Author: By Frank Curreri

Aldo, first name Jose, marched toward the Octagon to Jay-Z’s “Run This Town (Tonight)” and did exactly that, snatching his 14th straight victory in front of his Rio de Janeiro faithful. The first-round knockout of No. 1 contender Chad Mendes will force even the most stubborn minds to rethink whether Jon Jones or Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre really is the most talented fighter on the planet. Fresh off his fifth world title defense, Aldo is now a certified superstar – and it is legitimate to speculate if there is any current fighter at either 145 pounds OR 155 pounds that will beat this guy on his A game (You have to think that Aldo would be favored against anybody at either weight class). Scary part: he is only 25 years old, nowhere near his physical prime.

Brazilian fighters added more ammunition to claims that they produce the world’s best mixed martial artists by rewarding home fans with a 7-1 record on the night against opponents from other nations. The UFC has held three events in South America’s largest country. In those shows Brazilian fighters have amassed a combined (and staggering) 16-2 record against foreigners.

Can’t conceive how Anthony Johnson failed to make weight BY 11 POUNDS!!! Will forever boggle the mind, no matter how many excuses are conjured up. Let’s put this Cardinal Sin of professional fighting into historical perspective: Up until the 142 weigh-in, the Poster Boy for jaw-dropping overweightedness had been Paulo  Filho, another incredible talent who famously tipped the scales at seven pounds over before his middleweight world title defense against Chael Sonnen for WEC 36. Those who cheer for Karma to always prevail in the end can take comfort in this: Being overweight for a main card fight is usually a bad omen for the perpetrator. Filho, like Johnson, was as much of a failure in the fight as he was during the weight cut. Both Filho and Johnson paid for their transgressions not only with reduced paychecks, but also losses inside the cage.

Disqualification of Erick Silva for alleged strikes to the back of the head, wiping away what would have been a jubilant 29-second triumph in front of his countrymen, was heart-wrenching to watch, especially since video replays showed scant evidence of the fouls. Reminds me of Jon Jones losing via disqualification after annihilating Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter finale 10 (illegal elbows being the culprit, the lone “loss” of Jones’ career). Though he remained poised and polished during an interview with Joe Rogan immediately following the defeat, Jones went backstage, away from fans and cameras, and was emotionally devastated. I can’t help but think that Erick Silva (13-2, 1 NC) was the same Saturday night in Rio after being deprived of what have been the finest moment of his career thus far.

Extraordinary is my thought on Joe Rogan’s impromptu interview with referee Mario Yamasaki following the Prater-Silva shocker. How often do you see that? Rogan is just so brutally candid, which I happen to think is generally a good quality in people. He felt Silva’s pain and wanted Yamasaki – one of the sport’s most competent and veteran referees – to explain the call.

Fight of the Night bonuses ($65,000) went to Edson Barboza and Terry Etim.

Gabriel Gonzaga, whom some had written off after he lost three of four UFC fights and embarked on a one-year hiatus, returned to the Octagon with a vengeance. The 250-pound BJJ world champ had lamented relying too much on his striking and returned to his roots with a rear naked choke that dealt Ednaldo Oliveira (13-1-1, 1 NC) his first career loss.

Heel hooks are rarely successful in the UFC, but Rousimar Palhares is an exception to the rule. The 185-pound ball of muscle clamped onto Mike Massenzio’s ankle early in the first round and, before Palhares even commenced any of the limb, Joe Rogan accurately predicted that trying to escape so early in the bout without benefit of sweat was futile: “Fight’s over,” Rogan said.

And it was, just 63 seconds in, giving Palhares his seventh win in nine UFC fights. One remark: I’ll bet you Massenzio spent the majority of his camp focusing on how to defend heel hooks, leg locks and kneebars. But it’s hard to mimic the kind of beastly latch Palhares imposes on a limb. Only Frank Mir can be considered an equal in that department, as both are clearly the last two guys you want cranking on your limb.

I suspect that Anthony Johnson, after missing weight three different times under the UFC banner, could someday return to the UFC. But if I was him, and that forgiveness and opportunity for redemption ever comes, I might opt for the 205-pound weight class instead (just to be on the safe side).

Jose Aldo’s spontaneous sprint into the stands at HSBC Arena – for those who might think it unprecedented    was not Jr.’s first foray into the crowd. An overflow of emotion prompted him to do the MMA version of a “Lambeau Leap” after a first-round knockout of Rolando Perez four years ago at WEC 38 (in San Diego, Calif.). Word is that Aldo’s renowned trainer, Andre Pederneiras, was not too fond of the Aldo running into the stands (nor was he fond of Aldo’s daring habit of doing somersault’s off the Octagon following wins). Aldo had been much tamer in his celebrations until Saturday, as the energy in the sold-out arena and the sentimental value of the moment apparently overcame him (and also probably scared the crap out of the security officials responsible for the arduous task of extracting the raging showman from a virtual mosh pit of fans).

Knockout of the Night went to Edson Barboza, whose spinning wheel kick to the face sent Terry Etim to the canvas stiff as a wooden board. By coincidence, the third-round knockout happened just as Joe Rogan was noting that Etim, likely trailing on the judges’ scorecards, might need to attack more. Rogan wondered aloud, “Do you want to take a chance and risk getting knocked out? (at that moment Barboza spun and the heel of his foot thumped Etim’s jaw).

“Oh!!”
 
Barboza, a lightweight, improved to 10-0.

Lovely Brazilian women in the crowd didn’t get as much love from the cameras as some of us would have liked.

Miscellaneous fact worth mentioning: There are at least four different fighters named Anderson Silva in MMA, PLUS another named “Wanderson” Silva.

“THE” famous Anderson Silva is 31-4 in his legendary career.

The combined record of the three other Anderson Silvas (and Wanderson Silva) is 10-15.

Not since March 2001, back in his days with Pride, had Vitor Belfort submitted an opponent in live competition (Bobby Southworth being the answer to the trivia question). Though Belfort is renowned for his hand-speed and punching prowess, that decade-long submission drought is remarkable when you consider that Belfort has been a BJJ black belt since the tender age of 19 (receiving the honor under the late, great Carlson Gracie).

Another important point about Belfort: His career resurgence is as admirable as it is rare. Here is a man who, in the mid-2000s, fought seven times AND LOST FIVE OF THEM. Many – including myself — wrote Belfort off entirely, thinking “The Phenom” had all the physical talent in the world but lacked the mental toughness and drive to rise to elite status again.

And now? The 34-year-old Belfort has won seven of his past eight, which is a credit to his own mental maturity and the fine team he has assembled around him, which includes kickboxing coach Ray Sefo, Gilbert “Durinho” Burns (BJJ black belt world champion) and Ginastica Natural pioneer Alvaro Romano.

Opinion: The Vitor Belfort-Wanderlei Silva rematch, slated for later this year, will not go past one round. But me, like you, will darn sure be watching every second of their fisticuffs. It’s been more than 13 years – 13 YEARS – since these two icons collided. I don’t remember ever waiting 13 years to see a rematch. I’m sure Wanderlei has often fantasized about revenge since absorbing that 44-second annihilation to Belfort back in 1998. But their looming sequel might prove to be another example of “Be Careful What You Wish For.”

Priceless: An arena filled with passionate, flag-waving Brazilians. Nobody does it better.

Q is for Quicksand, the moniker of one Mike Pyle, who earned the distinction of being the only foreigner to defeat a Brazilian on the night. Angered and embarrassed after being steamrolled by Rory MacDonald in his last fight, the Las Vegan standout blitzed Ricardo Funch with a sizzling right hand and knees en route to a first-round stoppage. “I want to thank my wife for putting up with me all during my camp,” Pyle said afterwards. Might not be the last time a pro fighter uses that line.

Really curious whom Aldo’s next challenger will be. Erik Koch (13-1) has to be in the mix. Dustin Poirier (11-1) goes for five straight at UFC 143 next month. Both are tall, lanky, aggressive fighters. But neither can match Aldo’s speed.

