Silva Sonnen II to be held in a Soccer Stadium

While Chael Sonnen says he’s waiting for a contract for his rematch with Anderson Silva, the UFC has already booked him for a flight to Brazil.

According to UFC president Dana White, the long awaited rematch between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and rival Chael Sonnen will take place this summer in possibly the biggest event in MMA history.

White was in Calgary on Wednesday announcing a slew of new events for Canada, but also let one other bombshell out regarding the most highly anticipated rematch in UFC history.

“Think about this, the Chael Sonnen/Anderson Silva fight, I’m probably going to put my foot in my mouth again, and probably not supposed to be talking about this either, but I always do it so, this thing’s going to be in a soccer stadium in Rio,” White said.

“This thing’s going to have over 80,000 people are going to be at this event down there.”

While White didn’t go into specifics regarding the venue, the most likely landing spot appears to be the Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange, also known as Engenhao.

The Engenhao will be a host stadium for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which will also land in Brazil, and for soccer matches generally holds around 45,000 people. The stadium is home to the Botafogo football club in Rio.

For the upcoming Olympic games, the stadium is expected to fit closer to 60,000 fans.

Some have speculated that the Maracana could be the stadium White was speaking about due to its immense size and ability to pack in over 80,000 fans, but the only problem is it’s currently closed for renovations until 2013.

While the numbers don’t match up with White’s estimations, even with nearly 60,000 fans, that will still break all previous records for the biggest event in UFC history. The current record stands with UFC 129 held in Toronto in 2011 with more than 55,000 fans packing into the Rogers Centre.

The card will likely take place on June 16 in Rio with Silva vs. Sonnen 2 headlining the show.

Australia, India and the Philippines next for 'The Ultimate Fighter,' White says

With the first live season of "The Ultimate Fighter" kicking off next week in the U.S. and the first international edition of the reality series currently in production in Brazil, the focus now turns to new locales.

Up next?

Australia, India and the Philippines, UFC president Dana White said.

"They're up next week," White said at a UFC on FX 2 press conference in Sydney. "We just need to finalize the (broadcast) deals."

"TUF 15" is the first season of the seven-year-old series to air on the UFC's new cable partner, FX, following a long and fruitful run on Spike TV. As recently reported, FUEL TV officials have confirmed "TUF: Brazil" will air on the FOX-owned cable station, though details haven't been finalized.

The show airs locally on Globo, which has quickly become a destination for the UFC in Brazil.

Brazil, of course, is an MMA hotbed, and two recent pay-per-view events in the country have laid the ground work for a bigger UFC presence. But after that, the attention turns to other new countries.

Australia, for example, hosts its third event in two years with this weekend's UFC on FX 2 show. With a quickly growing regional scene, more and more talent is coming out of the country. "TUF: Australia" would identify some of the best and open a door to competing in the UFC along the likes of Australians of James Te Huna, Kyle Noke and George Sotiropoulos.

The same goes for India and the Philippines, which have never hosted a UFC show but long been on the organization's radar. Currently, no events are scheduled for either country, but a "TUF" season could set the groundwork.

Nate Marquardt Signs with Strikeforce

Just eight months after a furious Dana White released him from the UFC due to testing at elevated levels of testosterone, Nate Marquardt is back with a Zuffa-owned MMA organization.

On Tuesday's episode of UFC Tonight, Fuel TV reporter Ariel Helwani broke the news that Marquardt has signed a deal to fight for Strikeforce, which was purchased by the UFC promoter last year.

When he was released from the world's premier MMA organization for spoiling his UFC on Versus 4 main-event fight with Rick Story just moments before the fighters were scheduled to hit the scales, it appeared Marquardt's ties with Zuffa had been severed permanently.

"He failed his medicals," White announced in a Twitter post immediately after news broke that Marquardt had been removed from his bout with Story. "Not only his he out of this fight and out of the main event on Versus. He will no long be with the UFC."

However, approximately one month ago, White hinted at a change of heart regarding Marquardt's future. In an interview where he showed no interest in bringing back fellow UFC middleweight castoff Anthony Johnson, White left the door open to a Marquardt return to one of Zuffa's organizations.

"I don't dislike Nate," White told MMA Fighting. "I like Nate very much. We'll see what happens."

Though he had worked out a deal with British organization BAMMA after his release from the UFC, Marquardt has still not competed since a win over Dan Miller at UFC 128.

After BAMMA was unable to secure a fight for Marquardt in the nearly six months that he was contracted by the organization, the former UFC middleweight title contender asked for a release from the promotion so that he could get his MMA career back up and running.

One month later, Marquardt is a member of Strikeforce, home to other UFC castaways like Josh Barnett and Paul Daley.

It is not known whether Marquardt will have a chance to return to the UFC, but this is certainly a golden opportunity for the 32-year-old to reclaim his career and return to competing against some of the best fighters in the world.

Dana White Announces Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks for UFC on FOX 3

UFC head honcho's Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta are making an effort to connect with the fans with the most invasive and direct way possible via the Internet: Twitter.

Recently, White took to his stylish iPhone to release a gem of good news in the welterweight division despite all the disarray that both Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz have created as of late.

"(Josh) Koscheck vs. Johnny Hendricks is on for FOX!!!," proclaimed an overly-excited White.

The UFC's next endeavor on the FOX network takes place on May 5 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where lightweight notables Nate Diaz and Jim Miller will meet in the main event in a five-round non-title bout which will likely serve as a No. 1 contender battle.

The colorful and controversial Josh Koscheck recently returned to the Octagon just a little over a week ago where he defeated fellow collegiate wrestler Mike Pierce in a lackluster performance, edging the "Battle Troll" by split decision.

The victory helped build upon an emphatic performance last September, where Koscheck took home "Knockout of the Night" for his first-round finish of UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, which eased the pain of a five-round drubbing from rival Georges St-Pierre in December of 2010.

Hendricks is in the height of his career. After defeating the aforementioned Pierce last August, the Oklahoma native had the daunting task of taking on perennial contender Jon Fitch, who, at the time, was widely considered the consensus No. 2 fighter in the 170-pound division.

Though the underdog, Hendricks silenced critics by stopping Fitch in just 12 seconds, courtesy of the powerful left hook which sent the AKA product crumbling to the canvas, victimized by the heavy hands of "Big Rigg," who recorded the decisive knockout.

The winner between Hendricks and Koscheck will be on the shortlist of contenders for the welterweight strap, which currently houses two champions in Carlos Condit (the interim titleholder) and Georges St-Pierre.

Nick Diaz tests positive for Marijuana in UFC 143 post drug test

UFC welterweight contender Nick Diaz failed his post-fight urinalysis Saturday following his loss to Carlos Condit in their bout for the interim welterweight championship at UFC 143 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, announced Thursday.

Diaz, 28, who tested positive for marijuana, is a second-time offender in Nevada and, thus, faces a one-year suspension. He also tested positive for marijuana following a Feb. 24, 2007, victory over Takanori Gomi at a PRIDE Fighting Championship event held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Six weeks after the first positive test the commission fined Diaz $3,000 (20 percent of his $15,000 purse), suspended him for six months and changed his win over Gomi to a no-decision. The commission’s report in 2007 noted Diaz’s concentration of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, was 175, three-and-a-half times the concentration level of 50 required under Nevada regulations to produce a positive test result.

“All results received thus far have been negative, except Mr. Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites,” Kizer said in a release Thursday. “A complaint for disciplinary action against Mr. Diaz has been filed.”

Diaz isn’t the first fighter to test positive for marijuana recently. Matt Vanda appeared before the Nevada commission Jan. 31 after a second positive test for marijuana. He had initially been suspended for 90 days by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board after marijuana was discovered in his system following a Nov. 12, 2010, bout against Ossie Duran.

Marijuana was again found in Vanda’s system following a Dec. 16, 2011, loss to Marco Antonio Rubio in Las Vegas and on Jan. 31 the Nevada commission fined Vanda 40 percent of his $11,000 purse and suspended him for a year.

If Diaz is fined 40 percent of his purse, it would cost him $80,000 of the $200,000 he earned in the unanimous decision loss to Condit last Saturday for the UFC interim welterweight title.

Diaz was on the verge of getting a rematch with Condit for the interim championship when the test results returned and scuttled the bout. UFC president Dana White, in Brazil to tape “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil,” sent out a message on Twitter late Tuesday in which he said Condit had agreed to a rematch.

But all sides denied Wednesday that a rematch had been agreed upon before news of the positive test result was released Thursday.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said he was “disappointed” to hear of Diaz’s positive test. He said the UFC would honor any punishment Diaz was given and would not seek to have him fight in areas which are not regulated.

When the UFC holds events out of the U.S., if there is not a local body that regulates the sport, the UFC self-regulates. Marc Ratner, the UFC vice president for regulatory affairs and Kizer’s predecessor as executive director of the Nevada commission, runs those events under Nevada rules.

“We would stand behind whatever decision Nevada makes and if Nick is given a punishment, we would accept it,” he said. “Marijuana is an illegal substance and if you choose to take that, you have to pay the price for it.”

Condit accepts rematch with Diaz

At UFC 143 on Saturday, Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit fought five rounds for the UFC Interim Welterweight title, with Condit winning the unanimous decision. The outcome was controversial, with Diaz, along with many fans, fighters, and media members feeling that his constant forward pressure was enough to win a clear decision.

At the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said he was open to the possibility of a rematch, but made it clear that both parties had to be eager to fight. As Diaz was so maddened by the decision that he announced his retirement immediately post-bout in the Octagon, and because yesterday Condit's camp indicated they were not interested, there was little hope that the rematch would be made.

However, sources close to the deal just confirmed with The Underground that Carlos Condit has accepted a rematch with Nick Diaz, with the UFC Interim Welterweight title again on the line.

Condit said 'Yes, I accept the rematch' and will be in Las Vegas on Friday to finalize the deal.

The winner will presumably face GSP for the Unified Welterweight title, when the Canadian recovers fully from knee surgery, which is expected to be around November.

It's unclear at this time as to when the rematch will take place, but it looks like the fans have got what they asked for.

UFC President has since confirmed this story via his Twitter: @justScrap85 @carloscondit @malkikawa the rumor is true. Carlos did accept the fight today and Carlos is coming on Friday not thur.

Major Changes to UFC on FOX 2

UFC on Fox 2 has undergone it's first major change. Dana White tweeted today that Mark Munoz is injured and out of his fight against Chael Sonnen.

Instead, Michael Bisping, who was already on the card against Demian Maia, will face Chael Sonnen, and the winner will face Anderson Silva for the middleweight title.

Dana White tweeted:

"Munoz is injured and out of the FOX fight! Now it's Chael Sonnen vs Mike Bisping jan 28th and the winner will fight Anderson for the title."

This is huge news for the Fox card, and for the middleweight landscape in general.

Mark Munoz is a wrestler with good power on the feet, and would have presented a good wrestling challenge to Chael.

However, Michael Bisping is perhaps the most technical boxer in the division, and has some of the best takedown defense in the UFC.

It will be very interesting to see how Chael Sonnen's wrestling fares against Michael Bisping's takedown defense and boxing.

In this fight, we may finally get to see some of Bisping's ground game, and see how well-rounded he really is.

Not only is it a more interesting stylistic match-up, but this is also Bisping's first fight against a true top contender. Many questions will be answered about him against Sonnen.

Not to mention that these are two of the best trash talkers in the business. Expect to hear something from Uncle Chael soon.

Should Sonnen win, it will set up the biggest rematch in UFC history, which would be likely to take place in a soccer stadium in Brazil.

However, if Bisping pulls out the victory, he will get a chance to face Silva, as he remains one of Silva's last few challenges in the division.

*Munoz injured his right elbow Fri. Got tangled up in a keylock-like position & it popped. UFC flew him to Vegas. Cortisone shot didn't help.

The third fight has just been announced via Dana White's Twitter.

"3rd fight in the FOX Jan 28th is Maia vs Undefeated Chris Weidman!!!"

UFC releases Anthony Johnson following UFC 142 loss

UFC 142: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, Anthony Johnson's third weighcutting mistake will be his last in the UFC, at least for now.

Following Saturday night's UFC 142 event at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, UFC president Dana White terminated Johnson's contract.

"This is his third time," White said of Johnson's failure to make weight for the third time in his octagon career. "Three strikes and you're gone."

