Dan Henderson vs Daniel Cormier announced for UFC 173

Henderson vs Cormier set to decide the future number 1 contender

by Ben Heather @benheather

The UFC twitter account got everyone excited this afternoon when it tweeted that Dana White would today announce some "Breaking News" on Sports Center on ESPN in the states. As always this started all kinds of rumours being posted on Twitter but not long after all was revealed as Dana announced that Dan Henderson would meet Daniel Cormier as the Co Main Event of UFC 173.

Both men come in to the fight off the back of knockout victories, Dan Henderson knocked out Shogun Rua one month ago today and Daniel Cormier easily finished Pat Cummins back at UFC 170 in February.

Henderson (30-11 MMA 7-5 UFC) ended a three fight losing streak when he came back from the brink to knock out Shogun Rua in a fight he was easily losing. However, when you have the power Henderson does in his fists and manage to land a H-Bomb in a fight it changes everything.

Can Henderson get back to a title shot, which he already had until he had to pull out of the fight with Jones at the ill fated UFC 151, the event which never actually took place. The big thing to remember for this fight though is it will be the first time in a few years where Henderson will not have TRT to help him. What impact will this have on his game, only time will tell.

Cormier (14-0 MMA 3-0 UFC) comes in to this fight knowing a win will get him a shot at Jon Jones, who he has been chasing to fight ever since he came over to the UFC.

Since joining the UFC Cormier has improved in every performance. His first fight wasn't the best for the fans to watch but he got the better of Frank Mir. Next up for Cormier was a potentially tricky fight with Roy Nelson, again it may not have been the best performance for the fans but Cormier easily won the fight.

His most recent fight should have been against Rashad Evans as Cormier dropped down to light heavyweight for the first time, unfortunately Evans got injured and on short notice the fight was scrapped. That was when Pat Cummings stepped in, a former wrestling partner of Cormier who had talked his way in to the UFC to fight on about a weeks notice. Cormier however didn't ease up and cruise in the fight, he destroyed Cummings in just over a minute.

Fighting Henderson will be a first test for Cormier at light heavyweight and will be the name he needs to help justify a title shot.

With Gustafsson next in line for the winner of Jones vs Teixeira I think the more realistic option will be a fight between the winner of this fight and the winner of the Phil Davis vs Anthony Johnson fight this weekend at UFC 172. I know Dana said that the winner of this will be the next number one contender but that will involve sitting on the sidelines for a good 6 months, so I think one more fight will be required for either man before they get a shot at the title.

UFC 170 Review: Rousey and Cormier remain unbeaten

Kingdom MMA Review of UFC 170

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

Another UFC event is in the books and – it must be said – compared to the lacklustre events fans have witnessed so far in 2014, this one was actually very enjoyable. With several notable attendees there to experience a night at the fights including Will Smith with family and Stone Cold Steve Austin, the event certainly delivered overall. While the main card was generally outstanding, this was primarily thanks to the fights outside the main and co-main events (which were on both counts painfully one sided).

RONDA ROUSEY (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) VS. SARA MCMANN (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

For a long time now Sara McMann has been slated as the woman to eventually dethrone Rousey, utilising her Olympic-level wrestling to neutralise the champion’s judo. Despite this lofty praise, when this fight was announced back in December, many believed that McMann had been given the title shot too soon and she would be far better off amassing more MMA experience.

These fears were confirmed yesterday when Rousey picked up the TKO win over McMann coming via a wicked knee to the liver. The stoppage resulted in a chorus of boos from the fans in attendance, who believed Herb Dean stepped in prematurely – Herb seems to be on bad form of late … It’s unfortunate as until that point McMann and Ronda had been throwing bombs at each other in a highly entertaining first minute.

It was believed that the chink in McMann’s armour would be her striking and – whether you dispute the stoppage or not – this was confirmed last night. McMann did show flashes of promise though; she managed to stuff the hip toss of Ronda which was so dominant in her last match.

Next in line to face Ronda will likely be Alexis Davis who picked up a huge win on the undercard, though Cyborg’s recent announcement that she will be dropping to 135-lbs could throw a spanner in the works.

Result: Ronda Rousey def. Sara McMann via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:06

DANIEL CORMIER (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) VS. PATRICK CUMMINS (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

This one went exactly according to the script as DC made his Light Heavyweight debut with a bulldozing victory over UFC debutant Patrick Cummins. DC was as high as a 1/16 favourite with UK bookmakers and, as the odds suggest, he made short work of Rashad Evan’s late replacement.

The former Olympic wrestler barely utilised any of his wrestling skills as he quickly rocked the newcomer with a vicious uppercut from the clinch. This visibly stunned Cummins triggering DC’s killer instinct to swarm him with punches till the then-unbeaten Light Heavyweight collapsed under the relentless pressure, making it an easy call for Mario Yamasaki to step in.

I was never a fan of this fight. Props to Patrick Cummins for stepping up, but making your UFC debut in the co-main event of a PPV against a guy like Cormier does not make for good viewing. Though I expect the UFC to use this win to hype DC fighting at 205-lbs, realistically it proves absolutely nothing. Here’s hoping that we’ll see that DC vs Rashad fight in the not-too-distant future.

Result: Daniel Cormier def. Patrick Cummins via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:19

RORY MACDONALD (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) VS. DEMIAN MAIA (18-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC)

In what would receive ‘Fight of the Night’ honours, we saw the clash of two top Welterweight fighters coming off loses looking to put their names back in the title mix. It would pit the awesome BJJ skills of Demian Maia against the more well-rounded Rory Macdonald, or in other words the timeless grappler vs striker matchup.

In the first round Maia scored a quick takedown and – for what remained of the five minute – displayed his amazing BJJ to dominate Macdonald on the ground. Every time Rory attempted an escape of a sweep Demian would be two moves ahead in a highly compelling chess match taking place on the ground. To his credit, Macdonald managed to survive the round and took the fight to Maia in the second, using his rangy attacks to bloody-up and rock the former Middleweight title contender on the feet.

Going into the third round it was unquestionably one round apiece. Macdonald had inflicted the more damage but if Maia could somehow take Rory back down to his world he could steal the win. Though Maia was able to get the quick takedown, Macdonald displayed grappling skills of his own to stand-up and continue the fight on the feet. He then continued to win the final round on the feet, easily stuffing the remainder of the Brazilian’s takedown attempts.

Rory may now be in a position where he is next in line to challenge the winner of the Hendricks vs Lawler match-up as he showed the aggression many believed he’d been lacking in his more recent fights.

Result: Rory MacDonald def. Demain Maia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

MIKE PYLE (26-9-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) VS. T.J. WALDBURGER (16-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC)

Experience triumphed over youth in this Welterweight clash as veteran Mike Pyle was able to get the late TKO stoppage over Waldburger.

Waldburger has built a name for himself for being an all-or-nothing style fighter – either he’ll pick up a flashy submission victory or he’ll be unconscious on the mat. Who needs judges, eh? True to form, this one didn’t hit the scorecards as a late flurry from Pyle which started with a spinning back fist rocked Waldburger, forcing him to shoot for a half-hearted takedown. Pyle reversed the attempt and found himself on top of Waldburger, raining down some of the heaviest elbows you’re ever likely to see in MMA. It was clear that Waldburger – who is known for his suspect chin – was out but still referee Herb dean didn’t jump in, making for some highly uncomfortable viewing. It was only after several more nasty looking shots landed that the fight was stopped. It’s really not been your year, has it Herb?

Result: Mike Pyle def. T.J. Waldburger via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 4:03

STEPHEN THOMPSON (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) VS. ROBERT WHITTAKER (11-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC)

This was always going to be one of those blink-and-it’ll-be-over type matchups as these two strikers met in the Octagon; Stephen Thompson’s unpredictable karate style would take on the more powerful boxing of Aussie Robert Whittaker.

Though the fight was over quickly, Thompson was able to display some beautiful karate techniques. Using a traditional karate stance and his reach advantage he was able to keep Whittaker on the outside while landing plentiful front kicks, body kicks and leg kicks. Though Thompson kept his hands low throughout, Whittaker’s well-documented power was nullified by this ranged assault. Frustration set in on the Australian TUF Smashes winner as he began to rush in, eventually resulting in him being clipped with a crisp straight right which rocked him and allowed Thompson to pounce for the finish.

With a big win over a tough opponent, Wonderboy is likely going to be in a position to push for a top ten 170-lb opponent.

Result: Stephen Thompson def. Robert Whittaker via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:43

Stars of UFC London predict who will win at UFC 170

Phil Harris, Danny Mitchell and Brad Scott predict UFC 170

by Ben Heather @benheather

Normally before all the UFC events we put out our own predictions picking who we think will win and our reasoning for why. This week we thought we would try and mix it up and instead of giving you our picks we have instead asked some of the best UK fighters, who will all be showcasing their skills in the Octagon in a little over 2 weeks at UFC Fight Night 38 in London.

The fighters who will be predicting the fights for this event are:

Phil Harris (1-2 UFC 22-11-1 MMA)

The english flyweight who meets Louis Gaudinot in London. That fight will kick off the show in London and is sure to be a great battle between two tough flyweights. Phil will be looking to return to London in the UFC and get his hand raised again as he did in February '13 when he defeated Ulysses Gomez.

Danny Mitchell (14-4-1 MMA)

The Cheescake Assassin will make his UFC debut next month against Igor Araujo. Mitchell has a very good record and is a welcome addition to the UFC roster. Mitchell has faced a lot of top opppnents including Dean Amasinger, Gunnar Nelson and also fought to a draw against former Cage Warriors Welterweight champion Cathal Pendred.

Brad Scott (1-1 UFC 9-2 MMA)

First became a familiar name to UFC fans when he was part of Team UK on TUF: The Smashes where he made it all the way to the final of the welterweight bracket. He would lose that fight against Robert Whittaker but then moved up to middleweight. He made his UFC middleweight debut against Michael Kuiper in Manchester finishing him in the first round and will return to action again in London.

So lets get down to business, below you will find the predictions for the fighters.

Ronda Rousey vs Sara McMann

Harris: Rousey by Decision

Mitchell: Rousey by Submission Round 1

Scott: McMann by Decision

Daniel Cormier vs Pat Cummins

Harris: Cormier by TKO Round 1

Mitchell: Cormier by Decision

Scott: Cormier by KO

Rory MacDonald vs Demian Maia 

Harris: MacDonald by Decision

Mitchell: Macdonald by TKO Round 2

Scott: MacDonald by Decision

Mike Pyle vs TJ Waldburger

Harris: Waldburger by Decision

Mitchell: Pyle by TKO Round 1

Scott: Pyle by Decision

Robert Whittaker vs Stephen Thompson

Harris: Whittaker by TKO Round 2/3

Mitchell: Whittaker by Decision

Scott: Whittaker by TKO Round 2/3

There you have it, we would like to thank all the fighters for picking who they think will win and we will see on Saturday night who comes out with the most correct results.

Video: UFC 170's Pat Cummins vs Ricky Pulu at Xplode Fight Series

Video: UFC 170's Pat Cummins vs Ricky Pulu at Xplode Fight Series
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

By now you will probably know that undefeated 4-0 Light-Heavyweight Patrick Cummins will step in to face Daniel Cormier as a last minute replacement for Rashad Evans at UFC 170. What you might not know is how good he is.

Check out what you can expect from Cummins when he faces Cormier next week in his bout against Ricky Pulu at Xplode Fight Series in March 2013 below.

Fighter vs Writer: Brendan Loughnane predicts UFC 166 (The Results)

Fighter vs Writer: Brendan Loughnane predicts UFC 166 (The Results)

by Ben Heather @benheather

On Saturday night Brendan Loughnane stepped in to the hot seat to challenge Kingdom MMA in the latest Fighter vs Writer feature.

This week we put forward the one and only, the MMA Ranter himself Tommy Strong. Tommy certainly had his work cut out for him this week facing a very talented competitor but we hoped he could get the win for Kingdom MMA.
Below you will be able to see the results as the fights happened. It was a closely contested battle and Brendan certainly proved he isn't just a good fighter but also great at predicting the fights too and he was a respectable opponent for Tommy.

The Scoring

If you predict the correct winner of the fight you will get one point and if you predict the correct method of victory you will get an extra point. However, if the fight ends in a stoppage and you predict the round as well the method you could earn a third bonus point. If the fight goes the distance you can only earn a maximum of two points.

