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January
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Post-Fight
Thoughts After UFC on FOX 2
The
doomsdayers always seem to panic whenever a UFC show does not
produce a series of heart-racing moments, and UFC on FOX 2 certainly
fell a little flat, leading to heavy criticism and downright
concern about the future of the FOX deal.
Relax.
FOX is well aware that some fights are going to blow you away,
and others will make you want to walk away. That's sports. They
didn't lock in a seven-year deal with the thought of divorcing
after their first official show under the terms of the deal.
This is still a new sports property for them, and there is plenty
of room to grow for both sides.
Adjustments
will be made, and fights will deliver.
Remember,
we have Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller on tap for UFC on FOX 3 in May.
There's no way that fight doesn't deliver.
Until
then, here are my thoughts on storylines stemming from the UFC's
second outing on network TV...
Historic
Run
Jon Jones had a banner 2011, capturing the title and finishing
all four of his fights. The virtuoso performance led many to
wonder what he could possibly do for an encore, and now we have
our answer. Jones has Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson waiting
to fight him.
Think
about this: Jones has the possibility of going through Mauricio
"Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson,
Lyoto Machida, Evans and Henderson consecutively. If he accomplishes
it, it would no doubt be the most impressive five-fight run in
MMA history.
And
let it be said, giving Evans the first shot at Jones before Henderson
is the right call. Evans has been the No. 1 contender in waiting
for about 18 months, since beating Jackson back in May 2010.
He's waited long enough. Even though Henderson is 41 years old
and has less time remaining in his career than Evans, he wasn't
even in the UFC when Evans became the top contender. He was still
in Strikeforce at the time.
Henderson
should certainly get the chance to fight the Evans-Jones winner,
but given the UFC schedule, he'll likely be offered another fight
before it.
Stepping
Back
It's safe to say that Phil Davis wasn't quite ready for the jump
up to elite opponent level, struggling in a decision loss to
Evans. Davis remains a wildly gifted talent, but seems to lack
conviction in some of his own abilities. He didn't fully commit
to his punches, often moving backward as he threw, and that allowed
Evans to fire off his own strikes with little to fear.
Davis
does throw strong kicks, but until he learns to let his hands
go -- a skill that will complement his wrestling -- he won't
reach his optimum potential.
Sonnen-Silva
II
Chael Sonnen had some trouble with Michael Bisping on the way
to a unanimous decision that will set up a rematch with Anderson
Silva, likely this summer in Brazil. The less-than-stellar performance
sent his stock downward in the eyes of many, who suggest that
it will somehow carry over into his fight with Silva.
There's
no correlation between the two fights. Bisping has always boasted
very good takedown defense and even when he's gotten taken down,
he tends to pop back up to his feet quickly. Silva's takedown
defense is average, and when he gets taken down, he looks for
submissions instead of trying to get to his feet. Sonnen is much
more likely to take him down and keep him down for long stretches,
just like the first fight, mainly because Silva is often content
to work from his back, where he's dangerous.
That
said, the rematch -- like the original -- is likely to come down
to whether Sonnen can stay away from a fight-ending submission.
MiddleMan
For a long time, I have asked, where is the next great middleweight?
In a story from last year, I suggested Chris Weidman could be
that man.
On
Saturday, Weidman defeated Maia in a workmanlike decision. While
he didn't steal the headlines away from Evans or Sonnen, Weidman's
win on 11 days' notice sends the message that he's a force to
be reckoned with. He had to cut from 217 to 185. He was faced
with fighting a southpaw. His opponent was one of MMA's submission
masters. Weidman conquered all these obstacles in his path, and
that says plenty about his mental and physical makeup.
Weidman
has shown advancing striking skills to go with his excellent
wrestling and ground game. Barring an injury, there's no question
that he'll be knocking on the door of top contenders in the division
ASAP.
Another
first
Charles Oliveira made his featherweight debut memorable, becoming
the first UFC fighter in history to score a calf slicer submission.
Oliveira is an aggressive, attacking offensive fighter, so it's
no surprise that he'd pull off something so bold and rare. Now
it's worth watching to see if he becomes a real factor in the
division.
Damned
if you do...
Nik Lentz used to receive a ton of criticism for fighting conservatively,
but the approach led to a 15-fight unbeaten stretch from 2007-2011.
The constant slams from fans and media caused Lentz to reconsider
his approach, and his more wide open style has led to two losses
in a row. The upside: he earned a $65,000 bonus for Fight of
the Night. The downside: he's now officially on the cut watch
list.
Source: MMA Fighting |
UFC
on FOX 2 Morning After: FOX Fights Fail to Deliver
Rashad EvansCHICAGO -- There was some great action in the Octagon
at the United Center on Saturday night. Unfortunately, all of
it was over before the FOX show got started.
After
a seven-fight preliminary card delivered one outstanding fight
after another, the three-fight main card on the network was a
disappointment. Between the three fights Fox broadcast on Saturday
and the Junior dos Santos-Cain Velasquez fight in November (which
was 59 minutes of talking surrounding one minute of fighting),
there still hasn't been a really good UFC fight on network television
yet.
That's
a shame. If Fox had shown the Fight of the Night from Evan Dunham
vs. Nik Lentz, or Lavar Johnson's knockout of Joey Beltran, or
Charles Oliveira's brilliant submission, millions of Americans
would have seen what the UFC at its best looks like. Instead,
millions of Americans saw three mediocre battles.
The
less said about Chris Weidman's decision win over Demian Maia,
the better. That was simply not what anyone thinks of as a good
MMA fight. Any curious newcomers to the UFC who turned the show
on from the beginning probably changed the channel after the
first round of that one.
Chael
Sonnen's fight with Michael Bisping was better, and the pro-Sonnen
crowd was energetic, but that fight wasn't much to look at, either:
Sonnen showed how to use superior wrestling and clinch work to
win a decision, but the new fans the UFC wants to draw on Fox
probably didn't find that too entertaining, either.
And
in the main event, Rashad Evans dominated Phil Davis for 25 minutes
without ever coming close to finishing. If you know enough about
MMA to appreciate that Davis is a very talented athlete, an NCAA
champion wrestler and a rising star in the sport, you were probably
impressed with how thoroughly Evans controlled him. But if you're
new to MMA and had never seen Evans or Davis before, you probably
figured at the end that you'd rather spend half an hour watching
a Seinfeld rerun than watching a fight like that.
The
UFC and FOX both say they're in this for the long haul, and that
they plan to grow the sport together. That's good, because this
is going to take time. The UFC and Spike got lucky when the first
Ultimate Fighter Finale had a sensational battle between Forrest
Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. So far, there's been no such luck
for the UFC and FOX. Through four live, televised fights, the
network television viewers haven't seen much action.
UFC
on Fox 2 Notes
-- Charles Oliveira has a ton of talent, and he looked better
than ever fighting at 145 pounds for the first time in the UFC.
The 22-year-old Oliveira needed just 1 minute, 43 seconds to
submit Eric Wisely with a calf slicer, and he could be a future
featherweight title contender.
--
Mike Russow, a Chicago cop, got one of the best ovations I've
ever heard before his fight with John-Olav Einemo. He also had
one of the most surprising game plans I've ever seen when he
repeatedly took Einemo down, even though Einemo is a world-class
submission grappler. But it worked, as Russow stayed on top and
out of trouble on the ground and won a decision. Russow isn't
the prettiest fighter to watch, but he's 15-1 in his MMA career,
including 4-0 in the Octagon. Think about this: If Alistair Overeem
beats Junior dos Santos, Russow will have the longest winning
streak in the UFC heavyweight division.
"I
can't believe I'm 4-0 in the UFC right now," Russow said
afterward. "It's unbelievable. To have this fight in my
hometown of Chicago and to have the fans cheering for me like
they did...I couldn't ask for anything better. "
--
Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Michael Johnson looked like
he has improved both his striking and his submission defense
since leaving Greg Jackson's gym and training full-time with
the Blackzilians. The fans booed at times when Johnson clinched
with Shane Roller and slowed down the pace of the fight, but
it was good to see Johnson show some patience: In his last fight,
against Paul Sass, he got a little too wild from the top and
and was caught in a heel hook. This time Johnson fought safe
and smart, and when Roller put him in a lot of trouble on the
ground, Johnson kept his composure and got back to his feet.
This was the best Johnson has looked.
UFC
on Fox 2 Quotes
-- "This one sucks. You really hate to lose like this. I
felt like I was doing alright and getting good back-and-forth
with him. I felt like I had him, but I flat out got caught on
this one."--Dustin Jacoby, following his third-round submission
loss to Chris Carmozzi. Jacoby entered the UFC last year with
a 6-0 record, but he's now 0-2 inside the Octagon and will probably
be released.
--
"This win shows that the Strikeforce heavyweights belong
here. We're all on the same level and now we're getting a chance
to prove it. And the fans are the ones benefitting from it the
most because they're getting to see action like this."--Lavar
Johnson after his impressive first-round knockout of Joey Beltran.
I'm not prepared to say the Strikeforce heavyweights are "all
on the same level" as the UFC heavyweights, but I do think
Johnson is a great addition from Strikeforce.
Good
Call
Referee Rob Madrigal stopped the Lavar Johnson-Joey Beltran fight
at exactly the right time, just as Beltran was falling to the
ground after repeated uppercuts from Johnson. Referees have a
tough job when a fighter is taking a lot of punishment but still
standing, and Madrigal stepped in just as Beltran lost the ability
to defend himself. The Chicago Tribune ran a story last week
questioning whether Madrigal was qualified enough to be refereeing
a major card like UFC on Fox 2, but Madrigal acquitted himself
nicely.
Bad
Call
Referee Herb Dean demonstrated exactly what I focused on with
my last Morning After: MMA refs are too inconsistent with the
way they handle punches to the back of the head. Shane Roller
landed several punches to the back of Michael Johnson's head,
and all Dean did was warn Roller while allowing him to maintain
his dominant position -- no point deduction, no stand-up, no
time out to see if Johnson had been hurt by any of Roller's strikes,
and certainly no disqualification, as Mario Yamasaki gave Erick
Silva two weeks ago for punches to the back of the head that
weren't as flagrant. The UFC and the state athletic commissions
need to work together to get every ref on the same page on this
rule.
Stock
Up
Chris Camozzi had lost his last two UFC fights and needed a win
to save his spot on the UFC roster Saturday night. He got it
in impressive fashion against Dustin Jacoby, controlling the
stand-up in the first couple rounds and forcing Jacoby to tap
to a standing guillotine choke in the third.
Stock
Down
George Roop had an opportunity to show he's a player in the featherweight
division, but he was violently knocked out by Cub Swanson. Roop
was looking up at the replay on the United Center big screen
as he was walking back to the locker room, and he didn't seem
to know what hit him. Roop has lost three of his last four.
Fights
I Want to See Next
Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
Watching Evans and Sonnen on Saturday night, it's awfully tough
for me to envision either one of them winning their upcoming
title fights. But both men have won enough big fights in their
weight classes that they've earned No. 1 contender status. I'm
looking forward to seeing both of them get their title shots,
even though both of them are going to be huge underdogs.
Source: MMA Fighting |
UFC
On Fox 2 Results: Dunham, Swanson and Oliveira Top Prelims
UFC on Fox 2 prelims aired live on Fuel TV in front of a sellout
Chicago crowd at the United Center. Fighters Evan Dunham, Cub
Swanson, and Charles Oliveira stole the show and thrilled on
the prelims with some spectacular performances.
Evan
Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Xtreme
Couture’s Evan Dunham managed to get his sixth win the UFC
after damaging Nik Lentz’s left eye which caused a doctor’s
stoppage at the end of the second round.
Lentz
would come out uncharacteristically aggressive after the sound
of the opening bell and scored two takedowns, but Dunham would
scramble and get the cleaner strikes in and secure a takedown
late in the round. Dunham seemed to have a fire lit under him
as Lentz appeared far less effective with the takedowns. Towards
the end of the round Dunham would keep a furious pace landing
hand combinations and damaging the eye of Roop.
The
doctor stopped the contest at the end of the second round after
Lentz couldn’t see out of his left eye.
Cub
Swanson vs. George Roop
In
a thrilling contest, Cub Swanson managed to get back to his winning
ways when he defeated TUF 8 alumni George Roop via TKO in the
second round.
Swanson
felt confidence striking with the kickboxer Roop and managed
to get inside several times and even finished with a hip toss
at the end of the first round. In the second round, Swanson
kept exploiting Roop, who was standing tall with his chin in
the air, and connected with a beautiful overhand right that stunned
Roop. From there Swanson pounced on the opening with more strikes
until the ref stepped in at 2:22 in the second round.
Charles
Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Charlies
Oliveira wasted no time in spoiling the UFC debut of Team Conquests
own Eric Wisely with an excruciating submission by way of a calf
slicer in the first round
Oliveira
found his openings early and forced Wisely down to the mat, and
from there he quickly transitioned from a heel hook attempt to
taking Wiseley’s back and would then lock in a calf slicer
at 1:43 in the first round.
Michael
Johnson vs. Shane Roller
TUF
11 runner-up Michael Johnson put his newfound striking skills
on display when he defeated the former three-time All-American
wrestler Shane Roller via unanimous decision.
In
the first two rounds, Johnson utilized his speed and landed quick
combinations as Roller seemed flat-footed and Johnson was able
to easily stuff all of the takedown attempts of the former All-American.
However, Roller seemed to rally in the third with a takedown
and had Johnson’s back for the majority of the round.
All
three judges scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Johnson
UFC
on Fox 2’s Preliminary Results:
-Evan
Dunham def. Nik Lentz by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) 5:00, R2
-Mike Russow def. John Olav Einemo by Unanimous Decision (29-28.
29-28, 30-27)
-Cub Swanson def. George Roop by TKO (Punches) 2:22, R2
-Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wiseley by Submission (Calf Slicer)
at 1:43, R1
-Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller by Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
-Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran by KO (Punches) at 4:24, R1
-Chris Camozzi def Dustin Jacoby by Submission (Guillotine) 1:08,
R3
Source: MMA Weekly |
UFC
on FOX 2 Results: Chris Weidman Outlasts Demian Maia
Despite
cutting an large amount of weight within days of his fight against
Demian Maia, Chris Weidman collected a win at UFC on FOX 2.
The
win wasn’t pretty for Weidman, however, as both fighters
looked exhausted as time went on.
Maia
measured his opponent and looked to land his left hand, but it
didn’t find its target in the first round. Weidman utilized
punches while charging forward, controlling the majority of the
opening frame. The takedown Weidman secured locked him in to
win the round, 10-9.
Weidman
continued his control of the fight in the second round, getting
a takedown early then taking the center of the octagon after
returning to the feet. Maia didn’t do much to establish
an offense until late in the round, and Weidman got another takedown
in the frame’s late moments.
Maia
couldn’t score a takedown through the third round, and looked
exhausted. Weidman, too, had his mouth open, gasping for air.
Both fighters looked as though they had no energy headed into
the end of the fight. The horn blew, signaling the end of the
fight, but the crowd expressed their displeasure with boos due
to the lack of action from the two tired competitors.
Judges
saw Weidman taking the win by split decision with scores of 29-28,
28-29 and 29-28.
With
the win, Weidman remains undefeated at 8-0. In defeat, Maia drops
to 15-4 and has lost two of his last three.
Source: MMA Weekly |
“I can do more than 40% in practice. I’m focusing on
knocking out or submitting, but I can’t do it”
The
featherweight Diego Nunes beat Manny Gamburyan late in 2011,
with a “thin win”, like he describes it himself, but
believes that 2012 hold better plans for him. Chosen to fight
the German striker Dennis Siver on April 14, in Sweden, Diego
talked to TATAME and analyzed the bout, rooting for a big win.
“Our games match… One will through one and the other
will send another bomb back (laughs). I guess UFC matched we
up to test me, to see how far I can go”, said the Nova Uniao
fighter, who talked about his plans in the United States, being
let down with his last fights, once he didn’t knockout or
submit since he signed with WEC and UFC, four bouts ago.
What
are the expectations for your next fight, since your coming from
a win over Manny Gamburyan?
The
expectations are high. We needed a win. I know it was kind of
a thin win, but I needed that win to regain confidence. When
we’re coming from a loss we’re scared until the next
win. Now I’m more comfortable, confident.
What
are your thoughts about Dennis Siver?
He’s
the ideal opponent for my next fight, a striker. Now it’s
the time for me to show my talent. Our games match… One
will through one and the other will send another bomb back (laughs).
I guess UFC matched we up to test me, to see how far I can go.
So,
it’s time to be at your best, right?
It’s
time for me to show my skills as a striker, a fighter that goes
for it. It’s time for me to prove my talent. I demand a
lot from myself, but lately I’m letting myself down because
I can do more than 40% in practice. Everybody that trains with
me know my talent and technique, but I’m not doing in the
fights what I do on practice. I wanna be 100% now.
You’ve
won your first 11 fights via knockout or submission until signing
with WEC, and since then you only won by points. Do you believe
that’s what you’ve been missing to rise again?
Absolutely…
Knockouts and submissions happen naturally. I wasn’t expecting
a knockout or submission, it happened when I least expected,
but after I signed with them (WEC and UFC) the pressure and the
responsability are bigger. I’m focusing on knocking out
or submitting, but I can’t do it. Now I’m calmer, I
let it go. I really need it to start a good streak, make the
promoters like me.
In
the past you’ve said you could go train in the US. Do you
still plan on going there?
Nova
Uniao is my home and it’ll always be, but we want to do
some camps to strengthen the trainings. I’ve been talking
about it with Ed (Soares), and I guess I’ll go to Los Angeles
and do part of my trainings there. There’s a professional
and cool Boxing gym, and I’m focusing on my hands and, who
knows, train with Rafael Cordeiro at Black House, do a little
Wrestling… I’m focusing on training with strikers now
to get stronger for this fight.
Source: Tatame
|
Europeans:
Rodolfo versus Bernardo in absolute final
The
two finalists in the absolute division of the IBJJF European
Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Portugal are all set to face off. Rodolfo
Vieira will take on Bernardo Faria in a repeat of the 2011 World
Championship final.
In
the semifinals, Rodolfo put away Lúcio Lagarto with a
choke, while Bê Faria beat Rafael Lovato 4-2 on points.
Prior
to that, in the quarterfinals, Vieira tapped out Victor Estima
with a triangle in getting his shot at Lúcio Lagarto,
who finished Léo Nogueira with a choke from mount.
Also
in the quarters, Rafael Lovato subbed Igor Silva with a Kimura
hold to go through to his semi with Faria, who finished Roberto
Tussa with an omoplata lock.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Chael
Sonnen, ‘I Want Everything Anderson’s Got’
Why
does Chael Sonnen dislike Anderson Silva so much?
It’s
a question that gets raised every time Sonnen talks about the
UFC middleweight champion, who he has quite the distaste for
and never backs away from taking a jab or two at in any interview.
But
deep down what is it about Anderson Silva that Chael Sonnen dislikes
so much?
Well,
to hear Sonnen tell it, you can boil down to one simple thing…
jealousy.
“A
lot of my frustration isn’t so much with Anderson. I mean,
I don’t like him, that’s true, but I also by no means
detest him. By no means do I hate him. If I found out Anderson
wasn’t doing well, then I’d be there to help him. If
I found out he was down on his luck, I’d send him a check.
I want him to have a good life,” Sonnen told MMAWeekly Radio.
“But
as far as a competitive nature and a fight goes, it aggravates
me to see where he’s at. You can call it jealousy if you
want, but it aggravates me.”
Sonnen
has made no secret that he wants to be the UFC middleweight champion,
and he’ll try to earn another shot at Silva this weekend
as he faces Michael Bisping in the co-main event for UFC on Fox
2 in Chicago.
What
Sonnen really dislikes about Silva, however, isn’t so much
about his fight skills or his ability in the cage. It comes down
to the way he’s treated as a king, when Sonnen sees Silva
as more of a court jester.
“I
think he got there phonily, I think he got there on false pretenses,
and I’m not going to sit back idly while it happens. My
frustration isn’t just with Anderson. Anderson’s out
there doing his thing, he’s having fun, good for him, but
a lot of my frustration comes with the fellow fighters. It comes
from when fellow fighters are in the back asking Anderson for
an autograph,” Sonnen revealed.
“Why
would you want an autograph of a guy in your weight class and
especially the champion? You should want to spit on his shoes
and punch him in his face. That’s the business we’re
in. We’re in a competitive fight business and I watch these
pretend tough guys behind the scenes cower to these other people.”
The
frustration that Sonnen feels started when he was a boxing fan
as a kid. Growing up in Oregon, Sonnen heard tales about a vicious
boxer coming up that was the best anyone had ever seen. He was
a knockout artist who violently put away opponents with an unrelenting
and unforgiving style.
The
only problem Sonnen had with this mythical figure is that like
many fairy tales, it just wasn’t true.
“I
had to grow up on this with Mike Tyson. I grew up and I’m
a little kid and I’ve got to hear for 10 years of my life
that Mike Tyson’s the baddest dude in the world. I’m
only 11 years old and I’m smart enough to know that’s
not true. At 11 years old I look at it and go Mike Tyson is the
best fighter in the world? As an amateur fighter he never made
an Olympic team. As an amateur he never represented us in a World
Championship, so he’s not even the best fighter in America,
let alone the best in the world,” said Sonnen.
“There’s
a guy two states over named Evander Holyfield who could beat
him right now, but Mike won’t fight him. So Mike walks through,
I mean he gets endorsements, his bank account grows, and this
fake image it gets so big you almost can’t stop it. But
we’re going wait a minute, you’re not a world champion
Mike. You’re not even America’s champion. Evander is.
But if you duck and dodge and have a promoter that keeps you
away from these guys, it’s possible to do.”
Sonnen
believes that Silva is skating by the same way that Tyson did
once upon a time. It’s the same reason the former WEC fighter
unloads on competitors like Wanderlei Silva and Mirko “Cro
Cop” Filipovic, because for so many years they were revered
as the best in the world when he doesn’t believe they ever
were.
“So
that’s where my frustration comes. I come in and I go ‘I’m
not going to perpetrate this talk about Wanderlei Silva’,
and I’m not kicking Wanderlei when he’s down, I don’t
kick a man when he’s down, but when Wanderlei was allegedly
on top is where my beef with him began. Same thing goes with
Cro Cop. I don’t want to pick on Cro Cop now cause he’s
down and out, but at one time these guys were viewed not only
as top fighters, but as legitimate fighters,” Sonnen stated.
“They
came over from the fake and phony matches in Japan and the world
acted like these were scary guys. These guys can’t fight.
Why because you tattoo the back of your skull and you roll your
wrists around while staring at an opponent? Big deal, come do
that in my neighborhood. When I’m done with you, you’ll
be missing your shoes, your coat, and your wallet.”
Sonnen
hopes to get the chance to expose Silva as the fraud he believes
him to be if they fight again later this year. He’s not
being secretive about anything anymore.
Sonnen
wants what Silva has and he’ll take it by any means necessary.
“I
don’t like Anderson. I want everything Anderson’s got.
I’m going to bring him down and I’m going to bring
him down any means possible.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
‘King
Mo’ Lawal’s Manager Hopes Positive Steroid Test Builds
Awareness
Mohammed
“King Mo” Lawal’s manager hopes his fighter’s
positive drug test will provide awareness to athletes everywhere.
Mike
Kogan, who oversees Lawal’s business affairs, recently told
MMAWeekly.com he hopes the aftermath of the former Strikeforce
light heavyweight champion’s steroid accusation will allow
other athletes to study up on which supplements are harmful and
metabolize banned substances.
“We
were very transparent about all of this and the biggest reason
was because we want to make sure people have a chance to do their
own research,” Kogan told MMAWeekly.com.
Following
the Nevada State Athletic Commission announcement that Lawal
had drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, in his system after his
Jan. 7 Strikeforce fight against Lorenz Larkin, King Mo quickly
denied knowingly taking performance enhancing drugs. “I
didn’t take nothing,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “Drostanolone,
I don’t even know what that is!”
Lawal
later declared a supplement by the name of S-Mass Lean Gainer
was the source of his positive drostanolone test, but said he
wasn’t aware prior to taking it that the supplement would
spring the positive test.
Kogan
has since advised there will be no appeal made to the athletic
commission, as they do not contest the findings of the governing
body. He feels, however, other factors should weigh in on what
Lawal’s punishment should be in wake of the positive test.
“We
accept that there’s going to be some kind of punishment,”
Kogan said. “Are there contributing factors that we feel
the commission should at least consider? Absolutely.”
The
contributing factors Kogan referred to stem from the availability
of information. The manager is unable to confirm steroid details
on S-Mass Lean Gainer were readily available at the time King
Mo purchased the product from Max Muscle in April 2010. He compared
the availability of information to that of a narcotic that made
its boom a few decades ago.
“We
do not know (if there was) information available at the time,”
Kogan said, referring to when Lawal purchased the supplement.
“When cocaine was first found to be illegal, six months
prior to that, there was no information anywhere that (said)
it was illegal or bad for you. And then we found out it’s
bad for you. Now, there’s plenty of information.
“The
problem is that these materials and this research and information
usually becomes available retroactively, not proactively, not
ahead of time.”
Kogan
said the way to prevent things like his client’s positive
test from happening in the future is through regulation. The
Food and Drug Administration must be involved in the production
and marketing of supplements in order to minimize steroid use,
according to Kogan. But he sees lobbyists getting in the way
of making such a thing happen.
“Can
this be prevented? Yes, it can be prevented by regulation through
the FDA,” he said. “But then they have to take on the
big lobbying group of the nutrition companies.”
Kogan,
much like his fighter, is adamant that no willful cheating was
done. By not filing an appeal, he says King Mo is owning up to
what he did and admits to taking a supplement that caused the
positive test, but didn’t take the supplement with an intention
to gain an anabolic edge. He hopes there will be opportunity
for the next guy to learn from Lawal’s dilemma and prevent
history from repeating itself.
Admittedly,
Kogan says some athletes cheat, but others get caught for doing
something they had no intention of doing.
“Mo
is guilty and will face up to what he does and (he) will move
on,” he said. “But then there will be a ‘next
Mo’ and then a ‘Mo’ after that. And every time
that happens, an athlete’s name gets tainted. Some of them
do it on purpose, but a lot of them don’t. Not everyone
is guilty of intentionally doing this.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
Michael
Johnson Happy With the Win, Still Wants to Improve
UFC
on Fox 2 put Michael Johnson back in the win column as he defeated
Shane Roller in Chicago by unanimous decision, but not without
a few bumps along the way.
Johnson
dominated the early part of the fight with his striking, moving
in and out with quick punches and a devastating flying knee as
well.
The
third round didn’t go the way Johnson wanted as he finally
ended up on the mat with Roller taking his back, but he persevered
and came away with the win.
Johnson
tells MMAWeekly.com about the sequence with Roller being warned
about shots to the back of the head, and if he was ever in trouble.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Machida
would like to fight Henderson, open to drop to 185lbs
On
an exclusive chat with TATAME TV at Bony Acai’s release,
Lyoto Machida talked about recovering from an elbow surgery,
said he wants to fight three times in 2012, wondering about dropping
to the middleweight division in the future. Check it:
Bony
Acai is your first sponsor and how it’s taking over Brazil.
How do you see it?
Well,
I guess it’s great because I’m part of the history,
I was there on the beginning, it was my first sponsor and I was
the first athlete they’ve ever sponsored. Today there’s
a big team and it’s nice to see everyone being part of it
and bringing a good product to the markets and stores. It’s
good being part of Bony history. We’ve been through tough
times, people don’t believing in it, but now we can see
it paid off. It’s good to see it. Goal achieved.
Acai
is a native fruit of Belem. Have you tastes this canned acai?
Is it good?
In
Para we eat acai in many ways. People in Rio only eat it like
ice cream, in the bowl with guarana. That’s not how we,
in Para, like to eat it. We eat it with tapioca and many times
with other food. A guy who comes from the country side eats acai
with regular food. I try to eat it as an energy food after training
and that’s what Bonny Acai brings us: we can eat it the
way we want it. I’m here in the can and it’s the typical
acai from Para, which basically is acai with sugar, with no guarana.
That way you can really taste the acai.
Talking
about the fighting world now… You’ve been through an
elbow surgery. How you doing?
I’m
training although I’m not using my left arm yet. I’m
doing things I can do without using my left side, like running,
working my legs out and I’m doing pretty intense physiotherapy
sessions with Dr. Angelo, who’s my physiotherapist, a guy
who’s responsible for my recovery, helping me to do fighting
moves and healing.
Do
you know when you’ll be healed?
Well,
I believe in 20 days I’ll be 100% and prepared for a tougher
training, that involves fighting, on which I can train my whole
body.
What
are you expecting for the future? Who do you believe can come
next?
I’m
waiting UFC’s suggestion. I guess in April or May, but in
case it doesn’t happen I’ll suggest Dan Henderson,
who’s a good guy. I know he’s on the line for the belt,
but if this fight against Jon Jones doesn’t happen, I’d
like to fight him.
Is
it a good way for you to get on the line for the title again,
right?
He’s
a legend in the sport, a champion in many events, like Rings,
Pride, Strikeforce… I’d like to test my technique against
his.
Do
you believe you can fight at UFC Sao Paulo in June?
Well,
of course I’d like to fight in Brazil, it would be a huge
pleasure, but I’d like to fight more this year. If I can
fight three times it’d be great, so I want to fight in April
or early in May and have another chance to fight in Brazil would
be a great opportunity…
Now
Rashad’s fighting Phil Davis and Dan Henderson is the next
on the line. How do you see your weight class currently?
I
guess this event will define many things, where are things going.
If Rashad wins, I guess he’s the next contender. If Phil
Davis wins, I guess he’s gonna have to fight one more time
at least. It’s hard to say, I’m also looking at my
position right now and waiting for a bigger definition.
Anderson
said he doesn’t see anyone beating Jon Jones. Do you agree
with that?
I
don’t agree, but it’s his personal opinion, we gotta
respect. But I don’t agree. I believe there’re athletes
who can defeat him. I guess being well trained is possible, I
believe in my work and, within time, I guess I’ll have another
opportunity. My next step is now Jon Jones, I’m not thinking
about it. I’m much more worried about my next fight.
People
talked about you dropping to the middleweight class. Do you consider
doing it?
Well,
I have other goals in my division first. But, who knows, in the
future, after I achieve all my goals, I can drop.
Can
you make 185lbs easily?
I
don’t like dehydrating like people do, I always try to stay
on my natural weight and I feel great that way. I train with
heavier people and I see a big difference. It’s something
I feel good. It’d be my call to drop to the middleweight,
it would be a challenge, something new.
Source: Tatame
|
Roger
Gracie: “I’m changing my game”
“I’m
changing my game,” said Roger Gracie this Friday behind
the scenes at the 2012 European Championship, the welcoming Jiu-Jitsu
tournament going on in Lisbon, Portugal, until Sunday.
“For
my whole career as a black belt I got used to starting out slow
and calm in my matches. I never felt the need to go all out against
my opponents during the first two minutes, since a match lasts
ten. I always started out slow and brought up the rhythm progressively,
hitting max intensity towards the end. However, ever since losing
in MMA [to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal by knockout at
Strikeforce in September 2011] it dawned on me; if I don’t
change my way of fighting, I’ll lose again,” said the
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-London, England transplant.
The
Gracie gave hints that he won’t be able to be an “explosive
MMA fighter” so long as he remains a, shall we say, “excessively
calm” Jiu-Jitsu competitor. The essence [Jiu-Jitsu] is what
dictates the rules for all the other facets of Roger Gracie,
even when he steps into the ring sporting gloves and trunks.
IN
THE NAME OF THE SON AND JIU-JITSU
The
Gracie gets emotional (teary eyed) as he remembers the moment
he first caught sight of his son after his fight with “King
Mo”. “I don’t want to ever feel like that again;
my son is the most important thing to me, and I want to be the
best example possible for him; so I can’t let myself go
home defeated,” said Roger.
“So
I’m focused on my MMA career now. I believe that, in the
gi, this year I’ll only compete at the Worlds. That’s
why I didn’t sign up for the European. I’d really like
to compete at a high-level championship but my priority right
now is MMA training. That was the big career lesson I learned
from losing: I have to be more determined, enter the fight at
a more intense pace. In Jiu-Jitsu, I often get taken down early
on, but I have around eight minutes to recover, which is plenty
of time. In MMA, one punch or a knee can end the fight instantly;
there’s no time to recover from a knockout.”
Through
the bustle of attending to the fans, students and friends surrounding
him, Roger took the reporter’s question pertaining to the
absolute black belt title in Lisbon: In the end, who’s going
to be the big winner of the 2012 European Championship.
“Well,
Rodolfo Vieira is the favorite, there’s no denying it. He’s
been coming up with great results. But everyone has a chance.
I got to see Lagarto training up close, for instance, and he’s
in excellent form. But if what you’re asking is that I point
out the favorite, there’s no denying it’s Rodolfo.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
on FOX 2 Averages 4.37 Million Viewers in Preliminary Ratings
Early ratings are in for Saturday night's UFC on FOX 2 event,
and the two-hour broadcast drew an estimated 4.37 million viewers,
according to a report by TVBytheNumbers.com.
The
final number, however, is likely to increase substantially by
the time final ratings are released, as information continues
to trickle in on the live broadcast.
By
comparison, the initial UFC on FOX show last November featuring
a heavyweight title bout with Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos
drew an overnight rating of 4.64 million, but when final information
was released, it ended up averaging a more robust 5.7 million
viewers for the one-hour special.
Saturday
night's two-hour show, which was broadcast from the United Center
in Chicago, featured a tripleheader that was void of any finishes.
In the main event, Rashad Evans out-pointed Phil Davis, setting
up a light-heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones. The co-main
event saw Chael Sonnen earn a decision over Michael Bisping,
setting up a rematch with middleweight champ Anderson Silva.
And the night's opener saw rising star Chris Weidman top Demian
Maia on points.
Despite
the lack of big finishes or action-packed rounds, ratings indicated
that the event helped FOX carry the all important 18-49 year
old demographic, as that segment of the population averaged a
2.2 rating to lead all broadcast networks.
Final
ratings should be released on Monday.
The
next UFC on FOX event will take place in the spring, with a May
5 date penciled in. To date, only one TV matchup has been confirmed,
with lightweight contenders Nate Diaz and Jim Miller squaring
off in a bout likely to serve as the co-main event.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on Fox 2 ‘Evans vs. Davis’ Results and Play-by-Play
Saturday,
January 28, 2012
United Center in Chicago, IL
Chris
Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via Submission (Guillotine Choke)
R3 1:08
Joey
Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Round
1
Johnson wants to touch gloves but Beltran shakes him off. The
Strikeforce veteran’s first punch drops Beltran, but he
pops back up and Johnson presses him into the cage, his forearm
across Beltran’s throat as he looks for knees to the body.
They break off and then tie up again, winding up in the same
position until Beltran pops Johnson with a quick shot. Johnson
flicks out a leg kick, then peppers his man with four or five
solid jabs behind it. Another outside leg kick has Beltran moving
backward again. Johnson follows and rips a big right hand to
the body. Johnson is keeping the punches coming midway through
the round, walking the “Mexicutioner” down with a consistent
jab. Beltran lands one over the top, but his flailing punches
aren’t finding their target on the larger man. An uppercut
and a right hook have Beltran badly dazed against the fence.
Another quartet of right uppercuts have Beltran out on his feet,
slumping to the ground unconscious as referee Robert Madrigal
steps in for the stop at 4:24 of the opening round.
Shane
Roller vs. Michael Johnson
Round
1
After 20 seconds of feeling out, Roller shoots a long double-leg
and gets stuffed. Johnson stays on his feet and on his toes,
flashing quick punches and sprawling on another shot from the
former Oklahoma State wrestler. They tie up and work for control
along the fence, Johnson getting the dominant position with an
underhook. He denies a guillotine try from Roller with wrist
control, breaks off and pops Roller with a quick combination.
Another shot from Roller fails and Johnson goes back to pressing
him on the cage, landing some clean punches and elbows before
they split again. A long left hand splits Roller’s guard
and Johnson lands a nice flying knee just before the horn.
Tristen
Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
2
Johnson gets inside with another bunch of punches and muscles
Roller into the cage again. Roller shucks him off and trudges
forward, looking for a big right hand. One gets through behind
a left hook and Johnson digs another underhook to slow the offense.
Johnson sprawls on a double-leg and clinches on the cage again,
drawing boos from the Chicago crowd. Roller pulls guard and tries
to wrap up at the base of the fence, but Johnson manages a couple
hard forearms to the face. Roller uses the fence to stand and
comes straight forward, throwing punches with ill intent. A couple
undercuts land and this time Roller grabs Johnson to tie up,
though he still can’t take the “Ultimate Fighter”
alum down. Johnson reverses into the fence, exits with a couple
standing elbows. Roller walks into range and eats a knee, a left
hook. Roller’s moving backward now and Johnson lays a hard
three-punch combo on him. Roller gets a waist-lock and walks
Johnson to the fence, can’t get the takedown before the
horn.
Tristen
Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
3
Johnson opens up with more combinations and stifles another shot
from Roller. This time, however, Roller gets his man down to
his knees and tries to hop on his back. Johnson is flattened
out on his stomach with Roller punching away. Referee Herb Dean
warns the wrestler not to punch to the back of the head, but
Roller keeps doing just that. Dean steps in and issues Roller
another verbal warning, but does not deduct a point. Things still
look grim for Johnson with Roller now on his back with a body-triangle,
still punching away. Roller’s trying for a rear-naked choke
but Johnson’s defending well and manages to twist around
with just under a minute to go. When they scramble back to their
feet, Johnson charges with punches and kicks; one of the latter
catches Roller in the cup and they pause. They restart with only
seconds to go and both men are swinging to finish, Roller getting
the better of the exchange with a couple hard lefts.
Tristen
Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Roller (29-28 Johnson)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Roller (29-28 Johnson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Roller (29-28 Johnson)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Michael Johnson.
Charles
“do Bronx” Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Round
1
Oliveira, the former lightweight prospect who’s making his
featherweight debut in this bout, gets busy with leg kicks in
the early going. He catches a kick from Wisely and stands over
him, looking to pass guard but taking his time, careful not to
catch an upkick. Oliveira drops back for a heel hook and it looks
deep, but Wisely twists out. Oliveira’s still got a hold
of the American’s left leg and he’s not letting go.
Wisely tries to escape, even grabbing the fence in an attempt
to stand up. It’s for naught, though, as Oliveira has turned
the hold into a painful-looking modified calf slicer. Wisely
is forced to tap out at 1:43 of the first round.
George
Roop vs. Cub Swanson
Round
1
There’s no touch of gloves and Roop flicks out a teep kick
to the body as his first strike to keep his smaller foe at bay.
Swanson inches forward, though he’s quick to backpedal anytime
Roop throws. Swanson absorbs a number of kicks and uppercuts
before finding his spot about two minutes in, clipping Roop with
wild punches. Roop recovers on the fence, ties up and stomps
on Swanson’s feet before disengaging. Swanson loses his
mouthpiece and stifles a takedown from Roop, landing on top in
the scramble. When the action slows, ref John McCarthy replaces
the mouthpiece. Roop’s on his back, looking for a long upkick,
but Swanson stays out of danger.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Swanson
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Swanson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Swanson
Round
2
Roop goes back to his long-range attack, with straight punches
followed by hard outside thigh kicks. Swanson keeps coming forward
though, landing a leg kick of his own before wading inside to
clinch up. Roop takes a knee to the thigh before digging an underhook
and extracting himself. Swanson’s grinning ear-to-ear as
he slips Roop’s punches and walks him down. A massive overhand
right sends Roop’s mouthpiece bouncing off the cage and
the big man collapses to the floor. Swanson pounces and drops
another half-dozen right hands on Roop before ref McCarthy waves
it off. The official time of the TKO stoppage is 2:22 of round
two.
John
Olav Einemo vs. Mike Russow
Round
1
Russow charges in with a left hand and spins Einemo down with
a single-leg. The grappler keeps an open guard and shoves Russow
away to stand, but Russow comes right back in for another try.
Einemo stays up this time and cracks Russow with a knee in the
clinch. Russow slings a few more punches on his way in to tie
up, then walks Einemo into the middle of the cage, where they
break. Einemo stings Russow with a crisp right cross, an uppercut,
another pair of hooks when Russow tries to come inside. Russow
gets another single-leg and goes down to Einemo’s open guard,
looking to pass. Einemo closes up guard and grabs for the American’s
wrists, then leans toward Russow’s left arm for a kimura
momentarily. Russow stands up with a minute to go and tries to
step into side control, but he’s blocked and winds up in
Einemo’s open guard again. Einemo sweeps into full mount
just as the horn sounds.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Russow
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Russow
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Russow
Round
2
The big men trade uppercuts in the clinch until Russow gets another
takedown, this time in the center of the cage. Einemo swings
his legs up, hunting for an armlock, but he can’t get anything
going as Russow stays heavy on top and drops punches to the body.
Russow stands to try and pass, stalls out and stands again. The
next dive lands him once again in Einemo’s open guard as
ref Herb Dean calls for action. Einemo closes up his guard and
grabs on to Russow’s wrists to prevent offense as the pace
slows further. Dean calls for work again and Russow lands a couple
elbows to the body; the official brings the heavyweights back
to their feet with 30 seconds to go. Russow scores another single-leg
on Einemo, who finishes the round on his back, his nose and mouth
bloodied.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Russow
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Russow
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Russow
Round
3
Russow looks to come inside for another takedown at the 30 second
mark and is fended off with a knee. The next try is unsuccessful
as well and it leads to another, bigger knee from Einemo. A third
knee and Russow pushes the “Viking” to his back, then
stands up and dives back down to grab a headlock. Einemo extracts
his head and Russow stands out-of-range of his man’s upkicks.
Dean tells them to work and Russow goes back to the ground. With
one butterfly hook, Einemo nearly sweeps and takes Russow’s
back, but Russow stuffs him down. Two minutes to go in the final
frame and it’s back to the familiar position, Russow dropping
sporadic punches from Einemo’s closed guard. The ref wants
them back on their feet with 1:45 remaining and Einemo is slow
to get there. Einemo’s looking for knees again and they
lead to another takedown for Russow, who tries in vain to pass
the guard of his exhausted opponent for the final minute.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Russow (30-27 Russow)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Russow (30-27 Russow)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Russow (30-27 Russow)
Official
result: The scorecards read 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27, all for the
winner by unanimous decision, Mike Russow.
Evan
Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Round
1
Lentz moves forward on the southpaw Dunham, throwing punches
over the top and some stinging leg kicks. Dunham goes high with
a kick, puts a few hard rights on Lentz’s chin, but the
“Carnie” keeps coming and gets his takedown with three
minutes to go in the round. Lentz snares a guillotine as Dunham
stands back up, but it’s not tight and Dunham is defending
well on the fence. Lentz abandons the hold and gives Dunham a
knee. Dunham reverses into the cage, puts a few short punches
on Lentz’s ribs and takes a front kick to the body as they
split. Dunham grabs a standing guillotine of his own now, but
Lentz extracts himself. A pair of hard elbows connect for Dunham
and he slams Lentz to the mat with a high double. Lentz keeps
active from the bottom, isolating Dunham’s right arm and
socking him in the face with left hands. Dunham can’t muster
much offense from the top as he tries to navigate Lentz’s
open guard, finally landing a right hand at the horn and another
a split-second after.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Lentz
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Lentz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lentz
Round
2
Dunham gets a takedown and steps into side control, only to be
stuffed back to half-guard. Lentz gets some space and grazes
the standing Dunham with an upkick, but Dunham keeps him on the
floor. Lentz gets back on his feet 90 seconds in and zaps Dunham
with a flurry of uppercuts in the clinch. Dunham takes a leg
kick from Lentz to land a left straight up top. Lentz is moving
forward, throwing the greater volume until he gets caught in
another Dunham headlock. Dunham has Lentz pinned on the cage
and unloads with a dozen punches, answered in kind by Lentz.
The lightweight grin at one another and Dunham hits another takedown,
this time with Lentz’s left side to the fence. Dunham postures
up and drops some hard lefts on Lentz’s face, then drops
down and grabs another headlock. He lets it go and sets up in
high side-control on Lentz’s left. Bleeding from his nose
and mouth, as well as a cut near his left eye, the Carnie sticks
Dunham back in his guard. Dunham keeps active, landing punch
after punch as they scramble back up, and a big knee once they
get there. Lentz presses forward with 20 seconds left, connects
with a left hand, an uppercut. He clinches Dunham into the cage
and pops him with one more uppercut at the end.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Dunham
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Dunham
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dunham
The
doctors are taking a long, hard look at Lentz, who’s got
a nasty, cut-open mouse under his left eye. They advise ref John
McCarthy to halt the contest and he does, giving Evan Dunham
the TKO victory after two rounds.
Demian
Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Round
1
The middleweights feint and bounce in the middle of the cage,
Maia in the southpaw stance and Weidman orthodox. Weidman misses
with a snapping front kick and knocks Maia over when they clash
in an exchange of punches. Maia gets back to his feet and they’re
back to stalking around the cage, Weidman in the center firing
off jabs and long kicks. Ref Herb Dean warns Weidman to watch
his fingers on the punches. Maia thuds a kick to Weidman’s
body and the wrestler gives chase with a combo, misses with a
superman punch. Weidman ducks under a punch and tries a rear
waistlock but Maia scoots away. Maia is missing with overhand
lefts while Weidman lands a couple long rights and a kick to
the body. Weidman is really leaning into his punches and keeping
a low stance as he feints in front of the Brazilian. Weidman
ducks a punch and rips a right into Maia’s body. They clash
in an exchange and Weidman takes the opportunity to change levels
and floor an off-balance Maia. The BJJ black belt stands right
back up and they’re throwing again. Weidman wades in with
a left hook and Maia makes him pay with a knee in the clinch.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Round
2
Weidman wraps Maia up and gets a takedown, landing straight into
side control. Maia won’t stay down this time either, and
he’s momentarily back up, pawing with a jab and a kick to
Weidman’s body. Weidman throws an uppercut to Maia’s
beltline, misses with a straight punch over the top. The right
side of Maia’s face has reddened around the eye as Weidman
switches to body punches, throws a slapping low kick. Both men
are pulling up short on punches, trying to remeasure the distance
as the round enters its last two minutes. Maia scores with a
solid left, flicks out a leg kick and partially blocks a right
high kick from the wrestler. Weidman grabs a double-leg in center
cage and drives Maia into the fence. Maia escapes though and
puts a knee, a kick and a left hand on Weidman’s face. Another
pair of knees in the clinch have Weidman looking for a takedown.
He gets it with 20 seconds to go and nearly takes Maia’s
back in a scramble, grabbing for a guillotine at the end.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Weidman
Round
3
Both men are breathing heavy at the start of the third, but it’s
Maia looking more depleted. Weidman opts not to go to the floor
when he gets a body lock, but brings Maia down moments later
with a double-leg. Maia uses the fence to work back up, tries
a takedown of his own but abandons it in favor of a hard uppercut.
Another takedown try from Maia fails, and the next finds him
caught in a headlock. Weidman lets it go and they’re throwing
tired punches, Maia mixing in a knee. Maia flops to his belly
on a weak takedown attempt but Weidman’s too exhausted to
capitalize. The crowd is booing the fatigued fighters with two
minutes left in the bout. Maia is getting the better of the tired
punching exchange with uppercuts inside until Weidman comes on
strong with a series of knee strikes. Maia gives a knee back
and they trade jabs. Weidman snaps a few jabs off on the bloodied
right eye of Maia; the Brazilian jabs back as the boos rain down
again. Weidman gets the last word with a right high kick.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Weidman (30-27 Weidman)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Weidman (30-27 Weidman)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Weidman (30-27 Weidman)
Official
result: Judges Sal D’Amato and Gabriel Sabatis score the
bout 29-28, while Patrick Morley has it 30-27, all for the winner
by unanimous decision, Chris Weidman.
Updated
at 10:28 p.m. ET: This bout was incorrectly announced as a split
decision.
Michael
Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen
Round
1
Sonnen charges straight forward and Bisping backs him off with
punches. Sonnen gets an easy double-leg but Bisping quickly scrambles
back up. Sonnen gets an underhook and muscles the Englishman
into the cage but Bisping breaks off and creates some space.
Undeterred, Sonnen ties up and whips Bisping to the ground again.
He postures up and lands three or four solid lefts to Bisping’s
face before the “Count” pops back up. The middleweights
exchange knees in the clinch and Bisping changes levels for a
takedown. It doesn’t come, and when Bisping stands back
up, Sonnen is waiting with a knee. Sonnen runs Bisping into the
fence and lands another knee with 2:30 gone now. Bisping reverses
and ref John McCarthy warns the fighters to mind the clash of
heads as they fight on the inside. They split and Bisping misses
with a flashy spinning kick. Sonnen backs out of the way and
then moves forward, clinching Bisping into the fence. Bisping
is twice warned not to hold Sonnen’s trunks as he spins
the American into the cage and deals out some knees. Bisping
just misses an uppercut but lands with a crisp combination led
by a straight left. They tie up with Bisping on the outside,
fighting for position and breaking off before the end of the
frame.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-10
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sonnen
Round
2
Bisping clinches Sonnen into the cage and they resume their close-quarters
fighting, Sonnen looping an arm around Bisping’s neck to
slug with left hands. Ref McCarthy warns Sonnen to watch the
back of the Bisping’s head before they slow down and he
splits them up. Sonnen gets a takedown at the base of the fence
and gets to work from Bisping’s half-guard. Sonnen can’t
mount much offense before Bisping scrambles back up, but he gives
the Brit a solid knee on the way up. Bisping is cut beneath his
eye but it doesn’t look like a fight-ender at the moment.
He shoves Sonnen into the cage again with 90 seconds left and
McCarthy is almost immediately calling for action. Sonnen throws
tired punches with his back to the fence while Bisping mostly
opts to control position and throw a few knees up the middle.
Sonnen escapes and tries to attack with combos, but it’s
Bisping getting the better of him with knees to the body.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Round
3
Sonnen connects with a left hand, ducks a right from Bisping
and plows him down with a double-leg on the fence. The crowd
doesn’t like it and lets them hear it as soon as the middleweights
hit the ground. Bisping tries to scramble up again, but the escape
allows Sonnen to hop on his opponent’s back. Sonnen works
for the position a moment before rolling Bisping and sinking
in both hooks. The rear-naked choke won’t go for Sonnen,
so he changes to an arm-triangle and hops into full mount. He
gives up the choke and throws short punches, then raises up and
slams his chest into Bisping’s face. Bisping pushes Sonnen
back to full guard, then Sonnen advances to half-guard. Bisping
scoots back into the fence and gets to his knees, but he stalls
out and is dragged back down by a Sonnen body lock. Sonnen keeps
the control on front as Bisping stands up with only seconds remaining.
Bisping gets the last takedown of the fight and manages to drop
a couple elbows on Sonnen before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Sonnen (29-28 Bisping)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Sonnen (29-29 Draw)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sonnen (29-28 Sonnen)
Official
result: The scores read 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28, all for the winner
by unanimous decision, Chael Sonnen.
Rashad
Evans vs. Phil Davis
Round
1
Evans takes the center of the cage while the rangy Davis stalks
around the outside, both in the orthodox stance. “Mr. Wonderful”
lands a hard outside leg kick then knocks the ex-champ backward
with a blocked high kick. Davis slips on a spinning attack and
they tie up momentarily. Davis ducks a punch and shoots low,
but Evans is all over it and grabs a front headlock. Davis removes
himself from the situation and shoots again, can’t find
the takedown. He’s feinting kicks to keep the smaller Evans
out of range. Evans gets a couple punches off before Davis shoots
again. Evans isn’t giving an inch on the takedown tries
and forces Davis to stand back up. Evans catches a kick and sweeps
the leg of Davis, landing in half-guard on the former Penn State
wrestler’s right side. Davis tries to hip escape but Evans
is keeping control as he tries to extract his leg. He does, and
now he traps Davis’ right arm in the crucifix position,
dropping punches as Davis squirms and bucks. Davis finally gets
out from underneath with 10 seconds left and that’s where
the frame ends.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Evans
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Evans
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Evans
Round
2
Davis whiffs on a spinning kick and it’s Evans this time
taking the outside. Davis gets in behind some punches but can’t
keep Evans tied up for more than a few seconds. He lands a few
solid leg kicks but eats some straight punches from Evans in
return. They’re still playing a long-range striking game
until Davis dips in to clinch. He lets Evans go after a few seconds
and now Evans puts the pressure on, throwing fast, long punches
and shoving Davis into the cage; he corks Davis with a right
hand as they break. Evans once catches another kick and hustles
Davis to the ground, passing to side control with ease and getting
the crucifix again.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Evans
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Evans
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Evans
Round
3
Davis tries some leg kicks before shooting on Evans and once
again being stalled out. His back to the fence, Evans sits down
and shoves Mr. Wonderful off his legs in an attempt to stand.
Davis keeps hold of the ex-Spartan’s leg, but Evans gets
the sweep and holds Davis on the fence. Davis works back to his
feet and lands a knee up the middle as the 205-pounders clinch
on the cage. Evans comes with a hard uppercut and Davis drops
to his knees for another shot. Evans denies him and keeps throwing
punches on the fence in the tie-up. Davis drives forward and
hits a double-leg with a minute left on the clock. Evans nearly
escapes to his feet, gets dragged back down, then hops up again.
Davis drives some knees into Evans’ thighs in the clinch
and Evans reverses just before the round ends.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Evans
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-10
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Evans
Round
4
Davis is trying to keep the fight long-range with lanky kicks
and punches, and it’s working through the first minute of
the fourth frame. Davis scores with a few leg kicks but Evans
is quickly closing the distance, throwing combinations to Davis’
single arm punches. Evans gets a front headlock and Davis puts
a hand on the mat to avoid knees to the head. They stay vertical
and Davis misfires on a shot, getting caught on his knees with
Evans grabbing his ankle. Evans is landing some hard rights under
the armpit, misses with left hands over the top. More uppercuts
from Evans in the clinch; Davis gets stuffed out on another shot.
