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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)
11/5-6/11
Eternal
Submissions
(BJJ & Submission Grappling)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai)
11/5/11
Hawaii Toughman
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Ctr)
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 3
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi.
Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ
Dean, & Chris Slavens!
Kids Classes are also
available!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from
the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
Onzuka.com
Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
Chris, Mark,
and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while
now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit
a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most
popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.
He
offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The
three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being
the lead since he is on there all day anyway!
We
encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world
to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.
If you
do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click here to set up an account.
Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After
all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground
without some Aloha and some Pidgin?
To
go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click here!
|
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
UFC
137 Fighter of the Night: The Grumpy Nick Diaz
Nick
Diaz is the real deal, regardless of how critical he is of his
UFC 137 performance.
About
a year ago, he – and every other high-profile Strikeforce
fighter – had a stigma that wouldn’t allow them to
be considered top-shelf until they fought to the UFC. Well, Diaz
made his trek across the Zuffa pond and put his money where his
mouth is.
The
209er tested one of the best fighters the UFC has to offer and
beat him up for the majority of a three-round fight.
Not
bad for one of those Strikeforce guys.
But
while most people say that Diaz looked impressive, he doesn’t
agree. In fact, he wasn’t happy with how the fight went
down. Tension and miscommuncation during camp didn’t help
the situation, which took away from the Stockton fighter’s
focus.
Finding
suitable training partners became more a thorn in the side for
Diaz. He wanted Olympic-level boxers like Andre Ward to come
help out with preparation for Penn, but that didn’t come
to be.
Alas,
Diaz didn’t get what he wanted in camp and could do nothing
but hope for the best at UFC 137.
“I’m
not happy with my performance at all,” he said during the
post-fight press conference. “I wasn’t 100 percent
today. I felt good, but… leading up to this fight I went
through a lot of… hard times.”
Part
of those hard times was dealing with the fact that he was fighting
someone he is personally familiar with. Diaz isn’t a fan
of fighting his teammates, and that apparently extends out to
people he is somewhat close with outside of his gym.
B.J.
Penn, despite looking like Diaz’s worst enemy at the weigh-ins,
wasn’t someone he wanted to see in his Octagon return at
all. It’s not a good feeling to see someone in the hallway
and not exchange pleasantries due to having to fight them, according
to the former Strikeforce welterweight champ.
That
sense of disconnection from an acquaintance like Penn demotivated
Diaz for the fight. It might be a business, but that doesn’t
appear to translate well for a natural fighter like Diaz.
“I
don’t want to fight people I already know,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s what fighting is all about.
So, I didn’t want this fight… It wasn’t motivating
for me.”
He
should be motivated now. Because of what he did at UFC 137, Diaz
is leapfrogging Carlos Condit and getting the next UFC title
shot against Georges St-Pierre during Super Bowl weekend. If
there were any arguments against him getting the title shot before,
there shouldn’t be now; he earned it.
Because
he beat the odds by putting down an all-time great, and threw
a big chunk of a Strikeforce stigma out the window, Nick Diaz
is the UFC 137 Fighter of the Night.
Honorable
Mention: Donald Cerrone is the best lightweight not vying for
a title
At
UFC 137, Donald Cerrone put a hurting on Dennis Siver in what
a lot of people expected to be a heavily contested kickboxing
match. Well, it was indeed a kickboxing match, it just wasn’t
heavily contested.
Siver
had an obvious disadvantage with the height and reach. Cerrone
did what he wanted with the smaller fighter and quickly stunned
him in the first minute of the fight.
It’s
like Cerrone knew he was better than him going into the fight
– actually, that’s exactly how it was.
“I
wasn’t impressed with his striking,” Cerrone said following
the win. “I wanted to show what real kickboxing looks like,
so I was glad to go out there and be technical.”
For
Cerrone, getting as many fights as possible is taking priority
over lobbying for title shots. Whether it be at lightweight or
one weight class lower at featherweight, he just wants to get
in there and scrap.
Another
fight in December seems really appealing, according to “Cowboy,”
and it doesn’t have to be for a championship. He’s
not one to hang out while fights are on the table. “I want
to keep fighting,” he said. “I don’t want to sit
and wait.”
Worth
a Mention: Retirement Party
Mirko
“Cro Cop” made it clear that this was his last fight
in the UFC and end of his storied career. After losing to Roy
Nelson, he stayed true to that statement and bid farewell to
the MMA faithful.
Then
in comes B.J. Penn and says last night was “probably the
last time you’re going to see me in here.”
Break
out the gold watches because UFC 137 was a retirement party.
While
“Cro Cop’s” bon voyage seems a little more solid,
it’s tough to say if Penn will truly call it a career after
Saturday night. Perhaps he was caught up in the emotion of the
moment, but there seems to be a lot more fights – both at
welterweight and lightweight – that Penn can fight in the
UFC.
At
the same time, if Penn really calls it quits, he’ll still
go down as one of the best ever to compete in the sport. Both
he and “Cro Cop” did more than just fight; they helped
bring mixed martial arts up to the level that it’s at now.
Thanks
for all the epic moments, gentleman.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Nick
Diaz: Unveiled
Nick Diaz has often been accused of running from the press, that
he clams up for reporters, or just doesn’t even bother to
show up for them at all… accusations that he flatly denies.
He just likes to do his job and do it well. His job is to fight.
Diaz
defeated BJ Penn at UFC 137, bloodying him like no other fighter
had, pushing him to the point that Penn said he was going to
hang up his gloves. He called out UFC welterweight champion Georges
St-Pierre after the fight, saying the champ didn’t want
to fight him, before UFC president Dana White shuffled the deck
and said the two will square as soon as Super Bowl weekend, when
St-Pierre is recovered from a knee injury.
After
Saturday night’s UFC 137 post-fight press conference in
Las Vegas, regardless of whatever else you’d like to say
about Nick Diaz, you couldn’t say that he doesn’t do
his job, and you certainly couldn’t say that he wouldn’t
open up to the media.
In
one of the more revealing episodes in recent memory in MMA, Nick
Diaz lifted the veil trying his hardest to explain his life and
reveal the anguish and frustration that boils inside him over
always having to step outside himself into a role not of his
choosing. Even as he got the fight that he wanted – the
showdown with GSP – Diaz felt that he was forced out of
character, that he had to be “the bad guy,” just to
get the fight that should have been at UFC 137.
It’s
difficult to put into words the raw emotion that Nick Diaz exposed
on Saturday night, running the gamut from frustration and elation
to laughter and anger.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bellator
56 Results: Ben Askren Tops Jay Hieron to Retain Title
The
action was fast and ferocious inside Memorial Hall as Bellator
Welterweight Champion Ben Askren successfully defended his belt
against Tournament Champion Jay Hieron and Eric Prindle and Thiago
Santos both advanced to the Finals of the Bellator Heavyweight
Tournament with first round finishes.
Hieron
began the title fight with an impressive opening round, defending
against Askren’s takedowns and controlling the pace. Askren
got off to a slow start but warmed up as the fight went on, as
his takedowns prevailed in the second, third, and fourth rounds.
Hieron sensed he was down heading into the fifth and final round,
and came out with heavy hands, including a crowd igniting spinning
back kick to the chest of a stunned Askren. However, when it
came time to raise the winner’s hand, one judge saw the
fight in favor of Hieron while the other two sided with Askren,
48-47. Askren now awaits the winner of the Season 5 Welterweight
Tournament, which will be decided at Bellator 57 in a Finals
fight between Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima.
Neil
Grove had a second shot at tournament glory after filling in
for the injured Blagoi Ivanov, and was set to square off against
“The Big Monster” Thiago Santos. “Big Monster”
survived Grove’s first attack and then dropped him with
his first punch — an overhand right. Santos then followed
him to the ground and took over Grove’s back to submit the
former tournament finalist by way of rear naked choke 38 seconds
into the first round.
Prindle
too would advance to the Finals following a heavy handed punch
as he knocked Ron Sparks out cold while countering a leg kick.
Sparks delivered an outside leg kick to Prindle early and let
his right hand drop below his chin. It was at this point that
the former five-time All Army Boxing Champion dropped him with
a swift left hook and followed him to the mat for two more punches
before a referee stoppage. The win was ruled a knockout for Prindle
and took just 40 seconds.
“This
is why you can’t blink when our heavyweights are mixing
it up,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Thiago
Santos is a world-class jiu-jitsu player and showed his evolution
as a mixed martial artist by putting Neil Grove down with a big
punch; and Eric Prindle proved he’s an absolute beast by
knocking out a heavy-handed heavyweight in Ron Sparks. I cannot
wait for this final on November 26 at Caesars in Atlantic City.”
“With
Ben and Jay, I thought it was a good fight. I think Ben is being
hard on himself and Jay is a world-class welterweight. No one’s
going to come in here and outwrestle Ben, and Jay presents a
lot of problems for his opponents. I thought they both put on
a strong show.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Manager
wants Demian Maia to welcome Jake Shields to the UFC middleweight
division
Jake
Shields earned the Strikeforce middleweight title with great
wins, defeating names like Jason Miller and Dan Henderson, but
dropped to the welterweight division as he signed a contract
with UFC.
After
losses to Georges St. Pierre and Jake Ellenberger, Shields’
future might be on the middle weight class again, and there’re
people who want him there: Eduardo Alonso, manager of the BJJ
black belt Demian Maia.
“It’s
a personal desire, but I guess it’d be a good fight, an
interesting challenge for Demian. For his record and skills as
a fighter, I’m guessing it’d be interesting”,
said the manager to TATAME.
Both
Jiu-Jitsu experts, Demian and Shields have always used efficiently
the gentle art in MMA. While the Brazilian got eight of his 15
wins by submission, Jake forced the tappout 10 times within 26
triumphs.
“Fighting
top 10 guys is always interesting”, says Alonso, explaining
his “choice”. “Since he once was a champion in
Strikeforce in this weight class and has great wins over top
athletes like Dan Henderson, and because he likes to fight on
the ground, I believe it’d be a great match-up against Demain”.
The
manager tells, however, that he haven’t started negotiating
Demian’s next fight with the UFC, but hopes to see him in
action in January, in possible cars in Brazil or on the edition
scheduled in Japan, in February.
“We
are still on the first talks with UFC, but our expectations are
for him to fight in 2012. I guess there’s a possibility
of a new event in Brazil, and that might be a facilitator. Or
it can be in Japan in February, something that would be very
interesting”, tells.
Happy
with the recent wins of the middleweight fighter, Eduardo responds
to the critics about Demian not having submitted his opponents
lately. After five consecutive wins via submission, between 2007
and 2009, the BJJ haven’t accomplished it ever since, including
his last fight against another Brazilian, Jorge Santiago, at
UFC 136.
“Many
times the guys who fight Demian on the ground do it defensively.
That’s what happened, and that’s no reason for Santiago
to be ashamed. If he couldn’t finish it, we gotta understand
he was fighting another BJJ black belt. Independently of the
not so positive professional record in UFC, he’s a really
tough athlete, and that’s why he was a champion in Sengoku”,
explains.
“What
made us proud was that Demian used correctly his game plan, he
was capable of controlling the fight and didn’t take risks,
he blocked Santiago’s best weapons. At any point Santiago
was a threat to him, nor tried a sweep, an attack to his arm
or neck. The main goal of the fight was to control and use the
game plan to do a safe fight the best possible way”, completes.
Source: Tatame
|
Diaz
and Penn earn extra 75 grand
After
a heated moment during weigh-ins and a brutal standup war, Diaz
and BJ bury the hatchet and lick their wounds.
This
Saturday at UFC 137 in Las Vegas served up a first-rate bout
of MMA between Nick Diaz and former champion BJ Penn. The fight,
lively from start to finish and won by Diaz, rightfully earned
the two warriors the 75,000-dollar fight of the night bonus.
Submission
of the night honors went to Donald Cerrone for the rear-naked
choke that earned him his sixth win in a row. Now the best knockout
prize went to Bart Palaszewski for dropping Tyson Griffin in
the first round.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Everyone
Boards the Nick Diaz Bandwagon, Including Champ Georges St-Pierre
LAS VEGAS -- It doesn't matter what Nick Diaz says, you want
to hear it. It doesn't matter who he fights, you want to see
it. It doesn't matter if you want him to win or lose, you have
a strong opinion either way. In a matter of weeks, he has become
the most riveting, polarizing man in MMA.
Soon,
he might become its biggest star.
That
may sound a bit illogical right now, but excuse me, I've spent
the whole week absorbing the philosophies of the 209's most famous
export, and I'm sold. Illogical is the new normal.
Source: MMA Fighting |
ETERNAL
SUBMISSIONS
Brazilian Gi & NoGi Tournament
November 5th & 6th, 2011
Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai
www.eternalsubmissions.com
Weigh-ins
are Friday, Nov 4th from 5-9pm at the event ballroom in the Kauai
Beach Resort (all Kauai residdents MUST weigh in on friday- outer
island competitors can weigh in day of division)
Gi
Divisions on Saturday, Nov 5th and start by 10am with the kids,
adults to follow.
Womens
Superfight on Saturday around 12 noon between Tracey Goodell
and Kanani Ragasa
NoGi
Divisions on Sunday, starting at 9am with Kids, Adults to follow
Divisions:
Kids
Women
Adults
Masters
and Adult Absolute for Belt in gi & nogi
We
are working on NoGi superfights and a mens gi super fight
(our previous match of Mike Fowler and Luke Hacker rematch was
cancelled due to the stabbing.)
Special
rates at the resort for competitors for $109/nt by calling the
resort at (808) 245-1955 and using code EFC
We
will have food booths, sponsor booths, giveaways, drawing and
more.
THANKS
:)
Shauna
Low rate offered to competitors and spectators $114/nt at the
Kauai Beach
Resort
also
a special rate for tighter budgets
for Eternal Submissions guests
at the Aloha Beach Hotel
for $81/nt (about 2-3 miles away)
Friday,
Nov. 4th
weigh-ins from 5-9pm
(ONLY outer island competitors can weigh in day of)
Saturday,
Nov. 5th
ALL GI DIVISIONS
Starting at 9am with kids. Teens, women & men to follow
Sunday,
Nov. 6th
ALL NOGI DIVISIONS
Starting at 9am with kids. Teens, womens & mens to follow
PRE-REGISTRATION
due by Monday Oct. 24th for FREE competitor tshirt
Registrations will be accepted until Friday night weigh ins (Sat
or Sun
morning for off-island competitors ONLY), however will not receive
the FREE
shirt, you will be able to purchase the event shirt there, first
come first
serve, limited availability.
More
info www.eternalsubmissions.com
or call Shauna (808) 652-6849
Source: Event Promoter
|
UFC
137 Results and Play-by-Play
Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks
Round
1
The Octagon newcomers are taking their time, feeling one another
out in the opening minute with Starks in the center and Jacoby
on the outside. Starks is throwing out more combinations, but
it’s Jacoby who sticks his man first with a stiff straight
right. Jacoby splits the guard of Starks with a left hand and
Starks replies with a right hand over the top. Midway through
the round, neither man has taken a clear advantage, as Jacoby
continues to sidestep Starks’ punches and look for his own.
Starks goes to the body with a right hand as the slow-paced round
enters its last minute. With 30 seconds to go, Starks grabs a
single-leg and plows Jacoby to the mat. Jacoby turns to his right
side and immediately starts working on a kimura from the bottom,
but time runs out before he can lock it up.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Starks
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Starks
Round
2
Jacoby plugs Starks with three left straights in the first minute
of the second frame. It’s moving at the same pace as the
first, with Jacoby in the center this time. Jacoby grazes Starks
with a turning kick, goes for a walk and slips an overhand right
from his opponent. Starks is looking for the homerun shot, loading
up on his right hand, but the taller Jacoby is aware of it and
doing well to get out of the way. Starks closes the distance
and ducks inside for another easy single-leg takedown. Jacoby
quickly closes up his guard and ties up the arms of Starks to
negate any strikes. Starks throws a few half-hearted elbows as
he presses his face to Jacoby’s chest, then connects more
soundly with a left hand. Starks puts a couple short right hands
on the body and another flurry of lefts on Jacoby’s face
before the round ends.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Starks
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Starks
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Starks
Round
3
Jacoby is still looking to box as the final frame begins, but
his work rate is slowing and Starks is finding more success with
his left hand counterpunches. With just over three minutes to
go, Starks gets another easy takedown. This time, Jacoby keeps
his guard a bit more active, angling for escape and digging his
heel into Starks’ body, but still doesn’t attempt any
submissions. Starks gets to side control for a split second,
then voluntarily returns to half-guard as Jacoby frames up a
kimura on Starks’ left arm. Starks does well to defend until
Jacoby gives it up with 45 seconds to go. Starks finishes off
the fight in top position, unloading punches.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Starks (30-28 Starks)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Starks (30-27 Starks)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Starks (30-27 Starks)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 30-27 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Clifford Starks. Judges’ names are
not announced.
Chris
Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont
Round
1
The middleweights trade leg kicks to open the bout, then Carmont
goes to the body. Carmont gets a hold of Camozzi’s right
leg and drags him to the canvas at the base of the cage. A nice
left hand by Carmont has Camozzi scrambling to his feet, where
he’s met by Carmont’s knee. Camozzi gets back up and
reverses the position, putting Carmont’s back on the fence
and looking for a trip. Carmont stays vertical and relaxed as
Camozzi hugs and leans his weight on the Frenchman. Carmont drills
a knee to Camozzi’s gut and steps out. They clinch up again
and Carmont puts another pair of hard knees on Camozzi’s
belly before going low to pick the ankle. Camozzi goes to a knee,
pops up and takes a knee to the chest from the lanky Carmont.
Down to the last 60 seconds of the round, Camozzi gets out of
the clinch and walks Carmont down with punches. Camozzi tries
a leaping knee of his own and shoves Carmont into the cage again.
The American tries another single-leg, but Carmont keeps it on
the feet.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Carmont
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Carmont
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Carmont
Round
2
Carmont comes out striking for the second, but it’s not
long before Camozzi has him clinched against the cage again.
Camozzi goes low, can’t find a takedown and stands back
up, where he’s drilled with a series of knees to the body
and head. Carmont is keeping active with his back to the cage
while Camozzi stalls out from the dominant position. Carmont
grabs the Thai plum and lets loose with a few more knees which
cause Camozzi to back out. Carmont walks him down, scores with
another knee and puts Camozzi on the cage. Camozzi tries to escape
and gives up his back standing. He tries to shake Carmont, but
the Tristar Gym fighter lifts Camozzi into the air and slams
him to the mat with authority. Carmont is standing above Camozzi,
dodging upkicks and thumping Camozzi with punches. Camozzi tries
to stand and is drilled by a right uppercut-left hook combo from
Carmont that sends him to his back. Carmont tries to polish off
his bloodied opponent, but Camozzi survives, even trying for
a guillotine at the end of the round.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Carmont
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Carmont
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Carmont
Round
3
Carmont has Camozzi rocked with another combination early in
the round, but Camozzi just comes straight forward and clinches
up. Carmont breaks off, socks his man with an uppercut, an elbow,
then has a head kick blocked. Camozzi hugs Carmont and tries
to trip him up, but can’t and instead settles for the familiar
position, leaning on the cage. Referee Herb Dean threatens to
split the inactive fighters up, but doesn’t get the chance
before they disengage. Camozzi gets off a few outside leg kicks
and sends a left hand down the pipe. He sprawls on a high double-leg
from Carmont, but Carmont gets the takedown anyway and goes into
Camozzi’s full guard with just under two minutes remaining.
Carmont stands up and won’t allow Camozzi to his feet, slapping
with a few kicks to Camozzi’s legs before finally stepping
back. Camozzi charges and clinches, but not for long, as ref
Dean breaks them quickly this time. Carmont lands a kick to the
legs, one to the body, and he dodges a punching attack from Camozzi.
With seconds to go, Carmont gets a waistlock and Camozzi tries
for a last-ditch kimura, but it doesn’t come.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Carmont (30-27 Carmont)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Carmont (30-26 Carmont)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Carmont (30-27 Carmont)
Official
result: The judges’ scorecards read 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27,
all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Francis Carmont.
Ramsey
Nijem vs. Danny Downes
Round
1
Nijem closes the distance on Downes and tries for a single-leg
against the fence. The Roufusport fighter defends momentarily,
but Nijem drags him down and is soon trying to take Downes’
back. Downes escapes the bad position and Nijem chases him with
a solid flurry of punches. Nijem gets another takedown and drops
punches from half-guard as Downes tries to pick the ankle and
escape out the backdoor. Downes works back to his feet and puts
his back on the cage, but it doesn’t keep him standing.
Nijem gets another easy takedown, drops a few elbows and then
knees Downes’ legs and thighs when he stands back up. Nijem
takes Downes down one more time, hops on his back and locks up
a rear-naked choke. Downes is resisting , so Nijem lets go and
socks him in the head a few times. Nijem tries to slap on the
choke again, and again Downes peels his hands off. The third
time looks to be the charm for Nijem, but again Downes guts out
the deep choke and escapes to his feet. Nijem hits another single
leg, Downes gets up and Nijem gets him down again. Another RNC
attempt from Nijem yields nothing, but he finishes the round
on Downes’ back, punching at his head.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Round
2
Nijem opens up the round with a solid one-two on Downes’
chin and then goes for another takedown. Downes catches the diving
Nijem’s head in an inverted triangle and throws strikes
to the body, but soon loses the position. With Nijem back on
top, Downes tries for a guillotine, then settles for restoring
full guard. Downes looks to roll for a leglock with Nijem in
side control, and Nijem uses the opportunity to hop into full
mount. Downes gives up his back and Nijem slaps on the RNC again,
but again cannot finish. Nijem goes back to full mount and gives
up the position to try and take the back again. Instead, Downes
works to his feet and Nijem sticks to his back there. Nijem tries
to loosen Downes up for the RNC with a few more elbows, but the
choke just won’t stick. The round ends with Downes locked
in a body triangle, a large mouse sprouting beneath his left
eye.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nijem
Round
3
Nijem has his first takedown attempt stifled, but the second
one works. Downes is on his back again less than 40 seconds into
the final frame and is being shoved into the cage after a minute.
Nijem traps the right arm of Downes between his legs, gives it
up and tries to take the back instead. He winds up in north-south
position, elbowing at Downes’ head. Nijem hops on Downes’
back with three minutes left in the fight and sinks a single
hook in, keeping his balance in the position as Downes tries
to stand. Nijem keeps him on the floor and peppers with right
hands; Downes is just hanging in there, not mounting any sort
of offense in return. Nijem takes the back, locks up a tight
body triangle and tries the RNC again. It doesn’t work,
so Nijem postures up and drops punches on the turtling Downes
as referee Josh Rosenthal hovers nearby. Downes survives to hear
the final horn.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-8 Nijem (30-26 Nijem)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Nijem (30-26 Nijem)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nijem (30-27 Nijem)
Official
result: The judges have it 30-25, 30-26 and 30-27, all for the
winner by unanimous decision, Ramsey Nijem.
Brandon
Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Round
1
Vera backs Marshall up with some low kicks and Marshall tries
to answer with a body kick. Some more chopping kicks land on
the inside of Marshall’s legs before Vera gets inside and
clinches on the fence with one underhook. Marshall breaks off
and rushes Vera with knees and a series of right hands, one of
which appears to stun “The Truth.” Vera stays up, though,
and slows the pace by muscling Marshall into the cage and driving
knees into Marshall’s thighs. Referee Kim Winslow splits
them up with a minute remaining and Vera gets off a few more
strong leg kicks before the round expires.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vera
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Vera
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Vera
Round
2
Marshall absorbs a couple more leg kicks before initiating the
clinch and digging for a single-leg. Vera avoids the takedown
and reverses the position, keeping busy with inside knees before
dumping Marshall to the ground with a trip. Vera sits in Marshall’s
half-guard as Marshall grabs the fence to try and escape and
is admonished by referee Winslow. Marshall scrambles to his feet
with 80 seconds left and eats a knee for his trouble. Vera is
keeping Marshall pinned to the cage, not mounting much offence,
and Winslow resets them with 30 seconds remaining. The round
ends without any further significant offense.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vera
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Vera
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Vera
Round
3
Both men look tired, the pace slowing in the opening minute of
the final frame, until Marshall drops Vera with a big right cross.
Vera’s legs buckle and Marshall gives chase, sitting atop
Vera and punching away while Winslow looks on intently. Vera
covers up, works back to his feet and clinches Marshall on the
fence. Marshall gets the fight to the ground and jumps on Vera’s
back, sinking both hooks in as he hunts for the rear-naked choke.
Vera is controlling Marshall’s right arm, keeping himself
safe from the RNC but leaving himself open for an armbar. Marshall
sees the opening and peels off, extending Vera’s arm. Vera
keeps calm, extracts the limb and makes it to the final horn.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Marshall (29-28 Vera)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Marshall (29-29 Draw)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Marshall (29-28 Vera)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 in favor of the
winner by unanimous decision, Brandon Vera.
Tyson
Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski
Round
1
Palaszewski flicks out a crisp leg kick on the much shorter Griffin,
who answers in kind. Griffin stands low in the pocket, waiting
to counterpunch on Palaszewski and connecting with a few. Palaszewski
clips Griffin with a pair of hooks and Griffin stands back up,
his back to the fence. Palaszewski chases him down and unloads
with 10 or 12 hard punches. Griffin avoids a few of them by covering
up, but drops his guard just long enough for a crushing right
hook to find his face. Griffin crumbles to the mat, unconscious,
and referee Steve Mazzagatti intervenes at 2:45 of the opening
round.
Dennis
Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Round
1
Cerrone goes to the body of Siver with a kick early, and the
German counters with a quick combination. Siver looks to keep
the lanky “Cowboy” at range with a push kick, but Cerrone
gets inside to put punches on anyway. A high kick has Siver on
rubber legs and Cerrone tries to pounce, but Siver keeps his
composure and rushes Cerrone into the fence. Siver seems to regain
his wits as he throws knees at Cerrone’s head. Cerrone breaks
away and Siver tags him with a pawing hook. Cerrone thuds a kick
to Siver’s body, then drops him with another kick to the
jaw. Siver is in dire straits this time as Cerrone leaps on his
back and flattens him out, belly down. Cerrone sinks in the rear-naked
choke and Siver taps the mat in submission at 2:22 of the first
round.
Hatsu
Hioki vs. George Roop
Round
1
Hioki goes to touch gloves, but Roop wants none of it and circles
away. Both lanky featherweights are aiming high with leg kicks
early, but it’s a right straight from Roop which becomes
the first meaningful strike of the bout. Hioki fires off a solid
combination before he catches an inside thigh kick on the cup.
He takes a moment to recover and they’re back to business.
Hioki uses a left jab to get inside and dig an underhook on Roop.
He grapples with Roop along the fence, trying to trip the American
but finding no success. Hioki throws a couple weak knees to Roop’s
thighs, then lands a little stronger to the body. Hioki has underhooks
and Roop uses both hands to push the Shooto champ’s face.
Hioki sees the opportunity to turn the corner and take Roop’s
back standing. Roop twists around to escape danger, then gets
hurled to the canvas by Hioki with a big slam. Hioki lands in
side control and tries to spin to the other side, and Roop regains
full guard. Hioki catches a stiff elbow from the bottom and backs
away from Roop, who scrambles to his feet. Roop is warned for
grabbing Hioki’s shorts in the clinch. He chases Hioki down
and lands a few punches in close quarters before the first frame
ends.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Roop
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Roop
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Roop zaps Hioki with a one-two and has a head kick blocked, then
chases his man down and rips a punch to the body. Roop is aggressively
looking for the head kick. He gets too close to Hioki, who wraps
Roop up and trips him to the ground, landing in full mount. Hioki
is riding high and hops off to side control on Roop’s left
side. They’re in the middle of the cage with plenty of space
for Hioki to work as he leans across, framing up a keylock. Hioki
drives a few knees into Roop’s body before taking full mount
again. Butterfly hooks now for Hioki, who stays flat on Roop
and postures up to throw occasional punches. Roop nearly scoots
out, but Hioki puts him back down and threatens with a headlock.
Finally, with seconds left in the round, Roop shoves Hioki off
and drills him in the face with a right upkick. Hioki wheels
back and tries to dodge Roops punches for the few remaining seconds.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hioki
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hioki
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Hioki
Round
3
Roop drives forward almost immediately and brings Hioki down,
but Hioki pops back up. Roop sprawls on a double-leg from Hioki,
who settles for bullying Roop into the fence. The featherweights
pummel for position inside until Roop establishes the dominant
position and scores with a few knees. He stomps Hioki’s
foot, the only offense taking place at the last round’s
midway point. Referee Josh Rosenthal asks them to work and then
breaks them up. Roop, who’s now cut on his cheek, drive
Hioki down and scoots him to the fence. Hioki throws up his legs,
angling for an arm or a triangle. He catches Roop in the face
with a foot and referee Rosenthal warns him to watch the upkicks.
There’s little action in the final 30 seconds, with Roop
throwing sporadic shots on top and trying to break the posture
of Hioki, who ends avoiding damage on the bottom.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-28 Roop)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-28 Roop)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-29 Draw)
Official
result: One judge scores the bout 29-28 in favor of George Roop,
while the remaining two officials see it 29-28 for the winner
by split decision, Hatsu Hioki.
Scott
Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran
Round
1
Curran is mixing it up early, kicking to the legs and the body,
even slipping a right hand through. Jorgensen soon decides to
bring the fight to the floor, however, and does so with ease,
planting Curran on his back in the middle of the cage. Curran
ties up, trying to negate the space, while Jorgensen works to
pass and lands a couple hard, short punches to the face. Jorgensen
is having trouble passing and throwing strikes as Curran keeps
tight and nearly sweeps to the top. Jorgensen backs out and then
goes back to Curran’s open guard, 90 seconds left in the
round. Curran barely gets to his feet before Jorgensen brings
him straight back down. Referee Kim Winslow wants the bantamweights
back up with 40 seconds left. Curran puts a left hand on Jorgensen
and misses with another pair of winging punches. Jorgensen finishes
the round with another takedown.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jorgensen
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jorgensen
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Jorgensen
Round
2
Curran has a head kick blocked and tries to take Jorgensen’s
head off with an overhand right. He shoots a single-leg on Jorgensen,
who sprawls and catches the “Big Frog” in a front headlock.
Jorgensen throws knees at Curran’s body and head until Curran
leans down to put a hand on the mat. Curran pulls his head out
and throws a knee up high which Jorgensen catches and uses to
score another takedown. Curran pops back up and Jorgensen finds
himself trapped in a guillotine, but expertly twists out of it.
Jorgensen ducks a punch from Curran and shoves him away, then
ties up and trips Curran to the floor. Curran has his back to
the fence, keeping Jorgensen stifled with butterfly guard. Jorgensen
turns Curran away from the fence and works some grinding ground-and-pound
from Curran’s active guard. Curran squirts out and Jorgensen
drives forward on a leg. Curran catches and keeps Jorgensen on
his knees for the last 20 seconds.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jorgensen
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Curran
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Jorgensen
Round
3
Curran scores well with jabs and uppercuts in the opening minute
of the last frame, while Jorgensen covers up and counterstrikes,
throwing leg kicks. Nonetheless, it’s Curran who’s
bleeding from the nose 90 seconds into the frame. Curran ties
up with the forward-moving Jorgensen, who keeps moving forward,
landing knees to the body and putting Curran on the fence. Curran
shoves Jorgensen off and they go back to trading tit-for-tat
punches in the last minute. Jorgensen scores with a pair of right
hands; Curran lands an inside leg kick and shoots a long shot.
Jorgensen sprawls and puts Curran on his back, finishing the
fight in side control.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Curran (29-28 Jorgensen)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10 (29-29 Draw)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Curran (29-28 Jorgensen)
Official
result: Two judges score the bout 29-28 while one sees it 30-27,
all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Scott Jorgensen.
Mirko
Filipovic vs. Roy Nelson
Round
1
The heavyweights meet in the center of the cage and shake hands
even before their names are announced. When the bell rings, Filipovic
circles actively away from Nelson, who ducks low and tries to
get inside with overhand punches. After a minute, “Big Country”
finds his opening and puts Cro Cop on his back. The Croatian
closes up his guard and Nelson lays his forearm across Cro Cop’s
throat. Nelson is posturing up, trying to extract his arms from
Filipovic’s clutches to rain punches. Cro Cop creates space
to get up and socks Nelson with a left hand, grazes with a high
kick. Nelson lands his big right hand and Cro Cop backs up, then
comes straight forward with a strong left uppercut. Cro Cop scores
with a left uppercut and continues circling, pecking away as
Nelson gives chase. Nelson connects with another right, eats
a straight left.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Filipovic
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Filipovic
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Round
2
Nelson stuns Cro Cop with another overhand right, but Filipovic
turns the tides immediately and traps Nelson on the fence. The
former Pride star blasts away, thudding a dozen or more punches
to the body and head of Nelson, who comes out on the other side
of the exchange with a bloodied beard. Cro Cop scores with a
high kick and shoves Nelson into the fence. The American reverses
and trips Filipovic down, hopping quickly from half-guard to
side control on Filipovic’s right side. Nelson leans across
Filipovic’s head and arms, possibly looking for a crucifix
or a kimura on the far arm. One minute left and Cro Cop is defending
ably from the bottom, circling and staying out of trouble with
Nelson on top. With 40 seconds left, Nelson gets his crucifix
and lands 15 or 20 short left hands to the unprotected face of
Cro Cop, who survives to see round three.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Round
3
As he has most of the fight, Nelson continues to walk Cro Cop
down in the final frame. Cro Cop is backing up but not counterpunching
now. A straight right hand sends Cro Cop staggering backward
and another pair of punches has him driving forward, slipping
on the canvas and landing on his face. Nelson pounces and lands
heavy punches from back mount until referee Steve Mazzagatti
intervenes. The official time of the TKO stoppage is 1:30 of
round three.
Cheick
Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Round
1
Mitrione takes center cage in the southpaw stance, hands by his
waist, while the orthodox Kongo flicks his jab to keep “Meathead”
at bay. Mitrione is feinting and twitching, making faces and
trying to psych the Frenchman out, but still hasn’t thrown
anything. Scattered boos can be heard in the Las Vegas crowd
as the round enters its third minute of inactivity. Mitrione
finally comes inside and the pair clinch on the cage, Kongo in
the dominant position with underhooks. Mitrione just grins and
tries to escape as Kongo throws short knees inside and referee
Herb Dean asks for more work. Dean breaks them up with just under
two minutes to go and Kongo misses with a pair of right hands.
Mitrione whiffs as he chases Kongo down with a punching combo.
Mitrione backs Kongo into the fence, then steps away, giving
Kongo room to come forward. Kongo is quickly on his backward
trajectory again, trying to counter Mitrione. The strategy isn’t
working, though, as neither man is throwing. Kongo gets tripped
up, but pops back up and punches to the body. A lusty boo emerges
as the round ends.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Mitrione is throwing his hands a bit more in the second, as is
Kongo, who also scores with leg kicks. A combination from Kongo
has Mitrione backing up, but the “Ultimate Fighter”
alum is soon coming forward again. There’s little action
in the middle of the round, save a few outside leg kicks from
Kongo. Mitrione backs Kongo up with a combination and socks him
with a nice right uppercut. Kongo is trying combinations, but
can’t find the space to get through Mitrione’s defense.
The final minute is more of the same, with Mitrione giving chase
to the backpedaling Kongo and connecting with a pair of solid
shots before the horn.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Mitrione
Round
3
Mitrione lights up Kongo with a combination, but the offense
only seems to make Kongo angry. He surges forward and dumps Mitrione
to the ground, then catches him turtling and nearly takes the
back. Mitrione gets to his feet, but Kongo is stuck to his back,
still punching away at Mitrione’s now-bleeding face. Kongo
muscles Mitrione into the cage, working from the front now. The
action slows as Kongo goes for a double-leg, but Kongo gets his
man to the ground before referee Herb Dean can split them up.
Kongo works from half-guard on Mitrione’s right side, with
his left side to the cage. The crowd jeers as the big men rest
at the base of the cage. Kongo gets a little busier, pinning
down the exhausted Mitrione and throwing enough punches to ward
off the nearby referee. Mitrione tries to roll through and Kongo
gets him on his knees again, lobbing right hands to the horn.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Kongo (29-29 Draw)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Kongo (29-28 Mitrione)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Kongo (29-29 Draw)
Official
result: The judges at cageside score the bout 30-27, 30-28 and
29-28, all for the winner by unanimous decision Cheick Kongo.
B.J.
Penn vs. Nick Diaz
Round
1
Diaz has Penn on the fence early and the welterweights throw
punches in tight quarters. Penn sticks Diaz with a left jab and
scores with another bunch of punches in the collar tie. Diaz
lands a few in a reply, but Penn’s strikes are coming hard,
fast and accurate in the first 90 seconds. Penn shoots low and
Diaz tries to take top position, but Penn gets Diaz’s back
in the scramble. The Hawaiian is unable to sink both hooks in
and loses the position, moving to side control and then half-guard
on Diaz’s right side. Penn sneaks punches in as he tries
to extract his leg, then stands up and allows Diaz to his feet.
Penn grabs a headlock on the way and the doubled-over Diaz pushes
him into the cage. Diaz straightens up and leans his weight on
“The Prodigy” slamming a few right hands into Penn’s
ribs. Penn breaks out and puts a combination on the face of Diaz,
which is already starting to show signs of damage. Diaz stands
stock-still, inviting Penn to punch; Penn obliges, but takes
a few shots in return before the horn.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Penn
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round
2
Diaz is jawing and smacking Penn with long left hands. Penn seems
to take exception to this and connects with a quick combo before
being pressed into the fence. Diaz lobs right hands to the body,
lefts to the face, while Penn tries to circle out with uppercuts.
Referee Josh Rosenthal warns Diaz against grabbing the fence.
The pair disengages and Diaz goes back to punching long and standing
still. Penn shoots inside and has a takedown attempt foiled,
takes a few knees for his trouble. Diaz puts a flurry of hooks
on Penn and starts walking down the former two-division UFC champ.
The volume is being turned up by Diaz, who has Penn backed into
the fence and opens up with combination boxing to the head and
ribs. The Stockton, Calif., native goes low for a shot, decides
against it and keeps punching Penn on the fence. A left hook
staggers Penn and he circles to the right. Diaz is relentless,
walking after Penn with his hands at his side and tagging Penn
whenever he gets in range. Penn is being lit up, barely staying
standing as Diaz lands dozens of punches to the body and face.
Penn is bleeding from his nose and has a nasty mouse beneath
his left eye as he heads back to his corner.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Diaz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Diaz
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Diaz
Round
3
Penn and Diaz are standing only inches away and get to business
as soon as referee Josh Rosenthal starts the round. Diaz is back
to work with volume punches and gets Penn right back where he
had him. Penn has his back to the fence and is slipping some
of Diaz’s punches now, but still absorbing the majority.
Penn moves off the fence and throws some punches of his own,
further bloodying the face of Diaz. The former Strikeforce champion
is still keeping very busy, though his punches aren’t as
precise at this late point. Penn’s left eye looks almost
totally swollen shut as Diaz leans him into a cage post. Penn
tags Diaz with a left hook, a right straight. Diaz has a kick
to the body partially blocked and gets Penn clinched into the
cage again. Diaz sticks Penn with a long left and Penn answers
with a nice right. Another straight left from Diaz has Penn backing
up. Down the stretch, Diaz gets in close and finishes with rib-roasters
to Penn’s body. Diaz raises his hands in victory at the
horn while Penn returns to his corner.
Chris
Nelson scores the round 10-9 Diaz (29-28 Diaz)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Diaz (29-27 Diaz)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Diaz (29-28 Diaz)
Official
result: Two judges score the bout 29-28, while the third has
it 29-27, all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Nick
Diaz.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Silva
vs. Sonnen II Possible for Super Bowl Weekend
by Ken
Pishna
There
is nothing veiled, thinly or otherwise, about Chael Sonnen’s
attempts to goad UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva into
a rematch.
Immediately
following his dismantling of Brian Stann at UFC 136 earlier this
month, Sonnen has been laser-focused on pushing each and every
button to get Silva fired up for a second fight.
The
two first met at UFC 117 in August 2010, where Silva pulled out
a last-minute submission victory after Sonnen bullied him around
for the better part of four-and-a-half rounds.
Sonnen
quickly fell off the radar due to a drug-test-related suspension
following the fight, further complications in regaining his license
once his suspension was up, and non-related legal troubles due
to Federal money laundering charges.
He
returned with a vengeance against Stann and has been relentless
in his pursuit of Silva.
“As
far as I’m concerned, that belt is worth nothing more than
a piece of tin when it’s around (Silva’s) waist,”
said Sonnen.
It’s
comments like this, and numerous other examples, that have UFC
president Dana White on the verge of making a rematch between
the two a reality.
“I
am meeting with (Anderson’s camp on Saturday),” White
told reporters at Thursday’s UFC 137 pre-fight press conference.
“You know Chael’s position. And I think Anderson’s
position is really the same as Chael’s. Anderson’s
really pissed off about the stuff that Chael has said.”
After
defeating Stann, Sonnen declared, “In some parallel universe,
you can hit a man 300 times and he wraps his legs around your
head for eight seconds and they call him the winner. On the s
treets
of Westland, Ore., that is not the rules. I am the middleweight
champion.”
With
that, Sonnen lobbied for a Super Bowl weekend showdown with Silva.
The
fight hasn’t been inked just yet, and Silva’s manager,
Ed Soares, has been vocal in his belief that Sonnen isn’t
deserving of a rematch.
“Take
a number and get to the back of the line,” Soares told HDNet’s
Inside MMA. “You had your opportunity.”
When
asked if it was likely the fight could get put together for Super
Bowl weekend, White responded, “I think it would make sense,
yeah.”
White
sounds as if the fight is more than likely to happen, but will
surely have more to say on the matter after Saturday’s meeting
with Silva’s camp. A recent question on our MMAWeekly.com
Facebook page was overwhelming in backing that the majority of
you want to see Silva vs. Sonnen II.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Olympic
Disappointment Turns to MMA Gold
By Sam
Genovese
The
2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing served as a crossroads for Bellator
Fighting Championships welterweight titleholder Ben Askren.
He
had trained his entire life for a shot at Olympic glory, and,
after more than 20 years of wrestling, the Games represented
the pinnacle of competition for the former University of Missouri
standout. However, Askren fell short of his ultimate goal, as
he failed to medal in China. Afterwards, he was faced with a
decision: continue to pursue Olympic gold or try his hand at
mixed martial arts.
“That
day, I went to have pizza with my wife in Beijing. It wasn’t
good pizza,” Askren says. “I said, ‘When we get
back, I want to go on vacation, and if there is a time to try
mixed martial arts, now is the time. If I get a year into it
and I don’t like it, I still have three years to prepare
for the next Olympics.’”
Askren
jumped headfirst into MMA but not without certain doubts. The
Olympic experience still wears on him, and, from time to time,
he pauses to consider the glory that slipped through his fingers.
“The
Olympic experience for me was terrible. I’m a very goal-oriented
person,” Askren says. “Maybe 20 years from now I’ll
look at it differently, but it’s been three years and I
don’t like to think about it. I was trying to win a gold
medal -- at the very least silver or bronze -- and I didn’t
do any of those things. Every once in a while, I have second
thoughts. I know I didn’t give myself the best chance possible
to win an Olympic medal. I know I could have been much more prepared
with a different time structure.
“Sometimes,
not always, I think I gotta put my nose to the grindstone and
train [for the Olympics], but there is no money in it,”
he adds. “If I do decide to do that, I can’t finance
it. The only way I could do it is to make enough money fighting.
I just don’t know that that option is there for me.”
Considering
his base skill, the decision to take up MMA seemed natural. As
a two-time NCAA champion, Askren was one of the more dominant
college wrestlers of his generation. However, when taking into
account his personality, the 27-year-old’s career choice
becomes quite interesting.
“I’m
a peaceful person outside of competition. I had never really
punched anyone [prior to training]. Michael Chandler, actually,
my [Missouri] teammate, is the only person I had punched,”
he says. “We were at practice, and I told him not to do
something because it was a serious issue. My neck was injured
at the time. He did it, so I punched him. That was the only time
I had punched someone. I had never been in a fight.”
Hieron
is a formidable challenge.
His
nickname, “Funky,” was born from his wrestling style.
As a collegiate wrestler, Askren was not known as an overwhelming
takedown artist. Rather, he dominated in scrambling situations,
usually coming out on top. Then, once he attained a desired position,
his control was impeccable. Those same attributes have served
Askren particularly well in his MMA transition.
“I
go for takedowns a lot. My style and flow is based in scrambles.
A lot of people use basic wrestling, but they try one shot and,
if they don’t get it, they’ll give up,” he says.
“For me, I’ll shoot and if you stop me, you didn’t
really stop me, you just stopped me for a second. I’m gonna
do something else and then I’ll get you down.
“I
haven’t been stopped a lot in takedowns, but I’m not
going to quit easily,” Askren adds. “If I can’t
take you down once, maybe I can take you down the second time.
If I can’t take you down the second time, maybe I can take
you down the third time. Eventually, you’re going to get
sick of me and fall over.”
Commonly
criticized as a “lay-and-pray” fighter, Askren dismisses
such notions and reminds his detractors that the goal of MMA
is to win. Even so, he acknowledges his own limitations in finishing
opponents. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Askren also realizes
wrestlers have certain advantages while training in the discipline.
“If
you calculate the time I’ve spent in closed guard to the
time I’ve spent outside someone’s guard, you’ll
clearly see I’m not a lay-and-pray fighter. By definition,
it is someone who lays in someone’s guard and prays for
a decision,” he says. “In all honesty, I am trying
to work better at finishing fights. Wrestling is not a finishing
art. Boxing, kickboxing and muay Thai are finishing arts. Wrestling
doesn’t have that.
“I’m
only two years into jiu-jitsu, but I’m not a brown belt
because I have great submissions,” Askren adds. “I
can sweep anyone in the world, and I have great top control.
The longer mixed martial arts goes on, the harder it is going
to be to finish [someone]. In 1997, no one knew what jiu-jitsu
was. Now, if you fight a guy who doesn’t know jiu-jitsu,
he is only going to fight in a major promotion for maybe two
fights before he’s gone.”
Askren
joined former world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus’ camp
in Milwaukee, looking to one of the most respected striking trainers
in MMA to improve other aspects of his game. Most of Askren’s
fights have taken place on the ground because of his prodigious
wrestling ability, but striking remains an integral part of the
sport. He does not want to be remembered as a one-dimensional
fighter.
“My
hands are obviously coming along slower than the rest of my game,”
Askren says. “Jiu-jitsu was natural to me. It felt right.
I understand choking people. I understand position and leverage.
That’s one of the reasons I went to Milwaukee to be with
Duke. He is one of the premier striking coaches in mixed martial
arts. I think it’s going to help me out tremendously.”
“What
all these keyboard warriors don’t see is I train with lots
of talented people and see what the best in the world look like.
I’m not there yet, but I’m not that far off.”
--
Ben Askren, Bellator champion
Askren
will defend his title against Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 this
Saturday at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. A former Div.
I wrestler, Hieron represents a significant challenge for Askren,
though he believes it to be one he can handle. Hieron has won
10 fights in a row.
“I
think Jay’s style is fairly simple. He has a wrestling background,
and he has fairly good hands,” Askren says. “His jiu-jitsu
is not great from the top and probably even worse from the bottom.
His wrestling won’t be nearly the same level as mine, so
I will be able to take him down and I’ll be able to control
him and dominate him on the ground. I’m still working on
my standup, but I don’t imagine the fight will end up there.
On top of that, he showed in the Rick Hawn fight [at Bellator
43 that] he lacks cardio. He got more tired as the fight went
on, and that was a three-round fight.”
In
defending his belt and continuing on his current path, Askren
hopes to prove the doubters wrong. He wants to achieve the glory
in mixed martial arts that he failed to achieve at the 2008 Olympics.
“My
goal for mixed martial arts is to be the best in the world. I
think it’s been two and a half years since my first fight,
and it’s still my goal,” he says. “What all these
keyboard warriors don’t see is I train with lots of talented
people and see what the best in the world look like. I’m
not there yet, but I’m not that far off.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
Bjorn
Rebney: Viacom buying Bellator is a major statement about MMA’s
future
By Zach
Arnold
USA
Today broke the story earlier in the week about Viacom (Spike)
buying out Bellator and the promotion making its Spike debut
in 2013. Hours after that announcement, Bjorn Rebney talked with
Mauro Ranallo about how the deal came about and what it means
for the landscape of the sport.
