Condit vs. Diaz rematch in the works

New UFC interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit has accepted the challenge from Nick Diaz for a rematch, according to president Dana White.

Not a killer performance

Carlos Condit won the UFC interim welterweight belt on Saturday, but he's also received a backlash from a number of fans.

Silva verbally agrees to Sonnen rematch

Anderson Silva has verbally agreed to a rematch with Chael Sonnen in Brazil in June, according to UFC president Dana White.

Super winners and losers

A look at the biggest winners and biggest losers of the UFC's Super Bowl weekend show in Las Vegas.

Pierce hopes to give fans 'what they want'

When Josh Koscheck was left without an opponent for Saturday's UFC 143, Mike Pierce saw an opportunity for himself and the fans.

Heavyweight boost

UFC 143 co-headliner between Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson is a precursor of what to expect in the new UFC heavyweight division.

Pavelich on farewell of fighters, ring

MFC president Mark Pavelich gives his thoughts on the future of the promotion, including the retirement of the ring, the release of fighters and 2012 plans.

Where's GSP at?

There will be a Georges St-Pierre sighting in Las Vegas this week as Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit headline the UFC's Super Bowl weekend show.

What we learned

Six things we learned from Saturday night's UFC on FOX: Evans vs. Davis show in Chicago.

The MMAnalysis

Previewing Saturday's featured UFC main and co-main event fights from a statistical perspective.

D-Bomb ready to burst

After nearly a year on the sidelines, Dwayne Lewis is set to return and unleash some pent-up frustration Friday on Wilson Gouveia at MFC 32.

MacDonald to face Lawlor in May

Canadian Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald will take on (Filthy) Tom Lawlor at a UFC event in Fairfax, Va., on May 15, sources told Sportsnet.

Gagnon off UFC card

Canadian Mitch Gagnon's UFC debut has been put on hold. His bout was pulled from Saturday's card after he was unable to get a work visa.

Less than epic

In her debut role as lead actress in the movie "Haywire," Gina Carano shows off her athletic chops; not so much her acting.

Denis wins in UFC debut

Ottawa's Nick Denis knocked out Joseph Sandoval with standing elbows to the head at 0:22 of the first round of his UFC debut Friday.

Sonnen says Silva's done

Chael Sonnen believes an anticipated rematch vs. Anderson Silva will never happen. In fact, he doesn't think Silva will ever fight again.

Brydon on Sonnen vs. Bisping: Believe the hype

The new Sonnen vs. Bisping matchup is the fight that really should have happened in the first place for the co-main event on FOX.

Bisping to face Sonnen

Mark Munoz is injured and is out of his fight against Chael Sonnen and will be replaced by Michael Bisping on the UFC on FOX show Jan. 28.

Rating Rio

A quick look at the heroes, goats and sympathetic figures from UFC 142 in Brazil.

Stout drops tough decision

In his first fight since the loss of his Shawn Tompkins, Sam Stout lost a close unanimous decision to Brazilian Thiago Tavares at UFC 142.

Johnson badly misses weight for UFC 142 fight

In what was supposed to be his middleweight debut, Anthony Johnson missed weight by 11 pounds Friday for his UFC 142 bout vs. Vitor Belfort.

Brydon on MMA: Rio or Tebow?

Saturday's UFC 142 card in Rio de Janeiro is a great one on paper, but it could be overshadowed by Tim Tebow and the NFL playoffs.

Brydon on MMA: Strikeforce's MMAnalysis

Looking back at the first big MMA event of 2012 and breaking down the fights from a statistical perspective.

UFC Forecast 2012: Crazy (busy) like a FOX

The UFC will see a crazy schedule and a bigger move into mainstream, while losing some longtime stars in 2012.

2011 MMA awards Part 2

A look at the best knockouts, submissions and fights in all of MMA in 2011, using 10 unique categories.

2011 MMA awards Part 1

A look at the best knockouts, submissions and fights in all of MMA in 2011, using 10 unique categories.

Big winners and losers

A look at the biggest winners and biggest losers from the final UFC show of 2011.

Diaz starts the fire

There was no love lost between two fighters and forgiveness for another Wednesday at the UFC 141 pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas.

K-O Canada

Notes & quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this holiday edition: Jimmo, Denis & Carvalho.

Year in review: The UFC in 2011

As 2011 draws to a close, we present a week-long look-back at the year in our five major sports. On Boxing Day, we begin with the UFC.

The Strikeforce conundrum

It will be interesting to see how Strikeforce will avoid looking like a secondary promotion in the shadow of the UFC.

Strikeforce lands new deal, will retire HW class

Strikeforce has announced it will retire its heavyweight division at some point in 2012 as part of a new deal with Showtime.

If not Lesnar, Mir wants Cain

It appears Frank Mir will have to wait for a third meeting with UFC superstar Brock Lesnar.

Overeem granted conditional licence

Alistair Overeem will be able to fight Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141, provided he passes a couple of pre-fight drug tests.

Youth is served

Jon Jones joined a group of dominant 24-year-olds in sports in 2011, and his year may have actually topped theirs.

A record to forget

Mark Hominick was knocked out by The Korean Zombie in seven seconds, tying the record for fastest knockout in UFC history Saturday night.

Canada vs. Brazil

There could be a battle brewing between Canada and another MMA-crazy nation.

White: You can't fake injuries in UFC

UFC president Dana White said Thursday you can't fake injuries in the UFC and he's confident Georges St-Pierre will rebound from his.

Skype chat with Tristar's Makdessi & Jabouin

Montreal's Tristar gym teammates John Makdessi and Yves Jabouin joined James Brydon for a Skype chat to talk UFC 140 and GSP's injury.

The genuine article

UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones is a big studier of himself and feels that's the key to his success.

Cruz, Faber named coaches for first TUF on FX

The UFC has announced Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will be the next coaches of The Ultimate Fighter, when it moves to a new live format.

Video chat with Claude Patrick

James Brydon goes 1-on-1 with Claude Patrick (via Skype) to discuss his training habits and his UFC 140 bout Saturday in Toronto.

Year of changes for Clements

It's been a big year of change for Dresden, Ont.'s Chris (The Menace) Clements.

Count me a supporter

Michael Bisping didn't earn himself any fans with his actions on Friday, but that doesn't take away from his skills as a fighter.

Cdn Delorme added to TUF 14 card

The UFC announced the full fight card for Saturday's Ultimate Fighter 14 finale and it includes the season's lone Canadian Roland Delorme.

Alessio pulled from Sarnia event

Canadian John (The Natural) Alessio has been scratched from an event Saturday in Sarnia, Ont., after his scheduled opponent was hurt.

Jimmo to face Vemola at UFC on FX

Canadian Ryan (Big Deal) Jimmo has signed with the UFC and will take on Karlos Vemola at the organization's first event on FX on Jan. 20.

Brydon on MMA: No White flag

While the past month may have taken a lot out of UFC president Dana White, he's not showing any signs of slowing down.

The MMAnalysis

Taking a look at UFC 139's Henderson-Shogun five-round classic from a statistical point of view.

Smooth and confident

Although he didn’t mean to, Ben Henderson admitted to looking past Clay Guida and eyeing a future matchup with UFC champion Frankie Edgar.

Just a tease

The UFC's first fight live on network TV didn't last very long, but it was still a great moment for the sport.

Lesnar has fun with fans at UFC 141 promo

Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem were going at it for the fans at a UFC 141 promotional press conference in Los Angeles on Friday.

Ready for a war

All fighters made weight ahead of Satuday's UFC on Fox fight headlined by Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.

Where is the love?

For two guys likely a win away from a lightweight title shot, Ben Henderson and Clay Guida aren’t exactly giving each other a ton of respect

JDS, Cain focused on their fight, not stage

Saturday Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos will be on a stage no UFC fighter has been on before. But to them, it's the same old Octagon.

Historic moment

Saturday's UFC on FOX show has the potential to be another game-changer for the sport of mixed martial arts.

Brydon on UFC 138: Bloody tough finish

Mark Munoz and Chris Leben were scheduled for five rounds, but an injury stopped the fight well short of that.

Expect the unexpected

Another turn of events in the UFC welterweight division drama has given us the GSP-Diaz matchup we wanted.

Limitless victory in Vegas

GSP teammate Francis (Limitless) Carmont had a successful UFC debut Saturday, winning a unanimous decision over Chris Camozzi at UFC 137.

Rare territory for GSP

On Saturday night Georges St-Pierre will do something he hasn’t done in a while.

Eager to put 'em up

It didn't take long for B.J. Benn and Nick Diaz to get in each other's faces at the UFC 137 weigh-ins on Friday.

UFC 137 may be Cro Cop's last

Win or lose, Saturday could be the last time we see Mirko Cro Cop in MMA competition.

White excited for UFC 137 main event

White expects fans will not be disappointed when Diaz and Penn finally do square off on Saturday night.

Carmont represents Tristar at UFC 137 Saturday

Georges St-Pierre may be off Saturday’s UFC 137 card, but his teammate, Francis Carmont, will still be there to carry the Tristar torch.

Showing up

Nick Diaz was in rare form Wednesday while B.J. Penn said he was extra motivated for their UFC 137 headliner.

Brydon on MMA: A new Daley in Montreal

Paul (Semtex) Daley hopes for redemption in his return to Montreal since his infamous sucker-punch.

White delivers big fights to Toronto

The UFC knew the second show in Toronto needed a title fight in the main event and they made it happen.

Expect fireworks in Montreal

The inaugural event for Montreal’s newest mixed martial arts promotion Instinct MMA is a go and will likely feature some slugfests.

Jake 2.0

Ellenberger has made a swift rise in the UFC’s welterweight division, leaving Shields in the dust.

Canadian Davis hopes to make statement

Alexis Davis was happy with her win in her Strikeforce debut in January. She was just a little disappointed with the performance.

Warrior spirit

The latest Hollywood film on MMA is a complex tale of sibling rivalry that delivers a knockout.

UFC on FOX debuts with Cain-JDS

The UFC is going as big as it possibly can for its first ever fight live in primetime on network television. The mixed martial arts organization announced Friday that Cain Velasquez will defend his heavyweight belt against Junior Dos Santos during the debut show on FOX Sports Nov. 12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.

Iconic performance

Anderson Silva erased any lingering doubts about him being the greatest champion in UFC history.

