Ohioans are no strangers to the world of Mixed Martial Arts as seen by the many big-name fighters who have come out of the state of Ohio. But to get to the top of the sport and fight in the main event at a UFC or Strikeforce event you really must be a big deal. Recently, Ohio MMA fighters have been featured in several main event fights.

UFC 99 & UFC 103 both saw Cincinnati’s Rich Franklin, the former UFC Middleweight Champion, fight in the main event for both events. Franklin defeated Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99 before suffering a KO loss to Vitor Belfort at UFC 103.

Strikeforce Challengers: Jorge Gurgel, despite being a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, chose to once against and and bang as he lost a decision to Billy Evangelista in a 155 pound battle at Strikeforce Challengers4.

In the UFC 108 co-main event featured Cincinnati’s Dustin Hazelett versus Paul Daley. Unfortunately for Hazelett, the submission specialist did not get a chance to show off his jiu jitsu skill as Daley scored a 1st round KO.

Spike TV featured a free night of fights on January 11, 2010 as former Cleveland St. Edward’s wrestler Gray Maynard defeated badboy Nate Diaz by Spilt Decision in the night’s main event. Maynard, still undefeated in his pro MMA career, is now being mentioned in discussions for a UFC Lightweight title shot.

Fighting atop the UFC 109 fight card is former Miami University and Ohio State wrestler and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman facing Randy Couture, another member of the UFC Hall of Fame.

The UFC returns to action with their second event of 2010 as fans will be treated to a free UFC event with UFC Fight Night 20 taking place on Monday, January 11th. Coming off their wins at UFC Fight Night 19 in the co-main events, Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard will now face off with each other in the UFN 20 main event. As always Pro Fighting Fans, the UFC news leaders, will provide the official UFC Fight Night 20 results after each fight is complete. Below we preview one of the many fights set for the January 11 UFC Fight Night event. Also be sure to look to UFCFightNightResults.com for historic UFC Fight Night results dating back to the first UFN event in 2005.

Gray Maynard vs Nate Diaz

In a bout that could have title implications, undefeated TUF 5 contestants Gray Maynard (9-0 1 NC) and Nate Diaz (11-4) will meet in the main event at UFC Fight Night 20 from Fairfax, VA.

Maynard, a former Michigan State wrestler, had only three bouts under his belt before his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 5. Although he didn’t win the TUF 5 tournament and had a bizarre ending in his debut that resulted in a No Contest, “The Bully” reeled off six consecutive victories to get his current main card position. Five of his six victories have ended in decisions and only his Fight Night victory over Joe Veres (TKO) ended early. His latest victory came against Roger Huerta at Fight Night 19 in September via decision.

Nate Diaz came into the organization with a little more experience than that of his main event counterpart. Prior to winning TUF 5, Diaz compiled a 5-2 record with his most notable fight being a WEC 24 lightweight title loss against Hermes Franca. He put together five straight victories to open his UFC career that saw him rest toward the top of the 155-pound division. However, after dropping back-to-back bouts to Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson, he had lost his position as a top contender for the belt. He has taken one step closer to regaining contender status with a September Fight Night victory over Melvin Guillard.

Prediction – Maynard over Diaz via decision

Former St. Edwards wrestler and Ohio state wrestling champ Gray Maynard will be back in action in January when he will headline the UFC Fight Night 20 event. Maynard, coming off his split decision win over Roger Huerta in September, looks to continue his climb up the UFC’s Lightweight Division ladder as he faces the brash Nate Diaz in Fairfax, Virginia. Maynard improved his MMA record to 9-0 with one no contest with the win at UFC Fight Night 19 over Huerta, and with a win could begin to start thinking about a title shot. The UFC Lightweight Championship belt is currently held by MMA legend BJ Penn and Penn will defend his belt atop the UFC 107 fight card.

Diaz comes into the fight 10-5 in his MMA career after a win over Melvin Guillard the same night that Maynard defeated Huerta. While Diaz is 3-2 in his last 5 fights, he has won the Submission of the Night or the Fight of the Night honors in each of those 5 fights. His trash-talking style makes him a favorite for fans to hate, but he is a very dangerous fighter, especially on the ground.

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UFC Fight Night 20 will take place on January 11, 2010 on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. The entire UFC Fight Night 20 fight card & results can be found online with the event to be broadcast live on Spike TV.

Matt Brown will face James Wilks on November 14th at UFC 105 in England.  The fight will be broadcast on SpikeTV.

Matt spent some time with www.profighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief Scott Dryden to discuss the bout and his training - Matt Brown UFC 105 interview.

For full UFC 105 fight results and the latest MMA & UFC news, look to the expertsat Pro Fighting Fans.

November is set to be one of the most exciting month’s in MMA history, and the state of Ohio will be well represented on big stages throughout the month. Action begins on Friday night November 6th as former UFC fighter Jorge Gurgel takes on undefeated Billy Evangelista at Strikeforce Challengers 4. The fight will be Gurgel’s second for Strikeforce and a win could vault him into to the Strikeforce Lightweight title discussion.

