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Does Nate Marquardt Have Hepatitis B?

At this point, just about every MMA fan in North America is overtly anxious to discover the reasoning behind the fallout centered on Nate Marquardt and the UFC (particularly, president Dana White). What we know, at this point, is extremely limited.Nate…

Nate Marquardt was forced out of his scheduled bout with Rick Story just hours before the scheduled weigh-ins for reasons unspecified. We do, at this point, know that Nate had some “issues” with his pre-fight medical exams.

We also know that, whatever the infraction may truly be, it was serious enough to earn walking papers from Dana White, who claims Marquardt, a longtime top-tier competitor and solid draw, disgusted him with his actions.

White asserts that it’s up to Nate to disclose the details of the unfortunate falling out. If all goes well, we’ll hear the truth surface later today, in which Marquardt has a press release slated.

Thus far, we’ve seen some wild ideas surface from the inner workings of the MMA field. Some pretty bold rumors have surfaced as well, but there shouldn’t be too much invested in some of these claims…right?

One interesting tidbit to emerge online is the following bit of information, which was posted on the popular Underground forum, by someone claiming to be close to Nate and his camp.

“Nate held back medical info about an ongoing personal problem/disease. Nate contracted Hep B. Nobody knows how he got it but, he has Hep B and Hep B is not forever, it can be shaken off in time but, everyone is different and heals at a different rate “Look up HEP B for those of you who don’t know what it is or for those of you whom may think it’s forever”. He was supposed to be evaluated by the commission’s Dr’s and he was dodging them until the last minute because he’s embarrassed about his disease. Yes it was wrong but, we all thought he had shaken it. Since he decided to wait till the last minute to get cleared by the Dr’s and was dodging phone calls all the way up to 5 hours before the event is why Dana White is pissed. We hope Dana takes a second look at this and we will continue to have Nate’s back through this tuff situation. Stay tuned tomorrow afternoon to a more in depth response from Nate himself… Sorry guys and thanks. Nate is going nowhere but to the top of the MMA world….”

Those are some serious allegations. While Hepatitis B is curable (acute, not chronic, which is still manageable), it’s a serious health factor. To withhold that kind of information isn’t just potentially dangerous, it’s extremely unprofessional. Embarrassed or not, that’s something that should be brought to the forefront of the situation.

In other interesting news-flow, popular MMA scribe, and well known orthopedic spine surgeon Johnny Benjamin hit his twitter account earlier to unleash this interesting bit of 411:

“UFC Nate Marquardt got suspended. I reviewed the PA medical forms. Most likely cause for the suspension is…Refusal to take drug test!!” – @DrJCBenjamin

Why Benjamin is privy to these medical forms is a bit out of my realm of understanding, but that’s a significant statement that lends credence to the above statement.

Who knows the real truth behind this mind boggling mystery?

We all do, in just hours, if Nate’s scheduled statement goes as planned!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The UFC’s 5 Greatest Champions In History

Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed some phenomenal talent displayed within the confines of the UFC’s octagon.Stellar champions have impressed fanatics and drawn new viewers with exciting styles, slick submissions and devastating knockout…

Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed some phenomenal talent displayed within the confines of the UFC’s octagon.

Stellar champions have impressed fanatics and drawn new viewers with exciting styles, slick submissions and devastating knockouts.

While most divisions tend to juggle champions, due to such evenly paired skill sets, some men have reached above and beyond the confines of nature and proven nearly unstoppable.

Before I offer a nod to the five greatest champions to compete for the promotion, I’d like to first give a nod to some worthy champions who just missed making this list.

Tito Ortiz: Ortiz helped shed light on the sport during its darkest time. He also held a firm grip on the light heavyweight title for some time. Limited opposition prevents him from making this list, but he’s a man worthy of respect, like him or not.

Rich Franklin: Before Anderson Silva joined the UFC’s ranks, Franklin was the legitimate owner of the middleweight title. Impressive wins over Evan Tanner and Nate Quarry highlight the peak of Rich’s title run.

B.J. Penn: The only reason B.J. didn’t earn a spot on this list is inconsistencies. He’s proven capable of beating nearly any man, and he’s been a terrific champion in the past. However, to be the best, you must perform at 150 percent and that means every time you enter the cage.

Lyoto Machida: Machida may not be as accomplished as many former champions, but he’s already proven he can beat just about any man alive, and he’s added some devastating techniques to punctuate his fighting style. This man could easily regain the light heavyweight title.

