(Props: ecdcmma)

We’re not exactly sure when this took place, but recent footage has emerged showing Joe Rogan clearing the air with Quinton Jackson about their recent mini-beef. If you’ll recall, Rampage blasted Joe Rogan in an interview earlier this year, painting him as a fake-ass rusty trombone player with a girly high-ass voice who’s biased towards jiu-jitsu fighters. Rogan responded on his podcast by saying he doesn’t mean to be rude when he criticizes a fighter’s performance, and only tries to “objectively…figure out how this guy could be doing better than he’s doing…I can’t protect someone’s feelings at the expense of doing what I’m suppose to be doing, which is sort of analyzing what is going on.”

Makes sense to us. But Rogan went the extra mile in this sit-down, apologizing to Rampage’s face and explaining where he was coming from. Jackson explains that what really bothers him is new UFC fans parroting Rogan’s criticism back to him without knowing his history or what he’s really capable of; he claims he doesn’t remember what he said in that interview anyway — which is convenient, because it means that he doesn’t have to apologize — but it must have been right after he heard something insulting from one of these noobs. In the end, they both agree that these Internet guys ruin the sport, and walk away with mutual respect.

“It’s squashed,” Rampage says. Luckily the conversation didn’t take place in Memphis, or somebody might have gotten the shit smacked out of them for that line.

(Little did Zach Galifianakis know that this would be the most awkward episode of “Between Two Ferns” to date.) 

As has become public knowledge by this point, there are two sides to Chael Sonnen. Two sides that, while vastly different from one another, combine to form a charismatic, well-spoken, yet incredibly polarizing mixed martial artist. The fact that Sonnen manages to effortlessly shift between these two paradigms when hyping a fight, giving a post-fight interview, or relentlessly tearing apart a Canadian reporter is only a testament to his ability to enthrall while repelling, to pique one’s interest while simultaneously drawing their ire. This may sound like a bit of “nut-hugging” as the MMA blogosphere likes to so eloquently put it, but there’s no denying that Sonnen is truly a unique individual, and one who could sell a ketchup Popsicle to a woman in white gloves without batting an eye.

But the Chael Sonnen that sat down with Joe Rogan as part of his infamous (as far as podcasts go) “The Joe Rogan Experience” was not the fight-hyping, pro rasslin’ “Oregon Gangster” that many fans can’t bear the sight of. Instead, for over two and a half hours, Rogan managed a feat that perhaps no other interviewer, journalist, or low-level blogger has even come close to: He managed to bring out the sincerity in Chael Sonnen.

And it was nothing short of fascinating.

Not fascinating in a “what’s he going to say next?” kind of way, but rather in a “man behind the myth” kind of way, and to put it simply, it stands above any other Chael Sonnen interview I personally have ever seen. The two dished on everything from Sonnen’s turning point as an MMA fighter (which came as a result of hypnotherapy, believe it or not), to Dan Severn’s infamously terrible work against Shannon Ritch, to Chris Leben’s batshit crazy childhood. But none of it felt forced, or fabricated. The Chael Sonnen that sat down with Rogan was endearing, empathetic, and above all else, realistic, and a kudos is due to Rogan for managing to bring that out of him.

Check out the full podcast after the jump. 

(Overeem likes his pecs like his K-1 trophies: abnormally large.) 

On a recent episode of Inside MMA, commentators Joe Rogan and Michael Schiavello sat down alongside Josh Barnett to discuss the topic that has thrown the MMA world into chaos over the past few days: Alistair Overeem’s positive drug test. Barnett wisely chose to remain silent for the duration of the conversation, likely because his last positive test was responsible for destroying the Afflicition promotion before it could spend itself into its own grave.

