Mixed Martial Arts - Brutal MMA . com

Everybody loves Mike Guymon these days. Fresh off from his recent triumph over former King of the Cage champion James Fanshier offers now rain on Guymon and they pour.

“The Joker’, a nine-year veteran fighter, talks about his outstanding first-round TKO and its attendant rewards during his recent radio guesting. He defeated Fanshier at Thursday’s King of the Cage: BioHazard card that took place at San Manuel Casino in Highland, Calif.

“I’ve got a lot of different options right now, that’s for sure,” Guymon said. “[Fanshier] is a really, really tough kid. I didn’t think I was going to run through him like that.”

Guymon is currently busy instructing new generation of fighters at his Joker’s Wild Fight Academy and competing for the King of the Cage and the International Fight League.

“As soon as I beat [Fanshier] the way I did that night, I had a bunch of people throwing offers at me,” Guymon said. “Some different things on my phone. Now it’s more of weeding through and seeing what we’re going to do. I’m going to sit down with a couple of people this week and talk about and lay it out.”

And part of that “laying it out” is most likely fighting in front of a wider audience reach – a televised fight deal.

“I’m looking to go to any one of the televised events,” Guymon said. “Affliction? That would be a dream of mine fighting there. Showtime, EliteXC. Any of those I really, really like. It looks like they take care of their fighters. They put on a good show. I could go on and on about those.”

Guymon wants an immediate followup to his victory over Fanshier. He says he likes to fight soon, may be late September or early October. Beyond those dates, he considers “a little too late.”

“I’d fight in those months for sure. But I’d like to do something right away. I feel really good right now. Everything is clicking. My stand-up feels good. No one got to see my stand-up that night. But stand-up-wise I was murdering everybody I touched (in training).”

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s arraignment, scheduled Friday, has been postponed pending further investigation into his arrest in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion was arrested on July 15 on suspicion of felony evading, reckless driving and hit-and-run charges.  According to the Costa Mesa police department report, authorities saw the fighter’s vehicle, a Ford pick-up truck, swerving through lanes and sidewalks and bouncing off other vehicles causing pedestrians “to flee in terror.”

“The district attorney’s office is responsible for filing charges and that case is still under investigation based on some new evidence that has been discovered,” said Farrah Emami, spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

A new date for Jackson’s court appearance will be set once charges have been filed, according to Emami. Emami, however, could not provide details regarding to how long the DA’s office and the Costa Mesa police department would complete their initial investigation.

“There were different incidents that occurred in different jurisdictions. There was Highway Patrol, there was Costa Mesa, there was Newport Beach. We’re looking at all of this as one potential case,” said Emami. “The recommendations of the police are taken into consideration, but it could be more charges or less charges, depending on what the evidence reports.”

Jackson’s arrest occurred a week after his title loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86. After his arrest he was released on a $25,000-bail but was detained by authorities the next day because his friends complained of his erratic behavior. He was taken from his home in Irvine and was put under a 72-hour mental observation at a hospital in the area then later released.

Jackson appeared publicly for the first time since the incident on Thursday at a pre-fight conference for UFC 87. He was backed by UFC head Dana White at the Mall of America in Minneapolis who said Jackson’s behavior was caused by exhaustion, dehydration, and “delirium,” following his recent title loss.

“He hung out in Vegas for a week,” said White. “He was hanging out by the pool and he was fasting, and he wasn’t drinking, he wasn’t eating. And he was drinking energy drinks.”

Jackson addressed the crowd and has this to say: “Everybody goes though a little something. UFC’s got my back. I’m doing good.”

This is a welcome news.

All 10 fighters who had been randomly tested for performance-enhancing compounds and other illegal substances on the heels of this month’s WEC 35 event tested clean.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer today released the results of the screening.

WEC 35, which took place Aug. 3 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, was aired live on Versus. It was a championship triple-header in which welterweight, light heavyweight and lightweight titles were vied for.

Carlos Condit and Jamie Varner retained their titles while Brian Stann lost his to Steve Cantwell.