Johnson (10-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), of course, missed weight for his co-feature fight with Vitor Belfort (21-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC). The UFC president said Johnson came within a pound-and-a-half of the 186-pound limit allowed for non-title middleweight fights but was forced by a doctor to rehydrate because the former welterweight contender "couldn't make it."

"That was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen," White said. "The guy was at 170 pounds. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn't happen anymore, and this is the worst weightcutting disaster he's ever had. He almost ruined the co-main event here in Brazil. I don't know what else to say about that one. I'm not happy about it."

On Friday, White stated that Johnson's job would be on the line, regardless of the result of his fight. While his words made it seem as if Johnson could potentially keep his spot in the promotion, the UFC boss said his decision was already made.

"I knew what the decision was when I talked to you on Friday," White told MMAjunkie.com. "This is his third time. Listen, the guy was having problems making 170 pounds. He wanted to stay at 170 or whatever his deal was. You go to 185, and you blow it as bad as he blew it? That's bad, man."

Johnson previously missed weight in welterweight contests with Yoshiyuki Yoshida and Rich Clementi. With this weekend's infraction, in which Johnson ultimately weighed 197 pounds for a 185-pound fight, White said he simply couldn't allow the fighter's actions to go unchecked.

That said, White said he's not forever ruling out the potential for Johnson to return to the promotion at some point.

"I don't dislike the guy," White. "I like him very much actually. When you talk to Anthony Johnson, he's a good guy.

"I don't know who you blame in this one. Do you blame him? Do you blame his team? Do you blame his camp? I mean who takes the blame in this one? Ultimately, you're a grown man. You're responsible for your own actions."

Stay tuned for more updates on UFC 142 and Anthony Johnson.

UFC 142: Anthony Johnson misses weight, Dana White issues a statement

UFC President Dana White, as expected, was a little fuming that Anthony Johnson failed to make weight for his UFC 142 co-main event against Vitor Belfort tomorrow night at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

"Rumble" tipped the scale at 197-pounds, 11 pounds over the contractual limit of 186, which "The Phenom," a former heavyweight, was able to make without incident.

Here is White's reaction from today's weigh in show on FUEL TV:

"Rumble Johnson is not on weight today, and when I say he's not on weight he's way off weight. This is not the first time this has happened with Johnson. He moved up to 185-pounds so this wouldn't happen to him at 170 pounds, and here we are in the same position. Belfort came in like a professional on weight, and Anthony Johnson comes in as a total unprofessional, way overweight. The stipulation is, Vitor does not want him to weigh more than 205 pounds by tomorrow. So we will see how this plays out. He'll weigh in today and have to weigh in tomorrow. As a fighter, you are a professional. You are contracted to come in at a certain weight."

Johnson was fined 20-percent of his purse, which now goes to Belfort, and is required to weigh less than 205-pounds on fight night, or his bout against the Brazilian will be canceled.

Everyone thought a move to middleweight was what Johnson needed to contend in the UFC however, with a move as such it seems there are still many things to figure out and do.

Fedor Emelianenko possible as Strikeforce's 'plus-one' Heavyweight for New Champion

The Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix will come to a conclusion, and the entire division then will be sent to the UFC.



But first, the tournament champion – either Josh Barnett or Daniel Cormier – will get one more Strikeforce fight against an opponent to be determined.

While Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said some of those options were eliminated when the UFC gobbled up a handful of Strikeforce fighters for upcoming cards, one famous Russian remains a possibility.

Following Saturday's "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" event in Las Vegas, Coker discussed the upcoming conclusion of the heavyweight tournament and the possible return of eliminated tourney fighter Fedor Emelianenko. The eight-man tournament began nearly a year ago, and if Cormier's hand is healed in time, it could conclude at a March event in Ohio.

"I'd like to get the tournament done," Coker said. "We started this in February (of 2010). I was hoping at most it'd take us a year. ... But we'll get it done."

The tournament, of course, is closing on a bit of a confusing note. When then-heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was pulled from the tourney (and ultimately signed by the UFC), officials shot down the possibility of the tourney winner getting the vacant belt. Then to add another head-scratcher to the situation, officials said the tourney winner will fight one more time before being moved to the UFC.

