Riddle made his professional mixed martial arts and UFC debut in June at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale, defeating Dante Rivera via unanimous decision.

Thomas had won four-straight bouts before losing to Ben Saunders via second-round submission in his UFC debut at UFC 87 in August.

UFC 91 takes place on November 15th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and features a heavyweight championship main event as Randy Couture returns to the octagon to face Brock Lesnar. The rumored card for the pay-per-view event also includes Kenny Florian vs. Joe Stevenson, Demian Maia vs. Nate Quarry, Dustin Hazelett vs. Tamdan McCrory, Nick Catone vs. Amir Sadollah, Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks, and Jeremy Stephens vs. Rafael dos Anjos.

For more on UFC 91 check out the MMAFrenzy.com MMA rumors section.

The state’s mixed martial arts sanctioning body, the Minnesota Combative Sports Commission, confirmed the medical suspensions with MMA Junkie on Monday.

St-Pierre and Fitch were both suspended for 30 days due to cuts sustained in their five-round championship main event bout, which St-Pierre won via unanimous decision.

Evensen received a 30 day precautionary suspension due to his first-round TKO loss to Cheick Kongo on the night’s preliminary card and must also undergo a CT scan to confirm that he sustained no serious injuries in the loss.

Thomas, who was defeated by Ben Saunders via second-round submission in the event’s opening bout, also received a 30 day suspension due to cuts.

According to the report, no fighter salaries will be available for UFC 87 as Minnesota does not publicly release MMA salary information.

For more on UFC 87 “Seek and Destroy” click here.

Welcome to MMAFrenzy.com’s LIVE coverage of UFC 87 “Seek and Destroy”.

After re-claiming the UFC welterweight title from Matt Serra at UFC 83 in April, Georges “Rush” St-Pierre returns to the cage in the UFC 87 main event to take on top 170-pound contender Jon Fitch, who has won a record-tying 8-straight fights inside the octagon. In other main card bouts former professional wrestler Brock Lesnar looks to secure his first UFC win against veteran Heath Herring, top lightweight contenders Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta clash with a 155-pound title shot likely on the line, middleweight up-and-comer Demian Maia will attempt to keep his undefeated record intact against Jason MacDonald, and Ultimate Fighter 5 runner-up Manny Gamburyan aims for his third-straight UFC victory against Rob Emerson.

The UFC 87 preliminary card features Luke Cummo vs. Tamdan McCrory, Cheick Kongo vs. Dan Evensen, Jon Jones vs. Andre Gusmao, Chris Wilson vs. Steve Bruno, and Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas.

Continue reading for MMAFrenzy.com’s LIVE coverage of UFC 87 “Seek and Destroy”…

QUICK RESULTS

• Georges St-Pierre (c) def. Jon Fitch via unanimous decision
  UFC Welterweight Championship
• Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring via unanimous decision
• Rob Emerson def. Manny Gamburyan via KO – Round 1, 0:12
• Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via unanimous decision
• Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 3, 2:44
• Tamdan McCrory def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision
• Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via TKO – Round 1, 4:55
• Jon Jones def. Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision
• Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via unanimous decision
• Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 2:28

RESULTS

GEORGES ST-PIERRE (C) VS. JON FITCH
UFC Welterweight Championship

ROUND 1 -St-Pierre immediately takes Fitch to the ground and works from his guard. Fitch controls St-Pierre and looks for a triangle from the bottom. Good elbow by St-Pierre, who passes to half guard. Fitch kicks away and momentarily gets back to his feet but St-Pierre takes him back down. Fitch is back up again and St-Pierre drops him with a big right hand. St-Pierre follows him to the ground and pounds away. Fitch survives and works back to his feet but he’s hurt and St-Pierre continues to tee off and sends him back to the ground. Fitch has guard but St-Pierre drops big elbows from the top then passes to side control. St-Pierre mounts Fitch late but Fitch rolls and makes it out of the opening round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-8 St-Pierre.

ROUND 2 – Slower pace to open the second as both fighters circle. Fitch fends off a takedown attempt then lands a nice body shot. St-Pierre counters with kicks. Another good by shot by Fitch in the clinch then he just misses a knee. Jab and kick by St-Pierre land. Right to the body from Fitch followed by a knee to the body. Another jab by St-Pierre. Kick by St-Pierre followed by a right from Fitch. Right-left by Fitch connects. Another right by Fitch finds its mark. Fitch blocks a head kick. St-Pierre shoots but Fitch sprawls and tags the body of St-Pierre with a knee. Both fighters connect with punches. Back kick by St-Pierre lands just before the horn sounds. MMAFrenzy.com scores the close round 10-9 St-Pierre.

ROUND 3 – St-Pierre drops Fitch in the opening seconds with a counter punch then takes Fitch’s back. He has both hooks in and works for the rear naked choke but Fitch escapes and works from St-Pierre’s guard. Fitch throwing punches to the body from the top while St-Pierre maintains good control and limits Fitch’s offense. St-Pierre sweeps and is in Fitch’s guard against the cage. Both fighters get back to their feet and St-Pierre connects with a punch. Leg kick by St-Pierre followed by a one-two combo. Left to the head by Fitch. St-Pierre connects with a right that rocks Fitch then drops him with a kick and knee. Fitch though get back to his feet but St-Pierre tags him with more punches. Fitch is bloodied and wobbled and St-Pierre takes him  to the ground just before the end of the round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 St-Pierre.

ROUND 4 – Knee and overhand by Fitch connect early in the fourth and open up a cut over St-Pierre’s left eye. Good body kick by Fitch. Fitch shoots in for a takedown but he’s stuffed by St-Pierre. They trade jabs. St-Pierre misses with a back kick. Fitch connects with a combination but St-Pierre fires back with the jab. Another jab by St-Pierre. Fitch again shoots for the takedown but St-Pierre stays on his feet. Fitch continues to work for the takedown against the fence but St-Pierre sprawls and is on top of Fitch. Fitch lets go of the leg and pulls guard. St-Pierre throws elbows from the top. Body shots from both fighters to close out the fourth. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 St-Pierre.

ROUND 5 – Fitch misses a head kick early in the final round. Good kick to the body by St-Pierre. Both fighters connect with punches the St-Pierre lands yet another jab. Fitch is rocked again but continues to fight back. St-Pierre takes him to the ground and pounds away from half guard. Fitch gets back to full guard but St-Pierre peppers him with body shots. St-Pierre postures up and drops punches. Fitch tries to escape but St-Pierre keeps him on the ground and continues to do damage from his guard. Fitch and St-Pierre get back to their feet. St-Pierre tags him with another jab and again takes Fitch down. Fitch tries to scramble away but St-Pierre overwhelms him and continues to do damage from the top. Knees to the body by St-Pierre. Fitch tries to scramble to his feet but St-Pierre keeps him on the ground until the final horn sounds. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 St-Pierre and the fight 50-44 St-Pierre.

The judges score the contest 50-43. 50-44, and 50-44, declaring UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre the unanimous decision winner.

Georges St-Pierre (c) def. Jon Fitch via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-44)

After the bout UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn entered the cage and congratulated St-Pierre on his victory and both St-Pierre and Penn expressed their interest in fighting one another, effectively setting up a fight between the UFC’s 155-pound and 170-pound champions which will likely take place at the UFC’s December 27th year-end event.

BROCK LESNAR VS. HEATH HERRING

ROUND 1 – Lesnar storms out and misses with a knee but drops Herring with a right. Lesnar scrambles after Herring but they both get back to their feet and Lesnar works for a guillotine in the clinch. Herring defends but Lesnar works knees from the clinch. They eventually separate and Lesnar immediately takes Herring to the ground with a huge takedown. Lesnar works from the top of Herring then takes his back. Lesnar ground and pounds for the majority of the round, throwing punches to the head and body of Herring and landing big knees to the body to just before the end of the round. Herring’s face is “a mess”. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-8 Lesnar.

ROUND 2 – The second round starts much slower as both fighters are tentative to trade but we quickly hit the mat and Lesnar works from side control. Herring again gives up his back then Lesnar briefly gets mount. Herring opts to give up his back again and Lesnar is happy to oblige, battering him with knee after knee to the body. Herring works back to his feet and they clinch. Lesnar briefly looks for a guillotine but instead works knees from the clinch. Herris is gassed trying to keep up with the much-bigger Lesnar and is taking serious damage from Lesnar’s knees. Herring finally lands some knees of his own in the clinch but they head to the ground late and Lesnar again takes his back just before the round ends. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Lesnar.

ROUND 3 – Herring opens up the final round with a kick then presses Lesnar to the cage and works knees from the clinch. Lesnar reverses and presses Herring against the fence then takes his opponent to the ground and immediately takes his backl. Lesnar works more knees to the body of Herring. Herring tries for a Kimura but Lesnar mounts him. Herring rolls out but Lesnar remains on his back damaging him with knees to the body. Lesnar continues to pound on Herring from the top. Herring works back to his feet and but Lesnar quickly takes him back to the mat. Lesnar again has Herring’s back but Herring is able to roll into half guard briefly. Lesnar mounts Herring in the final seconds but the bout ends before Lesnar can finish Herring off. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Lesnar and the fight 30-26 Lesnar.

All three judges score the bout 30-26, declaring Brock Lesnar the unanimous decision winner.

Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

MANNY GAMBURYAN VS. ROB EMERSON

ROUND 1 – Emerson immediately drops Gamburyan with a right. Emerson follows up and knocks Gamburyan out cold with a left hand from his knees just 12-seconds into the opening round.

Rob Emerson def. Manny Gamburyan via KO – Round 1, 0:12

KENNY FLORIAN VS. ROGER HUERTA

ROUND 1 -There’s no touch of the gloves for this one. Both fighters trade leg kicks early. Huerta throws a right and Florian counters with a kick to the body. Florian secures a takedown and quickly mounts huerta. Huerta gives up his back and Florian briefly works for a rear naked choke. After working some ground and pound Florian again looks for the choke but Huerta escapes and both fighters get back to their feet. Huerta lands a combination and Florian shoots for another takedown but Huerta remains on his feet presses Florian against the cage. Florian throws elbows from the clinch then separate. Kicks from Huerta finding their mark. Florian hits Huerta with a good left just before the end of the first. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Florian.

ROUND 2 – More kicks from Huerta to open the second but Florian counters with a kick and left. Huerta continues with kicks. Huerta shoots in for a takedown and Florian defends. They return to their feet and Florian closes the distance. Hueta looks for a kimura but Florian avoids then takes Huerta to the mat. Florian takes his back, secures the hooks, and flattens Huerta out then starts pounding away. Huerta, though, manages to escape back to his feet. Huerta throws a kick then Florian sweeps him to the ground but he gets back to his feet. They trade punches to close out the round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Florian.

ROUND 3 -  A front kick by Florian starts the third and final round. Florian looks for the takedown but Huerta defends. Florian lands a pair of knees then takes Huerta down. Florian lands a couple shots on the ground then they both return to their feet. Punch and knee by Florian. The fighters trade strikes and Florian gets the better of the exchanges. Another kick by Florian finds its mark. Huerta lands a right but Florian counters with punches to the body then again takes Huerta down. They get back up and Florian lands several knees and a final jab to punctuate the round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Florian and the fight 30-27 Florian.

All three judges score the bout 30-27 in favor of Kenny Florian.

Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

JASON MACDONALD VS. DEMIAN MAIA

ROUND 1 – Maia throwing kicks early and MacDonald clinches. They head to the ground and MacDonald works from Maia’s guard. Maia secures a triangle but MacDonald survives and eventually escapes and immediately takes Maia’s back. MacDonals works for a rear naked choke but Maia escapes. MacDonald briefly has mount but Maia gets guard back quickly. They go back-and-forth for position on the ground then MacDonald postures up and throws some good punches that cut Maia above the eye. MacDonald secures a guillotine but Maia escapes into side control then takes MacDonald’s back. Maia works for a rear naked choke but MacDonald defends. Maia lands a few punches to MacDonald’s face before the exciting opening round ends.

ROUND 2 – The fighters trade briefly to open the second then MacDonald shoots in for a takedown. They clinch against the fence then Maia secures a single-leg takedown. Maia smoothly moves into full mount and works ground and pound from the top, connecting with a series of elbows to the face of MacDonald. Maia continues to pound away but MacDonald defends and ties up Maia to limit the damage. Maia starts to connect with more frequency and MacDonald covers up but continues to defend. As Maia tires MacDonald works punches to the body. Maia takes an arm and works for an armbar but MacDonald escapes and is quickly in Maia’s half guard just before the round ends. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Maia.

ROUND 3- MacDonald tries to stay on his feet early in the third but Maia quickly secures a takedown. MacDonald secures a guillotine choke but Maia escapes. MacDonald gets on top and tries to pass. Maia gives up his back but MacDonald rolls back on top. Maia reverses into mount and peppers MacDonald with punches and elbows from the top. Maia takes MacDonald’s back and secures a rear naked choke that forces MacDonald to tap.

Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 3, 2:44

LUKE CUMMO VS. TAMDAN MCCRORY

ROUND 1 – McCrory pins Cummo to the fence early and works strikes in the clinch then secures a takedown. From side control McCrory takes Cummo’s back and works for a rear naked choke. McCrory has the choke in deep but Cummo escapes then re-claims guard. McCrory throws puches from the top then looks for an armbar but Cummo escapes and McCrory finishes the round in Cummo’s guard. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 McCrory.

ROUND 2 – McCrory secures a takedown early in the second and nearly secures mount. McCrory continues to pound away from the top and eventually takes Cummo’s back. McCrory works for a rear naked choke and armbar but Cummo escapes the attempts. Cummo reclaims guard but McCrory ground-and-pounds from the top for the remainder of the round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 McCrory.

ROUND 3 – Cummo connects early in the final round with a body shot and right hook that sets up a takedown. Cummo does little on the ground and McCrory gets back to his feet then secures a takedown. McCrory works for more submissions but Cummo continues to defend well. They return to their feet but McCrory quickly has Cummo back on the mat. Cummo secures a triangle late in the round but McCrory slams free just before the end of the round. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 McCrory and the fight 30-27 McCrory.

The judges score the contest 30-27, 29-28, and 30-27 for Tamdan McCrory.

Tamdan McCrory def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

CHEICK KONGO VS. DAN EVENSEN

ROUND 1 -Kongo secures an early takedown but they stall on the ground and return to their feet. They clinch and Evensen looks for a standing guillotine but Kongo avoids then secures another takedown. Kongo lands some strikes on the ground but they are again restarted. Kongo drops Evensen with a right and follows up with ground and pound that force the referee to intervene in the final seconds on the opening round.

Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via TKO – Round 1, 4:55

JON JONES VS. ANDRE GUSMAO

ROUND 1 – Jones looks for an early takedown but Gusmao avoids and remains standing. Gusmao connects in the clinch then Jones secures a takedown. Gusmao escapes and both fighters return to their feet where Jones tags Gusmao with a series of punches. Jones lands an accidental knee to the groin of Gusmao and the bout is temporarily halted. The crowd boos as it appears the knee only grazed Gusmao but the fight gets back underway. Jones lands a spinning elbow late. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Jones.

ROUND 2 – The pair clinch early and Jones lands another low blow. The fight is briefly halted but there’s no point deduction and the fight is quickly restarted. Jones connects frequently after the restart and Gusmao counters. They clinch and Gusmao pins Jones to the fence briefly but they’re separated. Jones grazes Gusmao with a spinning backfist but Gusmao comes on strong late, connecting with a strong series of strikes. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Jones.

ROUND 3 – The third round starts slow with both fighters looking to recover. Jones tries for a takedown but he’s unsuccessful and they remain on their feet and trade. Jones connects with a right and Gusmao counters with a knee. They trade knees then Gusmao looks for a takedown but Jones reverses and works from side control. Jones works for the mount but Gusmao fires back strikes from the bottom. Gusmao looks for submissions late but its too little, too late and Jones rides out the end of the contender. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Jones and the fight 30-27 Jones.

The judges return scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 30-27 all in favor of Jon Jones.

Jon Jones def. Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

CHRIS WILSON VS. STEVE BRUNO

ROUND 1 – They circle early then Bruno connects with a solid opening combination. Bruno shoots for a takedown but he’s unsuccessful and Wilson tags him for the effort. Wilson secures a takedown but both fighters quickly return to their feet. They trade kicks then Wilson connects with hard knee to the body that allows him to take Bruno to the ground. Wilson takes Bruno’s back but he’s unable to secure the choke before the first round concludes. MMAFrenzy.com scored the round 10-9 Wilson.

