Picture of the day: Chad Ochocinco vs. Miguel Torres

On the same day he was urinated on by a lion, New England Patriots receiver Chad Ochocinco faced off with UFC bantamweight Miguel Torres

Torres tweeted he wants the UFC to make this fight pronto, or at least after Torres fights Michael McDonald at UFC 145.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/picture-day-chad-ochocinco-vs-miguel-torres-145019541.html

Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana 

Ranking with class: Cagewriter ranks MMA?s weight classes

The UFC recently added flyweights to their line-up, but where does this tiny new weight class stack up against its counterparts? Using MMA Weekly's rankings as a guide, Cagewriter ranked MMA's weight classes.

1. Lightweight: As soon as Benson Henderson won the UFC lightweight belt, questions about who he would fight next popped up. There were plenty of qualified options. Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis, Jim Miller, and Nate Diaz all show how strong this division is. Take a look outside the UFC, and you have Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez, Bellator champ Michael Chandler and the man he beat, Eddie Alvarez.

2. Heavyweight: A few years ago, I would have put this division at the bottom of the list, but in recent years, stars like Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez have emerged. Alistair Overeem bulked up and went to the UFC and the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix showed the strengths of heavyweights. Even with Brock Lesnar retired and Fedor Emelianenko fighting whoever he can, it's a strong division.

3. Light heavyweight: Jon Jones is at the top of a weight class that includes seven men who have held Strikeforce or UFC belts. Throw in younger fighters with tons of potential, like Phil Davis and Alexander Gustaffson, and you've got one heck of a division.

4. Middleweight: Anderson Silva's reign at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings helped power the 185ers to the top half of the list. What else helped? Chael Sonnen and his near-defeat of Silva, the way Vitor Belfort rebounded from his loss to Silva, and the strength of Mark Munoz and Michael Bisping, who are waiting in the wings for the next title shot.

5. Featherweight: Jose Aldo is really, really, really good, and the rest of the division is trying to keep up. Pat Curran and Joe Warren from Bellator strengthen the division. If Frankie Edgar decides to drop down after his fight with Benson Henderson, the division jumps a few notches.

6. Welterweight: The problem with the welterweights is that Georges St. Pierre is so good and also so injured, so it's hard to tell how much better he is than his counterparts when he hasn't fought since April of 2011. Nick Diaz's retirement/suspension and his inability to rematch with Carlos Condit doesn't help, either.

7. Bantamweight: At the top, you have current UFC champ Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber, who will fight for the third time this summer. Then, you have several fighters who have lost to Faber and Cruz. Renan Barao or Michael McDonald have a shot at unseating Cruz or Faber, but they're not enough to make a strong division.

8. Flyweight: I love the way flyweights fight. If you watched last Friday's UFC on FX 2, you probably do, too. They're fast and have cardio for days. But as far as depth? It's still to be seen. Yasuhiro Urushitani, won of the best flyweights to come from Japan, was easily beaten by Joseph Benavidez. They will stay at the bottom of the pack until they're built up.

You don't agree? You want to make some tweaks? Do it in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ranking-class-cagewriter-ranks-mma-weight-classes-220858580.html

Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo 

?The Ultimate Fighter: Live? premieres with 16 one-round fights

"The Ultimate Fighter," the reality show that helped jumpstart the UFC's success, began a new chapter on Friday night as it switched both channels and format. For the first time, fights were shown live and on FX.

Though fights on TUF were previously two rounds with a sudden-death round when needed, the fights to get on the show were just one round. Fighters who needed time to find their rhythm did not fare well, but the ones who managed to win by submission or knockout got a $5,000 bonus. Some highlights from the fights:

-- Sam Sicilia wasted no time making a name for himself, getting the fastest knockout of the day in just eight seconds.

-- After Andy Ogle's win, he jumped onto UFC president Dana White for a full-body hug.

-- Dakota Cochrane, the fighter whose past included acting in gay pornographic movies, did not make the house. He lost a split decision.

-- On the way to losing to Al Iaquinta, Jon Tuck also sustained a broken and disfigured toe.

Complete results:

1. Joe Proctor (8-1), Pembroke, Mass., submitted Jordan Rinaldi (5-1), Matthews, N.C., by guillotine choke at 2:08
2. Cristiano Marcello (13-3), Curitiba,Brazil, submitted Jared Carlsten (3-1), Los Angeles, Calif., at 2:42
3. Sam Sicilia (11-0), Spokane Valley, Wash., knocked out Erin Beach (3-2), San Diego, Calif., at 0:08
4. Chris Tickle (8-4), Bloomington, Ill., knocked out Austin Lyons (9-2), Cordova, Tenn., at 0:44
5. Andy Ogle (9-1), Tynemouth, England,defeated Brendan Weafer (6-4), New York, N.Y., by unanimous decision
6. Vinc Pichel (8-0), Sherman Oaks, Calif., submitted Cody Pfister (7-4), Amarillo, Texas, at 3:39
7. John Cofer (8-1), Hull, Ga., defeated Mark Glover (5-2-1), Liverpool, England, by unanimous decision
8. Chris Saunders (10-2), Long Beach, Calif; defeated Chase Hackett (4-2), Littleton, Colo., by unanimous decision
9. James Vick (5-0), Fort Worth, Texas, defeated Dakota Cochrane (11-3), Omaha, Neb., by split decision
10. Michael Chiesa (8-0), Spokane Valley, Wash., submitted Johnavan Vistante (4-2), Pearl City, Hawaii, at 2:05
11. Mike Rio (9-1), Miami, Fla., submitted Ali Maclean (9-6-1), Belfast, Northern Ireland, at 3:32
12. Justin Lawrence (4-0), Villa Ridge,Mo., knocked out James Krause (14-5), Blue Springs, Mo., at 1:25
13. Daron Cruickshank (10-2), Wayne, Mich.; defeated Drew Dober (8-3), Omaha, Neb., by unanimous decision
14. Jeremy Larsen (9-2), Phoenix, Ariz., defeated Jeff Smith (9-2), Mechanicsburg, Penn., by unanimous decision
15. Al Iaquinta (6-1-1), Wantagh, N.Y., defeated Jon Tuck (6-1), Hagtna, Guam, by unanimous decision
16. Myles Jury (10-0), San Diego, Calif. defeated Akbarh Arreloa (19-7-1), Chula Vista, Calif., by unanimous decision

What did you think of the first night of fights? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ultimate-fighter-live-premieres-16-one-round-fights-172612868.html

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

Dana White?s video blog explains TUF and McCall/Johnson draw

Dana White's latest video blog answers many of your questions about the latest season "The Ultimate Fighter," including how last season's premiere was very different from how the rest of the season will run. You'll also see that the UFC championship belts are sharp.

It also takes you behind the scenes in Australia, including a dissection of the Ian McCall/Demetrious Johnson debacle. The two are expected to rematch at the TUF finale in June. You'll get to see White tell McCall and Johnson separately about the draw.

As always, plenty of NSFW language when White is involved.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dana-white-video-blog-goes-explains-tuf-mccall-135113490.html

Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama  Gilbert Aldana 

James Toney and Ken Shamrock Nearly Fight at a Press Conference - James Toney

James Toney and Ken Shamrock are supposed to fight sometime in the fall of 2011. The two had a short press conference in Van Nuys, California to announce the fight, but started to get physical a little early.

Source: http://mmalice.com/james-toney/james-toney-and-ken-shamrock-nearly-fight-at-a-press-conference-video_184a34575.html

Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo 

Fabio Maldonado vs. Igor Pokrajac on for UFC on FUEL TV 3

A string of injuries has pitted UFC light heavyweights Fabio Maldonado and Igor Pokrajac against one another. It was revealed today that the two men will do battle at the impending UFC on FUEL TV 3 fight card, which is scheduled for this May in Virginia.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/27890/fabio-maldonado-vs-igor-pokrajac-on-for-ufc-on-fuel-tv-3/

Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

First bouldering at Stanage Plantation, Derbyshire, UK

Location: Stanage Plantation Date: Sunday 27 July Sunday shone this weekend. A planned trip to the gym was quickly canned and instead we made a trip out to a new bouldering spot. After a recommendation that Stanage plantation had some good climbing (thanks Jonny!) we checked my bouldering guide book and set out. If you’re reading this wondering [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/PAQVWyt9-Yc/philsheard

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo AlmeidaÂ