On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who entered as many of your stories were moving and sincerely made me wish we had enough prizes to send to the entire lot. Never before have I been so proud to be a part of the 5 OZ community!

And the winners are (followed by some of the excellent entries we received)…

Will Vogenitz
Stephen Floyd Jones
Ray Mercado
Shane Reilly
Christopher Bolinski

If your name is on that list you will receive an email confirming the distinction. If not, again, thank you for taking the time to be part of this contest and rest assured we will have future giveaways coming down the road.

Now for a few of your inspirational stories:

“Five days after my fifteenth birthday my father passed away. He was only 41 years old and a diabetic. I found myself turning away from my family and mostly my mother and turning to my friends for guidance and support. At the ripe age of 17 I dropped out of high school and entered into the United States Army. Ft. Knox Kentucky is where at 17 I found myself amongst a group of much older and wiser men. Scared shitless would be to say the least. I was a kid trying to play an adults game. Two days after arriving I sprained my ankle on a march. I was placed in a cast and separated from all of the others. Two months and one day after I arrived I found myself with a medical discharge for my ankle injury. I was still 17 without the support and guidance of the US Army or the education from high school. I attempted to re-enter high school. The school district did not want to allow me to enter back as they stated that no one has ever dropped out and attempted to come back and be successful. I explained that they did not know me. Two years later I graduated with the largest scholarship awarded in my county, attended Utica College of Syracuse University and became Recreational Therapist. Currently I work with court adjudicated juvenile delinquents after they were placed in residential placements and have a wonderful family with a wife and 2 children, oh yeah and my 2 German Shepherds. Thanks for taking the time to read this even if I do not win, getting my story heard means a lot.” – Chris

“My cousin Geoff was born with downs syndrome 25 years ago. I’ve seen this courageous young man grow into an amazing guy. He’s gone through alot in his life. He went to regular school and was picked on and such from a young age and still does today. Despite being picked on he overcame his “Disability” and has become a hard working, Dedicated young man. He’s been a true inspiration to me as watching him grow up showed me to never doubt yourself, Always believe that you can become anything and accomplish your goals. Geoff is my inspiration to become the best that I can be!” – Andrew

“I was never comfortable with confrontation because I was beat up a lot back in high school. One day during driving class I was bullied to a fight which I promptly backed down for fear of becoming humiliated, walking away pretending I was “bigger than that”, honestly he would have had it coming. As I did I was attacked from behind and sent to the hospital for two days. I decided while in there that I needed to do something to end my shameful unwillingness to defend myself. I sought out several programs and decided to take a chance with something called “Krav Maga”. The first class I ever participated in I was throwing up flem (I don’t smoke). It was addictive for sure, then eventually they introduced different stress drills designed to get students used to our own nervous emotions and adrenaline rushes. I’ve been with it ever since then, however a year into it a random drunk tried shoving me to the side yelling at me for no apparent reason. Without thinking I swung…and knocked him out cold. I went to make sure his friends weren’t going to jump in and as I did I got punched in the back of my head sending my hand through a mirror above an ATM. They ran, I laughed, then I fished the piece of mirror lodged in my wrist out myself where the gashly scar remains. I literally look at it some days reflecting on my transition and my journey in doing so. I hold myself now at a higher standard without letting anyone take that right from me.” – Charles

“My son was born a cardiac child. Three holes in his heart, parachuted mitral valve, enlarged pulmonary artery, cystic hygroma, and club feet. It’s a lot to work with for your first child, but we had been informed there were likely going to be these issues, ultra sounds are a wonderful early detection machine. The six open heart surgeries were tough to get through, as was the fact that he was blue for almost his entire first year. But the hardest part, at least for me, was the day we took him home. He was half the size of a normal baby so they couldn’t perform all the surgeries immediately. We had been living at the Ronald McDonald house near the hospital for 3 months while he was still in the NICU. We lived 100 miles away in a small town and wanted badly to take him home by Christmas. The doctors and installed and central iv line into his heart to deliver medicine every three hours 24/7. We assured them that, if they gave us the medicine, we would give it to him on time. The doctors agreed and let us take our child home for three months until his next scheduled surgery. My wife was still recovering from the pregnancy (whole ‘nother story) so the job of administering his medicine fell to me. For three months every day at Midnight, 3am, 6am, noon, 3pm, and 6pm; I woke, measured the medicine, attached the machine to my baby sons chest, delivered the medicine and observed him for any complications. Each delivery took around 30 minutes. For three months I didn’t sleep for longer than 2 hrs at a time. The doctors were impressed. Today my son is in the Second grade. He’s smart, funny, and a hell of a good dancer.” – Shane

“My boyfriend Robert Flores has wanted to be an MMA fighter since he was a young child. He grew up watching wrestling and watching Tito Ortiz grow in the octagon and also knew he wanted to get into something fighting related. When he was 13 years old, his jiu jitsu instructor entered him in the local NAGA tornament where he competed against adults in the expert division. He won 1st place beating grown men. He was ecstatic and what made the day even better was that an idol of his, Matt Serra was there. He approaced Matt Serra after to get a picture with him and he told Matt that he has just won 1st place and Matt Serra responded “Thats good but this sport isn’t for everyone kid”, and walked away. Robbie was heartbroken and quit training for a while. He started fighting again a few years later and switched fight camps.He earned his black belt in MMA in 6 months, became a level 3 instructor and took a few kickboxing and MMA fights in 2008 and 2009. Robbie was doing really well until he got into a bad car accident and the contracted tuberculosis in the same year. He was quarantined in a hospital in Westchester, NY and was forced to put mma on the backburner. He has since recovered fully and changed camps again and is still struggling to take it to the next level. He has had such a hard road to his dream, and there is much more that I haven’t even mentioned.” – Dorothea

“My side job is doing Quality Assurance Inspections for a local non profit which serves the Developmentally Disabled community. Day in & out I see folks whose afflictions interfere with and effect their avid pursuit of a fulfilling life… the clients I work with are involved in vocational programs and educational programs that help them become part of the community through work and social inclusions. There is a group of younger clients whom attend a vocational program in which they learn automotive maintance. At first you would say to your self sounds like a bit of a challenge for this particular sect of society BUT this group of guys ( most of whom have been part of the program 10 plus years) perform oil changes, rotate tires, change washer blades and a slew of other minor maintence issues. When this program started nobody believed this group could be successfully trained to perform these tasks but they have been so successful 2 of them have actually landed jobs in repair shops in the area. The mission statement of the org. is “What really matters is what you do with what you have…” I used to think blah blah another cheesy sentiment but then I realized as I worked with this community more and more they really truely make the most of their lives. Things we take for granted are major accomplishments for these folks and if the rest of the population put as much effort into bettering themselves as I have seen these folks put forth, then the world would probably be rolling a bit smoother.” – Ray

“I have a friend that passed away on October 19, 2010. My friend Dane Strassman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma back in 1996. Dane with his wife and 2 children battled his cancer through chemo for over a year and a half and in 1998 Dane was found to have beaten Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Surviving and beating cancer is an amazing miracle and Dane changed his life completely by eating healthly and being active. But sad to say that on October 19, 2011 my friend Dane was found passed out behind the wheel of his car at a traffic light in Philadelphia, Pa. A short while later he was pronounced dead due to a massive heart attack. Since Dane’s passing his life has been an inspiration to me. I have changed my life by living healthy and living it to the fullest. It just proves that we are here today but are not promised tomorrow.” – Will

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

This time around we have a Matt Hamill Prize Pack for one lucky reader including a shirt from TapouT and some additional material related to the recently released biography “The Hammer,” a movie receiving critical acclaim at numerous film festivals chronicling the highs and lows of Hamill’s life.

To be eligible for the drawing, interested parties need to submit a paragraph involving a story about overcoming adversity whether in your own life or that of someone you know. We are only looking for a few sentences so please understand there is no need to write a novel – just a paragraph.

UPDATE: We have been able to procure four additional Prize Packs so the contest is being extended. The entries have been fantastic so far by the way! Additionally, even if you don’t have a personal story to share or have sent something in already and want to increase your odds of winning, you can also get your name in the drawing by posting a 5 OZ link in a forum (then emailing in evidence), by liking us on Facebook, or all of the above.

Send your entry to “hammergiveaway@yahoo.com” and we’ll randomly select a winner from the bunch. Submissions must be received no later than midnight on November 19.

Also, make sure to check out “The Hammer” if it’s showing in your area or when it shows up on DVD in a few months. It’s a movie not only MMA fans will love but people who appreciate an underdog overcoming the odds to achieve his dreams.

The 35-year old Hamill, who has recently stepped away from competition to focus on things in his personal life, compiled a 10-4 record in his MMA career as the only deaf athlete to ever grace the Octagon. He racked up a number of impressive wins during his run in the famous eight-sided cage including those over Mark Munoz, Keith Jardine, and Tito Ortiz.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Hamill explained his decision through a message on his website where he wrote, “Today is a sad day for me. After six years and 13 fights in the UFC I’m ready to hang up my gloves and retire from this amazing sport.”

“The UFC has been extremely good to me and given me an opportunity to make a great living,” he continued. “That exposure has allowed me options outside the Octagon as well. I just don’t have it in me to fight anymore and my last two performances have shown that… I can’t continue to fight without having the hunger and desire to do so.”

Rather than being a purely emotional reaction to his loss to Gustafsson, a match-up he agreed to on late notice, “The Hammer” stated he’d actually planned to hang up his gloves after being outpointed by Quinton Jackson at UFC 130 but was convinced by his friends, family, and coaches to give fighting one more shot to make sure.

