Props: UFC.com

Quoteworthy:

“I’m real blessed to be able to fight for the UFC and have them keep giving me top level guys. That’s what I’m in the sport for, to see how far I can take it and keep improving. Anything can happen out there but I just try to focus on what I can control and have fun and that’s what I did. I wanted to open (Gomi) up and keep him guessing. He was really low and I didn’t want to force anything out there, I just wanted it to flow and he got a little upright so I changed levels and took him down. I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling, especially the offensive side of it and it paid off. I still got a long way to go and a lot of things to work on but I know the plan’s working, I’m getting better every day. ‘Kaizen,’ little improvements every day.”

Former UFC lightweight number one contender Kenny Florian once again shows he’s one of the sport’s best lightweights with a dominating performance over PRIDE import and Japanese sensation Takanori Gomi at the UFC Fight Night 21 event from Charlotte back on March 31. “KenFlo” continues to refine his game and may have one more big fight prior to a potential third 155-pound title fight. Is Gray Maynard the only thing standing in his way?

Check out the second (and I think better) trailer for the A-Team movie, which premieres on June 11, after the jump.

DALLAS (April 1, 2010) HDNet will kick off the 2010 K-1 and K-1 World MAX seasons this weekend with two exclusive broadcasts featuring the best kickboxers in the world.

“HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan Tournament” premieres on Friday, April 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET, and then, early Saturday morning, HDNet features the LIVE broadcast of “HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 in Yokohama” at 4:00 a.m. ET – with an encore presentation scheduled for next Friday night, April 9 at 10:00 p.m.

“This Friday night K-1 double feature is going to be a real treat for fight fans,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “If you’ve never seen the fast paced, knockout action of K-1 and K-1 MAX, this is your chance to find out why these fighters are widely regarded as the best all-round strikers in the world.”

The K-1 World MAX 2010 debut features an exciting one night, 8-man tournament to crown the best 154 pound kickboxer in Japan. The Japan tournament is traditionally considered the toughest of the K-1 MAX qualifying tournaments and typically produces the most knockouts. The action continues into the late night as HDNet presents LIVE coverage of “HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 in Yokohama.”

In the main event of the evening, the reigning K-1 World GP Champion and one of the most dominating fighters in all of combat sports, Semmy Schilt (32-3-1, 16(T)KOs) puts his K-1 Super Heavyweight Title on the line against Errol Zimmerman (7-3, 3(T)KOs).

Plus, K-1 legend Peter Aerts (63-23, 48(T)KOs) challenges Kyotaro (8-3, 4(T)KOs) for the K-1 Heavyweight Title, Badr Hari (16-6, 14(T)KOs) looks to avenge a 2003 loss to former top 10 K-1 fighter Alexey Ignashov (25-9, 16(T)KOs), and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem (3-3, 2(T)KOs) faces off with Dzevad Poturak (K-1 debut).

Don’t laugh — he’s currently in the lead. By a lot. Cast your vote here.

DREAM’s top lightweights may finally have an opportunity to cross their fists in July.

Numerous sources report that the long-awaited match between the DREAM lightweight champion and Strikeforce contender, Shinya Aoki, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, is currently scheduled for DREAM 16 in July. The date of the event will be determined shortly when Fighting and Entertainment Group’s TV partner, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) finalizes its schedule for the summer.

The match has been in the making for a long time. Kawajiri emerged as a top lightweight contender in the Japanese promotion when he defeated the American Top Team standout, Gesias Cavalcante at DREAM 9 last May. He has been lobbying earnestly for a title shot since then. When Aoki wrested the lightweight belt from Joachim Hansen at DREAM 11, Kawajiri immediately called out the newly minted champion. Aoki initially appeared evasive about answering the challenge and facetiously deflected Kawajiri’s plea; however, he later welcomed the fight when it was scheduled for the New Year’s Eve on Dynamite!! 2009 fight card.

Their NYE showdown unraveled when DREAM and Sengoku Raiden Championship joined forces on a short notice for a merged fight card. At Dynamite!! 2009, Kawajiri grinded out a decision victory over SRC lighweight contender, Kazunori Yokota. On the same night, Aoki took one home for DREAM with a gruesome, arm-breaking submission victory over SRC lightweight champion, Mizuto Hirota, and became a lightning rod for controversy with his post-fight antics.

There is no word yet on whether the lightweight title will be on the line for Aoki-Kawajiri, even though it obviously befits the occasion.

Aoki will make his USA and Strikeforce debut on April 17 on Strikeforce’s CBS fight card against the promotion’s lightweight champion, Gilbert Melendez.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) tonight (Wed., March 31) returned to Spike TV with UFC Fight Night 21 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Two-time UFC lightweight contender Kenny “KenFlo” Florian welcomed former Pride FC 160-pound champion and Japanese superstar, “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi, to the eight-walled cage for the first time ever.

It’s been a long time coming — Gomi has been widely regarded as a top lightweight competitor for years fighting overseas. However, sans and epic fight against Nick Diaz in 2007, he was never really able to strut his stuff in front of a major American audience.

Until now.

Unfortunately for him, tonight was not his night. And he couldn’t have asked for a more cooperative opponent — Florian stood in the middle of the cage and invited the legendary power puncher to stand and bang.

But Gomi could never really get close. Florian kept him at bay with a stiff jab the entire fight, snapping Gomi’s head back just about every time he tried to close the distance.

Gomi, behind on points and looking for Hail Mary finish in the final frame, drilled Florian with a huge punch that could have been a fight-ender. But Florian quickly responded with a takedown and his trademark (and relentless) ground and pound.

It was literally only a matter of seconds before Gomi spun to avoid the damage and Florian slid in a picture-perfect rear naked choke, spoiling his UFC debut and, in the process, a possible rematch with division champion BJ Penn.

In fact, Florian is already back on track to challenge for a title for a third time if he keeps this up.

In the co main event, portly veteran Roy Nelson took on super-stretched up-and-comer Stefan Struve in a heavyweight battle between two total opposites.

Chalk one up for the fat guy.

Nelson somehow dropped an absolute bomb square on the chin of the “Skyscraper,” which sent him crashing to the canvas in the opening seconds of the match. “Big Country” pounced like an overfed feline and put the finishing touches on the 22-year-old Dutch fighter.

And when all was said and done, he posed for his traditional belly rub … just like that.

Nelson — winner of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 and two straight inside the Octagon — requested another step up in competition his next time out during his post-fight remarks. He’s apparently hungry for a big name.

Feed the man!

Middleweight veterans Jorge Rivera and Nate Quarry collided in a battle between heavy-handed strikers that wasn’t supposed to go the distance.

Quarry barely escaped the first round, getting dropped numerous times with vicious blows from “El Conquistador.” Quarry was bloody and beaten, but came out for more in the second round.

Bad idea.

Rivera smashed “The Rock” just seconds into the round with a crushing right hook to the ear that set up the eventual finish. Quarry, as usual, demonstrated a ton of heart, but Rivera poured it on early and often.

That’s the third consecutive win for Rivera and the fourth in his last five fights. At 38 years young, he’s putting together a nice run late in his nine-year career.

It couldn’t be happening to a better guy.

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 winner, Ross Pearson, kicked-off the main card action against Dennis Siver, who has quietly won three straight inside the Octagon all via convincing finishes.

The German striker didn’t make it four straight tonight, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort … or true grit.

Pearson and Siver stood toe-to-toe for much of the 15-minute lightweight bout, exchanging wicked and creative strikes that would have stopped most mortals.

Not these two.

In the end, Pearson — who demonstrated great movement, accurate counter strikes and a granite chin — went on to earn a hard-fought unanimous decision victory. He’s come a long way since his stint on TUF 9, proving that he is indeed the “Real Deal.”

Great fight.

Let’s hear what you have to say, Maniacs, in the comments section below.

For complete UFC Fight Night 21 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

Episode 1 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 11 “Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz” gets underway with a new crop of hopefuls wandering wide-eyed and star-struck into the new and improved Zuffa training center. Dana quickly rounds up the contestants and Joe Henle looks like he just climbed down from the cross to see if he can make it as a UFC fighter.

Speaking of Jews resurrecting their careers, “The Hebrew Hammer” Ben Stark gets paired up with Jamie Yager right out of the gate. Obviously someone forgot to rub lambs blood on the Octagon door because the afro of death puts him away in the first frame.

Next up is Jordan Smith, who bills himself as a crazy person trying to act normal. He probably should have tried to act conscious after getting turned inside out by Brad Tavares.

Cleburn Walker is this season’s “Dad” while Kris McCray says he makes up for his technical deficiencies with pure savagery. 30 seconds later and Walker is back on diaper detail after McCray taps him out with a nicely executed throw that bungles Poppa’s shoulder.

Norman Paraisy doesn’t like when people say Frenchmen are soft. Then he goes and quits on the stool after a rough first round against James Hammertree. Open mouth, insert croissant.

Au revoir, Sargeant Doo Doo.

Miller Lite busts out a replay that zips by faster than I can type so here is a list of the next three fighters who make it.

Nick Ring
Kyle Noke
Court McGee

The highlights come out of hyperspeed for Victor O’Donnell and Chris Camozzi and they deliver with a hard-hitting, back-and-forth slugfest. After two rounds it’s a draw so they send it to “sudden victory.” They keep it going until the final bell and deliver a fight that would shame a lot of recently televised bouts.

Unfortunately someone has to go and it’s O’Donnell, but don’t be surprised to see him return as an alternate later in the season if he can get his eye injury cleared.

Kyacey Uscola claims he’s going to smash his way through the house and starts by turning Brent Cooper into something that resembles Roy Neary’s mashed potato rendition of the Devil’s Tower.

Okay, back to fast-forward. Getting into the house are:

Joe Henle
Rich Attonito
Josh Bryant
Charles Blanchard

Charley Lynch and Clayton Mckinney, who aren’t just friends but also look like the second coming of Skank and Gutterboy,  throw hands but it’s Clayton McKinney who looks to be the more refined fighter, especially after he obliterates his opponent’s nose for the victory.

But even with a severly broken nose, Lynch never quit. Take notes, Frenchie.

After the opening ceremonies Dana gives his usual pep talk and I actually found myself intrigued by what appears to be a higher level of talent than season’s past. Maybe it’s going to be the first season to actually live up to the hype?

Welcome to the Ultimate Fighter — where no door made of balsa wood is safe.

See you next week!