Black fighters who have excelled in MMA

In celebration of Black History Month, here are some notable African American (and Canadian American fighters).

Editorial Note: If there are some fighters who are not on here, my fullest apologies. I chose to leave out fighters like Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo and Paul Daley, mainly because Black History month is celebrated in Canada and the U.S.

Jon Jones (12-1)

Jon “Bones” Jones, who has a background in Muay Thai, Greco Roman Wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, has been labeled by many as the future of the UFC. Although the hype around him has reached new limits, Jones is still a formidable fighter.

Jones has only lost one of his 12 fights, (a DQ over Matt Hamil in December 2009). His most recent win came from a submission victory over Ryan Bader via a modified guillotine choke.

After his win over Bader, Jones will replace Rashad Evans in the Light Heavyweight title match against Mauricio Rua at UFC 128.

Quinton Jackson (31-8)

Perhaps one of most well known fighters around the world, “Rampage” Jackson is a man who talks a lot of smack, but can also back it up when it comes to a fight. He known for his wrestling background, as well as his power, which he can use to knock out his opponents, or slam them on the canvas.

During his career, Jackson has not only captured the UFC Light Heavyweight title and a runner up in the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix, but has also had rivalries with a who’s who list of fighters, including Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell, and Rashad Evans. Jackson would go on to coach against Evans during the Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights season, and eventually lose their fight via decision back in May 2010.

Jackson‘s most recent win was against Lyoto Machida last November. He was originally scheduled to fight Thiago Silva at UFC 130, however he will now face Evans in a rematch.


Rashad Evans (15-1-1)

Fans were first treated to Rashad Evans during the Ultimate Fighter 2, where he won the heavyweight competition on that show. Prior to the UFC, Evans had won his first five fights, and even won the Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight tournament.

After the Ultimate Fighter, Evans would go on to defeat fighters such as Chuck Liddell, Michael Bisping, and even Forrest Griffin, who defeated for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship. After losing the title to Lyoto Machida, Evans would score a decision victory over Thiago Silva and coach against Quinton Jackson in The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights. He would later go on to defeat Jackson in late May 2010.

Evans was expected to face Mauricio Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight title, but had to pull out of the fight due to injury. He will now face Quinton Jackson in a rematch, at UFC 130.

Antonio McKee (25-4-2)

McKee is a brown belt in Judo and has an extensive background in wrestling. Despite having many wins on his record, he was the subject of criticism due to having the majority of his fights (19 of them wins) going to decision. He is the current MFC Lightweight champion.

McKee signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC in September 2010. He would make his debut against Jacob Volkmann at UFC 125 where he would lose by decision. After the loss, he was cut by the promotion.

After being cut from the UFC, McKee returned to Maximum Fighting Championships where he will defend his title against Drew Fickett on the 25th.

Muhammed Lawal (7-1)

The fighter known as “King Mo” has been capturing the attention of MMA fans in Japan and in the United States with his flashy entrances and persona. In his first two years of MMA he had won seven fights and captured the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title. He would lose the title to Rafael Cavalcante in August 2010.

In addition to his MMA career, Lawal has an extensive amateur wrestling background. Prior to his MMA career, he was a Division I All American and a Big 12 champion.

Recently, Lawal has undergone knee surgery. He has stated that 2011 would be the year he gets his belt back.


Ben Henderson (12-2)

Henderon has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and was an All American wrestler in college. In his MMA career, he is a former WEC lightweight champion and WEC interim lightweight champion.

At the last WEC event, Henderson put on a show with opponent Anthony Pettis. Despite putting on a valiant effort, he ended losing the match by decision.

Henderson will make his UFC debut at UFC 129.

Josh Koscheck (15-5)

Koshcheck has been a long time UFC fighter, since competition in the first season of the Ultimate Fighter back in 2005.  He has also become one of the sport's most notable trash talkers.

After earning victories over fighters like Frank Trigg, Chris Lytle, and Diego Sanchez, Koscheck’s biggest career moment to date would be defeating Paul Daley to become the number one contender for the UFC Welterweight title, and becoming a coach on the Ultimate Fighter 12.

After The Ultimate Fighter season 12, he lost to Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre back in December 2010. Despite not winning the belt from St. Pierre, Koscheck is still ranked one the top 10 welterweight fighters in MMA.

Yves Edwards (40-16-1)

Edwards is one of MMA’s more experienced fighters.

Since debuting in 1997, Edwards has fought in several organizations, including UFC, Pride FC, Bodogg Fight FC, Elite XC, and Strikeforce. Edwards practices a variety of martial arts, including a self created style he called “Thug-Jitsu.”

His most recent win was a submission victory, over up and comer Cody McKenzie.





Demetrious Johnson (9-1)

Known to the fans as “Mighty Mouse”, Johnson won his first six fights before debuting in the WEC. In his debut, he would lose to Brad Pickett by decision.

