BJ Penn and Rory MacDonald volunteer for additional drug testing for UFC 152

BJ Penn, who is expected to fight Rory MacDonald at UFC 152 in Toronto, is leading by example in the campaign to introduce more stringent performance-enhancing drug testing into MMA. He and MacDonald tweeted an agreement to have their September bout sponsored by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
Penn tweeted to MacDonald on Tuesday:

. @rory_macdonald VADA anti-doping has offered to sponsor our upcoming fight.I've accepted and invite you to help me clean up the sport

. @rory_macdonald VADA results will be released after the fight to ensure that the fight happens. Lets get started asap!!

MacDonald responded:

@bjpenndotcom already worried BJ? honestly i think its a great idea 2, and im ready to do the testing for our fight aswell @danawhite

According to VADA's website, Penn and MacDonald will be subject to a testing program similar to what Olympic athletes under go. They will be subject to random testing, and have to submit their whereabouts to VADA so drug testers can show up whenever they like to require a test.

If it's truly modeled after the Olympic program, Penn and MacDonald need to be ready for knocks on their door at all times of the day and night. Olympians often tweet when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency shows up at their door, and it's rarely expected.

Kudos to both men for paying more than lip service to the problem of PEDs in MMA. Penn is a respected veteran, while MacDonald is a young up-and-comer in the sport, and they both recognize the need to be role models. Hopefully, more fighters will follow their lead.

UPDATE: Penn's tweet was incorrect. VADA releases test results immediately and does not hold them until after an event.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/bj-penn-rory-macdonald-volunteer-additional-drug-testing-131147119--mma.html

Logan The Pink Pounder Clark  Steve The Snake Claveau  Rich No Love Clementi  Mark The Hammer Coleman

Michael Bisping, Brian Stann and Alan Belcher angle for next fights

As many dreamed of an Anderson Silva/Jon Jones superfight, middleweights asked for fights that would get them a step closer to challenging Silva for his belt.

Michael Bisping started the ball rolling by calling out Alan Belcher on "UFC Tonight." After Bisping's asked for the fight, Belcher responded.

"When someone says, 'Let's do this if you've got the balls to fight me,' and I say, 'OK,' and call (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva right away, let's make the fight happen," Belcher today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I don't see why it's already been two days and there's no date."

Then Brian Stann got in on the fun by saying he wanted to fight Bisping. Stann was supposed to fight Hector Lombard in August, but had to pull out because of a shoulder injury. As his shoulder heals, Stann is looking forward to his next fight. He wants Bisping.

"I just think that the storyline would garner more attention between me and Bisping. I always want to fight guys that are ranked ahead of me, and right now, that's where Bisping is. He's very close to a title shot. I've done all the things necessary to improve my overall game," Stann said. "Now's my time. I'm not getting any younger. I want to fight for the title, and right now, to get to that title, Bisping is one of the guys you have to get through."

With Stann and Bisping now looking to fight, Belcher aimed higher. His sights are set on UFC gold. He used his Twitter account to encourage followers to tweet UFC president Dana White about a title shot. Using the hashtag #Belcher4champ, fans filled White's Twitter mentions with pleas on Belcher's behalf.

Now it's your turn to play matchmaker. Do you want to see Bisping, Belcher or Stann fight Silva? Or should two of them face off for the right to fight Silva? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/michael-bisping-brian-stann-alan-belcher-angle-next-191444235--mma.html

Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez

?UFC 149: Faber vs. Barao? Viewing Schedule Set

With game time steadily approaching, fanboys are scrambling to discover exactly when and where they need to go in order to watch all of this Saturday’s scraps live. As usual, we’ve done all of the heavy “UFC 149: Faber vs. Barao” lifting for you. The UFC?s Facebook page kicks things off by streaming a pair [...]

Source: http://www.5thRound.com/122855/ufc-149-faber-vs-barao-viewing-schedule-set/

Xavier Foupa Pokam Hermes Franca Rich Franklin Ian Freeman

Happy Fourth of July from Cagewriter

Cagewriter is taking the day off to celebrate some people in Philadelphia telling King George to take a flying leap. If you think Chael Sonnen is a master of trash talk, take a look at what the authors of the Declaration of Independence said to start this country. Enjoy Independence Day, stay safe and hydrated, and I'll be back tomorrow for plenty of UFC 148 discussion.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/happy-fourth-july-cagewriter-122553900--mma.html

Randy The Natural Couture  Dan Cramer Alberto Crane Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz

Strikeforce: Rockhold Vs. Kennedy Video Recap

For those who missed last night’s Strikeforce event live at the Rose Garden in Potland Oregon, Showtime has kindly uploaded video highlights to their ShoSports youtube page. The evening saw Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold make his second successful title defense over Tim Kennedy in a competitive five-round fight. Also featured in the highlight package [...]

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29439/strikeforce-rockhold-vs-kennedy-video-recap/

Keith Hackney Matt Hamill Volk Han Joachim Hansen

Who's on the Hot Seat: UFC on Fuel 4 Edition

The UFC is returning to television tomorrow night, just four days after UFC 148, with their fourth Fuel TV show. The card will come to us live from San Jose, CA and may determine who faces Anderson Silva next for the UFC Middleweight Championship given the main event between Mark Munoz-Chris Weidman.  You know, the [...]

Source: http://www.fighters.com/07/10/whos-on-the-hot-seat-ufc-on-fuel-4-edition

Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono Gabriel Gonzaga

UFC 148 starts with an eye poke and three decisions

If the first three fights of UFC 148 are a harbinger of things to come, we're in for a long night. All three were decisions that were less than exciting.

Constantinos Phillippou survived a vicious, though unintentional eye poke from Riki Fukuda to take a slow, stand-up filled decision. The judges saw it 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Before that, Shane Roller grinded out a wrestling-filled decision over John Alessio. The 29-28 on all cards unanimous decision snapped a three-fight losing skid for Roller.

UFC 148 was started with a unanimous decision win for Rafaello Oliveira over Yoislandy Izquierdo.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-148-starts-eye-poke-three-decisions-011958528--mma.html

Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet