News of the match-up was first rumored after a Twitter exchange between Huerta-Baroni and has since been confirmed by MMAWeekly.

Huerta has only entered the ring a single time since his 2010 stint in Bellator, losing by way of TKO to War Machine this past November. The former lightweight stand-out holds an overall record of 21-6 even though he’s fallen in three straight and has racked up past wins over Matt Wiman, Leonard Garcia, and Clay Guida.

Baroni has also struggled as of late, dropping four of his last five fights with a decision win over Nick Nolte the only exception. However, the “New York Bad Ass” could add a win to his 14-14 mark a few weeks prior to his meeting with Huerta, as Baroni is scheduled for action at a June 2 show.

ONE FC 4: Destiny of Warriors is set for June 23 in Kuala Lumpur with other featured bouts including Masakzau Imanari-Leandro Issa and Renato Sobral-Tatsuya Mizuno.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/TITANFC

GSP Takes Time to Teach Self-Defense…to Mascots (MMAScraps.com)

“Behind the Lens” Featuring Josh Koscheck (FIGHT! Magazine)

Highlights from the UFC 124 Open Workout (HeavyMMA.com)

A Look at the Growing Rivalry Between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen (WatchKalibRun.com)

Stefan Struve Preparing to Back Up the Trash-Talk with Sean McCorkle (MMAConvert.com)

Roger Huerta Rescues Another Young Lady in Distress (MiddleEasy.com)

Five Lessons from Last Weekend’s Events (Versus.com)

Georges St. Pierre Still Slightly Bothered by Koscheck (MMAFighting.com)

Nick Diaz’s Camp Interested in Paul Daley Fight (CagePotato.com)

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.

The win brings Alvarez’s record to 21-2 and marked his fifth consecutive victory since being submitted by Shinya Aoki two years ago. The performance also delivered the first TKO of Huerta’s 27-fight career.

“El Matador” has now fallen in defeat four of the last five times he’s stepped into the ring after only losing once in his first twenty-two fights.

The promotion also crowned a new champion in the form of Ben Askren at the event. Askren dominated previous title-holder Lyman Good for the bulk of their five-round fight with takedowns and top control, though he was nearly caught in a Triangle/Armbar combination after suffering a swift upkick from Good.

Here is a complete rundown of Bellator 33 results:

Kenny Foster def. Lester Caslow via Unanimous Decision
Luiz Azeredo def. Edward Guedes via Unanimous Decision
Fran Evans def. Lewis Cassner via Submission Round 1 (Triangle Choke)
Nick Cottone def. Tuan Pham via Unanimous Decision
Wilson Reis def. Deividas Taurosevicius via Split Decision
Rick Hawn def. LeVon Maynard via TKO Round 1
Ben Askren def. Lyman Good via Unanimous Decision
Eddie Alvarez def. Roger Huerta via TKO Round 2 (Doctor’s Stoppage)

“We are thrilled to be bringing this World Class event to Philadelphia and to the Worlds,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “On Oct. 21 we have a PPV-worthy super fight between Eddie Alvarez and Roger Huerta, a Welterweight World Title Fight between two of the sport’s most exciting undefeated phenoms, and a host of local fighters on display. This event will be a party for anyone who calls themselves an MMA fan.

Headlining the card will be a highly anticipated lightweight Super-Fight battle between Philadelphia native and Bellator Lightweight Champion Alvarez and former UFC star Huerta in one of the most anticipated MMA fights of the year.

In a fight worthy of main event billing, Bellator Season 2 Welterweight champ Ben “Funky” Askren takes on current Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman “Cyborg” Good for the Bellator World Welterweight Championship. Askren, a 2008 U.S. Olympic wrestler, looks to continue his prolific rise through the MMA ranks and capture his first title while Good hopes to secure hist first title defense.

Another former Olympian brings his talents to Philadelphia as Rick Hawn makes his Bellator debut against LeVon “Da Maynman” Maynard in welterweight action. A 2004 Judo Olympian, the decorated Judoka, Hawn, enters the fight with a perfect 8-0 record, including six knockout victories.

In Featherweight action, Bellator veteran and World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Wilson Reis battles dangerous WEC alum Deividas Taurosevicius. Reis, a Philadelphia transplant by way of Brazil, is looking for revenge after suffering a rare loss at Bellator 18. Reis lost by decision to countryman Patricio “Pitbull” Freire in the Season 2 semifinals and looks to get back on track against the experienced submission artist Taurosevicius. A jiu-jitsu instructor at three of Philadelphia’s most prominent MMA schools (Daddis Fight Camps, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United, and Tri-State), Reis is expected to have a large contingent of supporters on hand.

Philadelphia native and Jiu-Jitsu black belt Tim Carpenter fights IFL veteran and New York native Jamal “The Suit” Patterson in light heavyweight action. Carpenter trains at Balance Studios in Philadelphia under the renowned Migliarese brothers and owns a perfect 5-0 professional record.

Former WKA Muay Thai Champion Tuan Pham, who operates his own MMA academy in Center City Philadelphia called Fight Firm, takes on amateur wrestling standout Nick Cottone, who makes his training home at Daddis Fight Camps in downtown Philadelphia.

Two lightweights face off when Eduard Guedes out of Kurt Pellegrino’s MMA Academy in New Jersey puts his undefeated 5-0 record on the line against UFC veteran and New Jersey native Chris “The Story” Liguori.

Local action continues with another of Pellegrino’s top students, Lester Caslow, as he takes on Kenny “The Tooth Fairy” Foster, representing Team Bombsquad in Ithaca, New York. Rounding out the card will be Maryland native Lewis Cassner versus Francis Evans, a local Philadelphia promoter/fighter who is turning pro following an impressive 6-1 amateur career.

“Bellator 33: Alvarez vs. Huerta” is set to take place from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 21st.

For explosive Bellator champion Alvarez, momentum is on his side, as he enters the super-fight with an impressive five-fight win streak on the line where the longtime knockout artist has finished all of his most recent victims by submission. In his most recent trip to the cage, Alvarez put rugged UFC veteran Josh “The Dentist” Neer to sleep with a nasty rear-naked choke during Bellator 17 in Boston on May 6th of this year.

Alvarez is admittedly excited about the opportunity to compete in front of his hometown fans in Philly for the first time in the top lightweight’s career that currently spans 22 professional fights, from Japan to Boston, against many of the toughest 155 lb fighters in the business.

“Roger Huerta, Philadelphia, October 21st… this is a dream fight for me,” said Alvarez. “I’ve never even lost a fight here in the United States, so I’m definitely not going to start in my hometown of Philadelphia with all of my people there. That’s not going to happen. Not a chance.

“I’m not going to be happy unless I completely control and dominate Roger in this fight. It’s important for me to go in there and dominate this fight and prove that I’m one of the best lightweights in the world.”

In the case of Huerta, the electrifying 27 year old lightweight is eager to return to the cage after suffering a defeat in his previous outing when Pat Curran shocked the MMA world and defeated “El Matador” by unanimous decision in the semifinal lightweight tournament at Bellator 17.

Although fighting in Alvarez’ backyard of Philadelphia, Huerta expects for the advantage to ultimately lie in his favor, stating, “The cheers or jeers won’t affect me one way or the other. The pressure is on him fighting in his hometown. He’s going to bring the best out of me. The best. It’s going to be scary.

“This is a fight that I’ve always wanted. It’s a dream come true. It’s going to be a grueling fight for the both of us. It’s going to be a potential fight of the year. I’m going in there expecting a war, and I’m going in there trying to finish Eddie.”

Intending to send a direct message to his critics and fans alike in his upcoming performance against Huerta, Alvarez would be the first to admit that he’s had the former Sports Illustrated cover athlete in his sites since the moment Huerta signed his contract with Bellator.

“I don’t care where you fought in the past, but if you come to my promotion and you have a big name and you’re obviously marketable, and the promotion signs you, I’m going to have an issue with that,” said Alvarez. “If I don’t feel threatened by that, then I’m an idiot. I feel threatened by someone like Roger trying to move into my house and I’m going to do everything I can to protect what’s mine and get him out of there. I want to keep all eyes on me. I’m going to go out there and do my job and get him out of there.”

Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney was admittedly excited to bring this incredible Superfight to Philadelphia, stating, “The Alvarez-Huerta fight should be one of the most electrifying bouts in the history of Bellator Fighting Championships, and to be able to host it in one of the greatest fights towns on earth, Philadelphia is spectacular. . I’ve said it before, I believe Eddie Alvarez is the best Lightweight Mixed Martial Artist in the world today and for Roger to have the courage to face him speaks volumes about his confidence and character. The fans are really in for a treat with not only a great fight card, but also a fantastic host venue in The Liacouras Center.”

The Liacouras Center is located on the campus of Temple University, in the heart of Philadelphia, and is home to the Temple Owl’s Basketball and Volleyball, as well as Professional Indoor Soccer. The Liacouras Center was opened in 1997, and has a capacity of just over 10,000.

In a recent post to Huerta’s Twitter account, El Matador tweeted:

Ok…. Yall keep asking me when my next fight is going to be. Who on here wants to really know??

He followed that up with:

My manager@jeffclarkmma and I met with scott coker and Richard Chou with strikeforce on monday. So I believe this is where…

Huerta recently returned to action in September, after taking over a year off to focus on a movie career. He lost a close split decision to top lightweight contender Gray Maynard as the headline for UFC Fight Night 19.

Most notably known as the first MMA fighter to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated, Huerta has had an up and down relationship since signing with the UFC. Although taking part in some of the UFC most memorable bouts, Huerta was vocal about his contract, or lack thereof, with the premier organization.

Previous to his bout with Maynard, Huerta lost a decision to Kenny Florian at UFC 87. Prior to that, he was riding an 11 fight win-streak.

If Strikeforce does sign the fighter, it would put Huerta right in line for a shot at newly crowned champion Gilbert Melendez.

