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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 3
|
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!
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to Advertise on Onzuka.com?
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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!
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Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
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http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA
BJ
Penn and Jon Fitch fight to a draw at UFC 127
UFC
has returned to Australia for the second time having as its main
event the bout between BJ Penn and Jon Fitch, but the show ended
with a big polemic. Better on the first round, the Hawaiian surprised
everyone as he tried to take his opponent down and use his Jiu-Jitsu
right at the beginning of the fight, and he was almost succeeded
on his rear naked choke attempt. Things weren’t much different
on the second round, but Fitch proved he has a better conditioning.
On
the third and decisive round, BJ Penn froze. Exhausted, the former
champion of UFC was an easy prey for Fitch, who took him down
and worked on the ground and pound for five minutes. Since he
had lost the two first rounds, Fitch needed the knockout to win,
but he didn’t. On the judges’ decision, one have pointed
out Fitch’s win (giving him the advantage on the second
round), the others called it a draw (10-9 to BJ on the two first
rounds, and 10-8 for Fitch on the third).
BISPING
LOSES HIS TEMPER, BUT KNOCKS HIS OPPONENT OUT
Jorge
Rivera poked, joked, bragged. On videos on the internet, he offended
his opponent Michael Bisping, using pretty bad names, and on
a certain way, he sneered about his “lack of knockout power”.
The one who says what comes in his mind… The fight started
with both fighters energetic, and Bisping lost his temper and
fit an illegal knee (Rivera was on his knees), but he did what
he’s capable of on the second round. With Jorge cornered
on the grid, Michael started to punch him hard, forcing the referee
to stop the fight, calling up the TKO.
DENNIS
SIVER STOPS AUSTRALIAN IDOL
The
Australian George Sotiropoulos, greatest name on the country
on MMA, stumbled for the Germain Dennis Siver. With a sharp trade
of punches, the striker dominated the action since the beginning,
punishing his opponent with kicks and taking him down twice still
on the initial round. Insisting on the single leg takedown, Sotiropoulos
couldn’t make his opponent to play his game, and felt for
Siver striking power, continuing to be dominated on the third
round and giving the win, on a unanimous decision to Siver.
CHINESE
WINS AND UFC PLANS CONTINUES
UFC’s
interest on the asian market has been growing, and the coming
of the Chinese Tiequan Zhang was exactly what the organization
needed to capture fans of the most populated country. After debuting
with a win on WEC, the tough guy suffered the first lost of his
career before the fusion between WEC and UFC, but he made it
up on UFC 127. At only 48 seconds of bout, Zhang fit a guillotine
choke and forced Jason Reinhardt to tap.
MARK
HUNT SAVES HIS CAREER WITH A KO
Veteran
of Pride, Mark Hunt was coming of a sequence of five wins, but
he got the chance to fight on UFC thanks to a clause on his contract
with the extinct event. The failure on his debut, being beat
by a submission wasn’t any good for him, but his comeback
in Australia was brilliant. On the second event of the evening,
the heavyweight did good on the first round, escaping from a
tight kimura, and knocked out Chris Tuchscherer on the beginning
of the following round.
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
UFC
127
Sidney,
Australia
Saturday,
February 26th of 2011
Main
card:
-
BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch - DRAW;
-
Michael Bisping defeated Jorge Rivera by TKO at 1min54s of R2;
-
Dennis Siver defeated George Sotiropoulos by unanimous decision;
-
Brian Ebersole defeated Chris Lytle by unanimous decision;
-
Kyle Noke submitted Chris Camozzi with a reak naked choke at
1min35s of R1;
Preliminary
card:
-
Ross Pearson defeated Spencer Fisher by unanimous decision;
-
Alexander Gustafsson submitted James Te Huna with a rear naked
choke at 4min27s of R1;
-
Nick Ring defeated Riki Fukuda by unanimous decision;
-
Anthony Perosh submitted Tom Blackledge with a rear naked choke
at 2min45s of R1;
-
Tiequan Zhang submitted Jason Reinhardt with a guillotine choke
at 48s of 1R;
-
Mark Hunt defeated Chris Tuchscherer by KO at 1min41s of R2;
-
Curt Warburton defeated Maciej Jewtuszko by unanimous decision
Source: Tatame
|
UFC
127: Perosh and Zhang Make Short Work for Facebook Prelims
It
was Australian pride on display in the UFC prelims on Facebook
with Anthony Perosh submitting Tom Blackledge with a quick rear
naked choke in the first round of their match-up at UFC 127.
Coming
from a grappling background, Perosh had every intention of getting
his opponent to the ground, but didn’t look like a fish
out of water on his feet either. After Blackledge tried to go
for a guillotine, Perosh had the fight exactly where he wanted
it.
The
Australian transitioned to mount with little resistance from
Blackledge, and after throwing a few haymakers, the Wolfslair
trained fighter rolled to try to stay out of trouble. From there
however, it was from the frying pan into the fire.
Once
Blackledge was on his belly, Perosh sunk his arm under the chin
and synched up the hold, forcing his opponent to tap before going
to sleep.
“It’s
an enormous relief,” Perosh said about winning in front
of his home country fans. “It’s my first win at light
heavyweight, this is where I want to be, this is where I’m
strong, and this is where I’m successful. I hope it’s
the start of things to come.”
Tiequan
Zhang made short work of Jason Reinhardt in his return to the
UFC, submitting the veteran fighter with a guillotine choke in
under a minute in their featherweight bout.
Tiequan Zhang chokes Jason Reinhardt UFC 127
Reinhardt,
who had been training at Wanderlei Silva’s gym in Las Vegas,
came out in aggressive fashion much like the Brazilian does in
many of his fights. Unfortunately, the results were not the same
as when Silva generally blitzes his opponents.
Zhang
clipped Reinhardt with a quick couple of shots, backing him off
and once they clinched against the cage, the Chinese born fighter
saw an opening and took full advantage. Dropping into a guillotine
choke, Zhang locked up the hold and just as he was passing out,
Reinhardt tapped, signaling the end of the fight.
After
2 fights in the WEC at lightweight, Zhang made his featherweight
debut a successful one, but not without some hard work.
“Dropping
weight was really hard,” Zhang said about his featherweight
debut.
Zhang
will continue on in the UFC, while Reinhardt’s return was
short lived and he may exit the promotion once again.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: Pearson Wins Slugfest, Gustafsson Silences Australia, and
Fukuda Robbed
A
slugfest, poor judging and an Australian going down highlighted
the preliminary fights on ION TV for UFC 127.
They
promised a knockdown, old school stand-up fight and Ross Pearson
and Spencer Fisher delivered with the former “Ultimate Fighter”
winner coming out on top by unanimous decision.
Both
fighters are known for their striking and there was definitely
a mutual respect between the two lightweights in the first few
mintues of the fight. Fisher came out a bit more aggressive,
but didn’t throw many combos at the Brit.
Once
Pearson found his range and felt Fisher’s best punches,
he started to throw great combinations mixed with punches and
fiery kicks. The Team Rough House fighter even managed to slip
in a takedown towards the end of the fight, putting Fisher on
his back to put the exclamation point on his victory.
The
judges gave Pearson the win 30-27, 29-28, and 28-28, as he picks
up his 4th win since his time on the 9th season of the “Ultimate
Fighter”.
The
success of the Australian’s at UFC 127 came to a crashing
halt after Alexander Gustafsson silenced the Sydney crowd with
a rear naked choke victory over home country fighter James Te
Huna.
With
the crowd behind him, Te Huna came out blazing in the first round,
getting Gustafsson to the ground, but his success was short lived.
Gustafsson
recovered quick and then put Te Huna on the mat, before a beautiful
transition to take his opponent’s back. Fight as he could,
Te Huna just had no answer for Gustfasson’s ground acumen,
and after a brief struggle, the Swede locked in a rear naked
choke. Te Huna could take no more and he was forced to submit.
Gustafsson
now moves to 3-1 in the UFC with his only loss coming to Phil
Davis, a fighter he now trains with in California.
The
questionable judging at UFC 127 started early with Nick Ring
pulling out a unanimous decision win over Riki Fukuda in a puzzling
choice by the officials at cageside.
Ring
started strong landing some decent shots on the feet, but couldn’t
stay off his back as Fukuda got the fight to the mat several
times during the fight.
A
veteran of several organizations all over the world, Fukuda finally
made his way to the UFC and as the fight moved with each minute
he seemed to get more comfortable in his strategy. Fukuda didn’t
look bad on his feet, but mostly threw single punches without
putting together many combinations, but did enough set-up to
slip under Ring’s shots and get the takedown repeatedly.
In
the final round with the fight seemingly on the line, Fukuda
got stronger taking Ring down and controlling him on the mat
as the former “Ultimate Fighter” competitor looked
winded towards the end. Fukuda looked like the obvious choice
for the win, but 29-28 scores from all the judges gave a very
undeserving victory to Nick Ring.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: Kyle Noke Makes Australia Proud, Submits Camozzi in the
First Round
He
came from a Land Down Under, where Kyle Noke left Chris Camozzi
plundered.
It
was a dream for Kyle Noke to fight in his home country of Australia,
and he made sure it paid off by submitting former “Ultimate
Fighter” cast mate Chris Camozzi with relative ease, putting
him away with a first round rear naked choke.
Camozzi
came out firing, showing his hand looking for a stand-up fight,
but Noke was having none of that. The Australian born fighter
took Camozzi to the mat, and it never got back to the feet again.
Noke
moved fluidly to pass Camozzi’s defense and take his back,
sinking in his hooks. With his jiu-jitsu on full display, the
Aussie wrenched up on a rear naked choke, and with Camozzi trapped
like a fly in a spider’s web, he tapped out.
“I
was expecting a stand-up war from Chris, but we got it to the
ground and I was able to get the submission,” Noke commented
after the fight.
It
was a proud moment for Noke who still trains occasionally in
his homeland of Australia, but he resides mainly in the U.S.
for his training camps now working under Greg Jackson and Mike
Winkeljohn in New Mexico. He credited Jackson for the slick ground
moves that got him the win at UFC 127.
“Mr.
Jackson, thank you sir,” Noke said.
Noke
has been ultra impressive since his time on the “Ultimate
Fighter”, winning all three fights, while stopping all three
opponents. The victory was made even sweeter this time because
he got to do it in front of his friends and family in Australia.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bisping
loses cool, but begs boss’s forgiveness
The
fight between Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera was built on provocations
from both sides, making it one of the most heavily anticipated
at UFC 127, this Saturday in Australia.
However,
the tense climate that played out during the press conference
and weight-in, carried through till after Bisping had won. The
Englishman, who taunted his opponents during the fight and made
obscene gestures, besides bickering with Rivera, even went as
far as to spit on members of the opposing team, not to mention
the illegal kick in the first round.
Rivera
too had taken to taunts, having posted a video deriding Bisping
on the internet. But the Englishman went too far himself.
While
still in the octagon, the controversial fighter reflected:
“I’m
a sensitive guy. I ask forgiveness for having lost control. I
respect Rivera as an opponent. He talked a lot… I am sorry,
Mr. White.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Recent
Bellator signing Marlon Sandro comments on Sengoku-Dream fusion
A
former Sengoku champion considered to be one of the best featherweights
in the world, Marlon Sandro is celebrating some news. The black
belt will now also appear at the American Bellator event, while
continuing to fight in Japan, which will become all the more
interesting now that Dream and Sengoku will likely join forces
with each other.
“I
signed a two-year contract with Bellator, but I’ll still
fight in Japan for at least another year and a half. There’s
a strong push for Sengoku and Dream to unite, so things will
get really interesting. In the United States, though, I can only
fight at Bellator,” he tells GRACIEMAG.com.
Accustomed
to fighting in the Land of the Rising Sun, Marlon knows he will
encounter different reactions from people in the United States.
“Both
countries value athletes a lot. But in the USA the crowd tends
to be more vocal. If they like a fight, they get really excited
about it. If they don’t like it, they boo. I’ve accompanied
José Aldo and Vitor Shaolin to their fights over there,
which was good so I could see how things work,” he says.
Marlon
should soon see action in one of the Bellator Gps, probably starting
in June. In the meantime, he is looking at his likely opponents.
“I’m
still getting to know the promotion’s fighters; I started
analyzing them now. I used to keep up with the event because
of Patrício Pitbull, I rooted for him a lot. So he’s
one of the fighters I know a bit about. But I still have to study
the rest of them, because I want to get in there and try for
that belt,” says the Nova União hard-hitter in closing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
127 Results & Live Play-by-Play
Acer Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Curt
Warburton vs. Maciej Jewtuszko
Round 1
Front kick by Jewtuszko, but he misses. Another head kick misses.
Both fighters are extremely cautious in the early going. Warburton
lands a punch and gets a takedown. On top in guard, Warburton
with elbows the head from guard. Warburton passes to half guard.
Jewtuszko is active from the bottom. Big right hand from Warburton
from the top in half guard. Jewtuszko uses good leg movement
to get back to full guard, but is greeted by a sharp Warburton
right hand. 10-9 Warburton.
Round
2
Spinning-back fist by Jewtuszko, but he misses. Uppercut by Jewtuszko
as Warburton steps coming forward. Warburton lands a solid right
hand. The fighters clinch against the cage and Warburton get
a takedown. Jewtuszko rolls for an ankle and gets back to feet
after failing. A hard low kick connects for Warburton. Jewtuszko
find his target with a flying knee. Another uppercut lands for
Jewtuszko and Warburton gets a takedown into half guard. Back
in full guard. Punches by Warburton to finish the round. 10-9
Warburton.
Round
3
A spinning-back elbow connects for Jewtuszko. Jewtuszko is being
more active, jabbing the head of his prey. Nice one-two from
Jewtuszko as he waves his hands, wanting action from opponent.
Jewtuszko comes forward with punches but gets thrown to the ground
into side control. Jewtuszko gets to his knees and stands momentarily
before being put back down. Jewtuszko on his back as fight ends.
10-9 Jewtuszko.
Official
decision: 29-28 on all cards to Warburton, the winner by unanimous
decision.
Mark
Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Round 1
A huge left from Hunt, but he misses. Tuchscherer immediately
drops levels for a takedown, but he has nothing. A shot from
Tuchscherer sends Hunt backwards, but he drops Tuchscherer with
a huge right. Hunt allows him to stand up. Another big hook from
Hunt. Hunt is teeing off with lefts and rights and there's a
big cut on Tuchscherer. Doctor is looking at it but lets it go.
Tuchscherer gets a single-leg takedown and moves to side control.
Hunt escapes a kimura and eats a few elbows from Tuchscherer,
who is bleeding heavily. 10-9 Hunt.
Round
2
An overhand left misses for Hunt. The former K-1 kickboxing champion
lands short right uppercut. Tuchscherer smiles. Hunt misses with
big uppercut as forces Tuchscherer to retreat. Hunt then connects
on a jab, short-right uppercut combo for the knockout win at
the 1:41 mark.
Tie
Quan Zhang vs. Jason Reinhardt
Round 1
Referee Steve Perceval is in charge of this featherweight affair.
Reinhardt comes straight at Zhang and eats an uppercut. The American
throws a low kick and eats a counter left hand. Reinhardt changes
levels and Zhang snares his trademark submission, the guillotine
choke. Reinhardt resists momentarily, taps out and goes to sleep
before Zhang releases the hold. The official time is 48 seconds
of the opening round.
Anthony
Perosh vs. Tom Blackledge
Round 1
John Sharp is the referee for this 205-pound bout. Blackledge
flicks out front and low kicks in the first minute before Perosh
rushes in for a shot. It comes from too far out and Perosh falls
on his face as Blackledge sprawls. Blackledge, in turn, slips
and falls on a kick attempt. Another takedownt try from Perosh
fails, and he instead rushes at the Englishman with a combo,
one of which lands. Perosh goes for a double leg and gets caught
in a guillotine from Blackledge, who pulls guard. It’s not
very tight and Perosh extracts his head and moves to side control.
Blackledge catches an arm on one of Perosh’s punches and
tries an armbar, but Perosh defends well. Blackledge winds up
on his belly and Perosh quickly jumps on his back. After a few
punches, Perosh slips left his arm underneath Blackledge’s
chin, squeezes and forces an instant tap. The hometown fighter
Perosh is the winner by rear-naked choke submission at the 2:45
mark.
Nick
Ring vs. Riki Fukuda
Round 1
Leon Roberts is the referee for the evening’s first televised
fight. Outside leg kicks from Ring to begin. Fukuda drives forward
for a double-leg and pins Ring against the cage. Ring squirms
away from the fence and throws up a triangle. He’s got Fukuda’s
left arm tight and the Japanese fighter is having trouble extracting
himself. Ring lets it go with three minutes left and scrambles
to his feet. Fukuda times a leg kick and tags Ring with a straight
left. Half a dozen more kicks come from Ring to the right leg
of Fukuda. The two southpaws feint and trade fire until Fukuda
charges forward with a winging combo. Ring answers with a knee.
He stuffs a takedown and plants another knee on Fukuda. Fukuda
finding modest success with his punches inside the last minute,
and he finishes the last 15 seconds with a takedown. Leon Roberts
is the referee for the evening’s first televised fight.
Outside leg kicks from Ring to begin. Fukuda drives forward for
a double-leg and pins Ring against the cage. Ring squirms away
from the fence and throws up a triangle. He’s got Fukuda’s
left arm tight and the Japanese fighter is having trouble extracting
himself. Ring lets it go with three minutes left and scrambles
to his feet. Fukuda times a leg kick and tags Ring with a straight
left. Half a dozen more kicks come from Ring to the right leg
of Fukuda. The two southpaws feint and trade fire until Fukuda
charges forward with a winging combo. Ring answers with a knee.
He stuffs a takedown and plants another knee on Fukuda. Fukuda
finding modest success with his punches inside the last minute,
and he finishes the last 15 seconds with a takedown.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Ring
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Ring pawing with a jab and landing leg kicks while Fukuda hunts
for power punches. Ring lands a nice right hook and Fukuda tries
to shoot, but gets stuffed. The next takedown is successful,
as Fukuda plows Ring right into the base of the cage. Ring shoves
him off, turtles and works to his feet, where he drills a knee
to the midsection of Fukuda. Fukuda scores with an uppercut and
Ring retaliates with a left hand over the top. Fukuda tries to
shoot on a jab and Ring sprawls. The middleweights clinch and
Fukuda gets the better with knees up the middle. Ring still landing
leg kicks and trying to work combos, but Fukuda is staying out
of range. Fukuda is checking the leg kicks now. Fukuda comes
forward and ties up to hurl a barrage of uppercuts.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Fukuda
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Fukuda
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Fukuda
Round
3
Fukuda comes out strong, flicking long right hands in Ring’s
face. Nice left hook from Fukuda and another blast of uppercuts
in the clinch. He floors Ring with another takedown and works
from half-guard. Ring stuffs him back to guard, Fukuda stands
and Ring scrambles to his feet. Another trio of uppercuts from
Fukuda in tight. Another easy takedown for Fukuda in the center
of the cage, but again Ring works back up. Front headlock for
Fukuda, who bullies Ring into the base of the fence and slugs
the Canadian to the head and body. Ring is bleeding around the
inside of his right eye and isn’t doing much from the bottom
with 90 seconds to go. Fukuda mashing and grinding, trying to
advance, but Ring is stifling him. Ring works for a kimura and
stalls out, and the fight ends just as the two are stood up.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Fukuda (29-28 Fukuda)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Fukuda (30-28 Fukuda)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Fukuda (30-28 Fukuda)
Official
scores: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for Nick Ring.
Alexander
Gustafsson vs. James Te Huna
Round 1
Marc Goddard is in charge of this light heavyweight bout. The
men tie up and Te Huna hurls Gustafsson to the canvas. Te Huna
looking strong in side control, wrapping Gustafsson’s head
and arm and landing short punches. Gustafsson regains his guard,
but Te Huna is keeping very busy on top with punches and elbows.
Gustafsson gets loose and scrambles to his feet. Te Huna pins
him against the cage, can’t complete the takedown and gets
caught in a loose guillotine. Te Huna gets his head loose, but
Gustafsson powers him to the ground with a takedown. He tries
to transition on top and go for a kimura, and Te Huna stands.
Gustafsson stuffs a shot and instantly spins to the back. Gustafsson
sinks his hooks in, then a rear-naked choke. Te Huna rolls and
survives, only to eat a barrage of hard punches and have the
choke reapplied. This time it’s tight and Te Huna has no
choice but to tap at 4:27 of the first round.
Ross
Pearson vs. Spencer Fisher
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean gets applause from the crowd as he’s introduced
for this lightweight bout. Both men hurling big right hands early
with Pearson circling the outside. Solid one-two from Fisher
is answered with a Pearson body kick. Fisher lands a hook and
Pearson tags him back. Fisher drives Pearson down and Pearson
throws up an armbar. He lets it go as Fisher stacks and goes
to slam. Back on the feet, it’s Pearson coming over the
top while Fisher throws legs kicks. Fisher with a hard right
hand down the pipe. Pearson flicks out a left jab and ducks under,
and the two appear to clash heads as Fisher paws at his own nose.
Pearson’s eye is also looking marked up. Fisher is throwing
his hands up and taunting Pearson in the final seconds.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Fisher
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Fisher
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Fisher scoring with hard right hands in the opening minute, moving
forward on Pearson, who answers with leg kicks. Fisher doubles
up beautifully on a straight left and snaps Pearson’s head
back. Thudding body kick by Pearson, who follows up with a stiff
one-two. Pearson is bleeding from beneath his right eye and grinning
at Fisher, who grins back. Another double-left hand by Fisher
cracks the Brit. Pearson comes inside and eats a right hook,
but manages to tie up. He muscles Fisher into the fence momentarily,
until Fisher shoves him off and fires a level elbow. Pearson
scores with a right hand and fires a body kick, which Fisher
catches. The clinch works out for Pearson, though, as he lands
with a few uppercuts. Another hard right from Pearson, who turns
the tide in the final minute of the round.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Pearson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Pearson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Pearson
Round
3
The lightweights trade early, but Pearson soon changes levels
and muscles Fisher into the fence, then to the floor. Fisher
gets right back up, though. The fighters trade single shots and
Pearson is getting off quicker. Fisher stuffs a long takedown
attempt and ties up Pearson’s head. Nothing comes of it
and Pearson stands. Fisher connects with a straight left, but
Pearson answers with a sharp combo and a kick to Fisher’s
lead leg. Pearson, ducking and slipping punches from Fisher,
lands a knee up the middle, then catches a kick and brings his
man down. Pearson working from half-guard down the stretch --
not throwing much, but working. He finishes the fight on top.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Pearson (29-28 Pearson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Pearson (29-28 Pearson)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Pearson (30-28 Pearson)
Official
scores: The judges’ cards read 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for
the winner by unanimous decision, Ross Pearson.
Kyle
Noke vs. Chris Camozzi
Round 1
John Sharp is the referee for the first fight of the main card.
The middleweights exchange leg kicks and both miss when they
go to the head. Camozzi rushes Noke into the fence and scores
with a combination, but eats a flurry in return from Noke and
then gets tripped to the mat. Noke hops straight into mount and
punches away, then rides all over the twisting Camozzi. The Australian
takes Camozzi’s back and flattens him out with hooks, slipping
in the rear-naked choke for the tap at 1:35 of the first frame.
Chris
Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole
Round 1
Steve Perceval is the referee for this clash of American welterweights.
For his UFC debut, the Sydney-based Ebersole has shaved his chest
hair into a large arrow, which points to his face. There is no
touch of gloves as both men crouch low and stalk. Ebersole cartwheels
forward and tries to plant his heels on Lytle’s face, but
it’s blocked. Ebersole takes a right hand from Lytle and
feigns shock as he walks it off around the perimeter. Lytle pushes
forward from the center and drills a punch to the body of Ebersole,
then goes up top with a right hand. Both men feint and get the
other to flinch. Ebersole shoots and gets his head caught under
Lytle’s left arm. He bucks and tumbles forward, but still
can’t extract himself from Lytle’s guillotine. Ebersole
winds up underneath with a headlock of his own, but Lytle gets
free. As Ebersole stands, Lytle grabs the guillotine again and
falls back to guard. This one doesn’t last long and the
pair clinch against the fence with 60 seconds to go. Lytle pulls
guard with another guillotine with 45 seconds left, then switches
to a triangle. Neither stick and Ebersole, from guard, Mashes
Lytle’s head into the mat with his chest. Lytle is cut underneath
his left eye at the end of the round.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Lytle
Tomasz Marciniak scores the round 10-9 Lytle
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Ebersole
Round
2
Lytle lands hard right hooks and uppercuts while Ebersole jokes
them off. Nice right hand by Ebersole, but his follow-up shot
is stuffed. Lytle charges in and lands some uppercuts in close
quarters, then drills one to the body of Ebersole. Out of nowhere,
Ebersole connects with a huge, high right knee and Lytle's legs
give way. He crumbles to the floor near the fence and Ebersole
pounces. Lytle is hanging in there as Ebersole slaps on a brabo
choke. Lytle escapes but he’s still badly hurt with a minute
left on the clock. Back on the feet, Ebersole lands knees in
the clinch and scores with a standing elbow. Lytle grabs at a
guillotine and jumps guard, and Ebersole slams him to the floor.
He grinds and mashes Ebersole into the mat with his chest to
the end of the round.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Ebersole
Tomasz Marciniak scores the round 10-9 Ebersole
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Ebersole
Round
3
Ebersole tries his cartwheel kick again, and again it doesn’t
land flush. Lytle scores with a combination and Ebersole drags
him down. Lytle uses the cage to walk up and goes for another
guillotine. Lytle pulls guard one more time, then gets on top
when Ebersole tries to turn the corner. He gets Ebersole on his
back and the choke looks tight, but Ebersole survives. Ebersole
pops loose and puts Lytle’s back to the cage. Nice elbow
over the top from Ebersole as they stand in the clinch. Referee
Perceval calls for a break to replace Lytle’s mouthguard.
When they resume, it’s Ebersole kneeing in the clinch, then
dragging Lytle down with 45 seconds to go in the fight. Ebersole
stands over Lytle, who upkicks and then gets his mouthpiece knocked
out again when Ebersole dives through his guard. Lytle’s
face is covered with blood when time expires.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Ebersole (29-28 Ebersole)
Tomasz Marciniak scores the round 10-9 Lytle (29-28 Lytle)
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Lytle (29-28 Ebersole)
Official
scores: The judges’ scorecards read 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28,
all in favor of Brian Ebersole, who takes a unanimous decision
in his UFC debut.
George
Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver
Round 1
Leon Roberts returns to officiate this lightweight contest. Siver
comes out with snapping leg kicks and then begins lobbing feet
toward his opponent’s jaw. Sotiropoulos keeps his distance
and tries to find his range, connecting with a few long right
hands. Siver kicks to the body and Sotiropoulos sees his opportunity,
grabbing the leg and shoving the German into the fence. Siver
hops with it and stays upright. He clips Sotiropoulos with a
right hand and then stuffs a shot from the Aussie. Cracking outside
leg kick from Siver connect’s with Sotiropoulos’ left
knee, which is covered with a thin brace. Siver misses on his
trademark spinning back-kick, but he drops Sotiropoulos with
a murderous left hook. Sotiropoulos survives and gets to his
feet, only to be dropped again. The Australian grabs desperately
for a leg and Siver lets him back up. Siver landing more punches
and stuffs a shot from Sotiropoulos with 30 to go. A big overhand
right smashes Sotiropoulos’ grill.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-8 Siver
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Siver
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Siver
Round
2
Siver is going wild early, throwing windmill-style punches at
Sotiropoulos, who appears to have regained his wits between rounds.
Siver goes back to his crisper strikes and begins landing, but
Sotiropoulos is using his jab to keep his distance now. Sotiropoulos
can’t finish a takedown attempt and eats punches for his
trouble. He goes for a single and gets limp-legged by Siver.
Sotiropoulos begins throwing front kicks for distance while Siver
lands clean with outside leg kicks. Sotiropoulos lands his best
right hand of the fight and follows up with a left hook. Neither
man gaining much ground in the final minute until Sotiropoulos
corks Siver with a few combos in the last 20 seconds.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Sotiropoulos
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Sotiropoulos
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
3
Sotiropoulos catches a kick, but can’t spin Siver down.
The Australian stands in the pocket now and pumps his left jab
at Siver, who’s still working the leg kicks. Sotiropoulos
catches another and, instead of trying to take Siver down, punches
him in the face. A kick and one-two from Sotiropoulos has Siver
going backward into the fence. Sotiropoulos shoots a single-leg
from way out and gets stuffed, then eats a three- or four-punch
combo from Siver. Sotiropoulos’ corner tells him he has
to get a takedown. Siver finally lands his spinning kick, but
not quite flush. The leg kicks really appear to be bothering
Sotiropoulos with a minute left. Nonetheless, he’s putting
his jab in the face of Siver, who connects with a right hand
over the top and another side kick at the horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Siver (29-27 Siver)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Siver (29-28 Siver)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Siver (30-28 Siver)
Official
scores: The judges at cageside have it 29-28, 30-28 and 30-27,
all in favor of Dennis Siver. The unanimous verdict halts Sotiropoulos’
UFC win streak at seven.
Michael
Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
Round 1
Marc Goddard is the referee for the middleweight co-main event,
and he gets to work early, stepping between Bisping and Rivera
as Bisping wanders into the Octagon and toward the American corner.
There is no touch of gloves in the final instructions, nor as
the fight begins. Both men rush to the center of the cage and
meet, with Rivera firing first. His big right hand glances and
Bisping returns fire with a one-two. Another right from Rivera
and Bisping goes low, plowing Rivera down to the ground with
a double-leg. Bisping grabs the cage as he attempts to mount
and is warned. No matter, as they’re soon back on the feet
with Rivera throwing up his arms. Rivera’s right hand finds
its mark again, stumbling the Brit and prompting him to shoot
again. Rivera stuffs this one, but falls to another attempt seconds
later. Bisping scoots Rivera around in guard and lands short
elbows. Bisping stands and drills his left knee into the forehead
of Rivera, who is clearly grounded on both knees. Marc Goddard
halts the action instantly and the doctors rush to check on Rivera,
who was not knocked out cold, but does appear dazed. They ask
Rivera to stand and he does. Goddard asks Rivera if he can continue,
and Rivera asserts that he can. Goddard docks Bisping a point
for the infraction and the action resumes with two minutes left
in the opening round. Rivera clocks Bisping with a right hook.
Bisping shoots and is stuffed. He throws hands for a minute,
landing a few rights, and then finds success on another takedown
attempt. He stands and throws downward at Rivera, who eats a
few punches while scrambling back to his feet.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 9-9
Tomasz Marciniak scores the round 10-9 Rivera
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 9-9
Round
2
A cracking right hand from Rivera sends Bisping backward to the
canvas, but the Brit quickly regains his legs. He snaps a stiff
left jab off in Rivera’s face. Now it’s a series of
huge, wind-up right hooks by Bisping. Rivera is covering up on
his feet and Bisping begins mixing it up, alternating punches
and short elbows to the head and body. One big right hook drops
Rivera to a knee, and a few more punches seal the deal, as Goddard
calls it off at 1:54 of the second round. Bisping immediately
rushes to and appears to spit at Rivera’s corner, and then
comes back toward Rivera, who is still on the ground. Goddard
gets between them. Bisping has some words for Rivera -- “Go
home, loser,” among them -- but the two do hesitantly embrace
after cooling down.
B.J.
Penn vs. Jon Fitch
Round 1
Herb Dean draws officiating duties for the welterweight main
event. Penn and Fitch pace in their respective corners, staring
one another down. Fitch grimaces and Penn motions a throat slash.
At the onset, Penn rushes to clinch and looks for a takedown
while he presses Fitch into the fence. Fitch stuffs and takes
overhooks, landing a couple knees up the gut as Penn relents
on his single-leg. Fitch reverses and drops for a single of his
own, but Penn sprawls and hops against the cage while landing
smacking shots to Fitch’s face. Fitch reshoots the single-leg
and still can’t drag Penn down. They disengage and Penn
goes for a takedown of his own, effortlessly flooring the former
Purdue wrestler. Penn jumps onto Fitch’s back and locks
up a body triangle, but Fitch goes to his knees and Penn loses
it. The Hawaiian gets his hooks back in and rolls onto his back,
digging his heels into Fitch’s guts from underneath. Fitch
defends the choke and turns over, winding up in Penn’s guard,
where Penn soon kicks him off and stands. Fitch goes back to
the single-leg against the fence with 30 seconds to go, and again
it’s not working. Penn lands a few short punches and Fitch
closes the round with an elbow.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round
2
Fitch kicks high and nearly gets knocked off balance. Instead,
he comes forward and drives Penn down against the fence. Fitch
drives his knee into Penn’s legs a few times before B.J.
stands and retaliates with punches and elbows. Fitch gets back
up and the pair clinch along the outside. The wrestler drops
down and can’t execute; Penn answers with a hard, short
elbow that bloodies Fitch’s nose. Penn reverses and gets
his head caught momentarily. The fighters disengage with two
minutes to go. Penn takes Fitch down and once again hops on his
back. Penn gets his hooks and drops back, but same as in the
first frame, Fitch powers out and spins into the ex-champ’s
guard. Hard shots coming from Fitch on top, both to the face
and body of Penn, who gets up just before the end of the round.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
3
Fitch opens up with a cracking overhand right and powers through,
into Penn’s guard. He muscles “The Prodigy” into
the fence, but Penn kicks him off and stands quickly. Fitch shoots
again and brings B.J. down, and Penn is warned for grabbing the
cage. Penn stands with Fitch on his back, drilling knees into
Penn’s legs. Now Fitch shoves Penn to his knees, his face
colliding with the canvas. Back in Penn’s open guard, Fitch
gets busy with punches, but nothing powerful lands. The Sydney
crowd jeers the grinding style with half of the final round done.
Fitch is landing dozens of punches with no retaliation from Penn.
They’re not the hardest and Penn does not appear to be in
danger of being finished, but they’re certainly mounting.
Penn throws up his legs for a triangle, but it doesn’t come.
Fitch is throwing non-stop hammer fists and elbows from Penn’s
closed guard in the last minute.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch (29-28 Fitch)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-8 Fitch (29-28 Fitch)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Fitch (28-28 Draw)
Official
scores: Judge Barry Foley has it 29-28 in favor of Jon Fitch.
However, judges Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee see it 28-28,
making the bout a majority draw.
Source: Sherdog
|
Connecticut
Moves Towards MMA Sanctioning
By Mike Chiappetta
Legislation has been introduced in the state of Connecticut to
sanction mixed martial arts.
State
representative Matt Lesser recently introduced the proposal and
testified before the state legislature's Public Safety Committee.
UFC vice president of government and regulatory affairs Marc
Ratner also attended and spoke at a recent hearing at the state
capitol.
The
bill would regulate the sport while taxing ticket revenue. According
to the proposal, five percent of an event's gross receipts would
be paid to the state.
While
the 27-year-old Lesser introduced the bill, it is co-sponsored
by state senator Paul Doyle and state rep Mary Mushinsky.
Next
up in the process is a vote by the Public Safety Committee, which
is yet unscheduled but expected in the next few weeks.
Ironically,
mixed martial arts shows have taken place in the state for years.
Bellator has run three events in the state over the last two
years and is scheduled to run another on April 2, and even the
UFC produced an event there as recently as Oct. 2005. Because
of tribal sovereignty, Connecticut's two major Native American
reservations have hosted events with no presence from state government.
Both tribes do have their own in-house commissions.
If
Connecticut were to pass MMA sanctioning, New York, Vermont and
West Virginia would be the final holdouts among states with athletic
commissions who do not regulate the sport. All three states,
however, are considering legislation relating to the sport.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Bellator
35
Date: March 5, 2011
Venue: Tachi Palace Casino & Resort
Location: Lemoore, California
Season
4 Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinal Bouts:
-Jim Wallhead (20-5) vs. Rick Hawn (9-0)
-Anthony Lapsley (19-4) vs. Jay Hieron (19-4)
-Chris Lozano (6-0) vs. Lyman Good (10-1)
-Brent Weedman (17-5-1) vs. Dan Hornbuckle (22-3)
Preliminary
Bouts:
-Karina Hallinan (3-4) vs. Zoila Frausto (10-1)
-Waachiim Spiritwolf (8-7-1) vs. Jaime Jara (29-8)
-Josh Herrick (6-1) vs. Brandon Bender (7-0)
-Jesus Castro (0-1) vs. Paul Ruiz (0-1)
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
10
Questions for Dan Severn
by Mike
Whitman
Known
as “The Beast” inside the cage, Dan Severn burst on
the mixed martial arts scene as a decorated amateur wrestler
and fought his way to the final of the eight-man tournament.
Though he ultimately succumbed to a Royce Gracie triangle choke,
the Coldwater, Mich., native still had much left to do in the
sport.
Severn
returned six months later and ran the table at UFC 5, defeating
all three of his opponents to capture the tournament crown. A
black belt in judo and jiu-jitsu, he also competed at the inaugural
Pride Fighting Championships and World Extreme Cagefighting events
and holds victories over the likes of Forrest Griffin, Ken Shamrock,
Oleg Taktarov and David “Tank” Abbott. Severn was inducted
into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2005 and, at the age of 52, still
fights on a regular basis.
In
this exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Severn talks about
his early days in the UFC, his desire for a rematch against Gracie
and why he continues to compete.
Sherdog.com:
You are one of the guys who paved the road for today’s fighters.
In your early performances in the Octagon, we witnessed for the
first time in an organized fight that wrestling was a devastating
martial art. When you look back at your first event, UFC 4, what
stands out the most in your mind?
Severn: My preparation with pro wrestling protégé
Al Snow and his trainees in Lima, Ohio, [comes to mind]. The
closest thing to a cage I had was a pro wrestling ring. We did
a week-long [camp] of training. I never trained a single strike
or submission. I was a true world-class amateur wrestler when
I first walked into the cage.
Sherdog.com:
To that effect, what was your favorite memory of those first
few events in which you participated? It has to be suplexing
Anthony Macias all over the cage at UFC 4, right?
Severn: Nothing big comes to mind, but I ate a lot of elbows
from Anthony Macias. The first belly-to-back was all right, but
I was more motivated to make an impression the second time around.
Sherdog.com:
Can you explain how you felt stepping into a cage to fight in
what was essentially a no-holds-barred contest -- was your adrenaline
through the roof?
Severn: Based on all of my competition before that, especially
international [competition], I believe I was very well prepared
mentally. After wrestling in the country of Turkey as a teen-ager
against men twice my size who looked twice my age, nothing can
be crazier.
Sherdog.com:
If you could have one fight back -- avenge one loss -- which
fight would you choose? I’ve heard you talk about your loss
to Gracie, and it really seemed like you wanted another crack
at him.
Severn: I would like another shot at Royce, all in the spirit
of competition.
Sherdog.com:
You’re 52. You’ve done all there is to do in this sport.
You’re a tournament winner, a Superfight champion, a UFC
hall of famer and you have almost 120 documented professional
fights to your credit in 16 years of MMA competition. Why do
you continue fighting?
Severn: Ultimately, I have unfinished business. I would like
to have another opportunity at a few competitors from my past.
In the meantime, I am keeping fresh by actively competing.
Sherdog.com:
You certainly do stay active. If you’re not fighting, you’re
traveling and putting on seminars. What is it like teaching so
many people martial arts?
Severn: Teaching is my gift, and I enjoy doing it. It’s
what I have a degree in from Arizona State University. I have
been doing it since 1972.
Sherdog.com:
Could you tell us a little about your law enforcement training
program, “Danger Zone” -- is there anything special
about your system?
Severn: Simplicity, major muscle groups, natural reactionary
skills, as opposed to fine motor skills. [It also considers]
adrenaline dump and, most importantly, the lack of preparation.
Sherdog.com:
Out of the current crop of MMA talent, who do enjoy watching?
Severn: Because of my crazy schedule, it is difficult to watch
certain events, but when I do, I enjoy watching [Georges St.
Pierre] due to his professionalism and preparation.
Sherdog.com:
You fought five times in 2010 and fought for yet another title
in January. Could you explain a little about that bout?
Severn: In terms of my thinking, it was another match, another
stepping stone to my end goals.
Sherdog.com:
Do you have anything you would like to say to our readers?
Severn: I’ve always viewed myself as a competitor, not a
fighter. Life is a competition, and you must prepare yourself
both mentally and physically for success. I appreciate the support
I receive from everyone on a daily basis.
Source:
Sherdog
|
MMA
Diet: Supplements
by Cameron Conaway
Many nutritionists I’ve met instruct their clients to avoid
supplements or say that supplements aren’t needed. The reality
is that supplements, while they may not be absolutely essential,
will be taken. The reality is that many nutritionists are amazingly
knowledgeable about nutritional concepts and food choices, but
severely lacking in knowledge about modern-day sport supplements.
The result is that the nutritionist tries to avoid wading into
waters where they may feel uncomfortable. This is at once noble
(because they are not going beyond their scope of practice) and
unfortunate (because fighters are going to get supplement information
somewhere and it’s better to come from a studied nutritionist
rather than a supplement company or buddy at the gym).
Here’s
the short of it: Supplements can and do change to bodies in miraculous
ways. Bodybuilders incorporate fat burners during the final six
weeks before a show and they are able to get absolutely shredded
before they hit the stage. As we’ve seen in baseball, players
are able to hit more homeruns when they are “juicing.”
However, while we know that many supplements do work, what we
don’t know precisely is what else they may be doing to our
bodies. Many researchers suggest that steroids can cause muscles
to grow stronger than what the tendons and ligaments can support
and stabilize and that this leads to injuries. Others assert
that steroids can lead to heart disease and hormone deregulation
– this opens the door for basically every known human health
problem.
We
know that protein shakes can help athletes recover from strenuous
workouts.
We
know that energy drinks can provide a burst of energy, but that
the body responds in two ways: It usually crashes when the energy
supplement wears off, or it responds to the supplement well for
a few weeks and then adapts to it and no longer feels its effects
– the latter can cause fighters to “megadose”
and take more than the recommended dosage.
We
know that supplements are often so refined and processed that
they’ve lost many of the important properties contained
within whole foods. Mark Haub, nutrition professor at Kansas
State University, recently made news because he lost 27 pounds
in two months while eating only Twinkies, Oreo cookies, powdered
donuts and other sweets. He ate 1800 calories per day. He proved
his premise: In weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters
most – not the food’s nutritional value.
However,
because the media is infatuated with “weight,” it's
only given a short period of time to convey a large piece of
information and, through no fault of their own, are a bit ignorant
regarding nutrition, they dropped the ball on how they presented
this “diet.” By relying on refined junk foods, Mark
Haub was robbing his body of the important chemical compounds
in real foods. Here is a list of antioxidants in just one sprig
of thyme: 4-Terpineol, alanine, anethole, apigenin, ascorbic
acid, beta carotene, caffeic acid, camphene, carvacrol, chlorogenic
acid, chrysoeriol, eriodictyol, eugenol, ferulic acid, gallic
acid, gamma-terpinene isocholorgenic acid, isoeugenol, isothymonin,
kaempferol, labiatic acid, lauric acid, linalyl acetate, luteolin,
methionine, myrcene, myristic acid, naringenin, oleanolic acid,
p-coumoric acid, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, palmitic acid, rosmarinic
acid, selenium, tannin, thymol, tryptophan, ursolic acid, vanillic
acid.
However,
many of the media who presented the study called it the “Twinkie
Diet” despite the fact that Mark Haub also took a multivitamin
pill and drank a protein shake daily. And he ate vegetables,
typically a can of green beans or three to four celery stalks.
The media conveniently withheld this information because it wouldn’t
be as big of a hit.
(1)
A safe recommendation regarding supplements is to use what is
regarded as the safest of the supplements – protein shakes
– when you’re in a hurry. Try to use your own powder
rather than a ready-to-drink shake. Powders will often contain
less preservatives and contain fewer filler ingredients. Look
for: Micellar Casein, Casein, Whey and/or Egg as the first ingredient.
(2)
Be wary of other supplements – including those claiming
to boost energy or burn fat. While protein shakes have been proven
relatively safe, many other products on the market can increase
your heart rate at rest and cause the body’s hormones to
respond differently. This may or may not have long-term health
risks, and it’s generally not worth the money, especially
when a rich cup of organic coffee can give you the same boost
and contains many other health benefits as well.
(3)
A multivitamin might not hurt or hurt much, but it might not
help or help much either. Eat a variety of colorful foods and
your body will pull from those foods what it needs.
(4)
Fish oil is a supplement worth taking.
(5)
Vitamin D is a supplement worth taking.
There’s
the crash course on supplements.
Source:
Sherdog
|
New
Jersey commission: Emelianenko will honor suspension, not fight
in sambo tourney
by Steven Marrocco
Fedor Emelianenko (31-3 MMA, 1-2 SF) will pass on competing in
combat sambo to honor a medical suspension issued to him by the
New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.
NJSACB
legal counsel Nick Lembo today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)
that Emelianenko's camp has assured him the heavyweight won't
participate in a national sambo tournament to be held this weekend
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Sambo
is a martial art system originally developed for the Russian
military and bears many similarities to MMA in its emphasis on
both striking and grappling. It's considered a national sport
in Russia, and many competitions are held worldwide.
Emelianenko,
a longtime sambo devotee, received two medical suspensions following
a TKO loss to Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the quarterfinals
of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, which was held Feb.
12 at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. He was suspended indefinitely
pending a clear CT scan of his head and facial bones and also
suspended 90 days for strikes to the head, as MMAjunkie.com previously
reported.
"The
Last Emperor" hinted he might retire following the loss
– his second consecutive setback in a virtually unblemished
10-year career – but a representative for M-1 Global, his
managerial and promotional company, earlier this week informed
ESPN.com that the fighter would compete in the tournament.
"Fedor's
in, definitively," said Evgeni Kogan, M-1 Global's director
of operations.
Lembo
said he was contacted this past Friday by M-1 Global about Emelianenko's
plans and said he explained the terms of the suspension.
"There
was some confusion since it was the first time they were dealing
with a commission-issued medical suspension, and the confusion
surrounded whether the 90 days stays in effect if he provided
a clear CT scan of the head and facial bones," Lembo said.
"He has provided the required CT scan, and that's under
medical review."
Lembo
said Emelianenko's suspension could be upheld, reduced, or removed
depending on the recommendation of NJSACB doctors. He added that
fighters who competed under medical suspension typically had
their fight license revoked for one year in addition to being
placed on a national registry that would in all likelihood bar
them from competing in states with athletic commissions.
Although
Emelianenko's loss took him out of the Strikeforce heavyweight
grand prix, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker hinted that he could
be brought back as an alternate in the event of an injury or
other complication in the tournament. So, for now, it looks like
the Russian is laying low.
"It's
my understanding that they are going to honor the suspension
and he is not going to compete," Lembo said.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
Fight 24
Seattle at Key Arena
3/26/11
By Zach
Arnold
Television:
Spike TV
Dark
matches
Middleweights:
Mario Miranda vs. Aaron Simpson
Welterweights: Dennis Hallman vs. TJ Waldburger
Heavyweights: Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
Bantamweights: Michael McDonald vs. Nick Pace
Welterweights: John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
Heavyweights: Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
Featherweights: Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier
Main card
Featherweights:
Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan
Welterweights: Amir Sadollah vs. Duane Ludwig
Welterweights: Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson
Light Heavyweights: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Phil Davis
Source: Fight Opinion
|
MFC
29 Scheduled for April 8 in Newly Sanctioned Ontario, Canada
Maximum
Fighting Championships, in partnership with S.L. Feldman &
Associates, announced on Thursday that MFC 29: Conquer will take
place in the recently sanctioned province of Ontario. The event
is slated for April 8 at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor.
MFC
welterweight champion Douglas Lima will make the first defense
of his title on the show.
“I’m
very excited and looking forward to the event in Ontario,”
said Lima. “I’m happy to be defending my title there.
I am training very hard and I’m ready to fight my heart
out.”
UFC
veterans David Heath and Marvin Eastman will square off in a
middleweight bout at MFC 29 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Other
fighters slated for the promotion’s Ontario debut are undefeated
welterweight Andreas Spang, and Windsor hometown fighters Chucky
Mady at featherweight and unbeaten light-heavyweight Ali Mokdad.
“This
will be the biggest and best lineup we have ever put together,”
said MFC president Mark Pavelich.
MFC
29: Conquer will air live on HDNet Fights
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Rivera’s
Amazing Comeback Continues
By Thomas
Gerbasi
"I
expect a fight. And if he sits there and wants to fight and not
run away, I’m gonna knock him out.”
“Michael
Bisping and I share a birthday,” laughs Jorge Rivera, born
on February 28, 1972, the same day his opponent at UFC 127, Bisping,
was brought into the world seven years later. “One of us
is gonna have a happier birthday than the other.”
If
the soon to be 39 year old Rivera appears to be having a good
time in the lead-up to the biggest fight of his career this weekend,
that would be an accurate assessment. One only needs to check
out the series of youtube videos “El Conquistador”
and his team have fired off at Bisping in the past few weeks
for proof of that. Watch the videos
But
beyond the laughs and good times that come with following the
resurgent Rivera these days, there is still an edge that reminds
you that when the gloves are taped on and the Octagon door shuts,
he is a fighter. And Rivera wants nothing more than to trap Bisping
in a fight.
“The
way I look at Michael Bisping is he’s a points fighter,”
said Rivera. “I would never give him a title shot fighting
the way he fights right now because he’s not exciting –
it’s constant decisions. No one wants to see a guy that’s
always ending up in a decision. And if it is a decision, at least
smash a guy out. He doesn’t – he runs.”
It’s
pecks and pokes like these that have buzzed around Bisping’s
head in the lead up to the fight, and while he’s mostly
kept a cool head in response, it’s obvious that he’s
seething at the abuse he’s been taking on the internet,
especially considering that he thinks he’s fighting someone
who’s not in his league.
“He
thinks he’s above me and I find that hilarious,” said
Rivera, who isn’t smiling anymore. “Anybody that fights
in that cage can kick your ass. You go in there thinking that
you can walk through me…”
He
pauses before cutting his comment short.
“I
hope he’s training hard because I am.”
A
veteran with nearly a decade in the pro game, Rivera has never
been one to mince words, but he’s also not one to engage
in a trash-talking campaign against his opponents. Of course
that hasn’t stopped him from being a participant in plenty
of punishing brawls where either he or his opponent wound up
on the bad end of a knockout. Where he comes from - Framingham,
Massachusetts - your fists speak louder than any words can.
So
in the weeks leading up to what should have been his most recent
fight, against Alessio Sakara at UFC 122 in Germany last November,
there were no ill words spoken, just a mutual respect between
two 185-pounders who were going to fight like bitter enemies
for 15 minutes or less on event night.
But
there would be no fight, as Sakara fell ill on the day of fight
and the bout was canceled.
“It’s
really weird because I never had something like that happen,”
said Rivera. “As soon as they told me that, all I wanted
to do was go take a nap. It was a huge adrenalin dump. I went
from being pumped up to being like ‘what am I gonna do?’
What do I do now? Do I hang out in the back, do I go watch the
fight?”
Rivera
soon came up with something to do.
“I
sat there for a few minutes, had a couple drinks, and started
talking s**t. (Laughs) And it got me what I wanted and here we
are.”
The
talk that day in Germany centered around one person – Michael
Bisping. And amazingly, it got him the fight. It’s almost
as if he won the Sakara fight and moved on to bigger things –
a UFC 127 co-main event in Australia.
“It’s
weird and it is like that,” he said. “I have nothing
but the utmost respect for Alessio. I know he wanted to fight,
even being sick. But it was a win-win for me. The UFC took care
of me, and I got paid even though I didn’t get a scratch
on my face.”
And
he got the man he wanted to fight, the pride of UK MMA and one
of the bigger names in the sport. If Rivera wins, that’s
four victories in a row and the most improbable of comebacks
will add another chapter. And let’s not mince words because
no one, save Rivera’s teammates and family, thought he would
make it here after his first round losses to Terry Martin and
Martin Kampmann in 2007-08. Sure, he fit a first round knockout
of Kendall Grove in between, but that was going to be his fighting
epitaph – win some, lose some, but never have the consistency
to take it to the next level. And when his daughter Janessa tragically
passed away in 2008, that was the crushing blow you couldn’t
imagine him rebounding from.
But
he did. Slowly, but surely, he beat Nissen Osterneck, then Rob
Kimmons, and then Nate Quarry, looking more impressive with each
outing. At 38, Rivera had finally arrived, had consistency on
his side, and now he has a chance to show the world just what
he can offer on the sport’s premier stage. Ask him if he
ever thought he’d get here, and he’s brutally honest.
“I
remember going into the Osterneck thinking if I lose, this is
it. The same thing with the Kimmons fight. The Quarry fight I
had a little more confidence and now I realize that I can do
this. And I’m excited.”
And
after everything he’s been through, a little pre-fight banter
with an opponent is not likely to make him nervous.
“There’s
nothing that Michael Bisping can do to me that hasn’t been
done to me in my life already,” he said. “He’s
running his mouth and I don’t care.”
Rivera’s
not looking past “The Count” though. He knows that
he has a fight waiting for him at the Acer Arena.
“It’s
a good fight. He’s got good cardio, he’s got decent
standup, he’s been working his ground and pound. He fought
Dan Miller and Denis Kang, who are both very good black belts
and they weren’t able to submit him, so at the very least,
he can avoid submissions. He’s also got decent takedowns,
so it’s not like I’m thinking that he’s gonna
be a walk in the park. I expect a fight. And if he sits there
and wants to fight and not run away, I’m gonna knock him
out.”
Former
heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was quoted over the last
few years as saying “you’re smart too late and old
too soon.” At 38, Jorge Rivera seems to have found that
balance between knowing what it takes to win in this game and
still having enough left in the tank to achieve it. Sure, it
would have been nice to figure all that stuff out five years
ago, but he doesn’t drive himself crazy with thought like
that.
“I
used to do it all the time, but you really can’t do that
in life,” he said. “If I hadn’t had the experiences
that I had during that time, I wouldn’t be who I am now.
I learned a long time ago that doing that is useless, it doesn’t
even serve a purpose. I don’t bother doing that.”
And
hey, everybody loves a good comeback tale.
“I
think it’s a story that a lot of people can relate to,”
said Rivera. “In life we all have our struggles and it’s
how we handle them and how we persevere. I’m flattered,
I’m grateful, and I appreciate all the love and the fanfare,
I really do. We’re in this life together and I acknowledge
that, and I need people around me. I appreciate the love and
I want it, and I want to reciprocate it to everybody who gives
it to me. We’re all human, we all experience the same things,
we all feel the same things, and we all want the same things.
I think once we acknowledge that, we push forward to a higher
level.”
This
weekend, Rivera keeps pushing. And no matter the outcome, this
is one crazy rollercoaster ride that he’s not ready to get
off yet.
“I
enjoy it a lot more,” he said. “And so is my family.
The thing that matters to me most in this life is that we’re
in this together. I’m not doing this alone. They’re
there for me and they support me, and I’m so grateful. I
really am. My life is sweet and I really can’t complain.”
Source:
UFC
|
What’s
old is new again in Japanese MMA
By Zach Arnold
Over
the weekend, I was interviewed by a writer about my career and
about the history of the Japanese fight scene in the last three
decades. (The transcript will be available in a couple of weeks.)
A lot of memories came back to the surface, but one thing I often
find myself doing in these kinds of interview situations is throwing
out thoughts about the way Japan works and having the person
on the other end of the line go, “Oh, so that’s how
(such and such) works…” Whether I intend to or not,
usually the interviewer’s (proverbial) light bulb turns
on and they start connecting the dots.
From
the collapse of the pro-wrestling industry there to the collapse
of mainstream MMA organizations, there’s a lot of history
to cover and a lot of big names who seemingly never want to go
away and leave.
Before
I talk about one individual in particular, I wanted to bring
you up to speed on the latest that is happening in Japan regarding
the Sumo match fixing scandal that has horribly deteriorated:
The
Japan Times: Three former sumo wrestlers, one mom charged with
gambling
Yomiuri Shimbun: Sumo reform panel reports plan to JSA
Mainichi Daily News: Only half of wrestlers in bout-fixing probe
submit working mobile phones
Yomiuri Shimbun: Never again business as usual
Mainichi Daily News: Yokozuna Hakuho’s attendant questioned
by investigative panel
Yomiuri Shimbun: Sumo bout-riggers deserve tough penalties
The Australian: Sumo’s fall proves no sport is indestructible
Newsweek: Japan’s big fat Sumo scandal
Yomiuri Shimbun: Six months needed to analyze text messages on
foreign-made cell phones
Mainichi Daily News: Revenge of Shukan Gendai — magazine
demands compensation from Sumo Association
I guess the only comfort is that at least it’s not Bulgaria.
To
put an exclamation point on matters, an NHK subsidiary will no
longer publish a Sumo magazine. NHK, of course, the Government-operated
Japanese channel. There will only be one ‘major’ Sumo
magazine left. Which reminds me of some questions I was asked
during my interview on Saturday about the collapse of the magazines
in Japan for professional wrestling. Back in the 90s before the
Internet became the dominant force that it is today, the primary
means of information for fans was to pay $5 for Gong or Weekly
Pro to look at the great pictures and articles. The promotions
used the magazines as a platform to run angles and sell shows.
The magazines at times even got into the event promoting business
to put on co-promotional shows. Once the magazine platform started
to die, it was bad news for wrestling. The magazine situation
for MMA in Japan is certainly not as healthy now as it was, say,
five years ago. Media has always been a critical component for
the fight industry in Japan. When kami no puroresu was a growing
publication, it’s editor was Noboru Yamaguchi. He was very
close to PRIDE and Nobuyuki Sakakibara. Yamaguchi ended up being
a figurehead for the Hustle wrestling promotion. When UFC did
the PRIDE asset sale deal agreement, it was absurd to watch Hustle
run wrestling angles out of the same offices that UFC counsel
Jamie Pollack was trying to work in with Japanese staffers to
start PRIDE events in the country.
Boldness
is nothing new for Mr. Sakakibara. According to web site Miruhon.net
(you can go there if you read Japanese and buy their e-book report),
Mr. Sakakibara’s name was mentioned in regards to a possible
return to MMA. This news picked up interest last week in the
English-reading MMA world because of these tweets (here and here)
by Gryphon, which then got picked up on the Nightmare of Battle
web site. I did not access the Miruhon e-book report nor have
I commented on the story until today (because I did not get a
chance to read the Miruhon report in question).
Things
don’t look too hot right now for K-1, so I’m not surprised
to see another splinter group being discussed. As far as this
promotion having any hope of a strong television deal, you can
forget about it. In fact, if Sakakibara returns to MMA on this
kind of scale, it will remind me a lot of Eric Bischoff’s
return to wrestling in TNA. (For those who don’t follow
pro-wrestling, this would not be a positive analogy.)
I’ve
always wondered what happened to the money that UFC sent for
the asset sale agreement. I’ve been curious as to well to
find out what the terms of settlement were when UFC tried to
go to court for breach of contract against Sakakibara after he
had signed a consulting agreement. Am I surprised at the thought
of the man wanting to return to MMA? No. I learned not to be
surprised by anything he does after I watched the man pay tribute
to himself on the final PRIDE show ever in Japan in the masturbatory
manner that he did.
Do
I think he would be effective if he returned to the scene? Maybe,
to an extent. In my opinion, he’s poison for any television
executive to work with. The yakuza scandal stench is strong and
the police in 2011 are not in any mood to deal with more scandals.
The problem is that without a major television deal, he doesn’t
have the cash to flaunt to fighters and money can buy you a lot
of loyalty. However, that loyalty has an expiration date and
so does, in my eyes, Sakakibara’s shelf-life in the fight
business. I could be proven wrong about that, but unlikely so.
And
yet, I think he could be a more impactful player in Japan than
UFC can. I’m sure you’ve read this article today about
how UFC sees the Japanese marketplace. The problem is this —
what works in other Asian countries doesn’t work in Japan.
Plus, given that it’s the Japanese fight industry, there’s
no textbook on how to be successful. You either have to be enormous
experience in the pro-wrestling industry there or else know people
who ‘get it’ and get very lucky.
I’ve
written this before and I’ll write it here again for reference.
There are major strikes against UFC doing long-term consistent
business in Japan that the promotion will unlikely be able to
overcome.
They
are not a Japanese company. I don’t care how big UFC is
worldwide, they are not nor will they ever be viewed as a Japanese
company. This is a huge hurdle. Even if Zuffa was able to get
a Japanese front man, it would be a challenge. Their front man
happens to be a white guy. That’s a strike against the organization.
I’m not racist, but I am telling you how things operate
in the country. It’s very difficult for Zuffa to get a network
TV deal on a big-money scale because they are not Japanese.
They are not viewed as a Japanese product. By that I mean the
following — they do not use a pro-wrestling ring. They do
not use a PRIDE-style production set-up. The visuals are a legitimate
strike against the company. Jordan Breen mocks online fans who
say that MMA just ‘isn’t the same any more’ without
PRIDE around and I think he misses the boat when he does so.
I completely understand that fan mentality and it exists in Japan.
UFC needs a major Japanese MMA promotion to produce stars. This
sounds like a very obtuse idea, but I’ll point out what
I’ve learned over many, many years with the fight scene
in Japan. There’s two ways to cash in big in Japan with
native athletes. The first method is that a Japanese promotion
has to produce the anointed crop of uber-rookies and then those
rookies are ’sent overseas’ to conquer the foreigners
so they can come back home to fight… for their home Japanese
promotion. The second method is that the major Japanese promotion
brings over foreigners and pays them a lot and hopes that they
lose to the natives. This plays off of the fans’ psyche
that Japan is the world stage and therefore if you want to be
legitimate, you have to come to Japan. If you’re noticing
already, both methods of producing Japanese stars are almost
impossible for UFC to pull off. This is why WWE has not been
able to make it in Japan despite making it everywhere else in
the world, including vanquishing some popularity of Lucha Libre
in vaunted Mexico.
The most that UFC should ever expect to do in Japan in terms
of business is run occasional spot shows with a promotional company
like Total Sports Asia (similar to what WWE did at Yokohama Arena
in 2003) and hope for the best. However, if they think that they
can draw consistently on the fumes of Yoshihiro Akiyama &
Kid Yamamoto and on the back of Yushin Okami, they’re going
to be in for a rude awakening. If UFC can manage to understand
the history that I laid out here and keep expectations low, they
will be OK. They just need to realize that they will never be
#1 in Japan in MMA long-term — even in the horrible climate
that the business currently is in right now in Japan.
Understand
that I don’t say any of this with malice towards Zuffa.
The idea of Sakakibara having as good, if not a better, chance
to do things again in Japan instead of UFC is nauseating. So,
when it comes to UFC talking about big plans for Japan versus
actually executing them, reality may set in that the mountain’s
a lot higher to climb and that the game may be rigged against
them no matter how much money they spend.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Brian
Stann vs. Jorge Santiago Official for UFC 130
By Mike Chiappetta
After
a few intense weeks of speculation, Jorge Santiago is officially
into the UFC and signed up for a match with Brian Stann, the
UFC has confirmed.
The
matchup between the pair will take place at UFC 130 on May 28.
Stann
had been originally expected to face Wanderlei Silva until Silva
informed the promotion he wouldn't be ready by the May date.
That left the door open for Santiago, who was the reigning Sengoku
middleweight champion when he asked for and received his release
to pursue opportunities in the U.S.
Santiago
(23-8) has won 11 of his last 12 fights, most recently defeating
Kazuo Misaki by fifth-round TKO in an epic scrap that many considered
one of the best bouts of 2010.
He
trains at American Top Team in Florida.
Meanwhile,
Stann proved himself to be a player in the UFC's middleweight
division after dropping down from light-heavyweight. He debuted
in the weight class with a submission win over Mike Massenzio
in April 2010, and then opened more eyes with a Jan. 2011 first-round
TKO win over iron-chinned Chris Leben.
UFC
130 is headlined by a lightweight championship match with challenger
Gray Maynard taking on titleholder Frankie Edgar in a rematch
of their New Year's Day draw. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
vs. Matt Hamill will serve as the co-main event.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
M-1
Global and Showtime Announce M-1 Challenge March 25 Telecast
M-1
Global and Showtime, as MMAWeekly.com reported last week, reached
an agreement to air four M-1 Challenge events on the network
in 2011, beginning with the promotion’s March 25 event.
M-1
Global and Showtime Sports on Wednesday made the March 25 telecast
official, announcing M-1 Challenge: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa, featuring
two title bouts, will start at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the
West Coast).
Artiom
Damkovsky will defend his M-1 Challenge lightweight championship
against Jose Figueroa, while Tyson Jeffries and Magomed Sultanakhmedov
will battle for the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight belt from
Constant Center in Norfolk, Va.
In
other action, Alexander Sarnavskiy will take on Josh Bacallao
in a lightweight scrap and Vinny Magalhaes will fight an opponent
to be named in a light heavyweight match-up.
