MMA News

Cole Konrad is keeping his fingers crossed this week.

His opponent, Eric Prindle, has been a walking voodoo curse. "The American Soldier's" original heavyweight tournament final ended in a no contest, he had a fight delayed due to illness and then he ended up being gifted the heavyweight tournament final when Thiago Santos failed to make weight.

Konrad was so eager to get a fight after only competing once in 2011 that he accepted a title fight on two week's notice. Unfortunately, Prindle again was sidelined after hurting his hand in training.

Now, finally, "The Polar Bear" will get an opportunity to defend his Bellator heavyweight title for the first time this Friday night (May 25, 2012) as he'll battle Prindle in the main event of Bellator 70, the Bellator sixth season finale.

The former NCAA Division I wrestling champion spoke with me during a guest appearance on Bloody Elbow Radio where he talked about Prindle's bad luck, wanting to keep active as a fighter and even his heavyweight physique.

Check it out:

Matt Bishop: This has been an up and down situation for you with not knowing what the situation with the last tournament was going to be and then the fiasco that was the Prindle-Santos fight if you can even call it that. Finally, here you are just a few days out from defending your title. How are you feeling?

Cole Konrad: I'm feeling great, man. It's been too long since I've been in there and I'm just looking forward to that, getting in there and getting after it.

Matt Bishop: You fought so many times in 2010 and you only fought once last year and you're probably realistically only going to fight twice this year. You've mentioned it's been so long since you've been in there, so what you have been doing in your off time to stay sharp?

Cole Konrad: Obviously training. Some of the guys in my camp have had several fights between my last fight and this upcoming one so I've been doing through training camps with them and working on the skills I need to work on. To be honest, the hardest part is to stay motivated when there isn't an upcoming fight in sight but fortunately, the saga that was Prindle-Santos kind of kept me on my toes the whole time because I was expected to come and then it got pushed back and then I was expected again so I was constantly working towards something that was coming right around the corner. It actually worked in my favor to help me keep training hard but it's been a long time.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That time off and eagerness to come back, Is that part of the reason why you decided to take your title fight within two weeks of Prindle not ending up having to fight in the finals?

Cole Konrad: Absolutely. As rare as I'd been getting fights there, I didn't know when the next offer would come. They could have offered me a fight on two days' notice and I would have taken it. That's just how it was. I was training so it wasn't completely out of the blue but obviously, you'd like to have a full camp going into a fight but I took that fight on short notice because as rare as I was getting fights offered, I had to take it. I have to make a living too.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): With Brock Lesnar not training as part of Team Deathclutch, is Deathclutch still there in it's same capacity? What's the atmosphere like there? Are you more gravitated towards some other gyms in the area?

Well we do still have Deathclutch. I wouldn't say we still have the same core group of guys but we more train at Greg Nelson's gym in the cities here because a lot of us outside of Brock were located in the cities here so it just made sense to stay down here. We've brought most of Deathclutch Gym down here. The Deathclutch group is still here but we don't train up at Deathclutch as often. We do still go up for closed practices and all that but just not as often.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Eric Prindle used to train at Deathclutch. He would come up to work with Brock and you guys every so often. Did you get a chance to spar with him, roll around with him and get a feel for his game much?

Cole Konrad: Yes, absolutely. We were all training together for a pretty good stretch there. Yeah, he knows my game and I know his game so it'll be kind of an interesting thing. I think there's no secret as to how the fight's gonna go. I'm gonna go in for the takedown and he's gonna try to knock me out on the way in. If he knocks me out he wins and if I take him down, I'll probably win.

I think it'll be a faster paced and shorter fight than people are used to seeing out of me. I think part of it is confidence and the other part is we know each other and know how the fight's going to go for the most part. You never know exactly how the fight's gonna go obviously but we have a pretty good feel for each other, we know what each other is going to bring to the table and we're going to go for it from the get-go. I'll be very shocked if it goes beyond a round or two.

Matt Bishop: In all of your off-time, what have you been doing to keep your wrestling sharp?

Cole Konrad: Well I'm wrestling all the time. I help coach a high school team and I still work out at the university with their heavyweight and he's no slouch, just won the heavyweight title this year. I'm constantly working with those guys, pretty elite level guys so we're constantly staying sharp through that. Coaching alone, doesn't do much for you from the wrestling standpoint but I'm constantly thinking wrestling, working on wrestling technique and helping kids develop. If you think about it all the time, your wrestling doesn't get lackluster.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Prindle just seems cursed over the last 4-5 months. Something always seems to go wrong whether it was a no contest or an illness, or an opponent missing weight or an injury. Are you just going to like put yourself in a padded room during fight week?

Cole Konrad: (laughs) Yeah I'll probably wear a helmet on the plane, maybe my elbow pads and knee pads.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): And if you take him down, please don't stand back up and kick him in the balls.

Cole Konrad: (laughs) Hey, I feel sorry for the guy. I can't imagine what that felt like. It must have been pretty bad.

Matt Bishop: You've been mentioning wanting to get fights and assuming you win against Prindle, there's no heavyweight tournament going on right now, would you be okay taking another non-title superfight just to get in there later this year or would you rather wait until the next tournament was over?

Cole Konrad: I would fight every weekend if they let me. I don't care who it is or what it's for. I don't care if it's a superfight or not. I'd be content taking any fight I possibly could. So yes, I would.

Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): In your last fight against Paul Buentello, you surprised a lot of people by standing and trading with him for almost the whole fight, even rocking him at one point. Is there any temptation at all to want to stand and trade with Prindle or do you just realize that the ground is by far your easiest path to victory?

Cole Konrad: Well, the ground is my easiest path to victory but the other thing with Buentello is I had nothing to lose with Buentello. There was no title on the line, nothing special about it other than I was fighting a guy who was known for his stand-up so I figured it would be a good opportunity to work on my stand-up to see where I'm at. This is a title fight. I'm completely in the business of winning so I'm not going to jeopardize my title for some silly little reason just to pad my ego in the stand-up.

I'm gonna come out there and do what I've got to do to win as quickly as I can do it. I'm not looking to stand and exchange with him for long periods of time. Why play into his hand? Why give him an advantage in an area? I'm gonna try to impose my will as much as I can and make him uncomfortable working my game. The playing around when you're fighting other guys and it doesn't matter, that's fine to work on your skills, but when the title's on the line, things like that, you've got to get in and get out and get the job done. The Buentello fight was more for fun to work on my stand-up

Matt Bishop: Question here from our listeners: Is there a respectable way to ask about Cole's diet during training? Much like Roy Nelson, I'm amazed that someone that goes through MMA cross training and keep their size and I have to assume it's gotta be almost a workout to eat that many calories in a day. Can you talk about that?

Cole Konrad: (laughs) Well I start with a case of Dunkin' Donuts. This is key, followed by a gallon of chocolate milk....no man. I've always been fat. That's part of it. It's not cool. I wouldn't be fat if I had my way I guess but I've always trained at a high level and worked hard and followed pretty strict diets. Obviously, it's my definite weakness and I don't have a great answer to the question other than that I must really "F" up in some area.

For the most part, I eat fairly decent. I don't drink soda. I don't really have sweets or anything like that. It's pretty much just chicken and rice or things like that. Probably too big of portions or I eat too late at night or something, I don't know but diet is definitely my weak spot. There's no denying that. It's not something I'm proud about but at the same time, I'm performing and I'm not gonna fret for it for no reason.

Matt Bishop: When you envision this fight in your head, what do you see and how do you see this fight going down?

Cole Konrad: I see an early takedown and an early submission in my mind. I think he throws a haymaker over the back of my head as I'm shooting in. I think I'm gonna shoot, he's gonna go for the knockout and I hope I'm fast enough that he misses (laughs). I'm hoping to go straight through his punch, get the takedown and end it. That's how I've envisioned it over and over again in my head. We'll see how it goes down.

You can follow Cole Konrad on Twitter @ColeKonradMMA.

So what do you think, Maniacs?

Will Konrad do his thing on Friday night against Prindle? Could another bad-luck scenario play out to cancel the fight? Is the situation ripe for an upset?

Sound off!

The long and drawn out drama between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender Nick Diaz and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) finally came to an end today (May 21, 2012).

At the hearing, the NSAC suspended the Stockton slugger for a period of 12 months and docked him 30 percent ($60,000) of the purse he earned for his fight with Carlos Condit at UFC 143, which was the event that Diaz failed a post-fight drug test for marijuana metabolites.

That means that should Diaz decide to end his mixed martial arts (MMA) retirement plans he made after his loss to "The Natural Born Killer" in Feb. 2012, he still won't be able to return to action until Feb. 2013.

During the hearing, which lasted for several hours, it became quickly became clear that Diaz and his defense team were facing an uphill battle. And Diaz's trainer, Cesar Gracie, would have something to say about the process and intense line of questioning.

And say something he did.

Check out what the famed trainer had to say via his official Twitter account, which was pointed directly at the world's leading MMA promotion:

@ufc Get drunk and wreck cars or do steroids between fights is OK. Smoke weed legally between fights and NSAC throws the book at you

In case you didn't quite grasp the veiled jab, it seems that Gracie is taking a shot at UFC Light Heavyweight champion and company poster boy Jon Jones' weekend drunken mishap, which led to the arrest of the 24-year-old champion and the destruction of his $190,000 Bentley.

The "steroid between fights" comment, I leave it to you to ponder a guess as to who he is aiming that toward, though I have guess or two of my own.

First the whole no-show for his "super fight" grappling match with Braulio Estima and now a year-long suspension from MMA, it truly hasn't been a good couple of weeks for Diaz. It will interesting to see if he decides to return to MMA once his suspension is up or if he decides to take a stab at the boxing world, something he has often said he would entertain.

Time will tell ... nine months to be exact.

Two of the most physically imposing men in the UFC will meet this Saturday night (May 26, 2012) as 6'11 Dutch fighter Stephan Struve takes on "Big" Lavar Johnson in the opening bout of the UFC 146 main card in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stefan Struve is still one of the youngest and most exciting heavyweights in the UFC. He's had 10 bouts in the promotion now despite just being 24 years old and is coming off two straight finishes. He's come up short whenever the thought of him as a potential contender begins to grow, but he's hoping to get past that against Johnson.

Lavar Johnson has been a terrific story for the UFC. After dropping his last two Strikeforce bouts, he's won his first two UFC fights via first round knockout, most notably putting away Pat Barry on the main card of UFC on FOX 3 earlier this month. He's stepping up on very short notice and is hoping to create some incredible momentum against Struve.

Will Struve be able to bring Johnson back down to size? Can "Big" Johnson possible topple "The Skyscraper" with his powerful fists? What's the key to victory for both men on Saturday night?

Let's find out:

Record: 23-5 overall, 7-3 in the UFC

Key Wins: Dave Herman (UFC on Fuel TV), Pat Barry (UFC on Versus 6), Sean McCorkle (UFC 124)

Key Losses: Junior dos Santos (UFC 95), Travis Browne (UFC 130), Roy Nelson (UFC Fight Night 21)

How he got here: Stefan Struve cut his teeth on the local European circuit, testing himself against many of the toughest guys in circulation at the time. Due to his ridiculous height, he had to develop a strong ground game as his opponents were rather easily able to put him on his back.

He made his UFC debut in early 2009, but was completely unprepared for the wrecking machine that was Junior dos Santos, losing via first round technical knockout.

Since the loss in his promotional debut, Struve has gone 6-2 in the promotion. The young Dutchman has steadily progressed and added some bulk to his frame. He's still still relatively wet behind the ears, but has tons of time to develop his craft as long as he can protect his chin.

Of Struve's 21 career victories, only one has been a decision. His two fights against Christian Morecraft and Sean McCorkle both underscored what he's all about as a mixed martial artist: Absorbing punishment or being in bad positions and then roaring back in crowd-pleasing fashion. Of course this backfired against Travis Browne at UFC 130 when "The Skyscraper" got toppled after an ill-advised flying knee attempt directly into the big right hand of his opponent.

He bounced back in his last fight against Pat Barry, locking in a triangle choke and surviving a huge powerbomb attempt before forcing the tap and winning "Submission of the Night" honors. He followed up that performance by flustering Dave Herman with his range and then finishing him via ground and pound on the canvas.

He was originally slated to face Mark Hunt at this event, but an injury opened the door for Lavar Johnson.

