UFC 101: Penn vs. Florian

MMA Weekly has confirmed this event:

The anticipated showdown between UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and number one contender Kenny Florian will finally take place. A blog post on Penn's official website stated that Florian has already signed his bout agreement and "as for B.J., we received the bout agreement (Friday) afternoon and plan on making this fight happen."

The post states the bout will headline UFC 101 on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia.

The bout will be Penn's first defense of his lightweight title since defeating Sean Sherk at UFC 84 in May of last year. It will also mark his first action in the Octagon since a loss to UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 in January, which has been mired in controversy over accusations of improper usage of Vaseline by St. Pierre's camp.

"I look forward to the challenge," Penn stated about the defense.

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GSP-Penn Winner Gets Thiago Alves

Not surprisingly, Dana White announced that Thiago Alves is next in line to get a shot at the Welterweight Championship, whoever the champion may be.

"He's next in line for a title shot. If GSP beats B.J. Penn, then (Alves) fights GSP. If B.J. Penn wins, then he fights B.J. And then he'd have to defend that title for a while before I let him move up and try to fight Anderson.

-Dana White"

I say "not surprisingly" because Alves has been unstoppable as of late and he has some big victories under his belt. Alves is 9-2 in the UFC, winning his last 7 fights. He has some big wins, including a decision over Josh Koscheck and knockouts of Matt Hughes and Karo Parisyan. Look out for "The Pitbull".

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Jake Shields Interview

Ben Zeidler recently spoke with EliteXC star Jake Shields about his big wins over Carlos Condit and Hayato Sakurai, being a fighter while having a daughter, and oh yeah, his open challenge to Georges St. Pierre.

Ben Zeidler: You were born in San Luis Obispo, California. Is that how you got involved with Liddell's SLO Kickboxing Academy?

Jake Shields: Well, I was actually born closer to the Sierras…

Ben Zeidler: Wikipedia gets me again.

JS: (Laughs) So yeah, I was born up there but I moved down to San Luis Obispo for college. I started working out at Liddell’s gym when he wasn’t well known at all.

Ben Zeidler: How'd you make the transition from wrestling and grappling tournaments to mixed martial arts?

JS: I wrestled all throughout high school and college. I was with Liddell for just a few weeks before he had me doing kickboxing and some MMA stuff. All of a sudden, I was fighting real fights.

Ben Zeidler: You're a shooto world champion. For those who don’t know what that is or what it entails, can you tell us a little bit about that?

JS: Sure, shooto is worldwide and its one of the oldest organizations out there. It’s even older than the UFC. It’s not quite MMA, but it is still a combat sport and it’s very respected in the world. I was the first American to win a shooto belt.

Ben Zeidler: You've beaten some of the biggest guys in the sport, from Carlos Condit to Hayato Sakurai. What would you call the biggest win of your career?

JS: I haven’t had it yet. I’m just getting started here and before I’m done I plan on being the best.

Ben Zeidler: Are you happy with EliteXC or would you ever consider a jump to the UFC?

JS: I mean, I’m always looking at my options and I just want to fight the best. Elite has been really good to be so I have loyalties there, but I do want to continually be upping the competition that I face.

Ben Zeidler: Do you have any upcoming fights booked?

JS: Nothing is signed yet, but I’m looking to fight in March or early April at a couple of different venues.

Ben Zeidler: Who do you want to fight?

JS: It’s sort of out of my hands, but if I could choose, I’d say GSP. He’s my number 1 pick.

Ben Zeidler: You haven't lost in over three years. What in your training is responsible for this recent success?

JS: It’s a combination of things. I just trained really hard, for starters. I never feel like I’m good enough either. I feel like I gassed in my last fight, even though I won, so I’m working on cardio. You can’t beat cardio. I’m learning new techniques, new submissions, and new things. It’s a sport where there’s always so much more to learn.

Ben Zeidler: You're still just 27 years old. Have you hit your peak?

JS: I still feel really young and I have a few years before I hit my peak. I don’t want to retire as long as I want to keep fighting.

Ben Zeidler: I’m sorry, I gotta go back to that GSP comment. How would a fight like that even happen?

JS: Hopefully, the organizations can work together to make it happen. Either I could go to the UFC or he could come here. I really want to see how we can make this work.

Ben Zeidler: You're involved with Fairtex-Gracie in SF and Tulsa Top Team. Can you tell us a little bit about those organizations?

JS: Well my main trainers run MMA programs at Fairtex. That’s kinda my own group over there. At Tulsa Top Team, it’s just some guys who train with me.

Ben Zeidler: Let’s change gears for a second. How's your daughter doing? How has life changed for you since having a child?

JS: My daughter is great but lots of work, so I’m always training but I’m trying to do fewer trips. She’s in first grade now, so it’s just cool to have a daughter.

Ben Zeidler: That’s gotta be interesting when she tells her friends parents that her dad fights for a living.

JS: Yeah, she knows I’m a fighter and she grew up watching it so to her, it’s nothing unusual. I’ve never brought her to a fight but she’s seen some jiu-jitsu tournaments. Eventually, she’ll realize that I don’t have a normal job, but it’s just what I do.

Ben Zeidler: Any sponsors you'd like to thank or websites you’d like to plug?

JS: JakeShields.com. I’d like to thank Fairtex, Stagger, Dominant, and…I know there’s more. Who else? I’m spacing on one (laughs)…they’ll be mad.

Ben Zeidler: Anything to say to your fans?

JS: Just thanks for all the support and keep watching me because I’m gonna do some big things.

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2007 Year In Review

2007 marked the first year that Mixed Martial Arts was recognized on a somewhat level playing field with the rest of the sports world. Even though a lot of time and effort was put into the general expansion of the sport, the fighters and promoters still had enough left in the tank to make this the most compelling year the sport has ever seen. Some storylines were good for the sport while others hurt its reputation, but each provided publicity, the one thing this sport will never turn down. Originally written for MMA Madness

Story of the year: The Purchase of PRIDE. This deal, years in the making, brought just about every major fighter (with the exception of Fedor Emelianenko) under the UFC’s tent. It paved the way for dream match ups we thought we’d never see. And it added freshness to two divisions which had recently run stale. No more just Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell – suddenly, Rampage Jackson, Dan Henderson, and Wanderlei Silva were all possibilities! And with Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia closing the chapter on their trilogy, it was nearly too good to be true that the UFC was locking down both Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Okay, so it was too good to be true, but it was exciting at the time.

It wasn’t just the fighters that made this purchase so special, although they certainly added to the excitement. It was the promise that Dana White would create the Super Bowl of MMA and do his best to bring all the best fighters together under one set of rules. Finally, it meant that one organization had set itself apart from the pack and would be around for quite some time. The underlying fear of every MMA fan is that the sport will be dubbed a fad among mainstream media and end up losing the attention and money which has recently been pumped into its expansion. Hardcore fans will always love the sport, but the addition of PRIDE under the Zuffa umbrella ensured that others would be able to enjoy it too.

Honorable mentions:

1. Fight analysts were stymied all year long by what came to be known as the year of the upset. After picking Sylvia, Georges St. Pierre, Filipovic, and Liddell in straight sets (UFC 68-71), I was just about ready to throw in my keyboard and call it quits. This year, and the upsets which defined it, forced all fight fans to reconsider what they thought they knew about the sport.

2. Even though it was only of interest after July 7, 2007, steroids made up a large portion of discussion among writers, fans and fighters. Some, such as St. Pierre chose to stay silent on the subject while others, like Melvin Guillard, flat out called Sean Sherk “a coward.” Steroids divided the MMA world and were a never-ending source of debate this year.