Despite the loss, Johnson would go on his next two fights in the WEC.

In his UFC debut, Johnson spoiled the hyped up debut of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto.



Jason High (13-3)

From Kansas City, Jason High has fought in Canada, Japan, and the United States.  He gained notaritey in the Dream promotion where he made it to the finals of their Welterweight Grand Prix.  He lost in the finals to Marius Zaromskis.

Since the loss, he has won four out of his five last fights (the only loss coming from Charlie Brennerman in the UFC)

High recently signed with Strikeforce and will debut in 2011.

  Honorable and not so honorable mentions

Kevin Randleman (17-15) - one of MMA’s more seasoned fighters, this former UFC Heavyweight champion has come up against some of the best fighters, both in Pride and in the UFC. Although he turned 40, Randleman has said he will continue his career.

Carlos Newton (15-14) - Newton is a former UFC Welterweight champion and a UFC 17 tournament runner up. He was also a longtime fighter in Pride, and a coach in the International Fight League. He is expected to fight in May 2011.

Herchel Walker (2-0) At 48 years old, this former NFL player has already acquired two wins on his record, including a first-round knock out victory over Scott Carson. Walker said that he will continue his MMA career.

Gary Goodridge (23-23-1) - Goodridge has fought in several organizations. His earliest accomplishments include being a finalist in the UFC 8 tournament, and a quarterfinalist in the 2000 Pride Grand Prix.

Bobby Lashley (5-1) - was on a five-fight winning streak before losing to Chad Griggs back in August 2010. He was taken out on a stretcher and has not fought since the loss to Griggs.

Bob Sapp (11-6-1) - Although he has not had as much success as his peers, Sapp has been a kick boxer, pro wrestler, and a football player. Sapp was supposed to fight at the Dream Dynamite 2010 show, but did not due to contract issues.  He is scheduled to fight sometime in March 2011.

Kimbo Slice (4-2) - Had a brief stint in the Ultimate Fighter season 10, and a win in the UFC. Slice has been reported to pursue careers in boxing and pro wrestling.

James Toney (0-1) - former boxing champion James Toney decided he would pursue a career in MMA.  According to reports, he hounded UFC president Dana White for a fight with one of the UFC's top guys. Toney got his wish, but in his first MMA match he got schooled by Randy Couture at UFC 118, (this didn't stop the UFC from paying him $500,000). He most recently called out Quinton Jackson.

"My style is kneeing people in the face." - Wanderlei Silva

Champ vs. Phenom

Anticipated title match to happen this Saturday


This Satuday's UFC even in Las Vegas will not only feature the return of many fighters to the octagon, but also looks to be one of the most stacked fight cards in early 2011.  

Among the action there will be a title match, a bout between legends, a contest between two future champions, and the debut of a Japanese super star.


Middleweight Championship bout:

Anderson “The Spider” Silva (c) (27-4) vs. Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (19-8)

Winner: Silva by decision

This match has been almost 18 months in the making, ever since Belfort knocked out Rich Franklin and earned the right to face Silva for the title.  After injuries, failed drug tests (not by either fighter), and suspensions, the long awaited match between these two will take place.

Both Silva and Belfort are regarded as great strikers in MMA, however Silva is hard to hit and if Belfort is not careful, not only will his shots miss the champion, but Silva may come back with a good left and get the knock out.  However, I expect the champion to keep Belfort’s striking neutralized and, if all else fails, pull something out of his bag of tricks that will help him keep the title.


Light Heavyweight bout:

Forrest Griffin (17-6) vs. Rich “Ace” Franklin (28-5 1NC)

Winner: Franklin by KO

Griffin and Franklin have a lot of in common.  They are former UFC champions, they have beaten the best and they have been beaten by the best.  Still Franklin has more wins coming into this fight, his most recent a KO victory over Chuck Liddell with a broken forearm.  Griffin has also been away from the octagon since 2009 and that could be a disadvantage for him.

This fight has the potential to be one of the best bouts in 2011, however I think Franklin will do a repeat of a KO, similar to the one he had over Liddell.


Light Heavyweight bout:

Jon “Bones” Jones (11-1) vs. Ryan “Darth” Bader (12-0)

Winner: Bader by decision

If Franklin and Griffin are the past of the UFC, then Bader and Jones are the future of the UFC.  Here are two rising stars in the UFC, Jones, who was voted “Breakout Fighter of the Year” and Bader, winner of the Ultimate Fighter 8.  Both of these men have a couple of big wins to their credit. 

However, where Jones is known for his punching, Bader has been known to fight defensively, and counter striking, as he did in his last fight with Nogueira.  Still, I would be surprised if this fight did not go to a decision.  I would be much more surprised if this bout did not win Fight of the Night Honors.


