The UFC was back in Las Vegas tonight and two more winners of The Ultimate Fighter reality television show were crowned. Efrain Escudero and Ryan Bader both defeated their opponents in convincing fashion, earning themselves six-figure contracts with the UFC.

Escudero defeated a game Phillipe Nover at lightweight via unanimous decision in the night’s main event. Escudero looked crisp during the fight and utilized his best weapon, his wrestling, to nullify Phillipe Nover’s standup game. Every time Nover would come in to throw a right hand, Escudero would duck under and take him to the ground and control him from there. Nover was game, though, and did not quit looking for submissions from the bottom and even seemed to have Escudero in some trouble with an omoplata attempt late in the third round. The Mexican born fighter survived, however, and went on to take the decision from the fighter that many considered the favorite going into the bout.

Ryan Bader was able to secure a TKO victory over his opponent, Vinny Magalhaes, in the first round. Going into the fight many believed the only way that Bader had a chance to win was to keep the fight standing and that’s exactly what he did. The fight didn’t even have a chance to hit the ground as Bader threw a strong right hand that grazed the jiu jitsu ace’s temple, sending him to the canvas. From there Bader jumped in with solid hammer fists that forced the referee to step in and stop the fight.

In other action on the card, Anthony Johnson was able to finally set the record straight in convincing fashion with his head kick knockout over Kevin Burns in the third round. After the way the first contest ended between these two competitors, Johnson wanted to make sure he put an exclamation point at the end of this fight and that’s exactly what he did. For the first two rounds it was a good battle with Johnson landing some nice strikes as well as taking Burns to the ground. Burns was no slouch off his back, however, looking for submissions the entire time and landing some decent strikes of his own. At the beginning of round three, Johnson threw a head kick that landed right on Burns’ chin and sent the Iowa fighter crashing to the mat in a heap. Johnson exacted his revenge and looks to be on the up and up at 170 lbs.

Wilson Gouveia, who was unable to make the 185 lbs. weight limit yesterday, made quick work of Jason MacDonald, winning via submission in the first round. Gouveia hit MacDonald with a left hand that put MacDonald down early and never let up from there, pouncing on him and landing a barrage of elbows that split MacDonald’s face open. Gouveia continued to rain down blows and forced MacDonald to eventually tap due to strikes. Gouveia said afterward that making weight will never be a problem again and that he absolutely intends on staying at middleweight.

In the night’s opening fight, Junie Browning made an impressive showing, submitting Dave Kaplan in the second round with an armbar. Browning looked like a much improved fighter than what was shown on the television show, working in crisp striking and footwork along with takedowns, guard passes, and an overall well-rounded game. Browning’s conditioning was not a factor either as he dominated Kaplan in every aspect of the fight. Browning apologized to Frank Mir after the fight, saying he was sorry that he gave Mir trouble on the show.

Full results from the event are below:

MAIN CARD:

• Junie Browning def. David Kaplan via submission 1:32, Round 2.

• Wilson Gouveia def. Jason MacDonald via TKO 2:18, Round 1.

• Anthony Johnson def. Kevin Burns via knockout 0:28, Round 3.

• Ryan Bader def. Vinny Magalhaes via KO 2:18, Round 1.

• Efrain Escudero def. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision.

• Roli Delgado def. John Polakowski via submission 2:18, Round 2.

PRELIMINARY CARD:

• Shane Nelson def. George Roop via split decision.

• Tom Lawlor def. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision

• Eliot Marshall def. Jules Bruchez via submission 1:27, Round 1.

• Krzysztof Soszynski def. Shane Primm via submission 3:27, Round 2.

The UFC is back again just three days after their last event, this time with The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir finale. There are some solid matchups sprinkled throughout the card as well as some fights that will determine who will stay in the UFC from this season and who will be cut to work their way back up through the minor leagues. Plus, which two fighters will win the six-figure contracts? We’ve got the answers, ladies and gentlemen, so let’s do the damn thing.

Phillipe Nover vs. Efrain Escudero (Lightweight Finals)

Adam Morgan: This is the ideal matchup for Nover as Escudero is a wrestler who wants to prove to the world that he can strike. He did an okay job against Junie Browning but he won’t have the luxury of fighting and unconditioned fighter when he steps in against Nover. Nover is a complete fighter all the way around and as long as he’s able to stay off his back he should have Efrain beat anywhere else. Ideally Nover will keep the fight standing and pick Efrain apart on the feet. Nover will be the contract winner in the lightweight division, no doubt. Phillipe Nover via TKO, round two.

David Andrest: Well rounded fighter vs. wrestler.  Escudero appears to be a nice enough guy, and after this loss he will get the tougher road to stardom of the two.  Winner: Phillipe Nover  Sub  Armbar Round 1.

Cory Brady: Both of these guys are very well put together fighters. there has been a lot of noise made about Nover being the next Anderson Silva and I expect for him to be the favorite coming into this one. Do not count Escudero out. There is no area of the game that Nover is gong to overwhelm him in. Escudero is an experienced wrestler with a well rounded submission game with constantly improving stand up. With that said. I expect Nover to walk away with the victory tonight. His striking is on another level than Escudero’s and he was recently awarded his black belt in jiu-jitsu. This one will be more competitive than most people think. Winner: Nover TKO Round 2

Ryan Bader vs. Vinny Magalhaes (Light Heavyweight Finals)

Adam Morgan: Vinny already has some of the best jiu jitsu in all of MMA and certainly in the light heavyweight division. He is one of the most decorated grapplers competing in MMA today. Bader will want the fight on the ground. So will Vinny. But Bader can’t be content to just lay on Vinny like he has some of his previous opponents. Vinny has far too many ways to win, especially if the fight is on the ground. Bader’s best bet would be to test Vinny’s standup but I doubt that will happen. His natural instinct is wrestling and that will ultimately be his downfall. Magalhaes is just far too talented. Vinny Magalhaes via submission, round two.

David Andrest: I really do not know what Bader can bring into this fight that Vinny hasn’t seen done already and done better.  Vinny being the former BJJ instructor at Team Quest and now training with Xtreme Couture has never been at a loss for top level training partners with a wrestling background.  Word on the street is Bader will use his wrestling to keep the fight standing because he feels he is the better striker of the two.  Bader had better keep it on the feet as that is his ONE way to win.  With only one way to win i can not pick him.  Winner  Vinny Magalhaes sub round 1.

Cory Brady: This is the one fight on the card that has me going back and forth the most. I truly believe that the result of this fight will depend on where it ends up. If Bader can dictate where the fight goes i feel he has the more crisp, powerful striking. I could see him catching Vinny in the second round or winning a decision if he decides to keep it on the feet which I think he is very capable of doing. Obviously Vinny’s strengths are on the ground and I think it will be extremely difficult for Bader to either finish Vinny or grind out a decision on the mat. All in all I expect Bader’s wrestling to be the key factor in the fights outcome. He will keep the fight standing and show that he is not as one dimensional as some would believe. Winner: Bader TKO Round 2

Kevin Burns vs. Anthony Johnson

Adam Morgan: As long as Johnson can stay out of eye poke territory he should be able to lock this one up. Burns is a gamer and showed that he can hang in there in their last fight but ultimately Johnson is too much of an athlete with a lot of power and a growing overall game. Burns has some decent jiu jitsu and okay standup but Johnson will be too much for him over the course of three rounds. I don’t think Johnson finishes the fight but he will do enough to win. Anthony Johnson via unanimous decision.

David Andrest: Anthony Johnson was the better fighter the first time, and nothing has changed. Burns is a good fighter but Johnson is just a notch better everywhere.   Winner: Johnson  KO Round 2

Cory Brady: Johnson will come out on fire in this one and stop Burns Early. Burns presented many problems for Johnson outside of the eye poke in the pairs first meeting but this fight will look very differently. Johnson has been completely focused during his training camp with Cung Le in this one and he should add another clip to his hilghlight reel in what will be a grudge match Winner: Johnson KO Round 1

Jason McDonald vs. Wilson Gouveia

Adam Morgan: Jason MacDonald is one of the best gatekeepers in all of MMA and this is a good test for Gouveia in his second fight at middleweight. MacDonald possesses a strong jiu jitsu game but Gouveia is no slouch on the ground either and has the better striking. MacDonald is a gamer and isn’t easily finished but Gouveia has too many weapons for MacDonald to deal with. Add that to the fact that he should be the bigger fighter going into the fight and the chips are stacked in his favor. Wilson Gouveia via TKO, round three.

David Andrest: Jason MacDonald is the BEST gatekeeper in MMA.  He wins the fights he should win, and the top guys find their way past him.  Wilson Gouveia just hasn’t impressed upon me that he is elite, and those are the guys that get past “The Athlete”  Winner  McDonald  Decision

Cory Brady: An interesting match up between two very well rounded middleweights. MacDonald will have the advantage in the wrestling department while Gouveia will hold the edge in the submissions with both men considered to be threats standing. This is one of those fights that really depends on where it goes. I feel as if Gouveia will hold a slight edge in most areas. If it goes to the ground, Gouveia is a threat to submit anyone and on the feet he has shown that he can end the fight in a blink of an eye. It will be a closely contested match up until the end. Winner: Gouveia Submission Round 2

Junie Browning vs. Dave Kaplan

Adam Morgan: There are a lot of questions surrounding this fight, specifically whether or not Browning’s conditioning has improved since the show. According to everything that Browning has been saying he has been training non-stop since the show and hopes to put on a good show come the finale. Kaplan is a known commodity in the fight, however, and has a good chin along with a well-rounded game, especially on the ground. There are too many unknowns surrounding Browning coming into this fight which makes him a hard pick. Dave Kaplan via submission, round two.

David Andrest:  Here is what I know. We have never seen Junie Browning in shape. I’ve been told by reliable sources that Junie is in incredible shape, has the best footwork they have seen in such a young fighter.  Davd Kaplan is training with Frank Mir,  which immediately makes me question his cardio.  I have no doubt that Mir will have Kaplan convinced he is smarter than Browning.  Fortunately, a right hook couldn’t care less what the capital of Guam is.   Winner  Junie Browning  KO round 1.

Cory Brady: These guys both have very similar styles. Both like to stand and bang and neither is afraid to go to the ground. Browning never trained at a traditional striking camp before his appearance on the show and has since hooked up with Shawn Tompkins at Xtreme Couture. Look for Tompkins to bring out all the raw talent that is inside of Browning and the cardio will not be a problem. Kaplan’s a good fighter but Browning has the potential to be a great fighter. Winner: Browning TKO Round 1

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Shane Primm

Adam Morgan: Soszynski has a future inside the UFC. Primm does not. Soszynski has good hands, good wrestling, and serviceable jiu jitsu. Plus he comes from a good camp. He should take Primm out with ease. Krzysztof Soszynski via TKO, round one.

David Andrest: Soszynski has NO future in the UFC, Primm is young and has room to grow.   Soszynski has good hands?  Good Wrestling? and servicable jiu jitsu? what would give me that idea his record…. 15-8-1 .  Yeah he has played the sacrificial lamb to some big names, but he has multiple losses to people you have and will never hear of.   He looked slow and sluggish each time I’ve seen him, and being knocked out 4 times in his career, perhaps he should decide he doesn’t like getting punched in the face.   Primm also comes from a good but young camp, and if the fight hits the ground I expect him to win.  Winner Shane Primm via  Armbar Round 3.

Cory Brady: Soszynski is a well rounded fighter but I feel as if Primm has the potential to be a serious force in the future at 205. His dimensions, striking and submissions could present some serious problems for a lot of guys at light heavyweight. The question is, is Primm ready for a guy of Soszyniski’s caliber yet? I think so. Winner: Primm Submission Round 2

Eliot Marshall vs. Jules Bruchez

Adam Morgan: Jules Bruchez seems to have some decent heart but showed the least amount of talent of anyone at light heavyweight on the entire show. Marshall’s length and jiu jitsu game should be enough to overwhlem Bruchez, especially once the fight hits the ground. Bruchez will be outclassed and out of a job. Eliot Marshall via submission, round one.

David Andrest: Eliot Marshall has been given a gift.  A win on the TUF 8 Finale, will he take it?  Jules, as Adam said showed good heart, but he simply isn’t at the level he needs to be at to compete at this level. Winner Eliot Marshall via sub round 1

Cory Brady: Bruchez has a lot of potential but Marshall is already starting to recognize his. I don’t see many ways for Jules to win against the more well rounded Marshall. I feel like Marshall dictates where this fight goes and decides how he wants to win. Winner: Eliot Submission Round 1

Kyle Kingsbury vs. Tom Lawlor

Adam Morgan: Kingsbury is the better athlete, comes from the better camp, and has more fight experience. Lawlor will want to take the fight to the ground and if he gets it there he could smother Kingsbury. Kingsbury should want to keep this thing standing and trade punches with Lawlor but he could very well get taken down. Close call, but I like Kingsbury due to the intangibles mentioned above: better athlete, better camp, more experience. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision.

David Andrest: I’d like to just copy paste again and switch names, that is exactly how I feel, I’ll save everyone the reading.  Winner Tom Lawlor via unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: This is a very well matched fight. This could very well end up being one of the best fights of the night depending on how long it lasts. I see these guys trading for a good chunk of the fight in a bout where I could almost flip a coin to determine the winner. Winner: Lawlor TKO Round 2

Shane Nelson vs. George Roop

Adam Morgan: Shane Nelson is a very talented fighter that we unfortunately didn’t get to see a whole lot of on the show due to his early exit against Efrain Escudero. Nelson has a very strong jiu jitsu game and what he lacks in skill he makes up for in heart. Roop was one of the last picks in the house for a reason. He’s not on the level that Nelson is on. The only thing going for Roop will be his size advantage and his reach. Once the fight hits the ground, though, Nelson should dominate. Shane Nelson via submission, round two.

David Andrest: This has the potential to be fight of the night.  This is the best matched fight of the evening. In my mind this is a rare situation where I think both fighters are better than we witnessed on the television show.   I like them both, and would love to see them go to the WEC and better their respective games.   Winner  George Roop via decision

Cory Brady: This is another fight that has the potential to be extremely exciting. Nelson is very well rounded but Roop will be able to control where the fight goes. He has the more crisp striking and more powerful wrestling. Roop could out strike Nelson or punish him on the ground. The choice is his. Winner: Roop TKO Round 2

Rolando Delgado vs. John Polakowski

Adam Morgan: Based on the only two fights I’ve seen out of these guys I like Delgado a little better. He fought hard against Junie Browning and took some of his best shots and kept coming forward. Polakowski will wilt under that kind of pressure. Roli Delgado via unanimous decision.

David Andrest: From the little I was able to see of Roli Delgado, I just don’t think he is on par with Polakowski.   Polakowski is an absolute warrior in the true sense of the word, anyone who has seen his previous fights in the WEC knows the only way Delgado wins this fight is by killing Polakowski.   Winner John Polakowski via KO  round 2.

Cory Brady: Polakowski will show how tough and exciting he is in this one. He has a tenacious style and can go full force for the entire 15 minutes. He won’t have to go fifteen minutes in this one but it will be exciting while it lasts. Winner: Polakowski KO Round

According to a report at UFC.com, Corey Hill underwent surgery today for the sickening shin bone break he endured in the opening moments of his fight last night against Dale Hartt. The surgery was done this morning by doctors at the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, NC.

Hartt checked a leg kick from Hill and Hill’s shin collided with his, snapping his leg at the shin. Hill immediately crumpled to the mat and the fight was stopped just a few seconds after.

The report states that Hill will be out anywhere from 12-18 months.

The report also had updates on several other fighters from last night’s show. Yoshiyuki Yoshida was stretchered out of the cage after his brutal KO loss to Josh Koscheck, treated for a concussion at the hospital, and discharged that same evening.

Jonathan Goulet suffered the same fate in his fight with Mike Swick and was also treated for a concussion and released the same night. Goulet may also have suffered a knee injury in the fight and is going to have it checked out when he returns to Canada.

At the time of the injury many people believed that Razak Al-Hassan had broken his arm but he apparently only disloacted his elbow during a sickening armbar from Steve Cantwell. He was treated for the injury and released from the hospital last night as well.

Ed Soares, Anderson Silva’s manager, told MMA Junkie today that a fight at UFC 95 is unlikely for the current pound for pound king. Dana White said earlier in the week during his time in North Carolina for “Fight For The Troops” that a matchup between Thales Leites and Anderson Silva could very well headline UFC 95. According to Soares, that seems very unlikely.

“As of right now, nothing has been 100 percent decided yet. It looks like we’re looking to fight in April. We don’t know what can happen, but as of right now I think we’re going to be fighting in April,” Soares told Junkie.

Silva’s last bout was in October, a successful title defense against Patrick Cote, a fight where he won via TKO when Cote went down due to injury. Before that, however, he knocked out light heavyweight James Irvin in the first round at UFC Fight Night 14. Soares also told Junkie that another fight at 205 lbs. was also a possibility for Silva.

“It’s not decided yet, but we’d be interested in doing a 205-pound fight,” said Soares.

Soares also went on to say that the UFC 95 fight with Leites is not completely ruled out and that it’s obviously up to the UFC when Silva fights but that they have told Dana White that they’d like for Silva to return in April.

FEG, the parent company of both K-1 and DREAM, has officially added two more MMA bouts to its “Fields Dynamite!!” card on New Year’s Eve, set to take place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event is set to feature both kickboxing bouts as well as MMA bouts and these two matchups will be fought under MMA rules.

A long-awaited lightweight matchup between Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki has been added to the card as well as a heavyweight matchup between Mark Hunt and Jerome LeBanner. The organization finalized these two bouts late last night.

Aoki and Alvarez were set to meet in the finals of the DREAM lightweight grand prix this past summer after both fighters advanced to the finals. Unfortunately for Alvarez, who was involved in a Fight of the Year candidate earlier in the night against Tatsuya Kawajiri, was unable to continue on in the tournament due to injury. Joachim Hansen took his place and defeated Aoki, becoming the first ever DREAM lightweight champion.

Alvarez has not fought since that night in July, though he was scheduled to fight Nick Diaz in November for the EliteXC lighweight title before the company abruptly shut down operations. Aoki has recorded a victory since then, submitting Todd Moore at DREAM.6 in just over a minute’s time.

Mark Hunt has been on a three fight losing streak in MMA, with his last three losses coming against Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem. He will take on Jerome LeBanner, a renowned kickboxer, who has rattled off three straight wins in MMA.

FEG’s “Fields Dynamite!! 2008” is also set to include a long-awaited MMA bout between the legendary Kazushi Sakuraba and Kiyoshi Tamura as well as another fantastic lightweight matchup between Gesias Calvancante and Joachim Hansen.

The UFC was in Fayetteville, North Carolina tonight fighting for a good cause and they did not disappoint with their inaugural “Fight For The Troops” event.

In the main event, Josh Koscheck put an exclamation point on the evening by recording the most brutal knockout of his career against Yoshiyuki Yoshida in the first round. Koscheck established his right hand early and caught Yoshida flush with one against the cage that put Yoshida out on his feet. Koscheck landed another looping right hand directly on his jaw that put him down, out cold, for the count. It was without a doubt the most brutal knockout of the evening and the best knockout of Koscheck’s career.

In the co-main event, Mike Swick made very quick work of Jonathan Goulet in the first round via TKO. Swick landed a short right hand on the inside that dropped Goulet early in the first round and then rained down blows while Goulet was on the floor, knocking him out cold in only 33 seconds. The victory brings Swick to 3-0 since dropping to welterweight and to 13-2 overall. Swick, who is known for his striking, had not recorded a TKO victory at 170 lbs. until tonight’s contest.

In other action on the card, Steven Cantwell made an impressive UFC debut, submitting his opponent Razak Al-Hassan in the first round via armbar. Cantwell came out a bit tentative while Al-Hassan came out swinging for the fences and Cantwell was able to get away for the most part. Al-Hassan eventually shot for a takedown and got it, but was reversed by Cantwell who ended up on top. From there it was almost academic as Cantwell passed his guard to side control and then straight into mount. Hassan gave up an arm and Cantwell took it, locking in an armbar. Al-Hassan refused to tap and Cantwell ended up breaking the arm, forcing the ref to step in and stop the fight.

TUF 7′s Tim Credeur made a successful return to the Octagon tonight, taking out his opponent Nate Loughran in the second round via TKO. Credeur was able to get the best of Loughran on the feet all night long, landing his overhand right and left hook at will. When the fight did hit the floor, Credeur dominated the position. Loughran was unable to answer the bell for the third round due to a broken rib and Credeur was declared the winner.

Perhaps the most impressive victory of the evening came from Jim Miller, who took his fight against Matt Wiman on two weeks’ notice. Wiman was originally scheduled to fight Frankie Edgar but Edgar withdrew due to injury. Miller and Wiman fought an exciting first round where both men landed good exchanges on the feet and Miller locked in a deep guillotine choke that almost finished the fight. Both men expended a good amount of energy on the choke and gassed themselves out for the rest of the round. Rounds two and three were virtually identical as Miller took Wiman down, beat him up with ground and pound, and tried to pass Wiman’s guard. Wiman was game but the talented Miller was able to grind out the decision victory on a nearly empty gas tank and only two weeks’ notice.

Full results from the event are below:

MAIN CARD:

Jim Miller def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision
Tim Credeur def. Nate Loughran via TKO Round 2 , 5:00
Steve Cantwell def. Razak Al-Hassan via submission Round 1, 4:04
Mike Swick def. Jonathan Goulet via TKO Round 1, 0:33
Josh Koscheck def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida via KO Round 1, 2:15

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Justin McCully def. Eddie Sanchez via unanimous decision
Dale Hartt def. Corey Hill via TKO (leg injury) Round 2, 0:20
Ben Saunders def. Brandon Wolff via TKO Round 1, 1:49
Steve Bruno def. Johnny Rees via submission Round 2, 3:44
Luigi Fioravanti def. Brodie Farber via unanimous decision

It’s time again for the Pain Poll to return here at Five Ounces of Pain with tonight’s UFC Fight For The Troops card in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Tonight’s card is packed with three hours of action and there are many burning questions. Will Josh Koscheck be able to defeat Yoshiyuki Yoshida after making such a quick turnaround after UFC 90? Will Mike Swick stay undefeated in the welterweight division? The staff of 5 Oz. has the answers so let’s waste no more time and get to it..

Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Adam Morgan: Yoshida is one of the best fighters from Japan that the UFC has signed but I don’t think he’ll have what it takes to topple Koscheck. Yoshida’s judo, submissions, and ground and pound game are beast but I doubt that he’ll be able to put Koscheck on his back due to Kos’ strong wrestling background and judo training under Dave Camarillo. Kos is the more explosive athlete with more Octagon experience. I expect a spirited performance out of Yoshida but I see Koscheck coming out on top. Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: Yoshida is riding an eight fight win streak but he’s going up against the wrong guy this time.Koscheck will be determined not to drop two fights in a row and one of two things can happen here. Koscheck comes out on fire and closes the show early or he controls the fight with his wrestling on his way to a very safe win. Either way Koscheck wins this one. Winner: Koscheck KO Round 2

David Andrest: Yoshida is a much better fighter than many will give him credit for, and the match up with Koscheck could prove to be an upset in the minds of alot of people. I want to pick Yoshida, but I can’t.  Yoshida finishes fights, Koscheck doesn’t get finished.  Yoshida doesn’t win decisions, Koscheck does. WinnerK Koscheck via Decision

Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet

Adam Morgan: Goulet’s chin may possibly be the most suspect chin in all of mixed martial arts. Swick is a devastating striker and he’s looking much more comfortable at 170 lbs. All of this makes for a recipe for disaster for Goulet who I doubt will get out of the first round in this one. Swick has yet to really put an opponent down with his striking at 170 and this is the showcase fight for him on national television. Mike Swick via TKO, round one.

Cory Brady: This will be an extremely exciting fight while it lasts. Goulet’s style will force Swick to really fight hard and there will be fireworks when he turns it up. The main thing is that although Goulet is very good in all areas of the game, Swick is just a little better. Winner: Swick Decision

David Andrest: Subscribing to my idea that no matches are made in the UFC without purpose, I have to agree with Adam Morgan.  On the surface this match appears to be a showcase for Swick to look impressive at 170.  Winner Mike Swick  via  Swick Out  Round 1

Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hassan

Adam Morgan: Steve Cantwell has been on a tear since losing to Brian Stann, avenging that loss and beating two other opponents in that same time. However, if Cantwell can’t beat Al-Hassan his UFC career may be short lived for the time being. Al-Hassan is a credible opponent but Cantwell has fought the tougher fights on the bigger stages and this should be a victory for him as long as he can stay away from Al-Hassan’s dangerous striking. If he can do that, and he should, this should be a W for Cantwell. Steve Cantwell via TKO, round two.

Cory Brady: Al-Hassan is coming in as a dark horse that has potential to really spoil the show for Cantwell. He won’t though. Cantwell has an aggressive style and powerful hands. He will provide some exciting fights in the UFC in the future without a doubt. Winner: Cantwell KO Round 1

David Andrest: Cantwell is a solid fighter with great power, i expect him to win this fight with very little trouble.  Winner: Cantwell  via KO Round 1

Tim Credeur vs. Nate Loughran

Adam Morgan: This should be a good battle of grapplers as both men are submission specialists. This will be Loughran’s second fight in the UFC while Credeur faced a host of middleweights on TUF 7 and has competed against some of the better middleweights in all of MMA during his career. Loughran is a young stud who has a good game but Credeur’s experience in big fights and his overall experience on the ground should be the deciding factor in this bout. If it stays on the feet, Credeur has shown that he has no problem standing and banging either. Tim Credeur via submission, round two.

Cory Brady: Creduer has looked great recently and Loughran has never looked bad. neither of these guys let fights go the distance so I fully expect a finish in this one. Loughran has submitted eight of the nine guys he has defeated but he will not be able to submit Credeur who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu. I wouldn’t be surprised if this fight stays on the feet for the most part. Winner: Credeur KO Round 2

David Andrest: UFC fans have never seen the best of Tim Creduer. I suspect tonight will be a coming out party for Creduer as I also believe his experience will play a major role…………along with him being the better fighter in all areas.  Winner: Creduer via  sub  Round 2.

Matt Wiman vs. Jim Miller

Adam Morgan: Wiman has been on a roll since coming off TUF 5, railing off four straight victories with one of them coming in brutal fashion over a legitimate top tier lightweight in Thiago Tavares. Wiman is dangerous on the feet and on the ground but Jim Miller is no joke himself, especially on the ground. If Miller is able to get this to the ground, and I think he will, Wiman will be in for a long night as Miller is a highly regarded jiu jitsu practitioner under Renzo Gracie. This should be one of the best scraps of the evening for sure but I’m picking against Wiman (again) in favor of the uber-talented Miller. Jim Miller via submission, round two.

Cory Brady: Wiman looked amazing in his “Fight of the Night” win against Thiago Tavares but Miller is a different kind of fighter. I expect Miller to fight a much safer, slower paced fight than Tavares did and come away with an extremely competitive victory. Winner: Miller Decision

David Andrest: Adam Morgan has picked against Matt Wiman. This is reason enough for me to consider him my lock of the night.  Winner Wiman Decision

Luigi Fioravanti vs. Brodie Farber

Adam Morgan: It’s only fitting that a fight night that involves the military has Luigi Fioravanti, a former Marine, on the card. Fioravanti is a dangerous striker who likes to clinch and win ugly, ugly fights. Farber is coming off a devastating KO loss to Rory Markham in a fight where he was actually doing halfway decent until catching a kick to the jaw. I don’t know exactly who to pick here but Fioravanti has the experience and will definitely have the crowd behind him. Luigi Fioravanti via unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: Fioravanti packs an incredible punch for his size. Farber looked like he was a little sloppy with his stand up in his last fight so I fully expect for Fioravanti to have himself something for the highlight reel once this one is finished. Winner: Fioravanti KO Round 2

David Andrest: Fioravanti is a beast.  He looked much better than expected against Diego Sanchez in their last fight, I highly doubt Farber will be able to finish him.  I have nothing against Farber I just feel Fioravanti is better everywhere and will win and look impressive doing so.  Winner Fioravanti KO Round 1

Steve Bruno vs. Johnny Rees

Adam Morgan: This is without a doubt a fight where the winner stays and the loser gets cut. Both men are coming off losses, Bruno to Chris Wilson and Rees to Nate Loughran. Bruno is a very powerful striker with good wrestling skills. He almost reminds you of Phil Baroni with the way he fights. Rees is a submission fighter who has a cupcake record and Bruno will put his lights out. Steve Bruno via TKO, round one.

Cory Brady: This is a really tough one to call. Rees aka “The Hater Hurter” has a really sweet nickname and a lot of wins over guys that not many people have heard of. Bruno went the distance with the extremely tough Chris Wilson in his last bout so I think he will be a little too much for Rees who was submitted in his last fight by Nate Loughran. Winner: Bruno Decision

David Andrest: I agree with most people that this is a loser go home fight.  I haven’t seen enough from either of them to give the advantage over the other.  Winner: Steve Bruno via decision

Ben Saunders vs. Brandon Wolff

Adam Morgan: Saunders has the better skills, the better camp, and the better heart. After this fight it’s time for him to start facing some better competition. Ben Saunders via submission, round one.

Cory Brady: Brandon Wolff could surprise a lot of people in this one. he is not as well known as Saunders but relatively equal in many areas.The deciding factor will be octagon experience. Saunders is used to the bright lights and attention that the UFC brings and he should be able to keep cooler on his way to a submission victory. Winner: Saunders Submission Round 2

David Andrest: Saunders is seriously overlooked at 170, he has all the tools to work his way into the mix in a very strong division.  Saunders has an unusual style that will cause problems for many people as he continues to improve.  Brandon Wolff is a good up and coming fighter, but just will not have the tools to beat Saunders.   Winner: Ben Saunders via Sub Round 2 (* sub of the night)

Corey Hill vs. Dale Hartt

Adam Morgan: Yet another loser leaves town matchup. Hartt is 0-1 in the UFC with his loss to Shannon Gugerty but has since improved his training with camps like Cobra Kai jiu jitsu and Xtreme Couture. As for Hill, you don’t ever hear much about him but the freakish lightweight is someone that Pat Miletich was raving about not too long ago. If Hill has it together, he could be an unstoppable lightweight with his reach at 6′4” and his ridiculous athleticism. However, if he doesn’t, then Hartt has an excellent opportunity to do his thing. Tough call here, but I’m going to go with Corey Hill. Corey Hill via TKO, round three.

Cory Brady: I am not convinced that Corey Hill is the real thing just yet. He always seems a little awkward and out of his element in the octagon. Hartt is hungrier than ever and I think he has the well rounded skill set to beat a guy like Hill. Winner: Hartt KO Round 2

David Andrest: This isn’t a tough call at all.  Hill is better on his feet, and now that Hill is training with Rob Kahn at Gracie Tampa, I expect his ground game is far better than it has ever been.  At 6′ 4″ with  all the tools I think we’ll see the “best Cory Hill” we’ve ever seen……LOL sorry.    Winner: Corey Hill via sub Round 2

Eddie Sanchez vs. Justin McCully

Adam Morgan: Eddie Sanchez can wrestle but he likes to stand and bang. Justin McCully can wrestle. And when two wrestlers get together they usually end up standing the whole time. And when that happens, the fight favors Sanchez. Bye, bye McCully. Eddie Sanchez via TKO, round two.

Cory Brady: I know that according to MMAth McCully should have the edge in this one. McCully recently had a decision win over Antoni Hardonk whle Sanchez was knocked out by the Dutchman in his last outing. Well I don’t care about MMAth. Sanchez has very heavy hands and I think he will catch McCully sooner rather than later. Winner: Eddie Sanchez KO Round 1

David Andrest: The only thing McCully has lacked is conditioning.  I have it on good authority that this will not be an issue this time out.  Winner: Justin McCully  decision.

Back in August, Roger Huerta revealed to FIGHT! Magazine that he was unhappy with his current situation in the UFC. Among other things, Huerta was particularly unhappy about the pay that was offered to him and the fact that his pre-fight interviews for UFC 87 were cut into pieces that made people think Huerta was calling his fight against Kenny Florian a “cake walk.” Huerta even went on to say in the piece that he didn’t care whether or not he fought for the UFC or in another promotion.

It would appear as though Roger Huerta’s issues with the UFC have been resolved and are a thing of the past as news breaks today that he has signed a new five-fight deal with the promotion. MMA Weekly was the first to report the news, indicating that sources close to Huerta have confirmed the new deal.

Prior to the new contract, Huerta and his camp had been rumored as far apart from the UFC on coming to a deal. Huerta reportedly wanted a guaranteed six figure payday every time he fights as well as PPV bonuses, a better deal than even lightweight champion B.J. Penn currently has.

Huerta was unbeaten inside the Octagon going into his fight with Florian at UFC 87, a bout which he lost via unanimous decision. According to the report, the marketable star from Mexico is set to fight again in March but no opponent has yet been named.

Martin Kampmann will be dropping to welterweight at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland on January 17 be doing so against UFC newcomer Alexandre Barros.

MMA Junkie was the first to report the possibility of the Denmark native facing off against Barros at Dublin’s O2 Arena, and sources close to Kampmann have confirmed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com that the match was finalized on Monday afternoon.

Barros is a product of the Gracie Barra fight team in Brazil and is currently riding a nine fight win streak coming into his UFC debut. Barros holds a 13-5 record overall with wins over some of Brazil’s top up and coming talent.

Kampmann is coming off his first loss in the UFC to 185 lbs. contender Nathan Marquardt via first round TKO at UFC 88. The loss was only the second of his overall MMA caeer. Kampmann came into the UFC as a middleweight who cut little to no weight to make 185 lbs. After the loss to Marquardt, Kampmann said he was considering a drop in weight and now it’s been confirmed that he will be fighting at 170 lbs. at UFC 93.

In addition to this clash of welterweights, UFC 93 is set to feature a light heavyweight matchup between Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin in the main event as well as the return of Mauricio Rua as he is set to lock horns with Mark Coleman in a rematch of a controversial bout in PRIDE in 2006.

Over the past couple of weeks, several reports have pointed to a potential fourth encounter between Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell in Germany in the summer of 2009.

Other reports surfaced shortly thereafter and claimed that neither Liddell or Couture were pleased with the prospect of fighting one another for a fourth time. Additionally, there have also been rumors of a possible superfight with Anderson Silva to take place in early 2009

Now, according to an interview with the UK-based Fighters Only, Liddell claims that no one has even talked to him about the prospect of fighting Silva or Couture.

“Nobody’s talked to me at all about Randy or Anderson Silva in any recent talks,” Liddell told the British publication. “I know there was something about me fighting (Silva) in February, that’s definitely not true. I’m not fighting until March or April. The rumor about me and Randy in June, no one’s said a word to me, and I don’t want to wait until June to fight. So we’ll wait to see what happens and I’m gonna talk to Dana (White) about that. I haven’t heard anything about it. I don’t know where it came from or who was talking about it, but to me at this point it doesn’t make sense.”

It’s unclear as to who Liddell will fight in the coming year as there are only a few options. A potential rematch against the winner of Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson fight is always a possibility. Liddell’s fight against Silva was one of the best fights of 2007 and a rematch would likely produce fireworks again. A rematch with Jackson would allow Liddell a final chance at redemption against the man who took his title from him as Jackson has beaten him twice before.

Episode 11 gets right into things as we jump right into the weigh ins for the first light heavyweight semifinal fight where Ryan Bader will be taking on Eliot Marshall. Both fighters make weight easily and we jump to their training sessions. Marshall feels that he is the worst fight for Bader because their styles don’t match up well. Mir feels the same way, saying that Eliot can submit Bader when the fight hits the ground and that Eliot possesses the better standup as well.

Bader spars with Nogueira who wears no protective gear. They seem to be going pretty hard, Bader landing some good shots on Nogueira and vice versa. Of course, Bader has headgear on so it’s a little unfair. Both fighters look prepared for the fight and before you know it, it’s already fightin’ time.

Ryan Bader (Team Nogueira) vs. Eliot Marshall (Team Mir)

Round 1

The two fighters come out trading low kicks and punches on the feet. Marshall lands some nice leg kicks and Bader returns the favor. Marshall lands a kick that catched Bader in the junk but he’s okay. The two tie up in the middle of the cage and Bader forces Eliot to the floor. Bader controls from the top position and throws an elbow every now and then to keep active. The ref warns them for inactivity but never does anything about it. The round ends with Bader in top control.

Round 2

The fighters trade strikes again and Bader is able to catch one of Eliot’s kicks and take the fight back down to the mat. The same scenario as round one plays out as Bader is content to control Eliot from the top and punch every now and then. Bader is redefining the term “lay n pray” with this fight. He puts Eliot in his corner. The ref warns them again for inactivity but once again does nothing about it. Finally he stands them up and Bader lands another takedown almost immediately. The round ends with Bader in top control, controlling Marshall.

Round 3

Bader lands another takedown early and forces Marshall into the cage. Eliot looks for a submission from the bottom, trying to roll into a kneebar but Bader stuffs it and continutes to simply control position. The referee stands them up again and Bader forces the fight right back down to the mat with another takedown. This round is almost a carbon copy of the first two rounds and it ends the same way as well with Bader controlling from the top.

Winner: Ryan Bader via unanimous decision

Bader says it’s the biggest win of his career whether it be in amateur wrestling or MMA. Nogueira congratulates him on the win. Phillipe Nover and George Roop are now set to weigh in and face off in a lightweight semifinal matchup.

Phillipe Nover (Team Nogueira) vs. George Roop (Team Mir)

Round 1

Phillipe comes out firing, landing solid combinations on Roop’s noggin that back him up and Phillipe scores a takedown. Roop is able to utilize the cage and sweep Nover but Nover grabs his left arm during the scramble and is able to lock on a kimura from the bottom position which forces Roop to tap.

Winner: Phillipe Nover via submission (kimura)

Nover and his teammates celebrate the victory and before long we’re already onto the next episode where the first fight will be the final light heavyweight semifinal and will feature Krzysztof Soszynki taking on his Team Quest and Team Mir teammate, Vinny Magalhaes.

Soszynski is confident in his standup ability and isn’t afraid of Vinny’s jiu jitsu credentials, saying that if you hit a black belt in the face once that they become a brown belt and that if you hit them in the face twice they become a white belt. We’ll see if that rings true. My guess is no.

Krzysztof Soszynski (Team Mir) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (Team Mir)

Round 1

Soszynski comes out firing with a solid leg kick. Magalhaes lands a combination and both fighters trade punches on the inside. Magalhaes is able to jump guard and pull one leg up, trapping Soszynski’s head and shoulders and landing some vicious elbows. Soszynski is able to power out of it, though, and makes Vinny stand back up with him. Magalhaes stands up and lands a solid body kick. Soszynski fires off some very solid leg kicks that are unanswered by Magalhaes. More leg kicks from Soszynski and Vinny charges and gets dropped by a body shot but jumps back to his feet and tries to strike again with Soszynski. The two fighters fight in close and Magalhaes is able to drag Soszynski down to the ground, locking in an armbar on the way down. There is no escape for Soszynski and he’s forced to tap.

Winner: Vinny Magalhaes via submission (armbar)

The light heavyweight finals are now set with Ryan Bader taking on Vinny Magalhaes. Soszynski comments that he needs work on his jiu jitsu. Go figure.

The final fight of the evening will pit Junie Browning against Efrain Escudero. At the gym Junie shows his frustration with the training, saying that he feels like he’s gotten worse since he’s been there. He says that he’s getting caught in submissions and positions that he normally wouldn’t get caught in and that he doesn’t even feel like fighting. He tells Mir that he’d rather have Shane Nelson fight for him.

Back at the house the fighters are waxing intellectual about the Bader vs. Magalhaes matchup and Junie is running his mouth about how no one on Team Nogueira, including Nogueira, has as good jiu jitsu as Vinny has. Shane Primm takes offense to this and sticks up for his teammates. Junie says that he doesn’t care if he loses and that even if he does that he’ll be the most successful fighter from the show. Primm says “I’m from the ‘Show Me’ state. You don’t have to tell me, just show me.” At this, Junie loses it and throws a coffee mug at Shane’s head Nolan Ryan style according to Roli Delgado. He also jumps up and takes a swing at Primm and tries to hit him.

The fighters are able to drag Junie away from the situation but it looks like he’s on his way out of the house with this latest outburst. Dana White shows up shortly thereafter to talk to Junie. He tells Junie that he doesn’t know if he’s retarded, bipolar, or if he just has a fear of losing. He comes to the conclusion that Junie would rather not fight and get kicked off the show and tell his friends at home that he would have won it if he hadn’t gotten kicked off. So instead of kicking him off, Dana lets the other fighters in the house decide.

Of course Efrain wants him to stay because Efrain wants to beat him. The other fighters agree that Junie should stay and fight. Dana tells Junie what the decision is and before you know it, it’s fightin’ time again.

Efrain Escudero (Team Nogueira) vs. Junie Browning (Team Mir)

Round 1

Junie comes out and lands a nice leg kick. Efrain lands a leg kick in response and follows up with two more. Junie lands a nice body shot but Efrain is able to shoot in and take him down. Efrain begins to rain blows down on Junie but Junie is able to get back to his feet. For some reason Junie tries a shot of his own that gets stuffed by Efrain and Efrain punishes him with elbows to the side of the head against the cage. Escudero forces the action back to the center of the cage and fires off some more solid leg kicks. Junie answers with one of his own but eats an uppercut for his troubles. Junie trying to work the leg still but his cardio looks to be running out on him again as Escudero plants another right hand on him. Efrain finds his range and lands a few nice jabs and Junie answers with a leg kick as the round ends.

Round 2

Efrain comes out with a jab that lands. Junie tries for a spinning backfist that whiffs. The whole time Junie’s corner has been yelling at him to throw combinations in threes and he has been ignoring them. Junie shoots in again and is stuffed again. He eats some more elbows to the side of the head. Efrain lands some nice knees as the fighters break. Junie lands a big right hand but it doesn’t seem to faze Efrain. The fighters trade blows again and Efrain is able to secure a takedown. Browning is frustrated as Efrain works for position, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. Efrain hops to side control and Junie has basically given up at this point. Efrain locks in a D’arce choke and Junie almost immediately taps.

Winner: Efrain Escudero via submission (D’arce choke)

Mir says that he’s not a cheerleader, he’s a coach and that when Junie stopped listening that he no longer decided to coach him. Mir calls Junie a “disappointment” and says that he enjoyed his time with all of the other fighters on the show except for Junie.

The finals are as follows:

Lightweight:

Efrain Escudero vs. Phillipe Nover

Light Heavyweight:

Ryan Bader vs. Vinny Magalhaes

As punishment for losing three of the semifinal matchups, Nogueira gets to shave Frank Mir’s hair. Frank is none too excited about it but a bet’s a bet. Junie is on camera again and tell us that he’s in the wrong sport and that he’ll never fight again because losing to Efrain is the worst thing that could have ever happened to him. I think we’ll see Junie in the Octagon again no matter what he says.

Next weekend is the finale event, ladies and gentlemen! Join us here at Five Ounces on Saturday for our live coverage of the event as well as coverage of the event the week leading into the fight.

MMA Mania is reporting that UFC welterweight and former number one contender Jon Fitch has been cut by the UFC. According to the report, when Fitch turned in his signed bout agreement today to fight Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 he was asked to sign an agreement that would give the organization exclusive lifetime rights to Fitch’s likeness and his name in regards to video games.

The report states that Fitch and his camp did not sign the papers and when his management tried to negotiate something with the UFC it became an all or nothing deal. In the end Fitch didn’t sign the agreement and was cut from the company shortly thereafter.

Christian Wellisch was also presented with the same agreement, refused to sign it, and was also cut, according to the report.

Fitch most recently lost in a five round war to UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87 in August and was set to take on Gono at UFC 94, a fight that was supposed to take place several months back. It now appears that not only is that fight off but that, for the time being, Fitch’s career inside the Octagon has come to an end.

The episode opens with a recap of last week’s fight where Krzysztof Soszynski finished Kyle Kingsbury with an armbar in the first round. Most of the fighters question why Kingsbury took the fight to the ground including Ryan Bader, one of his teammates.

Junie Browning was not impressed with Soszynski’s jiu jitsu, saying that even his sister could put Kyle Kingsbury in an armbar.

This week’s fight will match the two remaining lightweights together in John Polakowski from Team Nogueira and George Roop from Team Mir. Polakowski is identified as a guy that you can’t help but like. Eliot Marshall labels him a “hugger” and his teammate Shane thinks Polakowski might be genuinely insane. Polakowski is shown giving hugs to everyone in the house and says that no one gives good hugs anymore. Polakowski shows all the guys in the house what a “real hug” is.

Phillipe Nover draws Polakowski a poster with firing cannons on it with the slogan “Fire The Cannons Of Madness” written in big letters. Polakowski feels that the picture will bring some good energy to the house.

Roop, meanwhile, says that even though Polakowski is a great guy and easy to like that he has nothing but bad intentions for the hug happy fighter. Unfortunately during a training session, Roop gets his thumb caught in the cage and hyperextends it at the knuckle. His hand swells up pretty bad and he can’t even make a fist, putting his fight in jeopardy.

Back at the house, Polakowski wakes up to eat his breakfast and his Lucky Charms have been tampered with. Someone’s stolen all the marshmallows out of the box and Polakowski is pissed. All of the fighters remark that it’s so weird to see Polakowski angry because he’s such a nice guy all the time. John says several times that he’s been nothing but nice to the Blue Team and has never retaliated to any of their pranks. He’s so angry, in fact, that he won’t even accept a hug from Eliot Marshall. Shane Nelson says that his Lucky Charms must really be “magically delicious” for him to get so angry.

During a Team Mir training session George Roop is obviously having issues with his hand. It’s making it hard for him to punch, clinch, and throw elbows. He’s icing it at all times but the swelling is considerable. Mir says that no fighter he’s ever known goes into a fight 100% and that it’s just something everyone has to deal with.

The fighters weigh in and Nogueira says that due to Roop’s hand that John will have an advantage. He also says that he admires Roop’s fighting ability and his heart, however. Mir believes that it’s an easy fight for Roop but that the hand presents a problem. Vinny wants Roop to break Polakowski’s arm so he can’t hug any of the cast members anymore.

And before you know it, it’s fightin’ time.

George Roop (Team Mir) vs. John Polakowski (Team Nogueira)

Round 1

As the fight opens, both fighters go to the middle of the cage, tap gloves and…hug. And now the fighting can begin. Roop controls the fight from the outset, using some well placed kicks to set the tone and do some damage in the beginning. Polakowski tries to close the distance on Roop but is unable to do so, missing with most of his punches. George is able to secure a takedown after John overcommits. Roop lands some nice ground and pound and some elbows and eventually passes to side control during a scramble. From there he lands more punches but Polakowski is able to regain guard. Polakowski rolls and Roop is able to take his back and put his hooks in but Polakowski is able to turn into him and ride out the rest of the round in Roop’s guard doing some damage with ground and pound while Roop tries to throw up submissions. Close round for sure.

Round 2

Polakowski comes out firing and closes the distance on Roop quickly, landing some big shots that stun Roop. Roop recovers nicely, however, and is able to eventually land a takedown. John tries to roll out and Roop once again takes his back, this time locking on a body triangle and keeping Polakowski there while he tries to work a rear naked choke. John defends well and Roop lands some glancing punches and elbows but neither fighter gains an advantage. The round ends this way with Roop looking for the choke and Polakowski defending.

The fight looks to be going to a third round but it is indeed over. All the judges score the bout 20-18 in favor of the winner, George Roop.

Dana White and Nogueira are upset with the decision, White in particular. He says it’s BS that these guys fight their hearts out and then some judges make a terrible decision by not letting them fight a third round. Polakowski says it’s his fault that he let the fight go to the judges and can’t be pissed about the decision.

Back at the house the teams celebrate with some alcohol and Soszynski starts throwing food at the the guys in the hot tub from the balcony. Junie gets hit in the face with a porkchop and is none too pleased about it, almost going on another Junie rampage. The only thing that gets broken is a door, however, and cooler heads prevail.

As usual, the coaches and the fighters talk their semifinal matchups over with Dana White and they are decided. The semifinal matchups will be as follows:

Lightweight:

• Phillipe Nover (Team Nogueira) vs. George Roop (Team Mir)
• Efrain Escudero (Team Nogueira) vs. Junie Browning (Team Mir)

Light Heavyweight:

• Krzyzstof Soszynksi (Team Mir) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (Team Mir)
• Ryan Bader (Team Nogueira) vs. Eliot Marshall (Team Mir)

Stay tuned next week for two fights as Philippe will take on Roop and Bader will take on Marshall.

The UFC held a press conference earlier today in Toronto to promote the upcoming welterweight title fight between Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn. As usual, Dana White was on hand to not only promote the event but to answer questions from the press. When asked about women’s MMA and Gina Carano today, White seems to have lightened up his stance according to a report at 660 News in Calgary.

“Gina Carano is a star, I think she’s talented. I think she’s got all the tools, so what I’m willing to do is bring Gina into the WEC. We could do fights whenever there’s a challenger for Gina. That’s how I’ll test the waters and see how it goes,” White told the press in attendance.

The only potential roadblock for Zuffa to sign Carano would be her current situation with ProElite. Currently the fighters who were under contract with the company when they closed their doors are caught in limbo while the company tries to auction off their contracts as well as all of the assets of the company.

However, the fact that White is open to promoting women’s MMA through WEC is a big step in the right direction. Not only would Carano be a huge boost for WEC’s marketability it would be a huge step in the right direction for high level women’s MMA to be taken seriously.

According to a report at MMA Mania, Jon Fitch is set to face off against colorful Japanese fighter Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 on Super Bowl weekend. The fight was originally scheduled to take place back at UFC 82 before Gono had to pull out of the fight due to a hand injury and was replaced by Chris Wilson.

Fitch would go on to defeat Wilson via unanimous decision but his UFC winning streak ended in his very next fight, a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Fitch is currently 8-1 in the UFC and was undefeated in the Octagon prior to meeting St. Pierre. He holds victories over some of the best UFC welterweight competitors, including Diego Sanchez and current number one contender Thiago Alves.

Akihiro Gono holds a 1-1 record inside the UFC, winning a fight via armbar against Tamdan McCrory at UFC 78 and most recently dropping a split decision loss to Dan Hardy at UFC 89. The Japanese fighter is one of the most colorful fighters in all of MMA, known for his elaborate entrances and dance moves. But he also brings a wealth of experience to the cage, having fought in 49 fights and spanning all of the major Japanese promotions.

UFC 94 is also set to include a welterweight title clash between two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world in Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn as well as a number one contender fight at light heavyweight between Thiago Silva and Lyoto Machida.

UFC 91 is in the books and there’s a new champion, a clear cut #1 contender at lightweight, and a whole mess of stuff to talk about. Is Brock Lesnar for real? Will we see Randy Couture again? Can Kenny Florian beat Sean Sherk or B.J. Penn? I’ve got my opinions, so let’s get to it.

Is Brock Lesnar for real?

You bet. And there’s no doubt that there will still be haters that say he hasn’t proved anything because he beat a 45 year-old fighter, but Brock Lesnar is as real as it possibly gets. He didn’t just beat a 45 year-old fighter, he beat Randy Freaking Couture and knocked him silly. If you don’t think Lesnar is for real right now after that fight then I don’t know if you know what you’re watching.

Couture did well during the fight, don’t get me wrong. His gameplan was good, much like the one he employed against Gabriel Gonzaga, trying to make the bigger man fight off the cage. He even landed some good shots and cut Lesnar. But Lesnar is just so huge, so fast, so agile, and so strong that he trumps a good gameplan. A glancing blow from this guy is going to knock you out and that’s just all there is to it. That kind of power trumps experience and gameplanning, the two advantages that Couture was going to have to rely upon.

Tonight Brock Lesnar made me a believer. With his size, his power, his speed, and his technical wrestling ability he is going to be a force to be reckoned with at heavyweight for a long time. Whether it be Nogueira or whether it be Mir, either guy is in for a serious fight.

We’ll see Randy Couture again

I know that our very own Sam Caplan questioned whether or not Randy Couture would fight again if he lost. I truly believe that he can’t be happy with the way tonight ended and no fighter of Couture’s caliber wants to go out on a loss. Couture came out of the fight largely unharmed aside from his ego and I think we’ll see him compete again. The only question at this point is whether it will be at heavyweight or light heavyweight.

Kenny Florian is the third best lightweight in the UFC

Florian once again impressed the hell out of me tonight with that quick submission victory over Joe Stevenson. Even B.J. Penn didn’t finish Stevenson that quickly. I still believe, however, that B.J. Penn and Sean Sherk are still #1 and #2 respectively. He fought a fantastic fight and made a great fighter in Joe Stevenson look silly on the ground. As he looks to a title shot he’s looking at either a fight with Penn or a possible rematch against Sean Sherk depending on what happens in Penn’s fight with St. Pierre. I don’t like Kenflo’s chances against Penn but a rematch with Sherk is a fantastic fight.

Dustin Hazelett has some of the best MMA jiu jitsu

Dustin Hazelett continues to throw up some of the sickest submissions we’ve ever seen in MMA and tonight he did it once again to Tamdan McCrory with that reverse armbar with an omoplata setup. That was just sickening and McCrory is not a slouch on the ground himself. Hazelett’s use of the rubber guard has been working very well for him in his last few fights and tonight it led him to victory. Hazelett is not an upper echelon fighter right now, but he is only 22 years old and has a long career ahead of him to improve. I’m glad this fight got moved to the main card just to see the submission.

Demian Maia is textbook

Speaking of jiu jitsu, Demian Maia is a freaking beast on the ground and in the grappling game. His ability to get Quarry down from that whizzer was beautiful and the subsequent ground work was textbook. Whether it be two or three fights from now or whether it be ten fights from now, Maia is going to get a title shot at some point in time during his tenure with the UFC. Nate Quarry is not a slouch and Maia made him look stupid tonight. Big things ahead for Demian Maia. If you didn’t believe the hype before, you best believe it now.

Other Musings:

• Will we see Randy Couture back in the broadcast booth now that he’s back with the UFC and has the fight out of the way? I sure would love to see him back in the booth with Rogan and Goldberg during big fights. His expert opinion from a fighter’s perspective is priceless and having him back in the booth would be a huge boost to the UFC’s broadcasts.
• I know, Josh Hendricks was riding a ten-fight win streak coming into this fight. And yes I know he has some wrestling credentials. But did this guy not look like someone they just pulled out of the bar? You knew Gonzaga was going to maul this guy.
• If Rashad Evans didn’t have knockout of the year already sealed up, Jeremy Stephens’ uppercut would be in the running. What a vicious punch.

The UFC has a new heavyweight champion and he is former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar, a man who has only four professional MMA fights during his career.

Lesnar was able to defeat Randy Couture on Saturday night via TKO in the second round.  A right hand in the second round that landed square on the side of Randy Couture’s head that put the UFC Hall of Famer down on the mat. Lesnar took advantage of the opportunity and pounced on Couture as he went down, landing a rapid series of hammer fists that forced referee Mario Yamazaki to stop the fight just over midway through the second round.

Up until the right hand, the fight was competitive with Randy Couture landing some good shots in the standup game and even cut him, something that’s never happened to Lesnar in a fight before. Randy was also forcing Lesnar to fight off the cage much like the gameplan he employed against a bigger opponent in Gabriel Gonzaga. Even when Lesnar was able to get Couture to the mat, Couture was able to work his way back to his feet. The 45 year-old champion was a game opponent but in the end it turned out to be the size and the strength of Lesnar that put the champion down.

“Those are some big ass hamhocks comin’ at you, it hard to get out of the way of those,” Couture said to Joe Rogan during the post fight interview. When asked how he felt about the size difference, Couture stated that he felt comfortable with it coming in but that Lesnar was just enormous. “He’s a big sumbitch, that’s just all there is to it, ” Couture remarked to Rogan after the fight.

Brock Lesnar’s record goes to 3-1 and sometime next year he will fight the winner of  Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira which takes place at UFC 92 this December.

In the co-main event of the evening, Kenny Florian made short work of Joe Stevenson, submitting him via rear naked choke in the first round. The fight never seemed in question for Florian even when Stevenson was able to take him down early. Florian was able to get back to his feet, clinch with Stevenson and take him down. From there Florian quickly worked to mount, take Stevenson’s back, and sink in a rear naked choke as Stevenson tried to get back to his feet.

Florian earned himself a guaranteed shot at the lightweight title with the victory and called out the current champion, B.J. Penn, in the post fight interview. Florian said that he respects Penn as a master of the game but now it’s time to “kill the master,” as Florian put it.

In other action on the card, Dustin Hazelett continued to look impressive at 170 lbs. by defeating Tamdan McCrory via reverse armbar in the first round. McCrory looked good out of the gates, landing a nice combination against Hazelett and putting him on his back with a takedown. Hazelett’s guard game proved to be too dangerous for McCrory, however, and the Kentucky native was able to work for an omoplata and turned it into a reverse armbar, most likely earning himself Submission of the Night.

Gabriel Gonzaga made very short work of Josh Hendricks, landing a straight right hand that dropped Hendricks to the mat early in the first round. Gonzaga pounced on Hendricks to end the fight, hitting him twice more before the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

In the opening bout on the main card, Demia Maia continued to look like a force at middleweight, taking Nate Quarry to the mat early in the fight as a result of some really great work in the whizzer position. Maia was able to pass Quarry’s guard and move easily into the mount. From there he took Quarry’s back and it was only a matter of time until he sank in a rear naked choke to force Quarry to tap.

Below are the full results from tonight’s card:

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Matt Brown def. Ryan Thomas via submission– 0:57, Round 2
Mark Bocek def. Alvin Robinson via submission — 3:16, Round 3
Jeremy Stephens def. Rafael dos Anjos via TKO –:39, Round 3
Aaron Riley def. Jorge Gurgel via unanimous decision

MAIN CARD:

Demian Maia def. Nate Quarry via submission– 2:13, Round 1
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Josh Hendricks via TKO–1:01, Round 1
Dustin Hazelett def. Tamdan McCrory via submission 3:59, Round 1
Kenny Florian def. Joe Stevenson via submission 4:03 Round 1
Brock Lesnar def. Randy Couture via TKO 3:07 Round 2

It’s time once again to round ‘em up here on Five Ounces of Pain with a brand new edition of the Sprawl ‘N Brawl. We’ll talk UFC 91, Affliction and Showtime working together, Denis Kang taking on Alan Belcher, and more. Come join the fun and let’s do the damn thing..

MMA agents taking a stand against ProElite and EliteXC

Thank goodness someone is standing up for these fighters that are having their lives and their careers toyed with. As if ProElite and EliteXC didn’t do enough to tarnish the sport and their company name during their limited time in the MMA scene, do they have to try to drag the fighters down with them?  Can you imagine if this was the NFL or the NBA? The Players’ Association would never let something like this happen. Fighters unfortunately don’t have that luxury at the current moment so it’s comforting to know that the agents are taking up for their clients. After all, it’s what they’re supposed to do.

Affliction and Showtime working together?

This has to be viewed as a good move for Affliction but how big is it, really? Will it open up a door for Affliction to eventually get the CBS deal that they’ve been rumored to be seeking? It’s certainly a step in the right direction. But before any of that happens they need to prove to everyone that they’re not just another flash in the pan MMA organization. They have to prove to everyone that they are not the next EliteXC and that’s a tall task especially given the lack of depth on Affliction’s roster and inconsistency of their shows. It’s a step in the right direction, for sure, but they still have a very, very long ways to go.

