UFC 138 Post event reaction: Mark Munoz, Che Mills, Brad Pickett, Rafael Cordeiro videos

Dana White on the UK UFC scene. Says television deal needs working out. Committed and embedded in UK and not going anywhere… CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Mark Munoz on Bruce Lee moment with Anderson Silva; wants to fight for the UFC middleweight title. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Rafael Cordeiro on the Anderson Silva – Mark Munoz match-up. "It's just a sport. They are friends now, they can be friends afterwards. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Brad Pickett on needing 'to get back on the horse' as soon as possible after defeat to Renan Barao at UFC 138

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Che Mills on his future in the UFC after 17 second KO of Chris Cope. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

UFC 138: Chris Leben faces Mark Munoz but has sideswipe at Michael Bisping

Chris Leben prepares for his historic 5-round bonfire night battle with Mark Munoz in Birmingham on Saturday, returning to the city where he lost to British fighter Michael Bisping at UFC 89. Leben even had time for a sideswipe at the TUF coach, who faces off against Jason Miller in Las Vegas on Dec 5.

"Yeah, I remember Birmingham. I fought Bisping, he must prepare for his fights by running five miles backwards," Leben told The Telegraph. Leben was comprehensively outpointed on the night. Leben also said all he could find to eat in the hotel was "a salad". The American was not in too jovial a mood in the workouts in Birmingham. Good sign. Both Leben and Munoz love to battle, and it should be thrilling as long as it lasts.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS LEBEN

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK's BUMPER ESPN UFC PODCAST WITH GUESTS GALORE ON UFC 138. JUST OUT…

OR ON iTUNES

HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH SET FOR MAINSTREAM ON FOX BETWEEN VELASQUEZ AND DOS SANTOS

With the world heavyweight championship fight set to air live on FOX a week on Saturday – Nov. 12 – from Honda Center in Anaheim, a major step change for the UFC on network television in the United States, Dana White, UFC President, said yesterday: “This is going to be a different format than we’ve ever done before. Obviously this is a show featuring one fight so we’re doing a lot of things differently. We are going to be rehearsing for this from Thursday."

“This is a throw-back to the old days of boxing; we are putting a big fight – a huge fight – on free TV to expose this thing to a new audience. Our goal has always been to bring big fights back to network television; we are thinking long-term for the future of this sport. It is an investment in the future of the UFC. Fans that have never seen the UFC before will see this show and that’s why we decided to put Cain and Junior in this position."

“I know for a fact this is going to be an awesome fight. I know it is going to be great. That’s why it was these two in this position. I have no worries at all this is going to be a great fight.

“There’s going to be a lot of backstage features, we are going to be talking to both guys backstage before they fight which isn’t something we’ve done for a very long time.”

The two protagonists are also primed. Cain Velasquez, the UFC heavyweight champion, who has not fought for a year, said:

“There’s always butterflies when you have a fight. It is natural to feel nervous, it means you are ready. But I’m not more nervous because I’ve been out (hurt) for more than a year. I know from my training camp I’m 100 percent and ready to go. I was 100 percent in July."

“I’m excited and it is a great honor to have this fight chosen by the UFC to be the first one on FOX. But I am not focused on the event, the hype or the (expected large TV audience), like any other fight I am focused on my opponent and not much else. Dos Santos is a great opponent. He’s very dangerous.”

Junior dos Santos, No. 1 ranked UFC heavyweight contender, added: “It was such a long wait for my title shot, but I am not sorry. This, right now, is the greatest opportunity I could have had, fighting for the world heavyweight title live on FOX for the very first time."

“I’m very happy in my life right now. I’m in such a good place mentally and physically. I’m proof that if you work hard, treat people right and don’t doubt yourself, you can achieve your dreams. I genuinely believe that Cain is the greatest heavyweight in the world and it is an honor to fight him."

“Yes, I come from humble beginnings, but I have been very lucky in my life. I don’t think this fight will go five rounds. I have trained for five rounds but I don’t expect this to do the distance.”



UFC 138 events this week:

Thursday Nov 3

Evening (5pm), Evans and Pearson will attend Hunt@UFC at Birmingham Bull Ring Shopping Centre, followed by Tesco DVD signing with the pair at Town Gate Retail Park, Birmingham Road.

Friday Nov 4

There is a Fight Club Signing at 1pm with Arianny Celeste, and Pearson, a Fight Club Q&A with Rashad (TBC) at 2pm, with the UFC 138 official weigh-in – at Community Hall, National Indoor Arena, King Edwards Road, B1 2AA – with fighters on the scales at 4pm. Doors open at 3pm. At 5pm, there is a Fight Club after party with Pearson.

From 6pm to 8pm, a signing session at HMV with Rashad Evans.

Saturday Nov 5

10am: JD Sports Signing with Rashad and Ross (Arianny to join from 12noon – 1pm)

1:30pm: Hunt @ UFC (Dana White TBC) with Pearson at Birmingham Bull Ring shopping centre

2pm: THQ Press Conference for UFC game at LG Arena

UFC 138 Leben vs Munoz, LG Arena, National Exhibition Centre, B40 1NT:

5:30pm: First Bout

11pm: UFC 138 Concludes

11.15pm: Post-fight press conference.

Main card

Middleweight bout: United States Chris Leben vs.United States Mark Muñoz

Bantamweight bout: England Brad Pickett vs. Brazil Renan Barão

Welterweight bout: Brazil Thiago Alves vs. Sweden Papy Abedi

Lightweight bout: England Terry Etim vs. United States Eddie Faaloloto

Light Heavyweight bout: France Cyrille Diabaté vs. Australia Anthony Perosh

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Welterweight bout: England John Maguire vs. United States Justin Edwards

Featherweight bout: Japan Michihiro Omigawa vs. England Jason Young

Heavyweight bout: England Rob Broughton vs. England Philip De Fries

Welterweight bout: United States Chris Cope vs. England Che Mills

Bantamweight bout: United States Chris Cariaso vs. England Vaughan Lee

UFC 138 is live on ESPN UK on Saturday night.

UFC 137: Nick Diaz versus GSP back on again; BJ Penn and Mirko Cro Cop retire

Newslines from UFC 137:

Carlos Condit steps side for GSP to defend welterweight title against Nick Diaz next

Beaten BJ Penn retires; defeated Mirko Cro Cop announces it is all over for him

Roy Nelson and Cheick Kongo both call for heavyweight title shot

Donald Cerrone enhances his credentials for a lightweight title shot

Nick Diaz will face Georges St Pierre for the UFC welterweight title next up, in the wake of his victory at UFC 137 over BJ Penn. Diaz told a Mandalay Bay Events Center crowd he thinks UFC champion Georges St-Pierre faked an injury in order to avoid the fight. "He's not really injured; he's scared," said Diaz.

The move earned St-Pierre's attention, and UFC president Dana White confirmed at a news conference an hour later that Carlos Condit has agreed to step aside in order to make the fight. St Pierre said: "This is what I wanted since the beginning. Let's do what was supposed to be done originally. I've always wanted this fight — now I want it even more. I can't wait for Superbowl weekend."

White said: "Condit has agreed that he will fight on the same event. We spoke about it and if he wins, he will fight the winner of Diaz and GSP."

White announced the change with Diaz in attendance at press conference. Diaz then complained his preparation for the Penn fight and the lead up to the card. Diaz and his camp appear to believe that the fighter should not have been withdrawn from the original main event against St-Pierre. His manager Cesar Gracie echoed similar views after the news conference. But now it's game on.

UFC legends BJ Penn and Mirko Cr Cop retired in the Octagon in Las Vegas after their respective contests. Cro Cop was stopped by Roy Nelson; Penn decided to call it a day after a mainly stand-up war with Nick Diaz in which the ramparts were slowly taken apart for the Hawaiian. It was one-sided in the last two rounds, as Diaz set about Penn's body and head with a relish. The onslaught in the second round all but did for Penn. All but did… yet the hugely popular mixed martial artist came forward himself in the third, but his tired arms would not allow him much success against the relentlessness, and spite, of Diaz. Some will call it a war. But it was one-sided in many ways.

Diaz was marginal favourite coming in with the bookmakers. Penn looked tense. There were great exchanges in the stand up in the early seconds. Both had success. Penn with the right; Diaz with a right left. They then went to the ground, they rolled. Penn got the better of it, taking dominant position. It was Penn's round. But the second saw a dramatic shift. Diaz punished Penn for almost three and a half minutes. They may become known as the 200 seconds which heralded Penn's retirement call. If this is to be his swan song, it was a great way to go out. But who knows.. ? Although Penn left no caveat, minds can change when spirits repair.

For the record, it was 29-28, 29-28, 29-27 in Penn's favour. Diaz was his inimitable self straightaway after the contest. He was asked about fighting GSP. "I don’t think he's hurt. He’s scared." 'GSP, GSP' they crowd in the events center chanted. Penn had kind words for Diaz, who had admitted in the lead up to this contest that Penn had been his first MMA idol. "It sucked when I learnt I'd be fighting him," said Diaz. Most likely felt something similar to that for Penn to lose to a protegee. Always gracious Penn said: "Hats off to Nick Diaz, he was the man in there tonight. But it's time for me to call it a day. I have a daughter, another on the way, and i don't want to go home looking like this."

Time will tell.

Dana White said afterwards: "Diaz can fight. Penn got busted up tonight. Nick Diaz is the real deal. And what a warrior BJ Penn, there were moments in that third round even when he was exhausted he was firing back…"

Frenchman Cheick Kongo emerged victorious against Matt Mitrione. Kongo did just enough to take the first round against Mitrione and completely outstruck the American in the second. He then slammed his opponent to the ground twice in round 3. The canvas vibrated with the combined weight of the two big men thumping onto the surface. From the top, he threw strikes and elbows. I had it 30-27.

Roy Nelson ended the career of the ever popular Mirko Cro Cop. “I’m getting too old for this s***. I want to fight for the heavyweight championship. I want the winner of [Junior] Dos Santos and [Cain] Velasquez,” said Nelson.

Kongo also stated afterwards that he wants a re-match with Velasquez, to whom he lost in their first meeting, and a shot at the heavyweight title belt. The contenders are stacking up.

Nelson had Cro Cop onto the ground in the opening round, having taken the famed left leg strike of the Croatian and a left upper cut. Nelson appeared to rock Cro Cop with a right hand early in the second round, then slipped. Cro Cop, seizing his moment, let fly with a welt of left hands, as Nelson covered up. The American recovered to get a takedown. Nelson had Cro Cop in crucifix for the final minute, pounding his opponent from above. After a quiet start to third, Nelson unleashed a big straight right, Cro Cop fell flat, and ‘Big Country’ pounced, pounding at the fallen Croatian. It brought him a TKO victory.

Donald Cerrone bulls Dennis Siver in another impressive display

Donald Cerrone against Dennis Siver was always destined for something special.

They stood, they threw, Cerrone conquered. Siver’s world was rocked by a heavy left leg kick from ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, leaving his legs jiggly, although the German scrambled to recover his feet and land with a left-right combination.

Seconds later, Siver was off balance again, stumbling out of contact, and to the ground. Cerrone galloped after his foe. Flattening Siver out, the submission by rear naked choke was inevitable. As Siver reddened, the canvas got thumped by the flat of the German’s hand. It took Cerrone 2 minutes 22 seconds to complete the rout. Title shot ? Maybe not for two fights, but certainly Cerrone is now heading that way.