But it was Schiavello, a long time friend of Overeem, who took an interesting stance on the issue, basically saying that, if a fighter pisses hot anytime other than fight week, why should they be held accountable? Here’s what he said:

You know, while we’re talking about the subject, Kenny, I just wanna chime in here on a couple things that have been playing on my mind, the last week or so, since the news of Alistair (Overeem) broke. Alistair doesn’t have a license with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), so how are they testing him in the first place when he doesn’t have a license with them? By what jurisdiction are they testing him? And ‘B,’ everyone seems to be hanging Alistair out to dry. They’ve been nailing him to the cross and crucifying him, but it’s still two months away from his fight. You know, he hasn’t technically cheated. Because, unless he pisses hot on the fight night, how could he possibly have cheated? There’s still an opportunity he can get from the 14:1 down to the allowed 6:1 level by fight time. But we’re calling him out as a cheat, two months out from a fight?

Yes, Michael, we are calling him a cheat. Probably because he fucking cheated.

Check out the video, along with Mark Hunt’s reaction to the news, after the jump.

Add this upcoming documentary to the pile of must-see soon-to-be-released MMA movies along with “Once I was a Champion” and “Fightville.”

“Fight Spirit Pride” looks back on former UFC featherweight contender Mark Hominick’s crossover period from Canadian MMA standout to popular Octagon veteran five years ago. Though it should have been one of the most exciting and happy times of his life, it was one of the most stressful and painful for Hominick as his father was also dying from cancer.

Featuring a number of the sport’s most recognizable faces including Dana White, Eddie Bravo, Joe Rogan, Sam Stout, Georges St-Pierre, Bas Rutten and Kevin James, the emotional film also touches on the untimely death of “The Machine’s” longtime mentor, trainer and friend, Shawn Tompkins last year.

Here’s a description from the film’s producers:

“This is a Documentary film about a UFC fighter’s struggle between being there for his dying father, and his career. This documentary is a very raw uncensored microscopic look into the life of a fighter; it has two deaths and two births.”

Check out the trailer after the jump.

(When Stephan Bonnar says he will do anything to get his hands on some Mad Dog, he means ANYTHING.) 

Though Chael Sonnen claims to be “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” the title could very well go to long time UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. The man can turn an ice spill into comedy gold. He will put any referee with a last name sounding like Maserati on the spot without a seconds notice. And God forbid you try and diss him during one of his stand up routines. When he turns his hat backwards, it gives him a feeling of super strength that would make Lincoln Hawk piss his pants. Simply put, the man is a DMT tripping, BJJ grappling, spin kick throwing force that rarely fails to entertain when placed in front of a camera.

With the first ever live season of The Ultimate Fighter kicking off tonight, Rogan sat down and shared some of his favorite moments in the show’s history. Go figure, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar‘s war at the TUF 1 Finale was the first thing to be discussed. Here’s what he had to say:

The first season was the first time reality television was integrated with such an exciting and intense growing sport, and it came together in the most beautiful and poetic way possible with the finals … The estimations were that there were as many as eight million people watching this fight. That’s unfathomable! People are at home, and they were calling their friends up, and they’re like, ‘Dude! You’ve gotta watch this. There is a crazy fight going on and these two white guys are beating the fuck out of each other!’ And that was the birth of modern mixed martial arts. That was the fight that put it on the map.

Join us after the jump for the full video.

(If you’re controlling the Japanese fighter against Rampage, just hit down, down, up, X, down to poison his food.)

By Jason Moles

Two weeks ago, fans around the world were delighted to partake in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s latest attempt to broaden its revenue streams with the release of UFC Undisputed 3. It didn’t take long before word began to spread about just how incredible the game is. But despite all of the improvements and advantages that Undisputed 3 has over the game’s first two installments — such as an improved submission system, a less cluttered career mode, and the inclusion of two additional weight classes and a PRIDE mode — the game just isn’t quite “as real as it gets.” At least not yet. Here are five things that UFC and THQ need to add the next go-’round if they want to put a little truth in their advertising and gain some more street cred among UFC die-hards.

Hat Thieves: If you’ve been watching the sport for any amount of time you will have noticed that fighters love to promote their sponsors with every opportunity they get, from donning their gear to slapping a sticker on everything they wear. Some even go as far tattooing a logo on their calf. One of the easiest ways to rep a company that gives you a paycheck for the exposure is to throw a ball cap on your head on the way to the Octagon…and hope that you still have it on when you hit the Harley Davidson prep point.

