(WEC 51 open workout highlights, courtesy of Heavy.com/MMA)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Helwani VS Dundas: WEC 51 Edition (Versus MMA Beat)

– Matt Mitrione’s Agent Responds to Being Fired on Live TV at UFC 119 (MMA Fighting)

– Photos: Josh Barnett, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp & Mark Coleman Pro Wrestling In Japan (MMA Convert)

– This Jose Aldo Highlight Video Will Get You Hyped Up for WEC 51, Guaranteed (MiddleEasy)

– MMA’s Drug Testing System Is a Complete Farce (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Catching Up: 10 Must-See Fights the New Fan Might Have Missed (LowKick)

– K-1 World GP 2010 Final 16 Video Trailer (MMA Scraps)

– Jamie Varner Feels Left Out (Watch Kalib Run)

- M-1 Global Finishes Selection Tournament With Five Championship Fights (FightMagazine)

 
(Serra needs a better hypeman.)

Jason "J-Dog" Wright worked his ass off getting us dozens of photos from Saturday night’s UFC 119 event, and we’re hell bent on getting them all uploaded onto the site for you to marvel at.

Here’s the latest batch of Jason’t shots of the guys and girls at the show in Indianapolis, Indiana last weekend.

Enjoy!

Pics are after the jump.

(Two entirely appropriate responses to the judges’ verdict. PicProps: Our Man J-Dawg)

Besides an affinity for horrifying Oregon Ducks gear, there isn’t much to dislike about Evan Dunham. In fact, in the wake of UFC 119 you could say Dunham has positioned himself as sort of an “Anti-Frank Mir” in MMA circles, emerging from his split decision loss to Sean Sherk looking like a winner, while the former UFC heavyweight champion emerged from his KO win looking like a loser. Given the near-unanimous public sentiment that Dunham got the “No Vaseline” treatment at 119, it will be interesting to see if the UFC simply ignores the amazing incompetence of the ringside officials on Saturday night and keeps the kid full-speed-ahead on his rise to a title shot.

Signs point to yes, as the always subtle UFC President took to his Twitter immediately after the official verdict to announce Dunham had been “robbed!” Meanwhile, Dunham himself — if his recent postfight with MMA Junkie is any indication — seems to be taking a far pluckier approach to his first professional loss.

("I took many lessons from this fight. For example, not all Americans are as affectionate as Pat Barry.")

If you were one of the poor bastards who suffered through UFC 119‘s woeful main event, you may have noticed Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and Frank Mir having a little chat in the third round. Mid-fight trash talk, perhaps? A friendly "is that all you got, bitch?" maybe, or the ever-reliable "you ain’t shit"? Not exactly. As Cro Cop explained to Index.hr (translated by Fighters Only), he was asking if Mir would be kind enough to let go of their clinch so they could stand and bang. The exchange basically went like this:

Cro Cop: Let me go, let’s go to the center and fight.
Mir: Let’s go to the mat.
Cro Cop: OK — if I’m on top.
Mir: We’ll stay in the clinch.

Eventually the ref broke them up and Cro Cop got his wish, even though he was knocked out by a knee to the jaw shortly after. Filipovic now joins the super-exclusive club of whacked-out MMA fighters who try to negotiate better positions during a fight, only to be refused by their opponents and then lose in humiliating fashion. At this point, the only other member of that club is Paulo Filho.

After returning to Croatia, Filipovic did another interview in which he flagrantly violated a recent CagePotato Ban — bad Mirko! — and assured everyone that he’ll be returning to the UFC. Twice, in fact…

(If a fighter’s going to strut like that, Dana wants them to at least have something to strut about.)

To say Dana White is a bit upset with the two fighters from Saturday night’s UFC 119 main event would be a major understatement. A more appropriate statement would be that the UFC president is pissed right off with the lethargic performances put in by Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic and Frank Mir at the Conseco Field House in Indianapolis last weekend.

White spoke to ESPN today and took aim at one half of the duo that made up 119′s final fight — former heavyweight champion, Mir who he hinted that he hasn’t decided whether or not fans will see fight again in the Octagon.

 
(If only…)

Our talented UFC 119 photographer and comment section regular Jason "J-Dog" Wright was back at the Conseco Field House in Indianapolis Saturday night to snap some exclusive photos for us.

Except for one scary incident prior to the Mitrione-Beltran fight (which Ariel Helwani touched on in this interview with Meathead) that nearly cost us some danger pay, J-Dog made it home in one piece with some wicked shots and some great stories to tell the grandkids some day.

Jason was situated by one of the Octagon doors and as such was able to get some candid shots before, during and after each of the fights.

Check out part one of our exclusive UFC 119 photo gallery after the jump.

(VidProps: YouTube/ArielHelwani)

After two surgeries to repair a detached retina in his right eye, Alan Belcher says his vision is still blurry and dark and he told Ariel Helwani backstage during UFC 119 on Saturday that he is “less than 50 percent” recovered. Nonetheless, if Belcher can avoid another surgery it is possible he could return to MMA action sometime next summer, he says.

“My doctor is optimistic and all the other doctors I’ve talked to are optimistic about it,” Belcher says. “It’s just, if I have more surgeries and other things go wrong, it could be a possibility that I can’t fight again. I just have to get all healed up and I have to pass the ophthalmology exam and I have to get my vision better. Right now it’s still blurry and I can’t really take the chance of hurting my other eye. (But) I’ll take the chance myself if the doctors will let me, I’ll get back in there no matter what.” 

(Seriously Mirko, you didn’t miss much. We’ll tell you about it later. PicProps: Vancouver Sun)

There were times during UFC 119 when it felt like everyone involved spent Saturday afternoon chugging tons of codeine cough syrup. Everybody looked just a little slow, a little out of it. It sure didn’t help that the two main eventers were totally sleepwalking during the first 14 minutes of their fight before Mirko CroCop ended things with his vicious head butt to Frank Mir’s knee. The “co-main event” was also entirely forgettable, as Ryan Bader outpointed Roger Nog to reportedly win the Jon Jones Sweepstakes. Guess we’ll have to check in with him in six months, find out how that worked out for him …

This was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a great effort from the world’s largest MMA promotion. It also wasn’t quite as bad as a lot of people are saying. We’re not talking “worst show of all time” territory here. Credit local boys Matt Mitrione, Sean McCorkle and Chris Lytle for salvaging what they could of the day. Also, Evan Dunham and Sean Sherk’s back-and-forth battle was by turns exciting and totally bizarre. Too bad it was marred by a shaky judges’ decision. And hey, the good news is, if you liked UFC 119 you’re gonna love Oct. 16’s UFC 120, which looks just as terrible on paper but at least airs for free on SpikeTV.

 
Just a reminder that the UFC 119 post-fight presser is live and can be watched right here.

Will Mirko retire? Will Dunham swallow the loss to Sherk? Does Bader get to be killed by Jon Jones Next? 

All this an more will be answered. Giddy up!

UFC video player is after the jump.

(Well, now I’m going to have nightmares. That’s great. Thanks for nothing, Joe Rogan. PicProps: UFC.com)

Look, we’ve been trying to think of a good way to tell you this. In the end, maybe it’s best if we just come right out and say it: UFC 119 isn’t a great PPV card. Your main event features two guys just trying to cling to life in the heavyweight division, while the rest of the card is kind of … meh. Not saying it’s terrible, but if you wanted to save your money for, say, UFC 121 and just follow the live blog for this baby, we’d understand. We got you, player. That’s what we’re here for. And if you’re some big swinging dick who has money out the yaz (even in these tough economic times) and you’re ordering the thing, but for some reason still feel compelled to follow along online – maybe as a respite from how empty and shallow your life really is, maybe just to toss out sweet zingers in the comments section — that’s fine too. We don’t discriminate. Except against fat people. And the old.

We’ll be going live just after 10 p.m. EST, 7 p.m. PST. Remember to hit refresh early and often to get the latest updates.

 
(A Croat, an asshole and a Brazilian walk into a bar…)

Frank Mir weighed in 25 pounds heavier than opponent, Cro Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at today’s UFC 119 weigh-ins, dispelling any rumors that he is over his loss to Brock Lesnar and he will drop to light heavyweight any time soon.

