Bloody Elbow, for MMA and UFC news

Thiago "The Pitbull" Alves (17-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) will remain at welterweight for his next fight against John "Doomsday" Howard (14-5, 4-1 UFC) at UFC 124 in Montreal. Source: MMA Junkie UFC 124: St-Pierre vs. Koscheck coverage

Jake Ellenberger vs. John Howard set for Aug. 1 in Utah at UFC on Versus 2: According to Howard, the fight has been verbally agreed upon and should be made official soon. "I feel good about it. The guy’s a pretty good wrestler but all my career I’ve been fighting nothing but wrestlers so I think I’ll be ready,"said Howard. Jake Ellenberger (22-5) Win Mike Pyle - TKO (Punches) UFC 108 Loss Carlos Condit - Decision (Split) UFC FN 19 John Howard (14-4) Win Daniel Roberts - KO (Punch) UFC on Versus 1 Win Dennis Hallman - KO (Punches) TUF 10 Finale HT: bostonherald.com

Anthony Johnson is not impressed with John Howard's victory: "Howard ain't got no stand-up at all. He's lucky Roberts wasn't stronger or he probably would have gotten submitted. Howard is soft; he doesn't belong in the UFC. I will be glad to show him this if he's my next opponent. But congratulations on your win. If you fight me like that, you won't survive. You better work on that stand-up buddy!" HT: Fight Hype (via mmamania) UFC on Versus: Vera vs. Jones coverage

Anthony Johnson says "I'm not dumb enough to fight John Howard injured": "It's my meniscus again. It's been torn for a year and a half now. I ain't dumb enough to fight this guy injured, especially after so much trash talking between me and him. He's a tough fighter and I guarantee his leg kick would have done more damage to my knee. That would be dumb to go in there and I'm smarter than that. I'm not ducking this guy. I promise you we're gonna fight no matter what. We will fight. Can I say when? No, but when my knee is fixed and 100 percent, oh hell yeah." Video interview at cagewriter.com (via mmamania.com) UFC on Versus: Vera vs. Jones coverage

Anthony Johnson Injured, Out of UFC on Versus: "Anthony "Rumble" Johnson (8-3) has had to pull out of his highly anticipated March 21 "UFC on Versus" bout with John "Doomsday" Howard (13-4) due to a knee injury." HT: ProMMA.info

John Howard (13-4, 3-0 UFC) vs Anthony Johnson (8-3) This March: After a lot of smack talk and some genuine bad blood between both guys, it looks like the two will finally meet in the octagon. John Howard on Twitter: "Me and Anthony crumble Johnson will be fighting. Time to shut him up. See u soon crumble. ur ass is mine Here comes the Doom!" He also says the fight will happen this March. They have two cards planned on that month, the UFC card on Versus, and UFC 111 on New Jersey about a week later. [UPDATE]: MMA Junkie reports that the bout will take place on the main card of UFN 21 on Versus HT: Twitter, fozo

Anthony Johnson Really Wants to Fight John Howard: "I'm trying to fight in March. I'm trying to fight punk a** John Howard, but I don't think he wants to fight. He got his win over Dennis Hallman. He got the credit to fight me, so why don't he do it? He signed the contract once to fight me and then he backed out and now he's renegotiating or his managers and agents are, whatever, are being dumb about the renegotiating process. Just come on and sign the fight; sign the contract and fight me and stop running like a little b*tch. I want to fight him. I really do. I seen this interview where he said he was going to make me pay for what I said, so I'm looking forward to seeing that. John Howard, put your dukes up lets do this and I'm going to knock your other tooth out because I know you got a f*cked up grill. I'm going to give him the business." HT: fight hype