No specifics in terms of location/date for the bout were mentioned.

Mir has picked up three straight wins since losing to Shane Carwin a little less than two years ago with the trio all coming in convincing fashion. The 16-5 Las Vegas native was last seen snapping Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm in their co-headlining clash at UFC 140 in December.

While Velasquez does not have the momentum of Mir’s winning streak, having lost the UFC belt to champ Junior dos Santos in November, he emerged with his hand raised in nine straight prior to the stumble including victories over Nogueira, Cheick Kongo, and Brock Lesnar.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Silva will be looking to rebound from a loss to Daniel Cormier, wa teammate of Velasquez’s at American Kickboxing Academy, when he finally steps foot in the infamous eight-sided cage. The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for the former EliteXC heavyweight title-holder including victories over Andrei Arlovski, Mike Kyle, and Fedor Emelianenko.

News of the contest being off was first reported by MMAJunkie.com.

Velasquez will also try and get the taste of defeat out of is mouth when he returns after losing his heavyweight strap in a little over a minutes to Junior dos Santos this past November.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Nogueira reported the bout in a weekly column he writes for a newspaper in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Velasquez dropped the UFC heavyweight crown to Junior dos Santos this past November via first round knockout, the first defeat of the Arizona State wrestling stand-out’s MMA career. Velasquez was fighting for the first time in several months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Silva also just returned to training after undergoing shoulder surgery himself. The 16-3 “Bigfoot” last fought against Daniel Cormier, falling in the semifinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, but had won three straight prior to the stumble including victories over Andrei Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko.

Currently the only April event on the UFC’s schedule is set for Stockholm, Swden on 4/14 though it’s very likely more will be added as the month gets closer.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/UFC

M-1 Global

Now, M-1 Global’s Vadim Finkelstein feels like there is a perfect fighter for Fedor to face in 2012 – former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. Velasquez lost his belt to Junior dos Santos earlier this month at UFC on FOX 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos.

“We are determined to move forward, and would like to offer the UFC a fight between Cain Velasquez and Fedor Emelianenko,” said Finkelstein, in a recent interview with Russia’s Championat.ru. “I can guarantee Dana White great revenue from this fight, and a record-breaking attendance.”

As you can imagine, thanks to years and years of frustration in dealing with Emelianenko and his people, White was less than excited about the fight, posting on his Twitter, “Hell no!” in regards to Finkelstein’s request.

Dashing the hopes of dreamers everywhere, it appears that once again the notion of Emelianenko gracing the Octagon is still little more than wishful thinking.

PHOTO CREDIT – M1 GLOBAL/UFC

However, while away from competition,Carwin isn’t ignoring what is happening in MMA. Recently, Carwin went online to show his level of respect for recently beaten former champion Cain Velasquez. Velasquez dropped the UFC heavyweight title to Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC on FOX: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos this past weekend.

“I know we are about to call the Cain hype train derailed. I want to remind you guys how young and talented he is,” Carwin wrote on The Underground. “Junior hits hard and is accurate. This should not be a surprise to any of you. Cain is a young talented fighter and if you want to see the qualities of a UFC Champion you have to look no farther than Cain. Everyone loses it is what they do with that loss that deflates them. I am certain that Cain will be a champion again.”

Carwin lost to dos Santos earlier this year in a #1 contender bout after replacing Brock Lesnar in the fight. He also lost to Lesnar in his fight prior to meeting dos Santos. The 12-2 Carwin has finished all dozen of the opponents he’s beaten including seven TKOs and five submissions. He holds notable past wins over Gabriel Gonzaga and Frank Mir.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

This is the story of Machete.

This is also the story of UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

I watched the movie Machete the other night and immediately drew comparisons to Mr. Velasquez. This is the story of both men and how I saw Machete throughout the movie and how fans have seen Velasquez throughout his career. Please note that this column contains spoilers of all of Velasquez’ previous fights. Also the movie Machete.

In the life of the UFC champ, Velasquez is a Mexican fighter who couldn’t get fights, was given “no-win” opponents, and yet managed to dominate and win the title.

In the movie Machete, Danny Trejo plays a Mexican rebel who was set up, left for dead, and yet managed to survive and overcome.

Velasquez entered the UFC after just two professional fights because no one on the local scene wanted to fight him. He ran through his first three opponents, but people were still skeptical because of who he fought.

Machete entered a house full of thugs and easily ran through them. Since they were just your typical “nameless bad guys who are supposed to die,” I was skeptical on whether or not Machete could hold his own against the tougher villians.

Velasquez dominated Cheick Kongo, but was rocked numerous times during the fight, leaving people to question his chin. He easily dispatched of Ben Rothwell, but because of the stoppage, which was very questionable but really just saved Rothwell from death, people still wondered just how good he was.

Machete killed some more “nameless bad guys” after he was hospitalized. I was impressed with his ability to use his smarts, despite not being at 100%, sort of like Cain reverting back to his wrestling after being rocked by Kongo. Machete didn’t kill the main bad guy, Sniper, played by Shea Whigham, in the scene though, instead deciding to flee, so I still wasn’t sure he could take out the big guns of the movie.

In his two most impressive victories, Velasquez dispatched of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brock Lesnar. Unfortunately, there were still questions surrounding Cain’s wins, not because of his performances, but because of who he beat. People though Nogueira was washed up and people thought Lesnar was overrated and not 100%.

Machete’s two most impressive killings to date were a little questionable to me as well. Sniper was killed, but not directly by Machete. Instead Michael Booth, played by Jeff Fahey, killed him. I give Machete credit for the killing though because had he not gotten away, Sniper would not have been killed. The other big killing by Machete was that of Booth, but once again, Machete didn’t directly kill him. Booth was killed by John McLaughlin, played by Robert De Niro, but that killing doesn’t happen if not for Machete’s actions earlier in the movie.

Now Velasquez fights Junior dos Santos this weekend in a bout that has MMA fans salivating. Dos Santos is the #1 contender to the title, undefeated in the organization, and has steamrolled through every opponent that has stepped up to face him.

In the climax of the movie, Machete battles Torrez, who is played by Steven Seagal. That’s right, Steven Seagal. The same man that taught Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida the “kick of death.” The same Silva and Machida that have sparred with Dos Santos in the past.

In the movie, Machete kills Torrez, proving that he is the baddest Mexican on the planet and he can overcome an army of men that is led by a master warrior.

In real life, Velasquez won’t kill Dos Santos, but he will try his hardest to beat him so badly that a referee has to step in and stop him from suffering the same fate as Torrez.

Machete had the backing of the Mexican nation behind him. He was fighting for the illegal immigrants who were just looking for a job in America. Velasquez has the back of La Raza. He is fighting for the hard working Mexican’s who want a role model.

The only difference between Velasquez and Machete is that if Velasquez wins, he’ll get to hold on to a gold belt. When Machete won, he got to hold on to Sartanta Rivera, played by Jessica Alba. Advantage Machete.

In the same vein, stay tuned for the fight this Saturday when Velasquez Wins and his next fight when Velasquez Wins Again.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Headlined by undefeated champion Cain Velasquez putting his gold up for grabs against brilliant Brazilian Junior dos Santos, the card marks the first in what will be numerous UFC/FOX events over the next several years and also features fights like Pablo Garza vs. Dustin Poirier and Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson.

Velasquez, Dos Santos, and UFC President Dana White will on be on hand this afternoon for a conference call with media at 2:00 PM EST and, as usual, Five Ounces of Pain will be listening in and reporting back to readers with live highlights.

Read below for scintillating soundbytes and other interesting nuggets of information:

Cain Velasquez:

- Says there will be some butterflies but none more than normal even though he’s coming back from an injury
- Treating this fight like any other he’s been in / “I study my opponent, that’s pretty much it. I don’t focus on the magnitude of the fight, just the fight itself.”
- Honored to be selected to represent the UFC on FOX and expects an extremely exciting fight on November 12
- “(Promotion) is just part of the job and I’m happy to do it. It hasn’t been overwhelming – it’s been the right amount. It’s been good. I’ve been happy with it.”
- Says rehab went fine but was frustrated that he couldn’t stay active and compete.
- Was happy to see more footage of JDS, including his wrestling in his last fight.

Junior dos Santos:

- Has waited a long time for the fight and admits it was a little tough to wait so long
- Is excited and thankful about the opportunity to fight on network television and is at his best
- Means a lot to him to be fighting on the first event being shown live on Globo TV in Brazil
- Believes he is proof that good things happen to good people
- Nothing has changed the way he approaches life and training even with the increased fame/fortune
- Credits his struggles in life made him into the person he is today, he’s grateful
- Feels prepared to go five rounds but doesn’t envision it going the distance / “We’re not fighters that dodge fighting once we get into that cage.”

Dana White:

- Reminds fans that all the prelims will be streamed online including Henderson vs. Guida
- Fuel TV carrying the weigh-ins live at 4:00 PST
- Says broadcast will feature live backstage interviews and “behind the scenes” breakdown
- Unsure how future events will be handled in terms of whether they will be full shows or one-offs like the upcoming one
- The changes in UFC production start in January
- Only fight shown will be Velasquez vs. Dos Santos “even if the fight goes ten seconds”
- Knows they will take a hit on the PPV revenue by giving up a free fight like Velasquez/JDS but is thinking long term and wants to avoid the way boxing handled things / “We’re gonna get smashed on this fight but its an investment in the business, the future.”
- Picked Velasquez/JDS for a reason because he knows it will be an incredible fight so is only worried about making sure the production comes off right
- Would love to eventually hold an Ultimate Fighter World Cup
- One of the proudest moments of his career was seeing the UFC promoted on FOX during the World Series and NFL
- Says other organizations should have never been on network TV. Didn’t want to be on network TV unless he had control of things, which he got with FOX.

Though UFC champion Cain Velasquez and top contender Junior dos Santos, who face off in less than two weeks at the UFC’s historic debut on network television, were both shown training extremely hard in anticipation of their November 12 fight, the two hulking heavyweights also put a premium on time with friends/family as well as maintaining touch with their humble beginnings.

If you missed the show this past Sunday, the UFC has since been made available for public consumption through the internet. Enjoy!

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

UFC on FOX 1 will be the focal point for several UFC specials on the network leading up to the meeting between the two. Velasquez, a former standout wrestler at Arizona State University, recently took part in a Q&A session with the Toronto Sun.

Many experts believe the ground game of Velasquez will be what helps push him past the hard-hitting dos Santos. The Brazilian, though, has been a difficult fighter to get to the mat in previous battles against the likes of Shane Carwin, Roy Nelson, and Fabricio Werdum.

“If (the opportunity) is there I’ll take it, but that’s not the game plan going in. He is good in that position, but I’m not afraid to put him in that position,” Velasquez said. “If I don’t get it, I’m going to stand up with him, punch with him and kick with him. We’re going to do everything.”

In his lead-up to fighting Brock Lesnar for the UFC title, Velasquez did not take part in any of the usual pre-fight trash talk that is becoming common place for fighters. That’s not the way Velasquez goes about it.

“I think he’s a well-rounded fighter. I think he’s one of the best boxers in MMA. He has good takedown defense and if he does get taken down, he’s able to pop up right away,” Velasquez said. “And he does throw kicks here and there. He’s just really well-rounded. I don’t see him as having a gas tank problem at all. He’s been in fights with a bunch of tough guys and he’s beaten them up every round.”

As for the pressure of the bout being the first chance for the UFC to display itself on network television, Velasquez said, “Business as usual. I’m just thinking about the fight in general.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Along the many promotional stops before the popular pugilists take to the Octagon to settle their professional dispute, both men will meet with press this afternoon at 4:00 PM EST and Five Ounces of Pain will be along for the ride.

Joining Velasquez and Dos Santos on the stage will be UFC President Dana White who should no doubt have some interesting things to say given the scale of the scrap and recent rumors of Dan Henderson heading back to the UFC for a third time.

Read below for interesting items of information as they unfold from the press conference including relevant soundbytes:

Junior dos Santos:

*Says he got a lot of experience in his last two fights since they went all three rounds.

