Upcoming
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2010
February
BJJ Tournament
(tba)
2009
11/21/09
UFC
106
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas)
11/14/09
UFC
105
(United Kingdom)
November
Aloha
State Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
10/31/09
H.A.P.A.
Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association
Hit-And-Submit
#4
(Pankration)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
10/24/09
UFC
104
(Staples Center, Los Angeles)
10/18/09
NAGA
Hawaii
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Pearl City H.S. Gym)
10/17/09
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
10/10/09
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
10/3/09
Destiny Unfinished Business
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
9/19/09
UFC
103
(American Airlines Center, Dallas)
9/16/09
UFC
Fight Night 19
(Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City)
9/12/09
Hawaiian
Open Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
Up & Up
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/29/09
MAUI OPEN 2009
Submission Grappling Challenge
(Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym)
Island Assult
(Boxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
UF1C
102
(Rose Garden, Portland)
8/22/09
Destiny: Maui vs. Oahu
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Maui)
8/15/09
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing & Triple Threat)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
8/9/09
WEC
(Las Vegas, NV)
8/8/09
UFC
101: Declaration
(BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian)
(Wachovia Center, Philadelphia)
8/1/09
Affliction: Trilogy
Fedor vs. Barnett
(Honda Cetner, Anaheim, CA)
7/25/09
X-1
Scuffle On Schofield
(MMA)
(Tropics Recreation Center, Schofield Barracks)
Amateur Boxing at Palolo
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
Gracie Tournament
(Kalaheo H.S. Gym)
**Cancelled**
7/23/09
JUST SCRAP
(MMA)
(Pipeline Cafe)
7/20/09
Dream 10: Welterweight GP Final
(Japan)
7/11/09
UFC
100: Lesnar vs. Mir
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)
7/10/09
Man up and Stand up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
6/27-28/09
OTM's 2009
Pac Sub
(Gi & No-Gi competition)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/20/09
The
Ultimate Fighter 9:
Team US vs Team UK Finale
6/13/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
UFC
99: Comeback
Silva vs. Franklin
(Cologne, Germany)
6/7/09
WEC: Brown vs. Faber 2
(Versus)
6/6/09
Quest for Champions 2009 Tournament
(Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling)
(Kalani HS Gym)
Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields
(St. Louis, MO)
6/4/09 - 6/7/09
World
JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA)
5/30/09
Event of the Champions
(Triple Threat, Kickboxing, Grappling)
(Elite Auto Group Center)
5/26/09
Dream 9
5/23/09
UFC
98: Evans vs. Machida
(PPV)
5/16/09
KTI's Scrappa Lifestylez
Scrapplers Fest
(BJJ/Submission Grappling)
(Kauai)
5/9/09 - 5/10/09 &
5/16/09 - 5/17/09
Brazilian Nationals JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)
5/9/09
X-1 Kona
(MMA)
(Kekuaokalani Gym, Kona)
15th Grapplers Quest Las Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Las Vegas, NV)
5/2/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
Uprising MMA
(MMA)
(Maui)
May 2009
Abu Dhabi World Submission Wrestling Championships
(Sub Grappling)
(Tentative)
4/25/09
MMA Madness Water Park Extravaganza
(MMA)
(Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Kapolei)
4/18/08
Kingdom
MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
NY
International JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
4/11/09
Hawaiian
Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser High)
X-1: Temple of Boom
(Boxing & MMA)
(Palolo Hongwangi)
4/10/09
HFC: Stand Your Ground XII
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
4/4/09 - 4/5/09
NAGA
World Championship
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(NJ, Tentative)
3/28/09
Garden Island Cage Match
(MMA)
(Hanapepe Stadium, Hanapepe, Kauai)
3/27/09
- 3/29/09
Pan
Am JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)
3/27/09
Tiger Muay Thai Competition
(Muay Thai)
(Tiger Muay Thai Gym, Sand Island Road)
3/21/09 - 3/22/09
$30k Grapplers Quest/Fight Expo/Make a Wish Weekend
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Del Mar, CA)
NAGA US Nationals
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Georgia)
3/14/09
Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association: "Hit and Submit"
(Pankration & Muay Thai)
(O-Lounge Night Club, Honolulu)
NAGA Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
3/7/09
UFC 96
(PPV)
(Columbus, OH)
Grapplers Quest Beast of the East
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Wildwood, New Jersey)
2/27/09
X-1 World Events
NEW BEGINNING"
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
2/21/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
UFC
95
(PPV)
(London, England)
2/15/09
X1 World Events
Temple of Boom: Fight Night III
(MMA)
(Palolo Hongwanji)
2/8/09
IWFF
Submission Wrestling Tournament
(No-Gi)
(IWFF Academy, Wailuku, Maui)
2/7/09
4th Annual Clint Shelton Memorial
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
Manup and Standup
(Kickboxing)
(Kapolei Rec Center, Kapolei)
UFC Fight Night
(PPV)
(Tampa, FL)
1/31/09
UFC 93 BJ vs GSP
(PPV)
(MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV)
1/30/09
MMA Event
(MMA)
(Schofield Barracks)
1/24/09
Eddie Bravo Seminar
(BJJ)
1/17/09
UFC
93
(PPV)
(Dublin, Ireland)
1/10/09
MAT ATTACK Jiu-Jitsu & Submission Grappling Tournament
(Sub Wrestling)
(Lihikai School, Kahului, Maui)
1/3/08
Uprising - Maui
(MMA)
(Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Gym)
Hazardous Warfare - Maui
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center)
|
|
October
2009 News Part 1
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran and Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ Dean, & Chris Slavens!
Kids Classes are also
available!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
Looking
for a hotel room on Oahu?
Check out this reasonably priced, quality hotel in Waikiki!
For
the special Onzuka.com price, click banner above! |
 |
Fighters'
Club TV
The Toughest Show
On Teleivision
Tuesdays
at 8:00PM
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Also on Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Onzuka.com
Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
Chris, Mark,
and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while
now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit
a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most
popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.
He
offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The
three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being
the lead since he is on there all day anyway!
We
encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world
to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.
If you
do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click here to set up an account.
Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After
all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground
without some Aloha and some Pidgin?
To
go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click here!
|
Want
to Advertise on Onzuka.com?
Click here for pricing and more
information!
Short term and long term advertising available.
More than
1 million hits and counting!
|
O2
Martial Arts Academy
Your Complete Martial Arts School!
Click here for pricing and more
information!
O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Shane Agena as well
as a number of brown and purple belts.
We also offer a Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA champions Kaleo Kwan
and PJ Dean as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens
provide incredibly detailed instruction of the sweet science.
To top it off, Ian Beltran heads our Kali-Escrima classes (Filipino
Stickfighting) who was trained under the legendary Snookie Sanchez.
Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
the ground up!
Experienced martial artist that wants to fine tune your skill?
Our school is for you!
If you want to learn martial arts by masters of their trade in
a friendly and family environment, O2 Martial Arts Academy is
the place for you!
|
Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA
Quote
of the Day
"I'd
take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day."
Douglas Adams
|
Man
Up & Stand Up Today!
WHAT –
MAN-UP & STAND-UP
WHEN – OCT 10, 2009 – SATURDAY
DOORS OPEN @ 6PM
WHERE – WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
Tickets Available at O2 Martial Arts Academy among other locations!
MATT
EATON TAKES ON SONNY HUNT IN THE MAIN EVENT. OTHER EXCITING BOUTS
WILL FEATURE NUI SOLJAH BOY WHEELER AGAINST JENCEN ESPANTO, MARTIN
DAY VS GEARY UDEGAWA.
AND
JUST ADDED, VETERAN KICKBOXER FROM COMBAT 50, ALVIN BERTO WILL
MAN-UP & STAND-UP AGAINST HAWAII’S FAVORITE CHOLO, JULIO
MORENO. ALVIN WAS FIRST SCHEDULED TO FIGHT JAN QUIMOYOG FOR JAN’S
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BUT JAN HAD PLANS WAY BEFORE HE WAS
ASKED. SO JULIO STEPPED UP AND ACCEPTED THE OFFER AGAINST ALVIN.
ALVIN (ANOTHER SPANISH CAT) HAS FOUGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN
THE ARTS OF KICKBOXING AND SANSHOU. AND JULIO HAS DONE IT ALL
FROM BOXING TO MMA, FROM 120LBS. TO SPOTTING 20LBS. THE WINNER
OF THIS MATCH WILL GET THEIR CHANCE TO MEET JAN ON THE NEXT SHOW
FOR HIS TITLE ON DEC. 9. ALVIN LOOKS VERY QUICK AND HAS A BETTER
REACH ADVANTAGE ON HIS SIDE. BUT JULIO HAS A LEFT HOOK THAT HAS
MADE A LOT OF HIS OPPONENTS LEAN LIKE A CHOLO, SIDE TO SIDE ELBOWS
UP SIDE TO SIDE. SO BE SURE TO SEE WHO WILL BE CALLED PAPI WHEN
THIS MATCH IS DONE. DAS RIGHT
THERE
WILL ALSO BE A FEMALE BOUT FEATURING NATACIA MANUMA VS SHARON
VICTORIA. PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A CAT FIGHT. THEY
DON’T SCRATCH , THEY DON’T PULL HAIR, THESE WOMEN THROW
(AND ITS NOT KISSES). AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS EVENT, THERES NO TAKEDOWNS
AND NO GROUND. THEY ONLY BANG. AND THIS IS WHAT THESE TWO PREFER.
THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SWINGING IS WHEN ONE OF THEM
ARE RUNNING OR ONE OF THEM ARE SNORING. SO COME DOWN AND SUPPORT
THESE WOMEN OF WAR.
BE
READY FOR SOME FIREWORKS WHEN J – ROC JASON ROCEMAR GOES
TOE TO TOE AGAINST NICHOLAS CAREA. ALSO YOUNGSTER KEANU DESANTOS
MEETS TAZ KAHALEWAI. AND ALFRED SANTIAGO GOES UP AGAINST EMIL
OF ANIMAL HOUSE WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK AFTER HIS LONG
LAYOFF. THIS NIGHT WILL BE FULL OF SOME MAJOR TALENT. SO BE THERE.
NUI
WHEELER 146 JENSEN ESPARTE
MATT
EATON SHW SONNY HUNT
MIKE
YARCIA 135 SHELDON CRAWFORD
JULIO
MORENO 129 ALVIN BERTO
PRESTON
MEDEIROS 115 JAY VISCONDI
ISAAC
HOPPS (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 140 ADOR MALONG
NELSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 135 BRANDON PAI
FRED
RAMAYLA 140 RODNEY DEGUZMAN
JUSTIN
DULAY (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 165 SHAWN AUGUSTINE
JUSTIN
BURGESS 165 SATO NAKANO
KOA
RAMELB 155 KOA LYU (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
BRYSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JORDAN
KEANU
DESANTOS 60 TAZ KAHALEWAI
MARK
GILBERT 130 ALEX CHONG
BLAKE
VILLANEDA 150 RICKY TUBNIA
LARRY
WALKER (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 155 NEIL DACANAY
ANDYMAR
RENON (O2 Martial Arts Academy) SHW PETE SEFO
EMIL
S 150 ALFRED SANTIAGO
GEARY
UDEGAWA 140 MARTIN DAY
DANIEL
SANTOS 190 CHEVEZ AUTOKE
SHARON
VICTORIA 200 NATACIA MANUMA
NICK
CORREA (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JASON ROCEMAR
LENNY
AUGUSTINE 175 JASON K
All
matches and participants are subject to change.
|
Forrest
Griffin Discusses Marriage, Anderson Silva Loss
by Ariel Helwani
Forrest Griffin hasn't been heard from much since his UFC 101
loss to Anderson Silva, but that's not to say he hasn't been
keeping himself busy. The former UFC light heavyweight champion
recently got married, released a new iPhone app and has been
working on his second book, not to mention planning his upcoming
honeymoon.
FanHouse
spoke to Griffin on Thursday about the big changes in his life
and when he expects to return to action. The full interview is
below.
Ariel
Helwani: I heard you recently got married. Congratulations.
Forrest Griffin: I did. Thank you.
How
does it feel?
It's good. So far, so good. It's been a whole week. We're actually
trying to plan our honeymoon right now. We're going to go do
a bunch of cool stuff.
I
just downloaded your new iPhone app, and a lot of the material
deals with dating, which makes me think it would make you more
attractive to women right now. Kind of weird timing considering
you just got married and all.
I don't know. You know, there's the old Alec Baldwin quote.
Which
one?
The ring means at least one person can stand you and your d***
works.
Right.
Well, I found some of your advice to be fascinating, but I'm
curious if you always came across as a ladies man or do you just
have more confidence now that you are taken?
Oh, no, no, no. There was definitely what I like to call some
cold periods in my life.
So,
you're trying to help out some of your other fans who are having
trouble in that department?
I would almost like to think that I was the loser that realized
his ways and then kind of decidedly made a purposeful change.
Kind
of like the male version of the old ugly duckling story, right?
Well, yeah, except you don't really have to change much except
for your attitude. Much easier.
Does
not having to worry about dating make you a better fighter?
Oh yeah. The biggest thing for me is just somebody that is supportive
of me and my lifestyle. Think about it in reality, if you're
out chasing women, you're not doing what you should be doing.
If you got something steady and stable, and you know, a person
you could really trust and count on to have your back, it makes
a big difference in life. It's the old stupid quote, 'Behind
every good man is a better woman,' or something of that nature.
Are
you humbled by the fact that you have an iPhone app, because
if my research is correct, you're the only MMA fighter to have
his own one?
That's awesome. You know, I'm not 100% sure what the hell the
app is. All I did was read some stuff.
Have
you ever seen it?
No. Is it out yet? I looked for it yesterday.
Yeah,
I was just using it for a few minutes.
Wow. It's so popular that I couldn't even find it. Seriously,
I was looking for it yesterday.
All
I had to do was type in your name
Wow. I didn't think of that. You're obviously a technological
wizard, that's why you thought of that.
Well,
I liked your narration at the beginning. Your delivery was very
convincing and enthusiastic.
The complete lack thereof. (Mumbles narration with no enthusiasm).
Yeah, that's another part of success. If you're not trying, you
can't really fail.
So
have you put your fighting career on hold for a bit to focus
on your wedding and honeymoon?
No, I'm just trying to get married and stuff; it's kind of a
big deal. I'm going to start training again Oct. 12 actually,
when we get back.
Let's
look back at your last fight against Silva at UFC 101. Ultimately,
what do you think went wrong out there?
I don't know. I'm going to guess everything. You know where I
made my biggest mistake was saying I would fight that guy. That's
definitely the first mistake I made and the biggest.
Was
he better than you thought he would be?
I'm not really sure, man. I'm not really sure I showed up to
fight him. Maybe I thought he was so good that I didn't have
to fight him.
Was
there anything that you wish you could have done differently?
Yeah, pretty much wish I could have done everything differently.
But that's a common theme in my life.
What
do you mean?
You know, because you make mistakes a lot and I have the want
to go back and do everything perfect.
What
do you make of the criticism you received after leaving the cage
immediately after the fight was over?
That's dumb. Those people are idiots. Why? Nobody cares. I mean,
I don't think the losers were going to speak that night anyway,
you know. Just get on with the next fight already.
Did
it bother you to hear people criticize your post-fight reaction?
Nah, that's the first time I've ever heard it. This is going
to blow you away, but I haven't watched the fight or talked about
it.
This
guy actually asked me a good question the other day, and this
is a real story and I really like it: first off, he was very
confrontational; I didn't like him much to begin with, and he
goes, 'Hey, man, I have to know,' because it's his business to
know, 'why did you run out of the cage that night after the Silva
fight.' And I said, 'Look, man, I haven't told anybody, let's
keep this on the down low, but the truth is your mom was waiting
for me in the back to suck my d***, and you know how good of
a b*** j** your mom gives, so I didn't want to be late for that
sh**.' And that's pretty much the answer I give. I like that
answer, so I'll give that answer to everyone.
Was
he a fan or media member?
I don't know. I bet he's not a fan anymore, but I tell ya, I'm
a fan of his mom's b*** j***. That's the important thing, and
that's what I want to come across in your story. If anybody asks
me that question, that's my answer.
You
know what blows me away, man? All these kids ... First of all,
people always rail on me for cussing, but I'm actually a really
good person. But I use a lot of profanity because I consider
what I do to be kind of an adult thing. Not like adult nudity,
but you know, just violence, whatever. And I get all these kids,
really young children, asking me to sign my book. And I wonder,
Did your parents look at this before they gave it to you? This
is not really a book for children. Actually my next book starts
with a ratings system. Have you noticed there's no rating system
for books?
Like
four stars or two thumbs up?
No, like parental guidelines like movies. What's up with that?
I can just go rent any kind of book, you know?
Oh,
right. More to that point, you recently did an interview with
MMA 30, and it seems like people came away from it thinking you
don't like being a role model. Is that accurate?
You see, this is why I hate the media, man. This is why I really
don't like doing interviews; this is why I don't really keep
up with the sport, honestly. You know, when I watch the fights,
I watch them on mute, because I don't really care to hear what
anybody has to say about them. That kind of annoys me. I'm a
really good person. I'm a very good person, and I'm better than
most. If there's a heaven, I gotta think I'm going there. ...
I think I'm a good role model. Like, when I have kids, I think
I will be a good role model. I mean, I live my life according
to my own beliefs.
Are
you still as passionate about your MMA career as you were before
the Silva fight?
Well like anything, you're kind of jonesing to get back in the
gym. I'm still a hyperactive kid, and if I go too long without
getting good workouts in, I really feel like I'm bouncing off
the walls like crazy, which is kind of like how I feel today.
Is
there someone in particular that you would like to fight next?
I'm open to whatever. I mean, it can't get any worse, you know?
Anbody. I already fought the best guy in the world. It can't
get any worse.
Would
you be interested in being a coach again on The Ultimate Fighter?
You know, the bottom line is I will do whatever the UFC wants
me to do. They've really taken care of me and my career, thus
far, so whatever direction they want me to go in, whoever they
want me to fight, and that's genuine. I'm more preferential about
where I fight than who I fight. I would really like to fight
in, I don't know, Las Vegas. Or maybe, stretch, California, if
I have to. I like to fight close to home, on my time zone, with
the air that I'm used to, where I can control my food better.
There's more fights overseas, and I understand I may have to
fight overseas, but I put more into where I fight than whom I
fight. I've never asked for anybody, well, except maybe 'Shogun,'
actually. I almost think that you're kind of jinxing yourself.
Like, I'm afraid to ask for opponents.
And
the UFC hasn't talked to you about what's next yet?
No. You know, it's hard for me to think about a fight when I'm
on vacation or my honeymoon, so I was kind of hoping they would
leave me alone until around Oct. 12. You know, when you are actually
doing something about your next fight.
Do
you think you'll fight again in 2009?
You know, there's that Jan. 2 card that looks kind of appealing
to me.
And
it's in Las Vegas ...
Oh, there you go. Done deal. I didn't even know that, but now
I really want to fight on that one.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Kimbo
Slice vs. Roy Nelson outdraws RAW on cable
By Zach
Arnold
A 3.7 rating, which will drive Vince McMahon into a tailspin
and give heartburn to anyone having to deal with him this month
in WWE. The quarter-hour rating for the Kimbo/Nelson fight itself
was well over a 4.
In
our comments section, Rob Maysey talked about just how much the
media influences the numbers in American MMA and how media-initiated
the business is as opposed to the media simply responding to
what fans want.
MMA
Memories:
If
all of this talk sounds bizarre to you, it should be. The media
apologists for this are out of their minds. It’s the equivalent
of you paying for a concert ticket and going to the event and
realizing that the performing artist is lip-syncing the entire
time, only to read the next day in the newspaper or see on the
local telecast the critics praising the artist for screwing over
the fans and taking their money by ‘working the marks’
over.
If
the UFC apologists in the media want to get all Southern Fried
Carny on us, then let’s use an appropriate wrestling term
to describe what we saw on Wednesday night. Screwjob seems like
a tame phrase. We could use the term fuck finish but realistically
speaking, the finish was ‘perfect’ and it was the fans
who get fucked.
The
good news is that UFC did great ratings for the fight. You would
think that it would be a great indicator of the company’s
health, right?
Maybe
not so fast.
MMA
Payout has two critical reports (here and here) about Zuffa LLC’s
finances. Long story short — UFC is still an event-driven
company financially, they’re not losing as much internationally
any more, and they took out a $100M USD loan — but a fair
amount of money the company is generating is going to the owners
as dividends.
What
does that sound like is going on to you?
Highlights
from the Latest S&P Report on Zuffa
In depth analysis to follow, but the highlights from the latest
report:
¦COMPANY
REMAINS EVENT DRIVEN – Revenue breakdown remains at 75/25
event (pay-per-view, gate) to non-event (television rights fees,
sponsorships, etc), but the successful launch of the video game
as well as recent improvement in the sponsorship portfolio has
the potential to improve that ratio.
¦MORE CONSISTENT MARGINS – EBITDA margins have stabilized
as the company’s international operations have improved.
¦STRONG CASH FLOW – Cash flow remains strong, however,
the company’s $25M credit revolver was fully drawn as of
June 30, 2009.
¦AGGRESSIVE DIVIDEND PAYMENTS – Dating back to the
company’s original loan, dividend payments to the owners
have been an issue for creditors and they are limited by a restricted
payment basket in the terms of the loan. The initial dividend
was characterized as quite aggressive and the current dividend
payment (roughly $75M) would “consume a large portion of
[the] current basket,” however, the basket has the potential
to increase each quarter.
¦RECOVERY OUTLOOK REMAINS STABLE – “Given management’s
relatively aggressive posture toward dividends, an outlook revision
to positive or ratings upside potential is limited over the intermediate
term, despite the likelihood for some improvement to credit measures
over the next several quarters.”
Zuffa Announces
New $100M Term Loan
¦Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts sporting event promoter
and producer Zuffa LLC announced a proposed $100 million incremental
term loan due 2015.
¦We are assigning our ‘BB-’ issue rating and
‘4' recovery rating to this loan, and revising our recovery
rating on Zuffa’s existing credit facilities to ‘4'
from ‘3'.
¦We are affirming the ‘BB-’ corporate credit
rating on the company.
¦The stable rating outlook reflects our belief that Zuffa’s
ability to successfully market UFC events will continue to generate
strong revenues and cash flow.
UPDATED: Preliminary Highlights from the Complete report now
available here.
NEW
YORK, Oct. 1, 2009–Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services
said today it assigned its issue-level and recovery ratings to
the proposed $100 million senior secured incremental term loan
being issued by Zuffa LLC. The loan was rated ‘BB-’
(at the same level as the corporate credit rating on the company)
with a recovery rating of ‘4', indicating our expectation
of average (30% to 50%) recovery for lenders in the event of
a payment default.
At
the same time, we revised our recovery rating on Zuffa’s
existing senior secured credit facilities to ‘4' from ‘3'.
“The
revised recovery rating reflects a revision of our expected emergence
multiple to 4.5x from 5.0x, in addition to the greater amount
of debt outstanding in the capital structure,” said Standard
& Poor’s credit analyst Ben Bubeck.
We
also affirmed our issue-level rating on these loans at ‘BB-’
(at the same level as the ‘BB-’ corporate credit rating
on the company), in accordance with our notching criteria for
a ‘4' recovery rating. (To see the complete recovery analysis,
see Standard & Poor’s recovery report on Zuffa LLC,
to be published as soon as possible on RatingsDirect following
this report.)
Net
proceeds from the proposed incremental term loan will be used
to repay the outstanding balance under the company’s revolving
credit facility and to fund a dividend to the owners. Leverage
will increase moderately as the result of this transaction. However,
our rating affirmation reflects solid operating results in recent
quarters given consistently strong EBITDA margins and continued
success in improving the profitability of international operations,
which meaningfully improved credit measures. Pro forma for the
proposed transaction, credit measures remain in line with the
current rating.
The
‘BB-’ rating on Zuffa reflects the risk of revenue
and cash flow volatility given the company’s primarily event-driven
business model, its vulnerability to changing consumer tastes
or the effect of weak economic conditions on consumer discretionary
spending, a relatively short operating history, and management’s
aggressive financial policy. Zuffa’s well-recognized Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC) brand, healthy free cash flow conversion
given strong EBITDA margins and modest capital intensity, and
moderate debt leverage partly offset these risks.
Complete
ratings information is available to RatingsDirect subscribers
at www.ratingsdirect.com. All ratings affected by this rating
action can be found on Standard & Poor’s public Web
site at www.standardandpoors.com; select your preferred country
or region, then Ratings in the left navigation bar, followed
by Find a Rating.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Urijah
Faber and Frank Trigg hope to keep fighting for Zuffa
by Zach Arnold
 
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about a lot of free
agents and fighters contracted to UFC, it’s that there always
seems to be a new dispute arising every day and yet UFC always
seems to re-sign the fighters they want to keep. Dan Henderson
is a free agent and there’s hardly any talk of him going
to Strikeforce. Tito Ortiz talked a good game about going to
Strikeforce and ended up signing a new deal with UFC.
The
latest fighter to make negative comments about UFC management
is Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who announced his ‘retirement’
from fighting. Dana White was recently asked about this topic
by the folks at U l t m m a . c o m and gave this response.
“Here
the thing. One thing I’m guaranteed every day when I get
out of bed in the morning, bad shit’s going to happen. OK?
It happens to me every day, it’s the business, it’s
the way that it is, guys freak out, guys lose their mind, guys
get hurt, you know, this stuff happens. I’m in the fight
business, my job is to put on great fights that people want to
buy on PPV. When they fall apart, I got to fix it, you know?
Rampage, I care about Rampage, he’s a friend of mine. We’re
mad at each other, we’ll figure it out, we’ll get this
thing sorted out.”
While
UFC and Rampage attempt to mend fences, the company is also looking
to lock up WEC ace Urijah Faber to a new deal. Faber recently
made comments to Dave Farra of r a w v e g a s . t v about how
his hand is healing up and when he will fight next.
“They’re
doing great, you know I have two steel plates in here. I feel
stronger than ever, I’ve been doing every pro-active to
make this thing happen and it’s looking like I’m going
to be back in January, that’s just about to be inked and
I’m excited about that, man, I’m really excited to
get back in there, I can’t wait to fight!”
For
the last couple of months, Faber has been talking about perhaps
fighting elsewhere. However, the door on Strikeforce seems closed
now.
“You
know, we’re coming down to days now, you know, it’s
been a long process and you know when it comes down to it, I
love the Zuffa family and I’m hoping that everything works
out and it’s looking like it’s going to. You know,
in the long run, you know I’m part of the family and I think
that when it’s all said and done I’ll be a very successful
and happy person and that’s the most important thing to
me. Let’s ink the deal first and then we’ll talk about
it more.”
A
critical component for Faber re-inking with Zuffa is whether
or not WEC stays alive or if the entity merges with UFC. According
to Faber, WEC will likely stay alive in 2010 on both Versus and
PPV.
“I
think it’s coming up pretty quick, I feel like there’s
still a huge demand, I just got done with a huge tour, I was
in Oklahoma and then in Dallas and got to feel the love from
the crowd and I know there’s demand out there, people love
to watch me fight and I have confidence in that, so you won’t
be disappointed folks, tune in and watch my fights, you’re
going to love it. I want to fight everybody, I want to get the
belt back.”
Faber
understands that he will need to fight multiple fighters in the
145-pound division before he can earn a title shot against Mike
Brown and get the trilogy match that fans still are very interested
in seeing.
“Yeah,
I really did man, you know I went to a place the hardest thing
was for me the second round because I was dealing with a handicap
that I’ve never dealt with before but once I got past that
second round, you know, I just had to push through it and I really
put my heart and my soul into that fight and I’m glad that
people appreciated it, I wasn’t doing it for that necessarily
but I go into there to fight and I’ll fight to the death.”
How
confident is Faber in being able to beat Brown?
“100%
I believe that, you know, there’s no doubt in my mind that
I can beat Mike Brown and that I have the tools to do it, just
got to make it happen.”
While
Faber will likely sign a new deal with Zuffa, one fighter who
is looking to stay with Zuffa and not get cut is Frank Trigg.
After he lost to Josh Koscheck at UFC 103 in Dallas on September
19th, rumors swirled around that UFC would be letting Trigg go
for good. Trigg says that he has at least one more fight left
with the company. Trigg told Dave Farra of Raw Vegas TV that
everything was blown out of proportion in the media.
“It’s
the weird thing, man, the media is a strange junket, you know,
as a commentator I kind of know the media, you know, runs with
some scam. What I think happened, now mind you I’m talking
out of context, I wasn’t there when it happened, but I understand
is that John Morgan from MMA Junkie had asked Dana White what’s
going to happen with a bunch of guys that had lost and he named
off like three or four guys, Mirko Cro Cop being one of them,
and Dana was like I think they’re done, you know, I think
they have to get done and because he was on that formula he was
like well what about and he started naming names, it’s like
he’s done, he’s done, he’s done. Later on when
Dana was asked about it, he’s like dude I don’t know
I mean c’mon man, you’re talking to a guy who has to
answer 75 questions a night, every night, and then on UFC night
maybe 150 questions? He can’t remember every single answer
he gave out, so what happened is that later on there was no intention
of releasing me, getting rid of me, they knew that if I lost
to Josh Koscheck that I was going to have to have another pretty
tough fight to prove my worth, I mean let’s face facts the
UFC is doing me a favor, I’m not doing any favors by coming
in, they’re doing me a favor and we have to find out now
that the next fight hopefully it’ll be here in Vegas, I
want to be on the November card that’s here in Vegas, I
don’t think it’s going to happen, I want to be on the
January card that’s here in Vegas, January 2nd, but I don’t
think that’s going to happen either so we’ll see what
happens. I want to fight here in Vegas if they’re going
to have me if any fight I want to fight here in my hometown.
If not, then just send me so far away it makes no difference
so send me to like an Australia or a Germany or a Manchester,
just send me so far out of it that it doesn’t make any difference,
I have no fans, you know, either put me where all my fans are
or put me all the way out of it and that’s the next step.
As far as I know, now mind you this is me speaking, I have no
idea really what they were thinking in their own head. As far
as I know, there was no intents of ever releasing me and they
never thought of releasing me, it was just I lost the fight,
it was time for to get ready for the next fight and that’s
it.”
Source: MMA Memories
|
Kayron
on his black belt
‘It was the concretization of work I’ve been doing
my whole life’
Young
Kayron Gracie is now the latest black belt in the family. Kayron
was promoted shortly after winning gold in the absolute brown
belt category of the 2009 No-Gi Nationals, organized by the IBJJF
and held for the first time in Las Vegas, on September 26.
A
Jiu-Jitsu middleweight world champion at brown belt and No-Gi
world champion at purple, besides collecting four Pan-American
gold medals, Kayron is aware of the changes awaiting him at black.
“Now
there’s a new goal. I know I’m going to compete against
more experienced and better trained people. I know of the difficulties
I’ll face in this new scenario, and I know I’m a rookie
at this new belt and that to win titles I’ll have to take
the place of those who are dominating these categories,”
said Kayron to GRACIEMAG.com.
The
black belt defined this moment of transition as being the fulfillment
of a long process. “It was really great [getting his black
belt]. It was the concretization of work I’ve been doing
my whole life. It’s like graduating from college,”
Kayron compared.
“I
think everybody’s goal is to get to black belt. Getting
black was the most satisfying feeling for the effort I’ve
put in all these years,” he said in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Dana
White, GSP Among AskMen.com Top 49 Influential Men
http://www.askmen.com/specials/top_49_men/
Los
Angeles, California (October 6, 2009) – AskMen.com the world’s
largest lifestyle portal for men with more than 11 million visitors
monthly, revealed its highly anticipated 4th annual reader-voted
list of the Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2009 today.
The
list assembles a diverse collection of men from around the world
and from a variety of industries including entertainment, politics,
technology, and sports. All the honorees had a direct effect
on the way men see the world, and notably in 2009, many reflect
classic values that are most meaningful to the male identity
today.
“In
a turbulent 2009, men are seeking the stability of tradition
in the masculine qualities that they imagine their fathers and
grandfathers to have had,” says James Bassil, Editor-in-Chief
of AskMen.com. “The character of Don Draper brings all these
traits together, and in doing so speaks directly to the modern
man. He’s a man whose time has come.”
Others
on the list embody a host of classic qualities; Usain Bolt as
the personification of competitive and athletic ability, President
Barack Obama as the male portrait of classic statesmanship, Mark
Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs as pillars of entrepreneurial spirit
and determination.
The
top 49 most influential men in order are:
1
Don Draper
2
Usain Bolt
3
Barack Obama
4
Mark Zuckerberg
5
Simon Cowell
6
Michael Jackson
7
Steve Jobs
8
Roger Federer
9
Peyton Manning
10
Dana White
11
Jay-Z
12
Tom Ford
13
Jon Stewart
14
Jack Dorsey
15
Quentin Tarantino
16
Conan O'Brien
17
Ashton Kutcher
18
Gary Vaynerchuk
19
Ryan Seacrest
20
George Clooney
21
Brad Pitt
22
Lionel Messi
23
Chesley Sullenberger
24
Manny Pacquaio
25
Mark Ronson
26
Kanye West
27
Seth MacFarlane
28
Cristiano Ronaldo
29
Harvey Levin
30
Tiger Woods
31
Shepard Smith
32
Hugh Jackman
33
Kobe Bryant
34
Sidney Crosby
35
Andy Roddick
36
Georges St. Pierre
37
Chris Martin
38
Bear Grylls
39
James Cameron
40
Jeff Bezos
41
Andre Balazs
42
LeBron James
43
Dwyane Wade
44
Robert Pattinson
45
Italo Zucchelli
46
Mario Batali
47
Santiago Calatrava
48
Jenson Button
49
Lance Armstrong
See
the entire list of 2009’s Top 49 Most Influential Men complete
with profiles at AskMen.com.
“I
have received a lot of awards over the last 10 years, but to
be voted by the fans as one of the most influential men on AskMen.com
is truly an honor. Thank you all very much for your votes and
support.”
-Dana
White, President UFC
“It
is an honor to be named one of the Top 49 Most Influential Men
of 2009. I would like to thank all the AskMen.com readers for
voting for me.”
-
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
“I
am truly honored to be in such an illustrious group and feel
particularly proud to represent the diverse and hard working
restaurant and hospitality industry. AskMen.com's avid readers
seem to have their fingers on the pulse.”
-Mario
Batali, Chef and Restaurateur
About
AskMen.com
AskMen.com,
a unit of Newscorp Digital Media, is the world's leading men's
lifestyle web site. An online resource for men with daily features
on subjects such as fashion, fitness, dating, money, and entertainment,
AskMen.com has the widest online audience reach in the "Men's
Lifestyle" category against all other websites, attracting
9 million visits from the US per month, and 11 million visitors
globally according to Comscore. A foremost content provider with
an archive of more than 40,000 articles available for free online,
AskMen.com updates daily and publishes over 300 new features
a month. AskMen.com has content partnerships with the likes of
Yahoo!, Cosmopolitan.com, Sports Illustrated.com and more.
Source: The Fight Network
|
After
16th submission, Cacareco returns to USA
After 14 months away from the rings, Alexandre “Cacareco”
Ferreira came back with an amazing performance in Jungle Fight,
submitting Vagner Curió in just 16 seconds, making a great
debut under Chute Boxe flag.
Leader of the team, Rudimar Fedrigo promised to use all his influence
to put Cacareco in a big event in the US or Japan. In October
17, Cacareco will fight one more time in Jungle Fight, then we’ll
probably fight overseas.
“We’re
almost signing with an American event, but he will fight now
the Jungle Fight. This will be his last one in Brazil. Cacareco
deserves it. We’re fixing some things, he’s fighting
a lot. When he gets in the octagon, he will bother a lot of people,
he’ll go to the tops. Cacareco is a monster when he makes
his game, he’s really strong, has a lot of energy, he’s
calm... We’ll prepare him”, said Rudimar.
Source: Tatame
|
Couture
Headlines UFC 105 on Spike TV
For the first time in his 13-year career, Randy Couture will
headline a UFC event on Spike TV. UFC 105, which will take place
Nov. 14 at the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England,
will air on same-day tape delay at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on the cable
channel. Couture will face light heavyweight Brandon Vera.
Couture,
46, will make his return to the 205-pound division following
his loss to heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102 on
Aug. 29 in Portland, Ore. It will be the third time the four-time
Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling alternate has moved between the
two UFC divisions. Couture has captured the UFC heavyweight title
three times, the light heavyweight title twice, and also won
an interim light heavyweight title in 2003.
Vera,
32, earned a unanimous decision against Krzysztof Soszynski at
UFC 102, and collected a key win against former heavyweight champion
Frank Mir before dropping to the light heavyweight division in
July 2008. Vera is 3-1 in the 205-pound ranks.
Also
on the card, British striker Dan Hardy will face off with Mike
Swick in a welterweight title elimination bout, while homegrown
favorite Michael Bisping will return in a middleweight contest
against Denis Kang.
Source: Sherdog
|
Hong
Man Choi Accepts Shaq's MMA Challenge
by Ariel Helwani
NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has said on numerous occasions that
he would like to fight 7-foot-2 Korean fighter Hong Man Choi
in an MMA match when his basketball career ends. The four-time
champion even appears to be somewhat serious about this challenge,
as videos of him training MMA have popped up on the Internet
as of late.