Among the fighters tested by the commission included headliners Carlos Condit and Hiromitsu Miura, as well as Brian Stann, Steve Cantwell, Jamie Varner, Marcus Hicks, Brian Bowles, Josh Grispi, Scott Jorgensen and Brock Larson.

The testing protocol of the NSAC is to randomly select fighters for the tests, though all main-event and championship-bout participants are usually tested. Those who failed previous tests are also more likely to undergo testing.

There’s no such thing as a perfect plan.

This seems to be the case to Kenny Florian’s plan to meet lightweight champion B.J. Penn. Looks like that potential title shot may not materialize since Penn is expected to fight Georges St. Pierre. St. Pierre retained his welterweight belt at UFC 87 Seek and Destroy last August 9.

KenFlo agreed to meet Roger Huerta also at UFC 87 for the possibility of being pitted against Penn, but that could not be arranged until next year. Florian defeated Huerta via unanimous decision at UFC 87 event and is now enjoying a five-win streak. It’s a comfortable position to be in, but it’s so like Florian to want some action right away.

“For me, I don’t want to wait around,” Florian said in his recent radio guesting. “I want to stay busy, and I want to fight, so I’m hoping I can get another fight in between, and if B.J. sticks around at 155, then I can fight him later. We’ll see what happens. I just want to stay busy and keep fighting top guys.”

Apparently, Florian always has a Plan B. It keeps him prepared should Plan A go awry. And his Plan B is to “stay busy” against other MMA fighters.

“I definitely want to get a fight in by December before January. I want to stay busy. I think I’m able to perform at a higher level — at a better level — if I stay busy (fighting) every three or four months. I let the UFC know that, and I’ll be calling them in the next couple weeks to find out what’s going on.”

Florian said he could see action at a year-end card slated for December 27. Said event could feature Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and St. Pierre vs. Penn.

“I’d love to get on that Vegas card in December,” he said. “That’d be sick. The timing would be perfect.”

And despite his blood-letting combat with Huerta at UFC 87, Florian said he’s ready to train and face another cage warrior.

“I feel pretty good,” he said. “The shin is a little sore from kicking, and my right hand is a little bruised, but I’m feeling good. I’ve got a little cut on my nose, but expect you that to happen when you got a big nose. It gets in the way sometimes. Ninety percent of the shots wouldn’t hit me if I didn’t have this nose.”

Florian also talked about his recent fight with Huerta. What made “El Matador” yield to him?

Florian said Huerta sustained his first loss in the UFC because of his incomplete game plan.

“He definitely cleaned up his technique, but it didn’t seem like he had a really structured game plan,” Florian said. “Obviously, it was to pressure me. I don’t how specific that game plan was. … In the first round, I didn’t really get onto his rhythm. He really had no rhythm; he’s kind of wild and jumping at me with kicks and stuff. It was weird, and it took my some time to adjust. … He was a tough opponent, but I don’t think he had the most structured game plan out there. I think that hurt him.”

As for the rewards of his recent victory, Florian has this to say: “Girls everywhere. It’s ridiculous. People after me. Money falling out of my pockets,” Florian joked. “Nah, I wish it was like that. … Definitely I think this was another step toward getting more fans by beating Roger. Obviously, he has a huge following. But who knows? Maybe I hurt my status beating Roger. So far, I’ve had just had good emails. I’m sure some female (fans’) emails will come into my inbox saying how they hate me for beating Roger.”

Whoever wins in the Andrei Arlovski vs Josh Barnett bout in the Affliction 2: Day of Reckoning will earn a title shot with heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko this year. Now, how’s that for a motivation.

This has been confirmed by two sources. First, it was Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio who had dropped hints ever since Barnett took the place of Emelianenko at the promotion’s Affliction 2 card scheduled for October 11. Then the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts stated in a press release that the headlining bout of Arlovski and Barnett will be a “WAMMA Elimination fight.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to see Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett face off for the right to take on Fedor for the WAMMA world heavyweight championship,” WAMMA CEO Dave Szady stated in the press release. “In the spirit of crowning undisputed champions, we couldn’t be happier than to have two of the fighters who arguably deserve a shot at Fedor fighting it out for the chance to take on the champ.”

That ultimate face-off could be promoted by Affliction; however, there has not been any official announcement yet regarding the organization’s third show.

Affliction held its debut show Affliction:Banned on July 19, which was headlined by Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia.  Emelianenko quickly disposed of Tim Sylvia via a rear-naked choke with just 36 seconds on the first round.  Both Arlovski and Barnett have also seen action in the same event.

Arlovski defeated Ben Rothwell through a third-round TKO. Barnett likewise emerged as the victor in his bout with Pedro Rizzo. Barnett knocked out Rizzo in the second round, avenging the defeat he suffered in the hands of the Brazilian fighter seven years ago.

Affliction had planned an Arlovski-Emelianenko bout for the Day of Reckoning, but the Russian fighter pulled out of the event due to a reported hand injury. Barnett was chosen to replace Emelianenko.

Day of Reckoning takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Three preliminary fights air on HDNet before the broadcast heads to pay per view for a seven-fight main card.

This is the play-by-play report of UFC 87 Seek and Destroy at the Target Center in Minnesota. Georges St. Pierre vs Jon Fitch headlined the fight card of the August 9 event.

Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas
In round 1, Saunders starts the action with a jump knee right cross and connects. Thomas, meanwhile, retaliates with a punch and lands. Thomas attempts a takedown but fails. The fighters clinched against the cage. Thomas, with his back to the cage, puts Tomas against the fencing. They pull apart. Saunders drops Thomas and he tries to end it right then but instead he finds himself caught in a reverse triangle. Saunders escapes while Thomas gets back to half-guard. With only a few seconds remaining in the round, Saunders attempts for a choke but cannot get a firm hold. The round ends with Saunders’ body triangle. Saunders gets the round.

In round 2, Saunders again starts the action with a left low kick. Thomas attempts a quick takedown then Saunders reverses and manages a takedown. They stand up. Saunders successfully delivers a high kick, causing Thomas to fall. Back on their feet, Saunders again connects with a jumping knee. Thomas counters with a one-two punch. The two fighters fight it out on the floor. Saunders does a kimura then maneuveres an armbar. Thomas submits with the tap coming at 2:28 of the second round.

Chris Wilson vs. Steve Bruno
It was a tentative start, as the two adversaries circle each other. Bruno clinch drives Wilson into the fence. Then Wilson puts Bruno into the cage. Bruno secures a leg and Wilson defends well with elbows. They’re on their feet again. Wilson shoots and lands in half-guard. Both fighters standing up. Wilson throws a body kick and connects. Bruno hita back with a right low kick. A knee to the body by Wilson, hurting Bruno. The fight hits the mat, with Wilson securing the back. Wilson attempts to go for the choke but gets a forearm in the face. Round one goes for Chris Wilson at 10-9.

In round 2, Bruno shoots and receives a knee. Wilson takes the back. The two fighters on their feet and then hit the floor, with Bruno working for a takedown. Wilson delivers a knee to the head. Fighters in a clinch and the ref steps in to separate them. A powerful uppercut by Wilson fells Bruno. Bruno still manages to tie Wilson with a leg. Wilson traps Bruno in an inverted triangle but Bruno escapes. They get a restart. The round ends with 10-9 for Wilson.

Wilson begins the last round with a jab. Then Wilson throws a powerful uppercut, staggering Bruno. A kick to the head by Wilson brings down Bruno. Wilson swoops for the cut down but Bruno manages to secure a leg and tries for a single. Wilson maneuvers to sprawl and gets the dominant position. Bruno gets Wilson on his back but Wilson breaks free and gets back on his feet. Likewise, Bruno gets to his feet and tries a takedown but Wilson defends well. The referee once again stands them up then Bruno shoots for a takedown but Wilson easily shakes it off.  Wilson stands up and Bruno again goes for a takedown but receives a knee instead. The fight ends with Wilson as the winner at 30-27.

Andre Gusmao vs. Jon Jones
The bell rings and it is a slow start. Jones shoots in and grabs a single but Gusmao easily shakes him off. A clinch and fighters trade knees. Gusmao forces Jones to the cage and then break away from each other. Gusmao fakes a jab to dispatch a low kick. Another clinch, then Jones successfully throws Gusmao. Gusmao maneuvers against the cage and kicks Jones to break away from him. They are on their feet and Jones connects with some punches. A minute left into the round and Jones throws several shots and a knee, connecting to the groin area. Gusmao acts hurt, but Jones continues to pummel more punches before the referee steps between the two opponents. In-arena replays seem the knee barely hits Gusmao’s groin area and the crowd feels he is just acting hurt. The fight restarts and Jones throws a spinning elbow but misses his target. Gusmao counters with some punches. Jones again throws a spinning elbow and this time around it connects. Round 1 ends with 10-9 for Jones.

Round 2 immediately starts with a clinch and Jones delivers a low blow again, driving Gusmao to his knees. The bout is restarted and Jones tries another big throw. Fighters exchange shots. Gusmao clinches and drives Jones in to the fence. The referee steps in to separate the fighters. Jones grazes his foe with a spinning elbow and Gusmao manages to retaliate. Another spinning strike by Jones. The round ends 10-9 for Jones.

In round 3, Jones delivers a low kick but Gusmao wards it off. Jones gets a takedown which Gusmao escapes from. A clinch with Gusmao’s back to the cage. They break apart and Jones throws a spinning back kick. Jones lands a vicious right. Another clinch and Jones delivers a knee to Gusmao’s chin. The fighters engage. Gusmao attempts a takedown but fails. Jones secures a takedown and works from side. Jones works for a mount but Gusmao fends him off. Jones stands up and lands in Gusmao’s guard. Gusmao attempts a triangle but fails. Then an omaplata attempt. Fight ends with Jones as the victor via unanimous decision.

Cheick Kongo vs. Dan Evensen
The bout starts with a Kongo’s right low kick. A clinch then Kongo puts Evensen into the fence. Kongo immediately secures a takedown. Kongo on his feet, attacking the legs of the grounded Evensen. The referee decides to stand them up. A clinch and the fighters grapple with Evensen against the cage. Evensen looks for a guillotine but fails to find an opening. Kongo works to grab the legs and Evensen goes for another guillotine choke. Kongo is determined and tries a takedown. Kongo gets a takedown and moves to half-guard.  Kongo is back on his feet and lands kicks to his opponent’s legs. The bout is stood back up. Kongo attacks and dispatches a barrage of strikes, sending Evenson to the mat. With only 10 seconds remaining in the round, Kongo works to totally subdue his foe. At 4:55 of round 1, Evensen is completely annihilated prompting the referee to stop the fight. Kongo is the victor via TKO.

Luke Cummo vs. Tamdan McCrory
McCrory starts the bout with a right that does not connect. A clinch with Cummo. An exchange of knees, then a clinch against the fence.  Cummo gets underhooks and tries to drive McCrory into the cage. They break apart and McCrory scores a takedown with both hooks in and a forearm under Cummo’s chin. Cummo escapes and manages to get guard. Cummo attempts a rubber guard but McCrory passes and then is caught again in Cummo’s butterfly guard. McCrory passes and traps Cummo in an armbar. McCrory fails to extend the arm and Cummo gets on top. The bell rings and the round goes for McCrory 10-9.

Cummo starts round 2 with a jab. McCrory takes the side control while Cummo gets back to guard. McCrory escapes and maneuvers a half-guard. McCrory is fast, not allowing Cummo to escape. A battle for hand control ensues and McCrory tries another armbar. This time around, McCrory successfully extends the arm. Cummo, however, is resilient and gets on top. McCrory, meanwhile, looks for another armbar from the guard. While on that dominant position, McCrory throws punches that land. It’s 10-9 for McCrory.