*Is excited to be on free TV for everyone to watch.

*Prepared to fight anywhere. “If he take me down, I will be ready to use my jiu-jitsu.”

*Is training in Brazil with Team Nogueira. Feels like he’s learning more everyday.

Cain Velasquez:

*Is happy to get back into the octagon after the layoff.

*Believes this is his toughest fight to date. Praises the skills of JDS.

*Doesn’t think there is any pressure to deliver and great fight, because it’s their job to fight and they always do great.

*Doesn’t think he’s a special fighter, just does what he’s asked of.

*Plans to do three-a-days for the remaining eight weeks of camp.

*”JDS is one of the hardest hitters out there, we’re definitely preparing not to get hit though.”

Dana White:

*Guarantees that whether Velasquez vs. Dos Santos goes 30 seconds or 30 minutes, it’s going to be a hell of a fight.

*Says he put this fight on Fox because he wanted a fight that he knew would be a great.

*Says they’re going to add a lot of production to the FOX event, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the fighters to fight and he knows that these two will deliver.

*Has had more meetings with FOX already than he has ever had with anyone in TV.

*Still working on how the other fights will be shown. Says they will likely be streamed on Facebook or maybe Fox.com.

*Confirms that Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida is the co-main event, but still not sure if it’ll air. Hasn’t been thinking much about the undercard fights, has just been focussed on the production.

Eric Shanks (FOX Executive):

*Jokes that the ratings need to beat the premiere of Two and A Half Men (30 million people). Says that the ad sales have been unbelievable for this fight and are already sold out.

*Says he used to work at DirecTV and that’s how he discovered UFC and how he knew it would be great.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Would it be the UFC return of Dan Henderson? How about the UFC debut of Alistair Overeem? Maybe the best fighter in the world Anderson Silva could headline the card. I know, it’ll be the return of Brock Lesnar from his recent battle with diverticulitis.

Correct answer: None of the above.

Yesterday, Dana White revealed Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title would headline the inaugural FOX event.

It’s a fight that many figured would headline the UFC 139 event in San Jose, home of American Kickboxing Academy, where Velasquez trains at, but it’s the perfect fight to kick off the partnership between UFC and FOX.

The general public loves the heavyweights. People remember the days of Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and Mike Tyson and they want those days to come back. Fans have been clamoring for a superstar heavyweight in boxing for years now, but it’s not happening because Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko are boring heavyweights who don’t get to show their personality. Not even walking hand in hand with Hayden Panettiere could help endear Wladimir to the masses. It also doesn’t help them that the heavyweight division in boxing is weak and so they’re beating up mediocre competition.

Velasquez and dos Santos are exciting and the two best heavyweights in the world. They’re evenly matched and the winner will be the undisputed best heavyweight in the sport. The fans who want a heavyweight hero, will get one when Velasquez and dos Santos square off in November. Now, is this fight Ali vs. Foreman like one FOX executive claims? No, because Ali and Foreman were well-established fighters while Velasquez and dos Santos are still young in a young sport.

Don’t worry about Cain and Junior not being well known to the public, like say, Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin. That won’t matter come November 12. UFC will be running a one hour primetime special a few weeks before the event, which will help established the name of both men and show just how hard they’re training for this fight. Not only that, but FOX is going to advertise the hell out of this event during the NFL season and the MLB playoffs. Finally, it’s the first UFC on FOX event. People are going to tune in out of intrigue, especially with the heavyweight title on the line.

This fight builds towards the future, which is really the big thing. Velasquez and dos Santos are going to be players in the UFC heavyweight division for years to come. More eyeballs than ever are going to be on these two men and their names are going to be etched into the minds of fans for as long as they’re competing. Of course, that could be a bad thing if the fight doesn’t deliver, but I have very little doubt that these two won’t deliver a very entertaining fight.

