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The sport of MMA continues to penetrate the main stream media as some of it`s newest fighters are topping some grids and lists. First we have Brock Lesnar on SI.com’s The Pop Culture Grid, which lists how stars from the sports world fit into the world that is Pop Culture. Kimbo Slice makes Sports Illustrated`s Top Turkeys of 2009, joined by other notable names like Rogers Clemens, the New York Mets and Chad “Ocho Cingo“ Johnson.

 This past week on “The Showdown“, I was joined by Jason “The Athlete“ MacDonald and Jonathan “The Road Warrior“ Goulet, who both spoke about their upcoming bouts in a few weeks. JayMac will be taking on Wilson Gouviea at The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale on December 13th, while Goulet is set to face Mike “Quick“ Swick, three days earlier during The Ultimate Fight Night`s “Fight For The Troops.“ Goulet is looking to prove to everyone that with a victory over Swick, he deserves to be in the welterweight top ten and plans to put a hurting on Swick. On the flip side, Mike Swick is guaranteeing a finish over Jonathan Goulet at “UFC Fight for the Troops” .

With a career that’s had its fair share of ups and downs, “Rampage“ aptly describes what are Quinton Jackson`s - Seven Defining Moments. Speaking of defining moments the Gracie name is often considered the Royal Family of BJJ (and at times MMA), but when you ask family members like Royce, Ralph, Renzo, Royler or Rorian who the best of the Gracie clan is, they are all unanimous in their response: Rickson Gracie. Is he The Greatest Gracie? One on One with Rickson gives you the answer.

More MMA news below…

UFC News

• Brock Lesnar on SI.com’s The Pop Culture Grid
• Quinton Jackson - Seven Defining Moments 
• Mike Swick guaranteeing a finish over Jonathan Goulet at “UFC Fight for the Troops”
• It’s kill or be killed for Thiago Silva against Lyoto Machida at UFC 94
• Steve Steinbeiss makes move to UFC
• More on UFC’s German TV Moves

Strikeforce News

• Strikeforce “Greatest Knockouts” Premieres On NBC Saturday

Affliction MMA News

• Affliction balks at signing ex-UFC heavyweight Werdum

Japanese News

• Crocop vs. Overeem Officially Called Off
• Gegard Mousasi and Tatsuya Kawajiri to compete under K-1 rules
• Inoue Recaptures Shooto Gold
• Shooto ‘Tradition 4′ results & quick recap

Misc. MMA News

• Kimbo Slice makes Sports Illustrated`s Top Turkeys of 2009
• The Greatest Gracie? One on One with Rickson
• Pat Miletich: Rebirth of a legend
• Part II of interview with former EliteXC exec T. Jay Thompson
• Lyman Good signed to the Bellator Fighting Championships
• Getting to know Bellator Fighting Championships: Part IV
• Mike Van Arsdale switches camps, eyes return to competition
• MMA Elite Hits Wal-Mart Shelves
• Cung Le, Robbie Lawler Featured on HDNet’s ‘Inside MMA’

Although I pressed Dana White for the actual UFC 91 pay per view buy rates, the UFC President stuck by the company position and chose not to share this info. Fair enough, but it was not for a lack of trying on my end. When it comes to figuring out how many buys a pay per view may have done, there is always one source that historically shares this info. Dave Meltzer from The Wrestling Observer and Yahoo.com recently posted that UFC 91 did approximately 800K - 850K PPV Buys. While this number falls short of the 1.2 million projection offered up by Dana White, it still falls into the category of second best UFC PPV of all time.

In more UFC news, check out the UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 Preview (video); if this doesn’t rile you up for the year end big show, nothing will. Following this ppv will be UFC 93, where the main event fighters will be putting quite a bit on the line. There is a lot at stake in this fight so the question begs, Rich Franklin or Dan Henderson: Who Needs This Win More?. Speaking of Franklin, his teammate Jorge Gurgel has been released from UFC, but has quickly signed on with Strikeforce. Tough break for a fighter who came out on the losing end of “Fight of the Night” honours at UFC 91.

