Shogun’s camp details their decision not to face Jon Jones at UFC 152

It came out last week that former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Mauricio Shogun Rua was offered the title shot against Jon Jones at UFC 152 in Toronto. Shogun ultimately turned down the fight, citing a lack of time to prepare for Jones. Lyoto Machida did the same, but Shogun as in a brutal war with Brandon Vera at UFC on Fox 4 , while Machida knocked out Ryan Bader without taking any real damage. Shogun’s manager Julio Heller recently spoke up about the decision:
“We were in Sao Paulo and my phone

The five biggest UFC bouts that never happened in 2012

Obviously 2012 has been a year that held huge potential for MMA. While I wouldn’t say it was a horrible year for fighting, the insane amount of injuries and other controversy that wrecked cards is unprecedented. From main events all the way down to preliminary cards, we saw an unheard never of fights shifted, canceled, and just generally thrown into the muck. UFC 151’s cancellation was just the icing on the cake in what was the weirdest year MMA has ever seen.  And it’s not over yet. Let’s take a look

Anderson Silva was willing to save UFC 151 by fighting at Light Heavyweight

In the absolute hailstorm of news surrounding the cancellation of UFC 151, another interesting scenario that did not come to fruition has come to light. Apparently UFC Middleweight champion and legend Anderson Silva was willing to step up for his company and save the card by fighting at Light Heavyweight. His offer had come just a bit too late, however, as Dana White had announced the cancellation just a few hours earlier than Silva’s generous offer. It should be noted that Silva was not planning on

Three fights added to UFC 153; Jon Fitch set to take on rising star Erick Silva

Now that the headlining bout of Jose Aldo vs. Erik Koch for the UFC Featherweight title is set in stone, UFC 153 from Rio’s undercard is starting to take shape with a recent announcement. First off, perennial Welterweight contender and long-time second fiddle to GSP Jon Fitch will take on surging young contender Erick Silva. Fitch has much to prove after suffering a devastating knockout loss to Johny Hendricks late last December, in a fight were he to win, it would have hard to deny him another shot at the

10 Most Underrated Fighters in Mixed Martial Arts

As serious mixed martial arts fans, many of us have been around the sport long enough to know potential when we see it.  It usually comes in the form of a fresh face, but can also exist in a journeyman who has seemed to find a new found focus and determination. However on some occasions, it can take a fighter years to find the discipline or focus needed to channel that potential. Some of the fighters on this list have seemed to suffer from that lack of focus, some have suffered bad luck/timing or have

Sonnen at UFC 148 Presser: I have stones just like John Holmes

Sparks flew at Lagasse’s Stadium inside the Palazzo in Las Vegas, Nevada, which played host to the press conference for UFC 148 Silva vs. Sonnen II. Silva and Sonnen have been going back and forth with the normally reserved “Spider” getting into the verbal fray after hearing Sonnen’s trademark trash-talk lately.When asked why Silva did not initially want to fight a rematch against Sonnen, the champion responded: “I am here to fight whoever they put in front of me and sometimes my opinion doesn’t make much o