FRESNO, CALIF. (November, 6, 2009) – One night before the monumental CBS/ STRIKEFORCE/M-1 GLOBAL SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS Fedor vs. Rogers event LIVE on the CBS Television Network, hometown favorite Billy Evangelista defeated Jorge Gurgel via unanimous in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers on Friday night on SHOWTIME.

The two lightweights traded punches from the opening bell until the waning seconds of the first round when Evangelista (10-0) took Gurgel to the mat.  But, in the final 30 seconds of the second round, Gurgel landed a powerful left kick that sent Evangelista to the mat.  Just when it looked as if Gurgel (13-6)  was about to submit get Evangelista with a guillotine choke, the Fresno native was able to escape with just a few tics remaining.

The third round featured some back-and-forth action, and Evangelista won by scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

”The guy is tough, it was exactly what I expected,” Evangelista said.  “He was very aggressive; I have to take my hat off to him.  He almost had me with the guillotine, but I was able to get out.  It was a great fight, what else can I say?

Gurgel was clearly disappointed with his performance.

“Billy fought a great fight,” Gurgel said after the fight to SHOWTIME MMA expert commentator Stephen Quadros. “I expected to get booed.  I just wanted to get some respect from the crowd, and I think I got that.”

While Quadros was impressed with Evangelista’s showing, he argued that Gurgel looked great, even in losing.

“It was everything we expected it to be,” Quadros said.  “Evangelista showed a lot of guts in this because he had to fend off the wild hits and submission attempts from Gurgel.  He showed a lot of heart in this fight.

“But, based on his performance, even in this loss, people still want to see Jorge Gurgel.”

In an explosive fight that few thought would go past the first round, Shane Del Rosario (9-0) defeated local favorite Brandon Cash “Money” (5-1) via first round submission in a matchup of two hard-hitting heavyweights.

After getting floored with a sweeping hook from Cash, Del Rosario was in trouble early, taking an onslaught of punches while on the mat.  But, the undefeated prospect was able to get up and turn things around, getting the previously unbeaten Cash into an omoplata and ending things at 2:57 of the first round.“That was pretty good,” Del Rosario said.  “I knew he was going to come out swinging.  He caught me pretty good, but I bounced back.  I’ve been working on submissions a lot, and I was able to get one here.”

Rising middleweight star Luke Rockhold defeated fellow 185-pound prospect Jesse Taylor via rear naked choke in the first round in the third SHOWTIME televised fight of the evening.   The fight almost immediately went to the mat, with both fighters attempting submissions.  Rockhold (6-1) was able to get Taylor into the rear naked choke, and with Taylor (13-5) refusing to give up and unable to escape, the referee ended the fight at 3:42 of the first round.

“That was by far my toughest opponent, and I rose to the occasion,” Rockhold said.  “I think I proved myself tonight, and I’m ready for whoever they give me next.  I tried to keep the fight standing up, but I trained with a lot of wrestlers and I was ready for it. “

In the quickest fight of the evening, Merritt Warren (5-2) defeated Thomas Diagne (1-1) via heel hook submission.  With both fighters grappling on the mat, Warren got Diagne, who initiated the takedown, in a heel hook, forcing the French San Shou champion to tap out at 3:49 of the first round.

“This guy had crazy kicks, but I was more technically sound,” Warren said.  “I landed some really powerful shots on the floor.  I went for it, he was really slick and I couldn’t get a hold of him, but I got the heel hook and I went for it.”

In a hard fought female MMA match, Fresno native Zoila Frausto (4-0) defeated Elisha Helsper (0-2) via unanimous decision.  Both fighters wanted to stand and trade punches, but the fight turned in Frausto’s favor in the second round when she landed a devastating right leg kick to Helsper’s face.

“My head kick really turned it around for me,” Frausto said.  “I knew she was going to be tough.  She kept coming, but I fought back.  We both wanted to stand there and trade.

“I’ve been working on my kicks forever and I’m just happy I landed it right.”

Also during the telecast, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le announced that he would return to the ring on the Dec. 19 STRIKEFORCE event on SHOWTIME.

“I’ve been staying in good shape and I’m ready to get back in there for the fans,” Le said.  “I’ll be fighting for Strikeforce on Dec. 19.”

Recap courtesy of Strikeforce.

FiveOuncesofPain.com is back to break down the main card of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers via a verbal  sparring session between 5 Oz. managing editor Cory Brady and fellow loyal 5 Oz’er David Andrest.

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers  is set to go down this Saturday evening  at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.  The event will be broadcast live on CBS.

Set to feature a headlining  heavyweight  fight Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, also set for action will beJake Shields, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Gegard Mousasi,  Fabricio Werdum, Antonio Silva and others.

As always feel free to agree or disagree with either of us in the comments section below, and please post your very own set of picks so they can either be voted up or down by the people: You guys.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers

David Andrest:  Not sure what to type here that hasn’t been said everywhere. Fedor is a heavy favorite and for good reason.  He brings a thousand ways to beat Rogers into the cage with him.  Rogers brings one.  A victory for either is going to be a HUGE win for Strikeforce, with the only chance of failure is a main event marred in controversy.  Strikeforce on CBS  can not afford a  Machida over Shogun type victory, or a stoppage due to a cut.  Fortunately for them they won’t have this problem.

Winner: Fedor via armbar

Cory Brady: My gut keeps telling me something absolutely shocking could happen in this one, but I have promised myself that I will never let my gut choose for me again (we’ll see how long that lasts). My gut keeps telling me that Brett is the biggest threat Fedor has ever faced because the way I see it is like this: The guy that’s going to beat Fedor isn’t going to be a guy there’s a ton of tape on, and the odds of Emelianenko losing a fight on the ground are slim. No, in my opinion the guy that will end up defeating Fedor will be the guy that’s totally not supposed to, but punches like a truck; sorta like “Grim”. With that being said, I see no reason Fedor’s extensive Sambo background wouldn’t enable him to lock the big man at the waist and drag him to the canvas. From there, I keep seeing Fedor working some ground and pound before Rogers spins around in an effort to escape, only to get caught up in an Emelianenko rear-naked choke.

Winner: Fedor via submission

Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Jake Shields (for vacant Strikeforce middleweight title)

David Andrest:  I can’t stop going back and forth on this fight.  Everything points to Shields but something keeps telling me Miller is going to win this fight.  Perhaps the fact that Jacare couldn’t  take Mayhem out on the floor?  Perhaps it’s still obvious to me and the rest of the planet that Shields doesn’t have the stand up to bang with Miller.  But then I remember a 12 fight winning streak, each opponent going to be the one to keep Shields standing or be able to defend on the canvas………Let me flip a coin here……

Winner:  Jason Miller via TKO

Cory Brady: While I have also been going back and forth on this fight for quite some time now, there’s no way I’m flipping a coin on a match-up as important as this one. Jake Shields is going to win this fight, and let me tell you why: Mayhem is going to be the more powerful, naturally larger man, there’s no doubt about that. However, in my opinion the difference in this bout will be that Shields is going to be just slightly more technical in the subjects that will matter the most in this one: wrestling and submissions. While Shields has normally fought at 170 in the past, he’ll be at 185 for this one. Miller would love to keep the fight standing but I don’t feel like he’s going to be able to.

Winner: Shields via submission

Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (non-title match)

David Andrest: Poor Sokoudjou, I mean this is the Fedor vs. Rogers fight all over again, with one exception. I don’t think Sokoudjou believes he is going to win this fight.  Neither do I.

Winner: Mousasi  via armbar

Cory Brady: Well I have to believe, that Sokoudjou believes he can win this fight. He’s a fighter, and god knows he’s not coming in there to take a beating. He may end up taking a beating, but that’s not what he’s showing up for. Sokoudjou has shown in the past during bouts with both Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona that taking the power in his fists lightly could be a disastrous mistake, but Mousasi is seriously just so much technically better than him on the feet it’s not even funny. On the ground, it’s not even close. Sokoudjou’s a hell of a fighter, and always fun to watch, but there’s good reason this one’s not for the title.

Winner: Mousasi via knockout

Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum

David Andrest:  I don’t care what anyone say’s , I still believe Werdum is one of the better  heavyweights in mixed martial arts.  He is ever improving, and looks to have gotten the memo that cardio is important.   Silva is big, but isn’t better at anything. He’s bigger at everything.

Winner:  Werdum  via Decision

Cory Brady: Of course, it’s MMA and anything can happen as displayed in Werdum’s recent knockout defeat at the hands of Junior dos Santos, but there’s absolutely no reason Fabricio shouldn’t win this fight, and win it convincingly. He’s the better striker, and the better submission artist by a mile. Silva may be big, but there’s not a limb on his body Werdum won’t be able to snap in half like a tree branch if given the opportunity, which he will.

Winner: Werdum via submisiion

Marloes Coenen vs. Roxanne Modafferi

David Andrest:  If the MMA gods smile on us we’ll see this fight. Coenen is widely believed to be next in line for a beating from Cyborg Santos. Modafferi on the other hand steps in for Erin Toughill on short notice.  Anyone familiar with Modafferi  is aware she already holds a victory over Coenen, however it was two years ago and one would expect both fighters to have matured a bit.  Modafferi is often recognized as one of the best 135’s  in  WMMA, and much like  the woman she is replacing , will defeat Coenen.

Winner:   Modafferi

Cory Brady: My good friend and colleague Mr. Andrest pointed out to me earlier that Modaferri was the female equivalent of Clay Guida. A tenacious brawler with a never say die attitude in the cage that overwhelms her opponents through pure aggression. On the other side of that coin I would have to compare Coenen to a female Kenny Florian; She finishes fights. Although the two met up before in a bout that Modaferri took the split decision home in, that fight was two and a half years ago and I’m willing to bet that the “Female Rickson” will be able to get the job done this time around.

Winner: Coenen via submission

And now we turn it over to you guys, the readers. Don’t be that guy that says he called every fight but nobody believes; put up or shut up, get it on record in the comment section below!

CHICAGO (Nov. 4, 2009) – In preparation for this weekends  Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers event,  Strikeforce held their final press conference yesterday.

All the main card fighters were on hand as well as  M-1 Global represenatives and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.

What the fighters and executive said Thursday:

SCOTT COKER (Strikeforce)

“We are very excited to be here. We are happy to have fights on CBS and in primetime. We have a historic night of fights ahead of us. We have the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, fighting Mr. Brett Rogers. We also have the Strikeforce middleweight title belt on the line between Mr. Jake Shields and Mr. Mayhem Miller. It has been an exciting week with Jason!

“When you talk about companies working with partners, you find try to find a partner where the goals are common and aligned in future business plans. With M-1, we have found that to be true. They have been amazing partners.

