Eddie Alvarez meets Mike Aina in April for EliteXC

Eddie Alvarez (12-1) just defeated Ross Ebanez last Friday and is already booked for EliteXC's fight card on April 26th. He will do battle against BJ Penn trainee Mike Aina (8-6-1).

If Alvarez can beat Aina he should be in line for a shot at KJ Noons for the welterweight title. Unfortunately for Alvarez, Aina is not the fighter his record speaks of.

Every single one of Mike Aina's losses was a result of a decision, and they weren't to cab drivers either. He lost a split decision to IFL Lightweight Champion, Ryan Schultz, a decision loss to top UFC contender, Roger Huerta, and most recently a controversial split decision loss to Nick Diaz at EliteXC: “Uprising” back in December. Many believed Aina won the brutal three round war against Diaz.

Aina has gained a ton of confidence and has a great shot against Alvarez.

All Fighters Make Weight

All fighters made weight for UFC 81

The full weigh-in results included:

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (237) vs. Tim Sylvia (261)
Brock Lesnar (265) vs. Frank Mir (255)
Jeremy Horn (185) vs. Nate Marquardt (185)
Ricardo Almeida (185) vs. Rob Yundt (185)
Tyson Griffin (155) vs. Gleison Tibau (156)
Kyle Bradley (170) vs. Chris Lytle (170)
Tim Boetsch (205) vs. David Heath (205)
Marvin Eastman (185) vs. Terry Martin (186)
Rob Emerson (155) vs. Keita Nakamura (155)

The fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit for non title fights.

Bisbing vs. McCarthy Set for UFC 83

Michael Bisbing is set to make his welterweight debut against Charles McCarthy at UFC 83 in Montreal. This fight was tentatively scheduled to take place at a March 8 event in England.

Bisping only recently decided to move to middleweight. The 28-year-old cited a distinct size disadvantage as a reason; many fellow light heavyweights were cutting weight from 220 or 225 lbs. down to 205, whereas Bisping was dropping from just 210 lbs.

As for McCarthy (captain miserable), he’ll look for his second consecutive win inside the octagon. The 27-year-old suffered a legendary TKO (via spinning back kick) to David Loiseau at UFC 53 before earning a spot on “The Ultimate Fighter 4,” a special “comeback” season of the UFC’s popular reality series. He lost to Pete Sell in a preliminary bout but bounced back for a first-round submission of Gideon Ray in the show’s live finale. This will be his first fight in almost a year and a half.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard set for UFC Fight Night 13

The card keeps getting better and better and if we don't see this fight, it's a complete joke. But finally we're getting two studs going at it. Both of these fighters have a great story and we've gotten to know them over the last year.

Frankie Edgar is a Jersey Boy who was a standout wrestler in high school and has been a force in the lightweight division. He's had great battles and most recently dismantled veteran tough guy Spencer Fisher. He is rising up the lightweight ranks in spectacular fashion.

Gray Maynard was a favorite to win TUF 5 but lost to eventual winner Nate Diaz in a fight many believed Maynard was winning when he was submitted. Maynard had a bit to prove since the taping of the show and has won his last two fights and was winning another fight that was scored a 'no contest' when he slammed Rob Emerson and knocked himself out even though Emerson tapped.

This is a must see fight and if it's not televised, shame on the UFC.

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua confirms bout against Chuck Liddell

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will take on Chuck Liddell in June, the 2005 PRIDE GP Champion confirmed to Brazilian website TATAME.

Rua signed the contract yesterday and told TATAME that he plans on avenging former Chute Boxe teammate Wanderlei Silva's UFC 79 loss to Liddell.

Formerly considered by many to be the number one light heavyweight in the world, Rua suffered a setback in his UFC debut, losing to Forrest Griffin via rear naked choke with 15 seconds remaining in the fight.

Rua vs. Liddell is currently slated for June 14 at the O2 Arena in London, England. Though in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Liddell said his trainer would like to move the fight closer to home in Las Vegas.

Rua said he had a knee injury and wasn't 100% for his bout with Griffin which he did have surgery on recently. However, that doesn't account for him being gassed after the 1st round either.

Dan Henderson was recently interviewed and almost stated for a fact that people were using steroids in Pride FC because there was no testing. It most certainly explains why they're not doint to well in the UFC which has a strict performance enhancing substance policy.

Fitch Confirms Fight With Chris Wilson at UFC 82

Akihiro Gono had to withdraw from his welterweight fight with Jon Fitch due to a broken hand. It wasn't known if the UFC was going to find a replacement for Gono or if the fight was going to be scrapped.

The name Chris Wilson had been rumored about but very vaguely. Well it turns out it's been confirmed by Jon Fitch that he will indeed be fighting Chris Wilson at UFC 82.

My take on this is........ who the hell is Chris Wilson?

Odds for UFC 81

For those new to 'recreational' money lines, all bets are based on $100.
For instance, fighter A might be favored at -150 to win the fight. That means you have to wager $150 to win $100.
Fighter B might be an underdog at +130 to win the fight. That means if you wager $100, you will win $130.

Because there are no point spreads or handicap in fighting to even things out, you simply run the risk of wagering more money for the fighter that's more likely to win.

When Matt Serra fought Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title GSP was a huge favorite. The line read as follows:

Georges St. Pierre - 385
Matt Serra +330

If you took Georges St. Pierre, you lost $385 for every $100 wagered because he was expected to easily win.If you took Matt Serra, you won $330 for every $100 wagered because no one expected him to win.

Here are the latest odds for UFC 81

Keita Nakamura -260
Rob Emerson +200

David Heath -270
Tim Boetsch +210

Terry Martin -215
Marvin Eastman +175

Chris Lytle -600
Kyle Bradley +400

Tyson Griffin -325
Gleison Tibau +250

Nate Marquardt -220
Jeremy Horn +180

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira -175
Tim Sylvia +145

Brock Lesnar -135
Frank Mir +105

Report: Takanori Gomi signs with World Victory Road

The following was reported by mmafighting.com.

Though rumors had the Pride lightweight champion close to a deal with the UFC, Sherdog.com reports that Takanori Gomi has signed with World Victory Road.

Since Zuffa’s purchase of Pride, “The Fireball Kid” has been one the more hotly sought after free agents on the market. With this deal sealed, Gomi is expected to debut on the March 5th Sengoku card against a still undecided opponent. Specifics regarding the length of the deal haven’t been confirmed, but the former Pride star is expected to make approximately 190,000 USD per fight.

Gomi has been out of the ring since his spectacular fight, and submission loss, against Nick Diaz in February of last year. The bout was later overturned to a No Decision due to Diaz testing positive for marijuana.

Gomi currently ranks number one on MMAFighting.com's list of the top lightweights in the world.

For my own take, this is a serious blow to the UFC's pride. Obviously they have deep enough pockets but for a cupcake organization to be able to sign Gomi for that kind of amount says they mean business. Not to mention, Gomi past up on all the recognization that comes with being a UFC fighter and is an instant threat in the lightweight division.

There's gotta be some behind the scenes stuff that we, the fan, don't know about. Of course we don't know the behind the scenes stuff but why are high profile fighters turning a cold shoulder to the UFC?

Burkman Says Swick was Scared

Josh Burkman says he was ready for a war with Mike Swick last Wednesday. He knew Swick was gonna bring it. At the weigh ins, the stare down, he saw fire in Swicks eyes. In a moment, it was gone though. He states that once the fight began and they clinched, Swick knew he was in there with a better fighter and he fought scared.

The world according to Burkman. Ok, Burkman did get hosed in this decision but he proved absolutely nothing about him being the better fighter. He was busier and that was about it. He didn't strike, go for takedowns, or try to submit. All he did was clinch and press Swick up against the cage. That's not proving you're a better fighter.

The truth of the matter is, and I posted this in my re-cap of the fight, they both fought scared. Burkman was just as scared as Swick was and it wasn't because of who they were fighting. It was because neither fighter looked particularly great in their last couple fights and they know Dana White and the UFC have short term memory. That kind of pressure makes a guy fight a bit tentative and that's exactly how both of them looked.

Really, the fight should have been a draw or they both should have lost. They accomplished nothing in Dana White's eyes either.

Belcher Out of UFC 81

Alan Belcher has been force to withdraw from his fight against Ricardo Almeida due to severe bronchitis.

Undefeated Alaska Fighting Championship veteran Rob Yundt will step in to take his place.

Almeida is making his return not only to the UFC, but mixed martial arts in general following a layoff of nearly four years. He had been on a six-fight winning streak and held the middleweight King of Pancrase title when he decided to walk away from the sport in mid-2004 to focus on his jiu-jitsu academy.

UFC 83: Kalib Starnes Vs. Nate Quarry

First things first, UFC 84 is now UFC 83 due to the UFC not being able to square a deal with London. The fight card is being spread out among various other fight cards. So UFC 83 will take place in Montreal on April 19th and will feature the title fight between Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre.

TUF alums Kalib Starnes and Nate 'The Rock' Quarry will meet in a middleweight showdown. This fight is huge for both guys. Starnes has shown flashes but is coming off a loss to Alan Belcher due to a huge gash on Starnes forehead. Prior to that he defeated Chris Leben so Starnes has some credibility to him.

