Chael Sonnen To Appeal Failed PED Test

By Mark Wayne | September 21, 2010 | Comments

Source: MMAJunkie

Number one UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen is the center of MMA media attention this week as news broke Saturday night that the outspoken fighter had tested positive for steroids following his career-defining performance against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva this past August at UFC 117. It was revealed by the California State Athletic Commission that Sonnen failed his test for performance enhancing drugs due to abnormally high levels of testosterone in his urine sample. According to CSAC executive director George Dodd, Sonnen had indicated prior to his test that he was using a substance that could trigger a positive test result, though he never indicated any justifiable medical reason for taking any such substance. Sonnen's manager, Mike Roberts, spoke with MMAJunkie.com today and revealed that his client, who has stayed uncharacteristically mum so far, will be appealing the failed test with the CSAC but was unable to offer much more information.

"It is our policy not to comment on pending actions by the athletic commission," Roberts stated. "Chael is consulting with his legal [advisers] and physicians and will have a statement in the near future. Chael will file an appeal with the CSAC and looks forward to working with the commission to resolve this matter."

"There's not much else I can say at this point," he added.

Dodd spoke with media earlier in the week and revealed that Sonnen will have thirty days to file his appeal, with the earliest his appeal could be heard being this December 2nd. Sonnen's initial test was reexamined at the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory after showing up positive for PEDs. No word yet on how this will affect his proposed rematch with Anderson Silva, which was likely to take place in early February. Should Sonnen's appeal be turned down, he will face a $2,500 fine and a mandated year-long suspension.

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Vitor Belfort Talks Anderson Silva, Says He Knows "His Whole Game"

By Tim Ngo | September 21, 2010

Vitor Belfort claims to know UFC middleweight king of Anderson Silva better than he knows himself. That's why he's so anxious to get a shot at the champ.

"I know his whole game," Belfort recent told Rede TV. "I know his jiu jitsu game. I know his stand-up game. I know he likes spinning kicks and loves to use elbows, but if I put my hands on a man, he will fall down."

After putting down former middleweight champ Rich Franklin in his Octagon return at UFC 103, Belfort and "The Spider" were set to tango for the title at UFC 112 but a shoulder injury forced the challenger to withdraw. Silva has successfully defended his belt twice since their meeting fell through, but Belfort knows the outcomes would have been different had he been the one inside the cage.

"If I hit him like Demian [Maia] and [Chael] Sonnen did, it's going to be different because I have much more firepower," he matter-of-factly stated. "Still, a fight is a fight, and we know we're two well-conditioned champions. The most important thing is to be well-trained and focused on each second of that fight.

"I know Anderson knows that if my hands hit him, he will not be able to stand on his feet. No matter who's on the other side of the cage, whether it's Anderson or someone else, I'm going forward. If you look at my last fights, you're going to see how focused I am.I have no doubt about what I want or what I'm able to do, so I'm very motivated."

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Fabricio Werdum Says Recovery Going Well, Looking At March Return

By Mark Wayne | September 21, 2010

Source: Sherdog

Front runner to win 2010 Upset of the Year, Fabricio "Vai Cavallo" Werdum recently spoke with Sherdog.com to detail his ongoing recovery from a recent elbow surgery and also to reveal who he would like to fight next when he makes his return.

Werdum defeated one-time consensus number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko via first round triangle choke this past June at the aptly titled Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum event. After shocking the MMA world, Werdum announced that he would be taking some time to mend a nagging elbow injury, for which he recently had surgery. The Brazilian submission artist revealed to Sherdog that his recovery is going surprisingly well and that he could be looking at an early Spring 2011 return.

"I'm really happy," said Werdum. "The surgery was such a success and I've been working so hard with the physical therapy that I've already made some movement on the ground a few days ago using 70 percent of my power. My main goal is to work on my shrunken tendon. Besides physical therapy, I'm using a 'Dim Fist' machine overnight. That machine works on extending my tendon."

"I believe that by March, I'll be back to the ring," he added.

"Vai Cavallo" secured his position as a top heavyweight in the Strikeforce promotion (and likely threw a wrench in Strikeforce's plans) by defeating Fedor. There seem to be many options on the table for Werdum's return fight: a rematch with Emelianenko, a fight for the title against Alistair Overeem (whom Werdum defeated via submission in 2006), or a fight against the newly acquired Josh Barnett are all on the table for Werdum but, as far as he is concerned, Werdum wants to focus on his recovery first and foremost.

"I thought it was a great acquisition to the event. Barnett is a really tough heavyweight," said Werdum. "I haven't thought about facing him yet. My goal now is either a rematch with Fedor or (one) with Overeem for the belt. But actually the most important thing for me is not who they will choose, but that my body is 100 percent recovered, so I can show to the ones who thought I was lucky that I was actually ready and pretty well-trained to fight Fedor."

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Yoshihiro Akiyama On Training At Jackson's MMA, Thoughts On Michael Bisping

By Mark Wayne | September 21, 2010

Source: Jackson's MMA

Japanese-Korean judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama decided to make some changes in his training after posting a last-second submission loss to Chris Leben at UFC 116. The Asian heartthrob joined the team at Greg Jackson's in Albuequerque, New Mexico and took a few moments out of training to give updates on how his training is going and what he expects out of his next opponent, Michael Bisping.

"I am doing various training with Jackson's and it's going well," Akiyama said through his translator.

Akiyama entered into MMA on the strength of his Judo background, but has continued to evolve as a mixed martial artist throughout his career. He revealed during his interview, however, that he has ceased training Judo in order to better focus on other aspects of MMA.

"I do not practice Judo anymore," he said. "I am only training in general martial arts."

Akiyama is scheduled to take on Michael "The Count" Bisping this October 16th at UFC 120 which is to be held at the O2 Arena in London, England. Akiyama revealed that he is looking forward to the fight and has nothing but respect for his opponent.

"Bisping is a very tough and great fighter," Akiyama said. "I honestly respect him."

Akiyama was likely en route to defeating Leben in his last outing before running out of steam in the last frame and succumbing to a triangle choke. The results of his training at Jackson's, good or bad, will be on display at UFC 120; where a win for either man will bring them one step closer to title contention in the UFC's middleweight division.

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Vitor Belfort To Receive Next Title Shot Against Anderson Silva, Thanks Dana White

By Raj Giri | September 22, 2010 | Comments

As noted earlier, Vitor Belfort was pulled from his scheduled main event against Yushin Okami at UFC 122 in Germany in November. We had initially reported that Belfort was removed from the bout due to an injury, however it has surfaced that Belfort will likely get the next middleweight title shot against reigning king Anderson Silva.

"Vitor is not injured," UFC President Dana White wrote on his Twitter earlier today. "He is going to fight anderson for the title and the winner of marquart and okami are next."

Belfort took to his Twitter shortly thereafter and thanked the UFC head, writing, "We are up for the tittle shot! Thanks Dana!"

Belfort will be taking the place of Chael Sonnen, who was slated to get a rematch with Anderson Silva in early February. Sonnen was suspended earlier this week after testing positive for steroids following his career-defining performance against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva this past August at UFC 117.

Sonnen has thirty days to file an appeal, with the earliest his appeal could be heard being this December 2nd. Sonnen's initial test was reexamined at the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory after showing up positive for PEDs. Should Sonnen's appeal be turned down, he will face a $2,500 fine and a mandated year-long suspension.

Do you think Belfort should get the title shot? Or should the UFC wait for the results of Sonnen's appeal? Let us know in the 'Comments' section below.

Thanks to Mark Wayne for contributing to this article.

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Chael Sonnen Tested Positive For Unnaturally High Testosterone Levels

By Mark Wayne | September 20, 2010

Source: SI.com

SportsIllustrated.com spoke this afternoon with California State Athletic Commission executive director George Dodd, who issued further details regarding UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen's recent drug test failure.

Sonnen put on possibly the best performance of his career this past August when he challenged UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva for his belt at UFC 117; though he did not win (Silva submitted Sonnen via triangle late in round five), Sonnen performed better against "The Spider" than any of his previous UFC challengers, dominating the Brazilian dynamo for the majority of five rounds. His victory may now forever be marred as it was revealed by the CSAC yesterday that Sonnen had failed his UFC 117 pre-fight drug screening for performance enhancing drugs.

According to CSAC executive director George Dodd, Sonnen failed his test for registering an abnormally high level of testosterone. The one-time Oregonian political hopeful actually informed the commission beforehand that he had been using a substance that could alter his test, although he failed to list any medical reason for the necessary ingestion of a testosterone-altering drug.

"He only indicated that he was taking it but he never indicated why," said Dodd. "Just let me know he was taking [something] and that's when I called over an inspector to get it documented. But when you do take it you still have to show a medical reason. Whenever you're taking an enhancing drug you have to let the commission know prior to even taking the test that you're taking, and what the medical reasons are why you're taking the drug. That way we can verify with our commission doctors that the reason you're taking that is the reason you should be on that type of drug. You can't just come in and say, 'Hey, I'm taking this,' and think that's going to get you off."

Sonnen will be subject to a year-long mandated suspension and a $2,500 fine, though he has thirty days to file an appeal. It is unclear now what affect this news will have on Sonnen's immediate rematch with Silva, which has been heavily rumored for a UFC event to take place at the beginning of next year.

