(“He’s never going to be forgotten. I think about him still every day and I don’t think that’s ever going to change.” – Sam Stout)

We caught up with consummate crowd favorite Sam Stout over the weekend at the MMA Expo in Toronto and we touched on a number of topics, including how the healing process is going for him and his Team Tompkins teammates since losing friend and mentor Shawn Tompkins. We also spoke about how the team is rallying behind Mark Hominick this weekend as “The Machine” gets set to take to the Octagon for the first time in his career without “The Coach” in his corner Saturday night when he takes on “The Korean Zombie.”

Stout is candid about the affect Tompkins’ death had on him and he reveals the team’s plans moving forward. Definitely a must-watch interview.

Check it out after the jump.

(Meanwhile, back at the GQ press conference.)

In case you missed the full episode this week, we’ve got the entire UFC 140 countdown show for you right here.

Not sure if the production crew for the show has changed since the UFC has cut ties with SPIKE, but this episode has a much different feel than past editions, including new graphic and title sequences and a lot of slow motion shots .

Overall it’s a decent show.

One interesting factoid that came out of the episode is that Only Chuck Liddell in the past five years has successfully defended the UFC light heavyweight belt more than once. Jones has done it once and so has Machida.

Personally, I don’t feel that Lyoto deserves to be a 4 to 1 underdog, but I guess we’ll know come Saturday night.

Check out the entire show after the jump.

Just a friendly reminder that we’ll have the UFC 140 pre-fight press conference stream here starting at 1:00 pm ET. At the event, which will take place at the Toronto International Film Festival Lightbox,  will be main card participants Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Antonio Rodrigio Nogueira, Frank Mir, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Tito Ortiz.

Will Tito keep shoving his self-invented, “The People’s Champion” moniker down everyone’s throats?

Will Frank Mir tell everyone how much better he is than the Nogueiras?

Wil Jon Jones explain why he will always be the betting favorite in his future fights?

Will anyone ask Lyoto about drinking piss?

Will Lil’ Nog be asked any questions?

All of these questions and more will be answered after the jump at 1:00.

Our good buddies at Victory Belt are about to release The Grappler’s Manifesto: The Guide to Strangling, Torquing, & Bludgeoning Your Way to Victory in The Cage [Ed. note: My God this title], in which some of the world’s greatest grappling instructors and MMA fighters — including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Greg Jackson, Dave Camarillo, Randy Couture, and Neil Melanson — share their secrets for winning fights on the ground. Compiled by writer/trainer Lance Freimuth, the 272-page tome is packed with never-before-published techniques, and we’d like to give a copy to a lucky CagePotato reader in a test of fight-picking expertise.

This Saturday at UFC 140, Jon Jones will attempt to make his second light-heavyweight title defense against ex-champ Lyoto Machida. Plus, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira rematch in the heavyweight division, and Tito Ortiz returns to action against Big Nog’s slightly-smaller twin. Submit your predictions for these three fights in the comments section below, including the winner’s name, the method of victory, and the time/round of stoppage, if any. Your entry should be in this format:

We’ve partnered up with our friends at Hayabusa for another awesome contest for UFC 140 in Toronto, Ontario, which just happens to be where the company is based out of. Because they’ve had a banner year and their athletes have enjoyed a great amount of success in 2011, they have once again raised the bar with the incredible prize package they put together for the winner.

The rules are simple.

In the attached gallery, you will find a collection of snapshots of action from fights from the past year that feature at least one, and in some cases two, Hayabusa-sponsored fighters. Your job is to do your homework and figure out which event the bout depicted took place at, which fighter or fighters are depicted in each photo and determine which of them are actually Hayabusa-sponsored. Some are obvious due to the huge “Hayabusa” logo on their shorts, but others will take a bit more digging. If you look for other photos of the fight or scour through the videos in your DVD collection, you’ll find the answers.

Trust us, it’s worth the effort.

One entry per person emailed to contest@cagepotato.com by midnight Sunday December 11. To be eligible you need to sign up for the Hayabusa newsletter on the company’s website and “Like” their Facebook page HERE.

In the case that there is more than one winner, a name will be drawn out of all of the correct answers.

Check out the prizes after the jump.

(*crickets*)

From the Toronto Sun via BloodyElbow:

Just eight months after 55,000 fight fans filled the Rogers Centre for the mixed martial arts company’s first ever Ontario show, Toronto will host UFC 140 on Saturday night. The fanfare for the event has paled in comparison to last April’s spectacle when the city had been buzzing for months about UFC 129, which was headlined by Canada’s own Georges St. Pierre. But this time around, it is being held at the much smaller Air Canada Centre…Despite the great line-up, there’s been little hoopla over the city’s second ever UFC event, which still has tickets available.

What the hell happened, Toronto? How did you go from a record-destroying immediate sellout in April to a “Good seats still available!” situation in December? On the surface, it doesn’t make much sense. So let’s throw some excuses around…

Last week, we let none other than The Great Potato step in and give you guys some gambling advice for the TUF 14 Finale. He went spuds out, gambling his son Tater’s future college fund on a parlay that included Jason Miller and T.J. Dillashaw. He has since gone into hiding and refused to answer any of our calls. Now that UFC 140 is on the horizon, we bring you some saweet betting lines, courtesy of BestFightOdds, along with our advice, in order to ensure his children receive the education they deserve.

Main Card
Jon Jones (-440) vs. Lyoto Machida (+350)
Frank Mir (-250) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria (+210)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueria (-225) vs. Tito Ortiz (+175)
Brian Ebersole (-125) vs. Claude Patrick (-105)
Mark Hominick (-380) vs. Chan Sung Jung (+290)

The Main Event: The fact that Lyoto Machida is listed with a slightly better chance to beat Jones than Rampage Jackson, a.k.a the last person to beat Machida, is intriguing to say the least. We all know Lyoto has stepped up his training camp for this bout, and packed on an incredible 21 pounds of muscle to try and deal with the size and strength of Jones, but will this weight gain hinder the Dragon’s renowned elusiveness? And despite Jones’ near immortal stature among the UFC’s light heavyweight division, there is still one huge facet of his game that has yet to be tested, his chin.

(Once again, “elusive” trumps “explosive.” Lots more giffy goodness after the jump.)

Unlike our previous GIF galleries, this one will not feature any shuffling or bumping bitches out of the way. Instead, we’ve got 14 examples of Lyoto Machida in the cage doing what he does best — beating his opponents to the punch and foot-sweeping them into a living death. The question is: Will any of it work against Jon Jones at UFC 140 this Saturday?

Certified hottie Corissa Furr of Fighting Famous was recently able to score an interview with the mixed martial artist formerly known as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz, in the midst of training for his upcoming bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueria at UFC 140. Ortiz was quick to correct Furr when introduced as such, claiming to have taken on a more positive, Sanchezian outlook on life, in order to show that “through hard work and dedication you can achieve anything in this life.” Though this kind of mentality can do wonders for the soul, be wary Tito, it can wreak havoc on one’s appearance.

Tito goes on to state that he “doesn’t even talk trash to fighters anymore.” Some of you will likely find yourself scratching your head after reading and/or hearing this statement, and rightfully so, considering the shit storm of verbal warfare Ortiz came at Rashad Evans with before his last fight in the UFC. But that was like, 4 months ago, you guys. Time has a way of changing people. So while you’re at it Tito, go ahead check the whole flinch test at the weigh-ins off that list of as well.

We’ll try and decipher the enigma-wrapped-riddle that is Ortiz’s syntax after the jump. 

(Props: UFC via CesarGracieJewJitsu)

As if the mutants at the ‘UFC on FOX’ press conference in Los Angeles weren’t scary enough, last month’s UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida presser at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto proved to be another example of why the fan-question portion of these things should probably be eliminated. First of all, it’s Keith Kizer, not Steve Kizer. And whether Kizer and Steve Mazzagatti are lovers is really nobody’s business except their own.