Making weight, Filipovic got the final stamp on his Indianapolis fight license, which made him breathe a sigh of relief after an eye injury he sustained earlier this week in training left the bout in jeopardy.

Shortly after he weighed in, Croatian news outlets who had been asked by the fighter to not release the photo until after he was given the go-ahead to face mir by the commission printed this shot of Mirko’s injury taken immediately after the eye poke occurred.

Amazing how much he has healed in less than five days.

(Amazing what the power of Stevia can do for healing.)

Every fighter on the card checked in at their respective weight limits, thus making all of their fights official for tomorrow night.

Check out the official weights and the replay of the weigh-ins after the jump.

(VidProps: YouTube/Heavy.com)

Gotta be honest, Joey Beltran is not at all what I expected.  The gentleman who appears in the above video seems far too sensible, far too well-adjusted and far too agreeable to multiple wardrobe changes to also be a guy called “The Mexicutioner” whose calling card is that he likes to knock his opponents’ jaws into the third row. In fact, the Beltran we meet in this interview with Heavy.com seems to be a pretty fun-loving dude. Even when the topic turns to his fight with Matt Mitrione at UFC 119 this weekend, Beltran takes on a friendly, matter-of-fact tone while explaining how badly he plans to whip that ass.

("You want the winner of Koscheck-GSP?")

Here’s another story that illustrates why the Potato Nation is awesome.

Jason Wright (or J-Dog as he is known around these parts) contacted us about a month ago to see if we needed a photographer to cover UFC 119 for us. Since CagePotato had never been credentialed, we figured with the success of our UFC Fan Expo booth (which was due largely to the help of CP’ers ReX13 and Viva Hate) now is as good a time as any to apply.

(VidProps: YouTube/Ariel Helwani)

As we found out on a recent episode of The Bum Rush, UFC rookie and Indianapolis local Sean McCorkle understands at least one constant in life: Nobody likes an angry giant. When you’re as physically imposing as McCorkle – he’s 6-foot-7 and says he started his “living nightmare” weight cut for UFC 119 at around 320-pounds – you basically have no choice but to be jolly. It’s just the more socially acceptable thing to do. As McCorkle reaffirms in this video interview with Ariel Helwani, the big fella’s got jokes, alright.

McCorkle is so legitimately amusing here that he doesn’t even break out his best material until the six-minute mark, when he starts talking about his bitch of an ex-wife. He claims he never considered fighting anything more than a hobby until said bitch “pretty much took all his money” in a divorce about a year and a half ago. Since then it’s been full speed ahead, running his professional record to 9-0 before being tabbed as the guy to welcome Pride veteran Mark Hunt to his contractually-obligated Octagon debut on Saturday.

“Boy, does your ex-wife feel stupid now,” Helwani says.

“She felt stupid to me before,” McCorkle deadpans. Hi-yo!

 
(UFC 119: Mediocre Mean-Muggers)

Will Frank Mir come off as a douche bag? Is Cro Cop motivated and in shape enough to shut his mouth with a headkick? Will Bader or Lil’ Nog say anything bad about each other?

All these questions and more will be answered at 1:00 pm ET today during the UFC’s obligatory pre-fight press conference for Saturday night’s UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop event in Indianapolis, Indiana.

UFC video player is after the jump.

(Video courtesy MMAWeekly)

During a media scrum ahead of his UFC 119 bout with Frank Mir, Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic was asked about his career, his future in MMA and whether or not chasing a title is in his plans.

When asked where he sees himself in the UFC’s heavyweight division, Cro Cop danced around the question like a politician.

"I see myself only Saturday night in front of Frank Mir. That’s where I can see myself so far."

(Joey Beltran predicts a slugfest against Matt Mitrione during the UFC 119 Spike TV Prelims, and explains the origin of his "Mexecutioner" nickname. Props: FightMagazine)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– CSAC’s George Dodd Explains Why Chael Sonnen Was Allowed to Compete at UFC 117 (MMA Fighting)

– Chael Sonnen Plans To Appeal Drug Test + Jim Rome’s Take On Sonnen (MMA Convert)

– UFC 119: Frank Mir’s Last Run At Heavyweight Title? (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Dunham, Sherk Headed in Different Directions Leading Up to UFC 119 (Versus MMA Beat)

– This Is What Google Says About Your Favorite Fighter (MiddleEasy)

– Snowman’s Land: Jeff Monson Discusses Next Fight in Israel, Drop to Light-Heavyweight (LowKick)

– The Best Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante Highlight Reel Ever (MMA Scraps)

- Understanding Why Chael Sonnen Failed His UFC 117 Drug Test; a Procedural Look (Watch Kalib Run)

– Bas Rutten Comments on Steroid Use in Mixed Martial Arts (Five Ounces of Pain)

After an unsuccessful stint in rehab, the Gambling Addiction Enabler has returned to do what it does best — make large, ill-advised wagers simply for the thrill of gambling. We’re not saying you should follow our betting advice, necessarily, but there are plenty of opportunities to beat the bookies at UFC 119, which goes down this Satuday in Indianapolis. The betting lines are below, courtesy of bestfightodds.com. If you can’t afford to waste real money, please hit up MMA FightPicker and throw down some virtual PotatoChips on the fights. And if you don’t know what these numbers mean, please read this first.

MAIN CARD
Frank Mir (-220) vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (+215)
Ryan Bader (-165) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (+155)
Chris Lytle (-125) vs. Matt Serra (+120)
Evan Dunham (-204) vs. Sean Sherk (+190)
Melvin Guillard (-150) vs. Jeremy Stephens (+140)

SPIKE TV PRELIMS
CB Dollaway (-295) vs. Joe Doerksen (+270)
Matt Mitrione (-140) vs. Joey Beltran (+136)

UNAIRED PRELIMS
Thiago Tavares (-290) vs. Pat Audinwood (+240)
Steve Lopez (-115) vs. Waylon Lowe (-115)
T.J. Grant (-150) vs. Julio Paulino (+145)
Mark Hunt (-215) vs. Sean McCorkle (+200)

And away we go…

(Video courtesy megavideo/UFC)

With Sonnengate taking the piss out of the fact that there’s a UFC event this weekend, a lot of us (myself included) forgot that he UFC 119 countdown show was on last night.

If you happened to miss it and you were looking for something to do at work today instead of finishing up putting the new cover sheets on your TPS reports, we got you covered. 

We won’t spoil it for you, but the first thing that becomes clear in the latest episode is that they have switched up the format which gives the show a David Fincher movie feel to it.

I’m a fan of the new style, but then again the frenetic pace and non-stop jittery transitions seem to mimic my ADHD-controlled thought pattens, so it could just be me.

A few notes on the show after the jump:

(Right eye, hospital. Left eye … uh … hospital. PicProps: Sherdog)

While Dana White and Mirko CroCop didn’t totally get their stories straight over the weekend about the status of the fighter’s injured (or not injured) eyeball, both guys voiced confidence that CroCop will be able to compete in his scheduled UFC 119 main event against Frank Mir on Saturday. Unfortunately, their opinions don’t really matter, as multiple media outlets remind us this week that CroCop will still face a medical exam by the Indiana Gaming Commission before he’s allowed to fight.

(Thanks to a traditional Croatian remedy, CroCop’s eye will be just fine. PicProps: Sportal.hr)

This week’s rumors that Mirko CroCop would withdraw from UFC 119 due to injury were indeed greatly exaggerated, but reports that the UFC and Pride vet suffered a mishap in training contain at least a modicum of truth, according to the fighter himself. CroCop told the Croatian sports website Sportal.hr on Saturday that he did take a blow to the eyeball while making final preparations for his fight with Frank Mir next weekend, but assured everyone it’s not something we need to worry our pretty little heads over.

“I got hit in the eye, but nothing scary,” CroCop said, with thanks to MMABay (or somebody) for the translation. “This isn’t the first nor the last punch like that. It won’t stop me from traveling to fight, and to fight next Saturday against Frank Mir.”

