Fantasy TUF 9: Episode 5

Episode 5 featured not one but two fights as Michael Bisping picks Andre Winner to fight Santino Defranco. Defranco was unable to take Winner down and puled guard. Defranco attempted an omo plata but Winner was able to escape and land 27 unanswered shots to win in the 1st by ground and pound. Next, Dan Henderson picked his best fighter, DaMarques Johnson, to face Dean Amasinger. During training Amasinger is warned to watch the triangle choke (that's foreshadowing). On fight day Bisping is a no-show (wtf?). Once the fight starts it hits the ground and Johnson is able to quickly secure the triangle choke for the submission victory.

-(Team Alli & Mike's) Andre Winner def. (Team Alli & Mike's) Santino Defranco via TKO (punches) in Round 1 for 10pts.
-Team CJ, Team Jen, Team Jon, Team Roxanne, and Team Tommy each receive 1pt for having Michael Bisping as their coach.

- (Team Dan's) DaMarques Johnson def. (Team Roy's) Dean Amasinger via submission (triangle choke) in Round 1 for 10pts.
-Team Alli & Mike, Team Dan, Team Maria, Team Roy, and Team Steve each receive 1pt for having Dan Henderson as their coach.

Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin at UFC 101

Holy Hell! These are my two favorite fighters. Who am I going to root for? Who will I bet on? I am so torn. But this fight will kick so much ass!

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will apparently scrap a UFC 101 bout between former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and top contender Thiago Silva (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in favor of a Griffin vs. Anderson Silva (24-4 MMA, 9-0 UFC) match-up.

Sources close to the organization today told MMAjunkie.com a meeting was held last week to discuss the Anderson Silva vs. Griffin bout and that verbal agreements may now be in place.

Anderson Silva, fresh off a heavily criticized title defense over Thales Leites at UFC 97, will now move up a weight class for the non-title fight with Griffin.

Although not officially announced by the organization, UFC 101 takes place Aug. 8, most likely at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The event also features a UFC lightweight title fight between title-holder B.J. Penn and top contender Kenny Florian.

Rumors of the potential Anderson Silva vs. Griffin bout began showing up last week after some cryptic emails were sent to a variety of MMA news outlets. The flames were fanned when seemingly unsubstantiated reports of the rumored fight were posted on a few MMA message boards over the weekend.

Although the fight is now close to official (but not signed), a source close to Thiago Silva told MMAjunkie.com the fighter was unaware his fight with Griffin had been scratched. Even as of this morning, the fighter was apparently under the impression he was still scheduled to fight Griffin at UFC 101.

MMAjunkie.com first reported in March that the UFC had lined up the Thiago Silva vs. Griffin fight, which many considered a bout that would determined the light heavyweight division's No. 1 contender after Quinton Jackson. Jackson is scheduled to fight the winner of a UFC 98 bout between current champ Evans and Lyoto Machida later this summer.

The source isn't sure if Thiago Silva will remain on the UFC 101 card with a new opponent or if he'll be shifted to another event.

As for Anderson Silva, UFC officials wasted no time scheduling him for his next fight. He most recently fought on April 18 as a headliner for UFC 97. He entered the fight as a significant favorite, and though he won a lopsided unanimous-decision victory, Anderson Silva was criticized for what seemed a conservative game plan in which he opted not to follow Leites, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, to the ground.

UFC President Dana White called the fight "embarrassing" and "disappointing," and he openly questioned if Anderson Silva needed another challenge at 205 pounds. The fighter, who picked up a UFC record ninth straight victory with the Leites win, moved up to 205 pounds in July 2008 for a non-title fight with James Irvin, and the Brazilian striker has made no secret of his intentions to move up a weight class again in the future.

The UFC has apparently obliged.

Update #1: Kevin Iole reports that Dan White said the fight has been signed.

Update #2: Sherdog has also confirmed the fight.

The Buffer at UFC 97

Fantasy TUF 9: Episode 4

Last night featured the first of the eight quarterfinal fights. Dan Henderson got to pick the first fight and chose (Team Maria's) Mark Miller vs (Team Jen's) Nick Osipczak. The prank wars start with Team US writing on some of Team UK's clothes. While training Miller admits he's not much for game planning, but Coach Diabate does advise him that Osipczak's kicks are nothing to worry about (This must be what foreshadowing sounds like). Once the fight starts the action goes back and forth for the first round. Then in the second round Osipczak lands a high kick and KTFO's Mark Miller for the win.

-(Team Jen's) Nick Osipczak def. (Team Maria's) Mark Miller via knockout (high kick) in Round 2 for 9pts.
-Team CJ, Team Jen, Team Jon, Team Roxanne, and Team Tommy each receive 1pt for having Michael Bisping as their coach.

-Episode 4 Recap

Fantasy TUF 9: Prelim Wrap Up

The Preliminary Round of The Ultimate Fighter is over and here is where we stand.

32pts Team Roy (3 Fighters)
28pts Team Jen (2 Fighters)
27pts Team Tommy (2 Fighters)
27pts Team Maria (2 Fighters)
27pts Team Jon (2 Fighters)
27pts Team Alli & Mike(2 Fighters)
18pts Team Roxanne(1 Fighter)
18pts Team Dan (1 Fighter)
18pts Team CJ (1 Fighter)
3pts Team Steve (0 Fighters)

Here are the fighters that made it to the Quarter Finals.

Lightweights:
(Team Maria's) Richie Whitson
(Team Tommy's) Jason Dent
(Team Tommy's) Cameron Dollar
(Team Alli & Mike's) Santino DeFranco
(Team Jen's) Jeff Lawson
(Team Jon's) Ross Pearson
(Team CJ's) Martin Stapleton
(Team Alli & Mike's) Andre Winner

Welterweights:
(Team Roy's) Jason Pierce
(Team Maria's) Mark Miller
(Team Dan's) DaMarques Johnson
(Team Roxanne's) Frank Lester
(Team Roy's) David Faulkner
(Team Jon's) James Wilks
(Team Jen's) Nick Osipczak
(Team Roy's) Dean Amasinger

Tonight's Episode will have the first of the eight Quarterfinal fights.