Randy Couture remembers the path his life was supposed to follow. He would put his foreign language and literature degree to good use as a high school teacher, and his background as an All-American wrestler to work as a coach.

Those were the days before mixed martial arts, back when something called the “Ultimate Fighting Championship” was only beginning to give birth to an entirely new sport. The former NCAA runner-up at Oklahoma State was content trying out for the Olympics, helping young wrestlers in high school and college, and scraping together enough money for a decent living.

As school wrestling programs are put on chopping blocks across the country, either to reach Title IX compliance or save a few bucks in a down economy, mixed martial arts is providing the centuries-old sport some salvation. Kids interested in professional fighting without access to trainers or gyms are giving it a lift – simply by walking into wrestling rooms again.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 355,000 high schoolers competed on 9,772 teams during the sport’s high-water mark in 1977, back when Dan Gable was an Olympic hero and the United States was a force on the international scene.

By 1995, more than 1,200 of those programs had been cut and participation was at 217,000.

For Complete Article by Dave Skretta, theTandD.com

Welcome back to another ediition of “MMA Link Club”, Five Ounces of Pain‘s weekly smorgasbord of offerings from our brothers and sisters in the MMA community. Enjoy…

Brock Lesnar Talks TUF 13 (MMAFighting.com)

Catch Up with “The Dean of Mean” (CagePotato.com)

Eleven Fights Make the Cut for UFC’s Next Appearance on Versus (Versus.com)

More than 40,000 Tickets Expected for UFC 129 (HeavyMMA.com)

FIGHT! Magazine Profiles Cain Velasquez (FIGHT! Magazine)

Pat Barry Discusses his Fight Night 23 Win (MMAScraps.com)

Join Tim Sylvia on a Ride Along (MMAConvert.com)

Mike Guymon Retires from MMA (MiddleEasy.com)

Similar Posts:

• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club

Welcome back to another ediition of “MMA Link Club”, Five Ounces of Pain‘s weekly smorgasbord of offerings from our brothers and sisters in the MMA community. Enjoy…

Scott Coker Still Expecting Gina Carano to Fight Again (MMAFighting.com)

Anthony Pettis Receiving Honor from City of Milwaukee (HeavyMMA.com)

Jacob Volkmann Put on Administrative Leave After Comments About President Obama (CagePotato.com)

Brock Lesnar, a Dead Deer, and a Snowy Climb (MMAConvert.com)

Heavyweights to Watch in 2011 (Versus.com)

Drew Fickett Signs with MFC (FIGHT! Magazine)

Herschel Walker vs. Don Frye Almost Went Down (MiddleEasy.com)

Turns Out There’s a New MMA Video Game on the Horizon (MMAScraps.com)

UFC Has Spent Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Lobbying in NYC (WatchKalibRun.com)Similar Posts:

• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club

The UFC resolved a number of lingering issues related to the future of their heavyweight division on Tuesday when Dana White announced former divisional title-holder Brock Lesnar and top contender Junior dos Santos would be acting as opposing coaches next season on the Ultimate Fighter. The two are then expected to face each other with the winner earning an opportunity at current champ Cain Velasquez’s belt once he has fully recovered from a torn rotator cuff sidelining him at the moment.

“It’s gonna be a very interesting six weeks of filming,” said White during a conference call with media.

On the subject of the UFC’s selection of Lesnar as a coach, the UFC President explained, “The guy’s a former world champion, he’s beat guys and held the title. No matter what his record is, what the guy has accomplished in the short amount of time that he’s been in MMA is incredible. He’s obviously got a lot that he can teach, and not only him, but the staff that he has around him have a lot to teach young, up and coming guys, and that’s what it’s really all about.”

White also praised “Cigano” for opting to put the shot at Velasquez’s championship he’d already earned up for grabs. “He’s been knocking everybody out, comes off a three round war with “Big Country” (Roy Nelson) and I love when guys do that because it’s good for them, it’s good experience, it gets them in better shape and it takes them to another level. And to put this guy on the shelf for a long time is ridiculous, and much credit to him for not wanting to go on the shelf.”

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 will feature welterweights and is set to air on March 30 with the subsequent clash of coaches expected to occur at some point in June. Lesnar is 5-2 and had won four consecutive bouts before falling to Velasquez at UFC 121. Comparably, dos Santos has a record of 12-1 and is currently riding a streak of seven straight victories.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:

• Junior dos Santos confirms next opponent
• Dos Santos: “I’ll give my best, even a little more than that, to take his belt away and bring it to Brazil on my waist.”
• Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo at UFC 99
• Heavyweights collide: Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve at UFC Fight Night 21
• Report: Frank Mir, Minotauro Nogueira tapped as TUF 8 coaches

Do you think Brock Lesnar is seriously considering retirement from Mixed Martial Arts? Is there any chance Frank Edgar vs. Gray Maynard doesn’t go to decision? What will you remember 2010 for where MMA is concerned? Do you have any resolutions to make related to the sport before the clock strikes midnight?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to the final Grappling with Issues of 2011, the site’s regular weekly feature highlight insight and opinion from myself and Adam Tool. Thanks to all you readers for a great year! We have sincerely enjoyed having the opportunity to entertain and inform you over the past twelve months. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column. Get your takes in one last time before the calendar closes and have a safe, fun-filled New Year’s Eve!

Are you making any MMA-related New Year’s resolutions?

Tool: I resolve to stop writing off fighters before a fight has even happened. There were some pretty big upsets in 2010 and in a few instances I was guilty of assuming that one fighter had no chance when they would then go on to win. I can’t be the only person that picked Frank Edgar to lose to BJ Penn twice. This sport is getting bigger every year and more and more impressive athletes are coming along all the time, so it’s all but impossible to know exactly how good some guys are before they get some more fights under their belt. I won’t stop trying to pick winners before the fights but I’m going to do everything in my power to stop acting like Fighter X has no chance before the fight has even started.

Conlan: I resolve to finally finish that life-sized sculpture of former UFC ring-girl Natasha Wicks that I’ve been attempting to craft from EZ Melt Cheese.

Kidding, kidding…it was actually completed months ago.

On a serious note, I hope/plan to attend at least one live event outside of my home-State in the next twelve months. I’ve only covered a single card beyond the borders of Texas and will make a real effort to repeat the feat in 2011. Big shows feel even bigger when they’re thousands of miles away from your residence, and I’m definitely overdue to experience such a sensation again (as are we all). I also aim to significantly raise Five Ounces’ profile in the next year and look forward to sharing that journey with both my peers on the page and the numerous dedicated readers who have stuck with us through thick and thin.

What do you think 2010 will most be remembered for in terms of Mixed Martial Arts?

Tool: While I will personally remember this as the final year of the WEC, I have a feeling that the MMA community will hold this past twelve months in a different context. For a good number of people I think that this was the year when Fedor Emelianenko’s goodwill with fans disappeared. The never-ending series of contract negotiations that have kept Fedor out of the Strikeforce cage seems to have turned even the most hardcore of fans (you know, the guys that cried when “Shogun” Rua lost to Forrest Griffin) against the former PRIDE champion. We don’t care about M-1 Global’s never-ending grab for power, we just want to see Fedor fight the best fighters in the world. You would think that Scott Coker and his crew would have a bit more leverage now that Fedor has picked up his first legitimate loss, but the fact that there’s no fight for Emelianenko on the horizon should prove that that isn’t the case.

Conlan: Both of Adam’s suggestions are deserving of the distinction. In the interest of simply not repeating his ideas, I’m going to say it will be most-remembered as the year Edgar rose from undersized lightweight to the top 155-pounder in MMA. His performances against B.J. Penn, especially in the rematch, gave testament to his speed, hands, and wrestling combining to make a lethal formula in the ring. A man viewed as destined for featherweight beat a one-time UFC Welterweight Champion…twice. Of course, Maynard could make 2011 the year Edgar fell from his throne less than a day into cracking the calendar open, but as far as picking THE stand-out aspect of 2010 goes I think “The Answer” is, well, the answer.

Other than the title-fight between Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard, what match-up out of the three major “New Year’s Weekend” events holds more of your interest than the remaining lot?

Tool: I’m genuinely interested in the lightweight showdown scheduled to open the UFC 125 PPV, as Takanori Gomi and Clay Guida should make for an intriguing match-up. Gomi hasn’t had much use for his wrestling ability as of late but hopefully he’s drilled his takedown defense in preparation for Guida. Clay’s relentless pace could present problems for the former PRIDE champion but Gomi will have a clear advantage if he can keep this one off the mat. Both fighters are never far from title contention and with the wide-open landscape of a post-Penn lightweight division, either man could be right in the mix with a win this weekend.

Conlan: Though I agree Guida vs. Gomi has “Fight of the Night” potential on par with drunken hook-ups in Las Vegas the night prior to its occurrence, I’m slightly more jazzed about seeing Josh Thomson’s fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri at “Dynamite!! Power of Courage” (though it will have already taken place by the time this column goes up Friday morning). There’s something about the pageantry of a Japanese NYE event that gets the fan in me every time, plus I love the cross-promotional aspect involved. Beyond the environment’s appeal, Kawajiri and Thomson are also talented fighters with exciting styles. They’re solid grapplers, yet aren’t afraid to stand and exchange shots if necessary and often do so to triumphant result.

What kind of decision do you think will be rendered in this weekend’s title fight? Or are you a wide-eyed dreamer who believes that this fight will have a finish?

Conlan: Are you implying that simply because Edgar and Maynard have combined for twelve decision wins in their last thirteen bouts the title-fight might go the distance? Poppycock, good sir!

I actually am one of those folks carrying around a fool’s hope of seeing the UFC 125 main event wrapped up in less than five rounds. Both competitors have the boxing ability to end things, though neither necessary receives a lot of credit for their stand-up based on how talented each is on the grappling front. I think the extra ten minutes could provide enough time for a TKO/submission whereas they only had fifteen to work with in their original encounter. Additionally, Maynard has never been into the “championship rounds”, nor stood on a stage as big as the one he’ll inhabit come New Year’s Day, and both of those factors could also come into play when it comes to balancing his energy or potentially over-thinking situations.

Plus, MMA is unpredictable, and typically when an outcome seems set in stone something like Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander comes into play. Just ask Edgar, who was written off by most as having even a single iota of a chance to beat Penn…and he did it twice.

Tool: I see Brendhan is playing the “MMA is unpredictable” card so I’ll counter with my “we’ve seen enough of both fighters to know where this is going” card.

While both Edgar and Maynard are underrated strikers, neither has shown any real consistent knockout power. Edgar’s footwork and head movement combined with his creative combos is the kind of style designed to score points and until he starts putting guys away regularly (or, you know, at all) then I’m going to assume he’s winning his next fight by decision. Maynard is undoubtedly the stronger fighter but he’s yet to put that power to proper use in his still-developing striking game. I like Maynard’s chances to finish a bit better, but as Brendhan pointed out we’ve yet to see how Gray does in a fight that goes longer than 15 minutes.

I’m envisioning a closely contested fight in which Edgar is the more consistently accurate striker, while Maynard scores crucial takedowns in several rounds. I’m assuming Edgar has drilled his takedown defense like crazy since beating BJ the second time, so if he can stuff enough of Gray’s shots he could take a split decision to win the fight and retain his title. I’m also of the opinion that Edgar may have underestimated Maynard last time in his training, but that’s no chance that he’ll do so this time around.

What do you make of the rumors going around that Brock Lesnar is contemplating retirement from MMA following his loss to Cain Velasquez?

Conlan: I’m not surprised in the least, though until Lesnar or Dana White offer something official on the matter I’ll continue to view the situation as rumor-based and nothing more.

The former UFC champ is an extremely proud individual. I have no doubt he could semi-stomach his loss to Frank Mir because he’d dominated most of the fight prior to being submitted, plus he was green and likely understood the risk of Mir’s BJJ background coming into play. However, Velasquez was not only a wrestler (like Brock) but also relied on his hands more than the ability to tap opponents out. To be thoroughly dominated by an individual who weighed at least twenty pounds less than him in the disciplines he was most familiar with had to be relatively devastating to Lesnar’s ego, and as such it may have delivered a crushing blow to his confidence or interest in potentially being pummeled again.

Tool: Lesnar has drifted from one profession to the next since entering the public eye as a WWE superstar. While he’s always been quick to point out how serious he takes his MMA career, he’s also in the rare position of not really needing to fight. Lesnar has more money than you or I would know what to do with, and his personality has little in common with the persona he presents in public. He tried his hand at MMA and was extremely successful for a brief period of time. Other than avenging the loss to Velasquez what does he have left to prove?

Do you think that DREAM will still be around to participate in a New Year’s Eve show in 2011?

Conlan: My gut tells me no though it’s always possible they could be bailed out of their financial woes by a bigger company, as DREAM has been a solid production with memorable match-ups featuring well-respected athletes. However, they have stiffed a number of fighters in the past which is indicative of their monetary situation as a whole, and in that regard it seems like they’re likely on their last leg as a functional promotion. It’s a shame too, because the style of Japanese MMA they’ve offered is as close to PRIDE as fans could have hoped for, and yet the company hasn’t really caught on in the mainstream after two-and-a-half years of operation.

Tool: Japan’s interest in MMA is hardly enough to support one MMA organization, let alone two. This weekend features two over-stuffed cards from DREAM and Sengoku, but if either company is going to truly prosper in the coming years the other one has to die. Now that the UFC has swelled to add two more divisions they’re going to start aggressively pursuing some of those remaining Japanese hold-outs (Michihiro Omigawa and “Kid” Yamamoto are already signed and scheduled for the preliminary portion of UFC 126). The available talent pool for good Japanese fighters is shrinking, as is the public’s interest in the sport, so I believe that 2011 will see at least one of these two organizations fold.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFCSimilar Posts:

• Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard set for UFC 118
• Grappling with Issues – 9/2/10
• Lightweight title-fight becomes official as all UFC 125 competitors make weight
• Six UFC 125 bouts confirmed for New Year’s Day
• Grappling with Issues – 7/9/10

Top divisional contender Junior dos Santos sat in attendance at UFC 121 this past weekend and watched Cain Velasquez dismantle then-champ Brock Lesnar in four minutes on his way to becoming the UFC’s new heavyweight title-holder. However, rather than dismiss Lesnar’s skills to cheapen the victory or express a hint of intimidation at Velasquez’s showing, the 26-year old described the bout as “beautiful”.

The hard-hitting Brazilian recently spoke to Tatame and offered his take on the championship clash, as well as how he feels about Velasquez as both a peer and future opponent.

“It was a very exciting fight to watch – I was there and it was beautiful to see,” said Dos Santos. “But, in my opinion, (Lesnar) got tired. Velasquez was smart enough and showed superiority…was calm enough to wait for the right moment and chance the picture and win by TKO.”

Dos Santos continued by stating his relative shock at Lesnar’s decision to rush Velasquez rather than set a pace more suited to a title-bout’s structure. “I was surprised, everybody was,” he began. “A title fight usually has a very cautious beginning, it’s a five-round fight, and so you start being careful so that you won’t get tired. I think (Brock) tried to really go for it, he knew that Velasquez’s conditioning was amazing. He did a great beginning, took him down and applied a flying knee, but I think he got tired.”

The 12-1 striker also acknowledged the stiff challenge he’ll face when he squares off against Velasquez in the near future in hopes of winning promotional gold, and went so far as to mention his belief the undefeated Latino is the number one heavyweight in the sport.

“I’ve met Velasquez and congratulated him. He deserves to be known as the number one today.”

However, just because he feels the American Kickboxing Academy star is #1 doesn’t mean he won’t be ready to take his place atop the division when they fight. “…he deserves, but I’ll give my best, even a little more than that, to take his belt away and bring it to Brazil on my waist,” he explained. “I’m coming back to Bahia, I’ll keep (training) and soon, when I know about the fight’s date, I’ll go to the United States to do my camp. I have wrestling guys there to help me…I have to train hard to get this belt.”

Dos Santos will enter his match-up with Velasquez having won his last seven fights including finishing performances against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Fabricio Werdum. He most recently defeated Roy Nelson at UFC 117 in August via unanimous decision.

PHOTO CREDIT – ESPNSimilar Posts:

• Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo at UFC 99
• Heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez looking to remain with the UFC
• Brock Lesnar: Good for Carwin winning that fake belt
• Junior dos Santos wants Cain Velasquez next
• Cain Velasquez to face UFC newcomer Denis Stojnic at UFN 17

Will Miesha Tate do better against Strikeforce champ Marloes Coenen when they face off in a few months than Sarah Kaufman did this past Saturday night? What UFC 120 match-up looks like a lock for “Fight of the Night” Should Josh Thomson have to win another fight before getting a crack at Gilbert Melendez for a third time? Is John Hathaway a superior, undefeated welterweight prospect when compared to Tyron Woodley or is it the other way around?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column.

What’s your preference for Nick Diaz’s next fight: a catch-weight bout with “Mayhem” Miller or another defense of the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship?

Conlan: The choice between the options should be a no-brainer for most in terms of creating both an entertaining and competitive fight. Strikeforce’s 170-pound roster isn’t particularly top-heavy and is stacked would-be contenders like Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, Paul Daley, and Tyron Woodley rather than an established group of highly-touted competitors. While those three, as well as a handful of other Strikeforce welterweights, are unquestionably talented they’re not currently sellable as true adversaries for someone on Diaz’s level. The notion KJ Noons – typically a lightweight with no divisional victories – was given a shot at the Gracie-trained champion’s belt should tell fans all they need to know in terms of Strikeforce’s confidence in their welterweight group.

Matching Stockton’s favorite son with Jason Miller would not only give the afore-mentioned welters an opportunity to further cement their claim to a title-bout, but Strikeforce would also have Miller/Diaz’s name-recognition and personal dislike of one another to use for marketing purposes. It’s one of the few relevant pairings the company can create in terms of attracting mainstream attention, actually making it somewhat crucial that Strikeforce finds a way to make the fight happen as far as their future prospects go. Whether doing so means paying Diaz’s snack-bill for the next five years or hiding some cameras in a backyard, getting the rivals together, and doing things Kimbo-style, Scott Coker’s crew should be trying to intensely negotiate the deal before the opportunity to do so slips away.

Tool: I also have to favor a grudge match with “Mayhem” over a predictable title defense against one of the aforementioned names in the division. Miller is arguably the biggest star on Strikeforce’s roster, but you wouldn’t know that with the way they’ve used him. He should be towards the top of their cards and a fight like this with a built-in storyline is perfect for an upcoming main event. Diaz has made it clear lately that he’s just looking to get paid, so here’s hoping that Coker can fork over the necessary cheddar to make this match happen as each man’s next fight.

BUY/SELL – Josh Thomson should have to win one more fight before earning a third meeting with Gilbert Melendez.

Conlan: This is a “SELL” for me for similar reasons to those mentioned in the above-answer. While Strikeforce has a slightly deeper pool of 155-pounders to work with in comparison to their welterweight division, none have really solidified themselves as being more deserving or must-see than Thomson (who has the rubber-match angle to his advantage as well). For that reason, I have no problem seeing Thomson vs. Melendez III take place in the next few months, but I also don’t think Strikeforce has a lot of say-so in the matter since there aren’t many choices outside of Thomson to work with.

However, I’d have no problem with Thomson facing Lyle Beerbohm or KJ Noons if Melendez was suddenly scheduled to give Shinya Aoki a rematch on Japanese soil or partook in a super-fight with Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez.

In fact, were he healthy, I think a case could be made for Noons getting the nod over “The Punk” in terms of being named top contender to Melendez’s lightweight strap. The well-coiffed Hawaiian-by-way-of-Houston just got done hanging with one of the best welters in the sport for five rounds in a main event and had won six consecutive bouts prior to his hard-fought loss to Diaz, all of which were at a lesser weight. On the other hand, prior to his win over JZ Cavalcante, Thomson had only beaten Pat Healy since last losing to “El Nino” and was close to being finished by the ATT-trained Brazilian in the first round of their epic scrap last weekend.

Tool: I’ve got to go with a “buy” on this one, and my reasons for such have already pretty much been laid out by Brendhan. For one, I’d much rather see Melendez square off with Alvarez before he rematches Aoki or Thomson. There’s also the fact that Noons has a pretty good claim as the number one contender. Granted he did just lose a title fight in a heavier weight class, but that didn’t stop Strikeforce from putting Marloes Coenen into a title bout this past weekend.

I can certainly get behind the idea of Melendez vs. Thomson III, simply on the basis of the outstanding fights these two have given us before. There’s no reason to believe that a third bout wouldn’t follow that tradition, particularly if it’s done at a time when Josh Thomson is 100% healthy. Unfortunately those windows of opportunity seem to be practically microscopic (as “The Punk” was in fact injured going into his fight with Cavalcante), so I guess Strikeforce should probably just put this fight together whenever they have the opportunity to do so.

