Long national nightmare is over: Lesnar vs. Overeem on for UFC 141

Any worries about the main event for UFC 141 were quelled by a tweet from UFC president Dana White.

Long national nightmare is over: Lesnar vs. Overeem on for UFC 141

Alistair Overeem was granted a conditional license for his bout with Brock Lesnar in Las Vegas after the Nevada Athletic Commission was unhappy with Overeem not taking pre-fight drug tests to their satisfaction. He had to take another test, but now that he has passed it, next week's fight is on.

Overeem started his training for Lesnar in Las Vegas, but moved back to his native Holland when his mother's cancer became a concern. He said during Monday's press call that there have been distractions, but he knows how to deal with them.

"It was a distraction but, I've been through a lot in my career. I have like 65, 70 fights," Overeem said. "So you learn how to deal with distractions, setbacks. I mean I'm a three-time champion and I've been through a lot, so it's all about adaptation. I'm pretty good at that I think."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Long-national-nightmare-is-over-Lesnar-vs-Over?urn=mma-wp10957

Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah 

UFC 141 Prelims to Stream on Facebook

The untelevised UFC 141 prelims will stream live on Facebook on December 30 ahead of the event's prelims special on Spike TV and pay-per-view main card, which is headlined by heavyweight contenders Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. The Facebook UFC 141 prelims are topped by Dong Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson.

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/26935/ufc-141-prelims-to-stream-on-facebook/

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

MMA posters from Japan: Fedor fight card competes with UFC Japan

MMA posters from Japan: Fedor fight card competes with UFC Japan

MMA posters from Japan: Fedor fight card competes with UFC Japan

In 2011, is it proper anymore to ask which card you're more excited to see?

Is it only hardcore UFC haters who'll say DREAM's 2011 card is better than UFC 144?

Above are the competing posters. Below is DREAM's attempt at getting people fired up for its card headlined by the Fedor Emelianenko fight against Satoshi Ishii.

Personally, I'm stoked to see the fight. What does Fedor have left and is Ishii ready to compete against the top level of MMA just six fights into his MMA career?

Tip via Bloody Elbow

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/MMA-posters-from-Japan-Fedor-fight-card-compete?urn=mma-wp10820

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

Rashad Evans used Penn State child abuse in trash talk

Rashad Evans used Penn State child abuse in trash talkCHICAGO -- At Wednesday's UFC on Fox 2 press conference, light heavyweight contender got into a war of words with his opponent, Phil Davis. When a fan asked if Evans would be more likely to grind out a war or get the knockout, Evans answered:

"I prefer to bring the knockout because Phil, he needs to get knocked out."

"Glad you mention that cause one of your buddies, Jon Jones, said you don't have much of a chin," Davis, an alumnus of Penn State University, replied.

"I guarantee you'll be the first one to take a shot cause I'm going to put my hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State," Evans said.

It's not even worth debating if this was funny or not, or over the line or not. Funny or not funny is not the point. It was shocking, and too often people mistake shock and offense for humor, but that's not the point.

Because it doesn't matter if I'm offended, or if Fox executives are offended, or if MMA fans are offended. This isn't about us. It's about victims who are reminded of their trauma every time someone brings it up. It's about parents of victims trying to shield their children from the avalanche of news about a high profile alleged abuser, and not being able to even take refuge in a sport that has nothing to do with Penn State football.

Those victims deserve better than being the the punch line in pre-fight trash talk.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Rashad-Evans-used-Penn-State-child-abuse-in-tras?urn=mma-wp10429

Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo 

Start your day with ESPN making bad jokes about Jon Jones

Jon Jones stopped by ESPN's campus in Bristol, Conn. on Tuesday, dropping in at Sportscenter, Sportsnation, and other ESPN shows. He also sat with someone wearing a Pittsburgh batting helmet and a catcher's chest protector who told bad jokes. Stay tuned to the end to hear Jones get one little needle in at Rashad Evans.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Start-your-day-with-ESPN-making-bad-jokes-about-?urn=mma-wp10772

José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez

UFC 143 nightmare: St-Pierre injures his knee, Diaz and Condit to battle for interim title

UFC president Dana White and company got the bad news this afternoon: Georges St-Pierre is sidelined for an extended period of time and will miss UFC 143 in early February.

According to White twitter account, the UFC's welterweight champ suffered a knee injury.

UFC 143 nightmare: St-Pierre injures his knee, Diaz and Condit to battle for interim title

Nick Diaz, originally scheduled to face GSP, will now battle Carlos Condit for a 170-pound interim title belt.

Apparently, one fan doesn't understand what an "interim title" fight means and lashed out at White. The UFC president handled it about the best way you can when you're engaged by an idiot.

UFC 143 nightmare: St-Pierre injures his knee, Diaz and Condit to battle for interim title

Why an interim belt? By the time St-Pierre returns at the end of 2012, he'll have been sidelined for over 21 months. It's unknown whether Condit's original opponent at UFC 143, Josh Koscheck will remain on the card.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-143-nightmare-St-Pierre-injures-his-knee-D?urn=mma-wp10387

Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah 

Dana White talks after UFC 137 "I Will Never Trust Nick Diaz Again" - Dana White

Nick Diaz was a no-show at the UFC 137 press conference in Las Vegas - just like he was a no-show at the press conference in Toronto the day before. Dana White decided enough is enough and axed him from the card, giving Carlos Condit the title shot in his place. In this interview with MMA:30's Dave Farra; Dana White talks about the trust lost, why he thinks he'll never heard from Diaz again, and touches on Overreem vs. Lesnar and the UFC's return to Japan. See more videos at MMA30.com

Source: http://mmalice.com/dana-white/dana-white-talks-after-ufc-137-i-will-never-trust-nick-diaz-again-video_43e266c70.html

Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger 

The UFC, coming to an online slot machine near you

The UFC, coming to an online slot machine near you

The UFC is inextricably linked to gambling. Owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta also own Station Casinos, and several of the promotions biggest events took place in Las Vegas casinos. Soon, you'll be able to see fighters as you gamble your millions away on online slot machines.

SportsBusiness Journal reports that the UFC struck a deal with Endemol, a company that creates online slot machines. Though the deal will only be in the United Kingdom to start, they're hoping to expand to more places where online gaming is legal.

"Everybody wants to make money, but even more important than that, this is a great extension of our brand," Lawrence Epstein, UFC executive vice president said.

I can't wait to see how this turns out. If you hit the jackpot, does Dana White come on to congratulate you? If you bet conservatively, does he ask, "Do you want to be a [expletive] fighter?" When you bust, does an Anderson Silva punch come at your monitor?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/The-UFC-coming-to-an-online-slot-machine-near-y?urn=mma-wp10721

Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè 

UFC 140: Yahoo! Sports and Heavy present Fight Day Live

UFC 140: Yahoo! Sports and Heavy present Fight Day Live

The UFC's only official pre-fight show returns when Fight Day comes to you live from the Air Canada Centre, the host of Saturday's UFC 140 event. H

Hosts Dave Farra and Megan Olivi will guide you through the latest news of the week. Top UFC lightweight contender Ben Henderson joins the show to discuss his February title fight against Frankie Edgar, and top MMA journalists from around the world join the show to help break down the entire event. Tune in to Fight Day at 5 p.m. ET!

You can watch UFC 140 right here on Yahoo! Sports

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/UFC-140-Yahoo-Sports-and-Heavy-present-Fight-D?urn=mma-wp10522

Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe