Author James Begley (Staff Writer)

Former TUF season 8 runner-up and current M-1 Global Light Heavyweight champion Vinny Magalhaes was dismissed from the UFC before he could prove that he had great potential. The multiple World Jiu Jitsu Champion and ADCC gold medalist has gone 7-1 since his departure from the UFC and acquired the M-1 Global light heavyweight title in his 4 fight run with the Russian organization. Unfortunately the honeymoon with M-1 Global has ended and Magalhaes has been attempting to wait out his employers, so he can get out of his contract, and continue his career under a new banner.

The flyweight bout between Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson at the UFC on FX 2 is one of the most controversial moments in MMA so far 2012. The first fight in the UFC Flyweight Tournament Semi Finals, seemed to be exactly what the UFC expected during the course of the fight, as the organization preemptively promoted the newest weight class as potentially the most action packed division in the UFC. The contest was rapidly paced, and McCall and Johnson went back and forth until the 3rd round, where “Uncle Creepy” seemingly took over, and started to dominate Johnson for the remainder of the bout.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has recently been on a crusade to have himself removed from the UFC roster. Following his loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 144: Japan, Rampage has been publicly voicing his displeasure with the UFC as well as the business practices conducted by ZUFFA, and has verbally professed his desire to leave the flagship MMA organization.

Fabricio Werdum showed the MMA world exactly why he asked to re-sign with the UFC when he put on a striking display in his UFC return bout against Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson at UFC 143. Werdum looked like he was as relaxed as he had ever been in MMA competition, as he peppered Nelson with a variety of powerful, and technical strikes that aren’t the norm for a fighter that has a reputation as being one of the best Jiu Jitsu practitioners in MMA, regardless of weight class.

MMA fans knew it would be just a matter of tick tocks before the entire Strikeforce heavyweight competitors would start to migrate to the UFC, following the announcement that Strike force would be doing away with the largest weight class in their organization. So far the heavyweight imports have fared well in their octagon appearances, as they are 4-0 since the latter part of 2011. Former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem has already made his statement, when he flattened Brock Lesnar at UFC 141, and is now set to challenge Junior Dos Santos for the title at UFC 146.

After all of the trash talk, and all of the drama leading up to the monumental clash between Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey, fans were split as to who would emerge victorious in their match-up. Would it be the seasoned champion Tate, who held the experience edge and overall toughness? Or would the Olympic judo bronze medalist, with fewer fights, back up her world-class grappling pedigree?

It’s been nearly two years since MMA fans last saw veteran MMA competitor and former TUF cast member Nate ‘Rock’ Quarry compete inside the octagon, and unfortunately we won’t be seeing him fight again. On Thursday night’s episode of Spike TV’s new program MMA Uncensored Quarry officially announced his retirement from MMA competition.

Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis is arguably more famous for his Jackie Chan, Matrix style kick to the head of Benson Henderson, than he is for winning the WEC belt from ‘Bendo’ at the final WEC event before the UFC fully integrated the organization. When Pettis made his UFC debut, talks of him being the number one guy, alongside Jim Miller, were the dominant discussions in regards to the UFC lightweight division.