Classic MMA Fight: Frank Shamrock vs. Vernon "Tiger" White

An oldie, but a goodie. Check out this 1995 battle between a 23-year-old Frank Shamrock and 24-year-old Vernon "Tiger" White. Yes, this is pre-UFC for both fighters, while they were still fighting for Pancrase in Japan...

No. 8 Ranked Mousasi to Kickbox on New Year's Eve in Japan

PRESS RELEASE:

M-1 Global's Gegard Mousasi to take on Musashi on Dec. 31 in Japan at FEG's "Fields Dynamite!!"

Gegard Mousasi, an M-1 Global contracted fighter and the 2008 winner of DREAM's Middleweight World Grand Prix, has officially signed to return to DREAM for FEG's "Fields Dynamite!!" on Dec. 31 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

M-1 Global can reveal that the 23-year old will be taking on four-time K-1 Japan tournament champion, Musashi in a K-1 rules match.

The matching up of Mousasi vs. Musashi is intriguing outside of the fact that their last names are similar, as both are known as world-renowned strikers.

Before becoming the first-ever DREAM Middleweight Champion at DREAM 6 this past September, Mousasi was also a former Cage Warriors Middleweight Champion and a former amateur boxing champion. He has also served as a striking coach for current WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

Musashi, a Japan native, is a former WAKO Heavyweight Muay Thai Champion and is also a two-time K-1 World Grand Prix finalist.

Born in Iran to Armenian parents during the Iran-Iraq war, Mousasi was raised in the Netherlands and began studying martial arts at a young age. Starting with both boxing and Judo, he would eventually become a standout kickboxer before achieving crossover success in mixed martial arts.

Mousasi won the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix after knocking out world-class grappler Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza with an upkick at 2:15 of round one on Sept. 23. He reached the final after winning in the semifinals, which were held the same night. Facing K-1 standout Melvin Manhoef, Mousasi utilized his improving ground skills to submit the striker at 1:28 of round one.

Prior to his semifinal and final victories, Mousasi had defeated current UFC fighter Denis Kang in the Grand Prix's first round at DREAM 2 in April and then Korean Dong Sik Yoon at DREAM 4 in June in round 2.

Mousasi is 24-2-1 in a pro MMA career that began in April of 2003. During his five-year career that includes fights for PRIDE, MFC, M-1, DEEP, and BodogFIGHT, Mousasi has recorded notable victories over Kang, Manhoef, Souza, Makoto Takimoto, Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, and Erik Oganov. He is currently the sixth-best middleweight in the world, according to the November rankings poll by the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts.

He is currently ranked as the No. 8 middleweight in the MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings.

Source: UFC 91 PPV Buys 800,000+

A source MMAInsider spoke to with intimate knowledge of UFC 91 pay per view buyrates said the industry leading promotion scored more than 800,000 orders of the Nov. 15 event and stands to produce a minimum of $35,960,000 in revenue.

The source said the final number of buys would likely be higher, but even at the 800,000 level, the event splashes a lot of black ink across the UFC's balance sheets.

A final tally for UFC91 will not be available for months, as pay per view figures come in slowly due to late ordering of the event.

Combined with over $4.8 million in live gate revenue, the event was one of the most profitable events in the organization's history. It was also one of the most expensive, with over a million dollars paid out in fighter salaries and a huge advertising push on television.

To give a small, superficial example of the extravagance present at UFC 91, look at the pre-fight press luncheon. Usually, they are modestly catered, with a buffett style lunch for the handful of journalists who attend them. Not so at UFC 91. A multi-course steak dinner awaited scribes at the MGM Grand's Craftsteak, in a feast that certainly would have run up a $500 tab if paid for by itself. UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and co. "crashed" the festivities, no doubt looking to pack on some weight for an upcoming fight at light heavyweight.

Next up is UFC 92 on Dec. 27, an event typically promoted as the year's best. Without a Couture, Liddell, Ortiz, or Lesnar even, it remains to be seen whether revenue will match the Nov. 15 card, and whether it will be steak, or pizza, for lunch.

Randy Couture's Clothing on Ebay for Cheap...

Randy Couture is cleaning out his closet for the troops.

The beloved MMA heavyweight is auctioning off a pair of his Affliction boots and several t-shirts on Ebay. Proceeds will go to his Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicating to assisting wounded veterans.

Bidding ends next Monday, Dec. 1. At the time of this writing, his boots were still cheap at $26, while his Afflcition t-shirts were a steal at $10.

Fedor Cancels U.S. Media Tour to Prepare for Arlovski

PRESS RELEASE:

WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko announced Friday that he is canceling a planned press tour to the United States that had been scheduled for the start of December with stops set for New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

Emelianenko has made the decision so that he can begin his training camp early in preparation for his much-anticipated title defense against former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski, which is set to take place on Jan. 24 during Affliction and M-1 Global's "Day of Reckoning" pay-per-view event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Emelianenko's decision comes in response to a recent loss at the 2008 World Sambo Championships that were held earlier this month in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"My trainers, Vladimir Voronov and Alexander Michkov, met with me in Russia after the World Sambo Championships and we decided that the Arlovski confrontation is too important to delay a comprehensive training camp in exchange for press tour obligations on the other side of the world," said Emelianenko. "Andrei Arlovski is a dangerous fighter and has looked in prime condition and at the top of his game in his last few fights. He is one of the top three heavyweights in the world. This is not a fighter I will defeat if I am taking shortcuts in training."

Emelianenko had not lost the annual World Sambo Championships since 2000. While there are some similarities between Combat Sambo and Mixed Martial Arts, they are different sports with completely different scoring systems, strategies, rules, and emphasis. Sambo is a technical sport with points accumulated by executing throws and the number of points awarded is based on the positioning of both the person executing the technique and the landing position of the person being thrown. Compared to MMA, striking is limited both in scoring and when you can strike.

The current undisputed heavyweight champion is unhappy with the loss but does not believe results accrued while competing in Combat Sambo are applicable to the world of MMA.

"Sambo is my hobby and I enjoy very much participating in these tournaments to honor my country and use Sambo as the best training format for MMA," he said. "But MMA is my job and I certainly approach my preparation differently. I had a nice run of Sambo victories since 2000 but I have lost in a Sambo match before this match as well. I think a lot of MMA fans have never seen Sambo before so I guess you can say I am happy that the recent loss has made some people pay attention to the sport and see the differences between Sambo and MMA."

With the World Sambo Championships behind him along with recent filming in Thailand for an upcoming motion picture, Emelianenko will head for the high altitude in the mountains near his home city of Stary Oskol. The camp will last six to seven weeks and he will be joined by several of his teammates that train with him out of the Red Devil Fight Gym. In addition to getting himself ready for Arlovski on Jan. 24, Emelianenko will also be preparing his training partners for the upcoming M-1 Challenge finals against Holland set for Dec. 26 in Seattle, Washington.

For Emelianenko, the decision to begin his camp early was necessary in order to preserve his standing as the world's top heavyweight but is still one that comes with mixed emotion.

"I wish I could see the fans in America to announce the fight but I will not be able to attend the press tour as I did for the Tim Sylvia fight," said Emelianenko. "I received an incredibly warm welcome the last time I was in the United States and was looking forward to reuniting with my fans. But I must begin to prepare for Arlovski early and under the stringent training regimen and conditions that I have grown accustom to for all of my most dangerous opponents. There are people in MMA who attempt to paint a different picture of who the top fighters in the world are today and I must be fully prepared and focused to defend the reputation and status of my achievements in the sport."

MMA Live - Episdoe 29

ESNP's MMA Live discusses Jon Fitch's 24-hour UFC whirlwind, Affliction and Golden Boy's partnership and head-to-head events, the UFC's march on Germany, and more...

Strikeforce "Greatest Knockouts" Premieres On NBC Saturday

Press Release:

A special 30 minute episode featuring a collection of the 10 greatest knockouts in Strikeforce mixed martial arts (MMA) history will premiere on NBC Saturday night.

The all-new "Strikeforce on NBC" episode will showcase the handiwork of some of Strikeforce's most lethal competitors, including reigning world middleweight (185 lb. limit) champion, Cung Le; two-time world MMA champion, Frank Shamrock; and superstars Kazuo "The Grabaka Hitman" Misaki and Duane "Bang" Ludwig.

Le's classic knockouts of old rivals Mike Altman and Brian "Mr. Unbreakable" Warren will be displayed as will Shamrock's 21 second decimation of longtime, bitter adversary, Cesar Gracie.

The NBC program consists of the following bouts:

Cung Le vs. Mike Altman
Frank Shamrock vs. Cesar Gracie
Luke Stewart vs. Bryson Kamaka
Joe "Diesel" Riggs vs. Eugene "The Wolf" Jackson
Kazuo "The Grabaka Hitman" Misaki vs. Joe "Diesel" Riggs
Duane "Bang" Ludwig vs. Tony "The Freak" Fryklund
Terry Martin vs. Cory "The One" Devela
Paul "The Headhunter" Buentello vs. David "Tank" Abbott
Paul "The Headhunter" Buentello vs. Carter Williams
Cung Le vs. Brian "Mr. Unbreakable" Warren

Fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite knockout in a poll being hosted online at Strikeforce's official website, www.strikeforce.com. Results of the survey will be displayed on the homepage next week.

How Fighters Spend Thanksgiving Day

Many of us spend Thanksgiving Day with family watching football and filling our stomachs with excessive amounts of well-prepared food, enjoying time with friends and loved ones. MMAInsiderBlog spoke with several fighters and broadcasters to find out how they'll be spending holiday. And we found out they're just like us.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Chuck Liddell will be spending Thanksgiving at his California home with his family and his fiance's family. The former champ said, "It's usually a pretty good time."

UFC lightweight No. 1 contender Kenny Florian is excited to celebrate Thanksgiving in Boston with family. "The best part of the holiday is I get to eat. I don't have to worry about fights coming up," said Florian. "My family, we do it right. There's a lot of food that's not good for you. I like to get fat through the holidays. I put my winter coat on."

World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight titleholder Jamie Varner will spend the day of football and feast with his immediate family. "I'm going to spend time with my immediate family for Thanksgiving," said the Arizona Combat Sports trained champion. "But I have two workouts that morning and taking the rest of the day off for the family!"

No. 1 ranked bantamweight and WEC bantamweight titleholder Miguel Torres defends his belt against Manny Tapia on Dec. 3, but that isn't going to stop the 135-pound fighter from fully partaking in the assortment of holiday grub. "I'm going to enjoy my Thanksgiving dinner," stated Torres. "My weight is perfect right now...I'm going to eat my tamales, my turkey some rice and potatoes man."

Legendary mixed martial artist and broadcaster Frank Shamrock's holiday plans revolve around his wife and baby daughter (Nicolette). "I'll be staying at home with my wife and new baby," Shamrock told MMAInsiderBlog. "It's the first Thanksgiving for Nicolette. No work for three days and lots of turkey and dressing."

"I was going to spend it with Bill Goldberg," he added. "But too much travel."

Dean Lister faces Yushin Okami at UFC 92 on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas and due to his training schedule and diet, this Thanksgiving will be a little bitter sweet for the middleweight fighter. "I will be in Phoenix to meet up with my family. Going to be a little bit of torture since I will be limited to eating vegetables since my fight at UFC 92 will be only a month away. Gotta watch what I eat around the holidays. But I'm hungrier for Anderson's belt."

