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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2007
10/6/07
Punishment
In Paradise 18
(MMA &
Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
7/13/07
Punishment
In Paradise 17
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
6/23/06
Ultimate Fight Night
(BJ Penn vs Jens Pulver)
(Spike TV)
6/22/07
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
4/27/07
Punishment
In Paradise 16
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
4/9/07
UFC
GSP vs Hughes 3
(PPV)
4/5/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
3/24/07
Garden Island Cage Match
5
(MMA)
(Kauai)
3/13/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
3/3/07
UFC 68
(PPV)
(Columbus, Ohio)
2/24/07
Pride Fighting Championships:
(PPV)
(Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV)
2/18/06
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
2/9/07
Punishment
In Paradise 15
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
2/3/07
UFC
67
(Serra vs GSP, Lutter vs Silva)
(PPV)
2/2/06
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
1/23/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
1/14/07
NAGA Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
1/13/07
USA Boxing Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
2006
12/31/06
Pride FC Shockwave
(PPV)
IFL 2hr Championship Show
(Fox Sports TV)
12/30/06
UFC 66
(PPV)
12/16/06
Longman
Jiu-Jitsu Open Tournament
(BJJ)
(Kauai Veterans Center, Lihue)
12/13/06
Ultimate Fight Night
(Spike TV)
(Miramar, Marine Corps Air Station), San Diego, CA)
12/9/06
Grapplers Quest West X
(All Sport Arena, Las Vegas, NV)
12/2/06
Aloha State Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Klum Gym, UH)
12/1/06
Icon Sport
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
11/25/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
11/24/06
Punishment In Paradise 14
(MMA &
Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
11/19/06
The Quest for Champions
(Sport Jujitsu, Submission Grappling)
(St. Louis High School Gym)
IFL (11/4 event)
(Fox Sports TV)
11/18/06
UFC
65: Bad Intentions
(PPV)
11/18/06
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
11/11/06
The Ultimate Fighter 4: Finals
(Spike TV)
11/5/06
Pride Bushido 13
(PPV)
11/4/06
Stand
Up Martial Arts (SUMA)
(Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
10/28/06
Palolo Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
10/21/06
Pride Fighting Championships:
The Real Deal
(PPV)
(Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV)
RWE Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Hilo)
10/14/06
Kickin It
2-4PM
(Kickboxing)
&
Got Skills 5
7-10PM
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Wrestling/Sub Grappling)
(Ilima Intermediate, Ewa Beach)
UFC 64: Unstoppable
(PPV)
Pacific
Island Showdown
International Invitational Ultimate Full-Contact Stickfighting
Championship
(Stickfighting)
(Filipino Community Center Ballroom, Waipahu)
HLTC Olympic
Sport Taekwondo Seminar
(Taekwondo)
(Kihei Public Charter School Auditorium – 300 Ohukai Road
#209- Kihei, Maui)
10/13/06
RWE Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Katchafire Concert,
Guam)
10/10/06
Ultimate Fight Night
(Spike TV)
10/8/06
IFL (9/23
event)
(Fox Sports TV)
10/7/06
Hawaii Fighting Championships: “Stand Your Ground I”
(Kickboxing/Jiu Jitsu/MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
10/6/06
X-1 Battlegrounds
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
10/2/06
IFL 2 hr
Special
(Fox Sports TV)
9/30/06
Jason "Mayhem" Miller Seminar
(HMC)
9/24/06
IFL (9/9 event)
(Fox Sports TV)
9/23/06
UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn 2
Arrowhead Pond,
Anaheim, California
9/16/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
9/9/06
Punishment In Paradise
13
Unfinished Business
(Kickboxing, MMA)
(Dole Cannery Square Ballroom)
9/2/06
Icon Sport 47
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
8/26/06
Got Skills 3
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Takedowns/Submission Grappling)
(Ilima Intermediate, Ewa Beach)
Palolo Gym Smoker
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
UFC 62
(MMA)
(PPV)
8/21/06
UFC 62 Countdown: Liddell vs. Sobral
(Spike)
UFC: All Access Renato "Babalu"
Sobral
(Spike)
8/18/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
8/17/06
Ultimate Fight Night 4
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
The
Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback Premiers
(Spike)
8/12/06
Hawaiian Open of
BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/5/06
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Garden Island Cage Match 4
(MMA)
(Kauai)
Island
Warriors Fighting Championship
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/28/06
RWE & PXC
(MMA)
(University of Guam Fieldhouse, Mangilao, Guam)
7/22/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/21/06
Punishment In Paradise 12
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/?/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night 2
(MMA)
(San Diego, CA)
7/8/06
Ring of Honor
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Waianae H.S. Gym)
7/7/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
UFC 61
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
7/3/06
Got Skills 2
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Wrestling/Sub Grappling)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom)
Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
(Sport-Jujitsu, Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling, Extreme Sparring)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
7/1/06
Pride
(MMA)
(Saitama Super Arena)
6/24/06
The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale
(MMA)
(The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV)
6/17/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Afook
Chinen Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
USA-Boxing Hawaii
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
6/10/06
X-1 Battlegrounds 4
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/4/06
PRIDE Bushido 11: 'Bushido
Survival '06'
(PPV)
6/3/06
X-2 Extreme Wars:
Bay Area Brawl
(MMA)
(Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
2006 Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Associations Gi Tournament
(BJJ)
(Gracie Main Academy)
5/27/06
UFC 60:
Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes
(PPV)
5/26/06
Icon Sport 45
(MMA)
(Blaisdell 6Arena)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
5/13/06
Got Skills Fighter Event
(MMA)
(Pagoda Hotel)
4/29/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night
(MMA)
(ipayOne center , former San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, CA)
4/21/06
Rumble on the Rock
11: Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/15/06
UFC 59: Reality Check
(MMA)
(Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA)
4/7-9/06
2006
Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
4/6/06
Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV
(MMA)
(Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
4/1/06
Punishment in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park)
3/26/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
3/11/06
Hawaiian Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
Full Contact Showdown
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base)
3/4/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Venue TBA)
2/26/06
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/4/06
Kick it Up
(Kickboxing)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu)
UFC 57:
Liddell vs. Couture 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/27/06
So You Think You Tough
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kona Gym, Kona)
January
Grappler's Quest Hawaii
(Submission Grappling)
(TBA)
***Cancelled*** |
|
December 2006 News
Part 3
Casca
Grossa Jiu-Jitsu is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 6 days
a week training!
We are also offering Escrima (stick fighting classes) on Monday
nights!
Click here for info! Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in
a family-like enviornment!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
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The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 7:00PM
***NEW TIME***
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
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Check
out the FCTV website! |
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an email.
Quote
of the Day
"Prediction
is very difficult, especially about the future."
Niels Bohr, 1885-1962, Danish Physicist
|
Have
a Fun, but Safe New Year's Eve
Please
don't blow yourselves up during New Year's Eve. Remember no drinking
and driving and if you friend had too much to drink and starts
talking trash, do the right thing and pull him away before more
fireworks happen.
Live
Aloha is the phrase for tonight.
|
LIGHTWEIGHT
SHOWDOWN AT PRIDE SHOCKWAVE
Pride is airing today
at 4:00 PM Hawaii time on Oceanic Digital Channel 701.
In a highly anticipated lightweight battle, Shooto Welterweight
Champion Tatsuya Kawajiri takes on Strikeforce Lightweight Champion
Gilbert Melendez this weekend at Pride Shockwave.
Melendez,
the #10 Lightweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings, was originally
scheduled to take on Shinya Aoki at Pride Bushido 13, but an
elbow injury prevented that fight, and it was tentatively rescheduled
for Pride Shockwave 2006. Instead of facing Aoki, Melendez now
faces an even tougher test in Kawajiri, who is the #3 Lightweight
in the MMAWeekly Rankings.
A
win could easily put either fighter in title contention. Both
fighters are ranked in the top ten in MMAWeekly’s lightweight
rankings with Kawajiri at number three and Melendez in at number
ten. Expect this fight to be an all out war, as both fighters
will be looking to line themselves up for a shot at the Pride
Lightweight Championship, sometime in 2007.
Tatsuya
Kawajiri has a 19-3-2 record in MMA and trains out of T-Blood
with Mitsuhiro Ishida. Kawajiri is coming off a dominant performance
over Swedish fighter Per Ecklund at the Shooto Champion Carnival.
Kawajiri had the fight in hand from the opening minute as he
easily controlled Ecklund on the ground using his wrestling to
maintain superior position. In the process, Kawajiri rained down
some heavy strikes that had Ecklund scrambling to find a better
position, but Kawajiri kept the pressure on. Towards the end
of the first round, the referee had finally seen enough and stopped
the fight.
Kawajiri
made quick work of Chris Brennan at Pride Bushido 12. After a
brief exchange on the feet, Kawajiri landed a big knee that dropped
Brennan. He followed up with strikes to get the quick win.
Kawajiri
took on the charismatic but not always motivated Charles “Krazy
Horse” Bennett at Pride Bushido 11. He got a takedown early
and controlled the fight on the ground. After a brief scramble,
Bennett got Kawajiri’s back but was unable to even attempt
a choke as Kawajiri quickly submitted him with a kneebar. Kawajiri’s
bread and butter is his wrestling and his relentless ground and
pound, but he has improved his striking by leaps and bounds over
the last year.
Gilbert
Melendez has an 11-0 record in MMA and trains out of Jake Shields
Fight Team. Melendez made his Pride debut at Pride Bushido 12,
when he took on undefeated DEEP Lightweight Champion Nobuhiro
Obiya. This was a war, as Melendez showed why he is one of the
best lightweight prospects in the world. For the entire fifteen
minutes, Melendez was able to go full pace with Obiya. He landed
the better shots on the feet and he was relentless with the ground
and pound when the fight went to the mat. He dropped Obiya several
times in the fight, but credit has to be given to Obiya, who
hung tough and never gave up. In the end Melendez won a well-deserved
unanimous decision.
Melendez
became the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion at Strikeforce: Revenge
when he won a split decision over the Clay Guida. In a five-round
war, Melendez again landed the better shots on the feet and on
the ground he was able to neutralize Guida’s wrestling with
his own. Melendez never was in any real trouble except in the
second round, when Guida had a rear naked choke locked on, but
Melendez simply spiked Guida’s head on the mat and escaped.
In the final two rounds, Melendez really poured on the strikes,
but Guida was able to take it all and survive. Melendez has excellent
wrestling but is known for his relentless pace at which he fights.
Wow!
That is the only word that can describe this fight. This has
the makings to be the fight of the year. Both fighters love to
push the pace and neither ever stops coming forward. Whoever
emerges as the winner of this fight should be the next challenger
to the Pride Lightweight Championship.
It’s
a tough fight to pick as both fighters are equally talented and
have very little advantage over the other. In the stand-up, Kawajiri
should have a slight advantage as working with a new boxing coach
has done wonders for his striking. On the ground, it’s pretty
much even as both fighters are primarily wrestlers and neither
seems to have a distinct advantage.
What
it all comes down to is which fighter will land on top once the
fight hits the ground? Whoever it is will have a big advantage
because they both have excellent control from the top with their
aggressive ground and pound tactics. Kawajiri’s fight experience
is better than Melendez’ as he has fought the tougher opponents
and has done well. In a close fight, expect Kawajiri to win a
decision over Melendez and set himself up for a rematch with
Takanori Gomi for the Pride Lightweight Championship.
IS GOMI
READY FOR ISHIDA AT PRIDE SHOCKWAVE?
Pride Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi takes on Shooto Pacific
Rim Welterweight Champion Mitsuhiro Ishida. Unfortunately this
fight is a non-title match, which doesn’t make very much
sense because Ishida is more than deserving of a title shot.
Gomi
needs to redeem himself after that horrendous title defense against
Marcus Aurelio at Pride Bushido 13. If Ishida is able to beat
Gomi at Pride Shockwave 2006, this will be the second time this
year that Gomi has lost a fight without his title on the line.
Expect this fight to be an interesting fight because both fighters
have a lot to prove in this fight.
Takanori
Gomi has a 25-3 record in MMA and trains out of Team RASCAL with
Nobuhiro Obiya. Gomi is coming off a dull split decision win
over Marcus Aurelio at Pride Bushido 13. This was his first title
defense and it wasn’t his best showing. Gomi fought a smart
although dull fight as he did everything to avoid being on the
ground with Aurelio. Throughout the fight, Aurelio was the aggressor
as he looked to get the fight to the ground, at the end of the
first round he finally got a takedown, but it was at the bell.
The second round was a lot better then the first as Gomi began
to open up a bit more on the feet. Gomi scored with low kicks,
but Aurelio got another takedown but was unable to do much because
Gomi quickly got back to his feet. In the last two minutes, Gomi
began to let his hands loose and showed excellent takedown defense
as he scored with leg kicks, while Aurelio was on his back. What
might have swayed the judges in Gomi’s favor was a body
kick he landed just as the fight ended.
Gomi
defeated up and coming French lightweight David Baron in an exciting
fight at Pride Bushido 12. Although outclassed by Gomi, Baron
was game throughout the whole fight. Gomi dropped him on several
occasions but Baron hung tough and weathered the storm. Baron
went for a takedown towards the end of the fight and Gomi was
able to get his back. After working for the choke, Gomi was finally
able to secure the rear naked choke a little over seven minutes
into the first round.
In
his first fight since becoming the Pride Lightweight Champion,
Gomi was submitted by Marcus Aurelio in an upset. Gomi seemed
sluggish throughout the whole fight, as he wasn’t able to
land any significant strikes on the feet before being taken down
by Aurelio. After some ground work to get in better position,
Aurelio was able to secure an arm triangle choke that choked
Gomi unconscious and gave him his first loss in Pride. Gomi is
an excellent wrestler but he’s now primarily known for his
dangerous stand-up, which has been his hallmark in Pride.
Mitsuhiro
Ishida has a 14-2-1 record in MMA and trains out of T-Blood with
Tatsuya Kawajiri. Ishida is coming off a well-deserved decision
victory over Swedish fighter David Bielkheden at Pride Bushido
13. Ishida was relentless as once he took the fight down, he
used superior positioning on the ground. Ishida was able to pass
Bielkheden’s guard with ease into side mount, where he attempted
several kimuras and used his ground and pound to batter Bielkheden.
The second round was much of the same with Ishida pounding on
Bielkheden en route to a decision victory.
At
Pride Bushido 12, Ishida defeated Chute Boxe’s primary BJJ
instructor Cristiano Marcello by unanimous decision. Throughout
the entire fight Ishida was relentless with ground and pound.
Marcello was active from the bottom, going for armbars and triangles,
but Ishida defended well and responded back by punishing Marcello
with strikes. In the second round, Marcello was able to catch
Ishida with a tight armbar that was fully locked on but Ishida
kept his composure and escaped. At the end of the fight there
was no doubt that Ishida had won.
Ishida
became a superstar at Pride Bushido 11, where he dominated Aurelio
with ground and pound. After an initial stand-up exchange, where
neither fighter scored anything significant, Ishida landed a
takedown and dominated the fight from there on. To his credit,
Aurelio hung in the fight and was active from his back looking
for submissions. Ishida really poured on the punishment in this
fight, as he was dominant with brutal ground and pound and never
stop being active from the top. The second round was much of
the same as Ishida had no problem taking Aurelio down and imposing
his will on him. Ishida won the fight by unanimous decision defeating
Aurelio, who in the previous Pride Bushido defeated Pride Lightweight
Champion Takanori Gomi. Ishida is known for his excellent wrestling
ability and what seems to be his endless gas tank.
Expect
this fight to bring the goods as both fighters have a lot prove.
Gomi needs not to just win this fight but to win it in impressive
fashion because he needs to get the fans support back after that
lackluster performance he had against Aurelio at Pride Bushido
13.
This
is a definite step up in class for Ishida and a different type
of fighter as Ishida has recently been fighting primarily BJJ
fighters and hasn’t been tested on his feet. Gomi will no
doubt test Ishida on the feet, but he may be cautious because
of Ishida’s takedowns. There is no question if the fight
will go to the ground but when it will go to the ground. The
earlier the fight gets to the ground the better shot Ishida has
to win the fight. The longer the fight stays on the feet, Gomi
will start to slowly pick apart Ishida with strikes. Ishida is
easily the best wrestler that Gomi has ever faced. This is a
tough fight to pick, but it’s Ishida’s time to shine
as he has all the momentum and confidence going into this fight
and Gomi might still be doubting himself after his last fight.
Expect Ishida to get this fight down to the ground early and
like always start to open up with his brutal ground and pound
throughout the entire fight en route to decision win.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Royler
in Japan to face Tokoro
Royler
Gracie went to on last Friday (22) where he will face on December
31st the Japanese Hideo Tokoro at the K-1 Dynamite 2006. “I
am here with Vini, Fábio Latini and Claudinho Coelho.
I did my first training on last Saturday and I am feeling myself
really good. That will be a great bout, I think I am better than
the other fights”, said Royler, from . Check out now the
complete card of the show of the K-1 end of the year:
COMPLETE
CARD (subject to change):
K-1
Dynamite 2006
Sunday, December 31st, 2006
K-1
Rules:
- Hong Man Choi vs. Bobby Ologun;
- Musashi vs. Randy Kim;
- Masato vs. Yong-Soo Choi;
- Badr Hari vs. Nicolas Pettas;
MMA:
- Genki Sudo vs. Damacio Page;
- Ken Kaneko vs. Andy Ologun;
- Kid Yamamoto vs. Istvan Majoros;
- Akebono vs. Giant Silva;
- Hideo Tokoro vs. Royler
Gracie;
- Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Shuichiro Katsumura;
- Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kazushi Sakuraba;
- Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Kin Tai Ei.
Source: MMA Weekly |
ARLOVSKI
LANDS KEY ROLE IN "NEVER SUBMIT"
Imperia Entertainment Casts Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei
“The Pit-Bull” Arlovski in Principal Role for MMA Movie;
Fighter is a Top PPV Draw in UFC
BEVERLY
HILLS, Calif. – Imperia Entertainment, Inc. (Pink Sheets:IPEI)
President James Hergott announced today that MMA superstar and
former Ultimate Fighting Championship World Heavyweight title
holder Andrei “The Pit-Bull” Arlovski (www.arlovski.tv)
has been cast for a principal role as Nikolai Kruzhalov, a Russian
fighter, in the new Imperia feature film set in the sport of
mixed martial arts, entitled, “Never Submit.”
“Besides
being the former UFC world heavyweight champ, Arlovski ranks
very high as a fan favorite. It is reported his website receives
about 2.5 million hits each month and that he is a high-ranked
UFC pay-per-view draw in North America. It’s no secret UFC
PPVs have generated up to $30 million for a single event, so
that shows you what kind of branding power the name Andrei Arlovski
carries,” said James Hergott, Imperia President as well
as writer and director of “Never Submit.”
Hergott
adds, “Arlovski expressed great interest in being a part
of this film and showed up to his audition the same way he shows
up for a fight; well-prepared and a force to be reckoned with.
Arlovski was in character, knew his lines and impressed the casting
panel by delivering the dialog in both English and Russian. Arlovski’s
display of physical skills was equally impressive. Spectators
anticipating his arrival showed up earlier than Arlovski’s
unannounced private audition, just to get a glimpse of their
local icon and hero. Arlovski is regarded as one of the world’s
most complete MMA fighters and his many talents definitely exceed
what the fans see inside the famed UFC Octagon. I have no doubt
casting Andrei Arlovski for a principal role in `Never Submit'
is going to elevate this film to another level because not only
is he one of the top rated fighters on the planet, his acting
abilities are quite notable.”
Arlovski
will face off against Marcio “Pe De Pano” Cruz on December
30, 2006. There is speculation among fans that a victory against
Cruz could lead to a shot at the UFC World Heavyweight Championship
title. Early reports tout the December 30th card will make history
by breaking live gate records as well as PPV buys estimated to
exceed one million orders.
Kenneth
Eade, Imperia Chairman and Executive Producer of ‘Never
Submit,’ comments, “Imperia will be using a combination
of champion UFC, Pride FC and other associations’ fighters
in conjunction with professional actors in ‘Never Submit.’
Pride Fighting Championships superstars Wanderlei ‘The Axe
Murderer’ Silva and Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua have
already been cast. When you consider the fact that a PPV audience
combined with live gate receipts for the monthly fight cards
themselves is generating revenue as high as $30-million per event,
and you factor in the premise that a sizeable percentage of PPV
spectators will potentially pay the cost of a ten dollar ticket
to see ‘Never Submit,’ that creates the potential for
up to millions of dollars in theatrical revenue alone.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"Love
and eggs are best when they are fresh."
Russian Proverb |
UFC
66 Tonight!
Oceanic Cable Channel
701 at 5:00 PM Hawaii Time!
CHUCK LIDDELL
"ICY" COOL ON EVE OF FIGHT
“I know his plan is to try to tire me out and take me long
rounds and win the later rounds, but I’ll be ready to go
– I don’t think it’s going to make it to the fifth
round – but I’ll be ready with a lot of pop and ready
to pound him in the fifth round if need be.”
These
were the thoughts of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell,
who is the #1 Light Heavyweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings, when
he joined MMAWeekly’s SoundOff Radio show to give his thoughts
on his upcoming fight with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Tito Ortiz, who is currently the #7 Light Heavyweight in the
MMAWeekly Rankings.
Liddell
sounded relaxed even when reminded of the magnitude of the fight
he is about to participate in, thus living up to his moniker
‘The Iceman.’
Chuck
Liddell and Tito Ortiz first fought back in 2004 with Liddell
winning the contest with – surprise – his heavy hands.
Tito’s
game plan was suspect in that fight, but since his growth as
a fighter and the maturity that has come with him having been
involved in a growing number of tough, close fights [Vitor Belfort
and Forrest Griffin both come to mind], it is very likely that
Tito will come in with a much better and much more calculated
game plan this time around.
When
asked whether or not he felt that the Tito he will face Saturday
is the same Tito that he faced in 2004, Liddell said, “I
think that he’s the same style…I think he’s gotten
a little better at certain things, but I think for the most part
he’s still got the same style of fighting.”
Every
time Liddell fights, he entertains…but what did ‘The
Iceman’ have to say about his how he feels when the fans
are roaring, the cameras are rolling and fight time has come?
“I
get excited walking out no matter what it is…I get to go
out and fight right now. I’ve been working three months
to get there and I’m just excited to be out there fighting.
When it comes down to it, when they close the cage it’s
just me and him. I love having the crowd out there and I love
having them behind us and I love that roar when you walk out,
but it comes down to two guys fighting in the middle of the ring,”
Liddell said.
Most
everyone knows that Liddell and Ortiz’s first fight was
personal. The only question is…has anything changed?
“It’s
always going to be personal as far as training for it goes, but
it’s never going to be personal as far as fights go,”
Liddell said.
Chuck
continued, “I’m not an emotional fighter. I’m
a calculated fighter and I’m going to go out there and do
what I do…I’m going to try to impose my will on him
make it my fight.”
Most
everyone knows that Tito is a very passionate fighter who desperately
wants to beat Chuck to retain what he still calls ‘his’
light-heavyweight championship belt. With the belt clearly being
Chuck’s at this point and not Tito’s, is there any
added animosity on Chuck’s part when he hears Tito make
these various statements?
“That’s
what he should say…I wouldn’t expect anything else.
What would he be doing in this sport if he wasn’t trying
to get his title back,” Liddell said.
If
Chuck does happen to get by Tito on Saturday night, the next
fight on his horizon may very well be Quinton ‘Rampage’
Jackson – the last man to hold a win over Liddell. Since
the news broke recently that the UFC had purchased the WFA –
the company in which ‘Rampage’ has a contract –
the prospect of Chuck getting the opportunity to avenge his last
loss to Jackson just became much more probable.
When
the news finally broke about the WFA, Liddell said, “I was
very excited.”
Chuck
continued, “That’s going to be great for me…that’s
the last loss on my record, but right now I’m not worried
about that. I’m going to go out there and worry about taking
care of Tito and moving on after that. We’ll worry about
Quinton and some of the other guys when I’m done.”
Fans
have speculated before how much longer Chuck will fight before
he decides to finally hang up his gloves, but according to Liddell
he still has plenty of fight left in him.
Many people still wonder, though, if Chuck beats Tito and then
Rampage could Liddell’s retirement be the next big announcement?
“I’m
looking at retiring on top as the champion, but not after those
two fights,” Chuck said.
Liddell
continued, “I’ve still got a lot more in me. I’m
hoping for another 2-3 years of fighting…6, 9, 10, 12 fights
I hope I still got in me, so we’ll see what my body will
let me do, but right now I’m feeling great. I’m as
sharp as I ever have been and I’m in great shape, so I think
I could go for a long time.”
Tune
in Saturday night to see the long-awaited rematch between ‘The
Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ Tito Ortiz and ‘The Iceman’
Chuck Liddell. This fight will likely be the most watched fight
in UFC history so be sure to grab a ticket or watch the fight
live on PPV to catch all of the electrifying UFC action. |
Max
Debate UFC 66: Liddell-Ortiz 2
By Tommy Messano & Sean McClure
UFC
closes out 2006 with what might be their most hyped event of
the year Arguably UFC’s two biggest stars will collide on
Saturday night. Liddell-Ortiz 2 is the main event of the evening.
Pay per view records will be shattered and dreams will be broken.
No need to worry MaXfighting’s Sean McClure and Tommy Messano
are here to glue the pieces together with even more preflight
hype and debate. Pick your side and stop sitting on the fence
Max debate will not allow it. The guys breakdown all the televised
undercard as well as the main event.
Light
Heavyweight Bout: Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer
McClure:
Eric Schafer is far and away a better fighter than Josh Haynes
was and will give Michael Bisping a better fight than Haynes
gave him at the Ultimate Fighter 3 finale. Schafer is pretty
well rounded and I think he will give Michael a better fight
than most expect. This is Michael's first fight since June while
Schafer competed and won at UFC 62 in August. I think that won't
really come in to play as much as it could have. Being out of
the Octagon for that long could kill some, but I doubt that it
will affect Bisping who by most accounts is one of the UFC's
brightest rising stars. Bisping will clinch and knee Schafer
until he makes a mistake and then I think it will be lights out
for "Red". This fight will end in the second round
by TKO.
Prediction:
Bisping
Messano:
Hey I remember Michael Bisping. Visa issues prevented the TUF
3 winner from fighting Schafer back in November. Bisping will
need to keep the fight on the feet where he holds an edge over
the submission specialist. Submission specialist sure does get
tossed out pretty easily. Either way I don’t see the long
lay off affected Bisping. I believe skill will play a bigger
factor than ring rust. The Bisping-Schafer fight will be a solid
benchmark to see where these young fighters are at. I’m
picking Bisping he has the capability of stopping the fight with
a sub or his hands. I see a TKO ref stoppage in the future of
Schafer, very early the fight may not get past the opening five.
Even I can pick a TUF fighter every now and again, which transitions
to the next fight on the card.
Prediction:
Bisping
Middleweight
Bout: Chris Leben vs. Jason MacDonald
Messano:
Mr. Fight Night himself Chris Leben finally makes his pay per
view debut and his opponent Jason MacDonald will be spoiling
his welcome come Saturday night. For MacDonald to win the fight
he has to resist the temptation to stand and trade with Leben.
Remember Jason you do not posses the Muay Thai skills of Anderson
Silva, but you are a BJJ practitioner and have the clear edge
on the ground. The fight is going to be a struggle. With one
Team Quest member down, MacDonald will look to go 2-0 after schooling
Ed Herman earlier this year. Leben’s aggression will win
him a lot of fights, but in this case he’s going to leave
his head or arm for a little too long, and that’s when MacDonald
will catch him. A win over Chris Leben will give MacDonald a
great springboard to start 2007 with. MacDonald by submission
in round two.
Prediction:
MacDonald
McClure:
I would love to tell you that Jason MacDonald would beat Chris
Leben, but I can't. Leben has way too heavy hands for Jason to
just walk through like he did with Ed Herman. Chris is a smarter
fighter and he is really motivated and hungry for a win to place
him closer to a rematch with Anderson Silva. MacDonald is a smart
and technical fighter and he is much more polished than Leben
is. Looking pretty doesn't matter in the Octagon and if he tries
to stand with Chris and show off his neat and tidy technique
it is going to be lights out for him. I don't think Chris will
finish him, yet I do think he will win this fight by decision.
On
the other hand, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for me
to say that MacDonald might pull this out. Leben has been known
to over commit himself and if he does that he could get caught
just like anyone else. As much as I hate to say this to you Tommy,
that won't happen.
Prediction:
Leben
Heavyweight
Bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcio Cruz
McClure:
I feel a little guilty even writing about this one. Arlovski
is one of the best in the world in the heavyweight division and
Pe De Pano was looking to be that way after he beat Frank Mir,
who was making his triumphant comeback. It would be a crime to
say that I didn't think he was being used as a sacrificial lamb
here for Andrei's return. Andrei is a much better fighter than
Frank is/was/going to be. He's much better overall and he is
by far in The best shape of any heavyweight in the UFC right
now.
Arlovski
has been training very hard for this fight according to his Manager
Keith Gelman and I don't blame him. Cruz is a great Jiu Jitsu
practitioner and it is possible that he could........nah, no
it isn't.
Prediction:
Arlovski
Messano:
Experience. Experience. Experience. How do you say mismatch in
Belarusian? Unless Arlovski pulls guard and the fight becomes
an Abu Dhabi submission expo, then maybe I see Cruz having a
shot. Even then the Pit-bull may be just too athletic for Pe
De Pano. Whether the fight goes to the floor or stays on the
feet Arlovski will use Cruz as a showcase to say that even with
Cro Cop now in the division, I’m still a top dog in the
UFC heavyweight picture. Cruz might just end up being another
Buentello/Eilers type highlight reel knockout on Arlovski’s
resume tape. I don’t foresee this fight even hitting the
mat. Arlovski may toy with Cruz a little on the fight before
the eventually finish. If the fight goes past round two I’d
more worried about Andre than I’d be impressed by Cruz.
Prediction:
Arlovski
Light
Heavyweight Bout: Forrest Griffin vs. Keith Jardine
Messano:
A classic striker versus scrapper math. Those are classic right?
I’m just happy I don’t have see Stephen Bonnar standing
across the ring from Forrest again. Is there a way that Jardine
can get screwed by both TUF finalists in the same year? I say
yes, here’s why. Griffin has had the tougher road to get
to this point, the competition he has faced and learned from
will play role in his fight with Jardine. Griffin can stand and
trade with just about anyone, but his has too be cautious against
Jardine who I have to give a slight edge to on the fight. When
the fight does hit the floor and it will, because Griffin can
put it there, I believe Griffin has the real edge on the ground.
Ground and pound or via a submission Griffin will have to win
the fight on the mat. Even if he is forced to grind out a decision
Griffin has to play to his strengths and resist standing and
banging with Jardine. The sport is not called Ultimate boxing
just quite yet. I shiver at the thought. Griffin is not the type
of guy to look past an opponent. The “Dean of Mean”
will be put on probation, sorry couldn’t resist with a nickname
like that, Griffin via unanimous decision.
Prediction:
Griffin
McClure:
Forrest may be one of the hardest to finish fighters on the planet
at 205 pounds. That doesn't mean he's a great fighter and he
even admits freely that he is more of a brawler than anything
else. Keith Jardine is a much better fighter than Stephan Bonnar
who Griffin has dispatched of twice and despite the fact that
Bonnar won a controversial decision over Jardine earlier this
year. Jardine has proved that he is ready to be on the main card
on a pay per view. Forrest has to press the pace in this fight
or Keith will eat him alive with pressuring movements and striking
while imposing his will.
Take
a look at the last time Keith fought. It was against a hyped
striker in Wilson Gouveia and he just beat him at his own game
and pulled out the unanimous decision. The more punishment he
takes the stronger he gets. Jardine is a gamer and a tough opponent
for anyone. That is why I think that Griffin may have trouble
dealing with Keith's power and strength. Keith is just so unorthodox
in his movements and I think that this too, will give him trouble.
Forrest
is going to have put Keith away to win and I just don't think
he can do it in this fight.
Prediction:
Jardine
UFC
Light Heavyweight Championship: Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell
McClure:
Man, I want to say that Tito is going to win this. He has all
of the tools at his disposal. He let a lot of people down in
his first fight with Chuck after all of the talk before their
UFC 47 fight. Tito was supposed to beat Chuck by all accounts,
but it didn't happen as much as everyone wanted it to it didn't.
Tito
is a phenomenal wrestler and a fairly decent striker to boot.
He is strong and has excellent cardio to back that strength up
making him a threat to anyone. Tito could stand with Chuck, you
know. I believe it with all of my heart that he would have survived
their fight if Chuck would not have thumbed him in the eye. Would
he have won? Probably not on the judge's scorecards, but the
fans would not have turned on him like they did. Tito is more
focused for this fight and he is mentally in a better place than
he ever was for any previous fight. I interviewed both Tito and
Chuck for this fight and Tito sounded calm and relaxed when I
spoke with him while he was training at Big Bear. I look for
an intense and determined Ortiz to press the action and take
the fight to Chuck.
All
that being said...it's Chuck Liddell, man. Period. The guy is
at the top of his game. This isn't Roy Jones Jr. and Antonio
Tarver where Ortiz is going to play the part of Tarver and knock
out the best fighter at 205 pounds. Chuck is so fast, explosive,
and accurate with his punches that he is going to land one eventually
and I think sooner than later. Tito will attempt several takedowns
and Chuck will stuff them. In between takedown attempts, Liddell
is going to be almost landing some fight ending punches and
Tito will be dodging frantically. When he shoots again he is
going to eat a huge right hand and be looking at the lights.
Like
Chuck said in my interview with him, "Well, I think it is
the same style, same guy, and same weaknesses. But, you know
he's a tougher version of himself than back then. You could say
that. I think he's gotten better, but I think he has just improved
on what he was good at before. I don't think he's a different
fighter. He still has the same style."
I
agree.
Prediction:
Liddell
Messano:
This is the one we’ve all been waiting for? Well, how can
I resist, count me as one of the many or should I say 1.2 million
who have bought into the Liddell-Ortiz 2 hype machine. Sean McClure
I admit you are the go to guy for this fight, having spoken with
both fighters prior to Saturday’s fight you got a first
hand account at the fight from both men’s perspectives.
Despite all that I still have to disagree. Calling me a sucker
for the underdog is understating. Then again to call a fighter
with Ortiz’s skill set and record an underdog is highly
unusually. In their first fight at UFC 47 both fighters were
coming off losses to Randy Couture. How they lost to the champ
is an entirely different story. Ortiz was embarrassed, while
Liddell was standing in the way of one the best comeback stories
in MMA history. Basically both men were headed in opposite directions
and Ortiz became a footnote in the Chuck Liddell championship
story. This time around everyone is picking Chuck and jumping
on the throw Tito under the bus bandwagon. People are overestimating
Liddell and underestimating Ortiz. All of Ortiz’s past accomplishes
are being pushed aside. And now with the signing of Rampage,
fans are again looking ahead. Tito is being “Babalu-ed”,
if that makes any sense.
In
order for Ortiz to win the fight he has to take Chuck down. I
plead with you Tito, (if for some odd reason your reading this
article rather than focusing on the fight) don’t stand and
trade with Chuck under any circumstance. You said you were going
to stand in the first fight and we all know what happened next.
Ortiz has to use strikes to close the distance and set up the
takedown. Other than that I don’t want see Ortiz on his
feet, because if the fight is on the feet Ortiz ends up on his
back. The game plan to beat Liddell, if there is such a thing,
make him work his cardio and score the takedown. Even if Liddell
stands right back up, points are points. A good persist wrestler
can frustrate a striker with a constant barrage of takedowns.
On the mat Ortiz just needs a little bit of space and room to
deliver an elbow or two. Elbows lead to cuts and a cut may lead
to an early stoppage or fatigue Adversity and the Iceman that
could make for an interesting fight. Far fetched maybe, but stranger
things have happened and Ortiz playing the underdog may be the
motivation he needs to bring out the fighter who was once UFC
light heavyweight champion.
Prediction:
Ortiz
Source: Maxfighting |
IBJJF
Tournament Calendar
The
IBJJF just released its 2007 event calendar. Below is the schedule:
European:
Januray 27 & 28
Pan-Am:
March 30 & 31 April 1
Traditionally
the Pan Ams are held at the Cal State University Dominguez Hills,
in Carson, California.
Brazilian
National May 5/6 12/13 & 19/20
Worlds:
July 28 and August 1 through 5
International
Masters and Seniors: August 25 & 26
American
National Championship: September 23
Brazilian
Team Titles: November 24
Brazilian
Novice Titles: November 25
For
more info go to www.IBJJF.org . More information
at this site www.cbjj.com.br
Source: ADCC/CBJJ Website
|
More
Cro Cop Rumors
Earlier
today a picture surfaced on a foreign website showing Mirko "Cro
Cop" Filipovic wearing a UFC hoodie surrounded by three
children. If the photo is taken as genuine then it has to be
confirmation of what we reported weeks ago about his camp in
talks with the UFC. To top all this off, a source in Las Vegas
has stated that the UFC already put in an application to the
Nevada State Athletic commision for Cro Crop to fight in the
first few months of next year. They could not one hundred percent
confirm this rumor, but they said it came from a reliable source.
Remember, rumors are just that, rumors.
That being said, all of this lends more fuel to the UFC rumor
fire surrounding Filipovic's name.
The
link to the site displaying the Cro Cop image in question is
here, http://www.vecernji-list.hr/newsroom/sports/more/706217/index.do
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
LANDS CRO COP AND HEATH HERRING
There is always speculation regarding “the big announcement”
leading up to an Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view
event. Well, for UFC 66, headlined by Chuck Lidell vs. Tito Ortiz
2, there could be multiple announcements. The UFC’s parent
company, Zuffa LLC, has been busy purchasing other companies
of late, the World Fighting Alliance (WFA) and World Extreme
Cagefighting among them, but it will be the fighters acquired
that garner most of the attention.
The
biggest of those announcements is expected to be the UFC’s
acquisition of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, the 2006
Open Weight Grand Prix champion. Sherdog.com reported that Filipovic’s
signing will be revealed on the pay-per-view with his first opponent
slated as Eddie Sanchez. MMAWeekly sources have indicated that
the fight will take place on February 3rd on the UFC 67 fight
card, which is already slated to feature two title fights, and
most likely Quinton Jackson’s UFC debut.
In
addition to the Filipovic signing, MMAWeekly sources have confirmed
that Heath Herring has signed a five-fight deal with the UFC.
Herring was one of the fighters whose contract with the WFA was
purchased by Zuffa. His first fight for the UFC is scheduled
for January 25th on a UFC Fight Night card to be televised live
on Spike TV. Herring’s first opponent in the UFC will be
Jake O’Brien.
At
one time Herring was ranked near the top of the heavyweight division,
vying for the championship in Pride. The fight with O’Brien
will be his first in nearly a year. He last saw action when he
knocked out Gary Goodridge at the K-1 Hero’s show in March
of 2006.
O’Brien
is a strong up-and-comer out of Indianapolis, Indiana. While
he doesn’t have the experience that Herring does, O’Brien
is undefeated and has two wins under his belt in the Octagon.
While he’s no walk in the park for Herring, it will likely
be the toughest test yet for the former Purdue wrestler.
Source: MMA Weekly |
TUF
3'S RORY SINGER COMING INTO HIS OWN
Coming off of a hard fought victory over Josh Haynes at Ortiz
vs. Shamrock 3 – The Final Chapter, Rory Singer is preparing
for his next appearance in the Octagon. The former Ultimate Fighter
Season Three contestant took time out of his busy schedule to
talk with MMAWeekly about his upcoming fight.
At
UFC 62, David Terrell was supposed to face Yushin Okami but pulled
out due an infection. The fight was rescheduled for UFC 66. Recently,
Terrell announced that he would again be unable to fight due
to an elbow injury. “When Terrell dropped out, I got a call
from Joe Silva and he told me that my January fight was off because
that opponent was injured…he needed a guy to fight [Yushin]
Okami and I was the first one on his list,” explained Singer.
“I called him back and said let’s do it.”
In
his two UFC appearances, Yushin Okami has proven to be a very
formidable opponent and remains undefeated in the Octagon. “I’ve
been watching [his tapes], dissecting his wrestling and dissecting
his stand-up…looking at his fights and seeing what his ‘go-to’
moves are and making sure my guys perform those on me; learning
how to defend them the best I can. He’s a ground-n-pound
guy so I can expect that if I’m on my back,” said Singer.
“I
believe I’m the better stand-up fighter than he is striking-wise,”
added Singer. “He’s certainly an impressive athlete
and an experienced fighter. I expect it to be a hell of a fight.
I have all the confidence in the world that I’m going to
win on the 30th.”
UFC
66 has the potential to be one of the most successful UFC events
in history. At the moment, Singer’s fight with Okami isn’t
slated to be aired on the broadcast. “I would love for the
fight to be on the Pay-Per-View obviously. I can’t go in
there with the intention of fighting a specific fight to get
on Pay-Per-View. I’m going to fight the fight regardless
if it’s going to be on TV or not.”
Rory
is fighting on an undercard that’s headlined by one of the
most anticipated rematches in UFC history. The Hardcore Gym fighter
gave his prediction for the main event. “I’m taking
Chuck again. I think everyone underestimates his wrestling abilities,”
stated Rory. “It’s not real easy to shoot on him, you’ve
got to get through his huge reach and his tremendously heavy
hands. In doing so, most guys get knocked unconscious. I think
it’s going to go the same way as the first one…second
or third round knockout.”
“I
want to keep improving as a fighter. I’m coming into my
own as a fighter now, finally being able to do this full time
and dedicate myself to the fighting. It’s going to be great
fight. I’m going to prove again that I belong in there.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
A
WORD FROM THE ASIAN SENSATION...
…preview.
Pride
Otoko Matsuri (Shockwave) 2006 – Preview and Analysis
Fight
Card (In reverse order):
Fedor
Emelianenko vs. Mark Hunt (Heavyweight Title Match)
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Josh Barnett
Hidehiko
Yoshida vs. James Thompson
Takanori
Gomi vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Non-Title Match)
Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Eldar Kurtanidze
Tatsuya
Kawajiri vs. Gilbert Melendez
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Yuki Kondo vs. Akihiro Gono
Shinya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen
Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Kiyoshi Tamura
Fedor
Emelianenko (24-1) vs. Mark Hunt (5-2) [Heavyweight Title Match]
...puncher’s
chance.
Disappointed
we aren’t seeing a rematch between Fedor and Mirko “Cro
Cop” Filipovic? Who isn’t? Let’s be thankful that
Fedor is actually facing a ranked opponent. A former K-1 Grand
Prix Champion, Mark Hunt is a seasoned striker with devastating
power behind his punches. Does Hunt deserve a shot at the title?
No. Most fighters coming off of a loss don’t usually get
an opportunity like this. The decision making at DSE simply astounds
me sometimes…
As
dominating as Fedor has been, the Red Devil fighter is indeed
human. Kazuyuki Fujita had the “Last Emperor” doing
the fish dance at Pride 26 after landing one of his powerful
right hooks. Like a true champion, Emelianenko regained his composure
and went on to submit the Japanese wrestler. Mark Hunt is more
than capable of ending a fight with one punch. Arguably the hardest
hitting heavyweight fighter in Pride and possessing the best
chin in all of MMA, the New Zealander has a puncher’s chance
at pulling off one of the greatest upsets in MMA history.
The
conceivability of Hunt handing the best MMA fighter in the world
his first Pride loss is very slim. To overcome Fedor’s vast
experience, fast hand speed, excellent cardio and submission
skills is nothing less than a monumental achievement in itself.
Look for the champion to take Hunt down early and further expose
his weakness to submissions on the ground. Can we say armbar?
Prediction:
Fedor Emelianenko submits Mark Hunt RD1
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira (28-4-1) vs. Josh Barnett (20-4)
…continuation.
Their
first encounter was one of the best fights of 2006. Antonio Rodrigo
Nogueira displays solid boxing technique and is commonly considered
the best heavyweight submission fighter in MMA today. The former
Pride heavyweight champion has a very good chin and great cardio.
Josh Barnett is an adept wrestler and proved he could compete
with Nogueira on the ground. The former King of Pancrase and
UFC champion is well-versed in submissions from his catch wrestling
background.
Two
of the most talented heavyweights in the world put on a memorable
grappling spectacle at Final Conflict Absolute. The fight was
very close and the decision could have gone to either fighter.
I personally thought Nogueira did enough to earn the win. However,
Barnett’s kneebar at the end of the fight probably swayed
two of the judges. “Minotauro” was getting the better
of Barnett with his boxing early on until he got caught with
the left hook. On the ground, I felt that Nogueira controlled
the fight more and transitioned well.
I
can’t help but feel that this rematch is taking place too
soon. 2006 has been a very busy year for Barnett and I hate to
see the strenuous schedule take a toll on him. Something to point
out regarding this highly anticipated rematch is that the fight
is scheduled for three rounds this time around. Nogueira has
excellent cardio and Barnett has been in great physical shape
of late. However, a lot can happen in the third round and Barnett
could possibly show negative effects of his busy year. It should
be another entertaining yet competitive match between these two
world-class fighters. Look for Nogueira to avenge his loss with
a very close decision. Regardless of the outcome, the fans won’t
be disappointed.
Prediction:
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira decisions Josh Barnett
Hidehiko
Yoshida (7-4-1) vs. James Thompson (12-5)
…hardly
intriguing.
Hidehiko
Yoshida is arguably the most popular Japanese fighter in Pride
today. Win or lose, the fans love to see their Olympic Gold Medalist.
The Judoka has fought in the last three Shockwave events and
looks to rebound from a loss to Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.
James Thompson is on a three-fight skid, dropping fights to Kazuyuki
Fujita, Rob Broughton, and Jon Olav Einemo.
This
is not the most intriguing match-up but I guess we can’t
be too picky with such a late announcement. Yoshida took some
heavy low kicks from Mirko in his last fight. Fortunately for
him, Thompson isn’t known for his powerful low kicks. What
he is known for is his aggressive charging style and a weak chin.
The “Colossus” will benefit from a height and weight
advantage. If the Cage Rage veteran decides to charge Yoshida,
the Japanese star shouldn’t have a problem tying him up
and pulling guard. Look for the Judoka to submit Thompson by
armbar in the first round.
Prediction:
Hidehiko Yoshida submits James Thompson RD1
Takanori
Gomi (25-3) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (14-2-1) [Non-Title Match]
…inane.
The
star of the now defunct Pride Bushido will have his hands full
when he faces Shooto Pacific Rim Welterweight Champion Mitsuhiro
Ishida. Putting my disdain for inane non-title matches aside,
I must admit that I’m very happy these two are fighting.
While the champion has lost a step, Ishida has been on a row
of late and is considered a legitimate contender. Unfortunately,
this fight won’t be for Gomi’s title. At Bushido 13,
fans had to watch the Kiguchi Dojo fighter earn an insipid and
tentative unanimous decision over Marcus Aurelio, avenging a
non-title loss to the American Top Team fighter.
Like
I’ve said before, if Gomi was fearful of Aurelio’s
takedowns in their rematch, he’s going to have a very long
night with Ishida. Mitsuhiro is arguably the best wrestler in
Pride at 160-pounds and possesses one of the fastest and strongest
takedown shots in MMA today. Once he’s taken an opponent
down, the T-Blood fighter’s control over them is impressive.
Ishida has very good submission defense and has been successful
in defeating and controlling the last three consecutive BJJ black
belts he’s faced. The Japanese wrestler is very active when
he is on top of his opponents and constantly looks to better
his positioning while throwing strikes. If Ishida takes Gomi
down, I foresee him passing the champion’s guard.
Ishida
isn’t known as a remarkable striker so it’s obvious
that Gomi will have the advantage standing. In fact, the “Fireball
Kid” will be the most dangerous striker Ishida has yet to
face. Although he has never been knocked out, Mitsuhiro needs
to approach the former Shooto champion with caution. Considered
a small lightweight, the T-Blood fighter has faced larger opponents
throughout his career and Gomi will be no exception. It’s
possible for Gomi to earn a decision over Ishida if he duplicates
his last uninspired performance against Marcus Aurelio. However,
I can’t see the champion avoiding Ishida’s takedowns
for long. Look for Mitsuhiro Ishida to utilize his wrestling
prowess and earn a unanimous decision, thus becoming a champion
without a belt…
Prediction:
Mitsuhiro Ishida decisions Takanori Gomi
Kazuyuki Fujita (13-5) vs. Eldar Kurtanidze (0-0)
…stepping
stone?
Eldar
Kurtanidze is a two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist and a two-time
Gold Medalist in the World Championships of freestyle wrestling.
The Georgian native will be making his professional MMA debut
at age 34. Kazuyuki Fujita is a good wrestler but his skills
aren’t on the same level as Kurtanidze. However, this is
MMA.
This
won’t be the first time that Fujita has faced an Olympic
wrestler. “Iron Head” previously knocked out Egyptian
Gold Medalist Karim Ibrahim Gaber at K-1 Premium Dynamite 2004.
Although Fujita is passed his prime, I can’t consider him
a ‘stepping stone’ for any opponent. The former Japanese
pro wrestler’s experience and powerful right hook will earn
him another victory. Welcome to MMA Eldar.
Prediction:
Kazuyuki Fujita TKO Eldar Kurtanidze RD1
Tatsuya
Kawajiri (19-3-2) vs. Gilbert Melendez (11-0)
…war.
In
another highly anticipated match-up, Shooto 154-pound Champion
Tatsuya “The Crusher” Kawajiri takes on Strikeforce
Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez. Since losing to Takanori
Gomi in 2005, Kawajiri has won four straight fights. Gilbert
holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and trains with Jake
Shields. “El Nino” is a strong wrestler and can be
very aggressive. Melendez is coming off of a dominating victory
over previously unbeaten DEEP Champion Nobuhiro Obiya and is
bringing a lot of momentum with him. Without a doubt, Kawajiri
will prove to be Gilbert’s toughest test to date.
Although
he is much more experienced, to say that Kawajiri will walk through
Melendez would be a foolish assumption. I expect a very competitive
fight as this match has the makings to be one of the best fights
of the year. Both competitors are young, very strong and have
similar fighting styles. Kawajiri will be the physically bigger
fighter and has been working on his stand-up technique since
his fight with Gomi. Melendez has been known to throw wide hooks
at times and may be susceptible to Kawajiri’s counter straight
rights. Gilbert could benefit from faster hand speed and his
straight right can be telegraphed by seasoned strikers. Both
fighters are great wrestlers but I would have to give the physical
strength advantage to the “Crusher”. The Cesar Gracie
fighter hasn’t faced a fighter with the strong wrestling
base and a solid sprawl like Kawajiri. Gilbert has proven to
have great cardio and would need to keep an aggressive pace in
hopes of tiring the Shooto veteran. However, I feel that the
more experienced T-Blood fighter will prevail after a hard fought
war.
Prediction:
Tatsuya Kawajiri decisions Gilbert Melendez
Mauricio
Rua (14-2) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-5)
…sleeper.
I
think this will be a good fight between two top ten ranked light
heavyweights and could very well be the sleeper match of the
evening. Some people have been quick to write off Nakamura already.
Although “Shogun” is commonly regarded as the #1 or
#2 ranked light heavyweight in the world, Nakamura is not an
opponent to be taken lightly and is always improving as a fighter.
The Judoka has fought tough opposition and holds wins over Murilo
Bustamante, Kevin Randleman, and Igor Vovchanchyn. He showed
a lot of heart and earned the respect of many fans in his loss
to Josh Barnett, who benefited from a weight advantage.
Nakamura
isn’t afraid to stand and trade with better strikers and
that will be his downfall. Rua is versatile on his feet and has
a very solid ground game. The Chute Boxe fighter will enjoy an
advantage in striking, reach, and conditioning over his Japanese
counterpart. Hidehiko Yoshida’s protégé is
seemingly outmatched and will need use his Judo prowess to take
the fight to the ground. It should be an entertaining fight and
fans can expect some good exchanges and mat work. Look for Rua
to finish Nakamura with strikes in the first.
Prediction:
Mauricio Rua TKO Kazuhiro Nakamura RD1
Yuki
Kondo (48-28-6) vs. Akihiro Gono (26-12-7)
…redemption.
One
of the most popular figures from Pride Bushido, Akihiro Gono
will get an opportunity to avenge a previous loss to King of
Pancrase Yuki Kondo. In 2001, the two first met at Pancrase –
Proof 7 in a fight that saw Gono’s corner throw in the towel
after a barrage of strikes from Kondo. Now nearing the twilight
of his career, Kondo will try to end his slump in the Pride ring
and repeat his prior performance. A former All-Japan Kickboxing
Heavyweight Champion, Gono has become a much better fighter since
their first encounter, compiling wins over Daniel Acacio, Hector
Lombard and Gegard Mousasi.
Five
years later, these two guys match up better than before. Gono
has refined his kickboxing while Kondo’s crisp striking
remains the same. The ‘DJ Ozma enthusiast’ is a better
wrestler but Kondo will have the edge in submissions. Although
Gono is coming off of a loss to Denis Kang, the Team Grabaka
fighter has been on a roll of late. Conversely, Kondo has dropped
five of his last ten fights. Akihiro needs to outwork the always-tough
Kondo while making sure he doesn’t tire himself in the process.
Look for Gono to earn a close decision over the Pancrase Legend
and redeem himself in front of his home crowd. A loss for Kondo
will probably signify the last time we see him in a Pride ring.
Prediction:
Akihiro Gono decisions Yuki Kondo
Shinya
Aoki (11-2) vs. Joachim Hansen (14-4-1)
…anticipation.
Current
Shooto 167-pound Champion Shinya Aoki takes on his toughest test
to date when he meets former Shooto Welterweight Champion Joachim
Hansen. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Aoki is the winner
of Rickson Gracie’s Budo Challenge, an All Japan BJJ champion
and a Japanese qualifier of 2005’s ADCC world championship.
In addition to BJJ, Shinya comes from a Judo background. Joachim
Hansen holds a brown belt in BJJ and has progressed well with
his boxing and Muay Thai. Now known more as a striker, the Scandinavian
fighter started his career in Jiu-Jitsu and is well-versed on
the ground. Comfortable on his back, “Hellboy” is always
a formidable and dangerous opponent for any fighter.
This
is the most anticipated fight of the evening for me. Although
I’m a little disappointed that Aoki isn’t fighting
Gilbert Melendez, Joachim Hansen is a great replacement. Like
I’ve said before, I feel that Aoki is one of the most naturally
gifted Japanese ground fighters that I have seen in recent years.
There’s no doubt this will be a tough fight for the Shooto
Champion. Not known for his striking, Shinya will need to approach
with caution when trying to clinch.
If
Hansen wants to win, he needs to keep the fight standing and
avoid the clinch. However, history has shown that Joachim can
be a bit too comfortable from his back. Hansen doesn’t have
the best takedown defense and once his striking is nullified,
his willingness to pull guard could be a bad style match-up for
Aoki’s excellent ground game. Joachim has been on a roll
knocking opponents out with a well-timed knee. However, I can’t
see that happening to the man in yellow tights. When was the
last time anyone seen Shinya aimlessly shoot in on an opponent?
One thing that Aoki does well is control his opponents on the
ground, especially from one’s back. Look for Shinya to clinch
with Hansen and use his Judo background to take the fight to
the ground or pull guard. Once there, Aoki will utilize his grappling
prowess and active guard to upset the tough Scandinavian fighter.
Tobikan Judan!
Prediction:
Shinya Aoki submits Joachim Hansen RD1
Ikuhisa
Minowa (35-24-8) vs. Kiyoshi Tamura (13-9)
…red
Speedos.
What
is this I see, Ikuhisa Minowa actually facing a fighter in his
weight class? As fans recall, these two already faced each other
back in 2002. In a very entertaining fight, Kiyoshi Tamura earned
a unanimous decision over the unorthodox Minowa. This rematch
has the potential to be equally entertaining like their first
fight or become a prosy showing of two veterans past their prime.
I’m hoping for the former. Tamura has all of the skills
to beat Minowa again, regardless if he’s well past his prime.
The U-File fighter will take “The Punk” into the later
rounds and wear him down with his low kicks and submission attempts.
When he’s not fighting guys that outweigh him, Tamura performs
well in his own weight class. Look for the Rings veteran to test
Minowa’s questionable conditioning and earn a unanimous
decision.
Prediction:
Kiyoshi Tamura decisions Ikuhisa Minowa
Source: MMA Weekly |
UFC
ON HBO; WEC ON VERSUS
A few slim years ago the Ultimate Fighting Championship, nary
any mixed martial arts organization, couldn’t land a television
deal unless they were willing to shell out the bucks to suffocate
in the latenight air alongside Tony Little and Ginsu.
Despite
many promised deals and miscues, the UFC stuck to their guns
and never gave in to the networks that wanted them to pay for
air time, believing that they had a product that, once given
a chance, could stand on its own in the ever fickle television
market. Today the same networks that once shunned MMA can’t
seem to get on board fast enough.
The
UFC has taken over Spike TV, FSN airs both the International
Fight League and Pride Fighting Championships, and the ink is
still wet on Showtime’s deal to air the newly formed EliteXC.
But this appears only to be the jumping off point for MMA in
America.
It
has been common knowledge for quite some time that the UFC has
been courting HBO, the premier premium cable television network.
That relationship now appears to be on the verge of consummation.
In comments made to Pedro Fernandez of RingTalk.com, HBO’s
Larry Merchant stated, “People look at it [UFC] as real
wrestling. And next year HBO and Showtime, they both will test
the waters and see if this works. I don't know what Showtime
is doing, but we'll do four and see how it goes." Merchant
also indicated to Fernandez that if the response is good, HBO
was prepared to consider airing more than the initial four broadcasts.
Merchant
is a longtime special analyst on HBO Sports’ broadcasts
of “World Championship Boxing” and “HBO Pay-Per-View”
alongside Jim Lampley and Emanuel Stewart.
When
Zuffa LLC, the parent company of the UFC, acquired World Extreme
Cagefighting, speculation was rampant that Zuffa would place
the WEC on HBO. All the while, UFC president and co-owner Dana
White denied those claims, continually stating that a deal with
HBO was coming soon and that it would be the UFC on the premium
network.
Alongside
the confirmation of the UFC on HBO, various independent sources
have confirmed to MMAWeekly that the WEC will not renew their
deal with Mark Cuban’s HDNet and has instead opted to go
with the newly-revamped Versus network. One source close to the
situation indicated that the deal calls for six shows over the
next year on Versus --- three shows aired live and three tape-delayed
shows.
The
first Zuffa-owned WEC event is set to take place at the Hard
Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 20th. There was no
confirmation as to whether or not the event would be part of
the broadcast deal with Versus, but it would only make sense
considering the new ownership and the January 20th event's move
from Lemoore, California to Las Vegas.
The
January 20th WEC event features a headline bout between Kit Cope
and “Razor” Rob McCullough for the lightweight title
formerly held by Hermes Franca. The contracts of Cope and McCullough
were both acquired by Zuffa when they purchased select assets
from the now defunct World Fighting Alliance.
Formerly
known as the Outdoor Life Network, in its new incarnation Versus
bills itself as “an anytime destination for people to satisfy
their primal need for competition with in-depth coverage of exclusive
live events and original programming including the NHL, America's
Cup, Field Sports, Professional Bull Riders (PBR), The Tour de
France, Mountain West Conference College Football and more.”
The
Versus brand was launched in September 2006, and the network
is available in approximately 70 million television households
in the United States (as compared with 90 million television
households for Spike TV).
Mixed
martial arts has long been satisfying people’s primal need
for competition, so the WEC should fit in nicely on the Versus
network.
HBO,
Showtime, FSN, Spike TV, Versus… and the list will surely
grow. That sure is a long way from slicing tin cans with a knife.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"One
may sometimes tell a lie, but the grimace that accompanies it
tells the truth."
Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German Philosopher
|
JEREMY
HORN RETURNS TO FIGHT NIKO VITALE IN IFL
Following his disappointing loss to Matt Lindland under the International
Fight League banner in September of this year, Jeremy Horn stepped
away from the fight game and was unsure just what direction his
future was headed. There was talk that he was taking some time
off or even retiring. The latter was dismissed today and the
former fairly short lived as it was announced that Jeremy Horn
will return to the IFL ring on January 19th to face Hawaiian
Falaniko
Vitale
according to Vitale’s manager, Ken Pavia of Pavia, Ciscone,
& Associates.
Horn’s
manager, Monte Cox, confirmed the fight as well. In regards to
Horn’s re-emergence just four months after sequestering
himself, Cox commented, “Well, I think Jeremy was just disappointed
[losing to Lindland] and wasn’t sure what he wanted,”
he continued, “Jeremy took some time off and I think he’s
just ready to get back in there.”
The
latter part of 2005 and early 2006 were not good to Vitale, who
went through a 3-fight skid. He returned in October of this year
to knockout Tony Williams to get back on track. In Horn, he’ll
be facing one of the toughest tests of his career. But Vitale
has a record of 21-6 with wins over Matt Lindland and Dave Menne,
so this is no easy fight for Horn, either.
The
fight will be the Super Fight on the IFL’s 2007 season opening
event in Oakland, California on January 19th. Horn is currently
the #9 Middleweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings.
The
event was initially to be headlined by a bout between Ivan Salaverry
and Eduardo Pamplona; however, Salaverry had a contract with
the World Fighting Alliance, whose select assets were recently
purchased by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Fighter contracts
were part of those assets, so until the UFC has determined what
to do with those contracts, fighters like Salaverry will more
than likely be unable to fight elsewhere.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
PULVER
& PENN TAPPED FOR TUF 5 AND REMATCH
BJ Penn was moments away from
holding the Ultimate Fighting Championship Lightweight Title.
He had champion Jens Pulver in a tight armbar near the fence.
But Pulver held strong as time ran out in the second round. Beyond
that, it was Pulver that held tough for three more rounds, scoring
enough to win a majority decision in the eyes of the judges.
That
was January 11, 2002. In the months and years to follow, Pulver
would walk away from the UFC over a contract dispute, while Penn
would start shifting weight classes before ever capturing the
UFC Lightweight Title.
Now,
five years later, the two will compete in a different forum as
coaches on Season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter.
MMAWeekly
reported in early July that Pulver would be one of the coaches
on TUF 5. Pulver recently confirmed this to MMAWeekly as he said,
“I am coaching the Ultimate Fighter [Season 5]."
Now,
Kevin Iole of the Las Vegas Review Journal has revealed that
UFC president Dana White has named Penn as Pulver's counterpart.
Not
only that, but they will have a rematch on the live season finale
on Spike TV. White told Iole, “It just felt right to do
it that way." White added, "A lot of people want to
see this fight. There have been people asking to see them fight
since about an hour after their first fight."
Pulver’s
manager, Monte Cox, confirmed that Penn is taking on the role
of Pulver’s counterpart on the show, and that a rematch
between the two had been in the works as they negotiated for
Pulver.
Penn,
who is currently the #3 Welterweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings,
will be fighting at lightweight for the first time since 2003
when he takes on Pulver.
Season
5 is scheduled to begin taping in January 2007, with all of the
competitors coming from the lightweight division. Up to this
point, there were two weight classes represented on each season
of The Ultimate Fighter.
Season
5 is tentatively scheduled to air on Thursday nights starting
on April 5, 2007, although there is also a chance that TUF could
be moved to a different night of the week if the pro wrestling
show TNA Impact continues to meet Spike TV's ratings expectations
in primetime. (Last week's episode of TNA Impact drew a 1.2 overall
rating, beating the TUF 4 finale and tying TUF 4's regular season
average.)
There
will also be a new UFC Fight Night event on the night of the
season premiere to serve as a lead-in to the new season, as was
the case with TUF 3 and TUF 4.
This
puts the live season finale with Pulver-Penn II on track to take
place in late June or early July.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
FIGHTERS
& EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON
CHUCK VS. TITO 2
In what will most likely go down as the biggest fight in UFC
history, its time to find out what the fighters and experts have
to say about Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell 2.
Chris
Leben:
“I’m going to go ahead and go with Chuck. He already
won it once and I just don’t know that Tito can take him
down and hold him down.”
Rory
Singer:
“I’m taking Chuck again. I think everyone underestimates
his wrestling abilities and Tito can say he’s got great
wrestling and boxing and he does have very good wrestling but
I don’t think he has great boxing, I think he has good boxing.
Chuck has showed time and time again its not that easy to shoot
on him, you’ve got to get through his huge reach and his
tremendously heavy hands and in doing so most guys get knocked
unconscious. Personally, I just don’t see how Tito gets
to him and takes him down before he gets knocked out.”
Jason
McDonald:
“Its such a hard decision. If Tito comes out and fights
the same fight he fought the last time then I think its another
easy win for Chuck. If Tito comes out and fights the way he’s
capable of fighting and takes the fight to the ground and works
his ground and pound and really pushes the pace on Chuck, then
Tito has all the tools in the world to pull it off. I’d
like to see Tito make a run at it and win it. I’m going
to go out on a limb and pick Tito Ortiz to win this one.”
Monte
Cox:
“I haven’t seen anything in Tito’s last 4 fights
that leads me to believe that he’s going to be able to get
Chuck off his feet and do the damage on the ground that he needs
to do. Of course anything can happen, Tito is a good athlete;
he’s capable of beating anyone if he has the right day.
But if he’s going to stand up with Chuck again then I don’t
know how the results are going to be any different.”
Kit
Cope:
“Tito vs. Chuck 2 goes like this…Tito fights a smart
fight and Chuck fights like Chuck fights. I’m sure Chuck
is thinking if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, however
Tito is going to come at him with a different strategy. He’s
going to hang back. He’s not going to rush forward because
Chuck does not take a step forward. He never ever moves forward
unless he’s got you hurt already. This is just a prediction,
but I think Tito’s going to hang back and make Chuck move
forward and if Chuck moves forward, he’s going to be in
danger of being taken down. I think its going to be a very boring
fight for the first two rounds and then look for Tito’s
conditioning to take over right about round three and maybe even
press Chuck against the cage. And once Tito’s got that body
lock its over. I think it goes the distance though.”
Jake
O’Brien:
“Tito’s in shape and he’s working hard and I think
he’s going to win. I like Tito a lot and I think he’s
going to do it this time.”
Kenny
Florian:
“I’m picking Chuck Liddell to beat Tito Ortiz by KO
or TKO, but that’s a fight I would never want to bet on.
I wouldn’t want to say he’s a new fighter, but I think
Tito Ortiz is a more motivated fighter, a more mature fighter
since the last time they fought. With Chuck, it’s just so
tough to beat him. If you look at the last two fighters that
Chuck has fought, it’s all been essentially clones of Tito.
Guys who have used their hands to try to get inside and take
him down, and everyone knows that Chuck probably isn’t as
strong on the ground, but the thing is you’ve got to be
able to get Chuck on the ground and no one has been able to do
that successfully and keep him there.”
Damon
Martin (Host – MMAWeekly Radio):
“If you’ve listened to the radio show at all in the
last few months it should be painfully clear that I think Tito
Ortiz is going to win this fight. I honestly think we’ve
seen the rebirth of the Huntington Beach Bad Boy and I believe
it’s his time to shine. Chuck is a phenomenal fighter at
the top of his game right now and he’s going to be very
tough to beat, but something tells me that Tito is just rejuvenated
with the thought of being champion again. He has to know that
this is the only chance he has to beat Chuck because if he loses,
it’s the last chapter in the Ortiz/Liddell feud. I think
he’s going to fight smarter this time around and make Chuck
come to him, press him against the cage in a clinch and then
work for the takedown. Tito’s ground and pound has looked
out of this world as of late and I think a few elbows to Chuck’s
head will make everyone remember why he was once considered one
of the best fighters in the world. I’m going with Tito in
the 3rd round by TKO.”
Jeff
Cain (Co-Host – MMAWeekly Radio):
"Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz is the classic match up of
conflicting styles. Ortiz and Liddell are polar opposites. They're
as different as their flamed and icicle trademark trunks. The
question is, as it always is when Liddell faces a wrestler, can
Tito take Chuck down and keep him there? While I believe both
Chuck and Tito are better and different fighters today than they
were when they first fought, I don't think the outcome will be
any different. I think it will be a competitive fight, but I
don't see it going the distance. I'm picking Liddell to get his
seventh knockout in a row – with Ortiz going down in the
third round – to retain his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship."
Ken
Pishna (MMAWeekly Editor):
“Honestly, I'll be a little bit surprised if this fight
goes much different than it did the first time. Chuck has dominated
his recent opposition... and high-caliber competition it has
been. Tito is coming off of dominating performances against Ken
Shamrock, but let's
face it, Ken just hasn't been able to keep up with this generation
of fighter and isn't a good measuring stick for Tito. He looked
very impressive in the first round with Forrest Griffin, nearly
finishing him off. He'll have to be that good and more in the
first round to beat Chuck. Even though Tito's conditioning is
better than Chuck's, I think that the more time you give Chuck
to unload the right hand, the bigger risk you take. That risk
far outweighs any edge in conditioning in my mind. I see Chuck
winning this fight by knockout in the second or third round.
Matt
Hill (MMAWeekly Staff Writer):
“First off, I think that if Tito comes in confidently and
ready to try for multiple takedowns (even when not successful),
throw some punches and eat some punches, then he has the tools
needed to defeat Chuck. However, if Liddell comes in confident
as he always does and Tito has any fear of Chuck at all, then
it may be a very quick night for Liddell. I also believe that
Tito needs to utilize his BJJ in this fight to be successful.
Very rarely does a fighter who uses only a portion of the tools
he or she possesses win a fight of this caliber. I think Tito
will beat Chuck by RNC at the end of the 2nd or beginning of
the third.
Al
Yu (MMAWeekly Staff Writer/Columnist):
“Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 is one of the most anticipated rematches
in UFC history. Fans eagerly waited their first encounter in
2004 and that fight didn't disappoint. Now these two world-class
light heavyweights are set to complete the second chapter. The
"Iceman" has been on a roll, winning his last 5 fights
since defeating Ortiz. After his loss, Tito has also compiled
5 victories and looks to redeem himself. Liddell's punching power
and great takedown defense make him one of the most dangerous
fighters in the business. Couple that with his great counter-punching
and underrated ground game and you can see why he's the champ.
Tito has a seemingly insurmountable task ahead of him and I can't
see this one being too different from the first fight. Look for
Liddell to retain his title and stop the "Huntington Beach
Bad Boy" with strikes in the second or third round. Liddell
vs. Ortiz 2 will go down as the biggest and most successful event
in the UFC's history!"
Source: MMA Weekly
|
IFL
New Year's Eve
NEW
YORK, DECEMBER 26, 2006 – International Fight League, Inc.
(OTC.BB: IFLI), the world’s first team-based professional
mixed martial arts league, will give its fans another way to
ring in the New Year, with an evening of exciting MMA action
on Fox Sports Net. The IFL “World Team Championship”
final between the Wolfpack, based in Portland and coached by
Matt Lindland, and the Silverbacks, who train in the Quad Cities
and are coached by Pat Miletich, will air on Fox Sports Net on
Dec. 31 in most markets. The Wolfpack-Silverbacks matchup will
be a tape delay of the “World Team Championship” that
will take place Friday, Dec. 29 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville,
Conn.
The
coverage is the final part of FSN’s 10 hours of IFL World
Team Championship coverage this fall. Broadcast times in several
regions include:
FSN
Arizona, 8:30 p.m. MT-Ariz
FSN Bay Area, 9:30 p.m. PT
FSN Midwest, 9 p.m. CT
FSN New England, 9 p.m. ET
FSN New York, 9 p.m. ET
FSN Northwest, 5 p.m. PT
FSN Southwest, 8 p.m. CT
FSN West, 10 p.m. PT
Comcast Chicago, 11 p.m. CT
FSN Rocky Mountain, 8 p.m. MT
For
the complete weekend TV schedule go to http://www.ifl.tv/press/FSNIFLDec.pdf.
In
addition, Canadian fans can catch Rogers Sportsnet’s re-broadcasts
of the two-hour “Best Damn Sports Show” special across
all of its networks overnight on Saturday, Dec. 30/Early Sunday,
Dec. 31 (East, Ontario, HD: 12:30 a.m. ET/ 1:30 a.m. AT; West:
midnight MT/11 p.m. PT; Pacific: 1 a.m. MT/ midnight PT). The
World Team Championship Final will air on Saturday, Jan. 6.
Source: Maxfighting
|
NEWTON
VS. GRACIE: THREE YEARS LATER
A lot has happened since Carlos Newton and Renzo Gracie faced
off against one another at PRIDE’s first Bushido show in
October of 2003.
Newton
went through a very difficult period that saw him try to balance
his medical schooling with his fighting career, leading to a
1-3 record since defeating Gracie. Renzo also went through hard
times, battling injuries, he has only fought twice since their
initial meeting, losing to BJ Penn in 2005 and beating Pat Miletich
this past September.
The
sport of MMA has also changed a lot over the past three years.
The Bushido series changed from a loose team competition to becoming
the premier venue for PRIDE’s 160 and 183-pound weight classes,
to now becoming defunct in the coming year.
Numerous
MMA promotions have come and gone, including K-1’s increased
emphasis into the sport, the WFA’s return and demise, the
rise of both the Strikeforce and BodogFight promotions this past
year, as well as the formation of the IFL, the company Newton
and Gracie now compete in.
The
UFC has seen a huge rise in success, breaking into mainstream
television markets and showing record returns in both attendance
and revenue. Conversely the promotion that Carlos and Renzo first
met in, PRIDE, has lost its Japanese TV deal and could see itself
be sold in the coming year.
Yet
through all the changes in the sport, the highs and lows both
Carlos Newton and Renzo Gracie have seen, they remain much the
same they were three years ago when they fought to what many
consider one of the best matches in Bushido’s history.
When
Newton and Gracie fought at Bushido 1, they put on a technical
ground display that saw them both gain, lose, and reverse multiple
submission attempts. So close was the action that ultimately
when the fight went the distance, Carlos won by a split decision.
Three
years later both fighters have remained proficient on the ground,
where the majority of their wins have come. But to say this fight
could be solely a ground affair would be discounting both fighters’
stand-up skills.
While
it is true you won’t see either put on a blazing display
of technical Muay Thai or even one-shot knockout power, both
are willing to stand and trade – whether to their advantage
or detriment – and set up the eventual takedown and submission
games.
Newton
in particular has grown more brazen standing. During his lone
win since these two first met, Carlos managed to TKO Tokimitsu
Ishizawa in just over 20 seconds, making it his first win ever
not via submission or decision.
Time
could also play a key factor in the fight. Both Carlos and Renzo
have spent an extended amount off over this past year, rejuvenating
themselves physically after years of heavy abuse in the ring.
The fighter that is the fresher physically could push the pace
more, and in a fight where the competitors possesses very similar
skill sets, that may very well be the key determining factor
leading to victory.
A
win in this fight could go a long way towards further cementing
a place in the current era of MMA for either Newton or Gracie.
Both are great examples of the recent past of the sport, but
with the continued evolution of MMA, proving what you can do
now – rather than relying on past glory – could very
well ultimately determine their place in the overall history
of the sport.
Carlos
is still young and it’s feasible that he could make another
run at an individual championship, or continue to take superfights
as he hopes to lead his IFL team, the Toronto Dragons to an eventual
World Team Tournament title.
Renzo
on the other hand is closer to the end of what is career that
will most surely have him recognized as “the fighting Gracie”
among a family of legends. With a proposed match upcoming against
Frank Shamrock in Showtime’s new MMA promotion, EliteXC,
next year, we may be witnessing the last great run of a truly
great ambassador of our sport.
A
lot of things have changed in the three years since Carlos Newton
and Renzo Gracie first fought. Names, faces, outlets, things
have come and gone, but Newton and Gracie have remained relatively
the same. And if the fight remains the same as it did before,
then the IFL and fans alike will be treated to a great show of
skill, respect, and entertainment from these two tremendous competitors.
Weigh-Ins
LIGHTWEIGHT
Ryan
Schultz (Wolfpack) - 154.75 lbs.
Bart
Palaszewski (Silverbacks) - 155 lbs.
WELTERWEIGHT
Rory
Markham (Wolfpack) - 169.25 lbs.
Chris
Wilson (Silverbacks) - 170 lbs.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Matt
Horwich (Wolfpack) - 185.75 lbs.
Ryan
McGivern (Silverbacks) - 184.25 lbs.
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT
Aaron
Stark (Wolfpack) - 205.25 lbs.
Mike
Ciesnolevicz (Silverbacks) - 205 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Devin
Cole (Wolfpack) - 237 lbs.
Ben
Rothwell (Silverbacks) - 264 lbs.
ALTERNATES
- MIDDLEWEIGHT
Jake
Ellenberger (Wolfpack) - 183 lbs.
Ben
Uker (Silverbacks) - 185 lbs.
SUPERFIGHT
- MIDDLEWEIGHT
Carlos
Newton (Dragons) - 184.75 lbs.
Renzo
Gracie (Pitbulls) - 184 lbs.
INTRA-LEAGUE
FIGHTS
LIGHTWEIGHT
Erik
Owings (Pitbulls) - 154.25 lbs.
Ed
West (Sabres) - 151 lbs.
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT
Brent
Beauparlant (Dragons) - 205 lbs.
Andre
Gusmao (Pitbulls) - 204.75 lbs.
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT
Jamal
Patterson (Pitbulls) - 204.5 lbs.
Reese
Andy (Tiger Sharks) - 205 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Mike
Whitehead (Scorpions) - 262.5 lbs.
Krzysztof
Soszynski (Anacondas) - 235.25 lbs.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Ben
Rothwell: Leave it to a Professional
BETTENDORF--The career of Ben Rothwell can be looked at two ways:
B.P.M and A.P.M, before Pat Miletich and after Pat Miletich.
Rothwell is a 6’5 265 lbs. veteran heavyweight whose skills
have been taken to the next level while training at Miletich
Fighting Systems over the past two years. Big Ben is the personification
of what it means to be a Quad City Silverback. Strong and hungry,
Rothwell will look to help bring home another championship for
papa Pat and team Miletich, when the Silverbacks take on the
Portland Wolfpack for the IFL team championships on December
29th in Uncasville, Connecticut.
It
is worth noting that Ben Rothwell the well rounded MMA fighter
almost became Ben Rothwell the well versed chef. Thankfully for
MMA fans he chose Fight school rather than culinary school, following
in a fighter footsteps as opposed to his mother’s. Rothwell
will stick to fisticuffs and leave family meals to the professionals
“Everything
I’ve learned is from my mom. She is the world class chef.”
says Rothwell. “She’s got a great catering business
and restaurant. When I was younger before I really got into fighting
I was planning on going to culinary arts school and really take
it to the next level.”
With
world class culinary genes already in place Rothwell turned to
Pat Miletich in 2004 to receive world class MMA instruction.
Rothwell
is undefeated in IFL competition, with his last loss coming at
the hands of Ultimate Fighter season two participant Dan Christison
back in early 2005. Evolving by the day at camp Miletich, Rothwell
is a different fighter with each passing bout.
“I
definitely matured a great deal in the last two years.”
says Rothwell. “My training has really picked up since I’ve
been here. It seems like every month you can see improvements
in myself. Anyone who watches film of me six months ago is in
for a surprise.”
Most
fighters Rothwell’s size are usually pigeon holed as knock’em
out strikers, but in his last fight Rothwell was able to finish
Wojtek Kaszowski with a keylock in round one.
““It’s
always been there. I started out as a ground and pound submission
guy.” says Rothwell. “Then I came to Pat Miletich and
decided I really liked my stand up. I started knocking so many
people out, that people thought that’s all I could do.”
An
versatile heavyweight is a dangerous heavyweight. Rothwell possess
the speed and size that keeps his opponents tossing and turning
at night. Devin Cole of the Wolfpack will be the next man looking
to chop down Rothwell. The problem is there is nothing that you
can throw at Big Ben that he hasn’t already seen. The six
year pro has taken on all comers throughout his career.
“My
last fight was the first stand up guy I fought, until him it
was nothing but wrestlers.” says Rothwell. “I got a
great style developed to deal with wrestlers. Devin Cole is no
different than any of them.”
The
diligent pro Rothwell is not the type of guy to look past an
opponent, but he is one to play the percentages.
“For
him to win he’s going to have to grind out a three round
decision, and yes every fighter has a percentage chance of getting
a knockout or submission, I just believe his percentage is very
low.” says Rothwell. “My chance of catching him in
a submission is significantly higher. My chances of catching
him in a knockout are even higher.”
Rothwell
is looking to seal another victory for Miletich’s Silverbacks
who have proven to be the dominant team of the IFL in the league’s
inaugural season. The IFL has also provided Rothwell with a forum
to showcase his talents. The team concept is something that Big
Ben welcomes.
“In
the IFL you got me and the four other guys on my team, head coach,
assistant coach, there’s a big army that comes with us.”
says Rothwell “That just makes the whole experience cool
as a team. Cutting the weight together. The whole experience
is just a lot less stressful.”
The
close bond the Silverbacks have comes as no surprise because
the Quad City team is comprised of all Miletich fighters. Eat
together, train together, and now fight together.
“Well
everybody says Miletich Fighting System is a like a brotherhood
and Pat’s the father figure.” says Rothwell. “To
me he is like the ultimate mixed martial artist. He was one of
the first coaches to utilize the idea to use everything; stand
up, wrestling, groundwork, and really putting it together.”
Team
Quest based out of Portland, Oregon could be called the west
coast version of MFS. With champions in most major organizations
Team Quest is following the Silverback’s lead and stocking
the Portland Wolfpack with nothing but Team Quest trained fighters.
Will the IFL team championship decide which gym is tops in the
U.S? Rothwell says not at all.
“I
don’t think this IFL event will decide which gym is the
best.” says Rothwell. “If you want to put numbers together,
Pat Miletich has coached something like 11 world champions and
put over 50 something guys on pay per view. It is what it is.”
Big
Ben is what he is, a imposing figure who has been unstoppable
in 2006. On the 29th Rothwell looks to stay undefeated in the
IFL and run his streak of wins to seven. The professional fighter
trained by the best, will let his fists do the work and leave
the talking to the professionals.
Source: Maxfighting |
TUF
3'S RORY SINGER COMING INTO HIS OWN
Coming off of a hard fought victory over Josh Haynes at Ortiz
vs. Shamrock 3 – The Final Chapter, Rory Singer is preparing
for his next appearance in the Octagon. The former Ultimate Fighter
Season Three contestant took time out of his busy schedule to
talk with MMAWeekly about his upcoming fight.
At
UFC 62, David Terrell was supposed to face Yushin Okami but pulled
out due an infection. The fight was rescheduled for UFC 66. Recently,
Terrell announced that he would again be unable to fight due
to an elbow injury. “When Terrell dropped out, I got a call
from Joe Silva and he told me that my January fight was off because
that opponent was injured…he needed a guy to fight [Yushin]
Okami and I was the first one on his list,” explained Singer.
“I called him back and said let’s do it.”