Roger Huerta

According to a recent report from Loretta Hunt over at Sherdog.com, Huerta is now free to speak with other organizations, although the UFC is in a position where they have a right to match any deal offered to Roger through a rival promotion.

“We’re free to negotiate with other organizations now, but the UFC has the right to match (any offer),” said Jeff Clark, Huerta’s manager over at NCFC Management.

When asked if he has been approached by any promotion’s outside of the UFC, Clark stated, “We’ve had a lot of interest from different parties.”

In regards to Strikeforce, Huerta seemed optimistic about the prospect of fighting for the promotion if a deal is offered that makes sense.

“It would be up to them,” said Huerta, “but I’d definitely like to fight a top-caliber fighter like (Shinya) Aoki, (interim champion Gilbert) Melendez, or (champion Josh) Thomson. Obviously, I’d have to earn my stripes in that organization, if I went there, but any of those fights would be amazing.”

He recently discussed his future with Sherdog.com, saying, “I can’t go out with two losses in a row. I don’t think I’m going to call it quits anytime soon.”

He lost last Wednesday in a tough fought three round decision against Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 19. The bout against Maynard was Huerta’s first since losing to Kenny Florian back at UFC 87 in August of 2008.

Reports were “El Matador” was hanging up his gloves for an acting career, which he signed a three-picture development deal with Lion’s Gate Films. Although not a successful as some of his MMA brethren, he did manage to secure a role in motion picture Tekken, which also features Cung Le, due out later this year.

Speaking of acting, Huerta said, “I’m still open to acting. Hopefully we get something going with that, but I’m not going to prioritize now. I’ll still prioritize fighting. If the UFC wants me back, I’d be willing to go back.”

The question that remains now is will the UFC want him back. He undoubtedly possesses star potential, but the premier MMA organization was turned down by Huerta when they offered a new contract to him back in January.

However, it seems the lightweight contender wants to call the UFC home, “I’ve been with the UFC since 2006. They’re all that I know, but it’s up to my manager Jeff Clark to decide that for me.”

For now, the Sports Illustrated cover boy wants to focus his attention on what gave him his star status in the first place, “I think this last fight was probably the best fight I’ve ever had, the most focused I’ve ever been.I fought a very dangerous opponent, who is probably going to be the next number-one contender. I lost to the number-one contender before that as well. I’m right in that mix, where a little tweak here and there and I’m right in there.”

Welcome back, Mr. Huerta

UFC Fight Night 19 is slated for September 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

The possibility of the bout was first reported by Sherdog.com and multiple sources have since confirmed that both men have agreed to the bout.

Maynard will be looking to improve upon his undefeated record in the octagon and inch himself closer to a lightweight title shot after five consecutive victories with his most recent coming over Jim Miller at UFC 96.

Huerta will be making his first return to action since his unanimous decision loss at the hands of Kenny Florian in August of 2008. He recently declined a new contract with the UFC to pursue a career in acting. The bout with Maynard will fulfill his obligations to the company.

It would appear as though Roger Huerta’s issues with the UFC have been resolved and are a thing of the past as news breaks today that he has signed a new five-fight deal with the promotion. MMA Weekly was the first to report the news, indicating that sources close to Huerta have confirmed the new deal.

Prior to the new contract, Huerta and his camp had been rumored as far apart from the UFC on coming to a deal. Huerta reportedly wanted a guaranteed six figure payday every time he fights as well as PPV bonuses, a better deal than even lightweight champion B.J. Penn currently has.

Huerta was unbeaten inside the Octagon going into his fight with Florian at UFC 87, a bout which he lost via unanimous decision. According to the report, the marketable star from Mexico is set to fight again in March but no opponent has yet been named.

“When I had him down on the ground I thought I was going to put him away but he was pretty slippery,” Florian said. “To me, he felt suspiciously slippery. I know the difference between sweat and other things. I didn’t see him do anything (illegal), but I thought it was a little weird for me to be sliding off his back like that.”

It is definitely possible that Huerta greased himself up, however, you’d think that an official would have noticed something during the pre-cage entrance pat down? It’s also possible that Huerta was sweating a lot.

Let me preface this post by stating that I find gossip pertaining to the lives of celebrities to be mundane, trivial, and inconsequential. Yet I am uncontrollably drawn to it. I admit it, I read PerezHilton.com because I do want to know which random dude hooked up with an Olsen Twin last night; whether Amy Winehouse is alive or dead; and why Tori Spelling pulled out of the “Beverly Hills 90210″ re-make (because 90210 might be one of the greatest television shows ever made).

So I found myself drawn to an MMARated.com headline indicating that Roger Huerta and “friend” and UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste were no longer on speaking terms:

AH: What did you think of Roger Huerta’s performance against Kenny Florian?

AC: It was OK.

AH: And what about the rumors that you had falling out with Roger. Are those true?

AC: I wish the best for everybody including him but we are no longer on speaking terms. We are no longer friends.

AH: Wow. What happened?

AC: No comment.

AH: Why are you not on speaking terms?

AC: No comment

AH: Some have speculated that Roger and (“That 70′s Show” star) Laura Prepon have a budding relationship. What are your thoughts on that?

AC: I don’t know anything about that.

AH: Interesting. Well, how’s your love life?

AC: I’m in love with work.

Whoa. Am I the only one blown away by this? Usually when a romantic relationship goes wrong the standard answer is “We’re no longer seeing each other but we’re still friends.” But not here. Nope. Arianny says they aren’t even friends! Not only that, she says Huerta and her aren’t even speaking! I’m dying to know what exactly happened. Roger must have done something messed up.

Credit goes to Ariel on this one. He could have kept the conversation off the record and tried to exploit a vulnerable woman much like Fletch did with Gail Stanwyck in “Fletch.” But Ariel kept his journalism hat on and went right for the story. Asking not once, but twice as to why Huerta and Arianny no longer are on speaking terms.

Ariel gets some heat sometimes for asking non-hardcore MMA questions to fighters. Personally, I am glad there is a guy out there asking this kind of stuff. As much as I wish it weren’t the case, I really would like to know what Andrei Arlovski thinks of reports that Tim Sylvia was rumored to have been involved with his ex-girlfriend.

The event saw two of the promotion’s biggest stars walk away victorious in fights that went to the judges yet whose outcomes were never truly in doubt.

Lesnar, the former NCAA and WWE heavyweight champion, got off to an explosive start against Heath Herring, blasting him with an overhand right early in the fight that floored the former PRIDE veteran. Lesnar, who once spent training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, then exploded like a defensive end coming off the edge on a blitz and went in for the kill.

An over-zealous Lesnar landed out of position and was unable to finish Herring during the opening seconds of the fight. However, what proceeded was three rounds of dominance, with Lesnar showing he could take Herring down at will. When it was over, Lesnar evened his UFC record to 1-1 while improving his overall MMA record to 2-1. It is unclear who he’ll face next, but Lesnar showed all the ingredients of a future heavyweight champion during the unanimous decision victory.

While former NCAA wrestler Jon Fitch proved he was the number two ranked welterweight in the world last night with a gritty performance, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre proved there is a strong gap between number one and two. Despite having no formal wrestling background in high school or college, St. Pierre proved to be Fitch’s equal on the mat.

On the feet, Fitch was no match for St. Pierre’s superior athleticism. Despite showing a strong chin and an amazing will to fight with less than his full faculties, Fitch was out-pointed in the standup aspect for virtually the full 25-minute duration of the contest. It was St. Pierre’s utilization of a stiff left jab, reminiscent of how B.J. Penn peppered Sean Sherk during their UFC 84 title fight in May, that appeared to have done the most damage. However, the standup exchange was not one-sided, as Fitch landed his shots as well, managing to open up St. Pierre in the process. But when the bout was done, it was evident by looking at the faces of both fighters that Fitch clearly sustained the most damage.

With the win, St. Pierre further addressed critics still unable to let his April of 2007 upset loss to Matt Serra at UFC 69 go. With four consecutive dominant victories over the likes of Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Serra, and now Fitch, St. Pierre has clearly put the infamous night of 4/7/07 in the rear-view mirror and the letdown performance appears to be nothing more than an aberration. In last night’s fight with Fitch, St. Pierre showed toughness, poise, and a chin. All areas in which his harshest critics still attempt to raise questions.

Much like Lesnar, it is isn’t completely clear what is next for St. Pierre. However, current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn entered the cage following St. Pierre’s five-round unanimous decision victory and proposed a challenge. St. Pierre verbally agreed to the bout, which has been rumored for several weeks now to be taking place on Dec. 27 in either Las Vegas or Montreal. However, nothing is definitive as UFC President Dana White was with the two men in the cage and visible on-camera yet made no attempt to address the possible rematch from their 2006 encounter at UFC 58.

Review of the Fight Card:

Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission in the third round – The opening round of this fight was very exciting. It was a great example for casual viewers that jiu-jitsu can be very exciting. Maia pulled guard early in the fight and put MacDonald in a triangle that appeared to be properly executed. MacDonald not only managed to escape but wound up taking Maia’s back in the process.

Round two was not as entertaining as round 1, but still very strong. I scored the first two rounds 10-9 in favor of Maia. It was obvious that Maia was leading the scorecards heading into round two and MacDonald’s corner pleaded with him to stop going to the ground with the jiu-jitsu black belt. Needing a finish in order to execute a rally, MacDonald did not heed his corner’s advice and eventually wound up on the ground in round three. Despite trying to put Maia away with some ground and pound, the decision to engage on the ground was ill-advised, as the percentages of MacDonald being able to finish Maia were much higher on his feet than on the floor.

While Maia’s standup has improved and he could one day challenge Anderson Silva for his middleweight title, he provided no reason in this fight to believe he has a chance to win. No one can question Maia’s overall jiu-jitsu ability, but he had trouble holding his position as times against MacDonald, which is not good considering that Silva is known for his strong sweeps and transitions. Maia also is not big for a middleweight and was giving up eight inches in reach to MacDonald. In a standup battle vs. Silva, he’d be eaten alive because the reigning top pound-for-pound fighter would have too much range on him.

Kenny Florian records unanimous decision victory over Roger Huerta - Considering that Huerta went to college in Minnesota, I was surprised that he was introduced first. Initially, I thought it was a repraisal for his critical comments of the UFC in the August edition of FIGHT! magazine, however, after seeing Brock Lesnar introduced first, I doubt that was the case. It could have to do with the color of corner assignments or because of seniority.

I felt Joe Rogan was on his game last night and gave one of his best performances. His technical analysis during the ground fighting that took place in the Maia vs. MacDonald match was excellent. Play-by-play man Mike Goldberg was a different story. While he was solid, I had issues with him screaming into the mic before action had commenced in several bouts. It seemed like he was trying too hard to show a high-energy level and when he’d scream, it sounded like there was no load-balancing on the volume as the mic popped. I also wasn’t a fan of some of his hyperbole, most notably when he was discussing Florian’s work with a nutritionist, when he blurted out, “He’s turned eating into a science!” I know sometimes the right phrases aren’t always available in your mind when you’re trying to articulate a point, but c’mon.

I thought the fight itself was fantastic and everything we expected. Huerta proved to be the better athlete, showing more explosion and quickness. However, Florian was too technical and too poised. Huerta tried to press at multiple times but would get too wild and Florian either had a counter ready or simply got out of the way.

Both fighters deserve a tremendous amount of credit. After losing to Sean Sherk several years ago for the then-vacant UFC lightweight title, Florian has successfully worked his way back up the ladder and has earned another shot. As for Huerta, he is more than just a marketing creation. Huerta can flat out fight and is incapable of having a boring performance. The only knock against him is that he relies too much on his standup and still lacks polish despite having a great deal of fights under his belt.

It will be interesting to see what happens next for both fighters. Florian likes to stay active and he may have to risk his lightweight title shot if St. Pierre and Penn meet in December. If St. Pierre vs. Penn II becomes a reality, then March would likely be the earliest Florian could get his shot at Penn for the lightweight title. Florian may have no choice but to accept a fight in between then. There’s also the question of what happens if Penn wins the welterweight title from St. Pierre? He has said publicly he intends to compete at both lightweight and welterweight, but if Penn beats Pierre, it’s unlikely he’d go back to 155 lbs.

If Penn wins and abandons the title, might we see Florian vs. the winner of Tyson Griffin vs. Sean Sherk at UFC 90 end up competing for a vacated UFC lightweight title? The possibility of Sherk vs. Florian II is intriguing, but hardly a pay-per-view main event.

As for Huerta, he now has one fight remaining on his current contract and has ruffled the feathers of the UFC’s front office with recent comments in the media and is reportedly fair a part when it comes to money during current contract re-negotiations. If he does not re-sign, it is likely that Huerta won’t be booked for a fight up until his contract is right about to expire. And chances are, the bout will not be televised.

Robert Emerson knocks out Manvel Gamburyan at 12 seconds of round 1 - Wow, the speed of Emerson’s knockout was right there when Duane “Bang” Ludwig took out Jonathan Goulet and when James Irvin dropped Houston Alexander with that Superman punch. I had low expectations for this fight but I was wrong to question its placement on the card because the action was exciting while it lasted. It’s hard to go wrong with a fight that can be immediately replayed in its entirety at full speed.

Emerson needed the win badly and it means he’ll live in the UFC to fight another day and probably step up in class as far as competition is concerned. It was a bad loss for Gamburyan but it his first in the UFC so he’s not going anywhere. However, he might want to consider a drop to 145 lbs. and a trip to the WEC because last night’s loss could be an example of Gamburyan’s lack of range catching up to him.

It’s also important to note that the competition he’s faced in his three UFC fights since losing the TUF 5 finale after re-injuring his shoulder have come against Emerson, Jeff Cox, and Nate Mohr. The three are respectable fighters but hardly the cream of the crop. Against that lineup, a 2-1 record isn’t impressive. He should be 3-0. TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz likes to complain about the quality of competition that he’s been given, but it’s vastly superior to what Gamburyan has faced.

Cheick Kongo TKO Dan Evensen in the second round - Wow, this was one of the most bizarre entrance sequences I have ever seen. It felt like the main event of an MMA pay-per-view emanating from the Canary Islands. The entrance music from both fighters was extremely bizarre and Evensen’s body language during his cage-walk was quite unique.

And then the post-fight interview with Rogan and Kongo was even more strange. I don’t want to sound like Larry King in one of his old USA Today columns, but if I ever get to submit an interview request to the UFC, Cheick Kongo won’t be on the top of my list. He reacted to Rogan like Rogan owed him money. I realize a culture barrier could be an issue, but wasn’t Kongo’s behavior rude no matter what country you come from?

As for the fight itself, just total dominance on the part of Kongo. Evensen is a brawler and there was no way he was going to get the better of Kongo in the standup.