Strange coincidence: Both Aldo and Belfort wished their mothers Happy Birthday following their fight Saturday night.

Thiago Tavares is finally living up to his potential. Tavares’ decision win over Sam Stout pushed his record to 4-1-1 in his past six contests.

Unbeaten: Edson Barboza, whose standup, speed and ferocious leg attacks have drawn comparisons to Jose Aldo, improved to 10-0.  The two other unbeatens on the card, Chad Mendes and Ednaldo Oliveira, suffered their first losses Saturday night.

Vitor Belfort said he cut over 20 pounds in the days leading up to his fights. As any athlete who has ever cut weight knows, it is often the most miserable of processes, a test of mental fortitude and discipline. So when a fighter misses weight, his opponents usually view it not only as unprofessional, but also a sign of weakness. A sign that a fighter couldn’t hack the misery of the process necessary to make weight. Seeing a fighter not make weight is analogous to seeing a fighter “break” or give up in a fight. Once a fighter senses that quit in an opponent, it is like a shark seeing red.

Welterweights beware: Mike Pyle says he’s bringing the same intensity to you that he brought against Ricardo Funch.

X-cellent: Still wondering when a fighter will be daring enough to use an X-guard BJJ sweep in the Octagon.

Yuri Alcantara won a unanimous decision over fellow featherweight Michihiro Omigawa. Alcantara is now 26-3.

(Pardon the creativity) Mike MassenZio, a former Junior college national wrestling champ and BJJ black belt, jumpstarted his pro career at 9-1 but has now dropped five of his past eight.

 

0: Number of losses for featherweight challenger Chad Mendes (11-0), Edson Barboza (9-0), and promising heavyweight prospect Ednaldo Oliveira (13-0-1, 1 NC), who is a training partner of world champ Junior dos Santos.

1: Number of UFC 142 fighters who have worked as models in Japan (that would be Canada’s Antonio Carvalho).

4: Number of world title defenses for UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo (two of those defenses came while holding the WEC belt)

4.5: Number of southpaws fighting on the card (Vitor Belfort, Mike Massenzio, Ricardo Funch, Yuri Alcantara and Carlo Prater, who is comfortable switching stances).

7: Combined UFC Fight of the Night Awards for Sam Stout and Thiago Tavares, who clash on the 142 undercard

8: Number of letters in Toquinho, which means “tree stump” in Portuguese and is the aptly given nickname for the ferocious leg lock monster that is Rousimar Palhares.

11: Number of years Sam Stout spent studying under Shawn Tompkins, the widely respected trainer who died last year in his sleep from a heart attack at the age of 37.

11: Number of BJJ black belts on the 142 card.

13: Number of consecutive fights Jose Aldo has won.

14: Age that Ednaldo Oliveira started training martial arts. Number of months since his opponent, Gabe Gonzaga, last fought in the UFC.

15: Number of years Vitor Belfort has been fighting (since 1996)

29: Number of wins welterweight Carlo Prater has amassed, tops on the 142 card.

34: Number worn by gridiron great Walter Payton, the late Chicago Bears running back whom co-main event fighter Anthony Johnson counts as one of his heroes.

Mike Pyle’s passport has seen plenty of action throughout his career, reflecting his eagerness to battle time zone changes and hostile crowds that came to see the out-of-towner get his you-know-what kicked.

The 36-year-old welterweight, a native of Tennessee, travels to Rio de Janeiro this week to face Ricardo Funch on the UFC 142 undercard. Brazil will mark the eighth different country Pyle has competed in, joining a list comprised of the U.S., Canada, England, Japan, Russia, Lithuania and Denmark.

“I cannot wait to get there,” said the 12-year pro. “I’m actually looking forward to the crowd booing me and all of that.”

Pyle gained a strong sense of what he can expect when he cornered Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 in August of last year (Griffin fought Mauricio “Shogun” Rua). The event was held in Rio and attended by roughly 14,000 frenzied Brazilians, who transformed HSBC Arena into a surreal five-hour party that some media pundits deemed to be the greatest arena atmosphere in UFC history.

“They are very educated on the sport. I’d put it up there in the Top Three UFC crowds I’ve ever seen,” Pyle said. “England was a good one, for UFC 120. I heard a lot of things about Montreal and Ireland, they had chants. The chanting is what makes it so great, how the crowd chimes in together. The Brazil crowd was very educated and stoked, and that was great to see. It was an awesome atmosphere.”

Griffin, the former UFC light heavyweight kingpin, succumbed to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua that night by knockout. Pyle, however, plans to disappoint the hometown folk.

“Right now I’m coming off a (TKO) loss to Rory MacDonald. I am very pissed off at myself and I’m going to make damn sure that a performance like that never happens again,” said Pyle (21-8-1). “It damn sure ain’t happening that night against Ricardo. I’ve got new coaches. I’m going to put on a great show and finish Ricardo – end of story. It’s not going to a decision. I will not be beaten in Brazil. I will die in that cage before I lose. I will not lose.”

Pyle had fashioned a three-fight win streak in the UFC before running into MacDonald, and he came away impressed with the 22-year-old Canadian.

“I think Rory MacDonald is a great fighter and I knew going in that despite his age he has what it takes to be a champion,” Pyle said. “He’s got a lot of talent and he was the better fighter that night. It was such a quick finish and no one likes to go out like that but it happens in this sport. It wasn’t a lucky punch – he meant to land his punches and that’s what he did. I’ve got a lot of respect for him but hopefully he and I get to meet again. It was a crappy performance on my behalf and a great one for him. That’s hard because sometimes you’re only as good as your last fight.”

Swallowing the bitter pill of defeat prompted Pyle, who still trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, to enlist a new head trainer in the form of Nate Pettit. And who exactly is Nate Pettit?

“Nate Pettit is an old school Pat Miletich guy from Boise, Idaho,” Pyle said. “He’s done some kickboxing and is a great MMA coach. I met him here in Vegas and he was training Nik Fekete.”

As he grew nearer to hopping a plane for Brazil, Pyle spoke of how his travelling ways have expanded his sense of self and shaped his view of the world. But it’s been five years he last fought in the South (in Mississippi) and, like crooner Paul Simon, he often yearns to be “Homeward Bound.”

“I wanted to get on the Nashville card (UFC on FX: Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller). I came up in the South, so I grew up hunting and fishing. Country boys also like to fight,” Pyle said. “I’m a big fly fisherman and that’s always been a big part of my life. You can learn a lot from those older country boys, a lot about humor. They just had a lot of funny things to say about life and what to do and what not to do. They’re just funny. You learn about being a gentleman but learning to be tough and not take s—t off anybody.

“You have to learn how to be a good storyteller; they can tell some good stories and have you wrapped up in it. So that’s probably something I took away from living in the south. Everybody’s friendly and there’s a lot of hospitality. And there’s some damn good food, too. You know, collard greens and fried chicken, fried green tomatoes … you can’t just beat some of the old-timers around there that won’t hesitate to educate you on something, whether you care to hear it or not (chuckles).”

Fighters get the credit for knockouts, but oftentimes an unsung hero drew up the game-ending play. I have witnessed numerous instances where a cornerman has yelled a striking sequence and then, a second or two later, an unconscious fighter crashes to the canvas. Trainer Duke Roufus is the king of this “I bark instructions, the other guy falls” phenomenon.

Another mastermind who blazed one helluva track record in that regard: the late Shawn Tompkins.

“I can’t even count how many times he’s done that,” said UFC veteran Sam Stout, who spent 11 and ½ years as a Tompkins protégé.

The last time that Tompkins called the perfect play at the perfect time was back in June 2011. Stout had no advance warning that, after 11 UFC bouts with his inseparable mentor by his side and in his ear, UFC 131 would represent finality: The final time Tompkins would walk Stout down the aisle and help him navigate the dangers that lurked inside of the Octagon.

On that special night, deep in the first round, Tompkins issued a command: Double up on the right cross. Left hook over the top.

Without thought or deliberation, Stout fired off the prescribed punch sequence in the blink of an eye.

The first right cross, aimed at Yves Edwards’ head, missed. The second right cross struck Edwards’ body, with minimal damage. But the left hook … well, it was nearly a perfect punch. It whiplashed Edwards’ chin, and the veteran was out before he hit the canvas. The knockout was as frightening as it was spectacular, the kind of knockout people who witnessed it will never forget, the kind of knockout you mention to friends, the kind of knockout that you rewind dozens of times and watch over and over again. It was the signature win of Stout’s eight-year career, a knockout for the ages.

For the man nicknamed “Hands of Stone,” it was a relief of sorts. In 10 previous UFC fights, many of them riveting barnburners, Stout had never finished an opponent. So he soaked in the glory of the moment, jumping on the cage to hug an elated Tompkins.

“I had a real good ability to hear his voice and take direction from him very well,” Stout said in the days leading up to his UFC 142 clash with Brazilian Thiago Tavares. “Hopefully I can keep that going with (Mark) Hominick in my corner and he’ll be able to see those things and call them out. But that’s one of the things that will be different about this fight.”

The 27-year-old Canadian answers that question a lot these days. He’s been answering it since August of last year, when 37-year-old Tompkins perished in his sleep from cardiac arrest. Stout didn’t just lose his trainer since the age of 17. He lost a confidante, a brother-in-law, the man who taught him “90 percent” of what he knew about the mixed martial arts game.

“He’s the biggest influence I’ve ever had in my life. It’s an interesting adjustment period that I’m having but I feel like I’m coping with it really well,” said Stout (18-6-1). “I spent so much time with him and we were so close that I feel like I can really look inside myself and realize what he would be telling me. I just have to remember all of the lessons he taught me over the years. Just because I don’t hear him in my ear doesn’t mean I can’t look inside of myself to the things he used to inspire me.”

Part of Stout’s change of scenery involves conducting his training sessions in Ontario, as opposed to Las Vegas, Nev., where Tompkins lived.

“For the past 11 and ½ years, geez, I had Shawn there to make sure I didn’t get lazy or complacent. Now I have to do that myself,” Stout said. “I have to dig deeper inside myself. The mornings that I don’t feel like waking up and training, I’ve got to go do it, even though Shawn’s not there kicking my ass to get out of bed. So I’ve had to become a lot more self-motivated.

“I was really nervous going into this training camp about how it was going to go and how these changes we’ve made would affect me. In Vegas none of my friends were bothering me or asking me to do things so I could focus solely on the fight. So I was worried about distractions at home, people seeing me getting ready for a fight but not realizing I would be a lot less accessible. But people have been really good about it. Sometimes I have to be a little selfish and tell people I can’t do one thing or another. Usually they are understanding about it, and if they aren’t I don’t really care. So it’s been nice to go home and sleep in my own bed during training camp.”

Tavares is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, yet Stout’s submission defense has lived up to his last name; he’s only been submitted once in the UFC – five years ago against Kenny Florian. Armed with stingy takedown defense, Stout isn’t shy when conceding he prefers a standup battle.

 “His aggressiveness and his top control are the two things I’m most worried about,” Stout said of Tavares (20-4-1). “He’s a powerful, explosive fighter who will come and bring it. He’s not scared; he’s very aggressive. So I have to be ready to work a very fast pace and be ready to work off my back and get back up if I do get taken down.”

On Stout’s right shin, there is a tattoo that carries greater meaning today than the permanent ink did nine years ago when it was embedded on his flesh.

