UFC 125 - Edgar vs Maynard/Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva

[Rappy Veteran]

Final card added to UFC.com. The moved the Vera vs Silva fight up to the main card. Way to put more pressure on 2 fights fighting for their jobs.

Main card

Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar ? vs. Gray Maynard

Middleweight bout: Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann

Light Heavyweight bout: Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva

Welterweight bout: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim

Lightweight bout: Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens

Featherweight bout: Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier

Middleweight bout: Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares

Featherweight bout: Mike Brown vs. Diego Nunes

Welterweight bout: Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto

Lightweight bout: Jacob Volkmann vs. Antonio McKee

Edited December 1, 2010 by Rappy

[rajputwarrior]

As long as you don't let big country sit on you, you're golden!

[D. S. Veteran]

Dana is either trying to get Big Country to leave with 2 losses in a row or grooming him to be the new heavyweight gatekeeper and kick out Mir.

Either way it's gonna be a good fight for both and will serve to sell the card in spite of the snoozefest lined up for main event.

[Kriz]

You can tell Dana likes big country now, ive been impressed with his past few fights pretty much back from that awesome fight he put on in TUF.. It'll be good to see how good Nelson's chin actually is, he can take a punch but he's never been tested with XXXXXL size hands before..

If this goes past the 1st round, its going to be a sloooow fight!

Maynards gonna take down Edgar, show BJ how to beat him, thats if BJ even gives a **** these days, past two fights it looked like he didnt even want to be there.. Not to forget the brilliant coaching in his corner "**** his speed man, just knock this cocky **********er out" HAHA

[TheElite]

Nelson won't be ready by then.

Who trains right after having surgery?

[D. S. Veteran]

You can tell Dana likes big country now, ive been impressed with his past few fights pretty much back from that awesome fight he put on in TUF.. It'll be good to see how good Nelson's chin actually is, he can take a punch but he's never been tested with XXXXXL size hands before..

If this goes past the 1st round, its going to be a sloooow fight!

Maynards gonna take down Edgar, show BJ how to beat him, thats if BJ even gives a **** these days, past two fights it looked like he didnt even want to be there.. Not to forget the brilliant coaching in his corner "**** his speed man, just knock this cocky **********er out" HAHA

He stood with JDS for 3 rounds. I'll take a guess that his chin is quite solid. If it goes past first round, Carwin will gas to hell and back and Big Country will take the W with ease. I'm pretty sure Edgar's reign as a champion is going to end at the hands of Maynard. I'm just sad it will be a very boring fight won by decision with lay-and-pray.

[Kriz]

Yeh i forgot to mention, i havnt seen anybody take punches like that from Dos Santos.. Should be a good fight, im on big country's side!

[Kriz]

Welterweights Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim targeted for UFC 125

A welterweight bout between "The Ultimate Fighter 5" winner Nate Diaz (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and undefeated Dong Hyun Kim (13-0-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is in the works for UFC 125.

UFC 125 takes place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The night's main card airs on pay-per-view, though it's unclear if Diaz vs. Kim will be part of the broadcast.

After a 6-3 record in the UFC's lightweight division, including five straight victories to begin his UFC career, Diaz moved up a weight class to try his luck at 170 pounds. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt since has posted a TKO win over Rory Markham and a submission victory over Marcus Davis to emerge on the fringe of the division's title picture.

Kim, a Judo black belt, puts his undefeated record on the line. The South Korean fighter initially joined the UFC in 2008 and has posted a 4-0 record. However, what would've been a decision loss to Karo Parisyan was overturned to a no-content after the Armenian failed a UFC 94 drug test due to painkillers.

Since then, Kim has earned a pair of unanimous-decision wins over T.J. Grant and "The Ultimate Fighter 7" winner Amir Sadollah.

Every time Nate fights he's just more and more like his other, stand up wise anyway. Whoever he fights you know its going to be a good one..

[COKid]

So...this is all fake like pro wrestling, correct? Mind you, I am not a troll. I grew up on the AWA back in Minnesota, where among others Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura got their start, and loved it. But kind of like the Easter Bunny and Santa, I eventually found out it was all pretend.

Why should I buy into this UFC stuff then?

[D. S. Veteran]

So...this is all fake like pro wrestling, correct? Mind you, I am not a troll. I grew up on the AWA back in Minnesota, where among others Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura got their start, and loved it. But kind of like the Easter Bunny and Santa, I eventually found out it was all pretend.

Why should I buy into this UFC stuff then?

http://news.fightmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/wagner_gash.jpg

http://mixedmartialarts-apparel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kampman-mma-cut-Mixed-Martial-Arts-Headgear-Ufc.jpg

http://urdirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/torreshead.jpg

No.

As real as it gets.

If you enjoy real fighting, you should follow the UFC/WEC or any other of the B-League MMA organizations like Bellator, Strikeforce, MFC, Shark Fights, Tachi Palace Fights, DEEP, DREAM, etc.

All the B-Leagues are like developmental territory. Every guy in there is hoping to get onto the UFC. The WEC also has a great roster and puts on great events that are free on Versus. WEC 51 and WEC 48 were both awesome.

[Kriz]

Yeh UFC and WEC are both up there as the best, Strikeforce always seems to put on good shows though.. Not fake whatsoever. Totally 100% real my friend!

[D. S. Veteran]

Clay Guida vs. Takanori Gomi confirmed for a lightweight bout at UFC 125. Probably trying to find an order for contendership. If Gomi wins, maybe he'll rematch Florian for a shot at the title.

[Kriz]

Pretty good fight, i dont think UFC has another fighter thats lost so many fights in a row and is still under contract.. Guida, win or lose, always puts on an AMAZING performance, id like to see him win but i can see Gomi being way too strong for him.

[D. S. Veteran]

Pretty good fight, i dont think UFC has another fighter thats lost so many fights in a row and is still under contract.. Guida, win or lose, always puts on an AMAZING performance, id like to see him win but i can see Gomi being way too strong for him.

Guida was at most 0-2 and is now on a 2 fight win streak. But yeah, he always puts on a show. Not like Escudero who was clearly stalling to all hell in his last fight and rightfully got cut. If Guida tries to stand and bang with Gomi (and he will for sure) he will lose. Gomi defeats are almost all by submission and his striking is crisp and very solid.

[rathefeare]

Yeh UFC and WEC are both up there as the best, Strikeforce always seems to put on good shows though.. Not fake whatsoever. Totally 100% real my friend!

Yep probably more "real", "legit" and "fair" than boxing is at this point.

[Rappy Veteran]

Phil Baroni Vs. Brad Tavares Being Looked At For UFC 125

MMAJunkie.com is reporting that a middleweight bout between MMA veteran Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni and The Ultimate Fighter alum Brad Tavares is currently on tap for the upcoming UFC 125 January event.

Phil Baroni is a veteran of the UFC's early days (making his promotional debut at UFC 30 back in 2001) as well as of the legendary PRIDE Fighting Championships promotion. He is nearly even in his career as a professional mixed martial artist as he currently sits at 13-12, barely keeping his head above water. Baroni returned to the UFC for the first time since 2005 in November of 2009 at UFC 106, where he took on Amir Sadollah in the welterweight division. Baroni showed heart but was ultimately outclassed en route to a unanimous decision loss. He will be looking to bounce back and prove himself to still be a threat when he returns to middleweight against Tavares.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 alum Brad Tavares will be looking to improve his professional MMA record to 6-0 when he meets Baroni. Tavares came one fight short of positioning himself in the finals match; losing to Court McGee via third round rear naked choke in the semi-finals match. In his first UFC appearance, at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale this past June, Tavares defeated Seth Baczynski via unanimous decision. He will be returning to the promotion for the first time since that fight when he takes on Baroni.

UFC 125 is expected to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada this January 1st and will likely feature a lightweight championship bout between champion Frankie Edgar and the last (and only) man to defeat him, Gray Maynard.

[Kriz]

Baroni's gonna get ****ED UP.. Regardless of his experience, Tavares showed a lot of potential on TUF.. And seeing as though Baroni cant stomp on his opponents face, i really dont know how he's going to win.

[Rappy Veteran]

A back injury and expected surgery have forced Shane Carwin (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) out of his UFC 125 co-main-event fight with fellow heavyweight Roy Nelson (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC).

After dealing with back pain, the former title challenger underwent an MRI on Monday that detected an injury that "may really require surgery," he wrote on his official website, shane-carwin.com.

UFC officials have not announced his withdrawal from the UFC 125 card, which takes place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Carwin vs. Nelson was slated as the co-headliner behind a lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard, which airs on pay-per-view.

With ample time available, UFC officials likely will find a replacement for Carwin. Theoretically, UFC 121 fighters Brock Lesnar (who lost his title to Cain Velasquez) and Brendan Schaub (who defeated Gabriel Gonzaga) are options. So, too, is Frank Mir, who's coming off a September win over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

"If the doctors do not have to perform surgery, then I will be out eight to 12 weeks," Carwin wrote. "If they do have to perform surgery, I do not know how long I will be out of action.

"I was really looking forward to fighting again, and obviously, this is a very disappointing turn of events."

Carwin stated that he struggled with the decision but ultimately decided he needs to be fully healthy to compete in the UFC.

"This is a hard decision but the right one, and I hope Team Carwin can stand by me through this period of my career," he wrote. "No one wants to get me back to winning more than me. I just need to be healthy to do it."

Carwin hasn't fought since UFC 116, when he suffered a second-round submission loss to then-heavyweight champ Lesnar. Carwin nearly ended the fight in the first round with a vicious barrage of punches, but Lesnar survived and then capitalized on a quickly fading Carwin to secure a fight-ending arm-triangle choke. Prior to the loss, the former interim champ had posted 12 consecutive wins, all of which came via first-round stoppage.

Like Carwin, Nelson also looks to rebound from a recent high-profile loss. The former IFL champion won "The Ultimate Fighter 10," which he entered as a heavy favorite, by knocking out Brendan Schaub in the finale. He then posted a 39-second knockout of Stefan Struve. But in a fight that UFC president Dana White said would earn the winner a title shot, Nelson dropped a decision to fast-rising Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117.

[D. S. Veteran]

Remember what Nelson said after losing to JDS? He wanted Nogueira because everyone that beat Nogueira got a title shot next. I know Cro Cop has shown interest but since the Carwin vs Nelson fight was to find a next contender and they don't want to put Cro Cop on that spot, who knows... maybe Nelson will get to crush Nogueira and fight Cain/JDS next.

[Kriz]

I hope so, Nelson has really impressed me in his last few fights.. Shame about Carwin though i do always look forward to his fights.. At least there is plenty of time to find a replacement :)

[Rappy Veteran]

New UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo defends title at UFC 125

World Extreme Cagefighting's final featherweight champion, Jose Aldo (18-1 MMA, 8-0 WEC) will make his UFC debut on Jan. 1.

UFC president Dana White today announced that Aldo ? who by virtue of the pending UFC and WEC merger is now the UFC's first featherweight champ ? will defend his title against a yet to be named opponent at UFC 125.

Featuring a lightweight title fight between current UFC champion Frankie Edgar and top contender Gray Maynard, UFC 125 takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The main card airs live on pay-per-view.

White says Aldo's opponent has yet to be determined, but he believes the Brazilian featherweight could use the new stage to become an MMA superstar.

"This kid could be a huge star," White said. "[WEC fighters] are finally on the biggest stage in the world now."

Potential opponents for Aldo include Canadian veteran Mark Hominick (19-8 MMA, 3-2 WEC), who recently picked up his third consecutive WEC win with a split-decision victory over Leonard Garcia at WEC 51, as well as Josh Grispi (14-1 MMA, 4-0 WEC), who takes a 10-fight win streak and perfect 4-0 WEC record into next month's WEC 52 meeting with Erik Koch (10-1 MMA, 2-1 WEC).

[D. S. Veteran]

I'm hoping he eventually jumps into LW and destroys everybody.

[Kriz]

God i literally cannot wait for it, why does it have to be in JANUARY?!

[D. S. Veteran]

Nelson was cut from the card because there is no adequate substitute to Carwin. Will probably return sometime later.

[Rappy Veteran]

Roy Nelson Not Happy About Being Removed From UFC 125

As noted late last week, verbal agreements are in place between WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo and Josh Grispi to face off on the first WEC/UFC merged card of UFC 125. This dispels the widespread rumors that Mark Hominick, fresh off of a decision win over Leonard Garcia, would be the next fighter up for Aldo.

The Ultimate Fighter season ten winner and MMA veteran Roy "Big Country" Nelson was originally scheduled to face Shane Carwin on the card, with whom he had been developing a tepid online feud, however Carwin had to withdraw from the fight with a back injury. While Mirko Cro Cop threw his name in the hat to replace Carwin, the UFC apparently decided against the proposed match-up. Nelson had been rehabbing his knee hoping to make the fight, and was understandably upset by being pulled from the card altogether.

"This is one of the biggest cards of the year, and I was in the co-main event, and I was really trying to make sure my knee was better," Nelson recently told Sherdog. "The UFC really pushed me hard to get through with my rehab so I could fight on this card.

"My doctors said I shouldn't fight again until February or March, but I stepped up because the UFC wanted me to. I stepped up for the UFC, and I hoped they would do the same for me."

Shortly after Carwin revealed that he would be unable to compete at UFC 125, Cro Cop expressed interest in stepping in on Carwin's behalf to Fighters Only Magazine, although the last time he did that, for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, he turned in one of the poorest performances of his career). Nelson welcomed the potential bout, feeling that Cro Cop is only one of a few UFC heavyweights who would face him.

"The thing is nobody wants to fight a fat guy like me," explained Nelson. "CroCop is a legend in this sport, and I would've loved to have fought him. I'd like to fight [Antonio Rodrigo] Nogueira for the same reason. I'd love to fight [Alistair] Overeem, Brock Lesnar or The Undertaker."

UFC 125 is scheduled to go down on January 1st at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will signify the first time that the WEC-UFC merger will go into effect.