Mauro
Ranallo will call the action from ringside along with fellow
Strikeforce broadcaster Pat Miletich serving as analyst.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: Penn vs. Fitch Today!
Hawaii
Time
UFC Pre-lims 4:00 pm SPIKE Channel 559 (Oceanic)
UFC 127 Main Card 5:00PM Channel 701 (Oceanic)
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Sydney, Australia,
on Sunday, February 27, for UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch. BJ Penn
and Jon Fitch square off in a pivotal main event.
UFC
president Dana White recently declared that the winner between
Penn and Fitch will be the No. 1 contender for the welterweight
title currently wrapped around Georges St-Pierre’s waist.
The
full fight card is below. Keep in mind that the live event takes
place on Sunday, Feb. 27, in Sydney, but, due to the time difference,
the pay-per-view airs live in its normal Saturday night time
slot at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET in the United States.
UFC
127: Penn vs. Fitch Full Fight Card:
Date: February 27, 2011
Venue: Acer Arena
Location: Sydney, Australia
Main
Bouts:
-Jon Fitch (23-3; #2 Welterweight)* vs. B.J. Penn (16-7-1)
-Michael Bisping (20-3; #9 Middleweight)* vs. Jorge Rivera (19-7)
-George Sotiropoulos (14-2) vs. Dennis Siver (17-7)
-Chris Lytle (30-17-5) vs. Brian Ebersole (46-14-1)
-Chris Camozzi (14-3) vs. Kyle Noke (18-4-1)
Preliminary
Bouts (On Ion Television):
-Ross Pearson (11-4) vs. Spencer Fisher (24-6)
-James Te Huna (12-4) and Alexander Gustafsson (10-1)
-Riki Fukuda (17-4) vs. Nick Ring (10-0)
Preliminary
Bouts (On Facebook.com/UFC):
-Tom Blackledge (10-6) vs. Anthony Perosh (10-6)
-Tiequan Zhang (12-1) vs. Jason Reinhardt (20-1)
Preliminary
Bouts (Non-Televised):
-Mark Hunt (5-7) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (21-3)
-Maciej Jewtuszko (8-0) vs. Curt Warburton (6-2)
*Based
on the MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: By the Odds
By Ben Fowlkes
Right now in Sydney, Australia it is already tomorrow, which
means the people there are, at least from my perspective, living
in the future. This terrifies me.
When
you combine that with creepy images of koala bears staring at
you with those huge, dead eyes and kangaroos bouncing around
like some bizarre cartoon, it makes wagering on UFC 127 in such
a foreign land a pretty daunting concept. Fortunately, the oddsmakers
who set the betting lines for MMA fights are still located in
their cozy offshore locations, so at least that much hasn't changed.
Below,
let's look at how those crafty internet bookmakers see things
shaking out, and where they might be mistaken.
B.J.
Penn (+160) vs. Jon Fitch (-200)
Penn
admits that he'll be undersized against Fitch, even if he does
manage to down four pounds of water before the weigh-in. Since
Fitch's whole game is built around takedowns and top control,
and since Penn struggled in those areas against Frankie Edgar,
who is much smaller and not as dominant a wrestler, one wonders
how he plans on winning this fight. By stuffing all Fitch's takedowns?
By submitting or sweeping him from the bottom? By knocking him
out in the opening moments, like Penn did to Matt Hughes in their
last fight? I can't say, but I don't like his chances to do any
of those things. From what we've seen lately, Penn seems to have
a Jon Fitch-shaped hole in his defenses.
My pick: Fitch. At 2-1 he's better suited for the parlay, but
I don't see how he doesn't spend fifteen minutes grinding away
at Penn from the top.
Michael
Bisping (-325) vs. Jorge Rivera (+250)
It's
hard to stay objective and stay focused on the facts after Rivera's
aggressive YouTube campaign against Bisping. And yet, Bisping's
reaction at this week's press conference pretty much confirmed
that the videos succeeded in getting under his skin. If he gets
so mad he tries to come right at Rivera and knock him out, he'll
be playing into Rivera's hands. Bisping would do well to fight
Rivera the way he fought Leben, but the angrier he gets the less
likely that seems. Rivera needs to make this a brawl and he knows
it. In that sense, getting Bisping riled up might have been the
smartest thing he could have done. Unless he loses, in which
case he'll end up looking pretty foolish.
My pick: Rivera. At these odds, and with the possibility that
Bisping might play fight away from his own strengths to try and
prove a point, he's worth the risk.
George
Sotiropoulos (-500) vs. Dennis Siver (+300)
As
much as I like watching Siver fight (especially when he lands
that signature spinning back kick of his), I have to admit that
his chances seem pretty slim in this fight. He's a tough son
of a buck who can take it as well as he can dish it out, but
he's undersized and overmatched here. The biggest question will
be whether Sotiropoulos can finish him or not. My guess is yes,
but only late in the fight after wearing him down on the feet
and then forcing Siver into desperation mode. That's when Sotiropoulos
will lock on a submission, and there will be much merry-making
by the Aussie crowd.
My pick: Sotiropoulos. At 5-1 he kind of makes my parlay seem
sad and pathetic, but since this seems to be the easiest lock
on the whole card, I'll take it.
Chris
Lytle (-270) vs. Brian Ebersole (+210)
Normally
you might look at a guy like Ebersole and say, 'Well, at least
he's got a ton of experience.' But against Lytle, who has over
fifty pro MMA bouts himself, I'm not sure how much that's going
to help. Ebersole has more than sixty fights to his credit, and
you don't get to that point without learning a few tricks. Still,
I don't see anything he can really threaten Lytle with. Lytle's
a better boxer, he's better with submissions, and there's no
way the bright lights of the UFC will take him out of his game
one bit.
My pick: Lytle. I'm actually surprised not to see him listed
as a heavier favorite, but it's still parlay all the way on this
one.
Kyle
Noke (-225) vs. Chris Camozzi (+185)
Just
judging from how each man has progressed after his time on 'The
Ultimate Fighter,' Noke certainly seems to have the brighter
future. He has more quality experience than Camozzi, and has
certainly fought more impressive names (even if he didn't beat
them all). That's not to say that this isn't still a competitive
fight, however. Camozzi has gotten a little bit better with each
successive Octagon appearance, even if he still seems like he's
not quite on Noke's level. Camozzi's best chance is to put Noke
on the defensive early and keep him there. That's easier said
than done, however.
My pick: Noke. Coming out of Jackson's camp and fighting back
at home Down Under, I don't see him losing this. Another one
for the parlay.
Quick
Picks:
-
Riki Fukada (-130) over Nick Ring (even). Ring may have the potential
to be a star some day, but he hasn't fought since his stint on
TUF. Surgery, followed by a long rehab, is not the best way to
spend the months leading up to your UFC debut.
-
Spencer Fisher (+160) over Ross Pearson (-200). It's a bit of
a risk, but Fisher is one of the better underdog choices on this
card. He'll have his hands full, but he could certainly pull
this one out, and at these odds he's worth small action.
-
The (For Entertainment Purposes Only) Parlay: Fitch + Sotiropoulos
+ Lytle + Noke. And what the heck, let's throw Alexander Gustafsson
in there too. Phil Davis has yet to steer me wrong.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Pros
Pick: Penn vs. Fitch
by Mike Sloan
The
gifted but enigmatic B.J. Penn returns to the Octagon against
perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch in the UFC 127 headliner
on Saturday at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. There, Penn,
a former two-division champion, will put his immense natural
ability to the test against one of the best fighters the welterweight
division has to offer.
Sherdog.com
recently caught up with dozens of professional trainers and fighters
to gauge their opinions on the matchup:
Nick
Thompson: This fight between B.J. and Fitch reminds me of something
that happened to Derrick Noble many years ago. Derrick, a former
member of an elite United States Army Special Forces, was walking
into town minding his own business, when the overzealous sheriff
drove him out of town because the sheriff disliked drifters.
Noble stood his ground and walked right back in to town. After
being arrested, the sheriff’s deputies harassed Noble. Then
Noble snapped. Noble fought his way out of the jail and headed
into the mountains. The police followed, but Noble used his combat
experience, setting booby traps and maiming his pursuers. At
this point, I flew in to meet with the sheriff. I advised him
that it would be better to let Noble go, but the sheriff persisted.
Continuing to be attacked by the sheriff’s men, Noble headed
back in to the town and laid waste to the area. He then entered
the police station and cornered the sheriff. He was about ready
to kill him when I entered the station and talked him down.
Chris
Wilson: I don’t usually give half-hearted decisions. Usually,
I have a clear answer in my mind, but this is a tough call for
me. You have two guys who are very hard to bet against. Will
B.J. be the first guy in a long time to finish Fitch? Can he
win a decision if a bigger Fitch grinds on him for three rounds?
I just don’t know. Fitch has a size and stamina advantage.
B.J. has submissions and punching power, though they both are
skilled everywhere. Fitch will likely be the favorite, but I
can’t call it.
Nate
Marquardt: I believe Fitch will defeat B.J. Jon is the more well-rounded
fighter and has given GSP his toughest fight, in my opinion.
Jon will control the fight with his wrestling and probably get
the decision.
Micah
Miller: Very cool fight. I see B.J. landing all the strikes and
going for all the submission attempts, but Fitch will be on top
“grinding” away and [will] win a decision.
Gerald
Harris: B.J.’s jab will be his key to victory.
Mark
DellaGrotte: I’m looking forward to this fight. I’m
friends with both of them, so I’ll refrain from picking
a winner. I do like B.J. at 170 [pounds]. He seems to perform
better there lately. Unfortunately, he’s facing a very tough
guy in Jon Fitch, who is, in my opinion, a bigger, badder guy
than just about anybody at 155. B.J.’s effectiveness in
his jab and takedown defense will greatly determine the outcome.
We all know, Fitch included, that [Fitch] is not a big finisher
but will certainly die trying. If I was a betting man, I would
say B.J. by submission or Fitch by decision.
Frank
Shamrock: Fitch is a goner. Baby Jay Penn can fight.
Marlon
Sandro: I think B.J. wins by submission in the second round.
I don’t believe in a KO in this fight.
Rory
Markham: I don’t think there has been a fight that represented
the potential B.J. factor -- what Royce Gracie brought to the
table facing larger opponents in the early UFCs -- as much as
this one. Though I can’t pick a victor, I will tell you
who wins: my Comcast bill.
Benji
Radach: I’m gonna pull for B.J., but Fitch could very well
pull it off. Tough one to call.
Andre
Pederneiras: B.J. is the favorite. He’s ready to win against
anyone. I think B.J. wins.
Mike
Constantino: B.J. will win by using his jab and his extraordinary
takedown defense. I see B.J. frustrating Fitch with this combo
and taking a decision victory.
Sam
Hoger: Fitch is too big. B.J. is good, but I don’t think
Fitch will come up short.
Jorge
Masvidal: Super tough fight to call. I think Fitch could grind
it out and dry hump him, or B.J. catches him with a punch or
submission. I’m leaning toward Fitch.
Leonardo
Santos: I think B.J. has more weapons to win. I believe in a
victory from B.J.
Jonathan
Chaimberg: This is just a bad matchup for B.J. Luckily for him,
it’s just a three-round fight, and he may not gas as bad
as if it were a five-rounder. Fitch’s relentless style,
anti-submission defense and terminator attitude will be too much
for B.J. here; that and probably 30 pounds come fight night.
B.J. will come out strong and look to employ his will standing,
only to be either taken down or grinded out against the fence.
Each round may resemble the next. Fitch 29-28 on all cards.
Blake
Bowman: Fitch is fighting? Cool, I guess I’ll put off painting
my bedroom and watching it dry and get the UFC so I won’t
have to overexcite myself. Every time I bet against Jon Fitch,
he proceeds to punish me with a 15-minute-single leg-and-almost-pass-guard-but-not-really
festival. Every time I bet against B.J., he almost kills someone.
So I’m going to say Fitch all the way, baby, in hopes that
B.J. will blow Hilo kisses in the camera while Fitch is looking
up saying, “What happened? Did I get caught?”
Ricardo
Liborio: Fitch by decision.
Bebeo
Duarte: Fitch is a tough fighter. He has good takedowns and good
ground-and-pound, but B.J. is better. I think BJ wins.
Brendan
Schaub: A focused and determined Penn is the best 155er in the
world. Fitch always seems to find a way to win, but I think B.J.
will be too much for him in the later rounds. I’ll take
B.J. by submission win late in the third.
Travis
Lutter: I am cheering for B.J., but my money is on Fitch. Fitch
is simply too big and too good of a wrestler for him.
Martin
Kampmann: I think Fitch is gonna win by decision -- takedowns
and top game. But B.J. might pull out a sub. You never know.
Nam
Phan: I say Fitch.
Javier
Vazquez: Fitch all the way. I’m a B.J. fan, but I think
Fitch grinds him out over three rounds. If B.J. can catch him
early and KO him, I would be surprised since no one had been
able to do this yet. Fitch wins 29-28, winning rounds two and
three.
Keith
Berry: This is a hard fight to call, but I think Fitch will squeeze
out a decision. He’s a lot bigger than B.J., and he will
outwrestle and box him.
Tom
Gavrilos: Perry “Shen” Hauck from the underground by
pure unbearable douchebaggery in round one. On a more serious
note, Fitch is too big, and even if B.J.’s conditioning
is top notch, it’s always suspect, new training methods
or not. If Fitch can last five rounds with [Georges St. Pierre],
he will have no problem grinding out a decision over B.J. Fitch
needs to be wary of heavy hands and a very slick guard and solid
back control if B.J. can get it. Fitch by decision.
Cristiano
Marcello: I think B.J. wins a judges’ decision.
Michael
Guymon: I’m looking forward to seeing how this fight plays
out. I see Fitch just plain wearing down B.J. I believe Fitch
has a much stronger training camp and work ethic. Fitch by split
decision.
Jared
Hamman: I’m going with Fitch -- big heart and good wrestling.
Fitch by decision.
Ray
Elbe: I’m excited to be watching this one live in Sydney.
Following his five-round loss to GSP, Fitch spent some time in
Thailand training at Tiger Muay Thai. At 13-1 [in the UFC], he
deserves to be fighting for the belt. It’s cool to see him
want to fight, instead of sitting on the shelf afraid to lose.
I got Fitch picking up the decision win against Penn, as he continues
his quest of bringing another championship belt to [the American
Kickboxing Academy].
Anthony
Leone: If Penn comes in to preform, I believe it will be a tough
three rounds for Fitch. If B.J. is able to defend the shot, slip
the punches and come back with his counter boxing, he is going
to score more than Fitch. Fitch is great at everything and poses
a real threat for B.J. I believe it will depend on how B.J. approaches
the fight more than Fitch’s game plan. B.J. via unanimous
decision.
Mike
Ciesnolevicz: I got to spend some time watching and talking with
B.J. while he was training for this fight in Las Vegas at one
of the same gyms I train at daily. I saw some of the stuff he
was working on, and I think he has a few surprises up his sleeve
for Fitch. I am a Fitch fan also. I like his grinding style.
He is well-rounded and shuts people down. He is very dominant
but [is] also a humble guy. I think if it wasn’t for GSP,
Fitch would be dominating 170 the last few years. This fight
is a toss-up for me, but I am rooting for B.J. by submission.
Enson
Inoue: B.J. [wins].
Stefan
Struve: The only way I see B.J. winning this fight is by submission
or KO, but I think that it is going to be a tough task to finish
Fitch. I think Fitch will score points with his wrestling and
will be able to avoid B.J. and his boxing and sub attempts. Fitch
by decision.
Tom
Vaughn: I don’t think anyone gets finished in this fight;
they are both too tough. B.J. has strong takedown defense, his
striking is superb and he’s learned how to last. I’m
going with B.J. by decision.
Luis
Ramos: I think B.J. wins by submission in the second round.
Elvis
Sinosic: This match definitely has piqued fan curiosity. Fitch
is well deserving of a title shot, let alone a number one contender’s
match. Many say Penn shouldn’t be in the running for a contender
shot, as there are other welterweights with more wins on the
board than he has. Regardless of whether people think this match
[should have been made], the fans are excited to see how Penn
performs and wonder what Fitch will do. This fight, on paper,
should be a lock to Fitch. He’s generally regarded as the
No. 2 welterweight in the UFC. He’s going to be a lot bigger
than B.J. He has the superior wrestling and has a great chin.
He’s also on a five-fight win streak. On paper, Fitch should
be able to clinch with B.J., take him down and at the least ride
him out for a decision if he doesn’t get into a position
to TKO him with ground-and-pound. I can’t see Fitch subbing
B.J. unless he hurts him badly first with some serious ground-and-pound.
B.J., on the other hand, is 1-2 in his last two fights. He was
beaten by Frankie Edgar, but it was speed and movement, not size
and pressure, that beat him. When he bumped up to welterweight
again, he beat Matt Hughes easily in the first round. A lot of
pundits attribute this win to Hughes being close to retirement
and also his willingness to trade with B.J. rather than take
him down straight away -- which is something that Fitch needs
to do -- that cost him the fight. B.J. is always dangerous, as
he has fast and heavy hands. He has good takedown defense and
great Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Though B.J.’s BJJ is better from
the top than the bottom, he’s always a threat anytime it
hits the mat. Also, if he hurts you with standup, he has the
ability to finish you quickly when he follows up with either
striking or grappling. Now, the obvious pick is Fitch. If you
were a betting man, you’d have to say that Fitch is the
safe bet. He’s got a better record at welterweight. He’s
on a longer win streak. He’s going to come in bigger and
stronger and with better wrestling. He should be able to easily
take down B.J. and at least ride out a decision victory if he
doesn’t get into a position to finish. Saying that, the
last couple of fights with Penn I’ve gotten wrong. Every
time I’ve picked him to win, he’s lost. Every time
I’ve picked him to lose, he’s won. If I pick him to
lose this match based on the obvious matchup, then it’s
apparent I’m going to be wrong again, so, for this pick,
I’m going way out on a limb and picking B.J. for the victory.
Since I think Fitch will most likely win a decision, I’m
saying that B.J. is going to finish Fitch. Let’s hope I
finally get a B.J. fight prediction right.
Stephane
Vigneault: Fitch will overpower B.J. like Georges did. [He’s]
not gonna be so dominant like Georges did but enough to win a
boring decision. Fitch over B.J. by sleeping on my sofa. I hope
something will happen and then go to the three-round [decision].
Dan
Evensen: B.J. [wins].
Charlie
Brenneman: Fitch is as good, or at least almost as good, as B.J.
in all positions. He’s bigger and stronger, as well, so
I’m going with Fitch by decision. He may eat a ton of jabs,
but that won’t be enough to prevent him from winning.
Fabio
Maldonado: I think B.J. is the favorite.
Rex
Richards: I’ve always been a huge Penn fan. I hate to say
that I believe Fitch will grind out a victory. If B.J. comes
with a ton of heart, like in the past, he can finish Fitch early.
Gustavo
Machado: It’s a tough fight, but B.J. wins by submission
in round two.
Ovince
St. Preux: I think Fitch is going to win. It’s going to
go all three rounds, but Fitch’s wrestling is going to be
the factor.
Alberto
Crane: B.J. [wins].
Ron
Foster: It’s hard to pick against B.J. after his last fight,
but the truth of the matter is this: Fitch is a huge guy for
170. His size, strength and wrestling abilities will be a bit
much for Penn to handle. Fitch has an iron chin and is a cardio
machine, and we all know Penn has had cardio issues in the past.
Fitch will grind B.J. down with wrestling. I don’t see him
doing any damage to B.J., but Fitch will get the W. My heart
is with B.J., but my mind says Fitch will grab his 14th win in
the UFC -- 10th by decision. Fitch by unanimous decision.
Kultar
Gill: As good as B.J. is, I don’t see him breaking the iron
chin of Fitch. Size will prevail this time, and Fitch will wear
down B.J. to a decision.
Thiago
Tavares: I bet on a victory from Fitch. He’s stronger and
has a excellent wrestling.
Tim
Kennedy: The AKA guys have been on a tear of late. I think Jon
has the wrestling and size to do the same thing that GSP has
done. Fitch by unanimous decision.
Pros
who picked Fitch: 25
Pros who picked Penn: 17
Pros who could not decide: 7
Source:
Sherdog
|
UFC
3/19
Prudential Center event, Newark, New Jersey
By Zach
Arnold
Dark
matches/Spike TV
Middleweights:
Dan Miller vs. Nick Catone
Featherweights: Manny Gamburyan vs. Raphael Assuncao
Featherweights: Joe Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
Lightweights: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau
Welterweights: Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
Lightweights: Edson Mendes Jr. vs. Anthony Njokuani
Light Heavyweights: Luiz Cane vs. Karlos Vemola
Main card
Heavyweights:
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub
Middleweights: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Nate Marquardt
Lightweights: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
Bantamweights: Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
UFC Light Heavyweight title match: Mauricio Shogun vs. Jon Jones
Source: Fight Opinion
|
So
it begins: Sherdog says Strikeforce HW GP bouts not set for 4/9
event
By Zach
Arnold
When
the Strikeforce Challengers show happened last Friday in Austin,
Texas, I was surprised by the fact that the promotion did not
mention where their April 9th event would be. After all, 4/9
suddenly became a big date because Scott Coker floated plans
of wanting to run in Japan. With that more than likely off the
table (unless he wants to lose his ass financially), it left
the promotion scrambling to find an arena likely in the States
or perhaps Canada. Even then, you’re talking about working
on short notice. I’m not here to say that Strikeforce can’t
draw a crowd on short notice, but logistically they have made
things hard on themselves here. Based on how business was for
the February event at the Izod Center, you would think that the
promotion would do OK given how strong the initial ratings and
attendance figures have been. When Mike Chiappetta confirmed
to me that no venue had been booked yet, I was legitimately surprised.
Which
is why this Sherdog report about Strikeforce delaying the remaining
first round HW GP bouts and not having them happen in April was
quite the eye-opener. Should the report turn out to be valid
and accurate, it just proves all along that the ‘tournament’
was nothing more than a tournament-in-name and that guys aren’t
necessarily locked into fights for set dates. Even PRIDE, given
their historically chaotic booking standards, managed to get
that aspect of promoting right. Note that the Sherdog report
claims that the promotion’s April event will happen in California,
which means there’s no way in hell that Josh Barnett will
be fighting on this card. That’s the downside to having
the former UFC champion in your ‘tournament.’ He can’t
fight in a lot of states. He certainly has the credentials to
be in the tournament, but his baggage is off-the-charts.
The
California card will reportedly have Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Gilbert
Melendez and Nick Diaz in the main event slot. He would supposedly
face Paul Daley, but Daley has to win his upcoming fight against
Yuya Shirai and not get hurt. If that happens, then Diaz will
get a crack at the man who sucker-punched Josh Koscheck. Great
fight, unquestionably.
Throwing
his two cents on the matter, Josh Gross:
Sherdog
cites unnamed sources that Strikeforce’s 2nd leg of HW GP
not on April 9 card. Counters what I heard today re: St. Louis
or Houston.
I’m
not sure what to believe. Coker won’t get back to me. People
on his staff say they have no idea what he has planned.
If
Sherdog’s report is not accurate, at the very least Strikeforce
& Showtime are guilty of making things logistically much
harder on themselves than it should be. It also indicates horrible
communication issues for the office. If Sherdog’s report
is accurate, it’s a short-term momentum staller for the
‘tournament’ and it starts to raise questions in the
minds of fans who were starting to get into the ‘tournament’
after Fedor’s loss and were willing to show some faith in
the concept. I also think that it’s going to create some
doubt in the minds of fighters involved in the tournament about
what’s going on.
As
I’ve said before about Strikeforce, all the fans want to
see from the promotion is consistency and competency. Not either
or, but both at the same time.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Stakes
high for Paul Daley, MMA in U.K.
By Josh
Gross
Dave Mandel for Sherdog.comPaul Daley is aiming for entrée
back into MMA's big time, but he first has business to handle
Saturday.
Not
quite two months into 2011, Paul Daley is ready to make good
on a New Year's resolution.
The
English welterweight, who turned 28 on Monday, committed himself
to fighting on home soil for the first time in two years. This
Saturday, the striker headlines Manchester Evening News Arena
in Manchester, England, against Japan's Yuya Shirai.
The
stakes are high for Daley, whose challenge of Strikeforce welterweight
champion Nick Diaz hangs in the balance. The same could be said
for mixed martial arts in the United Kingdom.
With
UFC middleweight Michael Bisping -- Manchester's best-known mixed
martial artist -- fighting on the other side of the world this
weekend in Sydney, Australia, the British Association of Mixed
Martial Arts (BAMMA), a fledgling promotion with lofty goals,
is betting that U.K. fight fans want to fill 17,000-seat venues
without the UFC's or Bisping's involvement.
"There
is a very big difference between an MMA fan and a UFC fan in
the U.K.," BAMMA vice president Liam Fisher said. "A
lot of people don't connect the two. They see the UFC as a [separate]
sport. There is an education process going on about what UFC
does, what we do [and what other promoters do]. We're all the
same sport."
Since
Daley's last fight in the U.K., which preceded his controversial
three-fight stint in the UFC, the climate for MMA has improved
greatly from where it was when he turned professional eight years
ago. That, Daley freely admits, is due in large part to the efforts
of the UFC, which in 2007 invested millions of dollars toward
selling its brand of MMA to British fight fans. However, as UFC's
parent company Zuffa continues its international expansion, there
has been a noticeable decrease in the frequency of UFC events
in the U.K. UFC officials don't anticipate a return to the U.K.
until at least June -- an eight-month gap between events in Britain
-- leaving room for a contingent of native promoters to fill
the void.
Late
last year, BAMMA, which opened shop in 2009, promoted a fight
between British tabloid celebrity Alex Reid and veteran middleweight
Tom Watson that drew nearly a million viewers to television --
the largest audience ever to watch a mixed martial arts bout
in the U.K. Piggybacking on that success, BAMMA intends to promote
five large arena events in 2011, beginning with the Daley-headlined
card in Manchester.
But
with no novelty fight on Saturday's card, the first MMA show
to be broadcast on a non-subscription channel in the U.K., live
in prime time, will the audience tune in? A matchmaker for Cage
Warriors, a "for the purists" promotion doing business
in London on Saturday, said he isn't so sure.
"I
feel some of the U.K. shows before have been a little delusional
and aren't very self-aware about where their status is,"
said Ian Dean, who has been involved in the British fight scene
since 2003.
Still,
Daley is a known commodity. He was one of the first mixed martial
artists to receive attention beyond Britain's niche MMA media,
and he garnered plenty of coverage in the wake of his post-bell
punch of Josh Koscheck last May in the Octagon -- his last act
in the promotion before being released that night by UFC president
Dana White. Yet Daley never fought on a UFC event staged in the
U.K., and it's difficult to gauge how his presence against an
unknown Japanese opponent will drive ticket sales and TV ratings
for the English network SyFy.
Daniel
Herbertson for Sherdog.comMichael Bisping is Manchester's main
MMA attraction, but can the sport thrive in the U.K. on something
other than a steady diet of stars and novelty acts?
Fisher
described ticket sales as brisk and said BAMMA has increased
seating at the MEN Arena from 12,000 to full capacity of 23,000.
The promotion's previous attendance high was 7,438 at the National
Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England. Fisher expects to at least
double that.
"For
us, it's new ground to do something this big," the promoter
said. "But we've already gone higher than we've gone with
any other arena shows. We're expecting big things on Saturday."
So
is Daley.
Shirai,
the current DEEP welterweight champion, is a "dangerous
guy" with a strong grappling background, Daley said. With
a fight looming against Diaz that would draw considerable attention
should it happen, Daley said he made sure not to let his gaze
slip from the Japanese fighter or the vacant BAMMA welterweight
belt, which is on the line. Diaz "will get his time and
my attention immediately after I dispose of Shirai," said
the provocative British fighter.
Although
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker indicated that Daley requested a
tune-up bout before challenging Diaz, Daley says he was fine
with fighting Diaz as early as March but didn't want to wait
without receiving compensation from Strikeforce. That didn't
happen, so when BAMMA came calling, he signed up to fight Shirai.
It was then that he learned the result would determine whether
or not Diaz came next.
That
changed the dynamics of the event, and the attention it received.
"We
didn't really know how internationally significant it would be
until we signed the contract," said BAMMA's Fisher, whose
promotion will charge $10 to stream the card online for the first
time at www.bammatv.com.
Bisping
and the UFC understand international significance. When "The
Count" steps into the Octagon against Jorge Rivera at UFC
127, hard-core British MMA fans will find a way to watch.
Said
Daley: "I think the U.K., being a spartan nation, the appeal
of mixed martial is what led to success rather than just the
UFC coming over. People love to see a good fight, and that's
made the sport a success."
Josh
Gross covers MMA for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoshGrossESPN.
Source:
ESPN
|
Guto
Inocente vs. Glover Teixeira agreed for Shooto 22
By Erik
Engelhart
South-American
Shooto champion Guto Inocente has a current contract with Strikeforce,
but the event allow the athlete to fight outside the United States.
Sighting that possibility, Inocente’s manager called Andre
Pederneiras asking if he could find his athlete’s a fight.
Pederneiras was at Delfim Gym, at Rio de Janeiro, with Pedro
Rizzo and Glover Teixeira, and commented the fact with the fighters.
Glover
didn’t think twice and volunteered to face Shooto’s
champion, as Andre Pederneiras told TATAME. “The contract
isn’t signed yet, but the fight is confirmed, since both
athletes agreed with it. It’ll be a great fight for the
fans. Shooto intends to be a showcase for the athletes show their
skill and get contracts abroad, that’s our main goal”,
commented Andre. Training partner of Guto on the United States,
Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is confident. “Glover
is a great guy, a great fighter, but Guto is flying”, said.
The title fight is scheduled for April 1st, at Shooto 22.
Source:
Tatame
|
UPDATED:
Houston Alexander Rematches James Irvin at Shark Fights 14
by Damon Martin
Houston
Alexander will try to exact a bit of revenge when he gets a rematch
against James Irvin at Shark Fights 14, where the pair will meet
in a light heavyweight bout on the card.
Alexander
posted news of the event on his official Twitter page on Thursday.
Sources close to the event also confirmed to the fight to MMAWeekly.com
as well.
Alexander
and Irvin first met while under the UFC banner in a fight that
only lasted a total of 8 seconds.
Irvin
flew in for a Superman punch to open the fight, clipping Alexander’s
jaw and dropping him to the mat. The referee swooped in for the
stoppage despite Alexander’s protest that he could have
continued.
Now
with both fighters resuming their post-UFC careers, Alexander
will try to even the score with Irvin when the two meet in Texas
as a part of the upcoming Shark Fights 14 show.
Alexander
was a part of the Shark Fights 13 show as well, where he battled
back from a tough start against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou to win
the fight by TKO in the 2nd round.
Irvin
meanwhile will look to bounce back after going 1-4-1 in his last
6 fights.
UPDATE:
Shark Fights has now officially announced the match-up as well
for their card coming up on March 11.
“We
are very excited to have Alexander vs. Irvin as our co-main event
at Shark Fights 14. Alexander is coming off of a very impressive
TKO win over Rameau Sokoudjou at Shark Fights 13, a performance
that earned him “fight of the night” bragging rights.
Irvin is also a very explosive, high caliber fighter and has
one of the fastest KO’s on record (8 seconds.),” Shark
Fights President Brent Medley said in a press release.
“We
feel that the Alexander vs. Irvin re-match is long overdue. It
is a very compelling match up. Alexander and Irvin did not hesitate
to accept the fight. Both say that they are more than ready to
throw down for a second time. They are hard hitting, dynamic
fighters who have faced some of the biggest names in MMA. This
is going to be a full out brawl from start to finish!”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Del
Rosario OK with Fedor Taking First Alternate Spot
Shane del Rosario seemed to earn the top alternate spot for the
Strikeforce heavyweight tournament when he submitted Lavar Johnson
on Feb. 12.
Fedor
Emelianenko lost to Antonio Silva the same night, though, and
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker wasted no time in suggesting that
Fedor could be the first replacement fighter if one is needed.
“It’s
not that big of a deal for me,” del Rosario said recently
during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog
Radio Network. “I’m glad I just had an opportunity
to fight on the same card as Fedor and some of these guys. To
me that was a great honor. If I don’t make it into the tournament
this year … it’s not a big deal. I would rather actually
have another four fights this year if possible and just earn
my own spot into the tournament next year.”
Del
Rosario armbarred Johnson 4:31 into the first round to improve
his record to 11-0. However, the 26-year-old from Irvine, Calif.,
believes he still needs more experience.
“I’m
at 11 fights. I’d like to get to at least 15, just get more
ring time,” del Rosario said. “All of my fights have
been finished in the first round, which has been good. I like
to get out and win right away and have an exciting fight, but
I kind of lack some round time, some experience in the cage.
Hopefully I can get at least four fights in this year and then
kind of go from there.”
Despite
his immediate success in the sport, del Rosario has maintained
a patient approach. He’s willing to fight top competition,
but he also understands the value in climbing the ladder one
rung at a time.
“You
definitely have to go into the fight game smart,” he said.
“You’re not just going in and trying to fight all the
time just to fight. Injuries happen. I can’t fight forever.
I’m really trying to be methodical about this and really
think about it. That’s why I was never really into calling
out the champ right away or wanting to fight the top guy right
away. I need to pay my dues and get some experience and really
get to the point where I can beat those guys and stay there and
make a run at the belt.”
With
that said, if Strikeforce asks del Rosario to enter the heavyweight
tournament, he said he’ll be ready.
“At
the same time, if someone gets injured and they want me in, I’m
definitely going to be training hard and coming in to fight,”
he said. “I’ll definitely take the opportunity.”
Listen
to the full interview (beginning at 1:27:10) with del Rosario,
who also offered his thoughts on the other Strikeforce heavyweight
tournament matchups.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Jimmy
Smith to Return to Bellator Broadcast Team
By Mike Chiappetta
Weeks after seemingly splitting with Bellator over what he termed
an "unacceptable" contract offer, Jimmy Smith has signed
a new deal to return to the promotion as their color commentator,
MMA Fighting has learned.
Bellator
CEO Bjorn Rebney confirmed that the two sides have reached a
three-year deal with Smith, who has been the promotion's analyst
since season two.
Smith
will be back with his regular broadcast partner, play-by-play
man Sean Wheelock. The promotion's fourth season will begin on
March 5 and air on Saturday nights on MTV2.
"Jimmy
is the best in the business, and he and Sean are a spectacular
team," Rebney told MMA Fighting. "There were some hurdles
to make a deal happen, but we're happy to get it done, and absolutely
thrilled to have Jimmy back."
Smith
fought professionally, going 5-1 in his pro career, though he
has not fought since 2006. He became Bellator's color commentator
in season two, taking over for Jason Chambers, who he ironically
defeated in his last bout as an active fighter.
Just
weeks ago, in December, Smith told Middleasy.com that a return
to the Bellator booth wasn't looking good, saying, "It's
possible that they can come back the eleventh hour and say 'we
want you back, here's the deal', but that looks increasingly
unlikely is the best way I can put it."
The
new contract not only has him back, but locked up for the foreseeable
future.
"This
team will be together for years to come," Rebney said. "We
have a pure play-by-play guy and color guy, and I think what
we have right now is the best announcing team in the sport."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Eliot
Marshall Back in the UFC, Faces Luis Cane at UFC 128
by Damon Martin
Eliot
Marshall’s mission to get back to the UFC has paid off.
The one time “Ultimate Fighter” competitor has stepped
in on short notice to face Luis Cane at UFC 128 in New Jersey.
Sources
close to the negotiations confirmed the new bout to MMAWeekly.com
on Wednesday. Tatame.com initially reported the change.
Marshall
went 3-1 during his time with the UFC following his stint on
the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” but was
released following a loss to Vladdy Matyushenko last March.
At
that point, Marshall made it his personal mission to get back
to the UFC. He has since gone on a three-fight win streak to
prove that, and now he’s back.
“The
goal is the UFC. Let’s not beat around the bush, that’s
where the best fighters fight,” Marshall said in an interview
with MMAWeekly.com. “Yeah, there’s this guy that’s
here, there’s this guy that’s there, and you’re
always going to have this talk like ‘what if (Alistair)
Overeem or Fedor or whatever.’ You tell me where the best
guys fight? They fight in the UFC.”
The
original bout between Cane and Karlos Vemola was set to be a
part of the Spike TV prelim broadcast, but there’s been
no word if the new bout between Marshall and Cane will stay with
the same slot.
Marshall
will be joined by two teammates on the card as both Nate Marquardt
and Brendan Schaub have bouts at UFC 128 as well.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
808
Battleground Presents
War of
Warriors “The Waterfront @ Aloha Tower”
Today
The Waterfront At Aloha Tower
February 25, 2011
|
UFC
127 Tomorrow
Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia
By Zach Arnold
Hawaii
Time
UFC Pre-lims 4:00 pm SPIKE Channel 559 (Oceanic)
UFC 127 Main Card 5:00PM Channel 701 (Oceanic)
February
26th in the States (10 PM EST/7 PM PST), February 27th in Sydney
Dark
matches
¦Featherweights:
Tie Quan Zhang vs. Jason Reinhardt
¦Light Heavyweights: Anthony Perosh vs. Tom Blackledge
¦Lightweights: Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton
¦Heavyweights: Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer
¦Middleweights: Nick Ring vs. Riki Fukuda
¦Light Heavyweights: James Te Huna vs. Alexander Gustafsson
¦Lightweights: Ross Pearson vs. Spencer Fisher
Main card
¦Middleweights:
Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi
¦Welterweights: Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole
¦Lightweights: George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver
¦Middleweights: Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
¦Welterweights: BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
127 Preview: The Main Card
Penn vs. Fitch
by Jason Probst
The
UFC returns to the land Down Under this Saturday at the Acer
Arena in Sydney, Australia, as former two-division champion B.J.
Penn and perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch headline
an event with solid matchups and plenty of local talent.
Former
World Extreme Cagefighting welterweight titleholder Carlos Condit’s
injury gives Brian Ebersole a shot at Chris Lytle, so Penn-Fitch
becomes even more relevant in terms of credibility at 170 pounds.
There are serious stakes in play in the welterweight division,
especially with talk of champion Georges St. Pierre leaving should
he successfully defend his crown against Jake Shields in April.
Throw
in Michael Bisping’s bout against Jorge Rivera in the co-main
event and the George Sotiropoulos-Dennis Siver lightweight contender
eliminator, and we are off to the races at UFC 127 “Penn
vs. Fitch.”
Welterweights
B.J. Penn vs. Jon Fitch
The
Matchup: Greatness and inconsistency make for unpredictable stories,
and, in MMA, nobody combines those two traits as readily as Penn.
After a lightweight reign with three one-sided defenses, it seemed
that the Hawaiian-born battler had put his penchant for flat
performances comfortably behind him and channeled his dazzling
potential for a long run at the top. He was an 8-to-1 favorite
going into his first bout against Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 and
lost by a close decision. In the UFC 118 rematch, however, Penn
looked terribly uninspired, as he was taken down and outhustled,
only to pop up immediately for more abuse.
Three
months later, “The Prodigy” resurrected his career
instantly with a 21-second knockout of rival Matt Hughes at UFC
123. Is the old Penn back, or was his showing against Hughes
merely a deceptive blip in the larger scheme of things? Whatever
the case, we will almost certainly find the answer here, because
there are no question marks with Fitch.
On
many levels, he represents Penn’s polar opposite -- a modest
athletic talent that works insanely hard to wrest every ounce
out of his ability, the master of preparation and strategy who
plies his advantages to neutralize his self-realized weaknesses.
There is never a question about whether or not Fitch is mentally
ready to bring his “A” game into a fight. Fitch never
keeps a fight standing longer than he has to, using that element
of the game merely to create openings to take opponents down
and put them into his world.
It
is a brand of stylistic humility that makes for a better fighter,
if not always satisfying to fickle fans who want blood when competent
tactics would otherwise suffice.
If
there is a top question on the list of things one would want
to ask about Penn, it is why he waited until the middle of his
second fight against Edgar to even try a decent takedown. Landing
it easily, he punished Edgar with good shots and then inexplicably
fell back into his stand-around mode. He was outworked the rest
of the bout. While there are better pure wrestlers than Penn
in the lightweight division, he is as strong in MMA-oriented
wrestling as any of them, and his marvelous takedown defense
and athleticism have no equal in the game. In short, Penn’s
lightweight days were defined by him being able to do what he
wanted to do, until someone would not let him.
At
welterweight, Fitch will aim to do just that, and he is a lot
bigger and stronger than Edgar, to boot. Because of Penn’s
mentality, expect this to elicit a stronger response than Edgar
did; Fitch will come to overpower him, not out-speed him -- a
key stylistic difference that will force Penn to fight much harder
than he did in the Edgar rematch.
While
the second Edgar bout will probably go down as the worst performance
of Penn’s career, this fight does not figure to resemble
that on, because the Hawaiian’s standup is stout enough
to give Fitch problems. Fitch will not enter the cage and attempt
to zip in and out to land speedy combinations and work for a
decision. He will look to force clinches, work for takedowns
and empty Penn’s gas tank in the process.
Because
of those tactics, Fitch will be in the most danger while in the
pocket trying to close the gap with Penn. If he can create clinches
and tie-ups, he can stick Penn on the cage and wear him down,
just as St. Pierre did. Fitch may not be flashy in these types
of sequences, but he is exceptional at forcing the other guy
to burn energy while constantly pushing for a dominant position.
Penn
is the type of guy whose ego clicks on in certain fights he is
losing, only to remain in the off position in others. If he is
taking a thumping, he will come alive. Since Edgar never really
hurt him, he did not seem to have that fire. Fitch will force
him to respond, and this could become a real firefight. Look
for Fitch to take a heavy shot or two in the first round before
eventually securing a tie-up. Once there, he will force Penn
to work in a long sequence and then rally back by creating space
and trying to land a fight-changing haymaker.
The
Pick: Fitch is exceptionally durable and should be able to secure
a takedown or two by the second round. A key factor in this fight
could be the referee and how he or she interprets the work rate
of both guys on the ground. It is in Fitch’s interest to
stay active in Penn’s guard -- a dangerous proposition given
the Hawaiian’s incredible ability to hit sweeps and submissions.
Still, that is precisely how Fitch wins fights. Penn will give
away a dozen or so pounds at fight time, as well, and, by the
third round, Fitch will simply be too much for him to handle,
grinding down the former two-division champion en route to a
decision win or late stoppage.
Middleweights
Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
The
Matchup: The UFC seems content to glad-hand Bisping in terms
of matchups, milking his marketability as long as possible before
finally having to move him up in competition, where he ultimately
falls short. Wildly popular in the U.K., the winner of Season
3 of “The Ultimate Fighter” has been consistent against
B-level competition in the organization but falters when trying
to move to the next level.
It
is not for lack of trying. Rashad Evans conducted a wrestling
clinic on him that surprised no one at UFC 78, and, after a noxious
prefight trash talk buildup with Dan Henderson leading into their
clash at UFC 100, Bisping was brutally knocked out by the two-time
Olympian in the worst loss of his career. Bisping gave a credible
showing against a game-but-aging Wanderlei Silva at UFC 110,
but it slipped away from him in the final moments, when Silva
battered him with a round- and fight-clinching assault.
A
tough veteran, Rivera represents the ideal opponent for Bisping
at this point. He has built an inspiring win streak over his
last three bouts, this after his career at the UFC level seemed
on the downside. Rivera is not an overpowering wrestler who will
take down Bisping and negate his game. He comes into slug, which
gives Bisping an excellent chance to win.
Bisping
is not the bigger hitter in this matchup, but his footwork and
ability to mix up strikes are far superior. Rivera relies on
an aggressive, wade-in style through which he forces confrontations
and tests an opponent’s chin. Bisping’s jiu-jitsu remains
vastly underrated, however, and he uses the cage well to right
himself when taken down. This bout carries with it all the hallmarks
of Bisping getting the kind of win increasingly characteristic
of his career, where he will stick and move, endure a bad spot
or two and take a decision.
The
Pick: If Rivera can turn it into a slugfest, he will have his
best chance to win, so the key factor lies in Bisping keeping
a cool head, moving away when hurt and using his superior standup
to pull out a decision or late stoppage. He will do just that
in this one.
Lightweights
George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver
The
Matchup: Quality lightweights square off to produce a contender,
and with Sotiropoulos on a tear of late, Siver has a major assignment
in front of him. With a ledger of 7-0 in the UFC, Sotiropoulos
has done in the lightweight division what Jon Fitch did as a
welterweight prior to earning a title shot. He has grounded and
decimated opponents with startling consistency, improving his
game in the process.
Siver
is a live wire, with potent striking and a compact build that
makes him strong and willing to force a physical fight. If Sotiropoulos
wants to prove he belongs at the next level -- where Frankie
Edgar, Gray Maynard and others reside -- he will have to be impressive
against Siver.
While
perception holds Siver as the better standup fighter, Sotiropoulos’
ability in this area has inched along slowly but consistently.
He does not throw huge knockout punches and, at times, seems
a little stiff, but his strikes are effective enough to allow
him to initiate tie-ups and grappling. Once there, his outstanding
ground game takes over. Siver may be exceptionally strong physically,
but the Aussie’s pedigree, especially when battling for
position on the ground, has bested similarly strong foes like
Joe Stevenson. Sotiropoulos also looked outstanding against Kurt
Pellegrino, one of best lightweight grapplers in the UFC.
Siver
has some options available to him. His spinning-back kick has
proven dangerous, and his kicks can take a piece out of an opponent
if they land clean. He will have to flit in and out against the
taller Sotiropoulos while evading clinches and throw attempts.
It is a difficult assignment, especially since Sotiropoulos seems
to inexorably get closer and closer to opponents, grinding them
down with constant pressure.
The
Pick: If Siver can land something big early and pounce, that
represents his best chance to spring the upset. Once it hits
the mat against Sotiropoulos, the opponent is in his world. Sotiropoulos
will get the fight there and end it in three, via strikes or
a submission.
Welterweights
Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole
The
Matchup: With Carlos Condit dropping out due to injury, Ebersole
replaces him on a little more than two weeks’ notice. The
veteran has a boatload of bouts across multiple weight classes,
having lost to much larger foes in heavyweight Kerry Schall and
light heavyweight Stephan Bonner. However, Ebersole has bested
recognizable opponents in ex-UFC welterweight kingpin Carlos
Newton, former Bodog Fight champion Nick Thompson, one-time International
Fight League titleholder Matt Horwich and WEC veteran Alex Serdyukov.
Lytle
comes to bang and should be especially willing to do so if Ebersole
cannot plant him on the ground and dictate the fight. He remains
on the short list of the game’s most durable fighters, as
he has only been finished twice, each time on cuts, first against
Joe Riggs and later against Thiago Alves. In both of those bouts,
Lytle was coming on strong when the stoppages occurred. His professional
boxing experience and comfort with sliding and rolling with shots
serve him well, as he counters expertly in the pocket, mixing
in the occasional kick and sometimes throwing shots from weird
angles.
Top
wrestlers have held down Lytle and grounded him to a decision
-- Josh Koscheck battered him mercilessly, leaving pools of Lytle’s
blood all over the Octagon -- and that could become a problem
here. A former college wrestler who has trained at the American
Kickboxing Academy, Ebersole could hold the keys to an upset.
A
key variable available to Lytle is how effectively he uses his
defensive wrestling to keep the action standing. Ebersole is
not in the same league as Koscheck or Jon Fitch, and he will
have problems as long as he stands against Lytle, who excels
in striking-based matches.
Given
the short notice on which he accepted the bout, Ebersole figures
to try and fight the smartest fight. He will have to earn at
least a little respect standing before trying to close for a
shoot or clinch. Even if he does get it down, however, Lytle’s
excellent jiu-jitsu and uncanny ability to survive from his back
are considerable obstacles. He is patient when put there and
can absorb a terrific pounding while looking for ways to get
back to his feet.
Look
for Lytle to adjust his game plan to Ebersole’s wrestling
tactics, using movement to deny him angles and hoping to take
it deep as a fallback in case he cannot make something significant
happen early. Lytle’s conditioning is solid, as well, and
he should be able to work through a takedown and attempts at
ground-and-pound from Ebersole.
Ebersole’s
striking and striking defense have improved since his earlier
in his career, as he has become somewhat more comfortable on
his feet. In a four-round loss to gifted Bellator Fighting Championships
titleholder Hector Lombard in September 2008, he put up a decent
scrap against one of the best middleweights in the world.
The
Pick: Condit’s injury scrapped a bout that was an odds-on
favorite for “Fight of the Night,” but this one could
still be entertaining. Lytle should do just enough to strike
effectively and deny Ebersole effective action if he scores a
takedown. Lytle wins by late submission or decision.
Middleweights
Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi
The
Matchup: Two lesser-known middles square off in their first appearance
on the main card of a pay-per-view, eliciting a feeling of opportunity
and nervousness. Noke and Camozzi are pretty comparable stylistically
and in terms of how they have performed against various levels
of competition. Alums of Season 11 of “The Ultimate Fighter,”
both are 2-0 in the UFC.
Noke’s
submissions and positioning might be a little stronger, with
Camozzi taking the edge in wrestling and takedowns. One had to
like the level-headedness Camozzi showed in outpointing previously
unbeaten Korean slugger Dongi Yang at UFC 121. Noke is experienced
but relies more on groundwork than an overpowering standup game.
The
Pick: This one probably hits the mat early, as neither is particularly
dangerous on the feet, and winds its way to a ho-hum decision.
Camozzi takes a close nod.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Penn
hoping to bring a little action
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
B.J. Penn has regained his will to fight. The former UFC lightweight
champion is a little bit heavier and a whole lot happier, clearly
rejuvenated by his return to welterweight.
He'll
need every bit of that mojo at UFC 127 when he takes on Jon Fitch,
who specializes in draining the fight out of his opponents.
Fitch
is favoured by most prognosticators in the Octagon at Sydney's
Acer Arena on Saturday, but don't be surprised if the Australian
crowd is solidly behind Penn. Fitch (26-3) is among the world's
most dominant mixed martial artists, but his smothering, ground-based
style hasn't yet earned him many fans, or a second UFC title
shot.
Penn
(16-7-1) believes he can entertain and win at the same time.
"I'm
glad that I get to travel around the world and fight, because
this is a world sport," said Penn, a native Hawaiian. "I
don't want to just stay in the U.S. I've got a great opponent
in front of me. It's a great test, a great honour."
Penn
and Fitch are the main event in front of a sellout crowd in the
same building that hosted the UFC's Australian debut last February
with UFC 110 featuring a victory by new heavyweight champion
Cain Velasquez.
UFC
president Dana White says the winner will move to the front of
the line for the next shot at welterweight champion Georges St-
Pierre, who already has beaten both fighters, providing St. Pierre
beats Jake Shields in Toronto in late April.
"The
things that he's done and the person he is, that's all the motivation
I need," Fitch said.
England's
Michael Bisping, who lost to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 110, meets
trash-talking Jorge Rivera, and Australian lightweight George
Sotiropoulos takes on Germany's Dennis Siver.
Penn
is a former two-division champion with wrestling skills that
made him nearly impossible to take down for several years. But
Frankie Edgar abruptly shattered Penn's mystique in Abu Dhabi
last year, peppering him through five dominant rounds to take
away his lightweight title. He then repeated the feat four months
later in a rematch in Massachusetts.
UFC
127 schedule
What?
When?
Where?
Pre-fight press conference
Tuesday (re-watch)
Live stream
UFC Fight Club Q&A
Friday, 8 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT
Live stream
UFC 127 weigh-ins
Friday, 10 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Live stream
UFC 127 live results
Saturday, 7:20 p.m. ET / 4:20 p.m. PT
Fight card
Prelims on Facebook
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Facebook
Prelims on Sportsnet
Saturday, 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Sportsnet
UFC 127 main card (PPV)
Saturday, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Pay-per-view
Post-fight press conference
Saturday, 1:15 a.m. ET / 10:15 p.m. PT (approx.)
Live stream
Penn
nearly walked away from the sport before righting his career
last November at UFC 123, moving back up to welterweight against
Matt Hughes -- and embarrassing the former champion with a stoppage
in 21 seconds. Penn has since trained for a short stretch with
Hughes, who prepared him for Fitch's grinding, position-based
ground game.
"I
know he isn't exactly like Fitch as far as height and boxing
and kickboxing goes," Penn said. "But on the one area
where Fitch definitely pushes all his opponents -- grinding them
out and pushing them on the fence and taking them down -- Matt
really pushed me in those areas, so I gained a lot of confidence
working out with Matt."
Fitch
trains at San Jose's fabled American Kickboxing Academy, the
same gym where Penn trained earlier in his career. Fitch describes
Penn as "an older brother I never knew," saying his
coaches have prepared him for anything Penn can do.
"He's
been around, and there's so much wealth of fights and video out
there," Fitch said. "B.J. Penn is no mystery. He does
what he does, and you have to be well prepared for it. B.J. sticks
to what he does, and he's good at it."
There's
at least one new aspect to Penn's approach to this fight: He
hired Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the dormant undefeated
boxer who shares his name, to hone his striking skills.
Fitch's
striking hasn't been terribly impressive in his recent fights,
and he'll clearly attempt to take down Penn, who was once considered
the UFC's toughest fighter to get onto the canvas.
Fitch
has won five straight fights since losing to St. Pierre at UFC
87, but he seemingly hasn't gained many fans in the process.
His past eight fights have gone to decisions, and many MMA enthusiasts
just don't get excited about watching Fitch pin an opponent to
the ground.
Fitch
believes he might get a better reception in Australia.
"It's
a great blue-collar mentality here in Australia, and that translates
really well to our sport," said Fitch, an Indiana native.
"I have a lot of fans in the Midwest of America for the
same reason."
Source:
SportsNet
|
The
UFC’s Meat Grinder
From Vagabond to Contender
by Jason Probst
With
a UFC record of 13-1, welterweight Jon Fitch soldiers ahead toward
a second title shot, a campaign underwritten by an eminently
blue-collar and unassuming approach. In facing B.J. Penn at UFC
127 on Feb. 27 in Sydney, Australia, Fitch knows it to be an
opportunity replete with upside.
In
short, an impressive win over Penn could go a long way toward
getting him a second crack at champion Georges St. Pierre.
Originally
booked to fight Jake Ellenberger, Fitch received news of the
switch after Penn’s slam-bang knockout of Matt Hughes on
Nov. 20. Coming off back-to-back decision losses to Frankie Edgar,
Penn’s stock was instantly resurrected in the welterweight
division.
“[American
Kickboxing Academy trainer] Bob Cook called my wife and had her
track me down. I was kinda shocked,” says Fitch. “It
was late Saturday night; they’re calling for an opponent
change and a date change. I jumped all over it. I was a little
[disappointed] to come away from the Jake Ellenberger fight,
because he’s an up-and-coming guy. I’ve been in that
situation, but, at the same time, I need the fight with B.J.
Plus, to headline a card is great.”
Stylistically,
the matchup is compelling, as Fitch and Penn are polar opposites
in terms of how insiders and fans perceive their consistency.
Fitch’s
grind-’em-down approach and conditioning are guaranteed
to come into play against every opponent. Even in his five-round
bout against St. Pierre, his gutty persistence and resilience
won him the enduring respect of all who watched, despite the
one-sided action. When he has an advantage, he presses it, punishing
opponents with a work rate and hard-nosed attack that offers
little chance to rest.
Penn,
perhaps one of the most talented fighters in the sport, remains
mercurial, with moments of inimitable brilliance. His impressive
lightweight reign resulted in three one-sided title defenses
against quality foes in Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez,
but he seemed flat and listless against Edgar.
The
long-lurking downside to Penn’s ability has always been
the question of his motivation, which seemed apparent against
Edgar. Against Hughes, Penn was his destructive vintage self,
dispatching the former champ in a mere 21 seconds to win the
rubber match of one of the game’s best rivalries. With that,
Penn elevated himself instantly back into the welterweight conversation.
The next chapter comes against Fitch.
Fitch
acknowledges that Penn has the skills to push the pace.
“There
are definitely things we have to change around, with fighting
B.J. I never really try to force the fight going anywhere,”
Fitch says. “I have a good outline of what I want to do,
trying to dictate the pace of the fight. Everybody is unique,
and you’ll see a good mix. B.J. has skills that can push
the fight, too.”
That’s
where the style collision lurks, asking questions of both. Penn’s
takedown defense and wily bottom game make taking him to the
ground a difficult proposition and surviving there an especially
risky one. Fitch excels at taking down opponents and wearing
them out. Something has to give, and with Fitch’s durability
and work rate, he forces physical exertion at a pace few fighters
can imitate. He may not get the first takedown or transition
in a tie-up, but one can be certain he will keep trying. That
is how Fitch breaks opponents.
It
is exactly the kind of fight one needs to beat Penn; St. Pierre
executed perfectly in his four-round TKO against the Hawaiian
at UFC 94. It is also the template Fitch created when he moved
out west on the wings of a dream and mortgaged everything to
become a professional fighter.
From
Vagabond to Title Contender
After
graduating from Purdue University with a degree in physical education
and a minor in history, Fitch worked as a graduate assistant
in the school’s wrestling program; he had been team captain
his senior year. Later, he relocated to train at the American
Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., and, in the beginning,
literally had floors on which to crash and a handful of T-shirts
in which to rotate through his various workouts.
“It
was a huge long shot. I just felt like I had to do it. I had
an opportunity. I had just graduated from school. I just decided
just to pick up and do it,” Fitch recalls. “I always
wanted to go to California, and the more I got involved with
MMA, the more I craved to lean more about it. I had the realization
that the only way for me to pursue this life of fighting was
to fully immerse myself in the culture and lifestyle of a fighter,
so I removed myself from everything that was familiar to me:
friends, family, jobs. Anything I couldn’t fit in my 1990
Buick Regal got left behind.”
After
compiling a stellar 10-2 (one no contest) record in smaller shows,
Fitch entered the UFC in October 2005. He put together an eight-fight
win streak, beating increasingly tough foes, from handing Thiago
Alves his only knockout loss to decisioning “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez. Fans eventually
took notice, and a shot against champion Georges St. Pierre arrived
at UFC 87 in August 2008.
“It
was amazing, just because of the team element behind me and always
supporting me,” Fitch says. “We have that whole training
camp documented in the documentary, [so I get] to go back and
watch that to see how the team came together to push me forward
to that fight.”
The
documentary to which Fitch refers, “Such Great Heights,”
chronicles the American Kickboxing Academy’s preparation
leading into the St. Pierre bout; the film’s Facebook page
targets an early 2011 release date.
For
Fitch, the second run to a title shot represents the chance to
make up for his mistakes in the first St. Pierre match. In the
middle of the first round, after being taken down by the champion,
Fitch battled back to standing position and threw a right leg
kick that St. Pierre countered perfectly, landing a jarring right
hand that dropped him hard.
“After
I got through the bad leg kick and was dropped, the game plan
went out the window,” he says. “My mind switched to
‘I’ve got to finish him.’ I was trying to knock
him out with every single punch.”
In
one-sided fights that go long, most competitors on the short
end will adjust accordingly, ratcheting down their aggression
in what boxing trainer Teddy Atlas calls “the silent contract.”
“It’s
timing. Timing is everything with GSP. He’s not technically
the best anywhere. He’s not an expert at any one position.”
-- Fitch on Georges St. Pierre
In
ceasing their efforts to win, they let the better fighter notch
a decision victory in return for not getting their head handed
to them. Only the rarest of breeds keeps coming, and coming,
and coming again. Fitch survived a five-round assault without
a hint of surrender. No matter how many times St. Pierre thumped
him with strikes or landed big takedowns, Fitch would not stop
battling.
Since
then, St. Pierre has rolled ahead as champion, notching four
defenses, winning every judge’s scorecard of a possible
57 rounds in the process. His second reign as champion has prompted
talk of a possible match with middleweight king Anderson Silva,
given perception that has cleaned out the welterweight division.
The super fight would not happen, if Fitch had anything to say
about it. He offered his thoughts on the champion’s recent
performances, as well as GSP’s ever-evolving game.
“It’s
timing. Timing is everything with GSP. He’s not technically
the best anywhere. He’s not an expert at any one position,”
Fitch says. “Guys will have better stand-up, wrestling,
or BJJ, and he’s able to blend everything so well.”
Athletes
like Fitch generally fly under the radar longer then most of
their peers, even when they are more accomplished than their
contemporaries.
Lacking
the crass appeal that translates into extra notoriety and recognition,
a guy like Fitch represents the ultimate blue-collar type. He
shows up in shape and pushes the pace from the opening moments,
with a game predicated on knowing the percentages he can play
and the strengths he can exert in order to sap you of your own.
There is no mean-mugging, histrionics at the weigh-in or on the
way to the cage, no manufactured grudge; his game mimics the
same stripped-down approach.
Fitch
rarely throws strikes more complex than a basic straight or textbook
counter, and his wrestling is a nuts and bolts compendium of
everything one would want to teach a junior high wrestler in
order to give him a foundation. What makes Fitch excel is the
peerless execution of these strategies, the fights within the
fights that comprise the largely overlooked tactical side of
MMA. With an outstanding jiu-jitsu game backing up his wrestling,
he is one of the better-rounded grapplers in the sport. The end
result is that he gets from Point A to B with a jarring sense
of inevitability, almost always with a backup plan in case his
opponent stops him on the first attempt.
If
blocking and tackling alter the calculus of a football game,
positioning, angles, and properly applied pressure work the same
way for Fitch in MMA. He simply outthinks and outworks foes until
the reductive effects produce the same inevitable result: you’re
tired, he’s pressuring and you’re sucked into his world.
AKA’s
Mendez praises Fitch’s mental fortitude and strength.
Javier
Mendez, trainer at the American Kickboxing Academy, weighed in
on the matchup with Penn. Mendez’s perspective is a unique
one, as he has mentored Fitch since the early days of his career
and trained Penn from 2000-2002, right when “The Prodigy”
began his ascent into MMA.
“Jon
is the true testament to anybody with the mental desire. He’s
not great physically, but he is stronger than anybody, just as
strong as Cain Velasquez, mentally,” says Mendez. “He’s
very strong and very coachable. Jon is one of my easiest fighters
to work with.”
Ironically,
Penn represents the flip side of that model -- a magnificently
gifted athlete with the ephemeral asterisk; the grappling wunderkind
who won the jiu-jitsu world championship after just three years
of training, won UFC titles in two divisions and yet forever
carries a qualifier due to inconsistent conditioning and performances.
“Jon’s
a grinder. It’s gonna be a real, real tough fight. It all
depends on what B.J.’s able to exploit on Jon and vice-versa,”
Mendez says. “B.J.’s jiu-jitsu is better than Jon’s,
but it’s not that much better, and he’s not a better
wrestler. B.J.’s got better hands; Jon’s got better
kicks.”
At
the end of the day, Mendez adds, it comes down to how much Penn
wants to be Penn, the dazzling impresario.
“I’ve
always thought with B.J. [that] he’s gonna be what he wants
to be. He’ll just do it. When he fought Lyoto Machida, he
gave him all he could handle,” he says. “If you’re
gonna try and outgun B.J. based on size, you’ve got another
problem coming. B.J.’s fought a lot of street fights with
big guys, so he’s not unaccustomed to that.”
Seeking
St. Pierre
If
Fitch needs marked improvement one area, it is his stand-up game.
Against most opponents, it has proven serviceable enough to allow
him to initiate takedowns and tieups, underwritten by a rock-solid
chin. However, in his title challenge against St. Pierre, he
found himself outmatched standing, unable to get the correct
distance to apply his grappling against the uber-talented champion.
Mendez,
though he refuses to look past Penn, believes there is a second
chance available against St. Pierre, with different results.
So far, AKA representatives are 0-3 against GSP, with Josh Koscheck
losing twice. His rematch with the French-Canadian in December
yielded little in the way of encouraging results.
“Georges
is a puzzle. Koscheck kind of got a little bit of the puzzle
figured out. He took him down and was able to hold him down,”
Mendez says. “But I think anybody that knows MMA, if that
was Jake Shields, GSP could have had some problems. Koscheck
got up every time he took him down.”
Penn
serves as a great benchmark for how Fitch, Version 2.0, might
match up against St. Pierre. Fitch will be the larger man come
fight time, as he will enter the Octagon somewhere around 184
pounds; Penn, coming up from lightweight, will likely be around
175. In the end, it becomes a matter of thinking and executing
correctly against an eminently crafty opponent in Penn. If he
can do so, Fitch will be nicely positioned to take on St. Pierre.
However, with five decision victories in a row, he will probably
have to do a little bit more against Penn to build the required
buzz to land him another shot. A stoppage and some highlight-reel
brutality would go a long way Down Under.
“Jon’s
a grinder. It’s gonna be a real, real tough fight. It all
depends on what B.J.’s able to exploit on Jon and vice-versa.”
-- Trainer Javier Mendez on Fitch-Penn
“I
think what you’re seeing now is the climate shift of the
sport,” says Fitch. “Everybody kind of knows everything
now. Yet what you are seeing is the guys who are pulling ahead
and shining are the thinkers. They’re able to strategize
and have a purpose for what they’re doing during a fight.
The guys who have all those abilities and don’t have a strategy
aren’t going to succeed.”
If
there is one trait Fitch has shown, it is that he is good at
getting up when knocked down. As long as he can do so, he remains
in the fight.
Now
that MMA is ushering in more talent than ever, he takes in the
up-and-comers as a welcome influx; they are where he was just
a few years ago, and the inclination to press forward and keep
working, improving and pushing himself is all the invitation
he needs.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Phil
Davis Predicts Teammate Gustafsson Will 'Smash' Te-Huna at UFC
127
By Ben
Fowlkes
Normally, UFC light heavyweight Phil Davis isn't one for pre-fight
predictions.
When
it comes to guys he doesn't know and hasn't trained with, he
said, he generally doesn't care who wins and who loses. Even
if he has an opinion on it, he usually keeps it to himself because,
as he put it, "I know it's the fight game, but cats get
their feelings hurt."
But
Davis made an exception when talking to MMA Fighting about his
friend, training partner, and former opponent, Alexander Gustafsson
(10-1), who takes on New Zealand's James Te-Huna (12-4) at UFC
127 on Saturday night.
"I
think Alexander Gustafsson is going to win impressively,"
said Davis. "He's my training partner and he's a big part
of our team, and I think he's going to smash Te-Huna. Just smash
him."
Davis
said he began training with Gustafsson at Alliance MMA in San
Diego after defeating his Swedish counterpart via submission
at UFC 112. After the fight the two were talking, exchanging
what Davis thought were empty promises to get together and train
some time, but Gustafsson eagerly took him up on the offer.
"He
said, 'Yeah, yeah, let's get together and train.' He's a young
cat like I am, and we just can't afford to miss good training,"
Davis said. "Ever since he's been here it's just been an
eye-opener, because he is that good at stand-up. He's good."
Though
Gustafsson knocked out Jared Hamman in his UFC debut and submitted
Cyrille Diabate in his last outing, Davis suggested that many
fans might still not fully realize what the 6'5" Swede is
capable of.
But
then, Davis said, those people have likely never been in the
gym with him.
"It's
great to have someone like him around, just to put you in check,"
said Davis. "It keeps you honest, you know? If you stayed
up too late the night before? He's going to find out. If you
didn't eat your vitamins? Alex is going to find out."
Oddsmakers
have pegged Gustafsson a 3-1 favorite over Te-Huna, so it looks
as if Davis isn't the only one who's confident in his skills.
Since
the bout is currently slated for the portion of the UFC 127 prelims
that will air on ION TV prior to the start of the pay-per-view,
fans will get a chance to see for themselves whether Davis' enthusiastic
praise is justified.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Now
is not the time for unforced errors by Strikeforce
By Zach
Arnold
The
more the story progresses about what the hell is happening for
the promotion’s Heavyweight GP tournament, the less seemingly
anyone knows. I often wonder if the reason for that is because
the power brokers & decision makers themselves don’t
know what’s going on. Which, in essence, is kind of the
bizarre prism that has been created fairly or unfairly in the
media that Strikeforce has some success despite of its own actions.
There
are many chaotic things that promoters have to deal with that
are completely out of their control. Take, for instance, Miesha
Tate injuring her knee and now having to pull out of the 135-pound
women’s title fight with Marloes Coenen. Robert Sargent:
I’m
told that Strikeforce has been aware of Miesha Tate’s injury
for at least a few days.
Credit
to Strikeforce for putting together a solid replacement title
fight on short notice, however. Coenen vs (Liz) Carmouche is
a good matchup.
Injuries
are a part of the game and there’s really no reason to attack
the promotion for taking their time and delaying the announcement
so that they can find a replacement fighter. That’s fine.
What wasn’t fine, however, was today’s… unique…
conference call to promote the upcoming March 5th show at Nationwide
Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The event has been entirely overshadowed
by the HW GP ‘tournament’ despite having Dan Henderson
in the main event slot. I expect the show to be really good,
but the question is does it have the buzz amongst the fans? On
today’s conference call, Scott Coker wasn’t around
due to illness and questions regarding the April 9th date for
the rest of round one of the tournament were not answered/allowed.
Which
brings me to my continued amazement at how things work for a
promotion that has the backing of a legitimate television outlet
like Showtime. As Dave Meltzer accurately put it last week, Strikeforce
is in a war with UFC whether they want it or not. UFC is treating
it as a war, so it is a war. Now what are you going to do about
it? You can be content with being #2 and successful but you also
have to protect your business interests and cut down on the amount
of errors you make. In the case of Strikeforce, it feels like
the majority of media coverage about them is what they do outside
of the cage as opposed to what is going on inside the cage. Sure,
there’s plenty of outside-the-cage coverage for UFC, but
ultimately when the fights happen everyone talks about the fights.
In Strikeforce, you’ll see some coverage of the fights themselves
but there’s an increasing amount of coverage about what
happens outside-the-cage with this promotion. The drama that
Showtime & Strikeforce creates for themselves is completely
unneeded.
When
the promotion decided to book a year-long ‘tournament’
as the main theme for 2011, they had to realize that everything
needed to set up for the year. That means the arena bookings,
the matches, and everything logistical. Even PRIDE, of all organizations,
had a slate of dates booked for Saitama Super Arena or buildings
like Yokohama Arena. (They had to, since most buildings in Japan
require a 4-6 month advance booking date, if not longer.) The
fact that Strikeforce still doesn’t reportedly have a venue
booked for April 9th for the rest of the first round is absurd.
The idea that Sherdog’s report on this has not been disputed
yet by the promotion is curious. All of this chaos is also completely
unfair to fighters who have training camps and are trying to
peak at the right time. How would you like to be Alistair Overeem
right now? You thought you were going to become the ‘ace’
of K-1, you won all your fights last December at Ariake Colosseum,
and then you end up claiming that they didn’t pay you? He
had big plans for Japan, so much so that he signed with talent
agency Yoshimoto. Now, he fully commits to Strikeforce, and what
happens? He’s like the rest of us in not knowing what is
going on — and he’s supposed to fight a major opponent
in Fabricio Werdum!
All
of this chaos started with the dumb notion of wanting to run
events in Japan. Yes, I predicted that the promotion would try
to run there, but I never thought it made any financial sense.
With all the chaos going on there now, why make things harder
for yourself? Seemingly, that seems to be the theme of this operation
right now. Once the landscape in Japan fell apart, the promotion
should have already had everything ready to go to promote an
event on April 9th. After all, that’s the date the promotion
pushed on Showtime for the next event. You have all those eyeballs
watching Fedor’s fight and you tell fans that a certain
date will be used for the rest of the first round and now you
are hedging on that. Why? None of this uncertainly should have
happened in the first place.
Josh
Gross:
I’ve
yet to confirm the delay, let alone cause. Strikeforce, Showtime
won’t comment one way or the other. Smells funny though.
Jordan
Breen:
Think
what you want about Strikeforce, but three years ago today, they
headlined a show with Jan Nortje-Bob Sapp. We’ve come a
long way.
Maybe,
but they need to step up their game big now. Amateur hour is
over. Even Bellator is making some moves, like signing Marlon
Sandro. Time to get some steely resolve.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Roger
Gracie talks training with GSP, Linford Christie, BJJ
Roger
Gracie defeated Trever Prangley on the January 29th Strikeforce
show to take his record to 4-0. Fighters Only contributor Lance
Edwards caught up with him this week and learned that among other
things, he is training with former world champion sprinter Linford
Christie.
Fighters
Only: Congratulations on your Strikeforce win over Trevor Prangley.
Did the fight go to the game plan you had?
Roger
Gracie: It went exactly as planned. It was the first fight I’ve
had where it did go as planned though. I’d been working
the jab a lot, I’m taller so planned to use that to control
the distance. I thought he was expecting me to take him down
immediately, so the plan was to keep the fight standing and not
to rush.
I
actually expected him to rush and try and push the pace going
for a knockout, and was ready to clinch. I had worked a lot on
knees in the clinch, and used them, and after that I knew it
was time to take him down and finish the fight.
Fighters
Only: How did you prepare for the fight?
Roger
Gracie: I did all my training in London. I have a great Muay
Thai coach who I’ve been working with since November, Jason
Kelly, and since my standup has really improved. I have a couple
of students who fight in MMA so was training with them as well.
I also spent a little time with Georges St- Pierre.
Fighters
Only: How was it training with GSP?
Roger
Gracie: Well at the end of November I went to Canada for a week
where we trained, and then he came over in January for a week
to London. He really helped me a lot, particularly with takedowns.
I
actually think he made a massive difference in my game, he corrected
a lot of little mistakes I was making. My takedowns improved
a lot, I could tell because after training with him, the guys
I was training with were much easier for me to takedown.
Fighters
Only: Do you feel that training for MMA and training for BJJ
competition as well makes it harder to be good at one or the
other, or does training both have its benefits?
Roger
Gracie: You know, for me it is complementary. My base is jiu
jitsu, and that’s my main focus, everything else I train
is to complement my game. Hard training in any sport is the same,
when you do it in one it is easier to do it in another.
The
hardest part in both is the physical side, having the endurance,
getting tired, keeping going; the time you train is similar,
you pretty much keep a similar schedule, you just replace one
activity with another, whether it’s running, rolling or
punching a bag.
The
strategies and types of techniques you are using change, but
the basis of hard work is the same. Even in MMA seventy percent
of my training is in jiu jitsu, so for me it’s very easy
to change from one to the other.
Fighters
Only: Is there a particular reason that you didn’t have
sponsors on your shorts in your fight?
Roger
Gracie: It wasn’t for a particular reason, I just couldn’t
agree on a deal that was good enough. It would have to be a sponsorship
that would make a difference to me, it has to be of benefit.
I don’t want to be sponsored for very little, basically
for change, it has to make a difference to me to accept a sponsor.
I’m
in no hurry, I’m sure that in a fight or two I’ll come
to an agreement, but if I don’t then you’ll just carry
on seeing me in the plain shorts. I have two gyms in London,
so I don’t depend on the money, fighting is something extra.
Fighters
Only: You are known in BJJ competition for having an extremely
good mount game, your father is known for having a devastating
mount game. Did you get that from him?
Roger
Gracie: Well I got great tips from him and he definitely helped.
He makes himself heavy, when he’s on top of you it feels
like he’s three hundred kilos and makes himself really uncomfortable.
I’m
not as heavy, and I’m longer so I can’t do exactly
what he does. My Uncle was my main teacher, and he also has a
very good mount, I remember when he mounted me I couldn’t
move, so that inspired me to work on it.
Fighters
Only: Will we see you fight much more?
Roger
Gracie: I’m twenty-nine years old now, I won’t stop
fighting until I retire from competing, I will fight until my
body will ask for retirement. So maybe I have another ten years,
and I plan to fight more often than I have been. This year I
plan to fight two more times. In fact, I am completing signing
to fight again in April, and then in June it’s the World
Jiu Jitsu championship, so there will still be time to fight
again.
Fighters
Only: When you moved to London in the UK, there were not a lot
of good jiu jitsu competitors there, but you still continued
to do extremely well in competition without having the high level
training partners, why do you think that is?
Roger
Gracie: The secret is in the person, if you really want to improve
it doesn’t matter who you train with, you can find a way
to get better. When I got my black belt I moved to London. I
trained with my students, and would be rolling with blue and
purple belts. I continued to get better, because I trained with
dedication and not losing my focus.
I
would still go to Brazil to train, and New York to train with
my cousin Renzo for a month a year. I had to be cleverer, to
improve myself I had to put myself in difficult positions that
no-one could actually put me in, where I needed to escape. For
example, I’d let someone put a choke on deep and from situations
like that I improved. Anyone who is better can go out an demolish
their training partners who aren’t as good as them, but
you won’t learn like that, you won’t get better.
I
also was able to train with Braulio Estima who is here, and we
would train once or twice a week. I know people who have the
best training partners but still don’t reach their potential,
they don’t train the best way they could, so don’t
improve as they could.
Fighters
Only: Talking of high level competitors, I’m aware you trained
with Linford Christie, Olympic 100m gold medallist. How did that
come about?
Roger
Gracie: that happened when Georges was here. His girlfriend is
training for the Olympics and she trains with him. He invited
us down for a sprint session; I actually felt embarrassed because
I couldn’t run and keep up. I have a lot to learn, sprinting
makes you explosive and I really think it will help me a lot.
I am still training with him, in fact I am going later this week.
If you want to be the best it helps to learn from the best.
Fighters
Only: Do you have anything else interesting coming up?
Roger
Gracie: Well my some of my family and I will be in Costa Rica
teaching on the Gracie Adventure. It will be me, Rilion, Rolles,
Igor, Kyra and Gregor; it will be a great experience. We invite
everyone to come, fantastic jiu jitsu in paradise.
People
can find out more from the website, gracieadventure.com. I’m
looking forward to it, plus I’ll be training for Strikeforce
so it will be part of my preparation.
Fighters
Only: thank you Roger, it’s been a pleasure talking to you.
Roger
Gracie spoke to Lance Edwards.
Source:
Fighters Only
|
Ariel
Helwani: Off-the-record, a few people in Strikeforce were smiling
after Fedor lost
By Zach
Arnold
A
good interview on Press Row this week for Sherdog between Jordan
Breen and Ariel Helwani. Worth your time to listen to. The discussion
was Strikeforce-centric and gave a good feeling about what it’s
like to be at an SF event, to cover it, and how the operation
works.
I
got three passages for you from the radio interview here that
I want to focus on. The first passage deals with internal Strikeforce
reaction to Fedor losing last Saturday night.
JORDAN
BREEN: “Ben (Fowlkes) offered the idea that maybe it’s
actually better if Alistair Overeem wins. He’s a bit younger,
a bit more dedicated to the cause of fighting and fighting actively,
he’s certainly got an appeal, an aesthetic and cosmetic
appeal that’s very easy to sell as if you see Alistair Overeem
his physique screams, ‘yeah, of course, this guy’s
the best heavyweight fighter in the world, just look at him!’
It seems so apparently and so self-referential that maybe’s
the guy that they should be putting concentrated efforts behind.
Naturally, he needs to beat Fabricio Werdum in April for that
to happen. But, do you think there’s a real sense of joy
and relief from Scott Coker and company that maybe they can go
full-speed ahead on Alistair Overeem and maybe put the nightmarish
dealings with M-1 behind them?”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “Like I said, I don’t think that they will
admit this to us on the record at least but, trust me, I’m
not going to call anyone out but I spoke to a few people in Strikeforce
who, when I said ‘what does this mean?’, a smile instantly
appeared on their face. I mean, I’m not saying that they’re
rooting for Fedor, obviously not, but let’s be honest, I
mean, everyone knows that it’s very hard to deal with M-1.
So, now, April 9th it’s not an M-1 Global & Strikeforce
event. That’s just a Strikeforce event. This one had to
be an M-1 Global event because Fedor was on the card. April 9th
isn’t. … So, just think of that. Whatever their deal
is with M-1 Global and, you know, they have to share part of
the profits and all that stuff. They don’t have to do that
any more. And now, fine, you know, Fedor’s going to come
back and he’s going to fight, but I just think it opens
up a lot of, imagine if they are going to do PPV for the second
round. Well, now, Fedor’s not part of the PPV show. He still
might be on the card, you know, that could switch things up,
but I think it just opens a lot of things up for Strikeforce.
They can deal with their own brand, they can make the decisions
that they want, they can promote it how they want, they don’t
have to deal with any politics behind the scenes, and we all
know that it’s been hard to deal with M-1 Global. Everyone
from Dana White to Scott Coker and anyone else will tell you
that. Now they’re in the clear and they can do whatever
they want.”
Perhaps
some in Strikeforce were happy, but listening to Scott Coker’s
answers this week on various media platforms indicates to me
that he may not exactly be in that camp. Plus, M-1 now has a
TV deal with Showtime.
The
second passage is a transition from the first (talking about
Fedor losing). With Fedor’s loss, how does it alter the
company’s plans to go onto PPV?
JORDAN
BREEN: “So at this point in time, do you think that, like,
how far do you see them away from being on a PPV? What do you
think would be an appropriate timeline and setup for them to
get on PPV? Is the return of Gina Carano good enough or interesting
enough to make it without a Fedor/Overeem fight on the immediate
horizon? Is there something they can make do with to break into
PPV?”
ARIEL
HELWANI: “I thought, you know, Scott Coker said on Bloomberg
last week that by Fall 2011 they hope to be in the PPV business
and obviously that was before Saturday night. I think what happened
on Saturday night definitely delays things. I was going to say
kind of delays things, it definitely does. I definitely think
that, as you mentioned, Overeem vs. Fedor that’s a PPV main
event. Would they get 500,000 buys? I don’t think so. Would
they get 200,000? Maybe, and I think that would be a success.
I mean, let’s not forget, the UFC name on its own, in my
opinion, gets around 200,000-250,000 buys. You know, even their
worse show will get that much just because people think, ‘oh,
it’s a UFC show, we know what we’re getting.’
Strikeforce isn’t a known PPV brand just yet. So, that kind
of delays things for them. So, now you have to see how the tournament
plays out. If things where it’s a match that everyone wants
to see, you know, I don’t know if Overeem vs. Barnett is
really a PPV fight that people will actually pay $30 or $40 for
but if things play out and you can sell the tournament and its
been some epic fights along the way, I think you can do that.
“As
for Gina, I actually thought that the return of Gina Carano could
definitely help. I mean, I was trying to think of what their
first PPV could be. And I was like, OK, Fedor vs. Overeem and
then, you know, let’s say Barnett vs. Kharitonov or Arlovski,
the return of Gina vs. fighter X, doesn’t have to be Cyborg,
and you throw in like Herschel Walker versus Kimbo Slice or Batista
and I know hardcore MMA fans would hate that but I think you
would get a lot of mainstream attention for that stuff. I think
that’s a PPV card they could probably sell. Now, things
changed a little bit. Plus, I thought the reaction to Gina Carano
was very mediocre. I mean, the fans they kind of met it with
indifference and I think part of was because of her interview
on Showtime. She almost seemed like she didn’t really want
to be there. I thought they dropped the ball on that greatly
because they needed her to come out and be like ‘I’m
back, I’m ready to prove that I’m the best, blah blah
blah’ and then they needed to bring out her opponent and
I think it should probably be Julia Budd if you look at their
history and their 145 pound division is kind of weak and then
she says, “I beat you once, I’ll beat you again,’
etc. etc. I think they dropped the ball. So, now I think you
need to have her win on Showtime, build her up, and then maybe
build towards the Cyborg rematch because Cyborg doesn’t
even have any, you know, real contenders lined up for her now.
I mean, Amanda Nunes, I don’t think she’s really just
yet. So, I definitely think that now things have been delayed
and maybe 2011 isn’t the time to go into PPV.”
I’ll
close out this post by bringing up one final passage from the
interview that made me angry. On this site, I’ve pointed
out before that fighters who participated on the Strikeforce
card(s) in St. Louis reportedly sold tickets to get booked. That
would be sleazy and a joke. This is something you would expect
from a rinky-dink, low-importance, rank-amateur operation that
is running a fly-by-night independent show and has no money to
pay fighters. And, yet, as you will see in this quote from Ariel,
the practice of having undercard fighters sell tickets is apparently
alive and well.
(Read
the end of the post for an update on this passage.)
It’s
completely inexcusable. For all the talk about UFC not treating
their talent right in negotiations, one thing you can never say
about UFC is that they have their undercard fighters physically
sell tickets in order to get booked. Fighters fight and sell
tickets, proverbially speaking. It shouldn’t be their job
to be Ticketmaster because you’re too lazy to do your job
of actually promoting fighters and acting like a carny who doesn’t
want to do the right thing. My opinion, of course.
This
point about undercard fighters having to physically sell tickets
in order to get booked was brought up as part of a conversation
about the way Strikeforce/Showtime handles the booking of undercard
fights.
ARIEL
HELWANI: “I will give them credit for, you know, coming
up with this model where, OK, you bring the big names to town
and then you have all the undercard guys sell a good portion
of the tickets. I mean, I was talking to Cholish, I spoke to
Gian Villante. I mean, those guys sold, you know, between them
maybe 500-600 tickets and how many undercard fights where there?
Six I believe, 12 fighters? So those guys are doing their work
and, you know, that helps Strikeforce and, you know, you saw
those articles that came out last week about their profits. So,
you know, I like to think that, OK, it makes sense from a business
perspective, but it’s a very, it’s very much a present
way of thinking where you’re not thinking long-term, you’re
not building towards the future, and then you get stuck in six
or seven months when you don’t have a contender for a Cris
Cyborg because you’re not putting, you know, solid 145 talent
on your undercard to build up these people…”
To
close out the interview, Ariel was asked what Strikeforce needs
to improve or focus more on in order to keep momentum going.
His suggestions: doing a better job with social media and with
standard public relations, fixing their approach to booking female
MMA fights and treating it with the same respect as the men,
sending Strikeforce/Showtime staff members to go to UFC events
to take a look at why UFC is #1 at what they do, and improve
on the production for live events. Ariel stated that Showtime
largely treats production for live events as what looks best
on TV and not necessarily what gives fans the best live experience
at events. As far as the ‘new’ production set-up that
was used at the Izod Center event, Ariel claims that he was told
that this set-up would only be used on Heavyweight tournament
shows.
Addendum
Jim
Genia clarifies the situation regarding fighters and tickets
here.
I
have no problem with a promotion like Strikeforce having an undercard
based on big-ticket sellers. But one thing should be made clear
(which I don’t think is clear from the article): for this
New Jersey event, fighters didn’t have to “buy”
their way onto the card with the promise of selling large amounts
of tickets (as is implied). They were, however, welcomed onto
the card based on their local appeal. As an example, one undercard
fighter was booked who was mistakenly thought to be a local draw,
but to the dismay of some, it was later revealed that he was
an out-of-towner with zero New Jersey presence. He still fought
on the card, though.
From
what’s implied in the article, that out-of-towner would
have had to have promised to mondo tickets to fight. That wasn’t
the case.
Leland
Roling:
This
was actually revealed by Villante in Helwani’s interview.
Helwani flat out asked him if he was required to do so, and Villante
said no… teammates at his camp simply wanted to support
him along with family members, etc.
If
a fighter is selling tickets by having friends and family come
to support the promotion and those tickets aren’t in the
form of a salary or bonus payment, then there is nothing wrong
with that at all. However, if tickets are used as ‘currency’
then obviously that would be not such a good thing.
I
posted what our site commenters had to say in order to clarify
the passage. I wanted to do this because if the passage was misinterpreted,
that’s my fault 100% and it goes on me. No excuses. I owe
the promotion a public apology for such a mischaracterization.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Anderson
Silva on St. Pierre fight: “I want to fight the bests”
UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva dominated his weight
class for a long time, and Dana White guys are already considering
a challenge on which he’d fight with the champion of a lighter
division, Georges St. Pierre.
On
an interview conceded to the show UFC Sem Limites, on RedeTV,
Anderson commented the possibility of facing the Canadian, and
talked about the weight gap. “For the fans it’d be
a good thing, but the only problem is the weight, find a way
to make it good for him and for me. I want to fight the bests…
I’m fine on my weight division and I intend to retire on
it”, said the champion, saying that there’s a possibility
of this fight with GSP happens on an intermediate weight division.
“Spider”
also talked about the kick that knocked Vitor Belfort out at
UFC 126, confessing he didn’t learn it with Steven Seagal.
“He gave me a little tip about how I could improve that
kick, but it wasn’t like ‘Anderson couldn’t get
that kick right before that’. That’s something thing
you learn when you start fight standing. It’s a traditional
kick of stand-up martial arts”, said.
Source:
Tatame
|
Bisping
Bites Back; Rivera Unimpressed at UFC 127 Presser
by Mike
Whitman
The staredown between Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera was tense,
to say the least.
After
the fighters each answered questions from the media at the UFC
127 prefight press conference, the pair stood face-to-face, with
Bisping jutting his jaw out and pointing a finger at Rivera's
chest. What was said was inaudible, but the dialogue did not
appear friendly.
Leading
up to his middleweight clash with Bisping this Saturday at Acer
Arena in Sydney, Australia, Rivera has certainly talked the talk.
“El Conquistador” has mocked Bisping in a series of
YouTube videos which poke fun at everything from The Brit's perceived
lack of knockout power to his contentious split decision victory
over Matt Hamill. Most recently, Rivera paid homage to “South
Park” while dissing his foe, putting his own twist on one
of the show's most famous, profanity-laced musical numbers.
At
Tuesday's presser, Bisping let everyone know that he intended
to answer Rivera's verbal taunts with physical ones when they
step into the cage, even as he fired back at the American with
some aural bullets of his own.
“For
me, I’ve got a big fight to prepare for, and I’m trying
to behave accordingly. I’m a professional fighter, not an
idiot in the schoolyard, making up silly rhymes and jokes and
stupid videos,” said Bisping. “This is a press conference,
by the way, Jorge. I know it's your first time involved in something
like this. Welcome to the big leagues. After this, you'll be
back to the undercard, believe me.”
Bisping
went on to explain how and why he would come out on top come
fight time.
“I’m
looking forward to correcting him on a few of his opinions. I
think he's massively underestimating me, and I’m looking
forward to making fool out of him,” said Bisping. “I’m
going to do my talking with my fists -- punches, kicks, knees,
elbows, jiu-jitsu, wrestling. Half of that stuff, he doesn't
know what it is.”
When
asked about his motives behind his prefight antics, a stoic Rivera
asserted that while it was fun to rile his opponent, the videos
also served a purpose.
“Some
of it was for fun, and some of it was to get in his head and
see how he reacts and see what's going on,” said Rivera.
“I’m cool with it.”
Taunts
aside, Bisping believes he's the more modern fighter, a hypothesis
that Rivera seems eager to test at full speed.
“Jorge
is a relic. He's a throwback to the beginning of mixed martial
arts,” said Bisping. “I’m a complete mixed martial
artist, and I'll be showing him that [in the cage]. And I'll
do most of my talking then.”
“I
look forward to that,” replied Rivera. “I'm ready whenever
you're ready. I’m done talking.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
Melvin
Manhoef Says MMA Is His Priority, Expects Epic Fight with Tim
Kennedy
By Mike
Chiappetta
After years of constant back and forth shuttling between mixed
martial arts and kickboxing, Dutch striking powerhouse Melvin
Manhoef is committed solely to MMA in 2011. His year kicks off
at March 5's Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson event, when he
takes on former No. 1 middleweight contender Tim Kennedy.
Speaking
on a teleconference, the 34-year-old Manhoef said while he was
not retiring from kickboxing, he would shelve his pursuits in
that sport for the foreseeable future while working to round
out his MMA game, which has been criticized for holes in his
ground defense.
"I've
made small changes, more on the ground," he said. "In
past fights, I was always trying to bang and knock somebody out,
but [now] I give more time to my [Brazilian jiu-jitsu], my wrestling.
All the things changed."
Manhoef
explained that usually when he spends time trying to improve
one discipline -- jiu jitsu, for example -- it comes at the expense
of training time for his striking.
Because
he would often take an MMA fight and K-1 fight within weeks of
each other, sometimes he would enter the K-1 fight not feeling
as prepared as he could have because of the time he sacrificed
to spend on ground skills.
"I'm
going to stick only to the MMA game," he said. "I have
to work hard on that. Because if you're betting on two horses,
if you don't have all your attention on one, your mind's not
100 percent there. This year, I'm only going for MMA fights,
and not standup."
Manhoef
has lost two straight in the MMA realm, suffering a first-round
knockout at the hands of Robbie Lawler in Jan. 2010 before losing
via submission to Tatsuya Mizuno in July.
Though
Manhoef has a respectable 24-8-1 record, five of his last six
losses have come via tapout. That makes his fight with Kennedy
a perfect gauge of how far his grappling skills have come. Kennedy
(12-3) has six wins via submission and is known for a powerful
ground attack from the top position.
That's
just the kind of style contrast that Manhoef is looking for.
In fact, he expects the result to rival that of his epic 2006
Cage Rage win over Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, which
is considered by many to be one of the wildest, fiercest, most
primal brawls in MMA history.
"He's
a tested fighter, an all-around fighter," Manhoef said.
"I like when he pushes and comes forward. It's going to
be a good fight. I can not predict how I'm going to fight or
what I'm going to do. But I think the fight will be so hot that
everybody will talk about it like the Cyborg fight again. It's
going to be the fight of the night. Or the fight of the year,
I think."
It's
a strong statement, but one from a fighter at something of a
crossroads. He's lost four out of his last six in MMA, and two
in a row in K-1. He's a man with something to prove, not just
to other fighters or fans, but to himself.
"I
want to win, Tim wants to win," he said. "I really
want to win. For me it's very important because I want to prove
that I'm still here, I'm still strong and I'm still Melvin. For
me it has to be a must-win fight."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UPDATED:
Former Sengoku Champ Marlon Sandro Signs with Bellator Fighting
Championships
Bellator
Fighting Championships on Wednesday announced the signing of
former Sengoku featherweight champion Marlon Sandro to a multi-fight
deal.
Sandro
brings with him an impressive 17-2 overall record, and a devastating
style that has led to many knockout and submission victories.
His
only two losses come from Top 10 opponents in the form of a split
decision loss to Michihiro Omigawa and current Sengoku featherweight
champion Hatsu Hioki.
Sandro
joins the Bellator featherweight division, but will not participate
in the upcoming Season 4 tournament.
“Marlon
Sandro is a phenomenal talent at 145,” said Bellator CEO
Bjorn Rebney. “Our featherweight division is absolutely
stacked and Sandro pushes that talent pool to an even higher
level, I’m thrilled to have him on board.”
There’s
been no word about when Sandro will debut.
He
is one of many Sengoku fighters that have recently signed on
with other promotions. Despite an initial report to the contrary,
however, MMAWeekly.com has since confirmed that, unlike several
other of those fighters, Sandro is still under contract with
Sengoku, while the Japanese promotion’s future remains cloudy.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: B.J. Penn Is Back to the Business of Just Being a Fighter
For
years, B.J. Penn has talked about the legacy he wants to create
before he leaves the sport of MMA.
As
he heads into his fight at UFC 127 against Jon Fitch, legacy
doesn’t seem to be the biggest thing on Penn’s mind
anymore. Nor do titles or even some of the mind games he’s
been known to play with opponents before heading into a big fight.
This B.J. Penn has only one focus, and that’s beating Jon
Fitch.
It’s
not necessarily a different Penn than fans have seen before,
but to hear his demeanor before his last fight against Matt Hughes,
and then before his upcoming fight with Fitch, the once brash
Hawaiian has started to just talk about the fight before the
fight and nothing else.
Gone
are the days of Penn’s relentless goal to be the best in
the world, he’s just back to the business of being a fighter.
For his camp to prepare for Fitch, he even brought in an old
adversary to help him get ready.
“Well,
it came about, I was talking to Matt (Hughes’) boxing trainer,
Matt Pena, and, you know, we’re talking back and forth,
and he was kind of talking to me about Fitch and what he likes
to do. I guess he’s kind of just studied Fitch over the
years,” Penn said.
“I
was talking to him. He was asking me if I wanted to come and
meet up with him and talk to him and stuff, and after a while,
I said, ‘You know what? Why don’t you give me Matt’s
number? I think it’d be a good idea to have Matt come down
and train with me.’ And he gave me Matt’s number. I
texted Matt a few times, and I didn’t know what kind of
response I was going to get, but Matt ended up, a few texts later,
Matt ended up saying, ‘You know what? I’m in. I’m
going to go make sure, I’ll fit you in my schedule,’
and sent me down his name and his daughter’s name, and they
came down to train. And I had a great time training with Matt.
It really upped my confidence.”
Penn
and Hughes of course just sealed the deal on their trilogy of
fights last November with Penn coming out on top after a quick
knockout in the first round of their bout at UFC 123. Once again,
however, even before that fight, Penn had moved on from old grudges
and just got back to what made him great and that was loving
to fight.
Penn
has always looked at MMA as a fight, or a scrap as he calls it,
and doesn’t look at it as an athletic competition as so
many fighters believe it is today. Penn is a purist when it comes
to looking at MMA as a fight, but he’s not against working
with a former enemy to prepare him for the battle ahead.
In
Matt Hughes, he trained with a fighter that could easily be called
Jon Fitch 1.0. While Fitch may be at version 2.0 right now, it
can’t hurt to have someone in camp that does many of the
same things he does, especially because Fitch does them so well.
“Me
and Matt had great workouts, him trying to push me on the fence,
him trying to take me down. I definitely think that was the best
training partner I could’ve had for the fight,” Penn
commented.
“I
know he isn’t exactly like Fitch as far as height and boxing
and kickboxing goes, but on the one area where Fitch definitely
pushes all his opponents, his grinding them out and pushing them
on the fence and taking them down, Matt really pushed me in those
areas. So I gained a lot of confidence working out with Matt.”
Heading
into the fight, Penn sounds as confident as ever and while he’s
alluded to possibly staying at 170 pounds in the future regardless
of the outcome of this fight, and with a title shot on the line,
he’s just ready to fight.
“I’m
not even thinking about that. I’m not thinking about titles,”
Penn said. “I’m just happy to fight an opponent of
Jon Fitch’s level and Jon Fitch’s stature.”
A
B.J. Penn truly just in there to scrap? That might be the most
dangerous B.J. Penn ever.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Fitch Sees UFC 127 Fight Against BJ Penn Like a Fight in The
Matrix
When
the story of Jon Fitch is turned into a movie will he be played
by Keanu Reeves?
Well,
maybe that’s a bit extreme, but Fitch does draw from one
of Reeves’ famous portrayals as the computer ass kicking
hero in The Matrix series as he gets ready for his upcoming fight
against B.J. Penn.
Fitch
doesn’t look at Penn as an icon or a legend in the sport
before they step in the Octagon. He also doesn’t hear anything
Penn has said or will say about him as they head into their fight
at UFC 127. Much like The Matrix, Penn is just a series of numbers
and abilities that Fitch has to figure out how to maneuver and
then destroy.
“I
don’t really give a crap what he says or thinks about me.
I have a job to do, and my opponents to me. I’m fighting
their abilities, not the person. To me they’re a nameless,
shapeless, faceless person, and I’m looking at their abilities,”
Fitch told MMAWeekly Radio recently.
“It’s
like I’m seeing the binary code in The Matrix. I don’t
really care what that outer shell is.”
If
Fitch truly is channeling his inner Neo, he’s doing so by
training extremely hard to prepare for one of the most diverse
and dangerous opponents he’s ever faced. It’s not often
that Fitch runs into a fighter with the ground skills of a B.J.
Penn, so he’s upped his training to make sure if he gets
caught, it’s going to cost him. Literally.
Fitch
brought in training partners from Modesto, Calif., and if anyone
submits him during training, he pays them a bounty out of his
own pocket. He’s also upping his already tremendous cardio
because if this is the best B.J. Penn we’ve ever seen at
170 pounds, Fitch will not go down because his body backfired
on him.
“Cardio
plays into every fight. If you don’t have good cardio it
doesn’t matter how great of a fighter you are, you’re
not going to be able to do what you should be able to do,”
said Fitch. “That’s one of the reasons I’ve always
been in top physical condition for all of my UFC fights. There’s
nothing like losing a fight because you got tired.”
He’s
also preparing for Penn’s striking game, which put his last
opponent, Matt Hughes, out cold just seconds after their fight
began. Many classify Fitch as purely a grappler, but he’s
happy to show off his hands if necessary.
“I
think the past two years working with Gary Owens, my stand-up
has come a long way and I think I’m in these growing pains,
this kind of developmental stage, these last few years, and everything
is going to come together at 127,” Fitch predicted. “I’ve
finally found my groove and everything’s coming together
and everything’s fitting nicely.”
If
his stand-up game is a piece of the puzzle, then the most difficult
parts to fit in when any opponent has fought Fitch have been
his incredible pace and will to put somebody on the mat and grind
them into the ground. For 23 opponents, Fitch has been too much
and many of them walked away tired and bloodied for their troubles.
And
while he is happy to stand and trade with Penn if that’s
what happens, Fitch is not going to go reinventing the wheel
to prove something.
“I
think I have a style that’s very difficult for people to
get used to and to get ready for. I have a lot of little details
to my game that I don’t think people have figured out yet,
and regardless of size or strength, I think he’s still going
to have his hands full,” Fitch said.
“I’m
not looking to change my style up. It’s about refinement.
I can refine my style, I can make it better, I can make it more
potent and more damaging, and win fights even more impressively
in the future.”
Fitch
may be walking into UFC 127 looking at Penn like binary code
from The Matrix to help him break down his style and truly get
prepared, but make no mistake about it… he knows what a
win over B.J. Penn can do for his career.
“This
for me is a way to cement my name in the books and work towards
becoming a legend myself.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Chad
Mendes Gunning for the Winner of Aldo and Hominick at UFC 129
The UFC’s featherweight division is quickly becoming one
of the most competitive weight classes in the sport, and there
are more than a few names gunning for a shot at the winner of
the upcoming fight between champion Jose Aldo and challenger
Mark Hominick.
The
top of that list is undefeated Team Alpha Male fighter Chad Mendes,
who is coming off a dominant win over Michihiro Omigawa in January.
Mendes is happy with whatever the UFC offers him next, but of
course a title shot is the goal he’s gunning for.
“I’m
picking stuff up, I’m feeling more confident. If they feel
like throwing me in there next, then that’s a title shot,
that’s the ultimate goal, and I’m 100% happy with that,”
Mendes told MMAWeekly Radio recently.
While
nothing is set in stone at this point, Mendes doesn’t currently
have a fight on the docket and with Aldo facing Hominick in late
April, it would only make sense that the California native sit
on the sidelines and face the winner of that fight later this
year.
The
other top contender in the division Diego Nunes is currently
scheduled to face Kenny Florian in his featherweight debut in
June, and while there have been talks about the winner of that
fight being in line for a title shot, Mendes and his management
team believe it’s his time.
“Chad
doesn’t have a fight scheduled right now and he wants to
fight the winner of Jose Aldo and Mark Hominick,” MMA Inc’s
Mike Roberts told MMAWeekly.com on Monday. “You can guarantee
he’ll be sitting front and center in Toronto, and we believe
he’s earned his place as the No. 1 contender in the division”
Mendes
has been flawless throughout his WEC and now UFC career. Undefeated
at 10-0, the man they call “Money” has earned every
penny so far in his time in the featherweight division.
As
far as who he’d rather face between Aldo and Hominick, Mendes
doesn’t care because he simply wants his chance to wrap
the gold around his waist.
“Either
way, I’m down to fight whoever,” Mendes said about
his preference of opponent.
Mendes
took some much needed time off after his win over Omigawa, but
after signing a new 4-fight deal with the UFC, he’s ready
for his next bout to be with the UFC featherweight title on the
line.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Musical Chairs Continues, Matyushenko Now Faces Brilz at UFC
129 in Toronto
Since
it didn’t work out for them to fight in Germany last year,
they’ll fight in Toronto instead.
Light
heavyweights Vladdy Matyushenko and Jason Brilz have agreed to
meet at UFC 129 in late April after a week of shuffling opponents
finally seems to have come to an end.
The
fight was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the
match-up on Monday, with bout agreements issued for the card
slated for Toronto. MMAJunkie.com initially reported the bout.
Brilz
had just recently popped onto the UFC 129 card himself, stepping
in to face Phil Davis on the card after his original opponent
Matt Hamill was pulled to step into a slot at UFC 130 against
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Davis
was then subsequently pulled to fill in for Tito Ortiz at UFC
Fight Night 24 when Ortiz dropped off the card after suffering
a concussion and getting stitches from a training incident. The
UFC game of musical chairs seemed to finally come to a close
on Monday with the news that Matyushenko would step in and face
Brilz to complete the Toronto card.
Matyushenko
and Brilz were originally scheduled to meet last year at UFC
122 in German, but Brilz suffered an injury of his own forcing
him out of the bout. Matyushenko went on to putting drubbing
on replacement Alexandre Ferreira, ending the fight with a first
round stoppage.
The
bout between Matyushenko and Brilz heads to Toronto, but there’s
been no word if the fight will make the televised broadcast or
not.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bibiano
Fernandes possible for Dream bantamweight GP
Former
Dream featherweight champion, the Brailian Jiu-Jitsu black-belt
Bibiano Fernandes is celebrating the greatest victory of his
entire life: the coming of his second heir, Gabriel. The newest
tough little guy was born three weeks ago, the goofy dad doesn’t
let go of his child for one second. “Thanks God everything’s
fine, it’s the third week he’s around and he came in
a great moment, he’s healthy and handsome like his dad.
This is the second, I’ve adopted a boy of two years old
and when you adopt is the same love a birth father has for your
son, I have Elias and now Gabriel”, commented Bibiano, who
revealed the feeling of conquering a title ain’t enough
to compare to the feeling that it’s to be a daddy.
“To
me, family comes first and when I watched my son being born it
was really touching, it’s a God’s gift, man… It’s
a life that God gives you to take care of, it’s much more
exciting than winning a belt. There’s no comparison, man,
it’s the ‘product’ of something you did, I can’t
explain, it’s a miracle, it’s a God’s thing indeed”,
said the Brazilian, who’s having trouble sleeping, but willing
to return to the rings, probable on a bantamweight GP of Dream.
“It
gives you strength to live, you feel more willing to work, taking
care of things. I’ll tell you something, man, I’m having
much trouble sleeping, but that’s it, I trust God and things
eventually work out, I’ll work harder now. I have two more
fights to do on Dream, and I’ll keep my contract. I’ll
probably change for the bantamweight and join this GP cast. I
was the featherweight champion, and I’ll get a new title
now… You can hope the best Bibiano ever in 2011”, concluded
the black-belt.
Source: Tatame
|
UFC
127: Cool, Calm and Collected, Kyle Noke Fighting With Renewed
Enthusiasm
Kyle
NokeIf you listen to Kyle Noke speak about his life and what
role MMA plays in it, you get the feeling that he is one of the
most laid back fighters in the sport. He takes everything in
stride, not letting the bright lights of the UFC consume him.
At
UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch, Noke will be fighting in front of his
fellow countryman as the UFC will make its second trip down under.
His opponent, Chris Camozzi, will be waiting for him, prepped
and ready to spoil his homecoming. But do you think that matters
to a guy like Kyle Noke? Do you think the thought of Camozzi
beating him in front of other Australians is something that circles
his consciousness, weighing him down and taking focus away from
the actual fight night.
Have
a conversation with the man and you won’t think any of those
things for a minute.
The
thing about Noke is that he has been in the fight game for quite
some time – nine years, to be exact. He has done the pre-fight
preparation several times over for many organizations across
the world. Simply put, he knows how to handle the pressure of
fighting and is able to balance the emotion that stems from performing
at a high level.
Even
stepping on the big stage in front of his home crowd is something
he looks at nonchalantly.
“To
me, it’s just another fight,” Noke said on MMA Weekly
Radio. “I’m taking it as any other fight. I’m
sure once the fight is over, I’ll realize that I’ve
just fought in my home country.”
The
UFC – considered by most to be the elite mixed martial arts
organization in the world – is the biggest break Noke has
come across in his career. Prior to landing a roster spot with
the Las Vegas-based promotion, Noke’s biggest challenge
came when he faced Hector Lombard at Cage Fighting Championships
in 2007. If you can say anything about Noke, it’s that he
is the last person to prevent Lombard from collecting a win in
an MMA fight. Of course, he didn’t defeat Lombard, only
fought him to a draw, but no one else has done that to the current
Bellator middleweight champion since.
Noke
made his way to the UFC via the organization’s popular reality
show, “The Ultimate Fighter.” Through that experience,
the Australian fighter gained more than a place within the Zuffa
brand. Noke found his stride and a renewed faith in the sport
that he has been competing in for the last near decade.
It
is the big break that he has been waiting for all this time.
“I’ve
been fighting for a while… without any big breaks,”
he said about fighting on TUF. “And then just being on the
show gave me that big break and just renewed my enthusiasm in
the sport.”
His
UFC 127 opponent is someone that has walked a very similar path
to Noke since his season of the The Ultimate Fighter. Chris Camozzi
was on the same season of the reality show, but was forced to
bow out due to a broken jaw suffered in his preliminary fight,
which he won, earning him his spot on the show. If he had not
been injured, there might have been a chance these two fighters
would have met at some point during the show’s tournament.
The
past is the past, however, and a Noke-Camozzi bout is now set
to take place on the main card of a pay-per-view. Since the show,
Noke has had ample opportunity to learn about his opponent, and
that is exactly what he has done. Film and other study tools
have been part of Kyle’s preparation for this fight, which
gives him the confidence that he’ll perform well against
stiff opposition.
“I
didn’t know much about him before I got on (The Ultimate
Fighter),” Noke said about Camozzi. “I know he was
a tough guy and I’ve watched a few of his fights. I know
he can take a big shot, so I’m in for a big, tough, long
night.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
127: Penn vs. Fitch Fight Card
Starts
4:00 pm Hawaii Time on Digital Channel 701 (Oceanic)
UFC
127 PosterThe Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Sydney,
Australia, on Sunday, February 27, for UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch.
BJ Penn and Jon Fitch square off in a pivotal main event.
UFC
president Dana White recently declared that the winner between
Penn and Fitch will be the No. 1 contender for the welterweight
title currently wrapped around Georges St-Pierre’s waist.
The
full fight card is below. Keep in mind that the live event takes
place on Sunday, Feb. 27, in Sydney, but, due to the time difference,
the pay-per-view airs live in its normal Saturday night time
slot at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET in the United States.
UFC
127: Penn vs. Fitch Full Fight Card:
Date: February 27, 2011
Venue: Acer Arena
Location: Sydney, Australia
Main
Bouts:
-Jon Fitch (23-3; #2 Welterweight)* vs. B.J. Penn (16-7-1)
-Michael Bisping (20-3; #9 Middleweight)* vs. Jorge Rivera (19-7)
-George Sotiropoulos (14-2) vs. Dennis Siver (17-7)
-Chris Lytle (30-17-5) vs. Brian Ebersole (46-14-1)
-Chris Camozzi (14-3) vs. Kyle Noke (18-4-1)
Preliminary
Bouts:
-Ross Pearson (11-4) vs. Spencer Fisher (24-6)
-James Te Huna (12-4) and Alexander Gustafsson (10-1)
-Riki Fukuda (17-4) vs. Nick Ring (10-0)
-Mark Hunt (5-7) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (21-3)
-Maciej Jewtuszko (8-0) vs. Curt Warburton (6-2)
-Tom Blackledge (10-6) vs. Anthony Perosh (10-6)
-Tiequan Zhang (12-1) vs. Jason Reinhardt (20-1)
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Tito
Ortiz Out of UFC Fight Night 24, Phil Davis Steps in To Face
Nogueira
The
main event to the UFC Fight Night on March 26 in Seattle has
undergone a change as Tito Ortiz has been forced out of his scheduled
slot due to injury. Stepping in to replace him will be undefeated
former NCAA champion Phil Davis, who will now face Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira in the main event.
UFC
President Dana White made the announcement on Saturday via his
personal Twitter account, and the UFC’s website now reflects
the change in match-up as well.
Ortiz
later hit his own Twitter stating he had to get 22 stitches and
was the victim of a concussion sustained during training.
Phil
Davis steps in the bout on March 26 just days after verbally
accepting a bout against Jason Brilz at UFC 129 in April. He
had been on a bit of a rollercoaster over the last few weeks
after original opponent Matt Hamill was yanked from their fight
in favor of facing Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC
130 in May.
There’s
been no word if Brilz will remain on the UFC 129 card or not.
Davis
steps into the main event at UFC Fight Night with an unblemished
record, and a stellar list of credentials including an NCAA championship
in wrestling.
The
bout between Davis and Nogueira will headline the card taking
place in Seattle, and will be broadcast on Spike TV.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Minotouro
Nogueira: “My plan is to knock (Phil Davis) out”
Coming
from a loss to Ryan Bader, Rogerio Nogueira would face the veteran
and former UFC champion Tito Ortiz, on UFN 24, but the American
had to leave the bout. The replacement for the fight, which happens
on March 26th, is Phil Davis, who’s undefeated with eight
fights on his professional record.
The
sudden change of opponent wasn’t enough to keep awake the
experienced Minotouro analyzed the replacement on a chat with
TATAME. “My work’s done, man, the thing is to focus
and train hard to face this new opponent. I still didn’t
have the chance to watch many of his fights, but his game is
similar to Tito Ortiz’s. I know he tends to use his kicks
more, but his strong point also is Wrestling… The same background”,
commented Rogerio, who revealed that he’ll make the difference
on the bout.
“I’m
training too hard, everything’s perfect now. You can hope
an aggressive me, I’ll really go for it this time. I just
have to prevent the takedowns, but I’ll attack him, I’ll
try to finish it and the good positions. My plan is to knock
him out. He’ll have to fight a tough guy, it’ll be
a good fight. I’ll make a difference with my Boxing skills,
it’ll be my game plan so I keep the distance”, revealed
the black belt, who intends to block Mr Wonderful’s Wrestling
game. “I’m doing many sprawls so I sharpen my takedown
defense so I won’t be taken down near the grid, that’s
where the Americans feel comfortable”, concluded.
Source: Tatame
|
Shogun
vs. Jones: plenty of action expected in clash of titans
On
March 19, two big names from the light heavyweight division in
world MMA will face off for the UFC belt.
On
one side of the octagon will be the seasoned Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua, a man who marked an era during the days of Pride FC and
who put an end to Lyoto Machida’s invincibility. On the
other, Jon “Boners” Jones, a young man of 23 who out
of thirteen fights counts but one loss, and one by disqualification
at that.
Shogun
hasn’t fought since May of 2010, when he took Machida’s
title and had to go under the knife to treat an injury sustained
during the effort.
“He
deserves this chance more than anyone. I’ve been training,
since I was going to face Rashad Evans, but he got injured out.
They are similar-style fighters, so my training will carry on
similarly. It’s not good being sidelined, since you lose
a bit of pace, but I’m used to it,” remarks the current
champion.
Jones
found out about his title shot while still in the octagon, after
a walk-in-the-park win over Ryan Bader at UFC 126 – Bader
having been undefeated until then and even holding a win over
Rogério Minotouro. The fight took place February 5 and,
to the fighter, the short break between fights is no problem.
“I
come from a wrestling background, and we competed the whole time.
It was win and win, that’s what I was born to do. In the
UFC we know we’ll fighter three times a year, but if I could,
I’d fight every month,” he remarked to GRACIEMAG.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
Fight Night 24: Dan Hardy Wants GSP & Condit Again, But Eyes
AJ
To
say 2010 was disappointing for Dan Hardy would be an understatement.
The
British banger failed in his attempt to wrest the UFC welterweight
championship belt from around the waist of Georges St-Pierre.
He then, admittedly overconfident and cocky, was summarily knocked
out by Top 10 fighter Carlos Condit later in the year.
As
would be expected, Hardy wants another shot at both. Against
St-Pierre, it’s more or less the want for an opportunity
to prove that he can be the fighter to beat one of the all-time
greatest champions in the sport’s history. The rift with
Condit takes a much different path. He just plain doesn’t
like Condit and wants to beat him down.
Neither,
however, is on his immediate radar.
That
position is held for Anthony Johnson, a fighter that Hardy considers
a friend, but still the man that he is burdened with defeating
at UFC Fight Night 24 on March 26 in Seattle.
As
much as Hardy wants to make up the losses of 2010, he knows that
he can’t afford to look past Johnson. He’s been training
hard, trying to shore up his deficiencies… namely his wrestling
and ground game.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Tim
Credeur And Ed Herman Expected To Square Off At TUF 13 Finale
Tim
Credeur and Ed Herman are expected to make their returns to the
Octagon as part of “The Ultimate Fighter Season 13? finale
on June 4 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
MMAWeekly.com
sources on Saturday confirmed that the fight has been verbally
agreed to. It was first reported by Heavy.com.
The
TUF 13 finale will be the first bout in nearly two years for
both fighters.
Credeur
(12-3) last fought in a loss to Nate Quarry at UFC Fight Night
19 in September of 2009. That loss knocked him off of a six-fight
winning streak. He has since been scheduled to return to the
Octagon on several occasions, but has been derailed due to various
injuries.
Herman
(19-7) hasn’t competed since August 2009, when he lost by
TKO due to a knee injury inflicted by Aaron Simpson. The loss
was Herman’s third in his four most recent attempts. He
is in strong need of a win over Credeur if he is to resurrect
his UFC career. He is 4-5 overall in the Octagon.
In
addition to the TUF 13 finals, a lightweight showdown between
former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and fellow UFC
title contender Clay Guida will highlight the fight card.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
130: Rampage vs. Hamill and Alves vs. Story Announced
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday continued to round
out the UFC 130: Edgar vs. Maynard 3 fight card for May 28 in
Las Vegas.
UFC
130 is already slated to feature a third fight between current
UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, and
heavyweight battles pitting former champ Frank Mir against “Ultimate
Fighter Season 10? winner Roy Nelson and Stefan Struve versus
Travis Browne.
An
ever-evolving bout with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson seems
to have finally settled on Matt Hamill as his opposition. A rumored
welterweight contest between Thiago Alves and Rick Story was
also announced.
Jackson
was originally slated to face Thiago Silva at UFC 130, but his
drug test for UFC 125 is still pending with the Nevada State
Athletic Commission. Promotion officials decided to shuffle the
deck while waiting for a resolution to Silva’s situation.
It was speculated that Rashad Evans, who recently dropped out
of a title fight against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, might
be slotted for a rematch with Jackson, but the UFC appears to
be soured on the abundance of rematches recently.
Story
has been on fire recently, winning five straight bouts since
dropping his Octagon debut to John Hathaway in 2009. Alves will
be his toughest test to date. A victory over the Top 10 ranked
welterweight would propel Story’s career to new heights,
immediately putting him into the title mix.
Alves
dropped back-to-back bouts to Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch,
and was highly criticized for missing weight on a couple of occasions.
He got his weight under control with the help of trainer Mike
Dolce, bouncing back with a win over John Howard at UFC 124.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Roger
Huerta Healing Up, Dispels Rumors of Retiremen
Roger
Huerta at one point in time was the hottest prospect in the Ultimate
Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.
He
ran his record to 20-1, racking up wins over fighters like Clay
Guida, Alberto Crane, and Leonard Garcia. Huerta even became
the first mixed martial artist to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated
following his battle with Garcia.
His
career then took a drastic turn. Mired in a very public squabble
over his UFC contract, Huerta dropped his next two UFC bouts,
to Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard, both of which are now Top
10 ranked fighters. His contract fulfilled, he then left the
UFC.
Several
months later, he emerged as a marquee signing for the fledgling
Bellator Fighting Championships. He won his first bout, but then
dropped back-to-back fights to Pat Curran and Bellator champion
Eddie Alvarez.
That
last loss, to Alvarez, was about four months ago, so the obligatory
rumors of his pending retirement, especially considering his
penchant for acting, started to flair up recently.
Like
many athletes these days, Huerta took to his Twitter account
to dispel the rumors on Saturday.
“Nah
man all good. Just healing up and will be back at it in no time,”
he wrote in response when asked if he was retiring.
He
added that he currently doesn’t have any fights in the works,
although MMAWeekly.com confirmed that he is still under contract
with Bellator.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Coach
explains Diego Nunes vs Kenny Florian matchup
Nova
União leader, Andre Pederneiras spoke with TATAME this
morning and revealed that former UFC lightweight contender Kenny
Florian will battle his protégé Diego Nunes at
UFC 131, on Vancouver, and called us few minutes ago to explain
some details on the fight.”The fight was offered and we
accepted it. But who knows about the contract is Jorge Guimarães
(Aldo’s manager). If it’s already set I don’t
know, but we already accepted it,” he said.
Finalist
at The Ultimate Fighter reality show and former title contender
in the UFC lightweight division, Kenny Florian was rumored to
fight Jose Aldo before UFC-WEC merge, and a win over Nunes could
throw the American into the title contention in the featherweight
division. “If Florian defeated Diego I believe the UFC would
give him the title shot (against the winner of Aldo vs Mark Hominick).
But, if Diego wins, I believe the UFC wouldn’t give him
the title shot. I think he’d have to do one more fight before
that”.
Source: Tatame
|
Galvão
confirms competition Jiu-Jitsu return
André
Galvão has confirmed what the folks at Atos have been
saying in interviews with GRACIEMAG.com for some time. The black
belt two-time IBJJF world champion and Strikeforce fighter has
returned his focus to competition Jiu-Jitsu. This season, Galvão
should put in an appearance at the Pan and Worlds events.
“I’ve
got my academy with my students here in San Diego, and to give
the guys some extra motivation I figured I’d return to competing
in the gi. I want to do MMA halfway through the season. In the
meantime, I’ll do Jiu-Jitsu, which is something I like a
lot. My main goals are the Pan and the Worlds. I’ll try
to win those championships, and God willing, it will all turn
out alright. I’ll train hard,” he confirms.
“I’m
happy because it’s something I really like doing, besides
being extra incentive for the guys on my team. I was missing
it. I’m prepared, ready to go at it,” he adds.
Last
year, at the last minute, the fighter donned the gi and competed
at the World Pro. This time, Galvão will put in his due
preparations.
“The
important part is to train properly. The guys have been on my
case about it, but I told them all I’d only return if they’d
come train with me. Jiu-Jitsu these days is a different level
and you can’t compete well without training with a first-rate
team. When I fought I felt there were some difficulties. I lost
on advantages to Pé de Chumbo and Alexandre de Souza.”
To
get in shape I’m relying on reinforcement from the folks
at Atos Brazil. The team is putting together a great training
camp.
“They’ll
be getting here next weekend. In all, thirteen black belts are
coming, plus a really tough group in the other belts. I’ve
been training with my students, besides doing physical conditioning
with Rafael Alejarra, which has got me feeling really good. Now
the gang will stay here with me for six months. I better be sharp!”
he says in closing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
A
look at vegetarian fighters’ diets
Jake
Shields is 10 weeks away from his fight with Georges St. Pierre,
the apex of his career and the main event on the biggest MMA
stage ever in North America.
Shields
starts to watch his diet around the eight-week mark before a
fight, when the training intensifies. Until then, he’s fairly
liberal with what he eats.
A
trip to Whole Foods is as much a part of Jake Shields' routine
as a trip to the gym.
“I
eat based on how I’m feeling,” Shields said. “If
I’m hungry, I eat. Right now my weight is where I need it
to be. When I was going to fight at 185 [pounds], I had to eat
six, seven or eight times every day, and force myself to constantly
eat. As a vegetarian trying to gain weight, you have to eat more
than you want to.”
Here’s
a sample of the Shields Diet:
Day
1
#
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit or sweet maple syrup. His favorite
fruits are blueberries, strawberries, oranges, dried fruits and
cantaloupes.
# Mid-morning snack: Nuts and various fruits.
# Lunch: A stir-fry dish with brown rice and vegetables. Shields
will load up on whatever catches his attention in the supermarket,
could be spinach, broccoli or any other green veggie.
# Post-workout: A protein shake with whey or soy-based protein
most of the time. He usually uses whatever his sponsors send.
# Dinner: A few eggs, vegetables, either a tortilla or piece
of toast, and either potatoes or sweet potatoes.
# Late night: A snack of cereal with almond milk.
“I
shoot for six meals a day,” Shields said. “Some days
end up being a little more. Some days may be a little less. I
don’t like to go very long without eating.”
Day
2
#
Breakfast: Three to four scrambled eggs with vegetables, followed
by a workout.
# Post-workout: A sandwich with avocados and a vegetarian patty.
Later, followed by a protein shake.
# Dinner: Burrito with beans, avocados and rice.
# Night-time snack: Yogurt and cottage cheese.
# Before bed: Another snack with dried fruit, nuts or cereal.
Shields
doesn’t like soda and will drink coconut water or 100 percent
juice drinks throughout the day.
Day
3
#
Breakfast: Oatmeal or eggs. If in a hurry, may grab a bagel with
peanut butter and jelly instead.
# Lunch: Eating out, maybe Thai food with tofu, but will cut
this out of the diet when his training for the St. Pierre fight
gets serious.
# Post-lunch: Veggie burger or a veggie sandwich from Subway.
# From time to time, Shields will go to Whole Foods and get soy
chicken or soy steak. He doesn’t like to do that often because
it’s processed. But for a change of pace, he’ll put
it on a sandwich with avocados and vegetables.
# Dinner: Quinoa, a whole grain, mixed with vegetables or eggs.
#
Late snack: Crackers and hummus, followed later by another snack
of scrambled eggs and hash brown potatoes.
Shields
tries to focus on eating small meals before training. Carb-based
meals, but not greasy foods like Thai takeout, usually make the
cut.
“I
cook my own food. Sometimes my brother cooks my food,” Shields
said. “I’ve thought about hiring a chef for before
a fight. I’m thinking about getting a vegan chef and trying
it out.”
On
weekends, when he’s going out to clubs with friends, there
aren’t a ton of late-night eating options. He’ll get
pizza or Mexican food, but such snacks will be cut out around
the eight-week mark before the fight.
Fitch’s
average day
Jon
Fitch’s wife Michele, whose own change in diet was the impetus
of Fitch’s current routine, does most of the family’s
cooking and food shopping.
She
noted two key challenges. The first is getting food with no preservatives,
which means constant shopping, since most of the food purchased
is going to be good for about only three days. She checks the
Internet to find food in her area.
The
second challenge is to get Jon enough calories, because as a
hard-training professional fighter, he burns a lot of energy,
particularly now that he’s in the home stretch of his preparation
for his fight with B.J. Penn, and has to maintain his weight
and strength levels.
“He
eats nonstop,” she notes. “I wake up in the morning
and the snack tray is empty.”
Michele
Fitch said Jon’s typical day will start with two glasses
of water, and a big bowl of oatmeal with raw honey or hazelnuts.
Fitch also will have a protein shake, using plant-based protein.
After
his first workout of the day, he’ll eat sandwiches with
organic vegetables, and a vegetarian dish like tofu.
Before
his evening workout, Fitch will have a meal with brown rice,
Quinoa, a high-protein green, with almond butter, blueberry jam
with bread, grapes, Brazilian nuts and raw cashews.
After
his evening workout, he will have what Michele Fitch calls his
“Popeye meal,” a noodle dish with spinach, zucchini,
garlic, onions, olive oil and sometimes mushrooms.
All
meals also contain a variety of fruits, as the goal is a three-to-one
ratio between fruit and protein. Fitch aims for 90 grams of protein
per day.
For
the rest of the night, he will continue to snack on whatever
organic foods are in the house, finishing with a light meal before
bedtime.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
UFC
131: Dustin Poirier vs. Rani Yahya On Tap
MMAWeekly.com
sources on Saturday confirmed the fight, first reported by Heavy.com.
Poirier
(9-1), part of the WEC-UFC merger, is coming off back-to-back
wins over Zach Micklewright at WEC 52 and Josh Grispi at UFC
125. Poirier stepped in last-minute to face the higher ranked
Grispi at UFC 125 when featherweight champion Jose Aldo dropped
off the card. To the surprise of many, he dominated Grispi, propelling
himself into the Top 10 ranks.
Following
a roller coaster ride at bantamweight, including losing his final
two WEC bouts at 135 pounds, Yahya (16-6) returned to featherweight
for his Octagon debut. He dominated Mike Brown en route to a
unanimous decision at UFC Fight For The Troops 2.
A
heavyweight bout pitting “Ultimate Fighter Season 13? coaches
Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos against one another is expected
to headline UFC 131 at Rogers Arena.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
808
Battleground Presents
War of
Warriors “The Waterfront @ Aloha Tower”
The Waterfront At Aloha Tower
February 25, 2011
|
B.J.
Penn’s Time at Lightweight May Have Come To An End
by Damon Martin
Just a couple of years ago, B.J. Penn was on his way to being
considered the greatest lightweight the sport of MMA has ever
seen. Now, as he gets ready to fight in his second straight bout
at 170 pounds, his days as a lightweight may be behind him forever.
Despite
a 3-3 record overall at welterweight, as Penn gets ready to face
Jon Fitch in the main event at UFC 127, the Hawaiian sounds like
he’s done with cutting weight and making the move down to
lightweight.
“When
it comes to 155 pounds, I don’t even like cutting the weight
to make that weight. It’s not a tough cut for me, I probably
cut about three or four pounds on the day of the weigh-in, but
you’ve got to cut down food and you’ve got to cut your
water down, and I don’t know if that’s a healthy thing,”
he said recently.
Penn
has stated on numerous occasions that he still looks at MMA as
a fight, and not some athletic competition. He also doesn’t
agree with many of the methods that a lot of fighters use to
make weight, and then try to re-hydrate themselves for a fight
24 hours later.
“If
we said let’s meet tomorrow at 12 o’clock to fight
someone and your family honor is on the line, the first thing
I wouldn’t do is stop drinking water and stop eating. I
don’t see how that can help you and make you a stronger
person,” Penn said.
“People
I.V. and do all these things, and I never thought about playing
those games and sticking needles in my arms.”
Weight
cutting really has become a science in the mixed martial arts
world. With wrestlers making up a big portion of the fighters
transitioning into MMA, weight cutting is just a part of the
sport.
While
Penn points to the unhealthy side, several weight cutting gurus
would point to the fact that there are right ways and wrong ways
to shed pounds as weigh-in day approaches.
Former
“Ultimate Fighter” competitor turned trainer Mike Dolce
has worked with several top flight UFC fighters to get them on
weight or help them cut down to a new weight class, and does
so primarily with diet and not extreme measures. Still, Penn
says, he’s not a fan of the methods used to make weight
in this sport and he’s happy that he doesn’t have to
change his lifestyle much before fighting at 170 pounds.
“I
come from a whole different mindset. I believe you get as healthy
as you can and you go fight the best guy possible,” Penn
said.
“I
feel that right now I’m at a great mindset and when we get
to Australia we’re going to fight less than 24 hours after
the weigh-in. I think the weigh-ins are around 4:30 and the show
starts at 2 o’clock the next day, so I’d rather be
in the position that I’m in because I don’t I.V., I
don’t do things like that. I would rather be in the position
to fight 20 hours later, me and Fitch are going to be standing
in the ring looking at each other, and I’m going to be happy
that I was drinking water and eating as much food as I could
the whole time.”
When
Penn has fought at welterweight before in fights against Georges
St-Pierre and for his last fight against Matt Hughes, he’s
come in well under the 170-pound limit, so he’s obviously
still staying in shape, not ballooning up just because he can.
He just prefers eating and drinking normally, without hitting
the sauna to cut a few more pounds before weighing in.
With
such a strong statement, could Penn’s time at lightweight
be finished? Not so fast.
“I
don’t think Dana would ever let that happen,” Penn
joked when asked if he had shut the door on a return to 155 pounds.
If
Penn is successful at UFC 127 against Fitch, UFC president Dana
White has already said the winner would get the slot as the new
No. 1 welterweight contender, so his weight class decision could
already be made for him.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Comparing
Fedor to Sakuraba and why Fedor is MMA’s all-time most divisive
fighter
By Zach
Arnold
Jordan
Breen made the comparison on his radio show yesterday and here’s
what he had to say.
“I
think Fedor’s one of the most interesting guys, possibly
the most interesting guy to talk about from a historical perspective
in MMA because he polarizes people in a way that NOBODY else
does. Now, take someone like (Kazushi) Sakuraba for instance.
Sakuraba’s always been an interesting guy to me because
he’s more important than (what) he has achieved. You can’t
even attempt to tell the tale of what MMA looks like and how
it developed without Sakuraba. His feud with the Gracies (is),
apart from maybe Jiu-Jitsu against Luta Livre, the most important
rivalry in MMA history and you can’t possibly synthesize
the tale of MMA without it. And he was great. And he’s one
of those guys that if he trained today and fought at 170 pounds
earlier in his career, who knows how good Sakuraba would be?
“The
point is, in terms of actually beating really good fighters,
I mean… (Guy) Mezger and Renzo (Gracie) and like (Kevin)
Randleman, like those are like his big wins. Because his wins
were more symbolic than they were accomplishment, if that makes
sense. He’s someone who … his best wins came in an
era in Mixed Martial Arts where it wasn’t about weight classes
and every three months, you know, you’re the champion every
three months and you face a great challenger or anything like
that. It was still kind of a style vs. style thing, still something
more large and nebulous and hard-to-figure-out but the shows
of brilliance that he had even against guys like Anthony Macias
were so spellbinding that they helped move us and shift us in
a way towards learning more true essential facts in MMA like,
maybe, jiu-jitsu isn’t the be-all, end-all or the feud with
the Gracie family really helped give us a sense of what MMA was
really about. But we know his actual wins don’t stack up
to someone like Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre. So, he’s
always been kind of curious.
“And
now I think Fedor’s occupied a space like that for a different
reason. He competed in an era with weight classes and with that
idea of facing good competition. But, his post-PRIDE career,
because of the way it was handled, because of the M-1 situation,
because of not going to the UFC, he’s divided people in
a way in which people are nothing short of radicalized. People
either believe that Fedor is the greatest fighter and that any
thing that can be considered besmirching his good name is worth
going psychotic over or, conversely, people act as though this
guy was all smoke-and-mirrors, he never actually beat anyone
good, and partake in some kind of bizarre revisionist history
where apparently there has never been a meaningful Heavyweight
fight in the history of Mixed Martial Arts. Both of them are
patently absurd.
“What
I would say for Fedor is people, some people, will always feel
that, ‘oh, he’s the greatest Heavyweight ever and in
his prime no one cold ever beat him,’ but I think most people
will have a fairly regulated view that ‘this guy’s
the best Heavyweight we’ve seen but maybe his résumé
isn’t beyond reproach.’ And this is something that
I’ll talk about in a minute, you know, vis-à-vis
another e-mail in a moment, but something that was brought up
… broaching the idea that, hey, let’s say Cain (Velasquez)
reigned for three years as UFC champion. What it means to be
UFC champion, the cycle of challengers put in front of you, you
don’t get time for a Matt Lindland or a Mark Hunt or Zuluzinho,
so would it stand to reason if someone like Cain or Junior dos
Santos won the title, if they reigned three or four years, wouldn’t
their résumé that they pile up would be better
than Fedor Emelianenko’s? And possibly, that’s something
that we’d have to cross the bridge when we come to it. But
there’s no getting away from the fact that, yeah, Nogueira
may not great now, but those two wins at the time were against
the best Heavyweight in the world and then the second best Heavyweight
in the world. When (Fedor) fought Mirko Cro Cop, Mirko Cro Cop
was considered, at worst, the third best Heavyweight in the world
by most people and it was the most anticipated fight MMA had
ever seen to that point in time. Arlovski & Sylvia, yeah
they’re not great but they’re both considered Top 10
guys when he beat them. Fedor still beat a very, very hearty
cross-section of most relevant Heavyweights of his era and has
done it more successfully than other Heavyweights.
“Was
he perfect? No, absolutely not. Would have been great to see
him fight a (Josh) Barnett or had he beaten (Fabricio) Werdum,
there are certainly ways his résumé could have
been improved upon. No question. But… he’s still better
than the contemporaries that he was put shoulder-to-shoulder
with in that same era and that’s all we do, we compare other
Heavyweights. For now, he’s the best. Now, there will always
be people who vehemently believe he is THE BEST fighter in the
history of time, just like there are people who probably believe,
I don’t know, uh… Gale Sayers is the best football
player in the history of time or something like that. There are
certain people who excite certain kinds of fanaticism that don’t
die, but I do suspect that most people, not all, but most will
have a fairly moderate and thoughtful view of Fedor Emelianenko’s
career when its all said and done, if it has been all said-and-done
at this point in time.”
Personally,
I think it’s an apples-and-oranges comparison. Fedor’s
whole career was built on destroying everyone. Wins and losses
mattered a lot to him. Kazushi Sakuraba’s career was built
largely on symbolism. He was treat as a midcarder when he was
in UWF-International while the bookers (Yoji Anjoh & Nobuhiko
Takada) were busy putting themselves over. Sakuraba was treated
as a talented job guy during the UWF/New Japan interpromotional
feud. Remember, the beginnings of the Sakuraba/Gracie feud involved
the infamous Los Angeles incident where Yoji Anjoh, who had no
business challenging real fighters, went to Rickson Gracie’s
gym and had Japanese photographers (like Jimmy Suzuki) with him
to shoot an angle to make Anjoh look tough by calling out Rickson.
Of course, we all know what happened there. Once Anjoh got his
ass kicked, the premise of PRIDE was built with Takada answering
the calls back home to step up and defend the UWF family against
Rickson. Takada lost twice and that created the opening for Naoki
Sano, Kazushi Sakuraba, and others.
When
PRIDE was created, it’s purpose was to suck the soul out
of pro-wrestling by using that kind of marketing and booking.
So, when Sakuraba made the transition to MMA fighter, he was
representing Japanese pro-wrestling as a whole in the eyes of
fans. He was the national hero representing a sport that fans
viewed as being attacked by a hybrid sport that integrated techniques
that they had witnessed in pro-wrestling for years.
Fedor
never represented any of that. His Japanese debut was in RINGS.
He won. He fought in the last RINGS match ever in Yokohama. Then
he moved to PRIDE and became the ace. He didn’t ‘feud’
with fighters. Yes, he had a series with Nogueira, but it wasn’t
a storyline feud like Sakuraba vs. the Gracies or other fighters
in PRIDE who were given their own storylines (like Rampage Jackson
being a homeless man living on a bus and talking to pigeons).
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Keith
Hackney: Where Is He Now?
by Jason
Probst
Held
on Sept. 9, 1994, UFC 3 had some notable tweaks from its two
predecessors. It remained in a one-night, tournament format but
with an eight-man field, instead of 16. The canvas, previously
white, was replaced with a more viewer-friendly blue. It was,
in a sense, a social phenomenon coming to terms with its own
success, which was accompanied by an equal dose of notoriety.
Naturally,
that was exactly when Art Davie, then co-owner of the UFC, made
the call to Keith Hackney. It came during the peak time for Hackney’s
primary business, a heating and air conditioning company he founded
in 1980 and still runs today.
His
background included boxing, tang soo do, five years of kenpo
and a year of high school wrestling, in which he made the state
tournament as a 98-pound sophomore. After Hackney responded to
a magazine ad, event organizers told him the roster was full
but that, perhaps, a future slot could be in the works.
“He
said somebody backed out and they had a space for me. It was
one week before the fight,” Hackney says. “I thought
if I said no, they wouldn’t call me back in the future,
so I said, ‘I don’t care. I’ll fight. Get me on
a plane.’ Art said, ‘Whoa! Let me tell you who you’re
competing against.’ I didn’t care. I wanted to fight.”
The
lineup included two-time tournament champ Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock,
a terrifying muscled guy who went by the nom de guerre of “Kimo”
and a 600-pound sumo fighter, Emmanuel Yarborough. Hackney flew
into Charlotte, N.C, on Thursday night, and despite the UFC’s
subtle efforts to trim away the rougher edges of the event, his
debut reminded everyone watching that an ass kicking is exactly
that.
“We
had a press conference Friday. I was kinda sent to the dogs.
They had a punch bowl and envelopes with our names in them in
a circle,” he says. “Jim Brown was picking them out
of the punch bowl at random. The first guy they picked was the
sumo guy, and the second was me.”
It
was on, like Donkey Kong.
“Yarborough’s
manager told my kids to break out their piggy banks and bet on
him and [jokingly] suggested I take a dive,” Hackney says.
“That was funny.”
Birth
of ‘The Giant Killer’
What
ensued was something that simply cannot be replicated today,
its potent combination of freak-show violence and small-man budo
compressed into 1:59 of chaotic scrapping. Hackney’s destruction
of Yarborough was a first in the modern annals of David versus
Goliath-style beatings, and he became an instant fan favorite
by toppling a man who weighed three times more than him -- and
was 6-foot-8, to boot. Since then, the sport has provided countless
moments to remember, but Hackney-Yarborough remains one of those
gems that seems impossible to replicate. You could not un-see
it.
The
gameplan was simple -- kick ass. To be realistic, the behemoth
was fat, but he was as strong as he was rotund.
“He
was curling 315 pounds 20 times in a row on camera,” says
the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Hackney. “We talked about kicking
his legs, but what kind of leg kick are you going to do on him?
I went in there to give him the fight of his life, and whether
I won or lost, he was gonna know he was in a fight.”
Hackney
aimed to put his kids through college with the money.After some
back-and-forth in the bout -- which included Hackney spilling
out of the cage when Yarborough rammed him against the door --
he went for the kill.
“It’s
a White Crane strike, an open hand palm that comes in a circle
and straight over the top like an overhand right,” Hackney
recalls. “We worked on that in kenpo. I went for the center
of the nose to smash the nose through the head, but I kind of
caught him off-side on an angle.”
Yarborough
crumpled from the blow, delivered by Hackney while he leaped
through the air. Turtled up, the massive sumo man was suddenly
human and could not get back to his feet. Hackney turned on the
afterburners, hammering home a series of winging rights, breaking
his hand in the process, and flinging more at Yarborough’s
head to finish the job.
“The
announcer was yelling, ‘He has no chokes!’ I’m
thinking, ‘You idiot. This guy’s head is bigger than
a basketball. Do you know how big his neck is?’ I tried
to pound on his head like nails on a roof,” Hackney says.
“I put two knuckles into an eye socket. If it
was a normal guy, I’d have crushed his skull.”
Hence,
his nickname, “The Giant Killer,” was spawned. With
his hand injured from the Yarborough bout, Hackney was informed
by the attending physician that he could not continue. It was
a bittersweet exit.
With
a $1000 purse, he was disappointed that he couldn’t continue
to the semifinals against Ken Shamrock, which paid $5000, putting
him a win away from the $64,000 bonanza for the tournament winner.
Ultimately, the prize went to yet another substitute, Steve Jennum,
who defeated Harold Howard when Shamrock could not continue after
his win over Felix Mitchell. Gracie faced a similar predicament.
Banged up and exhausted after his titanic struggle with Kimo
Leopoldo, the two-time UFC tournament winner was in no shape
to advance, either.
“Realistically,
I went in to win that $64,000 to put my kids through college,”
Hackney says. “I came there two days before and didn’t
know the rules. I later found out if I’d gone into the cage
against Ken and then thrown in the towel like Royce did against
Howard, I’d have gotten the five grand. I was pissed afterward.”
Facing
a Legend
Three
months later, UFC 4 loomed. With his hand still ailing, Hackney
went ahead and fought anyway.
By
now, the opponent selection process had evolved, from a punch
bowl to a lottery. Hackney drew Joe Son, who, at 5-foot-4 and
236 pounds, had accompanied Leopoldo into the ring at UFC 3,
charged-up and screaming at the top of his lungs.
“The
lottery bowl -- they bring it out and it’s going in slow
motion,” Hackney says. “Apparently, there were some
problems with it. They had Royce’s ball in the thing, and
it’s like: What is this bulls--t? It’s barely moving,
the ball lifts up, and he gets Ron van Clief [for his first opponent].
After that, the machine is working fantastic. I got Joe Son.”
“It’s
a White Crane strike, an open hand palm that comes in a circle
and straight over the top like an overhand right”
-- Hackney on his famous strike
Hackney
had another competitive tussle, and once more ended the fight
memorably. After Son drove to take him down, he slid across the
mat while sprawling. Then, in side mount with his foe stretched
out on his back, Hackney uncorked what would become known as
the “Nut Shot Heard ’round the World.”
“The
way I looked at it, when we stepped into that cage, we were fighting
within the rules. I didn’t bite or eye gouge anybody. They
were the only things you weren’t allowed to [do], but if
you did it, you’d just lost $1,000,” he says. “But
nobody said anything about groin shots. I’d probably do
some different things today.”
After
softening up Son -- along with any male viewing the event for
the first time -- with the below-the-belt blows, Hackney then
applied a choke for the tapout at 2:44. Fittingly, the clip of
the punches was used later on a Fox News report in 2008, when
Son was arrested after a DNA sample linked him to a 1990 gang
rape.
“While
they were on the news that this UFC guy did whatever, they had
a picture of me smacking him in the balls, saying he got what
he deserved,” Hackney says.
Finally, Hackney had Gracie in his sights. The Brazilian eventually
submitted Hackney with an armbar, but it was tougher fight than
he usually endured. Hackney stuffed Gracie’s first takedown
attempt and landed a few glancing rights, as the UFC hall of
famer worked to clinch and get him to the mat.
“I
was looking forward to fighting him,” Hackney says. “I’ve
got a lot of respect for Royce.”
After
pulling guard, Gracie put the bout where he always wanted them
-- on the mat, where his jui-jitsu simply overwhelmed opponents.
However, Hackney made him work for the eventual armbar submission,
even landing a thudding right hand and giving the champion some
tense moments. Along with the Leopoldo bout at UFC 3, it was
a rare glimpse into Gracie looking vulnerable, something rarely
seen in those early days of his steamroller dominance.
“I
was throwing crosses, and I should have been throwing uppercuts,”
says Hackney, detailing the lengthy clinch battle the duo engaged
in against the cage. “I stuck my hand in his gi. I wanted
to control the ring and make him get frustrated, make him work.
I came pretty close.
“The
thing is the Octagon is set up on different angles,” he
adds. “If you had bare feet, like I did, the vinyl at that
time was better for wrestling shoes. You see how I slipped across
the canvas against Joe Son. The one time I caught Royce, I thought
I’d knocked him out. He was down on the ground and I dropped
a bomb on his head, and it had no place to go. I have a picture
of him with knuckle marks on his forehead afterward, and he signed
it for me. He’s a good guy. Every time he came in, he fought
his heart out.”
Exactly
one year later, Hackney returned at Ultimate Ultimate 95. He
faced Marco Ruas, who had torn through UFC 7, winning the tournament
with three impressive performances. While Ruas was Brazilian,
his game represented an evolutionary step from the jiu-jitsu-based
approach Gracie took. “The King of the Streets” could
stand and strike and had plenty of experience on the Vale Tudo
circuit in Brazil. After a feeling-out process on the feet, Ruas
took down Hackney, then took his back and submitted him with
via rear-naked choke at 2:39.
Distractions
plagued Hackney.
“I
was actually in Denver for two weeks, which was too long. I was
trying to run my business from my hotel room. I was on the phone
all the time. I was getting ready for the fight, not to take
anything away from Marco. He’s a nice guy. I was 195, and
he was much bigger. He was a little stronger than me,” he
says. “I did a million interviews [beforehand]. It was crazy.
My head wasn’t in the fight. If you walk in there and your
head’s not straight, you’re in trouble.”
All
four of Hackney’s bouts were against memorable foes. After
the Ruas bout, Hackney retired. He had too much at risk if he
were injured competing, especially since he was already a successful
businessman. His record was 2-2, and it was time to move on.
“You
have to look at it. I was [grossing] about two million dollars
[annually] in the heating business. I could break my hand, leg
or back versus that sumo guy. You made $1,000, and there was
no insurance, I think, until UFC 6,” he says. “You
had to sign a half-inch thick contract, so even if you died,
your family couldn’t sue. Basically, they owned you.”
Still
the Same Tireless Worker
Hackney’s
heating and air conditioning business has grown steadily. He
has been doing it for 30 years and now mainly focuses on commercial
clients. His longtime gym, Hackney’s Combat Academy, has
been a fixture in Illinois, and he recently opened a second outlet.
Between the two facilities, there are 300 students, and he has
been training in MMA ever since his UFC days.
“We
do installations, service the whole shop, and we have about 150
strip malls we work with and have six trucks,” Hackney says.
“So I can’t complain. I’ve accumulated a lot of
real estate, too. I’ve got my promotional events, and I’m
about to retire from the heating business in the next two or
three years and run my promotion full-time. We’re flipping
a lot of homes, and I’ve got my two schools I’m running.
Right now, I’m working from six in the morning until 11
at night.”
Hackney,
52, seems excited about his latest venture -- American Predator
Fighting Championship. The promotion holds amateur shows in Illinois
and plans to move into doing professional events, as well. Hackney
hopes to build it into a staple of the Midwest MMA scene, operating
as a feeder for the big shows.
“We’re
looking to be a steppingstone for them. I don’t want to
try and compete with the UFC. I don’t have $200 million
dollars,” he says with a laugh. “We want to put guys
into UFC or Strikeforce and take the guys that used to fight
there and give them a chance to work their way back.”
Hackney’s
team includes a handful of professionals and several amateurs
-- about 25 overall. He has also worked hard to impart his experience
and wizened eye to steer people away from the sport if they do
not have the right reasons for getting into it.
“Don’t
fight just for the money. I tell them you shouldn’t be fighting
until at least a full year of training. Work on your conditioning
and technique,” he says. “There are a lot of people
that will use these types of guys and make money off them, so
they need to go to a gym looking out for their well-being, with
somebody that knows what they’re doing, with the right tools
and people around them.
“Everybody
I know today, people that are real, not someone with a shaved
head and tats, all the fighters I’ve dealt with are good
guys,” Hackney adds. “Some of the best people I’ve
met in life have been through fighting. I love this sport. That’s
why it’s been great doing my heating company and making
money, running the organization, doing fight promotions. I’m
looking forward to doing this for the next 20 years.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Better
Decade: Fedor Before Werdum, or Silva Through Belfort?
By Michael
David Smith
Twelve days ago, I would have said that Fedor Emelianenko was
the best fighter in the history of mixed martial arts. Now, I'm
not so sure. The combination of Anderson Silva's spectacular
knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 and Fedor's loss to Antonio
Silva a week later might force me to reconsider and pick Silva
as the greatest in MMA history, and Fedor as No. 2.
It's
a close call, and any argument about the best fighter in MMA
history is rife with problems. The biggest problem being that
there's not much history to MMA. It's a new sport, and it's a
really new sport if you want to use an apples-to-apples comparison
of fighters competing under modern rules with weight classes.
In fact, I think the arguments about the best fighters in MMA
history are so complex that I don't want to deal with them here.
Instead,
I'd like to ask a simpler question: Who had a better decade:
Silva in the 10 years up to and including his victory over Belfort,
or Fedor in the 10 years before the loss to Fabricio Werdum that
started his current two-fight slide?
First
let's define our terms. Fedor's 10-year period is from the start
of his career, in 2000, through his victory over Brett Rogers
in 2009. Silva's 10-year period is from the first time he fought
outside Brazil, a Shooto fight in the spring of 2001, through
that victory over Belfort.
Fedor's
record for a decade: 31-1
Silva's record for a decade: 26-3.
So
Fedor's record was better than Silva's during their best 10-year
spans, and both Fedor and Silva have one loss that we can more
or less toss out as a fluke: Fedor lost when he was cut by an
illegal elbow, while Silva suffered a disqualification against
Yushin Okami. I'm not sure how relevant either of those fights
are to judging Fedor and Silva.
Silva's
two Pride losses are relevant, however. I've often heard from
MMA fans in the "Pride never die" school who think
Fedor was far better than Silva in the early part of their respective
careers. Some Pride fans think it's not even close. And it's
true that Fedor was way better than Silva in Pride: Fedor went
14-0 in Pride, while Silva went 3-2, and Fedor was fighting better
opposition in Pride than Silva was. Contrasting Fedor's amazing
consistency over the first 10 years of his career with Silva's
two Pride losses, it's hard to even make the case for Silva.
But
a lot of people don't realize just how good Silva was 10 years
ago, and how much he had accomplished before he fought in Pride.
On August 26, 2001, Silva beat Hayato Sakurai by unanimous decision
to win the Shooto middleweight title in a fight that is largely
forgotten by today's fans but was, at the time, a huge development
in the sport. As Jordan Breen wrote in a look at Silva's career
in 2009, Sakurai was 18-0-2 and widely viewed as the best pound-for-pound
fighter in the sport at the time that Silva beat him.
That
victory stood as the best of Silva's career until he signed with
the UFC and went on his current tear. Now I'd rank it as maybe
his sixth-best, after his two wins over Rich Franklin and his
victories over Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort.
Were
those victories better than Fedor's biggest wins? I'm not sure.
Fedor's two wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and his one over
Mirko Cro Cop were monumental, and although there's been some
revisionist history lately about Fedor's last three wins (Tim
Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and Rogers), those were all legitimate
opponents that Fedor put away handily. Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman,
Heath Herring and Semmy Schilt were all credible opponents for
Fedor as well, and he dominated all of them, too. It's true that
Fedor fought some ridiculously easy opponents like Yuji Nagata
(career record: 0-2) but he fought a lot of very good opponents,
too.
Silva
has been amazing at moving up in weight classes. He beat Sakurai
at 168 pounds, has dominated the middleweight division and also
moved up to beat a very strong light heavyweight, Forrest Griffin.
Fedor has only fought in the heavyweight division, although one
of the things that makes Fedor amazing is that the vast majority
of his wins have come against bigger opponents.
When
both Silva and Fedor are retired, we're going to look at their
careers and say that Silva accomplished more. Fedor doesn't look
like he has much left, while Silva looks like he was revitalized
by the challenge that Belfort presented. Give them both a couple
more years, and we're probably looking at Silva having some more
spectacular wins, while Fedor is probably done beating elite
opponents.
But
the best 10 years of their respective careers? Fedor gets the
edge. Silva will be judged as greater by history because he lasted
longer, but Silva went through that lull in his career when he
dropped a couple fights in Pride. Fedor gave us a decade of unparalleled
excellence.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
127
Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia
By Zach Arnold
February
26th in the States (10 PM EST/7 PM PST), February 27th in Sydney
Dark
matches
¦Featherweights:
Tie Quan Zhang vs. Jason Reinhardt
¦Light Heavyweights: Anthony Perosh vs. Tom Blackledge
¦Lightweights: Maciej Jewtuszko vs. Curt Warburton
¦Heavyweights: Mark Hunt vs. Chris Tuchscherer
¦Middleweights: Nick Ring vs. Riki Fukuda
¦Light Heavyweights: James Te Huna vs. Alexander Gustafsson
¦Lightweights: Ross Pearson vs. Spencer Fisher
Main card
¦Middleweights:
Kyle Noke vs. Chris Camozzi
¦Welterweights: Chris Lytle vs. Brian Ebersole
¦Lightweights: George Sotiropoulos vs. Dennis Siver
¦Middleweights: Michael Bisping vs. Jorge Rivera
¦Welterweights: BJ Penn vs. Jon Fitch
Source: Fight Opinion
|
‘Hulk
Hands’ Used to Tall Tasks
by Jason Probst
Tyler
Freeland has an opportunity to be noticed on Friday, and this
time, it is for all the right reasons.
Squaring
off against Diego Melendez, Freeland makes his professional MMA
debut on the undercard of Tachi Palace Fights 8 “All or
Nothing” at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore,
Calif. With an amateur record of 16-4, Freeland trains under
Shawn Tompkins at the Tapout Training Center in Las Vegas. If
videos on YouTube reveal anything about the 26-year-old nicknamed
“Hulk Hands,” it is that he has pretty stout standup
for a guy giving up reach and height.
Standing
4-foot-11, Freeland grew up in Boise, Idaho, his diminutive stature
due to a genetic disorder known as hypochondroplasia. With a
mother who is 5-foot-9 and a dad that is 5-foot-10, there were
no hints Freeland would be short.
“It’s
dwarfism, a bone disorder where my bones stopped growing,”
Freeland tells Sherdog.com. “I’m about four eleven,
but I tell everyone I’m five feet. I need that extra inch.”
Freeland
is heavily muscled, walking around at 160 pounds, and uses footwork
and aggression to close the gap and unload on opponents. All
four of his defeats as an amateur came via triangle choke, a
submission Freeland has worked hard on defending throughout what
has been, by most standards, an exceptionally long amateur career.
“I
wanted to be ready,” Freeland says.
A
father of three children -- ages 4, 3 and 1 -- Freeland is thrilled
with the prospect of finally turning pro. He also recently finished
filming the initial episodes of a reality television show about
himself, which his management is shopping to various networks.
Freeland
worked as a concrete finisher before the economic meltdown of
recent years. Now, he is hungry to make a living in the sport
which, ironically, gives him a place in the stratum, despite
the risks involved and attendant punishment he is likely to endure.
Just as long as he can give it back.
Freeland
faces a familiar foe in Diego Melendez.“I have to close
the distance. I’m gonna wait until they throw a punch,”
Freeland says. “But I have been working with Shawn Tompkins,
and he’s one of the top striking coaches in the world. After
the economy went to s--t, I just started training and fighting.”
Freeland
has made a full eight-week camp for his bout, living with Tompkins
in Vegas while he trains.
“With
his height, it’s always harder to strike with someone taller
than you,” Tompkins says, “but it’s harder to
wrestle with someone shorter. Their level-change is so much faster
than yours.
“What
most impressed me is that he has a lot of power in his hands,”
he adds. “He’s got KO power and very big hands. He
hits hard and is very precise. He has a really good wrestling
pedigree. I’ve just been banking on rounding his game out,
keeping him safe from submissions and working on his standup.
We’ve been having fun and building from there.”
Like
any fledgling pro fighter, Freeland hopes to make waves with
his debut and subsequent matches -- not only for the thrill of
victory but to help with
matters at home.
“I
don’t have any sponsors and I’m trying to find some.
I’m struggling bad right now,” says Freeland. “In
Boise, the training’s not as good. I was helping my fiancé,
but she lives with her grandma and she’s old-fashioned.
She said I can’t move back there and live with them. I’m
upstairs without a paddle. I got a lot on my plate.”
It
has been a long route since growing up in Boise, where Freeland
wrestled competitively beginning in high school. While his short
stature is something to overcome in the striking department,
Freeland turns his height into an advantage on the wrestling
mat, shooting at foes to clutch their waist and then muscling
them to the mat. Compact and strong from years of grappling,
lifting weights and doing blue-collar work, Freeland is a bulldog
once he gets hold of his opponents.
“My
high school wrestling record was 38-4, and in 1999, I was the
Idaho freestyle state champ,” Freeland says. “I took
runner-up two years in a row for the high school state tournament.”
It
was not easy growing up smaller than everyone else. Double-takes
and doses of teasing were the norm for Freeland.
“I
noticed it in about sixth grade. All my friends were growing
and getting bigger. I was like, ‘When is it gonna be my
time?’ I still deal with it. I’m working a wrestling
tournament [now] and kids look at me,” he says. “Their
eyes get big, but I’m used to it.”
For
his pro debut against Melendez, Freeland faces a foe who triangled
him in the amateur ranks. For Hulk Hands, it represents the perfect
opportunity to deliver some payback and start his career on an
upswing.
“I’m
like the white version of Rampage. MMA is my drug.”
-- Tyler Freeland
“They
called me the day before,” Freeland says of his first meeting
with Melendez. “I was at a pool party with my buddies and
I was hammered. [In the fight], we stood for a minute, and then
I double-legged him and ground-and-pounded him, and then he caught
me in a triangle. I’ve been working on my triangle defense
a lot. My submission defense has gotten really good.”
Freeland
fought at 155 pounds as an amateur, but says those opponents
were too tall. Dropping to 145 pounds for his debut, Freeland
eventually hopes make 135, where he can minimize his adversaries’
reach and height advantages while staying relatively stronger
and facing fighters closer to his own size.
“My
dad is huge, too. [Muscle] is just in my genetics,” Freeland
says. “I work out twice a day and I’m active. Getting
used to MMA was a big jump. Then I got used to it and loved it.
My favorite fighter is [Quinton] ‘Rampage’ [Jackson].
I love his attitude and would love to meet him. I’m like
the white version of Rampage. MMA is my drug.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Scott
Coker: Things could have been different if Fedor/Bigfoot Silva
went to a third round
By Zach
Arnold
Yesterday,
the news broke that this past Saturday’s Strikeforce event
from the Izod Center drew an average of 741,000 viewers on Showtime
(with a peak viewership of 1.1 million viewers for Fedor vs.
Bigfoot Silva). Suffice to say, Fedor’s loss to Werdum did
not hurt his drawing power. In a funny way, Fedor is now a bigger
star after that loss than Werdum is. However, will Fedor maintain
his popularity after losing to Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva?
More importantly, will Bigfoot become a bigger star after the
win or will be end up not getting a big rub out of the win in
terms of marketability?
On
Tuesday, Mauro Ranallo had Scott Coker on his radio program to
talk about Saturday’s event from New Jersey and what’s
next for Fedor. Mauro did his best to play it straight and bring
up the conversation or whether or not Fedor should be retired
or make the move down to Light Heavyweight.
(If
you listen to the interview, you’ll notice the singular
answer Mr. Coker has for Fedor’s problems is that he needs
a different kind of training camp.)
When
it came time to address Fedor’s loss to Bigfoot Silva, the
promoter took an interesting angle that I wasn’t really
expecting out of him.
SCOTT
COKER: “Things can happen and they did. It was an exciting
night. I mean, it was an amazing entry into the New York area.
The crowd was so passionate and any time Fedor fights you always
have a feeling electricity in the audience and I felt it that
night and, guys, he will be back. Here’s a guy that was
ready to fight and it was the doctor that stopped the fight.
Fedor didn’t say I want to quit or I’m done or I’m
too tired or I’m hurt, it was the doctor. Fedor would have
continued and I think it’s the third round that, you know,
could have, would have, and should have because the last picture
in my mind from that fight, Mauro, is both of those guys trying
to get up at the end of the second round and honestly they were
both (exhausted), Bigfoot Silva had left everything out there
and just got tired of hitting Fedor and Fedor, you know, trying
to survive that second round, you know, he left it all out there.
And in the third round, you know, boy, it’s like what if.”
MAURO
RANALLO: “Let’s bring us up to speed to what went down
because you’re absolutely right but it’s also fair
enough to say that we have never seen Fedor Emelianenko beaten
down as badly as he was in that second round and, yes, he is
known for his resiliency and those dramatic comebacks, including
in another tournament as we mentioned on the broadcast as well
the 2004 PRIDE Heavyweight GP when he was dropped on his head
in the Monsterplex courtesy of Kevin Randleman and we’ve
seen him take beatings before even against Brett Rogers and Andrei
Arlovski recently, But, the point when the fight was stopped
and I agree that, you know, he has the heart of a warrior, one
of the most humble people I’ve ever met. But his eye was
swollen shut and don’t you agree that the right decision
was made to stop the fight at that time?”
SCOTT
COKER: “Oh, absolutely, I mean, Mauro, don’t get me
wrong. I’m not saying that wasn’t a good call, I’m
saying that the referee made the call, the doctor made the call,
and you know they stopped the fight and if I was looking at that
eye up close I probably would have stopped the fight as well.
I’m just saying that, you know, Fedor I believe was ready
to fight, Antonio Silva was ready to fight. And I think that
Fedor, you know, is always dangerous even when he’s hurt.
So, in that third round it could have turned out to be something
really special but, you know, it’s something that is going
to go down in the history books as, you know, the ‘what
if’ third round and moving on, guys, because I always said
the tournament’s not about one guy. But, in saying that,
we also, you know, plan to have Fedor back and plan to put on
some amazing fights and this tournament’s going to continue
and we will see how the best Heavyweight is come the end of the
year.”
I
am fascinated by the idea that Mr. Coker floated that ‘what
if there was a third round’ theory. Just him saying that,
alone, will turn out to be a Rorschach test for everyone reading
this.
Mauro
then asked Mr. Coker if Fedor’s loss hurt Strikeforce’s
plans to run a PPV event.
MAURO
RANALLO: “How does the loss by Fedor in the opening round
impact your plans for a PPV event this year or are they still
on the table?”
SCOTT
COKER: “Oh, of course. I mean, you know, Fedor is not, um,
you know, just because he’s out of the tournament doesn’t
mean he’s not going to fight. I mean, one of the fights
that I see down the line is Fedor fighting either Alistair (Overeem)
or Fabricio Werdum. So, if Alistair advances, then Werdum vs.
Fedor would be a great fight.”
Will
the (proverbial) golden goose stay in tact?
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Brock
Lesnar Autobiography To Hit Book Shelves On May 24
Want to
get to know more about Brock Lesnar?
Well,
in just a few short months everyone will have a little more insight
into Lesnar’s life and career as his book “Death Clutch:
My Story of Determination, Domination and Survival” by Lesnar
along with co-author Paul Heyman hits stores on May 24.
Lesnar
talked about working on the book last July after defeating Shane
Carwin, and said that he was teaming up with his good friend
Paul Heyman to put his life down on paper.
“Now
I’m finally, I’m writing a book, and Paul’s writing
it, both him and I, and my book will be coming out here in the
near future, and we’ve been spending a lot of time together,”
Lesnar said last year about his autobiography.
The
book will apparently cover a lot of different subjects in his
life, and for fans that have followed Lesnar’s career from
his time at the University of Minnesota to pro wrestling fame
with the WWE, all the way to his days with the UFC, he’s
always been a pretty private person.
When
someone says they’re saving it all for the book, Lesnar
was definitely serious about it.
Heyman
will also be posting teasers for the book on his own site, and
the book is currently available for pre-order on sites like Amazon.com.
The
book will officially be released on May 24, 2011.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Inside
the Belly of the Xtreme Couture Beast
by Cameron Conaway
LAS
VEGAS -- The glamour and ostentation, the nonstop in-your-face
blinking casino lights, the billboards of half-naked women and
the magnificent high-rise buildings. Las Vegas is made possible
by the seemingly impossible.
Wrangling
the Colorado River to create Lake Mead -- the world’s largest
reservoir -- Las Vegas is a world of water created in an essentially
waterless desert. Some call it unsustainable. Some call it man’s
most miraculous accomplishment. Nobody would call it modest.
But at Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts, modesty abounds, as
did the unexpected.
The
training center is filled with all of MMA’s tools of the
trade: a tire to pound on, tons of mat and cage space, battling
ropes, human-shaped heavybags to throw around. This is all housed
in a simple white building with a small “Xtreme Couture”
logo. One might even drive past the location a time or two if
looking for signage befitting the enormous amount of talent inside.
Once
inside, a helpful man at the front desk greeted me. He looked
familiar, but I was too excited to get started with the submission
grappling class to wonder who he was.
“I’m
Ryan,” he said. “I’ll get you hooked up so you
can get started with class.”
I
looked around at the walls and saw pictures of Randy Couture,
Frank Trigg, Tyson Griffin and Ryan Couture. Yes, Ryan Couture
was the modest front desk worker who, before I put it all together,
responded, “I train here sometimes but don’t teach,”
when I asked him if he was an instructor.
As
intense loudness can become a sort of silence, intense silence
can become unbearably loud. Too much expectation often results
in the unexpected. The unexpected came in the form of the pre-workout
conversation I had with a fellow student. The conversation swiftly
moved beyond where we were from and what brought us to Xtreme
Couture. Instead, somehow, we dove into the Darfur Conflict.
This
student had been a U.S. Marine stationed throughout Sudan. A
story unraveled about the bomb that exploded, about the best
friends it killed, about how it left this Marine temporarily
crippled. I listened intently to the horrors seared into memory,
the way the media shows so little of them. I listened to the
difficulties this Marine had and currently has in reintegrating
back into American society, of living life after having witnessed,
among other tragedies, masses of writhing, starving babies being
slaughtered for the sake of ethnic cleansing.
Before
I stepped onto those mats at Xtreme Couture, I reflected: “It’s
all too easy to tuck the world’s problems deep into our
brains. It’s easy to fill a gas tank and not wonder where
the oil came from or where it’s going. It’s all too
easy to go to a grocery store, grab food on the shelf and have
no idea where it came from, how it was grown or how the workers
who grew it were treated.”
This
did not exactly prep my mind for the guard sweeps that instructor
Dennis “The Piranha” Davis showed us, but it did make
me realize how inconsequential MMA can be, even to rabid fans
like ourselves, in the wake of happenings like the Egyptian crisis
or “old” and rarely mentioned events like those still
happening in Darfur. So enthralled was I by this Marine’s
story that I barely noticed when Jay Hieron and Amir Sadollah
walked past me.
Couture
seems much larger in person.Just prior to class I noticed a man
with a neck as thick as my thighs watching a few fighters train.
I looked again. It was Randy Couture. In person, he is far thicker,
far larger and stronger looking than he actually appears on television.
He has the sturdy, functional build that only develops after
years and years of grappling. As someone seasoned to meeting
and training with elite fighters, I did not expect to be nervous
if I saw him.
Yet
another unexpected moment occurred. I froze up and could barely
muster an introduction of myself to him. Randy’s been an
inspiration to me for quite some time, but I sure did not expect
to feel like I had stepped in wet cement when I saw him. He was
intent on watching the training, and I was intent on not bothering
him. I also wanted to get in some good training. My mind was
everywhere. Another unexpected occurrence: With Randy filming
movies and traveling so much, I did not expect that the two hours
I had set aside for visiting his gym would result in my meeting
him.
After
grappling, I trained some kickboxing with another excellent instructor
-- Tim “Bring the Pain” Lane. In the hours prior to
visiting Xtreme Couture, my mind was purely on mixed martial
arts. In the hours that I spent inside Xtreme Couture, my mind
was purely on the beauty and ugliness of humanity. I thought
of Georgia O’Keeffe’s quote: “To create one’s
world in any of the arts takes courage.” I knew I had to
recreate fragments of this experience through the art of writing
so it could be shared with the readers of Sherdog.
At
Xtreme Couture, I learned counters to left hooks, jabs and crosses.
I left the gym wondering about the counters to prejudice, discrimination
and racism.
Cameron
Conaway, NSCA-CPT, CMMACC, was the 2007-2009 Poet-in-Residence
at the University of Arizona’s MFA Creative Writing Program.
He is the author of “Caged: Memoir of a Cage-Fighting Poet,”
(forthcoming Fall 2011 from Tuttle Publishing) which has received
endorsements from UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, BJJ legend
Saulo Ribeiro and writers Glen Cordoza and Dinty W. Moore. He’s
2-1 as a mixed martial artist. Visit www.CameronConaway.com for
more information.
Source: Sherdog
|
The
idea of Fedor as an alternate in the Strikeforce HW GP is not
popular online
By Zach
Arnold
Everyone’s
talking about Fedor, so let’s discuss what the Cagewriter.com
crew at Yahoo Sports had to say on the matter. The discussion
starts off with talk about Fedor as a Light Heavyweight and then
transitions into a discussion about everyone still wanting the
Fedor gravy train to continue operating. That’s the starting
point for this transcription passage about the idea of Fedor
as an alternate in the Strikeforce HW GP (over fighters like
Shane Del Rosario & Valentijn Overeem).
STEVE
COFIELD: “It’s the way he lost that leads us to the
next point, which was Scott Coker talking about the future as
maybe an alternate in the tournament, which I got to tell you
even a casual fan should be outraged at that. The hardcores will
go ballistic. You can’t put him back in the tournament under
any circumstances. You got other qualified alternates. I know
he’s your big-money guy, but you can’t just make the
image of him getting destroyed go away.”
ADAM
HILL: “You know, there’s people that have bashed on
this tournament. You were not one of them, I was not one of them.
I was excited about this tournament. It completely loses credibility
if he goes back in. I mean, we both had the same reaction when
we heard that. It’s preposterous to put him back in and
that’s, to the hardcore fans especially, just throw it out
there, nobody cares about this tournament any more if that’s
the case. I do think there’s some element and I believe
Strikeforce believes there’s some element of fans that just
want to see Fedor and I think that they probably have it in their
mind that people will be more interested in watching Fedor than
they would any of the other fighters going forward. I don’t
see that. I think that you completely lose integrity. I think
there’s a way to get him back involved in the mix in heavyweight
without putting him in this tournament, but there’s already
some crazy things about this tournament any way. As much as we
both like it, the fact that, you know, Overeem is the favorite
to win the tournament and the prize for winning the tournament
is to fight Overeem? That doesn’t make any sense.”
STEVE
COFIELD: *laughs*
ADAM
HILL: “It’s crazy. Is it that much crazier to say,
okay, Fedor you lose but you’re back in because you’re
the big name, you’re back in, we want you in, people will
watch you, so we’re putting you back in. It’s not that
much crazier. I think for hardcore fans and people that follow
the sport closely, we will say, ‘no, stop it, that’s
ridiculous, that’s dumb.’ I think some people out there
and I think Strikeforce believes some people out there might
say, ‘oh, Fedor’s fighting, let’s watch this.’
I think it’s possible.”
STEVE
COFIELD: “I think the solution is easy. I think he fights
the loser of Overeem and Werdum. That gives him some time off.
He can recover, if he’s got a serious injury. He can also
get himself more mentally prepared and physically prepared to
fight these big guys and kind of get back on track and that would
be a big fight against the loser of that fight and then the winner
out of that, especially if they’re impressive, maybe can
fight the winner of the tournament at the end of the year or
early 2012. That makes sense. Putting him back in? Just crazy.”
ADAM
HILL: “Okay, I really like that idea, it’s actually
a good idea. I think it would be a marketable fight and one that
people, both hardcores and casual fans, would be interested in.
Here’s the problem — if Overeem loses, so it’s
Fedor vs. Overeem for the title both coming off losses? That
would be a difficult sell, I think.”
STEVE
COFIELD: “That’s a tough one, too. They better root
hard for Overeem to make it to the finals in this thing, at least
make it to the finals if not win it.”
ADAM
HILL: “And that’s the problem with Overeem having the
belt and competing in the tournament and the belt not being on
the line. What happens when he loses? That means you have a champion,
at some point, defending the title coming off a loss against
somebody who either won the tournament or somebody’s coming
off three wins, it’s crazy.”
STEVE
COFIELD: “It’s like the College World Series (Omaha).
You’re doing double elimination. You have to beat Overeem
twice. If it’s someone who knocks off Overeem and goes on
to win the tournament, they’re going to have to beat him
again to get the title. That is weird.”
ADAM
HILL: “There you go. Fedor’s back in. It’s double
elimination … to move on. It’s just, it is the problem
that was set up and it was set in place by having Overeem in
the tournament and not defending the title and the title being
on the line at the end against Overeem, who’s in the tournament.
It’s just a weird mix.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
M-1
and Showtime Reach Broadcast Deal, First Event Airs on March
25
By Mike
Chiappetta
International fight promotion M-1 Global and premium U.S. cable
channel Showtime have reached a deal to televise four U.S. events
in 2011, MMA Fighting has learned.
The
first event will take place on March 25 at the Constant Convocation
Center in Norfolk, Va. and air at 11 p.m. ET. It will be the
first of four M-1 U.S. Challenge shows to appear on the network
this year, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed.
The
deal is expected to be officially announced on Friday morning.
M-1
is best known as the company that manages the career of Russian
MMA great Fedor Emelianenko, but a promotional arm has been running
events in Europe and other parts of the world for over a decade.
The
March 25 event will feature a headlining match between M-1 lightweight
champion Artiom Damkovsky and Jose Figueroa, sources told MMA
Fighting.
Also
on the card is a match for the vacant middleweight belt, pitting
Team Quest's Tyson Jeffries against the winner of a March 5 fight
between Plinio Cruz and Magomed Sultanakhmedov. Former UFC fighter
Vinny Magalhaes will also compete on the card, against an opponent
to be determined.
Showtime
has previously aired MMA events from EliteXC, and is the current
broadcast home of Strikeforce. Its most recent MMA broadcast,
February 12's Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva event, drew a peak
total of 1.1 million viewers. The cable channel has about 18.2
million subscribers in total.
M-1
has been a co-promoter on two Strikeforce/Showtime events, but
March 25 will mark its first time out as a solo promoter on the
channel.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Sherdog
Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Was
this Fedor Emelianenko’s final walk to the cage?
For
nine years, Fedor Emelianenko stayed undefeated. For more than
seven years, he ruled the heavyweight division. Now, we might
have seen “The Last Emperor” for the last time.
On
Feb. 12 in East Rutherford, N.J., Antonio Silva battered Emelianenko
for the duration of their second round in the cage, forcing a
doctor stoppage after 10 minutes and handing the Russian his
second loss in a row. The eye-opening upset sends Silva into
the semi-finals of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix,
while Emelianenko has indicated retirement might be next for
him.
Strikeforce’s
heavyweight grand prix has already shaped up to be one of the
dominant MMA stories of 2011. A wild and entertaining first leg
of the tournament, coupled with the potential retirement of one
of MMA’s legends, only further solidifies that notion. The
first portion of the grand prix has already proved more eventful
than many imagined, and half the bracket still has yet to take
to the cage, including ranked entrants Alistair Overeem and Fabricio
Werdum, set for battle in April.
Heavyweight
1.
Cain Velasquez (9-0)
The hope was that Velasquez would make the first defense of his
UFC heavyweight title in April or May against Junior dos Santos.
However, rehab did not mend his torn rotator cuff, and surgery
became a necessity. Therefore, the first defense of the new champion
will likely come this summer -- or later.
2.
Brock Lesnar (5-2)
Recluse? What recluse? The infamously standoffish Lesnar is now
in the middle of taping the 13th season of “The Ultimate
Fighter,” where he will coach against Junior dos Santos.
The season will set up a high-stakes heavyweight clash between
the two, likely on June 11 at UFC 131, which might mark the UFC’s
return to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
3.
Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)
With his elbow injury healing, Werdum looks ready to return to
action. Coming off his June win against Fedor Emelianenko, “Vai
Cavalo” will be cast right back into the fire, as he takes
on Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in the quarterfinals
of the promotion’s heavyweight grand prix, slated for April
9 in Japan.
4.
Junior dos Santos (12-1)
Rather than wait for UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez
to heal from his rotator cuff injury, “Cigano” has
opted to stay active. Dos Santos will coach opposite Brock Lesnar
on the 13th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” culminating
in a clash between the two heavyweights, tentatively scheduled
for UFC 131 on June 11.
5.
Shane Carwin (12-1)
Carwin was scheduled to face “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 10 winner Roy Nelson at UFC 125 on Jan. 1. However, due
to ongoing spinal problems, he opted for surgery. After a successful
procedure, the Colorado native has returned to training and now
eyes a purported bout with Cheick Kongo at UFC 131.
6.
Frank Mir (14-5)
After a rumored fight with hot heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub
fell through, Mir has signed on to meet former International
Fight League champion Roy Nelson at UFC 130 on May 28. The pair
has a history, as Nelson previously defeated Mir in a grappling
match at a North American Grappling Association event.
7.
Antonio Silva (16-2)
When he burst on the scene in 2005, many hypothesized that Silva
was the man to topple Fedor Emelianenko. The stakes changed,
but on Feb. 12 in the Meadowlands, that is exactly what happened.
“Pezao” pounded the legendary Russian, forcing a doctor
stoppage after the second frame and punching his ticket to the
semifinals of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix.
8.
Fedor Emelianenko (31-3, 1 NC)
It might go down as the last time we saw “The Last Emperor.”
On Feb. 12 in East Rutherford, N.J., Emelianenko was battered
by Antonio Silva, and the Russian, unable to see out of his right
eye, was halted by the ringside physician after the second round.
Following the bout, Emelianenko indicated retirement was a definite
possibility -- a decision that would end the career of the greatest
MMA heavyweight of all-time.
9.
Alistair Overeem (34-11, 1 NC)
MMA fans have wanted to see the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix winner
back inside the cage against high-level, meaningful heavyweight
opponents. They will finally get their wish on April 9. Strikeforce
has plans for Overeem to meet Fabricio Werdum in a hotly anticipated
Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix quarterfinal matchup in Japan.
10.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 1 NC)
“Minotauro” continues to mend from the hip surgery
that took him out of a rematch with Frank Mir in September. Nogueira
now targets August’s UFC show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
as his desired comeback date. It would be a fitting return for
one of Brazil’s greatest MMA idols.
Other
contenders: Josh Barnett, Cole Konrad, Roy Nelson, Ben Rothwell,
Brendan Schaub.
Light
Heavyweight
1.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4)
“Shogun” expected to tangle with former UFC champion
Rashad Evans in the first defense of his light heavyweight title
on March 19. However, a knee injury to Evans means that Rua will
instead meet star prospect Jon Jones at UFC 128 in a fight that
quickly excited and ignited the MMA public.
2.
Rashad Evans (15-1-1)
In a cruel bit of coincidence, Evans’ decision to wait for
UFC champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s knee to heal
before fighting him for the 205-pound crown culminated in his
own knee injury. The blow forced Evans out of their March 19
clash. Evans’ title shot will now go to his teammate at
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Jon Jones.
3.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8)
“Rampage” was originally set to face Thiago Silva at
UFC 130 in May. However, with Silva’s status still up in
the air pending reported commission clearance from his last bout
at UFC 125, Zuffa has erred on the side of caution. “The
Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 alum Matt Hamill has been installed
as Jackson’s tentative opponent -- a move “Rampage”
himself has critiqued on Twitter.
4.
Lyoto Machida (16-2)
It was not long ago that many thought Machida was simply unbeatable
at 205 pounds. Two losses later, Machida heads into a bout with
MMA legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, with
many fans having completely forgotten the kind of dominance that
was expected for “The Dragon.”
5.
Jon Jones (12-1)
In a UFC 126 fight many tabbed as a considerable test, Jones
continued his habit of abusing good fighters, as he hustled the
previously unbeaten Ryan Bader on the floor before locking up
a fight-ending guillotine late in round two. A knee injury suffered
by teammate Rashad Evans has opened the door for Jones to vie
for the UFC light heavyweight crown against Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua on March 19 at UFC 128.
6.
Forrest Griffin (18-6)
In his first action in 15 months, Griffin was not perfect. However,
the former UFC light heavyweight champion used top control and
rangy striking to earn a unanimous decision victory over former
middleweight titleholder Rich Franklin at UFC 126. The performance
netted a strong win and put him back in the consciousness of
the MMA public.
7.
Ryan Bader (12-1)
In a matchup of preeminent 205-pound prospects, Bader was definitively
the lesser when he met Jon Jones at UFC 126. For the better part
of two rounds, he was dominated by Jones, who forced “Darth”
Bader to tap to a guillotine late in the second stanza.
8.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-4)
Coming off of a tough decision loss to Ryan Bader in September,
Nogueira will find himself in a more manageable bounce-back fight.
“Minotoro” will take on former UFC light heavyweight
champion Tito Ortiz, winless in more than four years, at UFC
Fight Night 24 on March 26 in Seattle.
9.
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (10-2)
“Feijao” surprised onlookers by thumping Muhammed “King
Mo” Lawal in August to take the Strikeforce light heavyweight
title. Now, the Brazilian will make his first title defense on
March 5, when he takes on former two-division Pride Fighting
Championships titleholder Dan Henderson in Columbus, Ohio.
10.
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (7-1)
“King Mo” had his crown taken by Rafael “Feijao”
Cavalcante on Aug. 21 in Houston. A slow start and an overreliance
on his stand-up skills saw Lawal play right into Cavalcante’s
game. It resulted in his being stopped just 74 seconds into the
third round, as he suffered the first loss of his MMA career.
Now, Lawal continues to mend from knee surgery that should keep
him out for the first quarter of 2011.
Other
contenders: Rich Franklin, Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko,
Gegard Mousasi, Thiago Silva.
Middleweight
1.
Anderson Silva (28-4)
It was Silva at his finest. In one of his most anticipated bouts
to date, the UFC middleweight champion ducked, dodged and weaved
around Vitor Belfort’s punches before slamming a front kick
into his face that struck him down. The sensational first-round
stoppage could potentially lead to the much-anticipated clash
between Silva and welterweight king Georges St. Pierre, should
GSP best Jake Shields in April.
2.
Chael Sonnen (25-11-1)
Sonnen was expected to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128 in March.
However, the embattled middleweight took yet another hit after
pleading guilty to federal charges of money laundering, forcing
the UFC to put the freeze on Sonnen’s contract. It leaves
the former middleweight title challenger out of competition for
the near future.
3.
Yushin Okami (26-5)
Such is life for Okami. After earning the most significant win
of his career against Nate Marquardt in November, “Thunder”
was seemingly next on deck for the winner of the UFC 126 match
between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. However, Silva’s
remarkable performance has quickly accelerated talks of a super
fight with Georges St. Pierre, putting Okami on the backburner
again.
4.
Nate Marquardt (30-10-2)
Marquardt’s three-year journey to earn another shot at middleweight
ruler Anderson Silva hit another speed bump in Oberhausen, Germany,
in November. For the better part of 15 minutes, Marquardt was
outboxed and outwrestled by a surprisingly aggressive Yushin
Okami, who took the unanimous nod and, with it, a potential UFC
middleweight title shot. The defeat dropped Marquardt back into
the rest of the population at 185 pounds. The former middleweight
King of Pancrase will collide with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128
on March 19.
5.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (14-2, 1 NC)
In a great fight, Souza successfully defended his Strikeforce
middleweight crown for the first time on Jan. 29, submitting
Robbie Lawler in the third round. “Jacare” dominated
on the ground but was badly hurt in the first round, battling
back from the brink of defeat to notch the rear-naked choke win
in the third stanza.
6.
Demian Maia (14-2)
Just as he had done against Mario Miranda in August, Maia controlled
Kendall Grove on the floor on Dec. 4 en route to earning a unanimous
decision. Another thorough if not thrilling win for Maia continues
to help erase the bitter memories of his April debacle with middleweight
champion Anderson Silva in the United Arab Emirates.
7.
Dan Henderson (26-8)
Henderson can barely be considered a middleweight at this point.
Following his Dec. 4 crushing of Renato “Babalu” Sobral,
“Hendo” will challenge Rafael Cavalcante for the Strikeforce
light heavyweight belt on March 5 in Columbus, Ohio.
8.
Jorge Santiago (23-8)
Sengoku’s middleweight champion has signed on for a second
tour of duty with the UFC. Santiago expects to make his return
to the Octagon at UFC 130 in May, when he will take the place
of Wanderlei Silva and challenge Brian Stann in a fantastic middleweight
affair.
9.
Vitor Belfort (19-9)
Though many tabbed Belfort a live underdog heading into his Feb.
6 title challenge against Anderson Silva, it seems hard to imagine
“The Phenom” not becoming synonymous with his brutal
knockout loss to “The Spider” at UFC 126. The Brazilian
fight community has already immortalized the knockout as “bicuda
na fuca,” and it is sure to be a highlight reel staple for
years to come.
10.
Michael Bisping (20-3)
In February, Bisping lost a contentious decision to Wanderlei
Silva in Sydney, Australia. Fifty-three weeks later, on Feb.
27, he will return to the site of the fight, taking on suddenly
relevant journeyman Jorge Rivera at UFC 127.
Other
contenders: Alan Belcher, Robbie Lawler, Hector Lombard, Wanderlei
Silva, Brian Stann.
Welterweight
1.
Georges St. Pierre (21-2)
St. Pierre has proven sterling in Montreal, where he has bashed
Matt Serra and Josh Koscheck. Next for “Rush” will
be an appearance in Toronto on April 30, when he will defend
his welterweight crown against Jake Shields in the main event
of UFC 129 in front of what figures to be a massive crowd at
the Rogers Centre.
2.
Jon Fitch (23-3, 1 NC)
After besting Thiago Alves for a second time, Fitch was hopeful
he would get another crack at the UFC welterweight crown. That
opportunity will go to Jake Shields. Instead of another title
shot, Fitch draws former two-division champion B.J. Penn at UFC
127 on Feb. 27 in Sydney, Australia.
3.
Thiago Alves (18-7)
Alves did not have much time to savor his win over John Howard
at UFC 124 before his name was right back on the UFC docket.
“Pitbull” will return in May, when he is scheduled
to meet surging welterweight contender Rick Story in a high-stakes
bout at 170 pounds.
4.
Jake Shields (26-4-1)
Shields made the jump from Strikeforce to the UFC because he
felt it was the best way for him to prove his mettle against
the world’s best fighters. He will get the ultimate chance
to do so on April 30, when he challenges Georges St. Pierre for
the UFC welterweight crown at UFC 129 in front of tens of thousands
of fans at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
5.
Josh Koscheck (15-5)
Koscheck’s crushing Dec. 11 defeat to Georges St. Pierre
was not just figurative; it was literal. Following surgery to
repair a smashed orbital bone, Koscheck will spend at least six
months on the shelf before returning to action, potentially stepping
back into the Octagon sometime this summer.
6.
Martin Kampmann (17-4)
In October, Kampmann earned props from the MMA world for his
split decision loss to Jake Shields in a fight many feel he won.
MMA’s foremost Dane has been rewarded with a major bout,
as he will meet Diego Sanchez in a welterweight tilt at UFC Live
3 on March 3 in Louisville, Ky.
7.
Carlos Condit (26-5)
Condit’s resurgent 2010 campaign has earned him an all-action
fight to kick off 2011. At UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia, the
“Natural Born Killer” will take on free-swinging veteran
Chris Lytle in a fight that promises wild action and bears welterweight
contender consequences.
8.
Nick Diaz (24-7, 1 ND)
Diaz’s Jan. 29 victory against Evangelista Santos was, as
usual, thrilling. While “Cyborg” cut into the legs
of Diaz, the Strikeforce welterweight champion blasted back with
punches, until his slick armbar ended the fight in round two.
His second successful title defense may set up a fight with British
banger Paul Daley in the coming months.
9.
Dan Hardy (23-8, 1 NC)
After ripping off four straight wins to begin his tenure in the
Octagon, Hardy was bested in both of his 2010 outings. “The
Outlaw” will look to start off 2011 on a more productive
note come March 26, when he welcomes back serious hitter Anthony
Johnson at UFC Fight Night 24.
10.
Paul Daley (26-9-2)
Daley is scheduled for tune-up action at BAMMA 5 on Feb. 26 in
Manchester, England. However, most view the bout as a mere stay-busy
venture, as Strikeforce eyes a potential welterweight title clash
between “Semtex” and champion Nick Diaz later this
year. That fight would likely provide massive fireworks should
it go down.
Other
contenders: Ben Askren, Jake Ellenberger, John Hathaway, Jay
Hieron, Mike Pyle.
Lightweight
1.
Frankie Edgar (13-1-1)
In round one of his lightweight title defense against Gray Maynard
at UFC 125, Edgar looked dead to rights after taking an epic
pummeling from “The Bully.” Somehow, Edgar fought back
valiantly over the last 20 minutes, shutting down Maynard’s
wrestling and becoming the more effective boxer. After five rounds,
Edgar had forced a split draw in a sensational fight, as well
as a third fight with Maynard at UFC 130 on May 28.
2.
Gilbert Melendez (18-2)
After a potential New Year’s Eve rematch with Dream champion
Shinya Aoki fell apart, Strikeforce champ Melendez was left with
no clear next opponent. In the meantime, “El Nino”
has taken to calling out welterweight contender Paul Daley, announcing
his interest in a 165-pound catchweight bout against the hard-hitting
Brit.
3.
Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC)
Through five minutes at UFC 125, it seemed a lock that Maynard
would leave Las Vegas with the UFC lightweight crown. But while
“The Bully” crushed Frankie Edgar in the first round,
the champion battled back over the next four to force a draw
and retain his title in an early “Fight of the Year”
contender. The pair will square off for the third time on May
28 at UFC 130 in Las Vegas.
4.
B.J. Penn (16-7-1)
Penn and Matt Hughes were rivals for nearly six years. However,
in the rubber match between the former UFC champs, it took “The
Prodigy” just 21 seconds to brutally put Hughes down for
the count. Next for Penn will be another fight at 170 pounds
-- and a major one, at that -- as he meets Jon Fitch in the UFC
127 headliner on Feb. 27 in Sydney, Australia.
5.
Shinya Aoki (26-5, 1 NC)
It was not really an MMA bout, but Aoki was embarrassed by cosplaying
K-1 Max veteran Yuichiro Nagashima on New Year’s Eve in
Tokyo. After surviving the kickboxing round of their “mixed
rules” bout, Aoki was clobbered with a giant knee just four
seconds into the MMA round by “Jienotsu,” making for
a bitter end to 2010.
6.
Eddie Alvarez (21-2)
In his Oct. 21 bout with Roger Huerta, Alvarez was positively
destructive, using his uppercut and newly-found low kicks to
batter the UFC veteran and force the cageside doctor to halt
the fight after 10 minutes. Postfight, Alvarez took the opportunity
to call out Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez,
and the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion itself further
exacerbated the call for the crossover megafight. Bellator’s
Season 4 tournament to determine Alvarez’s next challenger
kicks off in March.
7.
Kenny Florian (13-5)
A knee injury took Kenny Florian out of a proposed Jan. 22 bout
with Evan Dunham. As the knee injury heals, the former UFC lightweight
title challenger is looking at a return in the early spring,
possible at UFC 130 or 131, and likely at 145 pounds.
8.
Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2)
On New Year’s Eve, Kawajiri dulled the bitter sting of his
July submission loss to Shinya Aoki by soundly handling former
Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson. Kawajiri used
top position to dominate “The Punk” en route to an
impressive unanimous decision win, perhaps paving the way for
the “Crusher” to compete stateside in 2011.
9.
Jim Miller (19-2)
A winner of six straight bouts in the hyper-competitive UFC lightweight
division, Miller is inching ever closer to a coveted 155-pound
title shot. In order to keep that dream afloat, he will have
to deal with “The Prince of Persia,” Kamal Shalorus,
at UFC 128 on March 19. The upside? The fight will be contested
in Miller’s home state of New Jersey.
10.
Sean Sherk (36-4-1)
With 40-plus fights and over a decade in the sport, injuries
have piled up for Sherk. As a result, the 37-year-old “Muscle
Shark” has taken time off to heal and rehab, and is now
targeting a potential summer return to the Octagon.
Other
contenders: Clay Guida, Melvin Guillard, Benson Henderson, Anthony
Pettis, George Sotiropoulos.
*With
his Jan. 22 loss to Melvin Guillard, previously 10th-ranked Evan
Dunham falls from the lightweight top 10.
Featherweight
1.
Jose Aldo (18-1)
Aldo continues to rehab the back injury which forced him out
of a slated Jan. 1 title defense against Josh Grispi. When he
comes off the mend, the Brazilian phenom will launch straight
into preparation for UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, where he’ll
take on Mark Hominick in his first UFC title defense.
2.
Hatsu Hioki (23-4-2)
In the most significant fight of his career, Hioki was brilliant
in wresting the Sengoku featherweight crown from Marlon Sandro.
Over five thrilling rounds, Hioki was clinical on the feet and
otherworldly on the ground, threatening Sandro in every position
for 25 minutes in Hioki’s best performance to date.
3.
Chad Mendes (10-0)
Mendes showcased his aggressive and well-rounded style in the
biggest fight of his young career, as he pummeled a tough Michihiro
Omigawa over three rounds at UFC 126. With the win, Mendes puts
himself on the cusp of a UFC featherweight title shot.
4.
Manny Gamburyan (11-5)
With his corking of former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown in
April, Gamburyan earned his shot at Jose Aldo. However, when
the two met at WEC 51 on Sept. 30, the tough Armenian had very
little to offer the Brazilian, who leisurely strolled through
the first round before turning up the heat and halting Gamburyan
in the second. Gamburyan is set to return against Raphael Assuncao
at UFC 128 on March 19.
5.
Michihiro Omigawa (12-9-1)
Omigawa’s return to the Octagon was not a pleasant one,
as the Yoshida Dojo product was beat up on the feet and on the
floor by hot prospect Chad Mendes at UFC 126. With the loss,
Omigawa is 8-2-1 as a featherweight, but 0-3 inside the confines
of the UFC.
6.
Marlon Sandro (17-2)
Sandro’s fearsome punching power was no match for the rangier,
slicker and more technical Hatsu Hioki, who took apart the Brazilian
on the feet on Dec. 30. Sandro, a Nova Uniao black belt in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu, was also in constant danger on the floor against the
Japanese standout. Sandro dropped the unanimous decision, with
his consolation prize being the respect he received for the toughness
he exhibited in defeat.
7.
Diego Nunes (16-1)
Since hooking up with top Brazilian team Nova Uniao, “The
Gun” has showed marked improvement with each appearance.
At UFC 125 on Jan. 1, Nunes took his game to another level, out-striking
former featherweight ruler Mike Thomas Brown en route to a split
decision and positioning himself near the top of the contenders
list at 145 pounds.
8.
Joe Warren (6-1)
While it’s tough to say whether Warren is, as he claims,
“the baddest man on the planet,” the former Greco-Roman
wrestling champion showed otherworldly toughness in his Sept.
2 bout with Joe Soto. Warren came back from a hellacious beating
in the fight’s opening round to knock out Soto and take
the Bellator featherweight title 33 seconds into round two.
9.
Dustin Poirier (9-1)
Prior to UFC 125, few fans knew Poirier’s name. However,
after a crushing display of offense against the heavily-favored
and well-regarded Josh Grispi, it is fair to say the 21-year-old
Poirier has emerged as another young stud in the 145-pound division.
10.
Josh Grispi (14-2)
After a disastrous promotional debut at UFC 125 in January, when
he was blown out by Dustin Poirier, “The Fluke” will
get back on the horse this summer. Grispi will take on George
Roop at “The Ultimate Fighter 13” Finale on June 4.
Other
contenders: Raphael Assuncao, Bibiano Fernandes, Mark Hominick,
Hiroyuki Takaya, Rani Yahya.
*With
his Jan. 22 loss to Rani Yahya, formerly seventh-ranked Mike
Thomas Brown exits the featherweight rankings.
Bantamweight
1.
Dominick Cruz (17-1)
Seldom does hyperactivity look easy, but that is Cruz. He continued
to show the evolution of his slick punching and unpredictable
style on Dec. 16, as he shut out the tough Scott Jorgensen over
five rounds at WEC 53. The win set the table for a major bantamweight
showdown against the only man to ever beat “The Dominator,”
former WEC featherweight king Urijah Faber, once Cruz recovers
from hand surgery.
2.
Joseph Benavidez (13-2)
Despite his two losses to Dominick Cruz and the fact that he
may be a natural 125-pounder, Benavidez has picked off more top
bantamweights than nearly any other 135-pound fighter. Stepping
in for an injured Brian Bowles, Benavidez added another Top 10
win to his ledger by dominating Wagnney Fabiano and choking the
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt into submission at WEC 52.
3.
Brian Bowles (8-1)
Bowles has been plagued by injuries of late, but he finally appears
set for a return, 362 days after he lost the WEC bantamweight
crown to Dominick Cruz. Bowles will need every shred of good
health when he takes on Greg Jackson-trained bomber Damacio Page
in a rematch at UFC Live 3 on March 3 in Louisville, Ky.
4.
Urijah Faber (24-4)
The fight world is clamoring for a rematch between Dominick Cruz
and Faber, the only man to defeat the UFC bantamweight champion.
However, Cruz’s recent hand surgery will postpone such a
bout until at least late 2011. The “California Kid”
will not sit on the shelf, however: Faber will take on hard-punching
ex-WEC champ Eddie Wineland at UFC 128 on March 19 in Newark,
N.J.
5.
Scott Jorgensen (11-4)
Jorgensen was game and valiant until the end, but he simply had
nothing to offer bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz in their
Dec. 16 title clash. For 25 minutes, Jorgensen was hit with punches
in bunches on the feet and taken down repeatedly in a one-sided
decision loss that snapped a five-fight win streak.
6.
Miguel Torres (39-3)
Torres’ road back to the top of the bantamweight division
just got tougher. The former 135-pound ace has signed on to meet
tough Brit Brad Pickett at UFC 130 on May 28. The winner figures
to take a considerable leap forward in the bantamweight pack.
7.
Takeya Mizugaki (13-5-2)
In his Nov. 11 bout with Urijah Faber, Mizugaki was viciously
choked unconscious by the former featherweight star in Faber’s
bantamweight debut. Mizugaki’s next bout will be a comparatively
softer touch, as he is tentatively scheduled to meet Francisco
Rivera at UFC Live 3 on March 3.
8.
Brad Pickett (20-5)
After a thrilling three-round decision win over Ivan Menjivar
in Montreal, “One Punch” will take a significant jump
up in competition. The tough Brit will take on former bantamweight
ruler Miguel Torres at UFC 130 on May 28 with a considerable
stake in the 135-pound division on the line.
9.
Masakatsu Ueda (12-1-2)
Taking on late replacement Ralph Acosta in Tokyo on Jan. 10,
the former Shooto 132-pound world champion showed all the facets
of his evolving game. Ueda exhibited some improving standup skills,
but more chiefly, put his expert grappling on display. Ueda and
Acosta showed off their technical wrestling chops before Ueda
closed the show with his patented Brabo choke.
10.
Demetrious Johnson (8-1)
At UFC 126, Demetrious Johnson showed once again that, regardless
of size, he possesses all the goods to hang at 135 pounds. Johnson
put together his combination striking and lightning-fast takedowns
to take a one-sided decision over Japanese star Norifumi “Kid”
Yamamoto. It was the third win in just over four months for “Mighty
Mouse.”
Other
contenders: Antonio Banuelos, Wagnney Fabiano, Zach Makovsky,
Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland.
*With
his return to the featherweight division, formerly ninth-ranked
Rani Yahya exits the bantamweight rankings.
Flyweight
1.
Jussier da Silva (9-0)
In his high-pressure stateside debut, Da Silva aced his assignment,
liberally taking the back of WEC veteran Danny Martinez en route
to a tidy unanimous decision win under the Tachi Palace Fights
banner. Next up for “Formiga” is a bout with another
WEC alum, Ian McCall, at Tachi Palace Fights 8 in February. A
victory there could set him up for a shot at the promotion’s
flyweight champion, Ulysses Gomez.
2.
Yasuhiro Urushitani (18-4-6)
It was a non-title fight, but in his Nov. 19 appearance against
a tough Takuya Mori, Urushitani looked every bit the top 123-pounder
in professional Shooto. Urushitani brutally bashed Mori in the
first round, earning his first knockout in the Shooto ring in
his decade-long career.
3.
Mamoru Yamaguchi (25-5-3)
It seems like Shooto’s afroed ace has decided he likes fighting
in America: after besting Greg Guzman in Highland, Calif. last
August, Mamoru will return to action in the Golden State this
spring. The former two-division Shooto world champ will step
in for Alexis Vila to face John Dodson at Tachi Palace Fights
9 on May 5 in Lemoore, Calif.
4.
Yuki Shojo (10-5-2)
One of the flyweight division’s most exciting commodities,
Shojo will return to action for the first time in nearly a year
on March 12. At “Shootor's Legacy 2” in Tokyo, he’ll
take on former 114-pound title challenger Noboru “Shinpei”
Tahara in what promises to be an entertaining tilt.
5.
Ryuichi Miki (10-4-3)
A third bout with Yasuhiro Urushitani was the chance of a lifetime
for Miki, who had the opportunity to vie for the Shooto 123-pound
world title. However, as in the pair’s first two encounters,
it was Urushitani who walked out the victor and remained champion
on May 30.
6.
Kiyotaka Shimizu (7-3-2)
The flyweight “King of Pancrase” played a minor role
in Japan’s New Year’s season festivities. Shimizu was
a last-minute addition to the Sengoku Raiden Championship “Soul
of Fight” card on Dec. 30, as he defeated Ichiro Sugita
by split decision in a one-round, five-minute “jacket rules”
bout. Real opposition for the Pancrase champion will likely come
in February or March.
7.
Alexis Vila (8-0)
In front of a pro-Cuban crowd on Feb. 12 in Miami, Vila smashed
out his ninth career win, putting away Lewis McKenzie in the
second round under the Mixed Fighting Alliance banner. The question
for the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist becomes a matter of when
he steps into the cage with another Top 10 flyweight and faces
the division’s best.
8.
Fumihiro Kitahara (9-2-1)
Kitahara’s first bout against a true A-level flyweight did
not go as he had hoped. The 2008 Shooto rookie champion took
on former two-division Shooto world titleholder Mamoru Yamaguchi,
who needed just over two minutes to put his shin on Kitahara’s
head, leaving him flat on the mat.
9.
Mitsuhisa Sunabe (13-6-4)
Sunabe was unsuccessful in his bid to regain his flyweight “King
of Pancrase” title on Dec. 5 against rival Kiyotaka Shimizu,
as the pair battled to a split draw. However, the bout’s
lack of resolution and high level of excitement has paved the
way for a fourth clash between Sunabe and Shimizu later this
year.
10.
John Dodson (11-5)
Dodson has seen his opponent for Tachi Palace Fights 9 change,
but the swap may actually be a step up for “The Magician.”
Originally set to face Alexis Vila, the Olympic bronze medal
wrestler’s withdrawal from the fight has paved the way for
Dodson to instead take on former two-division Shooto world champion
Mamoru Yamaguchi on May 5 in what should be an action-packed
affair.
Other
contenders: Louis Gaudinot, Ulysses Gomez, Darrell Montague,
Alexandre Pantoja, Masaaki Sugawara.
Source: Sherdog
|
Bellator
Champ Ben Askren In Non-Title Affair With Nick Thompson
by Ken
Pishna
Bellator Fighting Championships on Wednesday announced that its
welterweight champion, Ben Askren, will be back in action this
season in a non-title fight, while the tournament contenders
battle it out for a shot at his belt.
Askren
returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since winning
the title when he faces UFC veteran Nick Thompson at Bellator
40. The event takes place on April 9 at the First Council Casino
in
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Man
Up & Stand Up Today
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday February 19, 2011
Doors open at 6:00
Yes
sir, its been 3 weeks from the first man-up & stand-up show.
Here it comes one mo gen baby. The last Man-up had some jaw dropping
and also a few jaw breaking blows that got the crowd roaring.
This time around will be another hamma show with Charles Hazelwood
as the main in his first title defense against Jessie Lindley
who had a 12 second knockout in his last fight which was an mma
event. We’ll see if Jessie can get the same results with
ten ounce gloves against the Champ. As everyone knows, Charles
is well-known for his damaging leg kicks. So it would be best
for Jessie to end this fight with the same fashion that he did
his last fight. But that’s every fairy tale that all of
Charles’s opponents like to write until he kicks them back
to reality and rewrites a different ending. Come and see if fairy
tales do come true in this fight.
Also
making his first title defense, will be Joseph Garcia against
another young up and coming star who goes by the name of Ethan
Kerfoot. Garcia puts his punch, kick and knee combinations together
as well as his coaches (Edwards brothers) do. He may be only
16 but do not underestimate this young boy. Ethan who is also
16, is another one to not underestimate. He has the speed, he
has the reach, don’t know if he has the looks to be the
new champ but he don’t care (nah j/k). These two young studs
will put on a display of some major skills when the bell rings.
Will Garcia remain the champ after Saturday or will Combat 50
create another champion. Be there
Also
there will be the 6 yr old 45# title and 7 yr old 60# title on
the line. Come and watch these youngsters take each other to
the wreckshop with no crying, no tantrums and no retreat. Yup
das right, this is how we build them here on Man-up & Stand-up.
Some
other fights that will be showstopping as well as jaw dropping
is the Reckless Ronnie Villahamosa vs Justin Dulay (champion
vs champion), Kalai Mcshne vs Donovan Calluruda (fireworks-guaranteez),
Mike Uemoto vs Isaac Hopps, just come down and see for yourself
because theres too much to mention. Please believe.
TODD
PARK
160
LAWRENCE HINOJOSA
CHARLES HAZELWOOD
185
JESSIE LINDLEY
KALAI MCSHANE
125
DONOVAN CALLURUDA
MIKE UEMOTO
145
ISAAC HOPPS
PAUL BOTER
140
OLA LUM
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
60
STANFORD AQUINO
ALVIN KANEHAILUA
200
BEN BOYCE
SOFA
220
KANOE KAHIKINA
ANDREW QUIZON
155
MARICE PHILLIPS
SHAWN DESANTOS
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
LINK MERRIT
DONTEZ COLEMAN
125
JORDAN VIRA
CHANTELL BOYCE
160
AVEMAO PSYCHO PETERS
MAKOA
DESANTOS
100
NAZ HARRISON
RAD
RAJAH BRAZWELL
75
NYLEN KUKAHIKO
All
matches & participants are subject to change
Source: Derrick Bright
|
Greg
Jackson: Arlovski Doesn’t Have a Weak Chin
Andrei Arlovski suffered his fourth straight defeat Saturday,
but trainer Greg Jackson remains hopeful that the former UFC
heavyweight champion can still get his career back on track.
“I
think he’s going to come back a better fighter,” Jackson
said recently on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown”
show. “You have to remember I’m a diehard optimist.
It’s really hard to discourage me or tell me it shouldn’t
be done or it can’t be done. I’m a guy that I think
I know what to do to fix it. I’m going to try everything
I can to do that.”
Arlovski
was knocked out in the first round of his Strikeforce heavyweight
matchup against Sergei Kharitonov. Jackson explained that Arlovski
followed the game plan initially but then veered away from it.
“He
kind of hesitated standing in front of [Kharitonov] and was grabbing
around the neck and doing stuff that we hadn’t planned,”
Jackson said. “For me, that’s part of the learning
process. It didn’t go our way because we made some fundamental
mistakes that we weren’t supposed to make. Of course you
don’t want to stand in front of Kharitonov no matter who
you are. He’s got bombs in either of those hands of his.
We were doing very, very well following the game plan and we
kind of had a lapse.”
One
major criticism of Arlovski is his chin. However, Jackson disagreed
that his fighter’s ability to take a punch is the issue.
“He
got hit really hard by ‘Bigfoot’ Silva as well. He
was taking some hard shots and was able to weather that storm,”
Jackson said of the May 2010 decision Arlovski dropped to Antonio
Silva. “He lost the decision of course, but still, he took
some shots and was able to hang in there. It’s just these
guys that he’s fighting, if you make one mistake with any
of them, you’re going to get eaten.”
In
Jackson’s view, Arlovski is consistently making the same
mistake. The trainer did not go into particulars, but he said
he has a beat on it now.
“I’m
really identifying the mistake. It went a little deeper than
I thought it did,” Jackson said. “Identifying that
mistake and changing what we do there is going to be a big, important
factor. I don’t think he has a weak chin. I think he’s
fighting in a heavyweight division where these guys would knock
down a house if they hit it.”
Jackson,
who began working with Arlovski some before the Silva fight,
is recognized by many as the top trainer in the sport. He believes
Arlovski can still be one of the top heavyweights as well.
“I
really learned a lot about Andrei and what we need to change
and do differently,” Jackson said. “I don’t discourage
easily. I want to go right back to the drawing board and attack
what I think we need to attack to make him a better fighter.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Jorge
Santiago Signs Multi-Fight Contract For UFC Return
by Ken
Pishna
Former Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago, as expected,
has signed to return to the UFC.
His
imminent return had been widely reported, but as of this past
weekend, Santiago was at the Srikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva event
in New Jersey without a contract in hand. Although Santiago’s
manager was not available at the time of publication, MMAWeekly.com
sources close to the situation on Wednesday confirmed that a
multi-fight agreement has received Santiago’s signature.
Although
a recent MMAJunkie.com report mentioned Santiago’s return
as likely for UFC 130 against Brian Stann, MMAWeekly.com sources
believed that, while the fight could still happen, it has not
yet been signed.
Santiago
was being courted both by the UFC and Strikeforce. He has a history
with both promotions.
The
Brazilian had a stint with the UFC in 2006 that saw him go 1-2
overall before he exited the organization. Santiago then went
on to win a one night, four-man tournament for Strikeforce in
which he finished off Sean Salmon and Trevor Prangley.
He
returns to the UFC following a 7-1 stint in Japan where he won
the Sengoku middleweight title and defended it twice.
Amidst
much speculation about the future of the Japanese fight promotion,
Santiago and Dave Herman were both released from their contractual
obligations to Sengoku.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
My
First Fight: Frank Shamrock
By Ben Fowlkes
When Frank Shamrock paroled out of Folsom Prison in the early
nineties, he had narrowed his career choices down to three possibilities.
"I
was going to be a physical therapist, or an exotic dancer, or
I was going to do this no-holds-barred fighting thing that Ken
[Shamrock] was doing. And I didn't know anything about any of
them."
Shamrock
had spent most of the last decade in one institutionalized setting
or another, whether it was group homes, youth crisis centers,
or prison. His adopted father, Bob Shamrock, pointed him in the
direction of the Lion's Den, then an unknown gym for a mostly
unknown sport, and run by Frank's adopted older brother Ken.
The first day Shamrock walked in the door, he was told he'd be
getting a "tryout."
"You
did 500 squats, 500 sit-ups, 500 leg-lifts, 250 push-ups, then
you fought Ken for 20 minutes," Shamrock says. "After
that it took me about four days before I could walk down the
stairs again. I was just traumatized, and I didn't know you could
tap. Ken was tearing my ankles and knees out, and I was just
taking it. I didn't know you could tap and I was trying to be
this tough guy. That was my intro to it."
The ten minutes seemed like literally 40 seconds. Then they rang
the bell and it was over.
-- Frank Shamrock
For reasons even he can't fully articulate, Shamrock kept coming
back. The next thing he knew, his brother had arranged for him
to spend eight weeks living and training in a dojo in Japan.
"I
had spent three years in jails and prisons, and then all of a
sudden I'm in Japan in this dojo. It was just so surreal. I was
this young kid and nobody even knew what I was doing there."
What
he was doing, as it turned out, was preparing for a fight in
the King of Pancrase tournament in December of 1994. Along with
his brother Ken, the 22-year-old Shamrock joined early MMA luminaries
such as Matt Hume, Maurice Smith, and Vernon "Tiger"
White on the fight card that night in Tokyo.
In
the first round of the tournament, and for his first professional
bout, Shamrock drew a Dutchman by the name of Bas Rutten.
"What
I remember distinctly is being so freaking scared and nervous,"
says Shamrock. "It seemed like I could feel the lights in
the building, like I could feel the electricity running into
my body. It was the weirdest thing in the world. Then the fight
started."
Rutten
was more experienced in the sport, having already had eight fights
in Pancrase by that point. When they locked up early in the bout,
Shamrock remembers being awed by Rutten's raw power.
"He
had that old man strength. He was just super strong, and he absolutely
smacked the sh-t out of me five or six times."
At
one point, Rutten snapped a front kick directly into Shamrock's
nose. He heard it crunch and he knew right away it was probably
broken. It occurred to him that he had to shoot for a takedown
and get the fight to the ground.
"I
had maybe two or three moments of clarity in the whole fight,"
says Shamrock. "One was when I took him down, and I remember
the feeling of kind of floating through the air. Another was
when he was front choking me and he said, 'Aha, I've got you!'
You know, in that booming Bas voice of his? He was weird like
that; Bas was always talking to me. He's the one who taught me
to talk to people in fights."
And
yet, even as Rutten was telling Shamrock that he was done, Shamrock
could feel himself slipping out of the choke. In his corner his
brother Ken was shouting instructions, but to Frank it might
as well have been in another language. The experience was so
bizarre, he was struggling to understand it even as it was happening.
"I
remember a couple points in the match kind of looking up and
thinking, my God, I'm fighting this crazy bald guy in front of
a bunch of people in Japan. How did this happen?" Shamrock
says. "The ten minutes seemed like literally 40 seconds.
Then they rang the bell and it was over."
Shamrock
walked back to his corner after the fight and met with the begrudging
approval of his adopted older brother.
"He
was like, 'You did good,'" Shamrock says. "All I could
say was, 'He broke my nose!' That was the first time I'd ever
had my nose broken. It was like he caught me right on the tip
of it with his wrestling shoe and kind of snapped the cartilage.
It's still in the same shape and form that Bas put it in. That's
what you see today."
I still thought everybody in this sport was crazy, and I was
wondering if I was a little bit crazy too.
-- Frank Shamrock
Though it was as big a surprise to him as to anyone, when the
fight was over it was Shamrock who got his hand raised. Then
he had to go back to the locker room and prepare himself to fight
again that same night, though the fear and confusion still hadn't
worn off.
"My
first ten fights or so it was like that. I was just so scared.
You can see if you go back and watch them that there are moments
where I just stop and look around, like, what's going on here?
I was so scared for all those fights," he says.
"You
have to remember, I had come from a pretty hard life. There was
all this abuse and everything else, so the idea of fighting for
sport was pretty heavy. Fighting to me was about fighting for
your life, you know. It was about killing people or protecting
people or stopping people from killing you. That's what it had
been for me. So I went into those fights thinking, they're trying
to kill me."
He
would go on to lose via submission against Manubu Yamada later
that same night. It was a bittersweet way to follow his first
win with his first loss, but already Shamrock knew he had found
something he wanted to be a part of, even if it all seemed to
go by in a blur. There was no way he could have known that this
was how he'd spend the next fifteen years of his life.
"I
still thought everybody in this sport was crazy, and I was wondering
if I was little bit crazy too," he says. "The whole
thing was like a dream. I had to go back and watch it on tape.
Then I was like, yeah, we're all freaking nuts."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Simon
Rutz: Yeah, K-1 is likely heading to bankruptcy soon
By Zach
Arnold
When
we last left you on the Simon Rutz/K-1 front, he was supposed
to promote an It’s Showtime event at Amsterdam Arena with
K-1 fighters. He ended up announcing a cancellation for the event
due to what he said was K-1 not paying some fighters and not
being able to get him a roster to book a card. So, the show fell
through.
In
this new interview today (Dutch), Simon says (pardon the pun)
that K-1 is headed towards bankruptcy. Now, I should note that
bankruptcy is nothing new in the Japanese fight business. It’s
happened many times with various pro-wrestling companies where
a shell company will declare bankruptcy, avoid or minimize payments
to creditors, and either transfer assets or start over anew under
a new shell company. So, the idea of FEG declaring bankruptcy
doesn’t mean that K-1 in theory would die.
(On
a side note, Dan Herbertson reports that Dave Herman has been
released from his Sengoku contract and may be heading to the
UFC. Dan also notes that several more fighters may get their
releases in the near future.)
The
crux of the Dutch newspaper article is that Simon Rutz cannot
run kickboxing events in the city of Amsterdam. The political
climate is hostile, he claims, because the city’s Mayor
(and police) feel that criminals from the underworld appear at
major fighting events to show off and/or recruit new members
and/or create trouble. As a result, Mr. Rutz says that the mayor
wants to keep It’s Showtime events out of the area. When
Simon talked about the canceled Amsterdam Arena show due to problems
with K-1, he expanded his comments by saying he wondered if he
could even run a show at this point in the city due to legal
pressure. He said that he’s welcomed with open arms around
the world to run It’s Showtime events but he can’t
run shows now on home turf. Mr. Rutz said that the community
complains about not having big sporting events and yet he wants
to bring big shows to town and he’s facing pressure to not
run shows. He says that he is tired of political/legal battles
and that it takes a lot of stamina to organize fight shows. He
claims that in order to run shows in Amsterdam he has to go out
of his way to prove that he’s not connected to organized
crime and that the legal fees would cost him a lot of money.
Mr. Rutz questioned why he should have to wait until a new Mayor
is elected in order to run shows at Amsterdam Arena.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Brilz
Replaces Hamill, Faces Davis at UFC 129
by Mike Whitman
Phil Davis once again has a dance partner for UFC 129.
Jason
Brilz (Pictured) has stepped in to fight the NCAA Div. I wrestling
champion in a light heavyweight affair on April 29 at the Rogers
Centre in Toronto. Sherdog.com confirmed the contest with a source
close to the bout on Wednesday; the matchup was first reported
by MMAJunkie.com.
Davis
was originally slated to meet “The Ultimate Fighter 3”
cast member Matt Hamill at the event. However, Hamill was reportedly
pulled from the contest in order to replace Thiago Silva against
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 130 in May.
UFC
129 will be headlined by a welterweight title clash between dominant
champion Georges St. Pierre and recent UFC acquisition Jake Shields.
In the co-main event, World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight
king Jose Aldo will defend his newly-issued UFC strap for the
first time against hometown favorite Mark Hominick.
Davis
is one of the UFC’s brightest prospects. An undefeated 205-pounder
with an outstanding wrestling pedigree, “Mr. Wonderful”
has gone a perfect 4-0 inside the Octagon. The 26-year-old made
his promotional debut in February 2009 at UFC 109, earning a
unanimous decision over former WEC light heavyweight champion
Brian Stann. Davis then submitted Alexander Gustafsson with an
anaconda choke at UFC 112, and followed that victory by outpointing
Rodney Wallace at UFC 117 in August. Most recently, Davis submitted
Tim Boetsch at UFC 123 with a one-handed kimura that has been
dubbed “The Mr. Wonderful.”
An
11-year veteran of the sport, Brilz began his career in 2000,
competing steadily until his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 15
in September 2008. Brilz earned victories over Brad Morris and
the aforementioned Boetsch, but subsequently tasted defeat for
only the second time in his career when he was outpointed by
Eliot Marshall at UFC 103. After rebounding with a decision win
over Eric Schafer last March, the 35-year-old put forth a great
effort against former Pride Fighting Championships star Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira, losing a contentious split decision to the
Brazilian at UFC 114.
Source: Sherdog
|
Card
for UFC 3/3
Louisville (KFC Yum! Center)
Versus event
By Zach
Arnold
TV:
Versus
¦Light
Heavyweights: Igor Pokrajac vs. Todd Brown
¦Middleweights: Rousimar Palhares vs. Dave Branch
¦Middleweights: Rob Kimmons vs. Dongi Yang
¦Featherweights: Cub Swanson vs. Erik Koch
¦Lightweights: Thiago Tavares vs. Shane Roller
¦Light Heavyweights: Steve Cantwell vs. Cyrille Diabate
¦Lightweights: Joe Stevenson vs. Danny Castillo
¦Bantamweights: Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
¦Middleweights: Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Weidman
¦Middleweights: CB Dollaway vs. Mark Munoz
¦Welterweights: Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Strikeforce:
Out Of Dad’s Shadow, Ryan Couture Pushing For Big Year
by Ken Pishna
Ryan
Couture’s venture into MMA has been anything but conventional.
As
the son of one of the sport’s most beloved and legendary
fighters, UFC Hall of Famer Randy “The Natural” Couture,
Ryan has experienced a level of attention and scrutiny few up-and-coming
fighters at the beginning of their careers have endured.
Yet,
through it all, he’s adjusted and more importantly, is making
a name for himself as a fighter to be dealt with on his own merits.
MMAWeekly.com
caught up with Couture as he finalized preparations to face Lee
Higgins at Friday’s Strikeforce Challengers 14 in Cedar
Creek, Texas, to discuss his career, being the son of an icon,
and what lays ahead for his future.
MMAWeekly:
Before we get into your upcoming fight, let’s go back to
last August and your pro debut win over Lucas Stark. How do you
feel about that whole experience?
Ryan
Couture: I thought it was a really good experience. It was just
like a bigger and better version of my amateur fights. I feel
like I had some good practice runs and dealt with some of the
media attention – but not nearly on that scale – and
I felt like stepping up to that next level went really well.
MMAWeekly:
Did you anticipate the level of interest and coverage you ended
up receiving?
Ryan
Couture: I kind of expected it, just because people are so interested
in dad and everything he does. I kind of had a feeling some of
that would trickle down. I also had seen the sort of the frenzy
caused when Kim (Couture, Randy’s ex-wife) was trying to
make a go as a fighter, so I had an idea that I would be catching
more attention than people starting out. It kind of exceeded
my expectations, but I enjoyed it.
MMAWeekly:
You were scheduled to return in October, but had to bow out of
the fight due to a staph infection. Was it disappointing, or
having been around the fight game so long, had you learn to accept
it as part of the sport?
Ryan
Couture: I had a lot hard work in and was having a really good
training camp up to that point, so that setback was definitely
a letdown. At the same time, like you said, having been around
the sport a long time, I know those kinds of infections and injuries
are part of the game. It was hard to be too beat up over it,
but spending the night in the hospital when I was supposed to
be in the cage was definitely a downer.
MMAWeekly:
Let’s talk about this Friday’s bout with Lee Higgins.
What do you think about the fight?
Ryan
Couture: I like the way our styles match up. We’re both
at our best on the ground and we both like to submit guys, so
I think it will be a crowd pleaser. I think whichever one of
us gets out of position and gives the other the advantage on
the ground is probably going to end up being on the losing end.
I’ve just got to make sure I’m sharp and make sure
I’m on point with my grappling.
I
hope to have the chance to show off some of my striking, I do
have an advantage there, but every time I go out there and try
to knock somebody out I end up grappling with them anyway.
MMAWeekly:
Would you like to have a fight where you just go out and bang
with someone and see what happens?
Ryan
Couture: I’m not really big on the whole standing there
and trading with (my opponents). I’d like to go out there
and hit somebody and not get hit. I don’t feel the need
to be in a brawl and bang it out with anybody, but I definitely
would like to show off the striking that I’ve worked so
hard to develop.
MMAWeekly:
Is your goal for this year to continue to take it slowly, one
fight at a time, or is there a sense of urgency to capitalize
on the buzz that surrounds you?
Ryan
Couture: At this point, I want to take fights that make sense
for where I’m at, where my skills are at, and match up with
guys who are a good challenge and help me take the next step
towards the fighter I want to be. I’d like to get four fights
and four wins in this year and then I think if I can do that
I can have a good head of steam going and good momentum to start
moving up the ranks this year.
MMAWeekly:
Thanks for your time Ryan. Is there anything you want to say
in closing?
Ryan
Couture: As always a huge thanks to my whole team at Xtreme Couture
and Xtreme Couture Management for helping me get in shape and
getting all this lined up and making it possible. I want to thank
everyone that’s taken an interest in my career and supported
me. I urge everyone to tune into Showtime Friday night and check
out the fights; it’s going to be a great show.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
‘Semtex’-Headlined
BAMMA 5 to Stream Live on Web
by Mike
Whitman
The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts today announced
that its Feb. 26 BAMMA 5 event will stream live on the promotion’s
website as an online pay-per-view.
The
event, which takes place at Manchester Evening News Arena in
Manchester, England, will be headlined by a BAMMA welterweight
title clash between Strikeforce contender Paul “Semtex”
Daley and Deep champion Yuya Shirai.
Fans
will be able access the live stream at www.bammatv.com for a
fee of $10. The promotion also announced that $5 repeat screenings
of the show will be available after the live stream. A $12 option
will grant fans access to the live stream and seven days of unlimited
on-demand access.
“We’ve
been looking at international streaming for some time and it
makes total sense to kick this off with BAMMA 5,” said BAMMA
Vice President of Business Development Liam Fisher stated in
a release. “Paul Daley-Yuya Shirai is one of the most internationally
significant MMA fights so far this year and bridges together
three different MMA promotions. It would be a crime to not show
this fight around the world.”
The
show, which will also feature a heavyweight tilt between former
UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez and “The Ultimate Fighter 10”
cast member James McSweeney, will also be broadcast live in the
United Kingdom on cable channel SyFy. According to the release,
the network has signed on to broadcast five planned BAMMA events
this year.
Source: Sherdog
|
Eddie
Goldman: The Strikeforce HW GP show at the Izod Center was a
disorganized mess
By Zach
Arnold
In
his own words. It’s funny — every time I post something
about Sherdog or someone else in the MMA media discussing Showtime’s
role in MMA or how they produce events, the network’s office
ends up reading about it (from here) one way or another and phone
calls end up getting made.
“I
got to say that the way this event was organized at the Izod
Center managed to piss off and annoy and alienate most of the
New York/New Jersey & East Coast Mixed Martial Arts media
and notable people. They did not know how to set up the event
for the media, putting people all over the building, behind fans.
They did not have one media section like you do in boxing and
has been done at other events. The seating showed no understanding,
ZERO understanding and zero care for who were the people that
really understand the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. And it showed
some type of favoritism, even to the point where there were empty
seats and some people that have been covering the sport while
some of the people who did these credentials and did this seating
were still in diapers and watching Hulk Hogan. It annoyed people
so much that it was done in such an irrational way. The end result
is that many people that I spoke with, despite a lot of people
being positive about the event overall particularly the main
event, not wanting to come back to any Strikeforce events. That
is a huge failure because people felt that way before the first
fights started.
“They
really blew an opportunity to become the anchor in the New York/New
Jersey area and hopefully we will have Mixed Martial Arts in
New York this year, again we’re fighting for it. We had
our great rally on February 8th, Strikeforce Heavyweight champion
Alistair Overeem came to that, of course. Frank Shamrock, who
announces Strikeforce events for Showtime, came to it and many,
many other people and we put up a lot of information for that.
Strikeforce was in a position, by supporting the really and working
with the MMA community and media here, to really build some good
will. Well, y’all squandered that Saturday night, February
12th. It’s not even just a question of apologies being due,
it’s a question of having people that are respectful. Otherwise,
you know what’s going to happen? You’re going to run
this damn sport into the ground very quickly, just like has happened
with boxing and people aren’t going to put up with it. You’re
going to be run into the ground much faster than boxing because
you won’t have that long, long period of prominence as a
sport to buoy you up as is continuing to happen with boxing,
which is really going on fumes to a large degree at this point.
But we’ll see if there are changes made and, if not, you
know it’s going to be bad for the sport of Mixed Martial
Arts and if it does get legalized in New York, it won’t
be the national promotions that exist that are going to be able
to capitalize that much off it. They might run some big shows
once or twice, but it will be somebody new, somebody brand new
from this New York area that’s going to develop, that’s
going to use this as a base and develop a major organization.
“So,
you blew it boys. It’s time to fess up to that and make
some damn changes.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Denis
Kang Signs With Korea's Road FC
By Ray Hui
Canadian middleweight Denis Kang has inked a multi-fight non-exclusive
deal with the Korean upstart MMA promotion Road FC.
Kang
is a possibility for the Road FC 2 card on April 16 in Seoul
-- that is, if he emerges unscathed from a March 26 meeting with
The Ultimate Fighter alum Jesse Taylor.
Kang
(33-12-2), who is of Korean and French descent, made a name for
himself in MMA in 2004 with another Korean promotion, Spirit
MC. That year Kang won seven straight Spirit MC fights, including
a three-fight, single-night tournament, to secure a deal the
following year with PRIDE Bushido. Spirit MC collapsed in 2008,
but returned last year with a small "Amateur League"
show.
While
Kang's successes continued through his PRIDE Bushido career,
a loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama at a K-1 MMA event in October 2007
was the beginning of the end of his standing as a top middleweight.
He compiled a 4-4 record since the Akiyama loss and in 2009 was
cut from the UFC after three fights.
Last
year, Kang bounced back with a submission win on a W-1 show in
Canada and a split draw against former WEC champion Paulo Filho
at Impact FC 2. His March 26 opponent on a Battlefield Fight
League card in Canada, Taylor (17-6), is on a three-fight winning
streak.
The
Road FC promotion held its inaugural show last October. The promotion
is designed as a small event, but since there's a lack of MMA
promotions in Korea, can be considered the top show there by
default.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Jeremy
Stephens vs. Jonathan Brookins Expected For TUF 13 Finale
by Ken
Pishna
A fight pitting Jeremy Stephens against Jonathan Brookins has
been added to “The Ultimate Fighter 13? finale fight card
on June 4 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The
bout, first reported by MMAJunkie.com, has been independently
confirmed by MMAWeekly.com sources.
Stephens
(19-6) is widely regarded as one of the more exciting fighters
in the UFC’s lightweight division due to his brawling style.
He has had difficulty gaining much traction, amassing a 6-5 record
in the Octagon. Stephens is coming off of a victory over Marcus
Davis at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day.
Having
fought for both the WEC and Bellator in the past, Brookins (12-3)
made his name in the UFC by winning the twelfth season of “The
Ultimate Fighter.” He defeated Michael Johnson in the TUF
12 finale, despite being embroiled in a lawsuit from Bellator
claiming that he was still under an exclusive contract with them.
The
last time Brookins fought for Bellator was in April of 2009.
He then fought twice for G-Force Fights in 2009 and 2010 before
joining the cast of TUF 12.
Aside
from the TUF 13 finals, the June 4 fight card is also expected
to feature former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in
his UFC debut against fan favorite Clay Guida.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Giving
credit to both BJJ and Bigfoot Silva after Saturday’s Strikeforce
main event showing
By Zach
Arnold
Lost
in all of the talk about Fedor losing for the second time in
a row is the fact that he faced a bigger opponent who used better
technique and more physicality to win the fight. Eddie Goldman
reminds us that we should take some time and focus on the fighter
who advanced into the second round of the 2011 Strikeforce HW
GP tournament.
“One
of the key lessons from the incredible victory of Antonio ‘Bigfoot’
Silva over Fedor Emelianenko is: never underestimate Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu. Yes, we’ve all seen it now. We know a triangle
choke, we know an armbar, we know all these moves that Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu has. That doesn’t mean that you can stop its effectiveness
now just because you’ve seen it. Fabricio Werdum showed
that against Fedor Emelianenko. This is not a Royce Gracie vs.
Dan Severn where over 90% of the people watching the show, including
the announcers, never had seen a triangle (lock) before. Virtually
everybody had seen it before and yet he still was effective with
it. What Bigfoot Silva did in getting that takedown in the very
beginning of the second round, really ducking the punch from
the shorter Fedor, and Bigfoot Silva came in really with a wrestling
move and dominated Fedor Emelianenko going from mount, side control,
north/south, all those moves, we all have seen that before. Yet
because of his speed, his timing, his technique, he was effective
in them. Again, even though they were no longer the property
or understood by a tiny number of people.
“I
think this is a very important lesson that’s being lost
in this whole discussion because as shocking as Fedor’s
loss was, we also have to pay props to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and
its practitioners because the two fighters that have now beaten
him. Yes, he’s declining, he doesn’t seem to have the
speed or explosiveness that he did a few years ago, but the two
fighters that have beaten him are both primarily from Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu and, of course, have adapted that to Mixed Martial
Arts. Never underestimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This was a set
of techniques that was developed really primarily for a smaller
fighter to take on a larger opponent, including of course in
self-defense situations. Now you had a bigger fighter, Bigfoot,
much taller, stronger, bigger, and heavier, bigger reach than
Fedor and able to dominate him with that and Fedor was not able
to do much from the ground at all. That’s not a criticism
of his style of Sambo. That’s just a criticism of his ground
work and the training that he had for this fight because, again,
in the end this is Mixed Martial Arts. You use what works and
you take from all styles but the tendency has been in recent
years for a lot of people in MMA to discount Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Don’t count it out. It still is great and it’s still
is really one of the key foundations of Mixed Martial Arts.”
As
for why Fedor lost and what failed him…
“Bigfoot
said his basic game plan was to take Fedor down and ground ‘n
pound him, which is what he did. But he certainly made numerous
attempts to finish the fight on the ground with the submissions,
getting his back, getting side mount, north/south, basically
doing whatever he wanted on the ground and Fedor looked pretty
helpless and clueless. I suspect, rather than him being clueless
although he may have looked that way, that he’s just slowing
down. His body is breaking down and cannot do what he wants it
to do any more, which is why he said after the fight that he
would retire. We’re going to see whether that happens or
not.”
Despite
Fedor’s recent two losses to BJJ fighters, Eddie says that
shouldn’t whitewash the career of the former PRIDE ace:
“His
last two fights, he’s been dominated by the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
stars (Fabricio) Werdum and Bigfoot (Silva). That does not erase
the fact that he was undefeated for 10 years in a sport where
losses are commonplace, even for the best fighters including
of course Werdum. Including of course Bigfoot Silva, and every
other fighter in the Strikeforce tournament. And this is also
a sport where losses are not career-killers unlike they are in
boxing. Fedor’s record is unprecedented in the relatively
short history of Mixed Martial Arts and because of its length
and because of the caliber of fighters that he fought will be
very, very difficult to duplicate. And it’s not just in
the PRIDE days when he defeated Nogueira and Cro Cop and Coleman
and Randleman and so many other fighters, Fujita, you can look
up all those guys up. But also later. Look at his victories over
Tim Sylvia that some of the marks in the media were saying that
he was afraid to fight after Sylvia left UFC. Look at his victory
over Arlovski. Both those guys were Top 5 heavyweights, consensus,
in the world at the time they fought Fedor and they’ve never
been the same since. Those were all historic victories even though,
as I said, he’s obviously at age 34 starting to fade.”
“And
don’t, at all, discount the great career of Fedor Emelianenko,
even if he never has another fight, even if he never has another
high-profile victory. He’s an all-time great, arguably the
greatest Mixed Martial Arts heavyweight and fighter of all time
and nothing can erase that history.”
Eddie
did say on his radio show that Fedor being brought back into
the SF tournament as an alternate would ruin the tournament’s
legacy and that the tournament should be legitimate as opposed
to pull old Japanese-style marketing tactics.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Former
UFC Fighter Dan Lauzon Stabbed During Late Night Altercation
By Mike
Chiappetta
Mixed martial artist Dan Lauzon suffered a non-life threatening
stab wound during a late night fight in a Bridgewater, Mass.
pub parking lot, according to a published report from local paper
The Enterprise.
The
newspaper's website originally named the 22-year-old in its report
before removing his name. A source close to Lauzon confirmed
to MMA Fighting that the original report was accurate and that
Lauzon needed stitches to close a cut.
His
brother, UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon, wrote a blog post that indirectly
addressed the situation, writing, "Luckily everything was
okay and it wasn't a big deal as was originally thought."
Dan
Lauzon (14-4) has fought three times in the UFC in two different
runs with the promotion, losing all three bouts. Since parting
ways with the UFC following a UFC 114 loss to Efrain Escudero,
he has won two straight fights.
According
to the Enterprise report, he was stabbed with a knife at the
top of his shoulder during a fight "with a group of men."
No further details were released.
Unfortunately
for Joe Lauzon, while leaving from his house to rush to his brother's
aid, he rolled his ankle, spraining it badly in the process.
The injury will force him to the sidelines for at least a week
and caused him to miss a planned military goodwill trip to Iraq.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Man
Up & Stand Up Tomorrow
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday February 19, 2011
Doors open at 6:00
Weigh
Ins
Friday Feb 18
Waipahu Filcom
5:30PM
Yes
sir, its been 3 weeks from the first man-up & stand-up show.
Here it comes one mo gen baby. The last Man-up had some jaw dropping
and also a few jaw breaking blows that got the crowd roaring.
This time around will be another hamma show with Charles Hazelwood
as the main in his first title defense against Jessie Lindley
who had a 12 second knockout in his last fight which was an mma
event. We’ll see if Jessie can get the same results with
ten ounce gloves against the Champ. As everyone knows, Charles
is well-known for his damaging leg kicks. So it would be best
for Jessie to end this fight with the same fashion that he did
his last fight. But that’s every fairy tale that all of
Charles’s opponents like to write until he kicks them back
to reality and rewrites a different ending. Come and see if fairy
tales do come true in this fight.
Also
making his first title defense, will be Joseph Garcia against
another young up and coming star who goes by the name of Ethan
Kerfoot. Garcia puts his punch, kick and knee combinations together
as well as his coaches (Edwards brothers) do. He may be only
16 but do not underestimate this young boy. Ethan who is also
16, is another one to not underestimate. He has the speed, he
has the reach, don’t know if he has the looks to be the
new champ but he don’t care (nah j/k). These two young studs
will put on a display of some major skills when the bell rings.
Will Garcia remain the champ after Saturday or will Combat 50
create another champion. Be there
Also
there will be the 6 yr old 45# title and 7 yr old 60# title on
the line. Come and watch these youngsters take each other to
the wreckshop with no crying, no tantrums and no retreat. Yup
das right, this is how we build them here on Man-up & Stand-up.
Some
other fights that will be showstopping as well as jaw dropping
is the Reckless Ronnie Villahamosa vs Justin Dulay (champion
vs champion), Kalai Mcshne vs Donovan Calluruda (fireworks-guaranteez),
Mike Uemoto vs Isaac Hopps, just come down and see for yourself
because theres too much to mention. Please believe.
TODD
PARK
160
LAWRENCE HINOJOSA
CHARLES HAZELWOOD
185
JESSIE LINDLEY
KALAI MCSHANE
125
DONOVAN CALLURUDA
MIKE UEMOTO
145
ISAAC HOPPS
PAUL BOTER
140
OLA LUM
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
60
STANFORD AQUINO
ALVIN KANEHAILUA
200
BEN BOYCE
SOFA
220
KANOE KAHIKINA
ANDREW QUIZON
155
MARICE PHILLIPS
SHAWN DESANTOS
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
LINK MERRIT
DONTEZ COLEMAN
125
JORDAN VIRA
CHANTELL BOYCE
160
AVEMAO PSYCHO PETERS
MAKOA
DESANTOS
100
NAZ HARRISON
RAD
RAJAH BRAZWELL
75
NYLEN KUKAHIKO
All
matches & participants are subject to change
Source: Derrick Bright
|
MMA
Top 10 Rankings: Fedor Loses, Shakes Up Heavyweight Ranks
The updated MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings were released on
Wednesday, Feb. 16. 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. 16.
HEAVYWEIGHT
DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
1. Cain Velasquez
2. Fabricio Werdum
3. Brock Lesnar
4. Junior Dos Santos
5. Alistair Overeem
6. Antonio Silva
7. Fedor Emelianenko
8. Shane Carwin
9. Frank Mir
10. Sergei Kharitonov
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
2. Rashad Evans
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Jon Jones
6. Forrest Griffin
7. Thiago Silva
8. Ryan Bader
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. Vitor Belfort
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. Chad Mendes
3. Manny Gamburyan
4. Diego Nunes
5. Hatsu Hioki
6. Dustin Poirier
7. Mark Hominick
8. Michihiro Omigawa
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
|
Storylines
from Strikeforce ‘Fedor vs. Silva’
by Jason Probst
Antonio Silva delivered a shocking upset Saturday night, stopping
Fedor Emelianenko after two rounds and possibly even retiring
the Russian great. Silva’s win came on the heels of another
potentially career-busting knockout, as Sergei Kharitonov took
out former UFC champ Andrei Arlovski in their Strikeforce heavyweight
grand prix quarterfinal.
Strikeforce’s
tournament was designed to take the promotion to another level
in 2011, with the Silva-Emelianenko winner facing the victor
of the April 9 Fabricio Werdum-Alistair Overeem matchup in what
would be a major fight. Kharitonov is set to meet the winner
of Josh Barnett-Brett Rogers, but a reshuffling of expectations
is possible for some -- certainly not all -- in the wake of Silva’s
upset, which eliminated the tournament’s biggest attraction.
Below,
a closer look at the storylines that emerged from the first round
of the grand prix.
Fedor’s
Legacy, Version 3.0
MMA
historians were probably the most disturbed by Saturday night’s
card, with Silva’s dismantling of Emelianenko providing
a shocking example of how a legendary fighter can become suddenly
human.
Was
Fedor ever a great fighter? Unequivocally, yes. But he’s
not the same fighter he used to be. Theories on why that is may
vary, but the size and skill of today’s heavyweights cannot
be ignored as factors.
Great
fighters, over time, turn from sprinters to quarter-mile runners.
They still have the ability to do amazing things, but not as
often and with the sustained effectiveness that defined their
prime. Emelianenko showed flashes of his old self in the opening
round against Silva, using fast hands and thundering shots, but
was literally fighting a giant who towered over him.
Silva,
who reported his fight night weight at 285 pounds, was simply
too big for the 230-pound Emelianenko in all the places it mattered.
The Brazilian “Bigfoot” absorbed Fedor’s punches,
pinned him against the cage and absolutely dominated on the ground.
Once possessing some of the slipperiest hips on the planet, Fedor
no longer had the ability to make things happen, at least not
against a massive Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt like Silva.
D. Mandel
Silva
dominated Fedor on the floor.
To
Fedor’s credit, he’s still a wonderfully tough son
of a gun. His escape from Silva’s crushing arm-triangle
choke was breathtaking theater, and none could help but wonder,
as Fedor returned to his corner after the second round with his
right eye swollen shut, if the legend would come out slugging
and turn the fight around.
That
is exactly what Fedor has given to the MMA world all these years:
the sense of high drama, his comebacks from all kinds of dire
situations. On this night, it was not to be, as the fight was
waved off before the final round.
It
is hard to hold this bout against Emelianenko, same as it was
hard to judge Muhammad Ali for retiring on his stool against
former sparring partner Larry Holmes. But it’s also eminently
clear that today’s heavyweights are bigger and better than
ever. How that plays out in defining Fedor’s legacy is left
to the historians.
Silva’s
ground game and imposing style are going to be tough for anyone.
He has clearly improved since his decision loss to Werdum in
2009, and anybody he gets on the ground for a good stretch is
going to have serious problems.
Did
the UFC Get it Right?
During
the Fedor sweepstakes of 2009, the UFC reportedly offered Emelianenko
$30 million for six fights, though the Russian’s management
at M-1 Global flatly denied that such an offer was ever made.
When talks broke down, fans and pundits had varying opinions
on which party was in the right.
Since
then, the UFC has assembled a robust heavyweight division. But
when it comes to negotiation, price has everything to do with
market conditions, and conditions were absolutely perfect in
summer 2009 for a Fedor acquisition. On July 11, at the heavily
promoted UFC 100, superstar Brock Lesnar destroyed Frank Mir
in their bitter rematch, prompting much discussion of a Lesnar-Fedor
megafight.
The
UFC went fishing for Fedor, and MMA media produced reams of coverage
on the dance between Zuffa LLC and M-1, with plot twists and
recriminations aplenty regarding the reasons for the negotiations’
breakdown.
There
is no telling whether the UFC actually put a $30 million deal
on the table with Emelianenko, but regardless of what Fedor was
offered in 2009, he would not command a fraction of the price
today.
One
of the known sticking points in negotiations was the UFC’s
refusal to co-promote events with M-1 Global, as Strikeforce
did on Saturday. At this point, it is apparent that the UFC made
a wise move in refusing to do so. In 2009, Fedor’s free
agent status was a tantalizing prospect, but the UFC has shown
consistently that it will not fold to those it does not agree
with.
Fedor’s
performance on Saturday showed that, whatever that UFC offered
the Russian heavyweight, it may well have been for a once-great,
shopworn champion. Fighters can only carry a promotion for so
long, but the brand itself has to be promoted once those fighters
are no longer at the top.
Source: Sherdog
|
Years
of Watching MMA Helped Heroic Joe Lozito Help End Murder Manhunt
By Mike
Chiappetta
Joe Lozito is a longtime fan of mixed martial arts. He remembers
watching UFC 1 back in 1993, he once attended an EliteXC event
with Kimbo Slice just to watch Joey Villasenor, and on his 12th
wedding anniversary, he surprised his wife Andrea with tickets
to UFC 101. Ask him which fighters he's enjoyed watching most
over time, and he'll unfurl a laundry list ranging from Dan Severn
to Eddie Alvarez to Keith Jardine, who he admits is probably
his favorite. Lozito goes on and on, afraid to leave anyone out.
"I
admire the heck out of all the guys," he says. "I hate
to list them because I don't want to short-change anyone and
leave them out."
In
the beginning, though, Lozito had a preference for freestyle
wrestlers, which makes his story a little bit ironic and a whole
lot heroic. Because last Saturday at just a few minutes before
9 a.m. ET, Lozito executed a takedown for the ages, one that
would have made any MMA fighter proud. His heroic actions helped
capture alleged multi-murderer Maksim Gelman on a New York city
subway train.
Though
he lives in Philadelphia, Lozito works in the box office at Lincoln
Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He
makes the two-hour commute going from the train to the New York
city subway, and was on the last leg, just a few minutes from
his final destination. He had no idea a madman was on the loose
when he was confronted by 23-year-old Gelman with knife in hand.
As Gelman drew close, he flashed the blade.
I knew if I sat there and turtled up, I was not getting off that
train alive.
-- Joe Lozito
"You're going to die. You're going to die," Gelman
told him.
In
a blink, a series of thoughts went through Lozito's head.
"I
knew if I sat there and turtled up, I was not getting off that
train alive," Lozito told MMA Fighting. "If I fought
back, there was also a chance I wouldn't get off the train alive,
but I didn't want to be a sitting duck. It was survival at its
purest instinct."
Taking
the offensive, the 6-foot-2, 260-pound Lozito, who had been sitting
down, shot in at Gelman's mid-section, with the impact sending
the two crashing to the ground. Gelman slashed at him, but Lozito
instinctively went for the madman's wrists, eventually forcing
the knife out of his hands with the help of fast-acting transit
officers Terrance Howell and Tamara Taylor along with off-duty
Detective Marcelo Razzo.
During
the fight, Lozito suffered wounds on his head, face, arm and
hand.
"I
don't know the total number of stitches and staples but the wound
on the back of my head, I saw a picture of it yesterday and it
looked like a Friday the 13th movie," he said. "I don't
know the number other than it's a lot. The EMTs and doctors did
an amazing job."
Though
he's never trained in MMA due to his work hours and commute,
Lozito credits his years of watching the sport with helping him
to keep a presence of mind about the situation.
"It
was my instinct to get him down," Lozito said. "Like
getting an opponent down in MMA, what do you do? You go for the
legs. When we were on the ground he was flailing at me with that
knife. I just wanted to get control of that right wrist. In the
process, he got me on my thumb and left triceps, but I was aiming
towards getting control of his wrist for sure."
Gelman
had allegedly murdered four people and injured five during a
weekend of violence before he was finally captured. Lozito has
repeatedly said he doesn't consider himself a hero, but most
others would beg to differ, including his wife Andrea, New York
police and UFC president Dana White.
White,
who happened to be in New York over the weekend, heard about
the story and met with Lozito, offering his family a VIP experience
at the upcoming UFC 128 event in Newark, New Jersey. Lozito says
it's more than just a nice display of gratitude. He said in the
time since the traumatic event, he's had trouble sleeping due
to recurring thoughts of the traumatic incident. But he says
the experience of meeting White and the promise of what's to
come has him at least occasionally thinking of more positive
things.
"I've
been trying to equate it to something else to tell people how
exited I was, so I would say it was like a 13-year-old girl meeting
Justin Bieber," Lozito said. "The UFC has treated us
so spectacularly. His generosity is amazing. The reality is they
didn't have to do anything, but the fact that he was nice enough
to do this, and ask if our kids would want to go, and what could
he do for my kids ... There's really no words I can say that
describe my emotions towards Mr. White and the UFC. It's not
something they had to do. This is ridiculous to me. It's lunacy
that he wants to meet me."
"I'm
blown away," White told TMZ after the meeting. "Not
only is what he did brave, incredible and unselfish, but he's
one of the most humble guys you'll ever meet."
Andrea
Lozito says Joe is the type of person that always puts himself
last, as evidenced by his long daily commute to help support
his family -- which includes 10-year-old Joseph and 7-year-old
Dominic -- and keep them in the neighborhood they prefer. Lozito
has been making the long round-trip since 2005.
"His
mind set is, 'I'm doing what I'm supposed to do,'" she said.
"As humble as he's coming across in this incident, that's
how he lives everyday life. Another person might not have been
brave enough or had the presence to take him down. If it was
me, I probably would have cowered in fear, and I wouldn't be
here. I think he still doesn't realize what he's done."
Lozito
is not only a longtime MMA fan, but he also used to work at Madison
Square Garden, and has followed with interest the developments
of the state government as they have failed to pass legislation
to sanction the sport. He says if he was asked, he'd have no
problem speaking up on behalf of the sport to the powers that
be. MMA's most vocal opponent in the state has been Assemblyman
Bob Reilly, who infamously said, "Violence begets violence,"
theorizing that the sport is bad for society. Yet, here we have
an MMA fan who is a good family man, a fan who was put in a situation
where he says watching MMA is partly responsible for the instincts
that helped him end a manhunt, capture an alleged multi-murderer,
and stay alive.
"I
just wish these people would take the time to learn the athletes
and ins and outs of the sport," he said. "If the UFC
or MMA needed me to be a face and a voice for the fans, I'm all
for that. We're a good group of fans. We're not thugs or criminals.
I've been to many events and have not sat next to a neanderthal
yet. Like any other fan base, you'll have some bad eggs, but
you can't let the actions of a few people ruin it for the rest.
MMA fans are great fans, and if Mr. White ever came to me and
said, 'Would you mind speaking as the voice of the fans,' I'd
run through a wall for them, the way they've treated me and my
family.'"
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Fedor
Emelianenko still has will to fight
By Josh Gross
Fedor Emelianenko's storied mixed martial arts career will not
come to an end following Saturday's technical knockout loss to
Antonio Silva.
Emelianenko,
34, expressed his desire to continue fighting on Tuesday, his
promoter, M-1 Global, confirmed to ESPN.com.
"I
rushed to declare my retirement," Emelianenko told media
in Moscow, according to translated reports. "I am capable
of having a few more fights."
Fedor Emelianenko can't fight in New Jersey for at least 90 days
as a result of Saturday's injuries.
Moments after a New Jersey State Athletic Control Board-licensed
doctor stopped the bout between the second and third periods
due to severe damage around Emelianenko's right eye, the former
Pride heavyweight champion declared it might be time to retire.
Members
of his camp suggested the best heavyweight of the last decade
could take up to two weeks to determine the fate of his career
-- apparently he needed just two days.
Evgeni
Kogan, head of global operations for M-1, of which Emelianenko
holds an ownership stake, "seriously doubted" reports
that the heavyweight would attempt to win his sixth World Combat
Sambo Championships title Feb. 25 in St. Petersburg. Reports
in Russian media suggested Emelianenko would make a quick turnaround
despite the pummeling he suffered against Silva.
"He
is very keen to fight again though," Kogan said.
Emelianenko
(31-3) remains under contract to Strikeforce for three bouts
after signing an extension earlier this year. Strikeforce CEO
Scott Coker said if Emelianenko remained active, a bout against
the loser of April 9's Strikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix
quarterfinal between Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem would
likely come next. Coker also suggested that Emelianenko is eligible
to return to the tournament as an alternate.
Reports
following Saturday's card indicated Emelianenko suffered a broken
orbital bone and required hospitalization. Neither is true, several
sources close to the fighter said.
Emelianenko's
bout against Silva (16-2), which headlined the first leg of Strikeforce's
single-elimination eight-fighter tournament in front of a crowd
of 11,287 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., established
a record for viewership of mixed martial arts on Showtime. The
average audience -- 741,000, with a peak rating of 1.1 million
during the main event -- bested an August 2009 card featuring
Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos by more than
20 percent.
Josh
Gross covers mixed martial arts for ESPN.com.
Source: ESPN
|
Dave
Meltzer: Strikeforce needs to move on from Fedor and they’ll
be better for doing so
By Zach
Arnold
A
three-parter from Sunday night’s radio show de jour.
The
first passage deals with Fedor wanting to retire and why no one
seemingly will let the man do so.
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “When I read last night Scott Coker, I don’t
know if we talked about this on the show last night, but Coker
and Vadim Finkelchtein, both of them, talking about ‘oh,
ho, no he’s not retiring, he’s going to come back,’
and Coker just seems like he completely blew off the idea that
Fedor was retiring and Vadim seemed to be strongly suggesting
that this poor guy was going to coming back.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “What’s Vadim without Fedor?”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Well, that’s the point. And then today when
I read in the update today that people that actually spoke Russian,
when they heard what Fedor said and then what Roseanne translated
it was completely different or at least different in the sense…”
DAVE
MELTZER: “It wasn’t completely different, but she lightened
it. He was saying that he retired and she was saying that he
was thinking of retiring.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Yeah, let this poor damn guy retire! If he wants
to retire, let him go.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “I think there’s too many people relying on
him, you know, I mean he’s going to (have to) go out kicking
and screaming, they’re not going to accept it.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “This, right here, is a tragedy if it happens.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “It feels really sad in a lot of ways. If he doesn’t
want to fight, you know, let him not fight.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “I mean just this idea of, you know… I don’t
know, all three of them really annoyed me. Coker and just like
not taking it seriously at all.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “Well… you know the thing with Coker is that
Coker’s probably been watching too much wrestling and seeing
all these guys retire and they never do so he just doesn’t
take it so seriously.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Yeah, but, man it just came off so callous. And
the same thing with M-1. I mean, Vadim is obviously…”
DAVE
MELTZER: “I didn’t hear, you know, maybe he did come
callous. I only…”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “I’m just reading the quotes, I don’t
even know how he said it. But, you know… every quote was
like, ‘oh, no, he’ll be back, in fact he may be an
alternate’ and this and that. Just like, man, the guy made
it clear he really doesn’t want to do this now and why would
you throw a guy back in there who you’re forcing to, I don’t
know.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “Well, they’re not going to force him. I mean,
you know… I mean at the end of the day, he can not fight.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “The Russians may force him.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “The Russians may force him. That’s true.
That’s true, which is really quite sad.”
The
second passage deals with why Mr. Coker, M-1, and others just
won’t let go of Fedor when they should for the sake of the
man’s career and for the sake of their business goals.
DAVE
MELTZER: “OK, here’s the other thing. With the amount
of money that it costs to get this guy, okay? He has to draw
and we don’t even know if he drew for this one, but even
going forward is he going to draw going forward? I don’t
know. I mean, it’s almost like they’re better off without
him.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Yeah.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “I mean, it’s like… you know… to
me it’s like, okay, now he’s lost twice, he doesn’t
have leverage, he can’t hold you up, he can’t renegotiate
after every show. They can’t have, you know, make you say
M-1 Global as the promotion on your show and things like that.
So, you know, it’s like, okay, he’s served his purpose
and, you know, if he wants to come back and fight… but he
shouldn’t, you know, he shouldn’t be able to dictate
anything because he’s got no power any more. If he wants
to fight, fine, that’s cool, you know. If he doesn’t
want to fight, that’s cool, move on. You know, don’t
like act like it’s still two fights ago where, you know,
he’s… people are believing he’s number on the
world so there’s some sort of a value in having as number
one in the world even though, again, he still wasn’t a big
enough draw. But now, I mean, what’s the deal? He’s
just another, he’s just another Heavyweight fighter who,
you know, I mean was once great, you know, just like he’s
a step above Nogueira. Once, again, what’s Nogueira now?
He’s just a guy on the roster. That’s Fedor. Fedor’s
a, you know, I mean, you know, former Living Legend and all that,
but… you know, if he’s not there, I don’t think
that Strikeforce goes down the tubes if Fedor isn’t there,
at all.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “No.”
DAVE
MELTZER: “You know, I mean, they got to be preparing for
the future. I mean, no matter what, I don’t know that Fedor
has given no indication he’s going to come back and dominate
and certainly not as a Heavyweight with the new crop of Heavyweights
that’s there. So… I mean, you don’t need to bend
over backwards for him. You know, like this whole thing with
wins and losses, it’s like if a guy loses he loses his leverage.
…”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Let me say one more thing about when you talk
about building for the future. You know, obviously, you know
I give Coker a little bit of the benefit of the doubt because
I mean, obviously, the big story last night was Fedor and that’s
all anybody was ever asking about. But, same time, it’s
like all these interviews is just Fedor, Fedor, he may come back,
he may be an alternate, you never know what’s going to happen
in the tournament, guys may come back in. It’s just like,
talk about who won. Let’s talk about Bigfoot and…”
DAVE
MELTZER: “They did the same thing with Werdum! You know,
if you think about it, like Werdum should be so much more of
a big star than he is.”
BRYAN
ALVAREZ: “Yeah!”
DAVE
MELTZER: “I mean, he submitted Fedor, and it was like when
it was over, a lot of this is the fan base, too. Again, like,
the fans, everyone, everywhere all they’re talking about
is Fedor this, Fedor that, Fedor this, and you know that’s
what happens when you’re kind of a superstar in some ways.
You know, no one’s talking about, you know like when Cain
Velasquez beat Lesnar, people were talking about Cain Velasquez.
For whatever reason, you know, when Silva won, they’re all
talking about Fedor. It’s like Silva didn’t prove anything,
you know, I don’t know. I mean, you know, Silva may go win
this whole thing for all we know. I mean, he’s got as good
of a, you know, I don’t want to say he’s got as good
of a shot as anybody but he’s certainly got a shot.”
Dana
White: Fedor has been bad for the sport and has caused damage
The
launching point is about Dave’s Sunday phone call with Dana
White. He said that Mr. White had arrived in New York and that
he spent the majority of the call ranting and raving against
Fedor ‘nuthuggers’ and about his Twitter battles.
“It
is different. I mean, the one thing when, you know, I looked
at all that stuff that he’s doing on Twitter and I’m
just thinking, you know, he’s the head of this league and
it’s like, granted, you know Dana’s going to be what’s
Dana’s going to be and I don’t think that’s necessarily
a negative and I mean, you know, if we’re adding the pluses
and minuses on this business that Dana White’s had, it’s
very, very strongly on the plus side, you know. There are minuses,
of course, but the thing is like, I just could not imagine like,
you know, the head of the NBA or any sports league going on there,
you know, getting, you know… Going on Twitter, getting mad
at people who are saying that, you know, you should treat Fedor
with more respect. And I mean, from his perspective, you know,
because that was what he was ranting about… in his mind,
Fedor is a guy who, you know, ruined, you know, I mean not single-handedly
but had a hand in ruining several companies because of his outrageous
demands. Then again, to me, it’s the companies’ fault
for paying him, you know, I mean if it was up to me, you know,
you can’t pay a guy for more than he’s worth as a draw
unless you have a bottomless pit of money and evidently all these
companies who went out of business whether they said had a bottomless
pit of money, evidently at the end they did not…
“And,
so, you know, so (Dana’s) going like, how did (Fedor) help
the business by putting these companies out? And, for all these
years, you know, if he was so great for the business, all these
fights that people wanted to see, he wouldn’t do ‘em.
You know, so, you know, again and I guess the flip argument is
he didn’t want to work for UFC and he did agree to fight
(Josh) Barnett. He did fight, you know, Sylvia and Arlovski,
you know, which whatever that means, you know, people can debate
that back and forth. But it wasn’t like in the last couple
of years he, I mean the only one he, you know, I mean, Kharitonov
hadn’t really been around. He was going to fight Barnett
but the drug test thing got in his way so it wasn’t like
he backed off of a Barnett fight or wouldn’t fight Barnett.
He didn’t fight Overeem but, you know, the fact is that
he entered this tournament where there was a pretty good darn
chance that he would fight Overeem and, you know, the Russians
for whatever you want to say, they didn’t try to force their
hand on the bracketing and say, ‘no, no, no, he needs to
be on this other side with Josh Barnett.’ They, you know,
I don’t know if they could have but evidently the fact is
that, you know, he was on a collision course with either, you
know, Werdum or Overeem, except that he lost.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Eddie
Alvarez Defends Bellator Lightweight Title Against Pat Curran
on April 2
by Damon
Martin
Eddie Alvarez will finally get to defend his Bellator lightweight
title, and last season’s tournament winner Pat Curran will
finally get his shot.
The
lightweights have been paired up to meet with the Bellator championship
on the line on April 2 as a part of season 4 series airing on
MTV2. Sources close to the match-up confirmed the bout and the
date with MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday. MMAFighting.com was the
first to report the bout.
Curran
was originally supposed to face Alvarez after his improbable
run through the lightweight tournament last year, including a
win over former UFC lightweight Roger Huerta. An injury forced
him to the sidelines where he waited for a chance to finally
get a crack at Alvarez.
Even
though Curran has been out since June, Alvarez stayed busy fighting
Huerta in October 2010, and dominated the former Sports Illustrated
cover boy by TKO after two rounds of action.
Alvarez
has been on a tear over his last six fights, finishing all of
his opponents along the way.
Alvarez
vs. Curran will lead the way on the April 2 card which takes
place as part of the season 4 format for Bellator airing on MTV2.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Dana
White on boxing prices: 'That model doesn't work'
By Sergio Non
Recommend Do large revenues trump large audiences?
The
size of a crowd at an event isn't as important as the size of
the live gate, boxing promoter Bob Arum said this week, during
a roundtable with USA TODAY journalists. The head of the Ultimate
Fighting Championship begs to differ.
Pricing
tickets expensively might generate short-term profits, but it
detracts from a sport's ability to build a loyal fanbase, UFC
President Dana White believes. He spoke to USA TODAY about it
on Wednesday:
Q:
You've had a string of sellouts lately. How has your average
ticket price held up?
Very
well.
I
don't want to do crazy, overpriced tickets like boxing does.
Somebody asked me, "How come you guys don't do gates like
boxing does? $20 million, $30 million gates?" Because boxing's
a completely different model.
That
model doesn't work. Real people buy tickets to the UFC events.
These guys (in boxing) did all these events in Las Vegas, and
the tickets were insanely priced where fans couldn't even buy
them, and the casinos bought them all up.
We
don't do that. We sold 55,000 tickets in Toronto to UFC fans.
Q:
If you can get a big live gate, why not go for it?
I
consider what we're doing right now a big, live gate, especially
in this economy.
Q:
Ok, but if you can do a bigger live gate, why not do it?
I
just don't think that's good for long term. I just don't think
you do that. I don't think you charge that much money for tickets.
We
already have one of the highest ticket prices in sports, if you
look at our average ticket price, and we kill it.
I
mean, how greedy are you going to get? (chuckles)
About
55,000 tickets sold last week for UFC 129, set to take place
April 30 at Toronto's Rogers Centre. That's more than double
the North American record for a live crowd.
UFC
President Dana White, left, met Joseph Lozito on Monday. Police
say Lozito helped stop a serial stabber in New York. Although
he has no formal training, Lozito says he tried to use techniques
he saw used in UFC fights. CAPTIONBy Frank Franklin II, APBoxing
has topped 50,000 at least three times for indoor venues in the
United States.
Manny
Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey drew almost 51,000 last year at Cowboys
Stadium in Dallas. More than 63,000 showed up when Muhammad Ali
fought Leon Spinks in 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New
Orleans. Almost 59,000 saw Julio Cesar Chavez take on Pernell
Whitaker in 1993 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Source: USA Today
|
George
Roop Gets New UFC Deal
By Matt
Erickson
Despite a TKO loss in his UFC debut last month, featherweight
George Roop has signed a new five-fight deal with the promotion.
Sources
close to Roop's camp told MMA Fighting the news and confirmed
the Tucson, Ariz.-based fighter had also signed the deal for
his next fight against Josh Grispi at the Season 13 finale of
"The Ultimate Fighter" in June.
Roop
lost to Mark Hominick, his former training partner and teammate
under Shawn Tompkins, at the UFC's Fight for the Troops show
at Fort Hood, Texas, last month. Hominick knocked Roop down several
times in the first round, and ultimately earned the TKO win just
1:28 into the fight.
And
though his stint in the WEC in 2010 saw him go 1-1-1, giving
him just one win in his last four fights, the Zuffa brass gave
him another fight and a new contract.
Roop
is in his second stint with the UFC. In 2008, he was a cast member
of Season 8 of "The Ultimate Fighter" as a lightweight.
Following that season, he went 1-2 in the company with a split
decision loss to Shane Nelson, a split decision win over Dave
Kaplan and a submission loss to George Sotiropoulos.
Following
the loss to Sotiropoulos, he was cut loose. He dropped to featherweight
for a win in his home city of Tucson at a Rage in the Cage event
before signing with the WEC – where he dropped to bantamweight
to fight former champion Eddie Wineland. But Wineland dominated
Roop in the standup game, sweeping a 30-27 unanimous decision.
Roop
got back to work less than two months later in his return to
featherweight – where the 6-foot-1 fighter says he is the
most comfortable – and had a Fight of the Night bout against
Leonard Garcia that resulted in a split draw. He picked up another
bonus check at WEC 51 last September when he knocked out "The
Korean Zombie," Chan Sung Jung, with a head kick.
In
October 2009, Roop's 7-year-old son Julian died. His win a month
later got him into the WEC. And after moving back to Tucson from
Las Vegas, where he was training with Tompkins, Roop told MMA
Fighting last month he believes the move home was best for him
and his fiancee, who recently gave birth to a son, Payden, to
go along with Roop's fraternal twins.
"I'm
back in Tucson, so I'm loving that," Roop said. "I've
got all my friends here, all my old training partners, a lot
of my old coaches – and my No. 1 old training partner, (Bellator
bantamweight) Ed West."
Roop's
fight against Grispi takes place at The Pearl at The Palms in
Las Vegas on June 4 as part of the TUF 13 finale card, which
will be headlined by a lightweight contenders fight between Clay
Guida and final WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Law
Practice Set, Tyron Glover Takes MMA Return to MFC 28
by Mick
Hammond
It’s not often an athlete can take five years off from a
sport and come back and compete at the same level they had before,
let alone be better, but that’s something Colorado lightweight
Tyrone “T-Money” Glover is intent on achieving.
Having
spent five years off from MMA to concentrate on getting his law
practice up and running, Glover returned this past November with
an impressive win over Nick Buschman in the Fight to Win promotion.
“I
thought I’d have a little bit of ring rust, but I kind of
went right out there and did well,” said Glover to MMAWeekly.com.
“It
helped that I had a good presence in the audience who came out
to support me. I’m real big on feeling like the fans in
the crowd out there are showing up to see a great performance
and that’s what I delivered. I felt good and felt like I
got right back in my groove and was good to go.”
When
Glover left MMA in 2005, the lightweight division was in disarray
with few promotions supporting the weight class and the UFC lacking
a champion. With circumstances different in the present day,
Glover felt he still had what it took to continue where he had
left off.
“I
really wanted to get back in there,” he stated. “I
had a milestone I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to get my law
career started and I felt that I still had the body; I still
had the skills and resources that I should take another shot
at it and give it another go.”
Not
only was Glover intent on returning for himself, fellow fighter
Josh Ford served as a form of inspiration for his return.
“He
actually fought in July and I cornered him,” commented Glover.
“He did all the training having a family and two businesses
and was able to make it happen. So I figured if he could make
it happen, I could make it happen.”
Enter
the expert trainers and top tier training partners at the famed
Grudge Training Center and Glover now finds himself competing
on the upcoming HDNet televised MFC 28: Supremacy show on Feb.
25 against Robert Washington.
“He’s
a real tough wrestler who definitely has the gas to go all three
rounds and keep up the pressure,” said Glover of Washington.
“What you should expect is that this guy’s gonna bring
it and so am I.
“I’m
a finisher. Five of my six fights have been finished in the first
round by submission. I like to get in there and get out. I’m
looking to finish hopefully in the first, but I’ll take
it in the second or third (as well).”
For
Glover, his success outside MMA means that he can focus on a
very specific aspect of the sport.
“The
overall goal is to make improvements in every training camp and
fight I have,” he stated. “I don’t necessarily
have a goal as far as how many wins I want to rack up, whether
I want to grab a belt or not. I feel like making those sorts
of goals are sort of out of your control.
“The
things I can control is how much I’m improving between each
fight, how much more focused I become with each fight, and how
much a complete martial artist I become each day.”
Glover
isn’t content on reveling in past glory, but instead wants
to forge a new chapter for himself and be even better than before.
“I’d
like to thank all my training partners at Grudge, Easton and
Paragon Jiu-Jitsu; my sponsors: Full Tilt Poker, No Gi and Ink’d
Out; and everyone that’s helped me,” he closed out.
“Go to TyroneGlover.com for all the information on my next
bout, Feb. 25, MFC on HDNet Fights.
“I
go out there to perform and part of my performance is ending
the fight. So look for me to go out there and win in impressive
fashion.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Dave
Meltzer criticizes HDNet being allowed to discuss UFC on the
Strikeforce prelims show
By Zach
Arnold
I’m
not sure what to make of this, so make of this radio show commentary
what you will.
“It
was a fantastic show, I thought, you know, as far as compared
to previous Strikeforce shows. I mean they… they built up
the next round of the tournament, they made the tournament out
to be a big deal. They had the video packages. You know, they
promoted Gina Carano’s return. I just thought overall and,
you know of course, they had very good fights so I mean that,
you know, that’s something different but from a production
standpoint a lot of the weaknesses that, you know, Strikeforce
has had, you know not so much Strikeforce has had, that Showtime’s
had because Showtime’s the one that does this. It seems
as they kind of like learned and it was just a really fast-paced
I thought very entertaining show.
“It
really felt like, it felt like a major league show. You know,
it didn’t feel like they were the secondary group other
than some very strange things that they did during this show
but that’s, you know… they have the mentality that
they are a sport and their main competitor has the mentality
that they are a business and I see that, you know, it’s
just a different, you know, different thing. I mean it just amazed
me when, you know, again, it’s HDNet covering it as a sport
and, you know, Greg Jackson’s there and they interview Greg
Jackson and ask him about, you know, how Rashad Evans is doing
and how Jonny Jones is doing and, you know, its your competitor
and your competitor who’s running in a month, you know,
in the same market basically and it was just weird to see. I
mean I understand that they’re saying ‘well, we’re
just covering it like it’s a sport,’ but you know UFC
wouldn’t do that, you know, and… you know they have
to realize that they are in a war and the guy who’s on top
in the war absolutely knows he’s in a war and behaves like
he’s in a war, and you know as their television goes if
they’re going to say, ‘well, we’re not in a war,’
they’re probably going to lose a war when you pretend you’re
not in it and the other guy who’s more powerful than you
knows he’s in it and is pounding on you, so… It’ll
take, you know, I don’t know, it was just really, really
interesting to see that they… they have the mentality that
they’re not in a war.”
Later
on in the radio show…
“An
easy thing to watch and they did the Greg Jackson interview which
was just… interesting. I mean, I get it from their standpoint
because because from an HDNet standpoint you watch Inside MMA…
in their minds, they are people who are covering the sport of
MMA. Okay? But they were, you know, covering a promotion by,
you know, then going out there and acting like that the promotion’s
rival is actually the more important promotion and that’s
kind of weird when you’re watching, you know, a Strikeforce
event and they’re basically telling you, ‘yo, you know
like, you know there’s Jon Jones and Rashad Evans and all
this, this is like the important stuff.’ “
Let
me also mention (before I forget) some comments Alistair Overeem
made last week to Josh Gross & Jon Anik at ESPN.
JOSH
GROSS: “The belt’s not on the line, we know that. But
do you still feel, as champion, that every fight you’re
in is a championship fight, essentially you’re defending
the title the way people perceive you to be?”
ALISTAIR
OVEREEM: “I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean,
the belt is not on the line so that means the belt is not on
the line. I am a champion, yes I am a K-1 champion, yes I am
the DREAM Heavyweight champion, yes, but does everything, am
I representing these organizations? I think I’m representing
myself.”
(Later
on…)
INTERVIEWER:
“You’ve basically been huge in Japan for a long time
now. Do you feel that it’s time that you got over here and
fought on North American soil a little more to get your name
built up? It seems a lot of people know the name but they don’t
see a lot of fights.”
ALISTAIR
OVEREEM: “Yeah, I definitely do think that. I’ve been
wanting to fight in Strikeforce for a while but, yeah, the problem
Fedor didn’t want to fight me, Werdum was injured after
that fight, there were no interesting fights for me and for me
the challenge was to do the K-1. That was my goal and I won that
tournament, but now it’s time for me to come to the States.
Yeah, I’m going to do the fight(s) and show the American
fans some great stuff. The time is here now and I believe this
is going to be it.”
Interesting
times ahead in the Strikeforce portion of the MMA world. I like
the idea of HDNet covering the preliminary fights and airing
them. Showtime should be doing this, but we know the reported
reason they don’t (‘airing undercard fights is a UFC
thing’). Some TV coverage is better than none at all.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
New
York MMA: An underground story
By Josh
Gross
Contrary
to public opinion, mixed martial arts can be found in New York.
Unsanctioned, untaxed and unencumbered by athletic commission
oversight -- so long as alcohol isn't served and fighters aren't
paid -- the sport can and does happen in the city.
Since
2003, the Underground Combat League has promoted 23 cards in
and around Manhattan. From gyms to warehouses to, most recently,
a mosque, promoter Peter Storm, 34, has maintained a place for
mixed-style fighting -- in this case the kind that harks back
to UFC 1 and its "anything goes" rules -- in the only
state in the country where professional MMA is illegal, rendered
so after then Gov. George Pataki labeled the sport "barbaric"
and urged the state legislature to outlaw it in 1997.
If
it sounds similar to "Fight Club," Storm likes that
impression; it helps his UCL's branding.
"But,"
he said, "the truth is, that's not what it is. Nobody is
fighting on rooftops, throwing each other through glass. None
of that stuff. It's guys who are mixed martial artists based
out of New York, and what they want to do is test their skills
on a level playing field where, if they feel like they can do
well, they can progress."
Jonathan
Rodriguez, 22, and Israel Martinez, 27, have fought for Storm
several times. Self-described "nobodies" in New York's
underground scene, both claim they love to fight and are fortunate
to do so.
To
prove their point, on Feb. 8 they stood in front of 250 Broadway,
enduring wind-swept lower Manhattan at lunch hour. Massive snowdrifts
from winter's megastorms were gone, but it was cold enough for
unprepared pedestrians to congregate near street vendors who
were selling $5 beanies.
The
address wasn't random.
Inside
sit the offices of Sheldon Silver, speaker of the New York State
Assembly. He's also known as the man in Albany (where he was
on this day) who determines which bills hit the assembly floor.
Although vocal MMA opponents such as Democratic Assemblyman Bob
Reilly object to the legalization of the sport on so-called moral
and societal grounds, it's Silver who will determine the immediate
fortunes of MMA, as he does everything else in the state.
Thus
far, despite millions of dollars invested by Zuffa to lobby Silver's
stronghold in upstate New York, despite economic impact statements
that promise millions of dollars for the Empire State's coffers
once the Ultimate Fighting Championship can legally run events
there, the speaker has not felt the need to move.
Several
weeks earlier, the UFC held a news conference at Madison Square
Garden to raise awareness for its efforts. The session was aimed
at convincing recently elected Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to
include language for the legalization of MMA in his first budget.
The governor did not oblige, which is why Rodriguez, Martinez
and approximately 50 other MMA die-hards rallied within the shadow
of City Hall to support the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial
Arts -- a nonpartisan group of volunteers created by Stephen
Koepfer, whose mission is exactly as it sounds.
Thus
far, despite millions of dollars invested by Zuffa and despite
economic impact statements that promise millions of dollars for
the Empire State's coffers once the UFC can legally run events
there, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has not
felt the need to move.
"At
the press conference, when someone asked [UFC president] Dana
[White] if he was frustrated and angry about this, he said he
wasn't really frustrated because they don't need New York; [UFC]
can make their money elsewhere," said Koepfer, better known
in these circles as "Sambo" Steve. The 42-year-old,
who was born and raised in Queens, said, "That's not the
attitude you want to have when you're speaking for New Yorkers."
The
rally -- the first of its kind -- motivated Rodriguez, a student
at Borough of Manhattan Community College, to attend a second
gathering planned for Albany this March.
"It
starts here," he said. "We have to get the letters
out. They have to hear our voice. If we really want it and we're
really as passionate about it as we say, we're going to do anything
that it takes."
"If
the legislators don't know what we want," Koepfer said,
"they won't vote for it."
And
if they don't vote for it, nothing will change -- including events
promoted by the Underground Combat League. Storm connects with
fans via text messaging and social media, where information about
upcoming cards is disseminated 48 hours before events. An average
of three to four cards take place each year.
Jim
Genia, a journalist who has covered the local New York fight
scene closely since 2001, covers Underground Combat League in
his forthcoming book, "Raw Combat.
"Its
greatest purpose is that it was accessible," Genia said
of Storm's New York City-based cards. "It provides a service
to fans and fighters alike because it gives them a taste of what
mixed martial arts competition is."
For
some, that makes sense.
Kevin
Wall, 49, grew up within earshot of Evel Knievel's motorcycles
in Butte, Mont., and fights "'cause I can." Local kung
fu students hoping to match their style against another martial
arts style can do so in the UCL. And young prospects with aspirations
of one day holding a UFC championship belt, a la underground
veteran Frankie Edgar, can make their debuts here as well.
Edgar's
bout in 2005 is registered as the only amateur fight of his career
-- a first-round technical knockout victory via strikes against
the Underground Combat League's best fighter at the time, Eric
Uresk -- according to MMA.tv, which was hired by the Association
of Boxing Commissions to be its official record keeper for MMA.
Results,
however, aren't always traceable. The inability to track who's
doing what on any given weekend is a major hazard of unsanctioned
events like Storm's, said Nick Lembo, who has served as counsel
for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board since 1995.
This
is one of several major differences between amateur MMA in New
Jersey -- a model program since its implementation in 2005 --
and the unregulated kind in New York.
Peter Storm isn't just the promoter of New York-based Underground
Combat League -- he's also a fighter.
To
compare neighboring states, New Jersey features 19 amateur weight
categories. Underground Combat League has none. And although
Storm attempts to match opponents by size and experience, he
has made fights between competitors with more than a 100-pound
weight differential. Kicks to the head are prohibited in New
Jersey, as are elbow strikes, heel hooks and other techniques.
Virtually anything goes in New York; it's up to the fighters
involved to determine their rules.
Prefight
and postfight medical examinations are required in New Jersey.
Not so in New York, where a medical presence rarely extends beyond
EMTs, who are paid by Storm.
Amateur
fighters in the Garden State are also subject to blood testing
for HIV and hepatitis B and C.
"I
can't tell you how many [times] you have someone that has hep
C or HIV or fails a drug test," Lembo said. "You're
really putting everyone at risk without checking for those things."
Contestants
over the age of 40 in New Jersey must submit MRI/MRA head scans,
stress tests and an evaluation of blood flow through the arteries
to be licensed. If they don't, or if they lose like Wall did
in New Jersey and refuse to meet additional testing requirements,
they won't get licensed. In New York, you can fight after your
license is denied just across the Hudson River, and you don't
have to pay $900 in fees for the privilege.
Storm
trumpeted the safety record of his cards, suggesting that concussions
and a couple of broken arms -- one of which was his; he fights,
too -- are as bad as it gets.
"I
think it's partially luck, it's partially the natural oversight
of referees in the sport that guys don't get seriously injured,"
said Genia, the journalist who has attended 22 of the league's
23 events, missing just one for his wedding in Thailand.
The
only thing remotely similar between amateur MMA in New York and
New Jersey is a passion for the game and the lack of compensation
for fighters.
"It's
what I enjoy doing," Rodriguez said. "It's what gets
me away from the stress of school, of work, of everyday life.
It's what I'm into. I'm going to continue to do it no matter
if it does become legal in New York or not."
Source: ESPN
|
Hughes
and BJ Penn’s training
Adversity
makes strange bedfellows… or is it politcs?
Nevertheless,
mixed martial arts competition seems to make for odd alliances
as well.
Case
in point, who would have thought that after a three-fight series
that saw B.J. Penn win twice and Matt Hughes once, that the two
former UFC welterweight champions would be training together?
That’s
what happened recently when the Hawaiian fighting legend invited
the UFC Hall of Famer to Hawaii to help Penn train for his UFC
127 main event bout with Jon Fitch. Hughes gladly accepted.
“B.J.
Penn had texted me a couple of weeks ago to see if I had some
time to come out and train and get him ready for Fitch. After
that initial call, I checked my schedule, said I could come,
and had him send me Fitch’s last five fights,” Hughes
wrote in his official blog on Monday.
It
seems a little odd on the surface, seeing as how the two have
had a rivalry that lasted nearly seven years. Training with Hughes
in preparation for Fitch makes perfect sense for Penn, however.
Fitch is an accomplished wrestler with a decent stand-up game
and a few submissions that he’s really good at. Hughes is
also an accomplished wrestler with a decent stand-up game and
a few submissions that he’s really good at.
The
magic number in MMA rivalries appears to be three. So it’s
unlikely that the two will set foot in the Octagon together any
time soon, especially with Hughes nearing the end of his storied
career, making it the right time for their careers to converge.
“I
think we got some good training in,” wrote Hughes. “I’d
love to sit here and tell you what we worked on, but I just can’t.
“It
was a great experience for me. First off, I got to train with
BJ; I think we would both say that we’re a lot alike. And
number two, I got to spend some quality time with my daughter.
I’m on the road a lot and usually my family is at home.
This time I was gone for nine days and got to take my four-and-a-half-year-old
daughter with me.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Gilbert
Melendez: “I Really Truly Believe I’m the No. 1 Fighter
in the World”
Now
that he has a new contract in place, Strikeforce lightweight
champion Gilbert Melendez is ready to get back to the business
of fighting, and he’s ready to prove he’s the top 155-pounder
in the world.
Melendez
hasn’t set foot in the cage in nearly a year following his
win over Shinya Aoki last April. Since that time, Melendez welcomed
a new baby into the world and recovered from a thumb injury,
but now he’s healthy and ready to dominate again.
The
first order of business was getting a new deal done with Strikeforce,
and now that it’s behind him, he’s ready to fight again.
“There’s
a couple of things to weigh out with Strikeforce. Strikeforce
is a great organization, and they’ve taken care of me really
well,” Melendez told MMAWeekly Radio. “Everyone knows
the UFC is the biggest organization out there, branding yourself
and getting your name out there, it’s no secret that they’re
the best. There wasn’t much to weigh out. These agreements
are structured for a champion not easily to walk away, but there
was things to debate about with Strikeforce here and there.
“But
at the end of the day I came to the conclusion that it was a
great deal on the table and they showed how much I mean to the
organization. At the end of the day I’m pretty happy with
my deal and yes I’m getting taken care of pretty well.”
With
a new contract in place, Melendez is a happy man financially
and he’s ready to once again prove he’s the best in
the world.
He
already believes that he’s the top lightweight fighting
today, but if he has to knock a few people out to prove it, he’s
up to the task.
“I
think it’s important for me to dominate now. I really truly
believe I’m the No. 1 fighter in the world, and the only
way I’m going to get that spot is by dominating,” Melendez
said. “I can’t have these draws or get knocked down
or almost lose, I need to completely dominate everyone out there.
I think I’m ready to do that.
“I’m
going to try to make a statement, and that’s how I’m
going to do it.”
Melendez
didn’t clarify if he meant the statements about draws or
almost being finished as thinly veiled jabs at current UFC lightweight
champion Frankie Edgar, who currently occupies the top spot in
most ranking systems as the best fighter at 155 pounds, who drew
in his last fight against Gray Maynard.
Regardless
of what the intentions of the statements were, Melendez is ready
to back up anything he says with his actions in the cage and
that starts with his next fight.
Melendez
doesn’t have an opponent yet, he plans on fighting on the
next major Strikeforce show, which will likely land him on the
April card.
“I’m
ready to go. Give me the next big show, I’m ready to go,”
Melendez stated. “I think if things got settled a little
earlier with the contract issues I would have been fighting a
little bit sooner, but since I got done recently, I’m planning
on fighting on the next big show. I’ve been waiting for
way too long.”
Rumors
have circulated that Dream lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri may be
the next opponent for Melendez. For now it’s wait and see,
but look for Strikeforce’s lightweight champion to return
to action very soon.
Source: MMA Weekly |
UFC
126 Fighters Return Clean Drug Test Results; No Word Yet On Thiago
Silva
The
Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday revealed that 13 fighters
were subjected to screening for performance enhancing substances
and drugs of abuse at UFC 126. All 13 fighters produced negative
results, meaning they all tested clean.
The
following UFC 126 athletes were tested: Vitor Belfort, Anderson
Silva, Rich Franklin, Forrest Griffin, Jake Ellenberger, Jon
Jones, Miguel Torres, Donald Cerrone, Chad Mendes, Paul Taylor,
Demetrious Johnson, Mike Pierce, and Kyle Kingsbury.
UFC
middleweight champion Anderson Silva knocked out Vitor Belfort
in the UFC 126 main event.
There
were 15 fighters drug tested at UFC 125. Of those, 14 returned
negative results. The one fighter left under scrutiny is Thiago
Silva. The NSAC has yet to release any result for Silva’s
test.
In
the meantime, sources have indicated that Silva has been removed
from a proposed UFC 130 bout against Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson.
Executive
Director Keith Kizer recently told MMAWeekly.com only that Silva’s
test was “still being processed.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
Reuben
Duran Steps Up To Face Takeya Mizugaki At UFC On Versus 3
Takeya
Mizugaki is getting a new opponent for UFC on Versus 3 and his
name is Reuben Duran.
Duran’s
agency, Iridium Sports Agency, made the fight announcement via
its official Facebook page Monday night. In addition, Duran signed
a new contract with the UFC consisting of five fights –
the first fight being against the Japanese fighter on March 3.
MMAWeekly.com
originally reported that Mizugaki was slated to fight Francisco
Rivera on the Versus card, but an undisclosed injury during training
recently forced Rivera off the event. MMAJunkie.com was the first
to report on Rivera’s withdrawal.
Duran
(7-2-1) has spent some time fighting for the King of the Cage
promotion in addition to some smaller Southern California promotions,
such as All-Star Boxing and Long Beach Fight Night. He’s
currently on a four-fight winning streak with three of those
four wins being finishes. The Redlands, Calif. native started
his professional career in 2006.
Mizugaki
(13-5) is no stranger to the Zuffa cage. The former WEC bantamweight
is coming off a submission loss to Urijah Faber at WEC 52, dropping
his record to 2-3 since joining the organization in 2009. The
fight at UFC on Versus 3 will be Mizugaki’s first in the
UFC since the company merged with the WEC at the beginning of
2011.
UFC
on Versus 3 is scheduled to take place in Lousville, Ky., and
is headlined by a welterweight match-up between Martin Kampmann
and Diego Sanchez.
Source: MMA Weekly |
"It
will be hard to beat Bigfoot now”
Antonio
“Bigfoot” Silva was the underdog on the fight with
Fedor Emelianenko, which happened on the night between Saturday
and Sunday, but he shut everybody’s mouth with a perfect
performance. On 10 impeccable minutes, the heavyweight slaughtered
the Russian myth and guaranteed his vacancy on the semifinals
of Strikeforce’s tournament, and we chatted with the manager
Alex Davis, who was more than glad with the historical win.
What
did you think of the fight?
I’ve
always knew Bigfoot could do it. His journey until here was very
hard. Only me, Bigfoot and God know how much he suffered to get
here. Bigfoot suffered a lot, worked very hard, and now he showed
what he’s a big dog now. It’ll be hard to beat him
now.
Fedor
was considered the favorite to win the title of this Grand Prix.
Now Bigfoot beat him up, is he the favorite for the title?
I
think so, but we’re not even thinking about it now. We were
just enjoying the win. He proved what he’s capable of. When
Bigfoot punches you on the ground and pound, no one can handle
it. Now he’ll rest and wait for the next on the line.
He’ll
fight the winner between Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem
on the semifinals. What do you expect of this fight?
Werdum
is a friend of ours, that’s a paradox. We cheer for him
and at the same time we don’t want to fight him. As a business,
we want him to win so that a Brazilian is assured to be on the
finale. I’m cheering for him.
Did
the big guys of Strikeforce say anything after the fight to you?
The
event was calm, but I want to make a critic for Fedor’s
managers: He’s a really nice guy, a great champion, he has
beat everybody for 10 year, but his managers could never let
him fight Bigfoot after the loss. We’ve asked for this fight,
but it wasn’t the moment for him to fight Bigfoot.
Do
you know when the semifinals will be?
We
don’t have any idea, we’re just enjoying this victory
feeling. We’re not looking beyond this fight.
Fedor
had most Brazilian fans at his side, who admire him since Pride.
Do you want to leave a message for the fans?
We
are also Fedor’s fans, we like him, we cheer for him and
we want him to return. We invaded the Russian blockage and talked
to Fedor after the fight, we begged him not to stop, he’s
a great champion. He’s a historical fighter. As for Big
Foot, he’s a honest and family guy, he deserves to be where
he is. He suffered a lot to get here. He deserves it more than
anybody else. I’d like to thank all fans that cheered for
him, he’ll give many joy for you, guys.
Source: Tatame
|
Gabe
Ruediger Released by the UFC, Contemplating Move to 145lbs
Back-to-back
losses in the UFC’s rapidly thinning lightweight division
is tough to overcome, and so with that Gabe Ruediger was released
from the promotion recently.
Sources
close to the fighter confirmed the release to MMAWeekly.com on
Monday.
Ruediger
went 0-2 during his return stint to the UFC, with losses to Joe
Lauzon and Paul Taylor.
The
former “Ultimate Fighter” cast member had picked up
six wins in a row to earn his way back into the UFC, but suffered
a couple of tough losses upon his return.
While
his release does mean Ruediger’s next fight won’t be
in the UFC, it doesn’t mean he’s deterred from returning.
The California based fighter is currently contemplating a potential
move to featherweight after having very little weight to cut
before his last bout at 155lbs.
No
official move has been decided, but Ruediger may decide to try
the weight class out in the future.
The
UFC’s lightweight division will be a dog eat dog world for
the next several shows after the promotion merged with the WEC
and pushed the 155lb division to over 70 fighters under contract.
Multiple
sources have told MMAWeekly.com that eventually the UFC wants
the division to be with less than 30 fighters under contract.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Scott
Jorgensen vs. Ken Stone Added to TUF 13 Finale Show in June
Scott
Jorgensen will look to get back on the path to the top of the
bantamweight division when he faces Ken Stone at the upcoming
“Ultimate Fighter” 13 finale show in June.
The
bantamweight bout is the latest edition to the growing card taking
place on June 4 in Las Vegas. Sources close to the negotiations
confirmed the fight to MMAWeekly.com on Monday. Heavy.com initially
reported the booking.
Jorgensen
(11-4) returns to action for the first time since suffering a
loss to UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz last December.
The Idaho native was riding a 5-fight win streak before falling
to the current title holder at 135lbs.
Ken
Stone (9-2) will definitely try to make more out of his UFC debut
than he did his WEC debut when he gets back in the cage in June.
Stone suffered a vicious knockout loss to former WEC champion
Eddie Wineland in December during his first fight with the promotion.
There
has been no official announcement about the June 4 card, but
it is expected to be headed up by former WEC lightweight champion
Anthony Pettis against Clay Guida in the main event.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Brazilian
national champ wins Naga absolute
Davi
Ramos is the current Brazilian national lightweight No-Gi champion.
The
athlete won the World Pro tryouts in the Brazilian city of Natal
and is all set to pursue the title in Abu Dhabi.
Now
Davi just won the absolute division at Naga, in the USA.
“I
had four matches, and the first won I won by 4 to 0. The second
won I finished with a kneebar, and the third I sunk an armbar.
In the final I got an armbar again but the guy body slammed me
and was disqualified. I’d like to thank everyone for cheering
for me, especially Master Casquinha, the general at Top Brother,
my buddy Gilbert Durinho, and my sponsors,” says the fighter.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Fedor
Retiring? Two Very Important People Don’t Believe He’s
Done
It’s
not an easy moment for fans of any sport to watch a great walk
away. Sometimes, however, it’s even harder when an athlete
doesn’t walk away at the right time.
Few
will remember Michael Jordan wearing a Washington Wizards uniform,
or old school football fans watching Johnny Unitas strut out
in a San Diego Chargers uniform. Fedor Emelianenko is considered
one of the greatest fighters the sport of MMA has ever known,
but watching him look human for only the second time in his storied
career was hard for many fans.
Fedor's
final walkout? (Courtesy of Brandon Chase)Fedor lost to Antonio
“Bigfoot” Silva on Saturday night, and promptly hinted
at his retirement in his post-fight interview. The Russian has
suffered back-to-back losses for the first time ever in his career,
and probably for the first time ever people saw him truly get
manhandled by a much larger fighter.
Still,
many don’t want to see him walk away right now. Two very
important people involved in Fedor’s carer don’t believe
he will walk away. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker spoke about Fedor’s
decision, saying he believes that Fedor will return and may even
get a slot as an alternate in the tournament if someone else
falls out.
“You
know how that goes. People get very emotional during a fight
and we’ll see. My position is we have many more fights with
Fedor and I think he’ll honor his contract,” Coker
said.
“There’s
absolutely a possibility that he could be a replacement. There
could be an injury and we could get Fedor back in the tournament,
but either way he’ll be fighting high-level competition.”
Coker
has put together a competition committee for the Heavyweight
Grand Prix. The members of that group would be the ones to determine
who would get an alternate slot should the tournament need a
replacement.
Another
person who is confident that Fedor is not done is his close friend
and longtime manager Vadim Finkelstein, who feels in his heart
of hearts that the Russian will not call Saturday night his last.
“I
think Fedor was just really upset that he lost the fight because
he was so, the way the fight finished, because he was so prepared
for the fight. I don’t think it was a clear-cut loss. If
it doesn’t get stopped by the doctor, we don’t know
what would have happened in that third round. Because of that
I think we will see Fedor return,” Finkelstein stated.
Ultimately,
Finkelstein says he will leave it up to Fedor to decide if he
is truly done or if he will go for another few rounds in the
cage. Just by knowing him well, however, Finkelstein is confident
fans haven’t seen the last of the great Fedor Emelianenko.
“The
decision is Fedor’s, but I think I know him quite well and
I think he’s still full of strength, and I think he will
continue,” Finkelstein commented. “But the decision
of course is up to him.”
Two
of the most powerful figures in Fedor’s fight career believe
he will return, but will he ever return to the form that saw
him climb to the top of the heavyweight division, where he ruled
for so many years? Can fans get behind a mid-level Fedor Emelianenko?
That
is truly the question that remains.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Freddie
Roach: St-Pierre vs. Silva is the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather of
MMA
Count
boxing guru Freddie Roach among those who can't wait to see UFC
welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (21-2 MMA, 15-2 UFC)
fight middleweight champion Anderson Silva (27-4 MMA, 12-0 UFC).
After
watching boxing's biggest fight go the way of the dodo bird,
the trainer, who's been a fistic consultant for both champs,
thinks it's the biggest possible draw for MMA.
"It's
Pacquiao-Mayweather in MMA," Roach told UFC broadcaster
Joe Rogan on this week's episode of "UFC Ultimate Insider."
"It's one guy going up in weight to fight the bigger and
better supposedly better guy."
Roach,
who's trained some of boxing's biggest stars including multi-division
champ Manny Pacquiao, knows about the heartache that comes with
lost opportunity. After endless months of rumors about a possible
megafight between Pacquiao and welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather,
he gave an interview this past November in which he said the
fight would never happen.
To
see a meeting of MMA greats in their prime must be a small consolation.
At
this point, the 50-year-old Roach said he has a closer relationship
to St-Pierre. The welterweight champ sought him out as he prepared
for his sixth title defense at UFC 124 against Josh Koscheck,
and later asked Roach to be his cornerman (Roach declined due
to prior commitments).
Roach
marveled at the discipline St-Pierre brought to the table during
their work together and predicted a left hook knockout of Koscheck.
(No such luck for St-Pierre, though he broke Koscheck's orbital
bone in the first punch of the fight and dominated the standup
action en route to a unanimous decision.)
It's
been more than a year since Roach worked steadily with Silva,
though his time with the middleweight champ certainly left an
impression.
"Anderson
is a better boxer at this point," Roach said.
But
while Roach believes St-Pierre is somewhat of an underdog, he
thinks he might be able to change that.
"There's
some things I've learned about Anderson that I think I can help
Georges with," he said. "Because I've worked with [Anderson]
closely, and Anderson is a very clever fighter."
So
clever, in fact, that Roach thinks Silva has often mailed it
in during his long reign as middleweight champion.
That
won't be an issue for this fight, he added.
"That's
one fight I don't think you have to worry about Anderson not
getting up for," he said. "He will get up for [St-Pierre].
Because he doesn't always get up for fights like talented people
do at times. Sometimes it comes so easily and natural to them
that they get a bit lazy.
"But
for that fight, I expect both guys to be at their best. Georges
is stronger physically and can rough him up on the inside. Anderson's
more of a technician and knows distance. Distance is the key
to that fight."
Now,
it's just a matter of St-Pierre getting past Jake Shields (26-4-1
MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC 129, which takes place April 30 at Rogers
Centre in Toronto.
Roach
will have to cool his jets until then.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Wanderlei
Silva challenges Vitor Belfort: “Where are you running to?”
When
UFC came to Brazil for the first time, in 1998, Wanderlei Silva
debuted on the event, but was defeated by Vitor Belfort. After
that fight, Wanderlei reached the top of the world on Pride,
but never got his so dreamed rematch. With Vitor’s loss
to Anderson Silva, on UFC 126, “The Axe Murderer” proposed
the challenge, on a phone talk with TATAME. “And now, where
are you running to?”, asked Wanderlei. “I’d give
him the number one (on the line to fight me) easily, I’m
challenging him … I want him”. It’s up to you,
Dana White and Joe Silva.
Exclusive:
Vitor Belfort welcomes rematch against Wanderlei Silva
It
looks like that Vitor Belfort wants Wanderlei Silva’s “number
one ticket”.
Few
hours after “The Axe Murderer” calling out Vitor Belfort
in exclusive interview with TATAME, we spoke with “The Phenom”,
who accepted the challenge and left the decision about the highly
expected rematch in Dana White’s hands.
“Let's
do it, brother. I accept it”, Vitor said, praising the fighter
he defeated by TKO in UFC Brazil, in 1998. “He’s a
great athlete, a great champion, and it would be a pleasure to
fight him. It’d be a highly anticipated fight, very important
for the sport.
“Whatever
Dana (White) says I’ll do, I never chose opponents and I
won’t do it now. But he made the challenge and I’m
accepting it. I just don’t wanna wait for the UFC Rio to
come back, I wanna fight first”, he added.
Will
Brian Stann wait, and the UFC set the rematch between former
UFC and Pride champions? It’s up to you now, Dana White.
Source: Tatame
|
Strikeforce
Grand Prix goes for big bang early
At
first glance, the seeding for the Strikeforce Grand Prix, an
eight-man heavyweight tournament that begins on Saturday at the
Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., seems like a blind draw.
Fedor
Emelianenko, the man many still regard as the finest heavyweight
in the world, and Alistair Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight
champion, are on the same side of the bracket.
The
idea of having the two stars meet in the finals was dashed by
the seemingly odd opening-round pairings. Emelianenko will take
on Antonio Silva in Saturday’s main event and Overeem will
meet Fabricio Werdum in another opening-round match, on April
9 at a site not yet determined. Werdum is second, Emelianenko
third, Overeem sixth and Silva 10th in the MMAWeekly.com heavyweight
rankings.
Emelianenko,
who hasn’t fought since his nearly 10-year winning streak
was snapped by Werdum on June 26, shrugged at the odd matchups.
“I
haven’t thought about it at all and all I have thought about
is training for [Silva],” Emelianenko said. “I didn’t
take part in the structure of the brackets, so I don’t know
why it is like it is. You have to fight the [best] guys anyway
to win.”
The
Grand Prix is a great idea for no other reason than it creates
the possibility for Emelianenko to fight three times in the same
year for the first time since 2005. He’s only fought eight
times in the last five years and once in the last 14 months.
Overeem
holds the Strikeforce heavyweight belt, but it’s the legendary
Russian who gives the division significance. Without Emelianenko,
the tournament is far less interesting. Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei
Kharitonov won’t exactly fill seats. Saturday’s event
will likely sell out, due to Emelianenko.
An
Overeem-Emelianenko final would have drawn massive interest.
As would an Emelianenko-Werdum rematch, with Emelianenko chasing
revenge.
Coker,
though, opted to guarantee the fans the significant matches upfront.
By pitting the Overeem-Werdum winner against the Emelianenko-Silva
winner in the semifinals, he’s gone just about as far as
he can to get the match he wants without having made it in the
first round.
Now,
all of that presumes that Emelianenko, a better than 3-to-1 favorite,
gets past Silva. While Silva (17-4) is a quality fighter, it
would be another upset of monumental proportions if he defeated
Emelianenko.
“The
odds are all in Fedor’s favor, but the odds do not reflect
reality,” Silva said. “The truth is, this fight could
go either way. I am very confident and I’m here to win.”
Emelianenko
didn’t lose for a decade and it’s hard to imagine him
losing back-to-back fights. It’s never a complete shock
when a 260-pound man wearing four-ounce gloves knocks out another,
but Emelianenko has such a significant speed advantage and such
a better all-around game that it’s difficult to envision
him losing.
As
a result, projecting him into the second round guarantees Strikeforce
one of its dream fights, given he will fight the Overeem-Werdum
winner.
“I
wanted to make sure we did what we could to give the fans the
fights they wanted to see,” Coker said.
That,
though, could leave its finale as something of an anticlimactic
event. On what is clearly the “B” side of the bracket,
Arlovski, the one-time UFC heavyweight champion who hasn’t
won a fight in more than two years, will meet Kharitonov. Kharitonov
has only fought once in the last 21 months and that came on New
Year’s Eve, when he beat light heavyweight Tatsuya Mizuno.
In
the other fight in that bracket, Josh Barnett meets Brett Rogers.
Barnett, another former UFC heavyweight champion, is clearly
a talent, but he’s twice failed postfight drug screenings
and still isn’t licensed in California, where he failed
a test before a planned 2009 bout with Emelianenko. That failure
led to the demise of Affliction as a fight promoter.
Coker
is considering putting the April 9 show in Japan, where there
is no testing for anabolic steroids. But if he does not, he’ll
have to find a state which would allow Barnett to fight despite
his failure to clear his business with the California State Athletic
Commission.
Texas
comes immediately to mind, since it accepted boxer Antonio Margarito
as an opponent for Manny Pacquiao last year after California
denied Margarito a license. Coker said he has had interest from
up to 10 states if he opts not to bring the April show to Japan.
If
Barnett comes out of the “B” side, the legitimacy of
the finale can not be questioned. Coker, though, gambled by seeding
the field in a way that guaranteed better early-round matches.
Overeem’s
belt won’t be at stake because all Grand Prix bouts are
three rounds and not the five-rounders required for a championship.
If someone other than Overeem wins, that will diminish the significance
of the title until Overeem defends it against the winner.
Still,
while the tournament is not without its oddities, it figures
to produce several good fights and gives American fans an opportunity
to see Emelianenko on national television as many as three times
in a short span.
The
soft-spoken Emelianenko got it right when he said, “When
you have the best fighters in the world fighting each other,
it’s a good thing.”
Source: Yahoo Sports |
Josh
Grispi vs. George Roop Verbally Agreed for TUF 13 Finale Show
A featherweight bout is likely to be added to the upcoming “Ultimate
Fighter Season 13 Finale” fight card on June 4 pitting Josh
Grispi against George Roop.
Verbal
agreements are in place for the fight according to sources speaking
to MMAWeekly.com on Sunday. The Boston Herald first reported
the rumored bout.
Grispi
(14-2) looks to get back on track after suffering a one-sided
loss to Dustin Poirier in his Octagon debut at UFC 125 in January.
The New Englander had originally been scheduled to face UFC featherweight
champion Jose Aldo at the event, but an injury sidelined the
Brazilian and Grispi drew Poirier instead.
It
did not end well for him.
Also
looking to bounce back after a loss in his last fight is former
“Ultimate Fighter” cast member George Roop (11-7-1).
Roop fell to training partner Mark Hominick in late January,
and hopes to get back to form when he faces Grispi in June.
While
the bout has not been signed at this point, both fighters have
verbally agreed to the bout.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Former
WEC champion Paulo Filho fights rising prospect in Brazil
Recife
will be the stage for a huge MMA event on April 29th. Announcing
the official card, the International Fighter Championship will
have as its main event of the evening the bout between the experienced
Paulo Filho, former champion of WEC and former Pride star, and
the young prospect Ronny Marques. But that’s not all. There’ll
also be the international challenges: Gregor Gracie against the
Argentine Mariano Hinojal, and names like Ronys Torres, Rodrigo
Artilheiro, Mario Soldado and Claudia Gadelha are also confirmed.
COMPLETE
CARD:
International
Fighter Championship
Recife,
Pernambuco, Brazil
Friday,
April 29th of 2011
-
Renato Castro vs. Luis de França;
-
Claudia Gadelha vs. Beta Tavares;
-
Marcos Vinicius vs. Rony Jason;
-
Caio Magalhães vs. Erick Wanderley;
-
Mario Soldado vs. Reneer Forte;
-
Cassio Jacaré vs. Rodrigo Artilheiro;
-
Ronys Torres vs. Filhão;
-
Thawã Ril vs. Carlos Prate;
-
Gregor Gracie vs. Mariano Hinojal;
-
Paulão Filho vs. Ronys Marques.
Source: Tatame
|
Emelianenko’s
downfall years in the making
EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The familiar script seemed ready to play
out one more time.
Fedor
Emelianenko, the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history,
gave up considerable size, height and reach to an intimidating
foe. The stoic native of Stary Oskol, Russia, would find himself
in trouble.
Somehow,
he’d fight his way out, floor his opponent with a big overhand
right, and add to his collection of action-movie finishes.
The
34-year-old was overwhelmed by Brazilian giant Antonio Silva
on Saturday night, taken down to the Izod Center mat and pummeled
with an endless array of punches and submission attempts.
There
was no heroic comeback. The second round ended. Emelianenko’s
face was a hideous mess, his right eye swollen shut. The cageside
doctor was not about to let him continue with a possible cracked
orbital bone.
The
fight ended, and so did an era.
It
may seem like Emelianenko was suddenly knocked from his perch
over the course of two brutal rounds of action, but the seeds
for his downfall were sown while he was still riding high.
When
the Japan-based PRIDE folded four years ago, Emelianenko was
almost universally regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter
in the world. Other fighters flocked to the UFC, but Emelianenko’s
management, headed by Vadim Finkelstein, took a different path.
They aggressively sought every last dollar and succeeded beyond
their wildest dreams, wringing massive contracts out of wanna-be
promotional marks like BodogFight and Affliction.
That
could only happen as long as Emelianenko maintained his unbeatable
mystique, which meant from 2007 and onward, the Russian no longer
pushed himself against the best competition the fight world had
to offer. Emelianenko fought middleweight Matt Lindland in the
first and only Bodog event of note. He fought inexperienced Hong
Man Choi in Japan. He disappeared from the scene for months on
end, as promotional partnerships fell apart and Finkelstein and
Co. sought new deals.
Meanwhile,
the rest of the heavyweight division was fighting and improving
as the talent pool deepened. The UFC offered Emelianenko a reported
$5 million per fight and an immediate shot at then-champion Brock
Lesnar in the summer of 2009. The offer was turned down, and
Emelianenko instead went to Strikeforce.
Fedor
struggled in his first Strikeforce match, against unheralded
Brett Rogers. But Emelianenko rallied and won with a home-run
knockout punch, so his lackluster performance until that point
went largely unnoticed.
In
June, Emelianenko was submitted in under two minutes by Fabricio
Werdum, a fighter who previously was best known for being cut
from the UFC roster.
Of
course, even the best can be caught by a jiu-jitsu ace like Werdum,
so Emelianenko again was given a pass.
Saturday
night, though, left no doubt that the heavyweight division has
passed Fedor by. No matter how much heart he possessed in the
cage, or how much class he possesses outside it, a 230-pound
heavyweight can’t isolate himself, be controlled by management
that always seemed to come up with reasons to avoid elite opponents,
and remain at the top of the class.
His
opponent, Silva, is a solid and respectable pro, but not one
who was considered elite before Saturday night. Silva had no
signature wins before defeating Fedor, with an array of journeymen
like Ricco Rodriguez and Mike Kyle among his conquests.
Silva
was 285 by the time he entered the cage Saturday, a 55-pound
advantage over his foe. He had 4½ inches of height on
Emelianenko and a considerable reach advantage. Even in the back-and-forth
first round, Silva had an obvious strength advantage. The second
round was like watching a schoolyard bully torment a victim,
and while Emelianenko showed great courage in surviving a 10-8
round, he simply had no answer for anything Silva dished out.
“A
lot of people say he has the strength of a bear,” Silva
said at the post-fight press conference, “but I have the
strength of a Bigfoot.”
The
ever-gracious and humble Emelianenko, who went to the hospital
immediately after the fight, seemed to make his intentions clear
in the cage. “Maybe it is the time to leave,” he told
an interpreter. “Maybe it is the last time. Maybe it is
my time.”
But
the money men seemed in complete denial of what went down. Finkelstein,
whose M-1 “promotion” basically exists as Emelianenko’s
personal vehicle, isn’t in any rush to let go of his meal
ticket.
“Everyone
saw how the fans greeted him,” Finkelstein said. “He’s
had a wonderful career. I think the stoppage isn’t such
a clear-cut thing. He will find the strength to go on in the
future. … With God’s help, we will see Fedor back in
the cage.”
Strikeforce
promoter Scott Coker, understandably, was trying to put his best
face on an evening that delivered the fans a night of exciting
action, but wreaked havoc on the marketability of his Grand Prix
tournament. The two fighters considered the biggest names to
American fans – Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion
Andrei Arlovski – were defeated, the latter via his third
knockout in his past four fights.
That
leaves Coker trying to sell the public on several fighters who
for the most part are high quality but not ticket sellers or
ratings draws, like Werdum and Strikeforce heavyweight champ
Alistair Overeem.
Coker
floated the idea Emelianenko could be reinserted into the tournament
down the road as an alternate.
“Fedor
always comes back,” said Coker. “As for retirement,
people get emotional. … I expect he’ll be back. You
never know, he could come back [into the tournament] if there’s
an injury.”
But
this, quite frankly, would make a farce of the entire tournament
concept. What’s the point of having a tournament if someone
who was brutally eliminated is given a free pass back into the
competition?
Hopefully,
it won’t get to that. Hopefully, if Emelianenko really does
want out, he’ll be allowed to retire. Despite all the big
fights his management left on the table over the years, despite
the long absences and subpar opposition, Emelianenko’s legacy
is still that of the sport’s first great heavyweight, the
man who used his heart and skill to overcome his foes time and
again, the man who made new MMA fans the world over.
If
he gets out now, that legacy will stay unspoiled.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
The
Old King is Gone, Long Live the King: Silva Wins, Fedor Contemplates
Retirement
Le
Roi est mort, vive le Roi!
Translated
from French, it means “The King is dead, long live the King.”
While in literal terms of what happened on Saturday night at
Strikeforce, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva won the biggest
fight of his career, stopping Fedor Emelianenko after two rounds,
which led to the Russian’s shocking statement that his career
may have come to an end.
Coming
back from the first true loss of his historic career, Fedor Emelianenko
stepped into the cage in New Jersey on Saturday night promising
a return to form from his glory days spent in Pride Fighting
Championships.
There
were moments in the fight where Fedor showed flashes of his brilliance,
blasting away at Silva’s head, looking for the knockout
almost as soon as the first bell rang.
The
Russian looked for a guillotine choke early as well, then getting
the fight to the ground where he tried to open things up with
some of his patented ground and pound, then looking for a kimura
before Silva popped out.
It
was almost at that moment with the fighters back on their fight
that Silva’s immense size difference seemed to shift the
momentum directly in his favor. The Brazilian landed a takedown
with seconds left to go in the first, and then duplicated the
move as the 2nd round opened.
Once
on the ground, Silva moved to mount and just started crashing
Emelianenko with heavy fists, forcing the former Pride champion
to roll just to keep the fight from coming to an end. Repeatedly,
Silva dropped bombs on Fedor’s head, and it looked like
the fight might be stopped but he showed true heart and battled
back just enough to keep alive.
When
the round ended, a battered and bruised Emelianenko went back
to the corner where cameras showed his right eye completely shut
and bruised from swelling endured from Silva’s punches.
The doctors saw enough that Emelianenko could not see anything
and the fight was stopped.
Silva
immediately celebrated the huge win before he headed over to
his opponent’s corner where he bowed and kneeled to pay
homage to the great former champion.
The
hype going into Saturday night was about Fedor’s return,
but it was promptly ended by Silva’s dominance. The Brazilian
took a huge step forward in his career, while also moving on
in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
“All
the people say Fedor, Fedor, Fedor. I’m training too hard,
and I showed the world now,” Silva said following the victory.
A
somber New Jersey crowd cheered as Emelianenko stepped up to
the microphone after the fight. Bloodied and bloodied, Fedor
explained his performance against Silva, while also alluding
to what may have been his final time inside the cage.
“Something
happened at the very beginning and maybe I didn’t re-adjust
myself,” Fedor said. “Maybe it’s time to leave.”
With
a Russian contingency strong in the crowd, obviously heart broken
at the thought of losing one of their true legends, Fedor spoke
again and contemplated that it may be the end of the road for
him in the fight game.
“Yes,
maybe, it’s the last time. Maybe it’s high time. Thanks
for everything. I spent a great beautiful long sport life. Maybe
it’s God’s will,” Fedor spoke about his possible
retirement.
“Thank
you very much for your love, for your warm reception, for your
support. Thanks God for everything.”
If
this truly is the end for Fedor Emelianenko, MMA fans may have
just watched one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot in
the sport, walk away for good.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
129 Sold Out, Shatters Records With 55,000 Tickets
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday announced that tickets
for UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields at Rogers Centre in Toronto
on April 30 sold out minutes after being made available to the
public. Rogers Centre was originally configured for 42,000 seats,
but due to overwhelming demand, UFC and Rogers Centre officials
reconfigured the venue to accommodate 55,000.
UFC
129 will be the first major mixed martial arts event to ever
be held in Ontario, marking the promotion’s debut in Canada’s
largest city.
The
event doubles the largest attendance record in UFC and North
American mixed martial arts history. UFC 124: St-Pierre vs. Koscheck
2, held at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Dec. 11, 2010, previously
held the attendance record with 23,152 fans.
UFC
officials also announced that the gate revenue for UFC 129 will
also double the promotion’s previous record. The previous
gate record for a UFC event was $5.4 million, which was set on
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
for UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz. UFC officials did not yet release
the total gate revenue for UFC 129.
With
two UFC records already shattered, officials announced UFC 129
as the largest single-day event gate in the history of Rogers
Centre, which has played home to some of the world’s top
entertainment and sporting events.
“UFC
continues to set new milestones,” UFC president Dana White
said. “We’ve sold 55,000 tickets in our first stadium
event in Toronto and we continue to take the UFC to the next
level.”
“Based
on the lightning quick sell-out, there is no doubt that UFC’s
fan base is extremely passionate”, said Silvio D’Addario,
VP Events, Rogers Centre. “We’ve worked closely with
UFC to configure our venue to provide the best fan experience
possible and we look forward to hosting this historic event.”
While
UFC 129 is sold out, tickets for the UFC Fan Expo at the Direct
Energy Centre in Toronto on April 29-30 are still available at
www.ufcfanexpo.com. The Expo features the largest collection
of UFC fighters ever to appear in one location, exciting special
events, interactive Q&A sessions, meet and greets, training
and development sessions, the Octagon, and much more.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Gina
Carano Announces Her Return to Strikeforce In 2011, June Targeted
Gina
Carano is coming back to Strikeforce to compete in their women’s
division after more than a year away from the sport.
The
Las Vegas based fighter was in attendance for the Strikeforce
show on Saturday night in New Jersey, where she announced her
intentions to return to MMA in 2011.
Strikeforce
CEO Scott Coker has long talked about Carano returning to the
sport, and believed that despite her new found acting career
she would come back to fighting.
“I
believe in her heart just like these other athletes that go into
the movies, even though they have success in the film industry
such as Quinton Jackson or Cung Le, like he’s doing right
now, and Gina, I saw parts of her movie and it was fantastic,
but equal time, you’re still a fighter at heart. I know
they want to compete,” Coker told MMAWeekly Radio recently
about Carano.
When
prompted about her return, Carano said it all came down to a
personal challenge.
“I
think I just need to settle the score with myself really. I just
need to get back in there for me,” she said.
While
no definitive timetable has been determined for her return to
the cage, Carano has been back in training at Xtreme Couture
in Las Vegas. Her film “Haywire” opens this summer.
Coker,
at Saturday’s post-fight press conference, indicated that
the promotion is targeting June for Carano’s return, but
hasn’t locked down a date yet.
The
women’s division has expanded in the time since Carano’s
exit, but Cris “Cyborg” Santos, the fighter who handed
Carano her only career loss, still reigns atop the 145-pound
division as champion.
Carano
has widely been considered one of the most popular fighter on
the Strikeforce roster, and her return will only bolster the
promotion’s ratings on future Showtime broadcasts.
(Updated
Feb. 13 at 12:30 a.m. PT to include June as a target date for
Carano’s return.)
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Sergei
Kharitonov Crushes Arlovski to Move On in Strikeforce Heavyweight
Grand Prix
He
was called a dark horse in the tournament, but for those that
have seen Sergei Kharitonov before, knew he was capable of doing
what he did on Saturday night as he knocked out Andrei Arlovski
in the first round of their fight to kick off the Strikeforce
Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Over
the last few years and since the end of Pride Fighting Championships,
Kharitonov has appeared around MMA circles only a few times,
but over the last year he signed on with Strikeforce and picked
up his activity.
He’s
also been fighting in K-1 and he showed off those striking skills
as he lit up Arlovski with punches, walking forward like a machine
looking for the knockout blow.
The
former UFC champion has fallen on hard times of late, dropping
three fights in a row, and he once again showed little improvement,
finding himself trapped against the cage with Kharitonov bearing
down on him.
Clipping
Arlovski with a quick right hand, Kharitonov dropped the Belarussian,
and followed him to the ground, blasting him with a few more
punches. A second later, Arlovski was knocked out cold.
Kharitonov
channeled his inner Ivan Drago as he spoke to the crowd in his
native tongue, drawing strength from his home countrymen and
women in attendance on Saturday night.
“I
look around the stands and I saw so many people from Russia and
Russia is the best, Russia is No. 1,” Kharitonov said.
If
critics are calling Kharitonov a dark horse, he’s not listening,
because he’s convinced that when this Grand Prix is over,
everyone will be calling him champion.
“I
could care less what the experts think,” Kharitonov said.
“I know I’m going to win this tournament.”
Kharitonov
will now move on to face the winner of the upcoming bout between
Josh Barnett and Brett Rogers taking place in April.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
AZ
Open: Kron vs JT off, $3000 Black Belt Open class on
With
the cancellation of the battle between Kron Gracie and “JT”
Torres at the Arizona International Open due to Gracie getting
injured, the Gustavo Dantas-promoted championship has added another
category to draw the cream of the sport’s crop in the USA.
The
sixth Arizona Open, on the 26th and 27th of February, will pay
out $3,000 in prize money to the top-placed competitors in the
absolute black belt division: $2,500 to the champion and $500
to the runner-up.
“Normally,
the divisions with prize money only happen in the summer, at
the Arizona State Championship. But with Kron’s unfortunate
injury to his knee, he won’t be able to face JT. So that
fans and the fighters themselves will be rewarded, we created
this absolute category with prize money in hopes of drawing world-class
competitors to Arizona,” Gustavo Dantas informed GRACIEMAG.com.
Sign-ups
only go till February 21, so better hurry. Click here to fight
for the dough or to sign up for the other divisions at the Arizona
Open.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
|
2/14/11
Happy Valentine's Day |
UFC
129 Sold Out, Shatters Records With 55,000 Tickets
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday announced that tickets
for UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields at Rogers Centre in Toronto
on April 30 sold out minutes after being made available to the
public. Rogers Centre was originally configured for 42,000 seats,
but due to overwhelming demand, UFC and Rogers Centre officials
reconfigured the venue to accommodate 55,000.
UFC
129 will be the first major mixed martial arts event to ever
be held in Ontario, marking the promotion’s debut in Canada’s
largest city.
The
event doubles the largest attendance record in UFC and North
American mixed martial arts history. UFC 124: St-Pierre vs. Koscheck
2, held at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Dec. 11, 2010, previously
held the attendance record with 23,152 fans.
UFC
officials also announced that the gate revenue for UFC 129 will
also double the promotion’s previous record. The previous
gate record for a UFC event was $5.4 million, which was set on
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
for UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz. UFC officials did not yet release
the total gate revenue for UFC 129.
With
two UFC records already shattered, officials announced UFC 129
as the largest single-day event gate in the history of Rogers
Centre, which has played home to some of the world’s top
entertainment and sporting events.
“UFC
continues to set new milestones,” UFC president Dana White
said. “We’ve sold 55,000 tickets in our first stadium
event in Toronto and we continue to take the UFC to the next
level.”
“Based
on the lightning quick sell-out, there is no doubt that UFC’s
fan base is extremely passionate”, said Silvio D’Addario,
VP Events, Rogers Centre. “We’ve worked closely with
UFC to configure our venue to provide the best fan experience
possible and we look forward to hosting this historic event.”
While
UFC 129 is sold out, tickets for the UFC Fan Expo at the Direct
Energy Centre in Toronto on April 29-30 are still available at
www.ufcfanexpo.com. The Expo features the largest collection
of UFC fighters ever to appear in one location, exciting special
events, interactive Q&A sessions, meet and greets, training
and development sessions, the Octagon, and much more.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Three
Strikeforce Heavyweight Alternate Bouts End in Three First Round
Finishes
Three
Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix alternate fights resulted
in three finishes with Shane Del Rosario, Chad Griggs and Valentijn
Overeem all coming away with wins.
Shane
Del Rosario kept his record unblemished with a first round armbar
submission over Lavar Johnson to put himself in the prime position
as an alternate for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix should
anyone not be able to continue beyond the first round.
Johnson
showed his power with big punches in the first few moments of
the fight, but Del Rosario weathered the storm and kept out of
any real trouble.
Following
a few exchanges with both men landing efficient strikes, Del
Rosario took the fight to the mat, and it was the beginning of
the end for Johnson. Del Rosario shifted to the mount quickly
and began to reign down blows on Johnson who defended well, but
was in deep trouble on his back.
With
the seconds ticking away in the first round, Del Rosario took
the chance on a submission and went for an armbar. It looked
like Johnson might slip out, but Del Rosario kicked his hips
up and locked out the elbow, causing his opponent to tap out.
Del
Rosario now sits as the man who will get the first call should
any of the participants of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand
Prix not be able to continue after the first round.
“It’s
just an honor to fight the same night as these guys. I’m
going to go home, train hard, I’m now the first alternate
so if they call me up, I’ll be ready to go, ready to fight
hard,” Del Rosario said after the win.
People
tried to call Chad Griggs’ win over Bobby Lashley a fluke.
He was out to prove otherwise and he did so by punching Gian
Villante over and over again, until he was TKO’d, to win
at Strikeforce in New Jersey.
Griggs
was swinging hard and heavy as soon as the fight started, and
Villante didn’t show much head movement to avoid the strikes.
Griggs flurried on Villante a couple of times during the short
fight, and Villante showed great resiliency but it was short
lived.
Villante
fired back with a head kick of his own, blasting open Griggs’
ear, which resulted in blood flowing down the side of his head.
Griggs didn’t back down however and he popped Villante with
a big punch, dropping the former NFL hopeful. A few more punches
on the ground and referee Yves Lavigne stepped in to stop the
fight giving Chad Griggs the win.
According
to CompuStrike, Griggs landed an astonishing 85% of his strikes,
with 25 power strikes landed.
Valentijn
Overeem made quick work of Ray Sefo at Strikeforce on Saturday
night, finishing the K-1 legend with a neck crank early in the
first round of their heavyweight bout.
There
was no giant secret that Sefo had his biggest advantage on the
feet, and once he started to settle into his striking, Overeem
took the fight right to the ground.
Once
he was in side control, Overeem positioned himself under Sefo’s
head and put pressure on the neck, and got the tap to get the
submission win.
Valentijn
is currently an alternate in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand
Prix, and he has said if the stars align and he’s somehow
pulled into the tournament he’d even fight his brother,
Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, if they met
in the finals.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
‘Bigfoot’
Silva destroys Fedor Emelianenko to move on Strikeforce GP
Antonio
Silva wrote his name on MMA history with 10 minutes of much adrenaline
against Fedor Emelianenko, considered for the whole world the
best heavyweight of all times. On a striking first round, Bigfoot
and Fedor traded punches while standing and the Russian tried
to surprise the Brazilian on the ground with a kimura, but Silva
controlled it easily. But the best was to come on the following
round. The aggressiveness of the Brazilian was so great that
Fedor turned his back in order to defend himself and needed to
escape from a rear naked choke.
With
his back on the ground again, Emelianenko was punched a lot on
the ground and pound game, and Bigfoot also fit a tight katagatame,
that made the Russian sweat a little more to escape. Few seconds
before the round ended, Big Foot fit a knee lock, and Fedor tried
to pay back with a foot lock. With a destroyed face and a swollen
eye, Fedor was stopped by the doctor to return on the following
round, conceding the win to Big Foot.
The
Russian Sergei Kharitonov was the first fighter that fought and
moved forwards on the heavyweight GP of Strikeforce. The fighter
knocked out the former champion of UFC, Andrei Arlovski after
landed tough coups, getting knockdowns and finishing the fight
on the ground, turning Arlovski off. On the first fight of the
main card, Valentijn had some troubles against Ray Sefo. Keeping
a sequence of two wins, the Hollander took his opponent down
and submitted K-1 World GP 2000’s champion, Ray Sefo with
a choke in a little more than one minute of fight.
Igor
Gracie submits John Salgado on his debut on Strikeforce
The
Brazilian Igor Gracie had a great performance on his debut on
Strikeforce. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who did the
co-main event of the prelims, was beer on the first round, when
he got a takedown and grabbed John Salgado’s back. On the
second round, Gracie needed few more than three minutes to submit
his opponent with a tight katagatami, getting the third win within
five fights.
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
Strikeforce:
Fedor VS Silva
East
Rutherford, Now Jersey, United States
Saturday,
February 12nd of 2011
Main
card:
-
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva defeated Fedor Emelianenko
by TKO (doctor stoppage) at R2;
-
Sergei Kharitonov knocked out Andrei Arlovski at R1;
-
Shane del Rosario submitted Lavar Johnson with an armbar at 4min31s
of R1;
-
Valentijn Overeem submitted Ray Sefo with a choke at 1min37s
of R1;
-
Chad Griggs defeated Gian Villante by TKO at 2min49s of R1.
Preliminary
card:
-
John Cholish submitted Marc Stevens with a knee lock at 3min57s
of R2;
-
Josh LaBerge defeated Anthony Leone by TKO (doctor stoppage)
at R1;
-
Jason McLean defeated Kevin Roddy on a split decision of the
judges;
-
Igor Gracie submitted John Salgado with a katagatami at 3min4s
of R2;
-
Sam Oropeza defeated Don Carlo-Clauss by KO at 4min10s of 1R.
Source: Tatame
|
Exclusive
Antonio Silva words and pics: “If he’d have come back,
I’d have hurt him more”
Brazil’s
Antonio “Big Foot” Silva predicted the outcome of his
fight against Fedor Emelianenko here on GRACIEMAG.com: “I
expect to end the fight raining down blows on him from top position.”
And that’s just what he did this Saturday night in New Jersey.
Big
Foot got the takedown in the second round, used his Jiu-Jitsu
well and punished the Russian from the top. From the beating,
Fedor ‘s right eye closed up completely, and he was deemed
unfit to return to battle by the doctor. Now the Brazilian awaits
the winner of the fight between Fabrício Werdum and Alistair
Overeem in the next stage of the GP.
“A
lot of folks see this big chin and think it will be easier to
knock me out. But this here is like a bumper on a truck!”
Jiu-Jitsu
“I
train a lot of Jiu-Jitsu and no one had seen my potential on
the ground yet. I tried using it a lot against Fedor, but he’s
one of the best in the world.”
“His
strength on the ground is the armbar, but I didn’t get in
his guard. I knew I’d do better if I kept him from using
it.”
Striking
“He
got me in the first round. After that, I was certain he wasn’t
going to knock me out.”
Size
counts
“My
weight along with my technique helped a lot. I read an interview
where it said he has the strength of a bear, but I have the strength
of Big Foot!”
Werdum
or Overeem?
“I
don’t pick, I fight anyone. I don’t like fighting Brazilians,
but I’m rooting for Werdum to beat Overeem. The good part
is that the final will have a Brazilian for sure.
Strategy
“When
I pushed him up against the cage he was breathing hard. I knew
I’d win if I could take him down.”
Beating
Fedor
“The
guy showed he’s the best for ten years. Now they’re
going to say he wasn’t that good? Anyone with a mouth can
say what they want, but they also hear to what they don’t
want to hear.”
“Werdum
and I showed there’s no such thing as superman or robocop.
Werdum started it and I proved it was a fairy tale.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Dana
needs to wait 5 fights (or 4 years) to confirm Anderson’s
the best
Anderson
Silva or Fedor Emelianenko? That seems to be the doubt lingering
on the minds of MMA fans and analysts alike as to who the best
of all times is.
It
could be Anderson. But UFC president Dana White, who hasn’t
a doubt about it, will only have his confirmation in five fights.
Or in early 2015, whichever comes first. At least that’s
what say the numbers, colder than the sambo fighter’s gaze.
Anderson
wasn’t yet a black belt but was already teaching Jiu-Jitsu
in Curitiba, Brazil, when he was submitted twice at the Japanese
Pride FC event, in 2003 and 2004, by the wily Daiju Takase and
Ryo Chonan. He has a third loss, in 2000, on his MMA debut, to
Luiz Azeredo.
The
Spider of today is a different fighter. He’s at his peak.
But Russian emperor Fedor Emelianenko’s zenith was, so far,
higher.
Anderson
is riding a 16-fight winning streak, not counting the disqualification
“loss” to Yushin Okami in Hawaii. He has been lossless
for a little over six years. If he maintains his invincibility
for five fights, he will beat Fedor’s numbers.
Yes,
up until tapping to Fabricio Werdum at Strikeforce, Fedor went
from 2000 to 2010 without tasting defeat. He notched 20 wins
– not counting the dozen victories obtained in the Rings
promotion, which purists may argue did not follow the rules of
present day MMA.
Fedor,
like Anderson, ravaged a grip of former UFC champions. But the
Russian has gone more fights (and time) undefeated.
To
Dana White, Silva is the best the sport has ever known because
he hasn’t lost since joining the UFC, in 2006. If you agree
that MMA didn’t come into existence in that year, there
are still five fights (or four years) to go to confirm it.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Rafael
“Sapo” Natal Out of UFC on Versus 3 Fight Against Alessio
Sakara
If
Alessio Sakara is going to fight at UFC on Versus 3, it will
be against a third opponent, since he was first slotted on the
March 3 card.
Renzo
Gracie fighter Rafael “Sapo” Natal has been forced
off the UFC on Versus 3 card against Sakara due to a knee injury
suffered in training.
Sources
close to the fighter confirmed his status with MMAWeekly.com
on Saturday. Versus.com first reported the change.
Natal
was already a replacement for original opponent Maiquel Falcao,
who had to drop out of the bout due to injury. Natal apparently
suffered a knee injury while training for the Sakara bout. There’s
been no timetable set for his return to action.
Sakara
has been out of action since March 2010 when he defeated James
Irvin. He has been set to fight a couple of times since then,
but his own injuries and illness have kept him out of action.
There’s
been no word of a possible replacement for Natal on the UFC on
Versus 3 fight card.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Strikeforce
‘Fedor vs. Silva’ Live Play-by-Play
Jason
McLean vs. Kevin Roddy
Round 1
A decent, if not great showing as we start the first preliminary
of the evening. The men touch gloves and both fighters exchange
leg kicks. The Pellegrino MMA-trained Roddy looks to be the aggressor
of the two in the early going going after McLean. Roddy misses
on a right hook but follows up with a one-two that only does
a little damage. McLean is doing very little to start this opening
round. Roddy comes in for a combination and McLean counters,
but again with very little punches on either side. A whole lot
of nothing from this opening round as McLean seems to be struggling
with Roddy's range. Roddy moves in on McLean, allowing McLean
to connect with a one-two. Very little of significance in this
opening round until a very late takedown by McLean puts Roddy
into the fence. It could be enough to give McLean the round,
but Sherdog.com scores it 10-10.
Round
2
Dave
Mandel
McLean
(right) vs. RoddyLow kicks are exchanged again to start the round
and Roddy continues to paw with his right. He finally follows
up with a brief flurry before both fighters go back to circling.
McLean is looking to time Roddy's movements and Pellegrino is
urging his fighter to go after McLean in the corner. Roddy responds
with more aggression but also clips McLean with a low blow, bringing
a stop to the action. After a brief rest we get the restart in
the action and McLean finally times Roddy the right way and comes
in full force on his opponent with a big flurry taking the taller
fighter down with his shots. The ensuing scramble sees Roddy
get back up to his feet as McLean is unable to capitalize. With
a minute to go in the round, McLean is on his horse looking to
counter Roddy again. A couple of kicks fail to find their mark
for Roddy at the end
of the round that goes the way of McLean, 10-9.
Round
3
McLean tries to come in on Roddy to start the round and catches
a right hook for his troubles. A takedown scores for McLean about
a minute into the round, but little comes from it as Roddy gets
back up. Roddy tries to turn the tables on McLean, and after
a less than stellar looking takedown attempt gets McLean on his
back up against the cage and in mount. McLean tries to maneuver
his way into a better position underneath Roddy but the longer
Roddy takes McLean's back with 90 seconds left to go in the round.
McLean is trying to turn into Roddy while fighting off the rear-naked
choke attempt and a body triangle. With less than 30 seconds
to go McLean manages to turn all the way into Roddy but has to
fight off an armbar attempt as the round closes. Sherdog.com
scores the third round in favor of Roddy 10-9.
Official
scores: 29-28 (twice) and 28-29 in favor of McLean, who takes
the split decision.
Anthony
Leone vs. Josh LaBerge
Round 1
D.
Mandel
LaBerge
(left) vs. LeoneReferee Keith Peterson is in the cage for this
featherweight contest. Laberge takes the inside and the men circle
for a minute before LaBerge ties up. Leone pushes him into the
fence and scores with a few knees inside before they disengage.
They clinch again and trade knees, then Leone snaps off a hard
low kick. He just misses with a spinning back fist. Leone really
attacking the leg of LaBerge, who then drops Leone with a knee.
Leone survives with a single-leg, but he’s now bleeding
badly from his nose. He drags LaBerge down and gets to side control,
bleeding all over LaBerge until the round ends.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Leone
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Leone
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 LaBerge
In
between rounds, the cageside physician has a look at Leone’s
nose and deems him unfit to continue. Josh LaBerge gets the win
via doctor stoppage after five minutes.
Don
Carlo-Clauss vs. Sam Oropeza
D.
Mandel
Oropeza
(top) vs. Carlo-ClaussRound 1
Keith Peterson returns to officiate this 170-pound bout. The
southpaw Oropeza misses with a left high kick over the head of
the shorter Carlo-Clauss. They clinch and Oropeza shoves his
man into the fence. There’s a bit of inside fighting and
trading of blocked knees before they split. Oropeza misses with
the same close head kick, then another. With about 90 seconds
left, Oropeza finally thuds the high kick off the head of Carlo-Clauss,
who shoots in survival mode. Oropeza sprawls and spins around
to Carlo-Clauss’ back. He lands a dozen or more unanswered
punches to the turtling Carlo-Clauss before Peterson steps in
to wave it off. The result is announced as a verbal submission
due to strikes at the 4:10 mark.
Igor
Gracie vs. John Salgado
Round 1
D.
Mandel
Kevin
Mulhall is the ref for this welterweight bout. Salgado scores
with a few punches over the low guard of Gracie. They tie up
along the fence and Gracie lifts Salgado into the air before
slamming him down and taking side control. Gracie hops onto Salgado’s
back, locks up a body triangle and rolls onto his back. Gracie
looking for the rear-naked choke but can’t get the forearm
under the chin. Salgado slams his head backward into Gracie’s
face and receives a warning from Mulhall. Salgado twists into
the cage and tries to shake Gracie, but the body triangle is
still in place. Salgado on his side now with Gracie on top using
hammer fists. Gracie rolls to his back again with about two minutes
left and gets back to hunting for the choke. Salgado is keeping
his hands on Gracie’s to negate the choke, but he’s
playing strictly defense.
Salgado
uses both of his hands to control Gracie’s right wrist.
Salgado goes for a headlock in the last seconds, but Gracie gets
into mount as the round ends.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Gracie
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gracie
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Gracie
Round
2
Salgado comes out with low and spinning kicks, trying to keep
his distance as the second round opens, but Gracie soon plows
him to the mat. Gracie pins him against the fence sitting and
traps both of Salgado’s legs in a triangle. Salgado grabs
for a guillotine, but Gracie hops into mount and tries to pin
down Salgado’s left arm. Salgado gets the limb free, but
Gracie is fully mounted and trying to flatten his man out with
three minutes still to go. Body punches from the top, then Gracie
postures up for a few to the face. Salgado spins out from the
cage and slips loose, but Gracie gets right on his back. Salgado
turns over and Gracie sinks in a deep arm-triangle choke. Salgado
appears to consider tapping just before he goes unconscious.
Ref Mulhall immediately steps in for the save at 3:04 of the
second frame.
Marc
Stevens vs. John Cholish
Round 1
D.
Mandel
Cholish
(right) vs. StevensKevin Mulhall is back for this welterweight
matchup, the final preliminary bout of the evening. Cholish catches
Stevens leaning with a switch kick and a punch, then goes down
into Stevens’ guard. Stevens gets loose and Cholish looks
to have a guillotine for a moment, but Stevens slips out, gets
to his feet and presses Cholish into the fence. Cholish reverses
and seems to hurt Stevens with a flurry of knees to the midsection.
They split and go back to head-hunting. Stevens changes levels
for the takedown, but it’s Cholish who gets underhooks and
winds up in side control, drilling knees to Stevens’ body.
Cholish tries to step over and Stevens regains a deep half-guard.
Stevens now gets full guard, hanging on underneath with 30 seconds
left. Big punch from Cholish on top opens up a cut near Stevens’
eye before the end of
the round.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Cholish
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cholish
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Cholish
Round
2
Both men looking energetic as the second frame begins. Cholish
stuffs another Stevens takedown 30 seconds in and winds up in
Stevens’ guard, raining down punches. Stevens throws up
a triangle attempt which Cholish easily slips free of. From half-guard,
Cholish scoots Stevens from the middle of the cage to the base
of the fence. Cholish is posturing up and punching, but not keeping
busy enough for ref Mulhall, who issues a confusing standup order.
Stevens is looking wiped, hunting for a big punch as Cholish
kicks to the body. Stevens goes for a takedown, doesn’t
get it, but does take Cholish’s back standing. Cholish rolls
under, grabs the right leg of Stevens and wrenches it back. Stevens
grimaces in pain and taps to the kneebar at 3:57 of the second
round.
Valentijn
Overeem vs. Ray Sefo
Round 1
Dan Miragliotta is the referee in charge of the night’s
first heavyweight bout. Overeem opens with an inside leg kick
and Sefo returns the favor. Sefo with a left hook and an overhand
right. He rushes Overeem into the cage with a right hand and
the Dutchman circles out. Front kick from Overeem. Sefo jumps
into the pocket with a combo. Overeem changes levels and puts
Sefo down against the fence with a single-leg. From side control,
Overeem cranks the neck of Sefo and quickly forces the tap out.
The official time is 1:37 of the first round.
Gian
Villante vs. Chad Griggs
Round 1
Yves Lavigne is our referee. Griggs comes in swinging and Villante
answers with some uppercuts in the clinch. Villante lobbing low
kicks before they tie up again and Griggs tags him with a haymaker.
Griggs cracks him with another big punch and Villante rushes
him into the fence to slow the action. Lavigne instructs them
to work and Griggs punches to the body. They disengage and Griggs
lands a one-two, prompting Villante to shoot again. This time,
Griggs sprawls and lands some shots on the kneeling Villante.
Villante looks to be in real trouble before landing a head kick
on Griggs. Lavigne halts the action at an inopportune time to
get Villante’s mouthpiece back in. They get back to work
and Griggs starts throwing bombs. A right hand drops Villante,
but he gets back up. Griggs gives chase and lands another huge
right, and Villante goes crashing to the mat. Griggs pounces
and blasts away until Lavigne jumps in at 2:49 the mark.
Shane
del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson
Round 1
Yves Lavigne returns to ref another heavyweight tilt. Del Rosario
goes high with a kick and clashes with a punch from Johnson.
They clinch and trade knees before Del Rosario pins Johnson against
the fence. Del Rosario is warned for holding the cage, then gets
reversed by Johnson with the over-unders. Johnson trips him to
the mat and Lavigne again warns Del Rosario of the cage grabbing.
Johnson works from the open guard of Del Rosario, who twists
and pushes off the cage, scrambling to his feet. He comes forward
with a head kick and a few punches, but Johnson ties up again.
This time, he can’t get Del Rosario down, but does pop him
with a knee in the clinch and a punch to the body. Del Rosario
clinches up now, drilling hard hooks to the ribs of Johnson.
They split and Johnson comes forward throwing shots. Del Rosario
slips them and takes Johnson down, then jumps into mount. Del
Rosario has full mount in the middle of the cage with two minutes
left. He postures up and throws a few shots, riding high on Johnson’s
chest. Johnson doing well to hold his arms out and defend the
punches, but some are still getting through. Del Rosario spins
off to Johnson’s right arm and extends the limb. Johnson
stacks up and looks to escape, but Del Rosario has it tight and
gets the tap at 4:31, running his unbeaten record to 11-0.
Andrei
Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov
Round 1
Kevin Mulhall is our referee for the semi-main event. Arlovski
fires a low kick and Kharitonov comes over the top. Switch kick
and a right hand find their targets for Arlovski. They clinch
and Arlovski pops his man with a few uppercuts underneath. Arlovski
kicks low and high, keeping on the outside as Kharitonov presses
in from the center. Jabs landing for Arlovski now, and a quick
one-two. Kharitonov ties up and tries to dirty-box, but Arlovski
shoves him off. Kharitonov lands a pair of right hands and gets
Arlovski against the fence, where Sergei drops him with a looping
right. Kharitonov shucks the legs and wails away from side control.
He lands a right, a left and another right. The last punch turns
out Arlovski’s lights and Mulhall steps in to rescue the
downed Belarusian. The official time of the brutal knockout is
2:49 of the first round.
Fedor
Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva
Round 1
Referee Dan Miragliotta is in charge of tonight’s main event.
The men meet in the center of the cage and Fedor slings grazing
overhand punches. He comes in again and eats a counter left from
Silva, but keeps moving forward. Silva flicks out a leg kick
as Fedor inches toward him. Fedor lobs a punch and the tie up,
Silva pushing the Russian into the cage. Short inside knees from
Silva before Miragliotta restarts them. Fedor is throwing wild,
lands a few blows, but eats a hard punch from Silva in return.
Emelianenko’s nose appears to be bloodied less than halfway
through the round. Silva gets an underhook and leans his huge
frame on Emelianenko. The Brazilian doubles over for a takedown
and Fedor grabs a guillotine. Silva looks for a takedown, but
Fedor stays up and dives into Bigfoot’s guard. He doesn’t
stay there long, as Silva grabs at a leg. Fedor jumps back down
into half-guard and lands short punches on Silva. The bigger
Silva muscles his way to the feet and pins Fedor agains the fence
again. Silva lands a right hand, initiating a flurry of punches
from both men. Silva scores a takedown with 10 seconds left and
finishes the round at the base of the cage.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Emelianenko
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emelianenko
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Silva
Round
2
Silva times a punch from Fedor and takes the Russian down immediately.
Silva keeps tight in Fedor’s half-guard as Fedor throws
short punches from underneath. Silva passes to Fedor’s right,
moves to north-south and then into full mount. Fedor eats a few
punches and gives up his back, but Silva can’t get the rear-naked
choke before Fedor twists around again. More punches from Silva
on top and Fedor turns over again. With Fedor again on his back,
Silva pins Emelianenko down and lands hard shots, further bloodying
Fedor. Miragliotta is taking a close look, but Fedor is dodging
punches from mount. Still, the situation looks dire as Silva
jumps off to the right side of Emelianenko. Silva has a tight-looking
arm-triangle choke, but Emelianenko will not tap. After a few
tense moments, Silva relents and winds up back in Emelianenko’s
half-guard. Still 90 seconds left on the clock and both men look
spent. Fedor’s face is badly lumped up. Silva drops back
for a kneebar, but Fedor resists and goes for a toe hold of his
own. Silva wags his finger and that’s where the round ends.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-8 Silva
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Silva
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Silva
Emelianenko’s
right eye is grotesquely swollen shut and referee Dan Miragliotta
waves the contest off in between rounds two and three on the
advice of the cageside doctor. Silva’s corner doesn’t
seem immediately aware of the decision and continues prepping
for the third period. When they find out, the Brazilian team
reacts with joy before Silva walks over and bows in front of
Emelianenko.
Source: Sherdog
|
X-1:
CHAMPIONS III
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 12, 2011
MAIN CARD:
185lb X1 World Title: Niko Vitale vs Dylan Clay (Colorado)
155lb X1 World Title: Harris Sarmiento vs Max Holloway
145lb X1 World Title: Ricky Wallace vs Eben Kaneshiro (Kauai)
135lb X1 World Title: Russel Doane vs Van Oscar Penovaroff (Kona)
UNDERCARD:
185lb X1 State Title: Collin Mansanas vs Sale Sproa t(Molokai)
145lb X1 State Title: Dustin Kimura vs Kurrent Cockett (Maui)
170lb X1 State Title: Zane Kamaka vs Jordan Kekino (Maui)
135lb Womens State Title: Raquel Paaluhi vs Nicole Johnson (Cali)
HW X1 State Title: Lolohea Mahe (Maui) vs Puka Bell (Hilo)
155lb X1 State Title: Steven Saito vs Will Shutt (Iowa)
HW X1 Amateur Title: Paea Paongo vs Kala Koa (Maui)
Source: Event Promoter
|
Alan
Belcher Back in Training, Looking at Summer Return to the UFC
by Damon
Martin
The
long road back for Alan Belcher finally has a light at the end
of the tunnel. The UFC middleweight has returned to training
and will return to action this summer.
Belcher’s
manager, Malki Kawa of Authentic Sports Management, says that
he is back in training and looking to step back into the Octagon
in June or July.
“Absolutely,
Alan’s going full speed ahead,” Kawa said about Belcher’s
progression.
The
fact that Belcher is fighting at all now is somewhat miraculous.
Prior to his scheduled fight in September 2010 against Demian
Maia, Belcher suffered an eye injury while training in Brazil
that not only almost cost him his career, but nearly cost him
his eyesight.
Will
and determination have never been a problem for Belcher, and
after getting the good news after a second surgery was performed
on his eye, he knew he’d be able to resume his fight career
in 2011.
“If
I start back hard in January, it’s probably going to take
me a little while to get back in fight shape. I want to have
a good base under me before I accept a fight, but once I do it
will be on,” said Belcher when speaking with MMAWeekly after
he was cleared to train again.
“Whatever
is soon, but when I’m ready. As soon as I’m ready.”
It
looks like that timeline has been determined and Belcher is back
in training now, but making sure that when he officially returns
to the UFC he is in top form.
Prior
to being sidelined with the injury, Belcher and reeled off back-to-back
wins in the UFC and hopes to build on that when he finally gets
back in the summer.
There
are a number of challenges ahead for the Mississippi based fighter,
but with his career resurrected, Belcher is ready for anyone.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Against
Shogun, Jones Will Fight the Body, Not the Name
Fresh
off a Feb. 5 submission win over Ryan Bader, Jon Jones will be
back in the cage March 19 to challenge Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua for the UFC light heavyweight championship.
Jones
discussed the matchup and more Tuesday during an appearance on
Bruce Buffer’s “It’s Time” show on the Sherdog
Radio Network. Quick quotes from Jones follow.
On
getting a title shot: “I’m just embracing this moment
and trying not to be intimidated by any of it. I’m excited.
I’m trying to remember that no fight’s a big fight
and not to fight anyone’s name or face but fight the body.
Fight the body and do the things that I’m normally doing
in training camp. I feel really great.”
On
fighting again just six weeks after beating Bader: “Usually
I spend the first two weeks of my training camp getting in shape.
I’m already in shape, so I have a great base to start off
[from] physically. I can even make myself that much better physically.
I’ll have an eight-pack instead of a six-pack my next fight
hopefully.”
On
the role of film study in his preparation for Shogun: “I
think studying is going to be the biggest piece. Know what I’m
doing. That’s something I take very seriously.”
On
transcending MMA: “I think the biggest difference between
being considered a great fighter and being remembered like a
guy like Ali, those guys change the world in a way. Guys like
Ali, he stood for something outside of fighting. Guys like Bruce
Lee -- no one ever remembered Bruce Lee as being that Chinese
guy. He’s that brilliant guy who changed the world in a
way. I’ve got to figure out what my passion’s going
to be outside of fighting to really make a major impact on society.”
On
his endorsement deal with K-Swiss: “I’ll be the first
MMA athlete to have a shoe. That’s something we’re
going to start designing after this fight. … I think it’s
going to be like a whole brand. There’s going to be shoes
and sweaters and jeans and all types of really cool things.”
On
whether he would have accepted a fight against Anderson Silva
as quickly as he accepted the Shogun offer: “No. No, because
my goal is to be the UFC light heavyweight champ, not to fight
superfights. Even though it would be an honor to fight Anderson
and I would definitely take a fight against him, no. I would
have had to put more thought into training properly and studying
because there’s a lot that would go into fighting the pound-for-pound
best fighter in the world. With Shogun, he has something I want.
I have nothing to lose by fighting Shogun.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Josh
Barnett: Strikeforce Grand Prix Will Be 'Total Earth-Shaker'
in MMA
By Mike
Chiappetta
NEW YORK -- Josh Barnett has made it very clear that he doesn't
care about titles or fanfare or even the public perception of
him, and he's just as adamant that performance should stand on
its own merits. In other words, forget about what's come before
today, and focus on what stands in front of you now.
As
such, he wants fans to put aside existing thoughts or preconceptions
about the UFC/Strikeforce rivalry and see the Strikeforce Heavyweight
Grand Prix for what it is.
Flanked
by the seven other tournament fighters at The Lighthouse at Chelsea
Piers, Barnett demanded the MMA world's attention.
"If
someone's just going to say, 'If it's not the UFC, then it's
not as good,' then you're really sort of s------ on all that
we're doing here," Barnett said. "So I just want everybody
to look at it from a completely objective standpoint for what
it is, for what we bring to the table, and for what we're going
to accomplish."
During
a Wednesday press conference, Barnett took the reigns as the
unofficial fighters' spokesman, expounding on the tourney's purpose,
its participants and its ultimate affect on the world of MMA
at large.
"Everyone's
going to view this differently," he said. "Everyone's
going to filter it through their own lens. For sure, this is
going to be significant. I think that it's the greatest collection
of heavyweights. But it's not just a paper thing. Everyone here
has walked the walk before. Most of the guys in here have held
titles of some sort."
It's
a fair point. Barnett and Andrei Arlovski were both UFC champions,
Alistair Overeem a Strikeforce and DREAM champion, Antonio Silva
was EliteXC's only heavyweight champ, and Fedor Emelianenko ruled
over PRIDE for years.
In
his first round fight, scheduled to take place in April, Barnett
(26-5) faces Brett Rogers. But asked if he considered himself
the favorite to win the tournament, Barnett insisted there was
no reason to speculate on that when the tournament would decide
a winner in due time.
"Speculation
is retarded," he said. "There's no reason for it. Speculation
is for you guys, not for us. We don't speculate. Our ranking,
our understanding, our place will be shown by action. So for
us to say we're the favorite, we're not the favorite, it's all
bulls---. It doesn't matter. You're the favorite when you've
won, you're the loser when you lost. So you guys pick a favorite,
you rank us, you create the lines and put the money down and
let us f--- each other up, how about that?"
The
April fight could potentially be Barnett's first in the US since
a positive drug test in the summer of 2009 ruled him out of an
Affliction card. He's won six fights in a row, and there is a
debate amongt fans over whether Barnett deserves a spot in the
heavyweight top 10 rankings.
Not
surprisingly, most heavyweight rankings are dominated by the
UFC, but several of the Grand Prix fighters, including Barnett,
Overeem, Werdum, Silva and Emelianenko are all in the mix as
well. Putting them under the spotlight of a tournament field
with the promise of several clashing seems to ensure that some
of the attention that eluded them before will reach them now.
And that, if nothing else, seems purpose enough for the Grand
Prix.
"If
this tournament comes through as expected and planned, this is
going to be a total earth-shaker in the world of MMA," Barnett
said.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
What
makes Anderson pretty much a superhero?
by Carlos
Eduardo Ozório
In an interview on Brazil’s Sportv network mentioned here
on GRACIEMAG.com, Vitor Belfort made the following comment about
the kick that led to his knockout in his title challenge at UFC
126 last Saturday: “If he tries that kick ten times, he’ll
only land it once. But he landed it, so what can I do? Total
credit to him, he’s a great champion. I’ll come back
even stronger.”
Yes,
credit to Anderson. Yes, Belfort has just what it takes to come
back even stronger and to become champion, who knows maybe even
have a better go at it in a rematch against Anderson. Nevertheless,
the kick was no fluke nor would he only land it once in ten tries.
Truth
is, history proves the opposite. We can look back at the fight
against Forrest Griffin, a much heavier adversary and one who
was once light heavyweight champion, at the top of the pecking
order. Anderson knocked him out with a left – in theory
his weakest hand – and even while stepping backwards on
top of that. And he had already floored Forrest with pinpoint
striking earlier.
He
may one day lose, but Silva is different. I’ll go out on
a limb to say, drawing a comparison with soccer, that his style
of fighting is like Garrincha’s style of play – he’s
a showman –, but he’ll likely have a longer career
and more achievements, like Pelé.
What
Anderson does in the octagon is art. Besides successfully performing
techniques most others ignore doing, mixing moves from Jiu-Jitsu,
capoeira, muay thai, boxing, taekwondo and aikido, among other
fighting styles, his main characteristic is precision. Anderson
is very precise, homing in on a precise point on an opponent
within a fraction of a second. He seems to see his opponent in
slow motion. If that’s something out of a comic book or
movie, then his nickname “The Spider” is well deserved.
In
the video below, during a laid back training session while going
through final preparations for the fight, you can already see
it. Even while doing light training, one can tell how Anderson
performs the moves like almost no one else on the planet can.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Sherdog
Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
MMA’s
eight kings remain intact, but the last four weeks have given
rise to considerable shake-up.
Anderson
Silva’s brilliant standing punt of Vitor Belfort in their
UFC middleweight title matchup at UFC 126 on Feb. 6 firmly reiterated
the hold “The Spider” has on the middleweight division,
amidst questions of waning prime and ambition. However, that
is not to say 185 pounds has been without some reshaping.
One
of Silva’s regular training partners at X-Gym, Strikeforce
middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza, retained his title in his
first defense against Robbie Lawler on Jan. 29. The performance
was one that places “Jacare” alongside the middleweight
elite, as he showed all the world-class ground ability that made
him a coveted prospect and the toughness to overcome the early
knockdown and damage that “Ruthless” was able to deliver.
Flux
continued at 205 pounds, as blue-chipper Jon Jones carved out
the most significant win of his career against Ryan Bader at
UFC 126, moving up in the light heavyweight world and securing
a UFC title shot on March 19 against Mauricio Rua.
Meanwhile,
at 155 pounds, touted up-and-comer Evan Dunham suffered a setback
on Jan. 22, falling to hard-charging Melvin Guillard in the first
round, again reminding us of the competitive shark tank that
is the lightweight division.
However,
no change has been as prominent as that at 145 pounds. While
former champion Mike Thomas Brown fell twice in three weeks --
first to Diego Nunes on Jan. 1 and then to Rani Yahya on Jan.
22, both by split decision -- unbeaten Team Alpha Male product
Chad Mendes joined the ranks of the top featherweights with a
fantastic Feb. 6 showing against Japanese standout Michihiro
Omigawa, dominating the Yoshida Dojo product for 15 minutes.
Heavyweight
1.
Cain Velasquez (9-0)
The hope was that Velasquez would make the first defense of his
UFC heavyweight title in April or May against Junior dos Santos.
However, rehab did not mend his torn rotator cuff, and surgery
became a necessity. Therefore, the first defense of the new champion
will likely come this summer -- or later.
2.
Brock Lesnar (5-2)
Recluse? What recluse? The infamously standoffish Lesnar is now
in the middle of taping the 13th season of “The Ultimate
Fighter,” where he will coach against Junior dos Santos.
The season will set up a high-stakes heavyweight clash between
the two, likely on June 11 at UFC 131, which might mark the UFC’s
return to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
3.
Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)
With his elbow injury healing, Werdum looks ready to return to
action. Coming off his June win against Fedor Emelianenko, “Vai
Cavalo” will be cast right back into the fire, as he takes
on Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in the quarter-finals
of the promotion’s heavyweight grand prix, slated for April
9 in Japan.
4.
Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC)
The world’s eyes are fixed on East Rutherford, N.J., waiting
to see if “The Last Emperor” can respond to his shocking
June loss to Fabricio Werdum. Emelianenko returns to action Feb.
12 in the first round of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand
prix against mammoth Brazilian Antonio Silva.
5.
Junior dos Santos (12-1)
Rather than wait for UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez
to heal from his rotator cuff injury, “Cigano” has
opted to stay active. Dos Santos will coach opposite Brock Lesnar
on the 13th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” culminating
in a clash between the two heavyweights, tentatively scheduled
for UFC 131 on June 11.
6.
Shane Carwin (12-1)
Carwin was scheduled to face “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 10 winner Roy Nelson at UFC 125 on Jan. 1. However, due
to ongoing spinal problems, he opted for surgery. After a successful
procedure, the Colorado native has returned to training and now
eyes a purported bout with Cheick Kongo at UFC 131.
7.
Frank Mir (14-5)
After a rumored fight with hot heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub
fell through, Mir has signed on to meet former International
Fight League champion Roy Nelson at UFC 130 on May 28. The pair
has a history, as Nelson previously defeated Mir in a grappling
match at a North American Grappling Association event.
8.
Alistair Overeem (34-11, 1 NC)
MMA fans have wanted to see the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix back
inside the cage against high-level, meaningful heavyweight opponents.
They will finally get their wish on April 9. Strikeforce has
plans for Overeem to meet Fabricio Werdum in their hotly-anticipated
quarter-final matchup in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix
in Japan.
9.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 1 NC)
“Minotauro” continues to mend from the hip surgery
that took him out of a rematch with Frank Mir in September. Nogueira
now targets August’s UFC show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
as his desired comeback date. It would be a fitting return for
one of Brazil’s greatest MMA idols.
10.
Antonio Silva (15-2)
Silva has the chance to shock the world, put a wrench in the
works, tip over the apple cart and many other metaphors. On Feb.
12, “Bigfoot” takes on longtime heavyweight ruler Fedor
Emelianenko in the opening round of Strikeforce’s heavyweight
grand prix, in what is easily the biggest fight of his career.
Other
contenders: Josh Barnett, Cole Konrad, Roy Nelson, Ben Rothwell,
Brendan Schaub.
Light
Heavyweight
1.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4)
“Shogun” expected to tangle with former UFC champion
Rashad Evans in the first defense of his light heavyweight title
on March 19. However, a knee injury to Evans means that Rua will
instead meet star prospect Jon Jones at UFC 128 in a fight that
quickly excited and ignited the MMA public.
2.
Rashad Evans (15-1-1)
In a cruel bit of coincidence, Evans’ decision to wait for
UFC champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s knee to heal
before fighting him for the 205-pound crown culminated in his
own knee injury. The blow forced Evans out of their March 19
clash. Evans’ title shot will now go to his teammate at
Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Jon Jones.
3.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8)
In a crucial bout in November, “Rampage” earned a split
decision win over former UFC champion Lyoto Machida. Another
tough Brazilian is next on deck, as Jackson will take on Thiago
Silva at UFC 130 on May 28 in a bout with obvious and considerable
stakes at 205 pounds.
4.
Lyoto Machida (16-2)
It was not long ago that many thought Machida was simply unbeatable
at 205 pounds. Two losses later, Machida heads into a bout with
MMA legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, with
many fans having completely forgotten the kind of dominance that
was expected for “The Dragon.”
5.
Jon Jones (12-1)
In a UFC 126 fight many tabbed as a considerable test, Jones
continued his habit of abusing good fighters, as he hustled the
previously unbeaten Ryan Bader on the floor before locking up
a fight-ending guillotine late in round two. A knee injury suffered
by teammate Rashad Evans has opened the door for Jones to vie
for the UFC light heavyweight crown against Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua on March 19 at UFC 128.
6.
Forrest Griffin (18-6)
In his first action in 15 months, Griffin was not perfect. However,
the former UFC light heavyweight champion used top control and
rangy striking to earn a unanimous decision victory over former
middleweight titleholder Rich Franklin at UFC 126. The performance
netted a strong win and put him back in the consciousness of
the MMA public.
7.
Ryan Bader (12-1)
In a matchup of preeminent 205-pound prospects, Bader was definitively
the lesser when he met Jon Jones at UFC 126. For the better part
of two rounds, he was dominated by Jones, who forced “Darth”
Bader to tap to a guillotine late in the second stanza.
8.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-4)
Coming off of a tough decision loss to Ryan Bader in September,
Nogueira will find himself in a more manageable bounce-back fight.
“Minotoro” will take on former UFC light heavyweight
champion Tito Ortiz, winless in more than four years, at UFC
Fight Night 24 on March 26 in Seattle.
9.
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (10-2)
“Feijao” surprised onlookers by thumping Muhammed “King
Mo” Lawal in August to take the Strikeforce light heavyweight
title. Now, the Brazilian will make his first title defense on
March 5, when he takes on former two-division Pride Fighting
Championships titleholder Dan Henderson in Columbus, Ohio.
10.
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (7-1)
“King Mo” had his crown taken by Rafael “Feijao”
Cavalcante on Aug. 21 in Houston. A slow start and an overreliance
on his stand-up skills saw Lawal play right into Cavalcante’s
game. It resulted in his being stopped just 74 seconds into the
third round, as he suffered the first loss of his MMA career.
Now, Lawal continues to mend from knee surgery that should keep
him out for the first quarter of 2011.
Other
contenders: Rich Franklin, Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko,
Gegard Mousasi, Thiago Silva.
Middleweight
1.
Anderson Silva (28-4)
It was Silva at his finest. In one of his most anticipated bouts
to date, the UFC middleweight champion ducked, dodged and weaved
around Vitor Belfort’s punches before slamming a front kick
into his face that struck him down. The sensational first-round
stoppage could potentially lead to the much-anticipated clash
between Silva and welterweight king Georges St. Pierre, should
GSP best Jake Shields in April.
2.
Chael Sonnen (25-11-1)
Sonnen was expected to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128 in March.
However, the embattled middleweight took yet another hit after
pleading guilty to federal charges of money laundering, forcing
the UFC to put the freeze on Sonnen’s contract. It leaves
the former middleweight title challenger out of competition for
the near future.
3.
Yushin Okami (26-5)
Such is life for Okami. After earning the most significant win
of his career against Nate Marquardt in November, “Thunder”
was seemingly next on deck for the winner of the UFC 126 match
between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort. However, Silva’s
remarkable performance has quickly accelerated talks of a super
fight with Georges St. Pierre, putting Okami on the backburner
again.
4.
Nate Marquardt (30-10-2)
Marquardt’s three-year journey to earn another shot at middleweight
ruler Anderson Silva hit another speed bump in Oberhausen, Germany,
in November. For the better part of 15 minutes, Marquardt was
outboxed and outwrestled by a surprisingly aggressive Yushin
Okami, who took the unanimous nod and, with it, a potential UFC
middleweight title shot. The defeat dropped Marquardt back into
the rest of the population at 185 pounds. The former middleweight
King of Pancrase will collide with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128
on March 19.
5.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (14-2, 1 NC)
In a great fight, Souza successfully defended his Strikeforce
middleweight crown for the first time on Jan. 29, submitting
Robbie Lawler in the third round. “Jacare” dominated
on the ground but was badly hurt in the first round, battling
back from the brink of defeat to notch the rear-naked choke win
in the third stanza.
6.
Demian Maia (14-2)
Just as he had done against Mario Miranda in August, Maia controlled
Kendall Grove on the floor on Dec. 4 en route to earning a unanimous
decision. Another thorough if not thrilling win for Maia continues
to help erase the bitter memories of his April debacle with middleweight
champion Anderson Silva in the United Arab Emirates.
7.
Dan Henderson (26-8)
Henderson can barely be considered a middleweight at this point.
Following his Dec. 4 crushing of Renato “Babalu” Sobral,
“Hendo” will challenge Rafael Cavalcante for the Strikeforce
light heavyweight belt on March 5 in Columbus, Ohio.
8.
Jorge Santiago (23-8)
In a rematch of one of the most underrated fights of 2009, Santiago
and Kazuo Misaki turned in arguably the best bout of 2010. The
back-and-forth five-round war culminated in Santiago -- who had
already been nearly knocked out and submitted in the fight --
retaining his Sengoku middleweight crown by pounding on a hapless
Misaki until his corner threw in the towel.
9.
Vitor Belfort (19-9)
Though many tabbed Belfort a live underdog heading into his Feb.
6 title challenge against Anderson Silva, it seems hard to imagine
“The Phenom” not becoming synonymous with his brutal
knockout loss to “The Spider” at UFC 126. The Brazilian
fight community has already immortalized the knockout as “bicuda
na fuca,” and it is sure to be a highlight reel staple for
years to come.
10.
Michael Bisping (20-3)
In February, Bisping lost a contentious decision to Wanderlei
Silva in Sydney, Australia. Fifty-three weeks later, on Feb.
27, he will return to the site of the fight, taking on suddenly
relevant journeyman Jorge Rivera at UFC 127.
Other
contenders: Alan Belcher, Robbie Lawler, Hector Lombard, Wanderlei
Silva, Brian Stann.
Welterweight
1.
Georges St. Pierre (21-2)
St. Pierre has proven sterling in Montreal, where he has bashed
Matt Serra and Josh Koscheck. Next for “Rush” will
be an appearance in Toronto on April 30, when he will defend
his welterweight crown against Jake Shields in the main event
of UFC 129 in front of what figures to be a massive crowd at
the Rogers Centre.
2.
Jon Fitch (23-3, 1 NC)
After besting Thiago Alves for a second time, Fitch was hopeful
he would get another crack at the UFC welterweight crown. That
opportunity will go to Jake Shields. Instead of another title
shot, Fitch draws former two-division champion B.J. Penn at UFC
127 on Feb. 27 in Sydney, Australia.
3.
Thiago Alves (18-7)
Alves did not have much time to savor his win over John Howard
at UFC 124 before his name was right back on the UFC docket.
“Pitbull” will return in May, when he is scheduled
to meet surging welterweight contender Rick Story in a high-stakes
bout at 170 pounds.
4.
Jake Shields (26-4-1)
Shields made the jump from Strikeforce to the UFC because he
felt it was the best way for him to prove his mettle against
the world’s best fighters. He will get the ultimate chance
to do so on April 30, when he challenges Georges St. Pierre for
the UFC welterweight crown at UFC 129 in front of tens of thousands
of fans at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
5.
Josh Koscheck (15-5)
Koscheck’s crushing Dec. 11 defeat to Georges St. Pierre
was not just figurative; it was literal. Following surgery to
repair a smashed orbital bone, Koscheck will spend at least six
months on the shelf before returning to action, potentially stepping
back into the Octagon sometime this summer.
6.
Martin Kampmann (17-4)
In October, Kampmann earned props from the MMA world for his
split decision loss to Jake Shields in a fight many feel he won.
MMA’s foremost Dane has been rewarded with a major bout,
as he will meet Diego Sanchez in a welterweight tilt at UFC Live
3 on March 3 in Louisville, Ky.
7.
Carlos Condit (26-5)
Condit’s resurgent 2010 campaign has earned him an all-action
fight to kick off 2011. At UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia, the
“Natural Born Killer” will take on free-swinging veteran
Chris Lytle in a fight that promises wild action and bears welterweight
contender consequences.
8.
Nick Diaz (24-7, 1 ND)
Diaz’s Jan. 29 victory against Evangelista Santos was, as
usual, thrilling. While “Cyborg” cut into the legs
of Diaz, the Strikeforce welterweight champion blasted back with
punches, until his slick armbar ended the fight in round two.
His second successful title defense may set up a fight with British
banger Paul Daley in the coming months.
9.
Dan Hardy (23-8, 1 NC)
After ripping off four straight wins to begin his tenure in the
Octagon, Hardy was bested in both of his 2010 outings. “The
Outlaw” will look to start off 2011 on a more productive
note come March 26, when he welcomes back serious hitter Anthony
Johnson at UFC Fight Night 24.
10.
Paul Daley (26-9-2)
Daley is scheduled for tune-up action at BAMMA 5 on Feb. 26 in
Manchester, England. However, most view the bout as a mere stay-busy
venture, as Strikeforce eyes a potential welterweight title clash
between “Semtex” and champion Nick Diaz later this
year. That fight would likely provide massive fireworks should
it go down.
Other
contenders: Ben Askren, Jake Ellenberger, John Hathaway, Jay
Hieron, Mike Pyle.
Lightweight
1.
Frankie Edgar (13-1-1)
In round one of his lightweight title defense against Gray Maynard
at UFC 125, Edgar looked dead to rights after taking an epic
pummeling from “The Bully.” Somehow, Edgar fought back
valiantly over the last 20 minutes, shutting down Maynard’s
wrestling and becoming the more effective boxer. After five rounds,
Edgar had forced a split draw in a sensational fight, as well
as a third fight with Maynard at UFC 130 on May 28.
2.
Gilbert Melendez (18-2)
After a potential New Year’s Eve rematch with Dream champion
Shinya Aoki fell apart, Strikeforce champ Melendez was left with
no clear next opponent. In the meantime, “El Nino”
has taken to calling out welterweight contender Paul Daley, announcing
his interest in a 165-pound catchweight bout against the hard-hitting
Brit.
3.
Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC)
Through five minutes at UFC 125, it seemed a lock that Maynard
would leave Las Vegas with the UFC lightweight crown. But while
“The Bully” crushed Frankie Edgar in the first round,
the champion battled back over the next four to force a draw
and retain his title in an early “Fight of the Year”
contender. The pair will square off for the third time on May
28 at UFC 130 in Las Vegas.
4.
B.J. Penn (16-7-1)
Penn and Matt Hughes were rivals for nearly six years. However,
in the rubber match between the former UFC champs, it took “The
Prodigy” just 21 seconds to brutally put Hughes down for
the count. Next for Penn will be another fight at 170 pounds
-- and a major one, at that -- as he meets Jon Fitch in the UFC
127 headliner on Feb. 27 in Sydney, Australia.
5.
Shinya Aoki (26-5, 1 NC)
It was not really an MMA bout, but Aoki was embarrassed by cosplaying
K-1 Max veteran Yuichiro Nagashima on New Year’s Eve in
Tokyo. After surviving the kickboxing round of their “mixed
rules” bout, Aoki was clobbered with a giant knee just four
seconds into the MMA round by “Jienotsu,” making for
a bitter end to 2010.
6.
Eddie Alvarez (21-2)
In his Oct. 21 bout with Roger Huerta, Alvarez was positively
destructive, using his uppercut and newly-found low kicks to
batter the UFC veteran and force the cageside doctor to halt
the fight after 10 minutes. Postfight, Alvarez took the opportunity
to call out Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez,
and the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion itself further
exacerbated the call for the crossover megafight. Bellator’s
Season 4 tournament to determine Alvarez’s next challenger
kicks off in March.
7.
Kenny Florian (14-5)
A knee injury took Kenny Florian out of a proposed Jan. 22 bout
with Evan Dunham. As the knee injury heals, the former UFC lightweight
title challenger is looking at a return in the early spring,
possible at UFC 130 or 131, and likely at 145 pounds.
8.
Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2)
On New Year’s Eve, Kawajiri dulled the bitter sting of his
July submission loss to Shinya Aoki by soundly handling former
Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson. Kawajiri used
top position to dominate “The Punk” en route to an
impressive unanimous decision win, perhaps paving the way for
the “Crusher” to compete stateside in 2011.
9.
Jim Miller (19-2)
A winner of six straight bouts in the hyper-competitive UFC lightweight
division, Miller is inching ever closer to a coveted 155-pound
title shot. In order to keep that dream afloat, he will have
to deal with “The Prince of Persia,” Kamal Shalorus,
at UFC 128 on March 19. The upside? The fight will be contested
in Miller’s home state of New Jersey.
10.
Sean Sherk (36-4-1)
With 40-plus fights and over a decade in the sport, injuries
have piled up for Sherk. As a result, the 37-year-old “Muscle
Shark” has taken time off to heal and rehab, and is now
targeting a potential summer return to the Octagon.
Other
contenders: Clay Guida, Melvin Guillard, Benson Henderson, Anthony
Pettis, George Sotiropoulos.
*With
his Jan. 22 loss to Melvin Guillard, previously 10th-ranked Evan
Dunham falls from the lightweight top 10.
Featherweight
1.
Jose Aldo (18-1)
Aldo continues to rehab the back injury which forced him out
of a slated Jan. 1 title defense against Josh Grispi. When he
comes off the mend, the Brazilian phenom will launch straight
into preparation for UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, where he’ll
take on Mark Hominick in his first UFC title defense.
2.
Hatsu Hioki (23-4-2)
In the most significant fight of his career, Hioki was brilliant
in wresting the Sengoku featherweight crown from Marlon Sandro.
Over five thrilling rounds, Hioki was clinical on the feet and
otherworldly on the ground, threatening Sandro in every position
for 25 minutes in Hioki’s best performance to date.
3.
Chad Mendes (10-0)
Mendes showcased his aggressive and well-rounded style in the
biggest fight of his young career, as he pummeled a tough Michihiro
Omigawa over three rounds at UFC 126. With the win, Mendes puts
himself on the cusp of a UFC featherweight title shot.
4.
Manny Gamburyan (11-5)
With his corking of former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown in
April, Gamburyan earned his shot at Jose Aldo. However, when
the two met at WEC 51 on Sept. 30, the tough Armenian had very
little to offer the Brazilian, who leisurely strolled through
the first round before turning up the heat and halting Gamburyan
in the second. Gamburyan is set to return against Raphael Assuncao
at UFC 128 on March 19.
5.
Michihiro Omigawa (12-9-1)
Omigawa’s return to the Octagon was not a pleasant one,
as the Yoshida Dojo product was beat up on the feet and on the
floor by hot prospect Chad Mendes at UFC 126. With the loss,
Omigawa is 8-2-1 as a featherweight, but 0-3 inside the confines
of the UFC.
6.
Marlon Sandro (17-2)
Sandro’s fearsome punching power was no match for the rangier,
slicker and more technical Hatsu Hioki, who took apart the Brazilian
on the feet on Dec. 30. Sandro, a Nova Uniao black belt in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu, was also in constant danger on the floor against the
Japanese standout. Sandro dropped the unanimous decision, with
his consolation prize being the respect he received for the toughness
he exhibited in defeat.
7.
Diego Nunes (16-1)
Since hooking up with top Brazilian team Nova Uniao, “The
Gun” has showed marked improvement with each appearance.
At UFC 125 on Jan. 1, Nunes took his game to another level, out-striking
former featherweight ruler Mike Thomas Brown en route to a split
decision and positioning himself near the top of the contenders
list at 145 pounds.
8.
Joe Warren (6-1)
While it’s tough to say whether Warren is, as he claims,
“the baddest man on the planet,” the former Greco-Roman
wrestling champion showed otherworldly toughness in his Sept.
2 bout with Joe Soto. Warren came back from a hellacious beating
in the fight’s opening round to knock out Soto and take
the Bellator featherweight title 33 seconds into round two.
9.
Dustin Poirier (9-1)
Prior to UFC 125, few fans knew Poirier’s name. However,
after a crushing display of offense against the heavily-favored
and well-regarded Josh Grispi, it is fair to say the 21-year-old
Poirier has emerged as another young stud in the 145-pound division.
10.
Josh Grispi (14-2)
Grispi was all set to challenge Jose Aldo for featherweight supremacy
at UFC 125. Then, Aldo was forced out of the fight with a back
injury, and “The Fluke” instead squared off with Dustin
Poirier. The lesser-known Poirier shocked onlookers by pummeling
the Massachusetts native from bell to bell, taking a commanding
unanimous decision and knocking Grispi out of title contention.
Other
contenders: Raphael Assuncao, Bibiano Fernandes, Mark Hominick,
Hiroyuki Takaya, Rani Yahya.
*With
his Jan. 22 loss to Rani Yahya, formerly seventh-ranked Mike
Thomas Brown exits the featherweight rankings.
Bantamweight
1.
Dominick Cruz (17-1)
Seldom does hyperactivity look easy, but that is Cruz. He continued
to show the evolution of his slick punching and unpredictable
style on Dec. 16, as he shut out the tough Scott Jorgensen over
five rounds at WEC 53. The win set the table for a major bantamweight
showdown against the only man to ever beat “The Dominator,”
former WEC featherweight king Urijah Faber, once Cruz recovers
from hand surgery.
2.
Joseph Benavidez (13-2)
Despite his two losses to Dominick Cruz and the fact that he
may be a natural 125-pounder, Benavidez has picked off more top
bantamweights than nearly any other 135-pound fighter. Stepping
in for an injured Brian Bowles, Benavidez added another Top 10
win to his ledger by dominating Wagnney Fabiano and choking the
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt into submission at WEC 52.
3.
Brian Bowles (8-1)
Bowles has been plagued by injuries of late, but he finally appears
set for a return, 362 days after he lost the WEC bantamweight
crown to Dominick Cruz. Bowles will need every shred of good
health when he takes on Greg Jackson-trained bomber Damacio Page
in a rematch at UFC Live 3 on March 3 in Louisville, Ky.
4.
Urijah Faber (24-4)
The fight world is clamoring for a rematch between Dominick Cruz
and Faber, the only man to defeat the UFC bantamweight champion.
However, Cruz’s recent hand surgery will postpone such a
bout until at least late 2011. The “California Kid”
will not sit on the shelf, however: Faber will take on hard-punching
ex-WEC champ Eddie Wineland at UFC 128 on March 19 in Newark,
N.J.
5.
Scott Jorgensen (11-4)
Jorgensen was game and valiant until the end, but he simply had
nothing to offer bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz in their
Dec. 16 title clash. For 25 minutes, Jorgensen was hit with punches
in bunches on the feet and taken down repeatedly in a one-sided
decision loss that snapped a five-fight win streak.
6.
Miguel Torres (38-3)
It didn’t set the world on fire, but Miguel Torres rode
a strong jab to a one-sided unanimous verdict over Antonio Banuelos
at UFC 126 on Feb. 6. The performance has earned Torres flak,
as it so strongly departed from the blood-and-guts fight style
that helped him rise to prominence as the former WEC bantamweight
king.
7.
Takeya Mizugaki (13-5-2)
In his Nov. 11 bout with Urijah Faber, Mizugaki was viciously
choked unconscious by the former featherweight star in Faber’s
bantamweight debut. Mizugaki’s next bout will be a comparatively
softer touch, as he is tentatively scheduled to meet Francisco
Rivera at UFC Live 3 on March 3.
8.
Brad Pickett (20-5)
Always a thrill, Pickett excited again at WEC 53 against dynamic
Canadian Ivan Menjivar, earning a unanimous decision victory
in a highly entertaining, back-and-forth contest. The victory
was Pickett’s third in four fights since joining Zuffa LLC’s
bantamweight ranks 12 months ago.
9.
Masakatsu Ueda (12-1-2)
Taking on late replacement Ralph Acosta in Tokyo on Jan. 10,
the former Shooto 132-pound world champion showed all the facets
of his evolving game. Ueda exhibited some improving standup skills,
but more chiefly, put his expert grappling on display. Ueda and
Acosta showed off their technical wrestling chops before Ueda
closed the show with his patented Brabo choke.
10.
Demetrious Johnson (8-1)
At UFC 126, Demetrious Johnson showed once again that, regardless
of size, he possesses all the goods to hang at 135 pounds. Johnson
put together his combination striking and lightning-fast takedowns
to take a one-sided decision over Japanese star Norifumi “Kid”
Yamamoto. It was the third win in just over four months for “Mighty
Mouse.”
Other
contenders: Antonio Banuelos, Wagnney Fabiano, Zach Makovsky,
Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland.
*With
his return to the featherweight division, formerly ninth-ranked
Rani Yahya exits the bantamweight rankings.
Flyweight
1.
Jussier da Silva (9-0)
In his high-pressure stateside debut, Da Silva aced his assignment,
liberally taking the back of WEC veteran Danny Martinez en route
to a tidy unanimous decision win under the Tachi Palace Fights
banner. Next up for “Formiga” is a bout with another
WEC alum, Ian McCall, at Tachi Palace Fights 8 in February. A
victory there could set him up for a shot at the promotion’s
flyweight champion, Ulysses Gomez.
2.
Yasuhiro Urushitani (18-4-6)
It was a non-title fight, but in his Nov. 19 appearance against
a tough Takuya Mori, Urushitani looked every bit the top 123-pounder
in professional Shooto. Urushitani brutally bashed Mori in the
first round, earning his first knockout in the Shooto ring in
his decade-long career.
3.
Mamoru Yamaguchi (25-5-3)
It seems like Shooto’s afroed ace has decided he likes fighting
in America: after besting Greg Guzman in Highland, Calif. last
August, Mamoru will return to action in the Golden State this
spring. The former two-division Shooto world champ will step
in for Alexis Vila to face John Dodson at Tachi Palace Fights
9 on May 5 in Lemoore, Calif.
4.
Yuki Shojo (10-5-2)
One of the flyweight division’s most exciting commodities,
Shojo will return to action for the first time in nearly a year
on March 12. At “Shootor's Legacy 2” in Tokyo, he’ll
take on former 114-pound title challenger Noboru “Shinpei”
Tahara in what promises to be an entertaining tilt.
5.
Ryuichi Miki (10-4-3)
A third bout with Yasuhiro Urushitani was the chance of a lifetime
for Miki, who had the opportunity to vie for the Shooto 123-pound
world title. However, as in the pair’s first two encounters,
it was Urushitani who walked out the victor and remained champion
on May 30.
6.
Kiyotaka Shimizu (7-3-2)
The flyweight “King of Pancrase” played a minor role
in Japan’s New Year’s season festivities. Shimizu was
a last-minute addition to the Sengoku Raiden Championship “Soul
of Fight” card on Dec. 30, as he defeated Ichiro Sugita
by split decision in a one-round, five-minute “jacket rules”
bout. Real opposition for the Pancrase champion will likely come
in February or March.
7.
Alexis Vila (8-0)
Vila was scheduled for the biggest fight of his career against
Greg Jackson product John Dodson at Tachi Palace Fights 9 in
May. However, Vila opted out of the fight, and will instead take
a considerably less challenging bout in against Lewis McKenzie
in Miami on Feb. 12.
8.
Fumihiro Kitahara (9-2-1)
Kitahara’s first bout against a true A-level flyweight did
not go as he had hoped. The 2008 Shooto rookie champion took
on former two-division Shooto world titleholder Mamoru Yamaguchi,
who needed just over two minutes to put his shin on Kitahara’s
head, leaving him flat on the mat.
9.
Mitsuhisa Sunabe (13-6-4)
Sunabe was unsuccessful in his bid to regain his flyweight “King
of Pancrase” title on Dec. 5 against rival Kiyotaka Shimizu,
as the pair battled to a split draw. However, the bout’s
lack of resolution and high level of excitement has paved the
way for a fourth clash between Sunabe and Shimizu later this
year.
10.
John Dodson (11-5)
Dodson has seen his opponent for Tachi Palace Fights 9 change,
but the swap may actually be a step up for “The Magician.”
Originally set to face Alexis Vila, the Olympic bronze medal
wrestler’s withdrawal from the fight has paved the way for
Dodson to instead take on former two-division Shooto world champion
Mamoru Yamaguchi on May 5 in what should be an action-packed
affair.
Other
contenders: Louis Gaudinot, Ulysses Gomez, Darrell Montague,
Alexandre Pantoja, Masaaki Sugawara.
Source: Sherdog
|
Over
40,000 Tickets Sold on Record-Breaking First Day of UFC 129 Sales
By Mike Chiappetta
A UFC 129 sellout at the Rogers Centre in Toronto is virtually
assured after fans snapped up over 40,000 tickets in the first
day of pre-sales to UFC Fight Club members.
UFC
Director of Canadian operations Tom Wright told MMA Fighting
that within 6-7 minutes of the box office opening, more seats
had been added to meet the demand, and within an hour, available
tickets were down to single seats.
The
number of tickets sold has already shattered the the current
paid North American MMA attendance record, which was just set
at UFC 124 in Montreal, when 23,152 filled the Bell Centre.
