(Alan Rogers/Star-Tribune)As a state legislator in Wyoming, Bryan Pedersen helped author the bill to legalize and regulate MMA in his home state. This weekend, he will test that bill by fighting at the Colosseum Fight Series, the first fights in Cheyenne since the bill passed.

Pedersen, who is 38 years old, has trained in MMA for the past four years. Like many fighters, he originally tried out the sport for fitness reasons only. But once MMA was allowed in his state, and Cheyenne was set to host fights, Pedersen couldn't help but say yes to an offer to fight on the CFS card.

"This is not something I normally do," he said to the Wyoming Star-Tribune. "But I really believe in the sport."

He served for six years in the Wyoming state legislature. Now a financial consultant, he plans on making this both his debut and retirement bout. The weigh-ins will take place at a familiar venue for Pedersen -- the steps of the Wyoming State Capitol Building.

Pedersen is taking the fight seriously, as he drives an hour and a half daily to Easton Training Center in Colorado, the training home of UFC veteran Eliot Marshall.

"I have a goal," he said. "Without a goal, you wouldn’t do it. It creates a sense of urgency and panic. Because every day I’m not training, my opponent is probably getting better. And I’m not."

He's the latest government official to set his sights on the cage, though Pedersen appears to be taking his fight more seriously than the two mayors in south Florida who are planning a bout. Perhaps MMA should become part of the legislative process.

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Who stood out in Saturday night's fights?

No. 1 star -- Vitor Belfort*: We will be watching highlights of that knockout for years to come. The timing, explosion and landing spot of the kick were just perfect. The knockout was so great the UFC didn't even have to say who they were talking about when they announced who the $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus was awarded to.

#UFConFX8 Fight of the Night, Martins vs. Larsen; Sub of the Night, Jacare. KO - c'mon now, be reasonable. 50K each.

— UFC (@ufc) May 19, 2013

Then why the asterisk? Because it's hard to look at what Belfort did and not wonder if the testosterone replacement therapy he used throughout his camp played a part. His late-career resurgence doesn't pass the smell test.

No. 2 star -- Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza: Did Chris Camozzi even realize he was in the arm triangle choke that Souza so expertly applied? Souza's performance on Saturday night served notice to the UFC middleweights. It also earned him a $50,000 Submission of the Night bonus. All in all, it was a pretty good start in the UFC for the Strikeforce veteran.

No. 3 star -- Fabio Maldonado: Perhaps it wasn't the prettiest win of the night, but it got the job done against some tough odds. Maldonado withstood a kick to the groin that made even me wince and came back to win by decision. That's more than enough to earn a star.

Who stood out for you? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

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Vitor Belfort gave fans in his home country of Brazil plenty to be happy about at UFC on FX 8 on Saturday, delivering a first-round knockout of Luke Rockhold that is sure to make UFC highlight reels for years to come.

Belfort held off Rockhold's takedown attempts early, and then set up to deliver a perfect knockout kick halfway through the round. Near the fence, Belfort landed a spinning kick to Rockhold's face. It landed flush, and Rockhold fell to the ground. Belfort finished with ground and pound. The fight was stopped at 2:32 in the first round.

It's Belfort's second straight win by knockout. He knocked out Michael Bisping in January, and before that, moved up to light heavyweight and lost a title fight to Jon Jones. His record is now 23-10. He already has a loss against UFC champion Anderson Silva, but is this fight enough to ask for another title shot? He wouldn't say.

"I'm here to fight. I don't pick fights. I accept fights," Belfort said after the win.

There was plenty of bad blood between the two before the fight began. Belfort is one of the UFC fighters who has an exemption to use testosterone replacement therapy. Rockhold viewed this as sanctioned cheating, and wasn't afraid to say so. The two had to be separated during Friday's weigh-ins as Rockhold got in Belfort's face.

This was Rockhold's first fight in the UFC. He is now 11-2, with most of his wins coming in Strikeforce, where he was the middleweight champion.

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167686125Pat Healy made a memorable cross-over from Strikeforce at UFC 159. He submitted Jim Miller and won two bonuses to steal the show at the April event. Unfortunately, he also tested positive for marijuana after the fight. His fight result has been changed to no-contest, and he will have to give up the bonuses that totaled $130,000.

Thanks everyone for their support, made a huge mistake and gotta pay for it.

