STRIKEFORCE QUOTABLES: Gilbert Melendez says Eddie Alvarez fight is dead; doesn't feel he has much left to prove in Strikeforce's lightweight division

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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"I don't feel like there is too much left to prove at lightweight. I mean...there are things that can be done and I'm willing to prove whatever I need to. I'm willing to fight Billy Evangelista. I'm willing to fight Lyle Beerbohm. I'm willing to fight Justin Wilcox and these up and comers but they're not giving me an opportunity. Like I said man...everybody is calling out everyone else but me and I'd love to check these guys and defend my title against them but apparently Strikeforce either doesn't think they are ready or are not worthy. I'm their champ, get me a fight and put me to work. I do feel they could put in a little more effort into getting me something going and I think Josh is the most worthy opponent right now. I would love to fight JZ before him but that doesn't look like that's going to happen. Overall you are right though...Strikeforce does have a lot on their table and they do need to focus on everybody and not just beefing up the heavyweight division. Once again I am happy with Strikeforce but any fighter would get eager or aggravated with sitting idle. I'm trying to get some new things going here and brand myself in this sport and I need their help in doing it...

I think the [Eddie] Alvarez fight is dead for now. It had more to do with business and I know Eddie was definitely down just like I expected him to be and I was trying to pump something up that I believe would be the biggest fight outside of the UFC, maybe the biggest fight in MMA right now. I think that Eddie and I are two of the most electric fighters in the game and that's why I wanted the fight and tried to make it happen. But for now it seems like a business thing so I'm going to pull back from that and I want to apologize to Eddie and all of the fans out there for getting everyone hyped up. Maybe I jumped the gun a little bit early so for now I'll stick to fighting and not being a promoter. I did want to fight him and he wanted to fight me so it would have been exciting but that's that. I'm hoping that down the road we will get to do it but that's the sh***y thing about this sport where sometimes you can't make those things happen."

-Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez talks to BloodyElbow.com about the lack of credible lightweight challengers in Strikeforce and the proposed fight with Bellator's Eddie Alvarez.

Penick's Analysis: There's much more in the interview that is definitely worth the read, but both of these statements are very telling. Melendez is looking to get a fight with Paul Daley now because he doesn't think Strikeforce has the lightweights for him to face; and while it's the move he thinks he needs to make right now, it's a sign that he may be looking for a way out before too long. After watching teammate Jake Shields make his way to the UFC, it's starting to sound like he'll want to do the same to face the level of competition that would allow him to claim the spot as #1 lightweight in the world. With the back and forth between Bellator and Strikeforce earlier this year, the bout with Alvarez was seemingly not going to be an option, but this is the most definitive answer to date on it, with Melendez putting the kibosh on it after being the one to call Alvarez out in the first place. It would have been a great fight, but it's not something Strikeforce needed to put together, and not something they were ultimately going to put together.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_7889.shtml

Ed Herman Heath Herring Branden Lee Hinkle Sam Hoger Mark Hominick

STRIKEFORCE NEWS: Herschel Walker confirmed for January 29 show, no opponent named yet

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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After a cut suffered in training forced him out of a December 4 bout with Scott Carson on Showtime, Herschel Walker will now make his return to the sport of MMA on January 29, according to a report from MMAJunkie.com.

Per the report, Scott Coker confirmed Walker's involvement during a radio appearance in San Jose, Calif.

With the 40 year old Carson not getting re-booked he remains a possibility as Walker's next opponent, though that has not yet been determined for the event, which will air live on Showtime from the HP Pavilion in San Jose.

The 48 year old Walker made his MMA debut for Strikeforce in January of this year, defeating Greg Nagy by TKO. A former Olympian, Heisman Trophy winner and longtime NFL running back, Walker will look to go 2-0 in this latest athletic endeavor on January 29.

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: I still remain in the camp that doesn't like the fact that Walker's inclusion on a card means someone else gets slighted a televised spot. When they've had difficulties booking a lot of their fighters on a regular basis as it is, and there has been some dissension from those that want to be more active, giving a spot to a 48 year old former football player doesn't exactly help boost the morale of those not getting fights. Still, they'll attempt to use his inclusion on the card to boost up viewership for the event, and they'll hope to get some mainstream press much like they did with Walker's debut last January. However, they should expect diminishing returns on that investment because part of the intrigue last year was the fact that it was his first MMA bout ever. Now, it's been done, we've seen it, and no one will be expecting much different the second time around.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_7849.shtml

Aaron Simpson Wes Sims Rob Sinclair Rory Singer Elvis Sinosic

WEC VIDEO: WEC releases video of Brad Pickett vs. Ivan Menjivar fight from WEC 53

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The WEC closed out last week with a four fight main card on Versus from the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz., but with two title fights going the distance, none of the night's preliminary card made the broadcast. However, the UFC and Versus.com have made at least one of the preliminary card bouts available online for fans to catch. So check out the excellent bantamweight bout between Brad "One Punch" Pickett and Ivan Menjivar below (App users video available at MMATorch.com):

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/WEC/article_7900.shtml

Rolles Gracie Royce Gracie Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie Peter Graham

UFC NEWS: Randy Couture possibly retires from MMA via Twitter (UPDATED)

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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Randy Couture's MMA career could officially be over. After much wavering from the UFC Hall of Famer on whether or not he would continue his fighting career with his movie career bringing him more offers, Couture may have made his decision.

On Twitter Tuesday night, Couture made what could be the definitive statement on the matter.

Said Couture: "Thanks to everybody who's been tweeting about seeing my fights I must have missed the memo :) I think I'm at the end of it Yall. It's time."

It's the second time Couture retired from the sport. The first came in 2006 after his second loss to Chuck Liddell, though he returned 13 months later to capture the Heavyweight Championship from Tim Sylvia. Couture will now concentrate on his film career, where he's got two films on the docket that he'll be working on in 2011.

Penick's Analysis: It just makes sense for him at this stage to close off the possibility. He's 47 years old, and has accomplished more in the sport than most anyone as a multi-time champion. His in-cage abilities and performances will be missed, but I think it's nowhere near out of the question that we'll see him return to the broadcast booth at some point, or at least have some presence in the sport going forward. But if this is truly the end, all that's left to say is thank you to the natural for the years and performances that he gave us all as fans of MMA.

UPDATE: According to ESPN's Josh Gross on Twitter, Couture hasn't entirely ruled out a return, and would be willing to fight Lyoto Machida or Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. However, with Machida coming off of consecutive losses and the UFC not giving him a title fight it looks like the end and Couture wants to move on. But don't rule out an eventual return for "Captain America."

[Randy Couture art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7841.shtml

Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson

UFC NEWS: Jim Miller wants Kenny Florian, Sean Sherk, George Sotiropoulos or title shot next in 2011

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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When UFC lightweight Jim Miller defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 124 earlier this month, he very emphatically let UFC President Dana White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva know that he wanted his shot at the division's title.

Having only been beaten by decision by the two fighters meeting for the belt on January 1, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, Miller believed he'd been overlooked and under-appreciated in the division.

But Miller, in an interview with MMAWeekly.com, said his reaction after the Oliveira fight was heat of the moment, but the sentiment sticks. However, he wants it to be the way he fights that gets him respect.

"I want it to be the way I fight that gets me that recognition, and hopefully it was that performance really," Miller said. "I was just kind of letting off a little steam after."

With that said, Miller listed a number of fights that he'd like the UFC to offer him in 2011.

"I'd love the next shot at the title," Miller said. "I'd love a shot at [Kenny] Florian when he's healthy, or [Sean] Sherk, or I really would have liked them not to have given [George] Sotiropoulos [someone] so quickly. I know they're trying to build up the Australian market, but to me a fight between me and him makes sense."

Sotiropoulos has been scheduled to meet Dennis Siver at UFC 127 in Australia, but Miller said he'd be ready to step up if the UFC approached him to replace Siver in that fight. But for now, he's simply awaiting his next assignment, and he'll try to work his way back toward a title shot in 2011.

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: All of the fights Miller named would make for excellent matchups, and right now I think the most realistic options are Florian and Sherk. Florian's recovering from an injury that forced him out of a fight with Evan Dunham next month, but if he's able to go a month or two after they could definitely put Miller-Florian together on one of the many March events on the docket. I'm not sure what Sherk's timetable is, but a Miller-Sherk fight would also be excellent for March.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7907.shtml

Matt Serra Nick Serra Adrian Serrano Dan The Beast Severn Frank Shamrock

WEC 53 PREVIEW: Dominick Cruz discusses challenger Scott Jorgensen, what he needs to do to retain title

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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Dominick Cruz is entering the cage at WEC 53 this week looking to defend his WEC Bantamweight Championship for a final time, and to enter the UFC as its first 135 lb. Champion. But he faces a very stiff test in Scott Jorgensen, and he touched on what he's got to work on and prepare for in an interview with Sherdog.com.

"The best way to explain Jorgensen is probably like a grimy fighter," Cruz said. He's the kind of guy that, when you hit him, he kinda gets more into the fight. As each round goes on, he starts to feel more and more comfortable in the cage. He's got a real ?in your face? style. He's in your face with pressure, with good steady boxing. His hands have gotten a lot quicker over the fights, that's one thing I've noticed. He's got a wicked guillotine. He's proved that in all of his fights, pretty much. So guillotine defense is gonna be key."

Cruz knows he needs to make the challenger fight his fight, and use his speed and elusiveness to avoid Jorgensen's "in your face style."

"In order for me to win this fight, I just need to do as I've done before: dictate the pace of the fight, stay very mobile, very hard to find, and keep a high tempo and a high pace in every aspect," Cruz said. "And just mix it up -- high-low, high-low. I can work a lot of ground game and I can take this fight wherever I need to. I'm in there trying to finish every single fight. I'm in there trying to kill the guy from beginning to end. I think everybody that I've gone in there with, I've rocked or hurt at some point in the fight, without a doubt."

"I've won a lot of fights this way, so I know what I'm doing. I know what I do right, I know what I do well, and I know I'm very good at it, and that gives me my confidence to continue to fight the way I fight."

Their bout takes place this Thursday on Versus from the Jobing.com arena in the final ever event for World Extreme Cagefighting.

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: Cruz is an extremely mobile fighter and will make it difficult for Jorgensen to implement his gameplan in the fight. His ability to move in and out with his strikes and avoid counters makes him extremely hard to hit, and that's the thing Jorgensen's going to need to figure out. If he can close the distance and get his hands on Cruz, he'll be able to do damage, and as a scrappy fighter himself he should make for an exciting challenger. The winner of this fight will enter the UFC as the best bantamweight in the world, and will help usher the division into the organization. A lot is on the line in this one, but they should both be up to the task.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/WEC/article_7833.shtml

Keith Hackney Matt Hamill Volk Han Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk