‘Big Country’ tweeted this post-fight photo of the nasty gash on his forehead.

The controversial decision of the Diaz/Condit fight is the focus of all the chatter right now, but Werdum’s performance was by far the most impressive of the night. Not only did he look like a top-level striker, he also took some big shots from Nelson and kept coming forward.

Nick Diaz says he is done with MMA after his controversial loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143 in Las Vegas.

In a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Diaz was dumbfounded by the judges’ scorecards, and told Rogan that he’s done with MMA.

The controversy lies in how how you view Condit’s strategy for the fight. Diaz loves to cut off space, get you up against the cage and let his rapid-fire, accurate strikes do their damage. Condit was smart enough to continually get out of those situations and move the fight back to the center of the Octagon where he could create space and also counterstrike better.

Some viewed it as Condit running from Diaz, others saw it as a brilliant tactic from Condit and trainer Greg Jackson that nullified the Diaz’ patented style of attack.

Either way, it will be Condit that gets to fight Georges St. Pierre when the champ is healthy enough to do so.

How long has UFC fighter Brian Ebersole been in the game? He fought Stephan Bonnar at Ironheart Crown back in 2001. A veteran of over 60 professional MMA fights and undefeated in UFC competition, Ebersole will give a seminar at Z’s Martial Arts in Huntley on Tuesday, February 7, presented by MMA Sports Federation.

Ebersole will teach striking, Muay Thai and grappling moves, and he will stay after the seminar for questions and photos. The cost is $50.00 to participate in the seminar, which will include some one on one instruction with Brian as well as the group teaching. It is $60.oo at the door and $25.00 to watch class and meet Brian after the seminar.

The seminar runs from 6:30 to 9pm. For  tickets call 847-669-7833.

Z’s Martial Arts Academy

11320 Kiley Drive

Huntley, IL

Just a few weeks ago, Midwest Training Center fighter Dan Stittgen got the call of a lifetime. The call was from the UFC, asking Stittgen to fight at UFC 143. Oddly enough, Stittgen was being asked to replace the only fighter to ever beat him in MMA.

The dream of fighting in the UFC will come true for Stittgen when he fights Stephen Thompson in Las Vegas this Saturday night. Thompson will also be making his UFC debut.

Stittgen is replacing Justin Edwards, who had to withdraw due to injury. Edwards submitted Stittgen back in January of 2010 in Wisconsin, the only blemish on his career record.

Since then he has rattled off four straight victories, including wins locally in Rockford and at XFO 39, where he tapped out Jason Graves just over a minute into the bout. Stittgen has also fought locally at TFC and Fight Club One. He made his amateur debut back at XFO 23.

Stittgen is coming of a majority decision win against Mark Stoddard at King of the Cage in Wisconsin, but he is best known as a submission specialist. Five of his seven pro wins have come by submission.

You can see Stittgen’s fight on Facebook this Saturday.

Michael Bisping broke out the double-bird salute for his ‘fans’ at the UFC on Fox weigh-ins.

Bisping was announced by UFC commentator Joe Rogan, and he came out on the stage to a roar of boos and catcalls. Bisping slipped off his clothes, got on the scale and gave the fans this response:

Does Bisping really mean that or is he just having some fun with the UFC fans here in Chicago? It’s probably a bit of both.

Here’s the video of how it went down.

It’s hard to steal the show from Chael Sonnen at a UFC press conference, but Rashad Evans and Phil Davis might have pulled off the feat yesterday at the UFC on FOX presser downtown.

Rashad ranted rapidly about Davis’ wrestling technique being ‘trash’, and Phil Davis used some ‘Chappelle’s Show’ quotes to jibe the former light heavyweight champion.

Evans and Davis will fight in the main event Saturday night from the United Center when the UFC on FOX airs at 7 CT.

Matt Giancarlo is an amateur fighter out of Gilbert Grappling, who has competed at Brawl at Bourbon Street and G2 Fight Night. He got the smack-talk rolling at the press conference yesterday with this exchange with Michael Bisping. In true Bisping form, he gives it right back.

Giancarlo has trained with Sonnen at Team Quest in Portland, and he’ll fight again locally in March or April. He’ll eventually turn pro, and maybe we’ll even see him on the same UFC card with Bisping some day.

The training camps are finished, the poorly-timed Sandusky jokes have faded away and the fighters will finally enter the Octagon.

Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will battle at the United Center on Saturday night, with the winner getting the next shot at Jon Jones and his UFC light heavyweight title.

Evans lives in Chicagoland and has family here, but that’s not why I want him to win. Phil Davis is a very young fighter and he’ll have other shots at a title fight. I want Evans to win because I love a good grudge match. I think most of the MMA community wants to see Evans/Jones and I am no different.

But I think Evans just has too much for Davis at this point: Evans has too much power, too much experience and he’s a top-level wrestler, which is what ultimately might thwart Davis’ gameplan.

Here is the preview video from the UFC, as if you weren’t already pumped for this bout.

In this clip, Sonnen gives a nice motivational speech that also has everyone cracking up — including Clay Guida.

But before Saturday night’s fights, Urijah Faber will host a seminar at MMA Stop in Crest Hill. Clay Guida is likely to be there, and Faber will also be signing autographs and taking pictures.

Faber’s Jiu-Jitsu coach Fabio Prado has been in town a few times for seminars at CounterStrike MMA, and now it’s Faber’s turn to teach Chicago MMA practitioners.  Details and registration info on the poster below.