MMA Mania

UFC 106 results live play-by-play TONIGHT (Nov. 21) for 'Ortiz vs. Griffin 2!

2009-11-21T17:05:38Z

Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 106: "Ortiz. vs. Griffin 2"

Quick results of the preliminary fights will start to flow around 8 p.m. ET and round-by-round coverage of the main card pay-per-view (PPV) action is set for 10 p.m. ET!

Remember that our play-by-play coverage begins with the commercial-free Spike TV broadcast at 9 p.m. ET, which will feature two bouts, Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders and Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt.

If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 106 results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

Back to basics: MMAmania.com exclusive UFC 106 interview with a ‘revamped’ Marcus Davis

2009-11-21T14:14:52Z

Marcus Davis is getting back to basics.

Once often referred to as "the most improved TUF cast member" while he was riding an 11-fight win streak, "The Irish Hand Grenade" feels confident in just how far his wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills have come since his early days on The Ultimate Fighter Season 2.

Now he’s going back to his bread and butter, the sweet science — he went 17-1-2 as a professional boxer on the New England circuit. And it’s there he’s hoping to recapture the speed and agility that helped the southpaw earn a reputation as a knockout artist.

Only he hope’s to do it inside the Octagon, not the square circle.

Never mind that half of his victories in mixed martial arts have come via submission. Davis has his sights set on clipping chins and stealing wins. And he has the very large target in 6’3" Ben Saunders set firmly in his crosshairs.

At (7-1-2), "Killa B" is one of the larger welterweights under the UFC banner. Since transitioning over from The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra, Saunders earned three impressive victories before succumbing to a second round TKO loss to Mike Swick at UFC 99: "The Comeback."

With both Saunders and Davis (16-5) coming off losses, expect everything thrown to be laced with bad intentions. It all goes down tomorrow night at UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Davis vs. Saunders bout will headline Spike TV’s live telecast of some of the preliminary bouts before the UFC 106 main card goes to pay-per-view (PPV).

This is a fight you won’t want to miss.

We recently caught up with Davis while he was running on the treadmill in preparation for the UFC 106 weigh-ins. He talked about what it means to be fighting on Spike, the revamped, new-look "Hand Grenade" we can expect to see on Saturday, and of course ... Dan Hardy.

Let’s get after it.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You last fought Dan Hardy at UFC 99 in June. You’ve said that believe you won 12 minutes of that 15-minute fight and that you wanted an immediate rematch after the razor-thin split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Hardy, of course, has gone on to beat Mike Swick and is now getting a title shot after going just 4-0 in the UFC. First, do you think he deserves a title shot?

Marcus Davis: My thinking is no, but it really doesn’t matter to me, and this is why: He’s going to go into that fight, and Georges St. Pierre is going to take him down with ease. Every single time he tries, he’s going to take him down, and he’s just gonna pummel his face in while (Hardy) lies on that mat. And what does that do? That sends that frickin’ douchebag back to the gates where I’m sittin’, waitin’ for him, and I get what I want — another fight with him. And who knows, they’re not supposed to fight until spring of 2010. Maybe (Hardy) wants a warm-up fight before he jumps in there with Georges St. Pierre. He’s already beat me, and he was, as he says, the "worst Dan Hardy" he’s ever been, and I was the "best Marcus Davis" I’ve ever been. Once again, people tell me to let it go. He doesn’t let it go either, making excuses for whatever reasons he thinks that the fight was so close. I mean if you look at his face when they announce the decision, he actually looks surprised, and he shrugged his shoulders. He looked and he shrugged his shoulders. He was like, "Hey, a win’s a win." So let’s do it again, that’s what I want. I have to get through Ben Saunders first. He’s my number one priority right now. But if God does what he’s always done in my case, by putting me in the right place at the right time and giving me things, this could work out, this could be it. And this is what I needed. I needed that fight to happen that way, for it to go down that way, for me to make the changes that I’ve (made). If you talk to my coaches and my training camp and my sparring partners, they will tell you that I am the new, revamped, 2.0 Marcus Davis. I am a completely changed fighter. Absolutely, completely, and they will see it on Saturday.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, for the record, I’m not one of those people who want you to drop the whole Hardy thing, because I thought it was a great first fight, and I think it’s going to be an even better second fight whenever you guys do rematch.

Marcus Davis: Right, we know each other now. We know each other intimately in that cage. We know what’s expected. The next time … like I say, fighting is like dancing. If your dancing partner doesn’t know what they’re doing, it can look like crap or whatever. But in this case, we’re more familiar, we can give a better show.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well let’s talk about some of the things that you’ve been focusing on in training. I assume you’ve been training at Sityodtong for this fight. I watched a video where you said you were going back to focus on some of your best assets, like speed, head movement and footwork, because, while you were becoming more well-rounded by focusing on wrestling and jiu-jitsu, you feel you may have ignored your bread and butter.

Marcus Davis: Yeah, I put them on the backburner. I kinda felt like boxing and all that stuff was riding a bike, it’s second nature to me. So I could afford to put it on the backburner. I spent so much time working on all these other implements. Think about it, how many times do you have to practice the double and single leg, high crotches and these different takedowns in order to get good at them? Throwing 500 kicks a day, throwing 1,000 knees, elbows and everything, learning how to get out of positions and do submissions … that sucks up a lot of time. So I always put that stuff on the backburner. I had to become a better wrestler, I had to become a better jiu-jitsu fighter, I had to become good at Muay Thai, I had to be able to kick. So I spent my last few years, my last four years, just working on that stuff and ignoring my forte, my pedigree. Now it’s been pointed out to me, "Marcus, you’re good enough, you’re submitting black belts everyday in the gym on the ground, you’re taking down guys left and right. It’s time to go back to what you’re good at and just concentrate on that. You’re well-rounded enough that if it goes to the ground, you can get up and still fight and do what you gotta do." So that’s what I did, I went back to that. My strength and conditioning and wrestling coach back in Bangor, Maine devised a speed program that we started 10 weeks ago that’s just helped change everything. I’ve become much faster than I ever was before — both hands and feet — and along with that, I’m more explosive. So that’s what I’m taking into this. And it’s perfect for this fight. With a guy with a longer reach, I gotta be able to get in there quickly and capitalize on things. Also, the whole thing having to do with speed, I respect Ben and everything, but he’s kind of a slow starter. And as far as 170-pounders go, he’s kinda slow. He’s a big guy. So he’s more like a high 185-pounder, in terms of how speed goes. So I’m going to take advantage of that, I’m going to capitalize on that on Saturday.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): When you’re dealing with such a lanky opponent — I think Saunders is 6’3" — especially with a Muay Thai guy, what do you do? Do you try to work in more kicks, or do you just try to get in and out as quickly as possible?

Marcus Davis: No, I’m not going to get in and get out. I’m going to get in and set up camp at arm’s reach. If I can get in there, and I can set up camp at arm’s reach, I’m smothering his kicks, I’m smothering his reach, his punches. I’ve just gotta, once again, watch out for those knees and that Muay Thai clinch. But I’ve already worked on things. You gotta remember, I’m from a Muay Thai school now. So I’m working with guys that are his height, that are trying to grab my neck all day long. So I’m coming into this fight very well-prepared. His strength is his reach, those kicks that he likes to throw from a long range, and then his Muay Thai clinch, his awkwardness of fighting lefty-righty, going back and forth, and then on the ground will be his long guard. That’s what I concentrated on in camp, coming up with many different ways, not just one, but many different ways of dealing with all those situations. And I did it in camp. If I can take what I did in camp and do in on Saturday night, after that fight, people are going to go "Wow, he really has changed. He’s changed it up. He looks different and everything." So that’s what I’m looking forward to — showcasing the newer version of me, and then having people say, "I want to see Davis and Hardy again. That’s a fight we’d like to see. I want to see this new approach against that douchebag."

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You’re now slated to face Ben Saunders at UFC 106 on Saturday. This is your first time fighting Stateside since April 2007. Is it good to be fighting in the U.S., or would you prefer to fight in Ireland or the U.K.?

Marcus Davis: Well, obviously, I’m always ecstatic anytime I can fight in Ireland. I’m not even going to bullshit and act like that’s not my favorite place to go and my favorite place to fight. So let’s not even pretend. But I’m happy to fight in the U.S., and the even bigger thing is being able to fight on Spike TV. As you pointed out, I haven’t fought on a regular TV fight since I fought Shonie Carter nearly three years ago. So my last fight in the States was over two years ago — it was against Pete Spratt in Houston. I haven’t fought in the United States since then. Then I fought Jason Tan, Paul Taylor, Paul Kelly, Jess Liaudin, Chris Lytle, Mike Swick, Dan Hardy. All overseas.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, your fight against Saunders is guaranteed to be broadcast on Spike TV, correct?

Marcus Davis: Yeah, we’re the main guys. We’re the last ones to go on.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I’m glad to see the UFC and Spike are airing more preliminary fights on a consistent basis.

Marcus Davis: Yeah, so am I, I’m pumped.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I don’t think the UFC has been back to New England since UFC 55, I think it was in Connecticut.

Marcus Davis: Correct.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you know when or if they are planning to go back? It’s a great market.

Marcus Davis: As of yesterday (Tuesday, November 17), the athletic commission of Boston is now going to regulate MMA, and they are going to do it in the same unified rules, the same way the UFC does it. So the UFC now can look at going to Boston. So that’s big news. I was part of the group that helped get MMA passed in my home state, the state of Maine. And now that it’s been passed, it’s legal, and we’re developing a commission right now there. Dana White has mentioned before that he might want to do an Ultimate Fight Night there, and that would be another thing I would like to do, obviously.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Up in Bangor?

Marcus Davis: Yeah, that would be awesome, man. Imagine a guy like me is able to fulfill a dream and fight in Ireland like I did — twice, especially in Dublin, I mean that was crazy — and then fight as an MMA fighter where my boxing career started and I lived, up in Bangor, Maine … So if I could fight in Ireland, Boston and Bangor, forget about it, man, it’d be awesome.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Judging in MMA has received a lot of negative press recently. The last two UFC main events have ended in controversy. First Machida narrowly pulled off a win against "Shogun" in a fight that many are calling the worst decision of the year; and then Couture just eaked out a decision win over Vera. You come from a professional boxing background, and because of that, I was wondering if you have any insight into how the scoring system in MMA might be able to be improved, or if you think it needs changed at all.

Marcus Davis: Yeah, it definitely needs to be changed, it needs to be improved. It needs to be totally dissected by a panel of people that are involved in the mixed martial arts. No special movie actors or special judges to come up with these rules. (We need) people who are deeply rooted in the sport that can go and say, "Okay, wait a minute, should we give a fighter a full round just because he gets a takedown? What if he gets a takedown, and the other fighter immediately stands up on him? Should there even be any credit for that?" It’s like throwing a jab and missing. It’s trying to take a guy to the ground and try to do my game, but you lose that whole opportunity. Whereas, if you took him down and grounded and pounded him or passed his guard, that’s a big deal. But if you just take people down, and they just keep standing up on ya, how are you being effective? You’re really not, you’re just losing energy, you’re wasting energy. And likewise with a striker. If you’re a striker and you throw 100 punches but only land 10, and the other guy has only thrown 20 but he’s landed 12, who’s being more effective? And then on the ground thing, somebody takes somebody down, they’re holding them there, but they’re not really doing anything … if you take someone down, and you’re sitting in their guard and all you’re doing in their guard is defending submissions, you’ve made a bad choice in taking that guy down. But (the judges) don’t do that. They say, "Well, he got the takedown, that’s huge. Give him the round because he got a takedown." So it definitely needs to be cut up and looked at. Not maybe by somebody like me, but by somebody who’s not favoring one style or one anything. You get a panel of people together and they decide, "Okay, we’re going to put up this chart, so that at the end of each round they can put a check in whatever box, for red corner or blue corner, saying effective striking goes here, Octagon or cage control goes here, submission attempts, takedowns or throws, etc. Just cut it up that way and figure out exactly who deserves to win these fights. Because it is becoming more and more … I hate to say it, but I’m starting to see a lot of things that I saw in boxing. In the past you could arguably say, "Okay this guy won this, but it was really close, so you coulda given it to the other guy because of this." And you had those kind of fights. But now you are seeing ones that really don’t make any sense at all — and more often. So there should be some way to get in there and do this before the purity of what we do starts to go in the crapper like it did in boxing. That’s why boxing lost a lot of fans, and they went to MMA, because MMA was so pure, and it was this primeval thing. At the same time, ethical judging and just more competition … a guy that was 10-0 could get beaten by a guy that was 5-4, whereas in boxing it wasn’t like that. So I really want to see something happen quickly. Anytime we can do something to improve our sport, especially the judging, that needs to be done.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you feel confident that they will address this problem soon?

Marcus Davis: There’s so much talk about it, I don’t know why they would ignore it and just stick to the same thing. Even Dana White must be interested in this happening. Like he said, "I’m not a judge, but I thought ‘Shogun’ won." So he has to have some concerns about it. Here he is pumping the best sport in the world, doing everything he can to put on great shows, and he does a great show, and then if you have a bad decision like that, it kind of crushes the show. It hurts all of his efforts. So of course he’s gotta be pro-anything that’s going to further the sport or legitimize MMA even more. The last thing you want to do is start to make it look like boxing was. You know, very … just sketchy.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, Marcus, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us, especially this close to a fight. I wanted to give you a chance to say any parting words or if you would like to thank any sponsors.

Marcus Davis: No problem, Adam. Really the only thing I’m going to do is thank a guy who never gets any real thanks from me, and he deserves it, and that’s Garth Krane at my place, Team Irish Mixed Martial Arts in Brewer. He’s really, really gone above and beyond, and I brought him into my camp, I brought him with me from Bangor to Boston for the Sityodtong camp. And then as always, Mark DellaGrotte, my overall head coach. And Jorge Gurgel, who I brought in and was there for my camp for my grappling game. And Tony Blauer. Anyone who’s old school would know who Tony is, but we also brought Tony Blauer in for a couple of weeks too. He’s worked with me and given me his High Gear equipment, and I’ve been using that for my ground and pound and stuff. It’s been pretty awesome.

