The biggest mystery in MMA just got more interesting with Randy Couture reiterating that Brock Lesnar's recovery is way ahead of what Dana White has been suggesting. Couture first told HDNet's Inside MMA and again repeated to Cagewriter that he spoke with Lesnar, who already said he was training. "He was very upbeat and very positive," said Couture. "He said that he was training again but he wasn't cleared yet to get on the mat and that he felt way better and that he'd be back in the spring."  Couture also said he was under the impression Lesnar already had his surgery and the situation was under control. That was Monday morning before Ultimate Fight Night 20 in Fairfax, Va. Meanwhile four hours later, White was still telling telling the Chad Dukes and LaVar Arrington Show on WJFK in Washington, D.C. that Lesnar may be out 16-18 months. So what's the real story? Is White setting us up for a dramatic return in the next few weeks? 

Couture repeats his claim that Lesnar will return soon

here have been younger fighters in the UFC than Canadian Rory MacDonald (9-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), but not many. As he prepares to make his debut for the world's largest mixed martial arts organization at tonight's "UFC Fight Night 20: Maynard vs. Diaz" event in Fairfax, Va., the 20-year-old undefeated welterweight finds it difficult to hide his enthusiasm. "It's a dream come true," MacDonald recently said. The former lightweight King of the Cage champion has been fighting since 2005. While his best work has been done at 155 pounds, MacDonald will make his debut at welterweight in a preliminary card matchup with fellow UFC newcomer Mike Guymon (11-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). MacDonald admitted the move up in weight was not exactly voluntary. "I have been fighting since I was 16, and when I turned 19, I started growing like crazy and outgrew lightweight," Macdonald said. "Now I walk around at 6-foot and about 190 pounds."

Youngster Rory MacDonald plans on setting up permanent shop in the UFC

FAIRFAX, Va. – MMAjunkie.com is reporting live from today's UFC Fight Night 20 event. Tonight's show takes place at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The main card, including a Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard headliner, airs on Spike TV.

UFC Fight Night 20 play by play and live results

All 22 competitors fighting at Monday's "UFC Fight Night 20: Diaz vs. Maynard" event today successfully made weight for the show. MMAjunkie captured images of all the fighters as they hit the scale at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Check out the images on MMAjunkie

UFC Fight Night 20 weigh-in photos

My Sunday morning coffee was met with a wide array of MMA headlines, some surprising, while others are simply the right move. On Friday, we reported that Brock Lesnar's trainers believed the the champ will fight again but that a timetable would be provided at a later date. It appears that timetable was just a one day later as UFC Hall of Famer Randy (The Natural) Couture told Inside MMA that he recently spoke with the champ and that he believed Lesnar's health issues were now under control, he's back training and may be back in The Octagon fighting as early as the Spring. We all know how much Dana White dislikes his fighters leaving for Hollywood, but this may not be the case for one of his closest friends, Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell. The former light-heavyweight champ appears to have secured a roll in the feature film "Passion Play," starring Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox. While Dana usually spews a fair amount of verbal hatred for most things Hollywood, for once, he may actually thank Tinseltown for providing Liddell an avenue to re-route his obsession for fighting. If this is the case, then his retirement bout will no doubt be versus Tito Ortiz, expected to take place in June or July. Fresh off the release of "The A-Team" trailer, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson appeared in a California court, donning his B.A. Baracus mohawk where he received three years probation stemming from his Newport beach high speed chase in 2008. In March, Rampage will head to the Wolfslair Gym in London, England to begin training for his next fight, a bout vs. Rashad Evans, tentatively scheduled as the co-main event at UFC 113 in Montreal, QC. Misc MMA News Strikeforce MMA has announced that when former NFL great Herschel Walker makes his MMA debut at the end of the month, his opponent will be Greg Nagy (1-1). The organization is also all but certain that Bobby Lashley's opponent will be Yohan Banks (2-1), who won his last fight via KO, just 19 seconds into the first round. Some big UFC bouts on the docket appear to pit Anthony Johnson vs. John Howard and Sean Sherk vs. Clay Guida at UFN 21 March 21st, Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek at UFC 111 March 27th, Nate Quarry vs. Jorge Rivera at UFN 22 March 31st, as well as Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens, and Jonathan Goulet vs. Marcus Davis at UFC 113 May 1st. After a TKO loss to Eric Wisely last night, former WEC Champ and UFC veteran Hermes Franca has decided to hang up the gloves. Franca once challenged for the UFC's lightweight championship, nearly KO'ing Sean Sherk in the title bout with incredible knees. Four of Franca's last five fights have been losses triggering the BJJ standout into realizing he simply can no longer hang with the best in the division. With UFN 20 in Fairfax, Virginia set to go live Monday night on Rogers Sportsnet, the UFC is already planning ahead for UFN 22. Rumour has it the organization will likely hold the event in North Carolina, a state where they have already held three successful events (UFC 3, UFC 5, UFN 16).

Brock Lesnar on the mend

The addition of a middleweight bout between Nick Catone (6-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and the returning Jesse Forbes (12-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has completed the fight card for Monday's UFC Fight Night 20 event. The fight, first reported last week by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), takes place on the night's preliminary card and opens the Jan. 11 fight card. UFC Fight Night 20 takes place at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and airs on Spike TV. Forbes, who returns to the UFC for the first time since his stint on "The Ultimate Fighter 3" in 2006, is a late replacement for injured Steve Steinbess. The show features a headliner between top lightweight contender Gray Maynard and "TUF 5" champ Nate Diaz, and lightweights Efrain Escudero and Evan Dunham clash in the co-headliner of the four-fight main card...

Jesse Forbes vs. Nick Catone completes Monday's UFC Fight Night 20 lineup

UFC middleweight Nick Catone (6-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) looks to break a two-fight slide when he returns to action on January.

Catone announced Monday on his official website that he has been contracted to face Arizona Combat Sports fighter Steve Steinbeiss (4-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 20.

Featuring a main event between lightweights Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard, the as-yet-unannounced UFC Fight Night 20 event takes place Jan. 11 in Fairfax, Va.

Nick Catone: I'm fighting Steve Steinbeiss at UFC Fight Night 20 in January