Gotta love twitter, gotta love UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste even more. She’s got it going on as she wants everyone to have a happy fourth of July.

Lemoore, Calif. – John Alessio didn’t stress too much over his opponent change for Friday, July 9’s Tachi Palace Fights “Stars and Strikes” mixed martial arts show at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

“I definitely want to first just say that I hope (Brad) Blackburn heals up soon and that I was really looking forward to that fight. I’m very happy that Tachi Palace Fights didn’t have me sitting around waiting for an opponent and they didn’t just cut the fight. They had some one right away and I really appreciate that,” said Alessio, who will take on War Machine in the co-main event at the Palace.

War Machine (11-3) will replace Blackburn, who had to withdraw from the bout because of a cut.

“War Machine has a good record at 11-3 and won six of his last seven fights. I will be ready, but I don’t see any problems for me in this fight. I don’t see any aspect of the game that he is better than me at. He is a tough dude and probably come in swinging to take my head off.”

This will be War Machine’s final fight before he is scheduled to spend a year in a San Diego jail, according to his Twitter account. War Machine was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 6″ and previously was known as Jon Koppenhaver before a legal name change.

He was arrested May 30 outside Thruster’s Lounge in San Diego under suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

“I’m glad I got this fight. I need to make some money to leave with my wife while I’m locked up. Took this fight on very short notice, but a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. Jail is going to suck and be so boring can’t wait to get out and fight again,” said War Machine, who last saw action May 15 when he submitted Zach Light.

“I actually trained with Alessio all last year at Xtreme Couture. He’s a well-seasoned vet, real tough with great skills. We had many good sparring sessions the last year. I remember back when I was a youngster; before I ever started fighting I saw him fight in the UFC. John was young, but did great. I thought wow this dude is going to be good,” War Machine added.

Tickets can be purchased at www.tachipalace.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $30 for general admission seating.

If you can’t attend the fights you can watch them live on GoFightLive.tv at 6 p.m. PST. Cost of the stream is just $9.99.

In the main event, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns to his roots at the Palace in a catch weight bout with fast-rising star Isaac DeJesus of Fresno, Calif. DeJesus (9-1). DeJesus is the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champ and makes the jump up in weight to take on Huntington Beach, Calif.’s McCullough (17-6) at 160 pounds.

“I see this fight being great. Lots of face punching and submission scrambles. I’m looking for an early KO, so I can grab a beer and get back to eating all the junk food I can find before going away,” War Machine said.

This fight is a lot more pivotal in the career of Alessio (28-13), who carries a 4-fight win streak into the contest.

“I’m more ready than ever to fight. I’ve really worked a lot harder than I ever have this last year and trying to get back to the UFC. I’m putting everything into this and been working so hard,” Alessio said. “This is the type of fight that I feel can really put me back in the UFC.”

The 9-bout card is also packed with three title fights, as welterweight champ David Mitchell (10-0) of Santa Rosa, Calif. defends his belt against Lemoore, Calif.’s Poppies Martinez (18-6) and bantamweight title holder Cole Escovedo (16-4) of Fresno, Calif. defends against Oakdale, Calif.’s Michael McDonald (9-1). Also, Rancho Cucamonga Calif.’s Gabe Ruediger (16-5) and Albuquerque, N.M.’s Lenny Lovato (8-0) battle for the Tachi Palace Fights vacant lightweight strap.

Also, UFC veteran David Kaplan (2-3) of Las Vegas, Nev. takes on Oakland, Calif.’s Dominique Robinson (4-4) in a lightweight tilt; Olympic Silver Medalist Stephen Abas (1-0) of Fresno, Calif. makes his return to the Palace in a bantamweight bout with Lemoore, Calif.’s Joey DeLaCruz (1-0); Las Vegas, Nev. lightweight David Bollea (2-0), who is the nephew of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, takes on Visalia, Calif.’s Cody Gibson (3-0); and Coalinga, Calif. bantamweight Francisco Loredo (4-5) fights Soledad, Calif.’s Drew Bittner (3-0).

(photo courtesy of Reed Harris’ Twitter page via Yahoo! Cagewriter)

During Thursday’s UFC pre-fight press conference for “UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin” the promotions president Dana White stated yet again that former UFC champion Chuck Liddell was done fighting in the UFC.

“He won’t do it again. He cannot do it again. It will not happen again. This guy is somebody that I care about and respect and consider a friend of mine.

“My problem isn’t with Chuck Liddell getting in shape or any of that stuff. My problem is with Chuck’s chin. Anybody who’s been in the sport long enough knows you used to be able to hit him in the face with a crowbar and you couldn’t even wobble him. And that’s not the case anymore. It’s not worth it to me.”

Liddell was at the Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum in Las Vegas at the unveiling of a wax figure in his image and spoke to MMAWeekly.com about his future.

“We’ll talk to Dana today and go in there and try to make some more ideas about what I want to do. I’m not sure. Isn’t anything decided yet. I’m gonna have to talk to him about it.”

Video of Chuck Liddell and his wax figure after the jump

Click here to view the embedded video.

HT: MMAWeekly.com

UFC President Dana White is never at a loss for words, and you knew it wouldn’t be long before he commented again on the Fedor loss to Fabricio Werdum. As is often the case, Twitter was White’s communication method of choice:

@Rdays boo hoo, you are really taking the loss hard! Even setting him up with easy fights doesn’t work anymore. its over move on, I did.

There are two distinct groups on this topic, with one truly believing that Werdum was supposed to be an easy fight for Fedor, and that Fedor would win that fight nine out of ten times, while the other group points out that a two time jiu-jitsu world champion is not an easy match ever. Whatever the case, White is certainly enjoying himself at the expense of Strikeforce and Fedor.

UFC President Dana White is never at a loss for words, and you knew it wouldn’t be long before he commented again on the Fedor loss to Fabricio Werdum. As is often the case, Twitter was White’s communication method of choice:

@Rdays boo hoo, you are really taking the loss hard! Even setting him up with easy fights doesn’t work anymore. its over move on, I did.

There are two distinct groups on this topic, with one truly believing that Werdum was supposed to be an easy fight for Fedor, and that Fedor would win that fight nine out of ten times, while the other group points out that a two time jiu-jitsu world champion is not an easy match ever. Whatever the case, White is certainly enjoying himself at the expense of Strikeforce and Fedor.

UFC president Dana White posted this message from his Twitter page after Fabricio Werdum submitted Fedor Emelianenko in the first round.

LAS VEGAS - After a few on-site reporters posted Twitter messages stating that the judges stations at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale had been equipped with video monitors, many in the industry rejoiced.

Due to a string of confusing and controversial scores in recent events, MMA judging has come under fire, and some - including UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan - think the solution rests in the use of monitors.

But following Saturday's event in Las Vegas, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer told MMAjunkie.com the monitors mistakenly were installed and were turned off before the show started.

Thomas Gerbasi, WEC - The messages on Jamie Varner's Twitter and Facebook accounts come frequently enough that they're pretty noticeable:

When an arena clears at the end of a Mixed Martial Arts event it’s often assumed the men (and/or women) whose blood and sweat still stain the canvas have finished fighting as it relates to that particular show. They typically pack up their gear, take care of on-site media obligations, and head to a hotel room to either lick their wounds or get dressed for an after-party where an entirely different sort of tongue-wagging may eventually come into play. Regardless of extra-curricular choices or the evening’s earlier result, those who entertain in the ring exit the venue with the closure of knowing they can move forward in life and onto the next opponent; that the work they’ve done will be rewarded with adulation from supporters, the personal satisfaction brought on by competition, and of course some level of financial gain.

Or so it’s assumed.

On May 15th, 2010 a show promoted by an organization known as the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts took place in Birmingham, England. The card featured a number of recognizable names, including those with Octagon experience on their resume like Seth Petruzelli, Matt Horwich, and War Machine. Petruzelli and the man once known as John Koppenhaver fared better in result than Horwich but all three spent weeks preparing in the gym with the mutual understanding BAMMA 3 would be like any other event.

On June 8th, 2010 all three men are still awaiting payment for the commitment each fulfilled. Apparently, BP isn’t the only dealer of dismay from across the pond with an element of slime involved. Money depended on for training costs, mortgages, general bills, food, family, and any other imaginable want or need remains a promise unkept, and thoughts originally turned towards a future competitor now look at an opponent possibly looming in a ring far different from any used in combat sports – a court of law.

