Partial Credit: Dana Becker
– UFC president Dana White is excited about tonight’s UFC Fight Night 40 card from Cincinnati that features a welterweight main event between Matt Brown and Erick Silva.
Brown is on a six-fight win streak and is currently ranked seventh in the division, while Silva is No. 14 and coming off a convincing victory of his own earlier this year. Brown was scheduled to face Carlos Condit last December, but a back injury in training scrapped that contest.
“Matt is ranked No. 7 and has been looking for respect for forever now,” White said. “The guy has destroyed everybody he’s fought. He feels like he’s been disrespected for so long. He’s done so much and should have an opportunity to fight for the title soon.
“Erick, who’s ranked 14th; I think there’s no way he’s 14th. In Vegas, the odds have Erick as a favorite. It’s driving Matt Brown crazy. He says he’s going to knock him out, like everyone else, and is going to finally get his respect.”
In the co-main, Lorenz Larkin takes on Costas Philippou. Both fighters are coming off losses, but each hold notable wins. Larkin defeated Robbie Lawler in Strikeforce, while Philippou has topped Tim Boetsch inside the Octagon.
“Larkin is a tough guy. He’s been around a long time and he’s another guy, with a great performance, could earn some respect,” White said. “I think this is going to be an absolute stand-up war and somebody is getting knocked out.”
White also pointed to a main card bout between Erik Koch and Daron Cruickshank, saying “I think that fight will be an absolute war.”
– Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is reportedly out of next Saturday’s Bellator 120 main event fight with Michael Chandler. Reports from Sherdog and MMA Fighting state Alvarez suffered a concussion in training and will not be cleared to compete.
In his place will step season nine lightweight tournament winner Will Brooks to take on Chandler. Brooks is currently scheduled to fight Nate Jolly on the pay-per-view main card.
This is Bellator second attempt at a first pay-per-view. Last year, they were forced to move the card to Spike TV after Tito Ortiz went down with a neck injury. Ortiz was to fight Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Both Ortiz and Jackson are now in separate fights for the May 17 card, with Ortiz meeting Alexander Shlemenko and Jackson taking on Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.
– UFC lightweight contenders Josh Thomson and Michael Johnson have agreed to meet at UFC on FOX 12 this July. The bout is added to a previously announced fight between Anthony Johnson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira for the July 26 card from San Jose.
Thomson (20-6) briefly flirted with retirement after a decision loss to former UFC champion Benson Henderson this past January. The former Strikeforce champion is 3-2 all-time with the promotion. Johnson (15-8) has improved his Octagon mark to 7-4 with wins over Joe Lauzon and Melvin Guillard.
Neither fight announced is expected to be the main event for the card. More bout agreements will be announced over the coming weeks.
