“There were some issues with Alistair training at Xtreme Couture because Randy (Couture), after he fought Brock, trained with him and signed a disclosure with them,” said Xtreme Couture striking coach Gil Martinez in conversation with Fightline. “So even though Randy isn’t at the gym, Brock’s people made it an issue so Overeem ended up not finishing his training here.”

Couture and Lesnar locked horns in a 2008 title-fight seeing the powerful 34-year old capture his lone championship. Though no specifics were given beyond Martinez’s statement, the problem seemingly related to concern internal sources at Xtreme Couture might have shared inside information on Lesnar’s abilities.

In the end it apparently made little difference, as Lesnar never made a serious attempt at taking Overeem down and was finished off midway through the opening round of their bout. The loss resulted in the former WWE Superstar’s retirement from MMA after a 5-3 mark in the sport with two consecutive strike-based stoppages at the tail end including last night’s loss.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Now, when the two massive heavyweights step inside the Octagon on Friday night in the main event of UFC 141, fireworks will be expected and for good reason given their respective talents. The winner of Lesnar-Overeem becomes the No. 1 contender, landing themselves a shot at current UFC title-holder Junior dos Santos in 2012.

This will be Overeem’s debut in the UFC, while Lesnar is returning to action for the first time since last October, when he dropped the title to Cain Velasquez.

“This is a whole new chapter in Brock Lesnar. This is Brock Lesnar on his way back to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion once again,” Lesnar said in the recent UFC 141 Countdown special. “When that cage door gets locked, the beast within Brock Lesnar will come out.”

Meanwhile, Overeem feels like gaining the UFC title is the next stepping stone towards cementing his legacy in MMA, saying, “I already achieved something nobody else has achieved. I’m not satisfied. I believe the time is now for me to get the UFC belt.”

Check out the full UFC 141 Countdown segment on Lesnar-Overeem below and make sure to catch them fight on PPV with things starting up at 10:00 PM EST:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Lesnar, a former WWE superstar, has signed an exclusive contract with Everlast to promote combat sports equipment. Lesnar’s next fight will be Friday, December 30 against Overeem in the main event of UFC 141 where his new sponsor should be on full display.

“Brock Lesnar’s combination of size, athleticism and elite wrestling ability is truly unmatched,” Everlast VP of Marketing and Products Matt Cowan said in a press release. “His strength, determination and individuality make him resonate with our brand ethos, and we are excited to welcome Brock to our storied family of champions.”

On the subject of Everlast equipment and representing the brand, Lesnar explained, “I’m truly excited to be a part of the Everlast family. Everlast’s MMA training equipment is the best in the industry. I’ve been able to take my training to a new level since installing their 30-foot competition cage at my DeathClutch gym. I look forward to a long and rewarding partnership with Everlast.”

Catch Lesnar-Overeem on PPV at 10:00 PM EST or through one of the various streaming services like UFC.com and UFC on XBOX Live.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The show is set for Friday, December 30 rather than on Saturday due to New Year’s Eve and will emanate from Las Vegas. Adding even more intrigue to the headliner, the winner will earn a title shot against UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos in 2012 after the affable Brazilian recovers from knee surgery.

“This is my home. The UFC is Brock Lesnar. I don’t care how many fights he’s had or where his career has been. This is my time. This is my house,” explained a motivated Lesnar in a recently released extended preview for the event.

Along with Lesnar-Overeem, fearless lightweights Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone will meet in the co-main event.

Watch all four fighters talk about their upcoming match-ups in the UFC 141 Preview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

In his latest blog for YahooSports, Overeem discussed his move to Xtreme Couture, his plans for 2011, and of course his upcoming bout against Lesnar.

Not only will “The Demolition Man” be stepping into the octagon for the first time in his career on December 30, but he’ll be doing it under the guidance of a new camp. After spending the majority of his career in Holland with Golden Glory, Overeem moved to Vegas earlier this year to train with Xtreme Couture.

“This is the first time I have not trained in Holland or Japan for years, but the vibe is perfect at Xtreme Couture. It helped that I already knew some of the guys there like Ray Sefo and Maurice Jackson, but I just feel very welcome there and they have all the facilities – two cages, a ring, lots of bags – everything I need to get ready for Lesnar. I am ready to put in the work,” said Overeem.

A bout against the former UFC champion wasn’t something Overeem had to take. According to him, he was offered a title shot against the winner of Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez, but decided against it, saying, “I don’t want to sit on the sidelines, I want to fight.I think I have earned a UFC world title fight, by winning every major title outside the UFC, but I am here to prove that I am – without question – the best heavyweight on the planet. You don’t do that sitting on the sidelines or working out in the gym, you do that by fighting and beating the best available opposition in the biggest fights that can be made.”

Even though he has 40 more professional than his opponent, Overeem doesn’t underestimate Lesnar. “Winning UFC belt from Randy Couture in his fourth pro MMA fight and defending it against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin was very impressive. I am also impressed by Lesnar’s fighting spirit; he has twice come back from a very serious illness and fought very tough opposition right away. He obviously has a lot of confidence in himself in fighting me after more than a year out and surgery on his stomach, and I admire that about him, but I am even more confident in myself.”

