Would you rather see Anderson Silva in a rematch with Chael Sonnen or instead take his talents to the light heavyweight division on a permanent basis? Do you think Junior dos Santos prefers heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and top contender Cain Velasquez as his next opponent? What’s next for Matt Hughes? Who should Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Champion Sarah Kaufman keep her eye on at tonight’s four-female tournament?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Welcome to the Thursday debut of “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s resident Friday feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. GWI will be moving to Thursdays on a permanent basis for the foreseeable future as a means of keeping my newly-promoted fingers from spontaneously combusting as the result of overuse. 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…

Should Tim Sylvia get another shot in a mainstream promotion if he’s able to beat Paul Buentello at this weekend’s “War on the Mainland” event?

Tool: By mainstream promotion I’ll assume we’re referring to the UFC or Strikeforce, and I suppose my answer would be a solid “maybe.” I don’t think Sylvia has any place in the UFC, as their heavyweight division has clearly passed him by. I wouldn’t give Sylvia a chance against any of the company’s top fighters and it’s not as though he’s popular enough amongst fans to warrant a return to the Octagon. Dana White has not had a single good thing to say about Sylvia since his departure so I’d say that’s three strikes against seeing the big man back in the division he used to rule.

As far as Strikeforce goes there are positives and negatives towards bringing Sylvia in. I don’t really know if he’d be able to hang with the top guys in their heavyweight division, and we certainly don’t need to see him face off with Fedor Emelianenko for a second time. That being said Strikeforce’s heavyweight ranks aren’t nearly as deep as the UFC’s and if he’s serious about his career again I could see Sylvia doing alright for himself. He may not be the most well-liked fighter in the world but he is a name that people know, and that can really only be seen as a positive for a promotion that’s still working on growing its brand recognition. If his price tag is reasonable enough I could see Sylvia in a Strikeforce cage, but of course that doesn’t mean that I want to see it.

Conlan: I think Tool’s point about Sylvia’s asking price is the key ingredient in terms of a potentially victorious “Maine-iac” signing with Strikeforce (The UFC is not a realistic option unless he puts together a significant win-streak and gets his physique back under control). If the financial figures make sense on both sides there’s no reason a deal shouldn’t get done.

Beating “The Headhunter” would be Sylvia’s third consecutive dubya since being knocked out by Ray Mercer a year ago. Though neither of the previous wins came against particularly noteworthy opponents from a talent standpoint, both were finishes, and another strike-based result – especially over someone with Buentello’s name-recognition – would definitely be an angle Strikeforce could market against one of their worthwhile heavyweights. I’m not saying a TKO win over Buentello signifies the transformation of “Tim-meh” back into the semi-feared striker he once was, but it’s enough to pair with the win streak as far as promoting a potential co-headlining fight against Bobby Lashley, Brett Rogers, Antonio Silva, or even Shane del Rosario.

Who should Matt Hughes face in his next fight?

Tool: There’s a few options on the table for sure. Granted, Hughes has already made it clear that he intends to take the rest of the year off for hunting season and return sometime in 2011, so we’ve got some leeway as far as potential opponents go.

If Hughes is at all serious about making another run at the title then it’s about time he took on one of the division’s elite fighters from the American Kickboxing Academy camp. Mike Swick would make an excellent opponent, as would Josh Koscheck when if he loses to Georges St. Pierre. I don’t think Hughes will be able to score a fourth meeting with GSP but if he has any hopes of doing so then he’ll need to beat one of the top five guys in the division first.

If Hughes is simply looking for appealing fights that have no relevance in the division’s rankings, then there’s a perfectly suitable opponent who also scored a big win at UFC 117. For those that don’t know, Dennis Hallman has the unique distinction of owning two submission wins (both in under a minute) over Hughes. Their last meeting was over ten years ago, well before Hughes became the most dominant welterweight champion in UFC history. A third match-up between these two wouldn’t exactly bring in the PPV buys but it would serve as a great main event for an upcoming Fight Night or Versus card. It would give Hughes the chance to finally get that monkey off his back and it would give Hallman (whose experiencing a mild career resurgence after his win over Ben Saunders) a chance to become a serious player in the welterweight division.

Conlan: I like the thought of Hallman, because there’s history between them and he’s a fairly beatable opponent for Hughes in terms of continuing the slow-build towards a final run at the UFC welterweight title. However, as impressive as Hallman’s recent win was, he was knocked out in his previous fight against John Howard and was probably looking at a pink-slip with another loss in the Octagon before out-pointing Saunders at UFC 117. I think Hughes is at a point in his career where he should be showcased against opponents with either significant name-value or potential for properly using the momentum a win over someone with his reputation brings. At 34-years old, minus a significant victory in the last 5+ years, and without any real buzz surrounding him, Hallman doesn’t quite qualify in either regard and as such I question whether or not he’s worth the risk for Hughes.

Rather, I’d prefer to see Hughes fight the winner of Carlos Condit’s upcoming fight with Dan Hardy at UFC 120. With three straight wins Hughes deserves a step up in competition, as well as current relevance, and Condit/Hardy are perfect candidates to provide both. It would be a fresh match-up and notching a win would benefit any of the involved parties. Beating Condit/Hardy would show Hughes is still able to beat a legitimate contender, while emerging victorious against a UFC icon like Hughes still means a lot when considering the self-professed farm-boy’s success as of late.

Which would you rather see – Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II or Anderson Silva forfeit his middleweight title and take a run at light heavyweight?

Tool: Well we already know that Silva fully intends to remain at middleweight for the rest of his career, since he said as much in the days leading up to UFC 117. So as far as what will happen, it would seem that Silva/Sonnen 2 is the best bet right now.

Personally I’ve always thought that Silva could truly be competitive in the light heavyweight division, and his thorough domination of Forrest Griffin proved exactly that. The UFC has had numerous problems finding credible opponents for Silva’s middleweight belt, while the light heavyweight division is full of guys that would be incredibly intriguing opponents for “The Spider.” If Silva were to drop his belt tomorrow and proclaim his future is at 205 lbs. I would think he’d be worthy of an immediate title shot against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and that’s a fight that any fan of the sport would love to see.

That being said, Saturday night proved that Silva hasn’t quite cleaned out the middleweight division. Obviously there’s the potential match-up waiting to be made with Vitor Belfort, and just a few weeks ago we saw Yushin Okami make his case for getting back into the mix of potential contenders. Then there’s Sonnen, who did the unthinkable by dominating the world’s best middleweight for 23 minutes. I don’t think that Sonnen deserves an immediate rematch since there was no controversy about the outcome of the fight, but his performance does warrant another shot at Silva down the line (provided he doesn’t lose to anyone else in the meantime).

Conlan: I think a rematch with Sonnen makes sense as long as it’s not immediate in nature. As Adam said, the professor of perplexing prose did enough in his 4 ½ rounds against Silva to make it clear the UFC’s 185-pound champ isn’t quite as unbeatable as previously believed. With Vitor Belfort prepared to make his middleweight mark on the promotion, former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields now part of the Zuffa team, and Sonnen two minutes away from winning the belt, “The Spider” clearly has a few foes to fend off before he can officially claim to have completely cleaned out the division.

However, the question was what scenario I’d prefer, and without a doubt I’d prefer to see Silva slay a slew of respected 205-pounders than mix it up with any of the afore-mentioned middleweights. The prospect of Silva fighting Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Jon Jones, or current champ Rua is far more exciting than seeing Silva face off against someone struggling to be considered a legitimate contender. Sonnen may have pinned the Brazilian phenom down for 23+ minutes but he never did any significant damage. With Jackson, Jones, and Rua I think the potential for danger is much higher, and therefore fighting at light heavyweight is a much more exciting prospect to me than seeing Silva remain at 185.

Knowing that he’ll face the winner of the upcoming Brock Lesnar/Cain Velasquez championship fight, who do you think Junior dos Santos will be rooting for in October?

Conlan: Dos Santos was asked who he preferred on the heels of his contender-solidifying win against Roy Nelson and responded that he didn’t care whose waist the title was around when he got his shot at it. Whether or not the 25-year old Brazilian slugger was being politically correct or genuinely isn’t concerned is something only he and those closest to him can know for sure. However, if I was in his shoes (or his camp’s for that matter) I’d probably fashion a voodoo doll, then write “Brown Pride” on its chest in Sharpie, with the hope poking a needle or two into it might assist Lesnar in retaining his title at UFC 121.

Velasquez’s wrestling is obviously top notch, as is Lesnar’s, and though Dos Santos’ takedown defense is good it’s not at the level it needs to be in order to consistently stuff either UFC 121 headliner. However, and most importantly in the equation, the AKA product’s striking is more technical than Lesnar’s. Though he doesn’t possess the champ’s brute strength, the Mexican-American heavyweight still packs enough power in his punches to even make Montezuma question his job security. Since the test Velasquez offers on his feet is a lot stiffer than it would be were Lesnar teaching class, I think Velasquez poses more of a threat to a brawler like “Cigano”, and as such he’d be the fighter I’d prefer to avoid if I were part of Dos Santos’ inner-circle.

