Dustin Hazelett

vs.

Ben Saunders

Nickname

Killa B

13

MMA Blog Rank

170 Lbs.

Weight Class

170 Lbs.

14-4 (5-2 UFC)

Record

7-0-2 (3-0 UFC)

The UFC is stacking UFC 96.  It looks like Dustin Hazelett will return at UFC 96 in his native Ohio to face Ben Saunders according to Sherdog.  Saunders turned heads with his dominating performance over Brandon Wolff at UFC Fight for The Troops.  He used vicious knees and great Muay Thai to obliterate Wolff in highlight reel fashion to say the least.  Hazelett is very impressive.  He seems to be a submission of the night threat every time he fights.  His last performance he torked the arm of Tamdan McCrory and forces him to tap. 

Ben “Killa B” Saunders has earned the step up in competition because he is 3-0 since TUF 6.  He has impressed people and shocked many with how well he has done and how he has improved.  Dustin “McLovin’” Hazelett is a much improved fighter.  The Team Gurgel trained fighter has highlight reel submissions.  This should be a great fight.  I hope Saunders is training submission defense.

Gray Maynard

vs.

Jim Miller

 The Bully

Nickname

4

MMA Blog Rank

155 Lbs.

Weight Class

155Lbs.

6-0 (4-0 UFC)

Record

A lightweight fight has been agreed to between Gray Maynard and Jim Miller at UFC 96.  The report comes from thegarv.com, but several other venues have confirmed the fight with Miller’s camp.

The fight is a solid add and a solid fight between two of the best lightweights.  Both guys are fighters that some think are serious contenders.  Miller comes by way of the IFL and is already 2-0 in the UFC.  He came in on short notice and destroyed Matt Wiman.  He will need a good performance and time to prepare for Gray Maynard.  The winner would have to be near the top of the division.  Maynard has done great in the UFC since his stint on TUF 5.  He has key wins over Frank Edgar and Rich Clementi.  A very exciting bout on what looks to be an amazing card which will also feature Chuck Liddell, Brandon Vera, and Keith Jardine as well as a great heavyweight match between Shane Carwin and Gabriel Gonzaga.

Josh Koscheck

vs.

Paulo Thiago

 Kos

Nickname

5

MMA Blog Rank

170 Lbs.

Weight Class

170 Lbs.

14-3 (10-3 UFC)

Record

The knock on UFC 95 was the lack of a main event.  Well, the same problem exists, but the UFC has beefed up the talent.  It looks like welterweight star Josh Koscheck will return to the octagon in London, England to face Brazilian Paulo Thiago.  Thiago will make his UFC debut. Thigo is undefeated and will be thrown into the deep waters against one of the best in the division. 

This is Koscheck’s last fight on his contract.  We have to wonder if he has re-signed or if he is done with the UFC after this fight following the dispute that arose between the UFC and The American Kickboxing Academy. 

I also have to wonder about this match up.  Koscheck has everything to lose in this fight.  I know very little about Paul Thiago, so it will be interesting to see.

David Loiseau		vs.	Ed Herman
	The Crow	Nickname	Short Fuse
	NR	MMA Blog Rank	23
	185 Lbs.	Weight Class	185 Lbs.
	18-8 (4-3 UFC)	Record	14-7 (3-4 UFC)

The UFC is filling up their cards for the first quarter of 2009.  It looks like UFC 97 will feature a bout between David Loiseau and Ed Herman.  Loiseau was a former number 1 contender who was dropped by the UFC, but has fought his way back.  Ed Herman has had a rough time in the octagon, but has been off and on since being the Ultimate Fighter 3 runner up.  Herman lost a very close decision to Alan Belcher that many feel Herman won.

MMAbay first reported that Loiseau would make his return at UFC 97.  Following that report I put Loiseau on my upcoming events page against a yet to be named opponent.  Also, MMAblog had an article titled, “Could the New Year Bring New Faces Into the UFC?” In which I listed Loiseau as one of the four middleweights I expected to be added to the UFC in 2009.  I said in that article, “he may be added to the next Canda card.”  It looks like that was correct.  Bookmark that article as it may surprise some how accurate those predictions are.

• Satoru Kitaoka def. Takanori Gomi by submission (heel hook) — Round 1, 1:41
• Jorge Santiago def. Kazuo Misaki via technical submission (rear naked choke) — Round 5, 3:26
• Sanae Kikuta def. Hidehiko Yoshida via split decision
• Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Yukiya Naito via TKO (punches) in Round 1, 3:54
• Antonio Silva def. Yoshihiro Nakao via TKO (knee injury) in Round 1, 1:42
• Eiji Mitsuoka def. Sergey Golyaev via technical submission (arm bar) in  Round 1, 4:22
• Mu Bae Choi def. Dave “Pee Wee” Herman via TKO (punches) — Round 2, 2:22
• Maximo Blanco def. Seigo Inoue via TKO (foot stomps) — Round 1, 0:38
• Hidetada Irie def. Minoru Kato via TKO (punches from mount) — Round 2, 4:21

• Gomi’s quick loss to Kitaoka means 2 things for World Victory Road.  1 – Their pre-crowned champ is not the Japanese star they expected 2- Gomi’s marketability and talent are waning fast.  That is pretty crazy for a guy who was ranked the number 1 lightweight in the world at the time of PRIDE’s collapse.  I wonder if  Gomi thinks he should have gone with the UFC now.  His stock is greatly hurt though
• Kitaoka is apparently better than given credit for
• Eiji Mitsuoka has looked pretty good and he could be a name to remember
• Bad loss for Dave Herman in the midst of ProElite’s slow death.  It looks like he may not be a lock for a contract in a big U.S. promotion now that he lost to a no-namer
• Muhammaed Lawal continues to impress and draw attention.  He may be a real guy to take note of. 

1. MMAJunie -  I find breaking news more on MMAJunkie than anywhere else.  They are improving constantly as well.  They are not the most comprehensive, but they do have some of the best MMA news and are often times the first ones to break news.

2.  Sherdog - Sherdog keeps up with the news well.  They also have great fight breakdowns as a big fight card approached.  They are maybe the most comprehensive MMA site.  By far the best forums around, which have good discussions, debates, and sometimes inside information.  They have the all important HUGE fighter database that is always updated.  They have good interviews following events.  They have good coverage.  Also, if you follow the regional fight scenes and smaller shows Sherdog has the most comprehensive list for upcoming events.  Sherdog is the best all around MMA resource around. 

3. MMA Mania – They are an expanding site and a lot of times they will have breaking news and new fights posted before anyone else.

4. FiveOuncesofPain -  Good source for news.  They are expanding and posting new videos and interviews. 

5. Bloody Elbow - They are reliable and up to date with news.  They have great discussions on their posts and allow you to post blogs or news.  Bloody Elbow is maybe the best place to go for MMA related videos.

6.  MMA Weekly - They sometimes have good news.  I like their insider blog and they have up to date fight card information.  They are consistent and accurate. 

7. MMA Convert - They may not be the “news breakers”, but the best thing about MMA Convert is their news feeds on the sidebar which enables you to go to MMA Convert and see the latest news on several of the best MMA sites including many of the ones listed above.  They post good videos.  Also, they have a great fight card page which posts reported fights and even rumored fights.  They have comprehensive links as well. 

8. Tatame – A great site that often has new interviews and info on Brazilian fighters.  The one negative is that often times they go long periods without updating.  However, Tatame is the best place to keep up with Brazilian fighters.

9. Fighters Only Magazine – They are the best U.K. MMA site (sorry MMA Bay).  They have good inetrviews which often times you could not find anywhere else.  They keep up with British fighters especially well.

10. Suki MMA – Often times news you may not care about, but Suki MMA does a good job translating Japanese fighter interviews and blog posts.  This is a prime site to keep up with Japanese fighters if you are a Japanese fan and cannot read Japanese

Other Worthwhile Sites: Cage Potato, Dream Fighters, Fight Linker, MMA Bay and Fight3r.

MMA Rated used to be a good site, but it looks like they are done for.

Anthony Johnson

vs.

Luigi Fiorvanti

Rumble

Nickname

23

MMA Blog Rank

18

170 Lbs.

Weight Class

170 Lbs.

6-2 (3-2 UFC)

Record

14-4 (4-4 UFC)

Now that Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has his revenge against Kevin Burns for the eye poke and loss he is set to move up the UFC welterweight ladder.  The eye poke aside saw a very good year for Johnson who had two great highlight reel KO wins in 2008.   Now he is set to start 2009 off strong against the ever tough Luigi Fiorvanti.  This should be a great stand up war between two very tough welterweights.  The two will clash February 7th at UFC Fight Night 17 according to several outlets.  MMAJunkie first reported the bout today. 

Both Johnson and Fiorvanti are coming off of wins and both are trying to escape being stuck in the middle of the pack in the UFC’s stacked welterweight division.  The winner here would move up the rankings.

The UFC Fight Night 17 event will be headlined by a fight between lightweights Joe Lauzon and Hermes Franca.  Also, the card will see Josh Neer fight Mac Danzig, Amir Sadollah return against Nick Catone.  In addition, Cain Velasquez will be in action as well as top fighters such as Rich Clementi, Kurt Pellegrino, and UFC newcomer Jake Rosholt will grace the card.

This should be a good fight on what looks to be a solid card, which will feautre Chuck Liddell.  Also on the card will be Keith Jardine, but an opponent is not yet set.  In addition we can look to see Brandon Vera return against Mike Patt and the possibility of Roger Huerta vs. Spencer FIsher on this card.

