(Image courtesy of Fight Magazine.)

After nearly ten years in the fight business, moving from one small organization to another, Ben Rothwell will finally make his UFC debut next Saturday night at UFC 104 in Los Angeles.  There he meets highly-touted AKA fighter and former All-American wrestler Cain Velasquez.  Talking with Rothwell for this week’s SI.com column on the heavyweight clash, he says he has some surprises in store for the people who are still basing their opinions of him off the Andrei Arlvoski fight, and if Velasquez found himself in a little bit of trouble against Cheick Kongo, he’s really in for it on October 24.

You were supposed to make your UFC debut against Chase Gormley, who most people had probably never heard of.  Instead you get Cain Velasquez. That’s a much bigger first fight.  What do you think of Cain?

BR: He seems like a hard-nosed guy.  He’s got the wrestling background.  He’s got a lot of hype behind him and he’s feeling good right now.  He’s had everything go his way.  But I’m going to hit him and make him uncomfortable and we’ll see how he does when things don’t go his way.  I’m going to be the guy that can actually stop takedowns, the guy who can handle him on the ground, and the guy who’s going to hit him harder than he’s ever been hit before.  These are all things that are different for him. 

Do you think he’s yet to face anyone with a good enough takedown defense to really test him?

(Photo courtesy of our friends at Fight Magazine)

Ben Rothwell was one of the fighters who was none too pleased with Josh Barnett after his positive steroid test prompted the Affliction: Trilogy cancellation, but despite the missed paycheck he may be better off for it in the end, as his fight with Chase Gormley got picked up for UFC 104.  Here Rothwell tells us about the quick turnaround from unemployed fighter to UFC heavyweight, why he takes Barnett’s steroid issues personally, and why he welcomes you to keep basing your judgments about him on his loss to Andrei Arlovski.

When you got the call telling you the Affliction event was cancelled, I imagine you were pretty pissed off.  But what was going through your mind right then?

Honestly, pretty pissed off is how a lot of guys felt.  But when I heard that the event was cancelled I just put it in my mind right away that I was going to fight for somebody, somewhere.  I told myself, don’t get stressed out, even though I was losing money and losing a chance to fight, but I put aside the negative thoughts right away.  I got off the phone and I was kind of just blank, because it came out of nowhere, but I knew I had to stay positive.  Nothing I could say or do would make the show come back.  

Fresh off their respective losses at Affliction: Banned, Ben Rothwell and Pedro Rizzo will square off at the next Affliction event in Las Vegas on October 11, according to MMA Mania. If true, this goes against Monte Cox’s claim that Rothwell would sit this one out. It would also add another interesting match-up to a fight card that’s already brimming with them.

Rothwell-Rizzo is a good match for finding out exactly where both these guys stand in their careers. A Rothwell victory would confirm the sneaking suspicion that he should be taken seriously in the heavyweight division, while a loss to Rizzo would likely mean his removal from the top ten until further notice.

For Rizzo, a win means he can make a compelling case to keep fighting and a loss means he can’t. As great as “The Rock” was in his time and as deserving as he is of a spot among MMA’s forefathers, he can’t hang around forever. A knockout loss to Josh Barnett is nothing to be ashamed of, nor would a loss to Rothwell necessarily be a career-ender. But at Rizzo’s age (34), it would hardly be encouraging.

- In slightly related news, fellow ex-IFL fighter and Quad Cities Silverbacks team member Bart Palaszewski has signed with Zuffa to compete in the WEC. “Bartimus” (laziest nickname ever?) reportedly signed a six-fight deal and plans to be ready for action in September.

(Who’s ready for round two?)

Ben Rothwell hasn’t even had his first UFC fight yet, but he’s already got his eye on the UFC heavyweight title.  He even has a little insight about the man who holds it, and how best to go about taking it from him.  

While talking to Rothwell about his impending debut at UFC 104 against Chase Gormley – the same opponent he was originally scheduled to face at Affliction: Trilogy – the conversation turned to other UFC heavyweights like “Ultimate Fighter” season ten participant Roy Nelson, who Rothwell had a memorable clash with in the IFL.  While Rothwell said he’s absolutely expecting a rematch with Nelson in the UFC, he went on to say that he thought of both Gormley and Nelson as preparation for a fight with UFC champ Brock Lesnar:

(Photo courtesy of wicombatsports.com.)

Much to our dismay, Ben Rothwell says he won’t be rocking an Extenze sponsorship for his bout with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 110 this weekend.  But that’s not the only thing that Rothwell has changed as he hopes for a better outcome in his second UFC fight.  From his preparation to his overall mental state, everything about this time out looks to be different for Rothwell, and he’s hoping the result will bear that out.

You changed up your training some for this fight. What did you do differently and why did you decide to do it?

I moved my training full-time to Wisconsin, where Duke Roufus is my coach. Instead of only getting him part of the time, now he’s got full control over everything. It’s definitely for the best. There’s a lot of good energy here. I’m not trying to be negative, but the past couple of years that good energy wasn’t there for me. I wasn’t as passionate about training. It was a job and I was doing it because I had to, not because I wanted to. But when I came back here I was working harder and having more fun. That’s what you need. I’m just trying to keep getting better.

(Photo courtesy of UFC.com’s weigh-in gallery.)

Ben Rothwell told us that he’d be unveiling a brand new body in his Octagon debut at UFC 104 tonight.  I guess he looks a little leaner and seems to have visited a body hair removal specialist of some sort, but dammit, the do-rag, even though it offers another opportunity to sell a sponsorship, is not working.  And as if that’s not bad enough, he also decided to sell a sponsorship to penis-pill maker Extenze directly over his groin?  The things people will do to make a buck these days.

Don’t forget about tonight’s liveblog, beginning with the prelims on Spike TV at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST and rolling right into the pay-per-view.  Stop by, have some lemonade, and let’s all take bets on whether Joe Rogan will be able to stop himself from commenting on Rothwell’s endorsement of dick pills.

(Ben Rothwell: One of the few men on Earth who can mess with the Zohan.)

Aw hell, this never gets easier. We regret to inform you that Ben Rothwell — who most recently made Brendan Schaub see God at UFC 145 — has been forced to withdraw from his main card fight against undefeated heavyweight rising star Travis Browne at UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera; an ankle injury was the culprit. Though there were early reports that Strikeforce veteran Devin Cole would come in on short notice to get demolished by Browne, it now appears that Browne is being moved off the August 4th event altogether, and the prelim match between Mike Swick and DaMarques Johnson will be promoted to the main card.

Matt Mitrione was also offered the chance to fight Browne at UFC on FOX 4, but he wisely turned it down. As MMAFighting reports:

(Look on the bright side — things can’t get much worse for him, right?)

Though we know him best these days as a light-heavyweight can-crusher with only a single victory to his credit in the last three years, Brandon Vera started his career as a devastating force at heavyweight, racking up an 8-0 record including four nasty stoppages in the UFC. But after back-to-back losses to Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum, Vera decided to cut some weight and drop to the 205-pound division in 2008. It hasn’t exactly gone well. For every win over low-level talent like Reese Andy, Mike Patt, and Eliot Marshall, he’s eaten losses against superstars like Jon Jones, Randy Couture, and (most recently) Mauricio Rua.

Now, it looks like Brandon Vera is looking to bring back his old self. MMAJunkie reports that Vera is heading back to heavyweight for a meeting with Ben Rothwell at UFC 164, August 31st at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Rothwell has compiled a 2-3 record during his time in the Octagon, and last competed in January when he was choked out by Gabriel Gonzaga. Though neither fighter is riding a long losing streak, their lack of consistent success in the UFC makes this one a must-win fight for both men. Can “The Truth” re-energize his career at his original weight class, or will Rothwell be stealin’ that soul?

(Don’t roll your eyes, Bader is a fine opponent.)

Fresh off his decision win over Quinton Jackson, light-heavyweight contender Ryan Bader will be returning to action at UFC on FOX 4 (August 4th, Los Angeles) against another former champion, Lyoto Machida. UFC.com confirmed the news yesterday evening. Machida most recently got choked to sleep by Jon Jones in December, which was his third loss in his last four appearances. With Bader riding another hot streak, could the Dragon be in trouble here?

Also on the card, heavyweights Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell — who won UFC 145′s Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses, respectively — will be facing off in a guaranteed slugfest. (You’re welcome, Joe Silva.) Browne is still undefeated in his MMA career, with his last three victories coming against Chad Griggs, Rob Broughton, and Stefan Struve. Meanwhile, Rothwell’s first-round knockout of Brendan Schaub finally established him as a legitimate threat in the UFC.

UFC on FOX 4 will also feature Hector Lombard’s Octagon debut against Brian Stann, and Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim.

("Hey Lesnar, I heard you like guns. WELL HOW DO YOU LIKE THESE?!?" Photo courtesy of milwaukeemma.com)

Why let Strikeforce have all the fun in picking over Affliction’s carcass? According to Sherdog, the heavyweight scrap between Ben Rothwell and Chase Gormley that was supposed to be featured on the undercard of "Trilogy" will now happen at UFC 104 (October 24th, Los Angeles). Rothwell has won 14 of his last 15 fights, with notable wins over Roy Nelson, Krzysztof Soszynski (twice), and Ricco Rodriguez, and a sole loss to Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: Banned. Gormley is a promising 6-0 heavyweight from Bodyshop Fitness Team who holds wins over Jon Murphy and Eric Pele.

But that could just be the beginning. InsideFights.com hears that a whopping twenty Affliction fighter contracts have been snapped up by the UFC. The names haven’t been released yet — maybe they’ll be revealed at Friday’s "crazy" press conference — but considering guys like Vitor Belfort, Jorge Santiago, Takanori Gomi, and Paul Daley are still floating in the breeze, Christmas may be coming early for Dana & Co. We’d include Fedor Emelianenko on that list, but as long as M-1 keeps denying that their #1 asset is heading to the Octagon, there’s no reason to keep playing with your emotions.

(Up next for Rothwell: a showdown with “The Pitbull”?)

A source close to the organization tells CagePotato.com that a bout between former IFL heavyweight Ben Rothwell and former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is all but official and an announcement from Affliction is forthcoming. The bout has been rumored for weeks now, but no announcement has been made as of yet.

Rothwell is signed to both Affliction and Adrenaline MMA, a new organization headed by Rothwell’s manager, Monte Cox. Recent reports on the status of the July 19 Affliction card at The Pond in Anaheim, Calif. had Rothwell facing an as of yet unnamed opponent. The source confirmed that the opponent will be Arlovski, who leaves the UFC riding a three-fight win streak.

If true, it would add even more firepower to an already impressive first card for Affliction. The card is expected to be broken into pay-per-view and cable broadcast portions, which was reportedly a sticking point in negotiations between Affliction and HDNet. The addition of Rothwell-Arlovski would add even more top heavyweights to a card already laden with them, as well as position Affliction as a destination for heavyweights moving forward.

At the time of this posting, neither representatives for Rothwell or Arlovski had returned calls seeking confirmation of this information.

(Brown Pride vs. White Beef.)

With the Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin rumor now widely confirmed, multiple sources are reporting that Cain Velasquez will now take on new UFC acquisition Ben Rothwell at UFC 104. Unfortunately, this means Chase Gormley has been left without an opponent. On the other hand, who cares about Chase Gormley? The battle between the young juggernaut (Velasquez) and the big, hardy veteran (Rothwell) may determine the UFC’s next heavyweight contender after Carwin. Who ya got?

In other UFC news…

— That rumor about Gilbert Yvel being picked up by the UFC is probably bullshit.

The source for this one is a bit shaky, but Fightline is passing along news that Ben Rothwell will indeed be taking on Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: Banned (July 19th; Anaheim, CA) according to a Sherdog thread where Rothwell personally confirms it. As Rothwell writes:

I tried to never say if i was/was not fighting AA but most all the forum took it that way, sorry i guess.

anyway I’m excited to fight a top10 HW, so thanks for the support, peace

CagePotato reported this rumor two weeks ago, but there has been no official statement from the organization yet. Speaking of Arlovski, the Pitbull’s presence in an upcoming Adrenaline MMA meet-and-greet could suggest that he will fight for that outfit as well.

In other non-UFC news…

— HDNet has agreed to broadcast Adrenaline MMA’s first three fight cards. The first one is going down June 14th in Chicago (headlined by Jeff Monson vs. Mike Russow), and the second is slated for September 6th in Moline, Illinois, and will feature Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell; yep, just like the first Affliction show. Personally, we wouldn’t book Tim to fight less than two months after throwing down with Fedor Emelianenko, but hey, we’re not Monte Cox.