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Woodley Vs. Galvao To Replace Rockhold Vs. Lindland At Strikeforce On Oct. 9

By Raj Giri | September 22, 2010

A matchup of welterweight prospects, Tyron Woodley (8-0) and Andre Galvao (5-1) will replace the fight between Luke Rockhold and Matt "The Law" Lindland at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II on Saturday, Oct. 9, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA.

The middleweight bout between Rockhold and Lindland was called off after Rockhold sustained a shoulder injury last Saturday while training at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose. The extent of the injury is not yet known.

"The fight between Tyron and Andre is a great matchup between two young fighters looking to take their careers to the next level," said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. "We wish Luke a speedy recovery and are confident he will soon enough rejoin our growing crop of top prospects."

The unbeaten 5-foot-9, 28-year-old Woodley of St. Louis, Mo., is a two-time All-American NCAA wrestler for the University of Missouri. He fought three times on the Challengers series, winning his last on a hard-fought split decision over Nathan Coy in his first start of the year on May 21 in Portland, Ore. Woodley triumphed by submission in both his 2009 outings on Strikeforce Challengers, finishing Rudy Bears with an arm-triangle choke and Zach Light with an arm-bar on Nov. 20 and Sept. 25, respectively.

Woodley, who turned pro in February 2006, is a member of American Top Team. He won his initial start for Strikeforce with a first-round submission (Brabo Choke) over Sal Woods in a non-televised, undercard bout on June 6, 2009, in St. Louis.

Galvao, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, is coming off a third-round TKO (punches) over Jorge Patino in an undercard bout last Aug. 21 at Strikeforce: Houston. In his fight before last, he triumphed via controversial split-decision over Luke Stewart during a Strikeforce Challengers event last March 26 in Fresno, Calif.

The 5-foot-7 Galvao, who turns 28 on Sept. 29, is 2-0 in 2010. His only defeat came on a split decision to Jason High in the DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix on July 20, 2009. Before going pro in August 2008, Galvao earned countless Jiu-Jitsu titles in international competition for Brazil, including a gold medal at the World Championships in '08.

The postponement is a setback for Rockhold, an up-and-coming middleweight on a six-fight winning streak.

"There's not much I can do. Injuries are part of the game," Rockhold said. "But I feel bad for Matt, the fans, Strikeforce, everybody. I'd been working really hard and was really focused on this fight. Hopefully, I will be OK soon and Matt and I can get it on in the future."

In the Oct. 9 main event, Strikeforce World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Nick Diaz (22-7, 1 NC) will defend against KJ Noons (9-1) in an eagerly awaited grudge rematch. Strikeforce Women's Welterweight World Champion Sarah Kaufman (12-0) will risk her 135-pound belt a second time when she faces No. 1 contender Marloes Coenen (17-4) in the co-feature

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Dan Henderson Returns In December

By Tim Ngo | September 22, 2010

According to reports, the highly anticipated light heavyweight scrap between Dan Henderson and Renato "Babalu" Sobral will take place on a yet-to-be announced Strikeforce event on December 4th. Former NFL running back Herschel Walker is also expected to participate in the Showtime broadcast.

MMAJunkie.com confirmed with sources close to the situation that the 205-pounders will meet inside the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Henderson is looking to rebound from a disappointing debut for the San Jose, California based promotion. After bouncing from the UFC for a more suitable contract with Strikeforce, he was immediately rewarded with a title fight against then-middleweight champ Jake Shields.

Instead of steamrolling the grappler like everyone anticipated, Hendo appeared to gas in the later rounds and suffered a unanimous decision loss for his troubles.

It had been rumored the heavyweight matchup between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva would also take place on the December 4th event, but it appears January may have become the front-runner to host the Russian's return to action.

Author's link: 5th Round.com
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"UFC 121: Lesnar Vs. Velasquez" Video Trailer

Watch the official trailer for the Oct. 23rd card By Tim Ngo | September 21, 2010

Heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar will be defending his strap against fast-rising Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 on October 23rd. While the deepest fight card of 2010 is still a month away, we have managed to get our hands on the official trailer to help hold you crazed fanatics over.

Lensar became the planet's top dog after his dramatic come-from-behind victory over Shane Carwin at UFC 116 in July. The submission win bumped his pro MMA record to a dominant 5-1.

Velasquez earned his top contender status by putting down Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110 in February. The talented American Kickboxing Academy fighter is perfect through his first eight contests, ending all but one in devastating fashion.

You can watch the trailer below:

Author's link: 5th Round.com
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UFC releases lightweight John Gunderson, potential retirement put on hold

Ultimate Fighting Championship officials have released lightweight John Gunderson following a unanimous-decision loss to Yves Edwards at UFC Fight Night 22.

Gunderson (23-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) today informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the news.

Although Gunderson initially contemplated retirement in the event of an octagon exit, he has decided to soldier on.

"My body feels good, and I feel like I have a couple of years left," he said. "I feel I can still perform."

"Quick Guns" said he tired quickly after a grueling first round and was unable to build any momentum in the latter half of the three-round fight. He credited Edwards for excellent submission defense and said he was surprised at the veteran's strength.

Gunderson originally was slated to take on "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero before a series of injuries shuffled the UFC Fight Night 22 lineup. In the end, Edwards, once a legitimate lightweight contender, was brought back to the octagon, and Escudero wound up facing prospect Charles Oliveira.

Escudero fell prey to a third-round submission, and UFC officials also released him on Monday.

It wasn't the first time Gunderson's opponent was changed. He took a fight on two weeks' notice against Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 108, and he was scheduled to meet Paul Taylor at UFC 112 and then The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale before medical issues prompted Taylor to withdraw from both; instead, he met Mark Holst in the latter event and won a unanimous decision.

Gunderson said he'll now seek a November fight in another promotion.

"The UFC has said they'd be happy to have me back after I pick up a couple of wins," he said.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 22, check out the UFC Events section of MMAjunkie.com.

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Bellator 30 weigh-in results: All fighters make weight

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Meet "The Ultimate Fighter 12" cast: Michael Johnson, a producer's worst nightmare

"The Ultimate Fighter 12" cast member Michael Johnson describes his fighting style as a nonstop, in-your-face attack that breaks the will of his opponents.

When it came to passing the reality-show's interview gauntlet, he applied that style to Spike TV producers - at least verbally.

After two unsuccessful attempts at getting a spot on the show, he promised them he would keep coming back until they put him on.

"I think they were like [expletive], 'Hell with it, let's put him in and see what he's about,'" Johnson, a lightweight out of Springfield Fight Club in Springfield, Mo., told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "'We're getting tired of seeing this guy.'"

It was a big difference from tryouts he attended prior to the show's eighth and ninth seasons. He did everything he was supposed to do and actually made it to the final round of interviews in Las Vegas for "TUF 8." Just steps away from his dream, producers said he "wouldn't be a right fit in the house" and passed. That chafed a bit.

"If anything, it made me train harder," he said. "It made me fight hard, and get my game where [it needed] to be, so when the time came, I was the best fighter I could be."

Still, he resolved to make a strong impression during the "personality" portion of season 11's tryouts, which took place in April in Charlotte, N.C.

"I pretty much went in there this time and told then what the [expletive] was going on," Johnson (8-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) said. "(I said), 'I've been getting tired of chasing you [expletive] around the country. I'm here; I'm not going to go anywhere.

"'If you guys don't pick me, I'm going to try out again. I'm still going to be winning fights. I'm still going to be training hard.'"

That turned out to be just the ticket, and before he knew it, he was on his way to Vegas. But that wasn't the end of the gauntlet. He still had to win an elimination-round fight to earn a spot in the house.

He got the tough, rangy Pablo Garza, and he used his wrestling to dominate the fight for a unanimous decision.

"I actually broke him," Johnson said. "You can tell I wanted it more than he did. I wasn't going to let anybody take that away from me, especially because it was the most important fight - to get into the house and solidify yourself.

"I would have rather had a knockout or a submission, but a win's a win. I did what I had to do."

Johnson said he'll turn the intensity back up during the show. He said that approach has kept him grounded; he admits that without MMA, he probably would be fighting in the streets.

Turmoil came into his life at age 10 when his father died suddenly of a heart attack, and he took his rage out with his fists.

"Fighting (in MMA) keeps me under control," Johnson said. "It keeps me out of trouble. It keeps my head focused, where I have something to work for. I don't have any time to get into dumb [expletive], which is good."

He's also gained perspective about that time in his life.

"I lost something, a huge part of me," Johnson said. "Fighting was my way of not dealing with my dad's passing. Now that I think of it, of course, it was the wrong thing to do, especially putting all that burden on my mom having to deal with it."

Now that he's finally on the show, he's got his eye on a UFC contract as the first step in giving back to his mom.

"To better my family, and to get my mom to where she doesn't have to work any more, and she can have the relaxing type of life," he said of his goals. 

And he'll keep getting in people's faces until that's a reality.

MMAjunkie.com interviewed all 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter 12's" preliminary round winners, each of whom was featured in the debut episode of "TUF 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck." Two new interviews will be released each day from now until the season's second episode airs next Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT/ET on Spike TV. Full series coverage can be found on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" page.

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Cole Konrad vs. Neil Grove heavyweight title fight slated for Bellator 32

Bellator Fighting Championships will crown its first-ever heavyweight champ on Oct. 14.

