UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) is set to meet Gray Maynard for a third time on May 28 in the headliner for UFC 130 in Las Vegas.

It will be a back-to-back meeting for the fighters who fought to a split decision draw on New Years Day at UFC 125. Maynard won their first fight, handing Edgar the only loss of his professional career, back in April 2008 at UFC Fight Night 13.

Speaking to FightHype.com, Edgar talked about how this third meeting with Maynard possessed some mystery to it as each fighter makes changes based on their past two fights.

“It’s a guessing game, you know? He’s going to make the adjustments that he has to make going into the third fight and I’m going to make the adjustments that I have to make. We’re both professional athletes at the top of our games and it’s a little bit of an unknown going into the third fight with him…For the most part, a lot of people knew who I was, but I believe for the casual fan, a lot of people didn’t know who I was. Every fight that you fight, you definitely get more marketable and fighting a guy like BJ Penn on the biggest stage in the UFC helps it so much more.”

Edgar has launched a new website, www.frankieedgar.com, and fans can also follow him on Twitter (@frankieedgar).

UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) is set to meet Gray Maynard for a third time on May 28 in the headliner for UFC 130 in Las Vegas.

It will be a back-to-back meeting for the fighters who fought to a split decision draw on New Years Day at UFC 125. Maynard won their first fight, handing Edgar the only loss of his professional career, back in April 2008 at UFC Fight Night 13.

Speaking to FightHype.com, Edgar talked about how this third meeting with Maynard possessed some mystery to it as each fighter makes changes based on their past two fights.

“It’s a guessing game, you know? He’s going to make the adjustments that he has to make going into the third fight and I’m going to make the adjustments that I have to make. We’re both professional athletes at the top of our games and it’s a little bit of an unknown going into the third fight with him…For the most part, a lot of people knew who I was, but I believe for the casual fan, a lot of people didn’t know who I was. Every fight that you fight, you definitely get more marketable and fighting a guy like BJ Penn on the biggest stage in the UFC helps it so much more.”

Edgar has launched a new website, www.frankieedgar.com, and fans can also follow him on Twitter (@frankieedgar).

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney talks to The Wall Street Journal about why he changed from boxing to mixed martial arts. Rebney also discusses his companies new TV deal with MTV 2, the differences between Bellator and the UFC, as well as some of the challenges for the promotion in the future.

This week the Ultimate Fighting Championship visits the Versus network for the third time with UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampann from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The event is headlined by a welterweight bout between Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann.

Find more information at UFC Fan Club homepage.

UFC 127 headliners BJ Penn and Jon Fitch talk about a potential rematch after their majority draw this past weekend, and whether or not it should be for the UFC welterweight title if current champ Georges St-Pierre moves to middleweight.

HT: Versus.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Welterweight veteran Paul “Semtex” Daley was to have met Japanese DEEP champion Yuya Shirai for the BAMMA 170 lb title Saturday night, but the Brit failed to make weight so instead both fighters met in a non-title match. Daley would make short work of Shirai earning the knockout win at 1:46 of the first round.

Now all that remains to be cleared up is whether “Semtex” will meet Nick Diaz for the Strikeforce title next or not.

14 Welterweights To Vie For A Six-Figure Contract With The UFC®
Premieres Wednesday, March 30 At 9:00 PM ET/PT On Spike TV

Press Release – New York, NY, February 28, 2010 – The 13th season of Spike TV’s popular original series, “The Ultimate Fighter” will feature 14 of the best unsigned mixed martial artists in the welterweight division (170 lbs). competing for a six-figure contract with the preeminent mixed martial organization in the world, The Ultimate Fighting Championship®. The new season premieres Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 9:00 PM ET/PT featuring Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos as coaches, two of the most intriguing figures in the sport of mixed martial arts.

From San Diego, CA to New Orleans, LA, to Dusseldorf, Germany, the 14 fighters have all gathered in Las Vegas with one goal – to become the next “The Ultimate Fighter.” During the ten episode run of the show, under the tutelage of coaches Lesnar and dos Santos, the competitors endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition among the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors must live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.

The two finalists will square off in a live finale on Spike TV Saturday, June 4, where the winner will be declared “The Ultimate Fighter” and net the six-figure contract. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host of the series.

The following are the members of this season’s cast: (full bios available on ultimatefighter.com)

To view the names of all fourteen participants click

Name: Nordin “Fist of Tangier” Asrih
Age: 32
Trains: Dusseldorf, Germany – Pride Gym
MMA record: 16-5-1

Name: Shamar Bailey
Age: 28
Trains: Indianapolis, IN – Integrated Fighting Systems
MMA record: 10-3

Name: Len “The Liger” Bentley
Age: 27
Trains: Olympia, WA – Victory Athletics
MMA record: 9-4-0

Name: Michael “Mick” Bowman
Age: 26
Trains: Liverpool, England – Wolfslair
MMA record: 7-2-0

Name: Keon “The Black Assassin” Caldwell
Age: 26
Trains: Moultrie, GA – Team Reality
MMA record: 8-1

Name: Chris “C-Murder” Cope
Age: 28
Trains: San Diego, CA – Arena MMA
MMA record: 4-1

Name: Zachary Davis
Age: 26
Trains: Rockville, MD – Evolve / Team Lloyd Irvin
MMA record: 4-1-0

Name: Anthony “El Cucuy” Ferguson
Age: 26
Trains: Ventura, CA – Knuckleheadz Boxing
MMA record: 10-2-0

Name: Clay Harvison
Age: 30
Trains: Marietta, GA – X3 Sports
MMA record: 6-1-0

Name: Myles “Fury” Jury
Age: 22
Trains: San Diego, CA – Victory
MMA record: 9-0

Name: Ryan McGillivray
Age: 24
Trains: Edmonton, Alberta Canada – Legends Training Centre
MMA record: 11-4-1

Name: Ramsey Nijem
Age: 22
Trains: Orem, UT – River Academy / The Pit
MMA record: 4-1-0

Name: Charlie “Superstar” Rader
Age: 29
Trains: New Orleans, LA – Power MMA
MMA record: 16-5

Name: Javier “Chunty Boy” Torres
Age: 25
Trains: Las Vegas, NV – Team Tompkins
MMA record: 3-0-0

Extended bios for this year’s cast can be found at ultimatefighter.com. During the season, viewers can also find exclusive extended footage from each episode, an exclusive video leak of the upcoming episode, and five episodes of the popular web series “The Ultimate Fighter: The Aftermath,” hosted by UFC veteran Stephan Bonnar.

BJ Penn checks in with fans after fighting opponent Jon Fitch to a majority draw during the main event of UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia. Penn has enjoyed his time in Australia and thanks all the great fans in that country.

BJ Penn checks in with fans after fighting opponent Jon Fitch to a majority draw during the main event of UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia. Penn has enjoyed his time in Australia and thanks all the great fans in that country.

Former UFC fighter Phil “The New York Bad Ass” Baroni (13-13) has come out on the side of UFC middleweight Michael “The Count” Bisping after the Brits behavior over this past weekend at UFC 127.

Bisping met opponent Jorge Rivera in the co-main event on Saturday night. After some serious trash talk by Rivera and his camp leading up to the fight, “The Count” let it all boil over in the fight. He landed an illegal knee to Rivera’s head in the first, then taunted him and his corner after ending the fight in the second, going so far as to spit in their direction.

Fans and media alike have come out denouncing Bisping’s actions, but Baroni feels everyone should “Get off Bispings CASE.”

Posting on the Underground Forums, Baroni had this to say.

Bisping kicked Rivera’s ass, after a bad blood, bitter rival prefight campain instigated by Rivera and his camp. Why does Mike have to kiss and make up with Rivera after he smashes him? WTF? WHY?

Mike beat his ass broke him physically and even more mentally. Case closed. They had annomisity and hatred for each other prefight.

If you want to talk shit prefight, insult, make videos, ect in order to promote YOURSELF the fight or what ever thats your choice.

But after the guy kicks your ass he dont have to be you be your best friend and hug it out with you. Dont expect it to be water under the bridge esp after a one sided affair.

Mike deserves a congratulations for stopping Rivera, putting him in his place, and beating a good fighter with alot of mommentum.

Mike came to fight and got the victory with ease.

Mike took care of his business and and deserves credit for fighting really good last night.

NYBA

PhilB

Baroni is scheduled to meet Nick Nolte on March 25 in his Titan Fighting Championship debut.