Belcher may fight again, calls out Wanderlei

UFC middleweight Alan Belcher may make a full recovery after a potentially fight-ending eye injury earlier in the year. The stand-up specialist suffered a detached retina in August that left him with blurred vision, and had to undergo surgery to fix the problem. The former 185lb contender has recovered well, however, and may be cleared to fight soon. Belcher told MMA Fighting: “My depth perception has to adjust, but it’s coming back. At first, just walking down the stairs was tricky.” ‘The Talent’ even has Wanderlei Silva picked out as an ideal comeback opponent, and says he can best ‘The Axe Murderer’ in any area. “I’m not saying it will be an easy fight,” conceded Belcher, “but I believe I can beat him and I’m ready to let the fans see what they want to see, and prove that I’m that caliber. I want to make myself a legend off of this fight.”

Junior Dos Santos: “Velasquez is more than a girlfriend”

Brazilian heavyweight Junior Dos Santos has admitted that he can’t stop thinking about his next opponent, UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez. The number-one contender said: “Velasquez is more than a girlfriend; he doesn’t leave my head [Laughs]. I’m just waiting for confirmation of when the fight will take place.” The hotly tipped and heavy-handed fighter described the bout as “a dream come true.” Dos Santos added: “I am going to work really hard and I’m sure I’ll be able to cope and bring this belt to Brazil.”

Diaz would fight ‘Mayhem’ at catchweight, says coach

Top trainer Cesar Gracie says his fighter Nick Diaz would be willing to fight his long-time adversary Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller at a pre-agreed weight. Nick Diaz and Mayhem have voiced their interest in throwing down, however, each has wanted the other to come to his division, Diaz at 170lb and Miller at 185lb. While Diaz has fought at 180lb as recently as June 2009, Mayhem hasn’t cut to 170lb since 2005. But, Cesar Gracie, speaking with MMAjunkie, said his camp was interested in the bout at 178lb, adding: “Apparently Mayhem can’t make 170. We’re not going to accommodate going to 185.” Gracie coaches Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez, Nate Diaz and Nick Diaz, Strikeforce’s welterweight champion. A Diaz-Miller contest would be the culmination of a rivalry involving mass in-cage brawls, backstage spats and cross-Internet mudslinging. At the time of going to press no fight announcement had been made.

Strikeforce expects Gina Carano 2011 return

Popular female fighter Gina Carano is expected to fight for Strikeforce in mid 2011, according to the promotion’s CEO Scott Coker. ‘Conviction’ hasn’t taken a bout since she was TKO’d by dominant Brazilian fighter Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos in August 2009. A starring role in a forthcoming high-budget, Steven Soderbergh-directed film, Haywire, shot in early 2010, prompted suggestions of retirement. But, Coker told Sherdog that Carano won’t want the loss as her last impression on MMA and that he expects her to return to the Strikeforce cage after the picture’s April release.

Faber happy to train Lesnar

Popular UFC bantamweight contender Urijah Faber says he’s “willing” to help Brock Lesnar with his punch resistance. The former WEC featherweight belt holder says he can empathize with the Minnesotan hulk as Faber used to have the same problem. “Dude, getting hit is not the coolest thing to have done to you,” Faber told Yahoo! Sports, “but it’s not that big of a deal. It takes a ton of sparring and some great defense, and a knowledge of what it’s like to get hit, to be able to get used to it.” The ‘California Kid’ added: “I’d be willing to help him out, if he was really into learning.”

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