With Edgar-Maynard III, UFC 136 shaping up as best card of the year

The UFC isn't messing around with it's big card in Houston. The news has come fast and furious about a slew of fights booked for the October card.

Frank Edgar and Gray Maynard will finally meet for the third time to settle their battle for the lightweight title. The winner may face Melvin Guillard, who is also on the card against Joe Lauzon. Earlier today, a middleweight showdown was also announced with Demian Maia facing Jorge Santiago.

Will there be any trouble selling those fights? Don't worry. Chael Sonnen is on the card against Brian Stann. Two more intriguing fights include Dave Herman against Mike Russow and Josh Grispi, in what could be a must-win situation against Matt Grice.

Update: Add another title fight to UFC 136 with Jose Aldo Jr. defending his 145-pound title against Kenny Florian. It looks like UFC 137 will also have a matchup between B.J. Penn and Carlos Condit.

The upcoming UFC cards are totally stacked. UFC on Versus 5 features a guarantee KO or Fight of the Night with Dan Hardy and Chris Lytle. Jim Miller also faces Ben Henderson. At UFC 134, it's Anderson Silva against Yushin Okami. Mauricio Rua-Griffin and Brendan Schaub-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight as well. Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson headline UFC 135 in front of Matt Hughes and Diego Sanchez. The return to Las Vegas in late October is topped by Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz with Matt Mitrione-Cheick Kongo on the undercard.

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Paul Daley talks Woodley, wrestling, and ?Marq-fart?

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Paul Daley's loss to Nick Diaz in April a back-and-forth fight, with Daley looking close to the win during the bout, but Diaz coming back for the win. At the Strikeforce open workouts, he talked about how he got over that loss.

"The usual way that we do in England. Go out, have a drink, party."

Cagewriter mentioned that it's also how we get over losses in America.

"I've drank with Americans, and I think us Brits do it a little bit better. Nah, I'm joking. I just relaxed, tried to take my mind off the loss, and look at a way that I can come back stronger. The goal is to be a champion."

His path to be a champion in Strikeforce started when he was cut from the UFC after 113, when he threw a punch at Josh Koscheck after their fight had ended. It's not a moment that he's particularly proud of, but it's one that fans continue to congratulate him on.

"Everybody saying they hate Koscheck and saying well-done for hitting him? That's what I keep getting greeted with in the lobby. Obviously, I'm sorry for what I did, it's not something I'd repeat, and it's not something that I'm proud of, but I think the fan backlash is a little bit twisted. If I had a pound for every time somebody said well done for hitting Koscheck, I'd be a millionaire."

The Brit is hoping to create more memorable moments against another wrestler. In his first fight since losing to Nick Diaz in April, Daley will face Tyron Woodley at Strikeforce this weekend. Woodley was an All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri.

"Obviously, being the top fighter that I am, my least favorite fight is going to be against wrestlers, so I have to look at improving that area. It's something that I've continuously done. It's not something that I've stopped just because in recent fights I haven't faced wrestlers. I have to find all the best wrestlers I can and continue to improve in that area. I think I'm going to be there, and I think that Woodley is going to be surprised at the improvements I've made since my last fight with a wrestler.

With his unceremonious dismissal from the UFC after 113, you would expect that he would be in an awkward position after Zuffa, the UFC's parent company, bought Strikeforce. Instead, Daley was surprised by overtures from Lorenzo Fertitta.

"Lorenzo came to my dressing room before the Diaz fight, and he's a very cool guy. I've always said that. Very humble and approachable. He came to my fight and wished me good luck. He came out of his way to say hello, and he doesn't have to do that."

That quick cut from the UFC means that Daley has something in common with Nate Marquardt, the former UFC fighter who was released when he not allowed to fight on the UFC on Versus 4 card by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission. But don't look for any camaraderie between the two.

"I voiced my opinions about what he did and what he got caught for, and he comes back calling me a coward and a bully. I'm sure that's what he used to call people in the playgrounds. I aired my views in a sophisticated and direct manner, and he came back with that bullshit. If I am able to fight Nate 'The Great' Marq-Fart, then I will."

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Fighting for one job? Fedor and Hendo cashing nice checks this week

How many high-salaried fighters can the mixed martial arts marketplace support? More importantly, the Strikeforce marketplace? We'll find out following the Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson fight in the Chicago area on Saturday night.

Several sites have reported Fedor and Henderson are due a combined $2.3 million payday.

Sources confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that Fedor is getting $1.5 million. If Fedor loses this fight, but it's highly competitive, will Zuffa/Strikeforce just dump the legendary Russian fighter? According to Five Ounces of Pain, both fighters are in jeopardy. The loser of the fight is gone:

Five Ounces of Pain has confirmed one of the core components of the matchmaking process in regards to their headlining bout on July 30 was the ability to sever professional ties with the loser based on the amount each earns in comparison to their perceived market value, as contracts are generally structured to allow for immediate release in the event of defeat

But gone from where? If Fedor gets destroyed, Strikeforce can't justify another payday this big to a guy who's lost three straight.

The Henderson situation is a bit more complicated. Do you dump your light heavyweight champ because he lost to a top 10 heavyweight? Henderson is also on the last fight of his Strikeforce contract. Even if he loses, he'd be a great transfer candidate back into the UFC at 205 pounds.

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MMA Marketplace: Hendo vs. Fedor ? the shirts!

Time to break down the most important part of this weekend's face-off between Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson: the walkout shirts!

Both fighters are sponsored by Clinch Gear, the clothing company owned by Dan Henderson. That means Henderson is sponsoring his opponent. Fedor should keep that in mind -- don't let Hendo break his hand. He still needs to sign checks.

Fedor's shirt looks like they took a perfectly nice design with a cool crest and then just spray painted some letters over it. Unless it's an homage to graffiti art, it's a little odd. Buy his shirt for $32.95.

Henderson's shirt plays up the America vs. Russia angle, using stars and stripes to make up Henderson's nickname and adding a "Made in America" tag. I'd much rather wear this shirt on Fourth of July than some of these American flag abominations. Buy it for $32.95.

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