10 Legendary MMA Fighters You've Probably Never Heard Of

October, 2010

Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club: Y’Ever Notice How White People Eat Sandwiches?


(Cain Velasquez and George Lopez enjoy a PBJ and milk in honor of Brock Lesnar’s cracker-ass heritage. Props: fpvault)

– Five Lessons: UFC 121 Edition (Versus MMA Beat)

- Cesar Gracie Says Jake Shields Is the Guy to Beat GSP (FightMagazine)

– Dana White: Brock Lesnar Is Not Going Back to WWE (LowKick)

- Court McGee Not Entirely Pleased With Performance in UFC 121 Win (MMA Fighting)

– The IRS Put a Lien On James Toney’s UFC 118 Fight Purse (MMA Convert)

– Marquardt vs. Okami Winner Guaranteed Title Shot (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Bellator Finalizes Line-Up for Thursday Night’s Season-Ending Event (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Playboy Playmate LaTasha Marzolla Gets Her Arm Snapped in an MMA Bout (MiddleEasy)

– Herb Dean Talks Refereeing and Judging and His New Line of Condoms (MMA Scraps)

– UFC President Dana White Talks Jon Jones, Jose Aldo on the Fight Fix (SBNation.com/MMA)

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Lesnar Tops Money Earners of UFC 121′s Reported $1.5 Million Payroll With $400,000


(Pic props PeterYongArt)

Brock Lesnar may have been the biggest loser at last weekend’s UFC 121 event, but the former UFC heavyweight champion was also compensated the most out of any of the fighters on the card for his performance against Cain Velasquez in California.

According to figures released by the California State Athletic Commission, Lesnar pocketed a cool $400,000 for his knockout loss to Velasquez, which may or may not have been partially used to purchase some burritos and Coronas that night.

Check out the breakdown after the jump of who made what Saturday night from the reported $1.513 million payroll and $280,000 "of the Night" bonuses.

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War Machine Big House Blogs 9 and 10: Fan Mail, Uniting Nations and Scrabble With Imaginary Fighters


("Instead of another grenade, I just wanted a huge pull-pin on this side to symbolize me blowing my own mind.")

Sometimes we get so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget about life’s little pleasures — like War Machine waxing poetically about the universe and his prison experiences.

It’s sad to say, but I’m almost more interested in reading his blog than I am watching him fight. Chalk it up to my ADHD and my fascination with Machine’s bizarre take on life, but I enjoy reading about his latest exploits behind bars.

In the latest double installment, the little scamp America fell in love with on TUF 6 when he still went by Jon Koppenhaver broaches a number of pressing issues like how he bridged his block’s racial gap, why he got thrown in segregation and couldn’t post last week and how he passes the time playing Scrabble with imaginary versions of past and present UFC fighters.

Nelson Mandela ain’t got nothin’ on War Machine.

Check out War’s latest deep thoughts and shenanigans after the jump.

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Dana White To Make ‘Major Announcement’ on Thursday

Dana White Paris Hilton UFC
("I know, dude. Twins. We’re feeling pretty fucking blessed right now.")

The UFC sent out a short but provocative notice to members of the press earlier today, declaring that UFC President Dana White will make a "major announcement" during a media conference call this Thursday at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. And that’s pretty much it; no hints as to the nature of this announcement were given whatsoever. Which means that, being responsible bloggers, it is now time to speculate wildly.

In a broadcastingcable.com interview published yesterday, White was pressed on his company’s upcoming television strategy, to which he responded "we are working on a couple moves now and should be in a billion homes around the world in the next couple months." A billion, you guys. Though he wouldn’t share details, he promised that the UFC would be on network television for the first time in 2011 — maybe on Fox, maybe on NBC, maybe both — and that the UFC could start its own network "within the next couple years."