Great news for Canadian MMA fans. Carlos Newton Returns At Warrior 1’s Inagural Event on March 28th, 2009. This marks Newton’s return to Canada for the first time since making his MMA debut in April of 1996. He will be facing Nabil “The Thrill” Khatib in a welterweight battle that will be held in Ottawa / Hull at the Robert Guertin Arena.

More MMA news below…

UFC News

I have been saying it for quite some time, but I do not believe there is any coincidence that the UFC has not had any events in the state of California since UFC 76 in September of 2007. In fact, I believe they made their decision to stop holding events in one of MMA’s hotbeds immediately after UFC 73 in July of the same year.

UFC News

• Dana White Video - VIP Experience via the Fight For The Troops Auction
• Brock Lesnar …Action Hero?
• Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture sounds off on life before, during and after UFC 91
• Sean Sherk Interview Part I: Former UFC champ shares thoughts on Armando Garcia’s resignation
• Sean Sherk Interview Part II: “The number one contender spot is pretty much the championship belt”
• Chuck Liddell: The Iceman Falleth
• Michael Bisping on Frankilin and Henderson - I can beat both of them
• Mauricio Shogun Rua video training for Mark Coleman UFC 93 fight
• Okami in the way; Lister wants shot at Silva
• Hermes Franca vs Joe Lauzon UFC Fight Night 17 bout possible
• Marquardt Wants TUF Coaching Spot, Big Fights
• Lindland isn’t in the UFC because he lacks muscles?Building the First UFC Show in Germany
• With tyranny gone, will the UFC return to Cali?

Affliction MMA News

• Is Golden Boy vs. Affliction Back on for January 24th?
• Affliction and Golden Boy a Not so true romance
• Fighting Fedor: Andrei ‘The Pitbull’ Arlovski Affliction interview
• Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers possible for Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning”

WEC News

• WEC 37 Trailer: Miquel Torres vs Manny Tapia
• Urijah Faber vs Jens Pulver 2 Set For Jan 25th in San Diego
• Mike Thomas Brown’s first defense likely to take place vs. Leonard Garcia
• Rivalry begins to grow between Miguel Torres and Jeff Curran
• Sources: Major changes made within the WEC’s front office

Misc. MMA News

• ProElite Blocking Free Agency For Jake Shields
• ProElite’s potential mystery investor revealed
• Eddie Alvarez signs with Bellator Fighting Championships
• Eddie Alvarez to Fight in January
• Ricardo Arona plans a return in 2009
• New CSAC Director Plans to Fix Broken Drug-Testing Process, And Fast
• M-1’s Millen: UFC President Dana White “choked” when he saw me.
• Learning the value of real fighter representation
• The Anatomy of an MMA Show, Part 2
• Lorenzo Borgomeo adds Italian flare to American Top Team
• Getting to know Bellator Fighting Championships: Part I
• 10 Fights That Could Have Been

With the recent report that the UFC 99 main event between “The Natural” and “The Iceman” in Germany making it’s way across the various news sites, blogs and message boards, there appears to be an overall consensus regarding Couture / Liddell IV - “Nobody Wants To See It”!! 

I disagree with the majority of the criticism; people will flock to see this fight and it will sell as the implications are far different than those previously tussled over. It is being fought in a new division for different stakes; literally, the guy who loses this fight may just hang the gloves up for good. As for the winner, he’ll rejuvenate his career and prime himself for a road to eternal glory, namely a chance to win the heavyweight championship.

The UFC’s Military Vets come out in Force to “Fight For The Troops”. Fighters like Luigi Fioravanti, Steve Bruno, Tim Credeur, Dale Hartt and Brandon Wolff have all served their country and will now get to battle in the Octagon for their fellow brethern still on duty. This show will be an emotional affair and will definetly tug at one’s emotional heart strings. The root cause for the show is to raise money for the troops. According to UFC.com “Only 30 tickets have been made available to the public for this event, with all funds raised benefiting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. To bid now on this ticket auction, click here.”

More MMA News below…

UFC News

• Couture / Liddell IV - “Nobody Wants To See It” Part 2
• GSP vs BJ: Does The Sport of MMA Sell?
• Kenflo Ready To Wait For GSP-Penn II Outcome
• Kenny Florian rides streak to second shot at summit
• The UFC’s Military Vets come out in Force to “Fight For The Troops”
• Ireland vs England at UFC 93 in Dublin
• Overaction To UFC 90 Buy Rate?
• MMA Needs to Learn from Fitch, Couture Sagas
• Okami a Contender in Limbo
• Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira Profile - Phillipe Nover
• In the Squeeze: Dale Hartt’s “UFC Fights for the Troops” Journal, Part I
• UFC’s greatest hits: the middle years

Strikeforce News

• New Strikeforce champ “Babalu” Sobral seeks “dessert” with Tito Ortiz
• Joe Riggs victorious despite broken hand at “Strikeforce: Destruction”

Affliction MMA News

• Affliction: Round Two
• Golden Boy to compete with Affliction after all

Japanese MMA News

• Chris Horodecki loses at ‘S-Cup 2008′ prior to Affliction fight against Dan Lauzon
• Reports of DREAM’s fighter payment woes continue to surface
• Update on PRIDE FC WW vs. Sakakibara lawsuit
• Alistair Overeem: ‘Wimpy Cro Cop’ hasn’t signed on to fight me

Misc. MMA News

• Gina Carano Speaks Out Against Elite XC
• Matt Lindland’s “Fighting Politics” Trailer
• Kimbo Slice Makes Acting Debut
• Eddie Alvarez next fight set for Extreme Challenge on Jan. 23
• Kalib Starnes proves he’s no longer a ‘Running Joke’
• Kim Couture Takes Win In Stride
• Wilson Reis expected to sign with the Bellator Fighting Championships
• Ortiz mocked even when laid up with an injury
• Pat Militech Heads Adrenaline MMA 2 Fight Card
• Promoter’s Spotlight: Monte Cox
• Bill Douglas Appointed By CSAC
• Cage fighting obsession reaches kids

Last Thursday, we were inundated with the news the Jon Fitch was cut from the UFC, then resigned 24 hours later. In between all of the hooplah that was the controversy, some of his teammates felt the wrath that was the MMA blogosphere. Fitch’s teammates from the Amercian Kickboxing Academy, Josh Koscheck stayed away from his computer and his phone, as did Cain Velasquez.

It wasn’t as easy for Mike Swick, who many painted as a traiter for going against his teammates. Swick recently stated “I [wasn’t] against my teammates”, squashing many of the stories that pegged him as the black sheep. ‘Fitch Gate’ even had Joe Rogan comment on the Jon Fitch controversy.

Yesterday we heard about the potential bout between Couture and Liddell set for UFC 99 in Germany, but for Brock Lesnar, the current UFC HW champ, he has some other ideas of his own. Lesnar’s Trainer Eyes Next Hurdle while consensus #1 heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko continues to talk about Lesnar. Seems, Emelianenko is looking for new challenges, including Lesnar, in 2009 but will have to first deal with Andre Arlovski at Affliction’s Reckoning show on January 24th. Note to Fedor: if you overlook Arlovski, you will be waking up to see bright lights, not a fight with Lesnar. More MMA News below:

UFC News

When Chuck Liddell visited Toronto last month, I asked the former light heavyweight champion if he would consider moving to heavyweight, as it is a division with far less talent than the 205 lbs group he currently resides with. Liddell did state he would rather stay at light-heavyweight, mainly to recapture the title, one he held for successfully for over two years, but if the right fight presented itself at heavyweight, he would definitely consider it; well it seems that fight has surfaced.Reports are surfacing that Chuck Liddell is mulling a move to heavyweight to face Randy Couture, who recently lost the heavyweight title to Brock Lesnar. This bout is allegedly being considered for the main event at UFC 99, rumoured to be held in Cologne, Germany on June 13th, 2009. Having Couture as the main event makes sense for a variety of reasons, as Couture not only speaks German very well, he would be a golden asset to help promote and market a debut event of this nature.

After a tumultuous 24 hours, the UFC and Jon Fitch Reach a Deal. Fitch spoke with UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta and all the creases in negotiations have officially been straightened out. Fitch’s fight with Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 is back on. The story had many people divided as to who was right, who was wrong but also, what the reality of the situation truly was. In an ironic twist to those who were back Fitch and criticizing the UFC, an interesting story was published with the American Top Team President Siding with UFC Regarding the Fitch Fiasco.  

