The mixed martial arts machine kicks into high speed today as fans and journalists alike prepare for a weekend packed with fighting action.
Tonight’s UFC on FX card from Australia will give many fans around the world their first look at the flyweight division when Joseph Benavidez, Demetrious Johnson, Ian McCall and Yasuhiro Urushitani step in the cage for the first round of a tournament to crown the UFC’s first-ever flyweight champion.
Saturday night sees the culmination of a long feud between Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey.
The pair square off in the most anticipated female mixed martial arts fight since Gina Carano faced Cyborg Santos over two years ago.
But, before the madness begins, let’s take a look at yesterday’s biggest stories in our latest UFC Morning Update:
Tate, Rousey Spar One Last Time Before Saturday Night
There’s no love lost between Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey.
The pair of bantamweights will finally be afforded the chance to settle their differences in a cage on Saturday night, but they took the opportunity to get in a few more verbal digs at each other during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference.
Tate steadfastly maintains that Rousey’s trash-talking is bad for the sport and that the Olympic judo medalist doesn’t deserve a title shot, while Rousey accurately points out that her verbal assault on Tate elevated the fight to main-event status.
UFC on FX 2 Fighters Make Weight in Australia
All 22 fighters scheduled to compete on tonight’s UFC on FX card in Australia made weight during the official fighter weigh-ins last night.
That includes new flyweights Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson, both of whom made the drop down from bantamweight to compete in a tournament to crown the first-ever UFC flyweight champion. All four flyweight competitors weighed in at exactly 125.5 pounds, which is a bit strange when you think about it.
There’s a first for everything.
Oh, and Thiago Alves? He had no problems making weight for the second consecutive fight, thanks to weight-management guru Mike Dolce. It’s the start of a good trend for the Brazilian.
Former Cro Cop, Fedor Manager Details PRIDE’s Japanese Mafia Ties
As the former manager of Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop, Mijo Mijatovic was certainly a power player behind the scenes during the glory days of PRIDE.
In this unedited interview from Spike TV’s MMA Uncensored Live, Mijatovic details PRIDE’s deep connection to the Japanese yakuza (mafia) and recounts several harrowing and life-threatening situations.
The full story of PRIDE’s rise to glory and eventual downfall may never be properly told, but this interview sheds plenty of light on the rampant corruption surrounding the Japanese promotion.
Henderson, Rampage Receive Possible Six-Month Medical Suspensions After UFC 144
New lightweight champion Benson Henderson received a potential six-month suspension after his UFC 144 win over Frankie Edgar last weekend in Japan. Henderson received the suspension due to possible broken bones in his hand and left foot, but can be cleared for an early return to the gym by a doctor.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Eiji Mitsuoka also received six-month suspensions.
All three fighters will likely be cleared by their doctors long before the suspensions run out.
Poirier, Jung Headline UFC on Fuel 3 in Title Eliminator
Frankie Edgar may not be dropping to featherweight, but divisional champion Jose Aldo should have an opponent sooner rather than later.
That’s because top contenders Dustin Poirier and Chan Sung Jung will meet on May 15 to determine Aldo’s next opponent. The bout between Poirier and Jung—better known as “The Korean Zombie”—will serve as the main event for UFC on Fuel 3.
In an ideal world, we’d see Edgar abandon the lightweight division in favor of a super-fight with Aldo. However, that doesn’t appear to be on the docket, and so Poirier and Jung must suffice. It’s a fight with plenty of potential for excitement, and the winner will be more deserving of a title shot than anyone else currently in the division.
I’m just not sure either guy is truly ready to face Aldo.
BR MMA Story of the Day: Can Ryan Couture Live Up To High Expectations?
It can’t be easy being Ryan Couture.
He’s the son of a legendary fighter, and fans expect stellar performances from him every time he steps in the cage.
But, in reality, Couture is still a young fighter trying to make his way in the MMA world. Brian Lopez-Benchimol takes a look at the career arc of the younger Couture.
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