Urijah Faber vs Frankie Edgar to headline UFC Fight Night Manila!

It's gonna be another thrilla in Manila as the UFC's first visit to the Philippines will feature a main event fight between two mixed martial arts superstars and former champions.

Here we go!

Former UFC world lightweight champion Frankie Edgar takes on former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber in a five-round featherweight main event which will air live on FOX Sports 1 from the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The event is set for May 16.

Frankie Edgar, who was the king of the lightweight division from 2010 to 2012, is now seeking gold at featherweight, where he has won three straight over Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn and Cub Swanson after a razor-thin decision loss to current champion Jose Aldo in February of 2013.

On the other hand, Faber, also known as the 'California Kid', ruled the featherweights in the WEC from 2006 to 2008. He went on to become an elite bantamweight since coming to the UFC in 2011. Winner of six of his last seven, Faber has never lost a non-title fight, an impressive record that could be tainted as he faces Edgar in the Philippines.

Five more match-ups have also been announced for the main card.
In the lightweight division, Tae Hyun Bang will be up against Jon Tuck while Zhang Lipeng takes on Kajan Johnson. At 125 pounds, Yao Zhikui squares off against Nolan Ticman and the Philippines' own Roldan Sangcha-an meets Jon Delos Reyes. In the welterweight division, Li Jingliang battles Roger Zapata.

Tickets will go on sale in March, launched in conjunction with SM Tickets at www.smtickets.com.
Stay tuned for more info and updates! :)

UFC Fight Night | Chael Sonnen for the win!

Talk like a gangster. Fight like a boss. Win like a champion.
That's exactly what Chael Sonnen did in UFC Fight Night 26, when he beat Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua with a first round submission.

In front of more than 12,000 fans in Boston's TD Garden, Sonnen proved that there's more to his trash-talking and unpredictable shticks. Using his impressive wrestling skills, he took Rua down early on in the round, and they pretty much stayed on the mat the entire time.

Rua, a former light heavyweight champion, managed to defend himself and got back on his feet. And just when you thought the odds have turned in favor of the Brazilian, the American Gangster got a standing guillotine, brought it down, and locked it tight. And at 4:47 of the first round, Rua (who happens to be a black belter in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), tapped out.

Photo credit: Jared Wickerham / Zuffa LLC

After the fight, Sonnen dedicated his win to his grandmother, to his friend Alaina, and to all cancer patients and survivors. Of course, no interview would be complete without his witty remarks, and this time he picked on another Brazilian. "Wanderlei Silva. 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, but until I met you, I didn't know they could stack crap that high," said Sonnen, quipping a line from Full Metal Jacket.

He was a bit 'tamer' however, in the post-fight press conference. When asked how he felt about snapping his two-fight losing streak, Sonnen answered, "It feels good because it's Shogun."

Check out the pink ribbon!
Originally posted on my Instagram. :)

He went on by saying, "The guy's a former world champion. He's going to be in the Hall of Fame. He's beaten [Chuck] Liddell. He's beaten Forrest Griffin. He's beaten [Lyoto] Machida. He's beaten all these guys. He's beaten guys I've known and looked up to, from the Kevin Randlemans and Mark Colemans of the world. So yeah, it feels good."

And boy, do I feel good.
And why not? I am perhaps the biggest Chael Sonnen fan in this country, if not the world. So yeah, my happiness is beyond the stars.

Congrats Chael Sonnen!
And to all the other winners in UFC Fight Night 26 - Travis Browne, Urijah Faber, Matt Brown - kudos to you, too! You've all made me a happy fangirl. :)