(Video courtesy of YouTube/HDNetFights)

HDNet only had to use one of six degrees of separation when adding “That 70′s Show” actress Laura Prepon to the Inside MMA guest list this week alongside former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

An avid MMA fan who is often seen on camera during pay-per-view events, Prepon is rumored to have dated former UFC and Bellator heartthrob Roger Huerta. Moving on.

In the segment above Fo-Griff and Donna take some reader questions about preparing for the apocalypse and who “The Red Dragon” would fight if she had to pick one of her former co-stars.

SPOILER: No, it wasn’t Mila Kunis.

With so much focus on the bad business dealings of sponsors in mixed martial arts these days, when a story emerges about the good things that a company is doing to give back to the sport we try to give it as much play as we can.

It’s no secret that Hayabusa makes some of the best fight gear in the business thanks to years of research and testing of its products by some of MMA’s top athletes. One product line that the company was missing from its offerings was a professional line of training equipment. To fill the void, Hayabusa partnered with revered Canadian MMA coach Shawn Tompkins in late 2009 to set about designing and producing a professional grade of products made specifically for trainers. When Shawn passed away suddenly last summer prior to the product launch, the owners of the company became torn about whether or not they should forge ahead with the project without “The Coach.”

With the blessing of Tompkins widow, Emilie, who urged them to put out the products whose design had become a labor of love for her late husband the past few years, Hayabusa’s brain trust finalized the design of the products and unveiled them recently.

(If anyone can explain what is going on in this photo, we’ll give you Carmen Valentina’s digits.) 

After Edson Barboza’s spinning heel kick KO over Terry Etim gave birth to the phrase “falling tree” knockout here on CP, we got to thinking, what other classifications of devastation existed in the MMA highlight-o-sphere? Debates got heated, egos got crushed, and limbs got mangled, but we were eventually able to agree that the next category of KO’s in need of appreciation was that of the “lawn chair.”

What is a “lawn chair” knockout, you ask? Well, it’s that special kind of knockout, perhaps the complete opposite of a “falling tree,” in which the victim’s legs give out from underneath them almost instantaneously after the lethal blow is delivered, often forcing their body to collapse into itself like that of a common lawn chair. And to add insult to injury, the poor son of a bitch often receives an unnecessary strike courtesy of his own knee on the way down. Here are nine of the finest examples, in no particular order.

Chuck Liddell v. Guy Mezger

Ricardo Lamas v. Bendy Casimir

Check out seven more beautiful examples of this phenomena after the jump.

(That moment when Punch face becomes Troll face.) 

As we all know, inspirational icon Tito Ortiz plans to call it a career after his next fight, or so he has claimed. He has also stated a desire for his final fight to take place on 4th of July weekend, and against either Forrest Griffin or Chuck Liddell. Talk about specific. And while Liddell can’t compete for obvious reasons (specifically, Jackrack commercials), Griffin has already come out in favor of a rubbermatch, and it seems the trilogy’s completion is all but inevitable at this point. On a recent episode of “Inside MMA,” Griffin received a surprise, but pre-recorded (for even more obvious reasons) video call-out from “The People’s Champ,” who all but begged Griffin for another rematch, as if FoGriff was somehow in charge of making those kinds of decisions:

Forrest, you know I deserve it, man. Step up. Let’s do this. It’s an awesome fight for you. I lost my last one. You lost your last one. Let’s do this — unless you’re scared!

Well, not to get technical Tito, but you’ve actually lost your last two, and six of your last eight. Anyway, join us after the jump for Forrest’s response.

(Georges is so pumped to fight Diaz, he wears his fight gear while he hobbles around outside all of the local Stockton head shops.)

With all of the criticism Georges St-Pierre has gotten the past few years for his conservative style of fighting, sometimes people overlook just how much the dominant UFC welterweight kingpin purveys the blueprint of how a champion should act both inside and outside of the Octagon.

In a recent interview he did for UFC.com, St-Pierre said that because he hasn’t been active lately due to a pair of knee injuries, he doesn’t consider himself to be the UFC welterweight title holder anymore and that he will need to beat the winner of the interim title bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit Saturday night to once again become the champ.

(True story.)

