Weekly MMA Round Up: Belcher Facing Forced Retirement, Two Women's Tournaments Launch

(Four women enter and fight for a couple rounds of yet-to-be-determined length, one woman survives.)

Bellator’s third season launches tonight in Hollywood, Fla. with the first fights of the heavyweight and women’s 115-pound tournaments. Go here for the full card and check back tomorrow for full results and analysis of what impact the bouts had on our rankings.

This afternoon fighters will weigh in at the Dodge Theater for Strikeforce Challengers 10, which takes place tomorrow night in Phoenix. A catchweight bout between Joe Rigs and Louis Taylor headlines but the real attraction is the four-woman 135-pound tournament. The winner of the one-night tourney will earn the right to face Strikeforce Women’s 135-Pound Champion Sarah Kaufman.

This week in an interview with Purefight, UFC Middleweight Alan Belcher said that he is facing several surgeries to repair the detached retina that led him to withdraw from UFC Fight Night 22 in Austin, Texas, and he may never fight again.

They say you can’t go home again but this week Diego Sanchez announced via Twitter that after two tough losses, he has resumed training at Jackson-Winkeljohn Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque. Sanchez rose to prominence at the gym but left in 2007 after Jackson welcomed UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre.

On Monday, MMAJunkie reported that Nick Catone had to withdraw from UFC Fight Night 22 due to a shoulder injury. He is replaced on the card by teammate Dave Branch.

Last week Zuffa filed suit against Bellator Fighting Championships and MMA agent Ken Pavia, alleging that the parties conspired to steal proprietary documents. This week Bellator filed suit against Zuffa claiming tortious interference in their dealings with “The Ultimate Fighter 12” cast member Jonathan Brookins. According to MMAJunkie, Brookins’ manager, Mickey Dubberly, of K.O. Dynasty Sports Management, disputes that Brookins was even under contract with Bellator when he signed with the UFC.

FIGHT! will also be tracking the action at Friday’s King of the Cage: Imminent Danger card, and Saturday’s XFO 36 and War on the Mainland. Check back on Monday for full analysis of what impact these fights had on our rankings.