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– The UFC officially announces Penn vs. Hughes III in Detroit (MMA Convert)

– Efrain Escudero comes in four pounds heavy for UFC Fight Night 22; fight with Oliveira will proceed as a catchweight bout (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Must-see: Chael Sonnen debuts his new stand-up comedy material at yesterday’s UFC Q&A session in Austin. (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Helwani vs. Dundas: UFN 22 Edition (Versus MMA Beat)

– Donald Cerrone Steps Over the Line Between Good Hype and a PR Problem (MMA Fighting)

– UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop extended video trailer (MMA Scraps)

– Punk rock vampire pirates are the key to MMA promotion, obviously. (MiddleEasy)

– Anderson Silva says the fight against Chael Sonnen would be a different story, if he was completely healthy (LowKick)

– Behind the Lens With Josh Koscheck (FIGHT! Magazine)

– Epic video of Muhammad Ali doing what he does best…talking that smack (Watch Kalib Run)

You may also be interested in…

– The Jackass 3D crew needs ideas. Submit yours for a chance to film it with them. Plus, video of a rather impressive ferris wheel nut-shot. (WonderHowTo)

– Music video directors who made the jump to the big screen (Bullz-Eye)

(Sakuraba vs. Mayhem at DREAM.16: A fight so amazing, it can only be described as ‘Fantasista’. Props: YouTube.com/DREAM)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Todd Duffee Released By The UFC; Manager Calls Him an "Ass" (MMA Convert)

– Ariel Helwani goes backstage with MMA broadcast icon Mauro Ranallo. (MMA Fighting)

– Want a pair of tickets to UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop? All you need is a name and an e-mail address… (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Kendall Grove confirms fight with Demian Maia at TUF 12 Finale in December (Five Ounces of Pain)

- Ring Girls Round-Up: Shark Fights Angels (LowKick)

– After Defeating James Toney, Does Randy Couture Have One Last Title Run Left? (Versus MMA Beat)

– Brock Lesnar’s Most Unintentionally Hilarious TV Spots (Watch Kalib Run)

– Exclusive Bellator 27 Photo Gallery (Fight! Magazine)

– After escaping from a mental institution last month, MMA cult hero Viacheslav Datsik is still at large, and preparing for his comeback. (MiddleEasy)

– 10 MMA Photos That Will Scare Your Children and Make You Cry Yourself to Sleep (MMA Scraps)

(Cain Velasquez‘s new Lugz commercial. Yeah, he smashed that. Props: YouTube.com/MMAFightClub)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– Punch Drunk Preview: WEC 50 (Heavy.com/MMA)

- Cro Cop Says He’s Not Ready for UFC 119 but Still Guarantees a First Round Knockout (MiddleEasy)

– Backstage: Ariel Helwani vs. Ed Soares (MMA Fighting)

– Total Fighter Payroll for Strikeforce Challengers Phoenix: $53,250 (MMA Convert)

– 10 Taekwondo Knockouts That Will Blow Your Mind (MMA Scraps)

– Shane Carwin still silent on steroid connection; media as well (Watch Kalib Run)

– Pettis: ‘Roller Doesn’t Want Any Part of My Stand-up’ at WEC 50 (Versus MMA Beat)

– Chael Sonnen Syndrome: Urijah Faber trash-talking his way to the WEC Bantamweight Title shot? (LowKick)

- Rafael Cavalcante: “I have been working hard for not just this fight, but for my dream, every day for six years.” (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Strikeforce Houston: Noons & Gurgel on Standing and Banging for a Title Shot (FIGHT! Magazine)

According to Fighters Only, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be unable to face Frank Mir in their headlining rematch at UFC 119 (September 25th, Indianapolis), due to an injury that will require surgery. Which sucks for him, but on the bright side, you didn’t really care about that fight anyway. Stepping in for Big Nog will be Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, who has been surging back to relevance with back-to-back stoppage victories over Anthony Perosh and Pat Barry. It’s a huge opportunity for Cro Cop, who would finally become a legitimate heavyweight contender in the UFC with a win over the former champion. Mir hasn’t competed since his TKO loss to Shane Carwin at UFC 111, which followed his quick spanking of Cheick Kongo last December.

Though Nogueira had to undergo knee surgery in 2009, his latest injury is possibly hip-related. Big Nog has also battled staph infections in recent years, which delayed his meeting with Cain Velasquez, and supposedly affected his first performance against Frank Mir at UFC 92. After suffering the only two stoppage losses of his career in his last three fights, it seems that Nogueira has finally learned his lesson about fighting hurt. But after so many tough battles, injuries, and illnesses, will his body ever fully recover?