Hat snatchers are the lowest of the low, depending on whom you ask, and yet they add a comically endearing bit of chaos to the broadcast. C’mon, admit it. You chuckle every time a hat vanishes into the crowd. Therefore when my created fighter, The Bulldog, makes his way to the cage, I want to see someone snatch his hat. Then, and only then, will I know I’ve made it.

(This punch-face that Bendo gave Frankie Edgar? Good *and* ugly.)

By Mark Dorsey

Inspired by the 1966 Spaghetti Western film about three gunmen who set out to find a hidden fortune during the American Civil War, this post-event wrap-up is dedicated to the moments that may have slipped through the cracks or deserve a little bit more analysis. Before we bid adieu to the resounding success that was UFC 144, join us for a look back at the event with a solid, squinty-eyed gaze that would make a macho legend like Clint Eastwood proud.

The Good
• The Japanese crowd. As expected, the Japanese crowd was politely engaged in the fights throughout the entire event. There were long periods of respectful silence during most of the action, prompting Joe Rogan to urge Mike Goldberg to take off his headphones in order to soak in the eerie quiet in the arena. Rogan is a stand-up comic who doesn’t often get the opportunity to crack jokes during the fights but it was funny when he said that event was akin to watching “a cagefight in a church.” Despite the reverent atmosphere, the crowd also had its moments of vocal fervor, erupting into chants of Hioki’s name and random “UFC” chants, while also scolding Ryan Bader with boos when he tried to tie-up Rampage from the bottom. The Japanese fans showed a lot of support to non-native fighters such as Vaughan Lee after his impressive armbar victory over Kid Yamamoto, and Tim Boetsch after his shocking comeback win over Yushin Okami. The vibe in Japan was markedly different from the UFC’s amazing shows in Toronto and Rio, but anytime there’s an event when the fans become one of the main talking points, it speaks to their passion.

• Referees. Referees usually only get the spotlight if they make a mistake or controversial decision, but sometimes they should get mentioned simply because they did a solid job. That was certainly the case at UFC 144 which saw some great stoppages. Particularly noteworthy was Herb Dean’s reaction time, jumping in to stop Mark Hunt and Issei Tamura from inflicting more damage after their devastating knockouts of Cheick Kongo and Zhang Tiequan, respectively. In a similar vein, during the Lauzon/Pettis fight, referee Marc Goddard was right on top of the action, quickly stepping in to prevent follow-up damage after Lauzon was KO’d.

Joe Rogan debuted his new recurring segment on Fuel’s Ultimate Insider show this week and it was pretty good. For the first episode, Joe looked back on what made PRIDE awesome. The standout moment had to be his wild-eyed impersonation of former PRIDE announcer Lenne Hardt.

The GIFS are great, but the clip after the jump is even better.

(“Please tell me he didn’t call anyone the C word.”) 

It didn’t take long for UFC color commentator Joe Rogan to acknowledge the recent criticisms aimed at him by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. And despite being called a “fake ass” and a “girly, high-ass voiced rusty trombone player” (loosely translated), Rogan decided not to start a war of words with Rampage, and in fact was rather complimentary when discussing the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion on his video podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience:

I love Rampage. I don’t mean to be rude when I assess things. I’m just trying to objectively try to figure out how this guy could be doing better than he’s doing. When I look at a guy Rampage, first of all, [he's] one of the most exciting fighters of all time. You go back to his fights in PRIDE like the Ricardo Arona fight or the Kevin Randleman knockout…he had a lot of great, great fucking fights in PRIDE. You know, I like [Rampage] a lot. I like him as a person. I enjoyed hanging out with him. 

Join us after the jump for the full video.

We’re big fans of Masato Toys’ MMA action figure series, so when we saw his latest work on the first issue of MMAtional Enquirer, we knew our readers would dig it too.

Besides Roger Huerta and Tito on TMZ, we haven’t really had any MMA luminaries who have gotten much attention from the tabloids. Not sure that’s a bad thing, but it’s likely to change as the sport grows and gets more mainstream.

We had our suspicions about Roy, but the Arianny-Ariel affair surprised the hell out of us us since you’ve got to fight to love her.