That's when Cole Konrad (6-0 MMA, 4-0 BFC) and Neil Grove (10-2-1 MMA, 2-0 BFC), finalists from the organization's eight-man heavyweight tournament, meet to determine a tourney winner and first-ever heavyweight title-holder.

Bellator 32 takes place in Missouri at the Kansas City Power & Light District.

The night's main card, including Konrad vs. Grove, airs on FOX Sports Net.

"This fight pits a world-class striker against a world-class wrestler," Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. "Both Neil and Cole have been completely dominant in the quarter- and semifinal rounds, so whoever wins this fight has earned this title without any questions."

Konrad, a two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota, won two season-two Bellator fights before he entered the tourney. He then advanced to the finale with decision wins over Rogent Lloret and Damian Grabowski.

Grove, a one-time UFC fighter and veteran of the British fight circuit, scored TKO victories over Eddie Sanchez and Alexey Oleinik to advance to the finale. He's now 5-1-1 since a Cage Rage loss to Rob Broughton in 2008.

For more on Bellator 32, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Cole Konrad)

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Hiroshi Izumi vs. James Zikic added to Sengoku Raiden Championship 15 lineup

Another non-tournament bout has been added to next month's tourney-heavy Sengoku Raiden Championship 15 event.

World Victory Road officials today announced Olympic medalist Hiroshi Izumi (2-1 MMA, 2-1 SRC) meets fellow light heavyweight James Zikic (18-5-2 MMA, 0-0 SRC) at the event.

Sengoku Raiden Championship 15 takes place Oct. 30 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and airs via HDNet in North America.

Izumi, who as a judoka who won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, made his pro MMA debut a year ago and has competed three times under the WVR banner. After suffering a TKO loss to Antz Nansen in his debut, he's since rebounded for a decision win over Katsuyori Shibata and a TKO victory over Chang Seob Lee.

The 28-year-old now meets British fighter Zikic, a former Cage Rage champion and professional boxer who's won five of his past six fights. Zikic, 33, has fought many notables (Fabricio Werdum, Cyrille Diabate, Jeremy Horn, Evangelista Cyborg, Vitor Belfort) during his 13-year career.

Prior to the SRC 15 booking, Zikic meets John Phillips at a Sept. 25 BAMMA 4 event in England.

The latest SRC 15 card now includes:
Hiroshi Izumi vs. James ZikMaximo Blanco vs. Leonardo SantosKeita Nakamura vs. Takuya Wada (welterweight grand-prix semifinal)Yasubey Enomoto vs. Taisuke Okuno (welterweight grand-prix semifinal)Manabu Inoue vs. Jae Hyun So (Asian bantamweight grand prix quarterfinals)Akitoshi Tamura vs. Shoko Sato (Asian bantamweight grand prix quarterfinals)Shunichi Shimizu vs. Wataru Takahashi (Asian bantamweight grand prix quarterfinals)Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Taiyo Nakahara (Asian bantamweight grand prix quarterfinals)For the latest on Sengoku Raiden Championship 15, check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Hiroshi Izumi)

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Dana White: Nate Marquardt replaces Vitor Belfort in UFC 122 headliner (Updated)

Fresh off a UFC Fight Night 22 victory over Rousimar Palhares, Nate Marquardt (30-9-2 MMA, 9-3 UFC) has replaced Vitor Belfort (19-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC) and now meets Yushin Okami (25-5 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in the headliner of November's UFC 122 event.

UFC president Dana White today announced the change via Twitter.

As UFC executives officially announced earlier this week, UFC 122 takes place Nov. 13 at Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, and airs via same-day delay on Spike TV.

Although initially reported as injured, Belfort, in fact, is healthy, as White confirmed via Twitter. And as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, Belfort is now slated to get a title shot with middleweight champ Anderson Silva in early 2011, possibly at UFC 125.

Officials announced Belfort vs. Okami would serve as a title eliminator and determine a No. 1 contender. And given Marquardt's standing in the division, the bout is likely to keep that designation.

Marquardt's victory over Palhares, which came after the Brazilian slipped on an attempted leg lock and left himself open to punches, was his fourth win in five fights. It also moved him to 5-2 since he fell short to champ Anderson Silva in his first title shot.

Okami, who long has flirted with title contention, most recently earned a split-decision win over Mark Munoz at UFC on Versus 2. It was his his fifth win in his past six fights, which included additional victories over Lucio Linhares, Dean Lister, Evan Tanner and Jason MacDonald. The lone loss came to Chael Sonnen, who had been promised an immediate rematch but now is dealing with the aftermath of a failed drug test following a loss to Silva at UFC 117.

For more on UFC 122, including the latest rumored fight card, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Nate Marquardt)

(UPDATED on 9/22/10 at 1 p.m. ET with news of the Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort matchup and confirmation Belfort isn't injured.)

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Episode No. 2 recap: "The Ultimate Fighter 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck"

After this past week's season debut, we now get to the pivotal second episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck."

In the debut episode, 28 lightweight fighters went through elimination-round fights, and the winners earned a spot on the cast. This week, they're drafted into two teams.

As the episode begins, the fighters are shuttled to the official "TUF" house. And the place is simply immaculate. And in the usual reality-show dash, the fighters scatter to claim bedrooms (while a few make a B-line for the bar).

A few fighters, though, quickly realize that this year's oddball may be Jeff Lentz, who declares he'll never tap in a fight as he enjoys some of his usual vices.

"I don't think smoking and drinking every night is going to help you in the long run in this kind of sport," Kyle Watson jokes.

"Let them think I have no gas in the tank," Jeff says. I've got cardio for days."

The attention then quickly turns to Alex Caceres, whom you probably better know as "Bruce Leeroy." Alex quickly find an audience and plays some music on his harmonica, and shares of stories of killing an alligator with his bare hands and wrestling a deer.

The following day, the crew boards the vans and heads to the gym expecting teams to be drafted. Various fighters weigh the benefits of each coach, and some clearly want Georges St-Pierre while others want Josh Koscheck.

In a Team Koscheck meeting, Josh says he wants Michael Johnson first and then discusses some of his other picks. But with Team GSP, Georges and trainer Greg Jackson discuss whether they should pick a fighter or pick the matchup first. (In past seasons, coaches got one or the other.) They also discuss how to handle Marc Stevens, a friend of Josh's. Georges decides to make a fake list of picks with Marc on tops in hopes Josh will spend an early pick on his buddy.

Dana White easily sees Georges' list of names and casually tells him to cover it up. The coach, though, whispers that it's part of his strategy. Sure enough, it works, and when Team Koscheck catches a peek of the list and wins the coin toss, they elect to pick a fighter (rather than getting first dibs of matchmaking) and take Marc. Greg simply winks at Georges as their plan works to perfection.

Georges, meanwhile, picks up Michael, who otherwise would have been Josh's first pick.

"Well played, Georges St-Pierre," an impressed Dana says in a confessional. "Well played."

The draft continues, and the teams include (in draft order):

Team Koscheck
Marc StevensSevak MagakianSako ChivitchianAndy MainNam PhanAaron WilkinsonJeff Lentz Team GSP
Michael JohnsonJonathan BrookinsSpencer PaigeAlex "Bruce Leeroy" CaceresKyle WatsonCody McKenzieDane Sayers "I made it to the show," Dane says in a confessional. "I'm so happy I made it to the show. But it kind of bites me I'm the last guy picked. I'm going to hanotve to prove these guys wrong. ... I'm not some chump."

Dana gives Dane a fist bump and some words of encouragement before the teams break.

"Being picked last doesn't mean [expletive]," he says.

At a Team GSP session, Georges decides he'll be a training partner to push his fighters while his coaching staff leads the troops. He says he picked his team for good reasons and opted to choose not necessarily the best guys, but rather, the ones who could be the best after his staff's coaching.

Later on, Team Koscheck has its first training session. Josh says he believes in "mindless training" with the coaches, including "Crazy" Bob Cook, barking orders and showing the fighters everything they need to know. Josh keeps an up-tempo pace and feels he can win over and inspire his team despite his reputation.

Afterward, both teams converge at the UFC Training Center for the fight announcement. In tonight's episode, one fighter will be the first to earn a berth into the quarterfinals. Georges comes front and center and announces his selection: No. 4 pick Alex/Bruce Leeroy vs. No. 7 pick Jeff. Alex said he wanted the fight and wanted to compete first, and Georges obliged.

Josh is pleased with the matchup and think it'll work to their advantage. After all, if Jeff wins, Team Koscheck gets matchmaking honors.

Back at the house, Alex and Dane are working on sparring in the backyard. Alex explains how his love of Bruce Le led him to wrestling and then to martial arts. The opportunity "was a blessing," he says. Once at the gym, Alex continues his preparations with Georges serving as a sparring partner. The Team GSP coaches stress the importance of winning the fight, and Alex appears relaxed.

Over at Team Koscheck, Jeff, a Kurt Pellegrino-trained New Jersey fighter, says he noticed a shuffle in Alex's sparring at the house that telegraphs any engagement. He and the coaches work on a counter right punch, and they also spend a lot of time on takedowns in hopes of setting up his trademark ground and pound. Afterward, Josh expresses concern over Jeff's coffee and smoking habits, but he says the fighter has shown plenty in the gas tank.

After a quick break, we return to the house the night before fight day. Alex is calm and collected, but Jeff is in the backyard trying to burn off some excess energy. He's a little concerned that he's fighting for the first time without his mom, who always provides some extra motivation.

The following day, Alex remains as calm as ever. But jeff is getting worked up and goes into angry mode and builds up some needed hostility for his opponent. The fighters couldn't be more different.

Soon, it's time for our first opening-round matchup, and it features:

Team GSP's Alex Caceres (4-2) vs. Team Koscheck's Jeff Lentz (6-1).

Referee Herb Dean is the third man in the cage, Dana does the intros, and we're underway.

Alex goes high with a head kick and then stuffs a takedown with a well-timed knee. Neither do much damage, though. Alex throws some big kicks from distance, and Jeff answers and connects. He immediately clinches against the cage, and a patient Alex patiently jockeys for position with his back against the fence. The fighters compete for underhooks before Alex throws a knee to the body. Jeff answers with one of his own. Jeff looks for a toss, but Alex defends. The fighters remain clinched against the cage with Jeff pushing his opponent into the fence. They continue jockeying for position while trading the occasional knee. Alex fakes a takedown attempt to get the dominant position, but Jeff quickly reverses and puts his opponent back against the cage. Herb tells them to get busy, and Alex locks on a guillotine choke. Jeff lifts him up and carries him around the cage, but Alex clings to the hold. Unable to get the position he needs, though, Alex eventually lets it go, and Jeff gets the takedown shortly afterward. Jeff works from side control, but Alex quickly works to his feet. Jeff presses him into the cage, and after a brief scramble on the mat, they're back standing against the cage. Jeff continues pressing Alex against the cage, but Herb calls for a restart with 30 seconds to go. The fighters trade ineffective high kicks before each fighter connects with a punch. During the wild swings, Lentz scores a slick judo-toss takedown right before the round ends. It's enough to take the round 10-9 on the MMAjunkie.com scorecard.

After a quick conference with their corners, the fighters return to the center of the cage for the second and possibly final round.

Alex again goes high with the kicks but can't find his mark. Jeff follows his lead and then swings wildly from distance. The fighters collide and clinch against the cage. Jeff again is the aggressor and pushes his opponent into the fencing. Alex gets off the cage, drags his opponent to the mat, and takes Jeff's back. He's briefly in trouble, but Jeff rolls over and works from top position in half guard. Alex tries to back out and then uses the butterfly guard, and after delivering a few punches, he masterfully locks in a triangle choke. Jeff immediately knows he's in trouble and postures up and tries to slam his way free. He can't shake Alex loose. Alex only tightens the hold, and seconds later, the man who said he would never tap out does just that, and Alex earns the submission win.

Team GSP 1, Team Koscheck 0.

Josh says the submission was telegraphed and calls it a "disappointing loss." Jeff said he just tried to bust his way through the hold but that it obviously didn't work.

"I don't really root for guys on this, but I was glad to see him win," Dana says of Alex.

The fighters embrace after the bout, and Alex is all smiles. Team GSP celebrates the victory, does his best Bruce Le impersonation, and this episode of "TUF" comes to a close.

For the latest on this season, stay tuned to "The Ultimate Fighter 12" section of MMAjunkie.com.

Catch new episodes of "The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck" every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV. MMAjunkie.com recaps each episode of the reality series, and full series coverage can be found on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" page.

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Raphael Assuncao vs. L.C. Davis targeted for WEC 52 in November

A featherweight bout between Raphael Assuncao (14-3 MMA, 2-2 WEC) and L.C. Davis (16-3 MMA, 3-1 WEC) is in the works for November's WEC 52 event.

Assuncao Tweeted news of the bout earlier today. A source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) verbal agreements are in place but that bout agreements haven't been signed.

WEC 52 takes place place Nov. 11 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The night's main card, which airs on Versus, is headlined by former featherweight champ Urijah Faber's bantamweight debut, which comes against former title challenger Takeya Mizugaki. It's not known if Assuncao vs. Davis will be part of the televised lineup.

Once among the 145-pound division's top 10, Assuncao now likely is fighting for his life in the organization. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt signed with the WEC in 2009 and posted decision wins over Jameel Massouh and Yves Jabouin to extend his win streak to six. However, he's since tapped out to Urijah Faber at WEC 46 and suffered a split-decision defeat to Diego Nunes in June at WEC 49.

Davis, a former star of the now-defunct IFL, recently saw a three-fight WEC win streak come to a halt with a technical-submission loss to top contender Josh Grispi at WEC 49. Prior to the defeat, the former Affliction and World Victory Road fighter posted a string of decision wins over Javier Vazquez, Nunes and Deividas Taurosevicius under the WEC banner.

For the latest on WEC 52, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: L.C. Davis)

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Showtime re-airs first Nick Diaz vs. K.J. Noons fight on Friday

Showtime officials have plucked from their EliteXc video archives the first fight between Nick Diaz and K.J. Noons.

The fighters, of course, meet Oct. 9 when Diaz puts his Strikeforce welterweight title on the line against Noons at "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II."

The first meeting, held in the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, airs as part of an hour-long special on Showtime 2 this Friday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

The fight took place at "EliteXC: Renegade" in Texas, and the organization's lightweight (160-pound) title was on the line. The ending of the fight resulted in one of the year's more volatile and bizarre moments. Officials tried multiple times to get the rematch together, but a contract dispute with Noons and the organization's eventual collapse kept it from happening. But with the signing of Noons earlier this year, Strikeforce officials secured the title fight.

The Showtime special, which also includes past fights with both fighters, re-airs Sept. 28 (10:10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime 2) and Oct. 4 (10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime 2). It'll also be available via Showtime On Demand beginning Sept. 24.

The additional fights for Diaz include those against Thomas Denny, Scott Smith and Marius Zaromskis. Noons' fights include James Edson Berto, Yves Edwards and Jorge Gurgel.

"Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II" takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., and also airs on Showtime.

For the latest on the "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Nick Diaz)

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"UFC 122: Belfort vs. Okami" tickets on sale this week

Tickets for the UFC's November return to Germany are now on sale.

UFC executives on Monday officially announced the show, which takes place Nov. 13 at Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany.

A pre-sale is already underway for UFC Fight Club members, newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets Tuesday at 4 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CEST local time), and the public on-sale begins Wednesday at 4 a.m. ET.

UFC 122 features a middleweight headliner between Vitor Belfort (19-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC) and Yushin Okami (25-5 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and airs via same-day delay on Spike TV.

The event is open only to fans 18 and older, and IDs will be checked at the door on the night of the event.

Germany hosted its first show – UFC 99 with a Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva headliner – in June 2009. Despite some resistance from the German media that resulted in a ban on minors from attending the show, UFC president Dana White vowed the organization would return to and continue its expansion in the European country.

For more on UFC 122, including the latest rumored fight card, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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WEC 51's Varner and Cerrone (sort of) bury hatchet after controversial comments

Jamie Varner said he's ready to move past – or maybe just store away – the controversy that's marked the build-up to his highly anticipated rematch with Donald Cerrone at next week's WEC 51 event.

Varner said he's grown up in the 20 months since their first fight and won't let Cerrone's recent comments get under his skin.

"I feel like I don't need to get caught up in all the name-calling and all the bantering back and forth," Varner today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) during a call promoting the Versus-televised event, which takes place at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.

A small firestorm erupted this past week when Cerrone gave an interview to Tapout Radio in which he wished death upon Varner and called the former champion a homophobic slur. He apologized shortly afterward on his official Twitter account, and WEC officials issued a statement condemning the fighter's remarks.

Varner said he found out about the controversial interview through Twitter and Facebook and chose to stay silent – despite a history of sparring with Cerrone over the Web.

The two have sniped at one another on and off since their first meeting, which took place at WEC 38 in January 2009 and ended prematurely as a result of an illegal knee Cerrone threw in the fifth and final round (Then-champ Varner, ahead on judges' scorecards, was ruled the winner by technical decision.)

A rematch had been been considered all but certain among those in the know, and WEC officials first considered a second meeting for a late-summer event the same year. However, the promotion ultimately but it on the backburner for the rest of 2009 and much of this year.

Of course, Cerrone has been more vocal in a campaign for a second meeting; he's repeatedly called into question Varner's heart because of the first-fight stoppage. Varner has shifted his focus as of late to a rematch with Ben Henderson, who took his belt in January at WEC 46. A bid to earn a quick contendership went sideways when he fought Kamal Shalorus to an unusual split draw at WEC 49. Meanwhile, Cerrone fell short in a bid for Henderson's belt one event prior at WEC 48.

Varner stressed the rematch with Cerrone is a chance to an answer any questions from the first bout and clear the way for another shot at Henderson.

"I can't let the negative [expletive] drag me down," he said. "I'm on a quest; I just want to get through this fight. I want to get that belt back, and I want to keep moving forward.

"This has been a long time coming. I feel like this animosity and this beef since our first fight [has] kind of catapulted [Cerrone's] career. I definitely feel that our fight together was a good fight; it was a tough fight. It was an epic battle.

"He feels that I looked for the easy way out, when honestly, the doctors wanted to stop the fight. I want to clear the air. I feel good about everything that happened the first time around. I feel like I executed a great game plan. I dominated the fight, and even with the injuries that I incurred, (I) still put on a good performance. Now, with only three rounds, I feel like I can push it even harder and look for the finish."

Cerrone again apologized for his remarks and said he's squared away things with the WEC.