Quarry has fought only once since his highlight real knockout loss to Rich Franklin. He was out of action with a back injury, then split from his team but got back in the cage almost a full 2 years later with a knockout of Pete 'Drago' Sell in the third round. This fight was terrific however it was clear that Sell was winning up to that point.

Starnes has been given opportunity to climb the middleweight ranks but hasn't seized control. Quarry is under some serious pressure because at 35 years old, he's really running out of time and the UFC has a short term memory. A win over Starnes can shoot his ranking up in the thin middleweight division.

2 More Fights Added to UFC Fight Night 13

This card could really be a ppv but considering we aren't going to see any of these fights, why are they on the card?

Houston 'We Have a Problem' Alexander (I gave him that moniker, it's not really his name) will be fighting James Irvin. Also added is cardio machine Clay Guida vs. Samy Schiavo in a lightweight fight.

Alexander blew up the light heavyweight division by crushing Keith Jardine in the first round and then doing the same to Alessio Sakara. After a total of about 100 seconds of fighting between the two fights, Alexander ran into Thiago Silva, who after mounting the former hip hop dj, TKO'd him with strikes.

Irvin won his last fight by disqualification after he was stuck with an illegal knee by Luis Cane, was knocked out and couldn't continue.

In the lightweight division, Guida is looking to rebound from a submission loss to Roger Huerta. Guida was dominating the fight when he was rocked early in the 3rd round and got caught. He is probably the most underrated fighter in the UFC and should be able to make some serious noise in the division. But first he has to get past Sami Schaivo who is a 32-year-old French fighter who’s a veteran of the U.K.-based Cage Rage organization. He’s currently riding a six-fight win streak, which includes three submissions and three knockouts.

UFC Founder announces YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF)

The following was reported by mmafighting.com

UFC Founder Bob Meyrowitz and his Rope Partners group announced today the formation of a new mixed martial arts promotion, "YAMMA Pit Fighting."

This marks Meyrowitz's return to the sport since selling the UFC to Zuffa in 2001. Meyrowitz, with Art Davie and Rorian Gracie, started the UFC in 1993.

The first YPF event, which will be televised via pay-per-view, is scheduled for April 11 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

YPF will focus on a tournament format for its shows as well as taking a page out of the IFL's book -- the "Masters Superfights," which will be bouts between MMA legends.

The YPF will another twist by changing the platform where the fights take place. "The YPF surface, known as 'The YAMMA' is an evolution of the traditional fighting ring that will greatly alter the current basis of MMA by changing how the fight is fought and the strategy the fighters must use to win," the press release states. "This new surface has been specifically designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous."

Th YPF has been in the works for a while. Meyrowitz pitched the promotion as a reality TV show to cable networks in the summer of 2006.

"It’s with great excitement that we launch YAMMA Pit Fighting," Bob Meyrowitz said in a statement. "Our deep and proven knowledge of the entertainment and MMA spheres put us in a great position to add a new dimension to the presentation of MMA as it moves into the future."

Now for my take. In my opinion this is a pretty weak attempt to resurrect what he once destroyed. He's only trying to latch onto the MMA popularity and has no interest in making the sport better. I don't know about the guy but this doesn't seem right.

TUF 7 Spoiler Update

Brandon Sene and David Roberts have been picked for TUF 7.

Sene trains out of Gracie Tampa, the same gym that produced “The Ultimate Fighter 5” cast member Allen Berubie and “The Ultimate Fighter 6” stand-out Matt Arroyo. The facility is run by Royce Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Rob Kahn.

The 26-year-old Sene is a former sniper for the Marines Corps. He spent nearly two years in Iraq with the military and as a PSD contractor before returning to the U.S. to devote himself to MMA.

David Roberts, he man who introduced Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to the world of mixed martial arts, could now find himself being coached by the UFC light heavyweight champion.

Back in 1999, Jackson was still oblivious to the world of MMA. However, Roberts, his high-school buddy and a fellow wrestler, was preparing for an MMA fight and asked Jackson for help. Jackson was soon introduced to the sport of fighting, and he was instantly hooked. He and Roberts would maintain their friendship as both ventured into their respective MMA careers.

Jackson’s is well-documented and full of success. Roberts, though, may be getting his last shot at stardom.

Alessio vs. Larson set for WEC in March

John Alessio has been tapped to square off with Brock Larson on World Extreme Cagefighting’s tentatively planned March card in Sacramento, Calif., said a source close to the Vancouver, British Columbia native. The bout is said to be a contender’s match, with the victor facing WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit later this year, possibly as early as the summer.

Alessio (21-10) has won three in a row, his last loss coming against Condit (21-4) back in March. Larson (22-2), too, has lost to Condit via armbar that looked like Larson's arm was still in Condit's hand 2 minutes later.

Whoever wins, the fight with Condit should be a spectacular one given both fighters are wanting to avenge losses. Brock Larson is a mean looking dude with a ton of muscle but something just isn't right with Carlos Condit up the old noggin. Seems like that elevator don't go to the top floor. It's going to be tough for either of these fighters when they do face Condit.

Pete Spratt to face Ryan Ford

Pete "The Secret Weapon" Spratt will take on the undefeated Ryan Ford at Maximum Fighting Championship 15 on Friday, Feb. 22 in Edmonton, Canada.

Spratt (17-10) was brought back into the UFC late 2006 when he was cast on The Ultimate Fighter 4, but fell out of the organization by mid-2007 after two straight submission losses. The 37-year-old striker has rejuvenated his career with Mark Cuban’s HDNet Fights, winning two straight bouts via first-round TKO since signing with the company. At HDNet Fights: Reckless Abandon in December, Spratt ground and pounded his way to a cut stoppage victory over Tristan Yunker.

Ford (4-0), who will enter the fight in the eighth month of his professional MMA career, is taking a huge step in competition. Spratt is a 7-time UFC competitor, while Ford’s four previous opponents entered their fights with Ford with a combined record of 2-3. He will, however, have the support of the crowd from his hometown of Edmonton.

On the same card, The Ultimate Fighter 3 alum Jesse Forbes will square off against Steve Steinbeiss in a light-heavyweight bout.

Jesse Forbes appeared to be winning a fight against Josh Haynes during TUF 3 when he was caught in a standing guillotine choke. He then lost to Matt Hammil at the Ultimate Fighter Finale, was given another chance to fight in WEC and was TKO'd in September by Bryan Baker. He's been since let go by the organization. The WEC is owned by Zuffa and is sort of the 'minor leagues' of the UFC, except for the 145 lb division. The UFC doesn't have a 145 pound division so what you see in the WEC is some good stuff.

Tito Celebrates His 33rd B-day in Style

If you haven't seen the clip yet. Check out http://www.rawvegas.tv/ and click on Tito Ortiz's birthday clip. There's interviews with Tito, Kendall Grove, and Jenna Jameson does a whore like choreographed stripper dance.

In the interview Tito seems like a good dude. He's very well spoken and talked about how the UFC has been treating him. With ridiculous editorial side comments from Jenna as if she knows anything about fighting. He says they basically treat him like shit considering he's been with the company for 11 years. He makes the point that the fans aren't watching pay per views because of the UFC, it's because of the fighters, and they're the ones risking their careers every time they step into the octagon.

Tito is absolutely right and you definitely have to commend him for standing by the fighters. He's trying to protect not only himself and the current superstars, but the future stars as well. His best days are probably behind him and he might find out the hard way against Lyoto Machida.

May might be the last time we see Tito Ortiz in the UFC. He says he's the bad boy but you can tell that he's really a good guy. Again, can all these fighters be wrong in their experience with Dana White and the UFC?

Good luck Tito, and please, give Jenna a cheeseburger for Christ sakes. She's wasting away to nothing dude. When she stands sideways all you can see is her nose. Haven't you seen the Karen Carpenter movie?

TUF 7 Spoiler Update

The following has been reported by mmajunkie.com

Mississippi-based fighter Jeremiah Riggs (1-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is headed to Las Vegas for the upcoming seventh season of "The Ultimate Fighter."

Riggs, a 25-year-old former sheriff’s deputy, posted a 4-2 amateur record for the Alabama-based Southern Fighting Alliance and other Southeast-based fight organizations. He then made his professional debut this past September, earning a submission victory (via strikes) over Craig Sjoerdsma at an Ultimate Cage Fighting event in Louisiana.

Although he’s had little professional experience, Riggs has sought out some quality training. A source close to Riggs told us that the fighter recently spent some time in California training with Strikeforce world middleweight champ Frank Shamrock. Riggs was set to become part of the San Jose Razorclaws — an International Fight League team coached by Shamrock — but after never winning a team matchup, the IFL disbanded the team after the 2007 fight season.

As for his personality, “Jeremiah’s just a freakin’ crazy country boy,” we’re told.

UFC's Deal for Gomi Falls Through

A potential deal between Takanori Gomi and the UFC has fallen through. It was rumored that Gomi, if a deal was made, was going to face the UFC's rising star Frankie Edgar.

