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Andrew Plante

Johnny Bedford, after winning the SWC featherweight title.

The 11-bout card is littered with not only the best fighters in the DFW area, but the best in the state. This is no surprise, since SWC has led the charge in crafting some of most dynamic fights from a local level since it has been in existence.

SWC tends to focus on the lighter weight classes, which if you are a WEC supporter, you know tends to provide the audience with a more action packed display from bell to bell. Fans of the heavier divisions won't be disappointed either. SWC 9 will cover all weight classes including the big dudes in the heavyweight division.

If you are a fan of MMA and just want to see terrific fights in a very intimate, fan-friendly venue, you'll want to watch SWC 9: Redemption on Nov. 28 at the Frisco Convention Center at 8 p.m. Go to www.swcmma.com for more information.

The card:

135: Johnny Bedford vs. Tim Snyder
135: Jason Sampson vs. Nate Garza
145: Douglas Frey vs. Daniel Pineda
145: Josh Clopton vs. Mike Baskis
135: Frank Ortega vs. Frank Barrigan
125: Hector Daza vs. Mike Sierra
265: Nic Smith vs. Rodney McFarland
185: Jacob Ortiz vs. Will Florentino
155: Jay Flores vs. Jerry Hinosa
170: Brandon Smith vs. Jason Fisher

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About a month ago, UFC 106 was going to be one of the best fights of the year. Brock Lesnar was to return to the cage in order to defend his heavyweight belt against Shane Carwin, probably the only person on earth that had a chance against him.

Unfortunately for UFC fans, Brock Lesnar had to bow out of his fight due to ongoing health issues. Just within the last week, Dana White (UFC President) has informed the media that this is much more serious than originally thought and could be potentially career-ending. Now, I've said more than a few not-so-nice things about Brock Lesnar over the years, but I sincerely hope he recovers swiftly and returns to the Octagon very soon. He is a gifted athlete and is a very entertaining fighter to watch (whether you're rooting for or against him).

With Lesnar vs Carwin no longer the main event, the UFC has bumped up the previously designated "co-main event" (Tito vs. Forrest) as the new headline bout for UFC 106. Tito Ortiz steps back into the Octagon for the first time in over a year against fan favorite, Forrest Griffin. Tito beat Forrest in a very controversial split decision over three years ago. This time the stakes are higher for both fighters involved and I doubt Saturday's fight will go to the judges.

Tito is coming off of two losses, a draw, and over a year's worth of "ring rust". A win against Forrest revitalizes his career and puts him immediately back into the light heavyweight title picture. Forrest on the other hand is coming off of back-to-back losses for the first time in his UFC career and another loss could at a minimum move him to "undercard" fighter status. Being as popular as he is, I doubt Dana White would be ready to cut Forrest from the company, although he desperately needs a win to reclaim a level of relevance within the organization again.

A couple of other fights on the card to watch are Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck and Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah.

Johnson won his last fight in devastating fashion, but will attempt to get back on Dana's good side by making weight this time. He came in 6 lbs over in his bout against Yoshida! Koscheck looks to get a winning streak going that's long enough to get him into the welterweight title picture.

Baroni, a veteran of the UFC's early days makes his return to the Octagon after a four and a half year absence. He'll face the winner of TUF 7, Amir Sadollah, who lost his first official fight in the UFC by a very controversial stoppage against Johnny Hendricks at UFC 101.

Overall, this event won't be the "Mega Event" that we were all hoping for, but it is a very solid card from top to bottom and is certainly worth the $50 you'll need to fork over to catch it on pay-per-view. And don't forget, two prelim bouts will be broadcasted on Spike TV for FREE!

UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 21st.

My Fight Picks

MAIN CARD

• Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz: Tito wins by decision.
• Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck: Koscheck wins by decision.
• Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah: Baroni wins by decision.
• Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira: Little Nog gets the first round TKO.
• Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan: Hazelett by second round submission.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

• Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders: Davis by decision.
• Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt: Rosholt by first round submission.

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

• Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann: Thiago by decision.
• Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson: Larson wins by decision.
• Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno: Uno by decision.
• Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos: Sotiropoulos by first round submission.

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Despite daily rumors that they will be dissolved and folded into the UFC, the WEC is continuing to press their vision forward by creating some of the best shows in all of mixed martial arts. As the UFC is battling with bad news seemingly every day, the WEC, on the other hand, is able to focus on crafting some of the most exciting events in the sport.

Out of all of the MMA events I've been to over the last several years, I've had the most fun watching WEC shows. WEC 43 in San Antonio was a particularly exciting event to watch. The main event (Cerrone vs. Henderson) was a battle to the end keeping fans on the edge of their seat from bell to bell.

