MMA Melee: Brock Lesnar Is Back & Jackie Chan Chimes In

Brock Lesnar will be returning this summer to defend the Heavyweight title against either Frank Mir or Shane Carwin depending on who wins their bout at UFC 111 March 27th. What does this mean? If all goes as planned and Brock gets the newly crowned "interim" champion in the standard 3 months recovery and training after a bout time frame, it will have been over a year since Lesnar fought in the UFC. The champ lost 60 lbs. but has already gained back 40 lbs. and I'm not thinking its going to be that much of an issue. The monster can certainly gain weight but now his invincible image is tarnished with fighters perhaps feeling more confident going in against a man with many question marks surrounding him. We have about 5 or 6 months before we begin to find out.

Nate Diaz and Diego Sanchez are both planning to move to the Welterweight division following their recent losses. The "Nightmare" has looked gaunt at Lightweight and I have long stated he needs to gain weight, not lose it, to become a Champion. Nate's waif like frame could easily add muscle to it perhaps making his strikes land with some impact. Now if only I can get Anthony Johnson to make the move up.

Bob Shamrock the adoptive father of Frank and Ken Shamrock has passed away. Bob was a man who dedicated his life to helping troubled teens a job many would not sign up for. Our condolences to the Shamrock family. Sherdog has a great article at http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Remembering-Bob-Shamrock-22116, which profiles his life.

The "Fireball Kid" Takanori Gomi is officially signed with the UFC and will get the staunch task of facing Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 21 in North Carolina, for his debut. Gomi has won 2 in a row with a daunting 31-5 record. The former Pride FC and Shooto Champion is looking to get back to gold and prominence in America.

Jake Shields has signed on to be an assistant coach with Chuck Liddell on the UFC's reality show The Ultimate Fighter season 11. This is significant because Shields is the competition's Middleweight Champion over at Strikeforce and it is surprising that Zuffa would allow him any exposure. A lot can end up on the video cutting room floor so stay close for this odd development.

The Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago is set to rematch Mamed Khalidov (20-3-1) at World Victory Road's Sengoku Raiden Championships 12 on March 7 in Tokyo. Khalidov knocked out Santiago in a stunning upset at Sengoku 11th Battle this past November, but the bout was a non-title fight and the belt stayed in the Brazilian's hands.

Television kingpin, Mark Burnett, has invested in King of the Cage, and through this recent-founded partnership the company has managed to secure a broadcast deal with HDNet Fights for the year of 2010. The debut of King the Cage on HDNet in 2010 will kick off with a show targeted for March 26 from Reno, Nevada. King of the Cage has long been a source for upcoming prospects and a strong "minor league" for MMA.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said two previously announced eight-woman tournaments, at 135- and 145-pounds, will kick off at the promotion’s Challengers event in April. Strikeforce 145-pound champion Cristiane “Femborg” Santos and Gina Carano, whom Santos defeated by first-round technical knockout last August in San Jose, Calif., will not compete in the tournaments, said Coker.

Finally Jackie Chan has put his valuable 2 cents in on the subject of MMA. "I don't like to see 'ultimate fighting,'" Chan said. "As a martial artist, I find it too violent putting them in a cage. At the end, it's not fighting anymore. That's not the martial arts. Martial arts is about respect. When somebody is knocked down, stop. I really respect Sugar Ray Leonard. Come on, [when a guy is down,] stop. Don't fight. That's not the spirit. When you're down, I'll grab you up. Are you OK? Should we continue? That's the martial arts spirit. That's what I want."

There are so many idiotic things mentioned here that I will let you simply mull them over at your own convenience. Chan's record is 3-98 in good movies to bad.