WEC will merge with UFC

The timing could not have been more perfect for WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson.

UFC Presents: The Best of WEC [Blu-ray]






Long before UFC president Dana White announced on Thursday that the two promotions had merged, Henderson's sights were set on the largest stage in mixed martial arts.







For Henderson the plan was simple: defeat top contender Anthony Pettis -- the two are scheduled to meet Dec. 16 in Glendale, Ariz. -- then petition UFC officials for a roster spot.








Don't miss a moment of the latest MMA coverage from around the world. Follow us on Twitter and stay informed. Join »





Competing in UFC was a no-brainer for "Smooth." It has always been his intent to be the world's best 155-pound fighter.







That goal is now within reach. If Henderson defeats Pettis, he gets a shot at UFC lightweight gold. Frankie Edgar will defend his UFC 155-pound title Jan. 1 against Gray Maynard in Las Vegas.







"My goal from the very beginning was to be the best fighter on the planet, and I will go wherever I have to go to get that done," Henderson told ESPN.com. "You and I know that the best fighters on the planet fight in the UFC, so I want to fight in the UFC."World Extreme Cagefighting, Vol. 10: Bragging Rights







Despite the respectable talent in its ranks, all WEC weight classes higher than 145 pounds have long been regarded as a notch below those in UFC. Not even the success former WEC standouts Chael Sonnen, Brian Stann and Carlos Condit have experienced in UFC changed the public opinion.







Henderson is aware that the general MMA fan base considers WEC fighters inferior to those in UFC. He doesn't share that view and is eager to prove it wrong.







"Any former WEC fighter would be lying if he said he didn't have at least a small chip in his shoulder of not having the mainstream recognition of a UFC fighter, especially when taking on a UFC 155-pounder," said Henderson, who is 12-1-0. "Now here is our chance to get that mainstream recognition, not so much in the 145 and 135 weight classes, because those are already considered the best in the world."







While mainstream recognition has eluded Henderson and other WEC fighters, mixed martial artists who currently compete in UFC are respectful of the talent that exists in their sister promotion.







The addition of WEC fighters has made life in UFC's lightweight division more difficult. Respect for the WEC's 155-pound division is so strong that no UFC fighter has expressed opposition to Henderson or Pettis receiving an immediate title shot.







The common opinion is that WEC lightweights won't be an easy out for anyone in UFC.







"They can compete in the UFC without a doubt," UFC light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar told ESPN.com. "The guys at the top, Henderson and Pettis? I believe so."







Bonnar, who has called several WEC fights on Versus, believes timing is a key factor in the Henderson-Pettis winner landing a UFC lightweight title shot.








Before Benson Henderson can even begin thinking about challenging for the UFC lightweight title, he'll have to get by Anthony Pettis.



"As far as the title picture is concerned, some might say, 'Why don't they do what they did with [former Strikeforce middleweight/welterweight champ] Jake Shields and make [Henderson or Pettis] win at least one fight and maybe bring 'em in for a title shot?'" Bonnar said. "But when you look at the [UFC lightweight] division, after the Frankie [Edgar]-Gray [Maynard] title fight, there really isn't a clear-cut No. 1 challenger."







UFC lightweight Kurt Pellegrino agrees. He believes Henderson and Pettis are as deserving of a UFC title shot as anyone.







"All the top-10 lightweight fighters in the WEC are contenders in the UFC as well," Pellegrino told ESPN.com. "If Anthony Pettis is fighting for a title, he had to go through the ranks and beat people.







"His last fight was against Shane Roller, who is supposed to be this phenomenal wrestler and a Marc Laimon jiu-jitsu guy. Anthony Pettis wasn't even taken down by him -- that was Shane Roller's best quality," he said.







"If Henderson beats Pettis, then unify the belts. Let the winner of Edgar-Maynard and Henderson fight. If you have the belt in WEC and come into the UFC and beat everybody up, then you deserve to be the undisputed champion."







Landing a title shot is one thing; winning it is another. At least one man other than Henderson believes the current WEC champ will hold lightweight unification gold after the smoke clears.







"Ben has world-class wrestling credentials, he's shown that he has good jiu-jitsu and he can strike," Henderson's manager, Malki Kawa, told ESPN.com. "At the end of the day, if Ben beats Anthony Pettis, he will prove that he very much deserves a UFC title shot.







"He beats the Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard winner hands-down. What is it that they have in their games that Ben doesn't? The only thing they have over him, and I respect both of them immensely, is their experience in UFC."







Henderson has every intention of becoming UFC lightweight champion, but that goal is on hold for the moment. A loss to Pettis, which isn't beyond the realm of possibility, will quash any UFC title aspirations Henderson currently harbors -- maybe permanently.







The WEC titleholder isn't looking past Pettis (11-1-0). Henderson considers this fight the most important of his career.







"I'm not thinking about the Edgar-Maynard fight at all," Henderson said. "I have Pettis to deal with; I have to make sure I am ready for that dance.







"That's the only thing I am concentrating on right now. Whatever comes after that will take care of itself."







