Jose Aldo vs. Josh Grispi in the works for UFC 125

The first-ever UFC featherweight title fight is in the works for UFC 125, pitting WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo against Josh Grispi.

Aldo (18-1, 8-0 WEC) has blazed a path of destruction through the featherweight decision and has garnered serious consideration as the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The 24-year-old Brazilian has finished seven of his eight WEC bouts and most recently knocked out Manny Gamburyan at WEC 51 in September.

Grispi (14-1, 4-0 WEC) is on a ten-fight winning streak and has not lost since 2007. Grispi was originally scheduled to face Erik Koch at WEC 52, but was pulled from the card in favor of the championship bout.

Aldo last three fights:
Win (KO - Punches) Manny Gamburyan - WEC 51
Win (Unanimous Decision) Urijah Faber - WEC 48
Win (TKO - Punches) Mike Brown - WEC 44

Grispi last three fights:
Win (Submission - Guillotine Choke) LC Davis - WEC 49
Win (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Jens Pulver - WEC 41
Win (TKO - Punches) Micah Miller - WEC 35

Props: Heavy.com

Cage-Ready Nutrition recipe shoot

At TapouTVTC.com, we want to give you everything you need to get fight fit. While this includes training videos with the best fighters and coaches in MMA, nutrition is also a huge component.

PR Cole is one of the best nutritionists in MMA and we are lucky enough to have her on TapouTVTC. The best part about Cole's recipes is that they're not only nutritious, but they taste great!

This is the delicious-looking chicken and spinach salad that Cole prepared for one of her nutrition segments. To learn all of the great recipes and nutrition tips that Cole has to offer, sign up today on TapouTVTC.com!

WEC merging with UFC in January 2011

UFC president Dana White announced in the above interview with MMAfighting.com that the UFC and WEC will merge in January of 2011.

The WEC will stage its final two events -- on Nov. 11 and Dec. 16 -- on Versus. The UFC will stage an additional four events on Versus in 2011.

Props: MMAfighting

UFC 121 post-fight thoughts

- First off, congratulations to Cain Velasquez for becoming the new heavyweight champion. Going into the fight, I thought that if Brock Lesnar got the fight to the ground, he would be able to keep Velasquez there and inflict damage. Instead, Velasquez was back on his feet almost immediately after getting taken down and blasted Lesnar with hard shots. With a great all-around game that includes elite-level wrestling, superior conditioning and knockout power, Velasquez could be a mainstay at the top of the heavyweight division for quite some time. He will need all those things, because his first title defense comes in the form of dangerous number-one contender Junior dos Santos.

- In his last three fights, Lesnar reacted the same way when getting tagged; turn and cover. While his fight with Shane Carwin was the most famous example, Lesnar also did it when getting hit by Frank Mir in the second round of their rematch before scoring a takedown. Some have taken to questioning Lesnar's heart, which is ridiculous. Some guys react differently when they get hit hard and it will be up to Lesnar and his camp to figure out how to fix that.

- Lesnar's post-fight comments were perfect, saying that he would go back to the drawing board because, "That's what champions do." What's next for Lesnar? Don't be surprised if Mir finally gets the third fight that he's been eyeing since UFC 100.

- I won't say Martin Kampmann cost himself the fight by going to the ground with Jake Shields in the third round. It's a fight, there is no certainty. What I will say, though, is that Kampmann put himself in the worst position to win. It is much harder to finish an opponent on the ground, especially one with the ground skills that Shields possesses. Had Kampmann stood, he would have had a considerable cardio advantage and probably could have staved off Shields' takedown attempts.

- Shields looked awful in this fight. It could have been due to the difficult weight cut that Joe Rogan touched on, or the reports of an injured back that have trickled out. Whatever the reason, Shields had a chance to make a big splash on a big pay-per-view and came up short. Can the UFC really market him as a number-one contender to casual fans after that performance?

- For the first round of the Diego Sanchez/ Paulo Thiago fight, Sanchez looked much like the same fighter he did in the John Hathaway fight. During an exchange in the second round, though, something clicked in Sanchez's mind and he went into beast mode, lifting Thiago into the air and screaming as he slammed him down. Sanchez proceeded to dominate Thiago on the ground for the rest of the fight en route to a decision victory and Fight-of-the-Night bonus. I truly hope that Sanchez decides to remain at welterweight, because he looked good.

- As long as Sanchez and Clay Guida fight under Greg Jackson, kindly take your, 'Jackson fighters are boring' claims and throw them out the window.

- Tito Ortiz ran into the worst style matchup in his loss to Matt Hamill. This fight didn't tell us anything we didn't already know about either fighter. The only question now is where does Ortiz go from here? He has not won a fight since 2006, and while he hasn't reached Chuck Liddell status yet, his days of being a contender are over. Will the UFC keep him around as a gatekeeper, or is he done in the UFC?

- Speaking of gatekeepers, that is exactly what Gabriel Gonzaga has become after having no answer to Brendan Schaub. Schaub called out Mir after the fight, which might not be such a bad idea.

- Court McGee stormed back from a poor first round to ultimately finish Ryan Jensen by arm triangle in the third. McGee showed the type of heart that has and will continue to endear him to the fans.

- If Patrick Cote is fighting a wrestler, pick the wrestler.

- I made it through an entire post-fight thoughts column without complaining about the judging. Wait, someone scored a fight 30-26 for Sanchez? I guess there's always next time... 

UFC 121 quick results

Main Card:
Cain Velasquez def. Brock Lesnar by TKO (punches) at 4:12 of round 1 to become the new UFC heavyweight champion
Jake Shields def. Martin Kampmann by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Diego Sanchez def. Paulo Thiago by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28)
Matt Hamill def. Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Brendan Schaub def. Gabriel Gonzaga by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Spike TV Card:
Court McGee def. Ryan Jensen by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:21 of round 3
Tom Lawlor def. Patrick Cote by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Card:
Daniel Roberts def. Mike Guymon by submission (anaconda choke) at 1:13 of round 1
Sam Stout def. Paul Taylor by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Chris Camozzi def. Dong Yi Yang by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Jon Madsen def. Gilbert Yvel by TKO (punches) at 1:48 of round 1

$70,000 bonuses:
Fight of the Night: Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago
Knockout of the Night: Cain Velasquez
Submission of the Night: Daniel Roberts

UFC 121 weigh-in results

Main card:
Brock Lesnar (264) vs. Cain Velasquez (244)
Jake Shields (170.5) vs. Martin Kampmann (170)
Tito Ortiz (206) vs. Matt Hamill (203.5)
Brendan Schaub (239) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (254)
Diego Sanchez (170.5) vs. Paulo Thiago (170.5)

Spike TV broadcast:
Court McGee (184.5) vs. Ryan Jensen (185)
Patrick Cote (185) vs. Tom Lawlor (185)

Preliminary card:
Mike Guymon (170) vs. Daniel Roberts (170)
Sam Stout (155.5) vs. Paul Taylor (155)
Chris Camozzi (185) vs. Dong Yi Yang (186)
Jon Madsen (254.5) vs. Gilbert Yvel (249)

UFC 121 preview: Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez

Brock Lesnar (5-1, 4-1 UFC) vs. Cain Velasquez (8-0, 6-0 UFC)

How we got here

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has become the biggest name in mixed martial arts.

Following his demolishment of Frank Mir at UFC 100, Lesnar looked like an unstoppable force. A near-fatal bout diverticulitis, however, knocked the champion out of competition for a year. When he returned, Lesnar survived a vicious onslaught from challenger Shane Carwin at UFC 116 before coming back in the second round to submit Carwin by arm-triangle choke.

Like Lesnar, Velasquez has left a trail of destruction on his way to the top of the heavyweight division. The former Arizona State University All-American D1 wrestler has finished seven of his eight professional bouts by (T)KO, and dropped Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in brutal fashion at UFC 110 to earn a shot at the belt.

The case for Lesnar

When you compare Lesnar and Velasquez, the first thing that stands out is the size difference. Velasquez typically weighs in at around the 240 lbs mark, Lesnar has actually had to cut weight to make the 265 lbs limit. Lesnar's illness, though, caused him to lose a lot of mass and he looked physically different in the Carwin fight than in fights past. Judging by the videos coming out of his camp for this fight, Lesnar looks to have regained a lot of muscle and should look more solid than he did in his last outing.

A lot has been made of Lesnar's inability to take Carwin down in the first round. Again, I attribute a lot of that to Lesnar losing muscle and strength during his illness. Velasquez is a better wrestler than Carwin based on credentials, but Carwin is a much stronger fighter. Don't be surprised to see Lesnar put Velasquez on his back multiple times in this fight.

Velasquez is the technically-superior striker, but Lesnar is a hard and violent puncher. The fact that Lesnar was able to take a barrage of shots from Carwin and (barely) stay in the fight also does not bode well for Velasquez's chances for a knockout. If and when Lesnar gets the fight to the ground, he should be able to wear the smaller Velasquez out en route to a TKO or submission victory.

The case for Velasquez

The key to a Velasquez victory revolves around footwork and cardio. We've seen Lesnar go three rounds before, but at a slow pace. A big body must burn more oxygen to keep moving and Velasquez will need to use his lighter frame to outpoint and outwork Lesnar early. If Velasquez is ahead on points after two rounds, he will be in very good shape.

Bob Cook and Javier Mendez are tremendous coaches at American Kickboxing Academy and they will have Velasquez ready with a good game plan. Velasquez will need to use his foot speed, darting in and out while landing combinations, then circling away to avoid Lesnar's double leg attempts and big right hands. Lesnar's boxing is still very raw and he sits heavy on his feet without much foot movement and Velasquez will be able to take advantage.

Don't expect Velasquez to attempt a single takedown in this fight. The risk of getting stuck underneath Lesnar is too great and would have fight-ending consequences. Instead, Velasquez will use his wrestling to stay on his feet, blasting away at Lesnar with quick combinations before wearing the champion down in the championships rounds.

The verdict

This is one of the hardest fights in recent memory to judge, but I believe Lesnar will eventually get the fight to the ground and finish it there. The talk of Velasquez's cardio and speed advantages might be slightly overstated. While Lesnar might not have the same foot speed that Velasquez does, he moves very quickly and has the explosiveness to get Velasquez down. Once they're on the ground, I have a hard time picturing Velasquez working his way back to the feet and that will spell the end for the challenger. 

UFC 121 preview: Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann

Jake Shields (25-4-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. Martin Kampmann (17-3, 8-2 UFC)

How we got here

Shields enters the UFC on a 14-fight winning streak -- you can read our New Blood feature on him here -- and is coming off of a decisive victory over former UFC star Dan Henderson in April to defend his Strikeforce Middleweight title. UFC president Dana White said that Shields, who will drop back down to welterweight in the UFC, will "probably" be next in line to fight for the welterweight title if he wins his debut.

Standing in Shields' way is Kampmann, a Danish kickboxer looking to firmly reestablish himself as a top welterweight contender. Back at UFC 103, Kampmann was originally slated to face Mike Swick in a would-be number-one contender's match. Swick withdrew from the bout with an injury, and Kampmann lost by TKO to replacement Paul Daley. Since then, Kampmann has defeated Jacob Volkmann and the highly touted Paulo Thiago to run his welterweight record to 4-1 in the UFC.

The case for Shields

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, Shields has been a mainstay in top-ten rankings for some time. Shields has not lost since dropping a decision loss to Akira Kikuchi all the way back in 2004 and has victories over top fighters like Yushin Okami, Carlos Condit, Daley, Robbie Lawler, Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Henderson. Perhaps most impressive is that Shields spent the last three fights fighting above his natural weight class of 170 lbs and dominated Henderson on the ground in a way we have never seen Henderson dominated before.

It's no secret that Shields wants to get this fight to the ground and utilize his world-class jiu-jitsu. He has already proven that he can hang with dangerous strikers like Daley and Lawler and was able to repeatedly take down Henderson, who is an Olympic-level wrestler. If the fight hits the mat, it could be Shields' for the taking.

The case for Kampmann

While he is typically type-casted as a kickboxer, Kampmann actually has almost as many wins by submission (six) as knockout (seven). Kampmann has showed that he can more than hang on the ground, submitting D-1 wrestler Jacob Volkmann at UFC 108 then outwrestling and controlling Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Judo black belt Thiago at UFC 115.

Kampmann's only two UFC losses are to Daley and top middleweight Nate Marquardt. If Kampmann can keep the fight standing, he will enjoy a considerable striking advantage. If the fight does go to the ground though, Kampmann's underrated ground skills can help him stave off Shields' submission attempts.

The verdict

This fight is closer than a lot of people are giving it credit for -- Shields is currently a -200 favorite in most betting circles -- but Shields' edge on the ground will be enough to control Kampmann and earn him a unanimous decision victory. 

Dana White UFC 121 Video Blog Episode 2

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

Matt Wiman vs. Cole Miller in the works for UFC 125

A lightweight bout between Matt Wiman and Cole Miller is in the works for UFC 125 on New Year's day.

Wiman (12-5, 6-3 UFC) is returning from an arm injury that forced him to withdraw from his UFC Fight Night 22 fight against Efrain Escudero. Wiman had originally been scheduled to rematch Mac Danzig on that card, but Danzig was forced off the card with a back injury.

Miller (17-4, 6-2 UFC) is coming off of a submission win over Ross Pearson at UFC Fight Night 22. Miller has won two straight since suffering a TKO loss to Escudero at UFC 103.

Wiman last three fights:
Win (Technical Submission - Guillotine Choke) Mac Danzig - UFC 115
Win (Unanimous Decision) Shane Nelson - UFC 107
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Sam Stout - UFC 97

Miller last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Ross Pearson - UFC Fight Night 22
Win (Submission - Modified Kimura) Dan Lauzon - UFC 108
Loss (TKO - Punches) Efrain Escudero - UFC 103

Props: MMAjunkie

New Blood: UFC 121 Edition

For every UFC fight, TapouTVTC.com introduces you to the fighters making their Octagon debuts.

Name: Jake Shields

Weight class: Welterweight

Fighting: Martin Kampmann

Record: 25-4-1 (3 (T)KOs, 10 submissions)

Recent body of work: Defeated Jason "Mayhem" Miller by unanimous decision to win the vacant Strikeforce Middleweight title, then defeated Dan Henderson by unanimous decision in April to defend the title.

Who he is: A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, Shields is one of the best fighters to enter the UFC as of late. A top-five middleweight in most online rankings, Shields will drop back down to welterweight (his better weight class) for his UFC debut. The former EliteXC welterweight champion and Strikeforce middleweight champion has not lost since 2004 and is on a 14-fight win streak, with wins the likes of Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley, Nick Thompson, Henderson, Miller and Mike Pyle.

Name: Dong Yi Yang

Weight class: Middleweight

Fighting: Chris Camozzi

Record: 9-0 (8 (T)KOs, 1 submission)

Recent body of work: Defeated Bill Saures by TKO at "Trench Warz 12: Battle Brawl" in May.

Who he is: Yang fights out of the Korean Top Team camp alongside teammate "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung and earned his first three career wins in a one-night eight-man tournament in 2007. Only one of Yang's fights has made it to the third round.

Shawn Tompkins prepares Sam Stout for UFC 121

TapouT Training Center head coach Shawn Tompkins talks to TapouTVTC.com about preparing Sam Stout for his UFC 121 bout against Paul Taylor

Dana White UFC 121 Video Blog Episode 1

Dana White's first UFC 121 vlog takes us back to UFC 120's fight day last Saturday.

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

Sam Stout on his UFC 121 bout against Paul Taylor

Sam Stout took a break from his training to talk to TapouTVTC.com about his upcoming UFC 121 bout against Paul Taylor.

UFC Division Snapshot: UFC 120 Edition

After every UFC event, TapouTVTC.com takes a look at how each division shapes up. For more information on the Division Snapshot, take a look at our first snapshot

Michael Bisping: +4 (Was 10, now 6) (Middleweight)

This fight was Bisping at his best; outwork, outpoint and wear down your opponent. Bisping was clearly the superior boxer, and Yoshihiro Akiyama never tested his takedown defense. If "The Count" can string together a couple more wins, he may get back into title contention in a suddenly-wide-open middleweight division.

Yoshihiro Akiyama: -7 (Was 33, now 40) (Middleweight)

Akiyama is a razor-thin decision away from being 0-3 in the UFC. While it's nice to be exciting (and three "Fight of the Night" bonuses attest that he is just that), "Sexyama" needs to learn how to change strategies mid-match if he hopes to stick around.

Carlos Condit: +7 (Was 14, now 7) (Welterweight)

Did anyone think that Condit standing and banging with Dan Hardy was a good idea? Apparently it was, as Condit's thunderous knockout pushed his winning streak to three. He could easily be 4-0 and fans are seeing why he entered the UFC with so much hype.

Dan Hardy: -13 (Was 29, now 42) (Welterweight)

Hardy thought he had the fight right where he wanted it and then Condit turned his lights out. Point to Hardy for a charming and funny post-fight interview. Hardy obviously isn't the 42nd-best welterweight, but he is closer to the middle of the pack than he is a top-ten fighter.

Mike Pyle: +4 (Was 17, now 13) (Welterweight)

Most people didn't give Pyle much of a chance in this fight, and most people were wrong. Pyle used his striking to win round one, then his superior ground skills to almost put John Hathaway away in round two. It was an impressive win for the veteran, who would like to make a run at the title before time closes the window.

John Hathaway: -24 (Was 3, now 27)  (Welterweight)

Props to Hathaway for even surviving a brutal top-side triangle/ crucifix/ pounding in the second round, but he mounted virtually no offense against Pyle for much of the 15-minute affair. The question now becomes how will Hathaway bounce back from his first career defeat?

Cheick Kongo: -4 (Was 8, now 12) (Heavyweight)

Kongo cost himself the fight by repeatedly grabbing Travis Browne's shorts and subsequently getting a point deducted. Worse, Kongo is rapidly earning the reputation of a dirty fighter, a label no fighter wants to have.

Travis Browne: -3 (Was 10, now 13) (Heavyweight)

Browne's wild style seemed to confuse Kongo in the first round, but some knees in the clinch slowed Browne and he was unable to maintain the pace he held early. Browne was spared his first career loss due to Kongo's point deduction, but he won't be happy with this performance.

