Fresh Faces: Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale edition

"The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale" kicks off this Saturday in historic fashion. Not only will the night crown the next Ultimate Fighter, but it will also mark the first card that the lower weight classes from the WEC will fight under the UFC banner.

In preparation, we introduce you to six bantamweights and featherweights that will make history Saturday night.

Name: Will Campuzano

Weight class: Bantamweight

Fighting: Nick Pace

Record: 7-2 (4 (T)KOs, 2 submissions) for the WEC and other regional promotions in Louisiana and Texas

Recent body of work: Defeated Steve Garcia by split decision at "King of Kombat 9: Resurrection."

Who he is: Campuzano entered the WEC with a perfect 6-0 record, but went 1-2 in the promotion with losses to Damacio Page and former WEC bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland. The decision win over Garcia put Campuzano back on the winning track, and he will now get a second chance with the Zuffa organization.

Name: Nick Pace

Weight class: Bantamweight

Fighting: Will Campuzano

Record: 5-1 (1 (T)KO, 2 submissions) for the WEC, Bellator and Ring of Combat

Recent body of work: Dropped a unanimous decision to Demetrious Johnson at WEC 51 in September.

Who he is: The inaugural Ring of Combat bantamweight champion, Pace garnered some media attention with a spectacular flying knee KO over Collin Tebo at Bellator 11. Now, Pace will enter the UFC looking to bounce back from his first career defeat.

Name: Fredson Paixao

Weight class: Featherweight

Fighting: Pablo Garza

Record: 10-3 (1 NC) (1 (T)KO, 4 submissions) for the WEC and various promotions in Brazil, Japan and the U.S.

Recent body of work: Defeated Bryan Caraway by split decision at WEC 50 in August.

Who he is: Paixao is a three-time gold medalist at the Mundials, one of the most prestigious grappling tournaments in the world. After losing his first two WEC contests to Wagnney Fabiano and Cole Province (the latter was later ruled a no contest when Province tested positive for banned substances), Paixao has rebounded with two straight wins over Courtney Buck and Caraway.

Name: Pablo Garza

Weight class: Featherweight

Fighting: Fredson Paixao

Record: 9-1 (1 (T)KO, 6 submissions) for the WEC and various promotions in North Dakota and Minnesota

Recent body of work: Lost by submission to Zhang Tie Quan at WEC 51 in September.

Who he is: Garza appeared on the "Ultimate Fighter 12," losing to top pick Michael Johnson in the debut episode, then went 2-0 for smaller promotions. Nicknamed "the Scarecrow," Garza then signed with the WEC, but lost his debut to Zhang Tie Quan by first-round submission.

Name: Ian Loveland

Weight class: Featherweight

Fighting: Tyler Toner

Record: 13-7 (6 (T)KOs, 6 submissions) for the IFL, Ring of Combat and various other promotions

Recent body of work: TKO'd Xavier Desrochers in 41 seconds at "Wreck MMA."

Who he is: A 20-fight veteran of the sport, Loveland enters the UFC as an injury replacement for Leonard Garcia on two weeks' notice. Loveland is riding a six-fight win streak, and has not lost a bout since 2007.

Name: Tyler Toner

Weight class: Featherweight

Fighting: Ian Loveland

Record: 10-2 (1 NC) (6 (T)KOs, 2 submisions) for the WEC, Strikeforce, Ring of Fire and Battlequest

Recent body of work: Lost a unanimous decision to Diego Nunes at WEC 51 in September.

Who he is: A native of Colorado, Toner entered the WEC with a first-round TKO knockout of Brandon Visher at WEC 48, but then saw his three-fight winning streak snapped by Nunes. Toner was originally scheduled to face Leonard Garcia, but an injury forced Garcia off of the card.

Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi in the works for UFC 127

A middleweight bout between "Ultimate Fighter 11" alums Chris Camozzi and Kyle Noke is in the works for UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia.

Camozzi (14-3, 2-0 UFC) was forced off the reality show after breaking his jaw during his prelim win in the first episode. Since then, he has earned decision victories over James Hammortree and Dong Yi Yang.

Noke (18-4-1, 2-0 UFC) was the second overall pick in the competition, but lost in the quarter-finals to eventual finalist Kris McCray. He has since earned back-to-back finishes over Josh Bryant (TKO) and Rob Kimmons (rear-naked choke).

Camozzi last three fights:
Win (Split Decision) Dong Yi Yang - UFC 121
Win (Unanimous Decision) James Hammortree - Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale
Win (Submission - Anaconda Choke) Chad Reiner - King of Champions: Rage

Noke last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Rob Kimmons - UFC 122
Win (TKO - Punches) Josh Bryant - Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale
Win (Unanimous Decision) Kyacey Uscola - Top Combat Championship

Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te-Huna in the works for UFC 127

A light-heavyweight bout between New Zealander James Te-Huna and Alexander Gustafsson is in the works for UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia.

Te-Huna (12-4, 1-0 UFC) made a successful UFC debut last February, knocking out Igor Pokrajac at UFC 110. An injury forced Te-Huna out of his next scheduled fight against Tom Blackledge at UFC 120, and he will have been out of action for a year when he faces Gustafsson.

Gustafsson (10-1, 2-1 UFC) is coming off of a dominant performance over Cyrille Diabate at UFC 120, outstriking the kickboxer on the feet before finishing the fight on the ground with a rear-naked choke.

Te-Huna last three fights:
Win (TKO - Strikes) Igor Pokrajac - UFC 110
Win (KO - Punches) Anthony Perosh - CFC 10
Win (TKO - Punches) Priscus Fogagnola - CFC 9


Gustafsson last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Cyrille Diabate - UFC 120
Loss (Submission - Anaconda Choke) Phil Davis - UFC 112
Win (KO - Punches) Jared Haman - UFC 105

Props: Fighters Only

George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver in the works for UFC 127

A lightweight bout between George Sotiropoulos and Dennis Siver is in the works for UFC 127 in Sotiropoulos' home country of Australia.

UFC president Dana White revealed the match-up after the UFC 123 press conference.

Sotiropoulous (14-2, 7-0 UFC) actively campaigned earlier in the week for a slot on his home country's card. The Aussie then went on to defeat Joe Lauzon by second-round kimura to run his UFC-unbeaten streak to seven.

Siver (17-7, 6-4 UFC) has reversed his UFC fortunes of late, going 5-1 for the promotion in the last two years after a 1-3 start. Most recently, Siver submitted Andre Winner by first-round rear-naked choke at UFC 122.

Sotiropoulos last three fights:
Win (Submission - Kimura) Joe Lauzon - UFC 123
Win (Unanimous Decision) Kurt Pellegrino - UFC 116
Win (Unanimous Decision) Joe Stevenson - UFC 110

Siver last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Andre Winner - UFC 122
Win (Unanimous Decision) Spencer Fisher - Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Ross Pearson - UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi

UFC 123 post-fight thoughts and analysis

- In order to beat Lyoto Machida, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson needed to fight smart, disciplined and not play into Machida's game. For the most part, that is exactly what he did, cutting off Machida's angles and working in to the clinch position. It wasn't a dominant performance, but Jackson did enough to win the first two rounds, at least in some people's eyes.

- After getting blitzed with punches and mounted in the third round, it's no wonder that Jackson felt like he lost the fight. However, the 10-point must system employed by the UFC is a round-by-round account. If looked at in a totalitarian sense, did Jackson lose that fight? Absolutely. But did he lose it under the 10-point must system? Well...

- I personally scored the bout 29-28 Machida, with the second round going to Jackson. But while I thought that Machida landed the better strikes in the first round, it's hard to fault the judges for giving it to Jackson based on his aggression and ring control. Fair or not, perception is the law when it comes to judging. If you continue to move backwards, like Machida did, and your opponent is able to mount any sort of offense, the perception is that you lost that round.

- There was a lot of talk about Jackson bringing back the 'old Rampage,' the feared knockout artist from the PRIDE days. What I would rather see is a new Jackson, one that uses leg kicks and threatens with more takedowns. Right now, Jackson is a lethal boxer who occasionally mixes in takedowns. A more well-rounded Jackson could be lethal.

- Speaking of lethal, Saturday night proved that a focused, motivated B.J. Penn is one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. While we knew that Matt Hughes' three-fight winning streak was not exactly as advertised, no one expected Penn to drop Hughes in under 30 seconds. We seem to forget that Penn is only 31 and still a very relevant force in the UFC. He will face a much stiffer test next, as UFC president Dana White already announced that Penn will face perennial contender Jon Fitch at UFC 127.

- Fun fact: Penn became the second person to finish Hughes twice in the first round. The other? Dennis Hallman, who also scored a first-round KO at UFC 123 over Karo Parisyan.

- For two rounds, Maiquel Falcao dominated Gerald Harris, almost finishing by rear-naked choke on two separate occasions, before coasting his way to a unanimous decision. Falcao didn't make many fans by putting it on cruise control in round three, but the offense that he did display shows that he could be a serious force in the middleweight division.

- Phil Davis is an incredibly strong and explosive fighter. Davis controlled Tim Boetsch on the ground before eventually submitting him with a kimura best described as, "Big brother picking on little brother." The win extended Davis' perfect record to 8-0 and proved that he is ready for a step up in competition.

- George Sotiropoulos ran his UFC record to 7-0, surviving a strong start from Joe Lauzon before eventually submitting Lauzon in the second round. Sotiropoulos is a serious threat whenever the fight hits the ground, and should be looking for a title shot sometime in mid-to-late 2011.