Tool: Regardless of the outcome, we know for certain that Dos Santos in for the toughest test of his career when his title shot ticket comes up. I can’t argue with any of Brendhan’s points for picking Lesnar as the more favorable opponent, but for the sake of argument let’s see why Dos Santos would be better off dealing with Velasquez.

Dos Santos showed great takedown defense against Roy Nelson, but obviously the winner the UFC 121 headliner is going to present a whole new set of problems. In that regard I think Dos Santos would do better against Velasquez seeing as how the two fighters are closer in size. Lesnar will likely outweigh Dos Santos by at least 30 pounds on fight night, and that added muscle means it’ll be that much easier for the current champ to dictate where the fight takes place.

Nobody is going to claim that Lesnar is a better striker than Velasquez, but I do believe he has a better ability to absorb punishment. We saw Velasquez get rocked a few times against Cheick Kongo and while he recovered quickly and won the fight, it’s hard to say how he will fare against the much more aggressive style of “Cigano.” Along those same lines I wouldn’t be surprised to see Velasquez choose to stand and trade with Dos Santos and a shoot-out between those two could easily leave either man unconscious on the mat.

Which of the four competitors in tomorrow night’s Strikeforce women’s 135 lbs. tournament do you feel poses the biggest threat to Sarah Kaufman?

Conlan: Carina Damm and Miesha Tate are both are extremely tough, well-rounded competitors, and if matched-up properly at the weigh-ins, should be the tournament’s finalists. Whoever emerges victorious between the two of them is definitely a threat to Kaufman’s title, though I wouldn’t say I’m overly confident in either lady eventually taking it from her. That being said, Damm has won her last ten fights including five straight stoppages, while “Takedown” Tate has finished three consecutive opponents since losing a gutsy decision to Kaufman a little over a year ago. Both have shown an ability to end things before scorecards come into play and possess a near-even split between submissions/TKOs in terms of how their wins have come about. Between the two I’m going to say Tate should be favored to win because she’s a more-natural 135-pounder and had the experience of being involved in a one-night tournament a few years ago (her professional debut actually). Though she may not have emerged victorious in the final, having gone through the process before should give Tate a mental edge in the ring, and it’s well-documented how important a fighter’s mindset is where success is concerned.

Tool: I’m tempted to go with Maiju Kujala for this one, simply on the basis that she’s the fighter nobody seems to know anything about. She’s certainly the dark horse of the tournament and I’m interested to see what she brings to the table on Friday night.

I can’t take Hitomi Akano for this one since she’s essentially a less-aggressive version of Roxanne Modafferi. She’s got one of the most impressive submission games of the four women in the field but if she did meet up with Kaufman I’d put her chances of scoring a takedown at anywhere from slim to nothing.

That leaves us with Damm and Tate, and there’s a strong case to be made for both ladies. Tate has something of an advantage over the other three ladies in that she’s faced Kaufman before. Tate gave Kaufman the toughest fight of the champion’s career, and things aren’t going to get any easier if these two meet again. While the first fight consisted of three 3-minute rounds, their rematch would be five 5-minute rounds. That could tip things in Tate’s favor since the longer rounds give her that much more time to work for the takedown.

In the end though I’m going with Carina Damm. She’s got a solid arsenal of strikes and knockout power, and if things hit the mat she has some quality jiu-jitsu skills to boot. Kaufman is one of the most technical strikers in women’s MMA, and the aggressive style of Damm could prove to be Kaufman’s kryptonite. As Brendhan already said Damm is fighting outside of her usual weight of 125 lbs., but I don’t think that will be too much a problem for her. If anything it could only increase her power and conditioning since she won’t have to cut much weight (if any at all).

Which bout on WEC 50′s main card are you most excited for?

Conlan: Easily the main event between Dominick Cruz and Joseph Benavidez. Benavidez has looked sharp since losing to Cruz a year ago and is at the age where he’s likely to keep improving on a per-fight basis. The 26-year old teammate of Urijah Faber is an excellent wrestler with good hands who is also a submission threat from most positions. He’s fearless on his feet, throws stinging punches, and has shown himself to have a decent chin as well. However, Cruz is actually a few years younger than Benavidez making his ascension to the top of the division even more impressive than it is on the surface. Like Benavidez, he’s also getting better each time out. His stand-up is superior to Benavidez’s and his ground-game is underrated. All in all, their fight should be hotly contested and cap-off an excellent event.

I’m also interested in seeing the bout between Scott Jorgensen and Brad “One Punch” Pickett. Pickett has won his last nine fights and finished seven of the last nine foes he’s faced. He trains with American Top Team, so he’s got a great group to work with, and is good on his feet as well as when it comes to grappling. Jorgensen has beaten four straight and is on the cusp of a title-shot. He’s clearly a legitimate adversary for Pickett and I expect the end-result of their pairing to be an extremely exciting fight.

Tool: The main event is certainly the most intriguing bout given the history of these two and the improvements we’ve seen from them as of late. Part of me thinks that Benavidez has learned enough in the last year to take the belt, but then again this wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve underestimated Cruz.

Outside of the title fight and the aforementioned Jorgensen/Pickett bout, the fight I’m most looking forward to is the lightweight scrap between Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis. Current WEC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson is without an opponent for his next defense, and it’s all but certain that the winner of this fight will be next in line. Pettis is already on a roll this year as he’s 2-0 since losing a narrow decision to Bart Palaszewski at WEC 45, and his dramatic head-kick knockout of Danny Castillo was one of many highlights at WEC 47. Roller has already dropped one fight to Henderson but he’s 3-0 since then, including his momentum-halting submission of Anthony Njokauni on the WEC’s first PPV. While this fight basically breaks down as striker vs. grappler, it’s important to note that Pettis is no slouch on the ground.

In any case WEC 50 is liable to be yet another fantastic night of fights from one of the best promotions in the world, and if you haven’t been making a point to watch their shows on Versus then this coming Wednesday is the perfect night to start.

Depending on who you talk to, UFC light heavyweight prospect Jon Jones is either progressing nicely on his path to what
seems like certain superstar status or already prepared for a title
shot.

Count UFC president Dana White among the former.

White is sticking to his "top eight" assessment first issued in the days
prior to Jones' recent UFC on Versus 2 drubbing of Vladimir Matyushenko
and says Jones' next move might not be determined until the rest of the
205-pound division has time to shake out.

The biggest question of UFC 117 this weekend is, ‘which Anderson Silva will turn up?’

Will we see the version which wrecked its way through the middleweight division? Or will we see the version which looked lethargic, disinterested and downright disrespectful in a recent five round title fight against Demian Maia?

For everyone’s sake, including Silva’s, I hope it is the former. Another lackluster performance against Chael Sonnen could lose the pound for pound king all credibility and potentially rob the sport of one of its stars.

Fortunately for everyone concerned Sonnen has been doing his bit to ensure that Silva has plenty of motivation for this fight. He has basically not shut up since Silva’s antics at UFC 112 in April in a concerted campaign to insult, annoy or simply irritate the middleweight champion.

Silva tends to keep his own counsel so it is impossible to gauge how much effect Sonnen’s words have been having on him. He should not need any extra motivation. For reasons best known to himself he decided to make a mockery of the UFC fans and management as well as his opponent at UFC 112. The fact that he chose not to take the fight with Maia seriously casts serious doubt over Silva’s commitment and respect for the sport. The fact that he was able to get away without taking the fight against Maia seriously speaks volumes about how much better he is than anybody else the UFC is putting in front of him at present.

There is no doubt that Silva is a superior fighter to Sonnen. If he can demonstrate this by beating Sonnen emphatically then all will be immediately forgiven. Another disappointing decision win is unlikely to be tolerated, particularly if it is accompanied by the sort of reluctance to engage which undermined his last victory. Under these circumstances you would hope Silva would put on a performance but after his inexplicable antics at UFC 112 anything is possible.

For his part Sonnen will be looking to exact some vengeance on behalf of every fan who felt let down by Silva’s last performance. His best chance of doing so will be to use his outstanding wrestling skills to put Silva on his back but he will have his work cut out to do so and can expect to sustain some sort of punishment for as long as the fight remains standing.

The UFC matchmakers obviously feel Silva can no longer be relied upon to carry a card and, by way of an insurance policy against another embarrassing performance from the Brazilian, they have backed the card with another four major fights.

Thiago Alves came up against Jon Fitch early in his UFC career and did what most fighters do when they face Fitch, he lost. That was in 2006 and Alves went on to win his next seven fights before dropping a decision to Georges St Pierre in a fight for the welterweight title. Fitch was already riding a ten fight win streak when he beat Alves and went on to win another five fights before suffering the same fate as Alves later would in his title fight with St Pierre. He has gone on to win another four fights, all by way of decision, and is widely regarded as the second best welterweight in the world.