Give your best guess as to which UFC 120 bout will end up winning “Fight of the Night.”

Conlan: Without a doubt it will be Rob “It’s Already Been” Broughton’s (not his real nickname unfortunately) much-anticipated undercard brawl with Scrabble-friendly opponent Vinicius Kappke de Quieroz…but seriously, I think there’s little question Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit has bonus-check written all over it.

Both 170-pounders fight with passion, have a number of tools in the proverbial shed with which to work, and don’t particularly like each other either. Their match-up should also merit an enormous response from the crowd throughout its duration, as Hardy is beloved in his home-country of England and Condit has already stated he’ll be using the USA’s National Anthem as his entrance music. With the audience on its feet and two men who don’t know the meaning of the word quit slugging it out until one crumples, how could Condit vs. Hardy be anything other than fantastic whether five or fifteen minutes long?

Tool: I’m just as pumped for Hardy/Condit as everybody else, but to keep things interesting I’ll take another fight for my pick. We’ve already spoken a bit about John Hathaway, and I’m very excited to see his fight with Mike Pyle. A lot of people seem to be writing off Pyle in this fight (fun fact: Pyle is the only man in history to have submitted Jon Fitch), but even if he loses it should still be a highly-entertaining scrap given each fighters’ style. Hathaway should have the edge on the feet, but Pyle’s aggressive submission-based offense could give the Brit trouble if the fight hits the ground. Both fighters are looking to make a name for themselves in the field of up-and-coming welterweights, and while they may not be contending for gold anytime soon there can be little doubt that this fight is incredibly important for each man’s career.

Do you see Miesha Tate faring any better against Marloes Coenen than Sarah Kaufman did last weekend?

Tool: I do, but then again I figured that Kaufman would retain her belt this past weekend. I don’t want to underestimate Coenen too much as she’s certainly one of the best female fighters in the world, but then again so is Miesha Tate. I didn’t see anything in Coenen’s stand-up that would make me think that she’ll smoke Tate in the striking, but it’s more likely that the outcome of this fight will be determined on the ground. Tate is at the top of the food chain for wrestling in MMA, and unlike Kaufman she’s not likely to get careless from the top position. Tate’s experience will allow her to be more controlled in her ground and pound, and unless Coenen can stuff repeated takedown attempts then I see this one ending with another new champion.

Conlan: I disagree with Adam for a few reasons, and I hope his comment about Tate being one of MMA’s elite wrestlers was more hyperbole than his actual opinion on her grappling ability. She may be talented in comparison to her peers on the somewhat-thin female scene, but she doesn’t dominate opponents with the same ease seen from the true cream of the sport’s wrestling crop.

That point aside, I don’t feel “Takedown” Tate will do any better against Coenen from a results standpoint than Kaufman did, and I actually won’t be surprised if the Dutch champ finishes her with the same technique she used to procure the Strikeforce title. Tate gives up a few inches in height and a bit of reach to “Rumina”, meaning she could be susceptible to damage in the clinch (as Kaufman was), and has no noticeable advantage when purely standing either. If she relies on her takedowns and spends a lot of time throwing strikes in Coenen’s guard her arms will be left relatively vulnerable (as Kaufman’s were). Coenen’s success with armbars is well-documented, and because Tate’s go-to attack is based on ground-and-pounding her way to victory I think it’s very possible she could get caught from the bottom and tapped, especially if she starts to get frustrated on her feet.

Who do you see as the superior welterweight prospect – Jon Hathaway or Tyron Woodley?

Tool: It’s hard not to go with Hathaway after the way he dominated Diego Sanchez, and assuming he gets past Mike Pyle this weekend he’s liable to find a spot in the upper levels of the division in 2011. He’s got great striking and unlike most British fighters he’s more than comfortable with the wrestling aspect of the sport. It’s all but impossible to stand-out in the crowded field of the UFC’s welterweight division, so the fact that Hathaway’s already starting to make a name for himself speaks volumes about his potential.

We certainly can’t discount Woodley either, as he’s quickly climbing the ladder to emerge as a potential contender in Strikeforce. Obviously the pool for contenders in Strikeforce is far more shallow than it is in the UFC, but it’s a credit to Woodley for making his way up to the main cards after a few quality showings on the Challengers events. We still need to see how he performs against a higher quality opponent, and I for one would love to see “T-Wood” matched up with the winner of the upcoming Paul Daley/Scott Smith scrap to determine Nick Diaz’s next contender.