How he gets it done: Struve has slowly showcased an improved use of his lengthy 84 inch reach (the second longest in the UFC) throughout his MMA career. While he's improved his tendencies to allow brawlers to get inside and crack him on the jaw, he needs to avoid standing and trading with Lavar Johnson at all costs.

Johnson simply hits too hard and is too weak on the ground for this to even be up for debate.

Struve doesn't have the build to shoot for the traditional takedowns, but he capable of scoring trip takedowns if he can close the distance and enter the clinch. He's going to have to be mindful of Johnson's power while getting inside, but if he can do it without eating a huge shot, then he'll be fine.

If "The Skyscraper" can drag Johnson to the canvas, this fight will be all but over. Johnson has perhaps the worst ground game of any UFC heavyweight. Struve will need to either pass to mount and try to ground and pound his way to victory or go for a submission, whichever is easier.

Lavar Johnson

Record: 17-5 overall, 2-0 in the UFC

Key Wins: Pat Barry (UFC on FOX 3), Joey Beltran (UFC on FOX 2), Virgil Zwicker (Strikeforce Challengers 11)

Key Losses: Shawn Jordan (Strikeforce Challenges 20), Shane del Rosario (Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva)

How he got here: A big, powerful athlete, Lavar Johnson was a former standout football player, getting into MMA at 26 years old. Despite an early setback in his debut against Doug Marshall, "Big" Johnson would bounce back in a huge way, winning his next eight fights, all by stoppage and all but one being ended in the first round.

After an injury suffered mid-fight took away over two years of his career, Johnson finally returned, blasting five straight opponents with five first round knockouts. He would be sidelined in 2009 after getting shot in the abdomen at a family reunion, but surprisingly returned to action just nine months later, scoring a second round knockout against Lolohea Mahe.

Johnson crushed Virgil Zwicker in just over two minutes, but he would have issues dealing with the wrestling and submission games of his next two opponents, who both took advantage of his lack of ground game by scoring submissions against him.

Despite a two fight losing streak, Johnson made his UFC debut this past January where he did the impossible, stopping Joey Beltran via strikes for the first time in "The Mexicutioner's" career and sending him down to 205 pounds. With that victory, he earned a shot on the big stage against Pat Barry and he delivered, knocking out "HD" in the first round.

He was uninjured so he stepped up again on short notice to face Struve this weekend, just three weeks after his last fight.

How he gets it done: Johnson doesn't have the best technique, but he is one of the most powerful men in the entire division! He's never gone to a decision in his career and that's for good reason. All it takes is a one big shot and no one can stand in his way, not even the infamous iron chin of Joey Beltran.

The key for Johnson is to stay in the pocket, don't let Struve get to close on the inside to work for a takedown and keep trying to plaster the Dutchman on the chin with his fists. Struve does not have the greatest chin and when he gets hit hard, he drops into a heap and that's a long fall.

The uglier and less technical that Johnson can make this fight, the better odds he has of winning it. If he can force Struve to ignore his strengths on the ground and try to turn this fight into a slugfest, there's almost no chance he can lose.

Johnson has to ignore the ground at all costs, or he's a goner

Fight X-Factor: I hate to use this X-Factor, but this may be the most obvious fight X-Factor in MMA history. Lavar Johnson wants this fight to go to its feet. He does not want it to go to the ground. If the fight goes to the canvas, Johnson will be submitted or TKO'd very quickly in my opinion.

Struve has a better chance of standing with Johnson that Johnson has of going to the ground with Struve, but Struve shouldn't mess around. If he eats a heavy shot from "Big" then he's going to be in serious trouble. Johnson almost got submitted by Pat Barry, that should be enough of a testament to his ground game.

Bottom Line: Someone is going down in this fight. Struve has one decision in his MMA career while Johnson has never gone to decision. Both men have a "finish or be finished" mentality. Not only is this fight not going to the scorecards, it's probably not going to the second round. Someone is going to get put away in a hurry whether it's from a Johnson fist or from a Struve TKO or submission. Expect something wild.

Who will come out on top at UFC 146? Tell us your predictions in the comments below!

Strikeforce fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Barnett vs. Cormier" event this past Saturday night (May 19, 2012), which aired on the Showtime network from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., were released earlier today by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

Leading the fiscal charge was mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Josh Barnett, who cleaned nearly a quarter-milliion greenbacks ($200,000) for advancing to the finals of the promotion's heavyweight grand prix. However, the "War Master" didn't get the full job done, losing to tournament replacement Daniel Cormier -- who earned just half of Barnett's salary ($100,00) -- via clear-cut unanimous decision.

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez wasn't far behind, taking home a second-best $175,00 for earning a split decision nod over Josh Thomson ($90,000) after 25 minutes of action in their defining trilogy match.

That's not all.

Check out the complete list of Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" salaries and payouts after the jump:

Daniel Cormier -- $100,000 ($50,000 to show, $50,000 to win)
Josh Barnett -- $200,000
Cormier defeated Barnett via unanimous decision

Gilbert Melendez -- $175,000
Josh Thomson -- $90,000
Melendez defeated Thomson via split decision

Rafael Cavalcante -- $66,000 ($33,000 to show, $33,000 to win)
Mike Kyle -- $25,000
Cavalcante defeated Kyle via submission (guillotine) in round one

Lenny Christopher Spang -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Nah-Shon Burrell -- $7,000
Spang defeated Burrell via knockout in round one

Isaac Vallie-Flagg -- $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)
Gesias Cavalcante -- $18,000
Vallie-Flagg defeated Cavalcante via split decision

Carlos Inocente -- $4,000 ($2,000 to show, $2,000 to win)
Virgil Zwicker -- $3,000
Inocente defeated Zwicker via unanimous decision

Gian Villante -- $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Derrick Mehman -- $3,000
Villante defeated Mehmen via unanimous decision

Quinn Mulhern -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Yuri Villefort -- $2,500
Mulhern defeated Villefort via split decision

Bobby Green -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
James Terry -- $9,000
Green defeated Terry via split decision

The total disclosed payroll for Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" was $768,500. The reported gross gate for the event was $226,005. Final ticket sales figures are still pending.

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For complete Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

It appears that "The American Psycho" wants to go out with a bang

Currently riding a three fight win streak, Bonnar was a guest on this past Thursday's MMA Uncensored Live on Spike TV where the 14 fight UFC veteran spoke with the show's hosts about his plans for the future.

"Well I'm on a crusade to be coaches [for TUF 16]. It only makes sense that something comes full circle and hey, if [me and Forrest Griffin] are coaches, I guarantee the fight will outdo the first one and on top of that, Forrest is a very funny guy, but I'll out-funny him. So please everybody, harass Dana White. Dana listen to the fans, let's make this happen. Don't leave him alone."

Perhaps he's hoping for a better result than Mark Hunt's recent twitter campaign to earn a title shot against Junior dos Santos.

If that doesn't work out, Bonnar does have a back-up plan.

Host Craig Carton asked Bonnar what he would do if Bonnar's campaign failed, and the veteran light heavyweight was candid in response.

"I'm no dummy. I've got a couple more fights in me. I'm insecure. I want to outdo that first fight with Forrest. I think I earned it. I'm on a nice roll. Give me some of them big names. Let me go out in a blaze of glory. That's all I want to do."

Bonnar has not fought since a November 2011 victory over Kyle Kingsbury at UFC 139, where he utilized his superior wrestling to grind out a decision in a rather non-crowd-pleasing affair.

Would you be supportive of Bonnar as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter? What fight would you give him if you were Joe Silva right now?

After a hearing that dragged on for what felt like hours and hours, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) brought the hammer down earlier today (Mon., May 21, 2012) on Nick Diaz for his failed drug test for marijuana metabolites at UFC 143 back on Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas.

And they didn't hold back one bit.

That's because Diaz was suspended for 12 months retroactive to the date of his fight against Carlos Condit, which means he'll be out of action until at least February 2013. On top of that, he was fined 30-percent of his entire fight purse.

If that seems harsh, well, that's because it is. Remember, Alistair Overeem was suspended for nine months after he tested with a T/E ratio of 14:1 and reportedly attempted to duck out on tests.

Then again, this was Diaz's second drug test failure for marijuana in the state of Nevada, the first coming all the way back in 2007 after his thrilling submission victory over Takanori Gomi. He was suspended six months and fined 20-percent of his purse for that first offense.

To read more on Diaz's hearing in front of the NSAC today, including all the relevant notes and quotes, click here.

Think you know Frank Mir?

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir will try to get his belt back in the main event of the UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast, scheduled for May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

But he has to get through Junior dos Santos to do it.

FUEL TV and host Jon Anik caught up with the longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran for its weekly "Ultimate Insider" special, where Mir breaks down everything from his family, his career and of course, banging it out against "Cigano."

In short, they get up close and personal.

You can too, by checking out all the relevant UFC 146 news, information and links in out comprehensive "Dos Santos vs. Mir" fight archive by clicking here. To check out the rest of the UFC 146 fight card and line up click here.

Turns out this town is big enough for the both of them after all.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight number one contender Chael Sonnen, who is scheduled to challenge Anderson Silva for the 185-pound title (again) at the upcoming UFC 148: "Silva vs. Sonnen II" pay-per-view (PPV) event on July 7, 2012 in Las Vegas, was granted a conditional Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) earlier today by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).

But he will be subjected to a battery of blood tests before and after the Fourth of July weekend fight card to monitor his intramuscular injections, which he applies himself, twice a week. He will also be limited in how close to fight night he can administer his last injection prior to competing.

Sonnen, who reportedly suffers from hypogonadism (his nads are sperm challenged), was bagged and tagged by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) back in August 2010 for improperly disclosing his Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) prior to his first "Spider" fight in Oakland.

This time, apparently, his papers were (mostly) in order.

Sonnen was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) last year for fabricating testimony in a previous hearing while accounting for his failed drug test at UFC 117 -- not to mention his felony conviction in Oregon for money laundering.

Part of his defense strategy was dropping NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer's name in reference to conversations they (never) had about policy and procedure as it related to his TRT.

Sonnen said today it was merely "bad information" from his ex-manager, but has since properly disclosed his TRT use (which began back in 2008) to athletic commissions prior to competing in the states of Illinois at UFC on FOX 2 and Texas at UFC 136. The NSAC has requested a copy of those disclosures as part of his conditional TUE.

He further stated, under oath, that he's never taken anabolic steroids.

Phase one of operation "Silva vs. Sonnen II" is now complete.

For more on his upcoming title fight against Anderson Silva at UFC 148 click here. To read more from his hearing today in front of the NSAC check out our live blog and real-time updates here.

Sorry, "Bones," but fame doesn't adhere to the unified rules of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is finding out the hard way, following his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) back on May 19, 2012 in Binghamton, NY, what happens when you make a mistake under the scrutiny of the public microscope.

Especially when that mistake can have potentially life-threatening consequences.

Jones, who admits he "screwed up" and "gave leeway" to the haters, took to his official Facebook page earlier today (May 21) to apologize for "embarrassing" and "letting down" the people who have supported him before, during and after his recent run-in with the law.

Those comments (transcribed by Middle Easy) after the jump.

"Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.

Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.

I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)"

While Jones had his fair share of haters prior to last weekend's arrest, part of the overwhelming backlash stems from his recent UFC sponsorship, where he told media members his new sponsorship deal was attributed to his squeaky-clean image, because he's not the type of person to get popped for driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Whoops.

In any event, Jones will have to work his way back into the good graces of the UFC brass and passionate fan base, which he can do starting with the build to his fight against Dan Henderson at the UFC 151 pay-per-view event on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Well, the champ said he's sorry. Do you accept his apology?

More on his DUI arrest right here.

Guess which Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star is getting his own signature gym?

Turns out longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran and UFC champion across two different weight classes, B.J. Penn, is getting a 37,000 square foot UFC gym with his name on it located in the Kaka’ako community of Honolulu, Hawaii.

As "The Prodigy" explains in a recent press release, it's "the future of fitness."

"I’ve always dreamed of putting my name on a gym in my homeland of Hawaii and I’m so grateful that I finally have the opportunity to do so with my partners at UFC GYM," said Penn, a native of Hilo. "My new signature gym is not a traditional health club or just a fight club, but it offers all the tools you and your family needs to get results. UFC GYM BJ Penn is truly the future of fitness!"

The B.J. Penn Gym motto is "train different."

Penn, who recently turned down a comeback fight against Josh Koscheck, is currently enjoying a self-imposed retirement, but can at least keep himself in fighting shape with his own signature gym nearby.

Alright fight fans, the (gym) floor is yours.