Bart Palaszewski reckons he broke both hands KO-ing Tyson Griffin

Bart Palaszewski knocked out Tyson Griffin with a barrage of punches in the opening round of their 148lb fight after Griffin weighed in at 149 yesterday. The veteran of 48 fights, making his UFC debut, rocked Griffin with two left hands, and as his opponent covered up, he let fly like a threshing machine. He cut Griffin to the floor, his legs crumpling like a loose shirt. Dramatic finish.

Brandon Vera lost soul of the light-heavyweights

Strange to see Brandon Vera not even headlining the prelims. Time was when he was talked about in the same buffed terms as Jon Bones Jones is today. The world was Vera's oyster. He was the next best thing. He defeated Frank Mir. Would he go on to be a double divisional champion. Vera defeated Eliot Marshall, winning the first two rounds, but was dangerously rocked in the third. But the bigger picture is that the enigmatic fighter now resides in the wilderness of the roster. So much talent. Such a waste.

FULL RESULTS from UFC 137:

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Middleweight bout: United States Dustin Jacoby vs. United States Clifford Starks

Starks defeated Jacoby via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

Middleweight bout: United States Chris Camozzi vs. France Francis Carmont

Carmont defeated Camozzi via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).

Lightweight bout: United States Ramsey Nijem vs. United States Danny Downes

Nijem defeated Downes via unanimous decision (30–25, 30–26, 30–27).

Light Heavyweight bout: United States Brandon Vera vs. United States Eliot Marshall

Vera defeated Marshall via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28). This fight aired on the Preliminary card after the Siver / Cerrone fight.

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Catchweight (148 lb) bout: United States Tyson Griffin vs. Poland Bart Palaszewski

Palaszewski defeated Griffin via KO (punches) at 2:45 of round 1.

Lightweight Bout: Germany Dennis Siver vs. United States Donald Cerrone

Cerrone defeated Siver via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:22 of round 1.

Main card

Featherweight bout: Japan Hatsu Hioki vs. United States George Roop

Hioki defeated Roop via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28).

Bantamweight bout: United States Scott Jorgensen vs. United States Jeff Curran

Jorgensen defeated Curran via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27).

Heavyweight bout: Croatia Mirko Filipović vs. United States Roy Nelson

Nelson defeated Filipović via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round 3.

Heavyweight bout: France Cheick Kongo vs. United States Matt Mitrione

Kongo defeated Mitrione via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–27, 29–28).

Welterweight bout: United States BJ Penn vs. United States Nick Diaz

Diaz defeated Penn via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28).

UFC 137: Telegraph Video Dana White on the BJ Penn – Nick Diaz main event

UFC video: Dana White on UFC 138 and commitment to next year in the UK is there

Dana White answers questions about UFC 138 in Birmingham next week… and explains that the UFC will be looking to increase projection in the UK next year.

UFC: Dana White on Dominick Cruz versus Demetrius Johnson

Telegraph Sport asks UFC President Dana White if Demetrius Johnson deserves the UFC bantamweight title shot against champion Dominick Cruz this weekend in Washington DC ? Did Johnson rightfully get the decision over Miguel Torres in his last fight ?

Here's what Dana White had to say…

UFC 135: Mile-high in Denver and howling at the moon with Rampage Jackson…plus Telegraph picks

It has been a cool three days in this most temperate of cities. The calm around UFC 135 shattered only by the off-the-wall humour of Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, a God-fearing man, fighter turned Hollywood star, who surely, when we are not looking, howls at the moon, and climbs sideways up buildings.

I am convinced I saw him out late after midnight last night, in a dimly-lit area of downtown, jogging past, hood up, his steely eyes looking straight ahead, his face etched into a smirk, that huge chain swinging pendulously side to side with a regular chink. But then again, I could well be wrong.

My point is this: Rampage is not just a fighter; he has been enveloped in a cloak, of celebrity and personality. He is a quasi-cartoon-like character from a work of fiction. Huge head, angular face, vicious-looking, yet drunk with fun.

