The tall, long-limbed lightweight was a star of “The Ultimate Fighter” season 5 and coined as the next big thing by his trainer on the show, Jens Pulver. He proved to be an entertaining personality, both in and out of the Octagon.

Hill is planning a Jan. 23 bout, after a year long layoff, at “Raging Wolf” from the Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel in Niagara, NY. The news of the bout was initially reported by Sherdog.com

Perhaps most remember Hill in the recent limelight from his gruesome leg break suffered during a bout with Dale Harrt approximately one year ago. The injury happened during the second round of the aforementioned bout at “UFC: Fight for the Troops”.

Hill attempted a leg kick which was textbook “checked” by Dale Harrt. The combination of forces snapped Hill’s leg nearly in half.

Despite a projected rehab time of eighteen months, Hill was back in the gym working out just four months after his injury. Hill had this to say about the situation:

I still had a little bit swelling in my leg, so I was limping around and trying to spar standing against the wall. I was giving my trainer, Rob Kahn, a heart attack. Some days I’d come in and think, ‘I’m ready, I’m ready.’ On other days, something would happen and I’d realize I needed more time to learn. The more you learn, the more you earn. We decided that I didn’t just want to come back (to the UFC) to be back. I wanted to come back and make an impact for the rest of my career. What, six or nine more months?

The lightweight prospect is still technically under contract with the UFC but was given the permission to fight outside of the UFC to get back into the swing of things.

Melendez was a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter 5 topping Andy Wang in the opening round of the lightweight tournament before being defeated by Gray Maynard in the quarterfinals. In his only UFC fight Melendez was submitted by Joe Lauzon on the finale of the series in June.

Prior to his loss in the UFC, Melendez was a Sportfight welterweight champion who had achieved an 8-5 record in an assortment of smaller MMA promotions.

Many may be wondering why Lauzon would consider changing anything in his MMA routine after his recent string of success. Boasting a 15-3 MMA record Lauzon debuted in the UFC last year as a major underdog against Jens Pulver but defeated the favorite just 48 seconds into the first round via TKO. He continued to impress in his next UFC fight, defeating Brandon Melendez last month on The Ultimate Fighter 5 finale with an impressive second round submission.

The reason Lauzon will be moving to the Aloha State is not a why but a who. His name? B.J. Penn.

Penn, who served as Lauzon’s coach on The Ultimate Fighter 5, is one of the UFC’s top lightweight fighters and a very skilled mixed martial artist. Penn came up short in three previous title fights failing to defeat Jens Pulver for the lightweight title and Matt Hughes for the welterweight championship. He fought to a draw against Caol Uno and the lightweight title was not awarded. He did successfully win the UFC welterweight championship in 2004 but left the organization before his first title defense and was stripped of the title.

Penn returned to the UFC last year and lost to both Georges St. Pierre and Hughes in welterweight bouts before he became a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 5 and dropped to 155 pounds to face fellow coach Jens Pulver on the finale of the show. Penn went on to win the fight with a rear naked choke in round number two. The fight earned “The Prodigy” a title shot this November against current lightweight champion Sean Sherk.

According to the report Penn urged Lauzon to move to the state to train with him and it appears Lauzon has taken Penn up on the offer. Lauzon said he still intends to visit Penn’s facility next month with the intention of moving to the island state to train for a year or two. Lauzon has completed just one fight on his nine-fight UFC contract and is rumored to be facing Spencer Fisher sometime this fall.

I have to say this is a smart move for Lauzon right now. Although he did well while training out of Massachusetts, Penn may be the fighter Lauzon needs to take his skills to the next level. There isn’t a conflict of interest in the partnership at this point as Lauzon would need several more wins in a row before he could potentially earn a title shot whether it is against Penn, Sherk, or another lightweight fighter. The partnership could become an issue sometime down the road should Penn eventually have to square of with Lauzon in a fight between two of the UFC’s more popular lightweight fighters.

Topping the list of suspensions is Manny Gamburyan who re-injured his shoulder in a takedown attempt on Nate Diaz. Gamburyan must have his right shoulder x-rayed and cleared by an orthopedic doctor or he will be unable to compete until December 21st.