The bout was accepted under the circumstances that the UFC would secure Gomi who was the reigning Pride lightweight champion. Once the deal fell through, so did the fight.

There was no reason as to why the deal fell through or if they plan on negotiating again in the near future. If Gomi does test the market and land in another organization, chalk another tiny blemish on the UFC's record.

Gomi would be a great addition to the UFC but in reality, Dana White doesn't need him that bad. The lightweight division is stacked and I'm certain White has a good 2 years of fights already lined up.

Ryan Shamrock's Opponent Named

The following excerpt was reported on www.mmaweekly.com.

Cage Rage on Monday announced that Ryan Shamrock, son of Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Ken Shamrock, will face Giorgio Andrews on its March 8 event at Wembley Arena in London.

Ryan made his debut on his father’s show, Fight at the Falls, defeating Josh Besneatte with a choke in the first round. That is his only professional experience at this point in his career.

His opponent is a Cage Rage Contenders veteran. Andrews has won both of his professional bouts by TKO in the first round. Contenders acts as a developmental show for Cage Rage.

Ryan and Ken Shamrock both signed with EliteXC recently and are both scheduled to fight on the March 8 event. Ken faces Robert Berry in the main event, which is expected to air on the Showtime network in the United States.

ProElite, the parent company of EliteXC, also owns and operates Cage Rage.

Now for my portion. I'm thinking that Ryan Shamrock will be more in demand than his father Ken. I still don't see how he got a main event bout with EliteXC. It does show where they stand in terms of talent against other organizations.

Can Couture vs. Emelianenko Live up to the Hype??

The mess that has ensued because promotions are not putting together Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko is growing by the day. The main question is will this fight, if it takes place, ever live up to the hype it's receiving?

Couture says that defeating Fedor is the very last accomplishment he wants to achieve in his fighting career. This fight won't take place any time soon which means that Couture could possibly be 45 years old when they fight. Laws of nature will eventually catch up to him. There's no way to delay it any longer. He can train all he wants but age sneaks up on you like a...um...well something that sneaks up on someone.

Do we want to see a 45 year old man fighting the most dangerous man on the planet? Ok I know we should never doubt Couture but c'mon, at his age reflexes aren't as sharp, balance and stability aren't what they once were. Don't forget, this guy was fed his cake by Chuck Liddell twice not too long ago and now there's talk of Liddell not being what he once was.

While it's extremely impressive that Couture came out of retirement and won the heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia, it was only Tim Sylvia. Think about it, Tim Sylvia said he wasn't going to use it as an excuse but he did have a legitimate back injury which required surgery so he clearly wasn't 100%. Not to mention, the consensus says Tim Sylvia sucks.

So Randy Couture defeated an injured Tim Sylvia and then took on Gabriel Gonzaga, whom he TKO'd in the 3rd round to retain his title. Gonzaga had just come off knocking Cro Cop's head off to earn the right to face Couture. Then we see Gonzaga in his fight against Fabricio Werdum and he stunk up the joint.

So Couture beat two average fighters and now he's supposed to conquer Fedor. I don't want to say this but given the opponents, maybe Couture isn't that great and this fight shouldn't get the hype it's getting.

Fedor hasn't fought any real competition in about a year and it's looking like he still won't. A comment was written by 'God of Thunder' regarding the heavyweight division and he ended it with, "I wanna see Couture vs. Fedor!"

Well this fight needs to happen yesterday before it loses every bit of lust it's attained. But while I know not to doubt Randy Couture, I don't see how this fight can live up to its billing. If and when it does happen, don't say I didn't warn you of a disappointment.

Leben vs. Sakara Confirmed for UFC 82

Upon completing the rumor post regarding Chris Leben vs. Alessio Sakara, the fight has been confirmed. So it will take place and hopefully will make a UFC unleashed highlight real very soon.

UFC 82 Rumored Fight: Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Leben

An already stacked card possibly just got even better with Chris 'The Crippler' Leben rumored to do battle against Alessio Sakara at UFC 82. Unfortunately this fight probably won't be televised on the ppv due to their being a total of 10 fights that night.

If this fight takes place, Sakara will drop down to 185 to make the fight happen. The strange thing though is Sakara just fought at UFC 80 against James Lee (granted the fight only went 90 seconds) which only gives him 6 weeks between fights.

Don't be surprised to see another 90 second fight the way these guys swing for the fences.

Leben was just about to suffer his third loss in a row as he was getting rocked by Terry Martin in his last fight when he threw a haymaker that caught Martin on the button. The original TUF castmember has had ups and downs since the taping of the show.