- If you turned off the TV right after Jackson vs. Machida, you missed Brazilian lightweight Edson Barboza systematically destroy Mike Lullo's leg en route to a third-round TKO. Barboza is a large and powerful 155'er and his striking reminds me a little of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Keep your eye on him, he seems poised for a breakout year.

B.J. Penn vs. Jon Fitch in the works for UFC 127

A number-one contender's match between B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch is set to be the main event of UFC 127 in Australia.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the match-up after the UFC 123 press conference.

Penn (16-7-1, 12-6-1 UFC) is fresh off of his first-round demolition of former welterweight champion Matt Hughes at UFC 123. The former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion is 3-3 as a welterweight in the UFC, with his losses coming to current champion Georges St. Pierre (twice) and Hughes.

Fitch (23-3 (1 NC), 13-1 UFC) had originally been scheduled to face Jake Ellenberger at UFC 126. He is currently on a five-fight win streak, dating back to a 2008 loss to St. Pierre. That loss to St. Pierre is Fitch's only loss in the UFC.


Penn last three fights:
Win (KO - Punches) Matt Hughes - UFC 123
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Frankie Edgar - UFC 118
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Frankie Edgar - UFC 112

Fight last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Thiago Alves - UFC 117
Win (Unanimous Decision) Ben Saunders - UFC 111
Win (Unanimous Decision) Mike Pierce - UFC 107

UFC 123 results

Main card:
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson def. Lyoto Machida by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
BJ Penn def. Matt Hughes by KO (punches) at 0:21 of round 1
Maiquel Falcao def. Gerald Harris by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Phil Davis def. Tim Boetsch by submission (kimura) at 2:55 of round 2
George Sotiropoulos def. Joe Lauzon by submission (kimura) at 2:43 of round 2

Spike TV card:
Brian Foster def. Matt Brown by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:11 of round 2
Mark Munoz def. Aaron Simpson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary card:
Dennis Hallman def. Karo Parisyan by TKO (punches) at 1:47 of round 1
Edson Barboza def. Mike Lullo by TKO (leg kicks) at 0:26 of round 3
Paul Kelly def. TJ O'Brien by TKO (elbows) at 3:16 of round 2
Nik Lentz def. Tyson Griffin by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

$80,000 bonuses:
Fight of the Night: George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon
Knockout of the Night: BJ Penn
Submission of the Night: Phil Davis

UFC 123 preview: Lyoto Machida vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Lyoto Machida (16-1) vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (30-8)

How we got here:

Former UFC light-heavyweight champions Lyoto Machida and Quinton "Rampage"

Jackson will square off in the main event of UFC 123 in a matchup of conflicting styles.

Machida entered his first title match against Rashad Evans with an undefeated mark of 14-0, including a 6-0 run in the UFC. Fans had been critical of Machida's elusive style of fighting -- he had won four of his first five UFC fights by decision -- but a highlight-reel first-round knockout of Thiago Silva earned Machida a shot at the gold.

In a battle of undefeated fighters, Machida didn't disappoint, knocking Evans out in the second round to claim the belt and causing announcer Joe Rogan to famously welcome fans to, "the Machida era."

That era came under duress immediately in Machida's first title defense, against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. In that fight, Rua had seemingly solved the puzzle of Machida's elusiveness, forcing the champion to engage first, then blasting him with leg and body kicks. In one of the most controversial decisions of the year, all three judges scored the fight 48-47 Machida, a decision that few fans or media pundits agreed with. UFC president Dana White granted Rua an immediate rematch, which took place at UFC 113.

Rua would not let the rematch reach a decision, scoring a first-round knockout and handing Machida his first career loss. Now, we will see how Machida rebounds after tasting defeat for the first time.

However, this could have been a much different story arc. Jackson was originally in line to fight Evans for the title, but injuries kept him from competing. The UFC opted to give the next chance to Machida, who took full opportunity.

When Jackson returned, he was offered a title shot against Machida. Rather than take the fight, though, Jackson elected to coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 10" opposite Evans. Taking Jackson's place in that title fight was Rua.

After a bizarre series of events that saw Jackson briefly retire to star in the movie "The A-Team," "Rampage" finally faced off against Evans at UFC 114. Evans controlled much of the fight to earn a unanimous decision victory, leaving Jackson 2-2 in his last four fights.

Now, Jackson and Machida will face off in a match that could have been for the title a year earlier.

After the jump, find out the keys to success for both fighters...

Pro Training preview: Matt Mitrione

"Ultimate Fighter 10" alum Matt Mitrione is 3-0 in his young MMA career, with all of those wins coming in the UFC. Now, Mitrione is here to show you the skills that helped earn him "Fight of the Night" honors at UFC 119.

