If there was a narrative Dana White, Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg tried to set throughout the night in the build towards the main event UFC Heavyweight championship title fight between Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, it was alleging that the two combatants didn't like each other. Not just from them having a clash of personalities, but we were reminded again and again that Frank Mir broke the arm of Junior dos Santos' mentor, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It's the classic martial arts B-movie storyline of the hero avenging his fallen master by vanquishing the villain responsible. And like most films of this ilk, the plot is a complete fabrication.

In his post fight interview after successfully defending his title, dos Santos was asked by Rogan essentially how it felt to beat the man who beat his mentor. Dos Santos answered with the charming honesty and simplicity we've come to expect from him: both Mir and Nogueira are great fighters, and any past or continued rivalry is between them. And just like that, dos Santos popped the 'Bad Blood Balloon', releasing the hot air of contrived fight promotion to dissipate into the atmosphere.

JDS vs Mir isn't the lone example of a headlining fight UFC felt the need to artificially manufacture conflict within. Because of the various delays that occurred before the eventual Jon Jones vs Rashad Evans match up, any seemingly real heat between the two had cooled, and UFC did their utmost to try and convince the fans it was still an inferno of emotions. What we ended up with was a fairly ho-hum affair, and while there was a genuine sense of betrayal felt by Evans from the Team Jackson fallout, we got the impression it wasn't this big deal UFC were trying to make it out to be.

More after the jump....

SBN coverage of UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir

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Dan Quinn is all kinds of crazy. A Californian MMA fighter with a 5-7 record, Quinn hasn't fought since 2010 after losing his last 3 fights in a row, and he never made it to the big leagues. Quinn became somewhat notorious online by putting out strange videos, and for his zealous belief in and endorsement of the supplement Stevia -- a sweet leaf sugar substitute that grows in the West of North and South America.

Dan Quinn is so passionate about the unfounded benefits of Stevia, he even managed to get UFC star Diego Sanchez to endorse its benefits a few years ago when he first made the cut to fight at 155lbs.Diego soon abandoned the cult of Stevia, and Quinn has since put out videos including one addressed to Sanchez titled "Diego Sanchez, I'd f--k your probably gay ass up, small guy"

The latest craziness from the 'Shaman of Stevia'? Leaving death threats on Dana White's voicemail.

Quinn is no stranger to directing rants at Dana White via youtube, but this time he's kicked it up a notch. On the voicemail, Quinn accuses Dana White of sending in hired guns to take him out and his family, to stop his Stevia movement, and so Quinn threatens to shoot Dana White in the head. Then a supposedly Irish man from Dublin leaves a couple of messages threatening Dana White for going after his boy Dan Quinn, insinuates a connection to the Boston Irish crime scene, and says he'll bomb Dana White and the Fertittas in response. This 'Irish' guy most likely being Dan Quinn doing a really bad accent. Among the three messages made available to TMZ, all are littered with the F-bombs and C-nukes you'd expect from someone as loony as Dan Quinn.

Dana White is taking it seriously though, and according to TMZ his security team have handed the tapes over to the Las Vegas police department for further investigation.

After the jump, video / audio of these death threats.

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Scott Coker hosted the Barnett vs Cormier Post Fight Press conference last night, with winners Daniel Cormier, Gilbert Melendez, Rafael Cavalcante and Chris Spang on stage to answer questions from the media. Josh Thomson was also present, but Josh Barnett was absent.

Coker remarked the show reminded him of Strikeforce events of of 2009 and 2010, being able to deliver great fights bell to bell. For him Thomson and Melendez could fight all the time, and compared them to the Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns rivalry, as well as the Frank Edgar vs Gray Maynard series. Melendez remarked he'd rather not fight Thomson again, while Thomson states he'll do whatever the promotion asks of him -- even if that's another match with Melendez.

Cormier is asked about the fight, and he couldn't believe how tough Barnett was considering some of the shots Cormier landed on him. Cormier believed he re-broke his hand in the first round.

No information on gate numbers or any kind of fight bonuses were stated.

Video after the jump.

SBN Coverage of Strikeforce Barnett vs Cormier

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Showtime sports spoke to Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier winners Daniel Cormier and Gilbert Melendez last night following their wins over Josh Barnett and Josh Thomson, respectively. Cormier put on a career best performance, scoring a clear cut unanimous decision over Johs Barnett to become the first (and last) Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner. Gilbert Melendez squeaked past Josh Thomson, defending his Strikeforce Lightweight title with a hard fought decision, and closing the trilogy 2 wins to 1 loss.

After the jump we'll hear from both Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson, as well as main card winners Chris Spang and Rafael Cavalcante. Spang put on a one sided beat down over hyped opponent Nah-Shon Burrell, who withstood the onslaught for as long as he could before being put away over 4 minutes into the first round.

Cavalcante got revenge of Mike Kyle, landing strikes that had Kyle in trouble early, softening him up with ground and pound for sinking in a fight ending guillotine choke from guard.

SBN Coverage of Strikeforce Barnett vs Cormier

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TMZ is reporting that UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, was arrested earlier this morning in Binghamton, New York for a DWI. TMZ also reports that Jones totaled his Bentley in the process when he crashed it into a pole. No word on the physical condition Jones is in, but presumably he is unharmed, and no one else was hurt as a result either.

Jones was released a few hours later, after his mother arrived to post bail.

Jones is expected to defend his title against Mixed Martial Arts legend Dan Henderson later this summer. This will be Jones' 4th defense of the title.

read more after the jump

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Everything is official for tonight's Strikeforce event live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Starting with the prelims on Sho Extreme and Sho Extreme HD at 8pm ET, the main card airs live at 10pm ET on Showtime and Showtime HD.

Stocky Olympian and undefeated AKA hopeful Daniel Cormier weighed in at 238lbs, while former UFC Champion and Pride FC star Josh Barnett came in at a lean looking 248lbs.

Meanwhile the Gilbert Melendez vs Josh Thomson rubber match for the Strikeforce Lightweight title is good to go, with both fighters easily coming in under the limit at 153lbs each.

Check out the full weigh-in gallery at Strikefoce.com

MAIN CARD

STRIKEFORCE HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX FINAL
Daniel Cormier (238) vs. Josh Barnett (248)


STRIKEFORCE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Josh Thomson (153) vs. Gilbert Melendez (153)
Mike Kyle (203) vs. Rafael Cavalcante (206)
Nah-Shon Burrell (170) vs. Chris Spang (169)

PRELIMINARY CARD

Isaac Vallie-Flagg (156) vs. Gesias Cavalvcante (156)
Carlos ‘Guto’ Inocente (205) vs. Virgil Zwicker (204)
Derrick Mehmen (205) vs. Gian Villante (205)
Yuri Villefort (170) vs. Quinn Mulhern (170)
Bobby Green (155) vs. James Terry (156.25)

video highlights of the weigh-in after the jump

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Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey is the current 'It Girl' of Women's MMA, combining her ability to collect arms with that of a savvy social media and publicity presence. With Gina Carano missing in action, the attractive American Olympic Judo Bronze medalist has effortlessly taken the reigns and become the new face of her sport. Her domination of all opponents, including former champion Miesha Tate, will lead some to believe she's the current Pound For Pound Queen and the best in the world.

For many years previously though, a lighter-weight fighter had been competing and winning, amassing 22 wins in a row, with no losses over the course of 6 years. But because of the majority of her fights happening in small promotions, mostly in Japan, and the lack of attention Women's MMA typically gets, not many outside of an Internet literate hardcore knew anything about her.

Megumi Fujii is, as it stands, perhaps the best Women's MMA fighter of all time. The Judo / Sambo / Catch Wrestling Specialist is a submission magician and had a chance to make waves in America in 2010's Bellator 115lbs (Strawweight) Women's Tournament. Two submissions and a TKO got Fujii into the tournament final, but the championship bout with Zoila Frausto-Gurgel was to be her undoing.

Related Stories:

Bellator's Jessica Aguilar Comes Out As Bi-Sexual | Mini-Chop: Megumi Fujii's Japanese Mount Armbar | Roxanne Modafferi vs. Rosi Sexton, and the Continual Fight for WMMA Recognition | Megumi Fujii Ready to Cement Her Legacy at Bellator 34 | Megumi Fujii Goes 22-0, Best MMA Record Ever? | Gina Carano and the Power of Women's MMA

Perhaps wanting to prove she was multi-faceted and a true mixed martial artist, Fujii chose to keep the fight standing and attempt to out-strike her larger Muay Thai specialist opponent. What surprised many, was Fujii was seemingly able to, making it competitive and bloodying and bruising the face of Frausto. Unfortunately the perennial weed that is bad judging reared its ugly head, and many believe Fujii ended up on the bad side of a split-decision. More than the judging though, Fujii's choice of strategy came under the most scrutiny; her tactics even frustrating her coach Josh Barnett. Many questioned why she didn't take the fight to the ground when she had the clear advantage, and could well have finished.

continue reading after the jump.

SBN Bellator 69 Coverage

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As part of Showtime's promotional efforts for this weekend's Strikeforce: Josh Barnett vs Daniel Cormier event, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett gets a crash course in stunt fighting for the movies, with martial arts master / actor Ernie Reyes (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1&2, Rush Hour 2, Avatar).

Barnett soon finds out that making the 'unreal seem real' is more difficult than it first appears, despite his history as a pro wrestler. Once Barnett works out the choreography and its relation to the cameras, we're greeted to the finished sequence; an amusing combination that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood action movie.

Related Stories:

Josh Barnett Talks Pro Wrestling, Catch Wrestling And Fighting | Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Finale Fight Card | Scott Coker Claims Strikeforce Will Be On Showtime 'For Many Years To Come' | Plans For Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Winner Still Unknown

Youtube: Josh Barnett Gets a Crash Course in Stunt Fighting

We're unlikely to see any of these exaggerated moves this Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, though if Barnett manages to pull off the caught-kick-into-a-rolling-kneebar, it may become a prime candidate for Submission Of The Year.

While North America's most prominent catch wrestler Josh Barnett fights Olympian Daniel Cormier to finally close the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, budding catch wrestlers get to test their mettle on the mats this weekend in Hemet, California at a King Of Catch Wrestling Tournament.

Spaces are still available, and all styles of grapplers are welcome to register (BJJ, Collegiate Folkstyle, Freestyle, Judo, Sambo etc).

Pre-event registration is $40, and this contributes to cash prizes.

Register here at KingOfCatchWrestling.com

Every competitor gets at least 2 matches since it is best 2 of 3 falls.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION Saturday May 19th, 2012
Hemet, California
Hosted by: Stable Jiu Jitsu
175 N. Cawston Ave. Suite 130A
Hemet, CA 92545
(West Hemet Behind Chase Bank)

Weigh-ins - 7:30am to 8:30am
9am - 5pm - Competition

From the website:

All King of Catch Wrestling qualifier tournaments have adopted the
Official Scientific Wrestling CACC Rule Set
below:

- Submission or pin wins. All submissions are permitted and the pin count is 3 (both shoulders must be touching for a full 3 count). Slamming and strangles allowed.

- All matches are best 2 of 3 falls.
- Win, lose, or draw format, with no point system used to determine the final outcome. In the event of a draw during tournament play, a replay is played. In the event of a second draw, both wrestlers will be eliminated.
-12 minute time limit per fall with 1 minute rest between falls.
-All matches occur in a ring or mat. Any body part on the ropes or out of bounds breaks the action and referee re-sets opponents standing in center (at referee's discretion).
-No striking, biting, eye gouging, hair pulling. Instant disqualification.
-Divisions include Super Heavy Weight (over 225), Heavyweight (over 200 lbs), Light Heavy (180 lbs) , Middle (160 lbs), and Light (140 lbs).
-All competitors must be 18 years of age or older.

The true spirit of our rules* are "Put Up or Shut Up" and harken back to American post-Civil War and late 19th Century Lancashire professional style Catch Wrestling bouts (during those days, each wrestler would bring a matching purse and the winner would take all. This provided unparalleled incentive for hard work from both players. This also prevents collusion between participants, i.e., "works", "fixes" & "dives").
Eventually special recognition for each weight class will be determined by statistical means weighted by the following criteria:
1. The competitor with the winningest record (in win, lose, draw format).
2. The most active competitor (number of matches).
3. The average length of time it takes to win each match (the shorter the better)

*Special thanks to Karl Gotch for guidance and direct input on our rules.

In a video interview with Bleacher Report, ahead of his fight with Daniel Cormier to finally finish the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, Josh Barnett gives us a brief historical account and philosophical take on Pro Wrestling, Catch Wrestling and fighting. When a lot of interviews typically center around how a fighter has been training, their performance in their last fight and speculation on their next fight, and of course their thoughts on their upcoming opponent, this video thankfully bucks the trend.

Talk of Pro Wrestling on this site is often met with scepticism and derision unless a satisfactory link to MMA can be ascertained, and while my own articles on Catch Wrestling tend to be received favourably, it becomes doubly interesting and relevant when we get to hear directly from an experienced, elite fighter on the subject.

Barnett recounts his early interest in Pro Wrestling, what he liked about the 'Shoot' style of pro wrestling in Japan, what can be learned from the old legends of Catch Wrestling, how sport rules dictate the evolution (or devolution) of grappling styles, his first time working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and more.

Related stories:

Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Finale Fight Card | Dana White Open To Josh Barnett In The UFC | Interview: The Return of Catch Wrestling's Snake Pit | Judo Chop: Josh Barnett and Unorthodox Submissions | Judo Chop: Josh Barnett's Invisible Grappling | Josh Barnett and Reintroducing America to Catch Wrestling

I've transcribed some choice quotes after the jump.

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With Nick Diaz no showing at the World Jiu Jitsu Expo last night in Long Beach, California, he continued his habit of not being able to 'play the game', as UFC President Dana White once famously put it. Leaving his opponent Braulio Estima, the crowd in attendance and those who had bought the online Pay Per View in the lurch, Diaz continues to be unreliable as evident by his drug test failure in wake of the championship fight with Carlos Condit, as well as missing press conferences that cost him a shot at the UFC Welterweight title to begin with.

Due to his unreliability and behaviour, should Submission Grappling and MMA Promoters blacklist Nick Diaz from here on out?

T.P. Grant: If Diaz can't be relied on to show up for a grappling match, that in the grand scheme of things didn't mean anything, he has blacklisted himself. "Does Nick Diaz show up?" will be a question that is asked every time he is scheduled to appear on shows from here to the end of his career.

The worst part is, the people around him seem to refuse that it is a problem. Cesar Gracie, as Nick's coach, mentor and teacher, should be pushing Nick to get help if his social problems are really this bad, but instead he makes excuses. I think Cesar has lost sight of the line between teacher and friend, and is no longer acting in Nick's best interests.

KJ Gould: If Diaz is true to his word and stays retired from MMA, it may not be an issue promoters have to consider. Since it's often hard to believe whenever a fighter as young as Diaz retires and sticks with it, promoters are in the bind of wondering if it's worth the risk counting on Diaz even if he can bring some money in.

I think MMA and Grappling promoters should blacklist Diaz, to send a universal message about what happens to those who mess about and fail to act like a professional. Of course I can't see that happening, and there will be some promoters who will take a punt and find out the hard way.

Diaz didn't just let his opponent, audience and fans down, he let down a charity: the St Jude's Children's Hospital, who he was in effect representing with his purse meant to go to them. It'd be good if the promoters made the donation regardless, but it doesn't look good on Diaz and shouldn't fill anyone with confidence that he's worth the time or effort to work with in the future.

Brent Brookhouse: I think the point where you no show charity events is where it becomes inexcusable. Now we're starting to hear all the excuses. If there were issues with the weigh in or worries that the money wasn't going to be donated to charity, it's not like Nick and his people don't know how to get in touch with the media ahead of time. Instead, it's more selfish nonsense where nobody matters to Nick but Nick.

If it was an issue with the weights? Who cares? It's for charity and it wasn't like it was something that mattered in the long term. I know it sucks, but just talk about it before and after the fight, letting people know that it's not at the agreed upon weight. No showing is never the way to handle something like this.

Read more after the jump

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USA Wrestling were unable to make it to the finals of the 2012 Freestyle Wrestling World Cup after a slip against Iran in Round 4 yesterday. A lot was riding on Keith Gavin to defeat opponent Ehsan Amini at 84KG for them to be in with a chance of reaching the finals, but after a spirited effort yesterday it was not to be.

The home town crowd in Baku, Azerbaijan are about to go nuts if their team can beat Iran in the finals coming up shortly, but USA was still able to come in third overall as a team by beating old rivals Russia for Bronze. Superstar and Olympic Gold Medal hopeful Jordan Burroughs went undefeated this weekend, and his winning match sealed the deal for USA to medal, while most of his team mates including Jake Varner had mixed results.

Here are the results of Team USA's final performance:

55KG Hazwinkel (USA) def Artas (RUS) 7-3, 0-1, 5-2 best two out of three periods.
60KG Coleman (USA) def Bagmaev (RUS) 1-0, 0-1, 1-1 tech points 3-1
66KG Frayer (USA) def Kuzmanaliev (RUS) 3-2, 0-0, 0-0, tech points 5-0
74KG Burroughs (USA) def Gadzimafomedov (RUS) 5-0, 6-1 two straight periods.
84KG Ibragimov (RUS) def Gavin (USA) 4-0, 0-0, 0-0, tech points 5-0
96KG Akhmedov (RUS) def Varner (USA) 5-0, 3-0, two straight periods.
120KG Dlagnev (USA) def Kolomietc (RUS) 1-0, 1-0, two straight periods.