Alexander Gustafsson: +12 (Was 24, now 12) (Light Heavyweight)

Gustafsson bounced back from his first career loss in dominant fashion, blasting Cyrille Diabate on the feet and on the ground before locking in a rear-naked choke. It was such a good performance by the Swede that the bout made the Spike TV broadcast, despite being on the undercard.

Cyrille Diabate: -13 (Was 12, now 25) (Light Heavyweight)

Despite having the better striking credentials, Diabate was dominated on the feet before eventually getting beat up and submitted on the ground. The loss saw Diabate's six-fight win steak snapped.

Paul Sass: Debuts at 18 (Lightweight)

Prior to this bout, Sass had won seven bouts by triangle choke and two of his last three by heel hook. Those were the only two submissions he looked for on Saturday and he eventually locked Mark Holst in a triangle to finish it. Are those the only two moves Sass has in his arsenal, and if he keeps winning, does it even matter?

Mark Holst: -7 (Was 37, now 44) (Lightweight)

Holst is no slouch on the ground, but he had no answer for the "Sassangle." Holst now sits at 0-2 in the lightweight division and is dangerously close to being cut.


Preliminary bouts and full snapshots after the jump...

UFC 120 post-fight thoughts

- New fight camp, same old Yoshihiro Akiyama. I have a hard time believing that the game plan that Greg Jackson set forth for Akiyama was, "forsake your world-class judo entirely and headhunt with your right hand the entire fight." Whether Akiyama chose to ignore the plan or whether the first big shot he landed on Michael Bisping convinced him that he had the striking advantage, he spent the majority of the fight getting out-pointed by Bisping and never really threatened. While it's hard to argue with three 'Fight-of-the-Night' bonuses, the hype train is officially out on Akiyama.

- Akiyama has only been officially KO'd once in his career, and that was to kickboxing great Jerome Le Banner. It was Akiyama's second pro bout, and Le Banner outweighed him by 80 pounds. What I'm getting at is that Akiyama has a good chin, so it wasn't surprising that Bisping could not score the knockout despite landing multiple punches flush. Bisping might never challenge Anderson Silva for the title, but he is in the upper echelon of middleweight fighters.  

- Could Carlos Condit be closer to a title shot than we realize? Consider his body of work since coming into the UFC as the last WEC welterweight champion; a razor-thin split-decision loss to Martin Kampmann (in a match that I scored for Condit) and three straight wins over Jake Ellenberger, super prospect Rory MacDonald and former number-one contender Dan Hardy. Condit entered the UFC with a lot of hype and he is starting to live up to it.

- Many people thought Mike Pyle would be another stepping stone for John Hathaway, but Pyle put his high-level grappling on display, controlling Hathaway and turning in some effective ground and pound from a top triangle position. Before this match, Hathaway had seemingly got past the 'Brits can't wrestle' stereotype, but his performance here did little to contradict that view.

- Cheick Kongo was the biggest loser at UFC 120 and he didn't even lose. Kongo cost himself the match with an inexcusable shorts-grabbing point deduction in the third round. Even without the point deduction, Kongo was hardly impressive and was not able to put away a Travis Browne who was gassed on hobbled late in the fight.  

- Alexander Gustafsson turned in one of the most impressive performances of the night, dominating kickboxing champion Cyrille Diabate on the feet and on the ground en route to a rear-naked choke finish. What really impressed me about Gustafsson was his presence of mind on the ground. When it was clear that Gustafsson did not have the RNC fully locked in, he let go and pounded Diabate in the face, which opened up another opportunity for the choke.. Most fighters would have fruitlessly squeezed away, gassing out their arms in the process.

- Paul Sass is a lot of fun to watch on the ground. If you missed our 'New Blood' article, Sass holds the record for most consecutive triangle choke finishes with seven. When Sass pulled guard on Saturday, everyone on the planet (including opponent Mark Holst) knew that he was looking for the triangle. When you are able to pull a submission that your opponent knows you're looking for, that says something about your level of grappling ability.

UFC 120 quick results

Main card:
Michael Bisping def. Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Carlos Condit def. Dan Hardy by KO (punch) at 4:27 of round 1
Mike Pyle def. John Hathaway by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Cheick Kongo and Travis Browne fought to a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
Claude Patrick def. James Wilks by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary card:
Alexander Gustafsson def. Cyrille Diabate by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:41 of round 2
Rob Broughton def. Vinicius Queiroz by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:43 of round 3
Pall Sass def. Mark Holst by submission (triangle choke) at 4:45 of round 1
Spencer Fisher def. Kurt Warburton by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Fabio Maldonado def. James McSweeney by TKO (punches) at 0:48 of round 3

$60,000 bonuses:
Fight of the Night: Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
Knockout of the Night: Carlos Condit
Submission of the Night: Paul Sass

Dana White UFC 120 Video Blog Episode 2

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

UFC 120 weigh in results

Main card:
Michael Bisping (185) vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama (185)
Dan Hardy (171) vs. Carlos Condit (170)
John Hathaway (171) vs. Mike Pyle (170)
Cheick Kongo (228) vs. Travis Browne (251)
James Wilks (170) vs. Claude Patrick (171)

Preliminary card:
Cyrille Diabate (204) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (204)
Rob Broughton (257) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (239)
Paul Sass (155) vs. Mark Holst (155)
Spencer Fisher (155) vs. Curt Warburton (154)
James McSweeney (205) vs. Fabio Maldonado (204)

Yves Edwards vs. Melvin Guillard in the works for Jan. 22 UFC event

A lightweight bout between Yves Edwards and Melvin Guillard is in the works for as as-yet-announced UFC event on Jan. 22.

Guillard (25-8, 8-4 UFC) is riding a three-fight win streak, most recently defeating Jeremy Stephens by a narrow split decision at UFC 119 in September.

Edwards (38-16-1, 6-4 UFC) made a successful return to the UFC, defeating John Gunderson by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares. This is Edwards' third stint with the organization.

Guillard last three fights:
Win (Split Decision) Jeremy Stephens - UFC 119
Win (TKO - Knee to the Body) Waylon Lowe - UFC 114
Win (Unanimous Decision) Ronnys Torres - UFC 109

Edwards last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) John Gunderson - UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares
Win (Unanimous Decision) Luis Palomino - Bellator 24
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Mike Campbell - Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Props: MMA Junkie

Pat Audinwood vs. John Makdessi in the works for UFC 124

A lightweight bout between Pat Audinwood and undefeated Canadian John Makdessi is in the works for UFC 124 on Dec. 11 in Montreal.

Audinwood (9-1-1, 0-1 UFC) will look to bounce back from his first career loss, a guillotine submission to Thiago Tavares at UFC 119.

Makdessi (7-0, 0-0 UFC) began his professional career with six straight TKO victories, and is coming off of a unanimous decision victory over Bendy Casimir at Mixed Fight League 3 in September.

Audinwood last three fights:
Loss (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Thiago Tavares - UFC 119
Win (Unanimous Decision) Robert Conner - M-1 - The Americas Round 1
Win (Submission - Triangle Choke) Al Buck - ASC 1

Makdessi last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Bendy Casimir - MFL 3
Win (TKO - Punches) Lindsey Hawkes - CFC 4
Win (TKO - Doctor Stoppage) Brandon McArthur - Ringside MMA - Rivalry

Props: macsmma.com

Bellator 32 weigh-in results

Main card:
Cole Konrad (264) vs. Neil Grove (263)
Zach Makovsky (134.25) vs. Ed West (134.25)
Ryan Thomas (169.5) vs. Jim Wallhead (168.75)
Chris Page (166.5) vs. Michael Chandler (164.5)

Preliminar card:
Eric Marriott (145.7) vs. Ryan Roberts (145.75)
Rudy Bears (180.75) vs. Chad Reiner (176)
Jared Downing (134.9) vs. Danny Tims (135.9)
Brian Davidson (145.75) vs. Shane Hutchison (144)

UFC 120 - Michael Bisping Open Workout Highlights

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

Dana White UFC 120 Video Blog Episode 1

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

Joe Stevenson vs. Mac Danzig in the works for UFC 124

A lightweight bout between Ultimate Fighter winners Joe Stevenson and Mac Danzig is reportedly in the works for UFC 124 on Dec. 11 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Stevenson (31-11, 8-5 UFC), the winner of season 2 of the reality show, is coming off of a one-sided decision loss to rising Australian prospect George Sotiropoulos at UFC 110 in February. A bout between Stevenson and Takanori Gomi had been scheduled for August, but a knee injury forced Stevenson off of the card.

Danzig (19-8-1, 3-4 UFC) has disappointed since winning The Ultimate Fighter 6, going 3-4 in the UFC, including a 1-4 mark in his last five fights. In his last bout against Matt Wiman, referee Yves Lavigne mistakenly ruled that Danzig had gone unconscious in a guillotine choke, giving Wiman the controversial victory.

Danzig was given the opportunity to avenge the loss in a rematch with Wiman at UFC Fight Night 22, but a chest injury forced Danzig off the card.

Props: MMA Mania

New Blood: UFC 120 Edition Part II

For every UFC fight, TapouTVTC.com introduces you to the fighters making their Octagon debuts. With a staggering six fighters making their debuts at UFC 120, we have divided this edition of New Blood into two posts. Read part I here.

Name: Rob Broughton

Weight class: Heavyweight

Fighting: Vinicius Queiroz

Record: 14-5-1, six wins by knockout and four by submission, for M-1 Global, Cage Rage and other promotions in England and Ireland

Recent body of work: Defeated Neil Wain, James Thompson and Oli Thompson in one night to win the ZT Fight Night Heavyweight tournament.

Who he is: The top-ranked British heavyweight by FIGHT! UK, Broughton is also the former Cage Rage heavyweight champion. Broughton trains out of the Wolfslair Academy, and will make his UFC debut along with teammate Kurt Warburton.

Name: Vinicius Queiroz

Weight class: Heavyweight

Fighting: Rob Broughton

Record: 5-1, five wins by knockouts, for various promotions in Brazil

Recent body of work: TKO'd Danilo Rodaki at "Samurai Fight Combat 3"

Who he is: Queiroz is a member of the Chute Boxe team. Since losing a decision to Danilo Pereira, Queiroz has finished all four of his fights inside of three minutes, with two finishes in under a minute.

Name: Fabio Maldonado

Weight class: Light Heavyweight

Fighting: James McSweeney

Record: 17-3, 11 by knockout and three by submission, for various promotions in Brazil

Recent body of work: Knocked out Nelson Martins in just 40 seconds at "First Class Fight 4"

Who he is: Maldonado trains out of the Nogueira brothers' gym in Rio De Janeiro. Since starting his career 7-3, Maldonado has rattled off 10 straight wins with nine stoppages, and has not lost since 2007. Maldonado is also undefeated as a professional boxer, going 22-0 with 21 knockouts.

Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares in the works for UFC 125

A welterweight bout between Phil Baroni and "Ultimate Fighter 11" semifinalist Brad Tavares is in the works for UFC 125 on New Year's Day.

Baroni (13-12, 3-6 UFC) will look to bounce back from a decision loss to "Ultimate Fighter 7" winner Amir Sadollah at UFC 106. He was then scheduled to face John Salter at UFC 118, but an injury forced him off of the card.

Tavares (5-0, 1-0 UFC) made it to the semifinals of "The Ultimate Fighter 11" before getting eliminated by eventual winner Court McGee. On the show's finale, Tavares defeated fellow cast member Seth Baczynski by unanimous decision.

Baroni last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Amir Sadollah - UFC 106
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Joe Riggs - Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields
Win (Unanimous Decision) Olaf Alfonso - PFC 10: Explosive

Tavares last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Seth Baczynski - Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale
Win (TKO - Punches) Jonathan Joao - X-1 - Temple of Boom 4
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Joshua Ferreira - X-1 - Temple of Boom 1

Props: MMAjunkie

Dan Hardy describes his fighting style as technically-aggressive face breaking

When asked to describe his fighting style by TapouTVTC.com, UFC welterweight Dan Hardy described it as, "Technically-aggressive face breaking."

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi set for UFC 125

Clay Guida announced on ESPN 1100 radio that he will face Takanori Gomi in a lightweight bout at UFC 125 on New Years' Day.

Gomi (32-6 (1 NC), 1-1 UFC) rebounded from a disappointing UFC debut with a quick and brutal knockout of Tyson Griffin at UFC Live on Versus 2.

Guida (27-11, 7-5 UFC) has won two straight fights after losing back-to-back contests in 2009. Most recently, Guida defeated Rafael dos Anjos by submission at UFC 117 when dos Anjos was forced to tap due to an injured jaw.

Gomi last three fights:
Win (KO - Punch) Tyson Griffin - UFC Live on Versus 2
Loss (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Kenny Florian - UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi
Win (Unanimous Decision) Tony Hervey - Vale Tudo Japan 2009

Guida last three fights:
Win (Submission - Jaw Injury) Rafael dos Anjos - UFC 117
Win (Submission - Arm-Triangle Choke) Shannon Gugerty - UFC Live on Versus 1
Loss (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Kenny Florian - UFC 107

New Blood: UFC 120 Edition Part I

For every UFC fight, TapouTVTC.com introduces you to the fighters making their Octagon debuts. With a staggering six fighters making their debuts at UFC 120, we have divided this edition of New Blood into two posts. Look for part II tomorrow!

Name: Kurt Warburton

Weight class: Lightweight

Fighting: Spencer Fisher

Record: 6-1, four wins by knockout and one by submission, for various promotions in England

Recent body of work: Defeated Tom Maguire by unanimous decision at "Strike and Submit 12" last October to win the Strike and Submit lightweight title.

Who he is: Warburton is one of two Wolfslair fighters debuting at UFC 120 (along with Rob Broughton). Most notably, Warburton holds a TKO victory over Ultimate Fighter 9 winner Ross Pearson. Pearson and Warburton have actually fought three times, with the first bout going to draw and the second fight going to Pearson by armbar submission. However, those bouts took place at a semi-pro level, so they're not reflected in Warburton's record.

Name: Paul Sass

Weight class: Lightweight

Fighting: Mark Holst

Record: 10-0, nine wins by submission, for England-based promotions Cage Gladiators and OMMAC

Recent body of work: Defeated Rob Sinclair by split decision at "OMMAC 2: Business As Usual" to win the OMMAC lightweight title, then submitted Jason Young at "OMMAC 4: Victorious."

Who he is: Sass holds the world record for consecutive wins by triangle chokes with seven, earning him the nickname "Sassangle." Only two of Sass' ten opponents have made it out of the first round. The Liverpool-based fighter trains out of the Next Generation UK gym with UFC fighter Paul Kelly, Paul Taylor and Terry Etim.

Name: Stanislav Nedkov

Weight class: Light Heavyweight

Fighting: Steve Cantwell

Record: 11-0, five wins by knockout and four by submission, for Shooto, Sengoku and other promotions in Bulgaria and Japan

Recent body of work: Defeated UFC veterans Travis Wiuff and Kevin Randleman in Sengoku (by TKO and split decision respectively), then submitted Helgiy Augustin Eygen by rear-naked choke at Max Fight XIII in Bulgaria.

Who he is: Nedkov was originally scheduled to make his UFC debut against Rodney Wallace at UFC 117, but he was forced off of the card with an injury.

Strikeforce: Noons vs. Diaz II quick results

Main card:
- Nick Diaz def. K.J. Noons by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-47, 49-46) to retain the Strikeforce welterweight championship
- Josh Thomson def. Gesias Cavalcante by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Marloes Coenen def. Sarah Kaufman by submission (armbar) at 1:59 of round 3 to win the Strikeforce womne's welterweight championship
- Tyron Woodley def. Andre Galvao by TKO (punches) at 1:48 of round 1

Preliminar card:
- James Terry def. David Marshall by unanimous decision
- Josh McDonald def. Ron Keslar by unanimous decision
- Jess Bouscal def. Luis Mendoza by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:00 of round 2

Last-Minute Odds: Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II

In case you're thinking about doing some last-minute gambling (legally, of course), here are the odds for tomorrow night's "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II," courtesy of Bodog.com.

KJ Noons (+205) vs. Nick Diaz (-265)
Marloes Coenen (+240) vs. Sarah Kaufman (-300)
Josh Thomson (-165) vs. JZ Cavalcante (+135)
Andre Galvao (+230) vs. Tyron Woodley (-290)
Brett Bergmark (-165) vs. James Terry (+135)

Kenny Florian vs. Evan Dunham in the works for UFC 127

Verbal agreements are in place for lightweights Kenny Florian and Evan Dunham to face off at UFC 127 on Super Bowl weekend.

"We have verbally agreed to fight Evan Dunham, which is great news. Phenomenal opponent, very excited about it... looks like it may happen on Super Bowl weekend," Florian announced while on ESPN MMA Live.

Florian (14-5, 11-4 UFC) is coming off of a loss to Gray Maynard at UFC 118 that could have earned him a third shot at the UFC lightweight title. A win over the highly-touted Dunham could propel Florian right back in to contention.

Dunham (11-1, 4-1 UFC) is also coming off of a loss, but under very different circumstances. Dunham came back from a nasty cut sustained at the hands of Sean Sherk to dominate the latter two rounds of their three-round affair at UFC 119. However, two of the judges scored the fight for Sherk, creating one of the most controversial decisions of the year.

Florian last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Gray Maynard - UFC 118
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Takanori Gomi - UFC Fight Night 21
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Clay Guida - UFC 107

Dunham last three fights:
Loss (Split Decision) Sean Sherk - UFC 119
Win (Split Decision) Tyson Griffin - UFC 115
Win (Submission - Armbar) Efrain Escudero - UFC Fight Night 20

Matt Riddle vs. TJ Waldburger in the works for UFC 124

A welterweight bout between Matt Riddle and TJ Waldburger is reportedly in the works for UFC 124.

Waldburger (13-5, 1-0 UFC) made his successful Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 22, defeating David Mitchell by unanimous decision. The 22-year-old fighter has finished 10 of his 13 wins by submission.

