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UFC on Fox 7: Strikeforce Champion Luke Rockhold Challenges Costa Philippou

Apparently, the Strikeforce champions are now calling their own shots upon arriving in the UFC.Both Daniel Cormier and Gilbert Melendez took to calling out fighters in recent weeks and both men received their opponent of choice at UFC on Fox 7.On Wedne…

Apparently, the Strikeforce champions are now calling their own shots upon arriving in the UFC.

Both Daniel Cormier and Gilbert Melendez took to calling out fighters in recent weeks and both men received their opponent of choice at UFC on Fox 7.

On Wednesday, middleweight champion Luke Rockhold told MMAfighting.com that he wants to join the party, and he even has an opponent in mind.

“I think Costa Philippou makes the most sense right now,” he said. “He’s coming off a win, and I think he’s a good opponent. Let’s get it on at [UFC on FOX 7].”

Rockhold is a striker out of American Kickboxing Academy and twice defended his championship before the promotion’s demise. By calling out Philippou, the American is choosing a fellow striker who is pulling a steam train of momentum behind him.

After defeating world-ranked Tim Boetsch at UFC 155, Philippou finds himself sitting pretty with a 5-0 record in the UFC middleweight division. Stylistically, this is the kind of bout that the Serra-Longo fighter wants to take, as he is a willing participant of any stand up affair.

UFC on Fox 7 takes place in Strikeforce’s back yard of San Jose, California on Saturday, April 20. Typically, a Fox special will feature four fights on the main card.

Currently, the UFC has announced three bouts for the event.

The main event is a title unification bout between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Strikeforce titleholder Gilbert Melendez. Melendez is a five-time defending champion who holds a 21-2 record as a professional and has avenged both of his career losses.

The evening’s co-main event is an important heavyweight battle between Strikeforce Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier and former UFC champion Frank Mir. On Saturday night, Cormier called out Mir after putting together a second-round win at the final Strikeforce event.

Also announced for the card is a slugger’s specialty in the welterweight division when Dan Hardy meets surging brawler Matt Brown.

If Rockhold and Philippou are signed for San Jose, this could be the most intriguing offering that the UFC has put on Fox.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report MMA for the latest updates on all things UFC on Fox 7.

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UFC on Fox 7: Dan Hardy vs. Matt Brown Added to the Card

On Tuesday morning, it was announced (via Yahoo! Sports) that Benson Henderson will unify the UFC lightweight championship with the Strikeforce lightweight championship, as he will meet Gilbert Melendez at UFC on Fox 7. Shortly after, it was confirmed …

We’ve got our main event and our co-main event. Now, we’ve got our probable Fight of the Night winner.

MMAweekly.com confirmed on Tuesday evening that welterweight favorite Dan Hardy will return to the Octagon against hard-hitting slugger Matt Brown on April 20. It is assumed that a fight of this caliber will make place on the main card, although that has yet to be confirmed.

Hardy most recently appeared in a September victory against Amir Sadollah. It was the second consecutive win for the Brit, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

A four-fight losing streak left him without a victory in 2010 or 2011. Prior to the skid, Hardy earned a title shot against Georges St-Pierre by besting the likes of Mike Swick and Marcus Davis.

The outspoken “Outlaw,” who fights out of Nottingham, England, has long been one of the most popular fighters to step foot into the Octagon. The trash talk between Hardy and Davis remains one of the most entertaining feuds to ever hit the Internet.

Going 4-0 in 2012, Brown picked up notable wins against Swick and formerly undefeated kickboxer Stephen Thompson, which put him on the map as someone trying to break through the glass ceiling. His current winning streak is the longest of his 27-fight career.

Many expected Brown to be released toward the end of 2011 after being submitted in four of five contests. Keeping him proved to be a good move, because at this point in time, Brown is pulling a freight train of momentum behind him.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 159: Tickets Go on Sale for Jones vs. Sonnen on January 23

One day after FX begins airing Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, tickets will go on sale for a UFC light heavyweight championship fight between coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen.According to a press release from the UFC, tickets for UFC 159: Jones vs…

One day after FX begins airing Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, tickets will go on sale for a UFC light heavyweight championship fight between coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen.

According to a press release from the UFC, tickets for UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen will be made available at 10am on Wednesday, January 23.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding this event. After Jones turned down a matchup with Sonnen at UFC 151, many feel that the champion was a coward who should have been stripped of his title. Others continue to argue that Sonnen is unworthy of the opportunity that he is being afforded.

UFC president Dana White spoke about the personal nature of the main event in today’s release:

Jon Jones has destroyed all the top guys in the light heavyweight division. He has defended the title four times and is one of the pound-for-pound best in the world. This fight with Chael is personal! Chael called Jones out and said a lot of things about him. Chael always comes to fight and I’m very interested in this matchup.

Subscribers to the UFC newsletter will have a 24 hour head start on tickets. Additionally, UFC Fight Club members will have even earlier access to tickets beginning on Monday, January 21 at 10 a.m. ET.

Tickets for the event cost as little as $60 up to $550 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, charged by phone (800-745-3000) or at any Ticketmaster outlet.

The hotly anticipated UFC 159 takes place on Saturday, April 27 at the Prudential Center in downtown Newark, New Jersey. At the time of publication, Jones vs. Sonnen is the only fight currently announced for the card.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on FX 7: Where Does Michael Bisping Rank Among UK MMA Fighters?

Michael “The Count” Bisping has been the face of English MMA ever since he won Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter. That is a heavy burden to carry for nearly seven years, but Bisping has done a solid job of representing his homeland.The fact that one sta…

Michael “The Count” Bisping has been the face of English MMA ever since he won Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter. That is a heavy burden to carry for nearly seven years, but Bisping has done a solid job of representing his homeland.

The fact that one star has remained on top for so long doesn’t mean to suggest that the UK hasn’t developed some killer talent over the years. New prospects have emerged recently, and if they can continue their forward momentum, they could one day carry the torch for the UK.

Here’s a look at the 10 best active fighters from the United Kingdom, ranked on their overall skills.

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Strikeforce Results: 5 Fights for Nate Marquardt in the UFC

Anything can happen in the world of mixed martial arts. Submission fighters can score major knockouts, judges can turn in scorecards that don’t remotely reflect the action inside of the cage, and 4-to-1 underdogs can absolutely dominate a well-known wo…

On Saturday night, Nate Marquardt saw his momentum train crash into a steel barrier as little-known Tarec Saffiedine scored a monumental upset (and more than 100 significant strikes) in the Strikeforce main event.

Where does this leave the former champion and 14-time UFC veteran? Clearly, Marquardt is a big enough star that both Bellator and World Series of Fighting would love to add him to their roster. For that reason alone, it would be surprising if the UFC didn’t import Nate “The Great.”

Here is a look at five fights that await Marquardt in the UFC.

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Strikeforce Results: 5 Fights for Tarec Saffiedine in the UFC

With Strikeforce officially closing their doors on Saturday night, many fighters from the organization are concerned with whether or not they still have a job.Newly-minted welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine has no such worries, as his impressive vi…

With Strikeforce officially closing their doors on Saturday night, many fighters from the organization are concerned with whether or not they still have a job.

Newly-minted welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine has no such worries, as his impressive victory over Nate Marquardt Saturday night guaranteed the Belgian a spot on the UFC’s roster.

Entering the UFC as the final Strikeforce champion will allow Saffiedine the opportunity to jump into some high-profile fights that he wouldn’t be otherwise afforded.

There are plenty of opinions on where “Sponge” fits into the hyper-competitive UFC welterweight division, but only a few of them truly make sense.

Here is a look at five fights for Tarec Saffiedine to take in his UFC debut.

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