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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The next two weeks feature one of the greatest collections of heavyweight fighting in MMA history, with a full UFC pay-per-view card featuring fights in the division and this Saturday's Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix finals between Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett.

With Saturday's fight coming up first, the UFC approached the top four fighters on next weekend's card to get their takes and predictions on the fight.

UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos: "They are both great fighters and this is a fight that could end very quickly for each guy. But Cormier is more explosive and has the better chances to end this early. It could be very exciting, but I think Cormier wins."

Frank Mir: "I think Cormier takes this. I can't see Barnett getting him to the ground, his wrestling is too strong. And on the feet I think Cormier has the power to end things. But with two top heavyweights, anything can happen. That’s why this division is so exciting - anyone who is world class can beat anyone else with one punch. You can't say that about the lighter weight classes and that's why heavyweight fights are so cool to watch."

Cain Velasquez: "I pick Daniel Cormier. Number one, because I train with him but also because he's so hungry in this sport, I don't think he will be denied. He was really raw when he came into our gym the first time a couple of years ago but he picked up everything a lot faster than most. He has dangerous strikes and I can't see Josh getting him to the ground. Daniel's wrestling is too good; I think he takes this fight and makes a statement about his future in the division."

Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva: "I think Cormier will win this fight and be the Grand Prix Champion. I was very surprised by him in our fight. I think he is too strong, too powerful in this fight. He punches very hard and his wrestling is very good. I think he will win inside the distance unless Josh Barnett gets this to the ground quickly."

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Fresh off a win over UFC newcomer Marcus LeVesseur on Tuesday at UFC on Fuel 3, Cody McKenzie is dropping to the featherweight division, and he'll make a quick turnaround as well.

The UFC announced on Friday that McKenzie will take on the last title challenger at 145 lbs., Chad Mendes, at UFC 148 on July 7.

Mendes suffered his first career loss in his last bout, getting knocked out in the final seconds of the first round in a title fight against Jose Aldo at UFC 142 in January. It snapped an 11-fight winning streak for the Team Alpha Male product to kick off his career.

McKenzie's victory over LeVesseur was his 13th career win, and snapped a two-fight losing streak in the organization. McKenzie's last 11 wins have all come by guillotine choke in the first round.

Penick's Analysis: This seems like an attempt to get Mendes back on track. McKenzie's very good with the one trick he's shown off, but he fades as fights go on, and he is very prone to takedowns. Mendes is an accomplished wrestler who will likely dominate that aspect of the fight, and he's never been submitted or even really come close to being submitted before. It's a major step down in competition from Aldo, but may still be a solid fight overall.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Jeff Curran's decision loss to Johnny Eduardo on Tuesday at UFC on Fuel 3 was his second straight since being brought back to the UFC last October. Counting his last run in the WEC, he's lost six straight under the Zuffa banner.

As he nears his 35th birthday in September, Curran's worried this latest loss may be his last shot in the UFC, and thus his MMA career.

"I am at a huge fear for my job and career with UFC," he said in an interview with MMAFighting.com. "Knowing that they don't like to sign older guys past 35 years old due to athletic commission complications, and me nearing 35 in September, being dropped from UFC would mean the end of my career."

"I am determined to get a fight at 125. I feel the weight cut to 135 isn't even a cut at all. I am a smaller boned guy who has had to stay big over the years and now I can finally see that a lower weight is a chance for me and my time is running short. "

Curran is a near-50-fight veteran of the sport, who has competed around the world and in numerous organizations over his 14-year career. With a number of intriguing matchups in the UFC's newly created flyweight division, Curran's just hoping the UFC will give him one more chance to get a win inside the Octagon.

"There is a few guys I would like to fight at 125 to have a final shot at proving at the end of the day that I am just a little guy but capable of doing bigger things than I have been able to display," Curran said. "Yasuhiro Urushitani, John Lineker, or even a rematch with Kid Yamamoto at 125 would be a perfect fit, if either one of them coming off losses has the (expletive) to test themselves against me these days."

"Japan, Brazil, USA ... doesn't matter to me," he continued. "I pray UFC can recognize this and call my management. UFC will at least end up with a war once again. Nothing to lose. I hope the fans get behind me here. I planned on dropping down after a win over Eduardo. I lost the fight but here I am."

