During a recent trip to Las Vegas for the live finale for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, FiveOuncesOfPain.com began to produce video for the first time. Earlier this week we presented interviews with Ryan Bader and Anthony Johnson and our newest interview is with Phil Baroni.

While interviewing Baroni, we asked him about where his career could be headed next, whether a rematch with Frank Shamrock is possible in 2009, what it was like fighting for EliteXC, and more.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com was afforded the opportunity to speak with UFC welterweight prospect Anthony Johnson soon after his knockout victory over Kevin Burns during the live finale for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

The stunning high kick delivered to Burns not only improved Johnson's record to 6-2, but it earned him a $25,000 bonus for "Knockout of the Night."

You can watch the interview below to get Johnson's thoughts on working with Cung Le; his feelings towards Burns and the infamous eye poke; how his conversation with referee Steve Mazzagatti went that ensued the week after the original eye poke incident; Johnson's goals for 2009; and more.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com is proud to announce that the site is expanding into video content. Below is our very first interview with Ryan Bader, conducted soon after his first round TKO victory over Vinicius Magalhaes during the light heavyweight final of The Ultimate Fighter.

During the course of the interview, Bader discusses his feelings about entering the fight an underdog and the punch delivered to Magalhaes that effectively ended the fight.

The long-awaited fourth episode of Inside the Cage Radio is now available for your listening pleasure!

This week hosts Sam Caplan (FiveOuncesOfPain.com) and Matt Cava (UFCTakedown.com) welcomed both Dann Stupp of UFCjunkie.com and Luke Thomas of BloodyElbow.com into the cage as guests.

You can hear the show by click or copying and pasting the below URL:

http://ufctakedown.com/MMA_audio/Inside_the_Cage_Radio_9.1.07.mp3

Dann joined the crew to help break down UFC 74. He was in Vegas for the event and brought his insider's perspective to the show. The crew discussed whether Randy Couture is truly unbeatable; who and what is next for Randy; more fallout from the Renato "Babalu" Sobral fiasco; whether Josh Koscheck was ever truly ready for GSP; and much more.

In addition to reviewing UFC 74, the show also previewed UFC 75. Sam and Matt were once again joined by Luke Thomas, who brought his vast technical knowledge to the fold. The three broke down Dan Henderson vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo, Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill, and Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara. Be sure to tune in as they talk about upset possibilities; whether Cro Cop and Bisping are overrated; whether Hamill belongs in the UFC; how Henderson should approach fighting a bigger opponent in Jackson; and lots more.

Give the show a listen... in the first few minutes you'll hear Sam's strategy for hitting on Rachelle Leah and a little later, Matt's rant on the Sobral choke incident.

Inside the Cage Radio is growing strong! Over 5,000 hardcore MMA fans have already tuned in - this is only our 4th episode and we're seeing our audience grow exponentially each week. Thanks so much for your support!

The UFC conducted a conference call for the media today to help promote UFC 74 next Saturday in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White, Randy Couture, Gabriel Gonzaga, Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck all participated in the call.

Here's a recap of some of the more newsworthy items that were discussed:

• Georges St. Pierre came off very well during the initial portion of the call. He said all the right things by giving Matt Serra his just due (just like he did immediately after UFC 69) and saying that we wouldn't be seeing the old GSP vs. Koscheck next Saturday, but a brand new one. He even revealed that he's been seeing a sports psychologist and that one thing he's learned is that the best fighter doesn't win a fight, the fighter who fights the best fight wins. I've been very critical of GSP in recent weeks but I have to give him a lot of credit for going to a sports psychologist. It shows he takes winning seriously and wants to fight to his full athletic potential. My only complaint is that towards the latter portion of the call the excuses (mental preparation, physical issues, and illnesses in his family) came out again. In defense of GSP, he was being asked followup questions and he was probably just trying to provide some detail. But he was a true sportsman at the start of the call and sounds determined. While I'm sticking to my prediction that Koscheck will beat him, I am preparing for a lot of "I told you so" e-mails and messages.
  

• Dana stated on the record that Brandon Vera has a new deal with the UFC. During a followup question he was asked about a possible first opponent and he said it would "probably" be Tim Sylvia. Nothing is official though and Sylvia has to deal with staph infection in addition to his recovery from back surgery. Stay tuned.

