Dan Severn Confirms Rematch with Ken Shamrock

"Ken has agreed to fight me. Most likely at King of the Cage and it should happen sometime by fall."
Legendary MMA fighter and UFC hall of famer Dan "The Beast" Severn recently threw his name in the hat for a potential "legends" fight with the Brazilian great Royce Gracie, who's teasing a possible comeback fight at "UFC Rio" in Brazil on August 27. On Wednesday, Severn said that Gracie is one of a few opponents that he would like to have a rematch with before he finishes up his career.

Gracie and Severn fought at UFC 4 on December 16, 1994. The event boasted an eight-man tournament with no weight classes. Severn defeated Anthony Macias and Marcus Bossett before taking on Gracie in the tournament final. The fight lasted almost 16 minutes before Gracie capitalized on a mistake by Severn and forced Severn to submit due to a triangle choke. Severn had controlled the fight up until that point.

"I'm in the process of finishing up my career. Some people have regrets and in my life this fight is one of them. There are a few fights before I retire that I would like to have and one of them is with Gracie"

When asked to further explain what he meant by throwing his name in the hat, Severn explained his efforts in contacting the UFC and informing the UFC that he would like to fight Gracie.

"I sent an email and followed up with a phone call to the UFC. I told them that I would like to be considered one of his opponents if he's serious about coming out of retirement."

Even if both fighters are interested in a fight, it's hard to imagine the fight coming together due to their significant difference in weight. When asked at what weight he and Gracie could meet at, Severn said that the weight issue could be the deal breaker in a potential fight.

"I see that probably being the deal breaker. Reality is, he hasn't gotten bigger and I haven't gotten smaller. I'm still right around 255-265 pounds and he's still around 185-190 pounds."

In addition to Royce Gracie, Severn stated that he would like to also fight Ken Shamrock and Mark Coleman before he retires. In fact, Severn confirmed to Fight Sports Examiner that Ken Shamrock has agreed to fight him.

"Ken has agreed to fight me. Most likely at King of the Cage and it should happen sometime by fall."

Severn and Shamrock have fought 2 times before with each fighter winning once. Shamrock won their first encounter in 1995 at UFC 6. Severn won the rematch in 1996 at UFC 9. As for Coleman, Severn lost to him at UFC 12 in 1997.

Severn, age 52, first began his MMA career at UFC 4 after coming off a successful amateur wrestling career. Dan is still competing in territorial promotions and is looking to become the first documented MMA fighter to ever win 100 fights. Dan acknowledged that he started in MMA at a later stage and plans on being retired as an active competitor by the beginning of 2013.

"My plan is to be out of MMA by 2013 as an active competitor. I will still be involved as a good will ambassador. I will still train fighters and do seminars."

Severn, had a few words of wisdom for younger fighters as we closed our interview. Severn cautions other fighters to have a backup plan in case their fight career is cut short.

"You better have other plans too.. Your opponent has the same plans as you and someone will come up on the short end of the stick."

Severn is an example of a fighter with other plans. Severn received his Teaching certificate from Arizona State University and continues to be a substitute teacher of all grade levels in his home state of Michigan. Additionally, Severn revealed that he is releasing a Fitness book by the end of the year and is also looking to release another book that he described as "crazy ramblings."

When asked to give more details on this book of 'ramblings', Severn laughed and said it's going to be all about "the beauty of the beast."

Check out Dan Severn's official website for more details about "The Beast." -Source
UFC 6 : Clash of the Titans
July 14th 1995
Casper Events Center
Casper, Tyoming, USA
Dan Severn vs Ken Shamrock 1

UFC 9 : Motor City Madness
May 17th 1996
Cobo Arena
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Dan Severn vs Ken Shamrock 2

UFC Announces Matt Hughes vs Diego Sanchez

Welterweight contender Diego Sanchez has never been shy in expressing his desire for a fight with UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes This fall, Sanchez will get his wish, as he faces the legendary two-time welterweight champ on a date and at a venue to be announced.

“A matchup between two welterweight fan favorites has been verbally agreed to as Diego “The Dream” Sanchez will face former UFC welterweight champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes,” said UFC President Dana White. “Sanchez is coming off of a Fight of Night winning performance against Martin Kampmann and Hughes is looking to add another great victory to his incredible UFC career.” ufc.com

Daisuke Nakamura vs Katsunori Kikuno on for DREAM

Another super fight has been announced to what's already a stacked card. Daisuke Nakamura has returned to DREAM and will take on kyokushin specialist Katsunori Kikuno! Will be interesting to see how Kikuno's game has improved since training with the Nippon Top Team members, surely he will be tested on the mat against a crafty technician in Nakamura. Should be exciting however it plays out, For videos and the full card Read more


Dream Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals :
Yoshiro Maeda (28-9-2) vs. Hideo Tokoro (27-23-1)
Darren Uyenoyama (6-3) vs. Atsushi Yamamoto (14-6-1)

Masakazu Imanari (21-8-2) vs. Keisuke Fujiwara (11-2-4)
Kenji Osawa (16-9-2) vs. Takafumi Otsuka (11-7-1)
(Semfinals will take place the same night. Final will be in July)

Super Fights:
Joachim Hansen (21-10-1) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (20-6-1)
Caol Uno (24-15-5) vs. Akiya “Wicky” Nishiura (11-6-1)
Katsunori Kikuno (14-3-2) vs. Daisuke Nakamura (23-12)
Shinya Aoki (27-5) vs. Willamy Freire (18-4) (Not Officially Announced)

White: Royce Gracie wants rematch with Matt Hughes

TORONTO – Will he? Won't he? The answer for now: it's up in the air.

Royce Gracie wants a retirement fight at "UFC: Rio." Whether he'll get one is something that could be decided as UFC 129 grows nearer.

Gracie, in fact, was in attendance at today's pre-fight press conference in support of the pay-per-view event, which takes place Saturday at Rogers Centre, and he stood off to the side waiting for a meeting as White addressed a group of reporters.

The UFC president was candid when asked about the possibility of one last Gracie fight inside the octagon.

"[Royce] thinks that his performance against Matt Hughes wasn't what not what it could have been, and thinks he can beat Matt Hughes," White said. "He wants that fight again."

In an interview this past month with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) Mike Kogan, Gracie's manager, was optimistic about the prospect about getting the UFC legend another fight with an opponent he declined to name, and said talks with White and UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta were ongoing.

"I think we're going to make a deal," Kogan said. "We have plenty of time, so there's really no problems. It's just a matter of getting it nailed down

White, however, shot the idea down in a subsequent interview with MMA Fighting.

Today, however, he seemed to soften his stance – a bit – when asked if having the 44-year-old back is a good idea.

"Who am I to say? There's times when I step in – for instance, like Chuck Liddell," he said. "And I say, 'Chuck, I think you should retire.' Do I think Royce Gracie (should fight again?) I don't know. He didn't look too damn good against Matt the first time."

Gracie (14-3-3 MMA, 11-1-2 UFC) hasn't fought professionally since June 2007 when he fought fellow legend Kazushi Sakuraba at K-1 Dynamite!! USA in a rematch of an epic, no time-limits bout in the finals of the 2000 PRIDE grand prix. He won by unanimous decision, but the result was later marred by a positive test for steroids and subsequent suspension and fine.

That performance came one year after he returned to the UFC for the first time in 11 years to fight Hughes in a non-title fight at UFC 60. Hughes dominated Gracie en route to a first-round TKO victory.

"UFC: Rio," also known as UFC 134, takes place Aug. 27 at HSBC Arena in Rio De Janeiro and is expected to feature a middleweight title fight between reigning champ Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami. MMA Junkie

M-1 Global to Stream M-1 Challenge XXV: Enomoto vs Zavurov Live & Free!

"I am a critic of M-1 as an organization because of their management and negotiation tactics. As far as a fight organization, M-1 is one of the best in the world. With many MMA organizations barely pulling a profit in the days of UFC dominance, M-1 has been one of the top fight organizations, successfully promoting events in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The next Challenge event is perhaps their best yet with an extremely deep under card and two great championship fights. Below you'll find the fight card."

With all fighters making their required weights, M-1 Challenge XXV’s full card is set to entertain fans around the world on Thursday night. The action from inside the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia can be seen LIVE online on the official M-1 Global website, www.M-1Global.com and M-1 Global facebook fan page starting at 11:30am EST / 8:30am PST. Reigning Welterweight Champion (170 Lbs) Shamil Zavurov (19-1) is intent on successfully defending his belt for the second time against the technically sound fighting style of legitimate prospect, Yasubey Enomoto (6-2) while Vinny Magalhaes (7-5) and Viktor Nemkov (10-2) square off for the vacant light heavyweight (205 Lbs) strap.

M-1 Global Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan was eager to discuss Thursday night’s card. “As Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, we’ve been receiving continuous positive feedback about the matchups being put on. M-1 Challenge XXV is going to showcase incredible bouts featuring credible rising stars; from Zavurov versus Enomoto to Magalhaes and Nemkov, fans can expect few decisions in favor of fighters electing to control their own destinies inside the ring. This card is looking to be one of our best to date.”

Subsequent M-1 Challenge XXV notable bouts include Luigi Fioravanti (22-8), who is riding a five fight win streak, versus the iconic Andrei Semenov (29-9-2), who makes his return to mixed martial arts after a near three-year hiatus, undefeated striker Christian Eckerlin (6-0) makes his M-1 debut against the crafty Russian ‘bad boy’, Alexander Yakovlev (10-3) and undefeated Juanma Suarez (6-0) meets Combat Sambo specialist, Arsen Temirkhanov (8-1).

M-1 Challenge XXV Under Card:
Albert Akhmetov (175.0 Lbs) vs. Ramazan Esenbaev (170.0 Lbs) Catch-weight (175 Lbs)

M-1 Challenge XXV Main Card (Streaming Live):
Arsen Temirkhanov (8-1) vs. Juanma Suarez (6-0) (Welterweight Bout)
Murad Magomedov (6-6) vs. Ramazan Emeev (1-0) (Middleweight Bout)
Alexander Volkov (10-3) vs. Denis Goltsov (2-2) (Heavyweight Bout)
Alexander Yakovlev (10-3) vs. Christian Eckerlin (6-0)(Welterweight Bout)
Maxim Grishin (7-5) vs. Vladimir Kuchenko (4-8-1) (Heavyweight Bout)
Mikhail Zayats (13) vs. Malik Merad (10-6) (LightHeavyweight Bout)

Welterweight Championship Bout:
Shamil Zavurov (14-0) vs. Yasubey Enomoto (6-2) (Replacing injured Rashid Magomedov)

Light Heavyweight (205 Lbs) Championship Bout:
Vinny Magalhaes (7-5) vs. Viktor Nemkov (10-2)

M-1 Challenge Super Fight:
Andrei Semenov (29-9-2) vs. Luigi Fioravanti (22-8) (Middleweight Bout)

The stream kicks off at 830AM PST / 1130AM EST on Thursday, April 28th.

Another solid show, here are some of the fights

Drew Fickett & Hermes Franca to meet for MFC title in June

Lightweights Hermes Franca and Drew Fickett have a lot in common. Both men are apt grapplers, experienced success in the Octagon before running into personal and professional adversity, and appear to have righted the proverbial ship based on their recent in-ring appearances. Also shared by Franca and Fickett is a future date in the MFC cage and an opportunity to become the Canadian company’s 155-pound champion.

According to a press release from MFC, the accomplished BJJers will duel it out at MFC 30 on June 10 in Edmonton, Alberta at the Mayfield Conference Center.

Fickett has won his last five fights including a trio of bouts on a single night in September and a recent Armbar of Matt Veach at MFC 28 occurring less than a minute into their match-up. The 31-year old holds an overall record of 41-13 with thirty submissions and success against a number of notable opponents such as Kurt Pellegrino, Josh Neer, Ken Florian, and Josh Koscheck.

His fellow headliner, Franca, has also had his hands raised more often than not as of late with victories in his last three outings. The colorfully coiffed Brazilian is 22-11 in his career and holds wins over Mike Brown, Toby Imada, Jamie Varner, Caol Uno, and Nate Diaz.

