UFC 144 | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 144: 2 Huge Fights Set for the February Event

On Feb. 25, 2012 the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be in Saitama, Japan for UFC 144. UFC 144 will be aired on national pay-per-view television from the sold-out Saitama Super Arena. The main event of the evening will be headlined around the curre…

On Feb. 25, 2012 the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be in Saitama, Japan for UFC 144.

UFC 144 will be aired on national pay-per-view television from the sold-out Saitama Super Arena.

The main event of the evening will be headlined around the current UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who will take on No. 1 contender Ben Henderson.

Also featured on the main card is Jake Shields, who will look to rebound from his previous two defeats when he squares off with Yoshihiro Akiyama in a welterweight showdown.

Anthony Pettis will also look to move close to his much-desired lightweight title shot when he enters the Octagon to take on up-and-coming 155-pound Joe Lauzon.

And, while UFC 144 is already becoming one of the best fight cards we’ve seen, it just got a whole lot better.

It has been recently announced that Mark Hunt and Cheick Kongo will take part in a heavyweight match up when action begins in Saitama.

After losing six consecutive fights, Hunt has replenished his career by winning his last two.

His opponent, Kongo, is on the most impressive stretch of his career as he hasn’t lost since December of 2009.

However, the news doesn’t stop there as it’s also been revealed that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Stephan Bonnar are set for UFC 144 pending an agreement.

Bonnar recently called out Jackson following his impressive win at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif.

It would be the first time these two have met and certainly one of the more entertaining fights of the night.

Stay tuned for news and updates regarding UFC 144.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

MMA Monday Headlines with Amber Nichole

Amber Nichole tweeted this proof picture [above] and we’re not exactly sure what it’s for…maybe for her calendar. Regardless, it’s lovely. Gray Maynard is expected to leave Xtreme Couture as announced on HDNet’s Inside MMA.

Amber Nichole tweeted this proof picture [above] and we’re not exactly sure what it’s for…maybe for her calendar. Regardless, it’s lovely.

Gray Maynard is expected to leave Xtreme Couture as announced on HDNet’s Inside MMA by his [former] boxing coach, Gil Martinez.

Demetrious Johnson vs. Eddie Wineland rumored for UFC on Fox 2 card in January.

UFC 144 adds Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt and Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso.

Stephan Bonnar vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson may be in the works.

Chael Sonnen accepts (via Twitter) Anderson Silva‘s offer to fight in Brazil.

Cung Le gets paid $350,000 for loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 139.

Check out the pay differences of Saturday nights UFC 139 fighters to Friday night’s Strikeforce Challengers 20 fighter payouts.

Junior dos Santos looking to box in the 2016 Olympics.

Stephan Bonnar vs. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson Possible for UFC 144 in Japan Feb. 25

(“I’m gonna puke…I’m gonna puke.”)

Following his UFC 139 victory over Kyle Kingsbury Saturday night, Stephan Bonnar wasted no time in planting the seed for his next fight. “The Ultimate Fighter 1” runner-up, who has racked up a recent three-fight winning streak, told reporters that he would love a step up in competition.

“I’ve always wanted to fight [Quinton] ‘Rampage’ [Jackson],” Bonnar said. “You know, I’ve got a few wins now and maybe (I can) get a big name [next].”

Earlier in the week, “The American Psycho explained to Heavy.com that facing Jackson would be his “dream fight.”

“He’s good, he’s a big puncher, he’s tough. But he does have holes in his game,” Bonnar pointed out. “He’s really famous. ‘The A-Team’ movie, talk shows – everyone knows who he is. Fighting him, it’s going to be a huge fight. Forrest [Griffin] got a close win over him, [Keith] Jardine fought a good fight with him. I feel like I could fight him good.”

(“I’m gonna puke…I’m gonna puke.”)

Following his UFC 139 victory over Kyle Kingsbury Saturday night, Stephan Bonnar wasted no time in planting the seed for his next fight. “The Ultimate Fighter 1″ runner-up, who has racked up a recent three-fight winning streak, told reporters that he would love a step up in competition.

“I’ve always wanted to fight [Quinton] ‘Rampage’ [Jackson],” Bonnar said. “You know, I’ve got a few wins now and maybe (I can) get a big name [next].”

Earlier in the week, “The American Psycho explained to Heavy.com that facing Jackson would be his “dream fight.”

According to UFC president Dana White, Rampage is down for the match-up as well.

“Rampage texted me tonight and said he wants to fight him too,” White said at the post fight press conference. “I don’t know, we’ll see.”

If the fight does happen, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t considering how most UFC fighters who call out an opponent usually get their wish, it will likely go down at UFC 144 since White told him following his disappointing UFC 135 loss to Jon Jones that he would be on the card.

The rumored UFC 144 fight card to date is as follows:

UFC 144
February 25, 2012
Saitama Super Arena
Saitama, Japan

Lightweight Championship Bout
Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson*

Quinton Jackson vs. Stephan Bonnar*
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski*
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt*

*Has not been confirmed by UFC.

Hump Day Headlines with Stephanie Ann Cook

UFC on FX to air in January 2012 with 2 bouts announced: Duane Ludwig vs. Josh Neer and Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft. MMA Junkie website (which was newly acquired by USA Today) will debut.

UFC on FX to air in January 2012 with 2 bouts announced: Duane Ludwig vs. Josh Neer and Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft.

MMA Junkie website (which was newly acquired by USA Today) will debut a live MMA news magazine show on Spike TV in January 2012.

Shane Carwin is recovering from back surgery which was necessary to keep him from “feeling paralyzed” when he competes.

UFC 141 books Nam Phan vs. Jim Hettes for December 30th event in Las Vegas.

Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio added to UFC 142 event on January 14th in Rio.

UFC 143 receives Dustin Poirier vs. Eric Koch in February.

Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch and Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis set for UFC 144 in Japan.

Justin Bieber paternity suit is dismissed by Mariah Yeater.

*UPDATE: The Bieber paternity case is still on. Reports earlier from TMZ indicated Mariah Yeater had dismissed the case but her lawyer says Yeater “believes Justin Bieber is the father.” In other news, judging by these recent pics both Yeater and Bieber look like excellent parental figures:

Lauzon/Pettis Booked for UFC 144, Poirier/Koch for 143

(A classic battle of style vs. SUBstance.)

Fresh off his upset Submission of the Night victory over Melvin Guillard at UFC 136, Joe Lauzon was quick to call out former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, who scored a decision victory over Jeremy Stephens at the same event. Well it looks like he’ll be getting his wish, as the two have been booked to lock horns at UFC 144, in what could easily be a Fight of the Night match-up. Prior to their 136 victories, Lauzon scored a quick and nasty kimura victory over Kurt Warburton at UFC Live 4 whereas Pettis was wrestlefucked into oblivion by Clay Guida at the TUF 13 Finale in June. This is the point where I’d normally say that a victory here would rocket either man near the top of the lightweight ladder, but considering that the division is currently more crowded than a So-Cal Quinceanera, let’s just say that a victory here will keep either man…from losing.

(A classic battle of style vs. SUBstance.)

In other fight booking news, a battle between top featherweight contenders Dustin Poirier and Eric Koch has been set for UFC 143 in February, which also features the probable welterweight number 1 contender match between Josh Koscheck and Carlos Condit. Poirier most recently scored a brilliant submission via D’arce over Pablo Garza at the inaugural UFC on FOX card. Koch, on the other hand, is coming off a gritty decision victory over TUF 13 winner/existential caveman Jonathan Brookins in Brookins’ featherweight debut at UFC Fight Night 25. Depending on the outcome of the upcoming Aldo/Mendes clash at UFC 142, we could easily be looking at the next challenger to the title right here.

You know the deal, who takes these babies?

-Danga

Okami vs. Boetsch Added to UFC 144 in Japan on February 26

(Tim who?)

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has chosen a somewhat curious opponent for Yushin Okami for his next fight, considering that the only losses he’s had in the past three years came against arguably the number one and number two middleweights in the world.

The promotion announced today that Okami will lock horns with Tim Boetsch when the Octagon returns to “The Land of the Rising Sun” for UFC 144 on February 26.

(Tim who?)

The promotion announced today that Okami will lock horns with Tim Boetsch when the Octagon returns to “The Land of the Rising Sun” for UFC 144 on February 26.

In his last five bouts, “Thunder” only losses came against Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva. During that span, he also beat Mark Munoz, Nate Marquardt and Lino Linhares.

Having beaten Kendall Grove and Nick Ring — both by decision — in his last two outings since dropping to middleweight, Boetsch has not faced the level of competition that Okami has at 185. Prior to his latest two-fight win streak, “The Barbarian” was stopped by Phil Davis’ patented “Philmura” at UFC 123.

UFC 144 will also feature a main event featherweight championship bout between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes.

———-

UFC 144
Saitama Super Arena
Saitama, Japan
February 26, 2011

Lightweight Championship Bout
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. TBA

Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields