Nick Catone

Tap Selections: UFC 102

Here are our predictions (after the jump, winners in bold) for UFC 102.

The event will be headlined by a heavyweight bout between former UFC heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture and former PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Also on the card will be a light heavyweight attraction featuring Keith Jardine and Thiago Silva.

Feel free to leave your predictions as well in our comments section.

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Fight Announcements: Tibau-Stephens, Marshall-Ciesnolevicz & More

Quite a few recently reported fights, at least regarding the UFC, have popped up over the last day or so. Here they are:

- With Efrain Escudero out of action after sustaining a rib injury during a recent training session, Gleison Tibau has stepped in to face Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since Escudero will no longer be featured on the card, the bout has been bumped down to the preliminary portion and a lightweight bout between Tyson Griffin and Rafael dos Anjos has been moved to the main card. [UFC.com]

- A late addition to the UFC’s return to Canada next month is expected to be light heavyweight bout between Eliot Marshall and Mike Ciesnolevicz. Bout agreements will reportedly be signed shortly. It will be the second fight in three months for Ciesnolevicz, who submitting Neil Grove in his UFC debut at UFC 95 in February. The fight should be part of the event’s non-televised preliminary action. [MMA Weekly]

- International Fight League veteran Brad Blackburn will attempt to keep his five-fight undefeated streak alive when he faces UFC newcomer Edgar Garcia at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale on June 20. Other fights expected to take place at the event include lightweight battles between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida as well as Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz. [Five Ounces of Pain]

- Rising “Ultimate Fighter” alumnus Tim Credeur will reportedly return to action at April 1st’s UFC Fight Night 18 against Nick Catone, who has had trouble finding an opponent that will actually come out of a training camp healthy. It will supposedly be one of the eight preliminary bouts on the card. [MMA Weekly]

UFC Headed to Tampa for February “Fight Night”

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will reportedly be headed to Florida once again for another “UFC Fight Night” card, which is currently slated to take place on February 7 at the USF Sun Dome on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa Bay.

Various fighters and officials involved with the event have confirmed the UFC’s choice over the last few days. The organization is expected to formally announce the show at the end of this week with ticket sales likely beginning as soon as this coming weekend.

MMA on Tap has confirmed that the event will be headlined by a pair of co-main events: Former UFC lightweight title challenge Hermes Franca will try to win his second straight fight against “Ultimate Fighter” season six cast member Joe Lauzon and the winner of the aforementioned reality show, Mac Danzig, will face Josh Neer.

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Sadollah-Catone Removed From UFC 91 Card

The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that “Ultimate Fighter 7” winner Amir Sadollah has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout against newcomer Nick Catone at this weekend’s UFC 91 event due to a leg infection.

The UFC attempted, but was unable to secure a replacement opponent for Catone, meaning that the fight has been removed from the fight card completely. A welterweight contenders bout between Dustin Hazelett and Tamdan McCrory has been moved up to the televised pay-per-view portion of UFC 91.

Report: Sadollah Could Face Catone at UFC 91

Amir Sadollah, the middleweight winner of the seventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, could reportedly take on USKBA middleweight champion Nick Catone in a featured bout at UFC 91 in Las Vegas on November 15 according to Five Ounces of Pain.

Sam Caplan states that bout agreements have not yet been signed but the fight could be finalized as soon as next week, citing two independent sources. Sadollah announced that he will likely fight at the event to those in attendance at Combat Sports Challenge 26 last weekend.

Although he came into the “TUF 7” house with no professional experience, Sadollah blasted through two of his housemates before submitting highly touted prospect C.B. Dollaway once during an exhibition on the show and then again in his first pro bout at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale in June.

Catone remains undefeated thus far in his professional career, winning his first five bouts. He has also scored three straight first-round TKO wins, most recently beating Eric Tavares at Ring of Combat 20 in June.