If you are looking for more MMA action, upstart Bellator FC might be for you. Never heard of it? Maybe because it was on ESPN Deportes last "season" and only the hardest of the hardcore fan kept up with it. Apparently they drew a big enough audience to land them on cable network Fox Sports Network live on Thursdays. If you missed the first season of Bellator, feel shame as it was fantastic.

The upstart MMA promotion Bellator Fighting Championships has announced that it will be back in 2010, with shows airing live on Thursday nights on FOX Sports Net. Taped highlight packages will air in the wee hours of Sunday mornings on NBC, and Bellator has also reached an agreement with Telemundo for Spanish-language distribution.

"Since our launch earlier this year, there has been an overwhelming demand from MMA fans nationwide for us to broadcast our events live and through a widely available platform," Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have signed this groundbreaking agreement with FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo, which will bring our unique and exciting brand of tournament-based MMA events to a dramatically expanded audience of both English- and Spanish-speaking fans."

Bellator will continue its tournament format, so at the end of each season it will crown new tournament champions, just as it did in its first season with Joe Soto, Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard and Lyman Good. The first event of Bellator's second season will air live in prime time on Thursday, April 8, 2010 on Fox Sports Net. The second season will run for 12 straight weeks, and then Season 3 is scheduled to begin on August 12, also running for 12 straight weeks.

Will Lyoto drink more than just his urine in preparation for fighting Shogun? Will Shogun show signs of previous injuries? Will there be hugs between these guys as they seem to do nothing but talk good about each other in interviews? We'll find out tonight when the Countdown to UFC 104 airs tonight at 11PM ET/PT on Spike TV.

Go behind the scenes as Lyoto Machida “The Dragon” gets ready make the first defense of his UFC light heavyweight crown in the main event of UFC 104 against former PRIDE star Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Also watch as unbeaten Cain Velasquez prepares to take on former IFL star “Big” Ben Rothwell.

TNA Bound For Glory 2009 is in the books, with the big story being Sting's possible retirement, LoP has a report of the post-main event speech from the Stinger.

After the match, Sting was going to leave the ring but he returns and shakes A.J.’s hand before leaving the ring for A.J. to celebrate. A.J. asks for a mic and he tells Sting to come back into the ring. He reminds Sting that he has entertained these fans for 23 years and this is his home state. He tells Sting that the ring is his spotlight. A.J. tells Sting that this is his time now.

Sting returns to the ring and A.J. goes to the back. Sting thanks the fans and he says that he did not expect to be in the ring because this moment is not about him, it is about the world champion. Sting says that if he is going to lose, he is glad that he lost to A.J. Styles. If he can lose, he is glad to lose at home. Sting says that since he has this platform, he should cover what people have been asking him for the last few months. Sting says that he will not pull a Brett Favre and he did not plan to make an announcement. Sting says that he does not know if he will come back, but what he heard yesterday and the way the fans reacted tonight, he wants to stay forever.

Very much a "Will he or won't he?" situation with Sting, don't bet on him leaving when he can just work spot shows. Let's not forget Sting's TNA career started by making some promo videos and not wrestling a match for nearly a year. It was a brilliant idea during the late 90's in WCW, in 00's TNA without introducing him properly and giving him a reason to care about TNA, well, kinda dumb.

Quick Results:

Pre. Motor City Machineguns def. Lethal Consequences
1. Amazing Red won Ultimate X
2. TNA Knockout Tag Championship: Taylor Wilde/Sarita(C) def. The Beautiful People
3. TNA Legend Championship: Eric Young def. Kevin Nash(C) and Hernandez
4. IWGP/TNA Tag Championships: British Invasion/Team 3D def. Main Event Mafia/Beer Money, Inc.
5. TNA Knockout Championship: ODB(C) def. Awesome Kong and Tara
6. Submission: Bobby Lashley def. Samoa Joe
7. Monster's Ball: Abyss def. Mick Foley
8. Kurt Angle def. Matt Morgan
9. TNA World Championship: AJ Styles(C) def. Sting

If you are like me, you grew up watching the Simpsons. If you are also like me, you are surprised that the show is somehow still running and pulls in the ratings to keep going. The Simpsons realistically has not been funny or edgy for nearly 10 years. Maybe I'm just saying that is when I grew out of it, but I feel like a lot of people in their 20's really have no time for the Simpsons anymore in a television landscape that includes shows like South Park that went to different levels of comedy a long time ago and left the Simpsons in the dust.

Regardless, the Simpsons helped kick off their 21st season by wedging a MMA-themed episode in for their third episode, and the focus was sorely lacking. Jokes about the casual MMA fan vs. the hardcore MMA fan happen early on, where the neighborhood bullies have "KILL" written across their chests and a nerd with a "S" on his steps in front to spell SKILL only to be beaten. Then mention that it is like pankration, only Rome was falling and we are in our glory years, obviously insinuating that MMA is part of the downfall of our culture. But then the focus shifts to insulting the soccer mom who protests everything. The Simpsons, as always, can't keep their jokes straight. Dana White didn't find it funny, either. 

I was disappointed," White says. "I think it was typical of people that don't know anything about the sport. I know it's for fun, but the second half of it really wasn't even funny."

It's not that White thinks MMA should be immune from cartoon parody. He calls himself a Simpsons fan and says he found a few moments funny.

When Kevin Iole reports something, you know it is right from the mouth of Dana White, so it comes as a surprise to many today that Iole reports that Dan Henderson and the UFC could not come to terms on a new contract. Ouch. Henderson, coming off a stint coaching UFC's flagship star-builder "The Ultimate Fighter" and knocking opposing coach Michael Bisping into oblivion feels he is worth more than what UFC is willing to offer him.

Dan Henderson’s career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship has ground to a close in a contract stalemate, and the former two-division PRIDE champion appears on the verge of signing a deal with the rival Strikeforce promotion.

Henderson, 39, devastatingly knocked out Michael Bisping in the second round of their heavily hyped fight on July 11 at UFC 100 in Las Vegas, in the final fight of his contract.

The two-time former U.S. Olympic wrestler had hoped to use that victory as a springboard to a middleweight title match against Anderson Silva.

But Silva and his manager, Ed Soares, weren’t keen on fighting Henderson again and didn’t think he’d done enough to warrant a rematch. Silva submitted Henderson in the second round of their title fight at UFC 82 on March 1, 2008. Since then, Henderson defeated Rousimar Palhares, won a split decision over Rich Franklin and knocked out Bisping.

 

UFC president Dana White went back-and-forth on whether he’d make Silva-Henderson II, but said at UFC 103 in Dallas that he would give the next shot at Silva to Vitor Belfort, after Belfort scored a first-round knockout of former middleweight champion Rich Franklin.

If you are like me, you are following this season of The Ultimate Fighter after, well, not following it for quite a while. The concept lost its charm a while ago when they started stacking the seasons up with less-than-stellar fighters and a few standouts that were bound to be in the UFC, TUF or not. Rampage Jackson isn't really coaching material, nor is the perennial loser, Tiki, so there is no surprise for anybody that Team Rampage went into this week's show at a disadvantage. With Kimbo Slice gone, there was one man, one lone hope for Team Rampage, the man, the myth, the legend, the human genome project gone wrong, Wes Sims.

Help us Wes Sims, you are our only hope. Heavy.com's always awesome Kendall (known as Kerndall is some circles) Shields gives us the low-down.

Team Evans, on the strength of their much-discussed 4-0 record, retain control of the matchmaking, and they choose Greco-Roman wrestler and Travis Lutter Jiu-Jitsu student Justin Wren to take on Wes Sims. It is a bold move no doubt designed to capitalize on how Sims totally just stepped in jizz and probably hasn’t fully recovered. Consult “Terrain,” the tenth book of Master Sun’s great treatise. Somewhere along the way, Marcus Jones has managed to convince himself that Rashad Evans actually did give his word that Jones would be fighting this week (note: this did not happen) and Big Baby pouts with extreme prejudice. It’s awesome.

But not as awesome as Wes Sims. Fighting out of the legendarily one-dimensional Hammer House, Sims has someone managed to avoid competence in that one dimension. He can’t wrestle. He can’t really do anything else, either, but you’d think training for years with Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman you’d at least pick that much up. A little. But Sims defies all reasoning. “The jungle, the alley, the cage. They’re all home. Make your peace with God, Justin, and be ready to scrap – because I am!” Oh man this Wes Sims.

I would remiss if I did not at least note in passing Justin Wren’s tiny pink manties, which steal the show at the weigh-in. And that’s saying something, because Sims is rocking a mighty banana hammock that would, under any other circumstance, be really funny underwear. Here, in comparison to Wren’s little number, they are only kind of funny underwear. But he plays to the crowd, showman that he is, and the assembled multitude finds all of this hilarious. Rampage is distraught.

Ten seconds into the fight, Wren has Sims pressed against the cage, and both men launch into a frenzied exchange of axe kicks! To the feet! That is to say, they are stomping at each other, which while kind of effective is also kind of lame. Wren doesn’t take Sims down so much as the two slump to the ground with Wren on top. One they’re there, Wren switches from side control to north-south and back again, sets up an arm triangle choke, and finishes by working his way across Sims’ body. Referee Herb Dean lifts Sims’ arm for signs of life, pro-wrestling sleeper hold style, finds none, and calls the fight. Rampage was expecting him to Hulk Hogan his way out of that thing, but alas.

Just like last week, Team Rampage is on the outside looking in while Team Rashad takes to the cage to console the losing fighter. Bad form, Team Rampage. Bad Form. “We can’t make ’em fight,” Rampage says by way of excusing his pretty horrible coaching. “We can’t fight for ’em,” echoes Assistant Coach Tiki, a man with an 0-4 UFC record.

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, veteran and champion of the failed "Real Pro Wrestling" and star Knockout artist in Japan's SENGOKU promotion has inked a deal with Scott Coker's Strikeforce and could debut as early as December. King Mo, for those who don't know, is a true prospect, with a wrestling pedigree right up there with some of MMA's elite and a string of knockout victories. The only fight he didn't knock his opponent out in was because he pulled his ACL, and he still won the fight by decision. This is a great coup for Strikeforce's Light Heavyweight Division.

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce and could make his promotional debut as early as December, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

Lawal has signed on to compete in the light heavyweight division, said the source.

The deal allows the undefeated Lawal, a NCAA Div. 1 All-American wrestling champion for Oklahoma State in 2003 and decorated international competitor, to continue competing on the Japanese circuit. There, the 28-year-old heavyweight has made a name for himself with four straight victories in the Sengoku Raiden Championship (formerly Sengoku) over the last year. Three of those wins have come by stoppage from strikes, while Lawal’s only decision came after he tore his ACL in the first round of his match with Ryo Kawamura at Sengoku “Seventh Battle” last March.

Kickboxing/MMA blog K-1 LEGEND posted an interview earlier today with Fedor Emelianenko's manager and M-1 Global head Vadim Finkelstein. The name Vadim has become one synonymous with Emelianenko within the past few years, as both men are closely involved with the M-1 Global project. Vadim had some interesting thoughts on working with Strikeforce and the UFC.

K-1 LEGEND: Do you see Strikeforce providing the level of competition worthy of a fighter like Fedor?

Vadim Finkelstein: Of course I do. Strikeforce has many talented top heavyweights. Not less, than in any other promotion. The first one will be Brett Rogers at Strikeforce/M-1 event on November, 7.

K-1 LEGEND: It seems like the deal between M-1/Fedor and UFC fell through because M-1 wanted more than UFC could offer. Do you think it’ll ever be possible to see Fedor in a UFC ring without a co-promotion?

Vadim Finkelstein: I think, that at this point of time it’s impossible.Fedor is part of M-1, he’s the shareholder of the organization that represents his own interests. Listen, Fedor became who he is today without having to compete in the UFC. It was the UFC that came to us, not other way around. We were willing to negotiate. We wished to have Fedor fight the best UFC athletes, but in the context of inter-organizational collaboration. UFC won’t co-promote, while all other MMA and boxing organizations do. UFC tries to drive other competitors out of the MMA industry. But the thing is, we don’t intend to take UFC’s business, take its sponsors or whatever. We were prepared to cooperate according to the business rules sharing not only benefits but costs as well.