3. Even more recent than the steroids storyline is the saga of Dana White versus Randy Couture. While the story is still in its infancy, it has provided fans with a unique look into the world of signing bonuses, contracts, and the business end of the UFC. It has also reinforced what we thought we knew about The Natural – he’ll do what he thinks is right, regardless of the impact on his wallet or his celebrity status.

4. The MMA community was shocked and saddened by the death of Sam Vasquez, the first fighter to die from combat-related injuries in a sanctioned bout. It forced us to reevaluate the dangers of the sport we love.

Fighter of the year: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Rampage won three times this year, all in convincing fashion. His first bout was a revenge fight against Marvin Eastman, the man who had handed Rampage his first career loss. Rampage outgunned Eastman to a second round TKO victory. His second fight, just four months later, was against the then-unbeatable Chuck Liddell. Rampage transitioned beautifully to this opportunity, knocking out Liddell in the first round. The path didn’t get any easier for the new champion as he then met the newly-signed Dan Henderson at UFC 75. Rampage rolled along, winning a unanimous decision and proving to all that he was the real deal. In the final success of Rampage’s tour de force year, he was named as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter season 7.

Honorable mention: Anderson Silva. The Spider won three fights as well, beating Travis Lutter, Nathan Marquardt, and Rich Franklin, finishing them all within the first two rounds. As if that wasn’t enough, Silva passed Fedor on most pound-for-pound rankings by year’s end.

Fight of the year: A late entry, but no less worthy, the UFC 79 bout between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva garners fight of the year honors. This decision isn’t based on pre-fight excitement alone, however. It was a combination of the hype and the outcome that made it such an entertaining 15 minutes. In the first round, Liddell and Silva met numerous times for sets of short, brutal exchanges. Liddell seemed to take a page out of Keith Jardine’s playbook, peppering The Axe Murderer with leg kicks. In the second round, Silva dropped Liddell twice, but Liddell shot back up both times, eventually cutting Silva badly. Liddell ended the round with a surprising take down of the BJJ black belt. The third round was slightly slower than the first two, each fighter taking a calculated approach to striking. Liddell once again got the best of the exchanges, nearly knocking out Silva with a spinning back fist. Silva recovered quickly, as he had done all night, and stalked Liddell to a decision loss. What had long been called the most anticipated fight in MMA history certainly did not disappoint.

Honorable mention: Another great late fight, the TUF 6 finale main event between Clay Guida and Roger Huerta, was just as action-packed as any 155-pound bout we had seen all year. Guida dominated most of the fight, striking and taking down Huerta at will. Huerta, however, was patient and ending up locking in a rear naked choke in the final round of action.

Knockout of the year: I hate to give one man a sweep of fighter of the year and KO of the year, but there wasn’t a knockout more meaningful and definitive than Jackson’s KO of champion Chuck Liddell. Jackson, now working with boxing instructor Juanito Ibarra, rolled under a Liddell haymaker and landed his own right hook on Liddell’s chin. Jackson followed up on the ground for good measure, forcing Big John McCarthy to jump in.

Honorable mention: It didn’t take long into the Gabriel Gonzaga-Mirko Filipovic fight to recognize that Cro Cop wasn’t himself. Gonzaga seemed to be controlling the pace of fight, connecting with more shots, and looked like the more experienced fighter. This belief was confirmed when Gonzaga swung his leg high in the air, blasting Cro Cop in the head, and knocking him out cold. The method (Cro Cop’s signature move) and the aftermath (the image of a mangled Cro Cop) made this KO one for the ages.

Submission of the year: Nick Diaz’s gogoplata over Japanese legend Takanori Gomi was just the second time the rare submission had been used in PRIDE fighting competition. The choke, usually done from the rubber guard (see Eddie Bravo’s excellent book on this guard), involves pushing the shin against the trachea of the opponent. The fight didn’t have much meaning, and the outcome was eventually overturned on drug charges, but none of this mattered to MMA purists, who delighted in the “gogo” win.

Honorable mention: When St. Pierre locked in an arm bar with just four seconds remaining in the second round of his Interim title fight against Matt Hughes, it wasn’t just St. Pierre winning another fight or even winning another title. It was St. Pierre avenging his first UFC loss in the exact same manner in which he had been beaten. Poetic justice, not grandiosity, is what made this submission so special.

2007 was spectacular but with the prospect of more talented fighters entering the ranks, younger fighters maturing to a greater degree, and stronger competition across the board, 2008 should prove to be no less enjoyable.

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Shogun, Sherk Make UFC 84 Card Great

According to different reports by MMAJunkie.com, both Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Sean Sherk have been added to a Montreal event in April. This same event is expected to host the title unification match between Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra.

Shogun will be returning from his disappointing submission loss to Forrest Griffin and attempting to gain his first win inside the Octagon. Had Shogun won his fight at UFC 76, he would have been afforded an immediate title shot against Champion Quinton Jackson. Now, Shogun finds himself near the middle of a strong light heavyweight division and badly needing a win.

Even more urgent is the plight of Sean Sherk, who was stripped of his belt after testing positive for Nandrolone following his UFC 73 win against Hermes Franca. He has been told that his first fight back will be for the title, so this UFC 84 match up should be against either BJ Penn or Joe Stevenson. Sherk needs to win to gain back both his title and his credibility.

Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra round out the card with their UFC 69 rematch.

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St. Pierre-Serra To Headline UFC 83

Montreal will not just hold their first UFC event in April -- they'll host their first title fight too, according to Mike Chiappetta at NBCSports.com.

Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre will meet for the UFC welterweight title during an April event in Montreal, Serra confirmed to NBCSports.com on Friday.

The 33-year-old UFC welterweight champion upset St. Pierre for the title with a first-round TKO in April 2007, and had been scheduled to defend his crown against Matt Hughes in Decmeber. But following the escalation of their rivalry during the filming of the most recent Ultimate Fighter season, Serra suffered a herniated disc, forcing him to pull out of their scheduled UFC 79 match.

St. Pierre stepped in to replace Serra, and outclassed the former champion, finishing him with a second-round armbar to become the interim champion. After the match, St. Pierre noted that he wouldn't consider himself the true champion until he beat Serra.

The Long Island native told NBCSports.com's John Moody that his back has been rapidly improving and is excited about defending the championship, albeit in St. Pierre's hometown.

The event will be the first that the UFC holds in Canada, and is tentatively scheduled for April 19 at the Bell Centre.

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UFC 79 Analysis

The UFC 79 card was definitely exciting, but what exactly does it mean for the UFC and its fighters? Ben Zeidler examines the subject.

Liddell is back!

Chuck Liddell is back in full force, utterly dominating Wanderlei Silva for three straight rounds. Sure, he didn't knock The Axe Murderer out cold, but the performance was solid enough to declare The Iceman officially on the rebound from his Rampage loss earlier this year.

St. Pierre takes the crown

Georges St. Pierre beat Hughes with the very move he was beaten by more than two years ago. In doing this, he established himself as the clear top Welterweight and looks to be steamrolling towards avenging the Serra loss.

Sokoudjou NOT the real deal, Machida is though...

The aura surrounding Sokoudjou's two quick knockouts earlier this year was dispelled as Machida showed the extent of his ability in a dominant submission victory. Sokoudjou goes back to the drawing board, Machida goes to the top 4 of the division.

Sylvia-Nogueira for interim belt

It's been long rumored, but it's now confirmed that Tim Sylvia will get a shot as his old belt, but he'll have to go through top 3 HW Nogueira first. This will be the second of three interim titles which will be awarded between December and March.

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UFC 79, M-1 Videos

Thanks to our Senior Writer, Jordan Arnold, we've got some excellent videos here. Look for UFC 79 videos as well as Fedor's win, after the jump.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi

Nate Mohr vs. Manny Gamburyan

Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes

Lyoto Machida vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou

Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Masakatu Funaki

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UFC 79 Results

Check back here tonight for live results of UFC 79. Look after the jump for results.

Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre III (Welterweight title)
-Georges St. Pierre wins by Submission (Arm Bar) in Round 2 (4:54)

Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
-Chuck Liddell wins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Soi Palalei vs. Eddie Sanchez
-Eddie Sanchez wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 3 (3:24)

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Lyoto Machida
-Lyoto Machida wins by Submission (Arm Triangle) in Round 2 (4:20)

Rich Clementi vs. Melvin Guillard
-Clementi wins via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Round 2 (4:40)

Dean Lister vs. Jordan Radev
-Dean Lister wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

James Irvin vs. Luis Cane
-James Irvin wins via DQ (Illegal Knee)

Roan Carneiro vs. Tony DeSouza
-Roan Carneiro wins by TKO (Strikes) in Round 2 (3:30)

Manny Gamburyan vs. Nate Mohr
-Manny Gamburyan wins by Submission (Heel Hook) in Round 1 (1:31)

Doug Evans vs. Mark Bocek
-Mark Bocek wins via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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Classic Fights Close Door On 2007

UFC 79 offers up a buffet of mega fights. Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes look to set the bar for MMA trilogies with an interim title clash. Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell seek the knockout that can cement their legacy as the greatest 205-pounder in MMA history. Young talents Rameau Thierry Sokodjou and Lyoto Machida battle to validate their mystique en route to title contention. Saturday night aims to bring New Year’s fireworks two days early.

By Danny Acosta

The third installment of the trilogy between Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes includes storylines that transcend the sport. Hughes is the established champion, secure in his hall of fame status, mulling retirement but still sharpening his competitive edge. He takes on the paragon for the future—an unstoppable entity that has both succumb and overcome the pressures of elite competition.

Despite Matt Hughes’ hopes, St. Pierre stepping in on short notice is not an issue. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter stays active between matches and was training Rashad Evans for a November clash. Shortly after, he jumped at the opportunity to regain his top spot in the 170lb division when Matt Serra stepped down due to injury.

“Rush” dethroned the Illinois native with ease last November. It was a different fighter than Hughes had seen in their 2004 bout. The French Canadian nullified takedowns and punished him every step of the way. Rangy and fluid strikes ended the Miletich champion’s night early after St. Pierre followed up with ground and pound to a technical knockout.

Hughes cannot enter this fight with his, “I’ll find a way to win” attitude that hindered his second performance. There is no doubt he is one of the most resourceful fighters in history. However, his opponent’s ability to dictate where the fight takes place will not allow for openings. Hughes must make them.

With his ties cut from the MIletich camp for the first time, Hughes needs to remember what MFS imparted to him—confidence and strict game plans. Recalling that he submitted St. Pierre, Hughes has to inch forward, cutting off angles and bullying St. Pierre against the cage. Putting the twenty-six-year-old on his back and grinding out a decision is the former champion’s best bet. Pushing St. Pierre into the latter rounds and neutralizing his offense can dent confidence—the deciding factor of this fight.

If Hughes pulls out a victory, he reasserts his legend against the man who questioned it the loudest. If he loses, St. Pierre rises into his spot as the most dominant welterweight in the world, but still has the long road of reign ahead of him—including a clash with Matt Serra.

In the co-main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell loads up his counter-punching power against former Pride middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva. The fight is five years in the making, stemming from their extensive time as unflappable champions.

For Liddell, the lights of stardom shined too bright for him to see in the Octagon, leading to two devastating losses. For Silva, back-to-back knockout defeats have sent him to rest his battle-worn body while building his murderous rage. Although the fight has lost its king versus king significance, the implications are heavy—the winner may be recognized as the greatest 205-pounder in MMA history.

The “Iceman” cannot rely solely on his fists as he did against Keith Jardine because Silva will throw everything in his arsenal with malice. Kicks are the most integral part of the San Luis Obispo fighter’s game plan. They can punish Silva and keep him at a distance, causing confusion for the former Chute Boxer as suffered against Mirko Crocop. More importantly, they set up Liddell’s looping power punches. The blitzkrieg that is Silva plays right into Liddell’s counterpunching style. Mixing strikes increases the Brazilian’s chances of making a grave mistake—Liddell’s trademark, punctuated with the heavy right hand.

However, like Liddell, the “Axe Murderer” has excellent recovery time. America’s newest import must close the distance and push the pace. Emphasizing traditional boxing in preparation for this fight counters Liddell’s Kempo style well. It will allow the nearly forty-fight veteran to close the distance where he can launch his hatchet-like knees. Silva cannot come forward wildly, but he must be relentless because Liddell will not stick around in the clinch.

Despite the strategies involved in the two different yet dangerous styles, make no mistake—this is a fight that rests on the answer to one question: “Who gets to whose chin first?” (Dave Camarillo). There is no title on the line when Liddell battles Silva. But for the “Axe Murderer” and the “Iceman,” there is still a trophy—the other’s head.

In another light heavyweight bout with serious career implications, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou challenges Lyoto Machida. “Judo Thierry” debuts in the UFC still clouded in questions—just as Machida did in his stateside journey—about his cardio, heart, and chin…to name a few.

Sokoudjou has drawn criticism, ironically, because his showings have been so strong, knocking out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Ricardo Arona. His aggressive and heavy style is what Machida has made a living toppling. The karate stylist is defensive but destructive in his own right. He has been looking to finish fights since joining the UFC. This can cause problems for Sokoudjou, who lacks experience and typically fights his fight. Coming forward and staying cautious is the undefeated fighter’s route to victory.

“The African Assassin” has a distinct size advantage. After testing the stand-up waters, taking the fight to the cage and employing his judo to set up ground and pound is his best bet to finish the Japanese-Brazilian. Stifled against the fence, Machida cannot be elusive.

The winner propels himself into title contention, a loss is only a minor setback in a young, promising career.

Heavyweight Eddie Sanchez stands across from Soa Palalei in the swing bout of the night. Palelei, training out of Team Quest, enters the bout with a more diverse arsenal than the game, but narrow-minded Sanchez. The Samoan exploits stubborness to a technical knockout victory.

In a lightweight bout to open the night, New Orleans pride is on the line when Melvin Guillard comes after Rich Clementi in a bad blood battle. Guillard’s athleticism can dictate where the fight occurs, which does not bode well for “No Love.” However, the “Young Assassin” lacks the mental component to his game. This can land him in some trouble—especially on the ground—against a well-rounded veteran like Clementi. Guillard’s high-profile loss and embarrassing cocaine scandal likely brings him out the gate furious. If Clementi can drag the fight on, his chances of snagging a victory increase dramatically.

As UFC 79 comes to a close, four of the sports biggest stars in Georges St. Pierre, Matt Hughes, Wanderlei Silva, and Chuck Liddell will have their careers drastically altered. Concluding the year brings different resolutions for the four: win the title or just survive?

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UFC 79 Tomorrow!

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Ten Greatest UFC Upsets

What started as a freak occurrence has seemingly turned into a spiraling epidemic as the best of today’s UFC fighters are going down in a blaze of eight-sided glory. After the year we’ve had in this sport I must approach every pay-per-view with nervous anticipation. It really is true: Anything can happen. An article by MMA Mania's Jesse Holland.

With that in mind I present my list of the ten greatest UFC upsets:

10. Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort: UFC 15
At UFC 15, relative newcomer Randy Couture was set to face Vitor Belfort in a match that many experts compared to the ancient practice of feeding Christians to the lions. Couture had only two fights under his belt while Belfort was 4-0 in the Octagon. Not only was he undefeated, Belfort had four straight (T)KO’s and never had a match go longer than two minutes.

Randy was supposed to be a cakewalk for the invincible Brazilian but it was Couture who earned the TKO stopping Belfort with strikes shortly after eight minutes. They would face off two more times in 2004 but the match that will be remembered in my book is probably their first as it ranks as one of the UFC’s first big upsets.

9. Jason Lambert vs. Renato Sobral: UFC 68
Renato Sobral was widely considered one of the top light-heavyweights in the world and for good reason. Since July of 2002 he compiled an impressive 12-2 record including a ten-fight winning streak.

Like Minotauro Nogueira, who could have been on top for years if not for a certain Russian cyborg, Babalu was second only to Chuck Liddell. His bout against Lambert at UFC 68 was supposed to be a chance to get back to his winning ways.

Lambert wasn’t having it. Talented but unproven, Lambert was coming off a KO loss to Rashad Evans and had a history of falling short against popular fighters like Tim Sylvia and Cabbage Correira. He was expected to follow suit against Sobral but instead stunned the world with a lights-out KO at 3:26 of the second round.

8. Frank Mir vs. Marcio Cruz: UFC 57
Believe it or not there was a time when Frank Mir was the poster boy for UFC heavyweights. He was an 8-1 submission master and a fan favorite long before breaking Tim Sylvia’s arm. After a devastating motorcycle accident kept him out of action for nearly two years, the UFC welcomed him back by matching him against Brazilian cream puff Marcio Cruz.

What was planned as a homecoming quickly turned into a nightmare as the 1-0 rookie put Mir on his back and started raining down elbows until a blood soaked Mir could no longer defend. The fight was mercifully stopped at the end of the first round and Frank’s career would never be the same.

7. Mark Coleman vs. Maurice Smith: UFC 14
Mark Coleman was one of the first true heavyweight goliaths of the UFC using his superior wrestling and ground ‘n pound to lay waste to the entire division. At 6-0 he had already destroyed legends Gary Goodridge and Dan Severn by submission and Don Frye by TKO.

His next victim was UFC newcomer Maurice Smith who was 3-4 with submission losses to Ken Shamrock and Bas Rutten. It looked like an early night for the heavily favored Coleman but instead it became a very long one as Maurice put an end to the era of dominant wresting and scored a unanimous decision after twenty-one minutes of fighting.

The Pete Williams head kick may be the loss that fans remember, but to me the Smith fight was a more shocking upset (and what I consider the beginning of the end). Coleman would never see another victory in the UFC and eventually defected to PRIDE in 1999.

6. Jens Pulver vs. Joe Lauzon: UFC 63
Jens Pulver — like most lightweights — was unwelcome in the Octagon after the UFC decided they were better off without a 155-pound division. Fortunately good sense prevailed and Jens, like the division, was reinstated.

Little Evil was undefeated in the Octagon and his win over BJ Penn was a memorable battle. Now he looked to return to greatness and his ring entrance at UFC 63 looked more fitting for a war hero or a matador than a UFC combatant.

In his first UFC match, unknown Joe Lauzon admitted to taking Jens antics personally. He took out his anger on an unsuspecting Pulver with a brutal KO in the first round. Any thoughts of Jens walking to the title went out with the lights.

5. Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture: UFC 43
Appearing for the second time in my illustrious list is “The Natural” and this time it’s for upending the mighty Liddell at UFC 43. Chuck was 12-1 and on a torrid ten-fight winning streak looking as close to immortal as a fighter can get.

In contrast Randy was coming down from heavyweight after getting crushed by Josh Barnett and Ricco Rodriguez. Nearly 40, Randy was seen as not just a huge underdog, but also an aging combatant in a sport that long since passed him by (if they only knew).

For the second time Randy made the critics eat their words as he put an absolute clinic on the bewildered Liddell stopping him with strikes in the third round.

4. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes: UFC 46
Matt Hughes was a victory machine. Coming into the Penn fight Matt was 13-0 since 2001 and a staggering 34-3 overall. He was making it look easy and scoffed at the idea of BJ moving up in weight. After all, Penn was a mere pup compared to the welterweight workhorse and Hughes probably took things lightly.

He shouldn’t have. BJ tooled him from start to finish and choked Hughes into tapping in the first round. The look on Matt’s face perfectly summarized what we were all feeling: complete and utter disbelief. He didn’t even notice when the Hawaiian celebrated with a kiss. He was too busy trying to figure out what just happened.

3. Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia: UFC 68
After reading this list I wonder how I could have ever picked against Randy. But pick against him I did, as did most, when he came out of retirement to face the hulking menace from Camp Miletich.

Randy’s last dance in the Octagon was grotesquely one-sided, and his return to a weight class that chewed him up and spit him out in 2002 seemed ill-advised and money-driven. Few believed Randy when he claimed to have found a hole in Sylvia’s game and we quietly hoped he would get through the fight void of serious injury.

Once again we looked on in astonishment as Randy dropped The Maine-iac in the opening seconds of round one and continued to punish him throughout the fight. Tim summed it up best after dropping the decision: “He would strike when I thought he would shoot and shoot when I thought he would strike.”

Tim shouldn’t feel bad for having Randy make him look stupid. He’s been doing it to us for years.

2. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga: UFC 70
I’ll admit it. Part of what makes this upset come in at #2 is the way it ended. Aside from Randy Couture (who looks more and more like a genius with every move he makes) I don’t think anyone gave Gonzaga a real chance at winning.

People may have been open to a decision loss or a freak submission but if you wanted to lay odds on a head kick they would have laughed in your face. Well no one is laughing now as the artist formerly known as #2 in the world is back in Croatia licking his wounds.

Gonzaga was a talented fighter before the bout but his TKO loss to Croat associate Fabricio Werdum made it hard to believe he could withstand the strikes of Cro Cop. Mirko later admitted to having blurry vision courtesy of Gonzaga elbows and never saw it coming. Don’t worry Mr. Filipovic, neither did we.

1. Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre: UFC 69
As if there was any doubt, I present the greatest upset in the UFC and perhaps all of mixed martial arts. Nobody in the world whose last name isn’t Serra gave Matt a chance against an opponent largely considered one of the best fighters in the world today.

With only a submission loss to Matt Hughes on his near-perfect record, GSP represented the new breed of MMA: Young, strong, and versed in all styles of combat fighting with very few weaknesses.

Of course a perfect skill set doesn’t do you any good if you get punched in the head. Serra did everything right, maintained composure, and finished off a rigid GSP in devastating fashion.

This is one win I don’t think even Randy could have predicted.

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2007 Year In Review

Here we go! With MMA gaining so much momentum over the past few years, UFC has debuted a three hour show of the UFC’s BEST of 2007,taking a look back at the most exciting fights of the past year. The UFC continues to be consistent by offering great PPVs, free events, and their blockbuster show, "The Ultimate Fighter." I will review the UFC’s BEST of 2007, giving you insight and my thoughts on the fights. Now let’s get to the knock down, drag out year that was 2007. An article by Don Davenport

Tyson Griffin vs. Frankie Edgar

UFC 67: ALL OR NOTHING February 3, 2007

Both fighters exchanged punches early, feeling each other out and eventually leading to a clinch. Edgar faked a takedown and landed some punches which lead to a takedown of Griffin. Griffin attempted a guillotine choke which Edgar managed to escape and gain side control. Griffin got out of side control and slammed Edgar down hard. Both fighters wrestled back to the feet where Edgar dominated with strikes, and then Edgar got a single leg takedown off of a Griffin knee into the guard. Edgar passed Griffin’s guard getting his back and both fighters ended up in the stand up position as the bell rang.

In the second round, Griffin landed a huge uppercut and trapped Edgar against the cage. Edgar defended this well and both fighters were back in the stand up position. Griffin was relentless throwing combinations at Edgar. Edgar caught a leg kick and took Griffin down. Griffin got back to his feet to land some punches, and dropped Edgar with a low kick. Edgar took Griffin back down for some ground and pound. Griffin scrambled on top and dragged him down, Edgar transitioned on top and pounded Griffin to the end of the round.

In the third round, Griffin landed some leg kicks and defended against an Edgar take down. Edgar counter punched then connected with three knees, one was low, but Griffin continued to fight. Edgar landed a flurry of punches then got Griffin’s back against the cage and hammered him. Griffin got to his feet and tried to defend against the vicious assault by Edgar and then got taken down. Griffin got back to his feet and looked exhausted. Edgar hit another take down. Edgar landed a series of blows as Griffin wrestled his way back to his feet. Edgar hit yet another takedown and got the back of Griffin, but Griffin reversed into a knee bar that was locked deep. Edgar hanged on to the end of the round. The winner by unanimous decision was Frankie Edgar.

This was a very technical fight that showed the versatility of both fighters. Edgar is a determined undefeated fighter that is destine for greatness.

UFC Welterweight Championship

Champion Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra

UFC 69: SHOOTOUT April 7, 2007

The two fighters circled each other in the stand up position. Serra had difficulty getting through St. Pierre’s defense, being kept at bay with kicks and a long reach. Serra started to successfully attack the body of St. Pierre, jabbing his way inside. Half way into the round, the two fighters exchanged punches, with Serra getting the best of those exchanges. Serra blocked several high kicks by St. Pierre then landed a superman punch. Serra staggered St. Pierre with an over hand right, and then connected with a left that buckled St. Pierre. St. Pierre tried to hold on as Serra continued to punish him on the ground, but it was to no avail as the referee stopped the fight. The winner by TKO via strikes at 3:25 of the first round to win the UFC Welterweight Championship is none other than TUF 4 winner Matt Serra. Serra was an 11-1 underdog coming into this title fight and managed to pull off the upset. Serra displayed great head movement despite good offense by St. Pierre, eventually landing the right hand that spelled the beginning of the end for St. Pierre.

Roger Huerta vs. Leonard Garcia

UFC 69: SHOOTOUT April 7, 2007

Both fighters slugged it out to start things off. Huerta landed two high kicks and went for a takedown, and then Garcia applied a guillotine choke. Huerta escaped with Garcia against the cage, landing elbows and punches. Huerta transitioned to Garcia’s back then attempted the rear naked choke to no avail. Huerta got the mount position on Garcia. Garcia scrambled to his feet and connected with some punches. As Huerta went for a takedown he got caught with a guillotine but avoids submission. Huerta landsed elbows and punches from the top then kept Garcia against the cage for some ground and pound. Garcia worked back to the feet where both fighters wrestled to the ground. Garcia attempted a kimora on the right arm, but despite the attempt, both fighters were back on their feet exchanging blows. Huerta hit a take down which were followed up with a series of elbows and punches from the top. Garcia rolled into the top position as the bell rang.

Before the second, Huerta appeared to have a small cut over the right eye. Both fighters slugged it out, eventually clinching one another. Huerta took Garcia down for some ground and pound. Garcia got to his feet and landed a big knee to the face, both fighters went toe-to-toe for the next minute until Huerta got a takedown. Huerta dominated on the ground but Garcia made it to his feet again which he followed up with a huge right hand. Both fighters slugged it out some more until Huerta got another take down, and continued to land punches until the end of the round.

Early in the third round, Huerta overwhelmed Garcia with strikes and got him down to the ground. Huerta controlled Garcia on the ground but does minimum damage, and seemingly out of no where Garcia got Huerta’s back and is attempting a rear naked choke. Huerta escaped and rolled back on top, pounding Garcia relentlessly. Garcia took serious punishment but managed to hang on until the end of the fight. Both fighters embraced, showing mutual respect for each other. The winner by unanimous decision was Roger Huerta. It was a spectacular fight where the fans got their money’s worth. Garcia persevered through a ton of punishment despite Huerta's efforts to end the fight. I thought several times that Huerta was going to end the fight, but Garcia was able to hold on. Don’t be surprised to see Huerta receiving a title fight in the near future.

Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

UFC 70: NATIONS COLLIDE April 21, 2007

Gonzaga started off by pressuring Cro Cop, landing a straight right hand. Gonzaga threw a kick to the mid section of Cro Cop, which dropped him to the ground. Gonzaga controlled Cro Cop in the top position, landing elbows for the next two minutes. The ref stood the two fighters up, and out of nowhere Gonzaga threw a high kick and knocked out Cro Cop in such a way that his leg twists underneath him. The winner by KO, in 4:51 of the first round, Gabriel Gonzaga. The crowd was in disbelief that Cro Cop was defeated in such devastating fashion. Gonzaga shocked the MMA world by knocking out one of the most feared strikers on the planet with his very own signature move. Gonzaga would go on to face the UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture. Cro Cop stated that he didn’t train for elbows or in the cage for this fight. Also, Cro Cop suffered a minor injury to his ankle. Cro Cop was a big international investment for the UFC, and so far, has turned out to be a total disappointment.

UFC Lightweight Championship

Champion Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton Jackson

UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson May 26, 2007

Liddell circled away from Jackson, picking his shots carefully. Finally, Liddell threw a big left hook to the body which is rolled under by Jackson. Jackson then answered with a right hand to the jaw that dropped Liddell immediately. Jackson hopped on top and finished Liddell with a series of right hands. The winner by TKO 1:53 of the first round and new UFC Lightweight Champion, Quinton Jackson. I thought that Jackson might win the bout from their previous encounter in PRIDE, but I did not fathom Jackson finishing Liddell in the first round.

Sam Stout vs.Spencer Fisher

UFC FIGHT NIGHT June 12, 2007

Stout came out swinging and is caught with a flurry of punches by Fisher. Fisher attempted a takedown that is defended by Stout. Fisher starts landing combinations at will on Stout, but Stout continued to press forward toward the second half of the round, landing punches and knees that bloody the right eye of Fisher. Both fighters started to slug it out, and then Fisher closed the round with a huge left hand.

In the second round, Spencer mixed up his combinations on Stout. Stout continued to come forward but is dominated with strikes by Fisher. Fisher attempted a take down and is defended by excellent grappling by Stout. The round closed with both fighters in the stand up position.

In the third round, Stout landed a combination and then got caught with a huge left hand. Fisher continued to dominate on the feet with left hands, and defended the combinations thrown by Stout. Fisher landed his strikes at will, rocking Stout with a right hand. Stout tried some offense while taking a severe beating from Fisher. Fisher landed a right hook to close the end of the fight. The winner by unanimous decision, Spencer Fisher. The fight was action-packed as expected, delivering a three round slug fest. I can only expect improvement from both fighters in the future of their careers.

Jens Pulver vs. B.J. Penn

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 5 FINALE June 23, 2007

Penn landed a right hand right that staggered Pulver to start the round. Penn pushed forward and took Pulver down against the cage. Penn picked Pulver off the ground and slammed him again into half guard, securing his body. Penn passed his guard and got into the mount and attempted an armbar. Pulver spinned out into a triangle by Penn who hammered him with elbows. Pulver postured out of the submission attempt into Penn’s guard. Pulver pushed Penn against the cage and followed up with a few elbows as Penn worked back to his feet. The fighters clinched and traded shots until the end of the round.

In the second round, Penn took Pulver down after eating a left hook, and eventually got into the mount position to land some punches to the face. Penn got the back of Pulver and secured the rear naked choke for the submission. The winner by submission, 3:12 of the second round, B.J.Penn. This two round fight is exciting to watch as both fighters were not too fond of each other. Penn came into this fight in shape and more determined then ever to close this chapter in his life. Unfortunately, Pulver was no match for Penn in this fight, succumbing quickly to the rear naked choke.

UFC Middleweight Championship

Champion Anderson Silva vs. Nate Marquardt

UFC 73: STACKED July 7, 2007

Both fighters started by feeling each other out, Marquardt threw a combination and gets countered with a right hand. Silva then attempted a flying knee that is caught by Marquardt who then got a single leg takedown. Marquardt did nothing to improve his position and the referee stood both fighters up. Silva connected with a left hand then Marquardt attempts a single leg, but despite his effort, he took several elbows and punches. Marquardt attempted a single leg again, but Silva switched on top and unleashed a series of devastating right hands, stopping the fight. The winner by TKO 4:50 of the first round and still UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva. Silva demonstrated once again why he is the UFC Middleweight Champion, displaying excellent striking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Silva is a true MMA practitioner who showcases his elite skills every time he steps in the octagon.

Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara

UFC 75: CHAMPION vs. CHAMPION September 8, 2007

Alexander closed the distance and Alessio took him down. Alexander pushed Alessio off with brute strength and connected with two knees to the head. Alexander then followed up with another knee to the head that dropped Alessio, and then Alexander finished the fight with a barrage of punches. The winner by KO 1:01 of the first round, Houston Alexander. Alexander is just ferocious in this fight showcasing his strength with every strike. Alexander gives fight fans what they come for and that is brutality. He needs improvement in different areas of his fight game, but I expect him to make the necessary adjustments and continue to lead a very successful MMA career.

Forrest Griffin vs. Mauricio Rua

UFC 76: KNOCKOUT September 22, 2007

Griffin connected with an inside leg kick, then Rua attempted a takedown that is defended successfully. Griffin got his back, but Rua rolled and Griffin was in the top position. Rua got back to his feet and both fighters exchanged blows. Rua got a takedown, but Griffin used an effective guard to avoid punishment and got back to his feet. Both fighters traded shots until Griffin took Rua down, eventually getting his back. Rua rolled with Griffin in the top position, following up with punches, eventually letting Rua back up to the feet. Griffin connected with a left hook, and then Rua shot for a takedown taking some punches before succeeding. Griffin sweeped and closed the round in the top position.

In the second round, Griffin used good head movement to connect with some body shots. Rua got a single leg take down then Griffin attempted a guillotine with no success. Rua cut Griffin with an elbow to the head. Griffin managed to get back to his feet, and Rua clinched Griffin to the cage. Griffin inside leg tripped Rua and got his back while connecting with punches. Rua got to his feet and attempted a takedown that is stopped by Griffin. Griffin delivered hammer fists to the side of Rua's head. Rua worked back to the feet and appeared to be fatigued, dropping his hands to his waist. Griffin defended several take down attempts by Rua, and ended up in half guard. Griffin maintained his position and turned it up, landing punches to close the round.

In the third round, Griffin stuck the jab and got taken down by Rua. Griffin attempted a triangle, but Rua avoided the submission attempt. Rua controlled Griffin on the ground then gets caught in an omoplata attempt. Griffin transitioned to the back of Rua. Griffin smothered Rua with knees to the body and hammer fists to the head. Rua tried to escape, but gives up his back to Griffin who continues the onslaught of punishment. Rua rolled and Griffin gets the top position, transitioning to the back of Rua again, and then applied a deep rear naked choke for the tap out! The winner by submission, 4:45 of the third round, Forrest Griffin. Griffin comes into his own in this fight, out hustling Rua to an eventual submission. Griffin stated that he asked Dana White for the fight against Rua. Rua was considered by many fight fans as one of the best Light Heavyweight fighters in MMA. This win has propelled Griffin’s career to securing a coaching opportunity on the “Ultimate Fighter” with Quinton Jackson.

After watching the UFC BEST OF 2007, I’m pleased to say it was worth my time, and it was a good enough event to be on PPV. The unpredictability of the fights is absolutely shocking. Gonzaga defeating Cro Cop, Jackson disposing of Liddell so quickly, and Griffin submitting Rua are classics that will go down in annals of UFC history. UFC is continuing to deliver the best mainstream MMA action in the world, and it is as entertaining then it is intriguing.

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Georges St. Pierre Interview

Irish Whip Fighting writer Ben Zeidler caught up with former UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre last week, discussing everything from the Matt Serra loss to the upcoming UFC 79 fight with Matt Hughes. Originally conducted for MMA Madness.

Irish Whip Fighting: Can you tell us a little bit about the Serra fight and what happened?

St. Pierre: You know, it was a great learning experience. I didn’t realize it when he hit me and next thing I knew, he was on top of me and it was over.

IWF: Was he what you prepared for?

St. Pierre: I don’t want to make any excuses. I made many mistakes coming into the fight but the real reason I lost is because Matt fought the better fight.

IWF: How would you fight him differently next time?

St. Pierre: I would change a lot of things. I’m working on my game like it’s a puzzle and it is all coming together. My personal life is going well, I’m in great shape. It will be a different story.

IWF: Your first fight against Matt Hughes saw you tapping out to an arm bar with one second left on the clock. Were you not aware of the time left on the clock?

St. Pierre: I knew how much time was left but I preferred to tap and not break my arm than try to fight the next round with a damaged arm. It was better to tap and not have it broken.

IWF: What changed between your first and second Hughes fights? From our end, your confidence looked as if it was through the roof.

St. Pierre: Exactly. I knew I could beat him in the second fight. I was not seeing him as an idol anymore and it made the whole difference. I had more skill and more experience.

IWF: Why did you decide to take the UFC 79 fight with Hughes?

St. Pierre: I feel privileged to have this fight and I wish nobody bad luck, but Serra got hurt and I’m able to step in. I’m already in unbelievable shape and I decided that it would be worth it to step up and take this shot.

IWF: What do you gain from taking this fight given that you were already in line for the next title shot?

St. Pierre: What I gain is that I can beat Hughes and show I’m the best in the world, and then I’ll get Serra. I was going to fight both of them eventually but now it’s just in a different order. After Hughes, I will get my revenge on Serra. It is the perfect scenario for me.

IWF: How long are your typical training camps? Will five weeks be enough to prepare?

St. Pierre: I’m never off season, really; I’m always in shape. Normally, I train for eight weeks but I was already in great shape so it won’t change anything that I would normally do. I think I’ll be a much better fighter than the last time I fought Hughes.

IWF: What are you doing to prepare for Hughes?

St. Pierre: With Hughes, he’s going to be a different fighter from last time and so am I. I know his strengths, his weaknesses, and I will come into that fight with something extra. You know how when you play cards, you don’t want to show your hand? I have a very good game plan.

IWF: You once said that you'll only fight at 100%. Do you really mean this? And, what if you get injured in the next few weeks? Will you pull out like you have in the past or honor your commitment?

St. Pierre: If I get an injury, I will put out. Even if it is a mental issue like there is a death in my family. I will never fight again not at 100%. I want to be the best every time I come out.

IWF: Are you in top shape for this fight? Do you think that there would be anything that would physically hinder your chances of winning?

St. Pierre: Yes, I am. I was always in great, great shape. I’ve been working with [Rashad] Evans to help him get ready for [Michael] Bisping. I’ve been doing work with boxers for their fights and helping wrestlers who are going to the Olympics. We all peak at the same time and it’s great. I decided to jump in and fight like they are.

IWF: What is your opinion on Matt Serra canceling the fight?

St. Pierre: I think if he got hurt, he made the right call. I think it would be a mistake to take the fight. He needs to figure out how bad the injury is. He’s a great fighter in great shape -- he’ll come back fast.