Coker said there is a reason for that.

"Showtime and Strikeforce put a lot of resources behind this heavyweight tournament," he said. "I think it was a historical day in New Jersey last year with all eight guys there. I think that lineup was impressive. I think we had an amazing heavyweight division. [Showtime] put a lot of resources behind it, and so did Strikeforce. So they felt like, 'Look, let the tournament final happen and have one more fight. That kind of puts an exclamation (point) on the division for Strikeforce.' And then let them go to the UFC and have some good fights there."

Recently, Strikeforce fighters such as Fabricio Werdum (eliminated in the tourney opener), Chad Griggs (tourney reserve), Shawn Jordan and Lavar Johnson have been booked for UFC fights. Admittedly, that affected Coker's plans for the "plus-one fight" planned for the tourney champion.

"I had a few ideas, but they were just booked for UFC fights," he said.

But when asked about Emelianenko, who lost his final three Strikeforce fights and recently has been fighting overseas, Coker left open that possibility. Emelianenko has won his past two bouts (over Jeff Monson and Satoshi Ishii), and while polarizing, he's still a draw.

So could Emelianenko fight the tourney winner?

"That's interesting," Coker said. "I'm not sure what Fedor has planned. I haven't spoken to M-1. I know (M-1 executive) Steve Bash was in the audience tonight, but we haven't had that conversation yet."

While Emelianenko recently has expressed interest in competing the UFC, UFC president Dana White has cast some doubt. In a recent TMZ video, he said the former PRIDE champion "sucks," and his struggles in negotiating with the fighter's representatives are well-documented. But a win over the grand-prix champion certainly could justify a UFC contract for Emelienanko.

Bantamweight Miguel Torres is Back in the UFC

It didn't take long for UFC President Dana White to change his mind about Miguel Torres. In fact, it only took him 20 days to rehire the former WEC champion after his controversial Twitter fiasco.

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Torres joined White after the UFC 141 pre-fight press conference and will now be back in the promotion's bantamweight division.

"He handled his business like a man," said White who was impressed with how Torres handled the situation following his initial release.

According to the UFC president, Torres made donations to and volunteered at local rape centers. White also stated that the now-UFC bantamweight is taking sensitivity classes.

Torres was released by the UFC on Dec. 8 because of a controversial tweet made on his personal Twitter account.

"If a windowless van was called a surprise van, more people wouldn't mind going for rides in them," Torres tweeted. "Everyone likes surprises."

The tweet was actually a line from Comedy Central's Workaholics show, an homage that fell flat for many of the public—especially White.

The UFC decided to make an example of Torres, whose timing could not have been worse, with his tweet coming on the heels of other controversial comments by former champions.

Both Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans faced public scrutiny for their recent ill-made remarks touching on rape and the Penn State situation respectively.

Torres last fought at UFC 139, taking a unanimous decision win over Nick Pace to improve his UFC record to 2-1.

There is no date set yet for Torres return to the Octagon.

Overeem Cleared to Face Lesnar at UFC 141

On Tuesday morning, UFC president Dana White tweeted a smiley face and then, perhaps drawing out the suspense of what was to follow, took 15 minutes to deliver his follow-up tweet:





And with those 10 words he confirmed what will be the biggest heavyweight fight in combined weight and most likely pay-per-view buys for the promotion in 2011.

Overeem’s status for the fight was thrown into doubt last week when he delivered a delayed and improperly administered steroid test to the UFC. During a hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Overeem detailed the reasons for the delay and why a blood test was administered by his personal doctor rather a urine test from a testing facility.

The NSAC were seemingly satisfied with Overeem’s explanation that he did not willingly avoid the out-of-competition testing and awarded him a conditional license to compete against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. The first condition of that license was that he take a urine test within 72 hours of the hearing’s end.

Overeem lived up to that condition, flying from Holland to England to take the test, which, according to White’s tweet, came back clean, clearing Overeem for the December 30 fight. With that being said, there are still remaining conditions to be met by Overeem.

The first is that he be tested when he returns to the United States from Holland. Following that, he is subject to two random drug tests after the fight.

The five-round bout between Lesnar and Overeem will determine the No. 1 contender for the UFC heavyweight title that is currently held by Junior dos Santos.

UFC Flyweight Division: Cruiserweight Would Have Been Better Addition

With Dana White's recent announcement of the newly added 125-pound flyweight division and its subsequent four-man tournament to crown a champion. The MMA world is now buzzing over the excitement that the division will potentially bring to the organization.

The excitement is understandable. The recently added 135- and 145-pound weight classes have been a welcome addition, giving us some of the best fights of the year.

Presumably the new 125-pound flyweight division will do the same.

But is it the right move for the UFC?

One thing that has separated MMA from the almost-dead sport of boxing is that with only the limited amount of weight classes, there aren't as many champions—so being a champion actually means something.

Including the new flyweight division, there are now four weight division that are only separated by 10 pounds a piece. Does the UFC really need this many divisions for the lower-weight fighters.

White and the UFC have got to where they are today by being great innovators within the industry, why not blaze their own trail when it comes to weight classes?

A better solution would have been to combine the bantamweight and flyweight divisions by creating a 130-pound weight class. This would force the larger 135ers to compete at 145 and still allow the smaller 135ers to compete at a better weight class for them.

If the UFC wants to create yet another weight class, why not add a cruiserweight division?
Demetrious-johnson_crop_340x234 Demetrious Johnson, one of the new flyweights, has done well as a bantamweight

After Jon Jones' UFC 140 victory over Lyoto Machida. Critics have claimed that he only wins due to his incredible size advantage over most light heavyweights. While Jones doesn't actually cut that much weight to get into his weight division as some fighters, weight cutting has always been a controversial issue in the sport.

Fighters such as Anthony "Rumble" Johnson can walk around at weights of up to 50 pounds above their weight division. While Johnson recently moved to middleweight—a more natural weight class for him—he may have made that move earlier if there was a cruiserweight division.

A cruiserweight division would likely be around 225. Twenty pounds above the 205 division and 40 pounds below the 265-pound weight limit for heavyweight.

The immediate drawback would be the already-thin heavyweight division losing fighters, but this move would allow the heavyweight limit to be raised to something like 280—allowing larger athletes who may not be able to make 265 a chance to make it to the sport's largest promotion.

If these changes were to occur, the weight classes would look like this:

Bantamweights: 130

Featherweights: 145

Lightweights: 155

Welterweights: 170

Middleweights: 185

Light Heavyweights: 205

Cruiserweights: 225

Heavyweights: 280

Eight different weight division that could be competitively filled. The addition of the cruiserweight division could create a trickle-down effect that would allow fighters to fight at a more natural weight without fear of running into much larger opponents.

As the sport of MMA grows, more athletes of all sizes and builds will begin to pick up the sport. The UFC would be doing themselves a favor by creating weight classes that reflects the future of the sport.

Big Nog gets a Big "Break"

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira suffered a broken arm at UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida in Toronto on Saturday night after waiting until the last possible second – a second too late – to tapout to a Frank Mir Kimura (shoulder lock).

The UFC tweeted out the x-ray of Nogueira’s arm, clearly showing a break of the humerus.

The initial prognosis in Toronto was a trip to Los Angeles for surgery. But it now appears that surgery won’t be necessary.

“Doctor’s report: surgery not necessary for Big Nog,” the UFC tweeted on Monday after Nogueira visited Dr. John Itamura.

Dr. Itamura believes a less invasive course of action will work for Nogueira.

“He’ll have adjustable plastic brace using an ultrasound device 2x/day for 20 mins,” read the UFC’s message on Twitter.

Apparently, according to the doctor, Nogueira could return to the Octagon “in no more than nine months.”

At 35 years of age, having fought through some punishing battles throughout his career, whether or not Nogueira returns to the Octagon at all remains to be seen. At least, UFC president Dana White seems to question Nogueira continuing his fight career.

“You got to look at a guy's career, not just how it’s ending. Big Nog has been through wars. I was at the Pride fight when he fought Mirko Cro Cop. Cro Cop was just blasting him with kicks to the body and shots to the head, and then he ends up pulling off that submission win in the second round. But he’s had a career where he’s been through some wars,” said White following the UFC 140 post-fight press conference when asked if it was time for Nogueira to consider retirement.