After the success of airing a lot of the UFC 103 undercard live on SpikeTV prior to the PPV event, SpikeTV has stepped up to the plate again and will air UFC 104 prelims live. So far they have penciled in Ryan Bader vs. Eric Shafer and Antoni Hardonk vs. Pat Barry, but if UFC103 was our model to go off of, you might get a few more fights than that depending on the length. One hour prior to UFC 104, commercial free, get ready for some free fights. Everybody likes free stuff, right?

A two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Arizona State University, Ryan Bader, fighting out of Tempe, Ariz., is 2-0 in the UFC and a perfect 10-0 in his mixed martial arts career. The 26-year-old light heavyweight, winner of the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” earned a unanimous decision win against veteran Carmelo Marrero in April. He now faces another experienced grappler in “Red” Schafer. Fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc., Schafer is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and on a four fight win streak, with two of his three UFC wins coming via submission. His most recent victory came via TKO against Antonio Mendes at UFC 93.

Also featured, Dutch kickboxer Antoni Hardonk, a native of Amsterdam, fighting out of Los Angeles, has KOs in all four of his UFC wins. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound heavyweight has won three of his last four fights and is looking to continue his hot streak against veteran Pat Barry, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc. A native of New Orleans, Barry looks to repeat the performance he put on against Dan Evensen at UFC 92, an impressive first round KO.

Tim Sylvia, the big lunk that we've all grown to be embarrassed by is set to finally make his Japanese debut in DREAM. The opponents? Monte Cox is saying either Alistair Overeem or freakshow Hong Man Choi. Will Japan be more accommodating for Big Tim?

In fact, Cox said he has been involved in serious negotiations with both DREAM and Sengoku, and believes Sylvia will fight next on New Year's Eve for either organization.

"I feel pretty confident that he is going to fight there," Cox said on Thursday.

Cox added that Alistair Overeem and Hong Man Choi have been discussed as potential opponents for Sylvia, but nothing has been finalized just yet. A fight against either man would take place in a DREAM ring because they are both under contract with that organization. 

Sylvia was rumored to be scheduled to make his DREAM debut on Oct. 25, but his recent injury delayed those plans. Regardless, a high-profile victory on Dec. 31 could be just what the doctor ordered for Sylvia, who prior to the win over Riley, lost four of his last fight bouts, including an embarrassing nine-second loss to Ray Mercer. 

Fedor has finally shown some sign of actual weakness, in an unexpected place. The man that is known for being a superhuman Russian fighting machine has actually gone out of his comfort zone and gotten married. Yes, Fedor Emelianenko has taken a bride in the midst of training for his fight against Brett Rogers. Look, I know people will be upset over that, but he is Fedor. He could nap and eat potato chips with a beer resting on his belly and I'd still feel confident in him in a fight.

Fedor shocked the world this weekend by giving us evidence that he may in fact be human (or his Terminator model came equipped with a pre-programmed marriage script). On October 4th, The Last Emperor got hitched in Stary Oskol to a chick named 'Marina'. Dude definitely did a good job and props to the priest for throwing a crown over Fedor's head (he knew what was up).

Jim Ross on his BBQOMGHOSS blog confirms that he knows more about MMA and how UFC is run than most fans do, regardless of how they talk. What he talks about speaks as to why Strikeforce and other MMA promotions have such a hard time doing and staying in business; they rely on their talent too much. There is a reason why people are still PRIDE fanboys and why people aren't fans of MMA, they are fans of Ultimate Fighting.

Loved this email...what's most likely to ocur...Bret Hart appearing on WWE TV or Fedor signing with UFC? Easily it's Bret Hart making an appearance on a WWE show as I never see Fedor signing with UFC under the ridiculous terms of his recent contract demands. 

The UFC brand is bigger than any individual star on its roster and smart companies always keep themselves in that position. 

Any talent in pro wrestling or MMA who feels that they are bigger than the brand for which they work and are more important than the team on which they play should be quickly facilitated to play elsewhere. 

Last night saw a lot of action in Seoul, South Korea as K-1 held their yearly Final 16 Qualifier show. With big fights like Remy Bonjasky taking on Melvin Manhoef, Badr Hari against Zabit Samedov and Alistair Overeem against Mr. K1 himself, Peter Aerts. It also featured what turned into the retirement bout for legendary Japanese kickboxer Musashi who put up a valiant last effort against hard hitting Jerome Le Banner. The big story is Alistair Overeem ousted, for the first time in history, Peter "Mr. K1" Aerts. K1 Legend stayed up late so you didn't have to.

Peter Aerts vs. Alistar Overeem

R1. This is the fight, right here. Overeem right off the bell bullrushes Aerts and throws him down twice. We saw this against Remy. Aerts is keeping his distance with the low kicks while Overeem keeps looking for the clinch. Yet another throw by Overeem. Aerts with a great combo, Overeem with a high knee. Overeem with a left hook at the bell. Overeem barely gets this round.

R2. Peter comes out looking fantastic and swarming Overeem, and Alistair trips Aerts. Flying knee by Overeem, Aerts fights back from the ropes! Fantastic fight so far. Overeem working some low kicks and scores again with the high knee. Exchanging knees by both guys and a high kick from Aerts, then some body shots and a body knee. Alistair trips him again. Draw.

R3. Aerts comes out strong and technical, great body shot met with a high knee by Overeem. Leg kick by Overeem stumbles Aerts, then his right hand stumbles Aerts. Aerts ont he ropes, left body, right uppercut. Aerts with a comeback but Overeem able to get him against the ropes again. Aerts might miss his first K-1 Grand Prix, crazy. Overeem keeps coming and coming, Aerts has two swollen eyes. Overeem.

UD, Overeem

I think that it is impossible to start any discussion about this episode and probably this whole season without bringing up the fact that there is one potential good fight, and it is happening next week. This episode ended with Rashad on the mats picking the next fights, which I always thought was a beginning of the episode thing, until they announced who it was. Kimbo Slice vs. Roy "Big Country" Nelson. I think most people are just going to count Kimbo out immediately, but the truth is, Big Country has been knocked out before by a guy with a pitiful ground game and good hands, and Rashad brought this up; Andrei Arlovski.

Last night's show started building up the tension in the gym, with Roy Nelson, the most experienced man involved with this show other than Rampage, kind of doing his own thing and not listening to the trainers. Nelson more or less does as he wishes, cracks jokes, and "disrespects" Rashad and the Team Jackson crew until the threat comes to send Nelson to the other team (which would be the dumbest move in the history of TUF). When that, obviously, doesn't phase him, Rashad brings up his loss to Arlovski, which seems to turn things around. Surprisingly, Nelson didn't say "Machida." TUF is classy.

The fight Rampage chose was, well, questional. He chose Rashad's #1 pick and gym-mate James McSweeney to fight his big man, Wes Shivers. McSweeney, a kickboxer who could fight easily at 205 against Wes Shivers, former NFL player who is just a giant of a man. I think after this fight a whole new world in the gym will open up to Shivers; the cardio machines, because wow, was his cardio embarassing. Tank Abbott fares better, cardio-wise than he did. What is embarassing, as well, is that McSweeney, a "professional fighter" had just as bad cardio. McSweeney did channel Remy Bonjasky a few times with some jumping kicks, but he sadly had no power behind any of them, nor could he reach the big man's head.

Save us, this season has just started.

 Matt Hughes is confused. I can't say that I disagree with him. A fight with Josh Koscheck at this point in the career of Matt Hughes doesn't make much sense. It doesn't look like Hughes is going to take another run at the title with GSP reigning over the division, nor does it look like he'll drop down to 155lbs. Hughes is looking for money fights, and I'm not sure Koscheck is that money fight.

I find Koscheck calling me out kind of interesting and I actually don’t know why he is doing that. I was used to kids doing this when I was the champ, but as you know I don’t have the belt now and I’m puzzled as to why Koscheck wants to fight me and not the champion in the weight class. I have no interest in fighting Koscheck and, as he was showing everybody, he’s just a kid. As of yet, the UFC has never come to me and asked me to fight him.

If you haven't heard the tale of Lee Murray, former UFC fighter, guy who beat up Tito Ortiz in a parking lot, Bank Robber and general all-around awesome hooligan, then you are in luck, as Darren Arnofsky will be turning it into a feature film. ESPN's Jake Rossen has the scoop!

Movie night in Lee Murray's Moroccan prison is destined to be something special. According to Variety and IFilm.com, Murray's $86 million Tonbridge heist will be developed into a film by director Darren Aronofsky (creator of the pretty good "The Wrestler," the depressing "Requiem for a Dream" and the toad-licking "Fountainhead"). Writer Kerry Williamson will provide the script, based on Jon L. Wertheim's feature in a 2008 issue of Sports Illustrated. Release date TBD.

 

 

Murray makes for a better mythological figure than he did a fighter, a fact filmmakers would be wise to consider when dealing with the heist itself. If it's yet another robbery/lam movie, my enthusiasm atrophies. If we get to see Channing Tatum with a dye job play Tito Ortiz -- an alleged victim of Murray's in a street brawl -- then I'll get on Fandango right now.

 With Rampage Jackson announcing his departure from MMA and UFC, it is a good idea to point out those that came before him and have had a war of words with Dana and the UFC have more or less run themselves in circles. Leaving is easy, it is staying gone that is difficult. Total MMA points out that Rampage is facing a rough road, with other stars having problems staying gone.

Reality, though, might be a bit more harsh than this. If you look at UFC’s history with fighters who want out, you’ll see that Dana White will get what he wants in the end, by hook or by crook. A good example of this is as fresh as this weekend, where veteran Frank Trigg was demolished by Josh Koscheck and UFC President Dana White made it clear that Trigg was "done." Trigg was frustrated, said he was done fighting and would most likely look for broadcasting opportunities in other companies. Frank Trigg will now be offered another fight.

 

Tito Ortiz is most notably one of White’s biggest rivals over the past few years, to the point where a SpikeTV slot was booked for a boxing match between Dana White and Tito Ortiz. Tito thought the whole thing was a big joke and didn’t show up, so Dana instead had a television special slamming Ortiz and glorifying himself and his training for the phantom fight instead. As soon as Ortiz could be gone, he was gone, had some bidding wars with EliteXC, Affliction, Strikeforce, then Dana got him back into the fold.

 

Randy Couture was retired, a few times. The first time, he pitched a Heavyweight title fight against Sylvia to Dana and Dana was glad to bring him back. The second time, he wanted out, he wanted to have his dream fight with Fedor and retire. Lawsuits, bad blood, bad PR and a year later, Randy was losing the UFC Heavyweight title to the new Heavyweight Juggernaut; Brock Lesnar. Not even Randy’s budding film career, clothing line, branded gyms or independence could keep him away from the UFC.

MMA has become the new fad sport for big name athletes to dip their toes into, apparently. With this season of the Ultimate Fighter featuring former NFL players, Jose Canceco entered into DREAM's SUPER HULK freakshow tournament, Shaq trains MMA and has asked Dana White to give him a fight, this might as well be the end of days. Former NFL player Herschel Walker has signed to Strikeforce. Full press release after the jump from Strikeforce.

Seriously, this is ridiculous.

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will begin a 12 week training camp next month at San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world’s greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson.  The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.   

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It seems for fight fans that last night was a rather polarizing night; you were either with the UFC or you were with Golden Boy's Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fight. Each event had their own merits, both featuring a successful comeback of sorts; Vitor Belfort returning to the UFC to smash Rich Franklin into the mat and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. making his return to the boxing ring to smash Juan Manuel Marquez into a humbling 12-round decision.

Fans of each haven't really been too pleasant when it comes to the other event, with MMA fans proclaiming Floyd's fight against Marquez as "too easy" and overhyped, and boxing fans pulling the usual spiel that MMA is less civilized and contains less talent. As pointed out on Total MMA, everybody seems to be guilty of overhyping mismatched fights.

What is sort of humorous is that those calling this fight a sham are staunch supporters of the UFC, who have been known for questionable match-making in the past to rake in the cash. How many times did they sell fans on Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock? Or how they sold fans on Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie, the former "king" of the UFC? How about Brock Lesnar against "top heavyweight" Frank Mir? If you aren’t buying those, how does this stack up for a parallel to Mayweather/Marquez; top fighter from a lower weight class calls out the highest ranked fighter in a higher weight class, the fight is accepted, there is a multi-part hype show and months of media buildup with the words "pound-for-pound" being tossed around. The fight happens and the smaller man simply stood no chance against the bigger, more skilled fighter. Except you ate it up.

BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre.

 

BJ Penn had very little chance of actually winning in this fight, but showed he was serious about it and people were sold on this fight by Dana White and the UFC. The fight itself was an annihilation by a virtuoso at his weight class, but when BJ goes back down to his true weight class he continues to dominate and will continue to be the best there for quite a while. Much in the same vein, Juan Manuel Marquez will go back to his native weight class and most likely continue to be one of the absolute best at it.

Showtime just sent out a press release, and wow is it a big one. Fedor vs. Rogers will be live on CBS on November 7th.

The CBS Television Network will return to the mixed martial arts (MMA) cage with STRIKEFORCE: FEDOR VS. ROGERS, to be broadcast Saturday, Nov. 7 (9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT).  SHOWTIME Sports® will produce the four-fight event with host Gus Johnson calling the action and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo serving as color analysts. ...

On Nov. 7, the world’s Number One-ranked MMA heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, will face undefeated American Brett Rogers of Minnesota in the marquee match up. The fight marks the first bout for the highly coveted Emelianenko since his promotional company M-1 Global signed an agreement with STRIKEFORCE to co-promote major events.
 
"There's no question this is a sport that is fast becoming a force in popularity and as a business," said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, Prime Time, CBS Television.  "We're excited to be the platform that will enable millions more to see the athlete regarded as the very best in his sport.  The Number One heavyweight on the most-watched network has a very nice ring to it."
 
Simply referred to as "Fedor" by fans around the world, the 6-foot, 235-pound Russian is one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.  He is a master of the Russian military combat system Sambo and boasts a record of 30 wins, one loss, no draws with 16 wins by submission, seven knockouts and seven decisions.  The 28-year-old Rogers (10-0) is a massive physical specimen standing 6-feet, 5-inches tall and weighing 265 pounds.  He possesses two of the heaviest hands in the sport of MMA, an attribute that has helped him knock out all 10 of his professional opponents.
 
"It is an honor to have the opportunity to bring the STRIKEFORCE brand to CBS," said Scott Coker, Founder and CEO of STRIKEFORCE.  "We are looking forward to bringing MMA back to the network and to having the world’s No. 1 heavyweight—Fedor—compete for the first time on live network television against one of America's most promising young, undefeated stars—Brett Rogers."

I wouldn't play such a cruel prank on you, this is for real. Jean-Claude Van Damme, the Kickboxer/Streetfighter/Universal Soldier/Guile/All-around Badass will at the tender age of 49 re-enter into the world of professional combat in the United States this time in a new style for him; Muay Thai, K1 Legend reports.

In what has to be the weirdest update since Jose Canseco took part in Dream, actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has signed to fight a professional Muay Thai fight in March 2010.

Van Damme’s opponent will be Somluck Kamsing, a 1996 Olympic gold medal winner in boxing hailing for Thailand. The fight will take place in Las Vegas and be contested under Muay Thai rules with five two-minute rounds. Kamsing has also reported that he will be paid in part based on broadcast revenue, so the fight will be aired in some way – no details yet if it will be on a network or PPV.

First the deconstruction of the man himself in the film JCVD and now this.

Bellator was the little engine that could this year; with a lot of hype surrounding the start-up, as well as a deal with ESPN Deportes in Spanish, it looked like a mixed bag. Bellator had some great talent signed up, and a lot of no names, and were going after the hispanic market. Not because that was their ideal, but because it was the hand that they were dealt. What happened was it turned out to be a success through luck and viral videos on YouTube. Apparently, Bellator will have two seasons in 2010, in both English and Spanish, and live. Bjorn Rebney appeared on MMAJunkie Radio to clear things up about what lies ahead for the upstart.

"We'll have two seasons of 12 (shows) in 2010," Rebney said. "Two seasons are locked down now. The first one will start at the beginning of 2010, and the second one will be running what's basically next summer. What we wanted to do was schedule it strategically so there wouldn't be that lapse of time (between the two seasons)."

The only thing we don't know is where they will air, although the claims are "in more homes." It doesn't take a lot to be in more homes than ESPN Deportes.