ESPN Mixed Martial Arts

Al Bello/Zuffa,LLC/Getty ImagesHey, Rashad Evans: You getting all of this?

An additional -- if unnecessary -- sign that MMA is creeping further into public consciousness: the surge of statistics sheets. The UFC offers its own in-house stats for big fights: CompuStrike is CompuBox's MMA equivalent and FightMetric recently launched bout reviews and career-total reports of fighter efficacy. (I used to joke that we'd soon need pie charts to analyze the sport. Now here they are. Go figure.)

All of this is fun to play with, and could possibly be lucrative, if you can figure out what any of it means for wagering purposes. For most fans, though, I suspect the only numbers of real concern are on the obscene cable bills the sport has generated.

Sherdog.comA win over Dan Henderson just might punch Michael Bisping's ticket toward a title shot.

Gaining momentum in recent weeks is the idea that 17-1 Michael Bisping could earn a title shot with a win over Dan Henderson on Saturday.

Bisping, 3-0 as a middleweight, is a numerical underdog in the Henderson fight, with most handicappers expecting that his opponent's experience and wrestling credentials will be too much to handle.

More important than a win is how exactly Bisping would take it. If he earns a razor-thin, contestable decision, the idea that he could leapfrog over someone like Demian Maia or Nate Marquardt -- who will fight each other Aug. 29 -- is suspect. If he lives up to his mile-a-minute boasts and knocks Henderson out? By all means: Fly Anderson Silva to England.

If such a fight winds up happening there, Silva definitely would be owed a Brazilian bout: He has not only fought Americans in America time and again but also fought Ohio native Rich Franklin in Cincinnati. The man deserves an Octagon assembled in a Curitiba backyard for reporting above and beyond the call of duty. If a skeletal Sports Entertainment Group staff can pull off a Brazil card -- as it did in 1998 -- Zuffa's machine should be able to do it without breaking a sweat.

The UFC's home-video-distribution deal with First Look Studios appears to be taking its final lap: The promotion announced Thursday that Anchor Bay Entertainment would be the funnel for all future disc releases beginning in September. (UFC 96, possibly the last of the First Look titles, is set for an Aug. 18 release.)

Anchor Bay plans to issue events 60 days from after pay-per-view date, which is a substantially more efficient time lapse than previous releases: UFC 95, set for a July 21 DVD date, was originally broadcast on Feb. 21. The company also is held in high regard among videophiles for its attention to more obscure catalog releases, particularly in the horror genre. (Hopefully, its zeal to double- and triple-dip into consumers' pockets -- it issued at least 20 different discs for the "Evil Dead" franchise -- won't infect its sports division.)

The UFC's back-catalog situation remains a natural disaster. Sports Entertainment Group sold video rights to Trimark, which eventually was absorbed by Lionsgate; that company sporadically issues pre-Zuffa titles under the "UFC Classics" banner, but unaired preliminary fights are never part of the package. Either someone hasn't looked into the warehouse hard enough, or SEG simply failed to preserve that footage. A shame: It's history that shouldn't have been neglected.

Still MIA from the Zuffa era: UFCs 30-38, including 37.5. UFC president Dana White has been quoted as saying that the paint-peeling stink of No. 33 will "never" get an official release, but that's not very fair to completists. Make it an online exclusive for the hard-cores to sniff out.

An excellent piece by Sports Illustrated's Josh Gross was posted this week illuminating some of the rather brazen tactics employed by UFC brass in recent months to help maintain their trachea-choke hold on the MMA market -- and it's not pretty reading.

Gross writes that the UFC has issued pre-emptive warfare on any fighter not currently affiliated with the promotion who dares to sign a licensing agreement with EA Sports, producers of next year's "MMA" video game title. The rationale, apparently, is that the organization has no interest in pushing an athlete to become a commodity for a rival product.

Understandable -- to a point. If the UFC has a fighter under contract who hasn't signed away his likeness rights, threatening that athlete with termination if he "works" for opposing companies is a reasonable bit of business. But the idea that the UFC will attempt to exert influence over fighters who currently have nothing to do with the promotion is corporate demonology. No fighter should have to measure an opportunity to make money against the wrath of an entity with which he may never have a relationship.

Gross quotes sources who claim that some talent could make up to $15,000 for an EA deal. And fighters should turn this down based on the mere possibility of future UFC employment -- and the optimism that a broken leg in their next fight won't end all opportunities for income? That's deli baloney.

Less disturbing, but possibly more short-sighted, is the allegation that the UFC will now "tax" sponsors a blanket $100,000 fee for six months' privilege of endorsing fighters. As brass would likely argue, it's the event -- not the athlete -- that creates the exposure making sponsorships worthwhile. Since that audience is owed to the UFC's infrastructure, a tithing is apparently mandatory.