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UFC 131: 5 Reasons Junior Dos Santos Should Easily Defeat Shane Carwin

With The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale now in the books, fans can salivate for a week in anticipation of the upcoming heavyweight duel between Junior dos Santos and Shane Carwin. The bout will not only decide who is next to challenge champion Cain Velasqu…

With The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale now in the books, fans can salivate for a week in anticipation of the upcoming heavyweight duel between Junior dos Santos and Shane Carwin.

The bout will not only decide who is next to challenge champion Cain Velasquez, it will outline the clear number two heavyweight under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Interestingly enough, both dos Santos and Carwin possess strikingly (pun intended) similar skill-sets. That however, will not change the fact that Junior dos Santos is poised to turn Shane Carwin into another piece of an already lengthy highlight reel.

To argue my point, I bring you five reasons Junior dos Santos not only defeats, but likely stops Shane Carwin within fifteen minutes.

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10 Must-See UFC Middleweight Fights

The UFC’s middleweight division has gone from grim to gratifying in just a few short years. An entire new crop of prospects have fought their way into the pool of sharks, and it’s left us with a list of fascinating fantasy match-ups, and so…

There’s also a fair handful of talent within the division that could one day give champion Anderson Silva fits.

Speaking of Anderson, you’ll note that he’s not included in this list; neither is Yushin Okami for that matter. I hope you’ve been paying enough attention to already know they’ll be colliding at UFC 134, but if you didn’t know, now you do.

Here’s a look at 10 middleweight fights the fans would like to see, that could stir up the rankings and make for some new marquee top-liners.

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UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill Has the Hype, but Alves vs. Story Has the Heat

Any time you place Quinton “Rampage” Jackson inside of a cage, you can expect an awe inspiring example of controlled violence. Coincidentally enough, Matt Hamill has been known to bust a few noggins himself. So, what happens when both men e…

I’m guessing a grueling, bloody, often wild affair.

While that single sentence does in fact whet my appetite for human destruction, there’s a bit more substance to UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill than the well-publicized main event offers. The true beauty of this card will most likely unravel in the evening’s featured welterweight bout, which pits rising prospect Rick Story against perennial top 10 contender Thiago Alves.

Very few men competing at 170 pounds bring forth the offensive output of either Story or Alves; these two freaks of nature swing hard, often and with intimidating conviction. Story’s wrestling is impressive to say the least, but does he have the moxy to force Alves to his back and keep him there? Let’s not forget Thiago’s invested plenty of time in his wrestling, and implements a startlingly effective sprawl-and-brawl attack.

This match looks to have “Fight of the Night” written all over it, as neither man looks to possess a skill set so technically advanced as to bet on a one-sided blowout. Story’s striking acumen may not equal Alves’, but his determination is unquestionably equal, his power is comparable and his heart cannot be called into question.

That noted, if Alves can keep this fight in the center of the octagon and use angles to confuse Story, we could see Rick play the bull to Thiago’s matador. It’s an ideal game plan for the Brazilian, but it’s a game plan I don’t foresee him executing to perfection; Story has proven to be too unrelenting.

And that is the exact reason that, while Rampage versus The Hammer will make for a fun affair, the fight will dim in comparison to the explosions produced by the meeting of Rick Story and Thiago Alves.

Both fighters have something substantial to gain from victory. Since Story’s octagon debut he’s amassed an impressive 5-1 record, toppling fellow prospects Jesse Lennox and Johny Hendricks in the process; a victory over Alves leaves Rick knocking on the door of title contention. Thiago Alves meanwhile finds himself forced to find victory in order to maintain his place amongst the division’s upper echelon.

Expect fireworks from UFC 130’s main event, but bet on an unnerving explosion of fury from two of the welterweight division’s most promising young athletes: Rick Story and Thiago Alves. That’s where the evening’s deepest appeal lies.

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UFC 130: Five Fights Poised to Steal the Spotlight from Rampage vs. Hamill

Make no mistake, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt “The Hammer” Hamill are not only feeling the promotional pressure of another main event, they’re both well aware that as headliners, they’re expected to perform above and beyond all other participants. Given this specific clash of styles, it’s probably safe to assume these guys will indeed put on a show worthy of every cent invested in UFC 130.

That said, there are a few men who round out the rest of the bill who will certainly be looking to steal the show to earn a chance at more prominent broadcast placement and healthier paychecks. Those nightly bonuses never hurt.

While I expect Rampage and Hamill to put forth a furious effort, there are a few other clashes on the card that appear intriguing and certainly possess the potential to steal the show.

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