Today's all-new website exclusive feature article is another edition of "Sayre's Law" from Alex Williams and Tom Suter.

In their argument today, the two discuss whether or not Vitor Belfort will emerge from UFC on FX 8 the victor.

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC ON FX 8: BELFORT VS. ROCKHOLD
MAY 18, 2013
LIVE FROM JORAGUA DO SUL, BRAZIL

=====Preliminary Card Quick Results=====

--Lucas Martins vs. Jeremy Larsen

--Jussier Formiga vs. Chris Cariaso

--John Lineker vs. Azamat Gashimov

--Fabio Maldonado vs. Roger Hollett

--Iuri Alcantara vs. Iliarde Santos

--Paulo Thiago vs. Michel Prazeres

--Gleison Tibau vs. John Cholish

--Francisco Trinaldo vs Mike Rio

--Hacran Dias vs. Nik Lentz




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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"Obviously, there are circumstances where people have a legitimate need for it. Maybe they're in their forties or they were born with one ball, or something like that. I actually do know a fighter who only has one ball, so maybe in those cases, where their bodies don't produce enough testosterone naturally, they need to supplement to get to normal levels.

Then there's guys like Vitor, who are previous steroid users, and steroids have been known to lower your testosterone levels, yet they're still getting cleared to fight overseas, just so they can use the exemption. There's guys that are in their twenties that are on testosterone, which is a joke. It's becoming too rampant in our sport. Everyone is getting qualified for the exemption.

It's almost like a cover up. You know, being a fighter, you hear things, and these guys are way over their limits, and they're doing everything under the sun, winding down or cycling down to get their levels in the legal limits. Everyone is cheating the system, and I think there needs to be more testing done throughout the camps, and at the fight. I understand that they'll probably never do it, because it jeopardizes those big fights. That puts a lot of money at risk, but I'd like to see more testing. I'd like to see the playing field leveled out."

-Luke Rockhold expands on his feelings regarding testosterone replacement therapy in an interview with BloodyElbow.com

Penick's Analysis: Rockhold's not the only one who wants to see more testing, and he's really echoing the thoughts of other clean athletes and fans frustrated with the permeation of TRT in the sport. That said, it's still a small percentage of the fighters in the organization actually being granted exemptions, and it's not quite as big an epidemic as it seems, but the high profile nature of several fighters makes it seem like there are more, because we're hearing about it a lot more often because of that profile. Belfort's case especially is significantly troubling, because it's not likely he'd be granted an exemption in the states, but his last two fights while on TRT have been in Brazil under a new commission working with the UFC. It's shady at best and doesn't let many believe his use is on the level even if they aren't bothered by TRT when used properly.

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

After three weeks without a major event, the UFC is back on Saturday night with UFC on FX 8 from Brazil, headlined by a middleweight bout between Vitor Belfort and final Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold. The fight was put together as just another matchup, but quickly became a heated and personal conflict with Rockhold attacking Belfort's TRT use, and that spilled over to the weigh-ins on Friday. That tops a four-fight main card on FX, so here are some quick thoughts on the night's matchups, along with some predictions:

Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold (Middleweight): There are a few things we know for certain into this matchup, and several others that are complete wild cards. On the known commodities front, Vitor Belfort remains one of the most vicious strikers in the sport. He hits very hard, he strikes in quick flurries, and he's capable of hurting absolutely anyone he's up against. Luke Rockhold is a fairly well-rounded fighter, but he's a better grappler than he is a striker. In other words, it's clear it would be unwise to engage Belfort in a blow for blow brawl.

Where we get to the unknowns is with everything that has surrounded this fight, along with the setting in which it's taking place. There was some legitimate heat at the weigh-in with Rockhold and Belfort, and the Brazilian was fueled further by his home country crowd. They've had a lot to say towards one another, with Rockhold doing most of the talking while remaining irked at Belfort's TRT use. This isn't one of those "fake trash talking" fights, at least that's how it seems coming in, and both are taking some extra emotion into the cage.

It's hard to say who that benefits, as well as whether or not the Brazilian crowd and a bigger stage will serve as intimidation to Rockhold or not. If he's able to avoid the nerves that this situation could easily breed, then it comes back to how prepared he is for Belfort's blitzkrieg come the first ten minutes of this fight.

Because much of Belfort's game consists of him trying to destroy his opponents as quickly as possible, he's gotten a (possibly unfounded) reputation for fading in fights; but since he hasn't really been dragged into deep waters by too many fighters, that's not necessarily a truth coming into this fight. That said, if Belfort is unable to hurt Rockhold early, his cardio will be tested through a five round fight, because the grappling game of the final Strikeforce Champion will be significantly draining.

Belfort's power means he's always in a fight, because he's ready, willing, and able to deliver brutal beatings on whomever's standing across from him. That said, Rockhold's an intelligent fighter with a good grappling game who isn't likely to play into that aspect of Belfort's attack. He's good at using his range and height, and he'll try to dictate the pace and location of the fight. If he can do that, I like him to win at least three of those five rounds, so I'm leaning towards Rockhold by decision.

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Chris Camozzi (Middleweight): Camozzi's proven himself to be a good, if unspectacular, fighter, with solid striking and solid grappling allowing him to compete wherever his fights take him. He's shown a weakness with submission defense in the past, but it's something he's shown improvements with in the UFC.

He doesn't have great power in his strikes, but he's definitely serviceable, and he's able to dictate the pace in many of his fights as well. However, he's up against a different type of fighter entirely in Jacare here. Souza's striking is a little under-appreciated because of how good he is on the ground, but he's shown flashes of excellence on the feet as well.

Still, his ground game is lauded for a reason. 13 of his 17 career wins have come by submission, and he's capable of tearing through opponents when he's on his game. That said, we have seen him under perform in the past. In his two five-round fights with Tim Kennedy and Luke Rockhold, he allowed both opponents to control stretches of the fight, something we haven't really seen in his more dominant performances.

Camozzi's not an easy out in the UFC, and his four fight winning streak is a testament to that. Furthermore, he deserves all the credit in the world for stepping up to a fighter of Jacare's stature on such short notice. Still, if he's going to come close in this fight it may need Jacare to be off his game. If Souza is at his best, this is a fight he can win most of the time despite the considerable skill set of Camozzi. If he's off, it could be a grueling, grinding type of fight that would play into things Camozzi does well. After making such an impression against Ed Herman in January, though, I think that's where his mindset is, and I'll take Souza by submission in the second round.

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham (Lightweight): Dos Anjos is a really good, well rounded lightweight, with considerable submission skills and proven striking power, making him a dangerous opponent for absolutely everyone at 155 lbs. He's further under the radar than a lot of his contemporaries, mainly because of some untimely losses and injury issues during his UFC tenure, but he just needs the right fight at the right time to break out to that next level.

Dunham's one of those fighters who has come close to his own breakout moment in the UFC as well, only to fall short at inopportune times, and he too has some skills with striking and grappling. That said, of the two, dos Anjos is the better, more proven striker, as well as the more proven grappler in his MMA career.

Dos Anjos holds a 7-4 mark in the UFC, and each of those four losses has its own story behind it. His debut against Jeremy Stephens showed off his impressive overall game, but then he fell victim to a hail mary uppercut in the third round from the UFC veteran. His loss to Tyson Griffin was a close, competitive fight that earned a "Fight of the Night" award, and his other decision loss was a split against Gleison Tibau, who is hard to look good against. Finally, his loss to Clay Guida by submission came after his jaw was broken, and Guida cranked his head and neck to put more pressure on it. That's the only standout loss of the three.

But in his seven wins, he's had a mixture of clear decision wins, entertaining submissions, and one vicious knockout.

Dunham's been in a lot of close fights, and he's had a couple of decisive wins of his own, despite a 3-1 stretch over his last four, he's coming in shy of dos Anjos as far as being a proven commodity is concerned. This should be a really entertaining fight, and should be very competitive, but I have to lean towards dos Anjos by decision.

Rafael Natal vs. Joao Zeferino (Middleweight): I'll admit I don't have much insight into Zeferino as a fighter. He's a submission specialist out of Brazil who has also served as the BJJ coach for Milwaukee's Roufusport camp, and he's been training top lightweight and now featherweight challenger Anthony Pettis in Brazil as of late. But as a fighter himself, he's spent his career fighting fellow Brazilians, which has represented a lower level of competition than whom Natal has competed against.

As a six-fight UFC veteran, Natal's been here before, and he was already preparing to be on this card, whereas Zeferino enters on short notice. The biggest edge in Natal's favor is the fact that he himself is a very good grappler and a BJJ black belt in his own right. So he's strong enough in Zeferino's wheelhouse to dictate where he wants the fight to take place, and I'd wager that his striking game is superior to what Zeferino will bring into the fight. Given their respective levels of competition, I've got Natal by decision.

=====Preliminary Card Quick Picks=====

-Nik Lentz over Hacran Dias by decision
-Francisco Trinaldo over Mike Rio by TKO RD 2
-Gleison Tibau over John Cholish by decision
-Paulo Thiago over Michael Prazeres by decision
-Yuri Alcantara over Iliarde Santos by TKO RD 1
-Fabio Maldonado over Roger Hollett by TKO RD 2
-John Lineker over Azamat Gashimov by TKO RD 1
-Chris Cariaso over Jussier Formiga by decision
-Lucas Martins over Jeremy Larsen by TKO RD 2

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Predict the outcome of the Luke Rockhold-Vitor Belfort bout at UFC on FX 8. Who wins and how?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I think Belfort, despite being considered as the #2 MW in the world by many people, is actually underrated. The whole TRT cheating-bastard-steroid-monkey thing doesn't help people see what he's capable of doing inside the cage. Luke Rockhold is very similar to Chris Weidman in the fact that he's milking the one good win he's ever had in his entire life for all it's worth (and then some). After Belfort defeats Rockhold and after Anderson Silva puts Chris Weidman out of his misery (assuming silva is man enough to overcome his fears of Weidman and actually, you know, show up), let's make Weidman and Rockhold fight. The loser can win the title of biggest flash in the pan media creation of the last five years.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Rockhold gets the win. I know Vitor is still really good, but I think Rockhold is prepared to make a big impact. Vitor is going to come out and try to end it early, but if Rockhold can weather the storm I think he gets the decision win.


C.J. TUTTLE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Vitor continues his string of victories by knockout and makes a play at one final title shot. Where he is destroyed and retires.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Shortest roundtable awnser ever. Belfort by KO in the second round.


CAMERON LYMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Vitor Belfort shows up at the weigh in shredded, looking three years younger. I see Belfort backing Rockhold down for the first round while Rockhold counters well. Rockhold’s chin holds up and he takes over the fight in the later rounds while looking for a submission. Rockhold via decision.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I don't think Rockhold is on the level to defeat Vitor, but I do think he is in the area to compete with him. That's my conundrum for this fight: does Rockhold excel past the glass ceiling that Strikeforce fighters seem to have fallen victim to? Honestly I wouldn't bet on it, but if he is able to he is going to legitimize his championship reign greatly and likely find himself in a title fight in very short order. My pick will still be Belfort by TKO.


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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

After he was released from the UFC earlier this year due to his second failed drug test for marijuana in three fights, Matt Riddle signed on with Legacy Fighting Championships. However, before stepping foot in their cage, he's now headed elsewhere.

It was reported on Friday's "Inside MMA" program on AXS TV that Riddle is now heading to Bellator MMA, with MMAJunkie.com following up with a report stating his Legacy FC contract had been bought out by the organization.

The 27-year-old Riddle would be on a four fight winning streak were it not for those failed drug tests, which turned those two bouts to "no contests". Whenever he debuts in Bellator, it will mark his first professional fight ever outside of the UFC.

Riddle entered the organization in 2008 through the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. He entered the show, along with eventual winner Amir Sadollah, with no professional fight experience, and went on to post a successful mark through 12 fights in the UFC. In that time, he suffered just three losses, the last of which came in 2011.

Penick's Analysis: There are a few things that are amusing about this move. One is that Riddle is a decidedly lower profile and less skilled welterweight than the also recently released Jon Fitch, and Bellator had no desire to go after him. Another is that the signing comes just days after Welterweight Champ Ben Askren publicly commented on how he'd only been drug tested once in the organization. That's just amusing. But Riddle commands a decidedly lower price than Fitch, and without the drug test failures has won four straight, so it makes sense he'd be a more appealing signing. That said, I don't know how he gets through a full tournament without failing a drug test for marijuana, because it stays in your system and he'd be fighting more frequently in the tournament format.

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Will you be watching UFC on FX 8 tonight?
	Yes - Wouldn't miss a free UFC event
	Yes - I skip some free cards but won't miss this one
	No - I'll DVR it, but won't watch live
	No - The card doesn't interest me at all

"We asked MMATorch readers on Friday the following question: As a UFC and MMA fan, what do you think about the flyweight division, and would you like to see them getting more prominent placement on UFC cards? Here's the first batch of responses:


MMATorch Forum User BFoe: I don't like the flyweight division. I'm sorry. I just don't. Occasionally there are some good fights, but mostly it's been a disappointment. I dread that there's an upcoming card being headlined by a flyweight title fight. I'm not sure if it's because they're smaller fighters, they lack punching power, but there aren't a lot of exciting finishes. Not that finishes always make a fight what it is, but I get excited for a bout the first 2 rounds of a flyweight fight. After that, I use the time to go to the bathroom or smoke a cigarette or something. Awhile back Jason Amadi & I debated whether there was room for a flyweight division and a women's division both. I said I'd rather have a women's division, and the fights we've seen from the women vs the ones from the flyweights prove my point.

Justin S. (via email): In order for the flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and even the lightweight divisions to be viable in the UFC, the organization is going to have to put forth a better effort of giving them exposure. Without doing so, those divisions will only be known for their champions and former champions.

Chris B. (via Facebook): It's great that they get the exposure because they truly are good fighters, but as far as being in the UFC? I dont think they possess the knockout or KO abilities just yet. You always know they are going to bring it but you also know every fight is going the distance.

Duffy C. (via email): The UFC absolutely needs to showcase the flyweight division more. If not, every PPV headlined by a flyweight title fight will need a very strong co-main event supported by a solid main card to garner interest. Otherwise, cards headlined by flyweight main events will continue to be mediocre at best.

Jordan T. (via Facebook): The general public don't care about whether or not a fight has the potential to be exciting if they can't even name the fighters involved. They shouldn't have a more prominent placement on UFC cards until their fights earn them the recognition to justify that. Until then the flyweight division is still new, and a lot of MMA fans can't name three fighters from that division.

Dom J. (via Facebook): There are fighters like John Dodson and Urijah Faber in the lighter weight classes and they have stopped fights in the UFC. If the UFC gave lighter weight classes time and respect then we would be able to see them headlining a pay-per-view card instead of an FX/Fox card. Those are still awesome fights because I get to see them fight for free, but in all honesty I would rather pay to see Renan Barao or Demetrous Johnson headline a card and have GSP co-main event the card. Or have them be the co-main event instead of having Belcher vs Bisping as the co-main event. Something like that.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC has finalized their penalty for Nate Diaz following the tweet he sent out Thursday using the word "fag" in referring to bantamweight Bryan Caraway. The organization initially announced a suspension of Diaz pending an internal investigation on Thursday, and on Friday set their final punishment.

Here's their statement:

UFC lightweight Nate Diaz has received an immediate 90-day suspension and $20,000 fine for violating the UFC’s fighter code of conduct. The language used in his tweet was regrettable, offensive and inconsistent with the values and culture of the organization, and is not tolerated.

The money will be donated to charity.

Penick's Analysis: That sounds about right. Diaz isn't one that would issue an apology on this front, and even if he had it wouldn't have been genuine, because that's how he thinks. But the UFC needed to respond in some way, and here they've announced an actual number for the fine - something they didn't do with Mitrione - and they'll likely donate that to a charity for the LGBT community. It wasn't egregious enough to force a release, but it wasn't acceptable, either, and the UFC made that fairly clear with that level of fine.

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By: Tony Becerra, MMATorch Contributor

Welcome to another edition of "Becerra's Top 5." This week I am looking at 5 reasons the Bellator-Eddie Alvarez public contract dispute is good for the fans.

5) Beyond the cage doors

Do you ever wonder what happens after the fight is over and the lights shut down? No? Well over the years there have been stories filled with controversy, allegations and truths that give the fans a well-rounded perspective of the business behind mixed martial arts. When a contract dispute like this one between Eddie Alvarez and Bellator is made public, it allows fans to see the ebb and flow of the business behind MMA that many don't get to see. There can be a lot of politics involved in the organizations and as fans it behooves us to understand that there is more about MMA than what happens in between the bells.

4) Who is Eddie Alvarez?

You ask many casual MMA fans who Eddie Alvarez is and the typical answer is “never heard of him." Or maybe you follow the sport more closely, and you have heard of him and know of him well. He is arguably one of the best lightweights in the world, a top 10 fighter according to the latest MMATorch rankings (see here) and yet some fans still have never heard of him. When disputes such as this come to light, if you have never heard of the fighter or organizations you'll probably research more about them. The fact that Eddie Alvarez has been public about his struggle not only introduces him to causal fans, it also brings to light that side of MMA that fans seldom ever see.

3) Contract Dispute – Pro Business

Whenever there is a contract dispute its difficult to be Switzerland, and in most occasions a side a chosen. Many side with the fighter and others with the business. With outspoken fighters like Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz who have had public disputes with Dana White over their contracts, its easy to think that fighters are getting a bad deal, but are they asking for more than they are worth? This is a business after all and how does a business grow? By making sure they properly handle their finances to avoid foreclosure or bankruptcy. Again, with the Bellator-Alverez dispute fans are able to have their own opinion of the situation and evaluate who is really taking advantage of whom.

2) Contract Dispute – Pro Athlete

Tailoring off of the last point, what if you are pro athlete? After all these fighters are risking their lives every time they step into the cage, it's only right that they are compensated for it. Eddie Alvarez recently released documents (see here) that showed Bellator-Viacom attempted to change the wording of their matching term in Alvarez's early release letter. Whether you are a pro business or pro athlete, this dispute being brought up to light gives an inside look to the MMA fans of the type of negotiations that go on between the fighter and their employer.

1) When you think MMA you think UFC

When you hear the word “MMA” you think of the word “UFC” and Dana White and co. have done their best to take the organization to the very top making it synonymous with the word MMA. Many casual fans only know of the UFC, but there are many more organizations out there like Total Combat, King of the Cage, Cage Warriors FC, and Bellator to name a few. Now Bellator is often written about on the site, but if it weren't would you know about it? Unless you are an MMA enthusiast you probably haven't heard of the few aforementioned organizations. Therefore, this public contract dispute between Bellator-Alverez is good for the fans because more eyes are tuned in to an organization other than the UFC, which will expand the knowledge of the casual MMA fan and allow more eyes to watch the talent that many of these organizations hold.


There you have it fight fans! Check back regularly on MMATorch for all of your MMA news and updates by the best team of columnists in the game!

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Mark Hunt doesn't yet have a work visa to enter the U.S. for next week's UFC 160 event, but he does have a license for the event from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The heavyweight fighter remains in New Zealand, still trying to work through issues stemming from a 2002 arrest in Las Vegas that has not allowed him to fly into the city yet for the event. But he called in on Friday for an NSAC meeting to talk to the commission about his issues and to officially get his license for a fight against Junior dos Santos next week.

Ariel Helwani, reporter for MMAFighting.com and Fuel TV's UFC Tonight, gave an update on Twitter from the conference call.

"I'm still waiting. I think I should be getting one on Monday. Hopefully Monday," Hunt said when asked about his visa. He was then granted his license from the NSAC, but again, needs his visa in order to fly in to fight next week.

That leads to the other fighter who was granted a license on Friday, Roy Nelson. He was granted one in case he's needed to step in and they work out a deal next week to have him face Junior dos Santos.

Penick's Analysis: Things are exactly where they have been since earlier this week, they've just officially got Nelson ready in case Hunt can't get to the U.S. The fact that he continues to get pushed back on a resolution for his visa isn't boding well for the fight happening right now, but he and the UFC continue to hold out hope. For now, that's all that can be done, and if he can't make it in, Nelson's at the ready if the UFC can work out a deal for he and Junior dos Santos to fight a second time instead.

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In a new video blog for UFC on FX 8, Dana White presents a behind the scenes look at last month's UFC on Fox 7 event from San Jose, Calif. Check it out below:



Video URL: http://youtu.be/7UbQKT1BgPo

Weigh-ins took place this afternoon for UFC on FX 8 "Belfort vs. Rockhold" event from Joragua do Sul. All fighters made weight for the event, though prelim fighter John Cholish needed a second attempt to hit his mark. Additionally, main eventers Vitor Belfort and Luke Rockhold got into a bit of a shoving match in their square off. Full results are below:

Main Card

Vitor Belfort (186) vs. Luke Rockhold (186)
Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Ronaldo Souza (186)
Rafael dos Anjos (156) vs. Evan Dunham (156)
Rafael Natal (186) vs. Joao Zeferino (185)

Fuel TV Prelims

Hacran Dias (146) vs. Nik Lentz (146)
Mike Rio (156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (154)
John Cholish (156.2)* vs. Gleison Tibau (156)
Michel Prazeres (171) vs. Paulo Thiago (170)
Yuri Alcantara (136) vs. Iliarde Santos (134)
Roger Hollett (204) vs. Fabio Maldonado (205)

Facebook Prelims

Azamat Gashimov (126) vs. John Lineker (126)
Chris Cariaso (126) vs. Jussier Formiga (126)
Jeremy Larsen (155) vs. Lucas Martins (153)

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones suffered a severely dislocated toe last month at UFC 159, nearly tearing it off on the mat during his first round win over Chael Sonnen. However, it wasn't as bad as initially feared, and Jones may not be kept out for very long. His manager, Malki Kawa, gave an update on his situation recently in an appearance on MMA's Great Debate Radio program.

"Everything's good. He's got to be in the boot for about six weeks, about five weeks now left to go and then he gets to take it off and he'll test his foot and we'll see what's next,” Kawa said (transcribed by BleacherReport.com). "For right now, he's just anxious to get that boot off and make sure his toe is good to go. As long as he feels good coming off that boot and when he goes to put pressure on it, he can walk without a boot, and his toe is strong and everything's good there then it shouldn't (delay his return). One thing about Jon is he's not going to take any chances whatsoever. As long as his foot heals properly and he's got no issues with it, it shouldn't delay anything."

"I'll just tell you this, I wouldn't be surprised if Jon fights two more times this year. That's very aggressive and I know that's crazy, but it's something that he discussed with me and we talked about it. I told Superman to relax a little bit, you're injured right now, but he's got an aggressive timeline in his head. Certain goals and accomplishments that he wants and we're looking to get that record."

To get two fights in before the year is out, Jones will have to return by August. That would mean the superfight with Anderson Silva would not be his next fight, but that may be exactly how he wants things to proceed.

"The truth and the fact of the matter is before we can talk any superfight or any move in weight class or anything to that effect, Jon Jones wants to win his next fight at light heavyweight, he wants to break that record, he wants to own that record solely," Kawa said. "He wants to be considered the greatest light heavyweight of all time at this point. I already think he is the greatest light heavyweight of all time, record or no record. That being said, he's got to win that next fight, after that me and Jon will sit down and we'll take the next route and see what the next opportunity is for his career."

As for who that next fight will come against, Kawa says Jones still wants to face off against Alexander Gustafsson, one of the few remaining top fighters whom Jones hasn't yet met in the cage.

"His next fight is at light heavyweight and his next fight will be against somebody that's considered the No. 1 guy," Kawa said. "He'll get that next defense and once he breaks that record, after that all the speculation can happen.

"I think he really wants to fight Alexander Gustafsson next. Alexander called him out and I think Jon has said in numerous interviews that he would like to fight him next. We're just going to wait and see what happens."

Penick's Analysis: If Jones wants to get two fights in, plug him into the Fox Sports 1 debut in Boston, then his fight with Anderson Silva can close out 2013 on the New Year's Eve card. That would be the most realistic scenario to have play out, and could make for a massive second half of the year for the UFC. If it is the FS1 card, Jones-Machida II is more likely, as our own Rich Hansen explained this week, but Jones-Gustafsson could also headline UFC 164 in Milwaukee if need be as well. Regardless, it's not out of the realm of possibility for Jones to get two more fights in this year, provided his toe heals up on schedule.

[Jon Jones art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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Can Chris Camozzi pull off the short notice upset over "Jacare" Souza, or do you expect "Jacare" to make a successful UFC debut?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Credit to Camozzi for taking the fight on short notice, although he was already on the same card so he was already in full training. I don't think he has what it takes to giving Jacare any trouble, but I say that as an admitted Jacare fanboy.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Souza gets the wins here. It won't be a walk-over, Camozzi will make Jacare work for it, but I do expect a submission win for Jacare here.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I expect to see Jacare win, but Camozzi is in the right spot to shock the world. If Jacare wins, Camozzi loses nothing for taking a short notice fight against one of the best middleweights in the world. If he wins, he is going to launch himself up the ladder towards the top. All in all its a calculated risk for Camozzi that just might pay off in leaps and bounds.