• Mirko Cro Cop – says he wants a farewell fight in the UFC, probably would be late in 2009.  Click here for more
• Satoshi Ishii – is in exclusive negotiations with the UFC.  He won’t debut in the UFC, but the UFC will help with his training and development.  The 2008 Olympic Judo gold medalist will be in the UFC in some way barring a failure in his debut.  It is likely that he would be on TUF 10 which may featue heavyweights.
• Alistair Overeem – Has been linked to negotionations with the UFC and will be at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. Check it out here.
• Jeff Monson – He may fight once more in Japan or he may come straight over to the UFC.  I know there was talk about a Monson vs. Kongo match.  He is a great grappler which would be a good add to the heavyweight division and a tough fight for Kongo.
• Mike Russow – He is rough around the edges but he could be a good prospect
• Bobby Lashley – His only 1-0 in MMA, but he looked impressive a la Brock Lesnar.  He just signed a 2 fight deal with PFC and if all goes well there we could see Lashley in the UFC by late 2009.  He could have a big impact and be a big crowd draw.  Knock him all you want, but he has potential and he really thinks he could hang with guys like Lesnar already.

Keep an eye on: Dave Herman and Brett Rogers

Light Heavyweights:

• Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante – He has made it no secret that his ultimate goal is the UFC.  How soon he gets there will depend on the future of ProElite.  It could be 2009.
• Antwain Britt – I do not know how much thought there is to signing Britt, but he looked good in his TUF 8 fight-on fight.  He was forced off due to injury and has looked good sense.  It may be wise to lock him up.

Keep an eye on: Muhammad Lawal and Robert Drysdale

Middeliweights

• Robbie Lawler – He is the EliteXC champ.  I would say since he is widely viewed as the number 2 middleweight in the world that he may be offered a good contract in the UFC provided EliteXC dies.
• Joey Villasenor -  Following the collapse of EliteXC, Villasenor was one who mentioned his desire to fight in the UFC.  The status of ProElite is the barrier here.  He could end up in the UFC, but watch for Bellator and Affliction to make runs at Smokin’ Joe.
• Yoshihiro Akiyama – Many think he is a top 10 middleweight in the world.  He could come over to the UFC since it was reported he was in negotionations with Sengoku and UFC.  Then is came out that negotionations with Sengoku broke down.  That may be a clue…or it may not
• David Louiseau – A couple of wins since leaving the UFC and Louiseau finds himself knocking on the UFC door again.  He may be signed for the next Canada card, but he may need one more win.  Nevertheless, look for the former number 1 contender to be given another chance. 

Welterweights

• Jake Shields – He has made no bones about it that he wants in the UFC and that he wants a fight with Georges St. Pierre.  Right now the UFC is the only place for a welterweight to go to really test themselves.  One more time ProElite is an issue here, but I am confident that eventually Shields will fight in the UFC.
• Paul Daley – Daley said in a recent interview that he expects to be in the UFC in 2009.  He must clear his contract with ProElite first.  He is a tough English fighter who could be a good add as the UFC looks to expand worldwide.
• Phil Baroni – He is re-invented at 170 lbs.  In a recent interview with FiveOuncesofPain Baroni said he would like to be in the UFC in 2009.  I think he could get a chance.  He may need one or two more wins though.  Baroni has said he is tired of being a “journeyman” which means he may want to fight for a US based organization.
• T.J. Grant – He has been called the best Canadian not in a major organization.  I look for the UFC to snatch him up.  The UFc wants to push in Canada and Grant is a good prospect.  He may be signed sooner than later as the UFC will be in Canada several times in 2009.

Lightweight

• Gilbert Melendez- He has one more fight left with Strikeforce, which should come by March.  Then I look for him to hit the free agent market.  His next fight could determine his value.  A win could make him worthwhile.  He has mentioned the UFC in several interviews as a possible home.

The UFC addes several prospects in 2008.  Look for more guys to burst onto the scene in 2009.  Some have already been signed and will make their debut in 2009 such as Denis Kang, Ronnys Torrys, Stefan Struve, Neil Grove, John Howard, etc. 

I look for about half these guys to sign in the UFC and I expect some surprises which could be dictated by the futures of Affliction and ProElite as well as the quality of TUF competitors.

DreamFighters.com had an interview with heavyweight fighter Alistair Overeem.  In that interview Overeem indicated that he was in negotions with the UFC as well as Affliction.  Certainly, the UFC has to be the frontrunner at this point in time for his services.   This is what Overeem had to say regarding the issue…

I am going on a holiday as I really trained hard whole 2008, beginning of February I will start training again, my management is in negotiations now, I might visit the UFC in Ireland on January 17th.  My management has been in contact with Affliction as well as the UFC

I am sure more will be learned regarding this as time goes on.  I do not know how high upthe priority list Overeem is for Dana White, but he is a solid add if they could lock him up.  I really believe he would be competitive with the top tier UFC Heavyweights in Mir, Nogueira, Lesnar, Couture, Kongo, Gonzaga, Carwin and Velasquez.  The UFC needs a little more depth at heavyweight and it appears they are striving to do so.  It is also rumored that the UFC is interested in re-signing Jeff Monson. 

Readers may note that in my list of guys the UFC may sign in 2009, Alistair was on that list.  I hope the UFC makes a good offer, but Affliction could be competitive as well.  However, could we see Overeem fight at UFC 99 in Germany? Maybe.