Upcoming
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2011
12/9/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
11/18/11
Island Heat 3: Tha Comeback
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom,Waipahu)
11/11/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
11/5/11
Chozun-1
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront, Aloha Tower Market Place)
10/22/11
NAGA Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
10/21/11
Destiny MMA
(MMA)
(The Waterfront, Aloha Tower Market Place)
10/15/11
Up N Up
(MMA)
(Kodak Room, Waikiki Shell)
10/7/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
9/24/11
Aloha
State of BJJ
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser HS)
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
( Palolo District Park Gym)
9/23/11
808 Battleground Presents: Unstoppable
(MMA)
(The Waterfront, Aloha Tower Market Place)
9/3/11
Australian Fighting Championship 2
(MMA)
Melbourne Aquatic & Sports Complex, Melbourne, Australia)
9/2/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
8/27/11
Pro
Elite MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Toughman Hawaii
(Boxing, Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic)
Add to events calendar
8/20/11
POSTPONED
Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open Tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Neal Blaisdell Center
Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Maui)
8/13/11
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waterfront at Aloha Tower)
8/12/11
Up N Up: Waipahu Brawl
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
8/6/11
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
7/22/11
808 Battleground & X-1 World Events
Domination
(MMA)
(Waterfront at Aloha Tower)
Vendetta
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
7/16/11
2011 Sera's Kajukenbo Open Tournament
(Continuous Sparring, MMA (Controlled), and Submission Grappling)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/8/11
Chozun 2
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Honolulu)
Rener Gracie Seminar
O2 Martial Arts Academy
$65
7-9PM
7/1/11
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
6/25/11
Kauai Cage Fights
(MMA)
(Kilohana Estates)
6/17-19/11
Big Boys & MMA Hawaii Expo
Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu)
6/18-19/11
Hawaii
Triple Crown
“State Championships”
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu)
6/18/11
Destiny: Fury II
(MMA)
(Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu)
6/17/11
UpNUp: On The Rise
(MMA)
(Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu)
6/10/11
Genesis “76 South Showdown Kickboxing”
(Kickboxing)
(Campbell H.S. Gym, Ewa Beach)
6/2-5/11
World
Jiu-Jitsu Championship
(BJJ)
(California)
5/28/11
HUAWA Grappling Tournament 2011
Grappling Series II
(Submission grappling)
(Mililani H.S. Gym, Mililani)
Cancelled
Battleground 808
(MMA)
(The Waterfront, Aloha Tower)
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
5/21/11
Scraplafest 3
(BJJ & Submission Grappling)
(Island School, Puhi, Kauai, behind Kauai Commuity College)
5/20/11
Kauai Knockout Championship II: Mortal Combat
(MMA)
(Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall, Lihue)
5/14/11
Boxing Smoker
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Gym)
5/6/11
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
4/28/11
Destiny: Fury II
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/23/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Gladiators for God
(Amateur Muay Thai)
(Wet&Wild Water Park)
4/16/11
Hawaiian
Championship of BJJ
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
4/15/11
Destiny
& 808 Battleground presents "Supremacy"
(MMA)
(Aloha Tower Waterfront)
4/9/11
Fight Girls Hawaii
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
4/2/11
Toughman Hawaii
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Ctr)
3/24-27/11
Pan
American Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA)
3/26/11
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
HUAWA Grappling Tourney
(Sub Grappling)
(Mililani HS Gym)
3/12/11
X-1:
Dylan Clay vs Niko Vitale
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/11/11
Chozun 1: "the Reckoning"
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Honolulu)
3/5/11
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
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)
|
|
October
2011 News Part 1
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi.
Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ
Dean, & Chris Slavens!
Kids Classes are also
available!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from
the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
Onzuka.com
Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
Chris, Mark,
and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while
now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit
a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most
popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.
He
offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The
three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being
the lead since he is on there all day anyway!
We
encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world
to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.
If you
do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click here to set up an account.
Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After
all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground
without some Aloha and some Pidgin?
To
go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click here!
|
Want
to Advertise on Onzuka.com?
Click here for pricing and more
information!
Short term and long term advertising available.
More than
1 million hits and counting!
|
O2
Martial Arts Academy
Your Complete Martial Arts School!
Click here for pricing and more
information!
O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Shane Agena as well
as a number of brown and purple belts.
We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA champions Kaleo Kwan
and PJ Dean as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens
provide incredibly detailed instruction of the sweet science.
To top it off, Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima
classes (Filipino Knife & Stickfighting) who were directly
trained under the legendary Snookie Sanchez.
Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
the ground up!
Experienced martial artist that wants to fine tune your skill?
Our school is for you!
If you want to learn martial arts by masters of their trade in
a friendly and family environment, O2 Martial Arts Academy is
the place for you!
|
Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA
ProElite
Continues its Return with Sylvia vs. Rizzo and Arlovski vs. Fulton
ProElite,
Inc., will host its second major MMA event in 2011 at the i Wireless
Center in Moline, Ill., on Saturday, Nov. 5.
Two
former UFC heavyweight champions will headline the main card,
including the Quad Cities own giant Tim “The Maineiac”
Sylvia (29-7) who will take on fellow UFC veteran Pedro “The
Rock” Rizzo (18-9). Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski
(16-9) will face off with Travis “The Ironman” Fulton
(247-48-10). The card will also feature the debut of ProElite’s
Heavyweight Grand Prix. The tournament will feature eight of
the best young fighters in the world and will conclude after
three events.
“Bringing
our Grand Prix tournament to Quad City MMA fans backed by a powerful
main event is a strategic initiative to further cultivate our
heavyweight fighter base,” said William Kelly, President
and COO of ProElite.
The
full fight card will be released shortly and will include some
of Quad Cities favorite fighters and emerging MMA talent.
Tickets
will go on sale at 10am CST Saturday at the i Wireless Center
box office and on Ticketmaster.com.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Bellator
52 Pulls in Near Strong TV Ratings with the Heavyweights
The big boys are still a powerful draw… at least for Bellator.
Bellator
52 on Saturday night pulled in a series-high rating of .33 in
the key advertiser demographic of Men 18-49, which is good news
for the promotion and MTV2 since Bellator 51 pulled abysmal ratings.
The
average audience for Bellator 52 was 269,000, a very strong number
for a Bellator broadcast on MTV2. Only Bellator 47, at 277,000
viewers, pulled in strong TV ratings.
Bellator
52 featured the opening round of the Season 5 heavyweight tournament,
proving the big boys are still an attraction for fight fans.
Bellator 47 featured the semifinals of the Summer Series featherweight
tournament, but also included a heavyweight bout between Neil
Grove and Zak Jensen.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Shogun
building a “perfect camp” to beat Henderson By Guilherme Cruz
Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua has a big challenge scheduled for November
19th, at UFC 139. Dan Henderson knocked out his three last opponents
in Strikeforce, including Fedor Emelianenko, and returns at his
best to UFC. On an exclusive chat with TATAME, Shogun talked
about his expectations for the duel, said he considers Henderson
to be the favorite and revealed he’ll train in Brazil for
their battle. Check below the interview with the Pride star,
who talked about a possible chance at the belt and analyzed Wanderlei
Silva vs. Cung Le.
What
are your expectations while coming into this bout against Dan
Henderson?
I’m
really happy to fight him. He’s a living legend of MMA.
It’ll be a tough bout that should have happened a long time
ago. I’m ok about it.
In
what ways can he put you in danger?
He’s
a good striker and he has a good Wrestling too.
He’s
coming from great wins in Strikeforce, knocking out Renato Babalu,
Rafael Feijao and Fedor Emelianenko... What are your thoughts
about thouse bouts?
He
has heavy hands indeed, he can punches you in such a way that
leads you to a knockout. We’re two guys who go for the KO,
it’ll be a good for the MMA fans. He doesn’t like to
play it cool, he wants to fight hard, so it’ll be a great
bout for the fans to watch.
How
do you see Henderson’s evolution since Pride died and he
loss two title fights in UFC, to Anderson Silva and to Rampage
Jackson?
Yeah,
he evolved, but his strongest point has always been the trade
of punches. We always evolve. He’s been fighting for a long
time, but he’s always looking for the knockout or working
on the ground and pound. It’s been this way since Pride.
You’re
the favorite on the odds so far. Do you see yourself that way?
No,
he’s the favorite. Dan Henderson is the favorite, he defeated
Fedor.
Have
you decided where will you prepare yourself for this fight? Will
you train on the United States?
I’ll
stay in São Paulo, even because it’s too close for
me to go there on my own, with no family. I’m sure I’ll
do a perfect camp, a really good one. I’ll do my preparation
in Brazil.
Will
you do it like when you trained for Chuck Liddell, when you trained
in Sao Paulo?
Absolutely.
I’ll try to do a good Boxing job, since he doesn’t
use much Muay Thai nor Jiu-Jitsu, so I’ll focus on that.
I hope to be 100% at Boxing and at Muay Thai to get this win.
Dana
White said the winner will have a chance at the belt. Do you
think about it?
I
don’t. I’ve been through something like it before (when
he debuted in UFC against Forrest Griffin) and it’s complicated
to me. After the fight I’ll see what I’ll do. I’m
focused on him, I don’t think about the belt, even because
it’ll remain on the same place for a long time, and I don’t
want to be in that position. I rather give it some time.
In
case you win you’d fight the winner between Jon Jones vs.
Rashad, which might only happen in 2012. So you’d only fight
like in June, July of 2012. Would you wait for it?
I
love fighting, and I’ll fight sooner if I can. I’m
not like that, I don’t like to stay a long time without
fighting, and it’d be good to gain some rhythm. I’ll
go after what’s best for me.
In
February, three months after your fight, UFC will promote an
event in Japan. Do you want to fight over there?
Absolutely,
it’d be a pleasure to fight in Japan again, a country that
made me a big name to the whole world. It’d be an honor
to fight in Japan, but I don’t think about it now. I’m
focused on Henderson, but I’d really like to be a part of
that card.
Wanderlei
Silva is fighting Cung Le on the same event you’re fighting
Henderson. What are your thoughts about it?
I
hope it’s a good fight. I’ve seen Cung Le fighting
and he used well the kick-punches combinations, he has some spins
and weird but beautiful kicks. Wanderlei also is a striker, so
it’ll be a good fight. This card is filled with strikers,
the fans will dig it.
What
is the way for Wanderlei to get the win?
The
way for him to win is doing what he has always done: training
and going for the KO, trusting his game. He can’t get it
wrong. We’ve always gone for the knockout, and he’ll
fight a good fighter. Wand can knock him out.
Source: Tatame
|
Champ
Hector Lombard Face Trevor Prangley at Bellator 58
Bellator Fighting Championships on Tuesday announced that reigning
middleweight champion Hector Lombard will put his 24-fight undefeated
streak on the line against former UFC fighter Trevor Prangley
in a non-title catchweight fight at 195 pounds from the Seminole
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Holloywood, Fla., at Bellator
58.
Widely
regarded as one of the top middleweights in the world and a fighter
known for taking every fight put in front of him, Lombard enters
the bout looking to continue his dominating run through MMA.
The imposing knockout artist has claimed victory in his last
19 fights with 15 coming by finish, including a devastating knockout
against Falaniko Vitale at Bellator 44. A former Judo Olympian
with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and knockout power in
both hands, Lombard is always eager to get back into the cage
and continue as one of the most devastating fighters in the sport.
“I
just want November to get here and knock someone out,” Lombard
said. “I doesn’t matter who it is, I just want to do
what I do and that’s win. I don’t know much about Trevor,
but it doesn’t matter. I’ll be in front of my fans
in Florida, and it’s going to be a show.”
While
Lombard may not be very familiar with Prangley, the MMA world
should be, as the longtime MMA veteran holds notable victories
over Chael Sonnen, Matt Horwich, and Keith Jardine. The South
Africa native is always looking to finish, and knows exactly
what to expect on Nov. 19.
“Both
of us are going to get in that cage and throw bombs, no questions
asked,” Prangley said. “It’s no secret both of
us like to stand and bang, and that’s exactly what everyone
is going to get. I know Hector is really tough on his feet, but
so am I, so he’s going to have to play my game when the
cage door shuts.”
Bellator
58 airs live on MTV2 and in HD on EPIX at 9 p.m. ET. Tickets
for the Nov. 19 event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. The
preliminary card for this event will be streamed live on Spike.com,
starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Sherdog
Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
The
remaining months of 2011 will provide plenty of opportunity for
rankings shake-ups, with nearly every division’s top-ranked
fighter scheduled for action. Since our last update, however,
two UFC champions on opposite ends of the scale have had impressive
showings to cement their statuses as No. 1’s.
Jon
Jones reaffirmed his status as the world’s preeminent 205-pound
fighter in September, as the 24-year-old wunderkind snuffed out
tough ex-champ Quinton Jackson with a fourth-round rear-naked
choke. At 135 pounds, it was Dominick Cruz who remained the man
to beat with a convincing unanimous decision over top contender
Demetrious Johnson.
Also
at 135, world-ranked flyweight Alexis Vila authored one of the
more stunning results in recent memory by destroying Bellator
featherweight champ Joe Warren to advance in the company’s
fifth-season bantamweight tournament.
In
another upset shocker, skyrocketing welterweight Jake Ellenberger
laid waste to former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields in their
Sept. 17 duel. As a result, the Nebraskan enters our 170-pound
rankings for the first time.
Heavyweight
1.
Cain Velasquez (9-0)
Coming off a nearly 13-month hiatus due to surgery on a torn
rotator cuff, Velasquez will look to extend his violent unbeaten
streak defend his UFC title for the first time against fellow
smasher Junior dos Santos. On Nov. 12, the pair will become the
first UFC bout to be broadcast on Fox when they throw down in
Anaheim, Calif.
2.
Junior dos Santos (13-1)
Dos Santos took a chance, and it paid off. Instead of sitting
on the shelf while UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez recuperated
from shoulder surgery, No. 1 contender “Cigano” took
a June 11 bout with Shane Carwin, a replacement for original
opponent Brock Lesnar. The Brazilian boxed his way to a unanimous
decision win, taking Carwin the distance for the first time in
his career and keeping his trajectory for his Nov. 12 showdown
with Velasquez.
3.
Alistair Overeem (35-11, 1 NC)
Overeem appeared to be on the outs with Zuffa after turning down
a Sept. 10 booking with Antonio Silva in Strikeforce and being
stripped of his heavyweight title. However, just as quickly,
the Dutch “Demolition Man” was back in: on Sept. 6,
the UFC revealed that it had signed Overeem for a Dec. 30 matchup
with former champion Brock Lesnar in Las Vegas.
4.
Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1)
On June 18, 51 weeks after submitting Fedor Emelianenko in a
shocking upset, Werdum found himself in an entirely different
type of fight. Despite showing flashes of strong standup, the
Brazilian spent much of his Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix
quarterfinal attempting to pull guard and lure Alistair Overeem
into his realm. The Dutchman stayed upright for almost the entire
bout and did enough to walk away with a unanimous decision, evening
the pair’s series at 1-1.
5.
Brock Lesnar (5-2)
He has had nearly 12 inches of his colon removed on account of
his latest diverticulitis battle, but Lesnar is about ready to
return to action. On Dec. 30, the hulking Minnesotan will face
fellow physical specimen and former Strikeforce heavyweight champion
Alistair Overeem in Las Vegas.
6.
Shane Carwin (12-2)
Carwin did not tire as he did in his title fight with Brock Lesnar,
but the massive Coloradoan had little answer for Junior dos Santos’
strong striking in a three-round decision loss on June 11. After
beginning his career with 12 consecutive stoppage wins, Carwin
has now lost two in a row and will need to rebound in his next
trip to the Octagon to stay among the company’s top big
men.
7.
Frank Mir (15-5)
Mir will attempt to follow up on a dominant May decision over
Roy Nelson against an old foe. Having already punched out Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira in December 2008, Mir will have the chance to
prove it was no fluke when he meets the Pride legend for a second
time on Dec. 10.
8.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC)
Having been punched out in two of his last three starts -- the
first stoppage losses of his storied career -- Nogueira was in
need of a statement win. That’s exactly what he got on Aug.
27, when, before a riotous hometown crowd in Rio de Janeiro,
“Big Nog” defied bookmakers and served hot prospect
Brendan Schaub a first-round knockout. The 35-year-old will have
revenge on his mind for his next bout: On Dec. 10, Nogueira will
try to avenge his first knockout loss when he rematches Frank
Mir.
9.
Josh Barnett (31-5)
The sport’s preeminent catch-wrestling stylist added another
major name to his resume on Sept. 10, handing fellow Pride veteran
Sergei Kharitonov a first-round submission loss and advancing
to the final of Strikeforce’s world heavyweight grand prix.
Awaiting the “Warmaster” in the to-be-scheduled last
round is unbeaten upstart and freestyle wrestling convert Daniel
Cormier.
10.
Daniel Cormier (9-0)
The two-time wrestling Olympian secured the biggest win of his
short fighting career on Sept. 10, as he knocked out massive
Brazilian Antonio Silva in the semifinals of Strikeforce’s
world heavyweight grand prix. Less than two years into his MMA
career, Cormier will now have the chance to tangle with all-time
heavyweight great Josh Barnett in the tournament final, though
the American Kickboxing Academy product’s broken hand may
delay that bout.
Other
contenders: Fedor Emelianenko, Cole Konrad, Roy Nelson, Brendan
Schaub, Antonio Silva.
Light
Heavyweight
1.
Jon Jones (14-1)
The UFC’s young star shone again on Sept. 24, when Jones
defended his 205-pound title for the first time and became only
the second man to submit Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Next up for “Bones” is a man whom the 24-year-old New
Yorker knows well, former training partner Rashad Evans.
2.
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (20-5)
Rua turned in a vintage performance at UFC 134, disposing of
former upsetter Forrest Griffin with the type of vicious assault
which defined the Brazilian’s Pride Fighting Championship
tenure. Shogun will look to move closer to another title shot
when he takes on ex-Strikeforce titleholder Dan Henderson in
the five-round main event of UFC on Nov. 19.
3.
Rashad Evans (16-1-1)
In his first action in 15 months, Evans was sterling, stopping
Tito Ortiz with a crushing knee to the body at UFC 133. However,
Evans did damage to his right hand and will have to heal up before
challenging former teammate Jon Jones for the 205-pound title
later this year.
4.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-9)
Jackson was halted for the first time since 2005 and submitted
for only the second time in his career on Sept. 24 when he ran
up against red-hot champion Jon Jones at UFC 135. The loss stopped
a two-fight win streak and moved the Memphis native’s Octagon
mark to 7-3.
5.
Lyoto Machida (17-2)
Machida has not been much of a topic for discussion for UFC matchmaking
since he wanted big money to face Rashad Evans in the UFC 133
main event. The Brazilian’s name was attached to a December
matchup with NCAA wrestling champion Phil Davis, but that announcement
proved premature and Machida is now eying a 2012 return.
6.
Phil Davis (9-0)
Injury forced Davis from his UFC 133 main event against Rashad
Evans, and not much has been heard from the former Penn State
Nittany Lion since. Still recovering from surgery to repair a
partially torn knee ligament, Davis remains without a definite
timetable for his return.
7.
Forrest Griffin (18-7)
After losing his UFC light heavyweight title in 2008 and being
embarrassed by Anderson Silva in 2009, Griffin strung together
back-to-back victories over Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin. That
streak came to an abrupt halt on Aug. 27, however, when the man
Griffin shockingly submitted in 2007, Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua, took revenge in the form of a first-round knockout at UFC
134.
8.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)
Nogueira was forced from an August bout with Rich Franklin due
to a shoulder injury, but it didn’t take long for the UFC
to schedule him another date. The Brazilian is now set to return
on Dec. 10 against ex-champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 140, the same
card on which his twin brother will rematch Frank Mir.
9.
Dan Henderson (28-8)
It was only a matter of time before “Hendo” returned
to the UFC fold. The heavy handed 41-year-old will attempt to
transfer the momentum from his July triumph over Fedor Emelianenko
when he meets Mauricio Rua in the five-round main event of UFC
139 on Nov. 19.
10.
Rafael Cavalcante (11-3)
Six months after dropping his Strikeforce light heavyweight title
to Dan Henderson, “Feijao” returned to his violent
ways on Sept. 10. After a strangely tepid opening round, Cavalcante
exploded on Yoel Romero Palacio, punching out the Olympic Greco-Roman
silver medalist in their Strikeforce showdown.
Other
contenders: Rich Franklin, Alexander Gustafsson, Muhammed “King
Mo” Lawal, Vladimir Matyushenko, Gegard Mousasi.
Middleweight
1.
Anderson Silva (31-4)
In front of over 16,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva
avenged his January 2006 disqualification loss to Yushin Okami
in brutal fashion. Now, the drum is beating again for Silva to
meet Georges St. Pierre, though the UFC's goal in the short term
is more likely a rematch with Chael Sonnen.
2.
Chael Sonnen (25-11-1)
After a dizzying rollercoaster ride in wake of his UFC title
challenge against Anderson Silva last August and the testosterone
replacement therapy issues that followed, Sonnen is ready to
fight again. The middleweight firebrand will take on emerging
contender Brian Stann at UFC 136 in Houston on Oct. 8.
3.
Yushin Okami (26-6)
Yushin Okami finally got his chance to vie for the UFC middleweight
champion, but it didn't go as he'd hoped. "Thunder"
was beaten down by Anderson Silva and summarily sent to the back
of the line in the UFC's 185-pound division.
4.
Nate Marquardt (31-10-2)
In wake of the TRT debacle that resulted in his exit from the
UFC, Marquardt has been mostly silent. However, the perennial
middleweight standout has signed with U.K. promotion British
Association of Mixed Martial Arts, though no date has been offered
for a potential debut.
5.
Mark Munoz (11-2)
It was expected after his victory over former UFC title challenger
Demian Maia that Munoz might land in a bout with Brian Stann.
"All-American" drew Chael Sonnen instead, so Munoz
will now become a trivia answer, as he and Chris Leben square
off on Nov. 5 at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England, in the promotion's
first non-title five-round main event.
6.
Demian Maia (14-3)
Maia lost a competitive decision to Mark Munoz in June. Come
Oct. 8 at UFC 136, he will meet a countryman in a similar situation,
as he collides with former Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago, who
is coming off of a tough knockout loss to Brian Stann.
7.
Brian Stann (11-3)
After a dominant performance against Jorge Santiago in May, Stann
earned himself a bout of real significance in the UFC middleweight
division. He will take on notorious former title challenger Chael
Sonnen on Oct. 8 at UFC 136.
8.
Michael Bisping (21-3)
Bisping silenced antagonist Jorge Rivera in February with a second-round
knockout, but the Englishman will attempt to close an even louder
mouth later this year. The winner of "The Ultimate Fighter"
Season 3 is currently in Las Vegas serving as a coach for Season
14 of the reality series, the finale of which will see Bisping
square off against middleweight wildman and rival coach Jason
"Mayhem" Miller.
9.
Vitor Belfort (20-9)
In his first bout since being victimized by Anderson Silva in
February, Belfort blew through Yoshihiro Akiyama with absolute
ease in the first round, forcing his way firmly into the middle
of the UFC's 185-pound division.
10.
Luke Rockhold (8-1)
Rockhold enters the rankings on the back of his Strikeforce middleweight
title win, a razor-thin Sept. 10 decision in which the American
Kickboxing Academy fighter handed the Brazilian gator his first
stateside defeat.
Other
contenders: Tim Kennedy, Hector Lombard, Rousimar Palhares, Jorge
Santiago, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
Welterweight
1.
Georges St. Pierre (22-2)
The UFC’s welterweight king has a new challenger to his
throne. After Nick Diaz failed to appear at a pair of September
press conferences, UFC moved Carlos Condit to the top contender
spot. GSP and Condit will now face off in the main event of UFC
137 on Oct. 29.
2.
Jon Fitch (23-3-1, 1 NC)
Following shoulder surgery, Fitch is ready to return to the Octagon.
The perennial welterweight second banana was vocal in his desire
to compete in his adopted backyard of San Jose, Calif., but will
instead tangle with two-time NCAA wrestling champion Johny Hendricks
in Las Vegas on Dec. 30.
3.
Josh Koscheck (16-5)
Koscheck appeared ready to return to the Octagon at 185 pounds,
but a chance to fight former welterweight king Matt Hughes on
kept the American Kickboxing Academy product at 170. The short-notice
risk paid off, as Koscheck turned out Hughes’ lights in
the opening round of their Sept. 24 encounter.
4.
Jake Ellenberger (26-5)
Ellenberger blasted his way into the ranks of the 170-pound elite
on Sept. 17 by handing Jake Shields his first knockout loss in
more than 10 years. With five straight victories in the Octagon
-- four by way of stoppage -- the 26-year-old Nebraskan could
be one win away from a shot at the winner of Georges St. Pierre-Carlos
Condit.
5.
Jake Shields (26-6-1)
Five months after having his 15-fight win streak snapped by Georges
St. Pierre, Shields had another impressive run broken by Jake
Ellenberger. In the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 on Sept.
17, Shields was knocked out for the first time in more than 10
years by a knee and follow-up punches from the powerful Nebraskan.
6.
Nick Diaz (25-7, 1 NC)
The welterweight class’ preeminent bad boy was ushered out
of his much-anticipated UFC title shot against Georges St. Pierre
after skipping a pair of promotional press conferences in September.
The Stockton, Calif., representative will still make his Octagon
return at UFC 137, however, against former dual-division champ
B.J. Penn.
7.
Carlos Condit (27-5)
Condit had been moving ever-closer to a UFC title shot with brutal
finishes of Dan Hardy and Dong Hyun Kim. Then, suddenly, he was
there. When Nick Diaz was yanked from his Oct. 29 championship
tilt with Georges St. Pierre, Condit was called upon to meet
the dominant Canadian champion, an honor which moved the “Natural
Born Killer” to tears, according to UFC boss Dana White.
8.
Rick Story (13-4)
Story might have lost a decision to Charlie Brenneman in June,
but the gritty Oregonian is not taking any softballs. "The
Horror" Story will step back into the Octagon at UFC 139
on Nov. 19 against skilled Dane Martin Kampmann.
9.
B.J. Penn (16-7-2)
Healed from a shoulder injury, “The Prodigy” was all
set for a clash with Carlos Condit at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las
Vegas. When Condit was promoted to main-event status against
Georges St. Pierre, Penn was paired with GSP’s former dance
partner, Nick Diaz.
10.
Johny Hendricks (11-1)
On Aug. 6, Hendricks showed off improved boxing and clinch work
to earn a hard-fought split decision win over an equally tough
Mike Pierce. The two-time NCAA wrestling champion will have a
chance to move even higher up in the 170-pound rankings on Dec.
30 when he meets perennial contender Jon Fitch.
Other
contenders: Ben Askren, Charlie Brenneman, Anthony Johnson, Rory
MacDonald, Tyron Woodley.
With
his Oct. 1 loss to Anthony Johnson, previously seventh-ranked
Charlie Brenneman falls to the contenders list.
Lightweight
1.
Frankie Edgar (13-1-1)
Injuries delayed the potential third encounter between Edgar
and Gray Maynard in May. With both men healed, the lightweight
trilogy is scheduled for consummation at UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in
Houston, with all the 155-pound marbles up for grabs.
2.
Gilbert Melendez (19-2)
While recent comments from UFC boss Dana White indicate that
“El Nino” will be storming the Octagon in short order,
Melendez still has one more hurdle to jump. The Strikeforce lightweight
champion is still expected to defend his belt against American
Top Team slugger Jorge Masvidal on Dec. 17.
3.
Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC)
Maynard nearly had the UFC lightweight title in his grasp on
New Year's Day against Frankie Edgar. After injuries postponed
a slated third bout between the two men in May, Maynard will
get another chance to make amends and win the lightweight crown
at UFC 136 on Oct. 8.
4.
Shinya Aoki (29-5, 1 NC)
Since enduring a five-round drubbing from Melendez in April 2010,
Aoki has reeled off six straight victories, including submissions
of Tatsuya Kawajiri and Lyle Beerbohm. Most recently, the “Tobikan
Judan” recorded his third straight win via neck crank on
Sept. 24 by tapping ex-WEC champ Rob McCullough.
5.
Eddie Alvarez (22-2)
The busy schedule which Alvarez once kept has slowed drastically
since he won Bellator’s lightweight title in 2009; now,
an injury has sidelined the Philadelphian. Scheduled to defend
against fourth-season tourney winner Michael Chandler on Oct.
15, Alvarez was forced to withdraw in late-September from the
bout, which has not yet been rescheduled.
6.
Ben Henderson (14-2)
People expected Jim Miller to use Henderson as a springboard
to a UFC title shot. Instead, “Smooth” was dominant
from bell-to-bell, smashing Miller from top position to take
a unanimous victory and up his status in the rich 155-pound division.
With his next bout, Henderson could legitimately lay claim to
a title shot if he can overcome Clay Guida on Nov. 12.
7.
Jim Miller (20-3)
Miller was on the doorstep of a UFC lightweight title shot but
stumbled again. The New Jersey native simply could not keep up
with the potent ground attack of Benson Henderson and lost a
unanimous decision that will set him back in the lightweight
title picture.
8.
Clay Guida (29-11)
Vintage Guida was on display June 4 at “The Ultimate Fighter
13” finale, where “The Carpenter” used his frantic
pace and suffocating ground game to top former WEC lightweight
champion Anthony Pettis. The 29-year-old Chicagoan will try to
win his fifth straight on Nov. 12 when he meets another ex-WEC
titlist, Ben Henderson, in Anaheim, Calif.
9.
Anthony Pettis (13-2)
UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in Houston is being lauded for its deep card,
and a major part of that is Pettis' return to action. The last-ever
WEC lightweight champion is tentatively scheduled to meet power-punching
contemporary Jeremy Stephens on the event's undercard.
10.
Melvin Guillard (29-8-2, 1 NC)
Guillard is finally fulfilling his physical talents, moving closer
to a UFC lightweight title shot. The next hurdle for the Greg
Jackson-led fighter is Northeastern favorite Joe Lauzon at the
beefed-up UFC 136 event on Oct. 8 in Houston.
Other
contenders: Donald Cerrone, Rafael dos Anjos, Jorge Masvidal,
Dennis Siver, Gleison Tibau.
Featherweight
1.
Jose Aldo (19-1)
Aldo is slowly starting to gain a greater measure of parity with
his heavier weight contemporaries. However, if the gifted Brazilian
is to continue that emergence, he will need to knock off former
UFC lightweight title challenger Kenny Florian in his next title
defense at UFC 136 on Oct. 8.
2.
Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2)
Perhaps Japan's most outstanding MMA fighter, Hioki is finally
set for his Octagon debut. After racking up titles in TKO, Shooto
and Sengoku, Hioki will make his first Octagon appearance in
Las Vegas at UFC 137, meeting George Roop on the Oct. 29 bill.
3.
Chad Mendes (11-0)
Mendes was clinical in taking out Brazilian grappling standout
Rani Yahya with his powerful wrestling. Better still, the potentially
broken hand he faced turned out not to be fractured at all, boding
better for his chances to meet the winner of the Jose Aldo-Kenny
Florian fight in October.
4.
Kenny Florian (14-5)
Kenny Florian had two chances to capture the UFC lightweight
title but could not seize the moment. On Oct. 8, he will have
a third chance, this time at 145 pounds, as he squares off with
UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 136.
5.
Pat Curran (16-4)
He started slowly, but Curran finished brutally in his Aug. 20
showdown with former Sengoku and Pancrase champion Marlon Sandro
in the final of Bellator's Summer Series tournament. With his
head kick knockout of Sandro, Curran earns the right to challenge
the winner of the eventual Joe Warren-Patricio Freire featherweight
title fight in the coming months.
6.
Marlon Sandro (19-3)
Sandro looked good early against Pat Curran, but in the second
round, the Brazilian was wasted by a brutal head kick. It stopped
the gritty Sandro for the first time in his MMA career and took
away his chance to vie for Bellator's featherweight title.
7.
Diego Nunes (16-2)
After exceeding expectations against Kenny Florian in June, Nunes
was scheduled to take on another former UFC lightweight in Manny
Gamburyan at UFC 135 on Sept. 24. However, Gamburyan’s recurring
shoulder issues forced him out of the fight, leaving Nunes without
an opponent. Nunes eventually withdrew from the bout himself,
citing physical and personal problems, but plans to be back in
December and has expressed his desire to face Gamburyan at that
time.
8.
Joe Warren (7-2)
Bellator’s 145-pound titleholder seemed a clear-cut favorite
to win the company’s fifth-season 135-pound bracket, but
things took an unexpected turn on Sept. 24. Squaring off against
another decorated wrestler, natural flyweight Alexis Vila, Warren
was handed the first knockout loss of his young career courtesy
of a devastating Vila left hook.
9.
Tyson Griffin (15-5)
In June, Griffin cut to 145 pounds and found success by defeating
Manny Gamburyan. On Oct. 29, he will return the favor, as he
welcomes Bart Palaszewski to the featherweight division at UFC
137.
10.
Manny Gamburyan (11-6)
Coming off a loss to Tyson Griffin in June, Gamburyan was slated
to get back to action at UFC 135 in September before his ongoing
shoulder issues forced him to pull out of a slated bout with
talented Brazilian Diego Nunes. Gamburyan stated in late-August
that he expects to return to the Octagon by year’s end.
Other
contenders: Darren Elkins, Patricio Freire, Mark Hominick, Erik
Koch, Dustin Poirier.
Bantamweight
1.
Dominick Cruz (19-1)
The “Dominator” was dominant once again as the start
of the first cable-televised bantamweight title bout in UFC history.
Desite suffering yet another hand injury in the process, Cruz
earned a five-round unanimous decision -- his fourth in a row
-- by holding off small-but-strong challenger Demetrious Johnson
on Oct. 1.
2.
Joseph Benavidez (15-2)
He might not get another shot at 135-pound gold any time soon,
but Benavidez continues to bulk up his bantamweight resume. At
UFC Live 5 on Aug. 14, the Team Alpha Male product turned in
a solid unanimous decision performance against the heavy-hitting
Eddie Wineland.
3.
Urijah Faber (25-5)
Faber could not take the UFC bantamweight title from Dominick
Cruz in July. However, "The California Kid" is never
far from prominent competition: Faber will return to the Octagon
on Nov. 19 at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., taking on former WEC
champion Brian Bowles.
4.
Brian Bowles (10-1)
Bowles' path back to the top of the 135-pound division just got
tougher. The former WEC champion will return to action in pursuit
of his third straight win since falling to Dominick Cruz, taking
on another former WEC champion, Urijah Faber, at UFC 139 on Nov.
19.
5.
Scott Jorgensen (12-4)
After clobbering Ken Stone in June, "Young Guns" returns
to action at UFC 137 on Oct. 29. In opposition, he takes on longtime
veteran Jeff Curran in his return to the UFC.
6.
Demetrious Johnson (9-2)
“Mighty Mouse” was banged up but never beaten over
25 minutes in his Oct. 1 decision loss to dominant UFC bantamweight
titleholder Dominick Cruz. While the defeat predictably amplified
calls for Johnson to become the first member of the UFC’s
125-pound class, the Matt Hume pupil says his sights are set
on 135 for the time being.
7.
Miguel Torres (39-4)
He was defeated for only the fourth time in his 11-year career,
but Torres’ loss to Demetrious Johnson on May 28 came by
the narrowest of margins. The former WEC bantamweight champion’s
dynamic ground work against powerful wrestler Johnson went unappreciated
by the judges, as Torres came up on the wrong end of a much-debated
unanimous decision.
8.
Brad Pickett (20-5)
One of Britain's best, Pickett continues to hover just outside
the circle of UFC bantamweight title contenders. That could change
on Nov. 5, as he heads to more familiar surroundings in Birmingham,
England, to battle tough Brazilian Renan "Barao" in
an appealing pairing of developing contenders.
9.
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Ueda has returned to top form, rattling off four consecutive
wins since his shocking submission loss to Shuichiro Katsumura
in March 2010. On Sept. 14, the former Shooto 132-pound world
champ moved up to the retiring Royler Gracie in Brazil; two divisions
above his natural weight, Ueda walked away with a handy decision
victory.
10.
Takeya Mizugaki (15-6-2)
In need of a definitive win to maintain his spot among the world’s
top 135-pounders, Mizugaki got exactly that on Sept. 24. In a
display of aggression and tight boxing, the Japanese export blasted
former WEC titleholder Cole Escovedo en route to a second-round
stoppage on punches.
Other
contenders: Renan “Barao”, Bibiano Fernandes, Zach
Makovsky, Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland.
Flyweight
1.
Ian McCall (11-2)
McCall was spectacular on Aug. 5, wresting the Tachi Palace Fights
title from Darrell Montague. In his first defense on Dec. 2,
he'll stake his throne against lanky puncher and fellow WEC veteran
Will Campuzano.
2.
Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6)
On July 18, Urushitani laid waste to former tormentor Yuki Shojo,
as the Shooto world champion scored a brutal head kick knockout.
The next move for Urushitani, however, remains unclear in the
continuously changing flyweight landscape.
3.
Jussier da Silva (12-1)
With Tachi Palace champ Ian McCall tied up until next year, da
Silva remains in a holding pattern as he waits to avenge his
lone career loss. In the meantime, the Natal, Brazil, native
will attempt to defend his Shooto South American 123-pound title
on Oct. 29 again the man he edged out for the strap in 2008,
Michael William Costa.
4.
Mamoru Yamaguchi (26-6-3)
The 34-year-old flyweight star suffered a hit on Aug. 5, as he
lost a sound unanimous decision to Brazilian standout Jussier
da Silva. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, his fan-friendly nature
and action-packed style will continue to secure him fights on
both sides of the Pacific.
5.
Darrell Montague (9-2)
Montague started fast in his first Tachi Palace Fights flyweight
title defense, but he could not stand up to the pressure of challenger
Ian McCall. Montague was forced to tap in the second frame, but
the talented and dynamic 23-year-old still figures to play a
formative role in the flyweight division going forward.
6.
Shinichi "B.J." Kojima (11-4-5)
After two years on the shelf, the biggest question surrounding
former flyweight ruler Kojima’s August was ring rust. The
Reversal Gym Yokohama fighter looked to be in fine form, however,
earning a hard-fought split decision over Masaaki Sugawara and
setting up a Nov. 5 meeting with another world-ranked 125-pounder,
Kiyotaka Shimizu.
7.
Yuki Shojo (11-6-2)
Shojo got his chance at the Shooto world title, but he could
not replicate his 2008 victory over Yasuhiro Urushitani. This
time around, the Shooto world champion knocked Shojo flat with
a crushing head kick, sending him to the figurative back of the
line in Shooto's 123-pound division.
8.
Kiyotaka Shimizu (10-5-2)
With a 9-1-1 record since 2009, Shimizu has quietly made a name
for himself as one of Japan’s strongest and toughest 125-pounders.
The reigning super flyweight King of Pancrase will head to the
ring of Shooto once again on Nov. 5 for a showdown with former
flyweight top-ranker “B.J,” Kojima.
9.
Alexis Vila (10-0)
Known for years as one of the most exciting talents at 125 pounds,
Vila made a major splash at bantamweight on Sept. 24 by becoming
the first man to knock out gritty Bellator featherweight champ
Joe Warren. The win secured the Cuban Olympian a spot in Bellator’s
tournament semifinals, where he’ll take on Nova Uniao export
Marcos Galvao on Oct. 22.
10.
John Dodson (11-5)
Dodson is one of the slickest, most physically gifted fighters
in MMA. However, like divisional compatriot Alexis Vila, he is
currently focused on challenges at 135-pounds: The Greg Jackson-trained
“Magician” is currently competing as a bantamweight
on the 14th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Other
contenders: Louis Gaudinot, Fumihiro Kitahara, Alexandre Pantoja,
Mitsuhisa Sunabe, Ryosuke Tanuma.
Source
Sherdog
|
Bellator
53 Fight Card Rumors
Bellator 53
Date: October 8, 2011
Venue: Buffalo Run Casino
Location: Miami, Oklahoma
Main
Bouts (on MTV2):
-Luis Santos vs. Ben Saunders†
-Douglas Lima vs. Chris Lozano†
-Darryl Cobb vs. Giva Santana
-Kenny Foster vs. Ronnie Mann
Preliminary
Bouts:
-A.J. Matthews vs. Rudy Bears
-Myron Dennis vs. Raphael Davis
-Levi Avera vs. David Rickels
-Luiz Nogueira vs. Zak Laird
-Greg Scott vs. Emanuel Brooks
†Bellator
Season 5 Welterweight Tournament Semifinal Bout
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Fox 1 Fight Card Filling Fast with Three Additions on Tuesday
The first UFC on Fox fight card is quickly gaining steam with
three more bouts announced on Tuesday.
The
UFC confirmed an initial report by MMAWeekly.com that Aaron Rosa
and Matt Lucas had agreed to a light heavyweight bout on the
Nov. 12 card in Anaheim, Calif., but also added two more bouts
to the mix.
Mackens
Semerzier and Robert Peralta will meet in a featherweight scrap,
as well as middleweights Paul Bradley and Mike Pierce squaring
off in a middleweight bout.
Semerzier
(6-3) is coming off of a win over Alex Caceres at UFC Fight Night
24 in his Octagon debut, while Peralta (15-3), in his first UFC
bout, stepped up on short notice at UFC Fight Night 25 to defeat
Mike Lullo.
Bradley
and Pierce are both known for their strong wrestling ability.
Bradley (18-3), in his Octagon debut at UFC 133, had a five-fight
winning streak derailed by Rafael Natal. Pierce (12-4) most recently
fought and lost on the same card as Bradley, dropping a split
decision to Johny Hendricks.
UFC
on Fox 1 features a UFC heavyweight championship bout between
Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior dos Santos as the only fight
of a one-hour telecast on Fox. Broadcast plans for the undercard
are expected shortly.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
136 TODAY
Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
October 8, 2011
By Zach Arnold
Hawaii
Air Times:
Preliminaries 2:00-3:00PM Channel 559
UFC 136 3:00-6:00PM Channel 701
Dark matches
¦Featherweights:
Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia
¦Middleweights: Steve Cantwell vs. Mike Massenzio
¦Middleweights: Aaron Simpson vs. Eric Schafer
¦Featherweights: Tiequan Zhang vs. Darren Elkins
¦Heavyweights: Joey Beltran vs. Stipe Miocic
¦Lightweights: Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens
¦Middleweights: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Main card
¦Lightweights:
Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon
¦Heavyweights: Mike Russow vs. Dave Herman
¦Middleweights: Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
¦UFC Featherweight title match: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian
¦UFC Lightweight title match: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Gray
Maynard Wants More than Frankie Edgar’s Title, He Wants
to be Part of History
by Andrew
Gladstone
Gray
Maynard (10-0-1) experienced a setback in his last fight against
UFC lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar
(13-1-1) when the contest was ruled a draw; at least that’s
how he sees it.
The
former Michigan State Spartan battered Edgar in the opening round
back at UFC 125 in January, but couldn’t find a way to put
Edgar away. He took the champ into the deep waters. It wasn’t
enough, however, to earn the victory and more importantly the
UFC lightweight title, but a lesson was learned after going through
such a close fight.
Heading
into this Saturday night’s trilogy at UFC 136, Maynard harkens
back to his wrestling roots as a child where he learned that
once you get to those championship fights that the hardest challenge
lays ahead.
“I’ve
been doing this from the time I was a kid and obviously at the
beginning of the tournament you can have the pins and you can
have it quick, but the championship matches are always going
to be close,” Maynard told MMAWeekly Radio.
“It’s
rarely a case where you ever have got the Anderson (Silva), that
dude’s unreal. As you get closer and closer you have to
be prepared so that you’re the best and again I go back
and look at the tape and I adjust a couple things.”
The
Xtreme Couture disciple was a three-time All-American wrestler
at Michigan State and already holds a victory over Edgar. Maynard
believes it’s his profound hatred of losing that drives
him to succeed and will push through all obstacles in any way
possible to reach his goal and become the champion.
“I
hate to lose, it just kills me to even try to talk about it.
I don’t care if it’s a championship, I don’t care
it’s a three-rounder, I don’t care if it’s checkers,
if I’m putting my name on the line, I hate losing, period.
Obviously, the goal is to become a champ and be the best or I
wouldn’t be doing this.
“If
I didn’t have the goal to be the best, there’s no point
in trying to do this. I’ll do a job to where I do want to
be the best, because I hate to half-ass stuff. I want to be a
champion, I want to evolve, and I want to be a part of history
in the sport of MMA.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Chael
Sonnen: “They found me guilty for taking a legal substance
(testosterone)”
By Zach
Arnold
It was an interview featuring two participants (Chael Sonnen
and Mauro Ranallo) that you knew, at some point, would devolve
into who knows what. It inevitably reached that point of absurdity…
and more.
Sonnen immediately said that he would be ‘defending his
Middleweight championship’ against Brian Stann on Saturday
night in Houston. When asked about what weight he’s at now
and if he’ll be able to make the cut, he described it as
a ‘painful, struggling challenging week for (making) weight.’
When asked why he hasn’t been publicly trash-talking Brian
Stann, he quipped back with this response:
CHAEL SONNEN:“Look, I don’t try to get under someone’s
skin. I don’t talk trash. I hear that said about myself
but I don’t do that. I’m the most respectful guy in
the sport. The difference is I’ve got a different opinion
of what respect is. A lot of guys think it’s to be fake.
A lot of guys think it’s respectful to bow to your face
and stick a knife in your back when you turn around. I will tell
you to your face that when you turn I’m going to put a knife
in your back and then I’ll do it.
“I think he’s great, you know, I was in the WEC with
him, traveled the road(s) with him, we were in different weight
classes. He was the king of his division, I was the king of mine
and frankly he was pretty green back then. He was pretty new
to the sport and he still won the championship. So, all these
years removed, it’s been a lot of fun to watch him do well.
There’s not a lot of good guys in the locker room in this
business, there’s a bunch of dirt bags. But he’s one
of the good guys, so he’s all right with me.
MAURO RANALLO:“Who do you think is the biggest dirt bag
in the sport right now?”
CHAEL SONNEN:“That’s my business, brother, that’s
my business. Time will work itself out and he and I will meet,
but for now I’ll keep that to myself. I’ve got Brian
Stann in my sights.”
MAURO RANALLO:“Well, would it be Anderson Silva, who you
actually begrudgingly gave some props to regarding his performance
against Yushin Okami someone who you helped prepare. Are you
beginning to soften on The Spider?”
CHAEL SONNEN:“No, absolutely not.”
MAURO RANALLO:“And do you see that as being the next target
after you get past Brian Stann?”
CHAEL SONNEN:“Well, I already know who the next target is.
My opponent is set, the date is set, and the venue is set. But
before we get to anything to of that, I have to take care of
business in Houston on Saturday night.”
Sonnen stated that he had changed up his management & training
team in preparation for Saturday’s fight. He’s now
training out of Scott McQuary’s facility in Tualatin, Oregon
with coach Clayton Hires. He described the state of Team Quest
as “a big revolving door … I think the rain gets to
(people) a little bit in Portland.”
As for what kind of game plan the 2.5-to-1 favorite will implement
against Stann…
“What’s a game plan? What does that mean? You got a
bunch of guys with their 8th grade educations and their gold
teeth sitting around trying to break down a fight. Listen, it’s
a fist fight in a steel cage in Texas on Saturday night. There
is nothing more simplistic in life than that. I don’t exactly
need a plan. I walk out there when the guy in the shark suit
gets out of my way and the referee with the dreadlocks says ‘get
it on,’ I get it on.”
Revisiting history vs. revisionist history
The issue of Sonnen coming off his suspension for TRT (testosterone
replacement therapy) was brought up. This was clearly not something
he wanted to harp on at-length but decided to make his case and
try to get it out of the way. I don’t think that worked
out so well during this interview. Mauro asked him about the
suspension and if he would fight in California again after issues
relating to ‘elevated testosterone’ levels.
“First off, shame on you for putting out a false report.
Not only did I not have elevated testosterone (levels), I was
never even accused of that. The state of California never even
accused me of that. Josh Gross went on ESPN and falsely reported
that. I was never even up against those charges. I took testosterone
and testosterone is 100% legal and shame on you as a member of
the media for not coming out and not blasting the commission
for that. I took testosterone, I offer no apology. Testosterone
is not a banned substance in any of the 46 states that govern
MMA or the two provinces in Canada. It is completely legal. They
banned me for taking a legal substance and I never took an elevated
amount, ever. I was never even accused of that other than by
Josh Gross who got it on ESPN and by then it was all over the
wire.
“They don’t know their own rules. I’m not trying
to be condescending, I’m not trying to do any of those things
but it’s that frustrating. They brought me in for taking
testosterone. I had to explain to them that it’s not against
their rules. They said, ‘hey, you took testosterone,’
and I said, “I sure did.’ I said, ‘look on page
three of your own rule book, testosterone is legal.’ There’s
very few things that are legal, you know, it’s a very sensitive
list. Caffeine, for example, is illegal. Aspirin’s illegal,
so it’s very sensitive. Testosterone is one of the few things
that’s legal. So, they turn to page three and say, oh my
goodness, he did take a legal substance, what do we do now?
So, they changed the argument. Right on the spot, they changed
the argument to a disclosure issue. And that wasn’t what
I was brought there for but of course I was ready for that and
I had disclosed it. I disclosed it four different ways, three
of which I could prove in writing and I submitted that. So, they
changed the argument on me again and they just continue to do
that and ultimately they said, all right, let’s just split
the difference. We wanted to suspend you for a year, how about
we just do six months? Well, there’s no such things. I break
a rule, I serve a year, that’s it. If I didn’t break
up a rule, you apologize and I get up and leave now. Of course,
name one government agency that’s ever going to admit fault.
So, they stick me with a six month suspension and now here, a
year later, I’m on a radio show with a guy that still thinks
I have elevated testosterone. I was never even accused of that.
Josh Gross made it up.”
Sonnen further elaborated on the paperwork process in California
and wanted to stress how each state handles drug & medical
testing issues differently.
“When I got to Nevada, there’s an actual process. There’s
a process of disclosure and you will receive a form and when
you’re done you fold it up and stick in your wallet and
you can pull it out and go, “look, I’m approved,”
and you can hold it up just like you would a license. California
doesn’t that have process. California uses the word ‘disclose.’
That’s it. So, now you’re left with your own ability
to try to figure out what ‘disclose’ means. So, we
disclosed it, we told them in an e-mail. Then we went back and
re-disclosed it, told them face-to-face. Then we went back and
re-disclosed it and wrote it all down. So when we get to the
hearing they look at it and go, ‘well, we don’t like
this, this is too broad.’ And I’m sitting there going,
well, I tend to agree, I tend to agree that it’s a little
bit broad. But it’s your rule, either way. You came up with
the rule, I followed your rule. You don’t now get to punish
me because you think you misappropriately wrote your rule. But
that’s a really relevant fact and the point that I’m
trying to make there isn’t this ‘poor me, they abused
me.’ That’s fine, I can live with that.
“What I’m getting at is that each state is different.
Look into the rules of that state. Don’t carry anything
with you from state to state. If you were told something in New
Jersey, don’t carry that with you to Oregon. Go to Oregon
and start from scratch.”
Sonnen said that the cries over testosterone usage in MMA as
compared to fighters using other drugs is a symptom of a double-standard
at work.
“Testosterone’s really funny. Testosterone (usage)
is this big ‘hey, look at this hand, so you don’t see
what this hand is doing.’ Testosterone isn’t the best
of the substances that are legal, it just seems to be the one
that everyone’s focusing on which is fine, keep the focus
there and they’re going to continue to miss the other great
substances… you know, again, that are legal. Nobody needs
to apologize for taking something legal. That’s just a competitive
edge, we’re always trying to figure out, you know, what
you need to manipulate, your proteins… You’ll hear
guys talk about proteins to carbohydrates to electrolytes to
IGF levels, you’ll hear all these things… that’s
competitive edge, you’ve got to find out for you where your
levels are best at. So, if a guy’s taking something’s
that legal, then that’s the end of it. If it’s illegal,
then you’ve got problems and you should be banned and I’ve
been in full support of that. I’ve never taken anything
illegal and that’s it. They found me guilty for taking a
legal substance.”
Sonnen admitted during the interview, albeit briefly and stopping
himself before completely elaborating, that he cleared house
and changed up his management team because of the way certain
things were handled.
Disgust with Brazilian fighters & PRIDE’s legacy
As for whether or not Chael Sonnen will go to Brazil and fight,
he says he’s up for the challenge and that he has a time
share there he vacations at ‘twice a year.’ He had
less kind things to say about Brazilian fighters, however. In
response to Vitor Belfort calling out Chael…
“What do you want me to do, respond to a chicken who never
shows up to fight? You want me to take this clown seriously?
I don’t think he would show up to save his life and I think
that’s wise.”
When Wanderlei’s name was brought up, this is the point
when the interview devolved into a mess over whether PRIDE fights
were fixed and manipulated. Sonnen challenged Ranallo to truthfully
state how legitimate PRIDE was as an organization in-the-ring.
Ranallo fired back and said that during the glory years of PRIDE
that the company promoted a sport that was raw & violent
and said ‘maybe too much so’ for Chael to like. Sonnen
was having none of it.
“How do you do that? Do you keep your fingers crossed when
you answer that?”
“I don’t see you answering my question, I see you diverting
my question.”
“Why can Wanderlei (Silva) win 22 straight in Japan and
he can’t win 2 over here (in the UFC)?”
Sonnen said that defending PRIDE is “a level of ridiculous
that I’m not willing to go to.” Kind of like trying
to defend his testimony to the California State Athletic Commission
about his testosterone usage, too.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Jorge
Masvidal Believes His Fight with Gilbert Melendez is Still Happening
in Strikeforce
by Damon
Martin
It’s been a strange couple of days for Strikeforce lightweight
Jorge Masvidal.
Early Sunday morning he received a text message from one of his
managers saying his fight with Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez
was off, and of course Masvidal immediately wondered what was
going on.
On Saturday night following UFC on Versus 6, UFC president Dana
White revealed that Melendez was bound for the Octagon sooner
rather than later.
“The first thing I got a text from one of my managers saying
that he though the fight was off, and I was like ‘why is
that, he got injured or something?’ and he goes ‘no,
they’re taking him over to the UFC immediately.’ That
was weird because I signed a bout agreement two weeks ago, so
I didn’t think it was accurate,” Masvidal told MMAWeekly
Radio on Monday.
Masvidal immediately started digging into the situation to find
out if he was still fighting Melendez in December, or what exactly
was happening.
“I called my partner Dan Lambert (from American Top Team)
and he was the one that told me, let me get into it,” said
Masvidal. “So he went and found out that people had just
taken it out of context, the fight was still on. They want Gilbert
in the UFC bad, but our fight’s still going to happen.”
So despite White’s statements on Saturday night, according
to Masvidal’s manager, at least for right now, the scheduled
fight with Gilbert Melendez is still happening on Dec. 17 under
the Strikeforce banner.
“The fight’s on,” Masvidal stated. “From
what me and my camp understand, the bout’s still on. I just
signed bout agreements like two weeks ago.”
“We’re going to bring Melendez over ASAP,” were
White’s words when asked about bringing Melendez over to
the UFC. And when asked if that meant it could happen before
the Strikeforce champion had another fight his current promotion,
White answered, “Yeah.”
If the fight is indeed still happening, it may very well be a
swan song for Strikeforce or at least the lightweight title.
Several champions from the promotion have been shifted to the
UFC already, and it appears another domino may tumble in the
very near future.
Masvidal admits that at this point the only fight he wants is
one with Gilbert Melendez, so he’s hopeful that the situation
remains status quo and he’s fighting for the Strikeforce
lightweight title in two months time.
“That’s the only fight I want,” said Masvidal.
“After I fought K.J. (Noons) and I beat him, that was the
only thing in my head, hopefully I’m getting Gilbert. When
they told me I was getting Gilbert a couple of weeks after that
fight, that’s all I’ve been thinking about.”
As for his own potential move to the UFC, Masvidal is just worried
about fighting Gilbert Melendez right now. If he gets to move
over to the promotion following this fight, so be it. If he doesn’t,
he’ll deal with that too.
For Jorge Masvidal, the end game right now starts and stops with
beating Gilbert Melendez.
“I’m just worried about crushing Gilbert, just embarrassing
him out there, hurting him, putting an ass whooping on him,”
said Masvidal. “That’s all I’m worried about.
Whatever happens after that, happens.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Aldo
ready for Florian: “I prepared myself to go for a submission
or the knockout”
Interview
and photo by Erik Engelhart
UFC
featherweight champion Jose Aldo talked exclusively to TATAME
one day before heading to the United States, where he’ll
defend his belt against Kenny Florian, on November 8th. On the
interview that you can check below Junior seemed to be a lot
confident of a win and guaranteed he’ll do everything in
his power so that his fans don’t suffer with a five-round
bout, didn’t seem to be afraid of Florian’s reach and
guaranteed to go for it. The tough guy also commented on the
American’s strong points and how to neutralize them, among
many other subjects.
How
was the preparation for another title defense, now against Kenny
Florian?
All
three months of trainings were great, this is how long we take
to get ready for a fight and I’m feeling fine thanks’
God and now I’ll just get there and do what I trained for.
I always try to keep training, I let go my nights out or parties,
because that’s my life, nobody tells me to do it, I chose
this lige and I try to be professional.
But
at some point you need to relax, take it easy...
The
most I do is go to the movies, but then I’m at home at midnight.
I also like playing videogame, and when i get home I go and play
soccer, I love Pro Evolution. Another thing I also like doing
it go to Flamengo’s matches, which is something I really
love doing, so these are my hobbies. I don’t drink, I don’t
smoke, and these are my only ways of having fun.
Kenny
Florian has a greater reach than you and are taller than your
previous opponent, Hominick. Does that worry you?
Actually,
Hominick is shorter than Florian, but he has a larger reach,
so I’m used to it. I fought Jonathan Brookins, who’s
a guy bigger than both of them and he was a lefty, so it’s
almost the same game. My tallest training partners, like Leo
Santos and (Luis) Cane try to play it like Kenny does. I also
brought an Olympic boxer from Salvador to train with me, Davi.
Diego Nunes fought Florian and he told me some things I should
know, he said he’s a too calm guy, experienced and he also
told me he waits for the right time.
Do
you believe a good way to minimize this reach gap is to hit him
with low kicks?
Absolutely.
I’ll kick him in the leg, and we’ll start going up
so when it truly gets him, you know what happens, right? (laughs).
Nova
Uniao black belt, BJ Penn found in Jiu-Jitsu a way to defeat
Florian, submitting him with a rear naked choke. Do you believe
you’ll get the advantage in case you take him down?
I
belçieve so. In my point of view, my Jiu-Jitsu is enough
to put up Kenny and maybe get something from it. He’s very
good when he’s on top, but when he has his back against
the floor he doesn’t do anything, he just hits you with
his elbows and keeps his guard closed. When he opens it, his
opponents get an advantage. I trained a lot and I’m sharp
in all situations it can go. It doesn’t matter if he wants
to bang, I’ll do it. If he wants to fight on the ground,
it’s ok by me. I’ll get there and go for it.
Where
do you think he’s dangerous at?
He
has a big experience and I can’t underestimate his elbows,
because it’s something he uses a lot and he’s good
at it, besides kicking hard, he owns a powerful high kick. I
gotta stay tuned to these tricks, but I’m sure I’ll
block them.
Do
you think he’ll try to stand and bang against you?
All
fights start with both athletes standing, but honestly I don’t
believe he’ll want to bang with me, he won’t risk it.
He’s a guy who doesn’t take risks, you can notice it
on his fights and you’ll realize he didn’t start trading
punches with anyone from the beginning, he always tries to get
away from it with a jab or a punch and then grab you and take
you into his game.
Have
you ‘honores’ your last opponent, Mark Hominick? (Aldo
has skulls tattooed representing some of his opponents on his
shoulder)
I
didn’t honor him (laughs). That’s a privilege for those
who has been knocked out by me, and since I defeated him by points
I didn’t honor him. It’s only for those I’ve knocked
out. I did an excellent fight against him, but I couldn’t
knock him out.
UFC
has plans of promoting an event in Manaus, your hometown. After
being left off UFC Rio card, you can’t miss this opportunity...
I
was left off Rio, where I live and I don’t want to be left
off another party. If it really happens in Manaus, me as a native
man, can’t be left off, I got to be in it, and you can be
sure I’ll break all records in there.
Your
coach, Andre Pederneiras, told you not to give interviews and
focus on your trainings. In what way this media black-out helped
you get focused for this fight?
It
helped me a lot, I was only focused on my trainings. My coach
realized that too much interviews were making me unfocused...
I had to go to many events, travel to São Paulo and other
states and my life was a mess. That’s why Andre told me
not to do it, so I remained focused.
So
you weren’t ostentatious, like it happens to champions some
times?
I
know it happens, but not with me. I only did it to focus on my
job, and when the fight is over I’ll go there and give interview,
I don’t have any problems with that, I even like it. It
was just a Professional matter. I backed off to train more, to
just have that thought in mind and defend my belt successfully.
You
root for Flamengo, as we all know, but how is your professional
relationship with the team? Will you be sponsored by it or not?
I’m
a fanatic fan and it won’t chance. But this sponsorship
is something we’re working on, I have a person working on
it and we hope to reach an agreement, but it hasn’t happened
yet, but who knows?
What
can your fans hope of you on this title fight? Will you make
them suffer with another 5-round bout?
I
hope not (laughs). I prepared myself to go for a submission or
the knockout and really go forward, to attack a lot. But in case
I can’t finish it before the regular time is over, I’ll
fight for five rounds and I’ll do my best not to make them
suffer. My affection to all my fans who root for me. You can
be sure Jose Aldo is going for it.
Source: Tatame
|
UFC
136: Chael Sonnen, ‘I Was Put in Timeout for a Little While,
but I’m Back and I’ll Deal With It’
by Ken
Pishna
It’s
been a long year for Chael Sonnen.
He
had a stellar performance against Anderson Silva at UFC 117 pulled
out from under him when the champ submitted him with an armbar/triangle
combination late in the fifth round.
Sonnen
later plead guilty to Federal charges of money laundering in
relation to his real estate business, which helped sideline plans
to make a run in politics.
He
was suspended by the state of California due to issues over his
medical use of testosterone surrounding the Silva fight and that
usage was reported to the California State Athletic Commission.
“I
got put in timeout for a while, but I’m back and I’ll
deal with it,” quipped Sonnen on Wednesday.
So
it has been more than a year, a year that was full or turmoil,
since Sonnen last set foot in the Octagon. But he returns on
Saturday night at UFC 136 in Houston. It’s no tune-up fight
either. The UFC is sending in the Marines to welcome Sonnen back.
Well, one Marine in particular, Top 10 middleweight Brian Stann.
It’s
a tough fight for sure. Stann is riding the crest of a three-fight
winning streak since making the move down to middleweight. That
success is a culmination of the drop down to a division where
he’s one of the bigger fighters and the time he’s spent
the past couple of years training at Jackson’s in Albuquerque,
N.M., added to the mental fortitude from his time fighting real
wars overseas as a Marine.
Sonnen
knows what he’s in for. He expects Stann to be one of the
toughest fighters he’s ever faced. And he knows his time
out of the Octagon doesn’t exactly play to his favor, but
he also is prepared to deal with it.
“I
think ring rust is a real thing. I’ve accepted it and I’ll
have to deal with it,” said Sonnen. “The next fight
is always the next fight. There’s no telling when that’s
gonna be. Whether you’re lucky and it’s three months
away like it’s supposed to be or you gotta wait a little
bit. I’m not the only one. Frankie and Gray have been out
for 10 months, too.
“I’ve
never been the victim. I’m not gonna complain. I’ll
deal with what comes and take care of business to the best of
my ability.”
That
doesn’t mean that there aren’t questions in his mind.
Sonnen
has always been confident laying the smack down when it comes
to the trash talk that so often ensues leading up to a fight,
but that trash talk doesn’t necessarily win the battle in
the cage, and he knows it. And with Stann, Sonnen has too much
respect to whittle away at him the way he has done with so many
others.
The
fact is Sonnen has to perform in the Octagon. Despite being regarded
as one of the top middleweight fighters in the world, he’s
never been comfortable standing pat. His talk outside the cage
doesn’t lead to bravado in the cage, fooling Sonnen into
believing that he can’t always do a little better than before.
“There’s
always doubts. There’s no position in the Octagon that I’m
comfortable in. I’m never secure out there. Every day I
try to get better at everything, a little stronger, a little
faster, a little better shape,” he admitted.
“There’s
always doubts. That’s part of it. What fun would this be
if you knew the outcome? What fun this be if it wasn’t all
on the line? I love going to the ring hurt or sick or tired and
trying to figure out how to win anyway. I saw the ride and I
bought a ticket anyway.
“When
that guy in the shark suit gets out of the ring and the guy with
the dreadlocks says fight, I will.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Dong
Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson Added to UFC 141 Fight Card
A welterweight bout has been added to the year end UFC 141 card
between Dong Hyun Kim and Canadian fighter Sean Pierson.
UFC officials announced the match-up on Monday.
After starting his career with a long running undefeated record,
Korea’s Dong Hyun Kim tasted defeat for the first time back
in July after a stunning knockout loss to Carlos Condit.
Kim will look to bounce back in December when he faces another
heavy handed striker at UFC 141.
Sean Pierson will be returning to action later this year with
redemption on his mind as well.
After a successful UFC debut, Pierson found himself on the wrong
end of a knockout via UFC welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger
at UFC 129 in April.
Pierson will do his best to erase the memory of that fight with
a win over Kim in December.
UFC 141 takes place on Dec 30 in Las Vegas with the main event
pitting former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem
against former UFC champion Brock Lesnar.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
MAN
UP & STAND UP TODAY
MAN UP WEIGH IN
10/6 THURS AT 5:00
AT WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
MAN UP AND STAND UP
WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
FRIDAY OCT 7
DOORS OPEN AT 6:00
Das right, Man-up & Stand-up is doing it one mo gen and bringing
sexyback in the mix with 4 female bouts. Yup yup we got it all
from kids to adults, from females to males, from first time matches
to title defenses. This might be an amateur show but the game
that these fighters will be bringing is far from it. In our main
event, we got Eric The Executioner Edwards, our reigning super
heavyweight champion from the Westside taking on Big Island hamma
Kawika Santo. Eric has defended his title three times and is
looking for a fourth. He has never met defeat on Man-up &
Stand-up and is more than happy to welcome anyone that wants
to accept that invitation. Kawika may just be the super heavyweight
to rsvp that invitation while tipping the scale at 260. Oh yeah,
big island, big boy, could we be looking at a big upset. We see.
We also got two former high school wrestling champions that are
gonna try out their stand up game against each other. Tephanie
Wicks will take on Shabrielle Gushi on unfamiliar grounds which
is everything but the ground. The first time these two met Wicks
came home with the W, the second time – Gushi finished the
match in under a minute. The third time is unpredictable because
there will be no points for takedowns just knockdowns. You could
call this the tiebreaker but here, we like to call it Man-up
& Stand-up. That’s exactly what you will see Friday
night at the Filcom.
Another fight not to miss will be Genalyn Ganaban going up against
mma veteran Monica Franco. Monica’s original match pulled
out so Gena stepped up to see if she could put up with one of
Oahu’s well-known female fighters in the ring. Monica does
it all from mma to pankration to kickboxing and always puts on
an outstanding performance. Gena on the other hand just loves
to bang. She sticks to boxing and kickboxing and does well in
those sports. Both of them are veterans in this sport that most
females stay far away from. This fight will be animal because
unlike most females that think fighting is dangerous. These females
think fighting is fun and if they’re not swinging then they’re
not having fun. Chee-hu
There will be a lot of killa fights with title defenses by Miller
Ualesei, Evan Quizon, Dontez Coleman and Chante Stafford. With
two other female bouts that will definitely be crowd pleasers.
Actually the whole card should have everyone talking about it
until the Man-up & Stand-up end of the year show. Aaww yeah
das how its done here. See you there this Friday.
MILLER UALESE I185 HOKU CUBAN
KEONI CHANG 140 MARK YARCIA
BRENNAN NASH 125 DONTEZ COLEMAN
HAYZEN LINKIE 160 DARREN FAATAPI
JORDAN ROBERTS 120 MELVIN RAMENTO
LOMBARD MADALORA 170 JAMES REYES
MICAH BEATE 155 CAMILLE BOB
SHABBY GUSHI 185 TEPHANIE WICKS
EVAN QUIZON 130 ELIAS VELASCO
NATHAN WOODS 135 BRYER
NAGAHAMA
JONAH AFOA 200 KOA KONDO
KEPANO HOKOANA 135 POOKELA YAHIKU
NALU KAWAILIMA 135 NEVADA HARRISON
JUSTIN
DULAY 160
JOSEPH ENAENA
JOE HOPPS
155 ANTHONY
RIVERA
LEE OLIVERAS 175 DARIUS
EL MATADOR LANDO
MALIKA SOUZA 125 RADLYN COSTALES
KAIKANE QUIZON 115 KALAI
KWAN
ROBERT BAKER 140 THOMAS REYES
JOE GARCIA 150 SHAWN MIYAHARA
KALEO 140 TOFI MIKA
MARC KUMA I185 SEAN HENDERSON
SABRINA NISHIHARA 150 CHARNELLE KEALOHA
KAWIKA SATO 210 ERIC EDWARD
CHANTE STAFFORD 115 ALIKA KUMUKOA
SPENCER QUELL 195 ROLAND AMISTAD
NYLEN KUKAHIKO 80 STEVEN REYES
MONICA FRANCO 140 JENA GANABAN
All matches & participants are subject to change.
Source: Derrick Bright
|
UFC
136 Tomorrow
Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
October 8, 2011
By Zach Arnold
Hawaii
Air Times:
Preliminaries 2:00-3:00PM Channel 559
UFC 136 3:00-6:00PM Channel 701
Dark matches
¦Featherweights:
Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia
¦Middleweights: Steve Cantwell vs. Mike Massenzio
¦Middleweights: Aaron Simpson vs. Eric Schafer
¦Featherweights: Tiequan Zhang vs. Darren Elkins
¦Heavyweights: Joey Beltran vs. Stipe Miocic
¦Lightweights: Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens
¦Middleweights: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Main card
¦Lightweights:
Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon
¦Heavyweights: Mike Russow vs. Dave Herman
¦Middleweights: Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
¦UFC Featherweight title match: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian
¦UFC Lightweight title match: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
136 Preview: The Main Card
by Jason
Probst
In
the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s deepest and most talented
division, challenges aplenty await the victor of Frankie Edgar-Gray
Maynard 3. Still, the question of who belongs at the top of the
mountain remains as compelling and vexing as any potential matchup
in the game. Hence, the mixed martial arts community has the
UFC 136 to contemplate.
With
Edgar looking to make the third defense of his championship and
Maynard still the only man to have beaten him, a close, intense
match seems almost assured. A cast of hungry contenders lurking
in the ranks, so whoever wins will have little time to savor
the victory before being thrown into an exceptionally difficult
title defense.
In
the co-headliner, featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo faces a
seasoned challenger of his own in Kenny Florian. Blessed with
potent standup ability and rare athleticism, Aldo takes on a
man that owns, in many ways, a similar style to his own. In June,
Florian moved down yet another weight class -- his fourth in
the UFC -- to try his hand at 145 pounds.
UFC
136 -- which emanates from the Toyota Center in Houston -- also
brings with it the return of Chael Sonnen, who faces former WEC
champion Brian Stann in a bout that carries definite title shot
implications. Here is a closer look at the main card, with breakdowns
and picks.
UFC
Lightweight Championship
Frankie Edgar (13-1-1, 8-1-1 UFC) vs. Gray Maynard (10-0-1, 1
NC, 8-0-1, 1 NC UFC)
The
Matchup: After a stellar second match between them on New Year’s
Day, Edgar-Maynard 3 brings a hopeful sense of closure to rivalry
between the UFC’s top two lightweights. The duo put up a
spirited five-round match in its January encounter, supplying
excitement and thrills as Maynard hammered Edgar across the Octagon
in a brutal opening round, only to see the champion mount an
inspired rally to salvage a draw.
The
rubber match also addresses the if-then statements the second
bout supplied. What if Edgar had never been hurt? How much did
Maynard lose going all-out for the stoppage in the first round,
where he threw an astounding 97 strikes? How will each man change
his strategy now, based on what he learned?
Compared
to their first fight in April 2008, when Maynard scored takedowns
and dominated Edgar on the mat, it was obvious that the champion
had since made some key adjustments in his game. Using improved
standup and footwork, he denied Maynard the distance and takedown
openings he exploited at UFC Fight Night 13. Edgar’s ability
to use boxing and timing makes up for his lack of numbing one-shot
power, and his outstanding conditioning in his two wins over
B.J. Penn proved he is never out of a fight as long as he remains
conscious -- or semi-conscious, as he was for parts of his second
bout with Maynard.
Psychologically,
the edge coming off of UFC 125 has to go to Edgar. He recovered
from a terrible pounding and even took down Maynard a few times.
One has to wonder what “The Bully” will be thinking
in terms of finishing Edgar if the opportunity presents itself.
Will he risk going all-in again?
That
said, Maynard has some equalizers Edgar does not. He is likely
to get outworked on the feet in an extended striking match, as
the champion’s quick right hand and great mix of strikes
keeps opponents guessing, but Maynard simply has heavier hands
and the wrestling horsepower to blunt Edgar’s tools. The
biggest adjustment for him will be waiting and timing his shots
as Edgar scoots in and out; Maynard can throw in more takedown
attempts, too. Edgar, a fantastic sprawler and scrambler, will
likely deny the early shots, but they will keep him honest --
and thinking.
If
the fight unfolds in the center of the Octagon, a slight edge
goes to Edgar, especially if he remembers to circle to his left
and avoid Maynard’s left hook, which hurt him last time.
Maynard should also use more kicks in this fight; he is strong
enough to make them count, and he needs to be a four-limbed fighter,
as Edgar utilizes everything to pile up points. Maynard should
also press forward and try and force Edgar against the cage,
which will negate some of the champion’s dexterity and scrambling
ability. Maynard will win a battle of upper body strength and
wrestling horsepower every time, but standing around and waiting
to counter leaves too many openings for the talented Edgar, who
always seems to have enough gas to close hard down the stretch.
Maynard has to make this more of a down-and-dirty fight than
the final four rounds of their last matchup.
In
a battle between two of the three best lightweights in the world
-- Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez being the meat in the
sandwich -- it may come down to a key takedown or two and a memorable
exchange in a close round.
The
Pick: Psychologically, Edgar holds an edge here. He knows he
can rally from the brink, and he never hesitates to push forward
and burst out of a bad situation. Maynard will bring more pressure
and takedown attempts, but Edgar’s ability to escape and
rally will push the pace as he battles for every round, minute
and exchange. In another classic fight, Edgar’s activity
and volume will be just enough to pull out a split decision win.
UFC
Featherweight Championship
Jose Aldo (19-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Kenny Florian (14-5, 12-4 UFC)
The
Matchup: Few fighters in the game possess Aldo’s blend of
dangerous striking and the willingness to apply it. The featherweight
champion’s standup is so potent and precise that his outstanding
grappling and submissions skills are largely overlooked, because
he likes to make opponents fight on the feet. That said, his
last defense against Mark Hominick at UFC 129 was revealing,
showing that he is not unbeatable. Hominick weathered an early
assault of booming strikes to mount a comeback over the second
half of the bout, taking advantage as Aldo tired.
Florian
is a compelling challenger. His experience at 155 pounds and
at higher weights suggests that his difficult-but-manageable
cut to 145 might make him the big man in the title-bout equation
for once. Forever cursed by a lack of core wrestling ability,
Florian’s technically pleasing standup and excellent jiu-jitsu
skills were consistently stymied when he could not win the wrestling
phase in bouts. His gutsy decision win over the talented Diego
Nunes at UFC 131 was a showpiece of veteran savvy and strategy,
as he executed his game plan perfectly.
Against
Aldo, the key factor will be whether Florian can adjust and take
it to the ground if he cannot keep it even on the feet. Aldo’s
ability to stand in the pocket and deliver booming shots, particularly
his numbing kicks that fire off without warning, is an enormous
weapon. He simply paralyzes opponents that cannot figure out
where he is going to drill them next. Plus, the Nova Uniao standout’s
speed and accuracy are so good that he handcuffs their reactions,
making further attacks that much easier to execute. Hominick,
himself a gifted striker, was able to stand with Aldo because
of his comfort in that phase of the game, but most featherweights
simply will not have the skill to do so. Florian is a likely
exception.
Aldo’s
takedown defense is also superb, and his ability to slice through
opponents when they are on their backs is clinical and efficient.
Florian has to fight effectively from his southpaw stance, shooting
hard counter punches as Aldo steps in to nail him, all while
circling so his right foot remains outside of Aldo’s lead
leg, opening up more angles for him to counter the champion.
Aldo’s
weight cut may be as difficult as his challenger’s, but
Florian only figures to get more acclimated to it; that could
be a key in a five-round fight. On the ground, if it goes there,
expect Aldo to have the advantage in jiu-jitsu; however, Florian’s
size at 145 may allow him to be effective with ground-and-pound
if he can soften up Aldo, particularly in a long fight.
This
is real challenge for the champion, and he will have to be on
his a game to turn back Florian. Expect a feeling-out process
in the opening two or three minutes, as both talented strikers
gauge one another’s range and capabilities. When Aldo feels
confident, he will start unleashing his lethal punch-kick combinations,
such as the wicked left hook to the body-right kick to the legs
with which he consistently nailed Hominick. Florian’s three-inch
height advantage should be a factor in countering Aldo’s
early assault, however, as he answers with his own kicks.
Both
men are great with knees; Aldo likes to shoot one down the pipe
as opponents move in, and Florian excels at securing the clinch
and ramming them home. A long-range striking match is Florian’s
best range, with Aldo probably more dangerous in extended clinch
and dirty boxing situations.
If
there is one weakness on which Florian can capitalize it is piling
up points, as Hominick did, with strikes that do not necessarily
hurt Aldo but score and get the attention of the judges. Much
like B.J. Penn was willing to stand around and get outworked
by Frankie Edgar simply because he did not feel threatened, one
gets the feeling Aldo might fall for the same strategy. It is
the kind of game plan Florian is smart enough to pursue if a
firefight proves to be to his disadvantage. He can also cement
such work by hitting takedowns at the end of rounds.
However,
Aldo is too explosive and dangerous, particularly with his sharp
counters and leg kicks. He excels at countering in the pocket,
and his wicked ground game, only glimpsed in small flashes, is
outstanding. His takedown shots against Hominick looked like
that of a college wrestler, and the manner in which he sliced
through the guards of Mike Thomas Brown and Urijah Faber showed
another level of jiu-jitsu entirely.
The
Pick: Aldo has his hands full in this matchup, but he should
be too accurate and powerful, hammering Florian on the feet and
stuffing takedowns en route to a fourth-round knockout win.
Middleweights
Chael Sonnen (25-11-1, 4-4 UFC) vs. Brian Stann (11-3, 5-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: With a middleweight division nearly cleaned out of marketable
challengers, Sonnen-Stann could produce a viable one, and each
guy has a compelling backstory to supply the effort. In Stann’s
case, it is a certifiable marketer’s dream: he was awarded
the Silver Star as a Marine, graduated from the Naval Academy
and shown slow-but-steady improvement as he has marched up the
185-pound ranks.
Sonnen
remains the only title challenger to win more than one round
against champion Anderson Silva, and his epic showing in their
first bout -- prior to his being submitted in the final round
-- is made all the more impressive each time Silva steamrolls
a challenger. “The Spider” could definitely benefit
from a Sonnen rematch.
Unbeaten
in three outings since dropping to middleweight, Stann’s
more measured and precise approach has dispatched foes, making
waves in the process. He is not the same fighter that was blitzed
standing in his second WEC match with Steve Cantwell, and the
drop in weight fits his frame better. Gifted with solid strikes
and athleticism -- he played linebacker at Navy -- he showed
he can put the hurt on opponents with his knockouts of the notoriously
durable Chris Leben and former Sengoku Raiden Championship titleholder
Jorge Santiago.
Sonnen,
meanwhile, is the best wrestler in the middleweight division,
and one of the best wrestlers in the sport in a pure MMA context.
He has great timing on transitioning from striking to takedowns,
top-notch conditioning and the ability to control opponents from
the top, staying active enough to keep the referee from restarting
the action. He represents MMA’s version of three yards and
a cloud of dust, and it has proven brutally effective. Past opponents,
including Nate Marquardt, Yushin Okami and Dan Miller have been
able to do little but take sound thumpings in the process.
Sonnen’s
glaring weakness remains submission defense, and previous foes
have been more successful there than anywhere else; eight of
his 11 losses are by submission. However, this matchup hinges
on factors that ride in Sonnen’s favor, as Stann is not
likely to secure a submission and does not have the high-level
jiu-jitsu pedigree of a Silva, Paulo Filho or Jeremy Horn. Stann’s
fight of choice involves standing and forcing Sonnen to engage
and bang. That said, it has proven difficult to lure the Team
Quest veteran into such a match. He simply lures foes into exchange
range, shoots and takes them down.
It
will take a near-perfect performance for Stann to win, and he
will have to remain on his feet for most of at least two effective
rounds to do so. Sonnen’s standup is not of the world-beating
variety, but it is effective enough, as he will lace foes with
straight, basic one-twos and the occasional kick to keep them
honest before bursting in to tie them up and take them down.
Sonnen’s ability to get the fight on the mat and get down
and dirty with body blows, headshots and elbows aplenty also
tires out opponents.
The
Pick: Sonnen by decision.
Lightweights
Melvin Guillard (29-8-2, 1 NC, 10-4 UFC) vs. Joe Lauzon (20-6,
7-3 UFC)
The
Matchup: Riding a five-bout winning streak that includes a pair
of destructive, high-profile stoppages in his last two outings,
Guillard is a hot property at lightweight. Gifted with explosive
power and unmatched physical tools, he brings a rare kind of
striking to the 155-pound division: the ability to take out people
in lightning barrages.
That
offensive power is backed up by excellent takedown defense, footwork
and spry hips, which mean anyone facing Guillard will have to
deal with getting the fight to the mat and avoiding his big bombs
in the process. In past performances, Guillard has often had
the physical edge in obvious tools available, but mental mistakes
and conditioning have hampered him in key performances. That
is ostensibly in the past, as he is now training with Greg Jackson
and has put together some career-defining performances since
the two joined forces.
Lauzon
presents an interesting test. “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 5 alum is not a strong takedown artist but relies on aggression,
conditioning and excellent jiu-jitsu to exploit positions and
push opponents to a point where they make mistakes on which he
can capitalize. In the stacked lightweight division, where close
decisions are often the rule in deciding fights, a victory inside
the distance can go a long way to helping make one’s case
for moving up the ranks. On paper, this one looks precisely like
the kind of bout where a decision is not likely. Lauzon is too
game to downshift if Guillard proves too much of a handful on
the feet and too dangerous to let “The Young Assassin”
lag if he can get it on the ground. Something has to give.
The
key element in any fight against Guillard is riding out the storm
and getting him to the mat. He has a strong chin and is comfortable
trading strikes; moreover, he is exceptionally difficult to take
down. The major factor here is Lauzon’s modest wrestling,
which may hamper him in closing the gap and taking it to the
mat. Guillard excels at punishing tie-up and takedown attempts,
during which he often winds up and explodes with a punch, knee
or whatever’s available to hurt the opponent and create
space for follow-up shots.
There
is always the chance that Lauzon could follow the strategy of
Nate Diaz, who gauged Guillard correctly and quickly seized the
chance to get it to the floor, finishing with a submission. However,
Lauzon’s boxing acumen and ability to sling leather is not
quite at Diaz’s level. Lauzon is going to get hit in this
fight, and that is when Guillard does a job on people. That Guillard
simply cannot be dealt with on the feet is a hard reality with
which to come to terms; Evan Dunham and Shane Roller learned
far too late, and the hard way.
One
could envision a polished standup fighter countering this version
of Guillard and dictating the direction of the fight, but not
a modest striker at Lauzon’s level who lacks to core wrestling
needed to put him on the ground.
The
Pick: Style-wise, this a favorable matchup for Guillard, and
he will punish Lauzon in the first round with counter shots,
softening him up for another signature stoppage in the second.
Featherweights
Nam Phan (16-9, 0-2 UFC) vs. Leonard Garcia (15-7-1, 2-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: Their first encounter was a three-round slugfest, overshadowed
by a controversial decision awarded to Garcia at “The Ultimate
Fighter 12” Finale. In the 10 months since, Garcia was submitted
by an epic twister from Chan Sung Jung, while Phan soldiered
through a competitive but losing effort in a decision defeat
to former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown. Phan showed sharp hands
a precise striking in their first outing and figures to replicate
that against Garcia, whose decent ground game is often subverted
by his willingness to slug on the feet.
No
guess here on whether Phan is mentally dogged by the decision
that did not go his way in December, but he does have public
sentiment on his side should it go the distance. That typically
sways the scorecards in favor of the guy that did not get the
decision most thought he deserved.
The
Pick: By staying precise and avoiding crazy exchanges -- something
Garcia has a penchant for forcing with his all-out, face-first
style -- Phan can dictate the action and keep it at a distance,
working in and out of striking range while countering effectively.
Expect him to do so in another three-round crowd pleaser, landing
enough clean shots to take a unanimous decision.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Two
big weekend takeaways: Point fighting in the UFC & Bellator’s
lifeline to Spike
By Zach
Arnold
1.
Why is there growing disillusionment amongst fans who see a lot
of UFC champions as ‘point fighters’ first?
MMA
is a sport and a business where fans can be very emotional and
impulsive in the opinions they make about fighters. Praise can
be fleeting while negative reputations often remain painfully
ingrained. One of the worst insults a fan can level against a
fighter is labeling them as a ‘point fighter.’ Dominick
Cruz is finding that out right now.
It
was unfortunate that he and Demetrious Johnson found themselves
in the uncomfortable position of being on Versus without any
sort of TV advertising to help promote their fight. They also
competed against some major sporting events (MLB playoffs, big
football games) and so the deck was stacked against them.
Nonetheless,
they put on a classic 5-round fight that I and others online
thoroughly enjoyed. The problem? A lot of MMA fans, as compared
to other UFC events, were not online and the reaction from those
types of fans when they resurfaced online on Monday was one of
bitterness against “Dominick the Decisioner’ as opposed
to the hyper-competitive fast-paced chess match we saw on Saturday
night.
It
reminded me of what Rampage Jackson said to Bas Rutten a couple
of weeks ago in his HDNet interview where he brought up a Japanese
interviewer saying that the UFC version of Rampage is totally
different than the PRIDE version. The message? The PRIDE version
of Rampage didn’t care about wins or losses but rather fighting,
smart or dumb, with hyper aggression and pure heart and a killer
instinct. Is it an over-romanticization of Rampage’s career?
Yeah, it is.
However,
there is plenty of sentiment amongst hardcore MMA fans that UFC
is a passionless, cookie-cutter, corporately watered-down MMA
product compared to what PRIDE and other MMA organizations were/are
like. You’ll never eliminate that viewpoint amongst a healthy
sector of fans. That’s just how it goes.
I
bring that up as context in regards to what we’re seeing
now with UFC champions like Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar, and
Georges St. Pierre. Even though Dominick did nearly finish off
Demetrious during their D.C. fight (how DJ got out of that predicament
I’ll never know) and St. Pierre nearly finished off Dan
Hardy, there’s still a visceral and emotional reaction amongst
hardcores that guys who become champions in MMA suddenly succumb
to pressure of winning-first and heart-second.
It’s
a very fine line. For instance, hardcore fans online voice support
for those who give it their all but they don’t want you
to be too stupid while featuring his trait (like Pat Barry did
when he got caught with the triangle by Stefan Struve). And,
yet, when Frankie Edgar outworks BJ Penn and goes the distance
or makes a furious comeback against Gray Maynard, the reaction
generally goes something like this:
“Great
fight, but… (insert criticism here).”
While
a superstar like St. Pierre, who has his own mega-fan base can
withstand this criticism to a certain degree, fighters who haven’t
made enough of a impression early on (like a Frankie Edgar or
Dominick Cruz) risk falling into a trap where no matter how hard
or how smart they fight, they are going to be plagued with the
“yeah, but…” syndrome that can define their fighting
reputation and legacy if they don’t manage to feverishly
finish fights off in impressive fashion.
Take
for instance the viewpoint of Eric Del Fierro, the trainer of
Dominick Cruz. He was talking to Mauro Ranallo on Monday about
what the game plan was for the fight against Demetrious Johnson.
“The
mouse trap was wrestling. … The game plan was to wrestle.
… People still doubt [Dominick's] wrestling ability and
he’s taken down almost everybody he’s fought.”
He
successfully executed the game plan. Eric did his job as trainer.
However, you can do your job and do it well… but still not
manage to please the paying customers. It’s a conundrum
that fighters and promoters face right now in regards to how
soft the fan support may be for them down the road if they quickly
gain, fairly or unfairly, a reputation that they’re a ‘point
fighter.’
Matt
Hume, who is about as diplomatic as anybody in MMA, framed the
issue this way when he was asked about fans booing during periods
of the Cruz/Johnson fight:
“You
don’t just take off the players off the chess table that
you don’t like to make the game go faster.”
As
for the ad-nauseum argument that if only the fans going to the
shows (the ones that are booing) were more educated about the
sport and learned about the actual techniques being implemented
during the fights…
“I
don’t think it’s necessarily an issue of educating
the fans.”
2.
The year 2013 can’t arrive fast enough for Bellator &
Spike TV. When it arrives, the marriage will be immediately consummated.
The
flip side of this, of course, is that UFC will be ready to go
after Bellator with guns a blazin’ because they’ll
suddenly become ‘real competition.’ That Ken Pavia
lawsuit for ‘trade secrets’ will likely be used as
a PR weapon to bludgeon Bellator as ‘not being good guys’
over and over in the media.
None
of that will matter, however, to fight fans who are desperate
to see a competitor to Zuffa. You know the formula and what kind
of desire there is for a product ‘that isn’t Zuffa.’
Over the last month, Bellator has put on some really good fights
and the shows have been entertaining. Problematically for Bellator,
the last two weeks also featured UFC shows and some very high-profile
college football games. I mention college football because it’s
a sport where there is heavy gambling and big TV viewership.
Given that UFC is a sport also heavily motivated by gambling,
I wondered what kind of impact it would have on Bellator on Saturday
nights. When you’re running against UFC on PPV or Versus
and you have huge games like Nebraska/Wisconsin and Alabama/Florida
on TV, those are marquee games.
We
know MMA is not a primary sport for sports fans… but it
is a primary sport for fans who aren’t big fans of other
sports in general. (I get heat for saying this often but my experience
with our audience is just that.)
So,
if you’re a sports fan and you have to pick between a big
SEC game versus a fight like Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson,
more often than not as a traditional sports fan you’re watching
the football game.
Bellator
is in this very awkward position right now where, for the next
year, they are having to proverbially stay above water until
they get a life preserver from Spike in January of 2013. Spike
will be motivated to help push Bellator to make things work.
Despite TNA being a train-wreck of a operation, their show still
attracts over a million TV viewers a week. Bellator is thankfully
not TNA in terms of incompetence and I suspect Spike’s help
will be significantly more beneficial to them than it has been
for TNA.
How
important is it for Bellator to a) move to Spike and b) get off
of Saturday nights? Let Jordan Breen lay it out for you.
“First
let me say that it doesn’t matter what day it is as long
as it’s not Saturday. When they moved onto MTV2 with Saturday
nights, the one e-mail I kept getting from MMA fans over and
over and over and over again is, ‘man, I really like Bellator,
I’m interested in their fighters but I just don’t have
the time. On a Saturday night if I’m watching MMA, it’s
going to be the UFC. I got a wife, I got kids, or I got a girlfriend
or I got school or I got a job… people want MMA to be a
hobby first. … Most fans want fights to be an exciting thing
that they do on the weekend that they can rock to. They don’t
want it to be homework, they don’t want it to be a chore.
They don’t want to feel like, ‘man, I have to see the
Bellator, time for me to get on Youtube or time for me to go
download something like that.’ It’s not supposed to
be an undertaking to enjoy sports and, yet, because there’s
so much MMA (programming) I think that’s how a lot of hardcore
MMA fans feel. So, just getting off of Saturday night no matter
what other of the six days of the week they moved to I think
would be great.
“Thursdays
for TNA, I still think Thursday’s the best day. TNA I know
they’re basically it’s… they’re kind of in
Spike’s hands. People in the pro-wrestling world feel like
if Spike TV turned their back on TNA, TNA might be down the tubes
and so if they wanted to move TNA to a different night I wouldn’t
be surprised because Thursday night is really the ideal night.
Wednesday, Thursday both work well but I do think you probably
want something a bit later in the week where people are a bit
more willing to stay up late, rock the sports, just chill out
in front of the TV. Thursdays are always tough because it’s
a big TV night in general and you’ll have the fact that
periodically there will be some NFL games or whatever but it’s
still so much vastly better than Saturday night. Plain and simple,
Saturday night, Bellator just gets washed over and overwhelmed,
which stinks.”
“Friday
I don’t think is great. I think we’ve seen, you know,
from HDNet for instance hardcore fans maybe will rock on a Friday
night but it’s going to be hit or miss and that’s one
of the things that hurts Bellator now is being on MTV it’s
just totally scattershot. Some nights they can trick enough MTV2
watchers into being (viewers) but it’s not a consistent
audience which is why one week Bellator will do like 450,000
people and then the next week it’ll do 200,000. There’s
a basement of hardcore fans that will watch regardless but there’s
not too many people that are, you know, transient kind of TV
watchers being converted to Bellator and being able to stack
up in a better night I think goes a long, long way to being able
to do that.
“Which
dovetails with the other question, what would be ideal for the
ratings (if Bellator went on Spike). If they can go on Spike
and be early on in the 600,000-700,000 range and eventually try
to build towards a million viewers for an episode, I think that
would be a huge boon for them, a huge boon. So, I think that’s
kind of what we’re looking at. We saw The Ultimate Fighter,
the basement number for The Ultimate Fighter was just over a
million viewers. So, if Bellator after maybe a season can start
cultivating just under a million people watching their shows
on Spike with proper support from a network that cares about
MMA and will be kind of extra inspired to make the product work
since they’ll be trying to stick it to the UFC for leaving
them, that I would think would represent a pretty successful
outcome for Bellator.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Jon
Jones vs. Rashad Evans Not Happening at UFC 140 (UPDATED)
by Damon
Martin
The
UFC is hoping to put together possibly the biggest grudge match
since Chuck Liddell faced Tito Ortiz this December, but it’s
not a done deal just yet.
Sources
have indicated that the UFC is working on putting light heavyweight
champion Jon Jones against heated rival and former teammate Rashad
Evans with the title fight leading the UFC 140 card in Toronto.
MMAFighting.com initially reported the possible timing for the
bout.
Speaking
to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday, sources indicated that the UFC
was hoping for the match-up and negotiations are underway for
the winter fight, but nothing is 100-percent assured right now.
Evans
is still recovering from a hand injury suffered in his last bout
against Tito Ortiz in August.
Evans
was wearing a full cast when he appeared for a UFC Fight Club
Q&A during the UFC 135 weekend in September, but he mentioned
that the injury was not serious and he should have the cast off
shortly.
Unfortunately,
the hand is still awaiting final clearance and both fighters
need to give the green light for the fight to actually happen
in December.
Those
details are still being worked on at this time, so while the
fight is definitely the desired main event by the UFC, several
moving parts still have to come together before it’s set
in stone.
MMAWeekly.com
will continue to follow this story as it develops.
UPDATED:
UFC President Dana White has now confirmed that the fight between
Jones and Evans will not happen at UFC 140 due to the injury
Evans is currently dealing with in his hand. MMAWeekly.com first
reported that the fight was targeted for the date of UFC 140,
but there were still complications for the fight to actually
take place that soon. It appears for now, Evans will have to
wait until the New Year to get a shot at Jon Jones.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Chael
Sonnen: In His Own Words
by Brian
Knapp
Chael
Sonnen has mastered the soundbyte.
Since
re-entering the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2009, the mouthy
34-year-old middleweight has emerged as one of MMA’s most
polarizing figures and most competent promoters. Love him or
hate him, few can argue with the results. He has parlayed his
gift of provocative gab and All-American wrestling ability into
some high-profile matchups against former middleweight King of
Pancrase Nate Marquardt, Japanese brute Yushin Okami and, most
notably, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Still
a relevant piece of the 185-pound puzzle despite a positive test
for suspected steroid use and a guilty plea to federal money
laundering charges, Sonnen will face decorated war hero Brian
Stann in a de facto title eliminator at UFC 136 this Saturday
at the Toyota Center in Houston. A victory there would likely
propel him into a rematch with Silva and rekindle a rivalry that
has burned as brightly as any in UFC history.
Ahead
of UFC 136, Sherdog.com has pieced together a compilation of
Sonnen’s most memorable quotes. This is Chael Patrick Sonnen
-- in his own words.
Sonnen
was in rare form in the days and weeks leading into his UFC 117
showdown with Silva on Aug. 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland,
Calif.:
•
“I’ve stuck my finger in this guy’s chest for
four years, and he fought everybody in the world that wasn’t
named Chael Sonnen. He’s got what I want. He’s got
12 pounds of gold, and I want it.”
•
“This is a one-sided dance. I saved Anderson’s job.
Uncle [UFC President] Dana [White] was going to give him his
walking papers [after his performance against Demian Maia at
UFC 112], and I begged him, ‘Keep him around. Keep him around
for one more fight. I will retire this guy.’”
•
“Anderson Silva’s a liar. He said he would fight [Maia]
in Abu Dhabi, and he didn’t fight. I did my level best to
watch it. I couldn’t stomach it. I’m not on the bandwagon
to completely kick Anderson to the curb for that, because I don’t
know why he does it. If he did it to be a jerk, then he’s
a jerk. If he did it as a setup, I give him a pass.”
•
“I have an obligation to make him fight. When I got a call
from Dana that said, ‘Will you fight this guy?’ I said,
‘You bet I’ll fight him. I don’t know who will
win.’ And I don’t know who will win. I’m not a
bully. If I knew I could beat this guy, I wouldn’t show
up. I don’t know that I can beat him, but I can guarantee
you there will be a fight.”
•
“I’ve put a whole lifetime into getting this one night,
this one opportunity. There’s a saying that Matt Hughes
started that you’re never the champion unless you defend
that belt. That’s a bunch of crap. You leave that ring with
12 pounds of gold around your waist, you are the world champion.
I would trade everything I’ve got and start over from scratch
tomorrow for one night to walk out of that ring with that belt.”
•
“He’s a fantastic fighter. I’m not delusional
to his skill set. I don’t care if he’s better. He can
be better, but I’m tougher, and in 25 minutes, we’re
going to find out who’s toughest. One of us is going to
stick around and grind it out for 25, and I propose it’s
me. As far as his weaknesses, I don’t know what they are.
I know what my strengths are, and that’s what I bring to
the table.”
“I’m
going to get into range. I accept I’m going to get hit,
and I accept that it’s going to hurt. I will go to the hospital
that night, but in those 25 minutes, I will be in range the whole
time. If he wants to throw one of those fists at me, he can go
right ahead. I’m going to walk right through them. I’m
going to grab his legs. I’m going to push him into that
fence. I’m going to pick him up, and I’m going to put
him on his prissy little ass. You can guarantee that.”
•
“I am giving Anderson Silva the fair chance to back out
and back out now, but as sure as night follows day, if he does
not heed my warning, I will declare war, and, on Aug. 7, his
15 minutes of fame will come to an abrupt halt.”
Sonnen,
who has suffered eight of his 11 career defeats by submission,
pointed a critical finger at Silva’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu
black belt and his longtime training partners, Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Many viewed it as a low
blow:
•
“He’s got a black belt under the Nogueiras. I think
a black belt under the Nogueiras is saying, like, I got a free
toy in my Happy Meal. I don’t really understand what the
big deal is. One of ’em’s a punching bag, and the other
one I just ignore; he’s really irrelevant.”
For
the better part of four and a half rounds, Sonnen backed up his
bravado.
He
secured six takedowns and outstruck the Brazilian by a staggering
320-64 count, including 89-29 in terms of significant strikes.
However, in the fifth round, Sonnen sank too low in Silva’s
guard, found himself trapped in a triangle armbar and submitted
3:10 into the final frame. Even after the fight, he refused to
recognize the champion as the victor:
•
“In what parallel scoring system do you punch a man 300
times, he hits you 11 times, wraps his legs around your head
for eight seconds and they declare him the winner? That doesn’t
make you a winner. In no form of society, from the jungle to
the streets, does that make you a winner. I’m the people’s
champion. I’m the linear champion. I’m the best middleweight
there’s ever been, and I am the UFC’s true champion.”
Not
even Silva’s longtime manager, Ed Soares, escaped the reach
of Sonnen’s venom:
•
“He’s the world’s most famous interpreter. Somehow
he even got himself into the [UFC] video game.”
Many
have question the legitimacy in Sonnen’s vitriol. He answered
those critics during a segment on Bruce Buffer’s “It’s
Time” show on the Sherdog Radio Network, comparing those
who hype fights with empty rhetoric to car salesmen that mislead
customers into a purchase and then reveal the lie after the purchase
becomes final:
•
“I don’t manufacture conflict. I don’t try to
sell fights or talk trash or hype anything. I hear those things
said about myself. I see people constantly attempt to imitate
me, but that’s not what I’m doing. I don’t make
anything up. If I don’t mean it, I won’t say it. Apparently
in the fight business you’re allowed to say things that
you don’t mean to sell fights, and I hate that concept.
I can’t tell you how dishonest I find that. You would be
furious [if a car salesman took that approach]. You’d march
into the attorney general’s office. You’d have the
guy’s license revoked. You’d probably get a refund.
But somewhere in the fight world, it’s OK to make things
up. I would never do that. Look, if I don’t mean it, I won’t
say it.”
Sonnen
has done nothing to hide or soften his personal dislike for Silva,
who, with a record 14 consecutive victories inside the UFC, has
become the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport:
•
“That’s just the way it goes. I don’t do that
for Anderson because I don’t feel that about Anderson. I
don’t like Anderson Silva. I don’t like any of those
Black House guys. I don’t need to explain my reasons and
I don’t need to apologize for it. If they’ve got a
problem with it, we can settle it in the people’s forum:
the Octagon.”
Even
after his submission defeat to “The Spider,” Sonnen
continued to target him and even addressed a much-talked-about
super fight between Silva and reigning UFC welterweight champion
Georges St. Pierre:
•
“I think it would be one-sided, a very easy match for GSP.”
At
least publicly, Sonnen was convinced Silva’s five-year reign
over the middleweight division would end in his rematch with
Yushin Okami at UFC 134. It did not, as Silva thrashed the Japanese
standout en route to a second-round technical knockout in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. That performance put the spotlight back on
the Sonnen-Stann showdown, as a victory there would all but ensure
a rematch between the controversial West Linn, Ore., native and
Silva:
•
“I’m going to grab him and beat him up anyway, just
for laughs, just on principle. Just for my sheer entertainment,
I’m going to go slap that guy around. I don’t need
his little tin belt. I’m already the champion.”
In
recent days, even Sonnen has shown some respect for Silva’s
unprecedented accomplishments in the UFC. It includes victories
over Okami, Marquardt, Maia, former two-division Pride Fighting
Championships titleholder Dan Henderson, onetime UFC middleweight
champion Rich Franklin (twice) and former UFC light heavyweight
titleholders Vitor Belfort and Forrest Griffin:
•
“It’s getting harder and harder to deny that he should
be shown that appreciation. He ducked Okami for years, but he
did finally get in there and he made it look easy, so, I think
you’ve got to look at that. If you’re asking if I would
ever concede that Anderson’s better than me? No. I would
simply refer you to the tape. I think [our] skills are vastly
different. I think I could come down a lot and still be ahead
of him. I also think he ducks and dodges opponents constantly,
but, listen, his wins and losses speak for themselves and the
fact of the matter, whether I’d like to admit it or not,
is he’s done a better job than anybody; he’s done a
better job than me, and he is the champion. That doesn’t
mean that I’m going to quit poking my finger in his chest,
but, at some point, I think fairness needs to kick in, too, and
I think you need to look at what he’s done and tip your
hat to him a little bit.”
Source
Sherdog
|
Bibiano
Fernandes and the quick win at Dream GP
By Erik
Engelhart
Four-time
world champion of Jiu-Jitsu on the black belt, Bibiano Fernandes
is one of the greatest representatives of the gentle art applied
to MMA successfully. The Brazilian who fights out of Manaus built
a solid career in Dream, event on which he defeated names like
Joe Warren, Joachin Hansen and Hiroyuki Takaya.
And
it was Takaya himself who stole the title of the BJJ black belt,
who now fights among the bantamweights and needed only 41 seconds
to submit Takafumi Otsuka, with a rear naked choke, on the first
round of the Grand Prix, which happened Saturday, September 24th,
in Japan.
Currently
living in Canada, Bibiano spent some time in Seattle, at Matt
Hume’s gym, where the UFC athlete, Demetrius Johnson, trains
at, and his camp made it worth, since he move forwards to the
next round of the GP. Yet with no opponent set for the semifinals,
the black belt wants to take some time for his family.
“I
really missed my family, because I’ve spent eight weeks
away from home, but thanks’ God everything worked out, that’s
the sacrifice that comes along with the win. We gotta train hard
and remain focused. It really helped me to go to America to find
these hard trainings. When you have no distractions on daily
basis you focus only on your trainings and it makes much difference,
professional fighters know that. After seeing a jog done, it’s
all about loving our family and friends”.
Despite
having defeated Takafumi Otsuka back in 2009, Bibiano believes
that the fact he knows the Japanese’s game didn’t have
any influence on the sudden outcome of the bout and celebrated
the win.
“Each
bout bring a different history, I don’t believe the fact
I beat him once has been an advantage for me. If we fight again,
it’ll be another result, it depends a lot, fights are always
new experiences. I was really cool about it, I knew he’d
want to trade punches with me, I was really allert and I knew
what to do and I wouldn’t make a fool of myself and start
trading punches. I studies his fame and picked the right game
plan, thanks’ God”, concluded Bibiano, who might fight
the Brazilian Rodolfo Marques, who defeated Yusuo Saadulaev,
also on the GP.
Source: Tatame
|
Choke
Artist? Kenny Florian Ready to Prove Everybody Wrong
by Damon
Martin
“Kenny
is just one of those guys who chokes in big fights.”
That
was what UFC featherweight Kenny Florian had to hear from his
boss, UFC president Dana White, following his loss to Gray Maynard
last August with a shot at the UFC lightweight title on the line.
Florian
came up short in the No. 1 contender’s bout, which would
have earned him his third shot at the 155-pound title in the
UFC. The first two bouts ended with Florian losing a decision
to Sean Sherk, and being submitted by B.J. Penn.
So
with that dooming statement from White hanging over his head,
how does Florian feel about his chances coming into his upcoming
title fight with Jose Aldo at UFC 136?
“In
an odd way, it’s those mistakes that I’ve made in my
career both during the fight, in preparation for the fight, that
has given me a different kind of calmness, a different kind of
confidence that I didn’t have before,” Florian told
MMAWeekly Radio.
People
have continued to criticize Florian for his performances in those
big fights, so it certainly serves as motivation for the 35-year-old
Bostonian.
He’s
also taking it as a chance to let the pressure valve off a little
bit heading into this fight. Instead of expecting such big things
to happen when he faces Aldo on Saturday night, Florian just
wants to go in there and fight his fight and if that happens,
he’s confident the results will be a victory.
“In
many ways it makes me feel like I’ve got nothing to lose.
A lot of people writing me off, saying I’m a choke artist,
this and that, this is my third opportunity, I feel I have nothing
to lose,” said Florian.
“It
feels like it’s my time. You never know with fighting how
things are going to turn out. I try not to worry about that,
I worry about the things that I can control. That’s my training
and getting better, and preparing properly.”
According
to Florian, his training is better than it’s ever been before.
Besides training at his own gym in Boston, Florian has spent
much of his fight camp in Montreal working with coach Firas Zahabi
and fighters like UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
“The
team that I have around me now, the coaches, the work load that
I’m able to carry now as a fighter, as an athlete, as a
martial artist is unlike anything I’ve done in the past.
That gives me a whole new different kind of confidence. A whole
new different outlook heading into this fight,” Florian
stated.
Obviously
the pressure is still on because with a loss, the same old things
will be said about Florian, but he’s not listening to the
negative commentary. Florian is staying positive and focused
on winning on Saturday night and taking home his first UFC title.
“Hopefully,
third time’s the charm,” Florian said. “Third
time was a charm for B.J. Penn, and some other great fighters
out there.
“Hopefully,
it will be the same for me.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Lisa
Ha Almost Makes Olympic Team
Olympic hopeful Lisa Ha fell 2 points short of making the U.S.
Olympic Trials Team. Ha lost her quarterfinal bout 14-12 to Taverisha
Norwood from Marietta, Georgia. If she had won she would have
qualified since Tyriesha Douglas the other semi finalist already
qualified.
Thanks Always.
Bruce
Kawano
Amateur Boxing of Hawaii President.
Commissioner for Hawaii State Boxing Commission.
USA-Boxing Coaches/International Task Force Member.
Ringside Board of Advisors.
A.I.B.A. Athlete and Youth Commission.
Head Coach- Kawano Boxing Club.
USA National Boxing Team Coach.
Rock Bottom Sports Bar- General Manager.
Red Lions in Hyatt Waikiki- Manager.
|
MAN
UP & STAND UP Tomorrow
MAN UP WEIGH IN
10/6 THURS AT 5:00
AT WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
MAN UP AND STAND UP
WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
FRIDAY OCT 7
DOORS OPEN AT 6:00
Das right, Man-up & Stand-up is doing it one mo gen and bringing
sexyback in the mix with 4 female bouts. Yup yup we got it all
from kids to adults, from females to males, from first time matches
to title defenses. This might be an amateur show but the game
that these fighters will be bringing is far from it. In our main
event, we got Eric The Executioner Edwards, our reigning super
heavyweight champion from the Westside taking on Big Island hamma
Kawika Santo. Eric has defended his title three times and is
looking for a fourth. He has never met defeat on Man-up &
Stand-up and is more than happy to welcome anyone that wants
to accept that invitation. Kawika may just be the super heavyweight
to rsvp that invitation while tipping the scale at 260. Oh yeah,
big island, big boy, could we be looking at a big upset. We see.
We also got two former high school wrestling champions that are
gonna try out their stand up game against each other. Tephanie
Wicks will take on Shabrielle Gushi on unfamiliar grounds which
is everything but the ground. The first time these two met Wicks
came home with the W, the second time – Gushi finished the
match in under a minute. The third time is unpredictable because
there will be no points for takedowns just knockdowns. You could
call this the tiebreaker but here, we like to call it Man-up
& Stand-up. That’s exactly what you will see Friday
night at the Filcom.
Another fight not to miss will be Genalyn Ganaban going up against
mma veteran Monica Franco. Monica’s original match pulled
out so Gena stepped up to see if she could put up with one of
Oahu’s well-known female fighters in the ring. Monica does
it all from mma to pankration to kickboxing and always puts on
an outstanding performance. Gena on the other hand just loves
to bang. She sticks to boxing and kickboxing and does well in
those sports. Both of them are veterans in this sport that most
females stay far away from. This fight will be animal because
unlike most females that think fighting is dangerous. These females
think fighting is fun and if they’re not swinging then they’re
not having fun. Chee-hu
There will be a lot of killa fights with title defenses by Miller
Ualesei, Evan Quizon, Dontez Coleman and Chante Stafford. With
two other female bouts that will definitely be crowd pleasers.
Actually the whole card should have everyone talking about it
until the Man-up & Stand-up end of the year show. Aaww yeah
das how its done here. See you there this Friday.
MILLER UALESE I185 HOKU CUBAN
KEONI CHANG 140 MARK YARCIA
BRENNAN NASH 125 DONTEZ COLEMAN
HAYZEN LINKIE 160 DARREN FAATAPI
JORDAN ROBERTS 120 MELVIN RAMENTO
LOMBARD MADALORA 170 JAMES REYES
MICAH BEATE 155 CAMILLE BOB
SHABBY GUSHI 185 TEPHANIE WICKS
EVAN QUIZON 130 ELIAS VELASCO
NATHAN WOODS 135 BRYER
NAGAHAMA
JONAH AFOA 200 KOA KONDO
KEPANO HOKOANA 135 POOKELA YAHIKU
NALU KAWAILIMA 135 NEVADA HARRISON
JUSTIN
DULAY 160
JOSEPH ENAENA
JOE HOPPS
155 ANTHONY
RIVERA
LEE OLIVERAS 175 DARIUS
EL MATADOR LANDO
MALIKA SOUZA 125 RADLYN COSTALES
KAIKANE QUIZON 115 KALAI
KWAN
ROBERT BAKER 140 THOMAS REYES
JOE GARCIA 150 SHAWN MIYAHARA
KALEO 140 TOFI MIKA
MARC KUMA I185 SEAN HENDERSON
SABRINA NISHIHARA 150 CHARNELLE KEALOHA
KAWIKA SATO 210 ERIC EDWARD
CHANTE STAFFORD 115 ALIKA KUMUKOA
SPENCER QUELL 195 ROLAND AMISTAD
NYLEN KUKAHIKO 80 STEVEN REYES
MONICA FRANCO 140 JENA GANABAN
All matches & participants are subject to change.