Two other main card fighters, Floyd Sword and Doug Evans, were both given precautionary one month suspensions. Sword lost his UFC debut from a first round submission at the hands of Thales Leites. Evans was defeated from a second rounf TKO after he was unable to escape from a flurry of punches by Roger Huerta. Both fighters can have no contact until July 15th and can return to action after July 24th.

Four undercard fighters also received suspensions. Most significant is Rob Emerson whomust have chest X-rays to rule out fractures. He can return upon clearance but will otherwise be suspended until December 21st. Surprisingly Gray Maynard, who was knocked out in the fight with Emerson, received no suspension.

Brian Geraghty, Andy Wang, and Brandon Melendez also received precautionary one month suspensions. The trio are suspended from contact until July 15th and from fighting until July 24th.

No other fighters received suspensions and will be free to fight in the UFC or elsewhere at any time.

The win will likely earn Penn a shot at the lightweight title while Pulver will likely go to World Extreme Cagefighting for his next contest at the lighte 145 lb. division.

In the other main event of the evening Manny Gamburyan squared off with Nate Diaz. Manny looked strong and powerful easily winning the first round to Diaz. A quick shoot in the second round and an awkward landing caused Gamburyan to aggravate a recurring shoulder injury which forced him to tap out and give Diaz the win. As the winner of the show Diaz received a six-figure UFC contract although I am sure we have not seen the last of Manny by any stretch. It is almost certain that once Manny heals we will see a rematch between the two talented lightweights.

Floyd Sword was unable to overcome the odds in his UFC debut as rising middleweight Thales Leites locked in a katagatami choke in the first round to win his second consecutive UFC fight.

The most impressive debut easily came in the first fight of the night as Alaskan fighter Doug Evans debuted in the octagon against Roger Huerta. Evans, a stellar wrestler, won the first round and controlled Huerta at will and looked calm, cool, and collected in the first part of his debut. Huerta came out in the second like the fighter most expected to see and regained control of the fight. A poor position cost Evans the fight after Huerta perched onto his back and landed unanswered shots as Evans couldn’t escape and the referee stepped in and stopped the fight raising stock in Huerta although the impressive debut effort by Evans will in all likelihood earn him another shot at earning his first UFC win.

In a fight many thought was going to be and perhaps should have been guaranteed a spot on the live portion of the show Joe Lauzon defeated an overweight Brandon Melendez with a triangle choke in the middle of the second round. Although the fight was eventually broadcast (along with 2 other undercard fights) many fans wanted Lauzon, who will in all likelihood be one of the most marketed fighters from the season, to be guaranteed television time. The win, along with his earlier upset of Jens Pulver, will surely put Lauzon in the UFC for a long time to come while Melendez will, and probably should, move up in weight based on his problems dropping to 155 pounds both on the show and prior to the finale.

Andy Wang did little to improve his stock as he was quickly TKO’d just over a minute into the first round by Cole Miller. Miller should be fighting the UFC again later this year while Wang will likely never fight in the organization again unless he has a successful run outside of the octagon.

In one of the oddest endings to a UFC fight ever Gray Maynard and Rob Emerson fought to a no contest in their official UFC debuts. Maynard dominated the first round although Emerson survived to push the fight to the second round. Early in the second Maynard landed an uppercut combo that shook Emerson. Maynard latched on to slam him to the mat but as he executed the takedown Maynard was knocked unconscious in the process. Emerson tapped out simultaneously and the fight was eventually ruled a no contest but not without controversy. This fight may ultimately happen again although Maynard surely did enough to earn another fight.

Leonard Garcia earned his first UFC win with a round 1 submission over Allen Berube. Although Berube put up a fight it is unlikely he will get another UFC fight, although he may ultimately fight for the WEC. Garcia earned a much needed win after losing a close decision fight to Huerta at UFC 69 earlier this year. The UFC has yet another marketable name in Garcia who now has a soaring lightweight stock.

Matt Wiman rounded out the 9 fight card with a round 1 win over Brian Geraghty. Wiman will surely return to the octagon following the successful UFC win and stint on The Ultimate Fighter 5.

Quick Results

• B.J. Penn def. Jens Pulver via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 3:12
• Nate Diaz def. Manny Gamburyan via submission (injury) – Round 2, 0:20
• Thales Leites def. Floyd Sword via submission (katagatami choke) – Round 1, 3:50
• Roger Huerta def. Doug Evans via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:30
• Joe Lauzon def. Brandon Melendez via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 2:09
• Cole Miller def. Andy Wang via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:10
• Rob Emerson vs. Gray Maynard (no-contest – injuries) – Round 2, 0:45
• Leonard Garcia def. Allen Berube via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 4:22
• Matt Wiman def. Brian Geraghty via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:09

Quick results

• B.J. Penn def. Jens Pulver via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 3:12
  
• Nate Diaz def. Manny Gamburyan via submission (injury) – Round 2, 0:20
• Thales Leites def. Floyd Sword via submission (katagatami choke) – Round 1, 3:50
  
• Roger Huerta def. Doug Evans via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:30
• Joe Lauzon def. Brandon Melendez via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 2:09
• Cole Miller def. Andy Wang via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:10
• Rob Emerson vs. Gray Maynard (no-contest – injuries) – Round 2, 0:45
• Leonard Garcia def. Allen Berube via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 4:22
• Matt Wiman def. Brian Geraghty via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:09

Here are the complete weigh-in results…

• Jens Pulver (152) vs BJ Penn (155.5)
• Manny Gamburyan (155) vs Nate Diaz (155)
• Roger Huerta (155) vs Doug Evans (154)
• Floyd Sword (185) vs Thales Leites (186)
• Brandon Melendez (157) vs Joe Lauzon (155)
• Andy Wang (156) vs Cole Miller (155)
• Rob Emerson (155) vs Gray Maynard (155)
• Allen Berube (153) vs Leonard Garcia (155)
• Brian Geraghty (155) vs Matt Wiman (156)

We will have live news and reports leading up to the fights and starting at 6 pm eastern we will have live results, play-by-play, and discussion so be sure to stop back throughout the day for the latest UFC news and coverage.

“Corey Hill did come over and train with us over at MFS.He’s back home with his family and deciding where he wants to move and what he wants to do. But he worked here for almost two months.Corey is injured. He hurt a rib and the thing was, he went home to visit with his family. It’s a pretty bad tear. I don’t know if he broke a rib or what was going on. But that’s the only reason. He was training hard, he was ready, he was pumped and then he injured himself about two weeks ago.”

When asked whether the UFC would be inviting Hill back to fight in a real UFC fight Pulver sounded confident that we would eventually see the tall lightweight fighter in the UFC sometime in the future…

“I think that they [the UFC] definitely want to use him. It’s just a matter of when, once he gets through this injury. I don’t know how severe the injury was because I’ve just been kind of hell bent on doing my own thing. But I know he was hurt, I know it was a rib, but I don’t (know) when (he’ll be) cleared to fight again but I assume and I hope the UFC will have him and give him another shot to fight, for sure. “

Read

Main Card

• B.J. Penn vs. Jens Pulver
• Nate Diaz vs. Manny Gamburyan
• Roger Huerta vs. Doug Evans
• Thales Leites vs. Doug Sword

Undercard

• Joe Lauzon vs. Brandon Melendez
• Cole Miller vs. Andy Wang
• Rob Emerson vs. Gray Maynard
• Allen Berube vs. Leonard Garcia
• Brian Geraghty vs. Matt Wiman

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com all week long for breaking Ultimate Fighter 5 finale news right up until the main event on Saturday June 23rd…

UFC newcomer Floyd Sword will make his octagon debut in a middleweight matchup with Thales Leites. Sword brings a 9-2 record to the fight including a 3 fight win streak. He has fought primarily in the King of the Cage promotion although come fight time it will have been nearly a year since his last MMA fight. Leites’ debut UFC fight was a loss to Martin Kampmann on the TUF 4 finale where he lost via unanimous decision. In his last fight he rebounded to defeat Pete Sell at UFC 69.

In another preliminary fight TUF 5 contestant Allen Berube will face a more experienced opponent in Leonard Garcia. Berube has just a 2-0 MMA record with the fight marking his official UFC debut. Garcia on the other hand participated in the “fight of the night” at UFC 69 against another recent addition to the TUF 5 finale, Roger Huerta. Garcia lost the UFC debut but had previously won 8 straight fights on his way to a 9-2 overall fight record.

Considering the event is under 3 weeks away very few matches have been announced although this is mainly due to the UFC not wanting to spoil the results until after next weeks final regular episode of the season.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com and the UFC rumors section for what are likely to be a flood of The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale rumors over the next few weeks.