• White said that the UFC and Vera never had contract issues and that it was Vera and his old management that had the contract issues. He took a shot at EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw for making comments about Vera last year when there were reports that terms between UFC and Vera were icy.
  

• When asked about Andrei Arlovski's status, Dana said "The Pitbull" would be fighting soon and that he didn't know exactly when or against whom because there are so many matches that are being worked on right now. My thoughts are that if Vera is fighting Sylvia then why not Nogueira vs. Arlovski?

• What would a UFC conference call be without some talk about the HBO deal? Someone jokingly referenced Dana's comments in the past that a deal with HBO would have been done in time to show a summer event. Dana laughed it off and said something to the effect of, "Well, now it will be signed in time for a winter event." He still believes it will get done and even so far as went to guarantee it will get done before the year is out. When Dana was asked about why it's taking so long he said that he's probably the reason it's taking so long. A question about what kind of events would be telecast on HBO was brought up. Dana backed off from previous stories that the UK broadcasts would be televised by HBO. While Dana said cards from Europe could possibly be televised on HBO, shows from the States will be telecast as well. He said the HBO cards will pretty much be just like the PPVs.
  

• Dana said he screwed up by having UFC 70 televised live. He said that UFC fans are used to watching UFC events on Saturday nights and showing the card in the afternoon wasn't the way to go. As such, don't expect the cards from Europe to be televised live.
  

• In regard to Wanderlei Silva, Dana would not confirm that he has signed with the UFC. He did say that he wants to sign Silva but it's not a done deal and that he doesn't want to talk about deals that aren't done yet.
  

• Fedor was brought up but there wasn't any new news. Dana once again said that if Fedor was signed he would be able to compete for the UFC heavyweight title right away.

• Dana was asked about if he had any big announcements for the call or for UFC 74 planned. He said there are no big announcements planned unless something crazy happens.
  

• The dead horse that is known as the steroid issue was brought up (and I'm not blaming anyone for asking about it) and Dana got very animated repeating a lot of the same comments that appeared in Steve Sievert's recent Houston Chronicle blog. Dana really believes that government testing is pretty stringent and that if the government tested NFL players on gameday the same way fighters are rested before a fight that there would be no more football. He said the existing penalties are harsh and that fighters who use steroids when they already know that there will be consequences are "morons."

• Randy was asked about why he's been able to stay successful when other legends like Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock are no longer as efficient as they once were. Randy was uncomfortable with the comparisons but did say that one big difference is that he's remained active and hasn't subjected himself to prolonged periods where he was away from fighting.

• Koscheck was complementary towards St. Pierre but also confident. He didn't really want to get too much into strategy so we'll have to wait and see what he has planned for UFC 74. He was asked if he believes he can put GSP on his back and Koscheck basically said yes.
  

• It sounds like no decisions about the lightweight title will be made until after Sean Sherk has his hearing before the California State Athletic Commission in October. 

• Dana did not rip the IFL. That's big news. But I guess he didn't rip them only because he was never asked. 

The nightmare is over; Brandon Vera is returning to the UFC and everything is right with the MMA world once again. Well, maybe not completely right until Fedor signs with a major fight promotion and we finally get to see Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, but Vera's return to the active fighting scene is a great thing nonetheless.

In case you missed it, the UFC officially announced yesterday that Vera could be fighting again as soon as October. The announcement did not contain any definitive information about what date Vera will be fighting on and who it will be against.

With no mention of an opponent, the wheels began spinning in my head with thoughts of who I'd like Vera to fight in his first match back and also who I think is the most logical opponent for him based on logistics.

I wanted to share my comments with everyone but I want to first state that the analysis listed below is PURE CONJECTURE and is based on no factual evidence or inside information. I'm simply trying to have some fun by speculation so please don't claim FiveOuncesOfPain.com is reporting anything.

