After a bit of a stumble to start out last year, John “The Natural” Alessio righted his ship and is coming into his first fight of 2012 on a winning streak.

“Obviously the year started a little bit shaky with the Siyar (Bahadurzada) fight and all those shenanigans, but after that, the year went pretty good,” said Alessio. “I rattled off two wins; I won my debut at lightweight (against Luiz Firmino). So I’m pretty happy with the way the year ended.”

Originally scheduled to face Ryan Healy in December, Alessio will get his opportunity to make his televised debut at lightweight when the two finally meet at Score Fighting Series on March 16 in Edmonton, Ontario.

“I really feel like I’m better everywhere than him,” said Alessio. “I feel like I’m going to be able to dictate where this fight goes – and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

“I feel like I can finish him. Once the choke is on, he can be as resilient as he wants, but after about seven seconds, he’s going to sleep. He can take a punch and he can take a beating, but I feel I have the power to knock him out.”

Alessio told MMAWeekly.com that with an impressive win over Healy, he hopes to attract the attention of the UFC and return to Zuffa for the first time since 2008 when he was with the WEC.

“This is a fight where I feel like I can look really good and impress them and let them know how ready I am,” he said.

“I’m really hoping to get on that July Calgary UFC card. That’s close to my home town and I’ve fought in Alberta numerous times with the MFC and other shows. I have a good following in Alberta and British Columbia which is right next to it.”

After an admittedly destructive life outside the cage when he first was with the company, Alessio feels he’s turned his life around and can be the kind of fighter that can set an example for others around him.

“I’ve changed my life. I’m a good man, a good husband, and am trying to be a good father,” he said. “I’m trying to do everything right. I’m ready to be a positive role model to other fighters and kids who are into the sport.

“I’m not the one who’s out there popping drug tests, popping for steroids, or not making weight and all these things that fighters seem to get rewarded for. I’d like to portray an opposite role there.”

Having made great strides to improve both inside and outside the cage in recent years, Alessio feels this could be his year, and that other 155-pound fighters had best take notice.

“Obviously Ben Henderson is the man, Frankie Edgar is the man, but I really feel I can compete with those guys and beat them,” he said. “I don’t feel like there’s anybody in the weight class that I’m scared of or don’t want to fight. I invite every opportunity there is.

“If you’re a lightweight, you’re in my way and I’m coming for you.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/if-youre-a-lightweight-john-alessio-is-after-you

UFC Champ Signs Multi-Year Endorsement Deal With Hayabusa


Hayabusa has a long history of working with elite MMA fighters and has just partnered with Welterweight Champion Georges ‘Rush’ St-Pierre. St-Pierre is a consummate professional and an excellent role model for aspiring Mixed Martial Artists. Hayabusa feels St-Pierre compliments the brand very well, “Georges brings dignity, professionalism, honor and respect to the sport of MMA and we are excited to have him as the newest member of the Hayabusa team.”
St-Pierre is a Canadian professional mixed martial artist and world champion who holds black belts in both Kyokushin karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has become one of the most dominant wrestlers in MMA. St-Pierre is dedicated to being the best in the world and this new partnership with Hayabusa is a perfect fit. “I give everything I have when I train, 100% and nothing less. I need equipment that can keep up with me and I know that is Hayabusa. I am proud to be representing Hayabusa and what they stand for,” said Georges St-Pierre.

St-Pierre is a multi dimensional fighter with huge crossover appeal. “Georges is more than a fighter. He is a martial artist and a world class athlete. With our full range of combat equipment, we are able to meet all his training needs,” Hayabusa stated. “At Hayabusa, we look for long term partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Georges is the complete package and will make an excellent ambassador for the Hayabusa brand.”

Hayabusa is the industry leader in combat equipment and is proud to welcome Georges St-Pierre to the team.

http://www.themmanews.com/ufc-champ-signs-multi-year-endorsement-deal-with-hayabusa/

Rampage Jackson Tweets That He Wants UFC To Release Him, Can Get Better Fights Elsewhere


If you thought the saga of Quinton Jackson had ended with last week's Twitter barrage, think again.

The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion took to the popular social media tool Friday night and unleashed more newsworthy thoughts including how the UFC took away his love of fighting and that he wants the organization to release him.

