UFC NEWS: Chael Sonnen's UFC contract "frozen" following money laundering conviction; Dana White says he needs to get personal life together

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC has suspended middleweight Chael Sonnen in the wake of his guilty plea this week to money laundering in connection to the sale of home in 2006, according to TMZ.com.

Per the TMZ report, UFC President Dana White confirmed that they have "frozen" Sonnen's contract. White commented on Sonnen, and said the middleweight needs to get his personal life in order before returning to action.

"Chael Sonnen has gone through a lot in the last few months and we think it's important for him to focus on getting his personal life together before focusing on his career in the UFC," White said.

"I spoke with Chael earlier today and he agrees that setting priorities in his life is the best thing for him right now. I sincerely hope Chael is able to straighten out his personal life."

Sonnen had been reportedly penciled in for a bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128, but that bout will no longer be coming to fruition, and there's no timetable on how long Sonnen's contract will be frozen.

Link to TMZ.com story

Penick's Analysis: This latest development isn't surprising. From the steroid issue to this money laundering case, Sonnen's been digging himself deeper and deeper, and while the UFC may have been able to sell his return, his trash talking may have gotten tempered with the criticisms he'd likely receive upon his return. How long the UFC decides to keep him on the sidelines is anyone's guess, but it's clear enough damage has been done over the last few months that the rematch with Anderson Silva is completely out of view.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8042.shtml

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Mauricio Rua Rashad Evans Quinton Jackson

Strikeforce Tournament Could Crown MMA's Top Heavyweight

by Michael David SmithThere's no such thing as "the heavyweight champion of the world" in mixed martial arts. That's a title that various promoters can bestow on their fighters, but the reality is that the promotions have their own heavyweight champions. If those champions won't fight each other, then we never really know, for sure, who the champ is.

But there is usually a consensus opinion among MMA fans and the MMA media about who the top heavyweight is. For years, the top heavyweight was Fedor Emelianenko, which meant that the No. 1 heavyweight resided outside the UFC. The combination of Fedor's loss to Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez's victory over Brock Lesnar, however, solidified Velasquez, in the eyes of most observers, as the No. 1 heavyweight.

None of the fighters participating in Strikeforce's eight-man heavyweight tournament will get the opportunity to wrest control of the mythical heavyweight crown away from Velasquez inside the cage. But the tournament will give the winner a lot of ammunition for an argument that he is, in fact, the best. And the tournament gives Strikeforce its best chance of making a legitimate case that its champion -- and not the UFC's -- is the best heavyweight.

 

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/01/05/strikeforce-tournament-could-crown-mmas-top-heavyweight/

Cheick Kongo Roy Nelson Rich Franklin Forrest Griffin

MMA Top 10 Featherweights: New Year, New Faces

Filed under: DREAM, UFC, Sengoku, Featherweights

An injury forced featherweight champion Jose Aldo to drop out of his scheduled fight at UFC 125, and while Aldo was on the sideline for New Year's, the featherweight division underwent some radical changes.

The New Year's cards for the UFC, Dream and Sengoku all had big featherweight fights that featured several surprise results, and now that the dust has settled, the featherweight division looks a whole lot different heading into 2011 than it did for most of 2010 -- with the exception, of course, that Aldo is still the king.

Check out our rankings of the rest of the featherweight division below.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/01/06/mma-top-10-featherweights-new-year-new-faces/

Shane Carwin Frank Mir Alistair Overeem Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Strikeforce: Fabricio Werdum says he?s going to make Alistair Overeem go to sleep

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2011/1/6/1918391/alistair-overeem-asked-for-fabricio-werdum-to-avenge-loss-in-pridefc

Mauricio Rua Rashad Evans Quinton Jackson Lyoto Machida

UFC NEWS: Chael Sonnen's UFC contract "frozen" following money laundering conviction; Dana White says he needs to get personal life together

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC has suspended middleweight Chael Sonnen in the wake of his guilty plea this week to money laundering in connection to the sale of home in 2006, according to TMZ.com.

Per the TMZ report, UFC President Dana White confirmed that they have "frozen" Sonnen's contract. White commented on Sonnen, and said the middleweight needs to get his personal life in order before returning to action.

"Chael Sonnen has gone through a lot in the last few months and we think it's important for him to focus on getting his personal life together before focusing on his career in the UFC," White said.

"I spoke with Chael earlier today and he agrees that setting priorities in his life is the best thing for him right now. I sincerely hope Chael is able to straighten out his personal life."

Sonnen had been reportedly penciled in for a bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128, but that bout will no longer be coming to fruition, and there's no timetable on how long Sonnen's contract will be frozen.

Link to TMZ.com story

Penick's Analysis: This latest development isn't surprising. From the steroid issue to this money laundering case, Sonnen's been digging himself deeper and deeper, and while the UFC may have been able to sell his return, his trash talking may have gotten tempered with the criticisms he'd likely receive upon his return. How long the UFC decides to keep him on the sidelines is anyone's guess, but it's clear enough damage has been done over the last few months that the rematch with Anderson Silva is completely out of view.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8042.shtml

Frank Mir Alistair Overeem Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Mauricio Rua

Stann TKOs 'toughest guy in the UFC' at UFC 125

In his second bout at middleweight, Brian Stann used his power to take out Chris Leben, winning in a first round TKO at UFC 125 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Stann beat Leben down in the first round, first wobbling him with a right hand. Leben crumbled to the ground after another right hand, but worked back to his feet. Stann continued the onslaught, throwing knees and punches, trying to put Leben away. After Leben got back to his feet twice, only to fall back down to his knee, the fight was stopped at 3:37 of the first round. 

After the bout, Stann said that he wanted this bout because he knew Leben would be a test.

"I asked for Chris Leben because he is the toughest guy on the UFC roster," Stann said. "I'm ecstatic, but golly can this guy take some shots!"

Stann earned his 10th victory at UFC 125, pushing his record to 10-3. Leben, an alumnus of the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter," falls to 25-7.

Stann, a captain in the Marines, emotionally dedicated the fight to one of his Marines who died this week in Afghanistan.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Stann-TKOs-toughest-guy-in-the-UFC-at-UFC-125?urn=mma-302390

Kenny Florian Jose Aldo Phil Davis Pat Barry

STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Fedor's extension, 8-man Heavyweight Grand Prix officially announced

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Strikeforce's Heavyweight Grand Prix is official, as the organization - in conjunction with M-1 Global and Showtime - announced the eight man tournament, along with the multi-year contract signing for co-promoted events with M-1 Global featuring Fedor Emelianenko.

The four previously reported bouts, Fedor vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov, Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Brett Rogers vs. Josh Barnett, were all announced as quarterfinal matchups. Fedor vs. Silva and Arlovski vs. Kharitonov will take place on February 12 in New Jersey, though the Overeem vs. Werdum and Rogers vs. Barnett fights do not yet have a date or location.

"We are thrilled to have come to a long-term agreement with Fedor and M-1 Global,? said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker in today's release. "To have the greatest MMA fighter of all-time put his legacy on the line in a single-elimination tournament will truly captivate MMA fans worldwide. Strikeforce is home to the best heavyweight division in the world; the athlete who runs the gauntlet in a tournament such as this would have to be considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world."

The new agreement will also bring M-1 Global events to Showtime, as M-1 Global co-founder Vadim Finkelchtein commented on the deal and the new working relationship between the parties.

"I'm very pleased to be working with Showtime and Strikeforce and Mr. Coker and Mr. Hershman personally. Thanks to their interest and efforts, we've created what will go down in history as MMA's greatest heavyweight tournament of all time," said Finkelchtein. "M-1, Strikeforce and Showtime have built a partnership committed to the future growth of MMA?a sport where organizations represent a working collaborative that enable the best fighters in the world to fight each other. This agreement benefits everyone, especially the fans who'll see Fedor in action more often.

?With Showtime's significance in the U.S. and M-1's development of the European and Asian MMA markets, the cooperation will also deliver a global roster of talented fighters to viewers," Finkelchtein continued. "During the coming year, we'll be showcasing spectacular Grand Prix events using the same M-1 Selection tournament format, a series of events generating enthusiastic spectator interest keeping fans glued to their screens."

Showtime executive Ken Hershman commented on the tournament format, and pointed to Showtime's recent Super Six series in boxing as one of their recent successes with tournaments.

"I can't think of a better way to start 2011 than with this major announcement,? said Hershman. "Fedor is universally known to sports fans throughout the world and it is an honor to continue our work with M-1 Global and Strikeforce in presenting this legendary fighter to Showtime subscribers.

"Showtime has enjoyed great success with its two most recent boxing tournaments?the Super Six World Boxing Classic and The Bantamweight Tournament," Hershman continued. "And now, with the breadth of talent in the Strikeforce heavyweight division, we have the privilege of staging one of the biggest tournaments in the history of this growing sport. With the Strikeforce World Grand Prix's single-elimination format and the biggest names in the sport today, this tournament is something that no sports fan will want to miss."

Finally, Emelianenko himself commented on the tournament and the new deal, and expressed his desire to get back in action.

"I have been training very hard since my last fight and can't wait to get back in the cage," said Emelianenko. "Strikeforce has assembled a roster filled with the best heavyweights in the world and, together with M-1 Global, we have the opportunity to fight the best in a great tournament format."

Penick's Analysis: I sincerely hope that Strikeforce can pull this off without any snags by the time the finals and semifinals roll around. This will bring the two fights that make the most sense right now in Fedor vs. Bigfoot and Overeem vs. Werdum, and then depending how the tournament plays out they'd potentially have a Fedor vs. Overeem bout or a Fedor vs. Werdum rematch come as well. If Fedor gets beat, then whichever fighter beats him will already have a fight lined up. This could be a lot of fun, and provided it all goes to plan it could be a good year for Strikeforce after a disappointing 2010.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_8039.shtml

Josh Koscheck Martin Kampmann Carlos Condit Nick Diaz

UFC Suspends Chael Sonnen

Filed under: UFC

UFC star Chael Sonnen, who was already serving a suspension for a positive drug test, has now been suspended by the UFC after his guilty plea to money laundering.

UFC President Dana White told TMZ that Sonnen's contract has been "frozen" while he tries to get his personal life in order. But White also made clear that he still supports Sonnen and wants to see him back in the Octagon.

"Chael Sonnen has gone through a lot in the last few months and we think it's important for him to focus on getting his personal life together before focusing on his career in the UFC," White said. "I spoke with Chael earlier today and he agrees that setting priorities in his life is the best thing for him right now. I sincerely hope Chael is able to straighten out his personal life."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/01/04/ufc-suspends-chael-sonnen/

Joe Silva Chuck Lidell Tito Ortiz Frankie Edgar

Guida's wild movement yields a submission win over Gomi at UFC 125

There's no one like Clay Guida in the world of mixed martial arts. His head movement and footwork is frenetic. He had Takanori Gomi confused from the opening moments of their fight. With Gomi off balance and punching at the air, Guida got his takedown game going. He showed off some solid jiu-jitsu in locking on a guillotine choke. Gomi tapped at 2:39 of the second. 

Gomi (32-7-1, 1-2 UFC) did a decent job of stuffing Guida's takedowns until the middle of the second round. Guida shot in, Gomi landed a good knee but the American ate the shot and settled the fight down in half guard. Guida got a hold of Gomi's head and tried to pass to the mount. Gomi tried to fight the guard pass by rolling, but it allowed Guida to spin to his back where he locked the guillotine. It was too tight and Gomi had to tap.

Update - Guida's guillotine choke got him Submission of the Night. He received $60,000. It was Guida's fifth postfight award in 13 UFC fights. 