"I just got too deep into talking crap, man," he said. "I'm apologetic. I'm deeply sorry for those comments. Jamie, I wouldn't wish death on you, bro. But come Sept. 30, man, it's on."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Varner responded.

And with that, it was clear that both men are really, really looking forward to Sept. 30.

For the latest on WEC 51, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Jamie Varner)

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WEC 52 additions include Bowles-Fabiano, Mendes-Vazquez, Grispi-Koch

Following today's confirmation of a Nov. 11 WEC 52 event and Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki headliner, WEC officials announced an additional round of fights for the show.

They include bantamweights Brian Bowles (8-1 MMA, 5-1 WEC) vs. Wagnney Fabiano (14-2 MMA, 4-1 WEC), featherweights Chad Mendes (8-0 MMA, 3-0 WEC) vs. Javier Vazquez (15-4 MMA, 2-2 WEC), and featherweights Josh Grispi (14-1 MMA, 4-0 WEC) vs. Erik Koch (10-1 MMA, 2-1 WEC).

WEC 52 takes place Nov. 11 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The night's main card airs on Versus.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported all but the Mendes vs. Vazquez matchup, which is a new addition.

WEC officials won't decide until closer to fight time which fights will be part of the televised lineup.

Bowles returns to action for the first time since losing his title to Dominick Cruz in March, when a broken hand left him unable to answer the bell for the third round. The loss was the first of Bowles' career, and the fighter, who had posted eight stoppages in eight career wins prior to the defeat, has been relatively quiet since relinquishing his title.

His opponent, former featherweight contender Fabiano, dropped to 135 pounds following an October 2009 loss to Mackens Semerzier. Fabiano since has gone 2-0 in the division with decision wins over Frank Gomez and Clint Godfrey.

Mendes, meanwhile, looks to improve upon his perfect 8-0 record and build off his WEC 50 decision victory over Cub Swanson. Mendes, a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and national runner-up, also owns WEC victories over Koch and Anthony Morrison.

His opponent, Vazquez, looks to continue a recent good run after posting submission wins over Jens Pulver and Semerzier. Prior to the wins, the former EliteXC and KOTC fighter suffered losses to L.C. Davis and Deividas Taurosevicius and risked a WEC release.

Grispi, meanwhile, has picked up right where he left off in the featherweight division after a year-long layoff. He returned in June at WEC 49 and notched his eighth consecutive first-round stoppage victory when he put Davis to sleep with a guillotine choke. Grispi's other WEC wins came against Mark Hominick, Micah Miller and Pulver.

The rising contender now meets fellow youngster Koch, who recently shrugged off the first loss in his professional career with a submission victory over Bendy Casmir at WEC 49. Prior to that, Koch took on Mendes and was out-wrestled en and suffered a unanimous-decision loss at WEC 47. Koch made his promotional debut at WEC 45 and bested Jameel Massouh on points.

The latest WEC 52 card includes:
Urijah Faber vs. Takeya MizugakiBrian Bowles vs. Wagnney FabianoJosh Grispi vs. Erik KochChad Mendes vs. Javier VazquezEddie Wineland vs. Damacio Page*Zack Micklewright vs. Dustin Poirier*Clint Godfrey vs. Michael McDonald** - Not officially announced

For the latest on WEC 52, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Brian Bowles)

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Fighter rep: Chael Sonnen plans to appeal failed UFC 117 drug test

Chael Sonnen will appeal a one-year suspension and $2,500 fine issued by the California State Athletic Commission for a failed drug test in the wake of his submission loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117.

Mike Roberts, Sonnen's manager, today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"There's not much else I can say at this point," Roberts said.

Roberts did, however, refer MMAjunkie.com to a statement issued to MMAFighting.com that further detailed the Sonnen camp's initial response to the CSAC ruling, which was delivered this past Friday after the 33-year-old middleweight tested positive for abnormally elevated levels of testosterone.  

"It is our policy not to comment on pending actions by the athletic commission," Roberts stated. "Chael is consulting with his legal [advisers] and physicians and will have a statement in the near future. Chael will file an appeal with the CSAC and looks forward to working with the commission to resolve this matter."

CSAC Executive Director George Dodd on Monday told MMAjunkie.com that Sonnen has 30 days from the day he received the notice to appeal his suspension and fine. Should he choose not to contest the ruling, he will be suspended until Sept. 2, 2011, and will face a $2,500 fine.

According to Dodd, Sonnen was flagged first on Sept. 2 after an initial test revealed the presence of a performance-enhancer. A second, more-rigorous test conducted at the UCLA's Olympic Analytical Laboratory confirmed the results. The laboratory is used by the U.S. Olympic Committee and is the world's largest World Anti-Doping Agency-certified facility.

Sonnen can have his appeal heard as early as Dec. 2, when the CSAC holds its next meeting in Sacramento, Calif. Dodd stressed that time is of the essence should a planned rematch between Sonnen and Silva take place next year during Super Bowl weekend.

"We always say you want to make [the appeal] at the next commission meeting (from the notice)," Dodd said. "The next [meeting] after that probably won't be until the following year, and from what I understand, he has a rematch with Anderson Silva possibly in February. He'll probably be maintaining the suspension unless he gets on the agenda next time."

Sonnen delivered a nearly note-perfect performance at UFC 117 and dominated Silva for four-plus rounds before falling prey to a Hail Mary triangle choke from the champion in the final moments of the fifth and final round. After much speculation as to both fighters' next move, Sonnen was earmarked for a rematch in early 2011.

The fighter has yet to break his silence since news of the suspension broke.

For more on this story, see:

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Meet "The Ultimate Fighter 12" cast: Dane Sayers, first-time lightweight

In the constantly evolving world of mixed martial arts, weightcutting has quickly developed into a necessary evil for competitors looking to fight at the sport's highest level.

Just ask Dane Sayers (9-1), who's fought as high as light heavyweight in his two-and-a-half year career, and competed for the first time ever as a lightweight his elimination contest on "The Ultimate Fighter 12."

"To be competitive in this sport, you have to be cutting," Sayers told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "You have to play the game."

Sayers introduction to the game didn't exactly come in typical fashion. Growing up in North Dakota, Sayers only took an interest in the sport of mixed martial arts after a brief high school wrestling career. Of course, the bustling metropolis of Fargo didn't allow him a multitude of training options.

"The only gym I could find was this really traditional kung fu school," Sayers said. "The guy was just doing a little jiu-jitsu, mixing it in there and saying it was an MMA gym. I trained with them for about six months, but I didn't like their vibe, so I left."

"Red Horse," so dubbed through his Chippewa and Blackfoot Indian heritage, then went to a more traditional weightlifting gym where a chance encounter led him to a new place to train.

"I was hitting the heavy bag in there," Sayers said. "I didn't know what I was doing, but a boxer came up to me and said, 'Hey, you've got good power, but you've got do this and this.'"

Those discussions led Sayers to hook up with veteran fighters Miguel Cooley and Ethan Boyle. It was Boyle who introduced Sayers to another non-traditional approach to fight preparation.

"Before you know it, I'm training in this guy's basement," Sayers said. "He's got wrestling mats in his basement, and I trained with him for about nine months."

Sayers enjoyed the training, but he hardly felt ready to step into the cage as a professional. His trainers thought differently.

"[My trainer] lined up a fight, essentially, and he says, 'You can fight this guy at 185 pounds; he's 6-foot-4 and he's 9-4,'" Sayers said. "I didn't think I was ready, but he assured me if I just took the guy down, I could pound him out and be fine. For some reason, I just trusted the guy. I was like, 'Alright. I believe you.'"

Sayers did exactly that, and an MMA career was born. At 5-foot-11, Sayers' frame was probably better suited for a different weightclass, but he was still learning to "play the game." In fact, Sayers did exactly the opposite and competed as a light heavyweight at one point before finally settling in as a welterweight in recent times.

But now, Sayers will try his hand at the 155-pound division – and who knows what the future might hold. After his first-ever cut to 156 pounds for the elimination fight to earn his way into the house, featherweight might even be in Sayers' future.

"They brought all of us to cut weight at a 24-Hour Fitness," Sayers said. "I had eight pounds to cut of water. I was training for that. I was doing a lot of sauna stuff. I figured I could get my body used to the heat and sweating a lot, but what ended up happening was the scale was two pounds heavy at the 24-Hour Fitness. I weighed in on it, and somebody told me that it was heavy, a local there, but I'm not about to leave the most important weigh-in of my life up to some gossip from this guy.

"I ended up at 153 pounds."

Wherever he ends up, Sayers says he's committed to rounding out his game and becoming the best fighter he can possibly be. He's already seen the difference in speed and technique as he's moved to the lighter divisions, and he wants the world to know he belongs in the division based on his skill and not just his size.

"I want to show everyone watching on the television show that I'm not just some crazy guy that's really strong," Sayers said. "I have skill, too."

MMAjunkie.com interviewed all 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter 12's" preliminary round winners, each of whom was featured in the debut episode of "TUF 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck." Two new interviews will be released each day from now until the season's second episode airs next Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT/ET on Spike TV. Full series coverage can be found on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" page.

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Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann targeted for UFC 125 New Year's Day event

A middleweight bout between Chris Leben (21-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and former WEC champion Briann Stann (9-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has been targeted for the Jan. 1 UFC 125 card.

Sources close to the event today alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the tentative plans, though bout agreements have not been signed.

Although not officially announced, UFC 125 takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.

If finalized the fight likely will be part of the televised main card.

Leben, who remarkably makes his 17th consecutive UFC appearance, has never seen his stock higher in the 185-pound division. He's currently riding a three-fight win streak with a decision win over Jay Silva at UFC Fight Night 20, a TKO victory over Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale ("Knockout of the Night" bonus), and a submission win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116 ("Fight of the Night" honors). The Simpson and Akiyama wins came within 14 days of each other.

Leben recently has been campaigning for a fight with Wanderlei Silva, whom he also wants to coach against on "The Ultimate Fighter 13" in early 2011. Production normally begins in mid-January, so a "TUF" gig theoretically is possible if he beats Stann. (Silva currently is recuperating from recent knee surgery.)

Of course, Stann is on a solid run of his. He's won three of his past four fights (all in the UFC) with decision victories over Steven Cantwell and Rodney Wallace and a recent submission win over Mike Massenzio at UFC on Versus 2 that won him "Fight of the Night" honors. The lone loss came to highly touted NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Phil Davis, who was unable to finish Stann and settled for a decision win.

The Greg Jackson-trained fighter, former Marine, war veteran and Silver Star winner recently released a book about his MMA and military exploits entitled "Heart for the Fight." It earned a positive review from MMAjunkie.com.

For more on UFC 125, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Chris Leben)

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Clark vs. Troyer, Sparks vs. Maynard completes Thursday's Bellator 30 card

A nine-fight lineup is set for Thursday's Bellator 30 event following the preliminary-card additions of middleweights Josh Clark (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. John Troyer (10-6 MMA, 0-2 BFC) and heavyweights Ron Sparks (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Greg Maynard (2-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC).

Bellator 30 takes place Sept. 23 at Fourth Street Live! in Louisville, Ky.

The main card, including a Jeremy Horn vs. Bryan Baker headliner, airs on FOX Sports Net.

Also set for the televised main card are the organization's bantamweight-tournament semifinals of Ed West (14-4 MMA, 1-0 BFC) vs. Jose Vega (9-3 MMA, 2-0 BFC) and Bryan Goldsby (12-12 MMA, 1-1 BFC) vs. Zack Makovsky (10-2 MMA, 2-0 BFC). The two winners meet next month to determine a tournament winner and Bellator's first-ever 135-pound champion.

The other televised bout pits Jacob McClintock (6-1 MMA, 0-1 BFC) against Brent Weedman (16-5-1 MMA, 2-0 BFC), who's won eight straight fights. The winner gets a spot in Bellator's upcoming season-four welterweight tournament.

As as is typical with Bellator cards, Thursday's event is heavy on local talent. The "Local Main Event" pits Louisville-based Troyer against Clark, who hails from the Lexington area.

Sparks, meanwhile, fights for the first time in more than a year after numerous bouts fell apart. The most recent was slated to take place this past weekend in King of the Cage, but opponent and boxer Ray Mercer was forced out of the HDNet-televised headliner with an injury.

Rounding out the prelims are featherweights Thomas "T.J." Barber (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. B.J. Ferguson (5-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), middleweights Mike Fleniken (3-2 MMA, 0-1 BFC) vs. Jeremiah Riggs (1-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC), and middleweights Stoney Hale (3-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) vs. Mike O'Donnell (2-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC).

For more on Bellator 30, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Ron Sparks)

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Meet "The Ultimate Fighter 12" cast: Marc Stevens, Koscheck's prot�g�

"The Ultimate Fighter 12" coach Josh Koscheck often incites a wide variety of emotions from those around him.

Depending on who you talk to, the top welterweight contender is either a future champion of the sport or a wretched villain.

For "TUF 12" cast member Marc Stevens (12-5), the emotion is somewhere in between. You see, Stevens wrestled under Koscheck's tutelage at the University at Buffalo, and when he saw his coach on the original season of "TUF," the pupil thought he might as well give it a shot, too.

"I had been wrestling my whole life since I was about four years old," Stevens told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I wrestled for Josh Koscheck at Buffalo. I was only there for a semester, and that was long enough to figure out college wasn't for me. I went home and started working and partying and having a good time.

"The first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' came out, and I saw Koscheck on there, and I thought, 'Hell, if he can do it, I can do it.'"

So Stevens began training in earnest, driving 45 minutes each way to a gym in Syracuse, N.Y., and in 2006, he decided to turn pro. He's since racked up a respectable 12-5 record, making him one of the most experienced competitors in this season's cast.

"I've definitely paid my dues," Stevens said. "I've had more fights in a month than some of these guys have had in their whole career."

In addition to his pugilistic pursuits, Stevens opened his own gym to help pay the bills. He remains close to his family and has enlisted the help of his friends to build a solid support network as he chases his dream.

"I surround myself with a lot of really good people," Stevens said. "My boxing coach told my little brother and me, 'Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.' I try to surround myself with successful people and people that are going to help me I have specific goals that I want to and that I'm going to reach."

Of course, locked in a house for six weeks, Stevens admits it's a little tough to turn over the reigns of those operations to his team for so long.

"I surrounded myself with really good people that I trust to run my gym," Stevens said. "I know my parents are going to be stopping in. My mom does all the books. My dad trains there.

"Laying in bed at night, I'm laying there looking up at the ceiling wondering if one of my instructors burned the school down. I've been there and seen them hit little kids in the head with dodgeballs, so I can only imagine what's going on right now. But once I get out of here, even if it's in shambles, I can rebuild it."

Stevens carried a four-fight official win streak into "The Ultimate Fighter" house. He felt he was on the verge of making into the UFC on his own terms, but scheduled bouts against Hermes Franca and Mike Campbell fell through at the last moment, leaving Stevens without a marquee win to impress UFC brass.

"I was trying to line fights up that would have got me in," Stevens said. "I would have liked to go that route. I don't like being away from my family and my school for six weeks, but we've gotta do what we've gotta do."

So Stevens will try to make his way into the UFC by outlasting 13 other hungry lightweights. It's a chance again to become Koscheck's student, and this time Stevens hope to stick around a little longer than a semester.

"I don't feel any pressure," Stevens said. "I put the pressure on myself. I came here expecting to win."

MMAjunkie.com interviewed all 14 of "The Ultimate Fighter 12's" preliminary round winners, each of whom was featured in the debut episode of "TUF 12: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck." Two new interviews will be released each day from now until the season's second episode airs next Wednesday at 10 p.m. PT/ET on Spike TV. Full series coverage can be found on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" page.

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"The Ultimate Fighter 12" episode No. 2 discussion thread

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Woodley-Galvao replaces Lindland-Rockhold at "Strikeforce: Diaz vs Noons 2"

Luke Rockhold (7-1 MMA, 6-0 SF) has suffered a shoulder injury, and his bout with fellow middleweight Matt Lindland (22-7 MMA, 1-1 SF) has been scratched from next month's "Strikeforce: Diaz vs Noons 2" event.

In its place comes a welterweight bout between Tyron Woodley (8-0 MMA, 3-0 SF) and fellow prospect Andre Galvao (5-1 MMA, 2-0 SF).

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported the bout earlier this week, though a Strikeforce official said bout agreements had not been finalized at the time.

The event takes place Oct. 9 event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The night's main card, including Woodley vs. Galvao, airs on Showtime.

"The fight between Tyron and Andre is a great matchup between two young fighters looking to take their careers to the next level," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated. "We wish Luke a speedy recovery and are confident he will soon enough rejoin our growing crop of top prospects."

Details of Rockhold's injury have not been announced.

Woodley, a two-time All-Americna wrestler and captain at the University of Missouri, looks for his ninth straight win overall and his fourth straight in Strikeforce. The top prospect has competed in three consecutive Strikeforce Challengers events, where he submitted Zach Light and Rudy Bears and narrowly edged Nathan Coy via split decision in his most recent bout in May.

Galvao, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and decorated grappling competitor, recently rebounded from his first career MMA loss (a split decision to Jason High at DREAM.10) with back-to-back wins under the Strikeforce banner. After a split-decision win over Luke Stewart at Strikeforce Challengers 6, he then scored a TKO victory over Jorge Patino at "Strikeforce: Houston" in August.

For the latest on the "Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Andre Galvao)

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Satoshi Ishii vs. "Minowaman" a late addition to this weekend's DREAM.16 card

Satoshi Ishii (1-1 MMA, 0-0 DREAM) makes his DREAM debut and meets veteran Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa (46-30-8 MMA, 7-3 DREAM) at this weekend's DREAM.16 event, officials today announced.

The surprise booking is an open-weight bout, though Ishii, a judo gold medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics, likely will have a nearly 30-pound advantage.

DREAM.16 takes place Sept. 25 at Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan. The event airs on HDNet in North America early Saturday morning (2 a.m. ET).

The booking comes after reports of a Minowa vs. James Thompson fight that never materialized.

Following his Olympic run and a decorated judo career, Ishii made his pro MMA debut this past December with World Victory Road's Sengoku event series and suffered a unanimous-decision loss to fellow Olympian Hidehiko Yoshida. He rebounded in May with a first-round submission of Tafa Misipati at an event in New Zealand, but in June, he took part in an exhibition bout at an X-1 event in Hawaii. Ishii battered opponent Myles Tynanes but continued the assault after the first round ended, which resulted in his disqualification.