UFC 166 Results

John Dodson Def. Darrell Montague by KO RD1

• Brendan Loughnane: Dodson by Decision - Score 1
• Tommy Strong: Dodson by TKO Rd 2 - Score 2

Score after the 1st fight: Brendan Loughnane - 1 Tommy Strong - 2

Gabriel Gonzaga Def. Shawn Jordan by TKO RD1

• Brendan Loughnane: Gonzaga by TKO Rd 1 - Score 3
• Tommy Strong: Jordan by TKO Rd 1 - Score 0

Score after the 2nd fight: Brendan Loughnane - 4 Tommy Strong - 2

Gilbert Melendez Def. Diego Sanchez by Unanimous Decision

• Brendan Loughnane: Melendez by TKO Rd 3 - Score 1
• Tommy Strong: Melendez by Unanimous Decision - Score 2

Score after the 3rd fight: Brendan Loughnane - 5 Tommy Strong - 4

Daniel Cormier Def. Roy Nelson by Unanimous Decision

• Brendan Loughnane: Cormier by Unanimous Decision - Score 2
• Tommy Strong: Cormier by Unanimous Decision - Score 2

Score after the 4th fight: Brendan Loughnane - 7 Tommy Strong - 6

Cain Velasquez Def. Junior Dos Santos by TKO RD5

• Brendan Loughnane: Velasquez by TKO Rd 5 - Score 2
• Tommy Strong: Velasquez by Unanimous Decision - Score 1

FINAL SCORE BRENDAN LOUGHNANE - 9 TOMMY STRONG - 7

Kingdom MMA would like to thank Brendan Loughnane once again for his participation in Fighter vs Writer even if he has become only the second fighter to beat one of our writers. All I can say is the best man won and it's going to be a long time before we put Tommy up to represent the site again.

Brendan proved what many people have been saying for a long time, Tommy is all talk!!

Frank Mir vs Alistair Overeem Added To UFC 167

UFC 167 MIR VS OVEREEM , EVERYTHING TO LOSE?

By Tommy Strong @strong_tea

There seems to be no signs of slowing up as the UFC continue to add big names and fights to the UFC's 20th anniversary show, UFC 167 which will take place at the MGM Grand on November 16th in Las Vegas. 

With the recent announcement that former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will face former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem. With more than just a win or loss on their records this fight could determine whether its the end of the line in their UFC career for the loser. 

Mir (16-8) currently ranked 8th in the official UFC rankings has seen himself slide down the ladder since losing to Junior De Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship belt at UFC 146. Mir has since gone onto lose his next two fights, firstly to Daniel Cormier and more recently being stopped by Josh Barnett via first round TKO less than 2 weeks ago. With 3 straight losses on his record , Mir will know a loss to Overeem could well see his 12 year fight career in the UFC come to an abrupt end!

Overeem (36-13-1) came to the UFC as the Strikeforce heavyweight champion and on an 8 fight winning streak. Proving in his debut fight against Brock Lesnar putting on a clinical display defeating him inside the first round at UFC 141 and earning himself a shot at then heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.

This is where Overeem's career has rapidly gone downhill. Firstly testing positive in a random pre fight drugs test for elevated levels of testosterone forcing the UFC to pull him from the fight and Overeem being handed a 9 month suspension. 

On his return from suspension at UFC 156 in February , he faced Antonio Silva dominating the first two rounds Overeem became over confident and showed a lack of respect for 'Big Foot's' punching power and in doing so paid the ultimate price by being knocked out in the third round.

Then against Travis Browne only last month, Overeem started out the better of the two fighters and on the verge of victory, only to gas himself out within the first round. Browne somehow recovered from the onslaught and took full advantage of Overeem gassing, to land a front kick and punches to win via TKO. 

Could the loser of this fight be heading for pastures new?

Already confirmed for UFC 167:

Welterweight:           Georges St. Pierre  vs  Johny Hendricks

Light Heavyweight:  Rashad Evans        vs  Chael Sonnen

Welterweight:           Rory MacDonald   vs  Robbie Lawler

Welterweight:           Josh Koshcheck     vs  Tyron Woodley

Lightweight:             Donald Cerrone     vs  Evan Dunham

Welterweight:           Brian Ebersole       vs  Rick Story

Roy Nelson re-signs with the UFC, fights Cormier at UFC 166

Big country pens new 9 fight deal, plans to retire with the UFC

by John Haigh @JohnBJayHaigh

UFC heavyweight Roy "Big Country" Nelson's new UFC contract is a nine fight deal, according to what Nelson told Ariel Helwani on Tuesday. The new deal was announced on UFC Tonight, as well as the first fight of the deal with Nelson (19-8) squaring off against Daniel Cormier (12-0). The fight will be the co main event on October 19th at UFC 166 in Houston Texas, underneath the Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos rematch

Nelson now 37, said that he is relatively happy with the new deal, using the term relative saying he didn't get everything he wanted. But he said he expects to finish his career in the UFC and wants to fight for another five years.