The last round starts with a flurry of strikes by both warriors. McCrory shoots and Cummo reverses, securing a top position. Standing now, McCrory is eyeing a takedown from the clinch. They separate and while Cummo dispatches a knee, his opponent secures a double leg takedown. McCrory is on his feet while Cummo is on his back. McCrory looks for a kimura and then transitions to an omaplata. Cummo entangles himself and both fighters are on their feet now. McCrory earns a takedown and Cummo frames up a triangle. McCrory gets to his feet and slams Cummo. McCrory wins the fight via unanimous decision.

Jason MacDonald vs. Demian Maia
MacDonald delivers a one-two and clinches with his foe on round 1. MacDonald topples Maia into the mat and from there starts to work from a full-guard. The Brazilian fighter maneuvers a half-butterfly and locks on a triangle. MacDonald breaks away and transitions to Maia’s back with both hooks. MacDonald gets a near-naked choke which Maia escapes easily. MacDonald stands over his opponent and punches him in the head, opening a cut over Maia’s left eye. MacDonald moves into a half-guard and tries a guillotine. Maia passes and gets on MacDonald’s back, working on a rear-naked choke. The round goes for Maia.

In round 2, Maia hits MacDonald with a left hook. Maia secures a takedown, mounting quickly. MacDonald tries to wriggle out but is trapped on the side, receiving punishing punches from Maia. A cut on the bridge of the nose results from Maia’s punches. Maia continues with elbows and controls the head from the mount. MacDonald retaliates but Maia is relentless with his attacks. MacDonald bucks and crawls the mat but is unable to fully escape Maia’s mount. Then MacDonald gets to half-guard, but Maia immediately secures another mount. Maia works for an armbar and the bell rings. Maia again gets the round.

Third round starts with Maia getting a single-leg. MacDonald is in Maia’s guard and there is little action on the cage. Then the fighters scramble and Maia takes the mount and he dispatches left elbows on MacDonald. MacDonald defends by turning his back. Maia locks in both hooks and gets a rear-naked choke forcing MacDonald to tap at 2:44 of round 3.

Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta
Florian loads a left low kick on Huerta’s leg. He tries another kick on the leg and Huerta is ready with a right hook. Huerta takes control of the Octagon while Florian circles. Then Florian rushes in and gets a single-leg takedown against the fencing, and quickly secures a mount. Two right hands from Florian forces Huerta to give up his back. Huerta entangles himself from a precarious position and moves to his feet. Florian’s punch and head kick fail to connect. Huerta attacks forward and a glances a right. Huerta works for a clinch against the fencing and hits the body. Florian, however, is delivers successive knees to Huerta’s midsection and gets his back off the cage. They are back at the center of the cage and Huerta connects with a low kick and eats a right hook. Before the round expires, Florian throws a straight left. Florian earns round 1.

Florian again sets the pace of round 2, starting it with a jab and a left-hand lead. Huerta shoots and single but Florian defends well. Huerta goes to Florian’s right leg with a low kick. Huerta secures a standing kimura and elbows the opponent’s head. Florian finishes the takedown and is on Huerata’s back for a few seconds. Both on their feet, Huerta tries a low kick but falls down with a trip sweep. Huerta stands and gets a low kick on his lead leg. Huerta retaliates with a low kick and misses a Superman punch. Huerta attacks with a left hook but misses. Before the bell rings, Florian successfully throws a right hook and a body kick. It is Florian’s round again.

The final frame shows Florian controlling the action with his excellent footwork. He launches a punch then a jumping knee. Florian lands a kick and Huerta taunts him by spitting on the floor. Florian gets a single-leg takedown but receives a knee with the effort. Huerta is determined and gets on his feet to attack Florian but Florian is just too good with his footwork, easily avoiding Huerta’s punches. A left-footed front kick from Florian slaps Huerta on the kisser. Huerta successfully throws a left straight and Florian answers with a counter left. Huerta is once again in a taunting mood; he spits on the mat and follows with his most solid strike of the bout, landing a right hook on Florian’s chin. Huerta connects with a body and slips. The fighters trade punches then Floarian gets a takedown. Florian stands and end the fight with a combo of punches. Florian decisively wins the bout.

Manvel Gamburyan vs. Robert Emerson
Gamburyan immediately launches an attack but is quickly stopped with Emerson’s counter right. A follow-up left hook by Emerson renders Gamburyan unable to fight back. The referee stops the bout at 0:12 of the first round.

Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring
Lesnar’s straight right drops Herring but Herring bounces back on his feet, pushing Lesnar against the fencing. Lesnar controls his opponent’s head in a headlock. Herring, bleeding above his left eye, wriggles out of the headlock but is quickly taken down with a single-leg. Herring is forced to give up his back and is hit with a powerful right hand. Lesnar completely subdues Herring from the back with a leg and a writs control. Herring tries to escape but Lesnar is there to prevent his breakaway as he takes the same position. Herring is active but cannot shake Lesnar off his back. Lesnar punches the body with both hands and more knees against Herring. Lesnar earns the round.

The bell rings for round 2. Lesnar kicks Herring’s front leg and drives him to the canvas. Lesnar executes the same back position as in round 1 then Herring maneuvers, ending in the bottom in side-control. Lesnar controls Herring on the canvas. Lesnar punches Herring’s head twice and briefly takes the mount. Herring gives up his back and Lesnar ties up wrist control with one leg from behind. Fighters are on their feet. Herring drives Lesnar against the fencing and dispatches a right-hand punch to the body. Lesnar counters with a knee to the body, staggering Herring. Herring retaliates with knees to midsection and round 2 ends. Lesnar takes the round.

Round 3 cracks a kick against his opponent’s body. Lesnar drives Herring to the fencing and assaults Herring’s midsection with knees. Lesnar secures a takedown. Lesnar mounts and rains down strikes. Herring gives up his back and suffers more knees to the body. Herring, now sporting a swollen left eye, gets on his feet but gets snatched again by Lesnar ending up on the canvas. Herring rolls for a kneebar that is defended successfully. Lesnar hits the head with both hands and mounts with just two 10 second remaining in the final round. It’s unanimous victory for Lesnar.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch
The headliner starts with Fitch immediately getting a double-leg takedown. Fitch, in a guard position, ties up both arms then lets go to elbow the head. Fitch is active with his hips, eyeing an armbar. St. Pierre goes to half-guard and Fitch gets on his feet. St. Pierre knocks Fitch with a straight right following a low kick. St. Pierre rains down punches from Fitch’s guard. Fitch is obviously hurt, receiving most of St. Pierre’s assault. A staggered Fitch gets on his feet and receives a straight right. He tries a takedown that is deflected. St. Pierre enters his guard and passes to side-control after a connecting with a succession of sharp elbows. St. Pierre wins the first round.

St Pierre again sets the pace of the second round. He dispatches a good jab. Fitch answers with a left hook to the midsection. St. Pierre’s switch kick connects with Fitch’s lead leg. St. Pierre’s footwork prevents Fitch from landing punches. St. Pierre doubles upon the jab but fails to follow up. A hard right from St. Pierre. A hard punch from Fitch then he gets ready to come on. St. Pierre is bleeding on the forehead now. They exchange jabs. Fitch fends off a takedown. Fitch lands a right hand but receives a counter right hook. St. Pierre dominates the round.

Third round starts. Fitch connects with a powerful right but gets a right hook in return. Fitch’s mouthpiece comes out flying. Fitch is bleeding profusely now. He crawls away from St. Pierre and takes the top position. Fitch rests in St. Pierre’s guard. Then St. Pierre is now on top in Fitch’s guard against the fence. St. Pierre lets Fitch to get on his feet. St. Pierre freely lands several hard low kicks before going to the clinch against the fence. He staggers Fitch with a left to the chin and a succession of right-legged head kicks. St. Pierre scores another takedown before the round ends. St. Pierre earns round 3.

Fitch starts the action at round 4 with his right hand that opens a cut above St. Pierre’s left eye. With blood pouring down his face, St. Pierre receives a body kick. St. Pierre defends against Fitch’s single-leg attempt and kicks the groin area. Fighters touch glove after the accidental contact. Fitch is now finding his range with his, but so does St. Pierre. Fitch ends up in guard, receiving an elbow off the right side of his face. Fitch kicks the kidney with right heel and stands up before round 4 ends. Round 4 again favors St. Pierre.

The final frame begins. A left hook by St. Pierre lands. He follows it up with a right hook. He jabs Fitch and grazes a spinning-back kick. Fitch smiles before the takedown with a single. St. Pierre pummels his challenger with punches. Fitch gets on his feet. St. Pierre maneuvers a double-leg and the winded Fitch offers a weak defense. St. Pierre advances to side-control. Fitch gives up his back and tries to get up but St. Pierre snatches him back. St. Pierre still owns the belt.

Affliction recently welcomed on board former IFL warrior and MMA boy wonder Chris Horodecki.

The 20-year-old lightweight signed a three-fight deal with Affliction with his inaugural fight happening on October 11 at the organization’s Day of Reckoning. This has been confirmed by Affliction vice president Tom Atencio during the event’s press conference.

The organization, however, is still on the lookout for who would face Horodecki in his promotional debut. Affliction 2: Day of Reckoning takes place in Las Vegas at the UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center.

Horedecki was born in Ontario, Canada and became a pro just a few days after he turned 18. He initially fought for the TKO organization then for the International Fight League.

On his debut fight, he defeated a 29-year-old who had been toughened with eleven previous cage encounters. Horodecki had attempted to snatch the IFL lightweight title but was upset by Ryan Schultz during the 2007 Gran IFL Prix finals, receiving his first career loss via a first-round TKO.

In the same press con, Atencio has also confirmed that Aleksander Emelianenko will not be included in the fight card.

Emelianenko was scratched out from the Affliction:Banned card just as the former PRIDE fighter was to weigh in for his match-up with Paul Buentello last month.

The California State Athletic Commission said that Emelianenko did not meet licensing requirements, whose details were not made public. It has been reported, however, that Emelianeneko has tested positive for Hepatitis B. The fighter’s camp has denied the reports.

Atencio said that he is sure that the younger brother of Fedor Emelianenko will be cleared for the second screening but there is still the licensing problem the fighter has to sort out first. The organization, Atencio said, needs to push through with the Oct. 11 without Emelianenko.

Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller downplays the rumors that DREAM is experiencing financial woes. DREAM promoted Miller’s last two fights.

Miller says, in his case, he has confidence in the organization and that’s why he is still with DREAM.

“I’ve got my DREAM contract still alive. I don’t know what’s going on,” said the 27-year-old fighter in a recent radio guesting.

Nick Diaz has been alleging that the organization has yet to give him his pay check for his recent TKO win over Katsuya Inoue that took place in May this year. Miller readily defends the promotion.

“I think that’s just a rumor,” Miller said. “Maybe [DREAM] stiffed a couple of fighters or something. But I’m sure they’ll pay those guys eventually. Maybe they were just like, ‘The check’s in the mail.’”

Miller hopes DREAM would weather whatever their situation is right now.

“They’ve always treated me really phenomenally well,” Miller said. “I don’t know if they are having some kind of undercover trouble somewhere or some kind of TV trouble. I’m not sure. I do know they treated me great. They’re a kick-ass organization.”

Miller has been wreaking mayhem in the cage for different fighting organizations including DREAM, UFC, WEC, ICON Sport as well as the now-defunct WFA. He intentionally avoids long-term deals because, he says, that’s just the way he wants it. The explanation he provides once again proves that Miller is one entertaining guy, on and off the cage.

“A long-term deal is like being married,” Miller said. “You don’t get to go and bang other chicks.”

He admits that although being largely an independent fighter presents difficulties, it has helped him devote his attention in the sport he loves.

“It’s scary for a fighter to do that because if you’re not with the UFC, people look at you like you’ve got leprosy,” Miller explained. “I’m not worried about that. I know I can make a lot of money elsewhere.

And Miller knows how necessary it is to earn green bucks while you are able in mixed martial arts since the sport would only be hospitable to those who have marketability.

“When it comes down to it, at the end of the day, you’ve got to make some money now. You’re only going to be able to punch people in the face for so long. Then you’re out of it.”

For Andrei Arlovski, there’s only one obstacle now that needs to be overcome before he could get a chance to grab the heavyweight championship title from Fedor Emelianenko.

And that obstacle is Josh Barnett. The question is would Arlovski eliminate Barnett?

The Arlovski-Barnett bout takes place on October 11 headlining Affliction 2 Day of Reckoning. According to reports, Affliction’s guys offered the match-up late last week and Arlovski agreed.

Arlovski’s recent cage action was last July 19 at Affliction:Banned, where he defeated former IFL heavyweight champion Ben Rothwell. Rothwell succumbed to Arlovski’s barrage of punches in the third round of the bout. Because of his victory over Rothwell, the Belarusian fighter is now riding in a four-fight win streak.

Likewise, Barnett did execute a remarkable victory over Pedro Rizzo via second round knockout at Affliction:Banned held at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Barnett was able to avenge his defeat from Rizzo seven years ago.

Barnett is one of MMA’s toughest warriors around; one of the few who toppled the legendary Randy Couture. Barnett snatched the UFC heavyweight title from Couture in March 2002 at UFC 86, making Barnett the organization’s youngest champion ever at the age of 24.

Barnett, however, was later striped of that distinction after subsequently testing positive for banned compounds. Because of the scandal (which was never really resolved) Barnett decided to leave the organization and fight overseas. He competed for both the Pride and Pancrase organizations in Japan, beating notable fighters there including Mark Hunt and Hidehiko Yoshida.

Warning: Expect explosive encounter from these two fighters.

Michael Bisping hopes to see a positive result on his next headlining assignment. Come October at UFC 89, when he fights it out with Chris Leben in his native England, Bisping predicts he will emerge as the victor.

The UFC middleweight fighter has lost in his initial headlining gig against Rashad Evans, his only career loss. The defeat has urged him to move down his weight class; he is originally at 205-pound division.

“I only had one loss at 205 (pounds),” Bisping said. “But in the UFC I wasn’t beating my opponents like I would like to beat them.

“When I was in the U.K., the light heavyweights are a little smaller than what they are here in the States. I was running straight through guys. I only had one loss, but I wasn’t beating [my opponents] as I would like to beat them. So I said to myself, ‘When I get beat, I’ll drop down.’

The move down is proving to be an excellent career move so far since Bisping already scored two consecutive TKOs against Jason Day and Charles McCarthy both in the first round. His match-up with Leben will be his third fight in the middleweight class and Bisping plans to go straight for the win.

“I’ve got respect for [Leben],” Bisping said. “But I’m going to go straight through him. That’s what I’m made to do.”

“Most people, when they talk about Chris Leben, they say he’s a brawler and things like that,” Bisping said. “Sure, he may like to brawl. But he’s got legitimate skills. You can’t fight in the UFC as long as he has and be around the MMA scene that long without picking up all the necessary skills.

“He’s got a decent ground game, decent wrestling. He’s got decent striking. He looks very unorthodox the way he fights, but obviously, it works for him. He’s beaten a lot of fighters.”

Bisping also promises an encounter MMA fans will love.

“Everyone knows how hard he hits, and people talk about his iron chin,” Bisping said. “I think he’s going to come out swinging, and I’m going to do the same. I think it’s going to be a great fight for the fans.

As for the customary pre-fight thrash talk, Bisping has this to say to his future opponent:  “I predict I’m going to win. On Oct. 18, he’s (Leben) just another opponent that’s going to get his ass kicked.”