F. McNeil covers MMA and boxing for ESPN.com

WWE's Undertaker, Brock Lesnar Exchange Words Following UFC 121

WWE's Undertaker, Brock Lesnar Exchange Words Following UFC 121 WWE Tombstone - History of the Undertaker

UFC 121 has a new HeavyWeight Champ - Cain Velasquez ?

Cain Velasquez weathered an early storm from Brock Lesnar and proved why he has long been regarded as one of the top prospects in the sport, pounding Lesnar in a stunningly brutal and one-sided fight to win the UFC heavyweight championship at the Honda Center in the main event of UFC 121.






Cain Velasquez made quick work of former champion Brock Lesnar.




Velasquez hurt Lesnar with nearly every punch he threw and knocked him down several times. After the final knockdown, Velasquez pounded him with elbows and punches before referee Herb Dean stopped it at 4:12 of the first.



“He was better than me tonight,” Lesnar said.



Other Popular Sports StoriesGiants set up World Series showdown vs. Rangers Another top-ranked college football team loses More From Kevin IoleIncredible night for Velasquez Oct 24, 2010 UFC 101: Silva's revenge Oct 23, 2010 AdChoices

Lesnar roared out of his corner and threw a knee, but Velasquez answered with a hard combination that opened a small gash under Lesnar’s left eye. After they grappled briefly, Lesnar took Velasquez down hard.



Velasquez, though, was calm and worked back to his feet quickly. After one more Lesnar takedown, he bounced up and began letting his hands go. He battered the retreating Lesnar all over the ring, pummeling him with hard shots until Dean halted it.



Jake Shields won his UFC debut, but struggled to get it, pulling off a split decision over Martin Kampmann. Shields seemed to be completely gassed by the middle of the second round and struggled to do much in the final seven or eight minutes.



But judges had it 30-27 and 29-28 for Shields and 29-28 for Kampmann, apparently qualifying Shields for a shot at the winner of the welterweight title bout at UFC 124 on Dec. 11 between champion Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck. Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, Dave Doyle and Dave Meltzer all had it 29-28 Kampmann.



Kampmann never let his hands go, and that may have hurt him with the judges. But Shields was breathing hard, looking at the clock and appearing to try to stall over the final few minutes of the match.



Diego Sanchez was coming off a pair of bad losses, to then-lightweight champion B.J. Penn and to John Hathaway, and he seemed to be written off as a contender. But after a slow start against Paulo Thiago, it was vintage Sanchez the rest of the way.



In a high-action fight, Sanchez won the last two rounds on all three cards in a high-energy match to take a unanimous decision. Sanchez was flipped by Thiago in the second, got up and slammed Thiago hard. He dominated the fight after that point and won by scores of 30-26, 29-28 and 29-28.



“I was very humbled by the last two losses,” said Sanchez, who returned to train with Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, N.M. “My motto for this camp was ‘Just earn it.’ “



And earn it he did with a high-energy performance that had the large crowd roaring its approval.



Matt Hamill got an emotional victory over his former coach on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Tito Ortiz, scoring a unanimous decision that puts the future of the former UFC light heavyweight champion in question.



Ortiz is now 0-4-1 in his last five fights and 5-6-1 in his last 12 and appeared to run out of gas midway through the bout.



Ortiz had a solid first round and seemed in control, but Hamill took Ortiz down in the second and did a lot of damage. The third round was spent mostly with the men trading blows, with Hamill landing far more often and with much more authority. But with about 1:20 left, Hamill took Ortiz down and then beat on him for the remainder of the fight.





Velasquez won by referee stoppage at 4:12 in the first round.



(Jae C. Hong/AP)

Ortiz was cut on the side of the head and below his right eye. Both of his eyes were badly swollen.



“I’m happy that this fight is over because I had a lot of pressure heading into it,” Hamill said. “I feel like I controlled the wrestling. That’s something I wanted to prove because Tito is such a good wrestler. I was able to control him and I still have a lot of work to do but a win over Tito is huge.”



Brendan Schaub made a big statement in the heavyweight division, winning a unanimous decision over Gabriel Gonzaga. All three judges had it 30-27 for Schaub, whose punches wobbled the big Brazilian on several occasions.



Schaub backed Gonzaga up for much of the fight and avoiding the ground, where Gonzaga would have been able to work his jiu-jitsu.



Court McGee started slowly in his middleweight fight with Ryan Jensen, but roared down the stretch and pulled out an arm triangle submission victory in the third round.



Jensen’s strikes controlled the first round, but McGee picked up the pace in the second. In the third, he landed a big right that decked Jensen and put him in position to secure the triangle.



“I landed that big overhand right because I set it up well,” McGee said. “He kept hitting me and hitting me and I was able to get his timing. I got to mount and that was it.”



Tom Lawlor put on the performance of his career in scoring a unanimous decision victory over Patrick Cote in a middleweight bout.



Lawlor took Cote down repeatedly, got in the guard and pounded on Cote, who was a better than a 2-to-1 favorite. Lawlor also mixed in submission attempts in his best overall performance in the UFC.



“I’m very excited about the win,” Lawlor said. “I executed my game plan. This is the first time I ever started with a game plan. I know he has a big right hand and I did a good job staying away from it. I was happy that I was able to get the takedown when I needed it. I feel like I did a good job of controlling the fight.”



Still, Lawlor wasn’t about to call out the top dogs in the middleweight division.





Brock Lesnar took plenty of lumps in his loss to Velasquez.



(Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images)

“I’d like to fight an 0-15 fighter next so I can get an easy win,” he said, smiling.



Daniel Roberts went for a guillotine choke, didn’t like what he had and moved into an anaconda choke, which he applied beautifully to submit Mike Guymon at 1:13 of the first round of their welterweight bout.



“I was expecting a three-round war and I was surprised when I got the choke,” Roberts said. “First, I had a guillotine and then I went for the anaconda. I was surprised that I caught him because he’s a ground guy, but I’ll gladly take the win. I knew it was tight, so I just kept squeezing.”



A lot of media were predicting that the lightweight bout between Sam Stout and Paul Taylor would be Fight of the Night, and it turned out to be a high-energy standup battle.



Taylor landed a series of hard kicks, while Stout punished Taylor with big right-hand strikes. Stout pulled out a split decision. Cecil Peoples had it 30-27 and Mike Beltran scored it 29-28, each for Stout. Larry Landless had Taylor, 29-28.



“When the judges said his name first my heart dropped, because usually in a split decision they say the winner’s name first,” Stout said. “I knew he wanted a war and that’s not what the game plan called for. I’m not one to shy away from a war, but I knew he was going to come straight at me and I didn’t want to get caught in those exchanges. In fact, the only time he caught me was when he sucked me into an exchange.”



Chris Camozzi rallied in the second half of the fight to reverse the early momentum that Dongi Yang built and pulled out a split decision. Cecil Peoples had it 29-28 for Yang, but Landless and Nelson Hamilton each scored it 29-28 for Camozzi.



“I was a little nervous when the judges were announcing the decision,” Camozzi said. “I was a little nervous; I wasn’t landing the combos that I wanted to. His distance was throwing me off. I stunned him with that left and I feel like that was the determining factor. I felt like he was gassing in the first round.



“I feel pretty healthy so I’m going to go home and train. There are a lot of middleweight fights coming up and I’ll be ready if the UFC needs a late replacement and I’ll be ready for my own fight.”



In the opening fight, Jon Madsen took Gilbert Yvel down, got into Yvel’s guard and pounded him out, forcing McCarthy to stop the fight. Madsen had been criticized by many for being boring, but he put on a good show this time out.



“This win was huge,” Madsen said. “I needed to make a statement to Joe Silva and the UFC that I can finish fights.”

yahoomma.com

Thoughts on the fight?

UFC 121 fight card and Prodications ? Vote who will win

Brock Lesner vs. Cain Velasquez

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL
Winner: Lesner 2nd rd. TKO

I think Brock's size and strength advantage is going to help him with the skilled level of Cain Valasquez. I see Cain tagging Lesner and Brock running and falling to the ground like the Shane Carwin fight. Except Cain will throw proper and accurate punches and not gas and finish on the bottom of the mat , where Lesnner will Beat down Cain with his Hammer fist !!Mr. Lesner in the second round.






Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann

Winner: Kampann via split decision

Most people are not giving Kampmann a chance and are looking past Martin and already talking about a Sheilds vs. GSP.

Kampann only 2 UFC loses are to great powerful strikes and sheilds has a lot of great attributes but striking isn't one of them.

I think this will be a tough fight for both fighter and they will show the fans what a real
Mastering Jujitsu (Mastering Martial Arts Series)
mixed martial arts fight is.





Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill

Winner: Ortiz decision

Funny that a loud mouth is fighting a deaf guy!

If Ortiz doesn't come in with his laundry list of injuries ie. "cracked skull" he should beat Hamill with his experience and conditioning.





Brenden Shaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Winner: Gonzaga vai 3rd rd. TKO

This one was hard to pick! Brendan has slowly been improving and showing great skill. Gonzaga has been very hot and cold but I think if Gabriel remembers that he has world class level Jiu-Jitsu skill he can grind out a decision.





Court McGee vs. Ryan Jensen

Winner: McGee Decision

Court McGee is a great story of overcoming obstacles and not afraid to share his story to help other people.

Court has another great attribute he has the heart of a true fighter! Ryan Jensen is no slouch but in this fight we will see who wants it more and I think McGee can go into the deep water and pull it off.

Thoughts ?

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC® 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez

UFC 121
When:

Saturday October 23rd, 2010 10 pm EDT / 7 pm PDT

Venue:

Honda Center

Where:

Anaheim, CA

Countdown to the event:

00 Days

09 Hours

44 Minutes

24 Seconds Watch the UFC® 121 PPV on Yahoo! Sports

Live video on fight night streamed to your computer

High quality video streaming at 300k, 700k, and 1200k

$44.95 gets you the live event plus 24 hours of unlimited archive viewing

Buy NowUFC Fight CardMatchup #1

Fighter #1

Name:

Brock Lesnar

Height:

6’3” (191cm)

Weight:

265 lbs (120kg)

Record:

5-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Cain Velasquez

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-0-0 Matchup #2

Fighter #1

Name:

Jake Shields

Height:

0’0” (0cm)

Weight:

0 lbs (0kg)

Record:

25-4-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Martin Kampmann

The Hitman

Height:

6’0” (183cm)

Weight:

185 lbs (84kg)

Record:

15-2-0 Matchup #3

Fighter #1

Name:

Diego Sanchez

Nightmare

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

23-2-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Paulo Thiago

Height:

5’11” (180cm)

Weight:

170 lbs (77kg)

Record:

12-1-0 Matchup #4

Fighter #1

Name:

Tito Ortiz

Huntington Beach Bad Boy

Height:

6’2” (188cm)

Weight:

204 lbs (93kg)

Record:

16-6-1 Fighter #2

Name:

Matt Hamill

The Hammer

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

205 lbs (93kg)

Record:

7-2-0 Matchup #5

Fighter #1

Name:

Brendan Schaub

Height:

6’4” (193cm)

Weight:

240 lbs (109kg)

Record:

7-1-0 Fighter #2

Name:

Gabriel Gonzaga

Napao

Height:

6’1” (185cm)

Weight:

242 lbs (110kg)

Record:

10
 
Brock Lesnar doesn’t read any of the millions of words that have been written about him. He doesn’t have “The Ultimate Fighter” set to record automatically on his DVR. On Thursday during a television interview with Jim Rome, Lesnar claimed not to know Chael Sonnen, who only two months ago came within seconds of defeating Anderson Silva for the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title.




The UFC heavyweight champion is an outsider in the sport he dominates. Few of the other fighters know him well and those who do don’t have anything to say about him. There are more leaks about President Obama’s plans for the war in Afghanistan than there are from Lesnar’s camp about any aspect of his life, in the cage or out of it.



More From Kevin IoleShields' star turn a long time in the making Oct 21, 2010 Supposedly healthy Ortiz wants to be on top again Oct 20, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT





UFC champion Brock Lesnar will talk all day about the fight business. Just don't ask him about his personal life.



(Getty Images)

Lesnar does his share of interviews and public appearances in order to build interest in his fights, as all UFC fighters are required to do. But Lesnar controls his appearances in a manner that others are unable to do. Many of the fighters are exceptionally open and reveal the most intimate details of their private lives with the public. Court McGee has been extraordinarily open about his battles with heroin addiction. Aaron Simpson was forthcoming about his mother-in-law serving as his child’s surrogate mother.



They provide a look into their souls and what makes them tick as men and as fighters.



But there is no such look inside Lesnar’s world. There are no photos of Lesnar with his wife and family on a weekend outing, since Lesnar declared them off-limits.



He’s by far the biggest star in mixed martial arts, as evidenced by the fact that each of his last three bouts has sold more than a million pay-per-views and generated about $14 million in ticket sales.



He’ll fight in front of another sellout crowd on Saturday at the Honda Center when he defends his UFC heavyweight title against unbeaten Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC 121.



But ask his training partners what kind of camp he had and how he’ll cope with Velasquez and they’re suddenly very late for an appointment.



The truth is, there isn’t a lot to know. He’s a simple guy with simple tastes who prefers a night at home in Alexandria, Minn., to a night in a club packed with people.



“It’s very basic for me,” Lesnar said. “When I go home, I don’t buy into any of the b.s. Like I said, it’s pretty basic: Train, sleep, family, fight. It’s my life. I like it.”



Lesnar is an extraordinarily competitive man – “I’ll tell you, I’m a sore frickin’ loser,” he said – and in an amazingly short time, has become one of the world’s finest fighters.



For as much success as he’s had, though, he still doesn’t get the kind of recognition he deserves. This is a man who in four of his five UFC fights has faced a current or former heavyweight champion.



In his last three fights, Lesnar has defeated Randy Couture, a Hall of Famer and the best strategist in the sport; Frank Mir, the best ground fighter in the heavyweight division; and Shane Carwin, the most powerful heavyweight in the world.



The scary part is, he’s still improving rapidly. He’s only been a professional for a little more than three years and he’s still picking up the finer points of MMA that Couture had down solid years ago.



“I consider Brock one of the best of all-time and he’s just getting started,” UFC president Dana White said.



When it’s all finally second nature to him, he may be virtually unbeatable. And so if there is a good time to get him, it must be now. In Velasquez, he meets a guy who has essentially the perfect style to beat him. Velasquez is a better pure boxer, has good movement and unlimited cardiovascular endurance.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

The conventional wisdom is that if Velasquez can survive the first three rounds, the pendulum will tilt enormously in his favor.



Lesnar’s legendary competitive nature won’t allow him to concede even the smallest point to an opponent, and he’s unwilling to concede he won’t be able to keep pace if the pace is fast and the fight moves into the later rounds.



He loves what he is doing and fighting, unlike professional wrestling, gives him a vehicle to channel his competitiveness. Fighting is a job, and a means of supporting his family, but it’s also a way of life for him.



As he’s talking about the UFC’s growth potential, White often says that “fighting is in our DNA; we get it and we like it.” Lesnar’s DNA is clearly loaded with the love-for-fighting genes.