“We know Alistair (Overeem) will be fighting in the first quarter of next year. Depending on the outcome of this fight and the next, we can work on putting a fight together. You see the matchup potential between the winner of the Silva vs. Werdum fight and the winner of the Fedor vs. Rogers fight. I think it would make sense for those two guys to fight each other in the future depending on how things go. Then, Alistair can come in later and fight the winner of that fight. We have some great heavyweight fights upcoming and we are looking forward to promoting them.

“I believe Alistair will be available in the first quarter. We will get him in the mix as well as some other heavyweights we will announce here in the next week or so.”

“Fedor is the reigning champion (of WAMMA). I believe that they will honor the fight and that the fighter that wins the fight will get the belt.

“The beauty of this deal is that we get to watch Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS for free. We can try to get as many millions of eyeballs as we can to drive mixed martial arts forward as a mainstream sport. We are proud to do that.”

JOOST RAIMOND (M-1 Global):

“We have a huge fight card on the line. It is unprecedented. It is the best fight card we could ever imagine. With CBS, we have found the greatest outlet ever to bring the great sport on MMA and these great athletes to a huge audience. I think now the overall U.S. public can enjoy the wonderful event we have on Saturday night at the Sears Centre.

“The partnership with Strikeforce and M-1 Global is tremendously important. We have gotten off to a great start. We have had a lot of media attention for the event. Thanks to Scott Coker for working with M-1. This partnership allows us to bring you the best events possible with the best fighters possible. We have Strikeforce’s Brett Rodgers and M-1 Global’s Fedor Emelianenko as the headliner. We are all in great anticipation of what is going to happen there.

“For us, the American market is extremely important. In a partner, we look for a company with the same goals. Synergy is extremely important and what we can bring from both our sides is Strikeforce has an amazing stable of fighters and M-1 Global has a growing stable of fighters with Fedor and Gegard [Mousasi] heading that up. Together we have the additional strength in putting on very good events. Strikeforce has a great base in the U.S. and we bring international knowledge to the table.”

SERGEI MATVIENKO (M-1)

“We hope that the relationship we are starting now will be very long and beneficial. As far as we can see, MMA is getting more and more popular all over the world – not only America or Japan. We hope that the show will be liked by all of the spectators. I really believe we won’t disappoint anyone that will be watching the show. Let the strongest win.”

FEDOR

“I watched the fight of Brett against Andrei Arlovski. I know that Brett is very strong. He has a very strong knockout punch. We usually train for all fights in the same way with some slight difference regarding the opponent. This time we are just doing some corrections regarding the technique of Brett.

“I am certainly planning on performing in the United States. I know for sure I will have two fights next year in the U.S. and then we will see if the contract will work. Maybe we will sign another contract.

“I never think about how impressive I am. I just come to the ring to show my techniques and skills. I want to finish the fight as fast as possible.”

BRETT ROGERS

“I am ready to go. I have been training real hard. It has been a long training camp. I understand who I am fighting, but he is just a man. I can’t wait.

“Up until this point, I have had to get back to work the next day. It is a great experience training and focusing on what I have to do come fight night.

“It does feel good to come to Chicago and put on a show in my birthplace. At the same time, Minnesota would have been good. My goal is to go out and put on a good show.

“(With two days to go) I just meditate and do what I normally do. I try not to get stressed. If I get stressed I am going to lose focus on my main goal. I just stay relaxed. Come Saturday morning, I definitely get into that fight mode. I think about everything that is coming, knock out the butterflies and then after that it is on. I am in that ball right now and I am ready to explode. This is the first time coming into a fight that I can just train and fight. I am ready to go.”

JAKE SHIELDS

“I feel great at this weight. I am willing to fight wherever – welterweight, middleweight, wherever. I am just looking for good fights. I think Miller was the fight that makes sense. I am willing to go up in weight. I am not that small. People forget, I cut a lot of weight (to make 170). People make too big of a deal about the weight. I’m not going to use that as an excuse. Win or lose I am ready to fight and I don’t think weight is going to be a factor.

“I fight because I want to keep myself interested in the challenge. If it is not interesting, there’s no point in doing it any more. It is exciting for me to bounce between the weights. Right now I’m worried about going up and staying up, but who knows what the future holds if they find a good opponent in the ‘70s. Right now I am not worried too much about that. I am just looking at one fight at a time, but it does keep it interesting for me.

“I am taking it one fight at a time, but most likely I’ll take another fight at 185. My weight is up right now and obviously I’m willing to drop back down, but I wouldn’t want to go up and down every other fight. That makes it difficult. Really, I’m just worried about getting through Miller and see what happens from there.”

JASON “MAYHEM’’ MILLER

“(Referring to Shields’ winning streak) All good things come to an end. It is an amazing streak that Shields has put together. I am proud to be guy standing across the cage from him on Saturday night.

“I don’ think I’m going too overboard [in the spotlight]. My goal is to provide entertainment for the CBS viewers. If they just want to watch a bar fight they can go to their local brew house. I am going to try to perform so that everybody is talking – that includes walking to the stage, and all the way to the post-fight press conference.

“I think people think because I am on TV every minute that I am standing in front of a camera every minute. Honestly, Bully Beatdown takes about two weeks to film and then they just replay it nonstop. Everyone thinks I live inside the box in their living room. It is not true. I actually walk around and do things outside of that.

“As far as marketing goes, you stick me in front of a camera and a microphone and I am going to blah, blah, blah and hopefully you are going to either want to watch me get me teeth knocked out or knock somebody’s head off. Part of my job is standing in a cage and beating somebody up, but the other part of my job is to make sure that you care about the fact that I am going to do it.”

GEGARD MOUSASI

“Every time you win, people expect more of you. There is some pressure, but I feel like I have good people around me that keep me focused. It is a very good fight for me and I am well trained so, God willing, it will be a good night.

“It is huge exposure for us fighting on CBS. It is a great card. I think any fight could have been on the main card, so I am concentrating on winning and doing my part. It is a big deal.

“I will try to finish the fight, but every fight is different. Sometimes you can finish the fight quickly, other times not. I don’t really care. I just want to win if it is decision or submission or anything. I’m just going to do my best to win.”

RAMEAU THIERRY SOKOUDJOU

“I believe he got injured during a fight, so I am looking forward to fighting him now. This is a great opportunity for all of us. I know this will not be an easy fight. No fights are.

“But I am here to give my best. When it is over, Mousasi will know he will have been in a very hard fight for both of us.’’

FABRICIO WERDUM

“I am very happy to be here. This is a great opportunity for me. I think the Mike Kyle fight was hard, but I’m ready for all fighters. I have trained a lot and have trained with the best fighters and coaches in the world. My focus now is on this big fight. After that, my goal would be to fight Fedor or Rogers.

“But I know I can’t look ahead. For me, the future is Saturday.’’

ANTONIO SILVA

“It has been a while since I have fought in the States. It’s great to be part of a card that includes fighters like Fedor and Brett Rogers. I’ve come to seek what I think is mine. I will be working very hard for that.”

“Werdum is a fighter of many qualities. He’s fought in many events. He has strengths and weaknesses. I’ve been training very hard in Jiu-Jitsu and standing up with my coach. I just came out of a fight in Japan and have been fighting ever since. It is do or die. It is a big fight and it is very important. I have come and I am ready to lay it down.”

Photo credit: Esther Lin/Strikeforce

Fight Camp 360: ‘Fedor vs Rogers’ debuted tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime to promote the upcoming Strikeforce/CBS prime time event. Showtime has made the episode available for those who may not have their service, or those that may want to watch the special again.

The half-hour long special gives fans a glimpse into the training camps of Fedor and Brett Rogers.

Fight Camp 360: ‘Fedor vs Rogers’ debuts tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime. The half hour special will give fans a behind the scenes look at Fedor and Brett Rogers as the prepare for their upcomng fight. The Strikeforce/CBS prime time event scheduled for Saturday, November 7 from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting has gone across the pond for the latest fighter to be added to its expanding roster during its recent signing spree.

In the past week, the WEC has reportedly signed featherweights Chad Mendes, Tyler Toner, and Brandon Visher. And according to a report by Fighters Only Magazine, British fighter Brad “One Punch” Pickett can be added to the list as well.

Pickett, who competed primarily as a featherweight in Europe, will be entering the WEC as a part of its bantamweight division. He is expected to make his debut with the organization sometime in early-2010 and at 135 lbs., he has the potential to challenge for the bantamweight title currently held by Brian Bowles.

“Brad Pickett has never really fought on the big, big shows, yet everyone knows who he is,” WEC GM Reed Harris is quoted as telling Fighters Only. “That is a testament to the kind of fighter that he is. He is going to be fight at 135 lbs., and I think at bantamweight he is going to be very, very dangerous. I am excited about bringing him in, I really am. He is on a seven-fight winning streak I believe, that’s a hell of a run.”

Pickett, 17-4, is a former Cage Rage featherweight champion and splits his time between training in England on his own and in Florida with American Top Team.

What began as an impressive third tour of duty in the UFC for Josh Neer has ended in release. Sources closed to the Iowa-based fighter informed FiveOuncesOfPain.com early Saturday morning that Neer was let go by the organization shortly after his unanimous decision loss to Gleison Tibau at UFC 104 last Saturday. The defeat was Neer’s second consecutive in the Octagon and his third in his last four fights.

The six-year vet began his career in 2003 and first made his UFC debut in 2005, losing to Drew Fickett via decision at the first-ever UFC Fight Night. After two fights outside of the UFC, he returned in 2006, where he recorded back-to-back wins over veterans of The Ultimate Fighter, Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard. However, he would go on to lose fights at UFC 61 and UFC 62 to Josh Burkman and Nick Diaz, respectively.

Following his release after the Diaz fight, Neer compiled a 6-1 record outside of the UFC and returned for his third stint with the promotion at UFC Fight Night 13 on April 2. Facing Din Thomas, Neer improved his lifetime UFC record to 3-3 with a unanimous decision victory. He then followed it up with an impressive performance in a split decision loss to Nate Diaz at UFC Fight Night 15. After the Diaz loss, Neer recovered and submitted season six winner of The Ultimate Fighter Mac Danzig with a triangle choke at 3:36 of round 2 during UFC Fight Night 17.

Following the Danzig victory, Neer’s stock was on the rise. However, it would soon fall after losing to Tibau at UFC 104 and Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 101 before that. With the back-to-back losses, Neer’s record in his last four UFC fights actually fell to 1-3.

A well-rounded fighter who is known as a tough competitor, Neer could possibly return to the UFC a fourth time if he can accumulate 1-2 wins outside of the organization.

In light of reports in the Maui News that Brandon Visher has signed with the WEC and MMAjunkie.com’s report that Chad Mendes has also inked a deal with the promotion as well, comes word that blue chip prospect Tyler Toner will also be joining Visher and Mendes as new additions to the WEC’s 145 lbs. division.

News of Toner’s signing with the WEC was first revealed publicly in the Maui News and has since been confirmed by FiveOuncesOfPain.com with sources close to the fighter.

Toner’s debut with the WEC could take place as early as Dec. 19 at WEC 45 at the Palms Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to the Maui News, Toner is set to face Visher, but Five Ounces of Pain was unable to confirm the report.

The current Ring of Fire featherweight champion, Toner is widely regarded as one of the top prospects currently involved with the Colorado mixed martial arts scene.

Toner, who trains out of Easton BJJ, improved to 9-1 following a unanimous decision victory this past August against Fabio Serrao at “Ring of Fire 35: Summer Brawl.” His lone loss took place in April of 2007 against current WEC bantamweight Scott Jorgensen courtesy of a defeat via unanimous decision.

Undefeated 16-0 featherweight prospect Brandon Visher has signed a multi-fight contract with Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting.

The Maui News in Hawaii was the first to report the news of Visher’s signing, which was believed to have taken place earlier this month.

The 25-year old Visher is a native of Kula, Hawaii has competed for such famed Hawaiian MMA promotions as Rumble of the Rock and X-1. Nicknamed “The Viper,” Visher is currently the 145 lbs. champion of the Up & Up Extreme Cagefighting promotion.

When speaking with the Maui News, Visher credited his camp for helping him earn a shot with the WEC.

”Shawn Doyle, the owner of Peak Performance, went to Vegas and really just went door to door with my highlight tape,” Visher is quoted as saying. ”He was really persistent. The guy he talked to at WEC said, ‘You know how many times a day I hear the same thing you’re telling me about a fighter?’ But he promised to watch the tape and I guess he liked what he saw.”

Reed Harris, the General Manager of the WEC believes that Visher has the potential to challenge for the WEC’s 145 lbs. title currently held by Mike Brown.

”When a guy comes in, he has to be competitive. We don’t bring people in unless we think they can compete for the title,” Harris told the Maui News. ”What that means is Visher is considered by us to be among the elite.”

A rematch between highly-ranked UFC welterweights Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves planned for UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. will not take place as scheduled, FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned.

Five Ounces of Pain was informed early Friday morning that Alves was forced to withdraw from the fight due to an unspecified injury and that discussions to secure a replacement have already begun.

The news of Alves falling off the card comes as yet another blow to the UFC’s plans for UFC 107, as season 10 coaches of The Ultimate Fighter Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson had originally been rumored to headline the event.

However, plans for Evans vs. Jackson were scuttled after Jackson accepted a role in the upcoming A-Team film adaptation. UFC officials quickly moved to transfer a planned lightweight title fight between B.J. Penn and Diego Sanchez to headline its Dec. 12 pay-per-view event and the rematch between Fitch and Alves was added soon after to augment the card’s depth.

Alves, 16-6, has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre this past June at UFC 100. Prior to the title fight, Alves had won seven consecutive bouts in the UFC.

Meanwhile, Fitch, also a former UFC welterweight title challenger, is 19-3 overall and has won two consecutive bouts following his title loss to St. Pierre at UFC 87 in August of 2008.

The Ultimate Fighter 10 is nearing the halfway point, and the teasers for a Kimbo Slice return to the show have finally stopped. One rumor that will not go away is a suspected December match up between the YouTube brawler and UFC veteran Houston Alexander.

FiveOuncesofPain.com first confirmed through sources close to the possible bout that one of the fighters had been approached about the match-up, and the latest piece of the puzzle may have been uncovered by MMAJunkie.com who are reporting that the Nebraska based light heavyweight will be applying for a fighter license at a November 4th hearing to be held by the Nevada State Athletic Commision.

At this point the only UFC card scheduled for Nevada in December would be The the TUF 10 finale which is set for December 5 at The Pearl in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

As we all know Kimbo Slice was eliminated from competition early in the season by Roy Nelson. While some can question his skills, Slice is clearly a draw and is ( at least) partially responsible for the highest rating in the show’s 10 season history.

Houston Alexander would enter the fight coming off a victory at Adrenaline MMA IV which took place in September. Alexander was 2-3 in the UFC prior to taking the fight in Adrenaline, is widely criticized for a lack of sufficient ground skills. ( a trait shares with Slice)

Nothing has been officially confirmed by the UFC at this time, however all signs are pointing to a meeting between the two fighters.

Major League Baseball has the minor leagues; the NBA has the D-League; the NHL has the AHL; and the NFL has college football.

All the major sports leagues have “feeder systems” and now Southern California fight promoter and sports entrepreneur Roy Englebecht has decided that mixed martial arts also needs its own legitimate minor league system.

In an effort to help develop the next generation of MMA stars while providing investors a chance to own their own professional sports franchise, Englebrecht announced Wednesday the launch of the Professional Mixed Martial Arts League (PMMAL).

Set to begin play in early 2010, the PMMAL (www.pmmal.com) will award charter ownerships to teams in eight specific areas including six Southern California counties and Las Vegas.

“The time has finally arrived for mixed martial arts and for the PMMAL,” stated Englebrecht. “As a club promoter of MMA since it was approved in California in 2006, I know first-hand the struggle young fighters have in trying to get fights, and the major struggles small mixed martial arts promoters encounter just trying to promote a show, give the fighters and fans a good experience, and most important — hopefully turn a small profit.

“Now with the Professional Mixed Martial Arts League, some of the best young MMA fighters competing today can be part of a team, know when and where they will fight each month, and be paid and treated like the professional athletes they are.”

As one of the founding owners of arguably one of the most successful minor league baseball franchises ever, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Englebrecht knows what it takes to make a professional team organization work and how owners can run a profitable pro sports team business.

“I know the fun and profitability that an investment in a professional sports team can provide,” he stated. “I know about the dreams of most every sports fan to be just like Jerry Jones, Jerry Buss, Arte Moreno, or George Steinbrenner and own a pro sports team, as I realized that dream with the Quakes. Now the dream of owning a professional sports team can become a reality with the purchase of a PMMAL team.

“Having the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of any business is worth its weight in gold, so buying in as a charter owner of a PMMAL team, involving the hottest pro sport today, is an unbelievable opportunity and one that should not be missed by anyone.”

The PMMAL concept will see qualified owners awarded a team and have exclusive territorial rights in seven regions; San Diego County, Orange County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Las Vegas.

The eight team league will be broken up into two conferences, the Ocean Conference consisting of San Diego County, Orange County South, Los Angeles County and Ventura County, and the Desert Conference comprised of Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Las Vegas and Orange County North. Each PMMAL team will be allowed to select 14 fighters in a League Draft scheduled for December of 2009.

Each PMMAL team will also play an eight event regular season schedule once a month beginning in February of 2010, with four home events and four away events, and all eight teams qualifying for the quarterfinals of the PMMAL Championships starting in October. Four teams will advance to the semifinals in November and two teams will compete in the Inaugural PMMAL Championship in December. PMMAL fighters will earn a minimum of $10,000 per year, and can earn upward of $25,000 per year.

“I am extremely grateful to the UFC, to Strikeforce, and  to M-1 Global for what they have done to grow mixed martial arts in America and the world over during the past ten years,” said Englebrecht. “I just felt that if the sport of MMA was to really become mainstream and greatly enlarge its footprint to consumers, sponsors, and regulatory bodies that a minor league system needed to be established. Over the past three years, young MMA fighters just didn’t have the proper stage to perform on, and that club promoters had great difficulty in making it a viable business. Now with the PMMAL in place their will finally be a platform in place so that fighters who dream of one day competing in the UFC or Strikeforce can see their dreams come true, thanks to the Professional Mixed Martial Arts League.”

Persons interested in acquiring a PMMAL team, or fighters interested in competing in the 2010 PMMAL season and entering the PMMAL draft, can get necessary information and documents at the Official Professional Mixed Martial Arts League website at www.pmmal.com, or by contacting Roy Englebrecht at pmmalroy@aol.com

In a message on his Twitter account yesterday Josh Koscheck tweeted “I got some big fight news for me,I am fighting nov 21 in Vegas. Co main event!!! Haha it’s on baby!!!!”

It would appear Koscheck has been added to a UFC 106 card that suffered from a lost main event Monday when heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar was forced to pull out of his scheduled title defense against Shane Carwin.

Since the announcement Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz II was thought to have been moved to main event, but it now appears a welterweight fight with two of the UFC’s top level fighters appears close to being added.

A recent report on Sherdog.com is indicating that Anthony Johnson could be the possible opponent for Koscheck. The report states that both fighters have verbally agreed to the fight.

Koscheck would be entering the bout on the heels of a very impressive performance at UFC 103 where he stopped Frank Trigg via TKO, while Johnson who is riding a 3 fight win streak, most recently fought this past weekend at UFC 104 where he was victorious in just :41 over Yoshiyuki Yoshida, a bout he failed to make weight for.

The California State Athletic Commission released Medical suspension information for UFC 104 today. Eight fighters including Light Heavyweight Champion Loyoto Machida were issued suspensions. Missing from the list, challenger Mauricio Rua, who left the event uninjured.

Lyoto Machida suspended for 60 days for a left upper lip laceration.

Ben Rothwell suspended for 45 days for TKO and 60 days for right eyebrow lacertaion

Spencer Fish suspended for 45 days for hard bout and 60 days for right eye laceration

Yoshiyuki Yoshida suspended 45 days for knockout

Eric “Red” Schafer suspended for 60 days or cleared by physician for right side nose laceration

Pat Barry suspended 180 days or cleared by physician for possible fracture of left wrist

Antoni Hardonk suspended for 45 days for knockout

Rob Kimmons suspended for 45 days for knockout and 60 days for laceration on the left side of the forehead

French fighter Karl Amoussou has signed a four fight deal to fight for the Japanese organization DREAM.

Details about the fighter’s debut are unknown at this point, however sources close to the fighter indicated that an announcement about an upcoming fight should be coming very soon.

Amoussou, who is looked upon as one of Europe’s biggest prospects, recently signed an exclusive management contract with M-1Global, joining Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi, and Fedor Emelianenko, the man widely recognized as the top heavyweight in the world.

Amoussou brings an 11 – 2 – 1 professional record to DREAM. Although known mostly for his fierce striking, 7 of thePsycho’s 11 victories have come via submission.

Oscar-award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire, Pearl Harbor) and Val Kilmer (The Doors, Heat, Batman Forever) star in Hardwired, a brand new adrenaline-packed sci-fi action thrill scheduled to be released on DVD on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The movie is centered about Luke Gibson, played by Gooding Jr., who is involved in a severe car accident in which his wife and their unborn child is killed. Gibson survives the crash, but is all but written off for dead and is left with total amnesia.

Gibson is able to survive the accident thanks to breakthrough technology developed by the Hexx Corporation. A Psi-Com Implant is hardwired into his brain, but Hexx’s motives aren’t as noble as they may seem.

Hexx has been looking for test subjects in which they can employ their implants for nefarious purposes. With the help of some new allies, Luke takes on the Hexx Corporation in uncovering their illegitimate business interests while at the same time trying to recover his past memories.

Written Michael Hurst and directed by Ernie Barbarash, Hardwired also stars Michael Ironside, Lance Henriksen, and Tatiana Maslany.

It appears  UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has been forced to pull out of his November 21^st title defense against Shane Carwin.

The news was first reported by Yahoo Sports.   The report indicated that  Lesnar contacted  UFC president Dana White to inform him that he has been ill for close to a month and has been unsuccessful in  shaking the illness.

“He said he’s never been this sick in his life,” White told Yahoo. “He said it’s been going on for a long time and he just hasn’t been able to shake it.”

With Lesnar out, it is uncertain if Carwin will fight on the card against another opponent, or if the UFC will set the wheels in motion to find a replacement main event fight.

In a late afternoon Tweet, Shane Carwin indicates  the fight will be moved to UFC 108 in January, and the possibility that Lesnar has the dreaded H1N1 virus.

I just heard from Jason. Looks like it is posponed till Jan 2. I had h1ni myself and I understand how devastaing it can be.

Welcome to the Live Event coverage of UFC 104, tonight’s card is presented live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

In tonight’s main event, UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will attempt his first title defense against challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. In the nights co-main event heavyweight contenders Cain Velasquez and Ben Rothwell will square off to determine where each fighter stands in the division.

Live coverage of the night’s undercard will begin at approx 7:30 p.m. ET 4:30 p.m. PT. The television portion of the event begins on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET with the main card on pay-per-view main card at 10 p.m. ET.

As always we welcome discussion of the event while it is in progress. For those looking to discuss the event live with other readers feel free to comment in this thread. It is suggested you VIEW THE LIVE PLAY BY PLAY HERE, and not in the inserted window if you would like to discuss the event to prevent loading issues.

Stay tuned to FiveOuncesofPain.com after the event for breakdown, analysis and any breaking news from the post-fight press conference that will be broadcast live ( If available) .

Below is a full list of the results for the event:

Lyoto Machida def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via UD 48-47
Cain Velasquez def Ben Rothwell via TKO :58 R2
Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher via TKO 4:03 R2
Anthony Johnson def Yoshiyuki Yoshida via KO :41
Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer via UD
Ryan Bader def . Eric Schafer by UD
Patrick Barry def. Antoni Hardonk via TKO 2:30 R2
Chael Sonnen def Yushin Okami via UD
Jorge Rivera def. Rob Kimmons via TKO 1:53 R3
Kyle Kingsbury def. Razak Al-Hassan by Split Decision
Stefan Struve def. Chase Gormley at 4:04 by Submission (Triangle), R1

FiveOuncesofPain recenty visited Arizona Combat Sports, while there  we had a chance to catch up with Ryan Bader and shoot a few exclusive photos of Ryan Bader as he prepares for his upcoming bout with Eric Schafer at UFC 104.

I made the trip to Arizona Combat Sports to work on a story on the history of the gym that will be featured in the upcoming issue of Extreme Fighter Magazine (available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, Wal-Mart, Target, Waldenbooks and numerous other fine newsstands).

All pictures were taken by MMA photographer Marco Brito.

FiveOuncesofPain.com is back to break down the main card of UFC 104 via verbally sparring session between 5 Oz. managing editor Cory Brady and fellow loyal 5 Oz’er David Andrest.

UFC 104 is set to go down this Saturday evening from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California..

Set to feature a headlining light heavyweight title fight between champion Lyoto Machida and challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, also set for action will be Cain Velasquez, Josh Neer, Spencer Fisher, Joe Stevenson, Anthony Johnson and others.

As always feel free to agree or disagree with either of us in the comments section below, and please post your very own set of picks so they can either be voted up or down by the people: You guys.

Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

Cory Brady: While logic may tell me one thing in this match-up, my gut tells me another.

Lyoto is the least hit fighter in the history of the UFC, and very well may be the most difficult riddle to solve in mixed martial arts, but in my estimation he is ripe for a loss. Not just to anyone, but to the most complete mixed martial artist he has faced to date. Definitely the most complete fighter he has faced of the same size.

You’re not going to beat Machida with one facet of the game. We’ve seen what happens when Lyoto’s opponents employ a one dimensional approach, such as relying on standing up or trying to drag “The Dragon” to the ground, and it’s not pretty. The only way to beat a fighter as tactical as Machida is to be well rounded and dangerous enough in all areas to constantly keep him guessing.

Shogun is that guy. The combination of a slick submission arsenal, underestimated takedowns, and a punishing stand up and clinch game make Mauricio much more of a threat than his is commonly given credit for.

If Machida wins this fight I feel like it will most likely be by decision. Shogun has never been knocked out and he has been punched in the face by some of the best of them. The odds of Lyoto pulling off a submission on Rua are also just as unlikely.

I expect the best Shogun we’ve ever seen to show up at UFC 104, and in my own personal opinion, when the best Shogun shows up to fight, nobody can beat him at 205 pounds. Mauricio is one of the most naturally gifted fighters that has ever stepped foot into the sport, the time is now for him to finally recognize his full potential.

Winner: Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via TKO

David Andrest: I have little to add to that masterpeice Cory, however the only thing I can say is YOU ARE WRONG.  It pains me to type it, as I am a big fan of  Rua and the memory of his aggressive style, and great finishing percentage.  Machida wins this fight, he is at the top of his game, and I can not pick against him with a straight face.   Answer this for me, when is the last time you saw Machida in trouble?  ………..don’t worry I’ll wait.

Winner:  Machida UD

Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell

Velasquez is a far cry from the poor fat kid that Big Ben put a merciless beatdown on early in is career.

Rothwell has never beaten anyone that tells me he can handle a fighter such as Cain Velasquez. On the other side of that coin, I feel like Velasquez has in Cheick Kongo, a stand-up fighter much like Andrei Arlovski, only with a better chin.

Velasquez has been active and successful against top notch competition while Rothwell hasn’t. This is going to be one of the deciding factors in this bout. There’s no known cure for ring rust, and I expect for Big Ben to have a bad case coming off of a win over Chris Guillen nearly a year ago.

I expect for this fight to be a carbon copy of the Velasquez vs. Kongo bout, without Cain being rocked.

Winner: Cain Velasquez via unanimous decision

David Andrest: You know what the difference between Cain and the poor fat kid that Big Ben put a merciless beatdown on early in is career?  The kid had more power behind his punches.  I am painfully aware of the Velasquez hype train that rolls past my window every 5 minutes as this event draws closer.  Hype based on what?  Potential?  A win over Kongo?   you have got to be kidding me.  I’m not saying Velasquez isn’t talented, and a great wrestler, and a blue chip prospect with a ton of upside.  I think people are overlooking Rothwell a bit, as well as over hyping Velasquez buy a tremdous amount.   I’ve seen it everywhere, you can’t surf the MMA internet and not see someone crowing Velasquez the next challenger.   Rothwell is the toughest, and most experienced guy Velasquez has ever fought.  I’ve seen Rothwell KO  people, submit people and finish fights.  Other people seem to forget that.   I’m not prepared to purchase my ticket aboard the Cain Velasquez hype train at this time.

Winner: Rothwell  TKO

Josh Neer vs. Gleison Tibau

I’m a huge fan of Josh Neer’s because the guy brings it every single time, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that seeing two guys coming off of losses on the main card didn’t seem a little bit odd. This bout makes more sense on a Fight Night card, or the undercard, but either way it should be exciting. Neer usually guarantees that.

These lightweights are just getting so good and well rounded that it’s hard for me to see this one going any other way than the distance. This should be a hard fought battle with transitions and exchanges a’plenty. In the end I see The Dentist’s grit and durability being the deciding factor in what should be a 155 pound scrap to remember.

Winner: Josh Neer via decision

David Andrest: “grit”  That is a perfect word to describe Josh Neer.  Entertaining every single time. This fight should be exciting while it lasts with an equal part stand up, ground work and scrambles.  I like Tibau as a fighter, but I think Neer is going to preform and on air extraction and end this fight.

Winner: Josh Neer  TKO

Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson

The winner of this bout could very well be just a fight or two away from a title shot. Fisher is coming off of three wins over the likes of Jeremy Stephens, Shannon Gugerty and Caol Uno, while Joe Daddy is fresh off of his impressive decision victory over Nate Diaz on June 20. Either way you slice it, one fighter moves on and the other is suspended in motion.

This fight has a ton of potential to end up as the “Fight of the Night”. Both guys are well rounded in all areas, with a slight advantage going to Fisher on the feet and a minor edge going to Stevenson on the ground.

I don’t think Stevenson is going to have as huge a wrestling advantage over Fisher as he had over Diaz recently. I’d go as far as to say that I expect Fisher to be capable enough to keep the fight on the feet for the most part.

If you’re a betting man, stay away from this one, it’s either man’s fight.

Winner: Spencer Fisher via decision

David Andrest: Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Daddy I’m really looking foward to this fight. My vote would be to send the loser to Japan to smash Aoki, but I digress.  This is a classic fight that should be very entertaining, but very predictable.  Stevenson spent a bit of time at Jackson’s preparing for this fight, and I belive is a much better figher on the floor.  I’m going to pick Stevenson, based on that, with the understanding that if Stevenson for some unknown reason decides to test his stand up against Fisher all bets are off.

Winner:  Joe Stevenson  choke

Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

The only way Yoshida wins this fight is on the ground via some type of choke or joint lock. It’s not going there though. Johnson is absolutely massive and powerful for 170 pounds. He’s also the much more explosive and technical striker.

This fight plays out a lot like Yoshida’s bout with Josh Koscheck. Johnson will utilize his superior wrestling game to keep the fight upright on the way to another vicious highlight reel knockout.

I’m a huge fan of watching “Rumble” in action. Looking forward to this one.

Winner: Anthony Johnson via knockout

David Andrest: Cory you have nailed it,  this will be another fight to make the case for  Johnson being a true contender at 170.   Yoshida could be dangerous on the ground, if  Johnson somehow forgets his roots  in wrestling.  I like Yoshida and will always appreciate the entertaing  choke he put on War Machine.  Yoshida is a good 170, however  good isn’t going to be enough to stop Rumble.

Winner: Anthony Johnson  via TKO