The latest to do so is Shark Fights, and they may well be putting together the most interesting card of the bunch.

We recently reported that the promotion’s Shark Fights 13 event is set to feature a headline attraction between recently released UFC fighter Keith Jardine and Strikeforce’s Trevor Prangley.

Making good on their promise to provide more stars on the same card they have now announced that yet more former UFC fighters are also set to compete on the September 11th event in Amarillo, Texas.

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has signed to face the heavy handed Houston Alexander, while Drew McFedries will battle Strikeforce’s Joey Villasenor.

So it looks like this is shaping up to be a fun card, and another interesting detour from the major promotions offerings.

Here’s what Dana had to say when asked what he thought about the first round of the fight, the majority of which Alexander spent aimlessly circling round the cage.

“Whoever came up with the gameplan for Houston Alexander deserves to be kicked in the nuts for 5 minutes.  I don’t know if his coaches came up with that or whatever, but not only did they give him completely the wrong gameplan, but they completely destroyed everything about Houston Alexander.”

White also admitted that he “wanted to get up and leave,” and that “it was making me sick,” as he watched the early minutes of the round unfold in which neither fighter appeared willing to engage.

Dana White also discussed various other matters in the interview, here are a few of the more interesting quotes.

On BJ Penn: “After I saw that countdown show – the training that he did on that – I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody in MMA train like that, or train as hard and go at it like he has.”

On Frank Mir: “He’s talking some crazy, crazy sh*t.  He’s acting like he just came off a win over Brock Lesnar.”

On Roy Nelson: “Roy Nelson has shut me up.  I mean there’s nothing else I can say.”

He also states that Renzo Gracie Vs Matt Hughes will take place in 2010, and admits that he hopes that Chuck Liddell’s fight with Tito Ortiz will be his last.

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Watch the full interview with Dana below.

That makes the fight, which ironically ended up being somewhat of an anti-climax, the most watched live bout in the UFC in 2009, and smashes the previous viewing record for a TUF finale.

The finale was also an advertisers wet dream with Spike announcing that it was the most watched program on cable for Men 18-34 and Men 18-49 on Saturday.

The results prove yet again how big Kimbo Slice’s star power remains, despite his loss  against Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson in the 3rd episode of the season.

The large increase in viewers he brought to the event will also have benefited other fighters on the card like eventual winner Roy Nelson and potential new light heavyweight star Jon Jones.

The UFC will now have to carefully assess the best way to use their latest asset, bearing in mind that his skills in the sport are still limited despite his victory on Saturday night.

The next test will be whether Slice can have a similar impact on their Pay Per View sales.

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Main Card:

Roy Nelson defeats Brendan Schaub by KO in Rd1

Jon Jones *loses* to Matt Hamill by Disqualification (Illegal Elbow) in Rd1

Kimbo Slice defeats Houston Alexander by unanimous decision

Frankie Edgar defeats Matt Veach by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Rd2

Matt Mitrione defeats Marcus Jones by KO in Rd2

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Undercard:

James McSweeney defeats  Darrill Schoonover by TKO in Rd3

Jon Madsen defeats Justin Wren by split decision

Brian Stann defeats Rodney Wallace by unanimous decision

John Howard defeats Dennis Hallman by KO in Rd3

Mark Bocek defeats Joe Brammer by Submission (Standing Rear Naked Choke) in Rd1

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1.  Can Roy Nelson put on a performance against Brendan Schaub that will set him up as a major force in the heavyweight division?

After failing to impress Dana White with his fighting abilities for much of the current season of TUF, Roy Nelson’s performance tonight may be highly significant in terms of how much of a future he has in the promotion, and where in the heavyweight ladder he will be placed.

An impressive win would be a major boost for him at this stage, whereas a second-rate performance, even if it leads to a victory, may consign him to undercard obscurity for the time being.

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2.  Can Brendan Schaub keep this fight standing?

Due to Roy Nelson’s advantage if this fight goes to the floor, Schaub’s best hope is to keep this fight standing.  That will be easier said than done of course, but he has shown an ability to get back to his feet from dangerous positions already in this season.

