With the troubling news recently breaking in regards to UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s health, speculation from fans and media quickly turned to the possibility of a fight between Lesnar’s previously scheduled opponent for UFC 108, Shane Carwin, and rising superstar Cain Velasquez. However, the notion seemed to be shot down at the UFC 104 post-event press conference when President Dana White stated Carwin had recently undergone knee surgery and was no longer an option for the event – a matter the top contender quickly clarified on Twitter, saying he had a “Grade 2 MCL Strain” he was currently rehabbing that had not actually required any sort of medical procedure to fix.

Carwin further elaborated on the situation Tuesday in a series of posts on The Underground. When asked if he had heard from the UFC in regards to creating an interim heavyweight title and competing against Velasquez for it, Carwin responded, “We are in talks.”

He continued, “I have a knee I am rehabbing and a baby due on the eleventh of February. I am down to do whatever is best for the division. Not sure how important the belt is in that scenario. (There are) lots of great fighters at the top and lots of talented young guns on the way up right now.”

The undefeated knockout specialist hailing from Colorado also addressed his feelings on Lesnar’s health issues in great detail, expressing genuine concern for the champ’s well-being and wishing him a speedy recovery.

“I am sure most of you know I am not the leader of the Lesnar Fan Club. That being said, antics or not, he is OUR UFC HWT Champion. He beat a future Hall of Famer to keep that belt and he NEEDS our prayers and good thoughts right now.

At the end of the day I can take off my UFC shirt and say here is a man, a Champion that has been brought down by an illness not another man. It is very humbling if you think about it.

Brock has a wife, kid, and friends that depend on him to make their lives better. You do not have to support Brock and his antics but you should have respect for the human side of what is happening here.

This is not a ploy to sell more tickets. He is the biggest draw this sport has ever had. This is not him ducking me or any other fighter. This is about a man who is fighting an illness for his career, family and friends.

Talk of stripping a man of his title due to illness will set this sport back farther then anything Brock has ever said. We need our Champions healthy and defending. I know the show will go on but to be a Champion you must beat a Champion.

My family and I send our thoughts and well wishes to Brock’s family, friends and training partners. We are indeed keeping you in our thoughts.

If you sit around bashing Brock or making fun of this because of his antics you might be the very same thing you despise. As an MMA fan, as a human be concerned that one of OUR OWN has fallen and needs our support.

Get well soon UFC Heavyweight Champ Brock Lesnar.”

According to those involved with the bout, former UFC heavyweight champions Randy Couture and Mark Coleman have verbally agreed face each other on February 6 at UFC 109.

The match-up will mark the first time in promotional history two “UFC Hall of Fame” athletes have squared off inside the Octagon.

The news of the showdown between icons was first reported by Sherdog.com.

Known as the “godfather of ground and pound”, Coleman scored a unanimous decision over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100 in his last fight, while Couture was more recently victorious in a closely contested three-round affair with Brandon Vera at UFC 104.

The February 2010 event will actually be the second time the two 40-plus grapplers have competed against each other, as they once locked horns in a freestyle-wrestling tournament in 1989 which saw Coleman emerge the winner by a single point.

Other bouts rumored for UFC 109, also known as the “Super Bowl” show, include Anderson Silva defending his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort, as well as a showdown between 185-pounders Dan Miller and Demian Maia.

Successful fighters are typically accustomed to dealing with adversity. They attribute the quality to a principal instilled at a young age by a parent or coach, to a difficult upbringing, or to any other number of explanations. Regardless of how they’ve acquired the means to handle hardship, the characteristic can inherently be found in Mixed Martial Artists who win more than they lose. It pushes them to train or cut weight when others’ bodies tell them to stop. It gets them through injury, rehabilitation, or extremely stressful positions inside the ring when others would give up.

Deray Davis is one such fighter. At 5-1, the 27 year old has seen a number of challenges in his life and always been prepared to conquer them. One such struggle occurred a few weeks ago at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” when his bout against fellow Chicago-area competitor Mark Miller was unexpectedly postponed and eventually dropped from the card the very night it was scheduled to take place.

Davis recently took some time out of his day to talk to Five Ounces of Pain about the night of the cancellation, as well as give some insight on his his background and a number of other things as well…

FiveOuncesOfPain: What is your history in terms of the road you travelled to come to where you are today? How did you originally become interested in grappling/striking and what made you decide to try your hand at Mixed Martial Arts?

Deray Davis: I grew up doing all the wrong things and started getting in trouble with the police. I got to high school and I met wrestling coaches Troy Allen and Steve Colon. Both guys took time outside of the school to make sure I stayed out of trouble by picking me up on the weekend to go train. It gave me an outlet to channel any anger or personal issues I had at that time. Steve was actually real big into MMA, so after wrestling practice we would start working on my striking. Senior Year, both coaches helped me find a scholarship in wrestling and I wrestled in college.

FiveOuncesOfPain: How soon after scoring a knockout win three and a half minutes into your professional debut did you know you were destined for a career in MMA? How did the TKO against Marcus Keith come about? What did it feel like to find such success in your first fight?

Davis: The win over Marcus Keith felt good but never changed my thoughts on how I felt about my future in the sport. When I watched guys like Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, and BJ Penn fight I knew i still had a long road to go and still do. Marcus Keith was a tough guy, but at that point of my career I didn’t believe he had what it took to stop me from winning my pro debut. I wanted it too bad!

FiveOuncesOfPain: After racking up five wins in six matches, with one draw along the way, you ran into your first and only loss in a bout against Jesse Juarez last May at Bellator 6. However, fans may not realize you also went three full rounds against Quinton McCottrell six days earlier at a different event. How much did the McCottrell fight affect your performance against Juarez? Did that initial taste of defeat teach you anything or influence your training in any way?

Davis: When I fought Quinton I felt great. He was a chip on my shoulder that I was glad to brush off. When I fought on Bellator I still felt great despite the loss. I know my family and friends were saying that I took the fight on four days notice or I cut eighteen pounds in two days. To me those are all excuses.

I felt great in that fight. My hat goes off to Juarez. He’s a stud and I would love to fight him again. He showed me that I still had weaknesses on the ground I had to improve. I hate to lose so that loss helped the fire burn even brighter.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Most recently you were scheduled to step into the cage against Mark Miller at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers”. Going into the event, how excited were you to be fighting on such a star-studded card, not to mention competing in the Sears Centre with the potential of being nationally broadcast on CBS if time or performance somehow permitted? Being that you’re from the area, did you have friends/family in attendance ready to show their support?

Davis: I was so amped to fight on the Strikeforce card! It was a blessing to even be asked to fight (at the event). There are a lot of tough guys in this area and for me to be picked to fight on the Fedor and Rogers card was great. I had SO many people that paid a hundred dollars or more to come watch me showcase my talent!

FiveOuncesOfPain: Unfortunately some sort of error prevented you and Miller from ever actually fighting on the undercard or after the main event. From your perspective, please give fans some insight into how things went down. Were you kept up to date on the situation? When did you learn you wouldn’t be fighting and how would you describe your immediate reaction to hearing the news?

Davis: I was (the fifth fight). I sat in the back and started warming up on bout four. The commissioner came down and said I was (pushed) back till bout six. So, I waited until bout six where I found out i will be fighting at the end of the main event.

At that point I was getting real irritated. I was ready to get out there and rumble already. When the main event was over, I found out that my fight was cancelled. I didn’t really believe it at first. Who would? Then the call came through that the show was done. I felt like all these years I’ve been training was for nothing. I wanted to just hurt someone to be honest with you.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Strikeforce representative Mike Afromowitz explained that in lieu of the inability to set it up for the future date Strikeforce decided to pay out both your fee for showing up at the event, as well as what you could have earned as a win bonus. How much of a relief was it to hear you would at least be recouping a good deal of money for your trouble? Does it make up for the disappointment you and your friends/family experienced throughout the ordeal? Have the circumstances surrounding Saturday night negatively impacted your opinion of the promotion?

Davis: It was good to get free money, but I can’t lie….I’m a fighter…that’s my job. It doesn’t make up for the blood sweat and tears I put in the gym. Even though it wasn’t my fault, I felt like I let not just myself down but family, friends, and teammates down too. The only thing that I took from the experience is that I met a lot of great fighters, from Dan Henderson to Bas Rutten. These guys and others took time out to sit down with me and give me great advice. I don’t think negatively about the promotion but it sucks to waste all that time in training and not have anything to show for it. My birthday was on the 30th of October and then Halloween was the following day. I spent both days in the gym for numerous of hours then just went home. That so BLOWS!!! *laughs*

FiveOuncesOfPain: What are your thoughts on other Strikeforce welterweights like Nick Diaz, Jay Hieron, and Tyron Woodley? Are there any people in particular you’d like to stand across the cage from?

Davis: Man those are all high level fighters. I would love to test myself against any of them. Guys like those bring out the best in your in practice an in the fight itself. Just even seeing those names makes want to start training now!

FiveOuncesOfPain: What are your plans for the immediate future? Will you be competing on a future Strikeforce card, possibly against Miller, or is that still up in the air?

Davis: My plan now is just to relax, stay in shape, and maybe do a jiujitsu tournament. If I get the call again I’ll take it against Miller or whoever else they put in front of me.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Any final thoughts? Also, feel free to mention any training partners, friends, family, or sponsors you’d like to give a shout out to. Thanks again for your time and best of luck in the future.

Davis: No final thoughts. Still steaming from (the cancelled bout). I want to thank my sponsor Bob’s Place, Good and Evil Clothing, MMA Stop, and Eminent clothing. I want to thank Team Colon, Chicago Boxing, Flo MMA, Duneland Vale Tudo and thank everyone from TEAM CORRAL. You guys show me so much love! Thanks! Big thanks to Brian Angelo Tesoro, Nilo Soto, Steve Colon, Braulio Corral, Paulie Gonzalez as well …

Behind the curtain, away from the cameras and crowd, fighters ready themselves for combat in ways the audience at home rarely pays notice to even when catching brief glimpses of the procedures involved. Hands are carefully taped, then inspected by athletic commission officials, with padded gloves applied soon thereafter to further reduce the damage each individual dishes and takes. Specially crafted mouthpieces (and far less glamorous cups) are put in place. Before even being considered for action athletes undergo medical testing to detect illness, injury, and the possibility of drug use. Ringside doctors sit poised to offer medical opinions and provide care if needed. Referees are taught to keep things entertaining without ever losing sight of the most important aspect to each specific bout; without ever forgetting why all of the aforementioned measures are put in place.

Fighter safety.