Now that we have that out of the way, let me break down the list of potential candidates for Vera to possibly fight:

    
• Tim Sylvia - A match between Sylvia and Vera at UFC 77 has been rumored by several sites the past few weeks.  I think a match with Sylvia makes a lot of sense because it presents a great storyline considering the two were in line to face each other at UFC 68 this past March. We all know what happened and Randy Couture is now the UFC heavyweight champ and Vera and Sylvia aren't. If Vera comes out and drops the hammer on Big Tim, then you have the whole plot line that "The Truth" would be the heavyweight champ right now if it weren't for problems with his manager. Stylistically, I'm lukewarm on the match but from a marketing perspective Sylvia is the best opponent for Vera. However, chances are we won't see it as Vera's first fight back because Sylvia is recovering from back surgery and a staph infection. I don't see how he could be ready in time to fight in October.

    
• The winner of the Mirko Cro Cop vs. Cheick Kongo match at UFC 75 - Normally I would just bypass any mention of Kongo and just reference Cro Cop but after his loss to Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70, I'm not taking anything for granted. Cro Cop vs. Vera would be a strong co-main event on any UFC card and a match between the two before year's end is not out of the realm of possibilities. However, I don't see it happening as Vera's first fight. UFC 75 isn't until September 8 and UFC 77 is in October. Cro Cop has made quick turnarounds before while in Pride but I just don't see him coming back so soon to fight an opponent the caliber of Vera. If Cro Cop defeats Kongo and Vera wins his first match back then perhaps we'd get to see the two face each other on the UFC's card scheduled for December 29 with the winner becoming the number one contender for the heavyweight title?

    
• Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell - We can't overlook the possibility of Vera dropping down to light heavyweight. While the UFC's press release talked about Vera returning to the scene as a heavyweight and made no mention of a possible move to light heavyweight we have to take into consideration that the UFC's heavyweight division is not only better but bigger than it was when Vera last fought this past November. I think we'll see Vera drop down in weight at some point but I just don't see it happening anytime soon. While Ortiz has not officially signed to fight Rashad Evans, it's expected to happen meaning that all the top light heavyweights in the UFC are booked. That is, unless Wanderlei Silva has officially signed. Hmmm... Nah.

    
• Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - I'd love to see it and Nogueira currently is not scheduled for another fight so Big 'Nog vs. Vera has a legitimate chance of happening in October. From a future planning perspective, I'm not so sure it makes sense. Both fighters haven't reached their full marketing potential and a loss by either fighter would be a major setback. A match with a lose/win proposition is really a lose/lose for the UFC when there are win/win possibilities out there. Doesn't that make perfect sense?

    
• Winner or loser of Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Randy Couture match at UFC 74 - Stylistically a matchup between either Gonzaga or Couture would be great but I don't think we'll see Vera vs. either guy for the same reasons why I don't think we'll see him face Nogueira in October. Matches with Vera against either of the three are all possible in the future but the timing just isn't right. Vera needs a win before fighting for the title and coming back in October to fight Vera might be too ambitious for the loser.

    
• Fabricio Werdum - A lot of people are bitching about Karo Parisyan and Andrei Arlovski (and rightfully so) not having matches lined up but why isn't anyone championing Werdum's cause? Is it just me or does it feel like the UFC is punishing both Arlvoski and Werdum for having a crappy match at UFC 70? If the UFC views Werdum as nothing more than a gate keeper at this point and they want to give Vera a layup then maybe this matchup might work? Then again, Werdum is a very dangerous opponent and if he upset Vera then I don't think the UFC would feel like they could make something good out of a bad situation. If they are going to put Vera in with a dangerous opponent then they should do so against someone who carries more marketing potential.

    
• Wes Sims - I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. How Joe Lauzon of me?

    
• Andrei Arlovski - The old Pitbull vs. Vera would be one helluva match that could result in a double knockout. But the old Arlovski has been replaced by some new guy who is trying to be some fancy fighter who fights not to lose as opposed to fighting to win. If there's anything that can bring back the old Arlovski then perhaps it's Vera, a man who fights like he was shot out of a cannon. If Arlovski tried to fight a defensive fight against Vera then he'd have to run in circles because Vera would likely push the pace for the entire duration of the fight. If Arlovski doesn't want to engage then Vera would likely be more than happy to bring the fight to him. Stylistically, this match has a lot of potential and the marketing potential in the short-term and long-term is also strong. Vera vs. Arlovski could sell some tickets and pay-per-views and the winner of the fight would be in a strong position to challenge for the heavyweight title in their next bout.