Did anyone also find it strange that former Quinton Jackson trainer Juanito Ibarra was cornering Kongo with Jackson clearly audible at cageside? I am curious to see how long Ibarra will be involved in MMA after getting dropped by Jackson. While fighters like Kongo and Michael Bisping worked with Ibarra as a part of Jackson’s training camps, it remains to be seen whether fighters will continue to work with Ibarra, whose credentials are pretty much purely boxing.

Ibarra really turned off a lot of people with his behavior following Jackson’s loss to Griffin at UFC 86 and he doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation following his split with Jackson. I think he could be yet another boxing figure forced out of the MMA scene due to taking the multi-faceted fight disciplines and cultures of the sport lightly. MMA fighters definitely need to become more technical boxers, but in order to be someone’s primary trainer in MMA, you need more than just a boxing background. You can be a boxing expert in MMA, but being a boxing expert does not make you an MMA expert.

Brock Lesnar defeats Heath Herring via unanimous decision - I predicted Herring to win but was happy to see Lesnar get the victory. I think Lesnar is already a star by MMA standards but has room to become the biggest thing going in the sport. Once he gets more experience under his belt, he will become unbeatable and will eventually claim the UFC heavyweight title.

I’ve been bullish on Lesnar in MMA before he even debuted against Min Soo Kim and I took a lot of heat for it. Needless to say, I feel validated. The bottom line is that his wrestling is simply too good and there is no one in the sport who can rival his athleticism. Seeing a man that big move that quickly, well, it just makes Lesnar appear as though he was genetically engineered in a laboratory.

An apparently healthy and in-shape Herring came to fight and still couldn’t keep the fight on the feet or inflict any damage on Lesnar. My only complaint is that I would have preferred to have seen Lesnar a little more active on the ground, but he had to be mindful of position in order to prevent himself from getting submitted.

Overall, watching Lesnar compete inside of an Octagon is still very surreal having watched his work in the WWE for a couple of years. Even though he was an NCAA champion, I still identify him as a pro wrestler and it’s still strange seeing a former pro wrestler come in and dominate in a legitimate sport like this. And aside from getting caught in a knee bar for a few seconds, Lesnar has been nothing but dominant in his three MMA fights.

I think in a year from now that Lesnar will be the UFC heavyweight champion and that we will no longer be talking about Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko, but instead, Lesnar vs. Fedor. When I wrote an article in FIGHT!’s debut issue titled “Five who could beat Fedor,” people scoffed at me for including Lesnar. I think a lot more people are coming around to my point of view and even more will perceive him as a legit challenger over time.

Georges St. Pierre defeats Jon Fitch via unanimous decision – Fitch deserves all the credit in the world for going the distance. After the first round, I really didn’t think it was going past three. But Fitch survived several knockdowns and never recovered from some of those strikes he took early on. Coming into the fight, I believe Fitch’s cardio was pretty strong but a lot of your stamina goes out the window after taking damage.

Had his cardio not been as good as it was he wouldn’t have been able to fight through all the punishment he took. Fitch was clearly rocked at various points and flat out refused to be broken or fall on his sword. There were a couple of times where he could have given up his back and taken the easy way out and not really been blamed for doing so. But Fitch worked hard to get his shot and wasn’t about to walk away from it. He deserves to be commended for that. Fitch is a warrior.

While St. Pierre didn’t get the finish here, against most other fighters, the bout would have been stopped much earlier. St. Pierre fought well enough to finish Fitch but Fitch brought intangibles with him to this fight that took the ability to end the fight early out of GSP’s hands.

Last night’s fight will make Fitch a bigger star despite the losing effort. This was a high-profile fight and a lot of people got to see him for the first time. When they see him again they will rember how much heart he showed vs. GSP and they will pull for him.

GSP is clearly the gold standard at 170 much like Anderson Silva is at 185 and B.J. Penn is at 155. But unlike Silva and Penn, there are some intriguing challenges that still lay ahead. A rematch vs. a fully-committed B.J. Penn is not a fight in which St. Pierre is a given to win. In fact, I can tell you I know many people inside the industry who believe Penn will win that fight. Also, the winner of Thiago Alves vs. Diego Sanchez at UFC 90 will bring an interesting challenge.

Alves might be the only 170 lbs. fighter in the UFC whose athleticism can rival St. Pierre’s. And there will be a tremendous backstory if a St. Pierre vs. Sanchez fight ever happens because Sanchez has great resentment that Greg Jackson took St. Pierre into his camp. Sanchez felt slighted that Jackson started working with St. Pierre because he didn’t understand why Jackson would want to work with someone Sanchez could possibly face down-the-line. We haven’t heard much about it lately but you better believe that the tension will be played up if St. Pierre and Sanchez ever fight.

The one thing about the St. Pierre vs. Fitch fight that seemed out of place to me were the “U-S-A!” chants at the beginning of the fight even though St. Pierre received a huge ovation. Was it a split crowd in Minneapolis? Or is St. Pierre so popular that Americans have adopted him as one of their own? Or, did “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan make an appearance at the show?

Georges St. Pierre is on another level at 170 lbs.

Jon Fitch proved tonight that he is a man’s man and has zero quit in him. His tenacity, recovery speed, and aggression were all extremely admirable. What he also showed is that no one, and I mean no one, in the weight class has what it takes to contend with St. Pierre’s overall game. Standing or on the ground, St. Pierre is dominant. If he can’t finish you with his strikes, he will take you down. If he can’t take you down, he’ll work you over on the feet. He is as multi-dimensional of a fighter as there is in all of mixed martial arts right now and that includes the current consensus pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva. No one in the weight class has a prayer right now to beat him. Not Thiago Alves, not Jake Shields, not Karo Parisyan, nobody. B.J. Penn is the only fighter with a sliver of a chance and with Penn’s in-ring challenge after the fight, it’s looking like we’ll get to see that superfight sooner than later, hopefully in December.

Jon Fitch is the second best welterweight in the world, hands down.

Jake Shields, Thiago Alves, Josh Koscheck, Diego Sanchez, and Carlos Condit, please have a seat. Jon Fitch is far and away ahead of all of you. And that’s no disrespect, it’s just plain fact. No one thought that Fitch would last all five rounds tonight. A lot of people didn’t even think Fitch would last into the championship rounds. Not only did he do both of those things, but he was threatening almost the entire way. His recovery speed was absolutely insane. Normal fighters don’t take clean punches followed up by a knee to the head and recover like Fitch did. Not only did he take those shots and recover, but he kept coming forward. He showed us all tonight that he belonged in the same cage as St. Pierre even if he was dominated. At this point, who at 170 lbs. wouldn’t be dominated by St. Pierre? No one. The fact that Fitch took that kind of beating and lasted all five rounds speaks volumes about not only his talent, but his character as a fighter as well. Fitch should hold his head high for hanging tough against one of the best fighters in the entire world of combat sports.

Brock Lesnar proved that he belongs in the UFC.

With a decisive victory over Heath Herring, one of the best gatekeepers in MMA, Brock Lesnar proved to all of the doubters tonight that he belongs in the major leagues of mixed martial arts, the UFC. From the opening bell, Lesnar was dominant, dropping Herring with a crushing right hand and suffocating him from there on out. His back control was ridiculous. His fists are the size of watermelons and inflict so much damage from very small punches. Lesnar played to his strength tonight and used his world class wrestling to dominate a dangerous opponent. If Lesnar can continue his progress and start to learn how to use his dominant position to finish, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the UFC’s heavyweight division. The win for him tonight was huge for the UFC, especially as far as making Lesnar a legitimate MMA fighter and marketing him in the future.

Kenny Florian spoiled Roger Huerta’s big payday.

Kenny Florian did what most pundits thought he would do, and that’s beat Roger Huerta with a technical game. Not only did he beat Huerta but he most likely ruined his demands for a big time contract with the UFC. Huerta reportedly has been asking for a contract that’s bigger than current lightweight champion B.J. Penn’s contract. Florian most likely put a stop to all that talk tonight. The surprising thing was that Florian dominated the striking game. It was a given that if the fight hit the floor that Florian would have the advantage. What wasn’t evident, though, was that Florian would so soundly beat Huerta standing. Huerta is a good talent and a great young fighter with a lot of heart. His antics, his maturity, and his skills, however, need some work. His striking is wild. He throws big looping punches that leave him open to counters. The antic with spitting to the side in the Octagon cost him a takedown. Florian looked better in all aspects of MMA tonight. Huerta just looked flat.

Demian Maia is ready for a step up in competition.

Maia has beaten two of the middleweight division’s best gatekeepers in Jason MacDonald and Ed Herman and now it’s clear that he’s ready to face some of the division’s top dogs. The fight tonight against MacDonald started out as one of the most technical grappling battles that we’ve seen in quite some time. It was a fantastic way to start the show and the transitions that we saw take place were just out of this world. Maia, however, is on another level when it comes to the jiu jitsu game. He is so technically and fundamentally sound in his game that he sometimes makes good jiu jitsu fighters, like MacDonald, look silly. He’s ready for a step up in competition. Perhaps the winner of Palhares vs. Henderson? Perhaps a fight against Yushin Okami when he comes back? Whatever it may be, Maia is very for real and deserves to move up to the next level of competition.

Other musings…

• You could tell from Dan Evensen’s ridiculous intro that he was getting knocked out at some point during the fight. That had to be the worst combination of music and antics that I’ve ever seen walking out to the cage. Evensen got what was coming to him. Put aside the fact that Kongo is on another level. Anyone who acts like that deserves to get their teeth smashed in.
• The Minnesota crowd was phenomenal. One of the best UFC crowds in a long, long time. When they were cheering the ground work between Maia and MacDonald it became clear that not only were they educated MMA fans but also enthusiastic about the evening’s fights. It made for a great at home viewing experience.
• Say what you will about Brock Lesnar’s post fight antics, but I personally loved it. The guy has legitimate skills and he can talk a little trash and hype a fight. Josh Barnett does the same kind of thing and people love him for it. Lesnar is good for the popularity of the sport and if he wants to add some theatrics to the deal then so be it. Tito Ortiz has done far worse.
• Rob Emerson is probably taking home a knockout bonus tonight for his knockout of Manny Gamburyan. Let’s hope he spreads the wealth around to The Lords of South County.
• I’m very interested in seeing the McCrory vs. Cummo fight. By all accounts it was the best undercard fight of the evening.
• Best show of the year? It’s very possible. UFC 84 was my top choice for than honor going into tonight’s event but I may have to re-evaluate following tonight’s top notch show. No matter what, it’s a solid #2 at the least. The UFC is doing a great job of putting on very good shows this year.
• 8-3 on picks for the evening. I’ll take it.

“Huerta, who has one fight left on his contact after the Florian fight, is far apart with UFC on terms for a renewal. Huerta, who has gotten a new agent, was asking for six-figures guaranteed per fight as well as points on the PPV, in negotiations that haven’t gone well for some time. That’s a better deal then [BJ] Penn, so he wasn’t going to get it. The UFC position is that they groomed Huerta and pushed him hard and were careful of his opponents, with the exception of Clay Guida….”

It’s really unbelievable to me that Huerta could possibly be asking for more money than B.J. Penn makes. Penn is not only the current lightweight champion but one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world with victories over some of the best in the game. Penn has earned the kind of money that he’s making right now. With the exception of Clay Guida, who is truly a lightweight gatekeeper, who has Huerta beaten to command that type of money? The answer is no one.

Now, should he beat Florian on Saturday then we might be singing a different tune. Florian is a great fighter who is on a roll and improves each and every time out. Right now, in my eyes, he is the number one contender for the title. A win over Florian for Huerta would go a long way in commanding top-dollar from the UFC and cementing his spot at the top of the lightweight division.

Huerta continues to talk about receiving a title shot, but if he’s not close to another deal then there’s no real possibility of him fighting for the title even if he wins. The UFC has made it abundantly clear that if you have one fight left on your contract then you are not fighting for the title even if you are the number one contender. They want fighters who are going to stick around and defend the title, not guys who are going to fight for the title, possibly win it, and then vacate it because they’re looking for more money. Huerta is stuck between a rock and a hard place right now and the only way out is to beat Florian on Saturday and that’s an extremely tall task.

Well, FIGHT!’s Neal Talfinger has finally gotten a UFC fighter to go on the record about his unhappiness with the UFC. And the first fighter outside of Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture to speak out is a fighter that has been branded by some pundits as a “golden boy” of the UFC, Roger Huerta.

The following is an excerpt from the current issue of FIGHT!, which is available on newsstands now:

Huerta is one of a growing number of Zuffa-contracted fighter who feel that there is a disconnection between the company’s success and the way fighters are compensated. Huerta’s disillusionment with the UFC began when he did press tours for his employer in Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and London and received a $50 per diem for his troubles. It sounds like a a good deal until you factor in time away from training, friends, and family, days often stretch twelve hours or more, and an exchange rate of one UK pound for two American dollars. “Why do you think I don’t do PR for the UFC any more?” he asks.

He’s also unhappy with the terms of his current contract, but to Huerta, the press tours underscore a larger point: by and the large, Zuffa does not treat its contracted fighters with sufficient loyalty or respect. He argues that many UFC fighters barely make enough to cover their training expenses. He brings up teammate Keith Jardine repeatedly, incensed that a main event fighter is working for ten and ten- $10k to show and 10k to win – while his opponent regularly makes ten times as much.

Huerta’s expression hardens and becomes more animated as talk turns to endorsements. The common counter-argument for complaints about fighter pay is that fighters often make more from endorsements and sponsorships than they do for competing. But Huerta has soured on the system after receiving lowball offers from companies who expect fighters to jump at the chance to endorse products. He rails against a Fortune 500 company for offering a deal to build him as a spokesman that included unpaid work. “Are you serious?” Huerta ask. “I know Dale Earnhardt Jr isn’t doing appearances for free.”

“The truth is, I don’t really care if I fight in the UFC or somewhere else,” Huerta says. The fighter says he understands that Zuffa has to keep an eye on the bottom line, but he wants to work, “For a company that is as loyal to me as I am to them.”

Huerta has two fights remaining on his current UFC deal, according to the article. He took a major risk by speaking out because he could be subject to reprisal. In the UFC, often you have to get along in order to go along.

MMAPayout.com also raises a valid point that after Huerta fights Kenny Florian in August, he will have one fight remaining on his current contract and could be subject to the same “Zuffa Freeze-out” experienced by both Andrei Arlovski and Brandon Vera when they had one fight remaining on their contracts.

Let’s see; speaking out against the UFC when you’re about to have one fight left on your existing contract? Wow, sounds like UFC 87 could be the last time we see Huerta fight for awhile. The good news is that he has a backup plan, which is to re-enroll in college and work towards completing a degree in business.

(HT: MMAPayout.com)