There are definitely implications to this fight. Both fighters have had rollercoaster runs as of late and need to establish themselves once again for contention. This fight should be a slugfest. If it happens.

More Spoilers for TUF 7

Another Team Jorge Gurgel welterweight Matt Brown (7-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC), an Ohio fighter who recently headlined an Indianapolis UFL event against UFC veteran Chris Lytle, has been chosen as a cast member for “The Ultimate Fighter 7."

Team Gurgel is cleaning house for TUF 7 with 3 fighters already in the cast. The show will feature 16 fighters.

Brown, normally a 170-pounder, will jump a weight class to compete on the show. He split his time training between Team Gurgel and IMB of Columbus, one of central Ohio’s top training centers, to prepare for the show. He’s recently been working with Renzo Gracie fighters David Branch and Nardu Debrah.

Perhaps the biggest victory of Brown’s career is a second-round TKO of “The Ultimate Fighter 6” standout Matt Arroyo at a NovembEr 2006 “Real Fighting Championships” event in Tampa, Fla. He also delivered Douglas Lima (6-1) the only loss of his career at a February 2007 International Sport Combat Federation show in Atlanta.

He fought TUF 4 runner up Chris Lytle but lost in the second round by submission. After the fight, however, Lytle touted the young fighter saying he was extremely tough and one of the most relentless guys he's ever fought.

TUF 7 Spoiler Update

The following was posted by www.mmajunkie.com

Prince McleanPrince Mclean (4-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC), an Ohio-based middleweight who’s suffered his fair share of bad luck lately, has finally received some good fortune: he’s been chosen as a cast member for "The Ultimate Fighter 7."

Mclean will surely be one of the most scrutinized selections for the show, thanks to his 4-5 career record. Things started off well enough as the fighter posted four consecutive knockout victories — three of them in less than two minutes each. However, Mclean’s since loss five straight, but two of those losses resulted from shoulder injuries — including a dislocated shoulder in his most recent fight — that rendered him unable to continue.

Although all his victories have come via knockout, Mclean is quite comfortable on the ground. In high school, he was a two-time state qualifier in wrestling. Additionally, he trains at Team Jorge Gurgel, one of the country’s top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools. The Cincinnati-based team is home to Rich Franklin, Marcus Davis, Dustin Hazelett, Gurgel and other UFC fighters.

That was where the quote ended but I feel the need to add this. Does anyone really want to advertise that they're from Team Gurgel? Don't get me wrong, people say he's a fantastic coach but he's just not that great of a fighter. Isn't that like having Marc Laimon corner you? Ok, far stretch but you get the point. If not for Rich Franklin, Team Gurgel wouldn't be in the UFC at all.

Jake Shields vs. Drew Fickett for EliteXC 170 lb. Title

Jake Sheilds is set to take on Drew Fickett for the rights to wear the first-ever EliteXC 170-pound title belt. T he championship bout will take place on the Strikeforce and EliteXC co-promoted "Shamrock vs. Le" event on March 29 in San Jose, California.

Shields (20-4-1) is a former Shooto champion with victories over Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami, Dave Menne, Renato "Charuto" Verissimo, and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai. I n April 2006, the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu product defeated Condit and Okami in one night to win the Rumble on the Rock Grand Prix. Shields is currently on a nine-fight win streak.

Fickett (31-5) is a solid opponent with a dangerous rear naked choke, which he has utilized to secure six of his last seven wins. The move has helped the 7-time UFC veteran get his hand raised over Josh Koscheck, Josh Neer, Kurt Pellegrino and most recently, Mark Weir.

This is exactly what Dana White doesn't want to see. Jake Shields is a sick fighter who has wins over some big time opponents, and the same goes for Drew Fickett. White's gotta know that this should be a UFC fight.

This bout could be the very beginning of the smaller organization clawing its way in the MMA world. A world that's ruled and monopolized by Dana White.

Mirko Cro Cop Update

In Dana White's post UFC 80 press conference he stated that he was unsure of the status of Mirko Cro Cop, saying Cro Cop is weighing his options regarding his future.

It's been reported that Cro Cop has been training and he could be ready to fight as soon as April. Unfortunately most or all of the heavyweights are booked.

The question is, who do you put him up against? Is Cro Cop fighting down to the competition or is he just done? If you put him up against a cupcake just to get him back in the win column and he loses, he's completely done with fighting.

I say you put him up against a tough opponent but not a journeyman. Put him up against a young guy who is on the brink of stardom. This way, if Cro Cop wins, he can get back mentally knowing he can win against tough competition. Also, if a tough, young guy loses to Cro Cop, you're not destroying their career. A 22 year old who loses to Cro Cop has nothing to be ashamed of and it won't set them back in the division either.

You'll have all your answers about Cro Cop at that point. Dana White needs to have him fight again simply because of the hype and money he sunk into the former Pride standout.

Another Spoiler for TUF 7

All American wrestler C.B. Dollaway has been named as another cast member for the 7th season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'.

Dollaway is a former high school state champion, a junior college national champion, and a 2005 collegiate All-American while at ASU. His transition into MMA has been a smooth one. Despite his wrestling background, he’s posted five stoppages — four by way of knockout.

During a 13-month career, Dollaway, an Arizona Combat Sports team member, has faced some solid competition in some top organizations. Victories over Hans Marrero (11-5), Joe Bunch (7-1) and George Hartman (3-2) have come in fight promotions such as HDNet Fights, the IFO, and Rage in the Cage. He made his MMA debut at a November 2006 Cage Fighing Federation show and earned a 17-second victory with a knockout via slam.

We will be updating the rest of the cast as it's revealed.

The coaches will be Forrest Griffin and light heavyweight champ Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson. The coaches will also be battling in the cage after the season of TUF 7.

Couture Predicts Sylvia Over 'Big Nog'

The following excerpt was posted at www.mmajunkie.com


In a little less than a week, former champions Tim Sylvia and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will meet in the main event of UFC 81 for the UFC’s interim heavyweight title. And the current title holder’s predicting a victory for the UFC vet.

UFC 81 takes place Feb. 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Couture likes Nogueira’s chances on the ground; he gives Sylvia the nod on their feet. As for a prediction, though, Couture thinks Nogueira’s most recent performance will be the deciding factor.

“I think it’s going to be a good fight,” Couture said. “I’m a fan of the sport first and foremost. I think it’s an interesting match-up. Nogueira’s strength tends to be on the ground and in the submission game, and Tim is just a long, strong, hard-to-take-down guy who’s got great striking abilities. It’s a classic match-up and for the interim title, so they both have a lot on the line.

“I like Tim’s chances in that fight given Nogueira’s performance against Heath Herring in the last fight. I like Sylvia in a stoppage of some kind.“

Sylvia (24-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has went to a decision in four of his past five victories. However, his first four UFC wins all came via stoppage — three by knockout.

In addition to the Sylvia-Nogueira fight, Couture spoke to the Calgary Sun about his current legal situation with the UFC. I t appears the UFC is now trying to keep Couture from cornering his Xtreme Couture fighters in other fight promotions.

Couture has recently been at HDNet Fights and International Fight League events to corner his guys, and while the UFC is trying to halt him from going to any other event (saying it violates the terms of his contract), he says he’ll be in Canada later this week to corner Mike Kyle at a Hardcore Championship Fighting event.

“There’s no merit in (stopping me),” Couture said. “It’s just a ploy on the UFC’s part to drag me down and force me to spend money and I’m sure they think if they force me to spend enough money, I’ll have to come back and fight. That’s not really the case."

Ultimate Fighter 7 spoiler: 4 Fighters Revealed

If you're up for surprises then don't read any further but mmanews.com has revealed 4 of the 16 fighters for season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter.


Four of the sixteen competitors selected for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter have been revealed in recent days. The Ultimate Fighter 7 “Team Griffin vs. Team Rampage” began taping this week and will debut on April 2nd immediately following UFC Fight Night 13.

Steve Byrnes (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

Byrnes is a UFC-veteran who has also fought in well-known MMA promotions Icon Sport and Rumble on the Rock. After starting his career with six straight submission victories Byrnes made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 7 in late-2006 losing to Logan Clark via unanimous decision. After more than a year away from professional action Byrnes will now return to the UFC.

Luke Zachrich (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio Zachrich has shown well-rounded skills throughout his brief career. None of his eight career fights have gone the distance with Zachrich securing four wins via TKO and three via submission. His lone loss came via submission in early-2007 though he has since bounced back with four straight wins.

Aaron Meisner (2-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Meisner made his professional debut in mid-2007 and has defeated both of his opponents in a combined 2-minutes and 28-seconds. In his professional debut in Junem Meisner defeated Pat Russo via first-round KO. In his last fight in October, Meisner defeated Chris Reedy via TKO

Mike Marrello (5-1-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Marello has fought nearly exclusively in the Xtreme Fighting Organization with a single fight in King of the Cage. A veteran of the Marines, Marrello is a member of Team Curran. Since turning pro in late-2006 Marrello has fought 7-times including recent back-to-back wins over Ron Fields and Fahid Khamo.


