Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva
Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt
James Te Huna vs. Glover Teixeira
T.J. Grant vs. Gray Maynard
Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons

As the poet Pitbull said, let's have a real good time.

Pedersen, who is 38 years old, has trained in MMA for the past four years. Like many fighters, he originally tried out the sport for fitness reasons only. But once MMA was allowed in his state, and Cheyenne was set to host fights, Pedersen couldn't help but say yes to an offer to fight on the CFS card.

"This is not something I normally do," he said to the Wyoming Star-Tribune. "But I really believe in the sport."

He served for six years in the Wyoming state legislature. Now a financial consultant, he plans on making this both his debut and retirement bout. The weigh-ins will take place at a familiar venue for Pedersen -- the steps of the Wyoming State Capitol Building.

Pedersen is taking the fight seriously, as he drives an hour and a half daily to Easton Training Center in Colorado, the training home of UFC veteran Eliot Marshall.

"I have a goal," he said. "Without a goal, you wouldn’t do it. It creates a sense of urgency and panic. Because every day I’m not training, my opponent is probably getting better. And I’m not."

He's the latest government official to set his sights on the cage, though Pedersen appears to be taking his fight more seriously than the two mayors in south Florida who are planning a bout. Perhaps MMA should become part of the legislative process.

Who stood out in Saturday night's fights?

No. 1 star -- Vitor Belfort*: We will be watching highlights of that knockout for years to come. The timing, explosion and landing spot of the kick were just perfect. The knockout was so great the UFC didn't even have to say who they were talking about when they announced who the $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus was awarded to.

#UFConFX8 Fight of the Night, Martins vs. Larsen; Sub of the Night, Jacare. KO - c'mon now, be reasonable. 50K each.

— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2013

Then why the asterisk? Because it's hard to look at what Belfort did and not wonder if the testosterone replacement therapy he used throughout his camp played a part. His late-career resurgence doesn't pass the smell test.

No. 2 star -- Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza: Did Chris Camozzi even realize he was in the arm triangle choke that Souza so expertly applied? Souza's performance on Saturday night served notice to the UFC middleweights. It also earned him a $50,000 Submission of the Night bonus. All in all, it was a pretty good start in the UFC for the Strikeforce veteran.

No. 3 star -- Fabio Maldonado: Perhaps it wasn't the prettiest win of the night, but it got the job done against some tough odds. Maldonado withstood a kick to the groin that made even me wince and came back to win by decision. That's more than enough to earn a star.

Who stood out for you? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

From his rousing entrance to his quick submission win, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza had a memorable UFC debut at UFC on FX 8 with a first-round win over Chris Camozzi.

Souza is one of the UFC's best BJJ practitioners, and he put on a show on Saturday night. He took down Camozzi, and smoothly worked him on the ground until Souza caught him in an arm-triangle choke. It was so smooth and fast that Camozzi was choked out within seconds. The fight was stopped at 3:27 in the first round.

Souza, whose nickname means "alligator" in Portuguese, celebrated with his trademark crawl around the cage. He stood up and led the raucous crowd in gator chomps.

This is Souza's fourth straight win, and all four wins were by stoppage. He has shown a more well-rounded game during his recent Strikeforce fights, but had no problem returning to his jiu-jitsu roots in the win over Camozzi. With such a strong debut, Souza should be in the conversation for a middleweight title shot soon.

Vitor Belfort gave fans in his home country of Brazil plenty to be happy about at UFC on FX 8 on Saturday, delivering a first-round knockout of Luke Rockhold that is sure to make UFC highlight reels for years to come.

Belfort held off Rockhold's takedown attempts early, and then set up to deliver a perfect knockout kick halfway through the round. Near the fence, Belfort landed a spinning kick to Rockhold's face. It landed flush, and Rockhold fell to the ground. Belfort finished with ground and pound. The fight was stopped at 2:32 in the first round.

It's Belfort's second straight win by knockout. He knocked out Michael Bisping in January, and before that, moved up to light heavyweight and lost a title fight to Jon Jones. His record is now 23-10. He already has a loss against UFC champion Anderson Silva, but is this fight enough to ask for another title shot? He wouldn't say.

"I'm here to fight. I don't pick fights. I accept fights," Belfort said after the win.

There was plenty of bad blood between the two before the fight began. Belfort is one of the UFC fighters who has an exemption to use testosterone replacement therapy. Rockhold viewed this as sanctioned cheating, and wasn't afraid to say so. The two had to be separated during Friday's weigh-ins as Rockhold got in Belfort's face.

This was Rockhold's first fight in the UFC. He is now 11-2, with most of his wins coming in Strikeforce, where he was the middleweight champion.

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Not -- Pat Healy: After a memorable, double-bonus winning fight at UFC 159, Healy tested positive for marijuana. He lost his bonuses, worth $130,000. It was a very costly lesson.

Hot -- Bryan Caraway: He was the only other fighter at UFC 159 by submission, so he picked up Healy's vacated bonus.

Not -- Nate Diaz: In a Twitter conversation today, someone from GLAAD spelled out exactly why Diaz's tweet that got him suspended was so hurtful.

"When you use an anti-gay slur, even not to describe a gay person, what you tell all gay people is, 'My subconscious wanted to find the worst insult it could, and what it came up with ... was you.'"

In using the f-word to describe Caraway, Diaz not only used the language of hate, but also put his own standing with the UFC in jeopardy.

Hot -- Tarec Saffiedine's son: If you missed it, watch Tarec Saffiedine's son throw some combinations on a laundry hamper. If you watched it, watch it again. It's still adorable.

Not -- Paul Kelly: Since losing to Donald Cerrone at UFC 126 and getting cut by the UFC, British fighter Paul Kelly's life has taken a surprising turn. He was convicted for trafficking heroin in the United Kingdom. He is reportedly facing a long prison term.

Still taking temperature -- Luke Rockhold and Vitor Belfort: The two will face off on Saturday night in Brazil on FX. Considering the bad blood between the fighters, this should be a fun one.

Thank you for reading Cagewriter. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

I feel bad for pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest Fag in the world ..

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 16, 2013

He followed that up with a slur against women.

#sorryasslittlebitch

— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 16, 2013

The UFC responded quickly, suspending Diaz as they investigate what their next move is. The promotion issued a statement on the matter.

"We are very disappointed by Nate Diaz's comments, which are in no way reflective of our organization. Nate is currently suspended pending internal investigation and we will provide further comment once the matter has been decided."

Diaz's Mike Kogan manager then responded that Diaz wasn't using a homophobic slur. Instead, he told MMA Junkie that Diaz was using a misogynistic term.

"Guess what? The word [expletive], at least in Northern California, and where Nate is from, means bitch. It means you're a little punk. It has nothing to do with homosexuals at all. So when Nate made the comment that he made, he didn't make it in reference to homosexuals or calling Caraway a homosexual. He just said it was a bitch move."

Calling someone that word isn't OK, either. Kogan's defense of his fighter is completely out of touch with the UFC's fighter code of conduct, which reads that a fighter will be disciplined for "insulting language about a person's ... gender or sexual orientation." Whether it's a misogynistic or homophobic term, fighters are specifically told not to use it by their code of conduct.

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Will Luke Rockhold keep octagon jitters at bay? Luke Rockhold spent most of his career in Strikeforce. He worked his way up through the challengers system to become the promotion's final middleweight champion. Now, he finally gets a chance to show he belongs in the UFC. He won't have an easy entry, fighting Vitor Belfort, who is coming off of a TKO win over Michael Bisping in January. Will he avoid octagon jitters and keep his fight streak alive?

Has Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza continued to grow as a fighter? Souza well-credentialed in jiu-jitsu, but his fight game has become more well-rounded in recent bouts. He'll face Chris Camozzi, who is on a four-fight win streak. Will Souza show the complete fight game he did in Strikeforce?

Is Nik Lentz among the best of the loaded featherweights? Since dropping down to 145 lbs., Lentz is 2-0. He'll face Hacran Dias on his home territory. Both fighters have a chance at getting closer to Jose Aldo and the featherweight belt with a win. Which one will come away the winner?

Carlos Hernandez, the mayor of Hialeah, and Michael Pizzi, the mayor of Miami Lakes, plan to square off for charity. It started as a discussion over dinner -- and a few drinks -- over who could beat each other up. It snowballed from there.

Hernandez, 52, says he has trained with the Gracies, one of MMA's most important families. Pizzi has another plan.

"Carlos is an athlete into aerobics," Pizzi said to MMA Junkie. "I'm of the Tank Abbott (and) Roy Nelson school of training, which is have a six-pack of beer, get off a bar stool and knock the guy out in the first three punches."

While Nelson does like to show off his belly, he's in a bit better shape than Pizzi says.

The two mayors haven't set a date for the bout yet as they are still looking for a promoter. The Miami Herald reports the fight will take place in Hernandez's home turf of Hialeah. Money they raise from the bout will go to programs benefiting children in each mayor's city.

Since that first fight, a 12-second knockout of Jon Hess, he's fought 31 more times, putting together a record of 22-10. His 33rd fight is Saturday against Luke Rockhold, the 28-year-old Strikeforce middleweight champ.

Now 36, Belfort fought twice in a tournament at UFC 12. He knocked out two opponents in a total of two minutes. He went 1-2 against Randy Couture, beat Wanderlei Silva but lost to Kazushi Sakuraba. He's fought in Pride, Affliction and the UFC. He had Jon Jones in an armbar, coming the closest to beating Jones of any of the light heavyweight champion's opponents.

But the longevity of his career has contributed to the controversy swirling around him now. Like Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen and Quinton Jackson, Belfort is one of the fighters who is on testosterone replacement therapy. It's allowed with a doctor's note, but not all fighters are for it. Rockhold thinks Belfort taking testosterone, a hormone that helps athletes add muscle and aggressiveness, is fishy.

"Just look at his physique," Rockhold said. "Look at how he looks at [36 years old]. You can't tell me that at his age, something like that looks natural. TRT use is something I don't agree with at all," Rockhold said. "It's a way to get around the system. They say TRT is needed for low testosterone, that it's a medical condition. Well, what causes low testosterone? Prolonged steroid use is one cause."

Testosterone also naturally decreases in men as they grow older. With TRT, fighters get the benefit of their years of experience without one of the drawbacks of being an older fighter.

Is it fair for Belfort to use TRT? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

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Thanks everyone for their support, made a huge mistake and gotta pay for it.

— Patrick Healy (@BamBamHealy) May 15, 2013

Healy both tweeted about the positive test and released a statement. He will be suspended for 90 days. Healy attributed the positive test to a night out with friends a month before the fight.

Marijuana's acceptance in the United States is growing. Medical marijuana laws are becoming more common, and it's legal in two states. However, it's still a banned substance that state commissions test for, and fighters know this going into their bouts. Healy apologized in his statement, and said he should have been a better role model.

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"Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight – I want to hurt him. Chael is a joke, man. He’s going to be second forever. He’s never going to be first," Silva said to Ariel Helwani.

MMA is a bloody sport, and we're used to seeing blood cover fighters, their clothes and canvases. But we are not vampires, sparkly or otherwise. Blood sucking, Wanderlei? Really? Perhaps Wand is a fan of the "Twilight" novels, but let's keep the vampire aspects out of MMA and in young adults novels, OK?

Thx for all the well wishes! Sry I've been off twitter 4 a bit but this pregnancy is kicking my bootie so far&was waiting to tell the news!

— Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) May 11, 2013

Sanko said she's about two and a half months along, so she will be well into her second trimester when the fights take place on July 13. Recent fights have been called off because of cuts, dehydration and injuries of every sort. It's nice to see a fight called for a good reason.

Female fighters have to submit proof of a negative pregnancy test before fights to get licensed. As an extra precaution, Invicta, an all-female promotion, does additional testing. Sanko found out with enough time that Invicta did find a replacement. Cassie Robb will fight Livia Von Pletterberg in Sanko's place.

This is Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine's 2-year-old son, and he has some training to do on this laundry basket. Check out his technique on low kicks. Clearly, he has been watching his dad and learning from him. The older Saffiedine is making his UFC debut in July against Robbie Lawler. Will he be as effective as his son is against the laundry hamper?

Zingano told Cagewriter in February that she doesn't have to look far to find motivation in a fight because of her son.

"When someone has their arms around my neck, I think I have to be here for my child. Nothing's going to stop me."

But really, is there any surprise to see a mother win a fight? Whether it's getting her children to clean her room, getting a bully to back off, or just keeping her children alive, all moms are fighters.

My mom is a fighter. When she was a high schooler, that fighting spirit got her into trouble. It was before Title IX and well before women were allowed to wrestle or box or beat the snot out of their opponents in a cage. So she fought in the hallways of her high school, which led to many visits to many different principals' offices. Though she gave up her pugilistic ways as she grew up and had kids, the fighting spirit never went away. She fought for cleaner air, better schools, better programs for kids in our town, and when she was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to fight for the cancer survivors who had it much worse than she did.

My mother-in-law, too, was a fighter. After her second diagnosis of cancer, she fought to have the life she wanted in her final years. She knew cancer would end her life much too early, so she fought to spend time surrounded by family, friends and the gardens she so happily cultivated. Even when cancer stole every bit of her energy, she fought to spend her few minutes with her children, friends and family.

Every mom of a UFC fighter I've come across has been a fighter. Inevitably, her first fight was to keep her son or daughter out of the cage. After giving up that fight, she focused her fight to make sure her fighter was ready for the cage. Ronda Rousey's mom did this by waking her daughter up with armbars. Chael Sonnen's mom does it by being at her son's side when training. Rashad Evans' mom does it with motivational speeches that would make Eric Taylor proud.

If you can, spend some time with that fighter you call mom this Mother's Day. Listen to her stories about her fight. The next time you see a mom in the cage, it won't surprise you to see her with her hand raised.

-- Fox Sports 1 is going to launch in August, and the new station will devote plenty of airtime to the UFC. It will start with UFC on Fox 1 1, an event name that needs work. The program covering this show will run seven and a half hours, meaning that an entire UFC event will be on one channel.

-- That will just be the start of the UFC presence on this channel, that will be a rebrand of the Speed network. A live show is planned for August 28, and another live show leading into "The Ultimate Fighter" will run on Sept. 4, with TUF starting at 10 p.m. ET.

-- Cagereaders in the United Kingdom will start watching BT Sport, as the UFC agreed to a three-year deal with that station. Like with Fox Sports 1, it's a new station, and will air live events and programming specifically for the UK market. Let's all hope for a Michael Bisping reality series.

-- The UFC also announced a new channel on YouTube. The promotion will offer a pay-for subscription channel that will give fans the option to watch some of their best known fights, and shows like "UFC Unleashed" and "Best of PRIDE" for $5.99 a month.

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"It's freakin' legal. Let me address this issue," Ludwig said to MMA Mania. "When I watch film, I watch film normal how I am now. Then I watch film when I'm high on marijuana. I also watch the film again when I have Alpha Brain in my system. I watch film from three different states of consciousness just to get different looks at things. Just to see if maybe I missed a step or a nice little detail just to get different looks on things. I take this serious as hell."

Alpha Brain is a supplement that claims to help customers find "lucid dreams, mental drive, focus and mental acuity." Sure. The fine people at WebMD say marijuana affects people differently. Some of its effects include euphoria, calmness, anxiety, or paranoia. Other possible effects include distorted sense of time, magical or "random" thinking, short-term memory loss, and anxiety and depression.

Ludwig lives in California, which is governed by medical marijuana laws. Marijuana laws are loosening up around the country, so as Ludwig says, "It's freakin' legal." It's an interesting method. We'll see if it continues to work for his fighters.

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Sonnen was nice enough to even make the poster. He added the image at right to his Twitter background. Not only does he want to fight Silva in August, but he's hoping for a five-round bout in the headlining spot.

Thiago Alves is expected to take on Matt Brown on this card, and Connor McGregor has been campaigning for a bout. Sonnen wants this fight so badly he's even willing to give up a portion of his purse to help Silva's hometown.

Wand- you have 24 hours to accept. If you do, I will donate 10% of my purse to help schools in your hometown of Curitiba .. I mean, VEGAS.

— chael sonnen (@sonnench) May 9, 2013

Silva was born and raised in Curitiba, Brazil, and still identifies with Brazil, but his gym is in Las Vegas. Sonnen was able to talk his way into a fight with Jon Jones. Will he get his wish here?

The MMA world sometimes resembles a traveling circus. It moves from one city to another, as the UFC or Bellator sets up shop, puts on its show, then moves on. But some stops stand out.