Now people are going to complain about only getting one fight, but I believe this was another smart move by UFC. Lets just say that this fight goes 25-minutes. With a pre-fight video package and the walk ins, which I hope they show because that helps build the moment of the fight, the introductions, and the post-fight interviews, this whole thing does have the potential to go one hour. UFC doesn’t want to go over that one-hour limit. They’re not like Strikeforce, a company that put three title fights on a two hour CBS show, knowing that if all three went 25-minutes, they would go over their time allotted. UFC knows how to manage their time and plan for the worst. UFC wants to be off the air at the top of the hour in order to keep affiliates happy given that this is their first show on the network. Plus, UFC actually shows preliminary fights if they have time left over, so if the heavyweight title fight only goes two minutes, fans won’t be cheated out of more action.

One issue with this fight being on FOX though, is that it leaves the UFC 139 event in San Jose without a main event. That’s kind of a big deal, considering that UFC should be using the FOX event to build the UFC 139 PPV, which takes place the next week. If UFC can get a big fight on that PPV, they can add some extra buys from the FOX audience.

UFC could have left Velasquez vs. dos Santos on the San Jose show and used FOX to promote the event, but they wanted more eyeballs on that fight. Again, that’s a fight that builds the future of the promotion. Even though UFC is still a PPV company, they also recognize how big of an opportunity it is to be on FOX and how it’s smarter to use two guys who will be in the company, and in title contention, for years to come, instead of two guys at the end of their career who may never challenge for a title again.

If you’re complaining about a title fight on network television between the two best heavyweights in the world and the present and future of the division, you are wrong, correct yourself.

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)

American Kickboxing Academy trainer Javier Mendez shed some more light on the heavyweight champ’s mindset and status in a conversation with MMAJunkie, saying, “The number one thing he likes to do is work out. When he’s not working out, he wants to spend time with his family. Other than that, he wants to be in the gym learning. If he doesn’t get to do that, it will drive him stir-crazy.”

The AKA coach also added Velasquez’s time-table for a full recovery isn’t set in stone and could even see him out of action until December depending on the process, not to mention the possibility the winner of Junior Dos Santos’ contendership-securing bout against Brock Lesnar could exit the Octagon injured.

“If he can heal quicker, great,” Mendez explained.

The 28-year old Velasquez is 9-0 in his career with eight TKOs including a first-round rendering of then-champ Lesnar into a puddle of goo at UFC 121 last October. He also holds notable wins over Ben Rothwell, Cheick Kongo, and Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

With the close of the calendar, Five Ounces of Pain brings you the final segment of our annual awards featuring the general categories fans have come to expect – Submission of the Year, Knockout of the Year, Fight of the Year, and of course Mixed Martial Artist of the Year.

As always, 5 Oz. invites our readers to offer their own opinions in the “Comments” section on who should have taken home the hardware (or in this case digital love). We would not be here without you, and rest assured the Staff not only appreciates your contributions from a “page view” standpoint, but genuinely enjoys reading our community’s take on topics. Have an incredibly fun, albeit safe, New Year’s Eve!

— Submission of the Year —

Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen / UFC 117: Though the past twelve months delivered a number of memorable BJJ-based victories, including historic moments like Fabricio Werdum tapping Fedor Emelianenko, as well as unique holds like Phil Davis‘ “Wonderbar”, Anderson Silva‘s submission of Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 stood out as the biggest of the year. There was an incredible amount of hype entering their match-up thanks in large part to Sonnen’s gift of gab and the end result lived up to the expectations that had been created. Sonnen abused Silva unlike any fighter had in the Octagon only to see his hopes of winning the middleweight belt slip away in the final two minutes of the fifth round courtesy of the Brazilian’s perfectly-timed Triangle-Armbar hybrid.

— Knockout of the Year —

Mauricio Rua vs. Lyoto Machida / UFC 113: In their first fight at UFC 104, Mauricio Rua and Lyoto Machida engaged in a human chess match where neither man wanted to make a mistake. After leaving it in the hands of the judges and coming up on the wrong end of a controversial decision, Rua had a different game plan in the rematch at UFC 113. Tasting Machida’s power in their first bout and concluding that he couldn’t be hurt, Rua went after Machida in the rematch and did something that some thought was impossible. He countered the ultimate counter fighter and he hit Machida with a big overhand right as Machida leaped in with his patented left straight. The punch dropped Machida to the mat, where Rua quickly pounced on him and delivered the infamous Chute Box choke while pounding Machida unconscious with right hands. The fight-ending series earned “Shogun” the UFC Light Heavyweight Title and the distinction for Five Ounces’ top knockout of 2010.

