Tapology’s Buzz Rankings measure fan interest in individual MMA fighters based on online searches and pageviews for information about each athlete. The rankings are not a measure of a fighter’s skill or competitive standing within their division, but rather how much activity or “buzz” surrounds them (positive or negative).

Top 20 Light Heavyweight Buzz Rankings for recent months:
- January 2010 (#1 Rank: Quinton Jackson)
- December 2009 (#1 Rank: Quinton Jackson)
- November 2009 (#1 Rank: Tito Ortiz)

Dropped out of Top 20:
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (#23), Ricardo Arona (#24)

Tapology’s Buzz Rankings measure fan interest in individual MMA fighters based on online searches and pageviews for information about each athlete. The rankings are not a measure of a fighter’s skill or competitive standing within their division, but rather how much activity or “buzz” surrounds them (positive or negative).

Top 20 Heavyweight Buzz Rankings for recent months:
- January 2010 (#1 Rank: Brock Lesnar)
- December 2009 (#1 Rank: Kimbo Slice)
- November 2009 (#1 Rank: Fedor Emelianenko)

Dropped out of Top 20:
Brett Rogers (#22), Wes Sims (#24), Houston Alexander (#25), Gilbert Yvel (#35)

Tapology’s Buzz Rankings measure fan interest in individual MMA fighters based on online searches and pageviews for information about each athlete. The rankings are not a measure of a fighter’s skill or competitive standing within their division, but rather how much activity or “buzz” surrounds them (positive or negative).

Top 50 Overall Buzz Rankings for recent months:
- January 2010 (#1 Rank: Brock Lesnar)
- December 2009 (#1 Rank: Kimbo Slice)
- November 2009 (#1 Rank: Fedor Emelianenko)

Dropped out of Top 50:
Roy Nelson (#51), Diego Sanchez (#54), Cung Le (#57), Josh Koscheck (#58), Jason Miller (#59), Takanori Gomi (#60), Wes Sims (#72), Thiago Silva (#73),
Paul Daley (#77), Urijah Faber (#81), Shinya Aoki (#84), Frankie Edgar (#94), C.B. Dollaway (#103), Gilbert Yvel (#122), Gray Maynard (#140)

Davis recently spoke with Tapology’s Steven Kelliher to give his thoughts on Taurosevicius, fighting on the main card for the first time since joining the Zuffa, LLC fold, moving camp to Xtreme Couture in recent months, and his thoughts on challenging the upper echelon of the WEC’s featherweight division–including champion Jose Aldo–in the near future.

Tapology: What are your thoughts on Deividas Taurosevicius and do you think this is your biggest fight with the WEC so far?

Davis: I think Deividas is a very tough fighter. He’s well rounded, fights at a good, fast pace and I think it’s going to be a tough challenge for me. As far as being my biggest fight, I always think that my next fight is my biggest fight so it’s a very important fight for me. There’s a lot on the line, but I’ve trained my butt off and I’m ready for the challenge.

Tapology: You have been asked if you want to keep this fight standing since Taurosevicius is known for his ground skills, but you have a fair share of submissions yourself. Do you think your ability to fight well both on the feet and on the ground is going to be the difference in this fight?

Davis: Yeah absolutely. I think the key to me winning is just going to be mixing it up. I do think he is more comfortable on the ground, but he’s very well rounded, so I’m not going to say that I’m going to keep it standing; I’m going to use all of my skills—my wrestling, my boxing, my kickboxing and everything to keep him guessing and I think that’ll open up more opportunities for me.

Tapology: Nobody ever knows what’s going to happen in an MMA fight, but on paper this fight has all the makings of a back and forth war. Do you think that is a probable scenario?

Davis: I’m always trying to finish opponents and I’m going to try to finish him, but I picture this fight as being a three round war, a dog fight, and I think we’re going to be fighting in every position and it will be a good fight for the fans.