(Rampage cutting the the last few ounces with Cheick Kongo.)

Just a friendly reminder that we will be showing the weigh-ins at 6:00 pm ET tonight for tomorrow night’s UFC 135 event at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

Will Rampage give us more GIF fodder?

Will Jon Jones continue to lose fans for being cocky?

Will Josh Koscheck be the first opponent of Matt Hughes’ that the fans root against?

Will “Big” Ben Rothwell’s nickname be changed to “Medium” Ben Rothwell?

Will Nick Diaz show up to support his brother?

These questions and more will be answered after the jump.

At the “Affliction: Banned” weigh-ins, MMA Rated‘s Ariel Helwani caught up with our own Ben Fowlkes to discuss the fights, Tim Sylvia’s chronic unpopularity, and BF’s strong personal connection with Ben Rothwell. Props to Fowlkes for resisting the urge to grab the mic from Helwani and shout out his long list of sponsors.

On a sadder note, it’s looking like my home base of Brooklyn, NY, is one of the many (or so I’m hearing) markets that’s not carrying the Affliction undercard live on Fox Sports Net. Total freakin’ bummer; holler if that’s happening to you too. In any event, I’ll still be posting live results for those first three fights, starting at 8 p.m. ET — I just won’t be able to do a play-by-play. But hey, Aleks isn’t fighting now, so who cares anyway?

(Is Jay Hieron the latest IFL refugee to be rescued by Affliction?)

Some more news and rumors emerging about Affliction’s October 11th show in Las Vegas…

— Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell’s agent Monte Cox has informed Five Ounces of Pain that the two Miletich big boys are unlikely to be added to “Day of Reckoning,” though they could be part of Affliction’s third event.

— According to Tom Atencio, Aleksander Emelianenko “still faces licensing problems” and will not fight at “Day of Reckoning.” Said the CSAC’s Bill Douglas: “The one thing that I can absolutely say is that he (Emelianenko) was not and will not be cleared to fight in California. He is officially denied a license and that will stand for all of the United States of America.” The reason for Emelianenko’s rejection is still unclear, though he and his camp continue to refute reports that he tested positive for Hepatitis B before “Banned.”

— According to MMA Junkie, the middleweight bout between Matt Lindland and Vitor Belfort that was slated for “Day of Reckoning” could be scratched due to a hand injury suffered by Belfort. No word yet on who might replace him on the card against Lindland.

— And finally, some good news: Junkie also reports that IFL welterweight champ Jay Hieron has been approached by Affliction and is expected to compete at their October event against an opponent to be determined later. If this is true, Hieron would be the third reigning IFL champion that Affliction has picked up, after Roy Nelson and Vladimir Matyushenko. Of the remaining three, middleweight champ Dan Miller signed with the UFC, Ryan Schultz is heading to Japan to be a part of Sengoku’s lightweight GP, and featherweight champ Wagnney Fabiano is apparently still weighing his options.

(Photo courtesy of MMA Weekly)

In his first fight appearance in over two years — and his first victory since UFC 32 in June 2001 — legendary MMA pioneer/trainer Pat Miletich proved he’s not too old to beat some ass, overwhelming Thomas Denny with punches in the second round of their match at last night’s Adrenaline II event in Moline, Illinois. The 40-year-old "Croatian Sensation" controlled the entire fight, knocking Denny down twice in the opening round. As he said afterwards, "To be honest with you, win, lose or draw I was saying to myself backstage, ‘I accomplished something just getting back in to the shape I am.’ I’m an old guy, but these young guys motivate me."

It was also a good night for Miletich’s proteges, as the Miletich Fighting Systems camp went 5-2 on the night. Most notably, heavyweight standout Ben Rothwell took out an underqualified Chris Guillen, ending the fight with strikes from the top after a couple of submission attempts didn’t pan out; it was Guillen’s fifth-straight loss. Former IFL vets and MFS stablemates Ryan McGivern and Mike Ciesnolevicz also notched submission wins against less-experienced opponents (Geno Roderick and Derrick Mehmen, respectively). Overall, there were a lot of lopsided matchups on Adrenaline’s second effort, but honestly, what else are you gonna do in Moline on a Thursday night? Full results after the jump…

Ben Rothwell confirmed today that he will face Pedro Rizzo on the next Affliction show in Las Vegas on October 11. The bout has been officially signed, Rothwell told CagePotato.com, though it was agreed to on separate terms from his original contract, which means he will be taking a pay cut for this fight but still has two more fights at the previous rate on his existing contract with Affliction.

“[Agent] Monte [Cox] turned down their original offer for this fight, so that’s why he said none of his guys would be fighting on the show. Then they came back with another offer that was better, so we agreed to it,” Rothwell said.

Fighting a legend of the sport like Rizzo is something Rothwell says he’s ambivalent about, however.

“With Pedro, I not only respect his abilities, I watched him as a kid just getting into this sport. He’s one of the most down-to-earth, nicest guys in this sport, so on that level I don’t really want to fight him. But the fighter in me is amped for this. I’m going to go out there and do what I didn’t do against Andrei Arlovski.”

Rothwell said that he spoke with Rizzo at their first Affliction show and they both sensed that they may face each other next.

“I said I was going to ask for Buentello,” said Rothwell. “Then he said he was going to ask for Buentello. And Tim [Sylvia] also asked for Buentello.”

Rothwell criticized a report to the effect that he might face K-1 kickboxer “Mighty Mo” Siliga as completely false, adding that Siliga hadn’t ever been mentioned as a potential opponent.

(‘Oh, hello there. This? Just some stuff I’m autographing because I’m famous. No big deal’)

He may be still trying to fill out the first fight card for his new promotion, but Monte Cox is always looking ahead. The Adrenaline MMA CEO told MMA Weekly that the organization’s second show will take place in Moline, Ill. on September 6, and it will feature both Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell.

Of course, this means that Sylvia will be fighting for Adrenaline less than two months after taking on Fedor Emelianenko in their July 19 Affliction bout. When asked about how the suddenly overwhelming demand for Sylvia’s services might be affecting the new promotion and its non-exclusive contracts, Cox played it cool.

“We signed Tim Sylvia to Adrenaline. That’s a great sign for us. Then the Affliction thing comes along, what am I supposed to do? Tell Tim that he can’t fight the No. 1 fighter in the world in one of the biggest fights ever?” said Cox of the decision to allow Sylvia to fight for another promoter. “I’m not gonna tell him that. Why, just because I have a contract for him to fight for Adrenaline?

“We’re not going to do that stuff. If there are better fights out there that they have a chance to fight in and they want to do them and we want them to do them. Then that’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to fight outside of our own event.”

It’s a smart decision by Cox to put Sylvia and Rothwell on the card in the Quad Cities, which we like to refer to as “Miletich Camp Country.” Much will depend on who they can find as opponents, however. Regardless of what happens in Sylvia’s bout with Fedor, his stock is likely to move in one direction or another as a result. Still, it could be a long and busy summer in the world of new MMA organizations, so planning for September may be nothing more than hopes and dreams at this point.

(The best part about this Anthony Perosh highlight video?  It’s set to Mötley Crüe’s "Kickstart My Heart.")

Welcome to Bummertown, Potato Nation.  UFC.com informs us that Ben Rothwell has been pulled from his heavyweight clash with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 110 with an undisclosed illness, and in his place will be Australian local boy Anthony "The Hippo" Perosh.  As if one late change wasn’t enough to disappoint the sold-out crowd, the rematch between Elvis Sinosic and Chris Haseman, which was only interesting to Australians to begin with, has been removed from the card completely after Sinosic suffered a shoulder injury. 

But chances are you don’t really care about that.  Chances are you’re wondering, who the hell is Anthony Perosh, and does he have any shot in hell of beating Cro Cop on a few days’ notice?  The answers to those questions, in order, are 1) He’s a 37 year-old jiu-jitsu black belt who is 10-5 with losses in the UFC to notable fighters such as Jeff Monson and Christian Wellisch and wins over no one you’ve ever heard of, and 2) no, probably not. 

