Speaking via twitter earlier today he had appeared in good spirits as he headed out to a restaurant for lunch.  A few hours later his mood had soured as he revealed, “Not a good day. Just found out I got cut by the #UFC.”

Rosholt had suffered the second loss of his UFC career at UFC 106 a little over a week ago when Kendall Grove caught him in a triangle choke in the first round of their undercard bout.

It left him with a precarious 1-2 record in the organization, having previously lost to Dan Miller in his debut, and then bounced back by submitting Chris Leben at UFC 102.   That victory also earned him the Submission Of The Night award.

It appears that performance was not enough for the UFC to keep him on the roster after his most recent defeat.  With an overall pro record of 6-2, and previous experience in the WEC, it is unlikely that the former wrestler will have difficulty in finding a new promotion to call home.  At the age of 27 there is still time for him to take a second run in the UFC in the future if he can get back to winning ways.

Rosholt is the second fighter to be cut after UFC 106, with Brock Larson also being released following his defeat by Brian Foster.  Like Rosholt, 32 year old Larson initially joined the UFC after the WEC’s heavier weight divisions were disbanded.  He departs with a 2-2 record, leaving him 26-4 in his mma career to date.

BJ Penn:

Key Quote:

“When was the last time someone went right after Diego Sanchez? That’s a question that his coaches better figure out. I’m coming baby!”

—

Diego Sanchez:

“If you truly ask BJ Penn ‘who is the best at 155 in the world besides himself?’ – he’s going to say Diego Sanchez. Now I’m the big guy taking you down in the cage and it’s been a damn long time (coming)”

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The bout had originally been scheduled for UFC 108 on January 2nd, but had to be postponed after Nogueira contracted a staph infection which left him needing hospital treatment.   He has since been released though and was seen last weekend celebrating his twin brother Rogerio’s debut victory in the UFC.

With the promotion currently short on healthy heavyweights, the news that Nogueira is set to return quickly will be well received, but it will leave some questions as to Nogueira’s conditioning for the fight.  Last year he fought Frank Mir just weeks after another staph infection and put on one of the worst performances of his career.  Hopefully this time round he will have given his body enough time to recover and have a full training camp in place to prepare for a cardio machine like Cain Velasquez.

The card for UFC 109 is not yet confirmed but has been rumored to be the likely landing spot for the middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort.  A showdown between two veterans of the sport – Randy Couture and Mark Coleman was also recently slated for the event.

It certainly has the potential to be a very strong card for the UFC, but after recent injury’s to many of the promotions biggest names I would be somewhat surprised if they chose to stack just one card in particular.   If they do then it suggests that they expect to welcome back a number of their other currently injured stars back into the fold in the spring-summer period.

UPDATE:

Contrary to mmamania’s report, MMA Junkie is now reporting that, “the UFC is actually leaning toward booking the fight for UFC 110 in Australia.”

After I expressed doubt earlier today that the UFC would want to stack UFC 109 so highly, this new report definitely makes more sense to me.  Though the card already has the recently confirmed Wanderlei Silva Vs Michael Bisping fight, Velasquez – Nogueira would appear to be more suitable as the main event of the evening.

There’s no official confirmation yet but it’s clear that one way or another this fight will take place in February (UFC 110 is scheduled for 21st Feb).

In the early stages of the fight it seemed as if that may well have been the case when Kang connected with a right hook to his temple as he lunged forward with a strike of his own.  Though his legs buckled sending him to the canvas his spirit did not, and he displayed impressive defense from his back for the rest of the round before taking the fight to Kang in the second.

Though understandably still tentative on his feet in the 2nd, Bisping showed an ability to change up his gameplan by opting to take Kang down and break him down via ground and pound.  It was reminiscent of his win over Jason Day back at UFC 85, and the fight ended in the same way, with his opponent turtling up to avoid further punishment, forcing the referee to call a halt to the proceedings.