Rousimar Palhares‘s reputation for unsportsmanlike leg-breaking, terrifying aggression, and general insanity is well-documented, and well-deserved. But now that he’s being blamed for leg-murders he didn’t even commit, we felt it was time to step in to defend him.

This morning, as part of their Blood Week series, Deadspin linked to a photo of a man on a table, with his femur sticking out of his leg. If you really, really need to see it, just hit the “next page” link at the end of this post. [Ed. note: Don't actually do that.] As Deadspin writes:

Click through to see what happened to Isiah Ordiz’s femur after he wouldn’t tap out of a heel hook from Rousimar Palhares. I cannot stress this enough: this is a Faces of Death-level photo and you will wish you hadn’t seen it.

Immediately, my bullshit sensors went off. I researched an entire article about Palhares’s assholish history of leg abuse two years ago, and there’s no way I would leave out something this gruesome and dramatic, if there was any record of it on the Internet. The fact that this is surfacing now makes it suspect to begin with. Surely us MMA fans would have already heard of it?

(Bellator: Now with twice as much maple syrup and back bacon.)

Canadian MMA fans will get a double-dose of Bellator Fighting Championships in back-to-back months this Spring.

CagePotato.com has learned that the Chicago-based promotion has secured May 4 for its second Ontario event of 2012 and that the show will take place at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario. As we announced last week, BFC will also be holding an April 6 event in Windsor.

The May show will be the third held at the native-run casino. Both Bellator 47 and 57 took place at the venue.

(No matter how many times his trainers warned him against it, Melvin was convinced that he would become the first person to pull off the Statue of Liberty play in mixed martial arts competition.)

Exciting news today comes compliments of upstart Asian promotion One Fighting Championship. In addition to signing a ten year television partnership with ESPN Star Sports, One FC announced at a press conference this morning that their third event will be headlined by Strikeforce veterans Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Melvin Manhoef squaring off in a light heavyweight contest.

After a successful debut event back in September of 2011, One FC signed a huge partnership deal with over 15 smaller promotions and 23 gyms and announced plans to put on 3 different shows in 3 different countries in 2012. The second show, titled “Battle of Heroes,” will transpire on February 11th from Jakarta, Indonesia, and features a heavyweight tilt between Bob Sapp and Rolles Gracie as well as a headlining lightweight bout pairing Pancrase one-timer Felipe Enomoto against 5-2 K-1 veteran Ole Larson.

One FC 3, which is set to go down on March 31st from the Singapore Indoor Stadium, will also feature Japanese leglock master Masakazu Imanari facing off against undefeated prospect Kevin Belingon, Eduard Folayang, Zorobabel Moreira, and Eddie Ng taking on unnamed opponents, and Singapore’s own Nicole Chua making her MMA debut. It’s nice to see a small promotion gaining some momentum, no?

We last saw Babalu suffer a first round KO loss to Dan Henderson back in their December 2010 rematch; apparently the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion has been recovering over the past year from a brutal snowboarding accident that happened shortly thereafter. Who would’ve guessed? Fun fact: Babalu was the focus of a 2009 music video from Massachusetts based heavy metal kings Shadows Fall.

Manhoef has not fought a MMA match since falling to a first round submission (go figure) at the hands of Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson in March of 2011, and has dropped 5 of his last 7 mixed martial arts contests. His luck in the kickboxing world has not been much better; Manhoef last competed just three days ago at It’s Showtime 2012 in Leeuwarden, where he dropped a unanimous decision to 7th ranked heavyweight contender Tyrone Spong. You can find that video after the jump, courtesy of IronForgesIron.

(“Okay, we’re going to restart you guys in the position you were in when the foul occurred. Mirko, please put your index finger on Mostapha’s eyeball.”)

By Marcus Mitchell

It wasn’t the vicious first-round submissions that followed it. It wasn’t the stiffening spinning wheel kick knockout that preceded it. It wasn’t even the devastating KO from the champ’s knee in the main event. It was a single controversial decision that had everyone’s attention after the UFC’s last visit to Brazil.