Denis Kang vs. Alan Belcher at UFC 93

Good matchmaking here. Belcher’s not a can by any means, but he is someone that Kang should, and I emphasize should, beat. Kang is the better athlete, the more explosive fighter, and he has the better overall game. Belcher possesses strong striking but can be overwhelmed by aggressive fighters. Overall it’s a good fight to get Kang some exposure and also give him some legitimacy in his first fight in the UFC. And if he loses, well, then Denis Kang proves to us what some have been saying for awhile now: that he’s overrated. It’s a no-win fight for Kang but they couldn’t afford to throw him a tomato can the first time out. In the UFC it’s sink or swim and the guys who have been fighting in Japan have routinely been getting these sort of matchups so it’s not surprising to see Kang in a fight like this right out of the gates.

Fabricio Werdum cut from the UFC…or is he?

It’s unfortunate that a great fighter such as Werdum has been treated like this but business is business I guess. Werdum, coming off the loss to dos Santos, allegedly was unable to renegotiate his contract with the UFC so they bid him farewell. Losing a true, legitimate top 10 heavyweight, especially in one of the UFC’s thinner divisions is unfortunate. But is it true? According to the Brazilian fighter in a recent article at Tatame, the fighter’s camp hasn’t had any contact with the UFC. Either way, Werdum is a good talent and it would be nice to see him stay but he’s also not the most exciting fighter in the entire world either and besides laying claim to having another top ten heavyweight on your roster, it’s not a crushing blow to the company’s depth.

Tito Ortiz is close to signing a contract…again

Okay, Tito we know you haven’t been in the spotlight in the while and every month or so you have to tell the media that you’re “close to signing a contract.” We get it. You’re about as close to signing a cotnract as I am close to sleeping with Rachelle Leah. I highly doubt that Ortiz signs anywhere before 2009.

Armando Garcia steps down as CSAC executive director

Thank the lord. His reign as commissioner was just atrocious, as Sam Caplan outlined in his Top Ten follies during his time with the CSAC. The list is almost endless in regards to the terrible decisions he’s made, none being worse than the suspension of Brian Ebersole and Shannon Ritch after the cartwheel guard pass episode, claiming that the two were involved in a work. Not only did it show a complete lack of knowledge in regards to the sport but also a complete lack of respect. There’s too many things to say about Garcia, none of them positive. He will absolutely not be missed. Maybe the UFC won’t be scared to run shows there now?

Final word on Couture vs. Lesnar

UFC 91 is almost upon us along with Randy Couture’s much anticipated return to the cage against Brock Lesnar. In my honest opinion, Couture wins this fight. There are lots of variables and lots of unknowns. But I do know one thing and that’s when the odds are stacked against Randy he usually finds a way to come out on top. He’s done it his whole career. Lesnar is bigger, stronger, more athletic, and quicker than Couture. On paper he should make short work of Lesnar. But they don’t fight on paper and what Randy Couture lacks in regards to these tangible aspects of the fight, he more than makes up for in regards to intangibles. His gameplanning, his mentality, and his MMA instincts are what will win this fight for Couture.

I don’t know how it ends. I don’t know what round it ends. I do know that if it goes into rounds four and five that the advantage swings heavily in Randy’s direction. It may be a hell of a fight. It may be a bust. But either way, Randy Couture wins this fight. Lesnar is too inexperienced to take out a legend like Couture at this point in his career.

The show opens with a recap of last week’s fight between Phillipe Nover and Dave Kaplan and specifically how terrible Kaplan’s gameplan was. One of Kaplan’s teammates comments that taking three or four unanswered shots from Phillipe was probably not the smartest thing to do.

After the recap the attention turns to Krzysztof Soszynski, who will be taking on Kyle Kingsbury in the only remaining light heavyweight bout. Soszynski has been nursing a thumb injury and he believes it may be fractured. A trainer works on his thumb and Frank Mir brings in a boxing coach to help Soszynski properly wrap the hand and work on his thumb.

Back at the house, Dave Kaplan and Tom Lawlor begin to do some heavy drinking after Kaplan’s loss and things start to get a little crazy. Not Junie Browning crazy, mind you, but crazy enough so that even Junie says he doesn’t mind because it takes the attention off of him. Kaplan goes on and on and on about how he’s never been knocked out and is calling out all of the lightweights in the house. Eventually he and Lawlor end up in a room and Kaplan is begging for Lawlor to hit him on the jaw. Lawlor tries to get Kaplan to come to his senses but Kaplan is beyond gone and Lawlor finally agrees to clock him. And when he does clock him, Kaplan goes down like a sack of bricks. Knocked out cold.

Kaplan acknowledges that it was a good punch and that his jaw hurts but will not acknowledge that he was, indeed, knocked out cold. He was basically snoring as soon as Lawlor hit him. Kaplan says that the punch knocked him down but not out. Sure, Dave, sure.

The next day while Team Mir is in a training session, Team Nogueira decides to prank Soszynski by turning his room into the “UFC Storage Room” and they move everything that can be moved into Soszynski’s room. Couches, plants, bottles of water, furniture, liquor, you name it. It was all there.

At the Team Mir training session Dan Henderson drops by to help train Soszynski for the upcoming fight. Henderson speaks highly of Soszynski as Soszynski is one of his prime pupils at Team Quest. He says that the thumb won’t be an issue, that Krzysztof has fought through worse, and that he has the potential to win the whole deal.

When Soszynski gets back to the house he congratulates Team Nogueira on a prank well played after finding anything and everything in his room. Shane Nelson and Junie Browning take a look at the mess and decide that they will not be helping Soszynski move all of the crap out of his room. How nice of them.

As usual every season, it’s time for the coaches’ challenge and this year’s sport happens to be soccer. Nogueira says that even though he’s from Brazil that he has never played soccer and that he sucks at it. Mir says that the deck is being stacked against him because soccer is Brazil’s national sport and he’s facing a Brazilian. As usual, winning coach receives $10,000 cash and each team member wins $1,000 cash. One coach will play goalie while the other shoots penalty shots and vice versa.

From the outset Nogueira is killing Mir, scoring almost every time he kicks a penalty shot and blocking almost all of Mir’s kicks. When it comes down to it, Nogueira shows hustle while Mir is refusing to go out of his way to stop a kick. Nogueira is diving for balls and Mir wouldn’t dive for one if his life depended on it. Add that to the fact that Kyle Kingsbury is screaming “GOOOOOOAL” in Mir’s ear everytime Nogueira scores and we have a recipe for one salty Frank Mir. A Frank Mir who calls Nogueira’s team losers and says that Nogueira isn’t anywhere near the athlete he is. We’ve been wondering where that Frank Mir smugness has been all season and it’s finally rearing its ugly head. When all is said and done, Nogueira beats Mir, takes home the cash for his team and they all celebrate by playing some water basketball in the pool.

Shortly thereafter it’s weigh in time. Both fighters make weight and it’s fightin’ time..

Krzysztof Soszynski (Team Mir) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (Team Nogueira)

Round 1

Both fighters come out firing some shots with Soszynski landing the better strikes. The two trade strikes for awhile and Soszynski eventually lands a big jab that makes Kyle clinch and take Soszynski into the cage. From there the two fighters jockey for position, throwing knees. A couple of Kingsbury’s knees land low and Herb Dean separates them and gives Kingsbury a warning then restarts them in the middle. Soszynski landing some good strikes and forces Kingsbury into the cage. Kingsbury takes him down from there and winds up in Soszynski’s guard. Soszynski work’s a high guard and slaps on an armbar which Kyle has zero defense for. He sinks it in deep and makes Kyle tap near the end of the round.

Winner: Krzysztof Soszynski via submission (armbar)

Next week we’ll have our final lightweight matchup with John Polakowski taking on George Roop to try to even things up for Team Nogueira. Keep it tuned to Five Ounces of Pain for all your TUF 8 needs!

MMA On Tap reported Monday that the newest UFC middleweight, Denis Kang, could face off against Alan Belcher at UFC 93 in January. Sherdog has since confirmed that Kang will indeed debut against Belcher on Jan. 17 in Dublin, Ireland.

Kang is most recently coming off a win against Marvin Eastman via first round TKO at Raw Combat: Redemption just a couple weeks back. Kang sports a record of 31-10 professionally but has gone 3-2 in his last five fights.

Alan Belcher fought last at UFC Fight Night 15, recording a controversial split decision victory over Team Quest fighter Ed Herman. Belcher sports a 4-3 record in the UFC since joining the organization in 2006. He carries a record of 13-5 professionally coming into the fight with Kang.

UFC 93 will be the promotion’s first foray into Irish territory. The card’s main event features a light heavyweight matchup between Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson as well as former UFC heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer, Mark Coleman, facing off in a rematch against Mauricio Rua.