It started Friday afternoon with Jackson answering fans and throwing this gem out there:

OldNickSuperchi Nick Superchi
@Rampage4real Don't leave UFC dude! We'll miss you too much! Been a fan since your pride days and will support you no matter what!
Mar 09 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @OldNickSuperchi↑ @Rampage4real

Quinton Jackson @OldNickSuperchi the ufc makes billions off us all over the world,n pay us chump change! Boxers r boring but making buckets of money,THINK!
Mar 09 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply

It then continued with this Jackson claim:

@Rampage4real
Quinton Jackson "@OUnab: @Rampage4real Go Rampage! You're one of the best personality/fighter in mma history, the sport needs u!" @ufc said I lost my appeal

Much more Jackson craziness after the jump including his request that the UFC "just let him go"...

Jackson then retweeted a fan that speculated that losing appeal means that he is being cheated out of money. Later, he would be a bit more straightforward in asking for his release.

@Rampage4real
Quinton Jackson Well I'm hoping the @ufc just let me go so I can do my thang,they took my love of fighting after the Forest fight! #bloodtypeBpositive
Mar 10 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply

Rampage4real Quinton Jackson
Well I'm hoping the @ufc just let me go so I can do my thang,they took my love of fighting after the Forest fight! #bloodtypeBpositive
Mar 10 Favorite Retweet Reply CincyWG89 Wes Godfrey
@Rampage4real at the end of the day your legacy is what you want it to be. You've done too much for the sport of MMA to be treated like this
Mar 10 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @CincyWG89↑
@Rampage4real
Quinton Jackson @CincyWG89 n this is y I don't wanna fight 4 them anymore,Pride did the same 2 me!

The final noteworthy tweet was Jackson opining that he could get better fights somewhere else.

Rampage4real Quinton Jackson
Well I'm hoping the @ufc just let me go so I can do my thang,they took my love of fighting after the Forest fight! #bloodtypeBpositive
Mar 10 Favorite Retweet Reply skanksideup Luke Williams
@Rampage4real you can't leave the UFC, you are a legend in this sport!!! would be sad to see you leave.
Mar 10 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @skanksideup↑
@Rampage4real
Quinton Jackson @skanksideup y u care that its the ufc? I can fight better fights n a diff show!

After some other non-related Tweets, Jackson called it a night but certainly woke up the UFC brass as he continue to accelerate his desire to leave the promotion sooner than later.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/10/2859307/ufc-quinton-rampage-jackson-tweets-release-twitter-free-agent

Bellator 60 Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Pat Curran Wins Featherweight Title


Now a champion, Pat Curran is a great story for Bellator. Coming into his first Bellator tournament, there were many, including myself, who felt that Curran was nothing more than a pretty good regional level fighter. Curran proved the doubters wrong at 155, beating Roger Huerta and winning the lightweight tournament. While he was unable to wrestle the title away from Eddie Alvarez, he dropped to featherweight, won that tournament and now left Joe Warren in a pile against the fence to take the 145 pound crown.

He isn't a guy I think anyone would pick to beat Jose Aldo and compete for the best featherweight in the world, but Curran has emerged as a legitimate force in mixed martial arts and certainly has a claim as a top five featherweight with his wins over Warren and Marlon Sandro.

•The pacing of these shows is brutal and there is no way it ins't a factor in not growing the audience. One hour and fifty-five minutes into the show we'd been through three fights, one of which ended in the first round and were just getting around to announcing the main event fighters. It's such an unbelievable amount of work to make it to the main event between all the commercials and dead time.

There aren't many casual fans willing to go through all that time to get so little in terms of in-cage action, especially with the lack of "big names" on the Bellator roster.

•I never want to see Jeff Malott referee another fight as long as I live. His job in the main event was flat out dangerous. He was right to not stop the fight when Warren was hit with the knee that set up the finish, but as Curran poured on clean shots with the fence acting as the only thing keeping Warren from crashing to the mat, it was time to stop the fight.

At one point Curran's legs were clearly gone but rather than saving a fighter who was doing nothing to fight back and was eating clean shots, Malott waited for Curran to land enough punches to knock Warren completely out. It is disgusting and I sincerely hope Malott is not allowed to put another fighter's health at risk. He proved himself incompetent tonight.

•Joe Warren's "mean face" when he's "psyched up" is totally laughable.

•Pat Curran is lucky that he has the ability to land with power because his tendency to sit back doesn't do a good enough job of establishing that he is doing work deserving of taking the round. I scored rounds one and two for Curran but it would not have shocked me at all to have seen all three judges score it for Warren simply because it appeared he was doing more while Curran sat back.

•When none of the fighters involved with your middleweight tournament are anywhere near ranked, I don't think calling them "some of the best middleweights in the world" is all that accurate. I mean, I get marketing, but man...when your announcer is saying a fighter's name and then asks if he pronounced it right, he shouldn't follow that up by lumping him in with the best in the world.

•Daniel Straus looked good while beating Jeremy Spoon but he still doesn't seem like a real force. He was beating Spoon clearly but seems to lack that next gear to really destroy guys he is better than.•Mike Corey recovered well from a rough first round against Ronnie Mann. Once he figured out that Mann couldn't deal with his takedowns, there wasn't a whole that Mann could do to change the course of the fight. Corey just worked takedowns and fired away from top position. I have a feeling that if elbows were legal, Corey would have completely wrecked Mann's face.

•Roberto Vargas showed a great chin against Marlon Sandro, but still got steamrolled. Sandro is extremely wild but still found a consistent home for his strikes and had Vargas reeling around the cage for much of the fight before sinking in his choke and finishing the fight.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/9/2858894/bellator-60-results-pat-curran-champion

Bellator 60 Moment - Pat Curran KOs Joe Warren



Marlon Sando vs Roberto Vargas Full Fight - Bellator 60

Hector Lombard's Bellator Contract Has Expired, Could Be Free Agent In May


Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard is currently not under contract to the organization, and while they have exclusive negotiating rights for a little while longer, he could become a free agent in either late April or early May. The news comes from Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, who spoke to MMA Mania's Brian Hemminger about the issue:

"We've got the right to match on any deal. We're either gonna sign him before he goes out the to marketplace or he's going to go out to the marketplace and we're gonna have a determination as to whether we're gonna match or not match and we're gonna see where it ends up. I love the guy and he's an awesome talent. He's been nothing but a pure pleasure for me to work with. He's been a great guy for me to work with and he's done everything we've asked him to do and every time I've put him in a cage, he's knocked people silly. You can't really ask for more than that from a guy."

Clearly the UFC would be interested, and Dana White even mentioned Lombard when he was in Australia for UFC on FX 2:

"I guess he's pretty popular down here," White said. "I hear he's under contract though with someone else, so we'll see. I'll probably end up with him. If he wants to fight in the UFC, then we'll probably end up with him."

It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next couple of months. If Bellator can't re-sign him before he goes on the open market, the UFC is likely to offer him a deal and Bellator would have 30 days to match any offer. Can the UFC price Bellator out of the race, or would Viacom come up with some big money to keep their middleweight champion? Time will tell.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/10/2860796/hector-lombards-bellator-contract-has-expired-could-be-free-agent-in

‘Cyborg’ Santos Wants To Put On A Good Show For The Fans, Wants Paul Daley Next


No, no the other ‘Cyborg’, Evangelista Santos (18-15) is looking to return to the Strikeforce cage this spring and he’d like to do it against British welterweight Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley.

Santos, who suffered a loss last September in his last fight, has taken some time to heal up since that time and is looking for an exciting fight to come back with. A fight with Daley could be just that fight.

Both fighters are better known for their standup rather than their ground game, which has the potential of creating fireworks rather than watching one fighter drag the other down.

Speaking to Tatame.com, Santos told them he owes his fans a good fight and that ‘Semtex’ would likely be the one to give it to him.

“I’m training and I’ll be ready starting on May. I wanna have a good preparation. My results are going to be crucial for the future of my career. I have more four fights left in my contract and after two good results I’ll be back to the top of the division. I had a title shot against (Nick) Diaz, I lost on the undercard to Jordan Mein. I want to fight someone known, maybe even Paul Daley, who is also coming from a bad outcome. It would make me happy fighting him. He would be a good opponent. I owe this fight to the fans”.

Light heavyweight fighter, Cyborg trains with Jorge Patino Macaco on the United States and told TATAME he doesn’t know why it’s taking so long for him to fight.

“I also would like to know it (the reason why). Actually, whenever you lose they make you wait. If I get a win I’ll be back. I fought in January against Diaz, but then I got injured in JUne before fighting Paul Daley and then they offered me Jordan Mein, someone people don’t really know, he has no name, for whom I lost”, Evangelista explained, taking these last months off to repair old injuries.