The light heavyweight concluded his statement by saying he would continue coaching and offered his appreciation to his bosses at the UFC for giving him an opportunity, as well as the trainers and teammates helping him evolve as a fighter, but saved his most heartfelt thanks for another group of people.

“Thank you to all my friends and family for their unconditional support and most of all thank you to my fans! It’s the fans that have made this the truly special experience it has been.”

Hamill exits the sport with a 10-4 record with nine of the wins coming under the UFC banner including success against Tim Boetsch, Seth Petruzelli, Mark Munoz, Keith Jardine, and Tito Ortiz.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The UFC broke the news earlier today.

Matyushenko was the third option to step up into the main event against Evans after Ortiz initially turned down the fight and Lyoto Machida and UFC couldn’t come to terms on how much Machida should be compensated for fighting on three weeks notice. Ortiz had second thoughts though, eventually accepting the fight against Evans, leaving Matyushenko back to his original opponent, Gustafsson. Now Gustafsson has a new opponent in the form of Hamill.

The last time Hamill was in the octagon was this past May, dropping a unanimous decision in the UFC 130 main event against current light heavyweight #1 contender Quinton Jackson. Prior to the loss, Hamill had won five straight fights, including a victory over the aforementioned Ortiz.

Gustafsson is coming off back to back submission victories and looks to keep the momentum going, along with scoring the biggest win of his career, against Hamill.

UFC 133 is scheduled for August 6 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson fights tomorrow night, and he holds the most recent win over Lyoto Machida. Machida is still the only man to defeat Rashad Evans, who hasn’t fought in a year. Evans’ last win? Of course, it was against “Rampage.” You’ve also got great fighters in the division like former champs Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Forrest Griffin (who will clash for a second time at UFC 134), and Rich Franklin.

One name that doesn’t get mentioned much in the conversation for UFC light heavyweight contenders is the other half tomorrow night’s main event: Matt Hamill. He’s fought in the UFC for virtually his entire career (carrying just one pro fight into his time on The Ultimate Fighter) and his only losses were Franklin and Michael Bisping, and nobody really thinks Bisping won that fight.

Dana White has made it clear that “Rampage” will probably get the first crack at newly crowned UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, assuming that Jackson wins tomorrow night. There’s been no mention of what Hamill’s title aspirations look like should he pull off the upset, but it seems to me that it’s an option we should look at. I know, I know. It sounds crazy to think of Hamill being the next guy to get the shot, but let’s look at the evidence.

First it should be stated that beating “Rampage” is a pretty good accomplishment in its own right. If Hamill can find a way to finish Jackson as well, that would be nothing short of jaw-dropping. His performance on Saturday is the most important factor in determining whether he’s next in line or simply “in the mix.”

The majority of names in Hamill’s win column may not be all that impressive (after all, who hasn’t beaten Tito Ortiz or Keith Jardine these days?) but there is one name that stands out: Jon Jones. Yes, the win was via disqualification in a fight that Jones was clearly winning, but a win is still a win. More importantly: it’s an angle that can be used to sell Jones vs. Hamill 2 as a main event.

There’s another important factor that bears mentioning when we discuss Hamill’s title aspirations. As of this moment, he is the only fighter I’ve mentioned in this article who is on a five-fight win streak. You can talk down the names on that list all you want, but Hamill stands in sparse company when it comes to guys putting together wins at 205 lbs. in the UFC.

Let’s also not forget just who Hamill is to the UFC. He’s another one of their guys. He was on TUF almost five years ago and has been with the UFC ever since. They love pushing the fighters who have cut their teeth in the Octagon, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that Hamill has his share of exciting finishes for the highlight reel. He won’t need a lot of promotion since anyone who calls themselves a UFC fan already knows who Matt Hamill is.

Of course, anyone who doesn’t know who the Ultimate Fighter alum is will have their opportunity to learn his story in a big way later this year. Specifically, they’ll have the chance to see his story on the big screen when Hamill hits theaters this fall. The success of this movie could be very good for the UFC, and vice-versa. Cross-promotional opportunities will abound whether or not Hamill is in contender status, but the UFC can maximize the public’s attention on Hamill with a prime spot on one of their fall PPVs.

Which leads me to my final point, and it’s the proverbial “elephant in the room.” By now you should know that Matt Hamill is deaf. While his story has not been pushed by the UFC to promote him as a fighter, there can be little doubt that the mainstream media would latch on to the idea of a fighter that has been deaf since birth competing for one of the highest prizes in combat sports. This factor should not earn Hamill any special privilege (and I’m sure he would be the first person to say so) but if you’re already thinking about putting him in a high-profile fight it certainly can’t be ignored.

Can Hamill earn a title shot with a win at UFC 130? We can’t speculate much further until we know what happens on Saturday night. If “Rampage” wins (as most people expect) then I imagine we’ll see him try his luck against Jones later this year. Here’s hoping Hamill gets the same consideration for a shot at the gold if he does the unexpected this weekend.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the grapplers’ pairing and inclusion on the historic event was reported by MMAJunkie.

Hamill, a winner of his last five fights, should mark the biggest challenge of the four-time All-American wrestler’s career based on the Ultimate Fighter Season 3 alumnus’ comparable mat-based savvy, power, and improving stand-up. “The Hammer” is coming off a unanimous decision win over Tito Ortiz with success against Keith Jardine and Mark Munoz in other bouts also attached to his current streak.

However, while Hamill is a difficult draw it is far from a foregone conclusion he will emerge victor when he and Davis square off at the Rogers Centre. The former National Champion Wrestler out of Penn State has shown an ability to both submit opponents as well as render them defenseless from strikes. His last appearance in the Octagon resulted in a second-round modified Kimura of Tim Boetsch at UFC 123 in November.

The light heavyweight duo are set to join welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, defending his belt against Jake Shields, on the card, in addition other rumored match-ups between Lyoto Machida and Randy Couture, as well as Ben Henderson and Toronto native Mark Bocek. The show will mark the UFC‘s first in Ontario and is expected to shatter the North American attendance record for a MMA event.

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Happy Halloween Weekend, and 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.

How would you assess the fallout from Eddie Alvarez’s dominating win over Roger Huerta last week at Bellator 33?

Tool: If anything Alvarez’s thorough beat down on Huerta just proved how desperate for real competition Alvarez is right now. Whether that competition comes in the form a showdown with Gilbert Melendez or a potential entrance into the UFC, the fact is that Bellator’s roster has little to offer Alvarez in the way of fresh challenges. Huerta’s stock has dropped in recent years but we can’t forget that he was right on the cusp of contendership in the UFC at one point. The fight between these two was great from the standpoint of Bellator building up their lightweight champion, but now that their two biggest lightweight stars have fought what’s left? Is there any reason to think that Pat Curran will fare any better when he gets his shot at Alvarez?

Conlan: I see Tool’s point about the scarceness of challenges left for the lightweight champ within Bellator, though in fairness it needs to be pointed out that Curran did beat Huerta and should be a more competitive foe for Alvarez from that standpoint alone. Someone with Curran’s improving skill-set should never be discounted, especially in a sport like MMA where upsets are far from rare.

Since Adam’s response focused mostly on Alvarez I’m going to concentrate on Huerta’s future in the wake of suffering the first TKO loss of his career. I think the bout’s timing may have influenced the result to a certain extent, as I suspect Huerta’s confidence wasn’t where it would have been had he been coming off a few wins before facing Alvarez rather than losses in three of his last four fights. On top of that, he dealt with the publicity surrounding his “street fight” earlier this year which could have affected his training or mentality entering arguably the biggest scrap of his career. Preparing for an opponent like Alvarez – even a notch below the Philadelphian – requires 100% of a Mixed Martial Artist’s focus and being unable to give in wholly to the process essentially equates to a loss no matter who you may be.

To that point, Huerta’s physique also looked a bit smaller than usual at the event. I won’t speculate on whether it was an attempt to increase his speed or the result of less time in the gym, but it got me thinking how interesting it would be to see the “El Matador” give featherweight a shot. Assuming his body can handle the cut without it negatively affecting his performance in the ring, dropping down a division would be a good way to hit “refresh” on his career, as well as a move creating new match-ups for Huerta and possibly providing a few size-related competitive advantages he hasn’t necessarily had thus far in his career at 155-pounds.

Did Diego Sanchez’s showing against Paulo Thiago restore your faith in him as a welterweight or would you prefer to see him drop back down to 155-pounds?

Tool: His performance on Saturday restored my faith in Diego Sanchez period. I haven’t seen the Diego of old since the Clay Guida fight so it was pretty nice to see that old aggression back in action from the former “Nightmare.” He didn’t look nearly as doughy on Saturday as he did against John Hathaway, so perhaps he would be better off sticking around at 170 lbs.

Regardless of the division he competes in there are still plenty of compelling match-ups for Sanchez. If he stays at welterweight I think a bout with Martin Kampmann could easily steal whatever show it’s on. If he goes back down to lightweight I think the bout that would make the most sense is a rematch with Kenny Florian, as both fighters are completely different from the two guys that competed for the first “Ultimate Fighter” championship.

Conlan: Somewhere in between I suppose. I can’t say with conviction his showing against Thiago made me feel Sanchez can beat the UFC’s top welterweights, but the thought of him fighting Kampmann, Dan Hardy, or Nate Diaz has my salivary glands firing up so I’m also not sure I want to see him head back to 155-pounds just yet.

