Watch UFC’s Fight For The Troops 2 Prelims Live On Facebook

UFC Announces Opportunity For Fans To Watch UFC Fight For The Troops 2 Prelims On Facebook

The opportunity to watch two live prelim fights for free from UFC Fight For The Troops 2 is now only a click away. The UFC announced today that fans will have the ability to watch two exciting UFC contests on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT by simply clicking the “Like” button on the official UFC Facebook page.

By liking Facebook.com/UFC , fans will gain access to a live stream of the lightweight battle between Cody McKenzie (12-0) of The Ultimate Fighter and veteran Yves Edwards (39-16-1), as well as a pivotal welterweight clash pitting TUF alum DaMarques Johnson (16-8) against Mike “The Joker” Guymon (13-4-1). Fans that do not have a Facebook account are encouraged to sign up at www.facebook.com.

“I’m always looking for ways to give fans fights for free and this is just another example of that,” UFC President Dana White said. “Facebook is such a great tool for people to stay connected and we’re excited to put two live fights on our UFC page for free.”

Following these bouts, fans can tune in to Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT to watch the live broadcast of the Fight For The Troops 2 main card from Fort Hood, Texas. The card is headlined by lightweight battle between Evan Dunham (11-1) and Melvin Guillard (44-9-3, 1 NC).

In addition to the live stream of two prelims on Facebook and the broadcast on Spike, UFC is hosting an online auction that will raise funds for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces with traumatic brain injuries. Prizes include the chance to attend the premiere of season 8 of the hit show Entourage, as well as the chance to meet Philadelphia Phillies centerfield Shane Victorino and attend a Major League Baseball game as his guest. For more information on the available prizes, please visit: www.fightforthetroops.com . The deadline for bids is Monday, Jan. 24.

The Reem: Alistair Overeem’s Documentary

If you haven’t had the chance to watch Alistair Overeem ‘s online documentary then here’s your chance. Overeem filmed a 12 part documentary about his everyday life, which proved to be one of the more entertaining documentaries out there. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Champ takes the camera into his training for both MMA and K-1, while showcasing a side of him that not many people get to see. All 12 episodes are below (including one bonus video), but feel free to head on over to TheReem.com for more info.

THE REEM EPISODE 1: PROLOGUE from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 2: FINAL TRAINING from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 3: FIGHTNIGHT from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 4 – BACK HOME from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 5: CHANGE OF PLANS from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 7 + 8: ENTER THE K1 TOURNAMENT from THE REEM on Vimeo.

EPISODE 9: BUSINESS AS USUAL from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 10: BIG IN JAPAN from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 11: READY FOR THE K-1 FINAL from THE REEM on Vimeo.

THE REEM EPISODE 12: THE FINAL from THE REEM on Vimeo.

Bonus Video

The career of Alistair Overeem from THE REEM on Vimeo.

Sometimes Ring Girls: Kelli Hutcherson

Kelli Hutcherson is a ring girl that’s part of Strikeforce , or is it Rockstar energy drinks? Either way, fight fans are grateful for it. Most of the time Kelli dabbles in professional modeling but when the time comes she is ready and willing to make the rounds in MMA events. For more of Ms. Hutcherson check out her profile on ModelMayhem.com or send her multiple @ replies on Twitter until she answers you. In the mean time, check out some of her best work below.

UFC 126: Silva Vs. Belfort Nearing Sell-Out

With UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort nearing sell-out, Mandalay Bay to host closed circuit viewing party. Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011 – Live in the Mandalay Bay Islander Ballroom. Tickets on Sale on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. PT

With a star-studded card featuring the UFC’s middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva facing “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort, former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin battling former middleweight champion Rich Franklin, and up-and-coming 205-pound stars Jon Jones and Ryan Bader squaring off, UFC 126: SILVA vs. BELFORT is nearing a sell-out.

To accommodate the great demand, UFC announced today that it will hold an official Closed Circuit viewing party in the Islander Ballroom at Mandalay Bay on Saturday, Feb. 5. With action inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center, as well as in the Islander Ballroom, the resort has now become the ultimate destination for fight fans on the biggest weekend in sports.

Tickets for the closed circuit viewing party are $50 and go on sale Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com , www.mandalaybay.com or the Mandalay Bay box office. Doors for the viewing party will open at 5 p.m. PT and the event will be shown live on big-screen monitors starting at 7 p.m. PT.

UFC 126: SILVA vs. BELFORT, which is presented by Bud Light, will be available live on Pay-Per-View on Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition. UFC 126 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Fighter Banned from MMA Competition

This is just too funny. Definitely worth a watch.

Rashad Evans Does The Shake Weight

This is what a day in the life of a Rashad Evans training session looks like. Somehow, I don’t think Shogun is studying this video. Video courtesy of YouTube user nathanmarquardt , Evans’ teammate, and UFC Middleweight , Nate Marquardt.