Conlan: I’d also have to say it’s the 14-0 Brit, and to elaborate on Tool’s take, not only did Hathaway beat Sanchez in the manner mentioned but he also took home a pair of unanimous decisions against Paul Taylor and Rick Story, who are tough, talented fighters in their own right, prior to the bout.

He’s 5-6 years younger than Woodley, a fact meriting consideration when examining where both are currently in their careers and how much more time each theoretically has to develop as an overall Mixed Martial Artist. He’s also 6’2″, making him one of the UFC’s tallest 170-pounders meaning he typically enters the ring with a reach advantage over his opponent. Additionally, beyond simply his ability and physical dimensions, Hathaway has the added benefit of being British where “star” potential is concerned. The UFC has already invested a lot of time/money/energy into the European market and as a result created relative icons overseas in the form of Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy simply because of their nationalities and success in the cage. The same could easily be true for Hathaway if he keeps on winning, especially in front of his fellow Englanders.

Woodley is exceptionally skilled and his combination of athleticism, wrestling, and submissions are enough to beat a lot of his in-ring adversaries and take him a long way in MMA. However, until he faces a comparable level of opposition to “The Hitman” or Hathaway falls in a few fights, I don’t think the Strikeforce 170-pound contender can be viewed as the superior prospect when matching the two up from top to bottom on paper.

Has the “UFC Primetime” special featuring Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez influenced your opinion on either individual or on how their upcoming match-up will unfold?

Tool: Not necessarily, but that’s mainly due to the fact that I pegged Velasquez to win this bout as soon as Lesnar beat Shane Carwin. It’s reaffirming to watch Velasquez train the way he does, and to hear the people closest to him talk about the level of talent that he brings to the sport. I’ve had a front-row seat aboard the Cain Velasquez bandwagon since he first came into the UFC, and I’m not about to abandon ship just because he’s facing the top guy in his division.

As for Lesnar, I have to wonder just how well he’s preparing for this fight. It’s obvious by now that Lesnar has a fair amount of confidence in himself, and being surrounded by his friends all day at training certainly can’t hurt his ego. To me it seems as though Lesnar may already be too comfortable in his gym, as his strict policies against outsiders could lead to a situation where he’s not challenging himself enough. His natural gifts make up for a lot of that, but I’ll be interested to see if he’s truly prepared for what Velasquez brings to the table.

Conlan: I can vouch for Tool’s long-standing support of Velasquez, though I personally entered the series with a lot more faith in Lesnar than I exited it with. There’s no question the UFC’s heavyweight title-holder is working his ass off under the DeathClutch roof and will be in prime condition at UFC 121, but at the end of the day I think he is still burdened by his build when it comes to movement. Perhaps it was simply the trickery of post-production editing, but Cain looked very crisp in training while Brock just appeared to be building strength/cardio. I think Velasquez’s wrestling background could very well allow him to hold off Lesnar’s advances, while movement and angles may open up an opportunity to either pepper the champ enough times to win rounds or even rock him as Carwin did a few months back. If that’s the case, rest assured Velasquez won’t fade faster than the average reality television star’s post-series career as was the case with Carwin at UFC 116.

I still feel Lesnar is going to walk away from Anaheim with the big, shiny beltbuckle around his waist, but I can honestly admit the bits of insight provided on “UFC Primetime” definitely have me feeling a little more positive about Velasquez’s chances of maintaining his unbeaten record and becoming champion.Similar Posts:

• Strikeforce Diaz vs Noons Quick Results
• Grappling with Issues – 10/8/10
• Nick Diaz earns $50,000 for win over KJ Noons
• Sarah Kaufman: “I think it’s important for fighters to stand up for what they deserve…”
• A Look Back at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons 2

Welcome back to another edition of “MMA Link Club”, Five Ounces of Pain‘s weekly smorgasbord of work from our brothers and sisters in the MMA community. Enjoy…

Michael Bisping Believes his Future Holds a UFC Title In It (MMAFighting.com)

Jon Jones is Tired of Facing Wrestlers and Explains Why (MMAConvert.com)