The WEC showcases the lighter fighters in the sport including lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight divisions. These lighter weight classes usually provide the fans with a more dynamic battle with more striking and faster transitions between the striking and the ground game.

If you've watched TUF 10, the UFC's reality show on Spike TV, you will have noticed how quickly those heavyweight fighters run out of gas. Almost every fight had one or both of the opponents "spent" by the end of the first round. You won't see that in a WEC fight. The lighter fighters seem to be more conditioned. More often than not, you'll see the same intensity in the 3rd round that you saw in the 1st round of a WEC fight.

Jose Aldo

Another fight to watch will be Gamburyan vs. Garcia, which looks to be a classic grappler versus striker battle. Gamburyan, a veteran lightweight in the UFC, has recently dropped weight so he can compete in the very deep WEC featherweight division. Garcia is continuing to make his comeback after his title-shot loss against Mike Brown. The winner of this bout will surely be at the top of the featherweight food chain. I'd like to see the winner face Urijah Faber next to determine the next featherweight title contender for Brown or Aldo.

Texas MMA fans, be sure to root for the hometown boys Leonard Garcia (Lubbock) and Kamal Shalorus (Austin). Shalorus has fought locally at Supreme Warrior Championship events (Frisco) over the last year. After seeing him in action first hand, I know he'll be a huge test for opponent Will Kerr.

Check out WEC 44 -- Brown vs. Aldo on Versus this Wednesday night.

My Fight Picks

MAIN CARD

• Champ Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo (for WEC featherweight title): Brown by decision.
• Manny Gamburyan vs. Leonard Garcia: Gamburyan by decision.
• Karen Darabedyan vs. Rob McCullough: McCullough by second round TKO.
• Danny Castillo vs. Shane Roller: Castillo by decision.

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

• Will Kerr vs. Kamal Shalorus: Shalorus by first round TKO.
• L.C. Davis vs. Diego Nunes: Davis by second round submission.
• John Franchi vs. Cub Swanson: Franchi by decision.
• Antonio Banuelos vs. Kenji Osawa: Banuelos by second round TKO.
• James Krause vs. Ricardo Lamas: Lamas by first round TKO.
• Seth Dikun vs. Frank Gomez: Dikun by decision.

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Courtesy

Davis Sylvester

Full Name: Davis Sylvester III

Nickname: Pitbull

Place of Birth: Beaumont

Age: 35

Height: 5-foot-6

Pro MMA Record: 3-2

Fighting weight: 125

School/Camp fighting out of: Marcus Hicks MMA

Fighting Style: BJJ and Boxing

Hobbies: Bodybuilding, fishing, business and coaching young sports

College: Lamar University and Palamor College

Next Fight in DFW: Organizing SWC 9

Sponsors: 5-9 Networks, Magnificent Egos and DS3 Computing Solutions

Favorite Pro MMA fighter: BJ Penn, GSP and Marcus Hicks

Why did you start fighting: "I had been training in BJJ for about 2 years and was also a big boxing fan. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and compete. It also helps me control my temper, plus I like competition and there is no one to blame but yourself if you don't WIN."

In Their Own Words:

"I was brought up in Beaumont, Texas. I attended Central High School and played football, baseball and power lifting. While in my senior year, I practiced Judo at the local YMCA with college students, because judo was new to the Beaumont area.

"After completing High School, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. During my tour in USMC, I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. and begin bodybuilding and continued power lifting.

"In 1995, I won 2 Novice bodybuilding contests and qualified to compete at the Nationals Bodybuilding contest to become a Pro Bodybuilder. I also competed in the all-natural Muscle Mania bodybuilding contest and placed 7th out of 31 contestants, after only 2 years of training.

"I begin training BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) about 3 years ago. I recently won the NAGA (North American Grappling Association) Title for No-Gi - Intermediate. I currently hold a Blue Belt in BJJ and study under WEC Lightweight fighter Marcus Hicks."

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Couture vs. Vera may not be the most tantalizing main event that the UFC has ever put together, but there are quite a few very good reasons to catch this fight!

1. To see 46 year-old Randy Couture defy the aging process when he faces Brandon Vera who is 14 years younger.

2. To see if Michael Bisping can shake off his vicious KO defeat by the hands of Dan Henderson at UFC 100. Up until that event, he had never been KO'd before.

3. To determine who will be the next welterweight "victim" to be fed to the champ, George St. Pierre.

4. To establish if TUF 9 winner James Wilks is the real deal. Can he win his debut fight in the UFC?

5. To watch the continuation of the US vs. UK rivalry established in TUF 9. There are 5 US vs. UK fights on the card. USA! USA! USA!

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Main Event: Mike "The Greek" Bronzoulis (9-1-1) defeats Cleburn "The Spartan" Walker (9-4) by vicious head kick at the 4:39 mark of the first round.

Co-Main Event: Derrick Krantz (9-1-1) defeats Seth Clifton (4-4) via rear-naked choke at the 1:46 mark of the first round.

Chewy Smith (7-0) defeats Doug Williams (6-10) via kimura submission at the 4:14 mark of the first round.

Ira Boyd (7-11-1) defeats Chase Green (0-3) via rear naked choke at the 0:53 mark of the first round.

James Hollon (1-0) defeats Justin Wenokur (0-2) via triangle choke at the 1:37 mark of the first round.

Andrew Goldthwaite (1-0) defeats James Simpson (1-1) via TKO stoppage at the 0:30 mark of the first round.

Jarret Jones (3-4) defeats Roy Spoon (2-2) by armbar submission at the 1:00 mark of the first round.

Josh "Pool Boy" Smith (1-0) defeats Josh Shepard, (2-2) via TKO stoppage at the 0:18 mark of the first round.

Brian Pierce (2-1) defeats Chris Brooks (2-3) via a very close decision.

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First, MMA fans were treated with a free Strikeforce show on CBS featuring the best fighter on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko. With one of his best finishes ever, Fedor kept his stellar record intact by crushing Brett Rogers with a devastating right hand that immediately crumpled Rogers in the second round. According to Strikeforce's Scott Coker, Fedor's next opponent is probably Fabricio Werdum, who also won his fight against Antonio Silva earlier in that same event.

Second, over the weekend Dallas-Fort Worth MMA fans had a chance to see one of the best local promotions in the state, Steele Cage. This was its second show in the Metroplex this year. Just like the first show, Steel Cage was able to replicate that UFC-like experience for the fans in attendance. I had the opportunity to do my best Joe Rogan impersonation while conducting post-fight interviews and had a blast doing it.

I've got to say, the fighters on this card were top-notch gentleman with a ton of class and a lot of potential. In the main event, Mike Bronzoulis finished off Cleburn Walker just before the end of the first round with a vicious head kick that immediately folded Walker. Look for Bronzoulis (who is now 9-1) to make it to the UFC/Strikeforce circuit sooner rather than later. Steele Cage's next show will be Jan 30.

Finally, more MMA will be available this weekend, when the UFC broadcasts UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera on Spike TV this Saturday. The event will be held in Manchester, England, the home country for many of the fighters on the card such as Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy.

The main event will showcase 46-year-old Randy Couture fighting against fellow light heavyweight Brandon Vera. The winner will be in the running for a title shot against Lyoto Machida, the current light heavyweight champion. Machida's first opponent will probably be Shogun Rua in a rematch to their fight several weeks ago, when Machida won in controversial fashion, but a convincing win by Couture or Vera will put either of them at the top of list.

Also on the UFC 105 fight card is a huge bout between Dan Hardy and Mike Swick. There's no doubt about the title implications attached to this fight. The winner gets GSP, Georges St. Pierre, early next year.

And if you're looking for a battle between two fighters with opposing styles, make sure you watch Michael Bisping (Striker) take on Denis Kang (Jiu-Jitsu). Which martial art will prevail? You'll have to watch to find out.

The rest of the fight card is not too shabby. Check out UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera on Nov. 14. Go to the UFC Web site for more information.

My fight picks:

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This weekend, Strikeforce (the UFC's main competitor) will attempt to break the record for the most watched MMA event in TV history when they showcase Fedor Emelianenko vs Brett Rogers on CBS. This is the first network-televised MMA event since Strikeforce bought out the now-defunct Elite XC organization which established the current record (6.51 million viewers at peak) by showcasing a gentleman by the name of Kimbo Slice.

The big question this weekend is whether or not Fedor will be as big of a TV ratings draw as Kimbo Slice or any other notable MMA fighter, for that matter.

Fedor has been described as the pound-for-pound best fighter in all of MMA, but is basically an unknown outside of the core MMA fan community. Over the last several weeks, Strikeforce has attempted to introduce Fedor to casual MMA enthusiasts by marketing him on a series called Fight 360 on Showtime. Producers are hoping to uncover and focus on Fedor who is depicted largely as a mystery to US fans. Fedor is widely known in other parts of the world, specifically Japan where he was a star in the now-defunct Pride FC.

Outside of the Showtime series and the 30 second commercials I've seen on CBS over the last 30 days, I don't think Strikeforce has done enough to properly introduce Fedor to the casual fan. Unfortunately for the organization, Fedor isn't necessarily a willing participant in the process. He's a very quiet, unassuming person who does everything he can to stay out of the spotlight and he isn't looking to be the face of MMA anytime soon.

If I were Strikeforce, I would attempt to learn from EliteXC's mistake and quit trying to make Fedor the main draw for the organization and focus on developing a wide-variety of talent in order to draw in the fans as well as compete with the UFC. When EliteXC put all of their eggs in the Kimbo basket, they went down for the count when Kimbo lost his fight against Seth Petruzelli. Hopefully history won't repeat itself.

For MMA junkies like me, Fedor vs Rogers is probably one of the top five MMA events of the year, but it will most likely stop short of breaking any TV records. But you never know, with the economy the way it is, an opportunity to watch a solid MMA fight card without having to shell out 50 bucks for a pay-per-view might be too much to resist.

• Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers: Fedor wins by first round submission.
• Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields (for vacant Strikeforce middleweight title): Shields wins by second round submission.
• Champ Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (non-title match): Mousasi wins by second round TKO.
• Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum: Werdum wins by first round TKO.

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Full Name: Matthew P. Smith

Nickname: "Chewy" aka"Da Cajun Crippla" aka "Baby Rhino"

Place of Birth: New Orleans

Age: 26

Height: 5'10"

Pro MMA Record: 8-1 with the Renaissance MMA Title

Fighting weight: 240

School(s) associated with: South East Asian Academy, The Gym, New Level, Power MMA

Fighting Style: Wrestling, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu

Hobbies: Hunting, Fishing, Water Sports, Cooking

Next Fight in DFW: Steel Cage in Frisco, TX on November 7th

Sponsors: Shoe Box, Clayton Construction, Elegant Marble, Wenco Parts and Supplies, Paretti Mazda

Favorite Pro MMA fighter: Fedor

Why did you start fighting: "I always wrestled in high school and loved the one-on-one competition. After I finished playing college football at Mississippi College, I started (training in) Jiu-Jitsu. With a week and a half notice a friend/promoter called me up and needed a fighter to fill in for him (at an upcoming event). I had to drop 20 lbs. I TKO'd my opponent in the first round (which began my MMA career)."

In Their Own Words:

"I was born and grew up in New Orleans. When I was young my mom, who is a Boudreaux, taught me how to cook."

"Growing up, my dad always brought me fishing and hunting, which I grew to love."

"In junior high I started wrestling, when my best friend Tony Duplain asked me to come try out for the team. I did, loved it and later on won a total of four state championships.

"Along with winning two state championships for my high school in wrestling, I won three state championships in football as well."

"I would have to say I owe my talent and success to three people. Tony who got me into wrestling in 7th grade, my high school coach, Larry Savery, and most of all my sister, Stephanie. She was always a great swimmer and hard worker. We became best friends when I got to high school and she was a senior at the same school. She was our mat girl in wrestling and was at every tournament and in my corner for every match. The next three years while she swam at LSU she continued to make it to every match she could. She was there for both of my state final matches. She still supports me and pushes me to do better every day."

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Steele Cage is an MMA promotion local to the DFW area and is run by famous boxing referee Richard Steele. I had the pleasure of attending their very first show in the area back in June of this year. It was a solid card from top-to-bottom, which included several former UFC fighters. In addition, a few Dallas Cowboys were on hand to greet the crowd and to watch the festivities. I was quite impressed with Steele Cage's production of the event. They couldn't have picked a better venue; Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco (which holds about 6,000 fans). I've been to several UFC shows, and I feel that Steele Cage provides their fans with a very similar experience to the bigger national shows.

Steele Cage's sophomore effort will be on November 7th at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. They've developed yet another solid fight card filled with young local talent throughout the state of Texas. In addition, current UFC fighter Paul "The Headhunter" Buentello, who will be fighting on the main card of UFC 107, will be on hand to witness the action. Also attending the event is former Dallas Cowboy, Randy White, a huge fan of mixed martial arts and major sponsor for the show.

I recommend that MMA fans in the DFW interested in seeing quality mixed martial arts first hand attend a Steele Cage event. They certainly won't be disappointed. Personally, I'm looking forward to the fight between Ira Boyd and Clay Hantz!

For more information about Steele Cage or to order tickets, go to www.steelecagemma.com

Fight Card

• Cleburn Walker vs Mike Bronzovlis (Main Event)
• Seth Clifton vs Derrick Krantz
• Clay Hantz vs Ira Boyd
• Rex Richards vs Doug Williams
• James Hollon vs Justin Wenokur
• Andrew Goldthwaite vs James Simpson
• Josh Shephard vs Josh Smith
• Chris Brooks vs Brian Pierce
• Roy Spoon vs Jarret Jones

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