Perosh is homeboys with Sinosic (though who isn’t in the Australian MMA scene?), and he appears to be a natural 205-pounder.  His most recent outing saw him win a rare TKO victory over Kym Robinson in November, and before that he went down to a nasty knockout at the hands of James Te Huna in the finals of the Cage Fighting Championships light heavyweight tournament.  This is the point where we say that in MMA anything can happen and blah, blah, blah, but odds are that this guy is headed for the land of wind and ghosts this weekend.  Don’t believe us?  Watch the Perosh-Te Huna fight after the jump.  Then imagine that Te Huna is a heavyweight who once did this kind of stuff to people.  Prognosis: negative.

(If you’re trying to find the pro fighter in this picture, look for the guy who is not wearing sunglasses at night.)

As part of their effort to make Cain Velasquez the MMA ambassador to the Hispanic community that Roger Huerta never quite became, the UFC sent out a press release today touting Velasquez’s appearance at tonight’s Latin Grammy Awards (8 pm EST on Univision).  Velasquez also filmed a short video segment with Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel (I had to do some googling to confirm that these are actual musical artists; the story checks out) that will lead off the broadcast.  So if you don’t want to watch the whole thing, but you want to see Cain riding around in a Porsche with the two slicksters in the above photo, you can get in and get out even if you have no idea what’s being said (hint: they’re probably all talking about you, and you have no idea).

In related news, recent Velasquez-victim Ben Rothwell is rumored to be taking on Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at the UFC’s inaugural event in Australia on February 21.  We know, we know, didn’t Cro Cop retire because he didn’t have the game in him no more?  Turns out he wants another trip through the meat grinder, and Rothwell would be a pretty perfect opponent to give him one.  Both guys are fond of kicking and punching people, and both still need to prove themselves in the UFC.  And what the hell, the Australians have behaved themselves lately, so they deserve a little Rothwell-Cro Cop action.  We have to forgive those poor bastards for Men at Work some time.  They suffered just as much as we did.

(That’s Monte on the right, there)

Monte Cox is a busy man. With his own MMA organization, Adrenaline, set to put on their first show on June 14th, and with many of the high-profile fighters that he manages facing some interesting career decisions, he’s in no danger of getting bored.

Cage Potato got in touch with Cox earlier today to discuss rumors that Ben Rothwell would be facing Andrei Arlovski in the upcoming Affliction event, and after a little prodding we got much more than we expected from MMA’s super-manager, as he discussed a range of topics, from the chances of success for Affliction to the problems plaguing MMA organizations on the whole.

CagePotato.com: So Monte, what can you tell me about Ben Rothwell and Andrei Arlovski?

Well, they’re both heavyweights.

Thanks. Are they going to be heavyweights who fight each other in this upcoming Affliction show?

The only thing I can say is Rothwell is going to fight in Affliction. It’s up to them who he fights. I’d love it to be Andrei, but they’re the ones who ultimately get to make that decision. They had at one point talked about having Ben fight Aleksander Emelianenko, and then of course they talked about Andrei, but I don’t know what his contract status is. He was supposed to be free from his UFC contract on May 1, but I honestly don’t know if it will be Ben and Andrei fighting in that show. [Affliction] is supposed to have a press conference in the next week or two to announce some of that, but I honestly can’t say at this point.

It seems like having guys like Rothwell and Tim Sylvia signed to Adrenaline, your organization, and having them also fight in Affliction makes it difficult for you to schedule your events.

A little bit, but I said from the beginning that we were going to be a different type of organization. One of those main differences is we allow our fighters to fight other places. If one of our guys gets a good opportunity somewhere else, then we don’t want to keep him from that. It doesn’t help anyone.

The rumors have been flying about how much Affliction is spending on this first show. Since you manage a couple of the guys who are fighting in it, what can you tell us about the amount of money they’re spending? Some estimates have it at $6 million. Do you think that’s accurate?

I really can’t say what they’re paying out. The only people I know about are my guys, but if everything I’ve heard is correct they’ll have one of the biggest fighter payouts in history.

Is that a cause for concern about their long-term viability? How long can they keep shelling out that kind of money?

(Looks like Andrei’s the only thing standing between Fedor and another trip to the scary rollercoasters.  That is not a safe place to stand.)

Is it sad that this installment of Ben vs. Ben is forced to dwell on questions surrounding Affliction’s possible demise?  A little, but that’s life.  We can’t just pretend that they aren’t paying Andrei Arlovski roughly 20,000 t-shirts for an event that has no clear path to a profit…or does it?  That discussion and more awaits you below.

What are the odds that this is Affliction’s last show?

BF: -300.  In other words, 3-1 odds that we’ll never see another Affliction MMA event again.  I’m not happy about that, but if I’m being honest I have to look at how difficult it’s been for them to get a second show together, how much they’ll spend on it and how little of that will be recouped in ticket sales or pay-per-view revenue, and I can’t see how they justify another money pit of a show after this.

Of course, three has always been their magic number.  That’s how many shows they said they were committed to, and it would give them the chance to put on the Josh Barnett-Fedor Emelianenko fight they’ve obviously been angling for since the start.  But if Arlovski’s getting over a million bucks for this fight, imagine what it would cost to put on Barnett-Fedor alone, not to mention the rest of the card.  It would be an obvious money-loser, and even Affliction can’t bleed cash forever.  If they don’t pull out a miracle on Saturday night, they’re going to pack it in.

BG: I really hope nobody at Affliction has their fingers crossed and breath held for this miracle of which you speak. Between Margarito/Mosley and the UFC’s usual counter-programming and market saturation, Affliction won’t even be outperforming their first event in terms of ticket sales or pay-per-view buys. But I have to assume that they already know this. Maybe Atencio & Co. are bad at running an MMA organization, but they’re not childish enough to believe that money will literally fall out of the sky. And yet they sign Gegard Mousasi to fight in their third event, and announce they’ll be promoting four events a year with Golden Boy.

I’m not Affliction’s CFO, so I don’t know how much money the company is willing to lose on this MMA pursuit. But is it naïve to think that they wouldn’t be making these concrete plans if their future really depended on the financial performance of "Day of Reckoning"? Short answer: yes. Still, I’m going to set the odds for this one at a more generous -200. Now if I could just find a gambling site that offers a parlay bet on "Affliction won’t put on a third show" + "Tito Ortiz will never fight again," I could probably make a decent profit…

(The suit may make your opponent feel like a bum, but we’ll see who’s laughing when the sponsorship money gets tallied up. Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)

With our technical problems now solved (for the moment), we bring you the UFC 104 edition of Ben vs. Ben in its entirety.  There will be no further interruptions.  We hope.

Realistically, what chance do you give Shogun Rua to pull off a major upset at UFC 104 this Saturday?  If you had to bet on him, what odds would it take before it seemed like a good idea?

BF: Here’s the problem with Shogun – when he was at his best in Pride’s twilight years, he was beating people thanks largely to his aggression and constant pressure.  He was like a Wanderlei Silva who threw straighter punches and didn’t have a flash chin.  But against Machida, being hyper-aggressive on the feet just means getting knocked out faster.  If you aren’t technically superior (and Rua isn’t), the only option left is to put him on his back and try to wear him out on the mat, which isn’t exactly Rua’s forte.  No two ways about it, he’s getting knocked out.  Whether it happens early or late-ish is up to him.

(And now, two useless MMA commentators miss a fantastic standing heel-hook finish while trying to figure out how to pronounce “Vovchanchyn.” Props: EliteMMA)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere…

- UFC 145: Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell Booked for March 24 in Montreal (MMA Mania)

- Frank Mir Says Alistair Overeem’s Cardio Will “Suck” Against Brock Lesnar (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

- Top 10 Worst New Year’s Eve MMA Fights in Japan (The Fight Nerd)

- Nate Diaz Denies October Run-In With Donald Cerrone (5th Round)

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- NYE Storylines: Who Retires First After a Loss, Fedor or Lesnar? (Fight Opinion)

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- Gabriel Gonzaga: ‘The UFC Is My Home’ (Five Ounces of Pain)

- Countdown to UFC 141 Attracts Just 15,000 Viewers on FUEL (MMA Payout)

- Inside MMA: The 2011 Bazzie Awards (MMA Convert)

- Jon Fitch Says He Should Fight the Winner of Condit-Diaz if Victorious Against Johny Hendricks (Lowkick.Blitzcorner.com)

(One more Ben never hurt anything.)

At Wednesday’s press conference in Los Angeles every single Affliction employee made sure to refer to their event as “the biggest event in MMA history.” That may be a blatant exaggeration, but this coming weekend is still a monumental one for our sport, not to mention a great one for those of us who love it. With that in mind, we bring you another edition of Ben vs. Ben, where Cage Potato’s similarly named editors battle it out. This time it’s personal.

Which underdog has the best chance of scoring an upset this weekend?

Fowlkes: There are underdogs and then there are underdogs. By that I mean there are the guys who are betting underdogs and the guys who are mostly just perceived to be underdogs, even if the line on them doesn’t really reflect it.

For the latter I like Ben Rothwell. It might only be a mild upset for him to beat Andrei Arlovski, but it would go a long way toward silencing the Rothwell haters who still think his thirteen-fight win streak was all IFL hype. Some of it was, sure, but Rothwell is a monster. He can do everything Arlovski does, only better. He’s also matured and become a real workhorse in the gym since leaving the IFL, whereas a lot of guys might have slacked off with no fights on the horizon.

As for real betting underdogs, at +400 Reese Andy’s my man (okay, so the old IFL loyalties are starting to show, I admit it). It’s not that he’s so much better than Brandon Vera, but I just don’t believe Vera’s head is really in this fight. He’s still dwelling on the Werdum fight, still feeling like he ought to be a heavyweight, and now Andy’s going to come in, take him down, and grind away at his face for a decision victory. It’s definitely not out of the question.

Goldstein: Wow. You should have prefaced that response with “Caution: Extreme Nuthugging Ahead.” I like Rothwell too, but to say that he does everything Arlovski does, only better — well, it’s a statement that can only be proved by the fight itself. Still, I have to agree that Rothwell has a good shot at surprising a lot of people. Arlovski vs. Rothwell is the only fight on the Affliction main card that isn’t completely lopsided, and Big Ben has the tools to win.

(Above: Rashad Evans licks his hand and wipes his butt…
Below: …and pays dearly for it. / Props: )

We bid a final farewell to Saturday’s UFC event with a roundup of the 11 best GIFs from UFC 145, courtesy of The UG and IronForgesIron. Enjoy, and click here for previous MMA GIF coverage.

(Looking back now, it’s not hard to see why Roy Nelson ultimately decided not to go with "Big Graceful Swan" as a nickname.)

It’s that time again.  With the "Ultimate Fighter" Finale just a day away, we take a look back at season ten and a look forward into the futures of tomorrow night’s marquee fighters.  Enjoy.

Real talk: Was this the worst TUF season of all time?

BF: I’m tempted to say no. That is, until I start thinking about it and trying to name a season that’s been less enjoyable to watch and I draw a total blank. This was a perfect storm of crap. The fights were mostly one-sided, sloppy, uninteresting affairs. The Kimbo Bomb that resulted in huge ratings off the bat ended up being a dud. The bickering between Rashad Evans and “Rampage” Jackson went from enticing to annoying as soon as we learned that they wouldn’t be fighting any time soon.

(Image courtesy of AfflictionClothing.com via MMA Mania)

As our friend Kris Karkoski points out, "Naming the third Affliction event ‘Trilogy’ sure makes it sound like this is going to be their last card." Very true, though at least they’re finally giving us the fight we’ve been waiting for — of course I’m speaking of Dan Lauzon vs. Chris Horodecki. (Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett should be a decent scrap as well.) As we reported earlier, "Trilogy" may feature that rumored somethingweight fight between Gegard Mousasi and Vitor Belfort, and the poster also promises appearances by Tim Sylvia, Ben Rothwell, Paul Buentello, and Renato Sobral.

Don’t worry guys, Dana already has you down on his tombstone…

(Props: Sherdog via BloodyElbow)

When Andrei Arlovski steps into the cage with Roy Nelson tomorrow night at EliteXC: Heat, one thing is guaranteed — his hands will be ready. The Pitbull has been training with boxing guru Freddie Roach at Wild Card Boxing Club since before his Affliction: Banned bout against Ben Rothwell. The above video features Roach discussing his star MMA pupil, claiming Arlovski could have a successful boxing career and lauding his willingness to learn: “My best champion Manny Pacquiao has great work ethic and Andrei’s right there with him, and that’s why they’re world-class fighters.” Will Arlovski be able to execute Roach’s “punches in bunches” philosophy en route to a win over Big Country? (Answer: Yes, probably.)