On Saturday, November 14, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns with UFC 105 in Manchester, England.  Xenia, Ohio native and The Ultimate fighter 7 participant Matt Brown will face off with TUF 9 Welterweight winner James Wilks. Brown has won 3 of his 4 UFC fights to date and Pro Fighting Fans will feature the UFC 105 results for those unable to view the free Spike TV broadcast.

A week after UFC 105 on November 21st, UFC 106 will take place in Las Vegas featuring TUF 9 participant and Mentor, Ohio’s own Jason Dent.Dent won his first UFC fight at the TUF 9 finale in defeating Cameron Dollar and getting the Submission of the Night bonus, and a win over his UFC 106 opponent George Sotiropoulos would surely open some eyes in the UFC’s Lightweight division. Those who will not be buying the Pay Per View event can find the UFC 106 results online.

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Jason Dent to Face George Sotiropoulos

ProFighting-Fans.com Editor-in-Chief Scott Dryden reports that The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 participant and Ohio’s own Jason Dent will battle The Ultimate Fighter Season 6 participant George Sotiropoulos at UFC 106 on November 21 in Las Vegas.

Dent performed well on the show then squared off against nemesis Cameron Dollar at The Ultimate Fighter Finale 9 in Las Vegas.  Dent dominated the fight winning submission of the night by finishing Dollar 4:46 into the 1^st round via his patented Anaconda Choke.  Dent has a career record of 19-9.

Sotiropoulos is on a 3 fight winning streak within the UFC Octagon.  George defeated Billy Miles at The Ultimate Fight Night 6, then defeated Roman Mitichyan at The Ultimate Fight Night Florian vs. Lauzon and recently defeated George Roop at UFC 101. George owns a career record of 10-2.

This should be a great matchup in the 155lb division. 

The Triangle Choke

Rich Franklin Preps for Vitor Belfort

UFC megastar Rich Franklin will battle “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 in Dallas, TX.  Belfort is making his long awaited return to the UFC.  Franklin fought at 185lbs for the majority of his career which included a stint as the UFC Middleweight Champion.  Franklin, still considered by many to be the 2^nd ranked Middleweight on the planet, couldn’t get by what appears to be the indestructible Anderson Silva thus he moved up to 205lbs.  In his first bout at 205 at UFC 88 in Atlanta, Franklin picked apart Matt Hamill with precise leg kicks and powerful punches.  He then took on two legends in the sport, Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva.  Dan Henderson defeated Rich via a controversial decision in a very close fight at UFC 93.  Rich, in what was a very entertaining fight, got the “W” via a unanimous decision at UFC 99 over Wanderlei at a catch weight of 195lbs. 

I spent some time with Rich as he made final preparations for Belfort:

SD- You are now fighting at higher weights (195 & 205), talk about how you feel in terms of your energy level and preparation

RF- I can make 185lbs but it is such a stretch for me.  I almost have to cut off a limb.  Making the 195lb weight is so easy to do for me.  I’m going to be fighting stronger guys, especially at 205lbs but I feel a lot stronger at that weight as well, strength is a relative issue.  I feel much better there than I did at 185lbs.

SD- What do you typically walk around at

RF- Around 210lbs

SD- Talk about how your last bout against Wanderlei Silva prepped you for this bout against Belfort, both are strikers who sometimes fight with reckless abandon

RF- Yeah, similar styles in the fact that they are both strikers.  I wouldn’t go so far with the reckless abandonment.  Wanderlei is one of those guys who gets inside and just throws punches and punches.  With Vitor, he is fast but I think he is more methodical with his punches and how he attacks and uses angles better and all that kind of stuff.  Prepping for Wanderlei is not the same as prepping for Vitor

SD- You mentioned some of the challenges Vitor brings, did you prep for him any differently

RF- No, other than the fact that he is a southpaw.  We brought in Robbie Lawler to help me get ready.  He was with me in Seattle training.  When we came back here to Cincinnati he was here as well.  Robbie is a good southpaw and moves a lot like Vitor does.  I think this really helped me prep for this fight

SD- You have a lot of fights under your belt and are still a main event fighter.  This fight will be the first UFC event in Texas.  Talk about that experience

RF- It is exciting to be a main event fighter but any time you go to a new city it just makes it that much better.  I’ve had the privilege of fighting in Atlanta and Montreal as co-main events, I was the main event twice in Ireland, and I was the main event in Germany.  Anytime you go to a new city the fans are just so excited to have you there.  This is a good fight.  Bringing Vitor back to the UFC is big.  I think the fans will know this is a really big fight and they are going to be hyped to see it

SD- You have always conducted yourself in a professional manner and are viewed as one of the good guys in the sport of MMA.  Talk about how important that is to you

RF- I don’t know how important that is to other people but it is important to me.  I think that the sport really needs fighters who conduct themselves like I do and also need fighters who conduct themselves like the Brock Lesnars of the sport.  If everyone conducted themselves like me or everyone conducted themselves like Brock it would be a little boring.  Brock has a specific fan set for a reason and I have a specific fan set for a reason.  I’m sure there is some overlap there.  I think it is important to have both ends of the spectrum

SD- Long term, what are you looking at in the 205lb division.  Is the ultimate goal to get a rematch against Lyoto Machida

RF- My goal right now is to win Saturday night.  If I win this fight then they give me another fight, win that fight they give me another so on so forth.  At some point if I keep winning then I will get a title shot.  As long as I keep doing what I need to do then I’ll work my way back to a title

SD- Thanks Rich, best wishes against Belfort 

For complete UFC 103 fight results visit ProFighting-fans.com

While UFC 100 will take place on July 11, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the state of Ohio will have a strong presence at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Three Ohio natives are currently slated for the UFC 100 fight card including Mark Coleman, Mac Danzig and C.B. Dollaway.

A former Miami University wrestler and later Ohio State wrestler, Coleman won the collegiate National Championship as a heavyweight for Ohio State. In 1997, Mark Coleman became the UFC’s first Heavyweight Champion winning the title at UFC 12. He lost his title at UFC 14 and left the UFC after three straight losses only to return to the UFC in 2009 at UFC 93 where he lost to Shogun Rua. Now the 44-year old Coleman (15-9) is set to face Stephan Bonnar (11-5) at UFC 100 in one of the strongest preliminary bouts UFC fans have ever seen.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mac Danzig today fights out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Danzig was the winner of the The Ultimate Fighter 6, is currently under contract with the UFC and recently lost to Josh Neer at UFC Fight Night 17. Danzig was the MMA national amateur MMA champion, the Gladiator Challenge lightweight champion, IFC lightweight champion, and was a 5-time King of the Cage world lightweight champion. Since his win over Tommy Speer at The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale, Danzig has struggled going 1-2 with losses to Clay Guida and Neer. Danzig (19-6-1) will face Jim Miller (13-2) at UFC 100 in hopes of getting back on the winning side in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

C.B. Dollaway is a native of Mt. Gilead, Ohio, where he was a State Champion wrestler at 171 pounds for Northmor High School. Dollaway wrestled at Colby Junior College before transferring to Arizona State and becoming an All-American wrestler. Dollaway earned a spot on The Ultimate Fighter 7 and advanced to the semifinals where he lost to eventual TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah. When Jesse Taylor was forced to leave the show Dollaway fought for the right to face Sadollah and won the boutbut lost again to Sadollah in the finale. Dollaway has since won both of his UFC fights and at 9-2 in his MMA career, he will face Tom Lawlor (5-1-1) at UFC 100.

So there you have it. Ohio will indeed have quite a presence at UFC 100 in Vegas. UFC 100 predictions have been posted and the results will be posted immediately after each fight on the evening of July 11 over at ProFighting-fans.com. Check back for more UFC updates, interviews, fighter profiles, fight predictions & previews, fight results and more.

Rich Franklin knows what it’s like to be in the main event as a fighter in the UFC. The former UFC Middleweight Champion has fought approximately seven times in a UFC main event in his career, and he adds to that number tonight as he faces Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva at a catch weight of 195 pounds. Much has been made of Franklin moving up to 205 pounds to compete as a Light Heavyweight. While he is still likely the UFC’s #2 Middleweight behind only Champion Anderson Silva, there is little to no interest for Dana White to match him with Silva for a 3rd time.

UFC 99 takes place tonight in Cologne, Germany with Rich Franklin vs Wanderlei Silva headlining the fight card. UFC 99 results will be updated throughout the night over at the top MMA fan site online, ProFighting-fans.com.Other scheduled fights include two intriguing Heavyweight battles as undefeated Cain Velasquez face veteran Cheick Kongo and Mirko Cro Cop makes his return to the Octagon to face Mostapha Al Turk.

As we mentioned yesterday, two professional Cincinnati, Ohio athletes will be showcasing their talents for the world to see on Saturday night. But we’re not talking about Carson Palmer or Grady Sizemore. Matt “The Hammer” Hamill and Matt “The Immortal” Brown will both be fighting at UFC 96 in Columbus, Ohio as both look to advance their careers on the biggest stage that Mixed Martial Arts has to offer. Hamill, a native of Loveland, Ohio, holds a 5-2 career record as a professional MMA fighter and faces former WEC fighter Mark Munoz who is making his UFC debut in the fight with a 5-0 MMA record.

Matt Brown was born in Xenia and went to Greenview High School in Jamestown, Ohio according to the recent interview of Matt Brown at ProFighting-fans.com. After falling in the quarterfinals of The Ultimate Fighter 7, Brown signed a deal to fight in the UFC falling to Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 88 and then defeating Ryan Thomas at UFC 91. Brown’s opponent at UFC 96 will be Pete Sell who brings a 8-4 MMA record to the bout.

Both Brown and Hamill look to further their professional MMA careers at UFC 96 this Saturday night in front of the home crowd up I-71 in Columbus. For more on the UFC 96 event check out the UFC 96 review & results posted shortly after the fights online at Pro Fighting Fans.