Nogueira is 4-3 since moving to the UFC in 2007, two of his losses coming by way of knockout, the other being Mir’s arm-breaking submission.

“Big Nog is a nice guy and a guy whom I respect.

I know he’s gonna get pissed off at me, but again, it doesn’t matter. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I’m the one that makes those decisions,” White continued, clearly indicating that he thought Nogueira has to take a long hard look at whether he should continue or not.

“So, I’m gonna have to sit down and talk to him. I don’t want to see him get hurt or anybody.”

Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva named TUF Brazil Coaches!!!!

In an announcement of epic proportions, UFC officials announced the coaches for the TUF Brazil on Tuesday.

A rivalry will finally be settled during the first ever ‘Ultimate Fighter’ Brazil as Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort square off as coaches.

Silva and Belfort are no strangers to each other. The legendary Brazilians first faced off at UFC 17.5 also known as ‘Ultimate Brazil’.

Belfort blitzed Silva with punches in the early going of the fight, finishing off his fellow Brazilian in just 44 seconds in 1998.

Now more than a decade later the two will meet face to face again in their home country of Brazil as coaches for the ‘Ultimate Fighter’.

The format for the show will run similar to the early season of the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ in the United States, with the fighters living and training in the house for six weeks before squaring off in a finale.

“The premiere is going to be March 25. It’s going to be every Sunday night on Globo. The finale will be in June, but we don’t know where that’s going to be yet,” said UFC President Dana White.

This will mark the first ever season of the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ to not take place in the United States. The UFC has long planned to expand internationally, and now they have roots in Brazil starting with this newest edition of TUF.

White along with several UFC officials traveled to Brazil for the open tryouts on Monday. Cast selection will be announced at a later date.

The ‘Ultimate Fighter’ Brazil will also air in some fashion in the United States, and as of last week the rumors were for it to show on Fuel TV, although nothing has been determined yet.

With this announcement Dana White is one step closer to aspirations of creating a TUF world cup but most of all what a good way to learn MMA and create an impact in Brazil by naming Belfort and Wandy the coaches.

Superfight between Silva and Jones not happening

Despite disposing another former UFC champion in Lyoto Machida, it isn't likely Jon Jones will face Anderson Silva in a dream fight that fans have been wanting for some time.

The UFC light heavyweight champion recorded his fifth straight victory after he successfully defended the title at UFC 140 this past weekend. Jones, who was making his second title defense, overcame a difficult opening round against his opponent to submit Machida in the second round.

However, UFC President Dana White said Jones' recent success hasn't earned him any super-fight with the 185-pound titleholder anytime soon.

"I don't see that fight happening anytime soon," White told reporters during the post-fight press conference.

Jones' current dominance over the light heavyweight division has drawn comparisons to Silva, who has ruled over the middleweight division for the past five years. Also, Jones' lanky frame and creative striking techniques are parallel to that of the Brazilian, and thus, has created a substantial amount of hype surrounding the potential bout.

With fellow pound-for-pound kingpin, Georges St-Pierre, currently sidelined with a torn ACL, some fans' have favored the 24-year-old over the French-Canadian to compete against Silva.

But White shot down the idea, citing Jones' inexperience as a possible factor.

"He's 24 years old. He's just getting out there and fighting all the best in the light heavyweight division," he said. "What people have to realize, too, is Anderson Silva is 37 years old. They're in two different weight classes."

Jones' recent victory has granted him some much-needed rest, as he won't likely make his next title defense until mid-2012 against either Rashad Evans or Dan Henderson.

Meanwhile, Silva has been out of action since August when he made his last title defense against Yushin Okami at UFC 134. The Brazilian is expected to return by early summer next year.

So that's probably it for superfights in the UFC, personally I don't think that it will ever happen as new contenders to emerge in each weight class time and time again so we can't really say that the champions have cleaned out their divisions.

Strikeforce still kicking in 2012

After UFC parent company Zuffa LLC purchased competitor Strikeforce in March, many felt the Las Vegas-based juggernaut would assimilate the promotion, as it had done with the WEC and Pride Fighting Championships in years past.