“Shawn gave me a tattoo on my shin that myself and Mark (Hominick) have – Chris Horodecki doesn’t like tattoos, so he didn’t get one, but we’re working on that,” Stout said. “The tattoo is in Japanese letters and says “Fight, spirit, pride.” It’s a tattoo that Shawn had on his shin that once a guy got to a certain level Shawn would trace it off of his shin onto their shin. I have it, Mark has it, the most elite guys from Team Tompkins all have it. It was a big moment for me. It was early in the spring and I was wearing shorts every day after that. I wanted to show it off. That’s something that I’ll carry with me every day and I will for the rest of my life. That was a gift he gave me.”

Some say that while Canadians are MMA-obsessed, and great fans, Brazilians might be even more passionate in the stands. A proud Canadian, Stout welcomes the chance to fight in such a raucous and extraordinary environment, even though almost everyone in the house will be rooting against him.

“There’s nothing I love more than going into an arena and you can feel that electricity in the air,” he said. “I’m sure that’s how it will be in Brazil. The first couple fights in Canada were like that. You can feel that rumbling of the arena and it’s an amazing feeling. It sucks that it won’t be for me this time, but it’s still something I’m going to enjoy. Hopefully I win over some of the Brazilian fans by the end of the night. I feel really good about this fight. Shawn gave me all the tools I needed to allow me to win this fight. It’s just a matter now of implementing them myself and not waiting to hear Shawn’s voice telling me what to do.”

Fighters get the credit for knockouts, but oftentimes an unsung hero drew up the game-ending play. I have witnessed numerous instances where a cornerman has yelled a striking sequence and then, a second or two later, an unconscious fighter crashes to the canvas. Trainer Duke Roufus is the king of this “I bark instructions, the other guy falls” phenomenon.

Another mastermind who blazed one helluva track record in that regard: the late Shawn Tompkins.

“I can’t even count how many times he’s done that,” said UFC veteran Sam Stout, who spent 11 and ½ years as a Tompkins protégé.

The last time that Tompkins called the perfect play at the perfect time was back in June 2011. Stout had no advance warning that, after 11 UFC bouts with his inseparable mentor by his side and in his ear, UFC 131 would represent finality: The final time Tompkins would walk Stout down the aisle and help him navigate the dangers that lurked inside of the Octagon.

On that special night, deep in the first round, Tompkins issued a command: Double up on the right cross. Left hook over the top.

Without thought or deliberation, Stout fired off the prescribed punch sequence in the blink of an eye.

The first right cross, aimed at Yves Edwards’ head, missed. The second right cross struck Edwards’ body, with minimal damage. But the left hook … well, it was nearly a perfect punch. It whiplashed Edwards’ chin, and the veteran was out before he hit the canvas. The knockout was as frightening as it was spectacular, the kind of knockout people who witnessed it will never forget, the kind of knockout you mention to friends, the kind of knockout that you rewind dozens of times and watch over and over again. It was the signature win of Stout’s eight-year career, a knockout for the ages.

For the man nicknamed “Hands of Stone,” it was a relief of sorts. In 10 previous UFC fights, many of them riveting barnburners, Stout had never finished an opponent. So he soaked in the glory of the moment, jumping on the cage to hug an elated Tompkins.

“I had a real good ability to hear his voice and take direction from him very well,” Stout said in the days leading up to his UFC 142 clash with Brazilian Thiago Tavares. “Hopefully I can keep that going with (Mark) Hominick in my corner and he’ll be able to see those things and call them out. But that’s one of the things that will be different about this fight.”

The 27-year-old Canadian answers that question a lot these days. He’s been answering it since August of last year, when 37-year-old Tompkins perished in his sleep from cardiac arrest. Stout didn’t just lose his trainer since the age of 17. He lost a confidante, a brother-in-law, the man who taught him “90 percent” of what he knew about the mixed martial arts game.

“He’s the biggest influence I’ve ever had in my life. It’s an interesting adjustment period that I’m having but I feel like I’m coping with it really well,” said Stout (18-6-1). “I spent so much time with him and we were so close that I feel like I can really look inside myself and realize what he would be telling me. I just have to remember all of the lessons he taught me over the years. Just because I don’t hear him in my ear doesn’t mean I can’t look inside of myself to the things he used to inspire me.”