Check out the inside of the rag 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)

(“What is…a donkey punch?”)

Joe Rogan has never been one to hide his opinions. Whether it’s an early stoppage, a late stoppage, or a botched judges’ decision, many UFC fights have ended with Rogan passionately expressing his disagreement. But at UFC 142 earlier this month, Rogan went even further and corralled referee Mario Yamasaki for an unscheduled post-fight interview, asking Yamasaki to justify his disqualification of Erick Silva for shots to the back of the head. It was an uncomfortable moment, but as Rogan explained, he felt it was his duty to ask the questions that the viewers might have at that moment.

One notable fighter has come forward to stand up for Yamasaki — Carlo Prater, the guy who actually took the alleged illegal shots from Silva that night. As Prater sees it, his perspective and Yamasaki’s perspective hold a lot more weight than Joe Rogan’s, who’s just a “swagger,” in his opinion. (Continue reading for a definition of “swagger” as used in this context. It might not be what you think.) Here’s what Prater told SportTV.com in a new interview:

(An artist’s depiction of what was going through Joe Rogan’s mind the moment he found out Eric Silva had been DQ’ed. And yes, Joe Rogan appears in his own fantasies.) 

Much has been made of Joe Rogan‘s impromptu interview with referee Mario Yamasaki following his decision to disqualify Erick Silva at UFC 142 this past weekend. Some are saying it was a totally unprofessional move by Rogan, while others believe it would have been unprofessional of him not to question the seemingly botched ruling by the longtime UFC official. Whether or not you agree with Rogan’s decision (or Yamasaki’s, for that matter), we can all agree that the Silva/Prater fight proved the necessity for a stricter policy in regards to an instant replay in areas other than Nevada. Rogan, however, has already taken to the internet, specifically the UG, to explain why he chose to put Yamasaki on the spot:

He’s a great guy, and I’m always happy to see him. When I step into the octagon however, I represent the people watching at home that might have obvious questions, and when something is controversial I’m forced to confront it honestly because that’s what I would want to hear from a person in my position if I was a fan watching it at home.

I think Mario Yamasaki is one of the best in the world at refereeing MMA. No doubt about it. He’s got great insight to the sport, he’s a life long martial artist, and he’s a really smart guy. What I was acting from, is that I saw an incredible young talent get denied a KO victory for a questionable call. When I entered into the Octagon and was told of the official ruling that Silva was going to be disqualified for illegal blows to the back of the head everyone that I was around who heard the news opened their mouths in shock. Everyone said, “what?”

The people in the truck couldn’t believe it. I had to read it back to them because I thought it was a mistake, and when I leaned over to explain it to Goldie he couldn’t believe it either. I had to ask Mario about it. I didn’t know how he was going to respond, but I had to ask him.

Erick Silva is a very promising fighter and I felt like I had a responsibility to address the issue. No disrespect intended.

Join us after the jump for more interesting tidbits from around the MMA world, some of which may or may not be completely made up.

(Face, you are a scary. / Photo via FOX Sports)

By Mark Dorsey
One final recap of Saturday night’s UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes event, Clint Eastwood-style.

The Good
• Edson Barboza‘s astounding spinning heel kick knockout of Terry Etim. Mike Goldberg might have been exaggerating a bit when he called it “maybe the most spectacular knockout in UFC history,” but it’s certainly the early front-runner for Greatest Knockout of 2012. And props to Joe Rogan for immediately recalling Baraboza’s prior use of the kick against Anthony Njokuani. As Rogan mentioned, it’s an under-utilized technique that we may start to see come in-vogue in 2012, much like the crane kick in 2011.

• Gabriel Gonzaga needed a good performance to provoke any sort of excitement in his return to the UFC’s heavyweight division. Even sweeter than his early finish was his proclamation that we can expect to see him return to the submission base that generated so much interest in his first run at UFC contention.