Here are Cagewriter's best fight towns. Cities were judged on support of MMA cards, local MMA scenes, strength of commission and just an overall feeling of MMA love. Here, in no particular order, are the eight best cities for MMA.

Montreal -- Canadians LOVE MMA. They're nuts about it. Nowhere is that better exemplified than in Montreal, which consistently packs the Bell Centre when the UFC rolls into town. UFC 83, the event where native son Georges St-Pierre won the welterweight championship belt back from Matt Serra, was the fastest sellout in UFC history. Their fervor hasn't died down, and they are the home for Tri-Star MMA, the training home of GSP.

Kansas City -- Wait. You say. Kansas City? Have there been any UFC, WEC or Strikeforce cards in Kansas City? Well, not recently. But here's the thing that makes Kansas City an awesome fight town: Kansas City fans support all MMA. There's a reason Bellator, Invicta, RFA, Legacy, and other promotions keep returning, and it's not just the excellent barbeque. Kansas City fans come out for MMA. They also have the support of several MMA gyms, including HD MMA, owned by Strikeforce and UFC fighter Jason High and WEC veteran L.C. Davis.

Columbus, Ohio -- Start with a well-run, thorough commission. Throw in a crowd that gives every fight a college football game feel. Add in underrated MMA gyms nearby and the yearly spectacle of the Arnolds, and you have one great fight town.

Rio de Janeiro -- At UFC 134, the UFC returned to the second biggest city in fight-loving Brazil for the first time in 13 years, and no one knew just how tight the city's embrace would be. From fans lining up hours before the card to get into their raucous celebrations when their Brazilian fighter won, Rio gave the UFC good reason to return.

Saitama, Japan -- Going to a fight at Saitama Super Arena should be on every MMA fan's bucket list. Perhaps that would be best accomplished with a time machine that could whisk you back to a PRIDE event there, with a football-sized crowd and the amazing Lenne Hardt screaming out the name of each fighter. But the UFC had an event there in 2012, and it would be wise to return there to bring fights to the knowledgeable fight fans of Japan.

London, England -- London crowds make fights fun. Yes, they complain -- A LOT -- if they feel if they've been slighted by a fight card, but they also show up and support their fighters, no matter what happens.

Los Angeles and Orange County -- It may be cheating to group these two, but together, they've been integral to the growth of MMA. It's filled with fight gyms, and the fans have supported some of the sport's biggest events. In February, two women headlined for the UFC for the first time, and the southern California crowd happily supported it.

Las Vegas -- It's the fight capitol of the world. It's where the UFC lives. It's where huge fight weekends take place, dozens of fight gyms make their home, and the powerful Nevada State Athletic Commission does its thing.

Agree? Disagree? Speak up on Facebook or on Twitter.

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Officially retired 2day:-) thank you to my family, friends and fans! #dreambig GOD BLESS!!!

— Shane Carwin (@ShaneCarwin) May 8, 2013

Of Carwin's 12 wins, not one went to the judges. He had seven knockouts and five submissions. He hasn't been in the cage since 2011. The last time he was in the spotlight was in the fall of 2012, when he was a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter." Unfortunately, his knee was injured before he could fight opposing coach Roy Nelson.

I remember hearing about Carwin well before I saw him fight. It was back when preliminary fights weren't aired. Everyone who had watched him fight couldn't stop talking about this guy who quickly knocked out Christian Wellisch and Neil Wain. Then at UFC 96, I watched him absolutely destroy Gabriel Gonzaga in just over a minute. He hadn't been overhyped. After that, he knocked out Frank Mir in the first round of their bout.

What most MMA fans will remember about Carwin is that he came within seconds of taking out the then-invincible Brock Lesnar at UFC 116. But after losing to Lesnar in the second round, a dropped decision to Junior dos Santos at UFC 131 and a host of injuries, Carwin has decided to hang up his extra-large gloves.

One reader thinks fighters should have to take more responsibility for when certain kind of strikes go awry.

Fine Michael Bisping for sure. You shouldn't be allowed to throw a punch with your index finger extended and say sorry, it was an accident. When there is a disincentive to pawing at each others' faces openhanded they will stop doing it and eye pokes will go down. -- Knowa Metcalf

Bisping's eye poke is what ended his bout with Alan Belcher. Fining athletes to change their behavior has a precedent. The NFL has levied fines for certain types of hits, though inconsistency in enforcement has been a problem.

Changing up the equipment used in fights could also be a solution.

It's simple, extend an individual finger pad with a slightly cupped angle to it that still allows the fingers to be open and closed, but the tips of the fingers would be slightly covered and the hands would not open 100%... But more like 90-95%, thereby reducing the ability for the fingers to completely extend and poke the opponent in the eye. Finger straps would hold the pads to the fingers. -- Michael Carter

As far as eye pokes, the best solution may not be in the gloves but rather in the design of an ultra thin goggle. Something that won't interfere with sight, can be vented to avoid fogging, but also very streamlined and as unobtrusive as possible. -- Al Lamp

But inadvertent eye pokes, like groin shots, are going to happen.

I see eye pokes like I see groin shots, they are gonna happen. Designing a different glove may help a little, but even boxers get thumbs in the eyes and their whole hand is covered. I say treat eye pokes as a foul, a warning on the first one and take points away for any after the warning. Give the person who got poked 5 minutes to recover just like a groin shot. If they dont recover then stop the fight after a doctor looks at it. -- Bruce Leighty

Like every other problem that comes up in a sport where two people are fighting each other, eye pokes will likely never go away completely. Being open to innovation will help MMA reduce this annoying way to end fights.

Thank you to everyone who responded. You can join in the fun by liking Cagewriter on Facebook.

"He doesn't like talking to the media, but it's part of his contractual obligation," White said to USA Today. "Everybody wants more money, more money, more money, but nobody wants to sell the fight or go out and talk to the media. Talking to the media is part of your job, whether you like it or not."

The UFC's newly instituted code of conduct opens the door for the promotion to fine fighters who engage in conduct that "puts at risk the promotion of a UFC event," including "failure to deliver, engage in or otherwise execute any and all promotional responsibilities."

Silva is hardly the first athlete to lose a whole lot of money for missing out on media obligations. In the NBA, LeBron James was fined $25,000 in 2009 for skipping a postgame press conference after his team was knocked out of the playoffs. When he was with the Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas was fined the same amount for not making himself available to media. Osi Umeniyora didn't go to a mandatory Super Bowl media session before his New York Giants won it in 2012, and had to pay out $20,000.

The biggest difference is that UFC athletes aren't required to make themselves available to the media nearly as often as NFL and NBA athletes are. For each of his fights, Silva will usually have to do a press conference when the fight is announced, a media conference call, one or two media events during fight week, and a postfight press conference if his health allows. For three fights a year, Silva is required to face the media 10-15 times a year.

Compare that to an NBA player like James. Between post-game interviews, post-practice interviews, and off-season interviews to help sell the Miami Heat season tickets, James has to meet with media at least 100 times a year.

Plus, UFC fighters have a financial stake in making sure their names are as popular as possible. Popularity means sponsors will pay more. It also means more fans will pay for a pay-per-view, affecting how much he will get off of pay-per-view sales.

When you combine a possible fine with other financial hits a fighter can take, it just makes more sense for fighters to put up with media. I promise. We're not that bad.

***UPDATE***

Anderson Silva gave his side of the situation early Tuesday in an interview with Brazil's Veja magazine. The segment was translated for Cagewriter by Yahoo's Fernando Arbex.

He said that what happened was a miscommunication between he and the UFC. He said he was aware of the appointment only Monday, when he was going to Los Angeles International airport (LAX) to catch a flight to Brazil.

“I've never missed a single appointment with UFC. I would never book a trip to Brazil if I knew I was supposed to be in Los Angeles. Everybody knows that I always lock in [media appearances so I can] devote myself to training, which is my priority. I’m an athlete and my focus will always be to train and be ready for the challenges”

Ranked 42nd on the list, Business Insider points out that the trash-talking Rousey has changed the sports world. She shares the list with fellow athletes Brittney Griner and Serena Williams, as well as Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Rousey's mark on the sporting landscape is unquestionable, but BI is right to say she is having an effect beyond sports. Her popularity proves that her reach is far beyond MMA fans.

And her popularity is not slowing down. Rousey was on the cover of ESPN the Magazine's 15th anniversary magazine, and recently posed for Maxim magazine's Hot 100. She will coach against Cat Zingano in the next edition of "The Ultimate Fighter," slated to premiere in September.

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Anthony Pettis has shown off his acrobatic ability in fights. The former WEC lightweight champion is still remembered for his kick off the cage that clinched his win over Benson Henderson. Now, imagine what he can do with capoeira training? Pettis has been training in Brazil, and as shown in the video above, has picked up some skills from the Brazilian martial art that mixes acrobatics, dancing and fighting.

He'll fight Jose Aldo in August for the UFC featherweight belt. Do you think we'll see him pull out any of these tricks at UFC 163? Speak up on Facebook or on Twitter.

Thanks, MMA Fighting.

Not -- Costa Philippou: Remember how his fight with Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza was listed as one of the best of the month? Too bad it's off. A cut forced Phillippou off in training, and Chris Camozzi is stepping in to fight Souza at UFC on FX 8. Rafael Natal will now fight Joao Zeferino.

Hot -- Jon Jones: He defended his title for the fifth time, tying the record set by Tito Ortiz in 2002. Sure, he jacked up his toe, but he didn't seem to mind.

Not -- Eyes: It's been a tough week for eyes. Eye pokes were the reason behind two of the stoppages at UFC 159. But things are looking up as the UFC will try to change the rules behind eye pokes in the coming months.

Hot -- Chael Sonnen: "But Maggie!" you say. "He lost his fight to Jon Jones. How can he be on the hot list?" Because the loss was completely expected, and the man didn't miss a beat. He stayed in the spotlight by bringing out an old feud with Wanderlei Silva, and ripping him on Twitter.

Not, or maybe hot, or who knows -- Cheick Kongo: After getting knocked out by Roy Nelson, Kongo's profile disappeared from the UFC site. Then, two reputable MMA news outlets reported Kongo's contract has run out, and that the UFC had no plans to re-sign the French fighter. But Kongo keeps insisting on his Twitter page that he has no plans to leave the UFC.

Thanks for sticking with Cagewriter this week. Follow CW on Twitter and Facebook.

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Spend some time this morning taking a behind-the-scenes look at Jon Jones' win over Chael Sonnen on Saturday. You'll see a Jones who is incredibly loose and relaxed before, during and after his fight. He seemed to enjoy this win more than his other title defenses, even commenting on how his happiness level is higher than it ever has been.

Mike Treadwell vs. Chris Treadwell, MFC 37, May 10: This is the brother vs. brother bout. Watch and record it on AXS, then record it. When you and your brother fight during that Mother's Day brunch, show the fight and tell your mom it could be much worse.

Costa Philippou vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, UFC on FX 8, May 18: Philippou is riding a five-fight win streak, with his last bout a TKO over Tim Boetsch. Souza is one of the latest Strikeforce imports, and he has a three-fight win streak, a nasty ground game and striking that gets more impressive with every game. Check it out before the Vitor Belfort-Luke Rockhold bout.

Fallon Fox vs. Allannah Jones, Championship Fighting Alliance, May 24: No matter your feelings on Fallon Fox, you probably want to see her fight. Some want to see her get knocked out. Some want to see how the first openly trans fighter has handled the spotlight. You can see her bout with Allannah Jones at Championship Fighting Alliance 11 which will air on AXS TV. Fox-Jones is on the undercard of the event headlined by Strikeforce standout Mike Kyle and Alistair Overeem's brother Valentijn.

Every single bout on UFC 160, May 25: The limited quantity of UFC bouts in May is made up for by the quality of fights at UFC 160. It starts with the main event. Cain Velasquez will test his title in a rematch with Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, and former champ Junior dos Santos will fight Mark Hunt in a another heavyweight bout. T.J. Grant and Gray Maynard are fighting for the next lightweight title shot. Even the preliminary card has fighters that are really fun to watch, like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Brian Bowles.

There are plenty of fight highlight videos, but few give such a stark, behind-the-scenes look as this one. Some of the moments carry more weight when you know the story behind them. Melvin Guillard hugging Donald Cerrone and coach Greg Jackson is a beautiful moment on its own, but takes on more significance when you know Guillard once trained with Jackson and Cerrone. The run-up to their fight was tense, but afterwards they shared a hug.

But most of the images need no background. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva celebrating after he knocked out Alistair Overeem, Joe Benavidez giving a quick fist-bump through the curtain of the medical area, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua not wanting to put a hat on his bruised, swollen head say enough.

Thanks to MMA Fighting.

"I have a lot of goals I want to achieve still, and retirement won't help me get that done," Sonnen said.

He said the weight class is up for debate, though he liked the switch to light heavyweight after years as a middleweight. He would also be happy to fight at a catchweight, like Rich Franklin did for a few fights when moving up in weight. But there's no question about who he wants to fight.

"I'm not going anywhere until me and Wanderlei [Silva] straighten this thing out once and for all,"

Like Sonnen, Silva has moved between middleweight, light heavyweight and catchweights somewhere between. He is also 36, but the sensible match-up isn't why Sonnen is interested in this bout. Sonnen has a problem with this video from 2010:

Here is how Sonnen viewed this video.

"Wanderlei pulled a really dirtbag move on me one time. We're in a van, he mutters something at me, I can't understand what he's saying. He then puts it on YouTube with subtitles because he knows I can't understand him. He puts in these subtitles and I don't know if it's what he's said or not. Essentially, he tells me off, and it looks as though I'm conceding to him. That doesn't fly. If he calls you out, whether it's in a van or not, if you're a fighter, you must respond. I'm ready to respond."

Silva responded by tweeting this:

@sonnench?

— Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) May 1, 2013

And then sharing the above video and saying, "Real men talk face to face."

Is this a fight you want to see, Cagereaders? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

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The UFC and the Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling announced the start of a partnership weeks ago, and Rowlands' appearance was part of that partnership. It turns out the whole discussion between the two groups started after a terse Twitter conversation between Rowlands and UFC president Dana White.

[Also: Chael Sonnen not retiring, eyes Wanderlei Silva]

Rowlands told Cagewriter he read the headline of a story that indicated White viewed the Olympics dropping wrestling as an opportunity. He tweeted White his disgust with this view, and White responded.

@tommyrowlands how is it an OP for me if it goes away!!! U have no idea what I have done for wrestling over the last 13 years.

— Dana White (@danawhite) February 15, 2013

This tense conversation turned as White and Rowlands decided to speak, and finished with this.

“@tommyrowlands: just got off phone w @danawhite let me tell u, not only is he behnd wrestling, he is 1 of our bigest fans. mor 2 come.

— Dana White (@danawhite) February 21, 2013

"For me to say I regretted it would be a lie, when I thought was I saw wrestling was boring, I felt the need to defend my sport," Rowlands said.

"He admitted he was emotional, he was able to say I would never dis wrestling. I said if you’re up for it, give me a call and we can talk."

Rowlands, White and members from CPOW met a week later in Las Vegas to discuss the ways they can support each other. Rowlands appearance on the UFC 159 telecast was the first step. Since the relationship is new, they are still developing their next steps.

Bill Scherr, the chairman of CPOW, said White's open relationship with MMA fans is what allowed this relationship to begin.

"To his credit, Dana has an open door policy with fans, and Tommy was able to walk right through," Scherr said. "We're still figuring out what we can offer them and what we can learn from them."

To learn more about CPOW's efforts to keep Olympic wrestling thriving, check out their website and follow them on Twitter.

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But a problem came up at a fight in Brazil that even the most prescient commission couldn't have expected. At WOCS 25 in Brazil, a staff member used glue to fix a hanging decal from a fight banner as staff worked on Carlo Alberto Lobo after the second round of his bout with Marcos Nene. The glue dripped onto Lobo's eye. Thinking it was the Vaseline that is applied to a fighter's face to discourage cuts, he rubbed it and ending up gluing his eye shut.

Fight staff worked like crazy to open Lobo's eye back up, but it didn't work. The fight was stopped. The crazy part? They had to go the scorecards and Lobo still won.

Thanks, Middle Easy.

White called the act cowardly:

“How cowardly and disgusting that these people, who lived in the city as long as they did, did that. To put the bag right next to kids, I don’t even like talking about it. It’s just disgusting.

He told the Boston Globe that he and the Fertitta brothers donated personally to the One Fund, which will help the people most affected by the bombings. The UFC and Fox also gave money.