Tapology: Since this is your first fight with a guaranteed spot on the televised main card, do you think you need to finish him or would putting on a good show and getting the win do you just as well?

Davis: Ultimately, I just want to put on a good show, win or lose. I want to have a great fight. I want people to remember me and to want to see me fight again—I think that’ll be the key to getting onto more main cards in the future. I think I’ll get the victory, but I just want to put on a good show for the fans.

Tapology: You have talked recently about your decision to include Xtreme Couture into your training camps. Did you consider any other big-name gyms or did you always know you would end up there?

Davis: Before I went to Xtreme Couture, I thought about a lot of places. I thought about Greg Jackson’s, American Top Team, but ultimately, I knew a few guys at Xtreme Couture already and it was just kind of a good fit for me. Being with a lot of wrestlers there is great for my style.

Tapology: Along with having a lot of good wrestlers, most of your training partners are UFC lightweight contenders, so was it also a positive that you probably won’t be faced with the prospect of fighting any teammates from Xtreme Couture in the WEC featherweight division?

Davis: Yeah that was a huge reason too. I don’t want to go train with guys that I’m potentially going to be fighting, and Xtreme Couture has so many great lightweights so that is what they end up running into with Evan Dunham and Tyson Griffin fighting soon. They also said I was a perfect fit because I’m a 145-pounder and they really don’t have any 145lb fighters, so they were welcome to that too. I like going to a gym where I have a lot of competition with great 155-pounders, but I also don’t have to train with future opponents.

Tapology: How do you feel about the traveling you are doing now for your training? Is it structured pretty well?

Davis: I did it right. Going to Japan really helped me learn about jet lag and take it seriously, so I learned from that and found out the proper steps to take. I take all of the precautions and really haven’t had any negative effects.

Tapology: Have you spared any time to think about where this fight will put you should you win or lose or are you able to completely shut all of that stuff out?

Davis: I think the winner of this fight is going to be in the mix for a title and will be up there with the bigger name guys and in the hunt and the loser will be dropped right back down into the pack. I want to win and get closer to the title because I don’t want to climb my way back up to this point, so I definitely have a little added motivation to win this fight.

Tapology: Is there anything specific—other than winning—you will be striving to accomplish in this fight?

Davis: Mainly my only goal is to go out, fight, and do the things that I have trained to do. I think that if I stick to the game plan and fight to the best of my abilities then I will win the fight.

Tapology: A lot of WEC fighters have been asked financial questions as of late. With the promotion now going into the Pay Per View business, does that excite you for the financial possibilities for the near future?

Davis: Yeah, I mean anything that is going to help the fighters and open up different avenues for the fighters is great. We really don’t get compensated anything close to many professional athletes, but at the same time as a fan I love that they show the fights for free on Versus, but if the Pay Per Views help us then let’s do that.

Tapology: Most people consider the WEC to be the best promotion in the world at your weight class. Do you agree with that and do you plan on staying with this promotion for as long as you can?

Davis: Yes absolutely. I hope to finish my career with the WEC or UFC, and I want to be with Zuffa from here on out. I’m going to train hard and fight harder so hopefully they will always have me in their organization.

Tapology: When you look at the top dogs in your division—from Jose Aldo and Urijah Faber to Mike Thomas Brown—what is it about your fighting style that will allow you to compete with those guys once you get up there?

Davis: I think I’m as athletic as any guy in the division. I think I can match anyone with my speed, power, and athleticism. To beat those guys, I’m just going to have to train my butt off and be very well rounded. You’ve got to be like Georges St-Pierre and just keep guys guessing, and I think that’s the key to be really successful in this sport.

Tapology: Any last message to the fans about why they should make sure they catch your fight?

Davis: I think you should tune in and watch my fight because you could see the next contender for the belt. If you want to see a really tough fight between two well rounded fighters then tune in.

Tapology: Thanks a lot and good luck.

Davis: Thank you.

