Stephane Patry -- the founder of Canada’s original and most successful professional mixed martial arts organization -- has resigned his position as president of TKO Championship Fighting.

Patry was instrumental in bringing 44 shows to the Montreal region under the banner. However, according to a report on Sportsnet.ca, the Montreal native has decided to call it quits and will pursue new challenges.

Here’s a snip:

"I've been involved in promoting a sport and producing shows for close to nine years…it was a good time for me to step down. I think I accomplished a lot of things in and for the sport. I decided I want to focus on other things."

TKO is renowned for grooming the careers of stars such as UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, recent number one UFC middleweight contender Patrick Cote, Mark Hominick, David Loiseau and Sam Stout, among others.

Patry will continue to manage a stable of approximately seven professional fighters, which includes Cote.

Here is what he had to say about continuing with this side of the business:

"I will stay involved with the sport as a manager and also continue my work in television as a TV analyst."

No replacement has yet been named and TKO’s December 5 show has subsequently been cancelled.

Props: National Post

MMACanada.net recently caught up with Patrick Cote in Montreal, Quebec, while he was in the midst of preparing for his middleweight title fight against Anderson "The Spider" Silva at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote" at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on October 25.

Shortly after this video was taken, which shows "The Predator" sparring and a brief behind the scenes look into his preparations for the biggest fight of his career, Cote headed down to Boston to train with Mark DellaGrotte at the famed Sityodtong gym.

After watching Anderson Silva dismantle a "who’s who" of the middleweight division last night on Spike TV’s "UFC Unleashed," Cote is going to have his hands full with the Brazilian.

Regardless of how heavy the odds favor the best ‘pound for pound fighter’, Cote is confident leading up to October 25.

Check out his thoughts right here.

Roger Huerta was recently in Toronto, Canada, putting on a seminar at Victory Fight Club.

"El Matador," of course, is fresh off his first loss inside the Octagon against Kenny Florian last month at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" -- a tough unanimous decision defeat that put his immediate title shot hopes on temporary hold.

Glenn Dextras of MMACanada.net recently caught up with Huerta to discuss the effects of his first loss in the UFC, the "greasing" accusations from Florian after the fight, how he contributes his time outside of the world of MMA and much more.

To check out the video interview click here. And you can also check out the full picture gallery here.

Xtreme Couture Toronto and MMACanada.net have teamed up to present a all-day training session and autograph session with former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck "Iceman" Liddell in Toronto, Canada, on October 19, coinciding with UFC 89: "Bisping vs. Leben" event the day prior.

Chuck is coming off arguably the toughest loss of his career at the hands of Rashad Evans via brutal knockout back at UFC 88: "Breakthrough."

Nonetheless, "Iceman" will put it all behind him and put on a seminar at Xtreme Couture on Sunday, October 19 and follow it up with what is expected to be a very busy one-hour meet and greet/autograph signing.

Sponsors of the event include TapouT, Staredown Fight Wear, Redemption Fight Wear, Xyience and The Substance Group.

We will of course pass along a behind the scenes look into Chuck’s first visit to the Toronto area since 2004. But for those who want to experience it firsthand and/or purchase tickets please click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Wanderlei Silva will now join the ranks of those forever immortalized in plastic.

Round 5 -- the MMA industry's fastest growing worldwide collectible figure company -- has landed the the exclusive rights to produce the "Wandy" collectible. And that likely means we won’t see a Jakks Pacific doll of "The Axe Murderer" anytime soon.

Wanderlei will be the final character added to the Series 2 collection. He joins Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk, Rich "Ace" Franklin and Anderson "The Spider" Silva to round out the bunch. Series 2 is scheduled to hit stores this November ... just in time for the holiday season.

"After the successful release of our first series, we are thrilled to exclusively secure Wanderlei Silva as the fourth and final character to join our eagerly awaited Series 2," President of Round 5, Damon Lau, tells MMAmania.com of the fourth character announcement.

Round 5’s line of collectable figures are made to celebrate milestone victories and respond to the mass appeal of mixed martial arts worldwide. Similar to the Series 1 collectibles, these figurines are created with a fine attention to detail and are fashioned in the fighter’s signature pose.

The 6" MMA collectible figures will be available in stores across North America, including Champ Sports, F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment), KB Toys, Toys R Us Canada and distributed exclusively in the United Kingdom by Made For Fighters.

Although these collectibles will not be available in retail stores or through online distributors until November sometime, MMAMania.com has been assured that we will be able to run a contest or two in the near future to giveaway some limited edition samples!

Stay tuned.

About Round 5
Round 5 is the MMA industry's fastest growing worldwide collectible figure company. Committed to developing intricately detailed figures, Round 5 strives to remain true to the sport of MMA and its’ personalities. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Round 5 sells manufacturers product and distributes through retail locations and its official online store found at www.round5mma.com.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Check out and purchase some Series 1 UFC action figures after the jump.

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Sources close to Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) have indicated that the explosive (and long-rumored) third showdown between "The Axe Murderer" and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (28-7) is indeed set, according to MMACanada.net.

The blockbuster light heavyweight match up will co-headline UFC 91: "Couture vs. Lesnar" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 15.

Bout agreements have been distributed to both fighters and are just now awaiting signatures. Representatives from Silva's management team, however, indicate that the Brazilian camp will have its end of the agreement signed and completed by the end of the day.

"The Axe Murderer" and "Rampage" of course share quite a bit of history, fighting twice overseas in Japan under the Pride FC banner. Silva was victorious on both occasions and in rather convincing fashion -- the fights ended with brutal knockouts.

Since that time, Jackson has indicated that he was not necessarily competing on a level playing field. He and/or his handlers have hinted at everything from unchecked steroid use to crooked officiating. One thing is for certain -- Jackson is now a much improved fighter who is dedicated to training with partners who can elevate his game.

That was something that he was clearly missing in "The Land of the Rising Sun." And now he gets to prove that with the right approach -- and under strict supervision of a regulated sanctioning body -- he can exact revenge once and for all.

Silva's last appearance was an absolute mauling of "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine at UFC 84: "Ill Will" back in May. He definitely looked like the "Axe Murderer" of old with a quick and vicious knockout. For "Rampage," this will mark his first fight after his highly publicized run-ins with the law and his subsequent split with long-time trainer, Juanito Ibarra.

He will also look to bounce back from his controversial unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86: "Jackson vs. Griffin" in July, which cost him his 205-pound title.

This is definitely a huge fight that the hardcore fans have been dreaming about -- Silva and Jackson have an epic feud and a real distaste for one another. This should definitely be another instant classic.

To check out the latest UFC 91 fight card and rumors click here. This is already shaping up to be a downright monster pay-per-view (PPV) event.

Over the weekend, The Fight Network announced that it has landed exclusive rights to air the one hour under card portion of the July 19 Affliction: "Banned" pay-per-view (PPV) event on its network. The Fight Network’s president and CEO, George Burger, made the announcement at a press conference held at the MMA Expo in Toronto, Canada.

Burger was flanked at the press conference by Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio; Fight Network Senior Vice President and founder Mike Garrow; Mark "The Machine" Hominic; as well as heavyweights, Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski and "Big" Ben Rothwell, who are set to face each other on the star studded card.

Here’s a snip from Burger on the news:

"This is a stellar card, arguably the best collection of heavyweights under one roof in the history of MMA. The Fight Network is excited to be working side by side with Affliction in taking the launch of this promotion worldwide … Not only are we showing the undercard live and exclusively on our Network, a great lead-in to the Pay-Per-View event, but we are also distributing the Pay-Per-View in Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom."

Mauro Ranallo was the emcee for the press conference and revealed that both he and "Big" John McCarthy will be calling the play-by-play on July 19.

The Afflicition Banned main event showcases the return of Fedor Emelianenko against former UFC heavyweight champion, Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The rest of the card reads like a rolodex of match ups any promotion would be eager to put together in a heartbeat.

The question now remains: Do we pay to watch an absolutely spectacular card Affliction card or do we peep the best pound-for-pound fighter take a step up in weight and headline a card that is taking shape nicely for free?

Set the Tivo ... it’s going to be a busy weekend. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Former UFC champion Randy Couture ventured north of the border to Toronto this past weekend to promote the opening of the seventh installment of his namesake gym, Xtreme Couture, and the first of its kind in Canada.

Xtreme Couture in Toronto is massive -- 33,000 sq. ft. and boasts a full health club, yoga and spinning rooms, sauna, steam rooms, as well as an enormous mat area, ring and cage.

Owner’s Doug and Robert Urch -- along with Len MacDearmid -- have designed a twist on the typical mixed martial arts training facility, bringing in a full health club to appeal to a much broader clientele. Hardcore MMA practitioners, however, can still get top-notch instruction from the likes of Mark Bocek, Chris Horodecki and Mark Hominick.

Couture was on double duty during his trip to Canada. He was also up for Yahoo! Canada’s Round 5 launch party. He was joined by former lightweight champion Sean Sherk, who was fresh off his loss to BJ Penn at UFC 84: "Ill Will."

Round 5 has produced Series 1 of its action figures with the release of Quinton Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes and Randy Couture all being molded into composite collectibles. "The Muscle Shark" was on hand as he will have his own toy to open soon with the proposed fall release of Series 2 along with the likes of Rich Franklin and Anderson Silva.

Round 5 was at a loss as to who would fill the final spot on the Series 2 roster and had Randy and Sean square off in an arm wrestling match with the winner getting their pick as the fourth personality to be released in the fall. Sherk had in mind either Forrest Griffin or Wanderlei Silva and Randy was dead set on seeing "The Prodigy" in toy boxes across North America.

Sean put up a fight, but BJ will be able to re-enact crisp jabs into Sherk’s face until his heart is content come the fall.

Randy and Sean were both generous with their time and I had a chance to catch up with both of them. Randy talked about the fight with Fedor, his dedication to seeing fighter’s rights and working environment improved. Sean, on the other hand, discussed his fight with BJ and his thoughts on the Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta showdown scheduled for UFC 87.

To check out the entire interview click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Former Hardcore Championship Fighting (HCF) co-owner Dave Houshiar is back in business with a co-promotion between Alberta-based Legacy Fighting Championships and his own Raw Combat company, according to MMACanada.net.

This news was released by the Fight Network awhile back; however there was some confusion regarding the particulars, so we went straight to the source and interviewed Dave Houshiar regarding his thoughts on HCF and his new organization.

HCF had staked itself as one of Canada’s premier mixed martial arts promotions over the course of the past year with an impressive stable of fighters, including Aleksander Emelianenko, Mike Pyle, Jason Day, David Loiseau, Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Joe Riggs, Gideon Ray, Hector Ramirez, Rob MacDonald and others.

Unfortunately, Keith Crawford announced earlier this month that the organization was folding, ending months of speculation regarding a new investor. In Crawford’s press release he did mention that he and Dave Houshiar would be continuing on in the business -- albeit not together.

Some of Dave’s thoughts on the collapse of HCF:

"To be honest, I don't really consider it a collapse. If I had to put a label on it, I think I'd refer to it as being more along the lines of an evolution. HCF provided an excellent start point for me ... I learned a lot about the sport and had an opportunity to develop many solid relationships with numerous key players. Overall, it was a great experience, but I do feel that I took the promotion as far as it could go. I'm now in the process of transitioning to the next level."

Dave was also cordial when asked about his status with Keith:

"Keith is a very interesting guy. As far as status is concerned, we've both decided that it's best to move forward in different directions at this point in time. I wish him all the best with his future endeavors."

After the dismantling of HCF, Dave has turned around quickly with an impressive card under the new banner. The card set for June is solid with quality UFC, WEC and Pride FC veterans such as David Loiseau, Hector Ramirez, Carlo Prater and Derrick Noble.

When asked about the direction he plans on taking with Raw Combat, Dave responded:

"…I can sum it up by saying that we intend to take the best elements of HCF and then crank the volume way up. I'm planning to go big with Raw Combat. We're going to build a brand that will come to be known for showcasing the most exciting aspects of Mixed Martial Arts action…Things are about to start moving very quickly with Raw Combat."

The June 20 card is an impressive start for the promotions inaugural event. With world class talent promising an exciting night of fights, the Canadian MMA future looks bright. Check out the official card after the jump.

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Xtreme Couture -- the mixed martial arts (MMA) training facilities that are affiliated with none other than Randy Couture -- is breaking ground in Canada with the opening of a 33,000 sq. ft. facility in Toronto’s west end.

The grand opening is scheduled for May 31.

The state of the art facility is loaded with a 14,000 sq. ft. health club along with a 19, 000 sq. ft. MMA training facility that comes complete with an Octagon and ring. The instructors who are on the roster so far include accomplished fighters such as Mark Bocek, Chris Horodecki and Mark Hominick.

The club will open with a bang as Randy Couture will be on hand on the Saturday for an autograph signing and meet and greet with the fans during the grand opening party. The following day, Randy will host a two-hour seminar from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

With the explosion of MMA in Canada, Xtreme Couture is seemingly leading the way with this new facility.

Space is limited for the seminar and the gym will be offering promotional membership fees during the grand opening. For more information please click here.

"The Road Warrior" will not be on the road to London, England, at the O2 Arena on June 7, according to MMAWeekly.com.

Goulet has to turn down a 170-pound bout, which was never made official, against undefeated English welterweight Paul Kelly.

The report indicates that Goulet pulled out due to undisclosed health concerns. However, over at TKO Xtreme, there's another story that says Goulet withdrew from the fight at the request of his new gym.

Here’s a snip:

"According to Goulet, The TriStar Gym requested that Goulet withdraw from the bout due to the short time frame given to prepare for the June 7 bout."

At the time of this report, Goulet was unable to be reached for comment. We'll try and sort this all out once more information becomes available.

Regardless of the reason behind the decision one thing is clear: Goulet is not fighting at UFC 85. And that's too bad because he really took it to a very tough Kuniyoshi Hironaka at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2," earning "Fight of the Night" honors for his second round technical knockout of the Japanese product.

Goulet vs. Kelly was lining up to be a great fight -– here’s hoping Joe Silva can make it happen down the road. In the meantime, Goulet will now train at TriStar gym on a full time basis in Montreal, Canada, alongside the likes of David Loiseau and Georges St. Pierre.

That's some good company.

Martin "Hitman" Kampmann’s record in the UFC is a solid (3-0) with wins over Crafton Wallace, Thales Leites and Drew McFedries.

His winning performances in the middleweight division earned him a shot against Rich Franklin back at UFC 72: "Victory" in June 2007. The fight was supposed to determine the number one contender to face UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva.

Kampmann, however, was forced to withdraw from the fight after tearing and messing up pretty much every cruciate ligament in his left knee while training for "ace."

"Hitman" hasn’t seen the inside of the Octagon since that time.

He had surgery to repair that damage and the Denmark native then moved to Las Vegas to train with Xtreme Couture to get his career back on the rails.

Kampmann last competed against Drew McFedries at UFC 68: "The Uprising" in March 2007. And if anyone remembers that fight, they remember that the 26-year-old Dane has a chin of granite, coupled with the ability to persevere and finish a tough fight.

June 7 in London, England, will mark the return of Kampmann at UFC 85: "Bedlam," with a big test against the venerable veteran, Jorge Rivera. "El Conquistador" is coming off a big knockout win over Kendall Grove and is looking to cement his future with the organization.

I caught up with Martin and he took some time out of training to briefly chat with MMAMania.com. Here’s our discussion:

Continue reading this post »

Rich "No Love" Clementi played spoiler for many Canadian fans at UFC 83: "St. Pierre vs. Serra 2" with his tough split decision victory over Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout. The shower of boos from some 21 000 fans didn’t phase Clementi, in fact it did the opposite.

Here’s a snip:

"Being booed pumped me up a little bit … whether it’s cheers or boos it’s the energy that matters, I used that a little to my favor."

The Canadian fans lived up to their stereotype of being overtly polite, however, only after the fight was over:

"The crowd in Montreal and the fans are just awesome … even afterwards I had fans come up to me and say ‘I felt bad booing you’ and they apologized and asked for my autograph."

Shortly after his win, Clementi received a call to fill in for an injured Rob Emerson who was slated to face Terry Etim at UFC 84: "Ill Will" on May 24. Without a thought Clementi jumped at the opportunity. After a tough three-round war with Stout, Clementi is going to have a brief break.

In fact, he said he would, "… take a few days to relax my mind and to get refocused and then I’m right back at it."

And his thoughts on the 10-1 British fighter, Terry Etim:

"He’s another young kid, and the thing about him is he’s not really great in one area and I seem to do well against guys like that."

I know I should be staying away from the Starnes debacle, but it is always interesting to hear what fellow fighters, and especially ones who were on the card, thought of the whole situation.

Clementi’s reaction:

"You never really know what is going through a guys mind when he’s fighting, but at the same token, when you’re paid to perform – and that’s what we are, performers – go get knocked out…step in there, stick your jaw out, try to throw a punch …."

Clementi is a dangerous fighter who is solid in all aspects of the game. It is hard not to be in his corner for every one of his fights. His dedication to the sport and his short turnaround between his fights speaks to his character.

Of course, I was booing him in favor of the hometown Stout, but I was one of the overtly polite Canadians patting him on the back after his win.

Fighting in the deepest, arguably the toughest division in all of MMA -- let alone the UFC -- lends itself to a complicated mix of up-and-comers, journeymen and contenders.

Where does Clementi see himself in the mix?

Here’s a final snip:

"Do I think I’m ready for that, a title shot or whatever? – No. Do I feel like I’m slowly climbing that ladder and kicking people off it as I’m trying to come up? – Damn right I am."

To listen to the entire audio interview click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Photo courtesy of Glenn Dextras - koshots.com

Jason "Dooms" Day came through with a big win in his UFC debut at UFC 83: "St. Pierre vs. Serra 2," dominating Alan "The Talent" Belcher to score a standing technical knockout victory in the first round back on April 19.

He landed his four-fight contract with the UFC after his controversial split decision win over UFC veteran David "The Crow" Loiseau at a Hardcore Championship Fighting card back in February. Many felt that Loiseau won the fight and subsequently he (Loiseau) should have had the fight with Belcher instead of Jason. Day said he scored two victories that night.

Here’s a snip:

"One of the sweetest victories I’ve had was letting everyone know that I do belong there … a lot of people said I didn’t belong and that David won that fight … but coming out and dominating Alan Belcher in every aspect, I don’t think anybody has any questions, it wasn’t left to the judges…it was like getting two victories in one."

For those who missed this fight because it was not aired Day looked calm, collected and very dominant in his debut. Belcher took him down early and Day worked effective elbows from the rubber guard. In fact, the "Master of the Rubber Guard," Eddie Bravo, was so impressed that Jason had learned the technique just one month out from his fight and put it to use so effectively that he sought him out after the fight.

Here's a snip:

"He came up to me in the hotel, and of course I know who Eddie Bravo is, but I hadn’t seen a picture, and he was like ‘that was a sick use of the rubber guard dude’ and I said thanks, I thought it was just a fan, and then he told me he was going to send me his DVDs and I was like ‘oh shit that’s Eddie Bravo’ … that was one of the highlights of my trip out there was Eddie Bravo telling me I used his rubber guard to perfection."

When asked about his thoughts on the Kalib Starnes vs. Nate Quarry fiasco, he had this to say:

"I was warming up with him all week and he looked like he had a good head on his shoulders … he looked ready to go … I didn’t know what he was thinking, if Nate Quarry was running at me doing what he was doing to Kalib, I would be punching him in the face looking for the knockout."

Jason Day is ready for whatever the UFC throws at him. For now he is satisfied with building houses for his parent’s company up in Lethbridge, Alberta. And though he did take Monday off, his father was calling him wondering when he was coming back to work.

To hear the entire audio interview click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net. Photo courtesy of Glenn Dextras - koshots.com

We're not going to get them, according to the Quebec Boxing Council.

The official sanctioning body for the region has declared them confidential, which is not uncommon for major pay-per-view (PPV) events that take place outside of the United States.

In fact, Texas, New Jersey and Colorado, among other states often don't reveal fighter salaries like Nevada, California, Ohio and Florida.

However, remember that UFC President Dana White revealed in the post-fight press conference that Demian Maia (Submission of the Night), Jason MacDonald (Knockout of the Night), as well as Jonathan Goulet and Kuniyoshi Hironaka (Fight of the Night), all earned $75,000 bonuses each for their efforts.

And we barely got to see any of them during the PPV telecast. Ho Hum.

UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" had it all: Record attendance, quickest sell-out, crazy fans and from what I can ever remember, the first ever 30-24 scorecard.

Of course, the dubious score was one of the three given in the unanimous decision for Nate Quarry over Kalib Starnes in a fight that has ignited a wave of criticism from fans and promoter (UFC President Dana White) alike.

There's been a lot of back-and-forth about what happened -- rather waht didn't happen -- inside the Octagon last Saturday night. Kalib recently released a statement in response to all of the negative press he has been receiving since his poor performance.

Here’s a snip:

"… I trained really hard for my fight. I know that there were many people, including myself, who were disappointed with my performance, and I would like to apologize to my coaches, trainers and the fans for what happened. It was by far the worst fight of my career, much to the credit of my opponent who proved to be a real monster in the ring…"

Kalib also commented on the backlash he received from fans:

"There is a winner and a loser in every fight. I tried to win but on that night I couldn't do it and I lost. Instead of allowing me to lose with dignity I was booed and called names and ridiculed beyond anything which seems reasonable to me."

He continues on in his statement about breaking his foot during the fight and simply being out classed by Nate Quarry, who subsequently stole all of the "Rocky" banter that Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra were tossing back and forth by becoming the hero in his opponent’s backyard.

"If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!." Classic.

Anyway, to check out Starnes' complete statement click here. This hopefully is the last we hear about this situation; however, something tells me we're not that fortunate.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Thiago "Pitbull" Alves, coming off a big knockout win over Karo "The Heat" Parisyan at UFC Fight Night 13 earlier this month, will be in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to host a UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" pay-per-view (PPV) viewing party at the Diesel Playhouse.

This special event is being put on by The Substance Group in association with Miller Genuine Draft, as well as a host of other sponsors.

Alves certainly cleaned up the mess at the top of the welterweight contenders list by taking out ‘The Heat' and will look to get a shot at the title -- Jon Fitch more than likely gets the next opportunity, taking on the winner of the main event this weekend sometime later this year.

If you're in Toronto and you couldn't score tickets to get out to Montreal to catch this historic card live, then this is a guaranteed great place to catch all the action.

The Diesel Playhouse sells out the PPV viewing parties each month so pick up your tickets beforehand. Click here.

Props: SportsNet.ca

Definitely worth a listen: McDonald talks Joe Doerksen and Stout waxes Rich Clementi.

Georges "Rush" St. Pierre is looking to avenge his UFC 69: "Shootout" loss to Matt "The Terror" Serra when he faces the New Yorker in less than a week at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, on April 19.

We've all seen the highlights from their first encounter by now more so than we'd probably like ... and that includes St. Pierre himself -- it was an unthinkable (and remarkable) upset.

In the video St. Pierre breaks down his loss to Serra with Sportsnet's "Showdown" Joe Ferraro.

This is only a quick snip of Sportsnet's coverage as they will be showcasing an entire two-hour live behind the scenes UFC 83 ‘Countdown Canada' from inside the Bell Centre from 8pm to 10 p.m. ET on fight night.

In the meantime enjoy:

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Forrest Griffin -- the number one UFC light heavyweight contender -- along with the TapOut Crew will host what is going to be the hottest UFC 83 after party at Light Ultra Club in Montreal, Quebec, on April 19.

Having Forrest, Mask, Skyskrape and Punk Ass, not to mention all of the other rumored fighters clamoring to get into this event, all under one roof is a recipe for a guaranteed good time.

This event is surely going to be a sellout just like the Bell Centre. Therefore, don't make the same mistake twice and wait to buy them at the door because you will definitely be disappointed.

To order UFC 83 after party tickets right now click here.

Now that UFC Fight Night 13 is in the books it's time to get pumped for UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, on April 19.

And what better way to do that than to announce some parties?

Yahoo! Canada in association with The Substance Entertainment Group and MMA Fight Gear Canada present the official Avirex UFC 83 after party -- hosted by Patrick Cote -- at Newtown on Rue Crescent Street.

"The Predator" will not be in action because of a sprained knee, meaning that he and other special guests will be accessible throughout the evening. And having partied with Cote in the past I know this is going to be a crazy party in his own backyard.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. See you there!

UFC interim welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre responds to this below:

For more video footage of "Rush" training for his showdown with Matt Serra at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" on April 19 click here.

Here's your chance to win tickets aboard The Ultimate Fight Train to UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" in Montreal at the Bell Centre on April 19 -- the event that sold out faster than any other in the history of the promotion.

It's a hot ticket to say the least.

The Toronto Sun in association with MMA Fight Gear Canada is running a contest that starts today and runs until April 14. If you live in the Toronto area make sure to pick up the paper and enter the contest. The contest is open to all legal residents of Ontario, Canada.

All of the rules, regulations and contest details can be found in The Toronto Sun's sports section or click here.

This is a great opportunity to win a fight fan's dream trip to UFC 83 –- don't miss out!

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

Jonathan Goulet earned his nickname "The Road Warrior" with wins over Jay Hieron, Luke Cummo and most recently The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 alum, Paul Georgieff, inside the Octagon.

However, disappointing losses to Josh Koscheck, Dustin Hazelett and others now has him fighting to get another shot in the UFC.

"The Road Warrior" is preparing for his welterweight tilt against Kuniyoshi Hironaka at UFC 83 in his backyard of Montreal, Quebec.

Let's call a spade a spade -— for all intents and purposes this fight will not affect the top of the UFC's welterweight division; however, it will definitely provide some fireworks, according to Goulet:

Here's a snip:

" ... I swear it is going to be exciting to watch. My goal is for sure to win that fight but also to force Zuffa to put my fight on TV – I really want to be broadcast."

Under new management with Ken Pavia and having inked a new four-fight deal with the UFC, Goulet has a renewed sense of making the UFC his home. He's not looking past his opponent though.

Another snip:

"I really respect him, he fought some good opponent like Thiago Alves, Jon Fitch and Nick Diaz. He did great, he's a tough opponent that is going to be a hard fight ...."

Jonathan is training as hard as ever and recently spent a month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, training with the Gracie Barra Team to improve his ground game.

He's coming off a win in the Octagon and on April 19 he's going to have a stadium full of fans hoping he comes out with another one.

I had a chance to catch up with Jonathan. Find out his thoughts on his new manager, Ken "I make dreams come true" Pavia, and what he had to say about calling out Mike Swick back in July of 2007.

Take a moment and read the entire interview. Click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

MMA Fight Gear Canada in association with FIGHT! Magazine, TapOut, MMAmania.com, BetUS.com, Via Rail, The Score Network, The Toronto Sun, MMACanada.net along with a host of other sponsors have put together an incredible package deal to get fans to UFC 83 in Montreal.

The Ultimate Fight Train is a package deal that is being offered to fight fans. The Via Rail train will leave Toronto, Ontario on the Saturday morning (April 19) and return on Sunday afternoon.

There are two packages available -— one package that includes tickets to UFC 83 (216 & 217 level) and a second for fans who already have their tickets. Included in the packages are a return trip aboard The Ultimate Fight Train, hotel room and passes to the official TapOut after party.

The host for the entire trip is none other than number one light heavyweight contender, Forrest Griffin. Rumor has it that Patrick Cote will also be on the train for the trip as well. With all of the sponsors on board there is sure to be a bunch of free swag and giveaways.

The after party is in the works right now and it is sure to be off the hook. Mania is going to stay on top of all the latest news for all of the fans who will be in attendance and we will be sure to keep you all up to date.

For information on prices, availability, itinerary, and after party announcements please visit TheUltimateFightTrain.com.

We will be bringing you some more information surrounding this trip as it becomes available, including an opportunity to win a set of tickets to board The Ultimate Fight Train ... stay tuned!

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

April 19, 2008, will be a historical evening for mixed martial arts.

It will mark the UFC's first foray into Canada with UFC 83. The venue at the Bell Centre in Montreal is one of the biggest -- if not the biggest venue -- the UFC has attempted to fill and it did so in record time.

This date will also mark Jason "Dooms" Day's Octagon debut. The Canadian product is coming off a huge -- albeit controversial -- split decision win over David "The Crow" Loiseau at the Hardcore Championship Fighting event back in February. The UFC obviously saw what they needed because Jason was inked to a four fight contract immediately after the win.

Here's a snip from Jason about the big call:

"I started shaking, I got all nervous -— it was a total adrenaline rush, it was awesome."

His debut comes against a tough veteran in Alan Belcher who stopped fellow Canadian Kalib Starnes at UFC 77: "Hostile Territory" with one of the nastiest skull-revealing cuts ever. "The Talent" looked to be in fine form that night. And if he comes with the same fire at UFC 83, Jason is going to have his hands full.

When asked about his opponent Jason had this to say:

"I've always said he looks good, I mean I have respect for him. I think there's a few holes in his game that I've kind of picked out ... he's fast, his hands are fast. He looked sharp out there, he's quick and he's aggressive. I think I'm going to have the fight with Alan Belcher that I thought I was going to have with Loiseau. I think Belcher is going to be my opportunity to get out there and reveal what I've been working on."

Jason is a dedicated fighter as he works full time building homes up in Calgary during the day and trains well into the nights. He is looking forward, however, to leaving that behind.

Here's another snip:

"Hopefully over the next six months I won't be banging nails anymore, I could just be in the gym training full time."

Confidence is not an issue with Jason –- he's been preparing to walk through the gates of the Octagon in the UFC for a long time. With wins over notable opponents Loiseau, Ron Faircloth and Jonathan Goulet and his only recent loss coming at the heavy hands of Patrick Cote, Jason is poised to make the most of the opportunity put in front of him.

It's now or never.

Take a minute and listen to the entire interview. Click here.

Sean McManus is the Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net. For more information on the MMA scene up in Canada check out MMACanada.net.

UFC ringside announcer, Mike Goldberg, has a dream job ... just ask him and he will tell you so.

That's exactly what we did the other day, in fact.