A right uppercut from Evans backs Davis up with seconds to go.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Evans
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Evans
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Evans
Round
5
Davis’ mouth hangs wide open as he emerges for the final
frame, but he’s still keeping active, looking for kicks
and straight punches. As he has before in the bout, Evans catches
a slow kick from Davis and socks him in the face four or five
times before shoving him to the ground. Davis is bleeding from
a cut on his left leg and is lumped up on his face. Evans stalls
out in half-guard momentarily but soon works to side control,
and then the crucifix yet again. Davis slips out this time before
he absorbs too much damage but it’s not looking much better
for him on the feet. A right hand jacks Davis’ jaw and a
low kick chops the base out from beneath him. Evans muscles him
into the cage as they stand and holds him there for a moment.
Davis misses on a high kick, lands a slow right hand. Evans is
firing back with murderous overhand rights; those miss, but a
pair of clean right hooks finish the round and the bout, which
should be a clean sweep for the former champ.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Evans (50-45 Evans)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Evans (50-46 Evans)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Evans (50-45 Evans)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 50-45 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Rashad Evans.
Source: Sherdog
|
Antonio
McKee 7 Pounds Over, Time’s up with MFC
Maximum
Fighting Championship officials today confirmed to MMAWeekly.com
that MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee has been stripped
of his belt and will be released from his contract following
Friday night’s fight.
McKee
came in seven pounds over weight at Thursday’s MFC 32 weigh-ins,
according to a report by Sherdog.com.
The
fight will still go on, but the report also noted that McKee
was immediately stripped of the belt and would be released shortly
after his fight against Brian Cobb, which is now a three-rounder.
McKee
has undergone a tumultuous year with the MFC, taking off briefly
for the UFC, but then returning after a one-fight stint in the
Octagon.
He
was expected to defend his lightweight belt against Drew Fickett
upon returning, but couldn’t due to a knee injury. McKee
was then either stripped of the belt or vacated – depending
upon whose side of the argument you land on – but then was
reinstated after a suitable belt for the vacant title never came
together.
Thursday’s
weigh-in incident is the culmination of all the ups and downs
of the past year, now apparently leading to a final fight for
MFC with no future in sight.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Old-School
Vale Tudo Org IVC Returns with New Rules, Cage
By Marcelo
Alonso
The
seminal fight promotion which propelled the careers of Wanderlei
Silva and many others is primed to return to Brazil after a 12-year
absence.
This
week, in an interview with Brazilian TV channel Combate’s
“Face to Face” program, International Vale Tudo Championship
(IVC) Founder Sergio Batarelli discussed plans to revive the
organization he started in 1997.
“I
was the first one to bring the UFC to Brazil, and since then,
I’ve kept an excellent relationship with the UFC people,”
explained Batarelli, 51, who was instrumental in arranging “Ultimate
Brazil” in 1998. “They said the UFC needs a top event
in Brazil to select fighters, like I used to do in the ‘90s.
After talking with them, I got together a group of top sponsors,
and the IVC will be back in the middle of the year with a new
name, IVC MMA, and new rules.”
Along
with the new moniker and as-yet-unannounced guidelines, IVC MMA
will trade its vale tudo-era net-lined ring for a cage upon its
return.
In
14 editions of IVC, Batarelli uncovered some of the most important
fighters of the last generation, legends and titleholders in
the UFC and Pride Fighting Championships.
“Besides
launching names like ‘Pele’ [Jose Landi-Jons], Wanderlei,
Johil de Oliveira, Pedro Rizzo, Mark Kerr and many others, IVC
was the first Brazilian event that foreigners wanted to take
part in. They knew it would be a shortcut to Japan and the U.S.A.
Chuck Liddell, Kerr and Branden Lee Hinkle are good examples
of that,” said Batarelli, who intends to continue featuring
Brazil-U.S. confrontations as a staple of the show.
During
his 30-minute talk with “Face to Face,” Batarelli also
recalled his days as a kickboxing champion and discussed his
Brazilian Confederation of Vale Tudo, also founded in 1997, which
he believes could be an excellent solution for the lack of athletic
commissions in Brazil.
Source:
Sherdog
|
UFC
February cards (2/4 Las Vegas, 2/15 Omaha, Japan 2012)
By Zach
Arnold
Event
& venue: UFC 143 (Saturday, February 4th in Las Vegas at
Mandalay Bay Events Center)
TV: PPV
Dark
matches
Middleweights:
Rafael Natal vs. Michael Kuiper
Welterweights: Dan Stittgen vs. Stephen Thompson
Welterweights: Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope
Bantamweights: Bruce Leeroy vs. Edwin Figueroa
Welterweights: Matt Riddle vs. Jorge Lopez
Featherweights: Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway
Main card
Middleweights:
Ed Herman vs. Cliff Starks
Bantamweights: Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
Welterweights: Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
Heavyweights: Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
Welterweight eliminator (interim championship): Nick Diaz vs.
Carlos Condit
Event & venue: UFC on Fuel 1 (Wednesday, February 15th in
Omaha, Nebraska at CenturyLink Center)
TV: Fuel TV
Dark
matches
Lightweights:
Yoislandy Izquierdo vs. Bernardo Magalhaes
Lightweights: Anton Kuivanen vs. Justin Salas
Middleweights: Buddy Roberts vs. Sean Loeffler
Featherweights: Jonathan Brookins vs. Vagner Rocha
Bantamweights: Ivan Menjivar vs. John Albert
Main card
Heavyweights:
Stipe Miocic vs. Phil De Fries
Middleweights: Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes
Heavyweights: Stefan Struve vs. Dave Herman
Welterweights: Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger
Event & venue: UFC Japan 2012 (US air time – Saturday,
February 25th, Japan show time – Sunday, February 26th at
10 AM at Saitama Super Arena)
TV: PPV (sold show, rumored backer Don Quijote via Dentsu)
Dark
matches
Featherweights:
Tiequan Zhang vs. Leonard Garcia
Bantamweights: Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
Middleweights: Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell
Bantamweights: Kid Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee
Featherweights: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
Lightweights: Takanori Gomi vs. George Sotiropoulos
Middleweights: Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Main card
Lightweights:
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
Welterweights: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Heavyweights: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
Light Heavyweights: Rampage Jackson vs. Ryan Bader
UFC Lightweight title match: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Dana
White Open to Nate Marquardt, Not Anthony Johnson
By Michael
David Smith
CHICAGO
-- UFC President Dana White confirmed on Thursday that Anthony
Johnson has been released from the UFC and won't be welcome back
until he can prove that he has put his weight problems behind
him. But White wasn't quite so adamant that another fighter he
released, Nate Marquardt, wouldn't be welcome to return to the
Octagon.
With
Johnson, White said missing weight by 11 pounds at UFC 142 made
it clear that he doesn't belong in the UFC. White also specifically
ruled out the possibility of Johnson fighting for Strikeforce,
and said that Johnson needs to go to another promotion, make
weight and win fights before the UFC would consider giving him
another chance.
"He
needs to go fight somewhere else, get some wins, come in on weight,"
White said of Johnson. "He needs to prove to me that he
can be a professional, show up on weight and do the things he
needs to do. If he does, we can talk."
When
asked about Marquardt, however, White sounded open to the possibility
that he could re-sign with the UFC. Marquardt last fought at
UFC 128 in March, defeating Dan Miller, but was cut by the UFC
after his testosterone replacement therapy resulted in a high
testosterone count, causing the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission
to cancel his fight. White was furious at the time, but several
months later he sounds willing to forgive and forget.
"I
don't dislike Nate," White said. "I like Nate very
much. We'll see what happens."
White
and Johnson were originally scheduled to fight each other in
the main event of the UFC on Versus card in August, before Johnson
pulled out with an injury and before Marquardt ran into his trouble
with the Pennsylvania Commission. Both fighters are now free
agents, which means that if another promotion wants to sign them,
it could book a fight worthy of being a UFC main event.
But
if one of those free agents signs with the UFC this year, it
sounds like it's going to be Marquardt. White may eventually
forgive and forget with Johnson, but that won't happen any time
soon.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
White
Says Anthony Johnson has to Prove Himself
by Ken
Pishna
Anthony
Johnson was exiled from the Octagon following his failure to
make weight for his planned middleweight showdown with Vitor
Belfort at UFC 142 Rio recently.
The
fight went on, but not as planned. Instead of meeting at 185
pounds, the two fought in the light heavyweight class due to
Johnson weighing in a full 11 pounds above the limit for middleweight.
He
went on to lose the fight via a first-round submission, and then
losing his job followed.
For
those of you wondering if he might resurface in the UFC’s
sister organization, Strikeforce, don’t hold your breath.
UFC president Dana White, who also directs Strikeforce, says
Johnson has a few things to prove before even that happens.
“He
needs to go fight somewhere else, get some wins, come in on weight.
He needs to prove to me that he can be a professional, show up
on weight and do the things that he needs to do,” said White
in Chicago on Thursday. “He gets a few fights under his
belt and does that, we’ll talk.”
There
are few options as attractive as the UFC or Strikeforce in the
market, but there are some places that would likely give Johnson
an opportunity. Promotions like Dream, MFC, Bellator, or M-1
Global, might offer Johnson the platform he needs to rebuild
his reputation after repeated failures to make weight for Zuffa.
Until
then, and only then, will White give Johnson another opportunity
in the Octagon.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Pacquiao
Accepts Mayweather Match on Jimmy Kimmel, Winner Take All
By Lewis
Dawson
If
you thought, Manny Pacquiao was scared to take the test, think
again, he raised the stakes on Floyd Mayweather on Jimmy Kimmel
Live recently by agreeing with the host that a winner take all
match would assure that the fight would happen. Check out the
video!
Boxing
fans around the world are chattering and filled with euphoria
because there is finally a possibility that this fight could
occur on May 5th; however, the fact that both fighters were not
able to get a deal done in the past has made fans cautiously
optimistic. This is the fight that needs to happen for boxing
and should wind up being the largest boxing event ever in the
history of the sport.
Time
for all the talk to end and for both boxers to let their fists
do the talking.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Dana
White Speaks Out About SOPA, Says Hackers Are Helping to Revive
the Bill
by Damon
Martin
The
controversial SOPA bill may be shelved for now, but for the first
time UFC President Dana White decided to speak out about why
the UFC has supported the movement.
While
sites like Google and Wikipedia have openly opposed the bill,
the UFC’s support ended up with their website being hijacked
last weekend by hackers who went after the organization for supporting
SOPA.
White
says that the SOPA bill isn’t the perfect answer, but it
was what they had to deal with to try and stop piracy of their
pay-per-view product.
“Is
SOPA the perfect bill, not it’s not,” White said. “The
only thing that we’re focused on is piracy. Piracy is stealing.”
In
regards to the hackers who went after the UFC website, White
answered back daring the cyber-bullies to come after them again
because they are only fueling the people who actually support
SOPA in the first place.
“Keep
hacking our site, do it again. Do it tonight,” said White.
“These guys look like terrorists now and a bill that was
about to die, is about to come back.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Henderson
says he was never offered to fight Johnson: “Steroids might
be killing Vitor’s neurons”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Vitor
Belfort told TATAME this morning that Anthony Johnson was offered
to several fighters before signing to fight the “Phenom”
at UFC Rio, and Dan Henderson was one of the fighters that refused
this bout.
On
the other hand, Henderson told TATAME that Vitor is lying.
“That’s
not true, this fight was never offered to me,” Dan said
through an interpreter, his BJJ coach Ricardo Feliciano. “Steroids
might be killing Vitor’s neurons, he’s getting crazy
to say something like that”.
Henderson
fought Belfort on 2006, when Pride went to the US, and won by
decision. Days later, the Brazilian tested positive for an illegal
substance, 4-hydroxytestosterone.
Source:
Tatame
|
Why
the sports media is turning their fire on UFC
By Zach
Arnold
It
is no secret in the MMA online community that the viewpoint of
UFC towards MMA writers is extremely hostile. Hell, we have been
debating this forever and a day. Everyone already has picked
a side on this issue as to whether or not MMA writers, mostly
from web sites, should get credentialed to go to UFC events.
The attitude on behalf of Zuffa has been the following: hey,
we’re doing you a favor, shut up and play by our rules.
Rather than play the politics & optics right on this issue,
most MMA writers have demonstrated a high level of sycophantic
behavior that has only buttressed the arguments that Zuffa officials
have made in regards to why they have the media policy as currently
implemented.
It’s
not just management that is often hostile to MMA media writers,
either. There are plenty of fighters who have the attitude that
writers should be grateful that said fighters are even giving
them a limited amount of time to talk for interviews or to get
comments for various stories. Instead of demonstrating integrity
and independence, most MMA writers cower down and ‘play
the game.’ No fighter has been more shallow & demonstrative
on this front than Chael Sonnen. He attacks the media because
he knows most media members are weak & will eat a crap sandwich
if it means they get web page traffic. Chael’s bombastic
blustering towards the media would make Newt Gingrich blush.
On
Wednesday afternoon, Sonnen gave us a perfect example of this
when he went on the attack against Kenny Rice & HDNet, repeatedly
calling Rice a liar.
The
issue of UFC and its fighters beating up on the media is an old
& tired issue… which is why I found it extremely curious
that CBS Sports columnist & flame thrower Gregg Doyel decided
to bring up the issue yesterday in his column online. Doyel basically
admits that he is a UFC fanboy but that he’s all of a sudden
had a change in heart to speak truth to power in only a way he
possibly can. The timing of this attack raised my eyebrows.
Why?
Because a sports writer protesting about treatment of MMA writers
by Zuffa is as curious as ESPN going on the attack against UFC
on the issue of fighter pay. Again, just like execrable UFC/media
relations is old hat, the issue of UFC/fighter pay is an issue
that has been debated for many years online. So why are these
topics being brought up all of a sudden by the general sports
media? Doyel claims that he’s protesting the way UFC treats
MMA writers because there’s now an FTC investigation underway
in regards to UFC’s purchase of Strikeforce. ESPN said that
the FTC investigation is the reason that they started their report
about how much fighters under the Zuffa umbrella make.
To
me, the FTC investigation as the impetus for why the sports media
is speaking out against UFC makes little to no logical sense.
If I didn’t know any better, I would suspect that there’s
a sports media mailing list ala Journolist style where UFC has
suddenly become a hot talking point or easy target point to coordinate
against to generate manufactured article content. If you want
to argue ‘better letter than never,’ fine, but that’s
not the road I’m going down here in this article.
With
no apparent logical reason on the surface as to why UFC is getting
incoming fire from the general sports media, one has to make
an educated guess as to why these attacks are starting to appear.
The only semi-logical answer I can come up with is the following:
UFC’s
boorish PR response to ESPN’s report about UFC fighter pay
now has the general sports media, which largely has been skeptical
of the rise of MMA and has largely detested the behavior of Dana
White, smelling blood in the water. You have to admit, if you
are a UFC fan you, too, probably came away with a ‘what
is UFC hiding?’ vibe to the ham-handed PR campaign UFC launched
against Outside the Lines. The OTL story was a rather benign
story as far as having any sort of impact on UFC’s core
business model and, yet, given the way Zuffa overreacted and
gave ESPN some oxygen & free PR for it… there’s
probably reason to think that this overreaction now has sport
media types that were afraid to comment on UFC in the past a
path now to launch some attacks.
Dana
White is giving the sports media all the ammunition they could
possibly want to go after him. We all know about his infamous
Youtube video rant against Loretta Hunt. Now that topic is being
brought up by Gregg Doyel in his CBS column.
The
sport media, in general, is beginning to launch a series of attacks
on Dana White on big platforms and is ready to launch a public
case against him in similar fashion to a prosecutor laying out
a criminal case. First, bring up all the old ‘evidence’
that has been discussed on MMA web sites in the past but not
on major sports sites. Once you build up a foundation for a narrative
in this manner, then you can bring up recent examples (like Dana
White constantly attacking fans on Twitter) and start fusing
a media narrative by waiting for Dana to say some more stupid
things. Once you start building up that media narrative, it snowballs
quickly and becomes very easily to use in a broad & generalized
attack.
Dana
White is not helping his own cause. I stated last November that
his stance on backing SOPA & ProtectIP would become a demerit
used against him. Then the UFC web site got hacked and Dana’s
response to that was boorish in nature, especially given that
people have ordered PPVs through the UFC web site and have given
their personal financial information for said transactions. Dana’s
response to this situation today? He’s taunting the hackers
to go after him again and he isn’t too worried about the
feelings of those who ordered PPVs through the web site.
And,
right on cue, the hackers went after Dana White this time around.
Dana’s response to the hack attacks tonight? Get into Twitter
flame wars with the hackers, which is prompting the hackers to
claim to do more document dumps. Dana here is tone deaf and clueless,
which feeds right into the narrative that ESPN & CBS is starting
to cultivate against him in a negative campaign.
I
know a thing or two about the effects of elongated negative media
campaigns against an MMA entity. (See: Shukan Gendai taking down
PRIDE.)
As
much fault as I give to Dana White & UFC in the way they
have handled these affairs, I also find great irony in Gregg
Doyel’s attack against UFC. In his zeal to speak truth to
power against Zuffa, he’s all but admitting that he loved
sucking up to Zuffa to get credentialed to go to shows. His admission
that only now he cares about the plight of MMA writers basically
implicates him (like many in other fields of the sports media)
as cowardly and not willing to stand up for what’s right
unless there’s a self-promotional benefit at stake. Only
now is our brave warrior interested in speaking out about a topic
that has been discussed ad nauseam in MMA circles for years?
As
you often see with flame-throwing writers like Gregg Doyel, the
most damaging & incriminating quotes are the ones the flame-throwers
often write themselves.
To
give you a real-life, real-time contrasting example of Gregg
Doyel’s truth to power spiel versus a more genuine truth
to power response, I present to you Mike Florio and his 100%
correct defense of now-former Cleveland Browns sports writer
Tony Grossi who lost his newspaper beat position job after The
Cleveland Plain Dealer decided to give Grossi the demotion for
an ‘insulting’ tweet about Browns owner Randy Lerner.
Unlike our brave warrior Mr. Doyel, Mike Florio made an immediate
and full-throated defense of an obvious case of blowback &
intimidation. It won’t save Tony Grossi’s job, but
it was the right thing for Mike to say. He didn’t sit on
the sidelines and say nothing about the story only to speak truth
to power years later after receiving benefits for being a professional
suck-up.
A
pox on all the houses of those who are hypocritical on this matter.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Why
Doesn’t the UFC Reveal Exactly How Much Their Fighters Make?
Dana White Explains
by Damon
Martin
Why
doesn’t the UFC reveal the exact amount their fighters are
paid?
Well,
according to UFC President Dana White they don’t put out
exactly what their athletes make because once that figure becomes
public knowledge, his fighters become the target of every hanger
on in the world.
White
spoke about the subject on Thursday, and compared the recent
signing of former Milwaukee Brewers first basemen Prince Fielder
to a multi-million dollar deal with the Detroit Tigers.
“All
I have seen for the past 3 days is that Prince Fielder is making
$214 million dollars over the next 9 years. That sounds awesome
right? Everybody would love to be Prince Fielder. (Expletive)
no, you don’t want to be Prince Fielder over the next three
years,” White said.
“His
whole life is going to change. He thought it was bad before with
the (expletive) he had going on in his life? Everybody and their
mother is coming after that 214. Believe me when I tell you.
Mark my words, Prince Fielder talk to me in five years and tell
me what it was like when the news put out there that you were
making $214 million dollars. I’m not going to do that to
my guys.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Today
Saturday,
Jan. 28
United Center in Chicago
Hawaii
Air Times:
UFC Evans vs Davis 12:00-3:00PM Channel 241 Fuel
UFC Evans vs Davis 3:00-5:00PM Channel 3 KHON
UFC ON FOX 2 PRELIMINARY BOUTS
BOUT #1 – Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
BOUT #2 – Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
BOUT #3 – Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
BOUT #4 – Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
BOUT #5 – Cub Swanson vs. George Roop
BOUT #6 – Mike Russow vs. John Olav Einemo
BOUT #7 – Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
UFC ON FOX 2 MAIN CARD
BOUT #8 – Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
BOUT #9 – Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
BOUT #10 – Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Fox 2 Preview: The Main
By Tristen
Critchfield
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship debuted on Fox in November with
a single fight, and after Junior dos Santos stopped Cain Velasquez
for the heavyweight title in less than a minute, many fans were
left wanting more. The promotion comes back to the network with
UFC on Fox 2, a heartier, three-fight main card offering from
the United Center in Chicago.
Title
implications abound on Saturday, as Rashad Evans has been promised
a long-awaited shot at light heavyweight champion Jon Jones with
a victory over Phil Davis. There are no such guarantees for Davis,
but a lot could change with an impressive victory. An injury
to Mark Munoz brings Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping together,
and the winner of the bout between the two outspoken middleweights
is expected to secure a showdown with Anderson Silva, although
Sonnen remains skeptical. Also on the bill is a scrap between
decorated grappler Demian Maia and highly regarded prospect Chris
Weidman.
Three
well-matched bouts -- all with a reasonable chance to go the
distance -- could eliminate the need for promotional filler this
time around. Here is a closer look at the UFC on Fox 2 main card,
with analysis and picks.
Light
Heavyweights
Rashad Evans (16-1-1, 11-1-1 UFC) vs. Phil Davis (9-0, 5-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: This fight was supposed to go down at UFC 133 but was
postponed when Davis was forced to withdraw due to injury. Evans,
in his first action in more than a year, was impressive in a
second-round technical knockout victory against Tito Ortiz. When
Ortiz took him down, he was able to get up or quickly shift into
an advantageous position. The former light heavyweight champion
controlled the majority of the contest with his speed, power
and athleticism.
While
Evans looked rejuvenated from the time spent with his new team
at Imperial Athletics, it has been well documented that Ortiz
is no longer near the top of the 205-pound heap. Davis has the
type of physical tools and wrestling background that can give
“Suga” fits, and it will likely take a carefully crafted
game plan to overcome the four-time All-American wrestler from
Penn State University.
Once
regarded as the potential kryptonite to the dominance of current
light heavyweight champion Jones, the enthusiasm surrounding
Davis dimmed somewhat following his workmanlike triumph over
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 24. The Alliance
MMA product did what was necessary to get his hand raised, but
it was not the type of blowout that would have instantly propelled
him to No. 1 contender status. “Mr. Wonderful” struggled
to secure takedowns against the Brazilian in the first half of
their encounter, but, in switching from double-leg to single-leg
attempts to eventually get Nogueira to the canvas, he showed
the ability to adapt that should serve him well in the future.
Davis’ superior strength and reach allows him to stay long
and hold his opponents on the mat with his excellent wrestling.
He will have similar advantages against Evans, but they will
not be as pronounced as they have been in previous fights.
Evans
is not exceptionally large for a light heavyweight, and that
has hindered him in the past when he attempted to outmuscle foes
to impose his own wrestling-based attack. “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 2 winner has grown smarter in his approach
over the years, utilizing his speed in the standup to set up
timely takedown attempts. Evans’ striking, along with his
experience, will be his greatest assets here. While he does not
generally land with great volume, his movement, speed and balance
are formidable obstacles to overcome when combined with his one-shot
power.
Davis
has yet to display serious knockout ability, but he is adept
at using punches and body kicks to set up his clinch work and
explosive shots. In the clinch, “Mr. Wonderful” has
shown a solid understanding of how to use multiple techniques
to his advantage. Davis is not merely content to hold position
on the ground, as he has shown good guard-passing skills and
a desire to work for submission attempts.
Evans’
wrestling background should help him when it comes to getting
to his feet -- because he will not win an extended ground battle
with Davis. He will have to constantly move in and out of striking
distance, taking advantage of his quickness to score points on
the feet.
The
Pick: They might not admit it, but UFC officials would like to
see an Evans victory, so they can set up a ratings-friendly grudge
match with Jones. It will not be easy, but if Evans uses a sound
strategy and picks his spots, he can finally get the title shot
he has been craving. Davis was tested by Nogueira, but he has
yet to experience serious adversity in the cage. If he can keep
the fight upright, Evans can take him there. Davis’ development
is still a work in progress, while the time is now for Evans.
Look for “Suga” to consistently beat Davis to the punch
in earning a decision.
Middleweights
Chael Sonnen (26-11-1, 5-4 UFC) vs. Michael Bisping (22-3, 12-3
UFC)
The
Matchup: An injury to Mark Munoz left Sonnen without an opponent,
so now two of the most polarizing figures in mixed martial arts
will lock horns, with the winner earning a shot at Anderson Silva’s
middleweight gold. Sonnen made a triumphant return to the Octagon
after more than a year away at UFC 136, overwhelming Brian Stann
with his takedowns and ground-and-pound en route to a second-round
submission victory. The Team Quest product will find it more
difficult to keep Bisping grounded, because the Englishman has
excellent takedown defense and can clear his hips and use the
cage to get up when taken down.
However,
Jason Miller was able to score a trip takedown and work some
moderate ground-and-pound in the first round of his encounter
with Bisping before gassing in rounds two and three at “The
Ultimate Fighter 14” Finale. Sonnen is on another level
entirely and will not be discouraged if “The Count”
thwarts his wrestling in the early going. Sonnen has outstanding
timing when it comes to transitioning from striking to takedowns,
and his bout with Silva at UFC 117 demonstrated that he can hold
his own while standing with the best in the world. As good as
a defensive strategist as he is, Bisping must be prepared to
weather a relentless approach from Sonnen, who is excellent at
stringing together multiple takedown attempts in a single sequence.
Once
on top, Sonnen is content to work inside of his opponent’s
guard, where he is more than capable of posturing up and doing
damage with punches and elbows. The former University of Oregon
wrestler’s tremendous stamina allows him to maintain a consistent
work rate on the mat and avoid referee restarts. Against a submission
specialist, Sonnen’s comfort working in guard can be a detriment,
but Bisping has not induced a tapout since his UFC career began.
“The
Count” will have to be on his bicycle against Sonnen, who
will not be threatened by Bisping’s volume punching style
as he looks to close distance. Sonnen is especially clever when
it comes to luring foes into his range and planting them on the
canvas.
Bisping
cannot allow himself to be frozen by the threat of a takedown,
because it is his boxing that will have to win the fight for
him. The owner of excellent footwork and an accurate right hand,
the Brit will need to use those assets judiciously, moving in
and out of danger while connecting with one-two combinations.
The
Pick: Bisping’s conditioning is excellent and he is difficult
to finish, but a five-round fight might have been better suited
to his skill set here, as he could have hoped that Sonnen would
fatigue and make a mistake in the championship frames. In a three-round
fight, it is a near guarantee that Sonnen will be able to dictate
the location of the fight, as he did against the likes of Yushin
Okami and Nate Marquardt. A crafty submission game is the antidote
to Sonnen’s top control, but Bisping has yet to display
anything like that in the Octagon. Look for a hard-fought first
round, with Sonnen gradually asserting himself in the second
and third to come away with a late stoppage or a decision.
MIddleweights
Demian Maia (15-3, 9-3 UFC) vs. Chris Weidman (7-0, 3-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: A three-time All-American wrestler as a collegian, Weidman
is considered to be one of the top 185-pound prospects in the
UFC today. The Hofstra University product has not disappointed
thus far, besting Alessio Sakara, Jesse Bongfeldt and Tom Lawlor
in his first three Octagon appearances. After a hard-fought decision
win against Sakara in his debut, the former Ring of Combat champion
has looked increasingly impressive in notching first-round submissions
in his last two outings.
Maia
is a significant step up in competition: a former title challenger
whose grappling credentials include a gold medal at the 2007
Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships.
Maia began his UFC career on a tear, submitting his first six
opponents, including Chael Sonnen with a triangle choke at UFC
95. The Brazilian has tapered off since, going 4-3, with all
of his victories by decision. He is coming off a victory over
Jorge Santiago in which he utilized his underrated takedown game
to defeat the former Sengoku Raiden Championship titleholder.
Maia is not going to scare anyone with his striking, but he has
showed improved aggression in recent fights and is good at closing
the pocket and using throws or trips to pull guard or move into
top control.
Weidman,
a member of the Serra-Longo Fight Team, has improving standup,
but he is likely to shoot for the takedown early, and he will
reshoot when necessary. Maia is not uncomfortable fighting from
his back but expect plenty of pressure from Weidman. The 27-year-old
is not content to sit in guard and will look to pass at every
opportunity. Weidman has enough experience grappling so that
he will not be out of his element if Maia is able to reverse
position. The fight could come down to who can land most effectively
on the feet.
The
Pick: Weidman has a chance to justify his hype before a national
television audience, but the task will not be easy. It will be
a back-and-forth battle, with both men matching wits on the ground.
Maia will have to effectively neutralize his foe’s ground-and-pound,
while Weidman must be cautious in avoiding the Brazilian’s
submissions. The unknown variable is the career arc of Weidman,
who is still at the stage where his skills can improve drastically
from fight to fight. It would not be overly surprising if his
standup is markedly better than the last time he fought. It is
hard not to like Weidman’s overall athleticism and talent.
He takes a razor-thin decision over a very game Maia.
Source:
Sherdog
|
UFC’s
staunch support of SOPA & ProtectIP causes heartburn &
backlash
By Zach
Arnold
As
I was looking to post information for UFC’s February fight
cards, I noticed UFC’s web site went crashing down about
an hour ago. Now we know why…
Screen
capture of hacking here
UFC.com
was back up shortly after it was taken down, and UFC President
Dana White responded to several Tweets about the hack with little
concern, saying – among other things – “I’m
in the fight biz not the website biz. Who gives a s***!?”
In
addition to the web site going down, UFC Twitter accounts also
got hacked (this according to Luca Fury and MMA Supremacy).
The
group responsible for the hacks against UFC’s properties
claims that it’s not Anonymous but has sympathies for the
hacking group, the same group that has gone after US Government
web sites, the RIAA, and other major backers of the hideous SOPA
(Stop Online Piracy Act) & Protect IP pieces of legislation.
Also, the US Government going after the web site MegaUpload and
international authorities arresting the man the British tabloids
label as ‘Dr Evil’ has set off a chain of hacks against
those supporting heavy-handed anti-piracy legislation & tactics.
Dana
White’s cavalier reaction to UFC fans about the web sites
& Twitter accounts getting hacked has raised some eyebrows:
UFC
attorney Larry Epstein fanned the flames on Sunday by coming
out with a pro-SOPA op-ed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. We
won’t blockquote any text from the article since the LVRJ
& Stephens Media are in co-hoots with infamous copyright
lawsuit troll firm Righthaven. No wonder the LVRJ published UFC’s
pro-SOPA piece.
For
Zuffa to not see the consequences coming for their boorish stance
against Internet users is unfortunately not surprising given
the ham-handedness of the company’s current Public Relations
strategy. We first wrote about UFC’s love/hate relationship
with the First Amendment on November 29th. Between this and overplaying
their hand against ESPN on the fighter pay issue, it’s time
for Zuffa HQ to rethink their current PR strategy. They are at
risk of disconnecting their relationships with some of their
biggest fans & supporters. It’s one thing for ESPN to
argue about fighter pay because most fans aren’t that interested
in the matter (yet). However, we’ve seen a serious &
genuine backlash by Internet-savvy customers who are punishing
any company that is backing SOPA & Protect IP. Just ask GoDaddy
how that’s been working out for them.
For
UFC, supporting SOPA & ProtectIP presents a genuine opportunity
for them to feel a real financial backlash from fans who had
been spending good money to buy PPVs. Now those individuals may
channel their inner Anonymous and just find an online stream
to watch instead.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Who's
the Better Wrestler? Rashad Evans, Phil Davis Go Toe-to-Toe
By Michael
David Smith
CHICAGO
-- Rashad Evans and Phil Davis will determine on Saturday night
which one of them is the better mixed martial artist. But they
had a spirited discussion on Thursday afternoon about which one
of them is the better wrestler.
On
the surface, that wouldn't seem to be a close comparison: Both
were college wrestlers, but Evans was merely a pretty good wrestler
at Michigan State. Davis was a great wrestler, winning the NCAA
championship his senior year and coming in second, fifth and
seventh in the nation in his other three years.
However,
Evans insisted in interviews this week that he's a better wrestler
than Davis, prompting a colorful exchange.
"Cocaine's
a hell of a drug," Davis said when first told that Evans
had claimed to be a better wrestler. "It's crazy what the
kids do nowadays. I encourage imagination and it's good that
he has that, but no. He'll never beat me in wrestling. Not thumb
wrestling. Not anything of the sort."
Evans,
however, insisted that Davis merely used his physical strength
to win wrestling matches, while Evans had superior technique.
"If
I wrestled you in college I guarantee I would beat you,"
Evans said. "If we wrestled right now I guarantee I would
beat you. Your technique is trash. You won a college championship
off junk. You could not win on an international level because
you have trash technique."
That
prompted a brief exchange between the two, which UFC President
Dana White ultimately ended:
Davis:
"What have you been watching?"
Evans:
"I watched you wrestle in college. It was trash."
White:
"Next question, please."
The
next question between Davis and Evans -- which one of them is
the better fighter? -- will be answered on Saturday night.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on Fox 2: Despite Media Distractions, Michael Bisping Handles
Business
by Erik
Fontanez
HUNTINGTON
BEACH, Calif. – Don’t think for a moment that you can
bother Michael Bisping when he’s getting ready for a fight.
The
presence of press and media-types with their cameras, smart phones,
and voice recorders appears to get in the way of what is the
biggest fight of his career. “You’re really (expletive)
up my training,” he said, visibly frustrated after having
a cameraman shoot footage of him in the cage before his UFC on
FOX 2 fight against Chael Sonnen.
His
trainer, Tiki Goshen, is much more subtle about asking media
to vacate the premises. “Do you guys have to go out and
eat lunch or something?” he asks with a soft-spoken tone.
“Maybe come back in like 45 minutes.”
But
it’s clear “The Count” isn’t concerned with
whether or not the press will return after his training session,
which includes grappling with names like Dean Lister and former
Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields.
But
the abrupt request for press to leave isn’t Bisping’s
fault. He was in his last week of training camp, and finally
getting the opportunity to start the cool-down process before
he fights at UFC on FOX 2 in Chicago. “I’m tired,”
he told MMAWeekly.com when asked if he’d participate in
some back-and-forth banter during an interview.
When
you’re tired and overworked, do you act the same way? Probably.
Everyone’s been there.
At
his request, the media leaves and Bisping continues doing what
he’s been doing for the last several weeks – preparing
to “go out there and fight (his) fight.” And what is
his fight? One that stays on the feet, according to the one-time
Ultimate Fighter winner.
Prior
to agreeing to fight Sonnen at UFC on FOX 2, Bisping was scheduled
to fight Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia. The preparation
for that contest called for training partners Lister and Shields,
both of which are world-class jiu-jitsu practitioners and had
success implementing the style in mixed martial arts competition.
But
once Mark Munoz was injured and forced to withdraw from the Chicago
card, Bisping got the call while out at lunch from UFC president
Dana White to step up in Munoz’s place. After consulting
with coaches and camp members, Bisping decided a fight with Sonnen
is the right fight to take.
The
British fighter – who relocated to Southern California just
a few months ago – admits that he would have brought in
more wrestlers to train with for the Sonnen fight was presented
earlier, but such things don’t matter at this point. A lot
of jiu-jitsu and wrestling training crosses over, said The Count.
“Demian
Maia was going to try and take me down and submit me, I’m
assuming,” Bisping said on a recent conference call. “The
game plan was to keep it on the feet and use my striking. It’s
pretty much the same thing for Chael Sonnen.
“It’s
not important on what my opponent is going to do. It’s about
what I’m going to do.”
And
what Bisping does is work hard. This is plainly obvious from
witnessing his training session – for as long as he allows
you, anyway. Careful instruction and attention to detail stay
paramount, as Lister explains the intricacies of numerous positions
on the ground and which directions one should go when in those
positions.
Like
a student willing to earn the highest grade in class, Bisping
absorbs the information with eyes and ears wide open.
Perhaps
the fact that he likes his privacy during preparation says something
about how important he views hard work. He’d rather get
in the cage and do work than sit there and do what he referred
to as “talk (expletive) for 10 minutes.”
As
much as The Count has been made famous for his pre-fight talk,
it’s the fighting that makes him who he is; the work that
allows him to perform as well as he’s done before and after
he won The Ultimate Fighter. Getting in the way of him doing
his job may make for a grumpy middleweight, but has little effect
on his determination. You can “Count” on that.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Exclusive:
At All Costs, Alistair Overeem Is Out for Justice Against Golden
Glory
by Damon
Martin
In
this exclusive interview, UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem talks
to MMAWeekly.com about the ongoing legal situation with his former
team at Golden Glory and much, much more.
Overeem
took time on Wednesday to talk to MMAWeekly.com about his upcoming
fight with Junior dos Santos, the work he’s been doing with
the Blackzilians and he fires back at his former team at Golden
Glory and the lawsuits that have been filed by both parties.
Damon
Martin: First let’s start with what’s coming next for
you in the UFC. It’s going to be Junior dos Santos for the
title. I want to start by asking your thoughts on him as a fighter
and his striking?
Alistair
Overeem: Junior dos Santos is the heavyweight champion of the
UFC so he’s the best fighter in the world at the moment
and he has that belt around his waist, which I’m still missing.
He’s a very strong fighter with knockout power in his punches,
and he moves very well for a heavyweight. His boxing skills are
the best in the MMA business so that would make for a very interesting
fight. It will be a classic striker versus striker, which an
audience always loves to see. It will be a great fight for sure.
DM:
Do you have any timeline when you hope to face him? What time
would be ideal for you?
AO:
It’s up to the UFC, to be honest, they decide when we are
going to fight. My guess would be that it’s going to be
sooner than later.
DM:
I know you traveled a lot for your last fight with Lesnar, partially
because you had to head home. Have you made any decisions about
where you will train for dos Santos? I know some have said you
were working a bit with the Blackzilian team in Florida?
AO:
I’m still looking around and have to visit some places,
and you are also right that I was in Florida to see how they
operate. I have spoken to people at Authentic Sports Management
and to be honest I had a great feeling – although I have
my own team at the moment that is doing a great job. It’s
always good to set up relationships to see if we can benefit
from the both of us working together. For now I’m still
undecided, but I can tell you that my focus is going to be more
in the States because most major opportunities are based here.
DM:
You’ve mentioned that the UFC title is the last belt you
want because you’ve won every major title in combat sports.
Do you believe the UFC title would rank as the biggest accomplishment
of your career?
AO:
Yes, absolutely. UFC is the biggest combat organization in the
world with the most fighters and the best shows out there so
winning that title will be my biggest achievement. I’m happy
with all the other belts and they are special in every way, but
having all of the major combat belts would be something extra
special. People always debate which champion in which organization
is better, but if you have them all there is not much room for
debate, if you ask me.
DM:
I also wanted to ask you about the current situation ongoing
with Golden Glory. We know the lawsuits are out there from both
sides but it seems like things are getting more personal with
some of the comments that have been made in the press. Do you
feel this has gotten personal at all?
AO:
This is not a personal affair, however it is true that what Golden
Glory did is damaging and very unprofessional. I tried to resolve
this situation through ongoing negotiations, but when they put
my fight contract on the Internet and attempted to freeze my
fight purse right before a very important fight, the negotiations
came to a halt. It is time to go to court, and I will seek justice
at all costs.
DM:
In some ways it appears from certain comments that Golden Glory
and their attorneys have brought your character into question.
How do you respond to any of those comments?
AO:
They may have attempted to bring my character into question,
but that is simply a failed and shortsighted tactic because when
all of the facts are revealed and everything becomes public in
court, it will be Golden Glory’s character and business
practices that will be brought into question. I have the truth
and the law on my side in this matter, they know that, and soon
so will everyone else.
DM:
Golden Glory’s lawyers files an injunction against you just
before the fight with Lesnar. They claimed it was timing for
the pay situation but do you believe in some way it was intended
to be a distraction for you before the fight?
AO:
That may be the case that they tried to distract me, but thankfully
it was not successful. It only furthered my resolve to seek justice
in the courts, and to bring out the truth for everyone to see.
DM:
Golden Glory announced that the K-1 will continue and that most
of the fighters received their money and that they are organizing
there next Glory show, what are your thoughts on that?
AO:
Both [Gohkan] Saki and Siyar [Bahadurzada] told me they have
not been paid the main prize from Golden Glory’s own [United]
Glory tournament that was held in May 2011. My thoughts are that
perhaps they should conclude business with the 2011 tournament
first, before planning another.
DM:
Last question… What do you hope is the final outcome from
this situation with Golden Glory? Is it disheartening at all
that things ended this way after working together for over a
decade?
AO:
I have spent a lot of years with Golden Glory, however I’ve
learned recently that Golden Glory management has been dishonest
with me on many occasions. This has made me determined to do
whatever it takes to get the justice that I deserve. This is
the great thing about the U.S. Court system, you can’t hide
facts or details. There is no doubt the law is on my side and
the world will soon understand why I am upset and why I won’t
settle until justice is accomplished.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Belfort:
“Dan Henderson refused to fight (Johnson), but I accepted
it at a glance”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Vitor
Belfort was under pressure on his return to fight at his hometown
Rio de Janeiro, and the outcome against Anthony Johnson, at UFC
Rio, was the best: first round submission victory.
This
time it took more than 44 seconds, exact time he needed to stop
Wanderlei Silva 14 years ago on his last fight in Brazil, and
the troubles along the way (Johnson didn’t making the weight-in
and his eye swallow) added a little spice to the moment.
Vitor
says it was all according to the plan.
“The
only time he hit me was with that punch because he felt inside
my guard. Otherwise, he didn’t do anything,” Belfort
told TATAME. “I’ve seen people saying I started losing
and then turned it around… I didn’t see him dominating
me at any point during the fight. The only thing he actually
did was to take me down twice. I realized he wasn’t gonna
stand-up, so I went for the submission”.
On
the exclusive chat, Belfort reveals he wasn’t UFC’s
first chouice as an opponent for Anthony’s middleweight
debut.
“He’s
a strong guy, feared in UFC. Dan Henderson refused to fight him,
everybody declined it. He’s a guy who’s hard to match-up
in this division, but I accepted it at a glance”, reveals
the Brazilian. “I have never feared any man… I thought
it was good challenge and I said yes. I showed how I value the
fans and the UFC”.
“I
fought a guy weighting like 220lbs. I dominated him on the ground,
I showed my Jiu-Jitsu, I showed my striking”, celebrates
Vitor, cool about the possible critics received regarding the
“bad times” he went through for being taken down.
“When
I win quickly, people complain it was too quick. When it takes
a while longer people also complain… It’s hard to please
people, but I had it in my hands. I did what was needed to be
done”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Dana
White Doesn't Buy the 'Tainted Supplement' Excuse
By Michael
David Smith
CHICAGO
-- After King Mo Lawal tested positive for a banned steroid this
month, he said he believed the substance got into his system
because it was in a supplement that he legally purchased over
the counter.
UFC
President Dana White says that excuse isn't good enough.
White
said Thursday that he thinks all professional athletes need to
know for sure what they're putting in their systems, and that
any fighter who tests positive for a banned substance needs to
deal with the consequences, regardless of the reason.
"If
you get caught doing something, admit you did it," White
said. "The whole 'Somebody put something in my system that
I didn't know about?' I mean, who here lets someone put s--t
inside them that you don't know what it is? If you go to the
doctor and he gives you a pill, 'Doc, what am I taking this for?'"
White
said he wishes fighters who test positive for performance-enhancing
drugs would simply admit that they were trying to gain an unfair
advantage, rather than plead ignorance about the contents of
the supplements they were taking.
"I
don't buy that s--t," White said. "Own up to what you
did. Listen, it's out there, it happens, and sometimes everybody
makes mistakes."
White
said he hopes the UFC's new policy of testing all new fighters
at the time they sign their first UFC contracts will deter young
mixed martial artists from taking performance-enhancing drugs.
"The
up-and-coming guys, you're already talented, you're already fast,
you're already strong, do not ruin your career by taking this
junk that will affect you for the rest of your life," White
said.
And
as for the established fighters who test positive and say they
didn't know the ingredients of the supplements they were taking?
White doesn't want to hear it.
"I
don't buy it," White said. "Anybody that's ever said
that they didn't know what's being put in their body is full
of s--t."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Sonnen’s
Spidey Senses
By Brian
Knapp
Nearly
18 months have passed since Chael Sonnen had middleweight king
Anderson Silva teetering on the brink of defeat, only to succumb
to a fifth-round triangle armbar from the Brazilian in one of
the most dramatic finishes in Ultimate Fighting Championship
history.
Silva
remains champion to this day, but in the tumultuous year-and-a-half
that followed their encounter at UFC 117, Sonnen tested positive
for suspected steroid use, served a California State Athletic
Commission-imposed suspension, pled guilty to federal money laundering
charges and submitted former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian
Stann upon his return to the Octagon.
As
he approaches his impromptu bout with “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 3 winner Michael Bisping -- Sonnen was originally booked
to meet Mark Munoz, with the Brit toeing the line against Demian
Maia -- in the UFC on Fox 2 co-main event on Saturday in Chicago,
the Team Quest mainstay sounds like a man resigned to the idea
that his shot at middleweight gold has come and gone.
“I
can guarantee you Anderson Silva and I will never cross paths
again. Our business is done,” Sonnen said during a pre-fight
teleconference. “We will not fight under any circumstances.
No matter how many rules or fake restraints he puts on it, he’s
not getting in the ring with me -- ever. I don’t know if
he’s going to retire or if they’re going to retire
him.
“I
think the plan was, if I could get past Munoz [before he got
injured] and Mike was successful against Demian, that they were
going to do an interim championship between Bisping and [myself],”
he added. “I know Anderson’s not going to fight. The
folks at the UFC know he’s not going to fight. I’m
all for promoting and marketing and all that good stuff. I don’t
want to throw water on a perfectly hot flame, but Anderson Silva’s
not going to fight anybody.”
UFC
officials have already stated the Sonnen-Bisping winner will
secure a crack at the 185-pound crown, which Silva has held since
he demolished Rich Franklin in October 2006. Sonnen, who claims
Silva has declined a rematch with him on multiple occasions,
has his doubts.
“I
think that they’re sincere. I think that they mean it, but
I can tell you, behind the scenes, they tried to put me and Anderson
together four times, and four times, he said no,” he said.
“I called him out publicly [at UFC 136]. You call out a
Brazilian publicly, [and] you’re going to be fighting that
Brazilian. That’s in their culture, and he sat there and
covered his mouth and hid behind [NBA hall of famer] Charles
Barkley, which is a smart move -- it saved him a trip to the
hospital -- but Anderson Silva is not going to fight me. I don’t
believe he’s going to fight Bisping. I don’t believe
he’s going to fight again. That’s my personal opinion.
“What
I know is a fact is [that] he’s turned me down four out
of four times, and he even said no to [UFC CEO] Lorenzo Fertitta’s
face -- face-to-face, not over the phone,” Sonnen added.
“Lorenzo brought him out, sat him down and said, ‘This
is the fight we want.’ And Anderson said no.”
Bisping
is 22-3.
The
UFC wants to plan Silva’s return around a soccer stadium
show in Brazil sometime this summer. Sonnen -- who has competed
in Canada, Costa Rica, Japan and England during his 38-fight
career -- welcomes such a challenge.
“I
don’t fight Anderson in Brazil. I don’t fight him in
Chicago. I don’t fight him in Las Vegas,” he said.
“I fight in the Octagon. They can set that sumbitch up wherever
they want. When my music hits those speakers, I’ll make
that walk, regardless of the city.”
By
most accounts, Sonnen won four rounds against Silva, three of
them handily, the first time the two fought. The 34-year-old
Oregonian scored with takedowns in the first, second and third
periods and, according to FightMetric figures, outlanded the
champion by a staggering 89 to 29 count in terms of significant
strikes. Still, it was not enough to dethrone Silva, as Sonnen
grew careless inside Silva’s spidery guard and found himself
trapped inside a submission from which he could not escape. The
result left him to ponder what might have been.
“The
Spider” has fought twice since -- he flattened Vitor Belfort
and Yushin Okami -- before shoulder and back injuries put him
on the shelf. Sonnen has his theories as to why a rematch has
not yet materialized, and they are admittedly self-serving.
“I
can only give a guess,” he said. “I’d like to
pay myself a compliment and say it’s because I stomped him
the first time, and I’m going to stomp him worse the second
time. The reality is maybe he just doesn’t want to do it.
I really don’t know, and I don’t want to guess. He’s
not on my radar anymore.”
In
response to his steadfast belief in Silva’s reluctance to
face him a second time, Sonnen has put forth a rather radical
idea of moving up or down a weight class in order to vie for
promotional gold, either against welterweight champion Georges
St. Pierre or light heavyweight titleholder Jon Jones.
“I’m
moving on,” he said. “If I become the number one contender
and can get past Bisping, I’m going to sit down with [UFC
President] Dana [White] and we’re going to have a talk about
GSP or Jon Jones. I’m not under any illusion that it’s
going to be Anderson Silva.”
First,
Sonnen must deal with Bisping. The 32-year-old Brit, who, like
Sonnen, has spent much of his career being cast as the villain,
will enter the cage on the strength of a four-fight winning streak.
Often criticized for the lack of marquee opposition on his resume,
he last fought in December, when he smashed through Jason “Mayhem”
Miller at “The Ultimate Fighter 14” Finale in Las Vegas.
Only three men have defeated Bisping: Rashad Evans, Wanderlei
Silva and Dan Henderson. Only Henderson finished him.
“I
can guarantee you Anderson Silva and I will never cross paths
again. Our business is done.”
-- Chael Sonnen, UFC contender
“Bisping
says he wants a title shot, and people try to say that he doesn’t
deserve one,” Sonnen said. “I’m sitting on my
couch going, ‘Well, he’s beat up everybody they’ve
put in front of him.’ So then the big complaint is, ‘Well,
he hasn’t beaten Top 10 guys.’ Well, that’s not
up to him. He fights anybody they ever ask him to fight. He fights
[in] big fights. He’s never not [in] a main event, and if
he’s not [in] a main event, he’s [in] a co-main event,
and he gets his hand raised time and time again. I don’t
know how you could deny a guy that continually goes out and wins.
“I’m
not delusional. I’m a pretty smart guy,” he added.
“Bisping gets the job done, and for somebody to come out
and say that he shouldn’t get his opportunity is silly.
He should get his opportunity. He’s beat everybody. He even
went up to light heavyweight to start his career, and he beat
everybody there, except for Rashad. So how you could ever deny
Bisping ... I’m just not on that bandwagon. I plan to do
everything I can do to stop him, but I’m not going to sit
here and act as though the guy’s not a great fighter. He
is.”
Long
viewed as one of the sport’s preeminent trash talkers, Sonnen
has remained uncharacteristically quiet ahead of the bout. The
late change in opponent, from Munoz to Bisping, might have curtailed
such antics.
“Before
you go pick on Michael Bisping, you’ve got to get ready
for Michael Bisping,” he said. “He brings a lot to
the table. I’m in the gym, and I’m focusing my energies
elsewhere.”
Sonnen,
who has won 11 of his last 14 fights, then took a not-so-veiled
swipe at Silva in complimenting his UFC on Fox 2 foe.
“I
don’t think Michael Bisping behaves like a coward,”
he said. “I don’t think he carries himself in a shameful
way. I don’t think he wears pink T-shirts, earrings and
crooked hats. I don’t really see a lot in the guy I don’t
like. I’m not going to go out and make something up. I’m
going to go out and do my job, and if my skills are good enough,
I’ll win, and if they’re not, then God bless him.”
Source
Sherdog
|
Ronda
Rousey: “It’s not personal to me at all.”
by Brendhan
Conlan
Part
of Ronda Rousey’s meteoric rise in 2011 from unknown former
Olympian to the most popular female Mixed Martial Artist in the
sport has had to do with her willingness to speak openly about
her peers and chosen profession. While Rousey verbal attacks
on Cristiane Santos and Miesha Tate may seem personal, and her
stance on the importance of looks could appear to be aimed at
insulting others, the 24-year old sees her unfiltered honesty
as being part of the job rather than a means of trying to actually
degrade others.
Rousey
addressed the issue in a recent conversation with MMAJunkie where
she revealed the motivation behind her candor.
“It’s
not personal to me at all,” Rousey began. “I’m
sure it’s personal to Miesha. I really think (other female
fighters) should be grateful to me because they’ve gotten
more press, more interviews, (and) more exposure than they ever
have before in their entire careers. I don’t want to pat
myself on the back too much, but a lot of it is the result of
me purposefully trying to get on everybody’s nerves. So
they take it personally, but I don’t.”
Given
the entertainment factor involved in promoting MMA, Rousey may
have a point as a number of her popular male counterparts employ
the same strategy when it comes to drawing the attention of fans/media.
“I’ve
had so many girl fighters come up to me and tell me they appreciate
me and thank me. The only girls that seem to have a problem with
me are either current champions or are former champions,”
Rousey continued. “I just think they have this sense of
entitlement that everyone should kiss their ass and respect them
all the time…they’re not used to dealing with any kind
of confrontation.”
The
judoka’s next bout will come against one of those title-wearing
women, Strikeforce bantamweight Tate, who Rousey has notoriously
feuded with in the months before their match-up was even made.
The fight will also serve as a headlining affair, again adding
some weight to Rousey’s mindset when it comes to selling
cards on smack-talk.
“From
watching her fights, she’s a very slow and cautious fighter,
and I think that the kind of pace I’m going to set is extremely
outside of her comfort zone,” said Rousey of the 135-pound
champion. “A lot of people don’t know that I can sustain
that pace for 45 minutes if I have to. But because have gone
so quickly, a lot of people are skeptical of that. I think what
she’s probably going to try to do is drag the fight out…pull
it into later rounds, and try to wear me down and get me in the
end. But if that’s her plan, she’s got another thing
coming.”
“Rowdy”
Ronda is 4-0 in his career after submitting all four of the opponents
she faced last year, the most memorable of which came in November
when she snapped Julia Budd’s arm after Budd’s refusal
to tap.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Hackers
Attack UFC President Dana White
by Ken
Pishna
The
hackers that claimed responsibility for re-directing the Ultimate
Fighting Championship’s website a few days ago took aim
at UFC president Dana White on Thursday, releasing his personal
information on the web.
The
hackers noted that their takeover of UFC.com was in response
to the company’s open support of controversial Internet
piracy legislation, SOPA and PIPA.
White
discussed the hacking and his company’s support of the legislation
following Thursday’s UFC on Fox 2 pre-fight press conference,
reiterating their anti-piracy stance.
“Is
SOPA the perfect bill, no it’s not,” he said. “The
only thing that we’re focused on is piracy. Piracy is stealing.”
He
openly challenged the hackers, daring the cyber-bullies to come
after them again because they are only fueling the people who
actually support SOPA in the first place.
“Keep
hacking our site, do it again. Do it tonight,” said White.
“These guys look like terrorists now and a bill that was
about to die, is about to come back.”
Despite
his characterization as terrorists, or maybe because of it, the
group accepted the challenge, but instead of going after UFC.com
again, they took aim directly at White.
“@danawhite
We don’t want your site anymore. We are going after YOU!
Follow me for tonights exciting events! #ufc #sopa #acta #pipa,”
tweeted one of the hackers, who identifies himself as Josh Matthews
with the Twitter account and hacker handle @JoshTheGod.
JoshTheGod,
MrOsama, AntiGov, promoting the website UgNazi.com, claimed responsibility
for releasing White’s personal information, which included
phone numbers, a social security number, vehicle identification
number, residential addresses, and other information.
While
White doesn’t back down from his company’s stance against
Internet piracy, he was clear that he’s not anti-Internet.
“I
love the Internet. It helped us grow our biz,” he said.
“(But)
people are stealing my (expletive) on the net and selling it
or selling ads on it. Me and my partners have busted our ass
for 10 years to build the sport,” White continued.
“If
you guys want to change the world, good for you! Just don’t
steal my (expletive).”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Tomorrow
United
Center in Chicago
Saturday, Jan. 28
Hawaii
Air Times:
UFC Evans vs Davis 12:00-3:00PM Channel 241 Fuel
UFC Evans vs Davis 3:00-5:00PM Channel 3 KHON
UFC ON FOX 2 PRELIMINARY BOUTS
BOUT #1 – Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
BOUT #2 – Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
BOUT #3 – Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
BOUT #4 – Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
BOUT #5 – Cub Swanson vs. George Roop
BOUT #6 – Mike Russow vs. John Olav Einemo
BOUT #7 – Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
UFC ON FOX 2 MAIN CARD
BOUT #8 – Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
BOUT #9 – Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
BOUT #10 – Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Pros
Pick: Evans vs. Davis
By Mike
Sloan
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday returns to America’s
Second City for another potential landmark event.
UFC
on Fox 2, which will serve as the promotion’s sophomore
effort on the Fox network, will emanate from the United Center
in Chicago. In the main event, former light heavyweight champion
Rashad Evans continues his quest to regain UFC gold, as he squares
off against the undefeated Phil Davis. The winner, especially
if Evans emerges, figures to move to the front of the line in
terms of who next faces current UFC light heavyweight champion
Jon Jones.
Sherdog.com
caught up with a number of professional fighters and trainers
to gauge their opinions on the UFC on Fox 2 headliner:
Ben
Askren: I got Rashad winning [but] I would like to see Phil pull
it off. At this point in Phil’s career, I think Rashad’s
wrestling plus striking might be too much for him, but I hope
I am wrong.
Jason
Dent: I’m picking and pulling for Rashad in this one. Phil
has only had five fights in the UFC, whereas this will be Rashad’s
14th fight in the Octagon. To be completely honest, I have not
gotten the chance to follow Phil’s career that much just
yet, either. I’m going to say Rashad wins this one by decision.
Benji
Radach: Real men wear pink; gotta pull for Phil in this one.
However, Rashad has some quick hands that can end the fight at
any moment.
Jeff
Hougland: I think this will be an awesome fight. Davis is a beast
wrestler who has long arms and great cardio. He seems to be improving
on his standup with every fight, and he also has an underrated
submission game. Evans is an outstanding fighter. I have been
a fan of his since I saw him fight a very tough Jaime Jara back
in Gladiator Challenge. I’d definitely give the edge in
striking and punching power to Rashad. Wrestling is a toss up.
I’d say Phil looks technically more sound, but Rashad seems
to be the faster, more explosive athlete. I’d give the edge
in submissions to Phil, but I don’t think Rashad has ever
been submitted, so that will be crazy if he can pull off a sub.
I think this fight will come down to who can score the takedowns.
If Phil can threaten with his strikes and sell that he wants
to stand, it may expose Rashad to takedowns; if he can capitalize
on Rashad’s forward momentum and score takedowns, it could
be interesting, although holding Rashad down may be a problem,
as well. I think Rashad is the more proven fighter and hungry
to get that title shot against Jon Jones, so I’m gonna pick
Rashad by second-round TKO.
The
pros don't see Davis' hand raised.
Bart Palaszewski: Gotta go with Rashad.
Joseph
Sandoval: I think that’s gonna be kinda like when Rashad
fought [Quinton] “Rampage” [Jackson] -- not the fury
of Rampage but the fact that Rashad will take the fight to the
ground and hopefully take a ground-and-pound finish.
Zach
Makovsky: I think this is a very interesting fight. If this was
a wrestling match, Davis would win. If this was a jiu-jitsu match,
I think Davis would win. One thing I think a lot of people don’t
quite understand is that an MMA fight is more than just the sum
of its parts. It is not about who is better at this and who is
better at that; it is about who can make it all work together.
Rashad wins.
Shane
Roller: Rashad [wins].
Travis
Wiuff: Phil Davis dominates the fight with his wrestling and
wins a decision.
Mark
Bocek: Good fight, but I’m thinking Rashad [wins]. I think
his wrestling is good enough by MMA standards to stop the takedown,
and he has better overall striking, I believe. Rashad wins by
decision.
Johny
Hendricks: Man, this is a tough one because both [of them are]
wrestlers. I think Evans has Davis on the feet, but I think Davis
can take down Evans. Davis is good off the cage and so is Evans;
both can do what they want off the cage. I just haven’t
seen Evans fight too much on his back, but, on this one, I have
to go with Evans. I think his hand speed and takedown defense
is going to be too much for Davis.
Javier
Vazquez: This fight is a tough one to call. I have to lean towards
Evans due to the experience and the striking advantage. Davis
is an extremely tough style matchup for Evans because of his
wrestling. I expect Evans to win a hard-fought decision. I don’t
expect much in the excitement department for this fight, but
we will see what happens.
Kyle
Kingsbury: “Mr. Wonderful” wins by wonderfulness.
Nam
Phan: I like both of these guys, but I’m gonna have to go
with Rashad on this one.
Mike
Ciesnolevicz: I heard [UFC President] Dana White said if Rashad
wins, then he will fight “Bones” Jones next. For that
reason, I hate this fight because Rashad will win. I would much
rather see Dan Henderson get his title shot. He is coming off
four huge wins in a row, he is the Strikeforce 205-pound champ
and, at 41 years old, his time is now or never to challenge Jones.
Back to the original fight: I say Davis does not have the striking
yet to beat Rashad; the wrestling will cancel out, but Rashad
picks him apart standing. I believe there will be lots of positional
pummeling against the fence. I do not anticipate a lot of excitement,
but it will still be interesting to see who can impose their
game. Rashad wins by unanimous decision.
Ricardo
Liborio: Davis by decision.
Joe
Duarte: I got to go with Phil because he lives in San Diego ...
and Steven Seagal said he’ll win.
Sean
Pierson: I'm going with the upset here. Davis will out wrestle
Rashad and frustrate him with his long reach and unique grapple
style. Look for a late stoppage or decision for Davis on this.
I think Rashad's chances rely on an early KO, [although] Rashad's
strong work ethic could prove me wrong.
Pros
Picking Evans: 12
Pros Picking Davis: 6
Source: Sherdog
|
ESPN’s
John Barr on UFC pay report blowback: “It’s not our
charge to do your public relations”
By Zach
Arnold
If
you’re looking for an MMA audio interview-of-the-year candidate,
look no further than this very lengthy interview with John Barr
of ESPN’s Outside the Lines. If you have a long commute
or some down time, it’s well worth taking 90 minutes out
of your schedule to listen to the whole thing.
I
obviously won’t transcribe the entire interview here, but
I will give you some key summary points from it.
Mr.
Barr said that the issue of fighter pay in the UFC was initially
raised internally by ESPN producers after Zuffa bought out Strikeforce.
He says that, at that moment, everything you read in the dot-com
piece started being researched. The reaction to the piece, according
to the reporter, has been very different than the kind of feedback
they get when covering other sports & controversial topics.
The value of the lengthy audio interview Mr. Barr did is more
about his tone & surprise more than his actual comments.
He emphasized how surprised ESPN was by UFC’s aggressive
PR push back to the piece and that ESPN management advised him
not to get into tit-for-tat warfare with online fans/radio shows.
The most interesting characterization he had about MMA fans is
one I always talk about whenever I write anything neutral or
negative about Zuffa or MMA in general — I call it the ‘beehive
mentality.’ According to him, the reaction they got from
UFC supporters attacking the story was angry that the promotion
was being criticized. As far as things escalating & deteriorating
between ESPN & MMA fans and ESPN & UFC, Mr. Barr made
this revealing comment.
“I
would hope that it would not come to that and I would hope that
things would quiet down and that we’d all just move on with
our lives. Will we continue to cover the sport of Mixed Martial
Arts? Uh, yeah, I don’t think there’s any question
that we’re going to.”
As
for what John Barr said during the interview, he left it all
on the table in regards to his dealings with UFC and some of
the statements they’ve made about him since the Outside
the Lines piece aired on Sunday morning.
The
first 30 minutes of the interview are about what % figure ESPN
was able to estimate for how much UFC paid out to fighters. Mr.
Barr said the low end estimate was 4% and that the number most
bandied about was 10%.
Claim:
Both Matt Serra & Chuck Liddell refused to go on camera for
ESPN story
“I’m
glad you mentioned Matt Serra because anybody who’s been
following the hubbub, if you will… I’m not sure if
Dana said it during a press conference, I’m not sure what
the context was but at some point he said that we actually went
to interview Matt Serra, put him on camera, and that when we
didn’t like what he was saying that we decided to pull the
plug on the whole thing. I’m going to give Dana White the
benefit of the doubt and just say that he was misinformed. That’s
the best case scenario. The worst case scenario is that he’s
lying because I can tell you flat out we never put Matt Serra
on camera.
“I’ll
tell you what happened. We had contact with his agent, his agent
set up a meeting. I’ve never actually met Matt Serra. A
producer that I work with closely on the television story that
aired on Outside the Lines, Greg Amante, went to meet Matt outside
of his gym on Long Island. We had no idea what we thought about
this subject, we didn’t know if he was a guy who was thrilled
with his pay, a guy who was upset, we had no idea. We just wanted
to hear from the guy. And, you know, Greg had a pretty, well,
first of all Matt was about a hour of late. But when he did show
up, Greg had a good shot with him but he said it was bizarre.
He said he was really guarded, every time he mentioned the issue
of pay Matt got sort of evasive, you know, he said it was almost
like somebody had spoken to him before we showed up.
“Well,
look, it’s one of those things that, you know, I don’t,
again, I don’t know Matt. I’ve never spoken with Matt
but that’s what I’m hearing from a guy who I worked
with who I trust, that was his read on the situation. Matt didn’t
want to go on camera, OK? He didn’t have any interest in
it, that was made abundantly clear to Greg. So, this suggestion
that we put Matt on camera and then pulled the plug because we
didn’t like what he was saying… it just didn’t
happen, you know, and the suggestion that we did that with other
fighters? Believe me, heh, I would have LOVED to have heard from
more fighters on camera. As I said to Lorenzo (Fertitta) in person,
if you have fighters who are thrilled about their pay, what…
show me where to go, you know, I’ll be there tomorrow with
the camera. But I got to tell you, people just didn’t want
to touch this…
“There
were fighters who we spoke with who are current champions and
former champions who… you know, told us that, you know,
if they were to speak out about this kind of stuff it would be
the end of their careers. You know, there was one former champion
who I can tell you is beloved within the sport who told us that
if he were to speak about it it would have a negative impact
on his current business and I don’t want to tell you what
his current business because that would kind of narrow down the,
you know, the focus a little more on just who this guy was or
is, rather. But, there’s just this concern that, you know,
if you’re in it…
Claim:
Why fighters are afraid to speak out about UFC pay levels and
the ‘culture of fear’
“Fighters
basically broke down into three groups. There’s the guys
who are in it and, you know, none of the current guys would attach
their name to any quotes. There’s the guys who aren’t
in it who want to get in it. Those guys won’t talk, either.
And then there’s the guy who have been in the UFC but are
no longer in the UFC and they want to get back into the UFC and
those guys won’t speak, either, and then there’s I
guess a completely another group, a fourth group of guys who
have a business that is somewhat dependent on their continued
good relationship with the UFC establishment and those guys are
difficult to approach as well.
“So,
there’s all sorts of challenges and on some level the UFC’s
in a good spot because you wind up getting guys who, you know,
in their minds and in their characterizations often have baggage.
Does Ken Shamrock? Absolutely, he has baggage. Did we report
that eh had been engaged, that he was involved in a lawsuit with
Zuffa? We did. Did we do it within the context of the story?
No. Bob Ley mentioned it after the story but we got the information
in there. We actually received a letter from UFC’s attorneys
not after the piece ran but after a short tease of the story
ran and there was one little comment from Ken Shamrock in that
piece and I’m not sure who saw that and who decided to pick
up the phone and call the lawyers but as soon as somebody saw
Shamrock they had their attorneys send us a letter and…
look, to be fair, yeah, we should be mentioning that Ken Shamrock
was involved in a lawsuit with the UFC and he lost and he owes
them legal fees. Does that make what he was saying wrong? You
know, I’ll leave that up to others to decide. I know what
I heard from over two dozen fighters not named Ken Shamrock,
so… I felt pretty comfortable with airing what we did as
far as what Ken’s comments were.
“Look,
there’s definitely a culture of fear that exists and I don’t
know that people do fully appreciate that. Dana White is a, look,
he’s a passionate guy. He’s obviously incredibly driven
and, you know, he’s a large reason why that company is where
it is today. The people who are really close to the situation
give Lorenzo Fertitta more credit as far as his business acumen
but there’s no question if the sport needed a bulldog to
go out and just be relentless in his pursuit of growing the sport
they found the perfect guy in Dana White.
“But,
yeah, to your point about intimidation tactics… you know,
look, we interviewed Monte Cox who has been around the sport
forever, who has staged hundreds of his own smaller promotions,
who has several former champions and 16 guys in it now, he’s
got like 70 fighters I guess in his stable now… he’s
been cursed out by Dana White over the phone. It’s almost
like I don’t think you can be an agent or a manager with
a fighter in the UFC and push the envelope and not meet some
level of heated resistance at some point. You know, (there are)
any number of managers who have stories about heated profanity-laced
exchanges with Dana White.”
Theme:
UFC management and MMA fans need to grow a set and be able to
take some heat, Zuffa/MMA writers & getting credentials
“It’s
clear to me that if the UFC really wants to mature as a sports
entity, it’s going to have to be able to shoulder and weather
the criticism. I live in Philadelphia, OK? You know, probably
outside of New York, maybe Boston, I can’t think of a more
passionate fan base in terms of, you know, columnists who are
critical of the local sports teams, sports radio hosts who bring
it every day with no holds barred, pardon the expression, critiques
when you know the leaders of their local sports teams don’t
call those shots the right way. Heck, there were people calling
for Andy Reid’s head after the third week of the season.
But those columnists go to press conferences every week, multiple
times a week, they go into the locker rooms and talk to players,
they’re not banned. You know, they’re big boys, they
can take the slings & arrows. You know, if you want to really
prove that you’ve arrived then put up with it, you know?
That’s my take.
“If
every story that comes out that’s mildly critical or takes
a critical view of what you do if every story is to be responded
to by somebody coming out with a series of half-truths and, you
know, what was rather telling when UFC put two videos out. One
of them was a 10 minute video that included interviews with Chuck
Liddell, who by the way wouldn’t talk to us for our story,
Matt Serra who by the way wouldn’t talk to us for our story,
and Forrest Griffin who we never contacted. But it also included
several clips from the interview that I did with Lorenzo…
I didn’t tall them up but I think he may have made 10 to
15 salient points during the course of that UFC-produced video
and easily 7 of them were either in the TV piece that we did
or the dot-com piece that we did.
“Look,
we’re not, it’s not our charge to do your public relations.
You hire people for that. I had a news director years ago who
told me, ‘PR people distort the truth, you report the truth.’
You know, that sounds like, you know, I’m trying to say
I fight for truth, justice, and the American way but at the end
of the day that’s all we want, that’s what we try to
get at — the TRUTH. I know people are out there just convinced
that we have this agenda and there are some people that are the
conspiracy theorists who think (UFC) signed a deal with FOX so
ESPN’s out to get them! And that’s convenient and it
fits into somebody’s paradigm but it’s just not the
way we work, you know?
“I
can tell you, I can reel off the last dozen stories I’ve
done, there have been stories that have been critical of the
NFL. We did a piece recently that was critical of the quality
of NBA officiating. We put hundreds of millions of dollars in
the NBA’s pocket every year, you know. This is not about
that. It’s about journalism, it’s what we do, and this
is a story that we thought was important to do. Heck, we don’t
cover Mixed Martial Arts enough, you know, and the few times
we do it we get blasted for not doing it in a way that essentially
would have us be nothing more than shills of the UFC. That’s
not the kind of reporter I want to be.”
Addressing
claims that ESPN selectively edited interview video to make UFC
look bad & Dana White’s grudge against ESPN
“People
can see it on Youtube if they want to watch the whole bloody
47 minute thing but I shook Lorenzo Fertitta’s hand and
this was after he told me why Dana White won’t do any more
interviews with ESPN and I said, ‘look, I hope this isn’t
your last interview with ESPN, we really appreciate you making
the time,’ and I do and I know… you know, I do think
it’s important for us to have access to these guys if we
want to cover them and cover them in a meaningful way. And, as
I said earlier, I think it will go a long way in helping that
company define itself as far as the maturation process is if
they can demonstrate that they are not impervious to criticism.
They need to… you know… I think it would go a long
way in adding to the credibility of their product if they were
able to withstand a critical analysis from the outside from time
to time.
“Look,
[Dana] wasn’t a big fan of ESPN to begin with. He’s
still hacked off about a profile that our friends at E:60 did
about him some months ago. You know, a very fine reporter Tom
Farrey who I work with who I respect a lot did that story. He’s
still upset about that and that was the reason cited for Dana
not agreeing to not do an interview with us, it’s just the
lingering… I guess ill-will he feels towards ESPN because
of that feature. I actually thought that the piece was pretty
fair, you know… I thought it was a pretty accurate reflection
of a guy who… is, you know, at times profane, at times always
passionate… and just… you know, one could argue an
extremely aggressive and one might even argue ruthless businessman.
But, what are going to do?
“Yeah,
I’ve never received (feedback) like this, but it is what
it is. It’s not going to change how I do what I do. At the
end of the day, if you wake up and feel good about what you’ve
done and if you feel like you’re true to your moral code,
that’s all that really matters, you know. There could be
3,000 people on ESPN.com ripping me for being a lousy reporter,
it doesn’t mean that I’m going to buy any of it. You’re
never as good as they tell you are and you’re never as lousy
as they tell you that you are. Like I said before, you throw
out the Russian and the American judge and you settle for what’s
left.”
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
UFC
on FOX 2: By the Odds
By Ben
Fowlkes
The
UFC returns to network TV on Saturday night with an interesting
lineup that more than one current champ will no doubt want to
keep a close eye on. But with all this last-minute match-up shuffling
taking place, surely there must be some intriguing adjustments
on the betting odds front for the UFC on FOX 2. All that's left
is to find out where the deals are...and where they aren't.
Rashad
Evans (-210) vs. Phil Davis (+170)
The
line on this fight started out a little closer to even -- Evans
at -160 and Davis at +135 sounds about right to me -- but soon
spread out, leaving us to ask the question: does Evans really
deserve to be a 2-1 favorite over a former NCAA champion wrestler
who's unbeaten in his MMA career? Really?
As
you can probably tell by now, I'm leaning toward no. It's not
that I don't think Evans deserves to be the favorite. He's been
in this sport longer, knows the tricks of the trade a little
better, and is more comfortable in the big fights than the relatively
unpolished and still largely one-dimensional Davis. Coming from
a wrestling background himself, Evans probably has a good sense
of what Davis doesn't even know he doesn't know yet (if that
makes any sense at all), and that might be the edge that matters
in a close fight. Still, 2-1 over a guy who would most likely
beat him in a straight wrestling match? That's hard to swallow.
Evans can't rely on wrestling ability or sheer athleticism against
a guy like Davis. He'll have to be the smarter, more experienced
fighter, and he'll also have to hope that Davis' long layoff
will take its toll in the late rounds. Those are all distinct
possibilities, but by no means guarantees.
My pick: I hate to sound like a Facebook relationship status
here, but it's complicated. If you could have jumped on Evans
when he was at -160, I'd tell you to take that. If you feel like
waiting to see if Davis creeps up closer to +200, I'd applaud
your patience. In other words, I like Evans to win, but these
odds aren't worth the risk in a fight this close.
Chael
Sonnen (-400) vs. Michael Bisping (+300)
Here's
a fight where the line has actually come down a bit from a slightly
absurd start when it was first announced. Simply put, oddsmakers
seem to think that there's no clear path to victory for Bisping,
and I tend to agree. He lacks the knockout power to truly put
the fear into Sonnen on the feet, and he's not exactly a submissions
artist off his back. Neither is he a high-caliber wrestler with
the chops to shut down Sonnen's takedowns and use his hit-and-run
tactics to wear the self-proclaimed middleweight champion down.
So what's a well-rounded Brit to do? I'm not sure I know the
answer, and I doubt that Bisping does either.
My pick: Sonnen. The line makes this a parlay pick all the way,
but it's as close to a lock as you'll find on this card.
Chris
Weidman (-150) vs. Demian Maia (+120)
Okay
oddsmakers, here's where I have to call shenanigans. If Weidman
had signed to fight Maia six weeks ago, maybe then I could understand
this line. If he'd had all that time to study film and work on
countering Maia's style of jiu-jitsu in the gym, then fine, maybe
I'd agree that he deserves to be a small favorite. But that's
not what happened. Weidman took this fight -- easily the biggest
fight of his life and against the most accomplished opponent
he's ever faced -- on less than two weeks' notice. He's going
from facing the Tom Lawlors and Jesse Bongfeldts of the MMA world
to fighting a guy who has perhaps the most dangerous submissions
game in the division, and he's doing it with no real training
camp to speak of. You take a fight like this on short notice,
your big concern is getting your weight right and showing up
looking reasonably ready to fight. You're basically saying that
you think you could beat Maia if he walked in unannounced to
your gym one day and issued a kung fu movie-esque challenge right
on the spot. And -- who knows? -- maybe Weidman really is that
good. All I know for sure is that we haven't seen it yet, at
least not against any opponent of Maia's caliber.
My pick: Maia. His edge in both experience and preparation makes
him an underdog I can't pass up.
Quick
picks:
-
John Olav Einemo (+120) over Mike Russow (-150). Yes, Russow
is a tough guy and a local favorite, but I think he's a tad too
slow for Einemo.
-
George Roop (+115) over Cub Swanson (-145). Roop is slightly
better than his recent record indicates, while Swanson still
has a lot of holes in his game.
The
'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Sonnen + Maia + Evan
Dunham (-400) + Joey Beltran (-225).
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Chris
Weidman Couldn’t Pass Up Opportunity of a Lifetime to Fight
at UFC on Fox
by Andrew
Gladstone
Grand
opportunities usually come once in a lifetime and if you get
the chance to fulfill your dreams, you’ve got to jump on
it.
Enter
Chris Weidman (8-0), a humble, hard-nosed wrestler, who is looking
to seize the day when he meets top ranked middleweight Demian
Maia at UFC on Fox 2 on only a week’s notice.
The
former All-American wrestler at Hofstra University has been known
to seize the day and believes in high risk for high reward. In
his UFC debut, Weidman faced former middleweight striker Alessio
Sakara on short-notice and he got the job done. Not only did
Weidman pass the test with flying colors, in just his fifth fight
he took out a former contender.
Weidman
wasn’t even expected to fight at UFC on Fox 2, but the opportunity
came knocking on his door when an injury to Mark Munoz caused
the UFC to do a reset. The opportunity to face submission ace
Demian Maia was something the Matt Serra pupil couldn’t
refuse.
“When
I got the phone call from my manager, I just thought it was such
a huge opportunity,” Weidman said late last week.
“At
first he told me I was probably going to be fighting in March
or April and they weren’t going to put him on this next
card and he was going to get pulled off I think, so I said, ‘absolutely,
that’s a huge opportunity.’ I called my coaches and
they were all on board and were confident with the fight and
the jump up in competition.
“(The
UFC) called back and said Maia really wanted to fight on this
Fox card and at that point it was a half hour between two phone
calls. I became so pumped up between phone calls I didn’t
care when it was. So when they told me I was going to fight him
in a week, I was like let’s do this because I’m excited
to get out there and test myself.”
Not
only is this an opportunity against a top contender, Weidman
gets to showcase his hard work in front of millions of viewers
tuning in to Fox on Saturday night. The 27-year-old doesn’t
believe that it matters how much time he had to prepare because
at the end of the day, he knows that getting a chance to get
to do what he loves and be a part of history is an opportunity
he could never pass up.
“It’s
a huge opportunity, some people never have opportunities given
to them and who am I to throw it away? In my own mind, this is
truly the first Fox card. There’s three main fights on this
card; the last one was just a one-fight thing. This is history
in the making and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Rashad
Evans’ Jiu-Jitsu-focused training for UFC on Saturday
Former
light heavyweight champion of the UFC Rashad Evans doesn’t
tend to overlook the opponents he has ahead of him. In the lead-up
to his showdown with Phil Davis at next Saturday’s UFC on
Fox show, things are no different, and Evans has gone scientific
with his training camp in Florida—especially where Jiu-Jitsu
is concerned, as GRACIEMAG.com found out.
On
the menu for his final week of training: plenty of control and
submission positions, with the help of Rolles Gracie.
“Rashad
called on me to train with him for his fight with Phil Davis.
As I myself am getting ready to fight [against Bob Sapp in Indonesia],
the invite fit like a glove,” remarked Rolles Gracie.
POSITIONING
AND JIU-JITSU LESSONS
“We
always exchange a lot of information with every sparring session.
This time the focus was more on control while pursuing the submission,”
said Rolles, revealing how Rashad isn’t just about pounding
opponents into mush and getting knockouts.
“There’s
always something I learn from him, whether in moving around on
the feet or even in Jiu-Jitsu. After all, as Rashad has a natural
ability to explode and get to his feet, my Jiu-Jitsu gets better
with every training session. By training with him my positional
control on the ground improves,” Rolles Gracie professes.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Jim
Miller vs. Nate Diaz On Tap for UFC on Fox 3 May 5 in New Jersey
by Damon
Martin
The
UFC has now planned their third Fox show for May 5 at the IZOD
Center in New Jersey and the first fight has also been announced.
UFC
president Dana White took to Twitter on Tuesday and said the
first bout for the upcoming card will feature Jim Miller against
Nate Diaz.
It’s
unknown at this time what placement the fight between Miller
and Diaz will have, but obviously it will be a televised bout,
it’s just unclear if it could be the main event.
Jim
Miller gets another fight less than a week after his last win
over Melvin Guillard at UFC on FX 1 in Nashville. Miller submitted
Guillard in the first round to pick up the victory, bouncing
back from a loss to Benson Henderson in his previous contest.
Since
returning to the lightweight division, Nate Diaz has been on
point taking out both Takanori Gomi and most recently Donald
“Cowboy” Cerrone.
Diaz’s
boxing has continued to improve and he may be on par with his
brother Nick, who is widely considered one of the best pugilists
in the sport.
Diaz
will face Miller in his backyard of New Jersey, where the AMA
Fight Club fighter resides.
More
fights are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Dan
Henderson talks Evans vs. Davis, says Bisipng has no chance against
Sonnen
By Guilherme
Cruz
Dan Henderson wants the next shot against Jon Jones, but first
he needs to cheer for Phil Davis against Rashad Evans, on this
Saturday’s UFC on FOX 2. In exclusive interview to TATAME,
“Hendo” said he believes Rashad is the favorite. “Rashad
should win. Rashad has better hands and they’re both good
wrestlers”, Dan said, talking about Michael Bisping’s
chances against Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva’s desire to
fight him or Chael and if he was offered or not a fight against
Anthony Johnson, as Vitor Belfort told TATAME.
Vitor Belfort said UFC offered you Johnson and you declined it.
Is it true?
Vitor’s been hit in the head many times or he’s just
misinformed. Why would they offer me someone like Johnson? It
doesn’t do anything for me and I made it clear that there’s
only one person at 185lbs that I would fight.
Do you think that maybe he’s trying to create a situation
so that you would fight him in the future?
I don’t know, I doubt it. I mean, Vitor’s been fun
and good. Maybe he’s just misinformed, his management or
I don’t know, but I was never the case. Why would UFC offer
me that fight? There’s no money in it for the UFC.
You’re now waiting for Rashad vs. Davis to know your next
move, right?
They did offer me little Nogueira, but for me it didn’t
make much sense. I didn’t think it was a good fight for
me, but for me to get ready that quick for a five-round fight
that I would’ve been a little bit out of shape. I told them
I’d do a three-round fight, but not a five-round. I would
rather wait and maybe fight Jon Jones first.
Did you ask the UFC to do this a three-round fight?
They said no, because it’s the main event. They won’t
do it that anymore.
If Phil Davis defeats Rashad you’re the next on the line?
I don’t know if I made Dana mad when I said ‘no’
to little Nogueira (laughs). But, you know, for me it didn’t
make sense right now. Little Nogueira lost to Davis and Bader,
then beat Tito… It really did make no sense to me. What
was the point of that fight? They were just trying to put together
a main event that wasn’t gonna be that great.
This Saturday it’s Rashad vs. Davis on FOX. Who do you think
wins this one?
Rashad should win. Rashad has better hands and they’re both
good wrestlers. I think it’s gonna come a lot down to conditioning,
I think. Who’s in better shape…
So do you think Rashad is getting the next title shot?
Unless he gets hurt or if he’s not ready to fight when they
want him and Jones to fight. I don’t know. I’m not
expecting the next title shot, just hoping for it.
Are you back to training full force now?
Yeah, trying to (laughs). This week is really my first week of
being consistent, I was trying to do it once a week before, lot
of vacations with the holidays.
A big vacation after a five-round war, right?
Yeah. My thumb was hurt for a while, I hurt my thumb really bad,
so… It’s hard to grapple or spar.
Do you think that’s the reason why you slowed down on the
last couple of rounds?
No, my thumb didn’t bother me during the fight. A little
bit, but not much. It was just a lot of action and a lot of hard
punches and it made me tire. I took a lot of punches, and I think
it wear me out.
Did you think that fight would be like that?
No. I mean, I thought if I landed some good punches I thought
maybe he would feel it and I could finish him. It was close,
but he stood manly strong. I wasn’t expecting that, but
he’s a tough guy.
You said once on Twitter that you believed Anderson didn’t
wanted to fight you or Sonnen...
I just think he just don’t wanna fight us. Maybe it’s
more of his managers didn’t wanting him to fight us, but
he’s just gonna end up doing the fight. Probably, Chael
first.
Do you think Chael will be a winner this Saturday?
Yeah, I don’t see Bisping even having a chance.
And do you expect next for you?
I have no idea. Just hoping for Jones. We’ll see.
Source:
Tatame
|
Scratching
a ‘Wonderful’ Surface
By Todd
Martin
The
time has come to find out just how good “Mr. Wonderful”
is inside the Octagon.
There
are points in any athlete’s career when he or she needs
to take a serious step up in competition. Many great collegiate
football and basketball players fell short when thrust into deeper
professional waters. Likewise, many fighters have shown great
promise in low-profile fights before collapsing under the bright
lights and fierce competition of major league mixed martial arts.
Phil
Davis entered MMA with lofty expectations. A celebrated national
champion wrestler from Penn State University, it was no secret
that he was a fighter to watch from day one. However, elite wrestling
skills are no guarantee of Octagon success. Ask Kevin Jackson
or Jake Rosholt. Wrestlers have the tricky task of needing to
diversify their skills while, at the same time, not losing sight
of their strongest assets.
The
early returns for Davis have been good. He has taken out foes
like former WEC champion Brian Stann and the world-ranked Alexander
Gustafsson, and he won his first main event against a highly
respected veteran in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Make no mistake:
all that was preamble. Now, the measure of Davis’ mettle
will be taken in a high-profile showdown with one of the top
pound-for-pound fighters in the world at UFC on Fox 2 this Saturday
in Chicago.
The
opponent: Rashad Evans, a fully developed fighter at the peak
of his athletic ability and combat skill. The stage: the Fox
network, in a main event before a massive television audience.
The stakes: a likely UFC title shot and the opportunity for multimillion-dollar
paydays. The challenge in front of Davis figures to be markedly
stiffer than any other he has faced in MMA, and the way he performs
will define the future trajectory of his career.
In
many ways, Davis is an unlikely individual to end up in the MMA
spotlight. While some of the other top fighters on the UFC’s
second Fox show are brash trash talkers and self-promoters, Davis
is easygoing and understated. Evans, Michael Bisping and Chael
Sonnen are natural showmen; it is hard to imagine Davis settling
into that role. His manner in MMA reflects his approach to the
sport. Bluster and bravado do not do much for the man, whereas
competition and action engage him.
“When
I watch a fighter, I just watch the fights,” Davis told
Sherdog.com in an exclusive interview. “I don’t care
so much about guys’ personalities and what they eat and
drink and do in their spare time. I like Rashad because he’s
a good, entertaining fighter.”
Throughout
the build to their fight, Evans has tried to bait Davis. Occasionally,
Davis has given it back a little. However, trash talking does
not come as naturally to the Nittany Lion as it does to Quinton
“Rampage” Jackson or Jon Jones. He does not have the
disposition for it. Eric Del Fierro has coached Davis for more
than two years and has yet to witness him lose his temper.
“It’s
pretty hard to get under my skin,” Davis acknowledged. “I’m
one of those people that don’t accept insults.”
Beyond
his unlikely personality for MMA, Davis has traveled an unlikely
path just getting to it. He was aware of the sport from an early
age, having watched and enjoyed a tape of the Royce Gracie-Kimo
Leopoldo match at UFC 3. However, full-contact fighting was not
something he contemplated as a potential career until many years
later.
In
junior high school, Davis joined the wrestling team, but not
because of any particular attraction to wrestling. Rather, a
friend asked Davis to try out with him. He did not enjoy wrestling
at first but stuck with it and eventually became a champion.
His MMA career began similarly, with a friend daring him to pursue
a fight and Davis obliging. He then saw the money in the sport
and decided to seriously dedicate himself.
The
infusion of money into MMA has led to a flow of elite wrestlers
entering the sport. It is impossible to know how many of them
would not have bothered getting into MMA if it were not viewed
as a path to fortune and fame. If Davis graduated from college
five years earlier, might he be working behind a desk right now?
He acknowledges the possibility.
“It’s
tough to say,” Davis said after a significant pause. “I
don’t know. I do love to compete. I wouldn’t rule it
out, but, at the same time, I think I enjoy getting paid.”
Evans
seeks a second title reign.
Evans independently pushed this same point a couple days later
on a UFC conference call promoting the fight.
“Look,
there’s some people that would fight if they weren’t
getting paid to fight,” he declared, “and I’m
one of those people. Phil is not one of those people.”
Evans
was making a specific point with his accusation. A “real”
fighter will compete not for profit or fame but for the love
of the sport and competition. When the going gets tough, that
fighter can be expected to keep battling to the end. By contrast,
a fighter in it for the money might not be willing to make the
extra sacrifice. Regardless of the truth in this claim -- Floyd
Mayweather Jr. will not box for free, but that does not make
him any more beatable in a prizefight -- the natural inclination
would be for Davis to deny it. He instead elected to embrace
it.
“You’re
absolutely right,” he retorted. “I’d be pushing
a pen, but since I get paid to fight, looks like you [are] next.”
It
was a telling response. Davis showed no need to justify himself
through his words. There was no insecurity to be exploited. His
actions would speak for him soon enough.
In
order to prepare for Evans, Davis has continued to train at Alliance
MMA in San Diego. He met reigning UFC bantamweight champion and
Alliance MMA representative Dominick Cruz at a wrestling camp
in Philadelphia and came to California to prepare for a fight
under the Palace Fighting Championship banner in early 2009.
Davis later decided to form a permanent partnership with Alliance,
with Del Fierro and Lloyd Irvin overseeing his UFC rise. The
arrangement has already produced dividends, and Davis, with a
little more than three years of experience, appears to be just
getting started.
“I
don’t think I’m even close to where I can get in terms
of skill and technique,” Davis said. “I’m still
developing as a fighter. I’m about a five on my scale, out
of 10.”
Del
Fierro concurs and believes fans are only getting glimpses of
Davis’ capabilities.
“He’s
at the beginning of his career,” Del Fierro noted. “This
is just the tip of the iceberg. Two years into the sport isn’t
a big learning curve. Wrestling allows him to adapt faster, but
he’s just getting started.”
Against
Evans, the question will center on whether Davis has developed
enough as a fighter to deal with someone much closer to his ultimate
potential. Evans was nowhere near Davis’ level as a collegiate,
but his wrestling for MMA has proven excellent and he should
have a decided advantage in the standup over his undefeated opponent.
In
San Diego, Davis and his trainers are working furiously to close
the distance with fighters that have been training standup for
much longer periods of time. Davis has already shown an aptitude
for jiu-jitsu, and his primary focus in preparing for Evans has
been on the standup game.
“Wrestling
to jiu-jitsu is an easier transition than wrestling to striking,”
Del Fierro said. “Our bigger focus has been on striking
development and to blend all the arts together. Jiu-jitsu is
more instinctual to him, but he is such a phenomenal athlete
that his striking is leaps and bounds above what it was six months
ago.”
That
development in Davis’ game -- even since his last fight
against Nogueira -- could provide a hidden advantage for the
27-year-old Harrisburg, Pa., native. While Evans adds new wrinkles
to his game from fight to fight, Davis is evolving in short order.
As such, there could conceivably be some significant surprises
for Evans to deal with in the cage.
“Phil
still has the element of the unknown to him,” Del Fierro
said. “You know he can wrestle and has done certain things,
but he hasn’t shown a lot overall yet. He hasn’t fought
a fighter the caliber of Rashad, so people don’t know what
to expect, and that plays into our favor. We haven’t shown
our full game. It’s going to be a great fight for Phil.”
“It’s
pretty hard to get under my skin. I’m one of those people
that don’t accept insults.”
-- Phil Davis, UFC light heavyweight
Aside from Evans, Davis also has to contend with a spotlight
he has never faced before. Some fighters are able to block it
out by focusing on the fight alone. Others embrace the spotlight
and use it to their advantage. Davis finds himself in a tricky
intermediate position, well aware of the magnitude of his next
fight but unwilling to let it influence his approach.
“I
have to say it’s just another fight,” Davis said. “I
won’t let myself get into that mode where I think about
everything else that surrounds the fight, as far as media and
millions of people watching the fight, but, honestly, it’s
not just like every other fight. Hopefully, it’s the most
watched MMA fight in history. That’s what I’d want,
but I have to take it as just another fight.”
Blocking
out external distractions for easily the most significant event
of one’s professional life is no easy task. Beating a world-class
opponent on top of his game and hungry for a long-awaited title
shot is even more difficult. Davis has passed all tests to this
point. It is now time for the world to find out what he is truly
made of.
Source
Sherdog
|
Chael
Sonnen Brings Title Belt to UFC on FOX 2 Press Conference
By Ray
Hui
Although
the UFC (as well as the rest of the world) recognizes Anderson
Silva as the world middleweight champion, that's not stopping
contender Chael Sonnen from walking around with his own replica
belt.
A
day after wearing the belt over his shoulder for an ESPN2 interview,
Sonnen brought the belt to Thursday's UFC on FOX 2 press conference
for everyone to take a closer look at the W Chicago City Center
in Chicago.
"This
is the world championship title of which I took from Anderson
Silva," Sonnen explained of the belt in front of him. "In
this country, possession is nine-tenths of the law. Finders keepers,
losers weepers, and if he wants it back, he knows where to find
me."
If
Sonnen wants the real title, he'll have to beat Michael Bisping
on Saturday to earn a title shot against Silva. To make matters
confusing, Sonnen for the past month-and-a-half has insisted
a rematch with Silva will not happen, claiming he's done chasing
after a rematch with Silva. Instead, Sonnen said he would cash
in his No. 1 contender voucher against a champion in another
weight class.
On
Thursday, White cleared up the situation, reiterating that the
winner of Sonnen-Bisping will take on Silva for the belt in the
summer.
"Chael's
nuts," White said. "He says all kinds of crazy things.
He's [claims he's] champion ... Listen to me. Okay? Listen to
me. He's not the champion. He will fight Anderson Silva if he
wins. He will not fight for the heavyweight championship or Jon
Bones Jones."
Interestingly,
Sonnen has strayed from trashing Bisping or previous opponent
Mark Munoz leading up to UFC on FOX 2, instead sticking to cutting
pro wrestling promos about emerging victorious on Saturday. It's
clear as focused as Sonnen is on Bisping, there's still business
to be settled between himself and Silva.
"I
believe that I am the true champion," Sonnen said. "This
is the true UFC belt. This was Anderson Silva's belt. I took
his belt like a gangster in the night ... If he wants his belt
back, he can come and get it. But as far as I'm concerned, he's
as irrelevant as Mike Tyson. The only thing he hasn't done is
announce his retirement. He sound paint his face, gain a hundred
pounds, sit in the third row and hope somebody remembers who
they are because neither of those guys matter anymore."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
MMA
Link Club: A connection between weight cutting & PED usage
By Zach
Arnold
King
Mo and his manager, Mike Kogan, did the media rounds everywhere
yesterday to basically go on the offensive in terms of public
relations. If you’re looking for a summary of what their
stance is on the failed Nevada drug test for masteron (drostanolone),
you can read an in-depth summary here.
Masteron
is known for being used to help recovery time and/or keep lean
muscle for those who do weight cutting. In other words, it’s
a ‘good’ drug for MMA fighters who are looking to use
something for performance enhancing benefits. One of the connections
that no one has made yet is the fact that in many PED cases where
guys got busted on drug tests, the drugs in question are less
about bulk and more about maintaining strength while minimizing
weight gain.
Both
steroid usage & weight cutting can damage the body’s
endocrine system. If you’re a steroid user, you use drugs,
damage your endocrine system, and end up using synthetic testosterone
to get your endocrine system back to ‘normal’ because
you damaged your body with steroids. It’s double-dipping.
With weight cutting, you damage your body and you end up using
testosterone (steroids) because your body can’t naturally
produce what is needed.
I
bring this up because I wanted to recall a recent interview that
Dr. Johnny Benjamin did with Mauro Ranallo about Anthony Johnson’s
massive weight cutting problems. I hate the concept of weight
cutting in MMA that involves dropping down more than one weight
class from your normal weight… but I suppose I’m in
the minority. The idea of guys cutting 30, 40, even 50 pounds
to make a weight limit is completely unhealthy and sickening
to think about given the damage you are doing to your body.
Dr.
Benjamin’s message about Anthony Johnson: don’t hate
the player, hate the game.
“All
the blame is getting placed on Anthony Johnson but, unfortunately,
we reward guys for being able to cut weight to fight at a weight
class that is not their own. So, everybody’s throwing Anthony
Johnson under the bus and, yes, he missed and he’s missed
it before (but) he can get rewarded for that because when he
come in for fight night 20 or 30 pounds larger than his competitor
and maybe 40 or 50 pounds greater than the limit for the weight
class, that’s really in his best interest if he wants to
proceed up the ladder in the UFC.”
Dr.
Benjamin says that it’s time for UFC to implement a regulated
weight-cutting policy for its fighters. Why the onus on UFC?
Because what UFC wants, UFC gets and they can set the tone.
“(There
are) some very serious health concerns (with weight cutting).
I mean, the one that everybody thinks about is kidney damage
or kidney failure. It happens. Everybody says, ‘oh, it’s
not that big deal.’ The hell it’s not! Go spend an
hour at a dialysis center and watch someone take every drop of
blood taken from their bodies and put through a machine and ask
them how big of a deal it is to have to do that three times a
week just to live. I mean, your kidneys are at risk. The other
thing that people don’t consider is your brain is at risk
because water makes up 97% of the CSF, the Cerebral Spinal Fluid,
that’s the fluid that is around the brain that protects
and cushion the brains from blows. So, any time you lose massive
amounts of water you shrink the amount of cushioning and protection
that there is around the brain. Now you’re going to ask
Vitor Belfort to punch you in the face, it’s a bad combination.
“People
always say, ‘hey, what’s the solution? There is no
solution, this is a time-honored tradition.’ There’s
a lot of things that we’ve done for a long time that didn’t
make sense and people always say, ‘well, these guys have
been doing it since High School, most of them are wrestlers,
they know how to do it.’ Just because you’ve done something
for a long time doesn’t make it safe. My uncle, you know,
drives with no seat belt and he’s done it forever. It doesn’t
make it safe. Rides a motorcycle with no helmet, doesn’t
make it safe just because you’ve done it forever. It makes
you particularly lucky.
“The
thing that I would say is simple — find out what the person’s
normal weight is … it’s really simple. All you do is
show up and weigh the guy when he’s not training, when he
knows he doesn’t have a fight coming up. And let’s
think how simple that’d really be — when you go to
a normal UFC fight in Las Vegas, how many other fighters who
are not on the card are there on that night? Dozen? 20 or more?
There’s a lot of fighters around. Hey, throw a scale down,
make them get on it. Three or four times a year, check the fighters,
put them on the scale, and get an average of what their walking-around
weight is. And guess what, if a guy normally walks around at
200 pounds, you say you know what? The new rule’s going
to be you can’t fight at a weight class less than 90% of
your normal weight. So, if a guy normally walks around from the
three or four times you caught them for random weigh-ins throughout
the year, if his average weight comes out to be 200 pounds you
say, you know what, 90% of 200 is 180 pounds. That means the
least you can fight at is at Middleweight. I don’t care
what you can cut your body down to, we want you fighting at a
fair weight. You’ve been given 10% that you can cut your
body weight and that’s it.
“There
were plenty of media reports that said that 7-to-10 days before
the fight, [Anthony Johnson] was walking around at 215 (pounds).
Well, wait a minute… 7 to 10 days he’s 215 but he has
to fight at 185? So, this guy’s got another 30 pounds to
lose in 10 days? That’s ridiculous. I mean, he should be
no more than 5% above that body weight the week to go out.”
As
for his thoughts on the King Mo suspension: King Mo acknowledges
taking an OTC testosterone (T) supplement. Everyone knows that
altering T levels is banned. Doesn’t really make sense.
Officially no difference where the testosterone comes from. All
sources are banned. He appears to be saying that he took an OTC
supplement T booster with a precursor in it that breaks down
to T.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Dana
White Reveals UFC Championship Road Map
by Ken
Pishna
In
our give it to me now, I gotta have it yesterday, web-centric
society, as soon as a fight is over, everybody always wants to
know what’s next.
The
standard response from UFC president Dana White is “we’ll
see. We’re gonna sit down and figure that out.”
Heading
into Saturday night’s UFC on Fox 2 fight card, White already
has already sat down and figured out what’s next for two
of the promotion’s marquee divisions. Both the UFC light
heavyweight and middleweight title pictures have clearly defined
paths following the fights in Chicago.
In
regards to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, he will
face the winner of the fight between Chael Sonnen and Michael
Bisping, likely at a soccer stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this
summer… despite what Sonnen believes.
“I
think that (the UFC) is sincere. I think that they mean it. But
I can tell you that behind the scenes, they’ve tried to
put Anderson and me together four times and four times he said
no,” Sonnen stated recently, declaring that it is his belief
that Silva will never step in the Octagon with him or likely
anyone else.
White
begs to differ.
“I
100-percent, right here, right now, guarantee you that if Chael
Sonnen wins his fight, that Anderson Silva will fight Chael Sonnen
this summer,” the UFC pres said in a recent interview for
UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. “It will probably take place in
Brazil.”
Color
Sonnen skeptical. He believes that, if he gets past Bisping,
he’ll be sitting down with White to discuss the possibility
of moving up to challenge Jon Jones or down to square off with
Georges St-Pierre. Of course, with Sonnen, much of what he says
comes across as if he’s channeling the Steve Jobs reality
distortion field.
The
picture has become just as clear for the light heavyweight title
picture, but despite what Sonnen might want to believe, it doesn’t
include him.
There
is no longer speculation as to who Jon Jones will defend his
205-pound division UFC title from; it’s either Option A
or Option B.
“If
Rashad Evans wins, and if he doesn’t get injured, he will
fight Jon Jones,” said White, verifying Option A. “He’s
the guy who gets the shot. He’s been waiting a long time,
and he’s the one who deserves it.”
Option
B is just as concrete. There is no discussion if it will be Phil
Davis or Dan Henderson or Chael Sonnen.
“Should
Rashad get hurt, then Dan Henderson will fight next.”
He
didn’t exactly go on to say when or where Evans or Henderson
would get the shot at Jones, but it is all but assured to be
at UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21. UFC 145 was eventually slated
for Montreal in March, but that date and location had to be bagged
due to lack of a “championship-caliber” headlining
bout.
A
pay-per-view event in Atlanta will need that same marquee-type
of fight and Jones is the only fighter available that fits the
bill.
It’s
a little bit out of the ordinary for White to be so declarative
heading into an event, but UFC on Fox 2 is the promotion’s
first full-on foray onto “Big Fox” – the November
fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos was but a
preview of coming attractions – so this one has to deliver
the goods.
What
better way to do that than to put two fights with absolute title
implications at the top of the bill, launching the winners into
the pay-per-view stratosphere?
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Jones Says He'll Be Ready to Defend Belt by Upcoming Atlanta
Event
After four dominant wins in a banner 2011 that saw him ascend
to UFC light-heavyweight champion, Jon Jones said he was headed
for a long vacation, but after about one month on the sidelines
taking care of other business, Jones is ready to begin preparations
to get back into the octagon.
During
an interview on Friday night's UFC on FX post-fight show, Jones
said that he's awaiting his next assignment, which is likely
to come in the form of either Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson or
Phil Davis.
Asked
when he might return, Jones (15-1) said he was "hearing
rumors" of a date in Atlanta for what would be UFC 145.
Given
the current scheduling situation, Jones is a near lock to be
slotted into the card, which will take place on April 21 at Philips
Arena. The UFC has already announced 10 bouts for the event,
but it is conspicuously missing a headliner.
Jones
may know his fate as early as next weekend, when Evans and Davis
battle in the main event of UFC on FOX 2. If Evans wins, he has
been assured a chance to fight for the belt in a bout that would
likely be the grudge match of the year. He would, however, have
to come out of the fight injury-free, no sure thing against the
grinding style of Davis. With less than three months between
the January 28 FOX fight and the April date, Evans could miss
out on another title opportunity should he suffer any injury
setback.
If
that were the case, Henderson would almost certainly be thrust
into the spot ahead of Evans. Henderson is coming off his epic
UFC 139 win against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a bout
that many are calling the best fight in UFC history. In the aftermath,
Henderson turned down a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in
order to wait and see how Evans-Davis turns out. The calculated
gamble may turn out to provide dividends.
A
Davis win would muddle the picture greatly. Though UFC president
Dana White has said he'd prefer the 41-year-old Henderson over
a victorious Davis, a dominant performance by the young upstart
might cause him to reconsider.
Either
way, it seems likely that Jones will have one of the three queued
up and ready to go within two weeks as the champion looks to
follow up his brilliant 2011.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Kenny
Florian has No Regrets if June Comes and He Calls it Quits
Kenny
Florian has been a fighter that has consistently challenged for
a UFC championship. He made it to the finals of The Ultimate
Fighter, and he challenged for the belt on three occasions, in
two different weight classes.
“I’ve
never done anything to be mid-level,” he told MMAWeekly.com
recently.
A
weightlifting injury in November caused numbness and tingling
in Florian’s right leg, and it’s not improving. Having
consulted with doctors, who recommend that he hang up the gloves,
Florian appears to be leaning towards that option.
He
knows for sure that he doesn’t want to jump into a surgical
procedure.
“There
is no doctor out there that they operate on your spine, they’re
going to say you’re going to be okay,” said Florian.
“I want to see if I can do it through training, through
rehab, through other means first and then take it from there.”
The
odds aren’t in his favor that such an approach will return
him to form, at least not the form that would be necessary to
remain in contention for another title run. Gunning for a title
is the only way Florian would want to continue his career.
As
he said, he doesn’t want to be a second tier player.
Yet,
a definitive decision has yet to be made.
“It
depends on how I heal up, and all that stuff. I’m giving
it until about June to see how I feel, how I heal up,” said
Florian.