MMA upset rankings for recent months:
- January 2010
- Top 50 Upsets For All of 2009
- December 2009

Favorites won 63% of the 25 major MMA bouts in February, resulting in the nine underdog victories shown below. Seven of the upsets took place in the UFC, with the remaining two at Strikeforce’s Challengers card. Six of the upsets were via decision, two came by KO or TKO, and one was delivered by submission. Bouts that did not have posted oddsmaker’s lines did not qualify for the list.

One title was on the line in February, with Sarah Kaufman and Takayo Hashi vying for the vacant and brand new Strikeforce 135 pound women’s title. Kaufman convincingly outpointed Hashi in a 5-round decision to become the champion.

Fight Stats Roundups for Recent Months
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009

Of the 25 fights in the month, decisions continued to rise and were the most common fight outcome at 52%. 16% of bouts ended in submission and 32% by KO or TKO.

As is normally the case, those fights that end inside of the distance usually are finished in the first round.

Oddsmaker’s favorites won the majority of January bouts, with underdogs victorious 38% of the time, an increase from the 22% from the prior month.

Middleweights, and heavier fighters in general, were the busiest athletes in the month with 7 bouts across the major organizations, followed by light heavyweights with 5 bouts.

American fighters continued to be the busiest nationality with 32 fighters active and going an even 50/50 in wins and losses. Brazilians also split their bouts and 3-3, whereas Australians went 2-1 and Belgian and Polish fighters were each 1-0.

In its brief 1:31 running time the UFC 111 preview frames the upcoming title fight between St-Pierre and top contender Dan Hardy as a battle between the best fighter in the world and the top U.K. welterweight in the world. St-Pierre is introduced as the 2009 Fighter of the Year, a title he was awarded by multiple MMA news outlets, including SI.com and the first annual World MMA Awards. Also included in the clip is a soundbite featuring UFC commentator Joe Rogan pronouncing St-Pierre as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

One possible explanation for the shift lies in the undeniable brilliance of St-Pierre’s performances over the past two years.  The Canadian fan favorite has consistently dominated some of the best fighters in his weight class since reclaiming the 170lb title in a 2008 rematch with Matt Serra. Then, after dominating Jon Fitch over five rounds in August of 2008, and repelling the assault of Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn back in January of last year, St-Pierre triumphed over highly regarded contender Thiago Alves last July, whose blend of size, speed, and Muay Thai striking presented a potent threat to the welterweight king. In the end, all contenders have been turned back in resounding fashion, and St-Pierre has achieved prominence as a pound-for-pound great among the majority of the MMA fan base.  The UFC, then, might simply mean what it says in annointing GSP its current pound-for-pound king.

However, as impressive as St-Pierre has been as of late, we must also consider the possibility that UFC management — including outspoken President Dana White — is less than enamored with the recent performances of Anderson Silva . Though he stopped former Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin in the first round during his last trip inside the Octagon, the 185lb king has not had a particularly riveting title defense in upwards of two years.  Silva defeated Patrick Cote and Thales Leites respectively — and in underwhelming fashion — during a 2008-09 stretch that saw him win fights in the cage but lose credit as the best fighter in the world among many.

In addition to his performance inside the Octagon, Silva and his management team’s actions outside of it may have been off-putting to fans and the UFC brass. After chasing down a dream boxing exhibition match with former great Roy Jones Jr. for months without success, Silva went public with his thoughts on the legitimacy of title challenger Vitor Belfort as a viable and deserving contender to his UFC belt.  This was all in lead up to an April title defense that was scrapped following a training injury suffered by Belfort. Is it possible that all of Silva and manager Ed Soares’s talk of boxing glory, undeserving contenders, and approaching retirement — a topic they have since backed off on — has left the UFC disenchanted with their 185lb juggernaut?  Or could upcoming contract negotiations be putting a damper on the promotion’s standard marketing push behind the talented Brazilian?

Should St-Pierre get past Hardy on March 27 in a fight he is heavily favored to win, it would be possible for the UFC to again promote Silva as the best in the world just two weeks later, in time for his upcoming title defense in Abu Dhabi on April 10. However, fans could receive such inconsistency as an obvious and shameless ploy to attract Pay Per View buys for two top-heavy cards following a few under performing shows since last Fall. Should the unthinkable happen and St-Pierre lose his belt, however, Silva’s continued promotion in the number one slot would be a foregone conclusion.

It will be interesting to see how heavily the UFC continues to market St-Pierre’s new pound-for-pound king status leading up to the fight, especially in light of comments made by White at a recent Fight Club Q & A, in which he hinted that he is still doubtful of the Canadian’s chances should he move up and challenge Silva in the coming year. That fight, should it become a reality, would represent the biggest dream fight for most MMA fans since St-Pierre took on B.J. Penn at the beginning of last year. With all of the names at the top of the current pound-for-pound debate, including Russian heavyweight sensation Fedor Emelianenko, B.J. Penn, Silva, and St-Pierre in the midst of impressive winning streaks, it is as informative to follow the manner in which these fighters are presented to us by the most powerful promotion in the business as it would be to see them all stand toe-to-toe with one another.

Nationality fan interest for recent months:
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009

Promotional fan interest for recent months:
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009

Although she admits that anything is possible in the unpredictable world of professional fighting, Kaufman revealed in an exclusive interview with Tapology’s Steven Kelliher that she is confident wherever the fight goes as she attempts to steal the show with another exciting finish. Kaufman also discussed her thoughts on fighting Strikeforce 145lb Champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in the future.

Strikeforce Challengers Series VI is set to kick off on Friday, February 26 from the San Jose Civic Forum in San Jose, California, with the main card airing live on Showtime.

Tapology: You have spoken about it before, but can you give us your history in this sport and how you got involved with MMA to begin with?

Kaufman: I started out as a dancer from age two to 19, doing about 20 hours a week. My current school, Zugec Martial Arts, opened directly beneath my dance studio. I started out with the Thai Boxing class with Adam Zugec and moved from one class a week to two classes to as many as I could and that’s how my interest in mixed martial arts started.

Tapology: Your professional debut was in 2006. When you first started fighting professionally, did you foresee MMA as a full-time career choice or were you just trying it out?

Kaufman: I never thought that I would be a professional fighter. From the time I was ten, I really set my mind on doing cardiovascular surgery—I was really academic—so everything I did was geared toward that. All of a sudden I developed this passion for mixed martial arts and it’s something that I never would have considered.

Tapology: You are currently undefeated at 10-0 with eight stoppages. What is it about your fighting style that makes you so successful? Do you think you have a natural ability that you might otherwise have been unaware of before competing in this sport?

Kaufman: I don’t know if I would say I have a natural ability because I was terrible when I started, and I think the fact that I did have to work hard has made me a better fighter, because it didn’t come that easily to me. A lot of the people that come in to ZUMA who are naturally good when they come in fall off the wagon really fast because it is easy for them, so maybe that’s something that actually helped me in the long wrong—focusing on all of the little details in order to improve.

Tapology: You obviously have some tough fights ahead of you, but do you currently see anyone at 135lbs that you are particularly concerned about fighting or that you think would be a handful for you?

Kaufman: Honestly I don’t really know. I personally think that MMA is a game of skill, it’s a very technical game, but there’s also a lot of luck in there. There is always a chance that you get caught in a submission or get caught with that one punch, and I think every fight poses a different but not a lesser challenge.

Tapology: Since joining Strikeforce and stepping up in competition, your last two wins have come by way of decision, although you clearly won both fights. Will you be looking to get back to your finishing ways in this next fight?

Kaufman: I would definitely like to finish this fight. It should be a goal, I think, because that’s why you fight; you fight to do your best and I think finishing a fight is probably your best. The two decisions were great fights, but I really enjoy finishing fights. There is something exhilarating and exciting about knowing that you were able to stop someone.

Tapology: Before we discuss your opponent, what does this Strikeforce 135lb Women’s title mean to you at this point in your career?

Kaufman: For me personally it means a lot. It’s something that you always want to work towards—being a champion—no matter what you’re doing. I’m excited that I have the opportunity and I hope this helps the sport of Women’s MMA to get even bigger because now there are going to be those separate divisions and it won’t just be females fighting, it’s females fighting in weight classes, and I think that’s a big step forward for women in the sport.

Tapology: Do you think championship fights like this and dominant champions such as “Cyborg” are important in bringing bigger paydays to female fighters in the years to come?

Kaufman: I would really hope so. It’s starting to get better, but it’s definitely still at its infancy. I think that the more big fights that happen and that the fans see they will want to see more of, and that will have to bring the pay up a little bit.

Tapology: You will be fighting Takayo Hashi for the title on February 26. Have you been watching tape on Hashi, and what do you think she is going to bring with her into the cage?

Kaufman: There aren’t that many tapes on Hashi, so it’s always hard to know what she’s going to come out with. Coming from a primarily grappling camp, I know she’ll have strong grappling, and she’s been competing in Japan for a long time, so I think that poses a unique challenge, and I heard in a recent interview that she’s planning to stand with me, and that’s great, I would love that.

Tapology: How do you feel on the ground right now if the fight were to go there?

Kaufman: I feel really strong. I feel strong on the ground, I feel strong standing, and I’m really confident in my abilities as far as a well-rounded game. I’m confident wherever the fight goes.

Tapology: In a general sense, what do you expect out of this fight and why are you going to come out on top?

Kaufman: I don’t know that I’m going to beat her. I’d like to beat her, and I’d like to think that I’ll beat her. I’m very tenacious, and I think that’s hard for a lot of fighters to get over. I’m not worried about my conditioning in a five round fight, and I think that’s a big mental factor, knowing that I have no problem going for 25 minutes.

Tapology: You fought three times last year. Assuming you come out of this fight healthy, how many times would you like to fight in 2010? Would you like to stay very active?

Kaufman: I love staying active. I would fight six, seven, eight times in a year if I could, so whatever they give me, I’m in.

Tapology: It is no secret that this card on Friday is not as big as the Strikeforce: Miami card, nor is it as big as the UFC cards that are coming up. What can you tell fans who might normally skip out on this fight card to make them want to tune in?

Kaufman: I definitely think that I’m going to make an exciting fight. Eight of my fights have been finished, it’s for a title, Strikeforce is a great promotion, so promote the fighters, support Strikeforce and watch the fights. I have seen several of Luke Rockhold’s fights, and they have been awesome. Trevor Prangley is fighting; it’s just going to be a great night and I just hope that everyone supports Strikeforce in continuing to put on great fights.

Tapology: As we have talked about, women’s MMA continues to grow moving forward and with the growth of the sport, there are going to be dream matches that are discussed. One of those matches that many fans have talked about at this point is the potential for you fighting 145lb champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos down the line. If you were to do that, would you do it for the athletic challenge, to help the sport grow, or for other reasons?

Kaufman: I think there would be a lot of different reasons for that. It’s kind of like the BJ Penn—GSP fight. For the sport’s interest, for the fan’s interest, but primarily I love the 135lb division and I really don’t want to move from there, so it would have to be a good reason, a good card, and if it were a champion vs. champion fight then that would have some appeal. It is interesting; it’s something that’s totally different.

Tapology: No matter what happens, the fact that fans are talking about you in a dream fight has got to feel pretty good.

Kaufman: Yeah, I think it says a lot for the sport in general. To be coming down from Canada, only having a couple of fights in the United States, people are starting to recognize more names than just Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg”, and that’s a major step and very positive for the sport.

Tapology: Good luck Friday night. We’ll speak after the fight.

Kaufman: Thanks so much.