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Matt Hughes Doesn’t See What the Big Deal is, But is Still Happy ‘The Mexicans’ Have Their Champion

(We feel pretty comfortable saying this is the best Oasis/Green Day/Footage-of-Matt-Hughes-blasting-wild-pigs-with-a-laser-sited-crossbow mash-up on the internet today. VidProps: YouTube/LaserLyte)

Here’s a subtle hint for all you aspiring writers out there: When referring in print to people of ethnicities other than your own, it’s probably not best to preface your description of their race/nationality with the word “the.” Doing so just makes you seem like 1,000-times more racist than you might normally appear. Case-in-point: Matt Hughes’ post-UFC 121 blog, in which he admits being baffled by the UFC’s choice to promote Cain Velasquez as the “First Mexican Heavyweight Champion,” but still feels happy for “The Mexicans” that Velasquez beat Brock Lesnar last weekend. Check it out:  

“I didn’t think Brock was going to lose like he did, but I knew there was a good chance Cain could get his hand raised,” Hughes writes. “UFC kind of made a big deal about it. I really don’t know why, but I’m glad that the Mexicans have a heavyweight champion.”

Emphasis ours, of course. But, see what we mean? There’s just something about the above sentence that makes the author sound like an old man in plaid pants peering hesitantly out from behind lace curtains while he complains to his wife, “Goddamn it, Margaret. What are the blacks up to now?” Nobody is accusing Matt Hughes of knowingly being culturally insensitive. Just, you know, for future reference …

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Alessio Gets Invite Back to the UFC But Had to Turn it Down Due to Contractual Obligations With United Glory


(…so I can’t accept the fight right now…Hello?….Dana…Are you there?)

Ever since John Alessio was cut lose by the WEC following a DQ loss to Brock Larson at WEC 33 in 2008, the Vancouver, BC native has been vocal about his desire to get back to fighting for the promotion. Part of the 31-year-old fighter’s motivation was the fact that, besides the loss to Larson, he had only technically lost to the promotion’s champion Carlos Condit in the WEC. He wanted the opportunity to avenge the loss and also because he had won three in a row prior to his final bout and didn’t think his firing was justified.

When the WEC dropped its welterweight class in 2009, Alessio turned his sights on the organization’s big brother promotion, the UFC, where he first fought in 2006.

Racking up an impressive 8-2 (all finishes) record and current  six-fight winning streak since being dropped by the WEC, Alessio (30-13) revealed today that he finally got his wish, but had to turn down the offer by the UFC to fight on the upcoming Montreal card in December due to contractual obligations to the Dutch-based United Glory promotion. "The Natural" earned a berth in the second round of the Golden Glory-owned organization’s $150,000 welterweight tournament which will take place on January 30 by submitting Sergey Golyaev October 16 in Amsterdam. He will face Golden Glory standout Siyar Bahadurzada in round two of the competition.

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Shane Carwin Bows Out of UFC 125 Bout With Roy Nelson Due to Nagging Back Injury


(Carwin in less painful times, leading the crowd in a spirited rendition of "YMCA.")

UFC heavyweight contender Shane Carwin announced today via his website that he will be puling out of his planned UFC 125 bout on January 1 against Roy Nelson to rehab a nagging back injury that could require surgery.

Here’s what Carwin had to say about the situation:

"I am going to pull out of the fight with Roy Nelson. As many of you know I have been having some back pain. I had an MRI yesterday and I have some damage that may really require surgery. If the doctors do not have to perform surgery then I will be out 8-12 weeks. If they do have to perform surgery I do not know how long I will be out of action.
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Dana White Is the 32nd Most Influential Man in the World

Harry Reid Dana White UFC
(Kingmaker. Lip-licker.)

…at least according to our friends at AskMen who released their Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2010 list today. Although the UFC president placed a lot higher last yearWhite’s #32 ranking puts him ahead of such notable males as Justin Timberlake (#33) and Kobe Bryant (#45). Unfortunately, he’s still two spots behind the freaking Old Spice Dude.

To determine the rankings, over 500,000 votes were cast by AskMen readers, who were asked to decide "which male figures have made the biggest impact, and ultimately, shaped what it means to be a modern man in 2010." Of course, when you leave this sort of thing up to popular vote, the results always wind up a little disassociated from logic. For example, President Barack Obama is only the 21st most influential man this year (down from #3 last year). James Franco is #7. Sure. Why not.

To see this year’s full "Influential Men" list and find out who ended up at #1, click here.

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Now That the UFC Has Their Mexican Heavyweight Champ, What Else Do They Need?

Cain Velasquez Mexico Mexican flag UFC
(You like it? I’m having this airbrushed onto the hood of my Impala.)

As you’re all aware by now, Cain Velasquez became The First Mexican Heavyweight Champion in Fighting History™ on Saturday when he destroyed Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. The crowning of Velasquez should hopefully usher in a new wave of interest in the UFC from the Latino community — but the promotion still has a long way to go until it appeals to all demographics. If the UFC wants to achieve true mass appeal, they should work as hard as possible to check these categories off their list as well…

An African-American Lightweight Champion
Over the years, the UFC has awarded title belts to Maurice Smith and Kevin Randleman in the heavyweight division, and Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans at 205. And even though former welterweight champ Carlos Newton and middleweight king Anderson Silva aren’t American, they would certainly be described by my mother as "people of soul." But the history of the UFC’s lightweight division has been that of white dudes (see: Pulver, Sherk, Edgar) and a fiery Hawaiian warrior (come on, son.) What the division needs is an athletic and explosive champion at 155, who can serve as a role model for kids who are too short to make the basketball team. Do I have to spell it out for you? Okay, fine: A-N-T-O-N-I-O M-c-K-E-E, P-L-A-Y-E-R.

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Lorenzo Fertitta Says the UFC Might Do St-Pierre-Silva Next Summer


("We have ways to make the infidels…er…fighters agree to our demands.")

It looks like a GSP vs. Anderson Silva match-up might be closer than anticipated.

Dana White brushed off the potential blockbuster bout this summer as being something that likely won’t happen for a while, but according to his partner, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, the fight may happen as early as next summer if both fighters continue to dominate in their respective divisions.

"I want to see that fight," Fertitta said during a Q&A session in London ahead of UFC 120. "That’s probably the one fight I really want to see the most."

For that to happen, Silva will have to get by former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in February and St-Pierre faces fellow TUF 12 coach and MMA superheel Josh Koscheck in December. White has also held steadfast to his assertion that Jake Shields will face the winner of that bout, so it may still be a while off if he gets his way.

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Wanderlei Silva Says He’s fighting Chris Leben in April in Toronto


(The UFC should make it interesting and let Leben get hammered for the bout)

UFC middleweight Wanderlei Silva is pretty sure his next opponent will be Chris Leben and that the fight will take place in Toronto in April.

The Brazilian MMA icon revealed the news in a recent interview he did with Fighters Only.

“I think I want to fight in April in Canada — I want to fight in Toronto. I think against Chris Leben. I want to fight with him next,” Silva informed Fighters Only when asked about his eventual return to the Octagon.

“I think he is interesting, he is my size, he is aggressive, he fights to the front (comes forward)," he explained. I think we are going to make an interesting fight.”

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MMA Gif Party: UFC 121 Edition

Diego Sanchez Paulo Thiago UFC 121 gifs
(The greatest exchange of the entire event, from round two of Sanchez vs. Thiago. You’ll have to provide your own "aaaaahhhhhhh!!!" Props: CampizonE MMA)

Brock Lesnar pushes shoves cop police UFC 121 walkout gif
(Brock Lesnar doesn’t need police protection, bitch. Props: Caposa)

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As Internet Accuses Undertaker of Epic Troll Job, White Says Lesnar will be Back in the UFC Sooner than Expected


(Does this look like the face of a man who is pumped for Wrestlemania? PicProps: BloodyElbow)

Right on schedule, the Internets are in full-on meltdown mode this Monday morning concerning all things Brock Lesnar. Lesnar fans who talked him up as an unstoppable juggernaut as late as Friday afternoon are now backtracking, suddenly focusing more on his inexperience than his otherworldly physical prowess. Cain Velasquez supporters are getting their gloat on, as well they should, after Velasquez put a king sized beating on Lesnar at UFC 121. We blogging scumbags are attacking the former champ’s striking skills, his game plan and his training camp. Many of us are wondering aloud about Lesnar’s future in the sport, how he’ll rebound from this and what in the bejeezus is going to happen to our precious heavyweight rankings now.

For his part, UFC President Dana White is insinuating that the whitetail deer population of southwestern Minnesota might be a bit inflated come spring, since he believes Lesnar will cancel much of his planned time off in order to get back in the gym and back in the Octagon ASAP. Then there’s this goddamned Undertaker thing, which is threatening to take on a life of its own.

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Take Part in Cage Potato’s Very Special Interactive 3rd Anniversary Edition of The Bum Rush Radio Show Wednesday

 

If you’ve ever wanted to be on The Bum Rush Radio Show, you’ll finally get your chance Wednesday.

To commemorate CagePotato’s third anniversary this October, we’re putting together a special interactive segment of our uber-popular (in our own minds) podcast on Wednesday that will allow the Potato Nation to share its favorite CP memories and to shoot the shit about whatever you feel like with Ben, Mike and Chad.

We’re going to try out the new format using Talkshoe, webcasting and conference call service that allows listeners to call into the show and interact with call hosts and other callers.

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Satisfying Photo of the Day: Kim Couture Gets Her Ass Kicked by Another 0-0 Fighter

Kim Couture Munah Holland
(Props: Sherdog)

Inspiration to all women Kim Couture competed at Ring of Combat 32 in Atlantic City on Saturday, dropping a unanimous decision to Team Tiger Schulmann product Munah Holland, who was making her pro MMA debut. As captured in the photo above, the aftermath was eerily familiar. The loss dropped Couture’s record to 3-4, and comes just three weeks after her submission victory over Felicia Wells at an Absolute Action MMA event in Kentucky; Wells also had an 0-0 record going into the fight, just like Couture’s two previous opponents, Marianna Kheyfets (who Couture lost to by first-round submission) and Rosa Vizcarra. Couture’s spotty record against inexperienced fighters is very surprising, considering what a beast she is in training.

In other somewhat-depressing weekend MMA news…

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*UPDATED* Exclusive: Gabe Ruediger Pulls Out of UFC 123 Bout with Paul Kelly Due to Injury


("This isn’t how Tony Robbins had me visualize shit going down.")

According to a source close to the fight, Gabe Ruediger has been forced to pull out of a planned UFC 123 bout with Paul Kelly due to a groin injury suffered in training.

CagePotato.com was informed of the situation over the weekend.

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva is looking for a replacement for Godzilla, but as of time of writing a new opponent for Kelly has yet to be signed for the November 20 event in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

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Armchair Matchmaker: UFC 121 Edition

Jake Shields Martin Kampmann UFC 121
(Worst ‘America’s Got Talent’ audition ever. Photo courtesy of UFC.com)

Cain Velasquez has a date with Junior Dos Santos, and Jake Shields — God help us — is still likely to face the winner of GSP vs. Koscheck. But the fates of UFC 121‘s other winners and losers are yet to be determined. As usual, we have some brilliant suggestions…

Brock Lesnar: Assuming that nobody really wants to see a Lesnar vs. Mir rubber match, there are a surprising lack of options for the new ex-champ. If Roy Nelson beats Shane Carwin at UFC 125, Lesnar vs. Big Country would make perfect sense. (Lesnar vs. Carwin II is also an option for down the road, considering Carwin never felt like Brock beat him fair and square.) But at the moment, the best available opponent for Lesnar is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who’s coming off his own nasty loss to Velasquez. The fading Big Nog would likely take a beating, but the UFC needs to re-build their most bankable star against a credible name, and letting Lesnar whale on a legend is an effective way to do it.

Martin Kampmann: The first name that comes to mind is Dan Hardy, though the UFC probably wants to avoid the possibility of one of their British stars dropping three straight. So how ’bout this: Nate Diaz. The TUF 5 winner and moneyweight contender is facing Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 125. If Diaz wins, Diaz vs. Kampmann is a great matchup between two guys who are on the same upper-middle region of the welterweight ladder. If Diaz gets outgrappled by DHK, then Kampmann gets a rebound against an "easier" opponent. Either way, it’s a scrap.

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UFC 121 Aftermath, Part Two: A Few Things That Seem Far Less Important By Comparison


(Your Brazilian SWAT training is no match for the power of positive thinking, Paulo. PicProps: UFC.com)

Mostly by virtue of the hype surrounding the main event, UFC 121 succeeded in preserving the aura of a big time fight show despite the fact that many of the bouts were … what’s the nice way to say this … terribly boring. Even still, a bunch of stuff happened that we need to mention: Jake Shields pretty much proved that it’s physically fucking impossible for top fighters from other organizations to look good in their UFC debuts.  Diego Sanchez defeated Paulo Thiago using the sheer supremacy of his personality. Gabriel Gonzaga showed that he’d be better off climbing to the top of a half-finished construction site and tossing barrels down at his opponents than try to strike with them. Tito Ortiz looked done like dinner, thus taking the next ironic step in his journey toward becoming – as we suggested on last week’s Bum Rush – the new Ken Shamrock.

Was it thrilling? Nah, but the ultimate crumbling of Casa de Lesnar made up for all of it. Shoot, it even reduced Dave Camarillo to tears. What more do you want?

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UFC 121 Aftermath, Part One: Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead


(Valhalla was not quite what Lesnar had been expecting. There were fewer sexy valkyries and more big Mexicans angry about that shit he said. PicProps: UFC.com)

So, Cain Velasquez came as advertised at UFC 121. Brock Lesnar? Not quite so much. When Lesnar’s early Caveman Smash offense failed and he couldn’t keep Velasquez on the mat with his vaunted wrestling prowess, shit got ugly in a hurry. Of all the things the newly minted UFC heavyweight champion did well on Saturday night – face-punching being the most obvious – the most important and impressive may have been his ability to scramble back to his feet. As it turns out (and as some of you already suspected) the only thing Velasquez had to do to win this fight was keep it vertical, size and strength be damned. 

Clearly, Lesnar’s standup game is still a disaster of the approximate size and scope of the Hindenburg and the cracks that emerged in his repertoire during his previous fight with Shane Carwin busted wide open against Velasquez. He lashed out with some knees and good straight punches early, but they didn’t seem to faze the undefeated AKA product. As soon as Cain marshaled the troops and went on the offensive it was clear Lesnar had no plan B. And lo, there was much rejoicing and celebration. The Dark Lord hath fallen.

The most pressing question now may be what unforeseen calamity will befall Velasquez? Motorcycle wreck? Lengthy contract dispute? Hole in his colon? The only thing we’ve been able to conclusively prove about the UFC heavyweight title over the years is that winning it is typically not good for your health. As for Lesnar? Well, it’s funny how you can go from ruling the roost to looking like a chump in just under five minutes. Now even The Undertaker wants a piece. That video is after the jump.

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UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez — Live Results and Commentary and Beards

Brock Lesnar Cain Velasquez UFC 121 photos
(Above: "Look, everybody in Minnesota grows a beard in the winter, and most of us use deer urine to keep it soft and shiny. I’m sorry if the smell is unfamiliar to you." Below: It’s nice to see that someone else appreciates the long and brave career of Dana Delany. / Photos courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com)
Tito Ortiz Dana Is My Hero t-shirt UFC 121

With Brock Lesnar gunning for a historic third-consecutive heavyweight title defense against Mexican-American upstart Cain Velasquez, belt-collector Jake Shields making his first appearance in the Octagon, and Tito Ortiz possibly making his last appearance in the Octagon, there’s a lot on the line tonight in Anaheim. Round-by-round results from UFC 121 can be found after the jump, starting with the Spike prelims at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all latest, and please let your voice be heard in the comments section.

