Tagged Light Heavyweight

Let’s play a little game; now it’s not as cool as 52 card pick up but it is very similar in nature, it’s called “sorting out the top of the Strikeforce divisions”. When ZUFFA (parent company of the UFC) purchased Strikeforce last year, a handful of the promotion top talent include champions Nick Diaz, Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem defected to the UFC. This would leave a gaping hole that the promotion has yet fill, and really doesn’t have any sense of urgency to do so.

Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader said that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson would not pull off one of his famous slams against him at UFC 144. He also stated that he’d defeat Jackson in front of the Japanese fans that adore the former PRIDE star. Well Bader was only half right on his predictions, lucky for him though he got the most important one right.

Mixed Martial Arts legend and former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz appears ready to hang them up. Having just one fight remaining on his current contract Ortiz has requested to end his career with a third bout against either Chuck Liddell or Forrest Griffin in July. Since the “Iceman” has already retired, that just leaves Ortiz with a rubber match against Griffin.

With Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in limbo right now pending some form of suspension following his positive test for steroids, the Strikeforce light heavyweight division is moving on. Mike Kyle announced today via his Twitter account that he’s fighting on March 3rd against former champion Gegard Mousasi.

The light heavyweight division in the UFC is one of the deepest the promotion has. Jon “Bones” Jones lit the MMA world on fire last year by fighting a staggering four times, three of which were title bouts. Jones seems to be unstoppable, but that hasn’t kept his challengers from wanting to take the newest sensation in MMA down a peg or two.

The UFC's first trip to Sweden will logically be filled with local talent but yesterday the UFC announce the event will also be headlined by a Swede. Rising light heavyweight prospect Alexander Gustafsson will face the veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira UFC on FUEL TV 2. The card will take place at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden and air live on FUEL TV on Saturday April 14th.

Over hyped, underestimated and naturally blessed; all accolades that have followed the name of Jon Jones throughout his UFC career up to this point. Defying the odds, he has become the youngest champion in UFC history, disposing of former champions and superstars in his way.

Not many fighters have the resume of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. At 23, He began a meteoric rise through the MMA world when he beat notables like Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Noguiera, Alistair Overeem, and Ricardo Arona to go on and win the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix, becoming the youngest PRIDE champion in history.