Because he loves it so much, he’s eager to go to work and, as any human resources director will tell you, a happy worker is a more productive worker.



“At the end of the day, we all sit up here and we just love this,” Lesnar said of the fight game. “I don’t have to prod myself to get out of bed in the morning. I try to be the first one to the gym. I’m so thankful and glad there is an Ultimate Fighting Championship, because if there wasn’t, I don’t know what I’d be doing with myself.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 Death Clutch Walk Out T-Shirt - with Sponsors, XXXL

“I just want to be better and I want to be the best I can be. Everybody who fights and gets into the cage, that’s the whole purpose of this: Proving that I’m better than the guy I’ve stepped into the ring with.”



Since being submitted by Mir in his UFC debut, which was only his second pro bout, Lesnar has won four in a row and has gotten better each time out. But when it’s over, he retreats into the anonymity of his home in Alexandria, Minn., where he keeps a small circle of friends and a very low profile.



During his appearance on Rome’s show on Thursday, Lesnar was as revealing as he ever has been about his desire for privacy in his personal life.



“I’ve been in front of the cameras for 10, 12 years,” the 33-year-old Lesnar told Rome. “I was a star at the University of Minnesota. I went on to World Wrestling Entertainment. Wannabe NFL player. And here I am, the UFC heavyweight champion.


UFC 121
“I just don’t put myself out there to the fans and prostitute my private life to everybody. In today’s day and age, with the Internet and cameras and cell phones, I just like being old school and living in the woods and living my life. I came from nothing and at any moment, you can go back to having nothing.”



So, his private life will remain private. But he’s leaving us a heck of a lot to talk about in his public life, and that’s plenty good enough. yahoosportsufcmma.com

121 UFC Heavyweight Championship BROCK LESNAR vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BROCK LESNAR TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST UNDEFEATED CAIN VELASQUEZ ON Superfit: Royce Gracie's Ultimate Martial Arts Fitness and Nutrition Guide (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series)THE NEWLY MINTED BROCKTOBER 23RD
UFC Heavyweight Championship
BROCK LESNAR vs. CAIN VELASQUEZ
Co-Main Event
JAKE SHIELDS vs. MARTIN KAMPMANN
Plus
DIEGO SANCHEZ vs. PAULO THIAGO
TITO ORTIZ vs. MATT HAMILL
BRENDAN SCHAUB vs. GABRIEL GONZAGA
DeathClutch Brock Lesnar "Champ" UFC MMA T-Shirt #2 (Mens X-Large, Black)
Live from the Honda Center – Tickets on Sale Saturday, August 21 at Noon PT
Official event page

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The baddest man on the planet, UFC® heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, is back in the main event for UFC 121, and unbeaten Cain Velasquez is looking to take his belt and become the first man to knock him out. Lesnar proved he had beaten the severe illness that kept him sidelined for a year by withstanding the onslaught by Shane Carwin at UFC 116 and defending his heavyweight title with a slick submission in the second round. His opponent at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on October 23, 2010, Cain Velasquez, has already made short work out of the heavyweight division and he promises to make the most of his first shot at the title.

Also on this star-studded UFC 121 card, which is presented by Boost mobile, welterweight star Jake Shields makes his long-awaited UFC debut against perennial contender Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann. Also featured is an exciting welterweight matchup as Diego Sanchez battles Paulo Thiago, while it is teacher vs. student as Matt “The Hammer” Hamill takes on his coach from The Ultimate Fighter®, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. Rounding out the main card is a bout pitting rising heavyweight star Brendan Schaub against veteran contender Gabriel Gonzaga.

“Throughout fighting history, there has never been a Mexican heavyweight champion, but at UFC 121, Cain Velasquez will try to make history and become the first,” UFC President Dana White said. “To do that though, he must defeat the baddest man on the planet, UFC heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Also, fresh off his destruction of Dan Henderson, Jake Shields enters the UFC, and he’s got his sights set on the welterweight title, but he’s got to get by Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann first.”

“Having hosted the first-ever UFC event in the state of California, we’re thrilled to partner with Dana and the entire organization once again,” said Honda Center President/CEO Tim Ryan. “If the buzz already surrounding this fight card is any indication, October 23 should be one of the sport’s biggest spectacles of all time.”

Tickets for UFC 121 will go on sale Saturday, August 21 at noon PT and will be priced at $500, $400, $300, $200, $125 and $75. Tickets are available at HondaCenter.com, Ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone (800.745.3000) and all Ticketmaster retail locations. In addition, any remaining tickets will be available at the Honda Center Box Office beginning Monday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, August 19 starting at 10am PT via UFCFightClub.com. A special internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, August 20 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.Lesnar UFC 116 Walkout T-shirt - Death Clutch, Medium

UFC 121 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available). UFC 121 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.

At UFC 121, Brock Lesnar (fighting out of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn./5-1) will be making his third title defense and, if successful, will tie Tim Sylvia for the most heavyweight title defenses. Lesnar will also set the record for most consecutive successful title defenses in the division. The four-time All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota also won two Big Ten championships, as well as a National championship in the heavyweight division. The native of South Dakota showed his evolution as a fighter during UFC 116, as he was able to submit Shane Carwin with an arm triangle choke. A polarizing figure, Lesnar perhaps gained a stronger following from the courage and drive he displayed to overcome his bout with diverticulitis in 2009, and the best heavyweight on the planet has used his new lease on life to motivate him even further.

“I’m looking forward to getting right back in the Octagon,” Lesnar said. “After the long layoff, my last fight was just an appetizer, I’m still hungry. I’m in great condition and the timing couldn’t be better. Cain Velasquez is undefeated and he’s the legitimate No. 1 contender, but he’s not the guy that is going to take my UFC heavyweight title. It’s not his time; it’s my time. I’m coming to California to defend my crown, and on October 23rd, I’ll be walking out of the Octagon with my hand raised and the belt around my waist. Cain will be leaving with his first loss. It’s as simple as that.”

At 8-0 as a pro, Cain Velasquez (fighting out of San Jose, Calif./8-0) is the 20th fighter to fight for a UFC title with less than 10 professional fights. Of the 19 previous fighters, only four were successful in winning the title and interestingly, all were heavyweight fighters. Much like Lesnar, Velasquez was an outstanding collegiate wrestler, as he was a two-time All-American at Arizona State University. His speed and power may be the keys to a victory over Lesnar, as Velasquez has been very successful in using his athleticism to beat bigger foes throughout his career.

“I feel honored to be fighting for the heavyweight title against Brock,” Velasquez said. “He is a great fighter with a lot of size and is super athletic. This will be a great fight with a lot of action and it means a lot to me to be fighting for the title in L.A., close to my hometown. I will have a lot of people behind me cheering me on."

After establishing an impressive international reputation, Jake Shields (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif./25-4-1) has made the transition to the Octagon to test his skills against the best fighters in the world. Shields’ resume is an impressive one, as he has been successful in defeating Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle, Robbie Lawler and former PRIDE champion and UFC veteran Dan Henderson. Shields’ signing has been highly anticipated by the MMA community and his first fight will be a true test to where he stands in the welterweight division.

An established fighter with the UFC, Martin Kampmann (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev./17-3) is riding a two fight win streak, and has also won four of his last five. Overall in the UFC, “The Hitman” has compiled a record of 8-2, dating back to August of 2006. The Denmark native has tremendous knockout power and an underrated ground game, which could prove to be a tough combination for Shields.

Diego Sanchez (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M./23-4) made his UFC debut on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, defeating Kenny Florian to win a contract with the organization. The “Nightmare” was successful in the welterweight division, but chose to move to lightweight where he fought for the championship against BJ Penn. Sanchez has since moved back to the welterweight division, as well as back to Greg Jackson’s camp, where he hasn’t trained since he fought Josh Koscheck in 2007.

Special ops police officer Paulo Thiago (fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil/13-2) made a splash in the welterweight division in 2009 when he defeated Josh Koscheck via first round knockout. Thiago has only five UFC fights in his career, however he has proved to be a tough opponent with an iron chin. The submission specialist will be a formidable opponent for Sanchez, in a matchup that will help two fighters realize their position within the welterweight division.
2010 Topps UFC Trading Card # 92 Cain Velasquez (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Shipped in Screwdown Case!
One of the most recognizable figures in the MMA community, Tito Ortiz (fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif./16-7-1) is at an interesting place in his storied career. The “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will be taking on his pupil from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Hamill, and while Ortiz has dealt with some recent adversity due to injuries, the former world champion is healthy and firing on all cylinders in his quest to beat “The Hammer” and get his title back.

Matt Hamill (fighting out of Utica, N.Y. by way of Loveland, Ohio/10-2) has been flying under the radar recently, quietly putting together a four fight win streak. Impressive victories over Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine, coupled with a DQ victory over Jon Jones, have elevated Hamill to the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division. His status as a three-time Division III NCAA wrestling champion, as well as a two time world champion in freestyle wrestling, has helped “The Hammer” avoid 90% of total takedowns, as he continues to develop his standup technique.

Making his debut at The Ultimate Fighter 10 finale, Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo./7-1) has been victorious in his last two fights, most recently at UFC 116 when he defeated Chris Tuchscherer via first round knockout. A former Golden Gloves champion, “The Hybrid” has obtained a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which will help elevate his status in the heavyweight division.

Another fighter who is at a crossroads in his career is Gabriel Gonzaga (fighting out of Ludlow, Mass./11-5). Coming off tough battles with two of the division’s best in Junior Dos Santos and Shane Carwin, Gonzaga has seven wins in the UFC and has not been shy to fight top competition, as he has also fought Mirko Cro Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Randy Couture.

ufc 120 results

It was a night that began in turmoil for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but in the end, the company was glad to have preserved the contender status enjoyed by their most marketable U.K. fighter.

The group’s problems began on Saturday afternoon, when management, media, and competitors alike were left stranded in England’s capital city, when the drivers chauffeuring them to the O2 Arena failed to account for the closure of the Blackwall Tunnel. Ultimately, none of the scheduled fights had to be canceled as first feared.

In the end, though, hometown hero Michael Bisping triumphed over Yoshihiro Akiyama by unanimous decision (all three judges scored the bout 30-27) in the main event, the worst-case scenario had been avoided, meaning he remains in the mix for a shot at UFC welterweight champion Anderson Silva.

ADVERTISEMENT


Michael Bisping was bruised but victorious after his UFC 120 victory.

(AP)
The first round of the main event was largely Bisping’s, his boxing sharper and quicker off the mark, although he was caught with a left hand at the beginning of the round that he later admitted had him seeing double.

Despite being out-pointed, Akiyama, to his credit, didn’t appear to be in any danger, and in the proceeding five minutes he retaliated aggressively, catching Bisping consistently with short right hooks, rocking him again in the final 30 seconds before the bell.

The final round threatened to be marred by a brutal Bisping kick which caught the Japanese in the groin, but after several minutes of recovery, Akiyama built on his second-round performance, throwing wild hooks that his opponent evaded and countered with jabs, but it still wasn’t enough to keep Bisping from winning on all cards.

“Ultimately it’s up to the UFC, but I feel like I’m really maturing, and everything is coming together,” said Bisping of his career and future fights. “I’m ready. I feel now is my time. I want to fight the best out there, and I think with one more win against a credible opponent, I should get a title shot.”

Prior to the co-main event, to say that the ovation for Nottingham’s Dan Hardy was rapturous would be an understatement, and remarkably, the reaction remained the same even after he was knocked out in devastating fashion by Carlos Condit.

Hardy had initially done a good job of countering Condit’s strikes as he entered into range, even if a spinning backfist on the part of the former WEC welterweight champion hit the Briton’s chin hard. After 4:27 of the first round, though, both men went for simultaneous left hooks, with Condit planting his perfectly on Hardy’s chin at the very moment that “The Outlaw” over-shot by three or four inches. Hardy was knocked down and out, although Condit did sneak in a couple of punches on the ground to officially claim the victory.

“I feel comfortable on my feet,” said Condit after being asked if it was his gameplan to stand with Hardy. “But if it had gone to the ground, I would’ve done well, too.

“We (at Greg Jackson’s training camp) were worried about his left hand,” he added. “We trained for that quite a bit.”

When Hardy, who had just returned from hospital and remained quiet throughout the post-fight press conference, was asked what was next for him, he jokingly replied: “A headache.”

Mike Pyle found the element of surprise to be irresistible as he went for takedowns at the start of the first and second rounds in his match-up with the undefeated John Hathaway, whose own wrestling had dominated Diego Sanchez back in May. The benefit of the surprise really came in the second round, when Pyle had the Englishman trapped in a quasi-triangle from a side position, using the manoeuvre more for control as he rained down punches and elbows. Up until that point, Pyle’s stand-up had been sweeter, too, but in repeating in the third round the grappling dominance that he had in rounds one and two, he had Hathaway beaten on all counts, with each judging agreeing a 30-27 verdict.

Travis Browne’s good defensive footwork, by comparison at least, seemed to befuddle Cheick Kongo in the opening round of their bout, so much so that the Frenchman was tentative in spite of his usual strike-heavy style. Browne’s own punching, however, was a little wild, throwing down with so much intent that his agility was all but absent in the second round, a large portion of which saw both men battling for position against the cage. Kongo was docked a point for holding his opponent’s shorts in the third round, but even that didn’t seem to stir the Wolfslair fighter, and he was extremely lucky to escape from the fight with a rare draw.

Claude Patrick clearly had a huge strength advantage, muscling Ultimate Fighter 9 champion James Wilks to the canvas in three copycat rounds, but there was more damage done to Wilks’ ego in this unanimous decision (a 30-27 loss across the board) loss, than there was to him physically.

Cyrille Diabate and Alexander Gustafsson clearly came in with the intention of ending their bout decisively. Knocking Diabate down with a big shot in the first round, he immediately jumped on his opponent to attempt to finish, but was unable to strike there with anything like the same type of ferocity. Diabate survived that onslaught, but Gustafsson finally one via tapout at 2:41 of round two.

Known on the UK scene for his brawling brand of boxing, Rob “The Bear” Broughton did nothing to dismiss that opinion in the early going of his bout with Vinicius Queiroz. Ultimately, though, Broughton got the best of the jiu-jitsu specialist at his own game, as Broughton almost got an armbar submission, before getting the hooks for a rear naked choke, 1:46 into the third round.

Paul Sass’ first-round submission victory over Mark Holst was notable for the busy ground work of both fighters. Sass consistently looked for the triangle choke, which has become his forte on the UK scene. He eventually locked the move on, and reminiscent of Fabricio Werdum’s victory over Fedor Emelianenko in June, no amount of struggling by Holst could free him, with Sass getting the tapout with just 15 seconds remaining in the first round.

Low kicks were the order of the day for Spencer Fisher and Kurt Warburton at the beginning of their encounter, though Warburton was clearly using those to throw his opponent off-guard before attempting the takedown, which he duly got, almost finishing Fisher with a guillotine choke with two minutes remaining in the round. After some trading of knees in the second-round clinches, Fisher looked for the rear naked choke on two occasions in the third, perhaps concerned about the outcome of any judges’ decision. He needn’t have worried however, as he emerged with 29-28 scores across the board.