Santos is 0-2 in his last two matches and is 1-2 fighting as a welterweight in the Strikeforce cage. The 34-year old is likely out of the reach of competing for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title, so all he can do is offer up exciting matches.

http://www.themmanews.com/cyborg-santos-wants-to-put-on-a-good-show-for-the-fans-wants-paul-daley-next/

After two straight fights going to decision, Ryan Couture was able to step up his game and finish Connor Heun in what was his biggest fight to date at last weekend’s Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey.

“This was the best prepared I’ve ever felt going into a fight,” said Couture. “Obviously, to be taking such a big step up in competition against such a tough guy, it felt really good to get in there and control the majority of the fight and get the stoppage.

“I didn’t expect to give up takedowns quite so easy, but I was able to defend myself and reverse position. In the stand-up, the footwork and angles we had worked on paid off and I was able to frustrate him and do some damage. The positioning that we’d worked on from the top obviously paid off as well and lead to the finish.”

Couture told MMAWeekly.com that his win over Heun signifies a move towards the next level of his career.

“This is just the first big step into realizing that I belong at this level and that I can compete with these guys in a very deep weight class,” he said. “There’s only going to be more improvements down the line. I’ve still have a lot to learn and there are going to be even tougher challenges to come.

“This step was an important one for me confidence-wise and it proves to people that I do belong and that I’m going to be here for a while. Some people may have thought that Connor was too much too soon for me, so it was good to go out there and prove them wrong.”

It would be understandable if there were a great desire to push Couture after such a solid win and capitalize on his famous name and early career success, but that’s not how he, or his famous namesake, wants to steer his career at this time.

“I kind of knew what I was getting into following in the old man’s footsteps,” said Couture of his UFC Hall of Fame father, Randy Couture. “I knew there were a lot of potential pitfalls to watch out for. Thankfully I have (Randy) and my manager, Sam, looking out for me and my best interests to make sure I take the right fights and not get into rushed into anything I should get into.”

It’s with that philosophy in mind that Couture plots out what he wants to accomplish in the foreseeable future.

“(I’m headed) back into the gym and get ready for the next one,” he said. “I’m hoping things will fall in place for me to fight in May. I’m not sure what (Strikeforce’s) plans are, but that would be ideal for me.

“There are no easy fights, so (I’ll) just be ready to work hard and go out there and perform every time and the rest will take care of itself. If I can get myself into title contention next year, that’d be fantastic, but I’m not putting any pressure (on myself) to do that. I just want to continue to improve and grow.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/latest-win-proves-ryan-couture-is-his-own-man

It looks like Gilbert Melendez will return to action on May 19 as part of the upcoming Strikeforce card, which will also feature the finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix.

Sources indicated during the Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey card that Melendez could be on tap for the May 19 show, but nothing had been confirmed at the time.

Now it appears that Melendez is locked in for the show, but he’s currently awaiting an opponent to be named.

Melendez’s coach and trainer Cesar Gracie also took to Twitter to confirm the news, and asked for a couple of specific opponents. UFC opponents to be exact.

“Gil is fighting May 19,” wrote Gracie. “I hope (B.J.) Penn or (Anthony) Pettis.”

The current agenda for Strikeforce’s lightweight division has remained up in the air ever since Melendez last defended his title in December in a decision victory over Jorge Masvidal.

Two lightweight contenders competed at the Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey card with Josh Thomson picking up a win over K.J. Noons, while Pat Healy defeated Caros Fodor.

Unfortunately, it appears neither fighter has impressed the Strikeforce brass enough to lock them in for a title shot against Melendez as of yet.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/gilbert-melendez-expected-to-return-to-strikeforce-may-19

Tyron Woodley Anxiously Awaits Call For Strikeforce Title Fight


Tyron Woodley (10-0 MMA, 8-0 SF) said he's had an average of three to five weeks to prepare for a fight.

For his next one, he'll get 12 – if he can get official word from his promoter that May 19 is indeed the date that he gets the biggest opportunity of his career against Nate Marquardt (31-10-2 MMA, 0-0 SF).

"I want them to give me a bout agreement and confirm that we are going to do this on that day," Woodley told MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com). "Because I've already started training."

The fight is expected to take place that date at "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier," which is targeted for HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The fight is supposed to crown a champion in the promotion's welterweight division, which has been without a champion since Nick Diaz went to the UFC this past summer.

The promotion has yet to confirm the pairing, but Woodley is nonetheless moving forward. Notice is a luxury that's been lacking in his time with Strikeforce.

"This is the Tyron Woodley all the fans deserve to see that's in prime condition, that's pushed his body to the limit and deliver the performance that everybody wants to see," he said.

Fans have blasted Woodley for being the sort of fighter who puts people to sleep, or as his former opponent Paul Daley put it, scares people away from the sport.

But Woodley believes his short-notice schedule has put a strain on getting prepared for fights and hindered his ability to put together all of his skills inside the cage. He said it's just a matter of having more time to ingrain the things he does in the gym into a plan of attack that he can employ against an opponent.

By having three months to prepare for Marquardt, not only does he focus his efforts earlier, he lays a foundation for the fight with his team.

"We've strategically laid out the next 12 weeks, and I think with that kind of organization, that's going to help a lot," Woodley said. "It's going to help my body feel good. I'll feel better in sparring, which should [equal] me being more comfortable with the things I've been doing in sparring to do in an actual live fight."

Woodley, a former All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri, said his critics aren't looking at the facts when they accuse him of playing it safe by using his wrestling to hold down opponents.

"Use your statistics," he said. "Who have I been fighting? I've been fighting all strikers. Nobody has landed a meaningful blow. [It] takes skill to get out of the way of Paul Daley's hook, to get out of the way of Tarec Saffiedine, who pretty much put on a highlight reel against Scott Smith, or Jordan Mein, who elbowed to death (Evangelista) 'Cyborg' (Santos).

"So think about who we're talking about. These are strikers that were put in with a wrestler, and in my opinion, nobody outstruck me in any of those fights."

Marquardt, who recently signed with Strikeforce to make a long-delayed welterweight debut, is likely to give Woodley a run for his money in every department. The onetime UFC middleweight challenger not only has more than four times the number of professional fights as Woodley, he's faced a laundry list of top-tier fighters in his former promotional home.

But that makes him an easier target, according to Woodley.

"My competitive advantage is I can pull video on [Marquardt]," he said. "I can pull tons of fights. I can really just sit there and watch Chael Sonnen beat him up 10 times over and really break down into frames and plan game plans purely off that fight. The film he has on me, he has in segments. He hasn't seen me put it all together."

And Woodley is planning to do just that. In the mean time, he just might convince haters that he's not a one-dimensional fighter.

"Winning alone doesn't do it," he said. "It's the fashion in which you win. I have some skills, some heart, all the things that a champion has, and what I've got to worry about is not whether Strikeforce puts me on the card, or who I'm fighting.

"My focus is on Tyron – getting all these things that I'm capable of doing and getting those things out in every single fight, all at one time. If I can get all cylinders pumping at the same time ... I'm a dangerous guy to deal with for any guy at welterweight."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/27815/tyron-woodley-anxiously-awaits-call-for-strikeforce-title-fight.mma

Nick Diaz will not go quietly into the night and he’s not going to vanish without a fight.

The former Strikeforce welterweight champion, who is currently facing suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission due to testing positive for marijuana, hired Las Vegas attorney Ross Goodman to oversee his case, and they’ve just filed their response to the commission.

According to paperwork filed to the commission last week, Diaz and his lawyers contend that testing positive for marijuana metabolites does not violate the state’s drug testing policy for athletic competition.

The files states ‘Nick Diaz is an authorized medical marijuana patient. As such, he did not test positive for marijuana (which is viewed as a prohibited substance if used without a medical marijuana license). Rather, Mr. Diaz tested for the presence of the inactive metabolite of marijuana known as THC-Carboxylic Acid. Under Nevada law and in Mr. Diaz’s home state of California, however, neither marijuana nor marijuana metabolite is considered a prohibited substance for users of medical marijuana.’

The filing goes on to state that Diaz stopped using marijuana 8 days prior to his February fight against Carlos Condit, and because ‘out of competition’ use of marijuana is not prohibited by state law, then Diaz didn’t file for an exemption with the state prior to his fight.

The statement goes on to say that because Nevada adapted WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules, ‘marijuana consumption ‘out of competition’ and marijuana metabolites in general, such as the detection of Carboxylic Acid in Mr. Diaz’s post fight urine test, do not violate the policy prohibiting substances that are considered performance enhancing or potentially dangerous’

The filing by Goodman on behalf of Diaz will be reviewed by the Nevada Commission, and his hearing for disciplinary action will be held later this year.

The commission had stated previously that they were looking at a potential April date for Diaz’s hearing, but with this latest filing, it’s unclear if that date will stand pat.

http://216.151.213.106/nick-diaz-fires-back-at-nevada-commission

Styles make fights. The phrase may be an overused cliché, but it's meaning is the perfect device to describe the upcoming UFC 146 bout between Duane "Bang" Ludwig and Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy. The formula is relatively simple. Take two guys known for their stand-up skills, and put them in a cage for 15 minutes of what should be a striking extravaganza. Both men are coming off losses (with Hardy having not recorded a win since the latter part of 2009, and Ludwig coming off a disappointing loss to Josh Neer), which creates an almost palpable sense of urgency around this bout. The fact that either man has the capacity to render their opponent unconscious makes the deciding factor in this fight come down to who lands the big bomb first. "Bang" feels that this fight will be his opportunity to get back in the winner's circle, and he hopes to do so in exciting fashion.

SD: Do you feel like you were hand selected for Hardy because you're not a wrestler?

DL: I think I was selected for this fight more from a fan perspective, because you know it's going to be a good fight. I think the fight was set up stylistically for the fans, but not so much so that Dan could get a win. It's definitely a safer bet for Dan, rather than a wrestler who can hold him down. I know he's coming off a four fight losing streak, but they were all good, exciting fights. He just got out-wrestled with St. Pierre, he got caught by Condit, which could have happened to anyone, again outwrestled with Anthony Johnson, and he had a great fight with Chris Lytle where he just got caught in the end. The wrestlers were coming in to make it a boring fight, but that's the name of the game. That's MMA. If you're the better wrestler, you dictate where the fight goes.

SD: Do you feel that people may be underestimating your ground skills?

DL: Yes, definitely. I do it as well, because with most people, they're much better in the gym than they are in the cage. It's just that my mindset is going in there and wanting to punch somebody in the face, and actually not make it a mixed martial arts fight, so I'm still learning to keep it in that gray area where it's a mixed martial arts fight, and not just a stand-up war. I'm way better in the gym with my wrestling and my jiujitsu than I show in my fights, but hopefully the day will come where I can show that I'm pretty good on the ground.

SD: Hardy has stated that he feels he's recovered that fire and anger that he needs to win fights. Do you feel the friendly vibes the two of you have now will eventually degrade into a smack talk fest, leading up to your fight?

DL: I hope not, because I'm a fan of Dan Hardy. I know he's a fan of me, as well. There's no hard feelings between us. This is business. I didn't ask for this fight, but it is a good match-up stylistically. If it does get to that point, then so be it. I don't really care too much. I just focus on what I can control, so if it does get to that point, I will come back with some smart ass things that I do, but hopefully it won't come to that. There's a mutual respect there, for sure. I hope he does show up with that passion, fire and grit. I've always thought he's shown up to fight, and if he's got more to add to that, it'll be even better for this fight.

SD: Where do you feel you went wrong in your fight with Josh Neer?

DL: I should have defended the takedown a little bit more. I just got greedy and kept punching. When he got the single leg up against the cage, well, he should've never been able to get my leg against the cage. I should have defended that, but I just kept punching him. I got the neck surgery after the Sadollah fight, and during the whole training camp for Neer, I didn't work on defending the guillotine because I had to keep my neck healthy. It created a bad habit and a delayed reaction when he went for my neck. That's his move, though, and that's the way it goes. He was the better man that night.

SD: How big a factor is reviewing your opponent's fight tapes?

DL: I focus on my own gameplan, for the most part, but I do watch some fight tapes, because there's a lot of little idiosyncrasies that people do that they're not even aware of. How they react in a pressure situation or their reactions to certain moves. If it comes to me having to change my whole gameplan, just to capitalize on his mistakes, I won't do that.

SD: With a win against Hardy, you will effectively be giving him his pink slip. Does that bother you, or weigh on your conscience at all?

DL: Yes and no. Obviously, I want to have the win for myself. I would hope the scenario would be that if I do win, ZUFFA would keep him around in some capacity, maybe move him to Strikeforce, if they don't keep him under the UFC banner. He always comes to fight, he's got great marketability, and he talks well on the camera. Everything is good about him. He's just had a run of bad luck. Hopefully they keep him around because it would definitely bother me if he gets released completely.

SD: Over the last couple years, and especially now that the UFC has forged a deal with FOX, we've seen the exit of many sponsors, either due to inability to meet the sponsor tax, or because they're deemed ineligible by the UFC for whatever reason. Has it been difficult to acquire sponsors in light of this?