C.J. TUTTLE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I expect Souza to come out looking to make a statement by finishing Camozzi.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I believed Dana White as late as 2012, when he said women would never fight in the UFC. He is a business man and is only interested in making money. If Zuffa feels like they can make money off this kid, they will. I have seen a few of his fights and he is not a bad fighter, but he is fighting only average opponents at best. I think he will make his way to the UFC and he will not do well. Newell will fight a time or two and then be sent back to the regional circuit.


CAMERON LYMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Jacare is a bit too well rounded for Camozzi and will neatly pull off a successful debut. Camozzi hasn’t looked super impressive as of late but this is a cage fight so you never know.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

Whilst Camozzi won't be under prepared having already been on the card; this is a huge step up for someone who was originally fighting Cezar Ferreira, and then Rafael Natal. Ronaldo Souza is an extremely polished performer who possesses exceptional BJJ Skills, alongside a pretty impressive all round game.

He's only lost to fellow UFC newcomer Luke Rockhold (controversially) and the now UFC light-heavyweight, Gegard Mousasi. Camozzi isn't in the league of either and Jacare should earn a comfortable win early on. Camozzi is on a very good win streak himself, but this is one step too far, especially with the fight being in Brazil.


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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

This July, former Women's Bantamweight Champ Miesha Tate will take on Liz Carmouche, who has twice challenged for that belt. It's a matchup that could have happened before, as Carmouche was an alternate in the mini-tournament Tate won to get her first crack at the title back in 2010, and she's now looking forward to finally meeting Tate in the cage.

"It's a matchup I feel like has been a long time in the making," Carmouche said earlier this week on The MMA Hour. "I started off fighting in Strikeforce in the tournament that she ultimately won, so it seems like our paths have been crossing our entire careers, so it seems like this is finally our day."

"She's a really well-rounded fighter. I respect her a lot as an athlete. I think our styles are going to matchup really well. It's going to be back and forth, I think it's going to be who has the most heart, who puts the most work in. That's whats ultimately going to decide it."

Of course, to move forward, Carmouche has to get past the missed opportunity she had in February. As one half of the first-ever women's bout in UFC history, Carmouche came ever so close to pulling off an upset win over Ronda Rousey when she latched on a rear naked choke and contorted Rousey's neck and jaw. But Rousey got loose, and wound up capturing Carmouche in an armbar.

"I'm still not getting over it," Carmouche said." I'm my hardest critic, I expect the best of myself, I'm a perfectionist. So it's one of those things, unless I have a chance to reclaim it, I won't be happy with myself."

Penick's Analysis: The first step for both Tate and Carmouche to get back to Rousey is winning this fight. They're both in need of redemption, and are coming in with the knowledge that a victory moves them a step closer to that second fight with the reigning Champion. That's motivation enough. Both have had their fair share of high profile moments, and there's going to be another one here as they'll be the first women's UFC bout on network TV as well. It's a huge moment for them both, and it should be fun to watch.

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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Columnist

Nearly three weeks have passed since the last UFC event and I'm getting serious withdrawal symptoms people. Luckily the wait is over and UFC on FX 8 comes to us this weekend - live from Jaragua do Sul in Brazil. Tommy Strong is in for a busy weekend with not one - but two championship title shots.

The intense Twitter banter between challenger Tommy and reigning betting champion Jimbo Slice has been fun to read. If both guys perform as well as they've sledged each other - we're in for some record breaking scores. Good luck to both guys and everyone else submitting picks and/or bets this weekend.

We're still giving away prizes worth $100 (unless you work for MMA Torch!). I am recording the mean average scores for every competitor and the highest in both games will win $50 worth of goods from MMAwarehouse.com each.

Only selected fight cards taking place between 01 Jan - 30 Jun will count (We'll start over again for 01 Jul - 31 Dec 2013). Competitors will only be eligible if they have competed in 75% of the available cards. Anyone not reaching that target won't be considered, even if they have the highest mean average.

All picks for UFC on FX 8 should be submitted to dannymoore100@hotmail.com by no later than 21:00 BST / 16:00 ET on Saturday.

MMA Torch Confidence Picks Championship Match Up

Alex Potapoff (Champion) vs. Tommy Strong (Challenger)

Everyone else will be battling it out in the pool for the right to face Alex, or Tommy at UFC 160 (Velasquez vs. Silva) next week.

MMA Torch Betting Picks Championship Match Up

Jimbo Slice (Champion) vs. Tommy Strong (Challenger)

Everyone else will be battling it out in the pool for the right to face Jimbo, or Tommy at UFC 160 (Velasquez vs. Silva) next week.

MMA Torch Confidence Picks International Challenge

Tommy Strong, Ben Heather, Jack Broadey & Paul Henry (Team UK) 
                                                        vs. 
Mark Sacchetti, JayMon1002, Bill Gallagher & Richard Race (Team USA)

UFC on FX 8 FIGHT CARD

Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold
Ronaldo Souza vs. Chris Camozzi
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham
Rafael Natal vs. Joao Zeferino
Hacran Dias vs. Nik Lentz
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Mike Rio
Gleison Tibau vs. John Cholish
Paulo Thiago vs. Michel Prazeres
Yuri Alcantara vs. Iliarde Santos
Fabio Maldonado vs. Roger Hollett
John Lineker vs. Azamat Gashimov
Jussier Formiga vs. Chris Cariaso
Lucas Martins vs. Jeremy Larsen

CONFIDENCE PICKS GAME AND RULES

1. UFC on FX 8 is a 13 fight card. Therefore, the point values you assign must range from 13 (most confident) down to 1 (least confident).

2. Additionally, please list your prediction for method of victory, along with the round. Choose either TKO, KO, SUB, UD (Unanimous Decision) or SD (Split Decision).

3. Using UFC 158 as a template, here is how a simple entry might look:

12 - Georges St-Pierre - UD
11 - Condit - TKO2
10 - Ellenberger - TKO1
09 - Ring - UD
08 - Fletcher - SUB3
07 - Cote - SD
06 - Elkins - UD
05 - Mein - KO1
04 - Dillashaw - UD
03 - Story - UD
02 - Duran - SUB2
01 - Makdessi - UD

4. When you email me your entry, please sort the entry numerically (as shown) from high to low. Thanks.

5. The first tie-breaker is the sum of confidence points. Using the examples above, a Georges St-Pierre victory would earn 12 points. John Makdessi winning would earn just 1 point, etc.

6. If two participants earn the same number of confidence points, the next tie-breaker will be the total number of winners predicted. If Player A earns 40 points on 7 winning picks, and Player B earns 40 points on 6 winning picks, Player A would be declared the winner.

7. The next tie-breaker is the number of victory methods predicted correctly. Next would be predicted rounds of victory. If both players are still tied at this point, both players will be declared the winner.  If the tie is for a championship, they would match up again at the next event, along with the winner of the pool. If the tie occurs in the pool itself, both challengers would advance to face the champion at the next event.

BETTING GAME AND RULES

Here are the UFC on FX 8 betting lines courtesy of 5Dimes:

Luke Rockhold: -125
Vitor Belfort: +105

Ronaldo Souza: -525
Chris Camozzi: +415

Rafael dos Anjos: -190
Evan Dunham: +165

Rafael Natal: -350
Joao Zeferino: +250

Nik Lentz: -185
Hacran Dias: +145

Francisco Trinaldo: -350
Mike Rio: +250

Gleison Tibau: -230
John Cholish: +170

Paulo Thiago: -180
Michel Prazeres: +140

Yuri Alcantara: -530
Iliarde Santos: +350

Fabio Maldonaldo: -260
Roger Hollett: +180

John Lineker: -160
Azamat Gashimov: +130

Jussier Formiga: -165
Chris Cariaso: +125

Lucas Martins: -260
Jeremy Larsen: +180

8. Using UFC 158 as a template again, here is how a simple entry might look:

$450 on Condit
$300 on Duran
$50 on Ellenberger
$200 Parlay on Condit, Duran and Fletcher

9. Every player has $1000 of fake, imaginary, theoretical, play money to wager on each event. This is not a real money game, it is strictly for fun.

10. Players must place a bet of at least $50, but no more than $500, on each of 3 or more different fighters. Bets may be in any denomination, as long as the amount falls in the range of $50 - $500.

11. Players may also play a parlay bet. A parlay bet is a bet placed on multiple fighters. All fighters in the parlay must win their fights in order for the parlay to pay off. Parlay bets pay off at a higher rate than a bet on a single fighter. The parlay bet may be placed on either two or three fighters.

12. The minimum parlay bet is $50. The maximum parlay bet is $200. This money comes out of the $1000 alloted to each player. The parlay bet is NOT separate from the $1000 budget. A player is not required to play a parlay bet. The maximum number of parlay bets a player may wager is one.

13. Whether or not a player chooses to place a parlay bet, the player must still place at least three straight bets. It is not legal to place two bets on individual fighters  and one parlay bet. No entry is considered valid unless there are a minimum of 3 straight bets placed on individual fighters.

14. If a fight ends in a draw, any money bet on said fighter will be refunded, with no fake money commission taken. If a fighter in a 3-fighter parlay is involved in a draw, that fighter will be removed from the parlay and the 3-fighter parlay will be treated as a 2-fighter parlay. If a fighter in a 2-fighter parlay is involved in a draw, that fighter will be removed from the parlay and the 2-fighter parlay will be treated as a straight bet on the remaining fighter.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

15. If a fighter has a positive number such as +150 next to his name, he is the underdog, which means a successful bet on that fighter will pay off at a higher rate. That means that if the fighter wins, the bet will payout $150 net profit for every $100 bet on him. If a player were to bet $500 on a +150 fighter, and the fighter wins, the player will profit $750. If a player bets $500 on a +150 fighter, and the fighter loses, the player will lose his $500 bet.



16. If a fighter has a negative number such as -200 next to his name, he is the favourite, which means a successful bet on that fighter will pay off at a lower rate. That means that if the fighter wins, the bet will payout $100 net profit for every $200 bet on him. If a player were to bet $500 on a -200 fighter, and the fighter wins, the player will profit $250. If a player bets $500 on a -200 fighter, and the fighter loses, the player will lose his $500 bet.


Structure for each game


17. For each UFC numbered (or listed otherwise) event, both the Confidence Picks and Betting Game will feature a champion and a challenger facing off against one another. The winner of the head to head battle will be declared the reigning champion.



18. All other players for each UFC numbered (or listed otherwise) event will compete against each other for the right to face off against the reigning champion at the next UFC numbered event. This is known as The Pool.



19. As games administrator, I have the subjective right to eliminate any entry for any reason I deem worthy. 


20. Entries may be submitted via email (dannymoore100@hotmail.com), or on the comment section of this post. Email is the preferred method, because if a player posts an invalid entry, I have no way to make sure I can get hold of the player so that it may be corrected. Please, under no circumstances should you both email and post on the board your entry. One or the other please, preferably via email.

21. If you have any questions, please email me and ask.


Final Note

22. A player does not need to play both games during each event. Players may choose to submit an entry for one game or the other, or for both, at their own choosing.

For game updates follow me on Twitter, @MMATorchDan

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Today's all-new website exclusive feature article is a piece from MMATorch business specialist Alvin Carter

In his piece today, Alvin discusses the importance of the UFC's Fox Sports 1 debut this August in Boston.

Check it out by visiting www.MMATorch.com when you get a chance today on a web browser on the device of your choosing. (DIRECT LINK TO ARTICLE - best viewed on a web browser rather than within our App.)

Our website has undergone a bit of facelift recently, so check it out. If you love our app when you're on the go, settle with some longer signature MMATorch articles on your laptop or PC or tablet.

Our new MMATorch Forum is now open for new members. If you had trouble signing up before with the image verification, that has been changed. Be a pioneer member as we continue to grow.

Thanks for your support of MMATorch in all its formats - app, web, and podcast.

We've got a new reader question running today, so if you'd like to participate and see your comments on the MMATorch app and MMATorch.com, make sure to send in your responses to mmatorcheditor@gmail.com with the subject "Reader Question Response," or answer today's question at the MMATorch Forum.


Today's Reader Question: As a UFC and MMA fan, what do you think about the flyweight division, and would you like to see them getting more prominent placement on UFC cards?


Additionally, if you have any "Ask the Torch" questions for us, send them in to askmmatorch@gmail.com!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC introduced the flyweight division in 2012, but despite headlining placement for a few fighters, a large amount of fights in the division have taken place lower on fight cards, many of them relegated to Facebook. That includes the next challenger in the division in John Moraga, as well as the man he defeated to get that title fight, Chris Cariaso.

The 31-year-old Cariaso has appeared six times in the UFC, compiling a 4-2 mark through both the bantamweight division. Despite that success, and some entertaining fights, five of his bouts have been on Facebook. He's adding a sixth this Saturday night when he takes on Jussier Formiga in Brazil on the UFC on FX 8 card, and in an interview with MMAJunkie.com this week, he expressed his wish that things would be different for the 125 lb. field.

"We haven't been getting much love," Cariaso said. "I definitely wish they would put us on the main card. We're definitely going to put an awesome fight on."

The fight with Formiga is an important one for both given losses in their last respective fights, and with Formiga still considered a top fighter in the division, Cariaso sees this as a big opportunity despite its spot on Facebook.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted this fight," Cariaso said. "It's something that's going to get me to that belt. [Even] with that loss to Moraga, I feel like I'm right there in that hunt, and I definitely could have had a better performance. I think one or two fights, I'm in that title picture."

And he feels he can match up well with "Mighty Mouse" if he works his way to that title fight, given what Formiga's most recent opponent, John Dodson, was able to do against the Champ in January.

"Me and Dodson are very similar in the sense that we're both short, southpaw, and have good striking," Cariaso said. "I think that fight was a perfect fight to watch and learn from. I paid a lot of attention."

For now, he's concentrating on Formiga, and a fight much further away from home than the bouts he's had in Las Vegas.

"I didn't care where the fight was," he said. "I'm happy to fight down here. I've never fought in Brazil before. Obviously, fighting in Vegas is the best-case scenario because it's literally 10 minutes from my house, but if I have to come all the way down here to Brazil, I'm happy to do it."

Penick's Analysis: This Cariaso-Formiga fight is one of the better matchups on the card, but as we've seen time and again the fighters in the lower weight classes are not getting many prominent spots on cards. That certainly doesn't help them build up challengers for the public, but given Moraga's leap to a title fight it also doesn't mean fighters on Facebook are incapable of advancing. That said, moving from Facebook to main event is not the ideal path for the UFC to be pushing, and hopefully as the division gains more fighters and more respect they start getting more of a presence on TV as well.


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