• After two highly energetic Brazilian shows within a year, the UFC has found its most passionate and dedicated audience. The crowd at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro was loud, enthusiastic, and everything one would expect from a bunch of rowdy Brazilian fight fans. There was a good amount of variation in the chants throughout the night — from “U.S.A., to “Thiago,” to the famous soccer anthem “ole ole ole” — and a surreal crowd-surfing celebration from defending featherweight champion Jose Aldo capped off the incredible fan involvement.

(UFC 141 weigh-in highlight video via MMAFighting.com)

Come back to CagePotato.com tonight for our liveblog of “Overeem vs. Lesnar,” beginning with the Spike TV prelims at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT; the pay-per-view card kicks off an hour later at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. UFC 141 weigh-in results are below. After the jump: GIFs of Brock Lesnar’s post-weigh-in rage-pose and Joe Rogan‘s search for meaning in the eyes of the main eventers.

MAIN CARD
Brock Lesnar (266) vs. Alistair Overeem (263)
Donald Cerrone (156) vs. Nate Diaz (156*)
Johny Hendricks (170) vs. Jon Fitch (171)
Alexander Gustafsson (203) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205)
Jim Hettes (145) vs. Nam Phan (146)

SPIKE TV PRELIMS
Junior Assuncao (145) vs. Ross Pearson (145)
Anthony Njokuani (154) vs. Danny Castillo (156)

FACEBOOK PRELIMS
Sean Pierson (171) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (171)
Efrain Escudero (155) vs. Jacob Volkmann (155)
Luis Ramos (171) vs. Matt Riddle (170)
Diego Nunes (145) vs. Manny Gamburyan (146)

* Diaz originally weighed in at 157. From Cagewriter: “Diaz missed the lightweight limit at 155 pounds and then cut to within one-quarter pound. Instead of taking 20 percent of Diaz’s purse, as is normally mandated by state commissions, Cerrone agreed to re-work the contract. He also said Diaz didn’t have to cut any more weight. Cerrone’s camp told its fighter to pipe down and asked Diaz to go lose the weight. After two tries Diaz got it done and the most heated fight at UFC 141 is a go.”

#10: Not everybody was prepared for the intensity of the UFC on FOX promo trailer.

Damn we love us a good GIF. 2011 provided us with dozens of memorable ones, but these ten stood out a little more than the rest. If we’ve left out one of your favorites, shoot us a link in the comments section. Props to ZombieProphet, Gordo on the UG, and everybody else who spends time making these things.

#9: Honey badger don’t care.

(Props: NBC.com via IFI)

Joe Rogan appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Friday to promote the re-booted Fear Factor, and kicked off the segment by making his support known for fellow guest Ron Paul. “Every single thing that comes out of his mouth, I go ‘yeah, yeah, finally’,” Rogan said, rocking a Ron Paul 2012 sweatshirt. “When he talks about the gold standard, when he talks about civil liberties, everything he says.” The Republican presidential hopeful seems flattered, until he learns just how disgusting Fear Factor is, and then things get sort of awkward.

Part two of the Rogan/Leno segment is after the jump. Trust me, you’re gonna want to see how this “crappuccino” thing plays out. Joe also describes a “nightmare gig” from his early comedy career in which he played at a couples’ strip club. Like, a woman and a man stripping on stage at the same time. (“It was an idea that never really caught on, for some strange reason.”)

After carefully analyzing the 150+ entries from last week’s Fear Factor contest, we’re ready to crown our latest Caption Contest Champion. But first, some honorable mentions…

Fried Taco: And that is how you clean up spilled ice.

J. Spaceman: ”You may be wondering why we’ve brought you to Stockton, CA. For your first stunt, you will be interviewing Nick Diaz. I understand if you want to drop out now.”

curlyroger: What happens after Steven Seagal teaches you how to light your fart.

wiv-honors: Evidently, avoiding ridiculous movie cliches is not a factor for Joe Rogan.

LOKI: Joe desperately tried to heed the advice of Lot, Oasis and Ace of Base.

Like a Bas: “Man, I hate that huge fireball guy. He’s such a douche, always setting fire to mountains and shit! Who does he think he is, what an assho…he’s behind me, isn’t he?”

Without further ado, your winners…

(That is some crazy, high-level arson. Props: Fear Factor on Facebook)

If we’ve learned anything from our Michael Bay DVD collection, it’s that calmly walking away from an explosion without even looking at it = ALPHA.

In honor of the stunt-packed and insect-infested return of  Fear Factor — which premieres December 12th on NBC — we thought we’d hold an impromptu caption contest, featuring host Joe Rogan totally ignoring whatever blew up behind him. Submit a clever caption to the comments section by Sunday night at midnight ET; we’ll pick three winners on Monday, who will receive CagePotato t-shirts. Good luck.

Related: Video: Fear Factor 2.0 Is F*cking Crazy

(We suspect the only time this dude balls up his fists is when he does the Dougie)

We’ve all seen him. The guy who works for a construction company in Boise, Idaho who has never thrown a punch in his life, but insists on throwing up a fist every time he poses for a photo with a fighter or anyone else even loosely linked to the sport.

Just stop. You look ridiculous and even the fighter (reporter, ring announcer, cutman etc.) in the photo with you is shaking his head, wondering why the hell you do that. You aren’t a fighter and you aren’t a kid. Do you pretend you’re playing air guitar when you get your picture taken with Slash? Do you pretend you’re performing fellatio when you pose for a photo with a porn star? Yes? Well then you have bigger problems than we thought.

(“UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida” video trailer. Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

Some selected highlights from our eBros around the MMA blogosphere…

- Dana White Relieved Shogun vs. Henderson Didn’t Headline FOX Premiere (5th Round)

- ‘Tapped Out’ Author Talks Transformation From Pudgy Writer to Formidable Fighter (MMAFighting)

- Chael Sonnen Accepts Anderson Silva’s Challenge to Fight in Brazil (Five Ounces of Pain)

- UFC Champ Junior Dos Santos Contemplating 2016 Olympic Run in Boxing (FightLine)

- Tito Ortiz Has a Message for Rich Franklin: ‘I’ll Break You Off Some’ (MMA Mania)

- 15 MMA Fighters Who Are Ready to Explode Onto the Scene (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

- Remember When Joe Rogan Was on the Cover of “Black Belt” Magazine? (The Fight Nerd)

- Paulo Filho Pulled Out of ANOTHER Fight, and Now KSW Is Pretty Heated (MiddleEasy)

- Vadim Finkelstein: We Will Offer the UFC a Fight Between Velasquez and Fedor (Lowkick.Blitzcorner.com)

- DREAM New Year! 2011 Will Likely Feature Fedor Emelianenko and Shinya Aoki (MMA Convert)

- Media/Insider Fallout From UFC’s Debut on Fox (Fight Opinion)

- UFC 139: Payout Perspective (MMA Payout)

(Video courtesy of NBC)

Free-falling from 600 feet in the air.

Jumping from a burning platform you are standing on while ten stories in the air.

Plummeting 400 feet head first through multiple floors of a wooden structure.

Leaping from a moving bus onto a rope dangling from a helicopter that then drops you onto a speeding boat, that promptly takes you to another helicopter, which dangles you over a barge with gas-filled oil drums while you blow the motherfucker up with a flare gun.

These are four of my recurring nightmares, which all happen to be stunts from the return season of Fear Factor.

According to the show’s producer and host Joe Rogan, an increase in stunt technology has allowed them to multiply the,  ”Holy shit!” factor by 1000 and the result of the equation should be infinite entertainment when NBC launches Fear Factor 2.0 in December.

(Chael Sonnen whips Erik Koch’s ass at UFC Undisputed 3, later denies he used cheat codes. / For more photos, visit the “Chael Sonnen, Rampage Jackson and Chuck Liddell Test Out UFC Undisputed 3” gallery on Lowkick.blitzcorner.com)

This week’s featured stories…

- BJ Penn: A Lesson in Greatness (MMA Convert)
“When last we saw BJ Penn, the Hawaiian legend was battered and bloody and seemingly adamant about his UFC 137 appearance – a hard loss to Nick Diaz that left his eye purple and swollen – being his last trip into the Octagon. Then, days later, came the post on Penn’s website, saying he would take some time off and see where it goes from there. Which leaves us with what? A former welterweight and lightweight champ on the cusp of retirement? A warrior in the waning years of his career? Or simply a fighter who needs some time to reassess his place in the sport? I’d say definitely all of the above. Which isn’t to say Penn is washed up; he is, and will always be, one the best MMA has ever seen.”

- Joe Rogan: If NASCAR’s Not a Monopoly, UFC Isn’t Either (And They Should Buy K-1) (Fight Opinion)
“The people who own K-1, they owe a lot of money, man. They want to start fights but they want to not have to pay all the fighters that they owe money to and they owe just fucking untold millions of dollars to fighters that they haven’t paid. So, they’re in a bad financial situation but it’s because they didn’t promote it correctly. If someone like the UFC came along, if Zuffa came along and picked up K-1 — they’re not interested in it, I’ve talked to them about it — but if someone like that did, if Mark Cuban did or someone with balls and a lot of money who loves the sport, God damn that’s a gold mine. It’s a God damn gold mine. Mark Cuban, go do it! You already got Michael Schiavello working for you.”

- Gameplans For Surviving Fights With Movie Monsters (The Fight Nerd)
“Unless you’re UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, you do not want to be engaged in a stand up battle with a werewolf. The lycanthropic crime against nature may come out overly aggressive and afford you the ability to start dancing around and tagging him. But this thing has a gas tank to rival Clay Guida and one flurry is the difference between looking slick on your feet and a first round loss by technical mauling.”

(Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland/ESPN)

In an effort to take some of the growing workload off of the backs of color analyst Joe Rogan and play-by-play man Mike Goldberg, the UFC announced today that it has added veteran sportscaster Jon Anik to its broadcast team.

Anik, who has anchored MMA Live since 2008 and hosted several ESPN pre-UFC shows, will be involved with the November 12 Fox broadcast in some capacity and will likely take the reins of commentating duties for the next season’s weekly live broadcast of The Ultimate Fighter on FX among other events.

“We’re very happy to have Jon as part of the team,” UFC president Dana White said after making the announcement at today’s UFC 137 press conference.

“It’s a dream come true. I believe the UFC’s a strong a brand as there is in professional sports, but what really drew me to this organization was the people behind it. I think as strong as this organization is, it’s the people behind it,” the 33-year-old Boston native said Thursday. “It’s a well-oiled machine, I just hope I don’t get in the way. I’m very excited to get started.

(You can make fun of your opponent’s voice, and you can trash his fighting style. But mock a man’s sideburns, and you’re asking for the worst beating of your life.)

Start sharpening your razors, folks: We’re just eight days away from the official start of Movember! To help get you in the moustache-growing spirit, we’ve put together a photo gallery of our favorite facial hair arrangements in MMA history, which you can check out after the jump.

It been five long years since we’ve been treated to moderately attractive chicks eating African cave dwelling spiders and crashing cars into buildings, but if the trailer for the return of NBC’s Fear Factor says anything, it’s that we are in for some even more clownshit crazy stunts and challenges when it airs December 12th.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/TwisterEddie)

Renato Laranja doesn’t take kindly to people dissing his beloved Brazilian homeland, and why should he? The dude is a 27-time Mundials champ.

It doesn’t matter if the guy talking smack about his country is a UFC commentator and the host of Fear Factor. Renato gives Joe Rogan no pass, even if he wants to avoid a face-to-face conflict with the dangerous BJJ black belt, because he “talks a lot of stuffs.”

Laranja has issue with Rogan’s penchant for smoking “the heefer,” because he feels like kids who are fans of his work in the UFC and on TV will start smoking it to emulate Joe.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/MMAHeat)

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A moving-picture tribute to the UFC’s deep-thinking, pot-smoking, foul-mouthed color-man. More great Joe Rogan gifs after the jump…

(video courtesy of YouTube/NaturalBornKillerMMA)

Joe Rogan interviewed Tito Ortiz on the latest edition of UFC Insider and let’s just say Tito’s linguistics skills are as good as they’ve ever been.

Let’s break down the less than three-minute interview after the jump, shall we?