Nelson may also be seduced by the idea of putting on an ‘entertaining’ stand-up fight as he seeks respect from both the fans and UFC president Dana White, which could work to Schaub’s advantage.

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3.  Who’s chin will give out first, Kimbo or Houston’s?

Neither fighter has a cast-iron chin.  Kimbo’s was exposed when a jab from Seth Petrucelli prematurely ended his last MMA fight, while Houston Alexander has suffered back-to-back K.O losses during his time in the UFC.  One way or another this fight is going to end violently, but the winner may well be decided by who can take a punch as much as who can throw one.

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4.  How much has Marcus Jones striking improved since the show?

Marcus Jones defeat to Brendan Schaub in the semi-finals of the show further emphasized the weaknesses in ‘Big Baby’s stand-up game.  Despite that, there’s no doubt that Jones will hold a significant advantage over Mitrione if this fight goes to the mat,and that will be his blueprint for success in this fight.

If for some reason Plan A doesn’t quite go as intended however – as happened against Schaub – has Jones striking improved enough to keep him in the fight?

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5.  Can Jon Jones make the transition from being a eye-catching striker, to being an effective one?

For someone so new to the sport, Jon Jones highlight reel is already as impressive as some battle hardened veterans.  Despite this, the string of quick K.O and TKO’s that punctuated his early fights have so far failed to materialize during his stint in the UFC.

If he can prove that he still has that power, and has indeed become a more technical fighter under Greg Jackson’s tutelage, then the UFC could very well have a new star emerging in the division.

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6.  Can Frankie Edgar make enough of an impact against Matt Veach to hand him the No.1 contendership in the lightweight division?

Along with Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar (10-1)  is pushing hard for a title shot against the winner of Penn Vs Sanchez at UFC 107 after recent wins over hermes Franca and former champ Sean Sherk.   Like Maynard the one thing he has lacked is an emphatic victory, with seven of his last eight fights going to the judges scorecards.

If he is going to do it, tonight would be the night, and it could put him just out in front as the next title challenger.

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7.  How much of a ratings draw will Kimbo Slice prove to be in the season finale?

If there is one thing that Kimbo Slice has been successful at so far in his mixed martial arts career, it’s his ability to generate huge viewer ratings.  He helped break records for the TUF show this season, but after suffering another defeat will he still hold the same hold over viewers?

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8.  Will Rampage Jackson make an appearance at the event?

Having announced yesterday that he will come out of retirement to finish off his current UFC contract, will Rampage make an appearance at the TUF Finale?  It would seem unlikely due to his ongoing war of words with Dana White, and with filming still on-going for the A-Team movie he is starring in, but as a coach on the show will he feel obligated to make an appearance, and if so, will we see yet another exchange between himself and Rashad Evans?

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TUF 10 Final: Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub

Even casting aside the obvious physical differences, the final of TUF 10 features two very different fighters. 33 year old Roy Nelson is already a veteran in the sport, being a former heavyweight champion with the now defunct IFL promotion, and currently holding a record of 13-4.

Brendan Schaub on the other hand is a relative newcomer at the age of 26 with just four fights to his name, and a winning record of 4-0. He is confident in his own abilities though, and gives the impression that he won’t be phased by what will certainly be the biggest fight of his career to date.

I think Schaub will struggle to maintain his unbeaten run in this fight though. While he has proven himself to have some of the best stand-up in the current season, there is every likelihood that this fight will end up on the ground where Nelson holds the advantage.

Though he has managed to scramble back to his feet when in danger, the major worry for Schaub is that he his guard has already been passed fairly easily by less skilled opponents than Nelson. With his weight advantage and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills, Nelson will be difficult to shake off if he gets to an advantageous position.

If Nelson wants to stand up with Schaub and put on an entertaining fight to impress Dana White however, then I believe his opponent will be the more likely to win.

Prediction: I think Nelson is old enough and wise enough to know where his best chance of victory lies and one way or another he’ll win on the ground against a game opponent.

Roy Nelson to win by TKO (ground and pound) in the 2nd round.