The notion of stressing the importance of health in a line of work where success is dictated through knockouts and submissions seems silly to some, but in reality the concept couldn’t be more important to the recent ascension of the very endeavor that has you clicking on this website. The regulations put in place by Dana White and company to eliminate the original “anything goes” format of the UFC helped legitimize the sport and do away with the general perception the Octagon is little more than home to a caged bar-fight. In reality, MMA owes its current existence to “fighter safety”. And yet, while watching UFC 105 this past weekend, I witnessed two incidents related to the same unnecessary risk every Zuffa athlete takes when they walk down the ramp en route to the Octagon, and I couldn’t help but question how safe things really are in the world’s foremost MMA promotion.

In case you didn’t notice, fans at the event were able to reach out over the railing and remove Mike Swick’s hat as he prepared to compete in the most important match of his career. The same was done to headliner Randy Couture as he walked down to the cage, while also having his towel taken, shirt tugged, and a receiving an overly friendly pat on the head or two. I would love to say the situation was limited to a particularly rowdy crowd in Manchester or was isolated to the one show. Unfortunately, it is the third card where I remember a person in the audience acting inappropriately towards an entering fighter. Kenny Florian’s hat was pulled off before his bout with BJ Penn, and the UFC Lightweight Champion himself was kissed on the cheek by a man during his entrance for his UFC 94 rematch with Georges St. Pierre. The examples may sound ridiculous but in truth they point out a potentially dangerous problem that is no laughing matter.

Don’t get me wrong. One of the wonderful things about MMA is the accessibility of its participants. You will often find fairly recognizable fighters at local events in support of teammates, and the sport in general, who are happy to take a picture with you, shake your hand, and possibly even exchange an anecdote or two. You can often meet them at after-event parties and openly approach them at weigh-ins or press conferences. You can exchange messages with them on Twitter and will often catch them offering their thoughts on internet forums alongside everyday posters. Without a doubt, the camaraderie Mixed Martial Artists share with their supporters is a sacred bond. And though perhaps I’m using a bit of hyperbole to make my point, I’m saying I am genuinely appreciative of those sorts of moments and certainly not opposed to there being up-close meetings between fighters and fans. However, as much as I support the personal encounters between both, I am opposed to the notion people in an arena should have the opportunity to reach over the barrier and give Anderson Silva a “Wet Willie”.

More than that, I’m nervous about the possibilities at play when the PPV lights fire up and our culture of fifteen-minute fame rears its ugly head. You see, while nightclubs and meet-and-greets are one thing, live TV is a totally different beast. Throw a cup of beer on someone at a bar and you might get punched in the face or thrown out on the street. Throw a cup of beer on Ron Artest and you might have a miniature riot on your hands for the media and public pick apart while watching replay after replay of the event on countless cable news outlets.

What is to stop an inebriated jackass from pouring a beverage on an entering competitor’s head in hopes of becoming a YouTube sensation? Or worse, what if someone decides to throw a punch…hell, a beer bottle…at (insert your favorite fighter’s name here)? If you think it is a far-fetched idea, look back to one of the many incidents seen in other professional sports, even WWE, where a fan decided to cross the line in a criminal way. Then, pick a week in all of history and check its headlines if you need convincing there’s no lack of crazy people in this world.

The immediate response from some on this subject might be to forego thought and simply react with a statement along the lines of, “They can just kick the person’s ass because they’re professional fighters.” Is it really a better scenario for the UFC if one of their athletes rips a guy out of the stands and beats him to a pulp on PPV? It might sound “cool” but in reality it would be televised chaos. It would result in the immediate cancellation of whatever bout was scheduled to take place. There would definitely be some sort of involving Zuffa stemming from the incident. It would be a PR nightmare.

What if other members in the crowd decide to get involved once a certain line has been crossed? What if the violent response from a fighter or someone in his corner was in relation to something less aggressive than a punch or glob of spit? What if it’s as simple as having an item of clothing taken? The circumstances may be fictional but in a business as big and important to the future of MMA as the UFC it’s important to pay mind to the hypothetical; to the “what ifs” of the world.

It’s clear the proverbial force field of mildly overweight arena staff surrounding fighters isn’t doing the trick so what is the solution? It’s simple. Widen the aisles. Keep the current security, but also place a row of hired help on each side of walkway barrier’s exterior facing the audience to prevent them from getting too close. If a competitor wants to walk over to the side and high-five a few fans he won’t be prevented from involving himself in the interaction. Rather, he’ll have the option of doing so or instead focusing for a few final minutes before being locked in the Octagon against his opponent.

And voila, you have a relatively inexpensive, seemingly simple solution for the UFC to provide a safer environment for their fighters without taking away from the overall fan experience in the process. If some sort of layout in the individual arena prevents the expansion of the walkway then increase the presence preventing people from leaning in too closely to the fighters. Consider the NFL’s sidelines for a minute. Players can certainly speak to fans if they choose to but there is a clear space between seats in the stadium and the actual field.

I am a firm believer in being proactive rather than reactive, especially when the precedent for predicament is there, the problem is obvious, and the means of fixing things requires so little thought or action. Though I have no indication that the matter is even on their radar, I’m hopeful the UFC brass also recognizes the flaw after the dual incidents at UFC 105 and sits down between promoting “Griffin vs. Ortiz” this week and UFC 107 on December 12th to review the situation. It worries me to think what could happen by waiting for an incident to force the matter of increased fighter security. Frankly, those are issues I don’t ever want to grapple with.

For the third time in his UFC career, 24-year old British sensation Terry Etim procured “Submission of the Night” honors courtesy of a second-round guillotine choke victory over Shannon Gugerty at UFC 105. The win was the fourteenth of Etim’s career and his fifth inside the eight-sided cage.

Joining Etim in pocketing an extra €26,810 – or $40,000 to those of us in America – was fellow undercard fighter Dennis Siver. Siver earned “Knockout of the Night” after finishing Wolfslair product Paul Kelly with a series of strikes after initially hurting him with a perfectly placed spinning kick to the midsection.

Kelly’s teammate Michael Bisping fared better in both the result of his UFC 105 bout and in terms of taking home additional pay, as the former Ultimate Fighter champion’s two-round, back and forth affair with Denis Kang was named “Fight of the Night”. The win brought Bisping’s record to 18-2 and could be considered one of the most important of his career after suffering a devastating knockout to Dan Henderson in his previous Octagon appearance.

Dana White announced earlier today at the UFC 105 post-event press conference that a scheduled bout between rising heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez and veteran fighter Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has been scrapped due to a serious staph infection the Brazilian is currently suffering from.

According to White, the infection is so bad it has gotten into Nogueira’s bloodstream and the former PRIDE superstar will have to be hospitalized while given antibiotics.

The cancellation adds to a recent string of illnesses and injuries affecting a number of UFC main events, including next weekend’s UFC 106 card which was originally scheduled to feature Brock Lesnar defending his title against Shane Carwin and Mark Coleman in Forrest Griffin’s spot opposite Tito Ortiz.

The unfortunate situation also leaves the freshly victorious Velasquez without an opponent and UFC 108 without a main event. While the idea of inserting Carwin into the slot vacated by Nogueira was mentioned, the UFC President stated the current top heavyweight contender was not an option due to recent knee surgery he’d undergone. However, White assured fans the UFC would find a suitable headlining bout for the January 2nd, 2010 event, saying, “This is my business; this is what we do.”

UPDATE: Shane Carwin took to his Twitter on Sunday to clarify his status, stating “Did not have surgery. I was injured and when Brock pulled out of 108 I got the injury looked at and began rehab. I have a grade 2 MCL Strain.”

Should Randy Couture call it a career if he loses to Brandon Vera at UFC 105? Does Brett Rogers deserve an immediate rematch with Fedor Emelianenko? Would Gegard Mousasi beat Lyoto Machida or is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion too much too soon? Who from Sengoku’s most recent event is best suited for a run in the UFC/WEC?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

It’s time once again for another adventure into the sick and twisted world of “Grappling with Issues”, the site’s semi-regular feature where you’ll find the take of a guest commentator on six topics plucked from the MMA landscape, as well as my own spin on the subject matter at hand. It’s been an action-filled month thus far with plenty more events on the immediate horizon ready to keep your couch cushions warm and your hours of sleep limited.

Staying in tune with the fervor of the season I’m pleased to introduce a recent addition to this lovely little digital home we call Five Ounces of Pain – Adam Tool! Tool made a strong 5 Oz. debut last week and should be around to continue offering his insight and opinion on a variety of things for the foreseeable future. Read ahead, as he’ll do so in the GWI-format and you can even give us a thumbs-up/down in the comments section if you’re so inclined…

Which athlete on the “Sengoku Eleventh Battle” card would you most like to see sign with the UFC/WEC?

Adam Tool: This is an easy one for me to answer. Without a doubt, Dave “Pee-Wee” Herman should be in the UFC. It baffles me to my very core when I wonder why he isn’t there already. We’re talking about a 16-1 knockout artist (he’s never seen a judges’ decision) who won his first thirteen fights without any professional MMA training whatsoever. Since his first (and so far only) career loss to Mu Bae Choi, Herman has started taking his training a lot more seriously and as a result he’s riding a three-fight win streak. He’s just 25 years old and appears to have an amazing career ahead of him, yet he’s still stuck fighting on the other side of the world. The current season of “The Ultimate Fighter” is all about adding fresh talent to the UFC’s heavyweight division, yet they’re letting one of the hottest prospects in the world go unsigned. I just don’t get it

Brendhan Conlan: My heart says Akihiro Gono, while my head and desire to see fresh talent with great potential compete in the UFC says Mamed Khalidov. However, since Gono appears to have retired DJ Gozma for the immediate future – a sad moment in MMA history as far as I’m concerned – I’ll have to go with the 29-year old Polish middleweight. Khalidov hasn’t lost a fight in more than four years, a feat assisting him en route to a 20-3-1 professional record. Nineteen of those wins have come via decision with a nearly perfect split between submissions and knockouts. Two of the losses were his first two fights.

Without a doubt Khalidov would make a tremendous addition to the UFC. He’s an exciting competitor who happens to also have a European fanbase, a bonus quality when examining the company’s continued desire to become a global entity. Given that he weighs in at around 181 pounds he’s a bit small to step into the Octagon without some serious bulking up, so he appears to be ideally suited for a dive into the UFC’s welterweight pool. He hasn’t fought many “name” opponents in his career so it would also be nice to see if he sank or swam when facing foes who are more peers than predictable wins.

As far as Dave Herman goes, I definitely see where Tool is coming from. I think he would’ve been a front-runner along with Roy Nelson to win the current season of the Ultimate Fighter had he been cast. I’m curious to know whether he was ever contacted and then declined the opportunity or auditioned and wasn’t selected for reasons unrelated to his in-ring ability. Speaking of which, fifteen of his sixteen wins have come in the first round with fourteen of them being related to strikes. Also, as MMA continues to grow, the future of the heavyweight division is going to involve genuine big men like Brock Lesnar, Brett Rogers, Bobby Lashley, and Shane Carwin. “Pee Wee” fits that impressive mold by measuring in at 6’5”, 240 pounds, and as Tool mentioned he’s only 25. I agree he would be a great addition to the UFC’s heavyweight division. If nothing else, it goes to show that with athletes like Khalidov and Herman competing outside of the Zuffa umbrella, not to mention other talented fighters like Jorge Masvidal and Marlon Sandro, there is still a lot of room for the UFC/WEC to grow in terms of bringing in the world’s premier talent.

TRUE/FALSE: Brett Rogers should be given an immediate rematch with Fedor Emelianenko instead of paired up against a different heavyweight in his next bout.

Tool: FALSE. No disrespect to “The Grim,” but he had his chance and he came up short. Strikeforce has several more match-ups for Fedor already in the works, so now Rogers needs to step aside and get back to winning. I’ve seen a few people around the net claiming that Rogers should be commended for his performance but I don’t necessarily agree with that. Sure he got a few shots in on Fedor, but he wasn’t doing nearly as well as Andrei Arlovski did earlier this year. Besides it isn’t as though Fedor is this untouchable warrior that never gets hit. He’s been beaten up much worse in some of his legendary PRIDE battles, but one of the amazing things about Fedor is the fact that he’s always been able to overcome adversity to get the win. Rogers did have a brief flurry of punches on the ground but he wasn’t really ever close to finishing things off. If he can score some big wins in the next year or two I’d say he could absolutely get a rematch, but there’s no need to do it any sooner.

Conlan: False. Strikeforce needs to focus on building Rogers back up as an unstoppable knockout machine, expose their newfound CBS audience to other heavyweight contenders, and continue to deliver match-ups MMA fans want to see. Fabricio Werdum seems to be a more logical contender for Emelianenko’s next opponent, but to be honest it’s not a scrap I’m particularly interested in at the moment unless Werdum can score another significant victory beforehand. Let’s not forget he’s only two fights removed from a knockout loss to Junior dos Santos. I think a reasonable solution to the problem lies in Alistair Overeem, who Werdum owns a 2006 submission win over, and a future DREAM event since it’s where the suspiciously shredded Dutchman seems comfortable fighting. With Strikeforce already openly cross-promoting with the Japanese promotion, a bout between the two would further establish a contender for Emelianenko while also keeping them both active until the Russian’s hand has healed and he’s ready to step back into the ring.

As far as Rogers’ next victim, Antonio Silva seems like a natural fit, and I’d personally like to see if his jaw can stand up to Brett’s power the same way it did to a few well-placed strikes by Werdum. Another thought is relative “free agent” Tim Sylvia, who certainly doesn’t have the same name-value as he did a few years ago, but he can still be advertised as a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is recognizable to less-knowledgeable fans. Their styles are perfectly suited for each other, and I don’t just mean because of their similar haircuts, but because each has a tendency to stand and bang.

Who would you lay your last dollar down on in a fight between fellow light heavyweight champions Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida?

Tool: Machida, and without a moment’s hesitation. Gegard Mousasi is pretty awesome, but he’s also pretty untested. He’s only had three fights at light heavyweight and “Babalu” is the biggest name on that list. At the same time Machida is the top ranked guy in the division with victories over four former UFC champions. His stock may be a little low at the moment, but he’s still the guy to beat until somebody beats him. I’ve already made my case for Mousasi to join the UFC so I won’t get into that here. If/when we see him in the Octagon we can hopefully speculate on this match-up a bit more, but for now I’ll lay my last buck on Machida and you can pry it from my cold, dead hands if he loses.

Conlan: As excellent as Mousasi is, I would also pick Machida to win a fight between the two, and similarly to Tool, I wouldn’t bat an eyelash before doing so. Lyoto has shown his talents against an array of top 205-pound contenders while the bulk of Mousasi’s significant wins have come against middleweights and lesser known European fighters. However, while Machida boasts a flawless record, “The Dreamcatcher” has been finished twice by opponents who haven’t sniffed a “Top 10” ranking ever in their respective careers. It tells me there are still holes in his game, as did a few moments in the Sokoudjou fight, but that’s to be expected considering he’s only 24 years old.

I don’t think it would be a dominating victory for Machida, nor do I think the bout would feature a finishing performance from him, but I think he’s a superior grappler, striker, and strategist. That’s typically a good set of qualities to have when it comes to winning decisions. All that being said, keep in mind Mousasi is eight years younger than Machida and has twice as many fights, so when he gets to be 30-31 as Machida is there’s no doubt in my mind his overall abilities will, at minimum, be equivalent to those currently possessed by “The Dragon”. He is the definition of a blue-chip prospect.

On a scale from 1-10, with “1” being “Dynamite USA” and “10” being Arianny Celeste vs. Gina Carano in a baby oil grappling session, how high would you rate the Strikeforce/CBS event from an overall standpoint (production/fights/announcing/etc.)?

Conlan: I’d label it a solid “7”. Strikeforce did a nice job showcasing a good portion of their elite talent and Emelianenko’s ability to live up to his hype by weathering Rogers’ storm before knocking him out was crucial to helping build the promotion as a possible rival to the UFC. I was very pleased to see the production team do away with the poorly animated, skinless grapplers previously used to demonstrate moves for the audience at home. The announcers could use some improvement, as I’m not sure how Ranallo’s overenthusiastic use of bad puns translates to people who might be tuning into MMA for the first time and I think it would be wise to capitalize on their primary demographic by bringing in someone a little younger (and more relatable). Additionally, I would like to see CBS allot three hours to future Strikeforce shows in order to air relevant undercard action, like the minute-long Coenen vs. Modafferi scrap, and prevent any perceived lack of professionalism brought on by an overrun. If the highest-rated portion of the show was the main event then why not try and maintain those ratings by continuing to show exciting action from earlier in the night – bonus coverage, if you will?

Tool: I’d give it an above average score of 6, as it wasn’t a blow away show nor was it a snoozer. The main event was tremendous, but attention spans were stretched to their breaking point during the title bout. The two undercard fights were solid although I still think Strikeforce missed out on a big opportunity by not airing the women’s fight. Production wise there were some hiccups, but other than a fifteen minute overrun things went smoothly enough. I’m still not sold on the three man commentary team though. Gus Johnson is still learning the sport but he’s constantly being shouted down by a living MMA encyclopedia in Mauro Ranallo.

Is the winner of Mike Swick vs. Dan Hardy merely a formality for Georges St. Pierre en route to another successful title defense or does either welterweight have what it actually takes to give GSP a run for his money?

Conlan: I think the winner of Saturday night’s co-headliner has about as much chance of beating Georges St. Pierre as I do of becoming Dana White’s Ferrari repairman. I’m skeptical to say either UFC 105 opponent even has what it takes to beat one their better 170-pound peers like Thiago Alves or Jon Fitch. I know the UFC needs new contenders for GSP, and history has certainly shown anything can happen in a fight, but neither Swick or Hardy have done enough in the division to prove they are a worthy foe for St. Pierre’s “riddum” or have more than a puncher’s chance of being able to beat him.

Tool: Unless Swick or Hardy is hiding some impenetrable takedown defense, then there’s no reason to give them more than a puncher’s chance against the champion. St. Pierre has evolved into one of the best wrestlers in the sport and that’s going to be a problem for everyone else in the welterweight division. I suppose it’s possible that Swick could live up to his nickname, press the action early, and catch GSP with a clean shot that leads to a referee stoppage, but even that’s not very likely. No matter who wins on Saturday they will be a heavy underdog when they get their title opportunity, so barring a second Serra-like incident I foresee St. Pierre keeping the belt for a long time.

Give a percentage to the likelihood Randy Couture will hang up his gloves for good if he loses to Brandon Vera at UFC 105.

Conlan: 0%. “The Natural” is not fighting Brandon Vera because he’s trying to gauge whether he has what it takes to win another championship or even put together a run at the title. He’s stepping into the Octagon at UFC 105 because he loves the competition, he knows there are some exciting pairings for him at light heavyweight, and the money he earns by entertaining the fans every few months is too good to walk away from. A loss to Vera won’t change any of those things. It won’t quench his desire to test himself against the best or the payday of a fight against someone like “Shogun” Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Rich Franklin, or “Rampage” Jackson would create. Beyond that, it’s not as though “The Truth” is some tomato can in sweatpants, and there is no great shame in losing to him.

Sure, fans will call for his retirement if Vera beats Couture down in the same manner he did Frank Mir. They’ll look at his less-than impressive record and age. They’ll say he isn’t able to focus on training with distractions like a film career, expanding the XTreme Couture brand, and dealing with an ongoing divorce. And meanwhile Randy will be in the gym, hitting the bags and making 20-year olds look like they’re out of shape while preparing to defy the odds once again in the eight-sided cage.

Tool: 10%, and the reason it’s so low is due to several factors. For one, Randy is that rare breed of athlete that has maintained such great care of his natural (no pun intended) gifts that any preconceived notions about his age can be thrown right out the window. Secondly, Randy is also that rare breed of UFC fighter that is so competitive, and so popular, that his win/loss record is irrelevant. Despite his 16-10 record and the fact that he hasn’t won a fight since August of 2007, he’s in the main-event for a second time this year and was part of the company’s second-most successful PPV of 2008. Finally, I just don’t think he’s going to lose. Vera’s younger and will have a nice reach advantage, but that’s about it. Couture is well-versed in the striking game and he’s certainly one of the most powerful wrestlers in the light heavyweight division. Vera has fallen short on nearly every attempt to step up in the UFC ranks, so is there any reason to think that this Saturday will be any different?

When the lights dimmed in Chicago for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” on Saturday night, friends, fans, and family of local welterweights Mark Miller and Deray Davis sat in the Sears Centre anticipating a clash between the two that ultimately never came to fruition due to a scheduling error. While it was immediately announced both fighters were being paid their agreed upon showing fee for undergoing the unfortunate circumstances, neither was able to compete for a win bonus to potentially ease any hardships endured, financial or otherwise, while training for the starcrossed bout (such as lost sponsorship money).

However, in a move many would label the righting of a wrong, Strikeforce executives announced today that both Miller and Davis would receive additional salary equivalent to the sum either would have received for winning the fight. When contacted by FiveOuncesofPain.com for clarification on matters, Strikeforce representative Mike Afromowitz went on to briefly explain the situation and confirm the supplemental payment had been issued.

“(Strikeforce) did everything we could to match (Davis and Miller) on a card taking place in Chicago on November 21st,” said Afromowitz. Neither fighter could take the fight on this date, however, due to different circumstances. Given this situation, we felt the next best solution would be to pay them their respective win bonuses as well as their purses.

This is the first time in Strikeforce history that anything like this has occurred.”

No official word has surfaced on what is next for either Mixed Martial Artist or if they plan to face each other at a future event, Strikeforce or otherwise.

While crossing paths with a Mixed Martial Artist in Las Vegas may not be an overly infrequent occurrence, the odds are certainly up for any fans visiting Sin City this week thanks to a Zuffa summit involving numerous fighters from both the UFC and WEC.

Representatives from the dual promotions included, but were not limited to, notable names such as Mauricio Rua, Yoshihiro Akiyama, “Minotauro” Nogueira, Rogerio Nogueira, Frank Edgar, Miguel Torres, Nate Diaz, Urijah Faber, Demian Maia, Tom Lawlor, Joe Lauzon, Mark Coleman, Mike Swick, Danny Castillo, Matt Serra, Muhsin Corbbrey, Frank Trigg, Junior dos Santos, Ben Henderson, and head-honchos Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta.

Those in attendance were treated to a group dinner on Monday night in order to set the tone of professional unity, with the meal also providing an increased camaraderie amongst the fighters through personal interaction and the opportunity to professionally network as well. The UFC President took to his Twitter account to show example of both these, as he posted pictures of Bantamweight ace Torres seated alongside fellow jiujitsu practitioner Maia, as well as “Shogun” Rua engaged in a playful headlock with one-time rival Coleman.

Topics at the actual summit ranged in degrees of seriousness, focusing on subjects like fighter-safety (weight-cutting, steroids, recreational drugs), professionalism (thanking sponsors, gambling, individual branding), and show production (swing bouts, etc.). There is no word whether or not the summit will become an annual occurrence for the UFC/WEC but it seems likely given the continued growth in popularity of Mixed Martial Arts and overall expansion of the UFC.

It appears as though Vitor Belfort will have to wait a bit longer for his shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship.

According to the current title-holder’s manager, Ed Soares, Anderson Silva is still undergoing physical therapy for recent surgery to his elbow and will be unable to compete on January 2nd at UFC 108 (as had been previously rumored). Soares made the comments in a brief statement to MMAJunkie, where he also reiterated his belief “The Phenom” is undeserving of an opportunity to win Silva’s belt.

“Like I said before, I don’t think he deserves a title shot, but that’s over with now,” explained Soares. “It is what it is. Whoever the UFC puts in front of us, we’ll fight. We’ve never picked our opponents.”

As far as a date “The Spider” will be ready to face Belfort, Soares continued, “We have to wait and see…Anderson went back to Brazil, and he’s continuing his physical therapy there, but there’s no set date yet. Anderson’s recovery is going really, really well. He’s coming back and his recovery is doing really good. His physical therapy is going really well. He’s getting better range of motion. He’ll be back 100% for sure.”

Is there currently any heavyweight in the UFC as frightening as Cain Velasquez? Which competitor on the DREAM 12 card would deliver the most treats to the Zuffa zipcode? Is it time for the grim reaper to lay Sakuraba’s career to rest? Does the current five-round structure in championship fights suck as much as the cast of Twilight? Cause they’re vampires, of course.

Keyboard varrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Twas a dark and stormy night vhen I first conceived this edition of “Grappling vith Issues”. I called upon my assistant Igor…not Vovchanchyn…to go to the local morgue and bring me back a single human brain. He returned not an hour later vith vhat appeared to be a fine specimen. However, after I’d attached the proper nodes and harnessed the power of lightning to extract the organ’s crucial knowledge, little did I realize vhat vas about to occur!!!

As the electrodes flared up I could immediately tell something vas wrong! I turned to my assistant and demanded he bring me the jar the brain had been kept in. He handed me the container filled with a murky liquid while cowering in fear I vould again force him to vatch the opening ceremony of “Dynamite!! USA” vhile listening to the DJ’s inane rambling on full volume as punishment for the error!

My eyes widened as I looked at the label. I handed glass instrument back to him vith a disapproving look on my face.

“I said the brain jar. Not Machida’s daily urine.”

Igor apologized and quickly brought back the jar vith a similar, but different, substance inside it. Alas, it vas as I’d feared!

“W-w-what does it say, sire? Not ‘Ab..abby N-normal’ again, I swear! I ch-checked this time!!”

“Vorse,” I shuddered, as the vind flared up to a howling gale and thunder crashed!

“Jason Polley!!!”

MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

But seriously…Happy Halloween, and thank you for your patience with my creative venture (unless of course you skipped ahead to this part)! Today’s guest contributor is indeed fellow 5 Oz. partner in literary stylings Jason Polley, whose work can be found on the site most days when it comes to breaking news from around the MMA world. He’s taking a break from dealing facts to opinions, so welcome him to GWI if you will with a nice warm round of applause. In your mind, of course, because clapping out loud in front of your computer screen might raise the eyebrows of any nearby people.

In light of Machida vs. Rua, do championship fights need to be seven rounds or are you comfortable with the current five-round format?

Jason Polley: I’m comfortable with the current format. I believe if 25 minutes aren’t enough time to win and win decisively, another ten are not going to matter. With that being said, I think the more appropriate question is, do we change the way championship, or any fights for that matter, are scored? Time and time again, we see fights go to judges’ hands who are clearly not qualified to score the bouts. I’m a huge Shogun fan, but I’m an even bigger Machida fan, and after watching and re-watching that fight, even I can’t see how the decision went to Lyoto. While not an absolute dominant performance, it was clear from the first round that Rua had taken Machida out of his rhythm, out of his game plan, and out of the fight. Had the fight gone another two rounds, it probably would have gone the exact same way, with Rua using punishing kicks with perfect timing, forcing Machida out of the fight. It’s unlikely either man would have
been finished off, but it was apparent Rua was getting the better of the match. But, without proper ringside judges, you leave your fate to the likes of Cecil Peoples, Nelson Hamilton and Marcos Rosales, all of which who are clearly incompetent at their respective positions.

Brendhan Conlan: I understand Polley’s point but disagree with his assertion ten extra minutes wouldn’t help sort out particularly close fights; where the extra rounds would act as a service to all involved with something as important as promotional gold on the line. Obviously a knockout or submission eliminates any speculation on how a judge scored the overall performance and it seems logical to say the longer a fight goes, the better the odds are a finish will occur.

Granted, there are also championship bouts that go the distance where a clearly defined winner has emerged in the first five frames and the additional two would be completely unnecessary. There’s also the increased risk of injury involved in lengthening a fight, not to mention a higher strike-count absorbed by each individual which could have long-term affects, and a possibility that a lack of conditioning or motivation to finish an opponent could lead to some atrocious seven-stanza affairs. Seriously, had Tim Sylvia’s title-defense against Jeff Monson (or Anderson Silva’s v. Thales Leites) been forced upon the public for any longer than absolutely necessary, there may have been justifiable cause to bring up criminal charges for stealing those moments of time from viewers’ collective lives.

I’m not exactly sure what the right answer is in regards to fixing (no pun intended) close fights, though I think it lies somewhere between seven-rounds and better ringside officiating. Maybe a situation where a “sudden death”-with-a-friendlier-sounding-name period is established in championship fights if neither competitor is two points ahead on each judges’ scorecard (i.e. 48-47 situations)? Then if no winner is established they thumb-war for the belt? Or would that lead to allegations of thumb-greasing? Perhaps the real solution is for everyone to acknowledge controversy has always been a part of sports. Baseball has been around for more than a hundred years – professional football more more than eighty – and not a season passes where a blown call, even with high-definition instant replay rules involved, doesn’t lead to a big play for one of the involved teams. Why should fans expect any different in Mixed Martial Arts?

Was Yushin Okami suffering from ring rust at UFC 104 or is Chael Sonnen simply THAT good?

Polley: We say it all the time; there is no cure for ring rust. Even with being a notorious slow starter, it was apparent Okami wasn’t comfortable in the fight with Sonnen. He couldn’t find his rhythm and Sonnen capitalized using good striking and takedowns to outscore his opponent. But, because there always has to be a “but” with Okami, he is a bit overrated in my opinion. I look at both Sonnen and Okami as Tier Two guys who will never quite be good enough for a title. These are the type of fighters that will put on competitive fights, but one step up in competition and they lose stock. The Team Quest member was quickly humbled when he faced ranked middleweight Demian Maia in his UFC debut. While he has legitimate wins over the likes of Dan Miller and Paulo Filho, I would like to see him against better competition like a Patrick Cote or Michael Bisping before I’m convinced.

Conlan: I think the performance was more a credit to Sonnen’s skill than any affect Okami’s layoff may have had. Okami relies on his size, strength, and wrestling to muscle his opponents around which is why nearly half of his twenty-three career victories have come by way of decision. The Team Quester is a big middleweight in his own right, and could easily fight at light heavyweight if he didn’t enjoy the advantage his stature provides in the 185-pound division, so the match-up ultimately boiled down to the Japanese fighter’s grappling acumen in comparison to Sonnen’s. And, if you consider where each man trains, not to mention Chael’s amateur background (NCAA Champion, All-American, and Olympic alternate wrestler) there really is no comparison between their mat-based abilities. He’s an extremely difficult draw for any fighter who relies more on taking things to the ground than delivering precise, damaging strikes.

I agree Cote or Bisping would make for suitable future opponents. A few other names I’ll throw out there are Nate Marquardt, Alan Belcher, and Yoshihiro Akiyama. I’m also interested to know if he’s willing to fight friend/teammate Dan Henderson at some point if it means title contendership, though I suppose it won’t really matter unless Sonnen beats any three of the afore-mentioned five UFC middleweights.

As far as Okami, he looked a little smaller than usual at the event so I’ll be interested to see if he puts on more muscle now that he’s able to fully train again or if the slimmer look is permanent. Regardless of what occurred against Sonnen, he’s still good enough to beat most of his peers and won’t run into too many other Olympic-level wrestlers who match his size other than Dan Henderson. I’d like to see him fight Demian Maia or Nate Marquardt simply because all three of them have been around the UFC’s middleweight division for a few years, are among the top 15-20 best 185-pounders in the sport, and yet Okami has yet to face either in his career.