For brands paying out hundreds of thousands to top-level athletes, this makes some sense. But if that blanket $100,000 fee applies to undercard laborers, the UFC is cutting off its own feet. Midtier fighters who struggle to make $15,000 or $20,000 a fight view MMA as a viable career because sponsor money makes training, living and eating realistic. The UFC has built an arena that allows advertisers to subsidize income, which effectively lowers its bottom line: The organization actually has third parties paying its employees and offsetting costs. Isn't that enough?

A better question for the UFC: Is it ever enough?

Dave Mandel/SherdogDon't look now, but Thiago Alves seems to have gotten an early jump on training for UFC 100.

Thiago Alves is looking a little less imposing these days. The notoriously oversized welterweight tells MMA Weekly that he's a mere 183 pounds a few days before his fight with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100.

"That's really good for me," he said. "Usually I get here 188, 189, and I'm amazed with myself. [At] 183, I'm like 'Whoa!' Everybody from the UFC was like, 'Wow, I can't believe it.'"

It takes a special human being to be happy about "only" having to cut 13 pounds in three days, but good for Thiago. His motivation and training regimen have been erratic in past bouts, but he still has put on some very impressive performances. The promise of a title has seemingly added some diesel to his training. It was set to be a good fight before; it may be getting better.

Randy Couture, MMA's oldest, sturdiest brick wall, tells Cagewriter's Steve Cofield that he plans to skip UFC 100 to spend time with his son in Oregon. Couture, previously announced as a guest for the Fan Expo, will still be on hand to sign autographs Friday, but will bolt out of Las Vegas before two potential opponents -- Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar -- unify the heavyweight title. Too bad: The scouting might have proven useful.

Hiroki Watanabe/Getty ImagesJose Canseco (left), lasted only 1 minute 17 seconds against Choi Hong-man in May

He may technically be outside this page's window of interest, but Jose Canseco has yet to make a decision in his late-onset combat sports career that doesn't fascinate -- even if it's for all the wrong reasons.

According to a news release circulated by something called the Celebrity Boxing Federation, Canseco is slated to face professional eater Bill "El Wingador" Simmons in Celebrity Boxing 10: When Worlds Collide on July 24 in Aston, Pa.

I had no idea there had been nine previous installments. The event is being co-sponsored by Smoking Everywhere, manufacturers of an electronic cigarette -- free of tar, second-hand smoke and FDA approval -- that Canseco shamelessly puffed during a recent appearance on the "Howard Stern Show."

"Sugar" Ray Leonard Jr. is set to headline. I suspect this is an indication he won't be taking his pugilistic career quite as seriously as his father did.

Canseco's very public spiral down the rabbit hole has yet to come to a stop. At least Celebrity Boxing mandates gloves and headgear. In another Japanese appearance in a mixed-fight ring, I fear for his spinal column.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesTry as he might to avoid them, Brock Lesnar tends to deliver must-hear interviews.

Brock Lesnar appears to still be having trouble deciding whether he is the best or worst interview in sports. Attempting to get inside his head for a substantial profile is difficult: He's guarded, private and completely uninterested in being a media dinner plate.

That apathy doesn't prevent him from coughing up an unending stream of quotable commentary. Listen to this interview with Larry Pepe and you'll hear Lesnar (a) accuse Frank Mir of financial jealousy; (b) claim that Mir is scared of him; and (c) refer to Tim Sylvia as "Swamp Thing."

This follows Lesnar's dining tips in the UFC magazine: "I have some friends in the cattle business in South Dakota. You go out there, find one you want, shoot that [expletive] right in the head and drag it to the butcher shop."

Charming, no? Win or lose, Lesnar's postfight speech Saturday is not to be missed.

AP Photo/Eric JamisonShe's no Gerard Gordeau, but Holly Madison still should draw some attention at UFC 100.

Holly Madison, the genetically and surgically blessed star of E! Television's "Girls Next Door" series and one-time cuddle partner of Hugh Hefner, has circulated a press release announcing her peripheral participation in Saturday's UFC 100 card: Madison will appear briefly as a ring-card girl.

If you are the type of person to be excited by this news, you must live a wonderfully uncomplicated life.

While Madison rehearses this crucial task, it's worth noting that virtually none of the original eight fighters -- 10 if you count the alternates -- from 1993's UFC 1 will be in attendance. (Exception: Royce Gracie.) Granted, a Gerard Gordeau autograph table might not be swarmed, but it would be a nice nod to the tough bastards who walked into a cage for the first time who weren't quite sure whether they'd be walking out.

The good news: You can still meet Junie Browning during the Fan Expo.

In what has to be a first for a major promotion, Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem is set to defend a vaunted heavyweight title Aug. 15 on the undercard -- not the main event -- of the Cristiane Santos-and Gina Carano-headlined Showtime telecast. Overeem's opponent will be Fabricio Werdum, who defeated Overeem via submission in 2006.

If Overeem feels slighted, he's in good company: Carano-Santos is also trumping a title match between Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez, and a possible belt for the winner of the Nick Diaz-Joe Riggs rematch. (If you're wondering what Riggs possibly could have done to earn a title shot of any sort, I'm with you.)

Purists are cringing at the fight order, but it's fairly obvious that Carano-Santos is of more interest to casual outlets and fans than any of the other bouts. It's also the only one that has benefited from free broadcast television hype, which started humming nearly a year ago. That means viewers.

Undercard fighters should probably be happy they can enjoy the residual attention.

Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.comEasy for Brett Rogers' manager to say Alistair Overeem is scared. He doesn't have to fight him.

After news broke that Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem would be facing Fabricio Werdum on Aug. 15, talk turned to the neglect of Brett Rogers, who was presumed to be first in line for a shot. According to Mike Reilly, Rogers' manager, it's a case of Overeem running for cover.

"I think Overeem is afraid of Brett," Reilly told Fanhouse. "He's afraid of a big striker who is going to knock him out. … I don't think anyone is going to admit that, but I'm not going to shy away from it. … I think Overeem was a good champion for Strikeforce when they were a smaller show. … If you are under 250 pounds right now, just forget about fighting Brett Rogers, because all that is going to happen is that you are going to get your head spun around."

If there is anything to be learned after spending over a decade covering the sport, it's that statements like these come back to haunt people with alarming regularity. Rogers is a tough guy with a great record, but if he continues to fight top competition, he'll eventually lose -- just like everyone else.

Still, Reilly's goal was probably to get his client some ink -- which he accomplished. Can't argue with results.

Dave Mandel/Sherdog.comTakanori Gomi's first appearance in the U.S. didn't go over so well.

After flirting with a few stateside promotions, Japanese star Takanori Gomi has finally wedded one. He's set to debut on the Aug. 1 Affliction card opposite Rafaello Oliveira. He's presumably optimistic it'll end better than his last U.S. appearance, a 2007 loss in Pride to Nick Diaz. (The blemish was later scratched from his record when Diaz tested positive for cannabis.)

Oliveira, 8-1 in his pro career, will be making a quantum leap up in competition, as all of his opponents to date sport .500 records or worse, except for 10-0 Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm, who beat Oliveira in a 2007 EliteXC event. If Gomi loses here, a recent career slide is going to turn into a freefall.

Kevin Lock/Icon SMITakes one to know one: Randy Couture knows a thing or two about picking winners.

When his body finally fails him -- and I wouldn't expect that to happen until he's well into his 50s -- Randy Couture could secure his pension by betting offshore. His prefight analysis is usually spot-on, and for Saturday's bout between champion Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves, Couture is backing GSP.

"Georges is probably one of the most dynamic fighters that we have in the sport today," Couture told ESPN Radio on Monday. "He's got a very interesting background from karate, and he's added a whole bunch of other skills to go with that background& I think Georges is going to be too much for Thiago."

Couture went on to say he considers Anderson Silva the best pound-for-pound athlete in the sport, with GSP a close second. I disagree: GSP can wrestle, thereby offering a more complete game. Couture is probably right about the Alves fight, though. The heft he carries around to effect in early minutes is probably going to suffocate him in the championship 10.

After recently announcing his participation in a Brazilian fight promotion, MMAJunkie reports that Ricardo Arona may fight Marvin Eastman in Bitetti Combat on Sept. 12. It would be Arona's first fight in nearly three years.

Does the choice say anything about Arona's headspace in 2009? It might. Taking a fight with an upper-echelon opponent after an extended hiatus would be a fairly overt move for a payday. If Arona is opting for Eastman, who is a tough but journeyman athlete with a tendency to get cracked, he's aware that a deep-end dive isn't good for his long-term prospects. He'll get a good fight in Eastman, but he'll shed more sweat than blood. It's exactly what he needs.

While nowhere near the flak the crippled/blind/biased sludge of boxing officiating receives, judges and referees in mixed martial arts still get regular heat for calls that appear ill-informed. Speaking to MMAJunkie, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner is optimistic that 2010 will bring some uniformity to the proceedings.

"That's one of my other charges, is trying to make the officials better -- get better referees, teaching more and doing more seminars," Ratner told the site. "We're going to do more of that, hopefully, next year."

While refereeing will always suffer for being a job based on split-second decisions, judging -- a more relaxed observation -- would benefit greatly from clarification. As it stands, there is no written standard of priority placed on takedowns over submission attempts, striking over submissions, activity over damage, and on and on. What we're left with is a bunch of guesswork. Considering how much money, time and energy athletes devote to chasing those decisions, getting them right should be as much a priority as turning the lights on.