Earlier I reported that Che Mills (13-4) was the 10th Brit added to the UFC 138 card. At that time, he did NOT have an opponent named, but that has all changed now as it is official that he will battle Mr. Whoo himself, Chris Cope (5-1). The fight announcement came from the FIGHT LOUNGE during the broadcast of the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson event on Saturday Night.
Cope, who made a name for himself on this past season of the Ultimate Fighter was a recent guest on the MMA Affiliates Radio program and said that he was recovering from a hand injury. He obviously is ready to get back in the cage over in Birmingham, England. This should be a GREAT fight and I am looking forward to it.
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson (7/30/11) Results & Coverage
We have all waited for this HUGE event and now the wait is over....So...HERE WE GO...
UNDERCARD
Lightweight bout: Gesias Cavalcante (17-4-1-2) vs. Bobby Green (15-4)
MY PICK – Bobby Green via decision or DQ
WINNER – Gesias Cavalcante via SPLIT decision (28-29/29-28/29-28)
Pre-Fight Comments: I truly think that JZ is extremely OVERRATED with everyone inside the MMA Community. I do think he is extremely good, but many people consider him a future world champion. I do not see that out of this young man at all in my opinion. I think that this fight will give us the upset of the night as Bobby Green shocks the world! Green is the current KOTC lightweight champion at the moment and definitely has some talent. JZ has only ONE win in his last six fights and that is the BOTTOM LINE here. Granted, he is losing many decisions, but it doesn't matter, he is STILL losing. Due to Cavalcante never being stopped, I will not say that he is going to get stopped. I am going to take Bobby Green here via decision or DQ! (lol)
Post-Fight Comments: Both men had GREAT and energetic entrances for the fight. JZ came out as aggressive as it gets, but Green fought it off VERY well. He even wagged his finger with arrogance and cut JZ's cheek. I actually scored round one to Green 10-9. Cavalcante has been looking for the KO most of the night and thats the way he fought in round two. JZ landed some great shots, got a takedown, and full mount. JZ got him in a rear naked choke and Green tapped. The REF DIDNT SEE IT THOUGH and the bell sounds. He escaped round two, but JZ evened up the fight 19-19. Round three was JZ and Green both being aggressive and stopping takedowns. Nothing really interesting and I actually would love to score this round a 10-10 draw to score the entire FIGHT A draw...In fact, thats what I am gonna do. I score this fight a fucking DRAW! The judges gave it to JZ by split decision to drop my record to 1-4 on the night!
Welterweight bout: Eduardo Pamplona (15-2) vs. Tyler Stinson (20-7)
MY PICK – Eduardo Pamplona via decision
WINNER – Tyler Stinson via KO (1-0:15)
Pre-Fight Comments: Pamplona has won ten fights in a row and any time you can do that in this sport at the pro level, its saying something. His last loss was a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler back in 2007. I admit that he wins MOST by decision and that's exactly what I think is going to happen here. I honestly don't know SHIT about Mr. Stinson, so I am not going to speak ignorantly. I have to admit, he has an impressive win-loss record as a pro and that always says a lot in my book. This should be a GREAT fight and obviously the fight of the under card.
Post-Fight Comments: No touching of gloves...Stinson lands a combo and then POW...a shot that knocks out Pamplona in seconds. Oh shit is all I can really say right now as I drop to 1-3 with my predictions for the night!
Women's Welterweight (135 lb) bout: Alexis Davis (9-4) vs. Julie Kedzie (16-8)
MY PICK – Julie Kedzie via decision
WINNER – Alexis Davis via decision (30-27/30-27/29-28)
Pre-Fight Comments: Kedzie has won four fights in a row and has a shit load of experience. She has won via decision in all of them last four fights and I think the same thing is going to happen here. She does however have a HUGE gap in her game in terms of getting submitted. The good news for Davis is that she is great with submissions. I am going with Kedzie here based on her experience and ability to grind out decisions. However, I would NOT be surprised if Davis got the submission win.
Post-Fight Comments: Matt Hughes is in the corner of Alexis Davis. Kedzie's striking looked VERY GOOD in the first round, which was a VERY close round. I got Kedzie winning round one 10-9. Second round started with a small exchange and back to the clinch they went. Davis got the takedown on Kedzie, but she got up immediately. A lot of clinch action in this fight. Davis took Kedzie down again and worked for a rear naked with 30 seconds left in round two. The second round was Davis's to tie it up 19-19 going into the third round. The start of round three was much like the other rounds with some striking leading into more clinching. The crowd did their BOOING bullshit. The third round was pretty boring however, and I gotta score it 10-10 for a 29-29 DRAW! The judges scored it for Alexis Davis in the end unanimously. I am now 1-2 with my predictions tonight. DAMNIT!
Middleweight bout: Derek Brunson (7-0) vs. Lumumba Sayers (4-1)
MY PICK – Derek Brunson via decision
WINNER – Derek Brunson via submission (1-4:33)
Pre-Fight Comments: I know NOTHING about Sayers, but I do know that Brunson looks pretty good so far in his young MMA career. Brunson is a hell of a wrestler and as you all know, that is one of the BEST bases to have in this sport. He also have HEAVY hands and can knock a man out as well. I am going with Mr. Brunson in this fight via decision.
Post-Fight Comments: Atleast my prediction record got up to .500 here as I am now 1-1 after Brunson pulled it out. Brunson basically just came right out and got a couple of VERY strong takedowns. There was some trading of strikes, but Brunson nailed him with a huge high kick that was the beginning of the end for Sayers. Brunson followed with ANOTHER head kick which drops Sayers and allowed Brunson to follow him with a REAR NAKED CHOKE for the win. Dominant win here for Mr. Brunson!
Heavyweight bout: Bryan Humes (6-1) vs. Gabriel Salinas-Jones (4-0)
MY PICK – Bryan Humes via decision
WINNER – Gabriel Salinas-Jones via submission (3-1:19)
Pre-Fight Comments: I do NOT know anything about either fighter, so I will be watching them both for the first time here. I like seeing fighters for the first time, so I am interested definitely.
Post-Fight Comments: My night started off 0-1 in the prediction department as I suspected it could considering I knew nothing about either fighter. The first round had some mistakes by Humes which led him to not being able to finish Jones. Towards the end of the first round, Jones nailed him with some solid shots as he was on top and Humes was saved by the bell. I personally gave Humes round one 10-9. Humes was already gassed going into the second round, which was a horrible sign. Salinas-Jones tried for several takedowns in the second and finally got on top in the mount. Jones once again lays some SOLID shots to end the round and Humes is again saved by the bell. I gave Jones that round to tie it up 19-19. Humas DROPPED Jones immediately into the third round with a solid right! Jones was able to scramble and end up on top himself after defending a rear naked choke. He then locked in a BRABO CHOKE and gets the submission win! Great fight here and I truly think that Jones showed a lot in terms of ability to come back from punishment. I look forward to seeing him in the future.
MAIN CARD (SHOWTIME)
Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko (31-3-1) vs. Dan Henderson (27-8)
MY PICK – Fedor Emelianenko via submission
WINNER – Dan Henderson via TKO (1-4:12)
Pre-Fight Comments: Does it get ANY BETTER than this? Anyone that is a long time fan of this sport is 100% in love with this fight. I think that Henderson has the ability to beat anyone, but Fedor is a legit legend as well. Fedor is NOT going to lose three fights in a row after winning 30 in a row. I just do not see it happening for several reasons. First off, the only way Henderson can win his fight is by a decision win fueled by take down points. I do NOT think that will be happening here today. I think Fedor's submission game is what we will see here shine. Much like Anderson Silva did with Hendo back in their epic fight, I think Fedor will expose the ground game in terms of submission game of Henderson one more time. This is going to be a legendary fight, but I got Fedor via submission late in the fight. I honestly cannot believe that people got Fedor losing to a MIDDLEWEIGHT.
Post-Fight Comments: They start off aggressive as can be. Henderson popped Fedor with a left hand and even cut him open. They clinched against the cage for most of the first round. Fedor landed a right hand and dropped Henderson. Fedor went in for the kill and somehow Henderson transitioned and landed a shot while they were getting up that knocked Fedor down. THEY STOPPED THE FIGHT!! THAT WAS THE WORST CALL I HAVE EVER SEEN! FUCK THIS ENTIRE FIGHT! This was not a real win for Dan Henderson. I do not care what ANYONE else says! That was bullshit!
Pre-Fight Comments: This is the baddest female fight in the history of female fights right here in my book. I love Coenen and her story, but Tate is just amazing in terms of RAW TALENT. Miesha Tate's takedowns are just unstoppable and I think she is gonna stay on top throughout the entire fight. I got her taking a 30-27 decision in the end of this fight based on her top game. Don't get me wrong, she could also pull off a submission. She trains at Alpha Male and everyone knows that the choke is something that is legendary out of that camp.
Post-Fight Comments: In the first round, Tate and Coenen were in the clinch for a while before Tate got the takedown. She got caught in a choke, which she got out of...barely. She controlled the rest of the round, which gave her a 10-9 win in my book. Tate got a takedown in round two, but Coenen transitioned perfectly and got Tate's back. She controlled the entire second round to tie this score 19-19 after winning the round 10-9. In the third, Coenen was landing some kicks and Tate was able to get another takedown early in the round. Tate looked to be gassing a little bit, but ended up with two takedowns in the third round and the win 10-9 there. I had it scored 29-28 for Tate going into the fourth round. To start the fourth, Tate got another takedown, but landed in a guillotine. She got out of it pretty quick however. Tate slid in a TRIANGLE CHOKE and got the submission to become the NEW WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION!!! NOW she is gonna get Sarah Kaufman next whom already defeated Miss Tate. I am 4-5 on the night with predictions.
Middleweight bout: Robbie Lawler (19-7-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (13-3)
MY PICK – Robbie Lawler via KO
WINNER – Tim Kennedy via decision (30-27/30-27/30-27)
Pre-Fight Comments: This is ANOTHER amazing fight on this card. Lawler has actually lost two of his last three and three of his last five, which seems like a misprint to me. Yes, I know he really has lost them fights, but he seems like one of the most exciting fighters in the game right now. Lawler's KO ability is so good though, he can catch anyone at any time and I think that is exactly what we are going to see here. Kennedy's submission game is top notch and that is the REAL threat towards Lawler. The real question is whether Lawler can prevent the takedown or not. I think he will and actually catch Kennedy with an uppercut or something at the same time. Regardless, this has fight of the night potential here and there is no doubt in that.
Post-Fight Comments: Round one was Kennedy's barely. Lawler had some GREAT footwork and even took a low blow from Kennedy. Lawler was much faster and had great take down defense. Kennedy got the takedowns three times. I scored it for Kennedy 10-9. Lawler landed a great uppercut that busted Kennedy's nose wide open badly to start the round. Kennedy got a good takedown and controlled most of the round. Lawler landed good strikes from bottom. I gave round two to LAWLER for damage tying it 19-19 going into the third. The third round was HORRIBLE as both men were gassed. Tim Kennedy got a takedown and won the round. Robbie Lawler gave up in this fight and that made me sick. He didn't even TRY in the third round in my book. I scored it 29-28 for Kennedy...Maybe 30-27. Good win for Kennedy and then he gave a corny fucking interview. I am 3-5 on the night.
Welterweight bout: Paul Daley (27-10-2) vs. Tyron Woodley (7-0)
MY PICK – Tyron Woodley via decision
WINNER – Tyron Woodley via decision (29-28/29-28/29-28)
Pre-Fight Comments: Wow, what a fight this is, but I agree with Daley that this fight was stupid to even make. I will explain why and give you my reason for picking Woodley in this fight. As much as I like Paul Daley and wish he would shut all the haters mouths for good, Tyron Woodley's wrestling is just too superior here. Daley says that Woodley's wrestling is not as good as Koscheck's and I am going to have to disagree there. I think Woodley is young, strong, and VERY solid. I appreciated Woodley being a guest on MMA Affiliates Radio a while back and he told me THEN that he wanted this fight way before it was signed. I think Daley did NOT want this fight and Woodley did. That will be the difference in this fight in my opinion. We all know that Daley's wrestling ability and take down defense is pretty horrible and we should see it all again here. I love Daley, but Woodley is gonna grind this one out in my opinion. I think Strikeforce just messed up with this fight however. If Woodley loses, then their up and coming prospect is no longer undefeated. If Daley loses, that's TWO in a row and now he all of the sudden loses SERIOUS drawing power and looks destined for a BAMMA fight with Nate Marquardt. I just do NOT like this fight with a title NOT being on the line here.
Post-Fight Comments: Great first round as we saw GREAT take down defense by Daley as there were no takedowns in the round. There was a low blow in which I believe Daley hit Woodley on purpose to get out of the clinch. Woodley landed A LOT of knees in the clinch, which is why I gave him the round 10-9. Woodley kept arrogantly dropping his hands in the first. In the second round, Woodley got a take down finally, but Daley worked well from his back with defense. Woodley basically just grinded him, but did really nothing else. I gave round two to Woodley to go up 20-18. Daley only threw 7 punches in the first two rounds. When I say punches, I mean strikes. In the third round, Daley came out swinging, but Woodley got another takedown. Daley landed some striking with a minute left and looked good. Amazingly, Daley went for an Omaplata with 20 seconds left and almost got it! I scored the fight 30-27 for Woodley. GREAT FIGHT! I am now 3-4 on the evening in predictions.
Welterweight bout: Scott Smith (17-7-1) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (10-2)
MY PICK – Tarec Saffiedine via TKO
WINNER – Tarec Saffiedine via decision (30-26/30-27/30-27)
Pre-Fight Comments: When it comes to OPENING UP a show, it doesn't get much better and exciting than this fight right here. Scott Smith likes to take a bunch of shots just to give one major shot. I think that will be his problem here as Saffiedine will land a few good ones FIRST and that will be the difference. Scott Smith is getting old and looks more stiff each time we see him. I do think this fight will be exciting while it lasts and that's a GUARANTEE for the most part.
Post-Fight Comments: Saffiedine dominated the first two rounds pretty easily in this fight. In the first round, there was a lot of feeling out, but Saffiedine had great kicks and combos to take it 10-9. The second round was ALL Tarec as he hit him with everything. He out struck him, landed a flying knee, dropped him, busted him open, and hit great elbows! Smith just had no movement ½ way through the second and looks done. Tarec took round two 10-8 to me and went up 20-17 after two. In round three, Tarec dominated again as his energy was like he just started. His striking was crisp and Scott Smith was as stiff as it gets. Scott Smith really looked old and I feel he should retire. I have to admit that his HIGH KICK that missed and hit the top of the cage was funny. I scored this fight 30-26 for Tarec Saffiedine. The judges gave it to him too.
POST EVENT COMMENTS by KING JB: Having no way to view the under card fights really pissed me off tonight with this show. I wanna apologize for my under card report being so small. I had to do a lot of reading to get my details of the results for the under card. This card was great, but the MAIN EVENT pissed me off...My review videos are posted below.
I am not too sure on what to think about Nam Phan's reaction to getting the fight with Mike Brown after reading it today over on the Underground's website. It seems like he has self-esteem issues in my book and thinks pretty low of himself. He basically even said that the UFC might be trying to get rid of him.
“Either they think that ‘Nam Phan, he’s not that bad, let’s throw him up against some big sharks’, or ‘let’s see if we can get him beat, let’s throw him up against some big sharks,” says Nam with an unfiltered laugh.
“The Brown fight, after I broke my foot, I talked to the matchmaker Sean Shelby and he goes, ‘Alright Nam, I’ve got a fight for you,’ and I go ‘Oh, awesome, who is it?’ He says ‘Mike Brown’, and I’m like ‘Mike Brown? Dude, come on! That’s kind of a tough fight. You couldn’t give me a warm-up or something?””
I really hope that Nam is kidding with these comments, because if he is not, he has a SHORT career ahead of him. The truth is that most young lions in this sport WANT to fight the veteran champions from the past that are fading in their careers. Everyone that is coming up in the sport wants good names to add to their resume. Am I reading into this Phan comment too much or does he really think that Brown is too tough of a fight?
Personally, I think this is the fight that BOTH of them need at this point. A fight that can EASILY gain fight of the night honors as well as salvage both of their UFC careers at this point. Mike Brown, a former world champion, needs this win in my book the most.
De Fries has an opponent for UFC 138...Oli Thompson + Another Brit signed for the Event.
by KING JB
I previously reported that British heavyweight prospect Phil De Fries (7-0-0-1) had signed on to compete at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England. Well, his wait for an opponent was not very long as it has been reported today that he will be stepping into the cage with Oli Thompson (9-2). Oli is a member of the Wolfslair Academy, which means that he obviously trains with some of the best of the best. This is the 9th British fighter that I am aware of signed for UFC 138.
Big ups to MMAbay.co.uk whom I believe broke this story today. Michael Pepper and his staff usually is on the money, especially when it comes to British MMA.
De Fries is an undefeated prospect with all of his victories coming by submission. Thompson has won five straight fights with four of them coming via stoppage.
In related news, another Brit, the 10th on the card was added when the UFC added Che Mills (13-4-0-1) to the show to fight in the Welterweight division. He competed on the 9th season of the Ultimate Fighter, but lost to James Wilks. Mills is on a four fight winning streak and the signing has been CONFIRMED by the UFC.
I have already stated that I do not like when the UFC fills cards up based on Geography. Actually, I hate that shit.
Canadian fighter TJ Grant is back in action after a near 10 month layoff, as he is dropping from Welterweight to Lightweight to take on Shane Roller at UFC on Versus 6 taking place in Washington D.C. on October 1st. The UFC confirmed this late Friday night as both fighters verbally agreed to the fight. - Rusty Hoyle
I have never in my entire life heard of a World Champion getting cut by their promotion, but we heard of it today as Alistair Overeem has been officially cut by the Strikeforce promotion despite him being their World Heavyweight Champion. Overeem has been dealing with more serious injuries than originally reported, including a broken toe and rib and elbow problems.
Overeem will fight next in October in Russia for the promotion United Glory. No word on who his opponent will be. As more information comes in, we will report it to you!
Main Card
Fedor Emelianenko (223) vs. Dan Henderson (207)
Marloes Coenen (135) vs. Miesha Tate (135)
Robbie Lawler (185) vs. Tim Kennedy (185)
Paul Daley (171) vs. Tyron Woodley (170)
Scott Smith (171) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170)
Preliminary card
Gesias Cavalcante (155) vs. Bobby Green (155)
Eduardo Pamplona (170) vs. Tyler Stinson (171)
Alexis Davis (135) vs. Julie Kedzie (136)
Derek Brunson (186) vs. Lumumba Sayers (184)
Bryan Humes (266) vs. Gabriel Salinas-Jones (260)
Agreed today via Twitter, T.J. Waldburger will be facing Daniel Roberts at UFC Fight Night 25: Battle of the Bayou, taking place September 17th. Both of these welterweights are have great submission style and this is shaping up to be a fight that will mainly take place on the ground. Both of these men are looking to avenge a loss in the previous fights as Waldburger got TKO'ed quickly by Johny Hendricks and Daniel "Ninja" Roberts has lost his last 2 fights via decision. This fight will be a win or get cut fight.
Phil De Fries (7-0-0-1) has now officially signed to fight at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England. He posted on his facebook today that it is a “dream come true.” He has become the eighth Brit to be added to the card, which is a good thing and bad thing in my opinion both at the same time. I am excited to see these guys get a chance to make their dreams come true, but at the same time, when cards get filled up based on geography, it seems like convenience and not good match making. That's just my personal opinion.
Overall, I am excited to see what this big heavyweight prospect can do in the big time. I wonder who they will give him as an opponent? I think the UFC should go ahead and bring in Tony “Kryptonite” Lopez or Sean McCorkle for this one.
Just confirmed yesterday, Yves Edwards (40-17-1 MMA, 8-5 in the UFC) vs. Rafaello "Tractor" Oliveira (14-4 MMA, 1-3 in the UFC) has been added to the fight card for UFC on Versus 6 taking place October 1st at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. Both of these fighters suffered a loss in their previous matches, Yves Edwards lost to Sam Stout by weigh of Knockout in 3:52 of the 1st round, and Oliveira lost to Gleison Tibau via Submission in 3:28 in the 2nd round. This fight is a must-win situation for Oliveira in his 2nd time around in the UFC, for those of you who do not know, Rafaello Oliveira was released by the UFC in March of 2010 after his 2nd decision loss in 3 UFC fights, he was called back up at UFC 130. But he will go against a Yves Edwards who has been 6-2 in his last 8 fights. - Rusty Hoyle
Rusty Hoyle’s Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Picks
Main Card:
• Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Dan Henderson
This is a battle of 2 former Pride Fighting Championships veterans, transformed into a heavyweight fight in Strikeforce. Fedor is coming off of 2 consecutive losses, but he is facing a 40 year old Dan Henderson, whom is 6 years old than Fedor and is not as good as he was in his Pride days but still shows the fans of MMA that he has what it takes to win. This fight is going to be a test of power and who wants it the most in my opinion.
This is going to a great fight in the Women’s Welterweight division for Strikeforce as the champion Marloes Coenen is going to defend her title again, but as it has seem to appear to other MMA fans, Miesha Tate does have what it takes to take this fight to the ground but the only problem for her would be the submission power of Coenen.
My pick: Miesha Tate by Decision
• Middleweight bout: Robbie Lawler vs. Tim Kennedy
Robbie Lawler has very heavy hands and he looks for the knockout in every fight that I have seen him fight, but he lacks in submission defense in which Tim Kennedy is a great grappling fighter and I believe he will take this fight to the ground and will use his grappling strengths at his advantage.
My pick: Tim Kennedy via Submission
• Welterweight bout: Paul Daley vs. Tyron Woodley
Paul Daley also has knockout power, just as much as anyone else in the entire MMA’s Welterweight class, but yet again his ground game and defense against the takedown is very poor and Tyron Woodley was a college wrestler at the University of Missouri, so we know he can take down people, in which I see Woodley scoring multiple take downs and getting his advantage in points that way.
My pick: Tyron Woodley via Decision
• Welterweight bout: Scott Smith vs. Tarec Saffiedine
These two fighters have a 8 year difference in between them, in which Saffiedine has gotten better over his 13 pro fights, and Scott Smith has been slowed down by his 26 pro fight, Smith has been knocked out in his previous two fights.
I wrote an article earlier about the Reem immediately after his release. In this article, I questioned the Reem himself for this release and actually for the first time ever, began to see things just like the Reem haters out there. When Strikeforce released their World Heavyweight Champion, Alistair Overeem out of no where tonight, I figured that it HAD to be Overeem's fault. Well, I was definitely wrong in that article as it seems that Reem definitely had a good reason for needing that extra month off before fighting in October instead of September.
Overeem posted on his official website www.TheReem.com a video that proves that his ribs were indeed fractured. Overeem is seen visiting Amstelland Hospital in The Netherlands, where his orthopedist, Dr. A.C.M. Pijnenburg, shows an X-ray that confirms that Overeem has a fractured rib and cartilage damage that obviously give us the reason why Overeem took some time off before getting to training camp.
"I'm very happy that I now have the confirmation for my story to cancel the fight, because canceling a fight is never nice," Overeem says on the video. "I'm the fighter who always wants to fight. The Strikeforce [Grand Prix] is something I really wanted to win. But also, I realize that I have to be fit to fight, of course. I felt I was not fit going into training, and now this to back up my story, feels good."
Overeem defeated Fabricio Werdum last month and then was removed from the tournament a month later for “refusing to fight” in September due to his injury. Dana White didn't seem upset about the injury at all and in fact said that injuries have been happening all year. He seemed like he was used to major injuries like this.
"If you say you're hurt, you're hurt," he said then. "What are you gonna do? There's been a lot of that lately. If I got mad at guys who got hurt, I'd be really pissed off right now. It is what it is." replied Dana White.
Overeem announced this week that he has indeed accepted another fight however OUTSIDE of the Strikeforce and Zuffa brand. He signed to fight in October (the original month he WANTED to fight in) for Glory World Series. Scott Coker later sounded unsure if Overeem would ever fight in Strikeforce again as he prepared for the huge Strikeforce event tonight in Illinois.
"That's going to be something where we'll sit down with [manager] Bas [Boon] and we'll have that conversation," he said.
Here we are, less than two days later and Overeem is now gone from Strikeforce.
Is this a ploy for Zuffa to bring him over to the UFC? I seriously doubt it now that Overeem is coming up with proof in a defensive stance. Earlier I wondered if Overeem was just being too arrogant and now it appears that he may be an actual victim here. I am not sure exactly what is going on as Zuffa has been silent on this matter so far. I am sure that more will come out over the upcoming days.
Are we seeing the BJ Penn incident of 2004 repeated? Will there be lawsuits? Bad Blood?
Well, we all know by now that the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Champion, Alistair Overeem (35-11-0-1) has been officially cut from the Strikeforce promotion as of Friday night. This being the night before Fedor and Henderson, I am basically shocked to be honest for quite a few different reasons. I think about the possibility of Fedor Emelianenko losing tomorrow night and it makes me sick to my stomach. Strikeforce had this amazing heavyweight tournament and division and now it could very quickly be minus Fedor and Overeem by the end of tomorrow night. In my opinion, that is insane to even think about, but could very easily become a reality.
I am not shocked that Overeem is no longer with Strikeforce, but I am shocked that they did it BEFORE the Fedor fight with Henderson. Strikeforce has already lost Nick Diaz and now this would put the nail in the coffin in my opinion for this organization that we all know is going to die soon anyways. The real question behind this story is obviously who was behind this termination. If I had a guess, which I do, I would definitely say that it was Dana White pulling this string due to his dislike of Overeem to begin with.
Now, despite being an Overeem fan, I have no choice but to ultimately blame this on The Reem himself and I am about to explain why. Alistair already knows that his legacy as one of the great heavyweights in the business is ALREADY in question due to some less than stellar opponents on his record as well as a poor performance in many eyes against Fabricio Werdum last month. With that being the case, it was ultimately up to him to change everyone's mind out there about him. He cannot continue to leave it up to us Reem supporters to keep pushing his name as the #1 or #2 heavyweight in the world. At some point, he was supposed to make this easier on us and he chose NOT to.
Overeem knew that Strikeforce and Zuffa had to make a move here. He was trying to pull the old Nick Diaz “boxing” threat to either get more money on a new deal or a UFC title shot (which still might be the plan). He had one fight left to his deal and recently tried to ALTER the date that the tournament fights were going to go down. He knows DAMN WELL that Showtime has a schedule and when the fights were scheduled, they needed to go down due to the contract with Showtime expiring in February of 2012. There was NO time to waste and he basically knew it.
Overeem had one fight left on his deal which meant that as of LAST WEEK, he had the entire Strikeforce heavyweight division and future held hostage. He could have easily resigned atleast a 2-3 fight deal to save face and get the job done in Strikeforce. Strikeforce was very good to Overeem including letting him keep this world title for THREE years while he fought oversees and never even stepped foot inside a Strikeforce cage to defend his crown. What if Overeem would have fought and DEFEATED Antonio Silva to advance to the tournament finals with his contract expired?
Overeem could have demanded ANY kind of money (which is what he probably has already done), and basically held up the tournament AND the heavyweight division considering he is the champion as well. Lets say Overeem did just that and refused to sign a contract. That means the Grand Prix tournament basically goes down the toilet and becomes worthless (which it kind of already has). Then, also Overeem would hold the belt and could hold that hostage too. Overeem knew this already and that's why he made the ol' “boxing” threat in my opinion and stood up to “the man” over a small time frame in the scheduling. Lets be honest, a month is not THAT long of a difference to just GIVE UP on the tournament for. What was his injury? A TOE INJURY? Really?
My point is that I believe Overeem let his arrogance get the best of him here. He thought he could play “Nick Diaz” type of ball and hold up the entire company hostage. I admit, this would have worked a year ago and we ALL know it. However, with Zuffa calling the shots now, we know that they are not going to budge. They are the giants here, not Overeem. I am a HUGE Overeem fan and it hurts me to know that his legacy will never be what we all wanted it to be. He is going to go BACK oversees and continue to fight cans and end up with a record of 50-11 or some shit like that.
Our fight for Overeem is over...There is nothing more we can do. So I wonder if he ever really wanted to fight some of these big names to begin with. Was he scared to be exposed? Was he REALLY as arrogant as he looks here? So, was it arrogance or fear? I guess we will all find out in the coming days...
Another thought: Did Zuffa cut him from Strikeforce so they can sign him in the UFC? Is this part of the murder of Strikeforce? Wow, that would be a twist...
In case you haven't seen, here is the Video with the BREAKING NEWS of his release...
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Coverage (Preview)
This is the complete PREVIEW of the event here and will include both the press conference and pre-fight interviews. I will also throw in the weigh-in video and trailer leading up to the event. This is definitely a show that I have been very excited about for many months and it seems that this may even be the best MMA event of the year period. I do not know if the UFC even has put together a better card than this one. I am very impressed with this card and show and Strikeforce continues to put together great cards. Other than the Challengers events, when was the last time that Strikeforce put together a bad show?
With that being said, here is the trailer leading up to the event to hype the show.
Yea, I think this is a main event that gets all long time MMA fans as excited as it gets. These truly are two of the greatest legends in the history of the business going at it with much more than titles on the line here. Will Fedor be able to prove to the doubters that he is not overrated and still belongs in the world of mainstream American MMA? Will Dan Henderson prove that no matter the weight class, he can beat the very best of the best? The story lines are insane for this fight and so are the possible outcomes.
Here is the official Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson PRESS CONFERENCE from fight week along with the conference call...
(Presser Part 1-2-3)
(Conference Call)
(Weigh-In Video)
Now, I am going to address the card itself and go from fight to fight. I will give you my comments on the fights themselves as well as show you the pre-fight interviews from all combatants. As I mentioned before, I truly believe that this is one of the best overall cards that I have seen in a very long time as well as a much better card than UFC 133, which is the UFC's next show. So, here we go to the event itself...
This event itself will be in the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois tomorrow on July 30, 2011. This is a card that went through a few changes as the time has passed. We were originally going to see Rafael Cavalcante and Ovince St. Preux, which was scraped. I really was looking forward to that possible fight, but along with most fights in 2011, it was thrown away. Cyborg Santos was originally supposed to fight Tarec Saffiedine, but it Saffiedine orginally was pulled from the fight and replaced with Paul Daley. Santos was forced out of the fight with a shoulder issue and Tyron Woodley was entered to fight Paul Daley. Saffiedine will still fight on the card, but his fight will be against Scott Smith instead. Yea, I know that all sounded like a bunch of bullshit.
Roger Gracie was also supposed to originally fight King Mo here at the event, but Gracie was injured and the fight was rescheduled for September. Rhonda Rousey and Sarah D'Alelio were supposed to fight, but their fight was moved to Strikeforce: Challengers. Finally, Lyle Beerbohm was originally supposed to fight JZ Cavalcante, but he was replaced by Bobby Green. Now, with the back story dropped, we can move onto the fights themselves!
UNDERCARD
Lightweight bout: Gesias Cavalcante (17-4-1-2) vs. Bobby Green (15-4)
MY PICK – Bobby Green via decision or DQ
Pre-Fight Comments: I truly think that JZ is extremely OVERRATED with everyone inside the MMA Community. I do think he is extremely good, but many people consider him a future world champion. I do not see that out of this young man at all in my opinion. I think that this fight will give us the upset of the night as Bobby Green shocks the world! Green is the current KOTC lightweight champion at the moment and definitely has some talent. JZ has only ONE win in his last six fights and that is the BOTTOM LINE here. Granted, he is losing many decisions, but it doesn't matter, he is STILL losing. Due to Cavalcante never being stopped, I will not say that he is going to get stopped. I am going to take Bobby Green here via decision or DQ! (lol)
Welterweight bout: Eduardo Pamplona (15-2) vs. Tyler Stinson (20-7)
MY PICK – Eduardo Pamplona via decision
Pre-Fight Comments: Pamplona has won ten fights in a row and any time you can do that in this sport at the pro level, its saying something. His last loss was a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler back in 2007. I admit that he wins MOST by decision and that's exactly what I think is going to happen here. I honestly don't know SHIT about Mr. Stinson, so I am not going to speak ignorantly. I have to admit, he has an impressive win-loss record as a pro and that always says a lot in my book. This should be a GREAT fight and obviously the fight of the under card.