Earlier this morning before USA met Russia for third place, USA met Georgia in a dual, winning 6 matches to 1.

Related: 2012 FILA World Cup Of Freestyle Wrestling Live Results & Play By Play | The 2012 FILA World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling Preview

There are various things that irk me about Brock Lesnar's newest finishing hold for his current WWE stint. When he went for it at the Extreme Rules PPV against John Cena, long time play by play commentator Michael Cole straight away called it 'The Kimura'. Most fans that have followed MMA and have seen its influence in Pro Wrestling are probably thinking "Great! WWE are educating themselves and letting the MMA and Jiu Jitsu lexicon become a part of their program".

Unfortunately I see it as just another betrayal by WWE of their roots. They have forsaken their history of Catch As Catch Can Wrestling so much, they can't even refer to it as a Double Wrist Lock anymore.The last time I can even remember the phrase 'Catch As Catch Can' being used on WWE programming was in a match between Ken Shamrock and a returning Jeff Jarrett who was part of a Jim Cornette led NWA invasion, where the classic commentary team of Jerry Lawlor and Jim Ross called the match.

A favourite of many workers throughout history, including the late, great Lou Thesz, the Double Wrist Lock was a formidable hold even in a shoot environment.

Now WWE refer to a staple of their past as the renamed 'Kimura', named by the Gracie Jiu Jitsu family in tribute to the famous Judoka Masahiko Kimura who broke Helio Gracie's arm with the hold in a match they had in the 1950's. Kimura learned the hold as an Ude Garami, which essentially translates to 'arm entanglement'. Ironically Kimura was also a Pro Wrestler in Japan, so instead of a move called by its pro wrestling name, we have a move named after a pro wrestler. Not quite a Stone Cold Stunner though, is it?

Wrestling Legend Karl Gotch (left) and Masahiko Kimura (right)

But that's not what bothers me the most about Brock Lesnar using it. Arguing over semantics is a minor grumble, and at this point in time Jiu Jitsu is having the most success from a brand and marketing perspective. My biggest issue is with Brock Lesnar's application of it.

Continue reading after the jump ...

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I haven't watched Pro Wrestling with any real regularity since the mid 2000's. The in-ring product had become pretty hit and miss, but I could tolerate 10 bad matches for every solid gold performance that might glean through. The absurd storylines I could largely ignore, or just let wash over like the occasional popcorn trash television a lot of us all watch as a guilty pleasure.

What kept me watching as the profession's most solid workers left the business through retirement or tragedy, and as the creative teams chose phoning it in over imagination, was trying to predict the process of it all. In my mind, I became a fan more interested in the booking and psychology to build audience expectation and working out when the optimal time for the pay off would be between two feuding rivals.

I'm under no illusion that Brock Lesnar is likely in WWE for the short term, and naturally WWE aren't going to give him everything on a silver platter at the expense of tearing down the stars they've been cultivating during the 8 years he's been absent. But the booking and handling of Lesnar's match with John Cena at Extreme Rules this past weekend is the exact type of nonsense that turned me off in the first place; it didn't make any sense. In fact, it seemed short sighted with an even shorter term gain for what it was worth.

Why have Cena beat Lesnar in their first match together of the current era? There was very little reference -- if any -- to them meeting before with Lesnar holding a win over him, so most fans would be oblivious it's now one a-piece and so a rubber match could be hyped and sold. I doubt many WWE fans would even know what a rubber match is.

Why even put them in a PPV match so soon? The whole thing was rushed, and the post script of Cena being hurt but cutting a promo about taking time off, only to comeback the next night and get put in a match with a non / no-longer wrestling entity comes across more of a clusterfuck than any dramatic twists and turns of the plot.

Should Lesnar in reality ever share mine and others' frustrations with how he's being used, he is more than capable of going into business for himself by turning any match he's in into a shoot and legit beating any WWE Superstar on the roster in a one-on-one match. There is no one there that could challenge him, and most would be powerless to endure his wrath. The aftermath for the company would be pure chaos, but for us it would be can't miss, must see TV.

Unfortunately today in 2012, it'll never happen.

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Bad news for fans in the UK, as the ESPN premium subscription sports network will not be showing the UFC On Fox 3 event, headlined by Nate Diaz taking on Jim Miller in a potential Number #1 contenders bout for the Lightweight title.

At least, ESPN will not be showing the fight card live, possibly due to a program scheduling conflict. ESPN will however broadcast the event on tape delay Sunday night at 10:30 PM GMT.

Related Stories

Despite Dan Hardy Headlining, ESPN UK Not Broadcasting Versus Card | With TUF on FX UK is UFC on Sky Sports Inevitable? | UFC Velasquez vs Dos Santos to Air on Premier Sports, Virgin Media Customers Lose Out

However, if you simply can't wait that long and have to get a live UFC fix, fear not: UFC.TV will be live streaming the event in the UK for free. Simply create an account (at no expense) if you haven't one already, and sign in to watch on Saturday night.

UFC.TV allows you to watch from different camera angles, have different audio feeds including from the Red or Blue corner, pause and even rewind the action. You can now even interact while watching, with the Enhanced Viewing experience allowing you to score the rounds how you see fit and compare your judging skills with the rest of the UFC.TV audience. You can even check on twitter discussion of the event, or join the UFC.TV chat room without leaving the page.

(Read more after the jump)

SBNation Coverage UFC On Fox 3

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Alistair Overeem is making all the right noises with his official statement to his fans and friends regarding his abnormally high level of testosterone, which we posted earlier today. Apologetic, remorseful and a willingness to clear his name and rehabilitate his image, his reasoning for his test failure is both plausible and calculated. The statement might well be genuine and sincere, but it's hard not to view his words through a cynical eye.

On Tuesday, April 24, Overeem will yet again appear in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and I hope Keith Kizer and his fellow, presiding NSAC colleagues dissect his testimony with surgical precision.

In December when Overeem was questioned at an NSAC hearing over his leaving the country the week of a scheduled drug test prior to his fight with Brock Lesnar, the matter seamed glossed over as if it was just raised in casual conversation, rather than an official line of inquiry. The apparent failure to request and examine evidence that would corroborate Overeem's claims -- such as airline receipts, boarding cards and passport stamps -- could constitute a startling lack of due diligence on the NSAC's part.

Related: Alistair Overeem Gives His Side Of The Story For His Elevated Testosterone Levels | Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | Junior Dos Santos Vs. Frank Mir Official | Dana White Comments On Alistair Overeem's Removal From The Card

There are various aspects of Alistair Overeem's statement -- which will likely form the basis and tone of his testimony tomorrow -- that need probing and picking at. For example, in his statement we can gather that Overeem is adamant he does not believe in the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs from a sporting, ethical standpoint, or that he has used Performance Enhancing Drugs. He is so righteous in his stance, he aims to do what ever it takes to prove his virtue as a clean athlete.

More after the jump...

More UFC 146 coverage on SBN

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UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos finally knows who he will be defending his title against at UFC 146. Up until this point UFC President Dana White had been unusually quiet about this topic, other than asserting the foolishness of his fighters in taking Performance Enhancing Drugs, and how he can't babysit all of them to make sure they don't.

Alistair Overeem was set to challenge for the championship in what would have been one of the biggest matches of the year, until he had a random test sprung on him and his fellow Heavyweight peers at a pre-UFC 146 press conference to hype the event. Overeem's Testosterone to Epitestosterone Ratio came back at 14:1, more than twice the 6:1 ratio Nevada State Athletic Commission allows, and more than 3 times the 4:1 ratio the World Anti Doping Agency -- who will regulate the Olympic Games this Summer -- allow. This is following a conditional license granted to Overeem by NSAC in December when he failed to show up to a scheduled test, and left the country the day before to attend to alleged family affairs in his home country of the Netherlands. All other Heavyweights tested came back within acceptable levels.

Related: Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Dana White Doesn't Want To Talk About Alistair Overeem, Letting Due Process Run Its Course

Originally the bout between Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez was said to be still in place, but now according to Dana White via twitter, Frank Mir will replace Alistair Overeem in the UFC Heavyweight Championship title fight.

Taking off to Atlanta!!!! May 26 th is now Mir vs JDS for the HW title in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.

— Dana White (@danawhite) April 21, 2012

The delay in announcing any changes to the main event billing opened the UFC up to speculation, with many wondering if they would try to continue the Overeem vs Dos Santos fight under the premise Overeem was without a license at the time of the random test, and despite the conditional license granted to him in December stating he would be random tested additionally as part of the conditional license agreement.

More SBN coverage of UFC 146

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Or just a 'Happy Easter' if you don't feel like tiptoeing around the issue of offending someone, somewhere, somehow.

Just remember to make sure you know what eggs you're actually opening, or you could end up like this guy:

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson has appeared in a video produced by FilmOn.com, a Live TV service provider.