UFC announces network TV deal with FOX

In a move that UFC president Dana White says represents "the pinnacle" for the sport of MMA, the UFC on FOX Sports announced a seven-year television deal on Thursday which will see events air live nationally on the FOX network and its affiliates, starting this fall.

'Personal' trainer

Shawn Tompkins was so much more than the renowned Canadian MMA instructor who died too young.

The MMAnalysis

Looking at Fedor-Hendo, Evans-Ortiz (and Ochocinco-GSP) from a statistical perspective.

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from The Great White North. This week’s edition: Mein, Ford & Clements.

C3 Fights: 'We bring fighters, not dancers'

When the province of Ontario finally opened its doors to MMA this year, it was expected that shows would come flooding in. Next month, mark another city off the list, as Original Caged Combat Championships (C3 Fights) will hold its first Canadian event at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa on Aug. 20.

Fit for a return

Another major promotion has made its foray into Canada.

Bellator set for Canadian debut

Bellator Fighting Championships makes its Canadian -- and international -- debut Saturday at Casino Rama outside Orillia, Ont., with Bellator 47.

Analyze this

Nobody should ever accuse Sarah Kaufman of taking a simple approach to MMA fighting.

The MMAnalysis

Examining some recent close decisions in MMA from a statistical perspective.

Pittsburgh Stunners

Griffin wins in UFC featherweight debut

Tyson Griffin made a successful UFC debut at featherweight Sunday to cap off the undercard of the UFC’s first ever event in Pittsburgh.

Terrible turn of events

Sunday’s UFC Live event in Pittsburgh lost its biggest name, but it didn’t lose any intensity.

Delivering a hit

UFC 131 may have been overshadowed by the Canucks' Cup run, but it was a treat for the fans who showed up.

Stout finally gets first UFC knockout

Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout earned his nickname by putting people to sleep with his fists.

Brydon's UFC 131 picks: Main card, Cdns

James (Big Game) Brydon gives his picks for UFC 131 in Vancouver, including main event and all fights involving Canadians.

UFC 131: All about martial arts for Bongfeldt

For Jesse Bongfeldt, life is all about mixed martial arts these days.

Brydon on UFC: Taking the backstage

It's unfortunate that Vancouver fans aren't focusing on the strong card for UFC 131.

Old hat for Soszynski

Krzysztof (The Polish Experiment) Soszynski had a moment of panic earlier this week.

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from The Great White North. This week: McGillivray, Soszynski & Ring.

Brashear ready to fight for own sake

For 16 years, Donald Brashear fought for the sake of others. On Saturday, it will be all about him.

UFC 130: The MMAnalysis

We take a kook back at some of the key fights at UFC 130 from a statistical perspective.

MacDonald to fight Belcher in New Orleans

Red Deer, Altberta's Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald will take on Alan Belcher of Biloxi, Miss., at a UFC Fight Night in New Orleans on Sept. 17.

K-O Canada

Edmonton’s Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford headlines the first MMA Live event in London, Ontario.

Show me the money

Nick Diaz looks to get paid in boxing bout, while fighters get respect with new insurance coverage.

Winning

Georges St-Pierre still managed to get the job done at UFC 129 even if it wasn't a walkoff home run.

Menjivar ready for new run in UFC

Ivan Menjivar took a break from MMA in 2006 to be a good family man and the game nearly passed him by.

The MMAnalysis

Looking at Randy Couture's farewell fight against Lyoto Machida at UFC 129 from a statistical point of view.

Championship challenge

Georges St-Pierre still thinks he has lots to prove heading into his UFC 129 fight vs. Jake Shields.

All fighters make weight for MFC 29

Two championship fights are officially set to be contested as the Maximum Fighting Championship holds its first show in Ontario Friday at MFC 29: Conquer.

Coming home

Renowned trainer Shawn Tompkins is back in London for the month of April as MMA has hit Ontario.

All weighed in and ready to go at Rama

The first sanctioned mixed martial arts show in the province of Ontario is a go.

K-O Canada

Notes & quotes from fighters of the Great White North. This week’s edition: Horodecki, Mein & Cirkunov.

The MMAnalysis

Looking ahead to the Shogun vs. Jones UFC light-heavyweight championship bout from a statistical perspective.

Brydon on MMA: Caged but not tamed

A lot of things will be different when the MFC makes its Ontario debut on April 8 in Windsor.

The Striking Truth review

For anyone who watches Stephen J. Wong's documentary "The Striking Truth" -- which chronicles the respective mixed martial arts journeys of Georges St-Pierre and fellow Montrealer David (The Crow) Loiseau -- you will learn a new side to the UFC welterweight champion

The MMAnalysis

Breaking down the controversial fights from UFC 127 from a statistical perspective.

All-Alberta affair headlines MFC 28

Friday’s main event at MFC 28 in Enoch, Alta., is sure to bring excitement. Two Alberta-based rising mixed martial artists square off for the MFC’s recently vacated light-heavyweight title.

The MMAnalysis

Examining Fedor Emelianenko's last fight and his past results may indicate the Russian is in decline.

Unique setup

The UFC has promised a Rogers Centre configuration for its Toronto show that will deliver a 'fabulous' fan experience.

On top of the world

Anderson Silva wasn’t the only one who made a statement at UFC 126 as Jon Jones earned a title shot.

The MMAnalysis

Breaking down the UFC 126 fights from a statistical point of view.

The MMAnalysis

Breaking down the UFC Fight for the Troops 2 fights from a statistical point of view.

Fighters on target for UFC Fight for the Troops

It’s all systems go for UFC Fight for the Troops 2 as the fighters made weight for Saturday’s event at the Fort Hood military base in Killeen, Texas.

K-O Canada: Fight for the Troops edition

Notes and quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this week's Fight for the Troops edition: Hominick, Hague & Holst.

Return of the Mac

Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald will make his return to the Octagon at UFC 129 in Toronto, taking on Ryan Jensen on April 30, sportsnet.ca has learned.

Brydon's 'year-beginning' awards

This will also be the first in a series of features in 2011 aimed at highlighting fight stats provided by FightMetric. In this unique edition, each of the 10 categories will attempt to point out different elements of the fight breakdowns (complete with glossary definitions).

Forgetting Pettis

The UFC was put in tough spot by Saturday's draw, but it's an even tougher spot for the reigning WEC champ.

Year-end awards

A look at the best moments, best fights and best feats in MMA in 2010.

Brydon on MMA: K-O Canada

Notes/quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this Christmas Day edition: Makdessi, Pierson, Alessio

Gravity defying

The amazing flying kick by Anthony Pettis in the WEC finale made me wonder if I was in The Matrix.

UFC 124 weigh-in notes: Crowd reactions

When it comes to trash talking, Josh Koscheck isn’t exactly politically correct.

Rush's army

GSP and his crew of coaches look for another big win over Josh Koscheck at UFC 124.

Big Sexy matchup

Sean McCorkle did his best to promote his UFC 124 fight with Stefan Struve and they were rewarded.

Go big or go home

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this end of November edition: Jabouin, Lewis and Clements.

One is enough

Rampage legitimately beat Machida, but what may need another look is the current MMA scoring system.

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this Remembrance Day edition: Soszynski, Goulet and Ford.

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from the Great White North. In this edition: Patrick, Bongfeldt, Pierson.

Brock shocked

Cain Velasquez is the new UFC heavyweight champ because he kept his cool under pressure while Brock Lesnar did not.

K-O Canada: Stout, Hominick & Horodecki

Notes and quotes from fighters from The Great White North. This week's edition: Stout, Hominick & Horodecki.

Hollett eager for return at W-1 in Halifax

While most of the MMA community will be watching what goes on in Anaheim Saturday night at UFC 121, there is another fight card of interest to Canadian fans going down in Halifax.

MacDonald drops out of UFC 124

Red Deer, Alta.'s Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald has been forced to pull out of his Dec. 11 UFC fight in Montreal because of lingering effects from the serious leg injury he suffered in May, the fighter told sportsnet.ca.

Upsetting mistake

Sarah Kaufman reflects on her first loss, which came after she did something she's never done in training.

K-O Canada

Notes and quotes from fighters from the Great White North.

Hague signs 6-fight deal with Aggression MMA

Fresh off a win Friday in his home town, Edmonton's Tim Hague has signed a new 6-fight deal with Aggression MMA.

Back in the winner's circle

T.J. Grant of Cole Harbour, N.S., got back in the winner’s circle Saturday on the under card of UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop, but fellow Canadian Joe Doerksen of Winnipeg wasn’t nearly as fortunate.

Doerksen thinking big

Joe Doerksen has had a whirlwind year so far. But the Winnipeg middleweight is thinking big at UFC 119.

Crowd behind Cro Cop at weigh-in

Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic is emerging as the crowd favourite in the UFC 119 main event matchup Saturday against former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.

UFC 119: Canadian Grant under the gun

Cole Harbour’s T.J. Grant is one of two Canadians competing on Saturday’s UFC 119 card in Indianapolis, along with Winnipeg’s Joe Doersken, but he’ll be the one feeling the most heat.

Mir improves his wrestling, weight for UFC 119

Frank Mir knows if he has one weakness in his game it’s his wrestling. So he made it a point during his preparation for UFC 119 to ensure that it’s not the one area his opponent will be able to exploit.

'Offer I couldn't refuse'

While local fans will be happy to see Indianapolis-native Chris Lytle competing in his hometown at UFC 119, there isn’t a fighter the UFC will be happier to see step into the cage Saturday than Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic.

Character card

This week’s UFC 119 may lack cachet, but it’s got plenty of charm.

Divided attention

MMA fans in Edmonton have two shows to choose from Friday night: MFC 26 or TFC 11.

Politics as usual

When it was announced that MMA was coming to Ontario, one had to expect a swift counter-attack.

Don't call it a comeback

What we saw Anderson Silva do Saturday in the main event of UFC 117 is what makes MMA so captivating.

Special connections

Sometimes in sports you can find inspiration for what you do in places you might not have expected.

Heavyweight turnaround

Eight months after wondering if he'll ever fight again, Brock Lesnar showed he's hard to keep down.

Drawing bad conclusion

Jamie Varner was robbed of a win Sunday night in Edmonton, but not for the reason he thinks.

UFC undeterred

Based on what was said at the press conference, the UFC will be back in Vancouver regularly.

10 shows in 10 days

Here's a look at what I'm calling 10 shows in 10 days.

