noons (11-7) via UD (30-27 x 2, 30-26)

• Lightweight #1 Contenders Bout: T.J. Grant (21-5) defeats Gray Maynard (11-2-1) via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:07

• Light Heavyweight Bout: Glover Teixeira (21-2) defeats James Te-Huna (16-6) via guillotine choke - Round 1, 2:38

• Heavyweight Bout: Junior dos Santos (16-2) defeats Mark Hunt (9-8) via KO (spinning wheel kick + punches) - Round 3, 4:18

• Heavyweight Title Bout: Cain Velasquez (C) (12-1) defeats Antonio Silva (18-5) via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 1:21

Post-Fight Press Conference Feed:

* - Nurmagomedov set the record for most takedowns in a three-round UFC fight with 21.

$50K in bonuses were awarded to the following fighters:

• KO of the Night - T.J. Grant

• Submission of the Night - Glover Teixeira

• Fight of the Night - Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

Five for Fighting - 5 Upcoming Heavyweight Tilts

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sheehan) — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:32:00 +0000

UFC Champion Cain Velasquez photo: ESPN

When memorial day weekend rolls around you can set your watch by two things, me getting "bungalowed" drunk because it's my birthday weekend and a wide array of wonderful heavyweight fights. Last year UFC 146 had a main card packed with heavyweight battles ending in Junior Dos Santos retaining his world title against former champion Frank Mir. This Saturday is the beginning of another quintet of heavyweight battles over the next few weeks which will mold the division for the year ahead.

Cain Velasquez v Bigfoot Silva

Might as well start at the top. This weekend 265lbs champion Cain Velasquez takes on challenger Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva for the UFC heavyweight title in a rematch of their 2012 contender fight which took place 364 days previously. It was a fight which ended brutally. Velasquez took the Brazilian down, unloaded some vicious elbows which cut his opponent and ended the fight all inside the first round. Since then Cain has defeated Dos Santos to regain his title and Silva has won two tough fights, knocking out both Travis Browne and the highly fancied Alistair Overeem. With no other clear contended in the division this match was made - despite the mauling in the first.

The big question going into this fight is whether Bigfoot can get any closer to Cain than the last time. The answer? Probably not. Cain is a superb wrestler and an ever improving striker, which he displayed immensely in the rematch with Dos Santos. He is quicker than Silva and better in almost every aspect. What Bigfoot has in his favor is his size and strength. He is a huge man who has to cut down to the 265lbs heavyweight limit and has boulders for fists. Another big factor is that this is now Silva's 4th fight for the UFC. The first fight with Cain was his Octagon debut and maybe the infamous jitters played a part. We will find out on Saturday. Anything can happen in the heavyweight division but a Silva victory would surely be the biggest shock of the year.

Junior Dos Santos v Mark Hunt

The co-main event of UFC 160 sees a real old fashioned match-up between two heavy-handed striking experts, Junior Dos Santos and Mark Hunt. This fight has explosive written all over it. Hunt, a former K-1 champion, is riding a four fight win streak coming into this number one contender fight including wins over veterans Stefan Struve and Cheick Kongo. He truly is a Cinderella story. Coming into the UFC he had more losses than wins and was offered a sum of money to be released from his contract. He refused. Now with a 4-1 UFC record he is on the cusp of a shot at the gold.

First he will have to get past long time top contender and former champion Junior Dos Santos who is coming off a brutal 5 round drubbing at the hands of Cain Velasquez. “Cigano” is widely recognized as one of the best boxers in MMA and when he meets Hunt this Saturday he will be up against another one. Two expert strikers collide in what is primed to be a barn burner. Dos Santos has the speed advantage, he throws combinations like a middleweight but with outrageous power. Speaking of power, Hunt has it in spades, the last punch he threw in anger literally shattered the jaw of his opponent. Both men have titanium chins. This is a shootout for the ages. Something will have to give. Don't miss it!

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira v Fabricio Werdum

Fabrico Werdum against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is a fight which seems to have been announced an age ago. It kinda was. "The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2" coaches will go head to head in two weeks time on the shows finale in Fortaleza, Brazil. This fight may have been more to do with “TUF” coaches in mind rather than the match-up itself.

In short Werdum outmatches “Big Nog” in every department. It may have been a different story a few years back but today Werdum is the better fighter. His Jiu-Jitsu game is arguably unmatched at heavyweight, add to that the vicious striking and clinch work he showed against Roy Nelson and you have one of the most well rounded fighters in the world. Nogueira is a wily veteran and certainty isn't without a chance but at this stage in his career it may be a slim one. A win for Werdum will put him very close to contention for a shot at the title.

Roy Nelson v Stipe Miocic

Earlier this week the MMA community simultaneously were rendered quizzical when it was announced that Roy Nelson would fight Stipe Miocic. "Big Country" is coming off of three consecutive first round knockout wins and it was thought that he would be given a step up in competition against the likes of Daniel Cormier or Mark Hunt in his next bout. Instead he fights the up and coming Croatian-American Stipe Miocic in what UFC president Dana White announced would be Nelsons last fight on his current contract. This is another fight made more for convenience than anything else.

Its a fight everybody expects Nelson to win. And he will. Miocic is a very talented future star but this fight is coming too soon for him, not to mention the fact he's coming off a loss to Stefan Struve. The question here may not be who wins but how long it takes Big Country to get the knockout. Bigger test next time, please.

Alistair Overeem v Travis Browne

The UFC has promised to put on the best ever free television card when the promotion makes its debut on the brand now Fox Sports 1 channel this Autumn. One of the fights announced in the past week for that event is Alistair Overeem v Travis Brown. Both men are 1-1 in their last two fights, both have one vicious knockout in those two fights and both have been knocked out viciously by Bigfoot Silva in the other. So it makes perfect sense to pit these two colossus's against each other. It will be one of the most athletic meetings in the heavyweight division this year.

Overeem, undoubtedly, is the more decorated striker and fighter in general. He is a pride veteran as well as a former K-1 and Strikeforce champion who came into the UFC as a heavyweight who was thought to be destined for the top. A failed drugs test and a thunderous knockout by Bigfoot Silva put the skids on that. Browne, on the other hand, has been threatening to break into the elite for quite a while but has yet to take the next step. A fighter with 10 knockouts from fourteen wins is one never to be looked past though, especially when a chin as suspect as Overeem's. This is a fight that will propel one fighter into the top five and the other towards the bottom of the top 10. The winning and losing of this fight will depend on which Overeem turns up. Should the lackluster and, dare I say, flabby Overeem that lost to Bigfoot Silva take on Browne it is very possible that he will get knocked out, but should the muscle-bound Adonis-like Overeem we've seen for so many years be seen on the Fox Sports 1 television screens it could be a very rough night for the Hawaiian.

As a whole the Heavyweight division is as strong as it has ever been. There are contenders lining up left, right and center looking for a shot at the belt that currently resides around the waist of Cain Velasquez. A lot can happen in the next few weeks and by the time these five fights have been completed there will be a clearer picture of what is in store for the future of the heavyweight division.

Article by: Sean Sheehan

'UFC 160: Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2' weigh-in results (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

It's the Friday before fight night which can mean only one thing. There are 24 fighters that are really hungry and ready to look their opponent in the eye and go get some food and liquids back into their bodies.

Below you can check the full written results and video of the UFC 160 weigh-in which will start promptly at 7 p.m. in the East at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Preliminary Card (Facebook - 6:35 p.m. ET)

• Jeremy Stephens (146) vs. Estevan Payan (145)

• Brian Bowles (135) vs. George Roop (135)

• Stephen Thomspson (170) vs. Nah-Shon Burrell (172*)

Preliminary Card (FX - 8:00 p.m ET)

• Khabib Nurmagamedov (158.5)** vs. Abel Trujillo (155)

• Robert Whittaker (171) vs. Colton Smith (170)

• Dennis Bermudez (146) vs. Max Holloway (145)

• Mike Pyle (170) vs. Rick Story (169)

Main Card (PPV - 10 p.m. ET)

• Donald Cerrone (155) vs. K.J. Noons (156)

• Gray Maynard (156) vs. T.J. Grant (155)

• Glover Teixiera (205) vs. James Te-Huna (206)

• Junior dos Santos (239) vs. Mark Hunt (264)

• Cain Velasquez (240) vs. Antonio Silva (263)

* - Nah-Shon has 2 hours to cut one pound

** - Khabib has 2 hours to cut 2.5 pounds (per Ariel Helwani, Khabib will not attempt to lose any more weight. He forfeits 20 % of his purse)

Win some Fight Forward Gear in Free Kountermove game

noreply@blogger.com (DanRoseMMA) — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Hello fight fans, you know what's better than one awesome MMA related item? Two awesome MMA related items. Well, we have Fight Forward MMA coming together with Kountermove to offer a free tournament where the top three finishers will win the Fight Forward T of their choice. No cost to enter, just make your picks and watch UFC tomorrow and cheer on your guys.

We would greatly appreciate if you play the game, that you'd also head over to Fight Forward's twitter account and give them a follow. They're just Twitter babies, and are looking for friends.

Thanks for playing, and good luck!

Here's the link to join in on the fun!

UFC 160 Free Kountermove Game

UFC 160 HOV staff pick em

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

These days, hov-mma rolls deep. For UFC 160 we're rolling seven deep, to be exact. You're either with us, or you're against us. Regardless, you probably want to check out our picks for this Memorial Day weekend extravaganza. Luckily for you, we've provided them below. Enjoy.

• Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

Dan Rose: It’s win or go home for Stephens, and win he will. He should hold a major advantage over the UFC newcomer here, and get back on the winning track, in a big early KO way. Stephens, KO Round 1.

Dave Reno: I can't believe 'Lil' Heathen' is only 26. I feel like he was born inside of the Octagon. It's not time for him to be cut yet. This is one of those guys who wins the fights that he supposed to win and loses the ones where he comes in as the dog. Stephens via TKO - 1st Round.

Denise Tracey: Stephens to win; Payan doesn't have the experience or the will. And Stephens cleary has the advantage with nicknames: "Lil' Heathen" beats "el Terrible" 9 times out of 10. Extra points awarded for creativity and the use of a contraction.

Evan Shoman: Stephens will win because I don’t remember watching Payan fight.

Sean Sheehan: 'Lil Heathen may have lost his last three fights but they were all against tough opponents, this one shouldn't be as tough. The Strikeforce fighters coming over have done really well and although an upset wouldn't surprise me I'm picking Stephens inside the distance.

Lindsey Proctor: My pick: Estevan Payan. He’s going to be motivated to fight his best in his UFC debut and is on a nice winning streak. Jeremy Stephans will be motivated to get off his losing streak, but as long as Payan doesn’t get the “octagon jitters”, I think he can pull this off.

Dwayne Wolff: Stephens via 1st Round TKO.

Total: 6-1 for Jeremy Stephens

• Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Rose: Bowles hasn’t been in the cage since 2011. He hasn’t won inside the cage in nearly two years. He’s fighting the long and troublesome Roop who is a massive Bantamweight at 6 foot 1. I think Bowles will have issues closing the distance, and this will likely be his last chance to regain the glory of his past. I think Bowles will get the job done. I am not sure why, or how, but I just see Bowles returning triumphantly. I’ll say TKO.

Reno: It's been quite sometime since we've seen Bowles in competition. I believe he'll be just fine as long as he still makes his walk to Johnny Cash's 'When The Man Comes Around', truly one of the best walkout songs of all-time. Roop is a solid fighter but Bowles just has too much power and hunger to come up short. This guy belongs back on the main card. Bowles via KO, 1st Round.

Tracey: I want Brian Bowles to win, but I think Roop's reach is going to stymie Bowles.

Shoman: Dirk Diggler is back! Brian Bowles by decision.

Sheehan: rian Bowles is the forgotten man of MMA. Should he fight like his old self he will win. 18 months out is not easy though and If Roop can get the upper hand early on he is in with a great chance. Bowles wins a decision.

Proctor: My pick: Brian Bowles. It will be interesting to see how Bowles is looking after a year and half off, but I think he will be motivated to come back with a bang and Roop has a spottier history.

Wolff: Bowles 2nd Round RNC.

Total: 6-1 for Bowles

• Stephen Thompson vs. Nah-Shon Burrell

Rose: Nah-Shon will outwrestle “Wonderboy” en route to a three round unanimous decision. Won’t be a fun fight to watch.

Reno: The History of Wonderboy and Young Nastyman, Riggah-goo-goo, riggah-goo-goo. Wonderboy via TKO.

Tracey: If Thompson can keep from getting taken down, he will win by decision.

Shoman: Wonderboy via kara-tay.

Sheehan: OK, I'm not gonna lie, I'm a massive Wonderboy fan and am picking him to win via first round head-kick knockout. Needs to avoid the ground at all costs.

Proctor: My pick: Stephen Thompson. I think he has the better skill set and potential for a nice KO win over Burrell.

Wolff: Burrell via 2nd Round KO.

Total: 5-2 for 'Wonderboy' Thompson

• Khabib Nurmagamedov vs. Abel Trujillo

Rose: Khabib is a rising star, and he’ll stay undefeated here against a tough, but overmatched Trujillo. Khabib by TKO Round 1.

Reno: They really are bringing up Nurmagamedov rather slowly. They can't deny this kid forever. He will make Trujillo look silly, move to 20-0, and hopefully get an opponent worth writing home about for his next bout. Nurmagamedov via submission.

Tracey: Nurmagomedov to win ( I don't know either fighter but KN's name sounds like a prehistoric monster and that always give you an edge.)

Shoman: Another great fight. Going to go with Khabib.

Sheehan: This fight is one I am looking forward to a lot. Russian skill vs. American strength. I'm picking “The Eagle” to win via Sambo.

Proctor: My pick: Khabib Nurmagomedov. This dude has the best name in the whole UFC and is undefeated. Need I say more?

Wolff: Nurmagamedov via 1st Round sub.

Total: 7-0 for Nurmagamedov

• Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

Rose: Colton Smith by Unanimous Decision. Takedown, smother, rinse, repeat.

Reno: This fight has piss break written all over it. Every card needs one. Smith via UD.

Tracey: Colton Smith will win by decision.

Shoman: Did you know Colton Smith was in the military? Well, if you didn't, Mike Goldberg will tell you 600 times this weekend during his fight. Smith is dreadfully boring to watch and I think he is going to lay on Whittaker for 15 mins.

Sheehan: I read somebody refer to this as the toilet break fight. Colton will win a boring three round lay and pray snoozefest.

Proctor: My pick: Colton Smith. Unless Rob can quickly get in a knockout punch at the beginning of the first or second of the round (or throw a knee as he shoots), Colton will get the fight to the ground and control Rob for 15 minutes. Lay and pray is the name of the game. By the third round, Whittaker will be completely tuckered out. I would love to see Whittaker take this, but I gotta be realistic. Smith via Decision.

Wolff: Whittaker via 1st Round KO.

Total: 6-1 for Colton Smith

• Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Rose: Holloway and Bermudez should have a fun spirited fight here, and in the end, I see the power edge Dennis Bermudez will posses being the difference. I’m going with Bermudez by TKO, second round.

Reno: This is a great fight! Bermudez is coming off that insane Fight of the Night performance against Matt Grice back at UFC 157, while Holloway remains one of the most promising young up and comers the sport has to offer. Both men bring three-fight win streaks into the bout. Holloway has looked great since dropping his UFC debut to Dustin Poirier, while Bermudez has looked very much a threat since coming up short against Diego Brandao for the TUF 14 title. Wow, this one is tough. I'll take Holloway via split decision. Close, violent fight.

Tracey: I want Holloway to win, but Bermudez' superior experience and power will beat him.

Shoman: This could be FOTN. Leaning towards Holloway.

Sheehan: Maybe the hardest fight of the night to pick, everything says Bermudez should win but Holloway is as game as you like and has been know to derail a hypetrain. Bermudez takes it, barely.

Proctor: My pick: Dennis Bermudez. This will be a fun, fast paced fight that could go either way in my mind. I give a slight edge to Bermudez for his ability to control a fight, but who the heck knows. Only thing I'd put money on is that this will be Fight of the Night.

Wolff: Bermudez via decision.

Total: 5-2 for Bermudez

• Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

Rose: Mike Pyle is a tough veteran and he has all the necessary tools to be one of the best. Rick Story just wills his way forward to victory, throwing haymakers, eating punches and coming forward until he lands the telling shot that changes the outcome of the fight. I think if he takes that course of action against Pyle, Pyle will counter him and finish Story on the ground by submission. Going out on a limb here, Pyle by first round Submission.

Reno: This is a tasty little appetizer before we go live on pay-per-view. Pyle is on a terror since being handled by the resident welterweight wunderkind Rory MacDonald. Unfortunately for him he's been matched up with 'The Horror'. Story via body shots.

Tracey: This could be a tough one. I want Mike Pyle to win and I believe he can because Rick hasn't been viscerally challenged in quite some time. Mike needs the win and I don't think Rick sees Mike as enough of a challenge to really bring his A game...so I'm calling on Mike to win a decision.

Shoman: Tough one to pick. Does Rick become the Stalling Story again? Does Pyle go back to his big show faltering? I’m going to go with Story.

Sheehan: Another tight match up. Pyle is 6-1 in his last 7 with his only loss coming to Rory McDonald, it's hard to look past that and I see Pyle winning via decision.

Proctor: My pick: Mike Pyle. While I’ll be rooting for my fellow Washitonian, Rick Story, Pyle is the better fight finisher and will be a dangerous opponent to Story wherever the fight may go, standing or on the ground.

Wolff: Pyle via 3rd Round TKO.

Total: 5-2 for Pyle

• Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons

Rose: Noons is good at staying in fights, and not breaking, but he’s facing someone in Cerrone who is good at breaking people. Donald has tremendous kicks, good hands, good grappling and knows submissions more than he’s let on. This is a nightmare fight scenario for Noons, and I expect him to be battered and beaten for ten to twelve minutes before being stopped. Cerrone by TKO/Dr Stoppage late.

Reno: Former EliteXC champion and Strikeforce contender Karl James Noons will be making his UFC debut against Zuffa bonus check machine Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone to kick off the pay-per-view portion of UFC 160. K.J. has dropped 4 of his last 5 under the Strikeforce banner against some good competition. Cerrone shouldn't have too much of an issue here. K.J. can box, but Cerrone has the reach and length advantage, and he can finish. That said, Noons is a tough customer. I see this one going the distance with Cerrone controlling just about every aspect of the fight. Cerrone via UD.

Tracey: Donald Cerrone will stop KJ Noons in the second round.

Shoman: Cowboy coming off a loss is a lousy opponent for anyone. KJ’s legs are going to get brutalized.

Sheehan: The winning and losing of this fight depends on which Donald Cerrone shows up. Noons needs to win this to be sure of his job, Cerrone needs to win it to remain a contender. Cerrone via TKO.

Proctor: My pick: Cowboy Cerrone. Cerrone should be able to finish this fight. Noons recent past isn’t too impressive. If he’s mixed up his training he, of course, could make his UFC debut in impressive fashion, but I don’t see it happening and Cerrone is completely capable of finishing Noons, standing or on the ground.

Wolff: Cowboy via 1st Round KO.

Total: 7-0 for Cowboy

• Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant

Rose: Maynard is a top level guy, but he’s been out for quite a while, having not fought in a year when he had a very lackluster fight with Clay Guida. He faces a fighter in TJ Grant who is often overlooked, but is on the verge of finding himself near the top of the division. Whoever wins this fight, puts themselves on a short list of title contenders. All things being equal, I’d lean towards Maynard here, but I think the break will hurt him, and TJ Grant will earn the decision victory.

Reno: Gray Maynard is beyond frustrated. He hasn't been in a real fight since late 2011 and that one didn't end very well for 'The Bully'. If T.J. Grant was a girl his name would be Katniss Everdeen. Dude is on fire. While Gray, along with Benson Henderson, may be the biggest 155'ers in the division - T.J. has gone the distance with the likes of Johny Hendricks and DHK. This one is gonna get dirty folks, and when it's all said and done it'll be T.J. Grant getting his hand raised, thus earning a title shot against Benson Henderson later this year.

Tracey: I expect Gray Maynard to win...unless he is hiding more of nagging knee injury than we know of.

Shoman: Gray via decision.

Sheehan: Again it's a fighter in form against a fighter coming off a lay off. At his best Maynard should win this one but TJ Grant is a very underrated fighter and anything could happen in this number one contender match-up. Going to go with Grant to get his shot at the title.

Proctor: My pick: Gray Maynard. If the fight stays standing mostly, I’d give this to Grant, but assuming this goes to the ground, it will be a very interesting fight to watch. Grant could pull off a submission, but I think it will be difficult for him to showcase his jiu-jitsu against Maynard who can control him with his wrestling. I think that control will win him the fight.

Wolff: Maynard via Decision.

Total: 4-3 for Gray Maynard

• Glover Teixeira vs. James Te-Huna

Rose: his fight is closer standing than you might think. James Te Huna is a talented striker, and he could hold his own. The ground game should come into play here, and Glover could well hold the advantage there. I see this being either a three round war and fight of the night, or….a quick first round KO for Glover. Either way, I’m going to go with Glover.

Reno: When it comes to dudes above the age of 30 that we consider the potential future of the UFC light heavyweight division - this is where it's at. One man will move toward a title shot, and the other is f**ked forever. Teixeira via TKO.

Tracey: James Te Huna for the decision.

Shoman: Glover by decision.

Sheehan: Te Huna is also a very underrated fighter in my opinion and maybe Glover is a little overrated. This fight is a lot closer than people may think. I hope Te Huna does another awesome walk out but I think Glover may just take it.

Proctor: My pick: Glover Teixeira. Just like the Velasquez vs. Silva fight, I think Teixeira is the more well rounded fighter and more technical of the two. If he fights smart and uses that to the best of his ability, he should get the win.

Wolff: Teixeira via 2nd Round TKO.

Total: 6-1 for Glover Teixeira

• Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt

Rose: Mark Hunt hits hard, but he gets hit a lot. Junior Dos Santos will hold a massive advantage in technical striking, and he will eventually hurt Hunt and finish him. JDS does have to be careful though, because one shot from Hunt can ruin your whole weekend. Dos Santos, by TKO third round.

Reno: Heart says Hunt. Head says Dos Santos, and easy. As long as Dos Santos is smart enough not to get into a slugfest with Hunt he should be ok. He has the speed and the footwork to avoid that big looping shot from the Super Samoan. Expect JDS to utilize the jab like he did against Shane Carwin and finish this one with some sort of gnarly uppercut combo meal in the 2nd Round.

Tracey: Junior is going to dominate Mark Hunt because 1.) He's a better fighter, and 2.) He's made huge improvements in his training camp and wants to prove they were the right choices.

Shoman: Hunt by KO. Probably not, but one can hope.

Sheehan: This has all the makings of a stand up war ending with a brutal knockout. Well, either that or 3 rounds up against the cage (please no). Would love to see the New Zealand Cinderella-man pull it off but I just cant see that happening. Visa issues and arriving late into the country wont help. May go to a decision. I'm picking JDS.

Proctor: My pick: Junior Dos Santos. I really can see this one going either way and wouldn’t be surprised if Hunt gets the win. Both have knockout power so either could get caught with one powerful shot. Hunt is coming off an impressive win over Struve from just several weeks ago, but I think JDS will show up motivated to come back strong after his loss to Velasquez, and is more skilled on the ground if the fight goes there, but even in a striking war, I think JDS has this.

Wolff: Hunt via 3rd Round KO.

Total: 5-2 for JDS

• Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

Rose: Cain Velasquez is as well rounded and technical a heavyweight as we may have ever seen. Bigfoot, not so much. Now granted, Bigfoot single-handedly took Overeem from the realm of mythical warrior to beaten human in a whirlwind of violence and disdain, but…The Reem is no Cain Velasquez. Cain wins this rematch, but it won’t be as easy as the first time around.

Reno: If Silva beats Velasquez it's time for him to change his nickname from 'Bigfoot' to 'The Shocker'. Fedor, Overeem and now Cain?? Not likely. Velasquez is as sound as they come. The champ just isn't gonna let the Foot land anything before he takes him down and pounds him out. Velasquez via TKO , 1st Round - again.

Tracey: Cain Velasquez. Antonio Silva just doesn't have the skill to take him.

Shoman: Cain by whatever he wants.

Sheehan: The rematch nobody wants. Although Bigfoot was demolished last time, the cut made it finish somewhat sooner than it would have without it. I see Cain winning again, maybe a decision or late stoppage. Bigfoot is the king of the upsets though!

Proctor: My pick: Cain Velasquez. Cain is the more well rounded fighter. While Silva has improved and will have changed his game plan from the last time they fought, I still see Cain coming out the victor – standing or on the ground.

Wolff: Velasquez via 4th Round TKO.

Total: 7-0 for Cain Velasquez

UFC 160 Dana White Vlog #1

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:24:00 +0000

We are just days away from UFC 160 so you know what that means right? It's time to take a behind the scenes look at UFC 159 with our mutual friend Dana "F'in" White.

Check out the video below along with some HOV bullet points for your convenience. Enjoy.

• 0:42 - Always nice to see Joe Silva speak on camera. Dude is a legend.

• 1:27 - Interesting stuff behind the curtains between Healy and Caraway in hindsight if you're one to keep up with current events.

• 2:35 - Win some lose some. - Cheicks final UFC fight?

• 3:01 - "Here we go, mother fucker." - Bisping pre-fight.

• 3:29 - "Fuck you guys." - Dude [Bisping] does what he has to do to get pumped.

• 3:55 - Cue Blur song #2

• 5:15 - Chael front flip (kinda) . Awesome.

• 5:35 - Chael wearing house shoes..."If you see Jon Jones..tell him I'm looking for him."

• 5:50 - Jones is so smooth and so confident.

• 6:58 - "I gotta tell ya I got beat." - Chael

• 7:13 - Joe Silva and Dana react live to the JBJ big toe saga. Watch the whole sequence play out. This is the must see moment of this vlog.

• 8:59 - Chael poses for a fan photo after his loss. The epitome of class.

Fallon Fox chases dream at CFA 11

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:18:00 +0000

Fallon "The Queen of Swords" Fox fights this Friday night, May 24th, against Allanna "Hands of Stone" Jones in the co-main event at CFA 11 on AXS TV. There have been many things said and written about Fox and whether or not she should be fighting inside of the cage. Most of it has been uninformed opinions. People reacting emotionally to something that is different that they do not understand and it becomes easier to parrot other people's thoughts and opinions instead of doing research and thinking for oneself. I have not looked at all of the science that is out there myself. I have read and heard a little from both sides of the argument and the one thing that is clear is there is not nearly enough research done to definitively answer one way or the other. For me, the commission has licensed her and feels that she does not have an advantage because of her previous gender. They have done the necessary research and have given Fox her license to fight.

What exactly constitutes an advantage in MMA? And what is fair? Is it fair that Jon Jones has an insane reach and length? It is a clear advantage for him. Jose Aldo spent years playing soccer and he now has devastating leg kicks. Is that fair? Every fighter that enters into the cage has advantages and disadvantages versus their opponent. Some are genetic, others are through training. It is how they use them, it is about not making mistakes and capitalizing when your opponent makes their mistakes. It is about who has the heart and the desire. That fire that burns inside. Every fighter fights many little individual private battles before they enter the cage. Fox is no different except for her many of those battles have become public. All over what may or may not be an advantage for her and could turn out to be a disadvantage for her.

Fallon is happy and ready to fight

I have heard some people walking the politically correct tightrope by saying that they support her life choice but she should be expected to give up her dream of being a fighter. Maybe it is easy for some people to be dismissive of someone else's dreams because they have given up on their own along time ago or did not have the courage to go for it in the first place. When they see Fox being courageous not only in just being true to herself but keeping her dream alive they should celebrate her bravery. This country was founded on the hopes and dreams of people like Fox having the courage to follow the difficult path to achieve their dreams. To just be who they are inside. To be true to oneself is something we all should be allowed to do.

All Fallon Fox is looking for is the same respect and dignity that is due to every person, and the chance to live her dreams. In a world where so many people give up on their dreams let us give our support to some one who is daring to live theirs. This Friday night for up to fifteen minutes all the noise will fade into the background as Fox will get to fight Jones. Jones has not gotten caught up in the noise and is treating Fox as her next opponent. Hopefully soon that is how everybody will look at her future fights. As just two opponents in the cage fighting. Trying to live their dreams. Tune in this Friday night on AXS TV for CFA 11 and support all of the fighters who continue to follow their dreams.

This article was written by Dwayne Wolff for hov-mma

Order Fallon Fox's official CFA 11 walk out here

'CFA 11: Kyle vs. Wiuff' press conference (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:45:00 +0000

An epic dais was on display in Downtown Miami's Bongos Cuban Café earlier today for the CFA 11 press conference. Main eventers Mike Kyle and Travis Wiuff, along with women's featherweight tournament semi-finalists Ashlee Evans-Smith, Anna Barone, Fallon Fox and Allanna Jones were all in attendance, just to name a few.

You can find the full video of today's presser below. As always keep it locked her for tomorrows weigh-in's and of course on Friday night for a big night of fights live on AXS.TV.

'UFC 161: Evans vs. Hendo' Event Poster, Updated Fight Card

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:16:00 +0000

Here's is your new 'UFC 161: Evans vs. Hendo' event poster and the updated fight card as it stands today. UFC officials are still working to get Eddie Wineland an opponent for the pay-per-view portion of this card.

Main Card (PPV)

• Light Heavyweight Main Event: Rashad Evans (17-3) vs. Dan Henderson (29-9)

• Light Heavyweight Bout: Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua (21-7) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-5)

• Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson (19-7) vs. Stipe Miocic (9-1)

• Heavyweight Bout: Pat Barry (8-5) vs. Shawn Jordan (14-4)

• Women's Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis (13-5) vs. Rosi Sexton (13-2)

Preliminary Card (FX)

• Welterweight Bout: Jake Shields (27-6-1) vs. Tyron Woodley (11-1)

• Lightweight Bout: Sam Stout (19-8-1) vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-3-1)

• Light Heavyweight Bout: Ryan Jimmo (17-2) vs. Igor Pokrajac (25-9)

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

• Bantamweight Bout: Yves Jabouin (18-8) vs. Dustin Pague (11-7)

• Welterweight Bout: Sean Pierson (13-6) vs. Kenny Robertson (12-2)

• Lightweight Bout: John Maguire (18-5) vs. Mitch Clarke (9-2)

• Bantamweight Bout: Roland Delorme (8-1) vs. Edwin Figueroa (9-2)

TVP: Mark Hunt breaks Struve's jaw in Saitama

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:11:00 +0000

When Kiwi-born super hero Mark Hunt collides with Junior dos Santos this Saturday in Las Vegas he'll find himself just one finish away from a shot at UFC gold. Considering that Hunt was sporting a professional MMA record of 5-7 just two years ago makes his current state amongst the heavyweight elite all the more impressive.

One of the main reasons 'The Super Samoan' finds himself in this position is due to his most recent performance, which was that of the jaw breaking variety.

Hunt was no stranger to Saitama, having enjoyed his greatest victories and most disappointing losses there. He gave the fans a show inside of the Super Arena last February when he put away Cheick Kongo and with the crowd behind him in this PRIDEesque freakshow fight against the 7 footer Stefan Struve, well, we already knew we'd be in for another special moment.

Relive Hunt's highlight reel finish of Struve below in it's entirety as a little appetizer for this weekends top heavy Memorial Day weekend pay-per-view.

Manitoba Makeover: 'UFC 161: Evans vs. Hendo' Gets Heavy

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Like Roy on Facebook

With the UFC's next visit to Western Canada under a month away, the promotion is taking the necessary steps to avoid another Canadian disaster, a la UFC 149 in Calgary.

Following the recent injury to interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao, the powers that be behind the curtains at Zuffa seem to feel that this event needed a little beef. And by beef I mean Roy Nelson. It was teased on the Fuel TV weekly 'UFC Tonight' that Nelson would be fighting on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 161 in Winnipeg against a yet to be named opponent. It was later confirmed by MMA Junkie that the opponent would be none other than Strong Style Fight Team's Stipe Miocic.

Miocic was originally scheduled to welcome Aussie heavyweight favorite Soa 'The Hulk' Palelei back into the Octagon after a five-year plus absence, but now Palelei is left without a fight as it stands today. Miocic will be upgraded from the FX card to the PPV portion of the June 15th event when he returns to the cage for the first time since being TKO'ed by Stefan Struve last Fall.

It'll be a quick turnaround for 'Big Country' when he squares off against Miocic. The TUF 10 champ just snatched up his 4th KO of the night bonus check when he deleted Cheick Kongo with his right hand at UFC 159 less than a month ago. Nelson was cleared to take on Junior dos Santos this weekend at UFC 160 due to Mark Hunt's Visa issues but with that fiasco now cleared, and Hunt ready for action, the always hungry Nelson will not be given his chance to even the score with JDS just yet.

Following the injury to Renan Barao, who was supposed to defend his interim title against Eddie Wineland in the main event of the evening, it's been confirmed that light heavyweight legends Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson have been bumped into the headliners role. This will remain a 3 round affair.

Junkie also confirms that UFC officials are looking for a replacement opponent to lock horns with Wineland which would make this pay-per-view a six-fight special. Urijah Faber has shown interest in taking on Wineland in what would be a rematch of the two bantamweight's UFC debut back at UFC 128 in New Jersey. Faber won that bout via unanimous decision earning him a title shot against then, and still current bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. Cruz has been sidelined for over a year now following two ACL surgeries.

UFC 161: Evans vs. Hendo Event Archive

'CFA 11: Kyle vs. Wiuff 2' Updated AXS TV Main Card

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:11:00 +0000

CFA 11: Kyle vs. Wiuff 2
May 24th, 2013
Bank United Center
Coral Gables, Florida

Main Card (AXS.TV)

• Heavyweight Main Event: Mike Kyle (19-9-1) vs. Travis Wiuff (68-17)

• Women's Featherweight Tournament Semi-Final Bout: Fallon Fox (2-0) vs. Allanna Jones (2-1)

• Lightweight Bout: Luis Palomino (20-8) vs. Robert Washington (15-7)

• Interim Featherweight Title Bout: Sean Soriano (IC) (7-0) vs. Elvin Leon Brito (6-1)

• Flyweight Bout: Alexis Vila (11-3) vs. Czar Sklavos (7-2)

• Middleweight Bout: Oscar Delgado (3-2) vs. Mike King (5-0)

• Women's Featherweight Tournament Semi-Final Bout: Ashlee Evans-Smith (1-0) vs. Anna Barone (2-3)

Purchase Fallon Fox's CFA 11 Walk Out T-Shirt here

Purchase Anna Barone's CFA 11 Walk Out T-Shirt here

Weekend in Violence 3 Stars: UFC on FX 8 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:06:00 +0000

These fight fans in Brazil, they just aren't like the Vegas crowds. A full capacity Arena Jaragua started off hungry for action, these weren't suits strolling in towards the end of the preliminaries inside of the MGM Grand. These were blood thirsty Brazilians ready to cheer on their fellow countrymen and enjoy a full night of UFC action. And every single one of them were rewarded for showing up right on time.

