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    • Strikeforce bantamweight champ Miesha Tate (Zuffa)Cagewriter spoke with two of women's MMA's biggest names: Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. Rousey will try to take the Strikeforce bantamweight belt from Tate on Mar. 3 in the main event in Columbus, Ohio. The two addressed the tension that led to their fight and women's role in MMA.

      Cagewriter: There has been heat between you two, in tweets and articles. Did that make it an easy decision to take the fight?

      Rousey: It was a no-brainer for me. She never wanted this fight. Originally she said she'd be down to fight me, but as soon as I called her out, she changed her tune real quick.

      Tate: No. Someone asked me on Twitter, "Would you ever fight Ronda?" And I said, sure, if she ever makes the drop to 135 and works her way up, then of course.

      Rousey: No, you did not say it like that. You said, "Sure! Why not?" and then you sent me a direct tweet saying, "Do you think you could make 135?" I took that as directly, "Do you want to come fight me at 135?" Not saying abstractly that at some time in the future that you might want to fight me under certain circumstances that you deem reasonable.

      Tate: That's how I remember saying it. Basically, yeah. If she makes 135 then I'm not afraid to fight anyone. At that time, you were in my division and I was in mine. Like, if anyone asks if I'm going to fight Cyborg, if she makes 135. If you're in my division, then yes. I'll fight you. I'm not going to go to 145, but if you come down to 135, and the opportunity presents itself, then yeah. I'll fight you.

      Rousey: I presented with my own opportunity to fight you. Sorry it wasn't on your time.

      Tate: That's fine. I don't have any problems with that, and I don't have any problems fighting you.

      Rousey: Really? Because I see a lot of articles that say the contrary.

      Tate: Let me finish. Do I feel you're the No. 1 contender in our division? No. I feel that Sarah Kaufman had the rug pulled right out from under her feet. Not necessarily your fault, but she was promised the spot that you have right now. It was on national television, I had beat Marloes and they brought her in and said, "Hey you're the No. 1 contender. You're coming off two solid wins." And then you come in, 4-0 and never having fought in our division, and you run your mouth, you say, "I'm marketable," and this fight makes sense because I'm marketable, and you get it. That's fine. I'm going to fight you because that's my job. If they tell me to fight you, I'm going to shut up and do that. I don't care who I fight. But morally? Who do I think deserved it? Sarah Kaufman. We're going to fight.

      Cagewriter: Women don't often headline cards. What does being the main event mean to you?

      Read More »from Cagewriter Q and A with Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey
    • Guillard at weigh-in (Getty)Melvin Guillard doesn't want to go the way of George Sotiropoulos, Anthony Pettis and Evan Dunham.

      Last year was a horror show for those guys. On the verge of getting a title shot, all three suffered a loss or two that sent that sent them tumbling down the lightweight ladder.

      Guillard faces Jim Miller tomorrow night on FX (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), with both fighters facing the same fate if they lose - at least another year before they sniff a title shot.

      Guillard (29-9-2, 10-5 UFC) was hot as a pistol before UFC 136 in October, but lost his shot at Frank Edgar with a 47 second submission loss at the hands of Joe Lauzon. He knows this Miller fight is make or break time.

      "It was kinda dumb, but I am young enough to learn as long as realize the mistake. I made the mistake, it didn't just happen," Guilard said referencing the loss to Lauzon. "I know that but I also know I'm still one of the best fighters in the division. But I am ready for this fight with Miller. He's a top guy, maybe the No. 3 or No. 4 in the division, and if I perform like I can do, I think it will be hard for people to say that I didn't deserve a UFC title shot."

      Read More »from Guillard knows he can’t slip again tomorrow night on FX
    • Carano photos real and phonyAfter a positive steroid test, it's probably best to slink off into the shadows for a while.

      Apparently, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos doesn't realize the damage her positive test did to her reputation. The last thing fans want to hear from an alleged "cheater" is her dumping on someone who's currently in the mix, licensed and clean.

      Cyborg went down that path and did so in the oddest fashion. Santos decided to lash out at Ronda Rousey. Rousey, a former Olympian and current 135- and 145-pound contender, has buried Cyborg over her positive test. You feel bad for Cyborg? Some will say, tough luck it comes with the territory.

      Along with a postfight photo of Gina Carano, Cyborg responded Wednesday by tweeting "next victim ... Ronda" in Portuguese.

      Read More »from Why is ‘Cyborg’ talking trash and doing so with fake pictures of Gina Carano?
    • It was just two weeks ago that Muhammed Lawal was calling Quinton Jackson washed up and a B-level actor.

      Jackson didn't say too much since, but he did sit down for an interview yesterday which happened to be perfectly timed with the news released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that "King Mo" tested positive for an anabolic steroid following his Strikeforce fight.

      "I feel that any fighter who has to use steroids to go in the cage and fight somebody is not a true fighter somebody just blatantly taking anabolical steroids to get in the cage is a sad case," said Jackson.

      Jackson said Lawal's recent woes are to be expected.

      "He talk a big game and calling people bums, it's just karma. Look at him. He's a very cocky individual," said Jackson.

      Lawal tested positive for Drostanolone, but denied using any illegal substances.

      Jackson shows a good sense of humor later in the interview over the fact that King Mo was mocking on his role in the "A-Team."

      Read More »from Quinton Jackson reacts to positive steroid test from ‘King Mo’
    • UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has found his next opponent. Though the names Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans have been thrown around, he will face off with Derek Zoolander in a walk-off.

      While in Brazil to take in UFC 142 last week, Jones walked in the Auslander fashion show. Skip to the 1:25 mark to see him.

      He's a little too fast, but he did have the dead-eyed look that models work hard to achieve. But don't leave MMA for modeling, Jon. There's more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good-looking.

      Thanks, Cage Potato.

      Read More »from Work! Jon Jones does his thing on the runway
    • If you thought Chael Sonnen was being a little too polite in the lead up to his fight against Mark Munoz, problem solved. Munoz had to back out of the fight due to an injury and now the brash Sonnen will face one of MMA top heels in Michael Bisping on Jan. 28 on the UFC on Fox 2 card in Chicago.

      Dana White confirmed the news minutes ago on Twitter.

      You'll also notice White said Sonnen-Bisping is a UFC middleweight title contender fight. It's a huge break for Bisping, who was probably two wins away from getting a shot at Anderson Silva.

      Silva is currently sidelined with shoulder issues. He may return during the summer, but last week suggested to Brazilian media sources that his absence may be extended into the fall.

      Bisping has long been a target of fans and other fighters. Sonnen is a huge trash talker. The lead up to the fight could reach epic proportions.

      Read More »from The mouths that roared: With Munoz hurt, Bisping vs. Sonnen now set for UFC on Fox 2
    • Rashad Evans will face Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 (Zuffa)Though former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is focused on his fight with Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2, there is another man who still gets on Evans' nerves: the current UFC light heavyweight champion. In fact, the mere mention of Jones' name caused the once friendly relationship between Evans and Davis to grow frosty.

      "We've actually always been friendly to each other," Evans told Cagewriter. "I've always been a Phil fan. But when you're talking trash about Jon Jones, it kind of bothers me a little bit. I can't lie."

      Though Evans and Jones were once friends and training partners, their relationship fell apart after Jones remarked to media that he would fight Evans. Since then, Evans has been irked by Jones.

      "All the stuff that Jon has done, he deserves credit for and I respect that. He's been an amazing athlete in the sport, and he's accomplished so much. I have nothing but respect for him in that, but when he opens his mouth against me, it bothers me."

      During the UFC on Fox 2 press conference, Davis mentioned what Jones said about Evans' lack of chin. Evans responded to Davis, a Penn State alumnus, by referring to the Penn State sex abuse scandal.

      "Sometimes you say things and you didn't think about it when you say it. I can't tell somebody how they should feel about something. It was a lesson that I learned about being a little bit more conscious and watching what I say because you never know how it's going to affect people in different ways."

      Both Evans and Davis were collegiate wrestlers, but Davis made a comment that he is the only one who truly has wrestling skills. According to Evans, there is a big difference between collegiate wrestling and MMA wrestling.

      Read More »from Rashad Evans interview: ‘Suga’ focused on fight in front of him
    • The sharks are circling in the welterweight division. The target for potential feasting is this November. That's when UFC welterweight champ George St-Pierre is anticipating his return to active fighting.

      GSP tore his right ACL in December and underwent surgery shortly after. Several fighters have tried to return from a similar injury too quickly and paid the price.

      On this HDNet Inside MMA video, Phil Davis tells St-Pierre to take his time. GSP agreed saying that he suffered the injury by rushing back from a less severe ailment to his left knee.

      "Hard training will be in July and fighting again in November, I'd say could come back in November," said St-Pierre.

      St-Pierre thinks he'll be fighting before the end of 2012. Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit meet for the interim UFC 170-pound title at UFC 143. But, it's anyone's guess who makes it to November in possession on the interim strap.

      Read More »from GSP video: Welterweight champ targeting November return
    • Remember that Jose Aldo victory celebration we wrote about? The UFC released video of one of the cooler non-fight moments to ever happen in the UFC.  It will make you smile on this post-holiday weekend Tuesday.

      The best part is that despite the crowd jumping running and jumping to get a piece of Aldo, the celebration was peaceful. The Brazilians wanted to embrace their champion, but didn't kick each other in the face to do it.

    • Mario Yamasaki explains his decision (Zuffa)Erick Silva rode a roller coaster of emotions at UFC 142. After taking out Carlo Prater in 29 seconds, Silva celebrated with the loud, Brazilian crowd. He was brought down to reality when he was informed by referee Mario Yamasaki that the blows Silva used to knock out Prater were deemed illegal. Though a replay showed that the blows hit the sides of Prater's head, not the restricted area on the the back of the head, Silva had been disqualified.

      The UFC confirmed that Silva did receive his win bonus and it's unlikely that this loss will stunt his career's trajectory, but it didn't need to be a loss. Yamasaki admitted when talking to UFC commentator Joe Rogan that he had to make the decision in the moment.

      "I have to decide right there and then. There's nothing I can do," Yamasaki said.

      In that moment, there was nothing Yamasaki could do. Instant replay does not have a place in MMA. Though he watched the replay on a giant screen just moments after the fight ended, the bout was decided.

      Read More »from Erick Silva DQ puts need for instant replay front and center

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