— Patrick Healy (@BamBamHealy) May 15, 2013

Healy both tweeted about the positive test and released a statement. He will be suspended for 90 days. Healy attributed the positive test to a night out with friends a month before the fight.

Marijuana's acceptance in the United States is growing. Medical marijuana laws are becoming more common, and it's legal in two states. However, it's still a banned substance that state commissions test for, and fighters know this going into their bouts. Healy apologized in his statement, and said he should have been a better role model.

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This is Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine's 2-year-old son, and he has some training to do on this laundry basket. Check out his technique on low kicks. Clearly, he has been watching his dad and learning from him. The older Saffiedine is making his UFC debut in July against Robbie Lawler. Will he be as effective as his son is against the laundry hamper?

Cat Zingano was the first mom to win in the UFC. (Getty)When Cat Zingano beat Miesha Tate at "The Ultimate Fighter" finale in April, it marked the first time a mother fought in, and won, a UFC bout. Weeks later, it was Sara McMann winning. Another mom, another raised hand. Mothers are  2-0 in the UFC.

Zingano told Cagewriter in February that she doesn't have to look far to find motivation in a fight because of her son.

"When someone has their arms around my neck, I think I have to be here for my child. Nothing's going to stop me."

But really, is there any surprise to see a mother win a fight? Whether it's getting her children to clean her room, getting a bully to back off, or just keeping her children alive, all moms are fighters.

My mom is a fighter. When she was a high schooler, that fighting spirit got her into trouble. It was before Title IX and well before women were allowed to wrestle or box or beat the snot out of their opponents in a cage. So she fought in the hallways of her high school, which led to many visits to many different principals' offices. Though she gave up her pugilistic ways as she grew up and had kids, the fighting spirit never went away. She fought for cleaner air, better schools, better programs for kids in our town, and when she was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to fight for the cancer survivors who had it much worse than she did.

My mother-in-law, too, was a fighter. After her second diagnosis of cancer, she fought to have the life she wanted in her final years. She knew cancer would end her life much too early, so she fought to spend time surrounded by family, friends and the gardens she so happily cultivated. Even when cancer stole every bit of her energy, she fought to spend her few minutes with her children, friends and family.

Every mom of a UFC fighter I've come across has been a fighter. Inevitably, her first fight was to keep her son or daughter out of the cage. After giving up that fight, she focused her fight to make sure her fighter was ready for the cage. Ronda Rousey's mom did this by waking her daughter up with armbars. Chael Sonnen's mom does it by being at her son's side when training. Rashad Evans' mom does it with motivational speeches that would make Eric Taylor proud.

If you can, spend some time with that fighter you call mom this Mother's Day. Listen to her stories about her fight. The next time you see a mom in the cage, it won't surprise you to see her with her hand raised.

Fighters can also use this technique, here shown by Wagner Prado. (Getty)After eye pokes were a huge problem at UFC 159, the UFC said they will propose a rule change to have doctors decide if fights should end because of an eye poke. On Cagewriter's Facebook page, we asked readers what could be done in fights to reduce this foul that has messed up too many bouts.

One reader thinks fighters should have to take more responsibility for when certain kind of strikes go awry.

Fine Michael Bisping for sure. You shouldn't be allowed to throw a punch with your index finger extended and say sorry, it was an accident. When there is a disincentive to pawing at each others' faces openhanded they will stop doing it and eye pokes will go down. -- Knowa Metcalf

Bisping's eye poke is what ended his bout with Alan Belcher. Fining athletes to change their behavior has a precedent. The NFL has levied fines for certain types of hits, though inconsistency in enforcement has been a problem.

Changing up the equipment used in fights could also be a solution.

(Getty)UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is $50,000 lighter today, as he was fined that amount for skipping out on a day of media in Los Angeles. Silva is scheduled to fight Chris Weidman at UFC 162. Ignoring promotion of that fight didn't sit well with UFC president Dana White.

"He doesn't like talking to the media, but it's part of his contractual obligation," White said to USA Today. "Everybody wants more money, more money, more money, but nobody wants to sell the fight or go out and talk to the media. Talking to the media is part of your job, whether you like it or not."

The UFC's newly instituted code of conduct opens the door for the promotion to fine fighters who engage in conduct that "puts at risk the promotion of a UFC event," including "failure to deliver, engage in or otherwise execute any and all promotional responsibilities."