UFC betting | Bet on UFC

The most graceful finish in all of combat sports, the submission win can come in a number of ways, but the end result is always the same – a victory for the man pulling off the move, and a look of ‘what happened?’ from the victim. 2010 had its share of memorable wins by way of submission, and in part III of the Highly Unofficial awards, here are the best. 10 – Jim Miller gives Oliveira his first “0” Jim Miller felt a little disrespected in the lead-up to his UFC 124 bout against unbeaten phenom Charles Oliveira, and despite his lengthy win streak in the Octagon, he was seen by many as the underdog. So how did the Jersey native respond? By doing what veterans do. In this case, Miller walked through a few kicks to the head, took Oliveira down, and then finished him off with a kneebar less than two minutes into the fight. Don’t expect any disrespect to be thrown Miller’s way anymore. 9 – Davis breaks new ground against Boetsch ? Already known for his wrestling and ground and pound, Phil Davis’ submission game is starting to get some positive notices as well, not surprising since three of his five finishes have come via tap out. In his most recent bout at UFC 123 in November, “Mr. Wonderful” even went as far as to create his own move, a modified kimura that finished veteran Tim Boetsch and which is already being dubbed “The Philmura.” 8 – Palhares introduces Drwal to the heel hook If there’s one fighter in the UFC that you don’t want around your feet or legs, it’s Rousimar Palhares. In March, he gave a quick and deadly demonstration why, as he caught and submitted Tomasz Drwal with a heel hook in just 45 seconds. And while these moves happen so fast that they never look like much, a glance at the pained face of the fighter on the receiving end speaks a thousand words when it comes to the devastating effects of a well-placed move like the one the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt specializes in. 7 – Dogged Dollaway hangs on to finish Doerksen Ever since his Peruvian Necktie finish of Jesse Taylor in July of 2008, fight fans have been waiting for another submission to remember from The Ultimate Fighter alum CB Dollaway. They got it at UFC 119 in September, when Dollaway showed the continued evolution of his game in submitting veteran jiu-jitsu black belt Joe Doerksen. After locking in a guillotine choke, Dollaway had to weather a feverish escape attempt from the Canadian, but he held on and modified the choke to finish matters at 2:13 of the opening round. 6 – Lesnar roars back, finishes Carwin After taking a hellacious beating from Shane Carwin in the first round of their July bout, Brock Lesnar’s odds of making it out of his corner for round two, let alone winning the fight, were slim. But the then-heavyweight champion showed his warrior’s heart by roaring back, taking down a winded Carwin, and finishing matters with a memorable arm triangle. 5 – Bocek wins battle of black belts with Hazelett A lot of times, if you match up two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, a kickboxing match breaks out. Not this time, and Mark Bocek made sure that his UFC 124 bout with Dustin Hazelett went to the ground almost immediately. In pre-fight interviews, Hazelett said he was just fine with that prospect, but Bocek sapped the joy out from the Kentucky native quickly, finishing the bout via triangle choke just past the midway point of the first round, and establishing Bocek as one of the game’s top groundfighters. 4 – Double Trouble – Lytle Surprises Foster and Brown When you’ve been around the fight game as long as Chris Lytle has, you develop more than a few veteran tricks.

Main Event – WEC Lightweight Championship Ben Henderson (155) vs Anthony Pettis (154.5) WEC Bantamweight Championship (Winner will be crowned UFC Champion) Dominick Cruz (134.5) vs Scott Jorgensen (135) Donald Cerrone (155) vs Chris Horodecki (155) Bart Palaszewski (156) vs Kamal Shalorus (156) Tiequan Zhang (155.5) vs Danny Downes (154.5) Jamie Varner (156) vs Shane Roller (155) Brad Pickett (136) vs Ivan Menjivar (135) Eddie Wineland (136) vs Ken Stone (135) Danny Castillo (155.5) vs Will Kerr (155) Ricardo Lamas (156) vs Yuri Alcantara (154.5) Renan Barao (136) vs Chris Cariaso (136)

UFC Event Saturday, August 27 live from HSBC Arena; Tickets Go on Sale in May Las Vegas, NV (USA) – It started in academies, gyms and even in the streets of Rio de Janeiro. “Vale Tudo” or “anything goes” fights pitted modern-day gladiators of various fighting styles against each other for bragging rights and to prove which academy was the best. It was exciting, it was beautiful, it was – the birth of the sport of mixed martial arts. Now two decades, rule changes and improvements later and after its explosion on American soil with The Ultimate Fighting Championship® leading the charge, Brazil’s gift to the rest of the world is making its way back to the cradle of MMA. Backed by the extensive lineage of proud Brazilian UFC® fighters, the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is pleased to announce it will return to Brazil for the first time since 1998. UFC owners Frank Fertitta, III, Lorenzo J. Fertitta, and Dana White announced today that the same Brazilian city that will be home to the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Rio de Janeiro, will also be home to an international UFC event at the HSBC Arena on Saturday, August, 27, 2011. “We couldn’t wait to host our first-ever UFC event in Brazil’s biggest city,” said White. “Brazilians have given so much to the growth of this sport. I’m excited that we can give back to the country that has given us so many great fighters. From Royce Gracie and Vitor Belfort to “Shogun” Rua, Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo, these fighters are all champions and are so proud of their roots. It’s time for us to bring a live UFC event here and show the people of Brazil how much this sport has grown.” “This is another giant step forward in our global expansion and in growing UFC into the biggest sport in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta. “By bringing world-class fights back to Brazil, we not only secure a foothold in a major international market but we also give back to the people who have supported UFC for nearly 20 years.” The Fertittas and White delivered today’s announcement live at 2:30 p.m. local time in a press conference held at Palacio de Cidade, the official residence of Honorable Eduardo Paes, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Antonio Pedro Figueira de Mello, President of Riotur attended and spoke at the event, along with UFC Hall of Famer and first-ever UFC Champion Royce Gracie, former Light Heavyweight UFC Champion Vitor Belfort and current UFC champions Anderson “The Spider” Silva (185lb/Middleweight), Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (205 lb/Light Heavyweight) and Jose Aldo (145lb/Featherweight). ? The original UFC champion, Royce Gracie brought his family’s style of jiu-jitsu to the states in the early 90s and it has never left. A revolutionary fighter, the Rio de Janeiro native changed the way the game was played and stressed the importance for mixed martial artists to learn the ground game. Gracie earned four victories in one night at the first Ultimate Fighting Championship and is a UFC Hall-of-Famer. Arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter ever, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has gone from his Brazilian city of Curitiba to international stardom. A true finisher, Silva has won a UFC record 12 fights inside the organization with 10 finishes. The long-reigning undisputed champion has held the middleweight title since October of 2006. Another champion from the great city of Curitiba, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua currently holds the UFC’s light heavyweight title with his recent win over another acclaimed Brazilian, Lyoto Machida. The dynamic 29-year-old is world-renown for his devastating striking skills and his relentless attack. A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort is another on a long list of exciting Brazilian fighters. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt that is known for his superior boxing skills, the 33-year-old Rio de Janeiro native will look to earn the UFC middleweight title when he takes on Anderson Silva at UFC 126 in February. A winner of 18 of his first 19 professional fights, Jose Aldo made history by becoming the first UFC featherweight champion in history. A native of Manaus, the 24-year-old Brazilian reminds many of a 145-pound Anderson Silva because of his vicious striking and strong ground game. More information about the UFC Rio taking place Saturday, August 27, 2010 at HSBC Arena including main event matchup, undercard bouts and ticket sale dates and prices will be announced in the near future. ?

While Thursday’s WEC event in Arizona marks the end of an era for the home of the best lighter weight fighters in the world, it’s a journey that’s far from over for lightweight prospect Tiequan Zhang, whose second WEC fight, against Danny Downes, will be seen by millions in his home country of China, a nation rapidly becoming a hotbed of mixed martial arts excitement and coverage. Guangdong Television and Shanghai Greater Sports will televise the Zhang vs Downes bout in China, and the bout may also be viewed on QQ.com and Sohu.com, which, along with being the UFC’s online home in the country, is also the official web partner for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the official partner of the NBA, ESPN, Adidas and Sports Illustrated in China, with over two billion registered worldwide users. QQ.com has also brought Zhang to the masses with over 110 million page views over a 30 day period for articles and pictures related to his upcoming fight . Zhang, 32, is taking such attention in stride, even though his pre-fight blogs on Sohu.com are reaching more people than any professional fighter has ever reached at one time. Unbeaten in 17 fights, including a stirring first round submission win over current UFC fighter Pablo Garza in his WEC debut in September, Zhang is the first fighter from mainland China to fight in the organization. And since he displayed his talents for fans around the world, the buzz at home in Beijing has gotten louder and louder, even prompting new visitors to the China Top Team gym. “We don’t change a lot at CTT, but there has been an influx of training partners since my first debut at WEC 51,” he said. “Many old Sanda teammates, and MMA friends from the old days have come back to start training again.? It has given me a lot more opportunities to work with different types of fighters.” And while his status as a pioneer is established as he helps clear the way for more and more Chinese fighters and fans to embrace mixed martial arts, he is not looking towards his 2011 future in the UFC; his focus is strictly on talented prospect Danny Downes. “He is young, but he is a solid fighter,” said Zhang. “He never hesitates to move forward and isn’t afraid to crash into another fighter.? I like that style as I am in some ways the same.? I think my experience in Chinese Sanda is definitely going to be beneficial for me as I will be bringing strikes and movements he will probably not be accustomed to, and hopefully that will give me an advantage.? I am also comfortable on the ground and will use this mixture to win this fight.”

This is it: The end of an era. The grand finale of what two friends started back on June 30, 2001 as a “dabbling” investment for fun and relatively little profit. At the time, when MMA was but a blip on the mainstream sports radar, Reed Harris never envisioned his Indian casino adventure would blossom into an MMA superpower, second in prestige only to its sister organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Yet over the past decade, some of the world’s best fighters have produced riveting theater inside a WEC cage. The distinguished list of athletes includes the following stars: Jose Aldo, Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres, Carlos Condit, Chael Sonnen, Leonard Garcia, Hermes Franca, Nate Diaz, Chris Leben, Mike Swick, Brian Stann, Benson Henderson and Dominick Cruz. Thursday night in Glendale, Ariz., the final chapter in the WEC’s illustrious history will be written. When it’s all over – as Mike Goldberg would say – the WEC will be blended into the UFC. For the first time ever, the UFC will add bantamweight (135) and featherweight (145) world champions. Harris, the real estate guru turned MMA promoter, sat down with me and spoke about the incredible run of the enterprise he and Scott Adams founded 9 and ½ years ago. Harris discusses, for the first time, how arranging a real estate loan for Chuck Liddell set into motion the events that would usher him into the then-dead industry.? In this two-part series, the Chicago native talks about the perils of hosting an outdoor fight show, the horrors of losing his checkbook at a fight and having the lights go out at another show, and how he expects to feel when the final curtain falls. Q: You and Scott Adams co-founded the WEC as sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing, never intending it to be a huge deal. At what point did you guys realize you had staying power? Harris: We did that show at the Mohegan Sun and we had a number of problems and we were able to survive it. Three days before our event was a WWE. So the ticketing company was telling people that our event was sold out. People would call about the WEC and they thought it was WWE; the ticketing company didn’t differentiate between the two events. Four or five days before our event we couldn’t figure out why we weren’t selling tickets. So we called and they said it’s sold out. That show we did about 3,200 (tickets) but it was a very expensive show for us. I think we would have sold about 6,000 if that (mistake) hadn’t happened. There were probably 4,000 at the first event. The first event was really just a test for the casino to see if it was something they wanted to do. If that event wasn’t successful we would have done one show and that would have been it. It would have been like throwing a party. Q: What made you think the market was there for MMA, because you guys entered the business at a time when it wasn’t obvious or crystal clear like it is today. Reed: One of them was, I think it was our third show, about an hour and a half before our event Scott Adams got in a car accident. So the show is getting ready to start and he’s nowhere to be found because he was at the hospital