Source: Derrick Bright
|
Gilbert
Melendez Excited About UFC Offer, Happy to Be Dana White’s
Hitman at 155
by Damon
Martin
It
was an exciting night for Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert
Melendez on Saturday in Washington, D.C. … and he wasn’t
even fighting.
The
No. 1 ranked lightweight in the world was informed that UFC president
Dana White announced Melendez was headed to the UFC sooner rather
than later, and they wanted the current Strikeforce champion
in the UFC right now.
While
no formal offers have come across the table just yet, Melendez
spoke exclusively to MMAWeekly.com on Saturday night after hearing
the news.
“It’s
exciting that the boss definitely wants me over to the UFC, because
it’s definitely a good move for me,” Melendez said.
“As far as I’m concerned (Jorge) Masvidal is the next
guy on my list, and I’m focusing 100-percent on him, so
before I get too excited, I’m just focusing on tearing that
guy up. But definitely my goal is to be in the UFC, so if we
can get that there sooner than later, I’m all for it.”
Melendez
has been preparing for a December match-up with top contender
Masvidal, but it appears his reign as Strikeforce lightweight
champion may have come to an abrupt end.
So
what’s it going to take for Melendez to officially become
a UFC fighter?
“Basically,
it would be a phone call from Dana saying drop everything, you’re
coming to the UFC,” Melendez explained. “I’d be
there in a heartbeat. Money doesn’t really mean nothing
at this point, my money’s good. I’m happy with my money.
If he told me to come fight for the same price, I would do it.”
White
said they are hoping to finalize a deal to bring Melendez to
the Octagon very, very soon, like yesterday, and all but confirmed
he would not be facing Masvidal in December.
As
far as who Melendez might face in his UFC debut, most would point
to him getting the winner of the UFC 136 main event between Frankie
Edgar and Gray Maynard as the most likely candidate.
White
says that nothing is guaranteed at this point because sometimes
a top contender in the lightweight division is made mostly out
of timing, but Melendez getting a shot on day one is feasible.
As
far as Melendez is concerned, he says line them up and he’ll
knock them down… title fight or no title fight.
“Either
way, it’s inevitable. I’m coming for all the 55-pounders
and I really want to prove I’m No. 1. It would be nice to
get a title shot, but if I need to come through it and work my
way up, I’m more than willing. Part of being No. 1 is beating
everyone, every match-up. I think I can beat every style out
there. It doesn’t really matter to me,” said Melendez.
“Whatever
Dana wants. Whatever he wants, I’ll do.”
So
it sounds like it’s just a matter of a phone call and a
few contracts being signed and Gilbert Melendez will get to realize
his long time dream and will soon become a UFC fighter.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Matches
to Make After UFC Live 6
by Brian
Knapp
For
the first time since he invaded the bantamweight division with
his flashy footwork, Dominick Cruz was forced to adapt to someone
else’s style. The blinding speed of Demetrious Johnson forced
his hand.
Still,
Cruz cruised to a unanimous decision over “Mighty Mouse”
in the UFC Live 6 main event on Saturday at the Verizon Center
in Washington, D.C., as he retained his bantamweight championship
and swept the scorecards by 50-45, 49-46 and 50-45 counts. The
26-year-old Tucson, Ariz., native remains unbeaten at 135 pounds.
Cruz
largely abandoned the unorthodox lateral movement for which he
has become known, choosing instead to force tie-ups and search
for takedowns. He grounded Johnson in all five rounds, delivered
two textbook belly-to-back suplexes and mounted the challenger
on two occasions, nearly submitting him with a rear-naked choke
in the third frame.
Now
on a 10-fight winning streak, the champion showed a different
but no less potent side to his game in victory. That Cruz utilized
his peripheral skills to oust another world-class contender does
not bode well for the rest of the 135-pound division.
In
wake of UFC Live 6, here are half a dozen matches we want to
see made:
Dominick
Cruz vs. Urijah Faber-Brian Bowles winner: Firmly entrenched
in the bantamweight penthouse, Cruz awaits his next challenger.
The Alliance MMA ace has nuked the top half of the division,
with victories over Johnson, Joseph Benavidez (twice), Urijah
Faber, Brian Bowles and Scott Jorgensen. Following his riveting
unanimous decision over Faber -- the only man to defeat him --
at UFC 132 in July, a significant segment of the MMA community
pined for an immediate rubber match between the two. “The
California Kid” can make it a reality if he gets past Bowles,
a former champion at 135 pounds, when the two collide at UFC
139 in November.
Demetrious
Johnson vs. Faber-Bowles loser: It seems safe to assume Johnson
will never find himself in a boring fight. His tools simply lend
themselves to excitement. Perhaps best suited for the flyweight
division, Johnson has performed admirably at 135 pounds, maximizing
his potent blend of speed, skill and fighting spirit. Despite
his one-sided defeat to Cruz, his stock only figures to improve
from here, as the 25-year-old only recently committed to training
full-time. With the UFC expected to unveil its 125-pound division
sometime in 2012 -- and make no mistake, Johnson and Benavidez
will be the centerpieces -- “Mighty Mouse” will likely
have to engage in one or two more bantamweight bouts before setting
a course for a new home. The loser of the forthcoming Faber-Bowles
showdown at UFC 139 feels like a fit.
Anthony
Johnson vs. Rick Story-Martin Kampmann winner: On the cusp of
stardom, Johnson has become an absolute brute at 170 pounds.
The 27-year-old Dublin, Ga., native dwarfed Charlie Brenneman
in the cage and short-circuited the AMA Fight Club representative
with suffocating takedown defense and a stiff dose of punches,
hammerfists, knees and kicks. Pinned underneath Johnson, Brenneman
had no avenue through which to achieve victory. His outing came
to a close at the end of a Johnson head kick, and though referee
Mario Yamasaki’s decision to halt the bout was likely premature,
a finish seemed all but inevitable. In the past, Johnson has
proven vulnerable to high-class wrestlers and submission grapplers,
and he will need to put those doubts to rest before he makes
a move of real significance in the welterweight division. Story
will face Kampmann in a pivotal 170-pound clash at UFC 139 next
month. “Rumble” belongs in the cage with the winner.
Stefan
Struve vs. Cheick Kongo-Matt Mitrione winner: Struve choked the
one-dimensional Pat Barry into submission and has quietly compiled
a 6-3 mark inside the UFC. The talented Dutcham has a lot going
for him: a 6-foot-11 frame, youth, proven submission skills and
the capacity to absorb punishment. His otherworldly length, coupled
with his ability to fight effectively from his back, make him
a problematic proposition for plenty of the men who populate
the still-shallow heavyweight division. Kongo, the chiseled French
kickboxer, and Mitrione, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season
10 alum, will duke it out at UFC 137 in three weeks at the Mandalay
Bay Events Center. Struve might want to keep an eye on that one.
Charlie
Brenneman vs. Mike Pierce: Sometimes, a fighter finds himself
outgunned. Such was the case for Brenneman in his first-round
technical knockout loss to Johnson. Brenneman, who has posted
nine wins in his last 11 outings, burst on the scene on short
notice at UFC Live 4 in June, when he upset the surging Rick
Story in a near-flawless performance. The defeat to Johnson may
not have cast a complete shadow over that victory, but it certainly
left some lingering doubts as to whether or not Brenneman was
armed well enough to compete with the welterweight division’s
upper echelon. Pierce has fallen into a similar position following
his split decision loss to Johny Hendricks at UFC 133. A matchup
between Brenneman and the former Sportfight champion makes a
lot of sense, as the UFC marches towards 2012.
Matt
Wiman vs. T.J. Grant: Wiman will never dazzle anyone with one
particular skill, but “The Ultimate Fighter” Season
5 alum competes with a special fervor and passion. His three-round
trench war with Mac Danzig -- which he won by unanimous decision
-- was equal parts beautiful and violent. Short elbows from the
clinch were his most effective and trusted weapons, along with
brief spurts of ground-and-pound. The impact was evident on Danzig’s
bloodied and swollen face. Wiman, an ultra-aggressive well-rounded
competitor, rarely goes away quietly; it took a highlight-reel
flying knee from Spencer Fisher to finish him. Grant, meanwhile,
was brilliant in his move to the lightweight division, as he
outwrestled and out-grappled three-time NCAA All-American Shane
Roller before finishing him with a third-round armbar. Wiman,
who has never been submitted, could provide some interesting
challenges for the ground-based Canadian. Make it happen.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Broken
Hand Shelves Dominick Cruz; Winner of Faber v. Bowles May Welcome
Him Back
by Ken
Pishna
UFC
bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz may not have finished challenger
Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 on Saturday night in Washington,
D.C., but it’s impressive that he even finished the fight.
UFC
president Dana White, following the post-fight press conference,
said that Cruz fought the majority of the fight with a broken
left hand.
“He
sits through the whole press conference, doesn’t say anything,”
recounted White. “I said to him, ‘You’re not gonna
talk about your broken hand? He said, “What’s the point?
I’m gonna get it done and I’ll be back.”’
I respect that.”
Having
won 10 consecutive bouts now, the cat calls still came following
Cruz’s win over Johnson. Eight of those 10 wins have come
via decision and fans have been quite vocal about his lack of
finishing.
It
doesn’t seem he lacks for trying, however. Cruz threw everything
but the kitchen sink at Johnson including a vast arsenal of striking
on the feet, several near submissions on the mat, and planting
him with suplexes.
Cruz
may have his critics, but White isn’t among them.
“I
thought he looked great tonight. He looked like a well rounded
fighter, especially when you know he fought the entire fight
with a broken hand.”
It’s
not clear how long the injury will keep Cruz out; that will be
determined when he goes in for surgery. It’s also not crystal
clear who his next challenger will be, but it’s likely to
be another rematch.
With
Brian Bowles and Urijah Faber – two of the top five bantamweights
in the world – squaring off at UFC 139 in November, the
winner of that fight is likely to get the next crack at Cruz.
White,
though, wouldn’t guarantee the winner of that fight –
both have fought Cruz before, Faber twice – would be granted
a title shot.
“I
don’t know honestly, but it would be tough not to.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Takanori
Sato Draws With Eiji Ishikawa to Retain Pancrase Title
By Daniel
Herbertson
TOKYO
-- Possibly setting up an opportunity to avenge his teacher,
Kazushi Sakuraba pupil Takenori Sato retained his welterweight
King of Pancrase title on Sunday night at Differ Ariake, fighting
to an entertaining split draw with Grabaka's Eiji Ishikawa.
Also
on the card, Yuki Kondo finally returned to form, Masaya "J-Taro"
Takita put on one of the most flamboyant entrances in recent
memory before choking out Shoko Sato, US serviceman Jonathan
Shores made short work of Masayoshi "Randleman" Ichikawa
and lightweight King of Pancrase Koji Oishi fought to a highly
entertaining draw with Yoshiaki "Bancho" Takahashi.
Kazushi
Sakuraba pupil Takanori Sato attempted to channel his mentor
in his second welterweight title defense, seeking the kimura
for three rounds against Grabaka's Eiji Ishikawa, but ultimately
coming up short and instead being forced to settle with a split
draw.
Ishikawa
controlled the early portion of the bout, landing better blows,
scoring takedowns and landing hammerfists while defending the
incessant kimura attempts on the canvas But as Ishikawa started
to tire the submission attempts became more effective and Sato
came close with an armbar attempt and multiple kimura's in the
last period, making the fight an impossible one to judge and
leading to a split draw.
Post-fight
Sato challenged Yan Cabral to a bout at DREAM's New Year's Eve
event in an attempt to avenge Kazushi Sakuraba's recent loss.
In
the most entertaining bout of the evening, lightweight King of
Pancrase Koji Oishi fought to a unanimous draw with Paraestra
Hachioji's Yoshiaki "Bancho" Takahashi. Oishi kept
his taller opponent pinned against the corner posts during the
two-round bout, but both fighters were extremely active and able
to create space to knee, hook and uppercut from close range.
Takahashi arguably landed more blows but Oishi's control of the
bout evened the scorecards on all three judge's cards.
Sengoku
veteran Kenta Takagi's lack of options on the ground proved to
be his downfall against Sajiro Orui. Takagi presented a significant
threat with his fists and knees on the feet but Orui's relentless
takedowns and smothering control ensured that the judges ruled
in his favor.
Former
King of Pancrase and one-time UFC title contender Yuki Kondo
finally had a return to form, picking up his first win in five
outings with a solid decision over Yuta Nakamura. Kondo was especially
impressive with his kicks, throwing constantly to the legs, body
and head. Nakamura's chin was solid enough to see him retain
consciousness through multiple clean headkicks, but aside from
some winging hooks he never found his range and so Kondo took
the unanimous decision.
When
you choose to enter the ring waving a sparkly boa while riding
a motorcycle made of men wearing glittery thongs (pictured right),
you really need to make sure you win. Fortunately Masaya "J-Taro"
Takita was able to back up one of the most eccentric entrances
in MMA history, putting Sengoku veteran Shoko Sato to sleep in
the second round with a rear naked choke. Sato punished the heavily
bandaged knee of Takita with cracking low kicks during the first
round of the fight, but a takedown into back control led to the
rear-naked choke and Sato was asleep after three minutes in the
second stanza.
2011
Pancrase NeoBlood Rookie Tournament MVP and US serviceman Jonathon
Shores picked up the biggest win of his promising career, blasting
Masayoshi "Randleman" Ichikawa with a right straight
to finish the fight only 2.10 into round one. Shores missed with
a guillotine attempt early and was slightly stiff with his movement
on his feet but the massive size and power disadvantage ultimately
proved too much for Ichikawa.
Pancrase
Impressive Tour – Oct. 2th, Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan.
Welterweight King of Pancrase
Takenori Sato vs. Eiji Ishikawa – Split Draw
Koji
Oishi vs. Yoshiaki "Bancho" Takahashi – Unanimous
Draw
Sojiro Orui def. Kenta Takagi by Unanimous Decision
Yuki Kondo def. Yuta Nakamura by Unanimous Decision
Kousei Kubota vs. Hiroki Nagaoka – Majority Draw
Masaya "J-Taro" Takita def. Shoko Sato by Technical
Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) – Round 2, 3.00
Jonathan Shores def. Masayoshi "Randleman" Ichikawa
by KO (Punch) – Round 1, 2.10
Juntaro Ami def. Keiji Sakita by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
– Round 2, 3.23
Masaki "Ryuki" Yanagisawa def. Ryo Saito by Submission
(Heel Hook) – Round 1, 3.17
Tatsuya So def. Kenichi Tosa by Unanimous Decision
Shigeaki "Kusa Max" Kusayanagi def. Kenji Nagaki by
TKO (Punches) – Round 2, 4.21
Junichi Ota vs. Shogo Ohashi – Unanimous Draw
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on Fox Will Get the Sports Treatment, but Full Facelift Not Until
January
by Ken
Pishna
When
the UFC signed its new seven-year television deal with Fox, UFC
president Dana White said that he sees this landmark partnership
as an opportunity for an upgrade.
“I
look at this Fox deal as a fresh start for us, so I want to change
everything,” he stated. “I want to change the look
of the pay-per-view, graphics, show open, the show opens in our
Fight Nights, everything’s going to have a different feel
to it.
“We’ll
be working with these guys, I love what they do in sports, and
to enhance the look and feel of a UFC event.”
The
new-look UFC won’t debut at the first UFC on Fox with Cain
Velasquez and Junior dos Santos on Nov. 12, however.
“The
way that this thing is gonna start is, this thing is gonna be
a Fox Sports show, the first fight that we do. The November fight
is just a bonus fight,” stated White. “We don’t
get into business with Fox until January. So everything will
change in January.
“The
Fox fight is gonna be different. There are things that we’re
doing differently and we need to pull off in that production,
but all the big change is happening in January. There is no way
in hell I could change everything by November.”
As
it is, he hasn’t even had time to figure out what to do
with the rest of the fights on the first UFC on Fox fight card.
“That’s
the last thing I’m worried about right now,” White
said.
The
Fox broadcast is slated to feature just one fight, the heavyweight
title bout between Velasquez and dos Santos, but there will be
a full fight card at the Honda Center that night.
Rest
assured the UFC and Fox will come up with some sort of plan for
the one-hour telecast in case the main event ends quickly, but
that could mean anything from inserting pre-recorded undercard
fights to some sort of highlights package or anything in between.
Of
course, White always has Facebook to fall back on. The promotion
has consistently utilized the popular social networking site
to live-stream preliminary card bouts that aren’t slated
for broadcast elsewhere.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Bigfoot
Silva could be in the UFC “real soon”, says manager
By Guilherme
Cruz
Daniel
Cormier eliminated Antonio Bigfoot Silva from Strikeforce heavyweight
tournament with a first round knockout, and the Brazilian’s
next fight has a chance to happen out of the Strikeforce cage.
“He
has a contract with Strikeforce, but Strikeforce is now controlled
by the UFC and we’re watching Strikeforce fighters going
to the UFC all the time,” Silva’s manager Alex Davis
told TATAME.
“UFC’s
heavyweight division is big, but they could have even more, and
I’m sure Bigfoot will be in the UFC real soon”.
Davis
says nothing is set yet, but he hopes to see the heavyweight
inside the octagon. “There’s a lot of great fights
for him inside the octagon, and he’ll shine there”.
Source: Tatame
|
UFC
Japan will be Free TV Leading into a Las Vegas Pay-Per-View
by Ken
Pishna
Put any doubts behind you, the UFC is going to do two shows in
a single 24-hour period in 2012.
When the UFC returns to Japan at Saitama Super Arena on Feb.
26, it will also run a pay-per-view event in Las Vegas on Feb.
25, which, because of the time difference, works out to be, essentially,
the same day.
And this is no rumor… this is what is happening, according
to UFC president Dana White.
“(It’s) not possibly, it’s gonna happen,”
he stated emphatically following UFC on Versus 6 on Saturday
night.
“The way that it would work, the fights from Japan would
go on live TV for free and lead into a pay-per-view. It would
be live in Japan and live in the United States.”
White wasn’t clear if the event in Japan would be dubbed
a Fight Night or a numbered event or some other special moniker,
but he intends for both fight cards to be chock-full of top tier
fighters.
“Both cards (will be) stacked,” he stated. “The
Japan card will be sick.
“The thing we don’t do, and it’s what boxing did
a long time ago, when the pay model started they started putting
(expletive) fights on free TV. We don’t ever put (expletive)
fights on free TV.”
And they don’t intend to start with the UFC’s return
to Japan.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
10
October Tussles Worth Watching
by Tim
Leidecker
As
2011, heads into its home stretch, fighters are trying to position
themselves for a shot at the major leagues, and the Joe Silvas,
Sean Shelbys, Sam Caplans and Keiichi Sasaharas of the MMA world
are paying more attention than ever. Which fighters are taking
on legitimate competition and which ones are simply padding their
records?
In
our monthly “10 Tussles” series, we take you around
the globe in an effort to broaden your MMA horizon, showcasing
the best fights that might not get much attention otherwise.
This month, we have ten bouts from eight different countries
on four different continents for you. So fasten your seatbelts
and hang on for a unique ride throughout world MMA.
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.
Joseph
Duffy vs. Ivan Musardo
Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 44, Oct. 1 -- London
The
United Kingdom’s longest-running promotion, Cage Warriors,
is slowly but surely living up to its 2005-06 heyday, thanks
to the hard work of new director Graham Boylan and encyclopedic
matchmaker Ian Dean. In Cage Warriors’ seventh show this
year -- its fourth in London -- the promoters have lined up their
undefeated young lightweight ace Duffy against Swiss-Italian
submission specialist Musardo. Ireland’s Duffy was a cast
member on Season 12 of “The Ultimate Fighter 12” and
has gone 4-0 since leaving the show. Musardo has trained at Team
Nogueira for his shot at the vacant title.
Adrian
Pang vs. Jadamba Narantungalag
Legend Fighting Championship 6, Oct. 30 -- Macau, China
Among
the many traits that make MMA such an exciting sport is the fact
that an almost 30-fight veteran like Pang can go into his first
defense of the LFC lightweight title as an underdog against somebody
with less than a third of his actual in-ring experience. An announcer’s
worst nightmare, Narantungalag has recovered from a rough start
into his MMA career; it saw him go 0-2, including a highlight-reel
knockout at the hands of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. He
scored a pair of major upsets over Sengoku aces Akihiro Gono
and Kazunori Yokota in 2010. Let us see what kind of form the
35-year-old is in after a 10-month layoff.
Aleksander
Emelianenko vs. Rafal Dabrowski
Strefa Walk, Oct. 28 -- Warsaw, Poland
In
the prime of his career and during his run in Pride Fighting
Championships, Fedor Emelianenko’s estranged brother, Aleksander,
would have likely knocked out an adversary the caliber of Dabrowski
in the first round. However, this is not 2006, and Emelianenko
is not nearly in that kind of shape. That makes a tough, durable
and well-rounded opponent like “Uszol” a very dangerous
foe. Question marks for promoter Strefa Walk will revolve around
the condition in which Emelianenko shows up and how many tickets
can be sold for the event. A week later, Warsaw plays host to
the MMA Attack mega card.
Jose
Gomes de Ribamar vs. Daniel Acacio
Kumite MMA, Oct. 28 -- Porto Alegre, Brazil
After
having to cancel his Aug. 20 clash with jiu-jitsu champion Sergio
Moraes due to injury, the powerful Trator will return with a
double pack of fights in October. First, he will warm up with
a bout against Holland-based Italian Shooto veteran Paolo Milano
at Ultimate Takedown 3 in Brussels, Belgium on Oct. 8. Then,
he will take on busy Pride veteran Daniel Acacio at Kumite MMA’s
inaugural show in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Despite his muay Thai
background, Acacio has not been submitted by a fellow countryman
since his heel hook loss to Rousimar Palhares in December 2007.
Anton
Kuivanen vs. Thiago Meller
Cage 16 “1st Defense,” Oct. 8 -- Espoo, Finland
Whenever
names are thrown around as most likely additions to the UFC’s
roster ahead of its upcoming Scandinavian expansion, Helsinki’s
Kuivanen may be mentioned most. The 27-year-old submission specialist
is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, with solid
wins over Erikas Petraitis, Tim Radcliffe and Ivan Buchinger.
Trying to prevent the Finn from extending that streak is Black
House veteran Meller. “Minu” has been in there with
some of the best lightweights in Brazil and recently had a six-fight
winning streak of his own snapped.
Rambaa
Somdet vs. Ryota Uozumi
Grabaka Live “1st Cage Attack,” Oct. 15 -- Tokyo
At
37 years old and still going strong, Somdet remains perhaps MMA’s
most dangerous strawweight fighter. Even though the Thai assault
rifle had to vacate his Shooto 114-pound title in April due to
a partially torn left biceps, it is expected that he will get
a crack at de facto interim champion Junji Ikoma this winter.
Standing between him and reclaiming his gold is a fight against
flyweight Uozumi at the Grabaka gym’s inaugural event. Contrary
to the customs of both fighters, this event will, as the name
suggests, be fought inside the cage.
Guram
Gugenishvili vs. Kenny Garner
M-1 Challenge 27, Oct. 14 -- Phoenix
The
time has come for Gugenishvili’s United States debut. The
big Georgian heavyweight was due to fight Pat Bennett on July
8 but had to cancel the fight with an arm injury suffered in
training.
Now
that the 25-year-old sambo specialist is 100 percent healthy,
he will rematch American Top Team’s Kenny Garner. Garner
beat Bennett for a second shot at M-1’s heavyweight champion.
It will be crucial for “Deuce” to keep the fight upright
again if he wants to avoid the same fate he suffered in their
first clash almost exactly a year ago.
Rameau
Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Ryan Jimmo
MFC 31 “The Rundown,” Oct. 7 -- Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada
After
he burst on the scene with two jaw-dropping knockouts against
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona, it appeared as if
Sokoudjou was destined to become the first African breakout star
in the young history of the sport. Five years into his tenure
and the “African Assassin” has settled into being a
solid player on the free agent circuit, even though he still
hovers around the .500 mark. Jimmo, perhaps Canada’s top
light heavyweight prospect, needs this final victory -- it would
be his 16th in a row -- to finally punch his ticket to the UFC.
However, Sokoudjou spoiled similar hopes for Jan Blachowicz earlier
this year.
Yoshiro
Maeda vs. Hiroshi Nakamura
Deep “Cage Impact 2011,” Oct. 29 -- Tokyo
Perhaps
a little overshadowed by the bigger names of Katsunori Kikuno,
Ryo Chonan and Kazunori Yokota, this gem of an evenly matched
bantamweight fight stands on its own. While both men have had
their ups and downs, there is no denying their quality, which
easily ranks them among the Top 5 Japanese 135-pounders. This
will be an intriguing chess match between former King of Pancrase
Maeda’s enormous punching power -- it has yielded him 14
of his 28 career wins -- and Nakamura’s iron top control
on the mat, which has stifled 12 of his 17 career opponents.
Jay
Hieron vs. Ben Askren
Bellator 56, Oct. 29 -- Kansas City, Kan.
The
major welterweight clash outside of the UFC has finally materialized,
as Bellator Fighting Championships Season 4 welterweight tournament
winner Hieron gets his shot at reigning champion Askren’s
title. Both fighters have been away from the cage for half a
year. Askren was last seen retiring Nick Thompson in April, while
Hieron clinched the tournament victory with a close decision
over Rick Hawn. Even though Askren has worked diligently on his
striking with former world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus, the
sticking point will be if Hieron, himself a Div. I wrestler,
will be able to stop the Olympians takedowns.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Falling
Action: Best and Worst of UFC on Versus 6
By Ben
Fowlkes
It's
not often that we see a title fight on free TV. As expected,
Saturday night's bantamweight contest at UFC on Versus 6 provided
the full 25 minutes, and maybe showed some fans the difference
between the lumbering heavyweights at the top of the MMA food
chain and the swift little hummingbirds in the lighter divisions.
The
135-pounders may not be long on finishing power, but at least
they keep coming without slowing down. They don't overwhelm,
but they also don't run out of gas halfway through. Either you
appreciate that or you don't. After the performances of some
of the heavyweights last weekend at UFC 135, I'm guessing a lot
of fight fans do.
But
now that another one is in the books, it's time again to sift
through the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between
from UFC on Versus 6.
Biggest
Winner: Anthony Johnson
He said he wanted an exciting finish to silence the critics who
weren't too pleased about his strategy in the Dan Hardy fight.
Kicking Brenneman in the face until he fell down was a good way
to go about that. Fight fans have short enough memories that
a good TKO win will make them forget all about the time you promised
a slugfest and delivered a wrestling match instead. All it took
was him placing his foot across another man's face in as violent
a fashion as possible. A very simple and reliable formula for
changing public perception if there ever was one.
Biggest
Loser: Charlie Brenneman
Fresh off his big win over Rick Story, he gets TKO'd by "Rumble"
Johnson in a fight he was never really in. He can complain all
he wants about the stoppage, but even before he got kicked in
the face he was on wobbly legs, clinging to the fence rather
than guarding his head. Maybe he could have fought on, but he
wasn't doing much fighting when he took a foot to the grill.
I can't blame a referee for watching that scene unfold and then
deciding Brenneman was done. Now he goes from late-notice hero
to just another welterweight in a crowded field. The fall was
only slightly quicker than the rise, but looked far more painful.
Most
Perfunctory Title Defense: Dominick Cruz
Okay, so it wasn't the most dominant or impressive victory of
his career. He looked mildly vulnerable at times and, most shockingly,
even a little bit tired. Still, Cruz controlled the fight down
the stretch and did what he had to do, so he goes home with the
hardware. Was it a breakout performance that will make him a
huge star? Probably not, but any night you leave with the title
that you showed up with is a good night indeed. Cruz remains
the best 135-pounder in the world, and he showed that he can
dig down and gut one out when he needs to. In fact, the only
thing he lacks at the moment is fresh, compelling challengers.
Unfortunately for him, there's not a lot he can do about that.
Worst
Use of a Reach Advantage: Stefan Struve
While the fight stayed standing, he did very little to keep Barry
at a distance. Despite having arms and legs that were about the
size of Barry's entire body, he just kept letting the smaller
man walk him down. In fact, of all the problems Barry had in
the fight, getting within striking distance seemed to be the
least of his troubles. It was only once the fight hit the mat
and Struve was on his back that he managed to put his long limbs
to good use, locking up a triangle choke that Barry really should
have seen coming. Again, Struve's submissions game continues
to sneak up on opponents, though it honestly shouldn't. He's
won more fights that way than he has by any other method, so
when will people stop thinking that it's a good idea to grapple
with him? As long as he uses his range so much better on the
ground than he does on the feet, there's little reason to take
the Dutchman down.
Mr.
Consistency: Paul Sass
I've heard MMA trainers say that what they really want is not
a guy who can pull off every submission in the book, but a guy
who has one or two good ones that he can nail on command. Sass
has the triangle choke and the heel hook, and he doesn't need
anything else. With his heel hook of Michael Johnson he remained
unbeaten in twelve pro fights, and he's ended with a submission
in eleven of those. You'd think that any opponent would be able
to take a quick look at his record and know what to watch out
for, and you'd be right. The fact that he keeps pulling those
moves off anyway tells you just how good he is.
Most
in Need of a Ground Game: Pat Barry
He's a great kickboxer and a likeable guy, but at times it seems
he can be finished by the merest suggestion of a submission.
I don't care how vicious your leg kicks are, if you can't defend
against a triangle choke any better than that you have a very
limited future in the UFC. Barry's had plenty of time to develop
his overall game, and he has improved. Just not enough. The UFC
has been somewhat kind to him in terms of matchmaking, largely
keeping him away from the better grapplers in the heavyweight
division, but still he finds ways to get submitted. It's a shame,
because he's a lot of fun to watch when he's in his element.
It's when he's not that it gets ugly in a hurry.
Most
in Need of an Ice Pack: Demetrious Johnson
He showed a lot of heart and did much better than most expected,
but he's still going home with a lump the size of a cueball in
his face. That's not something you can cover with a pair of sunglasses,
either. All it takes is for you to roll over on it once in your
sleep and your whole night is ruined. Though of course, losing
a title fight probably has a similar effect.
Narrowest
Margin of Victory: Matt Wiman
Watching him bounce around while the decision was read, I had
a flashback to Wiman's mini-freakout after the judges sided with
Dennis Siver over him at UFC 132. That night he bolted from the
cage like he'd left his car running out front. If the decision
had gone the other way this time, he might have taken off through
the streets of D.C. and been halfway to Florida by now. Fortunately
for Wiman, he got the nod from the judges, but just barely. A
guy who can't take it when a squeaker doesn't go his way should
really learn to stop leaving it up to the judges. Or if he is
going to go the distance, he could at least make it a little
clearer who the winner and the loser was. Keeping it that close
is a good way to go home disappointed.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Big
Man Semifinals Set after Quarterfinals at Bellator 52
LAKE
CHARLES, La. — It was an action-packed start to the Bellator
Heavyweight Tournament as eight heavy hitters lined up inside
the L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles for Bellator
52 to kickoff the quarterfinals of the Season 5 tournament. Ron
“The Monster” Sparks will take on Eric Prindle and
Mike “300” Hayes faces Blagoi Ivanov in the semifinals
after big wins in Louisiana this weekend.
“It
was another great night in another full house at L’Auberge
Casino Resort in Lake Charles,” Bellator Chairman &
CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Our heavyweights put on some explosive
performances tonight, and I can’t wait for the semifinals
later this month at Bellator 56 from Memorial Hall in Kansas
City.”
In
a stunning upset, Mike “300” Hayes eliminated Neil
Grove from the tournament with a split-decision victory in the
night’s main event. Grove had a slight reach advantage and
outweighed his opponent by more than 30 pounds, but Hayes executed
an excellent game plan. He moved in and out of Grove’s striking
distance and racked up points on the judges’ scorecards
with lots of leg kicks and straight punches to the body.
Ron
Sparks remained undefeated and advanced to the semifinals with
a knockout win over Mark Holata in the first fight of the evening.
Holata didn’t shy away from the fight, trading punches with
Sparks right away, but “The Monster” was able to stun
him with a right hook early and on a later exchange dropped him
to the canvas with a pair of left hooks to the jaw line. It was
a big win for Sparks who is eager to show Bellator and the fans
what he’s capable of.
His
corner instructed him before the final round to continue pushing
the pace and to force a takedown when the time was right. He
did just that and took Grove to the mat midway through Round
3, losing top position for a moment, but finishing strong on
top with a submission attempt followed by some heavy punches.
“Don’t
mistake my kindness for weakness,” said Sparks after the
victory. “These guys are monsters but I’m ‘The
Monster.’ I think I can be one of the best heavyweights
out there. You guys will see.”
Zak
Jensen stepped up to fight Blagoi Ivanov last minute as Thiago
Santos was scratched from the fight card. He walked through all
of Ivanov’s best punches, but couldn’t avoid his takedowns
and despite taking quite a beating, was the victim of a technical
submission not a knockout. Jensen escaped full mount, a keylock
and some ground-and-pound by Ivanov in the second round, but
was caught in a five-finger guillotine choke as he attempted
to fight the submission attempt. Jensen was briefly put to sleep
by the fight-ending submission as Ivanov advanced to the semifinals.
Eric
Prindle would also advance to the semifinals with a hard fought
win over Abe Wagner. Both these men fought for three hard rounds
and looked to be hitting just as hard in the final round as they
had in the first. The fighters split the first two rounds and
Prindle stole the third when he stuffed a takedown attempt by
Wagner and kept him grounded for the remainder of the fight.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Since
supermatch, Zé Mario already back to training
Zé Mario Sperry didn’t want to hear about celebrating
his win over Renzo Gracie last Sunday, and the next day he was
already in Manchester for a seminar at the academy under the
captaincy of black belt Rodrigo Antunes.
The
other day, the day before his birthday, the supermatch champion
taught yet another seminar in England, at Zé Marcello’s
academy in Milton Keynes. On Wednesday, Sperry’s birthday,
he returned home to Brazil. Today, he was already back to training
in the academy.
Don’t
miss all the details about and behind-the-scenes insight into
ADCC 2011 in the upcoming issue of GRACIEMAG, with exclusive
and explosive photos and stories!
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
It’s
Not True, It’s Damn Not True: Dana White Confirms TUF 10
Offer to Kurt Angle, but That’s It
For
weeks, WWE and TNA pro wrestler Kurt Angle has been talking about
deals that he was working at different points to come to the
UFC and fight for Dana White.
Now
the UFC President has responded when speaking to MMAWeekly.com
where he answers the recent comments by Angle.
White
confirms that Angle was indeed calling and trying to get into
the UFC, so he offered him a slot on the 10th season of The Ultimate
Fighter alongside names like Kimbo Slice and Roy Nelson.
Ultimately,
it didn’t work out, and White goes on to shoot down a couple
of Angle’s claims, while still maintaining that he is a
good guy and someone the UFC president likes and respects.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
11
Questions for Randy Couture
by Mike
Whitman
UFC
hall of famer Randy Couture spoke with Sherdog.com just after
the release of his new film, “Setup.” Also starring
Bruce Willis, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Ryan Phillippe,
the film was distributed Sept. 20 on DVD and Blu-Ray and is currently
available for purchase at Amazon.com and LionsGateShop.com.
In
addition to discussing his most recent acting endeavor, the five-time
UFC champion talked about his life outside the world of MMA,
elaborated on future film projects and discussed the urge to
compete again.
Sherdog:
Randy, thank you for joining us. Your new film, “Setup,”
is a heist film about a group of friends until a betrayal takes
things in a different direction. What can we look forward to
in the film and where do you fit in with your role?
Couture: I play sort of the head thug in this movie (laughs).
Petey is kind of the boss’ right-hand man. He gets sent
out to take care of things, to clean things up, to make sure
people do what they are supposed to do. Petey is kind of a brash
knucklehead in a lot of ways, and it was fun for me to play the
character. It was a small role, but to get the chance to play
with 50 Cent and Bruce Willis and Ryan Phillippe was fun. I also
think everybody is going to get a kick out of the way Petey goes
out, so I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction to that
whole thing.
Sherdog:
So your character meets his demise in the film?
Couture: Absolutely. Petey meets his demise in a rather unique
way, and it’s pretty funny.
Sherdog:
Interesting. Now, you were also in “The Expendables”
with Bruce Willis, but you two did not share any screen time.
Did you get to meet Bruce during the shooting of “The Expendables”
or was it during your time shooting “Setup” that you
actually met him?
Couture: I got to meet Bruce at Comic-Con during the promotion
for “The Expendables,” and he was a really, really
nice guy. So then the opportunity came up sometime later to actually
play in “Setup” with him and to actually get to hang
out and get to know him a little bit, which was cool. It’s
like with [Sylvester Stallone]. He’s one of those guys you
grew up watching with the “Die Hard” movies and all
the way back to “Moonlighting” on TV. It was definitely
one of those pinch-me moments.
Sherdog:
Before we get too deep into “The Expendables,” I wanted
to touch on something quickly. I think most people are expecting
you to appear in action-oriented films because of your background,
but you are also in a movie called “Geezers!” that
is coming out in January, which is a comedy with Kevin Pollack
and Tim Allen. What was it like being in a comedy?
Couture: It was fun, but it wasn’t a huge stretch. I play
myself in the movie, but the setting was certainly unique and
everything that happened was a lot of fun. And [J.K. Simmons]
was fun to work with, and his wife, [Michelle Schumacher], directed.
It was kind of a seminar setting, which is something I’m
familiar with, since I do a lot of seminars in MMA. I don’t
want to give too much away, but I think people will like my small
part.
Sherdog:
“The Expendables 2” is expected to come out next summer.
Have you started shooting that yet?
Couture: Getting ready to leave for Bulgaria. That’s where
it looks like we’ll be shooting the bulk of the movie. It
looks like we’ll start shooting on Oct. 1, so I’ll
leave Saturday to do my week of prep work and fittings. I’m
very excited about this script and the group of guys they’ve
put together. Just about everybody is back for “Expendables
2,” which is remarkable. Simon West is going to be directing
this time, and he’s a tremendous action director. It’s
going to be a blast.
Sherdog:
It was cool to see that group of guys on screen at the same time
-- like you said, guys who many of us grew up watching. And now
it seems even more names are attached to the project. Are we
really going to see Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris, plus
pretty much everybody else coming back?
Couture: It looks that way, yeah. It looks like those guys and
even some others are going to be in this one. And we’re
looking at bigger [parts] for Bruce and for Arnold [Schwarzenegger].
Sherdog.com:
As we mentioned, you have been on set with guys like Stallone,
Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham and Jet Li, and they all have some
type of combat training. As I recall, Stallone has stated that
you were definitely the “baddest” guy on set, which
is to be expected as a five-time UFC champion. I thought it would
be fun for you to answer that from your perspective. Which guy
on “The Expendables” crew could handle himself for
real if need be?
Couture: I think all the guys are athletic and have the ability
to take care of themselves in just about any situation. But I
think of all the guys in the cast, probably the guy who is closest
to being ready to step into the cage and fight is Dolph. He’s
a huge guy, first of all, and he’s been involved in martial
arts for a long, long time. He’s done the sparring, and
he’s still training at a very high level. He brings a trainer
with him who is a wrestler and an MMA guy. So of all the guys,
I’d say Dolph is probably the one who would acquit himself
very well in the cage.
Sherdog:
Talking about acting as opposed to fighting -- obviously, competing
in mixed martial arts is a high-adrenaline, exciting job. However,
after a while, that aspect seems to wear off to a degree in a
lot of guys, and it becomes more of a regular job. Now that you
have a few films under your belt, have you hit that feeling with
your acting career or is it still novel and exciting for you?
Couture: It’s still new. I think each and every opportunity
brings a new character, and [audiences] have to find a way to
relate to that character. In some ways, you have to find a way
to tell the truth (laughs). Inside, you find a way to relate
to the things that character does and says. That’s one of
the fun things about acting. You get to play these guys who do
things that you would never do in real life. I’m enjoying
the process, and I’m getting to work with a lot of top-notch
guys. One of the directors I worked with on [the CBS television
series] “The Unit” was talking to me about respecting
the process. When you’re bored, sitting around waiting for
the next shot, you have to keep in mind that there is a process
involved here, and you have to respect the process. That’s
something that has stuck with me, when I start to question what
the heck is going on or why I have to do it this way or that
way. You have to respect the process, and everything that it
takes to get it out on film, to get it on that screen so that
it looks right.
Sherdog:
There is so much that goes into shooting even short, simple scenes
because so many things are happening at the same time, right?
Couture: Yeah, it’s remarkable. Everybody thinks it’s
all glamor and glitz (laughs). It’s the furthest thing from
that for most of it.
Sherdog:
Now that you have had some time away from the cage and you are
into your new career full-time, do you miss competing at all
or the process of getting ready for a fight?
Couture: Well, I miss the training. I think life becomes pretty
simple when I have a fight staring me in the face, and I’m
in that 10-week training camp where I eat, sleep and train, mostly.
I think I’ll always miss that part of it. Another big thing
for me with fighting was that it was an excuse for all my buddies
from all the different stages of my life to show up and come
to the fights. I would get to see a bunch of people that I don’t
get to see very often. I think I’ll miss that. I get the
errant email from one of those guys every once in a while, but
it used to be that fight week was like going home. All those
guys turned up to watch the fights and come see training. And
then [at] the after-party, I’d get to rub elbows with guys
from high school, college, my time in the service -- all those
different times in my life. I do still have the [Xtreme Couture
Mixed Martial Arts] training center and the team, so I still
get to be around it and get the flavor of it, but I haven’t
been to a lot of fights since I retired. So I haven’t had
to fight that itch to get back in there. That hasn’t really
happened, and I’ve been pretty comfortable with the decision.
I think it was the right decision for me, and, so, I’m really
focused on trying to get better and better acting jobs.
Sherdog.com:
Thanks for taking the time, Randy. Is there anything else you
would like to say about the movie before you take off?
Couture: I hope everybody checks out “Setup.” It’s
a lot of fun. The guys involved are great guys, and I think [fans]
are going to enjoy the film. And they’re definitely going
to want to check out Petey’s demise (laughs).
Source
Sherdog
|
Dana
White Would Rather See A Fight Stopped Too Early Than Too Late
At
UFC on Versus 6 Saturday night there were a mixed bag of refereeing
decisions, with some being deemed good and some deemed bad.
UFC
President Dana White answered the question about the referees
that were working at UFC on Versus 6 and admitted there were
some good and some bad decisions made.
White
specifically pointed to two fight as very questionable decisions,
while praising referee Mario Yamasaki for a keen move when he
stopped the fight between Anthony Johnson and Charlie Brenneman.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Versus 6 Results: Dominick Cruz Defends Title, Decisions Demetrious
Johnson
by Erik
Fontanez
Dominick
Cruz scored a decision win in his defense of the bantamweight
title, going the distance with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse”
Johnson at UFC on Versus 6.
The judges saw the fight in the champion’s favor and scored
it unanimously for Cruz.
The championship bout started out with the champion doing his
routine and unique dance routine on the feet. Johnson kept a
fast pace and attempted to get the fight down to the ground.
As Johnson attempted takedowns, Cruz punished him with short
punches. Johnson finally got the fight to the ground and the
two scrambled there for an extended period of time. The round
ended with the two on the feet and Johnson attempting another
takedown.
Round two began intense, as expected. Cruz was able to put Johnson
on the canvas for a moment, but the fighter out of Washington
State was tenacious and the fight returned to the feet. The pace
wasn’t close slowing down halfway through. With every step
that he took with his unique style, Cruz was matched step for
step by Johnson due to the challenger’s quickness. When
the fight went to the ground, the champion stayed in top position
until the round ended.
The third round started with just as much intensity and quickness
as the previous two. The two traded off shots until the champion
got a bodylock from behind and suplexed the challenger. From
there, Cruz got his opponent’s back and attempted a rear
naked choke, but Johnson persevered and returned the fight to
the feet. A short while later, Cruz brought Johnson down to the
canvas and stayed in top position, hammering away until the fight
was back on the feet with about 17 seconds to go. The round ended
with the two against the fence.
The championship rounds began and the two weren’t anywhere
close to slowing down. Cruz ducked and threw punches, but Johnson
was quick enough to move out of the way. Johnson threw strikes
of his own and the champ did well to avoid those shots. Cruz
brought his opponent down to the ground again and worked from
top position to control the fight. Both continued to stand and
throw strikes, but didn’t land anything significant enough
to cause major damage.
The final round began with “Mighty Mouse” pressing
the action, but he gave up his back and was suplexed, once again.
Cruz stayed on top of his opponent and worked to control the
fight for the first half of the final round. The fight returned
to a standing battle and Johnson tried to find the strikes that
would score the fight in his favor, but Cruz kept control and
took him down a couple more times before the fight went the distance.
The official scores of the bout were 50-45, 49-46, and 50-45.
“It was a tough fight,” Cruz told Joe Rogan after his
successful title defense. “The kid [has] a sick pace, so
I had to outwrestle him.”
Cruz successfully defends his title for the second consecutive
time and improves his record to 19-1. Johnson loses only his
second fight in eleven professional outings.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quayhagen
Upsets Kickboxing Champion to Highlight Bellator 52 Prelims
by Bobbie
Clark
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Maybe it was because it was in Josh Quayhagen’s
hometown. Maybe it was because this was the first MMA bout for
Brazilian kickboxing star Cosmo Alexander. Regardless of circumstance,
it was Quayhagen who upset the highly-touted lightweight striker,
taking a unanimous decision win in the attention-grabbing moment
Bellator 52’s undercard at the L’Auberge du Lac Casino.
Alexander,
who compiled a 40-14-1 record as a world-traveled kickboxer,
failed to live up to the hype, but it was Quayhagen's doing.
Despite a pedestrian 9-6 mark as an amateur, the 25-year-old
hometown hero was fearless while striking and was the more aggressive
fighter throughout the match. While Alexander landed a few heavy
shots -- low kicks especially -- that collectively took the air
out of the crowd, Quayhagen’s jab and superior movement
did most of the consistent, effective damage.
“I’ve
just always been a standup guy, and that’s what I knew I
was getting into when I took this fight,” a jubilant Quayhagen
told Sherdog.com. “I didn’t want to fight on the ground,
so you saw a standup war for three rounds. A lot of people told
me not to take this fight, [because] it was a lose-lose [situation],
but I didn’t look at it that way. I was making my pro debut,
and who better to learn from than a guy like Cosmo, with such
an impressive background?”
On
several occasions, Quayhagen caught Alexander kicks and countered,
putting the star striker on the canvas.
Quayhagen’s
in-and-out striking puzzled the Brazilian, who has already earned
a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt under Marcelo Nigue and has
trained in Boca Raton, Fla., with the likes of former UFC light
heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and K-1 veteran Tyrone Spong
since moving to Florida this past December to focus on his MMA
career.
Though
the fight was competitive throughout the first two rounds, Quayhagen
dashed any hopes the 29-year-old Alexander had in the third frame.
After again matching Alexander tit-for-tat on the feet, he secured
a takedown with less than two minutes ago, chipping away from
full guard. Alexander was able to maneuver back to his feet with
10 seconds left, but it was far too little, too late.
All
three judges -- Joe Ancona, Jordan Bass and Corey Manuel -- saw
the bout 30-27 for Quayhagen, who earned a considerably dramatic
first win in his professional mixed martial arts career. However,
in spite of the upset win and the fact that he overcame considerable
adversity, the Lake Charles lightweight was unsatisfied with
his performance.
“No
excuses at all, but I had to learn how to fight southpaw over
the last few weeks, since I haven’t been able to put a ton
of pressure on my right foot, as I fractured it a few weeks back,”
Quayhagen revealed. “It could have been an excuse to pull
out of this fight, but I just used it as motivation.”
Brazilian
featherweight Genair da Silva might not have been able to make
weight for his bout with Bryan Goldsby, but he certainly took
care of business in the cage better than he did on the scale,
earning a smooth first-round submission.
Da
Silva came in at 150.5 Friday for the 145-pound contest, and
was unable to shed any more weight, thus forfeiting 20 percent
of his undisclosed purse to Goldsby. However, in the cage, the
Brazilian’s superior grappling showed up quickly.
After
springing up from an early Goldsby takedown, da Silva threw the
Macon, Ga., native to the ground and set up in side control.
Goldsby tried to scramble, but da Silva locked on a tight brabo
choke from the front-headlock position. Goldsby tried valiantly
to roll out, but was ensnared and forced to tap out at 3:51 of
the first.
With
the W, the 27-year-old Junior PQD moved to 11-4 in his MMA campaign.
Batesville,
Ark., resident Justin Frazier remained unbeaten, as “The
Grizzly Bear” used his strength advantage and a vicious
top game to take out Liron Wilson less than two minutes into
their heavyweight contest.
The
unbeaten Frazier, a former power lifter, started his training
camp at 288 pounds before clocking in at 263 for Friday’s
weigh-in. As soon as the bell rang, the strength difference was
apparent: Frazier rushed in with punches and dove for the takedown,
easily securing side control. After that, it was only a matter
of time, as Frazier began slinging heavy leather at his helpless
opponent’s head, forcing referee Myron Gaudet to rescue
the Fresno, Calif., native just 1:50 into the affair.
The
22-year-old Frazier is now 5-0 in his nine-month MMA career with
five stoppages inside of three minutes.
In
the evening's opener, undefeated Matt Van Buren gave up nine
pounds, but still dispatched Nick Nichols in their 213-pound
catchweight duel in the second round to move his pro MMA mark
to 4-0.
After
securing a takedown, the Virginia Beach, Va., product easily
controlled Nichols on the ground, eventually forcing him to turn
to the side and expose his back. Van Buren unleashed two vicious
punches to the side of the head that forced Nichols, making his
pro debut, to turtle up. Referee Gaudet sensed Nichols was helpless
and called the bout at 2:29 of the second frame.
A
slated heavyweight contest between Zak Jensen and Josh Burns
was scrapped on Friday after Bellator Season 5 heavyweight tournament
entrant Thiago Santos was unable to secure a visa to compete
on the card, forcing Jensen to take his place in the bracket
against Bulgarian sambist Blagoi Ivanov.
Source:
Sherdog
|
UFC
137 (10/29 Las Vegas) & UFC 138 (11/5 Birmingham) cards
By Zach
Arnold
Location: 10/29 Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: PPV
Dark matches
Middleweights: Chris Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont
Lightweights: Ramsey Nijem vs. Danny Downes
Light Heavyweights: Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Bantamweights: Scott Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran
Middleweights: Brad Tavares vs. Tim Credeur
Featherweights: Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski
Lightweights: Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Main card
Featherweights: Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
Heavyweights: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson
Heavyweights: Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Welterweights: BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz
UFC Welterweight title match: Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
Location: November 5th at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham,
England
TV: Spike TV
Dark matches
Featherweights: Chris Cariaso vs. Vaughan Lee
Welterweights: Chris Cope vs. Che Mills
Heavyweights: Phil De Fries vs. Oli Thompson
Featherweights: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason Young
Light Heavyweights: Cyrille Diabete vs. Anthony Perosh
Lightweights: Terry Etim vs. Edward Faaloloto
Main card
Lightweights: Paul Taylor vs. Anthony Njokuani
Welterweights: John Hathaway vs. Matt Brown
Welterweights: Thiago Alves vs. Papy Abedi
Featherweights: Brad Pickett vs. Renan Barao
Middleweights: Mark Munoz vs. Chris Leben
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Dominick
Cruz Beats Demetrious Johnson, Keeps UFC Bantamweight Belt
By Michael
David Smith
Dominick Cruz showed once again on Saturday night that he's the
best 135-pound fighter in mixed martial arts, beating Demetrious
Johnson by unanimous decision to retain the UFC bantamweight
title.
It
was an exciting, action-packed fight, and a bout that demonstrated
just how ruthlessly effective Cruz's fighting style is. The win
improved Cruz's professional MMA record to 19-1, and there's
no question that he's one of the best fighters in the world,
in any weight class.
"It
was a tough fight -- the kid's got a sick pace," Cruz said
of Johnson. "He didn't surprise me. I was ready for a wicked
pace. I knew I had to slow him down by using my strength and
my size."
The
judges scored it 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 for Cruz.
Most of the first round was fought on the ground, starting when
Johnson clinched Cruz against the cage and Cruz responded by
throwing him to the ground, then got on top and transitioned
into side control. Johnson was able to land a couple of punches
standing, and Johnson did get one takedown of his own, but overall
the first round was Cruz's: He controlled the action on the feet
and the position on the ground.
Johnson
charged in quickly at the start of the second round and hit Cruz
with a punch and a kick, but it was soon Cruz who secured the
takedown and got on top against the fence. For most of the rest
of the round it remained Cruz who was in control, largely controlling
the fight standing but also finishing the round on top of Johnson
against the fence.
After
a couple minutes of battling in the third round, Cruz used a
great belly-to-back suplex to get Johnson down and get on top
of him, then attempted to sink in a rear naked choke. It appeared
that Cruz was close to finishing the fight, but Johnson managed
to break free and get back to his feet.
In
the fourth round Cruz got his best position on the ground of
the fight, taking Johnson down and transitioning into full mount.
Cruz wasn't able to do much with that dominant position, but
the positional control alone was enough to win him the fourth
round and ensure that he'd keep his title as long as he could
survive the fifth.
Within
the first 30 seconds of the third round, Cruz had another belly-to-back
suplex and another dominant position. Johnson got up and kept
attacking on his feet, but he had no answer for Cruz in the clinch,
and in the final minute of the fight Cruz took Johnson down and
got into full mount on the ground. Johnson did manage to get
back up for a last flurry of strikes, but Cruz finished the fight
on top -- right where he belongs, as the top bantamweight in
the sport.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson $65,000 Postfight Bonuses Awarded
by Ken
Pishna
UFC
bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz defended his belt for the
fourth consecutive time by defeating Demetrious “Mighty
Mouse” Johnson. The fight was also Cruz’s fourth consecutive
decision win.
UFC on Versus 6 took place on Saturday night at the Verizon Center
in Washington, DC. And while Cruz continued to dominate, it wasn’t
enough to put him in the post-fight bonus money.
The winners of the UFC on Versus 6 post-fight awards netted an
additional $65,000 bonus in addition to their contracted purse.
Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig kicked off the Versus telecast, finally
getting the chance to finish the fight that many thought was
stopped too soon the first time around.
While many thought Danzig was robbed in their first fight, this
time the fight went the distance, Wiman and Danzig going toe-to-toe
every minute of the fight. Although Danzig fell short on the
final tally – the judges awarded Wiman the decision –
the two lightweights earned Fight of the Night honors, each taking
home a bonus.
The Knockout of the Night, whether the social networking throngs
want to debate a quick trigger by the referee or not, went to
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. The super-sized welterweight
floored Charlie Brenneman with a kick to the head that had referee
Mario Yamasaki immediately stepping in to wave off the fight.
There was an immediate uproar from fans on Twitter, saying that
Brenneman was still in a position to defend himself, but the
call was made, and Anthony Johnson went home with an extra $65,000.
Despite being a foot taller and having a decided reach advantage,
it wasn’t Stefan Struve’s reach that secured a victory
over former K-1 fighter Pat Barry on Saturday night. The Dutch
fighter slapped a guillotine on Barry, who was able to escape,
but Struve quickly switched to a triangle choke, this time leaving
Barry no choice but to give in.
Struve walked away with the victory and the Submission of the
Night.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Late
night MMA fan, Brazilian billionaire gets close to UFC
As reported in “Veja” magazine, Eike Batista is diving
head first into the field of events, concerts, entertainment
and investment in arenas. IMX, the company he founded in partnership
with the USA’s IMG, is buying Brasil1, which brought the
Ultimate Fighting Championship to Brazil this past August.
One of the world’s richest men, Eike is a full-fledged UFC
fan. The billionaire stated that he stays up until 4 am to watch
the event on TV.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Ivanov
Dominates; Hayes, Sparks, Prindle Advance in Bellator Tourney
by Bobbie
Clark
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- As the Bellator Season 5 heavyweight tournament
quarterfinals kicked off Saturday night at the L'Auberge du Lac
Hotel and Casino, no entrant was more brutal in victory than
Bulgarian sambo world champion Blagoi Ivanov, who remained undefeated
by destroying late replacement Zak Jensen over two lopsided rounds.
Hopkins,
Minn., native Jensen entered the bout Friday, subbing in for
Brazilian Thiago Santos, whose visa issues forced him out of
the bout at the last minute. Jensen was originally slated to
be on the evening’s undercard against Josh Burns.
Although
Bellator reps stressed to Sherdog.com that Santos' visa situation
would be resolved as soon as possible and that he would find
his way to the Bellator cage, it did little to help Jensen, who
was beaten from pillar to post.
The
big-bodied Ivanov displayed lightning quick hands and head movement
for a man his size. Easily ducking out of danger's way, he repeatedly
countered Jensen at will with vicious combos, snapping his head
back and making blood fly from his opponent’s nose.
“I
moved my camp to Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture and Tapout Las Vegas,”
Ivanov told Sherdog.com, explaining his sudden boxing prowess.
“I work my boxing with Ibn Cason, the brother of Hasim Rahman;
I have some of the best boxing coaches around.”
Jensen
was bloodied but unbowed: he kept moving forward, stalking Ivanov
like a zombie. However, when Jensen was finally able to close
the distance, Ivanov
showcased his Sambo skills, putting Jensen on the mat
with outside hip throws and trips.
The
second round was much like the first, with Ivanov ducking and
diving, landing combo after combo. Ivanov put Jensen on the mat
and moved to mount, but Jensen finally hip bumped out and nearly
got to his feet. However, Ivanov locked in a standing guillotine,
putting Jensen to sleep in a crumpled heap along the cage at
2:35 of the second period.
The
24-year-old Ivanov, most famous for defeating heavyweight legend
Fedor Emelianenko at the 2008 World Combat Sambo Championships,
punched his tickets to the semifinals of the heavyweight tournament,
where he'll take on Mike Hayes, who earned a close split decision
win over former Bellator tournament runner-up Neil Grove.
Hayes
and Grove spent long periods of time sizing one another up, pawing
with ineffectual strikes. Although Grove's punches were able
to badly damage Hayes' right eye and his low kicks reddened his
left leg, the Redmond, Wash., heavyweight was able to outland
Grove in terms of volume.
However,
the ground game was a major difference between the two. From
the guard, Hayes was more active and offensive than Grove, and
was able to sweep him to take dominant position.
In
the third frame, he took the Brit’s back, and threatened
with submission attempts.
In
spite of Sherdog.com seeing the bout a 30-27 sweep for Hayes,
judge Joe Ancona had it 29-28 for Grove. However, judges Jordan
Bass and Gabe Barahona saw it 29-28 for Hayes, who took the split
decision and upped his career mark to 16-4-1.
“I
think Mike won that fight. I'm not one to say I think I won that
fight. He's the dark horse,” Grove told Sherdog.com after
the loss. Hayes was not made available to the media, as his left
leg was being examined by on-site physicians.
In
an entertaining but sloppy affair, former Army Special Forces
boxing champion Eric Prindle outlasted Abe Wagner to earn a hard-fought
unanimous decision victory with three 29-28 scorecards.
Wagner
started strong, rocking Prindle with some surprising combinations
against the cage and controlling him on the ground, eventually
getting the mount. When Prindle rolled, the Nebraskan couldn't
hold onto his back, giving up top position to Prindle and letting
him back in the fight. From there, Prindle used his superior
striking skills and immense size to keep Wagner off balance and
on the defensive.
Prindle
took over in the second frame, dazing Wagner with stiff, clubbing
punches. With the fight on the line in the third round, the 6-foot-5,
265-plus-pound Prescott, Ariz., native again hammered Wagner
with heavy leather, forcing him to shoot in. When Wagner lazily
clung to a single-leg, Prindle took over from the top. Even with
rudimentary ground skills, his size and strength gave him a dominant
mount from which he punished Wagner and put the fight away for
good.
It
took Louisville, Ky., resident Ron Sparks longer than usual to
dispatch former Tulsa Univerisity fullback Mark Holata, but he
still got it done in just 84 seconds.
Both
fighters started slowly, circling and pawing at each other, before
Sparks broke the ice with a hook that sent sweat into a giddy
crowd. Sparks landed a wicked hook-straight-hook combo to flatten
Holata, then followed up with some thunderous hammerfists, prompting
referee Barahona to end the fight at just 1:24 of the first,
nearly twice what his average bouts take, with five previous
stoppages in under 67 seconds.
The
36-year-old Sparks moves to 8-0 with seven first-round knockouts
in his career, while Holata falls to 11-3 and had an eight-fight
winning streak snapped.
“I
knew he was out. I was hoping we’d actually get to go to
the ground, because everyone says I have no ground game,”
Sparks mused after the fight. “But, if a knockout comes,
I'll take it.”
The
heavyweight semifinals, Ivanov-Hayes and Prindle-Sparks, will
take place at Bellator 56 at the Kansas Memorial Hall in Kansas
City, Kan.
Source
Sherdog
|
Strikeforce
Champ Gilbert Melendez UFC Bound… ASAP
by Ken
Pishna
If
there was any doubt that Strikeforce is in the depths of a vicious
downward spiral, UFC president Dana White put any doubts to rest
following UFC on Versus 6 on Saturday night in Washington, D.C.
White told MMAWeekly.com that the UFC is working on a deal with
current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez to
bring the No. 1 155-pound fighter in the world to the Octagon.
While the deal isn’t inked yet, he was emphatic in saying
that Melendez is headed to the UFC.
“We do want to bring Gilbert Melendez over and we’re
looking at it right now,” said White.
Melendez had been expected to defend his Strikeforce belt against
Jorge Masvidal at a possible December event, but that would be
off the table once a deal is struck with the UFC.
Despite holding the belt in that organization, which the UFC’s
parent company also owns, it is not a certainty that Melendez
would get an immediate shot at UFC gold.
“It’s a possibility,” stated White. “The
thing is, that division is so stacked. And usually timing has
a lot to do with (who gets the next shot).”
But as certain as Strikeforce’s days a major MMA player
are numbered, so is Melendez’s time there, according to
White.
“We’re going to bring Melendez over ASAP. We’re
looking to bring him over now.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Live 6 Live Results and Play-by-Play
Verizon
Center in Washington, D.C.
Walel
Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval
Round
1
They touch gloves, and Watson begins lobbing low and high kicks.
The rangy Watson's low kicks eventually go awry however, tagging
Sandoval in the groin. Mario Yamasaki gives Sandoval a moment
to recover while warning Watson. Upon resuming, Watson scores
a not-so-high head kick that sends Sandoval to his posterior.
Sandoval pops up and Watson pursues with punches as his wounded
opponent backpedals. Watson lands more shots that send Sandoval
down to his rear, and Yamasaki steps in to stop the bout. A not
completely out but very disappointed Sandoval pops back to his
feet as Yamasaki waves off the fight at the 1:17 mark.
Josh
Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski
Round
1
Neer and Wisniewski exchange hands to start the round. Wisniewski
fights to get the Thai plum, but Neer simply puts him against
the cage for it. Wisniewski circles out and give Neer a parting
elbow before separating. Neer pecking at Wisniewski with the
inside low kick. Neer swings with big right hands and short punches
to the head and body in the single collar tie. Wisniewski lands
knees to the legs and body in the clinch in response. Wisniewski
tags Neer with a left hook, but Neer pushes forward with more
punches and uppercuts in close. Wisniewski offers knees in response,
but in the clinch, gets lashed by Neer's short, sharp elbows.
A left hook to the body hits Neer right at the horn, causing
him to double over a moment later as he returns to his corner.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Neer
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Neer
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Neer
Round
2
Neer lands a nice straight right in between jabs. Wisniewski
tries to clinch but eats a barrage of short elbows for his trouble.
Wisniewski throws a few elbows of his own and some body punches.
Neer however doesn't seem to be showing the damage to his body
as he cuts Wisniewski's face to bloody ribbons. Dan Miragliotta,
seeing Wisniewski's mask of blood, calls time to have him checked.
The ringside physician seems to have no problem with allowing
the fight continue. The fight doesn't continue however as Miragliotta
tries to locate Neer's missing mouthguard--apparently, it's fallen
into the seam of the Octagon cage and canvas. They finally get
it after a minute, and upon resuming, Wisniewski goes for the
single leg. Neer balances and defends, continuing with his standing
elbow rampage. When Wisniewski disengages, he's treated to a
steady stream of jabs and a right hand. Neer attempts to finish
the fight in the final seconds of the round with a guillotine,
but the horn saves Wisniewski.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Neer
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Neer
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Neer
The
doctor has stopped the bout due to lacerations above both of
Wisniewski's eyes, which were caused by standing elbows from
Neer. The official time is 5:00 of round two.
Shane
Roller vs. T.J. Grant
Round
1
Roller circles and throws punches as Grant walks him down, lobbing
single shots. Roller hits an uppercut as Grant puts him down
with the single leg. In the scramble, Roller momentarily reverses
but Grant sweeps and secures side control where Grant drops elbows
to the face. Roller reverses again and locks a guillotine from
on top in Grant's half-guard. Grant pops out and gets to his
feet. He drops punches as he falls back into Roller's guard.
Roller goes for the guillotine, but Grant passes to side control,
taking him out of immediate danger. Roller goes to turtle position
and targets a leg as Grant drops elbows and punches from the
crucifix. Grant maintains control, dropping punches for the final
twenty seconds of the round.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Grant
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Grant
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Grant
Round
2
Grant throws jabs and low kicks to start the round. Roller goes
for a leg but is stuffed, eating knees to the body. Roller eats
hooks as he pushes Grant up against the cage. Roller slugs it
out with Grant in the center of the cage and scores with a few
wild haymakers, but gets put on his back immediately after. Roller
has the guillotine for a moment, but Grant pops out and moves
to side control. Roller drives for his legs, which a pancaking
Grant uses to spin again into the back-crucifix. Roller escapes
and reverses into Grant's guard. Grant looks for an escape but
gets caught in the guillotine again. Grant passes to Roller's
back and tries first for the rear-naked choke, but transitions
to the arm bar before the final seconds expire. The horn saves
Roller, however.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Grant
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Grant
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Grant
Round
3
Both men trade jabs and lead hooks. Roller whiffs an uppercut
as Grant connects with a stiff right hand. The American shoots
for a takedown, but Grant stuffs the attempt. Roller switches
to the single leg, and Grant goes for the guillotine. As soon
as Roller pops his head out, Grant switches immediately to the
armbar. Fernando Yamasaki jumps in to stop the bout, despite
the fact that Roller has not visibly tapped. Roller angrily protests
as boos shower the Octagon. The official decision nonetheless
goes to Grant, who wins by submission at 2:12 of the third round.
Byron
Bloodworth vs. Mike Easton
Round
1
Easton dances in front of Bloodworth, looking very much like
stablemate Dominick Cruz. They trade single punches and kicks,
but nothing significant lands immediately for either man. Easton
tries to swarm Bloodworth with punches against the cage, but
Bloodworth fires back counter hooks, pushing him back. Bloodworth
drives for a takedown and is stuffed, but manages to put Easton
against the cage. The Maryland native spins his opponent into
the cage to land some knees to the legs before Kevin Mulhall
breaks them up. Easton hits a spinning back kick to the belly
of Bloodworth as he stalks him against the cage. Bloodworth misses
a spinning elbow. Easton punishes him with a hard low kick. Easton
pancakes another takedown at the final ten seconds, pops to his
feet and lands a low kick before time expires.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Easton
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Bloodworth trying to keep Easton at range with punch-kick combos.
Easton walks through them however, looking for big hooks and
hard low kicks. Bloodworth drops for a takedown, but it's half-hearted.
Easton lands a hook to the face in response. Bloodworth flies
into Easton with a grazing knee, to which Easton answers with
a right hand and low kick combos. Easton continues to hunt Bloodworth
with punches and punishing low kicks against the cage perimeter.
A frustrated Bloodworth circles until eating a kick to the groin.
Kevin Mulhall stops the bout momentarily to allow him time to
recover. Upon resuming however, it's more of the same: Easton
stalks with Bloodworth around the Octagon with punches and low
kicks. Bloodworth sucks Easton into the clinch, where both men
trade knees. Easton fires some high knees up and around to the
side of Bloodworth's face before firing two sharp knees to the
body, dropping him to the canvas. Eatson finishes with punches
on a fetal Bloodworth as Kevin Mulhall steps in for the stoppage
at the 4:52 mark.
Paul
Sass vs. Michael Johnson
Round
1
Sass flies out with a flying knee after both men touch gloves.
Sass goes to the ground early, but Johnson lobs a few punches
and backs away. The Briton fires off some punches to close the
distance, but "Menace" counters with flurries of his
own, both marking up Sass and staying away from him when he drops
down--twice--to pull guard. Johnson ducks under two spinning
elbows and misses a flying knee of his own. This gives Sass the
opportunity to pull Johnson into his guard. After a frantic scramble,
Sass goes for a heel-hook. Sass takes a few moments to adjust
his hold before spinning over to torque the knee-shredding submission.
The American taps out at the 3:00 mark.
Yves
Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Round
1
Oliveira swarms with punches, putting Edwards against the cage
early. The Brazilian launches some knees to Edwards' body before
being shoved off. Oliveira again swarms with punches, but Edwards
circles out. A southpaw Edwards paws with his jab and lobs a
high kick, which Oliveira blocks. Edwards tries again, this time
grazing with the high kick. "Tractor" tries still to
connect with flurries, but the Bahaman native evades, firing
back with low and body kicks. Now acclimated, Edwards ducks under
and evades Oliveira's strikes to fire back with short punches
and kicks. Oliveira shoots and Edwards sprawls. Edwards pops
back to his feet and both men trade shots in the final seconds
before the horn.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Edwards
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Edwards
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Edwards
Round
2
Edwards scores low kicks, blocking Oliveira's winging counter
punches. Oliveria again storms forward with punches. Edwards
momentarily takes him down, but the Brazilian gets immediately
to his feet. Edwards pushes forward with his southpaw jab, and
eventually tags "Tractor" with a big left. Edwards
looks to finish with punches, but Oliveira recovers under fire
and backpedals. Edwards drops him again with a big head kick
and takes top in half-guard to drop punches to his face. Oliveira
is apparently out as he's eating the punches though isn't trying
to defend at all. Mario Yamasaki allows him the benefit of the
doubt, and so to prove he has this fight in the bag, Edwards
moves to the back mount to drop more punches. Yamasaki finally
makes the mercy call, stopping the bout at 2:44 of the second
period.
Matt
Wiman vs. Mac Danzig
Round
1
Wiman gets started with low kicks and haymakers. Danzig gets
in close and clinches, mixing things up with dirty boxing before
pressing Wiman against the cage. They disengage and Wiman catches
a high kick to put Danzig down against the cage. Danzig snakes
an arm around for a guillotine, but Wiman pushes through it and
escapes. Danzig gets to his feet and marks Wiman up with more
punches in the clinch. Unfazed, Wiman shells up and pushes forward
to return punches. Wiman throws standing elbows in close, still
pressuring Danzig with punches. Danzig spins Wiman into the cage
and then eats a hard knee to the belly, forcing him to step back.
Wiman pursues with punches and body kicks, pinning Danzig against
the cage. Wiman hits a nice right hook over the top in addition
to his short punches in close. Wiman brings Danzig to his knees
with the takedown attempt, but Danzig pops back to his feet just
before the horn.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Wiman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Wiman
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Wiman
Round
2
Wiman presses forward with low kicks and punches again, pressuring
Danzig to circle away. Danzig sucks Wiman into the clinch and
eats more short elbows. Danzig breaks and circles away, eating
more low kicks and punches. Wiman continues his forward momentum,
walking into a Danzig takedown. Danzig passes to side control
for a moment before Wiman quickly recovers guard. Wiman creeps
his legs up for a loose triangle attempt. "Handsome Matt"
quickly chains into an armbar and arches back. Danzig hangs on
for a moment before escaping to drop punches from inside guard.
Wiman tries for the kimura from bottom instead, but Danzig defends
by grabbing his shorts. Wiman lets the attempt go and stands
up against the cage to eat a Danzig flurry. Wiman fires back
with punches of his own to push Danzig back. They fall into the
clinch again, where Wiman fires of knees and Danzig connects
with short punches. Both men look to be slowing down, but Wiman
continues to rack up short elbows just before the horn.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Wiman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Wiman
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Danzig
Round
3
Wiman continues to pressure Danzig, pushing forward with a superman
punch and kicks to the body and legs. He walks through Danzig's
punches, cornering him against the cage. Both men trade positions
against the cage, Wiman firing short elbows, Danzig popping him
with punches and dirty boxing. Wiman blows a trip takedown but
gets to his feet to continue to attacking in the clinch. Danzig
welcomes him, marking him up with punches. Wiman drops for a
takedown, and Danzig reverses, putting Wiman down against the
cage. Danzig in riding time position, dropping punches to the
side of Wiman's face now. Danzig passes to back mount and Wiman
escapes out the back door to take top in half-guard. Wiman drops
elbows to the face as Danzig recovers half-guard and tries to
control distance to lessen the force of Wiman's blows. Danzig
works to his feet in the final thirty seconds. Both men fight
it out with short punches and elbows until the final ten. Wiman
drops for a takedown and Danzig locks on the guillotine. Wiman
gives a thumbs up to say he's okay however, just as the final
horn sounds.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Wiman (30-27 Wiman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Wiman (30-27 Wiman)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Wiman (29-28 Wiman)
On
the official scorecards, all three judges rule the bout 29-28
for your winner by unanimous decision, Matt Wiman.
Charlie
Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson
Round
1
Brenneman shoots into a push kick, but on his second attempt,
he gets pancaked by Johnson. Johnson drops short left hands to
Brenneman's body, hammering to his head with his right hand.
"Rumble" adds in knees to the body, keeping Brenneman
pinned to the mat with his right forearm over his neck. Johnson
spins to take the back, but Brenneman concedes instead to give
him top in half-guard as he flips to his back. "The Spaniard"
throws up a guillotine attempt, but Johnson pops out. Johnson
tags Brenneman with a head kick as he dives for a takedown. A
little wobbled, "The Spaniard" gets to his feet and
leans against the cage. Rumble steps in and plants his shin across
Brenneman's face, sending him straight backward onto the canvas.
Mario Yamasaki jumps in to call the bout, despite the fact that
Brenneman is sitting up, apparently not completely out cold.
The official time is 2:49 of round one.
Stefan
Struve vs. Pat Barry
Round
1
Struve connects with a kick to the body to start the action.
Barry walks cautiously forward, looking to close the distance.
He connects with an inside low kick, misses with a lunging jab.
Barry blocks a high kick, but doesn't engage. Dan Miragliotta
encourages them to step up the action. Barry covers up as Struve
throws a flurry of punches and kicks. Barry walking forward,
ducking under hooks to pump a southpaw jab and low kick. Struve
reaching out with his long jab and low, pushing kicks now, keeping
Barry at range. Barry swinging with big hooks, but misses them.
Barry blocking and parrying jabs and push kicks. Barry closes
out the round with a missed flying knee.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Struve
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Barry
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Barry
Round
2
Barry continues his pattern from last round, pushing forward
to look for big hooks. Struve fires back with punches, but eats
a hook and rebounds off the cage. Barry racks up more leg kicks,
and Struve returns with low kicks of his own. "HD"
parries Struve's push kicks, pressing forward, looking for lunging
uppercuts. The Dutchman pulls Barry into the Thai plum. Barry
pries himself free and connects with a swiping left hook as he
eats a grazing knee to the body. Struve ties Barry up with the
guillotine, but "HD" moves quickly to escape. Soon
after however, the American finds himself having to escape the
triangle choke. He picks "Skyscraper" up for a big
slam, but the 6'11" Dutchman stays both conscious and latched
on after going for the ride, pulling out one of Barry's arms
in addition. He forces the tap with his triangle armbar soon
after, at the 3:22 mark.
UFC
Bantamweight Championship
Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson
Round
1
The champ gets things started with punches and leg kicks in the
center of the Octagon. Johnson fires back with a string of counter
punches. He misses with a high kick, but follows with a lightning
quick shot. Cruz stuffs him and trips him with a big throw to
the canvas. "Dominator" takes top position, almost
in mount if not for one of Johnson's legs, keeping him elevated
and off of him. Cruz passes to side control instead and locks
"Mighty Mouse" beneath him. Both men trade short punches.
The challenger recovers butterfly guard and pops to his feet.
Johnson escapes and pursues Cruz with punches and a high kick.
Cruz catches it and puts him back on the canvas. Johnson dives
for a leg, but the champ pulls his leg out and steals side control.
Johnson pops again to his feet and pushes Cruz up against the
cage with the takedown. He momentarily puts Cruz on his posterior,
but "Dominator" bounds to his feet where both men trade
knees in the clinch. Cruz ducks under and spins out the back,
eating two right hands on the way out. Johnson again stuffs Cruz
up against the cage. He steps back and both men trade single
shots in the final seconds.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Round
2
Johnson tags Cruz with a counter flurry and kick. The champ takes
Johnson down against the cage, but Johnson fights back to his
feet and puts Cruz against the cage. They trade knees, and Cruz
throws a big right hook on the way out, grazing "Mighty
Mouse." Johnson pursues Cruz with punches and shoots again.
Cruz stuffs him and puts the challenger against the cage, looking
to slow it down. They trade more knees in the clinch. Johnson
defends a Cruz trip takedown and puts the champ against the cage.
Cruz locks up the Thai plum, but misses with the knee as Johnson
breaks free. Back in the center of the cage, Cruz looks for punches
to connect as he dances. Johnson however outpaces him with quick
explosive flurries and low kicks. Cruz takes a deep breath and
tries again to connect with single punches. Cruz lobs a knee,
which Johnson counters with a takedown attempt. Cruz reverses
and puts Johnson on posterior, eventually pulling him down to
his back. The champ drops elbows at the end of the round, but
Johnson blocks.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
3
Both men snipe at each other in the center of the Octagon, but
it's Cruz that connects with body and leg kicks. Johnson backing
up now, looking for opportunities to counter with singles and
one-twos. "Dominator" pursues with his jab, then gets
in close for the trip takedown. It's foiled, but he gets the
rear waist-lock instead, chaining it right into a suplex to take
the challenger's back. He completely flattens "Mighty Mouse"
and sinks his right arm, looking for the choke. Johnson spins
in defense and saves himself, but Cruz just reapplies the choke.
Johnson breaks his grip and escapes, getting back to his feet.
Cruz gets Johnson up against the cage again and brings him back
to his rear on the canvas. The challenger pushes the champ's
head away, trying to push him away for space, but Cruz stays
glued on. Johnson on his back now, working butterfly guard while
trying to defend against elbows. "Mighty Mouse" gets
to his feet in the final ten, and both men trade short punches
and knees in the clinch.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Round
4
Johnson lands a nice crisp low kick, stalking Cruz against the
cage. Cruz circles out and gives chases with single punches.
Johnson stays just out of range, landing grazing low kicks. Both
men throw wide punches, barely connecting. Johnson tags Cruz
with a left hook as the champ retreats. Cruz circles and puts
Johnson up agains the cage, breaking him down to put him on his
back. Cruz looks to free up his arms and make space to drop punches,
but Johnson defends. Cruz instead passes to full mount. Johnson
hangs on to the champion's head to keep him from sitting up.
"Dominator" drops short punches to the side and top
of the challenger's head. Johnson recovers back to guard, then
gets to his feet, stuffing a single leg attempt. Johnson pushes
forward with punches as Cruz backpedals, just out of range. Johnson
chases the champ with single punches, scoring only once before
being stuffed against the cage. Cruz lands a knee to the face
and puts Johnson on his back. "Mighty Mouse" kicks
Cruz away and surges forward with punches. Cruz goes for the
single leg, just at the horn.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cruz
Round
5
Both men touch gloves for the final round. Johnson explodes forward
with punches and a kick that Cruz ducks under. Cruz captures
Johnson's back in the waist-lock and again, gives him a suplex
ride. Cruz takes top in side control, dropping short punches.
The challenger recovers to half-guard, then full guard. "Dominator"
drops punches and elbows, settling into guard. "Might Mouse"
scoots his way back to the cage, ostensibly to help himself back
to his feet. Cruz fights to keep Johnson on his back, but the
challenger nonetheless wall-walks his way back to standing. Johnson
connects with punches as he fires his way out of the clinch.
Johnson--now with some swelling under his right eye--steams forward
with punches, pinning the champion against the cage. Cruz flips
Johnson over his hip, but Johnson pops back to his feet and pushes
forward with more punches. Cruz dances just out of range, drops
levels, and puts Johnson on his back. "Dominator" passes
immediately to mount and Johnson flips to his belly, chucking
Cruz off in the process. Johnson looks up at the clock, and seeing
that only 15 seconds remain, he explodes with strikes. The champion
keeps his cool however and puts "Mighty Mouse" on his
back with a takedown, just as time expires.
Tony
Loiseleur scores the round 10-9 Cruz (49-46 Cruz)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Cruz (49-46 Cruz)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cruz (49-46 Cruz)
Judges
Richard Beltran and Jeff Blatnick both have the fight 50-45,
while judge Cardo Urso sees it 49-46, all for Dominick Cruz,
who retains his bantamweight championship.
Source:
Sherdog
|
MAN
UP & STAND UP
WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER, WAIPAHU, HAWAII
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011
DOORS OPEN AT 6:00
MILLER UALESEI185HOKU CUBAN
KEONI CHANG140MARK YARCIA
BRENNAN NASH125DONTEZ COLEMAN
HAYZEN LINKIE160DARREN FAATAPI
JORDAN ROBERTS120MELVIN RAMENTO
LOMBARD MADALORA170JAMES REYES
LEEROY LARUNGA120DUSTIN AGLANAO
MICAH BEATE155CAMILLE BOB
SHABBY GUSHI185TEPHANIE WICKS
EVAN QUIZON130TONY RODRIGUES
NATHAN WOODS135BRYER MAGAHAMA
JONAH AFOA200KOA KONOLO
KEPANO HOKOANA135POOKELA YAHIKU
NALU KAWAILIMA135NEVADA HARRISON
JUSTIN
DULAY160JOSEPH
ENAENA
JOE HOPPS155ANTHONY RIVERA
LEE OLIVERAS175DARIUS EL MATADOR LANDO
MALIKA SOUZA125RADLYN COSTALES
KAIKANE QUIZON115KALAI
KWAN
ROBERT BAKER140THOMAS REYES
MAKANA WIGGLESWORTH150SHAWN MIYAHARA
KALEO140TOFI MIKA
MARC KUMAI185SEAN HENDERSON
SABRINA NISHIHARA150CHANNELLE KEALOHA
KAWIKA SATO210ERIC EDWARD
CHANTE STAFFORD115ALIKA KUMUKOA
SPENCER QUELL195ROLAND AMISTAD
All matches & participants are subject to change.
Source:
Derrick Bright
|
UFC
on Versus 6 Postfight: Shane Roller Says He Didn’t Tap,
but it Definitely Feels Like a Loss
UFC
on Versus 6 felt it’s first bit of controversy when the
welterweight bout between Shane Roller and T.J. Grant was stopped
after an armbar and an apparent submission.
Grant locked up an armbar and as Roller rolled to try and get
out of the maneuver, the referee says he heard a verbal scream
and stepped in to stop the fight.
Roller says that he definitely didn’t tap and while he admits
he grunted, he did not want out of the fight in any way, shape
or form.
Despite the controversy, Roller still feels like Saturday night’s
fight was a loss because it wasn’t going the way he had
hoped, and he plans on coming back stronger the next time.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bellator
52: What to Watch For
by Brian
Knapp
He may lack the Adonis physique some have come to expect from
their elite athletes, but Bellator Fighting Championships heavyweight
titleholder Cole Konrad gets the job done.
The
27-year-old Appleton, Wis., native was a two-time NCAA wrestling
champion at the University of Minnesota, where he compiled a
155-13 record and closed out his collegiate career with 76 consecutive
victories. Nicknamed “The Polar Bear,” Konrad has made
a seamless transition to mixed martial arts, having compiled
a perfect 8-0 mark since his January 2010 professional debut.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound behemoth roared through Bellator’s
Season 3 heavyweight tournament, with successive victories over
Rogent Lloret, Damian Grabowski and UFC veteran Neil Grove.
Though
Konrad has yet to defend the championship he won in the tournament,
he appeared in a non-title matchup with the seasoned Paul Buentello
at Belltor 48 in August. He excelled in that role, as well, and
surprised virtually everyone by outstriking the former UFC heavyweight
contender en route to a unanimous decision.
Konrad
now waits for the first threat to his throne to emerge from Bellator’s
Season 5 heavyweight tournament. It kicks off at Bellator 52
on Saturday at the L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort in
Lake Charles, La, where all four tournament quarterfinals will
unfold: Grove vs. Mike Hayes, Ron Sparks vs. Mark Holata, Thiago
Santos vs. Blagoi Ivanov and Abe Wagner vs. Eric Prindle. The
winner of the eight-man draw receives a $100,000 payday and a
crack at Konrad.
Well
supplied with interesting storylines, tournament drama and compelling
talent, here is what to watch for at Bellator 51:
Goliath’s
Last Stand
Grove
turns 40 in January. Still an imposing physical specimen at 6-foot-6,
265 pounds, the man they call “Goliath” has compiled
a 4-1-1 mark since being released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
following his submission loss to Mike Ciesnolevicz at UFC 95
in February 2009. Grove reached the final of Bellator’s
Season 3 tournament, only to be turned away by a Konrad keylock,
his one-punch knockout power short-circuited by the decorated
wrestler. The South African now returns to finish what he started
in what has to be viewed as a last hurrah in major mixed martial
arts. Grove faces Hayes, a Strikeforce veteran who has never
been finished, in the tournament quarterfinals.
Sambo
Special
Ivanov
made international waves in 2008, when he took gold at the Sambo
World Championships and defeated MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko
in the process. He was immediately cast, fairly or unfairly,
as a can’t-miss prospect.
Three
years later, the 24-year-old Bulgarian has yet to fulfill the
promise so many predicted for him in their rush to anoint. Ivanov
remains undefeated in four professional outings, but his MMA
action has been sporadic at best. He has yet to fight more than
twice in a calendar year. Ivanov made his promotional debut at
Bellator 38 in March, stopping William Penn on punches inside
three minutes. His path figures to steepen in the tournament
quarterfinals, as he locks horns with once-beaten Brazilian Thiago
Santos.
Hurricane
Warning
At
31, Wagner has endured a life and career marked by highs and
unimaginable lows. As a child, he was subjected to physical abuse
from his father and placed in foster care. Wagner escaped that
hell to make something of himself, earning a Mechanical Engineering
degree from Michigan Tech, where he also starred as a linebacker
on the football team. He entered the mixed martial arts talent
pipeline in 2006 and was cast on Season 10 of “The Ultimate
Fighter” three years later, alongside, among others, Kimbo
Slice. However, Wagner was quickly eliminated by Jon Madsen in
one of the bloodiest fights in the reality show’s history.
He resurfaced in January, when he knocked out two-time UFC heavyweight
champion Tim Sylvia in a little more than half a minute. Can
the “Hurricane” match his considerable physical tools
with the consistency required to win a tournament?
Aged
to Perfection
Late
bloomers have always had a place at the MMA table. Sparks, 36,
hopes there is still room for him. Unbeaten in seven professional
appearances, the muscular 6-foot-5, 255-pound Louisville, Ky.,
native has carved through two Bellator opponents -- Gregory Maynard
and Vince Lucero -- in a little more than three combined minutes.
Sparks will be confronted by a far more accomplished foe in his
tournament quarterfinal, as he squares off with Mark Holata,
a hefty Oklahoman who already holds wins over American Top Team’s
Carmelo Marrero and Strikeforce veteran Shawn Jordan. Moreover,
Holata will enter the cage with plenty of momentum, having rattled
off eight consecutive victories.
Cosmo
Show
As
has been the case with a number of Bellator events, the undercard
features the debut of an intriguing prospect. Accomplished muay
Thai practitioner Cosmo Alexandre will try his hand -- and his
feet, knees and elbows -- at mixed martial arts for the first
time at Bellator 52, as he meets Josh Quayhagen in a lightweight
matchup. The 29-year-old Alexandre, a product of Mike’s
Gym in Holland, competed for roughly a decade in the standup
arts.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Commentary:
Why black UFC fighters struggle to earn respect from fans &
media
By Zach
Arnold
From Jordan Breen on his Tuesday radio show:
“I think part of it obviously is, there’s no getting
around the fact that all of these guys make their own fates to
some extent. Quinton Jackson does absurd things sometimes like
motorboating and not being as dedicated as he could be in the
gym. Rashad Evans has prickly comments at times and dances and
does things that draw people’s ire. Even Melvin Guillard
has a long and checkered history of questionable behavior. Anderson
Silva conducts himself weirdly sometimes. There is individual
incidents that are unique to the persons that make it important.
“But I do think in a lot of cases, yeah, there’s…
you know… it’s not everybody, it’s not like every
white male reacts viscerally to, ‘oh, a high-level black
athlete.’ But many do, many do, you know? I think maybe
sometimes it gets harped on too much but there’s a reason
that, you know, people like (King Mo) are called ‘cocky’
and ‘arrogant.’ Part of it is because they are but
the way the context in which it’s constantly framed is often
times a very implicitly racist one. It’s widespread. It’s
not everybody, but it exists.
“So, yeah, it is an unfortunate place to be in at times
and the other thing that needs to be said for it also is a lot
of it is intra-squad warfare there. A lot of it is to take a
page out of Quinton Jackson’s book, black-on-black violence,
you know? You have these guys going out there calling one another
Uncle Toms and all this kind of other stuff. That’s pretty
volatile and difficult stuff to be just throwing out there and
that’s from black fighter to black fighter in a lot of cases.
So, it’s wrong to also see it as a case of, oh, it’s
like white media and white fans hating Black fighters or treating
them differently and coding their language.
“It goes the same way, you know, being a black athlete is
also made difficult by the way black athletes trend to treat
other black athletes in some cases especially and I would even
go so far as to say uniquely to some extent in the Mixed Martial
Arts sphere where more so than some other sports, you know, the
issue of being an Uncle Tom and these kinds of silly issues come
up more prominently, you know. You don’t see it as much
in a lot of other sports, it comes up very, very much in prizefighting
especially…
“I don’t think there’s any getting around that
Jon Jones is irrationally hated and dwelling on all things, part
of it is how poorly he’s portrayed himself. In many respects,
part of it is kind of the hokey nature of it all. Part of it
is how manufactured he seemed recently with the British interview
with Luke Thomas and other foolish things like this. He’s
made some poor choices and I’m sure for some it’s residual
racist foolish and for some, you know, they just might not like
the cut of his jib and think he’s arrogant, plain and simple,
and not desire him as a person. There’s lots of reasons
you could potentially dislike Jon Jones. However, I think it’s
weird to dislike Jon Jones and simply see him not as a great
fighter. But I think it’s a begrudging bit of bitching and
the reason I say that is… people’s reaction to Jon
Jones and if you ask someone today, even a Jon Jones hater, who’s
the best Light Heavyweight in the world? They’re still going
to say Jon Jones, you know? There’s not that level of denial.
I think part of why the Jon Jones hate is so ridiculous and so
venomous is that these people at the same time that they critique
Jones have to tacitly admit that he’s great. Because the
way in which the argument’s positioned is, ‘oh, well,
Jon Jones can’t beat Anderson Silva.’ ‘Oh, Jon
Jones, he’s going to lose!” It’s not, ‘oh,
Jon Jones, he can’t beat top Light Heavyweights’ or
‘oh, Jon Jones, he’s not the favorite against Rashad
(Evans).’ Even people who hate Jon Jones have to talk about
the Rashad Evans fight as if they’re saying, ‘oh, well,
I mean, Evans has a shot.” Like if you hate a guy and that’s
the best you can do, ‘oh, he’s got a shot,’ you’re
clearly acknowledging the dominance of that party. So, I think
even in the Jones hate, I think it’s still reflected how
good of a fighter he really is.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Anthony
Johnson Stops Charlie Brenneman With a Head Kick
By Michael
David Smith
In a welterweight battle on Saturday night's UFC live card, Anthony
Johnson defeated Charlie Brenneman in the first round thanks
to a big head kick -- and a questionable stoppage from the referee.
Johnson
is a devastating striker who executed the kick perfectly, landing
his foot square on Brenneman's face, and knocking Brenneman flat
on his back. But Brenneman appeared to be conscious, alert and
ready to defend himself on the ground when referee Mario Yamasaki
jumped in to stop the fight. The whole contest lasted just 2
minutes, 49 seconds.
"I'm very happy -- everybody was talking crap about my last
performance with Dan Hardy so I figured I had to come in here
and make a statement," Johnson said afterward. "I told
Charlie he was the first guy to ever really have me nervous because
his wrestling is so good."
But
while Brenneman's wrestling is good, Johnson's striking is better.
The victory improves Johnson's record to 10-3 and likely sets
him up for some very big fights in the welterweight division
in 2012: He could be a future welterweight title contender. The
loss drops Brenneman to 14-3, but there's no shame in losing
to Johnson -- especially when the referee didn't do Brenneman
any favors.
"He
had my number tonight," Brenneman said. "I didn't execute
my gameplan and that guy is a beast in the Octagon. I would have
kept going if the ref allowed it, but at that point it wasn't
up to me."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on Versus 6 Results: Matt Wiman Decisions Mac Danzig in D.C.
by Andrew
Gladstone
In
a rematch of Ultimate Fighter veterans “Handsome” Matt
Wiman would prove the first fight wasn’t a fluke and defeat
Mac Danzig via unanimous decision.
The score cards would all read 29-28 for Wiman in a very entertaining
fight.
The first round between the two lightweights was very back and
forth. Danzig was able to get the better of the boxing and land
short uppercuts inside, but Wiman would fire back with short
powerful elbow strikes and cut open Danzig. At one point, “Handsome”
hurt Danzig with a knee to the body but could not capitalize
on the opening. The round would close with Wiman attempting a
takedown against the fence that was thwarted by Danzig.
After the two men were up against the fence in the clinch, Wiman
would press the action but then Danzig would score a takedown.
Wiman would waste no time once he was on his back and immediately
went for an armbar halfway through the round that was defended.
Wiman would then use a guillotine choke and transition back to
the feet and Danzig would waste no time landing solid hand combinations
but Wiman would press forward and begin to get the better of
the striking.
Round three started and Wiman looks to be the more tired of the
two men. Early in the round Wiman brought the action against
the fence and started landing multiple elbows and then Danzig
was able to break away and land some solid punches on the break.
Wiman goes for a single but Danzig ends up on top and it appears
that Wiman’s nose is bloodied, and then Danzig takes his
back albeit briefly as Wiman dumps Danzig on his back with under
two minutes to go. There’s a swelling on Mac Danzig’s
forehead with a minute left to go and Wiman lands some devastating
elbows. Somehow Danzig found the intestinal fortitude to scramble
to his feet and Wiman would press hard for a single leg and get
it but Danzig would attempt a guillotine choke to close the round.
After the fight went the distance Wiman was worried about what
would happen on the judges score cards, being that he felt he
was robbed in his last fight against Denis Siver, but on this
night he moved his record to 14-6.
“When I felt like I’d dominate and judges have seen
it differently before, I just go out there and try to fight my
hardest from start to finish.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Arona
to ref MMA fight in Saturday telenovela
Little
by little, Brazil’s Globo TV network is creeping into the
realm of MMA. The latest show of the television giant’s
interest in the sport comes in this Saturday’s episode of
prime time telenovela “Fina Estampa,” as our collaborator
Junior Samurai reports. Prior to the fictional showdown between
characters Wallace and Jorge Muralha, UFC champion Anderson Silva
is interviewed about his thoughts on the matchup, alongside Minotauro
and Minotouro.
Then, the fighters in the Aguinaldo Silva-written screenplay
face off in the cage at the Nogueira brothers’ training
center, with former Pride FC star refereeing. As the bout plays
out, Wallace collapses unconscious, having been in poor health
during training. Swiftly attended to, Wallace recovers his senses
and sees his opponent’s arm being raised by the former Pride
FC fighter.
The episode of “Fina Estampa” airs on Globo starting
at 9pm Brazilian time this Saturday.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
All
kinds of messages sent by UFC with second show on same day as
Japan event
By Zach
Arnold
With the news tonight that UFC will run a separate Las Vegas
event on February 26th at the same time as their vaunted vanity
Japanese event at Saitama Super Arena, it is clear that some
extraordinary political & business messages are being sent
by Zuffa to not just fighters but also the fans.
Some of my observations you may agree with, some you probably
won’t. I don’t expect you to agree 100% of the way.
1. Avoiding trouble
We know the stories about what happened with UFC legal eagle
Jamie Pollack when he was sent to Japan (for relocation no less!)
to try to run PRIDE after the asset sale agreement had taken
place. Pollack left quickly after there was a hostile environment
with the former PRIDE employees (who largely ended up with DREAM,
no surprise there). It was so embarrassing and reckless that
you had Nobuyuki Sakakibara’s stooges from the wrestling
promotion Hustle running angles for upcoming wrestling events
out of those same PRIDE offices & at the “Takada dojo.”
Within a couple of months of Jamie Pollack arriving in Japan,
he was out of there (and for good reason).
When Dana White had that egregiously awful press conference at
Roppongi Hills in Tokyo to proclaim a UFC vs. PRIDE Super Bowl,
it was a trap. A set-up. He got snookered. It immediately allowed
anti-UFC forces in Japan to portray him as the evil money-hungry
outsider who was going to destroy their business. Well, the Japanese
scene largely imploded on its own but don’t think that lots
of people in Japan are reticent in blaming UFC for their troubles.
There’s a lot of angry people right now who aren’t
making money. Dana White and company immediately put targets
on their backs with that Roppongi Hills presser.
One of the most fascinating questions I had going into UFC’s
announcement of running Saitama Super Arena is what kind of trouble
they were asking for. The only people who can largely afford
to pay the expensive front-row seats are yakuza stooges who are
a) looking to cause trouble and get into or bet on fights or
b) look to work over foreigners and glad-hand politically in
order to screw someone over. Anyone who knows the history of
Japanese fighting events knows that the rackets want their protection
money (often looked upon by promoters as a ‘tax’) and
have crashed shows in the past. The whole yakuza scandal that
imploded PRIDE was about Seiya Kawamata, a yakuza fixer whose
job it was to keep to the mafia out of the front row and backstage
hidden away from police.
So, you might naturally suspect (and be correct in assuming)
that there’s some people who are looking forward to showing
up at the UFC Japan event to cause trouble. By running a show
at the same time in Las Vegas, it gives Dana White & Lorenzo
Fertitta a reason to stay the hell away from Japan. And for good
reason. This is smart. I just feel for Mark Fischer and anyone
else Zuffa sends over to try to run the show.
Wildcard thought: If Zuffa cuts a deal with Real Entertainment
to have Real manage their Japanese show, that would open up a
whole new can of worms as far as associations with ticket brokers,
production companies, and the like. Advice to Zuffa: if you’re
smart, you won’t send Scott Coker over to the show and have
him take pictures while hanging around with characters like Sotaro
Shinoda.
2. Minimizing expectations.
By UFC running a show in Las Vegas on the same day as their Japanese
event, it will allow them to give the media a cue to bury the
importance of the Japanese event and to hype the Vegas show as
the A-show. The flip-side of this, of course, is that the Japanese
fans are smart customers. Already telling them to show up for
a main card at 10 AM at Saitama Super Arena is a joke and now
telling them that the Japanese show is essentially a B-level
show is basically waving the white flag at this point. Sure,
UFC could conceivably book Rampage Jackson vs. Shogun if Shogun
loses to Dan Henderson, but that’s not a main event that’s
going to draw a huge crowd in Japan. However, it would allow
UFC to split the difference and give their American fans a reason
to downplay the struggles of the Japanese show. You run Shogun/Rampage
in Japan as the Japanese main event but have it air on American
PPV as the semi-main event fight for a big Vegas PPV card.
Matt Hume, on Mauro Ranallo’s radio show yesterday, claims
that Softbank is supporting UFC’s Saitama event.
3. Going all-in on running weekly shows.
This is a horribly Pyrrhic calculation that Zuffa is making but
they are proceeding with their commitment to doing this. There’s
a reason every other major sport in the world has off-seasons.
Fans need breaks and the product right now does not need diluting.
However, Zuffa has so many guys under contract and in order to
keep guys from floating away to promoters like Bellator, you
have to run a lot of shows. So, UFC had a decision to make —
contract the schedule and run less shows in hopes of making them
more special or run every week ala WWE and just grind things
out. We’ve seen how well (not) it’s worked out for
WWE. I give Zuffa credit for going all-in and sticking their
necks out on the line but I don’t think it’s a very
good move in terms of eliminating the ’specialness’
of their product.
The immediate impact of this decision to run multiple shows in
different locations on the same night is the amount of stress
it will put on the UFC production teams. They are already overworked
and stretched to capacity. The more workload you place on them,
the less variety there will be in the way the shows are produced.
Just like WWE shows today largely look the same as they did a
decade ago, UFC could fall right into that same trap. This opens
the door up for mistakes being made.
4. Advancing Vince McMahon’s 1980’s strategy on a global
level.
We’ve seen what UFC has done in buying out competition or
putting them out of business in North America. Just like Vince
McMahon raided the territories for the best wrestlers in the
80s to move them to New York, Zuffa has managed to do the same
thing in 2011. Outside of Bellator, which is gasping for media
oxygen right now, there really isn’t anyone who can withstand
competing against the Zuffa machine.
Vince focused his primary market on the States, just like UFC
has. The difference here between the two parties is that Zuffa
sees an opportunity to dominate the entire world landscape. Let’s
say that the company does aggressively run multiple shows in
different countries and does combined PPVs. If they can dominate
Brazil, Asia, Australia, and Europe then they will essentially
be able to stifle any sort of environment in which a promoter
wants to become a major player in their respective country. It’s
a very bold and audacious way of thinking but also a very dynamic
way of looking at how you want things to play out.
Understand that Vince McMahon wanted to be the world leader in
wrestling but he also begrudgingly respected the Mexico &
Japanese markets for a long, long time. It was only recently
that Vince started to run strong in Mexico and that was helped
because of the weakness of CMLL & AAA in terms of television.
The WWE events in Japan are the same kind of cookie cutter shows
that you see in Thailand, for goodness sakes. Vince always wanted
to run the Tokyo Dome by himself and, in the end, he didn’t
do it.
The great irony in all of this is that you privately hear rumors
of (but not so much publicly) Shane McMahon’s name being
tossed around whenever discussion of UFC trying to get into the
Chinese marketplace pops up.
You don’t plan on running shows weekly unless you have a
larger goal in mind. You don’t run weekly shows just to
keep fighters busy and under contract because we’ve seen
how many guys get hurt and have to cancel bookings at the last
minute. The reason you run multiple shows weekly is to take over
the world and to dominate as the major promoter in all big global
markets. There’s a much higher chance that this kind of
plan fails than it succeeds but we’re about to find out
if Zuffa can pull off a feat that no other individual fight promoter
has ever been able to accomplish.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Jacoby
Replaces Credeur, Meets Tavares at UFC 137
by Mike
Whitman
Octagon newcomer Dustin Jacoby will step in for Tim Credeur to
face Brad Tavares at UFC 137.
Jacoby
announced the news via Twitter on Friday. The reason for Credeur's
withdrawal is currently unknown. UFC 137 goes down Oct. 29 from
the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Headlined by a welterweight
title conflict between Georges St. Pierre and Carlos Condit,
the evening’s main draw will air live on pay-per-view.
St.
Pierre was originally supposed to face Nick Diaz in the main
event, but Diaz was pulled from the matchup after he missed consecutive
press conferences. The Californian remains on the card, however,
and will now take on Condit’s original opponent, B.J. Penn,
in the co-main event.
Undefeated
through six outings, Jacoby has only seen the second round once
in his nascent pro career. Fighting out of Finney's Hit Squad
under the supervision of Marc Fiore, Jacoby has already earned
five wins this year. The middleweight holds five of his six career
victories by knockout, most recently finishing Billy Horne in
just 37 seconds on Sept. 4.
Also
only 23 years old, Tavares (Pictured) recently suffered his first
loss, dropping a unanimous decision to Aaron Simpson at UFC 132
on July 2. Prior to the defeat, Tavares had posted consecutive
wins in the Octagon following his stint on “The Ultimate
Fighter 11,” besting Seth Baczynski and Phil Baroni. The
native Hawaiian has finished six of his seven opponents, earning
four of those wins by knockout.
Source
Sherdog
|
Bellator
56 Features Askren vs. Hieron Title Fight and Heavyweight Semis
Bellator
Fighting Championships on Saturday announced that undefeated
welterweight champion Ben Askren will put his title on the line
against Season 4 tournament winner Jay Hieron on Oct. 29 at Bellator
56 at the Memorial Hall in Kansas City. Bellator 56 will also
host the Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament semifinals.
A 2008 U.S. Olympian, Askren will put his title on the line for
the first time since capturing the crown at Bellator 33 over
then champion Lyman Good. While the fight may be the toughest
test of his young MMA career, the University of Missouri product
and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion should
feel right at home fighting in Kansas City.
“It’s an unreal feeling knowing I’ll be fighting
so close to Mizzou,” said Askren. “It won’t affect
me during the fight, I could beat Jay in his living room, but
to be able to celebrate with all my friends and family after
the win is going to awesome.”
Askren and Hieron have made no secret that this fight will be
a grudge match of sorts as both competitors have used social
media to display their dislike for one another. While both fighters
certainly respect each other’s accomplishments, contrasting
styles and personalities have added another level of intrigue
to an already highly anticipated fight.
“I’ve been looking forward to this fight for a while,”
Askren said. “I’m more excited to dominate Jay than
anyone I have ever fought, so Oct. 29 can’t get here fast
enough. We’re going to put on a show.”
For Hieron, the UFC veteran and Las Vegas-trained fighter is
looking to extend his winning streak to 11 with a championship
victory over Askren. “The Thoroughbred” earned his
title shot by claiming the Season 4 welterweight tournament with
victories over Anthony Lapsley, Brent Weedman, and former judoka
Olympian Rick Hawn. While the New York native fully understands
the Midwest crowd will mostly be in Askren’s corner, that
doesn’t bother the confident Hieron.
“I’ve been getting ready for this fight for months,
so location doesn’t matter,” said Hieron. “I’ve
got one goal in mind, and that’s punching this guy in the
face and taking his belt. We all know the game he is going to
bring to the cage, and everyone knows mine, so it’s going
to be a war, simple as that.”
“I’ve been waiting for this fight for some time now,”
Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “These are
two great welterweights – both are world-class athletes
and neither of them like each other. Ben and Jay have been going
back and forth on Twitter; and when that cage door shuts, they
will have a chance to settle it.”
Bellator 56 will also feature the semifinals of Season 5 Heavyweight
Tournament.
Bellator 56 will air live on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on
EPIX beginning at 9 p.m. ET. Tickets for the event can be purchased
at Ticketmaster.com and at the Memorial Hall Box Office.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Dan
Henderson, “There’s Only One Fight I Want at 185…
and He Won’t Fight”
Former
Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson won a UFC tournament
his first tour through the promotion, but has yet to hold a UFC
world title outright.
Will
the third time be a charm?
Could
be since Hendo is returning to the Octagon at UFC 139 in San
Jose, Calif., to face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. UFC president
Dana White has already said that the winner of that bout is likely
the next light heavyweight contender behind current No. 1 challenger
Rashad Evans.
That’s
the weight class where Hendo is most comfortable, and he’d
be happy to make another run at a title there after having failed
to unify the Pride 205-pound belt with the UFC’s when he
made his second tour of duty with the promotion.
But
truth be told, light heavyweight wasn’t in the plans when
he was negotiating his third run through the Octagon. Henderson
was initially planning on avenging a loss to current UFC middleweight
kingpin Anderson Silva upon his return.
“I
prefer to fight light heavyweight. I’m not fond of cutting
weight anymore. There’s only one fight that I’d probably
fight at 185, and he won’t fight right now I guess. That’s
Anderson,” Henderson said at Tuesday’s UFC 139 press
conference in San Jose, Calif.
“That’s
the fight we originally talked about.”
And
it’s not a fight that Henderson appears ready to let fall
by the wayside. Though he’s in an interesting situation
to get it. He would likely need to be successful against Shogun
for there to be enough spark to make such a fight tenable. But
on the flipside, a win over Shogun also puts him in the catbird
seat in the 205-pound division.
There
doesn’t appear to be a definite road map laid out for how
the whole scenario would have to play out.
“When
he’s ready and if this thing goes right and if Dan wants
to cut that weight, then we can talk about Anderson Silva,”
said White.
For
now, however, Hendo has a tough task on his hands in Shogun on
Nov. 19 in San Jose.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
ProElite
Inc. Financial Statements, Trouble Ahead?
ProElite
Inc. released their audited consolidated financial statements
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and unaudited consolidated
interim financial statements for the periods ended June 30, 2011
and 2010.
On
June 14, 2011, the ProElite, Inc. became a subsidiary of Stratus
Media Group, Inc.
Some
of highlights of the report from an independent registered public
accounting firm indicate that things aren't looking too promising
for the company:
The
Company has incurred losses from operations and negative cash
flows from operations since its inception. These factors raise
substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue
as a going concern.
The
report claims management's plans to address these matters include:
The
Company is currently seeking additional financing. However, there
can be no assurances that it will be able to raise sufficient
financing on favorable terms and conditions. There can be no
assurances that the Company will raise sufficient financings
on favorable terms and conditions. The Company does have the
ability to receive funds from the parent company, but there can
be no assurances that those funds will be sufficient to support
operations.
Some
additional interesting points of note:
$75,194
in total assets
$259,000 revenue from TV licensing
$743,856 Net Loss
$19,326 monthly office rent
*for period ended June 30, 2011
According
to mmafighting.com, Pro Elite has moved their planned Nov. 5
event from Atlantic City, N.J., to the iWireless Center in Moline,
Ill. The main event is expected to be a heavyweight bout between
former UFC champion Tim Sylvia and three-time UFC heavyweight
title challenger Pedro Rizzo. Additionally, fellow former UFC
heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski will fight Travis Fulton. This
will be the second Pro Elite event under the companies new incarnation
and ownership.
Source:
MMA Metrics
|
A
Thin Line Between Love & Hate:
The Great Jon Jones Divide
By Mike
Chiappetta
There
have been few champions in recent UFC history that have engendered
such diversity of opinion as Jon Jones. In fact, there's only
been two in the same ballpark. One was Brock Lesnar, and the
other is Jones' next opponent, Rashad Evans. Both of those fighters
have heard many boos in their day, but for very different reasons.
From
the minute he made a serious run at an MMA career, Lesnar was
a lock for polarizing reactions. First, there were the people
who knew nothing of his decorated amateur wrestling background,
choosing only to see him through the prism of his work in professional
wrestling. Then, there were the others who resented his immediate
elevation to major fights. And finally, there were those who
were turned off by his aloof attitude and disinterest in engaging
the MMA community past fighting.
For
Evans, it was different. He was the little guy among heavyweights
when he began his career on The Ultimate Fighter and easily could
have turned himself into an underdog story, but instead he forged
a first impression that many couldn't and still can't shake.
He quickly tangled with the respected veteran Matt Hughes, and
was initially seen as a showboater without the skills to warrant
it.
But
what about Jones?
Unlike
Lesnar, Jones had no fame before coming to the UFC. And unlike
Evans, he didn't have a built-in audience from a reality show
stint. So when he entered the UFC after just eight months of
MMA training in 2008, he entered with a blank slate.
Early
impressions were good. Jones opened up many eyes in his debut
fight, a win over Andre Gusmao on just three weeks' notice. He
followed that up with a surprising win over Stephan Bonnar five
months later, and from a career standpoint, he was off and running.
With
each time out, it became more clear that Jones was heading for
big things. He was beginning to finish fights, his fight IQ and
confidence were growing, and the headlines were quick to follow.
So was the backlash.
Like
many reporters that travel to events, I've had the chance to
speak to Jones on a few occasions, and find him friendly, smart
and engaged. Even though fame has come quickly for him, he doesn't
appeared jaded by it. I remember him being the last fighter in
the room at the UFC 126 press conference, just hanging out and
making conversation. Even though fortune has come quickly for
him, he doesn't flaunt it. He doesn't wear flashy jewelry, and
last I'd heard, he'd yet to even spring for a new car.
In
the cage, he's parts spectacular and effective, stopping all
of the last six fighters he's beaten.
With
his mix of personality and success, you think Jones would be
a lock for a crowd favorite, but that's yet to completely materialize.
Why?
He's
overrated. He's phony. He's cocky. He stretches the rules.
He's
been accused of everything. Let's run down the laundry list:
snitching, spying, swagger-jacking, fighting dirty, ripping apart
a training camp, arrogantly signing autographs as the champion
before he was one, arrogantly declining to sign autographs on
replica belts as the champ after he was one, fighting no one,
fighting past-their-prime someones, too religious, too fake,
too manufactured.
He
also doesn't hand out autographed $100 bills, that monster.
Maybe
it's different with Jones because the bandwagon didn't slowly
stop along the way, picking up fans as it went. It was a rocket
ride, and few had time to join before he blasted off. Maybe it's
because the media has spent time force-feeding Jones down their
throat.
But
the reaction, I just don't get. You watch fights to be entertained,
and few will disagree that he's delivered the goods time after
time. That's why many boos have greeted Jones to his fights,
but he almost always leaves them cheering. The funny thing is
I've seen and read many people say that they like watching him
fight, but they don't like him. If you like watching him fight,
you at least partially like him. You're just rooting with your
wallet and time.
The
standard reason for disliking Jones is his perceived arrogance.
Is he confident? Of course. Wouldn't you be, if you were him?
He made it to the UFC after nine months of MMA training. He was
the champion at 23. He's a millionaire today. Even with hard
work, that type of progression makes him an outlier, a prodigy.
Most
24-year-old males couldn't handle that meteoric rise. Jones has
handled it just fine.
If
you don't "like" Jones, I'm probably not going to change
your conscious mind, but if you appreciate his fighting style,
the seeds of fandom are already planted. You're Darth Vader just
waiting to cross over from the dark side. And that's a good thing,
because rooting against Jones is cheering against progress. If
you really want to see what the sport can be and where it can
go, this is the type of talent that's going to take us for that
ride. This is the type of talent that will stretch the boundaries
of what's possible. You want evolution? Here it is, in a 6-foot-4
package. If he loses his way, if he loses his motivation, we
miss out.
At
some point, maybe those boos will turn to cheers for good. At
some point, maybe he'll no longer care about the negativity grenades
lobbed his way. Maybe. But for right now, we need Jones. We need
to love him or hate him. Sometimes, the two emotions are rooted
in the same thing.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Jon
Jones Knows Rashad Evans Could be a Tough Fight or Easiest of
His Career
The
talking between champion Jon Jones and challenger Rashad Evans
has already started to heat up and the fight hasn’t even
been scheduled yet.
Following
some recent comments by Evans about his former teammate, Jones
responded when appearing on the Jim Rome Show.
Evans
had stated that Jones believed he was “God’s gift”
to MMA, to which Jones responded by stating that having faith
in yourself is the only way to succeed.
“I
think that’s the only way you can become something great
is if you fake it until you make it, so I’m not really going
to defend myself with him,” Jones told Rome.
Looking
at the fight itself, for all the talk that Evans has made so
far about having Jon Jones’ number, the UFC’s top light
heavyweight believes that it’s a two-way street.
Jones
has trained and seen Evans’ best moves in training the same
way Evans says he’s seen Jones working in the gym. Jones
knows that Evans is a tough test, but he also believes this could
be the easiest fight of his career.
“I
think Rashad could be either a really tough fight or simply the
easiest fight in my career. I’m going to try to make it
the easiest fight of my career,” Jones said.
“I
don’t like Rashad and that’s going to motivate me.
I have to work my butt off and just do everything necessary to
make this fight look like the easiest fight of my career.”
Jones
also feels he has an added advantage in his training camp. While
in the past coach Greg Jackson had said he wouldn’t train
Jon Jones to fight Rashad Evans, judging by the light heavyweight
champion’s words on Tuesday, he will be working with him
as they get ready for this pivotal showdown.
“I
have a very good blueprint of what to do to beat him, and I’m
very aware of the ways I could lose the fight as well,”
Jones stated. “Rashad’s also insulting Greg Jackson
and it’s not a very smart thing to do to insult the coaches
that you had, that taught you MMA for six years.”
The
talk between Jones and Evans will likely only get more and more
intense as time goes on and once the fight gets scheduled.
Jones
has said that he didn’t want to say much to Evans prior
to the fight, but once the war of words starts it’s hard
to get it to stop.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Exclusive:
finish, sweep or mount with Roger Gracie
Marcelo
Dunlop
While
fighting back a nagging desire to be wearing not jeans and a
T-shirt but shorts and a rash guard, Roger Gracie relished ADCC
2011 amid his numerous fans and students in England. Following
the event, Roger, like Marcelo Garcia, was trapped in the gymnasium,
swamped by hordes of people asking for photos, autographs, handshakes
and to exchange brief conversations.
Despite
investing more and more of his time and energy on MMA training
– and with audacious plans to perhaps join the stacked UFC
light heavyweight division –, Roger still guarantees he
will be back in his uniform of choice, the one that brought him
to fame: the white gi. “I’ll be competing at the 2012
Jiu-Jitsu World Championship,” he said, responding to an
inquirer. And nor does he discard the possibility of appearing
at ADCC 2013.
On
the grappling spectacle that transpired in Nottingham, England,
over the weekend, he made his contentment apparent, however incomplete
the contest was for him.
“I’m
happy about Kyra; she was strategically flawless, didn’t
make a single mistake. I’m impressed by how she did everything
just right and had a perfect campaign. Bráulio was great
throughout the entire supermatch. The only thing missing was
a win from Renzo, who fought well but the task of facing a 100kg
Zé Mário while weighing 80kg was a trickier one.
He tried compensating for the weight difference with speed, and
it worked as far as the wet and slippery mat permitted,”
recalled Roger, referring to the humidity caused by there being
an ice hockey ring one floor below the main arena.
“I
enjoyed the matches, learned a lot today. Truth is, I’m
always learning. And the standout in the men’s contest really
was André Galvão. I’ve never seen him so technically
and physically well prepared before. He’s to be congratulated
for his performance. The absolute title ended up in the right
hands,” said the 2005 open weight champion in praise.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Dave
Herman blames bad test for UFC 136 scratch
By Sergio
Non, USA TODAY
By Darryl Dyck, Ap
Dave
"Pee Wee" Herman cites a failed drug test for his removal
from the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Houston card, but says
he did nothing wrong.
UFC
on Wednesday announced that Herman was forced out of an Oct.
8 heavyweight bout with Mike Russow. During a interview with
Clinch Gear Radio, Herman said Texas regulators told him he tested
positive for marijuana.
"I
said, 'That's impossible,' " Herman told the audio show.
"I don't even smoke. ... I haven't even had a beer in two
months."
Texas
officials, Herman said, initially told him they lost his first
urine sample and asked him to provide another. He did so, and
later was told that the initial sample was not lost, after all,
he said.
Herman
was hoping to maintain the momentum from his UFC debut in June,
when he defeated Jon Olav Einemo via second-round technical knockout.
Herman previously fought in Bellator Fighting Championships,
Sengoku and EliteXC.
Source:
USA Today
|
Maldonado
not fully recovered, but anxious to fight again in the UFC
By Guilherme
Cruz
Fabio
Maldonado cancelled his fight in UFC on Versus, event that happens
this Saturday, to get healed from an injury on his back, but
he can’t wait to return to the octagon, possibly in November
or December.
“I’m
training only a little, consciously”, told the tough guy
to TATAME right after leaving the office of his doctor, where
he understood more about the injury that prevented him from fighting
Aaron Rosa. “Cervical discopathy, with disc protrusion 16
and 17”, explains.
What
does it mean? “I don’t know, man (laughs)”, says.
The
injury, responsible for his back pain, won’t prevent him
from fighting this year. “I’ll be back soon, real soon…
I’ve stopped for 12 days, and 15 days from now I’ll
be like 17, 80% and I’ll start asking my manager to match
me up”.
Aware
of the importance of a win after losing for the first time after
11 bouts, the fighter makes clear he won’t pick opponents
to fight against.
“I
won’t ask UFC anything before I’m good to go”,
guarantees. “But, when I’m back to the trainings, I’ll
tell them I’ll fight anyone. I don’t need three, four
months to train. I can face anyone. If they call me four weeks
in advance, I’m in. I can take it”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Zoia
Gurgel vs. Carina Damm Featured at Bellator 57 in Canada
by Press
Release
Bellator
Fighting Championships on Thursday announced it will once again
travel north of the border to Casino Rama in Ontario for Bellator
57 on Nov. 12. The night will feature the finals of Bellator’s
Season 5 Welterweight Tournament, with the winner earning $100,000
and a guaranteed shot at the Bellator Welterweight Title. Bellator
57 will also mark the return of Bellator women’s champion
Zoila Gurgel as she takes on Brazilian submission ace Carina
Damm in a non-title affair.
Also,
husband and wife have a chance of fighting on the same card as
Damm, who is married to Bellator Season 5 welterweight Luis “Sapo”
Santos, could have a chance of watching her husband vie for the
tournament championship that night if Santos gets by Ben Saunders
at Bellator 53 on Oct. 8 at Buffalo Run Casino & Resort in
Miami, Okla.
“We
had a tremendous night of fights at our last event at Casino
Rama, and I’m excited for another magical night on Nov.
12 LIVE on MTV2, EPIX in HD and The Score in Canada,” said
Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney.
Two
of the top welterweights in the sport will square off to determine
who has truly earned a title shot for the Bellator welterweight
championship. The tournament field currently stands at four,
with Saunders taking on Santos and “The Cleveland Assassin”
Chris Lozano fighting Douglas Lima at Bellator 53. Two will make
it to Bellator 57, and be fighting for $100,000 and the chance
to be called “champion.”
Gurgel
will look to keep her spotless Bellator record intact as “The
Warrior Princess” holds a perfect 5-0 record with Bellator,
including a championship victory over the previously undefeated
Megumi Fujii. While Gurgel secured the split-decision victory,
she admits she was still a one-dimensional fighter at that point
in her career.
“I
haven’t fought for a few months, but in my down time I feel
like I’ve finally become a real mixed martial arts fighter,”
said Gurgel. “It was never a secret that my ground game
was lacking and I liked to stay on my feet. That just isn’t
the case anymore, and my training has made me a much more complete
fighter.”
Both
women will have very strong corners as Gurgel is married to former
UFC fighter Jorge Gurgel and Damm’s husband is the aforementioned
Santos.
With
both fighters having live-in coaches, Gurgel admits that having
a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in her corner and her home has
helped her career immensely.
“Jorge
is one of the best coaches in the sport,” said Zoila of
her husband. “Mentally and physically, he just gets it,
and I listen to him so closely. He’s an amazing individual,
and has helped me across the board.”
Damm
will have plenty of experience in her corner as well with husband
Luis “Sapo” Santos.
“I
train with Luis every day, and he has brought my Muay Thai skills
to a whole new level,” Damm said. “It’s been a
dream to train with Luis, and he has made me a better fighter.”
“She
is an amazing fighter,” Santos said. “I would have
never dreamed for my wife and I to both be fighting for Bellator,
so this really is a great chance for us.”
The
night will also see Nova Scotia native Roger “The Hulk”
Hollett make his Bellator debut against Ohio’s own John
Hawk in a light heavyweight affair. A true finisher, Hollett
will be looking to move his win streak to five, and should have
the hometown crowd behind him for the explosive match-up.
Bellator
57 airs live on MTV2 and The Score in Canada as well as in commercial-free
HD on EPIX, starting at 7 p.m. ET. The first fight of the night
will begin at 5 p.m. ET and will be streamed free and around
the world live on Spike.com. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com
and the Casino Rama Box Office.
Source
MMA Weekly
|
Halfway
Around the World, Roger Huerta Finds Himself
By Mike
Chiappetta
When
the MMA world last saw Roger Huerta, it was at his worst hour
as a fighter. By the time the cageside doctor stopped the fight
after 10 minutes of action, Huerta had been battered by Bellator
lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, a beating that resulted in
two broken orbital bones and a concussion.
As
bad as that was, things weren't much better for the charismatic
fighter in his personal life. Even prior to the bout with Alvarez,
Huerta was going through some personal turmoil, questioning himself
and his place in the world. Despite it, he showed up to fight
before getting thumped.
For
Huerta, it was a first. Sure, he had lost before, but he'd never
been beaten up. Nothing was making sense anymore. In the wee
morning hours after the fight, Huerta was sitting in a bed at
a Philadelphia hospital, with his adoptive mother and sister
at his side. It was right then when Huerta had a moment of clarity.
He was suffocating and needed to be free.
But
where would he go? A year earlier, just after finishing his UFC
run, Huerta had visited Thailand. And in his dark moments, his
mind had re-visited it. Sitting in his bed, in the hospital room
after the worst night of his professional life, he knew he was
going back.
"It
was one of those things where I bought a one-way ticket and I
didn't know where I'd end up," he told MMA Fighting from
his home in Phuket. "I didn't have a plan or anything. I
really had nothing."
When
he says "nothing," he means it.
Just
prior to arriving in Thailand, he had stopped off in Australia
with only one suitcase full of possessions. On the trip over,
the suitcase was lost by the airlines. He literally arrived with
just the clothes on his back.
If
you immediately appreciated the symbolism of a troubled man losing
his baggage, at the time, Huerta did not. At least not at first.
But in time, it came to be a lesson for him. One month later,
he was on the phone, dialing a number to complain and once again
inquire about his lost suitcase when he was hit by nature's straight
right hand.
"I
was going to scream at them, and I walked outside to make the
call and it was just really pretty outside, really beautiful,"
he said. "I hung up and I was like, 'What am I doing? That
bag is gone.' And I realized I've been wasting all this time
and energy in this amazing place worried about this materialistic
thing.
"That
was like the beginning for me," he continued. "I realized
it was OK. You're in paradise. Enjoy it. Live in the moment.
Live in the now. Just live."
For
Huerta, the trip was not about fighting. In fact, he says now
that he contemplated retirement after the loss to Alvarez. It
was more about untangling himself from everyone and everything
around him to see who and what he truly needed.
As
he explored Thailand and a different way of life, he began to
think about the route his life had taken. He had a famously difficult
childhood, abandoned by his parents, homeless by the sixth grade.
He made it through high school, moved on to college, and was
quickly thrust into the MMA spotlight in the UFC. He became a
Sports Illustrated cover boy at the age of 24. It was all quite
dizzying, and by the time he left the UFC for Bellator, he was
struggling with burnout and self-doubt.
"You
could say that i was going crazy, but I was trying to understand
things," he said. "I came from nothing, then all of
the sudden everything happened at once. People were asking me
for advice and I was like, 'I don't have answers. I'm just a
kid. I'm still training, I'm still learning, I'm still a student.'
And they'd say, 'You've gone through so much, and you've had
success. How are you doing it?' I said, 'To be honest, I don't
know. I work hard, train hard and try to live life in a good
way. But I'm just a kid.' Around those times, I started questioning
everything. My surroundings, people, life itself. What's my vocation?
What's my calling? That's where things were for me."
Still,
for someone trying to find himself -- someone with no conscious
thoughts of continuing his career -- Thailand is a curious spot.
It is a country where a combat sport -- Muay Thai -- is the national
sport. It's not a place to escape fighting. Not surprisingly,
Huerta didn't stay away for long. He was quickly finding balance
in his life and realized that training was still a worthwhile
creative outlet. Then he started teaching, hosting seminars,
and he could no longer deny that his itch to compete would never
go away.
"I
realized, this is always going to be in me," he said. "It's
my heart and my passion. It's in my blood. I need to let it out,
this animal I have inside me, and the only way I can do that
is competing. For me, now I think, let's get back in there. Let's
start it the way I want to start it."
Huerta
has found such peace in Thailand that he now considers it home.
Along with close friend, UFC star Mike Swick -- who is still
based in California -- he is opening a gym in Phuket called "Nitor,"
the Latin word meaning to persevere or strive. Huerta will be
the local presence, and the two have an 11-year lease on the
property.
Meanwhile,
his first step back into fighting will come on November 26 when
faces "War Machine" Jon Koppenhaver in Pharr, Texas
for a first-time promotion called Ultimate Warrior Fighting.
Huerta, who naturally walks around at about 180 pounds, will
be competing as a welterweight for the first time in years, a
move he calls a "trial run."
Pharr
is a town that Huerta spent several years in, up until the ninth
grade. The place does not hold many good memories for him. It's
where as a homeless youth, he would sometimes sleep on rooftops.
But he recently returned there to impart some knowledge about
training, strength and conditioning, and saw some longtime supportive
faces. It gives him the feeling he'll be fighting at home. While
in the past, Huerta didn't like to invite friends and family
to his fights, this one will be different. In the past, the return
to Pharr would have been an emotional rollercoaster, but now,
it will be a celebration.
"We're
having a party, a good time," he said. "I'm going to
throw down, and we're going to have a party. All the negative
stuff is gone, man. It is. Thailand had a lot to do with it,
my family had a lot to do with it, my close friends had a lot
to do with it. It's been very good. Life is good."
There
is a line in the movie "Gattaca" that Huerta loves.
In the sci-fi film, Ethan Hawke's character is able to beat his
genetically superior brother in a race where they swim out to
sea and the first to give up and return to shore loses. When
Hawke's brother asks him how he did it, Hawke replies, "I
never saved anything for the swim back." Huerta says it's
that kind of go-for-broke mentality that he used to have in his
fights but lost along the way. His mind is clear now, and there
are no doubts restraining him.
Ask
him to look ahead in his career and he stays consistent with
his philosophy. There's nothing past the next round in front
of him. There are no thoughts about what organization might come
calling, or what his fighting future holds. He's happy where
he is, halfway across the world, and whatever else is supposed
to happen will happen.
The
personal storm clouds are gone. These days, he smiles a lot,
in a place that makes him happy. It is another unlikely story
in a colorful life. Roger Huerta, the man who arrived with nothing
and found everything.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Caio
Terra takes double gold at American Nationals, talks ADCC snub
Deb Blyth
“You
can’t be the greatest no gi tournament if you don’t
have all the greatest no gi people there…” Caio Terra
on the ADCC
As
has been the case at numerous tournaments over the last couple
of years, it was Caio Terra of Gracie Fighter who took double
gold honors on the day at the American Nationals, winning both
his light featherweight and the absolute Gi Jiu-Jitsu divisions.
The
bigger buzz about Caio, though, was not his double gold win,
it was the question as to why he was at the American Nationals
in the first place. With the ADCC going on over the same weekend
in England, lots of fans and competitors alike expected the usual
big names to be absent from this IBJJF tournament. However, when
Caio showed up in the gymnasium, the crowd came alive asking,
“Why is he here? Why isn’t he in England competing
right now?”
Caio
has won the last three consecutive No-Gi Worlds and a number
of other tournaments and open class titles as well. Additionally,
according to a couple of the public polls taken on the ADCC FB
site, he was voted in as a fan favorite to compete in the 66
kilos group at the event. However, no invitation ever came to
him, and Caio was left a little confused, if not completely disappointed
and disillusioned by the outcome.
“To
be honest, I lost a lot of respect for the ADCC,” Caio says
solemnly, “Not because I wasn’t invited, but because
they changed the weight classes rules but still invited the same
people as before. Fifty percent of them didn’t have a chance
to win. Why didn’t they pick people who had a chance? And
I mean this for all weight classes, not just mine.”
He
goes on to say, “You can’t be the greatest No-Gi tournament
if you don’t have all the greatest No-Gi people there.”
While Caio says in no way is he saying that he would have gone
to England and won the tournament, he does say, “If you
don’t think I had a chance, you must be crazy.”
Caio
says he did not ask to be invited to the ADCC but then again,
he didn’t think he had to ask. His record and involvement
in Jiu-Jitsu speaks for itself. “I’ve done so much
for Jiu-Jitsu,” he says.
His
friend and Gracie Fighter teammate Samir Chantre, who also was
not invited to the prestigious ADCC event, concurs, “It’s
ridiculous,” he says, “It’s not just unfair that
Caio wasn’t invited, it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
So,
Caio finished off the day at the American Nationals doing what
he does best: winning tournaments. He fought two matches in his
division, winning both on points. His final was against Milton
Bastos of Paragon. Caio fought through his matches slowly and
methodically, a drastic difference from his usual fighting style.
Plagued with injuries the last few months, Caio still forged
ahead and registered for the open class, regardless of his current
state of health.
In
the absolute, Caio had a bye in the first match and in his second,
he submitted his opponent, Gustavo Carpio, with an armbar in
less than 30 seconds. In the semis, he was supposed to face his
teammate Osvaldo “Queixinho” Augusto, but Queixinho
let Caio pass so he could go on to the finals.
“Queixinho
teaches with me at my gym in San Jose,” Caio says, “He
felt like I should go on because small guys usually don’t
have the courage to compete at open class. We’ve been training
with bigger guys and want to show that a smaller guy can win
with the proper technique.”
Caio
feels that since he has been competing in absolutes at many of
the tournaments around the U.S., more small Jiu-Jitsu players
have been following suit and jumping into the competition, which
makes him very happy to see.
Caio
faced Vitor Henrique in the absolute final. As Vitor had already
rolled through a number of competitors with apparent ease and
grace, he had an altogether different battle on his hands with
Caio. As the two started the match, Caio began his slow and methodical
pace with Vitor. He swept him and the two rolled to the yellow
line. They went back to the middle of the mats and Vitor didn’t
want to give Caio his grips. It was clear that Caio was annoyed
as he began to shake his head at the situation.
When
they began fighting again, Vitor went for a footlock. In return,
Caio went for Vitor’s foot and was able to tap him out quickly,
within about a minute and a half of the match. As Marcelo Ribeiro,
IBJJF referee and Caio’s instructor through his blue and
purple belts, stood by watching the match, he said, “Caio
is just at a whole different level.”
Caio
wants to thank everyone who came to the American Nationals to
support him, his teammates and friends, especially Queixinho
who let him pass, and his main sponsor, Dom Fight Gear, saying,
“It’s been one more great tournament.”
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
136 (10/8 Houston)
Toyota
Center, Houston, Texas
10/8/11
Dark
matches
Featherweights:
Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia
Middleweights: Steve Cantwell vs. Mike Massenzio
Middleweights: Aaron Simpson vs. Eric Schafer
Featherweights: Tiequan Zhang vs. Darren Elkins
Heavyweights: Joey Beltran vs. Stipe Miocic
Lightweights: Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens
Middleweights: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago
Main card
Lightweights:
Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon
Heavyweights: Mike Russow vs. Dave Herman
Middleweights: Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann
UFC Featherweight title match: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian
UFC Lightweight title match: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Shogun
Believes Rematch with Rampage will Happen, but He’s Focused
on Hendo
Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua is a fighter that has met much success,
both while fighting for Pride and in the UFC. He’s held
titles in both organizations, most recently losing his UFC light
heavyweight strap to Jon Jones at UFC 128.
Shogun
brings with him to the Octagon many great memories from his days
in Japan, and thought it was “cool” that Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson recently called him out for a rematch when the UFC makes
its return to Japan in February. Shogun TKO’d Rampage in
the opening round of the Pride Middleweight Grand Prix in 2005.
XX but Shogun has an agenda outside of “cool” fights.
Shogun
wants to get back into title contention, and a win over his next
opponent, Dan Henderson at UFC 139, would do the trick.
UFC
president Dana White has said that the winner of the fight between
Shogun and Henderson would likely be the top dog in the title
chase behind current No. 1 contender Rashad Evans.
So,
while he would like a fight with Rampage and believes that it
“is bound to happen down the road, sooner or later.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Live on Versus 6 (10/1 Washington D.C.)
Today
By Zach
Arnold
Hawaii
Air Times:
UFC Live 6 3:00 - 6:00PM Versus 210
Location:
10/1 Washington, D.C. at the Verizon Center
TV: Versus (9 PM EST/6 PM PST)
Dark
matches
Bantamweights:
Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval
Welterweights: Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski
Lightweights: Shane Roller vs. TJ Grant
Bantamweights: Mike Easton vs. Jeff Hougland
Lightweights: Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass
Lightweights: Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira
Main card
Lightweights:
Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig
Welterweights: Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman
Heavyweights: Pat Barry vs. Stefan Struve
UFC Bantamweight title match: Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
Live 6 Preview: The Main Card
by Jason
Probst
The
bantamweight title is on the line Saturday, as champion Dominick
Cruz defends against the talented Demetrious Johnson in the UFC
Live 6 main event at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. In
a bout that will hopefully showcase the 135-pound division, Cruz
looks to make the fourth defense of his title and his second
inside the UFC.
In
the co-headliner, a heavyweight collision of disparate proportions
is on tap in Stefan Struve-Pat Barry. Both men are coming off
crushing knockout defeats and will look to get back in the win
column in a bout that should be as exciting as it is visually
unique.
Here
is a closer look at the UFC Live 6 main card, with breakdowns
and picks.
UFC
Bantamweight Championship
Dominick Cruz (18-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Demetrious Johnson (9-1, 2-0
UFC)
The
Matchup: In decisioning Urijah Faber at UFC 132, bantamweight
champion Cruz scored the most significant win of his career and
avenged his sole loss in the process. Utilizing the trademark
movement and creative combinations that define his standup style,
Cruz showed a technical mastery of range, timing and distance
on the feet that few fighters come remotely close to possessing.
However, the downside of a points-first, damage-second approach
is that he almost always wins by decision, a fact which could
create something of a marketing conundrum for the 26-year-old
titleholder.
Johnson
is a whirling dervish and an inspiring figure, namely because
he is almost always the smallest guy in the fight and yet attacks
opponents with a combination of pace and intensity that is hard
to match. “Mighty Mouse,” a mere 5-foot-3, closes the
gap on opponents in a manner reminiscent of fellow bantamweight
Joseph Benavidez, exploding into them and consistently winning
the exchanges and scrambles he creates. In his decision over
former champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130, Johnson did not do
a lot of damage and some felt Torres deserved the nod from the
judges. However, it was an impressive showing against a far more
experienced and dangerous opponent, and it vaulted Johnson into
this title shot.
Against
Cruz, he faces an opponent who is exceptionally difficult to
get angles on and one who uses his length and timing with relentless
precision. It remains uncertain if there is a perfect game plan
to beat Cruz, but past performances indicate the way not to do
it: standing around and letting him close the two-step distance,
create striking angles and then skitter away while the opponent
punches at air. Cruz does make some technical mistakes standing,
the most common one being leaning low to his left while exiting
a combination attack. Even so, the openings are so fleeting that
nobody has yet to fully exploit them -- Faber did on a couple
of occasions, hammering the champion with stout right hands.
If
you are going to beat Cruz, you have to accept the fact that
you are going to have to pressure him and negate his range advantage
by making him move backward, pinning him against the cage and
forcing an insane pace to take away his movement and legs. You
are also going to have to do it against a champion whose takedown
defense, conditioning and ability to scramble are top-notch.
Johnson
does not have the standup power to hurt Cruz on the feet with
one shot, but he has a relentless approach that might fit this
blueprint. In a five-round fight, that makes conditioning especially
important, particularly if Johnson can make Cruz move backward
and constantly circle away, which is more tiring than coming
forward and pressing the action. This bout has the potential
to be surprisingly technical and entertaining if Johnson is competitive,
but it could just as readily become dull, repetitive and bad
for Cruz if he is not pushed.
Standing
around and waiting to counter Cruz is a poor strategy and has
failed for a virtual who’s-who of the 135-pound division
during his nine-fight winning streak. Johnson does not necessarily
have to come out like Brock Lesnar mauling Frank Mir at UFC 81,
but he should take the center of the Octagon in the beginning
of each round and use his shortness as an advantage by constantly
changing levels and threatening to shoot, even when he has no
intention of doing so. That could induce Cruz to defend against
a takedown instead of the champion setting up for one of his
step-fire-and-slide-away combinations. Johnson has to take the
fight to the ground and probably will have to do so half a dozen
times or more to win, as Cruz excels at popping up to his feet.
A
lot of dominoes have to line up correctly here for Johnson to
win, and Cruz’s experience against tough, dynamic guys like
Faber and Benavidez does not bode well for the challenger; he
lacks the standup ability and raw power both of those men possess.
Cruz will pick, peck and poke in the early rounds, scoring points
and winning on the cards. Expect him to put Johnson inside the
tactical box he puts most opponents in, too vexed to land standing
and too distant to unleash credible takedown attempts that he
can finish.
The
Pick: Cruz by decision.
Heavyweights
Stefan Struve (21-5, 5-3 UFC) vs. Pat Barry (6-3, 3-3 UFC)
The
Matchup: Welcome to the freak show, and do not go to the fridge
when it starts. In a match between the promotion’s tallest
heavyweight -- the 6-foot-11 Struve -- and the diminutive, 5-foot-11
Barry, one can safely assume there will be a feeling-out process
but probably for less than a minute before they start throwing
bombs. Barry is a talented striker forever cursed by his lack
of size and still-developing ground game. Thankfully, Struve
has shown a willingness to mix it up and usually ends up on the
mat because he is taken down himself.
Both
have had exciting bouts in the UFC, win or lose. When Barry is
in his groove, he harnesses ridiculous power in thudding leg
kicks with impressive speed and dexterity. Despite being abnormally
short for a heavyweight, he manages to handle himself in the
pocket just fine with most of the opponents who want to trade
with him. In his last bout, he had veteran Cheick Kongo seemingly
out, only to get caught and knocked out himself. That is precisely
why this match was made. It is one thing for a talented heavyweight
striker like Barry to lose a second consecutive bout in an exciting
brawl and a far less meaningful use of him to pit him against
a grappler who will simply take him down and tell us what we
already know.
Struve,
like Barry, has engaged in thrilling fights with mixed results.
His jiu-jitsu is excellent, and he uses his long frame and toughness
to compensate for lack of heavyweight core strength in tie-ups
and on the ground. He can stand and bang, too, and will certainly
present a lanky, inviting target for Barry, who must drift off
some nights wondering what it would be like to have an opponent
that long to unload upon.
Barry
probably has the better chin, but Struve has shown an ability
to get bloodied up and rally back. However, despite what the
fans want, Struve also needs to remember to get the win in this
fight and look exciting in the next one, if it comes to that.
He can always try for a trip takedown on the stout Barry, given
their disparate frames, or even pull guard, which in pure visual
terms would be a treat to see. It may be beneficial for Struve
to use push kicks and similar distance-based attacks to frustrate
Barry with his vast range advantage. Barry, meanwhile, will literally
be chopping down a tree and will be best served by smashing at
Struve’s legs and midsection with every shot that is available.
Get in, get out and do it again, all while not getting caught
by the longer but slower Struve.
This
is not a fight one can feel confident in predicting. Barry has
an enormous target on which to unload, and yet, the reach advantage
for Struve means “HD” will have to close an enormous
distance. On the feet, Barry has a slight edge because of consistent
power and great combinations. However, this one will hit the
mat at some point if Struve is getting whacked on, and that is
where the tables turn. Struve can use his length and positioning
to manhandle the relatively green Barry and wear him down with
strikes. Plus, Struve’s underrated submissions are going
to be very available in an extended ground battle, since his
limbs are freakishly long and Barry’s compact torso and
limbs will be that much easier to control.
The
Pick: Look for some rollicking back-and-forth action, with Barry
landing enough bone-jarring leg kicks to prompt the Dutchman
to take it down to the ground and change the momentum of the
bout. There, he will win via rear-naked choke in the second round
of a bloody affair.
Welterweights
Charlie Brenneman (14-2, 3-1 UFC) vs. Anthony Johnson (9-3, 6-3
UFC)
The
Matchup: While the top tier of the welterweight division enjoys
compelling matchups later in the month at UFC 137, Brenneman
and Johnson square off for the right to jump up a notch in the
rankings. An impressive win for either guy would make a statement.
Vaulted into the welterweight conversation off the heels of his
inspiring decision over Rick Story, Brenneman has limited standup
and relies on quick takedowns and a fast pace to wear out opponents.
With a solid but not great collegiate wrestling pedigree, Brenneman
will have to bring more in the standup department for this fight
than he has shown previously. Therein lies the tactical rub:
Johnson is as offensively imposing and dangerous on the feet
as anyone he has ever faced.
Walking
around at a muscled 210-plus pounds, Johnson represents the extreme
envelope of the weight-cutting game that is a huge factor in
MMA, yet barely understood by casual fans considering its vast
effects. After hitting 170 on the scales, Johnson rehydrates
north of 190 pounds and uses that size and strength to overpower
opponents. However, it works both ways for Johnson, who was an
accomplished college wrestler himself. It can leave him short
of stamina and huffing for air, particularly if he finds himself
in a fight where he cannot dictate the action and is forced to
exert himself defending attacks.
Simply
put, it is exceptionally hard to close the distance on Johnson
when he is fresh, and Brenneman’s rush-and-attack style,
devoid of technically sound standup, is going to be like hurling
over-the-middle fastballs at a designated hitter. Brenneman cannot
simply charge early and force a takedown, as Johnson’s sharp
strikes and big-time power pose too much of a risk. “The
Spaniard” will have to pick his spots, perhaps luring Johnson
into unleashing a big combination through which he can secure
a tie-up or takedown in the transition between blows.
It
becomes an extremely dangerous fight for Brenneman if he cannot
get the early takedown. However, after a round and a half or
so -- provide he can secure a couple takedowns -- Johnson’s
massive weight cut could begin to work against him. Will Brenneman
be able to survive intact without getting nailed with a significant
shot? Can he hold down Johnson and tire him enough to outwork
him over the second half of the bout? Johnson maintains that
he has taken a more disciplined approach to cutting weight, and
he looked good in three one-sided, wrestling-heavy rounds against
Dan Hardy at UFC Fight Night 24. The real test will be in seeing
if he can do it with someone as capable and scrappy as Brenneman
riding him.
This
fight is pivotal for both men, with the winner vaulting into
the “New School” of welterweight contenders that includes
the likes of Carlos Condit, Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald.
Since rounds start standing and Brenneman has shown little finishing
ability against UFC competition, the only way he wins is by hitting
key takedowns on Johnson and hoping he fatigues. That means too
many chances for Johnson to land round-winning and fight-changing
strikes. One key element missing in Brenneman’s decision
over Story was the complete absence of viable ground-and-pound;
he will need that as tool to wear out Johnson.
The
Pick: There are too many factors that have to line up perfectly
for Brenneman here. Johnson will definitely have a fight on his
hands, but he will be too strong standing. Plus, he has the ability
to take down Brenneman, as well. Johnson wins by third-round
knockout.
Lightweights
Matt Wiman (13-6, 7-4 UFC) vs. Mac Danzig (20-8-1, 4-4 UFC)
The
Matchup: This is a rematch of a June 2010 bout in which Wiman
won by a guillotine choke that many thought did not warrant a
stoppage. Since entering the UFC in 2006, Wiman has been a reliable-if-midlevel
talent, offering a stout test with a mix of wrestling and willing
standup, though his default plan is to take down opponents when
the action gets too hot on the feet. His close decision loss
to Dennis Siver in July was a controversial one, namely because
Wiman won on some scorecards and secured more takedowns.
Danzig,
meanwhile, has soldiered through his UFC career with mixed results
since winning Season 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” With
experience against world-class competition under his belt before
he ever stepped into the Octagon, Danzig has found himself fighting
like a “tweener” in certain bouts, as he was outwrestled
by better grapplers and lacked the effective standup to dictate
the range to deny opponents tie-ups and takedowns. He scored
a nice one-punch knockout on the faded Joe Stevenson in his last
outing in December, but given Stevenson’s careening stock
of late, that does not look as impressive as it originally seemed.
Danzig’s comfort zone is on the ground, where he uses good
jiu-jitsu and a hard-boiled veteran’s savvy to outthink
opponents.
A
win here does not vault either guy into the Top 10 of the division,
but any victory is critical in an especially stacked division
where opportunities and tough fights are everywhere.
Wrestling
will be key in this bout, and the critical battle will be for
the first takedown in an attempt to win the opening round and
do sufficient damage to impress judges and wear out the opponent.
Expect plenty of scrambles back to the feet, as both are excellent
at doing so. Wiman’s standup is decidedly better, and he
hits with more power, so Danzig will probably want to turn this
into a wall-and-brawl match against the cage if he cannot score
takedowns easily.
One
given with Wiman is that he will ground-and-pound opponents,
instead of just laying in their guards. This can make a major
difference with judges. His slightly better athleticism and punching
power will tilt the scales his way in a back-and-forth battle.
The
Pick: Wiman by decision.
Source
Sherdog
|
Ultimate
Fighter Coach Michael Bisping Talks TUF and Fighting Mayhem Miller
The
Ultimate Fighter season 14 coach Michael Bisping suffered a bit
of a letdown at the onset of the series when he found out his
initial counterpart, Chael Sonnen, was not going to be able to
coach opposite him.
“Initially
I was a little disappointed. I was kind of excited to go against
Chael,” said Bisping, noting the name value and skill that
Sonnen brings to the Octagon. It didn’t take long for his
disposition to take a turn to the brighter side, however, after
getting to know Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
“Miller
turned out to be a great, great replacement. He was a great opposing
coach and we certainly gave the fans something to watch.”
Both
Bisping and Miller are known for their gift for gab and fiery
personas, so it’s no surprise that the two often butted
heads during and after the filming ended. Even though filming
is over, the two will still have plenty of time to fan the flames
before the step into the cage together at the TUF 14 Finale on
Dec. 3 in Las Vegas.
But
when it comes to the competition between their teams, Bisping
believes he had the upper hand. Not so much because of his coaching
skills, even though he has coached on the show before, but in
the experience on the show, mainly as a competitor.
“The
advantage I have, I know what these guys are going through. I’ve
been there. I know how hard of process this is,” he told
MMAWeekly.com. “I really truly wanted these guys to succeed.
I wasn’t there for me. I was there to help eight up-and-coming
fighters reach their goals.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
One
Man’s View: A Real Threat to ‘Bones’
by Tristen
Critchfield
Light
heavyweight champion Jon Jones had but a few fleeting moments
to bask in the glory of his dominant victory over Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson at UFC 135 on Saturday in Denver. Then, Rashad Evans
stepped into the cage.
For
the UFC, it was all about getting the hype train rolling for
Jones’ next title defense against his former Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts teammate. It was not a difficult task. Few
fighters ooze disdain for each other the way Jones and Evans
do.
“I’m
sure he’s got a lot to say,” Jones said. “He’s
gonna be doing a lot of talking. He’s ruined my special
night twice now.”
Ruining
Jones’ night for a third time would certainly be the charm
for Evans, because it would likely mean that the former Michigan
State University Spartan would have the 205-pound belt for the
first time since he lost it to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.
Jones’
constantly evolving skills make it reasonable to envision a lengthy
championship reign, but it is worth noting that one title defense
has been as good as it gets at light heavyweight since 2007.
Machida was the last champion to be tagged with the “unbeatable”
label, but, after winning the belt, he looked mortal in his two
subsequent bouts against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Whether
the competition can catch up to Jones as quickly as it seemed
to with Machida is debatable. What is clear is that Evans --
physically and mentally -- will be a more dangerous foe than
was Jackson.
Jackson
may very well have been in the best shape of his life at UFC
135, but it does not change the fact that his skills have stagnated
over time. While Jones displayed a versatile arsenal that included
elbows and kicks from all angles, takedowns and submission attempts,
Jackson was reduced to the role of a one-dimensional slugger.
Several times in their bout, Jackson swung from his heels, hoping
to cash in on the proverbial puncher’s chance that even
an overmatched underdog has in his fists. Though Rampage connected
on more strikes than any Jones opponent since Stephan Bonnar,
none of the really serious haymakers landed. After a little more
than 16 minutes with Jackson, “Bones” still looked
fresh and ready to go another five rounds if needed.
Evans
possesses one key ingredient that Jackson was sorely lacking:
speed. Jones, as usual, will be the taller and stronger fighter
in the matchup, but Evans has the ability to string together
the rapid-fire punching combinations Jackson could not. Moreover,
while Jackson usually allows his underrated wrestling skills
to remain dormant, Evans is not afraid to put his Div. I pedigree
to use. Jones has already throttled many a decorated wrestler
-- Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko and Ryan Bader immediately
come to mind -- but none of those adversaries was able to complement
their backgrounds with the quickness and movement that Evans
can demonstrate.
Training
out of his Florida-based camp at Imperial Athletics, “The
Ultimate Fighter” Season 2 winner looked rejuvenated against
Tito Ortiz. While Ortiz may be on the downside of an iconic career,
few recent opponents have dominated the former 205-pound champion
like Evans did in scoring a second-round technical knockout at
UFC 133.
Do
not discount the familiarity factor, either. By the time Jones
and Evans meet sometime in 2012, both will have likely changed
quite a bit from when they sparred together in Albuquerque, N.M.
Still, Evans claims he has seen enough of the 24-year-old to
believe he has his number. Familiarity has bred contempt between
the two, but it also allowed Evans to see Jones’ unpredictable
creativity on a day-to-day basis. It is an advantage that no
other Jones opponent has carried into the cage.
Perhaps
more significant than Evans’ skill set is his ability to
play the mental game. Rampage did his best to fluster Jones in
that area, but his Octagon embrace with the champion after their
fight suggests that much of his bluster was in the interest of
selling the drama. Nobody took Jackson’s spying accusations
seriously, and why would they? The former Pride Fighting Championships
veteran does not have many secrets at this point in his career.
As for calling out Jones for being fake, well, let’s just
say that Jackson is good at jumping on the bandwagon of a sentiment
already expressed by Evans, as well as a legion of hardcore fans.
As
was evidenced by the wry smile on his face as he was greeted
by a cascade of boos at the Pepsi Center, Evans has grown comfortable
in his bad-guy skin. Negative public perception has swirled around
Evans since his days on “The Ultimate Fighter.” After
being publicly called out by Matt Hughes on the reality show,
many fans were turned off by his antics in back-to-back victories
over Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin. It did not help that
Liddell and Griffin were at the peaks of their popularity at
the time. It appears now Evans has made peace with the fact that
he cannot always make everyone happy.
Jones,
while far from a heel in the traditional sense, seems to be acutely
aware when his approval rating takes even the slightest hit.
A pending showdown with Evans will bring all the bitter feelings
from the former champion’s split with Jackson’s MMA
to the national spotlight once again. Greg Jackson’s tightly-knit
team in New Mexico often refers to itself as family. For years,
Evans was a part of that family, and when he speaks poorly of
Jones, it carries more weight than when someone like Rampage
simply claims he dislikes the champion.
Understandably,
Jones sidestepped most of the Evans talk as he prepared for UFC
135. Dredging up bitter feelings was not going to help him deal
with the task at hand, which was beating Jackson. Now that Evans
is the task at hand, Jones will have to rise above the mudslinging
that could eventually ensue. At UFC 135, Evans’ post-fight
comments regarding the matchup with Jones were relatively bland.
“I
thought Jon Jones looked impressive,” he said.
At
the moment, there was not much else he could say. If things do
get ugly between the two men again, Jones cannot let it affect
his mental state. Inside the cage, Evans will be enough of an
obstacle.
Source:
Sherdog
|
For
UFC Veteran Yves Edwards, Toughest Battle Is Within His Own Mind
By Ben
Fowlkes
The
week of a fight, the last place UFC lightweight Yves Edwards
wants to be is in his own head. It's a scary place sometimes,
and also a tough place to escape from.
"I
obsess over the stupidest things you can imagine," Edwards
said. "I will obsess over the color of towels in my bathroom,
or what kind of soap they have [in the hotel]. I had this one
soap this one time and that wasn't a great performance, so I
can't use this soap again. It's stupid, and it's just a distraction."
With
nearly 60 pro fights in a career that's spanned almost 14 years,
at least Edwards has had plenty of practice in dealing with his
own fight week neurosis. Now he knows how to manage it. For starters,
he can bring his own soap. He can also rely on his friends, like
Strikeforce welterweight Tyron Woodley, to keep him mentally
occupied.
Otherwise,
Edwards said, it can get out of hand in a hurry. For instance,
say a certain friend is coming to see the fight. Then Edwards
starts to think about how he's never won a fight with that guy
in the audience. Maybe he's bad luck. Maybe he's cursed.
"But
then, I don't want to tell my friends not to come see my fights,
so I have to stay away from that stuff," said Edwards, who
faces Rafaello Oliveira at UFC on Versus 6 this Saturday night.
"I
can catch myself doing it a lot. Stopping it is the hard part.
Common sense and rationalization -- I'm a pretty rational person
when I'm not in this mode -- that kicks in a little bit and I
realize that the color of my underwear has nothing to do with
how hard I've prepared for this fight or how focused I am. But
it's just the irrational part of my brain, that part kicks in
first. I have to talk myself down from it sometimes."
At
least Edwards has experience in his favor. Wednesday marks the
ten-year anniversary of his UFC debut -- a losing effort against
Matt Serra at UFC 33 -- and Saturday's fight comes just one day
after his 35th birthday. To Edwards, doing the math on his career
numbers and realizing just how long he's been at it comes as
"kind of a surprise," he said.
"I
still feel like I'm 26. ...The guy that was making his debut
in the UFC, he didn't know half the things I know now."
But
as Edwards prepares to take on Oliveira -- a Brazilian fighter
who he actually trained alongside of and "traded a few secrets"
with in the past -- he does so coming off a knockout loss to
Sam Stout that UFC president Dana White called "one of the
nastiest I've ever seen."
It
might not be a must-win fight for Edwards, but 35-year-old fighters
can't afford to take too many steps backwards, and he knows it.
"The
thing is, nobody gets cut off a win," Edwards said. "Not
unless you've done something and screwed up. That's my only concern,
is going out there and winning, keeping my job, and keep moving
up the ladder."
The
fact that he went from a pay-per-view card at UFC 131 to the
prelim portion of a UFC on Versus card doesn't worry him, he
insisted, just like it doesn't matter that he knows Oliveira
to be "a pretty nice guy."
"When
it comes to the fight game that means absolutely nothing to me,"
he said. "... This fight could be behind a Wal-Mart. All
I have to worry about is, that's the guy I'm fighting. That's
all that matters."
That,
and that he remembers not to obsess about the brand of soap in
his hotel. After a week of battling himself, the fight should
be a relief.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Shinya
Aoki Confirms Fight with Eddie Alvarez and Talks About Why He’s
Not in the UFC
by Damon
Martin
Fresh
off his latest win over Rob McCullough in Dream, top five lightweight
Shinya Aoki believes he is more dangerous than ever before.
Why
you ask?
Because
for the last few months, Aoki has been traveling to Singapore
to work with Evolve MMA where he’s been working on his striking
and Muay Thai skills, and he believes that helped lead him to
his first round submission last weekend.
“I
thought it was a great fight. I did a lot of stand up training
at Evolve MMA (in Singapore). So it gave me even more confidence
to execute our game plan,” Aoki told MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday.
“My coaches (Chatri Sityodtong, Yuki Nakai, and Ryo Chonan)
asked me to apply forward pressure to make Rob backpedal before
taking him down to use my ground game. Actually, for the first
time, I was unafraid to stand and strike because of my Muay Thai
training.”
In
the past, Aoki’s ground game has been so dominant that he’s
never really had to strike very much, but with the ever evolving
game of MMA, the Baka Survivor knows that to get to the top of
the ladder he has to get better or die.
Now
that the win over McCullough is over, Aoki is already looking
to the future. His next fight will be on New Year’s Eve
as he revealed exclusively to MMAWeekly.com, but he just isn’t
sure who he’s facing next.
“Yes,
that is correct,” Aoki said about the New Year’s Eve
card in Japan “But I still don’t know my opponent.”
In
his home country of Japan, Aoki has seen many ups and downs in
the MMA scene due to financial problems and promotion issues,
but it’s been compounded by the devastating earthquake that
caused so much damage there earlier this year.
The
Dream lightweight champion admits that it’s sad to see what’s
happening in his home country, but for his own career he knows
that eventually he’ll probably have to begin fighting more
in the U.S.
MMA
in Japan is going through a difficult phase. However, I am a
fighter. So all I can do is to do my best. I’d like to fight
in the US because it is the biggest stage,” Aoki stated.
He
also says that while Dream and other promotions have done their
best, it’s hard to see any other organization rising up
to the levels that Pride Fighting Championships once held in
Japan.
“It
is hard,” Aoki said. “It is very hard to see that happening.”
While
Aoki’s next fight will take place in Japan later this year,
he does have plans to return to the United States in 2012. As
a matter of fact, Aoki says if it wasn’t for his family
back home, to which he recently added a new baby, he’d be
in the UFC right now.
“If
I didn’t have a family, then I would go to the UFC right
now,” said Aoki. “However, I have a family. MMA in
Japan is a complicated situation. It’s not in my control.”
One
fight that Aoki knows for sure will happen in 2012 is his rematch
with current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. Aoki
defeated Alvarez by heel hook at the New Year’s Even show
in Japan in 2008.
“Yes,
I will fight him next year,” Aoki confirmed about the Alvarez
fight. “I am looking forward to it.”
As
far as what else is out there for Aoki, he just plans on keeping
busy and training harder with his new team at Evolve MMA. While
he states he will fight anyone, anywhere, Aoki’s work ethic
make him believe this is the best version any of his future opponents
will see when they step in the ring or cage with him.
“Ever
since I joined the Evolve Fight Team at Evolve MMA in Singapore,
my overall game has improved tremendously. You will see a brand
new Shinya Aoki in the future – the best ever is coming,”
Aoki stated.
Aoki
also sent a heartfelt thank you to North American fans who continue
to support his career, even if he’s fighting overseas. The
Japanese submission machine has every intention of coming back
to the United States in 2012 to lay his claim on the top spot
in the lightweight division.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Shogun:
“Henderson’s a legend of the sport”
Back
in high spirits since his convincing win over Forrest Griffin
at UFC Rio, Mauricio Shogun is already preparing to get back
to the front of the line for a shot at recoverubg the title that
was once his. The next rung up that ladder comes November 19,
when he takes on Dan Henderson at UFC 139.
This
time, the opponent he’s set to face has special significance
to him. After all, as with Shogun himself, Henderson made history
while fighting in the rings of Japan.
”This
is a fight that could have happened a long time ago, at Pride.
I’m overjoyed to have the chance to compete against him
at such an important time in our careers,” says Shogun.
Known
to be cordial fellow when not in the ring, Shogun has nothing
but praise for his rival. “Henderson is a legend of the
sport. His career speaks for itself, and being able to compete
at the top level for so long is proof of what kind of fighter
he is. Every time Henderson fights, like me, he pushes the pace
and always goes for the finish. That’s why I expect a tough
fights, one the fans will love,” he adds.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Mike
Winkeljohn: “I don’t think Anderson would probably
want that fight with Jon Jones”
By Zach
Arnold
Kazushi
Sakuraba and Jon Jones. One fighter is a legend who Frank Shamrock
thinks will die in the ring. The other is hyped as the ‘future’
of MMA (he’s the ‘present’) who will be an insanely
favored fighter in all upcoming bouts. If he can beat Rashad
Evans and dispatch of someone the caliber of Dan Henderson, you
almost don’t want to say it… but he could be a new
generation Fedor only with a much stellar résumé
at the rate he is going.
Sakuraba
lost to Yan Cabral this past weekend at Saitama Super Arena under
the DREAM banner. The fight result was minimally covered in the
Japanese papers, largely out of respect to the poor guy and the
fact that DREAM’s support in the mass media has tanked.
It’s almost as if the fight didn’t exist in the mind
of many fans in hopes of turning a blind eye to the current train
wreck. Jones, meanwhile, cemented his status as a true ‘ace’
in the UFC while dethroning a big name from PRIDE’s past.
Rampage had made his name in Japan by fighting Sakuraba and there
was some cruel irony in seeing both men go down the way they
did this past weekend. At least Rampage is in better physical
shape than Sakuraba.
So,
when I listened to Mauro Ranallo and Brett Okamoto talk about
how Sakuraba has been allowed to hang around the business still,
it was depressing:
BRETT
OKAMOTO:“(In sports like baseball and football) There are
better guys coming up, younger guys coming up that force you
out of the sport. In this sport, that doesn’t really happen.
You can stay around as long as somebody’s willing to try
to make money off of you. Unfortunately, that’s what’s
happening with Sakuraba. I think we’re all in agreement
that he shouldn’t be fighting any more and it is just a
drawback of this sport because it’s not something you really
necessarily see in other sports.”
MAURO
RANALLO:“No, and I don’t think you should necessarily
see it in MMA and I guess this is speaking to the larger picture
that if you are still forced to roll out Kazushi Sakuraba in
high-profile fights or trying to milk any more out of a cow that
has been milked dry for many years now, then I think that’s
a larger indictment to the organization (DREAM) and fact, a culture,
an MMA culture that I’m so firmly entrenched in and I’ll
always remember with great reverence the 31 trips to Japan for
PRIDE. But now, a short few years later in 2011, the entire industry
there is on life support and I think it’s just a matter
of time before, you know, either the plug is pulled or they rebuild
and try to find, you know, the next stars. Because in Japan and
I think the UFC will discover this as well even though the UFC’s
a dominant MMA brand globally and all you have to do is put in
the UFC and in certain places to get the draw, we’re learning
in North America that you need to cultivate the stars, put together
the fights the fans want to see. But in Japan in February (Saitama
Super Arena)… Yoshihiro Akiyama, three losses in a row.
He’s being moved down to Welterweight. We got Rampage Jackson
coming off a loss but wanting to fight fellow PRIDE alum Mauricio
Shogun. Takanori Gomi losing again, in big fashion, on Saturday.
But where are they going to get the nationalistic draws? One
thing we know about the Japanese culture is that they are just
that, very nationalistic. They want to support their own and
I just don’t think it’s going to be, you know, smooth
sailing for the UFC in Japan and I think for the Japanese it’s
going to be a long time before the glory days are restored, if
they ever are again…”
**
One
of the premises that fans always want to see with their favorite
fighters in MMA is hope. Hope that they win. Hope that they can
still stay competitive. There are lots of fans who are true diehards
for fighters who are past their prime and then someone like Dana
White comes along and makes a decision on behalf of the fighter
when he can’t make any more money off of them.
In
the case of Jon Jones, you no longer have to use the word ‘hope’
or ‘potential.’ He’s accomplished. He’s establishing
a path and a track record as a champion. How long that reign
lasts is anyone’s guess but the safe money is to say ‘long’
over ’short.’
I
was listening to Mauro’s interview with Jon’s striking
coach, Mike Winkeljohn, and Mike is a unique interview to say
the least. He’s informative, honest, and brings a point
of view. Given how awkward Jon Jones can be in the media (similar
to Satoshi Ishii), it’s hard to measure what he is really
like as a person. Here’s how Mike describes Jon Jones as
a personality:
“Jon
is, he is that humble guy, he does help the other guys in camp.
People don’t see that. I can’t believe some of the
press he gets and people think he’s arrogant. He’s
just confident. He’s a kid that I’ll say, “Jon,
I want you to front kick him this way” or “Jon, I want
you to throw this kick or that kick” or we’ll show
him a move where to go on the ground or whatever and he goes
out and tries it out right away in sparring and he believes it
and he makes it work, he believes in himself and that’s
as high of a quality as a fighter goes, he’s a believer
and he’s not nervous about it in a sense that he doesn’t
second-guess himself. He just goes for it and so I think it’s
played out a little bit. Of course, he’s an anomaly with
his length and what he can do out there in the cage and he’s
got such a good wrestling base that’s made for MMA. People
try getting underneath him and he’s going to just toss them
for it with his length and bring them over the top. But he learns
real fast, he’s a great student of the game, he studies
constantly, we watch a lot of tape together and we put our heads
together and he performs.”
In
past interviews featuring Greg Jackson, he will often talk about
structuring a game plan for a fighter and allowing a certain
amount of creative room for a fighter to navigate… but not
too much. Which is why I thought this interview exchange was
somewhat enlightening:
MAURO
RANALLO: “Do you give him freedom to become creative and
adlib inside the Octagon? How much did we see of that on Saturday
(against Rampage), if so?”
MIKE
WINKELJOHN: “Oh, quite a bit, you know what, we let him
ad-lib within certain parameters. The game plan was definitely
break Quinton down, let’s break his legs down, let’s
break his body down, let’s slow him down and stay away from
his big bombs and then anything you want to do, Jon, you’re
going to be capable. You’ll be able to shoot in and take
him down after you’ve broken him down and it played out
that way, so I’m real happy with what he did. We made some
mistakes and Jon hurt his foot with an inside leg kick. Jon doesn’t
that experience, yet, from fighting. If you think about his time
standing up in the cage, we’re talking a few rounds, a few
minutes where he’s actually doing stand-up. He doesn’t
have that kind of experience. Some of these guys have had many
fights, numerous fights in kickboxing. Jon just comes from a
wrestling background so all this is new, so he’s still trying
to figure out all the striking out and doing really well with
it.”
MAURO
RANALLO: “How would you rate his fighter IQ?”
MIKE
WINKELJOHN: “He’s as smart as anybody I’ve ever
worked with the cage. He listens and he understands and he sees
things a couple of steps ahead. I’m sure he’d be a
good chess player if he decided to.”
MAURO
RANALLO: “There is precision and technique, the spinning
elbows, the kicks to the patella tendon. Do you see any similarities
between him and Anderson Silva or does that come up at all when
going through game plans with him or how do you see him as a
fighter compared to others that you’ve worked with?”
MIKE
WINKELJOHN: “You know what, I think with Anderson, Anderson
is probably the best as far as the eyes going, watching an opponent
and then knowing he can strike a certain time and put them on
their ass. That’s what Anderson does and I think Jon’s
getting there with his strikes. I think Jon’s much better,
way past Anderson as far as wrestling skills go. With his stand-up
I think Jon brings many more strikes to the table than Anderson
has, a lot more variety. We’re just not there on a knockout
type of shot, we’re going to get there pretty soon. We hurt
Rampage many times during that fight with strikes, but we’re
going to get there. We’re going to get those things fine-tuned.
It’s just going to take just a little bit longer and we’ve
only just begun. The future is definitely bright for Jon.”
MAURO
RANALLO: “What do you think about his learning curve right
now? Where do you think he is?”
MIKE
WINKELJOHN: “Oh, I think he’s there. You know what,
down the road there’s no doubt he’s going to get some
weight on and go to Heavyweight but he’s got a lot to do
at Light Heavyweight. I don’t think Anderson would probably
want that fight with Jon Jones. I think, you know, Anderson would
use his length and pick his shot against people. With Jon coming
in at so many different angles from a long range, I definitely
don’t think that’s a good fight for Anderson. I think
we’re here to stay in the Light Heavyweight division for
a while and build a legend, something that hasn’t been done
in a little bit of a while. The Light Heavyweight division has
had a lot of turnover.”
With
much fan speculation growing about whether Anderson Silva should
face Jon Jones given that it seems a GSP/Anderson fight is unlikely
to happen, Rashad Evans seems to be off to the side. Yes, he’ll
be fighting Jones next but it’s an uncomfortable kind of
situation. You have hardcores who think UFC is scripting and
manipulating the way it’s being presented, you have fans
wondering if there is a real feud at all, and then you have the
casual fans who largely think Bones is going to wreck Rashad.
Not just beat him, but humiliate him in that 7-to-1 kind of favorite
way.
MAURO
RANALLO: “What happened, from your perspective? Why did
it turn out all the way it did and do you feel it’s nothing
more than maybe a misunderstanding at the end? Maybe even after
the fight, win or lose, do you think Jones and Evans will ever
patch things up or will the antipathy will continue to grow as
we near the title fight afterwards?”
MIKE
WINKELJOHN: “They came to camp, I wouldn’t say that
they were the greatest friends, they just trained together a
little bit. It’s just one of those things. It sucks for
Rashad in that he was going to fight the title, he didn’t
get the chance, and Jon took it so I’m sure there’s
some sour grapes there and I don’t blame him. At the end
of the day, everyone wants to be champion, teammate or not. That’s
what everybody wants to do. I don’t blame him in the slightest.
I’d want to fight for the title, everybody does. You have
two great fighters trying as hard as they can to beat the crap
out of each other, find out who’s the best, and then afterwards
I think the respect will come and they’ll go forward hopefully
with a lot of money in their pocket and even more fans.”
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Manager
says Palhares and Tavares are ready to return to the UFC
By Guilherme
Cruz
Rousimar
Palhares and Thiago Tavares put on great shows in UFC Rio, defeating
Dan Miller and Spencer Fisher, and, although they do not have
a date set to return to the most famous cage of MMA, they are
ready.
“Palhares
and Thiago are ready to go… Joe Silva knows that and I hope
they are called in in the next days”, tells Alex Davis,
manager of the athletes, on a chat with TATAME.
After
winning in UFC Rio, Rousimar shone in ADCC 2011, which happened
last weekend in Nottingham, England, as he earned the silver
medal, being defeated only by Andre Galvao, the main highlight
of the competition.
“Palhares
is a monster, an amazing fighter. He fights anyone of his division,
and he always has great chances of winning. If you bring him
into a title fight, he’ll be ready”, guarantees. “Everybody
saw how capable he is, both at UFC and at ADCC, and he’ll
make room for himself and get a chance at the title if he keeps
doing what he does”.
The
manager hopes a “tough fight” to Palhares in UFC, and
hold the same thought when we talk about Tavares.
“Thiago
is in a great path… He had that bad result against Shane
Roller, but he proved to be talented while fighting that last
tough guy”, celebrates. “Absolutely it’s a tough
fight coming towards him, something that makes sense since he’s
on a great phase, and I hope he gets in the right track for a
chance at the belt. That’s the plan”.
Source:
Tatame
|
No
Stranger to Adversity
by Yael
Grauer
Demetrious
Johnson emerged from the woodwork in 2010. The 25-year-old Kentucky
native survived a difficult start, as he lost a unanimous decision
to American Top Team’s Brad Pickett in his WEC debut and
then picked up four consecutive wins against former Ring of Combat
champion Nick Pace, Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts standout
Damacio Page, 2005 K-1 Hero’s lightweight grand prix winner
Norifumi Yamamoto and onetime WEC titleholder champion Miguel
Torres.
Before
he even registered on the radars of most people, Johnson found
himself in line for a title shot against reigning bantamweight
king Dominick Cruz. They will meet in the UFC Live 6 main event
on Saturday at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Johnson’s
string of victories is made all the more impressive when one
considers the odds have always been stacked against him. Not
only does he fight in a weight class above the one at which he
would naturally want to compete, but his surge to prominence
came at a time when he was working 40 hours a week and training
for less than 10 at the AMC Pankration gym in Kirkland, Wash.
“It’s
pretty crazy. It’s fascinating. Basically, easily, hands
down, in the last six years, I would say D.J. was never spending
maybe more than eight hours a week total training mixed martial
arts,” AMC Pankration coach Brad Kertson tells Sherdog.com.
“He would do some other stuff, like CrossFit, and some other
types of gym-type things, but actual MMA-wise, he really has
never spent more than eight hours tops a week training MMA.”
It
was only after defeating Torres at UFC 130 in May that Johnson
decided to quit his full-time job as a utility worker at a manufacturing
plant. He has been training around 25 hours a week for his title
shot.
“A
lot of the stuff that D.J. has done, quite honestly, is just
off of natural talent and natural ability,” Kertson says.
“He’s got an incredible learning curve; he picks stuff
up really quickly, and, so, that’s kind of helped him, but
he’s really never been fully dedicated to MMA.”
Johnson’s
life was filled with challenges long before MMA. He grew up having
never met his father: “I’ve never seen a picture of
him, not a glimpse, nothing.” He was raised by his deaf
mother and an abusive stepfather.
“He’s
just a very light-hearted, easy-going fun guy,” Kertson
says. “He really enjoys life. It’s another reason why
his background is so crazy, if you put it in perspective, because
you would never pick up from having a conversation with D.J.
or hanging around him that he’s someone that’s gone
through so much.”
Johnson
participated in sports in high school, including track and football,
but he excelled in wrestling, placing third in the state as a
junior and second as a senior. Johnson’s success in mixed
martial arts can be traced natural talent, his high school wrestling
experience and part-time training.
“When
you look at the Miguel Torres fight, it’s actually pretty
fascinating, because Torres put D.J. in a lot of different submission
attempts and different types of holds, and, quite honestly, D.J.
got out those just basically out of his natural feel and the
work he’s done in the gym,” Kertson says. “Miguel’s
a guy who has a ton of mat experience and a ton of jiu-jitsu
experience and, I think, is a really qualified black belt, and
I think D.J. was really able to get out of a lot of stuff, quite
honestly, just out of pure athleticism and strength and will.
“We
work a lot with D.J. and we grapple and we do all those things,
but you’re talking about a guy who hasn’t had a lot
of mat time going against a guy who has a ton of it,” he
adds. “Now that he’s able to train full-time, the sky’s
the limit for him. He’s finally able to dedicate himself
to the sport and not have to go back and forth between doing
other stuff; he’s going to have a real opportunity to really
start to train and make a difference.”
While
preparing for his fight against Torres, Johnson had to juggle
more than just work and training. He was also driving his mother
to the hospital, as she underwent chemotherapy for bone cancer.
A
typical day would entail heading to work, returning home to pick
up his mom, transporting her to the hospital, taking her home,
going back to work, driving to the gym to train and then returning
home for the night.
“It’s
one of those things that never comes out. You never know it until
I’m talking to him and I’m like, ‘What time do
you want to meet to train tonight?’ And he’ll say,
‘Oh, I’m going to go see my mom. She’s at [the
University of Washington] hospital right now getting treatment,
so maybe we’ll do this time or that,’” Kertson
says. “And I’ll just be, like, ‘Man, are you sure?’
And he’ll just be, like, ‘Oh yeah, absolutely.’
He’s just emotionally very strong, and I think that’s
also come out in his fights.’”
Johnson
broke his leg with the first kick he threw in the second round
of his bout against Torres and continued fighting. He also pressed
on after breaking his hand in the opening frame of an amateur
bout -- he won by submission -- and injured his hand in the beginning
of his fight against Brad Pickett, dislocating his thumb and
tearing ligaments.
“If
anyone’s ever broken their leg or broken their hands fighting,
I think they would be the first ones to tell you that you can
definitely feel it,” Kertson says. “He has a very fascinating
workmen-type mentality with that stuff. I remember when he broke
his leg and he came back to the corner and he said, ‘Something’s
wrong with my leg,’ and [head trainer] Matt [Hume]’s,
like, ‘What’d you do to it?’ And he said, ‘Something’s
wrong with it, but I’ll be fine. I gotta go out there and
do my job.’”
Johnson,
nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” takes his life’s work
seriously.
“This
is my job,” the diminutive dynamo says. “I wait four
months to fight, and then I get a chance to fight. It could be
15 minutes or it could be 25 minutes, or it could be a minute
of my life. I owe it to the fans. I owe it to the UFC. I owe
it to myself. I owe it to all my family.
“I’ve
been in the gym, in and out every day, working my butt off and
killing my body to get me ready for a fight and I break a bone
... I mean, if it’s a bone I can’t continue with, like
my fibula, which is the bigger bone in your [lower] leg, or my
femur, then, obviously, I can’t fight; if it’s a bone
that I can’t continue fighting with and I know its going
to cause more damage to keep fighting, then hey,” Johnson
adds. “But [otherwise], I’m there to go balls to the
wall, to go big or go home. Regardless of if I break a bone or
whatever, I’m going to keep on going. I don’t give
a damn. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug. That’s all I’m
going to say.”
Johnson
has grown accustomed to being the underdog, though Cruz will
be the toughest and most accomplished fighter he has faced to
date. Describing the champion as a hard worker who has beaten
the best of the best, Johnson admits Cruz’s unique style
of fighting gives everybody problems.
Hume
trains some of the best.
“I
don’t think he has any weaknesses,” he says. “He’s
a very well-rounded champion. He knows his game, and he never
strays away from his game plan, so, you know, I’ll try to
go out there and kind of take it to him and put him under a lot
of pressure and see what happens. All I can do is gain from this
fight. I have nothing to lose. I’m the new kid on the block.
I’m going to try to go out there and make a name for myself.”
Johnson
has no doubt that Cruz’s constant movement and unorthodox
angles will be an obstacle in the Octagon.
“He’s
always making people adjust to him, and that’s why I think
he seems a lot faster than other people think he is. It’s
funny, because he tells you exactly what he’s going to do,”
Johnson says. “He says, ‘I’m always going to make
people adjust to me, and, when they adjust to me, I’m always
going to keep them guessing.’ And I just can’t be guessing.
I have to solve the puzzle as fast as possible.”
Although
he aims to build a name for himself, Johnson likes to keep information
about his training under wraps.
“My
coaches and my teammates and all my training I’ve done up
to this fight has been just insane. I don’t need to post
videos on the Internet to show people my training camp or what
I do,” says Johnson, who, outside of training can be found
playing Xbox with fans online, snowboarding and playing paintball.
“I actually like it better when people don’t get to
see my training camp because, then, they’re always guessing
[as] to what I’m doing getting ready for a fight. I like
to keep that blanket over my training camp and then people can
get little sneak peeks and stuff, but I’m not that person
that posts all of my stuff on the Internet.
“We
both have our own unique styles that give our opponents trouble,
and, obviously, his style has been more on display because he’s
been in the limelight a lot more than I have.”
--
Demetrious Johnson, on Dominick Cruz
“I’m
a hard worker, and, when I step in the Octagon, you’ll see
how hard I work because you’ll be, like, ‘Damn, this
fool don’t get tired. He’s got crisp combinations.
He’s got awesome wrestling. S---, I wonder what his training
camp looks like,” he adds. “And I leave the imagination
up to them to think how I train in the gym.”
Now
regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport,
Cruz will carry a nine-fight winning streak into the match. His
last three fights -- wins over Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen
and Urijah Faber -- have all gone the five-round limit. Cruz
has never lost at 135 pounds.
“We
both have our own unique styles that give our opponents trouble,
and, obviously, his style has been more on display because he’s
been in the limelight a lot more than I have being the reigning
champion,” Johnson says. “I try to go out there and
make sure I’m sharp, I’m fast, my energy level is through
the roof and put on a good show for the UFC and the fans. I know
a lot of people are doubting me for this fight against Dominick
Cruz, and I understand.
“But,
you know, I’m a hard worker,” he adds. “I’m
going to come out there and do my best and I believe in my coaches,
I believe in my skill and I’m hoping to go out there and
put something on the table that Dominick’s never seen before.
I’m pretty sure he’s not worried about what I can do,
because everyone in the world is, like, ‘Well, I’m
not sure. I don’t think Demetrious is better than Urijah
or Joseph Benavidez,’ but I’m going to go out there
and put it all out there and leave my heart out there and see
what happens.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
MMA:
GSP brings in Hardy to get ready for Condit
by CARLOS
ARIAS
UFC
welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre has brought in former
title challenger Dan Hardy to help him prepare for his title
defense against Carlos Condit at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas?
Seriously. That’s what GSP announced on Twitter. Hardy has
lost four consecutive fights, including a first-round KO to Condit
at UFC 120 a year ago.
Source:
OC Register
|
Cruz
Resets for Title Bout, While Johnson Hopes to Complete Underdog
Story
By Mike
Chiappetta
On
the surface, Dominick Cruz has settled into the role of champion
nicely. He's successfully defended the bantamweight title three
times, established himself as one of the sport's pound-for-pound
best fighters, and headlines his second straight UFC event at
Saturday night's UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson.
Yet
Cruz seems to go out of his way to remind himself that it can
all change in an instant. He hasn't splurged on a big house or
fancy car. Instead, he lives on the cheap and saves his money
for a rainy day that might never come. Those reminders serve
as motivation for training, and the mindset extends even to his
most prized possession: his title belt.
"Really,
I'm not going out there to defend anything. I'm going out there
to win something new every single time I go out and fight for
a title," he said in a Thursday press conference from the
Newseum in Washington D.C. "I don't own anything. It's always
up for grabs, so I have to always stay on top and stay focused
and go out there to win something new, so that's it. This will
be like my first time winning it."
Should
Cruz beat Demetrious Johnson (10-1) on Saturday, it may feel
like a first time for him, but it would mark his fourth straight
defense of the 135-pound belt, surpassing the three successful
defenses made by Miguel Torres when the belt was a WEC property.
Cruz
has done it with a style all his own, mixing active striking
and strong wrestling with endless stamina to wear down opponents
over time. Overall, he's won nine straight, and on the strength
of his 18-1 overall record, his .948 winning percentage is among
the best in major MMA.
Rather
than falling complacent though, Cruz continually surveys the
landscape of his division and considers the oncoming challengers.
"Success
feels good," he said. "I'm a fighter and this is what
I do. I love to do it. I love my job. It's easy to stay motivated
if you see all these maniacs coming up in my division. They all
want to beat me up. What other motivation do I need?"
In
Johnson, Cruz may be facing the fastest opponent he's ever faced.
At just 5-foot-3 and with a 66-inch reach, Johnson has some distance
to navigate, but if anyone can figure it out how to make an unlikely
journey, it's the man that's nicknamed "Mighty Mouse."
Johnson's
rise to one of the division's best has been a largely untold
story, though it is one worth telling. He's not a pedigreed athlete
with a following who got major breaks along the way. Though he
wrestled throughout high school, he was never a state champion,
and he had no other martial arts training when he first walked
into a gym in October 2005, after watching the first season of
The Ultimate Fighter.
Johnson
grinded his way through the northwest regional circuit before
debuting tin the WEC, and then he promptly dropped his first
fight by decision. The setback hardly set him back, however,
and he ran off a streak, winning four straight to earn a shot
at Cruz. In his last two fights, he beat Miguel Torres and Kid
Yamamoto, who were at one time the best lighter weight fighters
in the world. Now Johnson has a chance to join those ranks, but
there aren't a lot of believers out there; Cruz is as much as
a 5-to-1 favorite.
"Story
of my life," Johnson said. "I'm the smallest guy probably
in the UFC. It is what it is. Everyone sees me as an underdog.
I don't mind. It is what it is. Like I say, story of my life."
Yet
Johnson is every bit the story of determination as Cruz. Until
recently, he held a full-time job in a Tacoma, Washington recycling
plant. During his May win over Torres, he suffered a broken bone
in his leg, but he was still back to work at the plant on the
following Monday. After accepting the title bout with Cruz, he
gave up the job to prepare for the biggest opportunity of his
life.
Like
an underdog out of central casting, Johnson is quiet and polite
in addition to being small. The UFC sat him next to 6-foot-11
Stefan Struve on Thursday, further highlighting just how small
he is. He didn't say much on Thursday, and even when he was asked
questions, he often clipped his answer short when you had the
feeling he might have had a little bit more to say. Like Cruz,
perhaps he is holding it back for when it truly matters.
"You
guys have all seen me fight, and you know what I do," he
said. "I come out and bring the pace and I do my job. I
prepare myself to win."
Source:
MMA Fighting
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Cung
Le Believes Wanderlei Silva is a Dangerous Draw at UFC 139
Cung
Le has only ever known one elevation… the highest one.
He
rose to the top of the kickboxing world before venturing into
mixed martial arts, where he quickly ascended to the Strikeforce
middleweight championship.
While
he’s kept himself busy in the acting world of late, Le is
back to the world of MMA. He will step into the Octagon for the
first time when he faces former Pride champion Wanderlei Silva
at UFC 139 on Nov. 19 in San Jose, Calif.
“To
be a part of the UFC is definitely a dream come true,” Le
told MMAWeekly.com recently. Although his dream went in and out
of focus briefly when original opponent Vitor Belfort had to
drop out of the bout. Silva was quick to step in, however, keeping
Le’s UFC debut date on the docket.
A
lot of people have said that Le is getting an easier fight in
his replacement. Silva has been on the skids lately, losing three
of his last four bouts. Le is buying into that shell game.
“He’s
kind of like a warrior that has his back on the wall. A lot of
times that’s more dangerous,” Le said. “Wanderlei
is not ready to retire. He’s gonna be more dangerous, he’s
gonna come a lot harder.”
Most
of the talk of an easier opponent comes from anonymous posters
and apparitions that quickly vanish into the ether.
“It
takes a lot to step inside the cage… there’s plenty
of keyboard warriors out there that think they know it all and
they never respect a minute the things we do.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
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Island
Heat 3: Tha Comeback
Waipahu Filcom,Waipahu, Hawaii
November 18, 2011
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