The Chael Sonnen Saga Continues

Ever since Chael Sonnen nearly beat Anderson Silva at UFC 117, life has just not been the same. Here’s a video courtesy of YouTube user MMAPromo that summarizes the entire Chael Sonnen saga perfectly.

Dominick Cruz Out Of Action For 3 – 6 Months

Dominick Cruz has recently come off a 5 round beatdown of Scott Jorgensen to retain the UFC Bantamweight championship. What most people didn’t know is that Cruz broke his hand in the process. Cruz will not be able to train for at least 3 months until his hand heals, and it may be another 3 months after that before fight fans can see him defend the UFC Bantamweight title for the first time.

Check out the photos below of Cruz’s hand after the operation (NOTE: not for the squeamish).

Nam Phan vs MMA Judges

It’s no secret that the UFC ’s Nam Phan was shocked when he lost a decision to Leonard Garcia at the TUF 12 Finale. Phan easily took home 2 of the 3 rounds but the judges felt otherwise, scoring Garcia for the win. Phan was quite the character in the TUF house and this video wouldn’t really surprise anyone (although MMA judges might have a target on Phan’s head now). Needless to say, after watching the video below, the score card between Phan vs MMA judges should now read 1 – 1.

UFC Confirms Remaining Bouts For Fight For The Troops 2

EVAN DUNHAM vs. MELVIN GUILLARD
MATT MITRIONE vs. TIM HAGUE
MARK HOMINICK vs. GEORGE ROOP
PAT BARRY vs. JOEY BELTRAN
COLE MILLER vs. MATT WIMAN
YVES EDWARDS vs. CODY McKENZIE
DaMARQUES JOHNSON vs. MIKE GUYMON
MIKE BROWN vs. RANI YAHYA
WAYLON LOWE vs. WILAMY FREIRE
CHARLIE BRENNEMAN vs. AMILCAR ALVES
WILL CAMPUZANO vs. CHRIS CARIASO

Live from Fort Hood, Texas on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT The UFC , in partnership with Spike TV and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, is once again hosting a special live event to raise funds for the honorable men and women in the United States Armed Forces who suffer from traumatic brain injuries. Already featuring a main event pitting highly-ranked lightweight Evan Dunham against explosive knockout artist Melvin Guillard, UFC Fight For The Troops 2 is shaping up to be a can’t-miss card.

Today, the UFC confirmed the remaining bouts on this stacked card, which will air live and free on Spike TV from Fort Hood, Texas on Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The following bouts will be featured at UFC Fight For The Troops 2: Matt Mitrione vs. Tim Hague, Mark Hominick vs. George Roop, Pat Barry vs. Joey Beltran, Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman, Yves Edwards vs. Cody McKenzie, DaMarques Johnson vs. Mike Guymon, Mike Thomas Brown vs. Rani Yahya, Waylon Lowe vs. Wilamy Freire, Charlie Brenneman vs. Amilcar Alves and Chris Cariaso vs. Will Campuzano.

A former NFL defensive tackle, Matt Mitrione’s (fighting out of Indianapolis, Ind. / 3-0) rapid and extraordinary evolution as a mixed martial artist has drawn rave reviews from his coaches and fans, who view the heavy-handed heavyweight as a budding phenom. So far in his two-year career, the Purdue University grad has done nothing to dispel the hype, scoring wins over Kimbo Slice, Marcus Jones and Joey Beltran. Mitrione is now gearing up for the biggest challenge of his young career in fellow prospect Tim Hague (fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada / 12-4). A former kindergarten teacher, Hague is a rugged Canadian with tremendous power. Tipping the scales near the 265-pound weight limit, Hague stunned the fight world with a come-from-behind guillotine choke victory over Pat Barry in 2009. He currently sports a two-fight winning streak, with both wins coming by way of knockout.

Perhaps no fighter on the card has more at stake than Canadian striker Mark Hominick (fighting out of Thamesford, Ontario, Canada / 19-8). Gunning for his fifth straight win, Hominick will earn a shot at UFC featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo with a victory on Jan. 22. With key wins over Leonard Garcia, Yves Jabouin, Yves Edwards and Jorge Gurgel in his career, the 28-year-old is considered to be one of the few fighters in the world capable of matching the dominant champion’s incredible speed and punishing standup. Standing in the way of Hominick’s title dreams will be a familiar face, former training partner George Roop (fighting out of Tuscon, Ariz. / 11-7-1). A former competitor on The Ultimate Fighter, Roop is as tough and hard-nosed as they come, earning Knockout of the Night honors in his last fight thanks to a wicked high kick that put “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung to sleep.