“Looking
back, I got to face some of the best fighters in the world. I
had a good career, if it comes to that; I have no regrets.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Edson
Barboza: “I don’t train that kick too much”
The
lightweight Edson Barboza once again was the highlight of UFC
Rio. If at its first edition, on August of 2011, he earned the
prize for the best fight, this year the athlete who fights out
of Nova Friburgo got the bonus for the best fight and knockout,
as he sent Terry Etim to the floor with a head kick. Back to
his hometown as a “small celebrity”, Edson talked to
TATAME about his beautiful knockout, guaranteeing he does not
train it on daily basis, set his future in the UFC, talked about
the feeling of winning at home again and seeing the sport growing.
What
are your thoughts about the fight? Things were even until you
kick him.
It’s
true. Honestly, I haven’t watched the fight yet, I didn’t
get the chance, but my corner told me I was doing fine and that
I won the two first rounds. I was cool. I’m really glad
about what happened in these four fights in the UFC. I didn’t
put myself at risk at any time, and it was no different this
time. The guy didn’t hit me or do anything that could compromise
my performance both standing and on the floor. That kick came
naturally and I got the knockout.
You
have tried that kick against Njokuani at UFC 128. You didn’t
nailed it back then, but he got dizzy. Do you train it a lot?
People
don’t really believe it, but I don’t train that kick
too much. I do the basic, like kicking the legs and the body.
That’s basically what I train. But at the time i did it
at the right moment and at the right time.
Partying
at home is even better, isn’t it?
Of
course, absolutely.
How
was your preparation for this fight, knowing Terry is a ground
expert?
He
got many submissions of the night, so I knew he was dangerous.
I was taking no chances. That’s why I stood back up quickly
when I felt: so I could do what we have trained. He got into
the game. I was doing the right thing, but I wasn’t taking
any chances and I guess the work we’ve been doing actually
paid off. Me and my coaches put in practice what we trained during
this entire camp.
Another
two bonus, right?
That’s
right. It was a blessing. I’m glad. I honestly don’t
fight thinking about the bonus. I think about getting in there
and doing my job. But thank God I’ve been blessed, I’ve
been giving energy to train and keep doing a good job. Once again
I got the bonus, so I’m happy.
Do
you have plans for this extra cash?
No,
not yet. I’m home, spending some time with my family and
friends. I’m not thinking about money, I’ll see what
I’m gonna do.
Will
you stay in Brazil for how long?
I’ll
stay in Brazil until February 5th.
You’re
just taking some time off in Nova Friburgo meanwhile, right?
Absolutely.
I’m here at the gym watching some friends training, crazy
to start training again. I’ll take this week off, I won’t
train. But next week, God bless me, I’ll be training hard
with my friends.
That’s
if you can wait until then, right?
Yeah…
I’m here dying to get in there, dying to put on some gloves
and train.
You’ve
been in UFC Rio in August and did the best fight of the night.
Now you earned it again, and also got the best knockout. How
did it feel?
I
was talking to a friend of mine about it today. I kicked him,
I saw him falling and I realized he was already knocked out.
My first reaction, of course, was to get down on my knees and
thank God for that blessing. I tried to find my family there,
but I couldn’t. It was only then I realized I had actually
won, when the crowd chanted. It was crazy! I didn’t watch
it (the video) yet. I started jumping like crazy. It was different,
different from the first time I fought here. It was exciting.
I can’t explain because it’s one of those things, but
it was different.
The
crowd was yelling because of the knockout and when you started
jumping they turned the volume up.
That’s
true, that’s exactly what happened. I guess it was only
then I realized what happened, get it? I started jumping and
saying: ‘man, I won’. And then I was unstoppable (laughs).
You
are so far undefeated and got your fourth win in the UFC. What
are your expectations?
I
always focus on doing a good job and that’s what I’ve
been doing. I’m training a lot to get in there and do my
best. I guess I’m pleasing not just the fans, but everybody.
That’s the goal: keep fighting and leave the rest in God’s
hands. I’m sure my time will come. I’m not in a hurry.
It’ll happen when it has to happen. I’ll be ready,
for sure.
What
do you think about the division? There are tough guys you can
fight, like Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson, Jim Miller, Anthony
Pettis, Melvin Guillard, Clay Guida…
Like
you said, they are really tough guys. This is one of the most
disputed divisions, and there are more talented and at a high
level people in it. But honestly I see them all and there’s
no one I look and say: ‘I can’t fight this one’.
I guess I can fight anyone, I’ll be ready. I’ve never
picked opponents and I won’t do it now. Any of the guys
you’ve mentioned, if i was fighting them, I would be prepared,
I’ll do a good fight and do my job.
How
did you celebrate the win?
It’s
impossible to sleep. I got to the hotel at five in the morning,
I waited for the breakfast at 6am. I had a big breakfast, put
my things together and came back to Nova Friburgo to meet my
family. Everybody was in my house waiting for me.
Was
there a barbecue to celebrate?
Not
yet. It’ll happen next week, when it’s my birthday.
Let’s celebrate my birthday with my family, so it’s
perfect.
It
was like an anticipated gift, right?
Of
course (laughs). It came a week earlier.
After
these two bonuses in the UFC, of US$ 65 thousand each, the guys
will want you to pay for the entire barbecue, right (laughs)?
Wow,
that’s true (laughs). But it’s family, so I do it gladly.
The pleasure will be all mine.
Sunday
your knockout was a highlight at “Fantastico” (TV show).
How did it feel to see yourself in TV again?
Honestly,
there were moments I couldn’t believe it. Not just for me,
but because our sport got there: Fantastico, Esporte Espetacular
(another TV show)… It was everywhere. Man, this sport will
still grow a lot, I’m sure of that, and that’s wonderful
to see my grandparents, my little cousins saying ‘oh, I
saw you on TV’. It’s awesome. I guess the best thing
is that people recognize me in the streets and come to congratulate
me for the work I’ve been doing. That’s what matters
the most to me.
So
now you’re an idol in Friburgo?
I
don’t know, but I’m glad to set an example for the
kids. Not only for the kids, but also to grownups, everyone who
admire my work.
When
you walk in the streets people, do recognize you?
Yeah.
It’s pretty cool. The guys really know me, they come and
congratulate me and I’m really happy, especially when kids
come and talk to me... It’s amazing.
Source: Tatame
|
Jorge
Rivera goes out a winner in retirement fight at UFC on FX 1
He
doesn't rank up there with the likes of Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell
and Randy Couture, but Jorge Rivera certainly did his part as
one of the building blocks for the UFC.
A
long-time card filler since 2003, Rivera announced earlier in
the day that he was retiring following his fight tonight. He
seized the opportunity to shine in his final trip to the Octagon
by wearing down and eventually punching out Eric Schafer at the
1:31 mark of the second round of the final fight on the FUEL
TV portion of the UFC on FX 1 card.
"I
want to thank Zuffa. I want to thank Dana White, the Fertitta
brothers, Burt Watson, whose voice I'm going to miss dearly in
the back," Rivera told UFC play-by-play announcer Jon Anik.
Rivera
then turned his attention to thanking his family and training
partners. That's when he got a bit emotional.
It
was nice to see the near 40-year-old make it to the cage tonight
for his 15th career fight with the promotion. He nearly retired
back in 2009 after the tragic passing of his daughter Jessica.
Rivera
(19-9) turned pro back in 2001. He finishes with an 8-7 record
in the UFC. He rose near the top of the division facing former
UFC middleweight champ Rich Franklin at UFC 50. He also lost
to current contender Michael Bisping. He had to overcome some
rough times in his personal life when Jessica, 17, passed away
after a fatal reaction to birth control medication.
"I'm
grateful I fought here in front of a lot of people. It's been
a real nice trip. It's been real good to me," said Rivera.
Rivera's
seen the sport come a long way. In 2003, UFC pay-per-views had
trouble eclipsing 50,000 buys. Tonight, between FUEL TV and FX,
all 11 fights are being televised to a nationwide audience.
The
victory was typical Rivera. He never panics in the cage, so even
when he was getting dominated in the grappling game, Rivera stayed
composed in the first round. Schafer, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black
belt, had top control for much of the opening round, but never
threatened with a submission.
Schafer
(12-7-2, 3-6 UFC) is a new entry to the middleweight division.
His stamina was an issue in his UFC debut fight at 185 pounds
against Aaron Simpson and it happened again tonight.
"He's
a strong guy. I was watching him in the back. He had a real tough
[weight] cut, so I knew the longer the fight would go, he would
have a harder time. And I could feel him breathing harder and
harder," said Rivera.
Rivera
escaped one final takedown attempt with 4:10 left in the second.
With Schafer on his hands and knees, Rivera stunned him with
a right uppercut. He eventually faded to the cage where he ate
23 unanswered shots. After several requests from referee Herb
Dean to defend himself, Schafer didn't respond and the fight
was stopped.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Dana
White: GSP Hates Nick Diaz, Will Be Ready to Fight Him by Summer
Nick Diaz will fight Carlos Condit for the UFC interim welterweight
championship on February 4. But what happens to the interim champ
after that? UFC President Dana White says he expects the interim
champion to fight the reigning champion Georges St. Pierre sooner
rather than later.
After
UFC on FX 1 on Friday night, White told Ariel Helwani that St.
Pierre is in better shape following surgery to repair a torn
ACL than doctors expected, and that St. Pierre is already working
out and getting himself prepared for a welterweight title unification
fight in the summer. That's a more optimistic timeline than previously
reported: St. Pierre had indicated he didn't think he'd be able
to return to the Octagon until the fall.
"GSP's
rehab could not be going better," White said. "He was
texting me pictures of him kicking, doing everything. ... I think
he's going to be back sooner than doctors anticipated."
So
it sounds like the Condit-Diaz winner will take on St. Pierre
next, rather than defend the interim title while St. Pierre continues
to rehabilitate. And while St. Pierre has no control over which
man he fights next, White said St. Pierre is hoping it's Diaz.
"He
says, 'I am praying every night when I go to bed that Nick Diaz
wins this fight,'" White said. "I have never seen Georges
St. Pierre hate somebody. He hates Nick Diaz. I've never seen
him so motivated to fight somebody and to beat somebody like
Nick Diaz."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Despite
Chael Sonnen's Claims, Dana White Says Sonnen-Silva II Can Still
Happen
Anderson Silva, Chael SonnenChael Sonnen says forget about it,
that Anderson Silva can't or won't fight him in a rematch of
their August 2010 bout. Not now, not ever. That's what Sonnen
said on a Friday teleconference for next weekend's UFC on FOX
2 show.
"I
can guarantee you, Anderson Silva and I will never cross paths
again," he said.
But
Friday night brought another guarantee, this one from UFC president
Dana White, who tends to get the final word on such matters.
When asked about Sonnen's comments in a UFC on FX 1 post-fight
interview with FUEL TV's Ariel Helwani, White offered a very
different opinion of what would happen if Sonnen emerges victorious
in his bout with Michael Bisping.
"I,
100 percent, right here and now, guarantee you that if Chael
Sonnen wins that fight, Anderson Silva will fight Chael Sonnen
this summer," he said.
Silva
is currently back home rehabbing injuries, and is expected to
fight at the next show the UFC hosts in Brazil. But Sonnen said
otherwise on Friday, suggesting that Silva is not interested
in fighting him or anyone else on the UFC roster, and that the
long-reigning, 36-year-old champ has competed for the last time.
"I
can tell you that behind the scenes, they tried to put me and
Anderson together four times, and four times he said no,"
he said. "I called him out publicly. You call out a Brazilian
publicly, you're going to be fighting that Brazilian. That's
in their culture, and he sat there and covered his mouth and
hid behind Charles Barkley [at UFC 136 in Houston], which is
a smart move. It saved him a trip to the hospital. But Anderson
Silva is not going to fight me. I don't believe he's going to
fight Bisping. I don't believe he's going to fight again. That's
my personal opinion."
But
White disagrees, going on to acknowledge that the fight would
"probably" happen in Brazil, a prospect that seemed
unlikely just a few months ago, when Sonnen was politely asked
to leave the country instead of escorting his friend and training
partner Yushin Okami to the cage in a title fight with Silva.
After being queried about Sonnen's safety should the fight be
exported to Silva's home turf, he went on to suggest that the
man who has called out Silva every which way imaginable has more
than a few fans should the fight go down there.
"I
know a lot of people say that, but a lot of people don't realize
that Chael Sonnen was actually down in Brazil helping Yushin
Okami get ready for his fight down there," he said. "For
as many people -- Brazilians -- that hate Chael Sonnen, there's
a lot that like him, too."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
ProElite
3 Results: Minowaman No Match for Groves
Former Ultimate Fighter winner Kendall Grove took an easy unanimous
decision over Ikuhisa Minowa in the main event of Saturday night's
ProElite 3 event in Hawaii.
The
fight wasn't much of a contest: Grove was clearly the superior
fighter from start to finish, and he spent most of the bout in
a dominant position on the ground, never coming close to finishing
Minowaman but also never being in any danger of losing. All three
judges scored it 30-27 for Grove.
"I
should have finished him but he's a tough legend and it's a privilege
for me to fight a guy like Minowa," Grove said afterward.
It
was the 93rd fight of Minowaman's MMA career -- and his first
in the United States -- and it was a reminder that he's better
suited for fighting the likes of Bob Sapp and Hong Man Choi than
he is at fighting good opponents of his own size under North
American rules. For Grove it was a decent win, but not the kind
of performance that will get him back in the UFC.
In the semifinals of ProElite's heavyweight tournament, Ryan
Martinez beat Cody Griffin by unanimous decision, 30-27 on two
cards and 29-28 on the other, in a fight that had brief spurts
of action but long stretches of inaction. And in the other semifinal,
Richard Odoms bounced back after struggling early and forced
Jake Heun to tap out to a neck crank.
Olympic
wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann got the biggest win of
her MMA career, beating Hitomi Akano by unanimous decision. The
fight was mostly a stalemate on the ground, but McMann was the
one taking the fight there and staying on top, and so it was
no surprise that all three judges gave McMann all three rounds
of the fight.
In
other ProElite action, Pat Cummins had an easy time with Tasi
Edwards, dominating him on the ground and submitting him with
an arm-triangle choke in the first round. And in the first fight
on the televised HDNet card, Brent Schermerhorn knocked Kaleo
Gambill out cold with a brutal left hook to the chin in a fight
that lasted just 45 seconds.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Rankings:
Aldo cleans up at featherweight
For much of the past year, the buzz on Jose Aldo Jr. has been
largely about whether the UFC featherweight champion had been
a bit overrated in his push to the top of the division.
The
fighter who tore through all his opposition as World Extreme
Cagefighting champion suddenly seemed mortal in 2011, when his
title transferred over to the UFC. The native of Brazilian couldn’t
put away Mark Hominick at UFC 129 and put in a similar show against
Kenny Florian in October.
As
someone who made his name with killer standup and electrifying
knockouts, Aldo had a tough time living up to his own reputation.
He took easy unanimous decisions against both Hominick and Florian,
but fell from No. 3 in the Yahoo! Sports Top 10 to No. 5.
But
all it took to turn the tables was one superb round against Chad
Mendes on Jan. 14. Fighting in his homeland, Aldo took everything
the No. 1 contender had to give and withstood it, stuffing the
undefeated former collegiate wrestling champion’s takedown
attempts and finishing him with a running knee.
And
just like that, it appears Aldo has cleaned out the 145-pound
division. Who’s left? He ran through Mike Brown to win the
title; sent Urijah Faber down to bantamweight with a one-sided
win in Faber’s hometown; Hominick and Florian were both
“name” fighters capable of carrying their end of the
bargain on pay-per-view; and Mendes was considered the “next
big thing” at featherweight.
But
against whom can Aldo feasibly headline a fight card at featherweight
now? Hatsu Hioki was a big name in Japan, but has yet to impress
in the UFC; Dustin Poirier is a sold up-and-coming talent, but
is a ways off from a title shot; and while Chan Sung-Jung is
very popular, he’s just as clearly not in Aldo’s league.
That’s
for the UFC to figure out. Meanwhile, Aldo’s win bumped
him back up to the No. 4 spot in the poll, ahead of UFC lightweight
champion Frankie Edgar. Edgar won’t have to wait long to
state his case, as he defends his title against No. 1 contender
Benson Henderson next month in Japan. And if Edgar gets past
Henderson, who knows? Maybe Aldo vs. Edgar is the UFC’s
next logical champion vs. champion fight
10.
Dan Henderson
Points: 28
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Temecula, Calif.
Record: 29-8 (won past 4)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. Mauricio Rua, unanimous decision, Nov.
19
Analysis:Was rumored for a potential bout against Jon Jones in
Montreal before the March 24 card was canceled. Next bout is
still up in the air.
9.
Nick Diaz
Points:38
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Stockton, Calif.
Record:26-7, 1 no-contest (won past 11)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result:Def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, Oct. 29
Analysis: For purely business purposes, a strong win by the UFC’s
trash-talking bad boy against Carlos Condit in the interim welterweight
title bout on Feb. 4 is the best thing that could happen.
8.
Gilbert Melendez
Points: 44
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 20-2 (won past six)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: Def. Jorge Masvidal, unanimous decision,
Dec. 17
Analysis:One hot rumor that cropped up recently has B.J. Penn
going over to Strikeforce to challenge Melendez. Melendez deserves
at least as much if they’re going to keep him this A-list
talent on the B-team.
7.
Junior dos Santos
Points: 69
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Salvador, Brazil
Record: 14-1 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 7
Most recent result: Def. Cain Velasquez, R1 KO, Nov. 12
Analysis:The champ’s shoulder injury is healing and he knows
his next foe will be Alistair Overeem, so the UFC can bank on
at least one major bout around mid-year.
6.
Dominick Cruz
Points: 101
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: A season opposing Urijah Faber as an “Ultimate
Fighter” coach is the talented Cruz’s best chance to
get his personality over to the masses.
5.
Frankie Edgar
Points:140
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 14-1-1 (won past one)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: Def. Gray Maynard, R4 KO, Oct. 8
Analysis: Has a chance to answer Aldo in their nip-and-tuck rankings
battle when he meets Henderson on Feb. 25.
5.
Jose Aldo
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 21-1 (won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: Def. Chad Mendes, R1 KO, Jan. 14.
Analysis: Aldo finally brought his WEC fire to the UFC in his
memorable win over Mendes.
3.
Georges St. Pierre
Points: 166
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: GSP recently posted an Internet update that said he
hopes to return by November.
2.
Jon Jones
Points: 200 (1 first-place vote)
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.
Record: 15-1 (won previous six)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: Def. Lyoto Machida, R2 submission, Dec. 10
Analysis: The only thing standing in the way of Jones’ grudge
match with Rashad Evans is Phil Davis, Evans’ Jan. 28 foe.
1.
Anderson Silva
Points: 219 (21 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 31-4 (won past 15)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: Def. Yushin Okami, R2 TKO, Aug. 27
Analysis: Will find out his next challenger when Chael Sonnen
takes on Michael Bisping later this month.
•
Votes for others: Rashad Evans 24; Gray Maynard 6; Mauricio Rua
3; Alistair Overeem 2; Joe Benavidez, Carlos Condit, Urijah Faber,
Ben Henderson, Jon Fitch 1. 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, Sirius XM, Fight Now TV and MMAjunkie
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. 5 Frankie Edgar vs.
Ben Henderson, Feb. 25, Saitama, Japan; No. 9 Nick Diaz vs. Carlos
Condit, Feb. 4, Las Vegas.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Jorge
Rivera goes out a winner in retirement fight at UFC on FX 1
He
doesn't rank up there with the likes of Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell
and Randy Couture, but Jorge Rivera certainly did his part as
one of the building blocks for the UFC.
A
long-time card filler since 2003, Rivera announced earlier in
the day that he was retiring following his fight tonight. He
seized the opportunity to shine in his final trip to the Octagon
by wearing down and eventually punching out Eric Schafer at the
1:31 mark of the second round of the final fight on the FUEL
TV portion of the UFC on FX 1 card.
"I
want to thank Zuffa. I want to thank Dana White, the Fertitta
brothers, Burt Watson, whose voice I'm going to miss dearly in
the back," Rivera told UFC play-by-play announcer Jon Anik.
Rivera
then turned his attention to thanking his family and training
partners. That's when he got a bit emotional.
It
was nice to see the near 40-year-old make it to the cage tonight
for his 15th career fight with the promotion. He nearly retired
back in 2009 after the tragic passing of his daughter Jessica.
Rivera
pounds away at Schafer
Rivera
(19-9) turned pro back in 2001. He finishes with an 8-7 record
in the UFC. He rose near the top of the division facing former
UFC middleweight champ Rich Franklin at UFC 50. He also lost
to current contender Michael Bisping. He had to overcome some
rough times in his personal life when Jessica, 17, passed away
after a fatal reaction to birth control medication.
"I'm
grateful I fought here in front of a lot of people. It's been
a real nice trip. It's been real good to me," said Rivera.
Rivera's
seen the sport come a long way. In 2003, UFC pay-per-views had
trouble eclipsing 50,000 buys. Tonight, between FUEL TV and FX,
all 11 fights are being televised to a nationwide audience.
The
victory was typical Rivera. He never panics in the cage, so even
when he was getting dominated in the grappling game, Rivera stayed
composed in the first round. Schafer, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black
belt, had top control for much of the opening round, but never
threatened with a submission.
Schafer
(12-7-2, 3-6 UFC) is a new entry to the middleweight division.
His stamina was an issue in his UFC debut fight at 185 pounds
against Aaron Simpson and it happened again tonight.
"He's
a strong guy. I was watching him in the back. He had a real tough
[weight] cut, so I knew the longer the fight would go, he would
have a harder time. And I could feel him breathing harder and
harder," said Rivera.
Rivera
escaped one final takedown attempt with 4:10 left in the second.
With Schafer on his hands and knees, Rivera stunned him with
a right uppercut. He eventually faded to the cage where he ate
23 unanswered shots. After several requests from referee Herb
Dean to defend himself, Schafer didn't respond and the fight
was stopped.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
TUF
Alum Dean Amasinger Signs with KSW
The
Ultimate Fighter alum and BAMMA veteran Dean Amasinger has signed
a four-fight agreement to fight in the Polish fight promotion
KSW.
This
new agreement will actually mark the return of Amasinger to KSW.
He last fought for the promotion in December 2009 where he won
an impressive first round submission against Maciej Gorski.
He’ll
be looking for a similar result when he competes on Feb. 25 at
KSW 18 at Hala Orlen Arena in P?ock against UFC and WEC veteran
Maciej Jewtuszko.
This
initial bout in this multi-fight agreement will be contested
at a 73kg (161-pound) catch-weight, which fits with Dean’s
aspirations of dropping down to the lightweight division. Both
Amasinger and Jewtuszko are coming off losses, and this is a
fight both athletes will want to get back to winning ways and
start 2012 on the right foot.
“I’m
really excited about competing on one of the biggest and best
shows in Europe,” said Amasinger. “I had a really great
time in 2009 when I competed at KSW.
“I’m
looking forward to a challenge against a guy who has competed
at the very top level of the sport in the UFC and WEC. This is
a tough fight against an opponent I respect, and it’s also
a great opportunity to make steps towards my new weight division
as a potential lightweight, it’s just a shame for Jewtuszko
that my first step towards lightweight is against him, as I’m
going out there to win!”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
JZ
Cavalcante Wants to Earn His Shot at Strikeforce Champ Gilbert
Melendez
JZ
Cavalcante Andre Dida Hero's 10It’s safe to say that JZ
Cavalcante is waiting on a call from Strikeforce about his next
fight.
The
Brazilian has been out of action since 2011, and with 2012?s
fight cards filling up fast, he wants nothing more than his chance
to prove he’s the best lightweight in Strikeforce and should
be the one facing Gilbert Melendez.
The
only way to do that, however, is to get fights so he’s waiting
on the call from the matchmakers at Strikeforce to put him up
to bat.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Cro
Cop Has One More Fight Before Retiring
We
may not ever see Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in the UFC’s
Octagon ever again, or any other MMA venue for that matter, but
the former Pride Open-Weight Champion will step back in the ring
for one final fight.
Ray
Sefo on Saturday confirmed, via his Twitter account, that he
will face Cro Cop the in what is expected to be the Croatian’s
final combat sports match-up on March 10. The bout will be fought
on Cro Cop’s home turf in Zagreb, Croatia.
It
will also go back to Cro Cop’s roots, as the two will meet
under K-1 kickboxing rules. Long before he was a force in mixed
martial arts, Cro Cop was perfecting his lethal head kicks in
kickboxing.
The
promotion presenting the fight is Fight Channel Promotions, a
Croatian TV network. It will be a sendoff of sorts, as Cro Cop
is expected to retire following the fight.
Amassing
a 27-10-2 record in MMA, Cro Cop lost his final three fights
under the UFC banner.
Sefo,
who is 2-1 in mixed martial arts, has a similar history to Cro
Cop’s, first making a name for himself in the K-1 kickboxing
world.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC’s
2012 schedule is tricky business
The
age-old magic trick of pulling a rabbit out of a hat has been
applicable to the UFC many times over the past several years.
Due
to injuries, illnesses or other problems, there have been pay-per-view
fight cards with seemingly no viable main event.
And
for years, somehow, someway, the UFC always pulled out the rabbit.
Because
of that, in the 11 years that Zuffa has owned the company, there
had never been a pay–per-view show canceled. There was once
a date changed, when UFC 113 was moved back a week so as not
to go head-to-head with Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley.
And there was one notable location change when a television fight
was scheduled for a Sunday in Salt Lake City (It was rejected
by the public, so the bout was moved to San Diego).
There
was a time at UFC 68 in 2007 when a contract issue occurred with
then-heavyweight contender Brandon Vera, and it looked like the
main event would be Tim Sylvia vs. Gabriel Gonzaga for the title,
which likely would have been death at the box office.
But
suddenly, and surprisingly, retired light heavyweight Randy Couture
was brought out of retirement to face Sylvia. Not only was the
show saved, but it ended up setting what was then the all-time
U.S. attendance record for the sport. Couture’s record-setting
fifth and final title win – at the age of 43 nonetheless
– made it one of the most memorable nights in UFC history.
The
rabbits may not have always turned out as golden the one pulled
on UFC 68, but there was always one to be found.
With
a combination of so many shows in such a short period of time
and so many fighter injuries, Dana White was forced to reach
into the hat again this week for UFC 145 on March 24 in Montreal.
For the first time, though, the hat was bare, and the pay-per-view
date was canceled.
This
will cause an eight-week gap between pay-per-view shows, from
UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan on Feb. 25 until the April 21 show
in Atlanta.
It’s
the longest gap since an 11-week pause between UFC 56 and UFC
57 more than six years ago. There also won’t be full fight
cards for the March 2 show on FX from Sydney, Australia and the
April 14 show on Fuel from Stockholm, Sweden.
The
issue is a numbers game. UFC can have 200 fighters on the roster,
or 300, but those added 100 fighters are going to be fighters
who mostly fill out the cards.
At
any given time, there are only going to be a finite number of
stars available. With an ever-increasing rate of injuries, and
with more events being added to the current breakneck pace of
shows, there are bound to be some casualties of planned big dates.
