Weekly News Updates



Ex-Lightweight Champ Sean Sherk to Return at UFC 119 Against Evan Dunham
July 7, 2010 at 10:39 PM

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After more than a year layoff, Sean Sherk will return to action at UFC 119 against Evan Dunham.

MMA Junkie first reported the news on Wednesday, and MMA Fighting has confirmed from a source close to Sherk's camp that the former UFC lightweight champion will be back on the Indianapolis card on Sept. 25.

Sherk (33-4-1, 7-4 UFC) last fought at UFC 98 in May 2009, where he lost a unanimous decision to future champion Frankie Edgar. Following the fight, in an odd turn of events, Sherk ran from the MGM Grand Garden Arena and was tracked down nearly a mile away, still needing to submit his post-fight urinalysis.

And then the injury bug hit him. Repeatedly.


WEC 50 Fight Card: Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez
July 7, 2010 at 7:42 PM

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The WEC 50 fight card will be headlined by Dominick Cruz's WEC bantamweight title defense against Joseph Benavidez on Aug. 18 at the Pearl in Las Vegas.

The two previously met one year ago at WEC 42 and the fight resulted in Cruz delivering Benavidez the only loss of his career.

Also, Benavidez's Alpha Male team captain, Urijah Faber, makes his bantamweight debut against contender Takeya Mizugaki.

The WEC 50 fight card is below.


Shane Carwin: No Regrets, No Blaming Ref, Just Work Towards Rematch
July 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM

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You would probably understand if Shane Carwin had some regrets about his UFC 116 title match loss to Brock Lesnar. After all, he was so close to victory. One big punch here or one little tweak there might have made all the difference. He might still be undefeated, with 14 straight first-round finishes and the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship belt in his possession.

But that's not the type of fighter Carwin is, not the type of man he is. In his mind, there's nothing to regret since he followed his gut. When Carwin had Lesnar in trouble, he went for the finish. And though the energy expenditure ultimately factored into the physical problem that made him vulnerable for Lesnar's second-round comeback, Carwin said there's no second-guessing his aggressive attitude.

"That's me, it's instinctually who I am," Carwin told MMA Fighting. "I get somebody wounded and I go in for the kill. That's how I fight. I don't know if there's anything that changes that. I don't know if I want to change that. I think it's an exciting style, and it's who I am as a person. I don't have any regrets with what happened, but I do have things to work on and figure out. Now it's time to move forward."


Another UFC Interim Title? Thanks, But No Thanks
July 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM

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Well, that didn't take long. With the recent news that UFC light heavyweight champ "Shogun" Rua will likely be out until March of 2011, already the calls are coming for the UFC to create another interim title belt for the healthy 205-pounders to fight over in the meantime.

As if fans haven't had enough of "fake" titles lately. As if any fight becomes instantly more important as soon as there's some chunk of hardware at stake.

The latest MMA figure to ask for an interim title fight is manager Ed Soares, who suggested this week that while Rua heals up from knee surgery, Lyoto Machida should fight Rashad Evans for the interim belt, with the winner to take on Rua once he's ready to return to action.


Full UFC 116 Fighter Salaries
July 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM

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The Nevada athletic commission recently released the UFC 116 payroll for not just the four headliners, but for the entire roster competing on the card.

The disclosed salaries are below, but as always, they are not complete as fighters have other sources of income including sponsorships and locker room bonuses, that are reported to the IRS, but not the media. That night specifically, which UFC president Dana White called the "greatest night of fights I've ever seen," should have an even wider discrepancy than usual.

"We're writing some [expletive] checks tonight. We're writing checks - more than what you heard here tonight," White told reporters following the event. "Guys are going to get very well taken care of tonight."


Ken Shamrock Apologizes for Suggesting Fans Want Steroids
July 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM

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UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock said last month that he has used steroids in part because the fans want to see bigger, stronger, faster fighters. But now Shamrock has apologized for suggesting that the fans are to blame for steroid use, saying it's ultimately up to athletes to make the right decisions about what they put into their bodies.


Rubber Match Not Likely in Bonnar-Soszynski Rivalry Anytime Soon
July 7, 2010 at 1:40 PM

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Stephan Bonnar's spent much of the last three years in search of a win, and much of the last year focusing on one man: Krzysztof Soszynski.

After splitting two fights with Soszynski in the last five months, though, it appears that a rubber match to their series is not likely to happen in the near future, according to UFC president Dana White.

"Anything can happen, but not right now I wouldn't say that," he said. "I don't think there's any doubt Stephan won the fight. Stephan clearly won the fight. It was a fun, entertaining, exciting fight, but when isn't Stephan Bonnar fun and entertaining?"


Strikeforce Champion's Clause an Issue in Fedor Talks
July 7, 2010 at 1:40 PM

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Despite M-1 Global's claims that there's nothing left to negotiate before the third and final fight on Fedor Emelianenko's contract with Strikeforce, Strikeforce says at least one issue does need to be negotiated: A champion's clause in the contract that would prevent Fedor from leaving to fight in another promotion if he becomes the Strikeforce champion.

M-1 Global says it wants Fedor's next fight to be a rematch with Fabricio Werdum, who beat Fedor on June 26. But Strikeforce CEO Scott CokerAlistair Overeem, and Strikeforce spokesman Mike Afromowitz told MMAFighting.com that a champion's clause is going to be negotiated. has said that his preferred option for Fedor's next fight is a bout with Strikeforce heavyweight champion


MMA Roundtable: Brock Lesnar's Victory, What's Next for Fedor and More
July 7, 2010 at 10:54 AM

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With UFC 116 in the books and a bit of a summer lull coming up until the MMA calendar kicks into high gear again in August, now seemed like as good a time as any for MMA Fighting's Michael David Smith and I to roll up our sleeves, look each other in the eye and see if we can't find some answers to some of MMA's most pressing questions.

The rolling up the sleeves and the looking each other in the eye stuff was all figurative, but you get the idea.

Below, check out our discussion on everything from the future of Fedor Emelianenko, the chances for another UFC fall curse, and more. I promise it will change your life, even if it's only in tiny, imperceptible ways that never become clear.


Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez Won't Happen at UFC 119
July 7, 2010 at 10:54 AM

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Brock LesnarUFC 119, the organization's first event in Indianapolis, IN, is still without a main event, and considering Brock LesnarCain Velasquez, could occur as soon as September. walked away from Saturday night's title defense relatively healthy, many were pushing the idea that his next title defense against

However, UFC president Dana White squashed those rumors Tuesday.

"Reports that Brock is fighting in Indy Sept. 25 are false," White wrote via text to MMA Fighting.