The sublime apposition, indeed, is Quinton's manager, Anthony McGann, an Englishman so Liverpudlian he crushes coal as he speaks. Just yesterday, he turned to me and said (in a nice way): "You're a t*** mate, but at least your our t***, Gareth." I felt like crushed coal myself. Believe it or not, he meant it in an endearing way (I think).

McGann just grinned, and held out his hand, laughing. McGann and Rampage, and a group of scousers including Rob Broughton – a bear of a man who was born with his feet the wrong way round and had multiple operations to rectify the impairment and now fights at heavyweight – and Cheick Kongo, another huge heavywight with lethal striking yet the most elegant way of speaking English with his soft French accent, have been ensconced with a group of Americans in a staggeringly advanced training facility called MusclePharm, in a suburb of Denver for the last eight weeks.

The 35,000 sq feet facility has everything needed for a camp for a champ – including 60 seat cinema, apartment, recovery oxygen chamber, under water exercise machines. Truly state of the art.

But after two months, the camp are restless, and ready to fight.

Where Mike Tyson exuded menace, Rampage brings colour. Make no mistake, the man is teak-tough, has legendary status going back almost a decade in mixed martial arts to the days of the PRIDE championship in Japan, but everything he does is laced with humour.

They said Rampage was grumpy on Wednesday at the head to head news conference. Jackson had talked about how much he enjoyed his training camp in Denver, where he visited the zoo and "made a friend" — a monkey that he said looked just like Jones. It just comes out…Curb Your Enthusiasm. A tense moment saw all fall about laughing – even the UFC light-heavyweight Jones was grinning.

Rampage was 'grumpy' on Thursday, too, we were told at the fighter workouts. But he ended up talking about The Queen with your correspondent on more than a couple of occasions. He did the last time we were together. He likes the UK. He has had half a dozen camps there, in Warrington.

The team around Rampage, incidentally, mentioned the name of Mike Tyson more than once in the fighter workouts on Thursday, and the former champion may need that movement from head and waist if he is to get on the inside and become the first opponent to really test Jones's chin. The wise money is saying that he will not. His team are convinced that Jackson, who looks trim, will have the wherewithal to do so. I'm not so sure.

I think we may have already seen a changing of the guard with the emergence of Jones. Yes, Jackson is very tough, and yes, Jones is raw, but his physical advantages are quite incredible. But many are fascinated to see what transpires. Should Jones deal easily with Jackson – the heaviest puncher in the division – it may be a long time before Jones gives up the belt.

DANA WHITE ON MICHAEL BISPING AND A POSSIBLE TITLE SHOT AGAINST ANDERSON SILVA

Telegraph Sport spoke to UFC president Dana White on the record this week about Michael Bisping and a potential title shot for the British middleweight. As expected, White confirmed that Bisping is treading water in the contest with Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, on Dec 3 in Las Vegas. It is merely the tip off point for the end of the fourteenth series of The Ultimate Fighter, with Bisping and Miller opposing coaches. White confirmed a win over Miller would not move Bisping into title contention, but that he is in the top five mix in the division. Bisping would have to fight a top contender after Miller to get a shot at 'the Spider', regarded as the best all-round mixed martial artist of all time.

Telegraph main card picks:

Jon Jones to beat Rampage Jackson and retain the UFC light-heavyweight belt.

Josh Koscheck over UFC legend Matt Hughes

Nate Diaz over Takanori Gomi (hardest pick in my book)

Rob Broughton to take a surprise win over Travis Browne

Big Ben Rothwell to defeat Mark Hunt (but this could so easily go the other way)

Also looking forward to speaking to Cole Escovedo, who has an amazing background story and is one of those who suffers, quite brilliantly, from the triumph of the human spirit. And if you've read this far, you will have wondered if the altitude in Denver has got to me, I'd probably say 'yes'. But it's great to join the mile-high city club. If the UFC began here, it wasn't a bad place to start. Let's hope the event at the Pepsi Center lives up to the hype.