"I gave my life to the sport, and feel I have had a curse hanging over me and losing decisions has become the norm on beating me. I know that 125 is stiff competition, but nobody has a reach advantage, and that's one of my worst body types to fight: tall and lanky."

Penick's Analysis: I hope the UFC gives him one more chance. He's had a number of really close fights in that six-fight Zuffa losing streak, with all but his loss to Urijah Faber (which started the streak) coming by decision. Even though all those fights have gone to the scorecards, they've mostly been exciting contests, and he'll be a challenge for any opponent they book him against. If he can change things up and get to 125 lbs., he very well could find a new lease on his career. The UFC should at least give him that chance.

With Donald Cerrone's impressive win over Jeremy Stephens, what does he need to do in order to move into the title picture at lightweight?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Well, he needs to keep winning, of course. Lest we forget he's lost twice to Ben Henderson and once to Nate Diaz, so there's definitely a ceiling over him that he has been unable to break through. His win over Stephens was as impressive as his win over Siver, but ten great wins over guys at that level aren't worth one win over a top five guy. So if he wants to get into the title picture he needs to beat a top five guy. Frankly, he'll need another one after that as well. He wants to fight in August. Gray Maynard or Clay Guida won't likely be ready by then. Anthony Pettis won't be ready until September if you believe his manager (on Twitter) or October/November if you believe his brother Sergio. So Pettis is out. So Henderson, Edgar, Maynard, Pettis, and Guida won't be ready in August.

If Cerrone insists on fighting in his home state of Colorado at UFC 150, the best available options would be T.J. Grant, Jim Miller, Rafael dos Anjos, Michael Johnson, or Mac Danzig. Not one of those fights should put anyone in title contention (although Grant is criminally underrated, and Cerrone v. Grant could be great).

However, if Cerrone is willing to give up on the Denver thing and is willing to wait to fight until UFC 152 in late September, he could fight the winner of Maynard/Guida, or maybe Anthony Pettis (which would be so trippy). So the ball is in Cerrone's court. Is he willing to do everything possible to get in position for to a title shot, or is fighting at home more important than a quicker path to a title shot. It's his call.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

That was a good fight, but it wasn't that long ago that Cerrone got the same, and more, from Nate Diaz. Taking that into consideration, I think Cerrone is at least two quality wins from getting a title shot. He's going to have to repeat this performance against top-level lightweights to even be mentioned among the best title contenders. If Cerrone shows that the Diaz fight was a fluke, then he can move into the title picture.


ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Donald Cerrone looked phenomenal against Jeremy Stephens, but honestly, I've never been one to take stock in the skill-set or level of competition that Stephens presents. A good fighter, but nothing top-tier, or even close. I would suggest a fight against someone like Anthony Pettis, another fighter looking to move up into the title picture. Both fighters need a fight to tie them over while the UFC lightweight division sorts itself out. That would make for one hell of an entertaining fight and move the winner closer to a title fight.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Cerrone’s still two or three fights away from a legitimate title fight claim. He looked great on Tuesday, but horrible against Nick Diaz this past December. The only way he could make a quicker claim to a title fight is if he was able to convince the UFC and Anthony Pettis it is in everyone’s best interest that they fight and he wins. That is highly unlikely and Cerrone will need to fight and beat two legit top ten fighters to truly get back in the title picture at lightweight.


GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Donald Cerrone needs to do two things to get back in title contention and it really as simple as that. Cowboy needs to fight two more top guys and finish these fighters. If he doesnt win impressively I'm afraid that he'll fall by the Jon Fitch wayside. If he can score a couple of impressive finishes against legit top competition, he's right back where he was.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

Just keep winning, and actually turn in a top performance for the big fights, when it really matters. He would have been exactly where Nate Diaz is now had he won their fight last December. Being close, and actually getting a title shot, can be decided by the thinnest of margins. Sadly that previous loss to Diaz has set him back considerably, and it will take at least two or three more fights to get back into contention. He's asked for Anthony Pettis next, who is without a future opponent, so lets get that fight booked for UFC 150 or UFC 151 if Pettis has recovered from his injury in time. That doesn't mean I believe he deserves a fight with Pettis, but it makes the most sense right now, especially if Diaz wants to wait for a crack at the Henderson vs. Edgar winner.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Nine fighters from Tuesday's UFC on Fuel 3 event were handed down medical suspensions by the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation this week. Two fighters received indefinite suspensions until getting cleared by an eye evaluation. The full suspension list is below:

* Johnny Eduardo: suspended indefinitely until cleared by eye evaluation
* Jeremy Stephens: suspended indefinitely until cleared by eye evaluation
* Jorge Lopez: suspended 60 days
* Dustin Poirier: suspended 60 days
* Jeff Hougland: suspended 60 days
* Kamal Shalorus: suspended 30 days
* Jason MacDonald: suspended 30 days
* Igor Pokrajac: suspended 30 days
* Fabio Maldonado: suspended 30 days

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Lavar Johnson picked up a big win earlier this month at UFC on Fox 3, earning extra bonus money with a "Knockout of the Night" win over Pat Barry on the May 5 card in New Jersey. Despite already picking up his second win in the UFC, when they called him this week to offer him an injury replacement fight against Stefan Struve with less than two weeks to prepare, he didn't hesitate to accept.

"I heard [Wednesday] night there was a chance I could get this fight, and I accepted right away," Johnson said on Thursday in comments released by the UFC. "I got the final word this morning. I am good to go, I weight 250lbs, and I've got a lot of confidence in my ability right now. You don't get chances like this too often in life, so when you are lucky to get this kind of opportunity you got to make the most of it."

Johnson said things may have been different in the past, where he'd get a bit out of shape right after a fight. However, he says he handles that aspect of his game in a much more professional manner these days, and because of that he's able to take advantage of an unfortunate injury to Mark Hunt to get into this event.

"I took one week off after the Pat Barry fight and then went back to the gym," Johnson said. "I used to have some drinks, gets some BBQ in my belly, and get a little out of shape right after a fight. But I feel that I am now at a level where I need to be in shape all the time, so I stayed in shape and I can now seize this chance."

The fight will take on a decidedly different dynamic for Struve, who was preparing for a fight against a much, much shorter opponent. Instead, he'll take on a fighter with a very similar reach to his, and Johnson thinks that works in his favor.

"Struve is a great fighter. He's a skilled guy with a lot of heart but I am not worried about his size," Johnson said. "His reach is 83 in. and mine is 82 in., and he doesn't use his height. He always gets the crap beat out of him, he refuses to quit, then his opponent gasses or has to let up and Struve comes back to win. I am a fan of his actually, and I've cheered for him because of his heart. The only way to beat him is to put him out cold. That's what I have to do next week and I will do it."

Even though he's got a bigger opponent to face next week, Struve is nonetheless confident in his preparations, and he's just happy he's still fighting on this card, which features the first all-heavyweight pay-per-view card in UFC history.

"Johnson has looked impressive in his first two fights in the Octagon since coming over from Strikeforce, but I'm gonna look even more impressive next week," Struve said. "I really want to thank him for stepping up on such short notice - I really wanted to fight on this all-heavyweight card - but he's gonna face the best Stefan Struve you've ever seen. The change in opponent doesn't bother me at all, Mark Hunt was a big puncher too and I have trained too hard for this to affect me."

Penick's Analysis: Considering there's only eight days until the event right now, the UFC managed to get one hell of a replacement for this fight. Johnson has a chance to boost his stock the same way Chris Leben did in 2010 when he defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama just two weeks after stopping Aaron Simpson. For Johnson, who has impressed with his power in two fights in the Octagon, it's a no-lose proposition, as he'll either score his third straight win, or he'll take his first UFC defeat in a fight he's only had nine days to prepare for. Struve is an immensely talented fighter, but his chin has been a liability in the UFC, and that's going to be a very real issue for him in this fight. Regardless, this is an exciting fight.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

During last week's debut episode of UFC Primetime for the UFC 146 main event between Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, the UFC Heavyweight Champion made one of the harshest comments he's ever directed towards any fighter.