"Goldie" has been all over the map when it comes to broadcasting. He was a sideline reporter during the Chicago Bulls dynasty, he was the voice of the Detroit Red Wings and the Minnesota Wild, and broke into the sports broadcasting world calling CFL games back in the day.

He's been around the block in the sporting world and when asked how he got his start with the UFC he'll tell you that "Jerry Garcia said it best; ‘It's been a long strange trip.'"

Although Goldberg is Octagon-side calling all of the UFC events and hosting Spike TV's "UFC Unleashed," he still feels like he hasn't worked a day. First and foremost he is a fan of MMA. He is extremely dedicated to his job and feels blessed and fortunate to be doing what he is doing.

Charles Ruocco of MMACanada.net recently caught up with Goldberg. And when asked what the hardest part of his job was he replied:

"Challenging would be a better term, the most challenging part of my job is staying on top of all the news, doing my homework and keeping up with the growing sport of MMA. I feel the fans deserve this."

In this in depth interview find out why Goldie thanks Canadian fans for saving the UFC in its early days, what he does to stay educated and on the cutting edge of the sport, and what he has to say about his and Joe Rogan's relationship on air and off.

The audio interview is a long one, but if you have some time, it is definitely worth the listen. Click here.

Brothers Nick and Nate Diaz were in Toronto, Canada, this past weekend, holding three seminars in three days along with hosting the UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion" viewing party down at the Diesel Playhouse.

To say it was a busy weekend for Nick and Nate is an understatement; however, they were gracious and generous with their time for fans and for the media alike.

Staredown Fight Wear -- the company responsible for bringing the Diaz brothers up -- once again did a spectacular job all weekend long. It is through promotions like this that allow young up-and-coming fighters to have some intense one-on-one training with two of Cesar Gracie's top students.

With the explosion of MMA across Canada we are only going to see more seminars and promotions like this from companies like my friends over at Staredown.

As much as some fans paint the Diaz brothers as being "angry at the world" they can't deny the fact that these guys are the real deal when it comes to sport. Both have proven their abilities in the past and will continue to demonstrate their skills in the future.

During their stay up here it became clear that both of them were anything but ‘angry at the world' and they are laid back and like to have a good time. Nate found it especially amusing to make snowballs and pummel Nick with them every chance he had – apparently it's tough to come up with a snowball in California.

There have been numerous fighters up here for meet and greets and seminars in the past and this was the first time where I've witnessed the fighters just hanging out at the bar and in the lobby drinking some Guinness and chatting with the fans.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Nick and Nate over breakfast on the Sunday morning after UFC 82.

Here's our discussion:

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photo courtesy of Glenn Dextras: www.dextrasphotography.com

Patrick Cote is coming off two big stoppage wins over heavy-handed fighters, Drew McFedries and Kendall Grove.

"The Predator" was recently in town to promote UFC 81: "Breaking Point," hosting a viewing party put on by my friends from The Substance Entertainment Group at the Diesel Playhouse in Toronto, Canada.

Patrick had time to take pictures and sign some autographs for his fans during the action-packed night of fights. As soon as UFC 81 concluded, we wrapped things up with the media and headed over to a local club to continue the celebration. At the new location, I had the chance to relax with Patrick well into the night and he took the time to talk to all the Maniacs out there.

Patrick was asked repeatedly about being on the UFC 83 fight card in Montreal and he is obviously itching to fight –- he stated numerous times that he is ready to go as long as the UFC can find him an opponent.

That search is currently underway.

He's eager to prove that his most recent decisive and dominant performances are indicative of the real Patrick Cote and not the fighter who failed to capture a win inside the Octagon in his first four attempts.

Put simply, he is a much better fighter than his early UFC record indicated.

After sharing a few beverages, we were talking about everything other than fighting. Patrick is as big a Green Bay Packers fan as you can find, telling me:

"Two things besides fighting that are my dream – go to a Green Bay Packers game and go to the Superbowl."

It was then that that I reminded him back in December to go to a Packers game because I had an extra ticket for our now annual road trip to Green Bay. Apparently, he didn't put two and two together and was visibly distraught that he didn't get to go with us.

Nonetheless, I promised him that I'd take him next season to which he told me:

"I'm in for sure – you call and we're going."

Now I just have to figure out who's losing their ticket for next year.

Of course, we did find time to discuss mixed martial arts and shoot the breeze about his arduous journey from four-time loser to possible contender and a lot more. Here's that conversation:

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