How is it that names like Rousimar Palhares, Gabriel Gonzaga, Jose Aldo, and even Vitor Belfort paled in comparison to Mario Yamasaki? Never mind that Gonzaga finally got a big win or that the Phenom had rebounded from his embarrassing loss to fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva. Yamasaki’s decision to overturn an apparent first round TKO had everyone up in arms.

Most notably incensed by the fight’s result was UFC President Dana White. Steve Mazzagatti could only listen in disbelief as Dana White actually defended a referee that made a mistake. Instead of blaming Yamasaki personally, Dana White rekindled the ever-smoldering topic of instant replay: “There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes. There’s nothing wrong. We’re [expletive] human. We’re going to do it. But you have to be able to go back and say, ‘We made a mistake. Here’s the proof. Let’s overturn it.’”

But would the addition of instant replay in MMA really be the answer to botched referee decisions? Or would it create even more unforeseen problems?

(He learned from the best.)

According to a new Las Vegas Review Journal report, Alistair Overeem has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery after he allegedly “pushed or shoved a woman in the face, causing her to stagger back.” The charge stemmed from an incident at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel at about 3 a.m. on January 2nd, two nights after Overeem demolished Brock Lesnar in his Octagon debut at UFC 141. If convicted, the heavyweight contender faces up to six months in the Clark County Detention Center and up to a $1,000 fine.

Overeem is scheduled to appear in court at 8 a.m. on February 21st. Said his lawyer, attorney-to-the-stars David Chesnoff: “Alistair was not arrested, but was summoned to court. There are two sides to this story and we intend on vigorously defending this. Alistair maintains his innocence.” The UFC has declined to comment.

Let’s hope this is just a shakedown attempt by a woman who simply got in the Reem’s way, or perhaps some innocent roughhousing that went a little too far. Overeem comes off as a genuinely nice guy, but of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that he’s gotten violent with civilians in public. We’ll update you when we know more.

(“Who says you can’t face-mask? Well the commissioner is an idiot.”)

If there is an MMA fighter who is qualified to give us some analysis on Sunday’s Super Bowl XLV match-ups, it’s Matt Mitrione.

A standout defensive tackle at Purdue University, Mitrione made the New York Giants as a walk-on. He spent four years in the NFL with the Giants and the Minnesota Vikings before trading in his gridiron aspirations for his dream to one day fight in the Octagon, which he again made a reality through determination and hard work in spite of the odds stacked against him.

Although the brunt of his time these days is split between his new gym in Indianapolis and at home with his family, ‘Meathead’ still follows the sport that he first fell in love with as a boy.

In this exclusive video breakdown he did for us through his main sponsor, our friends at Hayabusa, Mitrione details which team he thinks will take the trophy on Sunday.

Check it out after the jump.

(“Wait. How did he know I was writing this from my mom’s basement. Scary.”)

According to a story released today by Softpedia.com, the hacker that shut down UFC.com and posted Dana White’s purported personal information including his Social Security number, phone numbers and net worth, was a 13-year-old Australian computer whiz who goes by the handle s3rver.exe

When I was 13 I couldn’t even beat Super Mario Brothers. This kid claims to have “taken down” over 120 and hacked over 150 websites, including Mastercard.com and URLs belonging to the Oakland Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation using the same software that others use to steal credit card and banking information.

Today is truly a sad day for the MMA world, one that no amount of Office Space parodies or Korean television can resolve. For today, a great man has died, and therefore has taken a piece of us all with him. We’re talking, of course, about none other than the unacknowledged gladiator who’s trials and tribulations were once synonymous with the beginning of every UFC event. We’re talking about the nameless, faceless warrior who could grind sand into…well, sand, in the palm of his hand whilst an epic chorus sang in the background. Though we never knew what lied beyond the blinding white he so courageously stepped into night after night, it seems now that the mysterious abyss was in fact the UFC vault. The Underground was the first to break the story:

Tonight, UFC President Dana White revealed exclusively to the Underground that the opening sequence for its PPV broadcast has been redone and the new introduction will be revealed this Saturday for UFC 143. The event will feature Nick Diaz fighting Carlos Condit for the interim welterweight championship in the main event.

The opening sequence, which has shown a Roman gladiator preparing for battle has often been critiqued by fans and although the sequence hasn’t been used by the UFC on its FOX and Fuel TV broadcasts, it had been present as most recent as this past UFC 142.