ROUND 2 – Bruno shoots early and Wilson lands a knee. There’s little action ont he ground and they return to their feet and clinch. Wilson lands a knee to the head. They stall and are separated. Wilson connects with a big uppercut that drops Bruno. Bruno survives and brings Wilson to the ground. Wilson secures an inverted triangle but Bruno escapes. They’re stood up and Bruno looks for another takedown but Wilson defends and remains on his feet. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Wilson

ROUND 3 – Wilson drops Bruno early in round three with an uppercut and head kick but he hangs on and looks for a takedown. Midway through the final frame Bruno secures a takedown and puts Bruno on his back but the fighters are quickly back on their feet. Bruno shoots for another takedown but Wilson remains standing. Another takedown attempt by Bruno is thwarted and Wilson is on top but he stands up. Bruno looks for a final takedown late in the round but Wilson lands a knee and the final round concludes. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Wilson and the fight 30-27 Wilson.

All three judges score the bout 30-27 in favor of Chris Wilson.

Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27(

BEN SAUNDERS VS. RYAN THOMAS

ROUND 1 – Saunders connects with strikes to the body to open the fight then Thomas shoots for a takedown. They stay on their feet and clinch against they fence. They separate and Saunders drops Thomas with a punch. Saunders tries to finish Thomas off but gets stuck in a reverse triangle. He escapes and transitions into site control but Thomas gets back half guard. Late in the round Saunders takes Thomas’ back but he’s unable to secure a rear naked choke before time runs out. MMAFrenzy.com scores the round 10-9 Saunders.

ROUND 2 – Sauders starts the second with a kick while Thomas again tries for the takedown. Saunders reverses and take Thomas to the mat. They return to their feet and Saunders throws a head kick. Saunders works more kicks then lands a right to the body that sends Thomas to the ground. Saunders follows him to the mat and secures an armbar that forces Thomas to tap.

Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 2:28

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UFC 87 “Seek and Destroy” Betting Odds

• Georges St-Pierre (c) (-400) vs. Jon Fitch (+300)
  UFC Welterweight Championship
• Brock Lesnar (-240) vs. Heath Herring (+190)
• Kenny Florian (-170) vs. Roger Huerta (+140)
• Demian Maia (-260) vs. Jason MacDonald (+200)
• Manny Gamburyan (-325) vs. Rob Emerson (+250)
• Luke Cummo (-140) vs. Tamdan McCrory (+110)
• Cheick Kongo (-500) vs. Dan Evensen (+350)
• Andre Gusmao (-215) vs. Jon Jones (+175)
• Chris Wilson (-330) vs. Steve Bruno (+250)
• Ben Saunders (-260) vs. Ryan Thomas (+200)

Bet on MMA at Bodog

All twenty fighters successfully made weight with UFC 87 headliners, welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and challenger Jon Fitch, weighing in exactly at the 170 pound welterweight limit. Brock Lesnar tipped the scales at the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds while his opponent, Heath Herring, weighed in at 250 pounds. Lightweight contenders Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta both weighed in exactly at the 155 pound lightweight limit.

Non-title bout fighters are allowed to weigh in one pound over their respective weight class limit, but all of the UFC 87 fighters weighed in at, or under, the limits.

As always, MMAFrenzy.com will have comprehensive live coverage of UFC 87 tomorrow beginning at 8pm ET, including preliminary bout results and round-by-round main card coverage.

• 170: Georges St-Pierre (c) (170) vs. Jon Fitch (170)
  UFC Welterweight Championship
• HWT: Brock Lesnar (265) vs. Heath Herring (250)
• 155: Kenny Florian (155) vs. Roger Huerta (155)
• 185: Jason MacDonald (185) vs. Demian Maia (185)
• 155: Manny Gamburyan (155) vs. Rob Emerson (155)
• 170: Luke Cummo (167) vs. Tamdan McCrory (170)
• HWT: Cheick Kongo (235) vs. Dan Evensen (244)
• 205: Jon Jones (205) vs. Andre Gusmao (205)
• 170: Chris Wilson (170) vs. Steve Bruno (170)
• 170: Ben Saunders (170) vs. Ryan Thomas (170)

Just confirmed for the UFC 87 main card and undercard are exciting matchups between Robert Emerson vs. Manvel Gamburyan; Demian Maia vs. Jason MacDonald; Tamden McCrory vs. Luke Cummo; Dan Evensen vs. Cheick Kongo; Jon Jones vs. Andre Gusmao; Steve Bruno vs. Chris Wilson; and Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas.

Tickets for UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY are on sale now and priced at $600, $400, $250, $125, $75 and $50. They are available at Target Center’s Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 651.989.5151.

UFC 87: SEEK AND DESTROY is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

Robert Emerson (9-6, 1 NC) 5’9”/155 lbs., fighting out of Irvine, Calif. is known for being a hard hitting striker. A pro since 2002, who made his debut against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver, Emerson undoubtedly paid his dues in mixed martial arts, not only with that bout, but by squaring off against the likes of Melvin Guillard, Javier Vasquez, and Dokonjonosuke Mishima in his formative years as a fighter. In 2007, he burst on the world scene with his stint on season five of The Ultimate Fighter. Emerson engaged in an exciting battle with Gray Maynard in the season finale before the bout was ruled a no contest. Following his big win in February over Keita Nakamura, Emerson returns to face Manvel Gamburyan (10-3). What started as a dream run to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter’s fifth season for Gamburyan soon turned into a nightmare when a severe shoulder injury forced him to submit in the second round of his final bout against Nate Diaz. It was a disappointing finish for the 5’5”/155 lb. sparkplug, who thrilled fans with his aggressive style and charisma and let opponents know that size didn’t matter. Living up to his nickname of “Pitbull” after the injury, Gamburyan healed up, got back in the gym, and scored big wins over Nate Mohr and Jeff Cox in successive bouts. Now he just wants to fight as often as possible and he gets his chance once again as he takes on Emerson.

Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (21-9) 6’3”/185 lbs., fighting out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, took close to seven years to get to the UFC. Once he got here with a first round win over Ed Herman in October of 2006, he made it clear that he was not going to be leaving anytime soon. Since then, “The Athlete” has won three of five fights in the Octagon™, defeating Chris Leben, Rory Singer, and old nemesis Joe Doerksen. He will be pushed to the limit once again by Jiu-Jitsu master Demian Maia, and MacDonald promises fireworks. But when a world-class grappler enters the MMA world, there is always a little skepticism. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Maia (8-0) 6’0”/185 lb., winner of a seemingly endless array of grappling tournaments, including the world championships, Abu Dhabi, and Pan Ams, may be the exception to the rule. He is without question one of the premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world today, even owning a grappling win over UFC heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga. From the first time he put the gloves on in pro mixed martial arts, Maia has continued to impress. His transition to the pro game being smooth enough to garner him eight victories without a loss, with only one fight going the three round distance. Last October, he made his UFC debut with a first round submission win over Ryan Jensen, and in April he was even more impressive in submitting Ed Herman. Now Maia will go to battle with MacDonald.

Luke “The Silent Assassin” Cummo (9-5) 6’0”/170 lbs., fighting out of Long Island, NY first entered the consciousness of fight fans during the second season of The Ultimate Fighter series. The consensus was that this 28-year-old wasn’t your typical fighter. Despite his quirky behavior outside the Octagon, once Cummo stepped inside of it, it was clear that with his crisp standup game and knockout power, he was a fighter to be reckoned with. Since losing a close decision to Joe Stevenson in The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 finale in 2005, Cummo, a protégé of former welterweight champion Matt Serra, has continued to put on exciting fights. He pounded out a decision win over Jason Von Flue, and scored knockouts over Josh Haynes and Edilberto Crocota, all the while accelerating his development as a complete mixed martial artist. “The Silent Assassin” looks to get back in the win column after a hard fought decision loss to Luigi Fioravanti in March when he takes on fellow New Yorker Tamdan “The Barn Cat” McCrory (10-1). Cortland, New York’s McCrory may not look like your stereotypical fighter, but when the bell rings, all bets are off as the 6’4”/170 lb. banger immediately garners respect from his opponents for his size, power, and underrated ground game. Winner of his first UFC fight by submission over Pete Spratt in June of 2007, the 20-year old “Barn Cat” may have fallen short in an exciting bout against former PRIDE star Akihiro Gono last November. He plans on rebounding in style against Luke Cummo.

Cheick Kongo (21-4-1) 6’4”/240 lbs., fighting out of Paris, France was relatively unknown when he made his UFC debut in July of 2006 against Gilbert Aldana. He answered that question quickly and emphatically as he halted his rugged foe in a little over four minutes of the first round. Not everyone was sold on the dynamic striker, so Kongo jumped back in the Octagon a month later to defeat Christian Wellisch. After a temporary setback against Carmelo Marrero, he impressively defeated Assuerio Silva and PRIDE superstar Mirko Cro Cop in successive bouts. Even though he fell short via split decision against Heath Herring in March, he knows that if he gets by Dan Evensen, he will move one step closer to challenging for the title he has longed for since he began training. Dan “The Viking” Evensen (10-2-0) 6’5”/260 lbs., fighting out of Norway, is an imposing new force in the heavyweight division. Norway native Evensen won’t be looking for takedowns against Kongo, instead he’s searching for the knockout, something that has come naturally to him since his pro debut in 2002. Since his first fight, six of his ten wins have come by TKO or KO. With a four fight winning streak under his belt, he’s right on time to make his first trip to the UFC Octagon.

Andre Gusmao (5-0) 6’2”/205 lbs., fighting out of Goiania, Brazil is a former law student. This highly-touted light heavyweight prospect has incorporated a unique mix of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira into his fight game. The results have been perfect so far for the Brazilian who has put together an undefeated record that includes two knockout wins over always tough Mike Ciesnolevicz and only one decision victory. The 31-year old Gusmao, a protégé of Renzo Gracie, puts that unbeaten slate on the line against Jon Jones (6-0) 6’4”/205 lbs. A newcomer to the UFC Jones is a member of the Northeast-based Team BombSquad. At just 20 years old, Jones was a stand-out high school wrestler and state champion. He also recently won a national JUCO championship at Iowa Central Community College before applying his trade to MMA. Despite his strong base in wrestling, though, Jones has finished five of his six victories via knockout (with one submission win). He will now face the toughest test of his young career in Gusmao.

Chris “The Professor” Wilson (12-4, 1 NC) 6’1”/170 lbs., is a well rounded battler from Portland, Ore. Wilson made his UFC debut in March after four years of building a reputation as one of the most talented welterweights in the game today. After his spirited effort in losing a hard-fought three round decision to top welterweight contender Jon Fitch, “The Professor” has staked his claim as a legitimate contender in the Octagon. Owner of victories over UFC veterans Brandon Melendez, Jay Hieron, Rory Markham and Derrick Noble, the confident Wilson is back to square off against newcomer Steve Bruno. A retired Naval air crewman, Brooklyn’s Bruno 5’10”/170 lbs., relocated to Florida to train. The results for the talented 26-year old have been evident as he has compiled a 12-3 record that includes four straight wins that have all come by TKO, KO, or submission. For this jiu-jitsu fighter with the knockout punch, his previous success doesn’t mean a thing until he makes his mark in the Octagon. Now, American Top Team’s Bruno gets a tough assignment for his first UFC bout, as he takes on welterweight contender Wilson.

Ben “Killa B” Saunders (5-0-2) 6’3”/170 lbs., fighting out of Orlando, Fla., is unbeaten in seven pro fights. The 25-year old Saunders established himself as a fighter to watch with his stint on season six of The Ultimate Fighter. More importantly, he showed the heart of a champion by rising from a first round knockdown to beat Dan Barrera in their memorable war on the show. Saunders wouldn’t be able to move on with his promising career until he settled all his business with Barrera, something “Killa B” did with a dominating three round unanimous decision win over his rival at The Ultimate Fighter 6 finale last December. Even though he didn’t get the finish he wanted, Saunders did earn another shot to get into the UFC Octagon, this time against newcomer Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas (9-1). Fighting out of Danville, Ill.,Thomas 6”0/170 lbs. is a division I wrestler from Eastern Illinois University and is well versed in jui jitsu. “The Tank Engine” is looking to push the pace against Saunders and come out with a win in his UFC debut.

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