Upcoming
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2011
November
Aloha State Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
August
State of Hawaii Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
7/1/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
5/28/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
4/23/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Gladiators for God
(Amateur Muay Thai)
(Wet&Wild Water Park)
March
Hawaiian Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
3/24-27/11
Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA)
3/12/11
X-1: Dylan Clay vs Niko Vitale
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
3/11/11
Chozun 1: "the Reckoning"
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Honolulu)
2/25/11
808 Battleground Presents
War of Warriors
(MMA)
(The Waterfront At Aloha Tower, Honolulu)
2/20/11
Pan Kids Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(California State University, Carson, CA )
2/19/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
2/5/11
Garden Island Cage Match 10: Mayhem at the Mansion 2
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kilohana Carriage House, Lihue, Kauai)
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
2/4/11
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
1/29/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Battle At The Barn
(MMA)
(Molokai H.S. Gym, Molokai)
1/8/11
Hawaii Toughman
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
2010
12/17/10
Destiny & 808 Battleground
All or Nothing - Champion vs Champion
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
12/3/10
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
11/27/10
Aloha
State BJJ Championships: Final Conflict
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
11/6/10
X-1 Island Pride
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Man Up & Stand Up Kickboxing Championship
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
10/30/10
6th Annual Clinton A.J. Shelton Memorial Match Event
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym, Honolulu)
10/29/10
808Battleground
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom, Honolulu)
10/23/10
NAGA
Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Radford H.S. Gym)
10/15-17/10
ETERNAL SUBMISSIONS: GI/NO-GI tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai)
10/16/10
DESTINY: Undisputed
Beyer vs Manners II
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
10/2/10
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
9/11/10
X-1: Heroes
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
9/10/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
9/4/10
DESTINY:New Era
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
8/28/10
Big
Island Open
(BJJ)
(Hilo Armory, Hilo)
8/14/10
Hawaiian
Open Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & No Gi)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
USA Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Lihue Convention Hall, Lihue, Kauai)
8/13/10
Battleground Challenge 2
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
8/7/10
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
8/6/10
Mad Skills
(Triple Threat/Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
7/24/10
The Quest for Champions 2010 Martial Arts Tournament
(Sport-Pankration, Submission Grappling & Continuous Sparring)
(St. Louis High School Gym)
7/17/10
Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
(BJJ & No Gi)
(Maui War Memorial, Wailuku, Maui)
Mad Skillz
(Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(99 Market Shopping Center, Mapunapuna)
7/9/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
7/3/10
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
6/26/10
Kauai Cage Match 9
(MMA)
(Kilohana, Gaylords Mansion, Kauai)
6/25-26/10
50th
State BJJ Championships
(BJJ)
(50th State Fair,
Aloha Stadium)
6/24/10
Quest for Champions
(Kumite/Grappling)
(St. Louis High School Gym)
6/19/10
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
6/18-19/10
Select
Combat
(Triple Threat)
(50th State Fair,
Aloha Stadium)
6/12/10
Destiny: Fury
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Center)
6/11-13/10
MMA Hawaii Expo
(Blaisdell Ballroom)
6/11-12/10
3rd
Annual Pacific Submission Championships
(BJJ & Submission Grappling)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/11/10
Legacy Combat MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/4/10
X-1:
Nations Collide
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/3-6/10
World
Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(The Pyramid, University of California at Long Beach, Long Beach,
CA)
5/22/10
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waiphau Filcom Center)
5/15/10
Scrappla Fest 2
Relson Gracie KTI Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Island School, Kauai)
X-1 World Events
(MMA)
(Waipahu HS Gym)
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
Boxing Event
(Boxing)
(Evolution Training Center, Waipio Industrial Court #110)
5/1/10
Galaxy
MMA: Worlds Collide
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/28/10
Chris Smith BJJ Tournament
(BJJ)
(Hilo)
4/23/10
2010 Hawaii State/Regional Junior Olympic Boxing Championships
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
4/17/10
Hawaiian
Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser
H.S. Gym)
Strikeforce:
Shields vs Henderson
(CBS)
4/16/10
808 Battleground
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
4/8-11/10
Pan
Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(University California Irvine, Irvine, CA)
4/3/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
Amateur Boxing Smoker
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
3/27/10
DESTINY: No Ka Oi 2: Oahu vs Maui
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/20/10
X-1: Champions 2
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/20/10
Hawaiian Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
3/14/10
Hawaiian Kimono Combat
(BJJ)
(PCHS Gym)
3/10/10
Sera's Kajukenbo Tournament
(Kumite, Katas, Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/6/10
Destiny Fast N Furious
(MMA)
(Level 4 RHSC)
2/19/10
808 Battleground
(MMA)
(Filcom, Waipahu)
2/6/10
UpNUp 6: Unstoppable
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
2/5/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
1/30/10
Destiny
(Level 4,
Royal HI Shopping Ctr)
(MMA)
Quest for Champions
(Pankration/Sub Grappling)
(Kalani HS)
1/23/10
Kauai Knockout Championship Total Domination
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Kauai War Memorial Convention Center, Lihue, Kauai)
1/17/10
X1: Showdown In Waipahu
(Boxing, Kickboxing, MMA)
(Waipahu H.S. Gym)
|
|
February
2011 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 & Erwin Legaspi.
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! |
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!
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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 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 & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima
classes (Filipino Knife & Stickfighting) who were directly
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
Strikeforce:
Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, “I Can Beat The Great
Fedor”
It’s
not often that a fighter that stands six-foot-four and weighs
265 pounds is the underdog to a fighter that stands six-foot
and weighs 230 pounds, but that is exactly where Antonio “Bigfoot”
Silva finds himself. In fact, he is an overwhelming underdog
to “The Last Emperor.”
Silva
isn’t fazed. He steps into the fight with the Russian relishing
the fact that many people still consider Fedor amongst the top
heavyweight fighters in the world.
“I
am very happy to be fighting Fedor, who people still consider
the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. Fedor is a legend and to
be a legend you have to beat a legend. And I’m ready to
be the best heavyweight in the world,” said Silva.
Most
people don’t typically count Silva among the top two or
three fighters in the division, but adding a win over Fedor to
his already impressive 15-2 record would go a long way towards
putting him in the midst of future conversations.
The
fight with Fedor is the main event of Saturday’s Strikeforce
fight card in New Jersey and one of the first two quarterfinal
bouts in the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix. Silva
isn’t looking past Fedor with an eye to winning the tournament.
To Silva, Fedor is his tournament.
“Fedor
is the best, so this is the top of the food chain. For me, this
is the final and I will give it all I have to make this happen,”
said Silva. “This is my dream and I’m going to beat
the legend and I’m going to be a legend.”
Fedor
showed that he is mortal in losing to Fabricio Werdum his last
time in the cage. It was the first time that the Russian conqueror
has lost since a cut stopped him against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka more
than a decade ago.
“One
thing I have in my mind is that Werdum showed to the world that
Fedor’s main weakness is on the ground,” Silva assessed.
“But he’s a complete fighter and I’m going to
follow where the fight goes.”
Fedor
has faced fighters of the shear size of Silva before, and typically
with stellar results. He easily finished both Korean giant Hong
Man Choi and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia early
in the first round. It took Fedor a little longer – 10 minutes
– to finish Heath Herring. And K-1 specialist Semmy Schilt
was able to take Fedor the full three rounds of their fight before
losing a decision.
Silva,
however, has the most versatile arsenal of any of the big men
that Fedor has faced. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu,
Judo, and Karate. His jiu-jitsu is especially good for a man
of his size, so maybe he picked up a thing or two from Werdum’s
win over Fedor.
Often
talked about as the future of heavyweight division, Silva believes
the future is now. He may have half the experience of Fedor,
but thinks it is time for everything to converge in his favor
for a win over the man who a year ago was seen as nearly invincible.
“Everyone
has been saying that I can be the man to beat Fedor in the future.
And now I know in my mind that I can beat him. I know this is
the right time and that God has given me this time and that I
can beat the great Fedor.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Featherweight Contender Chad Mendes Inks New Four Fight Deal
with Promotion
Coming
off a dominant win over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC 126, Team Alpha
Male fighter Chad Mendes has been rewarded with a new four fight
deal with the UFC.
Mendes’
manager Mike Roberts of MMA Inc. confirmed the new contract with
MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday.
“Chad’s
excited to continue his career with the UFC, and he’s looking
forward to fighting for the title in 2011,” Roberts told
MMAWeekly.
At
10-0, Mendes has become one of the top featherweights in the
world and recently vaulted to the No. 2 spot at 145lbs in the
MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings.
After
defeating Omigawa at UFC 126, Mendes is now widely considered
the top contender in the featherweight division, but it’s
likely he’ll remain active instead of waiting for the winner
of the upcoming title fight between champion Jose Aldo and Mark
Hominick.
Mendes
will also be featured in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio on
Thursday night to talk about his win over Omigawa and his future
with the UFC featherweight division.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Thiago
Silva’s UFC 125 Drug Test Being Scrutinized, Others Clear
Fifteen
of the 22 fighters that competed on the UFC 125: Resolution fight
card on New Year’s Day were drug tested by the Nevada State
Athletic Commission, according to Keith Kizer, the commission’s
executive director.
Of
those 15, however, only 14 of them are confirmed as testing negative,
meaning that they were cleared of any use of banned performance
enhancing or recreational substances. The 14 fighters on the
all-clear list are: Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, Chris Leben,
Brian Stann, Brandon Vera, Phil Baroni, Thiago Tavares, Jeremy
Stephens, Dustin Poirier, Diego Nunes, Daniel Roberts, Jacob
Volkmann, Dong Hyun Kim and Clay Guida.
Kizer
stated that they were “still processing another athlete’s
urine sample from that event.” An earlier report by MMAJunkie.com,
before the NSAC released the names of the cleared fighters, stated
that while Kizer would not confirm that Silva’s sample was
being questioned, “the NSAC executive did confirm that Silva
was among the UFC 125 fighters who submitted a pre-fight screen.”
After the list of cleared fighters came out, Kizer confirmed
to MMAWeekly.com that the sample still being processed was indeed
that of Thiago Silva.
The
typical reasoning for such a lengthy processing time is a questionable
result. The pre-fight drug screens in Nevada are processed by
a WADA certified laboratory, which requires an A and B sample
for each test. If the A sample returns a questionable result
then the B sample is tested to verify those findings, lengthening
the amount of time for definitive results.
Multiple
MMAWeekly.com sources on Wednesday indicated that Silva was out
of a planned fight with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at
UFC 130 in May. Those sources did not declare why Silva was out,
but a failed drug test would be one reason. If he were to test
positive, Silva would be under an immediate suspension that would
make him ineligible.
Sources
also indicated that Rashad Evans, recently forced out of his
UFC 128 title fight with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua due
to a minor injury, would be healed in time and is stepping in
to fight Rampage at UFC 130.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Rashad
Evans Steps In to Face Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at
UFC 130
It
appears that while Quinton “Rampage” Jackson won’t
get a title shot, he will get a second fight against a former
champion.
Sources
have indicated to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday that Thiago Silva
has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming fight at UFC 130,
and will be replaced by former UFC light heavyweight champion
Rashad Evans.
Neither
Evan’s co-manager Malki Kawa or Jackson’s representatives
could be reached for comment, but sources close to the bout confirmed
that it will be Evans that steps into the UFC 130 fight.
Evans
was just forced out of his UFC 128 bout against Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua due to a knee sprain suffered in training. The Team Jackson
fighter wasn’t seriously injured, and was already hoping
to be back as early as May. It looks like he’ll get his
wish.
There’s
no love lost between Evans and Rampage, who had an epic war of
words leading up to their fight at UFC 114 in May 2010. Evans
went on to win the fight by unanimous decision, but then waited
for an injured Rua to return for a shot at the belt.
Unfortunately
for Evans, due to the knee injury, his training partner and close
friend Jon Jones will get the chance to fight for the belt instead,
and he will get another shot at Jackson.
The
bout between Evans and Jackson will still be a co-main event
fight for the card headlined by UFC lightweight champion Frankie
Edgar defending his belt against Gray Maynard.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Muhammed
‘King Mo’ Lawal Expects June Return, Open To Fighting
All At 205
Muhammed
“King Mo” Lawal has been on the sidelines for the past
several months recovering from knee surgery, but it appears the
former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion is looking to come
back soon.
Lawal
told MMAWeekly.com that his recovery is going well and he plans
to make his return to the cage towards the Summer season at a
yet to be named event.
“I’m
healing great,” he said of his recovery. “(I’m)
looking to fight in June.”
And
as for potential opponents, “King Mo” won’t discriminate.
The flashy light heavyweight is open to all comers in the division
he once held the Strikeforce title in.
“Anyone
at 205,” he said about potential opponents for his return.
Lawal
was last seen fighting Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante at
Strikeforce: Houston in August of last year. The outing wasn’t
Lawal’s best, falling to Cavalcante via TKO and losing his
light heavyweight title in the process. The loss was his first
in eight professional fights.
Since
that time, Lawal has been healing from the knee surgery that
was required as a result of the fight against Cavalcante. Even
though there is no opponent lined up for him yet, you can bet
“King Mo” will be watching the light heavyweight title
fight between the man who took his title, Cavalcante, and former
Pride and UFC standout Dan Henderson. That match-up is scheduled
to take place as the main event on the March 5 Strikeforce fight
card in Columbus, Ohio.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Kenny
Florian Gunning for Top Contender in 145lb Debut, Then Aldo in
Brazil
Now
that former UFC lightweight contender Kenny Florian has made
the decision to move down to 145lbs, he’s wasting no time
looking for a fight.
The
former “Ultimate Fighter” season 1 cast member is looking
to return in June, and he wants the top competitor the featherweight
division can offer.
Speaking
to MMAWeekly.com, Florian’s manager Malki Kawa of Authentic
Sports Management says that part of the reason the fighter made
the move down to 145lbs was because of a proposed fight with
Jose Aldo from last year.
The
UFC had offered Aldo the chance to move up to 155lbs to face
Florian, but ultimately his managers and trainers opted to keep
him at featherweight for a little while longer. Meanwhile, it’s
a fight that’s stuck in the head of Florian’s manager
this whole time.
“We
went down to 45 because that fight with Aldo was one that stuck
in my head, and I’m just like Dana White, I want to make
the biggest and the best fights that I possibly can, and I’m
thinking Kenny Florian vs. Jose Aldo one day, I think that’s
a pretty big fight,” Kawa said.
While
Florian knows he won’t get Aldo for his first fight in the
UFC’s featherweight division, he would be happy to face
him for his second fight after defeating a top contender.
“A
top contender. Whoever the No. 1 contender is at that point is
the guy I’d like to get,” Kawa stated. “What would
be my ideal situation for me is for him to get a fight in June,
whoever the No. 1 contender is, win that fight, and then hopefully
set something up for Brazil with (Jose) Aldo if the UFC’s
up for it.”
Florian
has trained and traveled to Brazil several times throughout his
career and even speaks fluent Portuguese, so fighting in the
country, even against one of their own, is still a fight he would
jump at.
Regardless
of who he faces, Florian is just chomping at the bit to get back
in there. He will start his road back soon by getting into full
training now that his knee is healthy.
As
far as a timeline for his return, Florian is still on pace to
step back into the Octagon in June, possibly with a slot on the
UFC 131 card in Vancouver that has been rumored.
“I
think it’s going to be June, but it’s not set,”
Kawa said about Florian’s next fight. “I think he’ll
be ready to fight in June.”
Florian
will soon head back into training and then get ready for his
return to action, this time at 145lbs.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Dana
White Says Georges St-Pierre Is The No. 1 Superstar In the Sport
If
you’ve ever wondered who the top star in the UFC is just
ask Dana White. The UFC President believes it’s none other
that UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who will headline
the upcoming UFC 129 show in Toronto in late April.
The
charismatic champion has stormed to the top of the welterweight
rankings while also becoming a leading spokesman for brands like
Under Armour and Gatorade.
St-Pierre
has also been voted “Canadian Athlete of the Year”
three years in a row, but despite his legendary status in his
home country, White says they didn’t need him to have a
successful show in Toronto, but it’s a very nice bonus.
“I
don’t know if you remember leading up to this fight, I was
saying we don’t need to go into Toronto with Georges St-Pierre
headlining. Obviously, if you have Georges St-Pierre headlining
it doesn’t suck, but it worked out that way and here he
is,” White commented.
“Look
at the UFC, and one of the great things about the UFC is how
many stars we do have. How many guys headline pay-per-views?
We went up into Montreal with 2 Brazilians headlining the card.
We’ve been in L.A. with Brazilians headlining the card,
we’ve been to England with B.J. Penn headlining a card before,
people love everybody in the UFC.”
With
a roster of fighters that include names like Brock Lesnar, Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua, B.J. Penn and others, White believes
that St-Pierre is the biggest draw in the sport all over the
world.
“Georges
St-Pierre, if you look at our top three superstars, I would call
Georges St-Pierre No. 1. I literally think and all that stuff
that started with (Wayne) Gretzky, I’m telling you right
now, I’m going to say it again up here to you guys and eventually
it will sink in, this guy is a monster, a superstar,” said
White.
“Not
just here. If I was headlining with Georges St-Pierre in Toronto,
Egypt, Poland, it doesn’t matter. This guy is a huge superstar
all over the world.”
St-Pierre
has shown his drawing power while headlining cards in Canada
and the United States, and would likely get big crowds and numbers
in any country he visits. He even commented before his fight
with Josh Koscheck that he had the largest gathering of fans
in the Philippines.
There’s
no denying St-Pierre’s crossover and worldwide appeal, and
even the UFC President is now calling GSP the biggest star in
MMA.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Man
Up & Stand Up
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday February 19, 2011
Doors open at 6:00
TODD
PARK
160
LAWRENCE HINOJOSA
CHARLES HAZELWOOD
185
JESSIE LINDLEY
KALAI MCSHANE
125
DONOVAN CALLURUDA
ELIAS VELASCO
125
SHAWN DESANTOS
MIKE UEMOTO
145
ISAAC HOPPS
PAUL BOTER
140
OLA LUM
NUI SOLJAH BOY WHEELER
145
IKAIKA TAMPOS
RECKLESS RONIIE VILLAHMOSA
155
JUSTIN
DULAY
BUBBA KEKUA
165
JOSEPH ENAENA
DJ CASERIA
120
RYOTA TEZUKA
JOSEPH GARCIA
160
ETHAN KERFOOT
ANTHONY REYES
135
JENSEN DELACRUZ
JACOB CARTER
45
DIESEL VISTANTE
KONA
65
STANFORD AQUINO
ALVIN KANEHAILUA
200
BEN BOYCE
SOFA
220
KANOE KAHIKINA
ANDREW QUIZON
155
MARICE PHILLIPS
MARK YARCIA
135
LINK MERRITT
PAUL AUSTRIA
130
JOEY BALAI
CHANTE STAFFORD
115
DARRYL QUINTAS
MAKANA WIGGLESWORTH
150
ISAAC SABALA
ALIKA KUMUKOA
115
ISRAEL LOVELACE
KALEI AIWOHI
125
THOMAS REYES
ANTHONY MURAKAMI
140
KAYLEN STAFFORD
DONTEZ COLEMAN
125
JORDAN VIRA
CHANTELL BOYCE
160
AVEMAO PSYCHO PETERS
TONY LASSIT
185
TBA
All
matches & participants are subject to change.
Source: Derrick Bright
|
Jai
Bradney Vs
Sugar Shane Nelson
on Nitro MMA 2
Jai
‘The Toothfairy’ Bradney vs Sugar Shane Nelson (BJ Penn MMA Hawaii)
One
of QLD’s most popular fighters Jai ‘The Toothfairy’
Bradney makes a return to the cage at NITRO to take on BJ Penn’s
prodigy ‘Sugar’ Shane Nelson who has recently fought
on UFC 96, 101 & 107 and member of the TUF 8 house.
Benny
‘Blanco’ Alloway (Fightclub Ju Jitsu) vs Ryan ‘Terminator’
Yanz (Gold Coast)
Hale
Vaasa (Southside MMA/Red Dragon) v Panapa Pereira (Integrated)
Gokhan
The Pitbull Turkylimaz (Sydney) vs Julez The Jackal (Fightclub
Ju Jitsu)
Shane
Wundenburg (P.U.M.M.A) vs Damien Brown (Body Torque Townsville)
Tyson
Kroehn (Rings Toowoomba) vs Murri (Fight Club Ju Jitsu)
Shannon
Mclellan (Miami Fight Centre) vs Fabian Nemcek (Southside MMA)
Cort
Hale (Gold Coast) vs Luke Stevens (Shindo New Breed)
Tye
Brown (Shindo New Breed) vs Matt George (Rings Toowoomba)
Scott
Celere (Lion’s Den Melbourne) vs Todd Woody (Extreme Fight
Studio)
Source: Infinite MMA
|
Lyoto
Machida Believes He Beat Rampage, But Randy Couture Is The Business
at Hand
by Damon
Martin
Lyoto Machida is a fighter that is always up for challenges,
but lately he’s been on the losing end, dropping his last
two fights in a row after starting off his career with 16 straight
victories.
While
there was no question he simply got beat when facing Maurcio
“Shogun” Rua the second time around, his last loss
fell into the hands of the judges at UFC 123 in Detroit when
he faced Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
The
opinions were split after the fight with some scoring the fight
for Jackson and others scoring in for Machida.
The
Brazilian’s manager, Ed Soares, says that scoring in MMA
isn’t perfect, but everyone should realize that the sport
is still so young that mistakes are bound to happen. He does
admit, however, that a controversial loss is still a loss and
right now his fighter’s record is reading two defeats in
a row.
“It
is a bummer to see a loss. You’ve heard Dana White before,
sometimes a bad decision effects a fighter’s legacy, effects
a fighter’s pay. So many different things are effected by
a controversial decision, but unfortunately, it didn’t work
out in our favor this time,” Soares said.
“I
don’t know what needs to be done about the scoring and the
judging. I think they maybe need to come up with a better system.
People need to understand that our sport is young. This sport
has been sanctioned now for about 10 years.
“There’s
gonna be adjustments that are gonna be made to try to perfect
the scoring and make it better. We may see in our lifetime, maybe
20 years from now, they may say, ‘Man, off of today’s
scoring, Lyoto would have definitely won that fight or such and
such definitely would have won that fight.’ But it’s
definitely a young sport and it’s constantly evolving. I
think everybody is doing the best job they can to try and put
these things in order.”
Machida
is moving on from the loss to Jackson and will soon head back
into a full training camp to get ready for his next challenge,
UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture.
While
the former UFC light heavyweight champion is excited about the
bout, he hasn’t decided whether he’ll train in America
or in Brazil for the bout. Either way, he’s ready for the
challenge that lies ahead in Toronto in April.
“I
think it’s a great fight. It’s an honor to fight a
guy like Randy Couture,” Soares told MMAWeekly Radio. “He’s
a legend in this sport. Someone like Lyoto, he’s the kind
of guy that wants to fight the best. He did feel he won that
fight against Rampage, but that’s yesterday, now he’s
got to focus on today. The next bout is Randy Couture.”
Couture
has teetered on the precipice of whether or not he will be retiring
soon, but mentioned Machida by name as one of the fighters he
wants to face before calling it a career. The former champion
complied and now they two light heavyweights will meet in a featured
bout on the UFC 129 main card on April 30.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Fedor
Emelianenko is Training to Win the Strikeforce Heavyweight GP
by Dave
Walsh
The upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix has been garnering
a lot of attention over the past few weeks, all leading up to
February 12th where the tournament kicks off at a card headlined
by none other than Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko
squaring off with Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. The inclusion
of Fedor Emelianenko automatically takes what was a great tournament
and makes it legendary, with the stakes for winning the tournament
being more than bragging rights, but instead to lay claim to
being one of the top, if not the top Heavyweight in the MMA world.
With
the show just a few weeks out, it means that Emelianenko's media
duties have begun, with the Russian Heavyweight only speaking
to select media outlets and remaining entrenched in an aura of
mystique. A few years ago I argued that part of what makes Fedor
so great is the fact that he doesn't train in a state-of-the-art
MMA gym with a team of other top fighters, instead he chooses
solitude and a simple life. You won't find Fedor on TMZ.com out
partying or knocking out college football players in Texas, instead
you see stories of him jogging with his priest and just learning
about Twitter.
Our
good friend, Jon Luther, caught up with Fedor to discuss the
Strikeforce Heavyweight GP, and Fedor is in it to win it. I also
really enjoy Fedor's take on being "number one." It
just shows that fans care more about status than most fighters
do. [source]
"I
can’t wait to compete again. Silva is a great athlete who
is skilled in many areas. He has proven to be a very worthy and
dangerous opponent. My training camp has been very strong. I
feel proud to be representing my country in the tournament. I’m
training to win the tournament.”
Eight
of the top heavyweights in the world will participate in the
tournament, leading many to believe that the eventual tournament
champion should be in the running for the title of best heavyweight
alive. To Emelianenko, his opinion on the matter is irrelevant.
“The
tournament participants are all highly skilled athletes. As for
whether the winner should be considered number one in the world,
it is not for me to say. That is something left to the media
and to the fans.”
Source: Liver Kick
|
Department
of Homeland Security steps in to streaming war, seizes sites
In a development that is sure to delight the UFC, the war on
internet piracy has drawn the attention of the US Department
of Homeland Security.
Today
the DHS seized control of a number of websites which allegedly
regularly stream pirated content online, allowing copyrighter
content to be watched for free.
The
move is controversial in itself, not least because of the First
Amendment right to free speech makes seizing websites a move
not to be taken lightly.
But
the DHS has not only hit sites based in the US; it took control
of the domain name of Rojadirecta.org despite it being a Spanish
site that was recently declared by a Spanish court to be operating
legally.
Other
sports-streaming websites such as ATDHE.net, Firstrow.net, ChannelSurfing.net,
and Ilemi.com have also been seized by the authorities. The timing
of the crackdown - just ahead of the Super Bowl event - has not
gone unnoticed.
Rojadirecta
confirmed that its site had been seized by the authorities in
a tweet posted Tuesday but also announced that it had moved to
other domains immediately, inviting users to try suffixes such
as .me, .es .in and .be. The site also used a .com ending briefly
but that was seized by the DHS almost immediately.
The
United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department
of the United States federal government, created in response
to the September 11th attacks, and with the primary responsibilities
of protecting the territory of the U.S. from terrorist attacks
and responding to natural disasters.
As
such today’s seizures have proved extremely controversial
with many alleging the DHS is acting ’ultra vires’
(in excess of its powers). The war against internet piracy rumbles
on, but the Rojadirecta instance shows that the websites are
quick to sidestep the difficulties they are presented with.
Source: Fighters Only
|
Jordan
Breen on why UFC production values are better than Showtime’s
for MMA
By Zach
Arnold
A
caller asked the Sherdog radio host on his Tuesday show why Strikeforce
events on Showtime feature wide-angle camera shots and a feel
of ‘distance’ from the in-ring product as opposed to
the way UFC produces event. Here is how Mr. Breen responded:
“It’s
funny that you bring that up and would you like to know the main
reason why? Because Showtime knows nothing about MMA and their
production staff are incredibly worried about, literally, missing
things. That’s how they explained things. Talking to them
in meetings, it’s like, well, like I’ve literally heard
this like word-for-word, this is verbatim from someone on the
Showtime production staff, ‘What if someone throws a kick
or something and we miss it?’ Think about that for a second.
They’re worried that someone might kick and they’ll
miss it? I know, this is the thing and this is something that,
um, the people who don’t think about this with production
but the camera angles that you get, people think that like camera
work and production is germane to itself, like you know, if you
have good camera man and a good production set-up and a good
director that whatever they shoot it’ll be good and, frankly,
familiarity with the product matters. Look at HBO and how they
shoot boxing. There are shots at HBO Boxing that are like super
in-close with the fighters in the clinch and it’s masterful
and the reason is that they have so much experience doing boxing
and likewise, the UFC and the crews they use have a lot of experience
of doing MMA so they get a lot better shots and you get a lot,
like you feel close to the action and I’ve gotten e-mails
from people about this in the past saying that, you know, Showtime,
they shoot really far away and I mean that’s like that goes
more centrally to what I was talking about with the whole ‘what
happens if they kick and we miss it?’ They use like wide
angle far-away shots so often times when you’re watching
Strikeforce like you feel really far away from the action that’s
happening. Same thing with Elite XC, whereas with the UFC they
use camera angles that are a lot closer because the guys are
a lot more experienced with shooting and they know how to change
angles and stuff like that. It is night and day and it’s
not just because of the people involved, um, and their skill.
It’s their familiarity with MMA. They just don’t feel
comfortable with it so they use all this kind of wide angle long-distance
hackery that just doesn’t look as good and in the situation
like TJ (De Santis) and I were in, you end up missing tons of
stuff.”
Breen
and De Santis were in San Jose this past weekend for the Strikeforce
show and helped out with the preliminary fights that streamed
live on the Sherdog web site.
“Yeah,
and that’s crazy, too, because they honestly, Showtime Boxing
start rounds with a lot of like wide-angle shots and stuff like
that. Like, inappropriate use of like jibs and stuff like that,
just shots that don’t make any sense. So, yeah, it’s
something that for a lot of people this will come off as like
pedantry and like ‘oh, like, what a stupid thing to complain
about.’ But it has very real ramifications and one of the
things that people complain the most about with Showtime and
Strikeforce for MMA is the commentary and at times things are
directly impacted by the commentary. I mean, if TJ and I were
live on Showtime, people would have absolutely destroyed us because
we had no idea what happened in the Ron Keslar & Isaiah Hill
fights and it wasn’t our fault. Literally, there was no
camera angles to see what happened and, on top of that, it was
even worse. In the Ron Keslar fight, he got the tap and then
he stood up and punched the mat and looked angry and I thought,
‘Oh, did he not win? What has happened? I don’t understand
what’s happening. Why is he mad?’
As
for why UFC production is better…
“It’s
a difference in experience and the little things add up to the
big picture. There’s a reason why one of the things that
Dana White says all the time when people talk about competing
events is ‘we’ve been doing this a lot time, we know
how to do it.’ It’s not just about knowing how to book
a venue, go and make the press turnout. It’s all those little
things and stuff like that like keeping an event running on schedule,
knowing how and when to slip prelims in. You know, you can talk
about some of the stuff that the UFC does being substandard and
there’s no question that, for instance, Mike Goldberg &
Joe Rogan could be vastly improved upon as a commentary duo.
But in the larger picture, everything is pretty air-tight with
what Zuffa do and they don’t offer up themselves a lot of
avenue for criticism on the production side. Yeah, are the aesthetics
sometimes like cheesy and maybe a bit tripe, gladiator men and
tribal? Yes. But from a technical perspective when it comes to
shot selection and that kind of thing, it’s really, really
well done and there’s a reason why often times you feel
more into a fight in the UFC than at times you do in Strikeforce.
And those little things, like I said, go a long way. I mean,
not that Strikeforce doesn’t have great fights, but there’s
a significant chance that if a great fight breaks out in Strikeforce,
it not feel as great as it would in the UFC because of how it’s
shot and this is something that has happened on Showtime. It’s
a real thing with boxing fans. Boxing fans will often say, you
know, Showtime are putting on a lot better fights than HBO right
now but I really wish it looked like HBO or sounded like HBO
or whatever and that production stuff makes a big, big difference
in the mass recollections of people.”
Earlier
on in the radio show, a caller asked the host about his thoughts
on Heavy’s growing partnership with the UFC by having a
new pre-fight online show featuring Dave Farra right before UFC
PPV events. Some are critical of Dave as an interview but personally
I’ve always been complimentary towards what he does because
he manages to get answers out of guests that other lesser-skilled
interviewers can’t do or try to do but aren’t smooth
enough to pull off.
The
caller was not thrilled about the “Access Hollywood-ification”
of the MMA media. Mr. Breen responded in this manner:
JORDAN
BREEN: “I just think it’ll be another panel show. I
mean the thing is, too, you have to be, it’s a bad question
to ask me or I think someone in the media because to some extent
it’s kind of like comedians trying jokes on other comedians.
Like, um, there’s… like the kind of content that’s
produced by various media outlets isn’t necessarily for
other media. You know like I don’t, I mean I’m interested
in hearing the thoughts of like, you know, people that I’m
close to in the media and I find pretty interesting but in general
like I’m not the kind of person who’s going to sit
down and watch a Countdown show. Likewise, I wouldn’t expect,
I don’t think like Adam Schefter really rocks to like the
NFL on Fox. Like, why would he? Like what would that offer him,
you know?”
TJ
DE SANTIS: “It’s like us listening to other MMA podcasts!”
JORDAN
BREEN: “Yeah! Like people always ask like, ‘man do
you listen?’ Like, no. There are times where like I might,
depending, like it’s a guest or something really notable
happens or if Ariel Helwani’s putting a party hat on (Alistair)
Overeem. Like there are reasons why you’d want to listen
or look or whatever, but by in large like it’s just not
something that everyone does. Likewise, I think it’s a propsterous
like I would be amazed to find out that like other people like
my other media colleagues, people that I would consider myself
friends with would listen to my show. Why would they? It’s
just not part, that’s not the audience that I expect or
would be common to listen. So, it’s a bit of a weird thing.
Like, people always want to know what the media thinks about
other parts of the media. But the fact is, most times it’s
not positive or negative it’s just like, ‘oh, yeah,
it exists,’ not necessarily indifference but just content
that it exists and not necessarily interested in the product.
“The
good thing about it is we’re not, like it’s not in
place of anything. It’s not, no one’s being forced
to watch. If it’s generally, if it’s something that,
you know, watching an interview with Chad Mendes for five minutes
before UFC 126 makes more people want to tune in, so be it. But,
like, I would have a beef if it was like replacing some kind
of staple of pre-fight MMA coverage or it was somehow taking
resources but it’s an addition that, you know, Dave Farra
and the crew at Heavy have put together, so I mean if it’s
good it’s good, if not it’s not. Like I don’t
think it’s going to alter anything drastically.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Apples
and Cinder Blocks: Comparing Fighter Salaries to Other Sports
is Pointless
By E. Spencer
Kyte
I know what you're thinking: apples and cinder blocks?
Here's
the thing: apples and oranges are actually fairly similar; they're
both fruit, they're both grow on trees, eating them is really
good for you, all kinds of things. Apples and cinder blocks?
Not so much.
Now
that we've cleared that up, let's get to the more meaningful
part of this piece.
Strikeforce
announced the salary figures from Saturday's Diaz vs. Cyborg
show, and there has been mixed reviews of the dollar amounts
the fighters are pulling in for a night's work.
According
to the numbers released by the California State Athletic Commission,
welterweight champion Nick Diaz took home $150,000 (no win bonus)
for his second-round submission of Evangelista "Cyborg"
Santos, who took home $20,000. Middleweight champion Ronaldo
"Jacare" Souza earned $85,000 total ($70k show / $15k
win bonus) in victory, while Robbie Lawler brought in $65,000.
Herschel Walker and Scott Carson each netted $5,000, though Walker
will continue to donate his earnings to charity, while Roger
Gracie pulled $75,000 for his fourth-straight victory over $30,000
earner Trevor Prangley.
Now
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have any problem taking
home Cyborg's cheque any day of the week, and the rest of the
paydays represent far more money than I make in a calendar year
punching a clock at a produce warehouse each morning. If you
figure Cyborg put in an eight-week training camp leading up to
this bout, he just earned $2500/week for the last two months.
To that same end, an eight-week camp for Diaz means a weekly
income of $18,500; that's some solid cash money if you ask me.
Extrapolated
over three fights a year, the lowest earner amongst the main
card fighters, Cyborg, is drawing $60,000 a year if he never
earns a victory. While he certainly has to come out of pocket
for trainers and everything involved with his preparations, he's
also bringing in an undeclared amount from sponsors, and being
in the Showtime main event will provide a nice boost to his base
sponsorship numbers without question.
If
you look at the top end, Diaz is banking $450,000 for three fights
a year plus whatever else he's getting from sponsors, and that's
someone fighting for Strikeforce.
Those
dollar figures go up for some of the big boys in the UFC, and
some of the middle tier talent is pulling solid money too. For
instance, Thiago Silva took home $110,000 ($55k win/show) for
his victory over Brandon Vera at UFC 125, while Nick's little
brother Nathan earned $33,000 in a losing effort that same night.
Taken
at face value, those are solid annual incomes, but in terms of
athlete salaries across the board, they're poor.
The
league minimum in the NFL last season was $325,000. Major League
Baseball clocked in at $400,000. The NBA minimum for rookies
was a random $457,588, while the NHL tops the list at an even
half-a-million dollars as the minimum.
Here's
the rub: you can't compare the salaries of fighters to those
of their counterparts in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.
Those
sports have tenure amongst the paying public, television executives
and major corporate sponsors; comparatively, mixed martial arts
is a pimple-faced teenager, and that is why the comparison is
apples and cinder blocks.
I'm
not saying that fighters shouldn't be making more money; stepping
into the cage to get punched in the face has got to be worth
more than a couple thousand bucks, especially when viewed against
being the 12th man on an NBA roster or the fifth outfielder for
the Seattle Mariners.
But
as much as you, me and Dupree want to see our athletes bringing
in comparable pay to the guys earning three minutes of ice time
or playing special teams, the truth is that MMA isn't in the
same space as those organizations; they're the upper echelon
and firmly entrenched after years of growth, prosperity and proven
success. Mixed martial arts hasn't gotten there yet, and you
won't see a unilateral increase in fighter salaries until they
do.
You
have to remember that each of those four leagues earn sizeable
income from network television revenue, something MMA doesn't
do at this stage. While you might want to point to the UFC's
income from pay-per-view sales, the numbers aren't even close.
In
2010, the UFC registered approximately 9.14 million pay-per-view
buys for a gross revenue of $411 million. Big money, right?
Not
so fast.
Revenues
from the 32 teams that make up the National Football League topped
$7.6 billion in 2009. Billion. The NHL, who is no better than
fourth banana below the 49th parallel, made $2.82 billion.
The
Dallas Cowboys are valued at more than a billion dollars themselves.
Prosperity
and increased salaries don't come around overnight, and though
a lot of fans have been passionately following MMA since November
12, 1993 (some sooner, some later), that's only 17 years ago.
That means that for nearly half of my life, MMA wasn't in the
picture, but baseball, basketball, football and hockey most definitely
were, and I'll bet the same applies to a lot of other people
too.
Once
this sport has 30 or 40 years in the bank as a staple in North
America, maybe the comparisons will be worth examining, but even
a UFC network deal in 2011 isn't going to change the fact that
preliminary card fighters in the biggest organization in the
sport will be earning between $4,000 and $8,000 to show.
We
need to show that long-term viability and become entrenched in
the sporting fabric of North American society before fighters
are pulling in NFL-type money, and that might not ever happen.
Seriously.
For
right now, the men competing in preliminary slots on UFC shows
are going to keep making relative chump change, with the pay
increasing with your place on the card, for the most part.
Does
it suck that Frankie Edgar makes a fraction of the money Albert
Haynesworth earns in a year? Absolutely.
Is
that going to change any time soon? Absolutely not.
Case
and point: When Harris Interactive did their most recent poll
of the most popular sports in the United States, MMA wasn't even
an option.
Once
we start making an impression on that survey, maybe then we can
start comparing salaries, but for right now, it's an exercise
in futility.
Source: The Province
|
UFC
Issues Statement of Thanks to Government Agencies Assisting With
Piracy Investigations
Zuffa’s
continued battle against piracy of their pay-per-views got a
major ally in the fight as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,
the Department of Justice and U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement
have stepped up their efforts to stop the illegal streams of
the UFC broadcasts throughout the world.
Zuffa
has long fought against website providers who illegally broadcast
UFC programming, and have filed several lawsuits against those
who either show the pay-per-views, or allow others to broadcast
them on their websites.
On
Wednesday, the UFC issued a special thank you to the individuals
most singularly responsible for stepping up efforts to stop the
piracy of their products.
Particularly
the UFC offered appreciate to Preet Bharara, the United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John T. Morton
from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their parts
in the recent efforts.
“The
very forceful actions taken by Mr. Bharara, the United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Mr. Morton,
the Director of ICE, against these parasitic websites is very
welcome news. The criminal theft of Pay-Per-View events has resulted
in the loss of millions of dollars of revenue to not only the
UFC and its fighters, but has also deprived federal, state and
local government of their rightful entitlement to significant
tax revenue,” UFC President Dana White said in the release.
“On
behalf of the UFC and its fighters, I extend my sincerest thanks
to Mr. Bharara, Mr. Morton, and the many Assistant United States
Attorneys and Agents of Homeland Security Investigations who
worked so tirelessly during the course of this intensive investigation.”
Of
course investigations are ongoing, but with the U.S. government
stepping in to help out the effort, the UFC has a powerful ally
on their site in the battle against piracy.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Hughes
uncertain about future of storied career
By Josh
Gross
Matt Hughes' last outing in the Octagon didn't go over so well.
Matt
Hughes has expressed the desire before. But this time, he might
follow through.
"I
don't know if I'll sign another contract with the UFC,"
the former welterweight champion said Thursday in San Jose, Calif.,
where he'll corner middleweight Robbie Lawler at the HP Pavilion
this weekend against Strikeforce titleholder Ronaldo Souza.
Hughes
has one fight remaining on his current UFC deal and said he plans
on fulfilling his obligation to his longtime promoter by the
middle of the year. Out of fitness preservation, Hughes, patting
his stomach, said he stepped back into his gym, H.I.T. Squad
in Granite City, Ill., three weeks ago to maintain his shape.
Beyond that, he didn't say what his future holds, though the
37-year-old powerhouse did not shut the door on competing again.
After
a busy 2010, which saw him win two fights and lose one -- a stunning
21-second knockout against B.J. Penn in December -- Hughes (45-8)
is focused on "trying to make sure my kids know who their
dad is. The UFC is not the top priority on my mind right now."
Outside
of the cage, Hughes hosts Trophy Hunters TV on the Outdoor Channel,
which features the fighter on a documentary-style program revolving
around his hunting adventures.
Whatever
he decides, Hughes, who owns a 9-3 record in UFC welterweight
title fights, will go down as one of the great 170-pound fighters
in mixed martial arts history.
"I
would have to talk to my wife. I'd have to talk to Dana,"
Hughes said. "I wouldn't call it a retirement. It wouldn't
be out of the realm of possibility for me to fight two or three
times. I have said I'm going to fight one more time for the last
three fights. I meant it. I really have."
Source: ESPN
|
MMA
Not Included in 2011 Budget in New York, Dana White Done with
Predictions for Sanctioning
by Damon
Martin
Just
weeks after the UFC held a press conference at Madison Square
Garden to hopefully turn the wheels in motion to have mixed martial
arts sanctioned in the state of New York, the sport was dealt
a decided blow when Governor Andrew Cuomo released his budget.
Hopes
were high that Cuomo would include mixed martial arts in his
2011 budget, but alas he did not include it in his final numbers.
The
budget isn’t the last striking point for MMA in New York,
but as Assemblyman Dean Murray (R) said last month, it would
be a huge step in the right direction.
“I’ve
actually contacted the Governor’s office and asked him to
include this in the Governor’s budget this year. So we’re
going to wait and see if it is included in the budget. If it’s
not, I’m hoping that we’ll bring it to the floor for
a vote,” Murray commented.
“If
it’s in the budget, it has a much better shot of staying
in the budget.”
Unfortunately,
the $10 billion dollar deficit currently facing the state overwhelmed
the budget beyond anything MMA related.
Possibly
the more disturbing part of the budget’s release this week
was the inclusion that the state intends to eliminate the position
for the salary of the Chair of the State Athletic Commission.
The
position is currently held by Melvina Lathan, and currently the
commission primarily oversees boxing in the state, but that would
change of course if mixed martial arts sanctioning takes place.
MMAWeekly.com has reached out to Lathan to receive comment on
the proposed budget cuts, but at this time no comment has been
given.
UFC
President Dana White has long talked about sanctioning in New
York, and while the budget being released without MMA on the
agenda is in no way a nail in the coffin when it comes to the
sport being sanctioned there, it certainly doesn’t help
matters.
“New
York’s a crazy place to navigate politically. We all know
it’s ridiculous that this thing isn’t sanctioned in
New York,” White said on Wednesday.
“At
the end of the day do we really need New York? No. But New York
should be open, there should be mixed martial arts in New York.
I’m done with predictions on New York. Whenever it happens,
it happens.”
MMA
could still gain sanctioning through means of being approved
through legislature at the state level in New York, but as of
now there’s no clear indicator that will happen any time
soon.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
126: $75,000 Bonuses Handed Out Including Silva’s Knockout
by Damon
Martin
Following
one of the most fantastic knockouts in UFC history, Anderson
Silva was handed a $75,000 bonus on top of retaining the middleweight
belt at UFC 126 on Saturday night.
The
bonuses were announced by UFC president Dana White at the UFC
126 post fight press conference.
In
addition to Silva getting his bonus, new top light heavyweight
contender Jon “Bones” Jones walked out with an additional
$75,000 for his Submission of the Night over formerly undefeated
Ryan Bader.
Fight
of the Night went to Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Paul
Kelly, with each of them taking home an additional $75,000. Cerrone
is a multiple time winner of the award between his time in the
WEC and now in the UFC.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
MMA
Top 10 Rankings: Jacare and Nick Diaz Make Moves
The updated MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings were released on
Wednesday, Feb. 2. This system ranks the Top 10 MMA fighters
from all across the world in each of the seven most widely accepted
weight classes.
Taken
into consideration are a fighter’s performance in addition
to win-loss record, head-to-head and common opponents, difficulty
of opponents, and numerous other factors in what is the most
comprehensive rankings system in the sport.
Fighters
who are currently serving drug-related suspensions are not eligible
for Top 10 consideration until they have fought one time after
the completion of their suspension.
Fighters
must also have competed within the past 12 months in order to
be eligible for Top 10 consideration unless they have a bout
scheduled within a reasonable time frame.
Below
are the current MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings, which are up-to-date
as of Wednesday, Feb. 2.
HEAVYWEIGHT
DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
1. Cain Velasquez
2. Fabricio Werdum
3. Fedor Emelianenko
4. Brock Lesnar
5. Junior Dos Santos
6. Alistair Overeem
7. Shane Carwin
8. Frank Mir
9. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
10. Antonio Silva
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
2. Rashad Evans
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Ryan Bader
7. Jon Jones
8. Thiago Silva
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
10. Randy Couture
MIDDLEWEIGHT
DIVISION (185-pound limit)
1. Anderson Silva
2. Yushin Okami
3. Nathan Marquardt
4. Demian Maia
5. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
6. Jorge Santiago
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Michael Bisping
9. Hector Lombard
10. Mark Munoz
WELTERWEIGHT
DIVISION (170-pound limit)
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Jake Shields
4. Thiago Alves
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Nick Diaz
7. Paul Daley
8. Martin Kampmann
9. Carlos Condit
10. Chris Lytle
LIGHTWEIGHT
DIVISION (160-pound limit)
1. Frankie Edgar
2. Gilbert Melendez
3. Gray Maynard
4. Shinya Aoki
5. Eddie Alvarez
6. Tatsuya Kawajiri
7. Jim Miller
8. Kenny Florian
9. George Sotiropoulos
10. Anthony Pettis
FEATHERWEIGHT
DIVISION (145 pound-limit)
1. Jose Aldo
2. Manny Gamburyan
3. Diego Nunes
4. Chad Mendes
5. Michihiro Omigawa
6. Hatsu Hioki
7. Dustin Poirier
8. Mark Hominick
9. Josh Grispi
10. Hiroyuki Takaya
BANTAMWEIGHT
DIVISION (135 pounds or less)
1. Dominick Cruz
2. Brian Bowles
3. Joseph Benavidez
4. Scott Jorgensen
5. Miguel Torres
6. Urijah Faber
7. Brad Pickett
8. Demetrious Johnson
9. Eddie Wineland
10. Masakatsu Ueda
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Sengoku
goes to battle with Gong Kakutougi magazine writer Manabu Takashima
By Zach
Arnold
Not
since promotional attacks in 1995 against then-Weekly Pro Wrestling
magazine editor Tarzan Yamamoto can I recall a promotion publicly
attacking a veteran writer like you are about to see today. Yamamoto,
who was labeled as an anti-New Japan Pro-Wrestling editor, took
a beating from fans and was booed unmercilessly everywhere he
went.
The
writer you’re about to see get mentioned does not remind
me of the same type of person as Tarzan Yamamoto, at all.
Manabu
Takashima, a competent veteran Japanese MMA writer who often
has appeared on TV with dyed silver hair, has lots of street
credibility when it comes to understanding the foreign MMA landscape.
He’s been around a long time and he’s the kind of guy
who, should UFC end up trying to make a big splash in Japan,
would prove to be valuable for their efforts if they wanted to
hire him for his services outside of writing. (Kind of in the
old Wally Yamaguchi role. Only Japanese pro-wrestling fans will
understand that analogy.)
So,
when I saw this curious article talking about ‘the end of
Sengoku’ because of a Gong Kakutougi article, I was amused
by the tone. Mr. Takashima is not exactly what you would a tabloid
writer. He’s unlikely to be a guy who would launch a Shukan
Gendai-type campaign against a promotion.
However,
that’s not what Sengoku would like you to believe. In a
bizarre statement posted on the company’s web site, the
promotion blasted an article that Takashima did in the March
edition of Gong Kakutougi magazine. The article theme is ‘our
opinion on the interview by Manabu Takashima.’ It starts
off talking about since the collapse of PRIDE in 2007 that the
Japanese MMA industry had a deep recession and that World Victory
Road came along to join the fighters, fans, and mass communiction
(media) to help restore the business. It goes on to say that
they’re proud to produce big MMA events and do interpromotional
fights with DREAM along with the NYE weekend event in Tokyo at
Ariake Colosseum. Their viewpoint is that just as things were
improving and changing for the future, Manabu Takashima wrote
an article that ‘poured cold water’ on their progress
that was improper. You can read some of what was said in the
Gong article down below, but Sengoku objected to Mr. Takashima’s
claims that the organization promoted their NYE weekend event
poorly and tried to make it up by booking a lot of matches and
used a bigger stage in the building. Additionally, Manabu claimed
that fighters signed contracts for the Sengoku 12/30 Tokyo event
the day of the show and the promotion disputes the factual accuracy
of this claim of ‘irresponsible and groundless’ charges.
Sengoku says that they are disappointed that a ‘quality
magazine’ like Gong Kakutougi would publish Mr. Takashima’s
remarks and that they were launching a protest, demanding a correction
and an apology. The promotion claims that they welcome constructive
criticism from fans but did not find Mr. Takashima’s personal
remarks about Sengoku to be suitable to be attached to what was
marketed as an interview with Hatsu Hioki for the magazine.
Essentially,
the promotion claims that Takashima’s remarks are damaging
to the company’s image and could cause complication with
sponsors like Don Quijote. If sponsors back away from the company,
then their 4/23 Ariake Colosseum event in Tokyo could be postponed
or canceled. The promotion says they are angry at Mr. Takashima’s
‘carelessness’ and expressed strong regret about his
comments.
The
inimitable Tony Loiseleur on Twitter comments:
Speaking
w/those close to the situation but wish to remain anonymous,
this kerfuffle on SRC’s page is a non-issue. Don Quijote
is still w/SRC. Rumors of DonQi leaving SRC come by way of another
mag, quoting an off-the-record Takao Yasuda musing whether DQ
should pull out of MMA.
All
Manabu Takashima’s article is guilty of is stating contracts
are signed day of or day after. I know several ppl who will attest
to this. It should be noted however that this is a common practice
in JMMA. The biz here obviously works very differently than back
in the West.
Also
must note: Takashima is an awesome journalist who has covered
Western MMA for ages. His noting this idiosyncracy of JMMA biz
is natural.
The
question is why SRC is calling out Gong & Takashima specifically.
I’ve been told a few theories off record that I can’t
repeat here, yet. In any case, DonQi is still behind SRC at the
moment, but their April show will likely be pushed back to a
later date.
The
people I spoke to swear it’s SRC kicking up a fuss over
nothing. Another thing that should be noted is that the statement
on SRC’s page is signed by WVR itself, rather than any of
its representatives. It’s a small detail, but I believe
something worth keeping in mind.
For
all WVR’s troubles promoting, it’s been hard rallying
popular & media support. Despite Takashima writing truths,
they’re prob fed up. Also, DonQi may not be gone yet, but
there’s always that risk. Remember when folks were saying
they split from SRC in late 2009? WVR’s statement is prob
a warning shot to the media, and a sign to their benefactor,
Yasuda, that they’re addressing this “support”
issue.
The
uber-talented Dan Herbertson on Twitter comments:
Gong’s
March issue featured an editorial on SRC, saying they try to
compensate for meaningless matches with the size of their stage.
Gong
claimed that the fighter contracts were also signed on the day
of the event. SRC rebutted that and said that there was no evidence
at all to support those claims.
SRC
17 was due to be held on April 23 but now may not happen because
of this Gong article.
Some
of the Japanese magazines are entirely too close to the promoters
(namely FEG). I think this is a reaction to this.
Worth
noting that the cover of Gong Kakutougi this month is a picture
of Hioki vs Sandro and the lead story is a 10,000 character interview.
I
don’t like how WVR refuted that by saying that Gonkaku has
no evidence. “Not true” would have been a better response.
The
contracts thing is really a non-issue. It’s the lack of
support from the MMA media.
Usually
when promotions have major problems with beat writers, they will
threaten them or admonish them (or bribe them) behind the scenes.
Old hat. However, to see a promotion pick a target, freeze it,
and then publicly define who the target is to create a certain
impression is not the norm.
Keep
your eyes on the Twitter accounts of both Dan & Tony for
updates on the story. You should trust these men.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
MMA
Diet: Carbohydrates
by Cameron Conaway
There
is always talk about “good” and “bad” carbs.
It’s an overly simplistic approach, but can certainly be
a helpful foundation for the fighter looking to make healthier
food choices.
Some
“bad” choices are: white bread, white rice, refined
sugars (think powder) like those usually found in candy, sodas
and even fruit juices. These carbs are considered bad because
they offer little other than sugar, and because the sugar they
offer is refined and/or is not slowly digested as a result of
other nutrients in the food. This means these foods make blood
sugar levels quickly surge, and research is continuing to find
direct links between those who frequently eat foods that cause
their blood sugar levels to surge and diabetes, high blood pressure
and a host of other problems.
But
don’t we want our blood sugar levels to rise quickly sometimes?
Yes, we do. Hint: The sugar from fruit is called fructose. Because
fructose is a quick energy source, this makes fruit a great alternative.
Marathon runners load up on carbs before their long-distance
runs. We need carbs for energy. Check out these five carbohydrate
tips.
(1)
Learn about the Glycemic Index from www.glycemicindex.com. Simply
put, the Glycemic Index rates carbohydrates based on how quickly
or slowly they elevate blood sugar levels. One reason why it’s
better to have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
is because it keeps the blood sugar levels relatively stabilized
compared to the extreme ups and downs of having a few large meals
per day.
(2)
Save fruits and other quick energy carbohydrate sources for the
morning and try to avoid them directly before going to bed. If
you are going to spike your blood sugar, use the spike to start
your day or workout strong.
(3)
The fewer ingredients the better. 100% Durum Whole Wheat or Steel
Cut Oats are two smart carbohydrate choices that contain just
one ingredient. This applies to other foods, but particularly
to carbohydrates because sugar comes in many names and in many
forms. Here are just a few commonly found on labels:
Brown
Sugar, Sugar Honey, Sucrose, Corn Syrup, Molasses, Confectioner’s
Sugar, Date Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Brown Rice Syrup,
Maltodextrin, Molasses Powder, Turbinado, Maple Syrup, Glucose,
Dextrin, Lactose, Fructose, Honey, Caramel, Fruit Sugar, Maple
Sugar, Dextrose, Chicory Syrup.
(4)
Always choose whole grains. The MMA fighter needs to eat as efficiently
as possible. One way to do this is to always choose whole grains
whenever possible. Whole grains contain the germ, endosperm,
and bran, in contrast to refined grains – like white bread
– which retain only the endosperm. This means that rather
than just getting carbs, the MMA fighter will also be getting
plenty of protein, fiber and the many smaller chemical compounds
found in whole grain foods that provide heart-healthy benefits.
A typical 2oz (or 200 calorie) serving of a 100% whole grain
pasta is packed with seven grams of protein and six grams of
dietary fiber. Not to mention the carbohydrates, because they
are in their whole form, will digest slowly and will create a
steady and stable blood sugar level for hours to come rather
than the sharp rise in blood sugar that is associated with many
of our country’s health problems.
(5)
Buy Dry 100% Whole Wheat Pasta in Bulk. This will ensure that
you always have it and won’t be tempted to reach for something
less healthy. Boil water, pour some pasta out of the box, watch
it for five-six minutes and voila – you’ve got yourself
a foundation for your meal. Dose it with some extra virgin olive
oil, spices and add a can of tuna to it and you’re fueling
your muscles, tendons, skin and organs with many nutrients that
will help your body recover.
Remember,
it shouldn’t take an eternity in the kitchen to eat healthy.
Source: Sherdog
|
UFC
126: Jon Jones Submits Ryan Bader, Earns Surprise Title Shot
Against ‘Shogun’ Rua
by Erik
Fontanez
Jon
Jones earned his 12th career win as he defeated fellow up-and-comer,
Ryan Bader, by submission in the second round of their UFC 126
match-up. Jones was able to make his presence known, stuffing
all of Bader’s takedown attempts en route to a win by guillotine
choke at 4:20 of the round.
In
addition, Jones, to his surprise, was told during his post fight
interview with Joe Rogan that Rashad Evans has blown his knee
out and the UFC is offering him a title shot against Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua in March.
Bader
and Jones entered the Octagon with excitement felt from the crowd.
Jones, who had a near 10-inch reach advantage, looked calm and
relaxed as he shot in for a takedown, putting Bader on his back
and landing in side control. Jones looked as though he had a
North-South choke that put Bader in trouble, but he released
it and returned to side control. The fight then went back to
the feet as Bader initiated getting to that position. Jones landed
a nice left high kick, which was followed up by a Bader takedown
attempt.
The
shot was stuffed by Jones and the two ended up on the ground
with Jones working from the top. A scramble to the feet led to
Bader falling underneath Jones again, where he ate several elbows.
The round ended with Jones controlling the majority of the opening
stanza.
The
second round started with Jones controlling the center of the
Octagon. A nice left hook by Jones found its mark on Bader. Later,
Jones attempted a flying head kick, but missed the target. Bader
threw a massive right hand that Jones was able to avoid. Had
it landed, that might have changed the flow of the match-up.
A few low kicks by Jones found their targets, digging deep into
Bader’s outside thigh. At just over a minute to go, Bader
attempted pulling guard, and this was the beginning of the end.
Jones was able to lock in a straight guillotine, forcing Bader
to tap.
The
win was obviously a big one for Jones, as it earned him a shot
a Rua’s light heavyweight belt. Rogan stood with Jones after
the fight and talked to him about the victory.
“I
feel so confident every time I come in here,” Jones said
following the win. “I feel as if it’s my time and I’m
hungry and I’m going for it. I want it.”
Rogan
then made the surprise offer to Jones to face champion Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 in March.
“Here’s
the situation: Rashad Evans was scheduled to face Shogun for
the title, Rashad Evans is injured he blew out his knee. The
UFC wants to give you the opportunity against Shogun Rua for
the light heavyweight championship of the world,” said Rogan.
Despite
the quick turn around, Jones was ecstatic about his opportunity
for a title. When asked about how he feels about getting the
shot at UFC gold, Jones was thankful and made an impact statement
when he said, “I’m going for a world title, baby! Lets
do it!”
The
champion, Rua, entered the Octagon after the surprise announcement
and accepted the challenge of taming the young “Bones”
Jones.
“Jon
Jones is a great (fighter) and I respect him,” he said.
“I’m a professional fighter and I’ll fight anyone.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Amilcar
Alves returns to Shooto after two losses in the UFC
By Guilherme
Cruz
After
two losses in a row inside the UFC octagon, Amilcar Alves was
cut from the organization, but will return to action this month.
Shooto Brazil president André Pederneiras told TATAME
that the welterweight striker will battle Edmilson Jr. in Shooto
Brazil 21 main event, on February 19, in Rio de Janeiro. Check
below the complete card of the event.
Shooto
Brasil 21
Rio de Janeiro
Sábado, 19 de fevereiro de 2011
-
Achiles Campos vs. Janailson Lima (BTT);
-
Hacran Dias (Nova União vs. Ricardo Pitbull (Charlie Brown);
-
Antonio Samurai (Dragon Fight) vs. Cleber Tavares (BTT);
-
Rafael Palhares (Nova União) vs. Vitor Pereira (TFT);
-
Eli Frank (Carioca Team) vs. Maurício (Draculino);
-
Diogo Osama (Distrito da Luta) vs. Alan Quirino (In Fight);
-
Fernando Bruno (Nova União) vs. Anderson Nunes (In Fight);
-
Amilcar Alves (Nova União) vs. Edmilson Jr. (Morganti
Jiu-Jitsu).
Source: Tatame
|
Boxing:
Manny Pacquiao fever strikes fast Monday
by Damian Calhoun
Manny Pacquaio is returning to Las Vegas for his May 7 fight
against "Sugar" Shane Mosley and to say that fans really
want to see him, would be an understatement.
Tickets
for Pacquaio's (53-3-2, 38 KOs) defense of his WBO welterweight
title fight against three-division champion Shane Mosley (46-6-1,
39 KOs) went on sale Monday morning and they were gobbled up
quickly.
Between
10 a.m.-1 p.m., 16,000 tickets were sold for the fight. According
to reports, 1,000 seats remain for the fight.
"Incredible.
Simply incredible," promoter Bob Arum said in a statement.
"I have never promoted a fight that has sold so many tickets
so quickly. Manny Pacquiao never ceases to amaze the world with
his achievements. The excitement he generated today with the
initial ticket sales makes it feel like fight week already!"
If
you're interested, tickets can still be purchased through Ticketmaster.
Tickets are priced at $1,000, $750, and $300. Tickets are also
available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Source: Orange County
|
UFC
126: Miguel Torres Grabs Unanimous Decision Win in UFC Debut
by Erik Fontanez
Miguel
Torres was successful in his UFC debut as he pulled out the unanimous
decision win over Antonio Banuelos at UFC 126.
From
wire to wire, Torres made his place known and controlled the
fight on the feet, earning the unanimous nod with all three judges
scoring the bout 30-27.
Banuelos
and Torres started out gauging each other’s distance, feeling
each other out. With a distinct reach advantage, Torres utilized
his jab, keeping Banuelos at bay. Banuelos caught a Torres kick
at just under three minutes in, putting the former champ on his
back, but Banuelos let him right back up to the feet. Very little
happened in the first round of this fight. Banuelos even attempted
a spinning back kick with 30 seconds left, but didn’t come
close to landing it. It appeared Torres won the round by keeping
the distance and using a solid jab.
Banuelos
started out the second round with instruction by his corner to
push the pace a little bit more, but Torres held the center of
the Octagon for a good amount of time. At about 1:10 into the
round, Banuelos took a shot to the groin, but the action only
stopped momentarily. Torres stuck to the jab and had some good
movement to avoid most of the strikes Banuelos presented any
time he moved forward. The crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center
began to get a bit frustrated with this fight, booing the competitors
as Torres kept his opponent at a distance. A late strike by Banuelos
was about the only offense he provided in the second as Torres
won the round.
The
final round began with more of the same as Banuelos couldn’t
close any distance to score points. More booing from the crowd
rained on the fighters, motivating Torres to pick up the pace
a little bit more. More jabs and counters came from Torres’
direction, while Banuelos’ strikes seemed to be thrown way
short of their target for a majority of the fight. Torres threw
in an occasional kick that kept Banuelos backing up further away
from his opponent. The final 10 seconds of the round had Banuelos
put on a little more pressure, but it was too late as the final
horn rang signalling the end of the fight. It was now in the
hands of the judges, and they ended up giving Torres the win
unanimously.
“I
wanted to get into a brawl, but I couldn’t,” Torres
said to Joe Rogan in his post fight interview. “So, I had
to fight him from the outside.”
Clearly,
Torres didn’t want to get caught with a punch and have the
tides of the fight change direction.
“I
didn’t want to commit too much and get hurt because I know
he’s a very dangerous fighter on the inside,” he said.
Torres
scores his first win in the UFC and 39th of his carrer. Banuelos
has his record drop to 18-7.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Cuomo
leaves MMA out of New York's budget, UFC done with predictions
for sanctioning
by John
Morgan and Steven Marrocco
LAS VEGAS – Hopes that recently elected governor Andrew
Cuomo could speed the process of getting MMA to New York were
dashed by the recent release of his 2011-2012 budget proposal.
Conspicuously
absent from a host of measures that aim to close the state's
$10 billion budget deficit is language to legalize the sport.
The
news drew frustration today from UFC president Dana White, who
said he is "done with predictions in New York."
"Absolutely,"
White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) when asked whether
the exclusion was a setback. "It's just one of those things.
"At
the end of the day, do we really need New York? No. But New York
should be open. We should be able to do it."
Just
three weeks prior, the promotion held a rally at storied sports
venue Madison Square Garden to announce the results of a self-funded
economic impact study that claimed two UFC events could generate
$23 million in revenue for the Empire State.
White
said feedback on the promotion's current lobbying efforts has
been "all positive."
Clearly,
though, today's news revealed a divide between rhetoric and the
political realities of the financially strapped state.
"New
York is just such a crazy place to navigate politically,"
he said. "We all know it's ridiculous that this thing isn't
sanctioned in New York."
Previous
governor David Paterson included legalization language in his
2010-2011 budget proposal before it was removed, as one legislator
said, because of "strongly divided opinions" on the
sport.
The
UFC had hoped Cuomo would re-introduce such language, and it
donated $74,600 to the governor's election campaign.
But
even MMA supporters in the state legislature said it could be
a long time before the sport is able to shrug off its controversial
past. New York banned the sport in 1997 when the UFC's previous
owners, Sephamore Entertainment Group, attempted to hold UFC
12 in the Empire State.
The
UFC has drawn stubborn political opposition since it began ramping
up its legalization efforts.
One
opponent, recently re-elected state assemblyman Bob Reilly, a
Democrat, is believed to be at the heart of several roadblocks
the promotion has encountered in the state assembly.
"It's
scary," White said of Reilly. "It's unbelievable that
this guy has been battling this for so long and is so uneducated
about it."
MMA
legislation has yet to receive a vote on either the assembly
or senate floor in the previous three legislative sessions.
"If
we were able to get it to the floor, we'd probably pass it with
Republican votes," said Steve Englebright, who chairs the
assembly's Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee,
in an interview with MMAjunkie.com this past June. "But
there is a desire, I think, on the part of many of the members
of our Democratic majority to resolve this matter satisfactorily
within our own [party] before submitting it to the uncertainties
of a debate."
With
Cuomo's snub of MMA, the fate of legalization rests on three
MMA-related bills currently on the docket for this year's legislative
session: two bills in the assembly and one in the senate. The
state assembly bills are awaiting review in the Tourism, Arts
and Sports Development committee, while the senate bill has been
refereed to the Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation
committee.
While
White executive refuses to give up the fight to get UFC events
into New York, you won't hear him giving any predictions on when
that will become a reality.
"Whenever
it happens, it happens," White said.
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Gina
Carano Returns To Training at Xtreme Couture on Wednesday
If you’re looking for signs that Gina Carano might be headed
back to MMA, Wednesday was a good indicator.
Carano,
who has been shooting scenes for Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming
film “Haywire”, was spotted at Xtreme Couture on Wednesday
working out with boxing coach Gil Martinez.
Xtreme
Couture issued a former welcome back to Carano, who had trained
with the gym while fighting in Elite XC and Strikeforce before
taking a hiatus from the sport to concentrate on her acting career.
Strikeforce
CEO Scott Coker has talked about Carano coming back to fighting
multiple times, but has yet to have a conversation with her about
resuming her MMA career.
While
Carano returning to Xtreme Couture is no sure thing that a return
to MMA is next, it’s a step in the right direction. Also,
according to internet film database IMDB.com, Carano doesn’t
have any acting gigs booked beyond her current job filming “Haywire”.
Carano’s
return would obviously be a nice boost to Strikeforce’s
roster, but in her absence the promotion has continued to thrive,
crowning a 135lb women’s champion and starting to bolster
a strong women’s roster. Her addition would only add to
that talent pool.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Welcome
to the UFC: Cerrone and Mendes Dominate At UFC 126
by Damon
Martin
Two fighters formerly from the WEC introduced themselves to the
UFC world on Saturday night with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone
submitting Paul Kelly, and Chad Mendes dominating Michihiro Omigawa
during the Spike TV prelims for UFC 126.
Stepping
in on shorter notice for his debut, the always ready Donald “Cowboy”
Cerrone seemed a bit off in the early going in his fight against
Paul Kelly, but never got rattled as the Brit came on the offensive.
Cerrone
has been a notoriously slow starter throughout his career, but
Saturday night looked more like a timing and defensive issue,
but he adjusted well and came back strong, especially in the
2nd round.
After
cracking Kelly with a vicious elbow that opened a cut over the
Brit’s right eye to close the first, Cerrone stayed on the
attack during the second round as well. Getting the fight to
the ground, Cerrone immediately transitioned to the mount before
Kelly rolled, giving up his back.
Locking
on a body triangle, Cerrone peppered Kelly with punches until
the Wolfslair fighter gave the perfect opening to slip the forearm
under the chin and look for the finish. Cerrone wrenched up on
the arm and locked it in place, and Kelly wincing in obvious
discomfort had no choice but to tap the canvas.
“That’s
Greg Jackson’s jiu-jitsu, the best in the world. My training
partners are the best guys in the world,” Cerrone said about
the submission.
The
win gives Cerrone his first official UFC win, and he admitted
following the fight that he was out to prove something to anyone
that wasn’t sure how the former WEC lightweights would stack
up in the Octagon.
“I’m
glad to be here and show the WEC guys deserve (to be here) in
the UFC,” Cerrone stated.
Mark
Hominick may be getting the next shot at UFC featherweight champion
Jose Aldo in April, but the new No. 1 contender could have very
well been crowned as Chad Mendes dominated Michihiro Omigawa
on his way to a route in their fight at UFC 126.
Mendes
was hopeful before the announcement that Hominick got the fight
with Aldo that if he was successful at UFC 126, that he could
possibly get the shot at the belt later this year.
Obviously
the UFC opted to give the shot to the Canadian, so Mendes decided
to make a point and make an example out of Omigawa on Saturday
night.
The
Team Alpha Male fighter showed flashes of brilliance in both
his already established wrestling game, and his rapidly improving
stand-up game, battering Omigawa at every turn. Mendes landed
a nasty elbow at one point in the fight that opened a gash on
Omigawa’s head that brought more than a few ooh’s and
ah’s from the Las Vegas crowd when it was shown on the big
screen.
Mendes
kept up his relentless pace for all 15 minutes and at the end
of the fight all Omigawa could do was throw his arms to the mat
in frustration.
Mendes
maintains a perfect record in his professional MMA career, and
now has to be considered the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s
newly minted featherweight division.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Results!
Mayhem At The Mansion II
Kilohana Mansion, Puhi, Kauai
February 5, 2011
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
The
first and longest running MMA event held their first event of
the year on the beautiful island of Kauai and like in years past
the rain has come down to bless the event. However, the event
has moved from under the open aired Hanapepe Stadium into the
fully sheltered and more intimate Kilohana Mansion for the second
time, which was appreciated by all. The event featured two kickboxing
matches, a handful of Pankration matches and ended the night
with MMA. Ola Lum from the O2 Martial Arts Academy started off
the night by hammering a tough and game Marcus Vierra. The Pankration
matches, which featured striking while standing, but grappling
only while on the ground was dominated by the HMC team under
the tutelage of David "Chinaman" Yeung. His team looked
very polished and took full advantage of the Pankration style
of matches to get their feet wet to improve their MMA skills.
They showcased a very aggressive and well rounded style. The
big boys also came out the bang making it was the classic version
of the immovable object meeting the irresistible force when Gary
Gouviea came straight forward throwing bombs while Kalama Silva
fired back and displayed some solid striking skills. In the end,
Gouviea's pressure, and ability to take a punch, was too much
for Silva. There was even a female kickboxing bout featuring
Ingrid Nakamura taking on an intimidating opponent in Ave Peters.
Nakamura showed no fear and went after Peters, connecting with
a thrust kick and pounding the body until she dropped her larger
foe to the Kauai fight fans' delight. The last three fights made
Kauai proud as Tyson Hawelu (New Breed) continued his winning
streak with his aggressive style taking out Paul Lopes and Salty
Shane Kahananui from KTI had a back and forth war with Ryan Clay
until landing a vicious right hook that sent Clay crashing to
the canvas. The main event featured Kauai's top 145lber and MMA
and BJJ veteran Eben Kaneshiro taking on BJ Penn 8-Man tournament
champion Matt Comeau. Comeau looked to utilize his wrestling
to keep the fight standing and out of Kaneshiro's strength, but
Kaneshiro added some new striking skills to his arsenal. When
the fighters broke apart or were infighting, Kaneshiro would
throw spinning back elbows with bad intentions. It was only a
matter of time and the right opportunity for one of those elbows
to find its mark. Kaneshiro landed a solid elbow that sent Comeau
to the cage floor. He pounced on Comeau, but the Referee stepped
in to save a dazed Comeau from taking further damage. This event
partnered with X-1 World Events and one of the benefits of this
partnership was up and coming fighters could qualify to fight
on the larger X-1 stage and with this win, Eben Kaneshiro earned
his title shot at the current champ, Ricky "Hoku" Wallace.
The promoters are tentatively planning another event in August.
Amateur
Kickboxing: 3 Rounds - 2 Minutes
Ola Lum (O2 Martial Arts Academy) def. Marcus Vierra (Kauai Pankration)
Unanimous decision after 3 rounds
Pankration:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Ryne Yoshimura (HMC) def. Abe Mohr (KTI)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 2:59 in Round 3.
Pankration:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Kai Iwasaki (HMC) def. Keone Martins (Bulls Pen)
Submission via arm bar at 0:15 in Round 1.
Pankration:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Tyler Kobayashi (HMC) def. Jory Faasili (Bulls Pen)
Submission via arm bar at 2:27 in Round 1.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Gary Gouveia (HIBC) def. Kalama Silva (Kauai Pankration)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 1:20 in Round 2.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Issac Worth (Freelance, Kauai) vs. Justin Perriera (Freelance,
Kauai)
Draw after 3 rounds.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Glen Daguio (KTI) def. Julio Moreno (Bulls Pen)
Unanimous decision after 3 rounds.
Amateur
Female Kickboxing: 3 Rounds - 2 Minutes
Ingrid Nakamura (Freelance, Kauai) def. Avemaoe "Cyco"
Peters (Submit Jiu Jitsu/DC Muay Thai)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 1:17 in Round 1.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Frank Lucero (Bulls Pen) def. David Kealoha (Kauai Pankration)
TKO via Referee stoppage in Round 1.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Danny Lopez (Bulls Pen) def. Randy Ogata (Freelance, Kauai)
Submission via guillotine at 0:29 in Round 1.
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Domenick Ansagay (Freelance, Kauai) def. Daniel Asuncion (Bulls
Pen)
Submission via guillotine at 0:32 in Round 1
MMA:
3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Tyson Hawelu (New Breed Kauai) def. Paul Lopes (808 Top Team)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 1:24 in Round 1.
145lbs
Amateur Bantamweight Championship
MMA: 3 Rounds - 5 Minutes
Shane Kahananui (KTI) def. Ryan Clay (HMC)
KO at 3:00 in Round 1.
Main
Event:
MMA: 3 Rounds - 5 Minutes
Eben Kaneshiro (New Breed, Oregon) def. Matt Comeau (Team MMAD)
KO at 0:32 in Round 2.
|
UFC
126 Results & Live Play-by-Play
Sherdog.com will report from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in
Las Vegas at 7:15 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results
of UFC 126, which is headlined by Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort.
Mike
Pierce vs. Kenny Robertson
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean starts the night off in the welterweight division.
The fighters exchange jabs to start the contest. Pierce is able
to initiate the clinch with Robertson. The Washington native
is able to use the position to drag his opponent to the mat.
Robertson is game and fights off the takedown as much as he can.
He works back to a standing position. Pierce keeps Robertson's
back in the fence but is landing little in the way of damage.
Referee Dean agrees and separates the fighters. Robertson fires
a right hand but is clinched up against the fence almost immediately.
Pierce fires a right hand to the stomach of Robertson. The round
ends with a Pierce takedown. 10-9 Pierce.
Round
2
The second frame starts with the fighters opening up in a flurry.
A right lands for Pierce but its the left that sends Kenny Robertson
to the floor. Pierce capitalizes on the floor and gets the stoppage
at 29 seconds into the second round via TKO.
Kyle
Kingsbury vs. Ricardo Romero
Round 1
Light heavyweights continue the action from The Mandalay Bay
Events Center. Overseeing the tilt is referee Steve Mazzagatti.
The two men touch gloves and the action starts early. Romero
gets tied up into the clinch and eats a solid Kingsbury knee.
The knees don't stop there as "Kingsbu" lands a few
more to the body before landing a left hook that drops Romero.
Mazagatti has seen enough and stops the contest just 21 seconds
in the first.
Paul
Taylor vs. Gabe Ruediger
Round 1
Lightweights are in the Octagon, along with referee Kim Winslow.
After a quick touch of the gloves Taylor fires a right hand that
lands to the head of "Godzilla." This initiates a clinch
from Ruediger, but it doesn't last long. Taylor launches a left
followed by a right which his complemented by a right low kick.
The two men clinch again with Ruediger's back to the fence. Ruediger
tries to make space and get a takedown, but Taylor shrugs him
off. In space, Ruediger shoots but comes up empty. Taylor clinches
again and puts his opponent's back into the fence. With little
action taking place, Winslow separates the two lightweights.
Ruediger rushes in for a takedown but fails again. The round
ends with a Taylor left hand. 10-9 Taylor.
Round
2
The middle period opens with Taylor launching punches at Ruediger.
The former WEC champion falls to his back to lure the Brit to
the mat, but Taylor is wise and backs away. On the feet they
clinch again and Ruediger is able to force Taylor's back into
the fence. Taylor is able to move off the cage and launches a
fight ending flurry. First it's a left hand that hurts Ruediger.
A right causes more damage, but its a left head kick that causes
Ruediger to fall to the mat and turtle. Kim Winslow saves the
fallen Ruediger at 1:42, giving Taylor the TKO win.
Norifumi
"Kid" Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson
Round 1
Mario Yamasaki is the referee for this bantamweight bout. Both
men bounce tentatively with Yamamoto on the outside. Johnson
flicks out a few low kicks and Kid catches him with a short left
on the second. Another leg kick yields a right hand counter from
Yamamoto, tripping Johnson up and sending him backing up into
the cage. Johnson appears to catch a low kick, but he’s
good to continue and the fighters touch gloves. Yamamoto winds
up and misses on a huge uppercut, gets taken down by Johnson,
but pops right back up. Johnson comes in and Kid hits him with
a right hand, and then repeats a moment later with a left. Johnson
gets a takedown in the center of the cage with 90 seconds to
go. Kid bucks and rolls, escaping, but gets clipped by a Johnson
combo on the way up. Yamamoto lands one back on Johnson and pins
him against the fence. They disengage and Johnson plows Yamamoto
down with a powerful takedown. The round ends with Johnson landing
short punches from half-guard.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
2
Yamamoto tries a takedown after some more feeling out, but Johnson
sprawls and they stay up. Johnson comes inside with a kick that
catches Kid square on the cup and immediately backs off. After
a moment, they resume and Johnson scores another takedown. Kid
barely touches the ground and scrambles to keep it standing up.
He sprawls on the next shot, but eats a few punches from Johnson
soon after. Now it’s Johnson circling the outside in the
orthodox stance. He goes to the middle and whirls Kid down with
a single leg. Yamamoto once again gets the underhook and quickly
works back to his feet. Johnson misses with a three-piece, Kid
misses with a counter right, and Johnson floors his opponent.
Yamamoto gets up and Johnson does it again. Kid scrambles loose
and tags Johnson with a knee, then backs off, thinking it may
have been illegal. Johnson says he’s good and that’s
where the round ends.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
3
Yamamoto slowing down now, still trying to counter the bouncy
Johnson. After a minute of circling, Johnson drags Yamamoto down
again. Not much happens before Kid gets back up, but Johnson
is taking him down at will now. He does again, but can’t
get any position on Yamamoto, who gets to his knees, then to
his feet. Two minutes left. Johnson clips Kid with a left hook,
then another, a kick to the body, and finishes with a takedown
at the base of the fence. This time, Kid is slower to get up.
He only gets off a few knee and punch attempts before Johnson
takes him down again. It ends with Johnson grinding from half-guard
and it should be a clean sweep for “Mighty Mouse.”
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson (30-27 Johnson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson (30-27 Johnson)
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson (30-27 Johnson)
Official
scores: The judges have it 29-28 and 30-27, twice, all in favor
of Demetrious Johnson, the winner by unanimous decision.
Chad
Mendes vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean is in charge of this featherweight affair.
Omigawa puts his dukes up and begins changing levels, and Mendes
smacks him with an outside leg kick. Mendes ducks inside and
misses on a combo; Omigawa zaps him with a short counter left.
Another cracking leg kick from Mendes precedes a takedown attempt,
but Omigawa gets the underhook and sprawls well. Mendes lands
a crisp right hand, another leg kick, and tries another takedown
attempt. Omigawa stays up again and now starts moving forward
on Mendes, who’s flicking out his jab. With 90 seconds left,
Mendes brings Omigawa down with a double-leg. Omigawa grabs a
straight armbar from guard and Mendes looks concerned momentarily,
but soon extracts the limb. He backs out and allows Omigawa to
his feet. Mendes with another inside leg kick and grazes Omigawa
with a left as the round ends.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Round
2
The fighters touch gloves again. Omigawa times an inside leg
kick from Mendes and hits him over the top with a right hand.
A combo from Mendes floors Omigawa and Mendes gives chase into
the judoka’s guard. Omigawa recovers and ties up, but Mendes
postures up and gets a few punches through before Omigawa scrambles
to his feet. Mendes bounces a few overhand rights off Omigawa,
who’s coming slow on his counters and has dropped his hands
a bit. Mendes drills a right to the gut of Omigawa and then one
to the grill. Omigawa’s face is bloodied now, but does well
to resist the next takedown attempt from Mendes and winds up
pinned to the fence. Short elbow lands inside for Omigawa; Mendes
gives him one back. Omigawa tries to reap the leg of Mendes,
can’t get it and they disengage. Nice right hand from Mendes.
He lands a few more leg kicks that have Omigawa jumping out of
the way. Mendes shoots a single and gets sprawled on, and Omigawa
drives some punches and elbows to his ribs. Mendes leaps in with
a knee and has a left high kick blocked. Omigawa lands a solid
left with 20 seconds left, but immediately gets plowed down by
Mendes.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mendes
Round
3
Omigawa comes out sporting a massive gash on his left eyebrow
from a Mendes elbow in round two. Nonetheless, he comes forward,
landing a kick to the body and a few left hands before sprawling
on another Mendes single-leg. Omigawa grabs a guillotine and
Mendes rolls forward, extracting his head and moving into the
Yoshida Dojo fighter’s half-guard. Omigawa establishes his
guard. He’s doing well to tie Mendes up, but Mendes is just
pinning him down and muscling him around the mat. Mendes backs
out and dives back in with a right hand. Omigawa shrimps and
gets to his feet with just under two minutes left. Omigawa starting
to string together punches now, lands a few and eats an overhand
right counter. He looks to stuff another shot from Mendes, but
Mendes keeps after it and gets it with the second effort. Omigawa
looks for an omoplata opportunity in the waning seconds. Mendes
senses this and backs out, then dives forward and connects with
a few more punches before the final horn.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Mendes (30-27 Mendes)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mendes (30-27 Mendes)
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mendes (30-27 Mendes)
Official
scores: All three judges cageside see the bout for Chad Mendes,
with scores of 30-27 across the board.
Donald
Cerrone vs. Paul Kelly
Round 1
Referee Steve Mazzagatti is in charge of this lightweight matchup.
Kelly throws a one-two instead of touching gloves and Cerrone
plows him down with a double-leg. Cerrone gets his head clear
of a loose guillotine attempt and moves to side control on Kelly.
They work back to the feet and Kelly drills a knee in the clinch.
He leaps forward and pops Cerrone with a nice left hand, opening
up a cut beneath Cerrone’s right eye. Cerrone puts a straight
left on Kelly’s forehead, which Kelly slaps, telling the
“Cowboy” to do it again. Cerrone ducks under a looping
right from Kelly and slaps a nice kick to the Brit’s body.
Solid overhand right connects for Kelly this time. Cerrone times
a short Superman punch from Kelly and brings him down, then moves
into half-guard. Kelly has both of Cerrone’s arms tied up,
not allowing much. Cerrone gets loose in the last 20 seconds
and busts Kelly up with short elbows, opening up a cut on the
Englishman’s right eyebrow.
Mike
Whitman scores the round 10-9 Kelly
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cerrone
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Cerrone
Round
2
The fighters touch gloves to start the second. Kelly flurrying
with punching combos and leaping knees as Cerrone goes to work
with low kicks. Cerrone connects with a left kick to the body-right
hook combo. Left jabs getting through for Cerrone now. He drives
forward and puts Kelly on his back, but gets caught in a guillotine.
It’s not tight, and the Cowboy pops loose and gets to half-guard,
then mount. Kelly eats a few punches before giving up his back,
where Cerrone locks up a tight body triangle with 1:50 still
on the clock. Kelly, whose cut has opened back up, defends well
at first, but a few punches from the back soften him up. Cerrone
whips his left arm around Kelly’s throat and rolls him over,
squeezing tight. Kelly taps the mat at the 3:48 mark of the second
round.
Miguel
Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos
Round 1
Mario Yamasaki is the third man in the cage for this bantamweight
scrap. The WEC vets touch gloves and the much longer Torres sticks
his left arm out, feeling for range and keeping Banuelos on the
outside. Following a very tentative start from both men, Torres
starts to land, connecting with a kick to the body and a few
nice jabs. Banuelos catches a low kick and drives Torres down,
but lets the former champ back up right away. Torres sneaks a
stiff right through the low guard of Banuelos and sticks him
with a few more left jabs. The crowd boos as the slow opening
round ends.
Mike
Fridley scores the round 10-9 Torres
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Torres
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Torres
Round
2
Torres slaps a left high kick off the forearm of Banuelos, who
then barely misses with an overhand right. Banuelos catches a
glancing low kick to the cup, but runs it off and gets right
back to work. Torres is continuing to pump the left jab, keeping
Banuelos out of his zone. The crowd is growing audibly restless
with two minutes left in the middle stanza. Banuelos is getting
tagged with the jab every time he moves into Torres’ range
and not landing anything of his own. He finally lands a solid
left hand in the last 10 seconds, but the round was once again
all Torres.
Mike
Fridley scores the round 10-9 Torres
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Torres
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Torres
Round
3
Torres begins scoring with more jabs to open the final period.
Banuelos is still unable to get inside effectively, and the crowd
jeers after 90 seconds. Nice one-two from Torres is followed
by a kick to the body. More jabs snapping back the head of Banuelos,
who is now covering up when Torres feints the punch. Torres landing
jabs at will in the final minute and dodging everything Banuelos
throws his way. Banuelos goes wild with punches, knees and a
spinning kick in the final 20 seconds, to no avail.
Mike
Fridley scores the round 10-9 Torres (30-27 Torres)
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Torres (30-27 Torres)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Torres (30-27 Torres)
Official
scores: It’s a clean sweep for Miguel Torres, who earns
scores of 30-27 on all three official scorecards.
Jake
Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Round 1
Referee Kim Winslow gets the assignment for this welterweight
bout. Ellenberger eats a left hand and floors Rocha with a double-leg.
Rocha pops back up and clinches with Ellenberger along the fence.
The Brazilian tries to reap the leg of Ellenberger, but gets
taken down instead. Rocha gets to his feet and sprawls on a takedown
attempt, winding up in side control on Ellenberger’s right.
Rocha steps over into mount, then moves to the left. Rocha is
pinning his man down and moving from side to side, then jumps
on Ellenberger’s back as the American tries to twist loose.
Ellenberger puts his back on the mat and Rocha is back in side
control. Rocha steps over and grabs the left leg of Ellenberger
under the knee from top mount. He can’t find the leg lock
and moves back to side control. Winslow warns Rocha of headbutting.
Ellenberger explodes out and grabs a guillotine, but it’s
short-lived. Ellenburger stuffs a takedown attempt and drills
a knee to the body of Rocha, who slips on a spinning kick. Rocha
gets taken down, but sweeps with a kimura. He wrenches the hold
from side control, but can’t finish before the round expires.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Rocha
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Rocha
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rocha
Round
2
Ellenberger scores with some knees in the clinch and stuffs a
takedown attempt. Rocha turtles and eats some solid punches from
Ellenberger before scrambling to his feet and whiffing on a big
spinning back kick. Rocha looks to be breathing hard as he airmails
a few slow low kicks. Ellenberger jumps forward and drills a
knee to the gut of Rocha. As the pace has slowed, Ellenberger
has started landing more punches, especially his left. Rocha
catches a kick to the body and returns fire with one of his own.
Ellenberger drives Rocha down with 20 seconds left. Rocha looks
for a submission as the round ends.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger
Round
3
Rocha putting low kicks on the inside of Ellenberger’s left
leg early in the final round. Ellenberger clips Rocha with a
three-punch combo and uses underhooks to stuff the subsequent
takedown attempt. Rocha falls to guard and Ellenberger wants
none of it. Ellenberger times a low kick perfectly and slugs
Rocha with an overhand right. The Brazilian sidesteps a double-leg
attempt from Ellenberger. Hard left jab from Rocha gets through
with 90 seconds left. A right high kick glances off Ellenberger,
who shoves Rocha to the floor. He lets Rocha back up and zaps
him with a one-two. Ellenberger waits for a low kick and explodes
into a takedown, going into Rocha’s guard and landing short
elbows. Ellenberger backs out and dives back in with one more
shot at the horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger (29-28 Ellenberger)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger (29-28 Ellenberger)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger (29-28 Ellenberger)
Official
scores: One judge scores it 30-27 Rocha, while the other two
have it 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Jake Ellenberger.
Ryan
Bader vs. Jon Jones
Round 1
Herb Dean is the referee for this important clash of 205-pound
prospects. Jones crouches in his corner before the start and
then slinks across the cage to meet Bader. Jones looking very
relaxed, moving around the outside before shooting in and pulling
Bader down with a double. Bader grabs a guillotine, but Jones
rolls through and winds up in side control, then north-south
position. Jones snares Bader’s head under his left arm and
squeezes. Bader looks to be in trouble, but he’s surviving
even as Jones puts all his weight on the north-south choke. Jones
abandons the choke and Bader twists loose, escaping to his knees,
then his feet. Two minutes to go. Jones fires off a left high
kick that causes Bader to shoot. Jones stuffs the double and
puts Bader on his back. Jones looking for a choke from half-guard,
but Bader has an underhook and gets back up. Bader has a kimura
framed up momentarily, but loses it as he falls back to guard.
Jones with a few glancing elbows that cause Bader to cover up.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Jones
Jack Encarnacao scores the round 10-9 Jones
Tomasz Marciniak scores the round 10-9 Jones
Round
2
Jones goes high with a partially-deflected left kick, then low
with a right. Bader connects with a solid punch and a leg kick,
but Jones continues pressing forward. One-two and a leg kick
from Jones. Another outside leg kick makes Bader shoot; Jones
stuffs it. They tie up and Jones trips Bader down, landing in
half-guard. From there, Jones traps the head of Bader under his
left arm, wrenches a tight guillotine choke and elicits the tap
from Bader. The official time is 4:20 of the second round.
During
the postfight interview, Joe Rogan reveals that Rashad Evans
has withdrawn from his UFC 128 light heavyweight title bout with
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua due to a knee injury. Rua will
instead defend his belt against Jones on March 19 in Newark,
N.J.
Forrest
Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
Round 1
Steve Mazzagatti is back in the cage for the evening’s co-main
event. Franklin throws a low kick and gets his rear leg chopped
out from under him. Griffin gives chase into Franklin’s
guard, but Franklin is keeping active from the bottom with short
punches. Griffin isn’t landing much offense, but is looking
every bit the stronger man as he stacks Franklin up from guard.
Now the punches begin to come from Griffin, both to the head
and body of Franklin, who is maintaining guard and trying to
neutralize the space with wrist control. Griffin postures up
and gets a few shots through to Franklin’s head. With 90
seconds to go in the opening round, Franklin is playing strictly
defense, unable to find an answer to the larger Griffin’s
top game. Still in guard, Griffin lands some elbows before the
round ends.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Round
2
Griffin going with kicks to open the round, as Franklin tries
to get inside with combinations. Griffin catches a low kick from
Franklin and takes his back standing, then drags him to the floor.
Against the base of the fence, Griffin tries to sink his hooks
in. Franklin gets to his knees, but Griffin is still glued on
his back. Punches from Griffin as Franklin gets to his feet;
Griffin yanks him back down. Franklin works back to his feet
and Griffin shoves him away. Some nice left straights connect
for Franklin, but his knees fold up when Griffin clips him with
a left hook of his own. Griffin doesn’t pounce, instead
backing off and firing a hard body kick to Franklin’s ribs.
Franklin is landing sporadically when he wades in with combos,
but Griffin’s still getting the better, more varied attack.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Griffin
Round
3
The fighters touch gloves to start the final frame. Franklin
thuds a good left kick to Griffin’s gut. Franklin comes
inside with a left hand that misses and the pair ties up. Griffin
brings it to the floor, but both men are soon back on their feet.
Three minutes to go and Franklin seems to be turning the tide
slightly. His left kicks are connecting as Griffin’s punching
combos decrease in accuracy. Franklin comes over the top with
a left hand as Griffin lands a push kick. It’s still a close
fight with 90 seconds to go when Griffin changes levels and scores
with a double-leg. Franklin twists free and gets on top, but
Griffin scrambles and reverses him back. They wind up on their
feet with 35 ticks on the clock. Franklin pushes Griffin into
the fence and Griffin reverses, then disengages. Both men throwing
hard in the final seconds.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Franklin (29-28 Griffin)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Franklin (29-28 Griffin)
Tony Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Griffin (30-27 Griffin)
Official
scores: All three judges cageside score it 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Forrest Griffin.
UFC
Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
Round 1
Mario Yamasaki is set to officiate this title bout. Silva bows
to Belfort after final instructions, but the men do not touch
gloves as the match begins. Belfort assumes the center as Silva
circles the outside, clockwise. Nothing thrown in the first 60
seconds and the crowd boos. Both men starting to feint and flinch
when Belfort finally flicks out a leg kick. Now two minutes down
and there’s been no offense of substance. Belfort jumps
forward and lands a left on Silva’s chin. Silva answers
with a high kick and gets taken down, but he’s quickly back
up. Another left from Vitor, but Silva is bobbing and weaving,
playing the matador. Silva lands a left front kick square to
the jaw of Belfort, whose knees give way immediately. Silva pounces
and lands two punches on the mat before Yamasaki jumps in. It’s
another spectacular knockout for Silva at 3:29 of the opening
round.
Source: Sherdog
|
Chozun
1 Hawaii presents the upcoming "the Reckoning" Championship
Kickboxing match!
The match will be held at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace
on Friday, March 11,2011. Doors open at 6:00 PM and Fight starts
7:30 PM.
Tickets
are available now at the Honolulu Box Office at www.honoluluboxoffice.com or call (808) 550-8457.
Tickets in Advance $20, At the Door $25, and VIP (1st two rows)
$40.
Come
ready to watch, cheer, and support these incredible fighters!
Flyer attached.
Interested
fighters may contact Bob Smith at Smithtkd1@yahoo.com. Interested vendors
may contact the venue Waterfront ventures at staff@waterfrontaloha.com
Source: Event Promoter
|
UFC
129 Fight Card Full: Aldo vs. Hominick,
Couture vs. Machida Added
UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Tuesday locked up the fight
card for April 30 in Toronto.
Already
set with a headlining title defense by one of Canada’s most
popular athletes, Georges St-Pierre, UFC 129 now has an official
co-main event. UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will defend
his belt against Mark Hominick. The bout is the first time the
UFC 145-pound championship will be on the line.
Also
officially added to the fight card is UFC Hall of Famer Randy
“The Natural” Couture. He’ll take on fellow former
light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Couture is on a three-fight
winning streak, but hasn’t fought since dispatching heavyweight
boxing champion James Toney in August. Machida, undefeated on
his run to the title, has lost his last two bouts and sorely
needs a win.
The
third of Tuesday’s announcements was the addition of a welterweight
contest pitting Nate Diaz against Rory MacDonald.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Milwaukee's
Bradley Center Likely Host for UFC on Versus
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS VEGAS -- One year after officially sanctioning mixed martial
arts, Wisconsin looks poised to host its first major event.
According
to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Bradley Center
in Milwaukee will be the host venue for a UFC on Versus event
to be held on Sunday, August 14.
UFC
president Dana White did not confirm the booking but told MMA
Fighting the promotion was "looking at" Milwaukee.
According to a source, the deal is not yet final but very likely
to happen.
If
booked, it would make for quite a busy month for the UFC, which
will host pay-per-view events in Philadelphia on the 6th and
Rio de Janeiro on the 27th.
Wisconsin
has suddenly become a hotbed for MMA. Fighters and notables with
links to the state include WEC lightweight champ and current
UFC top contender Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, UFC heavyweights
Matt Mitrione and Pat Barry, and trainer Duke Roufus.
After
MMA sanctioning was passed in February 2010, many local cards
have been held, as well as a Bellator show last September, but
the UFC's visit will be to Milwaukee's largest arena, the Bradley
Center, which is the home to the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and can
hold nearly 20,000 fans.
The
August event would likely be UFC on Versus 5. A prior Versus
event is expected for June, though it has not yet been officially
announced.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Former
Employee Sues Tapout for Wrongful Termination, Defamation, Emotional
Distress
by Tracey
Lesetar
A former Vice President of Sales for Tapout filed suit in Los
Angeles Superior Court on Monday, alleging claims that include
wrongful termination, fraudulent misrepresentation, failure to
pay wages, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress,
and a litany of negligence claims.
Not
only does Lee Lemon target Tapout as a defendant, but also Zuffa,
LLC (parent company of the UFC), MMA Authentics, MMA Holdings,
LLC, Authentic Brands Group, LLC, Daniel "Punkass"
Caldwell, and even the estate of the late Charles "Mask"
Lewis.
Most
of Lemon's allegations are focused on former Tapout President
Marc Kreiner, who Lemon claims abused the sales staff, allegedly
calling them "f--kng worthless" and telling Lemon that
he was "stupid, incompetent, and ignorant," and that
Kreiner could "hire a monkey to do his job." Lemon
also alleges that he was promised $400,000 per year in pay, but
was never paid that amount. Instead, he argues, he was not paid
the commissions he was owed, was berated constantly, falsely
accused of firing employees without approval, blamed for salary
cuts, and then directed to "defraud investors ... by inflating
the sales numbers and at the same time hiding accounts, to engage
in thefts from licenses" before he was "constructively
terminated" in May of 2010. (Under California law, constructive
termination essentially requires the plaintiff to show that they
resigned or quit because their working conditions were so intolerable
that no reasonable person could be expected to endure them.)
According
to Lemon, Tapout gave him a settlement at the time he left the
company, through which he was promised money (including the sales
commissions he was allegedly owed) in exchange for a "release,"
or a guarantee that he would not bring certain future legal claims
against the company. Such agreements are usually permissible
and not uncommon when employees leave their employer. (But as
a side note, this contributor notes that in California, employers
are generally not allowed to withhold money that is already owed
to the employee in exchange for a future release of claims.)
Although
Lemon signed the agreement, he argues that it was null and void
for three reasons. First, he claims that he was under severe
duress when he signed the agreement. Second, Lemon says that
he was falsely told that the release was only for any legal claims
related to his sales commissions, when in reality, it was a roadblock
barring all future legal claims. And third, Lemon states that
the defendants generally failed to hold up their end of the agreement
by not paying him the money he was promised. In fact, Lemon asserts
in the complaint that he has contacted the defendants over 80
times via e-mail or phone in an attempt to recover the money,
to no avail. Because he presumably believes that his original
promise not to sue is now null and void, Lemon initiated this
lawsuit.
At
this point in employment litigation, defendants usually respond
by filing an answer to the complaint or offering the court a
reason why they should be dismissed from the litigation altogether.
With all of the defendants in this case -- eight total -- we
can expect to see a mix of both types of responses.
Incidentally,
this lawsuit comes on the heels of a $3.2 million jury victory
last week against Tapout in the same court, reported by MMAPayout
and the Beverly Hills Courier.
Tracey
Lesetar, an attorney at the global law firm Orrick, Herrington
& Sutcliffe, is experienced in various matters related to
the business of MMA. A more detailed background regarding her
experience is available through her lawyer profile at www.orrick.com.
This article does not provide legal advice, and any opinions
expressed in this article are solely those of the author and
do not reflect the views of her law firm. Lesetar can be reached
at tlesetar@sherdog.com. J.R. Riddell (jriddell@sherdog.com)
also contributed to this article.
Source: Sherdog
|
Storylines
That Emerged From ‘Diaz vs. Cyborg’
by Jason Probst
With
the weekend behind us, and the promotion’s uber-awesome
heavyweight grand prix looming Feb. 12, we take a look at five
storylines that emerged from Saturday’s Strikeforce “Diaz
vs. Cyborg” card in San Jose, Calif.
Diaz
+ Daley=Dynamite
After
watching Nick Diaz conduct yet another hard-nosed, grind-em-down
win, you can’t help but admire the Strikeforce welterweight
champ. And when Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos took him
down, that decision has to rank right up there with Operation
Barbarossa in terms of bad tactical decisions.
Diaz’s
high-volume striking style is deceptive, largely because of the
price it exerts on opponents, even when he’s not hitting
them with much more than arm punches and half-power shots. It’s
the psychology of constantly forcing them to work, never giving
foes a break, and eventually making them give. Despite a ground
game that makes him effective against anyone except for world-class
wrestlers who can hold him down and play for a decision, Diaz’s
willingness to stand, and literally force people to prove they
can’t knock his block off, is fan-friendly and attitude-heavy.
That’s
why a match with Paul Daley is fascinating, because Diaz’s
style plays suicidally into Daley’s strengths. Paul’s
takedown defense is fairly decent, as he gave Jake Shields a
lot of trouble before finally getting planted and submitted,
and Diaz’s takedowns are probably the weakest part of his
game.
Daley’s
massive power and explosive striking are definitely better than
“Cyborg,” who is the first Diaz opponent I’ve
ever seen use low kicks effective on Nick, knocking him out of
his rhythm in spots and making the Stockton, Calif., native’s
jab far less effective.
But
what makes Diaz Diaz is that he’s been fighting this way
for a long time, and outside of a stoppage defeat early in his
career against Jeremy Jackson, nobody’s come remotely close
to separating him from his consciousness (the cut loss to K.J.
Noons was exactly that -- Diaz would have fought until his head
popped out, and probably after that).
He
may possess the single best chin in the sport, in terms of absorbing
a huge shot and showing little reaction whatsoever. Daley will
certainly oblige him, and the two should also be very entertaining
in the prefight trash talk, as well. Daley may be the ultimate
acid test of Diaz’s chin, but at the end of the day, he
always seems to find a way to break the other guy, and nobody
seems able to break him.
Paging
Gegard Mousasi
Where
is Gegard Mousasi?After Roger Gracie’s masterpiece submission
over Trevor Prangley, yours truly peeped the Strikeforce 205-pound
division. It’s talent-laden, with Rafael “Feijao”
Cavalcante-Dan Henderson battling for the belt in March; Muhammed
“King Mo” Lawal is eminently gifted with a huge upside,
and Gracie is clearly an emerging talent. Former Olympian Rhadi
Ferguson is just 3-0, but has big-time potential as well.
But
the split between the division’s top tier, experienced talent
is largely Henderson and Feijao, followed by very inexperienced
fighters in Gracie, Ferguson and Lawal, who between them have
fifteen fights. Ovince St. Preux has shown some special ability
as well.
Gegard
Mousasi is an amazingly talented guy, and since his exciting
five-round loss to Lawal last April, has fought twice in Japan’s
Dream promotion, winning both. It’d be nice to see Strikeforce
get him back in action on its cards here, because he’s a
seasoned veteran that is a joy to watch. And they can use the
top-tier talent.
The
challenge with talented, yet inexperienced fighters is new situations
often defeat them even when they’re the more gifted guy.
Witness Lawal’s title-losing defeat to “Feijao,”
where “King Mo” simply ran out of gas when the implacable
Cavalcante wouldn’t break. A year from now, that’s
a fight Lawal wins, going away.
It
wouldn’t surprise me if either Ferguson or Gracie have similar
experiences in their next few fights, because that’s part
of the game -- which is precisely why Strikeforce needs veterans
like Mousasi. Those guys are probably the future of the division,
but until then, you need savvy veterans to supply consistent
performances so you don’t have to carry main-event bouts
with the risk of it ending because a talented -- but green --
fighter hits a speedbump.
What’s
Next for Walker?
After
seeing Herschel Walker’s win over Scott Carson, it reminds
me of the classic quote someone -- perhaps the inimitable Bert
Randolph Sugar -- uttered in 1990, when James “Buster”
Douglas, a 42-1 underdog, stunned Mike Tyson to win the heavyweight
title.
At
the time, a comebacking George Foreman was still trying to convince
the skeptical public that he deserved a shot at the title, and
was dispatching a series of hapless foes in the process.
“What
this means is that, now, instead of fighting 5-foot-10 tomato
cans, George Foreman will be knocking out 6-foot-4 tomato cans.”
Translation:
Walker can probably progress at a slow rate for a fight or two
more, but at some point, they’ve got to ratchet it up a
little. I was going to complain about what seemed a quick stoppage,
if it weren’t for the fact that Carson seemed as relieved
as anyone that it was over. At least get someone who’ll
complain about that, if not possess a gas tank for longer than
two minutes.
The
challenges are many, not the least of which is Walker’s
size. At 6 feet and 220 pounds, he’s a smallish heavyweight.
That also carries the corollary of being able to find out of
shape guys, unlike weight classes where a fighter at least has
to train down to a proscribed poundage.
To
Strikeforce’s credit, they haven’t billed Walker as
a main attraction (the doomed prescription of the EliteXC/Kevin
Ferguson model). But after the Carson bout, which bordered on
embarrassing if for no other reason than Carson hit the wall
right when the fight looked competitive, was a reminder that
you can only play with fire for so long.
Freak
show attractions are like hopping on a pogo stick on an icy sidewalk
-- it’s pretty entertaining until it goes south, at which
point everyone involved sees something they’d rather not.
I’m not saying Walker should be thrown in against a Top-50
heavyweight in his next couple fights -- but put him in against
live ones. If I wanted to see stuff like this, I’d still
be watching boxing undercards.
Source: Sherdog
|
Scott
Coker is learning what making (first) impressions are all about
By Zach
Arnold
Rarely
do you get a string of small stories that come together to put
together a narrative in the MMA industry, but this is one of
those times where it’s there, hanging like fruit from a
tree to get picked.
To
my astonishment over the weekend, Strikeforce boss Scott Coker
on multiple occasions told the US press in attendance in San
Jose that he was having dinner with Sotaro Shinoda to negotiate
bringing a Strikeforce show to Japan under DREAM auspices for
April 9th. I chose the word astonishment because not one US media
type blinked at all when Shinoda appeared in town, let alone
had his name publicly mentioned by Strikeforce. Why? Sotaro Shinoda
was Nobuyuki Sakakibara’s right-hand man in PRIDE. PRIDE,
of course, had the Shukan Gendai yakuza scandal that resulted
in Fuji TV cutting ties from the organization and ultimately
led to the company’s demise. Suffice to say, you can see
how ex-PRIDE employees under the DREAM banner could make things
difficult in terms of attracting potentially big sponsors or
television deals in the country.
If
you need a reminder of who Mr. Shinoda is, type his name into
Google and you’ll see this entry at the top of the search
engine. It was an old screen capture we did of him several years
ago when he had a last-minute trip to Costa Rica for a Bodogfight
TV taping. Read the old post to get a flavor of what Bodog thought
of him. (Shinoda was in Costa Rica to try to find out what was
going on with M-1/Red Devil and Fedor.)
In
response to me bringing up the obvious (implications) about Scott
Coker publicly being seen with Sotaro Shinoda, the initial reaction
I got from various writers was a shrug and, to paraphrase, “Well,
Scott doesn’t think it’ll hurt him, obviously. Why
does he care about it when Showtime is his TV partner and not
the Japanese networks?”
So,
let me bring up the obvious link to our extensive archives and
years of coverage from start to finish about PRIDE’s collapse.
You’re welcome. As Fuji TV demonstrated in 2006, you can
have a hot product that draws lots of money and big TV ratings
and still completely cut the cord when there is stockholder pressure
due to who you are associated with and what the media points
out in regards to those associations.
Am
I saying that Nobuyuki Sakakibara is still involved in MMA? No,
he’s off somewhere in Okinawa goofily trying to run a soccer
club and live out a fantasy. What I am saying is that when you
deal with top management that was involved in a company that
got labeled ‘yakuza’ in the media by various outlets
(like Shukan Gendai) and ended up losing funding from such a
media powerhouse like Fuji TV, it’s pretty hard to remove
that taint. Who you associate with, especially when entering
into a new market, matters in Japan. Just ask Jamie Pollack and
UFC about it when they tried to run the PRIDE office after the
asset sale purchase.
In
other words, who you are seen with and who you deal with is of
the utmost importance in Japan. I wrote about Strikeforce’s
high-risk, high-reward plan to try to do business in Japan. A
healthy part of that risk is being judicious in how you handle
your business affairs. Mr. Coker would be wise to smarten up
quickly.
Riddle
me this — why don’t you see Mr. Shinoda much publicly
in the Japanese media circles? When it’s a DREAM announcement,
PRIDE’s version of Baghdad Bob in Mr. Sasahara is trotted
out to the cameras (occasionally alongside Shigeru Saeki). When
it’s a more serious K-1/DREAM news presser, it’s Mr.
Sasahara and Mr. Tanigawa who are in front of the camera.
Here
is what Mr. Coker said after his HP Pavilion show Saturday night
in regards to booking fights in Japan:
TJ
DE SANTIS: “You mentioned Japan. Is that a destination you
think Strikeforce will get to?”
SCOTT
COKER: “Yes. I have Shinoda-san over there waiting. We’re
going to have dinner and talking about trying to get Strikeforce
into Japan this year.”
TJ
DE SANTIS: “What was the catalyst for making that discussion
happen?”
SCOTT
COKER: “I mean, you know, you guys know that I worked for
K-1 for many years, for eight years and I always had a great
respect for Japanese fight fans and, you know, it’s ingrained
in the culture. I mean, when you grow up in Japan you’re
doing martial arts, you know, and so it’s integrated into
the culture and it’s just an amazing place to go watch fights
and they’re educated fight fans and I said I wanted to go
to Japan for 2-3 years and for it to finally become something
that’s possible, it’ll be a milestone for our league.”
TJ
DE SANTIS: “I’ve heard some rumblings of possibly having
a Lightweight tournament over there. Is that something that you’re
thinking about?”
SCOTT
COKER: “That’s something that we’re going to talk
about because I know that they would like to have a tournament
and if they do we’ll support them and send over some of
our top guys, but it’s premature. We haven’t had that
conversation, yet.”
By
the way, as someone who’s bread and butter has been focused
on the Japanese fight scene for most of my life, you might be
interested in reading about this timely article. If you thought
things were hard right now in fields like Sumo and pro-wrestling,
try this on for size.
So,
there’s that situation in Japan. Our next situation(s),
if you want to call them that, deal with two fighters. Now, dealing
with fighters is like herding cattle and we all know that there’s
a lot of pettiness and jealousy that goes on. However, as we’ve
seen with the UFC, if fighters don’t respect or fear you,
they won’t act out of turn. Time and again with Strikeforce,
we’ve often seen the opposite. See: Nick Diaz being unhappy
last week on a Showtime conference call, talking about ’still’
driving a Honda and why he’s not fighting guys like Georges
St. Pierre. Remember when Strikeforce got suckered into a media
war with Bellator about why a fight between Gilbert Melendez
and Eddie Alvarez hasn’t been booked? That started with
the two fighters calling each other out.
Gilbert
is back, this time saying don’t blame him for not being
able to fight… Frankie Edgar, UFC Lightweight champion.
KENNY
RICE: “Gilbert, A, B, C, D. Let’s go all the way down.
What’s the deal with Strikeforce right now? How many fights
left?”
GILBERT
MELENDEZ: “The deal with Strikeforce is, um, we’re
coming to an agreement right now, you know, and I’ll think
there’ll be a couple of fights for me for Strikeforce, so…
Right now it’s not a matter of, you know, who I fight. It’s
a matter of just when I fight. They have a bunch of contenders,
you know, Justin Wilcox now, (Lyle) Beerbohm, (Billy) Evangelista,
Josh Thomson, JZ (Calvan), so I’m basically just having
to defend my throne, you know what I mean. It doesn’t matter
who, it’s just when and that’s my plans for now and
hopefully we’ll have something in the next cuople of months
or the next, you know, maybe couple of weeks, you know, an exact
date and an opponent.”
KENNY
RICE: “Are you a free agent right now technically?”
GILBERT
MELENDEZ: “Technically, no, I’m not, man. Some of these
agreements are structured really well, you know, with the Championship
Clause and all and you know I’m proud to be a part of Strikeforce
and everything, but as a champion this comes along with it. It’s
not that easy to walk away with your title and, you know, Jake’s
one of the few guys who has and stuff but it’s not an easy
thing to do.”
BAS
RUTTEN: “Are you allowed to fight in Japan?”
GILBERT
MELENDEZ: “Yeah, I’m definitely, well under Strikeforce’s
permission I am, yeah. It’s something that I would love
to do. I love fighting in Japan and that’s neat, you know.
It’s kind of up to the promotions, you know what I mean?
I want to fight all these guys, you know, I want to fight all
these dudes, but it’s not up to these, us fighters. It’s
really up to the promoters. If you want to see me fight Frankie
(Edgar), talk to Dana (White) & Scott (Coker). So don’t
blame us fighters. I’m just fighting, trying to get my money,
and I’m where I’m at.”
A
second fighter voicing displeasure, albeit on a larger vocal
scale, is Siyar Bahadurzada. He talked with MMA writer Tomas
Rios about his situation with Strikeforce. Suffice to say, his
words were not very kind to the promotion. Rios claimed that
when he tried to get a comment from Strikeforce PR man Mike Afromowitz
on the story, Mr. Afromowitz allegedly told Rios that he (Rios)
wasn’t good for the sport. So, he and Joe Rogan have something
in common apparently.
Here
was Mr. Coker’s response (via an interview with Ariel Helwani)
on Bahadurzada’s comments:
ARIEL
HELWANI: “Wanted to get your take on a situation that’s
been brewing with a fighter by the name of Siyar Baha. He’s
been saying something things about Strikeforce, now saying that
the reason he hasn’t fought for Strikeforce is because he’s
of Afghani descent. How do you respond to this?”
SCOTT
COKER: “That’s comical. I mean the reality was that,
you know, I still don’t even his visa has been finished
yet. It has been a little tougher because, you know, the country
and everything to try to get a visa but I don’t think the
visa has been completed, so once he gets through his process
of getting his visa together then you know we’re have another
conversation with him but it’s silly to say it’s based
on this or that. I mean, the reality is, you’re a Golden
Glory fighter, he should act like a Golden Glory fighter and,
you know, get your paperwork done, get what you got to do, and
then we’ll put you in the cage and test you out. But in
the mean time, you know, talking the way he did, it just was
very silly to me.”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “Has that perhaps severed your relationship with
him?”
SCOTT
COKER: “With Siyar?”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “Yeah.”
SCOTT
COKER: “Uh, no.”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “The things he said about the organization.”
SCOTT
COKER: “The relationship is with the camp, it’s not
with the fighter. To me, Bas and I have done many business deals
together and, you know, we have Alistair (Overeem), we have (Sergei)
Kharitonov here, we have Marloes Coenen here, so we have a good
relationship with the camp. So he’s one of the fighters
in their camp. When he gets his act together, we’ll put
him in the cage.”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “What are the chances that we see him in the Strikeforce
cage in 2011?”
SCOTT
COKER: “You know what, I uh… I would say… you
know, once he gets his visa stuff done…”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “You’d like to see him fight for Strikeforce,
right?”
SCOTT
COKER: “Sure, why not? Why not? I mean, you know, I can
understand his frustration because he doesn’t understand
because he’s so far away and, you know, whatever but in
saying that, though, Ariel, he also has to act like a professional.
If he can’t, we’re not going to have him.”
Everything
should go smoothly in 2011, shouldn’t it? ‘Keyboard
warriors’ aren’t ‘good for the sport.’
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Bráulio
faces six-hour operation and returns brand new: “Now I’m
bionic!”
by Marcelo
Dunlop
Bráulio Estima (Gracie Barra) was the only one who managed
to stop absolute champion Sérgio Moraes (Alliance) at
the Euro Open last weekend. But his effort in the medium heavyweight
division in Lisbon wasn’t Carcará’s only sacrifice
early this season. Quite the contrary.
“It
was a busy weekend,” reported Bráulio direct from
the hospital in England. “I went to a friend’s funeral
on Saturday in Birmingham. Then I rushed to London and caught
the first flight to Lisbon, competed on Sunday, returned Monday
and now I’m here recovering. I’ll be in the hospital
till Friday, and then it’s on to physiotherapy.”
The
neck operation was a success. “I’m feeling very well,
better than I expected. Is doesn’t even feel like I was
just operated on. The operation was done with cutting-edge technology,
it was rad. I had two disks, C4 and C5, switched out, but I’ll
still have total flexibility in the region. It took six hours,
since the medical did an excellent overall job. Now I’ve
got a bionic neck! And it doesn’t even seem like I was at
the European Open just two days ago!” said the champion
jubilantly.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
TATAME
#180: Who’s the best in the world?
MMA came up as a confrontation of modalities, where athletes
from different martial arts tried to prove the supremacy of their
art on a ring. But the success of the sport, that began on the
beginning of the past century with Carlos and Hélio Gracie,
came in 1993, when the small Royce Gracie terrified the world
beating up much heavier opponents on tournaments of 16 athletes
of less.
The
Grand Prixs has spread in many events all over the world and
has always been a guarantee of success among the fans of the
sport. Within time, its shape was left aside as Pride ended,
in 2007, and few events had the courage of adopting this kind
of event. But Strikefore, the greatest rival of UFC, decided
to bet on this format and now the market got busy as the event
announced a heavyweight GP that promises to be the greatest in
all history.
Prode
and the greatest GPs in all history, the consecration of Shogun
on the Japanese event, the historical tournaments without any
weight limit, and the promises of the favorites to Strikeforce’s
tournament. All that and a lot more you can check on the cover
article of TATAME Magazine 180th edition.
STICKING
TO WANDERLEI SILVA
The
greatest moment on Wanderlei Silva’s career happened between
2000 and 2006, the period on which the fighters won 19 fights,
some against much heavier opponents, conquerred the middleweight
title of Pride and defended it four times, besides participating
of three GPS, winning the first one. In 2010, Wand beat Michael
Bisping on UFC 110 and needed to take some time off the trainings
to heal a knee injury, but that didn’t stop the fighter
from being the center of the attentions, being challenged for
over five UFC fighters: Chael Sonnen, Nate Marquardt, Alan Belcher,
Yoshihiro Akiyama, Brian Stann, Michael Bisping and Chris Leben.
After all, why do all these guys want to fight the legend?
MINOTAURO
PROMISES: “IT’LL RETURN EVEN BETTER”
The
only heavyweight to unify the belts of Pride and UFC, with 32
wins within 40 fights on his career, one of the greatest representatives
of Brazilian MMA in Japan and on the United States… The
references of Rodrigo Minotauro are many, but the Brazilian,
who’ll be 35 in 2011, wants much more. On an exclusive chat,
Minotauro talked about the injuries which kept him off the rings
for over a year – the longer period he spent without fighting
since he debuted on UFC, 10 years ago – and revealed the
dream of coming back to the octagon in August, on UFC Rio. “We’ll
go fro it on this UFC edition which will happen in Brazil…
I’ll be even better on my return”, promises Rodrigo,
who has never fought on his own country. On the chat, Minotauro
talked about the journey of Junior Cigano on UFC, analyzed the
duel between his pupil and Brock Lesnar and gave tips to young
tough guys for the reality show The Ultimate Fighter. “Be
yourself and leave the rest to Lesnar, he’s an arrogant
guy”
BLACK-BELT
BENEFIT
Rio
de Janeiro has been affected by the greatest natural catastrophe
on Brazil’s history and one of the ten worst on the last
century. The storm of January ended up in mudslide and floods,
and the most affected cities were Nova Friburgo, Teresópolis
and Petrópolis. The rain started to ravage the region
on January 11th and, after a week, the official numbers were
of 711 deaths, with 21 thousand homeless, numbers that would
continually grow. Moved by the catastrophe, the fighting community
mobilized and, through big classes and seminars, helped the victims
of the tragedy. On an exclusive article, we’ve showed how
the fighting world helped thousands victims on a historical tragedy.
MATYUSHENKO
GOES TO “SAMBA”
Fighter
of UFC, the Russian Vladimir Matyushenko has chosen the Wonderful
City to celebrate his 40th birthday. The tough guy, who has a
respectful professional record of 25 wins within 30 bouts, met,
in Los Angeles, the Brazilian Tatiana Junqueira and took the
chance to come to Brazil, where he spent a time in São
Lourenço, Minas Gerais, and ended his vacations in Rio
de Janeiro. Matyushenko spent the New Year’s Eve in Copacabana,
visited the Christ, the Sugar Loaf and the main touristic sights
of the city. But what moved the Russian was the Brazilian cuisine
and people. “The Brazilian people hosted me pretty well,
and I’ve had fun. The food
is
also great, but I’m heavier than ever (laughs). I like “açaí”
and Brazilian “cachaça”, which is very good
(laughs)”, jokes Vladmir, who talked about his career on
an exclusive chat.
POPSTAR
CIGANO
Closer
and closer to disputing UFC belt, Junior Cigano got the invitation
of UFC and will be the second Brazilian in history to be the
head coach of a team on the reality show The Ultimate Fighting
Championship. On an exclusive article, Cigano talked about his
plans for the program, how he’ll get through the language
barrier, once he doesn’t know how to speak English, and
his expectations for the confrontation with the American giant
Brock Lesnar, which will happen after the show’s shooting.
Source: Tatame
|
Event
for troops raises $4.1 million
By Josh Gross
Working in conjunction with Spike TV and the Intrepid Fallen
Heroes Fund, the Ultimate Fighting Championship raised nearly
$4.1 million with its "Fight for the Troops 2" card
on Jan. 22, a representative told ESPN.com Wednesday.
The
money raised will go toward traumatic brain injury research among
veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
The
fight card at Fort Hood, located outside of Killeen, Texas, matched
money raised in 2008 after a similar event at Fort Bragg, N.C.,
helped complete the $55 million National Intrepid Center of Excellence
in Bethesda, Md. The facility is one of the most advanced in
the world dedicated to research and treatment of nonpenetrating
brain injuries.
Zuffa,
LLC, the sports promotion company that presides over UFC, has
made it a priority to support America's military personnel. "Fight
for the Troops 2" was the third UFC event to be hosted at
a U.S. military base.
Frank
and Lorenzo Fertitta, majority co-owners of the UFC, sit on the
board of trustees for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a nonprofit
organization through which public-private partnerships build
facilities that serve members of the armed forces.
Source: ESPN
|
Philadelphia
Targeted for UFC 133
By Mike Chiappetta
LAS VEGAS -- The UFC is likely to return to The City of Brotherly
Love for an August 6 pay-per-view event, a source close to the
situation told MMA Fighting.
UFC
president Dana White confirmed to MMA Fighting on Wednesday that
the event was in the works. The event would be UFC 133 and take
place at Wells Fargo Center.
The
promotion's return would be nearly two years to the day from
their first visit. UFC 101 took place on August 8, 2009 and emanated
from Wachovia Center. On that night, Anderson Silva knocked out
Forrest Griffin while BJ Penn retained the lightweight championship
with a fourth-round submission against Kenny Florian. The arena's
name has since been changed to Wells Fargo Center.
The
event would be the second major pay-per-view in August. In December,
the promotion announced it would an August 27 show in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil.
A
third UFC event is also likely to be held that month, according
to sources.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Barry
‘Baffled’ by Beltran’s Resilience After ‘Troops
2’ Bout
by Mike
Whitman
Apparently,
Pat Barry just can’t get any respect.
Since
besting Joey Beltran at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2,”
the former kickboxer has been hit by a flood of comments from
naysayers regarding his game plan, his performance and his post-fight
speech. Barry spoke exclusively to Sherdog.com last week regarding
the outcome of his Jan. 22 scrap and the damage inflicted on
his opponent.
Leading
up to the fight, Barry made liberal use of the term “zombie”
when describing Beltran. After battering the leg of “The
Mexicutioner” with low kicks for three straight rounds,
Barry asserts that his description of his opponent was not as
hyperbolic as people may have thought.
“I
knew going into the fight that he was a zombie. That wasn’t
a joke. That was a factual message. This guy’s attributes
are getting hit and not blinking or getting shook. He just keeps
walking forward,” Barry told Sherdog.com. “I kicked
him in his face five times and he didn’t even stumble, he
didn’t back up, nothing. I’m talking about stiff kicks
to the face, and he took them. So, the game plan going in was
to beat his leg to death until he slowed down or until he couldn’t
walk any further.”
Barry
began landing low kicks early in the fight, and Beltran seemed
affected by them even from the first blow that found his thigh.
Among the criticisms received by Barry was that he did not go
for the kill in round one by chopping Beltran down as soon as
possible. According to Barry, however, it just wasn’t that
simple.
“I
saw [that the kicks bothered him]. But the game plan wasn’t
to get in there and see if I could throw 60 low kicks in the
first 40 seconds. Low kicks don’t just land every time you
throw them,” said Barry. “You know what happens when
you just throw kicks for no reason without any type of strategy
or setup? ‘Cro Cop’ blocks them and your foot breaks.”
Chief
among Barry’s strategies against his uber-resilient foe
was to pick his shots and gradually wear Beltran down.
“Did
the first [three] hurt him a lot? Yeah, but he took 37 more of
them in the next 12 minutes and was still standing,” said
Barry. “It’s called the slow cook. That’s what
low kicks do. With low kicks, you don’t just throw two of
them and then the guy blacks out. That’s not how they work.
Not with a zombie, anyway. A human would have died, but not a
zombie.”
During
the third round, Barry landed one particularly crushing shot
to his foe’s quadriceps that crumpled Beltran and sent him
to the mat. As the K-1 veteran followed his opponent to the floor,
he utilized some unorthodox offense. Rather than immediately
targeting Beltran’s head, Barry threw a spiking hammer fist
at his opponent’s thigh.
“I
was going to punch his leg off. I was so annoyed that the leg
had not been severed from his body that I was going to punch
it, elbow it, headbutt it, bite it... I was going to go get a
bat. I would have shot him with a gun if I had one,” Barry
joked.
Though
Barry won the fight, inflicting a seemingly absurd amount of
damage to his foe’s left leg, Beltran seems to be no worse
for the wear. Not only did the stout heavyweight absorb all of
Barry’s kicks and continue to fight to the final bell, but
he has since claimed over Twitter that he was back in the gym
and training the following Monday. Beltran has even posted pictures
of his surprisingly un-bruised legs in order to assure fans that
he is fine. Simply put, all of this is a bit frustrating to Barry.
“It
was a mystery how he was still standing. It had me totally baffled.
When you chop a zombie’s leg off, he comes at you hopping
on one foot. I knew that going in. But anybody on earth would
become human again after all those low kicks,” said Barry.
“Since
the fight, I really haven’t been able to sleep. I can’t
stand not solving riddles, and this is a riddle that has got
me stumped. I have no idea how he was writing on Monday that
he was back in the gym doing squats and running stairs. That’s
impossible. That doesn’t even register for me, because my
leg still hurts [from landing the kicks].”
Despite
what most would consider an excellent performance, Barry has
still had to deal with criticism, and not only about the fight
itself.
“No
one has given me negative critiques about the fight face-to-face,
but I read a lot on the Internet, and I’m getting text messages
from unknown numbers,” said Barry. “[People are asking
me], ‘What’s that gay speech that you gave at the end
about your dead pappy? You only did that so you could solidify
that you really got the win.’ Right, because the judges
have a time machine. They heard the speech, went back in time
and made me the winner.”
Barry’s
post-fight interview was an emotional tribute to the members
of the U.S. Armed Forces in attendance and his deceased father,
who was also a serviceman.
“Jan.
17 was the 26-year anniversary of my dad [passing away]. That’s
the dog tag that I always wear that everybody knows about. I
don’t wear any rings or watches or anything else. I was
on an Army base, and my dad was in the Army, so I just wanted
to give that shout out and explain. Just to be able to fight
in front of the troops was amazing. To be able to honor them,
to honor my dad, and put on a show for all of them is why [I
gave my speech],” explained Barry.
“Every
year, on the date [of his death], we have a day. We say a little
prayer -- just go outside and talk to a tree, just to talk to
dad, you know? So it was cool that my fight happened to be on
an Army base in front of a bunch of Army personnel.”
With
the durable Beltran now in his rear-view mirror, Barry declined
to call out anyone in the heavyweight division when asked about
his future. He did jokingly assert, however, that a cut in weight
might be in the cards.
“Actually,
I think I’d like to drop down to 107 pounds and fight Scotty
Jorgensen,” Barry deadpanned.
While
a bout with Jorgensen will stay in the fantasy realm, a matchup
with teammate Matt Mitrione is a very real possibility in a competitive
heavyweight division. Many teammates refuse to fight one another
on the grounds of friendship, but according to Barry, he and
“Meathead” have an understanding regarding a potential
fight.
“I
don’t want to fight him and he doesn’t want to fight
me. We’re teammates. But we both agreed that we would do
it.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Bellator
Kicks Off Season 4 on March 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel &
Casino in California
Bellator
Fighting Championships will kick off their 4th season on March
5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino with the live broadcast
airing on MTV2 starting at 9pm ET/PT.
MTV
made the announcement along with Bellator on Wednesday.
The
upstart MMA promotion signed on with MTV2 a few months back to
showcase their latest season, which will feature several tournaments
once again including light heavyweight, lightweight, featherweight
and welterweight brackets.
“With
our spectacular partnership with MTV2, MMA fans now have a place
to watch Bellator live every Saturday night,” said Bellator
CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Our fourth season is absolutely loaded
with talent, and I can’t wait to get the action started
at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino when we return to California
on March 5.”
Tachi
Palace is of course also home to the popular local Tachi Palace
Fighting series which takes place at the same location and has
showcased a ton of veteran talent as well as homegrown fighters
from around the area.
The
announcement also states that the season will air in 12 consecutive
weekend broadcasts on Saturday night starting with the March
5 show in California. The date does coincide with the Strikeforce
broadcast taking place on March 5 as well in Columbus, OH, airing
on Showtime.
No
bouts have been confirmed for the inaugural Bellator show for
March 5, but an announcement could be forthcoming.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Today!
Source: Vance Pascual
|
UFC
126 (2/5 at Mandalay Bay Events Center)
w/ betting odds
Today!
By Zach
Arnold
Hawaii
Air times:
Countdown 4PM - 5PM Spike
Countdown 6PM - 7PM Spike
UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort 4PM - 8PM Channel 701
Odds courtesy of Betonfighting
Dark
matches/preliminaries
¦Welterweights:
Mike Pierce (-280) vs. Kenny Robertson (+220)
¦Light Heavyweights: Kyle Kingsbury (-130) vs. Ricardo
Romero (even)
¦Bantamweights: Kid Yamamoto (-130) vs. Demetrious Johnson
(even)
¦Lightweights: Paul Taylor (-200) vs. Gabe Ruediger (+160)
¦Featherweights: Chad Mendes (-345) vs. Michihiro Omigawa
(+275)
¦Lightweights: Donald Cerrone (-280) vs. Paul Kelly (+220)
Main card
¦Bantamweights:
Miguel Torres (-365) vs. Antonio Banuelos (+295)
¦Light Heavyweights: Jon “Bones” Jones (-300)
vs. Ryan Bader (+240)
¦Welterweights: Jake Ellenberger (-300) vs. Carlos Eduardo
Rocha (+240)
¦Light Heavyweights: Forrest Griffin (+125) vs. Rich Franklin
(-155)
¦UFC Middleweight title match: Anderson Silva (-275) vs.
Vitor Belfort (+215)
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Amateur
Boxing In Palolo!
Today!
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored
by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
FEBRUARY
4, AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE
PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Springsteen Stampson 21 2 125 28 Steven Wada
Molokai B.C. 05/07/89 1 or 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside
Maui B.C.
). Uly Bordaje 17 0 167 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Kakaako B.C. 01/07/94 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Michael ?? 18 0 127 17 Kyle Delima 1 Palolo B.C. 1 min. 08/23/93
Unattached (Kauai)
). Jariell Munoz 27 0 147 18 Christian Ramil 2
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 min. 10/02/83 636 B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 160 19 Charles Gassparetti 0
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Edward Dirige 14 1 127/124 13 Peter Pacada 0
Kakaako B.C. 07/26/96 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Mike Plunkett 20 2 180 30 Steven Lee 0
Five-O B.C. 07/25/90 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Mikuni Munsayac 19 3 155 21 Joshua Dupree
Unattached 09/27/91 1 1/2min. 09/22/89 Unattached (Marines)
). Austin Hyden 22 8 165 18 Adrian Pelayo 6
Pearlside B.C. 10/21/98 1 ½ or 2 min 09/24/92 Southside
Maui B.C
). Tyler Agbayani 16 7 175 16 Ramon Cardona Jr. 4
Unattached 07/20/94 1 ½ or 2 min. 02/17/94 Wailuku Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ 33 Nephi Tehiva 0
Pearlside B.C. 04/02/90 1 min. 06/12/77 Hands On B.C.
). Isaiah Lavea 19 2 201+ 21 Kawika Tantala- Kupuikaia 2
Palolo 08/22/90 1 min. 05/01/89 Five-0
). Samuel Kekai Alama 33 1 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Pearlside B.C. 01/10/77 1 ½ min. 05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Koichi Tanji 12 130 10+ Anthony Ibanez Kawano B.C. 03/06/92
2 min 09/24/92 Wailuku B.C.
). Natacia Manuma 27 7 175 25 Fallon Farrar 7
Five-0 B.C. 1/15/83 2 min. 09/29/85 Club Discipline B.C.
Thank You to Lloyd McKee from Waipahu Pawn Shop in the Waipahu
Shopping Plaza, phone number is 808-671-6555, also Leland Chapman
from "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for their continued Support
of Amateur Boxing. Also, our Sponsors Rock Bottom Sports Bar
where we will have our after party.
Thank You Always for our Volunteers, Boxers, Coaches, Officials,
Announcer, Door Workers, Concession workers, Boxing Commissioners
and Chairman Herbert Minn, Officer Ron Richardson and OfficerAl
Dela Cruz, Officer Daryl Takata, Dr. Myles Suehiro and Dr. Kanani
Texeira, Chief of Officials Eiichi Jumawan and Vice President
Robyn Jumawan, and "YOU" our Boxing Fans!!
All
boxer will receive gold medals for stepping in the ring, these
athletes, boxing clubs, and coaches are all winners and champions
because of the time, dedication and commitment they put in their
sport. All medals donated by our Sponsors.
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY 5 AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Nicholas Siordia 11 8 78 13 Kawelo Alcos 4
TNT B.C. 06/18/99 1 min. 01/19/98 Unattached
). Goddhey Jacaine 8 1 68 9 Jordan Manangan 2
Pearlside B.C. 03/24/02 1 minute 09/29/01 Molokai B.C.
). Justin Alcos 18 0 132 17 Kyle Delima 1
Unattached 10/28/92 1 min. 08/28/93 Unattached (Kauai)
). Charles Coloma 19 3 120 21 Springsteen Stampson 2
Up n Up B.C. 10/12/91 1 ½ min. 05/07/89 Molokai B.C.
). Jariell Munoz 27 3 pal 145 19 David Vasconcellos 3
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 ½ min. 12/08/91 Unattached
). Dedric Ke'a Jr. 15 2 130 14 Edward Dirige 1
Pearlside B.C. 09/18/95 1 ½ min. 07/26/96 Kakaako B.C.
). Jonah Lopes 18 0 185 30 Steven Lee 0
Unattached (Joe Palimoo) 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Charles Gassparetti 28 0 162 17 Uly Bordaji 0
Unattached (Marines) 1 min. 01/07/94 Kakaako B.C.
). Mike Kurita 25 4 155 20 Travis Ito 3
Pearlside B.C. 12/31/85 1 ½ or 2 min. 07/29/89 Palolo
B.C.
). Jazzelle Rabago Bobadilla 12 3 95 12 Kairey Bermoy 4
Boxfit808 B.C. 05/20/98 1 min. 07/21/98 Up n Up B.C.
). Nephi Tehida 33 0 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Hands On B.C. 06/12/77 1 min. per coach05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 165 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Koichi Tanji 28 12 128 28 Steven Wada
Kawano B.C. 03/06/92 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ Paea ??
Pearlside B.C. 04/20/90 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Corina Ishikawa 33 8 115 18 Haley Pasion 4
Kawano B.C. 03/23/77 1 ½ min. 10/11/92 Kawano B.C.
). Mark Antalan 18 6 201+ Dustin Dosher 6
Pearlside B.C. 01/31/93 1 ½ min. Unattached
). Kalai McShane 15+ 127 Anthony Ibanez 10+
Five-0 B.C. 4 rds, 2 min. Wailuku Maui B.C.
let
me know how many minutes also. I suggest 1 min. for new boxers,
1 ½ min for boxers with 7 matches or less, and 2 min.
for a boxer with 8 bouts or more.
We
want our boxers and our sport to look good. It doesn't look good
when or if they run out of gas. It will depend on the coaches
to make the decision. Thanks!!
Weigh-ins
will be at Palolo Boxing Gym from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday.
The other side of the island will be Pearlside Boxing Club at
Momilani Recreation Center 5-7 p.m on Thursday also.
Outer
islands can weigh-in on Friday, I'll be at Palolo gym at 4 p.m.
Remember
if they have braces they must have braces release form signed
by dentist.
Thanks!!
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
UFC
126 Preview: The Main Card
by Jason
Probst
When
champions step into the cage or ring to defend their belts, fans
love an element of danger. That is precisely what Anderson Silva
faces in challenger Vitor Belfort. Attempting to make the eighth
defense of his UFC middleweight crown at UFC 126 on Saturday
at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, “The Spider”
meets a unique kind of threat in Belfort, whose speed and power
are unlike anyone else’s in the sport.
This
match brings a compelling challenge for the champion, as well
as the offer of considerable redemption for Belfort, who, along
with flashes of unabated brilliance, has suffered from setbacks
and letdown performances as often as he has thrilled fans. Whether
the “new” Belfort is the “old” Belfort is
a subject much-discussed; Silva is the ultimate proving ground
for it.
With
that in mind, let us get to the main card, previews and picks.
UFC
Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva (No. 1 MW, No. 2 PFP) vs. Vitor Belfort (No. 6
MW)
The
Matchup: On paper, the only way you could design a better fighter
than Belfort to win this would be by giving him a high-level
wrestling pedigree. That is because Belfort has legendary hands,
explosive power and great submission awareness and jiu-jitsu,
a skill largely overshadowed by his highlight-reel knockouts.
Silva, coming off a miracle comeback win over Chael Sonnen at
UFC 117 in August, sits on the longest unbeaten streak in the
history of the UFC -- 12 bouts and 12 victories -- and a record
seven defenses. Long wanted by fans, this matchup finally comes
to fruition. Do not go to the fridge.
Belfort,
forever hot and cold in his performances, returned to the UFC
with a one-round blitz of ex-champion Rich Franklin, showing
the Mike Tysonesque form that made him a star at 19 years old.
With Silva’s modest-at-best wrestling being the only chink
in his armor, the champion possesses the ability to stay cool
under fire and absorb big shots at will. One might think Belfort’s
best chance is to stand here, but he might have a better chance
using his hands to close the gap and take Silva to the ground,
where he can grind him down.
Standing,
Belfort’s hands are amazingly potent, but over the long
haul, Silva has too many weapons and makes too many clever adjustments.
He uses range perfectly, delivering numbing counter shots opponents
do not see. Plus, he switches from southpaw to orthodox as it
suits him, with little drop-off in his effectiveness. Belfort’s
chances to win this one fade considerably as the fight progresses,
and Silva will plant doubt in his head in an extended stand-up
fight.
The
Pick: If Belfort goes for takedowns, he could wear out Silva,
as Sonnen did, and then look for a stoppage later in the fight.
However, “The Phenom” just is not wired that way. Silva
will have some tough moments and then explode, delivering a barrage
in the third round to retain his title.
Light
Heavyweights
Forrest Griffin (No. 5 LHW) vs. Rich Franklin
The
Matchup: This showdown between two former champions is a good
one, and the winner will be positioned to vie for a title shot
with two or three more wins.
The
two have a lot in common. Both have had to adjust their games
due to a non-wrestling background, and neither is a threat to
take down top-level guys. They rely on top-notch conditioning
and game planning, and their jiu-jitsu skills are generally overlooked.
Griffin
is probably 20 pounds heavier than Franklin between fights, but
“Ace” has competed well enough at 205, and Griffin’s
game is not based on being a weight-cutter and overpowering people.
Griffin and Franklin beat opponents through conditioning work
in the gym in the weeks before the fight.
The
stand-up battle should dictate this match, as they will likely
negate one another on the ground, unless someone gets some effective
ground-and-pound going. That seems unlikely, given the matchup.
Franklin
is a sound striker and puts more tail-end power into his shots,
while Griffin relies on a keep-busy approach. It was what powered
him to his five-round title win over Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson at UFC 86, as he set a fast pace and mixed up his kicks
with combinations. Franklin might have a tough time figuring
out the lengthy Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts representative
at first, but since he should have time to do so, he will make
adjustments. If Franklin can build confidence letting his hands
go, that will go a long way toward winning this fight, because
he will not be able to plant Griffin on the mat and overpower
him.
Griffin’s
best ranges are in the clinch, where his height and natural aggression
serve him well. Both have excellent defensive jiu-jitsu on the
ground, and they know how to stifle opponents looking to score
points with big blows. A submission win, outside of a dazed rear-naked
choke, appears highly unlikely.
The
Pick: Franklin has a big target here, one upon which he should
be able to kick and use angles. Griffin is a tossup in the striking
department but should be stronger in clinches and on the ground.
It will be a very close fight, and I do not see either man able
to overpower the other enough to force a stoppage. Griffin wins
by split decision.
Light Heavyweights
Ryan Bader (No. 6 LHW) vs. Jon Jones (No. 7 LHW)
The
Matchup: It would not surprise me to see Bader win this one,
and part of me figures Jones has looked so incredible lately
that eventually someone will have to make him appear human. Bader
can score the upset here, so long as he does not get his head
handed to him through one of those moves only Jones seems to
know how to execute. Bader has a pretty stout punch, to boot.
That
said, Jones’ otherworldly performances of late suggest a
new breed of fighter rising through the ranks. At 6-foot-4, he
exhibits freakish coordination and the ability to create something
out of nothing. His bottom game, at least in his UFC fights,
remains untested simply because nobody can put him on his back.
Bader
reminds one of what Tito Ortiz might have been had the “Huntington
Beach Bad Boy” developed his striking. His close decision
win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 119 was a telling performance.
He is an exceptionally strong fighter with a big punch, and it
would only take one of them to tell us a lot more about Jones
than we currently know.
The
wrestling matchup is the driver in this one because Jones is
likely to outmatch his foe on the feet, unless Bader’s stand-up
has evolved to such a degree that he thinks he has a surprise
in store. And he might. “The Ultimate Fighter” contestants
consistently show new wrinkles in their games, given their development.
Bader will have to pick his moment to force a clinch wisely,
as Jones’ hands and feet come from all sorts of strange
angles. If they clinch, the battle there is a tossup, as both
men are explosive, strong, and able to toss opponents with ease.
The
Pick: Jones has been dubbed “the next big thing” in
the 205-pound division, and he has earned the hype. This is by
no means a lock for him, as Bader is very talented, unbeaten,
hard-nosed type of guy. If Bader can avoid Jones’ opening-round
shock and awe and score a takedown, all bets are off. With that
said, Jones does something that seems ridiculously impressive
every time out. Hopefully, he will show a new trick or two en
route to a hard-fought decision win here.
Welterweights
Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
The
Matchup: The hard-charging Ellenberger was lined up for a match
with Jon Fitch on two occasions, only to have them fall through.
That is unfortunate, because he is a virtual carbon copy of Fitch,
with better striking, to boot. Rocha debuted with a gorgeous
kneebar submission win over “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 11 finalist Kris McCray at UFC 122, showing the kind of
tactical smarts and headiness in a first-timer that prompts high
expectations.
With
the welterweight division in need of top contenders that have
not already been steamrolled by champion Georges St. Pierre,
the implications for this match are clear.
Rocha
is unbeaten and has had only one fight reach the second round,
but the combined record of his suspect opposition stands at 31-44-5.
Ellenberger is talented, tough and experienced and came close
to beating former World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight champion
Carlos Condit in his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 19.
Along with his considerable wrestling chops, his seasoning should
prove a key factor here.
The
Pick: Look for Ellenberger to push the pace, take it to the floor
and pick his spots, uncorking a punishing ground-and-pound attack
en route to a third-round stoppage.
Bantamweights
Miguel Torres (No. 6 BW) vs. Antonio Banuelos
The
Matchup: After losing two straight in brutal fashion to Brian
Bowles and Joseph Benavidez, former WEC champion Torres scored
a much-needed win at WEC 51, as he submitted Charlie Valencia.
Whether or not he successfully continues to rebuild the aura
of invincibility he once held is difficult to foresee.
Banuelos,
a longtime contender at 135 pounds, will definitely oblige him
with willing stand-up and strong wrestling, both of which played
roles in Torres’ two WEC defeats. With champion Dominick
Cruz and Urijah Faber sitting atop the division, either guy could
position himself nicely for a title run in 2011 by scoring a
significant win on the main card.
Style-wise,
this is a fight Banuelos can win. If he can land effectively
on the feet and get inside Torres’ range, it will set up
takedowns and dirty boxing, two skills at which he has proven
effective. For Torres, it is paramount that he does not get sucked
into a head-strong type of bout where he dismisses percentages
and advantages merely to trade shots and get even. Banuelos figures
to score some takedowns, but Torres’ guard is exceptionally
dangerous.
The
Pick: Expect some rough moments for the ex-champion, as Torres
uses sweeps and submission attempts to keep Banuelos defensive
on the mat and piles up points on the feet on the way to a third-round
submission or decision win.
Source: Sherdog
|
UFC
126: Silva vs. Belfort Preview
By Josh
Stein
Miguel
Torres (38-3 MMA) is looking to make an impressive debut on the
UFC after his fall from the top bantamweight spot in the world.
He impressed in his final fight in the WEC, and Torres will look
for a second win as he takes on Antonio Banuelos (18-6 MMA),
also looking to extend his consecutive wins to two. Banuelos
could use an impressive finish, but Torres is a dangerous guy
and he has all of the tools to beat Banuelos. Banuelos lacks
the finish skill of a fighter like Joe Benavidez or Brian Bowles,
and while he can definitely grind out a win over Torres, that
seems like a rough gameplan against a fighter that effective
at catching his opponents off of his back and in the clinch.
Jon
Jones (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Ryan Bader (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC)
are the top contenders in the UFC lightheavyweight division,
and their bout will likely decide the next top contender. Jones
has long been a top prospect, and has destroyed a number of impressive
fighters. Bader is coming off of a solid win over Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira and his undefeated record is impressive given the level
of competition he’s fought in the UFC. Jones seems like
the solid favorite (at around -300) but the bout will be competitive.
Bader is a grinder and has by far the best wrestling credentials
of anyone Jones has faced. That said, there’s usually something
to be said for the favorite, usually there’s a good reason
why they’re the favorite. That seems to be the case for
Jones.
Despite
only one UFC fight under his belt, Carlos Eduardo Rocha (9-0
MMA, 1-0 UFC) will be appearing on the main card of a pay-per-view
event taking on a very tough, powerful grappler in Jake Ellenberger
(23-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC). As Ellenberger continues to build momentum
in his UFC career, he’s going to have to fight through one
of the most interesting grapplers that the UFC has picked up
in a while. Obviously, Rocha doesn’t have the credibility
as a Jake Shields, but his game seems really amazing, and with
9 straight finishes in 9 career fights, his ability to end fights
is not in question, especially on the mat. Ellenberger’s
path to victory seems clear enough: use the wrestling to stay
standing and throw hands. Ellenberger definitely has knockout
power. He put away José Landi-Jons (lesser known than
many, but, at the very least, a legend-killer) in 7 seconds.
As much as I think Rocha is a phenomenal prospect, Ellenberger
has the experience to execute on that gameplan, and he can be
a tough guy to finish on the ground, even for someone with the
aggressive style of Rocha. Still, hopefully it will be a competitive
fight and we’ll get to see some of Rocha’s ground skills
more thoroughly displayed.
Forrest
Griffin (17-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) didn’t step in the cage in 2010,
and there are many watching to see whether or not there will
be ring rust, whether his injuries are still with him or whether
he had a transformative year off. Former UFC middleweight champion
Rich Franklin (28-5-0-1 MMA, 13-4 UFC) has made an interesting
step up to lightheavyweight, and is currently undefeated since
officially debuting in the division, though it’s only been
one fight. Putting away former lightheavyweight champion Chuck
Liddell is no small feat, even if it was Chuck’s final appearance
in MMA. The opportunity to fight a fighter coming off of a win,
even if that win was not that impressive and over an aging Tito
Ortiz is another step for Franklin, and allows him to show that
he belongs among the relevant title competitors at 205. For Griffin,
it is the opportunity to show that he has not been too shaken
by a rough year in 2009. It’s hard to judge the performance
of a fighter who has been absent for as long as Griffin, but
if Griffin returns as he left, the matchup seems to strongly
favor Franklin, because he can keep the fight from turning into
the scrap that Griffin does so well and work his hands.
I
do not bet against Anderson Silva (27-4 MMA, 12-0 UFC). There
are those who saw the four and a half rounds he spent getting
roughed up by Chael Sonnen as some sort of indication of his
slowing status, or a solution to the puzzle that he seems to
be. Obviously, that’s a possibility, but the submission
that put Sonnen away is an indication that Anderson Silva is
relevant, even on his back, even when it looks like there is
no hope for the champion. Fighting Vitor Belfort (19-8 MMA, 8-4
UFC), though, makes things a little more complicated. If Sonnen
was a stylistic problem for Silva (as I suspect it was) then
the fight is not that relevant, since Belfort has a radically
different toolbox, but if the Sonnen fight demonstrates some
sort of decline in Silva’s game more generally, then Vitor
is a very serious problem. It’s hard to see even a fighter
as technically sound as Belfort being able to answer Silva standing
up. Silva has never been stopped with strikes in MMA, and none
of his fights in the UFC have been particularly competitive standing
up (though none of his opponents were as technical as Belfort;
Belfort, on the other hand, has had competitive matchups on the
feet and come out on the losing end before). Belfort has looked
phenomenal in his last few bouts, but there are a few serious
concerns about his ability to perform as his full potential.
First,
Belfort hasn’t actually fought in the UFC middleweight division.
Obviously, he can make the cut, but it does leave a little concern
about the way that it will effect him, and he hasn’t really
been mixed in with much of the competition that has tested Anderson’s
previous opponents. Second, Belfort hasn’t fought since
September of 2009. He may be in the best shape of his career
(which seems likely) or he may be rusty as hell when he steps
in against Silva. There are a lot of variables in this fight,
but Anderson Silva is (and should be) the favorite. He is not
as large a favorite as he has been in the past, but Silva is
still the champion, and he has defended his title seven consecutive
times. It’s hard to see Belfort taking that belt away from
him. It may be Belfort’s time, but its hard to mark the
end of Silva’s reign at this point.
Source: MMA Opinion
|
Strained
Relationship With Belfort Fuels Silva for Brazil's 'Fight of
the Century'
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS VEGAS -- It's clear that Anderson Silva has already made
the shift into fight mode. On Wednesday, the UFC champ and his
challenger Vitor Belfort went eye-to-eye for the first time in
the days prior to their UFC 126 clash. The taller Silva crowded
into Belfort's personal space, looking down at him with a subtle
sneer, while Belfort's face painted a quieter picture of simple
determination. Belfort turned away from the staredown first,
but Silva would not look away, clearly and purposely glaring
at Belfort for three or four seconds afterward. So what's he
thinking?
"He's
a worthy contender," Silva said. "He's in good condition
and I'm ready for him."
With
words, he didn't have much to say, yet his body language was
unmistakable. He was trying to send a message. But what was it?
Years ago, Silva and Belfort were friends, yet today Silva couldn't
even bring himself to admit Belfort was one of the best strikers
he'd ever faced. It's the forgotten storyline of UFC 126 that
this fight has become very personal to a very motivated Anderson
Silva.
It's
no secret to the Brazilian news media though. About 20 made the
trip to cover what they said is being coined "The Fight
of the Century" in their country, where Belfort is actually
a bigger star due to his long history in the sport and famous
wife. Among the journalists covering the event is Fernando Kallas,
a longtime MMA reporter who is now the UFC's Brazilian play-by-play
man. Kallas has known both SIlva and Belfort for years, and has
had numerous opportunities to speak with both over the last several
months.
"Last
week, I was talking with Anderson," he said, "and Anderson
said to me, 'If I have the opportunity, I'm going to hurt Vitor.
I'm going to hurt him really bad."
It
wasn't always that way between them though. At one point, they
were friends. To understand where things changed and why this
fight is personal to Silva, you have to understand the history
between the men.
Years
ago, when Belfort was going through bad times -- including the
still unsolved kidnapping and murder of his sister Priscila --
he moved from Rio to Belo Horizonte. Silva, who was living in
Rio at the time, dropped everything to spend time in Belo Horizonte
with Belfort and help him along.
Their
friendship remained intact afterward, but things have changed
drastically in the last year. The reason? Silva reportedly was
quite offended that Belfort would accept a fight with him after
their history together. While Belfort saw it as a simple professional
decision, Silva took it as a personal affront.
That
further emphasizes their different outlooks on the sport.
Silva
is originally a product of the famed Chute Boxe camp, where fighting
is personal, and intimidation of your opponent is quite literally,
part of the fight. They view the person across the cage from
them as not an opponent, but an enemy.
"Anderson
works like Chute Boxe," said Kallas. "He needs to feel
excited for the fight. He needs to have an enemy. Anderson feels
betrayed. He helped [Vitor] out and he was surprised that Vitor
would fight him."
Belfort
has never viewed it quite the same way. To him, the fight is
a sport, a profession, nothing personal about it. That's why
he's always moved from camp to camp, learning from different
coaches and trainers rather than staying in one place.
Team
Silva knows Belfort very well. Some of the people who are important
parts of Silva's camp were once mentors to Belfort. Years ago,
in fact, Belfort used to live in the house of Silva's strength
and conditioning coach Rogerio Camoes. They know Belfort well
enough to know that Silva can't play with him, he can't toy with
him or try to embarrass him like he did to Demian Maia. Belfort
is far too dangerous. One punch can change everything.
Silva's
trainers know the old Belfort. If you listened to Belfort's words,
he made several references to the changes he's undergone in recent
years and how many people who knew him then and now do not know
him at all.
If
you listened to both their words over the last few weeks, it's
almost like there's been double-meanings in what they've said.
it is a fight, and so much more.
"If
one event alone can change your life that's something that can
change your principle, because I believe a man lives by principle
or by preference," Belfort told MMA Fighting when asked
about what winning the title would mean to him. "A man who
lives by principle? Nothing can change his life. He doesn't negotiate
with moments. And the man who lives by preference? He goes with
the flow. You know, depending on how his life is, he goes. So
I will keep doing the same things that I'm doing, but of course
my life will be changed. You know, you get your bonus money.
You get maybe more recognition. But in my life, I will keep doing
the same thing I'm doing."
Things
used to be so different. They trained together. They trained
in the same gym, and with many of the same people. They helped
each other, and then it all got torn apart.
It's
not something they'll talk about much, but it's something that's
simmering under the surface. When the cage door closes, "The
Fight of the Century" won't feel quite so big for the two
locked inside. To them, the fight began long before the real
fight ever started.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Omigawa’s
Holy Homework
by Tony Loiseleur
TOKYO
-- “It doesn’t feel like I should say finally, but
finally, I’m back in the UFC,” says a quiet, gravelly
voiced Michihiro Omigawa between sips of coffee.
In
a knit headband and wool pullover, Omigawa leans back in his
booth at a café near the J-Rock Workout Studio. The only
other inhabitants are senior citizens, garrulously chatting the
morning away while one of their country’s best fighters
quietly prepares for the day’s training. The scene is quiet
and anonymous, and it suits the deadly serious Omigawa.
Even
a fan that has never seen Sengoku Raiden Championship or Dream
has likely seen Omigawa before. When he faces unbeaten blue-chipper
Chad Mendes at UFC 126 this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events
Center in Las Vegas, it will not be the first time he has stepped
into the Octagon.
Omigawa
is a man of few words; his only moments of voice-raised verbosity
are in his infamous -- and often profane -- post-fight speeches.
If he were an actor, it would be accurate to call his performances
taut or restrained. Nonetheless, the relief in Omigawa’s
voice is palpable. While some fighters go only as far as exclaiming
the platitude of how honored they are to fight in the UFC, Omigawa
is one of the few Japanese fighters who had the benefit of having
been there, only to finally return.
“Somehow,
I feel like there’s this strong bond between myself and
the UFC. I’m really happy that I’m able to come back.
Maybe it is God telling me that I have to return to the UFC,
and that’s why I’m able to go back now,” he says.
Omigawa’s
first UFC stint three years ago was brief, as he was cut after
losing tough decisions to Matt Wiman and Thiago Tavares. The
pairings were demanding, considering Omigawa entered the Octagon
with a .500 record, a clear beneficiary of the fallout from Zuffa’s
purchase of Pride Fighting Championships and his place within
the Yoshida Dojo stable.
However,
those challenges were not new for Omigawa. He debuted in the
Pride ring of all places against gritty veteran Aaron Riley,
who wielded eight years of MMA experience and nearly three dozen
fights. His second fight came against a 7-1-1 Gesias “JZ”
Cavalcante; he lasted just 49 seconds.
Omigawa
says he holds the advantage in his matchup with Chad Mendes (above).Three
years removed from his UFC debut and now a featherweight, Omigawa
is not only equipped to make a legitimate UFC run but has exceeded
expectations in his development as a fighter.
“Being
‘cut by the UFC’ sounds negative, but all the experiences
I’ve had in other rings since are positive. I’ve learned
and grown a lot. Before my return to the UFC, I was finally able
to refine my ‘Omigawa style,’” the Hidehiko Yoshida
understudy says. “Specifically, it’s a synthesis of
judo and striking. It’s taken time to hone, and it’s
nearly perfect these days.”
Amidst
turmoil of a deteriorating fight industry in Japan, it comes
as no surprise that fighters like Omigawa are looking abroad
to test their mettle and get paid. However, despite having notched
wins -- albeit highly contentious ones -- against the likes of
major featherweight titleholders in Japan, such as Sengoku featherweight
champion Hatsu Hioki, Dream featherweight titleholder Hiroyuki
Takaya and former Sengoku featherweight kingpin Marlon Sandro,
Omigawa has opted to return to the UFC rather than capture a
belt at home.
According
to Omigawa, he was never in title consideration, either. After
his management company, J-Rock, effectively ended its relationship
with Sengoku Raiden Championship, Omigawa turned in a first-round
stoppage against Takaya on New Year’s Eve in 2009. Heading
into 2010, the win over Takaya fueled speculation that he would
challenge for the title on Dec. 31.
“I
didn’t know anything about a Dream title match [at Dynamite],
and no one was talking to me about one. I felt so isolated from
Dream then. I was thinking, ‘Oh well, if that’s how
it is, go ahead, I guess.’ I felt left out,” says Omigawa,
recalling the Takaya-Bibiano Fernandes title fight Dynamite announcement
with a wry smile.
“I
remember saying publically at the beginning of 2010 that I desperately
wanted the Dream featherweight title, but things went wrong,
and I didn’t get an opportunity to fight Fernandes. I didn’t
like that,” he laments.
However,
Omigawa has taken this rejection slight as a sign of a greater
purpose. While former adversaries like Hioki, Takaya and Sandro
have excelled in Japan, Omigawa feels his opportunity to outshine
them will come beyond the shores of his homeland.
“All
three have belts because they’re so strong. All except me,
however,” Omigawa says quietly. “I think the reason
for that is because I have something to do outside of Japan.
It’s like God has given me a task to accomplish, like I’m
being told, ‘You’re not for here. You must go beyond
Japan.’
“Just
before the Takaya-Fernandes title bout was confirmed, the WEC
and UFC merged,” he continues in hushed tones. “Since
the timing was so perfect, I felt maybe this merger was happening
for me. I always said I wanted to reach the top of the featherweight
division, and I think it’s in the UFC now.”
Despite
speaking softly, there is no doubting Omigawa’s conviction
in this belief. He is not particularly religious, but he truly
believes something deeper or greater is orienting him toward
the UFC.
“I
don’t think he’s much of an MMA fighter. He’s
not going to try to finish an opponent. I think I’m the
one with the advantage here.”
-- Omigawa on Chad Mendes
“The
‘god’ I refer to is something that’s within me,
I think. I don’t think there is such a thing as coincidence.
I’ve always thought that when things happen, something or
someone has given that experience to me,” he says with a
self-deprecating chuckle. “It’s kind of spiritual and
sounds religious, but I don’t belong to any organized religion.
But I do believe there’s someone above me giving me tasks,
like homework that I must do in my life.”
Omigawa’s
spirituality sans religiosity is typical in Japan. Though the
animist Shinto is the state religion and Buddhist temples abound,
the majority of modern Japanese tend to be syncretic or atheistic.
Christianity and the notion of a monotheistic, all-powerful god
is thus something with which many Japanese like Omigawa are familiar
and appropriate in their everyday lives in a distinctly secular
way.
Fate
and destiny notwithstanding, the undefeated Mendes has the kind
of stellar wrestling and suffocating top game that can frustrate
and shut down anyone’s offense. Omigawa, however, is unperturbed
by the stylistic challenge.
“I
don’t think he’s much of an MMA fighter. He’s
not going to try to finish an opponent. I think I’m the
one with the advantage here,” Omigawa says matter-of-factly.
Only a handful of Japanese fighters -- particularly Yushin Okami
after his defeat at the hands of Chael Sonnen -- have acknowledged
the need to train with North American fighters to improve their
cage game. However, Omigawa sees both stateside training and
Japan’s difficulties in the Octagon differently than the
MMA community at large.
Omigawa
is open to the notion of training abroad, but he does not feel
compelled to do so. Broaching the idea that the best training
is in the U.S., he does bring up a crucial point.
“What
about [UFC featherweight champion] Jose Aldo? He doesn’t
have to leave Brazil or Nova Uniao to train, does he? If Jose
doesn’t need to, why do I have to leave?” he asks with
a grin.
“Probably
one of the reasons is the cage itself, but more than that, I
think it comes down to a fighter’s mental state. Going abroad,
fighting in a cage, hearing a different audience than Japan’s
-- all these things play a factor,” he continues.
His
assertion is one that highlights the fact that Japan is a highly
advanced island nation in which the need to travel abroad rarely
occurs for its inhabitants. For many Japanese fighters, competing
in the states is their first experience abroad. Culture shock
and jet lag exacerbate Octagon jitters, making for a deadly cocktail
come fight time. To further illustrate his point, Omigawa takes
a moment to consult his cell phone’s Japanese-English dictionary
to find a particular phrase to convey what exactly it is he feels
he needs most to succeed in a North American cage. The phrase
he chooses is “comfort zone.”
“Don’t
you think that non-Japanese fighters that come to Japan face
similar problems? They win and lose just the same as Japanese
fighters going abroad, I think. The key is to find out how to
create a comfort zone for myself in enemy territory,” he
says.
In so doing, Omigawa will be bringing a large entourage with
him to Las Vegas. Including the likes of high school friend and
Olympic wrestler-turned-mixed martial artist Kazuyuki Miyata,
Omigawa will be well-insulated by the company of many close friends,
his immediate family and Yoshida Dojo training partners. To assure
that he acclimates to the dry Vegas weather, they all arrived
a week out from the fight.
Further
still, Omigawa views the inclusion of fellow Japanese fighter
Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto on the card as a contributing
factor in creating a comfortable and encouraging environment
for both men to perform in.
“I
think we can help each other feel comfortable there. I know there
will be a lot of people going to cheer for him, too, just as
my friends and family will be there to cheer for me. Hopefully,
they can make a good atmosphere for the both of us and cheer
us both on,” he says.
Of
course, with so many supporters in attendance and a campaign
by the UFC’s Japanese broadcast partner, WOWOW, to spotlight
both Omigawa’s and Yamamoto’s bouts, there exists the
potential that the people that comprise this comfort zone could
create no small amount of performance pressure. Add to that the
fact that the UFC roster has become much more competitive to
stay in since the merger with the WEC, and it is conceivable
that the pressure may become debilitating. However, Omigawa is
undaunted. Besides his belief that a greater power has brought
him back to the Octagon for a reason, he has an iron resolve
tempered by the mismatches of his early career. In fact, he finds
Zuffa’s stringent pink slip policy refreshing.
“It’s
been a theme in my life for these past few years that once I
lose, there’s nothing else for me coming up in the future
from these promotions. I’m coming into the UFC now with
that mentality. It’s just so much clearer and obvious that
once you lose, you can and will get cut,” he says.
It
happened to Omigawa once already, but he does not seem so concerned
with it now. Perhaps it was all the studying and all the homework
he has done to ace his next test in the Octagon.
Interpreted
by Mizuka Koike
Source: Sherdog
|
Strikeforce’s
high-risk, high-reward Japan strategy
By Zach
Arnold
When
Josh Gross broke the news of Strikeforce running their second
HW GP event on April 9th (with Japan being a target), the obvious
reaction online was about avoiding licensing issues and drug
testing. The names of Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett are both
popping up for this event. I don’t think it’s fair
at all to lump the two fighters together on the issue of doping.
Each is an individual case and, as you might recall last May,
I argued endlessly about this in relation to Alistair.
I
had guessed around the time that Strikeforce picked up Mr. Barnett
that they would run his fights in Japan. It made a lot of sense.
There’s too many landmines in the States. Plus, with what
happened in California (Strikeforce’s home base) and the
Affliction show collapse, Japan really was the one place that
made sense for Josh. After all, it’s where he wrestles and
where he wants to fight. You can also say the same thing about
Alistair Overeem, who did sign with talent agency Yoshimoto (the
same casting agency that enlists Razor Ramon Hard Gay and his
pelvic thrusting.) Overeem’s goal is become the big cheese
in Japan and K-1 is his primary focus. America is a nice side
attraction for him, but Japan is the goal. What better way to
placate him but by having his fights in Japan?
It’s
a fascinating move by Scott Coker to really consider a deep involvement
in Japan given the current climate of the industry there and
yet, it’s a calculated move. The risk is high — lack
of money, shaky television situation, long-term uncertainty with
K-1. However, what makes the prospects of Strikeforce working
with K-1 in Japan realistic is that SF can turn the tables on
K-1 and use the K-1 financial model to benefit. With Showtime
paying Strikeforce a certain amount of money per show, the promotion
can afford to work with someone like K-1 if K-1/DREAM is willing
to run the show and cover the costs. Sounds familiar? It was
Kazuyoshi Ishii’s strategy when PRIDE collapsed and now,
unfortunately for K-1, it’s a failing business model for
the Japanese. Which means that the idea of Strikeforce using
that same model against the grandmaster who built his empire
on it is extremely thick in irony.
For
K-1, it would be an interesting image booster in Japan. They
could conceivably tell the fans that they are bringing some of
the best, if not the best, foreign MMA fighters in the world
to Japan to fight in a ring and not a cage. All of this is big
for the psyche of the Japanese fans.
(The
idea that the big names want to come to Japan because Japan is
where the world revolves around.)
Whether
it draws or not is another question, but right now K-1 is in
survival mode and working with Strikeforce to bring in Fedor,
Alistair, Barnett, etc. is good for the image. Plus, all those
fighters want to fight in Japan anyways, so it keeps the talent
base happy. A co-promotional relationship also would critically
help Strikeforce fill some major voids in terms of depth (at
least on paper) in the Lightweight and Welterweight classes.
The door also opens up to use fighters at Bantamweight and Featherweight.
For
Strikeforce, the ability to make money while running big fights
in the big non-American MMA market will be a win that UFC will
not be able to obtain. It’s a move where both SF & K-1
can combine forces to try to diminish the prospects of UFC making
a big dent in the country. Each party (SF & K-1) has something
at stake and right now the stakes are pretty high for both parties.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If K-1 can use Alistair,
Fedor, and others to try to get leverage for television security,
then it’s worth it to play ball in the end.
Now,
what I wrote up above is the ‘perfect’ scenario for
both parties. Whether or not it turns out that way in the end
is anyone’s guess, however. Money talks and bullshit walks.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
From
Las Vegas, an X-ray of challenger Vitor Belfort
by Carlos
Eduardo Ozório
It
was a laid back trip to Las Vegas with Anderson Silva and Co.
(read about it here). During the nine-hour wait after missing
the connection in Charlotte, North Carolina, Silva was approached
by numerous fans, but time finally came to shove off for the
final destination.
In Vegas, about four hours later, more fans awaited the champion
at the airport. The “Spider” tried to attend to them
all, but the mood was different now. There’s no room for
games in the city of entertainment. In a serious climate, the
fighter met up with his manager Ed Soares, with his son, and
headed for Mandalay Bay hotel and casino, where he will stay
and where UFC 126 will take place this Saturday.
From
the impression he left, Anderson doesn’t feel any pressure,
or at least doesn’t let it show. But, as stated in the previous
article, he doesn’t underestimate Vitor Belfort, the challenger.
By his side, along with loyal friend and Strikeforce champion
Rafael Feijão, he has two trumps with him: coaches Ramon
Lemos (Jiu-Jitsu) and Luiz Dórea (boxing). Before disappearing
in the midst of the hundreds of tourists arriving in Vegas, the
coaches sat down for a chat with GRACIEMAG.com and dissected
the challenger, Vitor. The outcome of the fight, obviously, remains
to be seen. But they expect to have minimized any chance of surprise.
“On
the ground, Vitor too is really explosive and quick. But, sincerely,
I feel he’s either the same level or worse than Anderson
in Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve never trained with him, I speak based
on what I’ve seen in his fights. I see Anderson as having
more moves on the ground, while Vitor does a good job in the
ground-and-pound department. I don’t think he’s going
to take much more of a risk than that,” remarks Ramon, the
leader of Atos Jiu-Jitsu.
“You
have to realize that MMA doesn’t have that points system
and Anderson fights 100% for the submission or knockout when
on the ground,” adds the coach.
Now
Dórea analyzes the Spider’s opponent from the angle
that, to many, is Belfort’s most dangerous.
“Vitor
is an excellent fighter, I’ve worked with him before. He
works the action well and is dangerous with straight punches,
down the line. He’s also got a really good uppercut. Another
quality of his is his footwork, his getting-in-and-out skills.
But Anderson has an above-average ability to absorb everything
easily. It will be a great fight, I’m sure of it, but we’ve
covered all the bases and we’re really confident,”
said Dórea in closing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Mendes:
Omigawa a ‘Perfect’ Matchup
Although
Michihiro Omigawa has emerged as a tough matchup for anyone,
Chad Mendes believes he’s the perfect opponent for his continued
climb up the featherweight ladder.
They
fight Feb. 5 at UFC 126.
“He’s
definitely been on a tear,” Mendes acknowledged recently
during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog
Radio Network. “He doesn’t have the best standup. He’s
effective with it, but it’s not the most technical. He’s
not necessarily the fastest fighter ever, but he does look very
strong. … Seems like he’ll rush into you with pretty
crazy standup just to close the distance and then go for bodylocks.
He likes the clinch, over-and-under kind of stuff and then works
a lot of trips. I think that’s perfect for me.”
Mendes
was a two-time All-American wrestler at Cal Poly. He also trained
Greco-Roman wrestling growing up, using upper body maneuvers
and throws somewhat similar to Omigawa’s judo background.
“I’m
just going to potshot a lot,” Mendes said, “and when
he rushes in, be looking to blast doubles. I think personally
this is a great matchup for me.”
Omigawa
has won five straight since dropping an August 2009 split decision
to Masanori Kanehara. That fight is one of only two defeats Omigawa
has suffered since his first UFC run ended in January 2008.
Mendes,
on the other hand, has never fought in the UFC. He didn’t
expect to be making his debut quite so quickly either.
“I
still remember just as a little kid watching [the UFC] with my
dad, renting some of the old DVDs from Blockbuster,” Mendes
said. “I loved it then. I thought it was so cool. It’s
crazy now that I’m going to be fighting in the UFC. I thought
I’d be good at it and I’d do well in my career, but
coming this far this fast is definitely unexpected.”
Mendes
has built a 9-0 record and moved into title contention. Possibly
his biggest win came in November when he outpointed Javier Vazquez,
a quality opponent who had been critical of Mendes’ skills
before the fight.
“The
whole Javy thing with the talking crap back and forth, it definitely
motivated me, but that’s not something that I need to fight,”
Mendes said. “That definitely added to it, but that’s
not something I need to get in there and go hard.”
That’s
a good thing, as Omigawa likely won’t talk any trash to
give Mendes extra motivation. The Japanese fighter’s No.
4 ranking should be motivation enough, though. Mendes wants the
win, but he’s hoping for style points as well.
“I’m
working so hard on my standup,” he said. “It’s
just a comfort thing for me getting in there when I go live.
I’d obviously like to get a knockout in this fight or at
least just showcase a lot of my standup. Hopefully I get in there
and the confidence shines through and I can let my hands go.
A knockout would be awesome.”
Source: Sherdog
|
The
passing of two Jiu-Jitsu greats
by Deb
Blyth
Some
events in life are so painful, random, and inexplicable, they
cause us to lose our faith and hope. But as the gentle art of
Jiu-Jitsu teaches us, we must never give up nor give in to the
darkness, but instead, persevere and find another way back to
the light.
Two
communities are struggling with this as they try to make sense
of the deaths of two of their beloved Jiu-Jitsu family members,
Gracie Barra black belt Thiago da Silva Santos and Team Popovitch
purple belt Reza “Ray” Payan. Both young men were lost
over the 2010 holidays, one from an unfathomable and heartbreaking
illness, the other from an incomprehensible and tragic murder.
Thiago
da Silva “Roylerzinho” Santos, began his Jiu-Jitsu
training at a GB Belo Horizonte satellite school with Danilo
Felipe, a black belt under Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes,
ten years ago. He trained there until he got his blue belt, then
transferred to GBBH, and trained directly under Draculino. Thiago
was called “Roylerzinho” because he looked like Royler
Gracie.
Thiago
loved to compete and was good at it, but his main quality was
not being a great Jiu-Jitsu player. It was, instead, his kind
and generous nature. “Thiago was one of the nicest, most
helpful, loyal, and positive people ever to have stepped foot
on this Earth,” Draculino says, “His smile was so true
and genuine that it brought joy to all around him.”
Thiago
moved to New York with Rafael Sapo. They were training and having
fun, but Thiago soon ran out of money. Draculino invited him
to stay at his house in Houston. “Thiago accepted right
away, but said it would only be for a little while,” Draculino
says, “He ended up connecting with us so well my family
wouldn’t let him go! He learned English fast and began working
at my school, Gracie Barra Texas.”
But Thiago began to sound different. His voice became nasally
and he complained of a plugged nose and sore throat. “We
thought the humidity in Houston was the problem,” Draculino
says, “Doctors thought it was allergies or a sinus infection.
He took medicine and antibiotics and felt a little better. At
the same time, we applied for his work visa and he got it fast,
but due to a formality, he had to go back to Brazil to get his
passport stamped before he could come back to the U.S.”
Draculino
told Thiago to see an ear, nose and throat specialist while he
was in Brazil. “The doctor checked him out and saw that
there was something wrong,” Draculino says, “He performed
surgery and removed a tumor. They discovered it was Burkitt’s
Lymphoma, which is a very rare, aggressive, and fast moving cancer.”
Thiago
was admitted to the hospital and began treatment immediately.
The first chemo session yielded good results and everyone was
happy and excited, but after the thirdsession, the tumor kept
growing. “It was out of control and nothing would reduce
its size or strength,” Draculino says. Thiago became so
weak; he was unable to endure another surgery. He was in the
hospital for more than four months. Draculino gave Thiago his
black belt on December 20, 2010 in his hospital bed. He had been
a brown belt for two and a half years. “I didn’t give
it to him because of his condition, but because it was more than
well deserved,” Draculino says.
At
the end of his life, Thiago was in so much pain he passed out
many times. “Morphine didn’t even help,” Draculino
says, “He couldn’t breath, eat or drink water. He was
fed and hydrated through his veins, but he never lost the smile
on his face nor his warrior spirit.” Draculino sat with
Thiago at the hospital two days before he died and said he thought
to himself, ‘Why is all of this happening to such a great
human being?’ But it’s not for us to question God’s
will. Now I know Thiago is pain free, and in a better place resting.”
Thiago
passed away on December 30, 2010 at the tender age of 26, after
six months of battling the cancer that claimed him. Draculino
says Thiago was a great father, Jiu-Jitsu fighter, friend, “And
the fiercest warrior I’ve ever met. Thiago changed everyone’s
lives for the better.” He leaves behind a son, Iago, and
a sister, Mariana, along with his father and mother. Draculino
says Thiago’s biggest angel was his girlfriend, Katherine
Osteen, who left family, work, and college behind in Houston
to move to Brazil to be by his side every day at the hospital.
Draculino says, “Thiago is lost, but never forgotten.”
On
the other side of the nation, one short day later, another senseless
tragedy was occurring. Reza “Ray” Payan, a purple belt
under Pablo Popovitch (who recently experienced his own personal
pain in the death of his beloved mother and the critical injury
of his father after the devastating Rio mudslides), was gunned
down in the street by a friend after a New Year’s Eve party.
Ray was born in Iran. During the Iran/Iraq war his family took
refuge in Russia. They stayed there for a few years and then
moved to Baltimore, Maryland,when Ray was eight. Ray’s father
didn’t acclimate to America, so he left his family behind
and went back to Iran. Ray had to grow up fast and looked out
for his mom and sister any way he could.
Ray
trained Jiu-Jitsu for about ten years and really enjoyed it.
He trained with Minotauro in Florida and was one of his first
students. He eventually landed at Team Popovitch and started
training there at the same time as black belt Vagner Rocha. While
Jiu-Jitsu was more like a hobby for Ray, it was a career for
Rocha, who eventually opened his own school. Ray followed him
and began training there. “I used to tell everybody that
Ray was my brother,” Rocha says, “Everything he did,
I thought was cool. He was a good, humble, honest person. He
was beyond my best friend. He was my family.”
Rocha
says Ray was a smart guy. He started with nothing, but he had
street smarts. He became a car salesman and ended up opening
his own RV business and a nice home in South Florida. “He’s
been with the woman he loves, Heather, since they were fifteen
years old. They’ve been together for eighteen years and
have a little girl, Shiva, who’s twenty months old,”
Rocha says.
Everyone
came to Ray for advice and said he always had the perfect solution
for their problems. “He was a good person,” Rocha says,
“If you said to him, ‘I like your shirt,’ I swear
to God he’d take it off and give it to you. In my gym alone
there were six guys he helped get jobs. He paid for dinner for
kids who couldn’t afford to eat out. He cared. If he saw
things weren’t good on your side, he tried to help you.
He could always make you laugh. I never saw him have a bad day.”
Rocha
invited Ray to his family’s New Year’s Eve party. Ray
asked if he could bring Ron, a Jiu-Jitsu friend from another
school, to the party with him. Ron’s wife and child were
out of town and Ray didn’t want him to be alone. “I
kind of knew Ron,” Rocha says. He trained with us sometimes.
He always treated me with respect. He didn’t have a lot
of friends and Ray was a good friend to him over the years.”
The
party was very low key. “There was hardly any drinking,”
Rocha says, “It was a small family get together. We just
ate and let off some fireworks.” At about 2:30 a.m. on January
1, 2011, Ray woke Heather up, who had fallen asleep with Shiva,
and said they were leaving. Not long after, Rocha heard pounding
on his door. “Heather was full of blood and screaming,”
he says, “The street was already locked down with cops and
the paramedics had already taken Ray away.”
Rocha
was shocked. Heather told him that she was in the car changing
Shiva’s clothes while Ray was outside talking to Ron. “He
was trying to drive him home,” Rocha says, “He’d
seen Ron drinking.” Ron refused the ride. According to Rocha,
Heather looked out the back window just in time to see Ron with
his gun out, firing three shots at Ray. “Ron ran over and
started screaming at Heather then ran back to Ray and shot him
twice more.” Ray didn’t make it to the hospital.
“It
doesn’t make sense to me,” Rocha says, clearly distraught,
“Did this really happen? It doesn’t seem real. Especially
to Ray…I can’t understand. How could this happen? He
was always a good friend to Ron. Everything Ray got, he asked
the same for Ron. Football games, vacations…” he trails
off.
At
the funeral, many came forward to speak about Ray’s involvement
in their lives. He helped “Craig” rebuild his life
after jail when everyone else abandoned him. He gave him clothes,
found him a place to stay, and a job. Today Craig owns his own
business and he credits Ray with his success. “By the time
the eighth guy got up to speak, it was obvious that Ray had helped
everyone,” Rocha says, “The guy said, ‘You know
what? I thought he was just special to me, but apparently he
was special to everyone. He helped everyone. He lived every moment
to the fullest. For as young as he was, he lived a great life.’”
Rocha
says he’s now going to focus on what he thinks Ray would
want him to do. “I’m going to help out with his daughter
and keep a smile on her face for the rest of her life. I’m
going to appreciate life the way it is and just take every day
that’s in front of me because you never know when it’s
going to be your last day. Today you’re here, tomorrow you’re
gone. You need to tell people you love them. Nothing else matters.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Five
coaches breakdown Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort
By Guilherme
Cruz
After
most experts bet on Anderson Silva as the favorite for the duel
with Vitor Belfort (read the article here), TATAME choose five
coaches of different modalities to evaluate the confrontation
of styles of the Brazilians, who will fight against each other
next Saturday for UFC’s belt. And Anderson got the credibility
of the experts once again. Check below the analysis and stay
tuned on TATAME to know all about UFC 126 .
André
Pederneiras (Jiu-Jitsu): Black belt of Carlson Gracie, André
has fought on UFC and he’s the leader of the team Nova União,
where he teached guys like BJ Penn, Vitor Shaolin, Wagnney Fabiano,
José Aldo and Marlon Sandro.
“Both
are black belts. Anderson proved on his last fight he’s
pretty good, applied a great submission... Being beaten up like
that on the first round and managing to submit the guy that way…
I can’t say anything about his Jiu-Jitsu. If anyone, once
in their lives, thought Anderson wasn’t a black belt, that’s
been proven now. Anderson has a great coach, Ramon Lemos, and
for me he has an advantage on the ground. It’s not that
Vitor ain’t good, but Vitor has decided most of his fights
standing, and I believe he has been dedicated himself to the
trade of punches more, and Anderson has intensified his ground
game. I’ll say Anderson has a slight vantage on the ground”
Advantage:
Anderson Silva
Artur
Mariano (Muay Thai): Muay Thai coach graduated by Luiz Alves,
Artur hás also shone on MMA, eating names like Wanderlei
Silva. Today he’s on charge of the Brazilian Confederation
of (CBMT).
“When
it comes to Muay Thai, without no doubts, Anderson is better.
Vitor is much talented while standing, but Anderson Silva’s
technique is much more complete: the clinch part, the bang…
Vitor is a good Muay Thai fighter, but Anderson is better. Vitor
is an explosive athlete with his legs and knees, but Anderson’s
got the advantage”
Advantage:
Anderson Silva
Rafael
Alejarra (physical trainer): student of Paulo Caruso on physical
preparation, Alejarra is the responsible for sharpen the conditioning
of names like Junior Cigano, Demian Maia, Cris Cyborg, KJ Noons,
Kim Couture, among others.
“Anderson
has been defending his belt for a long time and fighting five
rounds. I think Anderson has a great conditioning, he’s
been doing a great job with Camões. I have friends who
had the chance of working with Vitor and they’ve told me
he’s an explosive guy, he has great genes. He was a rocket
when he was 19 and he grew up very fast, but it’s been a
while since Vitor hasn’t fought... And he’s on a lighter
division.
Anderson’s
conditioning has been tougher than Vitor, but I think it’ll
be interesting. The first and second rounds match Vitor’s
muscle explosion. As the fight gets longer, the advantage changes
sides”
Advantage:
Draw
Cláudio
Coelho (Boxing): leader of the team Nobre Arte, Claudio has sharpen
the Boxing of names like Murilo Bustamante, Pedro Rizzo, Marco
Ruas, Renzo Gracie, Royler Gracie, Vitor Shaolin, among others.
“Anderson’s
boxing is not Professional but it sure ain’t amateur.
He’s
a guy who knows how to bang, but he has a way of punching that
can be bad even for a boxer. He uses his boxing skills along
with others, he kicks, he keeps his distance because of his long
arms. I see him getting disturbed by his boxing, unlike Vitor,
who has his boxing as a professional skill. Vitor doesn’t
do many things, he plays on his guard, and he’s more serious
when it comes to Boxing posture. Because of the fact Vitor is
left-handed, it’ll obligates Anderson not to play with him.
He can play with any other guy and let go his guard, but he can’t
do such thing with a left-handed and have tight and adjusted
coups. That’ll bring much responsibility to Anderson, and
he won’t try to play with Vitor”
Advantage:
Vitor Belfort
Beto
Leitão (Wrestling): son of the Wrestling master Roberto
Leitão, Beto is a Wrestling expert. Currently he’s
the president of the Brazilian Confederation of Associated Fights
(Confederação Brasileira de Lutas Associadas).
“For
having more knowledges and for being more explosive, I believe
Vitor has many advantages on his attack, because that stuff counts
a lot. But Anderson has many factors in favor of his defense,
like the fact he’s taller and has a good posture and long
arms. He does a great sprawl, he can defend his legs with his
arms. I think it’ll be a tied fight on that aspect. Vitor
will try the takedown, but Anderson will defend himself. I doubt
that Anderson can take Vitor down”
Advantage:
Draw
Source: Tatame
|
Despite
past issues, White says UFC champ Silva best fighter of all time
by John
Morgan
LAS VEGAS – When UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva
walked into Wednesday's UFC 126 pre-event press conference with
sunglasses on, it was fairly evident what was about to transpire.
When
"The Spider" answered the opening questions of the
press conference with single-word responses, even UFC president
Dana White took note.
"It's
going to be one of those kind of press conferences," White
joked.
And
for the most part, it was. Silva took time to answer questions
from reporters, but the replies were generally of the standard-fare
variety and most minimized the importance of a win over Vitor
Belfort in the main-event of Saturday night's fight card in Las
Vegas.
But
just minutes after Silva and Belfort ended the pre-fight gathering
with an intense nose-to-nose staredown, White said he saw through
the champion's pre-fight demeanor.
"We
just sat through 30 minutes of [expletive], in my opinion,"
White said. "I think the whole, 'This doesn't mean anything;
it's just another fight,' (isn't true). Let me tell you how big
this fight is in Brazil. These guys live in Brazil. This fight
is huge. It's all anybody is talking about there.
"As
far as Anderson Silva, he's got the (UFC) record for consecutive
wins. He's going for number 14. He's going for his eighth consecutive
title defense. He wins this fight, and he's looking at a possible
superfight that would be the biggest fight we've ever done. For
Vitor Belfort to come in now and get an opportunity to beat this
guy at this point in his career, there's a ton of pressure on
both guys – not only for what's at stake but for where they
come from and how big this fight is down there. The 30 minutes
of [expletive] we just listened to, none of it's true."
But
if it sounds like White is annoyed with his champion's actions,
he's not. Sure, the UFC boss has been openly critical of the
middleweight in the past – see his refusal to place the
belt around Silva's waist following a bizarre win over Demain
Maia at UFC 112 – but those days are well behind. Besides,
White doesn't expect Silva to deliver any rousing pre-fight speeches.
White just wants his champ to deliver in-fight fisticuffs.
"To
be honest with you, when I have to sit through these press conferences
with yes-no answers and stuff like that – we've all come
to learn that's what's going to happen," White said. "You
know you're never going to get crazy [expletive] out of him.
He's not going to tell you what he's really thinking. That's
never going to happen.
"I
don't give a [expletive] if he sits there and doesn't say a word
for the entire press conference, as long as he shows up on Saturday
night and fights. I'm fine with that. At the end of the day,
we don't pay $50 to hear him speak. We pay to see him fight.
As long as he shows up Saturday and fights, that's all I care
about."
In
short, White wants Silva to do exactly what he did this past
August, when the Brazilian went toe-to-toe with outspoken challenger
Chael Sonnen in a memorable UFC 117 affair that wound up on just
about every MMA observers' shortlist for Fight of the Year. Despite
entering the fight with a rib injury, and despite losing the
opening four rounds of the contest, Silva etched himself in the
annals of MMA history with a fifth-round Hail Mary submission
to retain his championship belt.
White
said the win wasn't just one of the best fights of 2010, but
rather it was the type of fight that may very well define Silva's
career.
"I
think about this all the time when we look back at boxing guys,
and you talk about Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns and 'Sugar' Ray
Leonard-Thomas Hearns and all those fights and what great moments
and things that happened," White said. "There's no
doubt that the Chael Sonnen-Anderson Silva fight is one of those
fights. I think that's going to be one of the fights that defines
this guy's career.
"I
actually saw a documentary about three weeks ago they did leading
up to that fight where Anderson Silva had popped cartilage in
his rib and didn't tell anybody, and he came in and fought that
fight – took the beating that he took for five rounds and
with a minute and 50 (seconds) left, pulls off the submission
to win. That's the [expletive] legendary fights are made of."
Belfort
would seemingly present exactly what Silva needs to deliver another
legendary performance. A former UFC light heavyweight champion,
Belfort owns a lethal set of hands that have delivered 13 career
knockout wins, including a decisive first-round stoppage of Rich
Franklin and a brutal destruction of Matt Lindland in his past
two outings.
However,
Belfort has turned in his share of head-scratching performances
as well, and White is aware that as firework-laden as the bout
with Silva appears to be on paper, there's no predicting exactly
what will happen until the bell rings on Saturday night.
"We
know what both of these fighters are capable of doing,"
White said. "I'm going to be honest here. I'm not going
to be a promoter here. This thing could be the most dynamic,
incredible [expletive] fight we've ever seen or the worst staring
competition in the history of mankind.
"All
I care about is that both these guys come out and let it go and
fight the fight we know we could possibly see."
For
Silva, there's little left to prove in the octagon. It's been
more than five years since the champion tasted defeat, and he's
defeated the world's best along the way, including former big-promotion
title holders Franklin, Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt, among
others.
Of
course, a win sets up a potential superfight showdown with current
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in what White believes
would be the biggest fight in the history of the promotion. But
win, lose or draw, White believes Silva has already earned the
title of pound-for-pound greatest fighter in the world –
and not just for now, thank you. Instead, White said Silva's
incredible 12-0 run in the UFC proves he is the greatest fighter
ever to strap on four-ounce gloves.
"I
think what Anderson has accomplished, I think he's the best to
ever compete in mixed martial arts," White said. "And
it's not like I have this Chuck Liddell relationship with Anderson
Silva where I brought the guy in and he's still close to me or
whatever. I'm just being honest. You can't deny it.
"When
people go in and try to start arguing, 'Yeah, but that fight
was boring, and this fight was boring,' not every fight is going
to be the greatest fight you've ever seen, but you can't deny
what the guy has accomplished."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Stevenson-Castillo
Completes UFC Live 3 Bill
by Mike
Whitman
A
lightweight scrap between former UFC title challenger Joe Stevenson
and World Extreme Cagefighting transfer Danny Castillo was made
official Tuesday for UFC Live 3 “Sanchez vs. Kampmann,”
completing the official fight card with 12 bouts.
The
matchup will be part of the Versus-televised main card and will
take place March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
The event will be headlined by a welterweight duel between dangerous
Dane Martin Kampmann and the resurgent Diego Sanchez.
Stevenson-Castillo
serves as a late replacement for a welterweight contest between
Paulo Thiago and Johny Hendricks. That fight was scrapped after
Thiago withdrew last week due to injury. Left without an opponent,
Hendricks was also taken off the card.
After
winning season two of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a welterweight,
Stevenson made the cut to 155 pounds in 2006. “Joe Daddy”
proceeded to win four straight fights en route to a shot at B.J.
Penn’s lightweight championship. Since falling to Penn at
UFC 80, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has lost four of his
last seven fights, most recently dropping back-to-back bouts
at the hands of George Sotiropoulos and Mac Danzig. A three-time
recipient of “Fight of the Night” honors inside the
Octagon, Stevenson owns 14 of his 31 career victories by submission.
Conversely,
Castillo rides consecutive victories into his bout with the more
experienced Stevenson. A seven-time WEC veteran, “Last Call”
bounced back from losses to Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis to
defeat Dustin Poirier and Will Kerr at WEC 50 and WEC 53, respectively.
The Team Alpha Male representative has finished eight of his
10 victims and has been knocked out only once in his three-year
career.
Source: Sherdog
|
Amateur
Boxing In Palolo!
Today!
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored
by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
FEBRUARY
4, AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE
PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Springsteen Stampson 21 2 125 28 Steven Wada
Molokai B.C. 05/07/89 1 or 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside
Maui B.C.
). Uly Bordaje 17 0 167 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Kakaako B.C. 01/07/94 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Michael ?? 18 0 127 17 Kyle Delima 1 Palolo B.C. 1 min. 08/23/93
Unattached (Kauai)
). Jariell Munoz 27 0 147 18 Christian Ramil 2
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 min. 10/02/83 636 B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 160 19 Charles Gassparetti 0
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Edward Dirige 14 1 127/124 13 Peter Pacada 0
Kakaako B.C. 07/26/96 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Mike Plunkett 20 2 180 30 Steven Lee 0
Five-O B.C. 07/25/90 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Mikuni Munsayac 19 3 155 21 Joshua Dupree
Unattached 09/27/91 1 1/2min. 09/22/89 Unattached (Marines)
). Austin Hyden 22 8 165 18 Adrian Pelayo 6
Pearlside B.C. 10/21/98 1 ½ or 2 min 09/24/92 Southside
Maui B.C
). Tyler Agbayani 16 7 175 16 Ramon Cardona Jr. 4
Unattached 07/20/94 1 ½ or 2 min. 02/17/94 Wailuku Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ 33 Nephi Tehiva 0
Pearlside B.C. 04/02/90 1 min. 06/12/77 Hands On B.C.
). Isaiah Lavea 19 2 201+ 21 Kawika Tantala- Kupuikaia 2
Palolo 08/22/90 1 min. 05/01/89 Five-0
). Samuel Kekai Alama 33 1 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Pearlside B.C. 01/10/77 1 ½ min. 05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Koichi Tanji 12 130 10+ Anthony Ibanez Kawano B.C. 03/06/92
2 min 09/24/92 Wailuku B.C.
). Natacia Manuma 27 7 175 25 Fallon Farrar 7
Five-0 B.C. 1/15/83 2 min. 09/29/85 Club Discipline B.C.
Thank You to Lloyd McKee from Waipahu Pawn Shop in the Waipahu
Shopping Plaza, phone number is 808-671-6555, also Leland Chapman
from "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for their continued Support
of Amateur Boxing. Also, our Sponsors Rock Bottom Sports Bar
where we will have our after party.
Thank You Always for our Volunteers, Boxers, Coaches, Officials,
Announcer, Door Workers, Concession workers, Boxing Commissioners
and Chairman Herbert Minn, Officer Ron Richardson and OfficerAl
Dela Cruz, Officer Daryl Takata, Dr. Myles Suehiro and Dr. Kanani
Texeira, Chief of Officials Eiichi Jumawan and Vice President
Robyn Jumawan, and "YOU" our Boxing Fans!!
All
boxer will receive gold medals for stepping in the ring, these
athletes, boxing clubs, and coaches are all winners and champions
because of the time, dedication and commitment they put in their
sport. All medals donated by our Sponsors.
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY 5 AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Nicholas Siordia 11 8 78 13 Kawelo Alcos 4
TNT B.C. 06/18/99 1 min. 01/19/98 Unattached
). Goddhey Jacaine 8 1 68 9 Jordan Manangan 2
Pearlside B.C. 03/24/02 1 minute 09/29/01 Molokai B.C.
). Justin Alcos 18 0 132 17 Kyle Delima 1
Unattached 10/28/92 1 min. 08/28/93 Unattached (Kauai)
). Charles Coloma 19 3 120 21 Springsteen Stampson 2
Up n Up B.C. 10/12/91 1 ½ min. 05/07/89 Molokai B.C.
). Jariell Munoz 27 3 pal 145 19 David Vasconcellos 3
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 ½ min. 12/08/91 Unattached
). Dedric Ke'a Jr. 15 2 130 14 Edward Dirige 1
Pearlside B.C. 09/18/95 1 ½ min. 07/26/96 Kakaako B.C.
). Jonah Lopes 18 0 185 30 Steven Lee 0
Unattached (Joe Palimoo) 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Charles Gassparetti 28 0 162 17 Uly Bordaji 0
Unattached (Marines) 1 min. 01/07/94 Kakaako B.C.
). Mike Kurita 25 4 155 20 Travis Ito 3
Pearlside B.C. 12/31/85 1 ½ or 2 min. 07/29/89 Palolo
B.C.
). Jazzelle Rabago Bobadilla 12 3 95 12 Kairey Bermoy 4
Boxfit808 B.C. 05/20/98 1 min. 07/21/98 Up n Up B.C.
). Nephi Tehida 33 0 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Hands On B.C. 06/12/77 1 min. per coach05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 165 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Koichi Tanji 28 12 128 28 Steven Wada
Kawano B.C. 03/06/92 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ Paea ??
Pearlside B.C. 04/20/90 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Corina Ishikawa 33 8 115 18 Haley Pasion 4
Kawano B.C. 03/23/77 1 ½ min. 10/11/92 Kawano B.C.
). Mark Antalan 18 6 201+ Dustin Dosher 6
Pearlside B.C. 01/31/93 1 ½ min. Unattached
). Kalai McShane 15+ 127 Anthony Ibanez 10+
Five-0 B.C. 4 rds, 2 min. Wailuku Maui B.C.
let
me know how many minutes also. I suggest 1 min. for new boxers,
1 ½ min for boxers with 7 matches or less, and 2 min.
for a boxer with 8 bouts or more.
We
want our boxers and our sport to look good. It doesn't look good
when or if they run out of gas. It will depend on the coaches
to make the decision. Thanks!!
Weigh-ins
will be at Palolo Boxing Gym from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday.
The other side of the island will be Pearlside Boxing Club at
Momilani Recreation Center 5-7 p.m on Thursday also.
Outer
islands can weigh-in on Friday, I'll be at Palolo gym at 4 p.m.
Remember
if they have braces they must have braces release form signed
by dentist.
Thanks!!
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
UFC
126 (2/5 at Mandalay Bay Events Center)
w/ betting odds
Tomorrow
By Zach
Arnold
Hawaii
Air times:
Countdown 4PM - 5PM Spike
Countdown 6PM - 7PM Spike
UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort 4PM - 8PM Channel 701
Odds courtesy of Betonfighting
Dark
matches/preliminaries
¦Welterweights:
Mike Pierce (-280) vs. Kenny Robertson (+220)
¦Light Heavyweights: Kyle Kingsbury (-130) vs. Ricardo
Romero (even)
¦Bantamweights: Kid Yamamoto (-130) vs. Demetrious Johnson
(even)
¦Lightweights: Paul Taylor (-200) vs. Gabe Ruediger (+160)
¦Featherweights: Chad Mendes (-345) vs. Michihiro Omigawa
(+275)
¦Lightweights: Donald Cerrone (-280) vs. Paul Kelly (+220)
Main card
¦Bantamweights:
Miguel Torres (-365) vs. Antonio Banuelos (+295)
¦Light Heavyweights: Jon “Bones” Jones (-300)
vs. Ryan Bader (+240)
¦Welterweights: Jake Ellenberger (-300) vs. Carlos Eduardo
Rocha (+240)
¦Light Heavyweights: Forrest Griffin (+125) vs. Rich Franklin
(-155)
¦UFC Middleweight title match: Anderson Silva (-275) vs.
Vitor Belfort (+215)
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Tomorrow
Source: Vance Pascual
|
UFC
126 Predictions
By
Michael David Smith
Traditionally, the UFC likes to put together a great pay-per-view
show on Super Bowl Eve. In 2010 that wasn't the case, as the
UFC offered up a weak card featuring the ancient Mark Coleman
losing to the even older Randy Couture in the main event. But
this year, the UFC has put together a blockbuster for the Super
Bowl weekend show, with a card that, on paper, looks like one
of the best of the year.
What:
UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort
Where:
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas
When:
Saturday, the undercard starts around 7 PM ET, the Spike TV fights
start at 9 and the pay-per-view starts at 10.
Predictions
on the five pay-per-view fights below.
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
Silva is still regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter
in the world, but it's been a long time since he's had the kind
of thrilling title defense that we once just assumed we'd always
get from the Spider: Silva's last four defenses of his middleweight
title were the lackluster bout with Patrick Cote that ended abruptly
when Cote hurt his knee, the two bizarre decisions against Thales
Leites and Demian Maia, and most recently his Hail Mary submission
of Chael Sonnen after Sonnen had whipped him for four rounds.
Does
that mean Silva is getting old? Does it mean he's getting bored
with a lack of challenges at middleweight? Does it mean the cut
to 185 pounds takes a lot out of him? I think it might mean all
of those things, and yet I also think Belfort, a power puncher
who has knocked out his last three opponents, could be just the
guy to bring out the best in Silva. Silva won't clown around
with Belfort the way he did with Cote, Leites and Maia.
But
while Belfort's knockout power makes him a threat to anyone,
there are questions about whether we'll see the best Vitor Belfort
on Saturday night: Belfort hasn't fought in 16 months, so ring
rust could be a factor. Belfort also parted ways with trainer
Shawn Tompkins while preparing for this fight, which paves the
way for more questions about his preparation.
Is
it possible that Belfort could knock Silva out? Sure, it's possible
that Belfort could knock anyone out. But Silva's head movement
is second to none, and he's a more complete striker than Belfort.
I like Silva to soften Belfort up with leg kicks early in the
fight and eventually finish him on the ground.
Pick: Silva
Forrest
Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
Like Belfort, Griffin didn't fight at all in 2010. So ring rust
could be an issue here as well. But if Griffin is ready to go
mentally and physically, I think he should handle Franklin. Griffin
has a significant size advantage (he's a big light heavyweight,
while Franklin only moved up from middleweight because he wanted
to make another run at a title and knew he couldn't beat Silva),
and I expect him to use his reach to stay outside, land leg kicks
and wear Franklin down on the way to winning a decisive decision.
Pick: Griffin
Jon
Jones vs. Ryan Bader
This is as good as it gets if you want to see a battle of young
prospects. The 23-year-old Jones is widely regarded as the next
big thing in mixed martial arts, but Bader is 12-0 and the best
prospect to come out of The Ultimate Fighter in years.
Jones
is a huge favorite -- an even heavier favorite than Silva according
to the Vegas odds -- and I wonder if some people are so overwhelmed
by how impressive Jones has looked recently that they aren't
giving Bader enough of a shot. Bader is big and strong and an
outstanding wrestler, and he's not just going to get thrown onto
his back the way Jones' last few opponents have. Bader also has
knockout power in his hands, and he might be able to test Jones's
chin in a way no one else really has.
But
as good as Bader is, Jones is on a whole other level. The things
Jones has done in the cage in his last three fights -- absolutely
brutalizing Matt Hamill, Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyushenko
with vicious elbows -- are awe-inspiring, and at this point there
are very, very few fighters in the world I'd pick to beat Jones.
Pick: Jones
Jake
Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Hardly any fans knew who Rocha was before he put on a show in
his UFC debut in October, submitting Kris McCray with a beautiful
kneebar. Rocha is 9-0 in his MMA career with eight wins by submission,
so he's extremely dangerous for anyone on the ground. But what
Rocha hasn't done so far is face a strong wrestler, and that's
exactly what he's getting in Ellenberger. The 23-5 Ellenberger
has the power to knock Rocha out standing up, the ground and
pound to win a TKO, or the top control to win a decision. A Rocha
submission wouldn't shock me, but I like Ellenberger to win.
Pick: Ellenberger
Miguel
Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos
It wasn't that long ago that Torres was the WEC bantamweight
champion and widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound
fighters in the world. A two-fight losing streak set Torres back,
but he looked good beating Charlie Valencia in September, and
he should be able to use his superior height and reach to win
the striking exchanges with Banuelos and win a decision.
Pick: Torres
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
126: Silva vs. Belfort Undercard Preview
By Josh
Stein
KID
Yamamoto's reputation, while not what it once was, was earned.
The Silva vs. Belfort undercard begins with a very competitive
bout between Kenny Robertson (10-0 MMA) and Mike Pierce (11-3
MMA, 3-1 UFC). Pierce is looking for his third straight win against
a debuting Robertson, and as a veteran of four UFC bouts (his
only loss coming to top tier welterweight Jon Fitch) he should
have a major edge both in the odds and in the mental preparation
for the fight. Pierce was impressive in his last fight, and as
his only loss is to a top five welterweight, it’s hard to
look at Pierce and not pick him in this one. Robertson is tough,
though, and undefeated fighters, especially ones that rarely
go the distance, like Robertson, are very hard to read, as the
quality of their competition prior to entering the UFC is really
an unknown.
TUF
8 veteran Kyle Kingsbury (9-2-0-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is also looking
for his third straight win, as he steps in against Ricardo Romero
(11-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who recently submitting Seth Petruzelli
in his UFC debut. Romero is a tough fighter, and his submission
game should really worry an opponent like Kingsbury, whose submission
defense hasn’t really been well established. This is a tough
fight to call, because it seems that Kingsbury will have a substantial
advantage standing up, and whether Romero will be able to close
the distance and get him to the mat is really an open question.
I think that Romero will probably edge Kingsbury out and force
the fight to the ground, where he can control the bout.
Norifumi
“KID” Yamamoto (18-3-0-1 MMA) has lost a little bit
of hype since his two losses at featherweight. He got back on
track with a win in a bantamweight bout against Federico Lopez
in DREAM before coming over to the UFC, but the loss of hype
is notable. Demetrious Johnson (8-1 MMA) will also be making
his UFC debut, though it isn’t really clear how much WEC
experience, with exposure to the cage and a similar sort of audience,
though smaller, actually affects the jitters that seem to accompany
debuts in the UFC. KID really needs to establish that he is still
relevant, despite the fact that those losses came at featherweight,
and a win over Johnson, who has a good deal of credibility after
two consecutive WEC wins, would allow him to do that. It seems
that KID has a substantial advantage in the standup, and his
wrestling skills are well known, so its hard to see the fight
unfolding on the ground. Hopefully this will, like many KID Yamamoto
fights, feature some serious fireworks.
Gabe
Ruediger (17-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) is basically unpickable. I was curious
to see if he had serious improved after the UFC resigned him,
but his performance against Joe Lauzon was really disappointing.
Paul Taylor (10-6-1-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) doesn’t have the the
same ground game that Lauzon does, nor the same explosiveness,
but his striking is very good and hopefully the move to lightweight
will mean more power. He had a rough few bouts at welterweight,
and his lightweight debut against Sam Stout was rough, especially
as it featured a matchup with another striker, but the fight
with Ruediger should give Taylor an opportunity to showcase that
he is capable of knocking people out, and that he belongs in
the UFC, at least more than a fighter who will largely be remembered
for missing weight on TUF 5.
Michihiro
Omigawa (12-8-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has made something of a name for
himself since leaving the UFC after a disappointing stint at
lightweight. He seemed to hit his stride at featherweight, making
the finals of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix and, after
losing in the finals, going on a five fight win streak, including
victories over Hatsu Hioki, Micah Miller and Cole Escovedo. Omigawa
will make his return to the UFC against WEC veteran Chad Mendes
(9-0 MMA) who put together a win streak of his own, defeating
Cub Swanson and Javier Vasquez. Omigawa should be a favorite
based on experience, but the matchup between a solid judoka (Omigawa
trains with Olympic gold medalist and Pride veteran Hidehiko
Yoshida) and an NCAA D-I wrestler should be really interesting
if it gets into the clinch. This one feels like a toss up, but
Omigawa seems like a slight favorite, though only due to the
experience.
Donald
Cerrone (13-3-0-1 MMA) will try to transition his career over
to the UFC after a long, impressive career in the WEC. Despite
his losses to Ben Henderson, Cerrone’s submission is still
well respected, as is his ability to game, even when under pressure.
Paul Kelly (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is a long time UFC veteran, having
fought at welterweight and lightweight. He’s been around
the organization for over three years now, and his reputation
(while not substantial among casual fans) is solid. If he can
grind out Cerrone, then he can win this bout, but Cerrone is
very difficult to grind, because of the aggressiveness of his
submission game and his ability to take a punch. The matchup
here is very competitive, but it’s hard to pick against
the UFC veteran in this one.
Source: MMA Opinion
|
UFC
126: Rich Franklin, “My Time in This Sport is Limited”
by Damon
Martin
Rich Franklin
Retirement.
It’s
a conversation that every professional athlete has to confront
at some point in his career. In mixed martial arts the passing
of the guard is taking place right before our very eyes as legends
like Chuck Liddell start to walk away and new stars such as Jon
Jones begin to emerge.
Rich
Franklin was the last fighter to ever face Chuck Liddell. Following
his knockout win over the former light heavyweight champion the
questions started immediately about the “Iceman” walking
away from the sport. It wasn’t until late last year that
Liddell finally made the decision to call it a career, and Franklin
certainly doesn’t think of himself as the one that ‘retired’
the “Iceman.”
“I
get asked that question all the time, ‘how does it feel
to be the guy that retired Chuck Liddell?’ and you’re
right in what you said, (Chuck’s retirement) was the culmination
of a lot of events. It wasn’t just me that retired Chuck
Liddell. There were several other fights and I’m sure he
had talks with his doctors and all of that kind of stuff, and
those factors came into play. I don’t crown myself as having
that honor or anything like that,” Franklin told MMAWeekly
Radio on Tuesday.
“Chuck
Liddell that’s a name that’s just synonymous with success
in the UFC and to have a win over somebody like that and to just
be able to step in the Octagon with somebody like that is a great
honor. Chuck’s a friend of mine. He’s a class act guy.”
As
Liddell walks away, the questions about other legends start to
pop up. Matt Hughes has talked openly about retiring and may
not have many years left in him, and while Randy Couture is readying
himself for a showdown with Lyoto Machida at UFC 129, his days
in MMA are winding down as well.
It
seems odd to look at Rich Franklin in the same light, but the
former Cincinnati math teacher admits it’s something an
athlete has to start contemplating once they reach a certain
age, and he doesn’t plan on fighting into his forties.
“My
time in this sport is limited. I’m 36 years old. I’m
not going to fight till I’m like 50 like Randy (Couture)
is, I don’t know how the heck he does it. It’s just
amazing. I realize my time is limited, and it’s going to
get more and more difficult to keep up with these younger guys,”
Franklin said. “These Jon Joneses and the Ryan Baders and
stuff like that, these are guys that are in their early thirties
and the UFC has been around basically ever since they can remember.
The first UFC that I ever saw, the first UFC that ever took place
for me was my senior year of high school and I was 18 years old
basically.”
Franklin
is quick to point out that while he is still in tremendous shape
heading into his fight with Forrest Griffin, age does eventually
catch up to you. The things that were so easy to do 15 years
ago, aren’t as easy any more.
“When
you’re 22 years old you have this feeling of invincibility
as if you’re super human, and really when you get injured
when you’re 22 years old, when you’re young like that,
you bounce back quickly,” Franklin said. “You bounce
back quickly from hard workouts. I’m 36 years old now and
my body just doesn’t respond that way it did when you’re
22. It’s a scientific fact, that’s just how things
are.”
During
his fight with Dan Henderson in early 2009, Franklin suffered
an eye poke that resulted in him having surgery to repair the
injury. It was that beyond any broken bone that had him taking
a serious look at his career, realizing that the end really could
come at any time.
“When
things like getting poked in the eye happen to you, it makes
you start to think about things,” said Franklin. “I
don’t have any problems with my vision, never have. I was
born with great eyesight. I’ve had perfect vision, 20/15
vision, and I’ve never had issues with my eyes of any kind.
So when my eye got poked like that and the severity of that injury
to me, I mean, I was seeing double vision and there was a chance
it was going to effect my vision in that eye permanently for
the rest of my life, you begin to think about things.
“It’s
one thing to break an arm and to be in a cast or something for
eight to 10 weeks, or I broke my hand and I had to get surgery
and I had to get a plate in my hand, and that plate is permanent.
There is a difference between that and something like an eye
injury and when you have stuff happen to you like eye injuries,
you really start to think to yourself ‘what would I really
do if that one eye was messed up?’ regardless of if I wanted
to fight anymore, I would never be able to. I would never get
approved by any athletic commission and I wouldn’t be able
to pass a vision test and so my life would change forever.”
No
fighter ever comes into a bout at 100-percent healthy, with nothing
hurting or aching, but what Franklin wants to avoid are things
that are going to prevent him from enjoying life when fighting
is over. He knows that everyone has a starting point and a stopping
point, and when the time for him to walk away from MMA happens,
he’ll know it.
“You
start thinking about those kinds of things as you start getting
older, your health, and all that kind of stuff,” said Franklin.
“I’m one of those guys I want to be able to play a
game of full court basketball when I’m in my fifties or
something like that. I know that my body is still in great shape.
I wake up and I feel great in the mornings when I get up, but
if there comes a day where I start to feel run down physically,
I’ll know that it’s time for me to kind of pull the
curtains.”
That
time is not right now however and Franklin believes he’s
in the top physical condition he needs to be as he gets ready
to face Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC 126 this
weekend in Las Vegas.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Mastering
His Universe
by Tristen Critchfield
ALBUQUERQUE,
N.M. -- Jon Jones might very well be the next big thing in mixed
martial arts, but he does not possess the sense of entitlement
one might expect from a phenom-in-waiting.
When
his car breaks down, he pushes it himself. Just ask Mike Winkeljohn,
his stand-up coach at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts.
“He
was training for his fight [against Vladimir Matyushenko] in
the summertime. I was driving ... and I see a really tall, skinny
guy pushing a car, and I look up and it was Jon Jones,”
he tells Sherdog.com. “Somebody else was driving [Jones’
car]. He was too embarrassed to ask for help, and he’s pushing
in his bare feet. He’s going to get blisters on his feet.
He’s got a fight in a week. I stopped to help him out ...
but he didn’t feel the need to ask anybody to help; he was
going to take care of it himself. He’s that kind of individual.”
If
Jones’ feet were aching against Matyushenko, it did not
show in his performance. The light heavyweight known as “Bones”
dispatched his Belarusian opponent with elbows from the crucifix
position at 1:52 of the first round in the UFC Live 2 main event.
The ease with which he overwhelmed Matyushenko, a former International
Fight League champion and a veteran of 30 professional fights,
has become a recurring theme in the New York native’s career.
Since
he first appeared in the Octagon, Jones has been the master of
his domain. He signed with the UFC in 2008 as the then-youngest
fighter on its roster and reeled off six increasingly impressive
performances upon his arrival. His lone loss, a disqualification
against Matt Hamill at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale,
could accurately be called a victory in disguise. Jones was so
thoroughly dominant against Hamill that it is often easy to forget
about the illegal 12-to-6 elbows that were responsible for his
only career blemish. Chalk it up to the learning experience.
“Records are for DJs,” Jones might tell you.
There
are many reasons why Jones has been tabbed as a potential heir
apparent to assume the mantle of Zuffa LLC figurehead once the
spotlight fades from the current generation of top-tier luminaries.
His accessibility, humility and polish give him a marketability
that few 23-year-old fighters currently possess.
The
decision to head to the Southwest and join the Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts family has only added to his credibility.
Jones often makes a point of putting on a suit for public appearances,
following the lead of distinguished brethren like Rashad Evans
and Georges St. Pierre. However, Jones’ seemingly limitless
potential for controlled violence is what makes him most appealing
within the MMA world. Because of his notorious elbows, Brandon
Vera makes jokes about setting off metal detectors with his face.
Jones
has an uncanny self awareness regarding what all of the aforementioned
elements can mean to a budding legacy. He refers to it as being
the captain of one’s grid square, a phrase Jones picked
up from a friend who served in the Marine Corps. Jones makes
every effort he can to live by those words.
“Think
about a grid, like a map, [where] you’re planning out a
house,” Jones says. “You’ve got to be the master
of the grid square, which means this world is so big and my grid
square is my household. That’s the one piece of the world
that I own. My family, my MMA career -- that’s my grid square.
That’s the things in life that I can control. The key to
success is to be the master of your grid square. You’ve
got to be the master of the things you can control.”
Bader
(above) stands in Jones' way.All the anointing and hype can disappear
with a single loss. At UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort,”
Jones will face undefeated “The Ultimate Fighter” Season
8 winner Ryan Bader. It represents his toughest task to date
but one that trainer Greg Jackson feels his protégé
is more than capable of handling.
“He’s
just flourished. Every fight he’s done very well since he’s
been here. Even if we have a three-round back-and-forth war,
he’s still improving and doing the right things. I’m
very proud of him,” Jackson says.
To
his credit, Jones seems aware of the challenge he will face at
the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas this Saturday. The
sense of unease he has felt in the days and weeks leading up
to his battle with Bader reassures Jones that he is facing the
perfect caliber of opponent.
“Being
nervous is what wakes me up every morning to work hard and give
it all I have each day,” he says. “That’s how
I know it’s the fight I wanted -- because I’m nervous.
And it’s scaring me to bring out my best.”
Three
Brothers
The
prodigious physical gifts that have tantalized fight fans are
not limited to one Jones. Athletic talent runs in the family.
Oldest
brother Arthur was a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and
recently completed his first season as a 6-foot-5, 315-pound
defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. Youngest brother Chandler
checks in at 6-foot-5, 251 pounds and plays defensive end at
Syracuse University. Jon, meanwhile, was never much for the gridiron.
“As
far as Jon’s football abilities, I’d give him a three
[out of 10],” Chandler says. “He can’t really
catch. And he can’t really jump. He’s tough. He played
defensive tackle in high school, but as far as his football ability
[goes], I would honestly give him a three.”
Chandler
admits that competition among the three brothers was fierce growing
up in Rochester, N.Y. It did not matter what the contest involved.
“From
video games to even just playing with G.I. Joes, we were very
competitive. We always wanted to be the one that was the winner
out of everything. Jon, he was always the one that had the temper
tantrums. He would always take things personal and serious,”
Chandler says.
“She
beat him down right in the hallway in school. It’s pretty
funny that he’s a professional fighter now.”
-- Chandler Jones on brother, Jon.
Sometimes
that temper had embarrassing consequences.
“He
got beat up by a girl. This was in middle school; he was in about
the seventh grade,” Chandler recalls. “I guess that
he had said something about the girl’s mother, and the girl
took off her shoe and beat him down. She beat him down right
in the hallway in school. It’s pretty funny that he’s
a professional fighter now.”
Recent
months have brought a bounty of success for all three siblings.
Chandler’s Orange won a bowl game, Arthur’s Ravens
made it to the playoffs and, now, Jon’s fight will be featured
prominently on what is traditionally one of the UFC’s biggest
events each year: the Super Bowl weekend show.
Chandler
concedes that watching his brother perform in the cage is not
always easy.
“I
feel like I get more nervous before the fight than I do before
my own football games,” he says. “He trains for so
long, and his fights always [seem] to go in the first round,
so I feel like I would start to get nervous if any of his fights
did go into the second round. I don’t lose that nervousness
until my brother lays a hit.”
In
a perfect world, Baltimore would still be playing football, allowing
Arthur to be a part of the NFL’s grandest stage just a day
after his brother competes in the Octagon.
“It
would’ve been awesome if they would’ve beaten the Steelers
and made it to the Super Bowl. That would’ve been a very
rejoicing time for my mom,” Jon says. “I’m actually
secretly happy that my brother’s team didn’t win because
[he] will be at the fight with me.
“Me
and my brother have gone to [wrestling] tournaments together
for years,” he adds. “Just to have him with me always
spikes me up, just to see him in that front row before I step
in that cage. He’s a very accomplished wrestler. We always
made it to the finals together in high school. We’d be the
only ones in the locker room together, just slapping each other
in the face and getting ready and stuff. He’s definitely
a great source of motivation for me.”
In
the past UFC President Dana White has said he expects his company
to eventually surpass the NFL in terms of popularity, but Jones’
experience at the birthday party of Ravens linebacker Terrell
Suggs last year demonstrated the gap that still exists between
the two brands.
“He
had security guards with guns, and just everyone was so flashy
and stuff. The NFL world’s so different than MMA -- thousand-dollar
suits and million-dollar jewelry. But it was a cool experience.
The guys were actually very down to earth, just a little more
flashy with the way they present themselves,” he says.
The
Task at Hand
When
Jones and Rashad Evans work out side-by-side in Jackson's fight
school, it becomes nearly impossible to keep the mind’s
wheels from turning. Evans, the No. 1 contender at 205 pounds,
has a date with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March to regain
his light heavyweight strap. Jones, with a win over Bader, will
continue to ascend the pecking order in that very same division.
A
potential matchup between the two teammates appears farfetched
since training partners within the camp usually avoid confrontations
in the cage.
“It’s
old hat,” Evans says of the subject. “I said before
that me and Keith [Jardine] would never fight. It worked itself
out with Keith, and I’m sure that it will work itself out
with me and Jon. I’m only here to help Jon, and he’s
only here to help me, as well.”
As
teammates, working toward the common goal of victory has proven
invaluable.
“He’s
a major confidence booster -- to know that I can compete with
a guy like Rashad in grappling and wrestling. He’s the No.
2-ranked guy in the world. I would have to credit Rashad for
the most competitive work I’ve had this training camp,”
Jones says.
Jones’
progression has proven so advanced, however, that Evans does
not have to offer much in the way of advice.
“Jon
is a rare case,” Evans says. “He’s a young fighter
with a lot of maturity and a lot of poise, so there’s really
not a lot that I do tell him. If I see him out of position or
something like that then I let him know, but, for the most part,
Jon is pretty well-rounded and pretty on top of things right
now.”
Such
composure should benefit Jones as he squares off against Bader,
a wrestler who showed an added dimension to his attack when he
knocked out Jardine at UFC 110.
“He
hurts people when he throws his punches. They’re so hard.
He uses them, especially his overhand, to set up his takedowns,”
Winkeljohn says. “He throws so hard that people have to
pull away from it, and they’re pulling in the direction
of his takedowns.”
Many
will point to Bader’s Arizona State wrestling pedigree as
his greatest advantage in the fight, a notion that Jones -- a
junior college national champion at Iowa Central Community College
-- disputes.
“My
wrestling career came to an end as I was getting better and better.
I was competing against Division I guys the year I left Iowa
Central, so I feel confident in my wrestling ability. No one’s
ever tried to take him down in the UFC, so no one knows what
his takedown defense looks like,” he says. “So I’ll
be the first to try to get my takedowns and feel as if I could
be a stronger wrestler than him.”
“My
goals and dreams are to be in the very top of the division.”
-- Jon Jones
If
the fight remains upright, Jones can take advantage of his reach,
which has been measured as the longest in the UFC.
“Obviously,
we want to fight long,” Jackson says. “Jon’s actually
pretty good on the inside, as well. He’s one of those few
long guys who’s at his best when he’s doing elbows
and spinning stuff like that. Even if our reach gets nullified
-- which I fully expect Bader to be training to do that -- hopefully,
we’ll have a good arsenal of moves from that inside position.”
Jones
turns 24 in July. He believes that, as long as he maintains focus
and continues to rack up convincing victories, a title shot could
be attainable by 2012.
“My
goals and dreams are to be in the very top of the division,”
he says. “I realize I have a lot of work to do. I realize
there’s a lot I need to learn. A lot of these veterans have
the experience, and just one punch could end a fight, so I try
to make sure the odds of that happening are very slim.”
All
part of remaining the captain of his grid square.
Source: Sherdog
|
Franklin
Sees Size Obstacle Against Forrest
Rich Franklin believes Forrest Griffin’s size will pose
problems when they meet Feb. 5 at UFC 126.
When
Franklin filled in for Tito Ortiz as a head coach on the 11th
season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Griffin also helped
out as an assistant coach. The former UFC light heavyweight champion
made an impression on Franklin.
“I
just remember seeing him out there and thinking, ‘My God,
he is just a big, big man.’ I’m sure that’s probably
going to look even that much worse to me when I show up to the
fight at the weigh-ins,” Franklin said recently during a
“Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network.
“I would imagine the kind of problems he’s going to
pose is that he’s just big and he’s going to be strong.
Possibly trying to push me against the fence.”
Franklin
is a former UFC 185-pound champion, but he’s also had success
at 205 pounds. Still, Griffin is a big light heavyweight and
will be a unique challenge.
“Of
course I’m going to have to worry about his reach with his
jab and working to the inside,” Franklin said. “All
those things are going to be problematic. And he’s funny,
so he might actually tell some jokes when we’re in the ring.
I think it’s going to be a good fight. We’ve taken
a good approach to getting ready for all this, and we’ll
see what happens.”
Franklin
is coming off a knockout of Chuck Liddell in June. The bout was
Liddell’s last before retiring, though Franklin said he
was sharp in the cage.
“I
think that he was moving really well, especially at the beginning
of the round,” Franklin explained. “He threw a lot
more head kicks than we were planning on, and of course breaking
my arm, it took me off guard. I personally think that in the
fight against me, Chuck looked better than he had looked almost
in his entire career. He was just moving really well. Unfortunately
he got caught again, and that wasn’t the first time he had
been caught in the last several years.”
The
36-year-old Franklin is also at a stage in his career where retirement
is becoming a possibility.
“Trust
me, I’ve had these talks with my coaches,” he said.
“I’ve seen some other fighters that have started to
fade away a little bit as they’ve gotten older. I’ve
said to my coaches and my friends and my training partners, ‘Hey,
when you guys notice that I’m starting to lose a step, tell
me because I would rather step out of this game before I ruin
the end of a good career.’”
Franklin
doesn’t think his friends will hesitate to tell him to exit.
And unlike some athletes who struggle with retiring, he believes
he’ll step out when it’s time.
“I
would have the ability to do that,” he said. “Honestly,
if my coaches had come to me before this Forrest fight and said,
‘Look, you’ve lost a step. You’re not competing
at a top level anymore and this is not a smart fight for you
to take and you should really seriously reconsider fighting,’
I would have to sit down and really think about that. I’ll
be real honest with you. Jorge Gurgel, he’s one guy in my
life that would just be brutally honest with me. He doesn’t
pull any punches. He’s one guy that would look at me and
be like, ‘Frank, you’re old and slow. Just stop.’”
Franklin
hasn’t heard those words yet and doesn’t expect to
for some time.
“I
don’t think it’s time for me to look back and start
reminiscing yet,” he said. “I still have a little bit
of work to do.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Kevin
Iole’s interviewing adventures with Brock Lesnar
By Zach
Arnold
KEVIN IOLE: “So, you know when you thought it over I mean
obviously you’ve said many times that your family is the
most important thing, you don’t want to, you know, that’s
why you don’t even go away to train. So, you know, I mean,
obviously it’s going to be a tough decision to come here
and be six weeks away from your family.”
BROCK
LESNAR: “My family is here. I don’t go anywhere without
my family.”
KEVIN
IOLE: “Ah. Makes it a little bit easier for you then.”
BROCK
LESNAR: “And it’s -30 below zero in Alexandria right
now. I’ve had enough of ice fishing and trouncing around
in the snow. For sure, my wife had enough, too, so, you know,
Dana did all the right things for us to be here and Spike, you
know, they… you know, is Las Vegas a place that I want to
be? Probably, you know, no, there’s other warmer places
that I can think of but… you know, it’s not painful.
At least it hasn’t been yet. Talk to me in five weeks, but
right now it’s pretty accommodating.”
KEVIN
IOLE: “There’s a lot of good restaurants here.”
BROCK
LESNAR: “We’ll check them out.”
KEVIN
IOLE: “Do you feel good about the fact that, you know, Dana
had enough confidence in you as an athlete to come in here, you
know, you haven’t been in this sport very long and now being
a coach and coaching inspiring fighters. I mean, that shows a
certain level of confidence in you. Does it or do you think he
just picked you for the ratings power you brought?”
BROCK
LESNAR: “You know, I don’t… you guys can sit and
discredit. I mean, there’s a lot of people out there to,
enough to discredit me but I got just as many fights as, you
know, Junior (dos Santos) in my mind, I mean I’ve been competing
my whole life. I got a great coaching staff, guys who have been
coaching top fighters, top wrestlers. Marty Morgan, 16-year veteran
at the University of Minnesota, national championship teams.
I mean, Luke Richardson, Erik Paulson, Greg Nelson, Comprido,
these guys, you know… I think we’re real capable of
coaching, you know, underqualified guys to become the next Ultimate
Fighter. I don’t have to believe, I got faith in my people.
I got enough faith in my people that these guys made me a champion,
why can’t we make these young eager kids, you know, successful?
I think we can.”
KEVIN
IOLE: “But I wasn’t suggesting that you couldn’t.
I was just making the point that you’re still, you know,
only been in MMA a couple of years yourself and so the fact that
it seems like it’s pretty successful.”
BROCK
LESNAR: “I was a UFC Heavyweight champion, though, you know…”
KEVIN
IOLE: “I agree.”
BROCK
LESNAR: “So what more qualifications do you need?”
KEVIN
IOLE: “And I guess that’s what I’m getting at,
Brock, I’m saying that, you know, young in your career you’ve
accomplished that much and now they’re also asking to do
something like this which normally goes to a veteran…”
BROCK
LESNAR: “I’ve never thought I’d be down here to
do this, you know. I’m actually, it’s kind of refreshing,
you know. For me, this is about… I’ve got one thing
in mind for this whole thing. It’s to help these kids, you
know, to improve their lives but more importantly it’s to,
for me, to be able to get down here and train. It’s an opportunity
for me to get my title back sooner than later where I, you know,
when I beat dos Santos then I get a rematch with (Cain) Velasquez
and I get my [expletive] belt back. I’m looking at this,
that’s the way I’m looking at this.”
KEVIN
IOLE: “We didn’t get a chance to talk to you after
the (Anaheim) fight that night. When you look back on it, where
do you think you came up short in that fight and what do you
need to change to defeat him?”
BROCK
LESNAR: “I got knocked on queer street somewhere in there.
I haven’t watched the fight, even. We’ll go back and
when the time is right we’ll analyze where it went wrong
and, you know, somewhere along the way there, you know. When
you’re fighting in the level we’re fighting, Cain Velasquez
is a professional athlete. I’m a professional athlete. We’re
at the pinnacle of the sport. It’s a matter of inches, you
know. It’s like the NFL season. These guys get to go out
16 games a year but it’s a matter of, you know, somebody
missing a block and the ball’s gone and they’re ahead
by two touchdowns, you know. It’s a game of inches. We got
to sit down and figure out to widen that gap and we will. I’ve
been successful, you know. It’s a loss. I hate to lose but
I’ll get better. So, I’ll climb my way back like I
always do.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
A
mature Belfort against Silva
by Carlos Eduardo Ozório
Vitor
Belfort is getting ready for the fight of his life, against Anderson
Silva, next Saturday, and GRACIEMAG.com will be at UFC 126 in
Las Vegas to witness it. In the meantime, check out the interview
our correspondent Nalty Jr. had with Belfort, which was already
published in GRACIEMAG #166 but so far hasn’t been posted
on the website. Vitor won’t have it easy, but from his statements,
readers will notice he is a more mature fighter as he heads into
the octagon.