Welterweight bout:

Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger (23-5) vs. Carlos Eduardo “Ta Danado” Rocha (9-0)

Winner: Ellenberger by decision

Ellenberger will be looking to ruin Rocha’s MMA debut in the United States.  Rocha may be undefeated but Ellenberger has three more years experience. 

One advantage to Rocha is that he ranks higher in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu than Ellenberger.  Still Ellenberger’s punching power will be the difference in this fight.


Bantamweight bout:

Miguel Torres (38-3) vs. Antonio Banuelos (18-6)

Winner: Banuelos by KO

Both of these WEC veterans will be making their UFC debut this evening, but Banuelos, despite not being a former bantamweight champion or having half as many wins as Torres, will pull off the upset of the night. 

Torres will go down in round 2.


Preliminary card

Lightweight bout:

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (13-3 1NC) vs.  Paul ‘Tellys” Kelly (11-3)

Winner: Cerrone by submission

In a classic UFC veteran vs. WEC veteran, Cerrone has more wins on his right record and has a great mat skills. 

While Kelly has been in the octagon more in his career, Cerrone has been known for putting on great fights and going toe to toe with the best in the Lightweight division.


Featherweight bout:

Chad “Money”  Mendes (9-0) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (12-8-1)

Winner: Mendes by decision

Omigawa’s experience may give him an advantage, but Mendes’ undefeated streak makes up for it.  Mendes, who being making his UFC debut after the UFC-WEC merger, will be looking to spoil Omigawa’s return to the UFC.  Mendes will utilize his wrestling and keep Omigawa for all three rounds.


Bantamweight bout:

Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (18-3 1NC) vs. Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (8-1)

Winner: Yamaoto by KO

Yamamoto, whose accolades include a four-second KO victory,  is making his debut in the UFC after success in K-1 Hero’s and a 1-2 record in DREAM.  Despite this fight being on the under card, the promoting for Kid’s debut has gone as far as streaming the fight on Facebook.

While sometimes hyped up fighters who make their debut are defeated, Yamamoto is coming into the match win a first-round KO win while his opponent Johnson is coming in with a two fight winning streak.  Still, if Yamamoto can land some good blows in the first few minutes of the fight, he will not only earn another win, but also may be in line for a future title shot.


Lightweight bout:

Paul “Relentless” Taylor (10-6-1 1NC) vs. Gabe “Godzilla”  Ruediger (17-6)

Winner: Ruediger by submission

Ruediger has to be odds on favorite coming into this one.  Taylor, who has not only lost is last two fights and is fighting in only his second Lightweight bout, while Ruediger is a former WEC Lightweight champion, and has more wins on his record. 

Although Taylor says he is looking to start a five-fight winning streak after the match, Ruediger will dash Taylor’s dreams by using his skills in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Judo, and submit Taylor early in the first round.


Light Heavyweight bout:

Kyle Kingsbury (9-2 1NC) vs. Ricardo Romero (11-1)

Winner: Romero by submission

Romero is practically undefeated (his only loss, a DQ for an illegal soccer kick) and has only went to decision once in his entire career, as well as a two-time Ring of Combat champion.  However, Kingsbury is on a two-fight winning streak and won Fight of the Night Honors in his last bout.  While he could give Romero a run for his money, the fighter from North Brunswick will ultimately finish him.

Many anticipate that Romero could be a rising star in the UFC and beating Kingsbury could help him move up the ladder in the Light Heavyweight Division.


Welterweight bout:

Mike Pierce (11-3) vs. Kenny Robertson (10-0)

Winner: Pierce by decision

Although Robertson is undefeated in his mixed martial arts career, Pierce is the favorite coming into this fight.  Robertson is coming off of broken toe that sidelined him from his original UFC debut last October, and Pierce has won three of his four fights in the UFC.  If Pierce can stick to his game plan of controlling the pace of the fight, he will have no trouble earning points from the judges.

According to MMA Junkie, Pierce has also had a confidence boost due to being the odds makers’ favorite in the first time in his career. 

To view the official fight card, visit the UFC site

Tito's last chance

For years, UFC fighter Tito Ortiz’s entrances have consisted of him walking from the locker room, to the octagon surrounded by his trainers and carrying an American flag. 

The moment he leaves the locker room, cheers and boos echo through out the crowd, while Eminem’s “Mosh” blasts through the speakers.

March 26 may be the last time fans get to see Ortiz’s entrance as he faces Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 24, which takes place at the Key Arena in Seattle.

UFC President Dana White has hinted at cutting Ortiz (15-8-1) from the promotion, after losing four of his five last fights.

 According to a November article on MMA Weekly, White said that he had thought he was going to cut Ortiz after his loss to Hamill until Ortiz told him he was not done fighting in the UFC.

“He asked me for one last chance, so I’m gonna do it,“ White said.  “This is definitely his last chance and he knows that too.”

Ortiz’s first stint with the UFC

Ortiz made his mixed martial arts debut in 1997, fighting in the UFC 13 Lightweight tournament as an alternate.  He lost to Guy Mezger in the finals of the tournament. 

Ortiz would continue to fight for the UFC.  Utilizing his wrestling ability and ground and pound, he would later avenge his loss against Mezger, and even win the UFC Light Heavyweight championship, successfully defend it five times.  He also would attain wins against fighters like Ken Shamrock, Wanderlei Silva, and Vitor Belfort.

Although he was one of UFC’s top stars, Ortiz was also suffering from a back injury, as well as personal problems between him and the UFC’s front office, mainly with UFC president Dana White.

Ortiz’s last fight was against Lyoto Machida in May 2008.  He would lose to Machida by unanimous decision.

Shortly after the loss to Machida, Ortiz said he would not be returning to the UFC. 

In an interview with MMA Weekly radio, Ortiz said his main reason for leaving the organization was due to treatment from the UFC president.

“He’s a monster and I am going to go elsewhere where they respect me,” Ortiz said.

Exile and return

After some time away from the UFC, Ortiz had back surgery.  He also began training in Brazilian Ju Jitsu.  Shortly after the birth of his tine sons, Ortiz said he had made amends with White in 2009, according to an interview with TapouT radio.  This eventually led to Ortiz being resigned by the UFC.

Ortiz’s opponent for his return bout was originally supposed to be against former heavyweight champion Mark Coleman.  Coleman withdrew due to injury, and was replaced by Forrest Griffin, a man Ortiz had beaten in 2006.  He ended up losing to Griffin by split decision.

Ortiz’s next fight would be against Matt Hamill, a man Ortiz had coached during the third season of the Ultimate Fighter reality tv series.  As with Griffin, Ortiz would lose the fight by decision.

Ortiz was scheduled to face longtime rival Chuck Liddell but had to pull out of the fight due to unknown reasons.

Lil’ Nog

Nogueira (19-4) is the twin brother of former UFC and PRIDE champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a Brazilian fighter in the heavyweight division.  He is currently in the top ten light heavyweights in the world, according to the USA Today and SB Nation consensus rankings.

According to an interview with the National Post, Nogueira said he is preparing for what he believes will be a difficult fight.

“Tito’s ground and pound is very good and he is a really talented athlete,” Nogueira said.  “This should be a great fight for the fans.”

Although Ortiz is known for his head games, he said he is taking a different approach when it comes to Nogueira, due to the respect he has for the Brazilian fighter.

“Lil Nog is one of the best fighters in the world,” Ortiz said. He’s dangerous on the feet and on the ground. That’s why you won’t hear me talking any smack.”

White said that the fight against Nogueira would be the biggest fight in Ortiz’s career.

“Lil Nog is ranked in the top 10 and a win puts Tito back in the mix,” White said.

UFC 125: Edgar vs. Maynard

Preliminary Card


Lightweight bout: Jacob “Christmas” Volkmann (11-2) vs. Antonio “Mandingo” McKee (25-3-2)

Winner: McKee by decision

McKee is not only making his UFC debut, but he is also coming into the fight with a 13 fight winning streak..  He has also been the subject of criticism, being labeled as a boring fighter by various media sources, due to the majority of his wins being by submission. 

Although he was able to finish his last two fights, McKee’s debut match will likely go the distance.

Welterweight bout: Daniel “Ninja” Roberts (11-1) vs. Greg Soto (8-1)

Winner: Roberts by submission

Roberts has more wins on his record, winning most of his fights by submission.  If he Roberts can take it to the ground, the match will be his.

Featherweight bout: Mike Brown (24-6)  vs. Diego “The Gun” Nunes (15-1)

Winner: Brown by submission

Brown, a former WEC featherweight champion, will be looking towards a UFC title.  He also has more experience than Nunes.  He also has two wins against former featherweight champion Urijah Faber.

Middleweight bout Phil “New York Badass” Baroni (13-12) vs. Brad Tavares (6-0)

Winner: Tarvares by decision

Despite not having as much experience as his opponent, Tavares was one of fighters to advance in the Ultimate Fighter 11 competition (losing to winner Court McGee in the semi finals).  He is undefeated and has overall good striking and ground game. 

However, Baroni, who is known for being one of the more vocal fighters in mixed martial arts, has been training to improve his striking as well. 

Lightweight bout Marcus ’The Irish Hand Granade” Davis (17-7) vs. Jeremy “Lil Heathen” Stephens (18-6)

Winner: Davis by knock out

Although Davis has lost three of his four last fights, this will be his debut in the lightweight division, which could give him a power advantage.  Stephens has yet to be knocked out in his career, and Davis just be the man to do it.

Featherweight bout Josh “The Fluke” Grispi (14-1) vs. Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (8-1)

Winner: Grispi by submission

Gispi was expected to face UFC Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, but the champion had to pull out of the match due to injury.  He has accumulated wins with knock outs as well as submissions.

Grispi may use this as motivation to submit Poirier early, and cement his contender ship for Aldo’s featherweight title.



Main card

Lightweight bout Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (27-11) vs. Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi (32-6 1NC)

Winner: Gomi by knock out

With the WEC lightweight fighters being absorbed into the UFC, Gomi (former Pride Lightweight champion) and Guida (former Strikeforce Lightweight champion) are two competitors who have the potential to put themselves in title contention.  Both of these men are aggressive strikers.

Gomi is coming into this fight with a knock out victory over Tyson Griffin.  However, Guida is a fighter who can stand toe to toe with the best strikers, even after getting hit with a barrage of punches.  Still, Gomi will be looking to establish himself in the UFC and by beating Guida, he will be one step closer to a title shot.

Welterweight bout Nate Diaz (13-5) vs. Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim (11-0-1 1NC)

Kim by knockout

Diaz, winner of the Ultimate Fighter 5 competition, is coming into this match with a submission victory over Marcus Davis, while Kim has yet to attain a loss in his career.  Kim is also coming into this bout with a win over Amir Sadollah, winner of the Ultimate Fighter 8.

Although Diaz has never been knocked out, Kim’s striking will prevail in this match up, handing the Kid from Stockholm a KO.

Light Heavyweight bout Brandon “The Truth” Vera (11-5) vs. Thiago Silva (14-2)

Winner: Silva by knockout

While Vera has lost his last two fights, Silva has only two losses on his record (former light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida).  Both men have the same number of fights on their record, despite Vera debuting three years earlier than Silva.

Silva’s striking could help him finish Vera in the opening round.

Middleweight bout Chris “The Crippler” Leben (25-6) vs. Brian “All American” Stann (9-3)

Winner: Leben by decision

Leben is a long time UFC fighter, and one of the more exciting fighters, as well as one of the most vocal.  He is coming into this match with a three fight winning streak and more experience. 

Leben’s ground game could easily earn him points in all three rounds. 

Lightweight Championship bout Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (c) (13-1) vs. Gray “The Bully” Maynard (10-0 1 NC)

Winner: Maynard by decision

Maynard will be looking to enter 2011 as the UFC Lightweight champion.  In addition to having no losses, he is on an eight fight winning streak, and has already beaten Edgar in the past. 

However, things will be different as championship bouts have five rounds instead of three, and Edgar has already gone the distance in two separate title matches, giving him at least one advantage in this match.  Still, if Maynard, who like Edgar has won most of his fights by decision, can repeat his performance, he will leave the MGM Grand with the title.

One belt to rule them all

Champion vs. champion, just one of several titles matches set for 2011

Whoever walks out of the MGM Grand Arena with the UFC lightweight title this Saturday, will be one step closer to making history. 

One of the championship matches expected to take place in 2011 will be a title unification bout between the UFC lightweight champion and Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, the last WEC champion.

The Merger between WEC and UFC

UFC President Dana White had announced the merger between the WEC and UFC back in October.  The WEC had been bought by Zuffa back in 2006, according to MMA weekly.  According to White, all three weight divisions (bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight) would be absorbed into the UFC. 

Pettis had earned the right to face the UFC lightweight champion after defeating Ben Henderson to become the last WEC lightweight champion.

Jose Aldo, the then current WEC Featherweight champion, was immediately promoted to the UFC Featherweight champion. 

Dominick Cruz was promoted to the bantamweight champion after successfully defending the WEC bantamweight title against Scott Jorgensen. 

UFC 125 main event: Edgar vs. Maynard

The main event of UFC 125: Resolution, pits Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (12-1), current UFC Lightweight champion, against number one contender Gray Maynard (10-0-1). 

Maynard has wins over Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, and even the current champion.  He defeated Kenny Florian at UFC 118 to earn the title opportunity against Edgar. 

While Maynard has a chance of becoming a world champion and keeping his undefeated streak alive, Edgar has a chance to avenge his only loss in his MMA career.
 
Other title bouts for 2011

In addition to the UFC lightweight title matches, other title matches are already set in place for 2011.

UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva will be facing Vitor Belfort in their long awaited match up.  Belfort had earned the title shot after defeating former champion Rich Franklin back in 2009.  The match between Silva and Belfort has been pushed back due to injuries by both fighters.  The winner of this match is set to face Yushin Okami.

UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velazquez and UFC Light Heavyweight champion Maurcicio Rua are scheduled to make their first title defenses against Junior Dos Santos and Rashad Evans, respectively. 

Strikeforce fighter Dan Henderson is scheduled to face current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Rafael Cavalcante. 

Other title match ups for Strikeforce include the middleweight title match Robbie Lawler vs. Rounaldo Souza, and the welterweight championship match between Nick Diaz and Evangelista Santos.  Both of these matches will take place January 29.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has also announced of a heavyweight grand prix.  Fighters rumored to participate include Josh Barnett, Fedor Emilienanko, and current Alistair Overeem, the current Strikeforce Heavyweight champion.

