The ratings were good enough for UFN 17 to rank number one on ad-supported cable in the coveted demographics of men between the ages of 18-34 and men between the ages of 18-49.

In the M 18-34 demo, UFN 17 registered a 1.6 rating for a total of 462,000 viewers while drawing a 1.55 rating with 869,000 viewers in the M 18-49. The ratings in the two key demos were good enough for the event to beat out ESPN’s men’s college basketball telecasts of Indiana against Michigan State as well as Connecticut’s showdown with Michigan.

The telecast peaked during the 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET quarter hour, which featured the event’s main event between lightweights Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens. Lauzon’s submission submission victory over Stephens drew a 1.51 rating for an average audience of 2 million viewers.

However, eleven other fighters involved with the card were also tested and according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, all passed their pre and post-fight drug screenings for performance enhancing drugs and street drugs of abuse.

According to NSAC, tests administered to Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn, Lyoto Machida, Thiago Silva, Clay Guida, Nate Diaz, Stephan Bonnar, Jon Jones, Jake O’Brien, John Howard, Thiago Tavares all came back negative.

However, there are rumblings that the record could be about to be broken.

Fast forward to November 2008 and a perfect storm had hit the UFC. A freight train named Brock Lesnar was going to fight a returning hero in heavyweight champion Randy Couture.

Even though UFC 91 fell just short of the record with 1,010,000 buys it put the wheels in motion as the UFC was about to embark on a two month stretch that could quite possibly see the record broken twice.

UFC 92 anchored by two title fights and a grudge match between Wanderlei Silva and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson did a reported 1.2 million buys. If that number proves to be correct it would have crushed the previous record.

Last Saturday’s dream match-up of welterweight champion and lightweight champion was boosted by a special 3 part series entitled UFC Primetime which was modeled after HBO’s “24/7″. This special consisted of three 1/2 hour shows that followed both fighters as they trained and also gave the fans a deeper introspect into B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre’s rise to prominence.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, UFC president Dana White is estimating that UFC 94 will become the top selling pay-per-view in company history with over 1.3 million buys. The show drew 14,885 fans which is a new record for a UFC fight held in Sin City. The gate reportedly drew an astounding $4.3 million which is good for sixth place as far as live gates are concerned.

White went on to add that the MGM Grand where the card was held was looking to add more seats at the last minute due to the overwhelming demand. Other casinos in the area were calling up looking for tickets due to an amazing 300,000 people who came in to Las Vegas over Super Bowl weekend.

This is just further proof at the rapid rise of mixed martial arts and is a true testament to the hard work that White and the rest of the UFC has put into helping this sport grow.

Despite not getting to fight at UFC 94, sources have informed FiveOuncesOfPain.com that Story will get a chance to compete in the Octagon on a future card after signing a four fight contract with the promotion.

Story, 7-2, came onto the UFC’s radar while on the heels of a current six fight winning streak. His most recent win took place this past September during an Elite Warriors Championship event in which he recorded a first round submission over Brandon Melendez, a veteran from the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

A strong wrestler who hails from Portland, Oregon, Story also has recorded notable victories over Wesley Welch, Jake Ellenberger, and Ryan Healy.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the news from a source close to the fight on Wednesday.

Eklund, 14-3-1, is a native of Sweden and 1-1 in two career UFC bouts. Facing Samy Schiavo at UFC 89 in his most recent bout this past October, Eklund recorded his first-ever Octagon victory following a rear naked choke submission at 1:47 of round 3. A former competitor of both the M-1 and BodogFIGHT promotions, Eklund holds notable victories over Baron and Rafael Dias.

Dunham is 7-0 in a pro MMA career that began in April of last year. Six of his seven victories have ended by either submission or TKO. He last competed just several weeks ago having submitted Dustin Akbari with a rear naked choke at 0:40 of round 3 during Palace Fighting Championships 12 on Jan. 22.

UFC 95 will take place on Saturday, February 21 and will emanate from the O2 Arena in London, England. The event will be televised on Spike TV and feature main card matchups involving Diego Sanchez taking on Joe Stevenson in Sanchez’s debut at lightweight; Josh Koscheck squaring off with the debuting Paulo Thiago; middleweights Nathan Marquardt and Wilson Gouveia going head-to-head; Demian Maia putting his undefeated record on the line again Chael Sonnen; and welterweights Dan Hardy and Rory Markham in action against each other as well.

The non-televised undercard will feature Junior dos Santos vs. Stefan Struve, David Baron vs. Per Eklund, Shannon Gugerty vs. Jeff Lawson, Justin Buchholz vs. Terry Etim, and Paul Kelly vs. Troy Mandaloniz, and Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Neil Grove in addition to Dunham vs. Eklund.

“Dear Mr. Kizer,” the letter begins, addressed to NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer. “This letter is prepared on behalf of Mr. Jay Dee ‘B.J.’ Penn who participated in the UFC welterweight division ‘Championship Bout’ on January 31, 2009, against Georges St. Pierre (hereinafter ’bout’). While this letter is not a formal Complaint to the Nevada Athletic Commission, it shall serve as a formal request to the Commission that it engaged in a comprehensive investigation and review of the activities involving and relating to Georges St. Pierre (‘GSP’) prior to and during the Bout.”

The three page request for a formal investigation is in regard to whether St. Pierre’s corner, consisting of veteran MMA trainers Greg Jackson and Phil Nurse, improperly applied Vaseline to the neck, chest, and shoulders of St. Pierre.

While the letter at no point acts as a protest in which it is suggested that the outcome of the bout be overturned, it clearly outlines concern that the alleged infractions committed by St. Pierre had an adverse effect Penn’s ability to compete.

“Simply put, by lubricating GSP’s body a highly slippery surface was created that completely neutralized an innocent participant’s abilities and strategy to the advantage of GSP,” a passage in the fourth paragraph reads.

The letter, drafted by Nevada-based attorney Raffi A. Nahabedian, asserts that by St. Pierre having been improperly lubricated Penn’s greatest strength, his jiu-jitsu, was not as effective as it could have been.

“Mr. Penn’s most critical offensive and defensive strategies, his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, were rendered useless and he was unable to effectively control GSP and engage his submission techniques due to Mr. Penn’s legs and arm slipping out of the attempted holds/locks and GSP’s ability to readily slip out of the holds/locks due to the highly slipper surfaces on GSP’s body.”

One interesting revelation made in the letter is that Penn’s representatives assert that St. Pierre had a reputation for improper lubrication in the past and that Penn’s camp expressed concerns to the commission before the bout.

“Because of Mr. Penn’s prior experience and information provided to him before his participation in the Bout, a member of Mr. Penn’s team informed Commission members prior to the Bout of the possibility of GSP being ‘greased up’ during the Bout or engaging in activities that may cause him to be/become slippery during the Bout,” states the letter.

While the letter does not say so directly, there is language in the next sentence and a subsequent paragraph that could suggest that Penn’s camp expected a greater degree of protection from NSAC.

“While this discussion occurred, Mr. Penn and his team believed that the Commission would be on heightened alert to guard against such illegal activities and would take every precaution to ensure Mr. Penn’s safety and a fair and proper contest… Not withstanding these comments, it is clear that the Commission’s obligations to ensure and guard against such corruption and unfair advantage were severly compromised as people openly witnessed the improper application of an illegal substance over the neck, shoulders, and back of GSP the critical areas of Mr. Penn’s strategy to impose his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submission skills and techniques during the Bout.”

The letter goes on to add that Penn voiced complaints while the bout was taking place.

“Additionally, during the Bout, statements were made that GSP was ‘too slippery’ and that Mr. Penn could not grab or hold GSP because of ‘how slippery’ he was during the Bout.”

The letter closes by saying that Penn and his camp are willing to meet with NSAC with the hope that “the activities of GSP and his agents are properly dealt with by the Commission” and that Penn had wanted to have a “fair and just bout” at UFC 94 while continuing to seek “a fair and just encounter against Georges St. Pierre.”

The letter is signed only by Nahabedian with Penn and his Hawaiian-based attorneys Gary Levitt and Lawrence Epstein all carbon copied. Penn still has up until Feb. 10 to submit a formal complaint or protest.

“I saw the commission jump up there and flipping out,” White is quoted as saying during the post-fight press conference for UFC 94. “They said one of the guys was rubbing Vaseline on Georges’ back in between rounds. It was one and two, I think.

“The guys from the athletic commission went up there and started screaming at them. Knocked the Vaseline and kicked the Vaseline out of the Octagon.”

And in a recent interview with WAAF FM in Boston, White stated that he did not believe the alleged infractions impacted the outcome of the bout but still felt compelled to criticisize St. Pierre’s corner.

“I think that using grease or Vaseline is completely illegal, but in this case I don’t think it made a difference in that fight,” White began to say on the air. “I know Georges St. Pierre. He’s not a cheater. He wanted this fight so bad to prove that he was the best fighter in the world. He completely dominated that fight. It had nothing to do with grease… The athletic commission is looking into it. You can not rub grease on any part of the body besides the face. [The Nevada States Athletic Commission] took all our camera work from all the different angles and is looking into it. This is the case of a stupid cornerman. The cornerman did it and he is going to be held accountable for it… Anything can happen to his cornerman – everything from a fine to never being able to work in the corner again.”

The former WEC welterweight title challenger will join current WEC featherweight champion Carlos Condit as transfers from the WEC welterweight division to the welterweight division of the UFC.

And just like Condit, Larson is scheduled to compete at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1, according to a new report by MMAjunkie.com.

The MMA Junkie report goes on to add that Larson is slated to make his return against newcomer Jesse Sanders.

Larson, a Minnesota native that trains out of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, is 24-2 in a pro career that began in 2002. His first and only bout in the UFC was a unanimous decision victory over Keita Nakamura during UFC Fight Night 7 in December of 2006.

In addition to his win over Nakamura, Larson also holds notable victories over Carlo Prater, John Alessio, Ryan McGivern and Erik Apple. His only losses have come against Condit and former UFC title challenger Jon Fitch.

Sanders, 20-4, earned his UFC roster spot by putting together a six fight win streak. A veteran of Monte Cox’s Extreme Challenge promotion, Sanders has accumulated 24 bouts on his resume in just three years of competition.

UFC Fight Night 18 will take place at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The two-hour Spike TV broadcast will be headlined by Condit making his UFC debut against Martin Kampmann and will serve as a prelude to the season premiere for the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

“We haven’t gotten anything yet, but it’s early,” Nevada State Athletic Commissioner Executive Director Keith Kizer informed FiveOuncesOfPain.com during an exclusive interview.

The reports of a possible complaint from Penn’s camp comes in response to allegations that the corner for St. Pierre improperly applied lubricant to the shoulders and neck of St. Pierre. The allegations were confirmed by Kizer, who detailed the incident.

“After the end of the first round and just as the second round began, one of the inspectors came over to me and said during the time out that one of the cornermen — who I believe was Phil Nurse for the first round — was putting Vaseline on Georges’ face and that he then rubbed Georges’ shoulders,” said Kizer. “It’s okay to rub a guy’s shoulders but you’ve got to make sure the Vaseline is off your hand and it looked and appeared that there might have still be some Vaseline on his hands while he was rubbing his shoulders and upper back between the rounds.”

Despite the warning brought forth by the initial infraction, Kizer indicated that a potential second violation occurred between the second and third round.