Against Lesnar, Overeem will not only be battling a man that is his equal in size, but he’ll be up against a collegiate wrestling champion for the first time in his career. That doesn’t seem to concern the Dutch striker, who said, “He is great at takedowns and controlling people on the ground, but I can stop his takedowns and he is no match for me on the feet. I am going to rip Brock Lesnar apart, piece by piece.”

PHOTO CREDIT – K-1/STRIKEFORCE

Mir recently spoke about Lesnar where he revealed his harsh words for the former UFC heavyweight champ, including his desire to break Lesnar’s neck and see him die of Octagon-related injuries, were little more than an attempt at hype.

“In reality, I played that up because at that time in my life I thought being loud and saying those things would be good marketing for a third fight,” Mir admitted in a conversation with ESPN. “In the last couple years I’ve realized, if people are going to dislike me, I want it to be because of my personality and not because of something I did for marketing a fight.”

In fact, Mir even went on record saying he felt Lesnar would handle Dutch finisher Alistair Overeem with ease when they lock horns at UFC 141.

“I think we’re going to see the closest thing to a grappler versus striker match you’ll see nowadays,” said Mir on the subject. “Brock is going to cover up; maybe throw one jab. He’ll rush Overeem to the cage, reach down for a leg and rip him down. I don’t think he’s going to get off his back. I’d be very shocked – I’d applaud Overeem if he got off his back.”

Given the hulking Minnesotan’s wrestling credentials and brute strength it’s hard to disagree with Mir’s assessment of the situation, though Lesnar has been out for a year while recovering from medical issues and few heavyweights have been as hot as Overeem over the past few years.

As for Mir, up next is a rematch with a man who knows a thing or two about grappling – Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The two fan-friendly foes will face off on December 10 in Toronto at UFC 140, a date giving Mir plenty of time to heal up and see if his prediction comes true three weeks later.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The bout was first reported by the LATimes and quickly confirmed by Dana White on twitter.

A former UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar has been sidelined since October 2010 after going through another battle with diverticulitis. He last competed at UFC 121, losing his heavyweight strap to current champion Velasquez by first round TKO. Prior to the loss, Lesnar had won four straight fights with wins over Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin. A former NCAA national wrestling champion, Lesnar has had no easy fights in the UFC and that trend continues in December when he meets Overeem.

Following his release from Strikeforce, Overeem entered in negotiations with UFC and has struck a deal with the company. The only Strikeforce heavyweight champion in company history, Overeem hasn’t lost in 11 fights. In his most recent bout, the K-1 striking champion defeated submission expert Fabricio Werdum by decision, in one of the oddest fights in MMA history. Prior to that, “The Demolition Man” knocked out Todd Duffee and Brett Rogers. In 35 career victories, Overeem has only been to a decision twice.

The December 30 event, which takes places on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday, will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

*PHOTO CREDIT – ESTHER LIN/STRIKEFORCE*

After coaching on The Ultimate Fighter 13 and scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos in June in a #1 contenders bout, Lesnar was forced out of the fight after his diverticulitis, which kept him out of action from July 2009 to July 2010, returned. The former UFC heavyweight champion underwent surgery earlier this year and had a foot of his colon removed as part of the process.

Never lacking in the confidence department, Lesnar believes the belt will be back around his waist, saying, “Right now, one day at a time for me. My future, I believe there’s still a bright future in the UFC for me. I want to become the UFC heavyweight champion again, and I believe I will do that.”

Lesnar lost the title to current champion Cain Velasquez back at UFC 121, suffering a first round TKO loss. While no date has been given for Lesnar’s return, it’s widely believed that the NCAA wrestling champion will step foot in the cage again in early 2012 at the latest.

*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

Lesnar stated his options at this point are to either get surgery to correct the issue or live with the affliction for the rest of his life. However, he did make it clear he was not retiring.

“This is not the end of my fight career,” Lesnar explained. “I’ve just got to find the rest solution to fix this problem. I love this sport. I love what I do. This isn’t the end of Brock Lesnar. This is just a speedbump in the road.”

Rather than cancelling Lesnar’s headlining bout with Dos Santos on June 11 the UFC has replaced the decorated amateur wrestler with Shane Carwin who had been in the process of training for a fight at the event against newcomer Jon Olav Einemo. The 12-1 Carwin was last seen in action this past July against Lesnar in a title-fight at UFC 116 and had finished all twelve of his previous opponents prior to the second round submission loss.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Brock Lesnar Talks TUF 13 (MMAFighting.com)

Catch Up with “The Dean of Mean” (CagePotato.com)

Eleven Fights Make the Cut for UFC’s Next Appearance on Versus (Versus.com)

More than 40,000 Tickets Expected for UFC 129 (HeavyMMA.com)

FIGHT! Magazine Profiles Cain Velasquez (FIGHT! Magazine)

Pat Barry Discusses his Fight Night 23 Win (MMAScraps.com)

Join Tim Sylvia on a Ride Along (MMAConvert.com)

Mike Guymon Retires from MMA (MiddleEasy.com)