(They don’t like smiling. Put that in your little notebook.)

Dana White confirmed with MMAFighting.com over the weekend that Brock Lesnar‘s expected title defense against Cain Velasquez will come at UFC 121, slated for October 23rd at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The meeting will come nearly four months after Lesnar’s comeback submission win over Shane Carwin at UFC 116, and eight months after Velasquez stormed through Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110.

Though betting odds for the fight opened with Lesnar as a minor favorite (-125 to Cain’s -105), Lesnar has already moved as high as -160, due to money flooding in on the champ. At this point, the only other matchup reported for UFC 121 is a lightweight scrap between Sam Stout and Paul Taylor. In other booking news…

(Always be specific when you order "Brazilian twins" from the local escort service. You could get badly burned. Trust me guys, *badly* burned…)

Sherk vs. Dunham? Who cares! Lots more UFC 119-related news just came over the wires, and it looks like the people of Indianapolis are going to be in for a wild night, even if the main event is somewhat lacking in importance. Here’s what we’re dealing with…

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir: This will reportedly be the evening’s headliner. Hmm. If you’ll recall, the two former champions coached against each other on TUF 8, then Mir shocked our asses by TKO’ing Nogueira at UFC 92. Nogueira blamed his weak performance on a staph infection, so maybe this fight will turn out differently, but basically we’re being given another UFC main event where both guys are coming off losses, and the winner doesn’t even become the division’s #1 contender. Personally, I was more interested in a Big Nog vs. Cro Cop rematch. 

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader: Now we’re talking. Lil’ Nog needs to redeem himself after nearly getting beat by late replacement Jason Brilz at UFC 114, while Ryan Bader is looking sharper every time out, most recently knocking out Keith Jardine at UFC 110. If Bader can out-hustle the Brazilian vet, he’ll land directly in the light-heavyweight title mix.

(Dunham and Escudero at UFC Fight Night 20. Tickets to the gun show are free, but nobody leaves without paying. Photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Returning from a decision loss to Frank Edgar at UFC 98 and a year of injuries, Sean Sherk will attempt to return to the Octagon (fingers crossed) at UFC 119 (September 25th, Indianapolis), where he’ll face undefeated rising star Evan Dunham. With a 4-0 record in the Octagon and big wins this year over Tyson Griffin and Efrain Escudero, Dunham may finally experience what it’s like to be a favorite against the former UFC lightweight champ. To be honest, Sherk isn’t much of a step up for Dunham, who soundly defeated Griffin last month, but it’s another solid opportunity for the 28-year-old Xtreme Couture product to build his name.

Sherk was supposed to return to action last October at UFC 104 against Gleison Tibau, but had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. He was rescheduled for a UFC 108 meeting against Jim Miller, but again withdrew after suffering a cut over his eye in training. In March, Sherk was slated to face Clay Guida at UFC on Versus 1. You can probably guess how that turned out.

Despite earlier reports, Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez are not slated to meet at UFC 119. A headliner for the event is yet to be determined, though a Quinton Jackson/Antonio Rogerio Nogueira match is still possible for the main card. Other reported fights include CB Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen, Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens, and Chris Lytle vs. TBA. 

(Hopefully the governor of Indiana can grant Meathead a stay of mexicution. / Photo courtesy of UFC.com)

As first reported by MMA Junkie, the UFC is preparing to make its first-ever stop in the state of Indiana, as UFC 119 is on the docket for September 25th in Indianapolis. The Hoosier State began regulating mixed martial arts last year, and is finally being rewarded for their good behavior. At this point, the only rumored matchup on the card is a heavyweight tilt between Matt Mitrione and Joey "The Mexicutioner" Beltran, who were both victorious in their bouts at UFC 113. The show is expected to take place at the 18,000-seat Conseco Fieldhouse. As Indianapolis is dead-center in the middle of a state that’s sandwiched between Illinois and Ohio, you can expect to see a lot of Midwest talent on the card. However, Indiana-bred UFC standouts Jon Fitch and Chris Lytle would be unlikely to compete at the event due to prior engagements.