Germantown’s Jesse Thielke (No. 1 @ 130) looked around his home gym last Saturday after besting Port Washington’s Jake Maechtle, 8-1, in the 140-pound final of the North Shore Conference Tournament.

It was the senior national champion’s fourth and final league title.

But that was not really the news, nor was it the fact that Thielke had moved up two classes to take on the state-ranked Maechtle, thereby opening other spots for other Warhawks or the fact that Thielke gave up eight pounds to his sturdy opponent and went the distance in the match for the first time this season.

No, the real news was he was realizing this was the last time that he’d be with his teammates on their home turf and was taking into account how much he would miss all of the unity, camaraderie and sweat and sacrifice of being part of a high school team.

“It’s been among the most fun times I’ve had (in wrestling),” said the prospective U.S. Olympic wrestler and future Wisconsin Badger. “I didn’t think I could have this much fun, but I really have, and I won’t forget it.”

To continue reading article by STEVEN L. TIETZ of Germantown Now

Related Article :  Jesse Thielke on College & Olympics

The Bears wrestling team is pouring it on strong as it gears up for sectionals, hoping to earn a spot in the state tournament for the second time in Bear history.

Currently ranked ninth in the state, the team chalked up four victories and one loss, making its record 15-5.   All five losses have been to teams ranked in the top seven in the state.

On Feb. 5 the Bears traveled to the Armstrong tournament in Plymouth where they came out 3-1.  Their loss to the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, Apple Valley, was not a surprise (nine of its wrestlers are ranked No. 1 in their weight classes).  The Bears didn’t let the loss dampen their spirits or confidence as they went on to overcome the next three teams — a 50-18 win over East View, an 80-0 sweep over Mankato West and a tight 45-33 triumph over Fridley.

During the weekend tournament, Donny Longendyke (No. 1 @ HWT) tied the school record of 172 wins with his varsity record of 172-24 (117 being pins).

Going into this week the Bears prepare to host two section opponents on Friday, Feb. 11.  That will be an important match-up that will affect the seeding for the sectional tournaments Feb. 19 in which Stillwater is the team’s No. 1 contender.  Coach Craig Nasvik notes that match-ups and individual performance is everything.

Complete Story at Vadnais Heights Press by Kristi Abbott

No. 2 Blair Academy routed No. 4 St. Edward, 39-15, this weekend at the 2011 St. Edward Super Quad in Lakewood, OH.

With several hundred fans in attendance for a rare home event against top opponents, St. Edward had a chance to build early momentum against Blair Academy.  The dual started at 140 pounds, and the Eagles’ upper weights are their teams strength.  Blair freshman, 145 lb. Dylan Milonas caught St. Edward junior state qualifier Matt VanCuren in the first period and pinned him in 1:12, as Blair took a 9-0 lead.

“That was a big match that could go either way,” Blair coach Jeff Buxton said. “It was a big boost for our team. It gave us some momentum, because they knew from 103 to 135 pounds, we’ve got a heck of a lineup.”

The meet was tied, 15-15, after the heavyweight match, which paired Fargo, N.D., champs Greg Kuhar of St. Edward (junior national champ) and Brooks Black of Blair (cadet champ).  Black won, 5-0, on a takedown and three escapes, which began a string of seven straight Blair match wins to take the highly-anticipated dual meet, 39-15.

St. Edward won its first two duals handily, defeating No. 7 Wyoming Seminary (PA), 43-16, and Kiski Prep, 64-9.

We have all our starters coming back next year.  We’ll be better next year.  I think we’re going to be national champs next year.  We’re really good right now and we’re only getting better.”

Jacob Davis, St. Edward (171 lbs)

To continue reading article: Eagles find silver lining in lopsided wrestling loss, by: Tim Warsinskey, Plain Dealer Reporter @ Cleveland.com

Videos from the 2011 Super Quad are available on Videos.HSWrestling.Net under the heading Blair Academy vs. St. Edward.

Aaron Wilkinson's opponent, Mike Richman, was shocked.

You see, Wilkinson was the sole Brit vying for a spot on "The Ultimate Fighter 12," and naturally, Richman assumed that the action would remain standing when they clashed on a Saturday morning in the show's preliminary round of fights.

If it did go to the ground, Richman thought, he'd have the advantage. He was wrong.

There’s a saying that goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” Fortunately, at least where the list of noteable medical suspensions stemming from this past Wednesday’s Fight Night 22 event in Austin were concerned, that wasn’t the case. The State’s Department of Licensing and Regulation recently released the information and, rather than a triage’s worth of injuries to heal from, only six of the evening’s participants will face more than the standard 10-day vacation from competition in the ring.

Brian Foster and Jared Hamman are both facing the longest mandatory break from action – six months – with undisclosed damage sustained in their respective bouts. Foster only needed a minute of his fight to defeat opponent Forrest Petz by TKO, while Hamman didn’t fare as well and lost a unanimous decision to Kyle Kingsbury at the event. Both men should be able to return sooner than the set date of March 15th, 2011 as long as they receive full clearance from a physician beforehand.

Also, one part of the night’s headlining match-up, Rousimar Palhares has been given a month off courtesy of the commission meaning he will be unable to fight again until October 16th, 2010. Palhares suffered a first-round TKO after failing to procure a leg-lock on opponent Nate Marquardt, then turning to complain and taking focus off Marquardt’s attack.

Here is a list of Fight Night 22 medical suspensions exceeding the minimum 10-day figure:

Forrest Petz (Suspended until 10/16/2010)
Brian Foster (Suspended until 3/15/2011)
David Mitchell (Suspended until 9/30/2010)
Rafael Natal (Suspended until 10/7/2010)
Jared Hamman (Suspended until 3/15/2011)
Rousimar Palhares (Suspended until 10/16/2010)

There’s a saying that goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas.” Fortunately, at least where the list of noteable medical suspensions stemming from this past Wednesday’s Fight Night 22 event in Austin were concerned, that wasn’t the case. The State’s Department of Licensing and Regulation recently released the information and, rather than a triage’s worth of injuries to heal from, only six of the evening’s participants will face more than the standard 10-day vacation from competition in the ring.

Brian Foster and Jared Hamman are both facing the longest mandatory break from action – six months – with undisclosed damage sustained in their respective bouts. Foster only needed a minute of his fight to defeat opponent Forrest Petz by TKO, while Hamman didn’t fare as well and lost a unanimous decision to Kyle Kingsbury at the event. Both men should be able to return sooner than the set date of March 15th, 2011 as long as they receive full clearance from a physician beforehand.

Also, one part of the night’s headlining match-up, Rousimar Palhares has been given a month off courtesy of the commission meaning he will be unable to fight again until October 16th, 2010. Palhares suffered a first-round TKO after failing to procure a leg-lock on opponent Nate Marquardt, then turning to complain and taking focus off Marquardt’s attack.

Here is a list of Fight Night 22 medical suspensions exceeding the minimum 10-day figure:

Forrest Petz (Suspended until 10/16/2010)
Brian Foster (Suspended until 3/15/2011)
David Mitchell (Suspended until 9/30/2010)
Rafael Natal (Suspended until 10/7/2010)
Jared Hamman (Suspended until 3/15/2011)
Rousimar Palhares (Suspended until 10/16/2010)

British striker Paul “Semtex” Daley (25-9-2) was signed by Strikeforce to a multi-fight deal. The fighter has won his last two fights defeating Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13 and Daniel Acacio at Impact FC 2 – The Uprising: Sydney.

Daley was previously released by the UFC after his loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 113 in May. “Semtex” struck Koscheck well after the sound of the third round bell and was immediately released by the promotion.

No date was given for Daley’s promotional debut or was any opponent named for an upcoming bout.

Press Release
_______________________

NEW YORK (Sept. 15, 2010) – Top-10 world-ranked welterweight, Paul Daley, has signed a multi-fight deal with world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion STRIKEFORCE.

The 5-foot-9, 27-year-old native of London who fights out of Nottingham, England, has won two straight and six of his last seven. Overall, the cocky, brash seven-year pro is 25-9-2.

Nicknamed “Semtex” after an explosive that British armed forces use to demolish large structures, Daley is coming off a unanimous three-round decision over recent STRIKEFORCE signee, Jorge Masvidal, last Saturday, Sept. 11. It was the first time since July 1, 2006, that Daley had won a fight on points.

Daley is a freelance mixed martial artist whose style is an aggressive mix of striking, striking and more striking.

“I am a striker – there is no secret about that,’’ the exciting British bomber said. “I like to knock people out aggressively and quickly. That’s my game and no opponent’s going to change that. Almost all my fights are exciting and memorable with non-stop action.’’

Daley specializes in Muay Thai (Dutch style). He utilizes lead leg kicks often and possesses devastating knees and quick, heavy hands.

“I’m looking forward to fighting for STRIKEFORCE and would really love to fight (current STRIKEFORCE welterweight champion) Nick Diaz,’’ Daley said. “He’s a big name and a great fighter. Diaz would bring out the best in me and would be a great test.’’

Daley, who has compiled a highlight reel of impressive knockout victories, has competed against some of the best since turning professional in June 2003. Three of his most significant victories came against Masvidal, a 2:24, first-round KO (punches) over Dustin Hazelett on Jan. 2, 2010, and a 2:31, first-round TKO (punches) over Martin Kampmann on Sept. 19, 2009.

A former Cage Rage champion, Daley appeared on a STRIKEFORCE co-promoted card on June 22, 2007. On the undercard of Frank Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni in San Jose, Calif., he registered a second-round TKO (punches) over Duane “Bang’’Ludwig.

Daley was introduced to martial arts when he began taking karate at the age of 7. Besides England, he also trains in Holland. For a time several years ago, Daley was involved in a project with Mothers Against Guns in London.

Is wrestling ruining Mixed Martial Arts? Did the UFC blow it by cutting Todd Duffee? Who should Josh Barnett face in his Strikeforce debut? What is your opinion of Antonio McKee joining the UFC’s roster?

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…

Did the UFC make a mistake by releasing Todd Duffee after a single loss in the Octagon?

Tool: By most accounts, absolutely. Look at the heavyweight prospects across the board in MMA and try to tell me that Duffee isn’t one of the top names on that list. The loss to Mike Russow was a tough one, but I can’t think of a single high-level fighter at the moment who didn’t come back much better after their first loss. If Duffee ends up in Strikeforce (since they’d be nuts to not try and sign him) then it’s entirely possible that he’ll be successful enough outside of the octagon, and therefore he’d have no need to return. It’s also entirely possible that Duffee will never win again and fade quietly into the night, but this seems pretty unlikely to me.

Of course, there’s more to the story than what you or I know. The brass at Zuffa have given no reason for Duffee’s dismissal, nor are they required to. There’s too much behind the scenes information that we don’t know, so we have to also consider that the UFC may have been entirely justified in their actions. I won’t speculate on things like that but I will say this: if Todd Duffee has truly pissed Dana White off, I’m sure we would have heard about it by now. The fact that Dana is remaining silent on this one implies to me that Duffee still has the door open on a potential return some day.

Conlan: Based on the only information I have, which is that Duffee is a powerful, 6-1 heavyweight with five of his wins coming by way of first-round knockout, there’s definitely reason to question why the 24-year old would be released after suffering the only loss of his career to Russow. However, I agree with Tool in terms of there possibly being more to the story than has been made public. I know Duffee is a particularly outspoken individual, so it’s possible something he said in the past could have rubbed UFC brass the wrong way the wrong way, plus there’s always the possibility the promotion was tired of having him pull out of fights with injuries as he most recently did relating to a scheduled match-up with Jon Madsen at UFC 121.

Regardless, Duffee should do fine outside of the Octagon as long as his health issues don’t haunt him down the road. Strikeforce has a relatively strong heavyweight group, Bellator’s big-boy division is on the rise, Japan has always welcomed fighters with his physique and style of attack, and there are other opportunities beyond those on smaller promotions’ cards (a future Shark Fights show for example).

The circumstances surrounding his release may be a bit mysterious, but there’s little doubt in my mind all Duffee needs to do is string 2-3 wins in a row together and the UFC will come calling again.

Who impressed you the most at last weekend’s Shark Fights 13 event?

Tool: I’m split on this one between Tarec Saffiedine and Houston Alexander. Saffiedine showed that he is legit and I expect bigger paydays and broader exposure are coming soon. Soundly defeating Brock Larson may not be quite the accomplishment that it was a few years ago, but he’s still a pretty good measuring stick for where Saffiedine is at in his career. He’s already been on a couple of Strikeforce: Challengers cards so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that he makes the move up to the big shows soon.

On the other hand we’ve got Alexander, and I have to give a solid round of applause for the Shark Fights match-maker that put Houston together with Rameau Sokoudjou. These two fighters have plenty in common and I honestly had no idea who was going to win when their bout started. Credit should be given to Alexander for surviving and recovering from the damage he took in round one. After making it to the bell Alexander really took over in the second as Sokoudjou had next-to-nothing left in his gas tank. This may not be the win that gets Alexander back in the UFC, but it’s a start at least.

Conlan: I’m heading down a different route than my compadre on this topic, but I can’t fault him for having a great deal of appreciation for both Alexander and Saffiedine’s performances as they each had qualities worth considering. That being said, as opposed to selecting an individual who added a “W” to his record at the event, I’m going to opt for someone who won in the eyes of most who watched rather than emerging victorious from the actual bout in question.

I thought newly-signed Strikeforce lightweight Jorge Masvidal turned in the performance of the night when considering his level of opposition and size differential between them. Daley had won five of his last six fights entering the match-up, with his infamous decision loss to Josh Koscheck being the lone blemish, and finished the entire lot via strikes. Masvidal was able to absorb most of the damage “Semtex” dished without waivering while also showing solid stand-up throughout. His grappling put him in a number of advantageous positions and nearly earned him the dubya…or did, depending on who you ask.

The fact “Gamebred” is a natural 155-pounder while Daley is a big welterweight also deserves discussion. Though American Top Team’s Masvidal faltered towards the end of the third round, the 25-year old still went a full fifteen against Daley – somewhat of a rarity in terms of the Brit’s past opponents. In reality, 20 of the 25 victories Daley has notched in his career have been by way of a finish. To maintain consciousness for three rounds while also being 15-20 pounds lighter than Daley when the cage-door closed is an extremely impressive feat and one that deserves full credit.

Josh Barnett recently signed with Strikeforce. Who would you like to see him face first in the organization?

Tool: You know what would help answer this question? If Strikeforce actually announced which of their heavyweights were going to be fighting one another soon. Fedor Emelianenko is (as always) tied up in negotiations. Fabricio Werdum is out the rest of the year with an injury. Alistair Overeem is taking his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship and going back to competing in K-1 for now. Brett Rogers is taking his two-fight losing streak and competing on a show for W1 (who?) in Canada next month. Meanwhile Antonio Silva sits on the sidelines praying that somebody takes a fight against him. Also I think Andrei Arlovski may still be under a Strikeforce contract, but who know these days?

Now that I’ve mentioned all the top names under the Strikeforce banner, allow me to suggest a different option for Barnett’s first opponent: Lavar Johnson. Johnson has already made a name for himself amongst hardcore fans thanks to two explosive win on Strikeforce: Challengers. He’s never had a fight go to a decision and a bout with Barnett is a huge opportunity for him. It’s not the most appealing match-up for Barnett but it’s certainly a fight he would be favored in. If Barnett wins then it’s a great chance to expose him to audiences that have never seen him fight, and if Johnson wins you’ve instantly created a new star in your best division.

Conlan: I like the choice of Johnson, though it seems Shane del Rosario would be the way to go if giving a lesser-known fighter an opportunity to shine against a veteran like Barnett.

However, there’s only one truly logical choice for me and that’s Fedor Emelianenko. Fans have been longing to see Emelianenko and Barnett square off for years and were cheated out of a chance to see the match-up in 2009 at an Affliction event (in large part due to Barnett testing positive for steroid use a week-and-a-half before the show was scheduled to take place). As long as he’s able to test clean, unless of course Strikeforce wants to stir up criticism by promoting an event in a location with less-stringent drug testing policies than California, there’s no reason Barnett shouldn’t finally be paired with Emelianenko inside a cage. Neither is getting younger, and Strikeforce needs to make the biggest bouts possible in order to draw interest from mainstream fans and maintain relevance among the hardcore sector.

Who do you feel has the longer road back to the UFC: Paul Daley or Keith Jardine?

Conlan: If Dana White’s mind didn’t change faster than the colors of a chameleon with ADD the answer to this question would be fairly obvious since Daley is the only option with a “lifetime ban” from the Octagon attached to his name. However, the topic becomes a bit more interesting because the UFC President has no problem treating his past statements like they were written on a dry-erase board as indicated by, among other things, his recent decision to bring Karo Parisyan back into the fold.

That being said, I think the presently-banished Brit has a better chance of making his way back to the UFC than Jardine for a number of reasons. Daley is eight-years younger than Jardine for starters, meaning he has more time to work with in his career than “The Dean of Mean”. He’s also won two fights since his post-fight sucker punch of Josh Koscheck at UFC 113 last May whereas Jardine was unable to get by part-time middleweight Trevor Prangley at Shark Fights 13 – an individual who was dismantled in three-and-a-half minutes by Tim Kennedy a few months prior. Prangley is talented to be sure, but he’s nowhere near the quality of the UFC’s light heavyweights, and in that regard losing to him was devastating to Jardine’s chances where a promotional return is concerned.

“Semtex” also has a more fan-friendly style than Jardine, and at the end of the day the UFC is a business recognizing the value of keeping its supporters happy. Putting Daley in the ring against an opponent who isn’t afraid to strike is as simple a recipe for excitement as peanut butter, jelly, and two slices of bread is for a delicious sandwich. On the other hand, Jardine hasn’t finished an opponent since Forrest Griffin in December 2006, and he seems less willing to engage these days than in the past because of his chin’s lacking durability. Beyond their respective approaches to fighting, Daley’s polarizing personality also “puts asses in the seats” in comparison to Jardine’s soft-spoken humility, and is yet one more factor in the many making him the more-likely candidate for a future return to the UFC than the Greg Jackson team captain.

Tool: I can agree with the points that Brendhan made, but I’m going in the other direction and taking Jardine. While their career trajectories may be vastly different there is one factor that evens the scales just a bit, and that is Jardine’s previous loyalties to the UFC. During his long career in the octagon Jardine was the model of a thankless employee, headlining several events despite the enormous differences in paychecks between himself and his opponents. As far as public record is concerned he never turned down a fight, even when the UFC slotted him against newcomer Houston Alexander after Jardine’s underdog win over Griffin. The loss to Prangley is a setback for sure, but let’s not forget that Jardine fought some of the toughest guys in the world at 205 lbs. during this current losing streak. On top of that he’s been around long enough to have a much higher name value than someone like Daley, and thus it shouldn’t take nearly as long for him to get back in the octagon. After all that’s why Jardine hasn’t signed with Strikeforce, because he wants to stay in Dana White’s good graces.

Of course all of this stuff is meaningless if Jardine doesn’t win a fight soon. If I were in Keith’s ear I would probably tell him to try his trade in Japan for a fight or two. If anybody can match a mid-level fighter up with a complete can, it’s the Japanese promoters.

BUY/SELL – You agree with the UFC’s decision to sign Antonio McKee.

Conlan: Definitely a “buy” for me. McKee has both the personality and in-ring credentials to support a campaign in the UFC. “Mandingo” – by far one of my favorite nicknames to type/say – last lost to Karo Parisyan in February 2003 and is 14-0-1 since. Though I can see the case against him involving both age (40) and the enormous amount of decisions he’s piled up in his career (18 of his 25 total victories), being part of the UFC is about winning and an ability to draw interest from fans. In addition to his success in the ring over the past seven years, McKee is also one of the sport’s more-outspoken individuals. He’s called out BJ Penn in the past, spoken about the influence of race on the UFC’s roster, promised to retire if he didn’t finish Luciano Azevedo last weekend at MFC 26, and is completely comfortable in front of a camera or talking trash to sell a bout to media. He’s unique in a number of ways, and regardless of age or style I’m absolutely interested in seeing what he has to offer inside the Octagon.

Tool: Interestingly enough this question was originally worded to pose the question of whether we think McKee should be signed by the UFC. That was before the outspoken lightweight made his negotiations with Zuffa public knowledge on another website’s radio show, thereby necessitating a minor change in the phrasing of this particular topic.

Regardless, this is also a “buy” for me. I think Brock Lesnar and Chael Sonnen have already proven the drawing power a good trash-talker can bring, and I expect McKee to have plenty of things to say about the proverbial shark tank that is the UFC’s lightweight division. As Brendhan already pointed out the guy can not only talk a good game, he can back it up as well. Given his stifling offensive style I have no doubt that he’ll bring plenty of trouble to anyone that gets the task of welcoming McKee to the octagon. On the other hand he may get completely blown-out by any number of younger fighters on the roster, but I’m curious to see how this whole thing plays out.

Several fighters have made comments in the past few weeks about the trend of high-level wrestlers winning “boring” decisions. What’s your take on the current state of wrestling in MMA?

Conlan: I don’t see any problem with the amount of wrestling in MMA or the influence it has on action in the ring. Grappling is one of the world’s original combative techniques and absolutely has a home in its current form where fighting is concerned. Our nation’s historical love of the sport has assisted in producing a number of its top athletes, many of whom are now professional Mixed Martial Artists, and as such it makes sense an American promotion like the UFC would be dominated by wrestlers. In Brazil it’s BJJ and Muay Thai; in Europe it’s kickboxing and sambo; in Japan it’s judo and Jiu-Jitsu. We as fans simply hear/see more in regards to the dominance of wrestling because of the UFC’s overwhelming presence in comparison to the entire industry.

I do, however, have an issue with the way ringside judges’ tend to score takedowns without always taking into account how active both competitors are when things hit the mat. If a fighter in top position is sitting in his/her opponent’s guard while the other individual is attempting submissions, working to escape, or landing strikes from the bottom then that needs to be part of the decision process in terms of how the round is scored. I believe a lot of the criticism high-level wrestlers are currently receiving for their arguably less-exciting approach to MMA is related to the number of bouts lost for that very reason. I also feel referees across the board need a better sense of recognition when it comes to a fighter who is aggressively looking to advance position and one who is content bleeding time off the clock by half-heartedly punching from full guard. As far as I’m concerned, improving officiating and how points are tallied would drastically reduce the number of yawn-inducing rounds and wet-blanket based decisions.

Tool: I’m tempted to leave this space blank as I absolutely agree with my colleague on every point he’s made. Wrestling rules American MMA which I suppose is precisely the very reason so many foreign fighters are speaking out against it. Shinya Aoki seems to think that butt-scoots should be counted more than takedowns, while British fighters like Dan Hardy are upset that guys won’t stand and bang with them. I can find merit in the arguments against how takedowns and ground control are scored in MMA, but that’s more of a reflection on the larger problem of an antiquated scoring system (and that’s a subject for another time).

This whole outcry of fighters against wrestling in MMA is really not that far removed from the much older outcry of fighters against Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The two disciplines are similar in the fact that, when they work, they are guaranteed to win fights. Nowadays most professional fighters have solid defense against the most common types of BJJ holds, and I’m fairly certain that in five or ten years time most fighters will have solid takedown defense. Eventually guys will start drilling hip escapes and scrambles so hard that they’re second nature for the next generation. Once more and more fighters adapt themselves to the current landscape of the sport, it will most likely end up changing once again.

MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic is set to take on Frank Mir as a late replacement for Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on September 25, 2010 at UFC 119 and many MMA fans are intrigued by the match up. Cro Cop is known for his impressive striking, but opponent Mir has been showing a strong ability to strike lately himself, though most would definitely give the stand up edge to Filipovic. While some might expect Mir to try and out strike his opponent, Filipovic himself seems to think that Mir will try to bring the fight to the ground. He recently spoke of the matchup, via Fighters Only:

He is a very good fighter. First-class grappler, solid striker – nothing special, but solid – but a first-class grappler. Definitely he will try to take me down. He had a longer time to prepare but it doesn’t have to mean anything. The moment I accepted the fight, there are no excuses for me. Its my problem and I don’t want people to think I am searching for some alibi or something. I only stated a fact, that it was summertime, I was taking a rest from my last fight, I was recovering. But it has nothing to do with anything; that moment I agreed to the fight, that’s it, we are even. There is no more to be said.

You would have to think that Frank Mir’s career would suffer greatly with a loss to Cro Cop, while a win by the Croatian would certainly boost him higher into the upper echelons of the UFC elite heavyweights. Vegas odds makers are giving the edge to Mir, but anything can happen, as we all know. This should be interesting.

A World Extreme Cagefighting official today condemned comments Donald Cerrone made about WEC 51 opponent Jamie Varner in a recent radio interview.

WEC Vice President Peter Dropick stated that Cerrone's comments "are not consistent with our company values" and the organization will not "tolerate the use of slurs that may offend any segment of the public."

The WEC.tv statement made no mention of a punishment, and officials declined to comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com.