The UFC also did something on a smaller scale that still gave some smiles to Boston UFC fans. The days after UFC 159, they conducted their #Hunt4UFC in Boston. Usually, the UFC only does their Twitter-based scavenger hunt in fight cities. White tweeted locations where Bostonians could find UFC gear. On Monday, Red Sox player and friend of the UFC Shane Victorino participated.

Be near Fenway in 1 hr RT @shanevictorino: Signing some @redsox gear for the next #Hunt4UFC. Get ready Boston!!! twitter.com/ShaneVictorino…

— Dana White (@danawhite) April 29, 2013

White and the UFC's actions won't erase what happened to Boston, but it can help some of its citizens on the way to recovery.

The UFC's vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner has one idea that he thinks will help situations like the one that arose during Villante's loss. Ovince St-Preux inadvertently poked Villante in the eye. Referee Kevin Mulhall didn't see the poke, but Villante stepped back and said he was poked in the eye. Mulhall asked Villante if he could see, Villante responded he couldn't, and in accordance with MMA rules, the fight was stopped.

What Ratner wants to do is take the referee out of the decision to stop the fight. Since it's a medical decision, let the fight doctor make it. It will also give fighters time to recover as they wait for the doctor to come into the cage.

"I think by bringing the doctor in, just the whole operation will take a couple of minutes, and I think that should alleviate most of the pain and give us enough time to make sure the guy can fight," Ratner said.

Ratner will introduce this change to the Association of Boxing Commissions, the national oversight group of state MMA and boxing associations.

Referee John McCarthy also favors this approach:

From the eye poke. U can use the doctor 2 help in giving the fighter time 2 clear their vision.There is no need to rush in this situation

— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) April 28, 2013

A change to allow some extra time would also keep fighters out of the weird position of possibly lying to officials. Villante honestly answered the question, "Can you see?" He didn't think Mulhall would stop the fight because of it. This situation could make fighters think twice about how they answer the question, which could put their health in danger.

The open-fingered gloves don't help. Fighters use sparring gloves that are smaller than boxing gloves in training, but the gloves' size would get in the way during ground fighting and submission attempts. UFC commentator Joe Rogan has spoken during many fights about the need for a better design for fight gloves, but none have surfaced among high-level fighting.

How can MMA fix this problem? Great ideas don't have to come from executives or state commissioners. If you have an idea to combat eye pokes, share it on Cagewriter's Facebook page. We'll feature the best ones in a post.

UFC 159 had a run of some odd injuries. How are the fighters feeling now?

First up, Alan Belcher, whose eye gushed blood after Michael Bisping accidentally poked him. Belcher's career went on hiatus in 2010 and 2011 when he had to undergo emergency eye surgery to save his vision. The sight of a doctor checking out Belcher's vision was worrisome. Luckily, he just needed stitches on his eyelid.

I'm ok.. Just got back from e.r.8 stitches in eyelid. Disappointed. To my real supporters, I'm sorry, thank you once again.

— alan belcher(@alanbelcherufc) April 28, 2013

Here's a closer pic twitter.com/alanbelcherufc…

— alan belcher(@alanbelcherufc) April 28, 2013

Bisping beat Belcher on Saturday, but is facing some medical issues of his own. He is suffering from nerve damage that requires surgery.

"I have stenosis, which is a trapped nerve that causes atrophy and numbness in my right arm,” Bisping said on Fuel TV after his fight at UFC 159. “It’s progressively getting worse and worse. I saw a surgeon about six weeks before this fight and they told me I needed surgery (but) there was no way I was going to pull out of this fight.”

He said that he will head home and sort everything out when he decides his next steps are.

Finally, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' toe nearly tore off during his fight with Chael Sonnen. Doctors fixed it up, and here's his update:

Got my big toe back intact :) twitter.com/JonnyBones/sta…

— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 28, 2013

Thankfully, bone is no longer sticking out of his body.

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No. 1 star -- Jon Jones: As we've said since the fight was made, Chael Sonnen was not the right competition for UFC light heavyweight Jones because he is middleweight coming off of a loss. Jones could have taken Sonnen lightly and still probably won, but he didn't do that. He used the fight as another opportunity to show his dominance, beating Sonnen at his own game by taking him down several times before finishing the fight near the end of the first round.

Would the fight have been stopped if they made it out of the first round, and the referee had noticed Jones' mangled toe? Who cares? It didn't happen, and Jones is still the champ.

No. 2 star -- Pat Healy: The UFC's already stacked lightweight division somehow got even tough with Healy's performance on Saturday night. Along with Jim Miller, he put on a show then finished the fight in the third round. He won both Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night, meaning Healy walked away with an extra $130,000.

No. 3 star -- Sara McMann: As an Olympic silver medal-winning wrestler, McMann is one of the most decorated athletes to join the UFC. This means she had big expectations to perform, and she exceeded them. McMann used wrestling and power to stop Sheila Gaff in the first round.

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UFC president Dana White started the post-UFC 159 press conference with these words. The event featured a nasty broken thumb on Yancy Medeiros, and equally nasty broken toe on Jon Jones, two fight stoppages because of eyepokes, and one fight that was canceled hours before it was supposed to happen.

But the craziest part of all? The demonic voice that was heard between rounds of Michael Bisping's win over Alan Belcher.

Did the gates of hell open before the fight, and did Satan send his minions to New Jersey? Were Bisping's cornermen, who were bathed in creepy red light, actually demons? Middle Easy thinks it was a spell from "Passages of the Dead."

It's possible the UFC ticked off the wrong person and got the evil eye thrown its way. The bigger question: Are we all cursed for watching the bouts?

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Can anyone beat this guy? Here are a few contenders.

Alexander Gustafsson: He's one of the few elite, light heavyweight fighters who hasn't faced Jones. Like Jones, he uses his height and length to keep opponents at bay. He's ready for a fight now because he was pulled from a bout with Gegard Mousasi earlier this month because of a cut. Gustafsson is also who Jones wants to face.

[Related: Jon Jones makes quick work of Chael Sonnen]

"A lot of people think I've been successful because I appear to be larger than my opponents, and with Alexander, that would be no more," Jones said at the post-UFC 159 news conference. "That's who I would like to fight next."

Gustafsson is in:

Congratz @jonnybones Champ! Heal up good now so we

— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) April 28, 2013

Can do this ;)

— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) April 28, 2013

Daniel Cormier: The Strikeforce grand prix heavyweight champ had a successful UFC debut against Frank Mir. As a two-time Olympic wrestler with knockout power, he has the skills to stop Jones. UFC president Dana White said Cormier would get an immediate title shot if he were to drop down. The weight drop is the biggest question. Cormier wrestled at 211 lbs., and suffered from kidney failure the last time he tried to get to that weight. It won't be an easy cut for him.

Anderson Silva: White said he received a call from the middleweight champ right after the Jones bout, asking for a superfight with either Jones or Georges St-Pierre. White wouldn't confirm who Silva was asking for, but why would he ask for a bout with GSP right after watching Jones fight? It's the superfight MMA fans want, but Silva has Chris Weidman in July first.

[Photos: Jon Jones pummels Chael Sonnen, suffers gruesome injury]

Time off: This is likely Jones' next contender. During Saturday night's fight, he broke his toe in an ugly fashion. Even with Gustafsson, Silva and Cormier waiting for a fight, Jones needs to heal.

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What do you want Jones to do next? Speak up on Facebook or on Twitter.

"I'm not going to be one of the guys to hang around. If there's not a road to the title, then this sport isn't for me. I believe that was probably my last opportunity," Sonnen said to UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

He didn't specifically say "I'm retiring," but he did talk about the end of the road. This seems like more than the emotional ramblings of a fighter after a bad loss. B.J. Penn threatened retirement several times before it stuck. Nick Diaz has retired and unretired plenty of times.

Retirement wouldn't be out of the question. He's 36 years old and has fought in 40 fights after a long career as an amateur and collegiate wrestler.

If he does decide to retire, don't expect him to play shuffleboard and take up gardening. He already works as a commentator for Fox's broadcasts. During the last season of "The Ultimate Fighter," he proved to be a capable coach. Retirement would not mean Sonnen was done with MMA.

Sonnen talked his way into a title shot with Jones just months after he dropped a title shot to Anderson Silva at middleweight. Deserved or not, Sonnen has had several chances to win the UFC belt, and he hasn't won any of them. Not many fighters get more chances than he has. If the belt is the only thing that's important, why not retire?

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It was a surprising score. It didn't take anything away from Davis' win, but it was odd enough that Magalhaes spoke up about it.