IWF: What do you think about Dana White's decision to have an interim belt?

St. Pierre: That’s awesome. According to me, I am a champion and Hughes is a champion. We just have to know who is the better champion. I’m glad it is five rounds and it is for a title. It is the best scenario for me.

IWF: Do you think you deserved a rematch with Serra before Hughes got a shot against him?

St. Pierre: No, Hughes deserved the rematch. He was still on top -- he just lost to me. He’s still on top I think and you know the scenario is perfect now. He’s a great fighter and maybe the best pound-for-pound in the world. It’s a great honor to face him.

IWF: Did you call Dana White personally to request the fight?

St. Pierre: I called my manager [and] I said I wanted it and she called UFC. They called her back and said it was a done deal.

IWF: What did you do to get so mentally prepared before the Josh Koscheck fight? What did you change compared to your preparation for the Matt Serra title defense?

St. Pierre: I fixed my personal life. I put back the puzzle all together and I don’t have any injuries -- right now everything is cool. I’m the happiest man on earth. It’s behind me and I look up to the future.

IWF: Would you call this UFC 79 card the biggest in MMA history?

St. Pierre: It’s the biggest fight of my career. I don’t know about them but for me it’s the biggest fight.

IWF: If you defeat Hughes and Serra down the road, who would you want next?

St. Pierre: I don’t know what they’ll do. I don’t always get the best fighter. I don’t know because things change and we’ll have to see what MMA is like then.

IWF: Any words for Matt Hughes?

St. Pierre: I haven’t heard anything, so I’m not going to comment. I’m focused on myself and what I have control over and that’s me. [Laughs]

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Window Of Opportunity For St. Pierre, Hughes

Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre gained a unique window of opportunity for the Welterweight Championship when Matt Serra suffered a training injury to his lower back. I.W.F made the correct prediction for UFC President Dana White to schedule Hughes-St. Pierre III rubber match, giving both men the opportunity to end the trilogy and win the championship. Hughes-St. Pierre III will be an explosive battle with contrasting styles -- it's a battle which has resulted in a different outcome each time. At UFC 50, Hughes defeated St. Pierre in the first round with a slick armbar submission to win the vacant Welterweight Championship. At UFC 65, St. Pierre defeated Hughes in the second round with a brutal and decisive TKO. In this, the finale, which fighter will execute their game plan better? An IWF original by Don Davenport

Hughes stated on "The Ultimate Fighter Finale" that "I would not have taken this fight unless I thought I was going to win. I have enough time to prepare for Georges fighting style, and Georges is taking this fight four weeks in, when he likes to take three months off to prepare for a fight." Hughes a two-time Division I All-American wrestler who will come in phenomenal shape, and despite his wrestling and submission background, Hughes will be working heavily on his striking. Hughes appears to be very confident and ready to reclaim the Welterweight Championship.

Meanwhile, St. Pierre, taking this fight on short notice, is the fighter with the most to gain in this contest. St. Pierre owns the last victory over Hughes, and proved that he is a determined fighter with his recent victory over Josh Koscheck at UFC 74. St. Pierre is a good striker and submission expert, but is often over looked for his equally excellent wrestling capabilities. St. Pierre showed those skills by out wrestling Koscheck, with great takedown defense and maintaining the top position almost through the entire fight. St. Pierre must see defining flaws in Hughes' fighting style to take this fight on short notice.

My analysis is that St. Pierre will prevent Hughes takedown attempts and dominate the fight on the feet leading to another TKO victory. St. Pierre has vastly improved since UFC 50 and has the necessary skills to stop Hughes' takedowns. Not many fighters can stop Hughes wrestling superiority, but St. Pierre is one who has shown he is capable. In order for Hughes to pull out the victory, he has to be the aggressor in the stand up position, and take the fight to the ground where he is most effective. The title scene is about to change and give one of these contenders the window of opportunity to win the coveted UFC Welterweight Championship.

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UFC 79 To Feature Hughes-GSP III For Interim

Exactly one day BEFORE the announcement of the Hughes-St. Pierre Interim Title fight, IWF reported the following: "If I were White, I would consider holding Hughes-St. Pierre III now, with the winner receiving a title shot. Hughes and St. Pierre will fight each other again soon enough, so it could make sense to get it out of the way now." Dana White must read IWF, because hours later, the blockbuster was booked.

In the UFC, when one door closes, another opens, and on December 29th, that adage will ring true once against when Matt Hughes battles Georges St. Pierre for the interim UFC Welterweight Championship in the main event of UFC 79: Nemesis, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

St-Pierre replaces UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra, who was forced to withdraw from his bout with Hughes last week due to a herniated disc in his back.

“Obviously, the loss of Matt Serra was brutal, but the great thing about the UFC is that we can put together great fights like Hughes-St-Pierre at a moment’s notice and bounce right back,” said UFC President Dana White. “I have the utmost respect for both Hughes and St-Pierre for stepping up for this fight, and not only are the fans going to see two of the greatest welterweights of all-time settle their score in a rubber match, but they're going to do it in a five round interim title fight, and the winner is going to face off next year against Matt Serra for the undisputed title.”

Hughes and St-Pierre are no strangers to one another, having fought twice with vastly different results. In their first bout at UFC 50 in October of 2004, Hughes won the vacant welterweight crown with a first round submission victory. In their November 2006 rematch, St-Pierre evened the score with a second round TKO of Hughes to win the 170-pound title. On December 29th, the two will settle matters once and for all.

“I’m so excited to get this fight,” said St-Pierre. “I’m fighting Matt Hughes for the interim title right now, and then after that I’m going to go after Serra. I’ve wanted that rematch against Serra, and this is the best scenario that can happen.”

Waiting in the wings will be the champion, Serra, who will have an odd rooting interest that night.

“I can’t believe the position this puts me in,” said the New Yorker, who won the title from St-Pierre and was looking forward to settling the score with the man he has been coaching against and trading barbs with on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Hughes. “I’m actually rooting for Matt Hughes so I can beat his ass.”

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Serra Pulls Out Of UFC 79

Due to herniated discs from a training injury, Matt Serra has been forced to pull out of his upcoming bout with former champ Matt Hughes.

Serra was involved in a routine training regiment when he fell to the floor in pain. Later MRIs revealed the herniated discs in his lower back.

“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” said Serra. “I’ve never had a back injury before; I could hardly get off of the MRI table. There is no way I can train through this, and I’m devastated, especially because this was such an important fight. I was looking forward to fighting Matt Hughes. All my training was going phenomenally until Monday – All I can do now is to get better and to fight again as soon as possible.”

Hopefully, White will book a Welterweight contender against Hughes as to keep Hughes busy and not diminish the excellent star quality of this December card. If I were White, I would consider holding Hughes-St. Pierre III now, with the winner receiving a title shot. Hughes and St. Pierre will fight each other again soon enough, so it could make sense to get it out of the way now.

St. Pierre would be more likely to support this plan than Hughes due to the fact that if Hughes is victorious, Georges is still owed a shot at Serra, and therefore, wouldn't be permanently cut out of the title picture. If St. Pierre is victorious in the third bout with Hughes, it would likely spell the end of Matt Hughes' title contendership.

More than likely, however, White and Joe Silva will opt to either have Hughes fight in a tune up bout, or simply not fight at all.

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IWF Exclusive: The Future Of The UFC

Although we have a set title fight in our sights (Hughes vs. Serra), a slightly deeper look into the ranks of the UFC will give us a more accurate picture of how the sport should shape up over the next six months. While feuds and rivalries culminate in once-a-month events, the sport is built between those events as every member of the roster fights, bargains, and even pleads for a title shot. The following is a look at each division and who is fighting for the title.

Heavyweights: With Andrei Arlovski missing his new contract, Cro Cop dropping fights like he was bought off, and Couture temporarily out of the fight game, the whole division is really up for grabs. It’s unlikely that White would simply award the belt to the winner of an upcoming fight as it wouldn’t make sense for Kongo or Nogueira to receive a title with very little UFC experience under their belts. He could justify giving it to Sylvia as he was the last guy to hold the belt and is fresh off a win, but I doubt he’d give the title to the least marketable guy this side of O.J. Simpson. What is likely is that we’ll see Sylvia take on the Kongo/Nogueira winner in a mini grand prix of sorts. While the best match up for the sport would have been Vera and Kongo, it was spoiled by Sylvia’s yawn-inducing win last month (not that Vera helped to make it exciting, either…). I’d expect to see Nogueira and Sylvia, but the way the UFC’s cookies have been crumbling lately, I’d probably be better off just flipping a coin.

Light Heavyweights: This is obviously the toughest one to call, with the four big names (Liddell, Henderson, Shogun, Wanderlei) being more than one win from a title shot. That leaves us with three guys who can stake a legitimate claim to Rampage’s belt. They are: Keith Jardine, Lyoto Machida, and Forrest Griffin. It probably won’t be Jardine, because although he’s knocked out Griffin and beat Liddell, he suffered a brutal KO at the hands of Houston Alexander at UFC 71. And while Machida’s been impressive in his UFC fights (3 for 3), two weren’t on the main telecast and he doesn’t have quite enough name recognition or ability to speak English to warrant being one good punch away from a title. He’ll have to win one or two more before getting any serious consideration. The honor, I would bet, will go to Forrest, who the UFC considers the heir apparent to the holy trinity of ratings that is about to retire (Couture, Liddell, Hughes). He fits in with the tough, common man image that has gained the UFC so much popularity and it looks as though he won’t get that fight against Wanderlei due to an injury he’s harbored for quite some time. With Wanderlei looking to fight sooner and Forrest out until early 2008, I don’t think we’ll see Rampage Jackson in action for another 8 months (see: Matt Serra) at which point he and Griffin should meet for an all out war.

Middleweights: Dana White has suggested that the winner of the Okami/MacDonald could potentially get an automatic title shot, but that seems counterintuitive due to what is logical “MMAth.” With Silva’s dominant second win over Franklin, and Franklin’s win over Okami, who in their right mind would want to see Silva run down the food chain to take on a man who will almost surely beat? I’m aware that Okami technically beat Silva via DQ, but that was nearly two years ago and before Silva rattled off six straight wins against some of the toughest competition around. White is clearly having trouble booking anyone against Silva and until he can sign Filho or Kang, he’s going to have to convince Henderson to drop to 185 and take on Silva. Initially against the idea of dropping weight, Henderson has since warmed up to the idea, but would probably take a warm up before tackling The Spider.

Welterweights: Finally, a simple division. GSP will get an automatic title shot at whoever wins the Hughes-Serra fight. And when Matt Hughes destroys Serra, it’ll set up just the third trilogy in UFC history. Is there much else to say? When the dust settles, however, it is more likely that Karo Parisyan would get the title shot instead of Koscheck or Sanchez, who have spent the last year losing and turning in lackluster performances. The St. Pierre-Parisyan feud is one that we could be seeing for the next five years.

Lightweights: This division isn’t as tough as it is downright bizarre. With the title not stripped from Sherk, who is now out of action for a full year, White has wisely decided to move on and book one their biggest moneymakers, BJ Penn, against Joe Stevenson. This is smart booking as Penn and Stevenson have separated themselves from the rest of the pack of Lightweight fighters. Beyond those two, there’s just a ton of really athletic guys who haven’t made that big of a splash. No outrageous personalities, no huge upsets, just about five guys who are all on the same level. The UFC tried to give a few of them title shots (Franca, Florian), but nothing came of it and buys were weak. This is the smartest play considering the situation of the current champion. If the UFC is going to sign anyone now, I’d say that they need to be looking for Lightweights even before Middleweights. If I were Dana White, I’d be throwing a huge contract at Urijah Faber, the Featherweight champion in the UFC-owned WEC. He’d add some star power and charisma to a division which is garnering less and less interest with each passing day..

With more contract disputes, injuries, and signings than ever before, it’s tough to call the future of a sport as dynamic as Mixed Martial Arts, but this guide should serve as a decent start.

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UFC Balance Of Power Regains Normalcy

With the wins of Randy Couture and Georges St. Pierre on Saturday night, the pair finalized UFC's return to general predictability (a good thing) following a span of upsets which stretched from 68 to 71, effectively throwing three of the five title pictures in disarray. With Sherk's win (let's forget about the steroids for a moment), Couture's first successful defense of the HW title, and St. Pierre displaying his ability to shake the Serra blues, it appears that we can start narrowing the talent into some Superfights.

No need to give Gonzaga another title shot now. And after St. Pierre's dismantling of Koscheck, it's obvious that St. Pierre and Hughes are the only guys who deserve to be on the top of that division. Not Sanchez, not Kos, not Parisyan, and certainly none of the other guys who were said to be in line for a title shot. Just the best of the best. Had Koscheck won the fight on Saturday, it would've taken even more legitimacy from the division and possibly...just possibly set up for Koscheck-Serra. Instead of being forced to witness that eyesore, it looks as if we're on track for GSP-Hughes III, which is the best fight for the fighters, the fans, and of course, the sport.

Couture's huge win marks the reality of his second coming in the UFC as he has now dispatched of two contenders (Sylvia and Gonzaga) who have at times been heralded as greats, but have now been reduced to pawns. This is significant because now Couture can start wading through the real contenders, the PRIDE guys. Similar to the Koscheck-Serra scenario, I think I speak for everyone when I say we really dodged a bullet with the potential Gonzaga-Nogueira matchup. Instead, we should be treated to Couture-CC, Couture-Nog, or even Couture-Fedor. With CC's recent loss and Nog's less than stellar opening show, there really is no contender in the UFC who should be considered a favorite against "The Natural." It may be up to White to sign someone who can fill these shoes.

The narrowing of competition continues at UFC 75 with the Henderson-Rampage match, a virtual win-win for the UFC. With a Liddell and Shogun wins at 76, the UFC should be set up perfectly for a winter to remember. Silva and Franklin will kick things off with what should be a war. We will most likely see Shogun against the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Couture will almost definitely fight Cro Cop or Nogueira. And barring something amazing happening, Hughes will get another crack at GSP. It may have not been the most exciting event in the world, but UFC 74 has now set the stage for the success that is to come.

(Originally published on martialbase.com)

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GSP To Get Title Shot In Canada

In Canada's first-ever UFC event (the expansion continues...), former Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre will get the opportunity to regain his title. He'll face the winner of the Hughes-Serra bout in a fight that is expected to take place at the Bell Centre sometime during the spring.

During the announcement-filled post-UFC 74 conference, White announced that St. Pierre would get the title shot (as was expected) and that it would come in St. Pierre's home country (not as expected). The UFC is doing an excellent job of utilizing fighter's hometowns in order to boost buys and attendance. Attendance is less of an issue considering recent events have been sold out, but total exposure is still something that White and the Fertitta seek. One look at the use of Bisping in England-based events is enough evidence of this trend.

The UFC can't lose with this set up, as no matter who St. Pierre gets, it's the second or third fight in a series. Statistics show that rematches and trilogies are by far the most profitable ventures for the UFC. In St. Pierre's rematch, they could have either. With the wins by Couture and St. Pierre at UFC 74, coupled with Sherk's title justification at 73, the UFC is back on track to make a splash in the next year.

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