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Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones

The main event of the evening showcases one of the most exciting up and coming talents in the UFC, Jon Jones. Currently holding a record of 9-0, Jones will be looking to make a statement that he is a serious threat in the light heavyweight division.

Matt Hamill (7-2) has fought all but one of his nine professional bouts in the UFC after breaking into the promotion via The Ultimate Fighter Season 3.

While a solid match-up I believe that this is a fight in which Jones appears to have the edge. Hamill is undoubtedly a very sound freestyle wrestler with the accolades to prove it, but Jones is also first and foremost a greco-roman wrestler which should somewhat neutralize that threat.

Hamill is perhaps the stronger of the two, and it would be interesting to see how Jones would deal with working from his back, but I believe his takedown defense is good enough to keep this fight standing for the most part.

In the striking department Hamill is heavy-handed, but his strikes are generally slow and lack versatility. Jones on the other hand is unorthodox, unpredictable, dangerous and has a generous reach advantage. After working at Greg Jackson’s camp in preparation for this fight he will only have improved in this regard and should now be more technically proficient.

Prediction: Jones has went to a decision twice already in his three fights in the UFC and I think this may be the case again. Matt Hamill is a durable fighter and will prove difficult to finish in regulation time, though I think he’ll take considerable damage in this fight.

I do however expect Jon Jones to add some more eye-catching moves to his highlight reel en-route to a unanimous decision victory.

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Houston Alexander vs. Kimbo Slice

Pitched as a battle of the brawlers, this is also very much a ‘do or die’ bout for both fighters. Houston Alexander has taken a year out of the UFC to try to fill in some of the holes in his game after coming undone in 2008 with three defeats in row, leaving his record at 9-4, 1nc.

Kimbo Slice of course is coming off of an embarrassing early TKO defeat to Seth Petrucelli last year, and being smothered for another loss against Roy Nelson in his first fight in TUF 10. The latter bout doesn’t count on his record, leaving him with a current pro record of 3-1.

If this fight were to purely be a stand-up battle then I believe Houston Alexander has the edge. He has proven one punch K.O power, and six of his nine victories have come by knockout. In his most recent fight at Adrenalin MMA 4 in September his victory came largely due to some new-found damaging leg kicks.

While Kimbo Slice has some solid boxing skills, power wise I don’t believe he is as devastating as the hype would lead you to believe. Also he has rarely embraced the other aspects of mixed martial arts striking which will leave Alexander with more ways to win on the feet.

Having said all that, I have a suspicion that Houston Alexander may look to take this fight to the ground, he certainly appears to have hinted that may be the case in his pre-fight interviews, and while he has been vulnerable on the ground in the past I believe he knows enough to deal with Kimbo in this aspect of the fight.

Prediction: I believe that Alexander holds the advantage both in the striking, and on the ground in this match-up. Kimbo certainly holds a punchers chance, but when you factor in that he has ongoing knee problems and has admitted to have strugged to cut weight for the 215lb catchweight bout, things don’t look to good for the former street fighter.

Houston Alexander to win by TKO (ground and pound) in the first round.

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Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach

This is a dangerous fight for 10-1 lightweight Frankie Edgar. Along with Gray Maynard he is very close to a shot at whoever holds the title after UFC 107’s Penn Vs Sanchez bout. First though he has to navigate past a relatively unknown fighter, Matt Veach, who has an undefeated record of 11-0.

It’s hard to look past the experience factor in this fight. Despite a similar record Frankie Edgar has fought, and won, against vastly superior opposition. At present he claims wins over the likes of Sean Sherk, Spencer Fisher, Tyson Griffin and Hermes Franca.

Meanwhile Veach’s most significant win was against Matt Grice who held a 1-3 record in the UFC, and his record is padded out with a string of fighters who currently hold a losing record.

Edgar is a strong wrestler and has improving stand-up skills – essentially I believe  a better version of Veach in those key areas in this fight

Prediction: It will be interesting to see how Veach copes with the step up in competition, but in this instance I have to go with Frankie Edgar who has shown numerous times that he can hang with the best in the division.

I’m going for Frankie Edgar to claim a unanimous decision victory.