Asked what edibles he'll miss the most, Lister quickly responded, "ham and pies."

Broadcaster and fighter Frank Trigg will be spending the holiday at his Las Vegas home with friends, cooking for his wife, Nici, while she watches the Dallas Cowboys game and helps prepare the turkey and vegetables.

"I am cooking. I cook a lot, believe it or not," Trigg told MMAInsiderBlog. "We're all coming over here to the house to have a little home cooked turkey, potatoes and carrots, French green beans. Of course you've got to have gravy and cranberry sauce."

UFC welterweight Tamdan McCrory's Thanksgiving plans are simple. "I'm visiting family then possibly getting drunk on the town with some old homies."

The Ultimate Fighter 7 finalist CB Dollaway will spend Thanksgiving with his girlfriend. "I'm just going over to my girlfriend Gabs' house for the last feast before I have to start trying to get down to 185 . Hope everyone has a great holiday."

UFC welterweight fighter Matt Brown gets to actually enjoy this year's holiday, but plans to immediately get back to the gym on Friday. "I feel like I am extremely fortunate this year in that this is the first Thanksgiving in maybe 3 or 4 years that I am actually able to pig out," commented Brown. "I have been in training camp for fights the past few years so I wasn't able to really tear it up. I am planning on eating a decent amount of food, but I want to be careful not to overdo it as I want to train on Friday."

"I don't have a fight in the near future or anything, but I want to maintain a high level of cardio and stay light and improve as much as possible so that when my next fight comes around you guys see the best Matt Brown you have ever seen. I plan on being in the best shape of my life and being as strong as I have ever been and my skills being as sharp as anybody's in the world," added Brown. "I am now 2-1 in the UFC and the one fight that I lost I felt like I won. I have always been confident in my abilities and always believed that I belong in the UFC, but a lot of people are just simply unfortunate and things just seem to go wrong for them once they get in the octagon. I have been fortunate that this is not the case for me and I feel like in the next 2 years I will be prepared to start making a serious run for the title."

"The point is, this holiday I get to pig out, but it is just one day," continued Brown. "Friday I will be back in the gym and doing everything in my power to improve my skills, cardio, strength, and speed so that I can be the best fighter that I can possibly be. I'll let everyone else get fat. As for me, I will take one day, pig out, and be back at it within 24 hours."

Dale Hartt fights Corey Hill on Dec. 10 at UFC Fight for the Troops. He won't be spending the holiday with is family due to his dedication to fight preparation. "Honestly I thought about driving up to my sponsors guy's house for a real Thanksgiving as I'm 400 miles from home. Pretty much that would be me driving 5 hours to watch people eat, fun. But ultimately I'm pissed no gyms are open as that is my last week of work for Corey Hill. I will probably go for a run on Mt. Charleston and have a small meal."

Tim Boetsch emerged in the UFC light heavyweight division by dismantling David Heath at UFC 81. He has a 2-1 UFC record finishing in each of his wins. Boetsch will spend a portion of the day hunting followed by eating. "I am going to be hunting whitetails all day, then I am going to devour a turkey in the evening," said the 205-pound fighter.

"The Fight Professor," Stephen Quadros, will follow a long tradition he's established for celebrating Thanksgiving. "When I'm in town, I have a long standing tradition of going to my friend Rhonda's for Thanksgiving. She is a record/film company exec. who I have known since the 1970s, yes, before there was MMA on TV. During this time of year, I just resign myself to getting FAT...without guilt. "One more chocolate brownie please." SLuuuuuRP!"

"It's a great time to spend with loved ones and close friends, a time to NOT talk about business...too much, hahaha," added Quadros. "Her son is a pretty rockin' guitar player and wants me to play drums on his album. We'll see... The whole time I'm there, in between eating, drinking, hugging,
kissing, talking, I will have an internal narrative going constantly, planning 2009. I can't wait!"

Video: Frank Mir Weighs in on WEC 37 Torres vs. Tapia

MarketWatch: UFC a Hit With Sponsors, Second to NFL

It is a tough time, with a tough economy, especially in the U.S. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, however, has finally started to hit a stride amongst sponsors that help drive major sports throughout the world.

According to a recent article by MarketWatch, a leading publication that tracks market trends for investors, the UFC has scored huge by signing on Anheuser-Busch and Harley Davidson.

Anheuser-Busch sponsors dozens of sports and leagues throughout the world, but its own market research led the beer manufacturer to elevate the UFC into the upper echelon of its priorities.

Tony Ponturo, the company's vice president of global media and sports marketing, told MarketWatch's William Spain, "We did some research against the male beer drinker aged 21 to 27 and (the UFC) was showing up second in interest (among sports) to the NFL and almost half of that group said they were avid fans."

Although the UFC hasn't reached National Football League or Major League Baseball (MLB) status with the brewer, Ponturo said that his company's deal with the UFC is on par with deals Anheuser-Busch has with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL).

Harley-Davidson's senior director of integrated consumer marketing, Scott Beck, told MarketWatch that although the motorcycle maker has small deals with "pretty much all major sports," the company's commitment to the UFC is its largest.

Both company representatives expressed specific interest in the UFC's ability to extend into the global market and its attraction to the younger demographic.

No TUF Turkeys, but Still Four Hours for a Fix

The Ultimate Fighter is taking a Thanksgiving break tonight, so there will be no new episodes of the show. There will however be four hours of back-to-back episodes for those of you that may have missed a recent episode or just need to get your TUF fix in.

Spike TV's got you TUFers covered.

Happy Thanksgiving!

J-Lau Returns Enthused From Visit With U.S. Troops

Press Release:

UFC lightweight contender Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon's recent 12-day goodwill trip visiting U.S. military troops in Iraq and Kuwait was a knockout for everybody.

Lauzon (17-4, 4 KOs, 13 submissions), star of The Ultimate Fighter 5 television reality show, was on the trip with fellow mixed-martial arts fighters Jorge Rivera and Heath Herring, as well as some models and ring card girls.

"It was awesome," Lauzon said from home. "It was one of the happiest 12 days of my life. They kept us real busy going from one camp to another. We visited 14 camps in Iraq and Kuwait. The first hour we'd give demonstrations and the second we signed autographs and posed for pictures with them. I was thrilled to see all of them over there, away from their friends and family, but helping all of us back home. It was cool to see how excited and appreciative they were to see us. There are a lot of MMA fans over there, too.

"They watch UFC events on the Armed Forces Network, but, due to the time differences, it's on there at 3 in the morning. They watch and then start their day at 6. The weather wasn't bad. They say it hits 150-160 degrees in the summer, but it is dry heat like in Las Vegas, not humid like it is in Massachusetts. It was between 85 and 105, hit 110 once, while we were there but it wasn't bad at all, especially when I got off the plane back home and it was freezing."

The special guests got to play some poker with the troops, fired weapons a few times, drive around in Humvees, and were transported from camp to camp on Black Hawk helicopters.

"It was a long, busy 12 days," Lauzon concluded. "But I'd definitely do it again. It's something that I'll never forget. I'm glad I did it."

For more information about Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon, who has a Bachelor's degree in computer networking from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, go online and visit www.joelauzon.com or myspace.com/lauzonrsd.

UFC Undisputed 2009's Dirty Dozen... More On The Way

The Ultimate Fighting Championship and THQ -- the developer of the mixed martial arts promotion's new video game, "UFC Undisputed 2009" -- thus far has released only a dozen of the confirmed fighters for the Spring 2009 release, according to Avi Burk of IGN.com.

The list contains a mix of UFC veterans, Ultimate Fighter alums, and, of course, the new UFC heavyweight champion.