Thiago has stated in the past he’s unable to train full-time due to his job in Brazilian law enforcement and aside from knocking out Josh Koscheck hasn’t been overwhelmingly impressive. He’s lost three of his last five fights and, aside from a respectable submission of Mike Swick, has gone the distance in four of them. It was a highly entertaining fight, and Sanchez’s win was a nice notch the ol’ the ring-post, but didn’t restore the confidence I had in him 3-4 years ago during the height of his run at 170-pounds (as a finishing performance might have).

Similarly to the division he’s currently residing in, I think there are still a few match-ups ripe with potential for entertainment at lightweight including Florian, George Sotiropoulos, and the new crop of WEC 155-pounders heading to the Octagon in the near future (Ben Henderson, Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, etc.). I feel Sanchez gave up on the weight-class after enduring the strain on his body only to be pummeled for the first time in his career courtesy of BJ Penn. Leaving it behind on such a sour note after looking sharp against Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson almost feels like quitting to me and I think it would be a shame of “Nightmare” never gives it a go again.

If given the choice, who would you most like to see Fedor Emelianenko fight out of the
following group – Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, or Randy Couture?

Tool: I’ve got to go with Velasquez, especially now that he’s got the strongest claim of anyone to be the top heavyweight in the world. Even if you don’t agree with that sentiment you can’t deny that Velasquez is now firmly positioned as the best heavyweight in the UFC, and that’s a spot I expect him to keep for the foreseeable future. Emelianenko doesn’t have the aura of invincibility around him anymore so the fight may not be as appealing as it was four months ago, but at this point we still have to believe that Fedor is one of the top fighters in the world and as such he would be a stiff challenge for anybody in the heavyweight division.

Conlan: I’m going to take my “writer/associate editor” cap off for a second and pick Couture as simply a fan of MMA. Though Velasquez and Lesnar are more-relevant opponents for Emelianenko where rankings are concerned, “The Natural” is a legend in the sport – perhaps its biggest star from a mainstream perspective – whose remaining fights are numbered due to age/opportunity. On the flipside, Lesnar and Velasquez should both be active for the foreseeable future and as such have more time ahead of them than Couture to see a bout against Emelianenko eventually materialize.

Lesnar/Velasquez are merely “top five” heavyweights, while pairing Couture and Fedor creates a legitimate “dream fight” people have been wanting to see for as long as the sport has existed in its current form. As silly as it may sound to bypass on having the highest ranked fighters face each other, MMA is as much about entertainment/storylines as it is two individuals throwing down in a ring, and in that regard it would be foolish to pass on the possibility of finally bringing Couture vs. Emelianenko to fruition.

Based on his showing this past weekend, do you think Jake Shields should have to win at least one more fight in the UFC before he earns a title shot?

Conlan: If Shields’ contendership was based solely on how he looked against Martin Kampmann then I would support the notion of him having to notch another victory in the Octagon before getting a title-shot. However, his status also stems from having won fourteen consecutive fights prior to UFC 121 including in-ring success against a number of top competitors, and in that regard I have no problem saying he deserves to be “next in line” for a crack at the belt.

As far as the Californian’s lackluster performance in Anaheim, fans should keep in mind Kampmann is an excellent grappler who has yet to be submitted in a 21-bout career and wasn’t on any level a good stylistic match-up for the Californian. Additionally, Shields hadn’t fought at 170-pounds for a significant period of time before entering the ring against “The Hitman” last weekend and even admitted he seriously struggled with the weight-cut after competing at 185 for the past two years. Both factors definitely played into Shields’ forgettable debut and need to be taken into account when questioning whether or not he deserves to face the winner of Georges St. Pierre’s upcoming title-defense against Koscheck.

Tool: I’ve been pretty high on Shields for awhile now, but even I have to admit that he hasn’t sold me on a potential bout with GSP just yet. Brendhan is spot on with his assessment of Shields’ worthiness as a result of his record, and I echoed his points when we had a similar discussion last week. Of course, that was before his fight with Kampmann. Let’s face it: Shields did not impress the UFC faithful on Saturday night. The hardcore fan base can certainly make the case for Shields being one of the best welterweights in the world, but any fan seeing him for the first time at UFC 121 would most likely laugh at the idea of a match-up with St. Pierre. Personally I feel a second trip inside the octagon against a highly-regarded opponent would give Shields another chance to make a first impression, and that could be very beneficial to the UFC and their bottom line.

Brendan Schaub has already called out Frank Mir for his next fight. If you were UFC Matchmaker Joe Silva, would you book that bout?

Conlan: I’d definitely put the two together if I was Silva for a few reasons, and, other than the possibility of Mir serving as a replacement for the injured Shane Carwin at UFC 125 against Roy Nelson, I can’t think of any reason why the match-up shouldn’t be made.

When comparing the two heavyweights there’s a nice contrast to their in-ring approaches which is often favorable when it comes to the production of an entertaining fight. Schaub has heavy-hands and likes to bang, while Mir is known for his grappling but also isn’t afraid to put his recently-improved striking on display either. It would be interesting to see whether Mir would focus 100% on assessing the depth of Schaub’s ground-game or opt to test his stand-up instead.

Also, I think the pairing also makes sense from an “internal rankings” standpoint. Schaub has won his last three outings and dismantled former title-contender Gabriel Gonzaga in the biggest fight of his young career. On the flipside, Mir is 2-2 in his last four and needs to build off his victory over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 119 (if for no other reason to help dull fans’ memory of the fourteen forgettable minutes prior to the knockout-knee). They are each in a place career-wise where a win over the other would provide a significant rub where contendership is concerned while a potential loss wouldn’t be overly damaging.

Tool: I agree that this booking makes sense, but of course this question was posed before the news came out that Shane Carwin was out of his UFC 125 fight with Nelson. Now I’m firmly of the belief that Mir makes the most possible sense as a replacement opponent for “Big Country.” It’s a great stylistic match-up between two guys who made their name with their jiu-jitsu skills, but have since evolved into heavy-handed strikers. That fight also has far greater title implications that a potential Mir/Schaub showdown, especially given the fact that both Mir and Nelson recently came up short in #1 contender bouts.

Now that he’s extended his win streak to five, how far away is Matt Hamill from competing for UFC gold?

Conlan: Hamill’s win-streak is akin to one of those computer-produced paintings a person has to thoroughly examine in order to see the actual image contained within. During the run he’s knocked off Reese Andy (who hasn’t fought since), Mark Munoz (now a middleweight), Jon Jones (by disqualification after getting absolutely decimated in the previous four minutes), Keith Jardine (lost six of his last seven fights), and most-recently Tito Ortiz at UFC 121 (who hasn’t won or been anywhere near active in three years). Looking beyond the Jones DQ and at the actual individuals he legitimately beat, Hamill has certainly been impressive but doesn’t have victories over opponents who anyone could argue are in peak position divisionally or skills-wise.

All that being said, I think Hamill will need to win at least three more times before working his way into the title picture. Dana White has already stated “The Hammer” will be paired up against a “Top 10” adversary in his next bout so that’s a good start. The UFC’s 205-pound pool is extremely deep and Hamill cannot cement himself as leader of the pack without first taking out a few of his highly-ranked peers.

Tool: It’s true that Hamill’s win-streak does have at least one heavy asterisk attached to it, but other than the Jones fight he’s pretty much dominated anyone he’s faced in the last few years. He’s still improving every time we see him, and at this rate he could very well be the next great wrestler/striker hybrid. He’s going to need at least a few wins against the upper level guys in the division before he’s going to be considered for contendership, but it’s certainly in the UFC’s best interests to try and get him into that position.

I would never advocate the usage of Hamill’s disability to try and gain more exposure for his accomplishments, but at the same time we cannot deny that his condition is part of who he is. He’s overcome some tremendous obstacles to get where he is, and that sort of thing can really capture public interest. Last night was the premiere of Hamill, a feature film based on his life, and if the movie has any success at all with critics then it’s only bound to bring more attention to this particular member of the UFC’s roster.

However, Hamill couldn’t have put it any better after giving his opponent all of the credit in the world for a job well done when he stated, “I guess the rules are there for a reason”. That they are Matt. That they are.

Aside from a few stitches in my nose and a sore shoulder I feel fine. I give all the credit to Jon Jones. He caught me by surprise with an awesome trip and I dislocated my shoulder when we hit the ground. I knew it was probably over at that point but I will die before I tap so I did the best I could under the circumstances. We train to wind up in bad positions and it paid off because I felt I was still able to defend even though I knew I couldn’t get up. Jon’s young and full of so much talent. Aside from making a mistake he did his job and he did it well. He definitely didn’t lose this fight and I definitely didn’t win, but I guess the rules are there for a reason. It is what it is. I went into this fight feeling like my record was actually 9-1 so with this so called win I will now consider my record 9-2… LOL I wish Jon all the best and I’d like to thank him for the professional and respectful way he has handled himself. I felt bad for him since a simple mistake caused him to lose a win bonus…

You can continue reading here

The two faced off during The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale that took place from The Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas.

After scoring a takedown on the decorated collegiate wrestler midway through the first round, Jones was able to basically have his way with Hamill, brutalizing the more experienced Octagon veteran with a series of vicious elbows and punches from the mount position.

Eventually Jones wound up throwing two distinct downward elbow strikes that forced a halt in the action. After a point had been instantly deducted from the twenty-two year old rising star for the infraction it was ruled that Hamill was in no condition to continue. When the smoke had a chance to clear it was Hamill’s hand that was ultimately raised in victory after a disqualification ruling in his favor was handed down.

Whether it had to do with Hamill’s ultimate decision that he could not continue or not is speculation at this point, but Hamill complained of an inability to move his left arm at the duration of the bout above any perceived injuries from the fight-ending foul.

Jones seemed to take the ruling with a grain of salt, stating, “I’m just grateful for being healthy and everything else. Everything happens for a reason.”

The finale show for the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter is expected to take place on December 5, and will air live on Spike TV.

According to a recent report from MMAJunkie.com, Jones and Hamill have both received bout agreements for the anticipated match-up.

Hamill has compiled an impressive record of 6-2 since making his professional debut inside of the Octagon on the heels of his appearance on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. Most recently Hamill has bounced back from a TKO loss at the hands of Rich Franklin by notching consecutive stoppage victories over Reese Andy and Mark Munoz.

Jones has put together a perfect record of 9-0 in his professional fighting career, with three straight wins in the UFC. Starting out with victories over Andre Gusmao and Stephan Bonnar inside of the Octagon, most recently Jones submitted Jake O’Brien with a guillotine choke at UFC 100.

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that the fight will be part of the UFC’s first ever trip to Portland which will take place at the end of August. No official date has been confirmed but August 29th has been rumored in many reports. The card is expected to be headlined by two former UFC heavyweight champions and true ambassadors of the sport as Randy Couture takes on Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera.

Both Hamill and Vera are coming off of victories which took place at UFC 96 in March. Hamill defeated fellow wrestler Mark Munoz via 1st round knockout. Hamill was criticized at first for his celebration after landing a vicious head kick which left Munoz motionless for some time. Hamill explained afterwards that he was excited and that the vibrations from the crowd got him all amped up. Vera and Munoz are close friends and are both part Filipino.

Brandon Vera recently defeated Michael Patt via leg kicks and looks to be finally beginning to adjust to life as a light heavyweight. His first two fights at 205 pounds were against Reese Andy which he won via unanimous decision and against Keith Jardine which he lost via split decision. In both of these bouts he did not display his trademark aggression or any of the Muay Thai striking skills that had him on the fast track towards championship gold.

Also rumored for this card is a middleweight match-up between the returning Chris Leben who used to train with Team Quest in Oregon and WEC convert Jake Rosholt. Justin McCully is also expected to face up and coming Brazilian heavyweight Junior dos Santos as well.

Hamill recently defeated Mark Munoz at UFC 96 via head kick in round 1 of their fight. Munoz shares a Filipino heritage with Vera and the two are close friends. The win was the second in a row for Hamill after he was defeated by Rich Franklin via third round TKO at UFC 88 last September. Hamill was a contestant on season three of The Ultimate Fighter and has superior wrestling skills, although he has more or less relied on an improved striking game over the course of his past few fights. He will be at a decided disadvantage when it comes to striking against Vera who is known for his vicious Muay Thai striking skills.

Vera has been up and down since dropping to the light heavyweight division in July of 2008. He is 2-1 thus far and until his last fight has not looked impressive at all. He recently defeated Mike Patt at UFC 96, utilizing leg kicks and causing the fight to be stopped early in the second round. Vera looked better than he had in all of his fights as a light heavyweight and a win over Hamill could put him back in the mix as a legitimate contender.

UFC 101 has not been officially given a location although it is believed that the event will be held at the Wachovia center in Philadelphia. The main event is scheduled to be for the lightweight title as champion BJ Penn takes on number one contender Kenny Florian. This will be the first time the title has been defended since UFC 84 in May of 2008. Other bouts rumored for the card include former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin taking on Thiago Silva, a lightweight match-up featuring Kurt Pellegrino and josh Neer as well as WEC import Danillo Villefort taking on Miletich fighter Jesse Lennox.

We will commence our special series with a look at the UFC 96 light heavyweight main card fight between two former amateur wrestling standouts.

Matt Hamill (5-2) vs. Mark Munoz (5-0)

A former NCAA wrestling champion in 1999 at 197 pounds while competing at Oklahoma State, Munoz is one of the brightest light heavyweight prospects in all of MMA.

Currently training under Urijah Faber out of Faber’s Ultimate Fitness gym in Sacramento, UFC 96 will mark the Filipino-American’s UFC debut.

Munoz is making the move to the Octagon after going 2-0 for Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting. As high as Munoz’s upside is though, one has to wonder if he might not have benefitted by the WEC keeping its 205 pound division in business for a little longer.

While he’s an amazing athlete, five fights as a pro is not an ideal amount to have when making your UFC debut. Fortunately, UFC Vice President of Talent Relations Joe Silva has found a great matchup for him in Hamill.

Hamill does a lot of the same things that Munoz does, except that Munoz does them better. Munoz also is a better tactical fighter and should have a signfiicant cardio advantage.

To be honest, I’m not quite sure where this fight will be contested but whether the majority of the bout takes place on the ground or on the mat, I see Munoz winning wherever the fight goes.

Final Prediction: Munoz via unanimous decision.

In the past I have been very guilty of underestimating the abilities of Matt “The Hammer” Hamill. For far too long I viewed him as nothing more than a one-dimensional wrestler relying heavily on his grappling and athletic ability. But over the course of the last year I have gained a lot more respect for him as a true mixed martial artist.

CBSSports.com has its staff members offer predictions prior to every major UFC event and tonight’s UFC 88 was no different. When it came time to offer a prognostication for the light heavyweight attraction between Hamill and former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, it was not an easy call to make.

After some deliberation, I ultimately chose to go with Franklin as my pick. That being said, it would not shock me entirely to see an upset. For a man going up in weight for the first time in a long time, Franklin has accepted an ambitious challenge against Hamill.

The last time Franklin competed at 205 pounds was against 41-year old Ken Shamrock in the main event of the live season finale of the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Shamrock struggled just to keep his balance in that fight and was a shadow of the man who was once known as “The World’s Dangerous Man.”  Franklin would go on to TKO him at 2:42 of round 1.

Franklin fought in another high profile non-middleweight fight prior to the Shamrock win where he wasn’t anywhere near as successful. He made his UFC debut in 2003 at UFC 42, where he was victorious via first round TKO over Evan Tanner (which was a win that meant something at the time). However, because the UFC wasn’t running monthly shows at the time, it was common for younger fighters to compete outside the promotion in order to accumulate as much fighting experience as possible. Franklin moved up in weight for an Antonio Inoki New Year’s Eve show in Japan later that year and dropped a second round TKO to Lyoto Machida.

While Franklin has no desire to be a gate keeper at middleweight, the reality is that 185 pounds is his best competitive division. Moving back up to 205 pounds might prove to be the challenge he’s looking for, but the light heavyweight division in the UFC is a shark tank. Many of his attributes at 185 such as his punching power and size evaporate once he makes the move up.

Shamrock is really Franklin’s only notable win at 205 and against Hamill, Franklin is fighting a true light heavyweight who is not on the decline, but who is working his way up. Hamill’s cardio is still a question but it has improved since his stint on the third season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He has also appeared to be in much better condition for his recent fights, showing more definition in his physique. But Hamill’s greatest attributes are his wrestling and his raw strength. The guy is as strong as an ox and that strength has made his hands more of a threat than many had predicted.

While Hamill will never be confused with a K-1 caliber striker, he compensates for a lack of technique with a lot of punching power. He rocked Michael Bisping several times during their controversial fight last September at UFC 75. And at UFC Fight Night 13, it was against Hamill’s fists that did the talking as he ground and pounded his way to a TKO victory over Tim Boetsch in the second round.

It’s Hamill’s ground and pound that Franklin must be the most concerned with. Franklin’s sprawl is good, but if Hamill gets on top of him, his size and strength advantage coupled with his wrestling technique could put Franklin in no-man’s land if he winds up on his back. It won’t be easy for Hamill to get the fight to the floor but he only needs to hit one takedown attempt in order to put Franklin in a dangerous spot.

Franklin was a knockout artist at times at middleweight, but his punching power will not have the same impact moving up a class in weight and Hamill has a strong chin. While Franklin is a good combination puncher, combinations could be what opens him up to a takedown from Hamill.

Despite my new-found respect for Hamill, I still predicted Franklin to win the fight. One major question I have about Hamill that has yet to be addressed is his jiu-jitsu. Franklin is a brown belt under Jorge Gurgel and his submissions are really underrated. In a new weight class and against a fighter with a different style than he’s accustomed to facing, I believe we’re going to see a different Rich Franklin tonight.

While I expect Franklin’s face to be battered and bruised at the conclusion of the fight, I still expect him to walk away victorious thanks in large part to the size-able advantage he’ll have when it comes to his jiu-jitsu.

Dan Henderson, coming off a loss to Anderson Silva in March, will be stepping back into the cage against one of the UFC’s most highly touted international talents, Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares. Henderson will be looking for his first victory inside the UFC since coming over after the collapse PRIDE. Toquinho recently steamrolled Ivan Salaverry in his UFC debut with a very slick armbar.

Rich Franklin, the former UFC middleweight champion, will be facing off against fellow Cincinnati fighter Matt Hamill in a battle at light heavyweight. Franklin is coming off a victory over Travis Lutter at UFC 83 and will be fighting at light heavyweight for the first time since he fought Ken Shamrock at the first ever Ultimate Fighter Finale. Matt Hamill recently beat Tim Boetsch at UFC Fight Night 13 in April and will be looking to make it two in a row since his loss to Michael Bisping last year.

Karo Parisyan will be looking to prove to the world that he’s still top shelf in the UFC’s most talented division when he takes on one of the best Japanese stars that the UFC has signed in recent months, Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Parisyan is coming off a knockout loss to Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 13, a fight that would have catapulted him into title contention should he have won. Yoshida recently made his UFC debut, throttling Jon Koppenhaver at UFC 84 in the opening moments of round one.

These three fights are an excellent addition to the card and it looks like UFC 88, even without a title fight, is shaping up to be one of the better events all year.