The “Cyborgs” Show a Different Side to Fans…Their Back-Side (MiddleEasy.com)

Scott Coker Promises Strikeforce Heavyweights Will Face Each Other (CagePotato.com)

Strikeforce’s Most-Recent Hype Package for Diaz vs. Noons II (MMAScraps.com)

Vitor Belfort Working on Footwork in a Unique Way for Anderson Silva Bout (FIGHT! Magazine)

Joseph Benavidez Steps in for Injured Brian Bowles at WEC 52 (Versus.com)

Why Fans Shouldn’t Look Past KJ Noons (Heavy.com)

Brock Lesnar Shows Off his Guns and Not the Muscle-Related Kind (WatchKalibRun.com)

Similar Posts:

• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club
• 5 Oz. MMA Link Club

UFC President Dana White has some, um, opinions when it comes to who’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA. After spending a few moments slamming the media for anointing Jose Aldo as the best in the game, White went on to support his argument with what can only be called a Box Office Defense.

White, who’s spent the last few months dogging Anderson Silva for failing to deliver exciting fights for the fans, is now attacking those same “fanboys” for hopping off the Silva bandwagon when it comes to selecting their top P4P choice.

“Are you f***king nuts? Potential future pound-for-pound king? Anderson Silva hasn’t lost since 2006. He’s never lost in the UFC.” White said. “Anderson Silva is a pain in my ass. This isn’t Chuck Liddell, we aren’t best friends. But you can’t deny what the man has done.”

White went on to defend Silva’s record in the strongest terms while simultaneously baiting the very media that line his pockets. Not content to stop there, White offered his own list for consideration, and you may well be stunned at the fighters who made – and didn’t make – the Dana White Hot List.

“You media geeks need to learn the fight biz,” White said. “I’m at dinner right now, but you’re really pissing me off. Silva hasn’t lost in the UFC. The guy has not only cleared out his division, he’s gone up to 205 and beaten a guy like Forrest Griffin, who beat Rampage Jackson and Shogun Rua. Frankie Edgar is right there too. I might actually put him at No. 2. This guy is for real. He beat BJ Penn twice, and kicked his ass in their last fight,” White said. “I love and respect Manny Gamburyan, but he’s no BJ Penn. And the only thing keeping St. Pierre out of the Top 3 is a loss to Matt Serra.”

GSP is off the list? What, no Brock Lesnar man-love?

One question for the Majordomo; what happened to Benson Henderson in all this ranting? A couple of months ago, White was castigating the media for not installing Henderson in the top ten (a placement which would be hard to argue against) while at the same moment calling such lists irrelevant.

I suppose White can be forgiven for getting hacked. Chicken a la King demands a man’s full attention to be fully and completely savored…Similar Posts:

• Rampage: Beating Shogun doesn’t matter
• Silva vs. St. Pierre superfight could happen in 2009
• 5 Oz. of Pain’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10 and New Rankings Section
• Jackson would rather have revenge before the championship
• Rampage Jackson: “I’ve lost respect for Forrest Griffin as a man.”

UFC heavyweight fighter Junior dos Santos (12-1) has had an incredible run in the Ultimate Fighting Championship with six straight victories, seven wins in total since his last fight.

“Cigano’s” coach Luis Carlos Dórea thinks that fans have yet to see the best from Dos Santos.

“He’s expecting to see who he’ll confront because they’re two great athletes, the fight would be tough against any of them… I always say: he’s constantly evolving, so you’ll see him a lot better than before, with willingness, personality, a real warrior… He knows that it’ll be worth the title and he’ll do everything in his power in order to win this. After this fight, he’ll be the champion…”

“He deserves all of this because of everything he’s been doing. There’re six wins in six fights, five of them by knockout, four of them on the first round… He’s an athlete who had evolved a lot, started against a great athlete, (Fabrício) Werdum, winning by KO… Cigano only had tough ones on his way, but there’s no easy one on UFC. He’s been tested several times and now I think the time has come. He showed his abilities while standing up, he proved himself to be very strong. Six fights, six critical wins.”

Junior dos Santos defeated Roy Nelson at UFC 117 to earn a number one contender spot for the UFC heavyweight title. The Brazilian will meet the winner between current champ Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez, who meet at UFC 121 on October 23.

HT: Tatame.com for the quote.