While many of us would love to travel to paradise on earth, yes, the State of Hawaii, seems paradise and MMA are not meant for each other. For years, the UFC has been clamouring to have an event on the island, while waiting for the state to officailly pass the laws necessarry to sanction and regulate the sport. Well, the state did, but they also will be imposing hefty taxes onto promoters, which is latin for the UFC doing and “about face”. It’s safe to say the UFC Is Not Hitting Hawaii Anytime Soon.  

MMA is beginning to expand it’s appeal and demographic. The natural perception is that it caters to 18-34 year olds, but I for one have seen many youngsters and parties in their fifties who are enamoured by this combat sports. In fact, it’s spreading all across the US in a peculiar fashion. High School Mixed Martial Arts is a great piece which may pave the way for MMA to be taught to teenagers…while they are in school.  

More MMA News below… 

UFC News 

• “The Showdown” featuring GSP, BJ Penn, Dana White and Open Phone Lines
• Georges St-Pierre – Pressure King
• Fedor Emelianenko Talks Brock Lesnar
• Rumor: UFC, Jon Fitch Reach a Deal; Update: Dave Meltzer Confirms UFC-Jon Fitch Settlement
• American Top Team President Sides With UFC Regarding Fitch Fiasco
• UFC Merchandising Agreement Is One Sided But Not Exclusive
• Vanderlai Silva Training For Rampage Jackson (Pics)
• UFC Not Hitting Hawaii Anytime Soon
• UFC’s Goran Relcic Saves The Lives Of Two Men After Their Car Crashes in Sea
• UFC 91 NSAC Medical Suspensions
• UFC 91 Gear Sponsorship Breakdown
• New free agent Jake Shields seeks new home, possibly with UFC
• The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir - Episode Ten Recap
• Johnson and Kevin Burns To Rematch Live on December 13th
• Jamie Varner – The Champ Gives Back This Saturday

 Japanese MMA News 

• DREAM again slow to pay fighters, rep says money on the way

 Misc. MMA News 

• ESPN’s “MMA Live” Episode 29
• Bellator Fighting Championships Signs Exclusive TV Agreement with ESPN Deportes
• Tito Ortiz on his Fighting Future
• Matt Lindland’s “Fighting Politics”
• Strikeforce Fighters Make Weight
• Josh Thomson seeks big fight in return, targets Frank Shamrock
• High School Mixed Martial Arts
• MMA Authentics Announces Wal-Mart Deal
• TapouT Announces First Apparel Licensing Partnership
• HDNet Fights and FEG USA, Inc. Announce Extended Partnership
• Kim Couture -vs- Lina Kvokov @ Strikeforce: Destruction

Apologies to all, for the lack of updates since I left for UFC 91 coverage in Las Vegas. Upon my return, I gave my thoughts on the new era that is Brock Lesnar. Based on what I saw, Lesnar Is The Real Deal and his reign as UFC champ may last for a very long time.Lesnar is ready for a reality check, with Fedor Emelianenko, M-1 welcoming a “superfight” with Lesnar. There are 5 Burning Questions after Brock Lesnar’s UFC title win as well as some candid comments as Couture Talks Loss to Lesnar. As for the controversy surround the Couture Stoppage? No big deal in my opinion.

Yesterday, GSP and BJ Penn Invaded Sportsnet as part of their UFC 94 Epic Rematch world tour. They were joined by UFC President Dana White, where I had a chance to go one on one with him. This fight could potentially be bigger than Lesnar / Couture and pits The “Greatest Fighting Mind” Vs the “Greatest Athlete”.

More news below…

UFC News

• GSP and BJ Penn Invade Sportsnet
• Sportsnet: Showdown Joe and Dana White
• UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2 Press Conference
• The “Greatest Fighting Mind” Prepares for the “Greatest Athlete”
• Dana White Warns Ontario - You’re Next!
• UFC readies for right to fight in New York
• Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva confirmed for UFC 94
• Jon Fitch to face Akihiro Gono at UFC 94
• UFC 95: London, February 21
• UFC 95 Rumour: Anderson Silva Vs Chuck Liddell
• Anderson Silva Adds Freddie Roach to Training Team
• UFC Fight Night 17 scheduled for February 7
• Rich Franklin open to rematch with Lyoto Machida, “TUF” coaching gig
• “Inside MMA” poll results: Fans want Jake Shields vs. Diego Sanchez
• UFC 2009 Undisputed Preview: Brock Lesnar
• UFC 2009 Undisputed Roster Announcement
• Junie Browning taking different path after “TUF” experience
• Fighting or Farming: Tommy Speers Announces Decision To Leave Fighting
• Proposed UFC ad campaign to feature the impact of MMA on popular sports
• Marketwatch Spotlights UFC
• Sponsor Conflict at UFC 91? (Update)
• Bud Marketing Head Out
• Couture on NY MMA Legislation

UFC 91

• Showdown Joe: Lesnar Is The Real Deal
• UFC 91 Results
• Lesnar ready for reality check
• Fedor Emelianenko, M-1 welcome “superfight” with UFC’s Brock Lesnar
• 5 Burning Questions after Brock Lesnar’s UFC title win
• Couture Talks Loss to Lesnar
• Couture Stoppage? No big deal
• WWE.com Talks UFC 91
• Florian tries to give Penn incentive to fight him
• UFC Quick Quote: Demian Maia continues to lobby for Michael Bisping fight
• UFC 91 draws 14,272 for $4.8 million gate
• UFC 91 Fighter Payouts
• UFC 91: The 1.2 Million Strategy
• Seven UFC 91 fighters, including Lesnar and Couture, issued medical suspensions
• White says UFC doesn’t need a network television deal
• Demian Maia to coach next season of TUF? Really?
• 50 Cent’s “Get Up” UFC 91 Promotional Video

WEC News

• Gina Carano in the WEC?
• Paulo Filho Released From WEC, Unlikely to Fight in UFC
• Joseph Benavidez vs Danny Martinez Added to WEC 37 Card
• WEC finalizes lineup for Dec. 3 with television bouts also announced
• WEC 38: Big Plans To Open Year In San Diego

Japanese MMA News

• Shinya Aoki and Hong-Man Choi Added to K-1 Field’s Dynamite
• Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Sanae Kikuta booked for Sengoku 1/4 Saitama event
• DEEP To Crown New LW Champ With Tourney

Misc MMA News

• SEC Charges Mark Cuban With Insider Trading
• Ricky Hatton: “We Can Learn From the UFC”
• MMA Betting Continues To Flourish
• Afflictions Todd Beard Resigns
• Trump sticks with Affliction … Beard doesn’t
• Affliction Jan 24 to be promoted by Golden Boy and Showtime
• Updated “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” fight card
• Bio, Algebra, ground and pound? MMA at high school in Mass.
• The Anatomy of an MMA Show, Part 1
• Agents United: A One Note Symphony?
• Trebilcock Comments on KOTC’s Future
• Lohuis, Douglas Named as Interim CSAC Leads
• Ryan Couture wins his amateur MMA debut.
   

It’s fight week in Vegas and what better way to start it than Dana White’s UFC 91 Video Blog. These Video Blogs offer great insight into the daily activities the UFC President partakes in, leading up to fight night. From satire to seriousness, there are always great tidbits of information within the blogs, so check them out.

As we get closer to Saturday’s event, you will find many insiders offering their take on the big fight. What is The Blueprint for Randy Couture and what are his Keys to Victory?  What is the The Blueprint  for Brock Lesnar  and what are his Keys to Victory? Many believe that Couture-Lesnar is a muscled chess match, but beyond that, I think it will be mental warfare and can Lesnar control his tendency to flip out.

