"The Sunday Junkie" deadline reminder, win a free Fighters Only subscription!

As a reminder, submissions for the upcoming edition of "The Sunday Junkie" are due Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.

All topics - including Bellator's Roger Huerta signing, UFC 111 and Versus' return to DirecTV - are open for discussion. The person who sends in the submission we deem the best - based on timeliness of subject, clarity and overall persuasiveness - will be invited onto MMAjunkie.com Radio to discuss the topic.

Each winner will also receive a free year's subscription to Fighters Only, the world's leading MMA and lifestyle magazine!

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Japanese star Shinya Aoki says UFC won't succeed in Japan

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki widely is considered a torchbearer for MMA in Japan. And he's very protective of its landscape, particularly when it comes to the interests of stateside promoters.

UFC president Dana White repeatedly has said he's interested in returning to Japan for the first time since Zuffa, LLC purchased the promotion in 2001. But he blames "dirty, sneaky, bad guys" from keeping the promotion out of the country.

White will not throw in the towel on going to Japan. But Aoki believes the UFC - to put it nicely - is fighting an uphill battle.

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Strikeforce champ Jake Shields a free agent after April 17 fight, will explore options

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields is in a unique position when he defends his belt for the first time on April 17 against top-tier import Dan Henderson at "Strikeforce: Nashville." He is not required to stay with the organization if he wins.

The "champion clause" is common to top promotions and makes sure fighters can't immediately look for greener pastures if they win or retain a title on the last fight of their contracts. It's a safeguard to make sure the promotion gets a return on its investment.

Shields, however, confirmed to MMAjunkie.com that his fight with Henderson is the final obligation on his current Strikeforce contract.

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Champ Gegard Mousasi intends to finalize longterm Strikeforce deal after April 17 fight

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi met the press yesterday to promote his April 17 fight with Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal at "Strikeforce: Nashville" and said he is likely to sign a longterm deal with the promotion afterward.

"I have one more fight left on my contract, but we are planning to sign a new deal," Mousasi (28-2-1 MMA, 2-0 SF) told MMAjunkie.com yesterday in Hollywood, Calif.

The Dutch-Armenian fighter was thought to have signed the extension not long before he split with M-1 Global and accepted the fight with Lawal - though the contract's "champion clause" extends his current deal for a year if he wins on April 17.

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French vet Christian M'Pumbu signs on for DREAM light heavyweight tourney

M-1 Challenge veteran Chrisian M'Pumbu has signed a multi-fight agreement with DREAM and is expected to compete in the Japanese promotion's light-heavyweight tournament, which is set to begin May 30 at DREAM.15.

A source close to the fighter confirmed the deal with MMAjunkie.com on Thursday.

M'Pumbu (15-2-1 MMA, 0-0 DREAM), a native of Champagne-Ardenne, France, is a regular on the European fight scene. He is currently riding a four-fight win streak with all four victories coming by way of knockout or TKO.

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Jones embarks on box-office career against Vera - ESPN.co.uk

ESPN

Jones embarks on box-office career against Vera ESPN.co.uk If you beat Gonzaga, you gain respect, as Frank Mir recently acknowledged when discussing Shane Carwin's triumph over Gonzaga. If both fighters stand, ... UFC On Versus 1 Breakdowns and Predictions The Juggernaut MMA News Report 03.17.10: UFC on Versus & DREAM 13 Previews

Frank Mir Training A Lot Of Jiu-Jitsu For Upcoming Fight With Shane Carwin - MMA Waves

Sportsnet.ca (press release)

Frank Mir Training A Lot Of Jiu-Jitsu For Upcoming Fight With Shane Carwin MMA Waves Mir will battle with Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC 111 on March 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, ... Mir's cool with never being as big as Carwin and Lesnar Shane Carwin: Engineering Greatness UFC interim heavyweight belt means nothing to Carwin  - -

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