Former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk may be past his prime, but he certainly doesn’t think that. The 37 year old fighter has faced some of the biggest names in the industry but seems on the verge of becomming nothing more than a gate keeper for a newer, faster style of lightweight division. Sherk will have a tough test as he takes on undefeated fighter Evan Dunham at UFC 119 on Sept. 25 in Indianapolis but expect Sherk to be equally prepared for the fight which will be his first after returning from injury. Here’s his thoughts on how he stacks up with the division, via Sherdog:

I’m a force to be reckoned with. Anyone who thinks I’m not can step in the Octagon with me. I’ve got all kinds of stuff left to offer this industry and this sport. I’m not going anywhere for a long time. I haven’t lost any athleticism. I haven’t lost any of my ability. I’ve only gotten better, and I’ve only gotten smarter.”

“I trained so hard for years, and I felt like I had to train hard and train myself 100 percent for these fights because I was fighting a lot of tough guys. I really haven’t fought anybody who was outside the top 10 since 2005. I’ve had to train my butt off to get ready for these fights, and I did what I needed to do. Unfortunately, after training that hard for that long, your body will start giving out on you. But I took some time off and was able to get myself healed up.”

The fight takes place in November at UFC 123 and could serve as the night's co-main event, a source close to the negotiations told MMAjunkie.com.

Hughes first hinted at the matchup in a Tuesday blog post, which prompted reports of the Penn booking.

Managed by his former Judo coach and American Judoka legend Jimmy Pedro, Hawn has amassed a collection of almost two dozen medals in major U.S. and international events, including a 9th place finish in the 2004 Olympic games. Already the most decorated American Judoka artist to make the transition into MMA, Hawn has made quick work of his competition while establishing himself as a knockout finisher, compiling a perfect 8-0 professional record with six of those wins coming via TKO or KO.

“Adding Rick Hawn to our world-class welterweight division is something we are very excited about, “said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Rick’s Judo pedigree can’t be matched, but it’s his striking that puts him a cut above. Ricks’ potential at 170 pounds is really unlimited.”

Hawn started his Judo at 12 years of age and always had his sights set at competing in the Olympic Games. Once he achieved that goal, Hawn needed a new challenge.

“I was always really interested in MMA. I followed MMA when I was really young when it was first on pay-per-view, but I wanted to see how far I could go with Judo first,” said Hawn. “Once I reached the Olympics, I figured that it was time to start devoting the majority of my time to MMA. I was just really excited to get started on my new career.”

The transition to the sport has been seamless. The Massachusetts native won his first five fights in the span of nine months. In his last fight Hawn delivered a second round knockout to battle tested UFC and Bellator veteran Shonie Carter. Even with his accomplishments, the relatively new MMA star is ready for a new challenge.

“I signed with Bellator because I’m looking for that next challenge,” said Hawn. “Bellator has a lot of really good welterweights, and I think I fit in well to that division. I’m really looking forward to testing myself against this level of competition”

Hawn joins Bellator’s stacked welterweight division which includes champion Lyman Good, former Olympian and Season 2 Champion Ben Askren, and Dan Hornbuckle, all of whom surely have their sights set on the Judoka phenom. Hawn will face his toughest competition yet in Bellator, but it’s something he’s looking forward to.

“Right now I’m just looking to constantly improve but my ultimate goal is to be considered one of the best fighters in MMA,” said Hawn.

Hawn is the third former Olympian to join Bellator’s ranks including Askren and Ferrid Kheder.

UFC 124 which will take place on December 11 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada has had another match added to the card and it looks like the PitBull will return to action to take on John Howard. Originally there was considerable speculation that Mike Pierce would be facing Alves, but it seems that the UFC decided to go with the Howard Alves matchup instead.

While the fight will be watch worthy, you have to think that almost everyone will be more interested to see if Alves can make weight which has been more than just a little issue for the fighter. UFC president Dana White has also expressed his doubts about Alves staying in the welterweight division, but Alves and team are adamant that he will fight at 170. The choice, however, may be stripped if he comes in overweight yet again. It’s a shame really, as Alves was once thought of as one of the most dangerous strikers in the Welterweight division and he could return to form if he can get the cut down pat.

His opponent, Howard will bring a solid 4-1 record into the ring and will look to take out a marquee name in a chance to advance towards the division gold. Expect a good fight if everything goes according to plan.

It was Diaz's second victory at 170 pounds after serving most of his six-year career in the lightweight class.

And though Diaz wants to avenge his losses there, trainer and manager Cesar Gracie thinks he should stay at welterweight - at least for the time being.

New York City, New York (August 26, 2010) – With high expectations in the M-1 Selection tournament finals taking place Saturday, September 18th, 2010 at Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, M-1 Global is raising the bar with equally impressive undercard bouts featuring tournament returnees and newcomers to the M-1 ring; Shane Primm and Bristol Marunde will battle for position on the M-1 Global middleweight contender ladder.

“We’re anticipating the Finals bouts to showcase electrifying action as these fighters are all aiming for the title of being the Selections Champion,” says Evgeni Kogan, Director of Operations of the mixed martial arts powerhouse, M-1Global. “The caliber of competition is remarkable and the undercard fighters will be vying for positioning on the contenders ladder. The Americas Finals will be a great event.”

The Final round bouts feature rising American stars who are one victory away from being crowned the M-1 Selection champion in their respective weight classes.

Tournament Finalists and undercard matchups include:
Jose Figueroa and George Sheppard Lightweight Division
Tom Gallicchio and Len Bentley Welterweight Division
Tyson Jeffries and Mike Geurin Middleweight Division
Byron Byrd and Daniel Vizcaya Light Heavyweight Division
Kenny Garner and Pat Bennett Heavyweight Division
Shane Primm and Bristol Marunde Middleweight Division

* Additional bouts to be announced

The M-1 Selection 2010 – Americas Finals match-ups go down Saturday, September 18th and the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas Champions will be crowned.

The “M-1 Selection” is the world’s premiere MMA competition where the next generation of superstars are given the opportunity to showcase their skills on the world stage with fighters being eliminated after only one loss; victory will advance the winning fighters throughout the tournament and earn them a trip to the championship event where they will compete for the coveted “M-1 Selection” title.

The “M-1 Selection” tournament is broken down into global regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Americas with each region hosting three rounds and a final of the “”M-1 Selection” tournament. The winning fighter in each weight class will gain the opportunity to fight on the larger international stage.

The tournament features some of the best up-and-coming fighters from each region as they begin the journey towards a tournament victory.

How to see the fights:

The Finals of the M-1 Selection tournament will take place live on September 18 at the coveted Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tickets are priced from $35.00-$125.00 and are available to purchase through www.TicketMaster.com.

Doors open at 7.00 pm, first fight at 7:30 PM/ET.

Free broadcast coverage of the entire 2010 M-1 Selection tournament will be available at a later date to viewers worldwide on www.M-1global.com and selected affiliate partner sites.

Go to www.M-1Global.com for additional information.

About M-1 Global:

Founded in 1998 by Vadim Finkelchtein and Sergey Matvienko, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and affiliates in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand stages its M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Breakthrough events worldwide and its co-produced Strikeforce events in the United States; captivating the live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups.

M-1 Global’s greatest asset is the number one heavyweight fighter in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. With daily coverage on all MMA-related websites in the world, and articles in Time Magazine, LA times and New York times, Fedor and M-1 Global make a lifetime match serving as the catalyst to grow MMA in the 21st century.

As the Super 32 Challenge has become the premier pre-season tournament in the country, we continue to work hard to find ways to improve our event. We are excited to announce the following changes to be implemented with this year’s tournament. More details to follow this summer!

• The opportunity for Early Registration in the High School Division will be extended to:
  • Previous Super 32 placers (any year, High School Division only)
  • State Championship Finalists from all Varsity High School Individual State Championships, 2009-10 season
  • Top 4 placers from Varsity High School Individual State Championships, 2009-10 season, in the following states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Indiana
• We will be holding Qualifying Tournaments (High School Division) in several states between late August and mid September. The top 4 placers will be given the opportunity for Early Registration
• Competition in the High School Division will be held over 2 days. Weigh-ins will still be Friday night. Competition will begin Saturday morning and run through the Round of 16. Quarterfinals will be on Sunday, and the period length on Sunday matches will be extended to 2-1.5-1.5.
• An additional 500 entries will be allowed in the High School Division
• Middle School competition will be held on Sunday only (weigh-ins Saturday evening)
• Belts will be given in the Middle School Division
• College out-of-bounds rule will be used

Boys
Alabama – 3
Alaska – 2
Arizona – 4
California – 1
Colorado – 4
Connecticut – 4
Delaware – 1
Florida – 3
Georgia – 5
Hawaii – 1
Idaho – 4
Illinois – 2
Indiana – 1
Iowa – 3
Kansas – 4
Kentucky – 1
Louisiana – 3
Maine – 3
Maryland – 2
Massachusetts – 3
Michigan – 4
Minnesota – 3
Missouri – 4
Montana – 3

Nebraska – 4
Nevada – 3
New Hampshire – 2
New Jersey – 1
New Mexico – 3
New York – 2
North Carolina – 3
North Dakota – 2
Ohio – 3
Oklahoma – 4
Oregon – 3
Pennsylvania – 2
Rhode Island – 1
South Carolina – 3
South Dakota – 2
Tennessee – 2
Texas – 1
Utah – 5
Vermont – 1
Virginia – 3
Washington – 5
West Virginia – 2
Wisconsin – 3
Wyoming – 3

Girls

Hawaii – 1
Texas – 1
Washington – 1

Reljic is expected to fight Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 122, according to a source close to the event who told MMAjunkie.com that verbal agreements are in place with bout agreements expected to be finalized shortly.

Although not officially announced by the promotion, UFC 122 takes place Nov. 13 at the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany.

But with a pair of high-profile bouts featuring four top contenders on
the horizon, what does WEC matchmaker Sean Shelby have planned for
Henderson next?

In our latest MMAjunkie.com/"Inside MMA" poll, we asked our readers to
put on their matchmaking hat and decide who should get the next shot at
"Smooth's" title.