Speaking to a friend over dinner in Portuguese, a conversation picked up by the Primetime cameras, dos Santos attacked Mir's ability to handle adversity in fights.

"He's not a man, he gives up," the Champ said. "Against Shane Carwin he pretended he was hurt, he's full of it."

Those were pointed comments indeed, but during a media teleconference on Thursday, Mir said he wasn't all that bothered by them.

"No one likes to hear anything negative said about them," Mir said. "But I just broke down why he said what he said when he backed it up on certain fights and I looked at it. I have no issues with my [fights] so I just took it as him trying to sell the fight, and trying to stir the pot... I think [he's] done better as a fighter in the Octagon than he has trying to sell the fights. It's something he's new at and maybe not very successful with."

Of course, dos Santos countered that none of it was simply trying to sell a fight, and if it's something he's said out loud it's something he believes to be true.

"I don't promote fights by talking trash," dos Santos said. "What I say, I say because I believe it. I confirm and I stand by what I said; and what I meant by that remark is that I feel Frank Mir lacks heart and lacks the ability to [survive] through tough spots in a fight."

"That's my personal opinion, that's what I truly believe. I don't say things just to sell fights. I'm not a trash talker, I never will be. If I said it, that's my true opinion."

Penick's Analysis: That's dos Santos' assessment of Mir, but I'm not sure it's an accurate one. This is a fighter who made his way back to the top despite suffering several near career-ending injuries in a motorcycle accident while Champion. Yes, he's had some bad losses, and got beat up by a couple of bigger, stronger wrestlers in Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. However, in the first Lesnar fight he did survive the onslaught to latch on a kneebar submission. And against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in December, he survived through a few really hard strikes that hurt him badly, yet he still came back to submit him. Dos Santos may very well beat Mir easily still on May 26, but if he thinks Mir's just going to fold up quickly I think he's got the wrong idea.

[Frank Mir art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Urijah Faber's new opponent for UFC 148 will be announced tonight during the new live edition of The Ultimate Fighter on FX, but according to one report, it won't be the UFC's first choice in that spot.

According to Dave Meltzer at The Wrestling Observer, the UFC's original plan was to put Michael McDonald into the fight with Faber, which will be for the UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship on July 7. However, Meltzer reports, via UFC President Dana White, that McDonald is currently dealing with a hand injury that makes him not available for the event. No further information on the nature of the injury was available, only that the hand was "messed up."

Though Meltzer didn't have confirmation on the opponent to be announced tonight, it's still expected to be 25-year-old Brazilian Renan Barao, who was already scheduled for a bout on the July 7 card.

Penick's Analysis: McDonald would have made sense in some respects, as he'd have been coming in off of a massive first round knockout of former WEC Champ Miguel Torres last month. Still, a fight with such an experienced fighter with a great grappling base may not have been the best thing for the 21-year-old at this point. Barao hasn't lost since his MMA debut in 2005, and he's won three straight in the UFC. He's the right name for the fight, and he's expected to be announced as Faber's opponent tonight.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, which oversaw Tuesday's UFC on Fuel 3 event from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, has released the officially disclosed payroll figures for the event.

Topping the list of payouts for the event were Donald Cerrone and Amir Sadollah, who combined accounted for 22 percent of the event's $481,000 payroll. The full list of payouts is below (via MMAJunkie.com):

* Chan Sung Jung: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus)
* Dustin Poirier: $14,000
* Amir Sadollah: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
* Jorge Lopez: $6,000
* Donald Cerrone: $60,000 (includes $30,000 win bonus)
* Jeremy Stephens: $24,000
* Yves Jabouin: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
* Jeff Hougland: $8,000
* Igor Pokrajac: $34,000 (includes $17,000 win bonus)
* Fabio Maldonado: $11,000
* Tom Lawlor: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
* Jason MacDonald: $19,000
* Brad Tavares: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
* Dongi Yang: $12,000
* Cody McKenzie: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
* Marcus LeVesseur: $6,000
* T.J. Grant: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
* Carlo Prater: $10,000
* Rafael dos Anjos: $32,000 (includes $16,000 win bonus)
* Kamal Shalorus: $11,000
* Johnny Eduardo: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
* Jeff Curran: $8,000
* Francisco Rivera: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
* Alex Soto: $6,000

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Alistair Overeem's removal from next weekend's UFC 146 event in Las Vegas had a trickle effect down the card, with all but one fight on the all-heavyweight main card getting switched up.

That final originally scheduled fight for the main card was the bout between Mark Hunt and Stefan Struve, but now that fight has gotten a change as well.

According to a report from MMAFighting.com, Hunt has been forced out of the event with an undisclosed injury, and Struve will now take on Lavar Johnson on extremely short notice. The replacement bout will keep the main card filled with all heavyweight fights.

Johnson is stepping in after having just fought himself, as he earned a TKO victory over Pat Barry at UFC on Fox 3 earlier this month. This will mark two fights in three weeks for Johnson, one of the quickest turnarounds in modern UFC history.

Struve has won four of his last five fights in the Octagon, all by stoppage, and rides a two-fight winning streak into this event. That two fight streak saw him submit Barry last October, then take out Dave Herman by TKO in February.

UFC 146 is headlined by the Heavyweight Championship bout between Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir.

Penick's Analysis: It was only a month and a half ago that fans were rallying for Mark Hunt to be moved into the the title fight against dos Santos, and now he's another casualty to this card. This has to be one of the most changed main cards in the UFC's history, as every scheduled fight for the night is different than what it was originally set out to be. As for this new fight in and of itself, it should be a pretty exciting fight. Johnson hits like a truck, and while Struve's chin is questionable, he's got a much better submission game than Pat Barry does, and Barry nearly pulled off a sub on Johnson on the Fox card.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Despite Dana White's insistance that B.J. Penn is looking to return to the cage, "The Prodigy" continues to say otherwise.

After Josh Koscheck posted on Twitter that he had accepted a fight against Penn, and was waiting for Penn to do the same, he got this response from the man himself:

"I know it costs a lot of money to live that lavish lifestyle, big house, fast cars & you need big fights but sorry I'm not coming back anytime soon!"

For now, that once again closes the door on Penn's return to the Octagon, but it's something that will continue to be talked about so long as the UFC keeps attempting to get him back.

Penick's Analysis: I still think a fight with Koscheck would have made for a fine return fight, but if he's not ready to return he's not ready to return. He continues to say he's done, but the UFC is still actively trying to book him, so we'll see whether or not his retirement will indeed stick. For the time being at least, Koscheck's not the name to bring him back out.

[B.J. Penn art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Given his improvement and Tuesday night's performance, how do you see The Korean Zombie faring against Jose Aldo or Erik Koch in a title fight later this year?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

You're asking me? The guy who earlier this week said, and I quote, "I think Poirier is going to win. I think he's going to make it look easy, and I think it's either going to be a choke or a convincing decision..." and you want my opinion? Well, fat lot of good that will do. I took the safe route on Poirier vs. Zombie, towing the populous opinion, and look how well that worked out. Well, I'm going to follow what is likely the majority view yet again. I think Aldo beats him to a pulp, and I think Koch vs. Zombie would be a coin-flip of a war.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I might be a prisoner of the moment, but I could easily see Zombie beating Koch and having a good chance at beating Aldo. It's amazing all the different things he does well. He'll stand and bang with you, then rip off a slick submission before you can blink. He's proving himself more and more with each fight. I just wish he had a bigger stage to showcase himself on.


ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I'm a huge fan of The Korean Zombie, as he has shown much improvement from each fight we've seen of his. He's an unlikely hero, but being a good and entertaining fighter translates well for fans of MMA. That being said, his chances do not look good, as I don't see Erik Koch beating Jose Aldo, and TKZ is no match for Aldo. If (and when) he fights Aldo, he'll take the beating of a great challenger, but no match for that level of fighter.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

As good as The Korean Zombie was this past Tuesday, I feel like he is not at the level of either Jose Aldo or Erik Koch. I think a fight between Erik Koch and The Korean Zombie would be highly entertaining. I also think Koch would win convincingly. As for a fight with Jose Aldo, I think it would be a one sided beating. Very few fighters match up well against Aldo’s game and The Korean Zombie is no different. I think that The Korean Zombie would be better served with another fight or two before getting the next title shot.


GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Chan showed great technical ability. He did start to gas out but we all know that is Jose's weakness as well. For some reason I just can't get the picture of Mark Hominick beating Jose Aldo like a drum as their fight ended, as Jose couldn't do anything about it. Which means its a fight that'll come down to skill and toughness. I have to go with Aldo over the Zombie simply because his skill level, athleticism and more importantly his fighting ability is so much better than Chan Sun Jung's. This fight will not go the distance. You will not see a decision. You'll see a KO by Jose Aldo somewhere between the second and fourth rounds. This fight shouldn't take place for a while. I'd like to see the Zombie beat just a couple more top guys before even thinking about Aldo.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

He was superb Tuesday night and I loved the fight, it is easily my fight of the year so far. Beating the highly rated Dustin Poirier was a great accomplishment, but Jose Aldo is on a completely different level to everyone else in the division. Let's be honest, this question only needed to reference Jose Aldo because we all know deep down that Erik Koch isn't going to win their fight, and the same rule applies for The Korean Zombie. Aldo is in a league of his own, and I can't see anyone in the division who has the game and fighting style to get anywhere near the Brazilian. Not Erik Koch, not Hatsu Hioki, and not The Korean Zombie.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Thiago Alves hopes to get back on the winning track this July at UFC 149 in Calgary, as he takes on Afghani striker Siyar Bahadurzada. He was originally scheduled to face Yoshihiro Akiyama, but an injury took Akiyama out of the event.

For Alves, this replacement fight works perfectly.

"My main focus is to get myself ready for 15 minutes of war," he said this week in an interview with TapouT Radio (via BloodyElbow.com). "He's a striker by trade, and he's finished his last five fights by way of TKO or something like that, so I know he's going to come swinging. That's perfect, because it's my bread and butter as well."

Alves says that while he's prepared for a striking battle, he's ready for the fight to go anywhere, and he guarantees a stoppage win to bounce back from his last minute loss to Martin Kampmann in March.

"This is MMA, so I've got to be prepared everywhere in the game," he said. "My main focus is to get myself ready for 15 minutes of battle, and once we get in there, it's to institute my game plan, which is to finish him, either with a knockout or a submission. It's going to be a great fight."

"He comes from a highly decorated striking background, and he's from Golden Glory, but, he's never rolled with the big boys before. The first fight he has in the UFC was too quick. We really don't know what he's made of yet. I'm going to put him to the test, though. I know I'm the better fighter. I know I'm more well rounded. I guarantee this fight won't go the distance. I'm either going to knock him out or I'm going to submit him."

Penick's Analysis: Getting Bahadurzada into this fight actually made it a lot more interesting. Akiyama's the more well-known name, of course, but he has lost four straight fights in the UFC. Though Alves has been up and down in recent years, he's still a talented striker and can put forth some really exciting fights. Bahadurzada is coming off an exciting KO of Paulo Thiago, and this makes for an immensely intriguing fight for the UFC's debut in Calgary.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

***image1***Following his win earlier this week at UFC on Fuel 3, lightweight Donald Cerrone said he wanted to fight at UFC 150 in Denver this August, and felt a bout with fellow WEC vet Anthony Pettis would be appropriate.

However, that's just not possible at this point, as Pettis' recovery from shoulder surgery has him out of action further than the August 11 card in Denver.

Pettis' manager, Mike Roberts of MMA, Inc., posted on Twitter on Tuesday that Pettis won't be able to return until September at the earliest. That's in line with what had been said in the last few weeks regarding his return, and while he'd surely welcome a bout with Cerrone later than August, he's still holding out hope for a number one contender bout with Nate Diaz.

Penick's Analysis: If Cerrone is adamant about fighting on August 11, Pettis simply won't be the opponent, and I wrote that the other day when he first mentioned his desired fighting date. With the UFC allowing Nate Diaz to sit and wait for a title shot, it makes things a bit murkier as far as opponents are concerned for each. I still like the remote possibility of a debuting Eddie Alvarez taking on Pettis, provided the timing works out for his Bellator contract to run out and for him to get into the Octagon. As for Cerrone, he'll get a decidedly lesser name than Pettis if he's going to fight in August, and it won't be a top five opponent for sure.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC is trying to get B.J. Penn back into the cage, and they've got an opponent ready and waiting for him if he decides to take end his shaky retirement.

Josh Koscheck.

The 34-year-old, fresh off a close decision loss to Johny Hendricks at UFC on Fox 3 earlier this month, revealed on Twitter that the UFC had offered him a fight with Penn and that he has accepted it. In a bit of a public callout, and with Penn left to respond, Koscheck added, "let's scrap, bra?"

A dejected Penn claimed he was likely retiring following a beating at the hands of Nick Diaz last October at UFC 137. The former two-division UFC Champ continued to hint that he would stay away from the cage in interviews over the last several months; however, last month, UFC President Dana White revealed that the UFC and Penn had been in conversations about him wanting to return.

If Penn accepts, the fight is likely to come in August or September, marking a 10 to 11 month hiatus for "The Prodigy."

Penick's Analysis: This is a fight that would definitely work well for Penn's return. He fought Koscheck's teammate and friend Jon Fitch to a draw last February, and depending on the shape in which he returns he could still be a formidable opponent. I'm sure many would like to see Penn get back to the lightweight division, but as he's been out of action for months, his return was always likely to be at welterweight. I doubt he's been keeping in tip top fighting shape when he's been unsure if he was returning. Still, this is a solid, name value return fight and if he accepts it we'll see how much he's got left in the tank.

[B.J. Penn art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez is in a bit of a hold in his MMA career. While he's reigned supreme in that organization for a few years now, his status as one of the top fighters in the world at 155 lbs. is hampered by the fact that he's not facing the same level of competition as his contemporaries in the UFC.

Case in point, he's fighting Josh Thomson for a third time this Saturday night, a fighter who just returned in March after 15 months out of action, and he suffered a loss in that prior fight in 2010. Not only that, but Melendez defeated fairly handily by decision just two and a half years ago. Still, while Melendez has a burning desire to be proven the number one fighter in the weight class, he understands why he's where he is right now.

"The goal is to be number one and the only way to do that is in the UFC," Melendez said in an interview with BJPenn.com. "Right now it's going to be a hold off because I have some more fights on my contract, which means I will be in Strikeforce for probably at least another year. After this fight, there will have to be more for me. I'm prepared for that."

Melendez wasn't exactly clamoring for a rubber match with Thomson considering where the two are at in their respective careers, and indeed he campaigned for a bout with the UFC's B.J. Penn and Anthony Pettis. However, that wouldn't happen, and this is the fight he received. He'd certainly like to face a higher level of competition, but he knows once he's past this fight the pool of contenders will be fairly shallow in Strikeforce.

"I mean there's some guys coming up. I don't know if they can catch me because I'm ahead of the game and training twice a day," he said. "There are guys like Ryan Couture coming up who I'm impressed with. Pat Healy and Couture, I am really impressed with those guys. Other than that JZ [Cavalcante] and Thomson have been around for a while. I don't see too much talent coming this way because I think they are all headed to the UFC."

"There are some tough guys here and you definitely can't take them lightly. Thomson is no walk in the park. None of these guys are. I still don't see many guys out there. Ryan Couture did impress me with his last performance. He impressed me a lot and I think he's on to something. Besides those guys I mentioned everyone else is in the UFC."

Penick's Analysis: It's good to see Melendez take a realistic approach to his current situation. He's often complained about not being able to fight the guys at the top of the UFC, but those complaints fell on deaf ears due to the fact that he was the one that re-signed with Strikeforce early last year before Strikeforce was purchased by Zuffa. The lack of currently elite level competition is a very real issue for him in Strikeforce, but it's something he just has to deal with and he's sounding more resigned to that fact for the time being. That places more pressure and importance on every fight for him going forward, though, as any loss to the fighters he'll be facing will send his stock down precipitously.

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones isn't the only high level athlete in his family. His younger brother Chandler was just drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, and his older brother Arthur is already in the NFL, a defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens.

Arthur featured in the UFC's Primetime series for the UFC 145 event, which saw the Champ take on former friend-turned-rival Rashad Evans in Atlanta. On Tuesday, the elder Jones decided to take in a UFC event not involving his brother, as he trekked to the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. for UFC on Fuel 3.

While there, he spoked with CSN Washington regarding his Champion brother and his upcoming bout with Dan Henderson.

"It's a major match-up, you know, Hendo is a guy you can't really sleep on, he's old but he's very explosive and he has knockout power so Jon just has to stick to the gameplan and everything's going to be ok," Arthur commented. "Youth and his ability to be creative [are in Jon's favor]. Jon is a hard guy to study for a fight and I think just his mindset and how he moves is going to be tough for him [Hendo]."

One other fight on his mind is one between Jones and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. While Jon has stated in the past that it's not a fight he's likely to want, Arthur says it's one he'd enjoy seeing.

"They're great friends and they have mutual respect," Arthur said, while saying the fight wouldn't actually happen. "I know Jon doesn't want to hurt their friendship, you know, like how he did with Rashad [Evans], so, you know, I don't think it will ever happen."

"I wouldn't mind seeing it though."

Penick's Analysis: This Jones family is a very talented bunch. Jon's the highest profile member at the moment as the reigning UFC Champ, but Arthur and Chandler in the NFL is a big deal as well. Not too many families can claim multiple professional athletes at their respective levels. Arthur's training in the offseason now consists of working with his younger brother in MMA training, and he's clearly a fan of the sport in general as well.

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

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

With the knee injury to UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, the UFC announced last week that former WEC Bantamweight Champion Urijah Faber will fight for an Interim Bantamweight Championship at UFC 148 on July 7.

Faber and Cruz are coaching against one another on the current season of "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" on FX, and would have faced each other for a third time if not for the injury. Now, UFC President Dana White will make an official announcement on Faber's new opponent during Friday's new episode of TUF on FX.

UFC representatives revealed the forthcoming announcement during a media conference call on Wednesday.

There's not much mystery to the pick, as Brazil's Renan Barao is expected to be moved up from an undercard bout with Ivan Menjivar into the fight against Faber, but that won't be official until Friday's announcement.

Penick's Analysis: Faber-Barao's the fight to make, and though there's an outside chance they run with Michael McDonald in this slot, I highly doubt that. Instead, Menjivar will get a suitable replacement partner, and Faber will try to become the first person since Barao's very first professional opponent to hand him a loss.

[Urijah Faber art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Fabio Maldonado has been a part of two straight wars inside the Octagon, and in both cases he wound up on the wrong end of a unanimous decision. In the most recent instance, Maldonado dropped a decision to Igor Pokrajac at Tuesday's UFC on Fuel 3, and he's livid over that result.

"I don't have an answer to that [decision]," Maldonado said in an interview with Tatame.com. "There was a judge who scored it 30-27. There's no logic in it. I'm really sad."

"I won it and that's it. Everybody saw it, even the judges. The three judges who gave it to him know deep down I won. In my opinion it's not a mistake, is called having a bad character, mainly the one who scored 30-27... They want to f*** me up, they didn't want to give me the win once again."

Maldonado certainly had a case for the fight, delivering a ton of punishment throughout the bout to Pokrajac, outstriking him in every round. However, much of the attack was to the body, and the judges didn't credit him nearly enough for that portion of his attack. For Maldonado, he simply can't believe that the decision came down the way it did.

"He hit me with an elbow really hard, he has heavy hands," Maldonado admitted. "It's been a while since I was last hit that hard. He took me down, got the mount, but that was it. I won the second and third rounds. I'm punched, get kneeled on the face and nothing happens, but then I throw a couple of punches on his face and he gets all dizzy and can walk... It's complicated."

Unfortunately for him, the judges didn't agree with his assessment, and he's now 1-2 in the UFC.

Penick's Analysis: Maldonado absolutely has a right to be upset about the decision, especially after looking over the numbers from the fight in conjunction with what happened. He out-struck Maldonado 166-64 overall, with a 98-36 edge in significant strikes. In the first round, Maldonado's significant strike edge was 36-6, yet Maldonado's one takedown with almost no striking earned him the round. It's unfortunate for him, but bad judging is sadly nothing new in this sport, and because of that he sits with two losses under his belt in the UFC.