The headlining bout of “UFC on Fox 3 – Diaz vs Miller” is a battle between two men who have been on the brink of MMA greatness for years.

When Nate Diaz steps into the cage with Dan Miller on May 5, there’s no doubt that the winner will be a top five contender in the lightweight division, and the loser will be VERY close to falling out of the top ten altogether!

Here are my picks and predictions for the four fights on the main card of “UFC on Fox 3″:

Jim Miller (21-3) vs Nate Diaz (15-7)

While Miller is a much better wrestler, I would be very surprised if he found anyone to train with who could be anything like Diaz or match his style and striking. Diaz really is the man.

Diaz, who stands 6-foot-0, will have a four inch height and five inch reach advantage over his opponent. It’s hard to be six feet tall and maintain a weight of 155 pounds, but that’s what Diaz has managed to do throughout his career. That reach and height advantage has helped him in the past, and I know it will help him to beat Miller. A victory here also earns him a title shot against Benson Henderson.

The Pick: Diaz won’t have the punching power to knock Miller out, but he will out-strike Miller on the judge’s scorecards. Diaz by decision.

Josh Koscheck (19-5) vs Johny Hendricks (12-1)

Many fans have been wondering how much Koscheck has left in the tank at 34 years old. I’m willing to bet he has one more run at the title left in him, truly.

Koscheck is one of the all-time winningest fighters in UFC history, and he’s gone against many legends in the sport – with victories over Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg to name a few. Hendricks has three straight wins, but I believe Koscheck will send him crashing down the welterweight ladder with a wicked performance.

The Pick: Koscheck by third-round TKO

Rousimar Palhares (23-3) vs Alan Belcher (16-5)

Palhares is one of the most dangerous submission artists in the game today, as two of his last three appearances in the octagon ended in painful form for his opponents. This one is a classic battle between a grappler and a striker, and I would bet Palhares’ amazing leg locks and veteran cage smarts will win this for him.

The Pick: Palhares by second-round leg lock

Pat Barry (7-4) vs Lavar Johnson (16-5)

This one is essentially a pick ‘em, as I see this one ending with a first round knockout that could go either way. Both men can throw ‘em…..big time.

The Pick: Barry via first round KO

Here are the results:

Joel Powell defeats Fabio Moraes by TKO in Round 1, 4:26
Ainsley Robinson defeats Eric Attard by Unanimous Decision
Peter Nolan submits Caleb Grummet by Rear Naked Choke in Round 1, 2:27
Oliver Vadnais defeats Ronnie Phillips by TKO in Round 3, 1:05
Jeff Chan defeats Daniel Ireland by TKO in Round 1, 2:26
Allan Wilson submits Derek MacDonald by Arm Bar in Round 1, 2:13

My good friend and Belleville Boxing Club head coach Kevin Flesch is one proud trainer these days. And for good reason. One of his own, 14 year old Kassandra “The Bombshell” Baylis recently defended her new title as New York State amature boxing champion with a 2nd round doctor stoppage of opponent Nikki Cook of Messina, NY!
I am told that this was nothing less then an amazing performance, and was similar to her win a few weeks ago in the fight that actually made her the champ! Yes folks….THE CHAMP!! The Belleville Boxing Club had this to say about that particular night:
“Kassandra ‘The Bombshell’ Baylis, fought as if she was receiving Olympic Gold Tonight!! With a 1st round TKO over the much more experienced Watertown Fighter, a throw of the white towel by the opposition, in no more than 1:22 and this 14yr old sensation found her hand being held high as NY State Champion… in her first Match!
Way to work Kassandra, Belleville Ontario is very proud of you.”
No kidding eh? Wow. The most amazing part about this fighter? She has been doing it for only seven months!!!
I know……scary isn’t it? Although my MMA blog is usually reserved for professional fighters, this kid has me convinced that she may very well one day BE one of those professionals, and it only made sense to congratulate her and let some of the ROCK 107 listeners and followers of this blog get to know this young fighters name. I think we are going to be hearing it quite a bit from now on. Boxing is a huge part of any MMA fighter, and this girl is one to keep an eye on. The boxing ring seems to be the place that Kassandra belongs and I know that she has big plans for the future. Plans that her coach thinks are VERY possible. She wants to make the national boxing team and then on to the Olympics in 2016. I am betting she gets both places. The future can only get brighter for this 14 year old warrior. It will take a lot of hard work, and a lot of heart. Coach Kevin Flesch already knows that there will be lots of both from his young champion. When asked about winning the title, Kassandra was all smiles.
“Amazing. I was so excited. It was the best feeling in the world when they held my hand up.”
Way to go kid, you are a great role model for other girls wanting to get involved in this sport, as well as other kids your age in general. Boxing is all about discipline, respect, and hard work, as well as being able to set and reach goals. I know your coach is very proud of you, and you truly do make this city proud.

Discipline MMA will hold its inaugural event at Belleville’s Yardmen Arena on April 27.

At a press conference this afternoon, Discipline President Dave Mair announced $5 from each ticket sold will be donated to the Afghanistan Repatriation Memorial Fund in Quinte West.

Bay of Quinte Tourist Council President Ryan Williams says the economic spin-off for the region could amount to about a million dollars. I think that this is a win win for everyone involved and I am pumped for this!!!!
Looks like ex-UFC pro Rich Clementi will be headlining this event!!!!!!
It is sure to sell out….so get a ticket and I will see you there!!!

Tickets are available from the Yardmen Arena Box Office or www.bellevillebulls.com.

Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson
When: UFC 144 (airing February 25 in US)
What’s at stake: The UFC lightweight championship
Why should you care? UFC 144’s main event in Japan pits the two best lightweights in the world against each other, and when it comes to digging down deep to deliver a victory, there are none finer than Edgar and Henderson. Edgar has risen from first round knockdowns in his last two bouts to pull off a draw and a knockout win over Gray Maynard, and Henderson’s wins over Donald Cerrone, Jim Miller, and Clay Guida have seen him come back from submission attempts that would have finished lesser men. Whoever wins this five rounder, expect that he will have walked through fire to get there. That’s something Johnny Blaze can appreciate.

Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon
When: UFC 144 (airing February 25 in US)
What’s at stake: Title of the most exciting lightweight on the planet
Why should you care? Everyone talks about Pettis’ “Showtime” kick against Benson Henderson in 2010 (and rightfully so), but what about all the spectacular finishes pulled off on the ground by New England’s Lauzon? He’s earned six consecutive post-fight bonus awards, and if there’s any such thing as a sure thing in the fight game, it’s that a meeting between Pettis, one of the most dynamic strikers in the game, and Lauzon, one of the most dynamic finishers, it’s that one or both of these lightweight contenders is going home with a wallet a little heavier than it was before leaving for Japan.

Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans
When: UFC 145 (April 21)
What’s at stake: The UFC light heavyweight championship and bragging rights
Why should you care? Even without the bad blood between these two former teammates, the matchup between 205-pound champ Jones and former titleholder Evans is an intriguing one, just based on the fact that Evans may have the well-rounded style to present Jones with the first significant danger he’s faced in the Octagon thus far. But the grudge the two have with each other makes it so much more appealing to diehard fans and the mainstream. If either fighter has to lose this year, they’re going to do anything in their power to make sure it’s not on April 21st.

Jim Miller vs Nate Diaz
When: UFC on FOX 3 (May 5)
What’s at stake: A move up the lightweight ladder
Why should you care? Given the aggressive, action-packed attacks of both Miller and Diaz, this is a must see bout and an almost guaranteed Fight of the Night nominee. But what makes this one even more interesting is seeing how Diaz reacts to having an opponent who simply won’t get into a trash-talking battle with him, and how Miller deals with Diaz’ taunting in the Octagon. You probably couldn’t find two more polar opposites personality wise, but what they share is what really matters: a will to win and a desire to finish fights.

Dustin Poirier vs Chan Sung Jung
When: UFC on FUEL TV 3 (May 15)
What’s at stake: A possible shot at featherweight gold
Why should you care? The Diamond vs. The Korean Zombie? It sounds like something that could show up in a future Ghost Rider sequel, but for our purposes here, it represents the biggest featherweight fight you can make at the moment, and one that should propel the winner right to champion Jose Aldo’s doorstep. Poirier has been on a tear in the UFC, winning four in a row, and Jung has not been far behind, earning Submission and Knockout of the Year consideration for his wins over Leonard Garcia and Mark Hominick, respectively. High stakes + high skill levels + a little pre-fight trash talking already underway = a Tuesday night fight so intense you may need to take the next day off from work or school.

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen II
When: TBA
What’s at stake: The UFC middleweight title and so much more
Why should you care? Sonnen says it’s never gonna happen; Silva says that he’s tired of talking about his nemesis. But what do you need to know about the one fight everyone has been waiting for since their first bout in August of 2010. It’s going to eventually take place, and hopefully sooner rather than later. It has to, and when it does, one of the most epic title fights in UFC history will be revisited, and it will take over the MMA world when it does.

Vitor Belfort vs Wanderlei Silva II
When: TBA
What’s at stake? Repeat or redemption
Why should you care? Currently filming The Ultimate Fighter’s first Brazilian edition, coaches Belfort and Silva will meet at the end of the season in a rematch of their 1998 bout, won by “The Phenom” via 44 second knockout. A lot has gone on, good and bad, in the careers of both, and while Belfort seems to be the fresher of the two on paper, “The Axe Murderer” shocked a lot of people last November with his stirring second round TKO of Cung Le. This may not only be a hot fight, but one with the potential to shock those who see a repeat for Belfort.

Dominick Cruz vs Urijah Faber III
When: TBA
What’s at stake? The UFC bantamweight title and the conclusion to a trilogy
Why should you care? Cruz and Faber are, in many ways, the gold standard for lighter weight fighters, as they’re athletic, technical, exciting, and fast. Their second bout in 2011 was one of the best of the year, and while there doesn’t seem to be a Jones-Evans-esque level of animosity here, there is some heat which will obviously get turned up when they coach against each other on season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter. When they meet again, expect the same level of intensity you saw last year.

Flyweight Final
When: TBA
What’s at stake? The UFC’s first flyweight championship
Why should you care? If you like the featherweights and bantamweights, speed it up from 45 to 78 and you’ll get an idea of what the flyweights bring to the table. In March, the first two 125-pound UFC fights take place, with the winners of the Joseph Benavidez vs Yasuhiro Urushitani and Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall bouts facing off for the first UFC flyweight title later this year.

Cain Velasquez vs. Frank Mir
When: TBA
What’s at stake: Getting a step closer to another heavyweight title fight
Why should you care? UFC CEO and Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta tweeted last week that this showdown of former heavyweight champions was in the works, and when it happens, it will be one of the most interesting bouts of the year by far. Velasquez is looking to rebound from the first loss of his career against Junior dos Santos last November, and he’s not getting an easy welcome back in Mir, winner of three in a row, including a December 2011 submission of “Minotauro” Nogueira that earned UFC.com’s unofficial Submission of the Year award. This one is the epitome of a pick ‘em bout.

Junior dos Santos vs Alistair Overeem
When: TBA
What’s at stake: The UFC heavyweight championship and recognition as the baddest man on the planet
Why should you care? Newly crowned heavyweight king dos Santos has steadily built a reputation as not only the best big man in the sport, but one who is showing no signs of being beaten anytime soon. Then again, former Strikeforce champ Overeem blasted through Brock Lesnar with little difficulty last December, re-establishing his credentials as a heavyweight wrecking machine in his new organization. Let’s get down to the bottom line: this one ain’t going five rounds, and someone’s getting knocked out. There’s no greater endorsement for a heavyweight title fight.

Georges St-Pierre vs Carlos Condit
When: TBA
What’s at stake: The UFC welterweight championship
Why should you care? Tell the truth – you are a lot more convinced that Condit has a shot at beating St-Pierre after he defeated Nick Diaz earlier this month, aren’t you? Why? It’s simple. For all of his explosive finishes, Condit proved in the Diaz fight that he could be disciplined and stick to his game plan for 25 minutes. That’s impressive stuff, and to beat GSP, you have to have a solid plan and the ability to not stray from it. Add in the long layoff the champ from Montreal will have endured by the time he returns to action, and the odds of a Condit win keep rising. That idea is enough to motivate both fighters into delivering the fight of their lives.

LAS VEGAS — Brock Lesnar took one last kick to his stomach and crumpled at the side of the cage, unable to fight back when Alistair Overeem pounced.

Lesnar had been finished by a 6-foot-5 Dutch kick boxer in the first round at UFC 141. A few minutes later, the UFC’s former heavyweight champion finished his own meteoric mixed martial arts career.

Lesnar retired from the UFC after Overeem stopped him with one vicious kick to the body at 2:26 of the first round in their heavyweight bout Friday night, leaving the UFC heading into 2012 without its biggest pay-per-view star.

“This is the last time you’ll see me in the octagon,” Lesnar said.
Largely thanks to his fame from a career in pro wrestling, the hulking Lesnar (5-3) played a significant role in expanding the UFC’s profile and fan base over the past four years. He beat Randy Couture in 2008 to win the heavyweight title, defending it twice before losing the belt to Cain Velasquez last year.

But Lesnar has fought just three times in the past 2½ years while dealing with bouts of a lower-intestinal ailment that nearly killed him. The accumulation of pain and rehabilitation finally undid Lesnar, whose famed strength and stubbornness couldn’t overcome diverticulitis.

“I’ve had a really difficult couple of years with my disease, and I’m going to officially say tonight is the last time,” Lesnar said.

Lesnar’s return from a 14-month injury absence was a short, one-sided beating. After taking damage from two knee blows early on, he couldn’t recover from a kick to the liver from Overeem (36-11), who made a stellar UFC debut despite getting cut near his right eye by a punch from Lesnar.

The 34-year-old Lesnar’s announcement stunned fans who already realized he faced a difficult matchup in the UFC’s traditional end-of-the-year event in its hometown. The matchup was a classic MMA clash of styles, with Lesnar’s brute wrestling contrasting sharply with Overeem’s vicious striking.
“I had no idea he would do that, (but) am I surprised? No,” UFC President Dana White said. “Brock Lesnar has made a lot of money in his career and has achieved a lot of things. … He brought a lot of excitement to the heavyweight division. What he accomplished in a short amount of time is amazing, but I get it. It doesn’t shock me.”

Overeem is three years younger but much more experienced than Lesnar, hurting the former champion at least twice earlier in the round while Lesnar failed in his attempt at a one-legged takedown.

“I promised my wife and my kids if I won this fight, I would get a title shot, and that would be my last fight,” Lesnar said. “But if I lost tonight … you’ve been great.”

Overeem will get the next shot at UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, who watched from a seat near the octagon.

Overeem is a champion kick boxer who has fought in multiple promotions over the past decade, winning titles in Dream and Strikeforce with nearly unbeatable striking and size. He joined the UFC in September, finally presenting his formidable skills and intimidating physique to the sport’s largest audience.

“My experience in UFC was, it’s huge,” Overeem said. “I think it’s like 100 times bigger than Strikeforce. K-1 (kick boxing) is big, but this is a lot bigger. I was a little bit blown away, still am. I loved every second of it.”

White might have given an immediate title shot to Overeem if the timing had been better, but Dos Santos only claimed Velasquez’s belt in early November. Overeem welcomed a debut against Lesnar, even guaranteeing a knockout in the first two rounds.

“First or second round, I promised,” Overeem said.

Lesnar hadn’t fought since losing his heavyweight belt to Velasquez in October 2010, cancelling a bout against Dos Santos last June in Vancouver after another flare-up of diverticulitis. The former NCAA wrestling champion and fake WWE wrestler kept his unparalleled popularity during his recovery, and Lesnar used the time off to modify both his diet and his standup game, attempting to improve his biggest weakness.

As it turned out, Lesnar couldn’t improve enough to contend with the supremely skilled Overeem, who embraced Lesnar afterward.

The undercard at the MGM Grand Garden featured two upsets: Lightweight Nate Diaz won a bloody unanimous decision over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone with superior boxing, and Johny Hendricks stopped welterweight star Jon Fitch with one punch just 12 seconds into their bout.

In the co-main event, Diaz (15-7) backed up his tough talk and rude behavior in a fight that had the sellout crowd on its feet as he battered Cerrone, nearly a 3-to-1 favorite in the MGM Grand sportsbook, for most of the three-round standup fight.

Diaz, the brother of bad-boy welterweight Nick Diaz, picked apart Cerrone’s defense for most of the fight, leaving Cerrone bloody after his first loss in seven fights since September 2010.

Cerrone (17-4) knocked down Diaz at least a half-dozen times with kicks and leg-whips, but Cerrone refused to fight Diaz on the ground, repeatedly allowing Diaz to get up.

The unusual strategy showed respect for Diaz’s ground skills, but also minimized the importance of those knockdown shots in the eyes of the judges, who scored the bout 30-27 twice and 29-28 once, all for Diaz.

Hendricks (12-1) ascended to elite status with one sneaky left hook that caught Fitch (27-4-1) right on the button, flattening the favored San Jose fighter, whose return from a 10-month absence was stunningly brief. Hendricks, a two-time NCAA champion wrestler at Oklahoma State, completely stunned Fitch, who had lost just one fight since December 2002.

Early in the pay-per-view portion of the card, Swedish light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson (13-1) stopped veteran Vladimir Matyushenko with a perfect left hand midway through the first round.

Unbeaten featherweight Jim Hettes got new fans’ attention with a comprehensive thrashing of veteran Nam Phan, repeatedly threatening to finish the fight with strikes and ground work.

Ohhhhhh ya!!! It’s back baby!!

Hard to believe that the UFC is once again coming to Toronto…..seems like it just left. On December 10th get ready for UFC 140 fight fans. The ACC is a smaller venue for the UFC this time around, but this will still be a mind blowing weekend for the big city as well as for fight fans.
As most listeners know, I am a HUGE fight fan. I have also trained in MMA for quite some time. My recently torn right shoulder is proof of that, lol. Being involved in this sport means training hard and also doing a lot of reading and research. There is a TON of material out there to be learned before you should even attempt to climb into a cage or rumble on a mat. Its the little things like a proper warm up that should always be on the mind. There are a few excellent MMA writers out there that I follow who talk about things like that and more, but I came across this interesting and very accurate article on the big fight!!!
Enjoy. I have put the entire fight card at the bottom.
Keep listening Rock fans!

Jeff Wagenheim of Sports Illustrated wrote:

It was an important enough occasion for Dana White to travel all the way to the fight capital of the world. What’s the big deal, you say, since the UFC president already lives in Las Vegas? Well, Dana wasn’t referring to Sin City on Wednesday when he sang the praises of the locale hosting his UFC 140 news conference. He came to tout Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, but first he had to tout Toronto.

“Vegas has always been known as the fight capital of the world,” said White. “Well, in our sport, Toronto is becoming well known for that.”

White and everyone else with a stake in Zuffa have good reason to feel that way. Just over six months ago, UFC 129 drew nearly 56,000 to the Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays, the Argonauts and the occasional monster truck show. It didn’t hurt that national hero Georges St-Pierre was at the top of the bill, defending his welterweight belt against former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields. It also helped that Mark Hominick, who lives just a curling stone’s icy throw away from Toronto, was on the card, challenging Jose Aldo for the bantamweight title. But 56,000 tickets for a $12 million gate? I don’t care if you’ve got Chuck Norris vs. Ditka on your hype poster, that’s impressive.

So the UFC isn’t wasting time before returning. UFC 140 will be Dec. 10 — not at the Rogers, though, but at the Air Canada Centre, home of the Maple Leafs, Raptors and fewer than 20,000 seats. In answering a reporter’s question about why the smaller venue, White again fell all over himself in praising Toronto. It’s “the biggest market on the planet” for the UFC. He’d do a fight there every week if it were feasible. He would live in the southern Ontario metropolis if it weren’t so damn cold. (I don’t remember if damn was the word he used.) And before he was done, Dana inadvertently veered into the territory of the question I have regarding this event. “We’ll do another massive fight here,” he said, “when we have the right fight.”

White didn’t intend to question the magnitude of “Bones” vs. “The Dragon.” In fact, he banged the drum pretty loudly for the light heavyweight title bout, talking up champion Jones as “incredible” and ex-champ Machida as “a legend” before adding, “This one is fun. I like this fight stylistically.”

There is where we differ.

To me, Jones-Machida looks intriguing … on paper. OK, I hate that term — on paper — because it’s so often spoken as if it were a legitimate factor, as if a fight or a game or anything other than an essay contest could play out on a sheet of paper. But I used the term because I do mean it literally. I think this matchup is most interesting if you’re holding Jones’ resume in your hand, whereupon you’ll notice that Machida will be his fourth opponent this year and the third straight reigning or former champ. The fight becomes even more fascinating when you put down that resume and pick up Lyoto’s, and are reminded that he most recently put an emphatic close to the Hall of Fame career of Randy Couture and, before that and probably more significantly, won the title by brutally knocking out Jones’ nemesis, Rashad Evans.

Off paper and on a mat in the octagon, however, I find the fight less mysterious. It’s not that I’m uninterested in watching, but my eyes will be glued to the cage simply because I can’t get enough of Jones. I want to see what type of attack the indomitable manchild will employ this time, since Machida is different from anyone he’s faced before. That uniqueness, of course, is what some people are banking on to make this a fight. “Machida is very evasive,” said White. “He strikes from different angles. He’s hard to hit.”

True, true and true. But will he be able to reach Jones with his distant strikes, and if not, will he dare close the distance against that airbus wingspan? And if he does venture in close, how long will he manage to remain standing against a guy with the wrestling chops to take him down any time he lays a hand on him?

It should be noted that Jon Jones is a bad matchup for anyone this side of Stephen Seagal. But at least Rashad, despite having been handled by Machida a couple of years ago, has the tools to possibly keep a fight against Jones where he wants it, and he has the demystifying experience of having trained with Bones. And wasn’t he supposed to get the next title shot, anyway? “I never said it was going to Rashad,” White said when asked that very question at the news conference. “You guys said it was going to be Rashad.” Um, Dana, was it press row that sent Evans into the cage following Jones’ stoppage of “Rampage” Jackson three weeks ago at UFC 135 in Denver, to face off against the champ for some TV hype? Didn’t think so. Unfortunately for the promotion, though, “Suga” Rashad needed a little more time to heal a hand injury. And, you know, the show must go on.

Now, just because I don’t like the matchup for Machida, that doesn’t mean I’ve already marked down, in ink, a W for Jones. It’s true that Lyoto has lost two of his last three bouts, with the losses coming against Jones’ most recent victims. But only “Shogun” Rua really beat up Machida; the Rampage decision was highly disputable. And before those fights, the karate man was practically untouchable. He’s a legitimate challenger.

Two fighters other than the combatants will play key roles in determining Machida’s chances. One is Anderson Silva, who already has contacted Lyoto, whom he trains with in Brazil, and offered to come to his camp and, as Machida put it at the news conference, “show me some things.” If anyone is equipped to mimic Jones’ movement, unpredictability and overall athleticism, it’s “The Spider.”

The other fighter who’ll be a factor? Rashad. Bones seems obsessed with him. Asked at the press conference about a potential Evans fight, the champ offered more than an obligatory, terse answer. He went into a rap about how he doesn’t like to get too wrapped up in an opponent — “I’m taught, don’t fight the legend, fight the body” — but how with Evans, “it’s different. I don’t want to lose that fight.” He called it “a huge fight” . . . even though it’s not even been scheduled yet and he was there to talk about a fight that has been. Someone had to throw a bucket of cold water on Jones to douse his daydream and redirect his focus on the guy standing between him and Rashad.

Jones does have eight weeks to get his mind where it needs to be, though. Sure, Machida fits the profile of a guy who just might slip under the 24-year-old’s radar. His quiet, respectful demeanor is not going to get the blood boiling like Evans and trash-talking Rampage have. And his karate, so uncommon in MMA and therefore difficult to duplicate in the gym, is not the kind of aggressive approach that heightens an opponent’s sense of danger — and therein lies its danger. But let’s be real: Jon Jones has seized every moment he’s spent inside the cage to this point in his young career. And he understands what needs to happen on Dec. 10. “The way I plan on dealing with Lyoto’s style,” said Jones, “is just being myself.”

That plan has never yet failed him.

UFC 140 FIGHT CARD:

Jon Jones (14-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (17-2)

Frank Mir (15-5) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6, 1 NC)

Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)

Mark Hominick (20-9) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3)

Claude Patrick (14-1) vs. Brian Ebersole (48-14-1, 1 NC)

Preliminary Card:

Mark Bocek (9-4) vs. Nik Lentz (21-3-2, 1 NC)

Dennis Hallman (50-14-2, 1 NC) vs. John Makdessi (9-0)

Igor Pokrajac (23-8) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (26-11-1)

Rich Attonito (10-4) vs. Jake Hecht (10-2)

Mitch Clarke (9-0) vs. John Cholish (7-1)

Yves Jabouin (16-7) vs. Walel Watson (11-2)

Jared Hamman (16-3) vs. Constantinos Philippou (11-2, 1 NC)

with files from mmamania.com

ROCK 107 FIGHT FANS……….is this gonna be the biggest fight of the year? The decade? Ever?

Anyway you slice it, UFC on FOX is kind of a big deal. How big? Big enough to run with just one fight, a heavyweight battle featuring reigning champion Cain Velasquez against division number one contender Junior dos Santos.

And it all goes down tomorrow night (Nov. 12, 2011) live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Shall we talk about this HUGE dance????

265 lbs.: Cain Velasquez (9-0) vs. Junior dos Santos (13-1)

Nostradumbass predicts: I don’t think it’s a stretch to call Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos the two best heavyweights in the UFC. How do they match up? Pretty damn close, actually.

In seven fights under the Zuffa umbrella, Velasquez has competed against opposition with a combined record of 110-31 and an average winning percentage of 76-percent.

His top three opponents were Cheick Kongo, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brock Lesnar.

Dos Santos, also stepping into the Octagon for seven fights, has competed against opposition with a combined record of 133-41 and an average winning percentage of 74-percent.

His top three opponents were Fabricio Werdum, Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin.

Velasquez has stopped six of his seven victims in the UFC and eight of nine overall. Dos Santos has finished five of seven and 11 of 13 overall.

As far as their accomplishments, it’s pretty much neck-and-neck. But on Saturday night in Anaheim, it won’t be.

Here’s why:

Cain has been out of action for over a year. Can he come back with enough cardio to last five rounds? Probably. But there’s one area where you can’t pick up where you left off and that’s timing.

When you face a guy with the hands of Dos Santos, you really don’t have a round or two to be working out the kinks. It’s life or death from the word go. And timing isn’t limited to just his hands either, as setting up the shoot, which he may or may not need to establish with strikes, requires its own degree of coordination.

Let’s also not overlook that his self-imposed layoff wasn’t for a cruise to Honolulu or to feed the starving pygmies, it was for major shoulder surgery. How will that affect his power? His ability to maintain a dominant position? The clinch?

We just don’t know.

However, there is one fatal flaw in the history of Cain’s otherwise stellar run that we can’t overlook, and it came at UFC 99 just over two years ago.

His name is Cheick Kongo. Here was the the play-by-play:

…Kongo lands a quick right and then another big right and Cain’s knees buckle and he falls.

…Cain rushes in and Kongo lands another HUGE right and Cain is rocked again and falls. WOW.

…Kongo to his feet and is now landing some knees to the stomach and Cain looks winded. Kongo now lands a punch and Cain looks rocked AGAIN…

It cannot be overstated how impressive Velasquez was in that fight, because he had the heart, will and determination to come back and defeat the Parisian. Give credit where credit is due.

But he was in deep, deep trouble.

The reason it’s such a red flag is because I have yet to see Dos Santos get hurt by his opponent. Is he easy to hit? Yes, as “Cro Cop,” Nelson and Carwin all landed clean.

Junior didn’t budge.

My concern for the Brazilian is his conditioning. It’s not unlike him to fade away after two rounds of “Hulk smash.” If Cain can stay in his face and force him to defend, the champ could ride him out and start to mix his lethal combination of takedowns and ground-and-pound.

Velasquez’s biggest asset is his wrestling. But we don’t yet know how Dos Santos will respond to the takedown. The good news for “Cigano” fans is that every fight starts on the feet.

And what’s a wrestler’s biggest fear? The uppercut. Who throws the uppercut better than any heavyweight in the UFC? Junior dos Santos.

Just ask “Vai Cavalo.”

It all comes down to this fight fans>>>>>> Velasquez will be able to take Junior down, just as I believe Dos Santos can land cleanly on Cain.

We ARE going to have a new champion!!!!!!!

My Prediction: Junior dos Santos WILL WIN against Cain Velasquez via KNOCKOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some other predictions……..but these are all toss ups:

155 lbs.: Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson — Holy bad hair day. Clay Guida is a good wrestler and an even better belcher. But he’s not well-rounded enough to defeat Henderson, who can also wrestle and will hurt “The Carpenter” on the feet before choking him out with a guillotine.

135 lbs.: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama — I “kid” you not, Yamamoto, who technically is the superior fighter, will continue to struggle in the UFC, allowing Uyenoyama to make this a much closer fight than it needs to be. Norifumi by split decision.

145 lbs.: Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza — I like Garza’s ground game and he’s dangerous off his back, but Piorier is not gonna have any part of that and will use his superior striking to keep it upright (see Grispi, Josh) and batter his way to a unanimous decision win.

145 lbs.: Cub Swanson vs. Ricardo Lamas — Swanson is maddeningly inconsistent and I think Lamas is going to use his wrestling to keep this thing grounded. He won’t get the finish, but he’ll do enough to grind out the unanimous decision win.

145 lbs.: Robert Peralta vs. Mackens Semerzier — Mack has been a “menace” to no one but himself and Bruce Leroy. Three straight losses to leave the WEC? Peralta is a serious up-and-comer and will give his opponent too many “problems” en route to a technical knockout stoppage.

185 lbs.: Paul Bradley vs. Mike Pierce — Bradley already lost to Pierce at “Brotherly Love Brawl” back in 2009 and hasn’t beaten enough quality opponents to prove the second go-round will be any different. Pierce on the other hand, in losing efforts, has shown he can hang against guys like Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks. Pierce by UD.

205 lbs.: Matt Lucas vs. Aaron Rosa — I like that Rosa is competing at his natural weight class (finally), but there is no way in hell I can pick against a fighter who goes by the nickname “Luke Duke.” Ain’t happening. This good ol’ boy wins by TKO.

135 lbs.: Alex Caceres vs. Cole Escovedo — Both fighters are desperate for a win, but Escovedo has fought much harder competition and has 10 years in the fight game. Bruce Leroy, with all four losses coming by way of submission, is getting choked out in the first round.

170 lbs.: DaMarques Johnson vs. Clay Harvison — Johnson has looked flat and uninspired in recent fights, but if he’s got his head on straight, he wins this fight against Harvison. He’s simply the more talented fighter and I’m taking him by unanimous decision.

HOPE YOU CAN GET OUT IN OR AROUND BELLEVILLE TO SEE THE SHOW FIGHT FANS!!! COME BACK SUNDAY MORNING FOR ALL THE RESULTS!!!!
REMEMBER THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE FOR FREE ON FOX NETWORK!!!
ENJOY!

With files from mmamania.com

“I want to thank all the fans for their love and support. I have decided to take some time off to enjoy life, train and teach. I will keep you posted with what’s next.”
B.J. PENN

B.J. Penn today took to his website (BJPenn.com) to release his first statement following his surprise retirement announcement after his loss to Nick Diaz this past weekend (Oct. 29, 2011) at UFC 137.

With his left eye nearly swollen shut, a distraught Penn told Joe Rogan in his post fight speech that he did not want to go home to his family looking the way he did and that he was done. “The Prodigy,” shockingly, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) just like that.

Later in the evening, Penn’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, Allan Goes, posted this message, which was relayed to him by Penn, on his Facebook page, saying “I’ll be back,” giving all fans hope that the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion may have spoken prematurely.

UFC President Dana White was also not 100 percent convinced that Penn’s retirement would last long, leaving the door open with his remarks at the UFC 137 post-fight press conference that the proud Hawaiian had not seen the inside of the Octagon for the last time.

Read his remarks in the extended entry:

“B.J. is a warrior, what happened to him tonight has never happened to him in his entire career. What he’s thinking tonight he might not think eight weeks from now.”

Penn was a no-show at the UFC 137 post fight conference because of a post-fight trip to the hospital.

Nonetheless, from the sound of things, if time does indeed heal all wounds, “The Prodigy” will possibly grace us with his presence once again in the world famous Octagon.

And maybe more.

B.J. Penn has ALWAYS been one of my favourite MMA fighters. I know that we have NOT seen the last of him. I am not ready to have seen the last of him folks….lol!!!
I shall keep you updated.

Hey fight fans! Brian here once again and I decided to show the top ten ranked MMA fighters in the word at this very moment! This is courtesy of fighting-mma.com!

1. Georges St. Pierre

Nick Name:
Rush
Record: 22 – 2
Born: May 19, 1981
Country: Canada

Club: Kyokushin, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Height: 5′9
Weight: 169 lbs
Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Kick Boxing, Kyokushin

Why?

Geroges St Pierre has cleaned out the 170 division. In 2008 and in 2009, he was named the Canadian Athlete of the Year by Rogers Sportsnet, as well as the 2008–2009 Most Outstanding Fighter by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Georges St-Pierre also won the Fighter of the Year award by the 2009 World MMA Awards. He has beaten every top 170pound fighter in the UFC like Dan Hardy, Thiago Alves, BJ Penn, Jon Fitch, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Sean Sherk and Jason Miller. He has beaten everyone and he is set to beat everyone for a second time.

2. Anderson Silva

Nick Name: The Spider
Record: 28 – 4
Born: April 14, 1975
Country: Brazil

Club: Black House
Height: 6′2
Weight: 184 lbs
Style: Muay Thai

Why?

Is there actually anyone left for Anderson Silva?No one can even touch Anderson Silva. There is no competition in the UFC at the 185 pound division and after UFC 82: Pride of a Champion where he dismantled Dan Henderson he stands alone as the best pound for pound fighter in the world. The UFC will have to bring in more fighters to even give Silva a test. He is so good he is bored in the fights and plays with his opponents.

3. Jose Aldo

Nick Name: Junior
Record: 20 – 1
Born: Sept 9, 1986
Country: Brazil

Club: Nova Uniao, Black House
Height: 5′7
Weight: 145 lbs
Style: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Why?

Aldo now appears to be untouchable in the featherweight division. Since June 2008, Aldo is 6-0 with six stoppages, including four in 2009 alone. He dismantled Urijah Faber and Matt Brown. He has everything in a fighter. He can grappling, strike and is super fast. It doesn’t look like there is anyone that can step up to Aldo.

4. Cain Velasquez

Nick Name:
Record: 9 – 0
Born: July 28, 1982
Country: USA

Club: American Kickboxing Academy
Height: 6′2
Weight: 245 lbs
Style: Wrestling

Why?

Velasquez just dominated Brock Lesnar and beat the biggest most powerful heavtweight with pure technique. He has already beaten former pound for pound fighter Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in the first round. Cain has speed, power and great wreslting abilty.

5. Jon Jones

Nick Name: Bones
Record: 13 – 1
Born: July 17, 1987
Country: USA

Club: Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
Height: 6′4
Weight: 205 lbs
Style: Wrestling

Why?

At only 23 yesars old Jon Bones Jones just destroyed one of the best pound for pound fighters in Shogun Rua. He beat Shogun so bad he made him look like a white belt. Jones has destroyed every fighter he has faced and his speed and agility and quickness might make him a champion for a long time. While he has looked virtually untouchable to this point in his career, Jones’ path will get no less bumpy from here: in his first title defense, “Bones” will meet former titleholder, pound-for-pounder and now ex-teammate Rashad Evans.

6. Frankie Edgar

Nick Name: The Answer
Record: 14 – 1 – 1
Born: Oct 16, 1981
Country: USA

Club: Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu
Height: 5′6
Weight: 154lbs
Style: Wrestling, Boxing

Why?

Frankie Edgar shocked the world by beating BJ Penn as a huge betting underdog. We will have to see how many title defenses he has as champion. And than he shocked the world again by dominating him a second time around.

7. Jake Shields

Nick Name: –
Record: 26 – 4 – 1
Born: January 9, 1979
Country: USA

Club: Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Height: 5′11
Weight: 170 lbs
Style: Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Why?

Jake Shields had to move up to fight in the middleweight division because there was no one left for him to fight at welterweight in Strikeforce. He outclassed Dan Henderson and the Strikeforce middleweight champion now boasts a 14-bout winning streak and top-five credentials in two separate divisions.

8. Jon Fitch

Nick Name: Extreme
Record: 21 – 3 – 1
Born: February 24, 1978
Country: USA

Club: American Kickboxing Academy
Height: 6′0
Weight: 170 lbs
Style: Wrestling, Kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Why?

Fitch is the ultimate work horse. He works hard and pressures every fight and he has beaten almost every welterweight in the division except Georges St Pierre. Fitch has 13 wins and only one defeat inside the UFC’s super-competitive 170-pound division. He is a fighter you can submiit and you can’t knock out. You only have to outwork him.

9. Mauricio Rua

Nick Name: Shogun
Record: 19 – 4
Born: November 25, 1981
Country: Brazil

Club: Chute Boxe
Height: 6′0
Weight: 201 lbs
Style: Muay Thai

Why?

His lost to Jon Jones had dropped Rua down to 9th place. We will see how the former champion will rebound after his brutal lose to Jon Jones. The first true knockout of the Brazilian’s career, and perhaps the first when Rua never looked competitive. The former champion will likely remain a threat to most any fighter in the UFC’s 205-pound division.

10. Dominick Cruz

Nick Name: Dominator
Record: 17 – 1
Born: September 3, 1985
Country: USA

Club: Alliance MMA, Team Lloyd Irvin
Height: 5′8
Weight: 135 lbs
Style: Boxing, Wrestling

Why?

He is the first and current UFC Bantamweight Champion, and is ranked the No.1 Bantamweight and No.10 pound for pound fighter in the world by our rankings. He also holds the only victories over previously undefeated Brian Bowles and top contender Joseph Benavidez, having beaten Benavidez twice.