To quote the UFC President directly: “He’s been cut.”

We know what you’re thinking, what does this mean for Stemm?

(Props: Bracegear via MiddleEasy)

Can you believe that we didn’t include a single women’s match in our tribute to falling tree knockouts? Well, it’s time to give the ladies their due. Here’s a video of Rhiannon Thompson starching Bec Hyatt with a head-kick at a Brace for War event that’s so brutal (and beautiful), it’s like Hornbuckle vs. Gono and Young vs. Tate met and had a baby.

By Jason Moles

After making history in June 2009 as the first female MMA referee to oversee a UFC fight, Kim Winslow drew controversy earlier this month for her handling of the Muhammad Lawal vs. Lorenz Larkin match at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine. Last week, CagePotato had the chance to chat with Winslow, who spoke to us about her life inside and outside of the cage, her pioneering role in MMA, and how she responds to criticism of her job performance. Read on for the full Q & A…

CagePotato: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Tell us a little bit about how you first were introduced to MMA, and when you knew you wanted to be an MMA referee.

Kim Winslow: I introduced myself to martial arts in 1992 by studying my first art form, Tae Kwon Do. I then saw the first UFC event in 1993 and was instantly enthralled. I had to watch every one of them and could hardly wait for the next one to come out. As the sport evolved so did my training in MMA, and I switched to more modern art forms and trained in Muay Thai, BJJ, kickboxing, boxing, grappling, street fighting, Krav Maga, some judo, and lately Capoeira for fun.

CP: What experience or training is required before a commission will license you?

 KW: Every state has different requirements and it is your responsibility to find out what they are and meet them when you apply. Refs are required to renew their license every year in each state, and in some states twice a year.

CP: Back in 2009 at the Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, you made history by becoming the first woman to ever ref a fight in the UFC. How difficult was it to break into the industry and how does it feel to be a UFC pioneer?

(In Stockton THIS IS style.)

The UFC’s marketing department Some random fan not at all affiliated with Zuffa released another one of his clever movie mash-ups today – this time featuring a clip of Nick Diaz from the latest UFC Primetime episode and and one from Office Space. We figured it was worthy of posting to make the reality of your Monday seem a little bit less harsh. We laughed.

(Little did Eric Wisely know just how quickly a game of Twister could spiral out of control when he spun “left foot blue.”) 

Simply put, Saturday’s second UFC on Fox event saw its fair share of ups and downs. Chris Weidman was able to score the biggest win of his career over Demian Maia on just 11 days notice (which leads us to believe that the Vegas bookies knew something about Maia the rest of the world didn’t), and both Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen managed to punch their tickets to a title shot against the men they despise the most. And though the future is set for two contenders, the fates of many still remain unsure. That’s why we are here to right the ship that misplaced NFL theme music and Jon Jones’ “commentary” threatened to sink. So join us as we determine the best match-ups for last weekend’s biggest winners and losers.

Phil Davis: Although he started off strong (or at least held his own) in the striking department in the early going, the championship rounds saw Davis overwhelmed by “Suga’s” speed and stamina, content to throw weak, pawing jabs that were anything but wonderful. My older brother, who is by no means a huge MMA fan, summed it up best when he said, “What does he expect to accomplish with that kind of offense?” Davis undoubtedly has a bright future ahead, but needs to round out his game a little more before he takes on a top contender like Evans again. Matching him up against the resurgent Stephan Bonnar, or, depending on how he fares against Rampage Jackson, Ryan Bader would make sense. Forrest Griffin is also a big light heavyweight coming off a loss, so that could make for a great fight as well.

(Props: foxsports)

Of the many painful moments during Saturday’s UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis broadcast, the worst were the two appearances by Chael Sonnen‘s pro-wrestling heel character, which didn’t exactly help MMA’s reputation as a serious sport. Before the fight, Sonnen compared himself to a pack of cigarettes then leered directly into the camera, in a promo that would have gotten him immediately eliminated from WWE NXT.

After the fight, Sonnen launched into a self-aggrandizing monologue that had nothing to do with the battle he just had with Michael Bisping. If it reeked of low-budget wrasslin’ trash, there’s a reason for that. Sonnen was actually doing his own version of a 1975 post-match interview by “Superstar” Billy Graham, from a World Wide Wrestling Federation show. Watch the video above, then watch the video after the jump, and you’ll see what we mean…

(We’re not the only ones who see a woman in a bear suit in the background, right?)

It’s a new week, Potato Nation, and with it brings change. I, for one, will be shedding the DangadaDang “nom de plume” if you will, in favor of my actual name from now on. Will the writing be any gooder? Perhaps, but for every change, something must stay the same, as they say. And in the ever changing landscape that is the current MMA scene, it’s comforting to know that we can count on the stability of at least one thing: Fedor Emelianenko‘s desire to toss around Asian men he outweighs by a good 70 pounds. You get caught with your hand in the (fortune) cookie jar once, it’s forgivable. You get caught twice, and you’re moving into full blown fetish territory, Mr. Emelianenko.

Yes, the former PRIDE heavyweight champion recently appeared on the South Korean TV show, “Star King,” to reenact the end of the Tim Boetsch/David Heath scrap with the help of fast rising featherweight contender Chan Sung Jung. Aside from being a reminder of how much better Asian television shows are than ours (oh MXC, where hast thou gone?), the sparring session is at the minimum a silver lining in the storm cloud of disappointment that was the second UFC on Fox broadcast. Like we said, it’s a new day, and let’s just shed the memory of last weekend’s main card with a good old fashioned freak show exhibition to start the work week, shall we?

Join us after the jump for the glorious video, but for the love of God, turn off your speakers before you do so. If you’ve ever ordered take out from P.F. Chang’s, then you are familiar with the chaos that awaits you.

Swanson vs. Roop provided an early candidate for Side-Punchface of the Year. Props: UFC.com

Remember how last night, you invited your non-MMA fan friends over to introduce them to our sport? You spent the past week talking about how Chael Sonnen is one of the best trash talkers in professional sports, and how technical and talented these fighters were. You figured that after three fights that were guaranteed to be exceptional, your friends would be won over to MMA fandom. Then you’d continue to drink and be merry all night, and we’d all meet up here today for our traditional post-UFC event GIF party where we all high five over how awesome the fights were.

Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, you found yourself doing damage control as you watched three fights worth of sloppy brawling, wall and stall and Chael Sonnen’s blatant swaggerjacking of homage to “Superstar” Billy Graham. You tried to convince them that the fights are usually nothing like this, and that these guys gassing out and the end of the first round are world class athletes. Eventually, one of your friends said “I bet Pacquiao would destroy ANY of these guys” as the rest of your friends grabbed their coats and said they’d call you next time they wanted to watch the fights.

Okay, so last night sucked. But we’ve been planning this party all week, and we’ll be damned if we cancel it at this point. So grab an alcoholic beverage, put on your gaudiest Affliction shirt and join us for our traditional post-UFC event GIF Party.

As always, praise be to Zombie Prophet at IronForgesIron.com for the GIFS.

(DO NOT run an unfiltered image search for ‘Matt Hughes’. EVER. This photo is nothing. Learn from my mistake, kids.)

Just four months after putting himself “on a shelf”–a euphemism for the dreaded ‘R-word‘–Matt Hughes is ready to glove up once again. After suffering back-to-back first round knockouts to BJ Penn and Josh Koscheck, the UFC Hall of Famer made a non-committal pledge to walk away from the sport, a move he’d pondered openly while winding down his career.

As we’ve seen time and time again, getting your head bashed in is surprisingly difficult to walk away from. Hughes has undoubtedly made enough money to retire comfortably, has plenty of hobbies to occupy his time, and with nine UFC titles to his name he has nothing left to prove. But Hughes didn’t start his MMA career in search of fame or fortune; the man simply loves to compete, and pounding his brother behind the barn just doesn’t cut it these days.

Ultimately, his fate lies in Dana White’s hands, not his own, and most certainly not his wife’s. During an interview on FUEL last night, Hughes established the pecking order in his household: “I think Dana could be the final decision maker. My wife’s a great lady, but she’s not going to tell me when Matt Hughes retires.” Well, I guess we know who’s cooking up the country breakfast this morning.