What lies ahead for Sonnen

Chael Sonnen, a UFC fighter in the middleweight division recently lost the appeal to his case about him failed a post-fight drug test, which revealed elevated levels of testosterone in his urine, after his fight with middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 117. 

The California Athletic State Commission had originally punished Sonnen with a $2,500 fine, and a years suspension.  After the appeal process, Sonnen’s suspension was reduced to six months.

Sonnen’s reason for using testosterone

According to an article in SI.com, Sonnen and his legal team explained that his reasons for taking the tesosterone injections was due to Sonnen suffering from hypogoanedism.  Hypogonadism is a condition that results from the inability of the testes to produce testosterone, according to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine. 

Men who are diagnosed with the condition experience symptoms such that  include lack of muscle and bone mass, erectile dysfunction, decrease in body and facial hair growth, and decreases in size or firmness of testicles.  One of the treatments for hypogonadism is an injection of testosterone every two weeks.

During the appeal process, Sonnen had said that he had told various people about the testosterone treatments.  One of these men included Nevada State Athletic Commissioner  Keith Kizer.  Kizer denies hearing of such information.

According to Cagepotato.com, Sonnen’s counsel said that the fighter did not try to hide the fact he was using testosterone for treatments, as he had listed it on the pre-drug screening form.


Possible opponents for Sonnen’s return

Sonnen’s suspension will be up in March, just in time for the UFC 128 event.  Although the possibility of a rematch against Anderson, or a shot at the middleweight title, is not likely to happen at this point, there are still other opponents for him to choose from, such as Yushin Okami, that is the date of his title shot has not been determined.  There is a possible match with fellow middleweight like Michael Bisping, or a rematch with Nate Marquardt.

One fighter who may be eager to fight Sonnen could be Wanderlei Silva. 

Prior to his fight with Anderson, Sonnen had made comments about the champion’s background, mocking that he had received a black belt while training under the Nogueira brothers. 

“I think having a black belt under the Nogueira brothers is saying, like, I got a free toy in my happy meal,” Sonnen said.

According to mmafighting,com, there is a video of Wanderlei, who was riding in the same van with Sonnen, told him that he did not need to attack the Nogueria brothers.

“These guys are the history of the sport,” Wanderlei said.  “We need to have a good conduct about that.  In Brazil, we have a saying.  You have respect, you don’t lose your teeth.”

UFC President Dana White was quoted to saying that he had wanted to promote a rematch between Anderson and Sonnen, before the news of Sonnen’s failing the drug test. 

After Sonnen was suspended, Anderson’s next opponent was announced to be Vitor Belfort, who had originally earned the right to face Anderson for the title, after defeating Rich Franklin in September 2009. 

Belfort was taken off of the UFC 122 card and replaced by Nate Marquardt who faced Yushin Okami.  Okami won the match and is slated to face the winner of the Anderson vs. Belfort bout, which is rumored to take place at UFC 126.

Fighters who have used drugs and rose back to the occasion

While being suspended may hurt Sonnen’s career, it does not mean that he will never get a chance to become a champion.  There have been several fighters in mixed martial arts who have tested positive for having drugs in their system, have been dealt punishments, and yet are still fighting in the sport.

Sean Sherk, former UFC Lightweight champion had tested positive after successfully defending the title against Hermes Franca back in 2007.  Although he was stripped for the title, he would later return to the UFC, and still competes.

Tim Sylvia had been the UFC heavyweight champion when he failed a drug test in 2003.  After losses to Frank Mir and Andrei Arlovski, Sylvia would regain the title in 2006, and keep the belt for almost a year.  According to USA Today, Sylvia became the inaugural heavyweight champion for the Powerhouse World Promotions organization.

The Ultimate Fighter finale 12 predictions

Preliminary bouts

Middleweight bout:

Rich “The Raging Bull” Attonito (9-3) vs. Dave Branch (7-1)

Winner: Attonito by TKO

Attonito has more experience and is coming in with a four fight winning streak.


Featherweight bout:

Fredson Paixão (10-3 1NC) vs. Pablo “The Scarecrow” Garza (9-1)

Winner: Garza by decision

Despite coming off of a loss from his first (and last) WEC fight, Garza will be looking to make an impact in his UFC debut.


Catchweight (138 lb) bout:

Will Campuzano (8-2) vs Nick Pace (5-1)

Winner: Pace by decision

Pace may be coming into this fight with a loss, but this also means that he will be determined to get back on the winning track.


Lightweight bout: 

Sako “The Chainsaw” Chivitchian (5-0) vs. Kyle Watson (12-6-1)

Winner: Watson by submission

Both of these fighters will be making their UFC debut.  Although Chivitchian has no losses on his record, Watson has more experience.  He has also won all but two of his fights by submission. 


Featherweight bout:

Tyler “Thunder” Toner (10-2 1NC) vs. Ian “The Barn Owl” Loveland (13-7)

Winner: Loveland by decision

Despite taking this fight on two weeks notice, Loveland has enough arsenal to take down Toner. 


Lightweight bout:

Cody “Big Time” McKenzie (11-0) vs. Aaron “The Daywalker” Wilkinson (6-3)

Winner: McKenzie by submission

McKenzie is not only undefeated, he has yet to go the distance in any of his pro bouts.  He has 10 of his 11 fights by submission, nine of those by guillotine choke.


Main card

Featherweight bout:

Leonard "Bad Boy" Garcia (14-6-1) vs. Nam Phan (16-7)

Winner: Phan by TKO

Phan is the fresher of the two and will be looking to establish a solid winning streak.


Welterweight bout:

Rick “The Horror” Story (11-3) vs. Johny Hendricks (9-0)

Winner: Hendricks by decision

Hendricks is not only undefeated in his career, he is also looking for his 5th straight win inside of the Octagon, as is Story.  Hendricks has also won the majority of his fights by decision.  


Middleweight bout:

Demian Maia (13-2) vs. Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (12-7 1NC)

Winner: Grove by decision

While Maia may have more wins and fewers losses, Grove is a former Ultimate Fighter winner (season 3) and being on the stage at a Finale may be just the thing to earn him a win against a former middleweight title contender.


Light Heavyweight bout:

Stephan “The American Psycho” Bonnar (12-7) vs. Igor Pokrajac (22-7)

Winner: Bonnar by TKO

The former Ultimate Fighter finalist may have lesser wins than Pokrajac, but he is also coming off of avenging a loss from earlier in the year.  Bonnar will be looking to make a comeback of sorts.  Like Grove, being on an Ultimate Fighter Finale card may be just the thing to inspire him to get the win.


Lightweight bout:

Jonathan Brookins (11-3) vs. Michael “The Menace” Johnson (8-4)

Winner: Brookins by submission

Both of these fighters were on Team GSP and fought their way to the finals.  Not only does Brookins have a better record, he also has no problem defeating fellow teamates, defeating fellow teammate Kyle Watson in the semi finals of the competition. 


Visit the UFC page to check out more information on the event

Stepping up the Scales

Penn returns to Welterweight with 21 second KO over Hughes


B.J. Penn, former UFC Lightweight and welterweight champion, made a triumphant return to welterweight this last Saturday at UFC 123, scoring a knock out victory against former two-time champion Matt Hughes in just 21 seconds. 

After the fight, he began heading back to the locker room, but quickly came back to the octagon out of respect for his opponent, according to the post-fight press conference.

“I was trying to recreate the Caol Uno fight,” Penn said.  “But I can not be disrespectful of Matt. I gotta go back in there and give Matt the honors.”

Road back to welterweight

Penn (16-7-1) had been coming into his fight with two straight losses from UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.  According to the post-fight press conference, Penn was fired up as soon as he got the call that he would face Hughes.

“Me and Matt put on great fights and I am just happy it went that way,” Penn said.  “Matt Hughes is my idol and will always be my idol.”

Penn’s KO not only gave him his first victory in the welterweight division in the last four years, it also gave him the overall victory in his trilogy against Hughes.  He had won their first fight back in 2004, in which he was crowned the fourth UFC welterweight champ.  Hughes won their rematch back in 2006.


Former fighters who have had success gaining (or cutting) weight

Penn, is not the only MMA fighter to have success in two different weight classes. 

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture was the first fighter to win titles in two divisions, earning titles as a heavyweight and a light heavyweight.

Another UFC fighter who has gained success in changing weight divisions is Jake Shields.  Shields is a former Elite XC Welterweight champion, and a former Strikeforce Middleweight champion.

Strikeforce fighter Dan Henderson earned titles in Pride Fighting Championship’s welterweight and middleweight division.  Current Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem competed in Pride’s middleweight Grand Prix tournament, earning victories over Vitor Belfort and Igor Vochancyn.

Most recently Urijah Faber, a former WEC featherweight champion, has moved back down to bantamweight.  In his first fight back to bantamweight, he defeated Takeya Mizugaki by submission in the first round.

Future Matches for Penn in the welterweight division. 
Although it seems like Penn has been given a fresh start in his return to the welterweight division, he still has quite a ladder to climb if he wants  to regain the title. 

Possible opponents for Penn in the welterweight division include Shields, Carlos Condit a former WEC Welterweight champion, and Josh Koscheck, the current number one contender for the UFC welterweight title.

Another possible bout for Penn would be a rematch against former champion Matt Serra.  Penn previously defeated Serra in a lightweight bout back in 2002.

Perhaps the one match up Penn will be anticipating for is a rematch with current champion Georges St. Pierre. 

According to MMAweekly, Penn’s next opponent may be Jon Fitch at UFC 127.

UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez predictions

Main card

Heavyweight Championship bout: Brock Lesnar [5-1] (c) vs. Cain Velasquez [8-0]

Winner: Velasquez by KO

Many say that Lesnar won his last fight due to factors like Shane Carwin being gassed out, and the referee’s inability to the stop the fight when he should have.  Regardless, he is still the champion and has faced a top contender with knock out power, and a former champion with great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills. 

However, Velasquez has an un blemished fight record and has been able to keep in great condition.  This is going to be a pretty close one.

Welterweight bout: Jake Shields [25-4-1]vs. Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann [17-3]

Winner: Kampmann by decision

Shields is going to be making his UFC debut, with an almost guaranteed title shot if he wins, in a division that already has many hungry fighters.  Standing in his way of this guaranteed title shot is Kampmann, who has won eight of his 10 last fights, including back to back wins against Paulo Thiago and Jacob Volkmann.

Kampmann is also the man who spoiled Carlos Condit’s UFC debut and this may be a repeat for him.

Welterweight bout: Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez [23-4] vs. Paulo Thiago [13-2]

Winner: Sanchez by decision

Sanchez is looking for his first win after returning to the welterweight division, which is already stacked as it is.  He has more experience than Thiago and that desire to return to title contention.

If he can keep this fight at his level, he can win and possibly make it to a Welterweight title shot..


Light Heavyweight bout: "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz [16-7-1] vs. Matt "The Hammer" Hamill [10-2]

Winner: Hamill by decision

This is a classic student vs. teacher match up.  Hamill has since left Ortiz’s tutalage and has learned some things on his own.  Also while Ortiz has had time away from the octagon, Hamill has earned wins over Keith Jardine, Mark Munoz, and Jon Jones.

However, it is not wise to count Ortiz out, as he has trained hard since his loss to Forrest Griffin and has battled personal issues.  This fight will surely go the distance.

Heavyweight bout: Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub [7-1]vs. Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga [11-5]

Winner: Gonzaga by KO

While Schaub has won his last two fights, he faces his toughest challenge in Gonzaga, who is not only a UFC veteran, has more experience, but also a decorated submission wrestler.

However, like the main event, this heavyweight battle could end up being a war of striking, with a quick finish.



Under Card

Middleweight bout: "The Crusher" Court McGee [11-1]vs. Ryan Jensen [16-5]

Winner: McGee by submission

McGee is coming into this fight with a lot of momentum.  Not only is he coming in as The Ultimate Fighter 11 winner, he also has not had a loss since 2007, which was against Jeremy Horn.  Jensen on the other hand has attained four of his six losses in the UFC.  McGee also has a boxing background which could help him with his endurance.

At TUF 11 finale, McGee won the Submission of the Night bonus, and there is no reason why he could not walk away with that bonus again.

Middleweight bout: "The Predator" Patrick Côté [14-6] vs. "Filthy" Tom Lawlor [6-3-0, 1NC]

Winner: Cote by KO

Both Cote and Lawlor have lost their last two fights, but Cote lost to a champion and one of the UFC’s veterans in Alan Belcher.  He also has a little bit more experience than Lawlor and looks to get back into title contention.

Cote will have no problem taking out Lawlor pretty early.

Welterweight bout: Mike "The Joker" Guymon [13-3-1] vs. Daniel "Ninja" Roberts [10-1]

Winner: Roberts by submission

Despite not having as much as experience as Guymon, Roberts has yet to have a second loss on his record.  Both men are still a little bit fresh in the UFC and will be looking to earn their place in the organization.

Both fighters have also won many of their fights by submission, so much of this fight may be spent on the ground.


Lightweight bout: "Hands of Stone" Sam Stout [14-4-1]vs.  Paul "Relentless" Taylor [10-5-1, 1NC]

Winner: Stout by KO

Of the two UFC veterans, Stout has more wins on his record.  He also has a kickboxing background that could help with his striking and stand up game.

Middleweight bout: Chris Camozzi [13-3] vs. "The Ox" Dong Yi Yang [9-0]
Winner: Camozzi by submission

Although Yang may be making his UFC debut, Camozzi is coming into this fight with much more experience and a victory in The Ultimate Fighter 11 finale.  Camozzi had to exit the Ultimate fighter compeition because of injury, so he is still looking to prove himself inside of the octagon.

He will get the submission in the second round.

Heavyweight bout: Jon Madsen [6-0]vs. Gilbert "The Hurricane" Yvel [35-15-1, 1NC]

Winner: Yvel by KO

Yvel has yet to have a win in the UFC and he is coming up against someone with a perfect record, but with those losses comes experience.  He also has a won many of his fights by submission and knock out.

Yvel will finish this fight pretty early.  If he does lose this fight, he just may get cut from the roster.

UFC 121 preview