DL: I don't think it's too difficult. The UFC has a list of approved sponsors, so you just go to those sponsors and make a request. It's just the easier route to go after the companies that are already cleared by the UFC. It doesn't really allow for the small guy, or even the middle class guy to get in, because they can't pay the fee, but it does open the door for the bigger companies who can do that. It's kind of a Catch 22.

SD: Some management teams have sought outside endorsement deals over logo placement in the octagon for their fighter's sponsor deals. Is this something you have looked at or currently have in place?

DL: I have deals like that in place because of the social media explosion with Twitter and Facebook. I work with a few companies that aren't allowed by the UFC, like Vega (vegan based supplement company). There's a few companies I work with to do promotions, because being a UFC fighter still has some value to them that doesn't revolve around logo placement. I like to work with companies with products that I actually use, also. It makes it an easy sell for me. I used to work with TapouT, but when they sold to ABG, they kicked me off the sponsorship list. I thought that was kind of a weird deal, because we had been together for a long time, but that's when it comes down to being just business. Now I'm with Affliction, and they're good people, so that worked out well in the end.

SD: With your promotion of a vegan based supplement company, are you currently or do you intend to go vegan?

DL: I'm not vegan. I eat chicken and fish. I eat things that I feel I could kill. I don't feel like I could kill a cow or a lamb or a deer or anything. I can definitely fish, even though I don't. I haven't killed a chicken, but I'm pretty sure I could. Turkey is still questionable. Things that have a conscience, and possibly a soul, I have a hard time eating. If they're capable of interacting with humans, I don't want to eat them.

SD: What's your five year plan?

DL: If I can, I'd like to continue fighting. It's my passion. It gives me life. The plan after, is to have my own gym and affiliate schools. I know too much not to teach, and pass on my knowledge. The prime time for an MMA fighter is from 30-35. I'm 33, and I'm pretty healthy, and without many nagging injuries, so as long as my passion and fire is there, I'll continue to keep fighting as long as I can.

After the interview, I received a few texts from Duane, and he asked that I mention a few things. The first is that GLCDirect.com helped him tremendously with his leg injury, as they manufacture glucosamine and chondroitin supplements that he took during his recovery period. The second is that the NYBullyCrew.org helps in the rescue and sheltering of pitbulls and other canines, so please check them out. The last thing is that he's a muscle car aficionado, and would like to show off a few of his prized possessions. Check out the included pics of his cars and the pitbull he recently rescued:

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/12/2863947/ufc-duane-bang-ludwig-146-dan-hardy

Pat Curran's knockout of Joe Warren at Bellator 60 was quite the statement for the 24 year old Curran. Over the past two years in Bellator, Curran went from regional talent to the man who upset Roger Huerta and won the lightweight tournament to the man who won a featherweight tournament and then took the title from the dangerous champion.

It's enough that some, like Mike Johnston of Sportsnet.ca, think Curran is the best non-UFC fighter on the planet:

No disrespect to Gilbert Melendez, Nate Marquardt, Gegard Mousasi, or the plethora of world class mixed martial arts talent fighting overseas.

Pat Curran is the best fighter not currently in the UFC.

Warren is considered one of the best wrestlers in the sport, but Curran defended his takedown attempts with ease. The few times he was taken down he showed great hip escapes and scrambled back to his feet quickly, reminiscent of UFC champions Junior dos Santos and Benson Henderson.

Much like former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Warren is also known for being able to take a world of punishment and keep moving forward, but Curran certainly stopped him in his tracks.

Curran has certainly looked better at 145 than he did at lightweight. While he was edging out very close decisions during his time at lightweight and eventually lost to then champion Eddie Alvarez, he is wrecking people at featherweight.

The biggest problem for Curran is his tendency to sit back and wait for openings. He is proving to be a very good closer once opportunities are presented, but in fights like the Alvarez bout, he can tend to sit and stare more than attack. This leads to not making definitive statements that he is winning rounds. There are some who felt he lost to Roger Huerta because of this, his split decision win over Toby Imada was controversial because of the same thing and it was an issue for the first two rounds of the Warren bout.

The one thing that will determine if Pat truly is the best fighter outside the UFC is if he is able to mix his opportunistic style with enough attacking to definitively take rounds on the scorecards

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/3/12/2864151/pat-curran-ufc-bellator-fighter-mma