The UFC Undisputed 2009 roster as of Tuesday, Nov. 25 includes: Brock Lesnar, Michael Bisping, Matt Hughes, Forrest Griffin, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Kenny Florian, Joe Stevenson, Roger Huerta, B.J. Penn, and Anderson Silva.

If your favorite fighter isn't yet on the list, don't fret, word is that there will be more than 80 fighters on the final roster, spanning all five weight classes.

Liddell Not Offered Fight With Couture, and Vice Versa

Last week, a report from BloodyElbow talking about a fourth fight between Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture spurred a mixture of excitement and confusion among MMA fans. The duo had been responsible for one of the most successful trilogies in UFC history, with Liddell coming out ahead in the final two meetings. The proposed bout, reportedly scheduled for June 13 in Cologne, Germany at UFC 99, would pit the two against each other in the heavyweight division, where Couture has spent the majority of his career.

After speaking with sources from the camps of both fighters, it now appears the fight is merely an idea amongst many for the future of the MMA superstars.

Couture's fluency in German has made him a front-runner for the show, although sources from within his camp have told MMAInsider he has not been offered a fight against Liddell, nor is he thrilled about taking it.

On the other side of the coin, a rep from Liddell's camp also confirmed that the bout hadn't been floated by them.

"This is the first I've heard of it," the rep said.

While the fight would certainly garner excitement in the new market of Germany, doubts exist about its ability to draw stateside fans.

So far, the UFC has been mum on the bout happening.

Still, it might be interesting to see how both men rebound from their prospective losses, and if Couture's familiarity with the weight class will be the key to avenging his losses.

Aaron Simpson Weighing Options for WEC

Arizona Combat Sports' prospect Aaron Simpson is at a crossroads in his future with Zuffa, LLC.

Simpson's short-notice World Extreme Cagefighting debut was a smashing success. It took him just 18 seconds to lay out jiu-jitsu ace David Avellan at WEC 36 last month. Unfortunately, it was one of the final WEC shows to feature middleweights.

Simpson was one of the lucky ones to receive an inviation to the UFC following the change, but he may not be in a hurry to get there.

According to Simpson's manager, Jason Genet of LG Sports Marketing, he might be giving the WEC welterweight division a shot.

Genet said Simpson is currently undergoing a "mock cut" to 170 pounds and expects to know soon whether he can safely make the weight. If he can, you can expect to see him make his welterweight debut in the near future in the WEC. If not, he will make his way to the UFC Octagon.

30 Tickets Up for Public Auction for UFC Fight For The Troops

UFC Fight Night for the Troops featuring Josh Koscheck, Matt Swick and Matt Wiman is live from the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC on December 10th. Thousands of soldiers from Fort Bragg, the proud home of the U.S. Airborne and Special Operations Forces, will be in attendance and only 30 tickets are available to the public with all funds raised benefitting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Bid now to win tickets to this exclusive UFC auction.

Regardless of where you stand politically, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a great way to support the men and women - and their families - who serve the U.S.

Click here for more information on the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

No Drug Testing At Strikeforce "Destruction": UPDATE

MMAInsider happened upon something unusual on Monday when it spoke to the California State Athletic Commission to acquire live gate, fighter payout, and drug testing information.

A CSAC representative said no drug testing had been conducted for Strikeforce "Destruction" on Friday, Nov. 21st.

The lack of testing is an unexpected shift for an agency known to have the most comprehensive anti-doping program of any athletic commission in the country, as well as the strictest enforcement of the issue.

The representative gave no reason for the change, though MMAInsider has contacted interim CSAC office director Bill Douglas for comment.

The position of Executive Officer has been vacant at CSAC since the departure of it's former Executive Officer Armando Garcia.

UPDATE: Bill Douglas, now the official CSAC assistant executive officer, returned comment on the testing situation.

"I've cancelled all drug testing across the board while I revamp the entire process from start to finish," Mr. Douglas wrote in an email. "I expect the new and improved program to roll out next week."

Kimbo Slice Makes Acting Debut with Drake and Josh on Nick

His mixed martial arts career may have been cut off at the legs with the apparent demise of EliteXC, but Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson will still manage to grace a television screen near you... and soon.

No, Kimbo hasn't yet struck a deal to appear on Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter." That may be - as UFC president Dana White says - Kimbo's only entrance into the Octagon, but it's not his only route to TV.

If you have kids under the age of 15 in your household - or if you just like to indulge in a little Sponge Bob when nobody's watching - you probably already know that Kimbo makes his official acting debut in Nickelodeon's "Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh."

Kimbo portrays "Bludge" in the holiday special, a bully character that you don't know whether he's going to "smash somebody or if he's going to give you a hug and a kiss." Bludge actually helps Drake and Josh keep a promise they made to a family of foster children.

According to his behind the scenes interview on Nick.com, Kimbo hit it off well with Drake & Josh star Josh Peck, who apparently took Kimbo under his wing for the former EliteXC fighter's acting debut.

"Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh" premiers Friday, Dec. 5 on Nickelodeon.

Anderson Silva Ushers in a Little Down Time at Usher Concert

Every great fighter in the world has to take time out of a busy training schedule to relax and enjoy some down time...even the best pound for pound fighter on the planet.

That's what UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, did recently when along with manager Ed Soares and others attended an Usher concert.

"I'm actually headed over to pick up Anderson (Silva), heading out to the Usher concert right now," Soares told MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday.

"You wouldn't think that we'd be going to an Usher concert but Usher and Anderson got to meet each other and Anderson's a big fan of Usher, and as you saw in his fight against James Irvin, Usher was there in the audience watching his fight."

The R&B superstar has sold out hundreds of arenas and sold millions of records around the world, but having the best fighter in MMA in your corner may be one of the best people to have around!

Swick Says AKA Is A-OK

UFC welterweight Mike Swick inadvertently got caught in the middle of last week's scandal du jour when he was "exempted" from UFC president Dana White's 24-hour purge of sorts at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed, with Fitch and AKA manager "Crazy" Bob Cook brokering a deal with UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta to bring the number two ranked welterweight back--video licensing agreement signed and all.

The fate of AKA teammates Josh Koscheck, Cain Velasquez, and Christian Wellisch remains unknown, but it appears the spat has opened doors on new negotiations.

It was a jarring series of events, one you'd think would create some awkward situations in the gym. Swick shot down that idea in a recent interview with MMAInsider, saying it's going to be business as usual at AKA.

"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion and their own views, that's why this whole thing happened," Swick said. "I'm on great standing with the UFC and I'm appreciative to be where I'm at to be fighting for them. I'm not against my team, there's no animosity between us. My team and my management have always been supportive in my stance with the UFC.

"It has nothing to do with me and Fitch and Kos or anyone else. We're not against each other."

Swick says he signed the promotional agreement at the center of controversy two days before Fitch was cut, taking him out of the equation.

"No one told me that I need to go against the UFC or I need to go with them," he continued. "I make my own decisions."

Swick's next fight is against Jonathan Goulet at UFC's "Fight for the Troops" event on Dec. 10. The two have a small beef to settle; Goulet called Swick out on the internet, lighting the spark that got the fight booked. Swick is hoping above all else for a stand-up war.

But as for the drama, he's happy it's over.

"I'm appreciate of what I've achieved in my career," he said. "I've been in the sport for eleven years. I'm happy where I'm at, and I don't want to get in any kind of business that's going to go against anyone. I'm just fortunate to be living my dream, and that's all I want to focus on."

Randy Couture's UFC 92 Quick Picks

UFC IMTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir
RANDY'S PICK: Nogueira

UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP:
Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans
RANDY'S PICK: Griffin

UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT:
Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson
RANDY'S PICK: Silva