YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Maggie Hendricks

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    • Fight for the Troops filled with past Ultimate Fighter contestants

      I don't think I'm alone when I say that I am stoked for UFC Fight Night: UFC Fights for the Troops. Not only is Zuffa's charitable impulse admirable, this event is bringing the UFC to some of its biggest fans. With a popular fighter like Josh Koscheck headlining the card, the troops are sure to be entertained.

      One thing struck me as match-ups were announced. This card is stocked with former the Ultimate Fighter contestants. Matt Wiman, Corey Hill, Tim Credeur, Ben Saunders and Rich Clementi all signed UFC contracts due to their appearance on the reality show. Those contracts usually have a standard purse and win bonuses, and they certainly don't pay out top dollar. (Koscheck is no longer under his TUF contract.)

      Loading the card with TUF fighters was a very smart move by the UFC. Since there won't be a large gate or pay-per-view buys to pay for this event, the UFC needs to control costs. Using TUF fighters does that, but at the same time, lets the crowd of troops cheer on fighters

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    • Tuffies: Recap and Awards for Episode 2 of the Ultimate Fighter

      This week on the Ultimate Fighter, the rest of the cast is decided through eight more fights. I like these first weeks, because we get to see nothing but fighting. At the same time, many of these fighters are untrained, so we see some ugly fighting. U-G-L-Y, no alibi fighting. Find out the winners, losers and poseurs after the jump.

      In the first fight, Wesley Murch claims that he is carrying the hopes of England on his back. Yes. You and David Beckham. Too bad you hurt your ankle and lost to John Polakowski, a self-proclaimed lover of hugs. After his win, he hugs Dana, Nog and Mir. Nog likes the hug. Mir is freaked out.

      Shane Primm and Sean O'Connell - Primm by rear naked choke. Primm is excited to go in the house, and would like a steak, si vous plait.

      Ido Pariente is repping Israel, y'all. Efrain Escudero just like to fight, y'all. Escudero has excellent takedown defense and finally worked Pariente down to the ground, then sunk in a rear naked choke.

      Ryan Lopez is thankful for

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    • Two crazy finishes

      The midddleweight tournament at DREAM featured two of the most unexpected finishes that I have ever watched in fighting. First, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza completes a lightning-quick armbar submission on Zelg Galesic:

      Did you have to rewind to catch it? Me too. Galesic learned quickly that you cannot leave an arm hanging out, not even a little bit, around Jacare. Of course, Jacare then learned very quickly that you cannot leave your chin hanging out, not even a little, around Gegard Mousasi.

      It's a little tough to see, but yes, that's an upkick that just knocked Jacare out cold. My colleague, Steve Cofield, mentioned that DREAM's stacked middleweight division could help the UFC in giving Anderson Silva enough of a challenge that he would stick around. I agree with him, and would love to see Silva take on either Jacare or Mousasi.

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    • Fighters do more than punch people in the face

      The Giving Back Fund just released a list of the most charitable celebrities, based on the amount of money they had donated in the past year. The list is dotted with athletes, including Michael Jordan, Richard Jefferson, Eric Lindros and Tiger Woods, who each gave away more than a million dollars. No fighters are listed, but that doesn't mean that they aren't doing their best to make the world a better place.

      UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre started the GSP Foundation to benefit at-risk youth. GSP also met with a young man who was in a wheelchair before beating Matt Serra at UFC 83:

      “I want to use my name, my credibility, and my stature as a professional athlete in mixed martial arts to help the young kids. I’m going to focus on the kids and the teenagers because growing up I had problems, and if I can help somebody who was like me when I was young, it will make their lives better.

      GSP's opponent on several occasions, Matt Hughes, has also shown his commitment to charity.

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    • Fedor's DREAM is Affliction's nightmare

      During last night's DREAM event, Fedor Emelianenko announced that he would like to be a part of DREAM's New Year's Eve card:

      That sound you hear is Affliction V.P. Tom Atencio crying. Affliction built their brand on being the promotion who could get Fedor to fight in the U.S. With the next Affliction card scheduled for January 17, it is highly unlikely that Fedor will fight just weeks after the DREAM fight. Without a well-known fighter like Emelianenko, Affliction will have a hard time convincing fans to buy tickets and pay-per-views.

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    • Gina Carano calls press to complain about fame

      Gina Carano says that she is not the face of women's MMA. She doesn't want the label, she only wants to be known as a fighter. She definitely doesn't want to be famous. I have just one thing to say to that: HONEY, PLEASE.

      First off, being the face of women's MMA has made you a wealthy woman. Do you think that your sponsorships, magazine profiles and job on American Gladiator would be around if you weren't the face of women's MMA? You didn't even make weight for your last fight, yet media and the public are still writing about you, searching your name online, and looking forward to your fight on October 4. That translates into sponsorship dollars for you.

      Secondly, if you didn't want all of this attention, then why did you invite press to your workout? If you truly don't want people writing about you, then don't invite people who write for a living to your gym. It's not rocket science. If you are just a fighter, then just fight. Don't be an American Gladiator, don't pose for Maxim and

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    • Anderson Silva pondering retirement?

      Anderson Silva is saying that he is going to retire:

      "I'll retire next year, I already gave my all. I don't need to prove anything for anyone and within one year I'll put my gloves aside."

      To say that I'm shocked is an understatement. Silva currently sits atop the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound rankings, and is one of the best fighters in MMA's short history. His well-rounded game has forced other fighters to advance their technique to merely attempt to compete with him. His retirement, if he actually follows through, would leave a definite hole in the sport.

      So what does that mean for the year? Are his next fights going to be the Anderson Silva farewell tour? His next fight is against Patrick Cote at UFC 90 on October 25 in Chicago. If he is serious about retiring, Silva could make it official there.

      He has talked in the past about getting in the boxing ring and could bring a cadre of fans with him. Though he has been a UFC company man, doing whatever Dana White asked of him,

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    • Bisping and Henderson to coach next season of 'the Ultimate Fighter?'

      During Ultimate Fight Night 15, the UFC announced that the next season of the Ultimate Fighter will match up fighters from the U.S. with fighters from the United Kingdom. This move makes sense, as it is directly in line with Zuffa's strategy to expand the UFC across the Atlantic. So who will coach next season?

      A report coming out of England says that if Michael Bisping defeats Chris Leben at UFC 89, he will be offered the job of coaching Team UK, with Dan Henderson serving as the American coach. That idea will work out swimmingly if Bisping wins, but what if he doesn't? No other British fighter is remotely as popular or as accomplished as Bisping. This strategy could blow up in Dana White's face.

      I truly hope that Bisping beats Leben, not only because I'd like to see Leben knocked out, but also because Bisping would make an excellent coach. Like Forrest Griffin, he understands the pressures and demands of the Ultimate Fighter, having won season three. He has grown tremendously as a

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    • Whose got next with Guida and Diaz?

      Nate Diaz's technical clinic and Clay Guida's decisive win over Mac Danzig on Wednesday cemented one fact about the lightweight division -- it's utter chaos. After B.J. Penn, the top contenders are Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson, who will fight eachother at UFC 91. But what happens to Diaz? Roger Huerta seems a little displaced after his loss to Kenny Florian. The confusion only continues as you move down the ladder.

      Let's start with Diaz. The pride of Stockton, Calif. -- 209! -- is a top BJJ technician and has four straight wins in the UFC. His "look Ma, no hands!" triangle choke of Kurt Pellegrino was one of the best submissions of the year. Who should Diaz face next? I would like to see him fight Roger Huerta. For Diaz, it would be a chance to prove that he belongs in the upper stratosphere of UFC lightweights. Huerta could get his career back on track after his loss to Kenny Florian.

      Now for Guida. He has beaten Danzig, Samy Schiavo and Marcus Aurelio, but lost two close matches

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    • Clay saves face for the Guida family

      It was the best of times and the worst of times for the Guida family Wednesday night. The evening started well, with Clay Guida (pictured) winning decisively over Ultimate Fighter season six champion Mac Danzig. Clay's win was a battle in conditioning. He wore Danzig out while escaping several submission attempts. After the fight, he was the picture of class, showing respect to his opponent and dedicating his win to those affected by Hurricane Ike, and giving tribute to Chris Powers, a friend of Guida's from his home town in Illinois, who was killed last week.

      Clay's brother Jason, on the other hand, showed up the the Ultimate Fighter training center overweight. After spending 24 hours trying to cut weight, the doctor and Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, barred him from competition because it would be detrimental to his health to try to lose that last pound and a half. Guida begged for the chance to cut the last pound, but finally gave up and

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