In
his two UFC appearances, Yushin Okami has proven to be a very
formidable opponent and remains undefeated in the Octagon. “I’ve
been watching [his tapes], dissecting his wrestling and dissecting
his stand-up…looking at his fights and seeing what his ‘go-to’
moves are and making sure my guys perform those on me; learning
how to defend them the best I can. He’s a ground-n-pound
guy so I can expect that if I’m on my back,” said Singer.
“I
believe I’m the better stand-up fighter than he is striking-wise,”
added Singer. “He’s certainly an impressive athlete
and an experienced fighter. I expect it to be a hell of a fight.
I have all the confidence in the world that I’m going to
win on the 30th.”
UFC
66 has the potential to be one of the most successful UFC events
in history. At the moment, Singer’s fight with Okami isn’t
slated to be aired on the broadcast. “I would love for the
fight to be on the Pay-Per-View obviously. I can’t go in
there with the intention of fighting a specific fight to get
on Pay-Per-View. I’m going to fight the fight regardless
if it’s going to be on TV or not.”
Rory
is fighting on an undercard that’s headlined by one of the
most anticipated rematches in UFC history. The Hardcore Gym fighter
gave his prediction for the main event. “I’m taking
Chuck again. I think everyone underestimates his wrestling abilities,”
stated Rory. “It’s not real easy to shoot on him, you’ve
got to get through his huge reach and his tremendously heavy
hands. In doing so, most guys get knocked unconscious. I think
it’s going to go the same way as the first one…second
or third round knockout.”
“I
want to keep improving as a fighter. I’m coming into my
own as a fighter now, finally being able to do this full time
and dedicate myself to the fighting. It’s going to be great
fight. I’m going to prove again that I belong in there.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"One
may sometimes tell a lie, but the grimace that accompanies it
tells the truth."
Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German Philosopher
|
RANDY
COUTURE INTERVIEW
It’s been quite a year for MMA living legend Randy “The
Natural” Couture. After retiring fallowing his loss to Chuck
Liddell in their third match at UFC 57 in February, Randy hasn’t
let up, developing a line of supplements, commentating, and a
myriad of other things.
In
this first part of our two-part interview with Couture, he talks
about his life in retirement, making his submission wrestling
debut at X-Mission in November, and the constant rumors of his
return to MMA fighting.
MMAWeekly:
You’ve been retired for about ten months now Randy, tell
us about how that time has gone for you.
Randy
Couture: Still traveling around, doing work for the Fight Network,
analyst and color commentary for the UFC pay-per-views, and just
getting ready to go work with Marc Ratner in the New Year on
the sanctioning program as kind of an administrator on that program
as an athletes’ representative. [I’m] opening two new
training centers, one here in Las Vegas, one up in Vancouver,
Washington, they should hopefully be open here by the end of
the month. [And I] have five new products out on the nutritional
line, Couture Nutrition, so basically just plugging away.
MMAWeekly:
It sounds like you’re busier now than you were when you
were actively fighting.
Randy
Couture: [Laughs] Absolutely, I’m going to have to come
out of retirement just to get a break. [Laughs]
MMAWeekly:
Overall would you say you’ve been enjoying retirement?
Randy
Couture: I feel it’s been good. Sometimes it’s a little
more stressful I think with being out and about, traveling, being
away from home and trying to make ends meat and all that. It’s
outside of what I’m used to, which is training and competing,
so I’m getting used to it and settling with where I’m
at and overall I’m having blast. Things really couldn’t
be better.
MMAWeekly:
Your last fight was in February against Chuck Liddell. Now that
you’ve had time to reflect on your professional career,
what are your thoughts on it?
Randy
Couture: I’ve got no complaints. I think I accomplished
a lot and got a good reputation for myself in this sport and
I think I represented the sport to the best of my ability. So
I’ve got nothing to complain about, it’s been an amazing
ride.
MMAWeekly:
Obviously since you retired there’ve been a ton of rumors
regarding your return to MMA fighting. Have you heard any of
them and what are your thoughts on the rumors?
Randy
Couture: I just got a call yesterday wanting to know if it was
true I was fighting Wanderlei Silva in February, and I was like,
“If I am, it’s news to me…I better get training.”
[Laughs] I think it’s par for the course, everyone wanted
to know when I was going to retire and now everyone wants to
know when I’m coming back, it’s kind of the way things
go.
I
think under the right circumstances, the right situation, I could
come back out and compete. I’m certainly physically capable
of competing, a lot of things have settled down in my personal
life this last year and I feel a lot more like myself. Things
have certainly been hectic and busy, but it’s been fun.
I always say, "Never say never," but by the time you
say that, things change.
MMAWeekly:
One of the other rumors we heard was that you were possibly going
to fight Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Was
that ever a possibility?
Randy
Couture: Not in a real sense. I haven’t had any fight thrown
at me in a real sense. There’s people that have suggested,
“Why don’t you come out and fight Tim?” and people
have been a little disappointed in his last two performances.
I think his last two performances have been great. They’ve
been a little bit on the conservative side, I think he’s
fighting more not to lose instead of fighting to win. Because
of that approach it hasn’t been as exciting as Tim has the
capability of being.
I
am walking around now at 230lbs, back to my heavyweight days,
and can certainly go back and compete in that division, but Tim’s
one of the reasons why I chose to go down to light-heavyweight.
When guys are starting to be 6’5”-6’10”,
cutting weight to make the [265lb] limit – that’s a
big man…he’s a very good fighter, very skilled and
when you start giving up that kind of weight, you are at a disadvantage
and it can be a big problem. No one has seriously approached
me with an opportunity to fight Tim Sylvia, so it’s all
one in the same, rumors.
MMAWeekly:
I’m sure if you ever did sign to return to MMA fighting
you’d let it be known, rather than just let it be shrouded
in mystery.
Randy
Couture: If it ever seriously materializes everybody will be
the first to know, I think that’s for sure. [Laughs]
MMAWeekly:
This past November you competed in the Professional Submission
League’s “X-Mission” show. How was that experience
being able to get back in there and compete in that arena?
Randy
Couture: I had a blast. I definitely wanted to get back in and
compete in wrestling, I never got the chance to do any submission
wrestling and I saw Rico’s [Chiapparelli] first LA Submission-X
and I thought it was great. It highlighted and showcased the
athletes of the sport real well, so I was happy was to be able
to compete in it. Of course they threw me right in the best guy
in the world, Jacare, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect
with a guy that caliber and how I would fare, but overall I think
it went well. I had a great time.
MMAWeekly:
You were able to hang in there with one of the best Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu specialists in the world, that has to feel good.
Randy
Couture: I hung with Jacare. I would have liked to train a little
harder and been in a little better shape, I would have been more
aggressive, especially more on my feet. With my wrestling background
I thought I had an advantage there that I wasn’t able to
capitalize on. Overall I felt like I dealt with the problems
that Jacare posed pretty well. It was a good match, a lot of
people liked it, and it was pretty exciting, so overall it was
great.
MMAWeekly:
Was there any urge to use your trademark dirty boxing or ground
‘n pound during the match?
Randy
Couture: [Laughs] Yeah I would have loved to have done something.
It crossed my mind a couple of times, “Boy I’d really
like to drop a forearm on him.”
MMAWeekly:
So it’s something you’d definitely be interested in
doing again in the future?
Randy
Couture: Absolutely.
MMAWeekly:
As you told us earlier, you’ve been busy with your nutritional
line, Couture Nutrition; tell us a bit about that.
Randy
Couture: I’m really excited about the nutritional line of
supplements. I got the opportunity to partner up and do a line
that represented what I liked and what I used when I competed
and what I wished I had when I was competing. We’ve got
five products on the market right now…one of which is the
greens that the put into capsule form, so you don’t have
to taste them or mix them anymore, [laughs] they travel a little
easier and they’re just as effective.
We
came out with a joint formula, which is something I use a lot
of…it works with a natural anti-inflammatory, [it’s]
not only for joints but muscles as well I’m really excited
about it. We did kind of an energy drink that’s designed
to help you get through your hard workouts and help you recover.
We’re
coming out with a new thing that will help guys in weight class
sports like ours…it’s strip technology like the Listerine/breath
strips, except it’s electrolytes, so when you can’t
afford to drink eight ounces of Gatorade, you can just put a
strip in your mouth. It doesn’t weigh anything and you still
have electrolytes on board to help you hydrate and maintain your
strength from cutting weight and sweating a lot, it’s a
pretty cool product. Overall I think our products are more designed
for the athletes and it’s doing really well.
MMAWeekly:
What about some of your other endeavors since you’ve been
retired, such as commentating and the Legends Training Center
you started with Bas Rutten?
Randy
Couture: Commentating has been pretty fun. I’ve got the
best seats in the house and I get to give the athletes perspective
of what’s going on in the cage, and I enjoy that.
The
training centers are coming on-line, Legends in Hollywood is
doing really well and the two new Couture Extreme Training Centers
coming up in Vancouver and Vegas are going to be really, really
nice. The Vegas gym has the capability to become kind of the
Mecca of MMA training centers, at 11,000 square feet, a full
cage and ring, and all the facilities we have. I’m really
excited about all those prospects.
I
actually got to do a little bit of acting, which has been fun.
I was in Invincible with Mark Wahlberg and just did a Rob Schneider
film called Big Stan, which hasn’t been released yet. That’s
coming out pretty quick here in the next few months; it was a
lot of fun.
MMAWeekly:
So call the Academy and have them polish up an Oscar for you
huh?
Randy
Couture: [Laughs] I don’t know if I’d go that far…I’m
having a good time anyway.
MMAWeekly:
Tell us about the commission program that you’ve gotten
involved in with current UFC employee/former NSAC Executive Director
Marc Ratner.
Randy
Couture: Well our sport is sanctioned in 22 states, so there’s
obviously another 28 that haven’t sanctioned the sport,
and so that leaves openings for somebody to throw a show in a
state that isn’t regulated and get somebody hurt. Obviously
that would reflect on all of us, so what we wanted to do is create
a level playing field, get unified rules sanctioned with commissions
in every state in the US, Canada, and some of the other countries
that are jumping on board right now. We want to show everybody
that the sport is safe, it’s not brutal, it’s a very
viable, fun to watch sport. Not only that, a lot of these state
athletic commissions will see a lot of revenue come in from this
sport.
There
are already shows going on in those states, they might as well
regulate it, bring in revenue and make sure that none of those
fighters are being exploited or put into danger by being involved
in a show that’s not taking the proper precautions and rules.
I think that’s first and foremost what’s going on with
hiring Marc Ratner and starting this sanctioning program.
MMAWeekly:
What’s it been like working with Marc?
Randy
Couture: Marc’s a great guy. He’s very personable,
has a great reputation and a lot of integrity. He’s a hard
working guy, so my experience working with him has been good.
I’m just now getting on board with this whole program, so
I’m looking forward to spending more time with Mark this
next year and seeing new shows everywhere.
Like
in Montreal with our new Champion, Georges St. Pierre, or England,
Great Britain has accepted the sport and sanctioned there, but
Europe is kind of wide-open, there’s a lot of places in
Europe that are interested in throwing shows. I’m excited
to see the sport grow and to establish a strong foundation for
this sport and taking it across our country and across the world.
MMAWeekly:
It sounds so amazing to hear you say that, considering how far
the sport has come since the days you first got involved in it
years ago.
Randy
Couture: This whole thing – these last four years has been
amazing ride – to see the sport tear down all the walls
and misconceptions that it’s been under, the stigmas and
negative attitudes around it. To be an athlete in, or around,
this sport right now is remarkable.
MMAWeekly:
This coming weekend two men you’re very familiar with will
be meeting for the UFC Light-Heavyweight Title at UFC 66 in Chuck
Liddell and Tito Ortiz. Tell us your thoughts on the fight.
Randy
Couture: I think it’s going to be a good competitive fight.
Both guys are game fighters and there’s no love lost between
them at this stage in their careers, so neither one wants to
think about the possibility of losing to the other, which is
pretty motivating. On the technical side, I think that if you
look at the fights Chuck’s lost in the last couple years;
it’s been against guys that have been able to take him down
and make him work on the ground. Quinton Jackson managed to do
it, in my first fight with him I was able to do it – those
are the style of fighter that gives him trouble. Tito Ortiz has
that kind of style.
The
problem that Tito has is he doesn’t favor the idea of engaging
Chuck in a range of exchanges where he can hit, be hit and be
able to get his hands on him and take him down. Quinton was able
to do that [to Chuck], I was able to do that in our first fight,
which made the takedown possible and made it successful –
it wore him down. I’m not sure if Tito can do that, but
I think what he has to do to win. Whether or not he can get over
his psychological issue with Chuck and Chuck’s power and
his unwillingness to trade with anybody is going to be the huge
issue.
I
will say that Chuck is under the pressure here. He’s the
one that has to live up to sustaining another knockout, performing
the way he’s been performing. He’s absolutely at the
top of his game but he is under a lot of pressure to repeat and
perform again. That can be tough as the champ, so how he handles
that, is he taking this seriously, is he just thinking he’s
just going to walk through Tito, is the questions in my mind
with Chuck.
I’m
sure he’s trained hard and I think the last thing he wants
to do is lose this fight to Tito and hear Tito run his mouth.
I think ultimately the night comes down to Chuck finding his
range and landing that shot in the early rounds…if Tito
can make him work and get to the later rounds he has a chance.
MMAWeekly:
Sounds like you feel it has the potential to be something special.
Randy
Couture: It’s absolutely going to be a great fight. It’s
probably going to be the biggest fight in the history of our
sport. Being the day before New Year’s, and the personas
the guys bring into the cage, and the hype surrounding this fight
is going to make it huge. It sold out in half an hour at the
MGM Grand, if that’s any indication of what it’s going
to be like right before New Year’s, it’s going to be
nuts.
MMAWeekly:
Great stuff Randy, is there anything you’d like to say as
we close out this two-part interview?
Randy
Couture: I’m just happy to be here, be part of the sport
and be contributing. I appreciate all the fans’ support
in this year of retiring. They’ve been really gracious to
me and it’s been really nice to be involved and feel that
from everybody, I appreciate it.
MMAWeekly:
And hopefully next year we’ll see you busting out all over
the place even more right?
Randy
Couture: [Laughs] We’ll see…I hope so.
MMAWeekly:
Better let Bas know he’s got more competition on the way.
Randy
Couture: [Laughs] Bas is my partner in Legends, we’re good
friends – so if anything I’m learning from him and
taking lessons from him.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
CHRIS
LEBEN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER KO
Chris ‘The Crippler’ Leben is an experienced fighter
who has high hopes of wearing a UFC middleweight belt on his
waist in the not-so-distant future. Leben is as confident a fighter
as they come and he believes that anyone who tries to stand with
him is in for a rude awakening – that is when that man wakes
up gazing at the lights that hang above the UFC’s Octagon.
Leben
has many impressive wins in the UFC over such fighters as: Jorge
Rivera, Edwin Dewees, Patrick Cote, Jorge Santiago and Luigi
Fioravanti, with his only loss coming from the hands – and
knees ¬– of current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson
Silva. Leben has wins by KO and submission, thus proving his
well roundedness, but don’t be confused, Leben loves the
KO.
Chris
said, “I’m here to knock people out and put on a show
for the crowd.”
Traditionally
Leben has trained with Team Quest in Portland, Oregon, but has
since added Matt Hume’s Seattle-based school to his resume.
Leben now splits his time between the two camps, but feels a
part of both of them.
Leben
said, “I’m training up at Team Quest, but I’m
going up to AMC to train with Matt Hume…I kind of split
my time, I go back and forth and it works out well for me.”
Coming
up at UFC 66 on December 30, Leben knows that he is facing a
tough challenge in Canadian fighter Jason MacDonald, but he feels
more than up to the task at hand. Jason is known for having slick
submission skills – like the ones he showed against Ed Herman
–but Leben contests that even submission wise he thinks
he’s at the top of the UFC food chain.
Leben
said, “I’m not afraid of anybody on the ground in the
UFC at all. I think my ground game is probably better than his
to be honest with you. If he takes me to the ground and he manages
to get me down, then I’ll submit him –you know, I’ll
take a win however I have to – but I’m not going to
go out looking for a submission when I can knock him out.”
Chris
also commented on his feelings about redeeming his Team Quest
teammate, training partner and long-time friend Ed Herman’s
most recent loss to MacDonald. Leben said, “Yeah, I want
to get out there and beat him up.”
During
his conversation with MMAWeekly’s SoundOff Radio crew, Leben
also discussed his thoughts about a rematch with Anderson Silva
and spoke about whom he’d like to fight next if he gets
past MacDonald at UFC 66.
“I
think about my fight with him [Anderson Silva] every day. I think
about what I’m going to do different next time, but as far
as fighting him goes, you know, I wouldn’t mind – to
be honest with you – waiting another year,” Leben said.
Chris
continued, “He beat me once fair and square and now I’ll
let him go out and kick some more ass for another year and then
I beat a few more guys and I step back in with him after a year
– then I’ll beat him up and take his title.”
Leben
also spoke about the chances of seeing him in the ring with long-time
rival Mike Swick anytime in the near future. Leben didn’t
cross any words here. Chris said, “If he [Swick] wants to
get knocked out again that’s fine, but my personal opinion
is that we can talk about it – I was going to take the fight
once already, but apparently his hand got broken or something,
but he couldn’t take the fight – but I don’t know
if he or the UFC want him to get knocked out. I wouldn’t
say that it’s a smart idea for them since he might be getting
groomed a little bit to get a title shot in the near future.”
With
the hype around Leben’s upcoming fight growing, and the
reality of his heavy-handed striking; fans can almost be assured
that they’ll see an entertaining fight on December 30. Leben
has a solid record put together with a good number of wins mixed
with only a couple of losses, but with his bad-boy persona and
his red Mohawk, win or lose, when Chris Leben fights – love
him or hate him – it’s entertaining.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Obstacles
are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off
your goal."
Henry Ford, 1863-1947, American Industrialist and Founder of
Ford Motor Company
|
UFC,
PRIDE, AND IFL DATES REVEALED
MMAWeekly has learned the scheduled dates of several upcoming
mixed martial arts events that have not yet been publicly announced.
As
previously announced, Pride's next show in the United States
will take place on February 24th, but Pride has also requested
the venue of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas for a
third U.S. show on April 28th.
Meanwhile,
Spike TV has confirmed that the live season finale of The Ultimate
Fighter 5
(featuring BJ
Penn vs. Jens Pulver)
will take place on June 23rd.
Also,
while not confirmed by Spike TV, MMAWeekly has learned that the
next UFC Fight Night broadcast after the January 25th event is
scheduled to take place on March 13th, and the next one after
that will take place on April 5th as the lead-in to the season
premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 5.
In
addition, the previously open date in June on the IFL's announced
2007 season schedule now appears to have been filled, as the
IFL has formally requested the date of June 17th for an event
at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. Given the location,
it's likely that one of the teams competing on the show will
be the Ken Shamrock-coached Reno Lions.
Finally,
though it was reported on MMAWeekly several months ago, it has
now been officially confirmed that UFC 68 will be taking place
on March 3rd at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The show
is actually being referred to as "UFC 68: Ohio 1" by
the Ohio Athletic Commission. There will already be a lot of
visitors in the Columbus area on that weekend due to the Arnold
Classic bodybuilding event, and many of those visitors may also
purchase tickets to the UFC event.
You
can always find the latest information on scheduled dates and
rumored line-ups for upcoming MMA events in MMAWeekly's Rumors
section, and you can find the specific TV or PPV listings for
any particular event in our MMA Television Guide.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
"MAYHEM"
MILLER COMMENTS ON ACQUITTAL & UFC
Professional fighter Jason “Mayhem” Miller was recently
acquitted of charges of burglary, assault and criminal property
damage by a Circuit Court jury in Hawaii.
The
charges stemmed from an incident at the apartment of Miller’s
girlfriend, Catherine Tanaka, on December 17, 2005. Miller contends
that he accidentally broke in the door at Tanaka’s apartment
when she didn’t answer. According to Miller, he then had
to defend himself from a man that was already in the apartment.
He says he did not attack the man.
Had
he been found guilty, Miller could have faced up to 10 years
in prison. Following a 2-1/2 day trial, he was acquitted after
several hours of deliberation.
Contacted
following the verdict, a relieved Miller told MMAWeekly, “I
really can’t believe I accomplished as much as I did this
year (3 wins and 1 loss in MMA) with all this drama. I’m
just happy to be over it.”
Commenting
on the incident Miller said, “It was just a stupid little
thing that blew out of proportion and turned into a big, big
issue.”
As
for his fight career, Miller’s contract with the World Fighting
Alliance was bought out by Zuffa, LLC (parent company of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting),
as part of a deal to purchase select assets of the fading WFA,
along with several other fighter’s contracts.
But
Miller is unaware of what, if any, plans that Zuffa has in store
for him. “I haven’t been contacted about my contract
one way or the other, so I don’t know [what they plan to
do],” said Miller. “If somebody wants to see me in
the UFC, they need to let the UFC know about it because I don’t
know what they’re doing [with my contract].”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
EDITORIAL:
IS IT A FIGHTER'S MARKET NOW?