Scott Coker Still Expecting Gina Carano to Fight Again (MMAFighting.com)

Anthony Pettis Receiving Honor from City of Milwaukee (HeavyMMA.com)

Jacob Volkmann Put on Administrative Leave After Comments About President Obama (CagePotato.com)

Brock Lesnar, a Dead Deer, and a Snowy Climb (MMAConvert.com)

Heavyweights to Watch in 2011 (Versus.com)

Drew Fickett Signs with MFC (FIGHT! Magazine)

Herschel Walker vs. Don Frye Almost Went Down (MiddleEasy.com)

Turns Out There’s a New MMA Video Game on the Horizon (MMAScraps.com)

UFC Has Spent Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Lobbying in NYC (WatchKalibRun.com)

“It’s gonna be a very interesting six weeks of filming,” said White during a conference call with media.

On the subject of the UFC’s selection of Lesnar as a coach, the UFC President explained, “The guy’s a former world champion, he’s beat guys and held the title. No matter what his record is, what the guy has accomplished in the short amount of time that he’s been in MMA is incredible. He’s obviously got a lot that he can teach, and not only him, but the staff that he has around him have a lot to teach young, up and coming guys, and that’s what it’s really all about.”

White also praised “Cigano” for opting to put the shot at Velasquez’s championship he’d already earned up for grabs. “He’s been knocking everybody out, comes off a three round war with “Big Country” (Roy Nelson) and I love when guys do that because it’s good for them, it’s good experience, it gets them in better shape and it takes them to another level. And to put this guy on the shelf for a long time is ridiculous, and much credit to him for not wanting to go on the shelf.”

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 will feature welterweights and is set to air on March 30 with the subsequent clash of coaches expected to occur at some point in June. Lesnar is 5-2 and had won four consecutive bouts before falling to Velasquez at UFC 121. Comparably, dos Santos has a record of 12-1 and is currently riding a streak of seven straight victories.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to the final Grappling with Issues of 2011, the site’s regular weekly feature highlight insight and opinion from myself and Adam Tool. Thanks to all you readers for a great year! We have sincerely enjoyed having the opportunity to entertain and inform you over the past twelve months. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column. Get your takes in one last time before the calendar closes and have a safe, fun-filled New Year’s Eve!

Are you making any MMA-related New Year’s resolutions?

Tool: I resolve to stop writing off fighters before a fight has even happened. There were some pretty big upsets in 2010 and in a few instances I was guilty of assuming that one fighter had no chance when they would then go on to win. I can’t be the only person that picked Frank Edgar to lose to BJ Penn twice. This sport is getting bigger every year and more and more impressive athletes are coming along all the time, so it’s all but impossible to know exactly how good some guys are before they get some more fights under their belt. I won’t stop trying to pick winners before the fights but I’m going to do everything in my power to stop acting like Fighter X has no chance before the fight has even started.

Conlan: I resolve to finally finish that life-sized sculpture of former UFC ring-girl Natasha Wicks that I’ve been attempting to craft from EZ Melt Cheese.

Kidding, kidding…it was actually completed months ago.

On a serious note, I hope/plan to attend at least one live event outside of my home-State in the next twelve months. I’ve only covered a single card beyond the borders of Texas and will make a real effort to repeat the feat in 2011. Big shows feel even bigger when they’re thousands of miles away from your residence, and I’m definitely overdue to experience such a sensation again (as are we all). I also aim to significantly raise Five Ounces’ profile in the next year and look forward to sharing that journey with both my peers on the page and the numerous dedicated readers who have stuck with us through thick and thin.

What do you think 2010 will most be remembered for in terms of Mixed Martial Arts?

Tool: While I will personally remember this as the final year of the WEC, I have a feeling that the MMA community will hold this past twelve months in a different context. For a good number of people I think that this was the year when Fedor Emelianenko’s goodwill with fans disappeared. The never-ending series of contract negotiations that have kept Fedor out of the Strikeforce cage seems to have turned even the most hardcore of fans (you know, the guys that cried when “Shogun” Rua lost to Forrest Griffin) against the former PRIDE champion. We don’t care about M-1 Global’s never-ending grab for power, we just want to see Fedor fight the best fighters in the world. You would think that Scott Coker and his crew would have a bit more leverage now that Fedor has picked up his first legitimate loss, but the fact that there’s no fight for Emelianenko on the horizon should prove that that isn’t the case.

Conlan: Both of Adam’s suggestions are deserving of the distinction. In the interest of simply not repeating his ideas, I’m going to say it will be most-remembered as the year Edgar rose from undersized lightweight to the top 155-pounder in MMA. His performances against B.J. Penn, especially in the rematch, gave testament to his speed, hands, and wrestling combining to make a lethal formula in the ring. A man viewed as destined for featherweight beat a one-time UFC Welterweight Champion…twice. Of course, Maynard could make 2011 the year Edgar fell from his throne less than a day into cracking the calendar open, but as far as picking THE stand-out aspect of 2010 goes I think “The Answer” is, well, the answer.

Other than the title-fight between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard, what match-up out of the three major “New Year’s Weekend” events holds more of your interest than the remaining lot?

Tool: I’m genuinely interested in the lightweight showdown scheduled to open the UFC 125 PPV, as Takanori Gomi and Clay Guida should make for an intriguing match-up. Gomi hasn’t had much use for his wrestling ability as of late but hopefully he’s drilled his takedown defense in preparation for Guida. Clay’s relentless pace could present problems for the former PRIDE champion but Gomi will have a clear advantage if he can keep this one off the mat. Both fighters are never far from title contention and with the wide-open landscape of a post-Penn lightweight division, either man could be right in the mix with a win this weekend.

Conlan: Though I agree Guida vs. Gomi has “Fight of the Night” potential on par with drunken hook-ups in Las Vegas the night prior to its occurrence, I’m slightly more jazzed about seeing Josh Thomson’s fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri at “Dynamite!! Power of Courage” (though it will have already taken place by the time this column goes up Friday morning). There’s something about the pageantry of a Japanese NYE event that gets the fan in me every time, plus I love the cross-promotional aspect involved. Beyond the environment’s appeal, Kawajiri and Thomson are also talented fighters with exciting styles. They’re solid grapplers, yet aren’t afraid to stand and exchange shots if necessary and often do so to triumphant result.

What kind of decision do you think will be rendered in this weekend’s title fight? Or are you a wide-eyed dreamer who believes that this fight will have a finish?

Conlan: Are you implying that simply because Edgar and Maynard have combined for twelve decision wins in their last thirteen bouts the title-fight might go the distance? Poppycock, good sir!

I actually am one of those folks carrying around a fool’s hope of seeing the UFC 125 main event wrapped up in less than five rounds. Both competitors have the boxing ability to end things, though neither necessary receives a lot of credit for their stand-up based on how talented each is on the grappling front. I think the extra ten minutes could provide enough time for a TKO/submission whereas they only had fifteen to work with in their original encounter. Additionally, Maynard has never been into the “championship rounds”, nor stood on a stage as big as the one he’ll inhabit come New Year’s Day, and both of those factors could also come into play when it comes to balancing his energy or potentially over-thinking situations.

Plus, MMA is unpredictable, and typically when an outcome seems set in stone something like Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander comes into play. Just ask Edgar, who was written off by most as having even a single iota of a chance to beat Penn…and he did it twice.

Tool: I see Brendhan is playing the “MMA is unpredictable” card so I’ll counter with my “we’ve seen enough of both fighters to know where this is going” card.

While both Edgar and Maynard are underrated strikers, neither has shown any real consistent knockout power. Edgar’s footwork and head movement combined with his creative combos is the kind of style designed to score points and until he starts putting guys away regularly (or, you know, at all) then I’m going to assume he’s winning his next fight by decision. Maynard is undoubtedly the stronger fighter but he’s yet to put that power to proper use in his still-developing striking game. I like Maynard’s chances to finish a bit better, but as Brendhan pointed out we’ve yet to see how Gray does in a fight that goes longer than 15 minutes.

I’m envisioning a closely contested fight in which Edgar is the more consistently accurate striker, while Maynard scores crucial takedowns in several rounds. I’m assuming Edgar has drilled his takedown defense like crazy since beating BJ the second time, so if he can stuff enough of Gray’s shots he could take a split decision to win the fight and retain his title. I’m also of the opinion that Edgar may have underestimated Maynard last time in his training, but that’s no chance that he’ll do so this time around.

What do you make of the rumors going around that Brock Lesnar is contemplating retirement from MMA following his loss to Cain Velasquez?

Conlan: I’m not surprised in the least, though until Lesnar or Dana White offer something official on the matter I’ll continue to view the situation as rumor-based and nothing more.

The former UFC champ is an extremely proud individual. I have no doubt he could semi-stomach his loss to Frank Mir because he’d dominated most of the fight prior to being submitted, plus he was green and likely understood the risk of Mir’s BJJ background coming into play. However, Velasquez was not only a wrestler (like Brock) but also relied on his hands more than the ability to tap opponents out. To be thoroughly dominated by an individual who weighed at least twenty pounds less than him in the disciplines he was most familiar with had to be relatively devastating to Lesnar’s ego, and as such it may have delivered a crushing blow to his confidence or interest in potentially being pummeled again.

Tool: Lesnar has drifted from one profession to the next since entering the public eye as a WWE superstar. While he’s always been quick to point out how serious he takes his MMA career, he’s also in the rare position of not really needing to fight. Lesnar has more money than you or I would know what to do with, and his personality has little in common with the persona he presents in public. He tried his hand at MMA and was extremely successful for a brief period of time. Other than avenging the loss to Velasquez what does he have left to prove?

Do you think that DREAM will still be around to participate in a New Year’s Eve show in 2011?

Conlan: My gut tells me no though it’s always possible they could be bailed out of their financial woes by a bigger company, as DREAM has been a solid production with memorable match-ups featuring well-respected athletes. However, they have stiffed a number of fighters in the past which is indicative of their monetary situation as a whole, and in that regard it seems like they’re likely on their last leg as a functional promotion. It’s a shame too, because the style of Japanese MMA they’ve offered is as close to PRIDE as fans could have hoped for, and yet the company hasn’t really caught on in the mainstream after two-and-a-half years of operation.

Tool: Japan’s interest in MMA is hardly enough to support one MMA organization, let alone two. This weekend features two over-stuffed cards from DREAM and Sengoku, but if either company is going to truly prosper in the coming years the other one has to die. Now that the UFC has swelled to add two more divisions they’re going to start aggressively pursuing some of those remaining Japanese hold-outs (Michihiro Omigawa and “Kid” Yamamoto are already signed and scheduled for the preliminary portion of UFC 126). The available talent pool for good Japanese fighters is shrinking, as is the public’s interest in the sport, so I believe that 2011 will see at least one of these two organizations fold.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The hard-hitting Brazilian recently spoke to Tatame and offered his take on the championship clash, as well as how he feels about Velasquez as both a peer and future opponent.

“It was a very exciting fight to watch – I was there and it was beautiful to see,” said Dos Santos. “But, in my opinion, (Lesnar) got tired. Velasquez was smart enough and showed superiority…was calm enough to wait for the right moment and chance the picture and win by TKO.”

Dos Santos continued by stating his relative shock at Lesnar’s decision to rush Velasquez rather than set a pace more suited to a title-bout’s structure. “I was surprised, everybody was,” he began. “A title fight usually has a very cautious beginning, it’s a five-round fight, and so you start being careful so that you won’t get tired. I think (Brock) tried to really go for it, he knew that Velasquez’s conditioning was amazing. He did a great beginning, took him down and applied a flying knee, but I think he got tired.”

The 12-1 striker also acknowledged the stiff challenge he’ll face when he squares off against Velasquez in the near future in hopes of winning promotional gold, and went so far as to mention his belief the undefeated Latino is the number one heavyweight in the sport.

“I’ve met Velasquez and congratulated him. He deserves to be known as the number one today.”

However, just because he feels the American Kickboxing Academy star is #1 doesn’t mean he won’t be ready to take his place atop the division when they fight. “…he deserves, but I’ll give my best, even a little more than that, to take his belt away and bring it to Brazil on my waist,” he explained. “I’m coming back to Bahia, I’ll keep (training) and soon, when I know about the fight’s date, I’ll go to the United States to do my camp. I have wrestling guys there to help me…I have to train hard to get this belt.”

Dos Santos will enter his match-up with Velasquez having won his last seven fights including finishing performances against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Fabricio Werdum. He most recently defeated Roy Nelson at UFC 117 in August via unanimous decision.

PHOTO CREDIT – ESPN

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column.

What’s your preference for Nick Diaz’s next fight: a catch-weight bout with “Mayhem” Miller or another defense of the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship?

Conlan: The choice between the options should be a no-brainer for most in terms of creating both an entertaining and competitive fight. Strikeforce’s 170-pound roster isn’t particularly top-heavy and is stacked would-be contenders like Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, Paul Daley, and Tyron Woodley rather than an established group of highly-touted competitors. While those three, as well as a handful of other Strikeforce welterweights, are unquestionably talented they’re not currently sellable as true adversaries for someone on Diaz’s level. The notion KJ Noons – typically a lightweight with no divisional victories – was given a shot at the Gracie-trained champion’s belt should tell fans all they need to know in terms of Strikeforce’s confidence in their welterweight group.

Matching Stockton’s favorite son with Jason Miller would not only give the afore-mentioned welters an opportunity to further cement their claim to a title-bout, but Strikeforce would also have Miller/Diaz’s name-recognition and personal dislike of one another to use for marketing purposes. It’s one of the few relevant pairings the company can create in terms of attracting mainstream attention, actually making it somewhat crucial that Strikeforce finds a way to make the fight happen as far as their future prospects go. Whether doing so means paying Diaz’s snack-bill for the next five years or hiding some cameras in a backyard, getting the rivals together, and doing things Kimbo-style, Scott Coker’s crew should be trying to intensely negotiate the deal before the opportunity to do so slips away.

Tool: I also have to favor a grudge match with “Mayhem” over a predictable title defense against one of the aforementioned names in the division. Miller is arguably the biggest star on Strikeforce’s roster, but you wouldn’t know that with the way they’ve used him. He should be towards the top of their cards and a fight like this with a built-in storyline is perfect for an upcoming main event. Diaz has made it clear lately that he’s just looking to get paid, so here’s hoping that Coker can fork over the necessary cheddar to make this match happen as each man’s next fight.

BUY/SELL – Josh Thomson should have to win one more fight before earning a third meeting with Gilbert Melendez.

Conlan: This is a “SELL” for me for similar reasons to those mentioned in the above-answer. While Strikeforce has a slightly deeper pool of 155-pounders to work with in comparison to their welterweight division, none have really solidified themselves as being more deserving or must-see than Thomson (who has the rubber-match angle to his advantage as well). For that reason, I have no problem seeing Thomson vs. Melendez III take place in the next few months, but I also don’t think Strikeforce has a lot of say-so in the matter since there aren’t many choices outside of Thomson to work with.