The next fan asks Dana if Jon Jones would be getting a superfight with Anderson Silva after he gets through Lyoto Machida — while Machida is right there in the room with him. Christ, just because Lyoto doesn’t speak English that well doesn’t mean he can’t hear it. Closing out the segment, the third question is about Steven Seagal, and the last one is a guy begging for an internship. And you know there was some goof in line for the mic who went home pissed off because he couldn’t ask Dana who he thought would win in a fight between Alistair Overeem and Grand Gigas Malus. Step it up, guys.

Previously: “I got every UFC fanboy’s wet dream here, the only thing that would make it better would be sitting in your lap right now.”

(Props: BushidoAristotle7 via MiddleEasy)

After the way Lyoto Machida finished Randy Couture in his last fight, the Daniel LaRusso references were inevitable. But this UFC 140/Karate Kid mashup is one of the greatest parody videos we’ve seen yet, thanks to all the amazing cameos. (LMAO @ Rashad Evans jumping into Machida’s arms at the 0:20-021 mark.) So, will life imitate YouTube on December 10th? Keep in mind that BushidoArtistotle7 is clearly biased against the champ, judging by the fact that his only other video also ends with Jon Jones getting beat up.

(Full gallery is after the jump.)

A couple important things to know about UFC ring girl Brittney Palmer: Her glorious return to the Octagon could happen as early as UFC 140 on December 10th, according to a new report. Also, her red-hot 2012 calendar is available now, and Brittney is selling autographed copies for $26 on her website. Browse through a few of the calendar highlights in the gallery below, and let The Hottest Woman in MMA know how you feel @BrittneyPalmer.

(Props: mmapain)

Once in a while, a singular talent will arise and utterly dominate this sport. He comes out of nowhere, immediately starts whipping top-ranked fighters with years’ more experience, and leaves both fans and his opponents in awe of his abilities. Jon Jones is that guy right now. And nobody knows how fleeting that moment is better than Lyoto Machida, whose invincible aura (and “era“) went up in smoke as quickly as it arrived.

That’s what gives Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida such a great storyline for their meeting on December 10th in Toronto. Besides Machida’s unorthodox style, which could be an effective counter to Bones’s own funky attacks, the Dragon stands as a living reminder that nobody is invincible — seriously, not even Jon Jones — and defeat is simply a matter of running into the wrong guy on the wrong night.

(Turn on captions for subtitles.) 

It appears former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida has pulled out all the stops to prepare for his upcoming championship bout at UFC 140 with Jon Jones. Check out the above video, which gives us an inside peek at Lyoto’s daily regimen, with the exception of one truly disgusting aspect that could easily pop up on this season of Fear Factor.

The show, which I am going to ignorantly label “Random Univision Program #113,” states that Lyoto has packed on an incredible 22 pounds of muscle, and man does it show. Along with bringing in a team of physiologists and physiotherapists, Lyoto has even shrank the size of the octagon in which he trains, from 9 meters in diameter to just 7.5, forcing him to be even more elusive than previously thought possible. No word yet on how exactly he plans on making his precision more…precise.

-Danga 

(Aldo will make his third UFC title defense at home in Brazil.)

Jose Aldo will be in for a stiff test when he puts his UFC featherweight crown on the line against undefeated 11-0 wrestling standout Chad Mendes on January 14 at UFC 142 in a yet-to-be-announced locale in Brazil.

“Pound-for-pound superstar Jose Aldo will return home to fight in Brazil for the first time since 2007 when he defends his UFC featherweight title against unbeaten powerhouse Chad Mendes,” UFC president Dana White revealed to FoxSports.com this morning. “Aldo hasn’t lost in over five years, but Mendes has yet to lose in MMA, and after clearing out all the contenders put in his way, he believes he has what it takes to beat the champion.”

(“It is what it is…or somethin’ like that.”)

Seemingly perpetual number one UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans took the diplomatic approach today when addressing the news that Lyoto Machida will be leapfrogging him to a shot at the promotion’s current 205-pound champion, Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December. In a statement released by his management group, Authentic Sports Management, Evans explained that that the injured thumb he incurred in his UFC 133 bout with Tito Ortiz back in August will likely require an additional three weeks of rehab before he can resume training, meaning his camp would only be six-and-a-half weeks, leaving him without sufficient time to prepare for such an important bout.

“After my last fight against Tito Ortiz, I dislocated my right thumb, which required it to be set back in place and held with pins. 24 hours ago, my physician removed the pins,” Evans explained. “At that time, I learned that it would require another three weeks of rehabilitation before engaging in any exercise or training that would require the use of my hand.”

(Now Lyoto’s the swagger jacker)

Well, we were right in our prediction that the hand injury Rashad Evans incurred in his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz in August would likely lead to him being screwed out of another title shot.

UFC president Dana White announced today via Twitter that UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will defend his title for the second time on December 10 in the main event of UFC 140 at the at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto when he takes on Lyoto Machida.

You’re telling me that Ortiz found a hat that fits him? Nice try, photoshop.

The UFC has announced that a light-heavyweight fight between Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has been added to UFC 140. This marks the second time that the two have agreed to fight each other. Originally, the two were supposed to meet in the main event of March’s UFC Fight Night. However, Tito Ortiz withdrew from the fight due to a concussion, and was replaced by Phil Davis.

Both fighters are in serious need of a victory if they want to stay relevant in the UFC. While Ortiz managed to pull off an upset victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 132, he went on to get thoroughly dominated by Rashad Evans (save for a guillotine attempt in the second round) at UFC 133. Tito Ortiz is now 1-5-1 in his last seven fights. Likewise, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is riding a two fight losing streak of his own. After losing to Ryan Bader at UFC 119, Nogueira was outclassed by Phil Davis during March’s UFC Fight Night. If we’re not counting his controversial victory over Jason Brilz at UFC 114, Nogueira hasn’t won since punching out Luiz Cane at UFC 106 in November 2009.

Fight card for UFC 140 after the jump.

Well it looks like Dennis Hallman’s wardrobe malfunction at UFC 133 won’t cost him his job with the UFC.

“Superman” Tweeted last night that he will be dropping back down to lightweight for the first time in 10 years to take on undefeated Canadian prospect John Makdessi at UFC 140 in December in Toronto.

A true moneyweight fighter, Hallman who is 50-12-1 (1 NC) in 64 professional fights as a light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight and lightweight, defeated Matt Hughes at 155 at UFC 23, earning him a shot at then-lightweight champ Jens Pulver at UFC 33, but fell short, losing to “Lil’ Evil” by unanimous decision. That was his last fight at 155.

(Like two little Fonzies. Photo via CombatLifestyle)

Coming off his redemptive knockout of Brendan Schaub at UFC 134, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira‘s next fight will give him a chance to settle an old score. The UFC announced yesterday that Big Nog will rematch Frank Mir at UFC 140, December 10th in Toronto.

The two heavyweights first met at UFC 92 in December 2008 following a shared stint on TUF 8. Despite coming in as a 3-1 underdog, Mir shocked fans by outstriking Nogueira en route to a second-round TKO. Then, Nogueira pee-peed on Mir’s parade by revealing that he was fighting with a staph infection and injured knee, which didn’t exactly sit well with Mir. Nogueira has wanted a rematch ever since, and re-called-out Mir following his big win last month.

(Prepare to mobilize, Potato Nation North…)

Following the UFC’s record-shattering first visit to Toronto in April, the promotion plans on heading back to Canada’s largest city by the year’s end. According to an ESPN report, UFC 140 will take place at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on December 10th. No fights have been announced for the card yet, and since Georges St. Pierre is already booked to fight Nick Diaz on October 29th, the country’s biggest star almost certainly won’t be showing up for an encore performance.

That should help explain why the event is somewhat scaled down compared to UFC 129, which hosted over 55,000 fans at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The capacity of the Air Canada Centre is about 20,000, meaning that a sellout would put the attendance on par with the UFC’s hugely successful events at Montreal’s Bell Centre — still nothing to sneeze at.