The video appears on FilmOn's youtube channel, and is entitled "Rampage Jackson - How To Pick Up A Gurl - Fast."

Gals Guide To MMA picked up on the video on Wednesday afternoon:

In an apparent infinite capacity for poor decision making, stupidity, and vile behavior, Quentin Jackson has posted a video called, "How to Pick Up a Gurl [sic] - Fast". What's so offensive about this, you ask? Well, the video boils down to a how-to on raping women, including using cholorform to help her relax, using zip ties, picking women who are in parking lots with malfunctioning cameras, and putting on your condoms, cause, safety first! However the jokes on Rampage when the woman turns out to be a man, who then proceeds to bite Rampage's erect penis as he's screaming on the ground. No, I'm serious. That's really what happens. The video ends with Rampage disgusted that it was "a damn dude." Right, Quentin, because THAT'S what's disgusting here.

Related:

Rampage Jackson Tweets That He Wants UFC To Release Him | Miguel Torres Released From UFC for Twitter Rape Joke | Rashad Evans' Joke About the Penn State Scandal is No Laughing Matter | Forrest Griffin's Jokes About Rape Demand UFC Action

Yes, Rampage obviously thought an attempt at comic acting in the year 2012 with the double whammy of misogyny and homophobia, was a good idea.

It's worth noting that Miguel Torres was fired by Dana White for tweeting a line from a TV comedy show that joked about rape; how UFC reacts to one of its biggest stars taking part in a 'comedy' video of this nature is anyone's guess.

The video in question is after the jump.

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Brazilian site UOL Esporte has an interesting projection for the UFC's third trip back to Rio at UFC 147, headlined by UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva defending his title once again against challenger Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen famously dubbed the bout 'the biggest rematch in the history of the business' in his post-fight interview at UFC 136, but the South American event in June may only just beat the UFC attendance record that was set by Toronto, Canada for UFC 129.

UFC President Dana White has been floating around a number of 80,000 for potential capacity at the event, but realistically it would seem the capacity tops out at 60,000 based on the initial research done by UOL Esporte. That would put the UFC at only 5,000 ahead of the Toronto show, should the Rio event sell out when tickets are expected to go on sale in May.

Related:

UFC 147: Silva Vs. Sonnen II Officially Set For June 23rd | Anderson Silva And Chael Sonnen To Rematch In Rio Soccer Stadium In Front Of 80,000 Fans | Dan Henderson Won't Fight Chael Sonnen, Only Wants Anderson Silva At 185 | UFC 147: Anderson Silva Says Chael Sonnen Shouldn’t Have Received A Rematch

According to the official website of the Botafogo Soccer Team, who use the Engenhao stadium as their home ground, the maximum seating capacity is 46,831 fans, while UOL Esporte projects a further 10,000 to 15,000 seats could be added to the field.

Originally intended for a stadium show in Sao Paulo, UFC 147's location had to be reconsidered due to possible noise ordinance issues which we reported on back in January.

After the jump, a mock up of how the Octagon will look when placed in the center field at Engenhao stadium.

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This op-ed is solely the opinion of the author and is not the official position of Bloody Elbow or Vox Media. See Vox Media's official statement on SOPA/PIPA

Intellectual Property and Copyright infringement is a big problem. Not just for the UFC, but for any company and any industry whose commodity is licensing media in the form of audio, video and even the written word. Most importantly, all of these companies and industries are absolutely within their rights to protect and control their content and to not have that control taken away from them, or to have that protection subverted.

The problem is often the strategy employed to continue this protection and control, and a failure to look internally at current practices and at the current business model, as it relates to today's technology and consumer demands.

It was announced last week that UFC's parent company Zuffa would look to take legal action against individuals who watched illegal streams of their events, and over at MMA Fighting Ben Fowlkes wrote an editorial that argued suing fans was not the way to combat piracy or convert them into customers.

For anyone who keeps themselves abreast of technology and content issues through websites such as TechDirt.com, the belief that better enforcement is an effective way to decrease piracy is asinine. Instead there have been multiple instances that have historically shown that online infringement isn't an enforcement issue, but a customer service issue.

Multiple companies have shown that by adjusting their business model to better serve the consumer and better utilise current technologies, it has given them a far greater net benefit in revenue, profit and customer loyalty than by aggressively going after individuals for infringement, or spending thousands if not millions of dollars in civil litigation against other companies.