Matt Mitrione's pro training modules will be live next week, so sign up on TapouTVTC.com today to ensure you don't miss them!

Dana White UFC 123 Video Blog Episode 2

Go behind the scenes at the UFC 123 pre-fight press conference.

UFC 123 preview: Matt Hughes vs. BJ Penn

BJ Penn (15-7-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) vs. Matt Hughes (45-7 MMA, 18-5 UFC)

How we got here:

When Matt Hughes and BJ Penn square off in UFC 123's co-main event on Saturday night, they will do so with almost seven years of history.

The pair first met at UFC 46 in Jan. 2004. At the time, Hughes was riding a 13-fight winning streak and had successfully defended his UFC welterweight title five times. Penn was moving up to welterweight for the first time in his career after two unsuccessful bids at UFC lightweight gold. Hughes had 38 career fights going into the bout, Penn had eight. Many people, including Hughes, expected it to be a squash match.

Of course, the expected and what actually transpires can vary greatly in MMA, and thus was the case that Saturday night. Penn blasted Hughes with an overhand right from guard, then took back mount and submitted the champion with a rear-naked choke. In just 4:39, Penn had stunned the world.

After winning the title, Penn left the UFC for other challenges, going 3-1 outside the organization while fighting twice at middleweight and once at light heavyweight. Hughes, meanwhile, rebounded from the loss with a unanimous decision victory over Renato Verissimo, then submitted Georges St. Pierre to reclaim the welterweight belt that Penn had vacated.

Penn returned to the UFC two years later and lost a close split decision to St. Pierre for another shot at the title. When St. Pierre was forced to withdraw from the title bout with an injury, Penn stepped in, setting up the rematch that Hughes had been looking for.

Hughes was nearly defeated by Penn again, giving up his back at one point and nearly getting submitted in a triangle/ armbar combination. By the third round, though, Penn's cardio was failing him, and Hughes was able to pound Penn out on the ground to avenge his loss.

The career trajectories of these two champions seemed to go in opposite directions at thas point. Penn dropped back down to lightweight and went 5-1 over the next three years, claiming the lightweight title and successfully defending it three times. Hughes went 1-3 after the bout, losing twice to St. Pierre and once to Thiago Alves. When Hughes finally fought longtime rival Matt Serra at UFC 98, many were questioning how much the former champion had left.

However, recent history has seen another reversal of fortunes. Penn lost back-to-back decisions to now-champion Frankie Edgar, leading some to question his team and training camps. Hughes has seen a resurgence, winning three straight bouts over Brazilin jiu-jitsu black belts Serra, Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.

The stage has now been set for two of the UFC's most storied champions to see who will claim the rubber match.

After the jump, find out the keys for each fighter's success...

Dana White UFC 123 Video Blog Episode 1

Go behind the scenes with Joe Rogan and Dana White at the UFC 122 Q&A session, then sit cage-side with White for UFC 122.

Props: Youtube.com/UFC

Fresh Faces: UFC 123 edition

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


Name: Maiquel Falcao

Weight class: Middleweight

Fighting: Gerald Harris

Record: 25-3 (1 NC) (21 (T)KOs, 3 submissions) for various Brazilian promotions

Recent body of work: Scored a first-round TKO victory over Wendres Carlos da Silva at "Arena Gold Fights 2) in July

Who he is: Fighting out of the Chute Boxe camp, Falcao has only seen one fight go to decision in his career, a span that has lasted 26 fights and six years. The Brazilian is currently riding a seven-fight win streak, with all of those fights ending in the first round.

Name: Edson Barboza

Weight class: Lightweight

Fighting: Mike Lullo

Record: 6-0 (5 (T)KOs, 1 submission) for various promotions in Florida, Louisiana and New Jersey

Recent body of work: TKO'd Marcelo Guidici with kicks to win the Ring of Combat lightweight title in June.

Who he is: A Muay Thai black belt with 28 professional kickboxing fights, Barboza has seamlessly made the transition into MMA. Only one of Barboza's six MMA fights have lasted past the first round.

Name: Mike Lullo

Weight class: Lightweight

Fighting: Edson Barboza

Record: 8-1 (1 (T)KO, 6 submissions) for various U.S. promotions

Recent body of work: Submitted Tyler Combs by armbar at "Chicago Cagefighting Championship" in October

Who he is: Lullo steps in as an injury replacement after Barboza's original opponent, Darren Elkins was forced to withdraw with a knee injury. Based out of the Midwest Training Center in Illinois, Lullo has won eight straight fights since losing his professional debut back in 2008.

Name: T.J. O'Brien

Weight class: Lightweight

Fighting: Paul Kelly

Record: 16-3 (15 submissions) for various U.S. promotions

Recent body of work: Defeated Josh Henry by rear-naked choke at "Midwest Cage Championships 29" in October

Who he is: O'Brien will get a second shot at the UFC after getting knocked out in the elimination round of "The Ultimate Fighter 12" by Team Koscheck first-round pick Marc Stevens. An injury to Gabe Ruediger opened the door to O'Brien, who has won his last six fights and 11 overall by triangle choke.

UFC 122 results

Main card:
Yushin Okami def. Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Dennis Siver def. Andre Winner by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:37 of round 1
Amir Sadollah def. Peter Sobotta by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Goran Reljic by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Duane Ludwig def. Nick Osipczak by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary card:
Vladimir Matyushenko def. Alexandre Ferreira by TKO (elbows) at 2:20 of round 1
Pascal Krauss def. Mark Scanlon by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Kyle Noke def. Rob Kimmons by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:33 of round 2
Karlos Vemola def. Seth Petruzelli by TKO (punches) at 3:46 of round 1
Carlos Eduardo Rocha def. Kris McCray by submission (kneebar) at 2:36 of round 1

$60,000 bonuses:
Fight of the Night: Pascal Krauss vs. Mark Scanlon
Submission of the Night: Dennis Siver
Knockout of the Night: Karlos Vemola

Attendance: 8,421 with a gate of $600,000

Tito Ortiz vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the works for UFC 128

A light-heavyweight bout between former champion Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is in the works for UFC 128 on March 12 in Abu Dhabi.

Ortiz (15-8-1, 14-8-1 UFC) returned from a year of inaction at UFC 121, losing a unanimous decision to Matt Hamill. The former light-heavyweight champion has not won a fight since October of 2006, going 0-4-1 over the last four years while battling injuries.

Nogueira (19-4, 2-1 UFC) will look to rebound from his first UFC loss, a unanimous decision to Ryan Bader at UFC 119.

Ortiz last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Matt Hamill - UFC 121
Loss (Split Decision) Forrest Griffin - UFC 106
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Lyoto Machida - UFC 84

Nogueira last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Ryan Bader - UFC 119
Win (Split Decision) Jason Brilz - UFC 114
Win (TKO - Punches) Luiz Cane - UFC 106

Props: Tatame.com & MMAjunkie.com

UFC 122 weigh-in results

Main card:
Nate Marquardt (186) vs. Yushin Okami (185)
Jorge Rivera (185) def. Alessio Sakara (186)
Dennis Siver (155) vs. Andre Winner (155)
Amir Sadollah (170) vs. Peter Sobotta (169)
Krzysztof Soszynski (206) vs. Goran Reljic (205)

Preliminary card:
Alexandre Ferreira (204) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205)
Pascal Krauss (170) vs. Mark Scanlon (170)
Duane Ludwig (170) vs. Nick Osipczak (171)
Rob Kimmons (184) vs. Kyle Noke (185)
Seth Petruzelli (205) vs. Karlos Vemola (205)
Kris McCray (171) vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha (170)

WEC 52 results

Main card:
Urijah Faber def. Takeya Mizugaki by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:50 of round 1
Chad Mendes def. Javier Vazquez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Erik Koch def. Francisco RIvera by TKO (strikes) at 1:36 of round 1
Joseph Benavidez def. Wagnney Fabiano by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:45 of round 2
Demetrious Johnson def. Damacio Page by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:27 of round 3

Preliminary card:
Raphael Assuncao def. LC Davis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Anthony Njokuani def. Edward Faaloloto byTKO (strikes) at 4:54 of round 2
Dustin Poirier def. Zach Micklewright by TKO (punches) at 0:53 of round 1
Michael McDonald def. Clint Godfrey by submission (armbar) at 2:42 of round 1
Cub Swanson def. Mackens Semerzier by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Yves Jabouin def. Brandon Visher by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

$10,000 bonuses:
Fight of the Night: Cub Swanson vs. Mackens Semerzier
Knockout of the Night: Erik Koch
Submission of the Night: Urijah Faber

WEC 52 weigh-in results

Main card:
Urijah Faber (136) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (136)
Chad Mendes (145.5) vs. Javier Vazquez (146)
Erik Koch (146) vs. Francisco Rivera (146)
Joseph Benavidez (136) vs. Wagnney Fabiano (136)
Damacio Page (136) vs. Memetrious Johnson (135)

Preliminary card:
Raphael Assuncao (146) vs. LC Davis (146)
Anthony Njokuani (156) vs. Edward Faaloloto (154)
Zack Micklewright (158)* vs. Dustin Poirier (155)
Clint Godfrey (136) vs. Michael McDonald (135)
Cub Swanson (145) vs. Mackens Semerzier (145)
Yves Jabouin (145) vs. Brandon Visher (145)

*Micklewright will be given one hour to drop two additional pounds

Anthony Njokuani WEC 52 interview

TapouTVTC sat down with knockout artist Anthony Njokuani to talk about his WEC 52 fight against Edward Faaloloto.

For more exclusive interviews, sign up today at TapouTVTC.com!

Mike Brown vs. Diego Nunes in the works for UFC 125

A featherweight bout between former WEC champion Mike Brown and Diego Nunes is in the works for UFC 125 on Jan 1.

Brown (24-6, 6-2 WEC) rebounded from a loss to Manvel Gamburyan with a quick TKO victory over Cole Province at WEC 51. The former champ is 2-1 since losing his title to Jose Aldo last November.

Nunes (15-1, 4-1 WEC) is currently on a two-fight win streak. Prior to entering the WEC, Nunes had finished all 11 of his professional fights. Since then, though, all five of Nunes' WEC fights have gone to decision.

Brown last three fights:
Win (TKO - Punches) Cole Province - WEC 51
Loss (KO - Punches) Manvel Gamburyan - WEC 48
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Anthony Morrison - WEC 46

Nunes last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Tyler Toner - WEC 51
Win (Split Decision) Raphael Assuncao - WEC 49
Loss (Unanimous Decision) LC Davis - WEC 44

Props: MMA junkie

Jeremy Stephens vs. Marcus Davis in the works for UFC 125

A lightweight bout between Jeremy Stephens and Marcus Davis is in the works for UFC 125 on New Years day.

Stephens (18-6, 5-5 UFC) dropped a close split decision to Melvin Guillard at UFC 119. The loss snapped Stephens' two-fight winning streak.

Davis (17-7, 9-5 UFC) will drop to lightweight for the first time in his career after dropping three of his past four fights at welterweight. Most recently, Davis lost by technical submission to Nate Diaz at UFC 118, earning Fight of the Night honors in the process.

Stephens last three fights:
Loss (Split Decision) Melvin Guillard - UFC 119
Win (Split Decision) Sam Stout - UFC 113
Win (TKO - Cut) Justin Buchholz - UFC Fight Night 19

Davis last three fights:
Loss (Technical Submission - Guillotine Choke) Nate Diaz - UFC 118
Win (TKO - Punches) Jonathan Goulet - UFC 113
Loss (KO - Knees) Ben Saunders - UFC 106

Source: MMA Junkie

Israel Fighting Championships results

Main card:
Ricco Rodriguez def. Daniel Tabera by unanimous decision
Jeff Monson def. Sergey Shemetov by submission (kimura) at 4:09 of round 1
Frank Trigg def. Roy Neeman by TKO (punches) at 2:36 of round 1
Moshe Kaitz def. Hermes Franca by unanimous decision
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Valdas Pocevicius by unanimous decision

Preliminary card:
Daniel Gracie def. Martin Wojcik by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:17 of round 1
Jeremy Knafo def. Shonie Carter by unanimous decision
Alexandro Ceconi def. Vitaly Shemetov by submission (triangle choke) at 4:48 of round 1
Thiago Meller def. Ariel Abergel by submission (armbar) at 0:35 of round 1
Vitali Krbrsky def. Serob Minasyan by unanimous decision
Ido Pariente def. Jousa Hewlett by submission (armbar) at 2:54 of round 1
Roy Peretz def. Fabric Riconneau by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:00 of round 1

Fresh Faces: UFC 122 edition

For every UFC event, TapouTVTC.com introduces you to the fresh faces making their debuts.

Name: Carlos Eduardo Rocha

Weight class: Welterweight

Fighting: Kris McCray

Record: 8-0 (1 (T)KO, 7 submissions) for various promotions in Germany

Recent body of work: Submitted Fatih Balci by arm-triangle choke at "GMC 1 - The Beginning" in May

Who he is: Rocha's path to the UFC is an inspirational one. Nicknamed, "Ta Danado," (which is roughly equivalent to the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character) Rocha grew up on the streets of Joao Pessoa, Brazil, without a family. He took to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and was eventually invited to Germany to teach BJJ. Now living in Hamburg, Rocha has amassed a large following, due in large part to finishing seven of his eight professional fights in the first round.

Name: Pascal Krauss

Weight class: Welterweight

Fighting: Mark Scanlon

Record: 9-0 (2 (T)KO, 7 submissions) for various European promotions

Recent body of work: Submitted John Quinn by rear-naked choke to win the Cage Warriors welterweight championship in May.

Who he is: Krauss, whose nickname, "Panzer" translates to "tank," is one of the top European welterweight prospects. He earned the Cage Warriors welterweight title that was vacated by Dan Hardy when Hardy signed with the UFC. A former German junior boxing champion, Krauss has also spent time in Brazil and the United States, training Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Roberto Correa, Renzo Gracie and Cesar Gracie.

Name: Mark Scanlon

Weight class: Welterweight

Fighting: Pascal Krauss

Record: 7-0 (2 (T)KO, 5 submissions) for various promotions in England and Wales

Recent body of work: Knocked out Michael Reid with a head kick in 10 seconds at "OMMAC 7 - Vengeance" in October.

Who he is: A Luta Livre practitioner, Scanlon began his MMA career in 2006, racking of four straight wins from '06 - 2008. Injuries sidelined him for 18 months, but Scanlon has bounced back nicely with three first-round victories in 2010 -- two of which came in under a minute.

Name: Alexandre Ferreira

Weight class: Light heavyweight

Fighting: Vladimir Matyushenko

Record: 18-6 (17 submissions) for various promotions all over the world

Recent body of work: Submitted Walter Mazurkievicz by first-round kimura at "Jungle Fight 15" in October 2009.

Who he is: A veteran whose career started in 1998, Ferreira steps in to replace an injured Jason Brilz on the UFC 122 undercard. Ferreira has finished 17 of his 18 wins by submission -- an impressive feat -- and has won his last seven fights dating back to 2007, all by first-round submission.

Video: Robert Drysdale vs. Clay Davidson at AFC 4

In case you missed it over the weekend, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Robert Drysdale improved his professional MMA record to 2-0 on Saturday, defeating Clay Davidson by first-round armbar at AFC 4. Drysdale's two pro fights have lasted a combined 4:06.

Check out the video of the submission victory below and make sure you check out TapouTVTC.com to get Drysdale's exclusive pro training modules.

Pro Training preview: Mike Pyle

Mike Pyle is one of the most dangerous grapplers in MMA today.

Pyle has racked up an unbelievable 17 submission victories and is the only fighter to have ever submitted Jon Fitch.

Most recently, Pyle stepped into hostile territory at UFC 120, dominating then-undefeated British prospect John Hathaway in England en route to a unanimous decision win.

If you want to master the ground game, make sure to check out TapouTVTC.com for Pyle's pro training modules.

Pro Training shoot with Anthony Njokuani

To finish up our day of pro training shoots, WEC lightweight Anthony Njokuani stopped by to teach some of his explosive striking combinations.

Njokuani is one of the most feared strikers in the lightweight division, at one time earning Knockout of the Night bonuses in three consecutive bouts.

With just a week to go until his WEC 52 bout against Edward Faaloloto, we certainly appreciate Njokuani taking time out of his fight preparation. Check out some more exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of Njokuani's shoot after the jump and sign up on TapouTVTC.com for pro training modules from top fighters and coaches in MMA!

Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran in the works for UFC Fight for the Troops 2

A heavyweight bout between sluggers Pat Barry and Joey Beltran is in the works for UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Jan. 22.

Barry (5-2, 2-2 UFC) has not fought since breaking his hand in foot in his UFC 115 loss to Mirko "Cro Cop" in June. Most recently, Barry traveled to Minnesota to help former-UFC champion Brock Lesnar prepare for his title defense against Cain Velasquez.

Beltran (12-4, 2-1 UFC) suffered his first UFC loss at UFC 119, dropping a unanimous decision to Matt Mitrione that earned Fight of the Night honors.

Barry last three fights:
Loss (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Mirko "Cro Cop" - UFC 115
Win (TKO - Punches) Antoni Hardonk - UFC 104
Loss (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Tim Hague - UFC 98

Beltran last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Matt Mitrione - UFC 119
Win (Unanimous Decision) Tim Hague - UFC 113
Win (TKO - Punches) Rolles Gracie - UFC 109

Props: MMA Weeky

Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos in the works for UFC 126

A bout between former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres and Antonio Banuelos is in the works for UFC 126 on Feb. 5.

Torres (38-3, 6-2 WEC) rebounded from two straight losses - the first time he had lost two straight in his career - with a dominant victory over Charlie Valencia at WEC 51. In that bout, Torres bested Valencia on the feet before eventually locking in a rear-naked choke, earning him Submission of the Night honors.

Banuelos (18-6, 9-5 WEC) also rebounded from a loss at WEC 51, defeating Chad George by unanimous decision.

Torres last three fights:
Win (Submission - Rear-Naked Choke) Charlie Valencia - WEC 51
Loss (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Joseph Benavidez - WEC 47
Loss (KO - Punches) Brian Bowles - WEC 42

Banuelos last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Chad George - WEC 51
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Scott Jorgensen - WEC 48
Win (Unanimous Decision) Kenji Osawa - WEC 44

Props: Heavy.com

Pro Training Shoot with Mike "Joker" Guymon

We just finished up a pro training shoot with Mike "Joker" Guymon at the TapouT Training Center in Las Vegas.

