Strikeforce Cancels Melendez vs. Healy

It's been a rough 2012 for Zuffa, as the organization Sunday night was forced to cancel its second event this month. This time, thanks to an injury to ightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy," scheduled for this Saturday in Sacramento, was 86'ed.

Mark Munoz vs. Chris Weidman To Headline UFC on FUEL 4

Undefeated prospect Chris Weidman (8-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who in his last fight defeated veteran Demian Maia on FOX after taking the fight on 10 days’ notice, has been signed to the biggest challenge of his professional career. It was announced on FUEL TV’s "UFC Tonight" that the resident of Garden City, N.Y., and Matt Serra-Ray Longo student will headline the network’s fourth show on July 11 when he takes on top middleweight Mark Munoz (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC).

A locale for the event is yet to be determined, but the host city will be treated to a showdown between two NCAA collegiate wrestling standouts. Ironically, it was an injury to Munoz that forced him out of his UFC on FOX 2 match against Michael Bisping and opened the door for Weidman to step in and defeat Maia via unanimous decision for his fourth UFC win in less than 11 months.

All this after wicked weight cut of 32 pounds in 10 days.

"I was so delirious I actually took, right next to the boiling pot was a regular gallon of water," Weidman told me for a story running in the current TapouT magazine. "I took that and filled my cup. I was drinking cold coffee without realizing it. I was out of my mind.

"It was so easy to make excuses on why it’s OK to lose this fight, but I refused to do it. It was the hardest thing I did in my life. I will never do that again."

Weidman’s previous two opponents failed to make it out of Round 1, and after surviving Maia during a bout in which the cut took its toll by the third, the Hofstra University graduate will receive two-and-half months of training to prepare for Munoz, a 2001 national champion at Oklahoma State, owner of a four-fight win streak and 7-1 mark in his last eight fights. A win by Munoz could secure a title shot at the winner of Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen II. If Weidman prevails, he may need one or two more bouts against a top contender – Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard has been signed by the UFC – but confidence is high enough in the Weidman camp to believe his style is capable of giving Silva fits.

Considering how Sonnen neutralized Silva for four-and-a-half rounds with superior wrestling in their first fight, that’s not misguided confidence.

"He’s in your face," Longo said. "He’s a problem. And he has a great chin. I don’t know how (Silva) wins the fight."

— Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC
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Jon Jones Could End Up The Best Ever In MMA

Jon Jones has smashed four former UFC light-heavyweight champions over his last four fights. At this rate, he'll wind up the best MMA has ever seen.

Tickets On Sale This Week For Maynard vs. Guida In Atlantic City

The UFC has announced ticket sales for UFC on FX 4: Maynard vs. Guida on Friday, June 22 at the Revel in Atlantic City, N.J.

Long Island’s Al Iaquinta Scores Split Decision Win at TUF Live

Al Iaquinta pulled off a split-decision victory over Myles Jury to earn the first win for Team Urijah Faber at The Ultimate Fighter Live.

Clay Guida-Gray Maynard Set For UFC On FX 4 In Atlantic City

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Iaquinta A Top Pick, Muay Thai At Mecca Mega-Success, Fertitta’s Big Apple Ambition

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MMA to New York Advisory: Bob Reilly Not Seeking Fifth Term

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Al Iaquinta Makes Cast of The Ultimate Fighter

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Constantinos Philippou halts Court McGee’s winning streak at UFC on FX 2

The Serra-Longo team has not just one promising middleweight contender of which to brag, but two.

Constantinos Philippou has more work to do before he’s seriously considered a title contender at 185, but he took a major step up the ladder by ending Court McGee’s eight-fight winning streak with a unanimous decision victory at UFC on FX 2 in Sydney, Australia.

All three judges scored the fight 29-28 for the native of Limassol, Cyprus, and Chris Weidman’s teammate at the Long Island-based Serra Jiu-Jitsu Academy. The former Gold Gloves finalist showed off his impressive boxing skills while stuffing eight of McGee’s nine takedown attempts. CompuStrike numbers also indicate Philippou owning a significant edge in power strikes (55-24) during a bout that featured all but eight seconds standing up.

McGee (13-2), the Ultimate Fighter Season 11 winner, also saw his three-fight win streak in the UFC come to an end. Philippou, who ironically failed to make the TUF 11 cast after losing to Joseph Henle in an opening elimination bout, improves to 10-2 (1 no contest) and 2-1 in the UFC.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

Long Island’s Al Iaquinta among Ultimate Fighter 15 hopefuls

One-time Ring of Combat title contender Al Iaquinta (Wantagh, N.Y.) is among 32 lightweights who will compete for a guaranteed contract with the UFC beginning next Friday with a live, two-and-a-half-hour debut of "The Ultimate Fighter 15" on FX. Iaquinta will have to win his elimination-round fight to become an official cast member and one of 16 combatants to live in the Las Vegas-based mansion.

Iaquinta is a part of Long Island’s Serra-Longo Fight Team. He works with former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra and longtime trainer Ray Longo, part of a team that also includes current UFC fighters Chris Weidman and Constantinos Philippou.

Iaquinta is 5-1-1 and off a submission defeat to Pat Audinwood in November. The scouting report is that of a natural striker with a strong wrestling background. He was a consensus top-ten wrestler (141 pounds) at Nassau Community College, across the street from Weidman’s alma mater (Hofstra University). His jiu jitsu game on the rise, Iaquinta will get his chance to show how far he’s developed when he takes his first step towards what he hopes will be a career of a lifetime.

Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC

MMA News: Frankie Edgar Has Unfinished Business At Lightweight

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UFC Returning To New Jersey, Now Wake Up New York!

New York is the largest city in the United States, home to more than 8,000,000 people and a hub for some of the brightest emerging talent in the sport. Alas, within the government building resting in the capital city of Albany sits a bunch of ignorant boneheads who refuse to legalize the sport within state borders out of fear that MMA’s “violence” and “human cock fighting” will corrupt the youth of America.