However, I’d have no problem with Thomson facing Lyle Beerbohm or KJ Noons if Melendez was suddenly scheduled to give Shinya Aoki a rematch on Japanese soil or partook in a super-fight with Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez.

In fact, were he healthy, I think a case could be made for Noons getting the nod over “The Punk” in terms of being named top contender to Melendez’s lightweight strap. The well-coiffed Hawaiian-by-way-of-Houston just got done hanging with one of the best welters in the sport for five rounds in a main event and had won six consecutive bouts prior to his hard-fought loss to Diaz, all of which were at a lesser weight. On the other hand, prior to his win over JZ Cavalcante, Thomson had only beaten Pat Healy since last losing to “El Nino” and was close to being finished by the ATT-trained Brazilian in the first round of their epic scrap last weekend.

Tool: I’ve got to go with a “buy” on this one, and my reasons for such have already pretty much been laid out by Brendhan. For one, I’d much rather see Melendez square off with Alvarez before he rematches Aoki or Thomson. There’s also the fact that Noons has a pretty good claim as the number one contender. Granted he did just lose a title fight in a heavier weight class, but that didn’t stop Strikeforce from putting Marloes Coenen into a title bout this past weekend.

I can certainly get behind the idea of Melendez vs. Thomson III, simply on the basis of the outstanding fights these two have given us before. There’s no reason to believe that a third bout wouldn’t follow that tradition, particularly if it’s done at a time when Josh Thomson is 100% healthy. Unfortunately those windows of opportunity seem to be practically microscopic (as “The Punk” was in fact injured going into his fight with Cavalcante), so I guess Strikeforce should probably just put this fight together whenever they have the opportunity to do so.

Give your best guess as to which UFC 120 bout will end up winning “Fight of the Night.”

Conlan: Without a doubt it will be Rob “It’s Already Been” Broughton’s (not his real nickname unfortunately) much-anticipated undercard brawl with Scrabble-friendly opponent Vinicius Kappke de Quieroz…but seriously, I think there’s little question Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit has bonus-check written all over it.

Both 170-pounders fight with passion, have a number of tools in the proverbial shed with which to work, and don’t particularly like each other either. Their match-up should also merit an enormous response from the crowd throughout its duration, as Hardy is beloved in his home-country of England and Condit has already stated he’ll be using the USA’s National Anthem as his entrance music. With the audience on its feet and two men who don’t know the meaning of the word quit slugging it out until one crumples, how could Condit vs. Hardy be anything other than fantastic whether five or fifteen minutes long?

Tool: I’m just as pumped for Hardy/Condit as everybody else, but to keep things interesting I’ll take another fight for my pick. We’ve already spoken a bit about John Hathaway, and I’m very excited to see his fight with Mike Pyle. A lot of people seem to be writing off Pyle in this fight (fun fact: Pyle is the only man in history to have submitted Jon Fitch), but even if he loses it should still be a highly-entertaining scrap given each fighters’ style. Hathaway should have the edge on the feet, but Pyle’s aggressive submission-based offense could give the Brit trouble if the fight hits the ground. Both fighters are looking to make a name for themselves in the field of up-and-coming welterweights, and while they may not be contending for gold anytime soon there can be little doubt that this fight is incredibly important for each man’s career.

Do you see Miesha Tate faring any better against Marloes Coenen than Sarah Kaufman did last weekend?

Tool: I do, but then again I figured that Kaufman would retain her belt this past weekend. I don’t want to underestimate Coenen too much as she’s certainly one of the best female fighters in the world, but then again so is Miesha Tate. I didn’t see anything in Coenen’s stand-up that would make me think that she’ll smoke Tate in the striking, but it’s more likely that the outcome of this fight will be determined on the ground. Tate is at the top of the food chain for wrestling in MMA, and unlike Kaufman she’s not likely to get careless from the top position. Tate’s experience will allow her to be more controlled in her ground and pound, and unless Coenen can stuff repeated takedown attempts then I see this one ending with another new champion.

Conlan: I disagree with Adam for a few reasons, and I hope his comment about Tate being one of MMA’s elite wrestlers was more hyperbole than his actual opinion on her grappling ability. She may be talented in comparison to her peers on the somewhat-thin female scene, but she doesn’t dominate opponents with the same ease seen from the true cream of the sport’s wrestling crop.

That point aside, I don’t feel “Takedown” Tate will do any better against Coenen from a results standpoint than Kaufman did, and I actually won’t be surprised if the Dutch champ finishes her with the same technique she used to procure the Strikeforce title. Tate gives up a few inches in height and a bit of reach to “Rumina”, meaning she could be susceptible to damage in the clinch (as Kaufman was), and has no noticeable advantage when purely standing either. If she relies on her takedowns and spends a lot of time throwing strikes in Coenen’s guard her arms will be left relatively vulnerable (as Kaufman’s were). Coenen’s success with armbars is well-documented, and because Tate’s go-to attack is based on ground-and-pounding her way to victory I think it’s very possible she could get caught from the bottom and tapped, especially if she starts to get frustrated on her feet.