Instead, it appears Strikeforce will continue to operate under the Zuffa umbrella through 2012. Its broadcast deal with Showtime set to expire in roughly three months, Strikeforce is now close to reaching a renewal deal with the premium cable network, according to UFC President Dana White.

However, before the promotion embarks on yet another year of mixed martial arts competition, Strikeforce will close out 2010 with its offering at the Valley View Casino Center on Saturday in San Diego. Here are five reasons to care about the Strikeforce “Melendez vs. Masvidal” prelims.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira heads to surgery

Pride is a bitter pill to swallow. It’s a pill that former Pride and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira refused to swallow at UFC 140 in Toronto on Saturday night.

It's no surprise that Big Nog's heading to surgery after Frank Mir locked on a Kimura shoulder lock. Nogueira tried to roll with it, but Mir wound up on top, blocking any escape. Nogueira refused to submit, instead suffering the pain of his arm nearly being torn off.

The immediate outcome was a trip to the hospital; the long-term ramifications have yet to be determined.

One thing is certain; Nogueira needs surgery to help repair the damage he chose to endure.

UFC president Dana White confirmed Nogueira’s medical situation in a post-press-conference scrum with reporters. He said he received a text from Nogueira’s camp.

“The text was, Nogueira needs surgery. We want to do the surgery in L.A. Can he fly with me to Las Vegas?” he revealed.

“(It’s his) shoulder and elbow. We don’t know what’s wrong with both, but it’s shoulder and elbow.”

Nogueira has been a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt for a long, long time. He’s fully aware of the situation he put himself in by refusing to submit to Mir’s Kimura and now suffers the loss, the injury, and a heavy dose of criticism.

“That’s why you tap,” said White, adding, “he knows that.”

Yeah, I've got to agree swallow your pride and tap to fight another day.

GSP out 6-9 months according to Doctor

In the height of Georges St. Pierre's devastating ACL injury, in which many have already ruled out the welterweight champ's return in 2012. His doctor has said that he would be out only 6-9 months for a full recovery. I know it is still quite a long time table and with training in addition to the healing time frame, it would be a while until we see GSP back in the Octagon. But, at least the wait isn't as long as many suspected.

In other news, UFC President Dana White believes that the welterweight champ will be back better than ever in spite of the injury. In a tweet, Dana White said that GSP takes good care of his world class physique and that such injuries happen even to the very best in any sport.

In the mean time Nick Diaz will face off against Carlos Condit for an interim welterweight championship at UFC 143 on February 4 in a bout of the two front runners for GSP's title.

They will will eventually meet the injured champion down the road.

Former WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres Released from UFC for Tweet

In the days where UFC fighters like Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans are getting criticized for the things they say, it is Miguel Torres who first gets the axe for his offensive tweet.

UFC president Dana White told Sports Illustrated that the former WEC bantamweight champion had been cut from the UFC not for his poor performance in the promotion, but for a tweet.

"This morning I’m on [Michael] Landsburg’s show, up here in Canada, and he hits me with the quote of what he tweeted. Now there’s no explanation for that," White told Sports Illustrated. "There’s absolutely nothing I could say to make any sense of that. And the fact that he even thinks that’s funny or that’s a joke, it disturbs me. It bothers me.

"Again, you’re dealing with a guy that’s a smart guy, that owns his own business, that’s been one of the top fighters in the world forever. And I cut him today. He’s no longer with the UFC."

White was then asked if this was Torres' first offense or second offense.

"No, this was the first time. And then he said he hadn’t heard what happened to Forrest [Griffin, who drew fire for tweeting 'Rape is the new missionary' last month]. Really? Where do you live? What business are you in? How do you not hear about these things?

You should have paid more attention. It’s to the point now where, there’s going be times when things happen and mistakes are made. I cannot defend Miguel Torres. I cannot defend what he said. What he said makes no sense other than when he says, 'It was a joke.' Well, I don’t think that’s a funny joke. I think it’s disturbing."

For those who are wondering what Torres' offensive tweet was here it is:

“If a rape van was called a surprise van, more women wouldn’t mind going for rides in them. Everyone likes surprises," Torres said via Twitter.

Offensive or not, Torres is no longer with the UFC.