In the case of stand-out scrapper Jim Miller, a 20-3 lightweight who headlines tonight’s UFC on FX event, it appears the latter group is onto something. Miller spoke with Five Ounces of Pain during the lead up to this evening’s affair where he offered a frank assessment when asked about his interest in moving over to Strikeforce if it meant an immediate crack at Melendez’s strap.

“Melendez is a great fighter and could come over to the UFC and jump right into the mix without a doubt. I don’t know what’s left for him over there, but I am sure they will find him some quality opponents,” Miller began on the widely respected 155-pounder before talk turned to fighting in Strikeforce.

“Even if the money was comparable I don’t think I would make the move over there,” said Miller. “Once you have been in the UFC you don’t want to go backwards. This is the major leagues of MMA. Nothing against Strikeforce, but the opportunities here are far better. More exposure, more sponsors, bigger crowds and obviously more challenging fights.”

What the future holds for Miller remains to be seen though his present focus is clearly on beating Melvin Guillard tonight in Nashville. Action starts on FX at 9:00 PM EST with prelims coming on Fuel TV a few hours earlier.

It is likely Melendez will eventually face the winner of a scheduled bout between K.J. Noons-Josh Thomson who face off in early March.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

With the recent Strikeforce-Showtime contract hashed out, Melendez will remain part of the Strikeforce lineup for the foreseeable future. However, that doesn’t mean someone from the UFC cannot be brought in to face him for the title.

For Melendez, it doesn’t matter who it is, as the champion said in an interview with Showtime following the Masvidal fight, “It’s tough, but it’s great (to be the champion) because everyone is coming after my belt. I am happy to say I am still the champ.”

The 29-year old decided to stand and strike with Masvidal instead of relying on his excellent ground game, something many did not expect.

“I was eager to prove everyone wrong (in regards to the stand-up),”Melendez said. “I knew I had to strike with him, and (Masvidal) was the toughest striker I have ever faced. But I feel like I might be the best striker in the 155 division now.”

Check out the video below:

UFC president Dana White seemed to be the main voice behind the probability of Melendez being signed by the UFC, so the odds looked bleak as far as “El Nino” ever defending his Strikeforce title again . However, in the ensuing weeks it was revealed that Melendez would be back inside a Strikeforce cage and not the UFC Octagon later this year, as he’s set to face Jorge Masvidal in the main event of a Strikeforce card on December 17 from San Diego, California. It will be his second fight this year with a first round TKO over Tatsuya Kawajiri a few months back.

With all that being said, is Melendez upset about remaining in Strikeforce and not being paired up with UFC 155-pound king Frankie Edgar or any other of the elite lightweights in the UFC? Not a chance.

“Nah, I’m not disappointed at all. The hype was there for a second. I was jazzed. I was hoping,” said Melendez, in a recent interview with MMAFighting. “I’m more popular than ever now…Dana White, the man, said go check Gilbert out and now people are checking me out. So I’m actually grateful on that. I’m an optimistic guy. I look at that like a glass half-full.”

Melendez has put together a 19-2 record, including 11 victories by knockout. He has not lost since 2008 when Josh Thomson defeated him via decision. Melendez has since avenged that loss, along with his only other career defeat to Mitsuhiro Ishida.

As for making the leap to the UFC – which seems inevitable – Melendez is just letting his managers take care of that, saying, “I’m ready for the big stage, I’m ready for all challenges.”

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

For now, though, Melendez remains in Strikeforce, where he has an upcoming title bout set with Jorge Masvidal in December. That hasn’t kept Melendez from thinking about what the UFC has to offer, especially in terms of a super-fight with champion Frankie Edgar.

“The UFC title is the best belt. I want that belt and I want it as soon as possible,” said Melendez recently on The MMA Hour. “I’m definitely impressed by Frankie. He’s an amazing fighter. He’s great. I honestly feel like I’m the No. 1 contender and I feel like I’m ready for the title shot now.”

Melendez, who trains with the likes of Nate Diaz and Nick Diaz, as well as with Jake Shields, is 19-2 with five straight wins since a loss to Josh Thomson in 2008. He has finished three of his last five opponents.

While White tries to figure out a way to get Melendez out of Strikeforce and into the UFC, Melendez continues to focus his training on Masvidal.

“He’s the first guy in line. I think he’s the No. 1 contender, as of now, in Strikeforce, and as of now I have to focus on that guy,” Melendez said. “He’s real tough. But it’s hard not to get excited when you hear all these rumors.”

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/ESTHER LIN

Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson

White opened up about the company’s interest in bringing the gold-wearing grappler on board where he made it clear Melendez’s days as Strikeforce champ are numbered (much like the promotion itself it seems).

“We’re going to bring Melendez over ASAP. We’re looking to bring him over now,” White explained to MMAWeekly.

“El Nino” certainly doesn’t appear opposed to the idea, telling the media outlet in a follow-up discussion that he’s currently focused on a December defense against top contender Jorge Masvidal but would “be there in a heartbeat” if asked to join the UFC lightweight division.

Melendez holds an overall record of 19-2 and is widely considered to be one of the “Top 3” 155-pounders in MMA. He is currently on a five-fight winning streak and owns past victories over a number of respected peers including Josh Thomson, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Shinya Aoki.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

News of the title-fight first surfaced today in an interview with Melendez’s coach, Cesar Gracie, while speaking with MMAFighting.

Masvidal’s victory over Noons was his second in a row since joining Strikeforce on a regular basis and his third overall in the promotion. The 26-year old Miami native holds a record of 22-6 including success against a number of notable opponents such as Satoru Kitoaka, Billy Evangelista, Yves Edwards, and Joe Lauzon.

The 19-2 Melendez has had his hands raised in five straight fights and owns wins under the Strikeforce banner over Clay Guida, Josh Thomson, Shinya Aoki, and most recently against Tatsuya Kawajiri this past April. His dominant performance against Kawajiri resulted in a TKO midway through the opening round of action, the eleventh strike-based stoppage of his career.

The only major Strikeforce event currently planned for the fall takes place on September 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio but is unlikely to host Melendez vs. Masvidal as the card already features the semifinal round from the World Grand Prix in addition to Mo Lawal vs. Roger Gracie and 185-pound champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza defending his belt against Luke Rockhold.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Mark Munoz Targeting C.B. Dollaway’s Chin UFC Live 3 (Versus.com)

Eddie Alvarez vs. Pat Curran Made Official for Bellator 39 (5thRound.com)

Jorge Masvidal Talks Match-Up with Billy Evangelista (Lowkick.com)

A Closer Look at Last Weekend’s BAMMA 5 Event in Photos (MiddleEasy.com)

The Top 10 Fighters in Strikeforce are… (BleacherReport.com)

Dana White Thought B.J. Penn Deserved the Nod Over Jon Fitch at UFC 127 (MMAConvert.com)

Gilbert Melendez is a Man on a Mission (FIGHT! Magazine)

Strikeforce Almost Booked Chad Griggs vs. Dan Cormier this Weekend (CagePotato.com)

Martin Kampmann Talks Beating Diego Sanchez Later Tonight on Versus (MMAFighting.com)

According to a report on Sherdog it looks as though 155-pound king Melendez may face Japanese slugger Tatsuya Kawajiri while Diaz’s opponent has yet to be determined.

A catchweight clash with rival Jason “Mayhem” Miller was not mentioned to be in the works for Diaz but rather a title-defense with the two names offered as potential opposition by the outspoken welterweight’s trainer, Cesar Gracie, being Tyron Woodley and Paul Daley. Daley is currently scheduled to fight Yuya Shirai on Saturday night for British organization BAMMA and would have to emerge victorious in order to maintain his status as a possible contender.

“Strikeforce is my home, they’ve always been like family to me and I’m looking forward to continuing my career with them,” said Melendez of the decision to prolong his partnership with the promotion.

Melendez holds an overall record of 18-2 but been out of action since April due to a suspension resulting from his role in the infamous post-fight brawl at “Strikeforce: Nashville” and a desire to spend time with his newborn daughter.

“There are a lot of great fights out there for me – lots of challenges. I can’t wait to get back into the cage, do my thing and show the world that I’m still at the top of my game,” explained the 28-year old Californian who also made it clear he didn’t have anyone in particular on his mind in terms of a contender to his Strikeforce title.

“It doesn’t matter who I fight. I just want to get back in there and rip.”

Prior to his in-ring hiatus Melendez had won four straight fights including victories over Josh Thomson, Mitsuhiro Ishida, and most recently Shinya Aoki. Additionally, he holds past wins over Tatsuya Kawajiri and Clay Guida as well the notable distinction of never having been finished in his career with both losses being the result of a decision.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

As always, don’t consider this gospel. The fact is, when two finely-tuned individuals step into a cage and let loose the difference between consciousness and looking up at the ceiling is a matter of milliseconds no matter who is ranked where. The individuality inherently involved in a subjective endeavor like ranking fighters, many of whom could easily be argued as deserving different spots based on personal criteria, is not only recognized on Five Ounces’ end but also encouraged in the form of offering your own lists in the “Comments” section below.

1. Frank Edgar (13-1)

Edgar’s mixture of boxing, wrestling, and conditioning make him extremely difficult to defeat as evident in two consecutive wins over a man who was believed to be unbeatable at 155-pounds, B.J. Penn. The UFC lightweight champ’s speed is also among the best in the division. While I’m far from confident he’d handle any of the four men below him, I’ll never doubt Edgar’s ability to emerge victorious in the face of adversity. He may have fallen victim to Gray Maynard’s ground-control and size/strength advantage when they originally faced off, but with his dubyas over Penn, plus Sean Sherk, Tyson Griffin, and Jim Miller, I think he’s definitely deserving of the division’s top spot until at least the conclusion of UFC 125 when the world has a chance to see how he handles “The Bully” a second time.

2. Gilbert Melendez (18-2)

“El Nino” reminds me a bit of Edgar in terms of technical prowess with power in place of the New Jersey fighter’s quickness. He’s rarely outwrestled and can stand with the best if a fight’s pacing dicates the necessity to do so (or he simply feels like proving a point). I personally thought he deserved the decision over Mitsuhiro Ishida at “Yarennoka 2007”, and would have likely received it had the bout been somewhere other than Japan, but a loss is a loss and there is no arguing his underwhelming performance against Josh Thomson in June 2008. However, I believe he grew from each experience and is even better today. For evidence of his evolution, look at the fact he knocked Ishida out in their rematch and thoroughly dominated Thomson when they faced off again, not to mention his dismantling of Shinya Aoki earlier this year.

3. Eddie Alvarez (21-2)

For those that might question Alvarez’s ranking, especially when you consider neither of his career losses have involved the judges’ scorecards, I think the proof is in the poundings. Alvarez has only won by decision twice in his twenty-one total victories and is currently riding a streak of seven straight finishes. Maynard has half his wins and a tenth of his TKOs/submissions, while Penn is coming off back-to-back losses and won’t be returning to 155-pounds until mid-2011 (if ever). Alvarez has power, multi-tiered striking, athleticism, and high-level grappling. In baseball terms, Alvarez is a “five-tool” player, and from a rounded-skills standpoint might be the best overall in this total bunch.

4. B.J. Penn (16-7-1)

Penn is as unique as they come in MMA and defines what it means to be a genuine “fighter” better than most in the sport. His knockout of Matt Hughes at UFC 123 was amazing, as have been so many of his victories, and I truly believe a motivated Baby Jay is likely to mop the floor with anyone who doesn’t have phenomenal wrestling/top-control. He took former UFC 205-pound champ Lyoto Machida to decision in 2005. Need I say more?

5. Gray Maynard (10-0)

I have Maynard slightly above Aoki based on his boxing and wrestling, as those seemed to be two areas Aoki severely struggled in against Melendez and could be susceptible to again if by some incredible feat he was opposite “The Bully” in a ring. The XTreme Couture original has never cleanly fallen, only earning a “No Contest” after knocking himself and his opponent out with a slam, while racking up wins over multiple names on this list, including of course UFC champ Edgar, as well as the always-tough Nate Diaz and Roger Huerta. He may not always come away victorious in the most pleasing of fashions but he’s effective at what he does in the ring and will remain an extremely tough draw for any adversary until proven otherwise.

6. Shinya Aoki (26-5)

Aoki is a victim of not having consistently faced ranked lightweight competitors. While his affiliation with DREAM has allowed him to occasionally take on some of the division’s best, he also gets drawn into bouts built for padding his stats rather than furthering his career. He’s good enough to beat Alvarez, J.Z. Cavalcante, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, yet was completely out-classed by Melendez and has had his knees-knocked on more than one occasion in the past. There’s no question he’s a submission savant but until he improves his takedown defense and stand-up I see his future involving a number of ups and downs, and he can’t get better taking on people like Marcus Aurelio and Yokthai Sithoar in back-to-back bouts.

7. Sean Sherk (36-4-1)

“The Muscle Shark” is an interesting case, as all four of his career losses have come to former/current UFC champions (Penn, Edgar, Hughes, and Georges St. Pierre). Considering that fact, in addition to the notion he’s fought 41 times and beaten people like Ken Florian, Evan Dunham, and Nick Diaz, it almost seems as though he deserves to be higher on most lists, including this one. However, his victory over Dunham was razor-thin and saved him from consecutive defeats and he hasn’t been particularly active over the last few years. With five fights since 2007, two of which involved defeat, it’s difficult to know exactly how he stacks up in the mix. Though the 37-year old’s wrestling and top-control are top notch, they’re also his only real weapons in the cage and aren’t always enough to carry him to victory.

8. Ken Florian (13-5)

Florian is constantly on the cusp of lightweight greatness but hasn’t been able to get over the hump for some reason. He’s an underrated striker with solid wrestling and the ability to attack from any position on the ground. “KenFlo” has only been finished once at 155-pounds, to Penn, while submitting the likes of Clay Guida, Takanori Gomi, and Joe Stevenson, but also struggled in some of his biggest fights including both of his past title-shots (and most recently a bout against Maynard set to establish a top divisional contender).

9. George Sotiropoulos (14-2)

The Aussie is one of the hottest 155-pounders out there at the moment. He’s riding an eight-fight win streak, including convincing performances against Stevenson, Joe Lauzon, and Kurt Pellegrino. He’s also yet to be finished in sixteen bouts. His stand-up is crisp and diverse, while his BJJ is other-worldly at times and always a major threat to prematurely ending an opponent’s evening.

10. Evan Dunham (11-1)

Dunham is a rising star to be sure with a single loss thus far in his career (and a split-decision to Sherk at that). His performances haven’t been mind-blowing in nature but it’s hard to fault him too much when considering who he’s faced since joining the UFC. However, with each in-ring appearance, the diamond that Dunham is becomes more and more apparent. He’s growing from simply being good at everything to great.

11. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2)

Kawajiri has faced a number of talented lightweights over his years in Japan and, though he hasn’t always come out ahead in terms of result, he’s been a consistent competitor whose wrestling and power have been good enough to earn victory more often than not. His four losses over the past six years came to Melendez, Alvarez, Aoki, and a prime Gomi. Other than that, “Crusher” emerged victorious in all sixteen other bouts during that period minus a draw with Caol Uno in early 2004.

12. Jim Miller (18-2)

If Miller had more high-profile fights under his belt in the UFC I honestly believe he’d be a consensus “Top 10” guy. Miller has quietly racked up seven wins in the UFC with single loss to Maynard at UFC 96. He’s won his last five bouts while beating respectable adversaries like Mac Danzig, Duane Ludwig, and Mark Bocek during the streak. On top of that, the 27-year old New Jersey native has never been finished in his career and his only other loss besides Maynard came to Edgar four years ago.

13. K.J. Noons (9-2)

Though Noons hasn’t necessarily fought any “Top 10” lightweights, he went five full rounds against Five Ounces’ #4 welterweight (the elder Diaz) last October and put enough pepper on his face in their previous match-up to merit a doctor’s stoppage. He’s perhaps the most powerful, boxing-based fighter in this group and has shown improvement in terms of both his wrestling and submission-defense as of late. He’d won six straight prior to the decision loss to Diaz and was not only the first person to TKO Jorge Gurgel, but the last person to finish Yves Edwards (two years ago).

14. Ben Henderson (12-1)

It’s easy to appreciate Henderson’s athleticism and submission-skills, as well as his precision when standing, but unfortunately he’s only fought three times in the last eighteen months against a combination of two opponents (Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone). If he gets by Anthony Pettis at WEC 53, there’s no doubt “Bendo” will continue to climb in the rankings as his UFC career blossoms. However, until fans see him in the Octagon with a few ranked, seasoned veterans it will be hard to determine exactly how far up he can go.

15. Josh Thomson (18-3)

There are a number of worthwhile Mixed Martial Artists as deserving of this spot as Thomson but I picked “The Punk” for a few reasons. He’s 10-1 in his last eleven fights with the only defeat coming to Melendez in their rematch. Within those ten victories is a dominating decision against the afore-mentioned Melendez, as well as a hard-fought win over widely-respected Brazilian (J.Z.) Cavalcante and a few other worthwhile foes like Ludwig, Nam Phan, and Pat Healy. He’s only been finished a single time in his career, and is also a really good wrestler with excellent conditioning and quick, accurate striking. Though he may not get the respect he would if he still fought for Zuffa, he still deserves consideration for what he’s accomplished outside of the Octagon.

Honorable Mentions

Gesias “J.Z.” Cavalcante (15-4-1): The American Top Team representative hasn’t recovered his stride since a slew of injuries sidelined him in 2008-2009, but he’s still an extremely talented individual with significant wins in his career and a full bag of tricks to pull from inside the ring. He’s also never been TKO’d or submitted.
Takanori Gomi (32-6): “The Fireball Kid” is still clinging on to rankings-relevance after being one of, if not the, most exciting lightweights in MMA during his run in PRIDE/Shooto. He’s 3-3 in his last six fights, but looked to have possibly recaptured the same magic bringing him to the forefront of the sport when he knocked Tyson Griffin out this past August.

The two will face off during “Strikeforce: Evolution” on December 19 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

The news of the bout was confirmed in a midnight bulletin over at GracieFighter.com early Monday morning.

Thomson was forced to the sidelines in both of the pair’s previously scheduled rematch bouts due to ankle and leg injuries. The December showdown with Melendez will mark The Punk’s first return to action since he TKO’d Ashe Bowman at the Playboy Mansion in September of 2008.

Melendez has seen action twice since the decision defeat at the hands of Thomson in July of 2008, knocking out Rodrigo Damm in April of this year, and avenging a former loss while battering Mitsuhiro Ishida in August.

A full list of the bouts expected for “Strikeforce: Evolution” are listed below:

Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert Melendez

Cung Le vs. Scott Smith

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Matt Lindland

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Mike Whitehead

Robbie Lawler vs. TBA

Scott Lighty vs. Antwain Brit

Melendez vs. Ishida

There are members of Mitsuhiro Ishida‘s camp that hold strong suspicions that something slippery was going on in the  lightweight’s recent rematch defeat at the hands of Gilbert Melendez as part of “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg” on Saturday evening.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has been able to confirm through the California State Athletic Commission that members of Ishida’s camp have issued a verbal complaint that Melendez was greased up in the pair’s August 15 bout in San Jose, California.

Of course, a verbal complaint is nothing more than that; a verbal complaint. No formal complaint has been issued at this time, and Ishida’s camp has five days to submit something in writing if he has the intent to.

Melendez was able to wear down and finish “The Endless Warrior” in the rematch, stopping the Japanese fighter in the third round via TKO, and avenging his first professional defeat in the process.

Stay tuned to FiveOuncesOfPain.com as we keep you up to date on any further developments in this story.

Strikeforce

Thomson has been rehabilitating a broken leg suffered in training months ago, and apparently the injury has not been allowed the proper time to fully recover.

It was recently being reported by numerous sources that Mitsuhiro Ishida has been tabbed as a replacement for Thomson, and FiveOuncesOfPain.com has since been able to confirm the news of the bout-change through Strikeforce.

They will face off at “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg“, which is slated for August 15 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The event will air live on Showtime.

The pair are far from strangers as Ishida holds the first defeat in the career of Melendez when they first met in Japan on New Years Eve, 2007. Ishida was able to control Melendez and edge out a hard fought unanimous decision in what was considered to be a mild upset at the time.

Melendez recently bounced back from losing his Strikeforce championship to Thomson in June of 2008 by knocking Rodrigo Damm senseless at “Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz” in April of this year.

Ishida will be looking to get back in the win column following a recent TKO defeat at the hands of Mizuto Hirota in Tokyo that came on the heels of back-to-back victories for the powerful wrestler known as “The Endless Warrior”.

Showtime officials issued a press release Wednesday night announcing that Thomson vs. Melendez II had been scrubbed in light of the fact that Thomson recently broke his leg during a sparring session with fellow Strikeforce competitor Billy Evangelista.

“I was sparring hard and I broke my leg, above my ankle, during an exchange,” the 30-year-old Thomson is quoted as saying in the release. “I’m very upset. All the hard work was done and it was time to fight,” said the injured champ. “I was looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans. All I can say is that I’ll be back when I get healthy.”

Melendez is expected to remain on the card with Strikeforce officials currently in the midst of seeking out a new opponent.

Strikeforce’s April 11 event is slated to emanate from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The card, which will mark the first of a multi-fight agreement with premium cable network Showtime, will be headlined by former Strikeforce middleweight champion Frank Shamrock taking on Nick Diaz at a catchweight of 179 pounds.

A source close to the bout informed us of the news earlier today but voice mail and text messages left for Strikeforce officials requesting comment about the matchup were not immediately returned.

Strikeforce Founder and CEO Scott Coker has stated publicly that he wanted to sign a fight between Thomson and former EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons. However, the match was never finalized as Noons turned down the opportunity to fight for the title in order to focus on his boxing career.

There had been some speculation that Melendez could square off against former UFC lightweight Jorge Gurgel but there is no word why that matchup never became official.

Thomson and Melendez previously fought this past June with then-champion Melendez losing his title after Thomson recorded a five-round unanimous decision victory.

Thomson, 16-2, last fought in September during a Strikeforce event at the Playboy Mansion. Facing Ashe Bowman in a non-title encounter, Thomson won following a TKO just 1:14 into the fight.

Melendez, 14-2, has not competed since June and has sustained two losses in his last three fights. Prior to that, the former PRIDE Bushido star had won his first 13 fights and was once a top ten ranked lightweight in every major rankings poll.

Strikeforce’s April 11 event will be televised on Showtime and will feature former Strikeforce middleweight champion Frank Shamrock taking on Nick Diaz at a bout to be contested as a catchweight of 179 pounds. Other officially announced matchups include former EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields vs. Joe Riggs and a middleweight matchup between Benji Radach and Scott Smith.

Now, Melendez is preparing to get back in the cage in the not-so-distant future.

“You’ll see me before the end of the year,” said Melendez, “I have a lot to improve in the meantime so you’ll see a much better fighter the next time out.”

At only 26, it is not far-fetched to believe that Melendez will quickly get back into the rankings as one of the best lightweights in the world. He hopes that will happen with his current organization although he stopped short of guaranteeing it.

“I have one fight left with Strikeforce, and I like them a lot,” Melendez said, “Maybe they’ll be in my future, but we’ll have to see.”

One thing Melendez is sure of though is that he wants revenge in his next fight.

“I want to get in there with both Thomson and Ishida. They both beat me with good strategies so now I’m going watch them so I can beat them up next time.”

– UFCjunkie.com is citing a report in the Biloxi Sun-Herald middleweight Alan Belcher has signed a new four fight contract with the UFC. His next fight is scheduled for UFC 77 in Cincinnati on Oct. 20 against Kalib Starnes. If Belcher can string together a few more victories then you never know what might happen in the wide open UFC middleweight division.

– According to The Fight Network, Dustin Hazelett has been offered a chance to fight Jonathan Goulet at UFC Fight Night 11 on Sept. 19 as the injury replacement for Mike Swick.

– Ryan from FightLinker.com is reporting that according to Jorge Oliviera, Evan Tanner could end up fighting Dean Lister at UFC 79. Right now UFC 79 is looking like it will be taking place on Dec. 29 at either the MGM or Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (although, one would hope the UFC would try and book the Thomas & Mack if Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva ends up being signed). According to Ryan, Oliviera is a training parter of Tanner’s. I enjoy Ryan’s site and I’m not questioning him on his info, but I won’t believe that Tanner is coming back to the UFC until I actually see him enter the Octagon again.

– My recently conducted interview with UFC president Dana White could be appearing on CBSSports.com sometime today. I’ll post an update here when it goes live.

According to Lister’s manager, Jerry Villasenor, Lister would like to fight the winner of the middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin at UFC 77. I don’t see that happening until Lister gets 1-2 wins under his belt.

You can read the entire report by clicking here.