In the evening’s opening contest, London-born James McSweeney made his intentions for Fabio Maldonado clear in the first round, swinging wildly with punches and spinning back-fists, in addition to throwing a series of leg kicks. Unsuccessful in his attempt to grab a highlight reel finish, however, he was clearly drained come the second round, allowing Maldonado to take control, in particular using his superior grappling to good effect. Sensing his opponent’s fading cardio, Maldonado took the fight to McSweeney in at the beginning of the third round, after just a further 48 seconds, referee Marc Goddard was compelled to stop the contest after a series of hard punches against the cage

UFC 120 official weigh-in results

http://www.ufc.com/media/ufc-120-weigh-in-archive

Below are the official weigh-in results for Saturday night’s UFC 120 event. UFC 120, which is headlined by the middleweight bout between Michael Bisping and Yoshihiro Akiyama and the welterweight battle between Dan Hardy and Carlos Condit, airs free on Spike TV from the O2 Arena in London, England at 8pm ET / PT.
Main Event
Yoshihiro Akiyama (185) VS Michael Bisping (185)

Spike TV
Carlos Condit (170) VS Dan Hardy (171)
Mike Pyle (170) VS John Hathaway (171)
Travis Browne (251) VS Cheick Kongo (228)
Claude Patrick (171) VS James Wilks (170)

Prelims
Alexander Gustafsson (204) VS Cyrille Diabate (204)
Vinicius Queiroz (239) VS Rob Broughton (257)
Mark Holst (155) VS Paul Sass (155)
Curt Warburton (154) VS Spencer Fisher (155)
Fabio Maldonado (204) VS James McSweeney (205)

TOP MMA RANKINGS

10. Brock Lesnar
Points: 33
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Heavyweight (UFC heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Webster, S.D.
Record: 5-1 (won past four)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Shane Carwin, R2 TKO, July 3
Analysis: On paper, Lesnar’s next opponent, Cain Velasquez, is undersized. But that hasn’t deterred Velasquez up to this point.




Shields

9. Jake Shields
Points: 44
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (never lost Strikeforce middleweight title)
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 25-4-1 (has won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 9
Most recent result: def. Dan Henderson, unanimous decision, April 17
Analysis: Will Shields be the next non-UFC Top 10 fighter to flop, or will he justify the hype next month in his debut against Martin Kampmann?




Machida
8. Lyoto Machida
Points: 54
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 16-1 (lost previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: lost to Mauricio Rua, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: It’s always interesting to see how a fighter rebounds from his first knockout, and in Quinton Jackson, Machida will be facing a man with heavy hands.





Cruz
7. Dominick Cruz
Points: 57
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 16-1 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Joseph Benavidez, split decision, Aug. 18
Analysis: Is going to hold the bantamweight belt until someone literally catches him.




Emelianenko
6. Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 67
Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 31-2, one no-contest (lost past 1)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: lost to Fabricio Werdum, R1 submission, June 26
Analysis: Stop us if you’ve heard this before: “The Last Emperor” has matchup on his horizon.





Edgar

5. Frank Edgar
Points: 103
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 13-1 (has won past five)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, August 28
Analysis: If nothing else, Edgar-Maynard could prove MMA’s version of the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.



Rua

4. Mauricio Rua
Points: 115
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 19-4 (won previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Lyoto Machida, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: Still on the shelf with a knee injury.





Aldo

3. Jose Aldo
Points: 145
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 17-1 (has won past 10)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. Urijah Faber, unanimous decision, April 24
Analysis: Manny Gamburyan is fearless and likes to throw; if nothing else, Aldo-Gamburyan should be an entertaining scrap while it lasts.




Silva

2. Anderson Silva
Points: 175 (7 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 27-4 (has won past 12)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: def. Chael Sonnen, R5 submission, Aug. 7
Analysis: Appears to be headed toward a Sonnen rematch.




St. Pierre

1. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 182 (11 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 20-2 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March 27
Analysis: December title defense against Josh Koscheck will be in Montreal, near St. Pierre’s hometown, adding to his already considerable advantages.

More

• Votes for others: Jon Fitch 25, B.J. Penn 11, Gilbert Melendez 8, Rashad Evans 6, Chael Sonnen, Cain Velasquez 4, Gray Maynard 3, Jon Jones, Joseph Benavidez 2, Nick Diaz 1.

Nick Diaz vs KJ Noons - Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II PART 3

Nick Diaz vs KJ Noons - Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II PART 3

Watch Fight Nick Diaz vs KJ Noons - Video Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II PART

Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2 Full Weigh-In ! - StrikeForce MMA World Championship Fight

Nick Diaz vs. KJ Noons 2 Full Weigh-In (Part 1) in 1080P HD! - StrikeForce MMA World Championship Fight

Collision Course: The Path To Diaz vs. Noons II - Strikeforce World Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz and rising MMA and boxing star KJ Noons

People From Lodi, California: Nick Diaz, Bridget Marquardt, Maximo Yabes, Robert Mondavi, a Skylit Drive, Jennifer Tate, Tayt Ianni