1st Star(s) - Lucas Martins & Jeremy Larsen

"You're gonna hear a lot about me - Lucas Mineiro from Brazil." - Lucas 'Mineiro' Martins (pictured above) after his fight of the night performance against Jeremy Larsen.

The final result may have saw Lucas Martins earning the KO victory just 13 seconds into the final round of the contest. That said, his opponent Jeremy Larsen should not be feeling down following this fight. For one, he did get a $50K fight of the night bonus for his duel with Martins. And two, I swear he knocked out Martins at least three or four times during this insane festival of slug.

One of the number one no-no's in the sport of mixed martial arts is keeping your chin up as your opponent throws haymakers directly at your face. Lucas Martins doesn't care about that shit. Your fist has to punch through six layers of granite to get to his chin. Martins has tons of heart and not a whole of technique standing, which made for one hell of a fight. I mean, he kept his chin straight up in the air for the duration of the contest and ate shots that literally did enough for the referee to call the fight on a handful of occasions.

The finishing sequence went a little something like this -

Larsen moves forward continuing to wing hooks looking to land the knockout shot as he has since the the fight began. As Martins moves backwards he hits him with a counter right that turns off the lights, face planting Larsen. Martins lands a couple of hammers fists for good measure before the referee waves things off. The crowd explodes. This is just the first fight of the night folks, WOW.

Final Result - Lucas Martins (13-1) defeats Jeremy Larsen (8-4) via KO (punch) - Round 3, 0:13

2nd Star - Vitor Belfort

"The 1st round with Vitor is hell." - Luke Rockhold

Whether you like it or not Vitor - you're name will be synonymous with TRT for the rest of your professional MMA career. And whose fault is that? Rhetorical.

The big question is whether or not a TRT fueled Vitor or a clean Vitor could've pulled off this berserker of a finish. Let's give Mr. Belfort credit where credit is due. I've been quick to judge him for his repeated illegal blows to the back of the head in the past. It's driven me nuts that referees have turned a blind eye to it and it's held me back from giving him the credit he probably feels he has been due.

The Phenom's head kick finishes of Michael Bisping, and now Luke Rockhold haven't exactly won me over, they've just freaked me out a little bit. The new Vitor Belfort is one scary cat. I don't see anyone at 185 that can beat him that doesn't go by the name of Anderson Silva. Silva vs. Belfort II, for more reasons that one, is a must at this point in time. Dare I say Vitor is much more worthy of that title shot than young Chris Weidman is at this juncture.

3rd Star - John Lineker

If every weight class in the UFC is eventually represented by a champion from Brazil than it'll likely be John Lineker holding the flyweight strap. After losing to Louis Gaudinot in that crazy back and forth fight of the night warfest last year he's come back with two impressive showings, the latest being a TKO finish of Azamat Gashimov this past weekend.

Lineker wounded his opponent with a right kick to the ribs then feasted on him with a body shot to the same area. Gashimov curled up in a ball wanting nothing more to do with the hometown favorite at that point. I can try to make this finish sound cool all I want but seeing it in GIF form is always much cooler. Check it out -

Honorable Mentions - Souza, Trinaldo, Alcantara

Ladies and Gentlemen, Evan Shoman with a little potty humor.

noreply@blogger.com (Evan Shoman) — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Run away Evan, run away!

"Now, Ima break it down just to tell a little story. Straight out the box, from the gangsta category."

-Eazy E

Within the confines of a cozy arena setting for a UFC event, you can purchase a dirty martini and an orange chicken bowl from the Panda Express while inside the billion dollar arena that dons 700 plasma screen televisions. The lights are bright and the music is loud, making your big fight experience one to remember. On top of all of the arena perks that you experience, you witness the upper echelon of fighters in the world of battle.

Smaller MMA shows give off a much different vibe. The food is amazing, but will more than likely put you in the hospital for Dysentery or E-Coli. There are no tubby grown men squeezing into tight jeans with an uber-rhinestone’d Ed Hardy shirt, and Gucci sunglasses with faded lenses sitting on top of a perfectly manicured faux-hawk (Basically, think any Los Angeles Lakers fan). Usually, there are no bathrooms within 3 miles of whatever dirt plot or parking lot that the cage may be set up on. Enter, the Porta Potty.

We’ve all begrudgingly used the horrific Porta Potty before. Even if you are the first person to ever use a particular Porta Potty, it still manages to host a clumped up pile of toilet paper with feces on the ceiling. As if it isn’t bad enough being forced to deal with the rancid stench of someone else’s bad fried chicken excrement, it’s also as stable as a kid’s Bouncey House. I half expect Steve-O to come running in with a swimmer’s cap and the Porta Potty getting launched 200 feet up in the air. Steve-O is welcomed back to Earth by receiving a kick in the nuts from Johnny Knoxville, while covered in 20 different people’s poo-poo. This brings me to my experience at the local fights last night.

I had to pee. Badly. It was the kind of pee that makes you start marching in place, like kids do. I went to go to the bathroom but this Indian reservation had clearly never seen indoor plumbing. So, I got in line behind about 50 guys who were also doing the happy dance and trying to quickly get to the 6 Porta Potties. We all wait in the line, marching in place and pinching off our junk so we don’t piss ourselves. Security breaks the 1 line up into 6. I survey the lines and choose the one that has no females in it. My rationale? Porta Potties are gross and women have to squat. I don’t know how they pee in those things because there are so many opportunities to have a precious body part touch something that may possibly be alive. I'm thinking I should stay away from lines with women because they have so many obstacles to battle in this small plastic "shitter" and they will take too long. I view this as a show of disrespect to mine and all mankind's bladders that are stationary dancing in the dirt. I’m on a line with 2 guys ahead of me, I’m the only person at this entire event with no tattoos, and I’m the only guy not wearing a black t-shirt. Score.

People start entering and exiting the Porta Potties, but not from the one I’m going to go into. Murphy’s Law is in full effect and I realize exactly what is going on. Whoever is in our lines Porta Potty is dropping a deuce and it’s a good one. Immediately my stupid head begins to wander. I now anticipate the dad from ‘Friday’ is about to come out and say, ‘Don’t go in there for 35-45 minutes’. Sadly, I am one of those people with no inner monologue. My thoughts come to fruition and leave my mouth. It cuts through the night sky, where fight fans that aren’t speaking or making eye contact are waiting for that glorious pee.

“Damnit. Someone is taking a shit in there. Why does it always have to be me? Do either of you guys in front of me have to take a shit?”

They both say no to me, as if they are obligated to answer my idiotically childish question. We begin going over scenarios about how a sweaty Brett Rogers is going to come out of there. After 10 minutes have gone by and the entire fight audience had urinated in every other Porta Potty, we hear the click of the door. Here he comes! Let’s see this 6’4” Samoan who resurfaced this portable shit box and made us suffer in pain!

Out walks a tiny Asian woman who is dressed very nicely, with perfectly applied makeup. We all stand in stunned silence, and watch her vanish into the crowd. As the door closes the anticipated smell wafted through the line and hits everyone. Plants in the surrounding area wilt. New mothers with Postpartum Depression hang themselves. The people smoking suffer 3^rd degree burns on their hands and face. North Korea announces that we win.

I finally take the most bittersweet pee in the history of my life. I am thrilled to end my poor bladder’s suffering, yet I was holding my breath and almost passed out. What does this have to do with MMA? Nothing, other than it took place at a fight. I just needed to share this with you because I’ve taken 6 showers since then and the smell is still stuck in my hair.

'UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold' Main Card Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sheehan) — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:33:00 +0000

image via fightday

It was a clean sweep for Brazil this part Saturday night as they emerged victorious in all four fights on the main card of the UFC on FX 8 event which took place at the Jaraguá arena in Santa Catarina, Brazil. It was an event which, on paper, was not the strongest but delivered on the night.

The main card started off with a back and forth battle between Brazilian compatriots Rafael Natal and João Zeferino. Debutant Zeferino began his UFC career in confident manner picking off Natal with some superb counter shots in the first round. As so often is the case Zeferino was at the mercy of the, now infamous, Octagon debut adrenaline dump and Natal took over midway through round two, finding his range with some neat combinations. From then on out it was Natal's fight as he landed his takedowns and strikes at will including a quickfire flurry as the gas tank of his opponent was approaching empty. "Sapo" moved into a full mount late on in the third but couldn't manage to finish the game Zeferino and the fight ended with a deserved unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) for Natal.