Dubbed “Up Close and Personal” based on the organization’s plan to put attendees “right on top of the action” due to the arena’s seating structure, as well as eliminate service fees by handling ticket sales internally as a gesture to fans, MFC 30 will also feature a fight between UFC veteran Marcus Davis and 11-1 Richie Whitson in addition to action from Thomas “Wildman” Denny who takes on local product Sheldon Westcott in a rematch from earlier this year. (Their first fight was scored a draw)

Ishida vs Hansen & Uno vs Wicky now set for DREAM

Two Featherweight single fights were announced for the May 29th DREAM Japan GP -2011 Bantamweight Japan Tournament- event today.

Mitsuhiro Ishida will take on Joachim Hansen and Caol Uno will take on Akiyo “Wicky” Nishiura. The DREAM Featherweight division is now at 65kg and since Hiroyuki Takaya has chosen Featherweight over Bantamweight (61kg) he will automatically be champion in the 65kg division. DREAM EP Sasahara said that a title fight might happen sometime this summer and that Kazuyuki Miyata is definitely the top contender right now.

Wicky is training with Urijah Faber and his team in America between April 15th and May 9th.

There's a lot of buzz around a rumored match up between Shinya Aoki vs Willamy "Chiquerim" Freire. Great fight if it comes to fruition, expect an official announcement soon if it's true.

Sergei Kharitonov vs Mighty Mo @ Glory World Series Final

Sergei Kharitonov is set to make his return to kickboxing on May 28th, as he'll meet K-1 veteran 'Mighty Mo' Siliga in a heavyweight tilt at the Glory World Series finale. The announcement of the bout between Kharitonov and Siliga certainly brings added interest to the event, which will host the conclusion of United Glory's ongoing heavyweight kickboxing and welterweight MMA tournaments.

Kharitonov last appeared in a kickboxing bout at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final, where he was stopped early by Singh Jaideep in a non-tournament bout. The Russian heavyweight has since made his return to mixed martial arts, knocking out both Tatsuya Mizuno and Andrei Arlovski in just over four minutes combined.

Mighty Mo went 2-2 in kickboxing bouts last year, first appearing at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest, stopping Roman Kleibl before being knocked out by Sebastian Ciobanu in the tournament semifinals. The American Samoan then took a decision victory over Raul Catinas at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16 in Seoul, advancing to the tournament final in December. There, Mo was defeated by Peter Aerts in the quarterfinal round.

Although many fans are already pretty well set on where the striking of Sergei Kharitonov stands, this bout will offer him the opportunity to prove himself against a solid K-1 veteran. Mighty Mo has the sort of power that could cause real trouble for Kharitonov, but is less likely to technically pick the Russian apart than many of the other opponents that he would have to go through to break into the highest levels of kickboxing. What's more, this bout will offer Kharitonov a great chance to stay active while waiting to learn who his opponent will be in the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament semifinals, as potential opponents Josh Barnett and Brett Rogers aren't scheduled to meet until June.

Pancrase Taking It To Another Level, With 8-Man LW GP !

Pancrase have been stepping it up recently and with their announcement today they are going even further.
An 8-man Lightweight GP will start at the May 3rd event, here's the participants & some post fight comments...

1.Sakaguchi Dojo’s golden up-and-comer ISAO.
ISAO On Tamura: It looks like he has mainly fought in Shooto but I’ve never seen him fight so I don’t know what kind of fighter he is. I’ll train so I can take him out in whichever position and win, that’s all.

2.MMA veteran and loyal ZST fighter Naoyuki Kotani.
General comment: This is my second time in Pancrase, last time I lost to Koji Oishi. Because Oishi is in a title fight I’m aiming at revenge. My aim is to win the GP, fight him one more time, and become champion.
Kotani On Iwamiya: If I’m not mistaken Iwamiya has fought at Welterweight in Pancrase before so I have to be aware of the strength of someone from a higher weight class.

3.Massive Lightweight and 24 year old finisher from Paraestra Hachioji Kazuki Tokudome.
Tokudome & Who he would like to fight in the final: ISAO is 22 years old so he’s closest to me in age so it would be fun if we both advance and have a final between two young fighters.

4.2008 Shooto Welterweight Rookie-Of-The-Year Tournament runner-up Hibiki Tamura.
General comment: In my mind I had the image that Lightweight in Pancrase was equal to Satoru Kitaoka. Kitaoka being gone, besides Osaka acquaintances Hanazawa and Oishi, I honestly have no idea who anyone is.
-ISAO intercepted this and said that he’ll win in a way that Shooto fighters won’t be able to say anything.

5.2nd generation Lightweight & Welterweight King Of Pancrase Katsuya Inoue.
(Katsuya Inoue was absent from the press confrence)

6.Fighter with a lot of potential Hiroki "AB" Aoki.
General comment:I love Pancrase and have been fighting here since my amateur days, I’m honored to be able to fight in this GP. 5 days ago I drew a written oracle at a temple and got excellent luck, it was written that I would definitely win in gambling/a game of chance.
Who he would like to fight in the final: I hope for ISAO. I have lost to him twice so it would be awesome if I clearly beat him in a third fight.
Telling his strongest point to the other 7: My height.

7.24 year old awesome grappler Kota Okazawa.
Okazawa Telling his strongest point to the 7 others: I’m coming with submissions so I don’t want to lose when it comes to grappling

8.The master of close fights Tomoyoshi Iwamiya.
Telling his strongest point to the 7 others: I have the stamina to fight strong for 3 5 minute rounds. I want to go in there and keep attacking the whole fight and not let anyone do anything.
On the Lightweight King Of Pancrase title: I had a title fight at Welterweight and broke down, I couldn’t repay (Nobuhiko) Takada (he’s from Takada Dojo) so I definitely want to win the GP and take the belt next year to repay Takada.


This is awesome. All fighters are good, don’t be too fooled by Iwamiya’s record. He’s drawn with two of the other GP participants since moving down to Lightweight and at Welterweight he defeated Strasser Kiichi and Toryu and lost close fights to KTaro and Wada. The schedule for the 2011 Pancrase Lightweight GP will take place 3 separate events, all fights will Pancrase Rules, 3×5 minutes & being a GP a winner must be chosen in each fight. The winner of the GP will get prize money (amount not set yet), a couple of other presents, and a shot at the Lightweight King Of Pancrase title in 2012. This is how the schedule looks...

1st Round – May 3rd in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO vs. Hibiki Tamura
Naoyuki Kotani vs. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya
Katsuya Inoue vs. Kota Okazawa
AB vs. Kazuki Tokudome

Semifinals – August 7th in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO/Tamura vs. Kotani/Iwamiya
Inoue/Okazawa vs. AB/Tokudome

Final – December 3rd in Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan
ISAO/Tamura/Kotani/Iwamiya vs. Inoue/Okazawa/AB/Tokudome

May 3rd's Pancrase 2011 Impressive Tour opening round of the LWGP is nothing short of being stacked. With the Light & Bantamweight King's of Pancrase Title's on the line, both Eiji Ishikawa and Mei "V.V" Yamaguchi who made their successfull returns earlier this month/year look to pick up another win & of course the opening round of Pancrase's LWGP!

The card's official line up as follows...

Lightweight King Of Pancrase Title Fight
12. Daisuke Hanazawa vs. Koji Oishi
Bantamweight King Of Pancrase Title Fight
11. Manabu Inoue vs. Seiya Kawahara
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
10. Eiji Ishikawa vs. Ichiro Kanai
2011 Pancrase Lightweight GP 1st Round Fights
9. AB vs. Kazuki Tokudome
8. Katsuya Inoue vs. Kota Okazawa
7. Naoyuki Kotani vs. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya
6. ISAO vs. Hibiki Tamura
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
5. URAKEN vs. Strasser Kiichi
Pancrase Bantamweight Fight
4. Tashiro Akai vs. Shintaro Ishiwatari
Pancrase Welterweight Fight
3. Masahiro Toryu vs. Hiroki Nagaoka
Featherweight Fight
2. Tomonari Kanomata vs. Masakazu Takafuji
Pancrase Women’s Light Flyweight Fight
1. V.V Mei vs. Betiko
-NOB

Jason "Mayhem" Miller meets Aaron Simpson at UFC 132

On Friday, Jason "Mayhem" Miller (24-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) announced he was returning to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

On Saturday, UFC brass announced he's already lined up to fight.

UFC officials today announced Miller will meet wrestling standout Aaron Simpson at July's "UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber II" event.

Miller's return comes six years after a lone appearance at welterweight in which he was dominated by Georges St-Pierre. "Mayhem" now returns to the UFC as a thoroughly experienced middleweight. Miller is 12-3 with one no contest since his ill-fated trip to the octagon and lost a unanimous decision to Jake Shields for the vacant Strikeforce middleweight belt in November 2009.

Outside of the cage, Miller has kept busy as the host of MTV's popular reality show "Bully Beatdown," which completed its third season this past December. It's unknown whether a fourth season is in the works.

UFC 132, which is the UFC's Independence Day-weekend show, takes place July 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The night's main card, including a championship headliner between bantamweight titleholder Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, airs live on pay-per-view. MMA Junkie

Jason 'Mayhem' Miller Signs With UFC

Jason "Mayhem" Miller is going back to the UFC.
The popular middleweight has signed a new multi-fight agreement with the organization, Miller's manager Ryan Parsons confirmed with MMA Fighting.

The 30-year-old Miller (24-7, 1 NC) was able to sign with the UFC due to the fact that his contract with Strikeforce had expired. No word just yet on when his first fight back inside the Octagon will take place.

"Mayhem" had not competed for Strikeforce since last April when he defeated Tim Stout on the undercard of Strikeforce: Nashville. He went on to defeat one of his MMA idols, Kazushi Sakuraba, at DREAM.16 in September, which stands as his last fight to date.

He was close to returning to action against the likes of Nick Diaz and Tim Kennedy, but for various reasons, some even still unknown, those fights never materialized.

The star of MTV's Bully Beatdown last fought for the UFC in 2005 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Georges St-Pierre. Two years later, Miller returned to Zuffa, defeating Hiromitsu Miura via unanimous decision at WEC 27.

Miller was a guest on a recent episode of The MMA Hour, and he appeared excited at the prospect of facing some of the UFC's best middleweights.

"I will beat the brakes off most of the guys in the middleweight divisions in the UFC," he said. "I guaran-damn-tee it."  MMA Fighting

Akiyama vs. Belfort at UFC 133

UFC 133 will feature an explosive middleweight encounter between Yoshihiro Akiyama and Vitor Belfort, ESPN can exclusively reveal.
Speculation has mounted over the timing and identity of Belfort's next opponent, with UFC Rio widely touted for his return following defeat to Anderson Silva. The names of Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva have been linked in recent times, although Silva is now slated to fight Chris Leben at UFC 132, and the UFC has officially confirmed The Phenom's next challenge for August 6.
"Verbal agreements are in for a battle between two of the most exciting fighters in the middleweight division," UFC president Dana White told ESPN.
"Coming off three straight Fight of the Night performances, Yoshihiro Akiyama will take on former UFC light-heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in Philadelphia."
Like Belfort, Akiyama is coming off a loss - to Bisping - but his last three wars have all gone to a third round. By contrast, Belfort's last three encounters have all ended inside the opening stanza via knockout. Something has to give.
The middleweight showdown bolsters a card already boasting a middleweight collision between Jorge Rivera and Alessio Sakara and the next outing of exciting 20-year-old bantamweight Michael McDonald against Nick Pace. ESPN

Brock Lesnar is MMA’s Top Dog on ESPN 30 Highest Paid Athletes List

Brock Lesnar is the highest paid mixed martial artist in the world. According to ESPN the magazine. ESPN

Chael Sonnen's Nevada commission hearing pushed back to May

The odyssey of Chael Sonnen continues.

A hearing for the onetime UFC middleweight contender at a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting on April 27 has been postponed until mid-May, NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer told mmajunkie.com).

A source close to the fighter's camp told MMAjunkie.com that the delay comes not from Sonnen but his federal probation officer, who has denied him permission to enter Clark County as part of a mandate to keep convicted felons out of the county for the Laughlin River Run, an annual motorcycle rally that's in its past seen violence from rival motorcycle clubs.

