Maurico ?Shogun? Rua vs. Brandon Vera is the new main event for UFC on Fox 4

A shoulder injury to Brian Stann forced big changes for the UFC's next event on Fox. Now, instead of Stann facing former Bellator champ Hector Lombard, the main event will feature a light heavyweight match-up. Former champion Maurico "Shogun" Rua will take on Brandon Vera on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles.

Rua was supposed to fight Thiago Silva in July, but that bout was scrapped because of an injury to Silva. Vera was training for a fight with James Te Huna earlier in July, but Te Huna now needs a new opponent.

Lombard is opponentless. With the UFC so packed with fights over the summer, there aren't many healthy middleweights available to take on Lombard in his UFC debut. The UFC just had to juggle middleweights around to handle Vitor Belfort's injury and removal from the UFC 147 main event.

Who should Lombard face? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter.

UPDATE: Lombard will fight Tim Boetsch, who was available because Michael Bisping had to pull out of their UFC 149 bout with an injury. Lombard/Boetsch will take place at UFC 149.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/maurico-shogun-rua-vs-brandon-vera-main-event-025344218.html

Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague

Brett Rogers signs with Bellator after losing streak and assault arrest

Brett Rogers started his career with 10 wins, and followed it with four losses, one win, a no contest, an assault arrest stemming from a domestic abuse incident and a jail sentence of 60 days. Now, he's looking to start over again by signing with Bellator.

"Over the past year I have been challenged in my personal life, but all is now good in the Rogers family," Rogers said via a Bellator press release. "Everyone makes mistakes in life but it's how you recover that really counts. I spend every day with my wife and kids and enjoy every minute of it. Fighting is my job and I love it, but I also love my family and that's why I made things right before returning to the cage. All I can say is get ready for a new and improved Brett Rogers."

Rogers' last win came in October of 2010 over Ruben Villareal. After that, he dropped bouts to Josh Barnett and Eddie Sanchez. The no-contest comes from a February bout. He also has losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem, and his biggest win came over Andrei Arlovski in June of 2009.

He will debut at Bellator 71 on June 22. An opponent has not been named.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/brett-rogers-signs-bellator-losing-streak-assault-arrest-204329657.html

Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe

We want your UFC 148 picks

We've talked about this fight for nearly two years. The build-up for Chael Sonnen's bout with middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been bigger than for any fight that I can remember. Now, it's almost here, and it's time for you to pick a side.

Pick who you think will the main event and all of the other bouts from the main card of UFC 148:

Champ Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (for middleweight title)
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
Patrick Cote vs. Cung Le
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie
Mike Easton vs. Ivan Menjivar

Then head to Cagewriter's Facebook page, and tell us who you picked and why you picked them. Select answers will appear on Cagewriter next to picks from Kevin Iole and me.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/want-ufc-148-picks-172203579--mma.html

Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè 

Maurico ?Shogun? Rua vs. Brandon Vera is the new main event for UFC on Fox 4

A shoulder injury to Brian Stann forced big changes for the UFC's next event on Fox. Now, instead of Stann facing former Bellator champ Hector Lombard, the main event will feature a light heavyweight match-up. Former champion Maurico "Shogun" Rua will take on Brandon Vera on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles.

Rua was supposed to fight Thiago Silva in July, but that bout was scrapped because of an injury to Silva. Vera was training for a fight with James Te Huna earlier in July, but Te Huna now needs a new opponent.

Lombard is opponentless. With the UFC so packed with fights over the summer, there aren't many healthy middleweights available to take on Lombard in his UFC debut. The UFC just had to juggle middleweights around to handle Vitor Belfort's injury and removal from the UFC 147 main event.

Who should Lombard face? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter.

UPDATE: Lombard will fight Tim Boetsch, who was available because Michael Bisping had to pull out of their UFC 149 bout with an injury. Lombard/Boetsch will take place at UFC 149.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/maurico-shogun-rua-vs-brandon-vera-main-event-025344218.html

Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen 

Fabricio Werdum snaps Mike Russow?s win streak at UFC 147

Fabricio Werdum made his case to join the crowded top of the UFC's heavyweight division with a knockout of Mike Russow at UFC 147 in Brazil on Saturday night.

Werdum bloodied Russow's face early in the clinch. He leveled Russow with an uppercut, then followed with several punches and hammerfists until the fight was stopped at 2:28 in the first round.

As the crowd chanted his nickname, "Vai Cavalo," Werdum jumped on top of the cage to celebrate and nearly fell off. Once he recovered, Werdum asked for a title shot against Junior dos Santos.

"I respect 'Cigano,' but I'm ready for him," Werdum said after the bout.

Werdum was knocked out by dos Santos when they fought in 2008. Since then, Werdum moved to Strikeforce, where he beat Fedor Emelianenko, but lost to Alistair Overeem. He now has two wins back in the UFC.

This is Russow's first loss since he was submitted by Sergei Kharitonov in 2007.

Related UFC 147 coverage from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/fabricio-werdum-snaps-mike-russow-win-streak-ufc-025722136--mma.html

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

NCAA champion wrestler Anthony Robles on MMA and his next challenges

Anthony Robles is used to overcoming challenges. The man was born with one leg, and still won a Division I NCAA wrestling championship. It's not surprising to hear that the challenge of MMA holds interest for the Arizona State grad and motivational speaker.

"It's a possibility. Right now, I'm focused on my speaking career, but when I'm in Arizona, I'm wrestling and I'm learning jiu-jitsu," Robles told Cagewriter. "I'm having fun with it. I would always get the fight question when I wrestled in college, I would say, well, if they ever make a 125-pound weight class in MMA, I'd be there. They just made it."

The UFC's recent addition of flyweights opens the door for Robles, but in the meantime, he has plenty on his plate. He is working on a book, movie rights and this week, he's in New York with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a group that supports the endeavors of physically challenged athletes. He likes getting to meet other athletes like him because of the way they see each other.

"To ourselves, we're not disabled. We're not handicapped. We're just out there doing the best with what we have, and we're going to do everything we can to beat whoever comes across our paths. Just to be in the same room as these other competitors now, they get that mindset. We have that bond, of us showing the world what we're capable of."

[Related: Kevin Iole: UFC returns 'The Ultimate Fighter' to a taped format in hopes of ratings boost]

"We are honored to feature Anthony Robles at our 2012 Celebration of Heroes, Heart and Hope," said Virginia Tinley, the executive director of CAF. "His ability to overcome the odds, and his incredible achievements, make him a role model for both challenged athletes and able-bodied athletes alike. His success serves as an inspiring example that there are no limits to what the next generation of challenged athletes can accomplish, and CAF is proud to provide the support that will allow them to pursue their dreams."

The Celebration of Heroes, Heart and Hope took place in New York on Wednesday evening. In addition to Robles, the event featured challenged athletes Haven Shepherd, U.S. Army Major Daniel Gade and honored Third Point CEO Daniel Loeb.

Check out Elite Athlete Workouts from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ncaa-champion-wrestler-anthony-robles-mma-next-challenges-014312671--mma.html

Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè 

MMA shirt at the center of assault trial

A shirt "popular with MMA fans" set off a fight in Illinois that left a man blind and paralyzed. No, for real.

Anna Minette, a friend of the victim Eric Bartels, pointed out a spot on the shirt of Joe Messina, the man charged with assault. Messina responded it was just blood, and here's where it got ugly.

Minette testified that she and Bartels both thought "that's odd" and Bartels told Messina "he should take care of that."

The comment sent Messina into a rage, she testified. "He kind of just (started) yelling," she said. "'It's going to be your blood.'"

Bartels and Minette were moving away when she heard "a loud crack" behind her and turned to see Bartels sprawled out on the pavement, with "blood pooling around his head," she testified.

Bartels survived the attack but is now blind and paralyzed.

Cagewriter has made many, many jokes about MMA apparel. Some of the shirts are truly appalling, but never a reason for violence.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/mma-shirt-center-assault-trial-122441805--mma.html

José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez