John Dodson runs circles around TJ Dillashaw, takes ?The Ultimate Fighter? bantamweight crown

John Dodson runs circles around TJ Dillashaw, takes ?The Ultimate Fighter? bantamweight crownLAS VEGAS - John Dodson has too much energy to be contained in a cage.

After he knocked T.J. Dillashaw silly, Dodson backflipped off the Octagon, then danced and bounced off the walls.

The tiny bantamweight proved sized doesn't matter when countered with speed and technique at Saturday night's bantamweight finale of "The Ultimate Fighter." Dodson was impossible to hit over the first 90 seconds of the fight and when he drilled Dillashaw with a left to the side of the head he went into hyper-speed to get the finish at the 1:54 mark of the first.

The 5-foot-3 Dodson is the first 135-pound champ in the history of the "The Ultimate Fighter," which rolled out its first season featuring the little guys at bantamweight and featherweight. Dodson was already widely recognized as one of the best 125ers in the world, but he took a gamble in trying out for the field of bigger guys, and came out a huge winner.

"Words cannot describe how I feel right now. Thank you everybody," Dodson told UFC analyst Joe Rogan as much of the Las Vegas crowd at the Palms booed. "I don't care if you hate me, just watch me."

John Dodson runs circles around TJ Dillashaw, takes ?The Ultimate Fighter? bantamweight crown

Dodson emerged from the show as one of the big heels. He talked plenty of trash and even worse, a member of Team "Mayhem" Miller, he served as a spy for Team Michael Bisping.

Dillashaw, who trains out of Urijah Faber's Team Alpha Male in California, was a big favorite before the season started. There are some who believe he's just a tick behind veterans like Faber and another teammate Joe Benavidez, who are both ranked in the top six at bantamweight.

[ Related: More on 'TUF 14 Finale' ]

Dillashaw, a former elite college wrestler, came out in a low stance and tried to establish range with his jab. He looked incredibly slow against the lightning quick Dodson. Dillashaw threw a lazy shot when he got crushed by left punch/arm to the side of his head. He was stunned and stumbled for a second. That's all it took for Dodson to land a short left and drop him.

Dodson flew on top of him and got off three more hammerfists before ref Herb Dean jumped in to save Dillashaw. Dillashaw was going for a leg to try and get the fight under control when Dean stopped it. It may have been a little early to halt the action, but when Dillashaw rose to his feet he wobbled back to the cage.

John Dodson runs circles around TJ Dillashaw, takes ?The Ultimate Fighter? bantamweight crown

Update: Dodson scored the Knockout of the Night bonus good for $40,000.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/John-Dodson-runs-circles-around-TJ-Dillashaw-ta?urn=mma-wp10209

Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

Brittney Palmer Lands Playboy Cover

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Brittany Palmer will be on the cover of the March issue of Playboy.Popular UFC octagon girl Brittney Palmer, who just returned to the fold after a few months away, will appear in the March issue of Playboy, MMA Fighting has learned.

Sources close to Playboy Magazine confirmed the pictorial to Ariel Helwani.

Palmer had last been seen in the UFC at July's UFC 132, but took some time off to move to California and attend art school.

After her sabbatical, in November, UFC president Dana White announced she would be back walking around the cage soon, and she returned at Saturday night's UFC 140.

Palmer will be the third UFC octagon girl to pose in the pages of the famed magazine, following Rachelle Leah and Arianny Celeste.

Palmer is expected to also have the honor of gracing the cover of the March issue.

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/12/10/brittney-palmer-ufc-octagon-girl-to-pose-for-march-issue-of-pl/

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

Jones happy he?s fighting ?respectful? Machida, but still says he?s solved his opponent?s riddle

Jones happy he?s fighting ?respectful? Machida, but still says he?s solved his opponent?s riddle

Jon Jones is getting be himself again. He doesn't need to engage in a match of verbal warfare at UFC 140, but he was still able to get off a few shots at Lyoto Machida, his opponent this Saturday.

Jones talked about getting "clowned" by Quinton Jackson well before UFC 135. He has no such issue with Machida, a man of few words.

"I respect him a lot, probably more than half the people in the UFC. Just because of the person he is," Jones told the media during yesterday's UFC 140 workout day.

Jones isn't having to amp himself up for a prefight.

"It is nice to have this fight. No one's talking junk. Everyone's being respectful to each other. Everybody's focused on why we should really be here," Jones said. "Well, as a fan it's great to here some smash talk, but as a fighter I'm here only to show my tactics. That's why he's here and that's what's going to make this such an awesome fight."

That said, Jones is an extremely confident kid and couldn't help himself from sounding borderline cocky when speaking about his versatility versus Machida's.

"It's interesting because everyone keeps asking me, 'how are you going to solve Lyoto Machida's puzzle?' But it's been solved already. I have blueprints," Jones said. "I really think I have more technique than he does, more skills, more tools. I can fight southpaw and do the same exact techniques and combos that I can do in an orthodox stance. That's something that he can't do."

Machida, once labeled as unbeatable when he destroyed Rashad Evans at UFC 98. The Brazilian was nearly impossible to hit at the start of his career. In recent fights, he's chosen to stay in the pocket more.

"When he started, he was way more elusive," Jones said. "Now, he engages a lot more. He likes to fight a little bit more. Maybe he gave into criticism a little bit. A lot of people said, 'Oh, he's boring.' Or maybe he just believed he needed to change his style, who knows?"

That may lead to Machida's demise on Saturday night or it may be his only path to victory against the very long and elusive Jones. Is there really any point to Machida trying to control the distance? If he tries, he may never hit Jones.

Machida is a huge underdog in this spot. His karate-style of striking is unique and it certainly gives him a chance to be the first to solve the Jones' riddle. Machida comes in as a plus-380 dog.

You can watch UFC 140 right here on Yahoo! Sports.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Jones-happy-he-s-fighting-respectful-Machida-?urn=mma-wp10440

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

?TUF 14? title means Diego Brandao can fight with peace of mind and give his Brazilian mother a new life

?TUF 14? title means Diego Brandao can fight with peace of mind and give his Brazilian mother a new life

Diego Brandao was fighting with a lot on his mind on Saturday night. The 24-year-old Brazilian knew a win at the Season 14 "Ultimate Fighter Finale" could change his mother's life.

Brandao scored a comeback victory of sorts with a surprising armbar to grab the TUF 14 featherweight title and guaranteed contract with the UFC.  He also earned an extra $80,000 for Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night. Now he can take care of his 43-year-old mother back in his hometown Manaus.

"My mission is over. I've been here for three years trying to get a better life for my family," Brandao said during the TUF 14 postfight press conference. "She doesn't know what's going on now. I hope she doesn't have a heart attack. I'm going to go slow (in telling her)."

Brandao said his mother rents a one room apartment and that she often has no food to eat. He will offer a chance to move to the U.S. with him or buy her a house in Manaus. To make ends meet, she cleans houses. Brandao wants to free her from that.

Training out of Albuquerque's Jackson's MMA, Brandao said the UFC contract and extra money will help his career too.

"I'm going to take care of myself from here. I'm going to be a better fighter too," Brandao said. "Sometimes when I've been training I've been thinking of (what's going on back in) Brazil, about the food problem down there. Now I'm going to be focused."

Brandao looks like a great prospect at featherweight. His overall record is a deceiving 14-7. He fought 11 times before the age of 21. With improved stamina and game-planning under the coaching of Greg Jackson, the kid has a chance to be a big star. He hits like a Mack truck.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/-TUF-14-title-means-Diego-Brandao-can-fight-wit?urn=mma-wp10246

Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè 

Sonnen watching TUF main event closely, is he set to face the ?Mayhem?-Bisping winner?

The long-rumored Mark Munoz-Chael Sonnen tilt still hasn't been announced, so it's starting to look like a back-up plan at best.

Speaking just before the World MMA Awards show, Sonnen makes it pretty obvious, in this short video with FightHub.tv, that he's awaiting the result of the Michael Bisping-Jason Miller fight (0:32 mark) on Saturday at the Season 14 "Ultimate Fighter" Finale.

If Bisping gets by Miller and comes away healthy, Jan. 28 seems like a quick turnaround, but the Brit would have to be interested in the fight.

Who would you like to see Sonnen fight the most - Bisping, Miller or Munoz?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Sonnen-watching-TUF-main-event-closely-is-he-se?urn=mma-wp10084

José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez

UFC 140 Video: Chan Sung Jung Reflects on Record Tying Knockout

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TORONTO -- Watch below as Chan Sung Jung discusses his big knockout win over Mark Hominick, how it all went down, what's next, and what this win means for Korean MMA.

 

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/12/11/ufc-140-video-chan-sung-jung-reflects-on-record-tying-knockout/

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

Ambush Your Friend With a Trip To Woodward

Give your friend a chance to win a trip to Woodward (east or west) in Deluxe's Ambush Your Friend With a Trip To Woodward contest. All you have to do is go to the Deluxe Facebook page and tell us in 50 words or less why your friend should win the trip to Camp Woodward for a week. Then this Saturday at the Ambush Demo one of the Pros will pick a winner.

Ambush your friends at Westchester

Source: http://theskateboardmag.com/blogs/templeton-elliott/2011/12/08/ambush-your-friend-with-a-trip-to-woodward/

Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague