Total-MMA will not be providing any indepth analysis of this weekend’s mixed martial arts, but I feel it is my civic duty to inform you all that we are in for quite the three days. This post will quickly breakdown the main events (where applicable) from each of the four (yes, four) live events to be broadcast in the USA or on the internet over the next few days and and summarise why you should catch, or at least DVR, them.

Fight Card #1: Strikeforce Challengers: Fodor vs. Terry (Friday 24th June, Showtime)

Zuffa’s first offering for the weekend is a very solid Showtime card featuring a number of very interesting prospects. Though we have lost Antwain Britt’s anticipated clash with Danillo Villefort, there is still some very strong action on offer, with Ryan (son of Randy) Couture and Jason High in action. Lorenz Larkin, who looked extrememly impressive in his promotional debut a couple of months back is also fighting, taking on hotly tipped Light Heavyweight prospect Gian Villante, last seen getting beaten up by Chad Griggs in a Heavyweight Grand Prix reserve bout.

The main event, however, features two exciting 155ers as Matt Hume trained Caros Fodor (10-3, 3-0 SF) takes on a collegiate wrestler now training under Cung Le in James Terry (10-2, 5-1 SF). This has the potential to be a very exciting fight - both men are supremely well conditioned and both have considerable upside. However, Terry has superior experience at this level and his background is superior to Fodor’s. Look for Terry to bully Fodor all the way around the cage en route to a TKO victory.

Fight Card #2: K-1 MAX 2011 -63kg Japan Tournament Final (Sunday 26th June, K-1 Website)

Fancy something a little more oriental and late night for your MMA fix? Our striking-only friends in Japan have you covered as K-1 makes its return after an extended hiatus brought on by the Earthquake Tragedy (Donate!) with a very exciting card. This one lacks a defined main event as the last fight of the night will be the final of the titular 8 man tourney. Foremost amongst the entrants in said tournament are rising star Hiroya, reigning champ Tetsuya Yamato and last year’s finalist Yuta Kubo. This is scheduled to start in the early hours for you Yanks, but if you watch the show you taped on Friday night after finishing your viewing of the other, it should take you right up to the K-1 start time. There’s your Saturday planned, folks.

Fight Card #3: Bellator 46 (Saturday June 25th, MTV2)

Bellator kicks off its 3 event summer series in Hollywood Florida with a card filled up by the first round of a Featherweight tournament featuring some highly rated fighters. Foremost amongst these is former Sengoku champion Marlon Sandro and one of the top young fighters to hail from the United Kingdom in a while in Ronnie Mann, a former Cage Gladiators champ.

However, main billing will surely go to the promotional debut of Season #2 Lightweight tournament winner Pat Curran (13-4, 3-1 Bellator) at Featherweight against Peruvian veteran Luis Palomino (16-6, 3-2 Bellator). These two are even in terms of experience, but Curran holds a notable advantage in one category - wrestling. Expect him to use it to control the fight and grind out Palomino via unanimous decision.

Fight Card #4: UFC Live: Marquardt vs. Story (Saturday 25th June, Versus)

Clearly the most stacked card of the weekend, this latest free offering from the UFC has a top-to-bottom exciting card, with the prelim portion being shown live on Facebook, and with the talents of former UFC title competitors Tyson Griffin, Joe Stevenson and Manny Gamburyan all in action there. On the main card, Matt Mitrione continues his undefeated odysey through the Heavyweight division clashing with Christian Morecraft, John Howard looks to overcome his beatdown loss to Thiago Alves against Matt Brown and Pat Barry tries to build upon the momentum of his victory over Joey Beltran against Chieck Kongo.

The featured fight is the first for Nate Marquardt (31-10-2, 10-4 UFC) at Welterweight, and the former Middleweight King of Pancrase won’t have it easy against rising star Rick Story (13-3, 6-1 UFC). Story is coming off his huge breakout victory against Thiago Alves, and in the fight showed good conditioning and a very well rounded game grounded in his top notch wrestling to grind out the perenial contender. And these are tools Marquardt may not have an answer for - the cut to Welterweight is a huge one for him and could wreak havoc on his conditioning - and he has struggled in the past against strong wrestlers - see the Chael Sonnen fight. Look former Oregon man to continue his increasingly exciting Story with a dominating victory over Nate the Great.

Have a good, MMA packed weekend and as always, enjoy the fights.