This is a massive fight for both men. If Fitch keeps winning than the UFC cannot deny him a title fight for too much longer. For Alves, who has not fought in over a year since the St Pierre loss, a win is crucial to get his UFC career back on track. There was a lot of talk about St Pierre potentially moving up to middleweight. Whether such a move will materialize remains to be seen but these are probably the top two contenders for his crown.

Clay Guida will face off against Rafael Dos Anjos in a lightweight clash. Guida does not have the most distinguished UFC record, currently standing at 6-5, but he has a propensity for getting involved in fight of the nights which makes him extremely handy to have around.

After losing his first two UFC fights Dos Anjos is now on a three fight winning streak and will be looking to take this momentum into the fight with Guida. If Dos Anjos can make it four in a row he will edge a little closer to a lightweight title shot. Guida will be looking to demonstrate that he is a serious contender in the division and that his ability to fight is as good as his ability to get in good fights.

Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida is a facinating match up which will tell us a great deal about the future prospects of either man. Once the welterweight king Hughes is now merely a welterweight attraction, albeit one most fans would still happily pay to see fight.

While Hughes was ruling the welterweight division his opponent Almeida was taking a four year break from the sport. Almeida has gone 4-1 since his return to the UFC and is hoping that a drop to welterweight will help propel him towards a title shot.

Almeida’s strength is his grappling but Hughes is no stranger to facing BJJ black belts. Hughes will probably feel he has the advantage standing up while Almeida will be looking to take the fight to the floor.

While Hughes’s days in the octagon are almost certainly numbered he is still a tough test for anyone in the division, with the possible exception of St Pierre. After a couple of decision wins it was good to see Almeida using his submission skills against Matt Brown recently. He will be looking to send a statement of intent by following in the footsteps of Dennis Hallman, B.J. Penn and St Pierre and becoming only the fourth man to ever submit Hughes.

In what is surprisingly scheduled to be the first pay per view fight of the night Roy Nelson will face Junior Dos Santos in a heavyweight title eliminator. The winner of this fight will face the winner of the fight between heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and unbeaten contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 .

Nelson might have won The Ultimate Fighter 10 but he didn’t really impress too many people in the process. Eyes were raised at the emphatic manner in which he dispatched of Brendan Schaub in the final and he followed that up with another quick fire victory over Stefan Struve.

Nelson’s unprepossessing physical appearance and the fact that he came into TUF 10 on the back of losses to UFC rejects Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson make him a difficult fighter to promote. With two consecutive knock out of the night performances under his belt Nelson will feel he has a point to prove against Dos Santos. If he can get past the big Brazilian the UFC will have no option but to move Nelson up to the head of the card next time out.

It will be no easy task. Dos Santos has a very respectable record of 11-1 and none of his fights have ever gone the distance. He is unbeaten inside the octagon with his punching power making the difference in all of his UFC wins. While it would be refreshing to see Nelson continue to defy both stereotypes and expectations by winning this fight Dos Santos probably has the better chance of the two of actually making a credible challenge for the heavyweight title.

Prior to Silva’s performance against Maia the UFC probably regarded their middleweight champion as a big enough attraction to carry a card on his own. Now they feel the need to pack a card headlined by Silva just to be on the safe side which is why UFC 117 has not one, but five very interesting fights.

SAN DIEGO - While Vladimir Matyushenko, Brandon Vera and even Matt Hamill might
disagree, Jon Jones has a shocking message for
everyone in the UFC's light heavyweight division: "Bones" is just
playing a game.

Sure, that game generally involves the reconstruction of at least some
part of his opponents' faces, but to Jones, it's all about fun.

Oh, and guess what heavyweights - you're not off the hook either.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - It was quick, it was dominant, and it was something the light heavyweight division will have to get used to, as 205-pound phenom Jon Jones passed another test with breakneck speed Sunday night at the San Diego Sports Arena, halting veteran Vladimir Matyushenko in less than two minutes to up his record to 11-1.

The UFC's light-heavyweight division has long been one of the organization's marquee weight classes, which is often reflected in the sport's many top-10 polls.

But is Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, an undefeated 205-pounder who recently won the Strikeforce light-heavyweight championship, worthy of a ranking among the world's best?

That's the question we asked in our latest MMAjunkie.com/"Inside MMA" poll, one in which we asked readers to rank Lawal.

In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.

WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad Mendes vs. Cub Swanson, Brad Pickett vs. Scott Jorgensen, Bart Palaszewski vs. Zack Mickleweight, Anthony Njokuani vs. Maciej Jewtuszko, Mackens Semerzier vs. Javier Vazquez, Dave Jansen vs. Ricardo Lamas, Fredson Paixao vs. Bryan Caraway, and Danny Castillo vs. Dustin Poirier.

“We are really excited to bring the best lighter weight fighters in the world back to the Palms,” Harris said. “All 10 fights on this card are dynamic and we expect to put on another one of the year’s most memorable events.”

Tickets for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez are on sale now and priced at $250, $175, and $100. Tickets are available at The Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.

Cruz vs. Benavidez will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Two of the world’s best lightweights collide with a potential title shot on the line when Shane Roller (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Anthony Pettis (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.). A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, the 30-year-old Roller has used his top-level grappling to fuel a three-fight win streak. Owning victories over Marcus Hicks, Danny Castillo, and Anthony Njokuani, the Marc Laimon-trained fighter believes a win over Pettis on Aug. 18 will propel him to a shot at WEC gold. Eager to earn a crack at the belt himself, the 23-year-old Pettis (9-1) plans to use electric striking and high-level jiu jitsu to diffuse Roller at The Palms. Perhaps the most dynamic fighter in the 155-pound division, “Showtime” Pettis looks to win his third straight when he meets Roller in Las Vegas.

The featherweight division’s hottest prospect faces the toughest test of his young career on Aug. 18 at the Palms. Unbeaten Chad Mendes (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.), a training partner of main event stars Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, takes on seasoned veteran Cub Swanson (training out of Palms Springs, Calif.) in a hotly-anticipated 145-pound contest. Since joining WEC earlier this year, Mendes (7-0) has earned solid victories over Erik Koch and Anthony Morrison. His third fight in the organization pits him against Swanson, a phenomenal grappler and crafty striker. Boasting an impressive record of 14-3, Swanson trains alongside WEC stars Donald Cerrone and Leonard Garcia, as well as UFC contender Joe Stevenson. Fresh off a Fight of the Night performance against John Franchi in November, the 26-year-old looks to derail Mendes in their summer showdown.

Four consecutive victories have left Scott Jorgensen (fighting out of Boise, Idaho) knocking on the door step of a shot at the bantamweight crown. Before earning the coveted shot, the former Boise State University wrestler faces his toughest test to date, Englishman Brad Pickett (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.). No stranger to tough fights, the 31-year-old Pickett owns 20 professional wins and is unbeaten at 2-0 in WEC. A slick submission ace who trains with former featherweight champion Mike Brown, “One Punch” hopes to leapfrog Jorgensen (10-3) on Aug. 18 and move one stop closer to becoming WEC’s first English-born world champion.

Expect a barnburner when Bart Palaszewski (fighting out of Wonder Lake, Ill.) trades leather with Zack Micklewright (fighting out of Davenport, Iowa) in lightweight action. After defeating Karen Darabedyan and Anthony Pettis in consecutive fights, the 27-year-old Palaszewski (33-13) has emerged as an immediate title contender. He hopes that a win over his 23-year-old opponent at The Palms will push him closer to a date with lightweight champion Ben Henderson. A solid striker with knockout power, Micklewright made his debut in December with an impressive victory over Muhsin Corbbrey. The Iowan hopes to continue his ascent in the WEC with a win over “Bartimus” in August.

Heavy-hitter Anthony Njokuani (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces a stern test on Aug. 18 when he collides with unbeaten Polish newcomer Maciej Jewtuszko (fighting out of Szczecin, Poland). Having earned “Knockout of the Night” honors in three out of his last four fights, the 30-year-old Njokuani believes he is the best fighter in the lightweight division. Standing in his way on the road to the title is the versatile Jewtuszko (7-0). With all of his wins coming by way of stoppage, the dangerous Polish fighter hopes an impressive win in his WEC debut can propel him into the 155-pound elite.

Recognized as one of the sport’s premier grapplers, Javier Vazquez (fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) returns to WEC after defeating Jens Pulver by first round submission in March. The 34-year-old looks to keep the momentum rolling when he locks horns with once-beaten featherweight Mackens Semerzier (fighting out of Virginia Beach, Va.). An aggressive, well-rounded fighter owning a record of 7-1, Semerzier boasts explosive athleticism and a knack for finishing fights. He’ll try to match wits with the Carlson Gracie black belt Vazquez (14-3) when the two enter the cage on Aug. 18.

An intriguing lightweight fight pits two of the division’s dominant wrestlers against one another when Dave Jansen (fighting out of Troutdale, Ore.) takes on Ricardo Lamas (fighting out of Chicago, Ill.). Training out of the same gym that has produced UFC middleweight star Chael Sonnen, the 29-year-old Jansen enters his third fight in the WEC determined to make a statement. Thus, the 11-1 Oregonian has knockout on the mind when he battles Lamas at The Palms. Having scored one of the year’s most devastating finishes in his last fight in March, the once-beaten Lamas (8-1) plans to beat Jansen to the punch on Aug. 18. The former Division III All-American wrestler looks to extend his winning streak to three with a dominant performance in Las Vegas.

Four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion Fredson Paixao (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) scored an impressive submission victory over Courtney Buck in his last fight in March. He’ll look to make it two in a row on Aug. 18 when he takes on Bryan Caraway (fighting out of Yakima, Wash.). A polished striker with a solid ground game, the 25-year-old Caraway (14-4) believes his well-rounded game will guide him to victory next month. Aware of the submission skills possessed by Paixao (9-3, 1 NC), expect the Washington native to test the Brazilian on the feet when the two collide at The Palms.

A member of Urijah Faber’s “Alpha Male” training team, Danny Castillo (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) is an explosive athlete boasting both power and finesse. As he prepares for his seventh fight in the WEC, the 30-year-old Castillo (8-3) hopes to rudely welcome newcomer Dustin Poirier (fighting out of Lafayette, La.). An exciting lightweight with a perfect record of 7-0, Poirier believes he can be the next big thing in the WEC’s lightweight division. With all seven of his victories coming by way of stoppage, you can be sure that the Louisiana native will come out swinging on Aug. 18.

For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.

About World Extreme Cagefighting®
The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on The Score network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.

About VERSUS
VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming. The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including The Daily Line, Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About The Pearl:
The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. Featuring a stage just four feet from the floor and the furthest seating area being a mere 120 feet from the stage, The Pearl offers the utmost in intimate viewing of your favorite acts. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology using only top quality sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to The Studio at The Palms, The Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency and without additional venue set-up. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.

An opening-round heavyweight tournament bout between two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Cole Konrad and submission specialist Rogent Lloret is set for Bellator 25.

Bellator officials today announced the fight.

Bellator 25, which features other season-three tourney fights, takes place Aug. 19 at the Chicago Theatre in Illinois.

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – One of the sport’s pound-for-pound elite returns this fall to defend his title against one of the division’s most dangerous fighters. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, universally recognized as the number one ranked lighter weight fighter in MMA, makes the second defense of his crown against judo ace Manny Gamburyan when World Extreme Cagefighting® invades the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. on Thursday, Sept. 30.

WEC follows the lead of its sister company, the Ultimate Fighting Championship®, which has put on two successful events in Broomfield in recent years.

In addition to the featherweight title fight, WEC General Manager Reed Harris confirmed today that Denver native Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will meet former lightweight champion Jamie Varner in a long-awaited grudge match. Plus, former bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres returns to the cage to take on the red-hot Charlie Valencia. If those fights weren’t enough, Sept. 30 also features featherweight bouts pitting Leonard Garcia vs. Mark Hominick and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung vs. George Roop.

“From top to bottom, this card is stacked with Fight of the Year-caliber matchups,” Harris said. “In addition to having a title fight, a grudge match, and a bantamweight war, this card features warriors like Garcia, Hominick, and ‘The Korean Zombie.’ These guys have all been in some of the most memorable fights in WEC history. Now, they have a chance to put on epic fights in front of the great Colorado fans.”

Tickets for WEC: Aldo vs. Gamburyan go on sale Saturday, July 31 at 10 a.m. MT and will be priced at $185, $135, $75, and $40. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, July 29 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets will be available online at www.TicketHorse.com or by phone at 866.461.6556. TicketHorse kiosks are also located at all Colorado Dick’s Sporting Goods Stores (credit cards only). In addition, tickets are also available at 1STBANK Center Box Office on July 30 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. MT or at Pepsi Center during normal box office hours.

WEC: Aldo vs. Gamburyan will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Ranked as one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, featherweight champion Jose Aldo (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is unbeaten at 7-0 in WEC and on course to become the most dominant 145-pounder ever. Fresh off a dominant performance over former division kingpin Urijah Faber in April, the 23-year-old knockout sensation Aldo (17-1) has his sights set on his 10th consecutive victory.

“I’m excited to fight Manny Gamburyan, who is a really good fighter,” Aldo said. “I know that he has good judo and punching power, but I expect to knock him out. He’s not taking my belt.”

Unbeaten at 3-0 since dropping to featherweight last year, Manny Gamburyan (fighting out of Hollywood, Calif.) stunned many observers in April by knocking out former champion Mike Brown. The win earned the Armenian judo practitioner a shot at Aldo, and more importantly, the opportunity to realize a lifelong dream. With a world title in his crosshairs, Gamburyan (13-5) expects to shock the world when he meets the Brazilian champion in Colorado.

“I feel blessed to have this opportunity,” Gamburyan said. “This is a fight featuring the number one and number two fighters in the world in this division, so there are no secrets to my game plan. I’ve gotta’ bring my ‘A’ game. I have to be in top-notch shape, I’ve got to have good standup, ground and wrestling. Everything has to be perfect. I think he’s a great fighter and I respect him as a champion, but I fight to destroy. It’s my time and I’ve got to shine.”

Ask Donald Cerrone (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M) which fight he’d like the most and he’d undoubtedly tell you that it’s a rematch with former world champion Jamie Varner. Since their first fight in Jan. 2009 ended in a controversial decision loss for Cerrone – a loss than came when Varner was struck with an illegal knee and could not continue – the Denver-born fighter has made no qualms about his desire to get back inside the cage with Varner. Now, on Sept. 30, “Cowboy” gets his wish and he gets it in his backyard of Colorado.

“I’ve wanted this fight for a long time,” Cerrone (11-3, 1 NC) said. “There’s definitely bad blood there. Jamie is definitely the perfect fight for me to get motivated and come back stronger than ever. Plus, I’ve never lost in Broomfield and I have a lot of support there. It will be good to feel that energy and fight Jamie Varner in Colorado.”

One of the most division’s most talented athletes, Jamie Varner (fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) is on a quest to reclaim the WEC lightweight title. After battling unbeaten Kamal Shalorus to a draw in June, the 25-year-old Varner (16-3-3, 2 NC) has his sights set on a rematch with Cerrone and the opportunity to silence the former pro bull rider once and for all.

“This Cerrone fight has been a question mark in my career and everybody has question marks in their life,” Varner said. “So this fight is the opportunity to turn that question mark into a period or an exclamation mark. This is a good opportunity to shut him up and silence the critics and let them see that I’m the real deal.”

Once the most dominant bantamweight on the planet, Miguel Angel Torres (fighting out of East Chicago, Ind.) believes he has recaptured the formula that led him to becoming world champion. Fueled by a new training regimen that includes refining his aggressive striking and high-level jiu jitsu, the 29-year-old Torres (36-3) is as motivated as ever and hopes to prove that point on Sept. 30 when he locks horns with Valencia.

“Charlie is tough and he’s been around a long time like me,” Torres, a Carlson Gracie black belt, said. “I can’t underestimate him, but I match up well with him in all areas of the game. I’m looking to make a statement with this fight and I have to show everybody that I haven’t gone anywhere. I’m still here and I’m dangerous. I’m not looking to just beat Charlie. I want to put him out”

Riding consecutive victories over Seth Dikun, Ox Wheeler, and Akitoshi Tamura, Charlie Valencia (fighting out of Ontario, Calif.) is knocking on the doorstep of world title contention. As the explosive 35-year-old gears up for his biggest fight to date against Torres, Valencia (12-5) predicts one of the year’s best fights.

“I’m usually the underdog and I relish that role,” Valencia said. “In MMA, anything can happen. I’m out there to win and put on exciting fights. I respect him for what he’s done for the bantamweight division. I expect this fight to be fast-paced and entertaining.”

Sept. 30 also marks the return of Leonard Garcia and Chan Sung Jung, who waged war against one another in the “Fight of the Decade” in April. Garcia (fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) heads to Broomfield to take on Canadian star Mark Hominick (fighting out of Thamesford, Ontario, Canada), who had his own epic clash in June with long-time rival Yves Jabouin. Meanwhile fan favorite “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) looks to leave Colorado buzzing when he locks horns with gritty featherweight George Roop (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.).

Remaining bouts for WEC: Aldo vs. Gamburyan will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.

On July 17th NASA held their annual Grand Nationals. This year it was held in Alvin Texas. Kicking it off in the raw division, Bencher Jonathan Clark posted a 12th ranked 501 for the win and best lifter in the unequipped bench.