Cage Talk – MMA – All The Latest Mixed Martial Arts News

(Jason desperately tries to defend the unpredictable mucous attacks of Eliot Marshall. / Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)

Sorry guys, it won't be Jon Jones. Not long after word came out that Forrest Griffin had to withdraw from his UFC 114 fight against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira due to injury, wrestling specialist Jason Brilz has reportedly stepped up in Griffin's place; bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly. 

Brilz (18-2-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has been quietly heating up as a light-heavyweight prospect, most recently scoring a unanimous decision win over Eric Schafer at UFC on Versus: Vera vs. Jones. His only loss in his last 15 fights was a decision against Eliot Marshall last September, and he also holds career wins over Tim Boetsch, Brad Morris, Jason MacDonald, and Alex Schoenauer. Of course, holding his own against a world-class 205'er like Lil' Nog on less than a month's notice will be a tall order, but at the very least, Brilz is tough enough to avoid being steamrolled. As long as Nogueira stays on the card, we can't really complain...

News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jason Brilz, UFC 114

("Well, that's the last time I let Fred do my makeup.")

As first reported by TMZ and later confirmed by more reputable sources — not that TMZ isn't reputable, particularly when it comes to MMA fighters getting arrested in California — Forrest Griffin recently injured his shoulder, and will not be able to take his scheduled match against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 114 (May 29th, Las Vegas). At this point, the extent of Griffin's injury is unclear, and a replacement opponent has not yet been found for Nogueira, who hasn't competed since his impressive Octagon debut at UFC 106.

The loss of Griffin vs. Nogueira is an unfortunate hit for UFC 114, which coincides with the UFC's second Fan Expo — but the lineup is still nicely-stacked; you can check it out after the jump. We'll update you when we know more on Forrest's injury, and if a replacement steps up to face Lil' Nog. 

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News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, UFC 114

(I know 114 is more than a month away, but this fan-made pre-fight video by KirbyLovesTacos got me excited for two reasons: A) The fight between Forrest and Lil' Nog is going to be a slugfest and B) he used Hendrix in the clip)

-Despite ending up 16th in online voting, UFC president Dana White fails to make Time's 100 Most Influential People list. (Cagewriter)

-Kongo injured; not likely for Nelson bout (Riddum)

-Jose Pele Landi Jons leg break vs. Brian Gassaway at TKO 32 (YouTube)

-Chris Clements' fastest (2 second) MMA knockout (YouTube)

-Chuck Liddell gets beat (at Wii tennis) and interviewed by Asylum reporter (Asylum)

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News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, UFC 114

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, Light Heavyweights

The last few times I've posted my rankings of the Top 10 light heavyweights in mixed martial arts, I've heard from readers who insisted that I had Gegard Mousasi too low. It turns out I was ranking Mousasi too high, and not giving enough credit to the man who thoroughly whipped him on Saturday night, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal.

Like most MMA fans, I questioned whether Lawal was ready for a fighter of Mousasi's considerable talents. But in reality Lawal showed that he has incredible strength and great takedowns, and he makes my list of the sport's best light heavyweights, which is below.

News anderson silva, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Muhammed Lawal, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Thiago Silva

Filed under: UFC, News

Popular former UFC light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin will be unable to compete at UFC 114 due to injury, according to several published reports.

Griffin, who was scheduled to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, reportedly injured his shoulder, forcing him to pull out of the event, which is to be held on May 29 in Las Vegas.

News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, UFC 113

Filed under: UFC

When Forrest Griffin had to pull out of his UFC 114 co-main event with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, I hoped the UFC would replace Griffin with Jon Jones in a fight that would have matched the most impressive up-and-comer in the light heavyweight division with one of the divisions most accomplished veterans.

Instead the UFC has decided to put Nogueira in the Octagon with someone who won't get fans quite so excited.

News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jason Brilz, UFC 114

Filed under: UFC

The news that Forrest Griffin is out of his UFC 114 fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is a big disappointment for the UFC. But it's also a big opportunity.

If the UFC really wants to give fans a great fight on May 29, and really wants to put together the kind of matchup that can separate the contenders from the pretenders in the light heavyweight division, it will put Nogueira in the Octagon with Jon Jones.

News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, UFC 114

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive

When UFC matchmaker Joe Silva first contacted Jason Brilz about filling in at UFC 114 on four weeks' notice, Brilz assumed they were talking about a fight on the preliminary card. Maybe fellow light heavyweight Luis Cane had gotten injured and had to pull out of his bout with Cyrille Diabate. Maybe it was the other way around.

Regardless, he told Silva, he was up for the challenge.

"I was planning on running a triathlon this summer with my dad, so I'm in shape," said Brilz. "I've been working on some stuff in the gym. I thought, hey this gives me four weeks to concentrate on it. My girls are still in school right now, so yeah, I can do that."

