Bellator Champ Ben Askren Draws UFC Vet Nick Thompson

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Ben AskrenUnbeaten Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren has his next test, and it will be against his most seasoned opponent yet.

Askren, who won the promotion's Season 2 welterweight tournament to earn a date with champ Lyman Good, whom he beat to win the title in October, will face UFC veteran Nick Thompson at Bellator 40 in April. Bellator made the fight official on Wednesday - though it will be a non-title fight.

Askren (7-0), a 2008 Olympic wrestler and two-time NCAA Division I national champion at the University of Missouri, won his first four MMA bouts with first-round stoppages. But his wins over Ryan Thomas at Bellator 19, Hornbuckle and Good have all been decisions - using his superior wrestling to dominate on the ground.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/02/16/bellator-champ-ben-askren-draws-ufc-vet-nick-thompson/

Mike Van Arsdale Paul Varelans Jovany Anaconda Varela Tony Vartanian

Eddie Alvarez Defends Bellator Lightweight Title Against Pat Curran on April 2

Strikeforce using Facebook to search for Ring Girl

With the heavyweight Grand Prix starting this weekend, Strikeforce is on the lookout for the one piece missing from their promotion -- a ring girl. Women aspiring to hold up cards between rounds, wear bikinis in cold arenas and stare into the distance during weigh-ins are encouraged to shoot a 30-second video and share it on Strikeforce's Facebook page. Strikeforce fans will then have a chance to vote for their favorite lady, and the winner will be announced at the Strikeforce event in Columbus in March.

Strikeforce generally uses the Rockstar Energy Girls, headed by Kelli Hutcherson, to handle ring card girl duties. The women who are usually identified with Strikeforce are their fighters, like Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and Miesha Tate, but they clearly want to bring in more fans to their Facebook page. Using a Ring Girl contest will definitely help that. 

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Strikeforce-using-Facebook-to-search-for-Ring-G?urn=mma-318029

Ricco Rodriguez Jason Reinhardt Eddy Rolon João Roque

Fedor Emelianenko: ?I Will Fight More?

Did you just hear that ruckus? It wasn?t the sound of Fedor Emelianenko?s plane landing in Russia, but the jubilant screams of Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and M-1 Global figurehead Vadim Finkelchtein after catching wind of their meal ticket?s recent change of heart. Although Emelianenko suggested he would hang up his MMA gloves following Saturday?s [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/68365/fedor-emelianenko-i-will-fight-more/

Kevin Randleman Vitor Ribeiro Aaron Riley Joe Riggs

Battle of welterweight prospects to headline Matrix Fights IV with Martinez vs. Wing

Philadelphia, PA — One of the biggest local fights in Philadelphia combat sports history is now set to go down on Friday, April 22 when welterweights Chris “Redline” Wing (2-0) and Jesus Martinez (5-0) headline Matrix Fights IV (www.MatrixFights.com) at the Sheet Metal Worker’s Union Hall in South Philadelphia. “The MMA community in Philadelphia was [...]

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/02/14/battle-of-welterweight-prospects-to-headling-matrix-fights-iv-with-martinez-vs-wing/

Luke Stewart Denis Stojnic Curtis Stout Sam Stout

Scott Coker Expects to Book Fedor vs. Overeem-Werdum Loser

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Two days after Fedor Emelianenko suffered his second consecutive loss and said in his post-fight interview that it might be time to walk away, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he expects Fedor to return rather than retire.

And Coker already has an opponent for Fedor in mind: The loser of the April 9 bout between Alistair Overeem and Fabricio Werdum.

"If the fighter doesn't want to fight you're not gonna want him to fight," Coker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. "If the fighter doesn't want to fight the promoter doesn't make him fight. And if he wants to retire then it's time to walk away. But I don't think that's the case ... and I think the loser of Overeem and Werdum, that would be a great fight for Fedor."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/02/14/scott-coker-expects-to-book-fedor-vs-overeem-werdum-loser/

Tom Howard Roger Huerta Matt Hughes Matt Hume

This Week?s WWE RAW Rating Is In WrestleMania News

– Hispanic Comedian Gabriel Iglesias will be attending WWE’s WrestleMania 27 pay-per-view as a fan. There are no plans to involve him in an angle as of this writing. (Thanks to Dalton Broadus) – This week’s edition of WWE RAW drew a 3.14 (3.1) cable rating, with 4.8 million viewers. The show did hours of 3.03 (3.0) and 3.25 (3.3). We’ll have more shortly. Wrestling News

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/02/this-weeks-wwe-raw-rating-is-in-wrestlemania-news/

Pat Barry  Vitor Belfort  Robert Berry David Bielkheden