The Ultimate Fighting Championship is bringing us a loaded pay-per view event on Saturday, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The top two fights on the card are from the heavyweight division with Cain Velasquez defending his championship belt against Antonio Silva, while slugger Mark Hunt takes on former UFC champ Junior Dos Santos.

Also on the main card is a light-heavyweight bout that features contender Glover Teixeira and two fights in the 155-pound division.

The fight opening card is between heavy-hitters Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and KJ Noons. In the night’s second bout, T.J. Grant, who has not lost since 2010, fights former title contender Gray Maynard in a fight that will decide the next challenger for Benson Henderson’s lightweight championship.

It is a stacked main card with plenty of important fights for the organization.

Here is the complete fight card for this weekend’s event:

MAIN CARD 

• Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva for heavyweight title
• Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt
• James Te Huna vs. Glover Teixeira
• T.J. Grant vs. Gray Maynard
• Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story
• Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway
• Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker
• Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo
• Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Stephen Thompson
• Brian Bowles vs. George Roop
• Estevan Payan vs. Jeremy Stephens

May 18, 2013; Jaragua do Sul, BRAZIL; Chris Camozzi (blue shorts) reacts after being defeated by Jacare Souza (black/white shorts) during UFC on FX 8 at Arena Jaragua. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports

The highly anticipated octagon debut of former Strikeforce title holder Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza took place on Saturday night when he faced off against Chris Camozzi in the co-main event of UFC on FX 8. As you would expect, Souza easily stormed past Camozzi and made an immediate impression on the UFC fans. Souza needed just over three and a half minutes to secure the fight ending choke.

As soon as Jacare got the fight to the mat, he was able to dominate with his world class jiu jitsu. Once Jacare locked in the head-arm triangle, Camozzi was almost immediately unconscious.

The UFC stage wasn’t too big and he is now a serious contender in the division.

Here are the full fight video highlights from Saturday night’s UFC on FX 8 event (skip to the 1:40 mark to get right to the Jacare vs. Camozzi highlights):

Full UFC on FX 8 results:

MAIN CARD

• Vitor Belfort def. Luke Rockhold via knockout (strikes) – Round 1, 2:32
• Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:37
• Rafael dos Anjos def. Evan Dunham via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Rafael Natal def. Joao Zeferino via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Nik Lentz def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (28-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Francisco Trinaldo def. Mike Rio via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:08
• Gleison Tibau def. John Cholish via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 2:34
• Paulo Thiago def. Michel Prazeres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Yuri Alcantara def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:31
• Fabio Maldonado def. Roger Hollett via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-27)
• John Lineker def. Azamat Gashimov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:07
• Jussier Da Silva def. Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lucas Martins def. Jeremy Larsen via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:13

May 18, 2013; Jaragua do Sul, BRAZIL; Vitor Belfort (red shorts) celebrates after defeating Luke Rockhold (not pictured) during UFC on FX 8 at ARena Jaragua. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports

UFC middleweight contender Vitor Belfort was victorious in his UFC on FX 8 main event bout against former Strikeforce challenger Luke Rockhold. Belfort did not only win, he was able to win in a devastating fashion that caused the crowd to erupt and everyone at home’s jaw to hit the floor. Belfort landed a beautifully executed spinning heel kick right on Rockhold’s jaw and followed the strike up with some vicious ground-and-pound to turn off the lights. The finish earned Belfort the Knockout of the Night bonus. 

The next question is what will the UFC do with Belfort following this fight. Common sense would tell you Belfort should face the winner of Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman, but we will have to see if that is in Dana White’s master plan.

Here are the full fight video highlights from Saturday night’s UFC on FX 8 event (skip to the 2:35 mark to get right to the Belfort vs. Rockhold highlights):

Full UFC on FX 8 results:

MAIN CARD

• Vitor Belfort def. Luke Rockhold via knockout (strikes) – Round 1, 2:32
• Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:37
• Rafael dos Anjos def. Evan Dunham via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Rafael Natal def. Joao Zeferino via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Nik Lentz def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (28-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Francisco Trinaldo def. Mike Rio via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:08
• Gleison Tibau def. John Cholish via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 2:34
• Paulo Thiago def. Michel Prazeres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Yuri Alcantara def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:31
• Fabio Maldonado def. Roger Hollett via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-27)
• John Lineker def. Azamat Gashimov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:07
• Jussier Da Silva def. Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lucas Martins def. Jeremy Larsen via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:13

August 11, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Nik Lentz reacts after defeating Eiji Mitsuoka (not pictured) during UFC 150 at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC on FX 8 preliminary card is in the books after hours of action-packed fights. While the featured undercard bout between Nik Lentz and Hacran Dias left a lot to be desired, the remaining fights on the undercard delivered. The likes of John Lineker and Yuri Alcantara scored some big time knockouts, while Francisco Trinaldo and Gleison Tibau were winners by way of submission. 

One of the most entertaining bouts on the preliminary card was the slugfest between Fabio Maldonado and Roger Hollett that kept the crowd on their feet for all three rounds.

Main card action is about to get underway on FX.

Here are the full results from the UFC on FX 8 undercard bouts:

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Nik Lentz def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (28-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Francisco Trinaldo def. Mike Rio via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:08
• Gleison Tibau def. John Cholish via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 2:34
• Paulo Thiago def. Michel Prazeres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Yuri Alcantara def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:31
• Fabio Maldonado def. Roger Hollett via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-27)
• John Lineker def. Azamat Gashimov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:07
• Jussier Da Silva def. Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lucas Martins def. Jeremy Larsen via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:13

Jul 21, 2012; Calgary, AB, CANADA; Renan Barao celebrates defeating Urijah Faber (not pictured) in the interim bantamweight title bout of UFC 149 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

UFC 161 may have taken a serious hit after a foot injury to bantamweight Renan Barao during training. Barao was set to defend his interim title against Eddie Wineland in the main event of UFC 161 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but the injury could force him out of the fight. Brazilian-based website Tatame was the first to share the news.

UFC officials told John Morgan of MMA Junkie that Barao could very likely be forced out of the fight and they have not yet discussed a back up plan.

There are a number of quality fights on the main card, but the loss of Barao would leave the event without a true main event.

Barao is undoubtedly one of the top fighters in his weight class. He has not lost since his professional debut in 2005 and his current undefeated streak spans the past 31 matches of his career.

An official statement from the UFC on Barao’s status will likely come in the next few days as they sort out the issue. We will keep you updated on the latest information.

Here is the current UFC 161 fight card:

MAIN CARD

• Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland for interim bantamweight title
• Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Mauricio Rua
• Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson
• Patrick Barry vs. Shawn Jordan
• Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton

PRELIMINARY CARD 

• Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley
• Sam Stout vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
• Stipe Miocic vs. Soa Palelei
• Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac
• Yves Jabouin vs. Dustin Pague
• Sean Pierson vs. Kenny Robertson
• Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire
• Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa

September 22, 2012; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Vitor Belfort steps into the ring prior to his fight against Jon Jones (not pictured) in the light heavyweight championship during UFC 152 at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

It isn’t very often that the one and only Chael Sonnen sends out compliments, especially to a Brazilian, but that is exactly what he did when he was discussing tonight’s UFC on FX 8 main event participant Vitor Belfort. “The Phenom” has some of the fastest hands in the sport and he burst on to the scene as the youngest UFC tournament champion.

Belfort stumbled after the quick start to his career and a lot of people believe it was all meant struggles.

Now that Belfort appears to be rejuvenated because of the TRT or other reasons, Sonnen believes that Belfort is as good as it gets in the organization.

“He’s just as fast, he’s just as accurate, he’s just as intimidating, but he’s a lot smaller,” Sonnen said during the UFC weigh-in show on FUEL TV. “When he made his debut he was heavyweight, then he came down to light heavyweight, won the championship over Randy Couture. Now he’s down at middleweight. This guy is almost unstoppable.

“Outside of Anderson Silva, we haven’t seen anybody that can beat him here. Really big test and I think finally mentally he’s starting to believe in himself.”

We will find out later today just how close Belfort is when he faces the former Strikeforce champion.

Who do you think will come out on top? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts, and be sure to tune in to FanSided.com during and after the fights as we give you the latest results from tonight’s UFC on FX 8 event.

Apr 20, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Nate Diaz (left) fights Josh Thomson (right) during the lightweight bout of the UFC on Fuel TV at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Nate Diaz made some headlines when he responded to the news that fellow lightweight Pat Healy had his fight night bonuses from UFC 159 taken away because of a failed drug tests becuase of marijuana metabolites in his system. Diaz expressed his opinions on the situation via social media, but it was a derogatory term that he used to describe UFC president Dana White that caught the attention of UFC official.

White was unhappy with the comments and stated that Diaz would be released from the promotion or heavily fined for the homosexual slur.

Luckily for Diaz, White chose the latter punishment.

“UFC lightweight Nate Diaz has received an immediate 90-day suspension and $20,000 fine for violating the UFC’s fighter code of conduct,” the UFC announced in a statement. “The language used in his tweet was regrettable, offensive and inconsistent with the values and culture of the organization, and is not tolerated.

“The money will be donated to charity.”

It could have been a lot worse for Diaz, so he is lucky to get away with only the fine and brief suspension.

Diaz will have to think twice before sending out messages on social media in the future and this will be a warning for all fighters on the UFC roster.

Nov 17, 2012; Montreal, QC, Canada; A wide view of the octagon as Alessio Sakara fights Patrick Cote during their Middleweight bout at UFC 154 at the Bell Centre. Sakara was disqualified for an illegal hit and Cote won. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Weigh-ins were held this afternoon for tomorrow night’s UFC on FX 8 event that is headlined by a middleweight scrap between Vitor Belfort and former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold. The event will be held at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

John Cholish was the only fighter to miss weight, but he has one hour to get under the 156-pound weight limit. The rest of the fighters hit their mark.

Here are the official UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold weigh-in results:
MAIN CARD

• Vitor Belfort (186) vs. Luke Rockhold (186)
• Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Ronaldo Souza(186)
• Rafael dos Anjos (156) vs. Evan Dunham(156)
• Rafael Natal (186) vs. Joao Zeferino (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Hacran Dias (146) vs. Nik Lentz (146)
• Mike Rio (156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (154)
• John Cholish (156.2)* vs. Gleison Tibau (156)
• Michel Prazeres (171) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)
• Yuri Alcantara (136) vs. Iliarde Santos (134)
• Roger Hollett (204) vs. Fabio Maldonado (205)
• Azamat Gashimov (126) vs. John Lineker (126)
• Chris Cariaso (126) vs. Jussier Formiga (126)
• Jeremy Larsen (155) vs. Lucas Martins (153)

* – Has one hour to make weight

Apr 20, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Nate Diaz fights Josh Thomson (not pictured) during the lightweight bout of the UFC on Fuel TV at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Diaz Brothers have never been known to keep quiet when they didn’t appreciate something, so it should come as no surprise that little brother Nate is in trouble with the UFC boss after a derogatory comment he wrote on Twitter. Diaz, a very avid marijuana smoker, did not appreciate the UFC taking away bonus money from Pat Healy after his failed drug test because of marijuana metabolites in his system and he wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts.

“I feel bad for Pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest Fag in the world,” Diaz wrote. He followed up that message with an interesting hash tag.

When UFC president Dana White caught wind of the comments, he went to The Underground to respond and it was clear that he wasn’t happy.

“He will be cut or fined for that tweet. [Expletive] ridiculous ,” White wrote.

It would be surprising if the UFC released Diaz, but they have released fighters from the roster because of social media comments before. Bantamweight Miguel Torres was previously released from the organization because of his “rape van” tweet.

Diaz will likely just receive a very hefty fine and stern warning from Dana White. In the end, the two will make up and get past their beef. After all, this is just Nate Diaz being Nate Diaz.

Apr 27, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Bryan Caraway (blue shorts) prior to fighting Johnny Bedford (not pictured) during UFC 159 at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

UFC lightweight Pat Healy earned $130,000 in fight night bonuses after UFC 159, but a failed drug test has forced the organization to reverse their decision to give Healy the bonuses and now Bryan Caraway has been given the $65,000 bonus for Submission of the Night for his finish of Johnny Bedford on the night’s preliminary card.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the decision on Wednesday.

@_royy it’s known up front that checks are held until everyone passes the drug test. Brian Caraway get the SON now. Healy did himself dirty.

— Dana White (@danawhite) May 15, 2013

Healy issued a statement on the failed drug test, which was caused by marijuana metabolites in his system, and he took full responsibility for his actions. He ended up hurting no one but himself and now he must pay up the consequences.

For Caraway, he lobbied to have the fight night bonuses raised to $65,000 at UFC 159 when he was backstage with Dana White, so he will get to receive the benefits of his own politicking.

He finished Bedford with just 16 seconds remaining on the clock.

August 4, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brandon Vera fights Shogun Rua during UFC on FOX at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

At one point earlier in his career, UFC fighter Brandon Vera had hopes of being a two division champion at heavyweight and light-heavyweight. After a brilliant start to his UFC career, Vera stumbled and was never able to find his way. He became dedicated to the light-heavyweight division for a number of years, but now he is looking to move back up to heavyweight this summer.

MMA Junkie is reporting that Vera will be meeting Ben Rothwell at UFC 164 on August 31 at Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The loser of this bout will likely end up being released from the organization.

In his last five fights in the octagon, Vera is 1-3 with one no contest, while Rothwell sits at 2-3.

Vera vs. Rothwell is the first fight to be confirmed for UFC 164, but Diego Sanchez has been rumored to be on the fight card along with heavyweight Alistair Overeem. There is currently no word on whether or not the Vera vs. Rothwell fight will be on the main card or preliminary card, but it would make sense to use Vera in a featured fight on the undercard.

Apr 27, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Roy Nelson (white shorts) celebrates defeating Cheick Kongo (yellow and grey shorts) during UFC 159 at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is expected to face former champions Junior Dos Santos at UFC 160 next weekend, but visa issues have put Hunt’s status for the fight in jeopardy. UFC officials and the fight participants are hopeful that Hunt will be able to make it to Las Vegas for the event, but if he is not, there is a backup plan.

Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com reported on UFC Tonight that the UFC has asked Roy Nelson to apply for a license to fight Dos Santos on May 25 if Hunt is unable to go.

Nelson and Dos Santos previously faced off in August of 2010 at UFC 117 when Dos Santos bruised and battered Nelson for all three rounds before earning the unanimous decision victory, but both fighters have grown since then and it would be a very exciting fight.

For Nelson, he most recently fought less than a month ago at UFC 159 in New Jersey where he earned a first-round knockout win over Cheick Kongo. “Big Country” is currently riding a three-fight win streak and a win over Dos Santos would certainly catapult him to the top of the title picture.

We should learn Hunt’s fate in the next few days, so stay tuned to FanSided.com as we keep you updated with the latest developments.

Apr 26, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Chael Sonnen (right) is interviewed by Joe Rogan after being weighed in for his light heavyweight title bout against Jon Jones (not pictured) at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

It didn’t take long for Chael Sonnen to get back under someone’s skin. Just a few days after losing his main event bout against Jon Jones at UFC 159, Sonnen issued a challenge to mixed martial arts legend Wanderlei Silva. Silva responded that he would be interested in the fight and the two have been throwing virtual jabs at each other since discussion of the fight came up.

There have been rumors that Sonnen and Silva will be facing off later this year in Boston, but nothing has been confirmed. Despite no official word from the UFC, Sonnen is doing his best to make sure the fight gets booked.

In typical Sonnen fashion, “The People’s Champion” issued a countdown to Silva on Twitter:

Wand- you have 24 hours to accept. If you do, I will donate 10% of my purse to help schools in your hometown of Curitiba .. I mean, VEGAS.

— chael sonnen (@sonnench) May 9, 2013

The two have been going back and forth on social media and one of the best comments came when Sonnen gave the fans two reasons why the fight against Wanderlei would make sense:

2 reasons the fight makes sense:-I want an easy fight;-Wanderlei is broke

— chael sonnen (@sonnench) May 6, 2013

If this fight gets booked, it is going to be a true treat to mixed martial arts fans.

Sonnen and Wanderlei are two of the most high energy and aggressive fighters in the sport and they will always come to fight. Let’s all hope that Dana White is paying attention and this fight can be brought together in time for UFC on Fox Sports 1 1 live in Boston later this summer.

Nov 17, 2012; Montreal, QC, Canada; A wide view of the octagon as Alessio Sakara fights Patrick Cote during their Middleweight bout at UFC 154 at the Bell Centre. Sakara was disqualified for an illegal hit and Cote won. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin announced late Tuesday night on Twitter that he has decided to walk away from mixed martial arts. He officially announced his retirement after a nearly two year layoff.

Officially retired 2day:-) thank you to my family, friends and fans! #dreambig GOD BLESS!!!

— Shane Carwin (@ShaneCarwin) May 8, 2013

Carwin was a fan favorite who began his career with a 12-0 record, with all wins by way of stoppage. He was able to score a knockout over Frank Mir to earn the UFC interim heavyweight championship, which earned him a shot at then champion Brock Lesnar.

Unfortunately for Carwin, he came close to unifying the title and becoming the undisputed champ, but Lesnar was able to recover and dominate Carwin to retain his title. Following the loss to Lesnar, Carwin was bloodied and battered in a lop-sided decision loss to future champion Junior Dos Santos. That was the last time we would see Carwin in the cage.

Carwin spend nearly the next two years recovering from back surgery and then was supposed to face off against Roy Nelson after a coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter, but he suffered a serious knee injury that ultimately led him to the decision to hang up the gloves for good.

He may end his career on a two-fight losing streak, but Carwin will always be remembered as a tough, gritty fighter that always put on a show for the fans.

July 11, 2012; San Jose, CA, USA; Chris Weidman (center) celebrates with his team (Ray Luongo and Matt Serra)  after defeating Mark Munoz (not pictured) in the middleweight bout of the UFC on Fuel TV at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva missed a scheduled media tour in Los Angeles on Monday and was fined $50,000 from the UFC as a result. While UFC president Dana White was unhappy with his champion, Silva’s next opponent also had some harsh words. UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman viewed Silva’s decision to blow off the media as a sign of disrespect.

Weidman has made stops in Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles and Las Vegas for promotional tours and he is not happy with the missed time from his training camp while the champion is making his own decisions on the media tour.

“I just went out to Los Angeles for three days. I just wasted time during my camp. I haven’t been in this sport as long as him,” Weidman said, via MMAFighting.com, “but you watch these superstar basketball players like LeBron James, and after every game, win or lose, he answers questions from the media.

“There’s always stuff that you don’t want to do when you’re an athlete, but you just have to do it.”

Well, sometimes athletes do blow off the media after a game or devastating loss, but Weidman’s point is Silva should be there as one of the main faces on the UFC 162 poster. Silva is a major star in the organization and he is obligated to get out and promote his fights.

If Silva simply skipped the appearance because he feels he is too good for the media and he’s not taking the fight against Weidman seriously, the New York native has a fair warning.

“I hope he’s staying grounded,” he said. “I hope his head isn’t getting so big that he thinks he doesn’t have to do things for the UFC, but who am I to judge? If his head is really getting too big, I’m definitely going to bring him down to earth on July 6.”

Bad blood is brewing for this fight and the champion has no one to blame but himself.

Perhaps skipping the media appearance added more intrigue to the event than attending the media tour would have done, so it could have been a stroke of genius.

Nov 17, 2012; Montreal, QC, Canada; Anderson Silva answers questions at a press conference before UFC 154 at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva was scheduled to meet with multiple media outlets on on Monday afternoon, but the champion decided against meeting with the newspapers, websites, television and radio stations that he was obligated to appear for so the UFC has handed down a punishment that we haven’t seen before.

The promotion has announced the fined Silva a whopping $50,000 for failing to appear.

“We had a full media day set up for him in Los Angeles, and he just decided he didn’t want to do it,” UFC president Dana White told USA Today Sports. “So he’s being fined $50,000.”

Silva was supposed to be promoting his upcoming UFC 162 title fight against Chris Weidman. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday. The event will take place July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Silva camp declined to comment on the situation.

Nick Diaz was in a situation similar to Silva’s when he skipped a pre-fight press conference before his scheduled UFC 137 title shot against Georges St-Pierre and he was pulled from the bout. Silva didn’t suffer the same fate, but he will certainly be on thin ice moving forward.

Jan 12, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Daniel Comier (black shorts) enters the ring before taking on Dion Staring (not shown) in their Strikeforce MMA Heavyweight bout at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion Daniel Cormier made his immediate impact felt in the UFC when he dominated former champion Frank Mir to improve his unbeaten record. While Cormier has yet to drop a match at heavyweight, there was a belief that he would drop to 205-pounds to make a run while his good friend and teammate Cain Velasquez continued to be the king at heavyweight.

However, an immediate move to light-heavyweight doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Cormier.

“I always thought if I were to go down, I would need a lot of time to do it.  I think that still applies, but I would like to still fight,” Cormier said, via Bleacher Report.

“At the end of the day I can’t cut massive amounts of weight.  That’s well-documented from my problems in the Olympic games.  But I can diet, and when I’m dieting I can still fight.  Can I fight at 205? No.  Because it’s too much weight to cut in a short period of time.  But could I fight a heavyweight fight and just be a little lighter? I think so.”

The plan for Cormier is to slowly cut down his weight while he remains at heavyweight. Eventually, he will be small enough that the weight cut to 205-pounds will not be too much for his 5-foot-10 frame.

Cormier can definitely make the weight, but it is going to take some time, so for now, fight fans everywhere should just appreciate Cormier for what he is — a dominant heavyweight contender that is going to be atop whatever weight class he fights at for the next few years.

Feb 23, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Ronda Rousey celebrates with fans after her fight with Liz Carmouche (not pictured) in their UFC women’s bantamweight title fight that headlined UFC 157. It was the first time in UFC history that two women fought inside of the octagon. Mandatory Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

Ronda Rousey continues to be one of the most popular figures in sports and she earned a special recognition when Business Insider unveiled their list of the top 50 women who are changing the world. Rousey came in on the list at No. 42, ahead of figures like Margaret Thatcher and Sara Blakely.

It just goes to show the worldwide impact Rousey is having, not only in mixed martial arts, but in the entire sports landscape.

From Business Insider:

Thanks to martial arts fighter Ronda Rousey, women now fight in the UFC.

The trash-talking Olympian qualified for the Athens games when she was only 17, and was the youngest judo competitor enlisted. In 2006, she became the first U.S. female athlete in nearly 10 years to win an A-Level tournament when she took home the gold metal at the Birmingham World Cup in Great Britain.

She also graced the cover of ESPN’s body issue last year.  

It is a major accomplishment for a woman who began as an Olympic athlete and eventually persuaded UFC president Dana White to allow women to compete in the UFC. She has shown that she is up to every challenge you put in front of her and there is no reason to believe Rousey is going away any time soon.

Rousey is still only 26-years-old and has a lot of competition left. If she can continue her dominance in the sport, she could go down as the greatest female sports figure to ever grace the planet.

Jan 26, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Anthony Pettis celebrates after defeating Donald Cerrone (not pictured) during UFC on FOX 6 at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Pettis is preparing to fight featherweight champion Jose Aldo on August 3 at UFC 163 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While his eyes are set on winning UFC gold, there is a guy calling out Pettis in the lightweight division.

Nate Diaz is looking to rebound from his knockout loss and he would like to fight Pettis when he returns to 155-pounds.

Pettis caught wind of the comments from Diaz and laughed them off before saying he would take the fight for an “easy payday.”

“I heard his interview and it just makes me laugh. I mean, the guy just got head kick knocked out by a pretty good striker, but for him to call me out it’s funny to me because my striking is one of the best in the lightweight division,” Pettis said during a media appearance leading up to his title fight against Jose Aldo.

“I think he’s trying to keep his name relevant and trying to stay in the mix, but I mean after losing like that it’s – there’s not much more you can do in the lightweight division. I think he’s going to be moving back to welterweight and again, the comments are funny to me and if he does want to fight I’ll take an easy payday.”

It would definitely be a great match up that would provide fireworks.

The last time that Pettis went in to a fight with animosity for his opponent he dismantled Donald Cerrone. Pettis would be a big favorite against Diaz if they were ever to meet in the octagon.

For now, Pettis is focused on the big opportunity against Aldo. If he returns to the 155-pound division after his title shot, Diaz could be on his radar.

Here is video of Pettis’ media appearance:

Jan 26, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; An official calls off the fight between Anthony Pettis (black shorts) and Donald Cerrone (bottom) during UFC on FOX 6 at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

UFC contender Anthony Pettis has been waiting in the wings for a title shot at 155-pounds after winning the WEC lightweight title in the promotion’s final show before making the jump to the UFC. When he got to the UFC, he was forced to wait and ended up taking a fight against Clay Guida to pass the time that he unfortunately lost.

That loss dropped Pettis from the title picture and the man that he beat in the WEC, Benson Henderson, went on to win the UFC title.

Now, with Pettis working his way back up the ladder, he had a chance to face off against the winner of Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez for the lightweight title, but he was ready to fight and sick of waiting so he took another opportunity.

Pettis decided to drop down to featherweight where he would get an immediate title shot at champion Jose Aldo.

“A lot of things led to my cutting down to 145,” Pettis told the New York Post last weekend. “I was tired of waiting for a 155 pound title shot. It’s not a permanent weight cut (to featherweight), but a striker like myself and Aldo, it doesn’t really matter what weight class it happens at. It’s going to be fireworks either way.”

We have to agree with Pettis. This fight will certainly provide fireworks.

Pettis is one of the most innovative strikers in mixed martial arts and Aldo has been the king of the lighter weight classes for years. It is one of the most interesting match ups for fight fans in 2013 and it looks like a potential Fight of the Year candidate on paper.

If these two men can step in to the octagon and perform to the best of their abilities, we are all going to be in for an incredible show.

Apr 26, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; UFC president Dana White looks on during UFC 159 weigh-ins at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC is a private company and there have been numerous discussions about the finances and business structure of the company. Lately, the focus on the UFC has been on their global expansion and it certainly appears that the organization is experiencing their popularity at an all-time high.

While all seems good and well for the UFC, business analyst Darren Rovell brought up an interesting point and claimed that the promotion was losing money and could soon be in trouble.

Of course, UFC president Dana White who is never short on words, responded to Rovell on Twitter.

Here is the exchange between White and Rovell on Twitter:

@darrenrovell We r a private comp but heres ur answer 2 ur RIDICULOUS tweet on Sat A guy like u should do ur homewrk twitter.com/danawhite/stat…

— Dana White (@danawhite) May 1, 2013

@darrenrovell exactly, we are private and don’t give numbers. U shouldn’t tweet shit that is FAR from the truth when I don’t have facts.

— Dana White (@danawhite) May 1, 2013

I’ve been going back and forth w/UFC’s @danawhite. If there’s 1 thing I can’t bash it’s that he’s the most accessible head of a sports org.

— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) May 1, 2013

Rovell certainly brings up an interesting point, but it is hard to believe that the UFC is suffering at this point. Everywhere you look, the UFC is advertising and the stars of the organization have been making the media rounds leading up to major events.

It definitely looks like an organization that is succeeding and bringing in the money — especially when you consider the record ratings and gates that have been regular occurring at their events.

If there is one problem the UFC may be facing, it is the increased number of pay-per views.

Fight fans love to see their favorite fighters compete, but with the global expansion and the addition of new weight classes, there are more events but less title fights and big name headliners. Some fight cards may appear to be watered down.

Whether or not the UFC is beginning to lose money we will never know for sure because they are a private organization that does not provide numbers, but we do see that fighter salaries continue to increase, the promotion is constantly expanding to new countries and record gates continue to happen event after event.

If the UFC is hurting for money, they are doing a great job at disguising it.

The latest appearance for Rousey comes on the cover of ESPN the Magazine’s 15th anniversary issue. It is the second time that Rousey has been on the cover of ESPN the Magazine. She was previously featured on the cover of the ESPN the Magazine Body Issue.

Rousey is one of four athletes that has their own cover for the latest issue of the magazine that will hit newstands on Friday.

The three other athletes to receive their own cover are Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin. That’s some pretty good company for Rousey.

Here is an image of Rousey’s cover for the anniversary issue:

It is amazing how popular Rousey has become in such a short period of time, but her stock will only continue to rise as she appears as a coach against Cat Zingano in the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Rousey isn’t going to be going anywhere anytime soon, so get used to seeing her pop up on magazine covers and your television set.

Apr 26, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Chael Sonnen (right) is interviewed by Joe Rogan after being weighed in for his light heavyweight title bout against Jon Jones (not pictured) at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Chael Sonnen has never been shy about asking for what he wants, even if that means going out and engaging in some epic trash-talking that all but secures the bout. Just a few days after his title fight loss to Jon Jones at UFC 159 in Newark, New Jersey, Sonnen is back at it and calling out another challenger.

During an appearance on Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight, Sonnen made it very clear that he is not yet retiring and he has an idea who he would like to fight next.

“I’m not going anywhere until me and Wanderlei [Silva] straighten this thing out once and for all,” Sonnen said.

Now that would be a fun fight.

Silva is no fan of Chael Sonnen after multiple comments that insulted the Brazilian fighters and their country, so there would certainly be animosity leading up to the fight with some incredible pre-fight trash talking.

Not only would the build up to the fight be exciting, but these are two fighters who never shy away from action.

If you locked Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen in a cage, you would be guaranteed non-stop action and a Fight of the Night contender. UFC, please make this happen.

Apr 27, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Alan Belcher (blue gloves) holds his head during a bout against Michael Bisping (not pictured) during UFC 159 at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After the UFC 159 event this past weekend at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the UFC is ramping up their efforts to clear up and adjust some of the rules in the sport. Two fights ended over the weekend because of accidental eye pokes and, while one was a legit stoppage, the referees need a clearer understanding of how to handle the situation and the athletic commissions need to have more concrete rules.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner plans to address some changes at the annual Association of Boxing Commisison meeting this summer in San Antonio, Texas.

First order of business is addressing the eye poking.

“What we want the referees to do is don’t make a medical decision,” Ratner told USA TODAY Sports, via MMAjunkie.com. “Call time. Don’t ask the kid if he can see or not. Bring the doctor in and let the doctor make the determination.”

“Now obviously, if any fighter can’t see, you want the fight stopped. But here’s a case where if you go through the mechanic and bring the doctor in, it will give them a chance to see if in fact the eye clears up and he can fight. That’s what you want to do there.”

In the Gian Villante vs. Ovince St. Preux on Saturday, Villante was accidentally poked in the eye. Referee Kevin Mulhall asked Villante if he could see and the fighter responded with, “no.” The fight was stopped.

If Mulhall would have given Villante the five minutes to recover from the accidental strike and had the doctor come in and look at the injury, then all would have been well. Instead, Mulhall put himself in a tough position and made a decision that was incorrect.

“The referee was a very good referee,” said Ratner. “Kevin Mulhall is one of the top referees in the world. Once the fighter said he couldn’t see, it puts the referee in a position where he has to stop it. So it’s the kind of thing where you want the doctors, who are there for that exact reason, to make the final determination before you stop the fight.”

By making it mandatory to bring in the doctor and give the fighter five minutes, we can avoid this in the future.

The next rule that will be adjusted is the definition of a grounded opponent. This is something that has needed to be changed for quite some time. Currently, all a fighter needs to do to be considered a “grounded opponent” is simply touch the canvas with their hand. Even if you are on both feet, you are ruled down if the hand touches the mat. This has been abused on countless occasions and really stalls and slows down the grappling against the cage.

“We really believe this ‘three-point stance rule,’ where a fighter is just placing his hand on and off the mat so he won’t get hit, needs to be addressed,” said Ratner. “That’s not what the rule is for. That has to be looked at.”

“I’m going to work with our attorneys on the language. If you’re going against the intent of the rule, and that’s what’s being done with some fighters, then we’ve got to change it. I’m going to get the right verbiage for it. That one is one that’s come into play recently in the past couple years that needs to be changed.”

If Ratner can successfully get these minor adjustments to take place, the sport will be much more improved.

MMA is already the fastest growing sport in the world, but little slip ups in the rules can cause the sport to stumble when it is put on the national stage. By clearing everything up and defining the rules in a way that allows a better flow to the sport and avoids controversial endings, the UFC officials are doing exactly what they need to be doing to take the sport to the next level.

Apr 27, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; Jon Jones during a press conference after UFC 159 at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones stormed through Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey before dislocating his toe and realizing he may be on the shelf for awhile. However, that hasn’t stopped Jones from looking at his list of potential future opponents and forming an opinion on who he would like to meet in the octagon.

The names emerging as the next contender for Jones’ title are Lyoto Machida, Dan Henderson and Alexander Gustafsson. If a superfight does not come to fruition, Jones has his own thoughts on who he would like to face next.

“I’ve fought Lyoto Machida before,” said Jones, after his UFC 159 bout. “I fight for the people that support me, but I also fight to prove critics wrong. A lot of people believe that I have been successful because I appear to be larger than my opponents. And with Alexander Gustafsson that would be no more. So fighting Alexander Gustafsson — a guy who is 6’6″ or 6′.5 pretty long arms himself, long legs — I think that would be a great thing and that is who I’d love to fight next.”

To be fair to Machida, he was giving Jones one of the toughest tests he has ever had in the octagon before getting caught and being put to sleep.

If Machida is passed up and the fight doesn’t go to Anderson Silva in the fight that everyone wants to see, then Gustafsson would be an excellent opponent. He has the odd reach and range that Jones has, so for the first time in his career his distance would not be the story.

That said, Gustafsson still needs some work before he is ready to challenge Jones. The only interesting fight for Jones at the moment will be Silva. Let’s make it happen.