In the second fight of the evening number 10 ranked lightweight Rafael dos Anjos defeated American Evan Dunham by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). The decision, though, was not without controversy. All three rounds were closely fought as Dunham pushed forward and the rapid Dos Anjos countered with strikes off the back foot. The Brazilian started the better, though, and out-struck his opponent in the first round before being taken down late on. The second started with Dunham pushing the pace even harder, getting into his rhythm and landing strikes on Dos Anjos, who in turn delivered a number of well timed counters. It was the round which turned out to be not only the closest but also the decisive one on the judges score cards as Dunham clearly controlled the final stanza with his never ending cardio and desire. In the end the Xtreme Couture fighter was unlucky to lose the tight decision.

It's not very often in the UFC that you see such massive a mismatch as Ronaldo Souza vs. Chris Camozzi. Unfortunately when Costa Philippou was injured a few weeks before this event Camozzi had to be drafted in as a late replacement. Being a huge underdog and taking a fight on short notice is never a good combination and Souza duly dominated from the outset, pushing his opponent to the fence before taking him down with consummate ease. Jacare, the multiple time jiu jitsu champion, was now in his world. After passing Camozzi's guard and getting into side control and eventually the full mount it wasn't long before the UFC debutant locked in the submission, putting Camozzi to sleep and winning via Arm-Triangle at 3:37 of round 1. The future looks bright for the former Strikeforce middleweight champion who may now be matched once again with his original opponent, the number 6 ranked Costa Philippou.

The consensus view going into Saturday nights main event between Luke Rockhold and Vitor Belfort was that if the reigning Strikeforce champion could survive the early minutes of his UFC debut he would have a huge chance to take the victory over the veteran Brazilian. Surviving the early moments against the former light-heavyweight champion, though, is no easy task. Belfort, who has more first round victories than any fighter in the history of the UFC, came out in his usual fashion - throwing with bad intentions from the bell. An early spinning kick marginally missed as Belfort opened up with his strikes, winning all the early exchanges as well as stopping a takedown attempt by Rockhold. For the second time in the round "The Phenom" threw a wheel kick, this time it landed to the head of Rockhold and dropped him to the canvas. As soon as the AKA fighter hit the ground he was met with an array of blistering punches and that was all she wrote. Referee Leon Roberts stepped in and stopped the fight with Vitor Belfort winning at 2:32 of the very first round making him the first fighter in UFC history to win two fights in a row via head kick knockout.

It was a tremendous night for the home crowd as there were 11 Brazilian wins throughout the card. Vitor Belfort, though, was the big winner. The number two ranked middleweight has won all three of his 185 lbs bouts since his failed attempt at Anderson Silva's title (as well as a catchweight fight with Anthony Johnson) and has put himself in pole position to challenge the winner of UFC 162's main event between Chris Weidman and "The Spider", although he may have to wait for his second title shot. If Weidman wins, he has already promised Anderson Silva a rematch for the title he has held for almost seven years. Should Anderson win its likely he will once again go in search of a big money superfight with welterweight King Georges St-Pierre or light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Whatever may happen in the division, Belfort has done himself no harm with this emphatic victory on a wonderful night for Brazilian MMA.

You can, and should follow Sean Sheehan on Twitter @SeanSheehanBA

Sunday Morning Coming Down - UFC on FX 8

noreply@blogger.com (DanRoseMMA) — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Sunday Morning Coming Down

“You’re Boring…talk to the hand” is the new, “Guilty as Charged”

Not long after Vitor Belfort helped Luke Rockhold lay out his mat for his kindergarten slumber, he was at the press conference, celebrating his victory when a member of the media dared to ask him a question about his TRT usage. Vitor frowned on the question and said, “You’re boring man, you’re boring. Please get out of here; I am not going to talk to you. Talk to the hand.” Yes, Vitor Belfort told another grown man to, “Talk to the hand.” Benjamin Grimm needs a timeout. If you don’t know who that is, Google it, chuckle and then get back to this article.

I mean, Vitor is just becoming an unstoppable force these days. If he needs TRT, what hope is there for the rest of us? He will likely have to keep fighting outside of the US, as Keith Kizar, per Damon Martin, said the NSAC was “unlikely” to issue Belfort a TRT exemption, which wouldn’t bode well for the Bionic Brazilian.

Dana White isn’t crazy about TRT, and fighters who are using it as an unfair advantage or out of a necessity after abusing steroids, should be stopped. It’s the slipperiest of slopes right now in the UFC, and one issue that could curb the growing sport’s popularity among new fans. Nobody wants to see better fighting through chemistry.

Have submissions, will travel

What an amazing debut by “Jacare” in the UFC last night. He is as talented as anyone in the sport with the submission game, and his stand up looks to be improving as well. While it may not be fair to hand him the keys to the castle based on a victory of Chris Camozzi. Chris is game, but he’s not anywhere near the top of the food chain at 185.

That being said, Souza looked tremendous, winning the striking exchanges, quickly catching Camozzi in an oma plata, and then utilizing a sick arm triangle to get the victory and amp up the Brazilians in the crowd. It’ll be interesting to see who he fights next. More on that at the end of this article.

Puff, Puff, give up a bunch of cash! Or Cat gets “Carawayed”

Oh Pat Healy, that was one expensive high. While it’s idiotic that these guys even test for MJ, the sad fact is, they do, and you have to play by the rules. Marijuana isn’t performance enhancing, unless you’re talking about the ability to eat Cheetos and Oreo cookies, then yeah, unfair advantage. The UFC’s decision to strip his bonus money was a dick move, giving it to Bryan Caraway was just insult to injury.

I have an idea, let’s take the bonus money from a guy who went to war for your company and had an amazing fight with Jim Miller, because at some point leading up to it, he smoked a little weed. Then, why don’t you give that money to another guy, who happens to think it’s fun to elbow women in the head. It’s a mind blower. Weed, bad. Hitting women, ah shit happens.

If Nate would have just called Bryan an "instigating little man, with small man complex, with a famous and more talented girlfriend", he would have been fine.

Cat Zingano informed the world that Caraway delivered the elbow before the weigh ins between Cat and Miesha, and there were witnesses to the shameful act of stupidity. Mind you, this is the same guy who threatened to break Ronda Rousey’s arm. Maybe the honchos at the UFC should look into this situation, before we find Liz Carmouche with a black eye somewhere saying, “I don’t know officer, it looked like a Bryan Caraway puppet, being worked from above by Miesha Tate. That’s crazy though, isn’t it?” Is it?

Well, 5 out 6 is an improvement…but it sucks for Evan Dunham

I tweeted last night that the judges were doing a great job, and were spot on early in the evening after nailing a few decisions. Then, I had to leave for awhile and I got a message from @shelbybelfast that read, “Spoke too soon.” Turns out I did. When I came home and watched the FX fights, it was clear Evan Dunham got the bitter end of a bad decision against Rafael Dos Anjos.

The judging needs to be spot on; it can’t go 4 for 6 or even 5 for 6. They need to work until they get them all right, or the sport is made weaker. Hopefully Evan is not released on the heels of that decision. Can’t imagine he would be.

Who’s next? Fights to make after UFC on FX8

Vitor Belfort vs. Chael P. Sonnen (obviously since Chael called him Unstoppable, he’s setting up the future fight.) (( Little does Chael know, another Brazilian is going to knock him out before that can happen.))

Luke Rockhold vs. Alan Belcher

Jacare Souza vs. Yushin Okami

Moving on Up, Moving on Out!

We had a few fighters who used their performances to cement their place on the UFC roster, and some who used it to nearly guarantee their dismissal. Here’s who’s going up and away, and who’s just going away.

Jacare Souza – Moving on Up!

Vitor Belfort – Moving on Up!

Jeremy Larsen – Moving on Out!

Roger Hollett – Moving on Out!

John Cholish – Moving on Out! (Retired)

'Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg II' Event Poster; Updated Fight Card

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

The official event poster for Invicta FC 6 has finally dropped and it's a beauty. Thanks to Shannon Knapp and company I no longer have to google image search 'Invicta FC 6 poster' every time I have a free moment in hopes of finding it, it's here.

Below we've attached the updated 'Invicta FC 6: Cyborg vs. Coenen II' fight card as it stands today. It's another jam packed fight fiesta featuring all of your Invicta favorites like Leslie Smith, Joanne Calderwood, Bec Hyatt, Veronica Rothenhausler and Rose Namajunas. Ok, maybe those are my favorites. Anywho, check out the fight card below and keep it locked here as always for plenty of Invicta FC 6 coverage from our wonderful staff leading up to, during, and after this event.

Main Card (InvictaFC.com)

• Inaugural Featherweight Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (21-5) vs. Cristiane 'Cyborg' Justino (11-1)

• Strawweight Title Bout: Carla Esparza (C) (9-2) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (9-0)

• Bantamweight Bout: Sarah D'Alelio (7-3) vs. Lauren Taylor (6-0)

• Flyweight Title Eliminator: Leslie Smith (5-3-1) vs. Jennifer Maia (7-2-1)

• Atomweight Bout: Jessica Penne (10-2) vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (8-6)

• Strawweight Bout: Joanne Calderwood (6-0) vs. Claudia Gadelha (9-0)

• Featherweight Bout: Ediane Gomes (10-2) vs. Julia Budd (5-2)

• Strawweight Bout: Bec Hyatt (5-2) vs. Mizuki Inoue (5-1)

• Bantamweight Bout: Miriam Nakamoto (1-0) vs. Duda Yankovich (1-1)

Preliminary Card (InvictaFC.com)

• Strawweight Bout: Rose Namajunas (2-0) vs. Tecia Torres (2-0)

• Strawweight Bout: Ashley Cummins (3-1) vs. Emily Kagan (2-1)

• Featherweight Bout: Mollie Estes (1-2) vs. Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0)

• Atomweight Bout: Livia Von Plettenberg (1-1) vs. Cassie Robb (0-1)

Vitor Belfort's spinning heel kick KO of Luke Rockhold (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:23:00 +0000

blackzilians.com

"We some headbussaz, we some head bussaz, we'll knock a hata out, we some headbussaz." - Vitor Vieria and the Blackzilians

This new Vitor Belfort is one of the scariest fighters I've ever had the displeasure of feasting my eyes upon. The TRT hawk. The Jesus kick that KO'ed Bisping earlier this year in Sao Paulo. And now, the spinning heel kick of faith that rendered Luke Rockhold non responsive last night inside of the Arena Jaraguá. This man is clearly some kind of newfangled testosterone injected demon who thinks he's been sent into the Octagon to do Jesus' work. Or maybe he just happened to run into Wolverine's adamantium stash somewhere buried in Brazil.

The reality is folks, love him or hate him, it's Anderson Silva rematch or bust now for this Vitor. If Michael Bisping or Luke Rockhold would've beaten Vitor they would've been next in line. Vitor finished them both in the first round with the greatest KO kick finishes inside of the UFC middleweight division since Anderson posterized his face back in 2011. This Vitor is by far the biggest threat to the Spider's inhuman reign. We'll just have to wait and see what Chris Weidman has to say about all of this. July 6th cannot come soon enough.

Check out the video of Vitor Belfort's 16th career KO below. It's by far the most impressive of his storied career thus far.

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold is the grudge match we never asked for

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:27:00 +0000

Vitor Belfort has been the face of the UFC in Brazil for well over a decade now. Luke Rockhold has all of the makings of a future UFC superstar stateside. Tonight on FX we will see one of these men take a huge step forward, while the other will be forced to step back and watch.

While it may be one of the more unlikely grudge matches that we never asked for; this will be one that could produce Anderson Silva's next challenger. That in itself is a reason to tune in and watch these two former MMA champions as they attempt to earn a shot at dethroning the greatest fight of all-time. It's another UFC moment from a chapter in a book that has yet to be written. It's another one of those can't miss fights that is so closely contested on paper that none of us would put our family or house on it. It goes down just mere moments from now, and it's importance becomes more and more infinite as we anticipate it's final result.

Exclusive Interview: 'Thug' Rose Namajunas holds nothing back

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:22:00 +0000

"Thug" Rose Namajunas is one of the emerging faces of the next generation of mixed martial artists. At only twenty years old she is already a well rounded fighter with a highlight reel of striking and submission skills. She's taken home the SOTN bonus in both of her professional fights; her latest of course being that twelve second flying armbar finish of Kathina Catron which went down as the fastest submission in WMMA history.

Namajunas also embodies the artistic side of MMA. Watching her dance backwards against Emily Kagan while still throwing punches and kicks you are reminded of a ballet dancer making the almost impossible seem effortless. She fights with emotion but not emotionally. Not with anger but with a passion. She puts all of herself into her fights which leave an indelible impression inside of you. Here are some of her thoughts.

The following interview was done by Dwayne Wolff for hov-mma:

Dwayne Wolff: What is your favorite thing about the fight itself?

Rose Namajunas: When it's over and I'm on my home.

DW: What do you like about training? And why?

RN: Pushing myself to the limit and breaking through barriers.

DW: What do like the least?

RN: If I feel like I held back.

DW: Do you like to game plan for your fights? Or are you just prepared for what ever happens in the fight?

RN: I always have a game plan.

DW: Do you think your musical side gives you a better understanding of the rhythm of the fight, and your opponent?

RN: Yes understanding the concept of an off beat is important to throw your opponent off and control them.

DW: You have displayed an advanced usage of movement, balance, footwork and angles in your short career. Does this come from studying martial arts an a young age? Is it a natural ability you have always had?

RN: It's like the nature vs nurture debate. It's both natural ability and hard work put together.

DW: You just took first in both no-gi advanced and absolute in a recent BJJ tournament. You have two SOTN bonuses in two fights. Have you fallen in love with jujitsu? Is your talk of wanting to showcase your striking just a ploy to bait opponents into getting submitted by you?

RN: No, striking is always gonna be more fun. However this is not a game or play time. This is a fight and I will take any opportunity to win and finish.

DW: You fight intelligently, passionately, creatively, and with a fearlessness like any great artist. Do you care to talk about the fight itself as an expression of yourself as an artist?

RN: There is a story behind every fight just like there is a story behind a painting or a song. It may sound silly to some people but it's only because to two reasons. Either they have never fought before or they don't care enough and don't have any passion for what they are doing.

DW: You seem comfortable inside the cage and fearless. Does this come from putting yourself in bad positions during truing and learning how to deal with them? Is it growing up in a difficult environment?

RN: Both. My past experiences are what inspire me and drives me to get through tough times in training which ultimately prepares me for the fight.

DW: You are aggressive inside the cage constantly putting pressure on your opponent. Is it a natural part of your personality away from the cage?

RN: As in am I an aggressive person? It depends on the circumstances, like if I'm tired or hungry.

DW: have you always been competitive? Are you in all areas? Or does the fight bring it out in you?

RN: I've always been competitive in everything I've done I've always tried to be the best no matter what it was.

DW: Do you think about losing at all? Or do you just concern yourself with your performances and let the results happen?

RN: I try not to think about losing but it does happen.

Rose with her UFC heavyweight boyfriend Pat 'HD' Barry

DW: You are also a fight fan. Who is one of your favorite fighters and why?

RN: Pat is my favorite to watch fight because I am there with him through the ups and downs. I'm so emotionally invested that I'm overwhelmed with emotions every time he fights which makes it exciting.

DW: Is there anybody you would like to thank?

RN: My coaches, teammates, and my sponsors CagePotatoMMA, Alienware, Fear the Fighter.

Every fight does tell a story. Her first professional one against Emily Kagan was a short story where we learned about her all-around skill set, toughness, and great cardio. Her next one against Catron was more like a slam poem in its short fierceness where we see her fearlessness and killer instinct. Her next one will take place against Tecia "The Tiny Tornado" Torres in what could be the first chapter in an epic tale between these two talented young warriors. The fight happens this July 13th an Invicta FC6. This is one of those fights you do not want to miss as it will have people talking about it until their next one. If you have not seen her fights check them out on Invicta's Youtube channel. You can follow her on Twitter @rosenamajunas and Pat Barry @HypeOrDie.

image credits - Invicta FC

Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' ready to rock Detroit tonight

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:34:00 +0000

"A war of aggression, sometimes also war of conquest, is a military conflict waged without the justification of self-defense, usually for territorial gain and subjugation."

Michigan's most well known MMA promoter Joseph Donofrio will be taking his talents downtown tonight to the Joe Louis Arena for what promises to be an action packed night of fights. With two title bouts on the docket, and fights featuring local fighters such as Redford's Damian Burton, who was featured in the Detroit Free Press this week, Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' is ready to make a big Impact in a building that dons the name of arguably the greatest Heavyweight boxer of all-time.

After learning that his first foray into downtown Detroit (for the most part Donofrio's MMA events have taken place in the suburb of Auburn Hills) may have been canceled with the Detroit Red Wings advancing to the second-round of the NHL playoffs, a relieved Donofrio, along with a hungry group of up and coming fighters, promise to deliver an exciting night of fights. Memories of Bob Probert and Joey Kocur will fill the air inside of the Joe tonight when the best from Michigan and Canada hook em up right under those 11 Stanley Cup banners.

When it's all said and done the cage will be torn down and the Wings will come back home on Monday night having just evened up their Western Conference semi-finals with the rival Blackhawks at one game a piece on Saturday afternoon.

Tickets for Impact Fight League 57: 'War of Aggression' can be purchased at the Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, OlympiaEntertainment.com, HockeyTown Authentics in Troy, and at any TicketMaster location. Here's to more MMA in and around the Detroit area.

Dana White UFC on FX 8 Vlog #1

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:29:00 +0000

With all of the talk surrounding marijuana and the Diaz brothers this past week it's only natural that we take a trip back to 4/20 with the Baldfather himself.

Dana's first UFC on FX 8 vlog is now officially live which means it's time to go behind the scenes of UFC on FOX 7. That makes perfect sense to you if you view these vlogs on the regular. If this is your first time - enjoy, and check out the archive.

Dana White Video Blog Archive

'UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga' Main Card Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

The UFC is coming back to FOX with another monster show that has a little bit of something for everybody. Having just finished perusing the main card of this promotions latest offering for the fine city of Seattle and I've decided to include my not so final assessment below of the main card below. Feel free to take a gander.

Miesha Tate vs. Liz Carmouche

Former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and U.S. Marine Liz Carmouche will both attempt to get back in the win column when the kick things off live on FOX. Tate is coming off of a fight of the night performance against Cat Zingano where she was finished by her opponents deadly muay thai assault that would leave her falling just short of the opportunity of a lifetime - coaching opposite Ronda Rousey on TUF 18.

Speaking of lifetime opportunities, Liz Carmouche became the first female in UFC history to enter the Octagon as a competitor. Although Carmouche was defeated by Ronda Rousey in the main event of the evening, she gave Rousey the fight of her life, and longest of her career.

This tilt between Tate and Carmouche will be another in the long line of firsts for women in MMA; it'll be the first female bout in FOX network television history. A win for either fighter inside of the Key Arena on July 27th puts them right back in line for a rematch against the greatest female fighter in the world today.

Tarec Saffiedine vs. Robbie Lawler

When Tarec 'Sponge' Saffiedine makes his Octagon debut he'll be over seven months removed from the leg kick clinic he performed on one Nate Marquardt during the final bout for the most popular San Jose based mixed martial arts promotion in history.

You could say his opponent, the always exciting 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler, was reborn inside of the Octagon earlier this year. A return to the UFC, and the welterweight division, was clearly the right move for Lawler. His KO over former #1 contender Josh Koscheck earned him a bonus check and a huge jump in the official UFC welterweight rankings. After a run at middleweight in Strikeforce and EliteXC that had its ups and downs, Lawler is on the fast track to a UFC title shot should he take care of Saffiedine come July 27th in the Emerald City.

While Saffiedine's victory over Marquardt was nothing short of a masterpiece, he'll have his hands full when he hooks 'em up with one of the greatest finishers of our time. Saffiedine would be smart to keep his distance and employ the same game plan he did when he took the Strikeforce welterweight title away from Nate 'The Great' this past winter. A repeat of that is highly unlikely though. The in your face style of Robbie Lawler coupled with the potential of Octagon jitters for Saffiedine may just result in a very special welterweight throwdown between two of the divisions elite.

Rory MacDonald vs. Jake Ellenberger

For me Rory MacDonald is the ultimate show me fighter. While most websites have him ranked inside the top five I have him just inside the top ten. He's hasn't shown me nothing yet. In the words of his Tri-Star training partner and current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre - "I am not impressed with your performance Rory MacDonald." MacDonald's UFC record is 5-1. You cannot hate on that. He just doesn't have that career defining win though in my opinion. He'll be given that opportunity when he takes on Jake Ellenberger live on FOX.

I'm sorry Rory, beating up on natural 155'ers like B.J. Penn and Nate Diaz just doesn't impress me. Your finishes of Che Mills and Mike Pyle were nice but I don't see how they put you into title contention. As a matter of fact, your most impressive performance in my mind was your first two rounds against Carlos Condit before you gassed. No one has given you a fair fight since Carlos. Enter Jake Ellenberger.

When MacDonald competes inside of the 170 lb. division he will always be the bigger fighter. The man walks around at 200+ so it shouldn't surprise anyone that he can rag doll someone like Nate Diaz when he has a good 30 pounds on him come fight night. Ellenberger probably walks around somewhere between 190-195, which makes this a non factor. If anything, 'The Juggernaut' would have an advantage over 'Ares' as the fight wears on by making him work and wear himself out a la' Condit. I'll give Rory Mac this, he's clearly the more freakishly gifted specimen here. He's a young star with lots of upside and the Hannibalesque charm to boot. If he can get past Ellenberger, maybe, just maybe, I'll give him the respect that everyone in my ear thinks he deserves.

Flyweight Championship Bout: Demetrious Johnson (C) vs. John Moraga

Title time. Demetrious Johnson has passed every single test since dropping down to flyweight. He'll have another one staring him directly in the kisser come July 27th in the form of Phoenix, Arizona's own John Moraga.

The brawls with McCall. The close call with Benavidez. The latter round domination of Dodson. This Washington native will be looking to stay amongst the most revered champions in the sport when he defends his title for the second time live on FOX this year. You'd be hard pressed to find a quicker fighter on the UFC roster than 'Mighty Mouse' and you'd probably have just as tough a time outlasting him in a five-round title fight.

John Moraga has been given the opportunity to do what Ian McCall, Joseph Benavidez, and John Dodson before him could not. Considering the combined talent of the aforementioned men (and the fact that Dodson is responsible for the lone blemish on Moraga's record) this will be quite the task for the Arizona State University Sun Devil alum. However, having gone two for two as a flyweight under the UFC banner in terms of finishes, you better believe that he'll be more than up to the task.

Here is the current 'UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga' fight card as it stands today:

Main Card (FOX)

• Flyweight Title Bout: Demetrious Johnson (C) (17-2-1) vs. John Moraga (13-1)

• Welterweight Bout: Jake Ellenberger (29-6) vs. Rory MacDonald (14-1)

• Welterweight Bout: Tarec Saffiedine (14-3) vs. Robbie Lawler (20-9)

• Women's Bantamweight Bout: Miesha Tate (13-4) vs. Liz Carmouche (8-3)

Preliminary Card (FX - Facebook)

• Lightweight Bout: Michael Chiesa (9-0) vs. Jorge Masvidal (24-7)

• Lightweight Bout: Bobby Green (20-5) vs. Danny Castillo (15-5)

• Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard (30-12-2) vs. Mac Danzig (21-10-1)

• Heavyweight Bout: Brendan Schaub (9-3) vs. Matt Mitrione (6-2)

• Lightweight Bout: Yves Edwards (42-19-1) vs. Spencer Fisher (24-9)

• Women's Bantamweight Bout: Julie Kedzie (16-11) vs. Germaine de Randamie (3-2)

• Middleweight Bout: Ed Herman (20-9) vs. Trevor Smith (10-3)

• Lightweight Bout: Aaron Riley (30-13-1) vs. Justin Salas (10-4)

• Bantamweight Bout: John Albert (7-4) vs. Yaotzin Meza (19-8)

Wanderlei wants to suck and smell Chael's blood

noreply@blogger.com (hov-mma) — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:02:00 +0000

In this edition of "just incase you missed it," we take a look at the latest installment of words exchanged between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen.

Although neither man will admit it, if this fight doesn't take place at 'UFC on FOX Sports 1: Boston' on August 17th, it'll likely happen before the year is out.

"Jon Jones and Anderson [Silva] have been to nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him......Chael is a joke, man. He is going to be second forever. He is never going to be first." - Wanderlei

"..I can assure you Wanderlei, I will not be signing a contract for you to suck on any part of me. I suggest you got to a bath and find youreslf. " - Chael

Who do you think will finally leave the cage with their hand raised after years of ongoing smack talk between these two?

Tweet FC: Nate Diaz suspended for use of the three letter F-word

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Reno) — Fri, 17 May 2013 02:20:00 +0000

"It's like, whatever."

They may not have any fights currently scheduled, but that hasn't kept the Diaz brothers from stealing the headlines in the recent days.

Brother Nick started things off earlier this week when he applied for a promoters license with the CSAC. In addition to that a website titled nickdiazpromotions was also created with his promotions new logo (WAR Mixed Martial Arts will be the name of the promotion) and a coming soon message currently keep the space warm.

Earlier today Brother Nate also made the news in a big way with the following tweet that stopped the presses:

I feel bad for pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest Fag in the world ..
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 16, 2013

If you don't know the story by now here it is in a nutshell. Pat Healy was suspended for 90 days after testing positive for marijuana following his double bonus victory over Jim Miller. The fight result was changed to a no contest and Healy was forced to give back his $130K in bonus money. The $65K submission of the night bonus was then retroactively given to Bryan Caraway, who finished Johny Bedford via RNC with just 16 seconds left on the clock in their preliminary contest. So the 'biggest Fag in the world' in Diaz's tweet would of course be Mr. Caraway, who didn't shy away from blasting weed and anyone who uses it in a MMAJunkie interview earlier this week.

MMAFighting has recently confirmed that Diaz will either be fined, cut, or suspended - one or two of the three per Dana White. You may as well go right ahead and pencil him in for one or two of those vacant War MMA titles.