M-1 Challenge 26 – Garner vs. Bennett 2
July 8, 2011
The Hangar at the O.C. Fair and Events Center,
Costa Mesa, California, United States

Main Card (Aired on Showtime)

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Kenny Garner (7 – 3 – 0) defeated Patrick Bennett (4 – 3 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 1:15 of round 2.  Garner, who has back to back KO wins (5-1 in his last 6), jets 54 spots up the ranks from [#152] to [#98].   Bennett, who is 1-2 in his last 3 (both losses to Kenny Garner), plummets 67 spots down the ranks from [#147] to [#214].

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Arthur Guseinov (8 – 2 – 0) defeated Tyson Jeffries (8 – 6 – 0) by KO due to a spinning back fist at 1:32 of round 1.  Guseinov, who rebounds from back to back losses with this win, enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#280].  Previously ranked [#287] Jeffries, who has back to back losses (preceded by a 3 fight win streak), falls off the rankings.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Mairbek Taisumov (15 – 3 – 0) defeated Josh Bacallao  (6 – 3 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 2:01 of round 1.  Taisumov, who is on a 3 fight win streak (10-1 in his last 11), moves 1 spot down the ranks from [#65] to [#66].   Bacallao, who has back to back losses, remains unranked.
Keep Reading

UFC 132 – Cruz vs. Faber 2
July 2, 2011
Mandalay Bay Events Center,
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

UFC Bantamweight Championship

Bantamweight (135 lbs)

Dominick Cruz (18 – 1 – 0) defeated Urijah Faber (25 – 5 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Cruz, who has not lost in over 4 years, remains ranked at [#1] and jumps 3 spots up the Division Dominance list from [#7DD] to [#4DD].  The fight that makes most sense now for Cruz is a rematch with [#5] Brian Bowles, after Bowles’ unfortunate hand injury cut the first bout short.  A possible rubber match with Faber may be in the cards as well.  Faber, who is 3-2 in his last 5 (1-1 in the UFC), drops 1 spots from [#3] to [#4].  Now might be a good time to pull the trigger on a Faber vs. [#12] Miguel Torres bout, if they do not decide on the immediate Cruz/Faber rubber match.

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Chris Leben (26 – 7 – 0) defeated Wanderlei Silva (33 – 11 – 1) by KO due to punches at 0:27 of round 1.  Leben, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (12-6 in the UFC), moves 13 spots up the ranks from [#23] to [#10].  A bout with fellow rising star [#8] Mark Munoz would most likely dazzle the crowd with wild stand up exchanges and good scrambles.  Silva, who is 1-3 in his last 4 (2-4 in the UFC), after falling off the rankings due to inactivity enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#21].  There has been retirement talk abound in regards to Wanderlei, and his next fight will most likely be one of his last.  A bout against someone like [#12] Jorge Santiago would help shed light on how far gone Silva’s abilities are.  He could also wait to face the loser of the [#9] Vitor Belfort vs. [#42] Yoshihiro Akiyama bout taking place at UFC 133 in August, provided Akiyama is not cut following a loss.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Dennis Siver (19 – 7 – 0) defeated Matt Wiman (13 – 6 – 0) in a hotly contentious unanimous decision.  Siver, who is 8-1 in his last 9 (8-4 in the UFC), remains ranked at [#8].  Bouts against [#6] Clay Guida or [#14] Sam Stout would help usher a new name into the title discussion.  Wiman, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (7-4 in the UFC), moves 5 spots down the ranks from [#32] to [#37].  Many people believe Wiman deserved the nod, but the records still show he lost.  He should face fellow loser on the card [#40] Shane Roller in his next fight in an Oklahoma native battle.

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Tito Ortiz (17 – 8 – 1) defeated Ryan Bader (12 – 2 – 0) by submission due to a guillotine choke at 1:56 of round 1.  Ortiz, who was 0-4-1 in his last 5 prior to this victory (and had not won since 10/10/2006), jumps 15 spots up the ranks from [#27] to [#12].  Ortiz should look to face either the winner of [#9] Rich Franklin vs. [#21] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or a rematch with [#22] Vladimir Matyushenko (should he beat [#25] Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133).  Bader, who now has back to back losses (5-2 in the UFC), drops 9 spots down the ranks from [#9] to [#18].  Conversely, Bader could face the loser of the Matyushenko vs. Gustafsson scrap.

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Carlos Condit (27 – 5 – 0) defeated Dong Hyun Kim  (14 – 1 – 1) by TKO via flying knee and punches at 2:58 of round 1.  Condit, who is on a 4 fight win streak (3 by (T)KO), moves 1 spot up the ranks from [#7] to [#6].  With 4 wins (3 stoppages) in a row over difficult UFC talent, Condit is the logical next contender for the welterweight title.  He should face the winner of [#1] Georges St. Pierre vs. [#4] Nick Diaz coming up at UFC 137 in October.  If he wants to stay busy before then, he could take a fight with [#17] Charlie Brenneman, though the risk vs. reward of the bout is not very tantalizing for Condit.  Kim, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (5-1-0  1 NC in the UFC), drops 10 spots down the ranks from [#18] to [#28].  He should look to rebound from his first loss by facing either the loser of [#9] Mike Pyle vs. [#30] Rory MacDonald taking place at UFC 133 or [#19] Rick Story next.
Keep Reading

Bellator Fighting Championships 46
June 25, 2011
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino,
Hollywood, Florida, United States

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinals

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Pat Curran (14 – 4 – 0) defeated Luis Palomino (16 – 7 – 0) by submission due to a Peruvian necktie at 3:49 of round 1.  Curran, who is 5-1 in his last 6 (4-1 in Bellator), moves from [#39LW] into the featherweight “Top 250” at [#4].   Palomino, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (3-3 in Bellator), drops 15 spots down the ranks from [#10] to [#25].

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Marlon Sandro (18 – 2 – 0) defeated Genair Martins da Silva Junior (10 – 4 – 0) by split decision.  Sandro, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (3 wins by 1st round KO), holds his rank at [#11].   Da Silva, who was on a 5 fight win streak prior to this loss (4 wins by stoppage), moves 2 spots up the ranks from [#58] to [#56].

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Nazareno Malegarie (20 – 1 – 0) defeated Jacob Devree (10 – 2 – 0) by submission due to a guillotine choke at 1:25 of round 3.  Malegarie, who has won all but 2 of his victories by stoppage, moves 15 spots up the ranks from [#61] to [#46].   Devree, who was on a 7 fight win streak prior to this loss (4 by choke based submissions), moves from [#272LW] into the featherweight “Top 250” at [#160].

Featherweight (145 lbs)

Ronnie Mann (20 – 2 – 1) defeated Adam Schindler (9 – 2 – 0) by KO due to punches at 4:14 of round 1.  Mann, who is on a 4 fight win streak, moves 4 spots up the ranks from [#43] to [#39].   Schindler, who was on a 6 fight win streak prior to this loss (3 by choke based submissions), moves from [#291LW] into the featherweight “Top 250” at [#170].
Keep Reading

Strikeforce – Challengers 16
June 24, 2011
ShoWare Center,
Kent, Washington, United States

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Caros Fodor (6 – 0 – 0) defeated James Terry (10 – 3 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Fodor, who has won 4 of his 6 victories by stoppage, flies 91 spots up the ranks from [#195] to [#104].  Fodor should look to test himself against someone like [#79] Conor Heun next (if he isn’t off for a long time due to the arm injury he incurred in his last bout).  If he can defeat him, he will be ready for the next level.  Terry, who was on a 3 fight winning streak prior to this loss, moves from [#159WW] into the lightweight “Top 500” at [#220].  He could face [#362] Matt Ricehouse for his next bout.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Matt Ricehouse (5 – 0 – 0) defeated Ryan Couture (2 – 1 – 0)  by unanimous decision.  Ricehouse, who won his first 3 victories by stoppage, enters the lightweight “Top 500” at [#362].  Ricehouse may be ready for a stern test in [#220] James Terry in his next bout.  Couture, who has fought all 3 of his pro bouts inside Strikeforce, remains unranked.  Couture should look to test himself against someone of comparable fight experience like [#479] Anthony Avila in his next fight.

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Lorenz Larkin (11 – 0 – 0) defeated Gian Villante (7 – 3 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Larkin, who has won 8 of his 11 victories by (T)KO (6 in the 1st round), moves 10 spots up the ranks from [#87] to [#77].  Larkin looks like he might be ready for the next level of competition, and could fight veterans [#25] Trevor Prangley or [#18] Renato Sobral to determine where he goes next.  Villante, who is 1-3 in his last 4, moves from [#171HW] into the light heavyweight “Top 250” at [#183].  Villante needs to get back on the winning track, and should look to do so against [#153] Ron Humphrey next.

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Jason High (14 – 3 – 0) defeated Quinn Mulhern (15 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision.  High, who is on a 5 fight win streak, moves 16 spots up the ranks from [#47] to [#31].  High is on a roll, and could possibly be in line for number 1 contendership if he were to next defeat another surging prospect in [#45] Eduardo Pamplona.  Mulhern, who was on a 7 fight win streak (6 by stoppage-4 by rear naked choke submission), drops 29 spots from [#56] to [#85].  Villante needs to get back on the winning track, and should look to do so against [#153] Ron Humphrey next.

Women’s Featherweight (145 lbs)

Julia Budd (2 – 1 – 0) defeated Germaine de Randamie (2 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Budd moves 5 spots up the ranks from [#14] to [#9].  De Randamie remains unranked.
Keep Reading