When
FanHouse contacted Choi, who is scheduled to face Ikuhisa Minowa
in the DREAM Super Hulk Tournament semifinals on Tuesday in Japan,
about fighting O'Neal at some point in the future, he simply
responded via e-mail, "Yes, if there is a chance."
Something
tells me there's a chance.
It's
safe to say that the good folks at Fighting and Entertainment
Group, DREAM's parent company, would love nothing more than to
book this fight. Just look at what they've done with Choi recently:
in May 2007, they matched him up with former baseball player
Jose Canseco and "Techno Goliath" will outweigh Minowa
by 126 pounds when they meet in Tuesday's semifinal bout. In
some ways, a fight against O'Neal would be the most logical MMA
fight Choi has ever been a part of.
Asked
whether he believed O'Neal had a chance against him, Choi, who
was a man of few words in our interview, responded, "No."
Choi
is 2-2 in his MMA career. Other than his one-sided victory over
Canseco, his only other MMA win was a 16-second first round knockout
of Bobby Ologun, a Japanese TV personality, in December 2006.
His two losses have come against Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko
Cro Cop.
In
June 2008, he had a brain tumor removed, which many believed
would end his fighting career. However, Choi said his health
continues to improve.
"My
condition is about 80% right now, but it is getting better,"
Choi said. "Although my condition is not perfect, I will
do my best for each fights."
The
28-year-old added that he plans on splitting the rest of his
career between K-1 and MMA, but it's unlikely that anyone will
ever take him as a serious MMA fighter. That's why he needs fights
against the likes of "The Big Aristotle" to keep his
career going. And now that we know both men are into the idea
(what a surprise, I know), it could be only a matter of time
before the freakiest of freak shows bouts takes place at the
Saitama Super Arena.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Sometimes
we get caught up in our troubles and our problems and we let
life slip away,
but life is precious, all of life, and one must try to take in
as much of it as possible."
Yanni
|
Man
Up & Stand Up Tomorrow!
WHAT –
MAN-UP & STAND-UP
WHEN – OCT 10, 2009 – SATURDAY
DOORS OPEN @ 6PM
WHERE – WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
Tickets Available at O2 Martial Arts Academy among other locations!
WEIGH
–INS ARE GONNA BE AT BLAZIN STEAKS IN KUNIA ON OCT. 9 AT
6 PM.
MATT
EATON TAKES ON SONNY HUNT IN THE MAIN EVENT. OTHER EXCITING BOUTS
WILL FEATURE NUI SOLJAH BOY WHEELER AGAINST JENCEN ESPANTO, MARTIN
DAY VS GEARY UDEGAWA.
AND
JUST ADDED, VETERAN KICKBOXER FROM COMBAT 50, ALVIN BERTO WILL
MAN-UP & STAND-UP AGAINST HAWAII’S FAVORITE CHOLO, JULIO
MORENO. ALVIN WAS FIRST SCHEDULED TO FIGHT JAN QUIMOYOG FOR JAN’S
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BUT JAN HAD PLANS WAY BEFORE HE WAS
ASKED. SO JULIO STEPPED UP AND ACCEPTED THE OFFER AGAINST ALVIN.
ALVIN (ANOTHER SPANISH CAT) HAS FOUGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN
THE ARTS OF KICKBOXING AND SANSHOU. AND JULIO HAS DONE IT ALL
FROM BOXING TO MMA, FROM 120LBS. TO SPOTTING 20LBS. THE WINNER
OF THIS MATCH WILL GET THEIR CHANCE TO MEET JAN ON THE NEXT SHOW
FOR HIS TITLE ON DEC. 9. ALVIN LOOKS VERY QUICK AND HAS A BETTER
REACH ADVANTAGE ON HIS SIDE. BUT JULIO HAS A LEFT HOOK THAT HAS
MADE A LOT OF HIS OPPONENTS LEAN LIKE A CHOLO, SIDE TO SIDE ELBOWS
UP SIDE TO SIDE. SO BE SURE TO SEE WHO WILL BE CALLED PAPI WHEN
THIS MATCH IS DONE. DAS RIGHT
THERE
WILL ALSO BE A FEMALE BOUT FEATURING NATACIA MANUMA VS SHARON
VICTORIA. PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A CAT FIGHT. THEY
DON’T SCRATCH , THEY DON’T PULL HAIR, THESE WOMEN THROW
(AND ITS NOT KISSES). AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS EVENT, THERES NO TAKEDOWNS
AND NO GROUND. THEY ONLY BANG. AND THIS IS WHAT THESE TWO PREFER.
THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SWINGING IS WHEN ONE OF THEM
ARE RUNNING OR ONE OF THEM ARE SNORING. SO COME DOWN AND SUPPORT
THESE WOMEN OF WAR.
BE
READY FOR SOME FIREWORKS WHEN J – ROC JASON ROCEMAR GOES
TOE TO TOE AGAINST NICHOLAS CAREA. ALSO YOUNGSTER KEANU DESANTOS
MEETS TAZ KAHALEWAI. AND ALFRED SANTIAGO GOES UP AGAINST EMIL
OF ANIMAL HOUSE WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK AFTER HIS LONG
LAYOFF. THIS NIGHT WILL BE FULL OF SOME MAJOR TALENT. SO BE THERE.
NUI
WHEELER 146 JENSEN ESPARTE
MATT
EATON SHW SONNY HUNT
MIKE
YARCIA 135 SHELDON CRAWFORD
JULIO
MORENO 129 ALVIN BERTO
PRESTON
MEDEIROS 115 JAY VISCONDI
ISAAC
HOPPS (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 140 ADOR MALONG
NELSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 135 BRANDON PAI
FRED
RAMAYLA 140 RODNEY DEGUZMAN
JUSTIN
DULAY (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 165 SHAWN AUGUSTINE
JUSTIN
BURGESS 165 SATO NAKANO
KOA
RAMELB 155 KOA LYU (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
BRYSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JORDAN
KEANU
DESANTOS 60 TAZ KAHALEWAI
MARK
GILBERT 130 ALEX CHONG
BLAKE
VILLANEDA 150 RICKY TUBNIA
LARRY
WALKER (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 155 NEIL DACANAY
ANDYMAR
RENON (O2 Martial Arts Academy) SHW PETE SEFO
EMIL
S 150 ALFRED SANTIAGO
GEARY
UDEGAWA 140 MARTIN DAY
DANIEL
SANTOS 190 CHEVEZ AUTOKE
SHARON
VICTORIA 200 NATACIA MANUMA
NICK
CORREA (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JASON ROCEMAR
LENNY
AUGUSTINE 175 JASON K
All
matches and participants are subject to change.
|
DREAM
11
Aoki Subs
Hansen to Take Dream LW Crown
Fernandes is Promotion’s First FW Champ
By Kelsey
Mowatt
Dream
hosted its latest event today in Yokohama, Japan, a card that
not only featured a lightweight rubber match between champion
Joachim Hansen and Shinya Aoki, but also the semifinals and finals
for the promotion’s Featherweight Grand-Prix. Despite the
fact that the lightweight title bout was somewhat anticlimactic,
the featherweight tournament provided plenty of thrilling moments.
As
expected, Aoki looked to take his rubber match with Hansen to
the mat, and just moments into the fight he was successful in
doing so, by sweeping Hansen to the canvas. Aoki offered little
offense while working from the top position, and then, as the
renowned fighter stood up out Hansen’s butterfly guard,
a series of upkicks from the Norwegian struck Aoki first in the
groin, and then to the head. Due to the illegal groin shot, Aoki
was given several minutes to recover from the blows and the bout
continued. Despite being on the bottom, it was Hansen who was
the busier fighter with strikes, as well as an armbar attempt
that briefly threatened Aoki.
In
round two, Aoki once again looked to close the distance, and
after clinching with Hansen, he swept the champion to the mat.
Again, Aoki was unable to do much with the top position, and
eventually both men were given yellow cards for inactivity. With
the bout restarted on its feet, Hansen kicked Aoki hard to the
leg and appeared to catch the Japanese lightweight with a knee
as he shot in. Aoki seemed unfazed, and after some nice positioning,
he soon had Hansen on the defensive with an armbar attempt. For
several moments, it looked as though Hansen would work his way
clear of the lock, but the submission wizard Aoki remained one
step ahead, and tapped the champion out shortly before time ran
out.
Accomplished
wrestler Joe Warren was hoping to continue his meteoric rise
in the MMA world, as a win over renowned jiu-jitsu champion Bibiano
Fernandes, would have sent the American into the Featherweight
GP finals. The fight had a little baggage heading into it, due
to comments Warren apparently made recently, stating that the
Brazilian was scared to face him.
As
usual, Warren came out aggressively, and after briefly taking
Fernandes down once, he then followed up with a hard slam that
put Fernandes on his back. As Warren landed strikes from the
top position, he left his left arm open for attack, and Fernandes
locked in an extremely tight looking armbar. With Warren now
facedown on the mat, the referee stopped the bout without the
American visibly tapping, and while he disputed the stoppage,
an angry Fernandes appeared to tell Warren off before quickly
leaving the ring. Later, the HDNet broadcast announced that the
referee claimed he saw Warren tap out with his fingers.
In
the first semi-final of the promotion’s Featherweight Grand-Prix,
Hiroyuki Takaya took on his fellow countrymen Hideo Tokoro, and
for the first eight minutes of the opening round, Takaya methodically
picked apart his opponent with strikes. Tokoro attempted to pull
guard on a couple of occasions, but Takaya would quickly step
up to begin kicking Tokoro’s legs. Finally, as the round
neared its end, Tokoro stunned Takaya with a flying knee, and
after dropping him with a left-hook, Tokoro surprisingly pulled
guard to look for a submission. Takaya recovered, and just seconds
before the round ended, he postured up and blasted Tokoro with
a ferocious series of punches, that if not for the bell sounding,
surely would have ended the fight.
As
round two began, Tokoro still appeared to be hurt, and Takaya
quickly swarmed him with a series of strikes that sent Tokoro
stumbling to the mat. From there, Takaya once again bombarded
Tokoro with several right hands, bringing the thrilling fight
to an end.
In
the opening round of the championship bout, Takaya came out firing,
but Fernandes kept Takaya at bay with counterstrikes and takedown
attempts. As Takaya continued to move forward, Fernandes was
able to counter with several nice legkicks, and after getting
up from another Fernandes takedown, Takaya opened up a cut over
the right eye of his opponent with a hard left hook.
Shortly
into round two, Fernandes stunned Takaya with booming right overhand,
and although he was able to take Takaya’s back, he was unable
to capitalize on the position. With the bout restarted in center
ring, Takaya continued to press forward, as the two opened up
on each other with strikes. For the last minute of the fight
both men exchanged ferocious punches, and although each fighter
somehow managed to stay on their feet, it appeared as though
Takaya was able to land more a few more shots. In the end, two
of the judge’s awarded Fernandes the bout, granting the
Brazilian the promotion’s featherweight crown, in what was
a thrilling non-stop affair.
In
the first semifinal of the promotion’s open weight “Super
Hulk” tournament, Japanese veteran Ikuhisa Minowa took on
South Korea’s 7’2 tall Hong Man Choi. To no one’s
surprise, Minowa constantly looked for the takedown, diving in
at Choi’s legs, to put the K-1 vet on the defensive. Choi
defended several of the takedown attempts, punishing Minowa with
punches for his efforts, and when he was put on his back, he
managed to negate Minowa’s offense. Finally, in round two,
Minowa was able to attack Choi’s ankles after taking him
down again, where the Japanese vet locked in a heel hook to bring
about the submission victory.
In
the other Super Hulk semi Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou had little
difficulties in putting away the physically imposing Bob Sapp.
As the opening bell sounded, Sapp came out charging; looking
to land a big shot, but the experienced judo practitioner defended
and swept Sapp to the mat. Working from the knee on belly position,
Sokoudjou blasted away with strikes for several moments, until
the referee jumped in to stop the fight.
In
two of the card’s non-tournament bouts, renowned Japanese
lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri stopped Melchor Manibusan with strikes
after securing the top position, while aging superstar Kazushi
Sakuraba had no difficulties in taking boxer Rubin Williams to
the mat and submitting him with a kimura.
Dream
11 Results:
Featherweight
Weight GP Finals
Bibiano Fernandes def. Hiroyuki Takaya by Split Decision, R2
Dream
Lightweight Championship
Shinya Aoki def. Joachim Hansen by Submission (Armbar), R2
Super
Hulk Semifinals
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Bob Sapp by TKO (Strikes) R1
Ikuhisa Minowa def. Hong Man Choi by Submission (Heel Hook) R2
Featherweight
GP Semifinals
Bibiano Fernandes def. Joe Warren by Submission (Armbar) R1
Hiroyuki Takaya def. Hideo Tokoro by TKO (Strikes) R2
Kazuyuki
Miyata def. Daiki “DJ.taiki” Hata by Unanimous Decision,
R2
Kazushi Sakuraba def. Rubin Williams by Submission (Kimura) R1
Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Melchor Manibusan by TKO (Strikes) R1
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
Faber
Signs 6-Fight Extension
by Loretta Hunt
Urijah Faber has signed a six-fight contract extension with the
WEC and is expected to return to the cage this January, the fighter’s
manager Mike Roberts told Sherdog.com Monday.
MMAJunkie.com
was the first to report on Faber’s new deal with the promotion,
which will lock up the popular former featherweight champion
with the promotion for seven more fights.
Roberts
said the deal was signed last week, following a heavy negotiation
period that began last January.
Faber,
30, broke his hand in the first round of his rematch with featherweight
champion Mike Thomas Brown at WEC 41 in June. Faber was able
to complete the five-round bout, but dropped a unanimous decision
to Brown, who defends his title against Brazilian upstart Jose
Aldo at WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
“The
California Kid” underwent surgery and had pins placed in
his right hand. Roberts said Faber, who tends to shun prescription
medication, turned to unconventional rehabilitation methods,
including a hyperbaric chamber, in his recovery process. Though
not expected back until March, Faber made a speedy recovery.
The
time away from the cage also allowed Faber and his management
to restructure a new deal with the UFC’s sister promotion.
“Urijah’s
extremely happy with the deal. He feels well taken care of,”
said Roberts. “(WEC owner) Lorenzo (Fertitta), Dana (White),
and (WEC general manager) Reed (Harris) are super easy to work
with. It was just a real complicated deal that took a while to
work through.”
Roberts
did not give details on the deal, though it is expected that
Faber was allotted some kind of added compensation should the
promotion launch pay-per-view events this year. Sherdog.com has
learned the promotion aims to hold at least two pay-per-view
events in 2010. Multiple fighters have tiered profit-sharing
incentives for UFC pay-per-view events.
Roberts
said Faber’s loyalty to the promotion played a big part
in the fighter’s decision as well.
“We
could have waited (the contract) out to speak with other promotions,
but Urijah said, ‘I started this. I want to grow with this
and finish this. I want the belt back.’”
Roberts
does not expect Faber to face the winner of the Brown-Aldo championship
bout scheduled for WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
Source: Sherdog
|
Herschel
Walker says he can beat any TUF Heavyweight
by Zach Arnold
Last Thursday on ESPN’s Firsttake program, Herschel Walker
did an interview with host Jay Crawford to talk about his upcoming
foray into Mixed Martial Arts with Strikeforce. Walker is training
with the American Kickboxing Academy squad in San Jose.
“Well,
I may be 47 in age but I’m probably 25 in fighting, so that’s
the reason I’m doing it,” exclaimed Walker during the
interview. “Oh I’m in better shape (than ever before).
You know, I’ve kept myself in shape, you know, I’ve
been running my little food company that I have, not little company,
but working out is my life. I talk about it, I preach it, and
I try to live it. Working out about 6 hours a day, you know along
with running my company so I work out about 6 hours a day. Well,
I’m up now I’m doing a lot of my jogging, I’m
doing anywhere between you know 4 and 8 miles on my run, I’m
doing my strides at the track, doing jump rope, doing my delt
work, doing martial arts training so I’m working out a great
deal.”
UFC
President Dana White has been very critical of Strikeforce signing
Walker to an MMA contract. Walker addressed the criticisms during
his ESPN interview.
“Oh
yeah I’ve heard Dana. I know, Dana, Dana is good, you know,
we got to give Dana his props because Dana and the Fertittas
have done a great great great great job you know with the UFC
and you know he’s really brought it to mainstream which
is given many an opportunity to compete at it. I think the problem
Dana has right now, the problem he has right now whoever made
him the guy to measure athletic talent? I don’t think Dana
knows anything about athletic talent, you know about fighters
which is different, but I will say this — he is funny because
he’s running the show right now with heavyweights and I
put dimes to donuts all the heavyweights on that show right now
I will beat and that’s a pretty easy saying, Dana I always
tell people to put money where their mouth is and I tell Dana
he said that I’m so old why don’t he step in the ring
with me because he’s been priced in as well so maybe Dana
and I can give all the money to charity which is one thing I’m
doing, the money I’m making from my fight is going to my
charity, Project Turnaround because you know I love to compete,
I’ve been blessed, I love competition and you know stepping
in the Octagon, stepping wherever in a ring ain’t no big
deal.”
Herschel
perhaps has taken one too many blows to the head if he thinks
he could beat Roy Nelson in a fight. Nonetheless, Mr. Walker
says that he’s preparing for his debut fight like a madman.
“Well
I’m very, you know I’m very serious about it, you know
and then that’s what’s so funny about people are so
afraid of whatever and you know these guys in the ring, they’re
just a competitor. Hey, I’m a competitor. You know I was
there when they were working out and I heard one of them say
that they’re the best athlete in the world and I’m
thinking, wait a minute now, you know I’m a pretty good
athlete myself, you know people can talk about age and all they
want they do but then I don’t see too many jumping up to
compete against me, so they can continue to say Herschel’s
47, 50, whatever you want to say, but it ain’t like you
want to step in the ring or you want to go on the track and compete
against me, I don’t see many people taking a number.”
Dana
White, in a recent interview with u l t m m a . c o m, reacted
to Walker’s comments about him on ESPN.
“Listen,
he’s an incredibly talented athlete, was, you know, he was
a great athlete. Would you not agree that Herschel Walker was
one of the greatest football players of all time? Why isn’t
he playing football any more? Because he’s too fucking old!
That’s why he’s not playing football any more. And
it’s absolutely disrespectful for him to think that he’s
47 years old and can’t play football any more but he can
come over and fight? It’s like Randy Couture’s two
years younger than him, should he play in the NFL? No. I got
two words for you, Herschel — Johnnie Morton. OK?”
Morton,
of course, got brutally knocked out a couple of years ago at
the K-1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum event. Then, ironically,
Morton got suspended for post-match drug testing problems.
Walker
seems adamant in making his MMA debut within the next couple
of months as opposed to take a full year to train and learn all
the nuances of the sport. He views his entry into MMA as another
challenge in life as opposed to a potential full-time athletic
career.
“Well,
we’re talking about maybe either the middle of December
or in January but I’m shooting for the middle of December,
you know I want sooner than later because you know I’ve
been doing this for a long time and not like I’m going to
be a fighter for years, you know I got a huge, huge resume of
things I’ve done and stepping into the ring and the Octagon
you know it’s just be another thing I add onto my resume
when I’m looking for another job.”
Source: MMA Memories
|
World
BJJ Pro news
Carlao defines dates and announces more prize money in 2010
GRACIEMAG
had access to the timetable for the international tryouts for
the much-awaited World professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup 2010, to be
held the 15th, 16th and 17th of April in Abu Dhabi, in the United
Arab Emirates.
According
to Carlao Santos, the sum of 145 thousand dollars will be up
for grabs, to be divided among all belt groups. And for the ladies,
the champion will take home four thousand dollars and runner-up
takes two.
With
the exception of Brazil, the dates for the tryouts for the event
to be broadcast on network tv in Abu Dhabi, which is transmitted
to over 30 countries, have been defined.
Check
out the worldwide schedule for World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup
2010 tryouts:
Australia:
November 15;
New Zealand: November 21;
South Africa: December 5 (only for Africans)
England: December 12 (only for Europeans);
Florida, USA: January 31 (open to all residents);
California, USA: February 13 or 14 (open to all residents);
Canada: March 6 (only for locals with North American passport);
Brazil: March 14 (to be confirmed)*;
Belgium: March 20 (only Europeans);
Japan: March 20 (only for Asians).
*
The date for the Brazilian trials is yet to be confirmed. The
organizers expect to hold one in Rio de Janeiro and another in
the South of the country.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Brazil
Should Include MMA in 2016 Olympic Celebration
by Mike Chiappetta
Just one week ago, an international contingent descended upon
Barcelona in an athletic competition composed of greats from
around the world, including the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Poland,
Finland, Australia, France, Iceland and more. Just one week before
that, in Dallas, another collection of sportsmen from around
the globe came together for a different athletic event. This
one boasted athletes from the U.S., Croatia, Belarus, the UK,
Denmark and more.
The
former was the Abu Dhabi Combat Club championship, a submission
wrestling tournament that emphasizes jiu-jitsu, while the latter
was UFC 103, representing mixed martial arts. With Rio de Janeiro
being chosen as the host site of the 2016 Olympics, Brazil's
role in the formation of jiu-jitsu and MMA, and the continuing
popularity boom of both sports, it seems clear that both jiu-jitsu
and MMA deserve to be included in the Olympic celebration.
That's
not quite as easy as it sounds, however.
Neither
sport can be included as an official event, as only two more
athletic competitions are scheduled for addition into these games.
Golf and rugby sevens appear to be locks when the 106-member
International Olympic Committee votes later this month.
Adding
a sport requires presentation and lobbying, and neither jiu-jitsu
or MMA had the resources or muscle to compete with those two
sports, as well as the denied candidates like baseball, softball
and karate. Even worse, there was no opportunity; a prospective
Olympic event first has to be "officially recognized"
as a sport by the IOC, and neither BJJ nor MMA are. But that
doesn't mean both should be excluded from a celebration on the
world's largest sports stage.
Jiu-jitsu
and MMA deserve to have a place in today's Olympics, and specifically,
an Olympics in Brazil. The IOC adds sports based upon their global
prevalence, and there is no question that both have a larger
international presence than some IOC-recognized sports, including
sumo, floorball, boule and korfball (no, I didn't make any of
those up). Think about this for a second: tug of war is officially
recognized as a sport and jiu-jitsu and MMA are not.
So
how does one get around this political minefield of bureaucracy?
Some
might suggest BJJ or MMA as demonstration sports; however, the
Olympics eliminated demonstration sports years ago in an attempt
to focus all attention on official sports. However, during the
2008 Beijing games, Chinese organizers received permission to
include a popular national sport in the festivities. And what
was that sport? Wushu, which just happens to be a Chinese martial
art. The IOC usually does not allow a host city to have another
international sports competition within a week before or after
the Games, but in 2008, they allowed the Chinese to run a wushu
tournament parallel to the Olympics. The athletes were allowed
to stay in the Olympic village, the competition was contested
on an Olympic venue, and the winners were awarded the same medals
as those bestowed upon Olympians.
The
wushu competition included 128 athletes from 43 countries. There
is little doubt that a BJJ or MMA competition could draw a large
contingent of athletes from remote corners of the world.
No
one is trying to pretend jiu-jitsu is Brazil's national pastime;
clearly soccer is the nation's true passion. But jiu-jitsu and
MMA are two of the fastest-rising sports in the world, and they
were given to the world by Brazil and its sons, the Gracies.
Let them celebrate that contribution in front of an international
audience. BJJ and MMA get bigger every year. Who knows how much
bigger they will be by 2016? While MMA has certain visceral elements
that make it a hard sell to a PG-event, either it or jiu-jitsu
deserves the spotlight. Think of the excitement that would follow
dynamic MMA stars like Georges St. Pierre, Gegard Mousasi or
Jon Jones (or for you grappling fans, Braulio Estima, Alexandre
"Xande" Ribeiro or Marcelo Garcia).
Right
now there is little outcry about the exclusion of the two sports.
By 2016, however, there may be a demand for their deserved inclusion.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Shine
international Pins Down Strikeforce Distribution Deal
LOS
ANGELES, October 5, 2009 - Shine International has signed a global
distribution deal with STRIKEFORCE, one of the world's leading
mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions, to sell its entire library
of television programming, including more than 70 hours of content,
to international markets.
"Mixed
martial arts is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic and
popular sports in the world. The Strikeforce brand already represents
the absolute best of this business domestically, and Shine International
is thrilled to help them extend their brand internationally,"
said Chris Grant, President of Shine International. "Strikeforce
attracts the world's best fighters and their events are superior
to any others being offered to international broadcasters today.
They are ideal partners for us."
"We
are excited about the opportunity to bring STRIKEFORCE fights
to the homes of MMA fans throughout the world," said STRIKEFORCE
Founder and CEO Scott Coker. "Shine International is a world
renowned leader in the international television business and,
with their support, we are confident that we will be able to
greatly expand the scope of the STRIKEFORCE brand."
The
STRIKEFORCE library of programming includes 30 episodes of previously
recorded fights that have aired on NBC and more than 56 hours
of fights that have aired on SHOWTIME®. The deal between
STRIKEFORCE and Shine International also encompasses new, upcoming
live fights through February 2012 as well as STRIKEFORCE Challengers
fights, pitting STRIKEFORCE up-and-comers against each other.
STRIKEFORCE recently announced its first broadcast on CBS to
air live fights on the U.S. network, further increasing the leagues
exposure, with the first event slated for November 7, 2009 at
Chicago's Sears Centre Arena.
STRIKEFORCE
has experienced significant growth since it launched its MMA
series with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event that played
host to a capacity crowd of 18,265 at San Jose, California's
HP Pavilion on March 10, 2006. After signing a landmark deal
to air live events on SHOWTIME earlier this year, STRIKEFORCE
earned the premium network its highest MMA rating ever on August
15, 2009 with "Carano vs. Cyborg." Shortly before the
live telecast, the main event principals-Gina Carano and Cris
"Cyborg" Santos-were the most searched terms on Yahoo!
and Google, while the fight was the most discussed subject on
Twitter.
About
Shine International
Shine
International is the sales and distribution arm of the Shine
Group, a leading independent production and distribution company
focused on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights
through scripted and alternative television formats. Shine International
distributes programming from the growing library of programming
of the Shine Group, including Reveille, Kudos, Dragonfly, Princess
Productions and Metronome, along with a broad array of programming
acquired from independent producers and U.S. networks, to more
than 150 countries worldwide.
About
STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE
(www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage
fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history
with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned
mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The
star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank
Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie
at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record
crowd kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial
arts series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008,
West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered
with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an
entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects
of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose
Source: The Fight Network
|
Online
reaction to Kimbo/Nelson fight: Look at the Twitter traffic!
By Zach Arnold
It’s
such a bizarre reaction online to see many MMA fans somehow trying
to justify what they just watched by: a) praising UFC for conning
them over and doing a good job of it, b) Kimbo has somehow ‘improved’,
and c) look how much traffic these guys are getting on Twitter!
After
one fan ripped into Nelson’s showing tonight, Josh Gross
says that Nelson is Top 25 material when “he’s in shape.”
Top 25? Nelson was a Top 10 Heavyweight in the last couple of
years. Now he’s on TUF and is “Top 25 potential”?
What?
However,
according to agent Matt Walker’s favorite mouthpiece, tonight’s
Kimbo/Nelson fight was fun. Why, Kimbo Slice looked like a real
fighter for the first time who could win a fight in the UFC or
perhaps K-1. You can’t make this up.
Michael
David Smith at AOL Fanhouse:
But
even though Nelson beat Kimbo decisively, I came away from their
fight more convinced than I was before that Kimbo is worthy of
fighting in the UFC. I also came away more convinced than I was
before that Nelson is the favorite to win this season’s
Ultimate Fighter tournament.
The
Los Angeles Times:
Slice’s
impressive Wednesday night loss on Spike TV’s “The
Ultimate Fighter” to Roy “Big Country” Nelson
might not have been his final fighting appearance on the show.
An
industry source who declined to be identified because of the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s sacred protection of the
show’s previously filmed results said Kimbo’s strong
performance on Wednesday’s “TUF” broadcast left
him strongly positioned him to be a replacement for another fighter
who couldn’t proceed in the tournament.
Bloody
Elbow:
From
the beginning, Kimbo looked bad. He was extremely slow, moved
gingerly, and left his chin wide open. He put his whole body
into every jab, and frankly fought scared. Once he went down,
he showed virtually no improvement from the last time we saw
him on his back against James Thompson.
Wade
Keller:
Credit
Dana White for not going overboard in talking up what a great
fight that was. In fact, he probably earned some points with
viewers for mocking Nelson’s celebration and punching style.
Kimbo
was protected, and you can tell they want to milk more ratings
out of his name and ideally a PPV or Spike TV live card fight
in the future. Kimbo came across as a compelling enough person
that you’d want to root for that there will be interest
in seeing him develop as a fighter.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Nogueira
talks Cane; eyes Shogun rematch
One of the biggest MMA fighters in Brazil, Rogério “Minotouro”
Nogueira will finally make his UFC debut. One of Pride stars,
Nogueira did one of the best MMA fights of all time against Maurício
“Shogun” Rua, and now goes to the octagon with Luis
“Banha” Cane, at UFC 106.
“I consider it a great change in my career, we’re taking
this debut very serious here. They have a lot of new guys coming,
so we have to innovate and always train hard”, Minotouro
said. With Shogun fighting for the belt against Lyoto Machida,
Rogério revealed he wants to rematch the former Pride
GP champion.
“Shogun
is a great fighter, a great champion, and he was in the best
shape of his career. He has his merits, in the end of the fight
I tried to get his back... It could be different, but that’s
ok. I’d like to do this fight again”, Nogueira guarantees,
revealing that he’ll become a father soon. “I’ll
fight now for my daughter’s milk (laughs)”.
Source: Tatame
|
Fábio
Gurgel criticizes the ADCC referees
With four athletes in action on ADCC in Barcelona, Spain, Alliance
came back home with a gold and two silver medals. Satisfied with
the team’s performance, Fábio Gurgel, leader of Alliance
on Brazil, talked with TATAME about his athletes performances,
starting with Luanna Alzuguir’s gold. “Spectacular,
Luanna is an example of dedication. It’s never bad with
her, she had the opportunity to come to Abu Dahbi and focused
100% on that... She’s a super talent, fight foward the whole
time, search for submission... She washed our souls, because
today (Sunday) was hard“, said Gurgel, about the fight between
Marcelinho Garcia and Pablo Popovitch, decided on the last seconds
in Pablo’s favor.
“Abu Dhabi’s things... Actually, I come prepared fort
his kind of stuff. The judges are confused; they don’t even
know what they’re doing, actually. It don’t take Pablo’s
merit nor Marcelinho’s mistake, who has the fight won and
have enough experience to don’t make this kind of mistake“,
said the general of Alliance, complaining of the point gave to
Marcelinho on the last seconds, cancelled later. “The fight
would go to the overtime and the guy goes to the table and takes
a point, with no explanations... I questioned and he told me:
’I can take the point’. I said: ’I didn’t
ask if you can or not, I asked why do you gave the point and
then took it’. Marcelinho paid for his mistake, he didn’t
need to come on that position almost in the end, but it’s
part of it, congratulations to Pablo, he made a great fight and
his strategy worked“.
On the other final with an Alliance athlete, Gurgel comments
the judge’s performance again. “If you watch the fight
of Cobrinha with Mendes, he gave two points to Cobrinha and two
for Mendes of a supposed sweeping that most happened three minutes
earlier, so it’s complicated, this harms the athletes“,
said, commenting the mistakes of the world’s tetra champion
on fight. “Rafael has all the merit, made an excellent championship,
just like Cobrinha too. We knew that we’ll see sparks on
this fight, it would be equilibrated, both of them have a complicated
game to fight against, with guard very hard to pass, specially
with no kimonos“, commented Gurgel, complementing the champion’s
performance, who got the victory after 40 minutes of fight.
“We
knew that the danger was that on the back, for both, Cobrinha
had his chance and didn’t take it... All the key trades,
leg locks and key foot, we know that nobody will beat that. Rafael
had good moments of triangle, had more attacks than Cobrinha
in fight, and Cobrinha had good moments on the overtime, when
he was better on the fight, but couldn’t take advantage
of. Mendes had a chance with two minutes left and he took it,
total merits for him“, said, one more time pointing judge’s
mistakes. “I think the judges were wrong, conducted in a
bad way. One thing is to fight a fight 2x0, and other thing is
to fight 0x0. If it’s 0x0 and I sweep, I’m winning,
but the both are congratulated for this super fight“.
Source: Tatame
|
Aleksander
Emelianenko Tries Boxing
by Michael David Smith
Aleksander
Emelianenko, the MMA fighter best known as the younger brother
of world heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko, has been appearing
in small shows around the world over the last year since failing
to get medical clearance to fight in California in August of
2008. But on Saturday he tried something new: Instead of appearing
on a small MMA show, he appeared on a small boxing show, fighting
opponent Hizir Pliev to a four-round draw.
Fighting
the same weekend that his more famous brother got married, Emelianenko
struggled in the early going but got better as the fight went
on. He told Russia Today:
"Halfway through this fight I realized that I'm not at home
in my bed and I have to move around much more and box. I don't
think I let a lot punches land on me and I had complete control
of everything that was going on. ... I was boxing much better
after the second round. In the third I saw my opponent getting
back a little. He had somewhat of a chance in the first two rounds
but then began his retreat. If there was more time, my opponent
would have been knocked out in the fifth or sixth round."
The judges scored it two rounds for Emelianenko and two for Pliev.
Both fighters were making their professional boxing debuts and
now have records of 0-0-1.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
“Imagination,
not intelligence, made us human.”
Terry Pratchett
|
JUNIE
BROWNING ARRESTED, GIVEN UFC PINK SLIP
Junie Browning, who was a standout on “The Ultimate Fighter:
Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir” more for his antics than his
in-cage performance, was arrested Tuesday night in Henderson,
Nev., after allegedly assaulting three nurses at St. Rose Dominican
Hospital, according to a report by Lawrence Mower of the Las
Vegas Review-Journal.
The
report states that two friends took the 24-year-old Browning
to the hospital after he overdosed on anti-anxiety pills. After
being taken to a room at the hospital, he reportedly tried to
leave and became angry, pushing a female nurse, punching a male
nurse and kicking another male nurse.
Browning
was charged with three counts of battery on a health care worker.
UFC
president Dana White on Wednesday told Yahoo! Sports that, upon
learning of the arrest, he terminated Browning’s UFC contract.
“He
was given an amazing opportunity, but he has some serious issues
that are beyond me and what I can do,” White told reporter
Kevin Iole. “I’m there for guys and I realize nobody
is perfect and guys are going to get into trouble. When that
happens, I want to try to help and do something for them. But
he needs more help than I can give him. I did what I could for
him.”
Browning
(3-1) had two fights for the UFC. He defeated David Kaplan at
The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale, but was submitted in his last
outing by Cole Miller at UFC Fight Night 18 in Tennessee.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Tompkins
talks of troubled friend Browning
Junie
Browning’s career as a professional fighter probably came
to an end in a Henderson, Nev., hospital on Tuesday, but his
devastated coach said the real story is about far more than Browning’s
shattered mixed martial arts career.
Browning,
24, who developed a notorious reputation as a troublemaker during
Season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series on
Spike TV, overdosed on at least 16 anti-anxiety pills Tuesday
in an act that coach Shawn Tompkins believes to have been an
attempt on his life.
Browning,
who lived with Tompkins and his wife for most of the time since
leaving the reality series, swallowed 16 Klonopin tablets Tuesday
at his Henderson apartment, Tompkins said. Tompkins said he believed
alcohol was involved and potentially other drugs. According to
Drugs.com, Klonopin “is used to treat seizure disorders
or panic disorder.”
After
waking from his drug-induced deep sleep, Tompkins said Browning
became enraged while at St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena campus,
when he was told he was going to be admitted. He pushed a female
nurse, punched a male nurse and kicked a different male nurse.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Browning shouted to
nurses, “Do you know who I am? I will kill you and rape
your family.”
Police
restrained Browning and then arrested him. He was charged with
three counts of battery upon a health care provider, which is
a gross misdemeanor. He was booked Tuesday into the Henderson
Detention Center and released on Wednesday.
Ultimate
Fighting Championship president Dana White told Yahoo! Sports
on Wednesday he terminated Browning’s contract immediately
upon learning of the arrest.
Browning
had been training in Las Vegas under Tompkins at the highly regarded
Xtreme Couture Gym, where, by all accounts, he was doing well.
He hasn’t fought since losing to Cole Miller on a UFC card
in Nashville, Tenn., on April 1, dropping his record to 3-1.
“Obviously,
I’m very disappointed,” White said. “I haven’t
heard anything regarding Junie where he’s acted up or been
bad in a long time. You could tell on the show he had issues.
I saw [fighting] as an opportunity for the kid to turn his life
around and make something of himself. Physically, he’s very
gifted. He is good at everything. Standup, he has great ground,
he has an unbelievably good chin.
“He
was given an amazing opportunity, but he has some serious issues
that are beyond me and what I can do. I’m there for guys
and I realize nobody is perfect and guys are going to get into
trouble. When that happens, I want to try to help and do something
for them. But he needs more help than I can give him. I did what
I could for him.”
Tompkins
was heartbroken by the news. He conceded it’s unlikely Browning
will ever fight again, but said that was of little concern to
him. He said he invited Browning into his home to live with him
and his wife and that he developed a close personal bond. He
said Browning is bipolar and suffers from severe depression but
is a good person.
“This
is a tragedy,” Tompkins said. “Those comments that
he made were obviously terrible, but you have to understand,
he was under the influence of a severe amount of drugs. You can’t
hold him accountable for what he said, even though what he said
was terrible, because of what he put inside of him. He’s
truly a sweet kid, but he’s a guy with a lot of personal
issues.
“There
is a good Junie Browning and I saw that side of him a lot. But
he comes from a real bad upbringing and he suffers from severe
depression. He’s had an enormously difficult life. There’s
a lot to life beyond stepping into a cage and fighting and being
on TV and a lot of people who think they know Junie don’t,
really. He’s at a very deep and troubled point in his life.”
Tompkins
said Browning moved out of his home and into an apartment with
his girlfriend shortly after returning from the loss to Miller.
Tompkins said problems had arisen between Browning and his girlfriend
and things were going poorly.
She
called Tompkins on Tuesday when Browning became unresponsive
after ingesting the tablets. The Review-Journal reported he took
16 Klonopin, but Tompkins said he was under the understanding
it was between 16 and 20.
“If
I’d gotten to his place a half-hour later, there might not
be a Junie Browning any longer,” Tompkins said. “Fortunately,
he was just five blocks away from me. I realize that his career
is more than likely over, but this isn’t about Junie the
fighter. This is about Junie the man and the challenge I face
is getting him to become a guy who loves his own life instead
of trying to take his life.”
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
WEC
DEAL IN HAND, FABER PLANS JANUARY RETURN
Former World Extreme Cagefighting Championship featherweight
titleholder Urijah Faber recently inked a six-fight contract
with the organization. Faber got the deal he wanted, but the
biggest factor in reaching an agreement was that the WEC is where
he's going to face the best competition.
"It
was just a matter of getting some things worked out and kind
of getting an understanding about what everyone wanted,"
Faber told MMAWeekly.com about negotiating his contract. "I
feel like I'm with the best team. I've got the best stable of
fighters to fight against, and I want to be a world champion
and that's the place to do it.
"I'm
a competitor first. When I started in this sport, my first fight
I got paid $250 to show and $250 to win, and I was fighting as
much as six or seven times in one year. It was never about the
money to me. It's about testing myself and proving that I'm the
best," added the Team Alpha Male trained fighter.
"The
money has come for all my passion and trying my best, but what
it all comes down to is I'm a competitor. I want to get that
win back. I want to get on top of the world and be remembered
in this sport as the best."
Faber's
decision to re-sign with the WEC was an easy one. He didn't give
serious consideration to fighting anywhere else.
"There
are some other good organizations out there, but I feel like
I'm with the best. Zuffa knows what they're doing. There's stability
there. They're going to be around for a long time, and it's kind
of like a family with the whole operation," said 30-year-old
featherweight contender. "I'm glad to be part of it. I just
have to do my part in order to make all of my goals be reached
and that's why I'm training all day."
Faber
was defeated by current WEC featherweight titleholder Mike Brown
for a second time in his last bout on June 7 and suffered a broken
hand that's kept him on the sideline, but "The California
Kid" expects to be back in the cage in January.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
TRAVIS
LUTTER TALKS REBOUND MFC WIN
Upon winning the middleweight portion of The Ultimate Fighter
4 in 2006, things had not been going so well for Travis Lutter.
After
looking good early on against Anderson Silva, Lutter was submitted
in the second round. He also looked strong early against Rich
Franklin in his next bout, but again tasted defeat, ushering
in his release from the UFC.
Lutter
had gone from being on top of the world to being out of a job
in just two short fights. Upon his release, he sat on the sidelines
for over a year, waiting for his opportunity at redemption.
“I
just couldn’t get a fight,” explained Lutter to MMAWeekly.com.
“I had so many things that just kept falling through over
and over again.”
Due
to a busy life, Lutter said the time since his last fight seemed
to creep up on him, rather than agonize him.
“I’ve
got kids, I’ve got my school and stuff like that, so I have
enough distractions,” he stated. “You kind of wake
up and think, ‘Holy (expletive), it’s been 17 months
since I last fought.’
“It’s
more of a situation where you can’t believe where it’s
been that long, because it doesn’t seem like that long.”
Finally
the clouds parted for Lutter and he got an opportunity to once
again step into the cage and get back on the winning track for
the MFC promotion this past Friday against fellow former UFC
fighter Jason MacDonald.
“He’s
a really tough guy and he’s always in the fight, too,”
said Lutter of MacDonald. “You can never count him out.
He’s a very, very resilient fighter. It was nice to finally
get a fight and definitely finally get a win.”
As
he had in previous fights, Lutter started off strong, dominating
position and attempting submissions, before fading in the third
round.
When
asked how he felt in his first performance in over a year, Lutter
responded, “I felt pretty good, especially with the first
two rounds.
“I
was a bit disappointed with the third round, about getting taken
down and stuff like that. I think I can do better, and there
is a lot of room for improvement.”
He
hopes the wait till his next fight will be a lot less than his
recent layoff.
“I’ll
need to talk to the manager and see who he’s talked to,”
commented Lutter. “I’m really hoping I can fight somebody
by the end of the year. I’d like to get more fights in 2009
and kind of build momentum towards bigger stuff.”
As
for where he’d like to fight, Lutter is open to any opportunity
that comes his way to fight quality opposition.
“The
best guys are in the UFC, and that’s where I’d like
to be, but there are interesting fights in other places, too,”
he stated. “I mean, heck, there are good guys in the MFC,
so it’s like wherever I end up I want to fight the best
guys as possible.”
Back
on the winning track and eager to work his way back to a big
promotion, Lutter is ready for whatever comes his way.
“I’d
like to thank Greg Jackson and his team, my sponsors, and the
guys at my gym who support me for everything they’ve done
around here,” he closed out.
“If
I end up in the UFC, Strikeforce or wherever, I just want to
fight. Just tell me who I’m fighting and when.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
RYAN
COUTURE MAPS OUT PLANS TO GO PRO
Having
one of the most famous surnames in mixed martial arts, there's
been a lot of attention paid to Ryan Couture's amateur fighting
career. Son of legendary UFC fighter Randy "The Natural"
Couture, Ryan has had five amateur bouts. With his first round
submission victory over Nick Albert at Sportfight 26 on Oct.
2, Couture is eying turning pro and planning his professional
MMA debut in 2010.
"I'm
not setting anything in stone at all, but I'm feeling great.
I get more comfortable in there every time out," said the
younger Couture. "I'm hoping if all goes well and I keep
progressing that sometime mid-next year I'll be making that transition
to pro."
On
name recognition alone, Couture could get professional fights
in any number of organizations, but rather than take the leap
too quickly, he has opted to gain experience competing as an
amateur.
"You've
got to have that foundation and get some of those kinks out of
the way before you really start fighting on a big stage I think,"
Couture told MMAWeekly.com.
"The
stakes go up when it's pro. Everyone is paying more attention
and your record really counts a lot more, so starting out as
an amateur and getting some experience this way I can sort of
get through some of those speed bumps that everyone has in their
career before it's really important and it's really going to
be held against me."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
FOR
COWBOY, HENDERSON IS NEXT STEP TO VARNER
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone doesn’t get out of bed
in the morning for Ben Henderson, even though that’s his
next fight. It’s an important fight, too; the interim WEC
lightweight title is up for grabs.
Instead,
current lightweight champion Jamie Varner gets him up.
“Varner,
he’s my wake-up,” Cerrone said on the MMAWeekly.com
Radio Monday. “I wake up every morning and use Varner as
getting ready to fight, because I know I get to fight him after
this fight.”
To
put it mildly, the two despise each other. Since Cerrone’s
inadvertent foul brought a premature end to their WEC 38 war,
they’ve resorted to name-calling in public. They bristle
at the mention of one another.
Thus,
it’s not good enough for Cerrone that the Saturday fight
is for the belt. The rainbow’s end is Varner.
“The
title doesn’t mean that much to me,” he said. “It’s
like (expletive ) Varner says, it’s glorified second place.”
Some
would say that’s a blueprint for upset, given Cerrone’s
friendly terms with Henderson and eye beyond the fight. Not so,
says “Cowboy.”
“I’m
not looking past Ben at all,” he said. “He’s a
dark horse, man, people don’t know much about him, but I
do. I’ve grown up with him; I’ve seen him fight. He’s
going to come out and bring it.”
The
two were scheduled to fight in Youngstown, Ohio, last month,
but Henderson injured his hand and the fight (and WEC 43 card)
was moved to San Antonio, Texas. In the mean time, Cerrone drilled
takedown defense at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts. He picked
the brain of recent gym addition Joe Stevenson, who schooled
him on the finer points of Henderson’s specialty, the guillotine.
He doesn’t subscribe to the popular idea of “peaking”
for a fight.
“I
feel like I’m peaking every day,” said Cerrone. “I
always feel like I’m ready to go.”
Cerrone
cautions fans against overlooking his championship experience.
He’s already fought past three rounds once in his MMA career,
and dealt with the attention of main event status. The two have
been in the game around the same amount of time, though Cerrone
stepped onto the WEC’s platform more than a year before
Henderson, and has faced the division’s top tier competitors.
Cerrone
says there’s no way for Henderson to prepare for the bright
lights ahead.
“When
(Henderson) gets off that plane... they’re going to have
a camera in his face for five days,” he said. “His
every move is now going to be now recorded, his warming up, his
training, him getting ready for the fight. Everyone’s there
to watch him. That’s huge pressure and huge stress, man.”
Still,
the extension was welcome.
“It
actually helped me out a little bit,” said Cerrone. “So
thanks, Ben, I appreciate it.”
Varner
will likely be in attendance at the Saturday show, sizing up
his future competition. WEC matchmaker Sean Shelby said the champion
would return late this year or early next year, though an exact
date is not set. Varner has welcomed a rematch with Cerrone.
Meanwhile,
Cerrone hopes his performance will send a message to the champion.
“I’m
excited as hell,” he said. "I'm ready to go."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Minotouro
and his UFC debut
‘I’m ready’
After
figuring in Pride, at the time the biggest MMA event in the world,,
Rogerio Minotouro went on to Canadian event HCF and Affliction,
both of which organizations that went under, as well as a fight
at Jungle Fight. All his fans have been waiting for him to appear
in a major world stage, and so nothing was more fitting than
for him to move to the UFC. Finally signed to the promotion owned
by the Fertitta brothers, Minotouro is to debut in December.
But not everything is the way he would like it, as he is set
to face another Brazilian in Luis “Banha” Cane, one
of the greatest revelations of the new generation in MMA.
Check
out the interview the star conceded to Portal das Lutas, GRACIEMAG.com
sister site.
Portal
das Lutas – What do you hope for in your UFC debut?
Rogerio
Minotouro – God willing, I hope to debut on the right foot.
I’ve wanted to fight there for a long time and now I’m
in. They set up a good fight for me and I think it’ll be
heavily anticipated, against a guy who’s impressed everybody.
What I want is to start off well in the organization.
PDL
– Does it bother you to face an opponent from the same country?
RM
– Brazilians are the best so it’s inevitable something
like that will happen. It is bothersome, but if they set it up
we have to fight, there’s no way not to accept. Of course
I would rather debut against a non-Brazilian fighter, but they
set it up, so that’s how it will be.
PDL
– Banha has been impressing and has only gone to a decision
once, having knocked out or submitted all his other opponents.
What do you expect from him?
RG
– He’s a really good opponent, tough, hits hard. I’d
really like the fight to play out standing, it’ll be a good
fight. I expect it to be the fight of the night.
PDL
– Are you anxious to finally debut in the UFC?
RM
– I’m ready, because I’ve been waiting for this
for a long time. I’ll be chill on the day of the fight.
PDL
– You fought at Jungle Fight and nearly fought at Bitetti
Combat. What do you think of MMA’s growth in Brazil?
RM
– I think the sport is doing fine. Here in Brazil it seems
there is now a professional posture from the big events. The
business is growing and outside of Brazil is even more so, it’s
one of the most watched sports, with really big audience. The
TV here has started to join in and I believe the time that it
will show on network television is near. Rede TV network has
already started and I think soon the market will open. More businessmen
and sponsors will want to export their brands to MMA.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Langhi
back in October
Black belt to compete in No-Gi events
Current
lightweight world champion Michael Langhi sent news from Greece
advising that on October 14 he’ll be back in Brazil and
dying to compete. The black belt arrived in Finland on August
14 and after two month’s of seminars in Helsinki he is bringing
to a close his seminar season in Greece.
“I’m
in Greece finishing up my European seminar tour. Greece is the
last stop. I’ll be here till October 14 and will return
to Brazil looking to compete, at the Brazilian Nationals or the
Worlds, both no-gi,” stated Langhi.
“In
terms of seminars, everything is really productive and the folks
are stoked. Here in Greece there’s an Alliance affiliate
under the command of brown belt David Dimonopoulos Said, a Brazilian
of Greek heritage who has been living here for nine years and
has been working on this project for six. The seminar is being
held daily at the academy, but at on the weekend of October 10
and 11 we’ll hold a seminar open to the public. For more
information just write ddimopoulos@hotmail.com,” said Langhi
in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Shogun
to attack
Shogun by Josh Hedges.
‘I always go for the knockout’
Coming
off back-to-back wins in the UFC, Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua will see his biggest challenge since arriving at the organization.
On the coming 24th, the Curitiba native will challenge Lyoto
Machida for the light heavyweight belt at UFC 104, in California.
Training is intense and, even while accompanying training partner
Paulo Tuba at Real Fight, in Sao Jose dos Campos, he went in
search of a gym so he could work. Former Pride champion Shogun
was once considered the best in the world in his weight group.
Beating the undefeated Lyoto to recover his post will be no easy
task, but the fighter guarantees he will not depart from his
characteristic of always going for the knockout. Check out the
interview:
Portal
das Lutas – How is training for this fight going? Is Andre
Dida teaching you any special classes?
Mauricio
Shogun – I’m training in Curitiba and Dida is of great
help. He’s been accompanying me since I started practicing
muay thai, so he’s someone who knows my potential and what
I like doing. My training is going perfectly and, thank God,
everything is OK. Let’s do it!
PDL
– You are someone who goes on the attack and Lyoto is better
known for waiting and playing the counter attack. Is that a reason
to change your characteristics for this fight?
MS
– I don’t think anyone changes their game after 10
years of fighting, not me nor him. So I think I’ll maintain
the same fundamentals as always, which is to go on the attack
and look for the knockout.
PDL
– One of the things that hindered you when you started in
the UFC was that you fought in the octagon. Besides the fencing,
you said you felt a difference in terms of the space in the fight
area. How do you feel about that now?
MS
– These days I have an official octagon in my gym, the same
as the UFC’s. I changed my training completely from being
for the ring to being for the octagon and now I’m an octagon-ready
fighter. I don’t even know what it is to fight in a ring
anymore.
PDL
–Anderson Silva may end up facing Vitor Belfort. What do
you expect from such a bout?
MS
– It would be a tough fight for both. Anderson is considered
the favorite, but I think a fight is a fight and no one’s
a slouch. Belfort is a striker with heavy hands and should be
respected.
PDL
– Is there anything you would like to add?
MS
– I’d like to thank my fans around the world and in
Brazil and say that I will give my all on the 24th to represent
my country and academy abroad.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Antonio
Silva aiming for Sengoku belt
Pezao to face Josh Barnett
Heavyweight
Antonio “Pezao” Silva is coming off a six-fight winning
streak in MMA, the last being his arm triangle finish on Jim
York, this past September 23. His solid campaign in Japan yielded
the fighter a shot at the Sengoku belt, where he has already
added two more wins to his record, most likely against Josh Barnett.
Check out the interview with the big man, who also speaks of
the UFC and Brock Lesnar.
Portal
das Lutas – You are on a tear. What is your assessment of
your last few fights?
Antonio
Pezao – I feel I did well in my last few fights. The whole
strategy my team and I put together went according to plan. It’s
really great when you train and see great results.
PDL
– Is there a chance you will dispute the belt in Japan?
AP
– Yes. I’m going to dispute the belt at the end-of-the-year
event. I’m still waiting on my opponent, but it looks likely
to be Josh Barnett.
PDL
– Will you ever fight in the United States again?
AP
– Yes, possibly at the end of November I’ll be back
on American soil.
PDL
– What about the UFC, is that in your plans?
AP
– I do think about the Ultimate [Fighting Championship],
but I’m happy in Japan. I have a contract and I can’t
sign with the UFC because all their athletes are exclusive.
PDL
– What do you think of the current UFC heavyweight champion,
Brock Lesnar? Would you like to face him?
AP
–I think he’s strong and knows how to take you down
and nothing more. The day he faces a Minotauro or Junior dos
Santos, then he’s through. I’d very much like to face
him, but as we’re in different organizations the fight is
unlikely to happen.
PDL
– How is work with the American Top Team going?
AP
– Going strong. I fought in Japan, rested six days and I’m
already back training, as I want to improve by game and for that
I have to train really hard.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Wanderlei:
“I wanna fight the best”
Former
Pride champion and one of the biggest names in the MMA history,
Wandelei Silva still wants to fight the best. Visiting the champion’s
house in Las Vegas, TATAME Magazine spoke with The Axe Murderer
about his new phase, leading a camp in the United States. In
the exclusive interview, that you can read in TATAME’s September
edition, Wanderlei spoke about his desire to keep fighting, even
after two losses in a row.
“I
wanna fight the best, even because for what they pay me they
won’t put me against anybody. I wanna fight every time better,
fight the best, teach my training method, help the Brazilians
that need to come to the US. I wanna create champions”,
said Wanderlei, revealing the desire of becoming a coach in the
future. “I’m very happy that I can teach my students
the philosophy of victory that I received from my master Rudimar
all my life”.
Source: Tatame
|
Bibiano
Fernandes celebrates Dream’s title
First
Brazilian to become a Dream champion, Bibiano Fernandes celebrated
a lot the conquest. With the belt on his lap, the Brazilian commented
the victory on the semi finals, against Joe Warren. “I just
wanted to fight, there wasn’t any strategy. The opponents
were excellent fighters and I wanted to be the champion. There
was no strategy, just victory”, said the champion.
Showing
a complete game, the BJJ black belt went to a 15 minute war against
Hiroyuki Takaya and the belt came with the split decision victory.
“The guy was a though fighter, I needed to go for it with
him, there was no other option. The thing was to fight with him
and show that I have Boxing too. He’s good, I’m good,
so it was go for it and hit some blows on him”, commented
the featherweight champion.
Source: Tatame
|
Machida
is ready: “I have a plan A, B and C“
Lyoto
Machida will defend, for the first time his UFC title on October
24. Ready to face Maurício “Shogun“ Rua, the
karate fighter spoke with TATAME.com and reveled that he has
more than one strategy for the combat. “The strategy is
a secret... We have a plan A, B and C... It’ll depend of
how the fight goes. I have plans to get off from any situation“,
the champion guaranteed, without thinking about the glorious
past of the former Pride champion.
“I’m
not thinking about what Shogun already done, I’m concentrated
on what I can do. I know he was the Pride champion and I’m
the UFC champion, but it won’t give me any advantage, it
won’t give me one round“, said Machida. In exclusive
interview, Lyoto commented Vitor Belfort’s karate training,
the fight between the “Phenom” and Anderson Silva,
Thiago Silva’s knockout over Keith Jardine and more. Stay
tuned!
Lyoto Machida
Lyoto
Machida will defend, for the first time his UFC title on October
24. Ready to face Maurício “Shogun“ Rua, the
karate fighter spoke with TATAME.com and reveled that he has
more than one strategy for the combat. “The strategy is
a secret... We have a plan A, B and C... It’ll depend of
how the fight goes. I have plans to get off from any situation“,
the champion guaranteed, without thinking about the glorious
past of the former Pride champion. In exclusive interview, Lyoto
commented Vitor Belfort’s karate training, the fight between
the “Phenom” and Anderson Silva, Thiago Silva’s
knockout over Keith Jardine and more.
How
are the training for the fight?
We’re
on the final lap of the trains, on strategic part, of planning
for the fight. The team is very connected and we believe a lot
in our work.
Shogun
was considered the number one of the category in 2007...
I’m
not thinking about what Shogun has done, I’m concentrated
on what I can do. I know he was the Pride champion and I am the
UFC champion, but it won’t give me any advantage, it won’t
give me one round of advantage. We’ll start from the same
line, we had the same time of training... I’m focused on
my train and on my fight.
Do
you think he’ll be your toughest opponent?
Each
fight has its peculiarity, this fight has its difficulty and
its pressure, but every fight has its difficulties. Shogun is
training hard, so I try to understand the fight in this way.
Each fight has its particularities and that’s not different.
I can’t say that this one or another one was harder, I know
I have to be prepared for the worse.
What’s
the strategy for the fight?
The
strategy is a secret... We have a plan A, B and C... It will
depend of how the fight will be, I have plans to get off any
situation.
Are
you training only in Belém?
I’m
training only here, even because here I find every variables
I need, all the components I gotta have to be successful, all
together, where I have family, training and food. I don’t
think that just because I’m far away from the big center
I have go search for this.
Will
you train with Anderson for this fight?
Anderson
is kinda hurt, I think he’ll make a surgery on the elbow,
we just trade information.
Belfort
trained Karate for his last fight. What did you think of that?
At
the moment of the fight he incorporated more the Karate to his
style, but I think it was very important to him. He liked the
opportunity, how he felt with this new, and it was very good
to his career. He needed a remarkable victory, and that was against
a known guy.
Vitor
visited you at the beginning of the year and you trained together.
Did he already show interest on Karate at that time?
He
had already talked about, but as I was turned to the train with
Rashad, two months to the fight, we just trade information, but
it was a long time ago. We talked a little, he was there for
just one day.
How
do you think it’s gonna bet he fight between he and Anderson?
It’s
a hard fight for both, but we can’t demerit none of them,
they can’t underestimate themselves. Vitor was already a
champion and Anderson is the champion, it’s going to be
a tough fight. Both have to be well trained. I’m very focused
on what I’m doing, so I don’t know how this fight is
gonna be.
And
in the case that one of them wants to train with you?
It’s
a hard thing to say in the moment, because I don’t want
to take sides. Anderson is part of my team, so it’s hard
to say that. I’m more focused on what I’m doing, I’m
not thinking about that.
UFC
has a lot of Brazilians well on your category, as Cane and Minotouro,
that will face each other. What do you think about that?
Brazil
is going very well, with a lot of people on the tops. Banha is
really well, Minotouro either, always defended Brazil very well
on MMA and on Boxing, and now they’ll face each other...
Maybe UFC want to select that, because there’s a lot of
Brazilians in the tops. It shows Brazil’s evolution, showing
that MMA is strong here.
Thiago
Silva, your last opponent before the fight for the belt, won
again. What did you think about the fight?
I
thought Thiago fought well, he could make his game and won. I
congratulate him, he deserves, this turn was important to him.
I don’t have any problem with him, we’re professionals...
He knew how to fight and make a big fight.
Source: Tatame
|
Thales
Leites
Thales
Leites wants to delete the image that he left on his last two
fights. After five victories in a row, Thales was defeated by
Anderson Silva in a fight for the UFC title, then he lost to
Alessio Sakara. Cut from the UFC, he’ll be back in MFC’s
octagon in December 4, in Canada, and spoke with TATAME.com about
the return. “It’s all I wanted, get a fight and don’t
stand still for so long... That’s the focus, keep winning.
I’ll be different, I realized that I have to be more aggressive,
if I have to fight standing up, it will be like this, and if
it’s on the ground, let’s go to the ground“, said
the Brazilian, on an exclusive chat that you check below.
When
will you fight again?
I’ll
fight on MFC, on Canada, on December 4. I don’t know who’s
gonna be my opponent yet, actually I didn’t sign the contract
yet. Ed (Soares) said it was all right, that he’ll send
me the contract this week. They called me, it’s agreed,
I just have to sign.
What’s
the expectations to be back?
It’s
all I want, get a fight and don’t stand still for so long.
I’ll do two fights, one now ant the other on March. That’s
all I needed. I’ll fight on Canada and there are a lot of
people from UFC that will fight there, as Jason MacDonald, Marvin
Eastman and Dean Lister, so it’s great. That’s the
focus, keep winning. I’ll be different, I realized that
I have to be more aggressive, if I have to fight standing up,
it will be like this, and if it’s on the ground, let’s
go to the ground.
Do
you want to win this two fights to be back to UFC?
I
just wanna focus on the event, on the fight. Of course that every
fighter’s focus is UFC, I’ve been there and I know
how good it is. If I have an opportunity to be back, I will,
but I’m working for this event now and I just want to think
about it. The contract is of exclusivity on North America, so
I can fight on Japan or Brazil, wherever the opportunity comes.
I’ll do two fights in four months, I’m happy. Of course
I was upset with what happened when I was out of UFC. One day
I’m fighting for the belt, okay, it wasn’t the most
exciting fight, and then they put me on the undercard, everything
happens and they take me off the event. I know it’s business,
the guys are working to be where they are today.
Looking
back, do you have any regrets for something you did or did not?
It’s
hard to say... My train was nice, but sometimes you are not on
your best. With Anderson I don’t even speak, he’s hard
to fight, he’s above everyone’s level, but I have my
life chance and I didn’t went for it to be knocked out,
and I think people would be more satisfied with that. I made
a tactical fight and you know what happened. He’s the champion,
he was defending the belt, and if I won I would bet he guy who
beat Anderson. He had much more to lose than I, he annulled my
game and grown during the fight.
On
my fight with Sakara I trained well, I made physical preparation
and all that stuff, but I gassed on the second round. My daughter
was born a week ago, I had a flu, I don’t know is it was
emotional or something like that, but it’s not an excuse.
I’m paid to be 100% there, it doesn’t matter what happens.
But it can happen with every fighter. Even if I fought well or
not, I still think I won that fight. It happens in sport. I will
never lay my head down, I know my potential and let’s move
on. What I’ll do now is try to be more aggressive, because
the trend of world’s MMA is the striking, people wants emotion.
All the time there’s more people watching, almost everybody
are beginners in this sport, so they like to see punches. A punch
is a punch, if you keep trying to take someone down is boring
for people to see, I understand that. Striking, knockouts...
I put it on my mind, I’m training Boxe and Muay Thai it’s
been a while and I’m safe, confident. It’s now or never.
Where
are you training?
Besides
Nova União, I’m training with (Josuel) Distak, Niterói.
I’m learning a lot. Marcelo Aguiar, who trained me on Muay
Thai, stopped teaching and I heard Distak was teaching in Niterói.
I met Distak on Bitetti Combat and he called me to train. Distak
pulls big training for us, he’s great to me, a good train
and next to home. It’s been beneficial to me.
Do
you think you can train with Anderson Silva one day, who also
train with Distak?
No
problem... I don’t have any problems with anybody. I get
along with Anderson, was talking with Ed that wanted to give
a train there. I talked with Minotouro (Nogueira) and he said
I can go there always I can. I’m always disposed to learn
new things, and it’s better it is with this guys.
Anderson
might face Vitor Belfort now. How do you think is going to be
this fight?
I’ll
tell you the truth, it’s hard. Two Brazilians, both are
tough, experienced. I think Vitor is a dangerous guy, with a
good hand, but it looks like Anderson is training inside the
octagon. It’s the titans fight, but I think Anderson is
on a level above, but Vitor have a really fast hand. Everything
can happen, but if I have to choose I think it’s Anderson.
I hope the better wins, I can’t say what will happen. Vitor
is a technical guy, not just fast, he knocked a lot of people
out, as Anderson. But Anderson is not just Boxe, has the Muay
Thai, he moves well...
Source: Tatame
|
Enigmatic
Lesnar defies definition
ALEXANDRIA,
Minn. – After training in a nondescript warehouse in this
small, blue-collar town, Brock Lesnar got to a glamorous post-workout
lunch at Subway by riding shotgun in an old Pontiac G5 (his ’89
Dodge “rust bucket” is in the shop, he said).
At
the Subway, he stood in a 10-minute line like everyone else,
talked about the Minnesota Vikings with an old man and then got
a foot-long meatball on wheat.
And
some fans think this guy is arrogant, out of touch, and bad for
mixed martial arts?
That’s
at least the sentiment advanced by Shane Carwin, who will challenge
Lesnar for the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title
November 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
One
of the reasons Carwin got a shot at the title were his blog posts
in the hours after Lesnar defended his title against Frank Mir
at UFC 100.
After
that one, a fired-up Lesnar not only got in the face of the beaten
Mir, he threw a couple of middle fingers at the fans booing him,
claimed he was going to drink Coors Light, not UFC-sponsor Bud
Light, and basically acted like a heel from pro wrestling (which,
of course, he once was).
“The
flipping off of the fans that just lined your pocket with millions
of dollars is just LAME (sic),” Carwin wrote the next morning.
“He may be a champion but he has a long ways to go before
he earns the respect of a champion.”
Carwin
went on and on, hammering an essential point – “it
doesn’t matter if you win or lose; it matters how you win
or lose.
”
Months later, as he’s begun training to fight Carwin, Lesnar
isn’t impressed.
*
Not with Carwin’s supposed defense of all that is good and
sportsmanlike.
“I’ve
run into more people who said it was great,” Lesnar said
of his postfight antics, which he apologized for soon after.
“A lot of guys get up, they hug each other; cookie cutter.
I’m not doing that.”
*
Not with Carwin’s 11-0 record.
“I
would be embarrassed to fight some of those guys he beat,”
Lesnar said. “His only good fight was Gabriel Gonzaga. Shane’s
really 1-0.”
*
Not with Carwin’s full-time engineering job.
“He’s
a weekend warrior. Fighting is my full-time job.”
*
Not with Carwin’s comparable size (both will weigh in at
6-3, 265 pounds).
“In
college I wrestled against guys who were supposed to be bigger
and stronger. They lost. Is he more talented than I am?”
*
And certainly not with Carwin’s credentials, which include
a NCAA Division II wrestling national title. Lesnar was national
champ at Division I.
“There’s
no comparison between Division I and Division II. The reason
they have Division II is for the guys who can’t make it
at Division I,” Lesnar said, beginning to laugh. “That’s
fine. They need to have something to feel good about themselves.
Those guys have to have something to do with their lives.”
So
Carwin’s comments helped get him a title shot. It also got
Big Brock’s full and undivided attention.
What
you see is what you get
Photo
Lesnar holds down Mir during UFC 100 in July 2009.
(Getty Images)
Lesnar
said he brought similar focus into the Octagon when he fought
Mir in July. It’s what, he says, caused his post fight outburst.
Mir
had defeated Lesnar in his UFC debut in February, 2008, catching
Lesnar in a knee bar after Lesnar had dominated most of the action.
The loss wore at Lesnar, who had spent countless hours training
to avoid such a rookie mistake.
“He
put me in a position I knew how to get out of,” Lesnar said.
“We did that so many times. So many. I think it was more
panic than anything. Looking back, I just went into panic mode.
“I
just gave it to him.”
He
paused, put down his sandwich and shook his head at the memory.
“Losing
sucks,” he continued. “I’m not a very good loser.”
The
loss stuck with him for 17 months. Not even defeating Heath Hearing
in his next fight or beating Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight
title erased it. When the rematch with Mir came, and Mir continued
to chatter about winning the first time, everything just boiled
up inside Lesnar.
After
he pounded Mir in the second round, it all came out. Carwin and
many old-time MMA fans may not like it, but Lesnar doesn’t
see anything wrong with the sentiment. He only wishes the delivery
was better. The flipping off of the fans and trashing of a sponsor,
he admits, should be avoided.
Despite
his immense size and years of performing as a big character in
pro wrestling, Lesnar, 32, is a soft spoken guy. He’s a
farm kid from South Dakota , who now lives up here, amidst the
rolling hills and fishing lakes a couple hours drive northwest
of the Twin Cities.
Photo
Shane Carwin has been critical of Lesnar, whom he fights in UFC
106 on Nov. 21, 2009.
(UFC.com)
He’s
most comfortable with down-to-earth people he’s known for
years. His 10-week training camp is run by his full-time coach,
Marty Morgan, who worked with Lesnar at Minnesota . One training
partner is UFC fighter Chris Tuchscherer, who after his last
fight immediately worked three weeks running a tractor on a 10,000-acre
farm in North Dakota.
Those
are Lesnar’s kind of guys.
There’s
also one of Lesnar’s high school rivals, Jon Madsen, who’s
currently on The Ultimate Fighter 10 (he won the fight in the
season premiere). Back in high school, they wrestled each other
four times, each winning twice. They joke like old friends do,
arguing over the old matches and their GPAs (Lesnar admits he
graduated last of 54 students in his class).
Madsen
mentions a girl they both knew back in the day.
“What
happened to her?” Lesnar asked.
“Three
kids,” Madsen said.
“She
finally put out, huh?” Lesnar deadpanned.
Later
at the Subway, four of Lesnar’s friends from Webster, S.D.
stop by as they drive to Minneapolis to watch the Vikings game.
He talks farming with them.
You’d
never know this is arguably the biggest star in the game.
He,
his wife and infant son live on a secluded, wooded plot of land.
A second-grade daughter from a previous relationship lives in
this 10,000-population town. It’s why he’s here. “I
see her as much as the court allows,” he said.
Family
is everything to him. He’s one of the few athletes you’ll
ever met who not only speaks about trying to be the best father,
but also the best husband. Then he appears to back it up. His
hobbies are hunting and fishing and working his farm.
“Fighting
is not my life,” the 32-year-old says. “My family is
my life.”
There
is a sense among some traditional fans that he isn’t as
devoted to MMA as other fighters. There’s still some backlash
for arriving from the WWE and almost immediately getting a title
shot.
It’s
why the lectures from Carwin struck a chord with some.
Taking
the long road
“I
wasn’t going to fight in bingo halls, you know”
Lesnar, on the early MMA
Lesnar
first watched MMA when he caught a Royce Gracie fight while he
was wrestling for the University of Minnesota . He loved the
sport then, he just wasn’t about to make a career out of
such a fledgling operation.
“I
wasn’t going to fight in bingo halls, you know,” he
said.
Instead
he made millions as a star in the WWE. It didn’t satisfy
his inner athlete though. He quit, turning down millions more,
and tried pro football briefly. Then in 2007 he attended a UFC
fight, and amid the din of the crowd, pulled promotion president
Dana White in close and barked, “Let me fight. Give me one
chance.”
“I
told him, ‘Brock, this is not the place you want to learn
how to fight, man,’” White said.
Lesnar
was undeterred. His response was simple.
“I’m
either good at this or I’m not.”
That’s
Lesnar. Why waste time or energy? Yes, he could’ve worked
his way up, eased into MMA with a bunch of minor-promotion fights.
Instead he asked for the best. They gave him Mir, a former heavyweight
champion. Lesnar lost, continued to progress and now is the champion.
Why
should he have to apologize for using his wrestling popularity
to seize an opportunity?
The
thought that because he started high on the food chain means
he isn’t committed to MMA is silly. Lesnar’s entire
life is built around training (there’s even a baby swing
in the weight room at the converted warehouse he bought). He
isn’t out partying, isn’t out doing a million appearances
(although he does some) and isn’t just hanging around, soaking
up the fame.
Photo
Lesnar defeated Randy Couture in UFC 91.
(UFC.com)
This
camp has seven heavyweight training partners, a group that ranges
from sizeable strikers (Carwin has a big right hand) to two-time
NCAA wrestling champion Cole Konrad.
In
addition to Morgan, he’ll bring in specialists, such as
Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros for jiu-jitsu. It’s
intense. He pays everyone well, puts them up in nice lodging
and covers all expenses. Lesnar says it costs “six figures”
to run.
“This
camp costs me a lot of money,” he said.
It’s
not like he throws money around liberally. He vows he won’t
be that old, broke, broken-down fighter, like you see in boxing.
His “fleet” of cars is mostly used ones that get good
gas mileage.
“I
stopped buying new cars, it’s a waste of money,” he
said. “The only new car I have is for my wife and the kids.
I’ve got a Suburban. It’s for the safety.”
So
a guy paying a full-time coach, who spends big money to stage
a training camp and does so in a remote, focused environment,
doesn’t care about the sport? Lesnar sees it as investing
in his career. It’s the basis for the “weekend warrior”
shots at Carwin, who, presumably, isn’t as committed.
“I’m
fortunate to be able to do it,” Lesnar said. “It’s
a great environment. A lot of these other guys, they travel around
and try to find the right guys to work out with. This is best
heavyweight camp in the world.
“I
take this very seriously.”
Old
school
Lesnar
believes in a simplified, old-school life. He rarely watches
TV, with the exception of NFL games and hunting shows. He has
been watching TUF this year though, in part because of Madsen.
His thoughts on the much-hyped Kimbo Slice-Roy Nelson fight?
“It
looked like a couple of high school kids, a bar room brawl,”
Lesnar said dismissively. “The fat biker dude took his vest
off and put ranch dressing on his (chest).”
Since
the internet is home to about 99 percent of MMA coverage –
not to mention the message boards – and Lesnar doesn’t
own a computer, he’s oblivious to much that is written about
him. He plans to keep it that way.
“I
don’t care what people think about me,” he said. “I
really don’t. I know who I am and what I’m about. My
wife knows who I am. My children know who I am. My friends. That’s
all that matter to me.
”
So who is Brock Lesnar?
“I’m
the UFC heavyweight champion and I will be until the day I decide
I don’t want to be. And that isn’t any time soon.
“This
is my time. People can like it or not.”
With
that, he crunched up the paper his sub had come in and walked
over to the garbage to throw it out. The big lunch at Subway
was over.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
ALMOST
HEALTHY, JOE RIGGS JUST WANTS TO FIGHT
Joe Riggs is itching to get back into the cage.
The
Strikeforce welterweight is healthy, or mostly healthy, since
his release from an Arizona hospital in mid-August following
an adverse reaction to anti-depressant withdrawal.
Riggs
has taken Effexor since seventh grade and was advised by a homeopathic
doctor to discontinue its use. When he did in late July, his
body went into shock.
“It
started shutting down my central nervous system,” Riggs
told MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday. “I got out of bed, and I
couldn’t walk. I thought I was dying. So I went to the hospital
and they gave me some medication to reverse it and I felt fine
immediately, but they kept me in the hospital for two weeks to
keep an eye on me.”
Riggs
felt the time out of the gym would hamper his ability to prepare
for an upcoming bout with Nick Diaz at Aug. 15's Carano vs. Cyborg
and notified Strikeforce he would be unable to fight.
After
his release, Riggs went back to training and has heard little
from the promotion since.
“I’m
in fight shape right now,” he said. “I’ve been
keeping in shape in hopes that they’ll pick up the phone
and say ‘you’re fighting.’ I just bought a new
house, I’ve gotta pay the bills.”
Riggs
wants to fight so bad, he’s willing to forgo surgery for
a badly broken nose he suffered Monday in training. At the hospital
afterwards, he rejected doctor’s offers to dull the pain
(he has suffered from an addiction to prescription pain medication
in the past).
“My
nose looks just like Rich Franklin’s after Anderson Silva,”
laughs Riggs. “It actually broke the bone connected to my
skull. I went and bought a facemask and I’m going to try
to spar tomorrow. I’m married, so I don’t give a (expletive).
I look ugly as (expletive); it’s all good. I’ve got
to fight a couple of times before I let this beak heal.”
Nick
Diaz is still on Riggs’ radar as a future opponent. Currently,
he has two fights or nine months remaining on his Strikeforce
contract. In June, he defeated Phil Baroni by unanimous decision
at Shields vs. Lawler, where he badly bruised his hands against
the hardened veteran.
Riggs
says he could fight on the promotion's upcoming CBS card, and
has even offered to fight on their Challengers Series.
“I’m
just trying to get a fight,” he said.
Getting
one appears to be another matter.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
“Great
deeds are usually wrought at great risks.”
Herodotus
|
Man
Up & Stand Up This
Saturday!
WHAT –
MAN-UP & STAND-UP
WHEN – OCT 10, 2009 – SATURDAY
DOORS OPEN @ 6PM
WHERE – WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
Tickets Available at O2 Martial Arts Academy among other locations!
WEIGH
–INS ARE GONNA BE AT BLAZIN STEAKS IN KUNIA ON OCT. 9 AT
6 PM.
MATT
EATON TAKES ON SONNY HUNT IN THE MAIN EVENT. OTHER EXCITING BOUTS
WILL FEATURE NUI SOLJAH BOY WHEELER AGAINST JENCEN ESPANTO, MARTIN
DAY VS GEARY UDEGAWA.
AND
JUST ADDED, VETERAN KICKBOXER FROM COMBAT 50, ALVIN BERTO WILL
MAN-UP & STAND-UP AGAINST HAWAII’S FAVORITE CHOLO, JULIO
MORENO. ALVIN WAS FIRST SCHEDULED TO FIGHT JAN QUIMOYOG FOR JAN’S
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BUT JAN HAD PLANS WAY BEFORE HE WAS
ASKED. SO JULIO STEPPED UP AND ACCEPTED THE OFFER AGAINST ALVIN.
ALVIN (ANOTHER SPANISH CAT) HAS FOUGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN
THE ARTS OF KICKBOXING AND SANSHOU. AND JULIO HAS DONE IT ALL
FROM BOXING TO MMA, FROM 120LBS. TO SPOTTING 20LBS. THE WINNER
OF THIS MATCH WILL GET THEIR CHANCE TO MEET JAN ON THE NEXT SHOW
FOR HIS TITLE ON DEC. 9. ALVIN LOOKS VERY QUICK AND HAS A BETTER
REACH ADVANTAGE ON HIS SIDE. BUT JULIO HAS A LEFT HOOK THAT HAS
MADE A LOT OF HIS OPPONENTS LEAN LIKE A CHOLO, SIDE TO SIDE ELBOWS
UP SIDE TO SIDE. SO BE SURE TO SEE WHO WILL BE CALLED PAPI WHEN
THIS MATCH IS DONE. DAS RIGHT
THERE
WILL ALSO BE A FEMALE BOUT FEATURING NATACIA MANUMA VS SHARON
VICTORIA. PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL NOT BE A CAT FIGHT. THEY
DON’T SCRATCH , THEY DON’T PULL HAIR, THESE WOMEN THROW
(AND ITS NOT KISSES). AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS EVENT, THERES NO TAKEDOWNS
AND NO GROUND. THEY ONLY BANG. AND THIS IS WHAT THESE TWO PREFER.
THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SWINGING IS WHEN ONE OF THEM
ARE RUNNING OR ONE OF THEM ARE SNORING. SO COME DOWN AND SUPPORT
THESE WOMEN OF WAR.
BE
READY FOR SOME FIREWORKS WHEN J – ROC JASON ROCEMAR GOES
TOE TO TOE AGAINST NICHOLAS CAREA. ALSO YOUNGSTER KEANU DESANTOS
MEETS TAZ KAHALEWAI. AND ALFRED SANTIAGO GOES UP AGAINST EMIL
OF ANIMAL HOUSE WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK AFTER HIS LONG
LAYOFF. THIS NIGHT WILL BE FULL OF SOME MAJOR TALENT. SO BE THERE.
NUI
WHEELER 146 JENSEN ESPARTE
MATT
EATON SHW SONNY HUNT
MIKE
YARCIA 135 SHELDON CRAWFORD
JULIO
MORENO 129 ALVIN BERTO
PRESTON
MEDEIROS 115 JAY VISCONDI
ISAAC
HOPPS (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 140 ADOR MALONG
NELSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 135 BRANDON PAI
FRED
RAMAYLA 140 RODNEY DEGUZMAN
JUSTIN
DULAY (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 165 SHAWN AUGUSTINE
JUSTIN
BURGESS 165 SATO NAKANO
KOA
RAMELB 155 KOA LYU (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
BRYSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JORDAN
KEANU
DESANTOS 60 TAZ KAHALEWAI
MARK
GILBERT 130 ALEX CHONG
BLAKE
VILLANEDA 150 RICKY TUBNIA
LARRY
WALKER (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 155 NEIL DACANAY
ANDYMAR
RENON (O2 Martial Arts Academy) SHW PETE SEFO
EMIL
S 150 ALFRED SANTIAGO
GEARY
UDEGAWA 140 MARTIN DAY
DANIEL
SANTOS 190 CHEVEZ AUTOKE
SHARON
VICTORIA 200 NATACIA MANUMA
NICK
CORREA (O2 Martial Arts Academy) 145 JASON ROCEMAR
LENNY
AUGUSTINE 175 JASON K
All
matches and participants are subject to change. |
STRIKEFORCE
ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST MATCHMAKER
Congratulations
Rich!
Rich Chou has been hired by Strikeforce to serve as the world
championship mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's first-ever
official matchmaker.
Chou
comes to Strikeforce with 10 years of experience in the MMA business.
During his tenure in the sport, he has functioned in the same
capacity with two other organizations and worn a number of other
hats including that of competitor and referee.
"It
is an honor to have the opportunity to work for a top organization
like Strikeforce," said Chou, who will be responsible for
creating matchups between fighters for Strikeforce’s monthly
events that air live on Showtime as well as for the promotion's
live debut on CBS on Saturday, Nov. 7. Before the acquisition
of Chou, Strikeforce had relied on a committee, headed by CEO
Scott Coker, to create its matchups.
"Strikeforce
has done some incredible things over the course of the last few
years to emerge as one of the world's premiere MMA promotions.
They have a deep roster of world class talent so it's going to
be very exciting and a lot of fun to be able to put together
highly compelling matchups for their events."
The
30-year-old Chou graduated from Pepperdine University in 2001
with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Business Administration.
During his college years, he began training in the fighting discipline
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Shortly
after commencement, Chou relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii, with
the intention of becoming a professional mixed martial artist.
He went on to compete in numerous grappling tournaments as well
as in one professional MMA fight and referee over 100 MMA bouts
in Hawaii.
In
2004, Chou was hired by promoter J.D. Penn, the brother of MMA
superstar B.J. Penn, to assist with the growth of J.D.'s "Rumble
on the Rock" series of MMA events and to spearhead all matchmaking
efforts for the promotion. Chou played a similar role with EliteXC
between 2007 and 2008.
Chou
will relocate from Honolulu, Hawaii to Strikeforce’s headquarters
in San Jose, Calif., to assume his new position.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Notes:
Fall schedule; TUF fallout
The
Sept. 19 head-to-head battle between boxing and the UFC isn’t
likely to be the last time the UFC goes straight up against a
competitor.
As
things stand, there is at least one, and maybe two, more promotional
battles between now and the end of the year, like the one that
pitted Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez against UFC 103.
And
with more major MMA events than ever likely happening next year
as UFC, WEC and Strikeforce are all planning on increasing their
schedule, such clashes are likely to step up in 2010 and beyond.
On
Nov. 14, boxing has Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto, arguably
two of the three biggest active drawing cards in the game, on
pay-per-view. UFC counters with UFC 105, headlined by Randy Couture
(16-10) vs. Brandon Vera (14-3) from Manchester, England.
If
this were head-to-head on pay-per-view, boxing would win handily,
as it did on Sept. 19. But this time UFC will be presenting a
pay-per-view caliber event on basic cable’s Spike TV. Couture
is the UFC’s most popular fighter to fight on a live Spike
show since Tito Ortiz met Ken Shamrock three years ago.
The
second head-to-head showdown is not yet official, but would place
on Dec. 12. UFC 107, headlined by B.J. Penn (14-5-1) vs. Diego Sanchez (21-2) for the lightweight
title, is announced for the company’s debut in Memphis.
While
not yet officially announced, Strikeforce has a hold on the HP
Pavilion in San Jose for a show on Dec. 12, and former football
great Herschel Walker, during an appearance on ESPN2, tabbed
mid-December for when he would like to make his MMA debut.
Strikeforce
promoter Scott Coker earlier this week said the card was tentative.
But as of Friday, the California State Athletic Commission’s
Web site specifically lists a Dec. 12 date and a 7 p.m. local
start time for a Strikeforce-promoted MMA event at the HP Pavilion
on its official events schedule.
If
the date proceeds, it would be the first time a Showtime MMA
event would go head-to-head with a UFC pay-per-view card.
The
head-to-head battles are only part of a loaded fall season, as
October has four major events.
On
Oct. 6 in Yokohama, Japan, the DREAM promotion has a one-night
featherweight tournament featuring former world Greco-Roman wrestling
champion Joe Warren (2-0), jiu-jitsu ace Bibiano Fernandes (5-2),
Gumby-like submission master Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1), and Hiroyuki
Takaya (11-5-1).
Oct.
10 in San Antonio has Donald Cerrone (10-1) vs. Ben Henderson
(9-1) for the World Extreme Cagefighting interim lightweight
title, with the winner to face champion Jamie Varner when Varner’s
various injuries heal.
Oct.
24 in Los Angeles features Lyoto Machida (15-0) vs. Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua (18-3) for the UFC light heavyweight title
in a fight that may be a tough sell with two Brazilians headlining
against each other. And Oct. 25 in Osaka, Japan is another Dream
show, the first time a major Japanese MMA promotion has used
a cage. While not signed, a match they are working on falls into
Japan’s frequent freak show fight mentality.
Kiyoshi
Tamura, a 40-year-old former pro wrestling superstar who has
done MMA matches as long as the sport has existed, faces Gilbert
Melendez, one of the top non-UFC lightweights in the world.
November
is loaded, with Strikeforce events on both Nov. 6 in Fresno on
Showtime with a minor show, and Strikeforce’s first event
in CBS the next night in suburban Chicago, featuring consensus
world top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers.
The
biggest WEC fight remaining this year takes place on Nov. 18
in Las Vegas with featherweight champion Mike Brown (22-4) facing
Jose Aldo Jr. (15-1). And UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar
(4-1) defends his title against his most physically formidable
obstacle of his career in Shane Carwin (11-0) on Nov. 21 in Las
Vegas in what looks to be the most anticipated match remaining
this year.
Nelson
talks Kimbo win
A
month ago, Roy Nelson, the former International Fight League
heavyweight champion was barely a household name in his own household.
But he became an instant star by finishing Kevin “Kimbo
Slice” Ferguson in a match on The Ultimate Fighter reality
show that was taped in June, and aired on Wednesday night on
Spike TV.
Between
the first-run and immediate replay showing, it was viewed by
one out of every 12 men in the U.S. between the ages of 18-34.
About 2.28 million Males 18-34 watched the fight on the first
broadcast, and another 450,000 watched the replay. That’s
more than any show on television so far this week with the exception
of the NFL.
The
match’s 3.7 overall rating and 5.3 million viewers set records
for any mixed martial television show in U.S. history. Another
1.5 million watched an immediate replay.
Even
those who went in expecting record numbers had to be blown away
by the figures. But nobody is fooling themselves into thinking
this is some kind of a new benchmark for interest in MMA, or
even fighting, as much as an example of America’s fascination
with celebrities.
“Kimbo
bringing a whole new audience is great,” said Nelson. “I
can’t wait for Tom Cruise or Arnold Schwarzenegger to fight.
It’ll bring eyes.”
It’s
hard to fully explain what makes Ferguson what he is. He was
the right guy with the right look who came along during YouTube’s
ascendancy. Originally marketed as an uncontrollable street fighter,
the kind that hits on people’s stereotypes of prison fighters,
the reality was, that person only existed in imaginations.
“The
first time I saw him was in Costa Rica when I was fighting in
(the now-defunct BodogFight promotion),” Nelson said. “One
of my friends showed me his fight and I thought, ‘Oh, whoop
de doo.’ It was like watching a gang banger. It wasn’t
that cool. That’s where a lot of people don’t understand
the sport. There are people who would fight all day, just go
to the local prison or gym.
Over
the three weeks of The Ultimate Fighter, the producers tried
to change Kimbo’s image. Instead of being marketed as a
fighter of the caliber that clearly he wasn’t, as happened
with Elite XC, he was remade as a humble man with six children
who never let his fame go to his head.
As
a fighter, he was portrayed as a famous beginner, with the idea
he can punch hard. Now, at 35, he’s starting at square one
trying to become a real fighter, although in reality he’s
been training to be an MMA fighter now for a couple of years
and he was largely helpless against Nelson once the match was
on the ground.
It
was an absolutely remarkable bit of promotion, because now, when
Slice loses, he only becomes more endearing, as long as he keeps
working hard and coming back for more.
As
far as when will people no longer gravitate toward Kimbo? There
is no telling. People thought he was exposed when he headlined
the first CBS show in 2008 and struggled to beat handpicked James
Thompson. People thought he was really exposed against Seth Petruzelli,
when he was knocked out in 14 seconds last October. And he was
exposed again by Nelson. And at this point, it would be a safe
bet that when he fights next, presumably on Dec. 5 on Spike for
the Ultimate Fighter 10 finale, a huge audience will watch again.
Slice
talked up a potential rematch with Nelson, saying, “You
gave me your best. You didn’t beat me at my best. Now I
know how you’re coming. Damn, right I’ll rematch Roy.”
But
Nelson said he and Slice became friends on the show, and talked
that it was more likely and better for Slice to drop to light
heavyweight.
“He’s
talking about going to 205,” said Nelson. “At heavyweight,
he really doesn’t have a chance as we’re a little more
well-rounded than the 205 pounders,” which is a statement
many would argue against.
Still,
Nelson made fun of all the hype surrounding Slice. “The
one thing about Kimbo is he does hit hard,” he said. “He’s
a 230-pound man, but he’s not the hardest guy I’ve
ever been hit by. We both said to each other after, ‘You
hit kind of hard.’ I did exactly what I wanted to do. I
baited him to come in for the kill so I could clinch him and
take him down.”
“He
can come and train with me and learn some jiu-jitsu and wrestling
because that’s where he’s really lacking. Or he can
go to 205 and stay with the guys who are just going to stand
there and bang.”
Source: Yahoo Sports |
Even
loss can’t stop Kimbo hype machine
No
one ever said the Ultimate Fighting Championship didn’t
know how to market itself, its sport and its fighters.
There
may be no greater proof than the job it’s done with Kimbo
Slice, the famed YouTube street fighter who crashed and burned
under the weight of ridiculous hype that his last promotion and
CBS television put on him. One year ago this week, it took 14
seconds to prove he wasn’t really the comparable figure
to Tiger Woods that the network laughably claimed.
Kimbo
lost again Wednesday on Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter”
reality show. In a match taped in June, he was smothered by Roy
Nelson, a round mound of fighting experience who twice exploited
Slice’s inexperience, laid him out in a crucifix position
and dropped dozens of light but unanswered punches.
Referee
Herb Dean, who allowed Kimbo to be saved by the bell at the end
of the first round, called it early in the second.
Kimbo
got beat, although not beat up. And within a minute of his loss,
Dana White, the UFC president, was on the program dropping unsubtle
hints that Slice would soon enough return to active competition
on the show. He’ll likely replace fellow competitor Marcus
Jones, who in scenes from next week appears to come down ill.
The
return of a promising fighter that had lost isn’t unusual.
In past seasons of the show, fighters have left due to injury,
behavioral trouble and simple homesickness.
What’s
most amazing isn’t that Kimbo will return. It’s that
the show – either through the magic of reality television
or by brilliantly showing what was legitimately real – has
turned Kimbo into a likeable, humble and easy-to-root-for guy.
Dana
White had changed the expectations game.
Suddenly
Kimbo was being hailed for putting up a decent fight against
Nelson, a former International Fight League heavyweight champion
with far more experience.
White
and coaches Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans
all hailed his effort.
In
truth, Kimbo landed just a couple significant punches, one knee
and used solid takedown defense to stop Nelson another time.
Other than that, it wasn’t much of a performance. Nelson
got him down twice and then just swallowed Kimbo up.
At
no point did Nelson look to be in trouble, although the few times
Slice’s fists connected, it couldn’t have felt all
that good.
“Can
I get a Double Whopper with cheese?” Nelson shouted to White
after the victory.
Yet
for losing, Kimbo was the big winner.
And
it all has to do with expectations. If he had lost this way a
year ago at the final card for his old promotion, EliteXC, he
would have been mercilessly ripped by fans. (That night, he lost
even more decisively, a near-instant TKO at the hands of a man
who weighed 30 pounds less.) If anyone had made an excuse that
his opponent was too good, they would have been heckled.
White
would’ve been the first one doing the mocking.
Back
then, though, Kimbo was being hailed as a mixed martial arts
legend, when even he now admits he had virtually no skills. There
is no comparison to winning backyard fights for a couple hundred
bucks and taking on trained professionals inside a cage.
Now,
close enough is good enough because the UFC is smartly selling
Slice as a boot-straps up-and-comer, someone willing to admit
he has a ton to learn, a family man (six kids) who just took
the opportunity given to him.
It’s
the same fighter, just better promoters.
White
isn’t above hyperbole. He also knows that honesty sells.
In this case, he isn’t selling an inaccurate image –
he’s showing a real human. The guy who used to beat people
up at barbeques now seems like a guy you wouldn’t mind having
over to your house for one.
Slice
has helped deliver record ratings for the 10th season of the
show. White himself was predicting six million people would watch
Wednesday’s fight – and with the promise of Kimbo returning
next week, the ratings won’t drop far.
White
has said Kimbo will stay with the company – whether he wins
this season or not. Slice will fight in December, presumably
at either the undercard of the TUF 10 finale on Dec. 5 or at
UFC 107, a pay-per-view event in Memphis.
It
stands to reason that many fans will be rooting for him, more
now than ever.
He’s
become a person on this show, not held up as some scouring force
of terror. The beard and gold teeth are still there, but TUF
has shown him training relentlessly, begging for additional coaching
and getting along with fellow contestants who initially mocked
and cursed his presence.
More
than anything, special attention has been paid to showing (if
you can believe it) Kimbo’s emotional vulnerability, particularly
considering the built-up-and-torn-down-year he just went through.
“He’s
just a good person,” said Jones, who played seven years
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “The things put in front of
him would probably crush the mental state of any other man.”
Slice
was seen praying, talking about how he realized “the enemy
is the inner me” and making a series of hysterical malapropisms
(upon realizing he’s been losing weight, he noted, “I
haven’t developed a good eating résumé.”)
The
guy is Yogi Berra with knockout power.
Or
does he really have knockout power? We’ll see. He didn’t
show it against Nelson, and the pressure will be on to display
more in his next fight, be it on TUF or in December. As with
all contestants, Kimbo will stick around and train until filming
is done, a time where he can improve dramatically.
He
is currently working with American Top Team in South Florida,
home to a number of top fighters. They have a reputation as a
no-nonsense operation that gets fighters in top shape. It is
home to MMA stars such as WEC champion Mike Brown and UFC welterweight
contender Thiago Alves.
He’s
supposedly serious about it – even if various movie roles
keep pulling him away for a couple days here and there. It’s
worth noting, though, that when Slice was in EliteXC, we heard
he was training hard under legendary former UFC champion Bas
Rutten, only to later find out it wasn’t nearly so intense.
Time
will tell whether at 35 he can develop into a viable fighter.
Better won’t work forever. Still, his performance thus far
on TUF has given him a second, and perhaps third, opportunity
with the UFC. It’s rebranded him from street thug into modern
day Rocky.
It’s
found a way to make a loss where he mounted minimal offense into
a victory that’s reviving his career.
All
hail the marketing power of the UFC. No one ever said Dana White
wasn’t good at his job.
Source: Yahoo Sports |
HERB
DEAN GIVES HIS SIDE OF NELSON/KIMBO STORY
MMAWeekly.com on Thursday spoke exclusively to referee Herb Dean,
who oversaw the elimination fight between Roy Nelson and Kimbo
Slice on the third episode of "The Ultimate Fighter: The
Heavyweights."
Nelson
used his grappling prowess to overcome Slice, earning a TKO stoppage
in just over two minutes of the second round.
Subsequent
to the fight's air, Nelson openly criticized Dean's judgment
regarding the end of the first round, where Nelson's positional
dominance threatened to end the fight.
Dean
addressed Nelson's claims and the reasoning behind his call of
the fight.
MMAWeekly:
Firstly, Roy claimed that you didn’t stop the fight in the
first round because of Kimbo’s status on the show. How do
you respond to that?
Dean:
Well, it’s not that complicated. I’m there to protect
the fighter’s safety. Kimbo got up after that round pretty
quick and spry, right? If I stop a fight it’s because I
believe a fighter’s not fighting back, because he can’t.
And there’s reasons why a fighter can’t fight back.
One is a positional reason like Roy had on Kimbo. It was positional.
Could (Kimbo) handle blows and continue to fight? He did. He
made it to the end of the (first) round and continued to fight.
If the blows were any less, I would have actually stood them
up. The blows were strong enough to warrant being on the ground,
but they weren't strong enough for me to stop the fight.
MMAWeekly:
Were you looking at the clock at all and weighing the force of
the blows with the time left in the round?
Dean:
Most definitely. I believe that if (Roy) has position on him
in the beginning of the round, that means that he’s going
to stay there for the whole round, obviously Kimbo couldn’t
solve that position. But with those blows, was he not fighting
back because he was hurt? No, he was fine. So I didn’t have
any reason to stand or stop the fight. If the fighter is not
hurt, why should I stop the fight?
MMAWeekly:
So you felt the blows that Kimbo was taking in the second round
were, whereas the ones in the first round weren’t?
Dean:
Well, I believe that the blows were solid blows. In the first
round, they were solid blows, just like in the second round,
but in the second round, it was the beginning of the round that
he was down there. I can’t allow him – he was not going
to improve his position, he was not going to solve it –
I couldn’t allow him five minutes of that in the second
round. Could I allow him to take it for 30 seconds in the first?
Sure.
MMAWeekly:
Were your decisions in the ring influenced at all by Kimbo and
his standing with the UFC?
Dean:
No, I make calls based on my conscience, based on what I think
is fair, what I think is the right thing to do. I’m the
one that has to sleep at night. I sleep fine. I believe that
I try to make the fairest, safest calls. This job is more serious
than me continuing to do my job. People’s careers and their
safety are on the line. I’m not going to make a political
decision when the stakes are that large.
MMAWeekly:
Roy said that he got into it with you after the fight…
Dean:
Well, that’s not getting into it with me. He’s made
a statement. By getting into it means that I guess I have to
respond. He said some things. Whatever. Fighters say things all
the time. I have a lot of respect for Roy, what he’s done
in the sport. His statements that he’s making, I don’t
really understand those. You’re there to try to win, try
to beat the fighter, try to win in the most decisive way possible.
Not to not be hurting your fighter, but taking advantage of a
technicality for their safety.
MMAWeekly:
Did you receive any feedback from the Nevada State Athletic Commission?
Any from the UFC?
Dean:
The commission was fine with my decision. The UFC doesn’t
talk to me about my decision. I don’t know why people think
that there’s a lot of communication with us going back and
forth as far as what’s going on in the matches. There wasn’t
anything that we needed to discuss. The fight was done, and we
went home. It was pretty clear.
Source: MMA Weekly |
SURPRISE!
KAZUSHI SAKURABA ADDED TO DREAM 11
It’s been nearly a year since Kazushi Sakuraba last set
foot in a ring to fight. On Saturday, Dream announced, with just
three days of notice, that the “Gracie Hunter” would
finally make his return at Dream 11 on Tuesday.
The
promotion has yet to announce an opponent for the longtime Pride
mainstay, but the announcement is expected to come sometime on
Sunday.
Sakuraba
fought three times in 2008, going 1-2. He defeated Andrews Nakahara
in his first bout of 2008, but then skidded out losing to Melvin
Manhoef and Japanese dream fight with Kiyoshi Timura.
Having
gone through several brutal bouts with the likes of Wanderlei
Silva and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, at 40 years of
age, the prognostications for Sakuraba’s retirement have
come more and more frequent. He needs a win badly and perhaps
more importantly, he needs to come out unscathed.
Dream
11 features a lightweight championship bout between titleholder
Joachim Hansen and Shinya Aoki, the finals of the Featherweight
Grand Prix, and the semi-final round of the Openweight Super
Hulk Tournament. It airs in the United States on HDNet.
SAKURABA
FACES PROFESSIONAL BOXER AT DREAM 11
Dream on Sunday announced the opponent for last minute Dream
11 addition Kazushi Sakuraba. He will face professional boxer
Rubin “Hollywood” Williams.
Sakuraba
(24-12-1) enters the bout on a two-fight skid, having lost back-to-back
bouts to Kiyoshi Tamura and Melvin Manhoef. With the sun setting
on the 40-year-old’s career, Sakuraba could do with a win.
Dream will give him every opportunity in Williams.
With
a professional record of 29-8-1, in boxing, Williams has never
competed in professional mixed martial arts. Like any striker,
he stands a puncher’s chance, but without extensive training
faces a difficult proposition in the Japanese legend.
Dream
11 features a lightweight championship bout between current titleholder
Joachim Hansen and Shinya Aoki, as well as the finals of the
Featherweight Grand Prix. It will air on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m.
ET in the United States on HDNet.
DREAM
11: OCTOBER 6, 2009 ON HDNET
Venue: Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Finals:
-Fernandes/Warren winner vs. Takaya/Tokoro winner
Dream
Lightweight Championship:
-Shinya Aoki (21-4; #2 Lightweight) vs. Joachim Hansen (19-7-1;
#5 Lightweight)
Single
Bouts:
-Kazushi Sakuraba (24-12-1) vs. Rubin Williams (0-0)
-Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2) vs. Melchor Manibusan (2-3)
Dream
Super Hulk Tournament Semi-Finals (Open Weight):
-Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4) vs. Bob Sapp (10-5-1)
-Ikuhisa Minowa (42-30-8) vs. Hong Man Choi (2-2)
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals:
-Bibiano Fernandes (5-2) vs. Joe Warren (2-0)
-Hiroyuki Takaya (11-6-1) vs. Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1)
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Reserve Match:
-Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata (11-5-3) vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
(7-7)
*Based
on the MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings
Source: MMA Weekly |
DREAM
11 PREVIEW: JOACHIM HANSEN VS. SHINY AOKI
Dream Lightweight Championship Bout:
Joachim Hansen vs. Shinya Aoki
Dream
lightweight champion Joachim Hansen faces off with Japanese grappling
superstar Shinya Aoki. This marks the third time that these two
will do battle with each owning a victory over the other. Hansen
steps in the ring for the first time since winning the Dream
Lightweight Grand Prix, while Aoki has fought five times in that
same span.
The
strategy for this fight is simple for both fighters. Hansen will
need to keep the fight on the feet, where he’ll have the
advantage, and Aoki will want to take the fight to the ground.
Hansen needs to keep the distance on the feet and avoid the clinch,
where Aoki will try to take him down. If he does end up on the
ground, he’ll need to create space to punch and make sure
that Aoki doesn’t have a grip on him. Aoki will need to
be concentrated on the ground and not lose focus like in their
last fight. He can easily submit Hansen if he is on his A game.
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Bout:
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Hideo Tokoro
Japanese
striker Hiroyuki Takaya faces off with Japanese grappling sensation
Hideo Tokoro. Takaya stopped Yoshiro Maeda with strikes to reach
the semi-finals, while Tokoro submitted Abel Cullum in an exciting
fight to reach the semi-finals. The winner of this fight will
be billed as the strongest featherweight from Japan, as these
are last Japanese fighters in the tournament.
Takaya
has the huge advantage on the feet being a former All Japan kickboxing
champion and Tokoro being known for not having the best of chins.
Tokoro has the ability to be one of the top fighters in the featherweight
division, but his chin has failed him many times. If he is able
to get the fight to the ground then Tokoro will have a chance
to use his slick submission grappling on Takaya, who isn’t
as skilled on the ground. At the end of the day, Takaya will
avoid going to the ground and finish Tokoro to move on to the
finals.
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Bout:
Joe Warren vs. Bibiano Fernandes
Team
Quest wrestler Joe Warren faces off with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
champion Bibiano Fernandes. Warren has become the tournament
favorite after dispatching Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
by decision, while Fernandes topped Japanese grappler Masakazu
Imanari by decision. This will be a clash of two grapplers with
the winner being the favorite to win it all.
Warren
has looked impressive in wins over former WEC champion Chase
Beebe and the aforementioned Yamamoto to get up this point, using
his wrestling to keep the fight on the feet and take it down
when needed. Fernandes will be a stiff challenge for Warren.
He has never faced someone with the ground skills that Fernandes
has. Warren will need to keep the fight on the feet and not let
Fernandes get the fight to the ground, where he will be more
comfortable. If the fight does go to the ground then Fernandes
will be offering submissions and sweeps, which is something Warren
hasn’t dealt with. In a really close fight, Fernandes will
win a razor thin decision to advance to the finals.
Dream
Featherweight Grand Prix Reserve Bout:
Daiki Hata vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
Japanese
striker Daiki “DJ Taiki” Hata faces off with Japanese
wrestler Kazuyuki Miyata. Hata won his first fight in the tournament,
but was forced to pull out because of recurring complications
from a broken nose. Miyata has looked solid since moving down
to featherweight, going 2-0 in the process.
Hata
will look to keep the fight on the feet, where he can outwork
Miyata. Miyata will look to take the fight to the mat and grind
out a decision with ground and pound. The fight will come down
to whether or not Hata can stop a takedown. If he can then he
wins, if not then Miyata wins.
Kazushi
Sakuraba vs. Rubin Williams
Japanese
legend Kazushi Sakuraba takes on mixed martial arts newcomer
Rubin Williams. Sakuraba will be seeing action for the first
time since Dynamite 2008, where he lost a decision to Kiyoshi
Tamura. Williams is a professional boxer that will have his hands
full in his mixed martial arts debut. This is just a tune-up
fight for Sakuraba to get a win under his belt. Look for him
to avoid staying on the feet and take the fight to the ground,
where it will only be a matter of time before he locks on a submission
to finish the fight.
Tatsuya
Kawajiri vs. Melchor Manibusan
Top
ranked lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri takes on grappler Melchor
Manibusan. Kawajiri comes into the fight with a lot momentum
and will try to keep that going as he hopes for a shot at the
Dream lightweight title later this year.
Manibusan
has a very slim chance to win this fight and that will be by
locking on a submission. Look for Kawajiri to control the fight
on the feet and tee off on Manibusan before he finally finishes
with strikes.
Dream
Super Hulk Grand Prix Bout:
Hong Man Choi vs. Ikuhisa Minowa
Korean
kickboxing giant Hong Man Choi faces off with Japanese superstar
Ikuhisa Minowa. Choi stopped Jose Canseco to advance, while Minowa
submitted Bob Sapp to reach the semi-final round.
Choi
will outweigh Minowa by at least 200 pounds and that will be
a huge advantage. Minowa will be looking to get the fight on
the ground and lock on a submission. Choi will use his size to
avoid going to the ground, then he’ll finish Minowa on the
feet as manhandles the much smaller fighter.
Dream
Super Hulk Grand Prix Bout:
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Bob Sapp
Team
Quest judoka Sokoudjou faces off with Bob Sapp, a veteran of
the Japanese mixed martial arts scene. Sokoudjou stopped Jan
Nortje to advance, while Sapp is an injury replacement for Gegard
Mousasi, who had to pull out because of a shoulder injury.
Sokoudjou
is the much better fighter of the two. He will quickly take control
of the fight on the feet with his striking and finish Sapp off
on the ground in the same matter.
Source: MMA Weekly |
WEC
HOPES TV STORM CLEARS; PLANS 2010 PPV
According to WEC Founder and General Manager Reed Harris, 75,000
people have let DirecTV know how they feel about Versus' absence
from the cable company.
A
month ago, DirecTV subscribers, which number 14 million, turned
on their televisions to find a blue screen with a message scrawled
across it: “Versus is no longer available on this channel.
Comcast, which owns Versus, has forced us to take down the channel
because we will not submit to their unfair and outrageous demands.”
In
subsequent days, DirecTV executives claimed the Comcast-owned
Versus was gouging their company in asking for a 20 percent hike
in the cost to air the channel. Versus countered by pointing
out, accurately, that the cable provider intended to move them
to a cable platform that would reach less than half the homes
the channel was available on.
Versus
then took its case to the public, purchasing ads in national
newspapers accusing the cable provider of denying fans access
to their favorite sports, including the WEC.
The
situation has yet to be resolved, but WEC officials are hopeful
there will be a resolution soon.
“I
know they are talking, both sides are talking, and they’re
working hard to resolve this,” said WEC vice president Peter
Dropick. “DirecTV and Versus are both great partners of
ours – we hope they resolve it. I feel good about it and
I think they’ll work something out soon.”
Whether
DirecTV and Versus make nice or not, WEC is moving full speed
ahead with six shows planned through spring, and 10 to 12 total
in 2010.
“Our
next show is in November (in Las Vegas), we have a show in December,
a show in January, that’s a far as we’ve planned at
this point,” said Harris, adding that they don’t yet
have venues locked down for December or January.
“Those
are all going to be on Versus. But we are definitely gonna go
in 2010 to that pay-per-view model.”
Pay-per-view
is something that’s been on back burner for some time, but
timing is key. A plan is in the works, possibly coinciding with
the summer months when Versus gets busy with professional cycling.
“What
we know as a company is we have to have very compelling fights
in order to have a successful pay-per-view and that’s what
we’re working towards on our free TV side. We’re providing
fights in the next few months that will be compelling and also
make sense as far as who’s in line to fight the best in
WEC,” explained Harris. “And once we determine that,
we’re gonna have those guys go on pay-per-view and fight
it out.”
Scheduling
a pay-per-view, again, comes down to timing and TV. Harris said,
“It depends on Versus and the schedule for Tour De France.
We may use a particular month to take a month off Versus and
do a pay-per-view.”
Regardless
of how things unfold between Versus and DirecTV, pay-per-view,
and the busy schedule, 2010 promises to be the busiest year in
WEC history.
Source: MMA Weekly |
MACDONALD
EYES REDEMPTION IN MFC RETURN
Canadian middleweight Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald’s
time in the UFC could be best described as tenuous.
Wins
alternated with losses and eventually, after back-to-back defeats
in his last two bouts for the promotion, he was released from
the company.
After
taking some time off to get his bearings, MacDonald returns to
his native Canada to begin putting together the pieces of his
fragmented career for the MFC promotion this Friday against fellow
former UFC fighter Travis Lutter.
“I
just returned home to Alberta from Las Vegas, training for three
weeks at Robert Drysdale’s and Xtreme Couture,” MacDonald
told MMAWeekly.com heading into Friday’s MFC 22. “Training
camp went well and I’m ready for the fight.”
As
MacDonald puts it, returning home after his time in the UFC is
a mixed bag of emotions.
“Obviously
it’s a little bit bittersweet that I was let go by the UFC,
but luckily the MFC and HDNet are giving fighters a good opportunity
to fight top level guys outside the UFC,” he commented.
“I think this match-up with Travis Lutter is a good example
of that.
“I’m
excited to come back here and get back on a winning streak and
do it in front of all the fans that supported me when I was an
up-and-coming fighter in the early days.”
Not
one to back down from a challenge, MacDonald acknowledges his
willingness to take on anyone from Rich Franklin to Yushin Okami
to Nate Quarry contributed to his inconsistency and eventual
release from the UFC.
“I
wish I knew exactly what I had to do to have that consistency
and maybe I would have already had it sooner,” he admitted.
“I think I was stepping up and fighting the tough fights,
and I was having a problem putting winning streaks and consistency
together.
“I
would go out there and win a big fight, look great, and then
come back and struggle a little bit. I think that is the biggest
struggle for a fighter, to go out there and put on a great fight
every time you step in the ring, it’s hard to do.”
MacDonald
also feels the expectation to win every time out subverted his
focus from simply going out and fighting.
“I
think for me, being in the UFC was a lot of pressure to go out
there and win fights,” he said. “I had some great fights
in the UFC, but my last two fights resulted in a loss and were
probably the worst performances I’ve had in my career, so
it’s important for me to just go out there and fight and
do the things I’m capable of doing.
“Being
back here and coming back to the MFC has kind of taken some pressure
off me. There’s not so much emphasis put on winning, so
what’s really important to me right now is to go out there
and just have a great fight.”
The
road back for MacDonald is as always a challenge, as he takes
on former UFC middleweight title contender Travis Lutter, who
is also looking for a way back to their former company.
“Travis
is a tough fighter; he’s very dangerous and came the closest
to beating Anderson Silva,” commented MacDonald. “He’s
got a world class fight game, and if he gets you down early in
the fight he’s a very dangerous guy. If he’s not able
to do that or submit you early, he tends to fade a little bit.
“I
think one of my strengths is that I get better as the fight goes
on. I think it’s a great match-up. He’s going to come
out there and try to submit me early, and I’m going to try
to push him and see what he has in the later rounds.”
As
is always the goal of any top fighter, returning to the top of
the game is what drives MacDonald to continue fighting.
“I’m
fully focused and I’m not looking past Travis Lutter, but
I’m certainly looking to get back in the UFC,” he stated.
“I think Travis is one of the surest roads out there. Beating
a guy of Travis’ caliber, it makes the road back to the
UFC a little bit shorter.
“At
the end of the day I would like to get back in the UFC and have
a few more great fights there and finish out my career on a great
note and on my own terms.”
To
get back to the UFC and earn his redemption MacDonald must first
toe this line and prove he has what it takes to be a consistent
fighter at the highest levels of MMA.
“As
always I would like to say thank you to my sponsors: Metal Mulisha,
Magnum Nutrition, and Hitman Fight Gear,” he said in closing.
“Also I’d like to say thanks to the guys at Xtreme
Couture and Robert Drysdale’s for letting me come out there
and helping prepare me for this fight.
“I’m
going to go out there and just put on great fight for the fans
and all the people watching on HDNet. I know if I do that I’ll
come away with a win.”
LUTTER
AND MCKEE CAP OFF UNINSPIRED MFC SHOW
A night of somewhat uninspired performances took place at Maximum
Fighting Championships on Friday night with Travis Lutter getting
a unanimous decision win over fellow former UFC fighter Jason
MacDonald in the main event.
Lutter
showed his dominant ground skills in rounds one and two, getting
takedowns, moving to mount, and twice almost locking in a fight
ending rear naked choke. MacDonald did his best to battle back
with a strong performance winning the third round handily, as
Lutter started to fade, but it was too little, too late.
"I
think what we're doing we're on the right track," said Lutter
after the fight. "We're still seven, eight weeks away from
being where I think I need to be, maybe longer, as far as conditioning,
but this was a good test."
The
co-main event of the evening was originally scheduled to be a
five-round title fight pitting champion Antonio McKee against
Carlo Prater, but the Brazilian failed to make weight and it
was turned into a catch weight three-rounder instead. Luckily
for the Canadian crowd in attendance the fight was only three
rounds, as an absolute snoozer ensued between McKee and Prater.
McKee
used his standard wrestling and ground and pound attack, while
just about anybody could have guessed at what Prater was planning
to do as he threw minimal strikes, and only one real submission
attempt late in the second round. McKee picked up the unanimous
decision win, the 18th decision win of his career.
A
close fight through two rounds, John Alessio picked up a nice
knockout win over American Top Team fighter Luigi Fioravanti.
Striking ruled the fight, and Alessio finally tagged Fioravanti
with a big right hand in the third that dropped him like a rock
to the mat.
Being
known as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter didn't come into play
for Denver resident Mike Nickels, until late in the third and
final round as he submitted David Heath in an exciting light
heavyweight contest. Nickels and Heath blasted each other for
the better part of 15 minutes, until Nickels finally took his
opponent to the ground, got his back, and locked in the fight
ending rear naked choke.
Ryan
Jimmo and Marvin Eastman failed to burn the house down in their
fight, but in the end Jimmo did enough to pull out the split
decision win.
Former
UFC welterweight Pete Spratt struggled through a tough first
round, only to come out and blast Nathan Gunn with a dynamite-like
right uppercut that put him face down on the mat, ending the
bout by knockout.
Source: MMA Weekly |
FIGHT
CARD FINALIZED FOR UFC 104
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Friday announced the remaining
bouts for UFC 104, which takes place Oct. 24 at the Staples Center
in Los Angeles. The headline bout features light heavyweight
champion Lyoto Machida defending his belt against Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua. Also previously announced is a heavyweight contest between
contenders Ben Rothwell and Cain Velasquez.
Rounding
out the pay-per-view portion of the event are
Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer,
Joe Stevenson vs. Spencer Fisher,
Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida.
Six
preliminary bouts were also announced on Friday. The untelevised
bouts feature
Antoni Hardonk vs. Pat Barry,
Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen,
Jorge Rivera vs. Rob Kimmons,
Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer,
Kyle Kingsbury vs. Razak Al-Hassan,
Stefan Struve vs. Chase Gormley.
Source: MMA Weekly |
JACKSON'S
MMA A MAGNET FOR TOP FIGHTERS
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts has steadily grown from a local
martial arts school to now what is largely considered the center
of the MMA universe... at least in regards to training.
There
is a host of talent that calls Jackson’s home, and a slew
of others that stop by for a final tune-up before their next
big fight, as evidenced by recent migrations.
Travis
Lutter challenges fellow UFC veteran Jason MacDonald Friday night
at MFC 22 in Alberta, Canada. Lutter is on a two-fight losing
skid that caused his exodus from the UFC and hasn’t seen
action since April of 2008. In short, he sorely needs a win.
Where
did Lutter go to get his chops up to snuff? Jackson’s MMA
of course.
With
a world-class roster that includes UFC welterweight champion
Georges St. Pierre, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad
Evans, seven-time former King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt, Keith
Jardine, Joey Villasenor, David Loiseau, Donald “Cowboy”
Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, and others; it’s difficult to beat
the referral list of Jackson’s.
Former
WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit has also made his way
to Jackson’s. Once a protégée of former Greg
Jackson student Tom Vaughn, Condit moved on to Arizona Combat
Sports last year, but personal reasons influenced him to return
to Albuquerque, N.M., where Jackson’s is located. He’ll
now become a permanent addition to the ever-growing roster.
Even
the famed Gracie family – who is a tremendous influence
on the development of Greg Jackson’s current system of martial
arts – sees the benefits of aligning with the blossoming
team. At the recent Art of War event in Macao, China, to corner
Rolles Gracie, Jackson said his team has entered into an affiliation
with Renzo Gracie’s New York-based academy.
And
there are no signs that Jackson’s growth is slowing. As
“The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights” cast member
and Jackson’s team member Brendan Schaub recently stated
on MMAWeekly Radio, the only thing that Jackson’s has to
watch out for is having so many of the sport’s top fighters
under one roof that they’ll have to start fighting each
other.
“Greg
Jackson might as well just come up with his own promotion and
we’ll just start fighting each other in the gym, selling
tickets,” quipped Schaub. “It’s awesome man. The
resources we have... it’s ridiculous.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
AMERICAN
TOP TEAM SENDS KIMBO BACK TO SCHOOL
A pack of wolves waited for Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson
when he entered the flagship gym of American Top Team in Coconut
Creek, Fla., on Thursday.
Position
to position, hour to hour, Thiago Alves, Luis Cane, Mike Brown,
Yves Edwards, Jorge Santiago, and Dan Cramer drilled Kimbo in
jiu-jitsu. The hardened veterans didn't hold back. Boxing coach
Howard Davis got a little time, but striking took a back seat
to the mat.
Kimbo,
a longtime resident of Miami, came to the gym two years ago and
left in a rage after a fighter caught him in a painful armbar.
This was his first time back since then.
Ricardo
Liborio, founder of American Top Team, has sent Kimbo back to
school to learn the basics.
“Right
now, what we can see is a big, hardened guy with a fight mentality
and a lot of heart,” Liborio told MMAWeekly.com. “It’s
just a guy who knows how to punch and is very heavy handed, but
has a long way to go with the grappling and the wrestling stuff.”
After
cutting his teeth with Bas Rutten and Randy Khatami in a rush
from YouTube brawler to mixed martial artist, Kimbo this week
signed a training contract with American Top Team and plans to
stay there for the foreseeable future.
Liborio’s
goal for Kimbo is to stay upright long enough to use his heavy
hands.
“Don’t
engage in an exchange of wrestling that you’re not prepared
for,” says Liborio.
What
Kimbo lacks, by his accord, is the muscle memory that comes with
years of dedicated practice. Jiu-jitsu black belt Liborio and
American Top Team are there to fill the gap.
“I
think I’m still there... working on my ground game,”
said Kimbo. “You’re gonna learn a lot, but you’re
not going to master anything in two years. The more you roll,
the more you learn, just like as long as you live, you gonna
learn as you live. It’s not something that you say okay,
you’ve learned it, you’ve got it, you’re good,
you can go kick someone’s ass now. No, no, no. That’s
something that you have to continue to do.”
Nowhere
was Kimbo’s lack of seasoning more evident than in his most
recent televised fight against Roy Nelson on the tenth season
of “The Ultimate Fighter.” As soon as the former streetfighter
let his hands go, Nelson swarmed and took him down. Kimbo floundered
as Nelson passed his guard and twice pinned his body and arms
in a crucifix, the second of which brought the fight to an end.
Many
of Kimbo’s castmates were surprised by his humility in asking
for help on the ground, particularly Nelson, who was his roommate
in the fighter house and broke down his victory step by step
afterwards.
And
well-rounded fighter or not, Kimbo is still ratings gold. Fueled
by legions of YouTube fans, the Wednesday broadcast broke records
in viewership for Spike TV. He has now participated in three
of the four most watched fights in U.S. MMA history.
After
three days of twice-a-day sessions with his bearded pupil, Kimbo
has lived up to some of Liborio’s expectations and confounded
others.
“Let’s
put it this way: he’s exactly where I thought he would be
in skill level, but he’s way more acceptable in terms of
learning and mentality,” he said.
The
idea is not to let Kimbo get ahead of himself.
“Number
one: ABC’s, you know what I’m saying?” said Liborio.
“You’ve got to go back to basics. There’s no way
to get a solid foundation, sort of jumping over positions and
try to do something that’s acrobatic and crazy. He’s
not at that level of skills right now. He‘s gotta go through
the fundamentals of grappling and ground and takedowns. Very
basic stuff; foot positions, and hand position.”
The
good news, says Liborio, is that Slice is a sponge for learning,
an observation backed by his camera time on TUF.
“Maybe
two days is too early to say something, but it’s been easy
to work with him,” he said. “He’s very coachable.
If he keeps the way he’s doing right now, it’s going
to pick up fast.”
Kimbo
all but confirmed he is set to fight on the show’s season
finale Dec. 5 in Las Vegas, and says he is currently “in
camp.” UFC president Dana White has declined to confirm
his participation in the finals or elsewhere, but it’s clear
that the company has big plans for Kimbo down the line.
Liborio,
meanwhile, hopes this week is the beginning of a constructive
partnership.
“The
plan is, win or lose, to keep the guy in the family,” he
said.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
“If
you enjoy the process, it's your dream. ... If you are enduring
the process, just desperate for the result, it's somebody else's
dream.”
Salma Hayek
|
Fighters'
Club TV Tonight!
Channel
52
NEW TIME of 8:00 PM!
If
you are not on the Onzuka.com Hawaii Ground forum, you are missing
the latest news from upcoming events, get to rub elbows with
numerous promoters and fighters, and get to voice your opinion
on any subject you can dream up. Hit the links above to sign
up for a free account and start posting away!
|
KIMBO
SUFFERS TUF LOSS, COULD BE BACK SOON
He’s had his first test on The Ultimate Fighter, so is Kimbo
Slice now a mixed martial artist?
The
short and sweet of it is no.
On
Wednesday night’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter, Kimbo
(Kevin Ferguson) faced former International Fight League heavyweight
champion Roy Nelson.
It
took him the better part of the first round, but Nelson eventually
leg tripped Kimbo to the mat. Kimbo spent the final 30 seconds
of the round crucifixed, eating short peppering punches to the
top of his head. The round easily favored Nelson.
The
outcome didn’t need a judges’ decision however. Kimbo
had his moments in the opening seconds of round two, catching
Nelson with a hard punch, but Nelson’s experience ruled.
Kimbo attempted to drive a knee to Nelson’s considerable
midsection, but was taken to the mat for his efforts, once again
finding himself in a crucifix. This time Nelson had enough ticks
of the clock to continue the punches until referee Herb Dean
called a halt to the bout.
That’s
not to say that losing the fight means Kimbo can’t move
from hype machine to mixed martial artist, he just hasn’t
shown the signs of doing so yet.
There
were minor improvements in his game. The few punches he did throw
were cleaner than past bouts, and he showed the beginnings of
actual takedown defense, but a mixed martial artist that does
not make. He was still a fish out of water once the fight hit
the mat.
That’s
something that Kimbo is keenly aware of and has plans to rectify.
He recently stated that he is taking up residence at American
Top Team in Florida. If he does so, and gives himself fully to
the trainers there, maybe this YouTube sensation can move on
to legitimacy.
He’s
not there now, and he knows it.
“I’m
a rookie at this. I’m a fighter, a street fighter, trying
to become a mixed martial artist.”
And
who knows, he may get another chance to show he’s got more
skills than he’s displayed thus far. UFC president Dana
White said on the show, “It’s never over until it’s
over, there could be another opportunity for Kimbo to get back
in there and fight again.” Then clips from next week’s
episode showed Kimbo’s teammate, Marcus Jones, struggling,
alluding to the possibility of a “Kimbo comeback.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
TUF
10 COACH HECTOR RAMIREZ: WEEK 3 - KIMBO
It's been a long time since we've heard Kimbo's trademark proclamations,
"I want my bread," and "that's how a (gentleman)
eat!" And just as far removed should be the notions that
he is merely a backyard brawler. If it wasn't clear already,
it should be indisputable now that Kimbo is a mixed martial arts
fighter, both in skill and in spirit.
When
the episode starts, we already know that Kimbo (Kevin Ferguson)
is fighting Big Country (Roy Nelson), but before that goes on,
we get to see Rampage (Quinton Jackson) and Rashad (Evans) exchange
a few words. Rashad made some pretty bold and presumptuous accusations
to Rampage about his jaw, and Rampage responded that I was the
one who actually hurt him, not Keith Jardine. It wasn't my proudest
moment when it happened and I still feel uncomfortable being
reminded of it.
That
injury occurred just before Rampage's fight with Wanderlei. We
were sparring and preparing for the fight when I accidentally
put a little too much force behind my uppercut. At the moment
I connected, I felt like the blood just drained from my body
and I wanted nothing more than to just get away. It was a terrible
feeling, and when Rashad used it against Rampage, it made me
feel even worse.
But
Rampage is a warrior and went on to fight Wanderlei and when
he reinjured his jaw before his fight with Jardine, Rampage stayed
strong and went on to fight him anyway.
And
maybe that’s one of the reasons Kimbo and Rampage bonded
so well. There are some things that you simply can't teach a
fighter; there's an element of rawness that differentiates those
who know how to fight and those who actually do fight. Kimbo
has that rawness, and it's only a matter of time before he learns
the techniques to make full use of it.
Prior
to the fight, our primary focus was on takedown defense. We were
only three weeks in and we had to prepare Kimbo, a 230-pound
fighter with no wrestling experience, for Big Country, a 265-pound
Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and favorite to win overall. We drilled
takedown defense and getting out from bottom position tirelessly
and Kimbo seemed to love every moment of it. He was like a sponge,
always asking us to teach him different positions and different
moves and always wanting to learn. But we knew that given the
time constraints, the smartest thing to do would be to teach
Kimbo a few things and get him as proficient as possible at those
moves.
We
were real proud of Kimbo. He did a great job of pushing away
at the head and avoiding the takedown. The entire fight, Kimbo
listened to us and used the moves we had been working on with
considerable success. Big Country had to work very hard to get
the takedown in the first round. As soon as he did, Kimbo did
great of being able to nearly sweep the big man by being crafty
and using the cage.
In
the second round, Nelson basically sacrificed a punch to the
head just to take Kimbo down. When it finally came down to it
though, Nelson's top control was just too stifling.
When
you're on the outside looking in, you might be able to say, "Kimbo
should have done this" and "Kimbo should have done
that," but when you have Nelson's big belly in your face,
there just isn't a whole lot that anyone can do.
0
and 3, we're off to a slow start. By this time, the team is getting
a bit discouraged, but as a coach, it's my job to keep reminding
these guys why they are here, to win. As Dana White alluded to
earlier, TUF is unpredictable and it ain't over till it's over.
Until then, everyone needs to train hard because we never know
if a replacement will be needed.
Stay
tuned!
Thank
you to all my sponsors and management, Iridium Sports Agency,
OC Fight Doc, Sparstar, Furious Fighters, Dog Pound MMA, Monarch
Clothing, Tapout Radio, Unbreakable Mouthpieces, Mike Dolce,
Dolce Diet, Team Rampage, MMAWeekly.com and everyone who is making
this show a success.
Source: MMA Weekly |
DAMARQUES
JOHNSON NOW FACES EDGAR GARCIA AT UFC 107
DaMarques Johnson is scheduled to face Edgar Garcia at UFC 107
on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn.
Fiveouncesofpain.com
first reported the news Wednesday, and MMAWeekly.com subsequently
confirmed it with a source close to the fight.
As
MMAWeekly.com first reported, Johnson was originally scheduled
to take on Polish born welterweight Peter Sobotta on the undercard
of UFC 105, but according to a Tuesday report from MMAJunkie.com,
Sobotta was forced off the card due to military commitments.
Garcia
(7-1) was exported from the shuttered World Extreme Cagefighting
welterweight division in early 2009 and made his Octagon debut
in June, losing a split decision to Brad Blackburn. It was the
first loss of his professional career.
Johnson
(9-7) was an early favorite to win the ninth season of "The
Ultimate Fighter," but lost to James Wilks in the finals
of the reality show. He is currently training with boxing coach
Matt Pena in Iowa, according to a source MMAWeekly.com spoke
to.
Source: MMA Weekly |
KIMBO
VS. NELSON A TV RATINGS BONANZA
Though the fight between Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson
and former International Fight League champion Roy Nelson may
have received criticism for the hype coming in compared to the
product going out, it was a resounding success in one key aspect...
television ratings.
Episode
three of The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights – featuring
Kimbo’s first fight under the UFC banner – produced
the highest numbers in Spike TV history in many key categories
and vaulted into the Top 5 of the most-watched bouts in the history
of televised mixed martial arts in the United States.
Despite
Kimbo showing little progress in his MMA skills and Nelson providing
little excitement in the victory, the initial broadcast of the
episode pulled in an average of 5.3 million viewers for the entire
60-minute broadcast, according to Spike TV vice president Brian
Diamond. For the fight itself, the final 15 minutes of the show,
the average rose dramatically to 6.1 million viewers for that
time period. That means that the number of viewers tuning in
for the actual fight increased substantially in order to raise
the episode average to 5.3 million viewers.
The
encore broadcast of the episode, which aired immediately following
the premier broadcast, also drew an average of 1.56 million viewers.
There is no data determining how many of those 1.56 million viewers
were repeats from the premier.
The
previous record for most average viewers during an episode of
The Ultimate Fighter or any other original series on Spike TV
was this season’s premier, which boasted an average of 4.1
million viewers. Episode three drawing an average of 5.3 million
puts the show in uncharted territory for the network.
According
to TV By The Numbers’ report on the overnight Nielsen TV
Ratings, The Ultimate Fighting was right behind the big three
networks in viewership. In the same 10 p.m. time period “CSI:
NY” on CBS drew 12.87 million viewers, “Eastwick”
on ABC drew 6.62 million, and “The Jay Leno Show” drew
5.99 million. Not bad considering that Spike TV is available
in a much smaller number of households than those three major
broadcast networks.
Diamond
on Thursday repeatedly stated that the episode provided the highest
ratings that Spike TV has ever pulled in its key demographics
of 18-to-35-Year-Old Males and 18-to-49-Year-Old Males. In the
18-to-35-Year-Old-Males category, the episode pulled a stunning
6.81 rating, while the 18-to-49-Year-Old-Males drew a 5.43 rating.
So
don’t expect Kimbo to get kicked to the curb anytime soon,
he was also one half of the most watched televised MMA fight
in the United States when he fought James Thompson for EliteXC
on CBS on May 31, 2008. That bout drew an average of 7.28 million
viewers.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Thiago
Silva vs Evans in January
Bout should figure at UFC 108
Although
the organizers of the UFC have not yet officially confirmed it,
chatter about a match-up between Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans
in January of 2010 is getting louder and louder. Citing sources
close to the fighters, MMAJunkie.com announced that a deal has
been reached and the fight should take place January 2, at UFC
108.
Another
speculated bout to figure on the same card is a possible title
challenge pitting middleweight champion Anderson Silva against
also-Brazilian challenger Vitor Belfort.
Stay
tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and we will soon be back with further
news on the UFC.
Source: Gracie Magazine |
Braulio
offered MMA match
On vacation in Recife, Brazil, the ADCC champion says now is
his time to relax
About
15 minutes after being crowned the biggest standout of this year’s
ADCC event, by beating Xande Ribeiro in the final of the absolute
category, in Barcelona, Braulio Estima received an email inviting
him to make his MMA debut in a major event.
“It’s
impressive, the absolute final ended at 8:15pm in Barcelona,
or around there, and I received an email at 8:30 inviting me
to fight MMA at a big event,” stated the black belt under
88kg and absolute champion of the ADCC.
Without
declining, Carcara, at the moment, is thinking of nothing but
enjoying some peace and relaxation with his family. “I’m
going on holiday this Wednesday and 15 days from now I will sit
down and think about what I’m going to do, now I’m
all about rest,” said Estima, who is back to his roots in
Recife. He arrived in Brazil on September 30th.
In
the sultry city northeastern city, between soccer with friends
and stop-ins at the academy to catch up with his old-school training
partners, Carcara still has time to savor his victory and re-evaluate
his achievements from other angles.
“It’s
inexplicable. It’s just sinking in now. When I stop to think
about what the ADCC was, the same championship Roger won in 2005,
in a very similar way… at now that had been the most emotional
moment for me, I cried when he won. I imagined such a conquest
was well beyond my reach, until last weekend,” said Carcara.
“It
all went perfectly. The training sessions came together. All
those days of waking up at 6am to train were well worth it. This
title is the most important one of my life. I’m really proud.
And just to think they’d crossed me off the list for the
absolute gives me chills, but they reconsidered and had a vote
and put me in at the last minute,” said the relieved Pernambuco
state native.
As
for Roger Gracie, the partnership carries on strong in London.
“Mission accomplished. I know Roger was really happy. He
was betting on me. We trained a lot, studied a lot. We help each
other the whole time. He’s my friend. Not just on the mat,
but in daily life too. Our sons are the same age, so we always
do things together. He helped me for the ADCC, now I’m going
to help him in MMA and so on. Always looking to improve,”
said Braulio Estima in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine |
American
Top Team: 11 victories in two days
Numbers
to make any coach more than satisfied. Last weekend American
Top Team’s athletes were on the american and japanese’s
rings 12 times, conquesting 11 victories. “It was a great
weekend. We had 12 fights and we won 11, we lost one on decision
and conquested a title. An excellent result“, celebrates
Conan Silveira.
After
the end of the almost perfec weekend, the trainer expect more
victories until the end of the year. With many confirmed fights
until the end of 2009, Conan talks about the biggest challenges.
“They’re coming from fights of team A’s people,
Denis Kang facing Michael Bisping, Wilson (Gouveia) against Alan
Belcher, Banha with Minotouro, Mike Brown will defend the title
against José Aldo... There’s other fighters in other
level that still have a lot of fight“, commented the coach.
Source: Tatame |
Roberto
Abreu talks ADCC performance
Vice
champion of the heavyest category of ADCC 2009, Roberto Abreu,
Cyborg, was satisfied with his performance in Barcelona. Talking
with TATAME after the competition, Cyborg commented his fights.
“It’s a dream to be here participating beside my holly
idols of Jiu-Jitsu, to me is much more important to be here”,
the black belt tells, talking about his origins.
“I
came from Mato Grosso do Sul, on Pantanal... I’m coming
step by step, I made my gym, I could get my spot with a lot of
train, so just to be here, on the tatame, is a dream to me, I’m
smiling from ear to ear just to be a part of it“, said even
happier to be on the final, against Fabício Werdum.
“I
have no words for to be on the head and make the final. I could
submit on the final, I grabbed the back, but Fabricio is a great
fighter, deserved the victory. That’s my first participation
on the event and I’m on the final, I couldn’t be better“,
said, celebrating the victory on the semi final over one of the
biggest names on the history of the competition. “To beat
a legend as Jeff Monson was very emotional“.
After
the good development on ADCC, Roberto is looking for more competitions
without kimono. “This year I’ll still fight the Worlds
No-Gi and I’m chosen to fight fort he Brazilian team of
Grappling, to fight the Worlds on Florida, on my backyard. I’ll
train a lot to be good on Worlds Grappling to, who knows, take
the title of champion home“, concluded the Brazilian.
Source: Tatame |
Fedor
just another foe in Rogers’ mind
In
his heyday, Mike Tyson was one of the most fearsome boxers who
ever lived. He was one of the game’s hardest punchers and
he spoke openly about the damage he intended to cause and the
pain he intended to inflict.
As
a result, he won many bouts simply by intimidating otherwise
capable opponents. Bruce Seldon appeared petrified when he defended
his World Boxing Association title against Tyson in 1996 and
meekly surrendered in the first round, going down from a punch
that appeared to barely land at all.
Sometimes,
it pays dividends to be oblivious. And Brett Rogers, Strikeforce’s
rising mixed martial arts heavyweight contender, is about as
oblivious as it comes when it comes to the reputation of other
MMA fighters.
He’s
preparing to fight Fedor Emelianenko, perhaps the most difficult
to defeat man in the business, on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre
in suburban Chicago. And while the mere thought of facing Emelianenko
is enough to melt many a potential challenger, Rogers is hardly
concerned.
You
see, he is blissfully unaware of Emelianenko’s gaudy record.
Emelianenko
is 30-1 with one no contest and is on a more than eight-year
winning streak. He’s widely regarded as the world’s
finest heavyweight and is No. 3 in the Yahoo! Sports monthly
rankings. The Russian’s only loss came in 17 seconds of
the first round on Dec. 22, 2000, when he was cut in the opening
seconds of a fight and couldn’t continue.
He’s
destroyed the best heavyweights who have walked the planet, from
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira to Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
and many others in between.
Rogers,
though, who recently began his camp for Emelianenko, isn’t
fretting about Emelianenko’s intimidating persona and gaudy
record for exactly one reason: He’s not well-versed enough
in the sport to know much about Emelianenko’s background.
Rogers
worked at a Sam’s Club tire center in Minnesota full-time
until last year and was a part-time mixed martial artist. He
has only recently begun focusing on the sport as a profession
and isn’t scouring the Internet searching for Emelianenko
highlights.
“I
know very, very little about the man,” Rogers said. “What
I know is what I’ve heard on the Internet, but it’s
nothing that makes me prepare any differently. I understand the
one thing about this sport is that you have to take every man
you face seriously and I totally understand that.
“I
prepare as hard as I can for every fight. I understand from what
I’ve seen that he’s the No. 1 heavyweight in the world.
I respect that and I respect him for what he’s accomplished.
But I’m not intimidated or worried about fighting him. This
is what I do. He’s just my next opponent.”
Rogers
is coming off a career-defining knockout of former Ultimate Fighting
Championship heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski on June 6 in
St. Louis, Mo. Arlovski made the critical mistake of standing
in front of Rogers and trading punches. He lasted only 22 seconds
as a result.
The
fight was nationally televised by Showtime and created a huge
buzz for Rogers. When Strikeforce signed Emelianenko as a free
agent in August once Affliction’s fight promotion business
folded shop, Rogers was immediately near the top of the list
of possible Emelianenko opponents.
The
win over Arlovski not only increased his visibility in MMA circles,
but it also helped to expand his horizons. He said he was approached
about playing Mr. T’s old role of B.A. Baracus in the upcoming
movie, “The A-Team.” The role actually went to another
fighter, ex-UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson.
But
those 22 seconds of work turned Rogers from a virtual unknown
into a viable opponent for the world’s top heavyweight.
“No
question about it, it’s had a lasting impact,” Rogers
said of his knockout of Arlovski. “It helped me to understand
where I stood in the heavyweight depth. Andrei Arlovski is a
guy with a big name who has accomplished a lot in this sport.
It boosted my confidence and took a lot of things to another
level for me.
“All
of a sudden, I had movie offers and TV offers, which kind of
surprised me. I knew it was a good win, but I guess I never really
gave much of a thought about what it would mean as far as the
bigger picture.”
Beating
Arlovski is one thing; a win over Emelianenko, though, would
push him into an entirely different stratosphere.
Emelianenko
has won his last five fights by first-round stoppage, as well
as six of the last seven and seven of the last nine. He’s
as fearsome and intimidating of a fighter who has ever competed
in MMA.
There’s
probably as much of an aura around him now than there was around
Royce Gracie in the early days of the UFC, when Gracie routinely
was outweighed by more than 50 pounds but was piling up quick
submission wins.
One
of Rogers’ strengths, though, in addition to the thunder
in his hands is his equanimity. He’s not getting particularly
worked up by the prospect of meeting Emelianenko and is simply
preparing to be the best he can be on Nov. 7.
“I’m
not going to get caught up in ‘Fedor’s got this’
or ‘Fedor’s doing that,’ ” Rogers said. “I’m
training, too. I have two arms and two legs just like he does.
I choose to look at it that he’s just another man in my
way of me accomplishing my goals. All the talking and all the
stuff on the Internet isn’t going to matter when they close
the door on Nov. 7 and it’s just me and him in there. It’s
going to come down to preparation and execution and who the better
man is that night.
“I
feel like this is my time now and I’m ready to show the
world what I can do. It’s not an intimidating thing (facing
Fedor). It’s an exciting thing because it’s an opportunity
to make my own mark in this business.”
Source: Yahoo Sports |
Quote
of the Day
"When
all is done, human life is, at the greatest, and the best, but
like a froward child, that must be played with and humored a
little to keep it quiet till it falls asleep, and then the care
is over."
William Temple
|
RASHAD
EXPLAINS THE KIMBO VS NELSON MATCH-UP
Wednesday night's episode of The Ultimate Fighter has been highly
promoted and is expected to set records in viewership of the
Spike TV reality show. In what is being billed as the biggest
fight in The Ultimate Fighter history, former International Fight
League heavyweight titleholder Roy Nelson pits his experience
and skill against street fighting legend Kevin "Kimbo Slice"
Ferguson.
TUF
10 coach Rashad Evans put the fight together the first opportunity
he could, and spoke with MMAWeekly.com about why and his impressions
of Kimbo.
He
had his reasons for putting Roy Nelson against Kimbo, but why
he picked them the first chance he had was more about mind games
with opposing coach Quinton "Rampage" Jackson than
going after Kimbo.
"People
ask me, why did I pick Kimbo. I wasn't really picking Kimbo.
'He's the star of the show, maybe you shouldn't have picked Kimbo.'
I didn't even think about it like that," said the former
UFC light heavyweight titleholder. "I was just like, you
know what? Rampage picked my number one guy. I'm going to pick
his number one guy."
Evans
said his team sat down and evaluated each match-up and felt that
Nelson was the best fighter to go against Kimbo. Nelson told
MMAWeekly.com last week that he would have rather fought someone
else in his first bout.
"I
think the decision to put Roy in there with Kimbo instead of
anybody else was, everybody wanted to fight Kimbo, but I think
they would have got caught up in the mystique of Kimbo. I was
like Roy is probably the only one here with enough big fight
experience to fight a guy like Kimbo and not get in their head
about I'm fighting Kimbo Slice," said Evans.
"I
thought Roy was the best guy for the job because Roy brings that
big fight experience, and Roy, he's great at everything Kimbo's
not good at. I thought that was the most important thing in our
decision."
Evans
was not impressed with Kimbo during the evaluation process, but
knows now that he may not have been showing his hand, knowing
he was going to be picked first by Jackson.
"During
the evaluations I thought he was like sandbagging, or just not
really that good," said the 30-year-old former UFC champion.
"I was kind of surprised at the fact that he didn't really
have a good showing at the evaluations. I was like, he has to
be sandbagging.
"Now
I watched and heard Rampage say just take it easy because you're
going to be on my team," he said. "That's probably
why he was sandbagging because he knew he was going to be on
Rampage's team.
"I
was like, that's why when I was watching this guy spar, I was
like this dude is sorry," added Evans. "I had him picked
number 14. That's how unimpressed I was with how he did at evaluations.
Judging based on talent with everyone else there, I was like,
you know what? He's the fourteenth best guy here."
Regardless
what happened against Nelson, win or lose, Evans admires Kimbo
for his decision to join The Ultimate Fighter 10 cast.
"I
have a ton of respect for Kimbo for even going in there and putting
himself in the position he did because, you know what, he didn't
have to do that," Evans told MMAWeekly.com. "He could
have just continued to fight for whatever promotion. He could
fight anywhere. The guy can fight anywhere, any promotion, any
time. I thought it was pretty big of him to put himself in a
position where he's out of his comfort zone, big time, and he
ended up fighting with a bunch of guys that wanted to destroy
him.
“That's
tough to do. I don't know a lot of people who would do that at
all. My hat is off to him for even doing that in the first place."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SAM
STOUT VS. JOE LAUZON SET FOR UFC 108
Lightweights Sam Stout and Joe Lauzon are set to meet at UFC
108 on Jan. 2.
MMAmania
first reported the bout Monday and MMAWeekly.com subsequently
confirmed it via sources close to the fight.
UFC
108 is expected for the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn., though
the UFC has yet to officially announce the event.
Lauzon
(18-4) has been on the bench since tearing the ACL in his right
knee in February. On Wednesday he told MMAWeekly.com that while
everything isn't 100-percent yet, he'll be ready in January.
"There's
some things that I notice that are a little bit off, but I'm
back to training hard," said Lauzon. "I've got something
to train for, so that helps with motivation."
The
East Bridgewater, Mass., resident said Stout's preference for
the stand-up game played a part in his decision to take the fight.
"I
think that Sam's very tough, but I think I can get the fight
to where I'm more comfortable, which is on the ground,"
he said. "Hopefully I'll get the takedown. I'm confident
with my hands and all that, but I'm always going to be more comfortable
on the ground."
Stout
(20-5-1) was scheduled to take on Phillipe Nover at UFC Fight
Night 19 in Oklahoma City, but officials precluded Nover from
competing after he suffered a seizure the day of the fight. Stout
was awarded his show money despite the cancellation. The London,
Ontario, native last fought at UFC 97, defeating Matt Wiman by
unanimous decision.
Stout
was unavailable for comment on the fight.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
WILL
TUF 11 UNCOVER CHALLENGER FOR ANDERSON?
Do
you want to be the ultimate challenger?
That
could very well be the central theme for Season 11 of The Ultimate
Fighter.
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday announced the first
open tryout for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter for Oct.
26 at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
Season
11 returns to the two weight class format with tryouts calling
for middleweights and light heavyweights. The two weight classes
that current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva competes
in.
The
only requirements are: you must have a professional fight record
and you must be 21 years of age.
Besides
the open call in Los Angeles, you can also fill out and send
in an application that must be received by Nov. 9.
There
has been no word yet as to who the coaches will be for Season
11.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SEVERAL
BOUTS CONFIRMED FOR UFC 106
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday confirmed three
previously reported bouts for its Nov. 21 UFC 106 fight card
at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. A main event
between UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin
headlines the card alongside a supporting bout pitting the returning
Tito Ortiz against UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman.
Announced
on Wednesday were bouts between The Ultimate Fighter season seven
winner Amir Sadollah and another returning UFC veteran in Phil
Baroni, Ben Saunders and Marcus Davis, as well as George Sotiropoulos
and Jason Dent.
Sadollah
(1-1) looks to bounce back from a TKO loss to Johny Hendricks
at UFC 101. Baroni (13-11), who makes his first UFC start since
February of 2005, is also looking to get back on the winning
track following a loss to Joe Riggs his last time out. They will
meet in a welterweight bout.
Also
fighting in the 170-pound class, Saunders (7-1-2) is returning
from a loss to rising contender Mike Swick. Davis (16-5) will
be fighting on U.S. soil for the first time in more than two
years. He also lost his last bout, to Dan Hardy at UFC 99 in
Germany.
Riding
a four-fight winning streak, Sotiropoulos (16-2) has finished
all three of his opponents since debuting in the Octagon at The
Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale. His opponent, Dent (19-9), is on his
second ride through the UFC. He went 0-2 in his first go around,
but returned victorious against Cameron Dollar at The Ultimate
Fighter 9 Finale.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Popovitch:
Garcia-thorn out of side
After losing in two straight ADCC finals, the fighter finds redemption
in Barcelona
After
losing two straight finals to Marcelo Garcia in the ADCC, Pablo
Popovitch finally had his way this latest installment, in Barcelona.
The black belt was losing until the finals moments, when a guard
pass turned the tables on the scorecards. Much emotion and celebration
that followed.
“It’s just like making it to the final of the World
Cup three times in a row. The last two I took second and couldn’t
swallow that. The only thing I thought about all these years
was winning the Abu Dhabi, I was always training for that and
that’s what I did the whole year. I have great athletes
with me, my family believes in me and I had to have a lot of
faith. Marcelo is really good, but I am too,” he said.
“Not
it’s all about celebrating this win and I don’t even
know what I’m going to do. My goal was to win every match
and in the final beat Marcelo,” he completed.
The guard pass that changed the score to 3 to 2 in Popovitch’s
favor came at the end out of the bout. On his rally back, the
fighter repeats the word repeated by practically every champion
this edition of the event: believe.
“I felt Marcelo tire out in the end, I was still going strong
and, in the last three minutes, I went for the win. I believed
till the end and trained to beat him. You have to believe, because
fighting for 20 minutes with Marcelo is no easy task.”
However, although he recognizes his greatest goal was to beat
Garcia, Pablo praises all the adversaries he had in front of
him. According to him, in the semifinal he had his work cut out
for him.
“I’ve faced great opponents before. Gregor Gracie was
really strong too,” he said in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Kayron
and Gunnar earn black belts
Fighters stand out at American No-Gi Nationals and ADCC
The
black belt division just gained two more competitors who promise
to give the rest a hard time. Kayron Gracie, of Gracie Barra,
and Gunnar Nelson, of Renzo Gracie Academy, finally fulfilled
their dreams of entering the highest ranks in competition Jiu-Jitsu.
Kayron's
promotion came after a solid showing at the American No-Gi Nationals,
held last weekend in Las Vegas, where he won both his weight
group and the absolute. At the 2009 Jiu-Jitsu Worlds the Gracie
stood out, taking runner-up in the absolute.
Now
Gunar Nelson was one of the welcome surprises at ADCC 2009, in
Barcelona, where he took fourth in the absolute, with an exciting
win over giant Jeff Monson and a submission over David Avellan.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Nogueira
vs. Gonzaga in december?
On
UFC 102, Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Gabriel Gonzaga
did a great job. While Nogueira dominated Randy Couture in the
main event, Gonzaga knocked out the UFC newcomer Chris Tuchscherer
with only 2min27s of fight. Now, their destiny may cross in december.
According to Luiz Aves, Nogueira’s Muay Thai coach, this
fight can happen. “It’s not 100% yet, but Rodrigo might
fight in December. When I was in the US, I heard some rumors
that he could face Napão (Gonzaga)… It’s not
right yet, but I heard that he could fight him, then would move
forward to the title. I think, by the middle of 2010, we’ll
fight for the title again”, revealed Alves.
Source: Tatame
|
Saulo
Ribeiro says goodbye to ADCC
Six
times BJJ World and two times ADCC champion, Saulo Ribeiro was
one of the big prominences of the competition this year. Saying
goodbye to Barcelona in the fourth position on weight, Saulo
grab the microphone and announced his retirement of the match.
“I participate of ADCC since the second edition, on 1999...
It’s ten years, 30 fights, more than ten overtimes, two
championships, two vices and a third place“, remembers,
pointing the Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu, gym that he comands beside
his brother Xande Ribeiro, as on of the reasons to the announcement.
“Universidade
do Jiu-Jitsu is with a big visibility on USA, Europe, Asia...
It’s time for me to stay a little behind the desk, taking
care of the business. To be focused at this level of competition
you have to think only on that and today, to me, it’s not
that much my priority“, said the black belt.
Fighting
on a category above the category he use to fight, Saulo explains
the change. “Nowadays, form to motivated to train, I need
an ideological reason. I’m not here for the money, nor the
fame, I’m already pretty recognized. I’m considered
a legend on Abu Dhabi and I came here to show once again Jiu-Jitsu’s
efficiency“, said.
“I’m
sure of one thing, no one could do points on me or put me on
a situation that I wasn’t before. It was a curiosity for
my Jiu-Jitsu, I wanted to know what this though team could do
with me, and they didn’t pointed on me. I had a negative
point with (Jeff) Monson, were 20 minutes, but it was all on
0x0. Jiu-Jitsu’s efficiency was proved again. I gave 44
pounds to everybody and I was satisfied with my submission on
ADCC“, remembers.
Saying
goodbye to ADCC by the front door, Saulo still commented his
brother’s bi championship. “Alexandre is really above
the average of people of this weight. He accomplished our deal,
which was to save on category and to consume the less as possible,
because he already done enough to deserve to bet he best grappler
of the world“.
A
DEFINITIVE GOODBYE?
Saulo’s
goodbye remember one of the most marker moments of Worlds Jiu-Jitsu.
After lose for Roger Gracie on 2005 edition, Saulo stand on his
knees on the mat, fold the belt and gave it to Gracie, symbolizing
his kimono’s retirement. Two years after, the black belt
returned, came to his 11ª World’s final against Rômulo
Barral, but he lost points. On this year’s ADCC, the fate
crossed the way of Saulo and Barral again, and this time the
end was different.
“Barral
is a great athlete and, on 1997, I was pissed off with that sleeve
thing, and I even made a joke with him at the locker room and
said: ’On Abu Dhabi there’s no sleeve (laugh)’“,
said Saulo, commenting his fight without kimono. “It was
a tough fight, but I think that miss a little experience for
him about the ADCC rules. If you’re not sure of what you’ll
do, ready, a mistake like that can happen. He thought he had
two negatives, with the fight won, and here in Abu Dhabi it only
ends when it’s finish“, concluded the black belt who
won by two points.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"If
you've got a big mouth and you're controversial, you're going
to get attention."
Simon Cowell
|
Carwin
Responds To Lesnar, Calls Him a Child
Shane Carwin says his upcoming bout with Brock Lesnar is “the
first time that I am getting ready for a fight with a little
hate for my opponent”.
“He
continues to fuel the fire with his ignorant comments about my
opponents and my record. I am ready. I wish I could kick his
ass tomorrow,” he told Heavy.com “For Brock to say
that I have hand-picked my fights is just stupid.”
“I
know I wasn’t walked through the front door of the UFC with
people holding the door for me. I wasn’t fed fights that
sell pay-per-views," said Carwin, referring to Lesnar's
early UFC fights.
Referring
to his own early days, he said, "I was matched up by promoters
and took whatever they put in front of me. One of those fights
was the former enforcer for the Mongols Motorcycle Club. His
previous fight ended when Mongols in the crowd started fighting
and stabbing people.”
Asked
if he has brought in specialist training partners to replicate
Lesnar, contender Carwin replied, “Yes. We have been doing
a "bring your child to the gym" day so we can deal
with temper tantrums and irrational thoughts”.
More
seriously, he said that he has indeed been using big, heavy training
partners, one of whom is wrestling standout Ron Waterman. Carwin
has also been focusing a lot on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned
a purple belt in no-gi under Nate Marquardt but has recently
gone back to white belt and put on a gi.
“I
wanted to learn Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and learn to appreciate the
basics. I hooked up with Amal Easton’s head Black Belt,
Nick Kline, who is just over 235 pounds and an amazing BJJ instructor.
I asked that we start at white belt and take me through the process,”
he explained.
“We
tossed out my wrestling and put on a gi and went to work. Moves
that I would power out of before can't be powered out of with
guys like Nick. I am learning how to use techniques with my strength
as a secondary support level. I love BJJ and and I'm thankful
to have two amazing BJJ instructors in my life.”
The
title challenge takes place at UFC 106 on November 21st and Carwin
already has his post-fight celebration planned. “I have
an afterparty planned where there will be plenty of Bud Light
on hand,” he joked, a reference to Lesnar’s Coors Light
gaffe at UFC 100.
Source: Fighters Only
|
Roger
Gracie talks Braulio’s title at ADCC
Out of the ADCC 2009 super fight due a knee injury, Roger Gracie
went to Barcelona, in Spain, to watch the show and cheer for
his train partner Bráulio Estima, and he saw the black
belt win the gold on the -99kg category and at the absolute.
“That’s all he wanted, he was training for years...
I think his moment finally came, now everybody knows who’s
Carcará“, celebrates Roger, talking about his training
with the champion.
“We
train together for a long time, we both live in England... Bráulio’s
best quality is his persistence, he’s always training, believing
in himself, and what you saw was the results of that. Congratulations
to him“, praises the two times BJJ absolute world champion,
betting in his friend in ADCC 2011’s super fight, between
Bráulio and Ronaldo Jacaré. “He’ll get
him”.
Source: Tatame
|
Line-Up
for UFC 105 Confirmed
By FCF Staff
The UFC has confirmed the line-up for the promotion’s upcoming
November 14th card in Manchester, England, which will be hosted
by the city’s M.E.N. Arena. As previously announced, the
card will be headlined by a light-heavyweight tilt between former
champion Randy “The Natural” Couture and Brandon Vera,
while a middleweight clash between Michael Bisping and Denis
Kang will also be featured.
In
addition to Bisping, the main card will feature several other
notable British competitors, as Dan Hardy, James Wilks and Ross
Pearson are all scheduled to compete.
Hardy
was originally scheduled to face Dong Hyun Kim, but when the
South Korean welterweight was recently injured, AKA fighter Mike
Swick (14-2) stepped in as his replacement. Hardy (22-6) is coming
off a Split Decision victory over Marcus Davis at UFC 99 in June,
while Swick stopped Ben Saunders in the second round that same
night. The bout reportedly could determine the division’s
number one contender position.
In
regards to the TUF 9 winners, James Wilks will take on American
welterweight Matt Brown, while that season’s lightweight
champ, Ross Pearson, will take on Aaron Riley.
Viewers
in North America will be able to catch UFC 105 on Spike.
UFC
105 Line-Up
Randy
Couture vs. Brandon Vera
Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang
Dan Hardy vs. Mike Swick
Matt Brown vs. James Wilks
Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley
Terry Etim vs. Shannon Gugerty
John Hathaway vs. Paul Taylor
Nick Osipczak vs. Matthew Riddle
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jared Hamman
Roli Delgado vs. Andre Winner
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
Independent
World MMA Rankings
September 25, 2009
By Zach Arnold
From
the office of the Independent World MMA Rankings
September
25, 2009: The August 2009 Independent World MMA Rankings have
been released. These rankings are independent of any single MMA
media outlet or sanctioning body, and are published on multiple
web sites.
Some
of the best and most knowledgeable MMA writers from across the
MMA media landscape have come together to form one independent
voting panel.
Some
of the best and most knowledgeable MMA writers from across the
MMA media landscape have come together to form one independent
voting panel. These voting panel members are, in alphabetical
order: Zach Arnold (Fight Opinion); Nicholas Bailey (MMA Ratings);
Jared Barnes (Freelance), Jordan Breen (Sherdog); Jim Genia (Full
Contact Fighter, MMA Memories, and MMA Journalist Blog); Jesse
Holland (MMA Mania); Robert Joyner (Freelance); Todd Martin (CBS
Sportsline); Zac Robinson (Sports by the Numbers MMA); Leland
Roling (Bloody Elbow); Michael David Smith (AOL Fanhouse); Jonathan
Snowden (Heavy.com); Joshua Stein (MMA Opinion), Ivan Trembow
(Freelance); and Dave Walsh (Total MMA).
Josh
Thomson is not currently eligible to be ranked due to the fact
that he has been inactive for over 12 months.
September
2009 Independent World MMA Rankings
Ballots collected on September 22, 2009
Heavyweight
Rankings (206 to 265 lbs.)
1.
Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 No Contest)
2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)
3. Frank Mir (12-4)
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 No Contest)
5. Randy Couture (16-10)
6. Brett Rogers (10-0)
7. Shane Carwin (11-0)
8. Alistair Overeem (29-11, 1 No Contest)
9. Junior dos Santos (9-1)
10. Andrei Arlovski (15-7)
Light
Heavyweight Rankings (186 to 205 lbs.)
1.
Lyoto Machida (15-0)
2. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
4. Anderson Silva (25-4)
5. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (18-3)
6. Forrest Griffin (16-6)
7. Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1)
8. Dan Henderson (25-7)
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)
10. Thiago Silva (14-1)
Middleweight
Rankings (171 to 185 lbs.)
1.
Anderson Silva (25-4)
2. Nathan Marquardt (29-8-2)
3. Dan Henderson (25-7)
4. Yushin Okami (23-4)
5. Jorge Santiago (21-7)
6. Vitor Belfort (19-8)
7. Demian Maia (10-1)
8. Robbie Lawler (16-5, 1 No Contest)
9. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 2 No Contests)
Welterweight
Rankings (156 to 170 lbs.)
1.
Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
2. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 No Contest)
3. Thiago Alves (16-4)
4. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
5. Matt Hughes (43-7)
6. Josh Koscheck (13-4)
7. Mike Swick (14-2)
8. Paulo Thiago (11-1)
9. Carlos Condit (23-5)
10. Paul Daley (22-8-2)
Lightweight
Rankings (146 to 155 lbs.)
1.
B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
2. Shinya Aoki (21-4, 1 No Contest)
3. Eddie Alvarez (17-2)
4. Kenny Florian (11-4)
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2)
6. Gray Maynard (8-0, 1 No Contest)
7. Diego Sanchez (21-2)
8. Frankie Edgar (10-1)
9. Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1)
10. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)
Featherweight
Rankings (136 to 145 lbs.)
1.
Mike Brown (22-4)
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
3. Wagnney Fabiano (12-1)
4. Jose Aldo (15-1)
5. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
6. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
7. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
8. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
9. Josh Grispi (13-1)
10. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (17-2)
Bantamweight
Rankings (126 to 135 lbs.)
1.
Brian Bowles (8-0)
2. Miguel Torres (37-2)
3. Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2)
4. Masakatsu Ueda (9-0-2)
5. Dominick Cruz (14-1)
6. Akitoshi Tamura (14-7-2)
7. Joseph Benavidez (10-1)
8. Rani Yahya (14-4)
9. Will Ribeiro (10-2)
10. Damacio Page (11-4)
The
Independent World MMA Rankings are tabulated on a monthly basis
in each of the top seven weight classes of MMA, from heavyweight
to bantamweight, with fighters receiving ten points for a first-place
vote, nine points for a second-place vote, and so on.
The
rankings are based purely on the votes of the members of the
voting panel, with nobody’s vote counting more than anybody
else’s vote, and no computerized voting.
The
voters are instructed to vote primarily based on fighters’
actual accomplishments in the cage/ring (the quality of opposition
that they’ve actually beaten), not based on a broad, subjective
perception of which fighters would theoretically win fantasy
match-ups.
Inactivity:
Fighters who have not fought in the past 12 months are not eligible
to be ranked, and will regain their eligibility the next time
they fight.
Disciplinary
Suspensions: Fighters who are currently serving disciplinary
suspensions, or who have been denied a license for drug test
or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to be ranked.
Changing
Weight Classes: When a fighter announces that he is leaving one
weight class in order to fight in another weight class, the fighter
is not eligible to be ranked in the new weight class until he
has his first fight in the new weight class.
Catch
Weight Fights: When fights are contested at weights that are
in between the limits of the various weight classes, they are
considered to be in the higher weight class. The weight limits
for each weight class are listed at the top of the rankings for
each weight class.
Special
thanks to Eric Kamander, Zach Arnold, and Joshua Stein for their
invaluable help with this project, and special thanks to Garrett
Bailey for designing our logo.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Herschel
Walker: White Doesn't Know Athletic Talent
by Michael David Smith
The entry into the mixed martial arts world of former Heisman
Trophy winner and NFL star Herschel Walker drew a harsh rebuke
from the most powerful man in the sport, UFC President Dana White,
who called the 47-year-old's foray into MMA, "ridiculous."
But on Tuesday Walker fired back and said White doesn't understand
the kind of athletic talent he has.
"Who
ever made him the guy to measure athletic talent?" Walker
said on ESPN First Take. "I don't think Dana knows anything
about athletic talent. He knows about fighters, which is different,
but I will say this: He's running a show right now with heavyweights
and I'll put dimes to donuts, all the heavyweights on his show
right now I will beat. That's pretty easy to say. I always tell
people put their money where their mouth is. Dana says I'm so
old? Why doesn't he step into the ring with me?"
Walker
claims that he works out six hours a day and he's in even better
shape now than he was during his playing days, and he said he
could be fighting for Strikeforce before the end of the year.
"I'm
shooting for the middle of December," Walker said. "I
want sooner than later. It's not like I'm going to be a fighter
for years."
Although
Walker wasn't pleased with what White said about him, he came
across in the First Take interview like a man who genuinely loves
MMA and is just looking for an opportunity to test himself. And
he even thanked White and UFC co-owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta
for making MMA a viable sport.
"We
got to give Dana his props," Walker said. "Dana and
the Fertittas have done a great, great job with the UFC."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Garcia
and Cobrinha comments ADCC 2009
Two of the favorites in ADCC 2009, Marcelo Garcia and Rubens
Charles left the competition with the second place After the
fights, they spoke with TATAME.com about the performance and
the expectation to be back in 2011.
“My results are not the best, of course, but I dedicated
myself a lot to be here, I trained very hard, and that’s
what matters... I know I gave my best“, Garcia said, talking
about the polemical fight against Pablo Popovitch. “I don’t
know about the rules, I know about training and trying to submit,
the only think I know is that you can’t grab the shorts,
and I complained that I didn’t want he grabbing my short“.
In the 66kg category, Cobrinha lost to Rafael Mendes, repeating
the BJJ Worlds 2009 final, won by Rubens. “I think I didn’t
make any mistakes, I trained a lot... I couldn’t get any
good position. It was a good fight, with 45 minutes... Just in
the end, when he got my back, was the definition of the fight,
but I trained a lot. He deserved, and let’s move on”,
said the four times BJJ world champion.
Promising
a great return, both eyes the 2011 competition. “It depends
on being invited and pass thru the selective. But I won’t
wait invitations, I’ll be on selective, if I win I’ll
be on ADCC 2011“, says Marcelinhho. And Cobrinha also wants
to be back. “I’ll be here, I want to fight on 2011,
being invited, selective fight, I want to be here fighting again”,
said Cobrinha, who fought the ADCC for the first time.
Source: Tatame
|
A
Difficult Choice: Butterbean or an American Gladiator?
The
news of Mighty Mo’s opponent being chosen by vote was pretty
cool, but the promoters of K-1 ColliZion have really outdone
themselves now. On October 24, Romanian fighter Alexandru “Sandu”
Lungu will step into the ring. Lungu, a colossal near 400 pound
judoka, is perhaps best known for being KO’d by James Thompson
in the dying days of Pride at Pride 30. Like Mo, his opponent
will be decided by fan vote, this time between Butterbean and
Jesse Smith, better known as Justice in the recent American Gladiators
run. Vote now here.
All
I can say is, they really don’t make freak show fights like
this often these days. For you fans who have a soft spot in your
heart for Bob Sapp v. Akebono (and, I admit, I am one of you),
enjoy.
Source: K-1 Legend
|
David
Loiseau, Former UFC Middleweight Contender, to Try Out for 'TUF
11'
By Ariel Helwani
When FanHouse spoke to David Loiseau recently about his MMA future,
"The Crow" was still focused on continuing his career
with the UFC despite getting cut by the organization in April.
And according to Loiseau's agent, Ken Pavia, Loiseau thinks that
trying out for the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter provides
his best chance at getting back into the UFC.
"He's
committed to doing whatever it takes to get back into a major
show, and that includes submitting an application for the next
TUF season," Pavia told FanHouse on Tuesday.
Five
Ounces of Pain recently reported that the UFC will be holding
open tryouts for TUF 11 on Oct. 26 in Los Angeles -- two days
after UFC 104. The organization has yet to officially announce
the tryouts and which weight classes will be featured on the
show, but all signs point to it being welterweights and middleweights.
No coaches have been announced for the show just yet.
Pavia
said that Loiseau plans on submitting his application on Tuesday
evening.
"Of
course UFC, man. Of course," Loiseau responded when asked
where he would like to fight next. "I'd love to go back,
you know, just to get another chance to do what I do."
The
29-year-old Loiseau (18-9) began his Octagon career at UFC 42
in April 2003, defeating Mark Weir via first-round knockout.
He lost a middleweight title fight to Rich Franklin at UFC 58
in March 2006 and was released after losing to Mike Swick at
UFC 63. After compiling a 4-2 record outside the UFC, Loiseau
returned to the Octagon at UFC 97, but lost a one-sided unanimous
decision to Ed Herman in front of his hometown Montreal, QC,
crowd. He currently has a 4-4 UFC record, and holds notable victories
over Evan Tanner, Charles McCarthy and Gideon Ray.
The
fourth season of the Spike TV reality show featured a cast of
ex-UFC fighters and current TUF competitor Wes Sims has fought
in the Octagon before, but should Loiseau make the cast, he would
arguably be the most famous former competitor to land a spot
on the show.
Source: Ffan House
|
DREAM
12 to feature a hexagon cage
By Zach Arnold
It
will debut on 10/25 at Osaka Castle Hall. The idea is that DREAM
will do the cage format once a year as a special attraction.
They claim that the decision on using a hexagon was made based
on advice from Strikeforce and based on the kind of structure
that would be the most fan-friendly in terms of viewing fights
in.
Eddie
Alvarez vs. Katsunori Kikuno has been booked for the Osaka event.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Dream
Announces Alvarez vs. Kikuno
By FCF Staff
Dream has confirmed that Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez
(18-2) will take on Deep champion Katsunori Kikuno (12-1-1),
at the promotion’s upcoming October 25th event in Osaka,
Japan. In addition, another lightweight tilt between Cage Force’s
belt holder Kuniyoshi Hironaka (15-6) and South Korea’s
Won Sik Park has been announced (7-1-1).
Alvarez
is coming off 3 straight wins while fighting under the Bellator
FC banner in 2009, most recently the accomplished lightweight
submitted Toby Imada at the promotion’s 10th event in June,
winning the 155lb. belt. Alvarez has not competed in Japan since
December, when he was submitted in the first round by the highly
regarded Shinya Aoki at K-1’s Dynamite! event.
Kikuno
is coming off a successful Dream debut in July, as the Japanese
veteran stopped Andre Amade in the first round with strikes.
Kikuno’s only career loss came in 2006, when he dropped
a Unanimous Decision to Yukinari Tamura at Deep 23.
Dream
has also announced that the bouts for the October 25th event
will take place in a six-sided-cage.
Up
next for the promotion is Dream 11 on October 6th, which will
feature the semifinals and finals for the organization’s
Featherweight Grand-Prix.
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
Akiyama
to Train at Xtreme Couture;
Tompkins Wants to Help with Defense
by Loretta Hunt
Yoshihiro Akiyama will travel stateside in October to train with
Shawn Tompkins and the Xtreme Couture MMA camp in Las Vegas,
Sherdog.com has learned.
Tompkins
said the Japanese-Korean middleweight is expected to stay the
entire month with the team and will focus on “refining his
striking” with the coach and Vitor Belfort, who is slated
to face UFC 185-pound champion Anderson Silva in January.
Tompkins
said he first worked with the 2006 K-1 Hero’s tournament
champion behind the scenes at UFC 97 last April in Montreal.
Tompkins said he did not know who or when the former world-class
judoka would be fighting in his next Octagon appearance.
“He
is a great person and fighter and has a very slick aggressive
style,” said Tompkins. “I would like to help him with
his defense.”
Akiyama
took a split decision over Alan Belcher at UFC 100 last July
in Las Vegas. The three-round slugfest earned the duo “Fight
of the Night” honors and a hefty $100,000 bonus each from
the promotion. Prior to his UFC signing, Akiyama was a star in
the Japan-based Dream and K-1 Hero’s promotions.
Source: Sherdog
|
Tom
Atencio on Fedor, Fighting, the Evolution of Affliction, and
U.S. Service Members
Thanks to efforts of Affliction’s Vice President Tom Atencio,
on Monday September 28th in the corner of a gym on Ramstein Air
Base, I was able to witness a real rarity in professional sports.
Sure athletes stop in to visit U.S. service members stationed
in Germany at a pretty regular pace, but Brian Stann and Jason
Lambert not only visited the troops, they spent time rolling
with the local Jiu Jitsu club.
The
going sentiment is that professional fighters are more down to
earth and accessible than other professional athletes. Stann
and Lambert demonstrated that the sentiment is spot on as they
spent almost two hours of their time on the mat and then thanked
everybody for the opportunity afterward.
Would
athletes in other sports go out of their way to train with the
troops? Maybe, but in the Mixed Martial Arts world it is just
par for the course and another reason why the ever-growing sport
is so great.
While
21 lucky Jiu Jitsu practitioners tried to throw triangles and
Kimura’s on Stann and Lambert, I spent a few minutes visiting
with Tom Atencio, the man who made it happen:
ZR:
How’d this trip to visit the troops here at Ramstein, Germany
come about? I seem to remember yesterday you said it came together
just a few weeks ago?
TA:
No, you know we’ve been planning on it for a little while.
Since AAFES [Army & Air Force Exchange Service] purchases
from us I’ve wanted to do something for the military for
a long time. I’ve been able to do Camp Pendleton, Twentynine
Palms, and when we were at Twentynine Palms we went to Camp Wilson,
which were going to actually deploy. We’ve been able to
do a total of four events. This is my fifth and then we’ll
do Okinawa which will be my sixth event.
ZR:
That kind of leads into my next question regarding you guys in
the Base Exchange/Post Exchange. I’ve seen some Affliction
apparel, are we going to see more and more? Is that the plan?
TA:
It is ultimately the plan. You have to start somewhere. For us
to even be in here is an honor and we start out slow, actually
it’s not even slow, we’re in all the bases right now.
I’m sure as you see it is going to grow more and more and
more, but there’s really a pretty good variety. I was actually
a little surprised to be honest with you.
ZR:
What does it mean to you to come on a visit like this and get
to hang out with the Airmen and Soldiers?
TA:
It’s amazing. First and foremost, you know since I fought
and some guys know where I am, but to see them look up to these
fighters is amazing because really these guys are the heroes.
These guys are the ones who are putting it on the line. A referee
can make a mistake and you can lose your fight but you walk away.
You make a mistake out there on the line and you’re not
walking away. So to me that’s the biggest difference and
I know Brian Stann being a veteran it’s an honor for him
as well. But for me it’s great because I love my country
and I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for where
I live and these guys are fighting for that and to me it’s
just a huge honor.
ZR:
You mentioned how you fight. I just watched your last fight not
long ago and it was impressive because you got hit pretty good
in the first round and shook it off.
TA:
Yeah he knocked me out in the first round so I got lucky and
just came back and it’s just like you teach your kid that’s
what my dad taught me, just never quit. And that’s what
it was. There was never even a thought in my head to quit, so
it was good, I got lucky.
ZR:
Nah you fought with a lot of heart, it was impressive it really
was. And speaking of that, do you think we’ll see you in
the cage again?
TA:
You know I still train. I actually haven’t trained since
my fight, but the goal is to continue to train. I built a gym
at the office and when I get back, I’ve been traveling a
lot, but when I get back I’ll start training again. There’s
always the possibility, but I’m 42, I’m getting a little
long in the tooth, but I don’t know. I don’t want to
say no because I’m not sure. I love the industry and I love
the sport and I might just do it again.
ZR:
I’ve seen a picture of you with Fedor Emelianenko, many
pictures with Fedor, but I’ve seen one where you are kind
of choking him a little bit. He seems like such a stoic guy,
he seems very serious. Is he really that way?
TA:
No, he’s actually a sweetheart. He’s a great guy. He
speaks a lot more English than people think. He speaks a lot
more English than he plays off, but I think he’s real shy
and he’s very reserved. Once you get to know him, amazing
guy. One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He’s just
a big kid. I was with him in Russia, Korea, and Japan, and we’d
be taking pictures in Korea with dignitaries, top level officials.
And he’d be smacking me in the back of the head or poking
me in the back. Seriously, he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve
ever met, one hundred percent.
ZR:
Affliction is on the cutting edge of the apparel industry, you
guys are often setting the trend, do you have anything exciting
or new coming up?
TA:
We’re introducing Affliction women’s. It’s going
to be a little higher level tiered than Affliction and we’re
also doing Affliction Black Label Premium. It’s more in
the fashion it’s going to be more woven’s, more jackets,
more dress shirts, you know stuff like that. That’s pretty
much the next step for Affliction, the evolution of Affliction.
But you know I’m into hardcore graphics that’s what
built this, that’s what started us out, the tattoo and music
industry. And definitely trying to do things like this too to
promote the brand but also to give back. I wouldn’t be where
I am and these guys wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t
for the people that follow us and that like our brand and support
us. So it is definitely a part of giving back.
ZR:
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
TA:
As always, thank you to the Troops. Thank you for what these
guys do. The families of the Soldiers that have fallen. This
is the ultimate sacrifice and I hope they know that this does
not go unappreciated. There not doing it for nothing, people
like me, people like these guys here we appreciate it.
ZR:
And I think that’s apparent by your actions. I know everybody
appreciates you coming.
TA:
Whatever I can do, whatever we can do, I definitely want to help
and support as much as I can.
Source: Sports By The Numbers MMA
|
Sengoku:
Santiago waits for an opponent
Without fighting MMA since January, when he won his ninth victory
in a roll, the Brazilian Jorge Santiago flew to Barcelona, Spain,
to fight the ADCC, but he was eliminated on the first fight.
“The invitation to ADCC came on the last week, but was part
of my train, was really good to get the rhythm, some adrenaline,
because I don’t fight since January“, said, talking
with TATAME.com.
Back
to the gym, focused on his next fight on the Japanese event,
Jorge is excited. “I’ll go quickly to USA, because
on November 7 I’ll defend my belt on Sengoku“, said
Jorge. But he doesn’t know who’s gonna be his opponent
yet. “I still don’t have a defined opponent. The first
name that showed up was (Kazuo) Misaki, it would be a rematch,
but they’re looking for another Japanese to fight with me.
I’m waiting, training for anyone that shows up“, guarantees
the champion.
Source: Tatame
|
Henderson
"Just wants what he deserves."
By John Joe O’Regan
Dan Henderson’s team expect that he will reach an accommodation
with the UFC at some point - they just don’t know when.
A
Team Quest source told Fighters Only today that contract negotiations
between Henderson and the organisation “are ongoing”.
Recent reports that the two sides differ widely on certain issues
are not necessarily inaccurate, the source says, but the parties
are “sure it will all get worked out eventually”.
“Negotiations
with the UFC are ongoing. There’s things that they want
and there’s things that Dan wants,” the source said.
“Its just a case of working things out and both sides coming
to an agreement. I am sure it will all get worked out eventually.
There
is little realistic prospect of Henderson, a former PRIDE FC
double champion, heading somewhere like DREAM or Strikeforce,
but that does not mean he is not driving a hard bargain.
“Dan
just wants what he thinks he deserves and what he thinks is fair.
He doesn’t want anything out of the ordinary compared to
what other fighters are getting,” the source says. “He
is in no hurry, he is healthy and this is possibly going to be
his last contract with the UFC given the stage of his career,
so he wants to make sure everything is right.”
Rumour
has it that a major sticking point concerns his next fight. Henderson
is said to want an immediate title shot against middleweight
boss Anderson Silva, while the UFC is understood to be keen on
making a title eliminator match between him and Nate Marquardt
first.
According
to the Team Quest source, Henderson is not dead against fighting
Marquardt, if that is the only fight that the UFC is looking
for from him in the immediate future.
“He
is ready to fight whenever he is needed, be that before the end
of the year or early next year, whenever. He’s open to fighting
anyone, depending. Negotiating is a give and take process, so
the contract has to be right.”
Henderson
is coming off a stunning KO win over UK MMA star Michael Bisping
at UFC 100. The fight is a strong contender for Knockout of the
Year in the World Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2009. Votes in the
awards are being taken now and there will be an awards ceremony
in Las Vegas at the end of the year, which will be broadcast
on the Versus network.
Source: Fighters Only
|
Pete
Spratt: 'I Want to Be the Next Randy Couture'
by Ray Hui
Former UFC welterweight Pete Spratt says this is the "second
half" of his career and he's not letting an undefeated local
prospect nor a public feud with a promoter stand in his way.
This
Friday, Spratt (19-15) will meet Nathan Gunn (7-0) in a fight
promoted by the Maximum Fighting Championship in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada, an organization he previously swore off due to a "horrendous"
experience at MFC 15 in February 2008.
In
the interview below with FanHouse, Spratt talks about the restart
of his fight career at 38 and explains why he chose to stick
around with the MFC despite his strong differences with promoter
Mark Pavelich.
Ray
Hui: How has training been coming along?
Pete
Spratt: Quite well actually. I'm excited, I got a good core group
of guys that I train with, so it's been going well.
Who
are the guys you're training with now?
Same
people [I've been training with]. My jiu-jitsu with Rodrigo Pinheiro,
my boxing with (former WBC champion) James Leija and my main
sparring partner Aaron Rosa from Strikeforce.
How's
rehab going with the knee?
It's
going well. I'm doing quite well to be seven weeks out from surgery.
Things are going good. I'm able to roll, I'm able to wrestle,
I'm able to box so everything's good. It's not quite 100%, it's
probably 85% or so but 85% is probably good enough for a lot
of the guys I face, so we'll actually see what happens on fight
night.
You're
known for your striking and it's been 18 months since your last
knockout, do you get an itch for a knockout win when you've gone
an extended period without?
I'm
willing to take whatever comes. If a knockout comes fine, if
a submission comes fine, but I very seldom go to the [score]cards,
so if a decision is inevitable, then it is, but I'm always looking
for the knockout. It's not something that I'm just shooting for
because the knockout always comes – you can never push for
it. It just comes.
Have
you gotten a chance to scout Nathan Gunn?
No,
haven't gotten a chance to scout him. Don't know anything about
him. It's really not that big of a deal. I've fought some of
the best in the world so he's not going to bring anything different
that I've never seen before.
I
do know that he has a full-time job and he fits his training
during lunch and evenings. You have the luxury of teaching MMA
in addition to training. Do you think it's tougher for an up-and-comer
these days like Nathan to juggle a job and fight since MMA has
gotten increasingly competitive?
I
think it's tough to an extent but he's been very successful thus
far with his training situation being the way it is. I can't
say it's any tougher or less tougher for him being in this situation
because he's been successful. Maybe the guys he was fighting
was in the same situation that he was in, doing a full-time job
and that type of thing. We'll see what happens when he faces
a guy that pretty much trains all day long.
You're
by far the most successful and experienced guy Nathan has ever
fought. The last time you fought at the MFC, similar situation,
they matched you up against an undefeated local favorite. Do
you think a win over Nathan will be a redemption of sorts?
I'm
not in a position to be thinking about redemption or anything
like that. He's just another opponent that's standing in front
of me. It just so happens that he's one of their guys and we've
been in this situation before. It is what it is, but at the end
of the day I'm going there to fight and it really doesn't matter
who it is that's across the ring. Whether he's an up-and-comer
or an experienced veteran, I'm just looking to go in there and
have a better performance than what I had the last time I was
there.
After
your MFC fight against Ryan Ford, you publicly questioned promoter
Mark Pavelich's professionalism, calling him "classless,"
that he has "no character" and saying that you would
never associate yourself with him or his promotion. What brought
you back to the MFC and have you two made up?
I
haven't talked to him directly. That's something that was handled
between my manager and him. I'm sure I'll end up speaking to
Mark when I get out there. But as far as coming back, the MFC
is one of those shows that gets a pretty good amount of media
attention other than the UFC and Strikeforce. So in regards to
being able to maximize my earning potential it was only inevitable
that if I wasn't fighting in another promotions to go back there
and get a decent opportunity. I've got a decent three-fight deal
and with all the TV exposure I'll be able to make added income
off sponsorships because nowadays the sponsors are not paying
unless you're on TV. Business-wise it was a good opportunity
for me.
We've
seen guys like Phil Baroni and Frank Trigg, fighters around your
time in the UFC, recently sign deals to return to the Octagon.
Do you keep in touch with Joe Silva?
I
keep in touch with Joe sparingly. The UFC is selective with who
they sign, who they bring back and who they want back, and if
the opportunity presents itself I'm sure I'll look at it very
closely to make sure it's the right decision. But if not, I'm
content with where I am with my three-fight deal with MFC and
still being able to fight at any other promotion that's being
promoted in the United States.
What
are your goals at this stage of your fight career?
At
this stage, I look at it as the second half of my career. So
for me, technically, my career began again back in June. So I'm
looking at it that I'm 1-0 and I'm starting my new career and
I'm looking to go 2-0 and see how far I can take it. I've made
the statement a couple of times that I want to be the next Randy
Couture, and me being 38-years-old, soon to be 39, I feel like
I'm in great shape and I finally had surgery to repair my knee
[and I got] a couple of little injuries that I need to get taken
care of. But once I get back to 100%, I think I can make a decent
run at a title, whether it's with the MFC or any of the other
promotions.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Good
parenting creates an adult, not a perfect child."
Russ Nelson
|
Destiny
Unfinished Business Tonight!
Saturday,
October 3
Waipahu Filcom
Doors Open at 5:30 pm, Fights start at 6 pm
DESTINY:
Unfinished Business will make it's return to Oahu on Saturday,
Oct. 3rd @ the Waipahu Filcom Center. The much anticipated and
long awaited match between DESTINY undefeated 155lb amateur champion
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola and local mma fan favorite
and rising star Ben "Da King" Santiago will finally
go down...
Be
there to finally see, who is the BEST UPCOMING 155lb fighter
in Hawaii....Don't blink because both of these fighters are excellent
strikers...has KO written all over this matchup!
Also,
that night...Lady MMA action will return to DESTINY...as TJ Rodrigues
returns after a successful debut...her opponent will be Jessica
Jackson of Washington...last FILCOM event the Ladies were the
fight of the night, and we all expect nothing less this time
around!
Other
exciting matchups you should look out for that night is undefeated
808 Fight Factory up n comer Travis Beyer vs the always game
Elijah Manners, Koa Giddens vs Mark Happer, the beast Kapena
Abiley returns vs Ikaika Cabebe, Waianae BC's Thomas Matias vs
Kelii Palencia, always exciting Richard Agustin vs Eddie Ohia,
Sebastian Mariconda vs Matt Waipa...and the little firecracker
Alika Kumukoa returns...
Presale
General just $25, @ door $35
Reserved Seating presale $35, @ door $45 (don't risk standing
up and having to come real early for seats)....
Tickets
available now @ Westside Fight Gear and all TCA Wireless Locations
island wide or by calling (808) 277-2335.
For more info and pre-fight videos please visit westsidefightgear.com
-155lbs
Amateur Title Match
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola vs Ben "Da King"
Santiago (Gods Army)
-175lbs
Koa Giddens (Combat 50) vs Mark Happer (Pain Train Fight Club)
-145lbs
Travis Beyer (808 FF) vs Elijah Manners (UCS)
-135lbs
Kelii Palencia (HMC,Oahu) vs Thomas Matias (Waianae)
-155lbs
Ikaika Cabebe (freelance) vs Kapena Abiley (Hawaiian MMA,Big
Island)
-150lbs
(FEMALE BOUT)
TJ Rodrigues (Bazuko MMA) vs Jennifer Jackson (Team Submit)
-160lbs
Richard Agustin (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Ohia (No Remorse)
-125lbs
Alika Kumukoa (Big Dogs,Oahu) vs Skyler Close (Boars Nest)
-150lbs
Randy Rivera (HMC) vs Bobby Khalek (Team Equal Knockz)
-Heavyweights
(206lbs-260lbs)
James Tivao (94 Block) vs Scooter Buntau (Pain Train Fight Club)
-155lbs
Sebastian Maricanda (HMC) vs Matt Waipa (Freelance)
-170lbs
Keoni Tapaoan (Evolution Fight Club) vs Kapono Kuikahi (Hawaiian
MMA, Big Island)
-185lbs
Charles Hazelwood (Combat 50) vs Nathan Kolii (High Intensity)
-160lbs
Ryan Clay (HMC) vs Keola Mamala
(Evolution Fight Club)
-170lbs
Jason Morinaga (freelance) vs CJ Cottrell (Evolution Fight Club)
-145lbs
Omar Mirza (HMC) vs Shawn Burroughs (freelance)
-155lbs
Arnold Berdon (Hakuilua) vs Lucky Rosario (Bulls Pen)
-170lbs
Bernard Baradi (808 FF) vs Bobby Blauvelte (Team Submit)
-135lbs
Stephen Albanese (Pain Train Fight Club, Oahu) vs Isamu Lopez
(Big Island)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Henry Berger (Team Outlaw) vs Charles Herman (808 Alliance)
-170lbs
Jatavious Barree vs Kevin Manners (freelance)
-165lbs
Wade Naki (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Manu (High Intensity)
-135lbs
Adam Rivera (Hakuilua) vs Zach Close (Boars Nest)
-160lbs
Louis Smith (Big Dogs) vs Braden Kalahiki (Team Stand Your Ground)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Jarett Lindsey (freelance) vs Terrance Taanoa (High Intensity)
-180lbs
Dwain Uyeda (Team Outlaw) vs Philip Akui (Team Souljahz)
-130lbs
Wai Putapituckul (Team Outlaw) vs Jamin Tayaba (Inner Circle
Grappling)
-125lbs
Joey Balai (Team Makaha) vs Jessie Samejon (Team Equal Knockz)
Japheth
"Jay" Bolos
CEO
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568
|
Rashad
Evans: From Contestant to Coach On 'TUF'
by Michael David Smith
Rashad Evans was first introduced to UFC fans four years ago,
when he was one of the 16 aspiring mixed martial artists competing
on the second season of the UFC's reality show The Ultimate Fighter.
That went well for him -- he won the season and the UFC contract
that went with it -- but Evans says his experience as a coach
on the current season was more rewarding.
"I
got more out of coaching because I had the previous experience
fighting," Evans said in an interview with FanHouse. "I
knew what I wished I had -- I knew what it was to be the guy
who's just trying to make it and hoping to get instruction from
a professional fighter, and I tried to give these guys the coaching
I wanted when I was in their shoes."
Evans
praised his own coach from Season 2, Rich Franklin, as having
been instrumental in his development as a fighter. But he noted
that the opposing coach that season, Matt Hughes, was less than
helpful. According to Evans, Hughes drove his fighters to exhaustion
in workouts, leaving them spent, sore and beaten down by the
time they stepped into the Octagon.
"Hughes
trained his guys too hard and wore them out," Evans said.
"Rich Franklin was an excellent coach because he knew that
when you're coaching guys, you should ask them how they're feeling.
Especially heavyweights -- they can't jump around like welterweights
can or else their joints are going to break down. I was very
conscious that heavyweights are fragile in training."
One
of the most memorable moments from Evans' stint on The Ultimate
Fighter came when he defeated Tom Murphy in a fight that brought
a sharp rebuke from Hughes, who ripped Evans for showboating
in the Octagon. Evans says he bears no hard feelings toward Hughes
for that, even as he also says he used Hughes as a model for
how not to coach.
"Matt
and I are cool now," Evans said. "I just don't agree
with the way he did things."
Comparing
his own season on the show to the current season, Evans noted
that the UFC's approach to recruiting fighters this season was
quite a bit different than it was in Season 2 -- and not just
because Season 10 includes Kimbo Slice, the first Ultimate Fighter
contestant who was a big name before appearing on the show.
"The
guys this season are better athletes -- they're bigger, stronger,
more explosive in the gym," Evans said. "But I think
my season, we were technically superior fighters."
But
that's not a knock on Season 10, which Evans says is more focused
on MMA than his own season was.
"As
the show has progressed, it has become more about actually fighting,"
Evans said. "Before they got distracted by thinking they
had to follow what reality shows usually do. Now the focus is
more on what our sport is all about."
Evans
said he particularly enjoyed coaching his friend James McSweeney,
who is one of this season's contestants and served as one of
Evans' sparring partners before his fights with Forrest Griffin
and Lyoto Machida. McSweeney beat Wes Shivers on last week's
episode of The Ultimate Fighter, but Evans wasn't effusive with
praise for his friend. He said that as McSweeney's MMA career
progresses, he wants to see him fight with more consistency and
a greater sense of urgency -- and he added that McSweeney needs
to bulk up so he won't be out-muscled by bigger heavyweights.
Overall,
Evans said he's thrilled to be back on The Ultimate Fighter --
and grateful that his previous experience with the show put him
in position to make a living in the UFC.
"If
you do something you love," Evans said. "you never
work a day in your life."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Finding
an opponent for Georges St. Pierre…
By Zach Arnold
…
apparently is a lot tougher than it sounds. The winner of Mike
Swick vs. Dan Hardy is expected to face St. Pierre in 2010. The
Swick/Hardy fight happens on 11/14 in Manchester. The UK fans
seem excited.
Swick
is ranked #7 in the latest Independent World MMA rankings and
Hardy is in the top 20.
In
other UFC matchmaking news, expect Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva
for the 1/2 Las Vegas show. Dave Meltzer reported on Sunday night
that Evans turned out a fight against Randy Couture and mocked
Evans for saying that he wanted to fight Silva because “he’s
higher ranked.” There is a natural angle to the fight, given
that Silva beat Keith Jardine (Rashad’s teammate). A loss
by Evans to Silva would hurt the momentum for a fight against
Quinton Jackson, but Evans needs to fight and recover from the
May loss to Machida.
“I’m
going into a camp where I probably actually get to train for
maybe about six or seven weeks, and then I’m fighting in
Manchester, England. And then I’m fighting Randy Couture
and I don’t have anything really to gain out of the situation,”
Evans continued.
The
answer, of course, is a) money and b) a win.
There
are rumors of the 1/2 card having a ‘triple main event’
featuring Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson vs.
Nathan Marquardt, and Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva. That will
not set the world on fire.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Mousasi’s
Blog Says Fighter Competing on Nov. 7th Strikeforce
By FCF Staff
Gegard Mousasi has announced via his official M-1 Global blog
that he has begun to train for his next Strikeforce bout. Although
the promotion’s light-heavyweight champ does not specifically
state a date in November, Mousasi does discuss fighting on the
same card as training partner Fedor Emelianenko, who is scheduled
to take on Brett Rogers on November 7th. The card, which will
take place in Hoffman Estates just outside of Chicago, will be
broadcast on CBS. In regards to an opponent Mousasi's blog states:
In
November my second fight for Strikeforce will take place but
my opponent is not been determent . I heard some rumors like
Kevin Randleman, Paulo Filho and Mike Whitehead. Whitehead would
be the most logical pick because he recently won against Randleman.
I’ve also heard a rumor that Arona is fighting again and
it would be great if Strikeforce can pick him up. We can use
a new light heavyweight fighter.
For
now, I am just just concentrating on myself. On this level everybody
is a threat in a fight. It’s better to look at yourself
instead of your opponent.
Mousasi
(26-2-1) signed with Strikeforce this past summer after Affliction
ceased operations as a MMA promoter. At his Strikeforce debut
in August, Mousasi stopped Renato “Babalu” Sobral shortly
into the first round to lay claim to the promotion’s light-heavyweight
belt.
The
former Dream champion had been scheduled to fight Rameau Thierry
Sokoudjou in the upcoming October 6th, semi-finals of Dream’s
Absolute Grand-Prix, but was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder
injury.
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
WAGNNEY
FABIANO GETS NEW WEC 43 OPPONENT
World Extreme Cagefighting on Tuesday confirmed previous reports
that newcomer Mackens Semerzier would step in to replace injured
fighter Erik Koch. He will face No. 4 ranked featherweight Wagnney
Fabiano at WEC 43 on Oct. 10 in San Antonio, Texas.
Semerzier
is a training partner of former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel
Torres. WEC 43 will mark the first time that he has fought outside
of Virginia and North Carolina. In Fabiano, Semerzier faces the
toughest test of his young career.
Fabiano
has lost only one time in his 13-bout career. Currently on an
eight-fight winning streak, he is on the fast track to a shot
at the WEC featherweight championship currently held by Mike
Brown.
“Wagnney
is an awesome fighter,” Semerzier, who fights out of Virginia
Beach, Va., said. “I came up watching him fight some of
the best. I know his jiu-jitsu is at a high level, but this isn’t
a grappling match, it’s a fight. I’ll be ready to fight
and make a name for myself in the WEC on Oct. 10.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Ronaldo
Jacaré
By Eduardo Ferreira
Two times BJJ World champion, Ronaldo Jacaré Souza won
one more title to his collection, the ADCC super fight. Fighting
against Robert Drysdale, Ronaldo scored 2x0 in the 20 minutes
battle and won the title, that he’ll have to defend on 2011.
Minutes after the conquest, Jacaré talked with TATAME.com
in Barcelona, Spain.
How did you feel on the return to ADCC?
I felt really great. Even far away from competitions, I know
I have potential to make a big fight with who was the best of
the year (2007) when was absolute champion on ADCC, and I came
to show that, even standing still, you saw me fighting 20 minutes.
Unfortunately we haven’t many positions, but wasn’t
because of me.
You’ve trained with Drysdale before, at Randy Couture’s
gym. How was to face him on ADCC?
I’m a Judo man, I’ve fought with train partner before
and fight with a guy who was absolute champion is cool. I trained
for a little time with him, I admire him, he’s an excellent
person and athlete, but besides fighting, I needed it. It’s
been 11 months that there’s no money on my account (laughs).
I wanted to send a message: Dream didn’t pay me yet.
This victory motivates you to fight on Jiu-Jitsu again or on
Submission?
Unfortunately
you won’t see me on Jiu-Jitsu nor Submission. I’m Strikeforce’s
employee and I want to thank Strikeforce to let me do the ADCC
fight. I want to thank ADCC to give me this credit, I could make
the super fight.
Source: Tatame
|
Luanna
takes it all in 2009
Black belt conquers Brazilian Nationals, Worlds and ADCC
By Gabriel Menezes
Luanna
Alzuguir was the big standout among the under 60kg ladies at
the ADCC, this past weekend in Barcelona. The Alliance black
belt sealed her title win beating by 3 to 0Japan’s Sayaka
Shioda, up until then champion of the under 55kg category, crowned
in 2009.
In
an evenly matched final Alzuguir managed to take Shioda’s
back and score the three points needed to win her first ADCC
title. To Alzuguir 2009 is a marquee year.
“This
has really been a full year for me, because it was a year where
I dedicated myself and believed. Success came through a set of
daily choices I would make. It’s nothing more than a lot
of dedication and sweat,” stated the black belt of 24 years
of age to GRACIEMAG.com.
Having
become lightweight champion of Brazil, Alzuguir’s greatest
conquest in competion Jiu-Jitsu would come in the world title
she earned by dethroning Kyra Gracie. Both the public and the
athletes wanted another face-off between the two. However, with
Kyra’s last minute exit due to injury, another meeting of
the two this time in submission wrestling would not come to pass.
Kyra was going for her third ADCC win.
Alzuguir
didn’t hide her desire to face her in submission grappling.
“Unfortunately she [Kyra] couldn’t participate, but
she ended up opening a place for another great fighter, Bianca
Andrade. Surely it would have been a tough match, as she’s
the current champion. But competition is always like hat, one
drops out and another comes in,” said the Alliance black
belt.
But
there were other tough contenders in the female category. On
her route to the final, Alzuguir had to face another adversary
to be respected, French policewoman Laurence Cousin, a Flavio
Behring black belt who won the World title at black belt in 2007.
The
French fighter held out till the very end of the match. But after
scoring four points from two takedowns, the Alliance black belt
took the back and finished decisively with a rear-naked choke
just 30 seconds from the end of regulation time.
To
Alzuguir the semifinal with Cousin was determinant for her conquest
of the title. “That mach [against Cousin] I broke through
with technique, physical preparation and mainly desire to win,”
finished the under 60kg champion of ADCC 2009.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
CAN
PAT BARRY DEFEAT HIS OLD TRAINING BUDDY?
by Steven Marrocco
UFC heavyweight Pat Barry learned the hard way that there’s
no substitute for experience.
“It
was very apparent that (grappling) wasn’t second nature
to me,” the UFC heavyweight tells MMAWeekly.com. “In
a (stand-up) fight, if I got stunned, I would naturally throw
jabs on punches until I came back. I’m not a wrestler or
jiu-jitsu guy so when I get stung... doing anything on the ground
is not something that’s natural to me.”
Barry,
a 30-year-old New Orleans native, head kicked opponent Tim Hague
to the brink of unconsciousness in the opening minutes of their
fight at UFC 98 in May. But Hague had been stunned before, and
as a ground and pound artist, knew to take the path of least
resistance. Ducking under Barry’s punches, he pitched forward
and brought the action to the mat.
“Once
we got to the ground, I knew what to do, but it took like 10
minutes for it to happen, and he didn’t wait for me,”
said Barry, who succumbed to a guillotine choke after a fruitless
struggle on the mat.
A
veteran of K-1 and the World Combat League, Barry has worked
day after day to bring his ground game up to speed, but admits
there’s little to prepare him for the circumstances of a
live fight.
On
paper, his next fight at UFC 104 looks like the perfect opportunity
to showcase his stock and trade. Opponent Antoni Hardonk has
shown best on his feet, dealing out devastating punches and leg
kicks. Against fighters with a strong grappling background, he’s
withered.
It
has all the makings of a stand-up war, if Barry weren’t
absolutely convinced Hardonk is going take him down. Years of
training with a guy will do that.
Beginning
in 2006, Barry and Hardonk worked with kickboxing legend Ernesto
Hoost’s team in Amsterdam. They were regular sparring partners
and close friends.
“We
had a lot in common,” said Barry. “(Antoni) understood
my humor. We had a lot of the same views on life topics, on life
issues, and the same views on training and how we should do it.”
When
it came time to spar, though, Barry says he had the upper hand.
In a battle of leg kicks, he says he won hands down. That’s
why he’s so confident in his prediction.
“We
both know that no matter how good of a kickboxer he is, he’s
not gonna stand there with me for long,” said Barry. “His
best chance of winning this fight is taking it to the ground.
Everybody I get in the ring with, their best chance is to take
it to the ground. To stand up and kickbox with me, is not a healthy
or smart idea.
Barry
says he isn’t digging on his old buddy – it’s
just the reality of the circumstances they trained in. 

“When
we were in the gym, we were only kickboxing,” he said. “My
focus was on what I do all the time, whereas in practice, he
was training in kickboxing, and dividing two thirds of his time
between wrestling and jiu-jitsu. You shouldn’t really judge
our time together because he was always an MMA guy and I was
always a kickboxing guy.”
Barry
sounds a little less sure of what will happen when the action
hits the ground. Despite a year and a half of drills on the finer
points of the ground game, he doesn’t have the live experience
to make his reactions second nature. He’s at a deficit to
Hardonk.
“Is
my composure getting better in practice?” he said. “Absolutely.
Now, what’s going to happen once I get in the cage? I don’t
know. We’ll see.
“It’s
like practicing scenarios for war and then getting thrown into
the war.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Doug
Marshall vs. Keith Berry Set for PureCombat
SATURDAY,
October 17th, 2009 BUD LIGHT Presents PureCombat again...As we
take over the Tulare International Agri-Center for another phenomenal
event when it presents FEARLESS.......If you came out to see
Back Yard Brawl March 7th then you know what a great show that
turned out to be. The sound, the size of the venue and of course
the remarkable card that made that night very memorable...BUT
get ready for the next one because we're bringing to you a very
SPECIAL MAIN EVENT......... Doug "the Rhino" Marshall
vs Keith "KO Kid" Berry at 185 lbs.
This
will be Doug's first fight outside of the WEC where he was once
crowned their Light Heavy Weight Champion and also outside the
recently debunked PFC promotion. I'm sure Doug is very excited
to re-enter the official forum of "MMA" THE CAGE ...This
is a fight that KO KID Keith Berry asked for.........and as the
old saying goes "be careful of that".... Keith, now
representing LA Boxing, has fought for the WEC, KOTC and ShoXC
productions and has won 90% of the time by KNOCKING OUT his opponents
with that massive right hand.
We
also have Anthony "the A Train" Ruiz back again......and
we feel he should change his name to "The Giant Slayer".....Anthony
has KO'd 13 of his 22 Wins and has taken on some HUGE opponents
like Big Jimmy Ambriz in our FROM THE ASHES event and Gan McGee
in our last event HOME TURF held at the Visalia Convention Center
July 25th of this year. At this show Anthony steps into the cage
with a man who has been around for a long time. Aaron Brink,
now 21-18, has a KO’d 18 of those wins with his vicious
hands. Aaron has led a diverse life and like many of us has gone
down some dark roads but he’s back… stronger and meaner
than ever and all roads are leading him to this war… with
the A Train Ruiz.
Mike
"The Animal" Cook is back with us again looking for
a win over his opponent Paul Mince from the Underground in Bakersfield.
Mike took a devastating Liver kick in his last fight at Strikeforce
which was delivered by K1, Pride and PureCombat Veteran Scott
Lighty so this is an important fight that Mike really needs to
win. We also have a couple of local favorites who we understand
have a vendetta to settle.......So in the spirit of communication
"LETS TAKE IT TO THE CAGE" and see who is the badest..
Josh Herrick or Joe Morales.
Also
back in the mix is LeAnn Jenkins out of the Valley Fight Club
in Hanford...LeAnn came against Zoila Frausto in PureCombat's
last show in July, HOME TURF, and she saw that fight all the
way to the end with a decision. LeAnn is very tough and is very
ready to take on Angela Samaro from Salinas. Angela has a bit
more experience but LeAnn has the home town advantage and the
training that can make up that difference. This fight is guaranteed
entertainment and we should be looking for a knock out with this
fight.
And
what many are looking forward to at this event is the 2nd leg
of the 8 man 155lb tournament which began at the July 25th event,
HOME TURF at the Visalia Convention Center. The names were pulled
from a hat and the combatants for this portion of the tournament
are........Darren Crisp vs Doug Hunt and Marc De La Cruz vs Josh
McCartney....... Both of these fights will be exciting as they
match very well and the fighters in each bout are similar in
their styles and backgrounds. This tournament will continue to
a 3rd and final leg either December or early in the New Year
and will end with someone holding the PureCombat 155lb Championship
Belt and a multiple fight contract. Opening the show will be
a very interesting mix with debuter’s Travis Hughes against
“TJ” Frausto Caballero at 185 … these two guys
will come out brawling from beginning to end and its sure to
be a war. Introducing Drew Bittner; who’s coming out to
make his mark by impressing PureCombat with his best against
local 145 lb Carlos Costa from the Valley Fight Club in Hanford.
Source: The Fight Network
|
With
or Without UFC, Huerta Ready for Next Chapter
by Mike Chiappetta
Even though he had made mixed martial arts his life, he'd still
hear the haters. He'd wake up in the morning to train, eaten
healthy, sworn off alcohol, avoided relationships, traveled to
events to soak up knowledge and listened to the people who'd
already made it.
Slowly,
he evolved into Roger Huerta, the fighter. Roger Huerta the person
almost no longer existed. Everything was about fighting. Everything.
He would tell his trainer Dave Menne, "Here's my life, take
it," and then do whatever his coach told him to get better.
It
didn't matter. The people who loved him still love him, and the
ones who hated him...
Huerta could seemingly always brush aside those bringing negativity.
He'd faced enough adversity in his past that a few words weren't
going to hurt him, and they certainly wouldn't stop him from
reaching his goals. In fact, they would push him forward. They
would fuel him, just the way the swirl of emotion surrounding
his youth would sometimes boil up and energize him.
But
every man has his breaking point, and Huerta's came not in defeat,
but in victory.
In
December 2007, Huerta was trailing Clay Guida after two rounds
of action. He'd been taken down repeatedly, had been nearly knocked
out in the second round and knew he was behind on the judges'
scorecards. He somehow needed to finish a fighter who is rarely
finished. When he came out to start the third, the UFC cameras
caught a look of concentration on his face that can only be described
as "primal." And in some ways, it was.
"All
this energy I had in the third round, it was weird. It was me
but it was almost like it wasn't me," he said. "It
was 24 years of pain, and it all bundled up into that third round.
I literally went out there willing to die. I was almost willing
to take his life at that point, and when the fight was over and
done, I felt so exposed afterward. It made me really emotional.
It messed with my head."
What
happened in the months that followed essentially amounts to a
spiritual quest. People never think about the psychological toll
of a sport that demands you to physically dominate or be dominated.
But coupled with a non-existent childhood that left him abandoned
by his birth parents and a young adulthood that had him struggling
to fit in somewhere and later to excel at a sport that is unapologetically
a survival of the fittest, and Huerta was emotionally fried.
"I
started thinking about things," he said. "I started
thinking about the past, where I am headed and where is it all
going to go? I started wondering, What does this all mean? Is
this what I am supposed to do: to fight? And am I supposed to
enjoy the ride? Maybe I look too deep into it. I don't know."
Huerta
says that during that time, he kept hearing a phrase that pushed
his introspections.
"Everyone
that would describe me, or would come up to me would say, 'Roger
Huerta, the fighter. The fighter. UFC fighter. MMA fighter,"
he says. "To me, yes, being a fighter is part of my life,
but I wanted to tell people, 'I'm not a fighting machine.' I
was burning out. I felt like I'd worked so hard and devoted so
much and I had to grow up so early... I wanted things to start
slowing down a bit. Not every day had to be a fight."
That's
not to say that Huerta ever questioned his own fighting ability.
Though he did hear doubts from others. He heard it from fans,
media, even other fighters.
The
critics got louder after he lost to Kenny Florian when he returned
in August 2008. After fighting five times in '07, Huerta had
taken his first extended break, but says he was never able to
fully get his head back in the game before the fight. He also
faced another distraction leading up to the bout when comments
he made to FIGHT! Magazine regarding his UFC contract situation
became news fodder. During the leadup to the fight, the trademark
Huerta smile was gone.
"I
wasn't mentally healed or ready from the Guida fight," he
said. "I went into that fight like a deer in headlights.
I wasn't focused."
After
his first UFC loss, Huerta basically disappeared from the MMA
scene, soon after announcing that he would finish the one remaining
fight on his UFC deal before concentrating on his new interest
in acting.
On
the night Huerta walked into the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma
City to face Gray Maynard, he was sure this would be his last
time in the cage. It had been 13 months since his last bout,
no new contract negotiations had begun and after filming his
first movie, he'd been receiving scripts for other possible projects.
On
the personal front, things were looking up. He'd moved back from
Minnesota to Austin, Texas, to be closer to his adoptive mother
Jo Ramirez, and her family.
"I
came home," he says. "I needed my mom. I needed my
family. I needed people that really cared about me. And it's
interesting because I got rejuvenated. My battery got charged
up again because I knew they're behind me. And when I was fighting,
I knew I wasn't in there alone."
The
fight was a close one. Huerta lost a split-decision to the surging
Maynard, but during the course of the fight, Huerta authored
a moment that will be seared into the minds of MMA watchers for
a long time. In the third round, Maynard locked in a kimura.
The hold was deep, and Maynard cranked it in hopes of a submission
win.
As
Maynard applied more torque to the hold and rotated Huerta's
shoulder behind him at a disturbing angle, referee Dan Miragliotta
stood watch, ready for a tapout that seemed immiment. After bending
Huerta's arm about as far as the human appendage can go, Maynard
told Miragliotta, "I'm breaking it!" Huerta, who could
say nothing because Maynard had his leg covering his mouth, shook
his head, telling Miragliotta not to stop the fight. Eventually,
Huerta worked his way out.
"Maybe
it was just the adrenaline, or maybe it was God protecting my
arm," said Huerta, who suffered only a strained shoulder
and elbow and was back working out within days. "I'll tell
you this much: When he did start cranking it, I said, 'If it
goes, it goes.' Even if it did break, I wouldn't tap. I thought,
'I'm not tapping. I'm finishing this fight.'
"I'm
not going to lie: it hurt," he continued. "But I was
willing for it to pop or break. If it happened I wasn't going
to stop. I have my left hand and we're going to finish the fight.
That's what was in my mind."
That
type of never-say-die attitude has taken Huerta this far in life,
and somewhere during the course of his scrap with Maynard, it
re-lit the competitive fire within him. Somewhere between ending
the first round having stuffed Maynard's takedown tries and leaving
the third with his shoulder in its socket and his pride intact,
Huerta knew he still had more to give to the sport.
This
time around, however, he's going to go about things differently.
MMA will not be his only vocation, passion and pastime. He still
wants to act. His first film, Tekken, will be released in November
(Huerta's character has a major fight scene in the movie). He
also has a contract with Lionsgate for three movies ("I'm
open for any roles. Whatever is challenging. I think I can rise
to the occasion," he said).
Huerta
says his next MMA destination is up in the air, and that he will
follow the advice of his manager, Jeff Clark. He hasn't talked
to UFC President Dana White or matchmaker Joe Silva since his
fight. For the longest time, people identified him as a UFC fighter,
but it's possible that might no longer be the case. It's a prospect
that sounds strange even to Huerta himself.
"I've
never talked to anyone else, I've never been to any other show,
I've never seen any other promotions, nothing," he said.
"All I know is the UFC. I've been with them since 2006 until
this point. They're all I know. I don't know what anything else
would feel like or be like."
If
this is the end for him in the UFC, the irony is that some of
the fans and fighters who looked at him as undeserving of the
spotlight whether for his looks or a perceived favoritism found
out in his fights with Guida and Maynard that nothing could be
further from the truth.
Huerta's
voice breaks when he thinks about all the denigration that's
come his way.
"I
think I've delivered every time I've been out there," he
said. "I think I have. We're paid to be fighters and don't
hold back. I've never held back. Every time I walked to that
cage, I gave it everything I had. I don't know man, I've given
everything to this sport. It sucks. It's sad. Even now I get
criticized. At the end it's almost like it's not good enough,
never good enough."
The
people who loved him still love him, and the ones who hated him?
They are less in numbers and in importance. There are other things
in life than fighting for him now. He has acting, he has family
and friends surrounding him, and for the first time in a long
time, he is living a life more in line with his age, a life with
balance. Every day doesn't have to be a fight, and every day,
he doesn't have to be Roger Huerta, the fighter.
"I
think I'm very happy with what I've done," he said. "I
gave them everything that I am. What you saw in me, what you've
seen in me in fighting and outside the ring, that's who I am.
It's as real as I can be."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"There
will always be people who are ahead of the curve and people who
are behind the curve.
But knowledge moves the curve."
Bill James
|
Destiny
Unfinished Business Tomorrow!
Saturday,
October 3
Waipahu Filcom
Doors Open at 5:30 pm, Fights start at 6 pm
DESTINY:
Unfinished Business will make it's return to Oahu on Saturday,
Oct. 3rd @ the Waipahu Filcom Center. The much anticipated and
long awaited match between DESTINY undefeated 155lb amateur champion
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola and local mma fan favorite
and rising star Ben "Da King" Santiago will finally
go down...
Be
there to finally see, who is the BEST UPCOMING 155lb fighter
in Hawaii....Don't blink because both of these fighters are excellent
strikers...has KO written all over this matchup!
Also,
that night...Lady MMA action will return to DESTINY...as TJ Rodrigues
returns after a successful debut...her opponent will be Jessica
Jackson of Washington...last FILCOM event the Ladies were the
fight of the night, and we all expect nothing less this time
around!
Other
exciting matchups you should look out for that night is undefeated
808 Fight Factory up n comer Travis Beyer vs the always game
Elijah Manners, Koa Giddens vs Mark Happer, the beast Kapena
Abiley returns vs Ikaika Cabebe, Waianae BC's Thomas Matias vs
Kelii Palencia, always exciting Richard Agustin vs Eddie Ohia,
Sebastian Mariconda vs Matt Waipa...and the little firecracker
Alika Kumukoa returns...
Presale
General just $25, @ door $35
Reserved Seating presale $35, @ door $45 (don't risk standing
up and having to come real early for seats)....
Tickets
available now @ Westside Fight Gear and all TCA Wireless Locations
island wide or by calling (808) 277-2335.
For more info and pre-fight videos please visit westsidefightgear.com
-155lbs
Amateur Title Match
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola vs Ben "Da King"
Santiago (Gods Army)
-175lbs
Koa Giddens (Combat 50) vs Mark Happer (Pain Train Fight Club)
-145lbs
Travis Beyer (808 FF) vs Elijah Manners (UCS)
-135lbs
Kelii Palencia (HMC,Oahu) vs Thomas Matias (Waianae)
-155lbs
Ikaika Cabebe (freelance) vs Kapena Abiley (Hawaiian MMA,Big
Island)
-150lbs
(FEMALE BOUT)
TJ Rodrigues (Bazuko MMA) vs Jennifer Jackson (Team Submit)
-160lbs
Richard Agustin (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Ohia (No Remorse)
-125lbs
Alika Kumukoa (Big Dogs,Oahu) vs Skyler Close (Boars Nest)
-150lbs
Randy Rivera (HMC) vs Bobby Khalek (Team Equal Knockz)
-Heavyweights
(206lbs-260lbs)
James Tivao (94 Block) vs Scooter Buntau (Pain Train Fight Club)
-155lbs
Sebastian Maricanda (HMC) vs Matt Waipa (Freelance)
-170lbs
Keoni Tapaoan (Evolution Fight Club) vs Kapono Kuikahi (Hawaiian
MMA, Big Island)
-185lbs
Charles Hazelwood (Combat 50) vs Nathan Kolii (High Intensity)
-160lbs
Ryan Clay (HMC) vs Keola Mamala
(Evolution Fight Club)
-170lbs
Jason Morinaga (freelance) vs CJ Cottrell (Evolution Fight Club)
-145lbs
Omar Mirza (HMC) vs Shawn Burroughs (freelance)
-155lbs
Arnold Berdon (Hakuilua) vs Lucky Rosario (Bulls Pen)
-170lbs
Bernard Baradi (808 FF) vs Bobby Blauvelte (Team Submit)
-135lbs
Stephen Albanese (Pain Train Fight Club, Oahu) vs Isamu Lopez
(Big Island)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Henry Berger (Team Outlaw) vs Charles Herman (808 Alliance)
-170lbs
Jatavious Barree vs Kevin Manners (freelance)
-165lbs
Wade Naki (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Manu (High Intensity)
-135lbs
Adam Rivera (Hakuilua) vs Zach Close (Boars Nest)
-160lbs
Louis Smith (Big Dogs) vs Braden Kalahiki (Team Stand Your Ground)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Jarett Lindsey (freelance) vs Terrance Taanoa (High Intensity)
-180lbs
Dwain Uyeda (Team Outlaw) vs Philip Akui (Team Souljahz)
-130lbs
Wai Putapituckul (Team Outlaw) vs Jamin Tayaba (Inner Circle
Grappling)
-125lbs
Joey Balai (Team Makaha) vs Jessie Samejon (Team Equal Knockz)
Japheth
"Jay" Bolos
CEO
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568
|
White
Rips Strikeforce, Showtime For Walker Signing
by Michael David Smith
UFC President Dana White says he's outraged that Strikeforce
has signed former football star Herschel Walker to make his MMA
debut at age 47, and he ripped Strikeforce's TV partner, Showtime,
for engaging in a gimmick that makes the sport look bad.
"I
think it's ridiculous," White told Mike Chiappetta on the
Inside The Ultimate Fighter podcast. "People think we're
anti-competition? We're anti-dumb competition. Doing stupid things
like this, putting a 50-year-old guy in the Octagon for the first
time, and then going out there putting out press releases like
it's a big deal because you signed a 50-year-old Herschel Walker?
Are you serious?"
White
suggested that Strikeforce's partnership with Showtime has changed
the way it does business, for the worse.
"Strikeforce
is a small, little, regional show," White said. "The
geniuses over at Showtime, these guys are the most arrogant,
cocky, pompous jackasses I've ever met in my whole life."
Noting
that Walker has no experience as a fighter, White questioned
whether a suitable opponent could be found for him, and he questioned
whether the fight would be sanctioned at all.
"Which
athletic commission is going to let this guy fight?" White
asked. "Who the f**k are they going to find to fight Herschel
Walker? A guy in a wheelchair?"
In
reality, athletic commissions sanction fighters with no experience
all the time: Everyone has to start with an 0-0 record. And while
it's true that not many of those fighters are 47 years old, not
many of them are world-class athletes, either. If Strikeforce
wants to make the Walker fight happen, it can find a sanctioning
body and an opponent to make it happen.
But
that doesn't mean White has to like it. Said White of Strikeforce's
decision to put Walker in the cage, "It's completely disrespectful
to the sport."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Saulo
bids farewell to ADCC
‘I no longer fight professionally’
Carlos Ozorio / Portal das Lutas
Part
of the career of Saulo Ribeiro was built on the match areas of
the ADCC, an event he won on two occasions. Last Sunday (September
27), the black belt bid farewell definitively to the competition.
What is more, he said he will no longer fight professionally.
“The
ADCC is a house I helped build more than 10 years ago. I have
two titles, two second places and one third, in 30 matches and
11 overtimes. To me that mission is accomplished, now it is to
be a coach. We have a UFC belt in our sites, we have Alexandre
in Japan trying for the belt and University of Jiu-Jitsu with
worldwide visibility,” he said.
In
Jiu-Jitsu Saulo won five Worlds, in four separate categories.
Unless he changes his plans, he will also never again be seen
in this event.
“The
gi will always be recreation to me. I don’t compete more
professionally, I no longer have the desire in my heart to compete
at a Worlds. But I certainly will show up at the championships,
like I did last week, when I competed at the American Nationals
at weight and in the absolute master. Just for kicks, if it’s
not in the professional category, it’s fine. I don’t
need to be so well trained for that and it is always good to
see old friends and catch up. Jiu-Jitsu championships are really
just a big party.”
At
the Barcelona installment of the ADCC Saulo defeated Kouji Kanechika,
Romulo Barral and stopped at Fabricio Werdum. After losing the
third-place dispute to Jeff Monson, he announced his farewell
over the event’s official microphone. Now an option may
be to help the organization.
“The
importance of the ADCC in my career is total. I believe I’ve
been one of the big champions of the event and now I’m the
one who has disputed the most categories. So it is of enormous
importance to my life. I will probably enter the administrative
part of the ADCC now, I’ll help put together trials and
I’m really happy.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
TIM
SYLVIA HAS SURGERY, PLANS NEW YEAR'S RETURN
by Ken Pishna
Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia finally got back on
track, defeating Jason Riley recently at Adrenaline MMA 4 in
Council Bluffs, Iowa. But just as quickly, he was derailed.
Bouncing
back from the first three-fight skid of his career, Sylvia broke
his right hand in the fight with Riley, taking him out of a possible
bout fighting in Dream’s new hexagon cage on Oct. 25 in
Japan.
“He
had surgery on his hand (Monday),” manager Monte Cox told
MMAWeekly.com. The surgery went well, but Cox said that Sylvia
probably wouldn’t return to action until “New Year’s.”
A return bout, however, has not been contracted yet, but will
likely take place in Japan.
The
win over Riley righted Sylvia out of a tailspin that saw him
lose four of his previous five fights, albeit mostly to top competition.
Aside from a knockout at the hands of former world champion boxer
Ray Mercer, Sylvia dropped bouts to Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira, and Randy Couture, all Top 10 heavyweights.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
“JZ”
Hoping for December Return
By Kelsey Mowatt
Recently news surfaced that the injury woes of Gesias “JZ”
Cavalcante continue, as the American Top Team lightweight was
forced to withdraw from his upcoming bout with Daisuke Nakamura,
which had been scheduled to take place October 6th at Dream’s
eleventh event. Due to another knee injury, the 26 year-old-fighter
will be forced to spend more time on the sidelines, after fighting
only once since April, 2008.
“I
injured my knee, but it was the other knee,” Cavalcante
told FCF. “It wasn’t the ligament so I’ll just
take a break for a little bit. Thanks to God that it’s not
going to be too long. I’m just not going to be able to fight
in October you know? But I’ll be back soon.”
“I
hurt it training. Sometimes that happens you know where you have
the surgery on one knee,” the lightweight added, while discussing
the injuries that have plagued him. “I had surgery on my
left knee so I had to have it 100%, so what you do is over compensate,
everything on the other knee. Sometimes that becomes a problem;
that’s what happened to me.”
Due
to the fact the injury won’t require surgery Cavalcante
is hoping to fight before the year is out, possibly on Dream’s
New Year’s Eve event.
“It
will probably be the New Year’s Eve card,” Cavalcante
said. “Right now I’m not training because I don’t
want to rush. I’m young, and I’ve had a couple of injuries,
so I have to take care of that really good right now, but I think
it’s going to be possible to fight at the end of the year.”
“Nakamura
should be a good fight, if they can postpone it,” Cavalcante
(14-3-1) added while discussing the Japanese vet (20-10), whose
only losses since 2006 have come against notable opposition in
Mitsuhiro Ishida and Vitor Ribeiro. “It’s going to
be a good fight. I would like to fight him.”
After
going undefeated in 2006 and 2007 under the K-1 Hero’s banner,
Cavalcante’s stock in the lightweight division rose dramatically,
but due to the fact that JZ has gone 0-2 against Shinya Aoki
and Tatsuya Kawajiri since, in addition to his recent injuries,
2008 and 2009 haven’t been kind. (Cavalcante also fought
Aoki in March of 2008, but the bout was declared a No Contest,
after the Japanese fighter couldn’t continue due an illegal
elbow strike)
“For
sure it takes time to calm down,” Cavalcante said. “But
thanks to God, whatever happens, happens for a reason. It’s
good to have some time to recover. I’m young, if I think
that I have 8, 10, more years to fight, I have to take care of
myself. I can’t push myself too much. This is what I did
before when I hurt my other knee. I had an injury and wanted
to fight; I didn’t listen to my body, and got hurt. I have
to listen to my body; I want to be like Randy Couture and fight
until I’m 45 years old.”
Cavalcante
is keenly interested in the upcoming Dream card, as the promotion’s
lightweight champion Joachim Hansen will try to defend his belt
against Aoki, two men that JZ has fought before.
“Those
are two fights in my career that had a lot of drama,” Cavalcante
said when asked about Aoki and Hansen. “Hansen because I
lost by decision, and Aoki because the first time was a No Contest,
and then the second he beat me.”
“It’s
hard to pick, both guys have good victories over the other, “Cavalcante
noted, when asked to predict who will win the rubber match between
Aoki and Hansen. “So it’s hard to see who is going
to impose their game. That’s the main thing, adjust to the
timing, that’s who is going to win. It’s too hard.
I can’t say. It depends on who shows up.”
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
MMA
Big Show's Roger Bowling Wants War Machine
What
started out as simply a potentially great fight has evolved into
a blood feud between MMA Big Show Welterweight Champion "Relentless"
Roger Bowling (6-0) and former UFC bad boy War Machine (10-2).
After having to pull out of a fight against Machine twice due
to injury, Bowling is being forced to defend himself against
all kinds of verbal attacks from his proposed opponent. "Twice
we have been scheduled to fight now and twice he has suddenly
gotten injured two weeks before the fight! If you're scared to
fight the War Machine, don't sign on the dotted line," Machine
told Fighters.com. Now Roger is calling out his nemesis, and
MMA Big Show President/Promoter Jason Appleton is doing everything
in his power to make the fight finally happen. "[speaking
of War Machine] I'll bump his win bonus by a grand, and pay him
half his show money in advance.
No
excuses," says Appleton. "[War Machine] makes it sound
like Roger having to pull out due to an injury is somehow a big
loss for him. The reality is, I set up the fight for him on XFC,
and even though Roger is out, he still got an opportunity and
a payday out of it [at the September 5th event]. Now it's time
to settle this score between these two once and for all."
Bowling
is a serious blue-chip prospect whose career is gaining steam
and garnering attention from the big leagues of MMA, and Appleton,
who is also Bowling's manager, set up a fight between "Relentless"
and the outspoken fighter formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver for
Big Show's June 20th "CONVICTION" event. Unfortunately,
Bowling severely injured his hand before the fight, breaking
his wrist and tearing a thumb tendon in a work-related accident.
The fight was rescheduled for the September 5th co-promotional
effort between Florida's Xtreme Fighting Championships and Big
Show, but once again, fate intervened, and Bowling's broken knuckles,
suffered during his recent win, were deemed too serious injured
by doctors for him to fight. Then the verbal jousting began.
"Relentless" has been quiet on the subject until now.
"I feel horrible that I let my friends and family down.
I had a lot of people with flights booked to Florida, people
were planning entire vacations around this [last] fight. I really
wanted to fight
him
anyway, but I am glad I have people around me that care enough
to stop me from doing things I shouldn't, because I would have
fought him with one hand if I had to." Bowling didn't stop
there: "It's easy to talk trash about someone while saying
you won't fight them," stated the champion.
Appleton
takes it a step further: "I think War Machine was afraid
of Roger going into the fight, and he's using Roger's injury
as an excuse to never have to fight him in the future,"
he explained. "I know he called around to the various gyms
in the area trying to find out if Roger had any weaknesses, and
then he tried to see if Roger would meet him at a 175 lbs. catch
weight. War Machine tried everything. Point blank, War Machine
knows he won't beat Roger and this is the perfect opportunity
for him to back out completely while trying to save face. If
he wasn't, he would be eager to get in there with Roger, not
make excuses about why it will never happen."
Source: The Fight Network
|
The
Learning Curve
by Jake Rossen
The author of “The Tipping Point,” self-help guru Malcolm
Gladwell, stirred up lots of press last year when he proclaimed
that anyone who wants to get good at anything needs to put at
least 10,000 hours of effort into it.
“You
can’t become a chess grand master unless you spend 10,000
hours on practice,” Gladwell told an assembly in 2008. “The
tennis prodigy who starts playing at six is playing in Wimbledon
at 16 or 17 [like] Boris Becker. The classical musician who starts
playing the violin at four is debuting at Carnegie Hall at 15
or so.”
Clearly,
Gladwell has never met Brett Rogers.
Rogers
has no wrestling credentials and no amateur striking background.
Up until recently, he was training part-time while working as
a tire technician for a Minnesota-area Sam’s Club. Last
June, he knocked out Freddie Roach pupil and 10-year fight veteran
Andrei Arlovski. November 7, he fights Fedor Emelianenko, the
most reverentially regarded heavyweight in the sport, in what
amounts to a world title bout.
His
limited background isn’t unusual. In 2008, Amir Sadollah
was cast in a season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and
pitted against experienced athletes of various backgrounds. Despite
having not a single professional bout to his record, he defeated
five men to capture the series’ title; Brock Lesnar, while
possessing a highly credible NCAA resume, needed just five fights
to dispute -- and win -- the UFC heavyweight belt; last Saturday,
amateur wrestler Daniel Cormier had his first professional fight
after only four months of cross-training. In medicine, this would
be considered quackery.
The
broken faces and bodies so artfully photographed are evidence
that mixed martial arts is the most physically punishing and
demanding sport in the world. Each fight is, to repeat an unoriginal
thought, like a minor car accident. But with several successful
participants putting in only a few years’ -- or months’
-- worth of effort into preparation, it may not be the most technically
strenuous activity out there.
Few
in professional boxing have ever strolled into a title bout after
only sporadic flirting with training. Floyd Mayweather, arguably
the most talented stand-up fighter of his era, had 90 amateur
bouts before turning pro. His display against Juan Manuel Marquez
on Sept. 19 was the culmination of two decades in the gym, and
it showed. The idea that those skills could come from hobby training
is fiction.
If
a Wal-Mart cashier with a pair of heavy hands trained for three
years and elected to fight Mayweather, it’s possible he
would die. And yet some give Rogers a “puncher’s chance”
against Emelianenko, who -- if his reputation is deserved --
should eject Rogers’ molars through his nose.
This
isn’t necessarily a reflection on men like Lesnar and Cormier,
who may be amateurs in throwing punches but have spent years
building a foundation in wrestling. It’s Sadollah and Rogers,
with no storied athletic backgrounds, who can enter and exit
a ring without being brutalized. (Or, in Rogers’ case, without
ever having been beaten.)
As
a fan and observer, that kind of hospitality is a little embarrassing.
MMA might be the only sport where a kindergarten teacher -- Tim
Hague -- can get a call up to the major leagues. If that happens
to any other civilian in any other sport, they make a movie out
of it. Here, it’s routine.
What
allows MMA to make the inexperienced competitive? Much of it
has to do with the upper platform of the sport: the striking.
At the regional/amateur level, stand-up exchanges can be pitiful.
At the elite level, you can get by with a rudimentary skill set
because most of your opponents will be just as limited as you
are. Combine the defensive postures to ward off grapplers and
the hours of the day spent in other elements, and the price of
admission can often be as reasonable as some power. Chuck Liddell
spent years launching his Big Right Hand™ until the game
evolved enough to make it predictable; having “heavy hands”
is listed on breakdowns as though it were a skill.
Assisting
inexperience is the glove size: Flimsy padding means that heavy
punchers don’t need to worry about being diffused, and smaller
equipment allows cleaner blows to land. (Easier to parry and
deflect when you have two enormous cushions in front of your
face.)
Striking
is the great equalizer of the sport: Virtually no one can spend
a few years training jiu-jitsu or wrestling and be as proficient
as a Lesnar or Demian Maia, but some Thai sparring and an opponent
willing to engage on the feet could mean a CBS spot.
It’s
yet another parallel to boxing’s earlier days: John L. Sullivan
and his peers were frequently hard-chinned toughs who subsided
on a diet of beer and bacon. There was no “amateur”
decade to toil in before slamming someone’s face into cobblestone.
But as the sport grew and spread, it became necessary to educate
younger athletes and offer a platform to sharpen developing skills.
The
same will hold true for this sport. Ten or 15 years from now,
the idea that someone could slide into a pro career at 25 or
30 will seem absurd. Younger men (and women) raised on network
broadcasts and YouTube videos will take up the sport sooner,
experience a developmental period and have a substantial martial
arts education in place by the time they start rolling around
on a Bud Light logo.
As
a teenager, Georges St. Pierre watched UFC 1 in 1993 and began
studying Kyokushin karate. (And later, jiu-jitsu.) Like most
superb athletes, he found a direction early on and followed it.
And he is currently the most impressive physical specimen in
the sport.
For
St. Pierre, 10,000 hours might be a conservative estimate. For
most everyone else, it should probably become mandatory.
Source: Sherdog
|
Vazquez:
'I'm still hungry'
by CARLOS ARIAS
LOS ANGELES --- Former WBC super-bantamweight champion Israel
"El Magnifico" Vazquez returns to the ring after a
19-month layoff to take on Angel Priolo on Oct. 10 at Nokia Theater
on HBO Latino.
Vazquez
was involved in one of the greatest trilogies in boxing history,
winning two out of three fights against Rafael Marquez in a 12-month
stretch from 2007-08.
Vazquez
paid a price for the three memorable battles with Marquez. A
detached retina threatened to end the career of the 31-year-old
Mexican warrior. Vazquez had surgery and was medically cleared
to fight earlier this summer.
Vazquez
held an open workout on Tuesday at Westside Boxing Club in L.A.
"El Magnifico" looked very sharp with his combinations
while working the mits with trainer Rudy Perez. His footwork
and movement looked excellent. He was sharp and crisp with his
punches on the double-end bag.
Vazquez
said all his focus is on his comeback fight against Priolo. After
that, he is open to a fourth fight against Marquez or a Mexico
vs. Puerto Rico showdown against WBO super-bantamweight champion
Juan Manuel Lopez.
Vazquez
said "I'm still hungry" and he wants to prove he can
come back and regain his status as one of the top fighters pound-for-pound
in the world.
Source: Orange County
|
Minotouro
working to box against Cane
By Erik Engelhart
Rogério Minotouro is with the perfect box to his opening
on UFC against Luis Cane. Working with Erival Conceição,
Luiz Dorea’s pupil in Bahia, the UFC fighter is ready.
“Erival is phenomenal, there’s nobody here in Brazil
to fight on his category, he’ll be a world champion. He
trains with Dórea for ten, 15 years. He’s a southpaw,
as Banha (Cane), so he’s a good sparring to help me. He’s
pushing my train and Rodrigo’s“, said Nogueira, praised
by Erival.
“I
train with Luis Carlos Dórea and Minotouro always went
to Salvador to train. I met him on the gym and we created a friendship
training together. I’m helping him with the box. I came
from Bahia just to help him, his boxing is getting really better,
he has a heavy hand... He’s faster. I’ll be with him
until the fight, we’re always together”, explains the
sparring.
Source: Tatame
|
ROUND
5 ISSUES PLANS FOR UFC COLLECTIBLE SERIES
Its landmark marketing partnership freshly in place, Round 5
is pleased to announce the members of the first series of collectible
figurines under the UFC brand, a group of six accomplished fighters,
as announced Tuesday by Barron Lau, Round 5 CEO and co-founder
and Damon Lau, president and co-founder. Figurines for stars
Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, George “Rush”
St. Pierre, “Suga” Rashad Evans, Kenny “KenFlo”
Florian, Clay “The Carpenter” Guida and Lyoto “The
Dragon” Machida are scheduled to be available at retail
and at www.Round5MMA.com early next year.
The
six collectibles will be presented in a new UFC-themed packaging
that includes action photos of each respective fighter's memorable
moments as well as a short biography.
“These
six athletes provide a strong, varied base for our first UFC
series,” said Damon Lau. “There are established champions
like Chuck Liddell and George St. Pierre, popular up-and-comers
like Rashad Evans and Kenny Florian and guys like Clay Guida
and Lyoto Machida who have loyal, growing followings.”
“We
think fans will really connect to these collectibles through
their detail and the enhanced packaging,” said Barron Lau.
“We want them to feel that by owning a Round 5 figurine,
they, in a sense, own a piece of that fighter.”
The
issuance of UFC Series 1 signals the discontinuation of the previous
Round 5 Series. The remaining inventory from the 17 figurines
issued in the previous four Series under that brand will continue
to be available while supplies last. Limited editions and other
special versions of the UFC Series 1 athletes are also in the
planning stages.
“The
Limited Editions we have issued have been wildly popular, so
we are definitely looking at expanding those offerings,”
added Barron Lau.
Liddell,
one of the most popular MMA fighters ever, held the UFC light
heavyweight belt for two years, using his devastating striking
skills to rack up a 21-7 record, including 13 knockouts, against
a top-shelf list of opponents since his 1998 debut at UFC 17.
He also showed his power by ending all five of his successful
title defenses with a KO or TKO.
St.
Pierre is often mentioned on the short list of top “pound-for-pound”
fighters in MMA, and he's backed up that distinction with wins
in his last six bouts, all headliners, to raise his overall mark
to 19-2. The UFC welterweight champion proudly represents his
native Montreal, Canada.
Evans
has shed his underdog status with a series of standout victories,
moving to light heavyweight after winning The Ultimate Fighter
2 television series as a heavyweight. Now 13-1-1, successive
wins over Michael Bisping, Liddell and Forrest Griffin were surprises
to many and earned “Suga” his first title shot earlier
this year, a loss to Machida.
Florian
is another graduate of The Ultimate Fighter who has fulfilled
his promise, springboarding from his strong performance in TUF
1 to post an 11-4 record and headline cards. He has also branched
out to the media side of the sport as a weekly host of MMA Live
on ESPN and several UFC color commentary stints.
Guida
has ridden strong conditioning, action-packed fights and a flashy
style to a prolific MMA career, with 35 bouts (25 wins) to his
credit. Known as “The Carpenter” for his previous career
while he trained and fought for his chance, Guida is a frequent
“Fight of the Night” honoree, including his last bout,
a split decision defeat in a free-for-all with Diego Sanchez
in June.
Machida
is also prominent in the “pound-for-pound” discussion,
made even more evident by his win over previously-unbeaten Evans
at UFC 98 in May, in which “The Dragon's” lightning-quick
form and powerful striking was on full display. The undefeated
(15-0) UFC light heavyweight champion is scheduled to make his
first defense against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on October
24.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Rampage
Responds to Dana White, Rashad Evans
by Ray Hui
In the follow-up to his "retirement" blog post, Quinton
"Rampage" Jackson addressed Thursday his feelings of
disrespect from UFC president Dana White and rival Rashad Evans.
"I
feel like this whole situation could have been avoided if UFC
would have respected me more and rescheduled the fight about
a month or more in my hometown," Jackson wrote in a post
titled "Who's the baby?" undoubtedly in response to
White saying he was "acting like a baby."
"...
Instead, Dana went on the Internet and started talking bad about
my decision," Jackson continued. "All we had to do
was come to a certain type of agreement or understanding, which
later came after a lot of trash talk from Dana."
Respect,
or the lack there of, was the major theme of Jackson's latest
statement, which was also the same reason Randy Couture tendered
his resignation from the UFC in 2007. However unlike Couture,
Jackson is satisfied with his financial compensation, just not
White's insults towards his decision to accept an important acting
gig.
"Everything
is not about how much money you make," he wrote. "You
can be the richest man in the world but if nobody respects you
then it don't mean s---."
Shifting
focus to his The Ultimate Fighter 10 opposing coach, Jackson
responded to Evans' comment to Yahoo! Sports Wednesday that "I
would have loved to punch him in the face for free."
"I
am the wrong fighter that should fight pissed off professionally,"
Jackson wrote. "I don't even consider it fair. So Rashad
says he will fight me for free. I will gladly meet him at any
gym and fight him just to shut his mouth up and I mean that for
real!"
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Hector
versus heckled: Lombard to face Starnes
by Jake Rossen/Sherdog.com
What does Hector Lombard have to do to get a little competition
around here?
When
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney announced his ESPN Deportes-housed
fight promotion would go on sabbatical in order to take advantage
of a major (and still unannounced) new TV deal, he promised that
his champions wouldn't be left in the lurch. Lightweight titleholder
Eddie Alvarez fights on October's Dream 11 card; now middleweight
champ Hector Lombard has a date.
According
to MMAWeekly, Lombard has a scheduled brutalizing of Kalib Starnes
locked in for Oct. 9 in Queensland, Australia. Considering the
relative skills and career projections of each, this isn't much
more than a glorified sparring session. (You'll remember Starnes'
fight with Nate Quarry, which will go down in infamy as unwatchable
thanks to his paralyzed offense.)
Get
well soon, Bellator. Lombard deserves better.
Source: ESPN
|
Quote
of the Day
“The
greatest danger we face is not any particular kind of thought.
The greatest danger we face is absence of thought.”
Henry Steele Commager
|
Destiny
Unfinished Business This
Saturday!
Saturday,
October 3
Waipahu Filcom
Doors Open at 5:30 pm, Fights start at 6 pm
DESTINY:
Unfinished Business will make it's return to Oahu on Saturday,
Oct. 3rd @ the Waipahu Filcom Center. The much anticipated and
long awaited match between DESTINY undefeated 155lb amateur champion
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola and local mma fan favorite
and rising star Ben "Da King" Santiago will finally
go down...
Be
there to finally see, who is the BEST UPCOMING 155lb fighter
in Hawaii....Don't blink because both of these fighters are excellent
strikers...has KO written all over this matchup!
Also,
that night...Lady MMA action will return to DESTINY...as TJ Rodrigues
returns after a successful debut...her opponent will be Jessica
Jackson of Washington...last FILCOM event the Ladies were the
fight of the night, and we all expect nothing less this time
around!
Other
exciting matchups you should look out for that night is undefeated
808 Fight Factory up n comer Travis Beyer vs the always game
Elijah Manners, Koa Giddens vs Mark Happer, the beast Kapena
Abiley returns vs Ikaika Cabebe, Waianae BC's Thomas Matias vs
Kelii Palencia, always exciting Richard Agustin vs Eddie Ohia,
Sebastian Mariconda vs Matt Waipa...and the little firecracker
Alika Kumukoa returns...
Presale
General just $25, @ door $35
Reserved Seating presale $35, @ door $45 (don't risk standing
up and having to come real early for seats)....
Tickets
available now @ Westside Fight Gear and all TCA Wireless Locations
island wide or by calling (808) 277-2335.
For more info and pre-fight videos please visit westsidefightgear.com
-155lbs
Amateur Title Match
Nate "Da Great" Quiniola vs Ben "Da King"
Santiago (Gods Army)
-175lbs
Koa Giddens (Combat 50) vs Mark Happer (Pain Train Fight Club)
-145lbs
Travis Beyer (808 FF) vs Elijah Manners (UCS)
-135lbs
Kelii Palencia (HMC,Oahu) vs Thomas Matias (Waianae)
-155lbs
Ikaika Cabebe (freelance) vs Kapena Abiley (Hawaiian MMA,Big
Island)
-150lbs
(FEMALE BOUT)
TJ Rodrigues (Bazuko MMA) vs Jennifer Jackson (Team Submit)
-160lbs
Richard Agustin (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Ohia (No Remorse)
-125lbs
Alika Kumukoa (Big Dogs,Oahu) vs Skyler Close (Boars Nest)
-150lbs
Randy Rivera (HMC) vs Bobby Khalek (Team Equal Knockz)
-Heavyweights
(206lbs-260lbs)
James Tivao (94 Block) vs Scooter Buntau (Pain Train Fight Club)
-155lbs
Sebastian Maricanda (HMC) vs Matt Waipa (Freelance)
-170lbs
Keoni Tapaoan (Evolution Fight Club) vs Kapono Kuikahi (Hawaiian
MMA, Big Island)
-185lbs
Charles Hazelwood (Combat 50) vs Nathan Kolii (High Intensity)
-160lbs
Ryan Clay (HMC) vs Keola Mamala
(Evolution Fight Club)
-170lbs
Jason Morinaga (freelance) vs CJ Cottrell (Evolution Fight Club)
-145lbs
Omar Mirza (HMC) vs Shawn Burroughs (freelance)
-155lbs
Arnold Berdon (Hakuilua) vs Lucky Rosario (Bulls Pen)
-170lbs
Bernard Baradi (808 FF) vs Bobby Blauvelte (Team Submit)
-135lbs
Stephen Albanese (Pain Train Fight Club, Oahu) vs Isamu Lopez
(Big Island)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Henry Berger (Team Outlaw) vs Charles Herman (808 Alliance)
-170lbs
Jatavious Barree vs Kevin Manners (freelance)
-165lbs
Wade Naki (Team Makaha) vs Eddie Manu (High Intensity)
-135lbs
Adam Rivera (Hakuilua) vs Zach Close (Boars Nest)
-160lbs
Louis Smith (Big Dogs) vs Braden Kalahiki (Team Stand Your Ground)
-Heavyweights
(206-260lbs)
Jarett Lindsey (freelance) vs Terrance Taanoa (High Intensity)
-180lbs
Dwain Uyeda (Team Outlaw) vs Philip Akui (Team Souljahz)
-130lbs
Wai Putapituckul (Team Outlaw) vs Jamin Tayaba (Inner Circle
Grappling)
-125lbs
Joey Balai (Team Makaha) vs Jessie Samejon (Team Equal Knockz)
Japheth
"Jay" Bolos
CEO
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568
|
ANDERSON
SILVA VS. VITOR BELFORT AT UFC 108
 
Anderson Silva is expected to defend his middleweight title for
a sixth time when he faces Vitor Belfort at the yet-unannounced
UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas.
After
a series of conflicting reports regarding the health of the 34-year-old
Silva, UFC president Dana White told The Los Angeles Times Saturday
he had secured verbal agreements for the New Year's match-up.
MMAWeekly.com subsequently confirmed the news Monday with sources
close to the fight.
Silva
(25-4) is expected to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in
his elbow; a procedure White said would require a minimal amount
of recovery time. Silva manager Ed Soares declined comment on
the procedure.
Last
month, Silva, who holds a UFC record for most consecutive victories
with 10 straight wins, returned to devastating form at light
heavyweight, knocking out Forrest Griffin with a backpedaling
jab at UFC 101.
The
booking sidesteps an impasse in contenders brought by the recent
victories of top ranked middleweights Dan Henderson and Nate
Marquardt. White predicted title shots for both fighters in separate
interviews, but following UFC 103 on Sept. 19, he indicated the
two would fight for the next contender slot and Belfort would
be the first to face the current champion.
“I
think Vitor is ready now,” said White.
Belfort
(27-8) made his return to the UFC at the Dallas event after a
four-year absence and immediately made his presence felt, knocking
out former middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the first round.
It was the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion's
fourth consecutive victory since dropping to middleweight last
year.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
MIKE
SWICK TO FACE DAN HARDY AT UFC 105
Following Martin Kampmann's devastating loss to Paul Daley at
UFC 103, fans and critics alike were wondering who could possibly
fit the bill to face Mike Swick with the winner gunning for a
shot at UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. It looks
like that question has been answered in the form of British fighter
Dan Hardy, who will face Swick at UFC 105 in England.
Mike
Chiappetta of AOL Fanhouse first reported the news on Monday
citing UFC president Dana White, and MMAWeekly.com has since
confirmed the bout with sources close to the negotiations.
Swick
was forced out of his scheduled UFC 103 bout against Kampmann
due to a concussion sustained in training, but the American Kickboxing
Academy stand out is back to form and chomping at the bit to
get in the Octagon.
Currently
sitting with an undefeated record as a 170-pound fighter, Swick
has looked impressive in his last few bouts, including a dominating
performance over Ben Saunders in his last trip out.
The
hometown crowd will definitely be behind its countryman, Hardy,
at UFC 105 as he hails from Great Britain and has amassed a 3-0
record in the UFC.
Hardy
impressed the world with his last fight, a win over tough as
nails welterweight Marcus Davis. Now he's looking to step up
again as he faces Swick for a potential shot at the championship
in 2010.
Currently
rehabilitating an injury, St. Pierre last week told MMAWeekly.com
that he intends to return to training sometime in October. His
representative, Shari Spencer, said he will likely return to
the Octagon in early 2010.
Originally,
Hardy was scheduled to face Korean fighter, Dong Hyun Kim at
UFC 105, but the promotion moved him out of that fight and into
the bout against Swick. There has been no word on whether or
not Kim will remain on the card for UFC 105.
Stay
tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on UFC 105 as it
becomes available.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SOTIROPOULOS
VS. DENT AT UFC 106
Lightweight "Ultimate Fighter" alums George Sotiropoulos
and Jason Dent will meet on the undercard of UFC 106 on Nov.
21 in Las Vegas.
MMAWeekly.com
confirmed the fight as signed, sealed, and delivered on Monday
via sources close to the match-up.
Sotiropoulos
(12-2) returned to action last month at UFC 101 after a yearlong
injury induced layoff, submitting Ultimate Fighter season eight
alum George Roop in the first round. A cast member of the reality
show's sixth season, he succumbed to season winner Tommy Speer
by knockout in the semi-finals, but has since finished both of
his fights inside the Octagon and will look to make Dent three
in a row.
Dent
(28-9), a veteran of season nine, won his first two match-ups
on the show, but also fell short in the semi-finals to eventual
winner Ross Pearson. Dent was one of only two contestants with
UFC experience, having lost to Roger Huerta and Gleison Tibau
in late 2006 and early 2007. Following the show, Dent rebounded
with a victory over Cameron Dollar at the show's finale in June.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Braulio,
a winning northeasterner
Fighter recalls path to the top
Braulio
Estima was the main standout at the ADCC, to shake up Barcelona
this past 26th and 27th of September. Of the eight matches he
partook in, the native of Pernambuco state tapped such grappling
stalwarts as Marcelo Garcia, Andre Galvao and Xande Ribeiro.
For the achievement and slick finishes like the one in the final
of his weight group (a deadly inverted triangle on Andre Galvao),
he received the “Most Technical Athlete” award. After
celebrating, with the gymnasium already empty, Braulio recalled
the start of his career and the hardships Brazilians face to
be able to live off the martial arts, especially those from the
more poverty-stricken regions, like the Northeast.
“I
come from the Northeast and I never had much support. I remember
how my family always helped, my parent sponsors. When I started
competing, I lost all five of my international competitions in
the first match. It was a great sacrifice to put together the
money to get there. I’d ask my family and they’d say
‘shoot man, what will you get from that?’ until on
the sixth time I went to the Pan-American and had a good run,”
he said, not leaving out those from his homeland.
“In
Recife, where I’m from, and the Northeast as a whole there
are a lot of tough guys, but ones without backing. At Gracie
Barra PE there are other top guys like Otavio Souza, Bruno Almeida
and Lucas Rocha, among others. They are among the best in the
world. Truth is that in Brazil it’s much harder and we have
to invest in ourselves.”
To
carry on with the career of being an athlete, Braulio had to
make decisive choices. His concern with the future was great,
but fighting was a greater calling.
“Before
taking off for England, I studied Production Engineering and
my father asked me whether I was really doing the right thing
in abandoning everything for Jiu-Jitsu. I told him: ‘Dad,
if you have what it takes to be the best in the world in something,
it doesn’t matter what profession it is. If you are the
best gardener in the world, for example, you’ll succeed.
I will be the best Jiu-Jitsu player and I have that potential.’
I got out and a lot of folks have to make that decision in the
world of sports,” he remembered.
The
path is not an easy one, but the fighters sees a better future
for those of the new generation.
“The
government is giving support with the Athlete Scholarship and
I think a lot is changing. That has helped a lot of people in
the Northeast.”
Finally,
the weight and absolute champion of the ADCC doesn’t forget
about another person who helped in the endeavor.
“I
want to send a hug out to Ze Radiola, someone who is always in
contact with me lending support. He always says that I’m
the best and I tell him to stop boasting of me! Today he must
be really happy, but it’s just for the time being because
we never know what will happen next week,” he said in closing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Xande
on defeat in final
‘It was an injury, I didn’t tap’
Xande
Ribeiro was pointed to by many as the big favorite to take both
his weight and the absolute divisions at the ADCC. The first
part of the mission ended well, when he won the under 99kg weight
group, having overcome game Gerard Rinaldo in the decider. And
all went well up until the absolute final. After escaping an
inverted triangle applied by Braulio Estima, he found himself
with an injured shoulder and abandoned the match.
“I
was fine in the match. Braulio managed to sink that inverted
triangle, but I was fine. The injury happened. It wasn’t
from a hold, nothing like that. I went to grab his hip to get
to half guard and the muscle didn’t withstand the movement,”
explained the fighter, still devastated in the competition area.
With
the lack of ice to treat the injury, he made do with a rock of
acai on his shoulder. Xande, who has an upcoming commitment in
MMA, hopes it is nothing serious.
“Now
I’ll go home and take care of my wife and daughter, who
will be born in the days to come. I’ll see how serious the
injury is and let everyone know what happened in the future.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Bráulio
Estima talks the golds on ADCC
Bráulio
Estima was the name on ADCC 2009. Champion of 88kg category,
submitting André Galvão on the final, and absolute
champion after defeating Xande Ribeiro on the final, Bráulio
spoke with TATAME.com after the conquests.
“That’s
what exactly what I didn’t have yet... It’s like a
dream, that it isn’t happening... I proved that worth to
train hard, it made me win this marathon... It’s like everybody
says, the training is the worst part, I was lazy to train, but
before the BJJ World Championship I trained hard, dedicated a
lot on discipline... It’s to train hard to fight easier“,
the black belt celebrated, and talked about the submissions over
André Galvão and Marcelinho Garcia, and the triangle
choke on Xande Ribeiro.
“I
trained a lot and I had some strong positions... Before the first
fight I was extremely nervous, but then you get the rhythm“.
He also talked about his will to fight weight and absolute on
2011, besides making the super fight against Ronaldo Jacaré
Souza. “I want to fight. I don’t want to come here
to fight just one more time, I love it all, and it’s not
for the money... I come here for the vibration, to fight, to
be on top, to be between the bests is what satisfies me“.
Source: Tatame
|
Man
Up and Stand Up
Filcom Center, Waipahu, Hawaii
Saturday, October 10, 2009
All matches
and participants are subject to change.
NUI WHEELER
146
JENSEN ESPARTE
MATT EATON
SHW
SONNY
MIKE YARCIA
135
MIKE GAEA
tba
129
ALVIN BERTO
ARMAN
125
SEAN ORTIZ
KOA RAMELB
155
JOE LAA
SHAWN DESANTOS
115
JAY VISCONDI
ISAAC HOPPS
(O2 Martial Arts Academy)
140
ADOR MALONG
NELSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
135
BRANDON PAI
FRED RAMAYLA
140
SHAWN BURROUGHS
JUSTIN
DULAY (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
165
SHAWN AUGUSTINE
JUSTIN BURGESS
165
SOTA NAKANO
AJ
155
KOA TYRE
LAA KAHOOKELE
150
MASA KURITA
BRYSON
LUM (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
145
JORDAN
KEANU DESANTOS
60
TAZ KAHALEWAI
MARK
130
ALEX CHONG
BLAKE VILLANEDA
150
RICKY TUBNIA
LARRY WALKER
(O2 Martial Arts Academy)
155
NEIL DACANAY
ANDYMAR
RENON (O2 Martial Arts Academy)
SHW
PETE SEFO
JAMES
150
ALFRED SANTIAGO
SHELDON CRAWFORD
140
RAHEEN MORRIS
GEARY UDEGAWA
140
MARTIN DAY
DANIEL SANTOS
190
CHEVEZ AUTOKE
SHARON VICTORIA
200
NATACIA MANUMA
NICK CORREA
(O2 Martial Arts Academy)
145
JASON ROCEMAR
|
NAGA
Hawaii
Pearl City
High School Gym, Pearl City
Sunday, October 18th
BJJ BLACK BELT & ABU DHABI VETERAN Mike Cardoso will be conducting
a FREE, 1 hour No-Gi Seminar at the Saturday night weigh-in/registration
(Oct 17th from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the main gymnasium). This
seminar is open to all spectators and participants of the NAGA
event. All schools and styles are welcome. Individuals of all
skill levels can participate for free.
-
Weigh-In either Saturday night from 6 PM until 8 PM or on Sunday
starting at 8:00 AM and going all day at the Pearl City High
School - 2100 Hookiekie Street, Pearl City, Hawaii, 96782.
8:00
A.M.
1. Doors Open, Registration & Weigh-in's begin
10:00
A.M.
2. Rules Meeting
3. All Kids and Teen (Gi & No-Gi Divisions) Begin - DON'T
BE LATE
12:00
Noon
4. Absolute No-Gi - Championship Belt
5. Adult Novice & Beginner No-Gi Divisions
6. Adult Intermediate & Advanced No-Gi Divisions
Mid
- Late Afternoon
7. Adult White Belt Gi Divisions
8. Adult Blue Belt Gi, Purple, Brown & Black Belts
Source: NAGA
|
Fighters'
Club TV Tuesdays!
Channel
52
NEW TIME of 8:00 PM!
If
you are not on the Onzuka.com Hawaii Ground forum, you are missing
the latest news from upcoming events, get to rub elbows with
numerous promoters and fighters, and get to voice your opinion
on any subject you can dream up. Hit the links above to sign
up for a free account and start posting away!
|
|