True/False – After the beating Cain Velasquez put on Ben Rothwell he deserves to face the winner of Lesnar/Carwin for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Polley: False. While completely annihilating Big Ben, it doesn’t warrant a shot at the belt. While Cain has no doubt been impressive in his five victories since joining the UFC, his latest wins over the likes of Rothwell and Kongo don’t justify a title shot. However, adding more fuel to the Velasquez hype train at UFC 104, I think he’s forced the promotion into a corner. By all accounts Cain has lived up to all the hype the UFC has thrown our way, so credentials aside, I think he will for sure get the winner of Lesnar vs. Carwin match-up. I’m not sure there would be enough interest at this point in a Mir vs. Lesnar III, should Brock win and Mir beat Kongo. Mir vs. Carwin would be interesting, but I don’t see Frank getting another chance at the belt so soon. As for Kongo, he gets neither, should he win. Nogueira would be a possibility, but I think he needs one more decisive win before he gets another crack at the championship. So that leaves who? Cain Velasquez. An undefeated prospect that is clearly a UFC favorite and matches up well with both Lesnar and Carwin. Should Lesnar win, Cain is the young challenger getting a break early to prove himself, much like Brock did against Randy Couture. Should Carwin win, we have two undefeated heavyweights fighting for the title, a story like that writes itself.

Conlan: True. If Velasquez doesn’t deserve the next title-shot then who does? When you break it down, he is the most prominent UFC heavyweight available without some sort of significant stumble in recent history…at all, really. Velasquez’s wins over Kongo and Rothwell and previous showings are at least equivalent to anything the current top contender to Lesnar’s belt has done (or what the current champ did prior to earning his crack at the gold).

His perfect record, status as somewhat of a legend in the Gym, and appeal to the Hispanic demographic are storylines fans and media can buy into which equates to ticket and PPV sales. He comes from a solid wrestling background, can both take and deliver a hard punch, and appears to have a nearly bottomless gas tank. Sure, another win over an notable heavyweight like Gabriel Gonzaga, Mirko Filipovic, Junior Dos Santos, Frank Mir, or “Minotauro” Nogueira would go a long way in solidifying Velasquez’s place as the #1 threat to the championship – hell, one of those bouts may be necessary to keep him active since Lesnar/Carwin has been pushed back – but if the UFC needed a contender next week there is absolutely no other heavyweight currently as deserving as the former Arizona State Sun Devil.

Who on the DREAM 12 card would you most like to see in the UFC/WEC?

Conlan: For me it’s a toss up between Alistair Overeem and Marius Zaromskis with a slight edge going to “Ubereem”. Both are exciting strikers under the age of 30 with a high rate of finishing their opponents. The Lithuanian welterweight, who is quickly earning a place in fans’ minds as the second-coming of Mirko Filipovic based on three consecutive head-kick victories, would add some fresh blood to a 170-pound division looking for new contenders and make an excellent addition to the UFC’s stack of Euro-card regulars. He’s gone to decision once in his four-year career and ten of his thirteen wins are courtesy of a TKO. Comparably, the Dutch “Demolition Man” hasn’t seen the judges’ scorecards in more than three years and finished 97% of the opponents he’s beaten since first entering MMA ten years ago. In plain speak that means he’s either submitted or knocked out thirty of the thirty one foes he’s felled. Yes, there is speculation about how natural his shredded 265-pound physique actually is, but to my knowledge he has never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs while the same can’t be said about a number of currently employed UFC fighters, and in some cases even past champions.

While Eddie Alvarez certainly deserves consideration based on his style and skill I think he might get lost in the UFC’s ridiculously deep lightweight division, plus there’s a fairly realistic chance he will eventually end up in the UFC as it is while I’m not as certain in regards to his fellow DREAM 12 participants. Zaromskis has never competed in MMA on American soil in his career and Overeem has only done so twice in a 42-fight career. The rarity of their State-side appearances adds to my interest in seeing them step into the Octagon.

Polley: While I think Overeem would certainly tip the scale in the UFC heavyweight pool, I’m more interested in him defending his Strikeforce belt. I see a long awaited meeting with Fedor likely for “The Demolition Man’s” near future.

Zaromskis is interesting because with every fight, the guy seems to out do himself. He’s finished his last 7 of 8 opponents by either KO or TKO, with everything from punches, head kicks, to flying knees. He would bring even more depth to the striker friendly UFC welterweight division and could quickly become a force.

But I’m going with the popular answer with this one in Eddie Alvarez. You make a great point by saying he may eventually end up with the UFC, but I would like to see it happen sooner rather than later. He holds legitimate wins over the likes of Joachim Hansen, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and UFC vet Aaron Riley. Alvarez’s lone lightweight loss is at the hands of submission wizard, Shinya Aoki, so this proves to me he would hold his own in the UFC. His style of fighting would be a perfect fit in the lightweight division, with a ton of interesting match-ups. Could you imagine Alvarez in match-ups against the likes of Clay Guida, Frankie Edgar, or Tyson Griffin? These bouts have Fight of the Night bonuses written all over them. Its long been a question of mine of how Eddie Alvarez would fair in the UFC, so for me, he’s my pick from Dream 12.

Should Kazushi Sakuraba hang up his trademark orange trunks and call it a career?

Conlan: It was painful to watch the first 90 seconds of Sakuraba’s DREAM 12 offering against Zelg Galesic, though I suspect not nearly as excruciating as actually enduring the beatdown from his Croatian counterpart. However, as agonizing as those moments might have been for fan and fighter, the kneebar Saku secured for the submission win was as contrastingly pleasurable to observe. I thought it was a perfect example of both the beauty and beastliness inherent in Mixed Martial Arts and a great representation of Sakuraba’s career.

While “The Gracie Hunter” may no longer be the same force he was during the golden days of PRIDE he is still a force. He has the same heart that was present against “Cro Cop” and Wanderlei Silva (all three times); the same determination and refusal to quit unless his body forces him to. He has the same set of submission-wrestling skills that, with the aide of opponent Carlos Newton, put on a master class in technique at PRIDE 3. By the way, with Newton *still* competing how has a rematch never taken place? New Year’s Eve anyone? But I digress…

In summary, what I’m trying to say is Sakuraba should retire on his own terms. He shouldn’t be put out to pasture because a promoter, manager, or media outlet claims it’s time for him to keep his cauliflowered ears out of the ring. He’s got true warrior spirit, a grappling arsenal better than most, is perhaps the most iconic Japanese fighter in history, and a personality so affable it makes Forrest Griffin look like a total dick. Even if you go by the numbers, since 2007 Saku is 6-3 with two of those being decision losses (one of which was to a performance-enhanced Royce Gracie) and a singular devastating defeat courtesy of Melvin Manhoef’s sick striking and power. Those are not the statistics of someone who needs to be prevented from competing inside the squared circle.

Polley: This is a tough question. I had a whole thing ready about fighters past their prime and ruining their legacy, until I seen your response. If he still has a desire to compete and is not getting completely manhandled, it should be up to the legend himself when to call it quits. You’re absolutely right by saying he should leave on his own terms. I just hope he doesn’t wait until it’s too late.

In his match with Zelg Galesic, the first thing I noticed is how much wrap he had around his legs and arms, obvious signs of wear and tear from years of fighting. You could have also made a case for stopping that fight in favor of Galesic, due to the beating he was putting on Sakuraba for a good 30 seconds without defense. However, in classic come from behind fashion, Kazushi held on to the Croatians leg until he got the tap. This being his second win in a month, proves he still has what it takes to compete, just maybe not at the level he used to. He came back from a year layoff, before entering against a very “green” Rubin Williams, which he quickly dismantled by Kimura. His next opponent, Zelg Galesic, was a legitimate step up in competition with good striking ability, and we discussed the outcome of that. I think another fight with a higher-grade opponent will finalize my thoughts on retirement.

He turned 40 this year, so I can’t see him defying the odds for much longer, but I would still want to watch him compete. I could definitely see him in future “super fights”, with someone like a Newton, or perhaps even a rematch with Kiyoshi Tamura.

What Mixed Martial Artist makes the best Halloween costume?

Conlan: Ah, I feel like I’m in a cartoon and this question is one of those signs with arrows showing fifty different directions to take. One could dress as “Cecil Peoples”, complete with glasses with the lenses painted black (to simulate blindness of course). One could dress as “Nick Diaz” which simply requires a frown, a “tobacco water pipe”, and the willingness to whoop anyone who puts their mug on you. Then again, there’s always the “Arianny Celeste” outfit, but frankly I must warn you that “Grappling with Issues” cannot be held accountable for any legal ramifications spawning from your decision to put on a pair of Spandex booty shorts, brown wig, and walk the streets of your local township while blowing kisses and winking. There’s the “Dana White”. Put on a bald cap, throw a huge smile on your face, use the word “f*ck” whenever possible, and you’re on your way to simulating Zuffa royalty. You can dress like “Jared Shaw” and…wait, what is “$kala” doing these days and how much does a McDonalds outfit cost? Nevermind. And, for the less-athletically inclined, just dress as “Roy Nelson” and you can finally unleash that big belly of yours while eating Whoppers and claiming legitimate reasoning. Personally, I’ll be dressing as Anderson Silva, which means I’ll be at all of your parties but you won’t see me because I’m so elusive. Yes, I wanted to make that a Machida joke.

*NOTE* – Polley was a little quicker about this particular answer than I was, and I like all his suggestions. I’m especially glad to see that nipple rings are not a requirement for the “King Mo” costume.

Polley: I think the obvious answer would be Kimbo Slice. Complete with a fake beard, beanie cap, and a Mr. T starter kit, and you too can be an Internet sensation. It comes with no ground game and catch phrases like, “You know what I’m saying?” (Gold teeth and .45mm sold separately) Other honorable mentions include, Mohammed “King Mo” Lawal. Complete with jeweled crown, cane with cape, and dancing Japanese girls. Alistair Overeem, comes with Thor-like hammer, muscles the size of mountains and a Strikeforce belt. Sorry kids, only available in Japan. But the scariest Halloween costume would have to be Chuck Liddell. Not the “Iceman” we’ve come to love in the Octagon, but the one from “Dancing with the Stars”. Comes complete with Mohawk, tattoo on the side of the head, tight slacks, and sleeveless sparkly shirt with dangling fringe. Absolutely terrifying.

Reacting to the last few days’ worth of news regarding UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar withdrawing from UFC 106 due to an unidentified illness, top challenger Shane Carwin took to his website to express his thoughts on the situation in addition to a few other things.

In the posting he goes on to talk about the effects of swine flu, which he himself actually suffered a recent bout of, as well as offered his take on how he was informed of Lesnar’s decision, an extremely poignant moment he experienced with a young fan in Los Angeles, and what exactly fighting the UFC title means to him…

On Being Sick: “Last week was the first week that I actually started feeling better from a strain of the swine flu. I had lost almost 23 pounds (something I could not afford to lose) and had just pulled some muscles in my leg during training. As UFC 104 approached my manager said, ‘We should be thankful we are not fighting from your re-broken nose to the leg this wasn’t our time’. As I prepared to go to UFC I began to realize what I had ahead of me and I began to panic a bit. I was due to be fighting for the UFC Heavyweight title. I called Jason back and said you are right, but I can’t go to Los Angeles I need to train. I was reminded about my commitments to the fans at Kmart and the Q&A, and I knew I had to go.”

On the Importance of Fans: In L.A. I was reminded exactly why we do this sport. Fans were all over the place and every interaction was a positive one. While at Kmart I meet a young man who competes in the Special Olympics and he said he looked up to us fighters. I was so taken back by the fact that he put us fighters on a pedestal. Here was this young man who defied incredible odds in life to reach the Olympics and he pushes himself every day to do things you and I take for granted. I was bitching about a flu, my leg (that would heal), and taking time away from training and this young man looks up to me? He gave me his Octagon necklace and I do not think he realized what an impact he made on me.

I knew right then that I was going to suck it up and drive on. Edward and the rest of Team Carwin would be the fuel to carry me through the rough times and make sure that come fight night I will be the champion. Edward’s life has been nothing but full of twist and turns of which he has very little choice on what happened to him, his choice is to not let his twist or turns take him off the his path in life.”

On the Lesnar News: “…when my phone rang and it was Kevin Iole from Yahoo sports asking for my comment on Brock pulling out of the fight I was disappointed and in shock. I had just convinced myself to walk through hell to fight this guy and a respected member of the media was asking for a comment. I immediately called my manager who informed me that it was news to him as well but for me to stay calm, don’t talk to anyone and wait for his call. My wife and I were in shock, it was like the opposite of when we got the news that we were fighting for the title. I wanted nothing more then for Kevin to be wrong.

Thirty minutes go by and (my manager) calls me back to say he was able to reach the UFC matchmaker and the fight was not happening and that Brock had been ill for “six weeks”. He informed me that all the UFC executives were in the TUF tryouts and we really needed to sit tight until we could hear from them what the next steps were.”

On the Delayed Title Bout: “Fighting for the UFC belt is my path and honestly Brock coming down with his illness only gives me more time to be in that much better shape. It is a blessing if you want to know the truth. I would have never pulled out of the fight. I would wheel myself to the cage if it was my choice. I know this is my destiny and I don’t need everything to be perfect. I just need my opportunity to show the world what I can do and who I am.

As I write this I still do not know what is in store for me in the near future. I have my own training wounds that need to heal, I have teammates preparing for fights and they need my help, and I want to be ready for whatever the UFC brings my way. I am not the star of the show. I really do not have any say in the matter. My job is to be ready when they need me, I will be. I pray that Brock gets better soon and that he and I can put this fight together. The fans want this fight and so do I. So we will just have to wait and see what the UFC has in mind for Team Carwin.

As I said I feel blessed to have the extra time to rehab my injuries and recover from the flu. I think that I am blessed to have an amazing team of people helping me and supporting me that it really doesn’t matter about the twist and turns of life because I know I am on the right path. If Edward can so can I. Who can really complain about your dreams being delayed a bit? I am lucky to be fighting for the best fans in the World, I am lucky to have an amazing family and the best coaches and team mates in the game.”

For the entire entry and others please visit his website.

Though the main card fighters may have initially earned higher salaries entering Saturday night’s events it was the undercard’s participants who laid claim to all three UFC “…of the Night” bonuses.

Reigning supreme amongst the evening’s bonus winners was the affable Pat Barry, who overcame an early eye-poke to bring his professional MMA record to 5-1 with a hard-fought second round TKO victory over fellow kickboxer Antoni Hardonk. Barry earned an additional $120,000 on top of his previously scheduled purse for winning both “Fight of the Night” and “Knockout of the Night” honors. Hardonk was also awarded $60,000 for his participation in the bout.

“Submission of the Night”, and the sixty thousand dollar reward attached to the distinction, went to 6’11 Stefan Struve. Struve weathered an early attack from opponent Chase Gormley to lock in a Triangle Choke for the first round win.

Mixed Martial Artists spend countless hours in training centers around the world learning various skills in hopes of successfully fending off future opponents. However, there are some battles in life no technique obtained in a Gym can prepare an individual for or defend against. This past September, thousands of Filipino men, women, and children found themselves immersed in such a fight when two typhoons occurred less than a week apart resulting in hundreds of deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to an already impoverished nation.

Responding in their own unique way to the plight of thousands of those affected by the devastation in the Philippines, many in the Filipino-American Mixed Martial Arts community are showing they are still in the corner of their “kababayans” – their countrymen – courtesy of a special event this upcoming Sunday. “THEIR FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT” is an all-day seminar being held on October 25th at “Legends Mixed Martial Arts Training Center” in Hollywood, California.

Fans from the Los Angeles area and those still in town from the previous night’s UFC 104 festivities can register to participate in classes led by popular UFC fighter Brandon Vera, NCAA Champion wrestler Mark Munoz, 8-0 Shane Del Rosario, and Muay Thai ace Romie Adanza, each of whom will present exclusive high-level seminars and demonstrations of their specialties. Additionally, the always beautiful Arianny Celeste will be on hand to lend her support to the cause.

Tickets to participate in the all-day seminars are all-inclusive for $120. Non-participating spectators can attend to watch and take pictures for $5 admission. The event is being presented in conjunction with FilAm ARTS and SIPA, two established community non-profit organizations, and proceeds from the seminars will go directly to Typhoon Ondoy, Parma and Lupit relief via Red Cross Philippines.

For more information on how to get tickets or the event in general you can visit their website.

Seminar Schedule:

10:00-10:30 – Opening Ceremony / Warm-Up
10:30-12:00 – Brandon Vera – “Jiujitsu for MMA”
12:00-1:00 – Lunch / Group Pictures / Special Guest Announcements
1:00-2:00 – Romie Adanza – “Muay Thai Clinch Game”
2:00-3:00 – Shane Del Rosario – “Muay Thai for MMA”
4:00-4:20 – Break / Pictures / Awards
4:20-5:50 – Mark Munoz – “MMA Takedowns and Wrestling”
5:50-6:00 – Cool Down
6:00-6:30– Awards / Closing Ceremony / Raffle Winners Announcement

How many wins does Anthony “Rumble” Johnson need before getting a crack at the UFC Welterweight Championship? Would top WEC lightweights only be mediocre UFC lightweights? Should Okami vs. Sonnen be on the main card at UFC 104? Is the main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers the best fight on the November 7th Strikeforce card?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Thanks for taking some time away from coordinating the next great balloon hoax to click on the latest edition of “Grappling with Issues”. As always, within these pages you’ll find the take of a guest commentator on six topics plucked from the MMA landscape, as well as my own spin on the subject matter at hand.

This week’s guest is no stranger to these parts, as he was at one time a regular 5 Oz. contributor who still pops in every now and then between other commitments. He’s dipped his toes in the Sherdog pool and been to a PRIDE event. He’s written feature articles for respected gaming magazines, including a number of pieces related to original launch “UFC Undisputed”. He doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does he drinks Dos Equis. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Caleb Newby to the hallowed halls of GWI!

For better or worse, which of the following four people has your opinion most-changed of since the newest Ultimate Fighter season debuted and why – Kimbo Slice, “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, or Roy Nelson?

Caleb Newby: Tough question. There is a case to be made for each, but for my money I’ll go with Rampage Jackson. To those that paid attention to the man behind the hype, Kimbo was already known to be humbly working on improving his game. A far cry from the murderous street thug promotion he was given. Rashad rubs many the wrong way with his in-cage antics but is a great diplomat for the sport outside. And I’ve been more indifferent to Roy Nelson than anything before this season of TUF, and while his standing in my eyes isn’t all that great, he was pretty much off the radar before.

Jackson has long been a favorite, and I still do like the guy. Unfortunately several things have come about that have hurt his image. Take his “retirement” from the sport due to Dana’s unwillingness to curb his public taunts of Quinton’s desire to star in the A-Team movie. Fans are split over whose side they take on this one and while neither is without fault I tend to come down more on the side of Rampage having the freedom to do what he wishes (which I got more in depth about a few weeks back in an article here on 5oz). Still, even siding with Rampage doesn’t leave him without fault. Take his poor ability as a coach and drafting strategy that seemed more focused on having airtime with Kimbo than trying to win and help his fighters and the myth of who Rampage is (or who we want him to be) has been broken.

Not to say he’s a bad guy. It’s just before TUF he was a funny dude with loads of charisma and one of the best 205ers in the world. He’s still all those things but the reality of his humanity has evened the score. Jackson has strengths and weaknesses like the rest of us and is more than a bigger-than-life caricature. Who knew?

Brendhan Conlan: Whew, talk about a tough act to follow! As Newby said, a case can be made for each man, and I suppose that is in part what has made the Ultimate Fighter such a successful franchise for Spike and the UFC. The airtime it affords Mixed Martial Artists fans are familiar with already, as well as those the show introduces to the world, allow viewers to become invested in the people they’re watching for both positive and negative reasons.

I can see why some would select Kimbo, as his tough exterior and YouTube fame afforded him as many marketing deals as they did preconceived notions from followers about who he truly was as an individual. However, my understanding of his character before TUF was based on interviews I’d seen him in and general feedback from those who’d met him, so I wasn’t surprised to see a humble, insightful guy who wanted to improve his skills in hopes of supporting his family. I can see why some would say “Sugar” ‘Shad, as he’s pulled a bit of a “Tito Ortiz” if you will in terms of reducing the number of people who dislike him based on the personality and honest investment in his team that he’s shown thus far. And of course Newby outlined why his opinion of “Rampage” has changed, though I personally think Jackson’s behavior is the least surprising knowing how he performed as coach opposite Forrest Griffin.

I’m actually going to pick Roy Nelson because I didn’t have much of an opinion of him before this season aired other than I appreciated his talent and knew he was somewhat of a jokester. Based on the Kimbo fight and some of the other scenes that have been shown I can definitely say my view on “Big Country” has soured. He no longer seems like an affable guy from the South but somewhat pompous and hard-headed. Nelson had a chance to impress Dana White and the rest of the world by highlight-reeling Slice and instead turned in a performance that was only memorable in how bad it was. While his strategy might have been a smart one, facing Kimbo on Spike was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and not only did Nelson blow it, he celebrated blowing it.

Fact/Fiction – The main event bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers is the best fight on the November 7th Strikeforce/CBS card.

Newby: Fact. Although I admit my take of “best fight” translates to “most interested in”. The rest of the main card has bouts I’m definitely interested in with known fighters the MMA community care about. But for my money, the Fedor/Rogers fight is the best and most intriguing if only for the same question as always: Is this the fight Fedor finally loses? Rogers easily has the knockout power to get the job done and Fedor isn’t shy about standing to trade. In fact, he’s made beating opponents at their strong suits part of his M.O. He beat Cro Cop on the feet. He beat Big Nog on the ground. Arlovski and Sylvia were finished for all intents and purposes on the feet. Not that Fedor always fights this way (He didn’t want to stand up with Hong-Man Choi after all) but it won’t be surprising if the stoic Russian tries to end this on the feet… a dangerous proposition against a heavy hitter like Rogers. Any fight that has Fedor against an opponent who has a way to beat him automatically overshadows anything else going on that night, at least in my humble opinion.

Conlan: Fact. Another “fact” is that I was originally going with “fiction” until considering Newby’s logic. I think the bout featuring “Mayhem” Miller and Jake Shields has the potential to be the best technical fight on the card, and I think Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum is also intriguing for various reasons, but in truth the match-up I’m most excited about is definitely the headliner. There are too many ooh-inducing factors at play, including the mere fact the fight is on network television, to not consider it the prime draw on the card regardless of the difference in experience or overall skill level. Will “The Grim” land a solid shot and if so how will Emelianenko respond? Can the Russian deliver yet another legendary performance en route to handing Rogers his first professional defeat? Will the world stop spinning if Fedor actually loses, and if so, will Dana White’s maniacal laughter be audible outside of the State of Nevada? The truth is, while Emelianenko vs. Rogers may not be the best pairing from a competitive perspective, it will absolutely have the most people sitting on the edge of the couches while it unfolds, and because of that I have a hard time saying it is anything other than the “best” fight on the card.

Has Junie Browning entered the Octagon for the last time his career?

Newby: No. Of course this is just pure conjecture but at only 24 he’s got a lot of time to fix his wrongs. Here’s my guess. Browning gets help after hitting rock bottom from people that rally around him. I have no idea how the legalities will go with his assault case but Dana, while obviously not happy with Junie’s behavior, doesn’t strike me as a guy who will blacklist a guy who has worked on turning his life around if he’s earned his way back and, more importantly, has changed his life for the better. So that’s the question, does Browning rise above this or does this incident define him? Call me an optimist, but I think (hope) that Junie gets the help he needs from those that care for him and will one day return to the Octagon.

Conlan: I think Junie has drawn his last assignment in the Octagon and my reasoning isn’t solely related to his arrest, termination from the UFC, or history of personal problems. I simply don’t believe Browning is a good enough fighter to make his way back onto the roster. He got his crack because of his actions on the Ultimate Fighter, not because he was necessarily a blue-chip prospect that couldn’t be risked to another promotion. His recent actions are another testament to his apparent mental instability and most fighters will tell you how important a strong mind is to success inside the ring. Junie will pick up some decent paychecks fighting up-and-coming talent and tomato cans on local shows as so many other TUF castoffs have done, and similar to them, he’ll drop a few bouts along the way that show him to ultimately be an entertaining, albeit slightly above-average, Mixed Martial Artist.

Buy/Sell – Top WEC lightweights like Donald Cerrone, Jamie Varner, and Ben Henderson would only fair averagely if competing in the UFC.

Conlan: Buy. I equate the trio to Clay Guida – highly competitive, well-rounded, go full speed from start to finish but have a hard time finishing comparable opponents. Out of the three I could see Varner fairing a bit better since he’s got heavier hands, but then again he split two Octagon appearances earlier in his career so it’s hard to know whether or not he’s improved enough since then to make that much of a difference during a second go-round in the UFC. Also, I think “average’ in a division as deep as the lightweight pool is not that bad of a thing either. Very few men do better when it comes to consistently beating the UFC’s top shelf of 155-pound talent.

Newby: I think you hit the nail on the head there, particularly with being “average” in the UFC 155 pound division (or any division for that matter) isn’t really a bad thing. The only other point I would like to raise is Carlos Condit. At 170 he was on a tear in the WEC and consistently ranked in the top ten at welterweight. Anywhere from ten to as high as five, depending who you asked. After seeing him split a pair of tough fights I can’t think that the previously mentioned trio would fair any better at 155 than Condit at 170. Still, it would be even more depth to an already brimming division, and all it takes is a good couple fights to make the contender short list.

Sticking with a recent 5 Oz. Poll, should Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen be on the main card of UFC 104?

Conlan: While the match-up certainly has the potential to be a plodding affair that goes the distance, the UFC desperately needs to establish new middleweight contenders and Sonnen vs. Okami is a perfect opportunity for them to do so. Okami has won nine of his last ten bouts (7-1 in the UFC) with the only loss coming via decision against former champion Rich Franklin. He was on the cusp of a crack at Anderson Silva’s belt a year ago before injuries left him on the outside looking in. Sonnen is coming off a dominant win against tough 185-pounder Dan Miller and is 8-2 in his last ten fights. Putting their fight on the main portion of the UFC 104 card, or at least on the televised portion of the undercard being shown on Spike, would give fans an opportunity to re-familiarize themselves with Okami while getting a feel for who might challenge for Silva’s shiny oversized beltbuckle once things are sorted out between Nate Marquardt, Dan Henderson, and Vitor Belfort. Instead viewers are being treated to a clash between Josh Neer and Gleison Tibau, who are both more-than talented but neither of which factors into the immediate title picture of their division. The same can also be said about Ryan Bader and Eric Schafer, though I at least understand the appeal of putting an Ultimate Fighter seasonal champion on Spike.

Newby: You make a good point, but let’s for arguments sake look at the other side of the coin. Okami and Sonnen both win the majority of their fights by decision and aren’t exactly looking to be poised for a barn burner. I cannot imagine Sonnen being anywhere near the line for a title shot so this really only applies to Okami, and that’s in doubt too as Zuffa hasn’t seemed too eager to throw him out there. But if this does turn out as boring as it could be, if it is untelevised the damage is kept to a minimum. Say Okami wins based in a dull affair. Should Dana and Joe Silva decide at some point that Anderson Silva’s next challenger will be Okami they can just pick and use the more exciting highlights for a video package and use that to sell the fight with Okami’s DQ victory over Silva. Sure, it’s a strictly business decision but this hedges their bets a bit more than gambling with these two on live PPV. That’s my “other side of the coin” take for contrarian sake.

Fill in the blank – Anthony Johnson is ____ wins away from a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship.

Conlan: Three, maybe four. Though beating Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 104 would only give Johnson a modest 5-2 record in the Octagon, it’s important to remember his loss to Rich Clementi came in a fight he took on extremely late notice and cut a ridiculous amount of weight for, while the TKO win Kevin Burns has over him was more a result of repeatedly being poked in the eye than anything legitimate on Burns’ part. I think a dubya over Yoshida would elevate “Rumble” to the same level as probable future title contenders such as Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, and Thiago Alves. Considering Mike Swick, with only four wins in the UFC’s welterweight division, and Dan Hardy with only three, are fighting at UFC 105 for the right to challenge St. Pierre, it seems like two additional wins over notable welterweights including the afore mentioned folks or Swick, Hardy, Karo Parisyan, Marcus Davis, Matt Hughes, or Matt Serra should be more than enough reason to match someone as exciting and skilled as Johnson against whoever the champ may be at the time. Let’s not forget that thrill-factor is definitely something UFC President Dana White takes into account when making matches alongside Joe Silva and Johnson certainly brings the goods when it comes delivering jaw-dropping moments.

Newby: I have to say it could potentially be as low as two, counting after the upcoming Yoshida fight. As you said, if he wins, and looks good in doing it, he’ll be toward more of the forefront of the welterweight conversation and set to fight a Marcus Davis, Chris Lytle, or even Karo Parisyan. Win there and he could be looking at a bout with title implications against whoever else is on a role and towards the top of the welterweight food chain at the time. This is on the presumption that the UFC is still in need of new and exciting matches for GSP that gets the fans more interested than the Swick/Kampmann announcement did. If that’s the case, Johnson could be on the fast track. For his sake I hope that number is closer to four more wins instead of two. GSP is a whole different animal from anyone else in the division and it wouldn’t hurt Johnson to fight a couple more of the guys along the way should he keep his winning streak. A path to a title shot consisting of Lytle, Parisyan, Condit, and Fitch/Alves would do wonders.

This week’s announcement regarding the freshly-signed television distribution deal Bellator Fighting Championships inked with NBC, Fox Sports, and Telemundo brought a smile to the face of numerous fans and fighters. Included in that bunch was none other than host of ESPN’s “MMA Live” Jon Anik, who Bellator fans might also recognize as the play-by-play portion of the promotion’s broadcast team.

FiveOuncesofPain.com caught up with Anik who gladly took some time to offer his take on the prospect of Bellator making its way to the masses, as well as how big an impact he actually think it will have and whether or not his employment with ESPN will prevent him from stepping back into the booth for season two and beyond…

FiveOuncesofPain: What are your thoughts on the new distribution deal Bellator announced earlier this week?

Jon Anik: It’s a very exciting time for all of us associated with Bellator Fighting Championships. This television distribution deal was what Bjorn had envisioned for quite some time, and to see it materialize is a credit to all of the hard work put in by Bjorn and the rest of the Bellator team. Obviously there were a lot of moving parts, but the end result puts Bellator in position to grow exponentially. Viewers know they will be getting live MMA every Thursday night for 24 weeks in a 30-week span, and the tournaments will all play out live and in primetime. It was certainly worth the wait.

FiveOuncesofPain: How big of an impact on the mainstream – on MMA in general – do you think Bellator’s presence on Fox Sports, NBC, and Universal will actually have?

Jon Anik: Well, it’s irrefutable that the masses (MMA fans) crave more high-level MMA and MMA programming, and I think Bellator’s presence on Fox Sports Net, NBC, and Telemundo puts the organization in position to establish itself as a major player in the sport. From what I’ve been told, the promotional backing from the networks is off the charts, and that will help tremendously. I also think the tournament format is Bellator’s greatest asset and sports fans can really relate to it. There is continuity and a pure legitimacy there. One of my few complaints with other MMA promotions is that the fighters don’t always control their own championship destiny. Here, you win and you move on. And I expect that to have great appeal to MMA fans, hardcore and casual alike.

FiveOuncesofPain: How, to your knowledge, does this affect the organization’s relationship with ESPN?

Jon Anik: I’m not sure it’ll have any great impact on Bellator’s relationship with ESPN.

FiveOuncesofPain: Will you be returning to the broadcast booth for Bellator, does your association with ESPN prohibit that from happening, or is it simply too early to know yet?

Jon Anik: It is my intention to return to the broadcast booth for Bellator and I hope my work on Season 1 will afford me that opportunity. I also hope to continue my work for ESPN and MMA Live. Not exactly sure how it will all play out, but I am confident any conflicts can be resolved.

FiveOuncesofPain: Any closing words on Bellator’s future or that of promotional champions Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard, and Joe Soto?

Jon Anik: The biggest winners with this announcement are the fighters and that’s exactly how Bellator would want it. Eddie Alvarez and Hector Lombard, specifically, are two of the best in the world in their weight classes and they deserve a major showcase in the United States. This TV deal provides that for them, and their confidence in Bellator will be rewarded, not just with money but with mass exposure. The Bellator brass has worked so diligently to avoid pitfalls that have plagued other upstarts and I think this TV deal represents the beginning of a long run for the Bellator Fighting Championships.

A new episode of MMA Live airs every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. MMA Live can also be seen whenever it fits your schedule.

What was fast-becoming one of the most heated feuds in Mixed Martial Arts could be simmering down now thanks to an apology issued by current WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner on the popular Underground forum.

His statement comes on the heels of a hard-fought bout between personal rival Donald Cerrone and newly crowned interim champ Ben Henderson this past Saturday night. It reads as follows:

First of all I want to apologize to Donald Cerrone for every ill word I ever said about him. I’d also like to apologize to all his fans and anyone else I may have pissed off by my actions. Donald is a great fighter that fights with all heart and he’s my toughest fight to date. I wish him nothing but the best and it was an honor to fight a fighter with such heart and skill.

I have a tough test ahead. I’m really looking forward to getting back in there and proving to all of you why I am the WEC lightweight champ. I know there are always gonna be haters. I hope most of you accept my apology because you guys are the reason why I’m able to do what I love for a living. Thanks for taking the time to read this and its time to go train.

The bad blood between both fighters originated shortly after Varner defeated “The Cowboy” at WEC 38 earlier this year. The bout was stopped midway through the fifth frame when Cerrone landed an illegal knee which led to the champion complaining of some trouble seeing. A technical decision was issued in Varner’s favor leaving some, including his opponent, feeling as though he may have been trying to take an easy way out instead of risking a loss in the last few minutes of the round. Their rivalry was even alleged to have extended a backstage confrontation at UFC 101 of which Cerrone said, “Sh*t was about to go down. The things I said to him as a man, I can’t believe you would stand there and take…”

Thus far no response has been issued from Cerrone in regards to Varner’s extension of a proverbial olive branch.

After entertaining the crowd in attendance on Saturday night with a main event packed full of action, it seemed apparent newly crowned WEC interim lightweight champ Ben Henderson and fan-favorite Donald Cerrone were destined for “Fight of the Night” honors.

However, what few onlookers could have predicted was a phone call from Lorenzo Fertitta asking WEC head Reed Harris to double the amount based on their exciting performance.

The decision resulted in Cerrone and Henderson each netting an additional $20,000 on top of their contracted salaries for the five-round affair.

Anthony Njokuani took home “Knockout of the Night” honors – and an extra paycheck – thanks to his second-round TKO of Muhsin Corbbrey, while Mackens Sermerzier scored “Submission of the Night” by tapping out the heavily favored Wagnney Fabiano with a triangle choke in the first three minutes of their bout.

The following is a summary of WEC 43 bonuses:

Fight of the Night: Donald Cerrone ($20,000)

Fight of the Night: Ben Henderson ($20,000)

Knockout of the Night: Anthony Njokuani ($10,000)

Submission of the Night: Mackens Sermerzier ($10,000)

Will “The Hammer” drop on Tito Ortiz come November 21st? “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” doesn’t seem to think so and he’s taken to Twitter to assure fans Coleman’s absence from the card won’t prevent him from stepping into the Octagon at UFC 106. Ortiz recently posted the following in regards to the situation:

“Coleman,Coleman,Coleman. Too bad he sissies out!!! Who’s next??? I’m kicking someone’s ass on Nov 21st!”

No official announcement has been made regarding Coleman’s status. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion is 1-1 in his recent return to the promotion he started his career in with a decision victory coming in his most recent bout against Stephan Bonnar.

UFC 106 is set for Las Vegas and headlined by a title-fight between champion Brock Lesnar and undefeated challenger Shane Carwin. While it may be too early to speculate on possible replacements for Coleman if he does indeed have to withdraw, notable 205-pound fighters Luis Cane and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira are rumored to be facing each other at the same event so it is possible one could fill in as a substitute opponent for Ortiz.

::UPDATE::

Mike DiSabato ,(of CageFighter)  long time sponsor of Coleman, confirmed a second-degree tear of Coleman’s MCL knee ligament  today  to FightersOnlyMagazine and said that he (Coleman) has asked for the fight to be rescheduled for January 2nd.

DiSabato was also critical of the Tweet by Ortiz, “Tito says ‘sissy?’ The only thing Coleman is afraid of is contracting swine flu from that d-bag!”

It appears as though the time has come for reality television villain Spencer Pratt to actually head for “the hills”. Mostly known for his obnoxious behavior on MTV and “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here”, Pratt has finally run into someone who is likely to put up a little more of a challenge than a sucker-punched bar patron and is “more than willing” to silence his peach-fuzz laden jaw – Mixed Martial Artist Jason Chambers.

The color commentator for Bellator Fighting Championships, who is also familiar with a the bright lights of Hollywood due to his work on shows like “Days of Our Lives” and “Human Weapon”, is also a veteran of more than twenty-five professional fights and has finished 16 of the 19 opponents he’s beaten. Currently riding a three-bout win streak, Chambers’ interest in beating the blonde out of Spencer doesn’t stem from a competitive desire so much as Pratt’s own alleged challenge one night at a club and “tough guy” demeanor in general.

Read ahead as Jason sits down with FiveOuncesofPain.com to clarify how the situation originated, as well offer his thoughts on a few things such as how fans can offer their support of his cause, what people can expect from Bellator in the coming seasons, and whether or not Heidi Montag’s singing is as painful as a properly applied submission…

FiveOuncesOfPain: How much truth is there to a recent rumor floating around the MMA community regarding your desire to step into a ring across from reality television “star” Spencer Pratt?

Jason Chambers: I’m not really sure that it’s a rumor. You can go to www.scaredypratt.com and see that this is something I’m more than willing to do.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Can you shed some light on the situation in terms of where the bad-blood originally stems from and why you’re interested in fighting him?

Chambers: I had heard through a friend that he was making comments about how he would kick my ass while at a club. Someone posed that to me and asked if I would fight him. I have no personal quarrel with Spencer. However, if you are going to run around and talk about how thug you are while claiming to have a BJJ black belt, all while spitting out lines like “I ain’t afraid of no man”, you should probably be able to back it up.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Pratt has claimed to be between a purple and black belt in Gracie jiujitsu. Do you think there’s any legitimacy to his alleged skill level? Would you be willing to simply grapple against him or is the proposition of punching him in the face a necessity?

Chambers: To be completely honest I cannot attest to his actual rank. From my understanding, he has a purple belt from Kevin Casey. I’m not sure if the purple belt is even legit seeing as I’ve been told Kevin Casey gave himself a black belt. If Spencer was interested in a jiujitsu match I’d be more than happy to oblige.

FiveOuncesOfPain: How realistic do you think a scenario featuring you vs. him under Mixed Martial Arts rules actually is? Have you gotten any feedback from his representatives?

Chambers: Naturally there will be hindrances. I have over twenty fights; he has none (unless you count the time he jumped a kid in a bar…in that case I’d have to say he is at least 1-0). If this came to fruition I am sure we would have to fight somewhere like an Indian Reservation or overseas.

FiveOuncesOfPain: How would you see the fight unfolding if it actually took place?

Chambers: I hope it does…or at least a jits match. I think that it’s the perfect storm so to speak. He runs his mouth, reps being a “fighter” and general “tough guy”, runs his mouth 24/7, and isn’t the most liked person. When the situation was posed to me, my thought was, “Hey, this could be a great way to raise some money for charity.”

FiveOuncesOfPain: More painful to endure – a successfully implemented knee/ankle lock or Heidi Montag’s singing?

Chambers: *laughs* One can tear apart your knee, the other can tear apart your ears. So the question becomes, would you rather be crippled or deaf? I’ve had knee injuries so I’ll take listening to Heidi sing.

FiveOuncesOfPain: On a “real world” subject, fans recently saw you alongside Jon Anik at the Bellator Fighting Championships announce table. Any updates on the second season of Bellator?

Chambers: Nothing more than has been made public by Bjorn (Rebney – Bellator CEO). We have locked in two more seasons of shows which will follow the tournament format of Season One. Season Two will feature twelve weeks of live MMA shows followed almost directly by Season Three with another twelve live shows. The tourney format is fantastic. It’s something that I really missed as a fighter and fan. It speaks to the core of what this sport should be. The best fighting, the best opportunity created, and not manipulated.

FiveOuncesOfPain: As both an actor and Mixed Martial Artist, what is your opinion on the subject of “Rampage” Jackson’s fallout with the UFC over his role in “A-Team”?

Chambers: At the end of the day I think you have to look out for #1. “Rampage” had a difficult decision to make and he went with what he felt was going to behoove him the most.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Are there any other projects you’re working on or sponsors that you’d like to mention? Any final words on the subject of Spencer Pratt?

Chambers: I have a few projects I am working on but nothing I can disclose yet. Regarding Pratt, at the very least I’d like to know that he will stop to think before he runs his mouth.

FiveOuncesOfPain: Thanks for your time Jason. Best of luck with Bellator, as well as with your other endeavors. The public at large is definitely ready to see Spencer Pratt on the wrong end of a punch.

—

UPDATE: Since the completion of this interview, Chambers has stated, “Spencer Pratt agrees to fight???!!! I got a text message today that said he’s interested in setting this up! More details to come.”