Gomi, a legend in Japan, once considered by some as the No. 1 lightweight in the world, actually looked fine in the fight. Guida is a difficult matchup for strikers. Gomi came out in a low stance and did everything he could to find Guida, but he couldn't. He landed a few shots as he switched from southpaw to conventional throughout. Nothing ever rocked Guida.

Guida (28-11, 8-5 UFC) has now won three straight and is probably in the mix again for a fight against a top five fighter at 155. The last time he tried, he lost back-to-back matches against Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez.  

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Guida-s-wild-movement-yields-a-submission-win-ov?urn=mma-302376

Ryan Bader Jon Jones Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Muhammed Lawal

UFC QUOTABLES: Next challenger Anthony Pettis picks Frankie Edgar over Gray Maynard at UFC 125

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"I think Frankie Edgar's going to walk out with that belt. Everybody's been asking me this, this is the first time I've really said I think Frankie Edgar's going to walk out with it. It's just one of those things, he beat B.J. Penn twice, his confidence is crazy high, he's looking better every fight, and he has a loss he wants to avenge... Every fight I go into I'm the underdog, I love it. Nobody still knows what I can do, there's so much that I can do that the world hasn't seen. Just because these guys have been fighting in the UFC and the big stage, that doesn't mean they?re better than us, or they have better experience than us."

-Anthony Pettis talks to MMAWeekly.com and gives his pick for tonight's UFC 125 main event as well as being a perennial underdog.

Penick's Analysis: I agree with everything Pettis said on tonight's fight, and think Edgar's going to show once again why he is the best lightweight fighter in the world right now. His wins over B.J. Penn, especially the rematch, are no fluke, and though Maynard holds a win over him already he's come a long, long way since their first meeting. As for being his other comments, the only one I disagree with is the experience factor. The level of competition in the UFC is a higher one than that of the WEC, but that doesn't mean Pettis and a few of the others making the move into the UFC can't compete in the 155 lb. division. Pettis against either Edgar or Maynard is going to make for a good title fight in 2011, and though he's leapfrogging some more qualified competitors for this shot, I'm still going to be very much excited for the fight when it gets put together.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8002.shtml

Chuck Lidell Tito Ortiz Frankie Edgar Georges St-Pierre

UFC NEWS: Weigh-in results for UFC 125 "Resolution"

Weigh-ins took place this afternoon for tomorrow night's UFC 125: Resolution pay-per-view event from Las Vegas, Nevada. All fighters made weight for the event, including the night's main event fighters Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. Three fights will air live on Ion Television before the five fight pay-per-view event begins. Full weigh-in results are below:

Main Pay-Per-View Card

* Frankie Edgar (155) vs. Gray Maynard (155) - Lightweight Championship
* Chris Leben (186) vs. Brian Stann (186)
* Nate Diaz (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)
* Takanori Gomi (155) vs. Clay Guida (156)
* Thiago Silva (206) vs. Brandon Vera (205)

Ion TV Preliminary Card

* Marcus Davis (156) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
* Josh Grispi (146) vs. Dustin Poirier (145)
* Phil Baroni (186) vs. Brad Tavares (185)

Preliminary Card

* Mike Brown (146) vs. Diego Nunes (146)
* Daniel Roberts (171) vs. Greg Soto (171)
* Antonio McKee (156) vs. Jacob Volkmann (156)

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7997.shtml

Brock Lesnar

The 11 things MMA fans want to see in 2011

Looking ahead to the new year, Cagewriter is turning it up to eleven. In no particular order, here are the 11 things MMA needs for 2011.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Alistair Overeem: Despite his loss to Fabricio Werdum, the negotiations just to get Fedor fighting in the U.S. again have been treacherous, and now it seems that he will fight Antonio Silva. Meanwhile, Overeem has kept busy making history in K-1. Strikeforce has two of the best heavyweights in the world on their roster. It should not be difficult to get them to fight.

Improved judging: How many fighters need to get screwed by judges before changes are made in MMA's judging system? As the sport continues to grow and improve, parity will follow and more fights will require a judges' call. These fighters deserve competent judges.