More MMA news below…

UFC News

• Dana’s UFC 91 Video Blog 11/10/08
• The Blueprint: Randy Couture
• Keys to Victory: Randy Couture
• The Blueprint: Brock Lesnar
• Keys to Victory: Brock Lesnar
• Couture-Lesnar a muscled chess match
• UFC 91 Preview: Kenny “KenFlo” Florian
• Florian Wants Second Shot At Gold
• Stevenson’s One Angry Underdog
• Sadollah takes the next step
• Nate Quarry expects UFC 91 fight against Demian Maia to end early
• Matt Brown – ‘The Immortal’ Gets Back to Business
• Matt Brown ready for UFC 91
• UFC Vet Jeremy Stephens Banking on Breakout Performance
• UFC 91 picks, Vegas style
• Josh Koscheck re-confirmed for bout vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida at “UFC Fight for the Troops”
• UFC Fight Night 16 broadcast set for three hours, minimum five fights
• Rich Franklin takes ambassador role with Disabled American Veterans
• UFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva fight talk
• Study shows UFC is poised to contribute millions to NY economy
• UFC Steps Up NY Efforts, Touts Economic Impact
• New York’s Economic Crisis Provides Opening for the UFC
• MM-Eh: Kang-Belcher on for UFC 93, TKO Cancelled, Junie’s Canadian Connection
• UFC 94: St-Pierre Vs Penn 2 (Poster)

Affliction MMA News

• Affliction believed to be interested in Ricardo Arona

Japanese MMA News

• Santiago Vs Misaki For Sengoku Championship

Misc. MMA News

• Could Kurt Angle Get Athletic Commission Approval to Fight?
• ProElite Revived? King of the Cage on CBS?
• Will King of the Cage Replace EliteXC on CBS?
• Can King of the Cage rise from Elite XC’s demise?
• Ryan Couture Wins MMA Debut by 1st Round Submission
• Duane Ludwig to replace injured Strikeforce champ Josh Thomson
• Alistair Overeem submits Gary Goodridge in Netherlands
• Mike Pyle content to let others sing his praises
• MMA’s surge on TV boosts smaller, UFC-rivaling fight promotions

Believe it or not, Brock Lesnar will have his hands full on Saturday night, as he vies to become the UFC’s Heavyweight Champion in just his fourth MMA fight. The Blueprint: Brock Lesnar details an in depth analysis for the big man, while Randy Couture Breaks Down Brock Lesnar as well. For now, Lesnar finds himself in A Brock and a Hard Place.

In the co-main event, BJJ black belt Kenny Florian will be taking on a disgruntled Joe Stepvenson, but after this weekend, Stevenson received quite the surprise during one of his training sessions. Legendary submission fighting wizard Robert Drysdale awarded Joe Daddy His Black Belt in BJJ. It’s not as if Joe Daddy didn’t need any extra motivation, but now he will want to defend the honour of the belt, while proving to Drysdale he made the right decision.

As for Korean / French / Canadian Denis Kang: there are reports that Denis Kang vs Alan Belcher could be possible for UFC 93 on Jan. 17, contrary to what many were hoping for. Kang and his camp were hoping he would be added to the UFC 94 card, in hopes to peak at the same time with training partner Georges St-Pierre as he takes on BJ Penn.

More MMA News below…

UFC News

• The Blueprint: Brock Lesnar
• Randy Couture Breaks Down Brock Lesnar
• A Brock and a Hard Place
• The Numbers Game, Part Two – Brock’s Turn
• Joe Daddy Gets Belted before Big Fight
• Denis Kang vs Alan Belcher UFC 93 fight possible for Jan. 17
• Rich Franklin: An ‘Ace’ in Transition
• Junior Dos Santos Knocks Werdum Out of UFC
• Arianny Celeste, Dana White, Randy Couture and more UFC behind the scenes for ESPN photo shoot
• Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua to ’set the story straight’ against Mark Coleman at UFC 93
• Rebuilt: Stephan Bonnar Plots Return
• Inside The Numbers on UFC 89

WEC News

• Taking a look at the WEC’s featherweight top ten in the wake of Faber’s loss

Japanese MMA News

• The politics of DREAM & Sengoku

Misc. MMA News

• Tito Ortiz: On Back Surgery, Contracts and Returning
• Package deal: Gina Carano vs Cris Cyborg fight still possible
• A In-Depth Look at Pro Elite’ attempt to fight off bankruptcy sale
• Agents Unite to Block Showtime Fighter Contract Auction
• Why Recently Resigned CASC Commissioner Armando Garcia May Not Be Missed