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News: Anderson is a -225 favourite and Weidman is +185 underdog. Those odds are actually very good for Weidman as he's considered a strong contender for the title (the other would be a rematch with Vitor Belfort and the dark horse in the middleweight division Gegard Mousasi).



Also on the card, Frankie Edgar vs. Charles Oliveira



Brief history of MMA.



In 1993 a family that specialised in their own version of Jiu-Jitsu, arranged a no holds barred fighting event in Denver, Colorado. The first Ultimate Fighting Championship event, also known as UFC.

The entire event was basically an informercial about how effective Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (better known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ forshort)) against other forms of martial arts.

The event was a success as Royce defeated a boxer, a submission wrestler and a kickboxer, by taking them down and choking them out.



The UFC started to take off. A short time later in Japan another organisation took off, named Pride Fighting

Championship. The Japanese could afford to pay a much higher pay grade than the UFC and soon many of the top fighters around the world fought under the Pride banner.

It didn't last forever though, after it was discovered that Pride had Yakuza connections, they lost their television deal.



Today the UFC is now the biggest organisation in MMA, with smaller companies such as Bellator, Dream, Deep, World Series of Fighting, One FC and Shooto competing against them.



Rules.



MMA in the united states operates under the unified rules. That means, a non mainevent/title fight is 3x5 minute rounds and a mainevent/title fight is 5x5 minute rounds. No shoes, only shorts, no knees to a grounded opponents head, no stomps/soccer kicks to a grounded opponents head, no fishhooking, no eyegouging, no small joint manipulation, no groin strikes, no pulling of the hair/shorts/gloves of the opponents and no grabbing of the cage. Fights are won by knockout, submission or technical knockout. Outside the united states, the rules differ. ONE FC for example, has adopted full Pride rules, which means knees, stomps and kicks to the head on a grounded opponent is allowed.



The current best of the best fighters.



Anderson Silva, the current long reigning UFC middleweight champion. This guy is almost like a black Bruce Lee, his speed and reactions are incredible, and despite looking skinny his striking is lethal. Very rarely does any of his fights go to a decision. Considered to be one of the greatest of all time in MMA.



Georges St-Pierre, the current reigning UFC welterweight champion. A high degree black belt in Karate, as well as a black belt in BJJ and very effective wrestling. Though his fights lately has gone to decisions, none of them was fights were he looked out of his depths. A master in controlling his opponent and make them fight his fight.



Jon Jones, the current reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. Despite his youth, he has already defeated legends and holds victories over former champions. Very strong wrestler and known for his unusual long reach.



Current UFC champions.



Cain Velasquez, heavyweight

Jon Jones, light heavyweight

Anderson Silva, middleweight

Georges St-Pierre, welterweight

Benson Henderson, lightweight

Jose Aldo, featherweight

Dominick Cruz, bantamweight

Demetrious Johnson, flyweight

Ronda Rousey, womens bantamweight.







Notable fighters outside of the UFC



Michael Chandler (Bellator)



Paul Daley



Eric Alvarez



Quinton Jackson (Bellator)



Muhammad Lawal (Bellator)



Alexander Shlemenko (Bellator)



Bibano Fernandes (One FC)



Mamed Khalidov (KSW)



Pat Curran (Bellator)





Retired and active legends of MMA.



Kazushi Sakuraba (r)

Mark Coleman (r)

Dan Severn (r)

Royce Gracie (r)

Rickson Gracie (r)

Ken Shamrock (r)

Frank Shamrock (r)

Fedor Emelianenko (r)

Matt Hughes (r)

Randy Couture (r)

Chuck Liddell (r)

Bas Rutten (r)

Masakatsu Funaki (r)

Don Frye (r)

Tito Ortiz (r)

Igor Vovchanchyn (r)

B.J. Penn (a)

Wanderlei Silva (a)

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (a)

Mauricio Rua (a)

Vitor Belfort (a)

Takanori Gomi (a)

Frank Mir (a)

Quinton Jackson (a)

Josh Barnett (a)



Finally, Wanderlei Silva in his glory days in Pride FC.