Earlier this month, Sonnen was sentenced by a federal judge to two years of probation and a $10,000 fine for his role in a fraudulent real-estate deal. His real-estate license also was revoked as a condition of a plea bargain he struck with prosecutors.

However impossible it would be for Sonnen to cause trouble at a motorcycle rally, it appears he's been caught up in a preemptive step by federal law enforcement to avoid such an incident as the brawl at a 2002 rally that left dead three bikers from the Mongols and Hells Angles.

Kizer today confirmed the delay but didn't specify the exact reason. Sonnen and his reps weren't available for comment.

This past month, Sonnen met with the NSAC in an informal meeting to address statements he had made to the California State Athletic Commission regarding his used of prescribed testosterone. Prior to his UFC 117 title loss in 2010, Sonnen verbally disclosed the usage but failed to include it in his pre-fight medical paperwork, which resulted in a six-month suspension that recently expired.

The informal NSAC meeting, which included UFC officials, also focused on what Sonnen could expect if he applied for a second's (cornerman's) license that would allow him to coach "The Ultimate Fighter 14." The meeting was not deemed a success by Kizer, who called into question Sonnen's claim that he (Kizer) had approved the use of testosterone prior to Sonnen's fight with Nate Marquardt at UFC 109.

"His point was, 'Well, you and I have never talked before right now, but I don't think I lied,'" Kizer said. "Then he gave some very strange story and claimed, 'My manager and you talked about therapeutic exemptions, and therefore, I just used the wrong word. I should have said 'my' instead of 'I.' As in 'my manager' instead of 'I.'

"I was very straight with him, saying, 'That's a ridiculous explanation.'"

Shortly thereafter UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com that Sonnen is unlikely to be chosen as a coach for "TUF 14." Sonnen and Brit Michael Bisping, who served as a coach on "TUF 9," were widely rumored to be in the running for the positions.

Although he later admitted that he misspoke to the California commission regarding claims that he had approval from the NSAC to use testosterone, Sonnen likely will answer similar questions as those from Kizer when he faces the commission in May, and the proceedings will be on the record. A majority vote from the NSAC in his favor would mean Sonnen will be allowed to fight in the state of Nevada, as well as corner other fighters.

"If they have any questions for me, that's fine," Kizer previously said. "For the most part, I just want to give [the commission] the facts and information, and go from there."  MMA Junkie

DREAM Japan Bantamweight GP Drawing Results Are In!

DREAM - FIGHT FOR JAPAN

May 29th 2011
Saitama Super Arena
Saitama, Japan
DREAM Japan Bantamweight GP ~Opening Round~
Darren Uyenoyama vs Atsushi Yamamoto
Yoshiro Maeda vs Hideo Tokoro

Masakazu Imanari vs Keisuke Fujiwara
Kenji Osawa vs Takafumi Otsuka
Participants
Caol Uno
Shinya Aoki
Mitsuhiro Ishida
Joachim Hansen
Katsunori Kikuno
Akiyo Wicky Nishiura

After the drawing the fighters were asked to make a comment.
Uyenoyama said that because it’s his dream to fight KID he’ll defeat Yamamoto.

Yamamoto chose Uyenoyama because he wants to have his first round match as early as possible (since there will be two fights in one night).

Maeda said that he has defeated (Otsuka, Yamamoto) and lost (Imanari, Osawa) to fighters in this field. He’s coming as a different being for this tournament though and is confident that he is the strongest of the bunch. Then he said that Tokoro was an eyesore when he (Tokoro) fought in HERO’S and thanks Tokoro for selecting him.

Tokoro: “Maeda was an eyesore when he fought in Pancrase.”

Imanari said that he’s loathed by everyone and it’s lonely (since no one picked him willingly despite him being the first on the bracket).

ZST champion Fujiwara said that it might have been for the best that he got the ball with the eight since even when buying shampoo he’s so indecisive that it takes 30 minutes for him to pick one. He wants to destroy Imanari since he’s his senior in ZST.

Osawa called Otsuka a big mouth.

Otsuka said that whoever his opponent it would’ve been fine, even Imanari. However, since it’s a fight (against Imanari) possible of happening in DEEP he chose Osawa since he didn’t want to sadden DEEP boss Saeki.

The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place at the May 29th event. The final and 3rd place fight will take place in July and the finalists and 3rd place fight winner will be the three Japanese representatives for a Bantamweight World Tournament taking place sometime after the July event. Possible participants for the World Tournament are Bibiano Fernandes and Joe Warren.
The superfights for the May event are planned to be announced early next week.

Tatame is reporting that Bibiano Fernandes is set to compete in the Dream World Bantamweight Grand Prix (the top 3 finishers in the Japan GP will compete as well), which will begin on September 25th

DEEP 53rd IMPACT Finalized!

Deep's 53rd Impact card featuring the MMA Legend Akira Shoji's retirement bout against the hard hitting Kazuo Misaki is now finalized. Also on the card will be the return of Eiji Mitsuoka vs Jung Gyeong Lee who's said to be the second coming of Dong-Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim. In addition to that submission wiz Satoru Kitaoka will be having his first fight back since choking out the tenacious Kuniyoshi Hironaka back on October 3rd of last year. Kitaoka will be making his come back against another very crafty & well rounded vet in Jutaro Nakao. The card will also feature a super heavyweight scrap between Mamoru Nakamura vs Seigo Mizuguchi to determine the number one contender from DEEP's Megaton GP. Baseball star Katsuaki Furuki will also have his second fight since his debute at Dynamite 2010 last year, where he dropped a decision to a much more experienced kickboxer/mixed martial artist Andy Ologun. For event details & the full fight card Read below.

DEEP 53 IMPACT
Date: April 22nd, 2011
Place: Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan

Akira Shoji Retirement Fight
9. 83.9kg: Akira Shoji vs. Kazuo Misaki

8. 70.3kg: Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jutaro Nakao
7. 70.3kg: Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Jung Gyeong Lee
6. 62kg: Tatsumitsu Wada vs. Yoshiki Harada

DEEP Megaton No.1 Contender Tournament (Annihilate! Cup)
5. Mamoru Nakamura vs. Seigo Mizuguchi

4. 80kg: Katsuaki Furuki vs. Yoshitaka Ebina
3. 77.1kg: Hidehiko Hasegawa vs. Yasushi Kitazaki
2. 70.3kg: LUIZ vs. Yutaka Ueda
1. 62kg: Makoto Kamaya vs. Sakae Kasuya

Dana White Shoots Down Royce Gracie UFC 134 Return Rumors

UFC president Dana White has indicated to MMA Fighting that the promotion has no interest in offering a fight to Brazilian pioneer Royce Gracie for the UFC's upcoming August event in Rio de Janeiro, refuting previous reports that talks between the two sides could result in a Gracie return.

Just last week, Gracie told Brazilian news site Esporte.UOL.com that negotiations for his return were ongoing.

Gracie is considered the sport's early seminal figure, winning three of the first four UFC tournaments with a jiu-jitsu style that was then foreign to most fight fans but has become a necessity in modern MMA. At just 6-foot-1 and around 175 pounds, Gracie used his ground skills to tap out opponents who sometimes outweighed him by 50 pounds or more.

At 44 years old though, Gracie (14-2-3) has not competed in the sport in nearly four years. In his last match, which took place in June 2007, he defeated Kazushi Sakuraba via unanimous decision, but afterward tested positive for steroids and was suspended for a year by the California state athletic commission.

The legend has not fought in the UFC's octagon since May 2006, when he returned after more than 11 years away from the promotion, only to suffer a first-round drubbing at the hands of then UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes. The fight took place at a 175-pound catch weight, and Hughes dominated Gracie en route to a first-round TKO.

While Gracie would like one more chance to close out his career in style, it looks like the legend is unlikely to see the inside of the octagon at UFC 134. MMA Fighting

Phil Baroni vs Matt Ewin & Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs Tom "Kong" Watson for the Middleweight Title Added to BAMMA 6

Phil Baroni will return to action for the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts on May 21, when the “New York Bad Ass” squares off against former Cage Rage champion Matt Ewin in a middleweight duel at BAMMA 6.

Sherdog.com confirmed the matchup with a source close to the promotion on Friday, as well as an additional middleweight contest pitting Mauricio Rua training partner Joao Paulo de Souza against Valentino Petrescu. BAMMA 6 will emanate from Wembley Arena in London and will be headlined by a middleweight title affair pitting Pride veteran Murilo Rua against reigning champion Tom “Kong” Watson.

Baroni, 34, was last seen earning a hard-fought unanimous decision against Nick Nolte at Titan Fighting Championships 17 on March 25. The win was Baroni’s first in over two years, as the veteran was recently bounced from his second run with the UFC after suffering back-to-back losses to Amir Sadollah and Brad Tavares. Known for his hand speed and knockout power, Baroni currently trains at the vaunted American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.

Recently released from a jail sentence stemming from his involvement in a cocaine trafficking ring, Ewin will see his first action in more than three years against Baroni. Prior to his hiatus from fighting, the Englishman had won four consecutive contests and six of his last seven dating back to 2006. The Gloucester-based “Hardest” holds over half of his career victories by submission.

May 21st's BAMMA 6 Now Includes
BAMMA Middleweight Championship
Tom Watson vs. Murilo Rua

Phil Baroni vs. Matt Ewin
Jason Ball vs. Leonardo Santos
Che Mills vs. Marcio Cesar
Shane Omer vs. Aaron Wilkinson
Sam Watling vs. Leigh Cohoon
Oli Thompson vs. Marcin Bartkiewicz
Catalin Zmarandescu vs. Darren Towler
Scott Jensen vs. Craig Chesters
Costas Doru vs. Jeremy Petley
Murrey Fullerton vs. Charles Scott
Ryan White vs. Glen Reid

-Sherdog

Brian Bowles & Takeya Mizugaki agree to meet at UFC 132

A bantamweight bout between former WEC champ Brian Bowles (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and onetime title challenger Takeya Mizugaki (14-5-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been added to July's UFC 132 lineup.

UFC officials today announced the matchup. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the bout isn't signed but is in the process of being finalized.

UFC 132, which is the UFC's Independence Day-weekend show, takes place July 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The night's main card, including a championship headliner between bantamweight titleholder Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, airs live on pay-per-view. It's not clear if Bowles vs. Mizugaki will be part of the broadcast.

"Brian Bowles looks to regain the bantamweight championship title, but first he’ll have to take on hard-hitting perennial top-10 contender Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 132," UFC president Dana White stated.

Bowles recently made his official UFC debut and scored a first-round submission victory over Damacio Page at UFC on Versus 3. As in the duo's first meeting at WEC 35, the former WEC titleholder defeated Page via guillotine choke, in the first round, and at the 3:30 mark.

It was Bowles' first fight since he lost his title to Dominick Cruz in early 2010. He won the belt from Miguel Torres in 2009.

Mizugaki also recently made his UFC debut and earned a split-decision victory over Reuben Duran at UFC on Versus 3. Like Bowles, the Japanese fighter also previously competed in the WEC, where he went 2-3 with a pair of "Fight of the Night" bonuses. Making his WEC debut in 2009, he was a late replacement and took then-champ Torres to a close decision, which he lost.

UFC 132 Now Includes...

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber (for bantamweight title)
Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Ryan Bader vs. Tito Ortiz
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller
Evan Dunham vs. George Sotiropoulos
Brian Bowles and Takeya Mizugaki
Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner
Erik Koch vs. Cub Swanson
Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman

-MMAJunkie

The Return of Hioki and M-16 Off Shooto Tradition 2011

Hatsu Hioki will make his return at the April 29th Shooto event to take on former King Of The Cage champion Donal Sanchez.

Sanchez is on a 7-fight winning streak right now. He has four submission losses on his record but those were his first four losses.

In more unfortunate news Rambaa Somdet M16 won’t be on time with the recovery of his injury for the event so he has relinquished his belt and Junji Sarumaru will now take on Junji Ikoma to decide the 2nd generation Shooto Flyweight champion.

Also added to the card, a 72kg fight between 2009 Shooto Rookie-Of-The-Year Welterweight Tournament winner Koshi Matsumoto and Takanori Gomi student Akira.