After a thorough review of the contenders, when you look at all the angles (potential match quality, box office appeal, and future planning) I don't think there's a better matchup for Vera than a bout against Arlovski at UFC 77 in October with the winner being granted a shot at the heavyweight title.

he second edition of Inside the Cage Radio is in the can and ready for your listening pleasure!

CLICK HERE to listen to the 8/11 edition of Inside the Cage Radio!

This week we didn't have any guests because there  was just too much to talk about. Matt Cava of UFCTakedown.com and I had some heated debates  regarding:

* Hermes Franca and whether we believe he's a  sympathetic figure

* More banter about my prediction that Josh  Koscheck will defeat Georges St. Pierre at UFC 74

* A rundown of all the new matchups for UFC 76 and  77 that were reported this week

* A discussion about Tito Ortiz's recent comments  in a UFCMania.com interview where he stated that fighters are talking about forming a union.

* We discuss the UFC lightweight title situation  and who our top four seeds would be if the UFC decided to have a tournament for  the title if they in fact strip Sean Sherk (I make it a point to go off on Roger Huerta)

* Our thoughts on what has been the best match of the year in MMA thus far.

You will also want to be sure to tune in next week as we present a full-hour devoted to previewing UFC 74.

You can also check out our first show by clicking here.

We'd also like to thank all the people who listened last week. As always, we're doing this show for you so if you have any feedback,  please be sure to leave a comment here or send us an e-mail.

The first show of Inside the Cage Radio is now available!

You can listen by clicking here.

Or, by posting the following URL into your browser:

http://ufctakedown.com/MMA_audio/Inside_the_Cage_Radio_8.4.07.mov

Joining Matt Cava and I on the show were IFL co-founder and commissioner Kurt Otto and BodogFIGHT analyst Paul Lazenby.

Both Kurt and Paul were great guests.

Kurt talked about the semifinals that were just held on Thursday, the possibility of doing live shows in the future, why Bart Palaszewski qualified for the lightweight WGP instead of Shad Lierley, and much more.

Paul was extremely candid in addressing reports that claim Bodog is making cutbacks and in giving his thoughts about who would be favored if a match between Tara LaRosa and Gina Carano was ever signed.

Matt and I also discussed the big stories in MMA right now, including Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca's appeal hearings before CSAC on Monday, our early thoughts on UFC 74, whether Liddell vs. Jardine is a legitimate main event, and much more!

Special thanks to our producer, John Floyd, and also to Matt, who did all the post-production work in getting the show posted.

A Q&A session I recently had with Paulo Filho and his manager, Eddie Suarez, is now available on CBS Sportsline.

Paulo arrived in Vegas from Brazil on Wednesday in preparation for his match against Joe Doerksen on Sunday night for the vacant WEC middleweight title. Filho vs. Doerksen will be the co-main event of a card that will be televised on Versus starting at 9 p.m. ET.

I was able to speak with Paulo about his first match in the U.S. soon after he touched down in Vegas. I made sure to ask him about the process behind him fighting for the WEC as opposed to the UFC and whether his friendship with Anderson Silva was a factor.

You can read that exchange right here:

Q: When Zuffa first approached you, did they give you a choice       between fighting for the UFC or WEC?

PF: No. I wasn't given a choice. I was offered a chance to fight in the WEC and that's what I took.

Q: Was any detail provided as to why they wanted you for the WEC as opposed to the UFC?

PF: There was no detail given. The WEC is a huge organization, and I feel it's one of the best in the world, and right now I think the opportunity for me to be in the WEC is a much better situation. There's a lot of big names in the UFC, and I don't have a huge name in the U.S. With the WEC, we'll both be able to grow together. The WEC and Paulo Filho will be able to grow their names in the U.S. together, and that's why I feel it's a better choice for me.

Q: There were reports that one reason why you're in the WEC is because you're good friends with current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and don't want to fight him. Is that correct?

PF: We're under the same management and we train together. That is true, but that's not really the case (of why I'm in the WEC) as we chose to go to the WEC because I wanted to. But we are friends and I wouldn't want to have that fight happen, but if that fight were to happen, then hey, we'd fight and it would be a phenomenal fight and then we'd go out to dinner after.

You can read the rest of the interview by clicking here.