“My chief inspector Tony Lato and I were sitting there and we were just behind Georges to his left so we were watching very closely at the end of the second round,” began Kizer. “At this time I believe it was Mr. Jackson — and both guys were in the cage but this time I believe it was Mr. Jackson — was putting the Vaseline on Georges’ face. When he put his hand on Georges’ back to do his breathing thing, there appeared to still be some Vaseline on his hand. Not a lot, but it still appeared to be there because he went directly from the face to the back for the breathing exercise.

“Tony and I yelled at him and it appeared he couldn’t hear us as a result of the noise from the crowd inside of the arena so I immediately got into the Octagon, something I rarely ever do and hopefully have to never do again. I went over to Greg and yelled at him so he could hear me tell him to take his hand off Georges’ back and he did. We then had the camp as well as the inspectors wipe off Mr. St. Pierre’s back and shoulders and I told these guys to be careful and stop doing that.”

From that point forward, Jackson and Nurse honored the commission’s wishes.

“After the round, as we he was going to his corner, I think it was Greg who came over to me and said ‘Hey, look I was just trying to help with his breathing.’ I said ‘Look, we’ll deal with this later. Just don’t do that again.’ At the end of the third round we watched them and they didn’t do anything like that. They were very careful but we still had his back and shoulders wiped off to play it safe,” stated Kizer.

Kizer’s decision to enter the cage was visible to anyone who attended after the event. However, the aftermath that ensued afterward was not. According to Kizer, Penn’s camp immediately expressed concern after the fight.

“Regan Penn came over and I spoke with him and I kind of just told him what we had observed and what we had done about it,” he described. “Obviously he was not very pleased with the behavior of Mr. St. Pierre’s corner and neither were we.

“… I also spoke to one of St. Pierre’s corner people in the back and basically told him that it was unacceptable and he said it was it was accidental. Regardless of whether it was accidental or not, it was improper and unfortunately because of it, some fans my look at it as a tainted victory by St. Pierre and neither he or B.J. Penn deserve such a response for such a great fight.”

While Jackson and Nurse may have had no malicious intent in performing breathing exercises on St. Pierre, their actions were still considered to be serious in nature and Kizer indicated that their ability to corner fighters could be affected in the future.

“It was just very disconcerting and later I had our chief inspector tell the cornermen that if they ever do anything like that again that it will probably be the last time they ever work a corner in Nevada for any event,” Kizer began to explain. “Also, Mr. Fertitta and Mr. White also indicated that they were very disappointed and perhaps that they wouldn’t work a corner for any UFC regardless of location but I will leave that to the UFC and them. We’ll only deal with it from Nevada’s perspective.”

In closing, Kizer was asked whether the infractions committed were serious enough to create a situation where St. Pierre’s victory could possibly be overturned.

“Any licensing is subject to fines or suspensions based on their behavior. Whether or not this rises to that, I cannot say. I’d want to get all sides and perspectives and whether the stern warning was sufficient or if more needs to be done has yet to be determined. But that’s probably it and there’s probably no basis for a protest of the decision itself. We wiped him down and you do what you can to make it a level playing field.”

Ishii, Yamamoto, and Uno were all shown on camera during the non-televised portion of the card and were identified by UFC play-by-play announcer Mike Goldberg, who indicated that the three were on hand to cheer their countryman Akihiro Gono. Gono lost a unanimous decision to former UFC welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch in the final fight contested before the PPV telecast.

In addition to supporting Gono, it appears the three might have been present for the event for additional reasons. According to a report by CBSSports.com’s Todd Martin, UFC President Dana White stated during a post-fight press conference that the promotion has an interest in signing all three.

The revelation that the UFC has interest in Ishii is nothing new. Ishii, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympic games in Beijing while representing Japan, was flown to Las Vegas by the UFC in December for UFC 92. While in town, he spent time at several local fight gyms, most notably Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture. After the event, the promotion issued a press release announcing it had begun negotiations with the rookie heavyweight.

However, the news that White is interested in both Yamamoto and Uno is a new development. Yamamoto has not competed in over a year due to injury but is considered one of Japan’s biggest MMA stars who has also gained mainstream notoriety. A former standout amateur wrestler, Yamamoto has competed as both a bantamweight and a featherweight.

White’s public flirtation with Ishii stirred up a negative reaction with many Japanese fight fans and if the UFC is able to formally sign both, it could launch a full-scale promotional war. However, it still remains to be seen whether either will sign with the UFC, as Ishii still has not formally signed a contract and White also reportedly acknowledged that Yamamoto still has two fights on his current contract.

If signed by Zuffa, Yamamoto would not only give the promotion a drawing card in Japan but could be also promoted in high-profile fights against current WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres and or former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber.

Uno previously competed in the UFC from 2001-2003, compiling a record of 3-3-1 with notable victories over Yves Edwards and Din Thomas and notable losses to Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn. Now 25-11-4 in a pro MMA career that began in 1996, Uno is still considered one of Japan’s top lightweight competitors.

The highest paid fighter for the event was UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who earned a total of $400,000 for his fourth round TKO victory over B.J. Penn. St. Pierre’s guarantee for the fight was $200,000 and he was paid an additional $200,000 in the form of a win bonus.

Penn received $125,000 for the losing effort but would have doubled his disclosed take home pay and walked away with $250,000 had he been victorious.

Another big winner last night was still undefeated light heavyweight Lyoto Machida, who netted a disclosed total of $185,000. The Brazilian native received a $60,000 guarantee plus a $60,000 win bonus. He received an additional $65,000 in the form of a “Knockout of the Night” bonus in recognition of his first round KO of Thiago Silva.

Complete salary totals are listed below but it must be noted as a disclaimer that the published figures do no include undisclosed totals such as signing bonuses, locker room bonuses, pay-per-view bonuses, sponsorship earnings, and any other forms of compensation to fighters that are not disclosed to the commission as a matter of public record.

1. Georges St. Pierre: $400,000 ($200,000 to show plus $200,000 to win)
2. Lyoto Machida: $185,000 ($60,000 to show; $60,000 to win; and $65,000 for “Knockout of the Night”)
3. B.J. Penn: $125,000 (would have earned an additional $125,000 had he won)
4. Clay Guida: $105,000 ($20,000 to show; $20,000 to win; and $65,000 for “Fight of the Night”)
5. Nate Diaz: $85,000 ($20,000 to show and $65,000 for “Fight of the Night”;would have earned an additional $20,000 had he won)
6. Karo Parisyan: $80,000 ($40,000 to show and $40,000 to win)
7. Chris Wilson: $80,000 ($15,000 to show and $65,000 for “Fight of the Night”; would have earned an additional $15,000 had he won)
8. John Howard: $71,000 ($3,000 to show; $3,000 to win; and $65,000 for “Fight of the Night”)
9. Jon Fitch: $68,000 ($34,000 to show and $34,000 to win)
10. Thiago Silva: $29,000 (would have earned an additional $29,000 had he won)
11. Akihiro Gono: $28,000 (would have earned an additional $28,000 had he won)
12. Dong Hyun Kim: $26,000 (would have earned an additional $26,000 had he won)
13. Thiago Tavares: $26,000 ($13,000 to show and $13,000 to win)
14. Stephan Bonnar: $22,000 (would have earned an additional $22,000 had he won)
15. Manny Gamburyan: $14,000 (would have earned an additional $14,000 had he won)
16. Dan Cramer: $16,000 ($8,000 to show and $8,000 to win)
17. Jon Jones: $14,000 ($7,000 to show and $7,000 to win)
18. Matt Arroyo: $8,000 (would have earned an additional $8,000 had he won)

The disclosed fighter payroll for the event is $1,057,000 but that does not include salary figures for Christian Wellisch and Jake O’Brien, which were not immediately available. The listed total also does not include the “Fight Night” bonsues that were incorporated into the total payouts for Howard, Wilson, Machida, Guida, and Diaz.

I also have a great deal of respect for his brother, J.D. Penn, as well as his entire family. However, I’ve got to call it like I see it and Penn simply did not bring his A-game last night.

To be completely candid, I was kind of disappointed by what I saw from him. I don’t know what it was but Penn looked like he was sleep walking at times. I don’t think he fought poorly, but he simply was no match for St. Pierre. To put it plainly, Penn is a much better fighter than what he showed and I am perplexed as to why he wasn’t able to fight up to his ability during the biggest fight of his life. St. Pierre clearly had no problems delivering when it mattered the most.

From my vantage point, Penn did not look like he was suffering from any conditioning issues. But at the same time, St. Pierre appeared as though he was fighting with much more gas in the tank. He applied a great amount of pressure on Penn and used his takedowns to prevent the native Hawaiian from getting into any kind of rhythm with his standup game.

Once he was on his back, Penn’s renowned guard did very little from preventing St. Pierre from landing strikes to his head and body. As Penn took more and more damage, he became more and more discouraged. Yes, the latter statement is speculation on my part but it was an observation that was also noted by UFC color commentator Joe Rogan during the night’s telecast.

Coming into the fight, I expected a lot more from Penn, as I think many of his fans did as well. While most of them hung in there, I saw a fair amount of spectators wearing Penn shirts head for the aisle after the fourth round before referee Herb Dean had waved off the fight.

Perhaps his supporters were going to get some refreshments, but I think the more likely scenario was that they elected to leave early. The scene reminded me of a football game where the home team is down by 21 points with five minutes left and people begin to leave in order to beat traffic.

On the way out, the mighty legion of St. Pierre fans that made the trek from Canada were eager to bask in the glory of their hero’s big victory. I could hear multiple GSP fans angrily mock Penn by reciting lines that he uttered during UFC Primetime.

“Who’s the quitter now!?” one fan asked rhetorically at the top of his lungs while within earshot of an exiting fan that was wearing a Penn shirt. Minutes later, another GSP supporter could be heard screaming, “Who’s the one who got killed tonight?”

From a live perspective, UFC 94 was a tremendous event. It felt epic in nature and the energy from the crowd was tremendous. Usually there is a strong local flavor when you attend a UFC event in Vegas but on Saturday night it felt as if every fan was either from Hawaii or Canada. Fans were not only wearing shirts in order to declare their allegiance but there were a great deal of Canadian flags as well as Hawaiian state flags on display.

Some of the fights on the show weren’t the most exciting and the lack of finishes took away from my enjoyment but I still really enjoyed the Jon Jones vs. Stephan Bonnar, John Howard vs. Chris Wilson, Clay Guida vs. Nate Diaz, and St. Pierre vs. Penn fights.

A total of eight of ten fights went to decision with the show running long as a result. I couldn’t help but notice that as a result of all the decisions, only Guida and St. Pierre from main card were interviewed and I don’t recall anyone from the undercard being handed an open mic. Post-fight interviews generally add very little but for some reason I really missed not hearing from the winners last night.

The UFC also deserves props for its use of “Fight Link,” which is a short-wave radio device available during major events in Las Vegas. For $10 I was able to buy a disposable radio that allowed me to listen to Rogan and Mike Goldberg’s commentary of the event. “Fight Link” is another example of how the UFC has mastered the art of live event production. While Affliction makes its live crowd secondary during weigh-ins to accommodate an HDNet telecast and fails miserably in trying to emulate PRIDE with a pre-fight parade of fighters, the UFC is taking its game to a whole new level.

In addition to my general thoughts, I also wanted to present my fight-by-fight impressions:

– Dan Cramer defeats Matt Arroyo via split decision – Arroyo has a lot of potential but could be on the endangered species list. He now has back-to-back losses at a time when the UFC is planning on bringing multiple welterweights over from the WEC. Losing to Matt Brown this past June was one thing but losing to a guy making his pro debut is another. To be honest, I wasn’t all that impressed by Cramer and was extremely disappointed that he didn’t do more to try and pass Arroyo’s guard. Arroyo is dangerous off his back but if you’re going to repeatedly take someone down, I believe you should try to advance your position. Rogan eschewed the same sentiments during the fight and brought up how Tito Ortiz could be the best ever when inflicting damage inside of someone’s guard. However, Cramer has got a long way to go until that point and his fighting style made for a pretty boring contest. I was also surprised to hear that Rogan felt Arroyo won round one even though he spent most of it on his back. Apparently he wasn’t alone in that position, as one of the judges scored the fight in Arroyo’s favor.

– Jake O’Brien defeats Christian Wellisch by unanimous decision – O’Brien looked like a completely different fighter. His physique has been completely re-made and he showed a willingness to box during the early duration of the fight. However, both fighters were cutting to light heavyweight for the first time and ran out of gas mid-way through the second. O’Brien appeared to be the more tired of the two and went back to his wrestling in order to eat up clock. While in top position, O’Brien did not inflict much damage and this fight became a very boring one to watch. Wellisch is a part of the AKA and Zinkin faction that drew the ire of White last year and like Jon Fitch, he was fired for a day. He was brought back but could be let go again because it’s unclear if there’s a place for him in the UFC’s stacked light heavyweight division.

– John Howard defeats Chris Wilson by split decision – Kind of strange to see the first three fights be decided by a split decision. This was an entertaining fight but I don’t really understand how it earned “Fight of the Night” honors. I consider the outcome to be a considerable upset because while Howard is a strong prospect, this fight was set up for Wilson to win. Wilson is an impressive striker and someone that the promotion likely thinks highly of. However, Howard provided additional ammunition in my never-ending argument that the East Coast is the most overlooked fighting region in the country. Howard showed tremendous poise for a guy fighting inside of the Octagon for the first time and he looked extremely explosive. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a step up in competition.

Thiago Tavares defeats Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision – Tavares was just too much for Gamburyan, as he not only had a reach advantage but had an advantage both with his boxing and his jiu-jitsu. Not a particularly exciting fight and I was surprised that Tavares wasn’t able to finish Gamburyan. But a win is a win after coming into the fight with consecutiveve losses, I don’t think Tavares could have survived a third straight loss. As for Gamburyan, I believe he’s listed as 5’6’’ but that could be his basketball height. I think he’s probably more like 5’4’’. I also think a drop down to the WEC’s featherweight division would be a wise move for him.

– Jon Fitch defeats Akihiro Gono by unanimous decision – I had mixed emotions about Gono’s incredible entrance. He made his walk down to the cage in a shiny silver dress while wearing a wig. He was accompanied by two corner men wearing the same outfit and the three took multiple pauses during their entrance to go through what appeared to be a choreographed dance routine. I found the entrance to quite possibly be the greatest in the history of MMA but it was also disturbing… no, not because Gono was cross dressing but because it appeared as though he put a lot of time into the routine. Any time you see a fighter put so much time into something as trivial as a cage walk it makes you wonder where his priorities are? It was quite a contrast to a guy like Fitch, who is no-nonsense and one of the hardest working fighters you will see.

The highlight of the fight was the entrance. Gono hit a few nice jump knees but the fight as well Fitch. As big of a Fitch supporter as I am and as much as I whined that he had been relegated to the non-televised undercard, Joe Silva deserves all the credit in the world for making the call because this was an incredibly dull fight. Despite having trained in Thailand for a month late last year, Fitch didn’t use his striking much and relied heavily on his superb ground game. But when Fitch takes his opponents down, he’s not always the most active and that again was the case here.

It should also be noted that Fitch got a strong reaction during weigh-ins and again during the pre-fight intros. I think the masses are finally starting to recognize him as a star.

– Clay Guida defeats Nate Diaz via split decision – This was the most I’ve seen of Diaz’s standup in a fight and he was a spitting image of his brother. Diaz does not throw very many power shots and instead was peppering Guida with jabs and short crosses. For the most part, Guida showed a good chin, as he absorbed a lot of punches because he just doesn’t have very good head movement. At one point in the third, I really thought Diaz was on the verge of finishing him but Guida is almost impossible to finish. This was a good win for Guida and not a bad loss for Diaz. It was excellent match making and definitely deserve co-“Fight of the Night” honors.

– Karo Parisyan defeats Dong Hyun Kim via split decision – A lot of fans booed the decision but I had to give it to Karo, which says a lot considering I had action on Kim. Kim really hurt himself because he didn’t really do anything in the third round and was content just to stand there and survive. Karo didn’t do much either in the final round but at least he tried to work hard. Aside from a couple of Judo throws this was not an exciting fight and neither fighter looked impressive to me.

– Jon Jones defeats Stephan Bonnar via unanimous decision – Can someone please explain to me how Howard vs. Wilson got a $65,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus instead of Jones vs. Bonnar? I mean, I thought this was an awesome fight. Jones is so exciting to watch and is now 8-0 despite the fact that he hasn’t even been fighting for a year. Joe Silva deserves major credit for adding Jones to the UFC’s roster because he’s going to be a star. The crowd had no idea who he was but by the end of the fight, they were solidly behind him.

Bonnar is such an underachiever. He is a former golden gloves boxer, has good kicks, solid submissions, and possesses great size for the division. However, injuries and a steroid suspension have really set him back. Hopefully he will fight every three months and get into a groove. But his reputation as a strong fighter makes this a meaningful win for Jones, who recorded a strong win during his UFC debut in August against Andre Gusmao. Being just 21-years old and taking out solid vets such as Bonnar and Gusmao during your rookie year speaks volumes in my mind.

Jones is just an amazing athlete with dynamic striking ability and incredible wrestling takedowns and Judo throws. At one point he hit a German suplex on Bonnar. He can just pick guys up and throw them within seconds. I just can’t get over how explosive this kid is. I can’t wait to watch him fight next.

– Lyoto Machida defeats Thiago Silva via first round KO – Both fighters received a strong reaction and the UFC did a good job from a live aspect of presenting these two as stars. Both had an elaborate lighting scheme during their entrances and there was a dramatic pre-fight package that played up the fact that both fighters were undefeated coming into the bout.

I don’t think I could have been more impressed with Machida. Once one of his biggest critics, I am quickly becoming a fan. He was anything but boring last night and the work he’s put into becoming a more aggressiveve fighter is really starting to show. His defensive prowess is just amazing, as it’s almost impossible to hurt the guy. He’s also extremely poised and focused. Silva tried to get into his head during weigh-ins and during the pre-fight staredown and Machida acted completely indifferent towards his presence.

I also have a new found respect for Machida’s deceptive punching power. I’ve seen him floor both Sokoudjou and Silva in person now. He closes the distance and rushes in with a quick combination that doesn’t appear to be overly powerful. But he ends up dropping guys. I think that a big part of Machida’s ability to knock opponents down with his punches stems from the fact that he’s so accurate. It seems to me that his fists make impact with the worst possible places to get hit.

I’m not only on the Machida bandwagon, but I am on it in a big way. If Machida gets his title shot then you are looking at the new UFC light heavyweight champion. I don’t care who the opponent is; Machida will beat them. Furthermore, I think a year from now we might be talking about him as the pound-for-pound best in the world.

– Georges St. Pierre defeats B.J. Penn via fourth round TKO – I enjoyed this fight from a live perspective because the energy in the crowd was amazing. There were dueling “GSP” and “B.J. Penn” chants throughout the night and their respective fans really got into the fight. Little sequences that normally would not get a reaction in most fights were reacted to as if they were a dramatic knockout.

But on TV, I’m not sure if this fight came off well because it was pretty much all GSP. I was really looking forward to a back and forth war between the two and I feel like we were deprived of that. As I stated earlier, Penn just didn’t have his A-game. He also was able to get in almost no offense as St. Pierre kept his jab in check by using frequent takedowns. In hindsight, Sean Sherk’s strategy against Penn was completely wrong. St. Pierre is a better wrestler than Sherk at this point but Sherk’s best attribute is his wrestling and grounding Penn would have made more sense instead of allowing himself to get smashed by his jab all night long.

I also don’t get all of the anti-B.J. sentiment by GSP’s fans. I don’t see why so many people take B.J.’s comments so literal. The guy is a tremendous fighter but also knows how to sell a fight. You’ve got to take a lot of what he says when he’s promoting a fight with a grain of salt because he’s just trying to add to the drama.

The win not only allowed Machida to improve his overall record to 14-0 and career UFC record to 6-0 while handing the previously unbeaten Silva his first career loss, but it earned him a $65,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus.

But most impressive of all is word that with the win, Machida has all but assured himself a guaranteed light heavyweight title shot, according to comments made by UFC President Dana White during the post-fight press conference for UFC 94. Whether Machida gets the first title shot at current champion Rashad Evans is uncertain, as White was quick to add that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s destiny still rests in his own hands.

“We don’t have [Machida] scheduled to fight Rashad next,” White said. “But he’s in the mix. He’ll probably have a title shot before the end of the year.”

White inferred that a win by Jackson against Keith Jardine in the main event for UFC 96 on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio will mean that he will get the first crack at Evans. However, a loss by Jackson could mean that Machida would become the new number one contender and get the first show at Evans.

Regardless of the outcome of Jackson vs. Jardine, White stated that Machida will “probably” receive his title shot before year’s end.

Branded by many as a boring fighter, Machida’s win over Silva at UFC 94 was another step in his evolutionart track from a talented prospect to a legitimate star. Known for an elusive counter fighting style that has had a tendency to garner boos from crowds in the past, Machida was anything but boring on Saturday night and was well received by the crowd during Friday’s weigh-ins and again during pre-fight introductions.

The undefeated Brazilian is not only winning fight fans over but has also earned the praise of his boss.

“The thing I said about this kid since the first time I ever saw him is if when you think back to Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and any of the guys who have been the big stars here the past 10 years, they weren’t barn-burners when they first came into the UFC,” White is quoted as saying during the post-fight presser. “It wasn’t like highlight reels and excitement. What happens is guys get in the UFC. It takes them a little while. They have to feel like this is their home. They have to start to get the feel for it, get some fights under their belt, and I said when Lyoto gets that, he’s going to be very dangerous.

“I think he’s going to be one of the greatest fighters in MMA, and every time he comes out to fight, he proves it more and more. … He looks better every time he fights.”

According to a report by MMAjunkie.com, UFC President Dana White revealed during the show’s post fight press conference that a total of 14,855 fans were present at the MGM to witness UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre successfully defend his title against reigning lightweight champion B.J. Penn.

White also reportedly added that the total gate for the event was $4.3 million.

The attendance and gate figures for UFC 94 will not become official until early this week when officials from the Nevada State Athletic Commission release their totals to the public. However, if White’s attendance claim is accurate, UFC 94 will become the most-attended UFC event in the history of the MGM Grand.

If White’s numbers are confirmed this week by NSAC, MMAjunkie.com’s records indicate that UFC 94 will move into sixth place on the UFC’s all-time gate list behind UFC 66 (Liddell vs. Ortiz II), UFC 83 (St. Pierre vs. Serra II), UFC 79 St. Pierre vs. Hughes), UFC 91 (Couture vs, Lesnar), and UFC 71 (Liddell vs. Jackson).

While the gate is not expected to set a record, it’s still an impressive mark considering the state of the U.S. economy. The potential $4.3 million gate comes at a time where Americans have seen record losses in the stock market, experienced a record number of home foreclosures, and endured unemployment numbers that haven’t been this low in decades.

Las Vegas has been hit harder by the down economy more than most cities but an overwhelming number of fans from St. Pierre’s home country of Canada and Penn’s home state of Hawaii helped the event sell out in early January.

Kizer approached the corner for St. Pierre and the two parties exchanged words. At the time, the nature of the conversation was unclear but the blog CagePotato.com is now reporting that Penn’s camp has filed a formal complaint with NSAC.

According to Cage Potato, Penn’s camp has accused one of St. Pierre’s cornermen of applying Vaseline to St. Pierre’s back between rounds. It’s an accusation that was supported by UFC President Dana White during the event’s post-fight press conference.

“I saw the commission jump up there and flipping out,” Cage Potato quotes White as saying.  “They said one of the guys was rubbing Vaseline on Georges’ back in between rounds. It was one and two, I think.

“The guys from the athletic commission went up there and started screaming at them. Knocked the Vaseline and kicked the Vaseline out of the Octagon.”

Regardless of what the commission decides, it’s very unlikely that NSAC would rule to change the outcome of the fight. At most, if a corner person is determined to have committed the alleged act, he could face displinary action on an individual basis.

“Some Vaseline on a guy’s back didn’t change the outcome of that fight, but you don’t do it,” White stated.

With only two TKOs to choose from, light heavyweight title contender Lyoto Machida not only improved to 14-0 during the night’s co-main event, but he earned an additional $65,000 on top of his regular pay thanks to his first round TKO over Thiago Silva.

Staying out of Silva’s range and closing the distance when he saw an opening, Machida was able to use combinations to score two knockdowns against the formerly undefeated Brazilian fighter. The second and final knockdown occurred at the end of round 1 with Machida heading back to his corner.

However, after referee Yves Lavinge checked on the downed Silva, it became obvious that there wasn’t going to be a second round. Replays showed that Silva was almost completely out after being hit by a punch that knocked him off his feet and was completely out after receiving a followup strike.

Unable to award a “Submission of the Night” bonus, the promotion elected to award two “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Both John Howard and Chris Wilson received $65,000 each for their non-televised preliminary fight that saw the newcomer Howard win via split decision while Clay Guida and Nate Diaz also received bonuses for their pay-per-view opening contest in which Guida was declared a split decision winner.

Despite giving up height and reach to Wilson, Howard showed no signs of being nervous in his first-ever Octagon battle. Escaping a guillotine submission attempt in the first round, Howard displayed great power with several takedown attempts during the bout. The East Coast-based fighter hit another takedown in the third round and used a body triangle to help deliver strikes to WIlson’s head in an attempt to sink in a rear naked choke.

Howard never secured the submission but he showed the judges enough to win two of their scorecards by a 29-28 margin. A third judge scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Wilson.

Giving up a tremendous amount of reach, the high-octane Guida preservered and handed Diaz his first-ever loss inside the Octagon. Nicknamed “The Carpenter,” Guida absorbed multiple punches early in the contest that were delivered by the southpaw Diaz. Using leg kicks and takedowns to help neutralize Diaz’s reach advantage, Guida won the fight after receiving scores of 29-28 from two judges with Diaz winning one scorecard by a total of 29-28.

A capacity crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena saw St. Pierre show no concern for Penn’s renowned guard by taking the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt down almost seemingly at will. While on the ground, St. Pierre used an array of punches, elbows, and even knees to the ribs to demoralize and frustrate Penn.

Penn’s ability to mount offense against St. Pierre was limited to several exchanges in the standup. However, even when the two fighters weren’t on the mat, a case could be made that St. Pierre even got the better of Penn while the two were on their feet.

St. Pierre’s striking was an afterthought in comparison to his ground and pound as it proved the difference Saturday night. Despite not having wrestled in high school or college, St. Pierre’s wrestling display against Penn was nothing short of world class. A versatile fighter who cross trains in boxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu, St. Pierre was able to control his counterpart for almost the entire 20 minutes of the fight’s duration.

Penn, considered by most pundits as the number one lightweight in the world and also a top five pound-for-pound ranked fighter, simply lacked the strength and stamina to keep up with the aggressive pace established by St. Pierre midway through the first round.

As the fight wore on, St. Pierre gained more and more momentum with Penn unable to show any threat of turning the tide and mounting a comeback. The lopsided fourth round prompted Penn’s manager and brother, J.D. Penn, a former EliteXC executive, to throw in the towel. Referee Herb Dean acknowledged Penn’s corner by calling a stop to the fight and giving St. Pierre a fourth round TKO victory.

The victory marked the second time in which St. Pierre has recorded a win over Penn. The two previously fought at UFC 58 in March of 2006 with St. Pierre earning a split decision win. Now having improved his overall MMA record to 18-2 and his UFC record to 14-2, he is considered likely to make his next title defense in the coming months against current number one contender Thiago Alves.

The loss for Penn dropped his overall MMA record to 13-5-1 and his career UFC record to 9-4-1. Still recognized as the UFC’s lightweight champion, Penn will likely return to 155 pounds for his next fight and defend his belt against current top contender Kenny Florian.

Stacked with 10 total bouts, UFC 94 also featured a co-main event between unbeaten Brazilians Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva. Machida improved to 14-0 while Silva fell to 13-1 after Machida recorded a first round TKO.

Machida, trained in the traditional martial art of Karate, has earned a reputation for being an elusive fighter lacking a crowd pleasing style. However, he showed improved aggression during the Silva fight and was able to knock down the American Top Team fighter with inside punches on two separate occasions.

With his record in the UFC now standing at 6-0 with notable wins over Silva, Tito Ortiz, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Kazuhiro Nakamura, Machida may have potentially moved into a position for a shot at current light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson had been expected to challenge for the title first but with Evans unable to commit to fighting in the next several months and the UFC needing a main event for its UFC 96 show in March, he was signed to fight Keith Jardine instead. The UFC could elect to either wait to see if Jackson wins against Jardine and book him to face Evans or Machida could be signed for Evans’ first-ever defense.

In other action, Karo Parisyan made a successful return to the Octagon after having been idle since last April. Facing a game opponent in South Korea’s Dong Hyun Kim, Parisyan recorded a split decision victory that was met with several boos from the crowd after the outcome had been announced.

Rookie Jon Jones improved his overall record to 8-0 by utilizing his dynamic striking ability en route to a unanimous decision victory over season one light heavyweight runner up from The Ultimate Fighter, Stephan Bonnar.

During the show’s televised opener, Clay Guida handed season five TUF lightweight champion Nate Diaz his first-ever UFC loss by grinding out a split decision victory.

In non-televised undercard action, Dan Cramer was successful in his pro debut by recording a split decision victory over Matt Arroyo while Jake O’Brien won his first fight as a light heavyweight with a split decision victory over Christian Wellisch.

UFC newcomer John Howard also showed tremendous poise and strength with a split decision victory over Chris Wilson and lightweight prospect Thiago Tavares snapped a two fight losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Manny Gamburyan.

The preliminary portion of the card was closed out by former UFC welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch dominating Akihiro Gono during in a unanimous decision victory. The former PRIDE star caused quite a stir by walking to the cage in drag complete with a choreographed dance routine.

Readers of FiveOuncesOfPain.com should be sure to check the site frequently during the weekend as we will have extensive coverage of UFC 94.

Publisher Sam Caplan has been on location in Las Vegas in order to cover the weigh-ins and any late breaking news regarding the historic card, which will feature UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre defending his title against reigning UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. Readers should also expect several key pre and post-fight video interviews with several of the principals involved with UFC 94.

Additionally, managing editor David Andrest will have live play-by-play and results of the undercard and main card starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday for those unable to attend the event live or watch in on pay-per-view.

The FiveOuncesofPain.com  Live Event Chat room is also open for LIVE bell to bell coverage of the event. You may enter the chat here and discuss the fights with your fellow FiveOuncesofPain.com readers.

Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh play-by-play is updated in real time.

Matt Arroyo vs. Dan Cramer
Round 1

Arroyo starts off UFC 94 with a solid leg kick. Cramer then shoots in and scores a takedown. Arroyo with an armbar attempt Cramer escapes. Cramer is landing punches from Arroyo’s guard. Arroyo climbs Cramer and trys a triangle. Cramer escapes the attempt and rains down more punches. The round comes to a close

Round 2

Arroyo opens round two with a botched back kick and slips to the mat. Cramer into Arroyo’s guard and begins to work his ground and pound.  The action is slow, and the crowd lets the fighters hear about it. Cramer continues to work from Arroyo’s guard landing moderate damage. Arroyo’s face is showing the effects as the round comes to and end.

Round 3

Cramer stuffs a shot by Arroyo to begin the third frame. Arroyo trips Cramer and lands in his guard. Dan with a gogoplata attempt. Arroyo sweeps Cramer and takes his back.Arroyo rear-naked choke and sinks in the hooks. Cramer defends. Cramer scrambles into Arroyo’s guard. The Action slows again and the fighters are reset on the feet.Cramer scores a takedown to the crowds dismay. Arroyo is working another armbar attempt and the round comes to a close.

The Scores are in: 29-28 Cramer, 29-28 Arroyo and 29-28 for Cramer.

Dan Cramer wins via Split Decision

Jake O’Brien vs. Christian Wellisch
Round 1

The two fights start off throwing leather, O’Brien knocks Wellisch down.  Wellisch gets back up, they trade and O’Brien put Wellisch on his back and delivers damage from his guard. the action slows and the fighters return to their feet. Wellish botches a shot and falls to the ground. O’Brien follows him and is working from inside the guard. The action again slows and the fighters are stood back up. The two fighters begin to exchange again. O’Brien takes Wellisch down again, and the round comes to a close.

Round 2

The fighters start of exchanging. The action is slow and the crowd lets them know it. Wellish stuffs an O’Brien takedown.  O’Brien hits sa double leg driving Wellisch into the canvas. O’Brien working in Wellisch’s guard near the cage. Things are again slow and O’Brien stands and and steps back.  O’Brien  hits another double leg takedown. Wellish makes it back to his feet and lands a shot as the round ends.

Round 3

The two fighters start off with jabs to begin the final round. O’Brien hits a quick single leg, and Wellisch scrambles back up to his feet. They exchange jabs again.  Wellisch is now bleeding, and O’Brien scores a strong double leg takedown. O’Brien then stand and Wellish gets back to his feet. Slow pace little action. O’Brien with a big left hook, Wellish is bleeding all over, the canvas is showing wear. O’Brien hits another takedown, and returns to his feet. Wellish follows.   Wellish stuffs a final takedown attempts as the round comes to an end.

The Scores are in: 29-28 Wellisch, 29-28 O’Brien, 29-28 O’Brien.

Jake O’Brien wins via Split Decision, and the crowd rains down boos

Chris Wilson vs. John Howard
Round 1

The action starts with a leg kick by Howard. Howard with a quick takedown, and the fighters bounce back to their feet. Howard is pressing the action. Wilson lands a kick and the fighters clinch. Wilson pushes Howard into the cage and they break and miss with some wild shots. Wilson attempts a standing guillotine. Howard escapes and pulls guard. Wilson lands a hard shot. The fighters scramble, and Howard lands a takedown.  The ref stands them up after a brief lul and Howard Slams Wilson and the round comes to and end.

Round 2
Howard opens the second frame with a leg kick, Wilson answers with a knee. Howard with a takedown. the fighters scramble back to the feet. Howard with another takedown, into half guard. Wilson works back to his feet, and into a clinch along the cage. knees are exchanges, and the two throw solid punches.  Howard with a thrid takedown, but Wilson works into Howards guard.  Wilson starts to deliver punches with little damage, and Howard scrambles as the round ends.

Round 3
Howard starts off the round with a takedown and takes Wilson’s back in the process. Howard has a body triangle and is doing damage with strikes. He attempts the rear naked choke, but can’t get the finish. He starts landing more shots to Wilson’s head. Wilson escapes into Howard’s guard. They work their way back up. Howard with another takedown and ground and pound on Wilson as the round ends.

The Scores are in: 29-28 Howard, 29-28 Wilson and 29-28 for Howard.

John Howard wins via Split Decision

Manny Gamburyan vs. Thiago Tavares
Round 1
The action is slow for the better part of the first minute , Tavares nails a double-leg takedown and starts landing shots from guard. Tavares moves to half guard and Gamuryan grabs and arm and attempts a Kimura.Tavares spins back into Manny’s guard and delivers punishment. Gamburyan tries to escape but Tavares is not having it. The two are now standing Tavares still has Gamburyan who attpemts a throw. Tavares picks up Manny and slams him and moves back to guard. The fighters work back to their feet and the rounds ends.

Round 2

Tavares with a takedown to start the second. The fighters scramble and move back to their feet. Manny with a takedown and works from Thiago’s guard. the action slows and the Referee stands them up. Both fighters swing and miss and Tavares shoots and Manny stuffs it. The round ends.

Round 3

Manny attempts a takedown and is stuffed, and again. Tavares with an unsuccessful takedown and both swing for the fences.   Tavares connects with a big right but can’t finish Manny. The two exchange. Tavares lands a knee and stops a takedown.  Manny is starting to swing heavy leather and missing.   Tavares lands a heavy jab.  Tavares is backing up Manny walks him down as the round ends.

The scores are in:  29-28 for Thiago Tavares.

Thiago Tavares wins by Unanimous Decision

Jon Fitch vs. Akihiro Gono ( Gono and his corner enter the arena dressed in drag. Dresses are silver, dance routine is fabulous)
Round 1
Fitch shoots for a takedown Gono defends the two clinch on the cage. Fitch lands punches, then clinches Fitch with heavy knees to Gono’s body. Fitch gets a takedown, and takes Gono’s back. Fitch landing shots trying to loosen him up for a choke, Fitch still has his back and the round ends.

Round 2

Fitch starts off with a body kick. Gono clinches and drives Fitch into the cage. Fitch trips Gono , and Gono pulls guard. Fitch has Gono up against the cage and punishes Gono’s body and head. Gono is trapped and Fitch is landing elbows and punches, Fitch moves to half guard and lands more elbows. Fitch locks a body triangle, and is punching Gono. Gono tries to escape and Fitch locks on an armbar as the bell rings.

Round 3

Fitch punches Gono, kicks him then secures a takedown. Fitch with brutal gnp.The fighters are back to their feet. Gono tries a flying knee and Fitch catches him pushes him to the cage.Gono with a kneebar attempt. Fitch takes side control. Gono with a sweep into Fitch’s guard. Fitch tries lock a triangle. Gono back to his feet. Gono misses a head kick and the fight ends.

The Scores are in: 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26 for Jon Fitch.

Jon Fitch wins via Unanimous Decision

Nathan Diaz vs. Clay Guida

Round 1

The fighters exchange, Diaz uses his HUGE reach advantage and peppers Guida.  Diaz keeping the distance. Guida being patient. Guida with a knee, and Diaz continues to use his reach and hits Guida at will.  The fight is resembling a boxing mismatch.  Guida shoots and Nate stuffs the single leg. Back to boxing.  Nate shoots and pulls guard.  Guida working from Diaz’s guard.  He has his back.  Diaz is standing with Guida on his back.  Guida with what appears to be a full nelson on Diaz.  Diaz rolls , and Guida has side control and drops elbow.   Diaz to his feet, Guida continues with a body lock.   Guida slams Diaz out of a single but proceeds with caution.   Guida has his back again.  Diaz looking for an answer.  Guida with a nice knee……..the round ends and Diaz raises his arms in victory?

Round 2

Round two opens, Diaz using his reach.  Diaz attempts a hip toss with no success.  Diaz with jabs.  The two clinch and Diaz presses Guida into the cage.  Guida reverses and pushes Diaz.  Guida trying another slam and is stopped.  Guida showing a serious pace.  Diaz working a kimura from standing position. The two remain clinched.  Nate hits a switch and takes the top, Guida reverses and takes Diaz’s back.  Diaz tries to escape, Guida remains locked to his back. Nice toss by Diaz, but Guida keeps back control.  Diaz is still working a Kimura.  Guida still keeps Diaz’s back.  Diaz is looking for an answer. and take guida to the ground.  Guida in Diaz’s guard,  Quick triangle attempt and the round ends.

Round 3

Daiz comes out strong with hard shots, Guida answers with a leg kick.  Jab after Jab from Diaz. Diaz landing alot.  Guida with a kick.  Diaz Jab after jab, and the two finally clinch.  Diaz pressing Guida into the cage.  The two disengage.  Diaz with more jabs, and he is starting to do damage.  Diaz is beginning to show off. Diaz is just picking Guida apart.  The two clinch, Guida working for a takedown.  Guida has a body lock.   2 minutes left and Guida is holding on.   Diaz takes him down,  Guida takes his back.  Diaz standing.  Diaz with elbow backwaards.  Guida holds on the body lock. diaz working .  Guida in Diaz’s guard.  Diaz gets passed and Guida takes his back.  Diaz needs a stoppage, Guida just keeps coming. Guida still with the body lock.  He continues to ride Diaz’s back.  Some knees from Guida, the 10 second mark.  Guida has his back is shook off and the round ends.

The Scores are in: 29-28 Diaz  29-28 Guida 29-28 Guida.

Clay Guida Wins by Split Decision

Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Round 1

Karo comes out with a looping right hand.  A short clinch and Kim takes Karo down.  Kim has a lock and has Karo by the back.  Kim on the back of a standing Karo.  Kim landing shots to Karo head fromt eh back.  Karo to the ground, Kim Keeping his back.  Kim still landing shot.  Kim patient, and landing shots.  Kim exciting the crowd with a wave.  Karo back up and falls down trying to shake off kim.  Kim with and armbar attempt, Karo rolls out and take top.  Kim with a triangle……..Karo is out.  Karo back in Kims guard.  Kim attacking from bottom in guard.  Karo with a few body shots.  Kim up and takes Karo’s back.  Karo is getting schooled on the ground.  the are back up in a clinch, with Kim landing knees. Karo turns kim into the cage. 10 seconds left the to step back, Kim swings and the round ends.

Round 2

The round starts the two exchange.  Karo throwing hands, and the two clinch.  Kim pushes Karo into the cage.  Karo tries a throw, the two go to the ground. Karo has top for a second and they scramble to their feet.  clinch on the cage. Kim pushing Karo into the cage.  Reverse by Karo, Karo tries a single leg and it doesn’t work.  the two remain clinched…Karo with a text book Judo throw and is on top in side control.  Karo trying to take his back. Kim escapes and they clinch against the cage again.  Kim pushes karo against the cage.  Reversal by Karo.  The fighters split and the ref stops the action to tell Karo to put his mouthpiece in and gets a warning. Kim throwing shots.  Karo pushes forward.  the two fighters circle.  the two clinch, Karo pushes Kim up against the cage, Nice left by Karo and the round ends.

Round 3

The fighters circle.  Clinch and back against the cage.  Kim with the takedown.  Kim in Karo’s full guard.  Ref stops the fight for an upkick to a downed fighter. The fight restarts.  Kim Takes down Karo and takes his back.  Karo escapes. the two remain clinched.  the two exchage knees.  Kim pushs Karo against the cage agian.  Kim with a brutal knee to the body.  They remain clinched.  Jumping knee attempt by Karo.  Karo drags him down and they work back to their feet.  The remain clinched and the action slows.  Reversal by Karo pushing kim against the fence.  The crowd becomes restless.  Karo with a take down, Kim back to his feet.  Kim pushes Karo against the fence and a reversal.  Very even round.  The two continue to grapple and clinch, the fight ends.   Fight is a Pick’em at best.

The Scores are in: 29-28 Parisyan 29-28 Kim 29-28 Parisyan

Karo Parisyan wins via Split Decision

Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones
Round 1

The round begins, the fighters circle. Jones with a big right and a miss. Jones with a round kick. Jones with a push kick and Bonner clinches.  Jones pushes Bonner against the cage.  Big knee by Jones,  Hip toss by Jones. Bonner on bottom and works back to his feet.  Another throw by Jones. Bonner back to his feet. The two circle again.  Clinch and Jones throws some knees.  Push into the cage by bonner.  The remain clinched.  Jones with a reversal and takes bonners back and a big suplex.   Spinning back elbow by jones.  Bonner is in trouble.  Bonner works to survive.  Bonner back to his feet.  Bonner has a huge cut on his forehead.  The two clinch and release.  Big knee by Jones.  Trip by Jones.  and the round ends.

Round 2

Bonner comes out throwing leather.  Kicks exchanges. and a nice side kick by jones.  Leg trip and Jones takes bonners back.  Knee by Jones.  The two circle, and big kick by Bonner.  Jones catches it and take Bonner to the floor.  Jones on top in bonners half guard.  Jones has Bonners arm trapped. Bonner gets the arm free.  Bonner sweeps and gets back to his feet.  Jones with a body kick.  Bonner clinches.  Bonner with some knees against the cage.  Jones breaks free and throws some shots.  Bonner with some uppercuts, and keeping the presure on the young fighter.  Knee by bonner.  Bonner with some nice dirty boxing.  Jones is watching the clock.   Jones with a sick throw.  Bonner works back to the feet.  Scissor trip attempt by Jones and the round ends.

Round 3

The third frame opens, Jones with a push kick.  Bonner clinches, Bonner lands a combo.  Bonner with a knee.  Uppercut by Bonner.  and Back to a clinch.  Jones looks winded.  Bonner with a big right.  The two clinch briefly, Bonner with a nice right.  Bonner trys a trip and ends up on his back.  Jones on top taking shots from Bonner. Triangle attempt by Bonner.  Side control for Jones.  Knees to the body by Jones.  Bonner back to his feet.  The action slows, and Bonner with a clinch.  Bonner pushes Jones into the cage. The fighters back to the center of the cage. Bonner trying to turn up the pressure.  They clinch.  Jones with a body lock with seconds left……..it ends.

The Scores are in :  30-27 29-28  29-28.

The winner  John Jones  by Decision

Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva
Round 1

The fight begins, Machina moving backwards. The fighters circle.  Knee attempt by Machida, Body kick by Machida.  Machida with a shot to Silva’s apple bag.  The fight is stopped. Silva ready to go after a short stop.  Kick by Silva.  Takedown by Machida. Both fighters are back to their feet. Silva stalks Machida. Machida with a big left and puts Silva down.  Machida in silvas guard.  . Machida stands and steps back.  Silva with some kicks to machidas legs.  Machida dives back into Silvas guard.   Silva busy from the bottom.  and they are back to their feet. Machida with a nice combo and knocks down Silva.  Silva follows him down.  Back to his feet.  Machida with a body lock on Silva.  Silva presses machida into the cage.  Machida KO’s  Silva  at  the horn.

Winner  Loyoto Machia  KO

Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn
Round 1

The fighters clinch immediatly.  Knees exchanged.  Gsp moves Penn to the cage.  GSP trying a single. BJ fighting off the takedown.  Penn still fighting the takedown and landing a right in the process.  Penn still pressed against the cage. The break and exchange.  Both look very sharp.  GSP trying to jab.  Back to the clinch. GSP trying for the single again.  Penn landing some minor dirty boxing shots.  Both still feeling eachother out on the feet.  GSP lands a jab.  Back to a clinch.  GSP with Penn against the cage.  Penn with a knee.  GSP leg kick.  Round 1 ends.

Round 2

BJ opens with a jab. BJ with a strong left. GSP with the clinch and the crowd boos.  Penn with some nice dirty boxing.  GSP  gets the single leg.   Penn in rubber guard. GSP with and elbow.  GSP with a nice punch, and passes BJ’s guard.  BJ calm on bottom. GSP with Knees to the body. BJ back to guard.  GSP trying to do damage , BJ defending very well.  GSP back to side control.  Penn puts him back in guard.  GSP doing little damage. BJ cut under his eye.  and the round ends.

Round 3

GSP lands a few shots to start the round.  GSP landing his jab. Clinch and into the cage.  GSP with a takedown.  GSP in half guard. GSP working for side control.  BJ back to guard. GSP postures and throws leather.  GSP lands an elbow and some shots to the body.  BJ Penn gets up.   Clinch against the cage.  GSP with a takedown.  Big elbow GSP.  GSP postures. and throws punches into Penn’s guard.  The round ends.

Round 4

The two exchange, and GSP takes Penn down.  GSP passes and starts dropping elbows.  Penn is getting beat up . Herb Dean warns about shots to the back of the head.   GSP with side control.  GSP trying for mount.  BJ back to half guard, GSP back to half guard.  Herb Deal tells BJ he needs to fight back.   GSP raining down punches and elbows.  GSP smothering Penn.  More shots from the top by GSP.  GSP trying for Mount.  Back to half guard.  BJ still trying to defend.  GSP still working hard. GSP to side mount.  Herb Warning BJ again. BJ trying to defend.    We are going to round 5!!

The Doctor is talking to Penn’s corner.  The fight has been stopped by his brother.

GSP wins  via TKO

A huge crowd of approximately 3,500 fans saw UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn meet the mandated welterweight limit of 170 pounds for Saturday’s main event.

Penn, who was depicted on the documentary series UFC Primetime as having taken a vacation during the heart of his training camp, not only made 170 but he ended up weighing in two pounds under at 168 pounds.

Surprisingly, Penn was the crowd favorite at the weigh-ins with many fans having traveled from his native state of Hawaii to see him fight this weekend. Those same fans booed St. Pierre heavily when it was his turn to hit the scale.

The 10 bout card will also pit Karo Parisyan against Dong Hyun Kim in what will mark Parisyan’s first fight since last April. Reports have circulated in the last 24 hours that the UFC lined up a potential replacement out of concern that Parisyan would be forced to withdraw for the fight. However, barring an unforeseen setback, Parisyan vs. Hyun is all set for Saturday after Parisyan weighed in at 170 pounds. His opponent, Kim, weighed in at 171 pounds and is expected to have a sizable reach advantage.

Also expected to have a big reach advantage is season five lightweight champion from The Ultimate Fighter Nate Diaz. Diaz, who is 5-0 since entering the UFC, towered over his opponent, Clay Guida.

Another highlight from the weigh-ins was former PRIDE star Akihiro Gono weighing in at 171 pounds while wearing an afro wig. Right before the pre-fight staredown, Gono removed his wig and offered it to Fitch in an act of goodwill. Fitch played right along and adorned the afro while photographers took pictures of the two.

Complete weigh-in results for UFC 94 are as follows:

Main Event -

• UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn (168) in a 170-pound title bout

Televised Main Card -

• Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Lyoto Machida (206) vs. Thiago Silva (206)
• Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Stephan Bonnar (206) vs. Jon Jones (206)
• Lightweight (155 lbs.): Nate Diaz (156) vs. Clay Guida (156)
• Welterweight (170 lbs.): Karo Parisyan (170) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)

Non-televised Preliminary Card -

• Welterweight (170 lbs.): Jon Fitch (171) vs. Akihiro Gono (171) w/fabulous Afro
• Lightweight (155 lbs.): Manny Gamburyan (155) vs. Thiago Tavares (155)
• Welterweight (170 lbs.): Chris Wilson (170) vs. John Howard (171)
• Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Jake O’Brien (205) vs. Christian Wellisch (206)
• Welterweight (170 lbs.): Matt Arroyo (171) vs. Daniel Cramer (171)

Televised Main Card -

Welterweight (170 lbs.): Georges St. Pierre (17-2) vs. B.J. Penn (13-4-1):

Sam Caplan: This fight is a tie on so many angles that my preference would be not to offer a prediction and just sit back and enjoy it for what it truly is: one of the greatest pure fighting matchups in MMA’s brief history. St. Pierre vs. Penn II is truly an epic encounter that will serve as a huge part of the sport’s legacy for years to come. Both fighters are tremendous athletes that are at the top of their game. I don’t see one finishing the other as I believe this fight is destined to go to the judges. Out of hope that we get to see these two fight for a third time, I am giving the nod to Penn via split decision.

Michael Huckaby: While I can see Penn winning this fight I can’t give him too much of a chance.  We’re less than two years removed from their first bout and while Penn has improved since the first outing so has St. Pierre.  St. Pierre will still win the standup battle and if it goes to the ground I expect GSP to control with his wrestling and stay in a dominant position while avoiding submissions.  In fact the only difference from the first fight is that this could go even longer, another reason not to pick B.J. Penn.  I love that Penn wants to fight bigger and better guys in a world where everyone wants to cut 40 pounds and fight the smallest and weakest…. but he’s just not a great matchup for St. Pierre right now.  Winner: Georges St. Pierre, TKO, Rd4.

Nick Travaglini – As with most MMA fans on the planet, I have gone back and forth on this for 5 months. My head says GSP will win this fight with size and superior conditioning, but my gut says BJ Penn brings a better skill set and a determination he has rarely had in his career. I am going to go with my gut here and pick Penn. I even think there is a shot he may stop GSP, so I am picking Penn via TKO knockout in round 3.

Cory Brady: St. Pierre is simply too large, powerful, athletic, and downright beastly for Penn. He proved it the first time the two faced and he will prove it again at UFC 94 en route to a dream match up with Anderson Silva. The longer this fight goes, the more the fight favors St. Pierre. Penn could always catch St. Pierre with a hard shot and pounce on him for a submission win but I don’t see it happening. It’s going to be an amazing fight and I feel it will be much more closely contested than the first but the outcome will be the same. St. Pierre could stop Penn in the late rounds by TKO but I feel it’s a lot more likely that he will grind out the decision in a war. St. Pierre by unanimous decision

Jonathan Snowden: I’ve wavered several times making this pick, unsure of what this fight will be like. Maybe that’s what has fans so excited for this one? Both fighters are in their prime. Their respective skill levels are beyond reproach. I was ready to pick B.J. Penn, impressed as always with his attitude, with that something inside of him that makes him a born fighter. Then a UFC Champion reminded me that GSP will be 190 pounds the night of the fight. B.J. will be 175 at most. And those 15 pounds will be all the advantage Georges needs in this battle of equals. Georges St. Pierre, TKO, Round 4.

Christopher Dolan: This one is really tough to call. Both men are clearly at the top of their game, but I don’t think I can go against GSP. He has been on another planet since his loss to Matt Serra. The one thing I don’t see if GSP stopping Penn, he’s just too talented to fall victim in this fight. GSP by majority decision.

Lee Gerowitz: This is the kind of fight that every wanna-be, MMA analyst dreams of. I’ve read several takes on how this fight will go down and why. Well, there will be no in-depth breakdown or analysis from me here. This is the quintessential toss-up, so I’m going with my rather large gut, which tells me that B.J. Penn is going to come into this superfight as focused as ever and steamroll over St. Pierre. A superfight doesn’t always equate to a super fight. GSP will have no answers; B.J. Penn will not only dominate, but toy with GSP until he puts him away.Penn by TKO, round two

Caleb Newby: B.J. Penn – Sub, Rd2

David Andrest: I believe B.J. Penn to be the best p4p fighter in the world.  Very few guys can give him trouble if he is motivated and in shape.  GSP is one of those guys.  Regardless of the outcome this fight will be a close one decided by mistakes.  I think Penn will make fewer mistakes and win this fight.  Penn TKO Round 2

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Lyoto Machida (13-0) vs. Thiago Silva (13-0):

Sam Caplan: As if Penn vs. St. Pierre II wasn’t enough, we will also be treated to this tremendous matchup of unbeaten Brazilian light heavyweight prospects. I consider both to be top ten light heavyweights and I am anxious to see whether the winner of this fight will be guaranteed a future title shot. As for the matchup itself, Silva is extremely aggressive while Machida is extremely elusive. I believe Machida’s defensive posture and strong counter-strike ability makes him a bad matchup for virtually every fighter he faces. I expect this one to be no exception with Machida earning a unanimous decision victory.

Michael Huckaby: Silva has a great deal of talent but he’s out of his league in this one.  Machida has been much more impressive in his UFC performances against better competition.  He may not be flashy and he may be fighting a powerful striker, but Machida should pick him apart and if he needs to take it down and be methodical.  Thiago Silva is only 26 years old and he’s probably at his ceiling for the next couple of years.  With a loss he will hopefully learn a couple of things and be a beast in the future.  Winner: Lyoto Machida, decision.

Nick Travaglini – This will be an entertaining battle of two undefeated Brazilians. As good as both fighters are, Machida is on another level in skill set and previous competition. Silva will give a good first round but I see Machida running away with this as the fight moves forward. Machida via unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: I am definitely NOT on the Machida bandwagon. I feel and have felt that he is overrated and I can safely say that watching Machida fight gives me the same feeling in my stomach that I get from sitting in backed up rush hour traffic. Extremely frustrating. That’s how the man wins his fights though. He frustrates his opponents and implements his game plan, time and time again. I want to see how he will react to an aggressive striker like Silva. The type of guy that will be in his face at all times. Machida will be forced to really fight and I can’t wait to see how he does. Either Machida finishes Silva or he will be finished. I feel certain about that. I’m going to go against my best judgement in this fight and go with Silva by highlight reel knockout sometime late in the first or early in the second round. Silva by brutal knockout

Christopher Dolan: Sometimes I’m in the minority in this but I really think Machida is one of the top five fighters on the planet.  No one has been able to figure out his unique style, as he often frustrates his opponents.  Silva is a huge talent but I don’t think he has what it takes to stop Machida.  Machida will win this fight via decision.