Minowa, who won DREAM's open-weight "Super Hulk" grand prix in 2009 (despite being its lightest competitor), is riding a five-fight win streak with submissions wins over Bob Sapp, Hong Man Choi, Jimmy Ambriz and Imani Lee and a TKO victory over Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. The former PRIDE star soon enters his 16th year of professional competition.

The official DREAM.16 card now includes:
Satoshi Ishii vs. Ikuhisa "Minowaman" MinowaChase Beebe vs. Hiroyuki TakayaCole Escovedo vs. Michihiro OmigawaMitsuhiro Ishida vs. Akiyo "Wicky" NishiuraJason "Mayhem" Miller and Kazushi SakurabaShinya Aoki vs. Marcus AurelioTakeshi Inoue vs. Kazuyuki MiyataJoachim Hansen vs. Hideo Tokoro Tatsuya Mizuno vs. Gegard Mousasi (for vacant light heavyweight title)For the latest on DREAM.16, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Satoshi Ishii)

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Reminder: "Countdown to UFC 119" debuts tonight on Spike TV

As a reminder, the UFC's traditional pre-event preview show returns tonight with the debut of "Countdown to UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop."

The one-hour-plus special debuts at 10:47 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV and spotlights the UFC 119 headliner between former heavyweight champ Frank Mir and fellow contender Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

Replays air Wednesday (11 p.m. ET/PT) and Saturday (1 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET/PT) on Spike TV.

In addition to the headliner, which puts the winner closer toward the crowded top of the heavyweight division, "Countdown to UFC 119" focuses on the event's co-headliner between light-heavyweight contenders Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ryan Bader. Although the UFC's 205-pound division is just as filled with contenders as the heavyweights, UFC president Dana White said Nogueira vs. Bader could have title implications.

The full UFC 119 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Frank MirRyan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio NogueiraChris Lytle vs. Matt SerraEvan Dunham vs. Sean SherkMelvin Guillard vs. Jeremy StephensPRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe DoerksenJoey Beltran vs. Matt MitrionePRELIMINARY CARD
Pat Audinwood vs. Thiago TavaresSteve Lopez vs. Waylon LoweT.J. Grant vs. Julio PaulinoMark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkleFor more on UFC 119, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

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Scott Smith vs. Jesse Finney slated for "Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu"

Veteran Scott Smith (17-7 MMA, 3-2 SF) will take on local fighter Jesse Finney (6-1 MMA, 2-0 SF) when Strikeforce heads to St. Louis for a Dec. 4 event.

Sources close to the event today confirmed the matchup with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

As MMAjunkie.com first reported earlier today, "Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu" takes place at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

The night's main card airs on Showtime, and Smith vs. Finney is expected to be part of the lineup.

The fight is expected to mark Smith's welterweight debut.

Smith, a former UFC and Strikeforce fighter, upset Cung Le with a come-from-behind knockout win this past December. However, in his only fight of 2010, Smith suffered a TKO defeat in the rematch this past June at "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum." Despite the defeat, he's won three of his past five fights (all via knockout and all under the Strikeforce banner).

Finney, meanwhile, is a St. Louis-based promoter, gym owner and fighter. He'll fight on a Strikeforce-St. Louis card for the third time following a June 2009 submission victory over Josh Bumgarner and a May submission win over Justin DeMoney. However, he recently suffered his first career loss when Josh Neer tapped him out at an August Fight Me MMA event in Missouri.

For more on "Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Scott Smith)

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UFC drops middleweight Tomasz Drwal

After a six-fight stint in the world's top promotion and just a year removed from an impressive three-fight win streak in the organization, Tomasz Drwal (17-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) now finds himself a free agent.

UFC officials cut ties with him after this past week's UFC Fight Night 22 loss to Dave Branch, the fighter's camp today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Drwal is now looking to get another fight "as quickly as possible," a representative said.

Drwal, a Polish fighter, signed with the UFC in 2007 after posting a solid 14-1 mark in variety of European organizations.

The 28-year-old got a tough assignment in his UFC debut in perennial contender Thiago Silva and fell victim to a second-round TKO. However, he then rebounded for knockout wins over Ivan Serati and Mike Ciesnolevicz, and after a drop from light heavyweight to middleweight, extended his win streak to three with a submission win over Drew Mcfedries.

But earlier this year, Drawl suffered a heel-hook submission loss to Rousimar Palhares (who was suspended 90 days for failing to quickly release the hold) at UFC 111 and then the unanimous-decision loss to Branch at the Sept. 15 UFC Fight Night 22 event.

Drwal will continue splitting his training between his gym in Poland and the Throwdown Elite Training Center in San Diego.

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MMAjunkie.com Radio: Bellator's Ron Sparks, UFC's Jim Miller and Brian Foster

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MMAjunkie.com Radio: UFC 119's Jeremy Stephens, WEC 51's Miguel Torres

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MMAjunkie.com Radio: MMA trainer Duke Roufus, World MMA Awards discussion

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Ask the Fight Doc: What could've caused elevated testosterone levels in Sonnen's test?

by Dr. Johnny Benjamin on Sep 21, 2010 at 10:30 am ET Chael Sonnen failed his UFC 117 drug test due to elevated testosterone levels that were "well above" normal, California State Athletic Commission Executive Director George Dodd told MMAjunkie.com on Monday.

But aside from taking banned performance-enhancing drugs, is there any way a fighter could be flagged for such a thing?

MMAjunkie.com medical columnist Dr. Johnny Benjamin tackles the topic in our latest "Ask the Fight Doc" installment.

* * * *
Dr. B: I'm sure you've read about Chael Sonnen failing his drug test at UFC 117. I'm tired of reading the theories of Internet doctors. What are the facts?

Well, the facts as we currently know them are that the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) confirmed Chael Sonnen failed a UFC 117 post-fight drug test due to elevated levels of testosterone.

Will more official information be released at a later date? I don't know, but that is what we currently have.

Unlike many others who comment on the Internet, the following discussion will have nothing to do with any personal likes or dislikes I have toward the fighter in question.

Internet conspiracy theories abound and include – but are not limited to – tainted nutritional supplements, workout regimen, naturally occurring increased levels of testosterone in some people, lab error, CSAC conspiracy or mismanagement, etc.

Let's briefly deal with each.

I've written extensively about the potential issues regarding the lightly regulated arena of nutritional supplements and functional foods. Simply put: It's difficult to be certain of what you're really getting since no one is effectively or consistently ensuring or evaluating product integrity.

The anti-doping agencies, WADA and USADA, have addressed these issues by stating the athletes ultimately are responsible for whatever they put into their body – mislabeled, tainted or otherwise:

It is each Athlete's personal duty to ensure that no Prohibited Substances enter his or her body. Athletes are responsible for any Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers found to be present in their bodily Specimens. Accordingly, it is not necessary that intent, fault, negligence or knowing Use on the Athlete's part be demonstrated in order to establish an anti-doping violation under Article 2.1.

Although it is true that very vigorous physical exertion can transiently increase levels of the male hormone testosterone, it is a very slight increase and not nearly enough to be flagged as a positive test. For the test to be considered positive, we are not talking about just a couple of points over – but rather, multiples of the normal values (greater than six times the test/epi ratio).

Some people do have naturally occurring increased testosterone levels as compared to the standards. But if this is a factor, why were these "naturally occurring increased levels" not detected during Sonnen's tests at UFC 104 or UFC 109, which he passed?

Could this all be due to lab error? Possible, but not likely. The lab in question is the UCLA's Olympic Analytic Lab used by the U.S. and World Anti-Doping agencies. They test both an A and B sample just to check themselves. They happen to be more than 99 percent accurate. I'm no statistician, but I know that to be better than 99 percent accurate twice is no small feat. This is no similar home test or one that you purchased at your local health-food store. This lab is the best of the best.

And my personal favorite? This is all a CSAC conspiracy or mismanagement. I have been critical of past CSAC shenanigans, but there is nothing to suggest that in some way the commission intervened in this process or has any real interest in the outcome of any particular fighter's drug screen. What's in it for CSAC officials? What's their motivation?

The bottom line is that Chael Sonnen failed a highly accurate test evaluated by an impeccable laboratory.

Of course, Sonnen probably knows all this. That may be why, according to a report from SI.com, he alerted Dodd prior to the bout that he had taken an "illegal performance-enhancing drug." Sonnen gave no reason why, but at this point, I don't think he'd use one of the flimsy excuses discussed above anyway.

Dr. Johnny Benjamin is MMAjunkie.com's medical columnist and consultant and a noted combat-sports specialist. He is also a member of the Association of Boxing Commissions' MMA Medical Subcommittee. Dr. Benjamin writes an "Ask the Doc" column every two weeks for MMAjunkie.com. To submit a question for a future column, email him at askthedoc [AT] mmajunkie.com, or share your questions and thoughts in the comments section below. You can find Dr. Benjamin online at www.drjohnnybenjamin.com, and you can read his other sports-related articles at blog.drjohnnybenjamin.com.

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Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki set as WEC 52 headliner on Nov. 11

As expected Urijah Faber (23-4 MMA, 8-3 WEC) makes his bantamweight debut and meets former title challenger Takeya Mizugaki (13-4-2 MMA, 2-2 WEC) in the headliner of November's WEC 52 event.

WEC General Manager Reed Harris today confirmed the long-rumored bout during a media conference call.

As Harris told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) in August, the bout initially was slated for WEC 50, but Mizugaki said he'd rather wait for Faber's knee recovery than take another opponent.

WEC 52 takes place Nov. 11 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The night's main card airs on Versus.

Harris said tickets go on sale later this week.

Faber, who reigned as the WEC's 145-pound champ and emerged as the organization's biggest star during a 13-fight win streak from 2005 to 2008, since has gone 2-3 in his past five fights. He lost his belt to Mike Brown at WEC 36, dropped a rematch at WEC 41 after Brown lost the belt, and after getting another shot at the title, suffered a decision loss to now-champ Jose Aldo at WEC 48 in April. Mixed in with the losses were submissions wins over Jens Pulver and Raphael Assuncao.

After the WEC's recent ratings slide, Faber, who undoubtedly is the organization's top draw, should provide a much-needed boost.

Mizugaki, who lost a decision to then-champ Miguel Torres when he made his WEC debut in 2009, is 2-1 since the defeat. He's sandwiched decision victories over Jeff Curran and most recently Rani Yahya around a decision defeat to Scott Jorgensen.

For the latest on WEC 52, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Takeya Mizugaki)

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Spike TV's "Brocktober" includes UFC 116 replay, UFC 121 "Primetime" special

Spike TV officials have dubbed next month "Brocktober" and have crammed a variety of Brock Lesnar-related programming into a four-week span.

The lineup includes a new three-part "UFC Primetime: Lesnar vs. Velasquez" pre-UFC 121 special that debuts Oct. 6.

Additionally, Spike TV airs a replay of July's UFC 116 pay-per-view event, a blockbuster show that was headlined by champ Lesnar and interim title-holder Shane Carwin, on Oct. 20.

UFC 121 takes place Oct. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Lesnar puts his heavyweight belt on the line against top contender Cain Velasquez in the pay-per-view headliner.

The "Primetime" special debut airs at 11 p.m. ET/PT, and new episodes come out Oct. 13 (11 p.m.) and Oct. 20 (9:30 p.m.). The UFC 116 replay airs from 7-9:30 p.m.

Also on the calendar is the UFC's tradition pre-event "Countdown" show. "Countdown to UFC 121" debuts Oct. 18 at 11:30 p.m., and replays are set for Oct. 20 (1:30 a.m.), Oct. 21 (12:30 a.m.) and Oct. 23 (1 p.m.).

Also sprinkled throughout the month are "UFC All Access: Brock Lesnar" replays (Oct. 7 at 1 a.m. and Oct. 9 at 2 p.m.) and "UFC Unleashed" specials. They include Lesnar vs. Heath Herring from UFC 87 (Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.), Lesnar vs. Randy Couture at UFC 91 (Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.), Lesnar vs. Frank Mir II at UFC 100 (Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. and Oct. 23 at 8 p.m.) and Lesnar vs. Mir I at UFC 81 (Oct. 23 at 3 p.m.).

For complete coverage of UFC 121, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Brock Lesnar)

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Recovered Marcus Aurelio says he's fighting Shinya Aoki at DREAM.16

Marcus Aurelio says a daily regimen of physical therapy and diet changes have alleviated the effects of an elbow injury that forced his exit from the "Shine Fights: Lightweight Grand Prix" event earlier this month.

After three weeks of constant care, Aurelio (20-8 MMA, 0-0 DREAM) is now fight-ready and will take on DREAM lightweight champ Shinya Aoki (24-5 MMA, 8-2 DREAM) in a non-title fight at DREAM.16.

"I was doing everything right, so my arm is back," Aurelio today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The UFC and PRIDE veteran raised a few eyebrows when he withdrew from Shine's Sept. 10 fight card shortly after the promotion told him he needed permission to fight Aoki on Sept. 25. DREAM executives officially announced the bout earlier this month.

In an earlier interview, Aurelio said he was sorry to withdraw but maintained his injury was legitimate. Shine Fights' COO Jason Chambers told MMAjunkie.com that his promotion would not move to block the Sept. 25 booking if the fighter could produce documentation of his injury.

Today, Chambers said Shine still is waiting on that documentation and will decide Tuesday whether to give Aurelio the green light.

"After the (Sept. 10) event, I haven't had a chance to discuss that yet," Chambers said. "Contractually, when he signed for our tournament, he has the ability to fight anywhere, as long as its with our approval. We have to discuss whether or not this elbow injury was something that was facilitated to pull out of the tournament or whether it's a legitimate elbow injury.

"My personal feeling is that if he is genuinely injured and he couldn't fight, then that's fine. If he has this injury as a way to get out of doing the tournament because he wants a different situation, I'm not OK with that ethically or contractually."

Aurelio is probably best known for choking out then-PRIDE champ Takanori Gomi in a non-title affair in 2006. "Maximus" also fought six times under the UFC banner and now makes his DREAM debut. The American Top Team fighter has won four of his past five fights (all via stoppage).

Aoki fights for the first time since a July submission win over Tatsuya Kawajiri. "Tobikan Judan" suffered a high-profile loss to Gilbert Melendez in April, but he also stands at 4-1 in his past five contests.

For the latest on DREAM.16, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Marcus Aurelio)

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CSAC: Chael Sonnen's failed UFC 117 drug test "indicative" of steroid use

California State Athletic Commission officials today stated UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen was likely on performance-enhancing drugs when he met Anderson Silva at UFC 117.

"A sample from Sonnen's Aug. 6 drug test came back with a high T/E (testosterone-to-estrogen) level, which is indicative of anabolic steroid use," the commission stated in a release.

CSAC officials also made formal Sonnen's one-year suspension and $2,500 fine and 30-day window to appeal the ruling.

The release confirms an earlier report from MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Sonnen was first flagged for possible steroid use on Sept. 2, and a second test validated the result on Sept. 14. The fighter was suspended two days later.

Sonnen delivered a pitch-perfect performance at the Aug. 7 event and he was well on his way to a decision victory before Silva shockingly tapped him out with a triangle choke in the final moments of the five-round fight.

A report issued Monday by SI.com's Josh Gross stated Sonnen actually notified CSAC Executive Director George Dodd  that he may test positive for an illegal substance on Aug. 6, though he did not disclose what he took.

Sonnen is scheduled to appear Thursday on ESPN's "MMA Live" to make his first public statement since news of the failed test broke. Meanwhile, the rematch he earned with Silva appears to be on indefinite hold as the UFC has targeted Vitor Belfort for a crack at Silva's belt, likely at UFC 125 on Jan. 1 in Las Vegas.

The full statement released today:

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has suspended the license of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Chael Sonnen, after Sonnen tested positive for steroids, a banned substance.

A sample from Sonnen's August 6 drug test came back with a high T/E (testosterone-to-estrogen) level, which is indicative of anaboloic steroid use. CSAC learned of the results September 2 and ordered a second test, which also came back positive for steroid use. CSAC received test results from the second sample on September 14 and suspended Sonnen two days later. He is suspended for one year. Sonnen has 30 days to appeal the decision.

"The use of anabolic steroids and other banned substances are not tolerated by the commission," said CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd. "Anabolic agents put the health and safety of both the user and his opponents at risk."

Sonnen's test was observed in the presence of a CSAC representative and the sample was sent to the World Anti-doping Agency test facility at the University of California, Los Angeles on August 6, 2010 for processing.

For more on this story, see:
(Pictured: Chael Sonnen)

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UFC: "Cro Cop" medically cleared for Saturday's UFC 119 headliner

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic officially is cleared to compete in Saturday's UFC 119 pay-per-view main event.

Filipovic suffered an eye poke in the final training session in his home country of Croatia this past week, which sparked reports of a potential withdrawal from his fight with Frank Mir.

Today, though, UFC officials issued a statement that "Cro Cop" has been cleared by an Indianapolis ophthalmologist.

UFC 119 takes place this Saturday at Indy's Conseco Fieldhouse. Filipovic actually is an injury replacement for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who pulled out of the fight in August.

"'Cro Cop' suffered a poke in the eye in the last round of his final sparring session for the bout last week, but after a few days of rest, he is in tip top shape for this pivotal battle of heavyweight contenders," the UFC.com statement read.

On Monday Andy Means, the director of the Indiana Gaming Commission's athletic division, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Filipovic, who had seen doctors before traveling to the U.S., would undergo a pre-fight exam prior to Friday's weigh-ins. But apparently not wanting to risk a late surprise, officials arranged an exam as soon as Filipovic arrived in Indianapolis.

Even before the official clearance, UFC president Dana White repeatedly posted Twitter messages stating the fight would go on as planned.

Filipovic (27-7-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC), a former PRIDE star who's now in his second stint with the UFC, looks to build upon his recent and impressive 5-1 run. The only loss during the stretch came to current top UFC contender Junior Dos Santos, and Filipovic immediately rebounded from the defeat with stoppage wins over Anthony Perosh at UFC 110 and Pat Barry at UFC 115.

Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC), a former UFC heavyweight champion, is just 1-2 since an initial win over Nogueira, which marked the Brazilian fighter's first-ever stoppage loss. The recent stretch includes knockout losses to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin and a submission win over Cheick Kongo. The Carwin loss, which came at UFC 111 in March with an interim title on the line, marks his most recent outing.

For more on UFC 119, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic)

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