— Fight of the Year —

Kazuo Misaki vs. Jorge Santiago II / SRC 14: Our selection for this year’s top fight was a match-up a lot of MMA fans likely missed based on location (Japan) and promotion (Sengoku). However, those who have been fortunate enough to see Jorge Santiago’s SRC middleweight title defense against Kazuo Misaki this past August understand exactly how incredible the bout was. The two respected 185-pounders battled for the bulk of five rounds before Misaki’s corner was forced to throw in a towel to stop things with less than a minute remaining in the fight. However, prior to the stoppage, “The Grabaka Hitman” had controlled a good portion of the early action before being dropped in the third then returning the favor a frame later. The championship clash involved near finishes for both and a spectacular, last-minute ending that likely saved Santiago from losing his belt. It may not have been the highest profile fight of 2010, but it was by all means arguably the best of the bunch.

— Mixed Martial Artist of the Year —

Cain Velasquez. There were plenty of stand-out performers in 2010 but no one rose to super-stardom quite like Cain Velasquez. His journey started at UFC 110 against former PRIDE and UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Even though he had dominated previous competition like Ben Rothwell, Cheick Kongo, Jake O’Brien and other more-forgettable UFC heavyweights, Nogueira was Velasquez’ first true test inside the Octagon. Coming into the fight, many believed Nogueira was back to his old form after displaying his complete array of skills against Randy Couture and that his well-roundedness combined with his experience would give Velasquez more than he could handle. If this was Velasquez’ first real test, he passed with flying colors. Nogueira threw one jab and Velasquez countered with a three punch combination, including a right hook that sent “Big Nog” down to the mat in a heap. A few unanswered punches later and Velasquez had scored his first UFC main event win and a shot at the UFC Heavyweight Title. The “Cain Train” had officially left the station, ready to take out anything in its way.

Enter his next challenge. UFC 121 may have been promoted during “Brocktober,” but the million-plus people that bought UFC 121 saw the former WWE superstar fall victim to a far superior fighter. The UFC promoted this fight as one of the biggest of all time, giving it three weeks of strong promotion with the “UFC Primetime” series going deep into each fighter’s training camp. The UFC knew that Brock Lesnar would draw strong and they took that opportunity to fully introduce their fanbase to the next great Mexican-American sports star. When fight night came around Lesnar came out charging, but Velasquez weathered the early storm to take complete control of the fight. What followed was utter domination and in less than five minutes Velasquez became the UFC Heavyweight Champion, utterly destroying the former champion in such a way that no doubt can be left as to who is the better man. 2010 was an extremely strong year for the heavyweight division and Velasquez led the charge. One year ago he was a strong prospect, and now he’s the top heavyweight fighter in the world.

News of Velasquez’s status was first reported by MMAFighting with MMAJunkie confirming the exact nature of the affliction shortly thereafter in a conversation with trainer Javier Mendez.

The undefeated champion ascended from highly-touted prospect to title-holder with an impressive showing in 2010 featuring a first-round knockout of Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira in February followed up by his dominant showing against then champ Lesnar in October. In addition to the pair of wins, Velasquez has also emerged with his hands raised against respected adversaries like Ben Rothwell and Cheick Kongo. Six of the All-American wrestler’s nine total victories have occurred by way of TKO/KO in the opening frame of the fight.

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.

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.

The news of the recent shifting of the bout comes courtesy of a recent report from MMAJunkie.com.

UFC 110 is expected for February and will mark the first time the promotion ventures to Australia.

The two had previously been scheduled to face off during the main event of UFC 108 slated for January 2, but luckily Nogueira must feel optimistic enough to compete just one month later.

Velasquez will be looking to build upon his undefeated record and his most recent victories over respected heavyweights in Ben Rothwell and Cheick Kongo, while Nogueira is coming off of his electrifying war waged with Randy Couture in which he was awarded with the decision, following the disappointing TKO defeat at the hands of Frank Mir.

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

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

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

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