MMA Universe

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - He's won everything there is to win as a UFC lightweight champion, he's erased every question mark when it comes to his desire and conditioning, and has silenced all the doubters who wondered if he would ever fulfill his potential. So what does BJ Penn, still just 31 years old, do now?

Las Vegas, NV (USA) - The light-heavyweight title will be on the line on when the Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to the Bell Centre in Montreal. At UFC® 104 last October, light heavyweight champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida and challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua engaged in a back-and-forth five round battle resulting in the champion retaining his belt via a razor-thin unanimous decision. On Saturday, May 8, these two warriors will square off once again with the championship on the line for UFC 113: Machida vs. Shogun 2, live from the Bell Centre.

Elias Cepeda, UFC - Every once in awhile you hear stories of pro fighters who, even as kids, loved to mix it up. John Gunderson, though a born scrapper, wasn't one of those kids. Yeah, he was always in a fight, but the way it felt to him was that he needed to be just to survive.

Flash entertainment today announced that following production configuration changes to UFC 112, additional seats for the event will be made available to the public from April 5th at www.boxofficeme.com.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - Matt Brown's pro MMA record, which currently sits at 13-7, will never strike fear in any opponent. Then he puts his hands on them, and the outlook changes considerably.

At 22, Jon 'Bones' Jones may be talked about as the Next Big Thing in the UFC, but the phenom's eye-popping abilities aren't an accident. The 6-foot-3, light heavyweight phenom and former All-American Greco-Roman wrestler has a training regimen as unorthodox as the kicks and strikes for which he's known. Each exercise is designed to push his muscles to the limit while training them to respond explosively.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - For years before they even made it to the big shows, my buddy and colleague Jason Probst always told me about James Irvin, Scott Smith, and Urijah Faber - a trio of friends and training partners from Northern California that he insisted had the right stuff to make it big in the still growing sport of mixed martial arts. Irvin, now a UFC mainstay, remembers those days.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - It may have been the greatest compliment a fighter could receive. When talking about his loss to Eliot Marshall last September, Jason Brilz admitted to being totally surprised at how Marshall went from ground wizard to stick and move artist, leaving the veteran out of sorts as he dropped a three round unanimous decision at UFC 103.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - When Jason Brilz dropped a three round unanimous decision to Eliot Marshall last September in Dallas, it wasn't losing for the first time since 2001 that baffled the light heavyweight up and comer, it was the way things played out at American Airlines Center, as Marshall, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, kept matters standing throughout the bout.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - The walk into the Octagon. For some, the trek up those final four steps presents ample time to panic; for others, it's a signal that it's time to perform. For Daniel 'Ninja' Roberts, it's when he flips the switch from nice guy to fighter, and by the time he steps through the doorway, he's not walking into competition - he's jumping in.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - Canada will get their first dose of the Kimbo Slice phenomenon on Saturday, May 8th, when the Ultimate Fighter alumnus looks to make it 2-0 in the Octagon on the UFC 113: Machida vs Shogun 2 card at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Rhett Butler, UFC - In 1985, the film The Last Dragon debuted to the rare mix of horrible critiques by the movie critics and impressive box office sales. As one of the rare oxymoronic pieces of cinema, it became a cult classic with the timeless tale of naive good versus conscious evil. Lead character Leroy Green, referred to colloquially as Bruce Leroy, sought the ultimate level of martial arts enlightenment embodied by "the glow", which was held by his nemesis Sho'nuff, who possessed the glow and fear of all challengers.

Frank Curreri, WEC - Those who labeled Dominick Cruz to be a light puncher must eat their words following his masterful performance night against WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles. The 4-to-1 underdog battered Bowles over two rounds with crisp punching combinations and leg kicks, and Cruz went back to his corner at the end of round two and did not return for a third round. The unbeaten champion told doctors his hand was broken and opted not to continue fighting, conceding his title to his tearful and overjoyed challenger.

Chuck Mindenhall, UFC - There was a time not that long ago when Matthew Riddle was working at The Bon-Ton department store, eating bad freezer foods and wondering what he was going to do in life. That was all the way back in 2006ish. From there he became a video clerk, before taking his "least favorite job of all" as a roofer. He was also watching copious amounts of pro wrestling.

Frank Curreri, WEC - To become champion, Brian Bowles upset a legend regarded as one of MMA's most aggressive fighters. To keep the title, he must defeat a 4-to-1 underdog who just might be the most elusive fighter in the game aside from Lyoto Machida.

Below are the official weigh-in results for Saturday's WEC event, which features the WEC bantamweight title bout between Brian Bowles and Dominick Cruz, as well as the return of Miguel Angel Torres against Joseph Benavidez, and the featherweight clash between Jens Pulver and Javier Vazquez. This card will air live on Versus (10pm ET / 7pm PT) from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has always been one of mixed martial arts' greatest talents. But what were the seven defining moments of the Canadian star's career as he approaches his March 27th title defense against Dan Hardy? Read on to find out on this updated list.

Frank Curreri, WEC - Dominick Cruz stands accused of being a light puncher, a winner but not a finisher. His unbeaten opponent, meanwhile, has dynamite in his fists and has never allowed a fight to go the distance. No doubt that perceived power differential goes a long way toward explaining why Cruz, days before Saturday's showdown with WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles, has been branded a 4-to-1 underdog by oddsmakers.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - For someone who has a mixed martial arts career that only spans 17 pro fights, Frank Mir has seen more than his share of twists and turns. On March 27th, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the latest chapter in the Las Vegan's career sees him taking on Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title, a bout that has the potential be added to this list of Mir's seven defining moments.

Frank Curreri, WEC - An excruciating, month-long training camp at the Jersey Shore honed more than Miguel Torres' fight game. The experience also apparently sharpened his tongue.