Who do you see as the superior welterweight prospect – Jon Hathaway or Tyron Woodley?

Tool: It’s hard not to go with Hathaway after the way he dominated Diego Sanchez, and assuming he gets past Mike Pyle this weekend he’s liable to find a spot in the upper levels of the division in 2011. He’s got great striking and unlike most British fighters he’s more than comfortable with the wrestling aspect of the sport. It’s all but impossible to stand-out in the crowded field of the UFC’s welterweight division, so the fact that Hathaway’s already starting to make a name for himself speaks volumes about his potential.

We certainly can’t discount Woodley either, as he’s quickly climbing the ladder to emerge as a potential contender in Strikeforce. Obviously the pool for contenders in Strikeforce is far more shallow than it is in the UFC, but it’s a credit to Woodley for making his way up to the main cards after a few quality showings on the Challengers events. We still need to see how he performs against a higher quality opponent, and I for one would love to see “T-Wood” matched up with the winner of the upcoming Paul Daley/Scott Smith scrap to determine Nick Diaz’s next contender.

Conlan: I’d also have to say it’s the 14-0 Brit, and to elaborate on Tool’s take, not only did Hathaway beat Sanchez in the manner mentioned but he also took home a pair of unanimous decisions against Paul Taylor and Rick Story, who are tough, talented fighters in their own right, prior to the bout.

He’s 5-6 years younger than Woodley, a fact meriting consideration when examining where both are currently in their careers and how much more time each theoretically has to develop as an overall Mixed Martial Artist. He’s also 6’2″, making him one of the UFC’s tallest 170-pounders meaning he typically enters the ring with a reach advantage over his opponent. Additionally, beyond simply his ability and physical dimensions, Hathaway has the added benefit of being British where “star” potential is concerned. The UFC has already invested a lot of time/money/energy into the European market and as a result created relative icons overseas in the form of Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy simply because of their nationalities and success in the cage. The same could easily be true for Hathaway if he keeps on winning, especially in front of his fellow Englanders.

Woodley is exceptionally skilled and his combination of athleticism, wrestling, and submissions are enough to beat a lot of his in-ring adversaries and take him a long way in MMA. However, until he faces a comparable level of opposition to “The Hitman” or Hathaway falls in a few fights, I don’t think the Strikeforce 170-pound contender can be viewed as the superior prospect when matching the two up from top to bottom on paper.

Has the “UFC Primetime” special featuring Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez influenced your opinion on either individual or on how their upcoming match-up will unfold?

Tool: Not necessarily, but that’s mainly due to the fact that I pegged Velasquez to win this bout as soon as Lesnar beat Shane Carwin. It’s reaffirming to watch Velasquez train the way he does, and to hear the people closest to him talk about the level of talent that he brings to the sport. I’ve had a front-row seat aboard the Cain Velasquez bandwagon since he first came into the UFC, and I’m not about to abandon ship just because he’s facing the top guy in his division.

As for Lesnar, I have to wonder just how well he’s preparing for this fight. It’s obvious by now that Lesnar has a fair amount of confidence in himself, and being surrounded by his friends all day at training certainly can’t hurt his ego. To me it seems as though Lesnar may already be too comfortable in his gym, as his strict policies against outsiders could lead to a situation where he’s not challenging himself enough. His natural gifts make up for a lot of that, but I’ll be interested to see if he’s truly prepared for what Velasquez brings to the table.

Conlan: I can vouch for Tool’s long-standing support of Velasquez, though I personally entered the series with a lot more faith in Lesnar than I exited it with. There’s no question the UFC’s heavyweight title-holder is working his ass off under the DeathClutch roof and will be in prime condition at UFC 121, but at the end of the day I think he is still burdened by his build when it comes to movement. Perhaps it was simply the trickery of post-production editing, but Cain looked very crisp in training while Brock just appeared to be building strength/cardio. I think Velasquez’s wrestling background could very well allow him to hold off Lesnar’s advances, while movement and angles may open up an opportunity to either pepper the champ enough times to win rounds or even rock him as Carwin did a few months back. If that’s the case, rest assured Velasquez won’t fade faster than the average reality television star’s post-series career as was the case with Carwin at UFC 116.

I still feel Lesnar is going to walk away from Anaheim with the big, shiny beltbuckle around his waist, but I can honestly admit the bits of insight provided on “UFC Primetime” definitely have me feeling a little more positive about Velasquez’s chances of maintaining his unbeaten record and becoming champion.

Michael Bisping Believes his Future Holds a UFC Title In It (MMAFighting.com)

Jon Jones is Tired of Facing Wrestlers and Explains Why (MMAConvert.com)

The “Cyborgs” Show a Different Side to Fans…Their Back-Side (MiddleEasy.com)

Scott Coker Promises Strikeforce Heavyweights Will Face Each Other (CagePotato.com)

Strikeforce’s Most-Recent Hype Package for Diaz vs. Noons II (MMAScraps.com)

Vitor Belfort Working on Footwork in a Unique Way for Anderson Silva Bout (FIGHT! Magazine)

Joseph Benavidez Steps in for Injured Brian Bowles at WEC 52 (Versus.com)

Why Fans Shouldn’t Look Past KJ Noons (Heavy.com)

Brock Lesnar Shows Off his Guns and Not the Muscle-Related Kind (WatchKalibRun.com)

The series will debut on October 6th with additional episodes planned for October 13th and October 20th. It will mark the first time heavyweights have been highlighted on the popular feature, as the previous three monitored the training and daily lives of Georges St. Pierre and opponents Dan Hardy/BJ Penn, as well Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson prior to their feud’s culmination at UFC 114.

