After more than a year and a half hiatus that included him recently vacating his Strikeforce middleweight championship, Cung Le appears to be all set to make his return to the promotion.

Apparently Le has already agreed to face off with middleweight knockout artist Scott Smith according to a recent report on MMAJunkie.com.

The two are expected to square off at the “Strikeforce: Evolution” card set for December 19 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

The bout will mark Le’s first return to action since obtaining the Strkeforce middleweight crown during a battle with Frank Shamrock in March of 2008. He sports an unblemished record of 6-0, with all six f his victories coming by either KO or TKO.

Smith will be looking to place himself back in the winner’s circle following his third round rear-naked choke defeat at the hands of Nick Diaz in June of this year. Just prior to his recent loss Smith had racked up consecutive knockout victories over the likes of Benji Radach and Terry Martin.

Eleven battles are in the books for “Sengoku 11th Battle“, as the event that took place from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan featured a little bit of something for everyone; knockouts, submissions and back and forth brawls.

Michihiro Omigawa was able to edge out Hatsu Hioki in a closely contested featherweight showdown while Jorge Santiago and Kevin Randleman both suffered defeat, and Dave “Pee Wee” Herman came away with yet another knockout victory.

Below is a full list of the event results from “Sengoku 11th Battle”:

Michihiro Omigawa def. Hatsu Hioki via split decision

Mamed Khalidov def. Jorge Santiago via TKO – Round 1

Jorge Masvidal def. Satoru Kitaoka via knockout – Round 2

Tomoaki Ueyama def. Hirokazu “Bull” Konno via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1

Kazunori Yokota def. Eiji Mitsuaoka via unanimous decision

Stanislov Nedkov def. Kevin Randleman via split decision

Akihiro Gono def. Yoon Young Kim via unanimous decision

Marlon Sandro def. Yuji Hoshino via knockout – Round 1

Dave Herman def. Jim York via knockout – Round 1

Ronnie Mann def. Shigeki Osawa via unanimous decision

Ryota Uozomi def. Yuichiro Yajima via submission (armbar) – Round 1

All fighters are weighed in and set for combat during tomorrow evening’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” card.

The action is scheduled to take place from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, airing live on CBS.

The Main event will see Fedor Emelianenko facing off with Brett Rogers in a heavyweight showdown not to miss. Other notable match-ups include Jake Shields vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokudjou, and Fabricio Werdum will be butting heads with Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Below is a series of photographs from the weigh-ins courtesy of Esther Lin and Strikeforce:

Following the recent acquisition of DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis, it now appears as though the most recent fighter on his way over to Strikeforce could very well be the Japanese promotion’s lightweight champion.

Shinya Aoki is widely regarded to be among the very best lightweights in the business, and Strikeforce is aiming to bring him stateside in early 2010.

“He’s fought for Dream and we’re hoping he’s one of the guys that we can bring over to our stable in the first quarter,” said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker during a recent conversation with Sherdog.com.

Coker went on to name Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez as possible opponents for the “Tobikan Judan” if and when he makes the trip to Strikeforce.

Be on the lookout for Shinya at tomorrow evening’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” card, as the submission specialist is expected to be in attendance.

FiveOuncesofPain.com is here to bring all of you fight fanatics the latest updates on the weigh-in results from tomorrow evening’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” card, as they happen.

The weigh-ins are taking place from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, the same arena Saturday evening’s event is set to take place. You can catch all of the action tomorrow night live on CBS.

The fighters are set to begin hitting the scales right around 6 pm ET, so make sure to check back as we will be refreshing the results as they take place.

Fedor Emelianenko (232) vs. Brett Rogers (264)

Jason “Mayhem” Miller (184) vs. Jake Shields (184.5)

Gegard Mousasi (205) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (204)

Antonio Silva (263) vs. Fabricio Werdum (242)

Marloes Coenen (145) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (140)

Deray Davis (170.5) vs. Mark Miller (171)

Jeff Curran (145) vs. Dustin Neace (149.6)*

Shamar Bailey (170) vs. John Kolosci (171)

Nate Moore (184) vs. Louis Taylor (185.5)

Jonatas Novaes (155.5) vs. Christian Uflacker (156)

*Curran agreed to a catchweight bout of 149.6 pounds after Neace failed to make weight. Neace will forfit 20% of his purse to Curran due to the foul.

Who are the absolute most exciting fighters currently competing in the sport of mixed martial arts?

FiveOuncesofPain.com is here to answer that question, as we have pain stakingly reviewed the careers of hundreds upon hundreds of the game’s top athletes in an effort to help establish the most complete inventory of the most electrifying performers in MMA.

Among the most contributing factors in the decision making process involved in compiling this extensively researched list were (in order):

A) Consistency. More than two or three boring fights in a career will make it hard for any fighter to make this list. Loud jeers during previous bouts due to lack of activity are big no-no’s.

B) Recent activity. The last year is the most relevant, with the year prior to that being second, and so on, and so forth. If you had a terrible fight in 2004 but you’ve been bringing it ever since, I’m not going to hold it against you.

C) Finality. Decisions can be exciting for sure, but more often than not there’s nothing more exciting than decisive finality. Taking your fate out of the judges hands consistently is what the fans like to see, and will be rewarded here.

D) Competition. If you’ve been doing nothing but highlight reeling guys all over your hometown in North Dakota somewhere, ant the North Dakota Fighting Alliance shows, there’s a good chance a lot of people haven’t heard of you yet, so you’re not making this list, sorry.

1. Wanderlei Silva: Like many of the fighters on this list, Wanderlei is a modern incarnation of a Samurai from the old days. It doesn’t matter if Silva was competing inside of massive arenas in Ancient Rome, or currently inside of the Octagon, “The Axe Murderer” is a natural born fighter. The man knows no fear and he’s coming to either knock you out, or get knocked out. Not that Wand hasn’t been involved in real stinkers in the past, which he has, but the blame of those fights being boring rest solely on the shoulders of Hidehiko Yoshida and Ricardo Arona.

2. Fedor Emelianenko: A certified third degree black belt in Bad Ass, “The Last Emperor” hasn’t gone the distance since his PRIDE showdown with Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic back in 2005. Very possibly a cyborg sent back from the future on a mission to lay beatdowns on anyone that crosses his path, Fedor finds a way to win every single time he puts his aura of invincibility on the line. Whether you’re watching in hopes to catch his very first defeat, or simply to observe one of the greatest fighters on the planet doing what he does best, Emelianenko has a long history of sending the crowd into a frenzy.

3. Nick Diaz: I don’t care who you are, if you sit down and watch four or five random bouts involving Nick Diaz in succession and you’re going to want to either A) Punch someone in the face; B) Attempt a gogoplata on a training partner, or depending on your circumstances, perhaps you girlfriend or dog, but we’re getting away from the point now. The bottom line is that Nick brings it every single time. A true fighters fighter, you just get the sense that Diaz is completely willing to give his life inside of the cage as opposed to suffering defeat. You could watch any scrap involving Nick and you know you’re going to be watching a REAL fight. Nick Diaz is a violent dude, flat out. If you haven’t seen his fights with Karo Parisyan, Diego Sanchez, Joe Riggs, Sean Sherk, or Takanori Gomi; Watch them! If you already have; watch them again. More exciting than most fights 60% of the time, all the time.

4. Chuck Liddell: Notorious for his one punch knockout power, “The Iceman” has been involved in some of the most memorable bouts in the history of the sport; including battles with the likes of Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz and Wanderlei Silva. Anytime you watch a Liddell fight there’s always the possibility that the bout can end at any given second.

5. Eddie Alvarez: Alvarez is like a 155 pound MMA Rocky Balboa. A heavy handed slugger with a never say die attitude that never seems to disappoint those in attendance. Well known for his ability to seal the deal with his fists at any given moment, Alvarez has evolved his game as of late, with all four of his last four victories coming by way of submission. His consecutive battles with Andre Amade, Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri were the type of fights that legends are forged out of.

6. Chris Lytle: If you watch a Chris Lytle fight, you’re watching a brawl. The guy has a jaw-dropping total of six “Fight Night” bonuses with the UFC, including four “Fight of the Night” checks, with his last three performances against Paul Taylor, Marcus Davis and Kevin Burns each grabbing the honors. That’s just ridiculous.

7. Donald Cerrone: With nine of his ten wins coming by way of submission and a striking game that will make any lightweight think twice about exchanging, “Cowboy” has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the business with amazingly barbaric tussles with Rob McCullough, Jamie Varner and Benson Henderson in the last year alone.

8. Scott Smith: Only once in Smith’s 23 professional bouts has he made it to the judges. Is there anyone that was a fan of the sport in 2006 that doesn’t have his legendary come from behind knockout of Pete Sell forever engraved in their brains? Some of the more memorable foes Smith has waged war with in the past include Tim Kennedy, James Irvin, Ed Herman, Robbie Lawler, Benji Radach and Nick Diaz.

9. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua: One of the most feared mixed martial artists in the sport today, Shogun combines an intense predatorial instinct with a well rounded arsenal to make a fight out of it every time he wages war. Rua’s back and forth war with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was the Brazilian real-life version of a Rocky movie. Fellow UFC light heavyweights can thank their lucky stars that Mauricio is no longer allowed to soccer kick and stomp his downed opponents since making the trip to the states.

10. Miguel Torres: Torres is the epitome of a warrior. His relentless aggression combined with his flash submission arsenal and punishing stand up attack make Torres a lock for an exciting fight every time he wages battle. His fights with Yoshiro Maeda, Manny Tapia and Takeya Mizugaki were nothing short of pure epicness.

11. Gegard Mousasi: Gegard has left 24 of the 26 men that have come before him wondering if they chose the right profession. The Armenian finishing machine has gone to the judges a mere 3 times in 28 bouts as a professional. Whether he’s shattering eye sockets with strikes or strangling necks with chokeholds, “The Dreamcatcher” gets down for his town every time out of the gate.

12. Marcus Davis: With a pair of fight of the night honors in the UFC, and both a knockout, and submission of the night bonus to his credit, “The Irish Hand Grenade” is well established as one of the most consistently entertaining athletes of the game. Unforgettable battles waged by Davis include bouts with Paul Taylor, Chris Lytle and most recently, Dan Hardy.

13. Jose Aldo: Aldo, aka “Little Ong Bak”, is a living breathing highlight reel. There’s no two ways about it. One of the most breath taking strikers in the business, perhaps the scariest aspect about Jose is the fact that he is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, rumored to be more lethal on the ground than he is standing. Aldo has really come into his own since joining up with the WEC, finishing all five of his last five with the promotion via TKO.

14. Carlos Condit: It’s hard to imagine “The Natural Born Killer” going any other way than hard. Condit comes to fight every single time out, and you’d be hard pressed to find a fight he was involved in that failed to disappoint due to his unwillingness to engage. In twenty four victories, Condit has only been pushed to the judges scorecards once, and that was his most recent come from behind performance over Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 19. Other wars Carlos has engaged in recently include wild bouts with Hiromitsu Miura and Martin Kampmann.

15. Melvin Manhoef: If you’re a fan of devastating knockouts, you’re a fan of Melvin Manhoef. With 22 knockouts in 23 victories, it’s almost certain that if you lose to Manhoef, you will be in need of a cat scan.At 5?8? and 205 pounds of explosive KO power, Melvin truly is a “Walking Hand Grenade“. For the closest example of a real life Rocky Balboa fight, see Manhoef’s war waged with Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos.

16. Paul Taylor: Heavy hands, a high kick that would make Cro Cop proud and a seemingly endless gas tank make this fearless Brit one of the most brutal 170 pounders in the sport. How many guys do you know that have earned THREE fight of the night bonuses with the UFC. Taylor has taken the bonus check back to Walsall, England with him in dogfights with Marcus Davis, Paul Kelly and Chris Lytle.

17. Robbie Lawler: While not known for his eye dazzling submission game, the “Ruthless” one has concrete in his fists and a tenacious fighting style that leaves the crowd in a frenzy every time out. Some of Lawler’s trademark fights include electrifying tussles with Scott Smith, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Frank Trigg, Mayhem Miller, Nick Diaz and Chris Lytle.

18. Aleksander Emelianenko: You show me someone that has the ability to fall asleep during any one of eighteen professional bouts, and I’ll show you a person with a severe case of narcolepsy. Emelianenko knows know other way but to try to decimate his opponent. In eighteen fights for Aleks, only two have made it to the scorecards. Plus, the guy killed a freaking full grown bear with nothing but his bare hands, a knife, and a fork. That’s just flat out gnarly.

19. Thiago Silva: A throwback to the glory days of Chute Boxe, this American Top Team trained fighter is trying to take his opponents head off every time out of the gate. Throwing down like a true samurai in the cage, it’s kill or be killed for Thiago Silva. Some of the victims that have fallen under the feet of Silva include Houston Alexander, Antonio Mendes, and most recently, Keith Jardine.

20. Tim Credeur: If Tim Credeur beats you, he’s kicking your ass bad; that’s something you’re just going to have to deal with. 12 wins and 12 men left with no room to argue the outcome, Credeur knows he’s not getting paid by the hour in the cage. A slick black belt in Brazilian Ji-Jitsu, Tim has no problem twisting limbs or knocking his opponents senseless with sharp kicks and punches. “Crazy” Creduer has only been the distance once in his fifteen fight career, with the sole decision being his fight of the year candidate with Nate Quarry during UFC Fight Night 19.

21. Urijah Faber: A 5′6″ stick of dynamite, Faber is the living, breathing definition of relentless aggression. You almost need to down an energy drink just to keep up with watching “The California Kid” and the tireless pace he consistently brings to the cage. 22 wins, 18 finishes against some of the toughest little men on the face of the earth. That’s how Urijah rolls.

22. Kazushi Sakuraba: Hands down one of the most lethal ground fighters in the sport, Saku is perhaps the most beloved mixed martial artist in all of Japan for one very obvious reason: He performs. Out of 26 career victories for Sakuraba, 19 have been finished by submission, 4 by knockout, with only 3 men making it to the judges scorecards.

23. Frank Shamrock: Ever since his very first bout with Bas Rutten during round one of the King of the Pancrase tournament in 1994, Shamrock has been giving the fans what they’ve paid for all over the globe. Some of Frank’s more memorable battles include knock down brawls with the likes of Enson Inoue, Tito Ortiz, Phil Baroni and Cung Le.

24. Paul Buentello: The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a guy like “The Headhunter” is: That guy is a freaking warrior. Flat out. Not like all the other guys on this list aren’t, but Buentello just reeks of a willingness to die every time he enters the cage. Unbelievably, in 34 fights, only one of them has made it to the judges for Buentello. One way or another, someone’s catching a beating when Paul puts on for his city.

25. Shane Carwin: If Carwin’s 11 highlight reel finishes in 11 bouts doesn’t justify the massive heavyweight’s spot on this list, his come from behind destruction over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 leaves little question. One of the most explosive and powerful athletes in the business, Carwin has the kind of power behind his punch that could bring a full grown elephant to its knees.

26. Kenny Florian: Kenny Florian finishes fights, no question about it. Out of 11 wins, Ken-Flo has put a decisive end to ten of them. Equally as dangerous on the ground with a slew of submission as he is standing with punishing Muay Thai, Florian makes it a point to put on a show every time he wraps his hands.

27. Brett Rogers: If you’re a fan of dudes getting bounced with absolutely no remorse, then “Grim” is your fighter. Standing at 6?5? tall, and tipping the scales at 265 pounds of bad times, Rogers has annihilated every opponent that has crossed his path with explosive knees and punches. There’s one guarantee when big Brett shows up to fight: Pain in generous portions.

28. Jamie Varner: I have had the privilege of watching Varner come up in the ranks on the Arizona circuit between the years of 2003 and 2005, and if there’s one thing I can tell you from first hand experience, it’s that Jamie knows know other way than to go hard. The Arizona Combat Sports trained WEC lightweight champion’s recent wars with Rob McCullough and Donald Cerrone have established Varner as one of the most entertaining athletes in the sport.

29. Joe Lauzon: Make the mistake of judging a book by it’s cover in Lauzon’s case and it may be the last one you make. A former I.T. that looks the part, Lauzon has never gone to the judges once in his entire career in mixed martial arts. Someone ends up getting hurt every time Baby Joe puts it down for Massachusetts. Lauzon’s victims in the Octagon include Jens Pulver, Kyle Bradley and Jeremy Stephens.

30. Forrest Griffin: Who has their arm snapped in half like a dried out tree branch and comes back to knock their opponent out with the other arm? Forrest Griffin does, that’s who. Let us not forget his legendary fight with Stephan Bonnar. The bottom line with Forrest is that you know what you’re going to get every time out. You’re going to get a fighter that lays it all on the line every time he steps foot into the cage.

31. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos: This female chupacabra may very well be the single gnarliest woman currently walking the face of the earth. Santos is going to try to decapitate her opponent (victim) at every opportunity. Watching Cyborg lay vicious beatdowns on some of the female mixed martial artists that have crossed her path in the past can evoke that same violent/sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that comes after watching a series of one-sided street fights on Youtube.

32. Houston Alexander: I’m not sure who this Demian Decorah guy is, but he must be one tough SOB. The reason being, he’s the only guy that has ever gone the distance with the Nebraskan smashing machine known as Houston Alexander. Thirteen bouts, and only one has made it to the judges scorecards for Alexander. His fights end suddenly, and violently.

33. Dan Hardy: “The Outlaw” is going to bring it every single time, that you can be sure of. Known for big knees, punches and kicks, Hardy leaves it all in the cage every time he throws on a pair of 5 Oz. gloves. His back and forth war with Marcus Davis was undoubtedly one of the better brawls of 2009.

34. Phil Baroni: With a career record of 13-11, one doesn’t have to be an expert to come to the realization that “The New York Bad Ass” will never be the baddest ass of his weight class. Thankfully we have seen change of the tide begin in the UFC where fighters like Phil Baroni are being rewarded for their constant ability to entertain. Easily one of the hardest punchers in the business, Baroni has engaged in memorable fights with fighters such as Frank Shamrock, Ikuhisa Minowa and Pete Sell. Plus, who can forget Phil’s epic pummeling of Amar Suloev during UFC 37. Still one of the worst beatings ever caught on film.

35. Takanori Gomi: Along with being one of the most consistently entertaining fighters from the land of the rising sun, Gomi may very well be the hardest pound for pound puncher in all of Japanese MMA. His see-saw war with Nick Diaz during PRIDE 33 was MMA’s answer to Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns, a true battle for the ages.

36. Anthony Johnson: There are one of two guarantees when watching an A.J. fight: You’re either going to see someone take a horrifying beating or you’re going to see an absolute war. Both bouts with Kevin Burns were among the more savage fights in recent UFC memory, while some of the men that have been transformed into highlight reels for Johnson include Chad Reiner, Tommy Speer, Kevin Burns, Luigi Fioravanti and Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

37. Roger Huerta: Huerta’s relentless fighting spirit and heart make him nearly incapable of taking part in a lackluster bout, even when he’s fighting Gray Maynard. Some of the more memorable bouts Roger has taken part in recently include battles with Leonard Garcia, Kenny Florian, and who could forget his war with Clay Guida during the TUF 6 Finale.

38. Murilo “Ninja” Rua: Ninja is a natural born killer, no doubt about it. If he’s standing across from you in the cage, he’s trying to introduce you to your expiration date. Rest assured that if Murilo has taken part in a less-than-exciting bout in the past, it was because he was being pinned down and muffled by superior wrestlers. On the feet, it’s kill or be killed for Ninja. Only one of Rua’s last ten bouts have made it to the judges, which was a drag out, slugfest against Riki Fukuda at DREAM 8.

39. Dustin Hazelett: The most stunning statistic on McLovin’s resume has got to be the fact that he has finished four of his five Octagon victims with death defying submissions. It’s like you know it’s coming, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Flying armbars, reverse armbars, upside down armbars, triangles and anaconda chokes; if it can snap a limb or induce unconsciousness, Dustin’s an expert at it.

40. Alistair Overeem: An absolute monster out of Holland, “The Demolition Man” is one of the most dangerous human beings currently breathing. Out of 43 fights, only 4 have made it to the final bell for Overeem. That’s nearly 40 bouts that have ended violently for Alistair. Whether he’s battering opponents with big knees and punches or locking in his trademark standing guillotine, Overeem looks to finish things decisively every time out.

41. Anderson Silva: What Silva lacks in consistency, he makes up two-fold with astonishing Ong-Bak, Matrix-esque finishes. Silva would be much higher on this list if it wasn’t for his very recent lackluster bouts against Thales Leites and Patrick Cote. However, the recent first round demolition of Forrest Griffin and a history of leaving the crowed shaking their heads in disbelief make “The Spider” one of the most closely watched fighters in the sport.

42. Benji Radach: Radach has made a name for himself in the sport as one of it’s most exciting competitors with his tenacious fighting spirit and ability to separate his opponents from consciousness. Benji’s throwdowns with Scott Smith and Murilo “Ninja” Rua will forever have a place among the most brutal battles waged in the history of the game.

43. Jon Jones: An unblemished record and an unorthodox striking style that includes spinning elbows, kicks, backfists, and only Jones knows what else, “Bones” has quickly become one of the premier showman to keep an eye on in the sport. Jones has acquired a massive fanbase in no time since making his Octagon debut, with impressive performances against the likes of Andre Gusmao, Stephan Bonnar and Jake O’Brien.

44. Brian Bowles: With a base in wrestling and 5 submissions in his 8 victories, Bowles has established himself as one of the few 135 pound fighters that can end a fight with a single punch. Fighters like Bowles and Miguel Torres have single handedly created an interest in a division there was little attention focused on in prior years. With 8 finishes in 8 bouts, Bowles has yet to meet a man that could push him to the scorecards.

45. Demian Maia: With every single one of his UFC victories coming by way of submission, Maia is one of the rare ground technicians with a rock steady ability to get the job done time and time again. During his career inside of the Octagon Demian has taken part in hard fought scraps with Ed Herman and Jason MacDonald, while notching dominant first round submissions over the likes of Ryan Jensen, Nate Quarry and Chael Sonnen.

46. Lyle Beerbohm: If Lyle Beerbohm dies without ever having to go the judges scorecards again, he will die a happy man. Having never been a big fan of easing into things, Beerbohm is notorious for getting right to work from the jump, and never leaving a fan in attendance disappointed. In 13 bouts as a professional, Lyle has been forced to the judges just once; In ten bouts as an amateur, Beerbohm gave the judges the night off every time out. A relentless pace, strong wrestling base, punishing stand up, slick submissions and terrifying ground and pound make “Fancy Pants” a serious problem for any lightweight that makes the fateful decision to “man up”.

47. Benson Henderson: Fighting out of the MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona, Henderson has come out of nowhere to establish himself as one of the top lightweights on the planet over the last year. Benson has a history of leaving it all in the cage with every single performance. Only twice in Henderson’s 11 professional bouts has he made it to the final bell, and his knockdown, drag-out war with Donald Cerrone was among the best fights of 2009.

48. Leonard Garcia: The “Bad Boy” made a name for himself as a submission artist out of the gate, notching seven wins by tapout in his first eight victories, but you’d never know it now as Leonard has completely reinvented himself as a bomb dropping knockout technician, finishing Hiroyuki Takaya and Jens Pulver with strikes in recent bouts. Garcia’s grueling war with Roger Huerta at UFC 69 was easily one of the best fights of 2007.

49. Martin Kampmann: “The Hitman” is a problem no matter where the fight ends up. Straight out of Denmark, Kampmann has the ability to end any fight standing or on the ground. Only 2 of Martin’s 18 bouts have gone to the judges. His battles against Drew McFedries and Carlos Condit were among some of the best bouts in recent UFC memory.

50. Rory Markham: In 21 professional scraps, Markham has yet to allow a single judge to to their job. Out of 16 wins, Rory has finished 11 of them by either KO or TKO, with the remaining 5 ending by way of submission. In his 5 defeats, Markham has either been KO’d ot TKO’d in every single one of them. Some of the men that have faced the wrath of Rory include Jason Guida, Mike Pyle, Brad Blackburn, Pat Healy and Brodie Farber.

Jorge Gurgel and Billy Evangelista are all set to slug it out in a 159 pound showdown set to headline the latest edition of the Strikeforce Challengers series.

The event is set for this evening from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, airing live on Showtime.

Other match-ups set for the televised card include Brandon Cash vs. Shane Del Rosario, Luke Rockhold vs. Jesse Taylor, Thomas Diagne vs, Merrit Warren and Zoila Frausto vs. Elisha Helsper.

Below is a series of photos from the weigh-ins courtesy of Tom Casino from Showtime:

This evening Jorge Gurgel and Billy Evangelista will clash in a lightweight battle that will headline the latest edition of the Strikeforce Challengers series.

The event is all set to take place this evening from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, airing live on Showtime.

Other match-ups set for the televised card include Brandon Cash vs. Shane Del Rosario, Luke Rockhold vs. Jesse Taylor, Thomas Diagne vs, Merrit Warren and Zoila Frausto vs. Elisha Helsper.

Below is a full list of weigh-in results for tonight’s action:

Billy Evangelista: 159 vs. Jorge Gurgel: 159

Brandon Cash “Money”: 256 vs. Shane Del Rosario: 240

Luke Rockhold: 185 ½ vs. Jesse Taylor: 186

Thomas Diagne: 155 ½ vs. Merritt Warren: 154

Zoila Frausto: 132 ½ vs. Elisha Helsper: 134 ½

Non-televised fights:

Ben Holscher: 155 ½ vs. Johnny Goh: 154

Casey Olson: 145 ½ vs. Chris Culley: 148 ½

Cole Escovido: 135 ½ vs. Maurice Eazel: 133

Alex Trevino: 170 ½ vs. Rico Altamirano: 171

A middleweight match-up between Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Matt Lindland, along with the promotional debut of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal is all set for “Strikeforce: Evolution“.

Scott Coker recently confirmed the event and the announced participants to MMAJunkie.com at recent press conference for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers“.

The event is tabbed for December 19 from San Jose, California from the HP Pavilion, airing live on Showtime.

While King Mo’s participation has been announced for the event, an opponent for the Sengoku veteran is still in the works.

A decorated submission specialist, Souza will be looking to get back on track following a no-contest ruling in his most recent bout with Jason “Mayhem” Miller and a knockout defeat to Gegard Mousasi following a string of ten consecutive wins, while Lindland was most recently knocked out at the hands of Vitor Belfort following a decision victory over Fabio Nascimento in July of 2008.

Does anyone want to see a third match between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell? Apparently Tito does.

In a recent conversation with MMAWeekly, the former UFC light heavyweight champion stated, “I know I’ve lost two matches. I still think I can beat him, and I still think that’s a big fight. I still want that fight. That would be awesome.

“I think if I call him out enough times I think he’ll be a man and step up. Why wouldn’t he? That’s a huge fight and a big payday for him. It will be good.

“I’ve got nothing to lose. Lets make some money, and this time I’m going to kick his ass.”

As far as the money issue is concerned, Ortiz raises an extremely valid point: There’s no way Tito vs. Chuck III doesn’t spell $$$$$ for all of those involved. Good for Tito, good for Chuck, good for the UFC. After all, at this point in the careers of both Ortiz and Liddell isn’t it all about the money when becoming champion again is seeming more and more like a bonafide pipe dream?

There’s not a lot of match-ups for either fighter that make as much sense financially as fighting one another in the near future, so I say why not. I’d watch it.

As far as Tito somehow managing to “kick Chuck’s ass” in a third meeting goes; stranger things have happened in this sport. History has shown us that the third time isn’t always the charm when it comes to laying beatdowns on your rivals. See the Wand/Rampage trilogy.

However, there’s no reason this fight shouldn’t go any other way than the prior two. Tito doesn’t have the takedowns to drag Chuck to the canvas, and he doesn’t have the firepower to hang standing. Bad match-up for Tito all around.

Is Renzo Gracie on his way to the UFC? It’s looking like a strong possibility in recent days.

Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta recently made the following comments on his Twitter account:

Here in abu dhabi with renzo gracie. Do you want him to fight in the ufc?

While the Gracie name will forever be a guaranteed draw in MMA, and Renzo has long been among the all time greats of the sport, I have to ask myself just how much sense a move like this would make. Surely with Matt Hughes complete destruction of the dated Royce Gracie during UFC 60 was enough to drive the point home to the masses that MMA had evolved past the Gracies to some degree. I can see no point to make an example of the 42 year old Renzo who hasn’t seen competition since February of 2007.

This just reeks of Renzo wanting to prove that he still has what it takes, and truth be told, the UFC is the wrong place for him to figure that out. Quite honestly Gracie would be eaten alive in the UFC’s current middleweight division. It’s not the place for him, and quite frankly I’m good on seeing an aging father of three children put his health on the line to prove a point that will not be proven, or to make a few quick bucks.

Who are some of the guys that Renzo could face if the UFC can close the deal? Lets just imagine Renzo signs with the UFC tomorrow; Who’s his first opponent?

There’s been a tremendous amount of speculation surrounding a potential showdown with Matt Hughes circulating on the Internets since the recent Fertitta Twitter, but I find the possibility of this match-up being far fetched at best.

Unless Matt Hughes has already decided in his mind that he is going to make a go of it at 185 pounds for the rest of his days in the Octagon. Which of course, could always be a longshot possibility, but a longshot never the less.

Renzo has long been a middleweight, so logically it makes sense to take a look at some of the realistic opponents he could face off with should he find himself in the Octagon anytime soon.

For me, if I had to watch Renzo in the UFC at this day and age, I’d like to see him face off with either Dennis Hallman, Chris Leben or perhaps even a rematch with Pat Miletich, there’s been rumors of him being in talks with the UFC as well.

It’s refreshing to see one fighter keeping it real. I recently had the opportunity to ask Brett Rogers about any television shows or movie spots he may have been approached about during the recent media conference call to romote his upcoming showdown with Fedor, and was a little bit surprised to learn that he turned down a role on MTV’s Bully Beatdown, AND was also approached to play the role of B.A. Baracus in the A-Team remake currently featuring Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. It was music to my ears to hear Big Brett talk about how he doesn’t have time for that sort of stuff right now, he’s focused on fighting Fedor, and fighting in general.

I know “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” is this Saturday, but try not to forget about “Strikeforce: Gurgel vs. Evangelista” on Friday. These ShoMMA cards never disappoint and I guarantee this Friday evening’s Strikeforce Challengers card on Showtime will be no exception to the rule.

The lightweight showdown between Jorge Gurgel and Billy Evangelista will be an absolute war, we’ve got a heavyweight bout between undefeated prospects Shane Del Rosario and Brandon Cash “Money”, and a welterweight brawl between Jesse “JT” Money Taylor and Luke Rockhold to look forward to.

Here’s a little inside info on the upcoming Jamie Varner vs. Benson Henderson title bout at WEC 46 you may not be able to find anywhere else: I recently had a chance to speak with someone EXTREMELY close to one of the two fighters in an off the record conversation where I found out that Varner and Henderson have trained together in the past. According to this extremely reliable source that claims to have been present during these sparring sessions, it became apparent that Henderson wanted absolutely no part of Varner standing. Now granted this training session didn’t happen in the last month or two, and it was just the observations of one person with close knowledge of the events, but if true, we can expect to see Henderson looking to put Jamie on his back for a good chunk of the upcoming lightweight championship showdown.

It’s all kinds of messed up that Fedor vs. Rogers isn’t for the Strikeforce heavyweight championship. Now, I’ve already made my stance on Alistair Overeem’s perceived inability to defend the Strikeforce title quite clear in the past so I’m not going to beat a dead horse here, but I will say this: The fact that Fedor and Rogers have to face off on CBS for the heavyweight championship of absolutely nothing is a catastrophe. Just visualizing the winner of Saturday evening’s bout somehow being announced as a challenger against Overeem in the future makes my blood curl.

Just keeping it real, the winner of Fedor vs. Rogers will be the true Strikeforce heavyweight champion. That shiny new Strikeforce belt in Holland is nothing more than a reminder of what could have been for the champion that never was.

Finally we get to see Antonio Silva fight a heavyweight that’s halfway respectable as a legitimate top heavyweight. Not so much anymore since the steroid suspension that rightfully pushed “Bigfoot” out of the spotlight, but there was an extended period of time when Silva was regarded as one of the top heavyweights in the game, and it drove me absolutely mad. Nothing against Antonio, but who’s he beaten to justify any of this top heavyweight talk? Tom Erickson? Jonathan Wiezorek? Ricco Rodriguez? Or maybe it was Cabbage or Warpath? Please….

All I’m saying is that I’m glad to see what Silva is truly all about. It’s sink or swim time for the giant from Brazil. Werdum will either bring the best or thwe worst out of Antonio, I just so happen to think it will be the latter.

If you didn’t already know, Pat Barry is one of the absolute coolest, and most down to earth guys you’ll ever meet in the sport of mixed martial arts. When I first got wind of Pat Barry’s arrival in the UFC, I was like, “Oh, hell yeah!”, to be quite honest. I had been a fan of Pat’s since back in the days of K-1 when he literally kicked an eyebrow from the forehead of Gary Goodridge with a high kick.

When I called Barry prior to his UFC debut with Dan Evenson, I had no idea what to expect, as is the case anytime I’m calling a fighter I’ve never talked to before, but Pat puts you right at ease just because of how col of a guy he really is. What was supposed to be a 10-15 minute interview rapidly spilled over near the one hour mark after an exclusive off the record conversation followed the interview, and lasted well over a half hour in length. I learned a lot of things during that off the record conversation, but most importantly I learned that Pat Barry really is the man. Stand up guy.

That’s why I couldn’t have been happier for Pat following his recent stoppage of Antoni Hardonk that netted him $120,000 in bonus cash due to being awarded with both knockout and fight of the night honors.

A funny story recently surfaced where Barry went on to discuss some of the raised eyebrows he received upon attempting to cash the 120K check into his bank account.

Below are Pat’s own words as told to MMAScrapsRadio and transcribed by MiddleEasy.com:

It wasn’t until Tuesday when I got back home that I got a knock on the door, a special delivery for me. I opened it up and when I saw it, I was like, ‘What the…’ They weren’t joking man they seriously sent me a check for $120,000. I wrote to Joe Silva and said if this was an April Fool’s joke, let me know because I’m about to jump up and down and take off my clothes and run around the street naked. They said it was real man, it was real.

I walk outside to get my car and my car doesn’t start so I’ve got on a t-shirt and I’ve got some pink stripy shorts on, some flip-flops and a black eye. So I’ve got to stand in the street and flag people down, and I’m sweating…I’ve got to flag people down with a black eye and sweat marks to try to get me a jump.

I finally get this guy and I say ‘Yo man, I have a $120,000 in my pocket…can you give me a jump?’. He was like ‘Yeah man I’ll give you a jump’. It looked like ‘Hey man can you help me jump start this car I’m trying to steal right now’. I go to the bank, I’m sweaty, I’ve got the black eye, I haven’t shaven in two days, I’m strung out because I haven’t slept, I have green circles under my eyes so I’m like ‘Can I have a deposit slip mam?’. She gives it to me, I fill it out hand it to her. She looks at the deposit slip, then the check, then looks at me and says ‘Excuse me I’ll be right back’. Then a manager comes out, a guy in a suit and says ‘What seems to be the problem?’. I was like ‘Well I have a black eye, that’s the only problem I know this looks really ridiculous’. So he asks me for my ID, I hand him my license an he’s like ‘Your license says Pat Barry, but this check was written to Patrick Barry’. So I decided to be funny and tell him Pat Barry is in my trunk right now. He didnt laugh. So I told him take your time man do whatever you need to do because I have no where to go and my truck probably wont start when I go outside so you can just do whatever you need to do. An hour later he came back and everything was fine, the check was in my bank account.

Who are the absolute most exciting fighters currently competing in the sport of mixed martial arts?

FiveOuncesofPain.com is here to answer that question, as we have pain stakingly reviewed the careers of hundreds upon hundreds of the game’s top athletes in an effort to help establish the most complete inventory of the most electrifying performers in MMA.

Among the most contributing factors in the decision making process involved in compiling this extensively researched list were (in order):

A) Consistency. More than two or three boring fights in a career will make it hard for any fighter to make this list. Loud jeers during previous bouts due to lack of activity are big no-no’s.

B) Recent activity. The last year is the most relevant, with the year prior to that being second, and so on, and so forth. If you had a terrible fight in 2004 but you’ve been bringing it ever since, I’m not going to hold it against you.

C) Finality. Decisions can be exciting for sure, but more often than not there’s nothing more exciting than decisive finality. Taking your fate out of the judges hands consistently is what the fans like to see, and will be rewarded here.

D) Competition. If you’ve been doing nothing but highlight reeling guys all over your hometown in North Dakota somewhere, ant the North Dakota Fighting Alliance shows, there’s a good chance a lot of people haven’t heard of you yet, so you’re not making this list, sorry.

So come along as we count them down from #50 and work our way down the ranks ten fighters at a time, wrapping up with the top ten and complete list that will be published on Friday.

11. Gegard Mousasi: Gegard has left 24 of the 26 men that have come before him wondering if they chose the right profession. The Armenian finishing machine has gone to the judges a mere 3 times in 28 bouts as a professional. Whether he’s shattering eye sockets with strikes or strangling necks with chokeholds, “The Dreamcatcher” gets down for his town every time out of the gate.

12. Marcus Davis: With a pair of fight of the night honors in the UFC, and both a knockout, and submission of the night bonus to his credit, “The Irish Hand Grenade” is well established as one of the most consistently entertaining athletes of the game. Unforgettable battles waged by Davis include bouts with Paul Taylor, Chris Lytle and most recently, Dan Hardy.

13. Jose Aldo: Aldo, aka “Little Ong Bak”, is a living breathing highlight reel. There’s no two ways about it. One of the most breath taking strikers in the business, perhaps the scariest aspect about Jose is the fact that he is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, rumored to be more lethal on the ground than he is standing. Aldo has really come into his own since joining up with the WEC, finishing all five of his last five with the promotion via TKO.

14. Carlos Condit: It’s hard to imagine “The Natural Born Killer” going any other way than hard. Condit comes to fight every single time out, and you’d be hard pressed to find a fight he was involved in that failed to disappoint due to his unwillingness to engage. In twenty four victories, Condit has only been pushed to the judges scorecards once, and that was his most recent come from behind performance over Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 19. Other wars Carlos has engaged in recently include wild bouts with Hiromitsu Miura and Martin Kampmann.

15. Melvin Manhoef: If you’re a fan of devastating knockouts, you’re a fan of Melvin Manhoef. With 22 knockouts in 23 victories, it’s almost certain that if you lose to Manhoef, you will be in need of a cat scan.At 5′8″ and 205 pounds of explosive KO power, Melvin truly is a “Walking Hand Grenade“. For the closest example of a real life Rocky Balboa fight, see Manhoef’s war waged with Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos.

16. Paul Taylor: Heavy hands, a high kick that would make Cro Cop proud and a seemingly endless gas tank make this fearless Brit one of the most brutal 170 pounders in the sport. How many guys do you know that have earned THREE fight of the night bonuses with the UFC. Taylor has taken the bonus check back to Walsall, England with him in dogfights with Marcus Davis, Paul Kelly and Chris Lytle.

17. Robbie Lawler: While not known for his eye dazzling submission game, the “Ruthless” one has concrete in his fists and a tenacious fighting style that leaves the crowd in a frenzy every time out. Some of Lawler’s trademark fights include electrifying tussles with Scott Smith, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Frank Trigg, Mayhem Miller, Nick Diaz and Chris Lytle.

18. Aleksander Emelianenko: You show me someone that has the ability to fall asleep during any one of eighteen professional bouts, and I’ll show you a person with a severe case of narcolepsy. Emelianenko knows know other way but to try to decimate his opponent. In eighteen fights for Aleks, only two have made it to the scorecards. Plus, the guy killed a freaking full grown bear with nothing but his bare hands, a knife, and a fork. That’s just flat out gnarly.

19. Thiago Silva: A throwback to the glory days of Chute Boxe, this American Top Team trained fighter is trying to take his opponents head off every time out of the gate. Throwing down like a true samurai in the cage, it’s kill or be killed for Thiago Silva. Some of the victims that have fallen under the feet of Silva include Houston Alexander, Antonio Mendes, and most recently, Keith Jardine.

20. Tim Credeur: If Tim Credeur beats you, he’s kicking your ass bad; that’s something you’re just going to have to deal with. 12 wins and 12 men left with no room to argue the outcome, Credeur knows he’s not getting paid by the hour in the cage. A slick black belt in Brazilian Ji-Jitsu, Tim has no problem twisting limbs or knocking his opponents senseless with sharp kicks and punches. “Crazy” Creduer has only been the distance once in his fifteen fight career, with the sole decision being his fight of the year candidate with Nate Quarry during UFC Fight Night 19.

Make sure to check back early tomorrow as 5 Oz. will break down the top ten most electrifying athletes in the business.

For Volume Three Click Here

For Volume Two Click Here

For Volume One Click Here

Although recent reports had the heavyweight championship clash between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin being shifted from UFC 106 to UFC 108, it now looks like that’s not going to happen either.

The reason according to Carwin on his official website: Mono, and supposedly Brock has a bad case of it.

Guys my manager Jason Genet just told me that UFC 108 is not happening. Brock has Mono and what the UFC has told me is that I have earned the title shoot but I have to wait for the title holder.

According to Google Health:

Mononucleosis, or mono, is often spread by saliva and close contact. It is known as “the kissing disease,” and occurs most often in those age 15 to 17. However, the infection may develop at any age.

The fever usually drops in 10 days, and swollen lymph glands and spleen heal in 4 weeks. Fatigue usually goes away within a few weeks, but may linger for 2 to 3 months.

No official word is currently available as to the status of the UFC’s heavyweight championship or Lesnar’s current condition.

Stay tuned to 5 Oz. as we continue to keep you up to date on this anticipated heavyweight showdown.

A heavyweight battle between Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Ben Rothwell appears as if it may be in the works for UFC 111.

A report has recently surfaced on the extremely popular mixed martial arts forum, The Underground, stating that the two are expected to face off in Australia.

The only card rumored for Australia in the near future would be UFC 111, expected to take place in Sydney during February of 2010, with a possible bout between Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama already confirmed through both fighters.

FiveOuncesofPain.com has since been able to contact parties close to the situation, who were unable to provide any comment on the possibility of the match-up.

Rothwell is fresh off of a second round TKO defeat at the hands of Cain Velasquez during UFC 104, which ended somewhat controversially after referee Steve Mazagatti waved the contest of as “Big” Ben was attempting to climb back to his feet while absorbing punishment. Just prior to the loss Rothwell stopped Chris Guillen via TKO during Adrenaline MMA 2 following a knockout defeat to Andrei Arlovski that came on the heels of thirteen consecutive victories for the heavy handed brawler out of Iowa.

Cro Cop would be looking to get his mixed martial arts career back on track following an embarresing verbal submission to Junior dos Santos following a punch at UFC 103. Prior to his most recent loss, Filipovic strung together back to back wins over the likes of Mustapha Al-Turk and Hong Man Choi.

A heavyweight showdown between fellow title contenders, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez, appears to be all set for UFC 108.

According to Tatame.com, Nogueira’s manager recently confirmed the bout to Sensei Sportv’s blog.

UFC 108 is expected to take place on January 2 from Las Vegas, Nevada, with a possible heavyweight championship bout between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin acting as the headliner.

The winner of the bout between Nogueira and Velasquez will likely be next in line for a crack at the UFC heavyweight championship.

Nogueira is fresh off of his fight of the night victory over Randy Couture at UFC 102 following a TKO defeat at the hands of Frank Mir during UFC 92, while Velasquez has yet to taste defeat in his professional career, most recently racking up back to back victories over the likes of Cheick Kongo and Ben Rothwell.

This Saturday evening, November 7, the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois will play host to “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers“, which will air live on CBS.

Along with the main event featuring a heavyweight clash between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, the card will also showcase match-ups of Jake Shields vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva, and a swing bout between Marloes Coenen and Roxanne Modafferi.

Esther Lin from Strikeforce was on hand to catch a variety of Saturday evening’s competitors in action, including Shields, Miller, Werdum, Silva, Coenen and Modafferi. Check out some of her photos below:

Who are the absolute most exciting fighters currently competing in the sport of mixed martial arts?

FiveOuncesofPain.comis here to answer that question, as we have painstakingly reviewed the careers of hundreds upon hundreds of the game’s top athletes in an effort to help establish the most complete inventory of the most electrifying performers in MMA.

Among the most contributing factors in the decision making process involved in compiling this extensively researched list were (in order):

A) Consistency. More than two or three boring fights in a career will make it hard for any fighter to make this list. Loud jeers during previous bouts due to lack of activity are big no-no’s.

B) Recent activity. The last year is the most relevant, with the year prior to that being second, and so on, and so forth. If you had a terrible fight in 2004 but you’ve been bringing it ever since, I’m not going to hold it against you.

C) Finality. Decisions can be exciting for sure, but more often than not there’s nothing more exciting than decisive finality. Taking your fate out of the judges hands consistently is what the fans like to see, and will be rewarded here.

D) Competition. If you’ve been doing nothing but highlight reeling guys all over your hometown in North Dakota somewhere, ant the North Dakota Fighting Alliance shows, there’s a good chance a lot of people haven’t heard of you yet, so you’re not making this list, sorry.

So come along as we count them down from #50 and work our way down the ranks ten fighters at a time, wrapping up with the top ten and complete list that will be published on Friday.

21. Urijah Faber: A 5′6″ stick of dynamite, Faber is the living, breathing definition of relentless aggression. You almost need to down an energy drink just to keep up with watching “The California Kid” and the tireless pace he consistently brings to the cage. 22 wins, 18 finishes against some of the toughest little men on the face of the earth. That’s how Urijah rolls.

22. Kazushi Sakuraba: Hands down one of the most lethal ground fighters in the sport, Saku is perhaps the most beloved mixed martial artist in all of Japan for one very obvious reason: He performs. Out of 26 career victories for Sakuraba, 19 have been finished by submission, 4 by knockout, with only 3 men making it to the judges scorecards.

23. Frank Shamrock: Ever since his very first bout with Bas Rutten during round one of the King of the Pancrase tournament in 1994, Shamrock has been giving the fans what they’ve paid for all over the globe. Some of Frank’s more memorable battles include knock down brawls with the likes of Enson Inoue, Tito Ortiz, Phil Baroni and Cung Le.

24. Paul Buentello: The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a guy like “The Headhunter” is: That guy is a freaking warrior. Flat out. Not like all the other guys on this list aren’t, but Buentello just reeks of a willingness to die every time he enters the cage. Unbelievably, in 34 fights, only one of them has made it to the judges for Buentello. One way or another, someone’s catching a beating when Paul puts on for his city.

25. Shane Carwin: If Carwin’s 11 highlight reel finishes in 11 bouts doesn’t justify the massive heavyweight’s spot on this list, his come from behind destruction over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 leaves little question. One of the most explosive and powerful athletes in the business, Carwin has the kind of power behind his punch that could bring a full grown elephant to its knees.

26. Kenny Florian: Kenny Florian finishes fights, no question about it. Out of 11 wins, Ken-Flo has put a decisive end to ten of them. Equally as dangerous on the ground with a slew of submission as he is standing with punishing Muay Thai, Florian makes it a point to put on a show every time he wraps his hands.

27. Brett Rogers: If you’re a fan of dudes getting bounced with absolutely no remorse, then “Grim” is your fighter. Standing at 6′5″ tall, and tipping the scales at 265 pounds of bad times, Rogers has annihilated every opponent that has crossed his path with explosive knees and punches. There’s one guarantee when big Brett shows up to fight: Pain in generous portions.

28. Jamie Varner: I have had the privilege of watching Varner come up in the ranks on the Arizona circuit between the years of 2003 and 2005, and if there’s one thing I can tell you from first hand experience, it’s that Jamie knows know other way than to go hard. The Arizona Combat Sports trained WEC lightweight champion’s recent wars with Rob McCullough and Donald Cerrone have established Varner as one of the most entertaining athletes in the sport.

29. Joe Lauzon: Make the mistake of judging a book by it’s cover in Lauzon’s case and it may be the last one you make. A former I.T. that looks the part, Lauzon has never gone to the judges once in his entire career in mixed martial arts. Someone ends up getting hurt every time Baby Joe puts it down for Massachusetts. Lauzon’s victims in the Octagon include Jens Pulver, Kyle Bradley and Jeremy Stephens.

30. Forrest Griffin: Who has their arm snapped in half like a dried out tree branch and comes back to knock their opponent out with the other arm? Forrest Griffin does, that’s who. Let us not forget his legendary fight with Stephan Bonnar. The bottom line with Forrest is that you know what you’re going to get every time out. You’re going to get a fighter that lays it all on the line every time he steps foot into the cage.

For Volume Two Click Here

For Volume One Click Here

Strikeforce fighters Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Scott Smith and Daniel Cormier have recently formed up to help prevent youth bullying. The mixed martial arts trio have forged an alliance with the apparel company and cause organization Kickin’ It, Inc. to do their part.

The “Bullying…We’re Kickin’ It” campaign’s main goal is to bring an end to the bullying by youth and all of the psychological trauma that can stem from it.

Smith and Cormier are all set to visit a variety of schools in the Chicago area while to help spread the good message, while Mayhem prepares for his Strikeforce showdown with Jake Shields in the area on Saturday evening.

Already taking it upon himself to combat bullies on his highly successful MTV series “Bully Beatdown“, Miller was understandably excited to take part in this newest venture, explaining, “I’m enthused to be a part of something like this that’s bigger than just fighting and bigger than just a TV show. I want to bring about positive change amongst the youth in this country and this is a way to do that.”

No stranger to bullying as a child, former Olympian wrestler and one of the top prospects in the game, Daniel Cormier shared Mayhem’s enthusiasm, “I was bullied as a kid so I know what it’s like to be belittled and humiliated in front of my peers,” said the 30-year-old Cormier. “I want to make a difference in the lives of kids who are facing the same things I did when I was their age.”

Smith has two little ones of his own that remind him what he’s doing it for, as he would explain, “It hasn’t happened to either of my kids yet, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen in the future. It’s something that concerns me and I want to do whatever I can to influence kids in a positive way.”

In one of the most highly anticipated heavyweight battles in the history of the sport, “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko is all set to face off with perhaps the scariest opponent he has met to date, the 6′5″, 265 pound Brett “Grim” Rogers.

The two are set to clash this Saturday evening from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, in a Strikeforce headlining bout to be aired live on CBS .

Below is a series of photographs of Fedor training for this highly anticipated match-up courtesy of M-1 Global.com:

To view a wide assortment of other Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi training photos, make sure to check out M-1 Global.com.

Who are the absolute most exciting fighters currently competing in the sport of mixed martial arts?

FiveOuncesofPain.com is here to answer that question, as we have pain stakingly reviewed the careers of hundreds upon hundreds of the game’s top athletes in an effort to help establish the most complete inventory of the most electrifying performers in MMA.

Among the most contributing factors in the decision making process involved in compiling this extensively researched list were (in order):

A) Consistency. More than two or three boring fights in a career will make it hard for any fighter to make this list. Loud jeers during previous bouts due to lack of activity are big no-no’s.

B) Recent activity. The last year is the most relevant, with the year prior to that being second, and so on, and so forth. If you had a terrible fight in 2004 but you’ve been bringing it ever since, I’m not going to hold it against you.

C) Finality. Decisions can be exciting for sure, but more often than not there’s nothing more exciting than decisive finality. Taking your fate out of the judges hands consistently is what the fans like to see, and will be rewarded here.

D) Competition. If you’ve been doing nothing but highlight reeling guys all over your hometown in North Dakota somewhere, ant the North Dakota Fighting Alliance shows, there’s a good chance a lot of people haven’t heard of you yet, so you’re not making this list, sorry.

So come along as we count them down from #50 and work our way down the ranks ten fighters at a time, wrapping up with the top ten and complete list that will be published on Friday.

31. Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos: This female chupacabra may very well be the single gnarliest woman currently walking the face of the earth. Santos is going to try to decapitate her opponent (victim) at every opportunity. Watching Cyborg lay vicious beatdowns on some of the female mixed martial artists that have crossed her path in the past can evoke that same violent/sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that comes after watching a series of one-sided street fights on Youtube.

32. Houston Alexander: I’m not sure who this Demian Decorah guy is, but he must be one tough SOB. The reason being, he’s the only guy that has ever gone the distance with the Nebraskan smashing machine known as Houston Alexander. Thirteen bouts, and only one has made it to the judges scorecards for Alexander. His fights end suddenly, and violently.

33. Dan Hardy: “The Outlaw” is going to bring it every single time, that you can be sure of. Known for big knees, punches and kicks, Hardy leaves it all in the cage every time he throws on a pair of 5 Oz. gloves. His back and forth war with Marcus Davis was undoubtedly one of the better brawls of 2009.

34. Phil Baroni: With a career record of 13-11, one doesn’t have to be an expert to come to the realization that “The New York Bad Ass” will never be the baddest ass of his weight class. Thankfully we have seen change of the tide begin in the UFC where fighters like Phil Baroni are being rewarded for their constant ability to entertain. Easily one of the hardest punchers in the business, Baroni has engaged in memorable fights with fighters such as Frank Shamrock, Ikuhisa Minowa and Pete Sell. Plus, who can forget Phil’s epic pummeling of Amar Suloev during UFC 37. Still one of the worst beatings ever caught on film.

35. Takanori Gomi: Along with being one of the most consistently entertaining fighters from the land of the rising sun, Gomi may very well be the hardest pound for pound puncher in all of Japanese MMA. His see-saw war with Nick Diaz during PRIDE 33 was MMA’s answer to Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns, a true battle for the ages.

36. Anthony Johnson: There are one of two guarantees when watching an A.J. fight: You’re either going to see someone take a horrifying beating or you’re going to see an absolute war. Both bouts with Kevin Burns were among the more savage fights in recent UFC memory, while some of the men that have been transformed into highlight reels for Johnson include Chad Reiner, Tommy Speer, Kevin Burns, Luigi Fioravanti and Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

37. Roger Huerta: Huerta’s relentless fighting spirit and heart make him nearly incapable of taking part in a lackluster bout, even when he’s fighting Gray Maynard. Some of the more memorable bouts Roger has taken part in recently include battles with Leonard Garcia, Kenny Florian, and who could forget his war with Clay Guida during the TUF 6 Finale.

38. Murilo “Ninja” Rua: Ninja is a natural born killer, no doubt about it. If he’s standing across from you in the cage, he’s trying to introduce you to your expiration date. Rest assured that if Murilo has taken part in a less-than-exciting bout in the past, it was because he was being pinned down and muffled by superior wrestlers. On the feet, it’s kill or be killed for Ninja. Only one of Rua’s last ten bouts have made it to the judges, which was a drag out, slugfest against Riki Fukuda at DREAM 8.

39. Dustin Hazelett: The most stunning statistic on McLovin’s resume has got to be the fact that he has finished four of his five Octagon victims with death defying submissions. It’s like you know it’s coming, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Flying armbars, reverse armbars, upside down armbars, triangles and anaconda chokes; if it can snap a limb or induce unconsciousness, Dustin’s an expert at it.

40. Alistair Overeem: An absolute monster out of Holland, “The Demolition Man” is one of the most dangerous human beings currently breathing. Out of 43 fights, only 4 have made it to the final bell for Overeem. That’s nearly 40 bouts that have ended violently for Alistair. Whether he’s battering opponents with big knees and punches or locking in his trademark standing guillotine, Overeem looks to finish things decisively every time out.

The UFC has recently made match-ups of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Luiz Cane and Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann official for UFC 106.

The event is scheduled for November 21 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The light heavyweight bout between Nogueira and Cane is set for the main portion of the card, while the welterweight showdown between Thiago and Volkmann will be on the preliminary portion.

Twin brother to former UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Lil Nog is currently riding a five fight win streak following a knockout loss suffered at the hands of Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in February of 2007, while Cane has recently racked up wins over Jason Lambert, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Steve Cantwell during his time with the UFC.

Thiago will be looking to get things back on track following a recent decision loss to Jon Fitch on the heels of the Brazilian’s breakthrough Octagon knockout over Josh Koscheck at UFC 95, while Volkmann, a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, currently sports an unblemished record of 9-0.