---

April 29th's Shooto Tradition 2011 ~Tohoku Earthquake Charity Event~ Now Includes...

Shooto World Featherweight Title Fight
Shuichiro Katsumura vs. Koetsu Okazaki

Shooto World Flyweight Title Fight
Junji Sarumaru vs. Junji Ikoma

Shooto Single Fights
LW: Hatsu Hioki vs. Donald Sanchez
LW: Taiki Tsuchiya vs. Lion Takeshi
WW: Takashi Nakakura vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka
BW: Yuki Shojo vs. Shinpei Tahara
FW: Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Takahiro Hose
72kg: Koshi Matsumoto vs. Akira
FlyW: Atch Anarchy vs. Mikihito Yamagami
WW: Daisuke Hoshino vs. MIKE

Participant
Rumina Sato

The Aftermath: Chicken Salad [Video]

The Aftermath: Chicken Salad

Tweet Your DREAM BWGP 1st Round Match-ups!

If you have a twitter account you can tweet how you want the DREAM Japan GP Bantamweight Tournament 1st round combination to look like. The fights will be decided through a drawing but the post on the DREAM website hints a little at the poll having some influence. They will announce the results of it before the drawing.

Just tweet the fights you want with hashtag #dreamjgp_touhyou.

今成正和 Masakazu Imanari
前田吉朗 Yoshiro Maeda
ダレン・ウエノヤマ Darren Uyenoyama
藤原敬典 Keisuke Fujiwara
大塚隆史 Takafumi Otsuka
山本篤 Atsushi Yamamoto
大沢ケンジ Kenji Osawa
所英男 Hideo Tokoro

My tweet for example:
" 所英男 vs 今成正和, ダレン・ウエノヤマ vs 大沢ケンジ, 大塚隆史 vs 山本篤, 前田吉朗 vs 藤原敬典 #dreamjgp_touhyou "

I want to see,
Hideo Tokoro(所英男) vs Masakazu Imanari(今成正和)
Darren Uyenoyama(ダレン・ウエノヤマ) vs Kenji Osawa(大沢ケンジ)

Takafumi Otsuka(大塚隆史) vs Atsuhi Yamamoto(山本篤)
Yoshihiro Maeda(前田吉朗) vs Keisuke Fujiwara(藤原敬典)

"Anyway, tweet your dream combination. Just use my tweet above and copy and paste to switch names.

You have until 10 AM on April 19th Japanese time." (6PM PST/ 9PM EST)
"The drawing to decide the DREAM Bantamweight Tournament first round match-ups will be open to the public and streamed online on DREAM’s website on April 20th. The time is 6:15 PM Japanese time." -NOB

Chael Sonnen to appear before Nevada commission at April 27 meeting

Chael Sonnen will get a formal chance to clear the air with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The onetime UFC middleweight contender is expected to be placed on the agenda for the commission's next meeting, which takes place April 27 in Las Vegas, NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The five members of the NSAC will decide whether or not to grant Sonnen both a fighter's license and a second's (cornerman's) license.

Sonnen's appearance follows a meeting this past month with Kizer. That initial meeting, which included UFC officials, was meant for Sonnen to address statements he had made to the California State Athletic Commission regarding his used of prescribed testosterone, as well as what to expect if he applied for a second's license that would allow him to coach "The Ultimate Fighter 14."

As MMAjunkie.com previously reported, the first meeting was not deemed a success by Kizer, who called into question Sonnen's claim that he (Kizer) had approved the use of testosterone prior to Sonnen's fight with Nate Marquardt at UFC 109.

"His point was, 'Well, you and I have never talked before right now, but I don't think I lied,'" Kizer said. "Then he gave some very strange story and claimed, 'My manager and you talked about therapeutic exemptions, and therefore, I just used the wrong word. I should have said 'my' instead of 'I.' As in 'my manager' instead of 'I.'

"I was very straight with him, saying, 'That's a ridiculous explanation.'"

Shortly thereafter UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com that Sonnen is unlikely to be chosen as a coach for "TUF 14." Sonnen and Brit Michael Bisping, who served as a coach on "TUF 9," were widely rumored to be in the running for the positions.

Sonnen likely will answer similar questions as those from Kizer when he faces the commission later this month, and the proceedings will be on the record. A majority vote from the NSAC means Sonnen will be allowed to fight in the state of Nevada, as well as corner other fighters.

"If they have any questions for me, that's fine," said Kizer, who doesn't vote. "For the most part, I just want to give [the commission] the facts and information, and go from there."

Sonnen served a six-month suspension from the CSAC stemming from his use of prescribed testosterone, which he verbally disclosed prior to his UFC 117 title loss to middleweight champ Anderson Silva but failed to include it in his pre-fight medical paperwork. MMA Junkie

Jeff Lacy welcomes boxing match with Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz

Just days after Nick Diaz's manager told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the Strikeforce champion is eyeing a boxing match with Jeff Lacy, the veteran pugilist has answered the challenge.

In fact, according to statements released by his camp, Lacy is interested in "heading to his turf and [putting] my fist in his mouth and silencing him."

Cesar Gracie, Diaz's manager, told MMAjunkie.com this past week that his fighter had set his sights on Lacy, a former IBF super-middleweight champion, after a potential boxing match with Fernando Vargas fell apart.

"We were talking about Vargas, but the thing is, I just came under some information that Vargas apparently has some kind of medical issue where he's not able to pass the test any more, and he could be retiring," Gracie said this past Thursday. "Vargas was very interested, but unfortunately, if he can't pass the test, he can't pass the test."

They then shifted their focus to Lacy, a 33-year-old Floridian who owns a 25-4 pro record (though he's lost three of his past four, including a title loss to Roy Jones Jr. in 2009).

He admittedly was surprised by Diaz's challenge.

"Honestly, I was a little stunned," Lacy stated in the release. "Nick has accomplished a great deal in mixed martial arts and is certainly one of the best in the sport. But getting in the ring with me for a boxing match is a path he needs to be very wary of taking. I'm willing to put it all on the line anytime, anywhere."

Lacy said he'd be willing to fight in Northern California (near Diaz's Stockton home) or Reno, Nev., "for the right price."

While MMA fighters and boxers have publicly sparred in the past, boxers such as James Toney and Ray Mercer (both of whom were past their prime years) are among the few have tried MMA. To date, no major MMA star has taken on a boxing notable in a high-profile bout.

Lacy's manager, though, thinks the Diaz bout makes sense for his client.

"In my opinion, Nick Diaz has the best boxing/striking skills in the MMA game today, he's always in exceptional shape, his comfort level in the pocket and under fire is comparable to any seasoned boxing champion's, and I feel his hands are better than B.J. Penn's, who many believe is the best in the sport," rep Joey Gilbert stated.

Gracie said Diaz's interest in boxing is the byproduct by a lack of interest in the challengers of Strikeforce's welterweight division, where the champ has defended his title three times in just six months.

However, Strikeforce officials (and Zuffa LLC management) haven't discussed the possibility of Diaz getting approval for a boxing match.

"People think he's better now, but he was physically in better shape [before the title fights]," Gracie said. "He's winning now because he's figured the game out of how to finish people quicker – how to deal with people that just want to hug you. He's not fighting a lot of wrestlers, obviously.

"He's technically better than he ever was, but from a physical standpoint, he's not in the same shape. He's just not as motivated. We're just not seeing the best Nick Diaz out there, really. He's just kind of going through the motions. He's not training as hard as he used to. It's been a problem, really."  MMA Junkie

Bellator 44 adds Dan Hornbuckle vs. Lyman Good tourney qualifier

Former welterweight champ Lyman Good (11-2 MMA, 4-2 BFC) and season-two tournament finalist Dan Hornbuckle (22-4 MMA, 3-2 BFC) are set to clash next month at Bellator 44.

Officials today announced the fight, which awards the winner a spot in Bellator's season-five welterweight tournament later this year.

Bellator 44 takes place May 14 at Caesars Atlantic City in New Jersey. The night's main card, including Good vs. Hornbuckle, airs on MTV2.

"Good vs. Hornbuckle is a fight a lot of MMA fans, myself included, have wanted to see for quite some time," Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. "These two guys have Bellator in their blood, and on May 14, one will move into our next tournament, and one will go home."

Good and Hornbuckle both competed in the organization's current season-four tournament. However, Good, who lost his title to Ben Askren back in October, defeated Chris Lozano in an opening-round matchup before Rick Hawn topped him via close split-decision in the semifinals.

Hornbuckle suffered an opening-round loss to Brent Weedman.

Along with Hieron, Good and Hornbuckle were some of the eight-man tourney's early favorites.

"My original goal when I first signed with Bellator was to fight Lyman Good," Hornbuckle stated. "Lyman Good has never left my radar. Stylistically, physically and mentally, we both share the same attributes that are going to make this a 'Fight of the Year' nomination."

Good opened his career with a 10-0 mark, which included winning Bellator's season-one tourney and becoming the organization's first 170-pound champion. However, he's 1-2 since then.

Hornbuckle, who previously competed in Japan for World Victory Road's Sengoku event series, had won 19 or 20 fights before his own 1-2 skid. MMA Junkie

DREAM bantamweight grand prix to begin on May 29

Fighting and Entertainment Group on Thursday evening announced a long-rumored bantamweight grand prix, which begins on May 29 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The tournament, which has been titled the DREAM Japan Grand Prix, is expected to feature eight fighters: Keisuke Fujiwara, Masakazu Imanari, Yoshiro Maeda, Kenji Osawa, Takafumi Otsuka, Hideo Tokoro, Darren Uyenoyama and Atsushi Yamamoto.

The first and second rounds of the tournament are expected to take place in May, and the final round is currently scheduled for July. The top three finishers in the tournament secure slots in a planned DREAM world bantamweight grand prix.

The May 29 card is also expected to hose a few non-tournament bouts which could feature such competitors as Shinya Aoki, Joachim Hansen, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Katsunori Kikuno, Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura and Caol Uno.

A press conference announcing the event also featured several Japanese promoters, who said they plan to band together to raise money for relief efforts in Japan following this past month's devastating earthquake.

Broadcast plans for the DREAM Japan Grand Prix have yet to be finalized, but it was revealed that the massive Saitama Super Arena will be scaled down to its smallest configuration, which accommodates approximately 7,000 fans.

FEG's most recent event was its traditional year-end offering, DREAM "Dynamite 2010!!" The promotion, however, has suffered well-documented financial struggles, and several fighters have in recent months come forward to complain they haven't been yet been paid.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) in January spoke with longtime Japanese MMA star Bob Sapp, who no-showed the New Year's Eve show and flatly said the promotion is broke.

At the same time, Japanese MMA blog Nightmare of Battle quoted an interview FEG executive Sadaharu Tanikawa gave to Japanese magazine "Sports Graphic Novel," in which the executive gave a dire assessment of FEG's future.

"The current course is that FEG will die," Tanikawa said. "There are probably staff members that will leave as well. The event name will be left but the promotion will change. If the current structure remains as it is it will be impossible to continue. If many investments from companies overseas do not come in we can’t survive."

With both ratings and attendance down in recent years, the Japanese fight promotion has been trying to raise additional funds through a recent partnership with PUJI Capital, an investment banking group, though it appears the success of those efforts has been minimal. MMAJunkie

Forrest Griffin vs. Mauricio Rua Rematch to Take Place at UFC Rio Event

A rematch of the epic September 2007 matchup between Forrest Griffin and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will take place at the UFC's upcoming event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MMA Fighting has learned from sources with knowledge of the situation.

Early Friday morning, UFC president Dana White confirmed to MMA Fighting that the two former light-heavyweight champions would clash again.

The original scrap between the two took place at UFC 76, with Griffin winning via third-round submission, pulling off the finish with just 15 seconds left in the bout. Griffin used the momentum of that win to propel him into a championship victory over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in July 2008.

Griffin is coming off a UFC 126 unanimous decision win over Rich Franklin, which improved his record to 18-6.

Rua, meanwhile, is coming off his UFC title loss to Jon Jones at UFC 128.

UFC 134 will take place at HSBC Arena on August 27, and marks the first UFC event held in Brazil since 1998.

The main event will see long-reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva attempting to defend his belt against Yushin Okami in another long-awaited rematch. mmafigthing.com