Part of Stout’s change of scenery involves conducting his training sessions in Ontario, as opposed to Las Vegas, Nev., where Tompkins lived.

“For the past 11 and ½ years, geez, I had Shawn there to make sure I didn’t get lazy or complacent. Now I have to do that myself,” Stout said. “I have to dig deeper inside myself. The mornings that I don’t feel like waking up and training, I’ve got to go do it, even though Shawn’s not there kicking my ass to get out of bed. So I’ve had to become a lot more self-motivated.

“I was really nervous going into this training camp about how it was going to go and how these changes we’ve made would affect me. In Vegas none of my friends were bothering me or asking me to do things so I could focus solely on the fight. So I was worried about distractions at home, people seeing me getting ready for a fight but not realizing I would be a lot less accessible. But people have been really good about it. Sometimes I have to be a little selfish and tell people I can’t do one thing or another. Usually they are understanding about it, and if they aren’t I don’t really care. So it’s been nice to go home and sleep in my own bed during training camp.”

Tavares is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, yet Stout’s submission defense has lived up to his last name; he’s only been submitted once in the UFC – five years ago against Kenny Florian. Armed with stingy takedown defense, Stout isn’t shy when conceding he prefers a standup battle.

 “His aggressiveness and his top control are the two things I’m most worried about,” Stout said of Tavares (20-4-1). “He’s a powerful, explosive fighter who will come and bring it. He’s not scared; he’s very aggressive. So I have to be ready to work a very fast pace and be ready to work off my back and get back up if I do get taken down.”

On Stout’s right shin, there is a tattoo that carries greater meaning today than the permanent ink did nine years ago when it was embedded on his flesh.

“Shawn gave me a tattoo on my shin that myself and Mark (Hominick) have – Chris Horodecki doesn’t like tattoos, so he didn’t get one, but we’re working on that,” Stout said. “The tattoo is in Japanese letters and says “Fight, spirit, pride.” It’s a tattoo that Shawn had on his shin that once a guy got to a certain level Shawn would trace it off of his shin onto their shin. I have it, Mark has it, the most elite guys from Team Tompkins all have it. It was a big moment for me. It was early in the spring and I was wearing shorts every day after that. I wanted to show it off. That’s something that I’ll carry with me every day and I will for the rest of my life. That was a gift he gave me.”

Some say that while Canadians are MMA-obsessed, and great fans, Brazilians might be even more passionate in the stands. A proud Canadian, Stout welcomes the chance to fight in such a raucous and extraordinary environment, even though almost everyone in the house will be rooting against him.

“There’s nothing I love more than going into an arena and you can feel that electricity in the air,” he said. “I’m sure that’s how it will be in Brazil. The first couple fights in Canada were like that. You can feel that rumbling of the arena and it’s an amazing feeling. It sucks that it won’t be for me this time, but it’s still something I’m going to enjoy. Hopefully I win over some of the Brazilian fans by the end of the night. I feel really good about this fight. Shawn gave me all the tools I needed to allow me to win this fight. It’s just a matter now of implementing them myself and not waiting to hear Shawn’s voice telling me what to do.”

LAS VEGAS, December 30 – England’s Ross Pearson, lightweight winner of season nine of The Ultimate Fighter, made his featherweight debut in UFC 141 preliminary card action at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Friday night, prevailing against a fighter who early seemed to be playing the role of a Poor Man’s Lyoto Machida in Junior Assuncao.

Assuncao danced about the cage and tried to stay elusive early, and Pearson, a boxer/slugger at his core, seemed hesitant to hunt him down and charge forward with reckless abandon. But as the fight wore on, Assuncao (14-5) began to slow down a tad and Pearson began hitting him more with punches and a lead jab that dropped Assuncao in the second round.
 
Assuncao missed a golden opportunity early in the third. He scored a takedown, then transitioned to back control, but could not prevent Pearson from wiggling free. As the round stretched on, Pearson landed some hard knees and gradually ramped up his assault on a fading Assuncao, who survived, but watched his seven-fight win streak halted when the judges’ verdicts of 30-27 and 29-28 twice were announced. Watch Pearson’s post-fight interview.
 
DANNY CASTILLO VS. ANTHONY NJOKUANI
 
In a clash of former WEC stars, Danny Castillo’s wrestling proved to be the difference en route to a split decision win over the always-dangerous Anthony Njokuani. The Team Alpha Male lightweight weathered a close call in the second round when Njokuani briefly dropped him to a knee with a right hand counter to the chin. Njokuani (15-6) showed flashes with his Muay Thai arsenal, scoring from the clinch with knees to the body and an elbow on the exit. But the judges were apparently more swayed by Castillo’s takedowns and top control than Njokuani’s intermittent leg kicks and combos, awarding his the bout via scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29.
 
“Was that close to you?” the 32-year-old Castillo said afterward to Joe Rogan and fans at the arena who booed the decision. “I thought it was close but not controversial.”
 
Toward the end of his speech, Castillo (13-4) grew somewhat emotional, addressing the boo birds by noting, “This is my third fight in the UFC and I’ve taken three of my fights on less than four weeks notice, so if you guys want to boo that, fine.” Watch Castillo’s post-fight interview.
 

DONG HYUN KIM VS. SEAN PIERSON
 
Coming off the lone loss in his career to Carlos Condit earlier this year, Dong Hyun Kim rediscovered his winning formula by unleashing a smorgasbord of standup skills, including a Karate Kid-style crane kick that wobbled Pearson in the second round. A judo black belt, Kim was content to predominantly settle matters on the feet, where he displayed a wide range of creativity and got the better of the action. For the most part Kim was effective with his striking and kicks, but did more scoring than harming. Nevertheless, he coasted to a unanimous decision by 30-27 scores, improving to 15-1-1 with 1 NC.
 
In defeat, Toronto’s Pierson fell to 11-6. Watch Kim’s post-fight interview.
 
JACOB VOLKMANN VS. EFRAIN ESCUDERO
 
Jacob Volkmann, who made a splash during his cage entrance with a “Volkmann for President” tee, just might need a little chiropractic tune-up himself after the wicked guillotine Efrain Escudero threatened him with in the third round.

With his 2-0 lead on the judges’ scorecards in jeopardy, Volkmann, who moonlights as a professional chiropractor when he’s not fighting, showed remarkable poise while repeatedly changing the angles of the super-tight choke to buy himself the slightest flow of oxygen to survive. Other than the drama of that prolonged choke sequence, which Volkmann miraculously escaped, there was precious little entertainment value in this contest. Volkmann, a former Division I wrestling standout at the University of Minnesota, kept shooting in for takedowns and Escudero kept trying to greet him with a guillotine. In the opening two rounds, Volkmann’s guillotine defense was solid, as he swiftly jumped to the other side to beat it.
 
But when all was said and done, Volkmann did enough to earn the win via three scores of 29-28. Watch Volkmann’s post-fight interview.
 
DIEGO NUNES VS. MANNY GAMBURYAN
 
Kick, kick and kick some more. That was apparently the Diego Nunes gameplan, and it carried him to a unanimous decision nod over former Ultimate Fighter finalist Manny Gamburyan. The Brazilian standup ace methodically whacked away at the Armenian hero’s lead leg in round one, cracking it by an unofficial count. The lead-leg feast not only won Nunes the opening frame, it also produced some visible bruising on Gamburyan’s leg.
 
The feisty Gamburyan rebounded in the second round, landing a hard overhand right and using his smothering style to score a takedown and rough Nunes up with a few knees (including one that opened a small cut over Nunes’ left eye). But Manny’s magical formula was stuffed in the fight-defining frame, with Nunes again stuffing the takedowns and scoring with a variety of kicks, including a humming kick to the body that Gamburyan ate in admirable fashion.
 
Though Gamburyan hoisted his hands in the air at the final horn, the judges saw it otherwise by scores of 29-28 across the board. Watch Nunes’ post-fight interview.