Showing his relief at having won in a fight in which he was under intense scrutiny Bisping stated in the post-fight press conference that, “I cannot put into words how much pressure has come off me right now.”

With that crucial win under his belt, who comes next for the British fighter?  One thing we do know is that he has stated an interest in fighting at February’s UFC 110 event in Australia where his fiancee is originally from.

If that comes about then it would rule out a fight with the man he was originally set to fight on Saturday – Wanderlei Silva.  At the time Silva pulled out due to surgery, and has since been booked to fight Yoshihiro Akiyama at the event in Oz.

Bisping admitted after his fight on Saturday that he needs at least a couple of fights before he can have a shot at the title and I agree and suspect that will also rule him out of a potential bout with Nate Marquardt, as well as with Vitor Belfort who is widely expected to face Anderson Silva next.

There are plenty of other options in the middleweight division to keep Bisping occupied though.

Is Patrick Cote Next For Bisping?

One fighter currently looking to return to the octagon in the near future is Patrick Cote (13-5).  After getting injured during his title fight against Anderson Silva back in October 2008, Cote has been left on the sidelines for over a year rehabilitating.  He has stated several times that he is interested in facing Bisping, and it appears to be a fight that would make a lot of sense for both men.

Another challenging match-up would be against Demian Maia, who, like Bisping was being highly touted as Anderson Silva’s next opponent before suffering a devastating knockout (to Nate Marquardt) at UFC 102.   Maia is still a highly regarded fighter though with one of the most highly regarded Jiu Jitsu games in the sport and so  a win for either fighter could push them back into title contention.    Bisping has shown that he has a solid ground game himself, and after facing two heavy handed strikers in his last two fights he may relish the opportunity to take on someone with less striking acumen.

Chael Sonnen (24-10-1) looked impressive recently in his defeat over Yushin Okami, and with rumors circulating that he could appear at the Australian event in February that could make for a convenient match-up.   After his win the outspoken Sonnen bemoaned the fact that it had been hard to hype his fight with Okami which ended up on the undercard of UFC 104, but he would have no such trouble with Bisping.

Kendall Grove Is An Option

If Kendall Grove (10-6-1) were to win his fight with Jake Rosholt on Saturday night at UFC 106 then he may be an option, particularly if the UFC are looking to steer Bisping clear of the top contenders for the time being.

Coincidentally, both Grove and Bisping appeared on The Ultimate Fighter season 3, though Bisping competed in the light heavyweight division on the show while Grove fought at middleweight.  They both won their respective categories on the show which gives the UFC an interesting storyline to help promote the fight.

Other possibilities include Ricardo Ameida (11-3), Alan Belcher (13-5) or perhaps even TUF veteran Nathan Quarry, (12-3) so it’s clear to see the UFC is not short on options here either to set him back on the road to title contention, or just to put him in relatively entertaining ‘mid-rank’ matches.

Personally I believe Patrick Cote is perhaps the best option (though stylistically Damien Maia is also very tempting), assuming he has regained full fitness by that stage.   Though Cote’s title fight with Anderson Silva is noted as a loss it was purely down to an accidental injury, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that until that bout he had recorded five straight victories.

Cote would be a dangerous opponent for Bisping, particularly since he is another fighter with knockout power.  On the other hand he would have an advantage in that Cote is bound to have somewhat rusty after such a long period out.

A victory would be significant for either fighter and puts them on the track for a potential title shot in the future making it a win-win situation for the UFC.

Just a few days ago Patrick Cote posted the following message on his Facebook page…

“Next fight in 5 months!! Who I want a fight for my comeback ?? _I_PI_G”

Now we must wait to see if the UFC will grant him his wish.

Article By RossC

Pictures courtesy of sherdog.com

Firstly in an article looking at Marcus Jones pro MMA career to date, we asked you whether you thought Jones would win TUF 10?

The results were very close for most of the week, but in the end 61% of you thought he would be the season winner, while 39% believed he wouldn’t make it that far.

The season finale takes place on the 5th December live from las Vegas so we don’t have long to wait to find out if he does!

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Meanwhile after his victory over Brett Rogers we asked you who you wanted Fedor Emelianenko to face next.

This time the favorite was very clear as 69% of you wanted to see him face current Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem.  Not too much of a surprise their, though from the remaining options a somewhat unexpected runner up was Fabricio Werdum with 15% of the vote.

Only 10% of you wanted an immediate rematch with Brett Rogers, while just 6% of you wanted Andrei Arlovski to have a chance to avenge his loss to Fedor.

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This week we are asking you who you want to see Randy Couture face next after his unconvincing win over Brandon Vera at the weekend. You can read the accompanying article and vote in the poll HERE.

Full Results From Last Weeks Polls:

Will Marcus Jones Win The Ultimate Fighter Season 10?

• Yes – 61%
• No – 39%
  

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Who Should Fedor Fight Next?

• 69% – Alistair Overeem
• 15% – Fabricio Werdum
• 10% – Brett Rogers
• 6% – Andrei Arlovski

There were times on Saturday night when I finally started to believe that Randy Couture may be showing the signs of age.

To be fair the strategy he employed was much as I had expected, though it was disappointing that he failed to fully implement his trademark dirty boxing until the third round, and he wasn’t able to take the fight to the ground and press home his advantage there.

More worryingly however was what happened during the brief interludes where the fighters exchanged strikes in the center of the octagon.  Though Vera was always going to have the advantage in this department it was surprising how quickly and easily he was able to land damaging blows on the 46 year old veteran.

Lesnar Hurt Him With A Glancing Blow

To my mind it only adds to the evidence that age is finally taking it’s toll on certain aspects of the former champions game such as his damage resistance and reactions.

Other recent examples of his weakness to strikes include his fight against Brock Lesnar late last year where he was felled by a hook that  seemed to clip him rather than land cleanly, and in the Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight where he was dropped several times due to strikes.

In his latest fight the most noticeable example happened during the second round when a kick to the mid-section and then a follow up knee from Vera forced Couture to turn his back and crumple to the mat in pain.  He managed to survive but the fight was very close to being stopped.

Nogueira Floored Him Several Times

Should they try to put him in big fights now while they still can, or should they protect him with less testing fights that may keep his career from grinding to a sudden halt?

As far as big fights go I believe that an early title shot against the winner of the  Lyoto Machida Vs Shogun Rua rematch will now be put on hold after his last performance.   With many people believing that he lost the fight it will be hard to sell him as the most worthy challenger at this stage. Rumors still persist that he will face Machida at some stage however.

Anderson Silva Vs Randy Couture?

There have also been some talk that a ’super fight’ between Couture and Anderson Silva could take place, but considering Silva’s speed and knockout power that would appear to be a very bad match-up for Couture that could well end his career.  Will the UFC be willing to risk that at this stage?

If the UFC want’s to continue to promote him as a serious title contender then facing the winner of Rashad Evans Vs Thiago Silva, or perhaps even Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Vs Luiz Cane will be the likely options.

Any of these fighters would provide a stern test for Couture at this stage in his career, particularly someone like Evans who has shown heavy hands in recent fights to back up his solid wrestling credentials.

The other option, which I believe is the most likely to occur, is that they match him up with someone who can provide an interesting and competitive fight, yet is less likely to steamroller him into retirement.

Tito Ortiz Could Be Up Next

Tito Ortiz is a name that stand out from the crowd in this regard.  The two have met once before when Couture emerged the victor back at UFC 44 and the prospect of two legends of the sport fighting would be a highly marketable bout for the UFC.

Of course Ortiz has to successfully navigate past his upcoming  rematch with Forrest Griffin, first which may prove problematic.  Though a Couture Vs Griffin bout would also work on paper, the reality is the two are friends and training partners so it is unlikely they will want to fight.

Two other potential options are Rich Franklin who is currently making his way up to 205lbs after losing to Vitor Belfort in his last fight, and Mark Coleman in what could be billed as a battle of the veterans with Coleman aged 44 and couture 46.

The latter option is about as much of a ’softball’ as the UFC can throw at Couture at this moment in time.  We should however also take into consideration that Couture is an ambitious fighter who has made it known that at this stage of his career he is only looking for big fights and exciting challenges to keep him motivated.

With this in mind  it is likely that he will be pushing for a major fight rather than opting for a safe option.

I believe that  Tito Ortiz is the best option, with Rich Franklin as a backup plan.  Both are credible fights with former champions that would appear to satisfy the need for the UFC to put on a marketable fight, and for Couture to face a significant challenge, without feeding him to the wolves.

The powers at be may see things differently however, and it will be very interesting to see which route they eventually opt to go down with one of their longest serving, most decorated and beloved fighters.

For the latest developments on Couture’s next opponent click here

Article By RossC

Pictures courtesy of sherdog.com

On first hearing the news he responded, “I hope that is not true, our bout aside I do not wish that on anyone. Hope he get’s well soon.”

Later after having time to reflect on the matter he posted again. “Can’t seem to get Brock’s situation out of my mind. My thoughts & prayers are with him and his family……. /I am with you.”

Earlier he had given his own thoughts on whether the UFC should strip Lesnar of his title if he isn’t able to recover in the near future.

“C’mon no way the(y) strip a guy of his title for being ill. They may have an interim title fight but Brock deserves to heal,” he said.

As for rumors that he may replace Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (who pulled out due to a staph infection) against Cain Velasquez at UFC 108 in January, Carwin confirmed that he is himself currently healing from an injury and won’t be available.

“For the record I am not going to be ready for UFC 108. I am rehabbing my MCL. Would love to fight ASAP.”

He also revealed that it is a Grade 2 MCL strain he is recovering from and that he won’t be ready to fight again until February at the earliest.

Comments emerging from Dana White after last nights UFC 105 post-fight press conference suggests that may be about to change.

According to Dave Meltzer at Yahoo! Sports, Dana White had the following to say about the situation with the former light heavyweight champion.

“Something’s about to happen there,” White said. “You know me, we were good friends. When I’m your friend, I’m your best friend on the world. But we’re not friends anymore, and when I’m your enemy, I’m a bad enemy to have.”

Exactly what the “something” that White refers to is we do not yet know.  It’s perhaps interesting at this stage to note a comment from White  during the UFC 106 conference call on Friday.

“Yeah, I’m sure we will (see him back in the UFC),” said White “Rampage is under contract with us and this is where he makes his money, so I’d say yes.”

Will the UFC look to pursue legal action against Rampage if he continues to turn his back on the promotion?

Whether this is the case or not it appears that there are going to be new developments in this story in the near future.

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At the time Swick laughed off the incident, but later he admitted to MMAWeekly that he was not impressed with Hardy’s antics.

“When guys play these kind of games, it’s either because they’re insecure and they’re trying to sell themselves, or they are that confident. I don’t know where he stands.”

He also warned the Brit that any mind-games he might be trying to play are not going to phase him.

“He’s not going to psyche me out, and it would be a good time to start focusing what he’s getting himself into. It could be bad.”

So what is Dan Hardy trying to achieve with his latest antics?

I don’t believe he is looking to get into Swick’s head, rather he is doing what he needs to do to keep himself in the spotlight.

What Hardy has proven so far is that he is an expert self-promoter.  His back and forth exchanges with Marcus Davis in his last fight have catapulted him from being just another up and coming fighter from the UK, to a co-main event star on the verge of a title shot against welterweight champion Georges St.Pierre in the space of just a year.

He will have to do more than just talk if he is to earn that shot however as Mike Swick is in determined mood and is likely to be his toughest test of his UFC career to date.