"Joker" showed off some slick wrestling takedowns and attacks from the over-under position, then some counterattacks off of an opponent's leg kick.

Check out more exclusive behind-the-scenes photos after the jump and sign up on TapouTVTC.com today for the best MMA training and entertainment on the internet!

Mike Swick vs. David Mitchell in the works for UFC Fight for the Troops 2

Welterweight Mike Swick will return to action after almost a year layoff when he faces David Mitchell at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Jan. 22.

Swick (14-4, 9-3 UFC) will look to bounce back from back-to-back losses, the first time in his career that he has lost two straight contests. After losing to Paulo Thiago at UFC 109, Swick was misdiagnosed with a stomach disease that forced him to strictly regulate his diet. That strict diet made it difficult for Swick to maintain muscle mass. Swick's condition was later realized to be a condition called severe spastic esophagus.

Mitchell (11-1, 0-1 UFC) recently suffered the first loss of his professional career, dropping a unanimous decision to Anthony Waldburger in Mitchell's UFC debut.

Swick last three fights:
Loss (Technical Submission - D'arce Choke) Paulo Thiago - UFC 109
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Dan Hardy - UFC 105
Win (TKO - Punches) Ben Saunders - UFC 99

Mitchell last three fights:
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Anthony Waldburger - UFC Fight Night 22
Win (Technical Submission - Triangle Choke) Poppies Martinez - TPF 5
Win (Submission - Guillotine Choke) Tim McKenzie - TPF 4

Props: MMA Weekly

Jon Fitch vs. Jake Ellenberger in the works for UFC 126

A welterweight bout between Jon Fitch and Jake Ellenberger is being targeted for UFC 126 on Feb. 5.

Fitch (23-3, 13-1 UFC) has won five straight bouts dating back to 2008. His lone loss in the Octagon came against current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87 in August of '08.

Ellenberger (23-5, 2-1 UFC) is coming off of a doctor stoppage victory over John Howard at UFC Live on Versus 2, and has won two straight since losing a split decision to Carlos Condit in his UFC debut.

Fitch last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Thiago Alves - UFC 117
Win (Unanimous Decision) Ben Saunders - UFC 111
Win (Unanimous Decision) Mike Pierce - UFC 107

Ellenberger last three fights:
Win (TKO - Doctor Stoppage) John Howard - UFC Live on Versus 2
Win (TKO - Punches) Mike Pyle - UFC 108
Loss (Split Decision) Carlos Condit - UFC Fight Night 19

Props: MMA Junkie

DaMarques Johnson vs. Mike Guymon in the works for UFC Fight for the Troops 2

A welterweight bout between DaMarques Johnson and Mike "Joker" Guymon is in the works for the UFC's yet-to-be-announced event on Jan. 22, which will air on Spike TV.

Johnson (14-8, 2-2 UFC) saw his two-fight winning streak snapped at UFC Live on Versus 2, where he lost to Matthew Riddle by second-round TKO. The bout was held at a catchweight of 172 lbs. after Johnson missed weight.

Guymon (12-4-1, 1-2 UFC) is also looking to bounce back from defeat after being submitted by Daniel Roberts at UFC 121.

Johnson last three fights:
Loss (TKO - Punches) Matthew Riddle - UFC Live on Versus 2
Win (TKO - Strikes) Bad Blackburn - UFC 112
Win (Submission - Triangle Choke) Edgar Garcia - UFC 107

Guymon last three fights:
Loss (Submission - Anaconda Choke) Daniel Roberts - UFC 121
Win (Unanimous Decision) Yoshiyuki Yoshida - UFC 113
Loss (Submission - Armbar) Rory MacDonald - UFC Fight Night 20

Props: MMA Junkie

Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague in the works for UFC Fight for the Troops 2

A heavyweight bout between Matt Mitrione and Tim Hague is in the works for the UFC's yet-to-be-announced card on Jan. 22, which will air on Spike TV from Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

Mitrione (3-0, 3-0 UFC) has won all three of his UFC bouts. The former NFL player most recently earned a unanimous decision victory over Joey Beltran at UFC 119.

Hague (12-4, 1-3 UFC) is making his return to the Octagon after back-to-back first-round knockouts for the Aggression MMA promotion. The Canadian product has twice been released by the UFC.

Mitrione last three fights:
Win (Unanimous Decision) Joey Beltran - UFC 119
Win (TKO - Strikes) Kimbo Slice - UFC 113
Win (KO - Punches) Marcus Jones - Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale

Hague last three fights:
Win (KO - Punches) Travis Wiuff - Aggression MMA V: Uprising
Win (KO - Knee) Zak Jensen - Aggression MMA IV: Victory
Loss (Unanimous Decision) Joey Beltran - UFC 113

Props: MMA Fighting