Totally illegal in NCAA competition. (Photo: UFC.com)

“It’s usually not like this.” With that text I found myself apologizing to a UFC-virgin for the first time in a long time. My friend had just told me that she was at home watching the the show on FOX, without any provocation from me mind you. “This is that fighting you like, right???”. I assured her that the event had yet to capture the energy and excitement indicative of the sport. “I’m going back and forth between this and figure skating,” she replied. I can’t really say I blame her, either.

While we expected plenty of grappling in the bouts themselves, the wrestling theme seemed to carry on throughout the production at large. The usually-charismatic Jon Jones wrestled with his notes, relying on them not just for in-depth fight analysis but for simple things like his thoughts on fighting Rashad. The opening act wrestled with fatigue, leading to a performance as exhausting for fans as it was for the competitors in the cage. And once again, FOX wrestled with an underwhelming broadcast that left the most exciting action behind in the prelims.

Enough belly aching about the show itself, let’s take a look at what made such a promising event so forgettable for the masses.

“Is it too soon to talk about Sandusky, or should I wait ten years, like Paterno?” Props: MMAJunkie.com

“The House that Jordan Built” is sold out for the UFC’s return to Fox, which features three times as many televised fights as its Fox debut. Can Chris Weidman make a name for himself against Demian Maia? Will Chael Sonnen challenge Anderson Silva to a casket match after tonight’s fight? Does Phil Davis establish himself as a contender at light-heavyweight, or does Rashad Evans set himself up to get overlooked for yet another title shot? We’ll answer all this and more as it unfolds.

Handling liveblogging duties tonight is Seth Falvo, who will be watching the event with some old friends. Please direct all complaints about spelling and grammar, comments about the liveblogger’s sexual preference and unrelated conspiracy theories directly at him. Spoilers after the jump.

Part II after the jump (Video: YouTube/RandomCoolStuffHD)

We’ll be treated to a free night of exciting fights on FOX in just a few hours, but there’s still plenty of time to discuss next weekend’s battle for the interim Welterweight title. The second episode of ‘UFC Primetime: Diaz vs Condit‘ hit the air last night. As if the video wasn’t enough, we’ve got your breakdown of the show just after the jump.

Eiji Mitsuoka looks to make it three straight against “The Fireball Kid”

As first reported by MMAWeekly.com, George Sotiropoulos has pulled out of his upcoming bout against Takanori Gomi due to an undisclosed injury. With one month to go until UFC 144, it is likely that thirty six year old UFC newcomer Eiji Mitsuoka will now be fighting against Takanori Gomi. The UFC has yet to confirm the rumored matchup.

Don’t start screaming “squash fight!” just yet. Eiji Mitsuoka is 18-7-2 in his MMA career, with eleven of his victories coming by submission. Considering that six of Gomi’s eight losses have been by submissions, things should get interesting if Mitsuoka can get Gomi to the ground. The PRIDE veteran also holds notable victories over Joachim Hansen, Gleison Tibau and Rodrigo Damm. Mitsuoka’s most recent performance has been a unanimous decision over Bruno Carvalho at Dream: Japan GP Final on July 16, 2011. Videos available after the jump.

This is now even less likely to ever get televised, while Caged is a real show. Yeah, that sounds about right.

Antonio McKee is now officially a free agent. After missing weight by an inexcusable seven pounds for his title defense against Brian Cobb last night- resulting in the fight being changed to a three round non-title affair and McKee forfeiting twenty percent of his purse- McKee was released from his MFC contract. And yes, Antonio McKee defeated Brian Cobb by unanimous decision last night in his last appearance (possibly) under the MFC banner.

For those of you still reading, Brian Cobb also missed weight for the evening’s co-main event. Brian Cobb came in a whopping half pound overweight, resulting in promoter Mark Pavelich telling him that it was now “win or go home” for him as well. Despite taking the third round from a clearly exhausted McKee, Cobb came up short and was subsequently released from the promotion. It would have been interesting to see how the championship rounds would have played out, you know, if both men actually made weight and all.

“Forget all about that belt tomorrow, son.” (Video: YouTube/UFC)

Last night’s weigh-ins in the bag and we are officially one step closer to go-time. While these events are a mere formality in the fight business—I mean, who would show up unprepared, right?–they do give one more opportunity for fans to cheer or boo the fighters of their choice, and one more opportunity for fighters to win the mental war. With those assignments in mind, the men on stage and those in the bleachers made the most of the evening.

Though Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen have taken second billing on this evening’s card, they’ve more than pulled their own weight in the promotions department. While Chael has drawn plenty of hype for this bout, he’s largely focused the spotlight on himself with little attention paid to his opponent whatsoever. Bisping on the other hand has been in full heel mode in recent interviews, embracing his role as the bad guy and verbally attacking his foe whenever possible. Last night he responded to a chorus of boos by brandishing the ‘Stockton Heybuddy‘, a move that seemed to cost him a sponsor, at least momentarily. If these two jawing in the staredown didn’t get you amped for their bout, there’s little I can do for you.

Despite the main event being a mixed martial arts bout, much of the back-and-forth between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis has centered on wrestling credentials. “Mr. Wonderful” was undoubtedly the more decorated of the two during their NCAA careers, though Evans feels his in-cage ability will expose Davis’s “trash technique”. Upping the ante once more before they glove up, Davis sported a Penn State singlet as he hit the scales. Face to face, both men exuded incredible confidence and not a shred of intimidation.

Full weigh-in results and a video of the Evans-Davis face-off after the jump.

(Matt Serra has really let himself go. – Video courtesy of YouTube/OWN)

- Gallery of the Hottest 80′s Babe Posters (WorldWideInterweb)

- News Anchor Giggles Through Cockfighting Story (BREAK)

- Teenage Girl Rushed to Hospital for Chicken Nugget Addiction (Complex)

- Sweet Jesus. Fear Factor Contestants to Drink Donkey Sperm Sunday Night (ScreenJunkies)

- Ingenious Ways to Reuse Your Old CDs (MadeMan)

- So long Juan Epstein (TuVez)

- Helena Christensen in Lingerie is Rather Mind-Blowing (Guyism)

- Kid trolls the NHL All Star Game (BuzzerBeat)

- Why Calorie Counting Doesn’t Work (AskMen)

- Rashhad Trashed Davis and Jones (Clutch.MTV)

- The Key to Bigger Arms is What You’re NOT Doing (TheRugged)

- ‘Jeff Who Lives At Home’ Trailer Nails Every Indie Dramedy Cliche (FilmDrunk)

- Freddie Roach: Mayweather’s a Pussy (TerezOwens)

- Awesome GIF Attack (HolyTaco)

- Yoislandy ‘Cuba’ Izquierdo Finally Relaesed From CFA Contract (CageJunkies)

- Anonymous Claims to Have UFC.com Customer Info; Threatens Release Unless Dana White Admits Defeat (FightersOnly)

- Why the UFC Should Monitor Its Fighters’ Weights (BleacherReport)

Just a friendly reminder that the weigh-ins tomorrow night’s UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis event will go live at 5:00 pm ET and we’ll have the stream of the festivities for you right here.

Will Chael Sonnen weigh in with his belt on? Will Arianny go bananas over Phil Davis and Rashad Evans like she did Alistair Overeem? Will Dana White wear an “I Love Nerds” t-shirt?

All of these questions and more will be answered soon.
Check out the stream after the jump.

(Now picture the fist rapidly moving up and down.)

Remember when we brought back Comments of the Week weeks ago and I joked about how I would immediately forget about it by the following week — and then I did forget about it? That was insane, and totally unexpected. But thanks to a GIF of a guy jerking off while unconscious (i.e., “pulling a Carradine”), we’re back on track.

Today’s comment winners will receive the new version of CagePotato Devil’s Horns shirt, with the fist on the back, as pictured above. If your name is called, just e-mail contest@cagepotato.com with your name, size, and mailing address. Alright? Now let’s see who commented hardest this week…

Kaboom82 on “GIF of the Year Candidate: Kaleo Gambill Enjoys an Involuntary Post-Fight Beat-Off“:
Yo Dawg, we heard you like beatings. So we put a beating in your beating so you could watch a guy knock one out when he gets knocked out.