The time for talk is over

After months of anticipation and feuding, (Suga) Rashad Evans and Quinton (Rampage) Jackson are officially set to throw down after making weight Friday for their UFC 114 light-heavyweight main event Saturday in Las Vegas.

Brydon: UFC takes the Wright approach

With the foremost goal of opening Ontario to MMA, the UFC picked the perfect guy to head its Canadian office.

Ex-CFL commish to run UFC office in Canada

Former CFL commissioner Tom Wright will head up a new UFC office in Canada, the mixed martial arts organization announced Tuesday in Toronto.

Political game

The threat of rain didn’t keep a couple hundred staunch supporters of mixed martial arts from assembling on the south lawn of Queen's Park in Toronto.

Rampage, Evans each think the other is fake

Less than two weeks before their scheduled headlining bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson and (Suga) Rashad Evans bickered like rivals on a schoolyard during a pre-UFC 114 conference call Tuesday, exchanging shot after a shot without even pausing to let the other respond.

Maple Leaf massacre

If not for El Dirte and Shogun, Saturday could have been a frustrating night for Canadian fans.

Daley loses fight, job

Paul Daley lost more than a fight and a chance to challenge Georges St-Pierre as champion and Ultimate Fighter coach. The Englishman also lost a job with the UFC.

Nasty return

Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald’s return to the Octagon didn’t last long and ended in disappointment when a nasty leg injury in the first round left him unable to continue his fight Saturday night in Montreal.

Machida, Rua ready to settle score

Saturday night Maurico (Shogun) Rua gets a second chance to show he's the best in the UFC at 205 in the anticipated rematch against current title-holder and fellow Brazilian Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida.

Predator back on the prowl

Sidelined for more than 18 months, Patrick (The Predator) Cote finally returns to the Octagon Saturday and he's hungry for another run at the title.

Doerksen all business ahead of UFC 113

Joe (El Dirte) Doerksen stepped onto the stage at the Bell Centre, walked to the scale, weighed in at an acceptable 186 pounds then quickly stepped off for his staredown with Tom Lawlor ahead of their UFC 113 middleweight matchup.

St-Pierre to coach on The Ultimate Fighter

Montreal’s Georges St-Pierre will be one of the coaches of the next season of The Ultimate Fighter and will be opposite the winner of Saturday’s No. 1 welterweight contender bout between American Josh Koscheck and England’s Paul Daley.

Hague has chance at redemption in Montreal

Edmonton’s Tim (The Thrashing Machine) Hague is one of three Canadian fighters on Saturday’s UFC 113 card in Montreal who is making his return after being cut. But what’s unique about his situation is he didn’t even have to win a fight to earn his trip back.

Pair of former UFCers seek Vindication at MFC 25

This week the MMA world has their focus on Montreal, but Friday night in Edmonton there is another big fight between two former UFC fighters.

Back in the mecca for MMA

UFC president Dana White believes the biggest testament to the growth of the sport is the fact that two Brazilians can headline a card in Montreal and it sells out.

Emelianenko getting back in the cage

Top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will return to the Strikeforce cage on June 26 against Fabricio Werdum, the organization announced Tuesday.

Old hat for Grant

Canadian welterweight T.J. Grant returns to Montreal where he won his first UFC fight.

A win and a prayer

Many athletes glorify God vocally after a win. For these two fighters it goes well beyond their words.

MacDonald to replace Loiseau in Montreal

Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald will replace David Loiseau and take on John Salter at UFC 113 in Montreal, the fighter told sportsnet.ca.

McCarthy brings twist to Canadian tourney

Elaine McCarthy was event co-ordinator when the UFC held its first show in 1993. On Friday she brings a unique brand of tournament to Canada in her first stint as promoter with the debut of Let’s Get It On! MMA at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton.

Much ado about shoving

Strikeforce should be less worried about the post-fight brawl and more about the viewership numbers.

Championship April

Prior to UFC 112, it appeared we were in for quite a treat this month.

West vs. East clash headlines Ringside Montreal event

Saturday night at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, Ringside MMA holds its Rage event, with Alberta's Ryan Machan taking on local favourite Guillaume De Lorenzi for the vacant lightweight belt.

Keeping the faith

In the spirit of Easter, here's a look at two guys whose prayers include a chance at the UFC.

Florian, Gomi set for UFC Fight Night

All 22 fighters made weight and are set to go for UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi Wednesday night. In the main event, Kenny (KenFlo) Florian takes on Takanori (Fireball Kid) Gomi, who is making his UFC debut.

Brydon on MMA: Rush to judgment

Am I the only one who thinks GSP has nothing to apologize for after his dominant performance Saturday?

W-1: Bad Blood weigh-ins

The weigh-ins for W-1 MMA: Bad Blood in Montreal took place Friday and while a couple fighters missed weight, a couple Canadian veterans were in great shape as they look to get back to the UFC.

Brydon on MMA: Take Two

The upcoming TFC 10 show features two fighters from Edmonton in matchups originally scheduled for December.

All growns up

The WEC has come a long way since Zuffa took over a little over three years ago.

Kaufman, Hashi set to headline Friday's show

Unbeaten Canadian Sarah Kaufman will be putting her status as the world’s No. 1 female bantamweight on the line Friday night in a bout that has been elevated to the main event of the Strikeforce Challengers card in San Jose.

Expansion Hurdles

Not feeling the pressure Down Under

If there is any pressure on either Krzysztof Soszynski or Stephan Bonnar to get back in the win column in the matchup of 32-year-olds in Australia, Soszynski isn’t feeling it.

Hague signs with TFC, will fight March 19

Tim (The Thrashing Machine) Hague isn't dwelling on the disappointment of his last loss in the UFC and his subsequent release from the organization. The Edmonton heavyweight has signed with hometown promotion The Fight Club, where he will fight on March 19 against an opponent yet to be named.

Brydon: Sonnen statement

Chael Sonnen has established himself as a more than legitimate No. 1 contender to the UFC's middleweight title.

PR considerations

I understand it, but I'm still a little surprised the UFC went ahead and changed the date of its Montreal show because of a proposed boxing event.

Great (White North) expectations

If early indications prove correct, 2010 is going to be a good year for Canadian MMA.

'The best Sam Stout you've ever seen'

Canadian lightweight Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout showed up at Friday's UFC 108 weigh-ins sporting six-pack abs, and he appeared raring to go for his fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

My year-end awards

As the calendar turns, what better time to look back at the most memorable fights of 2009?

Formidable opponent

With great fights like Saturday night's, Strikeforce is proving to be a great alternative for fighters and fans.

Laying it on the line

Sanchez was chock full of clichés as he looked ahead to his fight Saturday night against Penn.

Taking nothing for Grant-ed

Canadian T.J. Grant accomplished a 10-year-old dream when he made it to the UFC this year. The Cole Harbour, N.S., native isn’t ready to let it go.

Double feature in Edmonton

Mixed martial arts fans in Edmonton get a double treat Saturday night. For the second straight day, a local promotion will hold a show in town with TFC 9: Total Chaos, headlined by local fighters Ryan Ford and Valimaki each fighting for titles.

MFC 23 preview: Former UFC veterans clash

MFC 23 will feature two matchups between former UFC fighters: Thales Leites takes on Dean Lister in the MFC debut for both, while Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald faces (King) Solomon Hutcherson.

Edmonton's Jimmo to be aggressive Friday

In a featured matchup at MFC 23: Unstoppable Friday night in Edmonton, local fighter Ryan Jimmo says he'll take an aggressive approach against former MFC light-heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton.

UFC is hurting

With injuries to UFC stars piling up, it's becoming harder to headline the big cards with compelling matchups.

Hard part is over

For Tito Ortiz , the hard part is done. Now it's time to have fun.

Strikeforce three

Gegard Mousasi, Jake Shields and Fedor Emelianenko showed there are some top stars outside the UFC.

Numbers don't lie

Lyoto Machida wins fights by being the most efficient and accurate fighter in the UFC’s light-heavyweight division.

The replacement

I for one am happy Tito Ortiz has a new opponent for his return fight in November, and that it's Forrest Griffin.

So long Rampage

Quinton Jackson's decision to retire from MMA to focus on acting isn't the best move, but I'm okay with it.

New contenders

It was a big night Saturday in Dallas for a couple of Brazilians.

Watch out for Junk

The new season of The Ultimate Fighter has a Canadian connection in a guy by the name of Scott Junk.

Maynard's time is coming

Gray Maynard says he's in no rush to challenge for the UFC's lightweight belt. With another win this week, he may have to rethink that.

He's their 'Ace'

The UFC can always count on Rich Franklin to take on fights about which fans can get excited.

No letdown for record-setter Duffee

When the UFC informed newcomer Todd Duffee back in May that he was being bumped from the event in which he was set to make his debut -- in favour of Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic -- he was more than a little disappointed.

Soszynski not grieving loss

Krzysztof (The Polish Experiment) Soszynski tasted defeat for the first time in his UFC career last Saturday, but he certainly isn't doing any mourning. The light-heavyweight fighter from Winnipeg shares with sportsnet.ca what made the difference in the loss to Brandon Vera, where he goes from here, his thoughts on Randy Couture and why he was disappointed with Joe Rogan.

Sportsnet.ca's MMA Rankings

Critics silenced

B.J. Penn and Anderson Silva made friends of haters Saturday night in the City of Brotherly Love.

What's the problem

The UFC has offered Fedor a pretty sweet deal. So why hasn't he jumped at it?

Frantic Friday

A morning cancellation announcement, an afternoon tweet and an evening radio interview added up to a frantic Friday for mixed martial arts fans.

Lesnar has title, but lacks class

Lesnar might have beaten Mir, but he could learn a thing or two about sportsmanship from his opponent

Lesnar in hot water

UFC president Dana White assured people Saturday night that heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s post-victory comments were not representative of the kind of person he is.

UFC 100 upon us

I arrived in Las Vegas this morning and it hit me as soon as I got off the plane.

UFC 100: A 'Gold' perspective

As UFC 100 gets set to go down Saturday night in Las Vegas, its longtime play-by-play announcer Mike Goldberg has a great perspective on where MMA and its top organization have come in the dozen years since he first put on the headset by the Octagon.

Gotta love it

The war of words between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir is making an already stellar UFC 100 main event all the more enticing.

German invasion

UFC 99 might not have a championship bout, but it does have a number of very intriguing matchups with some important implications.

