Joe "The Show" Cronin Steps In with Estevan Payan at RITC 143

Fight fans love a good grudge match. We love to see two guys in a cage, or ring for that matter, who plain don’t like each other going at it. Anyone in attendance at Rage in the Cage 143 will be treated to just such a fight. In a feature bout, Orion Boxing’s Joe “The Show” Cronin will be taking on hated rival Estevan Payan. This will be a rematch of their 2008 bout that Payan won by decision.

Cronin made it clear though that he firmly expects a different out come. “I have no excuses, he won,” said Cronin of his performance, “but I wasn’t to focused on that fight.” Cronin admitted that he was having a little too much fun on the days and weeks leading up to the first fight with Payan, and seems to have learned from that mistake. He now promises a better, more focused Joe Cronin will show up to this fight. “I think overall I‘ve gotten better. Everything from conditioning, ground game, boxing, and overall toughness has improved incredibly,” said Cronin assessing his current physical fitness, “I feel comfortable saying everything has improved tremendously.”

Joe understands what it takes to be successful in this business. He is the former RITC welterweight champion and current RITC lightweight champion. A veteran with 31 fights under his belt, Joe has fought for a variety of MMA promotions throughout the country but prefers to fight in front of the home crowd. He’s also a busy fighter. He has fought three times this year and competed, and won, in a number of Jiu Jitsu tournaments in the gi and no gi divisions. Joe also offers MMA lessons at a number of locations including Orion Boxing(formerly Spartan Combat Sports) and also corners for some of the fighters he trains.

The card for the upcoming RITC event will is stacked and this fight in particular should be a real gem. Both these guys are well rounded fighters though Joe believes he will be able to use his boxing and ground and pound to secure the victory. To see prices or to buy tickets to this event click here. Anyone interested in training with Joe Cronin can visit Orion Boxing or contact jbilducea86@gmail.com for more information on how to get a hold of Joe.

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Sarah Kaufman's slam-KO makes ESPN "SportsCenter" Plays of the Week

Strikeforce women's welterweight champion Sarah Kaufman's slam-knockout of title challenger Roxanne Modafferi continues generating interest.

In fact, the Showtime-televised Strikeforce Challengers 9 co-headliner earned a spot on ESPN "SportsCenter's" Plays of the Week.

The vicious knockout earned the No. 4 spot on the internationally broadcast top-10 list.

The fight, which marked Kaufman's first title defense since winning the belt with a February win over Takayo Hashi, took place July 23 at Comcast Arena at Everett in Washington state. After a close first round, Kaufman took control in the second. Stuck in Modafferi's guard, she picked up her opponent and knocked her out cold by slamming her to the mat.

The attention is a welcome change for Kaufman, who complained after the show about being stuck in a non-headlining Challengers card rather than a major Strikeforce show. The undefeated fighter, who's scored nine of her 12 career wins via knockout, has seen both her title fights (and all four Strikeforce fights) on Challengers cards, which traditionally garner lower ratings.

And perhaps as a sign of ESPN's continued warming up to MMA, host Stuart Scott actually mentioned another Strikeforce fighter during the Plays of the Week segment.

"I want to see her fighting Christy 'Cyborg,' though" said Scott, referring to Strikeforce's women's middleweight champ Cristiane Santos. "I'm just saying."

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Women’s first-ever welterweight Tournament set for Strikeforce - August 13th

The much talked about first-ever Strikeforce women’s welterweight Tournament is all set and ready to go on August 13th at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The Tournament will include four women and be completed all in one exciting night.

The four women participating in the Tournament will be Miesha Tate, Carina Damm, Hitomi Akano and Maiju Kujala. The draw to determine the match-ups will be held during the weigh-ins on Thursday August 12th. The Tournament will consist of two semi-final bouts to open the night and the winners will come back to fight each other as the night’s co-main event.

Each fight will be three, 3-minute rounds and the winner of the Tournament will become the official No. 2 welterweight contender. Current welterweight champ Sarah Kaufman faces off against Roxanne Modafferi this Friday and the winner will then take on No. 1 contender Roxanne Modafferi.

Tate (9-2) most recently fought at the Strikeforce Challengers in Fresno, California where she defeated then undefeated Zoila Frausto by armbar in the second round. She is currently riding a 3 fight win streak and the only lost in her last 9 fights was against Kaufman.

Damm (15-3) is a 31-year old student of Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu older sister of another Strikeforce fighter Rodrigo Damm. She is on a very impressive 10 fight winning streak and will be making her Strikeforce debut.

Akano (15-7) is the former Smackgirl middleweight champ and made her Strikeforce debut against the 145 lbs. champ Cris “cyborg” Santos, who actually weight in 5.5 lbs over for the fight. Though she lost the fight, Akano fight into the third round against the much bigger Santos.

Kujala (4-1) is the least experienced of the four fighters, but does have recent Tournament experience in which she won in a similar format. She will have the pressure of making her Strikeforce debut and US debut all at the same time.

Strikeforce Challengers in Arizona will be headlined by Joe Riggs (32-12) against Louis Taylor (6-1) but the showcase of the event is the women’s Tournmant.

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An angry Sarah Kaufman takes issue with Strikeforce and seemingly Cris “Cyborg” Santos

Strikeforce women’s 135 pound champion, Sarah Kaufman has gone on a rant directed at her employers and seemingly the promotions 145 pound women’s champion, Cris “Cyborg” Santos, claiming she should get on a major card because of her talent, not because she’s growing man parts.

Speaking via PrettyToughFighter.com, Kaufman said:

“It seem to be the 2 things that will get me on a main Strikeforce card…that and learning how to shake my assets
I am currently the Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight Champion…yet I fought for the title on a Challengers Card. Now, I am set to defend said title against Roxanne Modafferi in just a few days – again – on a Challengers Card.”

“I know that it’s going to be a fun and challenging fight…and I always welcome that. Roxanne has been around the sport for a long time and will come game to fight; however, I need to take this fight and make a statement.”

“That statement will be: I deserve to be on a main Strikeforce Card because I am a talented, exciting FEMALE fighter at 135lbs! I will NOT eat a ridiculous amount of cookies to make 145lbs JUST for the opportunity to be on a main card and growing man parts… well that would just be ridiculous ”

Kaufman competes against Modafferi this Friday night on the Strikeforce Challengers 9 card in Everett, Washington. With a 11-0 record and a technical striking game to boot, it does make you wonder why all the attention in women’s MMA seems to be directed in a certain Brazilian’s direction.

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Evan Dunham vs. Sean Sherk official; UFC 119...

An intriguing lightweight matchup between fast-rising prospect Evan Dunham (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and former champion Sean Sherk (33-4-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC) is now official for the main card of UFC 119.

Featuring a heavyweight rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, UFC 119 takes place Sept. 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and airs live on pay-per-view and Spike TV.

The addition of the Dunham-Sherk matchup completes the evening's five-fight main card, which airs live on pay-per-view. Two additional bouts are promised for the evening's Spike TV-broadcast portion of the event.

Sherk, 36, has not been seen in the cage since UFC 98, when he dropped a unanimous decision loss to now-champion Frankie Edgar. He was originally scheduled to fight Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 108 but fell prey to the event's injury curse after agreeing to fight Jim Miller on the night's main card.

Two months later, Sherk was scratched from a bout with Clay Guida at UFC on Versus 1 due to another undisclosed injury. Since then, the former champion has been whisper-quiet on his career plans.

A disciple of Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts, Sherk dropped to lightweight when the UFC re-introduced the 155-pound belt at UFC 64. In a bloody fight, he defeated Kenny Florian to become the promotion's second champion in the weight class.

Sherk defended the belt against Hermes Franca at UFC 73, but his title was taken away five months later when the California State Athletic Commission flagged him for performance enhancers. He steadfastly denied the use of any illegal substances.

Sherk returned to action almost a year later and failed to regain his title at UFC 84 when B.J. Penn ‚ who had scooped up the undisputed belt against Joe Stevenson at UFC 80, beat him by TKO.

The 28-year-old Dunham, meanwhile, put his jiu-jitsu black belt to impressive use with a decision victory over division standout Tyson Griffin at UFC 115. The Oregon native surprised many fans by controlling Griffin, a well-known escape artist, on the canvas and keeping back control throughout much of the fight.

The victory built on another savvy grappling performance when Dunham armbarred "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero and picked up an extra $30,000 check for "Submission of the Night."

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UFC 117 official with 11 bouts, Silva vs. Sonnen Title Fight headlines Aug. 7 Event

As expected next month's UFC 117 event is set with an 11-fight lineup.

The pay-per-view event takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva meets challenger Chael Sonnen in the night's main event, and top welterweight contenders Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch meet in the co-headliner and a long-awaited rematch.

Without a Spike TV "UFC Prelims" special to precede the PPV broadcast, just three additional bouts are guaranteed TV time: lightweights Rafael dos Anjos vs. Clay Guida, former welterweight champ Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida, and heavyweights Junior Dos Santos vs. Roy Nelson in a bout to determine a new title challenger.

The headliner marks Silva's first fight since a bizarre victory over Demian Maia at UFC 112. Despite dominating the first two rounds of the April bout, Silva let up in the final rounds, and the fight went to the judges. The performance, which included taunting from Silva, earned the fighter the wrath of UFC president Dana White, who called the fight "embarrassing" and threatened to terminate his contract if he sees similar performances.

Sonnen, of course, has provided no shortage of motivation for his opponent. Sonnen – who earned his title shot with a string of decision victories over contenders Dan Miller, Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt – has spent the past couple months criticizing the champ at every turn. The long-brewing feud comes to a head in less than three weeks.

The official UFC 117 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (for middleweight title)
* Thiago Alves vs. Jon Fitch
* Rafael dos Anjos vs. Clay Guida
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Hughes
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Roy Nelson

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Tim Boetsch vs. Thiago Silva
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Rick Story
* Christian Morecraft vs. Stefan Struve
* Charlie Brenneman vs. Johny Hendricks
* Dennis Hallman vs. Ben Saunders
* Stanislav Nedkov vs. Rodney Wallace

This card looks to have plenty of excitement and some good match-ups.

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UFC champ St-Pierre would Retire when the Sport considers him the BEST Pound-for-Pound Fighter!

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is ready to retire when he's considered the sport's pound-for-pound best.

Don't worry, though. On a special "Primetime" edition of MMAjunkie Radio this past Friday, St-Pierre said he's not quite there yet.

But the traditional reason for sticking around - fame and money - isn't his primary concern. Doing it his way is.

"People are going to be shocked," St-Pierre said of his tentative retirement plan.

St-Pierre (20-2 MMA, 15-2 UFC) currently is in Las Vegas wrapping up a coaching stint on "The Ultimate Fighter 12" opposite top contender Josh Koscheck (15-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). The two are expected to meet sometime at the end of the year in a traditional season-ending fight between "TUF" coaches.

Beyond that, he's done some additional planning. In fact, St-Pierre said his potential retirement plan recently came about while he was setting goals for his remaining career.

"Growing up in my career, I always fix my goals very high," he said. "And every time I achieve one of my [goals], I fix another goal to reach. It's important as a martial artist [never to be] satisfied because otherwise there is no point to keep doing what you're doing."

As to what goals remain, there are a few. St-Pierre has achieved what he initially set out to do: become a professional fighter, become a UFC fighter, and finally, become a UFC champion.

Being considered the best overall fighter in the world? That's the one goal he thinks currently is unmet.

That doesn't mean he's complacent, of course. In his second run as welterweight champion, St-Pierre has taken on four consecutive contenders and soundly beaten them all. At the end of the year, he will attempt to tie former champion Matt Hughes' record of five consecutive title defenses when he meets Koscheck.

Still, some fans believe St-Pierre already has cleaned out his division. He's already beaten all the division's top contenders - Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves and Dan Hardy - and some point to a middleweight showdown against current champion Anderson Silva as a final hurdle to the pound-for-pound crown. Silva is still widely considered to be the holder of that unofficial title. St-Pierre knows he could snatch it away by beating him.

But St-Pierre said a move up in weight would likely come near the end of his career, and it won't come anytime soon.

"If I go up in weight, it's going to be hard to go down," he said. "If I put on lean muscle like I already did recently … it's going to be hard to come back down. So it's not like I go up and I go down. I have to be very careful with what I do."

Still, if St-Pierre takes "a couple" of welterweight fights in the next year or two, and if Silva is still the pound-for-pound king at that point, the French-Canadian then would consider moving up to fight him. And if he defeats Silva, that's a win worthy of retirement, he said.

"If one day I fight at 185 pounds for a superfight to know who is the best pound-for-pound in the world, (and) if I reach my goal, then my goal will be reached," St-Pierre said. "There will be no point for me to still compete because I'm not going to have a goal left."

St-Pierre also said he wants to secure his and his family's future before he takes the risk of moving up, though money and fame aren't the driving forces in his career.

"Of course, the money's there," he said. "The difference between me and a lot of fighters … (is that) a lot of fighters fight for the fame. They fight for the money.

"Yeah, the money is there. It's pleasant. The money is there. It's good that I have this security. I have a lot of money now. It's good. But there is a lot of things I can do outside of mixed martial arts … because of the name that I reached with MMA, that the UFC helped me to have.

"The fame is the same thing. I didn't have it in the beginning, and now I have it. But if one day I reach my goal of becoming the best pound-for-pound (fighter) of all-time, it will be time for me to retire. But I don't know right now, at 29 years old, if I want to retire. So it's better I have to stick around."

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Tito Ortiz Calls Out Forrest Griffin, Says Liddell Should Stay Retired!!

Why can't the little woman beater just disappear into thin air or crawl undre a rock some place?

Following successful surgery on his neck, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz has targeted a November return to the Octagon.

Ortiz has been on the shelf since suffering a neck injury while filming The Ultimate Fighter. Ortiz was scheduled to face Chuck Liddell at UFC 115 but pulled out of the bout.

Ortiz recently spoke his return and called out one of his former opponent, but not Chuck Liddell:

"The surgery went really, really well. I just started doing weight training so next week I start doing drills. I have to make sure I make the right steps for my future and my career. I hope I get the Chuck fight. As a fighter, I would love to kick his ass. As a human being, I don't think he should fight anymore just because health is more important than fights. Grudge matches are important to sell, but at the same time he has kids to take care of and I don't want nothin' serious to happen to him. (Getting knocked out) that many times, it gets kinda scary. I was really shocked (by the loss to Rich Franklin fight), I saw all my money go out the window. It is what it is, everything in this world happens for a reason and I'll be back at the end of November. I'd like to [fight] Forrest. If Forrest would like to do a trilogy it'd be awesome. We gave two great fights both times we fought and we'll get a triple fight more exciting than the last two."

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Carwin rethinks would could have been...

Shane Carwin believes he was just one solid shot away from finishing UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 last Saturday night. One solid shot from ditching his “fake” interim belt and become the undisputed heavyweight champ.

One problem, his body didn’t agree with his tactics.

Carwin went all out for the better part of the first round, but as the opening stanza wound down, so did his body… it started shutting down. It wasn’t a matter of gassing out, unable to breathe; it was a matter of his body literally seizing up, not responding to what his mind was telling it to do.

“We don’t want it to come off sounding like an excuse. Shane had the 100-percent best camp he’s ever had coming into a fight and it shouldn’t diminish Brock’s victory in any way,” Carwin’s manager, Jason Genet stated.

“But what happened, what caused the shutdown, was lactic acidosis. It just comes from exploding like he was doing, not properly breathing, and not having your body prepared for it.”

In laymen’s terms, Carwin was pushing himself to such an extreme in trying to finish Lesnar with his relentless ground and pound that the lactic acid that built up in his muscles reached a level that was too much for his body to handle, thus it started to shutdown.

Carwin does have Bronchitis now, but Genet says that likely happened as a result of the hardships placed on his body from the fight. He wasn’t ill going into the fight.

Knowing he was in dire straights the way his body was, Carwin went out in round two to land a fight ending blow and get out of there. While that was noble of him, Genet says there was just no way it could happen.

“Even though he said he was going out to land a strike, it was over in the corner. Normally in the corner is when your body begins to recover and that wasn’t happening. His body was getting worse.”

Genet says it wasn’t a case of gassing out due to cardio. Carwin’s issue was more on the level of a medical condition than that, but he does maintain that it is something that can be altered.

“You can solve that issue with special diet, you can change it with training techniques, and you can train it with supplements,” he said. “We’ve already got a guy that’s gonna be working with Shane to develop some things to help make some training adjustments.”

He wanted to be clear though, as disappointed as they are that Carwin didn’t walk away with UFC gold around his waist, there are no excuses.

“It’s not an excuse, as far as Shane is concerned, it’s just another way that you can lose a fight. Brock did what he needed to do and found a way to win. Shane’s just happy that now he knows and can do something to work on it.”