Women's Welterweight (135 lb) bout: Alexis Davis (9-4) vs. Julie Kedzie (16-8)
MY PICK – Julie Kedzie via decision
Pre-Fight Comments: Kedzie has won four fights in a row and has a shit load of experience. She has won via decision in all of them last four fights and I think the same thing is going to happen here. She does however have a HUGE gap in her game in terms of getting submitted. The good news for Davis is that she is great with submissions. I am going with Kedzie here based on her experience and ability to grind out decisions. However, I would NOT be surprised if Davis got the submission win.
Middleweight bout: Derek Brunson (7-0) vs. Lumumba Sayers (4-1)
MY PICK – Derek Brunson via decision
Pre-Fight Comments: I know NOTHING about Sayers, but I do know that Brunson looks pretty good so far in his young MMA career. Brunson is a hell of a wrestler and as you all know, that is one of the BEST bases to have in this sport. He also have HEAVY hands and can knock a man out as well. I am going with Mr. Brunson in this fight via decision.
Heavyweight bout: Bryan Humes (6-1) vs. Gabriel Salinas-Jones (4-0)
MY PICK – Bryan Humes via decision
Pre-Fight Comments: I do NOT know anything about either fighter, so I will be watching them both for the first time here. I like seeing fighters for the first time, so I am interested definitely.
MAIN CARD (SHOWTIME)
Heavyweight bout: Fedor Emelianenko (31-3-1) vs. Dan Henderson (27-8)
MY PICK – Fedor Emelianenko via submission
Pre-Fight Comments: Does it get ANY BETTER than this? Anyone that is a long time fan of this sport is 100% in love with this fight. I think that Henderson has the ability to beat anyone, but Fedor is a legit legend as well. Fedor is NOT going to lose three fights in a row after winning 30 in a row. I just do not see it happening for several reasons. First off, the only way Henderson can win his fight is by a decision win fueled by take down points. I do NOT think that will be happening here today. I think Fedor's submission game is what we will see here shine. Much like Anderson Silva did with Hendo back in their epic fight, I think Fedor will expose the ground game in terms of submission game of Henderson one more time. This is going to be a legendary fight, but I got Fedor via submission late in the fight. I honestly cannot believe that people got Fedor losing to a MIDDLEWEIGHT.
Pre-Fight Comments: This is the baddest female fight in the history of female fights right here in my book. I love Coenen and her story, but Tate is just amazing in terms of RAW TALENT. Miesha Tate's takedowns are just unstoppable and I think she is gonna stay on top throughout the entire fight. I got her taking a 30-27 decision in the end of this fight based on her top game. Don't get me wrong, she could also pull off a submission. She trains at Alpha Male and everyone knows that the choke is something that is legendary out of that camp.
Middleweight bout: Robbie Lawler (19-7-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (13-3)
MY PICK – Robbie Lawler via KO
Pre-Fight Comments: This is ANOTHER amazing fight on this card. Lawler has actually lost two of his last three and three of his last five, which seems like a misprint to me. Yes, I know he really has lost them fights, but he seems like one of the most exciting fighters in the game right now. Lawler's KO ability is so good though, he can catch anyone at any time and I think that is exactly what we are going to see here. Kennedy's submission game is top notch and that is the REAL threat towards Lawler. The real question is whether Lawler can prevent the takedown or not. I think he will and actually catch Kennedy with an uppercut or something at the same time. Regardless, this has fight of the night potential here and there is no doubt in that.
Welterweight bout: Paul Daley (27-10-2) vs. Tyron Woodley (7-0)
MY PICK – Tyron Woodley via decision
Pre-Fight Comments: Wow, what a fight this is, but I agree with Daley that this fight was stupid to even make. I will explain why and give you my reason for picking Woodley in this fight. As much as I like Paul Daley and wish he would shut all the haters mouths for good, Tyron Woodley's wrestling is just too superior here. Daley says that Woodley's wrestling is not as good as Koscheck's and I am going to have to disagree there. I think Woodley is young, strong, and VERY solid. I appreciated Woodley being a guest on MMA Affiliates Radio a while back and he told me THEN that he wanted this fight way before it was signed. I think Daley did NOT want this fight and Woodley did. That will be the difference in this fight in my opinion. We all know that Daley's wrestling ability and take down defense is pretty horrible and we should see it all again here. I love Daley, but Woodley is gonna grind this one out in my opinion. I think Strikeforce just messed up with this fight however. If Woodley loses, then their up and coming prospect is no longer undefeated. If Daley loses, that's TWO in a row and now he all of the sudden loses SERIOUS drawing power and looks destined for a BAMMA fight with Nate Marquardt. I just do NOT like this fight with a title NOT being on the line here.
Welterweight bout: Scott Smith (17-7-1) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (10-2)
MY PICK – Tarec Saffiedine via TKO
Pre-Fight Comments: When it comes to OPENING UP a show, it doesn't get much better and exciting than this fight right here. Scott Smith likes to take a bunch of shots just to give one major shot. I think that will be his problem here as Saffiedine will land a few good ones FIRST and that will be the difference. Scott Smith is getting old and looks more stiff each time we see him. I do think this fight will be exciting while it lasts and that's a GUARANTEE for the most part.
Here is the former owner of Strikeforce, Scott Coker on a few things including the event...
BREAKING NEWS: ALISTAIR OVEREEM HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM STRIKEFORCE!!!
As we all prepare for one of the most legendary fights that has ever been signed in the sport of mixed martial arts, there have been several different story lines included. We have Fedor Emelianenko, a man that is considered by many to be the greatest heavyweight in the history of the business. In Fedor, there are two VERY STRONG sides either for or against the legacy and ability of this great warrior. In Dan Henderson, he is a man that has fought quite a lot at 185lbs as a middleweight, currently holds the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship, and is now fighting at heavyweight against maybe the best to ever fight in that weight class.
Anyone that has been a fan of this sport for a decent amount of time is completely geeked about the possibility of this fight, but the difference in opinions sure are already all over the internet. For many, Fedor is the greatest of all time and just met a small bump in the road as competition is very solid these days in the division. For others, Fedor Emelianenko is highly overrated and we are just seeing that proven now that he is fighting in America. In this article, you will hear a few facts as well as my own personal opinion in this matter. This is the type of topic that has a firm believer on either side almost pulling out their own hair as they attempt to understand the logic of the other side to no avail.
With that being said, let me say this...I think that Fedor Emelianenko is indeed the best heavyweight of all time and that is with no disrespect intended to either Antonio Noguiera nor Dan Severn. I also think that Dan Henderson is one of the best all around fighters in the history of the sport. I actually feel like he is better than the legendary hero, Randy Couture. With all of that said, it bothers me to hear people bash either one of these fighters. I hear people say that Fedor Emelianenko is overrated and has fought nothing but cans his entire career and to be honest, it makes me sick to my stomach. It definitely bothers me when people say that a fighter is overrated for the most part because beating up thirty men in the cage in a row is definitely an amazing feet regardless of whom the thirty men are.
With that said, the thirty men that Fedor beat were indeed NOT cans in this sport. He beat several former UFC heavyweight champions as well as many other top heavyweights in the business. Fedor has beaten Renato Sobral, Heath Herring, Antonio Nogueira, Gary Goodridge, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Mirko Cro Cop, Matt Lindland, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, and Brett Rogers. Now, I believe I counted a total of 6 former UFC champions on that list and the legendary Mirko Cro Cop as well. These fighters were no wear near cans and it saddens me that people consider this list a list of cans considering quite a few of them are LEGENDS in this sport. Fedor not only beat these guys, but DOMINATED for many, many years.
Fedor only has gotten his ass kicked really one time and that was Antonio Silva. We all know that in the fight with Fabricio Werdum, he just jumped into the wrong man's guard. Its not like Werdum just went out there and beat Fedor's ass and you all know it. I think that after 35 fights and only one ass whippin, its obvious that Fedor is an elite fighter. Fedor's submission game was rarely off par leading to a mistake like that as he himself has 16 submissions to his credit. Fedor simply fucked up against Werdum and that was obvious to most of us. Now, I admit that Big Foot killed him out there, but I think many of us expected Fedor to come back. Big Foot was the better man on that day, but that does not mean that Fedor can no longer fight.
Lets be real, Fedor Emelianenko is only 34 years old, which is not the end of the world. Dan Henderson is 40 years old, which immediately makes Fedor the young guy here. Fedor is no longer in his prime, no, but he is not as “old” and “washed” up as everyone thinks. I refuse to believe a man with his ability and dominance is washed up in one year like that at the young age of 34 years old. Granted, that's not career infancy, but its also not retirement age either. I think that Fedor spoiled us and now that he has proven to be human, we wanna kill off his legacy. I do NOT like that mind set as I believe that it is disrespectful to this man that still fights for our entertainment and to feed his family. I hate the way fans and media are so quick to “retire” these fighters for them. There are plenty of people Fedor can still fight and make a living fighting. Let's let that man decide when he is done living his legacy for our entertainment.
Fedor has however, put himself in a HORRIBLE situation here where its a lose-lose issue. Despite Dan Henderson's ability and legacy himself, beating him is not a win for Fedor. If Fedor beats Dan, all of the haters will say that he only won because Dan is a blown up middleweight and that Fedor couldn't beat someone his own size. If Fedor loses, everyone will SURELY say that he has lost it and truly cannot do this work anymore. I think that Fedor losing would end his legacy with the fans for good unfortunately that are not die-hards. A loss here would make Fedor's American record 3-3 and immediately get the “overrated accusations” back going full force. The thought of this damn near gives us Fedor supporters nightmares because we just “know inside” that Fedor was never overrated. I would hate to see a scenario where it looks like we were wrong.
Now, can Dan Henderson beat Fedor Emelianenko? As much as I hate to admit it, yes, he can. Dan Henderson is GOOD ENOUGH to beat anyone in the business and I think he has proven that time and time again. Even though I think that Fedor will get a second or third round submission in this fight, Henderson could easily be seen grinding out a decision with his takedown points. Do I think Henderson has the ability to knock out Fedor? No, I have to say that I just do not see that happening. Fedor has NEVER been knocked out in his entire career and I see no reason to believe that this wrestler is going to change that. Yes, I admit that Dan Henderson has a great right hand, but knocking out a heavyweight that has never been knocked out seems absurd to me.
Everyone seems to think that Henderson can do it, but I just do NOT see their logic. Listen, Fedor has survived Cro Cop's striking, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, and Brett Roger's striking as well. Hell, Big Foot Silva didn't knock him out either. These are some HUGE men with some HUGE striking ability and they could NOT get the job done. Who has Henderson really knocked out? Michael Bisping? Renato Sobral, and Wanderlei Silva. I think we have all seen that Sobral and Silva can be knocked out by much smaller guys. Bisping was the one man that really impressed me in terms of a knockout from Henderson. My point is that Henderson is not knocking all these people out that people assume he is. He is solid and may be able to pull off a wrestling based decision win, but knocking out the man that can't be knocked out just doesn't seem like logic.
Now, can Fedor submit Dan Henderson? Well, lets really look at this and admit that Fedor has submitted the likes of Coleman, Randleman, Lindland, and others. Fedor has the ability to tap a man out as all three of them men were VERY successful in the UFC. Dan Henderson showed us in the Anderson Silva fight that he can be submitted by a man with solid submission ability. Henderson was submitted by Antonio Noguiera, whom was never able to submit Fedor despite being the best jiu-jitsu man in the division. Did I forget to mention that he was submitted by the other Noguiera too? Granted, all three men that subbed Henderson trains at Blackhouse, but Fedor's submission game is elite as well. I also wanted to say that Fedor's striking is also very solid, so its foolish to just assume that Hendo can beat him standing up.
I do admit that Fedor might be able to take him down and earn some points. However, its not like Fedor does NOT have any takedown defense. I know that this writing seems very much so pro-Fedor, but Im just trying to look at some facts. I do think that Dan Henderson is a great fighter and this will be a great fight. I just cannot pick him to beat a heavyweight as dominant as Fedor Emelianenko. With records of 27-8 (Hendo) and 31-3 (Fedor), this is obviously one of the better fights in the history of the sport. Both men have won SEVERAL world championships in several different organizations. I am as excited as it gets for this fight as I know many others are out there.
My real question after this fight is.......Will either man be in Strikeforce after this fight regardless of result here?
This is officially Dan Henderson's last fight on his contract. Word has it that it is also Fedor's last fight on the contract. Are both men UFC bound? If Fedor loses, is he going to retire? Will Dan Henderson be back to defend the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship? I do know that the storylines are insane for this fight and the future of both of these two men seem to be as unknown as ever.
1. Jon "Bones" Jones (UFC) 13-1NEXT FIGHT: vs. 9/24 vs. #3 Quinton Jackson
2. Rashad "Suga" Evans (UFC) 18-1-1 NEXT FIGHT: 8/6 vs. #9 Phil Davis
3. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (UFC) 32-8 NEXT FIGHT: 9/24 vs. #1 Jon Jones
4. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (UFC) 19-5 NEXT FIGHT: 8/27 vs. #7 Forrest Griffin
5. Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (UFC) 17-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown 6. Dan Henderson (STRIKEFORCE)27-8 NEXT FIGHT: 7/30 vs. Fedor Emelianenko
7. Forrest Griffin (UFC) 18-6 NEXT FIGHT: 8/27 vs. #4 Mauricio Rua
8. Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi (STRIKEFORCE) 30-3-2 NEXT FIGHT: 7/16 vs. Hiroshi Izumi
9. Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (UFC) 9-0 NEXT FIGHT: 8/6 vs. #2 Rashad Evans
10. Thiago Silva (UFC) 14-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Suspended until 2012
Middleweight
Anderson “The Spider” Silva (UFC) 28-4 NEXT FIGHT: 8/27 vs. #2 Yushin Okami
Yushin Okami (UFC) 26-5 NEXT FIGHT: 8/27 vs. #1 Anderson Silva
Chael Sonnen (UFC) 25-11 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Suspended
Michael “The Count” Bisping (UFC) 21-3 NEXT FIGHT: 12/3 vs. Jason Miller
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (STRIKEFORCE) 14-2 NEXT FIGHT: 9/10 vs. Luke Rockhold
Hector Lombard (BELLATOR) 29-2-1 NEXT FIGHT: 8/27 vs. Jesse Taylor
Tim Kennedy (STRIKEFORCE)13-3 NEXT FIGHT: 7/30 vs. Robbie Lawler
Mark Munoz (UFC) 11-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Demian Maia (UFC) 14-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Jorge Santiago (UFC) 23-8 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Welterweight
George St. Pierre (UFC) 22-2 NEXT FIGHT: 10/29 vs. #2 Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz (STRIKEFORCE) 25-7 NEXT FIGHT: 10/29 vs. #1 George St. Pierre
Jake Shields (UFC) 26-5-1 NEXT FIGHT: 9/17 vs. #10 Jake Ellenberger
Jon Fitch (UFC) 23-3-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Carlos Condit (UFC) 27-5 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
BJ Penn (UFC) 16-7-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Jay Hieron (BELLATOR) 22-4 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Diego Sanchez (UFC) 23-4 NEXT FIGHT: 9/24 vs. Matt Hughes
Josh Koscheck (UFC) 15-5 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Jake Ellenberger (UFC) 25-5 NEXT FIGHT: 9/17 vs. #3 Jake Shields
Lightweight
Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (UFC) 13-1-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknow/Injured
Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (STRIKEFORCE) 19-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Shinya Aoki (STRIKEFORCE) 28-5-0-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Gray “The Bully” Maynard (UFC)10-0-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (UFC) 29-11 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Jim Miller (UFC) 20-2 NEXT FIGHT: 8/14 vs. #7 Ben Henderson
Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (UFC) 29-8-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Ben Henderson (UFC) 13-2 NEXT FIGHT: 8/14 vs. #6 Jim Miller
Eddie Alvarez (BELLATOR) 22-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown vs. Michael Chandler Jr.
Dennis Siver (UFC) 19-7 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Featherweight
Jose Aldo (UFC) 19-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured vs. #7 Kenny Florian
Hatsu Hioki (UFC) 24-4-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Chad Mendes (UFC) 10-0 NEXT FIGHT: 8/6 vs. Rani Yahya
Patricio Freire (BELLATOR) 17-1 NEXT FIGHT: 7/23 vs. #5 Joe Warren
Joe Warren (BELLATOR) 7-1 NEXT FIGHT: 7/23 vs. #4 Patricio Freire
Marlon Sandro (BELLATOR) 18-2 NEXT FIGHT: 7/23 vs. Nazareno Malegarie
Kenny Florian (UFC) 15-5 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown vs. #1 Jose Aldo
Diego Nunes (UFC) 16-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Mark Hominick (UFC) 20-9 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Erik Koch (UFC) 12-1 NEXT FIGHT: 7/2 vs. 9/17 vs. Jonathan Brookins
Bantamweight
Dominick Cruz (UFC) 18-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Urijah Faber (UFC) 25-5 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Joseph Benavidez (UFC) 14-2 NEXT FIGHT: 8/14 vs. Eddie Wineland
Miguel Torres (UFC) 39-4 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Renan Barao (UFC) 26-1-0-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Brian Bowles (UFC) 10-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Michael McDonald (UFC) 13-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Wagnney Fabiano (FREE AGENT) 14-3 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Masakatsu Ueda (Shooto) 12-1-2 NEXT FIGHT: 7/18 vs. Rumina Sato
Joe Warren (BELLATOR) 7-1 NEXT FIGHT: 9/24 vs. Alexis Vila (Also has fight in FW division)
Flyweight
Mamoru Yamaguchi (KOTC) 26-5-3 NEXT FIGHT: 8/5 vs. #5 Jussier da Silva
Yasuhiro Urushitani (Shooto) 18-4-6 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Alexis Vila (MFA/BELLATOR) 9-0 NEXT FIGHT: 9/24 vs. Joe Warren
Ian McCall (TPF) 10-2 NEXT FIGHT: 8/5 vs. #7 Darrell Montague
Jussier da Silva (TPF) 9-1 NEXT FIGHT: 8/5 vs. #1 Mamoru Yamaguchi
Rambaa Somdet (Shooto) 8-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Darrell Montague (TPF) 9-1 NEXT FIGHT: 8/5 vs. #4 Ian McCall
Jose Maria Tome (CENTURIAN) 24-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
John Dodson (NEMESIS) 11-5 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Ryuichi Miki (SHOOTO) 10-4-3 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Women's (Open)
Christiane Santos (FREE AGENT-145) 10-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Marloes Coenen (STRIKEFORCE-135) 19-4 NEXT FIGHT: 7/30 vs. #7 Miesha Tate
Sarah Kaufman (STRIKEFORCE-135) 13-1 NEXT FIGHT: 7/22 vs. Liz Carmouche
Tara LaRosa (SHARK-125) 20-2 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Zoila Gurgel (BELLATOR-115)11-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown/Injured
Megumi Fujii (BELLATOR-115) 23-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Miesha Tate (STRIKEFORCE-135) 11-2 NEXT FIGHT: 7/30 vs. #2 Marloes Coenen
Rosi Sexton (CWFC-125) 12-2 NEXT FIGHT: 7/9 vs. Sheila Gaff
Rin Nakai (VAKYRIE-140) 10-0 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
Mei Yamaguchi (PANCRASE-115) 8-2-1 NEXT FIGHT: Unknown