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Strikeforce Challengers Aftermath: Some Fights Totally Happened Last Night

(VidProps: YouTube/ZProphet420)

Depending on how you look at it, this week was either the perfect complement or an immediate counterpoint to Dana White’s recent claims that there could never be too much MMA on TV. What with UFC 120, Countdown, Primetime, TUF, Bellator and Challengers all leading up to the only show that really matters tonight, this week pretty much planned itself for fans who were so inclined. In light of that crush of programming, it’s perfectly understandable if you totally spaced on the fact that Strikeforce put on an event last night headlined by a rematch between a guy named Bobby Voelker and a guy called Roger Bowling. It’s cool. You probably had other stuff going on.

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Friday Link Dump

 
I’m really glad my wife didn’t drink or do drugs while she was pregnant with any of my kids…

(Video courtesy YouTube/BeenerKeeKee19952)

- Denis Kang to fight for W-1 middleweight strap December 18 (topmmanews)

- Eva Longoria rapping (tuvez)

- Werdum picks Velasquez to stop Lesnar (mmacanada)

– The film directors Hall of Fame (bullz-eye)

- Sweet Machete-like Cain Velasquez promo (fightlinker)

- NBA preview (scoresreport)

- Will Kampmann be the one to derail Jake Shields? (mmafighting)

- Cody Mackenzie talks Koscheck feud and guillotines (bleacherreport)

- Liam Neeson replaces Mel Gibson in The Hangover II (screenjunkies)

- Dana White describes first meeting with Fedor (versus)

- Layla Kayleigh pics (holytaco)

- Werdum says Fedor win changed his life (youtube)

- Cris Cyborg interview (tatame)

- Brock says he would be a black belt by now if he trained gi (sportsnet)

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Reminder: UFC 121 Weigh-ins Live Right Here at 5:00 pm ET

Just a reminder that we’ll be streaming the UFC 121 weigh-ins today live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Will Brock and Cain butt chestpieces? Will Diego go into full-retard staredown mode? Will Tito apologize to Hammill and the deaf community using sign language?

All of these questions and more will be answered after the jump.

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CagePotato Comments of the Week: Sittin’ Sidewayz

Garrett Morris Heard of Hearing Deaf SNL Saturday Night Live Chevy Chase Weekend Update

Bang-up job in the comments section this week, Potato Nation. You’ve inspired us to give away some t-shirts — but whose smart-ass contributions are worthy of being rewarded? Well…

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Diego Sanchez Promises to Return to Lightweight After UFC 121 Meeting With Paulo Thiago

Diego Sanchez UFC 107 bloody face
("BJ Penn’s not the lightweight champion anymore? You’re *sure*? How sure are you?")

After getting completely handled by John Hathaway in his welterweight return at UFC 114, we were a little surprised to learn Diego Sanchez would be giving 170 another shot against Paulo Thiago, an opponent who’s arguably even more dangerous than Hathaway. Who knows what’s going on in that crazy mind of his from day to day, but we do know that the Nightmare vows to drop back to lightweight after Saturday. As he told UFC.com:

"…just for the record, I do plan on dropping back to 155 after this fight. Me and Greg (Jackson) and the team are just gonna work together and see what (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) can get lined up for me…For now I think [the move is] basically gonna be permanent, but that all depends because I feel like I can fight in both weight classes. There’s 125, 135, 145, 155 — I wish we had a 165 and a 175 (pound division). That would make it a lot easier for me because I could fight 165, but we don’t have that yet and I’ve got to make a decision.

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Bisping to Get Loser of Marquardt-Okami?

In a recent interview with Fighters Only, UFC president Dana White revealed that the next time Michael Bisping steps through the doors of the Octagon to compete, he will be staring across the cage at a top five opponent.

Considering the options, it’s a pretty safe bet that said opponent will be the loser of the UFC 122 bout between Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt.

Let’s look at the simple deductive reasoning we used that helped us come to our conclusion:

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DanaVlog: Furthering the Myth that Everyone Should Vote, Plus UFC Fighters Love Them Some Cain Velasquez


(VidProps: YouTube/UFC)

Big DW’s latest video blog finds him doing no shortage of totally weird shit leading up to UFC 121 this Saturday. First, we get a closer look at White stumping for senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) alongside – even weirder – Chuck Liddell at a rally in Reno. A bit later, Our Fearless Leader and a few of his faithful employees get dressed up like an R&B group out to shoot the cover of their Christmas album as part of a photo-op for Playboy. (Ed. Note: CagePotato will not, we repeat not, be publishing any poor quality digital stills of this spread. We’re still hoping to rollover at least a few of our weekend minutes.)

During the rallies, White makes sure to point out to the live crowd that he’s “not very political or politically correct” (No, really?) and that he’s just there to spread the word about the importance of voting. After all, there’s nothing more American than blindly appealing to all people to “get out there and vote.” This despite the cruel reality that people who are “not very political” and/or can’t be trusted to look after their own best interests actually shouldn’t vote. That’s how people like this win elections. To his credit, Dana advises us to “do our homework” before we take to the polls, so at least his heart is in the right place. Oddly, there is no footage here of “The Iceman” addressing the political rallies. His speeches much have been too long and too nuanced to edit neatly into a 12 minute blog.

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Cain Velasquez Punches Harder Than a Pitbull Bites and Has the Conditioning of a Marathoner


(Video courtesy ESPN/SportScience)

Cain Velasquez recently filmed an episode of Sport Science in which his cardio, lactic acid tolerance and punching and takedown power were measured.

Velasquez’s results were off the charts.

His conditioning levels were comparable to that of an endurance athlete, but the most shocking stat came from Cain’s left hand in the form of a left hook.

According to stats compiled by the accelerometers in the Sport Science heavy bag, Velasquez’s body shot was the hardest punch ever thrown on the show which has hosted professional boxers like James Toney as well as Cain’s fellow MMA fighters Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Houston Alexander and UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture.

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Bellator XXXIII Recap: Did He Just Say the Best in the World? (LOLZ)


(Skip to 1:19 for the money shot.)

By ReX “Keep Fear Alive” Richardson

Let’s say that you were in Philadelphia last night, perhaps wandering around looking for the Philadelphia Doll Museum. Maybe you heard that Pagano’s had better cheesesteak than any of those South Philly stands, or you wanted to check out the (allegedly) wild party scene at Temple University. Well, while you were standing there shoving a pound of cheap steak, fried onions, and Cheez Whiz in your face, you might have heard a dull roaring noise coming from the Liacouras Center. That was the sound of Bellator XXXIII. Maybe you forgot with all the excitement around UFC 121 this weekend, but Bellator’s third entertaining season is ending, and they are going out shooting, son.

Erstwhile welterweight champ Lyman Good returned after a sixteen month injury layoff to defend the strap against Ben Askren, rising star Rick Hawn made his debut, and local boy Eddie Alvarez took on a legitimate super fight against Roger “The White Knight” Huerta. If you just facepalmed because you forgot to set your DVR, relax; I got this. Follow me in after the jump, and I’ll recap the televised fights and possibly crack some jokes. Keep in mind that I make no guarantees of quality, but if you don’t read on, you’ll probably hate yourself when the cool kids in the cafeteria start talking about it. Keep it in mind.

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Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez: Head to Head


(Use the rage, Cain. Use it!)

By this point, you’ve probably picked a winner for tomorrow night’s Lesnar vs. Velasquez event in Anaheim. Maybe you think Cain Velasquez‘s speed and striking technique will win the day. Maybe you think Brock Lesnar‘s power and hugeness will carry him through. But have you really considered all the relevant factors? Let’s run down the UFC 121 headlining match and see who really holds the advantages…

MMA RECORD BEFORE ENTERING THE UFC
Lesnar: 1-0 (first-round TKO win over Min Soo Kim)
Velasquez: 2-0 (first-round TKO wins over Jesse Fujarczyk and Jeremiah Constant)
Advantage: Velasquez

# OF OPPONENTS THEY COULDN’T FINISH
Lesnar: 2 (lost to Frank Mir by submission, defeated Heath Herring by decision)
Velasquez: 1 (defeated Cheick Kongo by decision)
Advantage: Velasquez

WALKOUT MUSIC
Lesnar: "Enter Sandman"
Velasquez: A vaguely threatening Mexican tune about illegal immigration
Advantage: even

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