UFC 121 is scheduled for October 23rd at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In addition to Lesnar’s title defense against Velasquez, the show is also slated to involve former Strikeforce/EliteXC champion Jake Shields’ Octagon debut against Martin Kampmann, Tito Ortiz fighting former Ultimate Fighter pupil Matt Hamill, Diego Sanchez slugging it out with Paulo Thiago, and a heavyweight clash between Brendan Schaub and Gabriel Gonzaga.

“I wanted to tell you that I am now sponsored by the Night Time Nyquill. The interview during the TUF Finale was our attempt at gorilla marketing. If you were sleepy or felt “bored” by my interview then we hit our mark. Imagine what the actual product will do for you if I was able to put you to sleep with my words. Nyquill it helps you sleep like my right hand. Available at fine Pharmacies everywhere.

Man what a boring interview. They should have played the part where Goldberg was talking about going hunting with Brock.

No excuse but it was a lazy day and I had just been in a epic water balloon fight with my son and I was trying to keep a straight face. I will do better if they ever have me back.”

Carwin, who holds the UFC’s interim heavyweight title, will clash with Lesnar on July 3rd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. His knockout of former champ Frank Mir at UFC 111 this past March moved his record to 12-0 with the entire dozen coming by way of first-round finish.

Following months of inconclusive diagnosis and ailment speculation, Lesnar has experienced a miracle of a recovery. In what once was being labeled as a career ending injury, has now become a brief layoff with immediate intentions of getting back to business.

With an expected return by summertime, there is only one fight I want to see: Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir III

The bad blood between the two has been brewing since Brock’s first introduction into the UFC and has continued up to this day.

It has been no secret that former champion Frank Mir has his eyes set on a third match-up. Even during pre-fight interviews previous to his fight with Check Kongo, Mir was fixated on meeting Lesnar again. His entire focus seemed to be on Lesnar, with many even thinking Mir was looking past Kongo as an opponent. Well, a minute and thirteen seconds later cleared any predictions of whether he took his opponent lightly.

So with the announcement yesterday of Brock’s return, the possibility of facing Mir for a third time was presented to the former NCAA wrestling champion, Lesnar said, “Absolutely, You know what, I don’t think I beat him as bad as I could. So for me to get my hands on that stalker again, Frank Mir’s made it a mission of his life. Frank Mir’s a stalker. It’s been a while since I’ve had a stalker, but we’ll take care of that if we ever face him again. I’d be delighted to fight Frank again.”

With an interim title between Mir and Shane Carwin set for March, the winner will get the chance to take on Lesnar. If for some reason the winner of that match can’t be ready by Brock’s suspected return, the winner of the Cain Valasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira willl step in.

“I’ll just sit back. I’ll sharpen my skills,” said Lesnar. “I’ll be prepared for either one of those guys (Carwin or Mir), or if it’s Nogueira or if it’s Velasquez, I know one thing all them guys are sh**ing their pants right now.”

And while the opponent makes no difference to Brock, as a fan, the hype train has already been set for a third showdown with Mir.

I think we will see the best and most determined Frank Mir against Carwin and while I have no doubt he poses a real threat to Mir, I am starting with an early prediction here and say Frank will win the fight. Since the beating he took at the hands of Lesnar back at UFC 100, Mir has looked every bit as impressive with one goal in mind, Brock Lesnar.

While nothing is set in stone as of yet, one thing is for sure, the champion is back.

Lesnar made the announcement alongside UFC President Dana White on this morning’s edition of ESPN Sportscenter.

Lesnar went on to describe how a hole had been created in his intestine due to a serious medical condition that was initially misdiagnosed as mononucleosis. His doctor then put Brock on antibiotic and pain killers instead of removing the colon and ending his fighting career for good. Lesnar admitted that he was preparing for surgery and had even lost 40 pounds from his normally 300+ pound frame.

True to form, Brock refused to give in to the disease and fought back, putting back on thirty pounds before a January 5 check-up revealed that the condition had ceased to be.

“It’s a miracle,” said Lesnar. “There’s no signs of any problem anywhere in stomach, It’s just a miracle!”

According to Dana White, Lesnar’s doctor agreed with the champion’s assessment, stating, “You got a lottery ticket. This is unbelievable that you don’t need surgery. It’s a miracle.”

“There’s literally no sign that anything is existing in there,” said Brock.

White went on to further state that Lesnar is expected to make a return to action this Summer where he is expected to face off with the winner of an interim title fight between Frank Mir and Shane Carwin, but if anything should happen to the winner of that match-up, the shot will go to the winner of Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.