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http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/5/23/21 ... had-mendes


Jose Aldo vs Chad Mendes ** Feather Weight Title Bout *** Aldo out due to injury, not sure if Mendes stays on the card
Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis
Vitor Belfort vs Yoshihiro Akiyama
Rich Franklin vs Lil' Nog
Alessio Sakara vs. Jorge Rivera

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Mike Brown vs. Nam Phan
Rory MacDonald vs Mike Pyle
Mike Pierce vs. Johny Hendricks
Dennis Hallman vs. Brian Ebersole
Rafael Natal vs. Riki Fukuda
Ivan Menjivar vs Nick Pace

Damn, this is a really bad stretch of injuries for the UFC. Easily the worst since the time around UFC 108 (or whatever Evans vs. T. Silva was), and probably worse than that.

Imagine Sexy KO'd Vitor with a head kick?

If Vitor loses this fight, does that signal him being close to the end?

Chad Mendes will stay on this card, will fight Rani Yahya.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/23714/chad-me ... elphia.mma

wow. this injure bug gotta stop!

nvm, but what type of suspension he got?

Gaaaaaaaaah. Stop with the lose-lose Franklin fights. This is ridiculous. He's always in against sentimental favorites.

I think he'll KO Nog...not something I want to see.

If Forrest, Franklin, both Nogs and Bonnar retired today, I'd be overjoyed. These are all guys who can make a living outside of the cage too.

This is a strange card, I'm not sure what to think. There's a lot of old veterans on this card, for one thing. Menjivar, Vlad, Hallman, and even Rivera - 5 years ago, there's no way I would have predicted any of these guys would still be fighting in 2011. These guys are c. UFC 30s...you're just sorta hoping none get hurt or humiliated too bad.

Mike Pyle is definitely a step down for MacDonald, I don't know how that makes sense with all the WW match-ups out there. Pyle looked terrible in his last fight....like an ever more incompetent Jake Shields - mummie stand-up and rushed takedowns.

cowboyronnie wrote:Mike Pyle is definitely a step down for MacDonald, I don't know how that makes sense with all the WW match-ups out there. Pyle looked terrible in his last fight....like an ever more incompetent Jake Shields - mummie stand-up and rushed takedowns.

I think the UFC sees now that Rory may actually be a future champ level prospect and is now willing to bring him along more slowly. Pyle is the kind of fight that will allow him to look good and continue to build. You never know with Pyle though, sometimes he looks awful and other times he looks like a killer.

Cammo101 wrote:

cowboyronnie wrote:Mike Pyle is definitely a step down for MacDonald, I don't know how that makes sense with all the WW match-ups out there. Pyle looked terrible in his last fight....like an ever more incompetent Jake Shields - mummie stand-up and rushed takedowns.

I think the UFC sees now that Rory may actually be a future champ level prospect and is now willing to bring him along more slowly. Pyle is the kind of fight that will allow him to look good and continue to build. You never know with Pyle though, sometimes he looks awful and other times he looks like a killer.

This

Official card,

Rashad Evans vs Phil Davis
Rich Franklin vs Lil Nog
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Vitor Belfort
Jorge Rivera vs Alessio Sakara
Mike Pyle vs Rory MacDonald

Vladimir Matushenko vs Alexander Gustafsson
Chad Mendes vs Rani Yahya

Dennis Hallman vs Brian Ebersole
Ivan Menjivar vs Nick Pace
Johhny Hendricks vs Mike Pierce
Mike Brown vs Nam Phan
Rafal Natal vs Costantinos Philippou

Looks decent. Woulda been great with an Aldo title fight.

Finally get to see that Rivera vs. Sakara fight, hopefully it delivers.

on paper it seems ufc 134-138 will all have title fights, 6 total, with the 7th (Cruz possibly being on one of the latter cards). that's the one luxury of having an expanded roster. the only problem i have is it seems to me like a TON of fighters are having to wait longer for fights because the number of fight cards has not increased.

Davis is out because of injury.

http://twitter.com/#!/ShowdownJoe/

Early reports saying Machida may fill the void.

Damn that is soon. War Lyoto!

I won't lie I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing. I am a huge Davis fan, and I think Rashad would have neutralized his wrestling and outstruck him on the feet.

Lyoto I think can defeat Rashad. Bones/Machida is one of those fights I have wanted to see for a long time. Or else let Machida get a chance to avenge the Rampage loss (bad decision imo).

So, if true...

Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida
Rich Franklin vs Lil Nog
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Vitor Belfort
Jorge Rivera vs Alessio Sakara
Mike Pyle vs Rory MacDonald

Looks good to me. What do people think about Franklin vs Lil Nog? Surprised to see Rich as an underdog here.

Mike Chiappetta on twitter: "I just asked Dana White if Lyoto accepted the fight. His answer: "No, and Tito turned it down." There is no replacement yet."

Looks like bloodyelbow and a few other sites may have jumped the gun.

@MikeChiappetta - "want 2 clarify something. Machida hasn't declined the fight. But he hasn't accepted it yet either. They're waiting on him"

offer the big bucks Dana, i'm much more excited for Evans vs Machida 2!