One insane judge gave me a round... I lost all 3 fair and square...

— Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) April 28, 2013

Davis and Magalhaes talked trash to each other for months before their bout. Magalhaes left the bad blood in the cage, and was able to give himself an honest assessment moments after the loss.

Healy, who returned to the UFC after spending much of his career in Strikeforce, put Miller to sleep with a rear naked choke in the third round of their thrilling bout. As the two stood on either side of referee Herb Dean to have the fight result announced, Buffer announced the winner by submission was Jim Mill-Pat Healy!

Healy smiled and corrected Buffer, who rarely makes such errors. It was a lighthearted moment that Healy laughed about after a thrilling bout.

Miller started out landing leg kicks and used ground and pound to beat up Healy in the first round. Near the end of the round, Healy was saved by the bell as Miller's ground and pound was close to ending the bout before the horn sounded.

[Also: Two bizarre endings mar UFC 159 prelims]

It was in the third that Healy turned the bout around. Healy weakened Miller with striking, then took him down and took his back. He sunk in the rear naked choke, and Miller's arms went limp. The fight was stopped at 4:02 in the third because Miller was out.

Miller wanted to use the bout to convince UFC president Dana White that he was ready for a title shot. Instead, it was Healy who stood out. In his post-fight interview with UFC commentator, he warned other UFC lightweights to watch out because he was "putting them on blast."

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After a back-and-forth, but not entirely thrilling bout, St-Preux threw a punch and accidentally poked Villante in the eye. Villante stepped back and crouched down, indicating to referee Kevin Mulhall that there was a problem with the eye. Mulhall asked Villante if he could see, and Villante said no, he couldn't see.

At that point, Mulhall waved his arms and the fight was stopped. Villante protested, but the fight was over. Because the round had started, it had to be judged. The scores were 30-28, 29-28 and 29-29 in St-Preux's favor.

“I couldn’t see. He did poke me in the eye so I don’t know," Villante said after the fight. "He said the fight was over and I didn’t expect that because I was just reacting to his question. I got poked and my eye was closed up so I thought he would stop it but he didn’t, he just kind of looked at me. I don’t understand how you score thirty seconds of a round and that’s how I lost? We were just getting going and I got poked in the eye. I don’t know what to say.”

Mulhall's stoppage adhered to the eyepoke rule, if not literally, then in spirit. When a fighter says he can't see, the fight is stopped. However, Mulhall could have used better communication and followed procedures. It would have been better if he explained to Villante that he didn't have time to recover and that the fight would be stopped if he said he couldn't see.

UFC 159's weird streak continued in the very next bout. Rustam Khabilov and Yancy Medeiros' fight was stopped halfway through the first round. Medeiros defended a Khabilov takedown attempt, but hit his hand awkwardly. His thumb ended up pointing a way thumbs are not supposed to point and the bout was stopped at 2:32 of the first round.

Two weird endings marred the preliminary card, but the UFC rarely lets a weird ending go. Quite often, these fights get a rematch, so don't be shocked if you see these fights happen again on a card this summer.

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UFC 159 hype, suspensions ending and a state still not jumping aboard on the MMA train – it was another full week of MMA. See who made the hot or not list.

Hot – Chael Sonnen: We won't know if he's a winner in the cage until late Saturday night as he takes on Jon Jones for the championship belt at UFC 159. However, this man is already a winner in the financial arena. According to the Los Angeles Times, he took home $8 million for his bout with Anderson Silva. Main event fighters quite often get a percentage of pay-per-view buys, which explains both why he made so much at UFC 148 and why he's working so hard to sell his fight with Jones.

Not – Nate Diaz: He lost by a TKO to Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox on Saturday night, which was enough to land him on the not list. Diaz took an extra step to make it here by saying that Thomson, who knocked him out, was running from him the entire fight.

"He didn't come in there and put no [expletive] whopping on me. You know what I'm saying? He didn't come in there and make anything happen. I have never fought somebody before who had ever wanted out of a fight so bad. I expected a fight. I expected him to grab me and try to hold on to me or throw some kicks and move and throw some punches and move but that [expletive] was straight running and I had to chase him down."

Again, it was Thomson who finished Diaz.

Hot -- Matt Mitrione: His suspension for using hate-filled language against lasted just a few weeks, and he has a fight scheduled for this summer.

Not -- MMA in New York: Even though UFC 159 is in nearby Newark, N.J., MMA is still not sanctioned in New York. The UFC has poured quite a lot of money into lobbying for the sport but it's done nothing. At this point, even UFC president Dana White is "over" MMA in New York.

Kevin Iole -- Jon Jones TKO2 Chael Sonnen: I've been on a terrible run with my picks in 2013, so my choice might be the thing that helps produce one of the UFC's greatest upsets. But looking closely at the bout, I see no way Sonnen can win it. I expect Jones to get a takedown at some point, cut Sonnen open with an elbow and finish it that way.

Maggie Hendricks -- Jon Jones TKO3 Chael Sonnen: When you cut through the smack talk and look at their actual skills in the cage, Sonnen is moving up in weight to meet a fighter who is younger, faster and more skilled.

[Also: The secret of Jon Jones' success]

Cagereaders -- 68 percent of Cagereaders said Jones would win:
I believe that Jones has more of an arsenal and can keep sonnen guessing as to what is coming next. - Fred Mull
Sonnen never deserves this title shot. Jones by KO in 2nd by GNP elbows, or Sonnen simply quits before getting knocked out when he realizes he has no business in the octagon with Jones. - Chris Dryden

***

Kevin Iole -- Michael Bisping TKO3 Alan Belcher: Both men are inconsistent and both badly need a solid win. I think Bisping gets it by staying on his feet and going back to his kick boxing background.

Maggie Hendricks -- Alan Belcher W3 Michael Bisping: This is a tight fight, but Belcher will take it by bringing the fight to the ground.

Cagereaders -- 50.8 percent of Cagereaders said Bisping will take this bout:
Belcher is more well rounded than Bisping -- Trampas Lee Fleming

***

Kevin Iole -- Roy Nelson SUB2 Cheick Kongo: Roy has the power to knock Cheick out. I think he'll hurt him with one of those big windmill right hands he fires and then finish him with a choke.

Maggie Hendricks -- Roy Nelson W3 Cheick Kongo: Nelson has an iron chin, and will be able to withstand Kongo's power.

Cagereaders -- 81 percent of Cagereaders say Nelson will take this fight:
Nelson has a heavy hand and stronger chin than Kongo. -- Pinkie Aman Suarez

***

Kevin Iole -- Phil Davis W3 Vinny Maghalaes: Davis will have to be careful on the ground with Maghalaes, but I believe he's the better overall fighter and that he'll score a convincing decision victory.

Maggie Hendricks -- Phil Davis W3 Vinny Magalhaes: It may not be thrilling, but it will be a wrestling-filled win for Mr. Wonderful.

Cagereaders -- 84 percent of Cagereaders said Davis will take this bout:
Potential submission of the night. Phil is too quick and talented, will submit the submission expert -- Marvin Ishmael

***

Kevin Iole -- Jim Miller W3 Pat Healy: This has the potential to steal the show. It's an excellent bout and I see Miller with a very slight edge.

Maggie Hendricks -- Jim Miller SUB2 Pat Healy: It's been three years since Healy was submitted, but Miller has the skill to do it.

Cagereaders -- 92 percent of you said Miller will win:
Miller had a war against Joe last time out and will come out strong as usual -- Mike Terry

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Yet now, on April 25, Mitrione is off suspension and has a fight scheduled. Mitrione will fight fellow "The Ultimate Fighter" castmember Brendan Schaub on the July 27 UFC on Fox 8 show.

122 days passed between Mitrione's last two fights. By the time he gets in the cage with Brendan Schaub at UFC on Fox 8, 112 days will have passed since his knockout of Philip de Fries. How is that a suspension?

Here we have the problem with MMA and suspensions. This isn't like football or basketball, where every athlete has the same amount of events, and a suspension of five games means the same thing for everyone. In MMA, some fighters fight once a year. Some fight four times a year. For a suspension to mean anything, it has to be for several months, and a fighter's ability to get in the cage must be affected.

Does Chael Sonnen have any real chance at beating UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones? Sonnen's moving up to 205 lbs. after spending his entire UFC career at middleweight. He is 2-3 in his last five fights, with both losses coming to Anderson Silva. Two of those wins were decisions, including a close one with Michael Bisping. Though Sonnen talks a good game, he just isn't on the same level as Jones. Every fighter has a puncher's chance in the cage. Will Sonnen find that one punch to get it done?