UFC 110: Chris Lytle vs Dong Hyun Kim on tap for Feb. 21

2009-11-21T19:18:46Z

Electrifying welterweight strikers Chris Lytle (27-17-5) and Dong Hyun Kim (12-0-1) have agreed to throw leather on the upcoming UFC 110 fight card, tentatively scheduled for the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 21 according to MMA Fanhouse.

"Lights Out" was last seen taking a unanimous decision win over Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9 Finale last June, in what was an exciting showdown that saw Lytle earn his third "Fight of the Night" bonus in as many attempts.

He was quickly penciled in to do battle with former WEC kingpin Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 19 back in September; however, Lytle's knee imploded during training and forced him to withdraw from the Spike TV event.

The Ultimate Fighter 4 runner-up will be looking to notch his fourth straight win this February against the very dangerous Kim -- who like Lytle has been in his fair share of entertaining bouts throughout his UFC tenure.

"Stun Gun" scored a unanimous decision over Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist TJ Grant at UFC 100: "Lesnar vs. Mir 2" back in July. The convincing victory over the Canadian was important because Kim had previously been involved in two close matches that could have gone either way.

He dropped a split decision to Karo Parisyan at UFC 94 earlier this year, which was later overturned to a no contest after "The Heat" tested positive for pain killers. And before that, Kim -- who often trains at Wajyutsu Keisyukai in Japan -- went the distance against Matt Brown in another close split decision, but this time in a winning effort.

UFC 110 was originally expected to feature International superstars Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva and Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama in a hard-hitting 185-pound brawl that pits sexy vs. psycho; however, Dana White is also considering an alternate main event of Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy.

Perennial middleweight contender Nate Marquardt is also being considered as a possible opponent for the suddenly relevant Chael Sonnen.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this still-developing fight card.

Kerry Vera lays a beat down on Kim Couture at Strikeforce Challengers (In pictures)

2009-11-21T13:54:41Z

Check out more carnage pics from Esther Lin after the jump.

And the Coup de Grace:

Strikeforce Challengers: 'Woodley vs Bears' recap and final thoughts

2009-11-21T08:00:28Z

Strikeforce has now officially wrapped up the fifth edition of it's "Challenger Series" from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

Undefeated wrestling stud from the University of Missouri Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley made his third start for the promotion and won his third straight for them as well, improving his professional record to 5-0 with 5 submissions, defeating a red hot Rudy Bears midway through the first round of the featured main event with an arm triangle choke.

I've said it before, "T-Wood" is pound-for-pound one of the most explosive fighters in the world. His world class athleticism, wrestling pedigree and strength are going to make him a handful for anyone at 170 pounds, and at 27 years old, he's only going to get better with each fight.

Woodley had no trouble handing Bears his first loss in seven fights, scoring takedowns at will, landing big shots in the stand up and once again finding the opening on the ground for the submission finish.

It won't be long before this guy is going to start showing up on some of the bigger cards for Strikeforce. He's a star in the making for sure.

Kerry Vera and Kim Couture put on a very entertaining fight in the co-main event. Vera - wife of UFC light heavyweight Brandon Vera - proved to have the more technical and effective striking, knocking out Couture - wife of former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture - in the first round.

Couture once again proved her toughness though, staying aggressive and competitive despite absorbing a ton of punishment from Vera. After the fight Vera was asked who she'd like to fight next. She gave the usual, "whoever they want me to fight," response, but a suggestion of Canadian Sara Kaufman certainly sounded like an interesting idea from one of the announcers.

We'll see who Strikeforce chooses for her next opponent, but one thing is apparent, she looks to have a lot of talent and a style that's translates to exciting fights for the fans.

"Vicious" Bobby Voelker and Erik "Bad" Apple may have stole the show with their main card welterweight battle though. These two went at it right from the opening bell, and the result was a memorable back and forth barn burner of a fight.

They set a ridiculous pace right from the jump and the action never seemed to slow down. Both fighters were hurt at times, but it was Voelker who was able finally finish the fight, despite being dropped more than once, including inside the first minute of the fight.

Anderson Silva protege and former Elite XC standout Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante got back to his winning ways after suffering the first technical knockout loss of his career to Mike Kyle back in June. The Brazilian overcame a slow start and a game Aaron Rosa to score a second round technical knockout victory.

It wasn't the prettiest win of his career, but for "Feijao" a win has to be huge for his confidence coming off the loss. He should be a big player in the Strikeforce light heavyweight division moving forward.

That's a wrap from Kansas City.

Next up for Strikeforce, the promotion will return home to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California for "Evolution" on Dec. 19. Featured on the Showtime televised card will be the return of the company's former 185 pound kingpin, Cung Le, who will be in action for the first time in over a year and a half when he takes on hard hitting brawler, Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith.

"King Mo" Lawal, "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler, Mike Whitehead, "Jacare" Souza, Matt "The Law" Lindland and some of the promotion's other top stars are also expected to be in action for the blockbuster event.

Keep it locked to MMAmania.com for more on the developing fight card and all your Strikeforce news and notes.

Dana White answers questions at UFC 106 Q&A session (Video)

2009-11-21T03:46:54Z

Dana White answers questions at UFC 106 Q&A session (Video)

Strikeforce Challengers results for 'Woodley vs Bears' LIVE tonight (Nov. 20)!

2009-11-20T19:50:48Z

Strikeforce is set to pull the trigger on the fifth installment of its Challenger Series TONIGHT (Nov. 20) from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

"Woodley vs. Bears" features an 11-fight card, including a welterweight main event between undefeated wrestling sensation Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley and winner of six straight, Rudy Bears. Also on tap is a female battle between the wives of current UFC light heavyweight fighters Randy Couture and Brandon Vera as Kim "Sugar Free" Couture and Kerry Vera are set to mix it up in a 135-pound affair.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the event, beginning with the Showtime telecast at 11 p.m. ET. In addition, up-to-the-minute quick results of all the other under card bouts will begin to flow around 9:00 p.m. ET.

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the Showtime telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 10) before you leave and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show -- it always turns out to be a great discussion.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after "Woodley vs. Bears."

Strikeforce Challenger Series V QUICK RESULTS:

Tyron Woodley defeats Rudy Bears via submission (triangle choke) at 2:52 of round one
Kerry Vera defeats Kim "Sugar Free" Couture via technical knockout (strikes) at 3:35 of round one
Bobby Voelker defeats Erik "Bad" Apple via technical knockout (strikes) at 1:23 of round two
Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante defeats Aaron Rosa via technical knockout (strikes) in round two
Kevin Casey defeats Chad Vance via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:41 of round one
Lee Gibson defeats Joe Wilk via technical knockout (strikes) at 4:39 of round one
Brian Davidson defeats Russel Patrick via technical knockout (strikes) at 0:29 of round one
Nick Nolte defeats Andrew Waters via submission (triangle choke) at 3:45 of round one
Darryl Cobb defeats Gary Tapasua via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Mike Chandler defeats Rich Bouphanouvong via technical knockout (strikes) at 2:07 of round two
Lucas Lopes defeats Dominic Brown via technical knockout (strikes) at 0:45 of round two

Strikeforce Challenger Series V PLAY-BY-PLAY LIVE MAIN CARD COMMENTARY:

James here!

170 lbs.: Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears

Round one: Bears fakes a leg kick. Woodley connects on a straight right. Bears leans in and Woodley just misses on a combo. A clinch now and Woodley gets a slamming takedown. He's working the ground and pound from half guard at a very fast pace. He's trying to get to mount, but Bears is defending well. Now he's got it. Bears tries to buck out, but Woodley stays on him. Bears somehow squirms out and they're back on the feet. Thai clinch by Woodley. He lands a few knees before separating. High kick from Bears gets blocked and Woodley gets a tackling takedown right after. Arm triangle attempt for Woodley in Bears' half guard. Side mount now and the choke is sunk in. Bears has no escape and this fight is over, making Tyron Woodley 5-0 as a professional with all 5 wins by submission.

Final result: Tyron "T-Wood" Woodley defeats Rudy Bears via submission (arm triangle) at 2:52 of round one

-end-

Kerry Vera vs. Kim "Sugar Free" Couture

Round one: Gloves touch and we're underway. Couture fakes a shot and leans right in with a right hand. Vera makes her pay with a brutal combo. Couture shrugs it off and initiates a clinch. Knee from Vera and she punches out of the clinch. Nice left jab from Couture. Couture leans in and gets drilled with a left hook from Vera. Couture clinches and is looking for the takedown. Vera defends it well and punches her way out. Big combo from Vera. Couture answers with a big left hand of her own. Couture clinches again and Vera makes her pay with two or three punches. Couture punches out this time and they separate. Vera leans in and eats another jab from Couture. Vera catches Couture with a big left hand. She's backpedaling and Vera moves in for the kill. Couture circles out and looks okay now. Another clinch and Vera is working the dirty boxing and the knees. Couture looking for a single, but Vera defends it well again, pushes out and starts teeing off on Couture. Couture is getting drilled with punches. She's not defending and she's in a ton of trouble. Vera continues to lay into her and finally she drops and this fight is over. Very, very impressive win for Kerry Vera over a tough Kim Couture. Good fight.

Final result: Kerry Vera defeats Kim "Sugar Free" Couture via technical knockout at 3:35 of round one

-end-

Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker

Round one: Big exchange right off the back and Voelker gets dropped. Apple jumps on him and is relentlessly trying to finish him off. Somehow Voelker escapes back to his feet and weathers the storm with a clinch. Apple is working the dirty boxing from there as the action has slowed down since the fast start. They separate, trade right hands on the chin and go right back to the clinch. Apple attempts a takedown, but Voelker easily defends it. Voelker gets separation. He catches a kick from Apple and lands a nice right hand. Back to the clinch and now Apple gets the takedown. He's working the ground strikes from Voelker's guard and Voelker somehow escapes back to his feet and they're going at it again right in the center of the cage. Voelker catches another one on the chin and initiates another clinch. Knees from Apple. Voelker gets a tripping takedown and now he's on top in Apple's full guard. Voelker is connecting on some hard ground strikes now and Apple is in trouble. He's teeing off on Apple's head with 30 seconds to go in the round. Apple is taking some hard shots and gets saved by the bell. Wow, great round. Voelker 10-9.

Round two: Action right away to start round two as both fighters are swinging for the fences. Tripping takedown from Voelker and he's looking for more ground and pound. Apple works back to his feet and they separate. More big punches from both guys and Voelker drops Apple with a huge overhand right. Apple is down and he's in big big trouble. Voelker is not going to let him up this time and the referee is finally forced to intervene. Great fight and win for Bobby Voelker!

Final result: Bobby Voelker defeats Erik "Bad" Apple via technical knockout (strikes) at 1:23 of round two

-end-

Aaron Rosa vs. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante

Round one: Gloves touch and we're underway. Rosa leans in with a combination of five or six punches. Feijao initiates a clinch and works some knees. They're battling for position and Feijao scores a slamming takedown. Rosa pops right back to his feet and they stay in the clinch with Rosa's back against the fence. They trade a few body shots and Feijao starts in with some knees to Rosa's legs. Not a lot of action going on here as both fighters continue to battle for position. Boos can be heard from the crowd. Anderson Silva can also be heard screaming like a mad man from Feijao's corner. Finally the referee calls for a separation, much to the delight of the crowd. Rosa throws out a punch and Feijao goes right back to the clinch. He puts Rosa's back against the fence and starts in with more knees to the thigh. Now foot stomps. Takedown attempt from Feijao gets him nowhere. Nice job by Rosa. Not much action and the round ends with more boos from the crowd. Tough round to score.

Round two: Rosa takes the center of the cage and leans out with a few jabs. A left hook, right hand combo misses from Rosa. A leg kick finds a home though. Feijao now leaning in with a body shot combo and he charges all the way in for another clinch. The crowd boos right away. Body shots from both fighters and Rosa pushes out. More jabs from Rosa and he connects on a left hook. Leg kick from Rosa. Feijao misses on a wild left hook. Flying knee to the body from Feijao stuns Rosa. Takedown right away for Feijao and he's raining down the ground and pound. Rosa gets him in full guard and is now defending nicely. Feijao is pushing Rosa towards the cage and Feijao gets caught red handed throwing a forearm to the head (illegal in Strikeforce.) That forces a stand up from the referee. Feijao pleads his case then gets right back to work. He lands a huge punch and Rosa is hurt. He drops to the canvas. The Brazilian pounces and easily finishes off the downed opponent. Pretty good ending to an otherwise lackluster fight. Big win for Feijao.

Final result: Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante defeats Aaron Rosa by technical knockout (strikes) in round two

-end-

UFC 106 weigh in photos gallery for 'Ortiz vs Griffin 2' on Nov. 21

2009-11-21T01:28:36Z

Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)

For complete and official weigh in results for UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2," which is scheduled to take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21, click here. Josh Koscheck gets up in Anthony Johnson's grill after the jump.

Gilbert Melendez vs Josh Thomson 2 in the works for Strikeforce: 'Evolution' on Dec. 19

2009-11-21T01:12:31Z

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson (16-2, 1 NC) will return to action to battle the promotion's interim 155-pound kingpin, Gilbert Melendez (16-2), at Strikeforce: "Evolution" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 19.

MMAmania.com can confirm that the rematch is currently under consideration to unify the division title and could likely serve as the event's main event if its signed.

This will be a much anticipated rematch of their June 2008 championship fight in which Thomson dethroned the then-champion (Melendez) after recording a five round unanimous decision victory.

It was actually supposed to go down much sooner on the "Shamrock vs. Diaz" card in April 2009; however, Thomson was forced to withdraw because of a serious leg injury while training for the bout. As a result, Melendez was paired with Rodrigo Damm to determine the interim lightweight champion, which "El Nino" won via second round technical knockout.

The rematch was then again rescheduled for the "Carano vs. Cyborg" card in August 2009, but again, Thomson had to withdraw because of re-aggravating the same injury. Melendez put his interim belt on the line against Mitsuhiro Ishida instead, winning via third round technical knockout.

Hopefully, the third time will be the charm as these two are now set to go toe-to-toe on the main card on December 19, nearly a year and half since their original meeting. The event will broadcast live on Showtime on fight night, beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest fight card and rumors for "Evolution" click here.

UFC 106 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Ortiz vs Griffin 2'

2009-11-20T19:14:00Z

The official weigh-in event for UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" just wrapped from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

All 20 fighters set to compete on the card, including scale-challenged Anthony Johnson, hit their marks without incident. No real fireworks to speak of; however, things got a little tense between main event participants Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin during their staredown.

It also got a bit heated when Johnson, who will face the toughest test of his career tomorrow night, went eye-to-eye with perennial welterweight powerhouse, Josh Koscheck. Phil Baroni -- who is making his return to the Octagon for the first time in several years -- did his best to get anything out of Amir Sadollah, but was unsuccessful.

Here are the complete UFC 106 weigh in results:

Main event:

205 lbs.: Tito Ortiz (204) vs. Forrest Griffin (205)

Main card (Televised):

170 lbs.: Anthony Johnson (170) vs. Josh Koscheck (171)
205 lbs.: Luis Cane (205) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (205)
170 lbs.: Phil Baroni (170) vs. Amir Sadollah (170)
170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago (169) vs. Jacob Volkmann (170)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: Marcus Davis (170) vs. Ben Saunders (170)
185 lbs.: Kendall Grove (186) vs. Jake Rosholt (185.5)
170 lbs.: Brian Foster (171) vs. Brock Larson (171)
155 lbs.: Fabricio Camoes (155.5) vs. Caol Uno (155.5)
155 lbs.: George Sotiropoulos (155) vs. Jason Dent (155)

*Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than their respective division limits in non title fights.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Nov. 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with Spike TV telecast of select prelim bouts.

It’s going to be a fun night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 106 coverage you can handle.

Video feed courtesy of UFC.com.

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Luis Cain UFC 106 video fight talk

2009-11-20T23:25:48Z

Ready to 'Rumble' II: Josh Koscheck UFC 106 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

2009-11-20T20:11:35Z

Josh Koscheck is a man people love to hate.

At this point it's safe to say he's embraced his role as the bad guy and continues to use it to fuel his fire.

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Reggie Jackson once said, "Fans don't boo nobodies," and that statement rings true with regards to Koscheck as well.

"Kos" is a legitimate top ten welterweight contender and has been for some time. Lately, however, he's been on a bit of a roller coaster going 2 - 2 in his last four fights and alternating wins and losses.

Most recently he registered a first round knockout of Frank Trigg at UFC 103. The UFC then scheduled him to fight Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 20 on January 11, 2010, but as it turns out, it was only a temporary matchup.

When a couple high profile fights dropped like flies off the upcoming UFC 106 card an opportunity presented itself and he jumped at the chance to face up-and-comer Anthony "Rumble" Johnson in the co-main event.

A win could have him knocking on the door of a potential title shot, but it will certainly not come easy.

Koscheck took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss calling out Matt Hughes, Josh Thomson's conflict of interest, and all things Anthony Johnson.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I wanted to start off getting your thoughts on Mike Swick's fight at UFC 105 with Dan Hardy. What did you think about how the fight played out and what went wrong for Mike?

Josh Koscheck: I really would prefer to not answer any questions about that right now. I haven't really got to speak directly with Mike Swick. I'm focused on my fight and would prefer to keep the focus on that.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): A lot has been made recently about the so-called "feud" between you and Matt Hughes. What originally made you call him out after you beat Frank Trigg? It seemed like it kind of came out of left field at the time.

Josh Koscheck: I've been trying to get that fight for a number of years now. Probably three years. He just doesn't want to fight me. I called him out. Usually when people call you out and talk shit usually you step up and say, "Yeah, I'll fight the guy." Apparently he doesn't want to fight me so I guess it's almost pointless for us to even talk about Matt Hughes. (laughs)

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You were scheduled to face Mike Pierce in January so how did your fight with Anthony Johnson come about?

Josh Koscheck: I heard the UFC 106 card was in need of some fighters. I had my management call the UFC and let them know I'd fight whoever, just get me an opponent and I'll fight. Management put it in their ear and they said, "Yeah, that's a great idea. How about co-main event against Anthony Johnson?" I said, "Okay done deal."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): It seems like you are a lot more active than most guys and never hesitate to jump at a fight even on short notice. You're one of the few who does this repeatedly. Do you get antsy after a few consecutive weeks of training? What is your mindset?

Josh Koscheck: I'm always training. I'm two or three weeks away from being in great shape always. My mindset is if I want to make money I need to be fighting. If I want to get a title shot I need to be fighting. Basically, I need to be in the cage. If I'm just sitting around waiting there is no opportunity for me to take those next steps.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson trains at AKA with you but is also a coach and good friend of Anthony Johnson. Is that a conflict of interest? What do you think about this situation?

Josh Koscheck: I won't throw him under the bus, but he's been my training partner for five years now. He's been my friend. I actually live with him right now. I knew that he was training Anthony Johnson prior to this fight. He's not training him right now. Josh can do what he wants in his free time, but out of respect for me he said he wasn't going to train him.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is Johnson's biggest strength in your opinion?

Josh Koscheck: I think he's got some power in his punches. I think that's his biggest strength. I think the UFC did a very good job of building him and almost babying him. He hasn't really fought anybody yet in the UFC. This will be his first test. We're going to see how mentally tough this kid is and if he has the heart to be a champion.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel any pressure to stand up and bang with him and make it exciting for the fans?

Josh Koscheck: I don't feel any pressure at all in my fights. I can just tell you this fight won't go to a decision.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): We don't really know what kind of ground game Johnson has because he hasn't really needed it yet. Is that an area you're going to try to exploit?

Josh Koscheck: Like I said, I don't talk too much game plan. I'm just going to let you known that this fight won't go to the judges.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you going to plan on continuing to call out Hughes going forward? If you beat Johnson are you going to call him out again until he takes the fight?

Josh Koscheck: He's not going to take the fight. He doesn't want to fight me. The UFC must feel bad for him. They just want to continue to give him easy fights and let him retire with a winning record or in a winning way or whatever. For me, I don't care who I fight. I don't care where I fight. I don't care how often I fight. My goal next year is to fight twelve times.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I actually spoke with Johnson last night and I asked him what would happen if he ends up on his back at any point in the fight. He told me, "I can do enough to survive. I'm not a black belt or anything like that. I don't want to submit you. I know how to hold on to you and have the ref stand us up, let's put it that way." Your thoughts on this statement?

Josh Koscheck: (laughs) That's funny! He's going to hold on and let the ref stand us up? That's cool, whatever. If we end up on the ground that's not a good philosophy. I've trained with Anthony. I know what he has on the ground. I know he's a part time fighter. He's not training year round like me. I know his jiu-jitsu coach that teaches there (at Cung Le's gym), Paul Schreiner. He's never been to one jiu-jitsu class since Schreiner, who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu, has been there.

I'm not concerned to fight this fight on the feet. I'm not concerned to fight this fight on the ground to be honest with you. It depends on how I feel on Saturday night when I'm in the locker room warming up. Then I'll make the decision as to where I'll fight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Johnson also told me he was at 185 pounds last night and is comfortably in line to make the cut. How is your weight by the way? What are you at right now?

Josh Koscheck: I woke up this morning at 181 pounds. I think I'm on track. I've never had a weight issue. I'm a little bit mentally tougher than that to puss out and not make weight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What happens if Johnson comes in at 175 or 176 pounds on Friday?

Josh Koscheck: That's not going to change my philosophy. I'm still going to beat his ass. I'm going on with the fight. I don't care if he makes weight or he doesn't make weight. That's not up to me. That's up to him. At the end of the day I'm here to fight. If he doesn't make weight he's still going to get beat down.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're one of the few guys that have taken Georges St. Pierre to a decision. How much have you improved since you fought him and do you feel like things would go differently in a rematch?

Josh Koscheck: I'm not really, obviously, thinking about that right now. After Saturday night if I'm not fighting St. Pierre next I'll call people up and I'll fight every three weeks. I'll have three weeks of training and then I'll fight every month next year. That's the plan. If I'm not fighting him next then line them up and let me fight twelve people so I can make some real money and then I'll fight St. Pierre.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Anything you'd like to pass along to your fans out there or any sponsors you would like to thank at this time?

Josh Koscheck: They can check me out on Twitter, @JoshKoscheck. All my sponsors. I plug them on my Twitter page so it's all good.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Josh, I appreciate the time. Good luck on Saturday.

Josh Koscheck: Alright, thank you.

Derek Bolender is a contributor to MMAmania.com, CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, and BleacherReport.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and Facebook.com/Derek.Bolender.

Report: Matt Serra vs Frank Trigg set for UFC 109 on Feb. 6

2009-11-20T21:11:11Z

According to FightNetwork.com:

UFC welterweight Matt Serra spoke to The Fight Network on Friday morning and confirmed that he has signed on to fight Frank Trigg at the UFC 109 card on February 6th 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.... Serra also stated he would very happy to fight in the future at a catch weight of 160 or 165 pounds if the UFC were interested in promoting more catch weight bouts.

Phil Baroni vs Amir Sadollah UFC 106 video fight talk

2009-11-20T19:27:04Z

WEC 44 medical suspensions and injuries for ‘Brown vs. Aldo'

2009-11-20T19:23:40Z

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) recently issued its list of medical suspensions for WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo", which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino resort in Las Vegas.

Only seven of the 20 athletes who competed on the card have been sidelined by the commission doctors, including former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, who lost his 145-pound title to Jose Aldo.

"Junior" was not listed on the injury report, as he avoided any significant damage in his title fight that lasted just over six minutes.

Cub Swanson, Diego Nunes, and Antonio Banuelos all landed lengthier suspensions, lasting upwards of six months, unless a doctor clears them at an earlier time.

Here is the list of WEC 44 injuries and their medical instructions.

Mike Brown: Suspended until Jan. 3 with no contact until Dec. 19 due to lacerations above each eye.
Rob McCullough: Suspended until Jan. 3 with no contact until Dec. 19 due to left hand contusion and cut on right eye.
Diego Nunes: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to orbital fracture on right eye or must be cleared by oral surgeon.
Cub Swanson: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to broken left hand or must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor.
Antonio Banuelos: Suspended until May 18 with no contact due to a fractured nose or must be cleared by an ENT doctor.
Karen Darabedyan: Suspended until Dec. 19 due to a right cheek laceration.
Will Kerr: suspended until Dec. 19 due to a right cheek laceration.

Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases.

For complete WEC 44 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC 106 predictions, preview and analysis

2009-11-20T18:09:06Z

UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" is set to go down this Saturday, November 21, 2009 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, live via pay-per-view.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has once again rallied the troops for a breakdown of the televised main card fights. All your favorite contributors are here, bringing you an in-depth look at each contest.

One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the headlining fight (and rematch) between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin. It's the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy's" first bout at light heavyweight since coming up short against Lyoto Machida back in May 2008.

Is the former UFC light heavyweight champion still a viable threat at 205-pounds?

There are also a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of the welterweight division. Is Josh Koscheck the final test for Anthony Johnson before he becomes a serious title contender?

And does "Rumble" stand a chance against "Rush" if he passes?

Also on tap is a defining match between Luis Cane and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Can "Banha" solidify himself as the next big thing at 205-pounds? Or will the well-traveled "Lil' Nog" overcome the rising star with his unique balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu?

There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning.

I’ve also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant.

Now, enough with the formalities … let’s get cracking:

205 lbs.: Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (15-6-1) vs. Forrest Griffin (16-6)

Backgrounds:

Ortiz:

Record (last five fights): 2-2-1
Notable wins: Beat the geriatric Ken Shamrock into exile...hardly "notable."
Notable losses: The last guy to be finished by Chuck Liddell, the aforementioned "Dragon" loss.
Strengths: Powerful wrestler, good cardio, ton of experience.
Weaknesses: Hasn't fought in over a year. Hasn't won in over three.

Griffin:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Shocked the world with back-to-back wins over "Shogun" Rua and "Rampage" Jackson.
Notable losses: Then lost all the accolades with back-to-back defeats to Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva.
Strengths: Great cardio, good fundamentals, comes to fight.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent, questionable chin, not a lot of power in his hands.

Derek Bolender predicts: Here is a battle between two former UFC light heavyweight champions and two of the most beloved fighters in UFC history. It's basically a mainstream fans' wet dream and the perfect UFC 106 main event filler for the defunct Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin title fight.

Last time we saw Forrest he was busy getting obliterated by Anderson Silva at UFC 101, however, there is no real shame in losing to a guy who is the caliber of Silva. Everyone has had a bad night against him at one time or another in the UFC it seems like.

On second thought it was a severe ass kicking, borderline embarrassing, and he probably still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about it, but let's move on.

It's been a bit longer since Tito has graced the octagon. He has not fought since May 2008 at UFC 84. We all remember. That was the weekend he donned his infamous "Dana is My Bitch" T-shirt at the weigh-ins as his UFC contract was coming to a close. Then the following evening Lyoto Machida proceeded to make Tito his bitch en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Since that time Tito has had major back surgery to repair an old injury, kissed and made up with UFC President Dana White, and as a result, signed a new UFC fight contract.

His first comeback fight against Forrest will be a rematch of their UFC 59 match in which Tito squeaked out a controversial split decision victory. Needless to say, a lot has changed since April 2006.

At the time Tito was in his prime having fought in eight championship bouts already. Forrest, on the other hand, was fighting in just his fourth UFC fight overall. He would not sniff a title fight for another two years until he fought Quinton Jackson in July 2008 at UFC 86.

Now Forrest is in his prime and Tito is past his while attempting to resurrect his career at the age of 34.

I expect to see the same qualities from Tito that we have seen in the past; great cardio and wrestling, solid ground and pound, and a phenomenal tan. The problem is that he is still largely a wrestling-based martial artist in a new world stocked full of well-rounded mixed martial artists.

The good news for fans is that there is a good chance this fight will be standing for the majority of the time as both will likely try their best to put on a show in the form of a slugfest.

For me the deciding factor in the fight will be Forrest's ability to land damaging leg kicks similar to how he defeated Quinton Jackson. They will be crucial in order to take power away from Tito's punches and take away his base in order to hamper his ability to shoot for takedowns. Once that is taken off the table Forrest should be able to slowly chip away at Tito with his hands.

I know Tito has been looking great in camp, his motivation is through the roof, and he's done some training with Freddie Roach. I get all that, however, that sounds eerily similar to what people were saying about Andrei Arlovski before Fedor Emelianenko played Rock Em' Sock Em' robots with his cranium.

I did not think Tito beat Forrest at UFC 59, so how can I pick him to win now that he is an aging fighter coming off both a long layoff and a major surgery? I cannot and I will not.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Ortiz: +105 ((Bet Now))

Griffin: -135 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Griffin via unanimous decision

170 lbs.: Anthony "Rumble"Johnson vs. Josh "Kos" Koscheck

Backgrounds:

Johnson:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Finished his last four wins by way of scary knockout.
Notable losses: Eye-poke loss to Kevin Burns -- that he quickly avenged with a brutal head kick KO.
Strengths: Enormous for a welterweight, ridiculous power, athletic.
Weaknesses: Untested against upper-tier fighters, questions surround his ground game.

Kos:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Stopped a returning Frank Trigg by way of TKO, deported "Zenko" Youshida via knockout.
Notable losses: Embarrassing TKO loss to an unknown Paulo Thiago, nearly crippled by Thiago Alves.
Strengths: Great cardio, outstanding wrestler, durable.
Weaknesses: Good but not great, may not have the stand-up to compete at the highest level.

James Iannotti predicts: Koscheck practically begged the UFC matchmakers to line him up with an opponent who would want to fight and push the pace with him. Unfortunately for him, the UFC did just that by pairing him up with Anthony Johnson, who is perhaps the most dangerous striker on the promotion's roster, having knocked out five of his seven opponents inside the Octagon.

"Rumble" does really well against fellow strikers, but we don't know yet how he'll handle being put on his back. We don't even know if there's anyone in the 170 pound division who's capable of putting him on his back. But if there is a UFC welterweight that may be able to negate that ridiculous striking with a strong wrestling attack (besides the champion of course) it's Josh Koscheck.

"Kos" has been working hard to improve his stand-up over the past few years, which he's done a nice job with, but if he wants to win this fight he's going to have to return to his roots and try to score points with his wrestling, because if he opts to stand with Anthony Johnson, he won't last long. With that said, Johnson is a gigantic welterweight and someone even the most skilled wrestlers at 170 pounds could have a hard time dealing with physically.

Add that with his devastating power and that equals a really bad match-up for not only Koscheck, but a lot of other 170 pounders. I like Koscheck and part of me feels like he's got a few tricks up his sleeve for this fight, but "Rumble" is on a roll and his confidence is high. I've got "Kos" taking a nap in this one, probably early in the second.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Johnson: -120 ((Bet Now))

Koscheck: -110 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Johnson via technical knockout

205 lbs.: Luis "Banha" Cane (10-1) vs. Antonio Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira (17-3)

Backgrounds:

Cane:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Ended the Sokoudjou experiment at UFC 89.
Notable losses: Bizarre DQ loss to "Sandman" Irvin at UFC 79.
Strengths: Scary striking, underrated jits, finishes his fights.
Weaknesses: Fought just once in the past 13 months.

Nogueira:

Record (last five fights): 5-0
Notable wins: A busy 2008/9 saw him avenge a 2002 "Janitor" loss.
Notable losses: Hasn't seen the lights since Sokoudjou shocked the world at PRIDE 33.
Strengths: May have the finest balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu.
Weaknesses: He's a Nogueira: A lotta miles on these tires....

Adam Wagner predicts: UFC 106 marks the long-awaited promotional debut of 10-fight PRIDE FC veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3). With 20 MMA fights under his belt, "Minotouro" brings tremendous experience to the cage, having bested such legends as Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem (twice), Vladimir Matyushenko and Kazushi Sakuraba.

And while the Black House team member is both a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and a Pan Am bronze medal-winning boxer, what concerns me most about this fight is Nogueira’s propensity to go to a decision. Yes, he can withstand punishment, but can he withstand Luis Arthur Cane?

Cane (10-1, with 1 NC) is undefeated, for all intents and purposes, having his only loss come from a disqualification due to an illegal ass-kicking of James Irvin. And while Cane has never faced anyone close to the caliber of Nogueira, he has a habit of crushing his opponents early and often, having seen the second round just twice and the third only once.

While Cane went to his first decision at UFC 97 in April against Steve Cantwell, he showed he can take a punch in the process. Nogueira, on the other hand, has only been knocked out once, by the over-rated Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, who Cane TKO’d in the second round of their fight. This has all the makings of the Fight (or Knockout) of the Night. And while Nog has shown a recent improvement in his tenacity, having finished fighters in five of his last six victories, something tells me this is the coming out party for Cane.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Cane: +120 ((Bet Now))

Nogueira: -150 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Cane via technical knockout

170 lbs.: Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni (13-11) vs. Amir Sadollah (1-1)

Backgrounds:

Baroni:

Record (last five fights): 3-2
Notable wins: Beat three people you've never heard of on the independent circuit.
Notable losses: Finished by Joey Villasenor, outworked by Joe Riggs.
Strengths: Decent hands, lots of experience, big heart.
Weaknesses: Hasn't had a meaningful win in five years.

Sadollah:

Record (last five fights): 1-1
Notable wins: Captured the TUF 7 crown by subbing CB Dollaway.
Notable losses: Then got smoked by Dan Miragliotta at UFC 101 (with an assist from Johnny Hendricks).
Strengths: Crafty, good cardio, tricky submissions.
Weaknesses: Has a lot to prove coming into the big time.

Akimitsu Kuwabara predicts: Amir Sadollah enters the contest after a devastating 29-second knockout loss to Johnny Hendricks in his official UFC debut after his TUF stint at UFC 101. The momentum following his cinderella run through the seventh season of TUF has been diminishing, and he must announce his presence to the world with a victory over New York Bad Ass.

Phil Baroni inexplicably returns to UFC following a decision loss to Joe Riggs in June at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields. Riggs outworked Baroni throughout fifteen minutes of action, and showed superiority in striking and grappling. With his win-loss percentage teetering on the brink of 50% and former charisma chipping away, Baroni could use an emphatic victory against Sadollah.

Baroni is at his most lethal when swarming his opponents with power punches in bunches. Having fought as a middleweight for a large portion of his career, the NYBA has wised up and dropped to welterweight -- a more suitable weight class for him, however late it may be to salvage his career. Presumably, his move to a lower weight class accentuates the power in his hands. On a more somber note, his last fight against Joe Riggs demonstrated that, despite looking leaner and meaner than eva, the all-too-familiar flaws in his game remain out in the open: Though his infamously atrocious conditioning improved somewhat, he is still terribly one-dimensional with mediocre grappling and striking that precipitously turns anemic once his power runs out along with his gas tank.

The key factor in this fight is which Sadollah shows up: The patient and durable fighter who emerged victorious from the throes of defeat during his stint in TUF 7 or the one who could not withstand the barrage of punches once stunned at UFC 101.

Baroni's knockout power is a threat to anyone while his gas tank lasts (a round and half at most). If Baroni comes out guns blazing and succeeds in penetrating Sadollah's less-than-airtight striking defense, he will score an emphatic knockout victory.

Sadollah needs to stay patient and survive the early onslaught. In addition to the patient, methodical grappling he displayed against CB Dollaway in TUF, he possesses decent footwork, a nice repertoire of kicks, and much better technical striking than Baroni. His knockout loss to Hendricks probably strikes caution in him and make him gun-shy, especially early in the fight: If he can stick and move to stay busy on the feet while keeping Baroni at bay, it is a matter of time before Baroni's gas tank starts to deplete.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Baroni: +175 ((Bet Now))

Sadollah: -220 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Sadollah via submission

170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago (11-1) vs. Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann (9-0)

Backgrounds:

Thiago:

Record (last five fights): 4-1
Notable wins: Stunned Josh Koscheck with a TKO at UFC 95.
Notable losses: Had no answer for the wrestling of Jon Fitch at UFC 100.
Strengths: Ridiculous grappling credentials, strong for a welterweight.
Weaknesses: Striking leaves a lot to be desired, can be controlled on the ground.

Volkmann:

Record (last five fights): 5-0
Notable wins: Nice submission win over Kevin Knabjian in Bellator last May.
Notable losses: Perfect through nine.
Strengths: Tremendous wrestler, great cardio, durable.
Weaknesses: Untested on the big stage.

Nate Lawson predicts: The last time Paulo Thiago entered the Octagon he was introduced to the advanced wrestling pedigree of former welterweight top contender Jon Fitch at UFC 100 this past July. After his scheduled bout with another former top contender and Georges St. Pierre’s most recent victim Thiago Alves fell through, the Brazilian submission ace landed a UFC newcomer in Jacob Volkmann.

Volkmann brings a solid grappling game to the fight, with a strong wrestling base and effective jiu-jitsu. Six of his nine professional fights, all of which are wins, have come via submission. “Christmas’” last fight ended in a Brabo choke at Bellator Fighting Championships 6 over Kevin Knabjian.

However, whatever ground game Volkmann brings, the jiu-jitsu wizard Thiago will certainly have an answer, at least in terms of submission defense. Thiago boasts a nearly unblemished record at 11-1, with seven of those victories coming by way of submission. His ground game is phenomenal, but submitting Volkmann will not come any easy way, making Thiago’s ability to finish the fight exceedingly difficult as the three round bout wears on.

While the three-time NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler will not be able to control Thiago on the ground in the same manner that Jon Fitch did, Volkmann’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu will be enough to stifle anything that the Brazilian grappling machine tries to throw at him, while leading to effective ground and pound.

When the submission game falls short, Thiago will run out of options for finishing the fight. Look for the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy member to work his wrestling and ground and pound en route to a unanimous decision upset.

Betting lines (as of Nov. 20):

Thiago: -260 ((Bet Now))

Volkmann: +200 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Volkmann via unanimous decision

That’s a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2."

What do you think? Now it’s your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday’s event.

DREAM and Sengoku co-promotion update for Dec. 31 'FieLDS Dynamite!!'

2009-11-20T19:03:02Z

The Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) and World Victory Road (WVR) brass have maintained silence regarding the rumored co-promotion for a New Year's Eve (NYE) show.

The co-promotion deal was reported last week by Tokyo Sports: Though one must be wary of the tabloid bent of the publication, many no doubt have come to acknowledge that WVR faces grave peril in hosting the NYE show that features the showdown between two former judo Olympic gold medalists, Hidehiko Yoshida and Satoshi Ishii.

Earlier this week, Shukan (weekly) Playboy reported on the background information behind the formation of the putative co-promotion, claiming that WVR needed money to purchase the television time for its big-budget NYE show. When the estimation of the cost to produce came out, Don Quijote, Sengoku's main sponsor, supposedly balked the price tag and withdrew the support. The loss of the sponsor subsequently dealt a huge blow to Sengoku's NYE show, forcing WVR to seek collaboration with K-1.

Yesterday, World Victory Road broke the silence and issued a formal announcement that it is trying to secure a new venue for the NYE show. WVR claims that, due to the large interest generated by the fight card, a mid-sized arena like Ariake Coliseum cannot hold the size of the audience the show is now expected to draw. WVR now cedes the booking of Ariake Coliseum to Japanese Wrestling Foundation to host an amateur wrestling event on NYE.

A bizarre news from the WVR brass indeed -- we will just have to wait for FEG and WVR officials to lift the fog and elucidate what has been happening behind the scene (the supposed agreement between FEG's Sadaharu Tanikawa and chairman Yasuda of Don Quijote, in particular).

Stay tuned to MMAmania as more details regarding the FEG/SRC New Year's Eve mega-show surface.

Tito Ortiz on Forrest Griffin rematch: 'People haven't seen a fight like this since UFC 100' (Video)

2009-11-20T18:24:35Z

Watch UFC 106 online LIVE stream Nov. 21

2009-11-20T17:10:45Z

Mixed Martial Arts fans who may not have access to their cable boxes or cement-bucket satellite dishes can still catch all the pay-per-view (PPV) action of UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" this Saturday night (Nov. 21) at 10 p.m. ET from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, via Online LIVE stream at Yahoo! Sports or Smooth HD on UFC.com.

UFC 106 features a rematch between former light heavyweight champions, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, filling the gaping main event void left by Brock Lesnar, who was forced to withdraw from his heavyweight title defense against Shane Carwin because of a serious illness.

Top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, will once again step up on relatively short notice to see if the hard-hitting Anthony Johnson belongs among the division’s elite.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 106, beginning with the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

Of course many of the MMA maniacs out there like to rally the troops and head over to the local watering hole to catch the PPV event. In that case, you'll probably want to get a list of bars and restaurants airing the fight card in your area.

To check out where "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" might be playing near you, click here and here. Remember to call ahead for confirmation and seating availability.

And of course we'll see you right back here at MMAmania.com after the fights for all the UFC 106 results, recaps and coverage you can handle.

Dear Brock: Get well soon! Sincerely, Fedor

2009-11-20T15:55:01Z

"I would like to wish my fellow fighter Brock Lesnar a good and fast recovery. It is always unfortunate when a fighter has to pull out of a fight because of an injury."

Top ranked (an oft-maligned) heavyweight wrecking ball Fedor Emelianenko extends his well wishes on TeamFedor.com after learning that current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Shane Carwin due to a bacterial infection. "The Last Emperor" is often paired up with the pasty-face Goliath in a fantasy-matchmaking scenario despite the unlikelihood they'll ever compete against one another. Still, that hasn't stopped the WAMMA champ from hoping Lesnar gets back on the road to recovery and into the MMA spotlight once again.

(Thanks to Josh B. for the tip)