News of the situation first came to light a week ago when Petruzelli and War Machine took to different realms of cyberspace to plead their cases. Said Petruzelli on popular MMA forum The Underground, “This is B.S! We feed our families with this money.” Meanwhile, the Ultimate Fighter Season 6 alumnus went the route of Twitter and addressed the topic in standard form, writing “Sure would be nice if BAMMA decided to FINALLY f*cking PAY US! Or maybe that’s too much to ask? WTF!? Really getting PISSED now! Contract said 72 hours…lol That’s 3 days right? Just wondering because it’s been 3 WEEKS!” He even went as far as to send a message to BAMMA’s account questioning whether or not they were going to pay or if the promotion felt they didn’t deserve their money.

In Horwich’s case, the woman he married a day after an IFL title defense (Kelly) spoke up to elaborate on the situation. “The promoter…had the balls to tell me he didn’t know we needed to be paid so urgently. People think fighters are rich and famous…they are normal people that need their money to eat too. We’re starving over here peoplel!!!!!” She also, understandably angry about things, made it clear she was thankful she and her husband hadn’t purchased a new house as they’d been considering, or else “WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO (HAVE) PAID THE GOD DAMN RENT!!!!!”

Fast-forward to this past Wednesday when Petruzelli stated he’d received half of his expected winnings with the remainder promised for payment later in the day while management for War Machine and Horwich, by proxy of his wife, claimed neither camp had received a dime of their purses. Hours later BAMMA apparently made good on their word to Petruzelli and War Machine, yet Horwich was left in the cold. As of Saturday, June 12th – nearly a month after the actual event – the same remains true. (UPDATE: Horwich was FINALLY paid today, a month to the day after the card’s completion.)

Unfortunately, circumstances like the above are not as uncommon as fans (and fighters) might hope nor are they limited to small shows. Far too often the men and women who sacrifice their bodies for our entertainment are victims in an industry where expectations often exceed ticket-sales and PPV buys. Quinton Jackson, among others, has spoken in the past about PRIDE shorting him and delaying payment during the promotion’s heyday. DREAM has been associated with with similar activities, most notably with current Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz after he defeated Katsuya Inoue at DREAM 3 in May 2008. The same was essentially true in the case of the mid-card fighters set to square off at Affliction III before Tom Atencio folded up shop ten days out from the event. In reality, considering the rarity of a promoter not being associated on some level with questionable financial practices, it’s really no wonder the UFC is the cream of MMA’s crop.

It’s common knowledge we live in a money-driven society where characters ranging from legitimate to downright shady will attempt to capitalize on a trend in hopes of striking it rich. As such, we have to accept the business of Mixed Martial Arts is no different, and the practice of exploiting others in hopes of turning a profit is anything but a newly invented concept. However, that’s not to say people should stand idle while athletes we respect or are personally invested in as fans pay the price after already sacrificing so much for our mere enjoyment. We need to stop focusing so much on the figures and turn our attention to whether or not a contractual agreement was actually fulfilled. When a promotion, like BAMMA, shafts a fighter you need to let your opinion be known both in written/verbal form as well as when it comes to buying future shows/tickets. Likewise, when fighters are paid on time you need to support those companies for living up to their word. Mixed Martial Artists fight for us. Now it’s our turn to fight for them.

During his victory speech at UFC 115, Rich Franklin made it clear he’d broken something in his left arm through both his words and his body language. Cradling the limb, “Ace” discussed the kick bringing about the injury and likely made a few onlookers’ stomachs cringe when mentioning he could feel the bone “click” shortly thereafter. However, based on the immediacy of the post-fight interview it was impossible at that point for the Cincinnati native to know the actual extent of the damage sustained.

Now that a short period of time has passed the former UFC middleweight champ has seen a doctor and the diagnosis is in. According to Franklin, who took to his Twitter page, “I broke my ulna in my forearm. I find out today if i need surgery today. Either way I’m casted at least 8 weeks.” No timetable has been announced for the soutpaw’s return, though it’s clear he won’t be seeing action until Fall at the earliest.

Franklin improved his record to 28-5 this past weekend after flooring fellow UFC icon Chuck Liddell with a counter right-hand in the first round of their headlining bout. The win was the one-time high school math teacher’s third since moving up from 185 pounds two years ago and his second by way of knockout.