"Sales
were terrific, is the easiest way to say it," Wright told
MMA Fighting. "As you might know, it took a long time to
properly setup and scale Rogers Centre for UFC 129. This is our
first time out of hockey and basketball venues and into a baseball
and football stadium. We took great pains to make sure it's a
great experience for fans."
Wright
said there will be a limited number of tickets left for Friday's
pre-sale and for Saturday's general public sale.
He
added that more seats would be added to try to accommodate as
many fans as possible without compromising the live event experience,
saying that 50,000 fans seemed "a tall order" given
the stadium configuration.
Wright
noted that UFC 129 will feature 14 screens, two "Fan Zones"
and bleachers that will take up space and kill other seats.
The
event is also likely to shatter the North American MMA gate record,
but Wright could not yet confirm that, saying, "We hope
to have that information as early as this weekend, but I like
our chances." Adding more juice to the record-smashing weekend
will be the UFC Fan Expo, which could draw as many as 100,000
people, according to Wright.
The
show's main event features UFC welterweight champion Georges
St. Pierre defending his belt against No. 1 contender Jake Shields.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
An
absolute-fighting featherweight: Rafa Mendes to brave rougher
waters
by Marcelo
Dunlop
Rafael and Guilherme Mendes didn’t want to hear about just
doing the European Open Championship. After winning at the end
of January in Lisbon they set about spoiling the ladies in their
lives. So the burly brothers took Momma Mendes and the girlfriends
for a tour around Europe.
Today
the brothers are teaching in Canada. But Rafa had a chat with
GRACIEMAG.com and made mention of plans to compete in the absolute
in Abu Dhabi. The waters he’ll face there are quite a bit
more turbulent than what he braved in Venice, but he doesn’t
hear about it. Check out what he had to say!
What
places did you get to see while touring Europe?
The
trip was really cool. Guilherme and I went around with our mom
and girlfriends. We set up a trip around Europe with them and
some friends from the gym after the competition, and it was great.
We visited Lisbon, Paris, Venice, and Rome. We took the chance
to do some seminars during the trip, which was great too. Of
what I liked best, I really enjoyed seeing the inside of the
Colisseum. I was in Rome last year and knew it was a pretty place,
but this time I had the pleasure of going inside and getting
to see it – it left me speechless. I kept imagining how
the gladiators must have felt in there. Sinister! Traveling with
the family is really pleasant; so is visiting those incredible
places, we gained a lot from it.
Where
in Europe will Jiu-Jitsu be strongest in a few years, in your
opinion?
The
European Championship is causing Jiu-Jitsu in Europe to grow
a lot. But I can’t point out any one strongest nation, since
there are a lot of tough guys in the competition and I haven’t
had the pleasure of getting to know all that many countries yet.
Overall, Jiu-Jitsu in Europe is evolving really quickly and I
believe the European Open may be a major factor in that happening.
A number of champions are already coming out of Europe, like
the brown belt weight and absolute champion (Denmark’s Alexander
Trans).
As
feras no Coliseu: inspiração nos gladiadores pra
lutar o Pan e o World Pro.
You beat Renan Borges with one of your interesting slides to
the back. How did you do it?
The
move is what we at the gym call “berimbolo.” I’ve
been doing it since I was a blue belt. In the middle of the “tangle”
of the guard I attack the opponent’s back. I’ve been
doing the position for a long time, I’m improving on it
every day at the academy. I didn’t start doing it just yesterday
or a month ago, I’ve been working on it for ten years, and
it is getting more and more effective in competition.
Will
we see you in the absolute division in Abu Dhabi again this year?
We’ll
be there for sure, but first I’m going to concentrate on
winning my weight group and holding on to my title “at home,”
as I have the previous two years. After winning my weight group
I’ll enter the absolute to help the Atos gang out. We’ll
fight to keep the absolute belt among us. I’m going to tangle
with the big guys, everyone likes seeing a skinny guy go up against
giants.
Do
you think you’ll get to train with Sheikh Tahnoon again?
I’ll
do my best. I’ll focus on having a good showing, and God
winning, I’ll have another chance to train with Sheikh Tahnoon.
I already got to train with him on three occasions and we’ve
maintained our friendship. He’s an incredible guy.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Tim
Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef Official for Strikeforce in Ohio March
5
Tim Kennedy will still get to fight on the upcoming Strikeforce
card in Ohio and will face heavy hitter Melvin Manhoef in a middleweight
bout on the card.
MMAWeekly.com
previously announced the match-up, and on Thursday Strikeforce
made the bout official for the March 5 card taking place at the
Nationwide Arena in Columbus.
Manhoef
enters the fight on a two bout losing streak and needs to get
a win when he faces Kennedy. For such a dangerous fighter, desperation
might make him that much more deadly.
“I
come to fight and give my very best,’’ Manhoef said
about the fight. “I am very, very hungry. I need to win
this fight. I am looking forward to fighting Tim Kennedy.’’
Kennedy
returns to action for the first time since losing a middleweight
title fight against Ronald “Jacare” Souza in 2010.
He’s hoping to get back in the title hunt, and the first
test is against Manhoef.
The
bout between Kennedy and Manhoef will be a featured bout on the
Strikeforce card headlined by light heavyweight champion Rafael
“Feijao” Cavalcante against Dan Henderson.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Decorated
Judoka Kheder Joins Bellator Lightweight Tournament
by Mike Whitman
Accomplished
judoka and 2000 Sydney Olympian Ferrid Kheder will compete in
Bellator Fighting Championships’ upcoming fourth-season
lightweight tournament, the promotion announced on Wednesday.
The eight-man grand prix will begin in March and air live on
MTV2.
The
“Hurricane” joins Rob McCullough, Carey Vanier, Michael
Chandler and Lloyd Woodard in the tournament field, making five
participants now official. Patricky Freire, Marcin Held and Toby
Imada are also expected to compete in the tournament, though
their participation has not yet been ratified by the promotion.
Currently
training at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, Calif., Kheder’s
most recent bout was embroiled in controversy. After three rounds
of action against Hermes Franca in Costa Rica on Dec. 19, the
fight went to the judges’ scorecards. Though most observers
believed that Franca had secured a clear victory, Kheder was
awarded a decision win. The bout was later overturned to a no-contest.
The 35-year-old French Tunisian had won five straight bouts prior
to his fight with Franca.
“I’m
absolutely determined to win this tournament,” Kheder said
in a press release “I think I’m one of the best in
the world when I have the proper training and I’m fully
prepared. I have three fights to win in this tournament, and
then I’ll have the opportunity to fight for the title against
one of the best lightweights in the world. I know this is a really
huge opportunity for me.”
As
with all of Bellator’s tournaments, the winner of the lightweight
bracket will be awarded $100,000 in total pay, as well as a shot
at Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. Kheder was originally
slated to compete in Bellator’s second lightweight tournament
in spring 2010, but was forced to withdraw due to appendicitis.
Source: Sherdog
|
Carlos
Condit Withdraws From UFC 127, Hopes for June Return
By Mike Chiappetta
A mild knee injury has knocked Carlos Condit out of his scheduled
UFC 127 fight with Chris Lytle, MMA FIghting has confirmed.
Sportsnet.ca
first reported the possibility of his withdrawal.
The
injury is likely to keep Condit out of serious training for 5-6
weeks, his manager Malki Kawa told MMA Fighting.
Kawa
said that Condit's goal is to return to action in June.
The
surging Condit had won three straight fights, including an October
knockout over former No. 1 contender Dan Hardy.
The
former WEC welterweight champion has won 11 of his last 12 overall,
with his only loss coming in a close split-decision to Martin
Kampmann.
Meanwhile,
Condit will be replaced by Brian Ebersole, a source close to
the UFC told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani, confirming a report
from FightNewsAustralia.com. Ebersole (44-15, 1 no contest) would
be making his UFC debut on the heels of a seven-fight win streak.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Relson
Gracie Seminar at O2 Tonight!
Our instructor, Relson Gracie, 8th Red-Black belt, will be holding
a seminar at:
O2 Martial Arts Academy
98-019 Kam Hwy, #208A
Aiea, Hawaii 96701
Saturday, February 12
7:00-9:00PM.
The cost is $20 per person.
We encourage all Relson Gracie students to attend!
Don’t miss a chance to train with a legend. If you normally
take the Saturday class, please feel free to come into another
class during the week to make up the missed class.
|
STRIKEFORCE
World Grand Prix -- Heavyweight Tournament Today!
The STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix -- Heavyweight Tournament begins
this Saturday, Feb. 12, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT,
delayed on the West Coast) with two quarterfinal fights from
the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The first live, non-televised
undercard bout starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.
In the main event, Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC) returns to
action against Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a
STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event. The opening quarterfinal
will match former world champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) against
Russian star Sergei Kharitonov (16-4), the last fighter to defeat
current STRIKEFORCE and DREAM Heavyweight World Champion Alistair
“The Demolition Man” Overeem.
The
other two quarterfinal matchups at a site and date to be announced
are: Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) versus the only man to tap out Fedor,
the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1),
and hard-hitting Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) against
Josh Barnett (29-5).
Dyami
Arroyo of The Bronx was the first to show at 8:30 a.m. Despite
cold, bitter, windy conditions, he kept his spot at the head
of the line. "There was no way I was going to miss a chance
to meet Fedor and the greatest heavyweights in the world,'' he
said. "As soon as I heard about this, I told my boss I was
taking the day off.''
His
buddy, Freddie Diaz, of Queens, says he called in sick. "I
love STRIKEFORCE, but this is a dream-come-true for any MMA fan.''
Said
Brooklyn's Joe Doyle, who arrived a little after Arroyo and Diaz:
"To get this kind of access to these kinds of fighters is
unbelievable,'' he said. "There was no way I wasn't going
to be here. I am really happy that STRIKEFORCE did something
like this for us. No other MMA organizations do anything like
this around here.''
Source: Johnny Bey
|
808
Battleground Presents
War of
Warriors “The Waterfront @ Aloha Tower”
The Waterfront At Aloha Tower
February 25, 2011
|
BAMMA
5 Card Official with 12 Fights
by Mike Whitman
The
bill for BAMMA 5 is now full with 12 fights, as the British Association
of Mixed Martial Arts has added two new main card attractions
to the Feb. 26 event. Joining the card is a pair of middleweight
scraps pitting Alex Makhonin against Xavier Foupa-Pokam and John
Phillips against Jean-Francois Lenogue.
The
event, which goes down at the Manchester Evening News Arena in
Manchester, England, will be headlined by a welterweight title
clash between hometown favorite Paul Daley and Deep champion
Yuya Shirai. In the co-main event, former UFC heavyweight champ
Ricco Rodriguez will square off with “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 10 alum James McSweeney in a heavyweight tilt.
Once-beaten
in nearly three years of professional competition, Makhonin rides
a seven-fight win streak into his contest with “Professor
X.” The Lancaster Morecambe MMA product has finished 75
percent of his career victims and has never been knocked out.
In
Foupa-Pokam, Makhonin faces a UFC vet on a two-year skid. After
running off seven consecutive victories, the Frenchman has lost
six of his last seven fights since making his UFC debut in April
of 2009. The 28-year-old dropped bouts to Dennis Kang and Drew
McFedries before being released by the promotion. Though Foupa-Pokam
rebounded with a victory in his native country in March 2010,
he would go on to lose three straight fights, most recently dropping
a bout to fellow UFC exile Lucio Linhares.
Phillips
is a 25-year-old Welshman who made his pro debut in 2005, winning
six of his first seven fights. A veteran of the now-defunct Cage
Rage organization, Phillips has won five consecutive bouts heading
into his fight at BAMMA 5. Most recently, he made short work
of James Zikic, knocking his fellow Brit out in just 94 seconds
at BAMMA 4 in September.
A
black belt in judo, Lenogue is on a skid similar to his countryman
Foupa-Pokam. Though the 38-year-old comes off a victory in his
last outing, he has lost five of his last six. A veteran of Pride
and Shooto competition, Lenogue also works as an actor and stuntman
in films. The Frenchman owns eight of his 14 career victories
by knockout or submission.
BAMMA
5
February 26, 2011
Manchester Evening News Arena
Manchester, England
BAMMA
Welterweight Title Fight
Paul Daley vs. Yuya Shirai
Ricco
Rodriguez vs. James McSweeney
Alex Makhonin vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
John Phillips vs. Jean-Francois Lenogue
Daniel Thomas vs. A.J. Wenn
Lee Barnes vs. Mohsen Bahari
Rob Mills vs. Lee Cohoon
Jason Ball vs. Peter Duncan
Paul Cook vs. Tom Maguire
Tim Newman vs. Diego Vital
Costas Doru vs. Liam James
Frankie Slater vs. Jeremy Petley
Source: Sherdog
|
Strikeforce:
Shane Del Rosario Sees Lavar Johnson As The Next Step
by Mick
Hammond
After years of being considered an up and coming fighter, Strikeforce
heavyweight Shane Del Rosario is finally being given the opportunity
to step up and make a name for himself as a legitimate contender.
Standing
in Del Rosario’s way is a fellow fighter looking to make
his mark on the big stage in Lavar Johnson. The two match up
for the first alternate spot in Strikeforce’s Heavyweight
Grand Prix starting this Saturday at the IZOD Center in East
Rutherford, N.J.
“We
both thought after leaving the Challengers Series we thought
we’d be fighting big name opponents, but we’re fighting
each other and that’s just how it is,” Del Rosario
told MMAWeekly.com about this weekend’s fight.
Even
if he’s not being given the kind of fight he initially thought
he’d get by stepping up into Strikeforce’s main show,
Del Rosario is grateful of the situation he finds himself in.
“This
is a good thing for me,” he said. “Whether I get in
the tournament or not, there’s going to be big names on
each card, like Fedor (Emelianenko) on this one, and that means
it will be watched worldwide, so people are going to get a chance
to see me fight.”
While
he’d like to be part of the main tournament draw, Del Rosario
knows better than to underestimate Lavar Johnson.
“He’s
not someone to look over,” stated Del Rosario. “He’s
not an easy fight. He hits hard and finishes fights, so I’ve
got to go into this smart, look for the win and hopefully get
the first alternate spot in the tournament.”
Like
Del Rosario, Johnson has been on a tear, finishing his last seven
opponents.
When
asked how he compares to other opposition Del Rosario has faced,
he said of Johnson, “Every heavyweight hits hard, but I
guess he’s got more speed than some of the guys I’ve
fought like Lolohea Mahe or Brandon Cash.
“I
think it’s very similar when it comes to all heavyweights
– one punch can knock you out – so you’ve got
to be smart and keep your hands up.”
Should
Del Rosario not make it into the tournament, he feels there is
one fighter in particular people should keep an eye on.
“I
definitely think it’s going to be (Alistair) Overeem, Fedor
or (Fabricio) Werdum,” commented Del Rosario. “You
can’t overlook Josh Barnett though; he’s a very tough
opponent and has fought a lot of really tough guys.
“It’s
going to be a really good tournament to watch and it’s hard
to tell what’s going to happen at this point, but Alistair
is really dominant right now, and I can’t see him not being
in the finals.”
Having
spent five years training, fighting, and earning the respect
needed to make it to the highest level of MMA, Del Rosario intends
to shine as bright as possible and have people leaving the arena
Saturday night remembering his name above all others.
“I
want to thank Team Oyama, Innovative Results, Metal Mulisha,
Rockstar, Power Balance, and Full Tilt Poker,” he concluded.
“Check out my fight. It’s going to be exciting with
Lavar Johnson, and I hope to put on a good show and try to steal
Fight of the Night for you guys.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Urijah
Faber Picks Fedor Emelianenko to Win Strikeforce Grand Prix
By Mike
Chiappetta
Interest in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix is not solely
limited to fans. The fighters, too, will be keeping an eye on
the field of eight over the next few months. Even the fighters
in the UFC.
Among
those is Urijah Faber, the ex-WEC featherweight champ who will
be making his UFC debut as a bantamweight at UFC 128.
Faber
-- a student of the game who calls Japanese fighter Kazushi Sakuraba
his favorite fighter of all time -- was recently asked about
his pick to win the tournament, and he went with the legendary
Russian mixed martial artist Fedor Emelianenko.
Emelianenko
will have to rebound off his loss to Fabricio Werdum last June,
but many believe he'll be able to do just that. As a fighter
who'd had to fight through adversity himself, Faber thinks the
34-year-old has the mental and physical capabilities to rally
back.
"I
think it wasn't a fluke, because Werdum's very good, but it's
not something that would happen very often," Faber said
during a recent UFC event in Las Vegas. "It's one loss.
Fedor is a world champion in combat sambo, a national champion.
He's grown up being a fighter, and he's the best fighter in the
tournament. But [Josh] Barnett is also a really tough dude. So
I think it'll be up to [Alistair] Overeem, Barnett and Fedor,
and Fedor will win."
Emelianenko's
first-round matchup against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva
takes place on Saturday at the Izod Center in East Rutherford,
New Jersey.
His
loss to Werdum snapped a 29-fight unbeaten streak that stretched
almost a decade. Oddsmakers originally made Emelianenko the favorite,
though betting patterns have caused Overeem to leapfrog him.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Chasing
‘The Pit Bull’ Mystique
by Tristen Critchfield
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Andrei Arlovski does not have much use for
shades of grey.
When
the Belarusian submitted Tim Sylvia to capture the interim heavyweight
title at UFC 51 six years ago, he was in the midst of a six-fight
winning streak in which he finished all but one of his opponents
inside of the first round. Life was good. Knockouts accumulated,
fangs flashed and Arlovski was generally regarded as one of the
best heavyweights in the world. Back-to-back losses to Sylvia
followed, and the World Sambo Championship silver medalist has
been chasing his old mystique ever since.
While
recently on his way to catch a flight out of Chicago to Albuquerque,
N.M., to train at Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts -- the third such
journey of his career -- the Affliction veteran received a bitter
reminder of his current standing.
“My
girlfriend drove me to the airport and stopped by Starbucks,”
he says. “A guy came to me and said, ‘You’re Arlovski
… a good fighter.’”
It
was not intended as an insult, but the 32-year-old received a
different message.
“I
was so mad because, before, people told me I was the s--t, he
was the best, you know? Just a good fighter? I have only white
or black, I don’t want the grey. Everything or nothing,”
Arlovski says. “I was very mad about it. That’s why
I came and trained hard.”
Arlovski
hopes the dedicated training will pay off, as he faces Sergei
Kharitonov at Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Silva”
on Saturday at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The bout
will serve as one of four quarter-finals in the Strikeforce heavyweight
grand prix. Seeds have not been assigned to the eight fighters
scheduled to compete in the tournament, but it goes without saying
that the former UFC champion will not be favored in a bracket
that includes Fedor Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Barnett
and current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
Sergei Kharitonov File Photo
Arlovski
respects Kharitonov’s hands.
His
first match against Kharitonov figures to provide enough of a
challenge. The former Pride Fighting Championships standout holds
notable victories over Overeem, Werdum, Pedro Rizzo, Mike Russow,
Semmy Schilt and Murilo “Ninja” Rua in his MMA career.
“He’s
a tough fighter, no doubt,” Arlovski says. “I had a
promotion tour to New York for this tournament. Somebody interviewed
me, and he called me at the time the underdog. No problem. [Kharitonov]
has heavy hands; he’s tough. I have to focus on his weapons
and be ready for this.”
Arlovski
enters the grand prix on the heels of a three-fight losing streak
that has called everything from his dedication to his chin into
question. While revisiting each setback, he is able to pinpoint
what caused him to lose focus.
In
his January 2009 first-round knockout loss to Emelianenko, it
was the crowd.
“I
saw that my kicks and my punches hurt him, and, for some reason,
I jumped because people started screaming ‘Pit Bull,’”
Arlovski says. “It was cool when I did the flying knee against
Ben Rothwell [at Affliction ‘Banned’], but it doesn’t
work against Emelianenko.”
When
Brett Rogers shocked him via 22-second TKO at Strikeforce “Lawler
vs. Shields” five months later, his mind was divided between
the cage and the sweet science.
“No
doubt he knocked me out,” Arlovski says. “He’s
tough. He’s dangerous. I didn’t focus on that fight
because my mind was on my pro boxing debut. I paid for this.”
In
his most recent outing, against Antonio Silva at Strikeforce
“Heavy Artillery” in May, “The Pit Bull”
failed to register much in the way of offense, but he was able
to absorb several significant punches in the opening round. Although
Arlovski went on to lose a unanimous decision, he feels he silenced
at least a few who doubted his ability to take a hit.
“He
landed a couple good right hands on my chin. I hope I shut some
mouths who said that I have a weak chin,” he says. “I
lost that fight, but I’m pretty much happy about it because
I saw some improvement and I saw my mistakes.”
During
the Albuquerque leg of Arlovski’s training camp, stand-up
coach Mike Winkeljohn has focused on getting the talented striker
to utilize his speed, as well as his power. Working with light
heavyweights like Rashad Evans and Jon Jones has only served
to intensify the camp’s emphasis.
“Andre’s
that guy that’s an incredible athlete that for some reason
his last couple fights he has stopped using his athleticism,”
Winkeljohn says. “And he was standing in front of his opponent.
He’s got some great quickness, so we’re definitely
working on a lot of footwork drills, working on his speed and
getting him to attack the angles. If Andrei gets his head on
straight, he can go with just about anybody out there.”
“Andre’s
that guy that’s an incredible athlete that for some reason
his last couple fights he has stopped using his athleticism.”
-- Trainer Mike Winkeljohn
As
both Wineljohn and Arlovski have mentioned, sometimes the 23-fight
veteran lacks the focus necessary for sustained success.
When
his mind centers on performing in the cage, the returns can be
fruitful. Before his current losing stretch, Arlovski knocked
out Roy Nelson; it remains the only time “Big Country”
has been finished by strikes in his career.
Arlovski
sounds adamant when he speaks of wanting to return to the upper
echelon of heavyweights in MMA, but he also expresses interest
in boxing and K-1 ventures.
“If
he fights the way he performs in the gym, he should have a good
night,” said Greg Jackson, who will be in Arlovski’s
corner for the first time since the Belarusian began training
in his acclaimed dojo.
With
the three opponents who are responsible for his losing streak
all a part of the heavyweight field in the Strikeforce grand
prix, Arlovski should not lack for motivation.
“It’s
unfinished business for me,” he says. “The tournament
is a great opportunity, but one step at a time. First, I have
to face Kharitonov, and we’ll see what happens after.”
Source: Sherdog
|
“Silva
has never lost in the UFC. You know how impossible that is to
do?”
Dana White seems to have gotten the monkey off his back since
UFC 126 this Saturday in Vegas. The greatest fear the president
of the organization had – that of the fight between Anderson
Silva and Vitor Belfort, rather than being a fight for the ages,
being the “worst of all times” – didn’t end
up happening.
Mission
accomplished, the promotional kingpin spoke to a group of reporters
after the show, as he usually does.
During
the conversation, as reported by US Today’s Sergio Non,
Dana White confirmed that besides Rio de Janeiro, the UFC will
return to Japan this year; heaped praise on Anderson, Jon Jones
and Shogun; and he revealed what he most hates in life.
Check
out highlights from what Dana White had to say:
UFC
in Japan and Sweden:
“Besides
Sweden, the UFC will go to Japan. Everything’s going well
on that front. That’s on our calendar for next year.”
Anderson
the best in the world
“I
don’t think anyone can argue Anderson isn’t the best
pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He may have bad days. You
can be the best golfer in the world and have bad days. You can
be the best baseball player in the world and have bad days. But
the guy (Silva) hasn’t lost since he came to the UFC. You
know how impossible that is to do? It’s impossible!”
GSP
vs. Anderson Silva
Welterweight
champion Saint-Pierre had asked for nine months to make it to
Anderson’s middleweight division. Dana gave his answer:
“No, the fight will happen (before that).”
Small-scale
MMA events
“Some
smaller events do a good job, others don’t. Just because
you have a cage or ring doesn’t mean you should promote
fights.”
Shogun
vs. Jon Jones for light heavyweight belt
“I
was impressed with how calm Jones was. He was calm, relaxed,
smooth. And he had crazy pressure on him for this fight with
Ryan Bader. But he had the posture of a champion. I feel the
kid has all the tools to one day be the best fighter of all times.
It will be interesting to see him against Shogun, who usually
bulldozes everyone standing. And Shogun has good takedown defense.
What
Dana White really hates
“I
thought Miguel Torres fought well. (…) The crowd always
wants both fighters to go after each other, but we understand
how the fighters go in there with a set strategy. What I hate
is when the guy goes in there, takes the guy down and just stays
there on top of the other for five minutes to win. That drives
me crazy. No one wants to see that!”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Cyborg
eyes return on March 5th: “I’ll focus on my Jiu-Jitsu
trainings”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Evangelista
Cyborg had the chance of disputing Strikeforce’s belt against
the American Nick Diaz and, despite having done a good presentation
and have done a good Exchange for over nine minutes, he end up
making a mistake the only time the fight went to the floor and
was submitted with an armbar, at ten seconds for the end of the
round.
Back
home, the athlete of Chute Boxe talked to TATAME and regretted
his loss. “That’s it, you make a mistake and the fight’s
over. He deserves some credit too, because he did it so he earned
the win”, said, explaining why he decided to take the fight
to the ground. “I’ve always found a way out on my legs,
that was the idea, and in order to guarantee a round in my favor
I took him down, but it end up being exactly what he wanted.
Now I can’t keep regretting it, I’ll focus more on
my Jiu-Jitsu trainings. The fight was good so far, he had a good
moment when fit a good punch on my chin, but it was going the
right way”.
Sad
about the defeat, Cyborg guarantees he’ll comeback in great
style, and nothing better than a win to “erase” the
bad result with Diaz. “I’ll take a week off so my body
rests and then I’ll return to the trainings, and I think
I’ll fight sooner than you could imagine. They’ve told
me about an event on March 5th, but didn’t say me anything
about an opponent yet… But I’ll be ready”, reveals,
already thinking about a new title shot. “I believe I can
earn another chance if I win one of two fights, and this time
I won’t make a mistake. I’ll correct my mistakes of
this last fight… I can fight anyone on my weight class”,
concluded, confident.
Source: Tatame
|
Two
Worlds monsters back: “I want to see if I’ve still
got some wood to burn!”
They’re heavy, really heavy. Both have more than one World
Championship gold medal. Both dropped out of competition rhythm,
concerned with their gyms, their MMA fights, the everyday things.
But
now they’re back, and their opponents best know about it.
Who better to tell them but GRACIEMAG.com.
The
first of the two is recovered from injuries that kept him out
of competition in late 2010. Now, Gabriel Vella has already set
a date for his return: the Paulista Championship at the end of
February. “I’m training normally and feel ready to
return to competition. I saw how great the European Open was,
the gang put on a great show. The way new talent is coming up
through the ranks has me even more motivated to compete,”
says the two-time world champion, with his sights on two more
important tournaments. “I want to compete at the Gramado
World Pro tryouts and at the Pan.”
The
second is Marcio “Pé de Pano” Cruz, a two-time
absolute world champion in 2002/2003. The Brazilian living in
Florida is already back training hard in the gi, has been making
trips to Brazil to test himself, and if he’s not thinking
of winning a gold medal, his sights are on placing in the ultraheavyweight
division.
“I
want to see if I’ve still got some wood to burn or if I’m
all ash. I’m training hard in the gi, I just don’t
know how far I can make it. All I know is that in California
I’m going to set someone back, you can be sure of it,”
says Pé de Pano.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
MMA
Top 10 Light Heavyweights: Jon Jones Moves to No. 2
By Michael
David Smith
The last time I ranked the Top 10 light heavyweights in mixed
martial arts, I wrestled with the question of who's the No. 2
fighter in the weight class: Lyoto Machida, Rampage Jackson or
Rashad Evans?
Now
I have the answer: None of the above.
Jon
Jones put on his fourth consecutive spectacular performance in
beating Ryan Bader at UFC 126, and I can no longer put Jones
below anyone other than champion Shogun Rua. With just about
any other fighter of Jones' age and experience I'd say the UFC
is rushing him into a title shot in this situation, but with
Jones I can't argue: He has proven that he deserves to be considered
the second-best light heavyweight in the sport.
So
I've got Shogun and Jones, who will meet in the main event at
UFC 128, at 1-2 in our light heavyweight rankings. Find out where
the rest of the division stacks up below.
(Editor's
note: The individual fighter's ranking the last time we did light
heavyweights are in parentheses).
1.
Shogun Rua (1): The champ is still No. 1, although so many great
light heavyweight fights have taken place since the last time
Rua stepped into the Octagon that the Top 10 of this division
looks a lot different than it did when he won the belt. In March
he'll get a chance to show emphatically that he's still the best
light heavyweight in the world.
2.
Jon Jones (5): It says a lot about the way fans view Jones that
he's actually the betting favorite against Rua. I think he'd
be the betting favorite against anyone in the world at 205 pounds
with the exception of Anderson Silva -- which says a lot about
Silva, too.
3.
Lyoto Machida (2): Although he's been leapfrogged by Jones, the
Dragon stays on top of the Machida-Evans-Jackson triangle because
his win over Evans was dominant and his loss to Jackson was,
in my view, a bad decision. He'll return to the Octagon in April
against Randy Couture.
4.
Rashad Evans (3): A knee injury in training will cost Evans his
shot at the title. In hindsight, I'm sure he wishes he had taken
a fight last fall while Rua was recovering from knee surgery,
instead of waiting for a title shot that now won't come. Evans
hasn't fought since beating Rampage Jackson in May, and it will
be a few more months before he fights again. If Jones wins the
title from Rua, Evans is saying he might change weight classes
rather than fight a teammate. So we may never see Evans in a
light heavyweight title fight again.
5.
Rampage Jackson (4): Rampage could have had a title shot if he
had wanted to take Shogun on short notice, but he said he wasn't
ready. Instead he'll take on Thiago Silva in May as scheduled
-- and maybe fight for the title if he wins that.
6.
Thiago Silva (7): Silva would certainly be worthy of a title
shot if he were to beat Rampage, but I think he's at least two
wins away. Unfortunately, he hasn't really caught on as a star,
despite an exciting style that he's used to build up a 15-2 record,
with 11 wins by knockout or TKO.
7.
Forrest Griffin (8): A Griffin-Shogun fight would have made plenty
of sense, with Griffin now on a two-fight winning streak, and
with Griffin owning a victory over Shogun. But the UFC knows
it has a burgeoning star in Jones, and wants to fast-track him
to a title shot.
8.
Dan Henderson (9): Henderson can solidify his status as the best
light heavyweight outside the UFC with a win over Strikeforce
light heavyweight champ Rafael Cavalcante in March. Henderson,
who won three MMA tournaments in his 20s and two Pride belts
in his 30s, will now try to go for a Strikeforce belt at age
40.
9.
Ryan Bader (6): I hope people don't write Bader off just because
he was trounced by Jones -- at age 27, Bader is the second-youngest
fighter on this list, and he has a long career ahead of him.
There's no shame in being 12-1, with the one loss coming to Jon
Jones.
10.
Rafael Cavalcante (10): Feijao is a lethal striker who will give
Henderson all he can handle. Win or lose, Feijao is also constitutionally
incapable of participating in a boring fight.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Toronto
Set On Making UFC 129 A Sell-Out
The Ultimate Fighting Championship set the North American mixed
martial arts attendance record at 23,152 when Georges St-Pierre
defeated Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 on Dec. 11, 2010 at the Bell
Centre in Montreal.
Canada
came through for the MMA juggernaut once again, with UFC Fight
Club members reportedly snapping up more than 40,000 tickets
to UFC 129, the promotions Toronto debut, in a special pre-sale
on Thursday.
The
original configuration for the Rogers Centre called for a setting
for 42,000 seats for UFC 129. Sportsnet.ca’s Joe Ferraro,
however, on Thursday said that UFC officials released more tickets,
likely setting the stadium up for a final configuration of somewhere
around 45,000 seats.
Thursday’s
UFC Fight Club pre-sale in and of itself obliterates the record
set at UFC 124. There is an additional pre-sale event set for
Friday for UFC newsletter subscribers before tickets go on-sale
to the general public on Saturday.
It
appears fans in Toronto are set on a sell-out for UFC 129, where
Canadian Georges St-Pierre will attempt to defend his UFC welterweight
title against Jake Shields.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Villante:
Football’s ‘10 Times’ More Dangerous Than MMA
After
tryouts with various NFL teams didn’t work out, Gian Villante
decided to try something he sees as safer: MMA.
“I
feel like football’s 10 times more dangerous and savage
than MMA is,” Villante said Monday on the Sherdog Radio
Network’s “Beatdown” show. “I’ve got
10 times worse injuries playing football than I did with MMA.”
The
25-year-old native of Wantagh, N.Y., was a standout linebacker
at Hofstra University. Since transitioning to fighting, he has
compiled a 7-1 record and earned prospect status as Ring of Combat’s
heavyweight champion. He fights Chad Griggs on Saturday in an
alternate bout for Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament.
“In
[MMA], we have weight divisions. We see the shots that are coming,”
Villante said. “In football, you don’t see it. It’s
a 400-pound guy coming as fast as a car can move sometimes, and
you don’t see him. He’s coming to clean your clock,
and you’re not even looking at him. … That’s why
these guys are getting these head injuries and shoulders are
dislocating and all that stuff.”
Villante
has cleaned a few clocks himself. All seven of his wins have
been finishes, including a knockout via a head kick. Clearly
the athleticism he used on the football field has translated
to the ring.
“If
we don’t feel like we’re getting the right opportunity
somewhere, why not take your talent somewhere else? Football
players, most of us are pretty good athletes,” Villante
said. “Big, strong guys that are explosive, fast athletes.
In mixed martial arts, that bodes well for knockout power.”
Of
course, Villante was not just a football player. He also wrestled
at Hofstra.
“I
think wrestling’s very important too,” he said. “If
you get a guy who just played football and has no wrestling experience,
you’re going to have some trouble in there. I think that’s
where it kind of helped me mix in and start off my career real
fast and in the right direction.”
Villante
has a two-year, six-fight deal with Strikeforce. Although he
sees his future in the light heavyweight division, he said the
alternate matchup against Griggs and a possible slot in the heavyweight
tournament was too good to pass up.
“Chad
Griggs isn’t a huge heavyweight,” Villante explained.
“He’s 235, I believe. Nothing too big. He’s a
guy that I think is a good fight for me.”
Griggs
is coming off an upset win over Bobby Lashley last August. Villante
was impressed with the fact that Griggs was not scared of his
larger opponent.
“He’s
a guy that comes to fight,” Villante said. “I’m
not going to intimidate him if I flex at him because I guess
Bobby Lashley is a little bigger than I am. ... I think you can
expect fireworks because we’re two guys that have pretty
much finished every fight we’ve been in.”
Villante
is expecting another finish and another win on Saturday as well.
“Like
a football linebacker, if I see a hole, I’m going to go
through. If I see an opening, if I see a guy hurt, I’m going
to finish it,” Villante said. “If I get on him and
I can catch him with something early, then I’m not going
to take it easy. I’m going to try to finish the fight right
away.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Relson
Gracie Seminar at O2 Tomorrow
Our instructor, Relson Gracie, 8th Red-Black belt, will be holding
a seminar at:
O2 Martial Arts Academy
98-019 Kam Hwy, #208A
Aiea, Hawaii 96701
Saturday, February 12
7:00-9:00PM.
The cost is $20 per person.
We encourage all Relson Gracie students to attend!
Don’t miss a chance to train with a legend. If you normally
take the Saturday class, please feel free to come into another
class during the week to make up the missed class.
|
Developer
eyes Pipeline for isles' first UFC Gym
The facility would offer mixed martial arts training along with
more typical equipment and be affiliated with isle fighter BJ
Penn
By Andrew Gomes
Jiujitsu,
Zumba and weightlifting could replace concerts, comedy and alcohol
consumption at the recently closed Pipeline Cafe.
The
former nightclub in Kakaako is being eyed as a potential location
for a fitness club that would integrate elements of mixed martial
arts and be affiliated with local fighter and UFC star BJ Penn.
If
a deal with landowner Kamehameha Schools can be reached, the
converted warehouse near Ward Centers would become Hawaii's first
UFC Gym — a fitness center concept marrying the traditional
health club with mixed martial arts training.
UFC
Gyms are a partnership between Las Vegas-based mixed martial
arts fight organizer UFC and New Evolution Ventures, a California-based
gym development firm led by the founder and former chief executive
of 24 Hour Fitness, Mark Mastrov.
New
Evolution has been involved with gym brands including Madonna's
Hard Candy Fitness, Steve Nash Fitness World, Crunch, YogaWorks
and Planet Fitness.
Described
as an ultimate fitness club, UFC Gyms feature typical weight
machines, cardio equipment and group instruction in activities
such as yoga and Pilates. But the gyms also teach wrestling,
Muay Thai kickboxing and other disciplines of mixed martial arts,
along with training aids such as punching bags, tractor tires
and the caged ring known as the Octagon.
"This
is not a fighter gym," Dana White, UFC president, says in
a video on the UFC Gym website. "This is a gym for you,
your family. It doesn't matter what age or what you're into.
If you're into doing weights and getting on the cardio equipment,
that is available for you. But there's so many more things."
The
first club opened a little more than a year ago in Concord, Calif.,
followed by a second in Los Angeles. A third in Corona, Calif.,
is under development.
The
UFC has been working for about two years on opening a UFC Gym
affiliated with Penn in Hawaii, and one affiliated with Georges
St-Pierre in that champion fighter's native city, Montreal.
JD
Penn, BJ Penn's brother and manager, said the signature gym planned
for Hawaii will exhibit a Penn flavor and be a place where people
can see the fighter nicknamed "The Prodigy" train.
"We're
excited to be a part of this new venture," JD Penn said.
"I think it's going to be huge."
Adam
Sedlack, senior vice president of UFC Gym, said he couldn't comment
on the prospects of individual sites for a gym in Hawaii. But
he said the company has been looking all over Oahu for a viable
location, including Kapolei, Waikele and Waikiki.
"We
are aggressively looking at getting out there," he said,
adding that UFC Gyms can range from 35,000 to 65,000 square feet.
Kamehameha
Schools declined to comment about leasing the Pipeline Cafe space.
The club closed Monday after more than a decade in business because
its fire protection system was discovered to be insufficient
and not feasible for owner Greg Azus to fix.
Source:
Star Advertiser
|
Strikeforce:
Big Foot brushes up grappling with Shaolin and Co.
by Marcelo
Dunlop
Heavyweight Antonio “Big Foot” Silva and his team don’t
want to hear of any surprises coming from Fedor Emelianenko on
the ground this coming weekend, and they paid a visit to our
GMA-affiliate academies.
Before
the Strikeforce GP, the first stage of which happens this Saturday,
Pezão went to train at Vitor Shaolin’s Jiu-Jitsu
academy in New York.
The
training session included stalwart fighters like Benrei, Carlos
Augusto, Guto Inocente, “Big Foot”, Vitor “Shaolin”,
Marcos “Loro”, Gabriel Miglioli, and Alex Davis.
To
find out more, visit www.bjjnewyorkcity.com and www.vitorshaolin.tv.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Storylines
That Emerged from UFC 126
by Jason Probst
With
Anderson Silva and Jon Jones playing leading-man roles at UFC
126, the fight world was treated to a memorable and truly important
event. Below, a look at the storylines that emerged from Saturday
night’s action.
Silva-GSP
Looms, Like It or Not
After
yet another epic knockout, Anderson Silva is left standing alone
atop the middleweight division, especially with Chael Sonnen
out of the mix for the time being. The champ’s sudden, crushing
stoppage of Vitor Belfort was a great ending, but one so abrupt
that it begs the question: who is the next feasible challenger?
Certainly someone with high-level wrestling is in order, as Silva
remains simply lethal on his feet.
At
the UFC 126 postfight press conference, Dana White addressed
the long-running issue of a super-fight between Silva and welterweight
king Georges St. Pierre. The UFC president said that the bout
is likely to happen should St. Pierre defeat challenger Jake
Shields at UFC 129 on April 30.
If
St. Pierre does win, particularly in the Secretariat-like fashion
he’s shown of late, a match with Silva seems obvious. Both
will have cleaned out their respective divisions for the most
part, particularly St. Pierre, whose stable of challengers consists
of guys he has already dominated. St. Pierre-Silva would hardly
be fair to top welters like Shields, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves
or B.J. Penn (should he defeat Fitch later this month), but public
perception shapes matchmaking decisions.
The
thing is this: St. Pierre should not be moving up to middleweight,
especially when he doesn’t have to from a biological standpoint.
He walks around at a solid 190-195 pounds and makes the cut to
170 like clockwork, retaining his natural size and strength advantage.
Combined with his superior athleticism, it makes him virtually
the perfect welterweight.
True
middleweights such as Silva walk around north of 210 pounds.
To add the proper weight, St. Pierre would really be pushing
his biological envelope, and it’s this writer’s opinion
that it would be a dubious transition if done in the timeline
required for Silva-GSP -- most likely, late 2011 -- as opposed
to filling out naturally over a longer stretch. The latter option
could take 3-4 years and still pose problems, as GSP is simply
not a natural 185-pounder.
As
boxer Michael Spinks showed in 1985 when he moved from 175 to
210 pounds to defeat Larry Holmes, only to later be crushed in
91 seconds by Mike Tyson, it doesn’t matter how many reps
a guy has done in the gym when he’s being hit by a bigger
man who was naturally larger to begin with.
Greatness
comes to those who dare to be great, and GSP certainly has the
wrestling and explosiveness to give Silva some problems. But
part of me recoils at the idea of him risking a terrible beating
merely to satisfy fans who have become bored with a dominant
title run. St. Pierre is on the short list of the game’s
most marketable fighters, and he owes no debt to the middleweight
division.
To
GSP’s credit, he’ll probably accept the challenge.
However, if he adds weight by simply bulking up as he has indicated
and loses to Silva, it’s going to be that much harder to
return to 170. St. Pierre-Silva is a tremendous and eminently
marketable fight, but one for which St. Pierre should be paid
handsomely, because taking on “The Spider” would be
going above and beyond the call of duty.
‘Bones’
Jones Shows Mojo, a la GSP and B.J.
"Shogun"
will put his title on the line against Jon Jones at UFC 128.After
dispatching of Ryan Bader with a second-round choke, Jon Jones
learned that he had earned a title shot against 205-pound champ
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua during one of the more memorable
postfight interviews in recent history. At 23 years and 8 months
of age, Jones will become the third-youngest UFC title challenger
when he meets the Brazilian at UFC 128 on March 19, just slightly
older than St. Pierre (23 years, 5 months) and B.J. Penn (23
years, 4 weeks).
What’s
interesting is that, while both St. Pierre and Penn reached the
rarified air of the emerging superstar, they each lost their
first chance at UFC gold. St. Pierre was looking impressive in
his initial meeting with champ Matt Hughes, but a mental mistake
in the waning seconds of the first round cost him an armbar submission
loss. Penn, a 3-1 favorite over then-champ Jens Pulver, succumbed
to the rigors of a five-round bout.
Both
Octagon greats rebounded from those experiences. If Jones beats
a talented champ like Rua at 23, several years before his ostensible
prime, odds are good that he won’t lose for a while.
Rua’s
leg kicks and wealth of experience, especially in long fights,
are the big advantages he’ll take into the match. But the
funny thing about Jones is that he continually sails over the
bars set for him, even against supposed tough tests like Brandon
Vera, Matt Hamill, or Bader.
The
Rua bout will be Jones’ ultimate proving ground and Bones’
performance Saturday night guaranteed that the world will be
watching. Given their current trajectories, the biggest fight
of 2012 could be Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva.
The
Curse of Japan Continues with ‘Kid’
Heading
into his bout with Demetrious Johnson, Norifumi “Kid”
Yamamoto was a slight -115 favorite at the sports books. Given
Kid’s edge in experience, it seemed a bit low, but betting
lines are a nebulous mix of public sentiment, perception, and
insiders constantly striving to play off those two. It turns
out they were right, as Yamamoto was outworked by Johnson over
15 minutes, dropping a unanimous decision in his Octagon debut.
With
considerable mileage on his body, the 33-year-old Yamamoto’s
best days are likely behind him. His tough debut mirrored those
of other top fighters from Japan who floundered in their transitions
stateside, including “Shogun” Rua, Takanori Gomi and
Mark Hunt.
Layoffs,
ring rust and various injuries have played roles in those losses,
and there’s the fact that Johnson is a pretty good fighter
himself. But, at this point, it’s clear that coming from
overseas with a big name is anything but a lock when trying to
make it in the UFC.
Glove-Touch
Etiquette Needs Clarification
Fighters
aren’t required to touch gloves at the start a bout, but
it does provide a nice tradition of sportsmanship to kick off
a contest. There’s always an interesting interplay with
the fighters’ prefight eye contact, and most of the time,
touching gloves goes off without a hitch.
In
the lightweight bout between Donald Cerrone and Paul Kelly on
Saturday, Kelly violated that sense of sportsmanship by touching
gloves and then immediately heaving an overhand right. Thankfully,
Cerrone’s reflexes allowed him to duck the shot, and he
submitted Kelly in the second round. To Cerrone’s credit,
he didn’t complain about the move afterward, even when Kelly
interrupted his postfight interview to issue a cheap apology
that he was “just going to work” with the punch.
What
if Kelly’s punch had landed, stunning Cerrone or even knocking
him out? Everyone involved would have had a mess on their hands.
Since touching gloves is optional, this is more of an ethical
breach than a rules infraction, albeit one with potential for
extreme ugliness.
There’s
an obvious body language fighters undertake when touching gloves.
They extend their lead hands and walk to the opposite side, essentially
making it impossible to land a clean (i.e. not cheap) strike.
If Cerrone extended his glove and Kelly planned on punching him,
he shouldn’t have touched gloves simply to get himself within
firing range.
This
was a near-miss and will be lost to the sands of time, but just
imagine if it had happened in the main event and ended the fight
10 seconds in. Guys who touch gloves and then go berserk need
to be in another sport, or they need to make it eminently clear
before the fight starts that they have no interest in doing it.
Griffin,
Ellenberger Show Value of Game Planning
Forrest
Griffin and Jake Ellenberger demonstrated tactical smarts in
their respective bouts, watching the clock while timing takedowns
to win key rounds. Against Rich Franklin, Griffin hit a key takedown
at the end of the third round to seal three 29-28 scorecards
from the judges. Ellenberger, meanwhile, used the clock intelligently
as well.
After
a tough first round in which Carlos Eduardo Rocha unleashed a
flurry of submission attempts, Ellenberger steered clear of the
Brazilian’s dangerous guard, except to hit key takedowns
at the end of the second and third rounds. It’s one thing
to dive into a tricky guard; it’s a much lesser risk to
do so with 30 seconds or less to go in a round.
Broken
down into its disparate parts, a three-round fight is exactly
that -- three separate fights, of which a fighter must win two
in order to emerge victorious. Clock awareness is a big factor
in fights, and both Griffin and Ellenberger showed solid time
management skills in taking hard-earned decision wins.
Source: Sherdog
|
Carlos
Condit Out of UFC 127, Hoping to Return to the Octagon in June
by Damon
Martin
Carlos Condit will have to wait to continue his climb up the
welterweight title ladder as he has been forced out of his bout
against Chris Lytle at UFC 127 after a knee injury suffered in
training.
The
news of Condit’s withdraw was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com
by his manager Malki Kawa, and was initially reported by Sportsnet.CA
on Wednesday.
According
to Kawa, Condit will be sidelined for approximately 3 to 5 weeks
dealing with the injury and they are shooting for a June return
to the cage for the Team Jackson trained fighter.
Condit
was coming into UFC 127 off of a huge win in his last fight,
a devastating knockout of former welterweight title contender
Dan Hardy in 2010.
As
for his opponent Chris Lytle, he remains in a holding pattern
waiting for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to find a replacement.
It’s
expected that the UFC will find someone to step in and face the
Indianapolis based fighter, but as of now no one has been slotted
into the spot.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Fitch UFC 127 Fight Journal
By Jon
Fitch
Jon
Fitch will be providing MMA Fighting with exclusive blogs leading
up to his UFC 127 showdown against B.J. Penn on Feb. 26 (live
on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET). Check out his debut below.
There
is less than two weeks to go before I trek Down Under and battle
B.J. Penn, and I'm not sure which of those two things I'm more
excited about. I'll be facing Penn on Saturday, February 26 at
Sydney's Acer Arena and couldn't be happier with either the opponent
or venue.
I'm
at the stage in my career right now where I want to be fighting
for titles and in main events. I am now a mature and seasoned
headline fighter and I want to experience more of these big nights.
I don't want to be appearing in the preliminaries or at the bottom
end of a main card.
I
am going to use this opportunity to prove to everyone that I
am deserving of a second UFC welterweight title shot. I've long
competed at a good level and actually have the second highest
win percentage in UFC history, so I think I've paid my dues.
It's
an added bonus for me to headline a show in Australia, too, I'm
now part of the push to make mixed martial arts stick in Australia
and it's a real privilege. Judging by the amazingly quick ticket
sales for this event – fastest in UFC history - I don't
think any of us have anything to worry about. Australia gets
it.
I
had my first-ever taste of Australia when we held the initial
press conference for this event in December. It was truly an
amazing experience and, in fact, if you visit my official YouTube
page (OfficialJonFitch) you can find a series of video diaries
I shot while Down Under.
As
part of the promotional tour, we did a couple of autograph signings
which were crazy. We had to stay one extra hour on one day and
an extra two hours on another day, just to get through the line
of fans that were waiting for autographs and pictures. An overwhelming
amount of people showed up and queued in Melbourne and we were
determined to make sure everyone got an autograph. It seemed
like the whole of Australia came out for us that afternoon. It
was a pretty humbling experience for a guy like me to see that
so many people care about what we're doing and aspire to meet
us.
I
had some time to run around and check things out with my wife
and Australia seemed like a great country. Even when we doing
the normal tourist thing, though, we'd bump into fans on the
street and they'd recognize me. I remember a couple of fans stopping
me at a set of lights and turning ghost-white and forgetting
to walk. They didn't know any of us UFC guys were in town that
week, so it must have come as a big surprise to suddenly be crossing
the road with a UFC fighter. I really get a kick out of seeing
the excitement that other people experience from watching this
sport. It truly means a lot to me.
I've
always wanted to one day visit Australia, but I've never really
had a reason to go there before. I haven't had the time to go,
either. So, when this chance with the UFC came up, it was a great
excuse to go and explore a new territory and do something I've
always wanted to do.
UFC
127 presents me with a great opportunity to visit Australia and
hopefully come home with a few more fans. With that in mind,
I've been working super hard in the gym in preparation for this
fight. I've got everything moving in the right direction to ensure
I peak at just the right time. Although our time zones are completely
different, fight time never changes.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
10
February Tussles Worth Watching
by Tim Leidecker
What
are the leading nations in the world for mixed martial arts?
Obviously, the United States, Brazil, Japan and England come
to mind. We all know the promotional big guns, but which farm
leagues are there to ensure the talent streams do not break down?
In
our monthly “10 Tussles” series, we take you around
the globe in an effort to broaden your MMA horizons, showcasing
the best fights that might not get much attention otherwise.
As
always, the list does not focus on the well-promoted main event
bouts from major organizations you already know to watch, but
rather on fights from all over the planet that are worth seeing.
The UFC, Strikeforce, Dream and Sengoku Raiden Championship are
excluded by design.
Hamid
Corassani vs. Paul Reed
The Zone FC 8 “Inferno,” Feb. 26 -- Gothenburg, Sweden
Highly
regarded Swedish prospect Corassani, on a quest to make it down
to 145 pounds, hopes to hit his mark this time after missing
it once and fighting at a 150-pound catchweight twice in 2010.
His opponent will be Reed, the Scottish warhorse, who, at age
39, finds himself on a farewell tour from the sport of mixed
martial arts. The Bristol-based redhead’s recent move to
lightweight met with underwhelming results, but his last three
appearances at 145 pounds have all ended in choke submissions.
A hard, dogged war awaits fans at the Lisebergshallen.
Mario
Rinaldi vs. Tony Lopez
G-Force Fights “Bad Blood 5,” Feb. 26 -- Grand Rapids,
Mich.
Florida
promotion G-Force Fights travels to Michigan to promote an event
outside of Miami-Dade County for the first time in its two-year
existence. In the luggage is a heavyweight clash between Abu
Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships and
EliteXC veteran Rinaldi and former King of the Cage champion
Lopez. The 265-pound Rinaldi posted a significant win over former
UFC heavyweight titleholder Ricco Rodriguez in July 2009 but
has struggled lately, winning only one of his three fights since.
“Kryptonite” Lopez holds a pair of wins over current
UFC heavyweight Joey Beltran and has become a good striker for
a big man.
James
Doolan vs. Michal Hamrsmid
On Top 1 “Celtic Park,” Feb. 26 -- Glasgow, Scotland
Even
though quality promotions are popping up across the United Kingdom
left and right, Scotland so far has remained underrepresented.
Fledgling organization On Top Promotions wants to change that
with its inaugural effort, held at the Kerrydale Suite inside
the Celtic Park, the home field of 42-time Scottish football
champions Celtic FC. Headlining the show will be local hero Doolan
against Czech striker Hamrsmid. Doolan is currently ranked fifth
in Europe at 145 pounds; “Hasa” stands at 10th. The
Prague Gladiator was widely considered one of the top featherweights
in Europe before a glut of injuries slowed him down in the last
three years.
Cristiano
Marcello vs. Oriol Gaset
Nitrix “Champion Fight 6,” Feb. 19 -- Brusque, Brazil
Southern
Brazilian promotion Nitrix is entering the third year of its
existence. After starting strong with four events in 2009, it
only managed to put on two shows last year. Nitrix has already
featured prominent names like current UFC middleweight Maiquel
Jose Falcao Goncalve and Team Nogueira’s Andre “Chatuba”
Santos, and it continues that tradition by booking Pride Fighting
Championships veteran and former Chute Boxe Brazilian jiu-jitsu
head coach Marcello in the main event of “Champion Fight
6.” His opponent will be Spanish striker Gaset, who trains
out of Team Kaobon, alongside Terry Etim, Paul Kelly and Paul
Taylor.
Alexis Vila File Photo
Vila
will take on Lewis McKenzie in Miami at “New Generation
4.”
Alexis
Vila vs. Lewis McKenzie
MFA “New Generation 4,” Feb. 12 -- Miami, Fla.
When
asked about the best wrestlers in MMA, former Strikeforce light
heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal listed Daniel Cormier, Joe
Warren, Sara McMann, Stephen Abas, Yoel Romero Palacio and Vila,
an unbeaten 39-year-old Cuban.
The
American Top Team fighter was a two-time freestyle wrestling
world champion in 1993 and 1994, as well as a bronze medal winner
at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Undefeated in eight professional
MMA appearances, Vila will face well-rounded King of the Cage
veteran McKenzie in what will arguably be his toughest test to
date.
Rosi
Sexton vs. Roxanne Modafferi
Cage Warriors 40, Feb. 26 -- London
The
month’s most meaningful women’s MMA match on the independent
circuit was put together by arguably England’s finest matchmaker,
Ian Dean, and his team at Cage Warriors Fighting Championship.
In the main event of its 40th show, CWFC’s home-grown talent,
Sexton, will take on the Tokyo-based Modafferi. “The Happy
Warrior” is coming off the first knockout loss of her career
and an unfortunate bout cancellation on New Year’s Eve;
she will be even hungrier to get back in the winner’s circle.
However, submission specialist Sexton has won all of her fights
on British soil.
Ryan
Jimmo vs. Dwayne Lewis
MFC 28 “Supremacy,” Feb. 25 -- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Arguably
Maximum Fighting Championship’s biggest domestic star following
the loss of Ryan Ford in September, heavy-hitting karateka Jimmo
will enter the MFC ring for the ninth time to headline its “Supremacy”
event. In the other corner will be a familiar face in Lewis.
Jimmo and Lewis faced one another four years ago. The first meeting
between the two strikers ended in Jimmo winning a decision. Jimmo
is riding a 13-fight win streak, and Lewis has won nine of his
last 10 fights. The confidence of both men figures to be at an
all-time high.
Masakazu
Imanari vs. Hiroshi Nakamura
Deep 52 Impact, Feb. 25 -- Tokyo
Originally
scheduled to fight Korean tune-up opponent Jae Hun Moon at Deep’s
cancelled Macao debut on Jan. 8, Shinya Aoki’s adopted brother,
Imanari, will get a significantly tougher start into his 2011
campaign, as he faces Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling
World Championships finalist and Shooto veteran Nakamura. A teammate
of UFC veteran Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Nakamura is known for his strong
top game and stifling submission defense. Having never been submitted
in his 20 professional mixed martial arts appearances, can Nakamura
shut down the “Ashikan Judan” heel hook attack?
Jussier
“Formiga” da Silva vs. Ian McCall
Tachi Palace Fights 8 “All or Nothing,” Feb. 18 --
Lemoore, California
It
is encouraging to see the world’s premier flyweight, da
Silva, kept busy on a regular basis. While Shooto managed to
find him only two opponents in 2009-10, Tachi Palace Fights has
now had him co-headlining its last two shows within a two and
a half-month timespan. After outpointing Danny Martinez in December,
the Nova União Kimura product will now face former WEC
bantamweight McCall. The Californian striker went the distance
with current UFC 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz in January
2009 and bounced back with a win on the regional circuit in November.
Paul
Daley vs. Yuya Shirai
BAMMA 5, Feb. 26 -- Manchester, England
It
has been almost two years since British bad boy Daley last fought
on U.K. soil. Since the 95-second destruction of Lithuanian journeyman
Aurelijus Kerpe in March 2009, the 27-year-old muay Thai specialist
has gone on to earn a UFC welterweight title eliminator bout
in spectacular fashion, only to lose it in embarrassing fashion.
However, a knockout over Dream veteran Shirai could land Daley
a shot at reigning Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz.
Source: Sherdog
|
Thiago
Silva: “I’m not injured, and I’m looking forward
to fight Rampage”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Rashad
Evans in for Thiago Silva against Rampage Jackson? Not so fast.
According to the Brazilian fighter, the recent news of an “injury”
are not true, and he’s fighting Rampage at UFC 130. “Injured?
Me? I’m very healthy and looking forward to fight Rampage.
That’s not true”, Thiago told TATAME, supported by
ATT’s Conan Silveira. “Nobody called us about anything,
the fight is on”. Stay tuned for more news.
Source: Tatame
|
Melendez
re-signs with Strikeforce and addresses future
Two-time Strikeforce lightweight champion (155 pounds) Gilbert
“El Nino” Melendez (18-2) has signed a new, multi-year
agreement with the San Jose, California-based mixed martial arts
promotion.
“Strikeforce
is my home, they’ve always been like family to me and I’m
looking forward to continuing my career with them,” said
the 5-foot-9, 27-year-old protégé of Jiu-Jitsu
master Cesar Gracie and Muay Thai legend Jongsanan Fairtex. “There
are a lot of great fights out there for me – lots of challenges.
I can’t wait to get back into the cage, do my thing and
show the world that I’m still at the top of my game.’
Universally
recognized as one of the top 155-pounders in the world, Melendez
has won four in a row and five of six.
Melendez
of San Francisco, by way of Santa Ana, California, last fought
on April 17, 2010, retaining his belt with a dominant five-round
decision over Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki in Nashville, Tennessee,
that aired live on The CBS Television Network.
The
one-sided triumph over the highly regarded Aoki came in Melendez’s
first title defense since regaining his crown with a hard-fought
five-round unanimous decision over the fighter that had dethroned
him, Josh Thomson, on Dec. 19, 2009, at HP Pavilion San Jose,
California.
Melendez,
who turned pro on Oct. 18, 2002 and won his initial 13 starts,
owns other notable victories over MMA standouts Aoki, Clay Guida
andTatsuya Kawajiri. Melendez captured his interim lightweight
belt with a second-round knockout (punches) over Rodrigo Damm
on April 11, 2009, in San Jose.
“I’m
healthy again and excited about fighting again real soon,’’
the personable, charismatic Melendez said. “It doesn’t
matter who I fight. I just want to get back in there and rip.’’
Source: Gracie Magazine
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UFC's
Darren Elkins Dropping From Lightweight to Featherweight
By Matt
Erickson
On the verge of returning from a knee injury that has kept him
on the shelf, Darren Elkins will drop down a class when he comes
back.
Elkins,
an Indiana-based lightweight who went 1-1 in his two UFC appearances
last year, will drop to featherweight for his next bout in the
promotion. Elkins confirmed the plan with MMA Fighting on Wednesday.
Elkins
(12-2, 1-1 UFC) was scheduled to fight Edson Barboza at UFC 123
in November, but a knee injury forced him out of the contest
just 10 days before the bout – news that was first reported
by MMA Fighting. Chicago-area fighter Mike Lullo replaced Elkins
and suffered a TKO loss to Barboza, eating a barrage of leg kicks
in the process from the Muay Thai-based newcomer.
Elkins
said he recently was given clearance from a doctor to return,
but does not yet have an opponent for his featherweight debut.
He said making the drop is something he has been thinking about,
though.
"I've
been wanting to make (the drop) for a while," Elkins said.
"(At my size), 155 isn't much of a cut. I just feel like
it's a better weight for me."
Elkins
won his UFC debut at UFC Live on Versus 1 last March. The former
Indiana state champion wrestler took Duane Ludwig down early
in the fight, snapping his leg in the process for a TKO victory.
But in his second bout for the promotion, at UFC Live on Versus
2 last August, Elkins was walking back to the locker room with
a loss about as quickly as he had won his debut. Against Charles
Oliveira, Elkins again scored an early takedown – but was
caught in a guillotine that Oliveira quickly transitioned to
an armbar. Elkins tapped out 41 seconds into the fight.
Elkins
said his injury rehab has given him all his strength and flexibility
back, and that UFC matchmaker Joe Silva was agreeable to him
dropping from lightweight to featherweight.
Last
fall, the UFC announced a merger with sister promotion WEC, which
brought 135-, 145- and 155-pounders into the UFC. Only the lightweight
division was a crossover between the two promotions, meaning
the 155-pound class had a sudden influx of talent. There are
currently 56 lightweight fighters listed at UFC.com, but only
26 featherweights. (The site has Elkins listed under its welterweight
roster.)
Source: MMA Fighting
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Retirement
Not in Davis’ Plans
by Tristen Critchfield
The
explosive right hand of Jeremy Stephens might have removed Marcus
Davis from the UFC payroll, but 37-year-old Maine native has
no plans to retire.
Since
his third-round knockout loss to Stephens at UFC 125 “Resolution”
on New Year’s Day, the former professional boxer returned
home to spend time with his family and focus on the growth of
his gym. He has also made it a point to pore over flaws in his
game in hopes of future improvement.
“[I’m]
studying always, studying things that I did wrong, studying things
that I could do to improve. That’s the thought,” Davis
told Sherdog.com. “That’s what our whole job as human
beings is -- to always look to get better at everything, regardless
of if it’s fighting or being a parent or whatever our job
is. Becoming stronger, smarter -- that’s what we do.”
The
Irish-American standout appeared to be getting the best of Stephens
in the early going before the decisive blow was struck at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“I
don’t even understand how anybody could even say [it was
a] close fight. If you watched the fight, up until he actually
hit me and I went out, he never landed a punch other than when
we were clinched against the cage,” he said. “I felt
like I was very much in control.”
Davis
said his manager, Joe Cavallaro, is in preliminary discussions
with at least two organizations regarding future fights. The
Team Sityodtong representative said that a promotion in the United
States, as well as one in the U.K., has expressed interest in
his services.
“My
job is to train and prepare for fights,” Davis said. “It’s
my manager’s job to book those fights. I know a lot of interest
has come from the U.K., so we are talking to people over there.
I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”
“The
Irish Hand Grenade” had a lengthy run at welterweight in
the UFC before dropping down to 155 pounds for his Jan. 1 clash
with Stephens. From September 2006 to January 2008, he reeled
off a six-fight winning streak in the Octagon before dropping
a unanimous decision to Mike Swick at UFC 85. “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 2 alum has fallen on hard times recently,
however, losing four of his last five bouts. With those struggles
in mind, Davis holds no grudge regarding his release from MMA’s
premier organization.
“I
haven’t performed my best in the last year and a half, and,
therefore, they gotta kick me out to make room for the guys that
are performing their best,” he said. “I don’t
hold anything against the UFC. I’m still friends with [UFC
President] Dana [White] and [matchmaker] Joe Silva and all those
guys. It was business. It wasn’t personal at all.”
When
Davis does return to the cage, he plans on remaining at 155 pounds
for the foreseeable future. While fighting at 170, Davis said
he would often endure as much as a 45-pound cut to make weight.
The cut to 155 will be much less grueling from what he said is
his current weight of 180 pounds.
“I’m
not actually entertaining any offers at 70,” he said. “[Lightweight]
is honestly where I should have been my entire career, and that’s
where I’m gonna be. Right now, it’s not difficult for
me maintaining and staying close to that weight.”
Source: Sherdog
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