A challenge for Jose Aldo: The featherweight champ looked head and shoulders above Faber and Manny Gamburyan in 2010. As fun as it is to watch Aldo beat up on his opponents, someone who challenges him could be much more fun. 

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber coaching on "The Ultimate Fighter": This match-up is full of win. Bantamweights Cruz and Faber are top-flight fighters, already dislike each other, and both come from camps that would provide excellent coaches and training partner cameos. Going with smaller fighters would not only invigorate the TUF franchise, it would also introduce a larger MMA audience to the WEC fighters joining the UFC.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Nick Diaz: Enough with the trash talk, the viral videos and the catchphrases. Strikeforce needs to make this fight happen.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Anderson Silva: The two have been at the top of pound-for-pound rankings for years, and are just one weight class apart. GSP has asked for time to put on weight to fight Silva, who walks around at more than 200 lbs. UFC, give him time, and then let's make this fight happen.

Legal MMA in New York: Seriously, Empire State. Get your act together and legalize MMA. It's ludicrous for a state with a rich history of boxing and wrestling not to allow mixed martial arts.

A rejuvenated Brock Lesnar: Losing his title to Cain Velasquez exposed Lesnar's distaste for getting punched in the face, a liability for someone whose job involves getting punched in the face. It will be fascinating to see how Lesnar reacts to being an underdog, and watching to see if he has the resolve to come back should be an interesting storyline. 

More pre and post-fight shows: Here at Yahoo! Sports, there was a pre-fight show for UFC 121. ESPN's "MMA Live" did pre and post-fight shows for UFC 116 and 121, and Versus had shows for the final two WEC events. Every one of these shows added to the MMA viewing experience. 

Gilbert Melendez vs. Eddie Alvarez: To compete with the UFC juggernaut, the smart thing for Strikeforce and Bellator would be to team up to make the best fights. This should start with a bout between their two lightweight champions. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney probably ended any hopes for this bout with overzealous negotiation tactics, but it still would be a fun fight for fans to watch.

More Pat Miletich on the microphone: The man is both a legendary coach and fighter, and now he uses his talents as a commentator for Strikeforce. Inexplicably, he isn't always included on their broadcast team. Please, give us more Pat.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-11-things-MMA-fans-want-to-see-in-2011?urn=mma-297708

Frank Mir Alistair Overeem Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Mauricio Rua

MMA Marketplace: What's this? MMA shirts with no skulls?

In lamenting Silver Star's Nazi shirt, we pointed out that the problem with many MMA shirts is that they are completely unoriginal. To avoid using the wrong skull, how about just not using any skulls at all?

Reader K.J. Gould shared with us an MMA clothing company which does just that. Check out the shirts made by Cage Hero.

These shirts are pretty amazing. The designs have a comic-book feel, and stick to their motto of "The Hero Comes From Within." The best part is that the hero doesn't cost all that much. Their shirts cost around $24, well under the price point of many MMA shirts that are covered in skulls. 

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/MMA-Marketplace-What-s-this-MMA-shirts-with-no?urn=mma-301264

Junior dos Santos Shane Carwin Frank Mir Alistair Overeem

UFC NEWS: Georges St. Pierre bests Sidney Crosby again, named "Canadian Athlete of the Year" for the third straight year

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre has been named Sportsnet's Canadian Athlete of the Year for the third straight year.

This year's AOTY race was contested as a 16-man tournament, with Canadian fans voting over 16 days to determine the winners of each round including the finals.

St. Pierre, who defeated both Dan Hardy and Josh Koscheck in 2010, made his way through a difficult bracket and the vote came down to him and Sidney Crosby of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime over Team USA in the Olympics this February to give Canada their second gold medal in hockey in eight years, but it was St. Pierre who took home the honors.

"Winning the Rogers Sportsnet Canadian Athlete of the Year award for the third time means a lot to me," St. Pierre said in comments made to sportsnet.ca. "This year there were a lot of nominees that I really respect, so I am honoured that the fans chose me. Thanks to all my fans for their support."