Related: Dana White And UFC Fail To See Big Picture With SOPA Support

For instance, in January 2009 Jason Holtman, the director of business development and legal affairs for Valve - the software company that created the legal gaming distribution platform Steam - spoke at a video games conference in Texas and remarked "Pirates are just under-served customers". Similarly in November 2011, co-founder and CEO of Valve Gabe Newell in an interview with The Cambridge Student stated:

In general, we think there is a fundamental misconception about piracy. Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem. For example, if a pirate offers a product anywhere in the world, 24 x 7, purchasable from the convenience of your personal computer, and the legal provider says the product is region-locked, will come to your country 3 months after the US release, and can only be purchased at a brick and mortar store, then the pirate's service is more valuable. Most DRM solutions diminish the value of the product by either directly restricting a customers use or by creating uncertainty.

Our goal is to create greater service value than pirates, and this has been successful enough for us that piracy is basically a non-issue for our company. For example, prior to entering the Russian market, we were told that Russia was a waste of time because everyone would pirate our products. Russia is now about to become our largest market in Europe.

Where Steam has countered video-game piracy through a better consumer service and experience, other companies have taken similar approaches to music and video distribution. Netflix, Spotify and iTunes are just some of the companies that were created and developed in response to changing consumer demands, and the issue of online piracy has been successfully diminished globally as a result.

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The number one contender and next to challenge UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, former politician and Realtor, occasional television MMA analyst, and a one man army waging war on Blackhouse, Chael Sonnen now has another role to add to his resumé: author.

Sonnen's schtick is perhaps the most divisive in mixed martial arts; fans and fighters alike either love or hate it, and are usually quite vocal about it. We've seen the interviews and read the tweets, and now we get to delve deeper into the world according to Chael P. Sonnen while consuming our caffeinated beverage of choice.

Entitled 'The Voice of Reason: A V.I.P. Pass to Enlightenment' , here's part of Sonnen's description of his fledgling tome:

Presence. Tenacity. Insight. Omniscience. No need to look these words up. They are defined by yours truly. Who am I? I'm the one who needs no introduction, the walking thesaurus, the UFC's most infamous and feared destroyer of men. I am Chael P. Sonnen, and you want to be just like me.

It's your lucky day. What you are holding in your hands is nothing short of a V.I.P pass to enlightenment. In the coming pages my humor and tales of heroic adventure will baptize you in superhuman greatness. Allow me to carry you like a frail damsel as I make a nightmarish decent into the bowels of Sao Paulo. Sit before me as a student as I teach you about my plans of creating a Chaelocracy, which translates to "A Better Earth." Shower me with praise as I take you into my manly mitts like a lump of seemingly worthless clay and craft you into something far better than yourself-me.

Like all great men of myth and legend, I strive for the betterment of the human race. Prometheus brought us fire; Dana White brought us the modern day gladiator; and I bring you a step-by-step guide to being just like me. Do you have what it takes? Is there truly a chance that one day you will be able to walk in my shoes? Purchase this book and find out. There is no better day to stop being you and start trying to be me.

You're welcome civilization.

Sonenn's book is due for release on May 15, and can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.

Anyone working within the MMA media for the past 7 days shouldn't have failed to notice the increased coverage of collegiate wrestling this year compared to years past. I feel that we in particular among the SBNation community of websites offered the most comprehensive and frequent coverage out there, including Bloody Elbow's former editor-in-chief and current MMA Fighting senior editor, Luke Thomas.

The coverage of the 2012 NCAA Division I wrestling championship wasn't arbitrary, either, as it was a way of giving back to the sport that has been the quintessential back bone of Mixed Martial Arts, while also providing a glimpse at potential future prospects. At MMA Fighting, Luke Thomas does just this in his NCAA to MMA Wrestling Draft:

The development of the relationship between collegiate wrestling and MMA is both organic and inevitable. As high-level wrestlers consider their future, the path towards MMA becomes increasingly intriguing as it does actionable. As old teammates take the plunge and demonstrate success, a new crop of wrestlers become aware of and interested in the intriguing career path.

This all naturally raises the question: who could conceivably cross over?

Thomas hits on many of the 'All Americans' I myself have considered as candidates for a career in MMA, some of whom I believe have what it takes to become future contenders and even champions in years to come. Head on over to MMA Fighting now via the link above and find out some of the names fight fans should be keeping an eye on.

Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow this year as we continue to bring you exposure to the foundation arts of MMA, as we have the Olympic trials next month, and we'll have the World IBJJF Jiu Jistu Championships and the Olympics coming up this summer.