You were once considered the MMA fighter with the best boxing
technique. Is your boxing still better than the other MMA fighters?
No,
I don’t think so. Far from it. There are so many good guys
out there these days.
What
technical fundamental is it that, after so long, you haven’t
managed to polish up as much as you would have liked?
There
are so many… Sometimes I feel like a Jiu-Jitsu white belt,
an amateur boxer… I’m an apprentice. I feel you have
to think ahead the whole time, want to improve. You can’t
get comfortable.
What’s
the worst mistake and best move of your career?
My
best move was leaving Brazil to live in the USA. My biggest mistake
is often leaving the solution to a problem for later.
You
were one of the first to question fidelity to a single team in
training for MMA. You were criticized for it. However, now it
seems to be quite a common stance among top-tier fighters…
It’s
cool to see the guy who used to criticize me doing the same thing
he criticized me for. I feel people have to have some humility
and realize that before criticizing we have to try and understand
what it means. What is fidelity? It’s a word everyone uses
but that few manage to put to practice. Fidelity is something
within us. I feel that, for the sport to evolve, people need
to share their knowledge, learn from one another, because no
one knows so much that they don’t need to learn and no one
knows so little they have nothing to teach. The big question
surrounding this matter isn’t fidelity but people seeing
MMA as a job, as growth, learning, seeing it all through humble
eyes and knowing that nobody knows everything. The other day
I saw an interview with Lyoto, where he went to train at AKA,
trained with Cain Velasquez; sometimes he trains with Cigano.
These days everyone follows this principle. Someone out there
has to break the ice, to say it can be done, there’s nothing
wrong with it. Obviously there will always be critics, people
taking up arms, but I feel what’s important is that we stick
to our beliefs.
Which
fighters do you most like watching in action?
Cain
Velasquez is a sight for sore eyes. Randy Couture’s another,
because of his perseverance, because of the way he pursues his
endeavors, the challenges he imposes on himself. Minotauro…
Jon Jones… The Brazilians in general… Anderson Silva,
too, with that ability of his to mix all the different styles
of fighting together.
Who
are the main fighters in MMA history?
Royce,
Marco Ruas, Fedor, Randy Couture, Minotauro… and so on.
There’s a bunch of them.
How
much longer do you plan on fighting MMA?
I
plan to fight for another five years. After that I’ll dedicate
myself to the business surrounding the sport, surrounding MMA.
Sometimes, when we’re starting something, it doesn’t
occur to us that it will end someday. I never imagined that one
day I would have to stop fighting. When talking about retirement,
I imagined it as being far away. Some people retire earlier,
others later, others seem like they’re never going to retire,
as is the case with Randy Couture. The important thing is to
know that the one making your decisions is you: we can’t
break from our principles. A lot of people live frustrated lives,
and happiness is a question of making decisions. That’s
what determines a man’s future.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
MMA
Weekend: A Viewer's Guide
by Jeff Sherwood
Thursday
3:00
a.m. ET MAVTV: Ultimate Combat Experience (Replay)
4:00 a.m. ET MAVTV: MMA H.E.A.T. (Replay)
4:30 a.m. ET MAVTV: Art of Fighting (Replay)
4:00 p.m. ET HDNet: Sengoku “Soul of Fight” Part I
8:00 p.m. ET Versus: Countdown to UFC 126 (Replay)
9:00 p.m. ET Versus: UFC Live “Vera vs. Jones” (Replay)
Friday
4:00
p.m. ET HDNet: World Victory Road - Soul of Fight Part II (Replay)
7:00 p.m. ET HDNet: Inside MMA UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”
Weigh-Ins
8:00 p.m. ET HDNet: Best of Strikeforce “Destruction”
8:30 p.m. ET HDNet: Fighting Words with Mike Straka (guest: Vitor
Belfort) [Replay]
9:00 p.m. ET HDNet: Inside MMA UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort”
Weigh-Ins (Replay)
10:00 p.m. ET HDNet: Best of K-1 World GP 2010
Saturday
12:00
a.m. ET ESPN2: MMA Live
2:00 p.m. ET SpikeTV: UFC Unleashed -- Chuck Liddell and Rich
Franklin (Replay)
3:00 p.m. ET SpikeTV: UFC Unleashed -- Silva vs. Jardine (Replay)
4:00 p.m. ET SpikeTV: UFC Unleashed -- St. Pierre vs. Serra 2
(Replay)
5:00 p.m. ET SpikeTV: UFC Unleashed: Silva vs. Franklin (Replay)
8:25 p.m. ET Facebook: UFC 126 -- Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto
vs. Demetrious Johnson
9:00 p.m. ET SpikeTV: UFC 126 Prelim Fights (Live Event)
10:00 p.m. ET PPV: UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” (Live
Event)
Sunday
1:00
a.m. ET ESPN2: MMA Live (Premiere)
3:00 a.m. ET NBC: Bellator Highlights (Replay)
11:00 p.m. ET MAVTV: MMA30 (Replay)
Source: Sherdog
|
Ohio
Fighters Lead Strikeforce Undercard on March 5 in Columbus
by Damon
Martin
Strikeforce
has gained a reputation for using a lot of local talent when
filling out the roster for their undercards when taking their
show on the road, and it will be no different when the promotion
hits Ohio for the first time in March.
Strikeforce
has never made an appearance in the Buckeye State, which sanctions
more MMA bouts than another other area in the United States.
One
fighter who has made Ohio his home for more than a decade is
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace and former UFC lightweight Jorge Gurgel,
and he is expected to land on the Strikeforce undercard on March
5. While an opponent hasn’t been determined for Gurgel,
local fighter Tyler Combs is the leading candidate.
Combs
is a local fighter who trains near Dayton, OH and apparently
has a long standing grudge with Gurgel. While the fight is not
signed for the card, sources have indicated that is the fight
Strikeforce has been working on for the March 5 show.
The
first fight confirmed for the card will feature Cleveland area
fighter Brian “The Predator” Rogers against Cincinnati
favorite Mojo Horne. The bout was first confirmed by NAAFS.bs,
which is an Ohio based promotion that Rogers has fought for several
times in the past.
Rogers
is coming off of a TKO win in Dan Bobish’s show in Cleveland
earlier this month, and will look to make a splash when he debuts
in Strikeforce. His opponent Mojo Horne is a home grown product
from Cincinnati, having fought in the area for virtually his
entire career.
Another
local fighter, Roger Bowling, is also expected to make an appearance
on the Strikeforce Ohio show. Bowling was a hot prospect coming
out of Ohio just last year, and since signing with Strikeforce
he has gone 1-1 with both fights against Bobby Voelker.
Bowling
will face Cesar Gracie student Josh Thornburg who will be making
his Strikeforce debut.
MMAWeekly.com
will have more information on the Ohio card as it becomes available.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Silva
Signs with Soccer Superstar Ronaldo's Marketing Company
by Gleidson
Venga
With
all the greatness that he has achieved in the UFC, on the eve
of his all-Brazilian title clash with Vitor Belfort at UFC 126,
Anderson Silva is finally seeing his success pay off in Brazil.
The
UFC middleweight champion has signed with 9ine, the upstart sports
marketing firm of soccer great Ronaldo, the three-time FIFA Player
of the Year. 9ine is a partnership venture between Ronaldo, entertainment
entrepreneur Marcos Buaiz, and London-based advertising powerhouse
WPP.
The
company, which officially launches in March with offices in both
Sao Paulo and London, has already thrown its weight behind its
new client. Silva will still be managed by Ed Soares and Jorge
“Joinha” Guimaraes, while 9ine look to secure sponsorships
and opportunities to develop the brand of “The Spider.”
“9ine
has a concept of exclusivity, which means working with only a
few athletes and brands, just the best,” Ronaldo stated
in a press release. The 34-year-old superstar currently starts
for Sao Paulo-based soccer club Corinthians, which happens to
be Silva’s team of choice. “This is the case of Anderson
Silva, one of the greatest competitors in the MMA world.
When
Silva faces Belfort on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Silva will
be sponsored by Bozzano, a leading producer of men’s shaving
and grooming products in Brazil. According to Brazil’s Veja
Magazine, Bozzano will pay 170,000 reais, or just over $102,000
USD from the sponsorship deal to have their mark stamped on the
champion.
Source: Sherdog
|
Meet
Miguel Torres, The Wrestler
By Frank Curreri
“For me to be a complete grappler, to get a real black belt,
I have to learn how to wrestle...That’s a part of my game
that I’ve ignored for a long time."
37 professional victories despite no wrestling skill whatsoever.
Arguably
the worst wrestler that elite MMA had to offer from the year
2000 all the way through 2010.
Here’s
the stone-cold truth: We will probably never see another like
Miguel Angel Torres again in our lifetime. A legendary fighter
who defied conventional wisdom, ignored the wrestling aspect
of his sport altogether, and still won a world title and ruled
the bantamweight division for the better part of a decade.
So
I ask him, “Miguel, in 40 bouts, when’s the last time
you took somebody down in a live fight?”
“Never,”
he responds.
That’s
right -- zero takedowns. And it’s not like the Purdue University
graduate’s takedown defense was much better. UFC.com statistics
show that Torres has stuffed a paltry 11 percent of his opponents’
takedowns, which might be a record low for a seasoned veteran
in the organization.
The
reason for Torres’ incessant neglect was simple: He held
a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under the late great Carlson
Gracie. He owned sick submission skills. Torres didn’t bother
to shoot on foes because he could beat every one up standing
(thanks in part to a massively long reach). And he didn’t
concern himself with stopping takedowns because he was far superior
to his adversaries on the ground, too. Take down Torres? Please.
You were doing the guy a favor.
But
along came Joseph Benavidez, a former state champion wrestler
who single-handedly changed Miguel Torres’ life, changed
the way Miguel Torres trains, changed Miguel Torres’ antagonistic
relationship with wrestling. The Team Alpha Male fighter took
Torres down at will in their battle last March and bloodied the
East Chicagoan with a vicious elbow that literally required hundreds
of stitches and the services of a plastic surgeon. Benavidez
showed Torres the light, so to speak.
“I
had to branch out,” said the 30-year-old Torres. “I
had to learn how to wrestle.”
Indeed,
the 135-pound weight class has been all but hijacked by high-caliber
wrestlers who have added deft striking skills to round out their
games. UFC champ Dominick Cruz fits the description, as does
former kingpin Urijah Faber, top contender Scott Jorgensen and
Japanese sensation Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. Torres’
next opponent, Chuck Liddell teammate Antonio Banuelos, is another
fighter who hails from the evolved wrestler ilk.
“I
always knew we’d fight sometime and it just happens to be
for my UFC debut,” said Torres, who meets Banuelos this
Saturday night to jumpstart the UFC 126 main card.
“He’s
a tough guy and he likes to throw big combinations. He’s
got good takedowns and good ground-and-pound. He trains at a
great team, ‘The Pit,’ so you know he’s in shape
and he’s not going to get tired.”
Six
months ago Banuelos would have been a bona fide lock to manhandle
Torres in the wrestling department. But after hearing Torres
rave on and on about wrestling -- how he’s training with
many of the same wrestlers who molded Georges St-Pierre, how
he’s added Olympic-style weightlifting and studied lots
of wrestling videos – it’s enough to make a man forget
the pre-2011 Torres. This “new” Torres, reinvented
under widely respected trainer Firas Zahabi, sure sounds transformed.
“I
even demoted myself from a black belt to a brown belt,”
Torres noted, referring to his rank in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
He
proceeded to give the rational for this self-imposed stripping.
Zahabi was still ranked as a brown belt several months ago. Torres
owned a black belt, an honor he had held for years.
“I
can’t be a black belt and he’s a brown belt,”
Torres explained. “I did it out of respect for a guy that
I’m training under and call my “master.’”
Master?
“He’s
one of the only guys I’ve ever called master,” Torres
said.
(Incidentally,
John Danaher awarded Zahabi his BJJ black belt on New Year’s
Day).
“When
Firas feels that I’m ready to get a black belt then I’ll
get my black belt from him,” Torres said. “For me to
be a complete grappler, to get a real black belt, I have to learn
how to wrestle. I have to 100 percent be able to decide whether
the fight is going to be standing or on the ground. That’s
a part of my game that I’ve ignored for a long time. I thought
I could remedy it by doing better jiu-jitsu but the game has
changed, it’s totally different. I’m studying wrestling
in-depth now.”
This
rebirth is happening amid the frigid temperatures and snow-lined
streets of Montreal, where Torres has called Zahabi’s basement
home for the past two months.
“I’m
a hermit. I come up only to eat and take a shower and then go
back downstairs,” said Torres, who for the first 10 years
of his career trained in Chicago or his hometown, East Chicago,
Indiana. “I don’t have my car for the winter so I’m
pretty much at the gym or (Firas’) house. I just try to
keep my eye on the prize. I went back to square one and got away
from all of my comforts.”
The
charismatic former champ believes that this relative solitude
and simplicity will lead him back to his lost throne. It is striking,
I must say, how frequently Torres mentions Firas’ name during
our interview. Rarely a minute passes without the occurrence,
giving the distinct impression that Torres is utterly convinced
that the man who helped architect GSP’s ascent will deliver
the same impact on his own career.
“During
the first month we would have talks until like four or five in
the morning,” Torres said. “It was crazy, but he’s
a great leader, a great coach and a great mentor. Firas is a
great fit.”
Zahabi,
he says, has tried to reform him from an all-out brawler into
a strategic thinker.
“Firas
talked to me about not going in for guts and glory every time,”
Torres said. “I’ve always gone out there to out-tough
somebody, but just because you’re the toughest doesn’t
mean you’re the smartest. The biggest thing I’ve changed
is my mentality … I’ve watched a lot of my fights with
Firas and he’s showed me a hundred times how every time
I go in with a combination I’m going in elbow and shoulder
deep with punches and kicks and it’s very dangerous. So
he’s trying to clean up my striking.”
Torres
began working with Firas last year, two months before his bout
against Charlie Valencia, a contest he won handily to break a
two-fight losing streak.
“We
watched that last fight and it was a huge difference from the
other fights that I’ve had,” Torres remarked. “I
didn’t get hit at all in my face. I got kicked in my leg
two or three times. I just controlled the distance and totally
frustrated my opponent. It’s exciting to know that I can
win a fight by being smart and not taking damage.”
Such
a smooth and one-sided performance meant he didn’t need
to show off Torres 3.0. But he expects to continue to impress
on Saturday night, and, for anyone wondering – yes, his
notorious mullet will once again be in full effect inside the
Octagon.
“It’s
a long time coming. From watching the first UFC with Royce Gracie
to actually being able to call myself a UFC fighter, it’s
a great honor,” Torres said. “The most important thing
is to get back on track with my fighting career, especially now
that my weight class is in the UFC now.
“I
made a whole new family out here in Montreal. If I wouldn’t
have lost that fight to Benavidez then I would have been training
somewhere else. So everything happens for a reason. My mind,
my heart and my body are in the right place now. I’m chasing
a dream. I want to be a UFC champ and I know I can achieve that.
I expect big things in the next couple of years.”
Source: UFC
|
The
Cut List: Who Desperately Needs a Win at UFC 126?
By Ben
Fowlkes
As former WEC fighters make their way into the UFC, it's make-or-break
time for some of the men who have just barely been clinging to
roster spots.
If
you're a UFC lightweight with more losses than wins lately, you
have to be looking over your shoulder and wondering how long
you'll have a job now that there's suddenly a talent surplus
in your division. If fighting in the UFC were like an office
job, this is the point where you'd look up one morning and see
a bunch of new hires standing around with cardboard boxes full
of their stuff, sizing up your cubicle with their eyes.
Join
me below as we take a look at the UFC 126 lineup and ask which
fighters could find themselves out of work unless they can keep
their place at the table with a victory on Saturday night.
Paul
Kelly (11-3, 5-3 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Donald Cerrone
Why he's in danger: With a 2-2 record in his last four fights,
Kelly has been consistently mediocre against mid-level UFC competition.
Ordinarily his recent win over T.J. O'Brien might be enough to
secure his spot, but 155 pounds is the wrong division to be an
'aiiiiight' kind of fighter in right now. With WEC imports flooding
the roster, it's time to clean house in the UFC lightweight class
to make room for the guys with a future in front of them. If
Kelly can't stay relevant with a win here, he'll essentially
be telling the UFC that he doesn't fit that description.
Odds of getting cut: 2-1. Cerrone is the favorite here, and if
Kelly loses only the UFC's love of keeping British fighters around
will save him.
Gabe
Ruediger (17-6, 0-2 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Paul Taylor
Why he's in danger: The fact that Ruediger is still on the UFC
roster seems more like a paperwork error than any endorsement
of his skills. He got absolutely demolished by Joe Lauzon at
UFC 118, washed out of 'The Ultimate Fighter' without ever stepping
in the cage, and got beat up by Melvin Guillard in his only other
UFC appearance. Yet somehow he's still here, while Gerald Harris
got cut after going 3-1 in the Octagon. I guess no one ever said
this business was fair. If it was, Ruediger would be on an MFC
undercard right now and Harris would still have a job. But alas...
Odds of getting cut: Even. Taylor's not the toughest possible
opponent here, but he's likely also fighting for his job (more
on that in a moment). He's probably also just a tad better than
Ruediger, who seems like he's taking up space in an increasingly
crowded division.
Paul
Taylor (10-6-1, 3-5 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Gabe Ruediger
Why he's in danger: Not only has he lost two in a row, he's lost
three of his last four. Of the three people he has beaten in
his unimpressive UFC tenure, not a one is still employed by the
organization. Once again, if he were a heavyweight this might
be no cause for concern. But in the lightweight division? With
the former WEC guys breathing down your neck? You've either got
to win some fights in a hurry or find a new place to work. Taylor
is certainly a tough fighter, but tough isn't enough in this
weight class anymore.
Odds of getting cut: 3-1. I like Taylor's chances to keep his
job only because I think he should beat Ruediger without too
much trouble. It's still not an easy fight, and Ruediger has
displayed flashes of real talent (however inconsistently) in
the past. But it's now or never for Taylor, and you have to think
he knows it.
Anderson
Silva (27-4, 12-0 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Vitor Belfort
Why he's in danger: Remember Dana White's vow to fire the champ
if he goes out there and does the Abu Dhabi waltz again? Yeah,
I don't buy it either, but imagine for a moment that Silva does
slip back into open mockery mode as soon as he no longer has
Chael Sonnen in his face to motivate him. Imagine he spends five
rounds toying with Belfort, whipping the Vegas crowd into a fury
on the eve of the most sacred American holiday – Super Bowl
Sunday. What then?
Odds of getting cut: 40-1. White's heated and implausible threats
aside, I don't even want to think about what Silva would have
to do to really get himself released. If he refused to fight
at all, then addressed the crowd in perfect English to tell them
he no longer believes in violence or the pursuit of material
wealth, all before ceremoniously burning the American flag in
protest, then...maybe. Otherwise, he's safe. But who says we
can't have some fun with the possibilities?
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
126: Kid Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson To Air For Free on Facebook
'Kid' Yamamoto
For anyone that was bummed out about not being able to see Norifumi
“Kid” Yamamoto’s UFC debut on Saturday night,
your wish has been granted, and the UFC will broadcast his fight
against Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson for free
on Facebook starting at 8:25pm ET on Saturday night.
UFC
president Dana White had teased on his official Twitter page
that he had something special in store for the Yamamoto vs. Johnson
fight, and now the cat is out of the bag. The UFC announced the
move on their Facebook account today.
The
UFC tested the Facebook method of showing fights during the “UFC
Fight for the Troops” broadcast a couple weeks back, and
it appears the success will bring more fights to the social networking
giant.
The
fight between Yamamoto and Johnson brings the total guaranteed
number of fights on Saturday night up to 8, including the Spike
TV prelim show and the pay-per-view broadcast which kick off
at 9pm and 10pm ET respectively.
Yamamoto
makes his UFC debut after a storied career in Japan that saw
him become one of the top featherweights in the sport just a
few short years ago. He took time off to pursue his Olympic dream,
and also faced injuries, but now he’s healthy and hoping
to re-establish himself in the UFC.
To
watch the broadcast just go to Facebook.com/UFC and ‘like’
their page and the free broadcast is available to anyone with
a Facebook account.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Traveling
with Anderson Silva
by Carlos
Eduardo Ozório
The GRACIEMAG.com crew is already on American soil to cover Saturday’s
UFC 126 event in Las Vegas. Better yet, while still in the airport
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it happened upon one of the stars
of the event, Anderson Silva, who will defend his middleweight
crown against Vitor Belfort in the headlining fight at the Mandalay
Bay Center.
Alongside
a team comprised of Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael
Feijão, Ramon Lemos, Luiz Dórea, Paulo Bananada
and Erick Silva, Anderson was in laid back spirits. Waiting for
US Airways flight 801 to Charlotte, the “Spider” posed
for photos with fans and made sure to cause commotion.
“I
age ten years with every trip like this one that I take!”
remarked Ramon Lemos.
Questioned
prior to the flight, Anderson showed his dodge is in good form,
having been called aside by airline employees.
“There’s
no point complaining to me. These guys are all Dórea’s
kids,” he joked.
The
champion’s confidence heading into his fight with Belfort
was apparent. However, dear reader, don’t confuse confidence
with underestimating the opposition. During the week leading
up to the trip, his sparring partners suffered. Many of them
knocked out mercilessly.
“I
know he’s going to come at me with everything he’s
got and I’ll end up getting hit some,” commented Anderson.
“He’s
even been talking about training in the airplane, but no way.
Now he’s just going to break a mild sweat right before the
fight,” Luiz Dórea cuts in.
In Charlotte, the port of entry to the USA, the lightness of
spirit continued. Even after missing his connection to Vegas
due to a delay coming from Brazil, Anderson remained friendly.
More even than in his country of origin, the fighter was approached
by a number of people. Police officers, airport employees, fans
from all over the world… All of them want to meet the champ.
At
the airport, concerned about making weight, he doesn’t mind
eating apples while everyone else digs into the goodies at the
snack bar. Then off to the VIP lounge to wait for the connection
to Vegas at 6 pm local time.
And
the trip continues!
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Amateur
Boxing In Palolo!
Tomorrow
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored
by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
FEBRUARY
4, AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE
PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Springsteen Stampson 21 2 125 28 Steven Wada
Molokai B.C. 05/07/89 1 or 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside
Maui B.C.
). Uly Bordaje 17 0 167 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Kakaako B.C. 01/07/94 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Michael ?? 18 0 127 17 Kyle Delima 1 Palolo B.C. 1 min. 08/23/93
Unattached (Kauai)
). Jariell Munoz 27 0 147 18 Christian Ramil 2
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 min. 10/02/83 636 B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 160 19 Charles Gassparetti 0
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Edward Dirige 14 1 127/124 13 Peter Pacada 0
Kakaako B.C. 07/26/96 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Mike Plunkett 20 2 180 30 Steven Lee 0
Five-O B.C. 07/25/90 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Mikuni Munsayac 19 3 155 21 Joshua Dupree
Unattached 09/27/91 1 1/2min. 09/22/89 Unattached (Marines)
). Austin Hyden 22 8 165 18 Adrian Pelayo 6
Pearlside B.C. 10/21/98 1 ½ or 2 min 09/24/92 Southside
Maui B.C
). Tyler Agbayani 16 7 175 16 Ramon Cardona Jr. 4
Unattached 07/20/94 1 ½ or 2 min. 02/17/94 Wailuku Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ 33 Nephi Tehiva 0
Pearlside B.C. 04/02/90 1 min. 06/12/77 Hands On B.C.
). Isaiah Lavea 19 2 201+ 21 Kawika Tantala- Kupuikaia 2
Palolo 08/22/90 1 min. 05/01/89 Five-0
). Samuel Kekai Alama 33 1 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Pearlside B.C. 01/10/77 1 ½ min. 05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Koichi Tanji 12 130 10+ Anthony Ibanez Kawano B.C. 03/06/92
2 min 09/24/92 Wailuku B.C.
). Natacia Manuma 27 7 175 25 Fallon Farrar 7
Five-0 B.C. 1/15/83 2 min. 09/29/85 Club Discipline B.C.
Thank You to Lloyd McKee from Waipahu Pawn Shop in the Waipahu
Shopping Plaza, phone number is 808-671-6555, also Leland Chapman
from "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for their continued Support
of Amateur Boxing. Also, our Sponsors Rock Bottom Sports Bar
where we will have our after party.
Thank You Always for our Volunteers, Boxers, Coaches, Officials,
Announcer, Door Workers, Concession workers, Boxing Commissioners
and Chairman Herbert Minn, Officer Ron Richardson and OfficerAl
Dela Cruz, Officer Daryl Takata, Dr. Myles Suehiro and Dr. Kanani
Texeira, Chief of Officials Eiichi Jumawan and Vice President
Robyn Jumawan, and "YOU" our Boxing Fans!!
All
boxer will receive gold medals for stepping in the ring, these
athletes, boxing clubs, and coaches are all winners and champions
because of the time, dedication and commitment they put in their
sport. All medals donated by our Sponsors.
USA-BOXING
HAWAII, KAWANO B.C., & PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS
AMATEUR BOXING
Sponsored by Waipahu Pawn Shop and Leland Chapman
SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY 5 AT 6 P.M. 2011
AT THE PALOLO DISTRICT GYM,
TENATIVE BOUTS, order will change
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
BIRTHDATE/CLUB Age Bouts 3 ROUNDS AGE BIRTHDATE/CLUB Bouts
).
Nicholas Siordia 11 8 78 13 Kawelo Alcos 4
TNT B.C. 06/18/99 1 min. 01/19/98 Unattached
). Goddhey Jacaine 8 1 68 9 Jordan Manangan 2
Pearlside B.C. 03/24/02 1 minute 09/29/01 Molokai B.C.
). Justin Alcos 18 0 132 17 Kyle Delima 1
Unattached 10/28/92 1 min. 08/28/93 Unattached (Kauai)
). Charles Coloma 19 3 120 21 Springsteen Stampson 2
Up n Up B.C. 10/12/91 1 ½ min. 05/07/89 Molokai B.C.
). Jariell Munoz 27 3 pal 145 19 David Vasconcellos 3
Kakaako B.C. 03/25/83 1 ½ min. 12/08/91 Unattached
). Dedric Ke'a Jr. 15 2 130 14 Edward Dirige 1
Pearlside B.C. 09/18/95 1 ½ min. 07/26/96 Kakaako B.C.
). Jonah Lopes 18 0 185 30 Steven Lee 0
Unattached (Joe Palimoo) 1 min. 11/07/80 Hands On B.C.
). Charles Gassparetti 28 0 162 17 Uly Bordaji 0
Unattached (Marines) 1 min. 01/07/94 Kakaako B.C.
). Mike Kurita 25 4 155 20 Travis Ito 3
Pearlside B.C. 12/31/85 1 ½ or 2 min. 07/29/89 Palolo
B.C.
). Jazzelle Rabago Bobadilla 12 3 95 12 Kairey Bermoy 4
Boxfit808 B.C. 05/20/98 1 min. 07/21/98 Up n Up B.C.
). Nephi Tehida 33 0 201+ 30 Mahiahi Naihe 1
Hands On B.C. 06/12/77 1 min. per coach05/04/79 Kauai PAL B.C.
). Richard Ballesteros 20 0 165 23 Ernesto Orantes 2
Pearlside B.C. 1 min. Unattached (Marines)
). Koichi Tanji 28 12 128 28 Steven Wada
Kawano B.C. 03/06/92 1 ½ min. 05/04/82 Southside Maui
B.C.
). Trey Olive 20 1 201+ Paea ??
Pearlside B.C. 04/20/90 1 min. Palolo B.C.
). Corina Ishikawa 33 8 115 18 Haley Pasion 4
Kawano B.C. 03/23/77 1 ½ min. 10/11/92 Kawano B.C.
). Mark Antalan 18 6 201+ Dustin Dosher 6
Pearlside B.C. 01/31/93 1 ½ min. Unattached
). Kalai McShane 15+ 127 Anthony Ibanez 10+
Five-0 B.C. 4 rds, 2 min. Wailuku Maui B.C.
let
me know how many minutes also. I suggest 1 min. for new boxers,
1 ½ min for boxers with 7 matches or less, and 2 min.
for a boxer with 8 bouts or more.
We
want our boxers and our sport to look good. It doesn't look good
when or if they run out of gas. It will depend on the coaches
to make the decision. Thanks!!
Weigh-ins
will be at Palolo Boxing Gym from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday.
The other side of the island will be Pearlside Boxing Club at
Momilani Recreation Center 5-7 p.m on Thursday also.
Outer
islands can weigh-in on Friday, I'll be at Palolo gym at 4 p.m.
Remember
if they have braces they must have braces release form signed
by dentist.
Thanks!!
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
Bader,
Simpson, Dollaway, Lawler and Others Find Stability At New Gym
The
age of the super camp is upon us in the world of MMA. From Team
Jackson to American Kickboxing Academy to American Top Team,
fighters from all over the world flock to bigger and bigger camps
to get the training, coaching, and sparring necessary to take
them to the next level, be it the UFC, Strikeforce, or beyond.
The
newest team forming in Arizona at the new Power MMA & Fitness
gym is headed up by a group of top flight UFC fighters along
with a Strikeforce title contender, and they hope to form the
next great camp.
Ryan
Bader, Aaron Simpson, and C.B. Dollaway, along with Robbie Lawler
and others have worked to open their new gym in Arizona. It’s
starting to pay off already with fighters traveling from all
over the country to work with the team.
“Last
week we had the guys like me and Aaron (Simpson), the Steinbeiss
brothers, C.B. (Dollaway), Jesse Forbes, we had Robbie Lawler,
who has been down there for almost three weeks, DaMarques Johnson,
we had some heavyweights Jon Madsen and Chris Tuchscherer down
here right now. It’s nice to have some different looks,”
UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader told MMAWeekly Radio leading
up to his fight at UFC 126 against Jon Jones.
Bader,
Simpson, and Dollaway have worked together for years starting
out during their time at Arizona State in the wrestling program.
They’ve taken that team atmosphere and transferred it to
the new gym, and Bader says they are hoping to become the next
great camp in MMA.
“We
want to build a top of the line team. If guys want to come from
around the country and train for a couple weeks, that’s
fine, but we’re looking to build a premier team. Starting
with the core guys that we’ve been around forever and a
lot more guys are coming down for their camps.”
Old
friend Kyle Kingsbury came down to work with the team before
his fight at UFC 126. They will even have an amateur team headed
up by Strikeforce middleweight Robbie Lawler, who will commit
most of his time to the new team in Arizona.
“We’re
going to have a top notch amateur team that’s headed up
by Robbie Lawler; he’s going to be the amateur MMA coach.
We’re looking to make it one of the top teams in the country,”
Bader said.
The
team also has some involvement from other sports stars, most
notably Miami Heat guard Mike Miller, who is a part owner in
the gym. Miller actually did cardio and conditioning with the
MMA team over the summer in preparation for his NBA season, and
continues to support them even though he’s full swing into
his basketball career.
“We
met with my manager now, Dave Martin, and I really liked him
and he was like ‘hey, let me do your first fight, no contract
or anything, just see if you like it,’ and I ended up liking
it a lot and then finding out he had different guys. I met Mike
(Miller) and Chad Greenway, and all his different guys a couple
times. We all just became friends and go to each others different
events, charity events and whatnot, and from there we just became
friends,” Bader explained about Miller joining the camp.
Miller,
who is a huge fan of MMA, told MMAWeekly.com in August 2010 that
the work the guys go through on a daily basis will get anyone
in shape, and he plans on doing that for his future in basketball
as well.
“The
program that these guys are going through is the most ridiculous
program I’ve seen. They workout harder than anybody,”
Miller said. “The hardest workouts I’ve ever been through;
that’s why I came down here though. I realized how hard
these guys work, and I felt like I might as well join them. It’s
been a good experience.”
The
biggest thing that Bader has taken away from building a new gym
has been stability. He admits that before going into his fight
in September 2010 against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira that he didn’t
have a great camp, and training for the fight was hard.
At
the time, Bader, along with Simpson, Dollaway and others, were
forced to travel and try to find the right places to train, but
now they have their own gym and their own team, and it makes
all the difference in the world.
“Honestly,
before the Nogueira fight, I had a horrible training camp just
because we were bouncing around. We were at three different gyms.
Everybody knew we were going to be a competitor to them in the
future, and so it got kind of weird here and there, and we’d
only have a certain time. Then one gym we were at, they only
had like a 10-foot cage so we couldn’t really get in good
work,” said Bader.
“Finally,
I feel I’m at home, feel like I’ve put in the best
camp I’ve ever put in for the biggest fight of my life.
So I’m looking forward to that for sure.”
Bader
will try to show that off on Feb. 5 when he faces Jon Jones at
UFC 126 in Las Vegas.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Vitor
Belfort’s Secret Weapon For UFC 126: Mike Dolce
It’s
not easy to keep a secret during a training camp in the world
of mixed martial arts.
From
sparring partners to coaches, a fighter can tweak many things
to try and keep an edge over his opponent and one key piece to
the puzzle that Vitor Belfort added ahead of his fight with Anderson
Silva at UFC 126 is nutritionist and weight cutting guru Mike
Dolce.
The
former IFL and UFC fighter has worked with several top athletes
and has gained recognition for always bringing in athletes in
peak physical condition, while also making weight the day before
their fights.
“I
have been working with Vitor Belfort in preparation for UFC 126.
I’m very humbled and proud to be able to make that statement,”
Dolce revealed when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio Monday night.
Some
of the biggest questions surrounding Belfort heading into his
fight against Silva were about his weight cut. The former heavyweight
has only cut down to middleweight a couple of times, and his
last fight in the UFC was a catchweight bout against Rich Franklin
at 195lbs and most thought the Brazilian struggled to even make
that weight.
Dolce
was happy to accept the challenge and believes that the work
he’s done with Belfort over the last few months will first
pay off this Friday when he steps on the scales in Las Vegas.
“It
seems like now those are the only guys that really want to bring
me in are, those are the guys that are motivated to bring me
in, are the ones with the most to lose,” Dolce said. “Vitor
he was a heavyweight, he competed a lot at heavyweight, he spent
most of his career at light heavyweight, and now he’s dropping
down to middleweight and he did some catchweights at 195 before
middleweight, just to help the transition just because he was
so big and he did have a hard time making weight.
“As
it stands right now, he’s ahead of schedule and we can make
weight tonight if we needed to. Of course we’re not going
to, we’re going to use the extra time to continue the peaking
process and make sure we deliver the most prepared Vitor Belfort
that the world has ever seen.”
Over
the last few years, Dolce has received quite a bit of recognition
for the work he’s done with different fighters in and around
the sport. Most notably Dolce helped weight cutting problem child
Thiago Alves make weight for his last fight, and the American
Top Team fighter looked at peak conditioning throughout his three
round fight against John Howard at UFC 124 last December.
Dolce
also helped one time light heavyweight Michael Bisping make the
cut down to middleweight, where he has thrived and is known from
having some of the best conditioning in the weight class.
The
former Team Quest member admits that for all the great fights
and wins Belfort has in his career, he was quick to point out
that weight cutting was something he never did the right way
before. He will however do it the Dolce way for UFC 126.
“He
said this is the first time in his career that he’s cutting
weight like a world class athlete, and I took that as a huge
compliment,” said Dolce.
Dolce
will continue to work with Belfort all the way through weigh-ins
and the day of the fight to fuel him and get him ready for the
main event at UFC 126 against Anderson Silva.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
126: Donald Cerrone All Studied Up for Paul Kelly, Calls Mac
Danzig ‘Hypocritical’
Donald
“Cowboy” Cerrone (17-3) is officially in the UFC. He’ll
make his debut for the promotion this Saturday at UFC 126: Silva
vs. Belfort in Las Vegas when he takes on English fighter Paul
Kelly.
Kelly
(11-3) will be making his ninth appearance in the UFC, so he’s
definitely earned his stripes in the Las Vegas-based promotion.
It’s safe to assume that with eight fights in the Octagon,
opponents will know who Paul Kelly is.
Apparently,
not if you’re Donald Cerrone.
When
the WEC veteran received the offer to fight Kelly, he admittedly
didn’t know much about his opponent. Kelly might not have
liked this fact very much, but Cerrone explained to MMAWeekly
Radio that he meant no disrespect to him in any way, shape, or
form. Having a lot going on is what Cerrone blames for not knowing
more about his UFC 126 opponent.
“I
never meant any disrespect to the guy, I just never heard of
him,” Cerrone said. “Now, of course I’ve seen
tape on him, I’ve studied him. I understand who he is.”
Not
having knowledge about Kelly and his arsenal might not be a good
thing. As a matter of fact, it’s downright dangerous to
not know what the English mixed martial artist is capable of.
Kelly has finished two of his last three opponents. First, he
submitted Matt Veach at UFC 112 by guillotine choke, then after
a tough decision loss to Jacob Volkmann in August, Kelly beat
T.J. Brian by TKO at UFC 123.
Luckily
for “Cowboy,” he’s done his homework. He’s
watched the film on Kelly, and now, he knows exactly what kind
of fight he’s getting into – one that promises some
stand-up action.
“He’s
got a good uppercut, great overhand, and good hooks,” said
Cerrone. “He likes to be inside and brawl. If you want to
go out and shoot, baby, let’s go! I’ve been looking
for a stand-up fight this whole time.
“I’m
really forward to throwing down, man. That’s what I love
to do.”
Apart
from his fight with Kelly, Cerrone has had some other beefs that
have garnered the attention of the media. Of course, Cerrone’s
open dislike of Cole Miller has been echoed through the blogs,
forums, Twitter and other outlets for quite some time. The rivalry
has boiled for years, yet the two have never had the opportunity
to settle their differences.
Cerrone
may have a fight on Saturday with a different competitor, but
it’s clear that he doesn’t keep Miller far off from
his cross hairs on a day to day basis. Any opportunity he gets,
he tells Miller of his intentions.
“Every
time I see him, I remind him. I’m coming for you, Cole.
I’m coming for you, I’m coming for you,” said
the lightweight fighter.
Not
only is Cole Miller an issue, but recently, Mac Danzig called
out Cerrone on Twitter, saying, “So, all you have to do
to secure a fight you haven’t earned is wear a silly hat,
call yourself ‘cowboy’ and talk trash? Seems strange.”
Cerrone
explained that Danzig is hypocritical in doing this, and feels
the TUF 6 winner won his last fight by a fluke. “Cowboy”
held nothing back when defending his Jackson’s MMA teammate,
Joe Stevenson.
“First
of all, Danzig, you were on the chopping block and then you accidentally
knocked out my teammate, Joe Stevenson. Now you want to do exactly
what I did by calling Cole Miller out and you want to be a hypocrite.
Come on, bro!”
These
may seem like heavy distractions, but regardless, Donald Cerrone
will get his chance to take out whatever frustration he has on
Paul Kelly on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
129 Fight Card Full: Aldo vs. Hominick, Couture vs. Machida Added
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Tuesday locked up the fight
card for April 30 in Toronto.
Already
set with a headlining title defense by one of Canada’s most
popular athletes, Georges St-Pierre, UFC 129 now has an official
co-main event. UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will defend
his belt against Mark Hominick. The bout is the first time the
UFC 145-pound championship will be on the line.
Also
officially added to the fight card is UFC Hall of Famer Randy
“The Natural” Couture. He’ll take on fellow former
light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Couture is on a three-fight
winning streak, but hasn’t fought since dispatching heavyweight
boxing champion James Toney in August. Machida, undefeated on
his run to the title, has lost his last two bouts and sorely
needs a win.
The
third of Tuesday’s announcements was the addition of a welterweight
contest pitting Nate Diaz against Rory MacDonald.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Sérgio
Moraes wins the absolute dispute on European 2011
After
four days of much adrenalin, the eighth edition of the European
Championship of Jiu-Jitsu, that happened in Lisboan, Portugal,
gets to an end. Despite not having a bout with submissions, the
fights of the adult black belt male dispute were exciting, motivating
foreigners and Brazilians on the Portuguese gym.
On
the medium heavyweight, Braulio Estima (Gracie Barra) got the
gold home after beating Sergio Moraes (Atos JJ). For the champion,
the finale was the toughest fight of the three he had to do on
the division. “On the last fight I was under a lot of pressure,
Moraes had more tactic during it”, evaluated. The athlete
of Alliance explained what his main mistake on this fight was
so that he played his opponent’s game. “On the other
hand, I learned I have to be more alert on the absolute dispute.
I never played Calasans’ game and I got off there with a
win in my hands”, tells Sergio, who earned the absolute
title over Claudio Calasans.
Calasans
told TATAME that he didn’t intend to compete the absolute
because he was recovering from an injury, but his team motivated
him and, with only three weeks of trainings, he decided to participate
of it too. For him, the rhythm imposed by Sergio was too strong.
“I confess I lacked conditioning on this fight, because
I had a total of seven fights among the medium heavyweights and
absolute. But the devotion was worth it, at least I’ve won
the weight dispute”, says Calasans.
On
the super heavy, Lucio Lagarto (Gracie Barra) and the American
Rafael Lovato (Ribeiro JJ) let the fans crazy on the Sportive
Complex of Casal Vistoso (Complexo Esportivo do Casal Vistoso).
Lagarto won his third European title since his debut on the competition,
in 2004. on his
evaluation,
the non-Brazilians are getting better and better. “Lovato
is an excellent fighter, that’s why I had to impose a strong
rhythm from the beginning until the end so that he wouldn’t
beat me”, affirmed, completing that he dedicates his title
to his wife.
KYRA
LOSES, AND COMPLIMENTS MARINA
On
one of the most expected female finals, Kyra Gracie and Marina
Medeiros, feather weights, did a pretty tough fight, but the
athlete of Checkmat showed more willingness since the beginning
until the end and guaranteed the highest sport on the podium
for herself, with no contestation. To Kyra, she deserved it.
“Marina has a great guard and it was her day. She’s
a girl that deserves it, a new generation athlete”, highlighted.
On the light weight, Luanna Alzuguir guaranteed the gold medal,
but had to confront a tough girl on the finale. “MIchelli
Nicolini is a very technical fighter, that’s why you have
to be much cautious as you fight her, and that’s how I behaved
on the fight”, explained the athlete of Alliance.
MALE:
-
Light featherweight: Ary Farias (Atos) beat Bruno Malfacine (Alliance)
by 6x4;
-
Featherweight: the team Atos closed the division with Rafael
Mendes, Bruno Frazatto, Guilherme Mendes and Eduardo Ramos;
-
Lightweight: Michael Langhi and Lucas Lepri – closed for
Alliance;
-
Middleweight: Cláudio Calasans (Atos JJ) submitted Bruno
Alves (Gracie Barra);
-
Medium heavyweight: Bráulio Estima (Gracie Barra) beat
Sérgio Moraes (Alliance) on the advantages;
-
Heavyweight: Bernardo Faria and Leonardo Nogueira – closed
for Alliance;
-
Super heavyweight: Lúcio Lagarto (Gracie Barra) beat Rafael
Lovato (Ribeiro JJ) by 8x2;
-
Ultra heavyweight: Rodrigo Comprido and Igor Silva – closed
for Brasa;
-
Absolute: Sérgio Moraes (Alliance) beat Cláudio
Calasans (Atos) on the advantages;
FEMALE:
-
Light featherweight: Oceane Talvard (Attila) beat Elizangela
Meirel (Gavião);
-
Featherweight: Marina Soares (Checkmat) beat Kyra Gracie (Renzo
Gracie);
-
Lightweight: Luanna Alzuguir (Alliance) beat Michelle Nicolini
(Checkmat);
-
Middleweight: Ida Hansson and Priscila Juni – closed for
Checkmat;
-
Female absolute: Luanna Alzuguir and Gabi Garcia – closed
for Alliance;
Source: Tatame
|
Roger:
“I just waited for the right opportunity”
Roger
Gracie notched his fourth win in a row this Saturday at Strikeforce.
With yet another submission – a rear-naked choke –,
the victim this time was Trevor Prangley.
“I’m
feeling great, I think everything went well, it was splendid,”
he said with contentment as he left his dressing room.
Roger
explains how he managed to successfully carry out his strategy:
going on the attack with jabs and keeping the right distance
for the takedown.
“I
just waited for the right moment. I didn’t plan to finish
in the first round or anything like that. I just waited for the
right moment.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Brit
John Maguire Plans Title Defense, Wants An International Stage
One
of the highlight fights in the British welterweight division
is set to take place this weekend at Ultimate Challenge with
current champion John “The One” Maguire squaring off
against TUF veteran Dean Amasinger.
“I
know Dean is a confident, tough guy, and I don’t for one
second think I am going to run through him. I think we are both
very evenly matched,” explained Maguire, although he believes
he has the edge over his opponent in technical prowess.
“My
boxing has come along a lot. I am getting better in that aspect
and I think that I edge him in every other range. He is a strong
person, but I know I am more technical off my back, better in
top position, and more than comfortable with the wrestling. In
fact, I don’t really care where the fight goes.”
For
those that don’t know, Amasinger and Maguire have been friends
on the scene for a long time and they have always joked that
at some point they were going to fight, ever since the latter
dropped to 170 pounds following a loss to BAMMA champion Tom
“Kong” Watson. For this reason, you probably won’t
find any smack talk between the two; there is a lot of respect
there, but not enough to dilute a fight.
“I
know Dean looked really rusty in his last fight against Jamaine
Facey and I know that was because it was his first fight back
from a broken arm. I had the same injury myself after the Watson
fight so I know exactly what he went through, but I also know
that has got over that doubt and he will be much stronger now.”
The
fight with Amasinger is to defend one of the two belts Maguire
currently holds on the U.K. scene, the second one is for the
OMMAC promotion in Liverpool. But it’s getting to the point
where Maguire feels that he needs to make a jump internationally
to progress, and he thought he almost had that opportunity when
he was called back to the U.S. for the medical process after
a successful showing in the current TUF trials.
“I
was gutted when I was told I wasn’t selected, but it was
a good experience and I managed to spend every day I was out
there in Vegas training out of Wanderlei Silva’s gym. It
has prompted me to look at training with different people and
expanding my horizons while trying to getting bigger fights.”
This
experience of a new training regimen has filtered through to
this camp, with Maguire taking himself off to Sweden and August
Wallen’s facility before coming back to Team Tsunami for
final preparations with his usual guys.
“Sweden
was fantastic. I’ve had a really good camp with them, lots
of guys with different body types, which I prefer. I’ve
been doing two two-hour sessions each day, covering sparring
and techniques, then cardio drills after, literally living in
the gym because of the fighter accommodation set-up they have.”
With
about 25-30 pro fighters to exchange with, the former middleweight
feels that Amasinger’s blatant strength will not come as
anything new to him.
“I
worked a lot in Sweden with this 130kg Greco-Roman guy who had
twice been to the Olympics. So size isn’t an issue for me;
besides, I used to be a small middleweight back when I was fighting
at that class anyway. Having Jack Mason in the camp knowing what
my weaknesses are is always good, I don’t think he will
be as strong as Jack.”
In
closing, Maguire feels as ready as he’s ever going to be
for a fight, he has some new skills in his arsenal and is close
to weight already. All his attentions are on this showdown and
then after that he will be looking at making an international
impression.
“I
would love to rematch with Simeon Thoresen, that fight really
bugs me as I feel we were a round even, but I should have edged
it at the end of the first with a takedown. Shame he doesn’t
want to fight me again though… aside from that, I just want
tough fights with named guys.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bas
Rutten Staying As Busy Out Of The Ring As He Was In It
Anyone
who thought Bas Rutten would slow down in retirement is sorely
mistaken. Years after he called his active career quits, Rutten
is as busy as ever, working on a myriad of projects.
Up
next, Rutten can be seen in the upcoming Feb. 1 episode of the
hit FX television series “Lights Out.”
Speaking
to MMAWeekly.com about how he lined up his appearance on the
series, Rutten said, “One of my best friends, Holt (McCallany),
is the lead actor on the show. When he found out that they needed
an MMA fighter, he said I was the only guy he wanted to do it
with.”
Rutten
had previously worked with McCallany on the series “Freedom,”
where he served as fight choreographer over a half a year of
shooting.
Staying
true to his style of fighting, Rutten went all out shooting his
scenes for “Lights Out.”
“I
have one speed and that’s full speed, and Holt’s like
that too,” commented Rutten. “He’s a method actor
and likes to get in there and get hit a little bit.
“It
was tough, but it was a lot of fun. They said it was one of the
best fights of the whole season. It’s going to look powerful,
let me tell you that.”
Staying
with television, Rutten continues to work on HDNet’s highest
rated series, “Inside MMA” with co-host Kenny Rice.
And if that wasn’t enough, he has a couple of other TV projects
in the works.
“I
shot a pilot where we re-enact robberies, hold-ups, and stick-ups,
whatever goes bad, and I tell the people what they could have
done,” said Rutten. “It’s like the bar fighting
DVDs I did. It’s real stuff, quality stuff we’re doing,
but not super, super serious.
“I
also just did some hosting for a crazy video clip show, like
‘Bas’ Biggest Breakdowns.’ I think that came out
very well.”
Rutten’s
time in front of the camera will shift towards the movies when
he begins shooting an MMA comedy, sensitively titled “Here
Comes the Boom,” in March with longtime collaborator Kevin
James.
Rutten
is also pursuing other business opportunities, such as his work
with Star Greetings.
“It’s
these virtual greeting cards (where celebrities like) Eminem,
50 Cent, and other big names are involved,” commented Rutten.
“You
type in the name, like John, and pick the occasion, like a birthday
card, and I say something like, ‘Hey, John, this is Bas
Rutten. Happy Birthday, etc.’ and I do a little fight scene
in there and it’s really funny.
Following
in the lines of his Body Action System (B.A.S.), Rutten is set
to release another training product he’s had in mind since
he was 15 years old and hopes will cross lines from sports to
other activities.
“I’m
working on something called the O2 Trainer,” announced Rutten.
“The O2 trainer is a breathing device that you have in your
mouth while you’re training. It trains your diaphragm and
lung muscles, so you can get really strong lungs from it.
“It’s
been a long time in the process. Just to get the patent was a
nightmare, but now we’ve got everything and it’s falling
into place. I think it’s going to be very good for any athlete
or singers or people who play wind instruments are going to gain
a lot by using this product.”
Rutten
continues to prove that he was never one to slow down in the
ring, and it doesn’t appear he’s going to anytime soon
out of it.
Said
Rutten in closing, “Hey everybody, check out ‘Lights
Out’ because lights will be out next Tuesday on FX.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Comprido
to help Brock on UFC reality show
GRACIEMAG.com
recently reported who would make up the coaching staff for Junior
Cigano’s team for the upcoming season of UFC reality show
The Ultimate Fighter. Brock Lesnar too has announced who he will
be partnering up with for the program, without any great surprises.
The
Jiu-Jitsu coach for the former UFC heavyweight champion’s
team will be two-time absolute world champion Rodrigo Comprido.
Also on the team is Minnesota Martial Arts founder Greg Nelson,
a muay thai and wrestling expert; Marty Morga, who is Brock’s
head coach, a wrestling specialist who also coaches the University
of Minnesota team; Peter Welch, once boxing coach to the likes
of Kenny Florian; Luke Richardson, a physical conditioning coach
with NFL experience; and Erik Paulson, who marked an era in submission
grappling events, the first American Shooto World champion.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Herschel
Walker wins second pro fight via TKO
Herschel
Walker continues to defy Father Time. The 48-year-old former
NFL and college football star toyed with Scott Carson to pick
up his second career mixed martial arts win on the Strikeforce
card in San Jose, Calif.
Walker
knocked Carson down with a left hook in the opening minute of
their fight at the HP Pavilion and brutalized him on the ground
for the next two minutes. Referee Dan Stell stepped in to save
Carson at 3:13 of the first round. Walker is now 2-0 and said
he plans on moving forward with his MMA career.
"MMA
is my love," Walker said, when asked about talk of an NFL
return.
Walker
has been successful in every athletic endeavor he's attempted,
so he's very demanding of himself in MMA.
"I
was okay. I took a kick where I thought I was getting a little
too excited," Walker said. "When you're in MMA, you
should be able to take a kick like that."
Walker
was a bull from the get-go.
"(My
trainer) Javier Mendes told me I have to be on offense. Being
a young MMA fighter I gotta control what I'm doing in the cage,"
said Walker.
The
scenario surrounding the first knockdown was like scene out of
a movie. Carson grazed Walker's face. The former football star
appeared enraged and yelled in the air. He walked straight forward
and floored Carson with a left. Carson got to his feet momentarily
with 3:50 left in the round, but Walker lifted him in the air
and tossed him back down. Walker dominated him on the ground
working from hip control and landing punches under Carson's arms.
The Californian did little to protect himself.
With
two minutes left in the first, Walker backed off for a second
to allow Carson to get back to his feet. Carson barely got to
his feet, was drilled by a left hook and crumbled against the
fence. The referee had to stop it.
For
man his age, Walker's energy level was incredible. He threw 58
shots and landed 40 overall. On the ground, he was 36-of-53 (67.9
percent). Walker's combination of stamina and athleticism simply
broke Carson's will.
Walker
began his MMA journey in 2009 when he began training at a renowned
MMA gym, the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. That's
also the home of UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and
UFC welterweight title contenders Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck.
Walker
made his MMA debut last January. He showed off decent striking
and grappling, with his gas tank being his most impressive element.
Walker manhandled 26-year-old Greg Nagy for his first professional
victory.
Walker's
MMA exploits add to an unbelievable athletic resume. After a
decorated career at Georgia, Walker earned a home in the college
football Hall of Fame. He won the 1982 Heisman trophy as a junior.
Walker went on to play 15 seasons in the USFL and NFL, where
he rushed for 13,787 yards.
In
the middle of his NFL career, he decided that he wanted to be
an Olympian and took on the challenge of the bobsled. Walker
made the U.S. Olympic team in the two-man bobsled and finished
seventh at the 1992 games.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Melvin
Guillard Looking for a No. 1 Contender or Title Shot, Florian
Doesn’t Fit the Bill
It’s
common that any time a fighter comes off a big win a slew of
challengers line up to try and get the next shot at them. Such
is the case with Melvin Guillard, who showcased his skills in
a dominant victory over Evan Dunham last Saturday night at UFC
Fight For The Troops 2.
Guillard
has often been seen as an extremely talented fighter who hadn’t
lived up to his potential. He proved everybody wrong by blasting
through Dunham, something no one else had done to the Oregonian
throughout his professional MMA career.
The
first to take a shot at Guillard following his win was former
UFC lightweight title contender Kenny Florian, who said when
appearing on Pro MMA Radio, “If Melvin thinks he deserves
a shot over me, he should fight me and beat me.”
Guillard
of course heard about the comments, and while he has the utmost
respect for Florian, he doesn’t think that fight does anything
for him right now.
“I’ve
got mad respect for Kenny. He’s a good friend. I talk to
him all the time. There’s no animosity, but of course he’s
going to feel like that when I’m on top right now. He’s
had his shot. He’s had two chances to be a champion, he
didn’t make it,” Guillard told MMAWeekly Radio on Tuesday.
AdChoices
“I
don’t take nothing from Kenny. He’s a dangerous fighter,
just like Dunham and everybody else. Anyone that steps into that
Octagon is dangerous because anyone can win at any given day.
But I feel like Kenny had his chance.”
Florian
has been looking for a fight when he comes back later this year
after a knee injury forced him out of the bout against Evan Dunham
last weekend. The Boston area fighter also looked to challenge
final WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, but his camp opted
to face someone coming off a win and not a loss. Pettis instead
took a fight against Clay Guida at the June 4 “Ultimate
Fighter Season 13? finale.
Guillard
seems to take a similar approach towards a fight with Florian,
not out of disrespect, but simply because right now it doesn’t
push him closer to his ultimate goal of getting a title shot.
“Now
him asking to fight me? He’s only doing that because he’s
in the shadows and nobody’s talking about him. He’s
not in the spotlight,” Guillard said about Florian. “If
he wants that fight it has to be worth it for me, because honestly
at this point in my career, and me and my agent already agreed
on it, I’m not going to get anything out of beating Kenny
Florian. He’s going to gain, and I’m going to lose,
so that’s not a fight that I’m looking for.”
What
Guillard is looking for is a chance to prove he deserves a title
shot. He’s not willing to sit and wait for things to happen,
and if the UFC comes calling tomorrow with a new challenge, he’s
up to take it.
“I’m
looking for a No. 1 contender or I want a champion. That’s
all I want right now,” said Guillard. “If I have to
take another stepping stone and Kenny wants to throw himself
in there, I promise you if that fight happens, I’m going
to (expletive) him up and I’m going to make it impressive.
I’m going to let him know that he can’t beat me, period.
“I’m
not going to sit here and wait for a title shot. I’ll put
my reputation on the line and that’s why my record is so
big because I will fight weekend after weekend. Right now that’s
the best preparation for me is to keep fighting. So whoever they
put in front of me, I’m going to fight.”
One
fight that seems particularly intriguing to most fans is to match
up Guillard against Pettis. Currently, Pettis is instead set
to face Guillard’s teammate, Guida, but it’s a fight
that the native of New Orleans is happy to accept.
As
a matter of fact, he doesn’t even care if Pettis sees exactly
what he’s going to do to win the fight.
“Me
and Pettis hung out, he trains with my old kickboxing coach and
childhood friend Patrick Barry. So he got to see my warm-up.
People are like ‘you’re going to warm up in front of
guys you’re going to fight?’ I don’t care,”
Guillard stated. “When I go into a fight, I’m going
to execute my skill.
“I
don’t care if I’m the champion and I trained with the
guy I’m going to fight, he can see everything that I’m
working on, I’m that confident in my skill. I’m not
cocky at all, but I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve
wrestled all my life, I’ve been a competitor, and I’m
an athlete first before anything.”
Guillard
is taking very little time off following the big win over Dunham.
He is already back in New Mexico training with coaches Greg Jackson
and Mike Winkeljohn, and plans on helping other teammates prepare
for their upcoming battles as well.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Diaz
Not Impressed by Strikeforce Welterweight Contenders
Nick
Diaz offered little in the way of trash talk in the lead-up to
his Strikeforce welterweight title defense against Evangelista
“Cyborg” Santos. After submitting the Brazilian with
a second-round armbar on Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose,
Calif., the generally brazen 27-year-old refused to attribute
that fact to some newfound sophistication and reiterated his
respect for Santos.
“Everybody
thinks I’ve matured and grown up, but it’s just how
it is,” a serene Diaz said at the post-fight press conference
for Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg.”
“I
have respect for fighters that come out and fight,” the
champion said of Santos. “He wasn’t trying to score
and run. He was coming straight forward and trying to fight.
I give a guy like that a lot of respect. It has nothing to do
with me growing older.”
Prior
to the fight-ending submission, Diaz and Santos engaged in a
hard-hitting dogfight, which saw Cyborg rack up chopping leg
kicks while Diaz scored with his trademark volume boxing style.
When Diaz’s strikes began to take their toll, Santos took
the fight to the floor -- something Diaz expected from the jump
and was prepared to capitalize on.
“I
did see him taking me down from taking too many punches. I did
figure I’d be able to ladder up and finish an armlock or
a triangle choke on a guy like that,” said Diaz. “I
think I put on a decent performance. Cyborg is a really worthy
opponent. It’s not like this guy is some joke.”
But
while Diaz heaped praise upon his just-dispatched challenger,
he had few positive words for those potentially in line for a
shot at his title.
Next
up for Diaz looks to be British slugger Paul Daley, who is first
booked for a Feb. 26 bout with Deep champion Yuya Shirai in Manchester,
England. In his most recent Strikeforce outing, Daley notched
a scorching knockout of Scott Smith, whom Diaz submitted last
June.
“I’m
not really impressed with Paul Daley as a mixed martial artist,”
said Diaz. “He’s got great stand-up, sure, [but] I
wouldn’t judge him from the Scott Smith fight.”
Diaz
went on to criticize Smith, a fellow Californian, for what he
sees as a lack of desire to improve as a fighter.
“I
know who Scott Smith is. I’m from Stockton, Lodi. He’s
from Elk Grove. He’s never come down to train with us. He’s
never tried to get better,” Diaz said. “He does his
tae bo, or whatever, you know what I mean? Then Paul Daley knocks
him out and everybody is like, ‘Look at Paul Daley!’”
And
how would Diaz approach a fight with Daley?
“I
just might do some karate ... some wushu,” Diaz deadpanned
before offering a dispassionate breakdown of the matchup. “I
see me putting punches on him, maybe him trying to take me down,
getting caught in a choke. He can run from me. I’d run him
down and take him down and beat him on the ground. I dunno.”
Diaz,
who signed a multi-year contract extension with Strikeforce in
December, seemed similarly disinterested in a match against unbeaten
up-and-comer Tyron Woodley, who has won six straight inside the
Strikeforce cage.
“I
don’t wanna talk bad about anybody. I don’t really
have anything about him that impresses me,” he said of the
two-time NCAA Div. I All-American. “I didn’t think
he was a wrestler, but then I heard he was a wrestler. It was
like, ‘OK.’”
So,
the question seems to be: what opponent would Diaz want to fight?
“I’m
interested in fighting people ranked above me and upping my status,
but, whatever,” he said. “I fight for [Strikeforce
CEO] Scott Coker here, and they’ll have to work that out
here.”
Source: Sherdog
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Marloes
Coenen vs. Miesha Tate Confirmed for Strikeforce in Ohio March
5
It
appears the first ever Strikeforce event in Ohio will have two
title fights heading the fight card as Marloes Coenen will defend
her welterweight championship against Miesha Tate in the co-main
event for the night.
Tate
confirmed the fight via her personal Twitter page on late Sunday
night.
“It’s
confirmed my fight is set for March 5th in Columbus OH vs Marloes
Coenen for my shot at the Strikeforce 135lb title,” she
wrote.
The
bout has been rumored for the card for some time now, but it
looks like it’s a done deal for the Columbus show taking
place at the Nationwide Arena in early March.
Strikeforce
officials responding to MMAWeekly.com could not confirm the bout
between Coenen and Tate, but it’s believed that verbal agreements
are in place for the title fight.
Miesha
Tate (11-2) earned the shot at Coenen’s title by winning
a one-night tournament in Strikeforce last August.
Coenen
(18-4) won the 135-pound title by defeating previously undefeated
champion Sarah Kaufman in October, and this will be her first
title defense.
The
card in Ohio will be headlined by another title fight as Rafael
“Fejiao” Cavalcante will make the first defense of
his light heavyweight championship against Dan Henderson.
More
fights are expected to be announced by the promotion in the coming
weeks.
Source: MMA Weekly
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Strikeforce
– Diaz vs. Cyborg: Roger Gracie Scores Big Win, Submits
Prangley
After
a big win over Keith Jardine at Shark Fights 13, Trevor Prangley
returned to Strikeforce at Diaz vs. Cyborg on Saturday night
and was paired against Jiu-Jitsu phenom Roger Gracie.
“It’s
always great when you get another opportunity,” Prangley
previously told MMAWeekly.com. “It’s the last fight
on my contract and I just need to get out there and perform.
“It’s
going to be a really tough fight for me. He’s undefeated.
He doesn’t know how to lose yet, so I’m curious to
see how I’ll fare against him. I think it will be a competitive
fight on both of our sides.”
After
a long feeling out process that saw Gracie utilize his jab, the
Brazilian displayed some Muay Thai knees and eventually took
Prangley down halfway into the round. Gracie mounted and transitioned
to Prangley’s back as he tried to scramble away. The South
African fighter succumbed to a rear naked choke shortly after.
With
the win, Gracie scored the biggest win of his career and improved
his record to 4-0.
Source: MMA Weekly
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Strikeforce
Results: Herschel Walker Gets Second Win, TKOs Scott Carson in
the First
Herschel
Walker came into his sophomore effort in Strikeforce with a record
of 1-0. After Saturday night, he remained undefeated as he finished
Scott Carson in the first round of their affair.
The
Heisman Trophy winner showed he had some power in his left hand
when he rocked Carson for the TKO win at 3:13 of the opening
stanza.
The
fight started off with Carson throwing a right head kick that
grazed Walker’s chin. This looked as though it angered Walker,
motivating the former NFL running back to throw a flurry that
included a left hand strong enough to send Carson crashing to
the mat. Walker attempted capitalizing from there, getting on
top of Carson, stacking him up and landing punches from that
position.
Carson
looked like he almost secured Walker’s leg for a leg lock,
but Walker was able to escape and eventually capture his opponent’s
back. From there, Walker kept sneaking in punches from behind
through any hole Carson gave him. An attempt by Carson to get
back to his feet was met by Walker slamming his opponent back
on the mat. It was clear Carson had no offense to offer here.
For a moment, he was able to monkey roll onto his back where
he would try to initiate getting back to the feet again, but
on Carson’s way up, Walker caught him with yet another massive
left hand. This was the beginning of the end and the ref stepped
in to put a stop to the contest.
Walker
collected the TKO victory, despite eating a head kick he feels
he shouldn’t have opened himself up for.
“I
was okay,” Walker said in his post-fight interview at center
cage. “I took a kick where I think I was getting a little
bit too excited. And when you’re in an MMA fight, you shouldn’t
get kicked like that.”
The
finish was evidence of Walker’s training and urge to build
his offensive arsenal. The now 2-0 mixed martial artist wanted
to harness what he learned and apply it to his competition.
“One
thing that Javier told me was build offense,” Walker explained.
“Being a young MMA fighter, I gotta control what I’m
doing in the cage.”
Prior
to fight night, rumors swirled that Walker, after competing in
his second Strikeforce fight, would make an attempt at coming
back to the NFL, being the oldest player ever to compete in the
premier football league. Saturday night, however, he confirmed
that he would do no such thing, deciding to stay with MMA and
continue to learn and compete.
“That
is the case,” Walker said about not pursuing an NFL comeback.
“MMA is my love. I love MMA.”
Source: MMA Weekly
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Strikeforce
– Diaz vs. Cyborg: Jacare Retains Title, Lawler Forced to
Tap
Fresh
off his impressive KO win over Matt Lindland, “Ruthless”
Robbie Lawler returned to the Strikeforce cage. This time the
HIT Squad fighter contended for Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza’s
middleweight title in the co-main event of the evening.
Lawler
opened the round more animated than usual. After a short feeling
out process, Lawler closed in with a small flurry but Jacare
defended and pressed him to the cage. Jacare secured a takedown
and controlled Lawler for a while. Lawler got back to his feet
and rocked Jacare with a right hand and he followed the Brazilian
down into his guard. The fighters were stood up with 20 seconds
left and the round ended with a Jacare takedown.
Jacare
secured a double leg takedown early in the second round and was
able to control Lawler for nearly five minutes. Much to the pleasure
of the crowd, Lawler was able survive an onslaught of strikes
and submission attempts to finish the round on top.
Souza
was aggressive early in the third with knee strikes from the
clinch as Lawler countered to the body. The Strikeforce champion
took Lawler down and took his back, securing a rear naked choke
that forced his opponent to tap.
“I
prepared for everything. I had a great coach and training partners.
I feel great now,” Souza said after the fight. “I can’t
wait to fight again.”
With
the victory, Ronaldo Souza retained his middleweight title and
remains undefeated in Strikeforce.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Belfort:
“It will make MMA history”
Vitor
Belfort and Anderson Silva were side by side once again at a
press conference promoting UFC 126, which will take place next
Saturday in Las Vegas. More experienced and thirty-three years
old, Vitor will again have a shot at being the UFC number 1,
which he hasn’t been since 2004, when he took and later
lost the light heavyweight belt against Randy Couture. Check
out what the “Phenomenon” had to say:
You
must have watched the fight between Anderson and Chael Sonnen
a number of times. What are your thoughts on it? Will it influence
your strategy?
When
Anderson fought Chael, he was injured, and even so, in my opinion,
he had a good fight. However, there isn’t much I can absorb
from that fight. I know I have to be ready for anything.
You
had to drop down a weight class. Do you feel this is a good move
and that you’re still as strong as you always were?
I’ve
already had two fights in this division and I feel fine. I’m
a professional and this is what I do.
Seven
years ago you faced Randy Couture for the second time. What do
you remember from that fight? Do you feel you’re now in
a similar situation?
If
I look back, I’ll see myself again having a chance to be
back at the top. Now I feel better, not just as a fighter, but
as a family man and human being.
With
just a few days to go till the fight, how are you feeling?
I’m
really excited. It’s another big opportunity that has arisen
in my career. I’m going to fight one of the best on the
planet. It’s my time to show what I can do.
You’ve
faced big names from MMA before, but have you ever faced anyone
as skillful as Anderson?
If
I were to say I’ve faced anyone like him I’d be lying.
He’s unique. But I’m doing fine and I did a lot of
preparation so I can get in the octagon and do my best.
This
is considered the most highly-anticipated fight in history. How
do you feel as far as that goes (see Anderson’s response
here)?
This
fight will make worldwide MMA history. Two Brazilians will be
going at it and that will be important in making people in our
country appreciate the sport more. It may open doors for new
talent. Who knows, maybe one day MMA will be compared to soccer
or volleyball.
Source: Gracie Magazine
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Anderson
Silva: “It will be funny, as always”
The
thermometers in Las Vegas hit 5-degrees Centigrade (41-degrees
Fahrenheit) this week. The city is still going off regardless,
though. Next Saturday, February 5, Anderson Silva will defend
his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort, a matchup greatly
anticipated by fans across the planet. Check out what Anderson
had to say during the UFC 126 press conference this Thursday:
Since
the Chael Sonnen fight, what has changed in your standup training?
I
changed some things, kept others. But there isn’t much to
change. I’m going to use the same strategy as always.
You’re
undefeated in the UFC, having defended your title seven times.
Are you still motivated to fight?
I’m
motivated, because I do what I love and do best. It’s gratifying
and it’s my main motivation.
Do
you feel Vitor may want to take it to the ground? How are you
preparing for that?
It’s
impossible to foresee. I’m training on my feet, on my side,
my back, underwater, with my feet on the wall. I’ve trained
every which way possible. I just know it will be funny, as always.
This
is considered the most heavily anticipated fight in history.
How do you feel about that (see Belfort’s response here)?
It’s
a much-awaited fight just like the others. A lot of people will
watch it around the world and in Brazil. Let’s do it. Now
it’s just about getting in there and fighting.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Dynamic
Diaz fends off game Santos
SAN
JOSE, Calif. – When Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos
took Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz down with 20
seconds left in the second round, he probably saw it as a way
to clinch a close round.
Instead,
the move was his undoing. Immediately after Santos scored the
takedown, Diaz began working for an armbar. Seconds later it
was locked in, and Diaz retained the title via tapout victory
with 10 seconds left in the round. Santos punched the mat in
frustration, while his wife, Strikeforce women’s middleweight
champion Cristiane Santos, put her head in her hands and broke
down in tears at cageside.
Santos
(18-14), whose record coming into the fight made him a suspect
challenger, was competitive in an exciting fight that brought
the HP Pavilion crowd of 9,059 to its feet at the end. Santos
won much of the first round until being rocked with punches late
which turned the tables. And he was winning the second round
with an attack of leg kicks that Diaz admitted after the fight
were the hardest he had ever taken in competition.
“I
think ‘Cyborg’ was a really worthy opponent,”
said Diaz (24-7, 1 No Contest), who won his ninth straight fight.
“He’s probably the biggest guy I’ve fought and
he was strong. He’s got big legs and big feet. He kicks
harder than anyone else I’ve ever fought or trained with.
I could tell it from watching his fights. I knew it was coming.
It was nothing I didn’t expect. I expected what I got and
I’m happy with surviving the fight.”
Diaz
downplayed the effect of the leg kicks in the fight, although
his leg buckled once in the first round from them before he started
checking them, and he did need medical attention after the fight.
“He
was eating a lot of punches,” said Diaz, a native of nearby
Stockton. “He throws leg kicks and I throw punches. For
all the leg kicks I was taking, he was taking more punches. I
started checking the kicks and I had to figure out what I needed
to do to stop taking those kicks.”
He
said he started feeling a little better after the fight, but
figured the left leg would stiffen up later.
Diaz,
who has seemingly replaced first-generation stars Frank Shamrock
and Cung Le as the main local headliner in Strikeforce’s
hometown, won his 12th straight fight in Northern California
and third straight main event in the company’s main arena,
following wins over Shamrock and K.J. Noons.
“You
know, I train really hard and really consistent, and I didn’t
think too much about it (fighting not far from home),” he
said. “It’s great I get to fight before local area
crowds. Before I’d come here and I wasn’t always the
favorite when I fought against San Jose and Frank Shamrock. But
now it’s nice.”
He
taunted Santos, who was trying to become the other half of the
first husband and wife major world champion tandem in the sport’s
history, but Diaz was eating low kicks early. Just as the low
kicks seemed to take their toll, Diaz fired back and had Santos
in trouble with body and head punches late in the first round,
wobbling the Brazilian veteran. Another strong punch rocked Santos
at the end of the round.
Diaz
got into a kicking exchange in the second round that he didn’t
get the better of. But as they traded punches, Santos’ punches
started losing their zing, and the feeling going in was Diaz,
with his triathlete endurance, was going to be tougher to beat
if he wasn’t finished early.
Diaz
stood up to Santos’ punches that landed accurately. Diaz
continued to taunt, but as it turned out, the key point in the
match was when Santos went for a surprise move, the spin kick,
and then exploded against the off-balance Diaz for a takedown.
But
Diaz was ready.
“I
did see him taking me down after taking too many punches,”
Diaz said. “I saw him getting tired and I did feel I could
finish with an armlock or triangle choke.”
A
couple of names were batted around as Diaz’s next opponent,
including Paul Daley, who will likely get the shot if he beats
Yuya Shirai on Feb. 26 in Manchester, England. Tyron Woodley’s
name was thrown in the mix, as was a grudge match that would
be out of his weight class against Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
Diaz
spoke confidently about Daley, who he noted had good knockout
power but didn’t see as a complete fighter. Diaz’s
teammate, Jake Shields, finished Daley on the ground when they
fought in 2008.
“I
see me putting punches on him and maybe him trying to take me
down and then he’ll get caught in a choke or something like
that,” Diaz said. “He could run from me, but then I’ll
run him down and take him down and beat him on the ground. I
can see the fight going a lot of different ways. I’m not
really impressed with Paul Daley as an MMA fighter. He’s
got great stand-up and good knockout power. I wouldn’t judge
him from the Scott Smith fight. That fight was made for him.
They both punch and he punches a little harder.”
Diaz
got emotional when Miller’s name was brought up as some
have accused Diaz of coming up with reasons not to fight Miller.
Adding fuel to the fire, there have been out-of-competition incidents
between the two and online videos by Miller making fun of Diaz.
“I
don’t think that would be a title fight,” Diaz said,
and then got mad at a reporter asking the question. “If
I’m not fighting for a title, they can work that out. I’ll
fight him at 185 pounds. I don’t care. I just don’t
care, I just want you (the promotion) to make it worth my while.
This is hard stuff. I’m training hard every day, harder
than people who work eight hours a day holding a camera. You
can’t do what I do. Money talks.”
The
name of Miller, the host of the MTV show “Bully Beatdown,”
was a lightning rod all night. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
(14-2, 1 no contest), who retained his middleweight title with
a submission at 2:00 into the third round over Robbie Lawler
(18-7, 1 no contest), also grew upset when Miller was mentioned
as a potential challenger.
“You’re
kidding me,” Souza responded. “I beat this guy two
times (the two fought twice in Japan, once with Souza winning
via decision and the other ruled a no contest after Miller cut
Souza’s head with an illegal kick). No more!”
Lawler
will probably question the fight for a long time, as he knocked
Souza down with a barrage of punches in the first round, and
then suddenly, for reasons he couldn’t explain, he wasn’t
himself.
“I
was tired three-and-a-half-minutes in, and even now, I’m
still out of breath,” Lawler said after the fight. “I
don’t know what happened. His takedowns were pretty good.
I knew my wrestling, how to defend, but I just didn’t have
the energy to do it. I just felt lethargic. Everything seemed
slow, even when I got out of that armbar (in the second round).
I trained hard and felt good the last week.” Herschel Walker,
1982 Heisman Trophy winner who turns 49 in a few weeks, went
to 2-0 with a one-sided win over 40-year-old Scott Carson (4-2)
at 3:15 in the opening round.
Walker
gave no answers as to whether he would fight again, but said
that he loves training at the AKA Gym in San Jose that has been
his home for much of the past 15 months. But he quickly dispelled
any ideas of taking on the top names in the sport.
“No,
there’s no way,” he said when asked if he would be
willing to step in as an alternate in the heavyweight tournament
Strikeforce is running this year. “I have an opportunity
to step into the ring with the guys in AKA like Cain (UFC heavyweight
champion Cain Velasquez). These guys are amazing. Cain works
with me a little but, but when he decides to turn it up, I know
how much I need to learn. That’s what the sport is all about.”
“No
way I’m going after the belt,” he said. “The only
belt I’m getting will be the one that I buy. You can’t
buy a belt here, this isn’t boxing.”
And
then he quickly realized what he said.
“All
you boxing fans, I didn’t really mean that.”
Source: Yahoo Sports
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