St. Pierre becomes the first athlete to three-peat with the award, as he took the crown from 2007 winner Crosby in 2008, and followed it up in 2009 as well. Steve Nash of the NBA's Phoenix Suns is the only other athlete to win the award in back-to-back years.

"I have always said that GSP is not only a great champion and a great athlete, he is a great human being," UFC President Dana White said. "Not only does he represent his title and the sport well, he is also an incredible representative for Canada. I am so happy to see him get what he deserves. Congratulations Georges St. Pierre."

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: Though he might not be the most famous athlete to come out of Canada, as White insists, but there's no arguing GSP's place in his home country in 2010. After headlining a record crowd for the UFC this month and now earning this nod for the third straight year, it's clear that St. Pierre resonates with the Canadian fans in a big way. But it shouldn't be much of a surprise, the greatest fighter on the planet deserves that type of recognition.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7928.shtml

Gray Maynard Kenny Florian Jose Aldo Phil Davis

ROUNDTABLE: Which of the UFC's Champions is most likely to lose their title in 2011? Hansen, Hyden, Hobaugh, Williams and Penick

Of the current Champions in the UFC, which is most likely to lose their title in 2011, and who will take it from them?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Frank Edgar is going to lose his title to Gray Maynard, approximately 23 hours into 2011 (Central Time). �I think that's a record that will stand for all time.

FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

My first thought is to go with one of the lighter weight classes because those divisions are so stacked that's it's easy for a champion to be dethroned. However, I'll go with Cain Velasquez losing the Heavyweight Title. I think Junior Dos Santos will surprise a lot of people when he handles Velasquez and takes the belt. JDS is very underrated and he's going to prove that when he beats Velasquez.

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH SPECIALIST

Of the current Champions - Dominick Cruz at bantamweight, Jose Aldo at featherweight, Frankie Edgar at lightweight, Georges St. Pierre at welterweight, Anderson Silva at middleweight, Mauricio Rua at light heavyweight and Cain Velasquez at heavyweight - Frankie Edgar is the most likely to lose his title. I think Gray Maynard has the best chance to beat Frankie Edgar for his title because of his wrestling.� The outcome will be similar to the April 2008 fight in which Gray won a three round unanimous decision.�

ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Frankie Edgar.� Even if he doesn't lose it on the first day of the new year to Gray Maynard (and my bet is he will), he appears to be the weakest of the UFC champions.� It doesn't help him either that he might fight three times in 2011 (since his first fight is so early in the year) while several other titlists will likely only fight twice.��

JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I think Frankie Edgar is getting sold far too short heading into UFC 125 this weekend, and I think he finds a way to avenge the only loss on his record against Gray Maynard. And actually, I think the two champions most at risk to losing their title first are the UFC's two newest champions in Dominick Cruz and Jose Aldo. Cruz is likely going to meet Urijah Faber next, a man who already holds a win over him. Aldo, while he's an incredible fighter, will be returning from an injury, and will likely meet the second most dangerous fighter in the featherweight division in Josh Grispi should Grispi defeat Dustin Poirier this Saturday. It's highly possible that all of the UFC's current champions remain title holders by the end of 2011, but I think the lighter weight classes are going to present the toughest roads to retention during the year.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/roundtables/article_7946.shtml

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Mauricio Rua Rashad Evans Quinton Jackson

STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Overeem vs. Werdum, Rogers vs. Barnett expected for heavyweight tournament

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

According to multiple published reports, Strikeforce is expected to announce today the quarterfinal matchups for their planned heavyweight tournament.

Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva are already set for a February 12 event from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In addition, Andrei Arlovski is now expected to meet Sergei Kharitonov on that card.

Two more quarterfinal bouts appear to be set, as Alistair Overeem is expected to meet Fabricio Werdum and Brett Rogers is expected to face Josh Barnett. Those two bouts do not have a set date or location, though they could come on Strikeforce's March 5 event in Columbus, Ohio.

Penick's Analysis: It's not clear whether the Overeem-Werdum bout will be for Overeem's title, but it would probably be the best route to have all of his fights in the tournament be for the belt, otherwise, if he suffers a loss in the tournament, he'll still be their Champion. But, I do like that this is the fight we're getting. Rogers-Barnett should be competitive, provided Barnett gets things cleared with the CSAC next month, but that could still throw a wrench in plans. We'll have to see how everything plays out, but it could be a highly entertaining tournament from Strikeforce this year if all goes off without too much of a hitch.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_8037.shtml

Mauricio Rua Rashad Evans Quinton Jackson Lyoto Machida

Dana White Changes Mind, Books Rematch Between Edgar-Maynard

Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Videos

LAS VEGAS -- MMA Fighting caught up with Dana White following UFC 125 Saturday to get his take on the main event draw between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, who he thought won, why he changed his mind and is giving Maynard an immediate rematch and his overall thoughts on the card.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/01/02/dana-white-changes-mind-books-immediate-rematch-between-edgar-m/

Junior dos Santos Shane Carwin Frank Mir Alistair Overeem

UFC QUOTABLES: Next challenger Anthony Pettis picks Frankie Edgar over Gray Maynard at UFC 125

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"I think Frankie Edgar's going to walk out with that belt. Everybody's been asking me this, this is the first time I've really said I think Frankie Edgar's going to walk out with it. It's just one of those things, he beat B.J. Penn twice, his confidence is crazy high, he's looking better every fight, and he has a loss he wants to avenge... Every fight I go into I'm the underdog, I love it. Nobody still knows what I can do, there's so much that I can do that the world hasn't seen. Just because these guys have been fighting in the UFC and the big stage, that doesn't mean they?re better than us, or they have better experience than us."

-Anthony Pettis talks to MMAWeekly.com and gives his pick for tonight's UFC 125 main event as well as being a perennial underdog.

Penick's Analysis: I agree with everything Pettis said on tonight's fight, and think Edgar's going to show once again why he is the best lightweight fighter in the world right now. His wins over B.J. Penn, especially the rematch, are no fluke, and though Maynard holds a win over him already he's come a long, long way since their first meeting. As for being his other comments, the only one I disagree with is the experience factor. The level of competition in the UFC is a higher one than that of the WEC, but that doesn't mean Pettis and a few of the others making the move into the UFC can't compete in the 155 lb. division. Pettis against either Edgar or Maynard is going to make for a good title fight in 2011, and though he's leapfrogging some more qualified competitors for this shot, I'm still going to be very much excited for the fight when it gets put together.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8002.shtml

Joe Silva Chuck Lidell Tito Ortiz Frankie Edgar

Video analysis: Iole's MMA fight 2011 wishlist

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Video-analysis-Iole-s-MMA-fight-2011-wishlist?urn=mma-300243

Fedor Emelianenko Junior dos Santos Shane Carwin Frank Mir

OTHER NEWS: Zuffa cuts WEC lightweight Chris Horodecki following loss to Donald Cerrone

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Lightweight Chris Horodecki will not be making the migration from the WEC to the UFC. According to a report from MMAJunkie.com, Horodecki has been released by Zuffa following his loss to Donald Cerrone earlier this month at WEC 53.

The 23-year-old Horodecki went 2-2 in his four fight stint in the UFC's sister organization. His losses to Cerrone and Anthony Njokuani bookended wins over Danny Downes and Ed Ratcliff. The former IFL standout brought a 14-1 record with him into the WEC, but after the submission loss to Cerrone he won't get an opportunity in the UFC just yet.

But the young fighter remains optimistic about his future, and said he'll make his way back.

"One door closes and another one opens," he said. "I'll be back sooner than later"

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: Two decisive losses over four fights in the WEC makes this cut unsurprising. The lightweight division simply has too many fighters, and a lot more will still be cut in the coming months. Horodecki will likely make his way to the UFC at some point, as he's still just 23 years old and has plenty of time left in his career to improve, pick up wins and make his way back to the organization. He likely knows he's got things to work on, and if he can improve in the areas he needs to improve, he'll get his shot.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7960.shtml

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