Nelson was on a three fight win streak, all via knockout in less than three minutes off fighting over Dave Herman, Matt Mitrione and Cheick Kongo going into UFC 161 in Winnipeg. The streak had gained him the most popularity of his nine year career. But he couldn't match the speed, stamina, wrestling ability and footwork of Stipe Miocic in his last fight scoring a unanimous decision loss on June 15th.

Getting Cormier as an opponent, largely based on Nelson goading the former Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix winner, is the kind of match up somewhat unusual after such a decisive loss to a lower ranked opponent.

A win over Cormier would reverse all the damage of the Miocic loss and put Nelson back into contention in the UFC heavyweight division. It would also derail all the talk regarding Cormier dropping down to Light Heavyweight and getting an immediate title shot against the winner of the Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson.

UFC on Fox 7 - A final thought - Fights to make after UFC on FOX 7

Fights to make after UFC on FOX 7

by Ben Heather @benheather and Chris Houten @Houts4thewin

Benson Henderson

Benson Henderson vs winner of TJ Grant vs Gray Maynard has been announced so we expect this to be the next time we see Henderson defend his belt in the octagon.

However, I want to see Henderson vs Melendez 2. Although the winner of TJ Grant and Gray Maynard is expected to get the next shot at the lightweight belt, this is the fight to make at the top of the lightweight pile now. Why, because it was so damn close – the fans just need to see it again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm the last guy you will hear saying that champ/ challenger should get an immediate title shot, they clog the division up and kill off top contenders – just see what happened with Pettis vs Guida, but as a fan how can we all be happy with Melendez going away to fight his way back up the contender ladder when he should actually be the champion right now depending on who you ask.

 For me this fights a no brainer and I'm sorry for the Grant vs Maynard winner but you are simply going to have to get in line with the Pettis' of this world and wait for your shot.

Gilbert Melendez

If Melendez doesn't get the rematch (which at this time is looking very unlikely) then I think that Melendez should fight another champion, this time the former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez.

Yes, I know what you are all thinking Alvarez has not signed with the UFC yet and I agree at this point in time it needs everything to align perfectly for this fight to happen but I think not only could it happen it has the name power to easily headline a UFC event.

In any other division the thought of putting two legitimate contenders in the cage together could be thought of as lunacy as your eliminating a top name from the title picture but in a stacked division like the lightweight division anything could happen.

Daniel Cormier vs A Top Light-Heavyweight

Cormier's victory over Frank Mir was impressive, not so much for the way he won the fight, but for the way he was able to control the two time UFC heavyweight champion Mir for most of the fight. But one has to think “Cormier isn't prepared to fight Cain Velasquez that is the frigging point”!

If anything the Mir fight has introduced Cormier to a larger audience and that's about it. I feel now is the time to either step up and say “I'll fight anyone” Jon Jones style when presented with the possibility of fighting Rashad Evans or get on the phone to Mike Dolce, and work out how your gonna get down to 205, while avoiding the same problems with his Kidneys he did during the Olympics.

All things at present indicate to the latter, which if I'm honest suits me, Jon Jones is crying out for challengers at the moment (and not those that fight at MW). I'd like to see Cormier take on the winners of either Henderson vs Evans or Shogun vs lil Nog. Both options would give Cormier a real telling warm fight whether he deserves a shot at the Light Heavyweight belt.

If Daniel Cormier stays at Heavyweight

If however Cormier stays at heavyweight and agrees in the long run that him and Cain would fight I want to see him fight the winner of the Werdum vs Big Nog fight. The winner of that fight should then become the next heavyweight number 1 contender.

Frank Mir

The next time we see Frank Mir enter the octagon a fight vs Overeem would makes sense, both are coming of losses but are still very marketable guys. In a styles vs styles match up the winner of Mir vs Overeem would be back on track at making a run in the heavyweight division. This fight would make a great co-main of any numbered event.

Josh Thomson

Although I predicted a Josh Thomson victory on Saturday night, the manor in which it came was far from to be expected.

Thomson looked awesome, and of all the Strikeforce guys on the card that night he quite possibly showed himself to be the biggest stand out going into the so called big leagues.

The Lightweight division is a stacked division right now and a fight between the winner of Miller vs Healy would not only work in terms to scheduling, it would also be a fight which would take the winner one step closer to a title fight.

Realistically Thomson has just beat the #4 ranked guy in Nate Diaz and a fight versus the winner of this weekends showdown could be made for the next number 1 contender. If Henderson is set to fight either Maynard or Grant than this could be made on the same card to make the next challenger. If not, Thomson vs Miller would make a great fuel headliner if you ask me.

Nate Diaz

For me I can only see one fight which has to be made next for Nate Diaz, that's Diego Sanchez.

Diego started calling for the fight with Nate after he beat Takanori Gomi in Japan saying how he has already beat Nick and wants to be the first person to beat both Diaz brothers. Plus, if both turn up and bring their A games then it will be an incredible fight!! The fact that Nate is now coming off back to back losses makes this fight a possibility again. When Sanchez called him out it didn't look likely but now I really want to see this fight.

However Chris would like to see, Nate Diaz vs Matt Wiman.
I know Diaz has flirted with a move to welterweight citing their are no challenges for him at the weight anymore, but that excuse doesn't go down to well after you get knocked out. Diaz didn't really look himself on Saturday and maybe that can be attributed to the fact that two of his training partners have had the biggest fights of their careers just weeks apart of each other.

No doubt about it Diaz is one of the best lightweights in the world, but at this stage he is on a two fight losing streak and should take a step down in competition. Enter the fighter formally known as handsome - Matt Wiman.

 A fight with Wiman makes a lot of sense. Both guys would enter the fight coming off loses, Wiman gives Diaz the step down in competition he needs right now but still has a good enough record to make the fight sellable. This fight feels like a war!

Matt Brown

I want to see Matt Brown fight Dong Hyun Kim in a rematch of their UFC 88 battle which finished in a split decision win for Kim. The fact Kim has only lost to Condit and Maia and is now on a 2 fight winning streak makes the timing for this fight very good and could easily push the winner in to contendership and well inside the top 10.

Another possibility would be for Brown to fight the Hathaway vs Erik Silva winner.
I had a little chuckle on Saturday night when Bruce buffer introduced Matt Brown as a technical brawler, but damn that dude is on a tear! Now on a 5 fight winning streak having bounced back from losing 3 on a bounce, Matt brown is proof that the UFC should stick by their fight.

Matt brown has knocked out his last 3 opponents as part of his win streak and in any other division it's be hard to argue with a title shot, but if Johnny Hendricks can't get a title shot what hope does Matt Brown have? I'd like to see Matt Brown take on the winner of next months welterweight match up between prospects John Hathaway and Erik Silva.

The winner of this fight will prove a stern test for Brown as he looks towards a title fight, and likewise a fight with Matt Brown will show what the future will hold in the careers of either Hathaway or Silva.

Jordan Mein

Jordan Mein vs Brian Ebersole, Jordan Mein was expected to beat Matt Brown on Saturday and unfortunately it looks like the hype train has been derailed ever-so-slightly. He's young and there is still plenty of time to break the top 10. It's likely Mein will find himself on the undercard of PPV even, or possibly the main card of a fuel / fx card and a fight with Brain Ebersole would make sense - similar skillsets, position in the rankings and both coming off losses.

UFC on FOX 7 Main Card Results - Frank Mir vs Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier defeats Frank Mir by Unanimous Decision

by Ben Heather @benheather

If you was expecting this fight to become Daniel Cormier's grand entrance to the UFC and make him easily promotable as the new big contender in the UFC for either the Heavyweight or Light Heavyweight division you were sadly wrong.

In every round Cormier did all he could to hold Mir against the cage and while he was there was able to get off some big shots working both Mir's body and his head. When the fight got separated by Herb Dean, Mir only attempted to get the fight down to the canvas once and that came to nothing. It seemed that Mir was trying to outstrike Cormier but every time was out wrestled and then the fight went back to the cage.

The only real time Mir seemed to have an advantage was in the third when he landed a couple of body kicks but nothing to the extent to hurt Cormier. Rightfully so all three judges scored the fight 30-27.

I think Cormier will want and in my opinion need to show the UFC fans just how good he was in Strikeforce in his next fight. Not all UFC fans have seen what Cormier has done up until now and if he puts on another show like he did on Saturday night against Mir then it may be at least a couple of fights before he gets that title shot everyone has spoke about. Yes he is now 12-0 and yes he completely stopped Mir from trying to implement his game plan on Saturday but I didn't see the exciting Cormier that we all know from his Strikeforce days.

The question now is what weight will we see Cormier fight in next and where does Frank Mir go from here?

UFC on Fox 7 Main Card Predictions

Kingdom MMA: UFC on FOX 7 Main Card Predictions

by Ben Heather @benheather

On Saturday night it will mark the 7th time that the UFC will be on FOX and this fight card has a real UFC vs Strikeforce feel to it all the way through. I really like how the UFC has put this card together and if the introudction most of the Strikeforce fighters have put on up until now is anything to go by, we will be in for a treat on Saturday night.

Below you will find the predictions from all the guys at Kingdom MMA for the main card.

Benson Henderson (18-2) #1 LW vs. Gilbert Melendez (21-2) #2 LW

Scott: There are not many who can significantly challenge Ben Henderson for his UFC lightweight title with Jose Aldo and Anthony Pettis heading up this group. Unfortunately for Saturday's main event Gilbert Melendez is not in this group. Henderson is stronger than him everywhere and his skills are to the point where he is proving to be an innovator within the sport. Melendez was lucky to come away with the Strikeforce lightweight championship in a closely fought fight with Josh Thomson and Henderson is a huge step up in quality that I don't think he'll be able to handle.

This fight will be very similar to Henderson's previous versus Melendez teammate Nate Diaz as we will see another superb display of technique and aggression from "Smooth" that will overwhelm the challenger. Henderson won't lose his tag as having on average the longest fights in the UFC, but who cares when he is such a joy to watch.

Prediction: Henderson by Unanimous Decision

John: This will be a close one to call, Henderson is the champion but to be honest he's never really impressed me that much. I still don’t think he beat Edgar either time. On the other hand Melendez was the Stikeforce champion and is coming in off a seven fight win streak, so he's defiantly got some momentum going. I think the fight will go to a decision and I see Melendes edging it.

Prediction: Melendez by Split Decision

Ben: I predict only one thing in this fight, a Henderson victory!! I don't think Henderson gets anywhere near the credit he is due. In his first fight with Edgar he clearly won the fight in my opinion and their shouldn't have been a rematch. The rematch was a lot closer but I still gave him the win. This guy has beat a who's who of lightweight contenders on the way to getting his shot and now as champ has beat Nate Diaz and Frankie Edgar twice.... who else can say they have done that. Nobody!!

I agree with Scott, I am not sure if he finishes him but I do know he will put on a show as he always does.

Prediction: Henderson by Unanimous Decision

Chris: Melendez is an excellent fighter, who can definitely cut it with top 5, top 10 guys in the world, but I'm not as enthusiastic about his chances in this fight as some of his supporters .

Both fighters have similar skillsets but I think Henderson has a wrestling advantage, handles offensive pressure better, and definitely has more kicks in his arsenal.  I think this fight will be a little bit closer than the Diaz fight was, but I think Henderson takes this one quite easily.

Prediction: Henderson by Unanimous Decision

Frank Mir (16-6) #5 HW vs. Daniel Cormier (11-0) #3 HW

Scott: Daniel Cormier came out of almost nowhere to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and announced himself to the world in a big fashion. So much so that he goes into his UFC debut as a heavy favourite against veteran Frank Mir. Cormier's striking has looked on point in his recent fights and I think he'll have the advantage there over Mir. The big question is whether Cormier will utilise his excellent wrestling game against the division's best submission artist. Cormier wasn't afraid to go there with Josh Barnett, but Mir is a different proposition. Cormier will dictate this fight, but there is always the chance of a flash of inspiration from Mir a la his brutal submission of Big Nog in December 2011.

Prediction: Cormier by Unanimous Decision

John: I’m picking this out for fight of the night. Cormier comes in unbeaten and Mir comes in off a loss and will be desperate to get the win so with that I see this being a war. Both fighters have great stand up and are both comfortable on the ground so it will be hard for either fighter to get an advantage. I see this fight going back and forth going the distance with Cormier getting the decision.

Prediction: Cormier by Unanimous Decision

Ben: I think I must be the only person (as i was last week when i predicted that Kelvin would beat Uriah Hall) who thinks that Frank Mir has a decent chance. The odds for this fight baffle me... Yes Cormier has looked very good in his days in Strikeforce and has possibly the biggest hype train of any fighter making his debut in the UFC. But he has not fought anyone with BJJ like Mir.

I predict one of two things, either Mir tries to get Cormier down and in the process gets knocked out or the more likely happening in my opinion. Mir gets hold of one of Cormiers limbs and forces the submission victory. Welcome to the big show Cormier.

Prediction: Mir by Submission Round 2

Chris: I don't see how Cormier loses this one if I'm honest. Sure Frank Mir is an excellent opponent, and one of Cormiers toughest to date, but when you look at the 3 core skills in MMA - wrestling, striking, ju-jitsu, Cormier has beaten guys who are better than Mir in each facet: Striking: Silva and Poa, Wrestling: Barnett and Ju-jitsu: Jeff Monson. I like Cormier to keep this fight on the feet, using his speed advantage to win a Unanimous decision

Prediction: Cormier by Unanimous Decision

Nate Diaz (16-8) #5 LW vs. Josh Thomson (19-5)

Scott: These two bellicose fighters could well put on the night's best fight in what is sure to be a fast paced encounter. Both are holders of BJJ black belts and could cancel each other out in that department bringing things down to the striking and wrestling departments. Thomson likely has the better wrestling, but will he want to risk taking Diaz to the ground. Ben Henderson did, but he had to do a lot of work to escape submission attempts when he wanted to pour on some ground and pound. Diaz has the striking advantage here and I think this will be the most important aspect of the fight and Thomson could well play into Diaz's hands (no pun intended) here as he looks to go toe-to-toe with him.

Prediction: Diaz by Unanimous Decision

John: This one's easier for me to pick, I think Diaz will bounce back from his loss to Benson Henderson and defeat Thomson and make another run for the title. Thomson has been a bit inconsistent over the last few years so I see Diaz winning this one.

Prediction: Diaz by Submission Round 2

Ben: Thomson pushed Melendez all the way in the fights they have had and so has a good reputation and rightfully so. However I feel in this fight, like in the main event it may be a rude awakening and a case of welcome to the UFC. I am predicting that Diaz picks his shots and keeps Thomson at range then when he see's the opportunity he goes for a submission.

Prediction: Diaz by Submission Round 3

Chris: Josh Thomson might be flying under the radar a little bit to the casual fan down to injury problems in the past, but he has beat some quality opponents - Gilbert Melendez, Pat Healy, Dauane Ludwig, Hermes Franca and stands a really good chance here.

Thomson goes into this bout with a clear cut wrestling advantage and if he can exercise a similar game to that of Rory MacDonald or Ben Henderson when they fought Diaz, its conceivable Thomson can win this fight. Sure, it wont be easy, Thomson will need to avoid stay on the outside where Diaz can pick him apart with his much better boxing. He also has to be careful not to fall into the guard of Diaz but if he can do that, I see Thomson walking away with the upset.

Prediction: Thomson by Unanimous Decision  

Matt Brown (16-11) vs. Jordan Mein (27-8)

Scott: Matt Brown has come back from three consecutive defeats and an inevitable release to post a 5-1 record in his last 6 fights winning the last 4 in a row. The self proclaimed "technical-brawler" will find his toughest test to date on that run as he faces Jordan Mein who has fought 35 times professionally at only 23. Both will be ready for an absolute war and Brown's iron chin will be significantly checked by Mein who became the first man to finish Dan Miller in his last bout. Brown's achilles heel is his submission game as he has been finished 9 times by this method and Mein could capitalise on this shortcoming and continue to make a name for himself in the UFC.

Prediction: Mein by Submission Round 2

John: I’m going Jordan Mein for this one, I don't see it being a long fight and don't think it will get out the first round. Mein steps in for an injured Dan Hardy, I think that would have been a lot better fight. However  even with Mein stepping in and having less time to prepare for a tough opponent I think Mien will come in stronger and win in the first round.

Prediction: Mein by KO Round 1

Ben: Again for the second time on this card I am picking the underdog. I think Matt Brown has been on a roll and I dont see it stopping. The way he has finished Swick on Fox 5 impressed me so much and I predict he will do the same against Mein.

Mein did look very impressed and the big stage did not get to him when he finished Dan Miller only a few weeks ago but I think coming in on short notice and against Brown on the run he is on is a combinatin for failure.

Prediction: Brown by KO Round 2

Chris: Fair play to Matt Brown, from a 3 fight losing streak, and 1 fight away from being cut from the UFC, he goes on a run winning 4 of 5, and picking up some impressive KO's along the way. Unfortunately I don't see him being able to continue that run against up-and-coming Jordan Mein. I expect Mein to be able to control the fight from the outside with his crisper striking, and I can see Mein overpowering Brown when he does go inside or in the clinch.

Prediciton: Mein by KO Round 2