You Mad? - A Recap of this Week’s Beefs, Twitter Beefs, Squabbles, Rants, Wars of Words and Other Assorted Drama in MMA

Welcome to another UFC fight week, everyone! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I've decided I hate football, not really because I hate it but more because it's making me miserable. My own dear team is now on a two-game losing streak after initially going 6-0, and I can't pick anything correctly in my NFL pool. Maybe I'll do better in my UFC 137 picks. Or, maybe you just want to bet against me and make some money. In any case, I'm happy to have MMA and MMA drama to distract me from my football woes. So, let's get to it!

Rashad Evans vs. Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida: Everyone knows how Rashad Evans and Jon Jones have this "thing" between them (fighting teammates, feelings hurt, not teammates anymore, thumb surgery, ducking, broken hand, ducking, ruined special nights x 2, etc.). They are currently at status quo in their little standoff because after Evans ruined Jones's special night after Jones's UFC 135 win over Quinton Jackson, everyone thought they would fight but then Rashad was still hurt and not going to be able to fight Jones at UFC 140. So, Lyoto Machida gets the title shot at Jones and Evans remains sidelined for the time being.

MMA Heat caught up with Evans while he was training to get his thoughts on this whole messy situation. His hand no longer is sporting the cast but he's still not going to be able to face Jones, which is sad for him. Rashad does give Jones props for his fighty skills and says (making the obvious concession) that's why he'd need more than three or four weeks to prepare for a fight against him:

"The kid is kinda dope. He's alright. He's alright. He's a pretty good fighter. I gotta say that."

When asked who he wants to fight between Machida and Jones and, therefore, which fighter he is pulling for, Evans responded:

"I want to fight them both and I want to fight them in the same night. Yes. Tournament-style."

He then goes on to say that seriously it doesn't really matter to him which one he fights because he's looking to compete against the best, which would obviously be the guy who wins.

Status: Rashad won't actually get to fight Machida and Jones at the same time. But, hopefully his hand gets well soon so he can get to training and fight one of them when the time comes.

More drama and Miscellaneous Trash Talk after the jump!

Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva: Chael Sonnen made a much anticipated appearance on Jim Rome's radio show on Tuesday. He talked about the usual Chael stuff that Chael talks about, as expected, and of course had Anderson Silva in his sights. There is audio and transcription here at MMA Nation and it's worth checking it out. Let's discuss a few highlights. First, when Chael was asked about calling out Silva at UFC 136, he said:

"I'm trying to pick a fight with this guy. This is the most confusing thing I've ever been part of in this sport. You've got an alleged champion letting me talk to him that way while he sits fifteen feet away ... with his head down. You've got a guy like me sticking his finger in his chest day after day, hour after hour, and he can't say a word. The one time he finally speaks up is to say 'I don't want the rematch. I don't want to fight you.' I don't understand how we can cll this guy champion.

Last check he's ducked every tough fight that's come his way. Last check I've been calling him out for six years. I've beat every champion of every company there's ever been. I've beaten more world champions than he's ever even been in the ring with. And they're calling him the king of the division?"

Chael was clearly disappointed in Silva's response to the call-out, and told Rome what he would have done had it been Anderson Silva calling him out:

"I'd have come over the guard rail. I'd have walked up those little steps. I'd have got in the Octagon, taken the microphone out of his hand, and shoved it straight down his throat."

And, remember the comment about patting Silva's wife on her booty and having her make him a steak (medium-rare)? Chael did not think that was too offensive:

"As far as the line, I don't care. People tell me it shouldn't be personal, well Jim it is personal. Okay. I'm picking a fight. If he has a problem with it, come do something about it. What does he do? He called Dana White and tattled on me. Can you believe that? He told Uncle Dana that I went too far. Well, maybe I did. Guess what? Let's get in the Octagon -- the people's forum -- and settle this. I will answer for everything I've ever done or said. Hit my music -- when it hits those speakers I'll make that walk. Anderson, you do the same, and we will figure this out in front of the world."

Chael was also asked his opinion on the possible "super fight" between Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre, and he's not really too hyped about it:

"Me fighting the air is a bigger fight than those two turkeys ... Apparently because I'm wildly popular ... A mop and a garbage can in the ring with me would be more interesting than those two."

Finally, for those of you who were hoping to get rid of Chael by his own "loser leaves town" offer to Anderson Silva, there is going to be some disappointed. After 9 days, that offer has expired:

"That offer was good when I made it, but it's like any offer, you know, they've got to expire. Apparently, that didn't work. I'm doing anything I can to lure him out, and yes, I would have absolutely done that. I'd have done a winner-takes-all, I'd have done any stipulation he wanted. All he needed to do was stand up and give me a thumbs up. He wanted to accept that offer, all he needed to do was nod to me, or have one of his handlers come into the back and says 'Anderson accepts.' He did the exact opposite. He went to the media and said 'I do not want to fight that guy.' So what can I do? Now I have to come up with a new offer."

Fair enough. I mean, even the grocery store sales only last for a week. You've got to get in there and stock up on Cocoa Roast Almonds while you can! Buy one, get one free can't last forever!

Anderson Silva's camp continues to state that Sonnen should not get another shot. Silva's manager, Ed Soares, discussed it again this week in an interview with Sherdog Radio. When asked is Chael should get the next title shot, Soares said:

"Anderson just feels that he doesn't deserve it yet. He doesn't deserve it yet. ... A lot of people are interested in the fight. It's a big fight. Anderson's not ducking him. Anderson, right now, is focused on recouping his shoulder, and basically he's going through physical therapy on that just to get that back 100 percent.

But you know what? Whoever Dana [White] puts in front of us, for the most part, we're always going to take the fight. [Anderson has] never dodged any fights. It's really not up to us to determine. ... I'm not saying that's who we want or who we don't want. People ask my opinion, and I see what Anderson's saying. He's fought him once. He had his opportunity, but hey, if Dana wants to put the fight on again, we'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Soares also took the opportunity to talk about what a great fight Michael Bisping would be for Anderson Silva:

"I'll be honest with you: I never even really thought of Bisping too much. Not that I didn't respect him as a fighter -- I do. It was just that it didn't cross my mind because there's so many things happening all the time. People talk about Chael and Brian Stann, and sometimes people are focused on the TUF show. But I think Bisping could be a good opportunity. GSP could be a good opportunity. There's a lot of great opportunities, and I do think the Chael fight could potentially sell. It could be a big seller. I think it could be a huge pay-per-view. So I see all angles of it, but I'm just expressing what Anderson has talked to me about. That's how he feels."

Interestingly, Anderson Silva seems to have his own independent thoughts on Soares speaking for him. He took to Twitter to make the following statement (translation by Fightline.com):

"Only I can talk about my fights, my plans and my career. I'm not on physical therapy and once I define my next fight with the UFC, I will let you know."

Status: I think they're just sucking us in on this to build the drama. Silva will fight Sonnen next. Now, let's get Keith Kizer on board. It can happen. Please let it happen.

Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon: After they each had victories against their respective opponents at UFC 136, Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis are probably sitting around playing video games and thinking about who will be their next respective opponents. It seems that Anthony Pettis has thought about it and decided would be a good guy for him to fight next. In an interview with Cage Fanatic (transcribed by Bloody Elbow), Pettis said:

"I don't know who my next opponent is, but I'm going for that title shot, that title shot run, so anybody who's a top five guy, I'm ready for them. Joe Lauzon beat Melvin Guillard, I think that would be a great fight for me."

Poor Joe is like a tasty birthday cake - everybody wants a piece of him. Lauzon was interviewed by the Boston Herald shortly after Pettis made his statements and he told them:

"I think it would be an exciting fight," Lauzon told the Herald today. "It doesn't matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I'll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I'll fight Pettis. It doesn't really matter to me that much. I'm up for whoever."

Lauzon also mused about why everyone is always picking on him:

"I must have (ticked) off someone," Lauzon said. "I'm not sure why people are calling me out, but I'm fine with it. I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don't think it's a bad thing. It's awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well."

Lauzon also posted a statement on YouTube where he said,

"Pettis wants to fight me. I will gladly fight him. The UFC would love to put the fight together. I think it will be an epic fight. I think it would be very entertaining. I have tons of respect for Pettis. He's super exciting, the kind of fighter I like to watch, the kind of fighter I like to fight. So, if he can wait until February, then I say we do it. I think it would be a super good fight and, you know, I think everyone would love it. I think he wants to fight a little bit sooner, though, so it might not work. But, I don't want to fight until February so if he will wait, then you guys will see that fight. It's all on him."

Status: I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. I am not opposed to this fight.

Miscellaneous Trash Talk:

Alistair Overeem (on Brock Lesnar):

"I'm very confident. It's going to be a knockout victory in the first round. He's not going to get out of the first round. It will not come to the second round. He's a strong guy, a very dangerous guy. But, I think I've got what it takes to stop him. And I got what it takes to stop him in the first round."

Frank Mir (on Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar):

"Honestly, I think Brock will win pretty easily."

Michael Bisping:

Eating in the cheesecake factory while cutting weight for a fight is torture and not the smartest place to be!

Forrest Griffin:

Big Nog has always been one of my favorite fighters the only thing left for him to do in his career is to have a surgery named after him.

Miguel Torres:

That awkward moment when you walk through the metal detectors at the airport, and your abs of steel set them off.

Jason Miller:

Just so everyone knows, they edited Michael to look like a nicer guy, if you can believe that.

To have so much relationship drama, this Adele chick is a bit young and heavyset.

Phil Baroni:

If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking, gambling, hookers & drugs, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer.

Chael Sonnen:

I'll be welcoming @jimrome to the Chael Sonnen show tomorrow at 11am.

Cody McKenzie:

sooooooo hung over damn u canada and your good times

Jason High:

Goddamn onions. Serious Q, whoever first thought, "hmmm, I should eat this." After cutting up an onion?

This dude @KingMoFH is disrespectful tho. I wish y'all coulda been in Seattle with us, he disrespected the fuck outta our bathroom often.

This is why the economy is in shambles. Once every few years the DMV sucks the life out of every single one of us.