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Shane Carwin Plans Return at UFC 131 in Vancouver - Bloody Elbow

According to MMA Junkie:

UFC 131 is expected to take place June 11 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. ... UFC 131 is in the final planning stages and UFC officials are working this week to finalize the show and venue.

No bouts are rumored for UFC 131, but a source told MMAjunkie.com that former heavyweight title-challenger Shane Carwin could be featured prominently on the card, which would mark his first fight since back surgery.

Shane Carwin (12-1)
Loss Brock Lesnar - Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) UFC 116
Win Frank Mir - KO (Punches) UFC 111
Win Gabriel Gonzaga - TKO (Punches) UFC 96

Report: Rory MacDonald vs. James Wilks targeted for UFC 129 in Toronto

Report: Rory MacDonald vs. James Wilks targeted for UFC 129 in Toronto | MMAjunkie.com

A welterweight bout between Rory MacDonald (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and "The Ultimate Fighter 9" winner James Wilks (7-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) reportedly is in the works for UFC 129.

Sportsnet.ca first reported the fight, though MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) was unable to confirm the matchup.

UFC 129 takes place April 30 at Toronto's Rogers Centre and features a pay-per-view welterweight title fight between current champion Georges St-Pierre and top contender Jake Shields.

MacDonald vs. Jensen likely will be part of the untelevised preliminary card.

MacDonald, a fast-rising Canadian prospect who submitted veteran Mike "Joker" Guymon in his early-2010 UFC debut, recently suffered his first career loss with a third-round TKO defeat to contender Carlos Condit at UFC 115. MacDonald then was slated to fight Matt Brown at UFC 123 but was forced off the card with a knee injury.

The former King of the Cage champ looks for his 11th stoppage win in 11 career wins when he meets Wilks, who also is coming off a loss. Since defeating DaMarques Johnson at the TUF 9 Finale in 2009 for the show's championship, the British fighter has posted a TKO loss to Brown, a decision win over Peter Sonotta, and a recent decision loss to Claude Patrick at UFC 120 in October.

The latest UFC 129 card now includes:

* Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields (for welterweight title)
* Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida*
* Phil Davis vs. Matt Hamill*
* Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson*
* Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts*
* Rory MacDonald vs. James Wilks*
* Brian Foster vs. Sean Pierson*
* Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin*
* Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia*
* Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen*

* - Not officially announced

Dennis Hallman meets T.J. Waldburger at UFC Fight Night 24 in Seattle

Dennis Hallman meets T.J. Waldburger at UFC Fight Night 24 in Seattle | MMAjunkie.com

Put another welterweight matchup on the chalkboard for the the UFC's third trip to the Pacific Northwest.

Dennis Hallman (42-13-2 MMA, 2-4 UFC) and T.J. Waldburger (13-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) are expected to meet on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 24, according to sources close to the event who today told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that verbal agreements are in place.

UFC Fight Night 24 takes place March 26 at Seattle's Key Center and airs live on Spike TV.

The promotion hasn't officially announced the event, which is expected to feature a light-heavyweight tilt between former champion Tito Ortiz and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the headliner.

For the first time in his long career, Hallman, a Washington native, is on a streak inside the octagon. He sent Karo Parisyan out of the organization with a first-round TKO victory at UFC 123 this past November and did the same to Ben Saunders after a decision win at UFC 117 earlier in the year. Prior to the wins, he re-signed with the promotion in late 2009 and was well on his way to a points with over John Howard before being caught with a punch that put him out at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale.

Hallman this past year discovered a long-running problem with Celiac disease – an allergy to wheat – that had been affecting energy levels both in training and fighting. After cutting grain out of his diet, he said he feels like a new man. The change led him to flirt with the possibility of dropping to the lightweight class, though he later reconsidered the idea.

Texas native Waldburger most recently made a successful debut inside the octagon with a unanimous-decision win over fellow newcomer David Mitchell at UFC Fight Night 23. The win extended his current streak to four fights, which included Shark Fights victories over veterans Shannon Ritch and Pat Healy. He also owns past wins over UFC vets Pete Spratt and Brian Foster.

Waldburger had been slated to fight Matthew Riddle this past month at UFC 124 but was forced off the card with an injury.

Jason Reinhardt vs. Tiequan Zhang planned, not signed, for UFC 127

Jason Reinhardt vs. Tiequan Zhang planned, not signed, for UFC 127 | MMAjunkie.com

A once-scratched bout between Jason Reinhardt (20-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Tiequan Zhang (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) could be the 12th addition to next month's UFC 127 lineup.

Sources close to the negotiations told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) the bout is planned, but not signed, for the card, which takes place Feb. 27 at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

The fight, first reported by Portal Do Vale Tudo, could be shifted to a later card.

UFC 127 takes place Sunday in Australia, but with the time difference, airs on pay-per-view in its normal Saturday-night timeslot in the U.S.

If signed Reinhardt vs. Zhang would be part of the untelevised preliminary card.

The fighters initially were slated to meet in September at WEC 51. But Reinhardt couldn't get medical clearance because of vision problems (and later underwent corrective eye surgery), and Quan instead fought (and defeated) late replacement Pablo Garza.

The fight initially was slated for the lightweight division, but a source told MMAjunkie.com the new booking would take place at featherweight if signed.

Two years have passed since Reinhardt stepped into the cage. After going undefeated in his first 18 professional fights, he met Joe Lauzon at UFC 78 and was one-and-done with the promotion after a quick submission loss. Reinhardt won his next two fights on the regional circuit, but he has been inactive since January 2008 because of injuries.

After his win over Garza, which moved his record to 12-0, Zhang took on Danny Downes at the promotion-ending WEC 53 event. In one of the event's upsets, Zhang suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Danny Downes. It was the Chinese fighter's first defeat and the first time he ever went to a decision (all 12 of his wins have come via first-round stoppage).

The latest UFC 127 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn
* Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
* Dennis Siver vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle
* Chris Camozzi vs. Kyle Noke

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Spencer Fisher vs. Ross Pearson
* Alexander Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna
* Riki Fukuda vs. Nick Ring
* Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer
* Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton
* Tom Blackledge vs. Anthony Perosh
* Jason Reinhardt vs. Tiequan Zhang*

* - Not officially announced

WEC vets Eric Koch vs. Cub Swanson targeted for UFC on Versus 3

WEC vets Eric Koch vs. Cub Swanson targeted for UFC on Versus 3 | MMAjunkie.com

Featherweights Eric Koch (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Cub Swanson (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) officially are UFC bound.

Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that the fighters have agreed to meet at UFC on Versus 3 and that bout agreements are being finalized.

The show, which represents the UFC's first-ever event in the Bluegrass State, takes place March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

The night's main card airs on Versus, though Koch vs. Swanson likely will be part of the preliminary card.

Koch scored a November TKO win over Francisco Rivera and earned WEC 52's "Knockout of the Night" honors for the effort. The 22-year-old Duke Roufus-trained fighter closed out his WEC career with a 4-1 mark, and the lone loss came via decision to contender Chad Mendes in early 2010. Despite the rangy fighter's quick hands, Koch has registered seven submission wins among his 11 career victories.

He now faces Swanson, one of his most experienced opponents to date. After an initial 2-1 stint in the WEC in 2007, Swanson returned in 2008 and went 3-2. The losses came to current champ Jose Aldo and Mendes, and the wins came over Hiroyuki Takaya, John Franchi and Mackens Semerzier. All three of the victories earned the Greg Jackson-trained fighter "Fight of the Night" bonuses.

The latest UFC on Versus 3 card now includes:

* Martin Kampmann vs. Diego Sanchez
* C.B. Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
* Maiquel Falcao vs. Alessio Sakara
* Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
* Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
* Alexandre Ferreira vs. Rousimar Palhares*
* Eric Koch vs. Cub Swanson*
* Cyrille Diabate vs. Steve Cantwell*
* Matt Brown vs. Mark Scanlon*

* - Not officially announced

[kingrobert]

There are some great fights coming up. Its a great time to be an MMA fan.

[Chute_Boxe44]

This is what we get when we merge the WEC and the UFC, exciting, stacked, well rounded cards. I would pay to see all fights on these up coming events for the next three months.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Brock/Carwin for TUF???

[rob_bills]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

Brock/Carwin for TUF???

good idea, id say Carwin will kill him in a rematch

[TheDoucheyWun]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

Brock/Carwin for TUF???

Brock cant stand being on Camera or being out of his own gym... I dont see him doing it but mehhh if the moneys right u never know im sure that would be large ratings