News Alistair Overeem, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, cyrille diabate, dan henderson, eric schafer, Forrest Griffin, Jason Brilz, UFC 114

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, Lightweights

It's been a long road to the top for Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He was one of the UFC's most celebrated acquisitions in 2007, but he lost his only fight in the Octagon that year, to Forrest Griffin. Then he sat out all of 2008 with a knee injury, and his 2009 started with a victory over Mark Coleman that was derided by many fans because he ran out of steam late in the fight, and ended with a controversial loss to Lyoto Machida.

Now, in 2010, he has knocked Machida out, earning the UFC light heavyweight belt in his fifth fight in the Octagon. He has also earned the top spot in our latest ranking of the Top 10 light heavyweights in MMA, which is below.

News anderson silva, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Muhammed Lawal, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Thiago Silva

Filed under: UFC

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

One by one, our light heavyweight kings have fallen, and fallen hard. Liddell, Jackson, Griffin, Evans, and now Machida, all in the last three years.

And now we ask, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, are you the man to build an empire? Are you the one to rule a kingdom? Are you the one?

News Alistair Overeem, anderson silva, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Chuck Liddell, dan henderson, Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Mark Coleman, Mauricio Shogun Rua, phil davis, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Ricardo Arona, Ryan Bader

Filed under: UFC, News

LAS VEGAS -- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was ready for his breakout performance in the US. He was ready for the big audience and the big hype that fighting Forrest Griffin would bring, until it all went away. Griffin got hurt, withdrew from the fight, and Nogueira waited to hear who the UFC could round up.

When he got the call about his UFC 114 replacement, Nogueira and the rest of his team had little idea of just exactly who exactly Jason Brilz is.

News Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Ed Soares, Forrest Griffin, Jason Brilz, Luiz Cane, UFC 114

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, Light Heavyweights

Everyone knows the light heavyweight division is the marquee weight class in the UFC, but I don't know if everyone realizes the extent to which that's true. Consider this: When Jon Jones and Vladimir Matyushenko step into the Octagon on August 1, in the main event of the next UFC show on Versus, it will be the 12th time in just over 10 months that the UFC has put on a light heavyweight main event. The UFC's other four weight classes will have combined for just seven main events during that time.

But of all those light heavyweight fights, none had the mainstream media appeal or the pay-per-view prowess of the one we got on Saturday night, when Rashad Evans beat Rampage Jackson in the main event at UFC 114. I thought it was an exciting fight and that Evans clearly deserved the unanimous decision victory, and that's why it's so surprising to me that so many fans are still so down on Evans.

Evans is fighting in the biggest fights, in the UFC's top weight division, and he just keeps on winning: He's 5-1 since he became a main eventer, losing only to Lyoto Machida. I think Evans is one of the sport's truly elite athletes, and I think he absolutely deserves the title fight he'll get later this year against Shogun Rua -- a fight that, if he wins, will move him all the way up to the top of my list of the Top 10 light heavyweights in MMA, which is below.

News anderson silva, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Jon Jones, Lyoto Machida, Muhammad Lawal, Muhammed Lawal, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, Thiago Silva

Filed under: UFC, News

Breaking his silence about his neck injury, withdrawing from his fight with Chuck Liddell and being replaced on The Ultimate Fighter, Tito Ortiz said he plans to be back in the cage around October or November, and hopes to return against Liddell.

Speaking on Spike's Inside the Ultimate Fighter podcast, Ortiz said he will actually be rooting for Liddell in his UFC 115 bout this weekend against Rich Franklin, but said win or lose, Liddell should have to face him later this year.

News Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz, UFC 115

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

After five years, 13 fights and four straight losses, Keith Jardine's tenure with the UFC is over.

UFC President Dana White confirmed to MMA Fighting that the company has cut ties with the Ultimate Fighter season two alumni after his recent majority decision loss to Matt Hamill at last Saturday's TUF 11 finale.

"It sucks," White said. "I have nothing but respect for him and I hope to see him back soon."

News Brandon Vera, Chuck Liddell, Dana White, Forrest Griffin, Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill, Quinton Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Ryan Bader, Thiago Silva, Wanderlei Silva

Filed under: UFC

With three straight losses, Stephan Bonnar is feeling the pressure.

Despite UFC president Dana White's statements in the past that Bonnar will always have a home in the organization thanks to his epic battle with Forrest Griffin in the finale of Season 1 of "The Ultimate Fighter," a fourth straight loss would have most fighters staring at a pink slip.

His last setback was a controversial TKO loss thanks to a cut from an inadvertent headbutt against Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 110 in Sydney. Bonnar appealed that decision, hoping to have the loss overturned to a no contest. That appeal was denied, the loss stood and Bonnar now finds himself in a must-win situation in his rematch with Soszynski on Saturday at UFC 116.

"I don't think (losing the appeal) adds any pressure," Bonnar said. "I already feel a ton of pressure. Every fight I usually do. But this one here, I'm kind of looking at like do or die. I want to be aggressive, throw lots of punches and just do everything I can to win. Usually, the faster the pace of the fight, the better I do. So I'm looking forward to him pushing the pace."

News Dana White, Forrest Griffin, Krzysztof Soszynski, Stephan Bonnar, ufc 110, UFC 116