Frank Mir talks to Ariel Helwani about his UFC 107 match with Cheick Kongo, this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, Kimbo Slice’s potential, Roy Nelson’s weight, and the evolution of the heavyweight.

Main Bouts:

Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman

Josh Koscheck vs. Paulo Thiago

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Brandon Vera

Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

Preliminary Bouts:

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller

Justin Buchholz vs. Mac Danzig

Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres

Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer

Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover

Rolles Gracie vs. Mostapha Al Turk

UFC President, Dana White announced on the season 10 finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” that former light heavyweight champions, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz will be the coaches of the eleventh season of the Spike TV reality show.

Twice before the two have meet with Liddell taking both fights by TKO. The first meeting was back in April of 2004, with a motivated Liddell knocking out Ortiz in the second round following months of bad blood. A rematch happened two years later in December 2006, with Liddell beating down his foe in the third.

White also announced that TUF season 11 would feature the middleweights.

Event: UFC 107: “Penn vs. Sanchez”

Date: Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009,

Time: 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV)

Location: FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee

Main Event:

UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez

Co-main Event:

265 lbs.: Frank Mir (12-4) vs. Cheick Kongo (14-5-1)

Main card

155 lbs.: Kenny “Ken Flo” Florian (11-4) vs. Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (25-10)

170 lbs.: Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce

265 lbs.: Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve

Under card (May not be broadcast):

185 lbs.: Wilson Gouveia (12-6) vs. Alan Belcher (14-6)

155 lbs.: Matt Wiman vs. Shane Nelson

170 lbs.: Ricardo Funch (7-0) vs. Johny Hendricks (6-0)

185 lbs.: Rousimar Palhares vs. Lucio Linhares

170 lbs.: DaMarques Johnson vs. Edgar Garcia

170 lbs.: Kevin Burns (7-3) vs. TJ Grant (14-3)

The Ultimate Fighter season 10 “The Heavyweights,” came to a KO ending last weekend with Roy Nelson emerging as the finale winner of a six-figure contract with the UFC.

All of the fighter’s payouts and bonuses below:

Roy Nelson: TUF Finale Winner- $41,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus, $25,000 Knockout of the Night bonus)
Brendan Schaub: $8,000

Matt Hamill: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)
Jon Jones: $20,000

Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson: $25,000 (no win bonus)
Houston Alexander: $13,000

Frankie Edgar: $71,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus, $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
Matt Veach: $30,000 (includes $25,000 Fight of the Night bonus)

Matt Mitrione: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Marcus Jones: $8,000

James McSweeney: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Darrill Schoonover: $8,000

Jon Madsen: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
Justin Wren: $8,000

John Howard: $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
Dennis Hallman: $15,000

Brian Stann: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
Rodney Wallace: $6,000

Mark Bocek: $55,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus, $25,000 Submission of the Night bonus)
Joe Brammer: $5,000

Can the UFC afford to let talent like Henderson go with so many roster issues including injuries?

It’s no secret that Dan Henderson feels frustrated with the fact that he didn’t receive a middleweight title shot following his KO victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 100. Instead, the UFC offered Vitor Belfort the title shot for what would be his second fight since returning to the UFC. Negotiations between the Henderson and the UFC soon broke down in part due to his request for a bump in salary.

“I’m just hoping to get out there and fight again and get paid what I would like to get paid. I’m not asking to be the top-paid guy at out there at all,” he told FanHouse at the last Strikeforce event.

“It’s a little step up from my last pay check, but a lot less than a lot of other guys are getting paid,” Henderson.

There is no word when Henderson will return to action or who his next opponent will be.

Results At A Glance:

Main Bouts:

-Roy Nelson def. Brendan Schaub by KO at 3:45, R1
-Matt Hamill def. Jon Jones by disqualification (illegal elbows)
-Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson def. Houston Alexander by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
-Frankie Edgar def. Matt Veach by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:22, R2
-Matt Mitrione def. Marcus Jones by KO at :10, R2

TUF Season 10 Winner- Roy “Big Country” Nelson

Preliminary Bouts:
-James McSweeney def Darrill Schoonover by TKO at 3:20, R3
-Jon Madsen def Justin Wren vis Split Decision (30-27,28-29,29-28)
-Brian Stann def Rodney Wallace via Unanimous Decision (30–27,29-28,29-28)
-John Howard def Dennis Hallman by TKO at 4:55, R3
-Mark Bocek def Joe Brammer by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:36, R1

You won’t like me when I’m HANGRY!

Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, a 35-year-old former street fighter, struggled to make weight for his TUF 10 finale fight with Houston “The Assassin” Alexander tomorrow night. Slice walks around between 230-235 lb and has never had to cut weight before in his life. But as a professional MMA fighter cutting weight can be just as much apart of the process as getting your hands wrapped. It’s no surprise he’s struggling with the process despite the agreed upon catch weight limit of  215 pounds but, will the weight cut have a negative affect on his ability to fight?

“I’m going to be straight-up honest with you, man, the last time I was at this weight was in middle school,” said Slice. “(The weight cut’s) not good. Not good. (I’m) moody. You just don’t feel the same, you know what I’m saying? It’s mental, but it’s not a good feeling, to be honest with you. I’m a little anxious. Hopefully it won’t take a negative turn for me on Saturday.”

His opponent, Alexander, said just yesterday he’s currently weighing in at 209 pounds

Slice knows cutting weight is a challenge but, so is sustaining the 215 weight limit. “I’m there. It’s just maintaining. Just trying to maintain [my weight] there is hell.”

“If I drink a glass of water, I’m back at 230. It’s really a mental (struggle). I didn’t know how serious it was going to be, but it’s really a mental challenge for me right now.”

“Knowing that I’ve got this fight I’m going to fight, that’s a good feeling, so I can endure. I feel good about that. I can get in there, and I can bang. I’ve got a reason to knock this dude out, and I feel good about it.”

A rumor during the airing of TUF 10 The Heavyweights was that Kimbo received special treatment on the reality show including a media room he was allowed to use while no one else could use a phone, Internet or TV. Adding to this rumor is the fact that Slice turned down a fight on the TUF show, which generally means Dana White retaliates in some way to help speed up the fighter’s exit from the UFC. For the first time in TUF history, has the UFC awarded negative behavior with high profile fight?

Or, are we about to see Kimbo KOed out of the UFC this Saturday night on Spike TV? Source: MMAJunkie