Winners…

– Mike Thomas Brown: If you thought his win over Urijah Faber was a fluke think again. It took just 1:57 for the WEC featherweight champion to defeat Leonard Garcia in his first title defense at WEC 39. Now a rematch with Faber looms at WEC 41 which will provide the champ a platform to show the world just who the featherweight king is.

– Shane Carwin: “Untested” was the word used to describe Carwin going into his match with Gabriel Gonzaga. Now “proven” and “a force” are words attached to his name. Now the big fish in the heavyweight pond will come knocking on Carwin’s door and we’ll find out if he’s ready for that level of competition.

– Bobby Lashley: Despite his victory over Jason Guida being categorized as lackluster it was a win none-the-less. Now 2-0 in his young career, can Lashley continue to show he’s the real deal in the MMA world? Some suggest that the glass slipper might fall off this fairy tale ride, but with the proper training and match selection Lashley could find himself brawling with the big names within the next year.

– Lyoto Machida: Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 98 for the UFC light heavyweight title. Yes you read that right, it’s not a typo. The Dragon will get his long overdue title shot over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who was scheduled to fight in Machida’s place, but suffered a hand injury on his victory over Keith Jardine. Machida has left a trail of huge names in his wake and one has to wonder if Evans posses the tools to be the first one to defeat the Dragon.

– Jesse Taylor: Since his release from the UFC in July 2008 Taylor has been on a roll. He defeated Chris Camozzi at King of Champions “Shockwave 2009″ for his fourth consecutive victory. Taylor looked as if he was the real deal on The Ultimate Fighter had he been able to control his own personal demons. If Taylor can prove he’s controlled his rage and is ready for the big show, could he get a second chance from one Dana White just like Junie Browning received?

– Strikeforce: If you want to compete with the UFC and be successful you need a few tools to work with; time, money, and talent. Strikeforce has the money, has the time, and now has more than enough talent. Jake Shields will now face Robbie Lawler at their May event, in a very interesting match up even for the casual fan. Both were title holders in the EliteXC at welterweight and middleweight respectively. With the ability to put on matches like this, fans should be tuning into what very well could be the biggest competition the UFC has seen to this point.

– Quinton “Rampage” Jackson: He may want his title back but he’ll have to wait. His win over Keith Jardine was the proof White needed to give Rampage another shot at the title, but that will have to wait till the summertime at the earliest. A hand injury might sideline Rampage, but he will surely be more than a handful for the winner of Machida vs. Evans.

Losers…

– Paulo Filho: “Their contract is too restrictive.” That’s the reason behind Filho pulling himself out of the Bellator middleweight tournament. This tournament would have been the ideal stage to redeem himself after his mind boggling let down in his last fight in the WEC. Now one will wonder where this former star will land in attempt to resurrect career.

– Frank Mir: A knee injury has forced Mir out of his title fight with Brock Lesnar at UFC 98. Luckily the injury is not believed to be too serious and Mir should be back in the octagon perhaps as early as UFC 100. After a dominating performance against Antonio Nogeuira to capture the UFC’s interim heavyweight title, one has to wonder if this knee injury will set Mir back.

– Chuck Liddell: The “Ice Man” has been put on notice by Dana White. Either win and look good at UFC 97 against Maurico “Shogun” Rua or you might be out of a job. Considering he has been the face of the UFC in recent years, that ultimatum might seem outrageous, but it’s really not. Having lost three of his last four matches Liddell isn’t the same fighter he once was. In a business where it’s put up or shut up, Liddell needs to make a statement to continue fighting under the UFC banner.

– Gabriel Gonzaga: It once appeared that he would be the man to beat in the UFC heavyweight division, but that luster has all but worn off. His loss to Shane Carwin at UFC 96 should put him squarely behind the proverbial eight-ball. He’s got a lot of work cut out for himself if he ever wants to get back into the title picture, but that might just be a dream now.

– Ken Shamrock, Karo Parisyan, and Kirill “Baby Fedor” Sidelnikov: All three men received suspension in March. Parisyan was suspended nine months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for pain killers following his win over Dong Hyun Kim. Also as part of his punishment his victory has now been ruled a no contest. Both Shamrock and Sidelnikov have been suspended one year by the California State Athletic Commission for use of banned substances. Shamrock’s suspension caused his fight with Bobby Lashley to be canceled and probably closed the door on ever getting another big pay day in his career.

Not only did a company finally complete a transaction for ProElite’s assets, but the two biggest states in the Northeastern corridor of the United States were involved in major moves regarding the regulation of MMA.

Without further ado, here are my top winners and losers for the month that was.

Losers -

– Josh Koscheck: Everything went downhill for him in a split second. He was dominating Paulo Thiago until he was caught with an uppercut and a left hook that set him into la-la-land. Sure Koscheck argued that the fight was stopped early but he was out there’s no doubt about it. But what is wrong with Koscheck? He once seemed destined to make a serious run at the welterweight title but the past four months have been up and down. He lost to Thiago Alves in a fight he took and short notice in October, then he nearly knocked Yoshiyuki Yoshida head off in December, and now this loss has put Koscheck behind the eight-ball in the title shot scene. It looks like he will return at UFC 99 but he better come in determined to win, otherwise he might need to take an extended break away from the octagon.

– Chael Sonnen: There is nothing better than a second chance, and Sonnen missed a chance to capitalize on his. Had he been able to defeat Demian Maia he might have really made a case to earn title shot vs. Anderson Silva. But following his first round submission loss you have to wonder what UFC matchmaker Joe Silva will do with Sonnen when the promotion is looking to trim its currently bloated roster.

– Brian Bowles: He was supposed to face Miguel Angel Torres at WEC 40 for the bantamweight title, but a back injury has forced him out of the fight. Despite being a huge underdog in the fight it would have been interesting to see how he would have fought one of the best fighters in the world. Hopefully the injury doesn’t push him to the back of the contender pack when he’s ready to return.

– Joe Lauzon: After his win over Jeremy Stephens, Lauzon was about to find himself on the winners list as he improved his UFC record to 5-1. But news of an ACL injury that will require surgery will land him on the shelf for 12-14 months. Lauzon is a star on the rise, but hopefully his knees won’t keep him from reaching his true potential.

– Joe Stevenson: Following his loss to Kenny Florian at UFC 91, Stevenson needed to rebound nicely in his next fight out. Unfortunately he drew Diego Sanchez in that fight. Losing wouldn’t have been as big of a deal had he fought a solid fight. Unable to take control of the fight on his feet Stevenson needed to take the fight to the ground, where he thrives, but he never even attempted a takedown. This allowed Sanchez to sit back and avoid his strikes not fearing the takedown. The loss made him seem like an inferior fighter and could cost him dearly in his quest for the lightweight title.

– The State of New York: Dana White wants the state to sanction MMA more than anything. He knows what a huge fight card at Madison Square Garden would be for both the UFC and New York City. It would be like the Super Bowl of the fighting world. But every time it seems to be brought up State Assemblyman Bob Reilly (D) rears his head to derail the attempt. If the state allows boxing matches, MMA should be allowed as well. It’s been proven to be just as safe, if not safer, for the fighter’s well-being than boxing. And in a struggling economy it would pump millions of dollars into NYC each time the UFC arrives. Also don’t doubt the fact that other promotions like Affliction or Strikeforce might also want to take their crack at the Big Apple. For those who compare MMA to human cockfighting, please educate yourself about what you’re talking about before you speak out against it.

Winners -

– Diego Sanchez: Dropping down to 155 was a gamble for a man who walks around on a daily basis at about 190 pounds. But his first crack at lightweight was an overwhelming success. At no point did his cardio come into play in his impressive victory over Joe Stevenson. Some still might question how he might react to a fight that’s not one dimensional at 155, but he shouldn’t encounter too many problems. A fight with Sean Sherk or Clay Guida could be an intriguing match up for his next fight. If everything goes to plan for Sanchez in 2009 it could be a huge year for the Nightmare.

– Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt: Both men had impressive victories at UFC 95 over Chael Sonnen and Wilson Gouveia respectively. Both men could be in line for a title shot at middleweight but would need to wait to face the winner of Anderson Silva and Thales Leites at UFC 97. One would have to wonder what life would be like for these two men in a world without Silva.

– The State of Pennsylvania: Congratulations to the state for getting it right. They’ve passed legislation to allow MMA to take place in The Keystone State. Cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can now be huge draws for promoters to hold cards at. Philly in particular is a potential gold-mine. Just a short drive form NYC, they’ll attract the tri-state area fans that will pump money into the city.

– Strikeforce: They made the biggest splash this month when they acquired a large portion of the assets from ProElite. Now the San Jose based promotion has the rights to such fighters as Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, and Frank Shamrock on top of the fighters they already have, which gives them a huge talent pool. Add in the fact theyalso have a television contract with Showtime and CBS they really posses all the assets to make a real run at the UFC. They’ve been handed all the tools to succeed, but as we have seen to many times in the past, let’s see how they use them. All it takes is a few missteps and all of their aspirations are wasted. Good luck Strikeforce.

Sanchez, the original winner of The Ultimate Fighter at middleweight, was taking a big risk dropping down to lightweight. Naturally walking around at 190 pounds, many thought the drop to 155 for weight-ins, and the jump back up to 170 for the actual fight, would throw his body for a loop. And unless you’ve experienced that loop first hand, its hard to say how your body will despond. A loss of speed, a lack of energy, and poor cardio were all issues many thought would hamper Sanchez in his first go round.

Add in the fact that he would be facing Stevenson, one of the UFC’s top lightweights, early projections were not in Sanchez’s favor.

From the opening minutes though Sanchez seemed to dispel his critics. He seemed quicker than at welterweight, his power seemed to transfer over along with his natural skill set.

Sanchez was able to pick apart Stevenson at ease, and everything became even easier when it was apparent Stevenson had no intentions of taking the fight to the ground. In what became a kickboxing match Sanchez utilized the jab from his waist to control the tempo of the one dimensional fight.

Now no longer just a ground and pound fighter with an inability to stop fights, Sanchez seems to be a complete fighter in every asset of his game.

It was thought before this fight with Stevenson that Sanchez was dropping to lightweight to avoid the top talent at welterweight. After losses to Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, Sanchez just didn’t seem like the same fighter anymore. Now the move seems like a calculated career move, with a huge upside.

If he’s able to continue to make weight at 155, and that could become an issue, Sanchez can make a serious run at dominating the weight class.

His future could hold a second fight with Kenny Florian which presents an intriguing match up for both the fighters and the UFC. Both men are totally different fighters since they squared off at TUF season one finale. A title shot vs. B.J. Penn will need to be earned despite this impressive victory. Many people might point to Sean Sherk as his next likely opponent, but a match with Clay Guida might be the most alluring. Both men like to keep up an extremely fast pace to their fights and look to slug it out on their feet or on the ground.

One thing is for sure his next fight will be against one of the upper echelon fighters the division as to offer and we will see if he was for real in his debut, or if the win was product of the fight being one dimensional.

At 170 a motivated Sanchez was a huge challenge for anyone to take on, but motivated and determined at 155 might be a scary and unstoppable proposition to tango with.

If everything goes his way, Sanchez could unleash a nightmare on the UFC lightweight division in 2009.

Losers:

– Eddie Alvarez - Just as we ushered in the new year we had our first loser in Alvarez. He had a chance to cap off 2008 in style if he could defeat Shinya Aoki for the WAMMA lightweight title. Many thought Alvarez would win the fight but he was forced to tap at just 1:32 of the very first round. The way he lost, getting caught in a heel hook, will put a black eye on what should have been a spectacular year for the rising star.

– Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou - Maybe it’s just me but Sokoudjou is the most puzzling fighter in the world. His natural abilities to fight should make him a top five fighter at light heavyweight but he’s extremely inconsistent. His loss to Renato “Babalu” Sobral is just another example of him coming up short. All too often Sokoudjou will be winning a fight only to make a fatal mistake to cost him the fight. I’m officially off of the Sokoudjou bandwagon.

– Denis Kang – Kang dropped the ball in his UFC debut. His second round submission loss to Alan Belcher is just another example of Kang inability to stay focused. Kang has had a history of making rookie mistakes to lose fights that he is in total control of. He better make sure to avoid those mental lapses when he enters the octagon again or it could be his last.

– Jens Pulver - Have we seen the last of Pulver? His loss to Urijah Faber at WEC 38 was his fifth in his last six fights. Although he has been facing the cream of the crop that the WEC has to offer, you have to wonder how much “Lil’ Evil” has left in the tank. I would love to see him continue to fight and regain his old form, but I think his time as a fighter has come and gone.

– Georges St. Pierre - I never thought I would be able to put him on the loser list, especially after the dominating beat down he gave B.J. Penn, but George St. Pierre is a loser in January. Now GSP isn’t directly responsible for being on this list rather his corner is. The controversy surrounding the application of Vaseline to GSP in between the first and second round as well as the second and third have put a black eye on the fight and GSP himself. We all know he’s not a cheater, he’s a champion, but now everything is in question. Did the Vaseline change the outcome of the fight? I personally don’t think so, but we will never really know for sure, and the question will always loom. Despite the controversy GSP has made a statement to the world that he is right up there with Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world.

Winners:

– Urijah Faber - “The California Kid” bounced back from his loss to Mike Thomas Brown with his first round domination of Pulver. This was the first step in the journey back to the WEC featherweight title for Faber, as he will need to pick up another win before he gets a shot at the title. If everything goes Faber’s way look for him to get that shot sometime this summer.

– Marcus Davis - Davis is starting to earn the reputation as the man who will have the fight of the night. At UFC 93 he put on a show with Chris Lytle in route to a spilt decision victory. Davis could also find his name in the title picture in the near future.

– Mirko Filipovic - In news that flew under the radar, earlier this month Dana White actually said the name Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. On New Years Eve Cro Cop defeated the 7’2″ monster Hong Man Choi at the “K-1 Dynamite!!” event. A loss would have signaled the end of his career, but the win has made him somewhat relevant again. Following the win White stated that he could see Cro Cop once again fighting in the UFC, which no one would have thought possible a year ago.

– Andrei Arlovski - Usually you won’t find someone with a loss on the winners list but Andre Arlovski has done just that. Before getting overzealous with a flying knee attempt Arlovski was picking apart Fedor in the stand up game. He was even winning the round before being knocked out. Add in the fact he has now signed on with Golden Boy Promotions to pursue his boxing career and you can see how it has been a successful month for Arlovski. One can only hope Arlovski comes back to compete in MMA again and take another show at beating Fedor.

– Dan Henderson - Henderson has taken the first step towards a title shot at 185 with his win over Rich Franklin at UFC 93. He will first need to get through coaching the next season of The Ultimate Fighter and a battle vs. Michael Bisping to earn that title shot.

– Lyoto Machida – Many had pegged him as a boring fighter but Machida changed that notion and punched himself a ticket for a title shot with his first round KO of Thiago Silva at UFC 94. Both men entered the fight at 13-0 in their career and many thought if anyone would get knocked out it would be Machida at the heavy hands of Silva. But Machida was able to knock down Silva on three occasions the third being the last one that ended the fight at 4:59 of the first round. It’s unclear if Machida will get the first crack at Rashad Evans or if it will be Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. No matter who gets the title shot first one has to wonder who if anyone can defeat Machida when he’s at his best.

– Georges St. Pierre - I can’t leave him off the winners list so GSP is on both sides of the list. During the fight He took Penn’s strengths and made them look like huge weaknesses. GSP took him down with ease and was able to pass his guard almost at will. If GSP keeps this up, could we see a showdown with Anderson Silva in the near future? And is it a stretch to think that GSP could win that fight?

Back in September of 2006 we were all shocked when Pulver fell victim to Joe Lauzon at just 0:48 of the very first round at UFC 63. At the time it was chalked up as a fluke. Pulver just got caught at the worst time possible but he would be able to bounce back no problem.

Since then Pulver has found himself matched up against some of the top talent in the MMA world, losing to B.J. Penn, Faber (twice), and Leonard Garcia. All of those opponents are top five talent in their respective divisions and there is no shame in losing to them. Pulver’s lone victory came against Cub Swanson way back in December 2007. Despite Swanson’s impressive 13-2 record, the win has done very little for Pulver’s public perception.

With that being said it’s time to piece together the facts. Pulver has lost five of his last six fights. In those losses Pulver has only made it out of the second round once when he went the distance with Faber at WEC 34. The times of his first round losses are as follows; 0:48 (KO), 1:12 (TKO), and 1:34 (submission).

Despite the fact he is facing some of the best talent in the world, it’s obvious Pulver hasn’t been a factor at all in his losses for the most part. At times we’ve see a glimpse of the older Pulver, as we saw in his first encounter with Faber, but that’s all it is, a glimpse.

The sad truth is that in every profession everyone hits the proverbial wall. At some point your production goes down and your time doing what you love reaches its final few seconds. Some will argue that Pulver hasn’t reached that age, but there’s one more thing you must take into consideration.

There’s an idea of having Pulver fight lower level competition that’s been floating around the internet message boards. Allow him to regain his old form by facing the bottom rung of the WEC featherweight division. But is that something you really want to see?

To have him hang onto his fighting career for dear life could be more painful to watch than his last few encounters have been. If he can pile up a few wins it’ll prolong his career what, a few more months, before he has to tangle again with the likes of Faber, Mike Thomas Brown, and Wagnney Fabiano. And when those names are looking at him from across the cage what will the outcome be? Will he be able to conjure up the “Lil’ Evil” of yesteryear? Or will we see what Pulver really is, a legend battling father time?

Pulver will surely have a battle like he’s never been in before over the course of the next few months, but this one will take place in his mind and his soul. Does he still want to keep fighting or can he walk away from the sport that he loves, and what is truly his life?

Surely he would have liked to walk out on top but rarely in sports and life is anyone able to walk away while on the mountain top. Right now we are only at the beginning of the end of Pulver’s career but the road to the end will be a steep and sudden fall. If he were to talk away now we would remember him only as a legend, who fought the best the world had to offer until the very end. But if Pulver is to keep fighting at the level he is right now, the last memories we will have of him will be heartbreaking. We won’t remember the great fighter he once was, we will remember him as someone who couldn’t get out when the time was right.

The fall of a legend is really the last thing any of us want to see. As sad as it is to say, Pulver it’s time to call it a career, a career that many will never be able to replicate.

Andrei Arlovski was thought to be the biggest test in recent years for Fedor Emelianenko when the two squared off at Affliction M-1 Day of Reckoning this past Saturday night. Arlovski was the bigger, faster, younger fighter who beholds the ability to out box Fedor to hand him the first “real defeat” of his career.

The fight for Fedor was more than just a title fight; it’s a chance to prove something to the critics. There is, and forever will be, an arbitrary argument as to whom the best pound for pound fighter in the world is.

Since 2006 Fedor has found himself near the top of that list in the minds of many, but usually plays second fiddle to Anderson Silva for the crown. Many say Fedor doesn’t fight often enough and doesn’t always fight top level competition, hence there’s no way he can be number one, despite his impressive resume. All of which are credible annotations, but don’t tell the whole story.

A win vs. Arlovski would be his second straight win over a former UFC heavyweight champion. Fedor defeated Tim Sylvia in a mere 36 seconds back in June at Affliction Banned. Both Sylvia and Arlovski are not only former champions but they’re top ten talent, something recent opponents of Fedor have lacked.

As for the fight, after the opening bell rang it looked like the unthinkable was starting to take shape. Arlovski took it to Fedor right from the start landing kicks and punches to take control of the fight. It looked like Fedor was about to meet his match.

Arlovski sent Fedor into the ropes and jumped up for a flying knee and in the blink of an eye it was all over. All it took was one punch and the curtain fell on the upset attempt. With catlike reflexes Fedor snapped off a devastating right hand that connected flush on Arlovski’s chin, crumbling him to the floor, out cold.

For the first 3:13 of the first round Fedor was losing, but in a split second he changed everything. He had successfully defended his WAMMA heavyweight title and simultaneously changed the order of the best pound for pound fighter list.

Despite being undefeated since ’06 Silva no longer held the distinction as the world’s best fighter. It sounds unfair and almost has a Bowl Championship Series type feel to it, to exchange the crown without title holder losing, but at times unfair happens. Sometimes one moment, no matter how tiny of an event or how colossal it is can change everything.

Both men are at the top if their game, and both have barely even began to taste defeat in years, Silva has only dropped one round recently to Dan Henderson. Both are extremely skilled at their craft and have very few, if any, holes in their fighting abilities. One of the biggest shames is that we probably won’t ever see these two face-off, to once and for all end this debate. It’s unrealistic to ask Silva to fight at heavyweight and inconceivable to have Fedor drop down a weight-class.

So the question still might be the source of hours and hours of online fodder, but the answer to just who’s the best pound for pound fighter is in the world is simply Fedor.

Rich “Ace” Franklin (24-3) has enjoyed one of the most prosperous MMA careers in the sports young history. He is a former UFC middleweight champion and has only tasted defeated three times in his career, at the hands of the undefeated Lyoto Machida and the best pound-for-pound fighter Anderson Silva (twice).

Silva has dominated the middleweight division in the UFC since defeating Franklin at UFC 64 for the middleweight title, defeating anyone that has challenged him, including Franklin again at UFC 77. So rather than attempt to fight Silva for a third time, Franklin decided to move to light heavyweight to start another run at a title. It looked like Silva would no longer impede Franklin’s path to glory.

It’s rather cliché to say, “life comes full circle” or “that many roads have the same destination” but it applies to Franklin. His first fighter against a light heavyweight title contender is against Dan Henderson, but there’s a catch. The winner will coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Michael Bisping. At the conclusion of the show they will face off at middleweight with the winner getting a title shot against…Silva.

Franklin now finds himself between a rock and Anderson Silva. He’s stated that he would rather not coach a second season of TUF, and he would also prefer not to face Silva for a third time, as he was never really in the fights the first two go-rounds. Yet if that is what’s laid before him then he’ll do anything and everything to win. And losing to Henderson isn’t an option as it would cause him to get lost in the shuffle at 205.

Going into the fight with Henderson one would have to wonder what Franklin’s mindset is. He left his comfort zone at middleweight to avoid one person, so is he prepared to travel down the road that leads to Silva again. It’s said that “the third times a charm” but does that hold true when battling your archenemy?

It could come down to a nearly unstoppable force clashing with an immovable object for their final showdown. Silva has said he plans to retire in about years time from now. By the time this potential fight with Franklin would happen, it could mark the end of Silva’s career. How fitting would it be for Franklin to be the final test of Silva’s career, where things would come full circle for both men.

One thing is for sure, Franklin is and always has been a warrior in the cage. Any challenge thrown his way he has overcome, with very few exceptions. Now as another road to a title is paved before him can he final exercise the demon known as “The Spider” from his life and recapture the title he lost back in 2006?

Although Franklin has yet to take the first step on this journey, and for all we know the dream may all fall apart before it really begins, but to watch him battle his way back to the top is a compelling story fit for the silver screen of Hollywood. The dream could start with Franklin defeating Henderson at UFC 93, and if he does it will offer fans a storyline like none other in 2009, as Franklin once again looks to be called a champion in the UFC.

Below is my list of “winners” and “losers” for the month of December.

Losers -

It’s not often you’ll find someone on the loser list two months in a row, but Fabricio Werdum has had another losing month. It was thought that he would find a new home quickly after his release from the UFC in November, but Werdum is still on the unemployment line. Affliction chose not to bring the heavyweight in for their “Day of Reckoning” card on January 24th. It’s amazing how his stock as fallen so far so fast for such a talented fighter.

The gruesome leg injury he suffered at “Fight for the Troops” might put an end to Corey Hill’s career. He shattered his leg while attempting a leg kick vs. Dale Hartt that will require 12 to 18 months of rehab. Hill was already behind the eight-ball as he started his MMA career late into his twenties and is still very green. Add in the fact that he will not be in the gym for at least a year and one would have to wonder if he can pick up where he left off and still be competitive.

Jon Fitch, the UFC, and the American Kickboxing Academy all find themselves as the main losers in December. Their feud has given all involved a black eye in some form this month.

Fitch was released from the UFC for not signing a lifetime personal licensing agreement earlier in the month, but was resigned the next day. But because of his ‘insubordination’ he has been relegated from the main event at UFC 87 to a dark match at UFC 94 vs. Akihiro Gono. In the past Fitch had criticized the UFC for not televising his matches, so one would wonder if this would continue to splinter his relationship with his employer.

The UFC and Dana White suffered a slight PR hit from the release of Fitch. You saw their damage control at work right away as they smoothed things over with Fitch within 24 hours of his release. They say everything has been worked out but only time will tell.

AKA’s relationship with the UFC has always been on thin ice but now that ice is ready to crack at any time. It was thought more fighters from the camp would be released besides Fitch, but none have been to this point.  They will need to work hard to repair their relationship with the UFC just to keep their fighters job security intact.

Winners -

After his release from the UFC, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou found a new home with Affliction and will fight on the main card at “Day of Reckoning” vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral in a high-profile match. He will look to regain the top ten form he had prior to his loss to Luis Cane at UFC 89 which lead to his release.

Bobby Lashley silenced the critics, at least for now, with his TKO victory over Joshua Franklin at Mixed Fighting Alliance’s “There Will Be Blood.” The former WWE Superstar put an end to the fight in just 0:41 into the first round via doctor stoppage due to a cut in his MMA debut. The win has already sparked talks of a match with UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar down the line.

The UFC had another hit with The Ultimate Fighter this season and capped it off with a great night of fights at “The Ultimate Finale.” Ryan Bader and Efrain Escudero took home the titles and both will have bright futures in the promotion. The UFC should also find a good amount of talent in the crop of fighters that appeared on the show.

Two of the biggest winners of the month were Frank Mir and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Both were extremely impressive in their wins at UFC 92 vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Wanderlei Silva respectively. Mir looked better than he ever has in his career, as he became the first man to stop Nogueira to capture the UFC interim heavyweight title. Rampage bounced back from his loss to Forrest Griffin and a battle with his own personal demons to KO Silva in the first round. Rampage should find himself back in the light heavyweight title picture again and could be next in line to face new champ Rashad Evans.

In the main event, Escudero defeated Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision, in which many considered a slight upset. Escudero controlled the fight from the very start. He consistently ducked under Nover’s strike attempts and went straight for the takedown. From there he was able to control the action and neutralize Nover’s jiu-jitsu, as it never really came into play.

Escudero twice successfully thwarted major submission attempts by Nover throughout the fight. If there is a weakness in Nover’s game, it’s his takedown defense, and it was exploited by Escudero tonight. Coming into this fight Nover had been compared to a young George St. Pierre or B.J. Penn, a huge honor for any fighter, but on this night the cards didn’t fall in his favor.

Still undefeated in his MMA career, Escudero will have a bright future in the UFC. His wrestling skills are a solid base for his fighting style and is stand up is seemingly always improving. In due time we should see Escudero become a main player in the lightweight title picture.

Despite the loss Nover will surely rebound as he is still growing into becoming a completely well rounded fighter. His name will probably be mentioned with the likes of Kenny Florian and Chris Leben, as a fighter who used his experience to become one of the top fighters in the UFC.

Bader proved to the world that he was worthy of being Nogeuira’s first overall pick on this years show. The two time All-American wrestler from Arizona State defeated world class BJJ black belt Vinicius Magalhaes via KO at 2:18 of the round 1.

Despite Bader’s wrestling background he knew he had to keep this fight standing, and did just that. Magalhaes looked hesitant to get in close to pull guard or clinch, possibly fearing Bader’s raw power, which lead to his downfall in this bout. Bader connected with a right hand to the temple which dropped Magalhaes to the mat. He followed with several hammer fists to capture the light heavyweight Ultimate Fighter title.

Even at this point in his young career, Bader will pose a huge threat to anyone currently in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Although not displayed in this fight, his double leg takedown in one of the best in the game, and once he has you on the ground he is relentless with the ground and pound. Bader’s ability to end a fight standing or on the ground is a tough to defend against

As for Magalhaes, being a four-time world champion in BJJ at the tender age of 24, shows the raw talent he posses. The sky is really the limit and he Brazilian native will be back in the Octagon soon enough.

This season’s ultimate bad boy Junie Browning, defeated fellow teammate David Kaplan in a statement match for the troubled fighter. Browning looked like a completely different person than we saw on the show and he’s greatly improved his game inside the octagon. After dominating the first round with his improved striking and kicks, Browning caught his opponent with an arm-bar at 1:32 of the second round for the victory in his UFC debut. If Browning has truly turned his life around and dedicated himself to the sport, look for him to stay with the UFC for some time to come.

In a rematch, Anthony Johnson got his redemption with a KO victory over Kevin Burns via a spectacular head kick. The kick conjured up flashbacks to Gabriel Gonzaga’s KO of Mirko Cro Cop. Their last fight ended controversially when Burns accidentally poked Johnson in the eye. The poke was so bad the fight was forced to stop and Johnson had to have surgery. Johnson now has three very impressive KO wins in the UFC. Look for his stock to rise in the coming months in the welterweight division.

Despite his opponent not making weight, Jason MacDonald still agreed to fight Wilson Gouveia. MacDonald was looking to move up the middleweight division’s food chain with a win, but fell short in that attempt. He was caught by Gouveia with a straight right, followed by a short left and was dropped. After eating several harsh elbows, MacDonald was busted open and forced to tap-out at just 2:18 of the first round. Because he still agreed to fight Gouveia, MacDonald will receive 20% of his opponent’s purse for the fight, small compensation for a tough loss.

Fighting for the second time in just 46 days, Josh Koscheck (12-3) proved why he is one of the best welterweights in the world. He rebounded from his loss to Thiago Alves with a vicious KO of Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) at just 2:15 of the first round.

The fight started with the fighters feeling each other out for a good minute before the fireworks started. Yoshida clearly was looking to avoid Koscheck’s right hand, but was caught with one on the ear, and the end soon followed.

Koscheck connected with a straight right that sent Yoshida into the cage. Acting like a trampoline, Yoshida was propelled back up, only to meet Koscheck’s fist again, and Yoshida was out cold.

This was one of Koscheck’s best performances of his career, yet one wonders what will happen to him next. There have been rumors circulating that this could be his last fight in the UFC due to tension between his camp, American Kickboxing Academy, and Dana White. After this performance though it is hard to believe Koscheck will be handed a pink slip.

The win should put Koscheck back into the title picture, although he will have to wait until after Alves gets his shot at the champ, whether that is current champion George St. Pierre or BJ Penn. Both men will square off for the welterweight title on January 31st. In the mean time fighting the winner of the Jon Fitch vs. Akihiro Gono match could be intriguing match up for Koscheck, who wants nothing more than another shot at the title.

Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet

Mike Swick (13-2) lived up to his nickname making “Quick” work of Jonathan Goulet (22-10), registering a KO just 0:33 into the very first round. These two were supposed to square off back in September of 2007, but Swick was forced to pull out with a rib injury.

The actually match up never turned into much of a fight. Just seconds in Swick connected with a short right to Goulet’s chin. Goulet was dropped to the canvas and attempted to grab a hold of Swick’s leg. After a barrage of hammer fists from Swick, referee Dan Miragliotta was forced to call a stop to the fight. This might have been the KO of the night until Koscheck stole the show in the main event.

The win marks Swick’s third straight inside the octagon. He has looked very impressive since his loss to Yushin Okami at UFC 69. Despite the win this by no means is going to propel Swick into title contention, but it will make other fighters in the middleweight division take notice.

Razak Al-Hassan vs. Steve Cantwell

The last fighter to hold the WEC’s Light Heavyweight Championship, Steve Cantwell (7-1) impressed in his UFC debut. He was able to pick apart Razak Al-Hassan (6-1) throughout the start of the first round with punches and kicks, but the fireworks were reserved for the end.

Cantwell sunk in an arm-bar from the mount position, which Al-Hassan attempted to roll through, and nearly did. Cantwell was able to keep grasp of the hold and continued to torque Al-Hassan’s arm back. At 4:04 of the first round, Cantwell snapped his opponents forearm, bending it 45 degrees in the wrong direction.

It was a very impressive win for Cantwell, who will have a bright future in the UFC. As for Al-Hassan, he showed several weaknesses in his game. Not once in the fight did he tuck his chin when punching and often dropped his hands. If he is going to succeed in the octagon he will need to revamp his game going forward.

Jim Miller vs. Matt Wiman

There is such thing as taking a fight on short notice, and there is taking a fight on just eight days notice. That is what Jim Miller (13-1) did following his honeymoon, and won a unanimous decision vs. Matt Wiman (10-4).

Miller had control of the fight from start to finish. It looked like the fight would end in the first round when he locked in a deep guillotine choke, but Wiman was able perceiver and fight his way out of the hold. The rest of the fight was a battle of will as Miller continually attempted to pass Wiman’s guard, but was shot down on nearly every attempt till the third round.

The judges scored the bout 30-27 (twice) and 30-26.

Following this bout look for Jim Miller to garner some more attention from the fans and UFC match maker Joe Silva.

Nate Loughran vs. Tim Credeur

The first round was dominated by Tim Credeur (11-2) who landed shots throughout the round on Nate Loughran (9-1). Loughran never seemed to get his feet under him at the start of the fight and as the fight went on it was apparent he never would.

After a battle on the ground to start the second, referee Dan Miragliotta was forced to stand the two up. From this point on Loughran seemed gassed. He was breathing heavy, his hands were down, and during the last 20 seconds of the round ate several punches from Credeur. Following the second round the fight was stopped due to a rib injury to Loughran giving Credeur the TKO victory.