Riddle (5-1, 5-1 UFC) has spent his entire professional career in the UFC since competing on The Ultimate Fighter 7. The Las Vegas-based fighter last competed at UFC Live on Versus 2, defeating DaMarques Johnson by TKO in the second round.

Waldburger last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) David Mitchell - UFC Fight Night 22
Win (Unanimous Decision) Pat Healy - Shark Fights 6
Win (Submission - Armbar) Shannon Ritch - Shark Fights 4

Riddle last three fights:
Win (TKO - Punches) DaMarques Johnson - UFC Live on Versus 2
Win (DQ - Illegal Upkick) Greg Soto - UFC 111
Loss (TKO - Punches and Elbows) Nick Osipczak - UFC 105

Props: MMA Fighting

Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim in the works for UFC 125

A welterweight bout between Nate Diaz and Dong Hyun Kim is reportedly in the works for UFC 125 on New Year's Day.

Diaz (13-5, 8-3 UFC) has won two straight fights since moving up from lightweight to welterweight (although his win over Rory Markham was technically a catchweight bout due to Markham missing weight). At UFC 118, Diaz battered Marcus Davis on the feet before eventually finishing him with a guillotine choke.

Kim (13-0-1 (1 NC), 4-0 (1 NC) UFC) last fought at UFC 114, using his superior wrestling to control Amir Sadollah for three rounds en route to a unanimous decision.

Diaz last three fights:
Win (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Marcus Davis - UFC 118
Win (TKO - Punches) Rory Markham - UFC 111
Loss (Split Decision) Gray Maynard - UFC Fight Night 20

Kim last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Amir Sadollah - UFC 114
Win (Unanimous Decision) T.J. Grant - UFC 100
No Contest (Opponent tested positive for painkillers) Karo Parisyan - UFC 94

Props: mfight.co.kr

Jason MacDonald vs. Rafael Natal in the works for UFC 124

A middleweight bout between Jason MacDonald and Rafael Natal is in the works for UFC 124.
MacDonald (24-14, 5-6 UFC) will return to the Octagon just seven months after suffering a gruesome leg injury in a loss to John Salter at UFC 113. MacDonald has already been cut from the UFC once, and might be on his last legs with the organization (no pun intended).

Natal (12-3, 0-1 UFC) will look to rebound from an unsuccessful UFC debut after dropping a unanimous decision to Rich Attonito at UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares.

MacDonald last three fights:
Loss (TKO - Broken Leg) John Salter - UFC 113
Win (Unanimous Decision) Matt Horwich - LGIO 1
Win (Submission - Triangle Choke) Vernon White - W1 Bad Blood

Natal last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Rich Attonito - UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares
Win (KO - Strikes) Travis Lutter - Moosin: God of Martial Arts
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Allan Weickert - Ring of Combat 26

Props: MMA Fighting

Ricardo Almida vs. T.J. Grant in the works for UFC 124

A welterweight bout between Ricardo Almeida and T.J. Grant is in the works for UFC 124 in December.

Almeida (12-4, 5-4 UFC) saw his three-fight win streak snapped in stunning fashion when he was submitted by Matt Hughes at UFC 117. The fight was Almeida's second at welterweight, after he successfully debuted in the division by submitting Matt Brown at UFC 111.

Grant (16-4, 3-2 UFC) will look to win back-to-back contests for the first time in his UFC career. The Canadian has alternated wins and losses since debuting in the Octagon, and recently won a unanimous decision over Julio Paulino at at UFC 119.

Almeida last three fights:
Loss (Submission - Anaconda Choke) Matt Hughes - UFC 117
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Matt Brown - UFC 111
Win (Unanimous Decision) Kendall Grove - UFC 101

Grant last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Julio Paulino - UFC 119
Loss (Majority Decision) Johny Hendricks - UFC 113
Win (TKO - Punches) Kevin Burns - UFC 107

Props: MMAjunkie

Stefan Struve vs. Sean McCorkle in the works for UFC 124

A heavyweight bout between Stefan Struve and Sean McCorkle is in the works for UFC 124.

Struve (20-4, 4-2 UFC) is coming off of a second round KO of Christian Morecraft a UFC 117.

McCorkle (10-0, 1-0 UFC) made a successful Octagon debut at UFC 119, submitting Mark Hunt with a kimura/ armbar combination.

Struve last three fights:
Win (KO - Punches) Christian Morecraft - UFC 117
Loss (TKO - Punches) Roy Nelson - UFC Fight Nigh: Florian vs. Gomi
Win (Majority Decision) Paul Buentello - UFC 107

McCorkle last three fights:
Win (Submission - Armbar) Mark Hunt - UFC 119
Win (TKO - Punches) Johnathan Ivey - LOF 39
Win (TKO - Punches) Bobby Favors - LOF 38

Props: MMA Fighting

Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin in the works for Super Bowl card

A light heavyweight bout between former champion Forrest Griffin and former middleweight champion Rich Franklin is in the works for the UFC's Super Bowl Saturday card, tentatively labeled UFC 127.

Sources told MMAfighting.com that the fight has yet to be signed, but that the bout is expected.

Griffin (17-6, 8-4 UFC) has been out of competition since last November, when he defeated Tito Ortiz by split decision at UFC 106. Griffen had been scheduled to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 114, but was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.

Franklin (28-5 (1 NC), 13-4 UFC) will also look to rebound from injury after breaking his left forearm in a first round KO win over Chuck Liddell at UFC 115. The former middleweight champ has spent the last two years bouncing between light heavyweight and 195 lb catchweight fights, going 2-1 in the former.

Griffin last three fights:
Win (Split Decision) Tito Ortiz - UFC 106
Loss (KO - Punch) Anderson Silva - UFC 101
Loss (TKO - Punches) Rashad Evans - UFC 92

Franklin last three fights:
Win (KO - Punch) Chuck Liddell - UFC 115
Loss (TKO - Punches) Vitor Belfort - UFC 103
Win (Unanimous Decision) Wanderlei Silva - UFC 99

Props: MMAfighting

Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson in the works for UFC 125

A heavyweight bout between Shane Carwin Ultimate Fighter 10 winner Roy Nelson is reportedly in the works for UFC 125 on New Year's day.

Neither party confirmed the match, but sources told MMAfighting.com that the UFC is working to put the fight together.

Carwin and Nelson traded barbs over Twitter in August, which left fans hoping that a match up would be made.

Nelson (15-5, 2-1 UFC) is coming off of knee surgery for an injury suffered during his UFC 117 loss to Junior dos Santos.

Carwin (12-1, 4-1 UFC) will look to rebound from the first professional loss of his career, a second-round submission to Brock Lesnar at UFC 116.

Nelson last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Junior dos Santos - UFC 117
Win (TKO - Punches) Stefan Struve - UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi
Win (KO - Punch) Brendan Schaub - Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale

Carwin last three fights:
Loss (Submission - Arm-Triangle Choke) Brock Lesnar - UFC 117
Win (KO - Punches) Frank Mir - UFC 111
Win (KO - Punch) Gabriel Gonzaga - UFC 96

Props: MMAfighting

Ryan Bader vs. Jon Jones set for Super Bowl weekend

A matchup between rising light heavyweight stars Jon Jones and Ryan Bader has been set for Super Bowl weekend for a card likely to take place on Feb. 5.

Bader (12-0, 5-0 UFC) has gone undefeated since winning The Ultimate Fighter 8, running his Octagon streak to five with a unanimous decision victory over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 119.

Jones (11-1, 5-1 UFC) has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in MMA. Since losing a controversial disqualification to Matt Hamill, Jones has finished his last two fights in quick and brutal fashion, leaving fans clamoring for a step up in competition.

Bader last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Antonio Rogerio Nogueira - UFC 119
Win (KO - Punch) Keith Jardine - UFC 110
Win (Unanimous Decision) Eric Schafer - UFC 104

Jones last three fights:
Win (TKO - Elbows) Vladimir Matyushenko - UFC Live on Versus 2
Win (TKO - Elbow and Punches) Brandon Vera - UFC Live on Versus 1
Loss (DQ - Illegal Elbows) Matt Hamill - Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale

Props: MMAWeekly.com

Bonnar vs. Pokrajac, Grove vs. Maia set for TUF 12 Finale

Spike TV officially announced the first two bouts that will take place on "The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale" card on Dec. 4.

In a light heavyweight matchup, TUF 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar will square off against croation Igor Pokrajac.

Bonnar (12-7, 6-6 UFC) is coming off of a win over Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 116 that ended a three-fight losing streak.

Pokrajac (22-7, 1-2 UFC) earned his first UFC victory in three tries at UFC on Versus 2, choking out James Irvin in the first round.

Joining Bonnar and Pokrajac on the card will be middleweight Demian Maia and TUF 3 winner Kendall Grove.

Grove (12-7 (1 NC), 7-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses in his last for bouts, and is coming off of a split decision victory over Goran Reljic at UFC 116.

Maia (13-2, 7-2 UFC) rebounded from his middleweight championship fight loss to Anderson Silva with a unanimous decision win over Mario Miranda at UFC 118.

Bonnar last three fights:
Win (TKO - Knee and Punches) Krzystof Soszynski - UFC 116
Loss (TKO - Cut) Krzystof Soszynski - UFC 110
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Mark Coleman - UFC 100

Pokrajac last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear Naked Choke) James Irvin - UFC Live on Versus 2
Loss (TKO - Strikes) James Te-Huna - UFC 110
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Vladimir Matyushenko - UFC 103

Grove last three fights:
Win (Split Decision) Goran Reljic - UFC 116
Loss (TKO- Punches) Mark Munoz - UFC 112
Win (Submission - Triangle Choke) Jake Rosholt - UFC 106

Maia last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Mario Miranda - UFC 118
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Anderson Silva - UFC 112
Win (Unanimous Decision) Dan Miller - UFC 109

Props: Spike TV Press Release

Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann in the works for UFC 125

A lightweight fight between Jacob Volkmann and UFC newcomer Antonio McKee is in the works for UFC 123 on New Year's Day.

Volkmann (11-2, 2-2 UFC) debuted in the UFC as a welterweight, losing back-to-back contests to Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann. Since dropping to lightweight, though, Volkmann has gone 2-0, with decisions over Ronnys Torres and Paul Kelly.

McKee (25-3-2) has not been defeated since dropping a decision to Karo Parisyan in February of 2003. Since then, the now-40-year-old fighter has gone 14-0-1, and is currently on an 11-fight win streak.

Volkmann last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Paul Kelly - UFC Live on Versus 2
Win (Split Decision) Ronnys Torres - UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi
Loss (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Martin Kampmann - UFC 108


McKee last three fights:
Win (TKO - Doctor Stoppage) Luciano Azevedo - MFC 26: Retribution
Win (Submission - Kimura) Rodrigo Ruiz - Collision in the Cage
Win (Unanimous Decision) Carlo Prater - MFC 22: Payoff

Props: MMAjunkie

WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan Post-Fight Thoughts

- When Jose Aldo sees an opportunity to finish, he does so with malice. We really are witnessing something special. The short list of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world best consists of Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Aldo, and if Aldo continues to run through competition like this, he will be the undisputed p4p champ sooner rather than later.

- Even scarier, Aldo is only 24 and has not even approached his athletic peak.

- When I saw Miguel Torres' new stance, with his left hand extended and pawing, I was concerned that Charlie Valencia would come over the top with the big right hand he is known for. Torres never let Valencia get close enough to threaten with that right, though, and when he smelled blood, he ran through Valencia. Joining Tristar in Canada is the best thing Torres could have done for his career.

- George Roop absolutely smashed Chan Sung Jung with a beautiful head kick. It goes to show that no matter how good you think your chin is, always keep your hands up.

- The judges ALMOST screwed up again. After a three-round affair that saw Mark Hominick repeatedly score with hard punches while Leonard Garcia flailed away will wild punches, it was clear that Hominick had won. For reasons beyond me, one judge still scored the fight 29-28 Garcia. There is no conceivable way that Garcia won that fight. Get it right, or get the hell out of MMA. The judging in this sport is so bad, it has become downright embarrassing.

- Hominick did a great job sticking to his game plan. Instead of getting drawn in to a brawl, he kept good foot movement, sat behind his jab, and let Garcia tire himself out. This fight shows what good boxing does against wild boxing.