Will any punches be thrown in Phil Davis and Vinny Magalhaes' bout? When a Division I NCAA champion wrestler and a world champion jiu-jitsu player face off, will their ground game be neutralized? Watching their match will be like a chess match unfold.

Can Jim Miller change UFC president Dana White's mind about the next lightweight title shot? After Benson Henderson defended the UFC lightweight championship belt, White said the next title shot will go to the winner of Gray Maynard's May bout with T.J. Grant. Miller said this week that he wants to perform so well against Pat Healy that White will be forced to reconsider.

"It all comes down to timing and performances," he said. "I'm looking to make a statement on Saturday night. I'm hoping Dana forgets all the things he just said about the Maynard-Grant fight. It's happened before. Nothing's guaranteed about a No. 1 contender spot. I might (have to do some talking). But I plan on making some noise with my fists and my elbows and my knees."

Will Miller be able to get that title shot he's always wanted?

Can Sheila Gaff's finishing ability neutralize Sara McMann's wrestling? McMann is one of the most well-credentialed wrestlers to ever enter the octagon. She was an Olympic silver medalist in 2004, plus has three medals from world championships. Gaff's last three fights have ended in a first-round knockout, so will she be able to come up with another big finish against McMann's elite wrestling?

Don't forget to make your picks for UFC 159 on Cagewriter's Facebook page.

So imagine my surprise when I heard from women's groups that I've long respected that the sport I cover is full of negative attitudes against women. As New York debates legislation sanctioning MMA, women's groups have protested because of the "violent nature of MMA."

"Due to the violent nature of mixed martial arts and the surprisingly high incidence of unchallenged sexism and misogyny displayed by certain fighters, commentators and other public figures associated with this sport, the prospect of legalization in New York state raises legitimate concerns about the increased exposure of our children to this new and potentially very negative influence," stated a bill introduced Friday by state Sen. Liz Krueger, who represents much of Manhattan's east side.

Have MMA figures said and done terribly misogynistic things? Absolutely. But so have NFL players. So have NHL players. Both football and hockey also feature violent collisions and catastrophic injuries. Where are the protests to evict the Buffalo Bills or New York Rangers from the state?

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, who has been lobbying for MMA's sanctioning in New York for years, thinks that these women's groups are being used as a pawn by the Culinary Union.

“It’s actually kind of sad,” Fertitta said. “These women’s organizations and women’s groups stand for great things … yet they are being used as a pawn by the Culinary Union.”

The union has a beef with Fertitta and his brother Frank because they own the largest non-union casinos in Las Vegas. The union has contacted women's groups to bring their attention MMA's rise and possible sanctioning in New York. But what would make more sense for the union to focus on is that fighters don't have a collective bargaining agreement and aren't unionized.

Krueger and others have pointed to links between MMA and violence when no such link has been found. There is also no discussion of how MMA has empowered women as fighters, officials, media and fans, or how women have learned self defense techniques at MMA gyms across the country. Invicta FC, a promotion run by a woman that features women's bouts, must have escaped their view.

There are real problems facing women. Sexual violence, domestic abuse, unequal pay, unequal treatment in the workplace, sexual harassment, and many other serious issues face women every day. Let's focus on how we should solve those real issues, and not a sport that has no proven link to any of these problems.

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre stopped by the "UFC Tonight" studio and talked about the challenges he sees on the horizon. While everyone is clamoring for an Anderson Silva-Georges St-Pierre bout, he thinks there are still plenty of challenges for him to tackle at welterweight. And as he's claimed many times, St-Pierre said a move up to fight Silva at middleweight would have to be a permanent move because he doesn't want to cut back down. GSP also talked about his new book, his week of Hollywood glamor, and the reasoning behind that hair. Check it out.

UFC 159 main eventers Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen spent some quality time at the ESPN offices on Tuesday to promote Saturday's bout. Sonnen stopped by "SportsCenter" to do an interview with Sage Steele, and the result was ... weird.

Instead of answering Steele's question about hating opponents, Sonnen asked to touch Steele's hair, remarked that her hair is real and soft, yelled about his fight, told Steele he doesn't hate women, and then showed off his biceps. Even for Sonnen's shtickiness, it was bizarre. He usually can answer a question before taking his turn towards promoting, and he normally doesn't try to flirt with reporters.

Go to Cagewriter's Facebook page and vote for who you think will win. Click on the fight for the poll that bout:

Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
Alan Belcher vs. Michael Bisping
Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller

If you want your picks to show up on Cagewriter next to picks from Kevin Iole and me, write in the comments why you think your choice will win. On Friday, we'll run picks and results of the poll.

UFC president Dana White released his latest video blog. This one takes a behind-the-scenes look at UFC 158 in Montreal, complete with a whole lot of bro-hugging. As you watch, turn the volume on your computer down if you're at a workplace where the F-bomb isn't OK, and keep an eye out for these moments:

-- Referee Yves Levigne talking to Antonio Carvalho about the stoppage of his bout with Darren Elkins. Levigne explained his thought process to Carvalho, which can be instructional for Carvalho and other fighters in the future. The best referees are those who are communicative, and Levigne did a good job here.

-- White's expletive-filled reaction to the excellent bout between Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit

-- At UFC 158, Bruce Buffer made a rare mistake, calling the Condit-Hendricks bout the main event when it was the co-main. Buffer works really hard at making his announcing special, and you can see how upset he was by the mistake when he talked to White about it.

-- Nick Diaz and Dan Hardy, both men who have dropped decisions to Georges St-Pierre, talking about fighting.

What do these fighters have in common? They all fight for Team Alpha Male, the camp headed by UFC veteran and former WEC champ Urijah Faber. Throw in that Faber has two submission wins in two months, and 2013 has been very good to the Team Alpha Males.

But what is it that has pushed these men to such a win streak? Take a look in their corner. The newest addition is UFC veteran Duane Ludwig, who is recovering from a knee injury and a tough, three-loss run in the UFC. He started with Team Alpha Male early this year, and has clearly made a difference.

Dillashaw said Ludwig's role of head trainer has helped develop the talent that was already in their camp.

"I believe we had the talent already in our gym – we had all the talent in the world," Dillashaw told MMAjunkie.com. "(Ludwig) just came in and kind of perfected it. He changed some small things and is just kind of staying on us."

Team Alpha Male has long had a reputation for taking wrestlers and turning them into fighters. Mendes, Faber and Dillashaw were all Division I wrestlers for California schools. Benavidez wrestled in high school and for a year in college. Under Faber's tutelage, this band of fighters were good enough to earn title shots, but they didn't fare well in those fights.

At UFC 149, Faber lost to Renan Barao in an interim men's bantamweight title fight. Jose Aldo knocked out Chad Mendes when they fought for the featherweight title at UFC 142. Benavidez has dropped a title bout at bantamweight and most recently, against Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152 at flyweight.

Ludwig's next task will be helping his fighters come up with a way to win those title fights. Mendes has had three, first-round knockout wins since losing to Aldo and is back in the title picture. Benavidez's two wins since losing to Johnson have him on the path back to another title shot.

Will Ludwig help his fighters get that elusive belt? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

UFC on Fox 7 had knockouts, more knockouts, and even a proposal. But whose performance stood above the rest? With so many great performances, it was hard to pick just three.

No. 1 star -- Josh Thomson: After years in Strikeforce, Thomson was eager to prove that he belonged in the elite of the UFC's stacked lightweight division. He did that by TKOing Nate Diaz, which is the first time Diaz was knocked out in his career.

[Related: Winners and losers from UFC on Fox 7]

No. 2 star -- Matt Brown: If Dante Alighieri was alive and an MMA fan, he would add a 10th circle of hell -- facing Matt Brown. He was aggressive and relentless in his win over Jordan Mein. Even after body shots appeared to weaken him, Brown came back to win with a TKO in the second round. Brown is now hoping for a title shot. After five overwhelming wins, who can say he shouldn't get one?

No. 3 star -- Myles Jury: In his third UFC bout, Jury pasted Ramsey Nijem in the second round. He's yet to lose, and of his 12 wins, only one has gone to the judges. At just 24 years old, it's likely we're going to hear more from Jury. His next fight should be a considerable step up in competition in the UFC's lightweight division.

Who were your Three Stars? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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Since there were no submissions, they gave out two $50,000 knockout bonuses. One went Josh Thomson, who delivered the first knockout against Nate Diaz. It was Thomson's first fight in the UFC since 2004. He fought in Strikeforce for several years, and returned to the promotion after the parent company who owns the UFC bought and then folded Strikeforce.

The other $50,000 bonus went to Yoel Romero, who was making his UFC debut after fights in Strikeforce and a long career as an Olympic-level wrestler. In the first fight on the card, Romero knocked out Clifford Starks with a flying knee.

Fight of the Night bonuses of $50,000 each went to Matt Brown and Jordan Mein. Though their fight lasted just six minutes, every second of the bout was memorable. Brown started strong as he aggressively put Mein on his heels, but Mein appeared to wobble Brown with body shots. One minute into the second round, Brown notched the TKO win.

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UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson won a very close decision over Gilbert Melendez at UFC on Fox 7. With the win, he held onto his gold championship belt, but right after the decision was read, another piece of jewelry was on his mind.

With the crowd in San Jose booing, Henderson's girlfriend, Maria Magana, was led into the Octagon. Henderson told UFC commentator Joe Rogan, "I gotta see about a girl real quick." He motioned to one of his cornermen, who pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket and handed it to Henderson. The champ then dropped to one knee and popped the question.

"I love you. I'm not perfect. I never have been, but you make me happier every single day than any man has a right to be. I love you. Will you marry me?"

[Related: Benson Henderson's controversial win caps off thrilling night]

Magana answered yes, even as the crowd continued to boo. The post-fight proposal had to be approved by several parties including UFC president Dana White and Magana's father.

The happy couple posed for a picture right after the fight.

The night could have very easily been much less joyful for the couple, as Henderson's win was razor-close. Melendez, the Strikeforce champion who was making his UFC debut, started strong. He neutralized Henderson by landing several kicks.

But as the fight wore on into the fourth and fifth rounds, the momentum turned towards Henderson. He finished with impressive flurries late in the third round, and was able to land enough kicks on Melendez that a welt appeared on his leg. Melendez slowed down, but neither fighter was able to consistently apply offense.

That didn't matter to Henderson after the bout.

"There's a lot of bigger things than fighting, and I had to take care of one of those things tonight," Henderson told Rogan after the successful fight and proposal.

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The kick was damaging, as seen in this shot, and sent Diaz to the ground.

Thomson's strikes after the headkick were so damaging that Diaz's corner threw a towel into the cage as referee Mike Beltran stopped the bout.

Though Diaz has lost decisions n his UFC career, this is the first time he was stopped since 2006. It's his second loss in a row, as he dropped a title fight to Benson Henderson in December. Diaz talked about moving back to welterweight from lightweight after this bout, which appears to be a viable move.

Before this fight, Thomson's last bout was a loss to Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez. Thomson has struggled with injuries, but when he's healthy, he can do things like knock out Diaz.

In earlier action, Matt Brown continued an impressive run by withstanding Jordan Mein's attacks and scoring a TKO in the second round. Brown is on a five-fight win streak, with four of those wins coming by knockout or technical knockout.

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UFC on Fox 7 started out with a knockout, followed by a knockout and then a knockout. Before fans at the fights in San Jose had eaten lunch, the competition was already fierce for the Knockout of the Night.

It started with Yoel Romero, an Olympic wrestler who knocked out Clifford Starks with a flying knee 1:32 in the first round.

Anthony Njokuani followed Romero's knockout with a pasting of Roger Bowling. Njokuani ruined Bowling's UFC debut with a second-round KO.

T.J. Dillashaw kept the KO-party going with a knockout of Hugo Viana at 4:22 of the first round. Jorge Masvidal won a bloody technical decision over Tim Means and then the knockout fun started all over again.

Joseph Benavidez dominated Darren Uyenoyama for two rounds, then finished up with a TKO with just 10 seconds left in the second round.

Myles Jury stayed undefeated with a knockout of Ramsey Nijem at 1:02 in the second round. Francis Carmont and Lorenz Larkin broke the KO streak with a decision. The judges saw it 29-28 on all three cards for Carmont, thought Larkin controlled the bout and had stellar takedown defense.

Chad Mendes finished off the knockout-filled preliminary card with a KO of Darren Elkins in 1:08. It's his third straight win since losing to Jose Aldo in his first title shot. After the fight, he asked for another one.

What did you think of the prelims? Speak up on Facebook or in the comments. Get in the fight night conversation by following Cagewriter on Twitter.

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In trying times, sports can give us something to talk about that doesn't involve bombs and explosions and death tolls. If you don't want a diversion, no one will blame you, but if you do, the hot or not list from the week in MMA.

Hot -- Science: UFC president Dana White has been battling with Meniere's Disease, a disorder of the inner-ear that has wreaked havoc on his health. A surgery that was supposed to help didn't, but White tried a new therapy that he says has made a huge difference. White went to Germany and received platement-rich plasma therapy, after New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez told him to, of course.

Not -- Fans who take swings at fighters: OK, it was just one fan, but it was one fan too many. Taking a swing at Chael Sonnen or anyone else is the kind of thing that could raise security levels hinder the access fans have to their favorite fighters.

Hot -- Jon Jones: Though he made a bad move when he accused, then withdrew his accusations, Sonnen of taking steroids, Jones is still having a good week. His Nike line is on sale, making him the first UFC fighter with his own shoe.

Not -- Josh Rosenthal: The well-respected MMA referee had a bad week that probably could have been worse. After he was busted for conspiracy charges because he owned a warehouse full of marijuana plants, Rosenthal plead guilty and faces 37 months in jail.

Still taking temperature -- Benson Henderson: The UFC lightweight champ will defend his belt against Gilbert Melendez on Saturday night at UFC on Fox 7. We will find out if he's still the hottest in his division.

Stick with Cagewriter on Twitter for more on Saturday night's fights.

Has Gilbert Melendez been the best lightweight in the world all along? While he was the Strikeforce lightweight champion, Melendez's competition was thin. He put together an impressive win streak, but he also always wanted to get a shot at the UFC. Now, he has it with a bout against UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson. Will Melendez come away with the championship belt?

[Related: Daniel Cormier noncommital about future following Frank Mir]

Where does Daniel Cormier rank among the best heavyweights? He knocked out Antonio Silva and beat Josh Barnett. In fact, Cormier has beaten every fighter put in front of him, putting together a record of 11-0. This will be his first time fighting in the UFC, taking on Frank Mir, who hasn't fought since he lost to Junior dos Santos in May of 2012. Will Cormier's unbeaten streak continue?

Who will stay unbeaten? Cormier, Lorenz Larkin, Myles Jury and Hugo Viana are all undefeated. Which fighter will keep his 0?

Coming off short notice, will Jordan Mein's white hot win streak continue? Unlike most of the Strikeforce fighters on Saturday's card, Mein already made his UFC debut. He beat Dan Miller with a first-round TKO at UFC 158, but he stepped in for an injured Dan Hardy for a bout with Matt Brown. It's not an easy fight to take on short notice, but we'll see if Mein can win his fourth straight.

Will Strikeforce win the day? Nine of Saturday's bouts pit fighters with Strikeforce backgrounds against UFC mainstays. Since Strikeforce fighters started moving to the UFC, they have been impressive. However, will they be able to take Saturday's dual meet?

What are you most looking forward to? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook and on Twitter.

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At "The Ultimate Fighter" finale on Saturday, a Brazilian fan called Chael Sonnen over to the stands, and then threw a punch that didn't land. A security guard stepped in and dragged the fan away.

[Also: Daniel Cormier noncommital about future following Frank Mir]

Sonnen took the incident in stride.

"It was very quick, like those things typically happen," Sonnen told MMAjunkie.com. "I was visiting with some fans, and a gentleman had started in on me. Ultimately, that's what it led to.

"I think a fan can do anything they want. I think they can heckle, a fan can boo, but they can't touch you. But the same thing goes for me. I can yell at a fan too, but you can't touch them. If you want to be a fan, you buy the ticket, and you can have any energy you want, whether it's positive or negative. And in this case it was negative, and he went a little too far."

A little tip for fans -- don't try to hit fighters. Don't hit anyone, really, but you definitely should not hit a professional fighter. Even if you don't think much of his fighting skill, he's still among the best fighters in the world. At best, you'll look like a fool. At worst? You'll end up knocked out.

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