(Hopefully the governor of Indiana can grant Meathead a stay of mexicution. / Photo courtesy of UFC.com)

As first reported by MMA Junkie, the UFC is preparing to make its first-ever stop in the state of Indiana, as UFC 119 is on the docket for September 25th in Indianapolis. The Hoosier State began regulating mixed martial arts last year, and is finally being rewarded for their good behavior. At this point, the only rumored matchup on the card is a heavyweight tilt between Matt Mitrione and Joey "The Mexicutioner" Beltran, who were both victorious in their bouts at UFC 113. The show is expected to take place at the 18,000-seat Conseco Fieldhouse. As Indianapolis is dead-center in the middle of a state that’s sandwiched between Illinois and Ohio, you can expect to see a lot of Midwest talent on the card. However, Indiana-bred UFC standouts Jon Fitch and Chris Lytle would be unlikely to compete at the event due to prior engagements.

(Feelin’ lucky?)

Okay, I know it’s too early to do a Gambling Addiction Enabler on Strikeforce’s "Fedor vs. Werdum" show (June 26, San Jose), but I just had to pass along the squashtastic betting lines that have been released for the top four fights on the card. Check it out:

– Fedor Emelianenko -1000 vs. Fabricio Werdum +500
– Cristiane Santos -2500 vs. Jan Finney +1000
– Cung Le -400 vs. Scott Smith +275
– KJ Noons -500 vs. Charles Bennett +360

Let me try to put this in perspective. According to BetUs.com, if you place a $100 parlay bet on all four of the underdogs listed above, and they all somehow manage to win their fights, you would walk away with a profit of $89,150. A more modest $20 parlay bet would net you $17,830. 

Part 1
(Video courtesy YouTube/WrestlingObserver)

During a media scrum prior to the UFC 114 press conference, UFC president Dana White revealed that,  contingent on sanctioning happening in Ontario, he is hoping to hold a December event in Toronto, which will feature a championship match-up between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and his rival coach from The Ultimate Fighter 12, Josh Koscheck.

Considering affirmations by both White and new director of Canadian operations, Tom Wright were made at last week’s press conference that the promotion will likely hold its first event at Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome), the event could potentially draw as many as 70,000 attendees, which is around the number Wrestlemania 18 did at the venue in 2002.

Hopefully the calibre of card is relative to the amount of live gate the show will garner. If it is, we could be treated to an event that eclipses the epic PRIDE NYE shows we were spoiled by in the past.

Part 2 of the video after the jump

(Video courtesy YouTube/MMAFighting)

I’m not sure if Anderson Silva is using Billy Madison as a benchmark for what Americans act like, but I half expected the UFC middleweight champ to wet his pants during this strange interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. 

I get that he’s trying to be funny, but I can’t picture any other world class athletes clowning around like ritalin-starved six year olds with ADD during an interview. Ariel seemed a bit thrown off by Anderson’s weird behavior, but was able to keep his composure. He did seemed really uncomfortable dancing with Silva at the end of the video, but then again, who wouldn’t be?

Personally, I’d like to see this guy interview Anderson.

(Liddell vs. Franklin hype reel, courtesy of 13berhanus.)

We don’t want you guys to panic or anything, but this coming weekend is utterly dead in terms of mixed martial arts competition. Seriously, even Bellator is taking a bye week. So, instead of wasting your time by asking you to enter MMA FightPicker pools for Triumph Fighter, Inferno!, we’re just going to have a two-week entry period for UFC 115 (June 12th, Vancouver). The question list for "Liddell vs. Franklin" is after the jump — study hard, make your predictions, and make us proud. No, you’ll never catch up with the Aaron Rampeys and surf_finlands of the world, but hey, if you’re doing it for the glory, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.

As for UFC 114‘s pools, the less said about them the better. Mike Russow, John Hathaway, and Dong Hyun Kim pretty much shot my picks to shit. Men make parlay bets, and God laughs…

(Honestly, what do you hope to gain making a sign like that? You think Rampage or Rashad is really going to notice your sign and be like "That’s awesome work, man, looks just like me. Would you like to be my guest at the afterparty?" Did you already have those gold-star stickers lying around the house, or did you have to buy them especially for the occasion? You know that Jackson and Evans aren’t twins, right? / Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com.)

The UFC paid out $1,631,000 in disclosed salaries and bonuses to the fighters at Saturday’s "Rampage vs. Evans" show, with the victorious Rashad Evans coming out way ahead of the pack with his $435,000 take. Quinton Jackson, Michael Bisping, and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira also brought home hefty six-figure salaries. The complete payout list is below; keep in mind that the numbers don’t include additional income from sponsorships, undisclosed "locker room bonuses," and percentages of the pay-per-view revenue, or deductions for taxes, insurance, licensing fees, and underoos. 

Rashad Evans: $435,000 (includes $185,000 win bonus)
def. Quinton Jackson: $250,000

Michael Bisping: $190,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
def. Dan Miller: $15,000

Mike Russow: $89,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus, $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus)
def. Todd Duffee: $8,000

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: $185,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
def. Jason Brilz: $76,000 (includes $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)