That's a direct quote from the website as I've never heard of any of these guys. But more characters is what this sport needs. I don't mean jerkoffs either. Learning about guys and where they came from gives us, the fans, reasons to root for or against these guys. It's one thing that Dana White and the UFC have over every organization is this reality show. Unfortunately, after the show most of the guys disappear unless they win the entire thing. Look at Sammy Morgan from TUF 2. He was supposed to contend, got knocked out by Luke Cummo during the show and I'm not sure if he's won since. He just lost via knockout to Paul Daley at Friday's 'ShoXC' event in Atlantic City. It wasn't a surprise because Daley is a force but just look how far Morgan's fallen.

Yet had he never been on TUF 2, I doubt anyone would even know who he was. It's great to learn about these guys and so far the only way we have been able to is through the show.

MMAnews power rankings

LIGHT WEIGHT DIVISION (155 LBS.)
1. B.J. Penn
2. Takanori Gomi
3. Gesias Calvancanti
4. Shinya Aoki
5. Mitsuhiro Ishida
6. Gilbert Melendez
7. Tatsuya Kawajiri
8. Sean Sherk
9. Vitor Ribeiro
10. Joachim Hansen

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170 LBS.)
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Matt Serra
3. Matt Hughes
4. Hayato Sakurai
5. Jake Shields
6. Karo Parisyan
7. Jon Fitch
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Diego Sanchez
10. Marcus Davis

MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185 LBS.)
1. Anderson Silva
2. Paulo Filho
3. Dan Henderson
4. Matt Lindland
5. Rich Franklin
6. Yushin Okami
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Frank Trigg
9. Denis Kang
10. Frank Shamrock

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205 LBS.)
1. Quinton Jackson
2. Dan Henderson
3. Keith Jardine
4. Forrest Griffin
5. Chuck Liddell
6. Mauricio Rua
7. Wanderlei Silva
8. Lyoto Machida
9. Sokoudjou
10. Ricardo Arona

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (up to 265 LBS.)
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
3. Josh Barnett
4. Randy Couture
5. Tim Sylvia
6. Fabricio Werdum
7. Andrei Arlovski
8. Gabriel Gonzaga
9. Mirko CroCop
10. Aleksander Emelianenko

POUND FOR POUND (No Limit)
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Fedor Emelianenko
3. Anderson Silva
4. Quinton Jackson
5. Dan Henderson
6. Randy Couture
7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
8. B.J. Penn
9. Takanori Gomi
10. Urijah Faber

Who in the world came up with these? Sean Sherk is ranked #8 in the lightweight division yet was just the UFC lightweight champ.
Dan Henderson just lost to Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and didn't drop down in rankings at all?
How is Jon Fitch ranked so low on the list as well? He's poised to get a shot soon if he keeps his winning streak going.
How is Cro Cop still in the top ten of the heavyweight division?
Last but not least, how in the world is BJ Penn ranked 8th in the best pound for pound fighter when he should be either first or second.

Frank Shamrock Still Unhappy with the Way UFC is Run

Frank Shamrock left the UFC as the first middleweight champ and undefeated in the octagon. A record he still proudly boasts. He spoke of Dana White monopolizing the world of MMA and how without competition there is no product.

Just like I mentioned the way the WWE has been running.

He says he hasn't spoken to Dana White in a long time but would never rule out a return to the UFC. He did mention that the smaller organizations at least take the fighters opinions into consideration as far as fights and marketing strategies go whereas the UFC will tell you who you're fighting, where you're fighting, and they'll decide everything else.

At this point, Frank Shamrock is popular in name only but does plan on getting a couple fights in this year. However, he might be past his prime to use as a name for marketing main events. He does have a pretty good business sense and could help smaller organizations in that manner.

Randleman Could Return against Monson

Kevin Randleman is once again healthy after a nasty staph infection bore holes in his leg and could face grappler Jeff Monson. Randleman has been in the spotlight yet hasn't fought in a while. He might be best known for dropping Fedor on his head during a fight in Pride, only to have Fedor only get angry and submit Randleman with a kimura.

Randleman says he would like to fight four or five times in 2008. At times, he looked poised to be unstoppable as he would run right through people. At times, his aggressiveness put him in vulnerable positions which caused him to be submitted. He's getting up there in age so time is running out for the former wrestler. No one is sure which organization he'll be fighting in.

Jeff Monson hasn't been seen in the UFC since his unanimous decision loss to Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight title. He's fought a couple times since outside the organization and is usually in shape no matter if a fight is scheduled or not. Hopefully this fight happens and we'll be able to see it instead of read about it 2 weeks after it happens.