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Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione

In terms of fan support these two fighters could not be further apart. Matt Mitrione (0-0) did little to endear himself to viewers on the show, while Marcus Jones (4-1) became one of the most likable characters in the history of TUF.

Having had no previous fights prior to his appearance on TUF, we don’t have much to go on in terms of Mitrione’s skills, but from the show we now that he is a powerful puncher, but his technique is lacking. He also lacked cardi o and appeared out of his depth on the ground.

Marcus Jones on the other hand showed genuine promise on the ground with a developing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game. On the feet however it’s a different story. His semi-final fight with Brendan Schaub only added to the evidence that he is not comfortable in this aspect of the game, appearing stiff in his movement and lacking composure when being caught cleanly.

Against someone with strong takedown defense that may be a major concern for Jones, but Mitrione is unlikely to be that fighter.

Prediction: Jones will look to take this fight to the ground early to avoid Mitrione’s power. Once there he should have little difficulty in finishing off his opponent.

I’m opting for Marcus Jones by submission (armbar) in the first round.

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Undercard:

James McSweeney vs. Darrill Schoonover

Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren

Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace

Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard

Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer

The event will culminate with the fight between the experienced ground specialist Roy Nelson (13-4) and up and coming talented striker Brendan Schaub (4-0) to decide who will become the next ultimate fighter.

The event will also showcase a number of other fighters from the current season, including Kimbo Slice (3-1) who will meet perhaps the most dangerous striker he has encountered yet in MMA in the shape of Houston Alexander (9-4-1nc).

Another popular fighter on the show Marcus Jones (4-1) will look to bounce back from his semi-final loss to Shaub when he takes on Matt Mitrione (0-0), who he had an altercation with on the show.

Rounding up the TUF based fights, beaten semi-finalist James McSweeney (3-4) will fight Darrill Schoonover (10-0), who incidentally has been told that he is being recalled to serve with the U.S army after the bout. Meanwhile two fighters who lost in the earlier rounds of the show, Jon Madsen (2-0) and Justin Wren (8-1) will also fight on the undercard.

The event will feature a number of current UFC fighters, including a headline bout between Jon Jones (9-0) and former TUF season 3 competitor Matt Hamill (6-2). A lightweight fight between Frankie Edgar (10-1) and Matt Veach (11-0) also airs on the main card.

Rounding off the card will be bouts between Brian Stann (7-2) and newcomer Rodney Wallace (9-0), veteran Dennis Hallman (39-12-2 1nc) vs. John Howard (12-4) & opening the night, Mark Bocek (7-2) vs. Joe Brammer (7-0-1).

See the full fight card below and stay tuned to the site for further news on this event.

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Main Card:

TUF 10 Final: Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub

Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones

Houston Alexander vs. Kimbo Slice

Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach

Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione

Undercard:

James McSweeney vs. Darrill Schoonover

Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren

Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace

Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard

Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer

There’s no doubt the bout is good match-making for all concerned.  Like Kimbo Slice, Houston Alexander has little interest in the ground game and is a heavy hitter who will be more than happy to slug it out with the backyard brawler.

Houston Alexander Set To Face Kimbo Slice

In his career to date Alexander has a record of 9-4, 1NC with six of his wins coming by way of knockout.  At one stage he was considered an exciting prospect in the UFC after two back-to-back K.O victories in the promotion, but he has since suffered three straight losses inside the octagon.

After a temporary abscence from the UFC in which he notched up a win over Sherman Pendergarst at Adrenaline MMA 4, he will now return to face The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 contender.

Kimbo Slice is of course best known for his bareknuckle boxing fights that gained him widespread fame on YouTube.  He has found the transition to Mixed Martial Arts more difficult however.  After three victories he lost via TKO to Seth Petrucelli, and after joining the cast of TUF 10 he was comfortably beaten by veteran fighter Roy Nelson who exposed his lack of ground skills.

Now he has a chance to redeem himself and show that while he is not a well rounded MMA fighter, he is a dangerous opponent in the striking department.

Listen to Houston Alexander’s full radio interview via the following link: Houston Alexander Radio Interview