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Brock Lesnar triumphs over Shane Carwin at UFC 116‎

And still the heavyweight champion. And still the showman.

Brock Lesnar defended his UFC crown with an arm triangle choke against challenger Shane Carwin. He rose to his feet, shook his beaming head, punched his own chin, and declared: ''I stand before you a humble champion, and still the toughest SOB around, baby.''

But he looked far from the baddest man on the planet in the first round as Carwin teed off with his giant fists. Lesnar was dropped by an uppercut and collected numerous big shots while on his back. Cut and bruised, Lesnar somehow survived when many observers believed the bout could have been halted.

How different it was in the second, as Lesnar smiled and high-fived Carwin at the bell before wrestling him to the ground and applying the submission manoeuvre, forcing him to tap out.

Carwin, who had finished all 12 of his previous opponents in the first round, was finally defeated. Lesnar (5-1), following a year-long lay-off due to a debilitating digestive disease, and thinking he would die in hospital seven months ago, left no doubt he remains the benchmark in the topweight class.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd had favoured Carwin but was left respectfully in awe, with guests including the original bad man Mike Tyson, and his great boxing rival Evander Holyfield - who told the Herald he'd be more than happy to travel to Australia to take on Danny Green. For Lesnar awaits Cain Velasquez, whose knockout win in Sydney in February secured his place as next in line.

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UFC 116 preview: Is Brock Lesnar's blessing Shane Carwin's curse?

What happens when MMA's most ornery guy gets happy?

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar may still hate the press, as he told MMAjunkie in the build-up to the promotion's summer blockbuster, UFC 116, which takes place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

But now, Lesnar feels blessed to be alive after illness took him to the brink of extinction, and he often carries a smile in place of a frown – when he's not cutting promos.

Will his newfound love of life make Lesnar (4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) a better fighter in his second title defense, or will his opponent – interim champion Shane Carwin (12-0 MMA, 4-0 MMA) – expose his weaknesses?

Lesnar, who hasn't fought since he defended his title in July 2009 against Frank Mir, brought into camp new blood such as boxing coach Peter Welch, strength and conditioning guru Luke Richardson, and none other than former opponent and UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture to deepen his skills beyond the ground and pound for which he is known.

The champion assured the media he'll stay as ornery as ever in his time with the UFC, and with mere days to Saturday night, he retained his wry sense of humor.

"I'm going to be a big teddy bear," when asked about his new attitude. "What do you think I'm going to be? You think my life is going to change?"

But in the same breath, he admitted his bout with diverticulitis brought him in touch with the important things in his life and the luck he's had in recovering from an illness that's killed others.

It was not easy getting to that place. He sat in the hospital for two weeks without solid food, a PICC line in each of his biceps to feed him, and he was horribly weak and miserable. It got so bad that at one point, he called UFC president Dana White to tell him how much he loved him (but it probably came out differently).

"Six months ago, literally, I was on my death bed, and here I am," he said. "It's a damn miracle."

Alas, the heavyweight champion said he can't eat Fruity Pebbles cereal any more on a new diet that keeps his digestive system clean, though he swears that he hasn't lost any of his power. UFC fighter Chris Tuchscherer, one of Lesnar's chief training partners, said the fighter actually has gained power with a weight-training regimen.

"Brock is more lethal than he was before," said Tuchscherer, who fights Brendan Schaub on UFC 116's Spike TV-televised preliminary card. "He is stronger (and) faster than before. It's like he's got God's gift of getting the best of the best you can get."

Lesnar said he will skip a meal to make weight today, but he will not cut weight to make the 265-pound limit.

It's a great comeback story for the champion, but there's one fighter who may not be sold on his new persona, and that's Carwin.

The quiet full-time engineer, who defeated Frank Mir at UFC 111 for the interim strap, isn't too fond of the Lesnar he's gotten to know in recent years, the one who's gone from "freak show" to certified legitimacy in the big man's division. He stopped short of saying Lesnar's smile was an act, but he stuck to his guns on previous interviews in which he said the heavyweight champion – to put it nicely – is not a nice guy outside the cage.

Take for instance Lesnar's finger-wagging at Mir and the at UFC 100 audience, which Carwin called "lame."

"Inside the octagon, Brock and I can be similar," Carwin said. "We're both very competitive (and) both athletic. But outside of it, we might treat people differently, and those are the instances I spoke on."

Where Lesnar is wry, Carwin is dry about the former "pro wrestler."

After a reporter asked why Carwin chose not to bring his interim belt to the podium at the UFC's pre-event press conference, Lesnar happily interjected, "Because it doesn't exist."

"When Brock said it was a fake belt, it went 'poof,'" Carwin deadpanned.

But for the limited amount of mud Lesnar has slung his way about wrestling credentials and the realness of his belt, Carwin said he isn't taking any of that into the octagon.

"I don't take any of these fights personally," he said. "I go in there to perform. This is what I love to do. To be able to go in there and compete against Brock Lesnar, who's the champ, is a dream for me."

Although Lesnar's quickness has been a frequent point of conversation in how Saturday's bout breaks down, Carwin is no stranger to speed. He's earned 12 consecutive first-round stoppages by steamrolling his opponents, which included an in-close beatdown of Mir. Most observers believe his knockout power is his advantage in the championship match-up.

"Frankly, I'd be happy if [the fight] goes to longer rounds," Carwin said. "Then I can stop answering these first-round questions."

Akiyama settles for fight with Leben

Yoshihiro Akiyama waited almost a year to fight Wanderlei Silva, and he was downright distraught when Silva withdrew from their UFC 115 co-main event due to a rib injury.

"Learning that I wouldn't be able to fight him, I was very shocked (and) very disappointed," Akiyama said.

Initially, Akiyama (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) threatened to walk off the UFC 116 set. But faced with the possibility of raising the UFC's ire and losing a payday, he withdrew his threat and accepted a fight with late replacement Chris Leben (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC).

"I'm very thankful for him to fill the gap this week," the Japanese star said. "For my family and for my Asian fans, I decided to come to Vegas."

Akiyama has fought just once since he signed with the organization in February 2009, a close decision victory over Alan Belcher at UFC 100. He was due to face Silva at UFC 110 in February but was replaced by Michael Bisping, whom Silva defeated in the co-main event of the Australian event. Since then, he's pined for a shot at the Brazilian, who was a breakout star in the now-defunct PRIDE promotion and could undoubtedly be a feather for his cap.

Leben is no such feather. He took out rising prospect Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter Finale 11 just two weeks ago and then hit the gym the Monday afterward when the UFC gave him "an offer he couldn't refuse" to take the UFC 116 fight. White said it was an easy decision to put the two together, given Leben's aggressive, punch-heavy style.

"The question with Chris is when you make the phone call, what's Chris been doing the last couple of weeks," White said. "How much does he weigh and where's he been? Once we found out he was back home (and) he was great, it was a no-brainer."

"I think part of the reason I was their choice, is ... I've won some, I've lost some, but you guys know Saturday night you're going to have a show," Leben said.

The fighter said he hasn't had such a quick turnaround since his days on the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter." If victorious, he believes he's in line for a future title shot.

With a lot more to lose in the fight, Akiyama may elect to use his well-honed judo skills to control and submit Leben on the mat. As always, Leben looks to punch his opponent's head into the arena's third row.

In other UFC 116 action, welterweights Chris Lytle (28-17-5 MMA, 7-9 UFC) and Matt Brown (11-8 MMA, 4-2 UFC) meet in a rematch from a meeting nearly three years ago on the Midwest regional circuit. Fireworks are expected since both like to throw heavy leather, though Lytle holds an advantage on the ground and may try to finish the fight there.

Krzysztof Soszynski (19-9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) also throws his hat in the rematch pile with a second go-around against Stephan Bonnar (11-7 MMA, 5-6 UFC), whom he defeated at UFC 110 when a nasty cut from an accidental clash of heads brought the first meeting to a halt.

Additionally, lightweights George Sotiropoulos (12-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and Kurt Pellegrino (15-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) – who have a combined 10 consecutive wins – meet to determine a future contender in the lightweight division.

MAIN CARD

•Champ Brock Lesnar vs. interim champ Shane Carwin (heavyweight title-unification bout)
•Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Chris Leben
•Matt Brown vs. Chris Lytle
•Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
•Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropoulos
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

•Brendan Schaub vs. Chris Tuchscherer
•Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricardo Romero
PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-aired)

•Kendall Grove vs. Goran Reljic
•Dave Branch vs. Gerald Harris
•Forrest Petz vs. Daniel Roberts
•Jon Madsen vs. Karlos Vemola

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