Cro Cop has his hunger back

Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic says it was his head more than anything else that led to his struggles in his first run with the UFC.

Brown out to stop Faber again

WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown plans to continue doing what he does best when he faces former title-holder Urijah Faber Sunday in a rematch of a bout last November when Brown surprised many to take the title away from Faber.

Valimaki set for TFC debut

Riding a four-fight win streak, Edmonton's Victor (The Matrix) Valimaki embarks on a new stage in his career Saturday when he makes his debut with his new promotion, The Fight Club, taking on Isaiah Larson in the co-main event of TFC 7: Full Throttle in his hometown.

UFC 98 musings

Rashad Evans let Big Game down, but could it be the beginning of a long reign for The Dragon?

Kindergarten Fighter

When you get to know Canadian Tim Hague, you might be reminded of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Tale of two matchups

One of Saturday's top matchups at UFC 98 is coming at a perfect time, while another may be happening a year too late.

Cut it out

The UFC is liable to turn off fans if it continues to release fighters at whim.

Pavelich to Ford: Not so fast

Ryan Ford's debut with The Fight Club might have to wait. MFC president Mark Pavelich, Ford's former manager, contends the Edmonton welterweight remains under exclusive contract with his organization until July 27.

Ford to face Alaskan at TFC 7

Edmonton's Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford will make his debut with relatively young Edmonton-based promotion The Fight Club on May 30 against Alaska's Dave Mazany.

Stout savours UFC 97 win

Sometimes your birthday wish comes true, sometimes it doesn’t. For Sam Stout, who turned 25 on Thursday, this year it came early. The London, Ont.-native reflected on his big win Saturday at UFC 97 in Montreal.

Main event aside

It was nearly a perfect night in Montreal at UFC 97.

Soszynski ready to rock the Bell

When Krzysztof (The Polish Experiment) Soszynski won his first “official” bout in the UFC back in December, the Poland native who grew up in Winnipeg saw two potential prizes on the horizon.

Big Game on the game

'Big Game' James Brydon was on hand as UFC unveiled their new video game.

Pressure is on for Stout

For Canadian Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout, "Redemption" couldn’t be a better word to describe what he’s looking for Saturday night in his UFC 97 fight in Montreal.

Newton returns victorious

Canadian Carlos Newton, who had not fought on home soil since his first professional fight in April 1996, earned a TKO victory over Nabil Khatib in the main event of W1: Inception, which took place Saturday night at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Que.

W1 MMA Debut Preview

There's no doubt Carlos Newton will be the most recognizable name Saturday night as upstart Canadian promotion Warrior One MMA holds its debut event in Gatineau, Que. But his W1: Inception main-event opponent Nabil (The Thrill) Khatib has been around long enough to know it takes more than a name in this sport.

Finally moving on

We haven’t heard any much about Grease-gate for almost a week now. That must mean B.J. Penn is getting the message.

Ford parts ways with MFC, Pavelich

Edmonton's Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford has left the organization that helped turn him into a local mixed martial arts hero and signed with a promotion looking to become its rival.

Championship merit

The UFC needs to let fighters dictate who gets title shots, not its marketing department.

New year, new Day

At this time last year, Jason (Dooms) Day was getting set for his first appearance in the UFC. As he prepares for his fight against Kendall Grove Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio, he feels like a very different fighter now. And he sums it up with one word: Confidence.

Chain of thoughts

Starting with the "controversial" stoppage at UFC 95, Big Game runs down news from the past week in the MMA world.

UFC 95 ratings strong

Despite a relatively lacklustre card in terms of top names, UFC 95 drew a respectable number of viewers in the U.S. and Canada.

Ford has second chance at belt

After a couple of wins since his first career loss, Edmonton MMA fighter Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford gets his chance Friday night to prove that one blip on his record was a fluke.

About (saving) face

How appropriate that UFC 97 is titled Redemption because that's the case for Quebec's combat sports authorities, who saw the error of their ways.

Gap to be bridged

There may well need to be some concessions from both the UFC and the Quebec government if we will see the UFC return to Montreal.

Smear job

There's only one way for the UFC to make "Grease-gate" go away for good.

Rolling in dough

There's a recession going on, but it has yet to hit the UFC and Octagon Girls.

Hidden gems

Sure GSP vs Penn is huge, but there are more fights on this weekend's card that deserve attention.

Big Game in Vegas

A day after Super Bowl media day in Tampa, Wednesday it was the UFC's turn in Las Vegas.

Horodecki Affliction fight off

Canadian lightweight fighter Chris Horodecki, who was set to make his Affliction debut on Saturday, was denied medical clearance and his fight against Dan Lauzon is off, Horodecki’s manager Shawn Tompkins told Sportsnet.ca on Wednesday.

Big Game's Afterburn

Things I didn’t expect to see Saturday at UFC 93 in Dublin.

Big Game is Burning

At the risk of ripping off the eminent and irreverent Jim Rome, here are a few things I'm burning on from the MMA world.

Year in (quick) review

Another year on the calendar has turned; and it was one which saw some changes in the landscape of mixed martial arts.

A Long December

The final month of 2008 has been mostly a rough one for top Canadian fighters.

GSP voted top CDN athlete

For the first time in Sportsnet history, a mixed martial arts fighter has been voted Canadian Athlete of the Year. Montreal's Georges St. Pierre capped a championship 2008 by receiving Sportsnet's coveted honour.

New Ultimate Fighters crowned

Ephraim Escudero used his superior wrestling skills while Ryan Bader used one solid punch as the two won the lightweight and light-heavyweight Ultimate Fighter titles, respectively, Saturday in Las Vegas. In other bouts, Krzysztof Soszynski was a winner but Jason MacDonald suffered a tough loss.

Brydon hits Vegas

The Ultimate Fighter Finale takes place in las Vegas Saturday night and our MMA expert is on the scene.

Mr. Personality

The more I get to know about B.J. Penn, the less I want to see Georges St. Pierre lay a punishing beating on him at UFC 94.

Bad bet, bad beat

Saturday night was a lousy night for me as Randy Couture couldn't come through against Brock Lesnar.

Resurrecting the champ

Seven reasons why 'underdog' Randy Couture will prevail Saturday in the main event at UFC 91.

The Kimbo effect

The mainstream MMA landscape is continuing to change, but is it all for the good?

Different kind of upset

Patrick Cote's challenge of UFC champion Anderson Silva ended in the most unlikely -- and unsatisfying -- of ways.

Count on Cote

Seven reasons why Patrick Cote will upset Anderson Silva on Saturday night.

Rock star Liddell

Chuck Liddell may not knock out opponents at will anymore, but he can still draw an audience that rivals any mixed martial arts fighter.

Davis ready to rumble

Saturday night in Birmingham, England, Marcus (The Irish Hand Grenade) Davis will appear in his fifth straight fight in the U.K. when he takes on Englishman Paul Kelly to round out the main card of UFC 89 (live on all Sportsnet channels and in HD at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT).

Maple Leaf MMA

In honour of Canadian Thanksgiving, we present Sportsnet’s first Top 10 ranking of fighters from north of the border.

Tale of two fighters

It was the best of results, it was the worst of results.

Passive or aggressive?

A couple of undefeated UFC fighters have a style that is very successful but can also be very frustrating.

It's rankings time

How do you maintain a list of top MMA fighters without it becoming outdated?

UFC 88 and more

I’m quite certain I wasn’t the only one shocked by the decision to have Randy Couture fight Brock Lesnar for the heavyweight belt in his first fight back in UFC.

All Rampage, no reason

Quinton Jackson should be doing everything in his power to stay low key instead of spouting off about past and future UFC bouts.

Fighting for recognition

The opposing paths taken by a pair of Canadian fighters prove that the fights, and not the fighters, dictate success.

How good is GSP?

This question lingers after a thrilling UFC card.

Sizing up the competition

If Georges St. Pierre is able to beat Jon Fitch on Saturday, what will be next for the Canadian?

No easy prey

Patrick Cote won’t have to wait very long to get in the cage with the UFC’s pound-for-pound best in Anderson Silva.

Battlelines being drawn

The battle to become the ruler of the ultimate fighting scene keeps getting more intense.

Opportunities knock

The big story at UFC Fight Night 14 is middleweight champion Anderson Silva's debut at light-heavyweight.

Big decisions

If you are a fan of Forrest Griffin or Patrick Cote, it was a nervous couple of minutes while you awaited the judges' decisions at UFC 86 on Saturday night.

Punch, counter-punch

Is UFC making the right move by reacting to a little competition?

Reffing Bedlam

The UFC showed on Saturday night that EliteXC doesn't have the market cornered on controversy.

MMA in HD

The latest necessity when it comes to watching sports has reached the cage.

EliteXC wrap

Saturday night’s EliteXC on CBS debut may well be remembered more for its controversies than it being the first primetime cable showcase of MMA.

Crush the critics

Gina Carano has an opportunity to prove she's a more than a pretty face on Saturday night on national television.

Seek and ye shall find

There were some people who had an issue with the main event of UFC 87. Well they can't complain anymore.

Quite the card

UFC 84 has the early makings of being one of the most entertaining cards in some time.

Day has come

The UFC has rewarded Canadian Jason Day with the matchup he wanted in Michael Bisping. Now he has to deliver.

Sudden death

Thinking about ways to reduce the amount of time a bout goes to a decision and eliminate boring ones.

The wait continues

After Georges St. Pierre dominated Matt Hughes and Matt Serra in consecutive fights, it seemed like the only logical thing next would be for the Matts to face off against each other and finally settle their grudge from The Ultimate Fighter. Not so fast.

Rough ride for Starnes

It has been a nightmare six months for Kalib Starnes.

The real GSP

While new welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre put on a clinic Saturday night in front of his rabid supporters, you can also score one for the UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts in Canada.

UFC fandemonium

A lineup along the sidewalk wrapped around one side of the Bell Centre Friday afternoon as fans and members of UFC Fight Club, some who arrived early in the morning, eagerly awaited for a chance to do Q&A with UFC president Dana White. The doors opened at 2 p.m. ET and once people got in and were seated, thousands had the opportunity to come to a microphone over the course of an hour.

Jumping on the bandwagon

Thursday night, the stage was set for the Canadiens to clinch their playoff series against the Boston Bruins and clear the way for the sports community in Montreal to turn their full attention to the big event taking place Saturday at the Bell Centre -- UFC 83: Serra vs. St-Pierre 2.