There’s nothing like a good upset to shake things up in the world of mixed martial arts, and the UFC had its share of interesting ones in 2010. And though the winners in the second installment of the 2010 Highly Unofficial awards were underdogs going into these defining bouts, it’s safe to say that they won’t be sneaking up on anybody else anytime soon. 10 – “El Dirte” shows “Filthy” Tom Lawlor some veteran tricks Despite carrying a five fight winning streak and a boatload of experience into his UFC return against Tom Lawlor, late replacement Joe Doerksen was looked at by many as a mere hurdle for hot prospect Lawlor to hop over on his way to the next level of the fight game, especially considering that “Filthy” Tom was coming off a 55 second submission win over CB Dollaway and a controversial three round decision loss against Aaron Simpson. And early on, the fight went according to plan, as Lawlor rocked Doerksen standing and seemed to be one punch away from finishing him. But hard-nosed vets like Doerksen don’t go away that easily, and in round two, he roared back, catching Lawlor in a rear naked choke that finished matters at the 2:10 mark. 9 – Sonnen decisions Marquardt Everyone assumed that Chael Sonnen was going to be a stiff test for Nate Marquardt at UFC 109 in February, but few believed that the outspoken Oregonian was going to stop the streak that saw Marquardt knock out Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia, and Demian Maia in consecutive bouts. But with an aggressive ground attack and an inhuman pain tolerance, Sonnen kept pushing and pushing for 15 minutes until the judges awarded him a well-earned unanimous decision win that also put him the number one middleweight contender’s spot. 8 – Dos Anjos surprises Etim Terry Etim will never be confused with countrymen Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy when it comes to dominating newspapers and websites with quotes come fight week, but after four consecutive UFC wins from October 2008 to November 2009, he had established himself as one of the UK’s top exports. But at the same time, Rafael dos Santos, in an even quieter manner, bounced back from an 0-2 UFC start to even his slate with wins against Rob Emerson and Kyle Bradley. And when dos Anjos took Submission of the Night honors with his UFC 112 armbar over Etim, it made a statement that when it comes to lightweight prospects, you can’t overlook this Brazilian up and comer. 7 – Pyle delivers career defining performance against Hathaway When your first two professional fights are against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Jon Fitch, it’s safe to assume that competing against an undefeated young gun in hostile territory isn’t going to rattle you too much. And that was the case when 11-year vet Mike Pyle traveled to England to face John Hathaway in October. In control from the opening bell to the end, Pyle never let Hathaway get untracked, and the unanimous decision win – Pyle’s biggest in the UFC – was a mere formality. 6 – Bader shows he’s big time with win over Lil’ Nog Ryan Bader has all the tools to make it big in the talent-rich light heavyweight division – physical gifts, heavy hands, stellar wrestling, and competitive drive. The only thing missing in his 12 pro fights was world-class experience. So when pitted against legit 205-pound contender Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, many expected that the experience gap would be too big for Bader to leap this early in his career. Not so, said young Bader, and though his three round win over the former PRIDE star won’t hit any Fight of the Year lists, the victory was a solid one that has propelled the former Ultimate Fighter winner into a highly-anticipated February showdown against fellow rising star Jon Jones. 5 – McCorkle shows more than internet savvy against veteran Hunt If you knew who Sean McCorkle was before his UFC 119 debut against Mark Hunt, you were either the hardest of hardcore fans or a member of the Underground forum. The rest of you were probably wondering what the unbeaten Indiana heavyweight had done to get UFC matchmaker Joe Silva angry, as there was simply no way he matched up with former PRIDE and K-1 star Mark Hunt. Then the bell rang, and the hometown hero fought like he had been in the Octagon since birth as he submitted Hunt with ease in just 67 seconds. Add in his recent bout against Stefan Struve (albeit a losing effort), and the notoriety of “The Big Sexy” has extended far beyond the internet. 4 – Beltran spoils the return of the Gracies The Gracie name is royalty in the UFC, and rightfully so. So when unbeaten Rolles Gracie became the first member of MMA’s first family to appear in the Octagon since his cousin Royce did so in 2006, it was a big deal. And when Joey Beltran was asked to come in on short notice to replace Mostapha Al Turk against Gracie, no one blinked twice, despite the fact that “The Mexecutioner” was coming off a second round TKO over Houston Alexander a few weeks prior to the bout. But Beltran wasn’t coming in to lose, and after weathering an early storm, he finished Gracie with strikes at 1:31 of the second round, shocking the MMA world in the process. 3 – Hathaway becomes Sanchez’ Nightmare England’s John Hathaway was solid in his UFC victories against Tom Egan, Rick Story, and Paul Taylor, but few thought the 22-year old had the experience to deal with veteran Diego Sanchez, whose previous three fights saw him in against BJ Penn, Clay Guida, and Joe Stevenson. Hathaway was a revelation though, as he welcomed Sanchez back to the welterweight division with a master class that left no doubt who the winner was after three rounds. It was ‘The Hitman’ 2 – Russow KO’s Duffee After a seven second KO of Tim Hague that set a UFC record for fastest knockout, Todd Duffee was going to be a favorite over a lot of people, including his second Octagon foe, Mike Russow. And for much of their bout at UFC 114 in May, things went according to plan for Duffee, who hit Russow with everything but the ring stool while building up an insurmountable lead. Well, it was insurmountable until Russow cracked Duffee with a right hand that ended the bout at 2:35 of the final round, capping off one of the more spectacular comebacks in recent history. 1 – Edgar Shocks Penn No surprise when it comes to the fight at the top of the list here, but it was a surprise at Abu Dhabi in April, when scrappy New Jersey native Frankie Edgar put on a career-defining performance by defeating BJ Penn for the UFC lightweight title. And while the fight was competitive and close, there was little doubt that Edgar’s crisp striking and effective movement, as well as a couple points-scoring takedowns, solidified the new champ’s unanimous decision win. And if that wasn’t enough, Edgar repeated the feat in more dominant fashion four months later, proving that the first win was no fluke. ? Honorable Mention: Dave Branch- Tomasz Drwal, Chris Leben-Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dennis Hallman-Ben Saunders, Frankie Edgar-BJ Penn II, Yushin Okami-Nate Marquardt, Nik Lentz-Tyson Griffin, Charles Oliveira-Efrain Escudero, Evan Dunham-Tyson Griffin ?

Of the 75 fighters making their UFC debuts in 2010, the big names were undoubtedly international stars Takanori Gomi, Jake Shields, Renzo Gracie, Mark Hunt and Gilbert Yvel. Yet most of the newcomers who truly made an impact in the Octagon were the fighters you may not have even heard of before the New Year began, but that you certainly know now. The Highly unofficial UFC awards season begins now… 10 – Claude Patrick Winner of ten in a row (all finishes) when he stepped into the Octagon for the first time in June, Toronto’s Claude Patrick kept the streak going with a second round submission win over Ricardo Funch. And while his decision win over James Wilks four months later was far from a barnburner, the 30-year old jiu-jitsu ace is going to be a tough out for anyone at 170 pounds in 2011 and beyond. 9 – Rory MacDonald Just 21 years old, Rory MacDonald entered the UFC with plenty of hype behind him, and he kept the buzz going with a first round submission victory against veteran Mike Guymon in January. But the kid from Kelowna, British Columbia, made believers out of the staunchest skeptics in June, when he battled tooth and nail with Carlos Condit, a legit and longtime contender who no 21-year old should be holding his own with. But MacDonald is far from your typical youngster, and though he got stopped in the third round of UFC 115’s Fight of the Night, expect big things from him in the future. 8 – Jonathan Brookins ? Jonathan Brookins’ previous MMA claim to fame was a hard-fought loss to Jose Aldo back in a 2008 WEC bout. But two years later, the humble kid from Florida reinvented himself as a star in waiting, as he scored four victories on the 12th season of The Ultimate Fighter before winning the series earlier this month with a come from behind win over Michael Johnson. There are still holes in his game that need sewing up, but as he told me before the Johnson fight, “I’m embarking on a change process that is proving to take longer than I anticipated, so I think the best of me is still yet to come.” 7 – Daniel Roberts With the way he fought in the early going of his UFC debut against John Howard in March, Daniel Roberts could have been 3-0 this year. Unfortunately, Howard ended Roberts’ first night in the Octagon via first round knockout. Undeterred, the skilled and creative grappler bounced back with a safe, but solid, three round decision win over Forrest Petz in July before showing off his goods with a 73 second Submission of the Night over Mike Guymon. Now scheduled for a Jan. 1st bout with Greg Soto in which he hopes to get 2011 off to a rousing start. 6 – Joey Beltran Brought in on short notice to face highly-touted Rolles Gracie in February, Joey Beltran was expected to be the welcome mat for the latest unbeaten prospect from the first family of MMA. Beltran didn’t get the memo though, and he rebounded from a slow start to stop Gracie in the second round. Three months later, ‘The Mexecutioner’ traveled to Montreal to take on home country favorite Tim Hague and again he overturned the apple cart with an entertaining three round win. Beltran’s hot streak ended in September with a decision loss to Matt Mitrione, but with a Fight of the Night bonus and a growing fan base that knows just what they’re getting with Beltran – a fight – 2011 should be an exciting one for the Californian. 