MMA News: Overeem Licensed, Flyweight Tourney, Fedor on NYE and TUF Brazil

Disaster was averted earlier in the week as the Nevada State Athletic Commission agreed to conditionally license heavyweight Alistair Overeem for his headlining bout at UFC 141 on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas.

Fresh off announcing the addition of the 125-pound flyweight division, the UFC has revealed the participants in its initial tournament, which will determine the first champion of the new weight class.

Former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will return to action on New Year's Eve against Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii under the DREAM banner.

The first international version of The Ultimate Fighter will take place in Brazil, and the coaches will be middleweights Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort.

All this and more in this week's recap of the biggest news in MMA.

Overeem Granted Conditional License for UFC 141; Faces Additional Testing

Dutch heavyweight Alistair Overeem, just weeks away from his UFC debut, has been granted a conditional license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Earlier this week it was rumored that the former Strikeforce and K-1 champ had missed a required drug test.  That rumor was confirmed as the fighter explained he was travelling to his native Holland to care for his sick mother when the request was made on Nov. 17.  Overeem submitted a blood test on Nov. 23 and a urine sample on Dec. 7; however, the NSAC felt neither test was adequate.

Before Overeem can officially lock horns with former UFC champ Brock Lesnar on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, the fighter must submit to another test in Europe, another in Las Vegas prior to the fight and then two additional tests as dictated by the NSAC within six months of the bout.

UFC Adds 125-Pound Flyweight Division; Announces Title Tournament

During the UFC 140 post-fight press conference on Saturday, UFC president Dana White revealed the news that the promotion would begin holding bouts in the flyweight division on March 3.

Four fighters will compete in a tournament to determine the division’s first champion: Demetrious Johnson, Joseph Benavidez, Ian McCall and Yasuhiro Urushitani.  Johnson will meet current Tachi Palace champ McCall, while Benavidez will meet the Japanese fighter Urushitani.

The two winners will meet one another at a later date for the title.  The initial bouts are expected to take place in Sydney, Australia as part of the UFC on FX 2 card.

As a result, Johnson's planned bantamweight bout at UFC on Fox 2 has been changed.  Stepping in for Johnson will be TUF season 14 alum Johnny Bedford, who will now meet Eddie Wineland on Jan. 28 in Chicago.

Fedor Emelianenko Meets Satoshi Ishii at "DREAM: New Year! 2011"

Former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will take on Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii in the headlining bout at the Dream New Year’s Eve event in Japan.  The event also features two Dream title bouts and the completion of the promotion’s bantamweight tournament.

“DREAM: Fight for Japan: Genkidesuka!! Oomisoka!! 2011!” is set for Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The event will air live on HDNet.

Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort to Coach “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil"

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta revealed that Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort will coach the first international edition of The Ultimate Fighter, as the promotion takes the reality show to Brazil.  The two middleweights will meet at the end of the season.

Belfort is still set to face Anthony Johnson at UFC 142 in January.

When the two Brazilians meet, it will be a rematch of their 1998 fight in which Belfort finished Silva in just 44 seconds.

Strikeforce to Dissolve Heavyweight Division in 2012

With the announcement that Strikeforce and Showtime would be continuing their relationship, it was also announced that the Strikeforce heavyweight division will be dissolved in 2012.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker proclaimed that the promotion would focus its attention on other weight classes following the completion of the Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament.  The winner of the tournament is expected to compete in one final bout with the promotion.

UFC president Dana White reiterated his belief that the heavyweight division simply isn't deep enough.

 

Fabricio Werdum Set for UFC Return, Meets Roy Nelson at UFC 143

Brazilian heavyweight Fabricio Werdum will make his return to the UFC on Super Bowl weekend at UFC 143 on Feb. 4 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Werdum most recently competed in Strikeforce, handing MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko the first submission loss of his career.  The Brazilian previously fought in the UFC from 2007 to 2008.

Thiago Alves vs. Martin Kampmann Headlines UFC on FX 2

The rumored welterweight fight between Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann will serve as the headlining bout for UFC on FX 2. 

The event will also host the first round of the inaugural flyweight division tournament. 

UFC on FX 2 will take place at Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia on March 3.  The event will air live in prime time in North America.

UFC on Fuel 1 Adds 2 Bouts

The inaugural fight card on Fuel TV has added two fights.

Middleweights Aaron Simpson and Ronny Markes are set to lock horns, while featherweights Jonathan Brookins and Rani Yahya are also slated to meet.

UFC on Fuel 1 is set to take place on Feb. 15 in Omaha, Neb.

Rory MacDonald Takes on Che Mills at UFC 145 in Montreal

Canadian welterweight Rory MacDonald will return to the Octagon on March 24 when he takes on Che Mills.

MacDonald was forced out of a fight at UFC 140 in Toronto, but the rising contender will get another chance to fight in his home country at UFC 145 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Bellator Update

Former Shooto 132-pound champion Masakatsu Ueda has been signed to compete in the upcoming sixth-season bantamweight tournament.

Joining Ueda in 135-pound draw will be Marcos Galvano, Luis Nogueira, Rodrigo Lima and Ed West.  More fighters are expected to be announced soon.

In other news, former welterweight Rick Hawn will make his lightweight debut in the promotion's sixth season.  Hawn previously competed in the season 4 welterweight tournament.

Rob Tatum is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. You can also find Rob’s work at TheMMACorner.com.  For anything related to MMA, Follow @RobTatumMMA.