With the emergence of all of the MMA surrounding us, one might
ask, “Is this the golden era for fighters in mixed martial
arts in North America?” This sport has gone from being almost
extinct about four to five years ago, to being the fastest growing
sport in the United States. Now that MMA can be seen by a nationwide
audience on free TV the sport is changing in front of our eyes.
No longer are the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride the
only organizations that fighters aspire to be in. The fighters
now have options and many of those options come with bigger paychecks
than those offered in the UFC or Pride.
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship has been the face of MMA in North
America and many people think that the UFC is synonymous with
mixed martial arts and to some extent, it is. The UFC has done
a phenomenal job promoting their brand and now many people refer
to MMA as “ultimate fighting”, just as tissues are
referred to as Kleenex. However, there are many organizations
popping up that hope to compete with the UFC.
With
the popularity of MMA growing, other promotions have tried to
get their hand in the pie. Some organizations such as the WFA
failed, however other promotions such as the International Fight
League (IFL) and Strikeforce have had some success with fighters
like Frank Shamrock, Paul Buentello, Mark Kerr and Jens Pulver
competing for them. Pride has now entered the US market and hopes
to be a force. Their first show in Las Vegas drew pretty well
considering that Pride is mostly known by the hardcore fans in
the United States. With the high level of talent that Pride has
under their payroll, they will be very hard to ignore if their
marketing is done correctly. Showtime and Pro Elite have struck
a deal and has the backing of notable boxing promoter Gary Shaw.
The Showtime deal could also prove to be pivotal for MMA because
it will be the first mixed martial arts contest shown on a premium
cable station, although it sounds as if the Zuffa-owned WEC will
soon be on HBO. Zuffa also owns the UFC. Gary Shaw has a reputation
for putting on blockbuster boxing fights and making the fighters
a lot of money. The Showtime deal seems like the right direction
for MMA to go into because they have indicated that they are
going to be promoting the fighters and not the brand.
Fighters
now have the opportunity to make better money than they could
have only two years ago. The UFC is no longer the only means
to financial gain as a fighter. Fighters are starting to branch
out and explore other opportunities. The days of where the biggest
paydays came only from the UFC in the United States are behind
us. While fighters like Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell get paid
in the high six and maybe even seven figures, the vast majority
of fighters do not even come close to that kind of payday. Fighters
like Matt Lindland, Eddie Alvarez and Jake Shields have decided
to control their own destiny and they choose not to fight in
the top two promotions in mixed martial arts, opting out for
a higher payday by other organizations such as the IFL and BodogFight.
It’s becoming a point where the fighters are a bigger commodity
than the brand.
Why
is this essential? Simple. As fighters become the most valuable
asset, it will eventually force the promoters to work together
in forming some of the marquee match-ups that many die hard fans
have been clamoring to see. There will come a point where the
card might read “Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva”,
because that’s what the fans want to see. Most fans are
not buying the card because it says UFC 66. They are buying the
card because of Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell. When we see the
promoters working together, it will be a true sign of a new era
in MMA, and therefore a new ranking system can be implemented.
When will this happen? Only time will tell, but I would say sooner
rather than later.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Music
in the soul can be heard by the universe."
Lao Tzu, 6th century B.C., Chinese Mystic Philosopher
|
RANDY
COUTURE TO RETURN IF ORTIZ BEATS LIDDELL?
Mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture has stated that he is
"going to have to come out of retirement" if Tito Ortiz
defeats Chuck Liddell for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title at
UFC 66 on December 30th.
In
an interview with the Houston Chronicle's Steve Sievert, the
43-year-old Couture predicted that Liddell would likely beat
Ortiz, but he added, "If Tito finds a way to beat Chuck,
I'm going to have to come out of retirement and give Tito a whack."
The Chronicle article added, "Asked if he was serious about
lacing up the gloves again to fight Ortiz, Couture responded
with an emphatic 'absolutely.'"
Prior
to Couture's statements in the Houston Chronicle interview, it
was widely believed that the next shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight
Title would be going to Forrest Griffin if he is successful in
defeating Keith Jardine on the Liddell-Ortiz undercard. The next
title shot could also go to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson,
particularly if Liddell beats Ortiz, but the UFC will likely
want to give Jackson one non-title match before he fights for
the title.
If
Couture were to come out of retirement, a rematch against Ortiz
would make more sense than a rematch with Liddell, as Couture
has fought Liddell three times but has only fought Ortiz once.
Couture,
who is the only fighter to have ever won both the UFC Heavyweight
Title and the UFC Light Heavyweight Title, defeated Ortiz by
unanimous decision in a one-sided fight in 2003.
Couture
has a full trilogy already in the books with Liddell, as Couture
won the first fight between the two fighters in 2003, lost the
second fight in 2005, and lost the third fight of the trilogy
in February 2006.
After
the loss to Liddell in February, Couture announced that he was
retiring from the sport. The Wrestling Observer reported at the
time that Couture had made the decision prior to the third Liddell
fight that he was going to retire after the fight--- win, lose,
or draw. The Observer also reported at the time that UFC president
Dana White did not believe that Couture would actually retire,
and that White later attempted to negotiate with Couture in an
effort to convince him to come out of retirement.
Couture
competed at a submission grappling event in November, grappling
to a draw with highly regarded Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza,
but he has not fought under MMA rules since retiring from MMA
in February.
Since
his retirement, Couture has become a semi-regular part of the
UFC's announcing crew as a color commentator. Couture also made
an appearance on the hit CBS comedy King of Queens, and he will
be one of the athletes on the second season of Pros vs. Joes
on Spike TV, which premieres on January 25, 2007 after UFC Fight
Night 8.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
JASON
MacDONALD READY FOR CHRIS LEBEN
It was less then 3 months ago when, live on Spike TV, Jason MacDonald
shocked many MMA fans by submitting Ultimate Fighter franchise
star Ed Herman in the first round of his UFC debut. On December
30th MacDonald will make his pay-per-view debut when he faces
another Ultimate Fighter franchise star, the hard-hitting former
middleweight contender Chris Leben.
As
the night draws close and training winds down, MacDonald is right
where he needs to be for December 30th.
“I’m
feeling great,” said MacDonald, who took some time to speak
with MMAWeekly from his home recently. “Training has gone
very well and I’m 100% healthy. We have had an excellent
camp and I am really looking forward to this fight.”
At
UFC 66, MacDonald, an MMA veteran of 24 fights will enter the
famed octagon for the second time in as many fights as the underdog
to a Spike TV star.
“Being
the underdog to a TV star doesn’t bother me,” said
MacDonald. “I’m confident in my abilities and I know
I’ve put the work in to be successful. I see it as an opportunity.
Fighting Ed (Herman) at the Ortiz / Shamrock event and winning
has opened another door for me. I believe the UFC rewards you
for fighting hard and entertaining the audience and that’s
what Ed and I did and now I plan to bring the same exciting fight
to Chris Leben. This is my reward.”
Looking
back on his UFC debut MacDonald was happy with the outcome. “We
had a game plan to come in and stand with Ed, to force him into
making a mistake. As it turned out I threw a punch and we ended
up clinching. From there it went to the ground, which is great
as I’m more then comfortable down there. We scrambled a
bit until he made a mistake and I caught him.”
Catch
him he did, in just under 3 minutes, with Herman tapping to a
triangle choke.
“Ed
had been saying he would come in, take me down and beat me up.
It didn’t end up going that way but I don’t know, maybe
Leben will think the same. If he does, then great, I’m ready.”
Only
2 fights ago Chris Leben was fighting for the UFC #1 contender
spot against the since crowned Middleweight Champion Anderson
Silva. MacDonald sees this next fight as a real chance to firmly
establish him in the UFC Middleweight class.
“You
know the 185’s are deep in the UFC, there is [Anderson]
Silva obviously, [Travis] Lutter, [Rich] Franklin, [Mike] Swick,
[Nathan] Marquardt, [Dean] Lister, and [Chris] Leben are all
right in that mix. I see this as a chance to put my name in that
class.”
Knowing
Leben likes to stand and trade and has yet to be submitted in
his career the Gracie Barra submission master has added Golden
Gloves boxer Kevin Royal to his training team of Mark Pavelich
and Josh Russell in preparation for UFC 66. Also joining MacDonald
as he prepares were among others, professional fighters Victor
Valimaki and Jason Day.
“It’s
important to prepare properly for fights and I feel our team
has done that for this fight. We have a game plan and we’ll
put it to action December 30th. My team does an excellent job
getting me ready and now it’s just a matter of taking care
of my end.”
After
winning his first UFC fight MacDonald was rewarded with a new
multi-fight deal with the UFC. He says although he is very appreciative
of the opportunity, he deals with the fights one at a time.
“It’s
a great thing being here, in the UFC. It’s what I have worked
very hard for so to that end it’s very rewarding, but I
just focus on the task at hand and take them one fight at a time.
I really believe you get rewarded for working hard and performing
well so that’s what I want to do. I will go out December
30th and win and let the rest take care of itself.”
Before
ending the conversation, MacDonald wanted to take an opportunity
to pass along a warm thank you to all his fans at MMAWeekly and
abroad for their continued support and to thank his team and
training partners Mark Pavelich, Josh Russell and company for
their continued efforts in keeping his training at an elite level.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
STARK
LOOKS TO GO 3-0 IN IFL AT FINALS
One of the surprises of the second season of the IFL has been
the emergence of Portland Wolf Pack light-heavyweight Aaron Stark.
Heading
into his stint with the Pack, Stark had only been actively fighting
for just over a year, far less than his teammates. Yet during
his time with the IFL Aaron has performed well each time out,
winning both of his fights, helping lead the Pack to the World
Team Tournament Finals this coming Friday, December 29th at the
Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.
At
the finals, the Wolf Pack will be taking on the defending champion
Quad City Silverbacks, coached by Pat Miletich, with Aaron himself
matching up against Mike Ciesnolevicz.
While
many teams and fighters might be intimidated going up against
the defending champs, Stark feels that the Matt Lindland-trained
Wolf Pack is more than ready to dethrone the raining kings of
the IFL.
“I
think everybody’s looking good as a team and I’m feeling
good,” said Aaron to MMAWeekly. “I think in general
we’ve prepared pretty well [for the Silverbacks]. I don’t
think there’s any fight that’s not winnable, obviously
myself included.”
Stark
continued, “I’m just kind of looking forward to fighting
out of town for the first time as a team really. It should be
good, I don’t know what kind of turnout their expecting
as far as that goes, but as far as the fights go, it should be
a good, exciting showdown.”
When
it comes to taking on Ciesnolevicz – whose only two losses
have come in the IFL – Aaron feels his best strategy is
to do as he always does, push the action and not make it a fight
where he’s reacting to what Mike wants to do.
“I’m
just going to try to stay after him, stay aggressive,” explained
Stark. “I want to take the fight to him and try to impose
my will. More or less it’s the same every time I go out
there. Obviously there are some adjustments; some guys are more
proficient in one area or another, but in general the fight plan
stays the same for me.”
“I
think he appears to be a pretty well-rounded fighter. Nothing
really sticks out, it appears to be even across the board, there
aren’t any glaring weakness, but what I can exploit, I will
and [I’ll] definitely come out with a win,” further
commented Aaron.
Prior
to this season of the IFL, many had predicted that the Silverbacks
would once again be in the finals due to a presumed weaker draw
in the tournament. Conversely people were split on the Wolf Pack’s
chances being bracketed with the much-improved Los Angeles Anacondas,
whom the Pack eventually beat in the semi-finals.
According
to Stark, people shouldn’t be surprised his team has done
well and made it this far.
“It
feels good [to make the finals], but then again it doesn’t
really shock me,” admitted Aaron. “I think a lot of
teams are kind of a hodgepodge. We’ve been together as Team
Quest pretty much the whole time leading up to it [the IFL].
You look at some of the other teams, they went all over the place
and I don’t see that as a real good formula. I think that
as time goes on with the IFL, you’ll see more and more teams
training together.”
Then
there is Stark’s coach, top-ranked middleweight Matt Lindland,
whom Aaron credits for keeping the ship on course the entire
way.
“Yeah
he’ll definitely stay on top of you,” exclaimed Stark.
“If you’re not doing whatever it is he thinks you need
to be doing, he’ll let you know. He’s not too bashful
in those regards.”
When
it comes to Aaron’s own success, it may have been a big
surprise to many considering his lack of experience that he’s
undefeated in the IFL and doing as well as he has been, but it’s
no surprise to him.
“If
it surprises other people, good, great, whatever, I don’t
care, but it’s not shocking to me in any regards,”
said Stark. “I had a really short amateur career, under
different circumstances I might have been able to extend that
a little further, but I wasn’t able to get fights and this,
that and the other, an opportunity came up, so I jumped into
the pro thing.”
Aaron
continued, “I was just waiting on the opportunity. I obviously
brought wrestling skills to the game and I realize I obviously
have a ways to go with the other stuff, but I just need to push
forward and grow as a fighter. That’s all you can do.”
Should
all go well at the IFL finals, it will cap an already big year
for Stark, to which he hopes will build momentum heading into
next season and allow him to continue his evolution as a fighter.
“I
feel really good about the year,” exclaimed Aaron. “I
was able to expose myself to a wider audience, the team is shaping
up well – we’re a cohesive unit – and I think
it’s going to be a tough match up. With Quest/Miletich,
two of the biggest names in MMA fight teams, going head-to-head
with their guys, so it’s going to be an exciting deal, at
the same time that we’re anxious to win and that will give
us a little momentum to go into 2007 and keep a good thing going.”
“I
want to add more wins. [Laughs] That’s all you can do. I
don’t know that I’ve ever been good at setting long-term
goals, but if you’re always getting better with each practice,
competition, etc…it will bring you to a higher plane of
fighting. That’s the only thing I ask for, for myself, to
get better with each passing day,” added Stark.
Aaron
closed out the conversation by wanting to thank those who’ve
helped him have such a year and career overall, and to remind
the fans that come December 29th, there’ll be excitement
at the Mohegan Sun, and if Stark has any say in it, new champions
crowned.
“I
want to thank my friends, family and team,” said Aaron.
“Thanks to the opportunity to the IFL for giving a no-name
a shot at becoming a little more well-known and showing everyone
what Team Quest and the Wolf Pack are all about.”
“I
think the fans should definitely come check it out. What it boils
down to is Team Quest versus Miletich Fighting Systems, and you
can’t ask for anything more than that as far as a team battle
goes, so it will definitely be something to see. I do this because
I enjoy it – when I stop enjoying it, I’ll stop doing
it – but if they want to give me some money on top of that,
I’m all for it…I mean I can get some more extravagant
Christmas gifts if I expect on winning,” concluded Stark
with a chuckle.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
|
12/25/06
Merry Christmas! |
Quote
of the Day
"I
firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment
of all that he holds dëar, is that moment when he has worked
his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field
of battle -- victorious."
Vince Lombardi, 1913-1970, American Hall of Fame American Football
Coach
|
Merry
Christmas from Onzuka.com!
We would
like to say Merry Christmas to all our loyal readers of our webpage
and supporting us all these years. Thanks for spreading the word
about watching Fighters' Club TV as well.
Please
remember that this is a time of giving and try to show some aloha
to everyone you get in contact with because little nice gestures
are contagious!
Please,
as always, support the businesses that support MMA and grappling.
Have
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Stay
safe and please don't drink and drive! We need you all to keep
reading our page!
|
Carlos
Dórea in Rio to train Minotouro
The
Boxing trainer of the Nogueira brothers Luis Carlos Dórea
came to Rio de Janeiro on last Monday to train the hand game
of Rodrigo Minotauro. Dórea will be training with Minota
until tonight, when they are coming together to . Minotauro will
face the American Josh Barnett at Pride of New Years Eve. Check
out during this weekend an exclusive interview of Rodrigo Minotauro
during the BTT team barbecue.
Source: Tatame
|
Minotouro
& Arona at BTT barbecue
After
the rumors about the possible relationship problems between them,
Rogério Minotouro and Ricardo Arona got together yesterday
(December 20th) on the barbecue of the end of the year of the
Brazilian Top Team, that was held at the AABB Club, in Rio de
Janeiro. “Everyone was saying that they were not talking
to each other because of the Pride belt dispute. And that is
the prove that they are together and that is nothing wrong between
them and at the BTT team”, said Bebeo Duarte, one of the
BTT leaders. While Arona is defiantly out of the Pride, Rogério
is still waiting an answer of the organization to know if he
really goes to Japan with his brother on December 22nd.
Minotouro
waits Pride confirmation
Rogério
“Minotouro” Nogueira is not confirmed yet at the end
of Pride New Years Eve. Who guarantees that is the BTT athlete
who gave us an exclusive interview on last Monday (18) at the
Brazilian Top Team academy in Rio de Janeiro . “There is
nothing right yet. There were some people saying that I would
face Gilbert Yvel, but it seems that he won’t fight because
he did hurt his knee or he is not prepared, it seems that he
gave up. They did give him to me and now he won’t fight
anymore. So I am waiting”, said Minotouro in exclusive interview
that you can check out in site TATAME still this week.
Source: Tatame
|
Rogério
Minotouro
Waiting
the confirmation
Rogério
Minotouro isn’t confirmed yet at Pride New Years Eve. Who
guarantees that is the own athlete from BTT who did asked an
exclusive interview to site TATAME at the Brazilian Top Team
academy in Rio de Janeiro . “There is nothing right yet.
There were some people saying that I would face Gilbert Yvel,
but it seems that he won’t fight because he did hurt his
knee or is not prepared yet, it seems that he gave up. They gave
him to me to face and now he won’t fight anymore. So I am
waiting”, declared Minotouro. Check out the complete interview:
Are
you really going to participate of the Pride of December 31st?
There
is nothing right yet. There were some people saying that I would
face Gilbert Yvel, but it seems that he won’t fight because
he did hurt his knee or is not prepared yet, it seems that he
gave up. They gave him to me to face and now he won’t fight
anymore. So I am waiting.
But
he is heavier than you...
I
don’t know why they did put me to face someone heavier than
me. But I accepted that. Now I am waiting, but my preference
is fighting against a middle weight.
How
do you think will be the bout between your brother and Barnett
in this revenge?
I
think Barnett will modify some things that he knows he did not
very well on last bout. It will improve his gas, because he got
tired with Rodrigo. He will try to be under him during the fight,
he knows his guard is not so good. He does a game to run away
from the submission. I think Rodrigo will try to stabilize the
bout and beats him and try the submission on the right time.
He will try to keep the fight standing up and they both have
a good Boxing level, it will be a show.
What
do you think he must do differently of the last bout?
I
think it’s that. To stabilize the positions, because he
knows that Josh Barnett is not so good when he is down him…
The man is prepared to do a show. He will give a show to everybody
watches.
About
the rumors of the Pride that Cro Cop would be going to the UFC
and that Fedor would be going to Bodogfight, do you think it
is not good for the Pride?
The
Bodogfight can disturb a lot the Pride organization, because
the Pride did give us these stars and they are the highlights
of the Pride’s events. They are KO fighters and if they
go to other event it can be not very good for the Pride audience.
But this is good for us, because they will be fighting for the
best business and who pays more takes the fighter. None event
will be holding any athlete anymore. The fighter’s purses
now will be really good and the top fighter must receive more
and more.
But
isn’t it bad for your brother, who really wants the belt
and a new bout against Fedor?
Absolutely,
this is a fight that he must do. Winning Fedor is like a dream
to him, he has been training to improve his game, his standing
up part, he is stronger now. This is not good for anyone, not
for Rodrigo and not even for the Pride, but at the same time
this is good for the purse prizes.
If
you won’t fight on December 31st, your expectation is to
dispute the belt with Wanderlei on the Pride Las Vegas?
It
depends of their decision. Now I must be calm waiting the Pride
organization to decide something. I won’t talk much now
because things can maybe don’t happen.
Are
you all going to , on December 22nd before Christmas Eve?
Christmas
Eve will be in . Rodrigo, me and the BTT family… After we
came back we will go to Bahia to be with my dad a little bit.
We always go to Bahia to spend the time with my dad or we go
to to see mommy, but on the last four years we have to fight
and everything is a mess (laughs).
There
is already four years you have been spending the New Years Eve
at Pride. How is your commemoration there?
They
don’t use to commemorate over there. There is no New Years
Eve party. When the bout finishes, we do our own commemoration,
we search a good place to have a nice dinner, we drink our champagne
and then we go back home happy about the completed job.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"Dreams
pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream
again; and this interdependence produces the highest förm
of living."
Anais Nin, 1903-1977, French born Author and Diarist
|
Last
Warning
Gentlemen,
this is your last warning to go out and buy your wife or girlfriend
something for Christmas or face a wrath that you will never believe
for the next.
Good
Luck and good shopping!
|
PIP
Returns
www.myspace.com/man_on_da_side (PIP WEBSITE)
WWW.PIPHAWAII.COM
Tenative Card
Heavyweight Bout
Cabbage (Eastsidaz, Hilo) vs, Deutsch Puu (Army Boxing, Ewa Beach)
160lbs. Bout
Kaleo Kwan (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) vs Danny Steele (Team Steele,
California)
160lbs Bout
Ikaika Choy Fu (Jesus is Lord, Kaneohe) vs. John Visante Jr.
(Sit You Down, Waianae)
145lbs Bout
Lorenzo Moreno (Bull Pin, Kalihi) vs. Zack Rapal (Fighters Union,
Waianae)
170lbs Bout
Wayne Perrin III(Bigdogs, Waianae) vs. Kona Ke (Team Ruthless,
Makaha)
150lbs Bout
Chico Canteberros (Eastsidaz, Kailua) vs. Brandon Piper (Hardknocks,
Waianae)
140lbs Bout
Abe Cortez (Young Gunz, Hilo) vs. Domi Lopez (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
155lbs Bout
Makana Fonda (Bulls Pin, Kailihi) vs. Shaison Laupola (Team Ruthless,
Makaha)
Heavyweight Bout
Hanson Apo (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) vs. Carl Sua (Fighters Union,
Waianae)
170lbs. Bout
Koa Ramos (Eastsidaz, Kailua) vs. Zane Kamaka (Guts & Glory,
Waianae)
190lbs. Bout
Rob Chong (Kodan Kan, Kailua) vs. Curtis Jones ( Dream Team,
Waianae)
160lbs Bout
Chad Valentine (HMC, Kalihi) vs. Kia Hale-Gannigan (Untaimed
Bloodline)
135lbs Bout
Chaz Schmidt ( Jus Rush, Kailua) vs. Erwin Celes (Sit You Down,
Waianae)
155lbs. Bout
Randy Rivera (HMC, Kalihi) vs. Louis Smith (Team Ruthless)
140lbs. Bout
Ryan Lee (Bulls Pin, Kailihi) vs. Colin McKenzie (Team Ruthless,
Makaha)
140lbs. Bout
Jacob Smith (Smith Taekwondo, Kaneohe) vs. Jonah Visante (Sit
you Down, Waianae)
|
Anatomy
of a Championship: Ortiz vs. Liddell
So,
I have been doing these anatomies for a while now and the main
event of UFC 66 could potentially be the hardest one I have written
to date. There are so many factors that play into this fight
that it makes the outcome much harder to predict than usual,
but I will give it the old college try.
Chuck
Liddell is in control of the UFC's light heavyweight division
and he rules is with a heavy right hand. The current light heavyweight
champion has tremendous power at his disposal and he dispatches
opponents with good counter punching and pinpoint accuracy striking.
His last win came via total domination against an overzealous
Renato "Babalu' Sobral at UFC 62. Sobral's gameplan was
to shoot in at the first opportunity and he tried to do just
that. The problem Renato had in that fight was that he thought
he hurt Chuck with a punch early and ended up chasing him across
the ring flailing wildly at his prey. When he was close enough
to go for the takedown, he did and ate a big right hand from
Chuck that almost knocked him out right away. Liddell finished
him shortly after and he once again went home with the belt,
sending a message to all grapplers that he is not going to be
taken down if he has anything to say about it.
Tito
Ortiz's last two fights have been complete squashes of Ken Shamrock
at UFC 61 and on an Ultimate Fight Night in October. Many hardcore
fans of the sport don't believe that Ken should have been given
a rematch after his near murder at Tito's hands in the main event
of UFC 40. Tito proved that it was not a fluke and ended the
feud at 3-0 against his eternal nemesis.
Ortiz
is coming in to this fight with confidence and that makes him
a serious threat to Liddell's reign as champion. Confidence is
a killer when it is standing across the ring/cage from you, trust
me. Ortiz didn't have it when he went in to their first meeting
back in 2004 that ended with a flurry from Chuck that dropped
Tito. If you watch that fight, you can clearly see Liddell's
thumb strike Tito in the eye and despite Chuck's faithful following's
denial, it is there for all to see. The latest UFC 66 hype commercial
from the UFC proves that every time you watch it. Still, Tito
was battling some bad personal and financial problems at the
time and was not in it mentally like he should have been.
That
fight changed Tito's status as a UFC fan favorite. He went from
being cheered to being booed within the time it takes to snap
your fingers. After that fight, Tito came back and beat Patrick
Cote at UFC 50 when Guy Mezger backed out and Vitor Belfort at
UFC 51. Tito rattled off 2 victories in back to back UFC pay
per views and looked to be back on track for a rematch with Chuck
or Randy. Their legendary fight at UFC 52 had not taken place
yet and many felt at the time it would be Randy to emerge victorious
against Liddell.
Chuck won by knockout over Couture and became the new light heavyweight
champion.
Tito
disappeared for a while over contract disputes, personal issues,
and his dislike for Dana White. Those reasons were being kicked
around as truth all over the internet media outlets, but I think
the real reason was that Tito was burnt out. He lost the desire
and all of the talk of money corrupted his view of MMA, but hat
has changed now. MMA fighters are getting paid what they are
worth and making lots of money from sources outside the cage.
Tito no longer has to worry about where his next meal is coming
from and if he can afford to pay rent. He is is focused now,
has new training partners, and positive people surrounding him.
Those things allow him freedom to just train and prepare for
a fight.
Chuck
Liddell is the probably the most popular MMA star on face of
the planet right now. He has insane knockout power, a great chin,
and a takedown defense that would make most wrestlers envious.
Tito is very strong in his takedowns so Chuck has to be careful
in this fight not to fall in to Tito's rhythm.
Ortiz will most likely try to force the fight to go as long as
possible and try to wear Chuck out. Liddell needs to keep his
distance and attack from angles that cut off any attempts at
counterpunching from Tito. Ortiz almost one punched Griffin in
their fight so he has knockout power himself. If Liddell underestimates
Tito at all he could be in for a short night. Chuck does not
have a history of this and I doubt he will start underestimating
people now. He does have some distractions going on thanks to
the recent MMA organization acquisitions.
If
you read MaXfighting's interview with Chuck this month you would
know that he badly wants a rematch with Quinton Jackson, whose
contract was purchased along with the UFC's acquisition of the
WFA. With him back in the UFC, Liddell is thinking about that
possible fight for certain. His fight with Wanderlei Silva was
delayed due to Silva's knockout at the hands of Cro Cop and he
wants that to happen as soon as possible. A lot of things are
happening right now that could be a mental deterrent to his training.
In order to win this rematch, Chuck needs to focus on the task
at hand, sprawl like mad, and throw that patented right hook
that has dropped everyone in its path.
Tito
has to be on guard at all times and cannot get sloppy. Chuck
will make him pay if he leaves even the slightest opening for
a big shot. His takedown attempts have to be slick, strong, and
fast or they will get stuffed so fast his head will spin. Tito
has to impose his will and force a speedy pace, hoping that will
cause Chuck to make a rare mistake or exhaust himself trying
for the KO.
This
fight has been forecasted to outsell any other pay per view in
UFC history and to surpass the 1,000,000 pay per view buy mark.
Whoever wins will be the most watched champion ever on a UFC
pay per view. Liddell looks to retain and Ortiz looks to regain.
I just look forward to what has to be the biggest fight the UFC
has ever seen.
Source: Maxfighting |
MARK
KERR TO TRY AGAIN IN CAGE RAGE
Last time we saw Mark Kerr fight, he was on the ground covering
up after getting beaten decisively by Mike Whitehead in the IFL.
Everyone was curious to see what the “Smashing Machine”
could do in the ring one more time. Unfortunately for Kerr, he
was never really able to show what he had left. He’ll have
one more chance as he tries once again to revitalize his up and
down career against Mustapha al Turk on February 10th in Cage
Rage.
This
will be a good test for Kerr as his opponent is relatively new
to mixed martial arts with a record of three wins and two losses.
Kerr has gone through some very tough times as many people saw
in the HBO documentary “The Smashing Machine”. His
addiction to painkillers, as well as his volatile relationship
with his on again, off again girlfriend has had a very negative
influence on his fighting career. Kerr’s desire to train
has also come into question in the past.
Several
years back, he was one of the most dominant fighters in the sport.
His size, wrestling and effective ground and pound were tough
for many fighters to deal with. But he hit a steady decline starting
in the Pride 2000 Grand Prix, getting beaten by Kazuyuki Fujita.
After back-to-back losses to Igor Borisov and Igor Vovchanchyn,
the “Smashing Machine” took two and a half years off,
only to come back to another losing effort to Yoshihisa Yamamoto
at Pride 27.
Kerr
was set to fight Wes “The Project” Sims in Denver,
before pulling out just hours before the fight. Prior to his
fight with Mike Whitehead, Kerr said that he is focused 100%
on fighting and seeing where he is in his career. He still has
excellent wrestling and that could be hard for any fighter to
deal with if he can get his hands on you. Kerr’s inactivity
may prove to be a factor though. He didn’t have much time
to get any ring rust off in his fight with Whitehead. The questions
remain. Can he get back to being a legitimate contender? Will
he have the determination and motivation to train as hard as
he needs to? Can his body handle the rigors of training full
time? We’ll find out in February.
Also
on the card is Eric “Butterbean” Esch taking on the
always game James “Colossus” Thompson. This has the
makings of a slugfest written all over it. “Butterbean”
has had a rocky career in mixed martial arts, but this will be
a good test of chins, unless Thompson elects to take Esch down.
Other notable fighters on the card are Rob Broughton (who holds
wins over “Butterbean” and James Thompson), as well
as Dan Severn.
Source: MMA Weekly |
FUJITA
ADDED TO PRIDE SHOCKWAVE
Kazuyuki Fujita, who lost to Wanderlei Silva at Cricital Countdown
Absolute 2006, will be fighting against a Georigian Olympic Veteran,
Eldari Kurtanidze at Shockwave on New Year’s Eve. Kurtanidze,
who has participated in '96 Atlanta, '00 Sydney, and '04 Athens
Summer Olympics has won a bronze medal in '00 Sydney and '04
Athens.
When
asked for a comment, Kurtanidze stated that "I am honored
to be able to fight in the Pride ring. Georgia is renown for
it's strong wrestlers, and MMA has become very popular. I think
there will be more wrestlers making a transition from wrestling
to MMA in the future. I hope everyone will look forward to Georgian
fighters fighting in Pride FC. I have heard that my opponent,
Mr. Fujita is a very strong fighter, but however, he will be
my stepping stone for me. I would like the fans to know that
there are stronger beasts throughout the world. I will be fighting
for Georgia and will win. I am looking forward to go to Japan
on New Year’s Eve."
Confirmed
Shockwave fights so far:
Fedor
Emelianenko vs. Mark Hunt (Heavyweight Title Match)
Shinya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Gilbert Melendez
Mauricio Rua vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Takanori Gomi vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Non-Title Match)
Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Kiyoshi Tamura
Yuki Kondo vs. Akihiro Gono
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Josh Barnett
Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Eldari Kurtanidze
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"Nothing
can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving
his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental
attitude."
Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, 3rd President of the United States |
Mayhem
Not Guilty
Updated
at 6:13 p.m., Friday, December 22, 2006
'Mayhem'
Miller acquitted of burglary, assault
By
Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Staff Writer
Professional mixed-martial arts fighter Jayson "Mayhem"
Miller was acquitted this afternoon of kicking open the locked
door of his girlfriend's Nu'uanu apartment and assaulting the
man there.
A
Circuit Court jury deliberated for several hours following a
2 1/2-day trial before finding Miller not guilty of first-degree
burglary, third-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal property
damage.
Miller,
25, was accused of breaking into the apartment at about 6 a.m.
Dec. 16 last year and assaulting Casey Hewes, who was at the
residence.
The
prosecution contended that Miller was probably drunk when kicked
the door because he suspected Catherine Tanaka was with another
man and he wanted to "hurt whoever he found in there."
But
Miller's defense was that he didn't know anyone was with his
girlfriend and he kicked the door to wake her after she didn't
answer him knocking on the door for about 25 minutes.
Miller
did not attack Hewes and tried several times to leave, but Hewes
kept grabbing him, his defense lawyer David Hayakawa said.
If
convicted of first-degree burglary, Miller could have faced a
sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Source:
Honolulu Advertiser |
NEW
RELSON GRACIE JIU-JITSU ACADEMY
OPENING IN HAWAII KAI
JANUARY 8, 2007
Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Hawaii will be opening a new school in
Hawaii Kai “The Relson Gracie Hawaii Kai Team” on Monday
January 8, 2007. Head Black Belt instructor Ronn Shiraki (NAGA
and Gracie World’s winner) and Ron Huxen (Battle on the
Beach and Pan American Medalist) will be teaching at the Koko
Marina Grand Master Hee Il Cho’s Tae Kwon Do Center. Classes
will be located in an exclusive area within the academy dedicated
to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. The full 8,000 square foot facility is one
of Hawaii’s finest academies with amenities such as warm
showers, change rooms, weights, central air, a waiting room,
and ample parking.
When:
Opening on January 8, 2007
Mondays:
7:15-9 PM Ronn Shiraki
(Mixed Level Class Ages 12 and up)
Tuesdays:
To be announced
Wednesdays:
7:15-9 PM Ronn Shiraki
(Mixed Level Class Ages 12 and up)
Thursdays:
7:15-9 PM Ron Huxen
(Mixed Level Class Ages 12 and up)
Where:
Koko Marina Shopping Center
(7192 Kalanianaole Highway)
Grand Master Hee Il Cho’s Tae Kwon Do Center
Classes are already filling up quickly. Call Ronn Shiraki at
387-1961 or
e-mail him at rshiraki@yahoo.com for more information.
Tell a friend.
Aloha!
Source: Relson Gracie Associations of Hawaii
|
BIZ
LINE: IFL TO RAISE $24 MILLION IN STOCK
INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE (IFL) TO RAISE $24 MILLION OF COMMON
STOCK
International
Fight League, Inc. (OTC.BB: IFLI), the world’s first team-based
professional mixed martial arts sports league, announced today
that it has entered into definitive private placement agreements
with certain institutional and accredited investors to sell 19,376,000
shares of common stock, at a price of $1.25 per share. IFL expects
that the net proceeds of the private placement will be approximately
$22 million after deducting the placement agency fees and all
estimated offering expenses.
“We
are delighted that we were able to complete this financing at
this very important time in the company’s development. This
new capital will assist us in funding our growth.” said
IFL CEO Gareb Shamus. “We are excited about the quality
of the investors and their show of support for our company, its
management team and the sport of mixed martial arts.” Shamus
added.
The
shares of common stock have not been registered under the Securities
Act, or any state securities laws, and were issued in a private
transaction under Regulation D. The Company has agreed to file
a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission
covering the resale by the investors of the privately placed
common stock. Until this registration is declared effective by
the SEC, the shares of common stock may not be reoffered or resold
in the United States unless the re-offer or resale is registered
or unless exemptions from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act and applicable state laws are available.
Source: MMA Weekly |
WEC
TO RUN PARALLEL TO UFC; PLANS JAN. 20 EVENT
When Zuffa, LLC (the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting
Championship) purchased World Extreme Cagefighting, early speculation
was that the WEC would be used as a feeder organization to the
American giant. Apparently, that isn’t the case.
The
WEC will be running parallel to the UFC as a competitor, and
according to fighter Kit Cope, the WEC might even take the coveted
television slot on HBO.
Cope
was questioned as to where the WEC will be broadcast, with speculation
suggesting HBO as their new home. “…it looks like HBO,”
responded Cope, although he did not confirm that with 100 percent
certainty. Zuffa president Dana White recently stated in media
interviews that the UFC would eventually be on HBO, while the
WEC would be on "another cable network" (not HBO and
not Spike TV).
The
mixed martial arts landscape has changed drastically over the
past few weeks. Zuffa purchased both the WEC and select assets
of the WFA, merging some of the biggest players in the market.
“The UFC bought the WFA and scooped up all of our contracts,”
fighter Kit Cope said recently on MMAWeekly Radio. “Well,
they kept some of them and discarded others. They kept mine.
Now they’re actually putting me in the WEC.”
According
to Cope, “Apparently, the plan is to throw some superstars
in the WEC... build the WEC up a little bit and kind of have
a parallel [organization] with the WEC, so you can someday have
an undisputed champion holding both the belts [WEC & UFC].
That’s my take on it.”
So,
much like boxing, the UFC and WEC would operate as separate entities,
grooming their own fighters and crowning their own champions,
but then eventually having their champions fight each other.
UFC President Dana White has alluded to such an idea in recent
comments with various news outlets, saying that there may someday
be a sort of “Super Bowl” type of event between the
UFC and the WEC.
Of
course, unlike boxing, where the various title belts are sanctioned
by differing entities, the WEC and the UFC will still reside
under the confines of one parent company in Zuffa. Considering
the current state of boxing, this may not be a negative concept.
Cope
also said that the WEC would be taking their show to Las Vegas
with the January 20th show (although it is not yet on the athletic
commission's list of upcoming events), where Cope will be going
up against “Razor” Rob McCullough in a fight for the
WEC Lightweight Championship.
The
WEC's web site still lists UFC fighter Hermes Franca as the WEC
Lightweight Champion; Franca's last fight was a successful title
defense in the WEC on October 12th. Cope mentioned that it looks
like all of the WEC title belts will be "reset," with
all of the current champions being stripped of their titles so
that other fighters can compete for the vacant belts.
Cope
did not know if there were plans for the WEC's January 20th show
to air on HBO, but it seems unlikely, if for no other reason
because there is already a high- profile boxing event running
on that same date in Las Vegas in conjunction with HBO.
It
will be interesting to see how the co-existence of the UFC and
the WEC plays out. Vince McMahon and WWE made a similar move
in 2001 when they purchased rival professional wrestling organizations
WCW and ECW, virtually eliminating the competition. The WWE tried
to run “rival” promotions as separate entities while
under the same ownership and it didn't work, partially because
fans knew they were all owned by WWE and partially because WWE
botched the storylines in numerous ways.
After
that, WWE did something very similar to what Zuffa is trying
to do now with the UFC and WEC, as WWE had a "brand split"
with the "Raw brand" and the "Smackdown brand,"
each of which would have separate rosters. The idea was that
with WWE having no actual competition, it could create an artificial
sense of competition between the Raw and Smackdown rosters.
The
concept failed in its goal of creating an artificial sense of
competition, as even the casual viewers of WWE knew that Raw
and Smackdown were both owned by WWE. Since the brand split,
television viewership and domestic pay-per-view purchases have
dropped off considerably without WWE having “true”
competition on a major level.
That,
however, is professional wrestling; this is mixed martial arts.
The WEC and the UFC will still be playing out real fights and
that is what interests the fans in the sport anyway, so it is
possible that it could work out entirely differently for Zuffa
than it has for the WWE. Plus, unlike in professional wrestling,
there are still many other up-and-coming players in the MMA market
to keep Zuffa focused.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"Life
is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum
of what we have been, but what we yearn to be."
Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1883-1955, Spanish Philosopher
|
HFC
Stand Your Ground
|
MMAWEEKLY
RANKINGS UPDATED
The latest MMAWeekly Rankings were released on Tuesday, December
19th. This system ranks the top ten MMA fighters from all across
the world in each of the five major weight classes, as voted
on by the MMAWeekly staff.
The
MMAWeekly Rankings are your #1 source for the most up-to-date
and complete fighter rankings. The next update of the MMAWeekly
Rankings will take place on Tuesday, January 2nd, which is two
weeks from now.
Here
are the current MMAWeekly Rankings, which are up-to-date as of
December 19th.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
HEAVYWEIGHT
DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1
Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2.
Mirko Cro Cop
3.
Josh Barnett
4.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5.
Tim Sylvia
6.
Andrei Arlovski
7.
Fabricio Werdum
8.
Aleksander Emelianenko
9.
Mark Hunt
10.
Sergei Kharitonov
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1
Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Chuck Liddell
2.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
3.
Wanderlei Silva
4.
Ricardo Arona
5.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
6.
Renato "Babalu" Sobral
7.
Tito Ortiz
8.
Quinton Jackson
9.
Alistair Overeem
10.
Kazuhiro Nakamura
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
MIDDLEWEIGHT
DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1
Middleweight Fighter in the World: Matt Lindland
2.
Anderson Silva
3.
Paulo Filho
4.
Kazuo Misaki
5.
Rich Franklin
6.
Dan Henderson
7.
Denis Kang
8.
Nathan Marquardt
9.
Jeremy Horn
10.
Amar Suloev
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WELTERWEIGHT
DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1
Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2.
Matt Hughes
3.
BJ Penn
4.
Diego Sanchez
5.
Karo Parisyan
6.
Jake Shields
7.
Jon Fitch
8.
Akira Kikuchi
9.
Nick Diaz
10.
Josh Koscheck
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
LIGHTWEIGHT
DIVISION (160 pounds and lower)
#1
Lightweight Fighter in the World: Takanori Gomi
2.
Hayato Sakurai
3.
Tatsuya Kawajiri
4.
Joachim Hansen
5.
Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto
6.
Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro
7.
Mitsuhiro Ishida
8.
Marcus Aurelio
9.
Sean Sherk
10.
Gilbert Melendez
Source: MMA Weekly
|
DUANE
LUDWIG REFLECTS ON 2006
Colorado fighter Duane Ludwig finished his 2006 season off with
a BANG! (Pun intentional!) It was a busy year, fighting seven
times and going 4 - 2 - 1 overall. His final fight of the year
was at the December 8th Strikeforce Triple Threat event in San
Jose, California. Returning to the welterweight class, Ludwig
was matched against UFC veteran Tony THE FREAK Fryklund. No small
task as Fryklund has been fighting professionally for 10 years
and has 20+ fights under his belt. In what was described as a
"highlight reel" from beginning to end, BANG! was able
to finish the veteran by TKO in the second round.
Ludwig's
next fight should be at RING OF FIRE 28 in February against an
unnamed opponent. But for now Ludwig is home relaxing with his
wife and daughter, looking forward to the holidays. He took time
out of his very busy schedule of eating candy, waxing his ’68
Camaro and walking his Jack Russell terriers to talk about his
fights and opponents of 2006:
01-16-06
vs. Jonathon Goulet at UFN 3 (win by KO 0:11 first round)
“That was a great way to start off the year. Fighting on
live TV was cool and getting the knockout was even better. Even
though they say it was eleven seconds, everyone knows it was
four. I should have the record. We talked to Nevada about it,
but they said there was no way to change it. To win like that
against one of Canada's best fighters was reward enough, but
I still want the record!"
02-11-06
vs. Toshikazu Harada at ROF 21 (win by KO 1:44 first round)
"I love to fight at home! Fighting on TV or PPV is great,
and going to Japan or Vegas is cool, but there are no fans like
your hometown fans. I always get so pumped up at home, and Ring
of Fire is home to me. It is where I started. I actually get
mad at my opponents there. Like they are going to try and beat
me in my hometown? It motivates me and I really love to fight
for the crowd. Harada was very game and really tried to stay
in the fight, even taunting me at one point, probably not a great
idea on his part. I had a bad showing my last fight at home and
I was taking everything out on Harada. I dropped him pretty good
with hands and then finished with the knee on the way down. I
just remember his nose being pretty jacked up. He is a tough
kid though, he'll be back."
05-06-06
vs. Jason Palacious at IFF (win by arm bar at 4:56 first round)
"That was a good fight for me. I didn't know much about
my opponent going in. Just that he was from Guam and was really
strong and aggressive. I was able to work on a lot of techniques
in that fight. I felt pretty safe the whole time so I just let
things fly. When we hit the ground it felt good too. I was able
to work my ground game and get the submission. People still think
all I do is kick and punch. I have submission skills too. I also
got to fight on the same card as my buddy Pete Spratt. We both
won that night so it was cool."
06-09-06
vs. Tyson Griffin at Strikeforce 2 (loss by TKO at 3:57 of first
round)
"Well, sometimes things just suck and that night they did.
Tyson was a replacement fighter, which messed with me a little
bit. I was really flat for that fight and Tyson wasn't. He was
pushing the action for sure, but looking back I still think the
ref stopped it too early. I'm not saying I would have won or
lost that night, but I think the ref took away that option from
me when he stopped it. My camp is one that doesn't complain too
much, but we were all pretty pissed. I remember looking around
and all the ringside media was like "what the F&@%".
Oh well, the past is the past. Good things happened for Tyson
afterwards, so that is cool I guess."
08-12-06
vs. Fernando Calleros at K-1 USA (draw third round)
"That was my one and only K-1 rules fight this year. I can
be a slow starter and in a 3 round fight it can bite you. Fernando
rung my bell early in the first, but that was it. I pretty much
hit him with everything after that. I was mad at myself for getting
caught by a stupid punch. I thought I did enough in two and half
rounds to win, but the judges didn't. I mean I really think it
was 2 and half rounds to a half a round. I grabbed the microphone
and asked the crowd if they wanted to see one more round and
they were yelling and screaming, but K-1 wouldn't do it. He was
finished. He would've gone down in round four guaranteed. In
the end I guess we put on a show, and that is part of the game
too. If we ever fight again though, he should bring a pillow."
10-07-06
vs. Josh Thomson at Strikeforce 3 (loss by sub at 4:36 round
two)
"Josh fought really smart. He stayed away from me on the
feet and was always looking to take it down. He had a good game
plan. He would throw one or two things and shoot or lock up,
never really wanting to just throw down with me. I thought I
was doing pretty good with him on the ground, and even got his
back and a rear naked choke in the first. Going into round two
I felt really good and wasn't afraid to stand or hit the ground
with him. It was a pretty good scrap. I was actually having fun
in there with him. He eventually put me in a bad position against
the fence and I couldn't back out of the choke. It was his night,
but he is a guy I would fight again. Josh is a fighter that motivates
you to train. I need that. Fighters like that make it fun. I
would love to fight him again, but I'm back fighting at 170,
so who knows"
12-08-06
vs. Tony Fryklund at Strikeforce 4 (win by TKO at 3:02 round
two)
"This fight was a bit of redemption for me. Not against
Fryklund or anything, more against the pressure I had put on
myself. I went into it knowing that I was at a pivotal point
and needed a good solid win. Everything was working. I had a
good camp leading up to it. I didn't have to kill myself cutting
weight, but I still had to cut like 7 pounds to make 170! I felt
really, really strong and just as fast. I will say this Fryklund
is a stud. He took a lot of damage and kept coming. I hit him
with things that I have put other fighters to sleep with. He
was game and I respect that a lot. But I was just really on,
and everything was working. It was like I went up and down all
year but finally found my groove. I was really happy to be able
to win, but also to win in a way that everyone expects when they
see BANG fight. What can I say? Muay Thai ain't pretty. Ha-ha
sorry, that's an old inside joke in my camp."
"There
were a lot of people that helped me this past year and I can't
thank them enough. My wife for being there and my daughter for
just being so damn cute. She is an inspiration. I have to thank
Bas [Rutten] as always. My Muay Thai coach Christian Allen, my
MMA coach Nate Marquardt, and my boxing coach Trevor Wittman.
All the various training partners over the year and that is just
too many to list! I had good sponsorship throughout the year,
which helped a lot. A lot of them have been with me for a while
like Brothers BBQ, GLC 2000, Connected Networks and Profile,
so thank you for that. This was my first year with Sinister and
TapouT, and they were great. Locally, Mastiff Home Loans and
Castle Pines Auto Sport stepped up this year. And nationally
my newest sponsor Ultimate VIP Club really helped me between
fights. Also Dr. Nelson Vetanze and A New Spirit Spa kept me
in good shape this year too. I have to thank my webmaster Lee
for building me my new website too. I hope all my fans check
it out at www.duanebang.com."
Ludwig
added this final thought: "Well, I start off the year back
at Ring Of Fire on a big show at home. I don't know who I am
fighting yet, and I don't care. Just that it is at home is motivation
enough. I'll start training camp right after the New Year and
be ready to put on a show. From there, who knows? I have always
wanted to fight in Holland, so maybe we can get that done this
year. My manager Boogie (Sven Bean) has kept me real busy and
the sport is huge now so we will see what comes our way. I know
that this will be my biggest year yet and I am ready for it!"
Source: MMA Weekly
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Quote
of the Day
"Life
is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum
of what we have been, but what we yearn to be."
Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1883-1955, Spanish Philosopher
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Current
Black Belt World Champion Xande Riberio Workshop at Central Oahu
JJ
Currently
the best grappler on the plant, Xande Riberio, who also happens
to be the brother of 6 time world champion Saulo Riberio, will
be doing a workshop at Central Oahu Jiu-Jitsu in Wahiawa on Thursday
night at 6pm. This is not a seminar but a workshop with Xande
for only $30.
All
are welcome so this is a huge opportunity to learn from one of
the most well rounded black belt world champions ever! Xande
is one of the few heavyweights that is equally good on top and
on the bottom in a match.
When:
Thursday, December 21
Where: Central Oahu JJ (next to Jack in the Box on the 2nd Floor)
Time: 6:00 PM
Cost: $30
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Wanderlei
Silva won’t fight at Pride
The
technician director of the Chute Boxe team, Rafael Cordeiro said
to site TATAME that Wanderlei Silva won’t fight anymore
at the Pride of New Years Eve. “Wanderlei is training hard,
but he didn’t have any position from the event’s organization.
He will only fight on February in United States, when he will
put his belt on the line”, told Rafael, who still complemented:
“The Pride wants Wanderlei tough and well to fight on February,
because if he get hurts he won’t be good to fight at the
second edition of the event in Las Vegas and the whole promotion
of this event is under Wand”
Rafael
is going next Monday (25) to with the Chute Boxe leader Rudimar
Fedrigo and with Murilo Ninja and Maurício Shogun. “We
really want and believe in another victory to Shogun so we can
finish the year better than never. Even with his injury in the
beginning of the year, 2006 was a good year to Shogun, because
he got in under the American market”, concluded Rafael.
COMPLETE
CARD (subject to change):
Pride
Shockwave 2006
Japan
Sunday, December 31st, 2006
Heavyweight
belt dispute:
- Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mark Hunt;
Other
bouts:
- Josh Barnett vs. Rodrigo Minotauro;
- Yuki Kondo vs. Akihiro Gono;
- Takanori Gomi vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida;
- Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Mauricio Shogun;
- Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Gilbert Melendez;
- Shin’ya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen;
- Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Ikuhisa Minowa.
Source: Tatame
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UFC
Sets Date in Montreal
SAN
DIEGO, Calif. -- The Ultimate Fighting Championship is coming
to Canada with current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre
taking on former champion Matt Hughes in Montreal on April 7.
UFC
president Dana White confirmed the UFC's Canadian debut in speaking
to reporters Tuesday on the eve of the Ultimate Fight Night card
Wednesday (8
p.m.) on a U.S. military base.
St.
Pierre stripped Hughes of his 170-pound belt in dominant fashion
Nov. 18 in Sacramento, scoring a second-round technical knockout
to avenge a submission loss to the American in October 2004.
The
25-year-old from Montreal is set to make his first title defence
in Las Vegas on Feb. 3 against Matt Serra, the winner of Season
4 of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show.
Making
the St. Pierre-Hughes rubber match in Montreal the UFC's first
show in Canada is a no-brainer for the mixed martial arts circuit.
St. Pierre will draw fans to the Bell Centre while Hughes is
a ready-made villain, certain to help pump up the fight.
The
former champion did his bit to muddy Canada-U.S. relations prior
to UFC
65: Bad Intentions in Sacramento when he sneered at Canada's
foreign policies and questioned Canadians' hearts. St. Pierre
also was upset at remarks Hughes reportedly made on a Los Angeles
radio station about the French's lack of warrior spirit.
"How
fun is that going to be," White said mischieviously Tuesday
of the Montreal fight. "How crazy do you that place going
to be that night? How do you think it's going to be for Hughes
when he walks in with 16,000 Canadians in there? They're going
to kill him."
The
anti-Hughes vibe will probably only serve as fuel to the former
champion's fire. Hughes is a canny veteran fighter who has plenty
to prove after being dismantled by St. Pierre.
Montreal,
meanwhile, has already proved to be fertile ground for MMA via
the TKO shows run by St. Pierre's manager Stephane Patry.
St.
Pierre is already enjoying the perks of being a champion. The
UFC gave him a Hummer for winning the title, no doubt a welcome
but somewhat awkward gift for someone who had just splurged on
a Nissan truck.
Next
week, he and several other UFC big-name fighters are touring
three U.S.
three military sites.
"He's
amazing. He's such a great champion for us," White said.
"He's good-looking, he's in great shape, he's one of the
nicest human beings you could ever meet. . . . Everybody loves
Georges St. Pierre."
White
also hopes to have Canada host an Ultimate Fight Night televised
card next year.
Source: Maxfighting
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Mario
Yamasaki to officiate the main event at UFC 66
Veteran
UFC referee, Mario Yamasaki is going to be the referee for possibly
the largest PPV in American MMA history. The main event for UFC
66 is reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell
and the former champion, Tito Ortiz. Ortiz vs. Liddell 2 is expected
to do over a staggering one million pay per view buys. This would
also make the fighters involved the highest paid in UFC history.
Yamasaki is well respected and probably the referee for this
fight due to the fact that Tito reportedly did not feel comfortable
with Big John McCarthy in there. Ortiz did not feel that John
gave him time to recover after the inadvertent thumb to the eye
from Liddell.
Source: Maxfighting
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1-on-1
With The Iceman
The Iceman talks Tito, Silva, Vera, and much more
By Sean McClure
When
my phone rang at home last Friday evening, I had a hard time
keeping a straight face. My wife, Sarah was perched just out
of earshot waiting for me to pick up the phone. I answered and
pretended like I wasn't going to put it on speakerphone just
to toy with her. As I answered the call, the voice on the other
end boomed out of the small speaker that I have used for interviews
for some time with some pretty cool words, "Hey, this is
Chuck".
Chuck
Liddell is one of the most accomplished and well-known mixed
martial artists in the world. He is a humble fighter, but one
who shoots straight with you every time he speaks. He is the
UFC light heavyweight champion and the man who stands atop the
rankings in the 205 pound across the globe.
I
was lucky enough to speak with Chuck and squash and confirm some
rumors with him. Here is my interview with The Iceman, Chuck
Liddell.
MaxFighting:
So how are you doing?
Chuck
Liddell: I'm doing real good.
MaxFighting:
How's that training going?
Chuck:
The training's going great. No complaints. I'm in great shape
and that means a long night, well a short night for Tito.
MaxFighting:
Who are you training with for this one?
Chuck:
The same guys I always do for my fights.
MaxFighting:
At the Pit?
Chuck:
At the Pit, yeah. I've been with these guys for a while training.
MaxFighting:
Chuck, do you think that this is the same Tito that you faced
last time?
Chuck:
Well, I think it is the same style, same guy, and same weaknesses.
But, you know he's a tougher version of himself than back then.
You could say that. I think he's gotten better, but I think he
has just improved on what he was good at before. I don't think
he's a different fighter. He's still has the same style.
MaxFighting:
What did you think when Dana said that you were fighting what
everyone perceives as the thorn in your side? Were you excited
or more like, "here we go again"?
Chuck:
I'm sure HE's thinking, "here we go again". I can't
see him being happy about this fight. I think he could have gone
his whole career without having this fight happen again if it
was up to him.
MaxFighting:
Just to switch gears for a minute, how many MMA shows are popping
up on the California scene now since MMA is blowing up?
Chuck:
There's been a bunch of shows for a long time. As a matter of
fact, I think that California has had the most shows.
MaxFighting:
About how many appearances do you make a month?
Chuck:
It just depends. If I let them book everything, I could do them
every weekend and probably a couple times during the week.
MaxFighting:
So has that increased since the popularity of the UFC has risen?
Chuck:
Of course.
MaxFighting:
When you were first approached by Xyience, did you ever think
that it would turn out like it did? You're on television every
time I flip on Spike TV. I mean does that surprise you that MMA
has taken off like this?
Chuck:
Not really. I mean by the time I was working with Xyience, I
think we were on our way.
MaxFighting:
I know you can't give any figures, but I have to ask. Has your
pay increased a good amount since the popularity increase since
UFC 52?
Chuck:
Oh, yeah. *laughs* it's gone up quite a bit. Definitely.
MaxFighting:
When you first started at UFC 17...
Chuck:
Yep, UFC 17 it was a $1000 to show up for a tournament.
MaxFighting:
From $1000 to a very substantial amount, that's a huge difference.
Did you ever think that Chuck Liddell would be making as much
money as he is right now?
Chuck:
You know we'd always hoped to get there someday and I really
thought it would take a little bit longer. I thought I'd be retired
and watching the younger guys getting paid the money that we're
getting paid now.
MaxFighting:
Speaking of retirement, you're no where near retiring are you?
Chuck:
No, everything's great. I feel good and I'm not going to retire
when I'm still feeling.....as soon as I'm not able to perform
like I should be. Right now, everything's fine and I'm at the
top of my game. I'm not going to retire anytime soon.
MaxFighting:
Just to squash a lot of rumors on the internet I have to ask
this question. Whose court is the ball in right now for the Wanderlei
Silva fight? Yours or his?
Chuck:
Well, it's in their court I guess. The thing is with Wanderlei
Silva, you gotta' look at it like this. With the UFC, Silva had
agreed to fight me in November. Well, he got knocked out. He's
not even cleared to fight until like January. He got knocked
out in September so I don't when he gets cleared to fight again,
but it's a three month suspension when you get knocked out that
badly. But, the UFC made sense after that when they said that
he should go back and beat some people. Because, what people
are going to say when I knock him out in the first round is that
it's because he got knocked out by Cro Cop a couple of months
ago.
MaxFighting:
I didn't think about that. I can see how some people would use
that as an excuse if Silva lost.
Chuck:
They're going to say, well ohhh it's just because he got knocked
out by Cro Cop before this fight. Let him win a couple of fights
and then let's talk again when he's back and going good again,
then let's talk. Yah, I would love to fight him. I think the
other thing is that the UFC was going to bring him out to fight
me and none of the newer fans even knew who he was.
MaxFighting:
When he came out at UFC 61.
Chuck:
Yeah, at UFC 61 when you look at the reaction from the fans a
lot of them were like, "who's that"? A lot of the new
fans haven't seen the PRIDE stuff. Yeah, he's a great fighter
and it would be a great fight for the fans and everything, but
the public didn't even know who he was.
MaxFighting:
While we're on the subject of opponents, I want to ask your opinion
about Brandon Vera. He's said that he would step down to light
heavyweight if the UFC asked. What do you think of Vera? Are
you impressed with what you've seen?
Chuck:
He seems like he's a good young kid. He's coming up and he'll
be good. I mean, I *laughs* I would be more than happy to fight
him.
MaxFighting:
This is the one I am getting e-mailed like crazy about: If you
repeat and beat Tito again is there anything left for you in
the light heavyweight division?
Chuck:
Yeah, there's quite a few good guys out there. There's quite
a few match-ups I would like them to get. Quinton, Wanderlei,
and I wouldn't even mind fighting Shogun.
MaxFighting:
Obviously, out of those guys the Quinton Jackson rematch is probably
up there as number one or number two, right?
Chuck:
*laughs* Yeah.
MaxFighting:
Was there ever a time that Quinton was headed back to the UFC
and then it just didn't happen?
Chuck:
I don't know that there was. I thought there was an offer out
there. I think he's just staying away, I think he tried to stay
away from me. But, you know I hope they bring him back, I really
do.
MaxFighting:
You're not going to heavyweight as the rumor mill has been churning
about are you?
Chuck:
I have no plans at this point. There are fights we've talked
about that I would be interesting in doing, but for the most
part I am going to stay at light heavyweight. There are a few
fights I wouldn't mind doing so we'll see. We'll see what happens
with that, but like I said for the most part I am going stay
at light heavyweight.
MaxFighting:
Chuck, I really appreciate your time.
Chuck:
Oh, no problem.
Source: Maxfighting
|
New
Fighters' Club TV Episode Aires Tuesday!
Happy Holidays
Everyone!
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 46 is cut and submitted to Olelo Programming.
It will run in our normal timeslot at 7pm every Tuesday night on Olelo
Oahu Channel 52. Airdates are Dec. 19, 26, Jan 2, and 9.
Episode
46 features:
-Jason
Mayhem Miller vs Ruthless Robbie Lawler + intvw w/ Robbie (from
Icon's Sep 2 show)
-Tyson
Nam vs Marc Oshiro + intvw w/ Marc (from Icon's Dec 1 show)
-Technique
of the Week: Shooto Middleweight Champion and Pride Star, Shinya
Aoki demonstrating the upside down heel hook
-FCTV
EMAIL: Mike and Mark answer YOU THE VIEWERS in our newest HIT
SEGMENT!
-Mike
interviews Frank "Twinkletoes" Trigg after his win
in the Dec 1 Icon UNSTOPPABLE show.
-stay
tuned for the credits for KITV's report on Mayhem vs Trigg
and
of course, the ever-increasing antics of Chris, Mike and Mark.
Comments,
Questions, and Suggestions to: fctv@onzuka.com
Aloha
|
NAGA
HAWAII GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP
IS CONFIRMED!
This is in the official NAGA newsletter and a friend who co-promoted
NAGA here in Hawaii also confirmed it.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Doors open at 8:00 a.m.
St. Louis School, Honolulu, HI
130 Gi & No-Gi Divisions!
This event is Nationally
860-295-0403
President@nagafighter.com
www.NAGAFighter.com
Pre-Register HERE.
$75 pre-reg
fee
Download
event flyer HERE.
NAGA
makes its much anticipated return to the island of Oahu. Hawaii
is full of incredible grapplers, NAGA is excited about coming
back to give you a fair and fun atmosphere to compete in. Enjoy
the holidays then come and compete against the best grapplers
Hawaii has to offer.
Samurai
swords will be awarded to all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers.
The
no-gi and gi absolute champion will take home this championship
belt!
Source: NAGA
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