One of the heavyweight division’s most feared strikers, Pat Barry (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc. / 5-2) has honed his skills under the tutelage of renowned coach Duke Roufus. The 31-year-old kickboxing specialist, who owns wins over Antoni Hardonk and Dan Evensen in the UFC, is coming off a back-and-forth barnburner against MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop last June. His next test could be even more difficult as Barry is slated to meet Joey Beltran (fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif. / 12-4) at Fort Hood. Fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif., “The Mexicutioner” boasts an abundance of punching power himself, with 10 of his 12 wins coming by TKO. Betran holds notable victories over Houston Alexander, Tim Hague, Rolles Gracie, Wes Combs and Sherman Pendergarst.

A chronic underdog who relishes proving his doubters wrong, lightweight Cole Miller (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. / 17-4) has racked up an impressive 6-2 record in the UFC, including submission wins over The Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel. The Augusta, Georgia native and American Top Team product hopes to add another name to his impressive resume when he meets fellow season 5 The Ultimate Fighter alum Matt Wiman (fighting out of Arvada, Colo. / 12-5). Also known by his nickname, “Handsome,” Wiman has triumphed in six of his past fights, with notable finishes over Mac Danzig and Thiago Tavares. Wiman said he plans on earning Fight of the Night honors against Miller, and the 27-year-old Coloradan possesses great credibility on the subject given that three of his earlier UFC fights have been thusly honored.

Yves Edwards (fighting out of Austin, Texas / 39-16-1), a lightweight pioneer and 13-year veteran, returns to the Octagon after defeating John Gunderson via decision in September. The longtime standout is one of the game’s better finishers, putting away 14 foes by TKO and another 16 with submissions. Born in the Bahamas, the 34-year-old has been competing in the Octagon since Sept. 2001. Edwards’ opponent in Texas is unbeaten Cody McKenzie (fighting out of Spokane, Wash. / 12-0), architect of one of the most feared guillotine chokes in the sport. McKenzie is a free-spirited fan favorite who has finished 11 of his opponents – 10 with the modified choke that he calls “The McKenzietine.”

A finalist on season nine of The Ultimate Fighter, DaMarques Johnson’s (fighting out of Salt Lake City, Utah / 16-8) three trips to the Octagon have been fruitful; he’s already earned one Submission of the Night award for his triangle choke of Edgar Garcia at UFC 107 and added a Knockout of the Night honor against Brad Blackburn at UFC 112. Fighting in front of his fellow soldiers, U.S Army and National Guard vet Johnson collides with Mike “The Joker” Guymon (fighting out of Lake Forest, Calif. / 13-4-1) on Jan. 22. Guymon, who has won six of his past eight, has a 13-4-1 record over the last decade. With six wins by submission and five by TKO, Guymon expects an intense fight when he meets Johnson.

Former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. / 24-7) is hungry to return to the top. The American Top Team ambassador owns a spectacular resume, including wins over Urijah Faber (twice), Yves Edwards, Jeff Curran, Leonard Garcia and Mark Hominick. Coming off an entertaining battle with Diego Nunes at UFC 125, Brown looks to rebound against highly-decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Rani Yahya (fighting out of San Diego, Calif. / 15-6), winner of three BJJ world titles and the prestigious Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championship. Yahya, originally from Brasilia, Brazil, boasts submission wins over Mark Hominick, former WEC champion Eddie Wineland and has earned three Submission of the Night honors under the Zuffa banner.

Winner of seven of his past eight fights, Waylon Lowe (fighting out of Philadelphia, Pa. / 9-3) is a formidable wrestler who won three national titles at the Division II collegiate level. Lowe is coming off a split decision victory over Steve Lopez at UFC 119. Now his next assignment is Wilamy Freire (fighting out of Fortaleza, Brazil / 17-3), a dangerous Brazilian who brings an 11-fight win streak into his UFC debut. Mentored by renowned MMA coach Andre Pederneiras and a training partner of UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo, Freire owns 9 wins by submission, two more by TKO.

Charlie Brenneman (fighting out of Hollidaysburg, PA / 12-1), a former high school Spanish teacher who owns a master’s degree, is set to face Brazilian standout Amilcar Alves (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro / 11-2) on the undercard. Brenneman is a former Division I wrestler known for his ground-and-pound. The welterweight has won seven of his past eight, including a win over Jason High in the UFC last year. Alves has won eight of his last nine.

In the evening’s opening bout, bantamweights Chris Cariaso (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif. / 10-2) collides with Will Campuzano (fighting out of Dallas, Texas / 8-3). Cariaso is a Muay Thai specialist who also holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has won four of his last five, including a win over American Top Team’s Rafael Rebello. Campuzano is also known as an aggressive standup fighter who is always hunting for the finish.

This special live UFC fight card will raise funds for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces with traumatic brain injuries. Information about ways to donate can be found online at www.fightforthetroops.com , along with UFC.com and Spike.com .

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