5 – Court McGee A fighter whose inspirational comeback from the throes of drug addiction overshadowed his fighting ability slightly during the 11th season of The Ultimate Fighter, Utah’s McGee reminded the world just what he could do in the Octagon with his dominating second round submission win over Kris McCray. It was a victory that opened up the door to what should be an interesting run through the UFC’s middleweight division, and if his stirring third round comeback win over Ryan Jensen in October wasn’t enough to get your blood pumping, you’re watching the wrong sport. 4 – Kyle Noke The fact that he split two fights with George Sotiropoulos and battled Hector Lombard to a draw in his pre-UFC life should tell you all you need to know about Kyle Noke, but in spite of this, the Australian veteran came in under the radar to the mainstream fans on season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter. Yet with two ultra-impressive post-TUF wins over Josh Bryant (TKO2) and Rob Kimmons (Wsub2) that have seen him look comfortable wherever the fight goes, Noke may be entering the ranks of middleweight contenders sooner than you think. 3 – Charles Oliveira If he would have notched his third straight UFC win over Jim Miller last Saturday night in Montreal, Oliveira might have sailed up to the top of the list, but the New Jersey contender let the youngest fighter in the UFC know that a little bit more seasoning was needed before a move to the next level. But the loss far from diminishes what “Do Bronx” brought to the Octagon – energy, athleticism, skill, and a will to win that led him to submission wins against Darren Elkins and Efrain Escudero. If he’s able to take the Miller defeat as a learning experience, this 21-year old will be scary in 2011. 2 – Jake Shields The credentials are impeccable – jiu-jitsu black belt, All-American college wrestler, pro wins over Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler, Dave Menne, Yushin Okami, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle, Jason Miller and Paul Daley, among others. But whether Jake Shields’ success was going to translate into the Octagon was the big question heading into UFC 121 in October. Well, there was good news and bad news. The bad news was that it was far from vintage Shields in Anaheim that night as he struggled with fatigue from his weight cut.

After an improbable and world-changing 17-year run in the fight biz, the UFC is finally set to crown its first bantamweight champion. The historic honor, and a sparkling new UFC belt, will go to the winner of Thursday night’s battle between Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 in Glendale, Ariz. The 25-year-old Cruz, who previously lived and trained in Arizona for a time, feels like a man of destiny. “I’ve been put in this position for a reason,” said the reigning WEC titleholder, making his second defense of the belt he won in March from Brian Bowles. “God has blessed me with this position to make history. None of this happened by accident. I’m excited that we’re coming over to the UFC and we get to be the very first guys that have ever fought in this division. It’s just an awesome feeling and I think it’s definitely going to be like a legacy that we’ve all started.” In weighing the gravity of his present situation, Cruz (16-1) alluded to legendary pioneers such as Randy Couture and Royce Gracie and “all those guys that started the UFC.” “Well, in a sense that’s kind of a way a lot of us guys have done for the 135- pound division,” Cruz continued. “We’ve kind of jump-started it and set the bar for everybody else who’s here to follow. So I’m just pumped that God has blessed me with these opportunities.” Standing in Cruz’s way is a former Division I wrestling standout that has skyrocketed up the bantamweight rankings since dropping his WEC debut to Damacio Page nearly 3 years ago. Jorgensen (11-3) credits the loss to Page as the turning point in his career, and has caught fire since by overwhelming seven of his last eight foes. The lone setback during that span – via split decision to Antonio Banuelos – was a contest many believed Jorgensen actually won. Fighting out of Boise, Idaho, Jorgensen has raised eyebrows with a rapidly-improving standup arsenal. He has stood and banged for extended periods of time against Banuelos (twice), Brad Pickett, Takeya Mizugaki and Kenji Osawa, and has never been outclassed in that realm, to the surprise of many. In fact, Jorgensen usually lands the more damaging punches on his feet, and his guillotine choke is downright wicked, making him even more dangerous. But does he have what it takes to dethrone Cruz, who has won seven straight largely by mystifying his opponents, almost toying with them, with his speedy and elusive style of dancing around the cage, landing combos and then darting out of harm’s way? “Dominick, he’s a champ, you know?” Jorgensen said. “He finds a way to win. But his style to me is just – he moves a lot and he’s very mobile but I feel it’s a very defensive style. You know, he uses his strikes to set up his movement and his movement to set up his strikes and in both ways he tries to stay out of big exchanges. He tries to land quickly and get out but I don’t feel like they’re very effective strikes. You know, they’re scoring points but they don’t hurt.

Sydney, Australia – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organisation returns to the Land Down Under in 2011, as Sydney’s Acer Arena hosts UFC 127: PENN v FITCH on Sunday, February 27. One year removed from the record-shattering UFC 110 at the same venue, the world’s biggest combat sports group returns to Australia with a card stacked with pivotal fights which will set the tone for the New Year. Headlining UFC 127 will be the intriguing clash between former two-division UFC champion BJ Penn and rugged contender Jon Fitch in a bout with huge implications for the welterweight division. Tickets – priced $75, $100, $175, $275, $400 and $550 – are available from http://premier.ticketek.com.au. Tickets are available to UFC Fight Club members from noon Tuesday Dec 14, and to UFC Newsletter subscribers from 10am Weds Dec 15 before going on general release on Thursday Dec 16 at 9am. Leading 185lbs (84.1KG) contenders Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping and Jorge Rivera meet over three rounds while Australian interest will no doubt peak the moment lightweight George Sotiropoulous enters the Octagon to meet German striker Dennis Siver in a battle of 155-pound (70.5KG) buzzsaws. Also flying the flag for Australia will be New South Wales’s own Kyle Noke, a former star of The Ultimate Fighter, who meets Chris Camozzi in a thrilling middleweight encounter. Finally, rounding off the main card action will be a certified barnburner between welterweight bangers Chris Lytle and Carlos Condit, both of whom have hit a career purple patch and have sights set on the 170-pound (77.3KG) title. UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik said: “The UFC couldn’t be more excited about bringing another huge show to Sydney following the success of UFC 110 in February 2010. We put on a tremendous event at the Acer Arena in February and we’re looking to do exactly the same in the New Year with a card which features fight after fight with huge implications for 2011.” The pride of Hilo, Hawaii, BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn (16-7-1) requires little introduction following a career spent among the mixed martial arts elite. Considered one of the true pioneers of the sport, 32-year-old Penn has won both UFC Lightweight and Welterweight titles and remains one of only two men to ever win UFC belts in two separate divisions. Currently campaigning as a welterweight, Penn is fresh from a stunning 21-second annihilation of former welterweight champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes at UFC 123. In addition to now twice beating Hughes, Penn also boasts victories over Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson, Jens Pulver and Sean Sherk. The Hawaiian legend has excelled as both a lightweight and welterweight champion and now looks to launch another raid on the UFC 170lbs (77.3KG) title. Penn said: “I’m excited to fight Jon Fitch. I have considered him to be the number two welterweight in the world for a long time now and I am looking forward to matching skills against an elite wrestler. ?? ? “I can’t wait to fight in Australia. As two-time champion, I believe the UFC is all about fighting the best competition anywhere in the world. Competing overseas, dealing with travel and different time zones, it is all part of being a world-class fighter. I’ve also been told the fans down there are crazy for the UFC and I can’t wait to perform for them.” In Australia, ‘The Prodigy’ will have to go through Fort Wayne, Indiana grinder Jon Fitch (26-3, 1 NC), a man renowned for his hard-nosed work ethic and conditioning. The 32-year-old grappler has won 13 bouts inside the Octagon and strung together an impressive eight-bout win-streak before challenging for the UFC welterweight title in August 2008. Since competing for the belt, Fitch has gone on to grab five further victories and claimed the scalps of contenders Thiago Alves, Ben Saunders and Paolo Thiago. One of the most successful UFC fighters of all time, Fitch knows victory over Penn in Sydney could well earn him a second stab at the UFC Welterweight Title. Fitch said: “This is a fun fight for me, I haven’t been this motivated since I fought for the title. BJ has roots at the AKA Gym where I train and my own coaches talk about him and what he did in the gym back in the day. And I am kinda sick of hearing it; I am like the younger brother who wants to outshine the cool older brother who achieved all these things. To be a legend, you have to kill a legend and I want all the stories to be about how good I am after UFC 127. “I am a homerun hitter who has hit a slump. But in my slump, I am still beating top guys pretty easy. Now with the improvements I’ve made in the gym, the slump is over and I am going to hit a homerun on BJ Penn. I am going to be a world champion, and I know before that happens I need to finish BJ Penn.” England’s Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping (21-3) has yet to compete for the UFC middleweight title, but plans to change that in 2011 and is willing to go through any and all competition to earn his shot. The Manchester warrior has long been considered one of the premier contenders in the 185-pound weight-class and, with back-to-back victories in his rear-view mirror, hopes to continue his rich run of form at UFC 127. A former winner of The Ultimate Fighter®, Bisping has since flourished as both a light-heavyweight and middleweight and has scored recent victories over Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dan Miller, Denis Kang and Chris Leben. The torch-bearer of British mixed martial arts, a fired-up Bisping returns to Australia in February with the intention of ending Jorge Rivera’s own title aspirations. “Jorge has made a couple of comments and said he wants to ‘mess’ me up,” explained Bisping. “I don’t know what his problem is, but, to me, he is just another opponent that is going to get beat. I am fired-up for this fight and I can’t wait. I think he is tailor-made for me. He is going to get beaten worse than ever before

The knock on Donald Cerrone used to be his wrestling skills, or lack thereof. Not anymore. Fresh off the finest performance of his career, which saw him take down former collegiate wrestler Jamie Varner on several occasions, Cerrone has definitely served notice to future opponents that he can not only threaten with high-level kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, but also has the tools to put foes on their back. It is a new weapon that Canadian Chris Horodecki will have to cope with when he faces Cerrone on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Ariz. “I’ve been drilling a lot of wrestling,” said Cerrone, 12-3, with 1 no contest. “It’s something I didn’t work on much before. I always hated wrestling, but now everyday I’ve been drilling it so that I can make my weakness my strength.” Despite the leaps-and-bounds growth of Cerrone’s wrestling game, Horodecki’s impressions of the Coloradan’s game pay homage to the old Cerrone. “He’s a Muay Thai striker with a good ground game,” said Horodecki (16-2), who will be seeking his third straight win inside of the Octagon. If fans get lucky, this fight will play out exclusively as a standup war. Cerrone is a super-aggressive kickboxer who has worked closely with Duane Ludwig. Horodecki has been training under Shawn Thompkins since he was 13 years old and has seven wins via knockout. The 23-year-old Horodecki, who had previously studied to be a paramedic, is trying to regain the luster from several years ago, when he was widely regarded as Canada’s greatest MMA prospect who was not named Georges St-Pierre. Not known for his ground game, Horodecki has just two submission victories, but anyone trying to gauge his toughness needs to look no further than his two wins over lightweight standout Bart Palaszewski. “I’m real excited,” Cerrone said. “He’s a standup guy and I think my standup is better than his so I’m excited to go in there and showcase that.” Unlike the vitriol he harbors toward Varner, his arch nemesis, Cerrone struck a much different tone toward Horodecki. “He’s a very tough opponent,” Cerrone said. “He knows how to win big fights. I really respect Chris as an opponent. He comes from a great camp.” With this being his last WEC fight, Cerrone was jazzed about the chance to make a name for himself in the UFC. He realizes that many pro athletes and sports teams have letdowns following great performances and believes he has done everything he can to prevent a letdown against Horodecki. “Absolutely, you need to be concerned about that,” he said. “Anything can happen in any given moment, that’s the great thing about this sport. All it takes is one punch to change the outcome of a fight. I think my wrestling and jiu-jitsu is way superior to Horodecki, so I really I think his only chance is in the striking aspect. So bring that (expletive) on, Chris.”