“It
speaks volume to the strength of what I believe is the greatest
sport on the face of the Earth. And, you know, we’re going
to be transitioning to Spike in 2013. In the interim, we’ll
be building out the brand and increasing and improving every
element of what we do on MTV2 and EPIX & Spike.com. It just
gives us an incredible opportunity to work with really smart
people who understand our sport backward and forward to build
this out and to continue to build traction around our tournament
format, our objectivity and some of the greatest fighters on
the face of the Earth. So, it gives us every tool to build this
out for many, many, many years to come.”
One
of the initial critiques of this news breaking is that it will
Dana White & UFC time to conjure up a Vince McMahon-style
hardball strategy to destroy the competition. Zuffa is ruthlessly
aggressive and celebrates the fact that they are as efficient
as we see them to be in the business. Mr. Rebney believes that
the year off of Spike will give the promotion the proper time
to make the right changes to be ready for the bigger television
stage.
“From
a planning perspective, planning in television happens six, nine
months in advance. So, with this getting finalized and with us
announcing it now, all the planning starts now for what we launch
in 2013 or conceptually sooner. But at the very latest in 2013…
and all the bricks being laid right now in terms of everything
we’ll do and where we’ll be and how it will be promoted
and all the shoulder programming and all the Best Ofs and all
the highlights and conceivable other programming vehicles. So,
it’s all in place and it’s all getting constructed
and built out right now. But it’s exciting. It’s very
exciting.”
Dave
Meltzer has an old adage about Vince McMahon which is that you
may not consider him your enemy or your competition but he considers
you to be his enemy and you can either be prepared to defend
your turf or else get vanquished. Mr. Rebney gave the smart and
appropriate here in response to this scenario, even if it’s
not totally a realistic one.
“I
think the strongest place to kind of focus every piece of your
energy and every piece of your team’s energy is doing what
you can do with your brand in building out the fighters, finding
the best talent, creating the best feature pieces and stories
behind those fighters, improving every element of production
for the TV audience, improving every element for the live in-house
audience. I respect what the UFC does, I respect what they’ve
accomplished. I’ve watched a lot of their shows and if you’re
an MMA fan, and this is what’s always shocked me, and if
you’re not a fan of the UFC then you’re not an MMA
fan. The reality is that regardless of whether you started watching
when Royce (Gracie) was fighting in a gi or whether you’ve
been watching of late, they’ve got some great fighters and
some great talent. We do things differently. We have an objective
format. We have what I refer to as a true, real-sport format
much like basketball & baseball & hockey & soccer
& golf. Athletes complete and the best of the best makes
it to the championship and if you win that fight, you’re
crowned champion. They have a different format, neither of which
are right or wrong, it’s just we’ve chosen one and
they’ve chosen another. So, it is what it is. There’s
two players in the (MMA) space. They do great shows, they got
a great alliance with a great media conglomerate and we’ve
got a great alliance with the people who kind of created this
position in the sports entertainment arena. It will be what it
will be relative to competition and the like.”
Dana
White has gone on record about ‘awful MMA contracts’
in regards to boxing-style deals where there are ‘options.’
This is something people railed against when Roy Nelson had his
squabbles with Roy Jones Jr. Will Bellator have some ‘poison
pill’ clauses in their contracts to make it harder for UFC
to raid their fighters? The company better be prepared for UFC
to declare war on them and be ready for UFC to getting into some
bidding wars.
“We’ve
been kind of hyperfocused on developing our own talent. I mean,
developing the Ben Askrens and the Joe Warrens and the Eddie
Alvarezs and the Hector Lombards and the Pitbull Brothers and
all these different fighters who have been kind of homegrown
Bellator talent. So, I don’t know, I don’t know. I
mean, the space has gotten much smaller. There’re very few
of us in the (MMA) space at this point. There’s UFC and
there’s Bellator, so I don’t know if that will mean
that bidding wars will occur but, you know, we’re hyperfocused
on recruiting the best talent out there from every conceivable
corner of the globe. So, you know, we’ll see. We’ll
see how it works. I think we’re going to continue our format
of really trying to build out stars from within, develop them
under the Bellator banner, and let them blossom and become stars.”
The
one concept that Bjorn Rebney has been willing to fight tooth-and-nail
to defend is the tournament concept. He truly believes that the
tournament format is the best & fastest way to create new
stars. I think there’s some doubt as to how long Spike TV
will tolerate a tournament format as opposed to more subjective
matchmaking focusing on stars rather than being a feeder system.
Mr. Rebney says that you should expect to see the tournament
format on all Bellator programming.
“It’s
what we will see throughout the entirety of 2012 and it’s
what will continue in 2013 on Spike. It just will have the enormous
benefit on Spike of being able to complement it with highlight
shows and Best Of’s and behind-the-scenes and unique takes
on the athletes, real features, real focus put on the fighters
who step in to the cage that make everything that I’ve been
able to do possible and everything that Bellator’s been
able to do possible. A big focus on them and their stories, who
they are, where they’re from, and why they compete. And
some other programming that will complement it as well. So, we’re
going to have a real opportunity with Spike to expand the breadth
of the Bellator brand and that’s what they did so brilliantly
with the UFC and we’re very, very fortunate and blessed
to have the opportunity to work with the people that were there
from the beginning in ‘05 when very few really understood
what the sport was or what it was about. So, you know, that’s
where we’ll find ourselves and that process begins today.
I mean, we’re working on it literally as we speak.”
One
of the difficult business issues Bellator has faced is being
on MTV2, an audience mostly made of pre-teens and teenagers,
who are sporadic in their viewer patterns of Saturday nights.
One week, you have 130,000 viewers. The next week, it’s
275,000. There’s never any consistency. Saturday nights
provide a lot of obstacles for Bellator in terms of television
competition. So, will the network ditch Saturday nights once
they head to Spike?
“I’m
hardcore when it comes to objectivity,” exclaimed Mr. Rebney
to Mr. Ranallo. “So, what I’m going to do is I’m
going to review the numbers, I’m going to look at what household
numbers look like. I’m going to look when people are around,
I’m going to look at what the competition is vis-à-vis
basketball, baseball, football, UFC, etc. We’re a year-round
operation, we don’t have a season per se like football does
in the Fall, etc. So, I’m going to look at all the numbers
and then that’s going to ultimately, sitting down with our
partners at Spike and at MTV networks, determine what night we’re
on. I want to be on the night where we’ve got the opportunity
to reach the largest number of fans and have the opportunity
for them to see Bellator and some of the really exciting content,
the really exciting events, and incredible Bellator moments that
we’re putting on week after week after week. So, I don’t
know. There are advantages to Saturday nights relative to audiences.
… A lot of fans coming out to the fans but there are disadvantages
to Saturday nights, obviously, as well because you’re going
head-to-head with PPVs the UFC is doing. So, we’re going
to weigh and balance. I don’t really have a favorite night
because we haven’t sat down and looked at all the numbers
but we will and then we’ll make a determination and those
numbers will bare it out.”
As
for what kind of programming Bellator will produce on Spike,
it will not be 52 consecutive weeks of fighting. In other words,
not a prototype of ESPN2’s Friday Nights.
“(We’ll
have) two full seasons plus a Summer series and then it will
be complement with the Best Of’s and the highlight shows
and the behind-the-scenes and the features and conceivably even
some form of reality programming that comes behind the brand.
Doing a live event literally every week for 12 weeks is a very
tough road to hoe and we’ll do it and we’re going to
continue to do it and follow the format that we’ve followed.
But there will be alterations and changes to that. We’re
going to look to try to add more tournaments to each season so
that we can get more title defenses in for our champions more
frequently. We’re going to continue to adjust and tweak.
And you just got keep tweaking it, you got to keep turning the
dial a little bit here and a little bit there and making those
adjustments to be able to create the best programming and the
best events you possibly can.”
The
news of Viacom owning Bellator brings up a lot of memories of
when Turner owned WCW. It created quite a firestorm and led to
some remarkable history being made. If Bellator is WCW and UFC
is WWE, we could definitely see some big surprises developing
over the coming years. Whether or not ‘corporate’ MMA
is good or bad for the sport… time will tell. There’s
no question, however, that Mr. Rebney found the appropriate golden
parachute for Bellator by selling to Viacom. Without Viacom buying
a stake in the company, it’s hard to see how long the company
would have continued to survive. Now? Game on.
“(Viacom)
purchased a majority stake in the company, over a 50% stake on
the company and I am with the company as its chairman and as
its CEO and I’ll be making the decisions at the company.
But, you know, the wonderful part of this equation is that when
I’m making those decisions, you know I always used to sit
back years ago when I was conceptualizing this and putting the
business plan together and I used to dream about a day where
I would not be the smartest guy in the room. I used to dream
about a day when I would be able to turn to people who knew far
more about elements of this business than I did and say, ‘What
do you think? What should we do with this? How would you construct
this? What would you change with this?’ And now, you know,
I’m a great spot. I’m in that position. I can turn
to people who’ve really written the book ijn this space
in many, many areas and say, ‘What do you think? Let’s
chalkboard this thing. Let’s construct what we want to do.
Let’s figure out what the best move is.’ And that’s
just an ideal, ideal position for somebody like me to bei n because
you’ve got access to people who just know it backward and
forward.”
Look
at how fast the landscape of the sport has changed in a year.
Ari Emanuel brokers a huge 7-year, $700 million USD deal between
Fox and UFC. Viacom, looking to replace UFC content on Spike
TV, ends up buying a majority stake in Bellator. Whether or not
you think Bellator can succeed on Spike TV, the truth is that
Viacom is making a hell of a statement in regards to where they
see MMA programming as an effective cable property play.
Just
ask the man who cashed out big this week.
“It’s
an endorsement by one of the largest, most powerful, most innovative
entertainment companies on the face of the Earth. They reach
600 million people with their entertainment content. They are
available in virtually every country on the face of the Earth.
These guys… this team of people at Viacom are as smart as
there is in the entertainment business and they have made a real
investment in the future of Mixed Martial Arts. It happens to
be Bellator and that’s great for me and for the people who
work at Bellator and the fighters who fight here. But it’s
a bigger statement. It’s a statement that a huge media giant
that’s very powerful and has every conceivable piece of
information at their disposal says that Mixed Martial Arts is
here to stay, it’s going to grow exponentially, and we are
behind it to make it grow exponentially and that’s a very,
very loud statement for our sport. It’s a very loud statement
for our sport. I’m thrilled that it’s our brand that
they’ve committed to but it’s a big statement for the
sport of Mixed Martial Arts. it’s a good day for MMA and
at the same time a good day for Bellator.”
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
All
UFC on FOX Fights Before Title Bout Will Air on Facebook, FOX.com
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS
VEGAS -- One fight on the UFC's debut outing on network television
is likely to be the most watched fight in North American TV history.
The others going on that same night though won't even find their
way on to television.
UFC
president Dana White on Thursday said that every fight under
the main event heavyweight title match will air on Facebook and
FOX.com.
That
means that even the possible No. 1 contenders fight pitting Ben
Henderson and Clay Guida won't find its way on to TV. White said
that the promotion considered putting the fights on ION, but
ultimately decided against it.
"The
way that we looked at this thing as we sat down and figured it
out, it just made sense to do this fight on FOX and put the prelims
on the internet," he said.
The
UFC's deal with FOX doesn't officially kick in until January
2012, but the November 12 event will function as an introduction
to the UFC, as a big audience is expected to tune in and watch
heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez attempt to defend his crown
against Junior dos Santos. The one-hour special begins at 9 pm
ET.
Meanwhile,
because the UFC's current deal with Spike has yet to expire,
they can not air fights on a competing cable network. That left
few options, and while ION was considered, the UFC ultimately
has chosen to put all its efforts behind the major main event.
In related news, FOX will air a "UFC Primetime" on
Velasquez and dos Santos this Sunday following their scheduled
broadcast of NFL football.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Like
Teammate Frankie Edgar, Rolles Gracie Wants His Boxing to Match
His Jiu-Jitsu
by Damon
Martin
Do
you remember Frankie Edgar when he first debuted in the UFC back
in 2007?
The
former Clarion University wrestler was known primarily as a grappler
whose slickest offense was a quick double leg takedown.
In
2011 fresh off his knockout victory over Gray Maynard, UFC President
Dana White proclaimed that Edgar had become the best boxer in
all of mixed martial arts. It’s a pretty dramatic shift
in just four years, but hard work, dedication and the addition
of coach Mark Henry goes a long way.
Henry’s
work with Edgar continues to show through in each fight, and
it’s for that very reason that former UFC heavyweight Rolles
Gracie recently added the coaching guru to his stable of teachers.
Gracie
is in Canada currently on the eve of his next fight where he
competes in Wreck MMA against Lee Mein, and while the Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu black belt will always been a grappling purist at heart,
he’s adding some new weapons to his arsenal as his development
continues.
“I’ve
been studying all the aspects of MMA, like boxing and Muay Thai,
and every time I do a Muay Thai session it just makes me want
to do it even more,” Gracie told MMAWeekly.com.
“I’ve
been getting really good coaching like my boxing coach Mark Henry,
he’s the same coach that works with Frankie Edgar and my
brother. My stand up game is really flowing right now. Every
time I feel way more comfortable. Right now, I can have a stand
up fight for three rounds if necessary.”
It’s
a big shift for Gracie, who just a few years ago was a Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who dabbled in MMA. Now he’s looking
to make a real impact in the sport and the only way to do that
successfully is to be just as dangerous on his feet as he is
on the ground.
Gracie
believes Mark Henry is the man to guide him there.
“I’m
really fortunate to work with a guy like Mark Henry. He’s
probably going to say he won’t admit it, but I think he’s
a genius,” said Gracie. “So he’s bringing my boxing
to the next level. It’s just a matter of time before I start
knocking people out.”
Potential
is a funny thing in MMA because a lot of fighters have it, and
a great many of them squander it or never live up to the praise
they receive. Rolles Gracie wants to show the world that he’s
far away from his full potential, but he works hard everyday
to get there.
“I
always feel like I’m going to have room to grow. If I said
that I reached my potential, I’ll only be going downhill
from there. Everybody always has room to improve,” Gracie
stated.
Now
just because Gracie has started to learn how to box and fully
admits he loves his training sessions with coach Mark Henry,
he knows his biggest strength is getting in the clinch and taking
someone to the ground with him.
But
having that other weapon tucked away in his back pocket is the
kind of back-up any fighter wishes they could have.
“I
want to get my boxing so good that people want to go to the ground
with me,” said Gracie.
If
Frankie Edgar’s evolution is any indicator, Rolles Gracie
could be well on his way to accomplishing that very goal.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Brazil
Will Get First International Edition of The Ultimate Fighter,
Likely to Air on FUEL
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS
VEGAS -- The UFC has finally, officially signed a deal to produce
its first international edition of The Ultimate Fighter.
And
despite UFC president Dana White's past statements that it would
probably take place in either Canada or The Philippines, it will
instead take place in Brazil.
"It's
a done deal," White said on Thursday afternoon.
White
said the UFC had signed a deal to produce and air the series
in Brazil, though he did not yet know exactly where it would
take place. But the series is also likely to air in the U.S.
Under the promotion's new FOX deal, White said there are ongoing
discussions, and that the show is likely to air on FUEL.
"Let
me tell you what, if you're a UFC fan, you want FUEL," he
said. "FUEL's going to be loaded with all kinds of UFC programming
including live fights, and live fights from other countries."
The
UFC just recently visited Brazil for the first time during the
Zuffa era, in a massively successful show. Given MMA's roots
in the country, the market has grown quickly and become a hot
target for the UFC, which is seriously exploring a return within
the next few months. The TUF deal shows how serious they are
about continuing to grow the sport in Brazil.
But
if you're in The Philippines or Canada, have no fear. TUF is
likely coming to those markets and others, in due time.
"We're
doing all those, too," he said. "This one just happened
really fast."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Jose
Aldo meets actor that will play the UFC champ in the movies
Text by
Marcelo Barone
In
this Thursday’s morning a meeting took place by the featherweight
champion of UFC, Jose Aldo, and the actor Malvino Salvador, who’ll
take his place on the movie “Vale Tudo, Uma história
de luta (MMA, a fighting story – temporary title). Predicted
to be launched on the second semester of 2012, the film, which
tells the life story of the fighter, is still being written,
and the cast and locations are being chosen too.
With
great humor, the meeting, arranged to happen at the refinery
of Manguinhos, and names like Viviane Oliveira, Aldo’s wife,
the coach Andre Pederneiras and the movie director, Afonso Poyart
also attended the event.
“He’s
my twin brother. He’s just like me, but I’m more handsome”,
joked Aldo as he took a first look at the leading man, who was
his favorite to play him in the movie.
Martial
art fan and current Boxing practitioner, Malvino knows about
the subject. And he’s excited for the new challenge.
“There’re
two motivations for this movie. Aldo born in the same city I
did, so we’re in the same tune. Second, he left Manaus to
another state, went through many things like I did, built a career
and today is one of the best fighters in the world”.
Married
to the featherweight for six years, Viviane Oliveira elected
Fernanda Paes Leme as her the one to interpret her on the big
screen.
“She
lived a life like mine, because she dates a fighter, Gregor (Gracie).
I guess she’d see herself in me”.
Without
telling the names of the other members of the cast, the director
Afonso Poyart told he has chosen to tell Jose Aldo’s history
on a movie after analyzing the trajectory of many Brazilian fighters.
“His
story has all components for a good film, a fiction filled with
the elements we need, like romance, fights… It’s an
adventure”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Bellator
56: What to Watch For
By Brian
Knapp
Jay Hieron signed on the dotted line with Bellator Fighting Championships
with one goal in mind: the welterweight crown. The 35-year-old
Freeport, N.Y., native now finds himself one step away from achieving
it.
Nearly
six months after completing his march through Bellator’s
Season 4 welterweight tournament, Hieron will challenge the unbeaten
Ben Askren for his welterweight championship at Bellator 56 on
Saturday in Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. Hieron (22-4,
3-0 BFC) will carry a career-best 10-fight winning streak into
the five-round matchup, having ousted Anthony Lapsley, Brent
Weedman and 2004 Olympian Rick Hawn en route to Askren.
With
Hieron in his middle 30s, the fight may represent his last legitimate
chance at capturing a major MMA title. Anchored at Xtreme Couture
Mixed Martial Arts in Las Vegas, he once held gold inside the
International Fight League and has competed inside the UFC, Affliction
and Strikeforce promotions. Wins over the world-ranked Jake Ellenberger,
former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Delson Heleno, 2009
Dream welterweight grand prix finalist Jason High and “The
Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 alum Jesse Taylor bolster the
Hieron resume. He won a junior college national wrestling championship
at Nassau Community College.
Few
mixed martial artists can match Askren’s wrestling pedigree.
A four-time NCAA All-American and two-time national champion
at the University of Missouri, he competed at the 2008 Summer
Olympics in Beijing. Askren holds the rank of brown belt in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu and has won each of his first eight professional bouts,
the last four by decision. A victory over the seasoned, respected
and well-rounded Hieron could usher in Askren’s time as
a perennial Top 10 welterweight.
Rich
with talent and deepened by tournament drama, here is what to
watch for at Bellator 56:
Notable
Absence
An
unspecified injury to the oft-injured Blagoi Ivanov robbed the
Season 5 heavyweight tournament of perhaps its most promising
entrant. Ivanov made a global splash in 2008, when he captured
gold at the Sambo World Championships and, in the process, ousted
MMA icon Fedor Emelianenko. He was immediately labeled as a can’t-miss
prospect. Three years later, the 25-year-old Bulgarian remains
undefeated in six professional outings, but his MMA appearances
have proven sporadic at best. In fact, he has yet to compete
more than twice in a calendar year. Ivanov advanced to the Season
5 semifinals after he choked Zak Jensen unconscious with a second-round
guillotine at Bellator 52. His withdrawal opens the door for
UFC veteran Neil Grove.
Late
Bloomers
Eric
Prindle, 35, and Ron Sparks, 36, personify the late bloomer.
Perfect in eight professional appearances, Sparks has ripped
through three Bellator foes -- Gregory Maynard, Vince Lucero
and Mark Holata -- in less than five combined minutes. The 6-foot-5,
255-pound Louisville, Ky., native left Holata in ruin on the
end of a beautiful series of power punches and follow-up hammerfists
in just 84 seconds at Bellator 52, securing his seat in the Season
5 heavyweight tournament semifinals. Prindle’s route to
the Final Four was far more taxing, as he defeated “The
Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 alum Abe Wagner by unanimous
decision on Oct. 1. The massive 6-foot-5, 265-pound Team Death
Clutch representative has rattled off six consecutive wins, four
of them finishes.
Big
Monster, Bigger Opportunity
When
Mike Hayes had to bow out of the heavyweight tournament due to
a fractured orbital bone, Bellator officials picked up the phone
and dialed Thiago Santos. Nicknamed “Big Monster,”
the once-beaten 24-year-old will carry a three-fight winning
streak into his semifinal showdown with UFC veteran Grove. Santos
made his promotional debut at Bellator 53 three weeks ago, as
he submitted Josh Burns with a first-round rear-naked choke at
the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. A jiu-jitsu practitioner
by trade, Santos cut his teeth brawling in Rio de Janeiro’s
underground Rio Heroes league, winning the vale tudo promotion’s
one-night heavyweight tournament in 2007 with a trio of finishes.
A
Man Named Spoon
Prospects
have been a staple of the Bellator promotion since its inception.
In that spirit enters King of the Cage champion Jeremy Spoon.
The 26-year-old Oklahoman will put his unblemished 11-0 record
on the line in his second appearance under the Bellator banner,
as he collides with Adam Schindler in a preliminary featherweight
duel. Spoon has secured eight of his 11 career victories by submission
but may have raised his stock even further with consecutive five-round
decision wins over Ramiro Hernandez and Shooto veteran Donald
Sanchez. Schindler, who has competed in Strikeforce, has posted
six wins in seven outings.
Source
Sherdog
|
UFC
on Fox Prelims including Henderson vs. Guida to Air Online
by Damon
Martin
If
you were curious how you can watch Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida
and the rest of the undercard for the UFC’s debut show on
Fox, we now have the answer.
On
Thursday following the UFC 137 pre-fight press conference, UFC
President Dana White told MMAWeekly.com that the entire preliminary
broadcast will be shown on Facebook.com as well as Fox.com.
The
main event title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos
Santos will air live on Fox starting at 9pm ET/6pm PT.
The
remainder of the card, which currently stands at nine fights,
will air on both Facebook through the UFC’s official page
and on Fox.com.
The
main bout on that undercard features a pivotal lightweight match-up
between former WEC champion Ben Henderson and top contender Clay
Guida.
Exact
times for the broadcast have not been announced as of yet.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
137 Today
Gamblers continue treating Penn/Diaz as 50/50 fight
Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
10/29/11
By Zach Arnold
Hawaii
Air Times:
Preliminaries 2:00–3:00PM Channel 559 SPIKE
UFC 137 3:00PM-6:00PM Channel 701
Dark
matches
Middleweights:
Chris Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont
Middleweights: Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks
Lightweights: Ramsey Nijem vs. Danny Downes
Light Heavyweights: Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Featherweights: Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski
Lightweights: Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Main card
Featherweights:
Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
Bantamweights: Scott Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran
Heavyweights: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson
Heavyweights: Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Welterweights: BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
137 Preview: The Main Card
By Jason
Probst
A
show that has been through a rash of upheavals and main-event
changes, UFC 137 kicks off Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events
Center in Las Vegas with Nick Diaz squaring off against B.J.
Penn in the headliner. Originally slated to challenge welterweight
champion Georges St. Pierre, Diaz’s absence at consecutive
media events to promote the event prompted the UFC to pull the
former Strikeforce titleholder from the bout. It swapped in Carlos
Condit, who was originally set to face Penn, with Diaz taking
on the Hawaiian in his place.
However,
St. Pierre’s knee injury last week scrapped the title bout
against Condit, ironically thrusting Diaz back into the main
event slot from which he had been demoted.
Whatever
happens in the welterweight division, Diaz has a great opportunity
on the big stage in his return to the UFC, where his original
run saw him develop a reputation as a hard-nosed battler forever
at odds with wrestlers who played the points game and refused
to trade with him. Penn does not necessarily figure to do that,
though the former two-division champion certainly could. Mentally,
it is a fascinating matchup, as Penn continues his campaign at
welterweight, facing the kind of fighter with the style to force
him to battle -- an approach that often brings out the best in
him. It is also a bout in which an impressive win by either guy
could ostensibly nudge him higher up in the title shot queue
against St. Pierre.
Elsewhere
on the card, heavyweight Matt Mitrione takes on Cheick Kongo
and Roy Nelson collides with Mirko Filipovic. Here is a closer
look at the UFC 137 main card, with previews and picks.
Welterweights
B.J. Penn (16-7-2, 12-6-2 UFC) vs. Nick Diaz (25-7, 1 NC, 6-4
UFC)
The
Matchup: There are two Penns. The lightweight incarnation --
he made a title run at 155 pounds and made three impressive defenses
prior to being outpointed twice by current champion Frankie Edgar
-- and the welterweight version. At 155, Penn’s combination
of insanely good takedown defense, granite chin and brilliant
boxing made him a terrible assignment for anyone looking to lock
horns. The nimble and well-conditioned Edgar simply outworked
and outpointed him with a strategy Penn did not find necessarily
threatening, hence the two decision defeats.
At
welterweight, however, Penn seems to relish the challenge of
taking on bigger guys, and, as a result, he becomes more aggressive
to prove from the jump that he can take them on. Witness the
opening-moments takedown assault he launched on the much bigger
Jon Fitch in their hard-nosed draw in February or the pair of
impressive wins he scored on Matt Hughes in their trilogy. If
Penn forced the standup and mixed in takedown attempts like that
at lightweight, he would probably still be champion.
That
said, Diaz’s steady work in recent years in Strikeforce
have marked him as one of the best boxers in the sport. The resilient
Californian uses a high-volume style to wear down opponents,
often slipping punches and tossing in combinations that simply
grind away at their resolve; he varies between arm punches and
whopping shots in an effort to demoralize them. Diaz is also
one of the most resilient fighters in the game. When drilled
and hurt, he recovers almost instantly, and few opponents in
Strikeforce tried to take him down out of respect for his excellent
jiu-jitsu. They simply did not want to go there, which was a
change from his rough streak in the UFC, where better wrestlers
simply took him down and secured decisions with takedowns and
by striking him while parked in his guard.
The
wild card is whether or not Penn, one of the few people at welterweight
with a better jiu-jitsu game than Diaz, will try and take it
to the mat. If he does, it is a sign that Penn has moved his
ego aside to implement the best game plan. If he does not and
he simply wants to stand in the pocket and bang, that represents
a moral win for Diaz and a tactical edge, as well. Penn’s
ability to stand in front of opponents and nail them with his
excellent hands could serve him well, but Diaz’s deep gas
tank and constant shots are mentally and physically fatiguing.
Penn may be tempted to slip and rip on his foe, but standing,
Diaz should still get the better of it.
On
the ground is where it gets interesting. Nobody can survive a
Penn jiu-jitsu assault for too long, and he has enough takedown
mojo to put Diaz on the mat. The longer the fight goes, the more
it favors Diaz, especially in an extended standup war; if Penn
does not score a huge early series of shots to cinch the first
round or two, it is not going to get any better for him. Diaz’s
conditioning and ability to force exchanges, along with his great
chin, will simply wear down Penn. If Penn does not get it to
the ground early, he will not win. Diaz is too resilient.
Another
problem is Diaz’s ability to escape bad positions on the
mat. Penn remains the best pure jiu-jitsu guy in the division,
maybe the game, as he expertly improves position and passes guard
with ease. However, Diaz knows every move and can counter wrestle
himself out of disadvantageous spots; he should do so immediately
if Penn looks to make it an extended ground fight.
Motivation
and hunger are key factors in picking fights, and Diaz undoubtedly
has a chip on his shoulder coming into this match. He did not
get his title shot against St. Pierre, and Penn represents a
much bigger opportunity to score a meaningful win for him than
it does for the Hawaiian -- a living legend and has done pretty
much everything a fighter could do.
That
said, Diaz has just enough to land meaningful shots and win exchanges,
all while steering clear of the dangerous Penn if and when it
hits the mat. Ultimately, Diaz wore down opponents in Strikeforce
with a combination of intensity and a willingness to trade shots,
and it should be enough for him to take a close decision in a
war where both guys are drilled and hurt on various occasions.
The best way for Penn to win is to get an early takedown and
wear down the durable Diaz with ground-and-pound and a play-it-safe
strategy. However, Penn is not wired or conditioned to fight
that way for three rounds against Diaz, who remains one of the
most resilient guys in the game.
The
Pick: Diaz by split decision in a classic.
Heavyweights
Cheick Kongo (16-6-2, 9-4-1 UFC) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0, 5-0
UFC)
The
Matchup: Rising product Mitrione has shown impressive progress
in recent outings, showcasing athleticism and smooth striking.
Now 5-0, Mitrione has readily put his career in motion and takes
a key step here against Kongo, who is perfectly emblematic of
a middle-of-the-pack UFC heavyweight.
Kongo
is a solid test for an up-and-comer who relies on somewhat improved
counter-wrestling to keep a fight standing against guys that
do not want to bang with him. In his miraculous win in his last
outing against Pat Barry, Kongo delivered a stunning stoppage
while in the midst of a Grade-A zombie impression. It was the
kind of highlight-reel fireworks that keeps one readily employed
even in the face of two or three losses in a row.
With
that said, this one figures to be a match where both will want
to bang on the feet. Mitrione’s southpaw stance and quick
hands are tools he uses well -- he will shoot out crisp shots
without exerting too much energy, unlike many heavyweights when
they punch. Mitrione’s low leg kicks are also a nice weapon,
as he whops them in there to mix up opponents and keep them guessing.
Kongo’s
kickboxing background and natural punching power are considerable
weapons, which is why opponents tend to want to smother him.
He will be best served by circling and keeping his lead foot
outside of Mitrione’s, which will set up Kongo’s right
cross. Mitrione has shown a good chin thus far and a sense of
calm, whether he is being hit or tied up.
Mitrione’s
improvement has also shown a good sense of the finer points of
dirty boxing and clinch work; while he may have to be careful
of Kongo’s knees in the Thai-style exchanges in close, Mitrione’s
probably the naturally stronger guy -- he will also be 10-15
pounds heavier -- and laying in on Kongo could help set up knees
and elbows in close. From a pure boxing technique perspective,
Mitrione might do well to set up outside and dare Kongo to trade
hands. Matt’s left cross is especially sharp and a nifty
punch; it could also stun Kongo to set up a takedown.
On
the ground, Kongo has decent wrestling and takedown defense,
and Mitrione is still relatively green in this area. However,
if it hits the mat for an extended period of time, the only danger
either man is in with a submission is a basic-rear naked choke
due to being hurt or exhaustion.
The
details are in the matchmaking, and this one was made to see
if Mitrione is ready to swim with the big boys. Technically,
he seems there, but the key question as the level of his competition
rises involves how he will respond when hit by a powerful heavyweight.
The
Pick: What makes it interesting is that Mitrione will probably
have to adjust to a guy that has strong enough standup to force
those on-the-fly tweaks. Expect him to do so. The flip side of
having just five fights of experience is that there is much more
room to improve -- Kongo is essentially a fixed product not evolving
nearly as much -- and that should be enough for Mitrione to score
a blend of punches and the occasional takedown or effective clinch
work to win rounds. He will do a mix of both en route to taking
a clear-cut decision win, with a scary moment or two from Kongo’s
shots keeping it interesting.
Heavyweights
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (27-9-2, 4-5 UFC) vs. Roy
Nelson (15-6, 2-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: The decline of Filipovic is a tough thing to watch if
you were a Pride Fighting Championships fan. Once upon a time,
his standup was the single most intimidating weapon in the game,
headlined by a left kick that carried a monstrous wallop. Coupled
with nimble takedown defense and explosive athleticism, Cro Cop
was Igor Vovchanchyn 2.0: the lethal antidote to wrestlers and
submission artists whose primitive standing skills often left
them unconscious from the muggings he delivered.
Today,
Filipovic finds himself in the midst of a tragic drop-off in
performance. Struggling to compete against opponents he would
have decimated in his prime, he faces the rugged Nelson, whose
combination of big-man takedown mojo, chin and punching power
make him a tough assignment for anyone. Nelson’s not the
technical striker Filipovic once was, but his big overhand right
and ability to wrest foes in the clinch are the keys to his success
in this matchup.
Nelson
is looking to rebound from a disappointing decision loss to Frank
Mir, where he was winded and looked flat in the fight, particularly
with his grappling. At his best, Nelson combines pressure and
overwhelming physical strength, but despite his portly frame,
he is an excellent athlete. Plus, his submission game is outstanding,
as he uses technically sound jiu-jitsu to control opponents on
the ground. Matchup-wise, this is an opportunity for Filipovic
to inject new life into his career; for Nelson, it is a chance
to make a big showing to remind people of why he won Season 10
of “The Ultimate Fighter” and that he belongs in the
next tier of heavyweights.
Mentally,
one has to wonder if Filipovic really wants it anymore. He hesitates
to pull the trigger and is not in there to prove he is the best
heavyweight in the world; it pretty much boils down to a once-great
fighter showing up to collect a paycheck. Nelson should be healthier
and better conditioned than he was in the Mir bout, and the matchup
means he is not likely to be taken to the mat and worn down.
Nelson’s
solid one-two and big right hand should force Filipovic into
exchanges early and be enough to allow him to switch gears for
a takedown. Cro Cop’s hips are still spry and he defends
takedowns well enough, but Nelson is still too big and too solid
a grappler to allow him to escape once they clinch. Nelson will
either score a takedown off a huge right hand or a tie-up, and
once it is on the mat, he will go to work.
The
Pick: In Cro Cop’s UFC losses he has shown a discouraged
look, that of a man that does not want to be in the fight anymore.
Nelson will wear him down with counter shots and ground work
and deliver a ground-and-pound beating that culminates in a second-round
stoppage via punches.
Featherweights
Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. George Roop (12-7-1, 2-3 UFC)
The
Matchup: Fighters from Japan have disappointed more often than
not when coming to the UFC, but Hioki can change that. The tough
veteran has a mix of excellent grappling and intensity that is
tough to match, and with victories over the excellent Marlon
Sandro, Mark Hominick and Jeff Curran, he has shown the ability
to succeed at the elite levels of the division.
Roop’s
one of those tall, lanky lighter-weight fighters that gives everything
he has in the cage, even if the technical execution looks a little
ungainly. Forever at a wrestling deficit due to his long build,
Roop comes to bang and mix it up. Recent wins over Chan Sung
Jung and Josh Grispi were impressive upsets that showcased Roop’s
improving standup, sandwiched around a blowout one-round loss
to Hominick. Roop remains a tad raw on the feet and defensively
deficient, but Hioki is not a big striker and figures to want
to take it to the mat. Style-wise, he has a good opponent in
front of him that figures to be willing to open up enough to
allow tie-ups and high-percentage takedown attempts.
Despite
the tough transition of many Japan-based fighters of late in
the UFC, Hioki is a 3-to-1 favorite at the sportsbooks. The only
way he loses this one is if he gets caught with a perfectly timed
head kick, which represents Roop’s best chance to win. However,
Hioki’s strength and grappling ability should prove too
much. He knows putting it on the ground is his best kind of fight,
and he will plant Roop there in the first round, wearing him
down with steady ground-and-pound and positional improvements.
The
Pick: Roop is tough and will take a pounding, but Hioki will
be too much, battering him prior to landing a fight-finishing
submission in the third.
Bantamweights
Jeff Curran (33-13-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Scott Jorgensen (12-4, 1-0
UFC)
The
Matchup: A hard-boiled veteran with phenomenal durability and
a load of experience, Curran returns to the UFC at 135 pounds.
His last appearance in the organization, a January 2004 decision
loss to Matt Serra, was at lightweight, back when that was the
smallest weight class available.
Jorgenson
is a tough wrestler with fairly good but basic standup and solid
conditioning. He figures to have the takedown edge, and if he
can land his quick right hand, a punch he mixes in nicely with
tie-up and takedown attempts, he can put Curran on his back.
However, Curran’s subtle jiu-jitsu game is excellent, and
he is very experienced and tough to finish; he is equal parts
crafty and tricky and uses those traits to stifle opponents looking
to work from the top.
The
longer this fight spends on the mat, the less exciting it is
likely to be, as they figure to cancel one another out. In the
context of the bantamweight division, however, it is an interesting
bout to move one guy up a couple notches. Jorgenson was unable
to mount much effective offense in a one-sided title challenge
decision loss to Dominick Cruz, but he remains a tough bantamweight
with the basic tools -- wrestling and a great gas tank -- to
pose problems for anyone. Curran’s a relatively proven veteran
and an upset would be an inspiring story, as “The Big Frog”
has hardcore fans who have watched him ply his trade in virtually
every major non-UFC promotion for years.
This
is a wrestler’s edge fight, with little to choose between
them except for Jorgensen’s superior wrestling. The standup
is likely to be mostly a stalemate, as both have solid chins
and neither man figures to be able to easily hurt the other.
Both have good submission defense, though Curran’s submissions
are better. He will need them to shut down Jorgensen from the
top if “Young Guns” takes him down and to create opportunities
to get back to his feet.
The
Pick: Jorgensen will probably have too many opportunities to
score point-critical takedowns in the eyes of the judges, and
he should be able to land a solid shot or two on the feet. He
will grind out a unanimous decision.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Regardless
of UFC 137 Main Event Outcome, Carlos Condit Gets GSP Next
by Damon
Martin
When
UFC 137 first came together it was Nick Diaz who was slotted
in the main event facing welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
Two
missed press conferences later and Diaz was yanked and former
WEC champion Carlos Condit got the shot instead.
Unfortunately
for both Condit and St-Pierre, an injury to the champion forced
the fight off this weekend’s card in Las Vegas and put them
both on the sidelines until they could face each other at a later
date.
Now
Diaz is matched up with former welterweight champion B.J. Penn
in the main event of UFC 137, and if he’s victorious he
will obviously take another step up the ladder in the contender’s
list at 170lbs.
But
could a Diaz win possibly vault him over Condit into the shot
at GSP?
“Condit’s
in,” UFC President Dana White confirmed. “Condit’s
sitting and waiting. GSP should be 6 to 8 weeks, he’s just
got to have some rehab on his knee.”
Regardless
of Diaz or Penn’s performance for that matter on Saturday
night, Condit won’t be pulled from his title shot.
Condit
was never actually asked or offered another opponent to remain
on UFC 137 once St-Pierre dropped out due to injury.
The
UFC had intended all along for Condit to face GSP, but White’s
statement just solidifies his place as the No.1 contender.
Now
Condit just awaits word that St-Pierre is healthy and a date
and location can be named for their UFC welterweight title fight.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Showtime-Strikeforce
Negotiations Ongoing, but Now With Dana White Involved
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS
VEGAS -- Strikeforce isn't quite dead yet.
Following
a recent shakeup at Showtime that saw former sports head Ken
Hershman leave for HBO, it seems that there is a renewed hope
that the premium cable network might be able to strike a deal
with Strikeforce.
So
far, there's been at least one change to the ongoing negotiations.
While they had previously been handled by Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo
Fertitta, White has taken the reigns in search of a new deal.
"I
was in New York [Wednesday] and met with Showtime," White
said following a UFC 137 press conference on the Brooklyn Bridge
replica outside the New York New York Hotel. "That's why
I was there. So yeah, I'm it now. I took over."
White
said he was able to inject himself into the situation now that
Hershman is gone. The two have had a notoriously rocky history
over the years, with White pulling no punches over his thoughts
on Hershman. Even now that the executive has moved on, White
did the same, saying dealing with the channel has gotten a lot
easier now that he's gone.
Why?
"Because
he's an idiot, and the rest of the guys aren't," he said.
As
of now though, there is still no deal. So for the time being,
reports of other Strikeforce fighters -- Fabricio Werdum, for
example -- defecting to the UFC will come to a close. The timeframe
for a decision has been extended as the two sides attempt to
keep the promotion alive past the first quarter of 2012. But
at least there is a newfound sense of optimism involved.
"I
had a great meeting with them," he said. "We'll see
how it goes. I met with all of them, the whole crew. It went
very well, and we'll see how it progresses."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
ESPN
Anchor Jon Anik Moves to the UFC (UPDATED)
by Damon
Martin
As
the UFC gets ready to move over to Fox in 2012, they’ve
added a new commentator to the family as Jon Anik has been hired
and will start in January for the promotion.
UFC
President Dana White announced the move on Thursday.
Jon
Anik previously worked at ESPN and was the host of MMA Live,
a weekly program dedicated to the coverage of mixed martial arts
that aired online and on ESPN2.
“I
believe the UFC’s a strong a brand as there is in professional
sports, but what really drew me to this organization was the
people behind it. I think as strong as this organization is,
it’s the people behind it. It’s a well-oiled machine,
I just hope I don’t get in the way. I’m very excited
to get started,” Anik stated on Thursday.
“It’s
a dream come true.”
Anik’s
new role with the UFC will start out as the play-by-play commentator
for the live fights on Friday nights on FX around the ‘Ultimate
Fighter’. White said Anik will also have additional roles
within the filming and production around the ‘Ultimate Fighter’,
which becomes a live broadcast in 2012 when the move to FX happens.
White
stated that Anik will have other jobs within the promotion as
far as additional programming once the Fox deal kicks off.
UPDATED:
Sources have confirmed that Anik’s deal with the UFC is
for three years and he will begin with the UFC immediately and
will have a role in the upcoming Nov. 12 UFC on Fox debut show.
Anik’s last day at ESPN was on Wednesday.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Yamasaki
says UFC returns to Rio on January 14
Despite
many indications that Sao Paulo would be the next destiny of
UFC in Brazil, Mario Yamasaki, UFC referee and one of the responsible
for bringing the franchise to Brazil in 1998, stated on his Twitter
that Ultimate will return to Rio de Janeiro on January 14.
UFC’s
press office in Brazil told TATAME they had no information whatsoever
about UFC’s return to Brazil in January, but sources confirm
that the Rio will be again the stage of UFC in January 14.
Source:
Tatame
|
Jens
Pulver Interview: Gamer for Life
Jens
Pulver has been a busy man since leaving the WEC in 2010. Not
only has he gone 3-2 in regional cage fights, but he's also the
star of a documentary called Driven and a part of the new mixed
martial arts video game, Supremacy MMA. While the UFC and EA
MMA series of games attempt to give users as real of an ultimate
fighting experience as possible, Supremacy takes things in another
direction. Here's Jens telling us in an exclusive interview about
the vibe of the game and what he's playing right now.
"It’s
pretty much an arcade game. We’re showing the MMA fans that
you got your simulated games like Madden and you play with your
favorite players that you see on TV and then you got your arcade
game." he said. "Graphics and gameplay can be improved
with any game but with this we’re trying to tell stories
and I like that. The story mode is awesome. I’m proud to
be a part of it. When you do a simulated game, you have to follow
guidelines but with an arcade game you can implode bodies and
stuff."
Is
he concerned that people might get the wrong idea about MMA if
they play the often violent and over the top Supremacy MMA? Not
really. "If you think this is what MMA is all about and
you’ve missed the UFC, then what can you do? It’s like
people who think 'this is what football is all about' and it’s
3 on 3 with zombies. Or when you get on fire in NBA Jam. So what
do you tell people like that?"
Many
people know that Jens is a hardcore gamer, so we asked him about
his roots and how he got started.
"As
a kid I used to go to town but once I got a Nintendo, things
changed. Me and Mario, I was hooked. Me and my brothers used
to battle to see who got the controller. I’ve never been
much of an arcade fanatic and especially now with all these systems.
Pretty soon I expect to be in my big hubble chair and just being
inside and part of the game."
"My
first game was on Atari 2600, River Raid. You had to get through
different puzzles and get fuel and I think they just stopped
giving you fuel so you lose. My mom was the best at that one."
As
for what Jens is playing now, a bad guess wouldn't be World of
Warcraft. Pulver used to play it so much some joked he was a
full time gamer with a fighting hobby. But he's actually been
branching out lately:
The
rest after the jump!
"My
wife just got me hooked on Plants vs. Zombies and I’m going
through trying to beat all the short games and puzzles. I’m
a big World of Warcraft fan but I haven’t played that one
in a month or two because I once I got hooked on Dragon Age 2,
forget about it! So I’m going through my 3rd time playing
as a mage to see how things change."
Jens
sees a future in gaming, and considering his sweet gigs thus
far through Supremacy MMA and sponsorships with some of the largest
gaming companies in the world, that isn't all that far fetched.
Instead of seeing Lil Evil move into the world of MMA commentating,
he may instead end up doing gaming commentary.
"I
want to be like a gaming consultant. Like you get to sit there
and talk to the media while playing the game. That’s exactly
what I want to do. I want to sit there and just talk about the
game in front of you. I can’t explain all the mathematic
equations that went into the game but I can tell you that I like
how you can blow up that card, you know? Don’t let me sit
down and talking about Modern Warfare 3 when it comes out, I'm
gonna be going crazy. I can’t wait for that one."
"I
love the media world and the networking. The computers and the
gadgets and gizmos. You put me in E3 or Best Buy and I’m
in heaven. I’m running around looking and flat screens,
playing the demos, it’s crazy. Some people have hunting
or cars, I have games and computers."
Source:
Fight Linker
|
UFC
Looks to Land in Hawaii in 2012
by Damon
Martin
Hawaii
has always been known as an area that not only loves fighting,
but produces some of the best fighters in the world.
Now
it appears the state’s long wait for a UFC event to land
on their shores is almost over.
UFC
President Dana White on Thursday confirmed that the promotion
is in talks to take a show to Hawaii in 2012.
“Next
year. We’re looking at next year,” White responded
when asked about the UFC in Hawaii.
The
UFC’s schedule hasn’t been set for next year yet, but
Hawaii has always appeared on the radar for the organization
once the state commission there instituted a set of rules similar
to those held in other areas of the United States.
Now
with those rules and sanctioning in place, the UFC has an open
door to land in Hawaii.
As
far as where the event could take place, that’s still under
discussion, but Hawaii is known for having many arenas that are
outdoors and White says the company could be ready to embrace
that type of show.
“It’s
probably going to be outside,” White stated.
Hawaiian
fans will of course be happy to hear the UFC is finally headed
to their state, but what about the most popular fighter to ever
come out of the area ending up on the card?
While
White doesn’t rule out the possibility of B.J. Penn ending
up on the Hawaii card, much like other areas of the world, a
hometown hero appearing on the hometown show doesn’t make
or break them.
“I
don’t know,” White answered when asked if BJ Penn would
fight in Hawaii. “It’s like that Canada thing when
everybody thought Georges (St-Pierre) had to be on the card.
It’s great to have him, but it’s one of those markets
we’ll kill it with or without him.”
The
positive side however is that Hawaii is finally going to get
a UFC show and it’s likely going to happen in 2012.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Jose
Aldo vs. Chad Mendes for the UFC title, on 2012
By Marcelo
Barone
UFC
featherweight champion will be back to the octagon in 2012, and
he already knows who will be his opponent. Jose Aldo revealed
today, during an event at Refinaria de Manguinhos, at Rio de
Janeiro, that he’ll fight undefeated Chad Mendes on the
beginning of the next year, but the date is not set yet. "It's
not signed yet, though", Aldo added. Andre Pederneiras,
his coach at Nova Uniao team, confirmed the news to TATAME. "It
is it, unless the UFC changes the plans", Pederneiras said.
Source:
Tatame
|
Viacom
Buys Stake in Bellator; Promotion Headed to Spike by 2013
By Mike
Whitman
Media
conglomerate Viacom, Inc. has purchased a majority stake in Bellator
Fighting Championships and will eventually move the Chicago-based
promotion’s televised cards to Spike TV.
Bellator
will likely debut on the Viacom-owned channel in January 2013,
Sherdog.com confirmed Wednesday with sources close to the situation.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Bellator Chairman and
CEO Bjorn Rebney is expected to continue working in his current
capacity. USA Today first reported the news on Tuesday.
News
of Bellator’s jump to Spike comes as no surprise. The company
has been rumored to make the move since the UFC announced its
7-year partnership with Fox Networks -- and its imminent departure
from Spike -- in August. Though the UFC will officially begin
its deal with Fox in 2012, prerecorded UFC programming will likely
remain on Spike through 2012, per contract terms.
One
source asserted that Bellator programming could be featured even
sooner, though that possibility is contingent upon the UFC buying
back its library rights from Spike prior to the contract’s
end. It appears instead that the world’s largest MMA promotion
will allow its programming to run on Spike until the deal finishes
at the end of 2012. In the event that circumstance becomes reality,
Bellator legally may not appear on Spike until 2013.
Currently,
Bellator airs weekly live events on MTV2, another Viacom subsidiary.
Bellator signed a three-year deal with the network in late 2010,
and Bellator programming began appearing on MTV2 in March of
this year. Ratings have ranged from a low of 103,000 to a high
of 277,000 average viewers.
Sherdog’s
sources confirmed that no major changes are planned for Bellator
this year, save for minor tweaks. When the promotion does move
to Spike, live events will likely be bolstered by supplemental
programming in an effort to make Bellator talent more recognizable
and “build stars” within the organization.
Source
Sherdog
|
ONE
FC press release on their expanding Asian MMA promotional network
By Zach
Arnold
It’s
not on the level of Viacom buying a majority stake in Bellator,
but it’s good news nonetheless.
ONE
Fighting Championship™ announces largest MMA network in
Asian history
26
October, 2011 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™
has signed mutually exclusive partnerships with most of the major
Asian MMA promotions and MMA gyms in Asia as a part of its ONE
Asia strategy to unify all the key players in the sport of MMA
in Asia. The ONE Asia Partnership Network is the largest of its
kind in MMA history in Asia.
ONE
Fighting Championship™ has formed exclusive partnerships
with the following organizations:
-URCC
(Philippines)
-Cage Fighting Championship (Australia)
-ROAD Fighting Championship (Korea)
-DARE Fightsports (Thailand)
-Team Lakay Wushu (Philippines)
-Tiger Muay Thai and MMA (Thailand)
-Tigers Gym (India)
-Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (Singapore)
-Legacy Gym (Thailand)
-Tough MMA (Taiwan)
-Synergy Jiu-Jitsu (Indonesia)
-Juggernaut FC (Singapore)
-Fightworks Asia (Singapore)
-PAK MMA (Pakistan)
-Team Force (Korea)
-MuayFit (Malaysia)
-Leverage MMA (Malaysia)
ONE
Fighting Championship™ currently remains in confidential
discussions with many of the other top Asian MMA promotions and
MMA gyms across Asia. Additionally, ONE FC has added another
17 of Asia’s top MMA fighters to its roster. Further announcements
will be made in the near future.
Victor
Cui, CEO/Owner of ONE Fighting Championship, said, ”Our
goal is to unify Asian MMA and to build the sport that we all
love dearly. With today’s announcement, many of the top
MMA organizations and gyms in Asia have joined hands. Given our
current discussions with various parties, we will be announcing
another 23 additional MMA organizations and gyms to the ONE FC
Network in the coming days and weeks. These strong partnerships
will help to accelerate the development of Asian fighters and
the sport of MMA in the region. Asian fighters need platforms
to gain invaluable experience and to showcase their skills to
the world. If you are a ONE FC fighter, you will automatically
be able to compete in the biggest MMA events across Asia within
the ONE FC Network. If you are a sponsor, you will be able to
leverage and target your sponsorship dollars across multiple
platforms. If you are a fan, you will enjoy many more high quality
MMA shows around Asia. Ultimately, as it continues to grow, the
ONE FC Network will multiply in benefits for all parties involved.”
Additionally,
ONE Fighting Championship is pleased to announce the dates and
countries of its next 3 events:
ONE
FC 2: February 11, 2012 in Indonesia
ONE FC 3: March 31, 2012 in Singapore
ONE FC 4: April 27, 2012 in Malaysia
About
ONE Fighting Championship™
Headquartered
in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com)
is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting
Championship hosts the most prestigious mixed martial arts event
in Asia.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Andreas
Kraniotakes Receives Approval from Commission, Faces Tim Sylvia
at Pro Elite 2
by Damon
Martin
It’s
been a crazy 24-hours for Pro Elite as they get closer to their
next show on Nov 5 in Illinois.
As
of Wednesday, the Illinois State Professional Boxing Board had
not approved Andreas Kraniotakes for his scheduled fight against
former UFC champion Tim Sylvia.
Now
it appears the commission has changed their minds and will allow
Kraniotakes to participate in the fight, and he will remain in
the main event for Pro Elite 2 next weekend.
Sources
close to the promotion confirmed Kraniotakes participation in
the bout to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday.
With
a 12-4 record overall, Kraniotakes seemingly had plenty of experience
to be considered for the bout with Sylvia, and now he will get
the chance to prove that.
Pro
Elite 2 can be seen live on HDNet on Nov. 5 from Moline, Ill.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
137 Tomorrow
Gamblers continue treating Penn/Diaz as 50/50 fight
Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
10/29/11
By Zach Arnold
Hawaii
Air Times:
Preliminaries 2:00–3:00PM Channel 559 SPIKE
UFC 137 3:00PM-6:00PM Channel 701
Dark
matches
Middleweights: Chris Camozzi vs. Francis Carmont
Middleweights: Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks
Lightweights: Ramsey Nijem vs. Danny Downes
Light Heavyweights: Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall
Featherweights: Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski
Lightweights: Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone
Main card
Featherweights: Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop
Bantamweights: Scott Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran
Heavyweights: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson
Heavyweights: Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione
Welterweights: BJ Penn vs. Nick Diaz
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Next
Great Prospect? Mitrione Appreciates Praise, Not Ready to Wear
the Crown
by Damon
Martin
Since
his time on The Ultimate Fighter season 10, the man Rashad Evans
once nicknamed “Meathead,” Matt Mitrione has become
one of the hottest prospects in the heavyweight division.
Following a win over former housemate Marcus Jones at the TUF
10 finale, Mitrione has only taken bigger and bigger leaps forward
with his performances.
He finished legendary street brawler Kimbo Slice in under two
rounds, picked up a win over the always tough Joey Beltran, and
then finished off both Tim Hague and Christian Morecraft.
It’s no wonder with Mitrione’s recent success that
he’s been pegged by many as the next star in the heavyweight
division, but he’s not ready to start patting himself on
the back just yet. As a matter of fact, Mitrione is very realistic
about where he stands in the heavyweight division, but that doesn’t
mean he doesn’t have goals of getting to the top.
“There’s no real reason to throw me to the wolves.
Let’s see if I can develop on time and turn into something
legitimate. As of right now, I wouldn’t say I’m a legit
top 15, top 20 guy in the world, but I’m developing, I’m
getting there. I will be there sooner or later,” Mitrione
told MMAWeekly Radio.
Truth be told, Mitrione isn’t worried about where he stands
in the heavyweight division right now or after his next fight.
He leaves that up to Joe Silva, Dana White, and the folks at
the UFC to decide what his role should be, and how fast or slow
he deserves to be considered for something like title contention.
“They don’t pay me to worry about where my placement
is in the world or as far as the UFC goes,” Mitrione said.
“They pay me to go out there and punch people in the face
and win and put on a damn good show. That’s all I really
concern myself with.”
Modest or not, Mitrione still gets complimented quite often by
journalists, other fighters, training partners, and coaches for
his work ethic, ability to learn, and unreal athleticism. A few
years ago many of those people made the same kind of comments
about current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, but Mitrione
is realistic when it comes to hype vs. reality.
“Well I appreciate that, but they also said the same thing
about Brandon Vera and they also said the same thing about a
handful of other guys that showed a tremendous amount of potential,
but just never necessarily reached the top. So I appreciate that,
but I feel like I’m grounded enough to take that all with
a grain of salt,” Mitrione stated.
For his next test in the Octagon, Mitrione faces experienced
UFC veteran Cheick Kongo. The French kickboxer is coming off
a Hail Mary come from behind win where he knocked out Pat Barry
at UFC on Versus 4 back in June.
How exactly is Mitrione preparing for his fight with Kongo?
“We’ve been doing a ton, a ton of testicular fortitude
strengthening,” Mitrione joked. “We’ve actually
been training where I pretty much split the uprights and letting
them land.”
Mitrione is of course talking about Kongo’s history of random
low blows in past fights. Whether accidental or with a purpose,
Mitrione is ready for Kongo’s “attack.”
“I feel like I’ve developed the strength to actually
draw my testicles into my body. So this fight here, I should
be nut shot free because I think my nuts are going to be up inside
of it. I should be good,” said Mitrione.
With the testicular training now over and after spending his
last week in training with the Blackzilian team in Florida, Mitrione
is ready to take the next step in his career. It starts with
Cheick Kongo at UFC 137.
“I think I have the potential to get there,” said Mitrione.
“If I don’t then I feel like I’m underachieving.
We’ll kind of see where the ride ends.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
137 Pros Pick: Penn vs. Diaz
By Mike
Sloan
A
topsy-turvy series of events led to an unlikely main event at
UFC 137 on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las
Vegas.
In
one of the more intriguing showdowns of the year, former two-division
champion B.J. Penn takes on Nick Diaz, who returns to the Octagon
for the first time in almost five years. Diaz will enter the
bout on a career-best 10-fight winning streak and will try to
get back into the good graces of UFC President Dana White with
a memorable performance.
Sherdog.com
recently touched base with a number of professional trainers
and fighters to gauge their opinions on the UFC 137 “Penn
vs. Diaz” main event:
Jussier
da Silva: I think Diaz wins. B.J. has more experience with tough
fighters, but Diaz has more heart. I think Diaz strikes better
than B.J., and the ground is almost on the same level. Diaz wins
by TKO.
Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira: I think B.J. wins.
Nam
Phan: These two fighters are both so closely skilled. I don’t
know who to pick.
Phillipe
Nover: B.J. is a lot better than Diaz in almost every department.
I don’t think Diaz has faced anyone as talented as B.J.
He is a legend and a legend for a reason. I think Penn can stop
Diaz on the feet or on the ground. The only chance Diaz has is
if Penn gasses out for some reason, but I don’t see that
happening. I see Penn taking this one by a finish in the second
or third round.
Vitor
Ribeiro: I think B.J. wins. Nick’s hands are good but not
as fast as B.J.’s, and I think that B.J.’s punches
have more power.
Jason
Lambert: Penn wins.
Carlos
Barreto: Great fight. I like B.J.’s style, but I’m
always wondering what mood he will enter the Octagon in, so I
see Diaz as the favorite, despite being technically inferior
in all aspects of the sport. He’s at a good time in his
career. Motivation and good conditioning can make the difference
for Diaz. He wins by unanimous decision.
Javier
Vazquez: This should be a great fight. Standing, B.J. should
be a more powerful striker, but Diaz will be throwing punches
in bunches. Diaz will have a significant conditioning edge, and
they should be very equal on the ground. B.J. does have slightly
better wrestling. One strategy B.J. could follow is to take Diaz
down and hold him down on the ground. I doubt that Diaz will
be trying to get back to his feet because he is so comfortable
off of his back. This could cost him rounds, as I don’t
think he will be able to submit Penn from his back. The likely
outcome of this fight will be that both fighters will stand and
bang. I think Diaz will outlast Penn in the standup and should
record a TKO late in the third round after a tough and bloody
bout.
Cub
Swanson: Diaz’s pitter-patter punches and long reach will
wear Penn down to get a unanimous decision win.
Jaime
Fletcher: I think B.J. will win by knockout or submission. This
fight will be high-paced. Diaz plays too much when he exchanges,
and Penn will exploit it. They are both otherworldly on the ground,
but I still think Penn has the advantage. I can’t wait.
It should be a war.
Guilherme
Mattos Rodrigues: Diaz is very tough, but I think Penn wins by
knockout or submission. He has a more complete game than Diaz.
Nick has good boxing and a good ground game, but B.J. is more
complete than him.
Anthony
Pettis: This fight is gonna be a war. I’m going with my
boy, B.J., on this one. I think he has something to prove, and
I can’t wait to watch.
Mike
Easton: Nick wins.
Travis
Lutter: If B.J. fights a smart fight and takes Nick down, I would
bet on B.J. But if he chooses to fight a standup fight, I think
it would be like flipping a coin on who is going to win, with
the edge going to Nick. Nick is busier with his hands and has
the longer reach. Both guys have great chins. I do think B.J.’s
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is better than Nick’s, along with his
wrestling.
Travis
Wiuff: This is a fight I’m very excited for. I’m going
to take Diaz to win a decision.
Mike
Whitehead: B.J. wins by decision.
Kultar
Gill: Height, weight, reach and power advantage go to Diaz. The
outcome will be a unanimous decision for Mr. Diaz.
Rony
Mariano Bezerra: Penn wins with a rear-naked choke in the second
round.
Ron
Foster: This is a horrible match up for Penn. Diaz is the best
BJJ player and striker that Penn has faced in the UFC. Outside
of that, Diaz is a very long southpaw with a shotgun of a jab.
B.J. has been able to outstrike most guys in the UFC, minus Frankie
Edgar, by using his long jab and quick combinations. Unfortunately,
he will be on the receiving end of that this time. Diaz has an
iron chin and is nearly impossible to hurt. Adding to that is
[the fact that] Penn will not have much of an advantage, if any,
on the ground. This will be a standup war, and, in my opinion,
Penn will be stopped by strikes in the cage. Diaz will earn another
title shot with an impressive TKO over a game but undersized
Penn.
Ricardo
Liborio: That is for sure a main event fight. I’ll pick
Diaz for this one, in a split decision.
Joe
Duarte: Damn, my prediction was that Georges St. Pierre would
get injured, forcing Penn-Diaz to the main event.
Michael
Guymon: B.J. has shown his boxing skills have been much better
than most and is always a favorite in the jiu-jitsu department.
But in this case, B.J. is going up against an opponent that has
better boxing skills than he has, and Diaz has enough jiu-jitsu
skills to fend of his submission attempts. On top of this, he
has to deal with a huge size disadvantage. Diaz wins by TKO due
to strikes in the third round.
Valdines
Silva: Penn wins by knockout.
Gabe
Ruediger: Diaz wins. This should be a really good and interesting
fight. I think Diaz’s nonstop attack will make it too difficult
for B.J. to get off.
Keith
Berry: This is an interesting fight. I see Diaz getting the best
of Penn in the standup. And neither of these guys are going for
the takedown, so I say Diaz by decision.
Bebeo
Duarte: I think this will be a very busy, as both are very technical
with good ground games. It’s a fight where the impetus of
youth meets the experience of age. I’m betting on a victory
for B.J.
Mike
Ciesnolevicz: Diaz-Penn was the real main event for a lot of
the hardcore UFC fans anyway. When Diaz loses fights, it’s
usually by being out-positioned and wrestled. I don’t think
that Penn is going to use that game plan, and I don’t know
that he can actually use wrestling to win this fight. I think
this looks like a typical Diaz fight where he comes forward nonstop
and uses his hands to pepper Penn. Penn has solid MMA boxing
also and might land some shots with his straight right, but I
think the Diaz pace will wear on him. B.J. isn’t known for
his cardio, and that could play a factor. On the ground, most
people would say Penn is better, but Diaz’s BJJ is very
underrated. I say it’s even if the fight hits the floor.
My pick is Diaz by decision, with Penn surviving but taking lots
of shots courtesy of Diaz’s reach advantage.
Tom
Vaughn: I kind of feel bad these two are trapped in this situation,
but it will be a fun fight to watch. B.J. seems a little sharper
in all categories, and I think he will win at least two of the
three rounds. Penn wins this fight by decision, and they both
win at the after party.
Erik
Paulson: Well, I think that Nick is really on a roll right now
and I’m not sure where B.J.’s training is at, so proper
preparation and tactics will play a big portion in the outcome.
Both are so talented and fight worthy. B.J. has good standup
and doesn’t get hit much in his fights. Nick loves to slug
and is good on the ground also -- better if he is on top. So
whoever gets the takedown will have the advantage. This will
be a very interesting matchup.
Pedro
Rizzo: I’m betting on Penn.
Pros
Picking Diaz: 13
Pros Picking Penn: 13
No Pick: 4
Source: Sherdog
|
Two
Years After TUF, Matt Mitrione Ready to Tangle With UFC's Top
Heavyweights
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS VEGAS -- It was only two years ago that Matt Mitrione was
a green rookie on The Ultimate Fighter. During that season, he
was picked 13th out of 16 fighters, yet despite being the newest
to the game, he's now on the verge of being the most high profile
of the bunch.
At
Saturday's UFC 137, Mitrione will make a big leap in opponent
level, facing the veteran Cheick Kongo. Mitrione has always been
prized for his promise and athleticism, but given his late start
in MMA (he was already over 30 when he started his pro career),
there have always been questions if he can pull everything together
in time to make himself a factor in the UFC's heavyweight division.
With
a win over Kongo, he will have accomplished that, even though
it's not something he's not focused on.
"I
haven't really thought too much about it because I'm not paid
to think about it," he said. "I'm paid to go out and
try to put on the best performance I can. And if I do well and
go out and beast him, that's a conversation to have. And if I
go out there and get my ass kicked, then that's a conversation
not to be had. But I don't really have to worry about either
one of those until the press conference afterwards."
Describing
Kongo as "the upper-end measuring stick," Mitrione
acknowledged that this fight will provide information on just
where he stands in his career. The 33-year-old has been brought
along in a measured process until now, winning all five of his
fights, with four coming by way of KO or TKO.
It's
been a strong run in his second pro sport. After playing collegiate
football at Purdue Mitrione made it to the NFL, spending time
with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. But after being
cut in week six of the 2005 season, he transitioned from athletics
to corporate America, where he designed and sold benefits packages
for corporations.
While
he made a good living, it didn't quite scratch his competitive
itch, and the sports door opened back up when his friend, Washington
Nationals' baseball player Jayson Werth decided to produce an
MMA event and asked Mitrione to take part in it.
Mitrione,
who had begun training ended up getting hurt and didn't fight,
but by that time, he had developed friendships with Chris Lytle
and Jake O'Brien, and he stuck with MMA. Six months later, he
was on TUF.
Wednesday's
fighter workouts took place at the TUF gym, providing Mitirone
with some flashbacks from his early days.
"I
was kind of struggling day by day," Mitrione said of his
time on the show. "I was d------ around too much. I kind
of lost a lot of my wide-angle focus. I got tunnel vision pretty
well on just fighting Scott Junk and making things happen that
way. It's nice I'm on a little bit of winning streak. It's nice
to come in here and have a little bit of something under my belt.
But yeah, I was here, it sucked, but it was the best worst thing
of my life."
Mitrione
said that the 20-something version of himself would not have
been able to handle this rise, saying "I probably would
have been a flash in the pan, if I was even a flash."
"It's
something that I'm mature enough to be able to handle this career
now," he said. "When I was younger, I was a dumbass.
I was drunk and partied way too hard so I probably would have
f----- it up somehow."
Mitrione
has shored up his training, flying in grappling coach Neil Melanson
to work with him, spending hours on the road to improve his wrestling
with coach Ryan Root, and even traveling to Florida to train
with his former TUF coach Rashad Evans.
So
Mitrione is embracing his TUF roots in order to achieve his future
goals. He knows full well about Kongo. The French fighter is
dangerous, with powerful, accurate strikes, and Mitrione is aware
that his usual aggression could play into Kongo's hands. Yet
he believes that everything has led him to this moment. His early
immaturity, his time on TUF, his late-blooming MMA career, it
has all led him to the brink of breaking into contender status.
"I
see it as the right opponent at the right time," he said.
"It's definitely a step up from the caliber of competition
I've faced already. I'm excited for it. It's something I've wanted."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Tyson
Griffin Selects Winner in Charity Event for Boys Town Nevada
As
UFC 137 fast approaches, featherweight Tyson Griffin has selected
a winner for his Impact Fight Charities fundraiser to benefit
the Boys Town of Nevada.
Kent Frye of Washington won the random raffle that Griffin hosted
on his website. The raffle was a way to raise money for the Boys
Town of Nevada, a charity that is close to Griffin, and something
he felt strongly about supporting.
Frye will now receive 2 tickets to Griffin’s UFC 137 fight
this weekend against Bart Palaszewski, as well as tickets to
his after party in Las Vegas.
“I thought one of my buddies was playing a practical joke
on me,” said Frye, “I still can’t believe it.
This is my sixth UFC live event this year so life is good! My
friends call me the UFC super fan. I saw Tyson fight live at
UFC 115 in Vancouver; action packed fight, this dude can brawl.
I think of him as a bulldog, never a dull moment when he’s
fighting and I’m looking forward to watching him kick some
butt! It’s pretty neat he does this charity work for kids
in Nevada, my wife and I are huge supporters of charity work
for children.”
In addition to the tickets that Frye received, Beyond the Cage
also donated a one of a kind art piece to show support for Griffin’s
efforts to raise awareness and help the Boys Town of Nevada.
“We at Beyond The Cage are privileged to be working with
Tyson Griffin who is truly and inspiration to all,” says
Jerry G., spokesman for Beyond The Cage. “We hope with our
combined efforts we make it a little easier to help such a worthy
cause and the people at Boys Town of Nevada.”
Frye will enjoy his prize in just a couple of days as Griffin’s
attention now turns to getting a second win at 145lbs after a
successful debut at featherweight a few months back.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Paulo
Thiago wants a top opponent next, dreams with UFC in Brasilia
By Guilherme
Cruz
Rumors
about UFC editions in Brazil come and go every day, and the Brazilian
athletes dream about a chance to fight at home. Paulo Thiago,
who starred one of the most touching moments of UFC Rio, wants
to feel it again. And of course he prefers it to be in Brasilia,
city where he lives and trains at.
“In
Brasilia it’d be awesome, here at home... If I can bring
everyone down there, it’d be amazing (laughs)”, jokes
the cop-fighter, asking UFC a special area on the bleachers for
his BOPE fellows. “My friends need go there, right? (laughs)”.
While
UFC in Brasilia is only a speculation, Paulo hopes to fight on
the beginning of the next year.
“They haven’t say anything yet, so I’m still waiting...
I’d like to fight before (April) because I guess it’s
too far away”, explains the athlete, who won four out of
the seven fights he did since he joined the UFC cast.
Paulo
celebrates having put a final point to his rough path with a
win at UFC Rio, over David Mitchell, and wants to fight the top
athletes of the division again.
“It
stopped the bad sequence I was going though. It was a good fight
against a good opponent, even if people don’t know him much.
I guess next time I can fight a top guy again, a high level guy”,
concludes.
Source: Tatame
|
UFC
137's Brandon Vera calls setbacks a much-needed 'slap in the
face'
by Dann
Stupp
Brandon
Vera knows that many of you doubt him.
After
a whirlwind year that saw the former No. 1 contender lose his
UFC job only to come back after his opponent failed a drug test,
Vera's no more excited to talk about it than the keyboard warriors
are to make fun of it.
"The
talking is over," he recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
"I'm excited to show everybody, all the doubters, all the
haters. I even love those bastards."
Vera
(11-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) meets fellow light heavyweight Eliot Marshall
(10-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) on the preliminary card of Saturday's UFC
137 event at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Events Center. It's one
of four lower-priority fights that stream on Facebook.
Five
years ago, when Vera knocked out Frank Mir to become the UFC's
No. 1 heavyweight contender, such placement on a fight card would
have been the ultimate insult.
But
now, after a tumultuous half decade with the UFC, the preliminary-card
slot and recent UFC release proved just what he needed. Vera
had suffered losses to Randy Couture and Jon Jones before a January
defeat to Thiago Silva. However, Silva failed his drug test after
falsifying a urine sample, and the decision loss was overturned
to a no-contest.
Since
the UFC can't cut fighters unless they're coming off a loss,
Vera got a second UFC life due to the technicality.
"I'm
a lot more angry this time – and thankful, I guess you could
say, for the position I'm in," said Vera, who lost his guaranteed
title shot in 2006 due to a contract dispute. "It's different,
and it all started being different when I first got here, and
I was filling out my paperwork. Melissa (Henricks) from the UFC
said, 'Brandon, here's your contract. I need you to sign it.'
"Before
I could even sign it, I looked at the contract hard. It was like,
'This is what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. Let's get
it together, son. Let's do this.' Before I put that ink to that
paper, I took a long, hard look at that contract. It means a
lot, man. It means a lot."
The
sting of the short-lived released and the joy of coming back
was, well, just what he needed.
"I
was just cut, and then I was rehired," he said. "It
was a good smack in the face."
Of
course, with a 3-4 record (which should be 3-5) over his past
eight fights, we've been here before. We've heard the once-dynamic
Muay Thai striker say he's reclaimed his aggression. We've heard
him say the fire is back. And we've seen him post one listless
performance after another.
It's
a big reason Vera hesitates before he makes any proclamations
for this weekend's fight. You can see the big man searching for
the right words to describe his plight, his hopes and his plans.
To find them, he gets angry. The smile and jokes are gone.
Instead,
he simply issues a warning to his opponent.
"Eliot
Marshall's got to pay a heavy price," Vera said. "Somebody
else told me that he said I don't want this or I'm not ready
or something like that. If that's the Brandon Vera he thinks
he's fighting on Saturday, I kind of feel bad for him. He's not
going to know what happened.
"I'm
thankful for what I have, and I realize the situation I'm in
now. Damn, dude. I let it all slip away right from the get-go.
I guess my ego got the better of me and life got the better of
me. Looking back at it in retrospect, that's water under the
bridge, but it pisses me off everyday to think that I let it
happen. It sucks. That's the whole fuel for this fight. Sorry,
Eliot. You said yes to the fight. You have to now deal with it."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Dave
Meltzer: Piracy is a major factor in why UFC PPV buy rates are
declining
By Zach
Arnold
Jack Encarnacao had a very productive interview with Dave Meltzer
on Sunday night and it’s an interview that I think needs
some highlighting.
With the estimated PPV buy rate numbers for UFC 136 (Houston)
coming in at around 250,000 PPV buys, there is concern about
the short-term and long-term future of UFC’s PPV business
model. It’s only going to get tougher with increased sports
& entertainment events happening on Saturday nights.
Injuries & too many shows are the main reasons why UFC PPV
buys are down this year. Those underlying causes are the reason
for a reported spike in piracy of UFC PPV events being streamed
online. Dave elaborated on this conundrum for the UFC during
his interview with Jack.
“I don’t think that there’s one specific reason.
I think that there’s probably about 10 different reasons.
But the key ones… I think the increase in piracy is one
of them. I think too many shows and the effects of… this
last one, it’s two weeks between shows. That’s always
going to be tough unless you got something incredible. Running
a PPV two weeks after your last PPV, I mean we’ve seen it
with pro-wrestling… it’s always been, you know, a major
effect on it, that’s just too quick. And, you know, just…
just so many shows, it’s hard to get people ‘up’
for so many shows. I think those are all factors and also, you
know, the different champions as compared to last year.
“Last year, your heavyweight champion was Lesnar, a phenomenal
draw. This year we haven’t even had a championship fight
and won’t have one on PPV all year. Light Heavyweight champion
was one that ’s realistically probably a wash when you go
from Machida to Shogun to Jon Jones. Jon Jones may end up being
stronger but isn’t there yet. Anderson’s the same.
Georges is the same. And then you’ve got BJ Penn for Frankie
Edgar, which is a huge drop. So, you know, all those things play
a part in it. And then you’ve got the introduction of the
Featherweights and the Bantamweights championships are not over
to the point where people are going to run and buy PPVs for them
at the kind of level that they did for championship matches a
year ago. So, there’s a lot of reasons.
“I have too many friends who started (streaming) in recent
months. It’s picked up steam in recent months. How much?
It’s impossible to say. I did a poll on my site and last
year it was kind of like a 1:1 ratio and now it’s a 1:2
ratio in the sense of buying versus streaming. Now, it’s
double the streaming versus the buying, that’s pretty significant.
“I think it’s also affecting boxing, too, because the
one thing I’ve noticed… you notice they never did announce
that Mayweather/Ortiz buy rate and the reason is obviously because
I think they were embarrassed of it and, you know, Mayweather’s
drawing… Mayweather hasn’t had a bad PPV number since
he had the fight with Oscar De La Hoya four years ago and he
doesn’t fight so often that it’s overexposure, either.”
The obvious question, given the upcoming big fight on Fox in
a couple of weeks, is whether or not UFC can take their Ari Emanuel-brokered
7-year, $700 million USD television deal and gain a substantial
business boost from it by transitioning from a PPV-based business
model to a cable/network TV model?
“Well, I’m sure you can try to get as much money from
licensing as you can. But the problem with the TV product is
that you’re at a fixed number for seven more years, starting
next year. So, 2012 to 2018, so they really contractually are
going to be able to jack up that PPV price until 2019 unless
they can renegotiate a deal and who knows if you can do that.
So, that’s going to be difficult at best to make up all
that lost money through televisions. Yeah, there are other ways
you can do it, but that’s a lot of money to make up. It’s
a huge issue and I don’t really know the answer to it and
it’s one that’s going to effect everyone in the PPV
industry as well as the NFL, the NHL, and all those that have
the Ticket events, like Sunday Ticket and things like that. The
NFL is going to Congress about this very issue so that tells
me this season that they’ve felt a hit, too.”
UFC’s in a pickle right now with their PPV business. Because
they’ve gone from a few shows a year to having shows every
three weeks (or so), Pandora’s box has been opened. You
can’t go back from 15 shows to 6 shows a year on PPV and
draw the same amount of cash. We’ve seen this with the pro-wrestling
promotional model. The pickle is that you can’t go back
to fewer events but if you keep up the breakneck pace of PPV
events, you’ll destroy the amount of people that make up
your hardcore PPV customer base.
“If we talk about residual effect over the course of years
and years, yeah but… the reality is that it’s not going
to make a difference because that’s what they’re going
to do. Until they feel that it’s hurting them, they’re
not going to cut back and at that point, you know, again, will
damage be done? I mean, if you cut back from 13 shows this next
year on PPV, if you cut back to 6 they’re going to make
a lot less money than they would with 13. Even the last show,
they’re still making a profit on these shows.
“Now, at some point, when you erode the base, at what point
does that come to play? I’ve mean, we’ve seen the example
of pro-wrestling where 2001 in North America, 300,000 buys would
be a bad show. That was kind of like the base. And now the base
is, what, 71,000, 75,000, in that range, 10 years later. You
don’t want that to happen because right now the UFC’s
base is below 300,000 and you don’t want the day to come
from 10 years now where it’s 70,000 in North America. Then,
the damage is done.
“UFC could get better, it depends on the stars, it depends
on so many things out of everyone’s control. But, yeah,
I think that, you know, I think 8-to-12 is in my gut is the optimum
number. I think once a month people will handle. I think it’s
when you get to those two PPVs a month or two weeks between shows,
that’s when people start going, ‘Oh my God, $110 on
this month’s cable bill as opposed to $55,’ that’s
a big difference I think in people’s eyes.
“I certainly wouldn’t add shows, that’s for sure.
But I don’t think they are thinking as far as adding PPV
shows, either. Dana’s mentality, to me, was always once
a month is as much as you want to do but I think that this year
they ended up with 15… Believe me, three weeks (for a gap)
is better than two. I think four weeks os optimum in building
it. I’ve seen them get away with three, but two I think…
I think two is a big factor in this last buy rate (for UFC 136).”
The ‘hope springs eternal’ situation is that the Fox
TV platforms will help Zuffa create new stars more readily and
easily. Dave thinks the results will end up being mixed.
“That’s what you hope for but it’s not a guarantee.
That’s what they said about the CBS thing and remember Robbie
Lawler & Scott Smith on the first CBS show. They had a hell
of a fight. But when they had the rematch, nobody wanted to see
it. And it’s a rematch off a network fight that millions
and millions of people, like six million people, five million
people, whatever the number was, saw that fight and you’re
doing a rematch and people didn’t really care. So, it’s…
you got to still have something.
“But, you’re right, in theory you get these guys…
that’s what you want with Cain (Velasquez). You want Cain
or dos Santos, whoever wins this thing, in front of this big
crowd and it will revitalize the Heavyweight division because
so many people saw it and, you know, hopefully that works. I
mean, hopefully, the live fights on FX which is a higher-rated
network than Spike drives The Ultimate Fighting ratings higher
and with more eyeballs, the winner of the Ultimate Fighter first
season on FX can become a Michael Bisping or a (Forrest) Griffin
or somebody like that who actually walks right in as a star as
opposed to Tony Ferguson…”
In pro-wrestling, there’s always been a great debate about
whether the man makes the title credible or if the title makes
the man credible. From last year to this year, the value of UFC
title fights hasn’t meant as much at the PPV box office.
“Well, I think that a title fight means more than a standard
main event as a general rule but as far as the value of the titles
diminishing, I don’t think you can argue that because I
just remember when Shogun Rua and (Lyoto) Machida… I had
thought that two Brazilians, this is going to be a tough sell,
and they did 450,000 buys which is even then a good number. So,
at that point, it was like, okay, you have a championship match
in the UFC, I mean every championship match was doing real well.
“Well, this year, Edgar and Maynard on January 1st did not
do particularly well and on this last one you had two title matches
on the same show and did even worse. So, yes, the value of a
UFC championship match has dropped. But again I think knew going
in Featherweight and Bantamweight it was going to be like that
anyways. But Lightweights… Edgar’s a struggle right
now. Jon Jones is still doing fine but, ummm… I don’t
know, I think people expected him to do better because he’s
got a lot going for him including the hype that he might be the
new all-time great and I don’t know if people are skeptical
or they don’t believe the challengers.”
Give me your thoughts on what kind of impact you think UFC’s
television deal with Fox will have on creating new challengers
and what some of the hurdles of the new business deal will be
(in your estimation).
Source: Fight Opinion
|
New
Life in Strikeforce-Showtime Partnership? Dana White Takes Over
by Ken
Pishna
The
words Showtime and Strikeforce, when used in tandem over the
past few months, have become synonymous with the phrase “dead
in the water.”
After Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, acquired the struggling
mixed martial arts brand, numerous Strikeforce fighters, including
several of its champions, defected for the greener pastures of
its new promotional sibling. The mass changes left most expecting
that Strikeforce was headed down the same road as the WEC, which
was merged into the UFC brand.
Now, all of a sudden, a few changing elements have altered the
equation.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, after his company acquired Strikeforce,
had been the point man for negotiations between the promotion
and its TV partner, Showtime. This was due primarily to the friction
between UFC president Dana White and Showtime executive Ken Hershman.
Hershman recently left Showtime, however, and now White has entered
the negotiations, possibly breathing new life into the hopes
that Strikeforce might survive.
“I was in New York yesterday and met with Showtime. I’m
it now. I took over,” White declared at the UFC 137 pre-fight
press conference in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Whether or not that means that a new deal for Strikeforce to
remain viable on Showtime is eminent wasn’t exactly clear.
“I think it went well,” White said about his meetings
with Showtime executives. Adding that he believes they do want
to be in the mixed martial arts business.
Asked if Hershman’s exodus from the situation made dealings
with Showtime easier, White said, “A lot easier, because
he’s and idiot and the other guys aren’t.”
Still, he wouldn’t say that there were any guarantees on
how the negotiations would unfold, only putting a positive spin
on the situation for the first time since acquiring Strikeforce.
“I had a great meeting with (Showtime). We’ll see how
it goes. It went very well. We’ll see how it progresses.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Cacareco
wants to train at Team Nogueira to return to the rings in 2012
By Guilherme
Cruz
Alexandre
Cacareco had the chance to be a part of the historical UFC Rio,
but pissed off the organization after canceling twice the fight
against Rousimar Palhares, his former training partner, and was
fired. Since then, the athlete has vanished.
TATAME
tried to reach him, and Cacareco finally revealed he remains
training hard in Rio de Janeiro. “I’m just teaching
an training with my students, nothing professional… It’s
really amateur, actually”, explains Alexandre, guaranteeing
things will change in 2012.
“I
want to return”, warn. “I’ve talked to Ze Mario
(Sperry) and he caught me by the ear, called me to train with
him, and told me not to mess around anymore (laughs)… I
believe next year I’ll be back”.
After wasting the chance to remain in UFC, event on which he
debut with a loss to Vladmir Matyushenko, Cacareco reveals his
wish to train with Sperry at Team Nogueira, the team of Rodrigo
and Rogerio Nogueira, where train names like Anderson Silva,
Rafael Feijao, Junior dos Santos, among others.
“I’m
a BJJ black belt graduated by Ze and he always tries to bring
me with him wherever he goes, just like in IFL. I feel good being
with him, I had great victories by his side. He knows my game,
when I’m bad or good. He knows me, and he has a great team
there, nice guys… It’d help me to gain rhythm”,
says, explaining his sudden left of UFC.
“I
needed to get my tactics right, my head straight, to start it
all over again… I couldn’t make the same mistake twice,
I don’t want to be a step for the other guys. I gotta go
back to my roots, train what I’ve always trained. I’m
a lot focused on training my stand-up. Not that I’m bad
at it, but I gotta do on the ground what I used to do”.
As
for the future, Cacareco reveals he doesn’t want to return
to the UFC. “I don’t think about it… I fight independently
of where I am. Wherever I’m fighting at, here in Brazil
or abroad, I’m ok with it”, guarantees. “Next
year I’ll be back and I want to put a hell o a show when
I do so… That’s what I like, that’s what I need”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Cro
Cop: 10 Defining Moments
Legacy of Destruction
By Todd
Martin
As
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic’s storied career winds
to its conclusion, he has no shortage of highs and lows to reflect
upon. There are fighters who have accomplished more in mixed
martial arts, but very few have embarked on such a varied and
unique journey. From top-level kickboxing and novelty MMA competition
to the highest levels of Pride Fighting Championships and the
UFC, Cro Cop has seen all the sport of MMA has to offer while
fighting on four different continents.
In
advance of what could be Cro Cop’s final MMA bout -- a featured
matchup with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 winner
Roy Nelson at UFC 137 on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events
Center in Las Vegas -- here is a look back at the moments that
defined the Croat’s career, for better and for worse.
The
Pro Wrestling Hunter
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001 “K-1 vs. Inoki”
Dec. 31, 2001 -- Saitama, Japan
When
Cro Cop began his transition from K-1 to MMA competition, he
was matched primarily with fighters who had ties to Japanese
professional wrestling. It quickly earned him the moniker “Pro
Wrestling Hunter” and led to a bout with Yuji Nagata on
New Year’s Eve 2001.
At
the time, Nagata was being groomed to hold Japan’s most
prestigious pro wrestling championship -- the IWGP heavyweight
title. Japanese pro wrestling icon Antonio Inoki promoted the
Nagata-Cro Cop bout, and the idea was Nagata would represent
Japanese pro wrestling against other fighting disciplines, just
as Inoki once had against the likes of Muhammad Ali, Willem Ruska
and Shota Chochishvili. Nagata had competed in amateur wrestling
at the international level, and the thought was he could take
down Cro Cop repeatedly and secure a win to enhance his credibility
as a wrestler.
That
plan backfired spectacularly. Cro Cop brushed off Nagata’s
first takedown attempt and fired off his infamous left high kick
to floor him. He followed with punches on the ground, and the
fight was stopped in just 21 seconds. Nagata was humiliated in
his first MMA bout, while Cro Cop had further established himself
as something more than just another one-dimensional kickboxer.
Cro
Cop’s win over Nagata symbolized a significant shift in
the Japanese combat sports landscape. Pro wrestling was on the
severe decline, and MMA on the ascent. Inoki and Nagata picked
the wrong opponent for their plans. Cro Cop was just getting
started in MMA.
Sakuraba
Pride “Shockwave”
Aug. 28, 2002 -- Tokyo
Only
four fights into his MMA career, Cro Cop found himself in the
main event of one of the most significant events of all-time
-- a show that combined kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA.
On a card that also featured marquee Bob Sapp-Antonio Rodrigo
Nogueira and Royce Gracie-Hidehiko Yoshida matchups, Cro Cop’s
showdown with Kazushi Sakuraba went on last.
The
beloved Sakuraba was coming off his second loss to Wanderlei
Silva, and the hope was once again that he could ground and submit
the kickboxer. Cro Cop foiled those plans, breaking Sakuraba’s
orbital bone and winning the bout by technical knockout. The
mood was far from despondent, as the event drew more than 70,000
people and set a record for worldwide MMA attendance that stands
to this day.
With
Cro Cop drawing so well, Pride saw the dollar signs and moved
to bring him into the MMA fold permanently. Cro Cop fought only
once more under kickboxing rules, a high-reward bout against
Sapp the following April. Cro Cop was soon after exclusive to
Pride.
Body
Kick from Hell
Pride 26 “Bad to the Bone”
June 8, 2003 -- Yokohama, Japan
Herring
was victimized in 2003.
Already feared for his devastating head kicks, Cro Cop demonstrated
another dangerous weapon in his arsenal against Heath Herring
at Pride 26.
Herring
was at the time regarded as one of the world’s top heavyweights,
coming off high-profile bouts with Nogueira and Fedor Emelianenko.
“The Texas Crazy Horse” also had Cro Cop scouted well.
He charged in and out quickly, so as not to give Cro Cop opportunity
to time his strikes. Herring’s hands remained very high,
ready to defend against his foe’s lethal high kicks.
The
problem was Herring could not secure a takedown. Diving in with
increasingly desperate attempts, Herring failed to get the fight
to the ground, and Cro Cop began to connect more and more. Then,
three minutes into the bout, Cro Cop threw a left body kick that
snuck its way under Herring’s arm and right onto his ribs.
It took a moment for Herring’s mind to register the blow.
He took a few steps back and then simply collapsed. Cro Cop pounced
with strikes and finished the former heavyweight title challenger.
The
win over Herring established to Cro Cop’s future opponents
that they could not simply defend against high attacks. He could
mount crippling precision offense to the body, as well. Of course,
defending the body opens up the head, leaving a very undesirable
set of choices for fighters forced to stand with the surging
Croatian.
Taking
the Torch
Pride “Total Elimination 2003”
Aug. 10, 2003 -- Saitama, Japan
In
the early days of Pride, one heavyweight striker stood out above
the others. With wins over the likes of Sakuraba, Mark Kerr and
Gilbert Yvel, the compact Ukrainian Igor Vovchanchyn was a feared
force. His knockout of Francisco Bueno at Pride 8 was a staple
of the promotion’s early highlight reels.
By
2003, Vovchanchyn’s star had fallen with losses to more
well-rounded opponents. However, Vovchanchyn’s downfall
was inevitably his ground game. Opponents won by taking him to
the mat. The standup was still Vovchanchyn’s domain, and
few were interested in engaging him there.
That
changed with Cro Cop’s entrance into Pride. Cro Cop had
dealt with strikers above Vovchanchyn’s level in K-1 and
was ready to establish himself as the new heavyweight alpha striker.
Eighty-nine seconds into the Cro Cop-Vovchanchyn bout at Total
Elimination 2003, Vovchanchyn was just another head kick victim.
As Vovchanchyn lay unconscious, the Pride heavyweight division
was on notice that the striking standard had just been raised.
Vovchanchyn retired just two years later, a few weeks after his
32nd birthday.
Striker
vs. Grappler
Pride “Final Conflict” 2003
Nov. 9, 2003 -- Tokyo
An
undefeated Cro Cop entered his Pride interim heavyweight title
bout against Nogueira at Final Conflict 2003 with swagger. Confident
in his takedown defense and his striking, Cro Cop seemed a difficult
matchup for the Brazilian Top Team star.
For
the entirety of the 10-minute first round, Cro Cop battered and
punished Nogueira with strikes. Blocking Nogueira’s takedowns
and dominating the standup, Cro Cop seemed like too much for
the Brazilian to handle. Unfortunately for Cro Cop, he was fighting
a man who built his reputation through overcoming adversity.
Early in the second round, Nogueira was finally able to get Cro
Cop to the mat, and he quickly transitioned to an armbar. Cro
Cop tapped out, and the audience at the Tokyo Dome erupted in
celebration.
It
was perhaps the most impressive come-from-behind victory in the
history of MMA, and remains one of the defining moments of Nogueira’s
stellar career. Cro Cop thoroughly dominated the fight with his
striking and takedown defense, but Nogueira proved once again
that he only needs a brief opening to finish a fight with his
jiu-jitsu.
Monster-ous
Knockout
Pride “Total Elimination 2004”
April 25, 2004 -- Saitama, Japan
As
Pride’s 2004 heavyweight grand prix commenced, there were
three decided tournament favorites: Cro Cop, Nogueira and Emelianenko.
Total Elimination was expected to be a showcase for those three
as they moved towards inevitable collision. Cro Cop’s opponent,
Kevin Randleman, was a talented but inconsistent fighter who
had lost two straight. His only hope was thought to be holding
down the Croatian.
This
conventional wisdom heading into the fight led to one of the
most memorable calls in MMA history. When Randleman dropped Cro
Cop with a heavy punch, then Pride and current Strikeforce play-by-play
announcer Mauro Ranallo was every bit as exasperated as the viewing
audience. As Randleman knocked Cro Cop unconscious with hammerfists
on the ground, Ranallo repeatedly cried out: “Kevin Randleman
has knocked out Mirko Cro Cop!”
A
wrestler knocking out the most feared striker in the sport seemed
the most improbable of conclusions, and the call of the finish
cemented it as one of the most memorable upsets of the period.
Filipovic avenged the loss later in the year with a guillotine
choke submission, but it was the first Randleman-Cro Cop fight
that stood out in the minds of fans.
An
Emperor Reigns
Pride “Final Conflict 2005”
Aug. 28, 2005 -- Saitama, Japan
With
a seven-fight winning streak following his loss to Randleman,
Cro Cop established himself as the number one contender for Emelianenko’s
Pride heavyweight title. His fight against Fedor at Final Conflict
2005 was hyped as the most anticipated heavyweight fight in MMA
history.
The
scuttlebutt in the MMA community leading into Fedor-Cro Cop was
that the Russian was not keen on taking the bout. It had been
delayed by injuries, which furthered that speculation. Many picked
Cro Cop to defeat Fedor when Pride officially announced the bout
at Critical Countdown 2005. Then, with a small gesture, Fedor
set the tone for the upcoming contest, as he was invited into
the ring following Cro Cop’s win over Ibragim Magomedov.
As the Fedor-Cro Cop fight was finally confirmed, the usually
stoic Fedor grinned widely. Fedor’s nervousness was perhaps
greatly exaggerated.
Two
months later, Fedor and Cro Cop finally met. The opportunity
was there for Cro Cop to secure a career-defining win, but instead
Fedor owned the evening.
Pressuring
Cro Cop with strikes and mixing in some of his sambo, he notched
a hard-earned unanimous decision victory. Fedor may not have
been invincible, but he was certainly unflappable.
Open
Weight King
Pride “Final Conflict Absolute”
Sept. 10, 2006 -- Saitama, Japan
While
Cro Cop never captured Pride’s heavyweight crown, he secured
a career highlight by winning the promotion’s open weight
grand prix in 2006. Cro Cop was the last man standing in a field
that included Nogueira, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Josh
Barnett, Wanderlei Silva and Aleksander Emelianenko, stopping
each of his opponents along the way.
At
Final Conflict Absolute, Cro Cop defeated both Barnett and Silva
to seal the grand prix. While Barnett was his opponent in the
finals, the Silva bout that was the most impressive. Silva and
Cro Cop had fought previously -- early in the Croatian’s
MMA career -- and “The Axe Murderer” surprised many
by fighting to a competitive draw with the larger striker.
In
the rematch, Silva had no answers for Cro Cop. The Croatian dominated
the fight from beginning to end and won with a scary head kick
knockout. Silva’s chin was never the same, and he was knocked
cold in three of his following seven fights. Cro Cop used the
grand prix victory to secure a generous contract from the UFC,
jumping ship before Pride was officially sold.
Tables
Turned
UFC 70 “Nations Collide”
April 21, 2007 -- Manchester, England
Much
like his bout with Randleman in 2004, UFC 70 was supposed to
set up more significant opportunities for Cro Cop. Gabriel Gonzaga
was just a formality for the 5-to-1 favorite, the final opponent
before a big-money showdown with UFC heavyweight champion Randy
Couture.
Gonzaga
proved in fact to be a substantial obstacle, and Cro Cop never
received his title shot. Gonzaga took down Cro Cop and dominated
him on the ground with brutal elbows. When Cro Cop finally returned
to his feet, his situation only worsened. Gonzaga knocked out
Cro Cop with the Croatian’s signature move -- the head kick.
UFC
70 was a harbinger of what was to come for Cro Cop. Soundly beaten
by Cheick Kongo and Junior dos Santos and knocked out by Frank
Mir and Brendan Schaub, the UFC generally proved to be an inhospitable
environment for the former K-1 and Pride star.
Down,
Not Out
UFC 115 “Liddell vs. Franklin”
June 12, 2010 -- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Cro
Cop’s UFC career will not be defined solely by disappointment.
In the semi-main event of UFC 115, he showed a fighter’s
heart in a come-from-behind win over a young and hungry Pat Barry.
Barry
got the better of the standup in the first round of their contest,
and it looked like Cro Cop was going to have another tough night.
However, over the course of the second round, Cro Cop changed
the momentum of the bout and started landing more blows on the
American powerhouse. In the third round, the fight went to the
ground and Cro Cop secured a rear-naked choke submission with
just 30 seconds left on the clock.
No
longer the dynamic athlete he was in his prime, Cro Cop showed
he still could persevere and triumph. It was a reminder to his
faithful fans of what made him such a successful competitor.
Against Nelson, Cro Cop will have another chance to demonstrate
that quality. However, it could also wind up being his last.
Source
Sherdog
|
Mirko
Cro Cop: Win or Lose, Saturday Could Be My Last Fight
By Mike
Chiappetta
LAS
VEGAS -- The outcome on Saturday might be irrelevant. To Mirko
"Cro Cop" Filipovic, his UFC 137 fight against Roy
Nelson might be his last either way.
The
37-year-old Cro Cop has entertained the possibility of retirement
after each of his most recent losses, but this marks the first
time he's talked about it even before a match took place. With
the realization that time is running short on his career, the
Croatian striker voiced his strongest hint that he may be taking
the long walk to the octagon for the final time.
"I
wish you could see the new Cro Cop, 15 years younger," he
said. "I wish it's possible, but unfortunately I'm 37 and
this could easily be my last fight in the UFC. It has nothing
to do with the result, if I win or lose. Especially if I lose,
but even if I win it could be my last fight in the UFC. And I'll
really give my best and hope this will be an attractive fight.
I cannot afford anymore, especially in this fight, that it's
declared as the most boring fight of the evening like the fight
with Frank Mir. I think me and Roy will perform a good fight
and the fans will be satisfied and excited."
Cro
Cop, who most recently fought and lost in March, said that he
underwent a rigorous six-month training camp to prepare himself,
but acknowledged that at some point, every fighter must ask himself
if he can continue on, and answer honestly.
He
also voiced regret over his UFC difficulties. Outside of the
promotion, Cro Cop has a sterling record of 23-4-2 with one no
contest. But in nine fights for the organization, he's gone just
4-5, a record that clearly didn't sit well with him.
"I
will never be able to forgive myself," he said. "I
just blew it up. When I came to UFC, I was treated like a king.
Even today I was treated like a king. And I just didn't make
it. The reasons are not important."
With
his past behind him though, Cro Cop said he is prepared for the
fight, and is freed by the thought that he has little to lose.
Even if he falls in defeat and retires, he has something to look
forward to: more time with his two sons.
"I'm
relaxed, there's no pressure on me," he said. "I will
do best to beat Roy, who I respect a lot. I don't want to underestimate
him. But if you ask me, this is the most important fight in my
career. This will be the most important fight in my career and
that's why I trained so hard for Saturday evening. I'm just looking
forward to it."
After
an early career in kickboxing, Cro Cop transitioned into martial
arts in the early 2000s. Within two years of the switch, he was
already considered among the best heavyweights in the world.
His August 2005 PRIDE match with Fedor Emelianenko was one of
the most anticipated non-UFC title matches in history, and although
Emelianenko ultimately emerged victorious, Cro Cop remained considered
one of the best heavyweights in the sport for years before finally
signing with the UFC.
His
last win came at UFC 115, when he defeated Pat Barry with a third-round
rear naked choke submission.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Nick
Diaz: It’s not my fault that UFC canceled my GSP fight,
blame them
By Zach
Arnold
When I think of ways to describe listening to Nick Diaz talk,
the one effect I keep coming back to is the same effect that
Tim Tebow has on the sports media, only Nick is the anti-Tebow.
Both men, wittingly or unwittingly, polarize people to no end.
Tebow more so based on his professional flaws, willingness to
take heat, and strong will-power; Diaz more or less because of
his rampant paranoia and constant need to blame others for his
personal & professional problems. Not enough media ass-kissing?
It’s your fault because you didn’t search him out even
if he’s not comfortable in the media spotlight. His logic,
at least what he verbally states, is beyond comprehension.
Take, for example, how much money Diaz lost by not fighting GSP
when the fight was originally scheduled. Dave Meltzer estimated
that Nick lost a $1 million USD pay day out of it. With St. Pierre
injured, the fight wouldn’t have ended up taking place,
but the table was set for Nick to make some big cash.
So, how does Nick summarize the events that led up to him losing
out on the big pay day (on paper)?
“There’s always extra pressure on me, you know, I don’t
get a lot of support. Not fan support but like I don’t get
a lot of sponsorship support. … I don’t have a lot
of people helping me out in that department.”
He goes on to complain about not getting media attention and
yet needles UFC fighters for being on Twitter and all “being
on the same team” as far as feuds are concerned. Furthermore,
Nick says he did nothing wrong in regards to Zuffa canceling
his bout against GSP and that the situation is their fault entirely.
“They went back on that. People want to blame me for spoiling
that deal but they spoiled that deal for the fans, it wasn’t
that I spoiled that deal. If you tell me what to do, I’ll
do it. Nobody’s telling me, ‘hey, show up for this
press conference or you’re not fighting.’ It’s
like, yeah right, like I’m not going to show up and people
are going to know that I don’t want to fight. I do want
to fight and it’s why I’ve been fighting my whole life,
training and representing my team. I’m not trying to let
my whole team down and the rest of the fans for that matter,
too.”
If you watch the interview, notice the tone of Nick’s comments
about St. Pierre as a point-fighter. It’s a mixture of disdain
and disgust without raising or changing his voice. He really
dislikes watching GSP fight.
Look at the bright side — if Nick loses to Penn on Saturday
night, Zuffa will probably keep him around so he doesn’t
jump ship to Bellator which just found a golden ownership parachute
with Viacom.
So, Cesar, will this fight be a stand-up or ground battle?
CESAR GRACIE: “You know what? I’d like to see it standing,
I mean, if I had to pick. I think Nick is very durable and I
think he would be able to his reach eventually and start picking
BJ off. But on the ground, let’s face it, Nick is a incredible
BJJ practitioner. He’s been doing jiu-jitsu for a very long
time, he’s an awesome black belt as is BJ. So, I’m
interested to see this fight. I think we’re going to see
a lot of stand-up and we’re going to see a lot of ground
work.”
KENNY RICE: “Freddie Roach has said that BJ Penn is the
best striker out there in MMA and BJ Penn has said that Nick
Diaz is the best boxer in MMA. That has all the ingredients that
this is going to stand-up, you think?”
CESAR GRACIE: “You know… it does but, you know, BJ
has also made a couple of statements after the Fitch fight, he
said he was going to go back to his roots of taking people down
and trying to finish them with his jiu-jitsu, you know, so he
said that also and… who knows what’s in BJ’s mind
right now? I would love to see a stand-up war like I’ve
said but we’re going to see both of them, ground and standing.
“I think we’re going to see a great ground game and
we’re going to go back to one of those fights where there
isn’t any stalling and both guys are really going for it,
at least that’s the plan for right now. I’m friends
with BJ and he started off at my school back in the day when
me and Ralph had an academy together, so I’ve known him
for a very long time. The kid’s a phenom and a prodigy and
I’ve been a fan of his since then and Nick is pretty much
the same way, so it will be great, it will.”
KENNY RICE: “Cesar, we talked about this recently when I
had the pleasure of coming up to your gym… Nick is one of
the most misunderstood guys out there in MMA and he misses the
two press conferences, he loses his chance at a shot at GSP back
then. Have you talked about that much with him? Is that something
that rolls off his back and he’s just ready to fight this
fight or does it stay in the back of his mind a little bit?”
CESAR GRACIE: “You know what? I think it does stay in the
back of his mind a little bit, you know. Nick is a hard guy to
figure out.. .but it really did effect him and I think it effected
me a lot, you know, definitely, you know, you bring a guy up
with that kind of potential to a title fight and when it doesn’t
happen because of something so stupid and silly, it’s going
to effect our team obviously. But, you know, Nick’s got
another opportunity to make up for it now and let’s face
it, I mean, if they would have had that fight, let’s say
GSP would have gotten hurt, Nick wouldn’t have a fight right
now. So, sometimes things work out the way they were supposed
to.”
KENNY RICE: “Obviously, a lot of respect for Nick. I mean,
there’s times where he may have been thrown off the card
completely but he gets a shot at Penn, so obviously that shows
there is respect for the ability that Nick has even though I
believe I’m using your words, again, it was a little stupid
what he did missing those press conferences.”
CESAR GRACIE: “Yeah, I agree. Nick has a tremendous amount
of respect for BJ. He sees him as a true fighter and Nick respects
those kind of people. Now, that might work against us a little
bit because, as you know, Nick really likes to hate his opponents
as everybody knows. And here’s BJ, a guy he does not hate
but actually likes. But, you know, I think Nick is a true professional
when it comes to fight, I mean he’s going to put that aside
and for the time we get to the 15 minutes we’re going to
see them in the cage, I think we’re going to see mortal
enemies.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Nick
Diaz: It’s not my fault that UFC canceled my GSP fight,
blame them
By Zach
Arnold
When I think of ways to describe listening to Nick Diaz talk,
the one effect I keep coming back to is the same effect that
Tim Tebow has on the sports media, only Nick is the anti-Tebow.
Both men, wittingly or unwittingly, polarize people to no end.
Tebow more so based on his professional flaws, willingness to
take heat, and strong will-power; Diaz more or less because of
his rampant paranoia and constant need to blame others for his
personal & professional problems. Not enough media ass-kissing?
It’s your fault because you didn’t search him out even
if he’s not comfortable in the media spotlight. His logic,
at least what he verbally states, is beyond comprehension.
Take, for example, how much money Diaz lost by not fighting GSP
when the fight was originally scheduled. Dave Meltzer estimated
that Nick lost a $1 million USD pay day out of it. With St. Pierre
injured, the fight wouldn’t have ended up taking place,
but the table was set for Nick to make some big cash.
So, how does Nick summarize the events that led up to him losing
out on the big pay day (on paper)?
“There’s always extra pressure on me, you know, I don’t
get a lot of support. Not fan support but like I don’t get
a lot of sponsorship support. … I don’t have a lot
of people helping me out in that department.”
He goes on to complain about not getting media attention and
yet needles UFC fighters for being on Twitter and all “being
on the same team” as far as feuds are concerned. Furthermore,
Nick says he did nothing wrong in regards to Zuffa canceling
his bout against GSP and that the situation is their fault entirely.
“They went back on that. People want to blame me for spoiling
that deal but they spoiled that deal for the fans, it wasn’t
that I spoiled that deal. If you tell me what to do, I’ll
do it. Nobody’s telling me, ‘hey, show up for this
press conference or you’re not fighting.’ It’s
like, yeah right, like I’m not going to show up and people
are going to know that I don’t want to fight. I do want
to fight and it’s why I’ve been fighting my whole life,
training and representing my team. I’m not trying to let
my whole team down and the rest of the fans for that matter,
too.”
If you watch the interview, notice the tone of Nick’s comments
about St. Pierre as a point-fighter. It’s a mixture of disdain
and disgust without raising or changing his voice. He really
dislikes watching GSP fight.
Look at the bright side — if Nick loses to Penn on Saturday
night, Zuffa will probably keep him around so he doesn’t
jump ship to Bellator which just found a golden ownership parachute
with Viacom.
So, Cesar, will this fight be a stand-up or ground battle?
CESAR GRACIE: “You know what? I’d like to see it standing,
I mean, if I had to pick. I think Nick is very durable and I
think he would be able to his reach eventually and start picking
BJ off. But on the ground, let’s face it, Nick is a incredible
BJJ practitioner. He’s been doing jiu-jitsu for a very long
time, he’s an awesome black belt as is BJ. So, I’m
interested to see this fight. I think we’re going to see
a lot of stand-up and we’re going to see a lot of ground
work.”
KENNY RICE: “Freddie Roach has said that BJ Penn is the
best striker out there in MMA and BJ Penn has said that Nick
Diaz is the best boxer in MMA. That has all the ingredients that
this is going to stand-up, you think?”
CESAR GRACIE: “You know… it does but, you know, BJ
has also made a couple of statements after the Fitch fight, he
said he was going to go back to his roots of taking people down
and trying to finish them with his jiu-jitsu, you know, so he
said that also and… who knows what’s in BJ’s mind
right now? I would love to see a stand-up war like I’ve
said but we’re going to see both of them, ground and standing.
“I think we’re going to see a great ground game and
we’re going to go back to one of those fights where there
isn’t any stalling and both guys are really going for it,
at least that’s the plan for right now. I’m friends
with BJ and he started off at my school back in the day when
me and Ralph had an academy together, so I’ve known him
for a very long time. The kid’s a phenom and a prodigy and
I’ve been a fan of his since then and Nick is pretty much
the same way, so it will be great, it will.”
KENNY RICE: “Cesar, we talked about this recently when I
had the pleasure of coming up to your gym… Nick is one of
the most misunderstood guys out there in MMA and he misses the
two press conferences, he loses his chance at a shot at GSP back
then. Have you talked about that much with him? Is that something
that rolls off his back and he’s just ready to fight this
fight or does it stay in the back of his mind a little bit?”
CESAR GRACIE: “You know what? I think it does stay in the
back of his mind a little bit, you know. Nick is a hard guy to
figure out.. .but it really did effect him and I think it effected
me a lot, you know, definitely, you know, you bring a guy up
with that kind of potential to a title fight and when it doesn’t
happen because of something so stupid and silly, it’s going
to effect our team obviously. But, you know, Nick’s got
another opportunity to make up for it now and let’s face
it, I mean, if they would have had that fight, let’s say
GSP would have gotten hurt, Nick wouldn’t have a fight right
now. So, sometimes things work out the way they were supposed
to.”
KENNY RICE: “Obviously, a lot of respect for Nick. I mean,
there’s times where he may have been thrown off the card
completely but he gets a shot at Penn, so obviously that shows
there is respect for the ability that Nick has even though I
believe I’m using your words, again, it was a little stupid
what he did missing those press conferences.”
CESAR GRACIE: “Yeah, I agree. Nick has a tremendous amount
of respect for BJ. He sees him as a true fighter and Nick respects
those kind of people. Now, that might work against us a little
bit because, as you know, Nick really likes to hate his opponents
as everybody knows. And here’s BJ, a guy he does not hate
but actually likes. But, you know, I think Nick is a true professional
when it comes to fight, I mean he’s going to put that aside
and for the time we get to the 15 minutes we’re going to
see them in the cage, I think we’re going to see mortal
enemies.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Hawaii
Toughman is Back!
Saturday, November
5, 2011
Hilo Civic Center
Doors open at 5:00 pm, Fights starts at 6:00 pm
For a video link of the upcoming event, click here!
|
Rich
Franklin Explains UFC 133 Match-up Debacle
Former
UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin understands the type
of business he’s in. That business is what many mixed martial
fans know as the fight game.
In
said fight game there are little aspects that play a big role
in developing a fight for a proposed card. Take the injury torn
UFC 133 fight card, for example. This event was scheduled to
have some major fights take place on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia.
Instead, injuries cursed the card and gave the event a facelift
that some saw as improvement, but most viewed as a step towards
ugly.
Franklin
was a part of that card’s shuffling, as he saw his opponent,
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, go down due to injury just three weeks
outside of their scheduled meeting. Phone calls to and from his
manager filled the first part of that weekend for Franklin. Then
he gets word that a new fight is offered with a relative unknown
in Alexander Gustafsson.
“I
don’t know who that is,” Franklin told MMAWeekly Radio
when describing the conversation he had with his manager. “The
name rang a bell, but I hadn’t seen him fight.”
The
former 185-pound champ wasn’t too happy about having to
fight someone on three weeks notice, especially someone he’s
never heard of, but he realizes this is the nature of the business.
So, Franklin does his due diligence and studies up on tape of
Gustafsson.
Sunday
afternoon arrives and “Ace” has one last conversation
with his manager. Although he doesn’t particularly care
for the fight and views it as a “lose-lose situation,”
Franklin informs his manager that he accepts the bout with Gustafsson.
It was difficult to see the upside of a proposed match-up with
a tough kid that not a lot of people know of.
But
last-minute changes, again, are commonplace in the sport. That’s
all fine, according to Franklin, he just wants to make sure he’s
taken care of and gets the appropriate paycheck at the end of
the day.
“As
I always do, I’ll take this fight,” he said. “I
just want to make sure this doesn’t mess anything up with
my payday because we work on bonuses and I don’t want them
to look at him as a prelim fighter and this drops my pay scale.”
Beyond
that, there were no other requests or stipulations regarding
the proposed Gustafsson fight, according to Franklin. He didn’t
want any more money than he had been promised when he first signed
on to fight Nogueira; he simply wanted to make sure he was in
good standing. Unfortunately, communication fell apart at some
point and the bout with Gustafsson was never finalized. Franklin
never fought on the UFC 133 card and the result was backlash
on message boards and social media platforms. Fans took shots
at the one-time UFC champion and accused him of ducking out of
the fight.
He’s
not one to listen to what a lot of people think of him, but Franklin
says he carries himself a lot better than what people were giving
him credit for. If a picture were painted of the situation, the
Cincinnati mixed martial artist would be portrayed as the one
avoiding it. This didn’t sit well with him because he feels
he’s far from the type to duck and run.
The
UFC veteran and future Hall of Fame inductee has a reputation
to uphold.
“I’ve
never turned down a fight, I’ve never pulled out of a fight,”
he said. “You guys know me better than that.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
XFC
14 Results: Jamie Varner Bucks Retirement
Though
he was ready to call it a day after losing his last fight, former
WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner kicked his retirement plans
to the curb with a first-round TKO victory over Nate Jolly at
Friday night’s XFC 14 in Orlando, Fla.
XFC
14 Results:
Jamie Varner def. Nate Jolly via TKO (Strikes) at 1:09, R1
Carmelo Marrero def. Scott Barrett via Unanimous Decision
Marianna Kheyfets def. Molly Helsel via Unanimous Decision
Reggie Pena def. Josh Clark via Unanimous Decision
Nicolae Cury def. Elijah Harshbargar via Submission (Armbar)
at 1:27, R1
Michael Gomez def. Mike Bernhard via Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
at 3:50, R2
John Mahlow def. Bruce Connors via Unanimous Decision
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
Alan
Belcher May Get Top 10 Opponent in Next UFC Fight
It
was a long road back to the UFC for middleweight Alan Belcher,
but after a victory over Jason MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 25
in September, he’s looking to take a major step up in competition
for his next fight.
After
almost losing his career to a detached retina, Belcher fought
and clawed his back to health and then back to the Octagon.
Now
his goal is to get back into the UFC middleweight title pictures,
and his manager believes if they get the fight they are hoping
for, he might only be one match-up away from making a challenge
to champion Anderson Silva.
“He
might be one opponent away from a title shot. The opponent they’re
talking about him fighting, if he beats him or knocks him out,
it’s going to be hard not to give him the next title shot,”
Belcher’s manager, Malki Kawa, teased when speaking to MMAWeekly
Radio.
“I
think it’s two fights away to stay conservative and be more
realistic, but there’s a great fight on the horizon for
Alan Belcher.”
While
Kawa stayed tight lipped on the potential match-up, he promised
that if it came to fruition a win for Belcher would definitely
send him rocketing up the middleweight rankings.
“It’s
a top guy at 185, stylistically it’s got ‘Fight of
the Night’ written all over it,” said Kawa.
When
looking over the top ten list in the middleweight division, several
fighters are already booked for fights, but one name that stands
out is former UFC champion Vitor Belfort.
“When
I talk to Joe (Silva), it’s ‘who does he need to beat
to get a shot at the title?’ There’s a couple of names
mentioned. Vitor (Belfort) was one of them, and to be honest
with you, I love that fight, and I’ll tell you this, Alan
loves that fight,” Kawa stated.
Belfort,
however, isn’t the only name on the list. Prior to his injury,
Belcher had been matched up with grappling ace Demian Maia, who
just recently defeated Jorge Santiago at UFC 136, and there are
still other possibilities that exist beyond that as well.
“He’s
one of about three or four guys we’ve been talking about
internally,” Kawa said about Belfort and other potential
match-ups for Belcher.
Whoever
it ends up being, Belcher wants to face a top ten opponent so
he can climb further up the ladder and hopefully reach his ultimate
goal: A UFC title shot.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Tom
Vaughn: the Missing Puzzle Piece for Bader, Dollaway, Others
at Power MMA
Putting
together the pieces of a puzzle can be a time consuming and tedious
effort, but the beautiful picture at the end makes all the hard
work worth while.
When
several top fighters in Arizona decided to open their own gym,
Power MMA & Fitness, they had the makings of a top MMA team.
Ultimate
Fighter Season 8 winner Ryan Bader, NCAA All-Americans Aaron
Simpson and C.B. Dollaway, as well as knockout artist Robbie
Lawler had all the talent in the world, but much like a puzzle,
they needed a border to contain them and give their gym form.
“If
there was one thing we were lacking it was that person of authority,
someone to hold everyone accountable,” said Simpson. “I
personally have kind of been training myself for a long time,
not really having a coach oversee what I do.”
From
the first day they opened the gym, Simpson, Bader, Dollaway,
and others knew that they would benefit from having a head coach
take over their program, but they also had a slew of other top
coaches that were already there to prepare them for fights.
Power
MMA & Fitness opened on day one with a Muay Thai instructor,
a boxing coach, a jiu-jitsu coach, a strength and conditioning
coach and down the line, but there was still something missing.
“That’s
what we were missing, that whole MMA coach, game planning and
putting it all together,” Bader told MMAWeekly.com. “We
had great individual coaches from Muay Thai to jiu-jitsu to boxing,
etc., but to have someone to put it all together, to look at
opponents, and put the fighters where they need to be and somebody
that’s been around the game.”
At
that point, Bader and his teammates turned to their manager and
business partner Dave Martin of the Martin Advisory Group, as
well as gym co-owner NBA guard Mike Miller to start putting together
a plan to get this missing piece of the puzzle.
“I
think it’s important for the upper echelon guys at our gym
to have the proper coaching staff in place. You can only coach
yourself so far. We’ve got some great assistant coaches
if you will, but we just needed that structure of a head coach,”
said Martin.
For
as talented as the team in Arizona was, there just happened to
be a glass ceiling on how much further they could push things
without having a leader to take them to that next level.
Enter
Tom Vaughn.
For
longtime fans of mixed martial arts, Vaughn’s name will
sound familiar. He was the instructor that brought up current
UFC welterweight contender Carlos Condit through the ranks from
his earliest days as a teenager all the way to the WEC championship.
Vaughn,
who owns and operates Fit NHB in New Mexico, has also coached
several other young up-and-comers over the years.
Once
he was introduced to the team in Arizona through a mutual friend,
there was a certain chemistry at work that just caused the right
kind of reaction from both the fighters and the coach.
“When
he came down he got right on the mat,” UFC middleweight
C.B. Dollaway said about Vaughn. “Like we were doing some
rolling on the day he got there and he got right in with the
guys and was rolling with them. He was willing to get in there
and show them what he was talking about. Reminded me a lot of
a wrestling coach.”
Vaughn
admits he wasn’t sure what to expect when he first arrived
at the facility in Arizona, but once he had a chance to work
with Simpson, Bader and the others, it was a natural fit.
“It
was the way I saw these guys interact with each other,”
Vaughn told MMAWeekly.com about his first experience with the
team. “I never pictured myself training guys that just floated
in for a couple of days, and I’m sure some of that will
happen and this gym will certainly be open for people to come
to do their camp and I encourage that, but what I have to offer
takes more time than that. When I came out here and I met these
guys and realized how long they’ve known each other and
what a great team they were, that was the selling point.”
Like
a good recipe, just having all the ingredients doesn’t necessarily
mean you’re going to finish with a great meal. It’s
being able to measure things out in the right amounts and knowing
just how to prepare things that ultimately make it a winning
combination.
Bringing
in a head coach like Tom Vaughn was exactly the structure that
the fighters at Power MMA & Fitness needed, while allowing
them to train and get ready for a fight without over-thinking
each and every situation.
“It
takes all of the thinking out of it for us. We don’t have
to come in every day and go ‘well, what am I going to do
today?’ We come in and he puts us through our workouts.
Instead of thinking about what am I going to do today, what should
I do today? We’ll just come in and he’ll put us through
it,” said Dollaway.
Simpson,
who has coached many wrestlers in his day, admits even he needed
the structure that a head coach provides because it’s one
thing to tell others to get in there and do something, it’s
a whole other game when you have to do it yourself.
“I
needed it. I needed someone to hold me accountable, but also
me being a little bit older and having been coached by great
guys and having been a coach, I feel like I know a little bit
about peaking and training, and I can’t just trust anybody
with my career,” Simpson commented.
A
veteran of MMA that’s been around the sport since its inception,
Vaughn understands all the nuances of fighting that just any
coach wouldn’t get. He understands how to teach, how to
develop and how to put together a winning strategy, which usually
means something different for each and every fighter he works
with.
“Putting
it all together and using the right tools for the right fighter.
You can’t just have a cookie cutter mentality for everybody.
Each one of these guys are a little bit different, and it takes
a veteran MMA eye to pick the things that are going to be correct
for the fighter,” Vaughn stated.
“I
have a been a mixed martial artist for a long time, I’ve
had a mixed martial arts gym for a very long time, so I know
the whole game. I can be the general contractor, I can be the
conductor. I’m very happy.”
Bader
echoed those sentiments, but also says it’s the little additions
that Vaughn is already started to contribute that they feel will
ultimately lead to their success.
“It’s
huge and I think the No. 1 thing is the experience. He’s
been in the game, he’s been in MMA, and that’s what
he does,” said Bader. “He lives, eats and breathes
MMA. He’s loves to do that and that’s his passion and
that’s great for everybody. It’s the little things,
the techniques that we were never taught.”
Vaughn
is already in Arizona full time working with the team and is
currently putting together the strategy for the next big fight
on the team’s docket.
The
next major fight for the team in Arizona is Ryan Bader’s
return to action against fellow wrestler Jason Brilz. Obviously
dealing with the difficulty of two losses in a row, Bader is
excited to get back in there and prove he’s still a top
talent in the light heavyweight division.
Tom
Vaughn says no one has to worry about how Ryan Bader will look
when he comes out for UFC 139. If anyone should be worried, it’s
his opponent.
“I
just got off the mat with Ryan and I’m amped. He’s
a really cool person and really good athlete, and he’s eager
to learn. So when you have all of those things to work with,
the sky’s the limit,” said Vaughn.
“I
think Jason Brilz needs to be concerned.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
‘I
Was Living a Dream’ Mark Coleman Looks Back at UFC Hall
of Fame Career
He
was a two-time UFC tournament winner and the first ever UFC heavyweight
champion.
He
won the first ever Pride Open Weight Grand Prix championship.
He’s
now a UFC Hall of Famer.
For
all the accolades, championships, trophies, and awards that he’s
won, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman still sits in his house
and wishes he could be back in the cage competing with the best
in the world.
Throughout
his storied career, Coleman had many ups and downs, bumps and
bruises, but through it all he tackled MMA with a ferociousness
that few have been able to match inside or outside the cage.
Known as the “Godfather of Ground and Pound,” Coleman
adapted his wrestling style to a vicious attack that continues
to evolve to this day as shown by fighters like current UFC heavyweight
champion Cain Velasquez and middleweight Mark Munoz.
Now
at 46 years of age, Coleman is still a loving father to his children
and he loves talking MMA because he spent so much of his life
being part of the sport. Still he can’t help but to miss
it all.
From
the biggest wins to the most heartbreaking losses, Coleman misses
each and every part of fighting.
“I
miss every aspect about fighting except maybe the brutal beatdowns
you’ve got to take some days. Actually, I wish I was heading
to practice right now getting ready for a two-hour beatdown or
beat somebody down and then recover. It was just living a dream.
You look back at it, I was living a dream,” Coleman told
MMAWeekly Radio.
When
Coleman entered the UFC for the first time back in 1996, it was
still considered an “outlaw” sport. States were running
away from allowing the competition to take place and despite
a fevered fan base still following the UFC, the athletes weren’t
getting the kind of paydays that fighters like Georges St-Pierre
and Brock Lesnar enjoy today.
But
for all of its shortcomings at the time, Coleman embraced MMA
as his home.
“When
the sport started, I prayed it was for real,” Coleman said.
“I knew that’s what I wanted to do and it was real
and I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right
time.”
Coleman’s
career was an amazing journey from his victory over Dan Severn
to win the UFC heavyweight title to the moment when he finished
off Igor Vovchanchyn to take home the Pride Grand Prix title
all the way to his losses to Fedor Emelianenko and his final
fight against Randy Couture, he wouldn’t change a thing.
But
it was the loss to Randy Couture on Feb. 6, 2010, that did break
his heart.
“Randy
Couture, he’s one heck of an opponent. I give him nothing
but credit. He was incredibly tough that night, and I didn’t
have no answers for him. I pretty much froze up and he took my
heart out that night,” Coleman admitted.
Heartbroken
to walk away from the UFC, Coleman can’t help but long for
his best days as a fighter, but he’s big enough to admit
that those times are behind him.
Still,
the former Ohio State All-American loves watching the sport continue
to evolve. Coleman says he loves to watch fighters like Georges
St-Pierre go out and fight, and looks at wrestlers like Daniel
Cormier as the future of MMA.
Any
time a fighter pays homage to him or mentions his name, Coleman
can’t help but sit back in awe that what he did was good
enough for his legacy to carry forward to today.
“It’s
very humbling,” said Coleman. “I’m amazed at how
far this sport has come. Dana White has done an amazing job getting
it on Fox TV, and these athletes how far they taken this sport.”
Regret.
It’s
not something Coleman really lives with these days, but he will
readily point out that if he could climb back in the Octagon
tomorrow and it would be a good decision, he’d sign the
contract and get ready to fight right now.
But
if his fight with Randy Couture is indeed his last one ever,
Coleman doesn’t need to go into a long diatribe about where
it all went wrong or how he wishes he could have won that night
just to get another fight. He boils it down very simply, because
in his heart Mark Coleman was always a simple man who was living
a dream.
“That’s
the way it goes,” Coleman said in closing about his fight
with Couture.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Nick
Diaz Says B.J. Penn is Better than Georges St-Pierre
Nick
Diaz was originally scheduled to face Georges St-Pierre for the
UFC welterweight title at UFC 137, but was pulled from the fight
after missing two media obligations to promote the event. He
was kept on the card, though, to face B.J. Penn, who Diaz says
is a better fighter than St-Pierre.
“I
think B.J. is a lot better fighter to be honest with you, on
a technical standpoint. He’s much better at jiu-jitsu, boxing,
even on a physical level I wouldn‘t count him out. I don’t
think he should be fighting at this weight,“ said Diaz on
a recent media conference call. “I think he’s a much
better fighter than GSP all-around.”
Diaz
isn’t happy about fighting Penn, someone he knows, likes,
and has trained with in the past.
“I’m
not happy about it at all. I’m fighting a guy that’s
my friend, or was my friend and now I’m fighting this guy.
I’ll be set to fight,” said Diaz. “I signed to
fight a certain guy (St-Pierre). I thought we had a deal. That’s
kind of where I’m at on it.
“I’m
going to deal with it. This is hard times, just like it’s
been. I’m not expecting it to get any easier,” he continued.
“This definitely doesn’t make it any easier. I don’t
like fighting people that I already know, or I’ve already
met, or trained with, or have video on me. We’ve spent a
lot of time training together. It’s kind of shady feelings
going into fights like that. I’m just doing what my manager
says.”
Diaz
made it clear who he’d rather be facing on the UFC 137 fight
card.
“I
would have preferred to fight GSP, of course, because it’s
not like I’m fighting somebody that I already know. I’m
fighting for the title. That’s why I started this. That’s
why I’m fighting for the UFC, because I came to fight for
the title. I came for the money. I came to fight for the title.
That was the GSP fight. Now I’m not getting that fight,”
he said.
“I
think I have the right skills and the right tools to do the job
in that fight. I don’t know if this fight is going to make
me come off any better or worse. I know that I think that Georges
comes out; he’s a little bit bigger than B.J. size-wise,
so he’s able to hold B.J. and stall for the rounds. I don’t
think he would have been able to do that to me, especially in
a five-round fight, so I was looking forward to that. I think
that
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Hard-charging
Cerrone lives a fast life
Donald
“Cowboy” Cerrone laughed mockingly at the idea of saving
money for retirement. He scoffed at a suggestion that his fight
with Dennis Siver at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 is critical for his positioning
in the deep lightweight division.
And
he dismissed any concern about winning a championship.
“[Expletive],
man, only one thing I care about right now and that’s making
money,” Cerrone said. “I want to get paid. I don’t
care if anyone is overlooking me or looking past me or where
I stand. I just want to keep fighting, dude. Let them keep me
busy. I want to fight again in December. I just want to fight
every couple of months and keep those checks coming.”
Those
checks should start getting a little larger because Cerrone,
28, is on an impressive roll, with five wins in a row and six
victories in his last seven outings. An import from the merger
with World Extreme Cagefighting, Cerrone won Fight of the Night
via a submission of Paul Kelly in his UFC debut at UFC 126 in
February, then won Knockout of the Night for taking out Charles
Oliveira in his last bout in August at UFC Live 5 in Milwaukee,
Wis.
Cerrone
said his only goal, though, is to do well enough to earn enough
money to buy things that will help him enjoy his life. Winning
a title is a goal, albeit one of his few long-range ones. He’s
more concerned about the here and now.
“One
day I want to be the champion, but am I looking forward to fighting
for the title next? No, not at all,” Cerrone said. “I
just want to keep fighting, because I like money. Every time
I fight, I can buy new [expletive]. That’s what I like to
do.”
He
and his best friend and training partner, UFC featherweight Leonard
Garcia, are building a ranch on 10 acres, and they’ve already
sunk $70,000 into a gym on the property. In addition, the proceeds
from his fight earnings include a boat and jet skis. He says
he’s planning to become a professional wake boarder.
He’s
a professional risk taker and says he’s interested in anything
that “makes my [expletive] pucker.”
The
official Yahoo! Sports MMA Twitter page is live. Follow @YahooSportsMMA
He’s
taken enough risks that he’s broken his back twice, once
nearly dying when he attempted a 60-foot jump while four-wheeling
in Colorado and came up on the short end. He not only broke his
back and his ribs, he was in a coma for more than two weeks.
He
lives life at breakneck speed, though it’s taken something
of a toll. He feels every mishap when he awakens.
“Man,
in the mornings, I feel like a 110-year-old man,” he said.
“But that’s the way it is. I don’t regret anything.
I do what I do because I love it. The body heals.”
Cerrone,
though, feels that not only won’t he live to be 110, he
also doesn’t expect to make it to 50. One of the negative
side effects of living the way he does is that the risk of disaster
is increasingly high.
He
isn’t worried about a 401(k) or an IRA, because he doubts
there will be a retirement for him.
“I’m
not going to make it that far, to 50,” Cerrone said firmly.
“I just don’t think I will. I go too hard too many
times. I’m all right with that. And I’m going to take
Leonard with me.
“People
who want to plan for a retirement, hey, great for them. My hat
is off to them if they’re doing what they think is right
for them. But me, no. I don’t think about that [expletive]
at all. I think about the right now, and that’s why I’m
going to be broke in a couple of years.”
Given
the life he leads, that last statement begs a question: Will
he be broken physically, or financially?
“Both,”
he said, chuckling. “I know that. It’s OK. I’m
good with it. I’m a big boy. I make my choices.”
He’s
made a choice not to concern himself too much with anyone or
anything. He is preparing hard for the fight with Siver by, he
says, “going to war with Leonard. Every time we spar, we’re
out there trying to kill each other.”
He
professes not to know much about Siver’s preferences, though
he said he happened to catch Siver’s victory over Matt Wiman
at UFC 132 in Las Vegas in July, in which Siver was on the right
side of a controversial decision.
“You
tell me about Siver, because I don’t know a thing about
the dude,” Cerrone said. “I know he accidentally won
his last fight and now he gets to fight me. That’s about
all I know. I’ve seen him throw a spinning back kick against
Paul Kelly, the same guy I fought, and he threw that spinning
back kick and knocked him out.
“Other
than that, I don’t know much about the dude. I know that
in his last fight, he fought Matt Wiman, and Wiman beat the [expletive]
out of him and he somehow miraculously won the fight. Now, he
gets to fight me, so that’s about it. I’ll be ready
for it.”
If
it turns into a high risk affair, though, he’ll be into
it just that much more.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Rankings:
The great Edgar debate
After
Frankie Edgar’s stirring knockout victory over Gray Maynard
in Houston at UFC 136, Dana White praised the lightweight champion
with a level of excitement the company boss usually only displays
after he’s stomped out a promotional rival.
“He’s
the Arturo Gatti of MMA,” White said at the post-fight news
conference. “I have so much respect for him. I’m going
to say it here tonight and I don’t care who disagrees, you’re
wrong and I’m right. … He’s the No. 2 pound-for-pound
fighter in the world.”
White
went on to argue, with some merit, that Edgar is small by the
current standards of the lightweight division and that if you’re
looking at the phrase “pound-for-pound” in a strict
sense, then Edgar’s size has to be taken into account.
But
the UFC boss’ words didn’t make an impression with
voters in the Yahoo! Sports poll, as for the third straight month,
Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre were unanimous choices
at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Edgar, for his part, moved up
one spot to No. 4 after his win.
While
there is no denying the New Jersey native has as much heart as
anyone in the fight business, he still has a ways to go before
his résumé matches the three fighters ahead of
him.
At
No. 1, of course, is Silva, who has won 14 consecutive fights
and on Oct. 14 becomes the first fighter in UFC history to hit
his fifth anniversary as champion. St. Pierre, at No. 2, has
only lost once in the past seven years and has won 33 of his
past 35 rounds.
[Related:
Will Silva-Jones superfight happen? ]
Jon
Jones, at No. 3, has demolished high-level opposition in a way
that Edgar simply hasn’t. During the same time frame that
Edgar drew with Maynard, then had to rally to defeat the same
foe, Jones destroyed a pair of former light heavyweight champions
in Mauricio Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, the
first of which came just six weeks after Jones beat Ryan Bader.
That’s
not to say Edgar can’t develop into a top-two fighter. Anyone
with the moxie to survive Maynard’s brutal first-round assaults
in both of this year’s bouts and remain champion is clearly
a special breed. And if Edgar develops into a long-term champion
in what is widely regarded as the company’s deepest division,
his stock will continue to rise. But as of Oct. 2011, the fighters
ahead of him simply have stronger claims to their spots.
Edgar’s
victory also dropped Maynard out of the top 10. Maynard was tied
with Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez for ninth
last month, but ended up at 11 after his first career loss. In
his place is former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans,
who re-enters at No. 10.
10.
Rashad Evans
Points: 17
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Record: 16-1-1, 1 no-contest
Last month’s ranking: T-9
Most recent result: Def. Tito Ortiz, R2 TKO, Aug. 6
Analysis: At the rate things are going, Evans will meet Jones
sometime around UFC 250. The latest setback is Evans’ lingering
hand injury.
T-8.
Gilbert Melendez
Points: 37
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 19-2 (won past five)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. Tatsuya Kawajiri, R1 TKO, April 9
Analysis: A win over Jorge Masvidal in his Dec. 17 Strikeforce
swan song should set up what promises to be one of 2012’s
best bouts: Edgar vs. Melendez.
T-8.
Jon Fitch
Points: 37
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Record: 23-3-1, 1 no-contest (draw in previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: Majority draw vs. B.J. Penn, Feb. 21
Analysis: Finally returns to the cage on Dec. 30, where he’ll
meet 11-1 Johny Hendricks.
7.
Cain Velasquez
Points: 77
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Salinas, Calif.
Record: 9-0 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 7
Most recent result: Def. Brock Lesnar, R1 TKO, Oct. 23
Analysis: Has more to gain, and more to lose, than any other
top 10 fighter when he headlines the first UFC on Fox event Nov.
12.
6.
Dominick Cruz
Points: 112
Affiliation: UFC (bantamweight champion)
Weight class: Bantamweight
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 18-1 (won past eight)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: Def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision,
Oct. 1
Analysis: Stayed put in the rankings after an impressive, but
by no means dominant, victory over undersized Demetrious Johnson.
5.
Jose Aldo
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 20-1 (won past 13)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Kenny Florian, unanimous decision, Oct.
8
Analysis: A methodical victory over Florian wasn’t enough
to stop his slow slide down the rankings.
4.
Frankie Edgar
Points: 152
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 14-1-1 (won past one)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: Def. Gray Maynard, R4 KO, Oct. 8
Analysis: Edgar’s vote breakdown: 10 third-place ballots;
five fourths; four fifths; two sixths and a seventh.
3.
Jon Jones
Points: 160
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.
Record: 14-1 (won previous five)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: Def. Quinton Jackson, R4 submission, Sept.
24
Analysis: Will fight his third consecutive former light heavyweight
champion when he meets Lyoto Machida on Dec. 10.
2.
Georges St. Pierre
Points: 198
Affiliation: UFC (welterweight champion)
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 22-2 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: Def. Jake Shields, unanimous decision, April
30
Analysis: Was White’s “Edgar is No. 2” rant designed
to light a fire under St. Pierre, who has fought conservatively
in recent years and is known to take criticism to heart?
1.
Anderson Silva
Points: 220 (22 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 29-4 (won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: Def. Yushin Okami, R2 TKO, Aug. 27
Analysis: Happy fifth anniversary to the champ, who likely has
another bout with Chael Sonnen on the way.
•
Votes for others: Gray Maynard 13; Mauricio Rua 9, Dan Henderson
8; Nick Diaz 7; Jake Shields 6; Junior Dos Santos 5; B.J. Penn
5; Chael Sonnen 4; Lyoto Machida 2.
This
month’s voting panel: Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias
Cepeda, Fight! Magazine; Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and
Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield, Cagewriter and ESPN Radio 1100
Las Vegas; Neil Davidson The Canadian Press; Dave Doyle Yahoo!
Sports; CTV Sportsnet;Ben Fowlkes, SportsIllustrated.com and
MMAFighting.com; Josh Gross, ESPN.com; Ariel Helwani, Versus.com
and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports; Damon Martin,
MMAWeekly.com; Todd Martin, freelance; Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com;
Steven Marrocco, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAjunkie.com; Dave
Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and The Wrestling Observer; John Morgan,
MMAjunkie.com; Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith,
MMAFighting.com; Mike Straka, Tapout TV; Dann Stupp, MMAjunkie.com
and The Dayton Daily News;Jeff Wagenheim, SI.com.
Scoring:
Ten points for a first-place vote, nine points for second, etc.,
down to one point for a 10th-place vote. Fighters under suspension
for use of performance-enhancing substances or abuse of drugs
are ineligible to be considered for the duration of their suspensions.
Fighters who have been inactive for more than 12 months are ineligible
for consideration until the completion of their next fight.
•
Upcoming matches for ranked fighters: No. 2 Georges St. Pierre
vs. Carlos Condit, Oct. 29; No. 7 Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos
Santos, Nov. 12.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Dantas,
Vila Advance in Bellator Bantamweight Tournament
Eduardo Dantas and Alexis Vila will meet in the final of the
Bellator Fighting Championships bantamweight tournament after
both men won split decisions at Bellator 55 on Saturday night.
The
22-year-old Dantas showed off his trademark fast pace in beating
Ed West by split decision, staying active and clearly earning
the decision. The judges scored it 30-27 Dantas, 29-28 Dantas
and 29-28 West, and it was surprising that one judge gave the
fight to West: This was Dantas's fight all the way.
The
decision in the other semifinal was much more controversial:
One judge scored it 30-27 for Marcos Galvao, while the other
two scored it 29-28 for Vila, and it was clear from the crowd's
reaction that most of the fans in attendance thought the judges
got it wrong, and Galvao deserved to win.
Dantas
vs. Vila should be a very good fight for the bantamweight final,
culminating what has been an entertaining eight-man tournament,
but the controversial decision in the main event had the crowd
booing when Dantas and Vila squared off in the cage Saturday
night.
In
other action, Bellator's light heavyweight champion, Christian
M'Pumbu, lost to Travis Wiuff and in the process became the first
Bellator champion to lose a non-title "super fight."
The bigger, stronger Wiuff controlled most of the way, and M'Pumbu
didn't really get things going until he knocked Wiuff down and
appeared close to winning by TKO in the third round. That late
rally wasn't enough, and Wiuff won by unanimous decision. M'Pumbu
is still the light heavyweight champ, but he'd be well served
to move down to middleweight: He's just not big enough to take
on a guy the size of Wiuff.
And
Ricardo Tirloni, widely regarded as one of the best young lightweights
in MMA, sunk in a rear-naked choke to force a quick tap from
Steve Gable in the second round of the opening fight on the MTV2
broadcast. Tirloni, who was making his Bellator debut, improved
his pro record to 14-1. He looks like he's going to be a very
good fighter in the Bellator lightweight division.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
For
Shane Carwin, It's Surgery, Then Return to Address 'Unfinished
Business'
The days and nights are not especially comfortable for Shane
Carwin. Sitting at his desk, he feels the middle three toes on
his left foot go numb. Working out, his legs freeze for split-seconds
at a time. Lying on his bed at night, he can't find a comfortable
position to rest in.
For
Carwin, the problem will result in his second major surgery in
a year. On November 15, doctors will perform a procedure that
will drill out bone and give his spinal cord some room to keep
a disc from pressing against his nerves.
The
surgery is scary, but as Carwin tells it, not as scary as the
moment that led to it.
He
had noticed that anytime he was doing jumping exercises, his
legs would lock up briefly, but he reasoned that his muscles
were just taking longer than usual to warm up. But on one recent
day, he was working on wrestling takedowns, and suddenly fell
flat on his back. It was at that point when he realized that
his legs had gone completely stiff.
"Honestly,
I thought I was almost paralyzed," he told MMA Fighting.
The
feeling came back about 15 seconds later, but Carwin knew something
was very wrong with his body. A follow-up MRI revealed damage
that put the former UFC interim light-heavyweight champion on
the shelf and in a predicament. His doctor gave him two options.
Either he could go through surgery, or he could retire.
While
it wasn't a snap decision, it wasn't a hard one either.
After
consulting with his doctor, Carwin (12-2) spoke with both his
wife Lani and manager Jason Genet. To him, it sounded like the
surgery was inevitable at some point as his symptoms weren't
likely to just go away on their own. It was possible he could
retire and need the procedure a year down the road, so, he reasoned,
why not just do it now and continue on with his fight career?
It's not like he's afraid of the hard work he'll have to put
in to return. This is the guy who nearly won a UFC championship
while holding a fulltime job as an engineer. If anyone was going
to embrace this uphill task, it's him.
"If
I didn't believe I still had a title run left in me, I would
retire," he said. "I feel like I still have some things
to prove. I have unfinished business. I love the doubters."
Carwin
is not likely to return to the octagon until around the summer
of 2012. At that point he'll be 37 years old, coming off two
surgeries in less than two years, and looking to break a two-fight
losing streak. So there will likely be many doubters to be found.
It
wasn't long ago though when he was the next big thing, an undefeated
12-0 with 12 first-round finishes heading into his heavyweight
championship fight with Brock Lesnar at UFC 116. In that bout,
he seemed on his way to lucky 13, punishing Lesnar in a first-round
barrage that nearly caused a stoppage on more than one occasion.
But Lesnar withstood the ferocious onslaught and rebounded with
a second-round arm-triangle submission.
After
surgery in November 2010 that addressed neck and disc damage
that was a result of wear and tear throughout his athletic career,
Carwin came back almost a year after his last fight, ironically
replacing a recently dethroned Lesnar in a No. 1 contenders bout
with Junior dos Santos at UFC 131. The performance undeniably
exhibited Carwin's toughness (he was outstruck 104-22 according
to FightMetric), but for him, it ultimately proved to be the
most disappointing of his career.
Carwin
offers few excuses for the loss, saying that it's the one fight
he'd like to take back.
"The
Junior fight just wasn't me," he said. "I don't think
mentally it was me. When I went out there, I didn't press and
get in his face like I typically would. That's one time to perform,
and I just didn't perform to my best. I could sit here and look
at things here or there I could have done better, but the fact
of the matter is that I didn't perform to my best."
That
memory will at least partially motivate Carwin forward as he
works though rehabilitation and finds his way back into the gym.
At least for a short time, it had already been doing so. Shortly
before his injury occurred, the UFC had given Carwin an indication
that he would be on the year-end event at UFC 141, and he had
been in the gym gearing up his training.
By
the time he returns a few months from now, the division is likely
to look quite different. A title fight with Cain Velasquez hoping
to defend his belt against dos Santos is on the horizon, and
at the end of the year, Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem will
tangle in a bout that could produce the next top contender.
"The
heavyweight division is exciting," he said. "I can
see any of those four guys holding the belt. It sure makes for
some exciting matchups."
But
there's even more depth likely on the way. Top 10 heavyweight
Fabricio Werdum is likely to be shipped in soon, and by the time
Carwin returns, Strikeforce might have folded up shop and brought
its talented big men to the UFC's octagon.
Carwin
has no predictions on the world he'll walk back into when his
body is healed up, but he knows the division has its challenges.
The
only challenge for him now is getting healthy. Doctors have told
him that he should return to "as normal as whatever athletes
can be" after years of wear and tear. There is no guarantee,
just the promise in his mind. Asked if he has anything he'd like
to say about his future, the soft-spoken heavyweight laughs.
There will be no big proclamations forthcoming.
"I
appreciate being part of the sport and the opportunities it's
given me in life," he says.
And
with that, Shane Carwin goes back to work.
Source:
MMA Fighting |
TUF
14 Finale Fight Card Adds Ultimate Fighter 13 Winner
The
Ultimate Fighter Season 14 Finale fight card, still a month and
a half away and usually loaded with fighters from the series,
is already starting to flesh itself out. UFC officials on Friday
added a lightweight bout between season 13 winner Tony Ferguson
and veteran Yves Edwards to the Dec. 3 event at The Palms in
Las Vegas.
“Verbal
agreements are in for an explosive lightweight matchup between
Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner Tony Ferguson and veteran striking
specialist Yves Edwards, Dec. 3, on the Ultimate Fighter Finale,”
confirmed UFC president Dana White.
Ferguson
(12-2) is coming off of a jaw-crushing victory over Aaron Riley
at UFC 135 in September. He literally broke Riley’s jaw
during the fight, leading to a TKO stoppage following the first
round. Ferguson defeated Ramsey Nijem to win TUF 13 in June.
Edwards
(41-17-1) is rolling along on a 3-1 record since his return to
the UFC last year. He was once considered the uncrowned UFC lightweight
champion when the promotion did away with the weight class for
a short time. He enters the fight with Ferguson following a win
over Rafaello Oliveira at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington, DC.
TUF
14 coaches Michael Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller
square off in the finale’s main event.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
After
Two Crushing KOs, What’s Next as Kimbo Moves From MMA to
Boxing?
Through
two professional boxing matches, former UFC heavyweight Kimbo
Slice now has two knockouts wins with his fights barely going
over a minute total.
The
one-time street fighter turned mixed martial artist turned boxer
seems to be finding his footing in the sport his promoter Jared
Shaw believes he should have turned to long ago.
While
Kimbo is still a long ways off from challenging for titles or
facing either of the Klitschko brothers, his progression as a
fighter is exactly what Shaw hoped for when he signed on to promote
the heavy handed Miami fighter.
“In
my mind, he’s making a lot of strides already,” Shaw
told MMAWeekly Radio. “In his movement, in getting his legs
stronger, turning his hands over, now you’ve seen power
with both hands, so he’s got one-punch power. He’s
learning more of the bob and weave, which comes natural to him,
but there’s certain things that can be tightened up about
that, and defense.”
His
second fight, which took place last weekend, resulted in a nasty
one-punch knockout from Kimbo. It didn’t differ much from
his first fight in which the YouTube sensation only needed a
couple of punches to put his opponent away.
Shaw
believes that Kimbo is taking the right path to become a quality
heavyweight in boxing. But Shaw is not going to rush Kimbo’s
progression by putting him in fights that he doesn’t belong
in until he’s ready.
“It’s
a continued process to him becoming a 12-round fighter,”
said Shaw. “Obviously, in these next couple Kimbo fights
you’ll start to see the rounds increase and with the rounds
increasing, obviously the caliber of opponent will increase.
Maybe some man will be able to test him, maybe he’ll prove
everybody wrong and nobody will be able to get outside of one
round with him.”
Kimbo
has always been a fighter willing to accept challenges, which
is why he moved to MMA in the first place. Shaw knows for a fact
that Kimbo still loves mixed martial arts, but ultimately boxing
was just a better fit for him.
“He
still likes mixed martial arts and he still likes the mixed martial
arts game, but it’s just not the right sport for him,”
said Shaw.
“He’s
a fearless fighter, he’s angry, and he has a chip on his
shoulder. This is a different game altogether than mixed martial
arts. This is a man who is used to fighting in backyards and
in the streets. When you box you’ve only got two things
to worry about: defend yourself and throw punches.”
So
far boxing has been good to Kimbo, but so was MMA through just
a few fights. The future however for the former Ultimate Fighter
competitor in the “sweet science” will travel down
a much different path according to Shaw.
Slow
and steady is the way that Kimbo’s boxing career will continue
until he’s truly ready for a step up in competition. He
will keep busy, however, because he’ll be back at least
one more time this year to mark his third professional boxing
match, and he doesn’t expect to slow down when 2012 starts
either.
“Kimbo
will come back and fight in December again. At a place to be
determined and an opponent to be announced at a later date. He
will continue to progress as a professional pugilist,” Shaw
commented.
“He’ll
hope to put another knockout in spectacular fashion on his resume.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Paul
Daley Wants Back in the UFC
Paul
“Semtex” Daley is not the same person or fighter that
he was when let go by the Ultimate Fighting Championship following
his UFC 113 loss to Josh Koscheck and the post-fight antics that
led to his firing, and the British welterweight would like the
opportunity to prove it.
Daley
was handed his walking papers before leaving the arena that night
for striking Koscheck after the fight had concluded. During the
event’s post-fight press conference UFC president Dana White
said, “He’ll never come back here again. He’ll
never come back.”
We’ve
heard White say that about fighters before and they eventually
return.
Asked
if he believes fences can be mended, Daley told MMAWeekly Radio,
“I would like to think so. A lot of the guys have gone over
to the UFC that have had a problem or have been dropped for whatever
reason and have come back. They’ve come back and they’ve
done well and have been accepted. It just depends. I’ll
put it out there that I would go back, so it’s pretty much
with the UFC.”
The
28-year-old regrets his actions and would like to put it behind
him.
“After
the incident with Koscheck, the apology was immediate. I made
a public apology. Everybody knows I’m not proud of what
happened,” he said. “I don’t take any pride in
what I did after the Koscheck fight, but I feel like, purely
based on fighting, I feel like I’ve proven myself as a fighter
even though I’ve taken those two loses from (Nick) Diaz
and (Tyron) Woodley.
“I
figure in all of those fights that I entertained, and I’ve
shown a constant development since leaving the UFC. I think that
you can see that I’m improving, and I think it’s still
going to happen and it would be good to see it back on the biggest
stage. You know, see the Semtex that messed up with the Koscheck
fight and the Semtex that I am now.”
As
they say, the ball is in the UFC’s court, and Daley welcomes
dialogue to pave the way for a return to the Octagon.
“I’m
open to talking to anybody about the situation. For me, I’ve
spoke about it and I’ve always voiced my opinions on the
whole UFC situation. I’m maturing as a fighter, as a person,
and I’m quite open to sitting down and discussing things
with whoever it needs to be discussed with in order to compete
within the UFC,” said Daley.
“I
have a lot of fans that want to see, not only in the U.K., but
all over the world. A lot of people say there’s some interesting
match-ups for Semtex to take part in within the UFC. I’m
really keen for those fights to happen as well, so we just need
somebody in the head office over at the UFC to see what we’re
seeing and sign me back up and make the fights happen.”
Daley’s
next fight is on Oct. 21 against Liugi Fioravanti at Ringside
MMA 12 in Canada.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Vila
a late-blooming MMA star
The
“next big thing” is a frequent topic of conversation
in mixed martial arts. But rarely is the subject 40 years old.
When
you hear about MMA’s most unheralded new knockout artist,
you don’t expect to find out that he was a wrestler who
competed at 105 pounds on the world stage.
And
when you talk about this man’s debut on the national stage,
you don’t expect to hear that in his first televised fight,
he knocked out a world champion.
But
this improbable story played out Sept. 24, in Canton, Ohio, when
undersized bantamweight Alexis Vila knocked out Bellator featherweight
champion Joe Warren in 1:04.
Vila
won the world championship in freestyle wrestling for Cuba in
1993 and 1994 and followed with a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics
in Atlanta. When he was announced in Bellator’s loaded bantamweight
tournament a few months back, the immediate reaction was that
he was an aging former wrestler being fed to one of the company’s
biggest stars.
But
it took mere seconds to find out that wasn’t the case. Warren
had come into the fight with a 7-1 record, virtually all against
top competition. He isn’t the best technical fighter, always
made mistakes and almost always got in trouble in his fights.
But, as a world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, Warren could
will his way out of almost anything.
After
Vila’s first punch landed, though, Warren’s expression
changed. It was the look of fear. When the next solid punch that
landed, Warren’s eyes went blank and he was on the mat,
out cold. Just like that, Vila was a force in mixed martial arts.
“It
was something that God gave me, the power,” said Vila.
Warren,
as always, had talked big before the fight, but Vila can look
back and understand what he was doing.
“No,
I have no problem with him now,” he said. “This is
a fight and you have to be a professional. He has no problem
with me. He started running his mouth to impress me.”
“When
I moved to 135 [pounds], I kept my power. People don’t realize
how strong I am. I thought, ‘I’m stronger than you.’
When I punched him, he felt my power and it changed the fight.”
If
things had been different, perhaps Vila could have been an early
MMA legend. He started boxing at the age of 5, and MMA at 14,
where he quickly excelled. Before he went to the Olympics, he
saw the early UFC and Royce Gracie for the first time and immediately
thought it was something he could be good at. But at the time,
he walked around at 119 pounds and of course, lived in Cuba.
“I saw it, but they had no weight classes then,” Vila
remembered. “I remember Gracie, all those guys I saw. I
remember watching and wishing that they had weight classes so
I was waiting.”
Vila
(10-0) headlines Saturday night’s Bellator 55 event at the
Cocopah Resort and Casino in Yuma, Ariz., facing Marcos Galvao
(10-4-1) in the semifinals of this season’s bantamweight
tournament. The other semifinal also takes place on the event
that airs live on MTV2, with Ed West (17-5) facing Eduardo Dantas
(10-2). Dantas was 4 when Vila first was a world champion in
wrestling.
Cuban defector Alexis Vila is just beginning to emerge as a Bellator
star at the age of 40.
After
winning the bronze medal in Atlanta, Vila realized he wanted
to get out of Cuba. He defected the next year while traveling
to a wrestling meet in San Juan and eventually made his way to
Florida, where he worked as a coach for a youth wrestling program.
At the time, there still wasn’t a place for someone his
size to get into MMA, and the sport faded in popularity so he
could never follow up on what he saw years earlier.
His
next taste of the sport didn’t come until 2004.
“I
was in Michigan, and I was training with Rashad Evans,”
he recalled. “He had just finished college wrestling [before
Evans made his name in the second season of [‘The Ultimate
Fighter’] and had started fighting. I taught him some boxing
to help him for his first fights. He invited me to his gym. When
I started training with him, he said, ‘Why don’t you
start fighting too.’ ’“
“After
that, I had a little problem,” he said.
While
Vila doesn’t like to talk much about it, fact is, he spent
three years in federal prison after a 2004 incident in which
he crashed his car into a terminal at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport. Vila maintains to this day that the incident
was simply an accident, and that he accepted a plea agreement
in order to avoid terrorism charges during a politically charged
era.
“It
was an accident, my windshield, I couldn’t see out of it,
so I didn’t know where I was going,” said Vila, who
served three years in prison.
“Most
of the time I was locked down,” he said, noting between
the ages of 33 and 36 he had no opportunity for training. “I
got into fights a lot. It was really hard for me. I had to be
in one cell by myself.”
He
was almost 37 when he got out of prison, and then started his
fighting career. The next problem was getting fights at his size.
He had grown since his wrestling days, and was hovering between
140-143 pounds. So his natural competitive weight class would
be 125 and there weren’t a lot of opportunities for a guy
that size and age, even with an Olympic pedigree and rocks for
fists.
“For
me, age is only a number,” Vila noted, and it’s clearly
a number he doesn’t think about. If you ask him how old
he was when he went to the Olympics, he takes a while and can
only give you an approximate guess. “I think I’m more
experienced. I have everything. I took care of myself pretty
well which is what is important. You have to be in good condition
with good cardio. The difference is I know how to fight like
a champion.”
Vila
had knocked out six guys, submitted two and only gone to a decision
once, fighting mostly at 125 pounds, when he was discovered by
Bellator
.
“When Bellator had a Florida tryout one time, I went over
there,” Vila recalled. “I was doing a tryout for 125
pounds, but there was nobody else there. So I moved to 135 and
I made it. After that I felt my position open when they decided
to call me to be part of the tournament.”
It
was a loaded field, with Galvao and Warren as two of the most
established names.
Galvao,
a Brazilian, felt robbed of a decision in a non-title fight with
Warren on April 16 before the tournament started. He followed
it up with an impressive overall performance in an exciting decision
win over former World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion
Chase Beebe on Sept. 24 in Canton in the first round of the tournament.
He’s
a Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard, having won two world championships
in his sport, is in his prime at 30, and is the physically bigger
man.
“I
can’t predict the fight,” said Vila. “I just go
100 percent. I’m going to push my will, and any mistake
he makes, I’ll make him pay.”
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
UFC
140 Fight Card Gains Yves Jabouin vs. Walel Watson
The
UFC on Friday announced a bantamweight addition to its UFC 140
fight card in Toronto. Canadian Yves Jabouin will face Walel
Watson when the promotion returns on Dec. 10 to the record-setting
city.
“Jabouin
is looking to stay undefeated since moving into the weight division
and Watson is coming off a spectacular knockout win,” said
UFC president Dana White in announcing that both fighters have
verbally agreed to the bout.
Jabouin
(16-7), a training partner of UFC welterweight champion Georges
St-Pierre, is coming off of a successful debut at 135 pounds.
He won a split decision over Ian Loveland at UFC 134 in Rio.
He’d lost three of his four fights prior to Loveland and
was likely staring at a pink slip if he hadn’t won in Brazil.
Watson
(9-2) left a lasting impression on company brass at UFC on Versus
6 earlier this month when he TKO’d fellow Octagon debutant
Joseph Sandoval little more than a minute into their fight. Watson
has explosiveness in his hands to accompany great depth in his
submission abilities, making him a solid addition to the bantamweight
roster.
UFC
light heavyweight champion Jon Jones defends his belt against
Top 10 fighter Lyoto Machida in the UFC 140 main event on Dec.
10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Tavares
Injured, Jorgensen vs. Curran Bumped to UFC 137 PPV
Ultimately,
Scott Jorgensen gets his wish because his fight with Jeff Curran
will now be on the main card for the pay-per-view at UFC 137
after an injury forced Brad Tavares off the card.
UFC
officials announced on Friday that Tavares suffered an injury
in training and newcomer Clifford Starks will step in to face
Dustin Jacoby, but their fight will go back to the Facebook preliminary
card.
Now
the bantamweight bout between Jorgensen and Curran will get the
main card slot originally opened up after the main event between
Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit was pulled from the card.
As
far as the other bout made on Friday, Clifford Starks makes his
UFC debut on just one week’s notice. He puts his 7-0 record
on the line when he faces fellow Octagon rookie Dustin Jacoby.
The
Facebook preliminary card now airs four fights in total including
the bout between Jacoby and Starks.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Roy
Nelson Keeping His Cool Ahead of Crucial UFC 137 Bout
Ask Roy Nelson how he's been preparing for his fight against
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 137, and you'll find
that "Big Country's" sense of humor is still very much
intact after two straight losses.
"I've
just been working out in the cemetery a lot," he told MMA
Fighting recently. "I've got to get ready for the left kick.
I want to see what it's like."
It's
a typical Roy Nelson answer, which is to say slightly absurd
and said with a straight face, as if to daring you to say, 'No,
seriously.' But these aren't joking times for Nelson. After coming
up short against Junior dos Santos and then Frank Mir, Nelson
is facing a potentially dire situation.
Don't
tell him that, of course.
"All
fights are dire," Nelson said. "I've seen guys get
cut after one. I've seen guys lose three or four and still have
a job. In this business, there's no rhyme or reason. It's MMA.
It's like when you go into the Octagon: anything can happen."
If
Nelson didn't already know that, he got a quick education in
his fight against Mir. He knew he was getting sick before the
bout, he said. He'd been shaking hands at a recent UFC Fan Expo
and "I must have touched some dirty people and didn't wash
my hands enough."
Even
when he realized he was coming down with something, he refused
to take antibiotics because he worried about the effect they
might have on his cardio, Nelson said. Then again, not taking
them didn't do much to help him either.
"In
that fight, I just hit a wall. And I hit a wall fast. I hit the
wall, like, the first minute. I think it kind of showed on my
face in the fight. But I pushed through it, gave a hundred percent
of what I had, and just came out on the losing end."
The
Tuesday after the fight, Nelson would stagger into the emergency
room and find out that he had walking pneumonia. Even with a
course of antibiotics, he'd spend the next month or so trying
to kick the illness. He'd also end up questioning whether taking
a fight against a former UFC heavyweight champion in this state
was really the best career move.
"The
one thing that I definitely learned from this one is, I'm always
a fighter first and a businessman second, and that one taught
me to be a businessman before a fighter. When you're injured
or sick, the thing is, you've still got to provide for your family.
I hadn't fought for ten months before that, and I'm just trying
to put food on the table and take care of my bills. It was one
of those things, plus it was an awesome opportunity. You beat
Frank and you're right back in the mix."
Since
Nelson couldn't beat 'em, however, he decided to join 'em. He's
been working out with his old foe Mir in preparation for the
bout with Filipovic. He and Mir don't talk about their fight,
Nelson said, because "it's in the past."
Nelson's
future lies in the cage with Cro Cop. If he doesn't come out
on the winning end of that one, it will bring his losing streak
to three, which is often the magic number that brings the ax
down on a fighter's UFC contract. Since Cro Cop has also lost
two straight -- and since he's in the last fight of his current
deal -- the loser in this fight could very well end up out of
a job.
"It's
so cliche, you know. You have to beat a legend to be a legend.
But I think just to fight Cro Cop, period, is something that,
as a fighter, you just want to do," Nelson said. "You
want to be able to say, hey, I competed with some of the best
of the world."
You
want to be able to say it eventually, when you're looking back
at a long successful career. But if Nelson doesn't find a way
to beat Filipovic, he's in danger of reaching that point sooner
than he wants to.
Maybe
"anything can happen" in the Octagon, but one thing
that can't happen is coming out on the losing end and remaining
employed indefinitely. You can bet that a businessman-fighter
like Nelson knows that as well as anyone. Now he just has to
fight accordingly.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
After
Considering Retirement, Kenny Florian Will Return to UFC as Lightweight
In
the hours immediately after losing a UFC featherweight championship
to Jose Aldo two weeks ago, Florian wouldn't commit to any future
plans, but now it appears his decision has been made, and it
includes a move back up to his former home in the lightweight
division.
Florian
told The Boston Herald that he considered retirement but couldn't
bring himself to bow out just yet because of his continuing desire
to scratch his competitive itch and passion for learning.
"I
still love this sport tremendously and still want to be a part
of it," Florian told the newspaper. "I know myself,
and it's not even just being competitive, but it's just being
there, learning and competing. There's still very much a fire
burning there so I'm going to do it."
He
also said he won't fight for the next six months as he takes
time off to add muscle to better withstand the rigors of fighting
in the bigger weight class.
Florian
of course fought as a 155-pounder from 2006-2010, going 9-3 in
12 fights. His only losses were in championship fights against
Sean Sherk and BJ Penn, and a No. 1 contenders fight against
Gray Maynard. The last of those caused him to move down and try
his hand at the featherweight division, where he won his debut
against Diego Nunes before falling to Aldo in a decision at UFC
136.
While
his previous history may have exhausted his championship opportunities
in the lightweight division, Florian told the paper he has several
personal goals he is interested in chasing and would not put
a timetable on how long he has left in his career.
The
35-year-old fighter is 14-6 all-time and is the only man in UFC
history to fight in four different weight classes, beginning
his career as a middleweight before competing at 170, 155 and
145.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
You
tell us: What fight are you most looking forward to in 2011?
You
tell us: What fight are you most looking forward to in 2011?Through
the end of the year, the MMA world will go on a massive run of
fights, taking time off only for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Nearly every weekend will feature events from the UFC, Strikeforce
and Bellator.
Ben
Askren vs. Jay Hieron at Bellator 56: Askren and Hieron have
been jawing at each other over this bout since Hieron won the
right to fight Askren for the Bellator welterweight belt. Askren's
been working on his striking with Duke Roufus and his band of
strikers in Milwaukee. Will that, combine with his world-class
wrestling, be enough to hold off Hieron?
Clay
Guida vs. Ben Henderson at UFC on Fox 1: Though Cain Velasquez
vs. Junior dos Santos will be shown to the masses in the UFC's
first fight on Fox, it's hard not to get hyped about Guida and
Henderson's scrap. Both fighters are known for putting on exciting
bouts and ridiculous conditioning. The best part? This bout should
decide the next challenger for the UFC lightweight belt.
Dan
Henderson vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139: Pick
your favorite storyline in this fight. Henderson's return to
UFC after winning the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship.
Two PRIDE champions meeting up. Shogun's chance to get revenge
for Henderson's win over Rua's brother. Two men with scary striking
power being thrown in the Octagon. No matter which way you look
at it, this fight should be fun.
Jon
Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140: The UFC light heavyweight
champ will get another chance to defend the belt against a former
champion. Machida is 1-2 in his last fights, and like Jones,
was once considered an unsolvable puzzle. This match-up will
turn the main event at UFC 140 into a chess game.
Brock
Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem at UFC 141: Former Strikeforce heavyweight
champion Overeem needed a big opponent for his first bout in
the UFC, and opponents don't get much bigger than former champ
Brock Lesnar. For Lesnar, it will be his first fight back since
losing the belt. The Octagon will need reinforcement for this
bout.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Anderson
Silva criticizes Ed Soares: “Only I can talk about my fights,
my career”
Chael
Sonnen defeated Brian Stann and challenged Anderson Silva for
a rematch, but the UFC middleweight champion didn’t say
a word. His manager Ed Soares did this job, but it turns out
that Silva is not very happy with his opinions, neither the recent
picture with Soares and Sonnen.
Soares
recently said Anderson is not interested on fighting Sonnen again.
And more, Silva’s next four fights could be his last.
“Only
I can talk about my fights, my plans and my career,” Silva
tweeted on Friday. “I’m not on physical therapy and
one I define my next fight with the UFC I will let you know”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Former
TUF Contestant Jamie Yager Fighting His Way Down to Welterweight
If you don’t remember Jamie Yager, clearly you haven’t
paid enough attention to the hairstyles on The Ultimate Fighter.
“Fro-Cop”
came on the set of the UFC’s famed reality show displaying
an athletic kicking style while rocking an afro (hence the nickname
“Fro-Cop). His aggressive stand-up led some to pick him
as the early favorite to win season 11 of the series. After headkicking
his way onto the show, Yager won his opening-round fight and
set a tone as a threat in the TUF tournament.
Unfortunately,
Yager didn’t make past the second round and fell to Josh
Bryant in the quarterfinals. Initially, per The Ultimate Fighter
format, the match was considered a draw after two rounds and
called for a sudden victory third round. Yager was unable to
continue after the second frame.
His
UFC tenure wasn’t done there, however. Yager fought on the
show’s finale on June 19, 2010, in Las Vegas, but that result
wasn’t positive either. A second-round technical knockout
loss to Rich Attonito would prove to be the last time “Fro-Cop”
saw rounds in the UFC’s Octagon.
The
finale against Attonito is one Yager feels he would have won
had it not been for stomach issues. “I fought in the finale,
which is a fight I feel I should have won, but I had food poisoning
last June when I fought,” Yager told MMAWeekly.com.
Fortunately,
the timeframe after Yager’s UFC tenure has shown better
results, as the fighter training out of Kings MMA in Huntington
Beach, Calif., has reeled off two wins in a row and prepares
to headline Samurai MMA Pro on Friday night against Mozzy Arfa.
The fight is part of Yager’s journey down a weight class
from middleweight to the 170-pound world of welterweight, and
will be contested at a catchweight of 175 pounds.
The
process of cutting down to welterweight has been one that Yager
feels he needs to do because there are obvious advantages to
being the bigger fighter in the cage on fight night. It’ll
be different than what Yager is used to because the former college
football player has to cut almost no weight to fight at 185 pounds.
“I’m
working on changing my weight class,” he said. “I had
a fight at 180 (pounds) and now, this fight is going to be at
(a catch weight) of 175 (pounds). So I’m getting ready for
the welterweight weight class and work my way down.
“I
walk at 185, 190 (pounds), so I really don’t cut to fight
at (middleweight).
“I
should be making the cut, that way I have a better height (and)
weight (advantage).”
As
for his opponent on Friday night, Yager admits he’s seen
a few videos of Arfa, but there isn’t enough out there to
do any analytical studying on his opposition. No matter, though,
according to Yager. He’s not focusing on what his opponent
can do; he’s more worried about himself and what kind of
damage he can inflict once the bell rings.
The
game plan is simple: train your behind off and show up ready
to fight. Everything else seems secondary when preparing for
the main event at Samurai MMA Pro. And the fact that it’s
not the UFC putting this event on doesn’t mean that one
can let up in the gym. No, on the contrary, preparing for a fight
on this card is just as important as the fights Yager fought
while under the roof of The Ultimate Fighter household.
“I
feel like a lot of people put a lot of their energy on their
opponent,” said the former TUF contestant. “I’m
going to do what I do best; I’m going to show up ready to
fight, ready to go.
“I’m
not changing anything, I still train my hardest for every fight
that I got, regardless of if it’s in the UFC.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Should
UFC Bring Paul Daley Back?
Paul
“Semtex” Daley is not the same person or fighter that
he was when let go by the Ultimate Fighting Championship following
his UFC 113 loss to Josh Koscheck and the post-fight antics that
led to his firing, and the British welterweight would like the
opportunity to prove it.
Daley
was handed his walking papers before leaving the arena that night
for striking Koscheck after the fight had concluded. During the
event’s post-fight press conference UFC president Dana White
said, “He’ll never come back here again. He’ll
never come back.”
We’ve
heard White say that about fighters before and they eventually
return.
Asked
if he believes fences can be mended, Daley told MMAWeekly Radio,
“I would like to think so. A lot of the guys have gone over
to the UFC that have had a problem or have been dropped for whatever
reason and have come back. They’ve come back and they’ve
done well and have been accepted. It just depends. I’ll
put it out there that I would go back, so it’s pretty much
with the UFC.”
The
28-year-old regrets his actions and would like to put it behind
him.
“After
the incident with Koscheck, the apology was immediate. I made
a public apology. Everybody knows I’m not proud of what
happened,” he said. “I don’t take any pride in
what I did after the Koscheck fight, but I feel like, purely
based on fighting, I feel like I’ve proven myself as a fighter
even though I’ve taken those two loses from (Nick) Diaz
and (Tyron) Woodley.
“I
figure in all of those fights that I entertained, and I’ve
shown a constant development since leaving the UFC. I think that
you can see that I’m improving, and I think it’s still
going to happen and it would be good to see it back on the biggest
stage. You know, see the Semtex that messed up with the Koscheck
fight and the Semtex that I am now.”
As
they say, the ball is in the UFC’s court, and Daley welcomes
dialogue to pave the way for a return to the Octagon.
“I’m
open to talking to anybody about the situation. For me, I’ve
spoke about it and I’ve always voiced my opinions on the
whole UFC situation. I’m maturing as a fighter, as a person,
and I’m quite open to sitting down and discussing things
with whoever it needs to be discussed with in order to compete
within the UFC,” said Daley.
“I
have a lot of fans that want to see, not only in the U.K., but
all over the world. A lot of people say there’s some interesting
match-ups for Semtex to take part in within the UFC. I’m
really keen for those fights to happen as well, so we just need
somebody in the head office over at the UFC to see what we’re
seeing and sign me back up and make the fights happen.”
Daley’s
next fight is on Oct. 21 against Liugi Fioravanti at Ringside
MMA 12 in Canada.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
André
Galvão comments on repercussions of ADCC title
André
Galvão is emblazoned on the pages of GRACIEMAG 176, featuring
in the ADCC coverage and the “Face to Face” interview
section.
At
the event in Nottingham, Galvão won at weight and open
weight. With the result, the black belt earns the right to face
Bráulio Estima, the winner of the supermatch against Ronaldo
Jacaré. The encounter will take place in two years; the
countdown has begun!
“Two
years is a long ways away. By then we’ll be different fighters.
All you can predict is that we’ll be really well prepared,”
he comments in the issue.
This
year leaving the absolute final as the victor, two years ago
Galvão experienced the situation in reverse.
“At
ADCC 2009 I made the cover of GRACIEMAG stuck in that vile triangle
of Bráulio’s! Rest assured I’ll be ready to
get even; I want to make the cover, but without the discomfort,”
he adds.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Damm
accuses Zoila of faking injury, Bellator champion fires back
When
Bellator champion Zoila Frausto suffered an knee injury, last
week, Carina Damm lost her chance to debut inside the Bellator
cage, but it turns out that the Brazilian is not 100% sure that
Zoila is really injury.
TATAME
contacted Damm to know if she would still fight on the card after
Zoila’s injury, and the Brazilian answered out message:
“Unfortunately
she came out with that story, but nobody sent me anything that
proves it’s true,” Carina wrote. “It’s sad
because I trained hard for this fight and I was ready to beat
her. But I didn’t give up on fighting her, I’m sure
I’ll be more than ready when this fight happens. Bellator
couldn’t fight another opponent on time and that’s
why I’m out of the card”.
With
this accusation, we sent Zoila an email asking about that, and
here’s her answer:
“Lol.
Why in the world would I fake a COMPLETE TORN ACL, that's like
the longest recovery and rehab time out of any type of MMA? 6-12
months... Why would i want to wait to fight that long, ever.
I needed that fight. Now, I can't do a damn thing til 6-12months
after surgery. Ooooh, this girl hit a nerve! That girl must be
out of her mind. I don't have to answer to her.
She's
not my boss, Bjorn Rebney, Bellator CEO, is my boss. She should
be happy as hell I wasn't able to persuade my coaches in still
letting me fight. I tried my absolute hardest to not call the
fight cause I can still move forward & box & do cardio,
because it's my ACL. I just can't move lateral cause my knee
is unstable because of the ACL tear. I even tried boxing right
after the injury & collapsed in pain when I put pressure
on my knee laterally, my knee completely buckled again.
I
am completely confident in ending her in a fight just boxing
& or even submitting her on the ground, but the way my dr
& coaches put it was "you don't have room in a 3-5min
round fight to buckle your knee & take a minute to recover..."
If it wasn't for my Dr. Tim McConnell, the best sports orthopedic
surgeon in Ohio & my coaches, including my husband, Jorge
Gurgel, I'd still take my chances on a 100% complete Torn ACL,
and I am extremely confident I not only would have won, but I
would have finished her, either standing with my hands, or with
any submission on the ground. And I'm not being cocky what-so-ever,
I'm just responding to her crazy accusations, on top of me being
completely confident in beating her, with or without a leg!
And
as far as showing HER proof, she's must be on drugs, or those
steroids she was caught on. Very professional by the way! She
wants to be nasty and play dirty & talk crap, while I'm waiting
on getting this stupid surgery done so i can hurry these 6-12months
of recovery, to get back in the cage. She's out of her mind!
I can be a lot meaner, but I'll bring it in the cage when i get
back, hopefully before the end of next year. She'll get what
she's asking for. This girl is pushing buttons with the wrong
fighter.
She's
not my boss and i don't have to answer to her or show her any
proof. The only person that has access of those records are Bjorn
& my Doctor Tim McConnell, who will be performing the surgery
hopefully sooner than later. I could get the MRI and records,
but I'm not going to go out of my way to make her happy. Now
she's crossing the line. When I'm back I'll make sure she gets
her chance at me. That's a promise. But believe me, after all
this drama, & having to sit on the sidelines, she'll definitely
get what she's asking for.”
Source:
Tatame
|
Cesar
Gracie on Diaz vs. Penn: ‘If You Can’t Do 5 Rounds,
You’re Not Ready to be a Champion’
by Damon
Martin
Nick
Diaz and B.J. Penn are now set as the main event for UFC 137,
but the Diaz camp is hopeful to make it a five-round fight within
the next 24 hours.
Following
an injury to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre that
forced him out of his fight with Carlos Condit at UFC 137, Diaz
vs. Penn got the bump to headline the Las Vegas show.
Now
with just under two weeks to go until fight time, Nick Diaz’s
trainer and manager Cesar Gracie says they are hopeful for a
five-round fight if Penn will accept.
“It’s
up to Dana at this point I think. B.J., I tried to call their
camp earlier, but I couldn’t get a hold of them. I think
that if B.J.’s camp agrees to it, I think it would happen.
Again, I don’t want to overstep my bounds or anything like
that, but I don’t see a reason Dana wouldn’t let that
happen,” Gracie told MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday.
“There’s
no contractual obligation for anyone to do five rounds at this
point. They both signed bout agreements for three rounds, and
there’s no way they could make it happen, but we’ve
already agreed to it, and if B.J.’s camp agrees to it, I
think it would be great for the fans.”
As
far as the timing goes, Gracie admits for as much of a cardio
machine that Diaz is, they haven’t been training or preparing
for a five-round fight anymore than Penn has, so they would hope
to know something for sure within the next day.
“It
would be nice within the next 24 hours. Nick hasn’t been
training for five rounds at all. He’s been training for
three rounds, so he’s in the same boat as B.J,” Gracie
stated. “People that think Nick was training for five rounds
before, well that was too early out. So we’re in the exact
same boat as B.J. We just want to step up to the plate and keep
this as a great card, worthy of buying and worthy of fans wanting
to see.”
Gracie
believes that the fight with Diaz and Penn was a main event level
bout already, so why not give it that recognition with a five
round fight at UFC 137?
“This
should have been a main event fight no matter what. I’ve
been saying that,” Gracie stated. “These two guys are
great fighters, and they should be headlining a card. I just
hope B.J. gets on board and we have that talk with Dana and let’s
rock and roll.”
Whether
the training camp has been structured for five rounds or not,
Gracie is a big believer in fighters stepping up for a big moment
and it doesn’t get much bigger than this.
He
also believes that if the winner of Diaz and Penn are in line
for a possible title shot against the winner of GSP and Condit,
then they should be prepared to go five rounds right now.
“At
this point in the game, you’ve got to prove you’re
worthy of it. Who wants to see people gas out? If you can’t
do five rounds, you’re not ready to be a champion,”
said Gracie.
“That’s
the way I look at it. I understand you’ve got to train for
five rounds, but I also understand that to be the best you’ve
got to be able to step up.”
There’s
been no word from Penn’s camp if he’s willing or wants
to do a five-round fight with Diaz. Earlier in the day, UFC president
Dana White announced that the bout would remain at three rounds,
but anything is possible when it comes to matchmaking in the
UFC.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
BJ
Penn Good to Go 5 Rounds at UFC 137, but Gracie Should ‘Put
His Money Where His Mouth Is’
by Ken
Pishna
Whether
it’s just fight hype, a PR move, or trying to bait BJ Penn
into a lengthier fight, playing on his history as being criticized
for lacking cardio, Nick Diaz coach Cesar Gracie has been very
vocal about baiting Penn into a five-round main event for UFC
137.
The
two were plugged into the headliner slot on Tuesday when it came
to light that UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre had
to bow out due to a knee injury.
UFC
president Dana White, in announcing the promotion of the Penn
vs. Diaz fight via his official Twitter account, added that the
bout was a three-rounder and would remain such even with its
elevation to main event status.
Even
though the UFC has moved to a policy that all main event bouts
would be five rounds, even if they are non-title affairs, White
has also been hesitant to reclassify a bout as five rounds if
both fighters were originally contracted for a three-round bout.
That
hasn’t kept Gracie from asking for Penn vs. Diaz to get
the five-round treatment.
“There’s
no contractual obligation for anyone to do five rounds at this
point. They both signed bout agreements for three rounds, and
there’s no way they could make it happen, but we’ve
already agreed to it, and if B.J.’s camp agrees to it, I
think it would be great for the fans,” Gracie told MMAWeekly.com
on Tuesday.
Diaz,
when asked if he wanted to go five rounds, told MMAWeekly.com
on Wednesday, “It’s whatever. It’s not really
up to me. Either way, it’s fine by me.”
For
his part, Penn is more than willing to accept the offer to make
the bout five rounds. His only hesitation is that fighting is
a business, and as such, he would want a discussion about compensation
before the bout is reclassified.
“I
want to be compensated accordingly and that’s it. I’m
more than willing to do a five-round fight,” Penn told MMAWeekly.com
on Wednesday. “If Dana wants a five-round fight, just give
me a call and we can put it together right now.
“Or
if Cesar wants to make it a five-round fight and he wants to
compensate me personally, he can put his money where his mouth
is, it’s that easy. I’ve been training to fight. I’m
ready to fight.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Pettis
Adjusting Style to Climb Ladder in UFC
Anthony
Pettis was not going to be outwrestled by Jeremy Stephens at
UFC 136.
Four
months earlier, he’d given up too many takedowns to Clay
Guida and it cost him a lightweight title shot. Pettis learned
a lesson from that loss, though, and he used it to outpoint Stephens.
“I
just learned that the top position is a huge position to win
from,” Pettis told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown”
show. “You don’t get beat up. I’m 100-percent
healthy. I won the fight. I don’t have injuries. I can go
back to train tonight. Top position is important, and I really
went back and focused on making that more of a part of my game.”
Pettis
finished six takedowns against Stephens, according to FightMetric.com.
Also, he stopped five of Stephens’ eight takedown attempts
and showed an ability to escape back to his feet when he did
end up on the bottom.
“That
was a huge point in this camp,” Pettis said of getting up.
“In the Clay Guida fight, I was going for submission after
submission and I should have been standing up and sweeping. Every
time I got taken down I remembered, ‘Go for a couple of
submissions. If nothing’s there, then get back to your feet.’”
In
Pettis’ view, you can’t win a fight in the UFC from
your back unless you score a submission. He explained that it’s
a perception issue with judges, that even if the bottom fighter
is the aggressor, the fighter on top will get the nod. After
losing to Guida, he began adjusting his game accordingly.
“You
look at the UFC lightweight division, the top guys are all wrestlers,”
Pettis said. “Me being a striker, I don’t fit into
that picture. I need to adjust my game to fit in with the top-level
guys in the UFC. By no means am I only going to hold people down
and try to win fights. I’m still going for my bread-and-butter,
which is knockouts, but fighting a guy like Jeremy Stephens,
you don’t want to stay in the pocket with that guy too long.”
Some
fans could be concerned that if Pettis is changing his style,
he may never throw another spectacular cage-climbing kick like
the one he drilled Ben Henderson with at WEC 53. It’s true
that he might use more wrestling and control now, but that kick
was less than a year ago. Plus Pettis has fought only twice in
the UFC.
“I
think I’m going to have to just find out how to make them
work at this level,” Pettis said of his flashier moves.
“It’s easy to do it when you’re fighting guys
who aren’t as good at striking as you or don’t pose
a threat and you can do whatever you want, but now that these
guys [have] good boxing and good kicking and good defense, you’ll
still see it, but it’s going to be limited. I have to be
careful. I have to win fights. If I want to be a champ, I need
to win fights.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
David
Castillo: Why the smart money’s on Nick Diaz beating BJ
Penn
By Zach
Arnold
Since
the odds opened up at the sportsbooks for this fight, I’ve
noticed that there is a strong belief that Nick Diaz will beat
BJ Penn in two weeks at UFC 137 in Las Vegas. I’ve yet to
figure out a way, in my mind, in which Diaz beats Penn. There’s
just too many variables in favor of Penn winning the fight and
more paths for him to win outright than for Nick to win. However,
a lot of money has been coming in on Nick to win the fight. The
fight is now a virtual pick ‘em at the ‘books. This
astounds me.
So,
I set out to find someone who could articulate in a written article
the way in which Nick beats BJ for this fight. For the most part,
the responses I got were from people who think BJ is going to
win but would be willing to put aside their feelings to make
the argument for Nick. I wanted to find some true believers in
Nick Diaz. David Castillo was gracious enough to send me this
article in order to lay out the case as to why Nick Diaz should
be as strongly favored as BJ Penn for their UFC 137 fight.
David
Castillo can be found on twitter at @DavidCastilloAC and Head
Kick Legend, the unlikely home for the intersection between combat
sports and culture.
While
fans may have felt something was lost when Nick Diaz fumbled
his chance at the title with his antisocial behavior in playing
the role of Dr. Richard Kimble at Cesar Gracie’s home, we’ve
also collectively gained with one of the most intriguing matchups
in all of MMA. Both Nick and BJ Penn are incredibly gifted fighters,
and they bring as much attitude inside the cage as they do outside
of it. I’m not sure Penn will be licking Nick’s blood
off his gloves when all is said and done, or if Nick will be
spouting vulgarities at Penn mid-fight, but I can’t wait
to find out.
So
who wins? With the numbers even on this match, do the oddsmakers
know what the experts don’t? Part of why many people give
Nick a good chance to win is psychological. Nick is on a ten
fight winning streak. Regardless of competition (much of which
was respectable enough), Nick simply has the “hot hand”.
He hasn’t lost since 2007. Results like that go a long way
with fans. Conversely, Penn is 1-2-1 in his last four, having
dropped two fights to Edgar, and nearly became 1-3 against Fitch,
who clowned him in the 3rd round of their fight.
However,
for Nick, there are still questions about his competition “respectable
enough” or not. He’s facing the same narrative many
talented fighters outside of the UFC have always faced: the inexperience
against top tier competition. Right now Jake Shields is dealing
with his defeat: but not against GSP, but to Jake Ellenburger,
a fighter who simply wasn’t high on many top 10 lists before
his victory over Shields. Is Nick Diaz just a big fish in a small
goldfish bag like so many other non-Zuffa fighters? Compounding
the issue is that Nick Diaz already fought in the UFC with a
6-4 record. He wasn’t a washout, as is sometimes assumed:
in fact, he was on a 2 fight winning streak before signing with
Gracie Fighting Championship to leave the UFC.
But
the blueprint had been written in his four losses: you beat Nick
by holding him down. Or were they? Fans tend to be have short
term memories. In Nick’s four losses in the UFC, two were
lost in the grappling department; to Karo and Diego (this was
especially true in Diego’s case, who nearly secured an armbar
in the 3rd round of their fight). And the other 2 were essentially
lost on the feet: to Riggs, and then to Sherk (who had trouble
getting Diaz down, and resorted to boxing for significant portions
of the fight). Nick has shown steady signs of improvement over
the years, and if you want proof, compare him to his fights with
Mike Aina and his first fight with KJ Noons all the way to the
Noons rematch. Under normal circumstances I’d say the jump
up in competition would too much, but Nick has been there before.
Moreover, as Nick himself is all too eager to remind everyone,
his losses were in hotly contested bouts.
Tag
to that the fact that no one has ever run away with an easy victory
over Nick, and given his improvement over the years, I think
it’s fair to say that the jump up in competition won’t
be a factor. Plus he’s motivated. Nick is nothing if not
dedicated to the sport (despite the temper tantrums). He may
seem irresponsible away from the cage, but inside he’s acutely
aware of his duties, and that awareness tends to pay dividends.
I’m
picking Nick, and in several hundred words I’ll explain
why. Let me first say that I don’t think Nick is the better
striker of the two. Penn is quicker, has more power, and has
tremendous instincts as a counter puncher. For all of the praise
fans and the media heap on Nick for his boxing ability, it’s
only ever come in firefights against opponents all too willing
to slug with him. Santos, Daley, Zaromskis, and Noons stood right
there in the pocket and simply gave him too many opportunities
to accumulate the kind of punishment Diaz needs in order to win
the fight. He’s a “death by a thousand cuts” kind
of puncher, and will never be mistaken as a bong worshiping welterweight
version of Ernie Shavers.
For
sure, Nick is neither fast (like Edgar), or physical (like Fitch).
Penn has only ever lost this way, so if Nick can’t threaten
in the way Edgar and Fitch did, why would Nick stand a chance?
Well, I think the problem with this line of thinking is that
it assumes Penn can only ever lose two ways.
Nick
gives Penn a new look. Of all the strikers Penn has fought, he’s
never encountered an opponent willing to get in his face. The
guys that were, like Diego Sanchez, just weren’t very good
on the feet. I’d never consider making the comparison of
Nick Diaz with Frankie Edgar, but Edgar confounded Penn in the
rematch. Yes due to superior speed, and agility, which Nick almost
defiantly lacks, but it revealed that BJ can be flustered in
fights.
Moreover,
Penn can get caught reacting too much, making him at times inert.
When you look at BJ’s losses, part of the problem stems
from the fact that he’s too willing to let his opponents
dictate the pace and rhythm of the fight. Even in his victory
against Florian, Penn was content to let Kenny stall the fight
against the cage. It wasn’t a big deal at UFC 101 because
Florian was no GSP, but it’s how Fitch and GSP found success
(despite the draw in Fitch’s case).
Of
course, Fitch and GSP couldn’t be more different than Nick,
but it illustrates BJ’s proclivity to react more than actively
engage. And so it’s possible Penn, like the opponents Nick
beat, does get caught in a firefight. But I just said Penn is
the better boxer…
Well,
I do believe that. Part of that believe stems from the fact that
even in beating guys like Daley, Zaromskis, and Santos…Nick
still had some trouble. For one, he’s pretty hittable. If
a guy like Zaromskis can find the sweet spot, why not the much
more brilliant Penn? I agree, but despite this, I think Nick’s
ability to wade through the firepower of Paul Daley also illustrates
what should be his ability to wade through Penn’s. Nick
didn’t just get hurt, and win with a hail mary punch. He
got hurt, got back up, and kept pressuring until his opponent
broke. If Paul Daley’s left hand couldn’t discourage
Nick, why would BJ’s? In a dogfight, you can’t ignore
Nick’s resolve, and it’s a factor in this fight precisely
because Penn will oblige Nick on the feet.
My
argument more or less rests on the assumption that Penn won’t
take the fight to the ground. Not because he respects Nick’s
ground game (Penn is the one with a Mundials gold medal, not
Nick), but because he himself loves to scrap. You can probably
count on one hand the number of times Penn has actively sought
to take the fight to the ground. Penn’s instinct to go for
the takedown is usually motivated by a fighter that’s hurt
(see Florian and Stevenson). But even where desperation requires
it, as we saw against Frankie Edgar in the rematch, Penn doesn’t
seem keen on doing so. In his fight against Jon Fitch, Penn was
executing what felt like a fresh gameplan by initiating the wrestling,
but he seemed to ditch it in the later rounds.
Even
so, despite what I think is the advantage for Penn on the ground
as well, it’s not as if Nick is chopped sativa on the ground.
Diaz is comfortable on his back, and won’t be in any danger
of being submitted so long as he has his faculties. But can Diaz
actually submit Penn off his back? To torture the MMA cliche,
‘anything can happen’. Though I highly doubt it, if
Rani Yahya, an ADCC veteran and winner of the 66kg division in
2007 could get submitted by Gesias Cavalcante, why not Penn by
Diaz? Two different fighters, sure, but a medal isn’t submission
proof and both have considerable experience, and know how to
capitalize with a submission.
If
we fast forwarded to a parallel universe where Nick wins by TKO
victory, Nick’s path is on the feet. He takes a few like
he always does, loses the first round, but keeps coming. Establishing
distance to keep from being countered with regularity, Nick maintains
a boxing pace Penn simply can’t keep up with. Penn doesn’t
always fight to his strengths, and he seems confused when things
don’t go his way.
On
top of that, perhaps it’s fair to ask whether or not Penn
is fully motivated? One of the most bizarre narratives going
into this fight was the promo dispute involving Penn and the
UFC where BJ made an issue out of making a prediction for the
fight. He’s only ever not fought for the UFC in five bouts.
It’s weird to think how the UFC constructs their pre-fight
interviews would suddenly be an issue. Does he have too much
respect for Nick? Could that be a factor? On top of everything,
a Penn win means a third fight with GSP should Condit lose. Is
Penn keenly aware of his place in the division? Few people are
interested in a potential third fight. Though Zuffa could always
sell it as a faux-trilogy given the first fight’s controversy.
But BJ took a significant beating in the rematch. Was the beating
enough to remind Penn that WW is not his true home? For all of
Penn’s talents, and accomplishments, he’s been chased
out of LW, and WW with both current champs having beaten him
twice. To what degree does this affect BJ’s mindset?
Regardless
of who loses, the fans win. While much has been made of the UFC
137 switcheroo, I think these should have been the proper matchups
in the first place, with Nick earning himself a shot at the title
with a much better win than what his opponents in Strikeforce
could offer.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
GSP
emotional over UFC 137 withdrawal
Georges
St-Pierre said he "cried" when the decision was finally
made for him to withdraw from next weekend's UFC 137 main event.
In
an exclusive interview with Sportsnet on Wednesday, the UFC welterweight
champion said that he wanted to keep training and hopefully fight
through an MCL injury he suffered on Saturday -- which he called
a moderate ligament strain.
But
while training on Tuesday he hurt the hamstring on his other
side while compensating for the original injury. And that's when
he knew he wasn't going to be 100 percent for the fight on Oct.
29 in Las Vegas. Ultimately he agreed with his manager and doctors
that the best decision for him was to pull out.
"(Initially),
I knew (the injury) was bad but I thought I had the chance to
be 100 per cent the night of the fight if I trained light and
conserved myself," St-Pierre explained in an interview from
a gym in Montreal. "But the reality was I was not able to
recover (fast enough).
He
added: "I want to fight my best when I'm at my best."
St-Pierre
said that the decision was a very tough one, but he believes
it's the right one. And it was definitely an emotional one.
"I'm
not going to lie, I cried yesterday," St-Pierre admitted.
"I had a ton of pressure falling off my shoulders, because
for the last few days I was in the mindset that I was nervous
for the fight. I was excited for the fight but I was also nervous
to know if I was going to be able to fight.
"Now
all the pressure is off, I feel much better. I'm going to do
some rehab, maybe take a vacation because I went through a lot.
It's not only the fight, it's all the training camp, I went through
a lot of stuff. I need to reset the whole thing again and I'll
be ready for the next one."
St-Pierre
said he eyes a return in early 2012 -- perhaps at one of the
UFC's big annual shows.
"The
recovery I want to do it well, I don't want to do it too fast.
Because now I had an injury and I tried to train on it and maybe
made it a little bit worse. I need a good four weeks to do my
physio and do it right.
"I
would say maybe end of January, possibly the beginning of February
(for my return) … Super Bowl, around this time."
Tuesday's
news that St-Pierre would be unable to compete -- coupled with
the fact a previously scheduled co-main event bout between B.J.
Penn and Nick Diaz is the new headliner -- is the latest chapter
in the drama revolving around UFC 137.
St-Pierre
on Wednesday also addressed the reasoning behind last month's
decision to drop Diaz, his original opponent, from the main event
after the latter was a no-show for two press conferences last
month in both Toronto and Las Vegas.
"I
wanted to fight Nick Diaz before this whole thing happened,"
St-Pierre said. "It's Nick Diaz who did not show up to both
press conferences on the press tour. I talked to (UFC owner and
CEO) Lorenzo Ferttita, the big boss, and he said to me, 'We cannot
take the chance that you fight Nick Diaz and maybe he doesn't
show up the day of the fight.' That's what he said to me and
it makes perfect sense. I don't want to train the whole time
and he doesn't show up."
Source:
Sportsnet.ca
|
Jake
Ellenberger Rewarded With New Multi-Fight Contract with the UFC
by Damon
Martin
Win
big fights in the UFC and you shall be rewarded.
Jake
Ellenberger, who just recently knocked out former Strikeforce
champion Jake Shields, has signed a new 6-fight contract with
the UFC.
Ellenberger
confirmed the news with MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday.
Since
coming to the UFC in 2009, Ellenberger has gone 5-1 with his
only loss coming by way of split decision to current welterweight
title contender Carlos Condit.
Since
that time, Ellenberger has vaulted into the top ten with big
wins over Mike Pyle, John Howard and most recently becoming the
first person to finish Jake Shields in over 10 years.
Ellenberger
just got back into training with his team at the Reign Training
Center in California where he will await word on his next fight
in the Octagon.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
When
‘Lightning’ Strikes
By Michael
Selecky
Long
before his name became synonymous with the February 2006 Securitas
Depot robbery of approximately $92 million in Tonbridge, England,
“Lightning” Lee Murray was little more than an up-and-coming
mixed martial artist with high hopes and humble beginnings. Now,
five and a half years after what some call the heist of a lifetime,
the future of this married father of two wanes like a candle
in the wind while he serves 25 years in a Moroccan prison.
All
seemed lost for Murray when the 10-year sentence he was issued
in June 2010 was upped to 25 years at his appeal in December,
but the one-time UFC middleweight managed to pull another rabbit
out of his hat. On July 24, England’s Sunday Mirror reported:
“Robbers convicted of Britain’s biggest cash heist
could win a retrial after a forensics officer on the case was
found guilty of destroying evidence. The officer who collected
the masks the gang used in the pounds 53 million Securitas robbery
in 2006 has been disciplined for accidentally disposing of evidence
in another case.”
Derek
Parker, Murray’s British lawyer, took note.
“This
has implications for all those serving sentences for the robbery,”
he said. “We are seeking guidance from counsel on this.”
During
the heist, two of the gang members posed as police officers to
abduct Securitas Depot Manager Colin Dixon, while others held
his wife and 8-year-old son hostage at their home in Herne Bay.
While his alleged co-conspirators were falling like dominos back
in England, Murray’s post-incident roller coaster adventure
first took an international turn when Sports Illustrated ran
the article “Breaking the Bank,” by L. Jon Wertheim,
in its April 14, 2008 issue. The stakes grew even higher when
Time, Inc., announced four months later that it had entered a
partnership agreement with a production company that was turning
Wertheim’s article into its first full-length motion picture.
Variety
took the next turn through the update turnstile on Sept. 21,
2009 by adding that Howard Sounes’ non-fiction book, “The
Heist: The Inside Story of the World’s Biggest Robbery,”
was also included in the rights package for the project, which
is being financed by XYZ Films. According to IMBD.com, director
Darren Aranofsky -- “The Wrestler” -- and writer Kerry
Williamson -- “Fork in the Road” -- are attached to
“Breaking the Bank,” as well. Protozoa Pictures and
“Black Swan” producer Scott Franklin have also joined
the effort alongside “Frankenstein’s Army” producers
Nick Spicer, Nathaniel Bolotin and Aram Tertzakian and “Beyond
a Reasonable Doubt” executive producer Aaron Ray. Currently,
the movie is listed as “in development” after the team
submitted an outline on Sept. 22, 2009 and a final script six
months later.
Silva
outpointed Murray at Cage Rage 8.
Innuendos
and assumptions have surrounded the project from the start. An
article in the October 19, 2008 Sunday Star quoted an “industry
insider” as saying, “As for [actor Jason] Statham taking
the lead, it’s almost a no-brainer.”
Murray
has managed to peek out his head from behind prison walls several
times since then, proclaiming his bravado to the Sunday Star
in its December 2009 United Kingdom edition. The article was
titled, “I’d rather hang tough with the rats in Moroccan
jail than risk a trial back home.”
On
Jan. 21, 2011, there was also an interview posted on MiddlEasy.com
that purportedly took place directly from Murray’s North
African jail cell. Despite going out of his way to avoid any
talk about the crimes for which he has been convicted, “Lightning”
still had plenty to say. Included in the interview was his steadfast
belief that he could beat UFC middleweight champion Anderson
Silva in a rematch with six months of training, his claim that
the book “The Heist” is littered with inaccuracies
and his assertion that “[Strikeforce women’s champion
Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ [Santos] is a badass.”
Murray
also chose to dodge the issue of how the interview was taking
place but did answer a question about charging his cell phone
battery by revealing that, “I have a power and mains.”
He even started the whole discussion with a greeting: “You
can send me an SMS on this number -- thanks, Lee.” The author
claimed the conversation occurred after a Murray associate contacted
him through WorldOverEasy.com, which sells Free Lee Murray T-shirts.
When
told Aranofsky had delayed the production because he did not
want to jeopardize Murray’s legal appeal and was instead
working on “The Wolverine,” Murray said: “I think
it might be best that it’s on hold, at least until I’ve
finished at the courts. Even still, how can a guy make a film
based on my life who knows nothing about me?” Aranofsky,
it should be noted, has since backed out of “The Wolverine”
project, citing family commitments.
After
growing up just off the River Thames in the southeast corner
of London, Murray’s rough edges became both a blessing and
a curse, fueling the fire that he forged into a career MMA record
of 8-2-1, with one no contest. A recurring theme since he was
born, he rode his mean streak to a knockout win over Rob Hudson
on Dec. 5, 1999 at Millenium Brawl 1 “The Beginning”
in his professional debut.
Six
fights later, those jagged tendencies surfaced yet again on July
13, 2002. Only this time the focus of Murray’s ire was allegedly
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder
Tito Ortiz. In what would later become his calling card, “Lightning”
claimed he and Ortiz squared off in an alley outside a nightclub
after UFC 38 in London. According to Murray, he got the better
of the exchange after a flurry of unrequited punches to the head
and body. In hall of famer Matt Hughes’ book, “Made
in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History,”
released in 2008, the former UFC welterweight champion recounts
the infamous incident as it was told to him by longtime coach
Pat Miletich:
“I
looked over and Chuck Liddell was with his back against the wall,
knocking people out that were trying to go after him. Then I
looked over and there’s Tito directly past me, taking his
coat off, going after Lee Murray, and Lee Murray’s backing
up the alley taking his jacket off. Both their jackets come off,
and Tito throws a left hook at Lee Murray and misses, and right
as he missed, Lee Murray counters with, like, a five-punch combo,
landed right on the chin, and knocked Tito out. OUT. Tito fell
face-first down to the ground, and then Lee Murray stomped him
on the face a couple of times with his boots.”
After
beating Jorge Rivera by triangle arm bar in the first round of
his promotional debut at UFC 46 on Jan. 31, 2004 and losing to
Silva by decision at Cage Rage 8 almost nine months later, Murray’s
life on the professional fighting circuit grinded to a standstill.
Instead, after a 21-month absence from MMA, the son of Barbara
Murray and Brahim Lamrani found himself fighting for his life
outside the Funky Buddha nightclub at a party for a topless model.
Ortiz
was allegedly involved in an infamous street fight with Murray.
According
to the September 28, 2005, edition of London’s The Evening
Standard, Murray “was stabbed repeatedly in the chest, puncturing
his lung and severing an artery.” On September 30, 2005,
The Mirror also revealed that he was accused of battering David
Meyer, of London, into a coma during a road rage incident on
Christmas Day in 2003. The charges were later dismissed when
the jury failed to reach a verdict.
Soon
after, the proverbial s--- hit the fan. On March 17, 2006, The
Sun reported that “cage fighter Lee Murray is being sought
by police over the pounds 53 million Tonbridge raid. But the
28-year-old is thought to have disappeared to Spain. Detectives
have said they wanted to talk to Murray, but his family and manager
have said they have no idea where he is.”
With
Murray’s Moroccan citizenship firmly entrenched by law --
his father was born there -- the chase was on, but it did not
take long before the next chapter in this ever-evolving saga
reared its ugly head.
According
to the June 26, 2006 edition of the Birmingham Post, “Lee
Murray was detained in the capitol of Rabat on Sunday. He was
one of four men arrested by Moroccan police at the Mega Mall
shopping centre. Mohamed Chaker, of the French news agency Agence
France Press, said 50 armed police surrounded the shopping centre
and closed the exits. Officers slashed the tires of the men’s
black Mercedes car with a knife to prevent them [from] escaping,”
The report then went on to state that, because the United Kingdom
did not have a formal extradition treaty with Morocco, it would
have to make a “special, one-off request.”
As
one might imagine, Murray’s time on the run was a saga unto
itself. According to a posting in the July 1, 2006 Daily Mail,
he had grand plans in motion: “It was to be the grandiose
centerpiece of Lee Murray’s luxury villa in Morocco: a life-size
mural of himself as a glorious cage fighting champion on which
he could gaze from the comfort of his whirlpool bath. But while
the crudely crafted stonework is in place in his pounds 500,000
mansion, Murray himself is languishing in a high-security prison
awaiting extradition back to the U.K., where he faces charges
in connection with the country’s biggest cash robbery.”
The
one saving grace of Murray’s incarceration, at least from
his perspective, was that it put the British government in a
race against time if the tree of its extradition effort was ever
going to bear fruit. Fortunately for the government, on February
21, 2007, the British Broadcasting Corporation posted an excerpt
from the Moroccan news agency MAP website that stated: “The
Sale Court of Appeal has handed sentences to Mohamed Alt Hissou
and four British nationals (including Lee Ibrahim Murray, Armitage
Guerry and Mustafa Basar) ranging from four months to three years
in prison. They faced trial for ‘violence against the police,’
‘possessing and taking drugs,’ ‘aggravated assault’
and ‘usurpation.’”
For
his efforts to avoid being detained, Murray was given a sentence
of eight months in prison and a fine of 10,000 dirham. While
this gave his legal team the time to get him tried under Moroccan
law for his British crimes, it also kept him locked down until
June 2010, when he received a 10-year sentence for his role in
the $92 million Securitas Depot robbery. Like the gambler he
has always shown himself to be, Murray knew appealing the sentence
could go sideways, but he elected to move forward anyway. In
December, he leapfrogged his way to the current 25-year sentence
when his original penalty was found unduly lenient by a Moroccan
judge.
Source
Sherdog
|
UFC
Fight Finish Breakdown
What
weight class in mixed-martial-arts is the most exciting? Our
good friends over at Tapology provided us with the raw data so
I thought I’d have a closer look at the numbers. We broke
down the match results (TKO/KO, Submission and Decision) over
all seven UFC weight classes and here's what we found:
Of
the 27 total fights so far this year at 135lbs, 67% of those
bouts ended by way of decision. Surprisingly, only 11% had a
submission finished.
The
145lbs Featherweight division finishes are very similar to those
of Bantamweight. 67% of the matches ended in a decision. Here
we find the least amounts of knockouts in any weight class, a
lowly 4 in total (14%).
The
Lightweights lead all weight classes in total TKO/KO’s with
15, which result in 31% of the divisions finishes. But the majority
of fights, that being 45% end by decision. The Lightweights also
have the most total fights so far this year at 49.
Well
over half of the finishes in the Welterweight division, 57%,
ended in a decision with 29% of fights ending in TKO/KO.
At
185lbs, like all the divisions before it, the majority of fights
ended in decision (44%) closely followed by 33% that ended in
TKO/KO.
Finally,
a division that is not dominated by decisions. 46% of Light Heavyweight
bouts have ended by TKO/KO and 33% ended by decision.
Although
the Heavyweights have the least amount of fights so far this
year, 56% of them have ended by TKO/KO. Only 11% ended by submission.
Of
the 224 matches in the UFC so far in 2011, exactly 50% of them
have ended in a decision, while 31% finish in TKO/KO and 18%
end in submission.
Source:
MMA Metrics
|
Rick
Roufus Believes K-1's Problems Started After Founder Master Ishii
Went Away
by Damon
Martin
The
future of K-1 kickboxing is bleak at best following the cancellation
of the Grand Prix tournament that was expected to go down before
the close of 2011.
The
kickboxing promotion that has been around since 1993 held tournaments
and events all over the world, including several MMA shows, but
now with financial troubles mounting they appear to be in dire
straights.
The
cancellation of the K-1 Grand Prix seems to signal the death
knell for the Japanese promotion, but former K-1 fighter Rick
Roufus believes it’s something that had to happen sooner
or later.
“Actually
I think it’s good,” Roufus commented on the cancellation
of the Gran Prix when speaking to MMAWeekly Radio. “K-1
unfortunately has not paid so many people, has not paid medical
bills, which is one here, they never paid my medical bills, among
I could go down the list of so many other athletes and I think
it’s time for a change.
“I
think they need to come in and clean out the closet and get everything
right so they can take care of the athletes and put it back where
it once was.”
Roufus
competed for K-1 for several years and through several Grand
Prix tournaments himself. He says the financial problems that
K-1 is currently under scrutiny for goes back much further than
just the last few months or even years.
Roufus
says it was after his own knee injury suffered in a K-1 event
that he found out that his medical bills weren’t getting
paid.
“When
I went to buy a house here in Arizona I had my credit pulled
and they said you have about $7,000 in medical bills unpaid that
I had to get taken care of and they never paid nothing,”
Roufus stated.
“I
don’t think it’s right that somebody takes time away
from their family, their job, puts their life on the line, busts
their butt in training to go all the way over there and not get
paid, and get told ‘oh, I owe you’ or ‘I’ll
send it to you’. Are you kidding me? Come on, that’s
just not right.”
Roufus
points back to the time when original K-1 founder Master Kazuyoshi
Ishii ran the promotion, but after a 2003 conviction in Japan
for tax evasion the promotion underwent major changes and it
hasn’t been the same ever since.
“The
whole thing messed up I think when Master Ishii went away,”
said Roufus. “Master Ishii, he would have never allowed
any of this to happen. Unfortunately, he had to go away for a
while and they took everything from him. I hope it does come
back, but I can’t read the future to tell what’s going
to happen.”
Several
athletes have made claims against K-1 for non-payment including
Tyron Spong, as well as Roufus mentioning names like 2011 K-1
champion Alistair Overeem, as well as longtime friend Ray Sefo,
who he believes is owed upwards of a $1,000,000 from K-1.
K-1
was always seen as the model and biggest organization to promote
kickboxing, but with them seemingly banging on death’s door,
what will it take for big time kickboxing to return to the main
stage around the world?
Roufus
points to the UFC’s business model where owners Lorenzo
and Frank Fertitta along with Dana White lost millions of dollars
to invest in a dream that when realized became one of the biggest
money makers in all of sports.
“You
have to get someone willing to lose millions to make billions,”
Roufus commented. “If they want to compete with MMA or alongside
MMA, or the UFC, they need to be willing to do that I think,
make sacrifices.”
So
is anyone willing to do that? Roufus believes there is a viable
contender to K-1's throne, but like anything it’s going
to take time and money to see if that will pan out as a long
term solution.
“I
think there’s another big promotion out of Holland ‘It’s
Showtime’ with Simon Rutz. I think he’s on hold to
find out what’s going to happen. I know he’s working
with HDNet, they have been talking about doing something in America.
Whether it gets to the level of K-1, I don’t know,”
said Roufus.
For
his own career, Roufus is keeping busy and while he’s no
longer affiliated with K-1, he’s still teaching the next
generation of fighters at the MMA Lab in Arizona where fighters
like Ben Henderson and Efrain Escudero train, while still pursuing
his own fight dreams.
Roufus
next competes this weekend in Las Vegas where he faces fellow
K-1 veteran ‘Mighty’ Mo in a headline kickboxing match-up.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Paulo
Filho says he’ll retire after fighting Mamed Khalidov: “I’m
done”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Paulo
Filho was the best middleweight in Pride and ranked number two
in the world, but his prime is in the past. In exclusive interview
to TATAME, the BJJ black belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie
said he’ll quit fighting after his upcoming bout against
Mamed Khalidov, in Poland, in November. “If I fight in November,
if I fight, I’m already saying I won’t fight anymore”,
Filho said, denied the rumors about a rehab and revealing he
was threatened of death by people in his hometown Niteroi, Rio
de Janeiro.
How
are you?
I’m
very upset. That’s something people say and give you space
to think about drugs and other things. My biggest problem only
was medicine (rohypnol)…
Rodrigo
Riscardo, who was working as your manager, told PVT you were
going to rehab again…
Man,
that’s no truth about that. He’s a crazy person. Man,
people invented a lot of stuff, and unfortunately I gave them
reasons to think that. He said that just to avoid paying what
he owns me.
What’s
your professional connection with him?
I
gave him an opportunity and he couldn’t take it. He took
my money and I don’t know what he did with that. I just
don’t know where’s my money. I have bills to debts
to pay and people are charging me.
This
money you claim he took, is from your fights?
He
took my purses, everything. I think he took advantage of that
to get back on his feet and get support of his stuff.
What
about your career? Are you already back to training or will take
a time out to train more?
I’m
choosing or retirement, man… I may fight in November (in
Poland) because I already signed the contract, after that I will
retire. I don’t want this anymore.
This
will be the last fight of your career? Don’t you think a
win over Khalidov should give an extra motivation to get back?
No,
no… I’m kind of disappointed with this stuff, fighting
and not getting paid… I don’t want people comforting
me, I just want what is mine. That’s the third time I fight
and not get paid. I was the threatened of death by people I own
here in Niteroi.
Looking
back on your career, do you think you did everything you could?
I
believe I always defended Jiu-Jitsu with all my heart, always
an honest guy. I never ducked anyone, never chose opponents.
I fought in worst conditions, but never ran away. Nobody had
the privilege to finish me. I’m very sad in this moment.
If I fight in November, if I fight, I’m already saying I
won’t fight anymore.
What
will you do next?
I’m
not thinking about that right now, but I don’t wanna know
about fighting anymore. I had good and horrible moments. I did
what I could, it’s over. I was far from what I could have
been, but I’m satisfied. It’s over.
Source:
Tatame
|
ProElite
Confirms 6 Bouts for Nov. 5 HDNet Debut in Illinois
By Mike
Whitman
The
second offering from the resurrected ProElite will air live on
HDNet, the Los Angeles-based promotion recently announced.
Six
bouts have thus far been confirmed for the Nov. 5 card, topped
by a heavyweight showdown between former UFC champion Tim Sylvia
and German import Andreas Kraniotakes. Sylvia was originally
slated to face Pedro Rizzo, but the Brazilian was forced to withdraw
from the contest Monday due to injury.
Emanating
from the I Wireless Center in Moline, Ill., the show will feature
another former UFC titlist, Andrei Arlovski, taking on 15-year
pro Travis Fulton in the co-main event.
Also
on tap will be the opening round of an eight-man heavyweight
grand prix, highlighted by former NCAA wrestling champion Mark
Ellis taking on once-beaten Ryan Martinez. The quarterfinals
will also see Texas product Richard Odoms collide with Illinois’
Jason Bosler, while Alaskan transplant Jake Heun meets New Jersey’s
Chris Birchler. Rounding out the draw will be Arizonan Esteves
Jones squaring off with Alabama’s Walter Harris.
“When
we say we’re looking for the next great heavyweight, this
was not a half-hearted search,” stated ProElite Vice President
of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson in an official release. “We
have eight guys from eight different regions of the country.
We have both coasts, the South, Midwest, Southwest and Mountain
region covered.”
Reagan
Penn will also make his second ProElite appearance against an
opponent to-be-named, and UFC veteran Waylon Lowe is also slated
to be in action. Additionally, the promotion announced that Todd
Monaghan will participate in a heavyweight tournament alternate
bout.
Source
Sherdog
|
With
GSP vs. Carlos Condit postponed, a second look at BJ Penn/Nick
Diaz
By Zach
Arnold
Our
friend David Castillo tackled the path in which Nick Diaz could
beat BJ Penn at UFC 137. That fight now is the main event of
the show because Georges St. Pierre postponed his fight with
Carlos Condit due to a knee injury. St. Pierre is getting heat
online for making his call given that UFC has a show in Toronto
on December 10th and that’s a good landing spot for him.
Another fight in Canada?
Anyhow,
we present to you round two of the Penn/Diaz chronicles featuring
two different perspectives on the upcoming fight. The odds at
the sportsbooks are still a pick ‘em for each guy.
Jed
Meshew can be reached at jmeshew@gmail.com or @stanleykael on
Twitter.
Nick
Diaz fights BJ Penn at UFC 137 and, if he wins, Diaz will get
to reclaim the title shot he lost just a few weeks ago; however,
that is a huge if. BJ Penn is quite possibly the worst stylistic
match-up imaginable for Diaz. Nick’s primary weapon is his
high-volume boxing which forgoes many basic fundamentals in favor
of constant attack. Previously he did this without setting his
feet which resulted in his shots lacking power and made his style
one of accrued damage rather than that of a knock out artist.
However, in his last couple of fights Nick has begun sitting
out on his punches more which gives him much more snap and allowed
him to put a hurting on Paul Daley. But, though he has begun
to find his power Diaz’s defensive boxing game remains underwhelming,
relying heavily on his ability to absorb punishment rather sound
defensive skills. Against Penn this is likely to be his biggest
downfall as BJ has fantastic head-movement and thrives on slipping
punches and countering with power shots. BJ has quite possibly
the best pure boxing in the UFC so standing with him is always
a gamble, one that Nick is likely to embrace.
The
other major weapon in Nick’s arsenal is his sneaky submission
guard game. Against BJ that is all but futile. Penn has probably
the best top game in the UFC and his guard passing is second
to none. Nick will have a hard time maintaining guard much less
throwing up subs from his back thus Nick’s best chance on
the ground is to try and force scrambles to get back to his feet
where he has at least a fighting chance. Should Diaz somehow
end up on top of Penn, BJ’s guard game is primarily defensive
so Nick would have an opportunity to grind away on top providing
he can avoid Penn’s sweep attempts.
Stylistically,
Diaz’s biggest strengths are Penn’s biggest strengths
except BJ does them better. That being said there is one area
of the fight in which Diaz has a significant advantage and that
is in Penn’s oft-maligned cardio. The MO on BJ has long
been his poor conditioning, particularly at welterweight while
Diaz has an incredible gas tank. The question then becomes how
can Nick Diaz wear down BJ in only three rounds when he is not
the type of takedown-grind-em-out style of fighter BJ has had
problems with in the past. To me, the key for Diaz is a skill
which he has recently been using more and more and which will
prove his most potent offense come his fight with BJ Penn, the
body shot. In his last few fights Diaz has made excellent use
of hooks to the body which against Penn could prove highly effective
at draining BJ’s gas tank and tiring him out. Body shots
also play around Penn’s ability to slip punches with head
movement so there is a real avenue for success here for Diaz.
The only problem is that often Nick throws body shots as punctuations
on his combinations and when fighters are covering up against
him whereas BJ is more likely to maintain range and move away.
With that in mind, Nick will have to get inside while avoiding
BJ’s very solid work inside the clinch. If Nick can do that
then he has a great opportunity to take the wind out of BJ early
and as Penn fades his defensive boxing begins to slacken and
he starts eating more punches. So, if Diaz can work the body
early his jab-heavy attack can certainly find the mark in later
rounds.
For
Nick Diaz to win, he needs to do the following:
He
has no chance of submitting BJ, so to win he needs a TKO or a
decision. After the Fitch fight, BJ said it was time he returned
to his grappling roots and if that is the case here then Nick
is in a world of trouble. To win, Nick can’t let himself
get taken down and play guard. BJ Penn is not Cyborg Santos and
he will not be tapped. If Nick is content to be on his back he
will lose a decision thus Nick needs to either keep the fight
standing or find a way to put BJ on his back where BJ is often
content remaining defensive. The problem here is that BJ’s
flexibility and balance make taking him down extremely difficult
and often a liability as he actively punishes takedown attempts
with uppercuts. Nick has never been considered a great wrestler
(offensive or defensively) so he expecting him to takedown BJ
is foolish and wouldn’t be Nick’s style anyway. So
that leaves Nick’s options of winning this fight relegated
to standing up with BJ. I envision Nick winning the standup battle
with BJ by establishing range using his length to keep Penn away
and when the fight gets inside working the body. The real key
for Nick is to keep active on the feet. His continuous work-rate
would both keep BJ active defensively, tiring him out and score
points with judges who often mistake “effective aggression”
with motion (like in the first Penn-Edgar fight, or any Leonard
Garcia fight ever). If Diaz can combine his punches-in-bunches
style with lateral movement and some strong body work he can
certainly take home a decision over Penn.
To
be frank, this is a nightmare match-up for Nick Diaz. BJ Penn
is one of the most preternaturally gifted fighters alive today
and his particular skill set happens to coincide perfectly with
the deficiencies in Diaz’s game. To beat BJ you have keep
him guessing by mixing up punches, kicks and takedowns. Nick
can’t wrestle with BJ and never throws kicks and for all
his offensive dynamism remains a relatively predictable fighter.
Nick’s game is predicated on a high volume offense which
plays directly into BJ’s wheel house so for Nick to win
he will either need to make some dramatic changes to his style
or come in with a well crafted game-plan. If not it is highly
likely that he will suffer fifteen minutes of counter rights,
left hooks, and upper-cuts. But if Diaz can get inside and work
the body while avoiding Penn’s sneakily good clinch game
and highly underrated takedowns then he can really put the screws
to BJ and put himself in a position to win a crack at UFC gold.
Julien
Solomita is a student at Chapman University. He can be reached
on Twitter @JulienSolomita and he is sponsored by Street Made.
They are on Twitter @StreetMadeTeam.
B.J.
Penn has fought the best in both UFC’s welterweight and
lightweight division and has used his elite boxing to win many
fights. This Hawaiian has crazy dexterity and a dangerous ground
game backing up his world class striking. He faces off with Nick
Diaz at UFC 137 in a welterweight showdown. Diaz is returning
to the UFC for the first time since 2006 and must execute certain
tactics for his best prospect of victory over B.J. Penn. These
are Nick Diaz’s keys to victory.
In
Penn’s two losses to the current champion Frankie Edgar,
he was completely out-struck. Edgar was able to pick Penn apart
with quickness and relentless attacks. Although Diaz doesn’t
have this speed factor that Edgar possessed, he does have accurate
and deceptively powerful hands. Diaz will never be able to replicate
Edgar’s striking but that doesn’t mean he won’t
beat Penn. Diaz strikes from unusual angles and doesn’t
stop throwing until he is put away. Diaz doesn’t have quickness
and devastating power, but his relentless striking wears on fighters
and will be vital to breaking the Prodigies’ will. B.J.
Penn became noticeably slower as Edgar continued his level-changing
onslaught in both of their title bouts. Diaz needs to employ
this strategy and work body shots into his repertoire. By stalking
and keeping Penn at bay, Diaz must attack with counter strikes
both to the head and body. Keep in mind that Frankie Edgar’s
body shots against Penn slowed him down at 155 pounds. At welterweight
Penn will be slower, and this effect will be magnified.
Although
Nick Diaz has not faced the competition that Penn has since Diaz’s
past octagon career, this won’t be much of a factor in my
estimation. First of all, Diaz has proved his utter dominance
in the Strikeforce 170 pound division and although Strikeforce’s
talent is not on the level of that of the UFC’s, they are
not far apart. Second, both guys always come to fight no matter
who is standing in the other corner and once the door closes
it’s just the two fighters, no records or past wins matter
any longer. Both Penn and Diaz are high intensity athletes and
will bring plenty of energy into this fight. Diaz is a vigorous
striker who pushes his opponents’ pace to control the distance
to take fighters out of their comfort zone. He is also effective
when he throws counter shots at forward moving opponents. His
knockout over Robbie Lawler was a perfect example of Diaz’s
ability to stand and trade with a powerful striker. Lawler was
able to land on Diaz a number of times, but it was Diaz that
was getting the better of the exchanges and ended up planting
Lawler face down on the mat with a back-stepping lead hook. Diaz
also will not be out of a fight until he is forcefully put away.
His last fight against Paul Daley showed just the kind of heart
and undying will that has brought the Strikeforce champion such
success.
Penn
is going to work to finish this fight, as he infamously hates
giving judges a say. However, Diaz has fast recovery power and
is tough to finish. Nick can get into an opponent’s head
rent-free and disrupt their fighting rhythm. If this was a five-round
fight, the edge to Diaz would be greater. Just ask Cesar Gracie.
A five round fight would be ideal for Diaz as he would be able
to weather a number of takedowns until Penn gets tired and leaves
himself open to a brawl.
Nick
Diaz’s stiff jab is one of his deadliest weapons and will
be yet another critical tool for Diaz to employ against Penn.
Diaz has a reach advantage on Penn and must establish his swift
jab to keep Penn uncomfortable. When a fighter gets tagged with
an abrupt shot, they are immediately thrown off of their game
and become mentally preoccupied. Diaz times his jab very well
in setting up strong combinations and landing his jab on Penn
will set up more opportunities for Diaz to capitalize on while
also keeping Penn confined. Getting into a stand up war with
B.J. Penn is a gamble, but it is where Diaz’s best shot
at victory lies. Staying in Penn’s face will allow Diaz
to dictate the pace, and counter takedown attempts with quick
shots possibly catching B.J. and discouraging future takedown
tries.
B.J.
Penn is a surprising fighter and often has unexpected game plans.
He started his rematch with Jens Pulver bringing Pulver to the
mat, which is where he finished the fight with a second round
submission. At UFC 127 he completely shocked Jon Fitch when he
turned the tables and took the wrestler down. Penn is no slouch
on the ground owning a black belt under Andre Pederneiras and
is capable of effectively ground and pounding his way to a submission
or TKO victory. Although Diaz has an active guard, he must stalk
Penn and force the fight to stay standing. If Penn is able to
get Diaz down, Diaz must be quick in getting back to his feet.
He is one of the most athletic fighters in the sport and must
use this athleticism to scramble and get back to striking. Respecting
Penn’s ability to damage downed fighters will be important
to Diaz’s chance at staying toe to toe.
In
certain fights in Diaz’s career, he has been able to push
an intolerable pace for opponents and quickly finish fights.
In his DREAM 14 bout with Hayato Sakarai, Diaz took Sakarai down
and overwhelmed him with non-stop strikes until the weary Sakurai
left his arm susceptible to a Diaz submission. Nick Diaz hasn’t
faced a fighter with the wrestling of B.J. Penn and will need
to find a way to combat the takedowns. Diaz has never been great
at takedown defense, and B.J. will most likely look for the takedown.
Keeping pressure in Penn’s face is going to be a key to
Diaz hindering Penn’s takedown game. Making fighters mentally
uneasy in a fight is the one thing that Diaz does much better
than Penn. If Diaz can keep Penn threatened with his aggressive
movement and strikes this will slowly disrupt Penn’s rhythm
and provide more openings for Diaz to land big shots.
In
the first round, Diaz will be forced to weather a few early takedowns
and work hard to get the fight back up. While on top, Penn will
be aggressive yet careful of getting lured into one of Diaz’s
sneaky submissions from guard. If Diaz even able to get to his
feet after being brought down, he will try to get his striking
rhythm started will lose the round to Penn’s takedowns.
The
second round will consist of Penn coming out looking for a takedown
through the clinch or slipping punches, but Diaz is going to
push the tempo getting into stalk mode and let his hands go.
Diaz will land a number of times and maybe even rock Penn with
a combination, but won’t finish. Penn will secure a late
takedown but Diaz will have already won this round by landing
more shots.
In
the final round, Penn will not be nearly as fresh as Diaz and
his wrestling won’t be as forceful as it was early in the
fight. Penn may get one takedown in this round if he is lucky,
but Diaz being the fresher fighter, will get back up and go back
to work with his bombardment of punches. Diaz won’t rock
or really hurt Penn this round but will bloody him up, and inflict
the most damage. Diaz will win the split decision 29-28 taking
the last two rounds.
Some
of Penn’s best success has come from his uncanny ability
bring fighters into striking chess match, and outlasting his
opponents on the feet. Facing Nick Diaz will bring an interesting
task for the former Lightweight Champion to handle. Diaz’s
belligerent style with underlying lethal precision has what it
takes to beat the former UFC champion. If Diaz can storm through
Penn’s poise and keep the fight on his wild terms, he will
be able to neutralize the strengths of the Prodigy and have his
hand raised after fifteen “fight-of-the-night exciting”
minutes.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Following
Back to Back Losses, Jorge Santiago Released from the UFC
by Damon
Martin
Following
a couple of tough losses, Jorge Santiago has been released from
the UFC.
Santiago’s
management team at Authentic Sports Management confirmed his
release to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday.
After
a long winning streak outside the Octagon including several major
wins that saw him capture the Sengoku middleweight title, Santiago
made his way back to the UFC earlier this year.
Unfortunately,
Santiago fell short in his first fight in a touch match-up with
former WEC champion Brian Stann back in July.
Bouncing
back for his last fight, Santiago again wasn’t able to pull
the trigger in his fight with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Demian
Maia, and lost a unanimous decision.
The
UFC opted to release Santiago following the back to back losses.
The
Brazilian will get back into training soon however with his team
in Florida, and hopes to get another fight soon to start rebuilding
towards another run at the UFC.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
NAGA
Hawaii Today!
Radford High School
Saturday, October 22, 2011
WEIGH-IN OPTIONS
FOR COMPETITORS
NAGA
will be offering all competitors the option of registering and
weighing-in the night BEFORE the tournament! On Friday, weigh-ins
and registration will start at 6:00 PM and continue until 8:00
at the venue (directions are below). The Friday weigh-in will
be open to all competitors regardless if you pre-registered or
not. Adults please have a photo ID on hand when weighing-in.
If you are not able to weigh-in on Friday, you can still weigh-in on Saturday
prior to your division start time. Doors open at 8 AM Saturday
and weigh-in is open throughout the day.
SATURDAY
DIVISION SCHEDULE (Doors open 8 AM)
KIDS
& TEENS (17yrs & under) NO-GI & GI COMPETITON - Doors
open 8 AM
10
AM - All children & teens must be weighed in and be ready
to compete by 10 AM Sharp.
ADULT
NO-GI & GI COMPETITON (times are just estimates)
All
Women's, Executives & Directors Divisions start at approximately
12 Noon
All
Adult & Master Novice Divisions start at approximately 1
PM
NAGA
has a new method for bracketing the Adult & Masters No-Gi
& Gi Divisions. The intent is to have all divisions take
place as quickly as possible utilizing all rings at once. The
divisions will be bracketed by skill level in the following order:
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Novice (Estimated Start Time is 1
PM)
-
Men's and Master's No-Gi Beginner (Estimated Start Time is 1:30
PM)
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Intermediate (Estimated Start Time
2 PM)
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Advanced (Estimated Start Time is
2:30 PM)
-
Men's & Master's White Belt (Estimated Start Time is 3 PM)
-
Men's & Master's Blue Belt (Estimated Start Time is 4 PM)
-
Men's and Master's Gi Purple, Brown, Black Belt (Starts after
the Blue Belt Divisions end)
IMPORTANT:
It is difficult to estimate the start time for each division.
As a general rule, get there early and be prepared to stay late.
There are NO REFUNDS given for those who have to leave early.
2011 NAGA
HAWAII GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP
The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is the world's
largest grappling tournament circuit with over 120,000 competitors
worldwide. On Saturday, October 22, 2011 NAGA returns to Honolulu
for our 11th annual Hawaii Grappling Championship No-Gi &
Gi tournament. This is by far the largest grappling tournament
held in Hawaii, last year we had over 800 competitors. The benefit
of a large event like NAGA is that you have plenty of competition
regardless of your age, skill, and gender. Come as an individual
or as a team to compete. You do not have to be on a team to participate
in this event. This event is nationally RANKED!
DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER/REGISTRATION FORM
PRE-REGISTER ONLINE HERE or download the registration
form, print it out and mail it in to the address on the form
along with your check.
100
CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS AWARDED
NAGA is the only grappling tournament in the world to award 100
CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS to all its Children, Teen, Adult, Masters,
Directors and Executive Expert Division Winners.
SAMURAI
SWORDS TO KIDS & TEENS WINNERS
NAGA will be awarding custom engraved SAMURAI SWORDS to all non-expert
Kids & Teen 1st place winners! Octagon medals will be awarded
to all 2nd & 3rd place winners along with non-expert Adult
division winners. Adult competitors who place 1st and win a gold
medal will have the opportunity to obtain a samurai sword at
the NAGA T-shirt booth for a nominal fee. All children/teens
will take home a medal even if they do not place 1st through
3rd for having the courage to compete.
6
SPECTACULAR CHAMPIONSHIP CUP TEAM AWARDS
All 6 of our top teams (Adult Gi, No-Gi & Children 17 yrs.
& under) will receive a custom made CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUP.
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase the talent that
your academy possesses.
FREE
NAGA FIGHTER DOG TAGS TO ALL COMPETITORS
NAGA will be giving away FREE NAGA FIGHTER Dog Tags to every
NAGA Competitor. The Dog Tags are part of the NAGA promotional
giveaway to thank all of our competitors for attending the event.
SAVE
MONEY ON FIGHT GEAR
NAGA is bringing a load of gear (board shorts, rash guards, t-shirts,
hats, etc.) in children and adults sizes that you can purchase
at the NAGA event before you compete. We have gear and apparel
for everyone. Check out the huge selection at the NAGA Hawaii
T-shirt booth at the event
NATIONALLY
RANKED EVENT
All NAGA events are part of the nationwide ranking system entitled
RANKED. Our goal is to determine who the best grapplers in the
country are for various age, gender, and skill levels. This tournament
will be nationally ranked so do not miss your opportunity to
gain points towards a true national title. More details can be
found at www.nationallyranked.com.
SANDBAGGERS
BEWARE
NAGA works diligently to prevent "sandbagging", or
the practice of fighting down skill levels to ensure one takes
home an award. NAGA has been working with RANKED to track all
fighters and ranked grappling events to produce true "national
standings." A by-product of these standings is our knowledge
of who has competed and at which level. Front door personnel
will use RANKED data to determine whether or not individuals
who have fought in past events belong in a higher skill level
(i.e. placed 1st at a prior NAGA event).
MEN'S NO-GI EXPERIENCE LEVELS
WEIGHT
CLASSES
____
MEN'S NOVICE Under 6 months experience, no wrestlers
____
MEN'S BEGINNER 6 months to 2 years experience
____
MEN'S INTERMEDIATE 2 years to 5 years experience
____
MEN'S EXPERT 5 years experience & above
All Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple
Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 belt will be awarded
Bantam
Weight (129.9 lbs. & Under)
Fly
Weight (130 lbs. to 139.9 lbs.)
Feather
Weight (140 lbs. to 149.9 lbs.)
Light
Weight (150 lbs. to 159.9 lbs.)
Welter
Weight (160 lbs. to 169.9 lbs.)
Middle
Weight (170 lbs. to 179.9 lbs.)
Light
Heavy Weight (180 lbs. to 189.9 lbs.)
Cruiser
Weight (190 lbs. to 199.9 lbs.)
Heavy
Weight (200 lbs. to 224.9 lbs.)
Super
Heavy Weight (225 lbs. & Above)
MEN'S
GI DVISIONS (WHITE & BLUE BELTS)
____
MEN'S WHITE BELT (Use the weight divisions to the right)
____
MEN'S BLUE BELT (Use the weight divisions to the right)
MEN'S
GI PURPLE, BROWN & BLACK BELT DIVISIONS = CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS
FOR ALL 1ST PLACE WINNERS
PURPLE
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
BROWN
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
BLACK
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
MEN'S
MASTER GI & NO-GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
MEN'S
MASTERS DIVISIONS (Ages 30 yrs & above)
WEIGHT
CLASSES for MASTERS
______
MASTER'S NOVICE (Under 6 months experience)
______
MASTER'S BEGINNER (6 months to 2 yrs exp.)
______
MASTER'S INTERMEDIATE (2-5 years exp.)
______
MASTER'S EXPERT (5 years +) 4 weight classes
Masters
Novice/Beginner & Intermediate divisions use the same 10
weight classes as the No-Gi Divisions above. Masters Expert uses
the 4 weight classes below. (Expert wins Champ. Belt)
MASTERS
EXPERT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super HW (200 +)
MEN'S
DIRECTOR'S (40 yrs +) & EXECUTIVE (50 yrs +) GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
MEN'S
DIRECTORS & EXECUTIVES SKILL LEVEL
CHECK
ONE:
WEIGHT
CLASSES & AGE GROUP
____
NOVICE Under 6 months exp. no wrestlers
____
BEGINNER 6 months to 2 yrs experience
____
INTERMEDIATE 2 to 5 years experience
____
EXPERT 5 years experience & above
________Directors
(Ages 40 to 49 years old)
________Executives
(Age 50 yrs & Above)
Directors
& Executives will be broken up into weight classes at the
event to ensure fair competition.
WOMEN'S
GI & NO-GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
WOMEN'S
DIVISIONS - SKILL LEVELS
WEIGHT
CLASSES:
_____
WOMEN'S NOVICE/WHITE (Under 6 months exp)
_____
WOMEN'S BEGINNER/WHITE (Under 6 month to 2 yr)
_____
WOMEN'S INTERMEDIATE/BLUE (2-5 years exp.)
_____
WOMEN'S EXPERT (5 years +) ____ MASTER'S
Expert winners receive Championship Belt 30 Years +
____
Fly Weight (119.9 lbs & Under)
____
Light Weight (120 to 134.9 lbs.)
____
Middle Weight (135 to 159.9 lbs.)
____
Light Heavy Wt (160 lbs. & Above)
We reserve the right to combine the above weight classes depending
on the turnout.
CHILDREN'S
NO-GI & GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS (13 years of age & under):
CHILDREN'S
EXPERIENCE LEVELS
KIDS
NOVICE = 6 months experience or less
____ KIDS NOVICE NO-GI (without submissions)
____ KIDS NOVICE GI (without submissions)
No wrestlers in the Novice or Beginner Divisions,
Novice GI is for White Belts Only!
KIDS
BEGINNER = Less than 1 year exp.
____ KIDS BEGINNER NO-GI (with submissions)
____ KIDS BEGINNER GI (with submissions)
KIDS
INTERMEDIATE = Less than 2 years exp.
____ KIDS INTERMEDIATE NO-GI (w/ subs)
____ KIDS INTERMEDIATE GI (with subs)
KIDS
EXPERT = More than 2 years experience
____ KIDS EXPERT NO-GI (with submissions)
____ KIDS EXPERT GI (with submissions)
Please
circle your child's age:
4
or 5 years old
6
or 7 years old
8
or 9 years old
10
or 11 years old
12
& 13 years old
Whenever
possible your child will be matched up with someone their same
age, however please understand they may have to compete with
others slightly older.
If
there are 2 or more girls in a division, we will create a separate
division for those girls.
______
49.9 lbs. & Under
______ 50 lbs. to 59.9 lbs.
______ 60 lbs. to 69.9 lbs.
______ 70 lbs. to 79.9 lbs.
______ 80 lbs. to 89.9 lbs.
______ 90 lbs. to 99.9 lbs.
______ 100 lbs. to 114.9 lbs.
______ 115 lbs. to 129.9 lbs.
______ 130 lbs. to 149.9 lbs.
______ 150 lbs. to 179.9 lbs.
All children 13 and under that weigh over 180 lbs. will need
to compete with the teens.
All
Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 Belt will be awarded
TEEN'S
NO-GI & GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS (14 to 15) and (16 to 17)
years of age:
TEEN'S
EXPERIENCE LEVELS
TENTATIVE
WEIGHT CLASSES
AGE
& GENDER
TEENS
NOVICE = < 6 months experience
____ TEENS NOVICE NO-GI
____ TEENS NOVICE GI
Teens Novice is for White Belts only!!!
TEENS BEGINNER = < 1 yr experience
____ TEENS BEGINNER NO-GI
____ TEENS BEGINNER GI
No Wrestlers allowed in Novice or Beginner
TEENS
INTERMEDIATE = < 2 yrs exp.
____ TEENS INTERMEDIATE NO-GI
____ TEENS INTERMEDIATE GI
TEENS
EXPERT= 2 yrs exp. +
____
TEENS EXPERT NO-GI
____ TEENS EXPERT GI
______
Fly Weight (99.9 lb & Under)
______ Bantam Weight (100 to 109.9 lbs.)
______ Feather Weight (110 to 119.9 lbs.)
______ Light Weight (120 to 129.9 lbs.)
______ Welter Weight (130 to 139.9 lbs.)
______ Middle Weight (140 to 149.9 lbs.)
______ Light Heavy Wt. (150 to 159.9 lbs.)
______ Cruiser Weight (160 to 179.9 lbs.)
______ Heavy Weight (180 to 199.9 lbs.)
______ Super Heavy Weight (200 lbs. +)
Please
note - We reserve the right to either subdivide or combine the
above weight and age classes the day of the event depending on
the turnout. Submissions are allowed in all teen divisions
____
14 to 15 Years old
____
16 to 17 Years old
We
will separate girls from boys when there are 2 or more girls
in a specific skill level & weigh class.
All
Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 Belt will be awarded
|
Georges
St-Pierre Injured and Out of UFC 137; Condit Expected to Be Pulled
From the Card
by Damon
Martin
The UFC 137 fight card just took a major hit as UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre has been forced off the card with
an injury.
UFC president Dana White made the announcement via Twitter.
“I just land in NYC and what do I always say? I have to
deal with bad (expletive) everyday. GSP is out with an injury,”
wrote White.
The news comes as a shock as St-Pierre was just over a week away
from meeting Carlos Condit in the main event of UFC 137.
While details remain sketchy, White responded to a fan question
stating it was St-Pierre’s knee that nixed him from the
fight.
Sources speaking with MMAWeekly.com added that Carlos Condit
will not remain on the UFC 137 card and will instead be pulled
to wait for a healthy St-Pierre and get his crack at the title
when the champion is healthy.
The UFC has yet to make an official announcement about the change,
but it’s assumed at this stage that the other welterweight
fight on the card between B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz will be bumped
up to the main event.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Injured
Rizzo Withdraws from Nov. 5 ProElite Bout Against Sylvia
By Chris
Nelson
Brazilian heavyweight Pedro Rizzo has been forced to pull out
of a planned November bout with fellow UFC veteran Tim Sylvia
after suffering an injury in training.
Rizzo,
37, was in the Netherlands working with three-time K-1 World
Grand Prix champion Peter Aerts when the accident took place.
“Unfortunately,
I got injured training here in Holland, had a partial tear in
the triceps tendon of my left arm,” Rizzo (Pictured, file
photo) wrote Monday on Twitter. “I would like to apologize
to ProElite and especially to Tim Sylvia because I can’t
be in the ring on Nov. 5 to face him. I think I am in the prime
of my condition and I’m really very frustrated with what
happened. I hope to recover as quickly as possible to get back,
because my happiness is still in the ring!”
The
Rizzo-Sylvia matchup was set to headline the reformed ProElite
promotion’s second offering, which takes place Nov. 5 at
the I Wireless Center in Moline, Ill. Also slated for the bill
is another ex-UFC heavyweight champ, Andrei Arlovski, who takes
on 300-fight veteran Travis Fulton.
Rizzo
last fought in July 2010, when he recorded a first-round stoppage
of Ken Shamrock in Sydney, Australia. Since being knocked out
by Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel in back-to-back bouts, “The
Rock” has won three straight, halting Shamrock and Gary
Goodridge, and taking a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson.
Source: Sherdog
|
Back
to basics: takeaways from UFC shifting PPV start times back to
10 PM EST
By Zach
Arnold
1. Old habits die hard
There seems to be mass panic right now about the low rating the
UFC 136 prelims on Spike drew for ratings last weekend, given
the two fights on the card that hardcores were interested in.
It’s just proof that what excites the hardcores and the
announcing team isn’t always what draws. (Ask Bellator all
about that phenomena.) Sometimes, guys like Leonard Garcia move
the needle by bringing in 200,000 extra fans. Other times, a
fight like Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens isn’t sexy
enough of a battle for casuals to care about.
The move to get prelims going on TV at 9 PM EST and PPV start
backs time to 10 PM EST is probably the right move, although
I would say that upping the start time still does not address
the fact that MMA will always be a niche sport, especially during
the Fall & Winter when you are competing against college
football & other live sporting events on television. For
the hardcore MMA fans who come from the pro-wrestling world,
other sports are not going to influence their decision to watch
UFC shows. However, casual sporting fans who may buy a Brock
Lesnar PPV are not going to be terribly moved to buy a UFC PPV
headlined by Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard if ABC is airing
Nebraska vs. Ohio State. You don’t often hear people discuss
the impact of CBS airing SEC Saturday evening games or ABC airing
Big 12 games on Saturday nights, but if you got big schools like
Alabama vs. Florida playing a game at the same time as your PPV
product, you’re going to lose some buys.
(In the case of college football on Saturday nights, you’re
dealing with live games on Fox Sports Net/Comcast Sportsnet,
occasionally Notre Dame on NBC, occasionally SEC on CBS, the
ABC evening game, plus games on ESPN, ESPN2, and the various
ABC-owned pay TV affiliates like Big East Network, SEC Network,
so on and so forth).
2. UFC’s admission of being a “West Coast sport”
differentiates it from other US-based TV-backed sports
As we’ve seen demonstrated with the other sports (especially
baseball playoffs), you can be dealing with media empires like
Fox Sports who are based in Los Angeles but know that what TV
executives care about the most is the East Coast television audience.
Going back to the college football TV situation in point one,
there’s a reason those games start at 5 PM PST — because
it’s 8 PM EST. Imagine them starting games at 11 PM EST
and you’d end up with an audience the size of Fresno State/Hawaii
games (not very big).
Outside of big Las Vegas-based boxing PPVs, UFC is the one major
sport that embraces the West Coast over the East Coast. The fact
that UFC is willing to make such an admission when it comes to
their core PPV business says that the company still has a significant
amount of work to do in terms of winning over a bigger market
share back East. It’s tough to do that when your operations
are in Las Vegas and you built the core audience on the left
coast first.
I wouldn’t say being a left coast product is damaging in
any way, but it is certainly a unique trait of the fight business
— a sector of sports that will always stay in the ‘niche’
category.
3. Despite signing a deal with Fox Sports, PPV remains at the
core of the UFC business model
November 12th in Anaheim has been advertised during NFL games
on Fox. Dana White says that he’s paying Cain Velasquez
& Junior dos Santos “PPV money” to fight on the
show. The indication from those comments is that UFC is not making
PPV-level money for being on network television. Barter set-up?
Fox Sports says that ad slots sold out rapidly for the debut
show and it should serve as a good lead-in for the Manny Pacquiao
fight on PPV later that night.
(I don’t know if the UFC fight will air live on all coasts,
though. If it airs delayed on the West Coast, that will be quite
the irony.)
There’s no question that UFC made the right call in having
Ari Emanuel broker the network deal to help increase the company’s
exposure and actually attract some traditional sports fans. Will
it help UFC down the road in terms of building new stars and
converting them into PPV customers? That’s the calculation
here by Zuffa and it’s a wise one.
What isn’t wise is the idea of making the UFC Japan show
a Fox broadcast. That Japan show itself is a dumb idea, but it’s
not my money and I don’t have an ego to stroke on that deal.
4. The start time is not the main problem facing UFC with declining
PPV buys
When you announce that you’re going to be running 34 shows
a year starting in 2012, that’s too many damn shows. People
respond by cherry-picking the shows they only care about. Ask
WWE how well that non-stop schedule has worked out for declining
PPV buys.
Even for news junkies like us, 34 shows is simply too much to
digest and you forget a lot of things very quickly. Listen to
Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg mix up facts & figures sometimes
now on television. If they are having trouble keeping up with
previous fights, then you can’t expect fans to use the mental
energy to try to keep up as well.
If you run too many damn shows you’re going to wear out
your production teams and mistakes will be made. You’ll
lose track of previous fights. Booking could very well suffer
because of the sheer amount of workload placed on Joe Silva and
Sean Shelby. Injuries will impact which fights to book on which
cards and whether or not stars like Jon Jones should be rushed
to fight, thus potentially placing young stars in positions where
their careers could get short-circuited because they end up fighting
veterans they aren’t simply ready to fight at that time.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Shoulder
surgery reignites UFC fighter Rich Franklin's passion for MMA
by Dann
Stupp
At
37 years old, stuck in the purgatory of being a between-weight-classes
fighter, and now on the mend from a recent shoulder surgery,
Rich Franklin could easily wonder if being a UFC fighter has
lost its luster.
A
former no-hassles champ and the UFC's longtime consummate professional,
he's found adversity around every corner in recent years.
But
if you think Franklin is losing his interest in the fight game,
think again. In fact, he said it's quite the opposite.
"Now
that I'm injured and can't do things, it's fired me up,"
he today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "When you're
stopped from doing something, that's when you're most hungry
for it."
Franklin
hasn't fought since a February loss to Forrest Griffin. Like
so many of his fights since a move up from middleweight –
where two losses to MMA kingpin Anderson Silva forced his departure
– he found himself the much smaller fighter on event night.
With
that defeat, Franklin's now alternated between wins and losses
over his past six bouts – all while facing a who's who of
the MMA world. A UFC 133 bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fell
apart in August when "Lil Nog" pulled out due to an
injury, and a potential November clash with Tito Ortiz was scrapped
due to Franklin's shoulder injury, which resulted from a recent
training session.
Franklin
underwent shoulder surgery on Oct. 12 to repair a torn labrum,
and things went better than expected. Surgeons tacked down his
labrum in several spots and trimmed his rotator cuff. He doesn't
sleep comfortably just yet, but when his doctor saw how quickly
he regained movement, Franklin immediately began his rehabilitation
and already has two more sessions scheduled this week.
"I'm
looking at three to four months before fight training, but at
that point, it'll still be light training," he said. "Optimistically,
I'm looking at a fight in May or June. So let's say sometime
in the summer of next year."
As
for his fight career, it's admittedly spinning its wheels. Although
the well-rounded Franklin is a threat to just about any fighter
on any given night, the ex-math teacher hasn't put together a
win streak to get in any real contention. For a competitor who
likes to fight when the stakes are big, it's been a grind since
his title reign.
Sure,
he's facing big names – Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Chuck
Liddell, Wanderlei Silva – but he's a natural 195-pounder
stuck between two weight classes. Additionally, injuries have
taken a toll. A broken arm, severely scratched retina and other
ailments have plagued his recent years.
Doesn't
that uncertainty and the injuries and wear and tear of a 13-year
career prompt him to set an end date? Does he have a plan for
his exit from the sport?
"I
always dance around this question," Franklin said. "I
never saw myself fighting past (the age of) 40, so I'll keep
that out there. But I'm a play-it-by-ear guy. ... One morning
I'll wake up, and I'll look at the big picture of things, and
I'll say, 'I'm done.'
"I
believe wholeheartedly I'll be mentally cashed before I'm physically
cashed."
For
now, he has no idea when that'll be. As the surgery taught him,
the fire and passion are still there. Some day, he'll know it's
over. For now, though, there's no reason to dwell on it.
"When
we talk, the focus is always on my professional life," Franklin
said. "In my personal life, my primary concern is living
right by God and having good health, and if I have that, everything
else will take care of itself.
"If
I have those two things, I'm good to go."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Nick
Diaz vs. B.J. Penn Officially New Main Event for UFC 137, Condit
Still Gets GSP Next
by Damon
Martin
Nick
Diaz may not be fighting for the UFC welterweight title any longer,
but he will still get his chance to be the main event for UFC
137.
On the heels of the news that Georges St-Pierre was injured in
training and will be unable to compete at next weekend’s
card, UFC president Dana White has announced that Diaz and B.J.
Penn will now serve as the main event on the card.
Diaz vs. Penn will remain a three-round bout.
The loss of St-Pierre vs. Condit is a major blow to the UFC 137
fight card, which was expected to be one of the biggest shows
of the year.
Penn and Diaz will now battle it out as the main event while
St-Pierre recovers from a knee injury suffered in training that
will likely put him out for a few months.
Carlos Condit was also yanked from the card and will sit and
wait for St-Pierre to get healthy. He will still get the next
shot at the UFC welterweight title.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Injured
Rizzo Withdraws from Nov. 5 ProElite Bout Against Sylvia
By Chris
Nelson
Brazilian
heavyweight Pedro Rizzo has been forced to pull out of a planned
November bout with fellow UFC veteran Tim Sylvia after suffering
an injury in training.
Rizzo,
37, was in the Netherlands working with three-time K-1 World
Grand Prix champion Peter Aerts when the accident took place.
“Unfortunately,
I got injured training here in Holland, had a partial tear in
the triceps tendon of my left arm,” Rizzo (Pictured, file
photo) wrote Monday on Twitter. “I would like to apologize
to ProElite and especially to Tim Sylvia because I can’t
be in the ring on Nov. 5 to face him. I think I am in the prime
of my condition and I’m really very frustrated with what
happened. I hope to recover as quickly as possible to get back,
because my happiness is still in the ring!”
The
Rizzo-Sylvia matchup was set to headline the reformed ProElite
promotion’s second offering, which takes place Nov. 5 at
the I Wireless Center in Moline, Ill. Also slated for the bill
is another ex-UFC heavyweight champ, Andrei Arlovski, who takes
on 300-fight veteran Travis Fulton.
Rizzo
last fought in July 2010, when he recorded a first-round stoppage
of Ken Shamrock in Sydney, Australia. Since being knocked out
by Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel in back-to-back bouts, “The
Rock” has won three straight, halting Shamrock and Gary
Goodridge, and taking a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson.
Source: Sherdog
|
Back
to basics: takeaways from UFC shifting PPV start times back to
10 PM EST
By Zach
Arnold
1.
Old habits die hard
There
seems to be mass panic right now about the low rating the UFC
136 prelims on Spike drew for ratings last weekend, given the
two fights on the card that hardcores were interested in. It’s
just proof that what excites the hardcores and the announcing
team isn’t always what draws. (Ask Bellator all about that
phenomena.) Sometimes, guys like Leonard Garcia move the needle
by bringing in 200,000 extra fans. Other times, a fight like
Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens isn’t sexy enough of
a battle for casuals to care about.
The
move to get prelims going on TV at 9 PM EST and PPV start backs
time to 10 PM EST is probably the right move, although I would
say that upping the start time still does not address the fact
that MMA will always be a niche sport, especially during the
Fall & Winter when you are competing against college football
& other live sporting events on television. For the hardcore
MMA fans who come from the pro-wrestling world, other sports
are not going to influence their decision to watch UFC shows.
However, casual sporting fans who may buy a Brock Lesnar PPV
are not going to be terribly moved to buy a UFC PPV headlined
by Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard if ABC is airing Nebraska vs.
Ohio State. You don’t often hear people discuss the impact
of CBS airing SEC Saturday evening games or ABC airing Big 12
games on Saturday nights, but if you got big schools like Alabama
vs. Florida playing a game at the same time as your PPV product,
you’re going to lose some buys.
(In
the case of college football on Saturday nights, you’re
dealing with live games on Fox Sports Net/Comcast Sportsnet,
occasionally Notre Dame on NBC, occasionally SEC on CBS, the
ABC evening game, plus games on ESPN, ESPN2, and the various
ABC-owned pay TV affiliates like Big East Network, SEC Network,
so on and so forth).
2.
UFC’s admission of being a “West Coast sport”
differentiates it from other US-based TV-backed sports
As
we’ve seen demonstrated with the other sports (especially
baseball playoffs), you can be dealing with media empires like
Fox Sports who are based in Los Angeles but know that what TV
executives care about the most is the East Coast television audience.
Going back to the college football TV situation in point one,
there’s a reason those games start at 5 PM PST — because
it’s 8 PM EST. Imagine them starting games at 11 PM EST
and you’d end up with an audience the size of Fresno State/Hawaii
games (not very big).
Outside
of big Las Vegas-based boxing PPVs, UFC is the one major sport
that embraces the West Coast over the East Coast. The fact that
UFC is willing to make such an admission when it comes to their
core PPV business says that the company still has a significant
amount of work to do in terms of winning over a bigger market
share back East. It’s tough to do that when your operations
are in Las Vegas and you built the core audience on the left
coast first.
I
wouldn’t say being a left coast product is damaging in any
way, but it is certainly a unique trait of the fight business
— a sector of sports that will always stay in the ‘niche’
category.
3.
Despite signing a deal with Fox Sports, PPV remains at the core
of the UFC business model
November
12th in Anaheim has been advertised during NFL games on Fox.
Dana White says that he’s paying Cain Velasquez & Junior
dos Santos “PPV money” to fight on the show. The indication
from those comments is that UFC is not making PPV-level money
for being on network television. Barter set-up? Fox Sports says
that ad slots sold out rapidly for the debut show and it should
serve as a good lead-in for the Manny Pacquiao fight on PPV later
that night.
(I
don’t know if the UFC fight will air live on all coasts,
though. If it airs delayed on the West Coast, that will be quite
the irony.)
There’s
no question that UFC made the right call in having Ari Emanuel
broker the network deal to help increase the company’s exposure
and actually attract some traditional sports fans. Will it help
UFC down the road in terms of building new stars and converting
them into PPV customers? That’s the calculation here by
Zuffa and it’s a wise one.
What
isn’t wise is the idea of making the UFC Japan show a Fox
broadcast. That Japan show itself is a dumb idea, but it’s
not my money and I don’t have an ego to stroke on that deal.
4.
The start time is not the main problem facing UFC with declining
PPV buys
When
you announce that you’re going to be running 34 shows a
year starting in 2012, that’s too many damn shows. People
respond by cherry-picking the shows they only care about. Ask
WWE how well that non-stop schedule has worked out for declining
PPV buys.
Even
for news junkies like us, 34 shows is simply too much to digest
and you forget a lot of things very quickly. Listen to Joe Rogan
and Mike Goldberg mix up facts & figures sometimes now on
television. If they are having trouble keeping up with previous
fights, then you can’t expect fans to use the mental energy
to try to keep up as well.
If
you run too many damn shows you’re going to wear out your
production teams and mistakes will be made. You’ll lose
track of previous fights. Booking could very well suffer because
of the sheer amount of workload placed on Joe Silva and Sean
Shelby. Injuries will impact which fights to book on which cards
and whether or not stars like Jon Jones should be rushed to fight,
thus potentially placing young stars in positions where their
careers could get short-circuited because they end up fighting
veterans they aren’t simply ready to fight at that time.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Shoulder
surgery reignites UFC fighter Rich Franklin's passion for MMA
by Dann
Stupp
At
37 years old, stuck in the purgatory of being a between-weight-classes
fighter, and now on the mend from a recent shoulder surgery,
Rich Franklin could easily wonder if being a UFC fighter has
lost its luster.
A
former no-hassles champ and the UFC's longtime consummate professional,
he's found adversity around every corner in recent years.
But
if you think Franklin is losing his interest in the fight game,
think again. In fact, he said it's quite the opposite.
"Now
that I'm injured and can't do things, it's fired me up,"
he today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "When you're
stopped from doing something, that's when you're most hungry
for it."
Franklin
hasn't fought since a February loss to Forrest Griffin. Like
so many of his fights since a move up from middleweight –
where two losses to MMA kingpin Anderson Silva forced his departure
– he found himself the much smaller fighter on event night.
With
that defeat, Franklin's now alternated between wins and losses
over his past six bouts – all while facing a who's who of
the MMA world. A UFC 133 bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira fell
apart in August when "Lil Nog" pulled out due to an
injury, and a potential November clash with Tito Ortiz was scrapped
due to Franklin's shoulder injury, which resulted from a recent
training session.
Franklin
underwent shoulder surgery on Oct. 12 to repair a torn labrum,
and things went better than expected. Surgeons tacked down his
labrum in several spots and trimmed his rotator cuff. He doesn't
sleep comfortably just yet, but when his doctor saw how quickly
he regained movement, Franklin immediately began his rehabilitation
and already has two more sessions scheduled this week.
"I'm
looking at three to four months before fight training, but at
that point, it'll still be light training," he said. "Optimistically,
I'm looking at a fight in May or June. So let's say sometime
in the summer of next year."
As
for his fight career, it's admittedly spinning its wheels. Although
the well-rounded Franklin is a threat to just about any fighter
on any given night, the ex-math teacher hasn't put together a
win streak to get in any real contention. For a competitor who
likes to fight when the stakes are big, it's been a grind since
his title reign.
Sure,
he's facing big names – Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Chuck
Liddell, Wanderlei Silva – but he's a natural 195-pounder
stuck between two weight classes. Additionally, injuries have
taken a toll. A broken arm, severely scratched retina and other
ailments have plagued his recent years.
Doesn't
that uncertainty and the injuries and wear and tear of a 13-year
career prompt him to set an end date? Does he have a plan for
his exit from the sport?
"I
always dance around this question," Franklin said. "I
never saw myself fighting past (the age of) 40, so I'll keep
that out there. But I'm a play-it-by-ear guy. ... One morning
I'll wake up, and I'll look at the big picture of things, and
I'll say, 'I'm done.'
"I
believe wholeheartedly I'll be mentally cashed before I'm physically
cashed."
For
now, he has no idea when that'll be. As the surgery taught him,
the fire and passion are still there. Some day, he'll know it's
over. For now, though, there's no reason to dwell on it.
"When
we talk, the focus is always on my professional life," Franklin
said. "In my personal life, my primary concern is living
right by God and having good health, and if I have that, everything
else will take care of itself.
"If
I have those two things, I'm good to go."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Nick
Diaz vs. B.J. Penn Officially New Main Event for UFC 137, Condit
Still Gets GSP Next
by Damon
Martin
Nick
Diaz may not be fighting for the UFC welterweight title any longer,
but he will still get his chance to be the main event for UFC
137.
On
the heels of the news that Georges St-Pierre was injured in training
and will be unable to compete at next weekend’s card, UFC
president Dana White has announced that Diaz and B.J. Penn will
now serve as the main event on the card.
Diaz
vs. Penn will remain a three-round bout.
The
loss of St-Pierre vs. Condit is a major blow to the UFC 137 fight
card, which was expected to be one of the biggest shows of the
year.
Penn
and Diaz will now battle it out as the main event while St-Pierre
recovers from a knee injury suffered in training that will likely
put him out for a few months.
Carlos
Condit was also yanked from the card and will sit and wait for
St-Pierre to get healthy. He will still get the next shot at
the UFC welterweight title.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Not
From a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Journey
to Japan
By Tony Loiseleur
TOKYO
-- On only her second day in Japan, Amanda Lucas -- daughter
of “Star Wars” creator George Lucas -- is scheduled
to do a photo shoot to endorse a clothing brand dubbed Helmet,
worn recently by Japanese fighting standouts Shinya Aoki and
Masakazu Imanari.
In
spite of the media attention before her first fight in Japan
-- just the third in her overall career -- Lucas is more preoccupied
with cutting weight for her Aug. 26 bout than ruminating over
the novelty of the situation. Lucas conducts the shoot as expediently
and professionally as possible and moves on. This is not the
first nor the last time this kind of attention will come her
way, whether she has courted it or not. She is no stranger to
it.
In
just under 20 minutes, she has modeled four shirts, a rash guard,
a pair of fight shorts and a jacket. Aside from Lucas’ comfort
with cameras, this blur of efficiency is helped along by the
energetic direction of the photographer’s brother, Tomoki
Nakagawa, owner of the Helmet brand. Nakagawa also happens to
be Deep’s ringside physician and is a surgeon and surgery
teacher by day. Furthermore, he is Deep promoter Shigeru Saeki’s
personal physician and a fixture in the fan community as Deep’s
primary blogger.
He
is a fussy, energetic tangle of long limbs who not only conducts
an average of eight major surgeries a week but on a nightly three
hours of sleep. Just this week, he patched up a patient who had
an arrow stuck in his chest and had the cell phone pictures to
prove it. He imperiously orders his photographer brother around,
telling him what shots to take and how to take them. Eventually,
he even takes a camera himself and starts shooting.
Nakagawa’s
animated character brings smiles to the faces of Lucas and her
husband, Jason, but, more importantly, it takes her mind off
of the stress of the weight cut.
Since
arriving in Japan, Lucas has been on the clock. Her phone alarm
blares every few hours with reminders either to eat a specific
item or to drink a certain amount of water for the hyper-hydration
process -- all this in an effort to shed the final 10 pounds
to hit the weight designated by her opponent at Deep “55
Impact,” Hikaru Shinohara.
Given
Lucas’ desire to compete at 145 pounds, she originally proposed
to take the fight at 150. For whatever reason, Shinohara instead
requested it be 156, a weight to which Lucas, thankful for an
opponent and the opportunity to fight, agreed with no protest.
Deep
boss Shigeru Saeki has big plans for Lucas.
“I
was having trouble getting fights in the states. People weren’t
making weight and promotions couldn’t find equivalent opponents
for me. I’ve only had two pro and no amateur fights, [so]
I knew I’d be fighting against girls who maybe had either
a lot of amateur or pro experience,” Lucas tells Sherdog.com.
Lucas’
third bout was originally scheduled to be against Heather Martin
at Freestyle Cage Fighting 46 in April. She withdrew from the
bout when Martin clocked in at 178 pounds, 13 pounds over the
agreed upon 165-pound limit.
“I
did what I needed to do and sacrificed what I needed to sacrifice
to make it. I took it seriously,” she says in mild exasperation
while recalling the incident.
Enter
Saeki and Deep with an offer to provide the opportunity to fight
consistently, as well as help her develop step-by-step into an
experienced fighter at a more viable weight class.
“They’ve
given me an opportunity, and they’ve been nothing but fantastic
to me. I just want to fight, really. I’m not old, but I
feel like fighting every year and a half isn’t working for
me. I want to stay consistent, focused and in the gym. That’s
easier when I have a fight lined up,” says an appreciative
Lucas.
Quid
Pro Quo
The
crux of Lucas’ reasoning for competing in Japan boils down
to the one desire all fighters harbor: she simply wants to fight,
and consistently if possible. However, what of Japanese MMA’s
reasons, let alone Saeki’s and Deep’s to invite her
over?
It
is not difficult to envision the potential Saeki sees for Deep,
given Lucas’ background. To wit, Saeki’s recent comments
of his desire to make Deep “the Strikeforce of Asia”
in terms of cultivating its women’s division speak directly
to this plan of leveraging Lucas’ name toward that end.
Mercenary though it may be when presented in these black and
white terms, this arrangement does mutually benefit both parties.
Lucas
is tirelessly dedicated.
“I
don’t think it’s a secret that that’s part of
the reason I was brought out, just so that I can bring some attention.
I totally understand it. I wasn’t expecting to have my own
press conference [on Wednesday], though. That kind of threw me,”
Lucas says with a delighted, if slightly embarrassed laugh. “I
don’t fight because of my last name, but if I’m getting
the opportunity [to fight] and I can bring in fans because of
it, then that’s cool, and I appreciate it. I just want to
put on a good show and do what I do.”
For
Deep’s part, Lucas has so far delivered. She has attracted
an inordinate amount of attention from both combat sport publications
and non-kakutogi entertainment media.
After
her Aug. 24 press conference at Deep gym, Lucas entertained an
interview for one of Japan’s popular film websites, Cinematoday.jp,
of course speaking more about her father and her minor roles
in the Star Wars prequels than MMA. Weeks prior to that, Lucas
had column space and page spreads devoted to her in two of Japan’s
most widely read weekly periodicals in Tokyo Sports and Shukan
Bunshun.
Shukan
Bunshun, in particular, holds a circulation of 680,000 -- one
of the largest for the innumerable weekly periodicals in Japan
-- and typically addresses all range of topics from entertainment
and politics to sports and scandal. While the publications are
not exactly running front-page, above-the-fold features on her,
Lucas as a novelty topic is still breaking into Japan’s
mainstream press in a way that kakutogi was only seen doing in
the early ’aughts.
On
an individual level, Japan’s own geek culture has also responded
in small ways. “Star Wars” otaku carrying photos of
Lucas can be found milling around her hotel and days later at
Korakuen Hall, hoping to get her autograph and wish her luck
for her coming bout. Of course, this all comes by way of her
family background rather than any concerted effort on her part
to draw attention. In fact, Lucas and her husband try to evade
the prying eyes of the public whenever possible, though they
are not hostile to its occasional and inevitable intrusion.
“I
think we’re pretty low-key people. Actually, I trained with
people for years before they realized who my family was. Once
the New Zealand fight happened, and it got splashed all over
the press, they were, like, ‘Oh my God, I had no idea,’”
Lucas recalls, pointing to a May 2008 bout.
“It’ll
actually catch me off-guard when a grown adult comes up to me
and asks, ‘You’re George Lucas’ daughter, aren’t
you?’ And I’m thinking, ‘Did you really just say
that?’ Ever since I was little, I’ve only wanted to
be normal,” she adds. “My dad has done amazing stuff
and he deserves recognition, but I don’t think being famous
is all that fantastic.”
Natural
Advantages
Lucas'
trip wasn't all business.
Despite
her desire to lead a mild-mannered “normal” life, certain
artifacts of her wealth and family fame cannot be denied as they
creep into her MMA career in particular ways.
Since
beginning her training at San Francisco’s Fairtex gym seven
years ago, Lucas has become acquainted with some of the sport’s
best in Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields and lightweight
champion Gilbert Melendez. Currently, Lucas splits her training
time between Melendez’s Skrap Pack camp in San Francisco
and the Throwdown Training Center in Las Vegas under “The
Ultimate Fighter” alum John Wood. Her training and fight
camps thus benefit from some of the best trainers, nutritionists
and strength
coaches in the MMA and fitness worlds.
Certainly,
it is not lost upon her that having such a wealth of resources
as a budding mixed martial artist is extremely rare, given that
most fighters never have access to top-shelf training before
they have already become famous and successful.
“I’m
just lucky that I’m able to [be a wife] and to train and
do what I love,” reflects Lucas. “Honestly, I have
so much respect for people that work a full-time job, train and
fight. I have a hard enough time juggling the business stuff
[Jason and I] do, taking care of my husband and our house and
getting all my training in. I don’t know how people do it,
so I realize how super lucky I am.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
MMA
Link Club: The future of MMAFighting.com
By Zach
Arnold
The
big story
The
turmoil within both Yahoo and AOL over the last year has been
plentiful. Key opinion makers & business leaders have left
the operations. Financial cuts have been made everywhere. There
are talks of private equity brokers buying Yahoo and taking the
company private.
When
AOL decided to outsource its sports content to The Sporting News,
everyone wondered what the future of MMAFighting.com would be.
MMA Fighting managed to avoid the axe. AOL then made the decision
to pump a ton of cash/stock to Arianna Huffington to buy out
The Huffington Post and give her control to Patch.com as well.
Months after the deal took place, AOL continued to have financial
troubles.
Now,
those troubles are of real reported significance. Reuters reported
that AOL is looking to Yahoo to buy them out. The chances of
that happening are speculative, at best. What it does mean, however,
is that outfits like MMA Fighting that aren’t huge money-generators
face likely extinction if they are not sold to a new financial
backer.
Given
the high-profile status of MMA Fighting and the fact that UFC
benefits from this from a friendly outlet for them, it’s
hard to see how someone won’t buy the operation. But who
exactly would be a candidate to buy out MMA Fighting and what
would it mean for the MMA media landscape as a whole?
The
first scenario is MMA Fighting doesn’t find any buyers and
the staff is left alone to try to run the operation as they currently
are. Financially, I don’t see how this is possible. MMA
Fighting is just like the majority of MMA media outlets that
struggle to financially make the numbers work. Sherdog is often
the exception to the rule. I do not see MMA Fighting surviving
as it is currently constituted if there is no heavy financial
backing.
The second scenario is that UFC buys them out. If Zuffa was to
buy out MMA Fighting, it probably would be a wise investment.
After all, it’s not like we don’t know the current
politics of the MMA media landscape. Those who play by Zuffa’s
rules get the access and those who are independent don’t.
UFC has been playing the media game for a while of a ‘hands
off’ approach publicly. Well, there’s nobody left to
challenge them, so why should they worry about media impropriety
at this point? UFC buying out MMA Fighting would essentially
be buying a turnkey operation and everything running smoothly
as usual.
The third scenario is that an independent money mark buys out
MMA Fighting. Candidates would include Crave (Sherdog), Break
Media (Cage Potato), or SBNation (Bloody Elbow). Each buyer would
bring some strengths to the table as the new owner of the site.
With that said, never underestimate the fragile egos at play
with MMA media writers, especially when the money decreases in
this already-cutthroat business. This third option would be the
best one for MMA Fighting, but it would lead to some expected
cuts and I would expect some political infighting behind the
scenes. It certainly wouldn’t be boring now, would it?
Whatever happens to MMA Fighting, the bottom line regarding the
health of MMA media in 2011 is not great. Yahoo has reportedly
pulled back some in terms of $$$ expenditures for MMA reporting
but is still a big player. MMA Fighting needs stable backing
to remain a player. However, the trend in MMA media circles is
that the money supply for backing is dwindling, not growing.
Zuffa is running more shows, which means more travel for writers
who simply don’t have enough $$ to travel all over the place.
The MMA sites aren’t generating enough cash to keep up with
the breakneck speed of activity. Much like UFC fans are currently
having to do with PPVs, the sites are having to cherry pick which
shows they can cover and what they can afford. Times are turbulent
right now. I’m not bullish or bearish about the current
state of affairs.
The
wildcard in all of this is FoxSports.com and how much money Fox
Sports is willing to pony up to recruit top writers. That and
the politics of what the writers could or couldn’t say on
that platform.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Paulo
Filho Says If He Fights in November It Will Be His Last
by Damon
Martin
At
one time, former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho was considered
the No. 2 fighter in the world at 185lbs, and possibly the best
challenger to UFC champion Anderson Silva.
Fast
forward a few years later and Filho’s career has taken a
path that could only be described as sad and tragic.
Since
losing to Chael Sonnen in 2008 and exiting the WEC for the last
time, Filho has gone 6-3-2, but that’s nothing compared
to the personal problems he’s encountered dealing with a
drug issue and depression that have caused many around him to
remain concerned over the years.
Reports
surfaced in Brazil on Tuesday that Filho had been hospitalized
for substance abuse, but speaking to Tatame.com on Wednesday
the former WEC champion refuted those claims and also says that
his former manager who reported the claim is no longer affiliated
with him.
According
to reports, Filho ingested a large amount of the drug Rohypnol
and was hospitalized following the overdose.
“I’m
very upset. That’s something people say and give you space
to think about drugs and other things. My biggest problem only
was medicine,” Filho told the Brazilian site on Wednesday.
According
to Filho, he and his former manager Rodrigo Riscardo had a falling
out and he apparently took excessive amounts of money from the
fighter.
“He’s
a crazy person. Man, people invented a lot of stuff, and unfortunately
I gave them reasons to think that. He said that just to avoid
paying what he owes me,” Filho commented.
Beyond
anything else that’s been going on, Filho’s problems
are obviously mounting because with a fight looming in November
in KSW against former Sengoku middleweight Mamed Khalidov, he’s
become reflective on his entire career in fighting.
Filho
now says that following that fight in November he will call it
a career.
“I’m
choosing or retirement,” Filho stated. “I may fight
in November (in Poland) because I already signed the contract,
after that I will retire. I don’t want this anymore.
“I’m
very sad in this moment. If I fight in November, if I fight,
I’m already saying I won’t fight anymore. I had good
and horrible moments. I did what I could, it’s over. I was
far from what I could have been.”
There’s
probably no better words that those. Paulo Filho, a fighter with
so much promise that ended up far from what he could have been.
KSW
has yet to release an official statement if Filho will remain
on the card against Khalidov or not.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Report:
UFC could host a show in Brasilia, Brazil on April 21
Brasilia
is working hard to get her own UFC show in 2012. Cleyton dos
Santos, Who works with governor Agnelo Queiroz, said they met
Lorenzo Fertitta this Tuesday to get things done, and April 21,
when the national capital celebrates 52 years of its creation,
is the date.
“We
have the interest of bringing the UFC here. We’re told they’ll
give us an answer in 10 days about the date, and they are very
excited to do the event in the capital of Brazil,” dos Santos
told UFC Sem Limites, revealing that Nilson Nelson stadium could
host the show. “They visited the gymnasium four months ago
and approved the structured. We’re ahead of the negotiations
so far”.
In
his recent trip in Brazil, Fertitta visited Salvador, Bahia,
and Recife, Pernambuco, for more meeting with the local politicians.
Source:
Tatame
|
Sylvia
to Meet Germany’s Kraniotakes in ProElite Headliner
By Tim
Leidecker
German
heavyweight Andreas Kraniotakes has agreed to replace three-time
UFC heavyweight title contender Pedro Rizzo as the opponent for
former UFC champion Tim Sylvia in the headliner of ProElite’s
Nov. 5 event in Moline, Illinois, Sherdog.com has learned from
a source close to the situation.
Rizzo
announced Monday via Twitter that he had sustained a partially
torn tendon in his left arm while training in Holland and would
be unable to face Sylvia.
Kraniotakes
(Pictured), who originally applied for the promotion’s eight-man
heavyweight tournament, was in San Diego preparing for his Nov.
26 main event fight at a Superior Fighting Championship/M-1 Global
joint show in Duren, Germany, when he got the call from ProElite
matchmaker Rich Chou.
“My
fans have been asking me to make my U.S. debut for a long time
now,” Kraniotakes, 29, told Sherdog.com on Monday. “I
want to thank ProElite for not only making it happen, but putting
me in their main event with one of the biggest names in the heavyweight
division.”
A
winner of three straight fights, all first-round stoppages, Kraniotakes
said he was taken aback when he first received the offer to fight
the famous American big man.
“When
I got the call, I had to sense the moment and told Rich that
I’ll have to take counsel with my pillow about the fight
before I could give my final answer,” Kraniotakes said.
“The more I got used to the idea, though, the more I understood
that the moment I’ve waited for was finally here. This is
a great breakthrough opportunity for me. It’s been an incredible
year so far and I will try to end it with a bang!”
Besides
Sylvia-Kraniotakes, a second heavyweight bout between former
UFC champion Andrei Arlovski and 300-fight veteran Travis Fulton
is set to take place on the Nov. 5 card. The organization’s
eight-man heavyweight tournament is set to kick off in Moline
as well.
Source
Sherdog
|
Safe
to issue K-1 their Last Rites?
By Zach
Arnold
If
you have been following the Twitter accounts of Dan Herbertson,
Mike Hackler, and Dave Walsh, then you may have heard the news
tonight that K-1’s October 29th World GP event in mainland
China is about to be canceled.
The
idea of K-1 running a show outside of Japan without Japanese
television support sounded absurd on its face. The fact that
people bought into it as a grand plan were the same ones who
thought that PRIDE running shows in Las Vegas was all about going
global. (For Ed Fishman, his efforts into making PRIDE a serious
deal were legitimate. As we later found with Nobuyuki Sakakibara,
he was looking to get rid of PRIDE to Zuffa.) Without Japanese
television money, the K-1 business model is largely non-existent.
This is why DREAM has been a money loser.
Consider
the following — K-1 wanted to run an event in mainland China
that wasn’t Beijing or Shanghai. It ended up being…
Nanjing. Yes, the same area that was home to the Rape of Nanking.
Given Kazuyoshi Ishii’s nationalistic pride and connections,
I found remarkable symbolism with this decision. The event was
supposed to take place at the Nanjing Olympic Gymnasium with
broadcaster JSBC (Jiangsu) involved as the television partner.
Take note that the venue is a 13,000 seat venue and that the
show announcement was made five weeks before the show was set
to take place. To classify this as a rush job would be an understatement.
Since
the show announcement was made, there’s been a flurry of
foreign media reports about event problems involving talent booked
for the show. (Largely from It’s Showtime.) Then came the
news of Badr Hari leaving K-1 to go to boxing and others following
suit to go elsewhere. Those fighters wouldn’t be leaving
if the money was still to be had. In fact, one person claimed
that K-1 supposedly wanted fighters on the World GP show to agree
to a 50% reduction in past money owed to said fighters. That’s
an old-school Japanese promoter trick, so to hear about it being
proclaimed by foreigners is a real embarrassment and loss of
face. Then again, K-1 didn’t have much face left to lose
at this point.
Dave
Walsh says that Simon Rutz will issue a statement on the matter
today. If, by hook or by crook, the show still does take place…
you can watch it in the States on a BUD (big ugly dish) on C-band.
When
the promotion booked Dynamite last year at Saitama Super Arena
without major television support, I said it was a Pyrrhic victory
and the final end for the promotion. You can’t run show
after show and bleed cash heavily. The same thing happened to
PRIDE after Fuji TV cut financial ties with the promotion. They
continued to run Saitama Super Arena, draw respectable crowds,
but hemorrhage cash and covertly look to sell the deal to someone
else.
PRIDE’s
death, of course, was thanks to the negative campaign by Shukan
Gendai about the yakuza scandal. The key & integral figure
in that scandal was a yakuza fixer, Seiya Kawamata, who was aligned
with Kazuyoshi Ishii. Kawamata worked the biggest fight shows
of the last decade in Japan when K-1 & PRIDE were cooperating.
Once the two factions stopped cooperating, Kawamata hedged his
bets and ran his own deal with Inoki. Of course, Kawamata was
always friendly to Kazuyoshi Ishii and yet it was PRIDE that
got hammered when Kawamata went after them for the fallout from
the Inoki show. For K-1, the death of PRIDE was supposed to set
the stage for their golden opportunity to become Japan’s
only major fight player and to be UFC’s global rival.
So,
what happened? PRIDE’s fans left and didn’t come back,
much in the same way that WCW’s fans left and never went
to WWE after WCW was killed off. MMA was never K-1’s bread
and butter play, so K-1’s MMA product left a lot to be desired.
Despite having Akira Maeda as the face of HERO’s, HERO’s
was largely a useful tool to lure in Kazushi Sakuraba and kill
off PRIDE. HERO’s feel to the wayside and we got DREAM,
which was the company made up of former DSE employees that left
when Jamie Pollack and Zuffa tried to run a PRIDE revival and
instead got the hell out of town when trouble started brewing.
DREAM never felt like PRIDE in terms of having the mega superstar
draws and it grinded along without making a huge imprint on the
MMA landscape. The whole idea of DREAM for K-1 was that the promotion
would get TV help from K-1 in exchange for K-1 not having to
pay the heavy costs of getting involved in the MMA scene. Now
we’ve seen how that turned out.
This
isn’t the way things were supposed to go down if you were
in the K-1 camp. They got rid of their chief rival but ended
up getting exposed as the Emperor with no clothes. Whether remnants
of the company attempt future spinoffs, that’s anyone’s
guess. At this point, it doesn’t matter.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Carlos
Condit Disappointed, but Hopeful Shot at GSP Could Still Happen
Soon
by Ken
Pishna
It’s
a slippery slope in the fight world. When a champion goes down
due to injury, what does the challenger do? Should he stay on
the card and take a short-notice change in opposition, risking
his status as the top challenger, or should he sit on the sidelines
and wait for the champ to return?
Such
was the question posed to Carlos Condit on Tuesday when UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre had to back out of their UFC 137 title
showdown due to a knee injury. UFC president Dana White announced
St-Pierre’s withdrawal via his official Twitter account.
Rashad
Evans opted to wait for his shot at then-light heavyweight titleholder
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua when Rua fell out due to injury.
That decision produced disastrous results. After waiting for
several months, Evans fell out of the bout due to injury. His
life then took numerous twists and turns when then-teammate Jon
Jones took his place, winning the belt and dissolving their friendship.
He vowed never to wait again, and didn’t when Jones fell
out of a proposed fight between the two at UFC 133. Evans went
on to defeat Tito Ortiz on that card.
Junior
dos Santos immediately took a different road when UFC heavyweight
champion Cain Velasquez was sidelined. The Brazilian slotted
in as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter and then fought Shane Carwin
to maintain his No. 1 contender status while Velasquez rehabbed
his injury. Velasquez and dos Santos now will fight as the main
event of the first UFC on Fox event.
For
better or for worse, Condit is opting to wait for his title shot.
Obviously, it could go the way of the Evans vs. Shogun match-up,
a constant slide away from the belt, or he could be waiting for
just a few months, get his title shot, and possibly walk off
with the gold around his waist.
Always
at the ready, fellow Top 10 welterweight Josh Koscheck offered
to step in for GSP on only one-and-a-half weeks notice. Appreciative
of the offer, White tweeted, “We will sit Carlos to wait
for GSP. It’s looking so far like he could be ready in a
couple months. Still early to tell though.”
Given
that timeframe, it is difficult to faulting Condit for waiting.
Title shots don’t fall into your lap every day.
“I’m
super disappointed,” Condit told MMAWeekly.com, “Unfortunately,
that’s the nature of the sport. I’m going to continue
training and hopefully Georges and I can fight before the end
of the year.”
The
end of the year may be a difficult call depending on the seriousness
of St-Pierre’s injury, but White’s statement seems
to back the belief that GSP isn’t expected to be out for
an extended period of time.
It’s
an unfortunate loss for the fans that were looking forward to
a card topped with St-Pierre vs. Condit and BJ Penn vs. Nick
Diaz. UFC 137, according to White, will now feature Penn vs.
Diaz in a three-round non-title affair as the main event.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Destiny:
Past Present Future
Aloha Tower Waterfront, Honolulu, Hawaii
October 21st, 2011
-Lightweight Championship-
Max 'Lil Evil' Holloway (Gods Army) vs Kaleo 'Lights Out' Kwan
(O2 MAA)
-Featherweight Championship-
Dustin Kimura (Gracie Technics) vs TBA (mainland opponent)
-155lbs Pro Match
Kyle Rideau (Faito Tamashii Combat Club, California) vs Herman
Santiago (ICG)
-Female Championship-
Kailin
Curran (Animal House/O2 MAA) vs Yarnisha Lyons (Fort Hood Texas Fight Team)
-Amateur Featherweight Championship-
Toby Misech (BOSS MMA) vs Zack Rapal (Fighters Union)
-135lbs Pro Match
Ian Delacuesta (Fitness Ranes Fight Team) vs Richard 'Hit 2 Hard'
Barnard
-Amateur Lightweight Championship-
Lowen Tynanes (Team Tynanes) vs Deven Taylor (UCS)
-145lbs
Pro Match
Jay Bolos
(O2 MAA)
vs Jesse Thorton (Fort Hood Texas Fight Team)-
-Amateur Bantamweight Championship-
Kelii Palencia (HMC) vs Zach Close (Sunset Beach BJJ)-
-Amateur Heavyweight Championship-
Kevin Herzog (Team Mixed Plate) vs Olo Faamau
-Amateur Welterweight Championship-
Justin
Konia (HMC/O2 MAA)
vs Lynden Patritio (Fighters Union)
-Amateur 125lbs Championship
-Michael Nakagawa (Team Alpha Male/Gracie Technics) vs Skyler
Close (Sunset Beach Jiu-Jitsu)
-Amateur Middleweight Championship-
Charles Hazlewood (Combat 50) vs Jon Ferrell
-Amateur Light Heavyweight Championship-
Kevin Agui (Animal House) vs Alex Pulotu Steverson (Team Xtreme)
-185lbs
Jacob Smith (UKA) vs Neale Johnson (SOMMA)
-145lbs
Ryne Yoshimura (HMC) vs Jason Recamara (808 Alliance)
-135lbs
Randy Rivera (HMC) vs Isamu Lopez (Hilo)
-145lbs
Colin Mackenzie (Gods Army) vs TBA
-170lbs
Lawrence Mathias (Animal House) vs Steve Farmer (UCS)
-135lbs
Jared Iha (No Remorse) vs Drake Fujimoto (Relson Gracie Academy)
-160lbs
Sage Yoshida (HMC) vs Micah Ige (Team Xtreme)
-170lbs
Sebastion Mariconda (HMC) vs TBA
-155lbs
Jaymes Shultes (SOMMA) vs Daniel Ige (Sunset Beach BJJ)
-145lbs
Landon Yoshimura (HMC) vs TBA-
-170lbs (Kickboxing grudge match)
Rob Joseph (Gods Army) vs Micah Abreu (UKA)
-145lbs (Pankration)
Clem Holloway (Gods Army) vs Kevin Stevens (Combat 50)
-145lbs (Pankration)
Rowel Tano vs TBA
-145lbs (Pankration)
Frankie Tano vs TBA
-125lbs (Pankration)
Joey Schipper (UCS) vs TBA
-135lbs (Pankration)
Keanu Rowland-Manners vs TBA
FIGHT CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Source:
Event Promoter
|
NAGA
Hawaii Tomorrow
Radford High School
Saturday, October 22, 2011
WEIGH-IN OPTIONS
FOR COMPETITORS
NAGA
will be offering all competitors the option of registering and
weighing-in the night BEFORE the tournament! On Friday, weigh-ins and registration
will start at 6:00 PM and continue until 8:00 at the venue (directions
are below). The Friday weigh-in will be open to all competitors
regardless if you pre-registered or not. Adults please have a
photo ID on hand when weighing-in. If you are not able to weigh-in
on Friday,
you can still weigh-in on Saturday prior to your division start
time. Doors open at 8 AM Saturday and weigh-in is open throughout
the day.
SATURDAY
DIVISION SCHEDULE (Doors open 8 AM)
KIDS
& TEENS (17yrs & under) NO-GI & GI COMPETITON - Doors
open 8 AM
10
AM - All children & teens must be weighed in and be ready
to compete by 10 AM Sharp.
ADULT
NO-GI & GI COMPETITON (times are just estimates)
All
Women's, Executives & Directors Divisions start at approximately
12 Noon
All
Adult & Master Novice Divisions start at approximately 1
PM
NAGA
has a new method for bracketing the Adult & Masters No-Gi
& Gi Divisions. The intent is to have all divisions take
place as quickly as possible utilizing all rings at once. The
divisions will be bracketed by skill level in the following order:
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Novice (Estimated Start Time is 1
PM)
-
Men's and Master's No-Gi Beginner (Estimated Start Time is 1:30
PM)
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Intermediate (Estimated Start Time
2 PM)
-
Men's & Master's No-Gi Advanced (Estimated Start Time is
2:30 PM)
-
Men's & Master's White Belt (Estimated Start Time is 3 PM)
-
Men's & Master's Blue Belt (Estimated Start Time is 4 PM)
-
Men's and Master's Gi Purple, Brown, Black Belt (Starts after
the Blue Belt Divisions end)
IMPORTANT:
It is difficult to estimate the start time for each division.
As a general rule, get there early and be prepared to stay late.
There are NO REFUNDS given for those who have to leave early.
2011 NAGA
HAWAII GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP
The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is the world's
largest grappling tournament circuit with over 120,000 competitors
worldwide. On Saturday, October 22, 2011 NAGA returns to Honolulu
for our 11th annual Hawaii Grappling Championship No-Gi &
Gi tournament. This is by far the largest grappling tournament
held in Hawaii, last year we had over 800 competitors. The benefit
of a large event like NAGA is that you have plenty of competition
regardless of your age, skill, and gender. Come as an individual
or as a team to compete. You do not have to be on a team to participate
in this event. This event is nationally RANKED!
DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER/REGISTRATION FORM
PRE-REGISTER ONLINE HERE or download the registration
form, print it out and mail it in to the address on the form
along with your check.
100
CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS AWARDED
NAGA is the only grappling tournament in the world to award 100
CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS to all its Children, Teen, Adult, Masters,
Directors and Executive Expert Division Winners.
SAMURAI
SWORDS TO KIDS & TEENS WINNERS
NAGA will be awarding custom engraved SAMURAI SWORDS to all non-expert
Kids & Teen 1st place winners! Octagon medals will be awarded
to all 2nd & 3rd place winners along with non-expert Adult
division winners. Adult competitors who place 1st and win a gold
medal will have the opportunity to obtain a samurai sword at
the NAGA T-shirt booth for a nominal fee. All children/teens
will take home a medal even if they do not place 1st through
3rd for having the courage to compete.
6
SPECTACULAR CHAMPIONSHIP CUP TEAM AWARDS
All 6 of our top teams (Adult Gi, No-Gi & Children 17 yrs.
& under) will receive a custom made CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUP.
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase the talent that
your academy possesses.
FREE
NAGA FIGHTER DOG TAGS TO ALL COMPETITORS
NAGA will be giving away FREE NAGA FIGHTER Dog Tags to every
NAGA Competitor. The Dog Tags are part of the NAGA promotional
giveaway to thank all of our competitors for attending the event.
SAVE
MONEY ON FIGHT GEAR
NAGA is bringing a load of gear (board shorts, rash guards, t-shirts,
hats, etc.) in children and adults sizes that you can purchase
at the NAGA event before you compete. We have gear and apparel
for everyone. Check out the huge selection at the NAGA Hawaii
T-shirt booth at the event
NATIONALLY
RANKED EVENT
All NAGA events are part of the nationwide ranking system entitled
RANKED. Our goal is to determine who the best grapplers in the
country are for various age, gender, and skill levels. This tournament
will be nationally ranked so do not miss your opportunity to
gain points towards a true national title. More details can be
found at www.nationallyranked.com.
SANDBAGGERS
BEWARE
NAGA works diligently to prevent "sandbagging", or
the practice of fighting down skill levels to ensure one takes
home an award. NAGA has been working with RANKED to track all
fighters and ranked grappling events to produce true "national
standings." A by-product of these standings is our knowledge
of who has competed and at which level. Front door personnel
will use RANKED data to determine whether or not individuals
who have fought in past events belong in a higher skill level
(i.e. placed 1st at a prior NAGA event).
MEN'S NO-GI EXPERIENCE LEVELS
WEIGHT
CLASSES
____
MEN'S NOVICE Under 6 months experience, no wrestlers
____
MEN'S BEGINNER 6 months to 2 years experience
____
MEN'S INTERMEDIATE 2 years to 5 years experience
____
MEN'S EXPERT 5 years experience & above
All Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple
Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 belt will be awarded
Bantam
Weight (129.9 lbs. & Under)
Fly
Weight (130 lbs. to 139.9 lbs.)
Feather
Weight (140 lbs. to 149.9 lbs.)
Light
Weight (150 lbs. to 159.9 lbs.)
Welter
Weight (160 lbs. to 169.9 lbs.)
Middle
Weight (170 lbs. to 179.9 lbs.)
Light
Heavy Weight (180 lbs. to 189.9 lbs.)
Cruiser
Weight (190 lbs. to 199.9 lbs.)
Heavy
Weight (200 lbs. to 224.9 lbs.)
Super
Heavy Weight (225 lbs. & Above)
MEN'S
GI DVISIONS (WHITE & BLUE BELTS)
____
MEN'S WHITE BELT (Use the weight divisions to the right)
____
MEN'S BLUE BELT (Use the weight divisions to the right)
MEN'S
GI PURPLE, BROWN & BLACK BELT DIVISIONS = CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS
FOR ALL 1ST PLACE WINNERS
PURPLE
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
BROWN
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
BLACK
BELT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle Wt. (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super Heavy (200 +)
MEN'S
MASTER GI & NO-GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
MEN'S
MASTERS DIVISIONS (Ages 30 yrs & above)
WEIGHT
CLASSES for MASTERS
______
MASTER'S NOVICE (Under 6 months experience)
______
MASTER'S BEGINNER (6 months to 2 yrs exp.)
______
MASTER'S INTERMEDIATE (2-5 years exp.)
______
MASTER'S EXPERT (5 years +) 4 weight classes
Masters
Novice/Beginner & Intermediate divisions use the same 10
weight classes as the No-Gi Divisions above. Masters Expert uses
the 4 weight classes below. (Expert wins Champ. Belt)
MASTERS
EXPERT
___ Lt Wt. (154.9 lbs. & Under)
____ Middle (155 to 174.9)
____ Cruiser (175 to 199.9)
____ Super HW (200 +)
MEN'S
DIRECTOR'S (40 yrs +) & EXECUTIVE (50 yrs +) GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
MEN'S
DIRECTORS & EXECUTIVES SKILL LEVEL
CHECK
ONE:
WEIGHT
CLASSES & AGE GROUP
____
NOVICE Under 6 months exp. no wrestlers
____
BEGINNER 6 months to 2 yrs experience
____
INTERMEDIATE 2 to 5 years experience
____
EXPERT 5 years experience & above
________Directors
(Ages 40 to 49 years old)
________Executives
(Age 50 yrs & Above)
Directors
& Executives will be broken up into weight classes at the
event to ensure fair competition.
WOMEN'S
GI & NO-GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS:
WOMEN'S
DIVISIONS - SKILL LEVELS
WEIGHT
CLASSES:
_____
WOMEN'S NOVICE/WHITE (Under 6 months exp)
_____
WOMEN'S BEGINNER/WHITE (Under 6 month to 2 yr)
_____
WOMEN'S INTERMEDIATE/BLUE (2-5 years exp.)
_____
WOMEN'S EXPERT (5 years +) ____ MASTER'S
Expert winners receive Championship Belt 30 Years +
____
Fly Weight (119.9 lbs & Under)
____
Light Weight (120 to 134.9 lbs.)
____
Middle Weight (135 to 159.9 lbs.)
____
Light Heavy Wt (160 lbs. & Above)
We reserve the right to combine the above weight classes depending
on the turnout.
CHILDREN'S
NO-GI & GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS (13 years of age & under):
CHILDREN'S
EXPERIENCE LEVELS
KIDS
NOVICE = 6 months experience or less
____ KIDS NOVICE NO-GI (without submissions)
____ KIDS NOVICE GI (without submissions)
No wrestlers in the Novice or Beginner Divisions,
Novice GI is for White Belts Only!
KIDS
BEGINNER = Less than 1 year exp.
____ KIDS BEGINNER NO-GI (with submissions)
____ KIDS BEGINNER GI (with submissions)
KIDS
INTERMEDIATE = Less than 2 years exp.
____ KIDS INTERMEDIATE NO-GI (w/ subs)
____ KIDS INTERMEDIATE GI (with subs)
KIDS
EXPERT = More than 2 years experience
____ KIDS EXPERT NO-GI (with submissions)
____ KIDS EXPERT GI (with submissions)
Please
circle your child's age:
4
or 5 years old
6
or 7 years old
8
or 9 years old
10
or 11 years old
12
& 13 years old
Whenever
possible your child will be matched up with someone their same
age, however please understand they may have to compete with
others slightly older.
If
there are 2 or more girls in a division, we will create a separate
division for those girls.
______
49.9 lbs. & Under
______ 50 lbs. to 59.9 lbs.
______ 60 lbs. to 69.9 lbs.
______ 70 lbs. to 79.9 lbs.
______ 80 lbs. to 89.9 lbs.
______ 90 lbs. to 99.9 lbs.
______ 100 lbs. to 114.9 lbs.
______ 115 lbs. to 129.9 lbs.
______ 130 lbs. to 149.9 lbs.
______ 150 lbs. to 179.9 lbs.
All children 13 and under that weigh over 180 lbs. will need
to compete with the teens.
All
Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 Belt will be awarded
TEEN'S
NO-GI & GI GRAPPLING DIVISIONS (14 to 15) and (16 to 17)
years of age:
TEEN'S
EXPERIENCE LEVELS
TENTATIVE
WEIGHT CLASSES
AGE
& GENDER
TEENS
NOVICE = < 6 months experience
____ TEENS NOVICE NO-GI
____ TEENS NOVICE GI
Teens Novice is for White Belts only!!!
TEENS BEGINNER = < 1 yr experience
____ TEENS BEGINNER NO-GI
____ TEENS BEGINNER GI
No Wrestlers allowed in Novice or Beginner
TEENS
INTERMEDIATE = < 2 yrs exp.
____ TEENS INTERMEDIATE NO-GI
____ TEENS INTERMEDIATE GI
TEENS
EXPERT= 2 yrs exp. +
____
TEENS EXPERT NO-GI
____ TEENS EXPERT GI
______
Fly Weight (99.9 lb & Under)
______ Bantam Weight (100 to 109.9 lbs.)
______ Feather Weight (110 to 119.9 lbs.)
______ Light Weight (120 to 129.9 lbs.)
______ Welter Weight (130 to 139.9 lbs.)
______ Middle Weight (140 to 149.9 lbs.)
______ Light Heavy Wt. (150 to 159.9 lbs.)
______ Cruiser Weight (160 to 179.9 lbs.)
______ Heavy Weight (180 to 199.9 lbs.)
______ Super Heavy Weight (200 lbs. +)
Please
note - We reserve the right to either subdivide or combine the
above weight and age classes the day of the event depending on
the turnout. Submissions are allowed in all teen divisions
____
14 to 15 Years old
____
16 to 17 Years old
We
will separate girls from boys when there are 2 or more girls
in a specific skill level & weigh class.
All
Expert winners take home a Championship Belt, if multiple Expert
Divisions are won by a competitor, only 1 Belt will be awarded
|
ETERNAL
SUBMISSIONS
Brazilian Gi & NoGi Tournament
November 5th & 6th, 2011
Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai
www.eternalsubmissions.com
write
up for it:
Low rate offered to competitors and spectators $114/nt at the
Kauai Beach
Resort
also
a special rate for tighter budgets
for Eternal Submissions guests
at the Aloha Beach Hotel
for $81/nt (about 2-3 miles away)
Friday,
Nov. 4th
weigh-ins from 5-9pm
(ONLY outer island competitors can weigh in day of)
Saturday,
Nov. 5th
ALL GI DIVISIONS
Starting at 9am with kids. Teens, women & men to follow
Sunday,
Nov. 6th
ALL NOGI DIVISIONS
Starting at 9am with kids. Teens, womens & mens to follow
PRE-REGISTRATION
due by Monday Oct. 24th for FREE competitor tshirt
Registrations will be accepted until Friday night weigh ins (Sat
or Sun
morning for off-island competitors ONLY), however will not receive
the FREE
shirt, you will be able to purchase the event shirt there, first
come first
serve, limited availability.
More
info www.eternalsubmissions.com
or call Shauna (808) 652-6849
Source: Event Promoter
|
As
His Career Starts to Wind Down, Josh Koscheck is All About the
Money and Big Fights
by Damon
Martin
As
Josh Koscheck works to negotiate a new contract with the UFC,
the former Ultimate Fighter competitor is starting to look towards
his career winding down.
Now that’s not to say Koscheck is retiring tomorrow or after
his next three fights, but he does see the end approaching and
so his goal right now is to get involved in the biggest fights
possible and make the most money before his fighting days are
over.
“I don’t have much longer in this career and at this
point I want to take big fights, big names, and sell the hell
out of the fight and go in there and perform and win,” Koscheck
told MMAWeekly.com recently.
Speaking very honestly about his standing in the welterweight
division, Koscheck knows that as long as Georges St-Pierre is
champion, he’s not likely to get a third shot at the belt,
having lost to the Canadian twice already.
“I don’t see myself fighting for the title any time
soon unless Georges loses,” Koscheck stated. “Would
you guys want to see a third GSP/Koscheck fight right away? I
mean, I’m down for it don’t get me wrong, but that’s
a tough sell for the UFC.”
So what is Koscheck looking for at this stage of his career?
“I’m trying to get paid,” said Koscheck. “I’m
working to renegotiate my contract right now. That’s probably
why I’m not fighting in San Jose (at UFC 139), but it will
all work out. Speak with the UFC in the next couple of weeks
and get a new contract and I’ll fight wherever they want
me to fight.
“I’m a money fighter; I’m about making money.”
Prior to accepting a fight on short notice with UFC Hall of Famer
Matt Hughes at UFC 135, Koscheck had been flirting with the idea
of taking a fight at middleweight. Truth be told, Koscheck is
open to fight at any weight the UFC puts on the contract as long
as the dollar signs are showing up in the right places as well.
“I’ll fight 185, I’ll fight 205, I’ll fight
heavyweight if I’m getting paid enough. I don’t care
who I fight. I just like to fight, it’s what I do,”
said Koscheck.
With his contract negotiations still ongoing, Koscheck is likely
sitting out the rest of 2011, but is intent on getting involved
in the biggest fights possible once 2012 rolls around.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
MMA
Diet: Martin Rooney Edition
by Cameron
Conaway
A list of Martin Rooney’s academic and fitness credentials
do not begin to show the impact this man has had on the field
of strength and conditioning as it relates to MMA athletes.
In July 2010 I did a 4-part interview with him titled, “The
World’s Best MMA Fitness Coach,” but he’s even
grown tremendously in popularity since then. However, part of
what makes Martin Rooney so successful at what he does –
aside from the results: he prepared Frankie Edgar for BJ Penn
– is his versatility. He’s a terrific writer, a terrific
speaker and he looks like he follows the words he preaches. Sure,
it’s usually his Training for Warriors knowledge that’s
featured in magazines, books and videos, but he can talk MMA
nutrition with the best of them. I caught up with Martin and
he agreed to answer a few questions for us here at Sherdog.
CC: Martin, your success has meant loads of athletes are getting
proper training advice and information. As I see your career
continue to skyrocket I know everyone is benefiting. The same
can’t be said for many other big name trainers out there.
However, it seems the next step for our MMA athletes (and our
country in general) is to continue building upon sound nutritional
advice. What are three common misconceptions about MMA nutrition
and what advice would you give to counter them?
MR: Thanks for the kind words Cameron. I am always doing my best
to share what I have learned with as many people as possible.
This goes along with my belief that the more you share with others,
the more you benefit.
In
terms of nutrition, yes, it could be argued that this is an important
area in which MMA athletes are paying more attention. Even with
this attention, however, I still feel this is perhaps the most
abused aspect of physical preparation next to overtraining.
The
first most common misconception is that since an MMA athlete
is doing so much training, they he or she thinks they are allowed
to eat whatever you want. I don’t know if the Michael Phelps
interview helped or hurt here (he prided himself on eating 10,000
calories of poor food choices and won a record haul of gold medals)
but there is no good excuse to eat poor food. I would counter
this by reminding athletes that a calorie is not a calorie. Make
sure that you are eating clean with plenty of good food choices
like fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Regardless of how many
antioxidants they say dark chocolate has, that doesn’t mean
it is good for you.
The
next most common misconception is that supplements are actually
food and that the labels on these tell the truth. I would like
to remind the athletes out there that the term “supplement”
means in addition to, not “all you need to eat.” So,
a bar here or there in a pinch and a post workout shake is great,
but make sure that you are eating “real” food first.
Too many people are subsisting mainly on things from bottles
and wrappers. We have to be smarter than that.
The
final common misconception I see is that huge weight cuts are
normal and it is ok to be relatively out of shape and use a less
than strict diet and make up with it through a drastic cut. True,
I have pushed the knowledge forward in this area and believe
being big and strong in a certain weight is essential these days,
but it still has to be done well. Good food choices, a more gradual
cut and proper rehydration and weight gain processes are essential.
CC: There are many parallels between how a member of the general
population needs to eat and how an MMA fighter needs to eat,
but can you fill us in on three key differences that make an
MMA athlete’s nutritional needs different?
MR: Actually, there are not many differences in terms of how
a “normal” person and an MMA fighter should eat in
terms of food quality, nutrients and number of meals per day.
The key differences would be caloric amount, protein requirement,
and eating for recovery.
So, a fighter would need more caloric intake at their meals to
supply energy from the advanced amounts of training, increased
protein for muscle building and the timing of recovery methods
like pre and post workout nutrition as well as certain foods
that can decrease inflammation and enhance recovery.
CC: Just like fighters have other fighters they respect in the
field, who are some other nutrition folks inside or outside of
the MMA community that you read and respect and recommend others
pay attention to?
MR: The person I have always gone to most for nutrition advice
is John Berardi of Precision Nutrition. He has influenced my
nutritional practices and actually wrote an unbelievable chapter
in my upcoming book that will be the third book in the Training
for Warriors system. In addition to John, of late, I have been
reading Michael Pollan’s books. Very interesting and entertaining.
CC: Lastly, you’ve had tremendous success with your three
training books, but what’s firing you up now? Do you see
yourself still working in the print medium or adapting your skills
for something else?
MR: The books have been a passion of mine and now I am also doing
regular work for magazines like Gracie Magazine, FIGHT!, Fight
Hard, Train Easy, Muscle and Fitness and Men’s Fitness.
But, how I see myself is a trainer that writes about his training,
not a writer.
My most exciting project now is my Training for Warriors certification.
Now I am training trainers from all around the world in my system.
I certified over 200 coaches this year including instructors
of the Army Rangers. If you want to take your training to another
level, I suggest checking out the certification information at
www.trainingforwarriors.com.
Source:
Sherdog
|
UFC
137 in Las Vegas
Georges St. Pierre (-400, 4 to 1 favorite) vs. Carlos Condit
(+350, 7 to 2 underdog)
*Prior to GSP’s injury forcing him to pull out of the fight.
In other words, the same standard line we always see with St.
Pierre for his title fights. If you’re looking for a ray
of sunshine as to why Condit stands a chance, read what Jordan
Breen said here.
BJ Penn (-130, 13 to 10 favorite) vs. Nick Diaz (EVEN)
I am perplexed and befuddled by this line. BJ is only a -130
favorite? Are people sleeping on this line or are there so many
hardcore Nick Diaz fans out there willing to put money on ‘their
guy’ (ala Fedor) that you end up with crazy lines like this?
I would not be shocked to see Penn up as a -200 favorite by fight
time. If not, then that means there’s a lot of fish out
there ready to get reeled in and you should love, love, love
that -130 line on a lot of levels.
Someone please explain to me what Nick Diaz does better than
BJ Penn and just exactly the course in which he wins this fight.
By decision? How? Penn on top position is a win for BJ since
US judges are hesistant to award points to guys on their back
(rightly or wrongly). Striking-wise, Penn would love to drill
Diaz with a few power shots. In terms of experience and quality
of opponents faced, Penn blows Diaz out the water.
Matt Mitrione (-130, 13 to 10 favorite) vs. Cheick Kongo (EVEN)
This, right here, is a wild line. Do you put Mitrione in the
same category as Pat Barry in terms of offensive striking? I
get it, Kongo showed horrible defense against Barry in their
Pittsburgh fight. Plus, Mitrione has won a string of fights recently
in highlight fashion. However, he’s facing a guy that can
easily knock him out fast and do so in very devastating fashion.
I’m shocked that Kongo is not the favorite here and by a
substantial margin, say, by a 3 to 2 margin.
Mark Munoz (-220, 11 to 5 favorite) vs. Chris Leben (+180, 9
to 5 underdog)
It sounds about right?
Cain Velasquez (-140, 7 to 5 favorite) vs. Junior dos Santos
(+120, 6 to 5 underdog)
Wow, there’s a lot of people not buying into Velasquez as
the man, yet. I think a lot of the concern here is about whether
or not he has full healed from the rotator cuff surgery. I can
definitely see some value here for Cain if you’re a big
believer in him as being the dominant ‘ace’ of the
UFC HW division for some time to come.
Mauricio Shogun (-160, 8 to 5 favorite) vs. Dan Henderson (+130,
13 to 10 underdog)
A dream fight for both hardcore and casual fans. A lot of people
are already excited to pick Henderson to win here and feel that
the money will come in on Shogun because of the ‘Forrest
Griffin effect’ as our buddy Luca Fury likes to say.
Alistair Overeem (-140, 7 to 5 favorite) vs. Brock Lesnar (+120,
6 to 5 underdog)
That’s a much tighter line than I expected. I thought the
initial line would be heavier in favor of Overeem.
Michael Bisping (-200, 2 to 1 favorite) vs. Mayhem Miller (+160,
8 to 5 underdog)
Like the Overeem line, I’m surprised that Bisping isn’t
a higher favorite here.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
137's B.J. Penn would like another title shot, but he's not banking
on it
by Steven
Marrocco
The
title picture is a fickle beast, and B.J. Penn isn't about to
get wrapped up in it.
The
former lightweight and welterweight champion said that after
his near-miss with a second chance at 170-pound champ Georges
St-Pierre's belt, he's taking a wait-and-see attitude about his
career.
"I'm
trying to fight my best, and like all fighters say, the fight's
against yourself," Penn said today. "So I'm just going
to try to push myself to my personal best."
Penn
(16-7-2 MMA, 12-6-2 UFC), who meets Nick Diaz (25-7 MMA, 6-4
UFC) in the headliner of UFC 137 on Oct. 29 at Las Vegas' Mandalay
Bay Events Center, admits he fights himself a lot. Once a dominant
force in the lightweight division, his stock took a considerable
slide with back-to-back losses to current champ Frankie Edgar,
and later, a draw at UFC 127 with Jon Fitch that was supposed
to crown the next welterweight contender.
"For
me, it's always been a love-hate relationship with MMA, and maybe
with the UFC at times," Penn said. "I'd love to stick
around as long as Randy (Couture) has stuck around, if I could
do something like that. But it's one day, I want to fight 100
more fights, and the next day, I'm like I don't want to do this
any more. I think a lot of fighters feel that way, but maybe
I'm just more vocal about it."
Penn
definitely spoke up when Diaz was no more than the guy who blew
the opportunity of a lifetime rather than a potential opponent.
When the Strikeforce champ was booted this past month from UFC
137's headliner opposite St-Pierre, he requested a fight with
a guy who would be sure to motivate him: Fitch.
"He's
not getting my goat or nothing, but he keeps on saying all this
stuff – that he can beat me easy and all these things,"
Penn said.
Unfortunately,
Fitch is injured and unable to fight, and UFC president Dana
White shockingly installed Diaz opposite Penn. Diaz and Penn
in the past have trained together and consider each other friends
outside the business. Not a great recipe for getting up his goat.
"It's
not a fight that either of us asked for, but it's a job, and
at the end of the day, we've all got to go to work," Penn
said.
But
as to whether that leads to another title shot at welterweight,
Penn isn't losing sleep.
"I
think ... it's all about the right time," he said. "Who's
open, who's injured, who's not injured, and I'd love to maybe
win the welterweight title one more time, and if possible, win
the lightweight title another time. But I'm not going to sit
there and dwell on it.
"Dana
was saying that if I beat Jon Fitch, I'd be getting ready to
fight for the title. Now they're saying, 'Maybe he's not getting
ready to fight for the title.' I just [ignore] all that stuff.
Water off a duck's back. One day you're fighting for a title;
one day you're not. It would be great to get another title, but
I just want to keep moving forward, making money and try to feed
myself."
Penn
won his first championship belt at age 25 when he submitted then-dominant
champ Matt Hughes at UFC 46 for the welterweight belt. He was
later stripped of the title when he left the UFC in a contract
dispute, and two years after returning, he won the vacant lightweight
title. An attempt to become the first dual-weight-class champion
failed when St-Pierre beat him at UFC 94, and a little more than
a year later, he ceded his lightweight title to Edgar.
With
his rich resume, "The Prodigy" is nonetheless a shoo-in
for the UFC Hall of Fame. It then should come as no surprise
that questions about what's left for him to prove have accompanied
each of his fights.
For
UFC 137, he may not have an answer. Work calls anyway.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
President Dana White Named to Top 49 Most Influential Men by
AskMen.com
UFC
President Dana White has once again graced the list of AskMen.com‘s
Top 49 Most influential men list, this year coming in at No.
38.
This is the sixth year in a row the website has listed their
rankings.
White has made the list before where in 2009 he came in at No.
10, and in 2010 came in an No. 32.
The only other MMA representative in past years was in 2009 when
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre made the list at
No. 36.
The list includes actors, musicians, executives, and many other
men from around the world. Apple founder Steve Jobs, who recently
passed away after a long time battle with cancer, was ranked
No. 1 on the list.
Other names on the list include Seal Team Six (the squad charged
with bringing down Osama Bin Laden earlier this year), Facebook
founder Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet and Kanye West.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
in Brazil: Fertitta meets with another governor
The
UFC really does want to invade Brazil. In the wake of the Rio
de Janeiro, mass speculation is going on about the events on
tap for 2012. The major cities of Manaus, São Paulo, Salvador,
and now Recife could be on course to host a UFC event. This Monday,
co-owner of the UFC Lorenzo Fertitta met with the governor of
the state of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos, to discuss the possibility
of holding an event in Recife in 2012, as reported by our collaborator
Junior Samurai.
So far no announcement has been made but the homeland of the
likes of Rafaello Trator, Junior Assunção, Raphael
Assunção, as well as Bráulio Estima, Zé
Radiola and others looks in line to receive the world-famous
Octagon.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Dana
White: How can you not rank Frankie Edgar higher than GSP on
P4P list?
By Zach
Arnold
ARIEL
HELWANI:“So, at the press conference, you said Frankie Edgar
is now the #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. You have
Canada up in arms now, they’re very upset because you just
dropped GSP down. Why do you think…”
DANA WHITE:“How do you know Canada’s upset?”
ARIEL HELWANI:“Twitter. It’s a beautiful thing.”
DANA WHITE:“They’re going crazy? I can’t wait
to get on Twitter.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“They are very upset.”
DANA WHITE:“Listen… all you Canadians, I know you guys
love you some GSP and so do I, I love GSP, you know, I say it
all the time… I actually get mad when I’m up in Canada,
I’m like how is this guy not sponsored by every blue chip
company in Canada? He’s a great champion, he’s a great
ambassador for our sport, he’s a great ambassador for his
country, but if you really look at what the pound-for-pound means,
how do you not put Frankie Edgar in the #2 position? The guy
weighs 145 pounds, he’s fighting at 155 pounds, he’s
beat EVERYBODY and just knocked out Gray Maynard. He is the #2
pound-for-pound fighter in the world. No disrespect to Canada
or Georges St. Pierre. It is what it is.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“What do you think you’ll do with Frankie
next?”
DANA WHITE:“I don’t know. That’s up to Frankie,
that’s not really up to me. If I was running over at Frankie’s
place, he’d be fighting at 145 pounds.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“Even thought he’s been doing so good?”
DANA WHITE:“That’s why it’s so hard to really
sit there and say, Frankie, you should really do this. He beat
BJ Penn twice, he beat Gray Maynard and knocked him out when
everybody thought he had his number, and he’s beat everybody
else in the 155 pound division. When you watch this guy fight
at 155 pounds, look how much bigger Gray Maynard was than him.
He gets hurt, he overcomes almost getting knocked out to knock
out Gray Maynard and I don’t know, I’d just love to
see the guy fight at 145 pounds.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“In terms of 155, though, who do you thing
is next for him?”
DANA WHITE:“No clue. I’m not even thinking about that.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“What are the chances (Gilbert) Melendez is
next for him?”
DANA WHITE:“I don’t know. I don’t even want to
talk about Strikeforce, I don’t even want to talk about
it. That whole thing’s still going on… and it’ll
be sorted out soon.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“So, no point asking you about the phone call
that you were talking about on Wednesday?”
DANA WHITE:“Yeah, well, we had the phone call and, you know,
we’re, we’re, we’re pushed back another week.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“Who pushed it back?”
DANA WHITE:“I don’t want to even talk about it any
more. I’m done.”
ARIEL HELWANI:“Did you meet with Melendez this weekend?”
DANA WHITE:“I met with him (Saturday).”
ARIEL HELWANI:“How did it go?”
DANA WHITE:“Good! I mean, listen, this kid’s one of
those guys that he’s a great kid, he’s a great fighter,
he’s either going to come to the UFC or he’s going
to fight in Strike force (this) December. We’ll see what
happens, though. He’s… he’s a good kid, he knows
what’s up, and we’ll get this thing figured out.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Rafael
Cordeiro talks Silva vs. Le, says Werdum is in talks with the
UFC
By Guilherme
Cruz
Rafael
Cordeiro is excited about Kings MMA’s future. On an exclusive
interview to TATAME, the coach analyzed the next bouts of Wanderlei
Silva and Mark Munoz in UFC, against Cung Le and Chris Leven,
revealed that Fabricio Werdum might return to the UFC in December,
and also that Renato Babalu fights in 2012, but it may not be
in Strikeforce. On the chat, Cordeiro also commented on Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua’s decision not to train at Kings
MMA for his next bout, against Dan Henderson. “Coming from
him, it doesn’t surprise me”, shoot. Check it:
Is
Wanderlei training with you guys for Cung Le?
He’s
here, he’s practically living here. He’s done a marathon
here, he’s pouring his heart out on the trainings. We’re
having good results on the trainings with Werdum, Babalu, Munoz,
Dida, quality guys. And he’s doing great. We’re much
confident because of the work we’ve been doing here.
What
are your expectations for this fight? Is this a good match-up?
It’s a very good fight, it’s a good match-up. Both
likes to strike, they move forward. It’ll be a great fight,
very busy. We’ll do everything in our power to bring this
win home. We’ll be clever about it. If we have to fight
for three rounds in order to get the win, we’ll do it. We’ll
respect Cung Le, who has a great history in the sport and is
a true martial artist.
Before
this fight, Mark Munoz, another fighter from your team, fights
Chris Leben. How is he doing on the trainings?
He’s
on fire. Mark is super dedicated, he’s a good guy, special,
who’s making some room for himself in the organization.
He’s one of the guys who trains the most, he’s our
‘geek’ (laughs). Sometimes he overtrains… But
sometimes it’s good to make a mistake by trying to hard
than not trying hard enough, right?
Is
there some special motivation due to the fact he’s fighting
Leben, the one who defeated Wanderlei?
We
can’t take it to the octagon. What happened with Wanderlei
was a blink of an eye. Wanderlei was well prepared and unfortunately
Leben found him on his first punch. Knowing all about Leben’s
flaws, we’ll work on that. Bringing this win home much more
to feel good about the having deserved it than for revenge. It’s
gone and it must be forgotten. Always. Now we’re focusing
on Leben.
In
case he wins, Mark will be in a good place on the division. How
would it be a possible fight against Anderson Silva, someone
who’s trained at Kings MMA with you and Munoz himself?
If
it someday happens, they’ll have to be professionals about
it. I wouldn’t really like to see it, I like them both,
but I’m not the one making the decisions here. They gotta
decide it, I don’t interfere. They get along just fine,
they trained together here. If someday Mark deserves to fight
Anderson, he’s gotta build up to that. He’s not gonna
fight the guy, he’ll be fighting for the belt. Everyone
wants that, who says otherwise is lying. If it happens, God bless
them both.
Is
there anything new about Babalu?
Babalu
is my second-in-command here at the gym, he’s much supportive.
His history speaks for himself. I’m a blessed guy for having
Babalu here with me. He’ll probably fight in January, but
we don’t know the in which event yet, and he’ll be
representing our team.
Is
he out of Strikeforce, then?
He’s
negotiating with Strikeforce, but something in January came up…
The event wants him there, so we’ll see.
And
what about Werdum’s return? There were rumors about him
signing with UFC…
He’s
back to the trainings, he’s making everybody laugh. He’ll
probably fight in December… He’s talking to the UFC,
and maybe they come up with something for December.
How
do you see him fighting in UFC again?
I
like the idea, he deserves it. In case it actually happens, UFC
is the place he should’ve never left. The bests are there,
and there’s where Werdum belongs.
Shogun
trained at Kings MMA for UFC Rio, but he told TATAME he’ll
be training in Sao Paulo for his next bout. What do you think
about that?
I’m
not surprised about it. He’s a graduated athlete, who has
a great past, and God bless him on this one. He training in brazil
ain’t no news for me. Coming from him, it doesn’t surprise
me.
You
doubled the size of your gym. How is Kings MMA now?
It’s
awesome… It’s been great this moment we’re living
in. We came here four years ago with no structure, just our name,
and it took us four years to have a good space to train at. It’s
not an effort I made, but it’s because of all our students
and Wanderlei, Babalu, Werdum, Bettega, Dida and Marlon, people
who are with me from the beginning. If Kings is what it is today,
I owe them a big time.
Source:
Tatame
|
6
Questions for Rickson Gracie
By Marcelo
Alonso
More
than a decade has passed since Rickson Gracie competed in mixed
martial arts, but the 52-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
still holds a prominent place in the minds and hearts of most
hardcore fans. Gracie last fought at an event in Japan in May
2000, when he choked Pancrase co-founder Masakatsu Funaki unconscious
with a rear-naked choke in a little less than 13 minutes. He
walked away from the sport with a perfect 11-0 mark, with all
11 victories by way of submission.
In
this exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Gracie discussed the
impact of UFC 134 on Brazil, his recent participation in the
Bintang Black Belt Challenge -- a surfing championship for jiu-jitsu
black belts -- and, perhaps most importantly, the state of the
ground game in modern-day MMA.
Sherdog.com:
Do you believe jiu-jitsu fighters are having trouble getting
the fight on the ground in today’s MMA?
Gracie: I see it as a new race of fighter developing, something
that’s been invented. There are no more style matchups.
Now, everyone knows everything. It’s about the strengths
of the individual. The time of fights was shortened, the weights
were equalized and technology was incorporated into training.
There is no more romanticism in seeing a smaller guy fight a
bigger guy for two hours. Thinking of that, I believe jiu-jitsu
has lost the capacity to be put into practice in today’s
MMA, because it’s an art you have to wait for the right
moment with. Now, MMA is a sport for the better-prepared fighter,
the guy who can absorb more punches and still win. There’s
still an admiration for the art by those who practice it, but
there’s a decline in how it’s working in MMA. My motivation
is completely focused on the concept. That’s where I believe
I can make a difference: in making the shy kid feel normal, in
making the weak woman believe she’s strong. I want people
to have a sense of self-defense and a concept of the invisible
power. That’s where jiu-jitsu will achieve its eternity.
Sherdog.com:
You have taken part in many legendary events. Do you still have
the desire to compete again?
Gracie: There’s always that longing to fight, but I’m
motivated by everything I’ve done so far. Nowadays, I have
responsibilities that motivate me more than trying to live something
I’ve already lived. Today, my focus is on remembering the
people of jiu-jitsu and the philosophy that comes with the practice.
It’s not directed at competition but at self-defense, self-confidence,
discipline and emotional control. The values you learn are priceless.
Sherdog.com:
There is no one better than you to describe the importance of
UFC 134. What was it like to see 15,000 people supporting Brazilian
fighters?
Gracie: It was very nice -- a Brazilian night. Guys fought really
well. [Antonio Rodrigo] “Minotauro” [Nogueira], Anderson
[Silva], [Mauricio] “Shogun” [Rua] ... everyone had
a good role. And to feel the emotion that you only can feel in
Brazil, where you have this human warmth, was great. I enjoyed
taking part in a night like that.
Sherdog.com:
Among the Brazilian fighters who competed at UFC 134, who did
you like best?
Gracie: The Brazilians had a great night. They were pushed by
the crowd and were well-prepared. I loved Minotauro. He’s
a lion of a veteran. He was well-prepared physically and mentally,
and he shut a lot of people’s mouths. Anderson showed his
skills, which was no surprise. I expected that. Thiago Tavares
was great, as was [Rousimar] “Toquinho” [Palhares].
Everyone showed the desire to win, and I congratulate them.
Sherdog.com:
The Americans invited you to sit on the first row at the HSBC
Arena. Some people were worried that they would tout MMA as their
creation. How important was it for you to see your father, Helio
Gracie, recognized, along with yourself and your brothers, Rorion
Gracie and Royce Gracie?
Gracie: It was fair recognition. They are developing a great
work with marketing, but everything is our creation. It’s
not only about Brazilian fighters but about the concept and the
Brazilian spirit behind it. They’re not re-inventing the
wheel, and we have the resources needed to make the same kind
of show as they have. We have human material and an interested
audience, and now we also have the media vehicles needed to integrate
them. We can have a Brazilian UFC, which is more important than
recognizing the actions of others.
Sherdog.com:
How was the surfing championship?
Gracie: I lost this time, but it was very cool to see the fellowship
and to be with my friends on the ocean. It’s incredible
to be in such a beautiful place like Prainha surfing with friends.
There are no winners or losers there.
Source
Sherdog
|
Butt
patches & Malki Kawa: “I’m the very best at what
I do when it comes to the sponsor game.”
By Zach
Arnold
MIKE STRAKA: “The thing about the business of MMA, you hear
guys like boxers making $30 million USD a fight and the fighters
are slowly creeping up to numbers, not $30 million dollars, but
they’re creeping up some numbers and particularly you got
some guys that are really high up there on the pay scale. How
do you see the next generation of fighters making a living in
the industry?”
MALKI KAWA:“Well, you know, it’s the same thing like
any industry. In the 70s, football players made this much. In
the 80s, it went to there. In the 90s, it blew up. In the 2000s,
you know, you hear about mega-million contracts and I think with
fighting it’s the same thing. I mean, you know, hey, the
sport is 20 years old. By the time this sport is 30 years old,
40 years old, you’re going to be hearing about some mega-numbers
and getting fighters getting paid what you hear football players
and basketball players getting.”
MIKE STRAKA: “Now, a lot of these guys, fans, will read
about their favorite fighters and a lot of blogs have it wrong,
let’s say… these fighters make more money in sponsorship
dollars than they do for their fight purses. Is that true?”
MALKI KAWA:“You know, in some cases it’s true. In other
cases, it’s not. It just all really depends on the fighters.
The problem is that it’s like a puzzle, people won’t
get it. Where’s he fighting on the card? Who’s the
fight? Who’s his opponent? What’s the style of the
match-up? You know what I mean? Because, you know, the most expensive
spot on the shorts is either the crotch or the butt, right? So,
if you got a fighter who’s a stand-up guy fighting a wrestling,
his crotch and butt almost doesn’t mean anything because
chances are he ends up on his back. So, that gets factored in
some times. There’s a lot of little things here and there.”
MIKE STRAKA: “So, what you’re saying, so let’s
say… Josh Koscheck is fighting Georges St. Pierre, I want
the butt patch?”
MALKI KAWA:“Absolutely. As a sponsor, you want the butt
patch. And as a manager you need to explain and show the sponsor
why they’re going to pay more for the butt patch. Besides
the fact that it’s going to do a million PPVs and that’s
where all the exposure is, this is why you want to put this much
money on Georges or Koscheck because somewhere, somehow it looks
like it’s going to end up, you know, on the floor.”
MIKE STRAKA: “Although in that fight, in that instance,
they stayed up. But, still, the butt patch is valuable if they’re
both standing up the whole time, too, right?”
MALKI KAWA:“Absolutely, that’s the whole thing. So,
that’s why when people ask, OK, is it true this and that,
yeah, you know, some fighters make more money on sponsorships
because, um… and the truth is you really don’t know
because a lot of guys will have, you know, a certain… purse
set up and another one but the UFC always takes care of these
guys. They come up with extra checks and stuff and sometimes
that does end up making up. It’s just we don’t really
get that information until it’s your fight, so I know in
my case with my fighters a lot of them are making more money
in their purses, some of them are right there, and some sponsorships
is much more. But it’s a gradual curve that’s going
up all the time.”
MIKE STRAKA: “Let’s talk about some of your clients
and particularly Jon Jones. A kid that’s 23 years old. When
he won the belt, the day he won the belt, he tackled a burglar
and he got national exposure, put on Jay Leno, I mean how do
you coach a kid who goes from relative obscurity to mainstream
attention?”
MALKI KAWA:“Well, you know, the thing is with him is he,
before I even met him, his biggest thing was to be humble, was
to always be down-to-earth and to never, ever come across as
one of those guys that’s too good for someone else. He’s
done a phenomenal job of that. You know, with anyone with success
and fame, things can start to change for you but it’s not
him that’s changing, it’s the things around him. People
are coming at him left and right. I mean, we just took him to
the bathroom, I had to walk him down to the bathroom. I got guys
in the stall trying to take pictures of him while he’s using
the bathroom. So, if he turns around an tells the guys, hey,
stop that, ‘oh, Jon’s a jerk!” And that’s
the problem where people don’t get it. Being a famous celebrity
athlete, some of them are good people and some of them are bad
people. That’s just before the fight. He’s a great
person and it doesn’t take a lot of coaching because he’s
very self-aware and very self-conscious of how he comes across
and what the perception of him is and that’s something he’s
constantly working on.”
MIKE STRAKA: “Now, in your case you’re at home and
you’re wondering why this guy sounds so familiar and if
you’re on Twitter you’re going to know that Malki Kawa’s
very active on Twitter, but if you go back to one of the Ultimate
Fight nights where a big heavyweight fighter named Matt Mitrione
fired you on national television and by doing that he actually
made your career. But I want to find out what exactly happened?”
MALKI KAWA:“He didn’t make my career.”
MIKE STRAKA: “What exactly happened?”
MALKI KAWA:“Um, you know what, it’s just a lot of miscommunication.
He had a lot of people in his life that were working with him
on some stuff and I’m the very best at what I do when it
comes to the sponsor game. You’ve experienced it with me,
you know very well how good I am at what I do and, um… you
know… a lot of external factors, things that were out of
my control, things that he had in place already before I got
there and, you know… Matt’s Matt and he decided to
handle it the way he handled it. I had three weeks notice and
basically it’s what it is. So, not to take any excuses,
it just didn’t work out. But as you see from that point
forward, I’ve pretty much picked up so many popular fighters,
marketable fighters, name fighters, Top 10 contenders, #1 contenders,
things of that nature. So, I’m not going to say Matt made
me because at the end of the day, you know, if one guy had something
bad to say I’m sure there would be another 30-40, but it’s
one guy. A lot of the guys I represent are very happy, they recommend
me to other fighters, that’s how I get a lot of fighters.
They just keep saying, “Go with Malki.” So, that being
said, you know… it’s just things that happened. Listen,
you get hired, you get fired. It’s the way the business
goes.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
George
Roop Says Jose Aldo Will Have to Go to Planned Parenthood After
Fighting Chad Mendes
by Damon
Martin
Count UFC featherweight George Roop as a fighter who will speak
his mind.
With his upcoming bout with top five ranked featherweight Hatsu
Hioki just over a week away, Roop is focused on the task at hand,
but can’t ignore the contender’s picture in the featherweight
division.
At the top of that list is No. 2 ranked featherweight Chad Mendes
who is all but locked in for the next title shot against champion
Jose Aldo.
Roop is honest in his appraisal of what he feels will happen
in that fight, albeit with very strong opinions about Mendes’
style in the cage.
“Mendes in my opinion he’s probably going to take it
to (Jose) Aldo. Aldo will probably have to go get an abortion
afterwards, but I do think he’ll win the fight,” Roop
said in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio that will air next
week.
Very strong words from Roop, who says time and time again he
respects Mendes and his ability to ply his craft, but that doesn’t
mean he has to like it.
“Chad Mendes is probably going to have to take him to planned
parenthood afterwards, but I do think he’ll win that fight,”
Roop said about a potential Aldo vs. Mendes match-up.
What is it that Roop finds so abhorrent about Mendes’ style?
“Chad Mendes is tough, his hands of come along really well,
I personally think most of his fights have kind of been boring,
but that’s the wrestling style,” Roop stated. “He
does what he does very well.
“In my opinion, I think he’s going to be the next UFC
featherweight champion. I think he’s going to have great
cardio and (Mark) Hominick definitely exposed Jose Aldo. That’s
the chink in Jose Aldo’s armor is his cardio.”
Roop doesn’t fault Mendes for employing his style in a fight,
but it does frustrate him that opponents haven’t done more
to stop it in the past. If he matches up with Mendes or another
wrestler in the future, Roop is confident that his camp can put
together the proper training to nullify that style in a fight.
“I’m an honest person and it bothers me that you can’t
stop it,” Roop said about Mendes’ wrestling. “If
that’s the game plan you need to win, then that’s the
game plan you need to win.”
His words may be strong, but Roop is ready to back them up with
his actions in the Octagon. After finishing former title contender
Josh Grispi in his last fight, Roop is ready to do the same to
former champion Hatsu Hioki in his UFC debut.
If you don’t know George Roop’s name right now, he’s
planning on leaving a lasting impression at UFC 137.
“I’m focusing on the guy right in front of me, but
I do plan on putting myself at least right in there in the conversation,”
Roop said about being a contender at featherweight.
“I’m going to go out there and people are going to
at least remember me and know who I am after this fight.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Island
Heat 3: Tha Comeback
Waipahu Filcom,Waipahu, Hawaii
November 18, 2011
|
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