Lee Gerowitz: Machida is to MMA what Chris Byrd (in his prime) was to boxing: boring and tough as hell to figure out. I expect an aggressive Silva to bring it; and I expect Machida to have answers in the form of a solid, if not brilliant counter attack. This fight will provide fans with a few exciting exchanges, but in the end, Machida will be too much for Silva to handle. Machida by decision

Jonathan Snowden: Make no mistake about it:  Zuffa wants Silva to win. Look to see if Dana cries when Lyoto takes another decision. Lyoto Machida, Decision

Caleb Newby: Lyoto Machida – Decision

David Andrest: Honestly I think Silva smothers Machida with pressure and smashes his face in.  Silva KO Round 1

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Stephan Bonnar (11-4) vs. Jon Jones (6-0):

Sam Caplan: Injuries have sidelined Bonnar for a year and half. Prior to his UFC 73 return, the TUF season one light heavyweight runner-up had been sidelined for nearly a year while he served out a suspension for testing positive for steroids. In the last three and a half years, Bonnar has fought a grand total of twice. Meanwhile, Jones has been very active, fighting seven times since making his pro debut in April of 2008. Many will pick Bonnar but I expect Jones to pull the upset much like he did in his UFC debut this past August against Andre Gusmao. I don’t think people realize how talented Gusmao is and just how big of a win it was for Jones. I expect Jones’ dynamic striking ability to get the crowd going and allow him to walk away the unanimous decision victor.

Michael Huckaby: Perhaps it’s too early and rude to call Bonnar a gatekeeper but this is the type of fight he should win and the type of fight UFC wants him to win to keep him around as a name.  I don’t think they’d throw Bonnar a fight they thought he’d lose with this being a comeback fight.  Bonnar will get picked a bit on the standup but he should close the distance and get this to the ground where he might be able to finish with a choke or armbar.  Winner: Stephan Bonnar, submission, Rd2.

Nick Travaglini – I like this fight much more than most people do. Bonnar is coming back from a devastating knee injury against an up and comer with tremendous upside. Jones should have his way with Bonnar in the takedown department as Bonnar has never shown above average wrestling. Where this fight gets interesting is on the ground, where Bonnar has an excellent submission game. For all of Jones’ hype, he has only been training MMA a little over a year. An extended ground and pound effort may lead to a submission loss. At the end of the day(for all you Dana White fans), I am picking experience over athleticism and taking Bonnar via unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: The American Psycho will utilize his most distinct advantage, experience,  to overwhelm Jones in the octagon. Bonnar’s iron jaw and superior submission game will be too much for the up and coming Jones. The loss will be a positive for Jones, who is poised to make a serious impact in the future of the UFC. Bonnar by submission

Lee Gerowitz: Assuming Bonnar’s reconstructed knee is 100%, Bonnar will win this fight and hand Jones his first defeat. Having said that, it won’t be easy. Jones has a collegiate wrestling background but is also an impressive striker. Regardless of the outcome, I expect fireworks. This fight has Fight of the Night written all over it.Bonnar by TKO, round three

Jonathan Snowden: Remember when Bonnar and Griffin had the fight of the decade, a fight many thought Stephan won? It’s amazing how far Griffin has come, while Bonnar has been content to live off a reputation that is now fading fast. This is a much win fight for Bonnar if he intends to make a run at significance. I think he still has it in him. Bonnar, Decision.

Christopher Dolan: It’s nice to see Bonnar back in the octagon.  Ring rust could play a factor in this fight, but I’m sure Bonnar’s camp has taken care of that.  In the end I like Bonnar to win this fight via TKO in the second round.

Caleb Newby: Stephan Bonnar – Sub, Rd2

David Andrest: I hate this fight. This fight is a trap.  Look at the main card. One of the fights is not like the others.  IT’S THIS ONE!  Why is this on the main card?  Does Bonner have the cache that would motivate Joe Silva to set him up with a showcase fight?   Or do they expect to create a contender with Jones?  Despite my better judgment I’ll pick.  Bonner Decision

Lightweight (155 lbs.): Nate Diaz (10-2) vs. Clay Guida (24-9):

Sam Caplan: I still have questions about Diaz’s all-around ability but in five UFC fights, his striking has yet to be exploited. I hate to pick against Diaz again, but I believe that Guida’s wrestling base will allow him to keep the fight standing. While not the most technical, Guida’s standup is aggressive and non-stop. I expect him to put a lot of pressure on Diaz, allowing him to earn a unanimous decision victory by being the more active of the two.

Michael Huckaby: It what is the most interesting fight outside of the main event, you have a game Clay Guida against a vastly improving Nate Diaz.  Diaz has went from the man getting pummeled by Manny Gamburyan to a guy winning wars against Pellegrino and Neer.  While he has more ways to win this fight, Guida isn’t exactly an easy win.  Mix in the fact Guida will be controlling the ground action and you have the age old battle of submission fighter on his back trying to submit the superior wrestler.  Will Diaz be able to clasp something on or keep it on the feet and hit some shots?  This will not be an easy fight for Diaz but it’s one he should probably win 50% of the time.  Don’t let me down.  Winner: Nathan Diaz, decision.

Nick Travaglini – Another match up with fight of the night potential. This will be two absolute fireplugs going at it for 3 rounds. Guida sets a pace in fights that very few can keep up with, even when he loses. Diaz has the BJJ and the length to make this an interesting fight for Guida on the mat. But I see Guida winning the stand up battle and using takedowns and ground control to win a unanimous decision.

Cory Brady: A win over Guida would convince me that Diaz is the real deal but I’m not convinced that Diaz is ready for that type of challenge. Guida is a beast at 155 and nobody can tell me otherwise. There are only about six or seven guys in the world that I can see beating Guida and Diaz isn’t one of them. Guida by Decision

Lee Gerowitz: Clay Guida has exciting hair, which, along with his exciting, aggressive style of fighting, makes him a pleasure to watch. Guida will come out firing like a furious Fabio, but it will only be a matter of time before Diaz takes care of business. I see Guida giving Diaz a fit or two in the first round, but that’s about it. Diaz will figure out the wild man in the next round and take advantage of his poor submission defense skills.Diaz by submission, round two

Jonathan Snowden: Clay Guida is a machine, a non-stop whirling dervish who keeps coming forward. Diaz is just a winning machine. He’s ready to step out of his brother’s rather large shadow and establish himself as the fighting Diaz brother. Guida is just another stepping stone. Diaz, Submission, Round 3.
Christopher Dolan: I know this is a huge card but I’m really excited for this fight.  Diaz has been on a role and I think he’ll continue that roll vs. Guida.  In the past Guida has fallen pray to submissions and I think that will happen again.  Look for Diaz to win this fight via submission in the second round.

Caleb Newby: Nate Diaz – Decision

David Andrest: This is a great fight for fans, finally we will know if Diaz is the goods.  Guida will bring it to you every second of every round.  While I think Diaz will eventually have more success than Guida , I don’t think it will happen this time. Guida via Decision.

Welterweight (170 lbs.): Karo Parisyan (18-5) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (11-0-1):

Sam Caplan: The last time we saw Parisyan was in April, when he got demolished by Thiago Alves at UFN 13. Since that time, Parisyan had been scheduled to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida but was pulled a day prior to the bout because he was in no condition to fight. Parisyan himself has revealed his battles with panic attacks and acknowledged his poor conditioning habits. I’ve got to ask whether we have any reason to believe Parisyan is ready to fight? Kim is an extremely tough opponent and while I think he’s overrated to some degree, he’s going to make Parisyan look bad if Karo is not 100 percent ready for this fight. The pick for me is Kim via first round TKO.

Michael Huckaby: This matchmaking doesn’t make much sense to me.  Wait…. Parisyan beats an overmatched Chonan, faces Kim here and was originally scheduled to face Yoshida but had to pull out.  Karo Parisyan hates Asian people!  Wait, they throw Gono to Fitch and Nakamura to the wolves immediately.  This is just mean.  Is this Kim’s punishment for beating Matt Brown?  You go from a close squeaker against Matt Brown to getting dominated physically by Parisyan?  This is rubbing me the wrong way.  Winner: Karo Parisyan, decision.

Nick Travaglini – The big question in this fight is what Karo is going to show up. If the Parisyan of a few years ago shows up, this will be an exciting fight with it ending badly for Kim. If the more recent Parisyan with the panic attacks shows up, this will be a quick TKO for Kim. I am a firm believer you have to pick fighters on what you know about them and not what you think they can do. So I am picking Parisyan to win via unanimous decision over Kim, as I can see him winning round one and two and gassing out in round three. This fight has potential to steal fight of the night honors for the whole show.

Cory Brady: Parisyan hasn’t looked good in a while. Kim on the other hand, is a real rising star at 170 pounds. Kim has dynamite in his fists, very clean boxing. He has very good wrestling and his ground and pound can be downright horrifying at times. In a good way. Kim by horrifying ground and pound TKO. If Parisyan trades with Kim he will get caught, either way: Kim by TKO

Lee Gerowitz: Dong Hyun Kim’s nickname is “The Stun Gun.” Phenomenal. One major question needs to be answered here: Is Karo Parisyan 100% healthy? Another key – both fighters have strong judo backgrounds, but Kim has the edge in that department due to his fourth-degree black belt. Something just doesn’t seem right here with Parisyan, who is coming off of a TKO loss to Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 13. Kim may have been given a gift with his split-decision victory over Matt Brown at UFC 88, but I think he earns a clear win this time.“The Stun Gun” by TKO, round one

Jonathan Snowden: My friend Kendall Shields is all about Judo. It’s his whole life and watching the UFC with him is an infuriating cacophony of Japanese move names and cries of JUDO! What will young Kendall Shields do now, as Judo faces Judo in the Octagon? I guess he’s a winner either way. Parisyan, Decision.

Christopher Dolan: It’s not often that I change my mind on a fight last minute but that’s what I’m doing with this fight.  Originally I like Parisyan in this fight but I can’t go against Kim.  Parisyan has a long history of going to the judges score cards and I don’t see that happening in this fight.  I like Kim to win this fight with a third round TKO.

Caleb Newby: Karo Parisyan – Decision

David Andrest: Karo Parisyan is not going to win this fight.   KIM via TKO

Non-televised Preliminary Card -

Welterweight (170 lbs.): Jon Fitch (17-3) vs. Akihiro Gono (29-13-7):

Sam Caplan: It’s a shame that this fight has been relegated to the undercard because I believe it could be one of the best fights of the night. Gono hasn’t been all that impressive since coming to the UFC but he’s an experienced veteran who has not been fighting up to his potential. On the other hand, Fitch is one of the most technical and toughest fighters in all of MMA. I expect Fitch to win this one via unanimous decision.

Michael Huckaby: Gono is going to put up a fight as he always does but Fitch will use his superior striking to get close and take this to the ground where he’ll wear Gono out with ground-and-pound for fifteen minutes.  DJ Gozma only fights once per year in the UFC so enjoy his January performance.  Winner: Jon Fitch, decision.

Nick Travaglini – Fitch is coming off a devastating beating from GSP at UFC 87. Gono will be a tougher opponent for Fitch than most people think. Gono is a very slick veteran who will have a counter for everything Fitch throws at him. Where Fitch separates himself from Gono is in strength and conditioning. I think Fitch will start slow but win rounds two and three and pull off the decision win.

Cory Brady: Easiest fight on the card for me to pick, hands down. Fitch by however he wants, whenever he wants. Hopefully it’s quick so we get to see it on the live broadcast. I have a feeling it will be. Fitch by submission

Lee Gerowitz: Wow. Talk about being smacked upside the head with a dose of reality. In his last fight, Fitch was fighting for GSP’s welterweight title. Now, he’s slotted on the non-televised portion of the card. Gono is custom-made for Fitch, whose wrestling skills will enable him to take Gono down with ease. This has Mike Goldberg screaming, “Jon Fitch is back!” written all over it. On a sidenote, I was going to insert a joke about Fitch getting Gono-rhea, but it didn’t make the cut.Fitch by TKO, round one

Jonathan Snowden: Gono is one of the sport’s most colorful warriors and a veteran of almost every major promotion in the world. His resume includes SHOOTO, DEEP, ZST, Pancrase, Pride, Super Brawl, and the UFC. He has almost 60 career fights and is as comfortable on his feet as he is on the ground. None of that will help him when Jon Fitch takes him down and smashes his face. Fitch, TKO, Round 2.

Christopher Dolan: It’s amazing that Fitch is on the undercard but I can understand why he is there at the same time.  Gono is a talented fighter but he’s not in Fitch’s class.  I like Fitch to win this fight via third round TKO.

Caleb Newby: Jon Fitch – Decision

David Andrest: Guess you’ll sign on the dotted line next time. Fitch via whatever he feels like.

Lightweight (155 lbs.): Manny Gamburyan (8-3) vs. Thiago Tavares (13-3):

Sam Caplan: Tavares was once one of the brightest lightweight prospects in MMA before dropping three out of his last four bouts. A jiu-jitsu black belt, he presents a big matchup problem for Gamburyan. Gamburyan, the TUF 5 lightweight runner-up, loves to crowd his opponents and wrap them with bodylocks and ground them. However, Tavares is very slick on his back and is a threat to submit Gamburyan from the bottom. If Gamburyan is forced to stand, he could find himself in trouble because Tavares’ hands are good enough to exploit Gamburyan’s reach disadvantage. I am picking Tavares to get back on the winning track with a second round submission.

Michael Huckaby: Loss to Rob Emerson or not, Gamburyan always impresses with his tenacity.  Tavares has been nothing short of disappointing and while I considered picking him here I just picture Gamburyan being a pitbull and getting the best of it on the ground while avoiding subs.  Winner: Manny Gamburyan, decision.

Nick Travaglini – Talk about two pit bulls going at it. This will be a whirlwind fight. I think Tavares is the more well rounded than Gamburyan in every aspect of MMA. Tavares also has the length advantage in the stand up. I think Tavares rights the ship against Gamburyan and wins a third round TKO victory.

Cory Brady: Interesting fight. I just don’t feel that Gamburyan has what it takes on the feet to hang with a lot of the top guys in the UFC’s lightweight division. Tavares is not a top guy at 155 but he is more well rounded than Gamburyan and the stand up will be the difference. Tavares by knockout

Lee Gerowitz: Gamburyan was knocked out in 12 seconds by Rob Emerson at UFC 87. I don’t care how many times he says he’s gotten over that devastating loss; it has to be on his mind still. On the other hand, Tavares also has a lot to prove since he is coming off of two consecutive losses. Tavares should have an advantage in the stand up department, which is the reason why I believe that Manny comes up a bit short…as usual. Pun completely intended. Tavares by KO, round two

Jonathan Snowden: Manny is a better fighter than he showed the world in his first round knockout loss to the average Robert Emerson. He’ll show it here. Gamburyan, Decision.

Christopher Dolan: Tavares needs to win this fight to avoid his third straight loss and I think he will.  Gamburyan has a history of short fights no matter if he wins or losses and I think this fight will be quick.  I like Tavares via first round submission.

Caleb Newby: Manny Gamburyan – Decision

David Andrest: It’ll be interesting to see a touch of gloves here.  I like both guys in the cage, but Tavares is too well rounded. Tavares via Sub

Welterweight (170 lbs.): Chris Wilson (14-4) vs. John Howard (10-4):

Sam Caplan: Howard is a strong prospect from the East Coast but I am not sure if he’s ready just yet for the upper-echelon of the UFC’s welterweight division. Wilson might not be a household name in the UFC, but he’s already one of the promotion’s best strikers at 170. I see Howard coming into this fight a little overmatched and losing the fight via second round TKO.

Michael Huckaby: So Wilson gets this guy after Steve Bruno while poor Kim has to fight Parisyan?  Mean.  As far as I know, Wilson is better at every aspect and if I have to pick I say he dominates Howard early until the ref pulls him off.  Winner: Chris Wilson, TKO, Rd2.

Nick Travaglini – Chris Wilson is a hugely underrated fighter at 170lbs. I think Wilson is good enough to hang in with the best in the division. Short of Wilson looking past Howard, I think he tattoos Howard with a TKO win in the first round.

Cory Brady: Another fairly easy fight to pick. Howard is solid but Wilson is on another level. I want to say that Wilson is going to win a decisive decision but I’d love to see him finish it. He just may. Wilson by submission

Lee Gerowitz: From a physical perspective, this is an incredibly intriguing fight. Wilson is 6-foot-1, while Howard, making his UFC debut, stands at just 5-7. Despite the height (and reach) disadvantage, Howard can throw bombs, which means he has a puncher’s chance. The question is, can his maneuver his way inside and land on Wilson? I’m going with the upset here and also predicting Howard to win KO of the Night honors. Howard by KO, round one

Jonathan Snowden: The similar records are deceiving. Wilson is Team Quest’s top young fighter, with wins over top guys like Jay Hieron. Howard is also a young fighter, but one taking a huge step forward with this fight. Wilson, Submission, Round 2.

Christopher Dolan: In what should be a good fight I like Wilson to defeat Howard via a second round TKO.

Caleb Newby: Chris Wilson – TKO, Rd1

David Andrest: Chris Wilson is the best 170 that many have never heard of or seen.  He will dispose of Howard with relative ease.   Wilson TKO Round 1

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.): Jake O’Brien (10-2) vs. Christian Wellisch (8-4):

Sam Caplan: O’Brien is coming off back-to-back losses and desperately needs a win here. Wellisch is the better striker of the two but O’Brien’s hands have improved a little in the last year. I see O’Brien using his boxing to set up the takedown and en route to grinding out a unanimous decision victory.

Michael Huckaby: This is one of those fights on WMMA or when making your own cards that you throw on there at the end because both need a fight and you might as well get them both out of the way at the same time.  This will be in no way pretty or entertaining and I’ll pick O’Brien by grounding and napping for longer than Wellisch can.  Winner: Jake O’Brien, decision.

Nick Travaglini – This is the only poor fight on the card in my opinion. Both men are fighting for a roster spot while the loser will most likely be shown the door. I think O’Brien has more upside so I am rooting for him to take this fight. I think his superior wrestling will enable him to win a controlling and boring decision.

Cory Brady: This is a gimme fight for O’Brien. Not that Wellisch is a push over but O’Brien’s wrestling ability should be enough to take Wellisch to the mat quckly on his way to a easy ground and pound victory. O’Brien by TKO

Lee Gerowitz: If O’Brien is smart, he’ll keep this fight standing in order to avoid any sort of submission attempts from Wellisch. O’Brien is also coming off of two straight TKO losses, while Wellisch is coming off of a first-round KO loss. Both fighters are also cutting down to 205 pounds for the first time in their careers. Something tells me O’Brien will let this fight go to the ground and Wellisch will take advantage of that. Wellisch by submission, round three

Jonathan Snowden: O’Brien was considered a top UFC prospect a few years ago, before a serious neck injury threatened to end his UFC career. Like Darth Vader, he’s more machine than man, complete with a titanium rod in his neck. How can Christian Wellisch compete with that? O’Brien, TKO, Round 2.

Christopher Dolan: Despite coming off back to back losses I think O’Brien should be able to bounce back in this fight.  I like for O’Brien to defeat Wellisch via a third round TKO.

Caleb Newby: Jake O’Brien – Decision

David Andrest: A classic loser leaves town fight.  O’Brien should have no trouble taking Wellish to the floor and laying on him for 15 minutes, giving  Caplan and Newby  time to find the hot dog stand.  O’Brien via Decision

Welterweight (170 lbs.): Matt Arroyo (3-2) vs. Daniel Cramer (0-0):

Sam Caplan: Arroyo was beating Matt Brown this past June during the TUF 7 finale until he was injured. A tremendous grappler, Arroyo’s Muay Thai has made major strides. He’s clearly the better fighter than Cramer but I am curious to know just how bad does he want this win? How important is being a pro fighter to Matt Arroyo? If Arroyo doesn’t bring his A-game, he will lose this fight. However, I expect him to step up and submit Cramer in the second round.

Michael Huckaby: Really, a PPV card?  You can certainly see why the UFC lets go of disappointing top 20 fighters that make mediocre money when they can throw guys like this on a PPV with a straight face.  I wonder if they can sign me and Caleb Newby and let us go on a PPV for cheap.  I’ll just pick Arroyo until I can really see Cramer.  Winner: Matt Arroyo, submission, Rd2.

Nick Travaglini – This will be a fun fight, both of the guys have a motor. Arroyo is a pretty accomplished BJJ grappler while Cramer basically showed a sprawl and brawl style on the show. I will take Arroyo to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Matt Brown and submit Cramer in round two.

Cory Brady: Is this fight seriously happening in the UFC? Do I really have to pick a winner in this fight? Matt Arroyo wins by something

Lee Gerowitz: Daniel Cramer is one of the prettiest men to ever enter the octagon. I would love for him to be my wing man every Friday and Saturday night here in New York City. There’s no doubt in my mind that he could pull in significant “talent” wherever we go. He’d even be a good choice to back to me up in a bar fight. The bottom line is, I’m jealous of Daniel Cramer’s Abercrombie and Fitch-like looks. But this isn’t about me. This is about a guy who will enter the octagon making his first and final appearance in the UFC. The bottom line is, had Cramer not been on The Ultimate Fighter 7, he’d never see the light of day in the UFC at this point in his career. Daniel Cramer…enjoy it while it lasts…at least you’ll look gorgeous losing.Arroyo by submission, round two.

Jonathan Snowden: TUF veteran Cramer makes his UFC debut. A fighter with no professional record doesn’t belong in the “Super Bowl of MMA.” This is unacceptable. I hope Arroyo makes him pay. Arroyo, Submission, Round 1.

Christopher Dolan: I think Arroyo will keep his career trend going winning a quick fight.  Look for a first round submission victory over Cramer.

Caleb Newby: Matt Arroyo – Sub, Rd2

David Andrest: Barring any freak injuries, Arroyo will dominate this fight from the bell until he decides what submission he choses to use to pick up his submission of the night bonus.  Arroyo  via Sub

—————–YTD PAIN POLL TOTALS———————–

David Andrest- 17/20 (.850)

Caleb Newby- 17/20 (.850)

Cory Brady- 16/20 (.800)

Lee Gerowitz- 16/20 (.800)

Chris Dolan- 15/20 (.750)

Jonathan Snowden- 15/20 (.750)

Brendhan Conlan- 14/20 (.700)

Huckaby- 13/20 (.650)

Nick Travalini- 13/20 (.650)