The
increasing number of live cable television events isn’t
as much an issue because there isn’t the pressure to provide
superstar main events on those shows. The roster is loaded with
depth, with plenty of fighters like Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard
– quality fighters with some name value but hardly pay–per-view
headliners – who faced each other in the main event of Friday
night’s FX show from Nashville.
But
they have 18 shows – 14 on pay-per-view and four on Fox
– that demand more. This is the most ambitious year in company
history when it comes to major shows. And it comes during a transition
period where the top stars are either gone or fighting infrequently,
an injury rate is through the roof, and new major upper-echelon
drawing cards are not yet established to replace them.
Plus,
the company has three champions, lightweight titleholder Frankie
Edgar, featherweight champion Jose Aldo Jr., and bantamweight
champion Dominick Cruz, who have not caught on as the kind of
big-time draws most champions in recent years have been.
In
that sense, the retirement of Brock Lesnar, the company’s
biggest draw of the past four years, couldn’t have come
at a worse time. But when you combine it with Georges St. Pierre,
its second-biggest drawing card, being out until perhaps November
after reconstructive knee surgery, and with Anderson Silva, No.
3 on the list, being plagued with back and shoulder problems,
the pressure is on to create new stars.
This
also comes at a time when the pay-per-view audience has become
more selective, not necessary buying every show because it has
the “UFC” name attached, but waiting for the big fights.
Plus,
they have to draw acceptable ratings on Fox, and that’s
still uncharted waters long-term. The Jan. 28 show is big for
a number of reasons, not just because the next opponents for
Jon Jones and Silva will be determined based on what happens
between the Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis and Chael Sonnen vs.
Michael Bisping fights. Also important is the television ratings.
The
game of booking Fox specials and pay-per-views can be the perfect
promotional synergy, as it is currently designed on paper. You
create stars by the masses when they impress on prime-time Fox
broadcasts, which naturally leads to the winner’s next big
fight headlining on pay-per-view.
But
that only works if there is a large enough television audience
that wants to see fights to establish contenders as opponents
for the few megastars, as opposed to seeing established stars
fighting each other.
The
biggest fights and the few upper echelon draws have to be on
pay-per-view, because it is pay-per-view, not television rights
fees, that fuel the company’s cash coffers. There are 14
pay-per-view events scheduled in 2012. You can no longer headline
with subpar fights and still do big numbers. And there are only
so many big fights that will naturally happen in a year.
For
fans who have this idea that the era of pay-per-view is over
and the Fox contract will usher in an era driven by the network-television
model, the reality is television revenue can’t come close
to paying the freight of an organization the current size of
Zuffa. And with this deal in place, that is not going to change
until 2019 at the earliest, when the current contract expires.
But poor ratings in prime time on a network the size of Fox won’t
cut it either in a television business that quickly moves on
to the next fad.
The
first UFC on Fox show on Nov. 12 was a success from a ratings
standpoint, but the show also featured a heavyweight title fight,
giving away a pay-per-view headliner as a way to kick off the
series in a big way. If they can come close to that number on
Jan. 28, that’s a strong sign. There is no better way to
create the needed next generation of major pay-per-view players
than having millions see them shine on Fox.
But
if the fights on Jan. 28 don’t draw enough eyeballs, the
pressure will be on to deliver fights to get the ratings up.
In doing so, you are sacrificing fights that otherwise would
be on pay-per-view.
Under
either scenario, there are still spots for 18 major events per
year, a challenge the company has never faced. And they are in
a year when they will only have two or three fights from the
former big three money stars combined.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Jiu-Jitsu
and MMA lesson from Tito Ortiz, as he heads into retirement
Tito
Ortiz, as he told his buddies at MiddleEasy.com, wants one more
for the road.
The
ex-light heavyweight champion of the UFC, who turns 37 next Tuesday,
wants to have his final MMA fight on the July 4 weekend, preferably
against Forrest Griffin or Chuck Liddell.
“I
hope to fight on July 4 and then wrap up my career. That will
be the time to go,” said the “Bad Boy of Huntington
Beach”. “It could be with Forrest Griffin. Or would
anyone like to see me face Chuck Liddell? Who knows? I’m
going to get together with Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White next
week to work it out. We’ll make my last fight something
memorable,” he added.
With
16 wins in his 27-fight career, the Californian star has faced
a Who’s Who of the MMA world, winning against the likes
of the aforementioned Griffin, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva,
Ken Shamrock; and coming up short against Frank Shamrock, Randy
Couture, Lyoto Machida, as well as the also mentioned Chuck Liddell
between the years 2004 and 2006.
WRESTLING
AND JIU-JITSU EFFECTIVE IN ADCC
The
greatest lesson Tito will leave Jiu-Jitsu practitioners doesn’t
have to do with technique. We could bring up the triangle he
sunk on Lyoto, missing a splendid opportunity to finish or, if
he’d kept his calm, to mount. Or the bronze medal won at
ADCC 2000, when he was already a UFC star and waded into the
grappling mix against guys like Matt Hughes, Mike Van Arsdale
and Rumina Sato, stopping only at Ricardo Arona.
Or
we could underscore the two submission holds from the superstar’s
career, which always featured safe movement on the ground. But
the lesson left by Tito, the man who successfully defended his
belt five times between 2000 and 2002, is otherwise.
Tito
Ortiz dove into his career with the momentum a practitioner should
in going for a sweep, or when there’s a stray arm in the
cross hairs. If you’ve made up your mind, if it’s your
objective, go for it. Even if that implies abdicating certain
things, like security or comfort. If you’re going to do
it, go all the way. If you go all the way, be authentic and do
it with style.
That’s
what Tito had in mind when he went and became a fighter to be
remembers, one who spoke out and even called out Dana White when
he felt he was in the right, and who will never be seen as a
Pete Sampras, the brilliant tennis player with a charisma deficit.
If
you’ve ever rooted for Tito Ortiz before, as you surely
must have, there’s no problem. Now you just have to get
inspired by what he did right, and we bet that come July 4 at
least part of you will be there egging him on.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Lesson
in strength, technique and Jiu-Jitsu Demian learned training
with gold judoka
The
year didn’t start off all too well for submission whiz Demian
Maia but, between us, someone who likes living on easy street
doesn’t go sticking his neck out at World Championships,
ADCCs and UFCs.
In
his first training session for UFC on Fox 2 of 2012, there was
a power failure at the academy where he trains in Moema, São
Paulo. Then he saw his opponent get switched out on him. And
even before all that, he had to take on judo world champion Tiago
Camilo, whose CV also includes an Olympic medal.
After
finding out his date for the coming 28th will now be the undefeated
Chris Weidman, a Matt Serra student with plenty of tapout talent
of his own—and who steps in for Michael Bisping, who was
pulled from fighting Maia to be matched with Chael Sonnen—,
Demian spoke with GRACIEMAG.com.
“I’ve
trained Jiu-Jitsu my entire life, so I’m ready to fight
anyone who wants to do Jiu-Jitsu,” he said, further revealing
that due to time constraints his training routine shouldn’t
see any major modifications, “There’s no time to change
much; it’s just around the corner—just a trifle or
two, because the training plan’s been done already.”
Demian holds eight career submissions in MMA to the young Weidman’s
three.
JIU-JITSU,
JUDO AND THE HARD TIME SWEEPING
Now
that first training session of the new year kicked off with an
interesting lesson, picked up from an unexpected and brief roll
with a 2007 judo world champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist.
“Truth
is, it was really quick; we’d lifted some weights at the
gym and decided to roll. Which was great, since he has excellent
base and I had a hard time getting the sweep,” recounted
Demian. “And it was even better because I was coming off
a strength workout and was tired, so I could get a sense of what
his strength was like, since the strength of judokas, wrestlers
and Jiu-Jitsu players all feel different. The direction and feel
his strength had, perhaps from the angle he’d hold each
position, were really different; so it was cool to realize that.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Miguel
Torres Faces Michael McDonald at UFC 145
Following a tumultuous few weeks that saw him lose his job and
then get re-hired, Miguel Torres will get back to the business
of fighting, but faces a very tough test in Top 10 bantamweight
Michael McDonald.
The
bout between McDonald and Torres will take place at UFC 145 in
Atlanta. UFC officials on Friday announced the fight.
Torres
found out the hard way what happens when you put something extremely
controversial out via Twitter. In his case it was a rape reference
and a few days later he found himself out of a job with the UFC.
The
former WEC champion visited several rape crisis centers in his
hometown area in Chicago, as well as donated money and the gesture
meant enough that the UFC opted to give him a second chance.
Now
Torres has to prove himself in the cage, and it’s not going
to be an easy fight.
Michael
McDonald returns at UFC 145 with an unblemished record in the
Octagon at 3-0, and looked outstanding in his last fight at UFC
139 in November 2011.
McDonald
floored newcomer Alex Soto with punches in less than a minute
to continue his fast rise up the UFC’s bantamweight division.
Now he’ll get the chance to face a former champion and further
solidify his standing at 135 pounds.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Impressive
Finishes Equal UFC on FX Fight Night Bonuses of $45,000
The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its FX Network debut
on Friday night with several UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller
fighters giving officials several options to choose from for
the company’s usual post-fight bonuses.
The
fighters that scored the awards in Nashville pocketed an extra
$45,000 for their efforts.
Almost
any of the fights on the main card was worthy of Fight of the
Night, but it was the show opener between Pat Barry and Christian
Morecraft that took home the honors. Morecraft came close to
locking on a submission on several occasions, but in the end,
it was Barry that found the power in his hands, putting Morecraft
down and out. And all of that took place in three minutes and
38 seconds.
It
was no surprise, although there were several submissions to choose
from, that main eventer Jim Miller was the one that scored the
Submission of the Night. He got rocked early by Melvin Guillard,
but survived long enough to find a way to take the fight into
his world on the mat. Once there, he pressed Guillard, took his
back, and secured a python-like rear naked choke for the finish…
and $45,000.
The
Knockout of the Night went to the entire evening’s opener
when Nick Denis ended Joseph Sandoval’s night with elbows
just 22 seconds into the fight.
Source: MMA Weekly |
UFC
on FX: Guillard vs. Miller Attendance and Gate
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Bridgestone Arena
in Nashville on Friday for the first time since UFC Fight Night
18 in 2009. UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller drew an audience
of 7,228, pulling in a gate of $334,860.
Those
numbers are distinctly lower than UFC Fight Night 18, which drew
10,267 in attendance for a $626,077 gate.
Guillard
vs. Miller was the promotion’s first live fight night event
on FX as part of the UFC’s new seven-year broadcast agreement.
The show’s preliminary bouts were featured on Fuel TV.
The
card featured numerous finishes, including an exciting main event
between Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller. Guillard took it to Miller
early with flying knees and a plethora of punches. Miller, however,
survived his attacks, got Guillard to the ground, and locked
on a fight-ending – and Submission of the Night – rear
naked choke for the win.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Red-and-black
belt Royler Gracie’s lessons in Jiu-Jitsu, grit and love
Royler,
still a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, gets the party ready.
There’s
no journey involving greater patience and determination than
that of a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. Maybe just getting across
the city of Rio de Janeiro during rush hour traffic on Friday.
Even so, the mats at Gracie Humaitá academy were packed
at 8:30 pm last Friday night, when the GRACIEMAG.com team rolled
in.
Just
one man was missing. The man. “Want me to call him again?”
a student asked Royler Gracie, who was waiting for his brother
Rickson to show up for the red-and-black belt delivery ceremony.
Royler
still remembers the day he was promoted to black belt. It was
right there, in that same dojo just at a different wall, early
in the 1980s. “I got it from Professor Helio,” he says
with pride.
Upon
receiving his red-and-black belt in the presence of his wife,
Vera, his daughter, and a number of his “children”
and brothers from Jiu-Jitsu, Royler is visibly moved, especially
when addressing the women in his life—his wife and four
daughters. “I already had three daughters when I was world
champion. What my career is a lesson of is that there’s
always time to start; you are the author of your own destiny.”
Even
retired, “with no desire to compete anymore,” as he
says, Royler expounds on some lessons and moments of inspiration,
now with a red-and-black belt around his waist.
Royler adjust the red-and-black Jiu-Jitsu belt after receiving
it from brothers Rolker and Rickson. The ceremony ebbed between
laughter and tears.
Royler
adjust the red-and-black Jiu-Jitsu belt after receiving it from
brothers Rolker and Rickson. The ceremony ebbed between laughter
and tears.
1.
SET GOALS FOR YOUR JIU-JITSU AND GET ORGANIZED
After
Rolker Gracie opened the ceremony, Royler’s older students—from
Vini Aieta to Breno Sivak to Rickson Gracie, who showed with
his foot bandaged and a fierce bout of the flu—were called
on to make speeches.
“A
good portion of the Gracie family went to the USA, and perhaps
we wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t. But we know how
important our mission is, that of staying behind and holding
fort in Rio de Janeiro, and now we help strengthen Jiu-Jitsu
culture and healthy eating by being a a part of the city’s
culture,” said Royler. “Brazil’s culture!”
added someone else. World culture, to which we can attest.
Someone
brought up the determined and organized side of Royler, who would
always take not of goals, training plans and positions to teach
on paper, and he would fulfill them always.
2.
PERSISTENCE SET JIU-JITSU PRACTITIONERS APART FROM THE REST
Called
on to speak, our GMA Bruno Panno, head instructor at Gracie Sydney,
did a good job of illustrating what Royler is like as an educator.
“When I was a kid, my mother would threaten to tell my dad
on me, and I didn’t care. So she’d threaten to tell
Royler, and I tremble with fear and stop what I was doing right
away,” he recalled. “Of the 40 students who started
with me, only I made it to black belt. And that’s what distinguishes
us from the rest, that persistence it takes to make it to black
belt that we take with us to other aspects of life.”
3.
ROYLER: TECHNIQUE, GRIT, HONOR AND LOVE
With
each speech made, a facet of Royler’s career was brought
to the forefront. For being of slight frame, for years he was
considered the most technical competitor of not just the family
but of world Jiu-Jitsu. For his temperament and looks, there
were many who felt he was the spitting image of Grandmaster Helio
Gracie. For the grit and courage he showed on the mat, he inspired
a number of aces from the new generation.
Once
Rickson had finally gotten through the Rio de Janeiro gridlock,
he took his turn to speak and mention another side of Royler.
And both the speaker and the addressee shed tears.
“There
was a time in my career, in the 1990s, when I’d go to Japan
to fight alone, since my family felt at the time that it needed
only to support only those fighting in the USA. Royler went against
the grain and went with me. To me he isn’t just a symbol
of honor and technical refinement, he’s a symbol of brotherly
love that I will carry in my heart the rest of my life.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
on FX 1 Results: Pat Barry Rebounds with Big KO Finish
With
two consecutive losses, Pat Barry needed a win to keep his Octagon
dream alive, and he did so at Firday’s UFC on FX 1 in Nashville.
Barry
fought Cheick Kongo last June in an exciting heavyweight battle.
Barry had the Frenchman hurt early on and a victory seemed within
reach. Unfortunately, “HD” found himself on the losing
end when a wobbled Kongo countered with a hook that rendered
him unconscious. The knockout was one of the most memorable come
back victories in UFC history.
His
subsequent fight against Stefan Struve yielded another loss.
Barry held his own against the Dutchman despite a huge reach
disadvantage. In the second round Struve was able to clinch and
secure a triangle choke; Barry picked up Struve and slammed him
to the mat but he eventually succumbed to the choke.
Tonight
Pat Barry faced Christian Morecraft In his eighth UFC appearance.
Both fighters were coming off losses and eager to earn a win.
Barry
displayed improved submission defense, surviving many attempts
by the larger Morecraft. With great resemblance to Mike Tyson,
a huge left hook by Barry put his opponent flat on his back part
way into the opening round. Subsequent blows forced referee Herb
Dean to stop the fight.
“I’m
sorry that took me nine getting choked out experiences in order
to make that happen. My bad,” Barry told the crowd afterwards.
“I
know the whole world says that my jiu-jitsu coach is James Toney
but he’s better than y’all think,” joked Barry.
“High five to everybody who has helped me not get choked
out all the time.”
“My
confidence is sky high. But I’m HD. I’m all or nothing
every time.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on FX 1 Results: Mike Easton Beats Jared Papazian in Thrilling
Slugfest
Mike
Easton defeated Jared Papazian in their UFC on FX fight on Friday.
The two put on a great display, and entertained the fans watching
the company’s first show on the FOX cable channel.
Easton
and Papazian got off to a quick start and aggressively punched
each other in the clinch. The two traded dominant positions against
the fence for a bit, but separated. Papazian circled his opponent
as Easton controlled the center of the octagon. The two traded
blows, but Easton moved forward more than the young Armenian
fighter. The first round ended with a flurry of punches by both
fighters.
Papazian
continued to circle the octagon in the second round. Easton stayed
active and worked combinations, but his opponent did well to
counter with punches. A takedown by Easton put Papazian on his
back, but the fight got back to the feet a short while later.
The round ended with Easton putting Papazian on his back with
a takedown one more time.
The
final round started intense with both fighters trading punches
and kicks at a high rate. Easton looked to begin tiring halfway
through the round and Papazian kept active with straight punches.
Both began to tire later in the round, but kept swinging with
tight punches and accurate kicks. The two brawled it out for
the rest of the round and it went to the judges.
Easton
edged out the majority decision with scores of 29-28, 30-27,
29-29.
After
a great showing by both fighters, the winner admitted his opponent
was a tough challenge and knew he would come to give him stiff
opposition.
“I
knew he was going to be tough,” Easton told Jon Anik during
his in-octagon interview. “I knew he was going to show up.
But all we want to do is a show to the fans.”
Easton
wins his second fight in the octagon with the win at UFC on FX
1. In defeat, Papazian has an unsuccessful UFC debut, but the
entertaining fight surely shows he’s worth his new contract.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Chael
Sonnen Moves Beyond Anderson Silva; Targets GSP and Jon Jones
Chael Sonnen, who is in a No. 1 contender’s bout against
Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2 next week, believes win or lose,
he’ll never stand inside the Octagon again across from middleweight
champion Anderson Silva.
“I
can guarantee you Anderson Silva and I will never cross paths
again,” declared Sonnen on Friday. “He’s not getting
into the ring with me… ever!”
It’s
difficult at times to tell if Chael Sonnen is being sincere,
or if he’s gone into super-hyper promo mode.
That’s
not to say that he doesn’t believe what he’s saying
when he is in promo mode, it’s just that he’s good
at working for fights, and he’s worked hard to get Anderson
Silva back in the ring after his near-miss at UFC 117. But thus
far, Silva hasn’t taken the bait.
Sonnen,
after defeating Brian Stann at UFC 136, threw every verbal barb
in the book at Silva trying to get a rematch locked down, but
he hasn’t been able to get a commitment from the champ.
“I
called him out publicly. You call out a Brazilian publicly; you’re
going to be fighting that Brazilian. That’s in their culture,”
Sonnen said.
“I
don’t think he’s ever going to fight again. That’s
my personal opinion. What I know for a fact is that he turned
me down four out of four times. He personally said no to Lorenzo
Fertitta’s face.”
Whether
it’s in the vein of promotion or not, Sonnen surely sounded
sincere on Friday, even though both he and Bisping have been
promised a shot at the champ following next week’s fight.
“(UFC
president Dana White) said if I win the fight, I’m fighting
Anderson Silva in a soccer stadium in Brazil in the summer,”
Bisping revealed on Friday.
Sonnen
backed that up, saying he was told the same thing if he wins.
He just doesn’t believe that Silva will get into the Octagon
with him or anyone else for that matter.
He
believes that the UFC’s most dominant champion of all time
is ready to go down in the history books and call it a career
at age 36.
So
Sonnen is already making other plans if he wins at UFC on Fox
2.
“I
think that (the UFC) is sincere. I think that they mean it. But
I can tell you that behind the scenes, they’ve tried to
put Anderson and me together four times and four times he said
no,” Sonnen stated.
“I
become the No. 1 contender and can get past Bisping, I’m
gonna sit down with Dana and we’re going to have a talk
about (Georges St-Pierre) or Jon Jones.
“I’m
not under any illusion that it’s going to be Anderson Silva.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
Demian
Maia talks Weidman, Bisping and his new fight at UFC on FOX 2:
“There were two hours of stress”
Demian
Maia had a rough night last Tuesday. The BJJ black belt, who
was supposed to fight Michael Bisping, was caught by surprise
as he heard the English would replace the injured Mark Muñoz
at UFC on FOX 2’s main event, against Chael Sonnen. “There
were two hours of stress”, confessed Demian, who will have
the undefeated Chris Weidman as his opponent. Speaking for first
time about the replacement to TATAME, Demian says that the fight
brings different challenges than the confrontation with Bisping,
but he claims to be ready for it. Check it:
How
did it feel not knowing if you would fight or not?
I
thought I would go there and don’t fight. There were two
hours of stress.
Have
you been through something like that: having your opponent replaced
15 days before the fight?
Like
10, 15 days no, but it happened few times. When I was debuting
in the UFC I was fighting Marvin Eastman, but he got his eye
injured and I fought Ryan Jensen. There was a time I would fight
Alan Belcher and he also got his eye injured, and I end up fighting
Mario Miranda.
Dana
White said some name would not accept fighting you, and Rousimar
Palhares is one of them…
Of
course, I wouldn’t take a fight 10 days in advance after
I had just fought. It’s a high risk for your career. He
got the guy who would accept it easily and haven’t fought
for a long time. It’s not easy. He found a tough guy, undefeated,
which will be a great test for me.
Have
you studied Chris yet? Does it change your game plan a lot?
I’ll
have to chance some things. I’m training now, so we’ll
set an emergency plan to get ready for this new fight.
Do
you see it as an easy bout or does it only chance the challenge?
It’s
different… They underestimate Bisping, but who defeated
him so far? Rashad, from other division, Wanderlei and Dan Henderson,
only Henderson knocked him out. The others won by points. And
by points is hard because he’s very strategic. He always
finds a way for the win… The guys say he’s easy, that
he has no punch, but you don’t need “punch”, he
only needs to win the fight.
Chris
doesn’t have the same name of fame of Bisping. Do you think
it doesn’t make sense?
Honestly,
now the fans know more and more about the sport and know he’s
a really tough guy and they’ll worship this fight as much
as if it was Bisping. On the old days they would worry a lot
about a name, but the guy’s undefeated: on a row, seven
fights, a high level wrestler. It doesn’t change much.
Dana
While complimented you on Twitter for having accepted it at the
last minute. Did you get to talk to him?
I
didn’t talk to them, but it’s alright. I gotta take
advantage of this phase I am where I’m well trained and
I can’t waste it. I would get upset if I would not fight,
especially since it’s a FOX fight, which will be huge for
me and my name.
Source: Tatame
|
Heat
and Jiu-Jitsu at Abu Dhabi tryouts in Rio
What
would bring someone to take a one-hour ride by bus to a scalding
hot gymnasium at another city on a sun-drenched long weekend
in Rio de Janeiro? The answer’s simple: top-notch Jiu-Jitsu.
This Saturday marked day one of the World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship-qualifying
tournament held in Niteroi, a city across the Guanabara Bay from
Rio de Janeiro. The gymnasium wasn’t in the best of shape
but the fighters made up for it, making the trip worthwhile for
anyone who forwent spending the day at the beach.
Besides
getting to meet up with old friends, the highlight of the event
was being able to get a glompse of heavyweight and absolute word
champion Rodolfo Vieira. The GFTeam ace submitted three opponents
on his way to Sunday’s under-92 kg final against Barbosa
team’s Luiz Panza. Besides the excitement of having made
it through to the weight class decider, Rodolfo was even more
overjoyed by the news he would he seeing action at the European
Open later this month: “It was a surprise. A friend of ours
said he’d pay the trip, and I’m going,” he reported.
In
the brown and black belt division, Rodolfo’s team secured
another four berths in the main event in Abu Dhabi. In the over
92 kg division, Ricardo Evangelista overcame Bruno Bastos (Nova
União) by a sweep. Besides having overcome one of last
year’s finalists in Abu Dhabi, Evangelista went path three
other opponents. At the other end of the bracket, Thiago Gaia
(Nova União) had four matches himself. He had his work
cut out for him in the semifinal against Igor Silva, but Gaia
managed to work his way to back control and squeeze out a choke.
Another
Master Julio Cesar student, Vitor Henrique reached the under-83
kg final after four matches. The semifinal started out with him
training by a sweep to Victor Bonfim (Gordo Evolve), but he reciprocated
with a sweep of his own and notched two more advantages for the
win.
Barbosa
team representative Adriano Silva had four matches of his own.
In going through to the final, he beat David Vieira by a sweep.
The
under-74 kg division belonged to GFTeam, with Vinicius Marinho
and Theodoro Canal dominating the action. Marinho had three matches,
with the semifinal standing out most, where he faced No-Gi Pan
winner Davi Ramos. In a back-and-forth affair stuck in 50/50
guard, the match ended tied at 8-8 but with Vinicius holding
a two-advantage point lead. Canal beat four opponents in closing
out with his teammate.
Now
Master Julio’s team sat out the under-65 kg division. The
weight class belonged to the veteran Gabriel Willcox (Brazilian
Fight), who can often be seen putting on a show at the Rio International
Masters championship. Ahead of him, the black belt will take
on the also-experienced Marcelo “Galinha” dos Santos
(Instituto Reação). Willcox had four matches, while
Marcelo had three really good ones.
In
the femae division, Gabrielle Garcia (Alliance) carried on with
her winning ways and now has Fernanda Mazelli ahead of her in
the final. In the under-61 kg final, Jessica Santos takes on
Hellen Bastos.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
ProElite
– Da Spyder vs Minowaman
Results!
Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Saturday, January 21, 2011
ProElite: Da
Spyder vs Minowaman
Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
January 21, 2011
Doors open 2PM
Preliminaries start at 2:30PM
Main card starts at 5PM
ProElite
continues to survive in a tough economic climate for MMA events
(other than the UFC of course) and rumors of its strained financial
condition under the vast shadow that the UFC casts. Once an MMA
mecca, Hawaii has seen better days regarding professional MMA.
ProElite treading through this tough time serves as a glimpse
of hope for local MMA fighters and gyms. The experience of the
promoters no doubt have a lot to do with its survival. The once
large Hawaii crowds have not been coming out to large MMA events,
probably due to the economic downturn. For this event, ProElite
wisely cut back on its fighter purse liability by pulling back
on big named MMA superstars that have fallen out of favor and
went with The Ultimate Fighter winner and local favorite, Kendall
"Da Spyder" Grove taking on the controversial and highly
experienced Ikuhisa Minowa. Grove is a solid fighter from Hawaii
that was recently released from the UFC, but could easily jump
back in and make an impact. The event also featured with the
quarter finals of the heavyweight tournament. The event was shown
on HDNet to garnish some much needed exposure for the event.
The event featured great brief pieces on the Hawaiian warrior
spirit and the birth of MMA in Hawaii. This provided the beauty
that is Hawaii.
The
main card started off with a bang, literally. Brent Schermerhorn
landed a left hook on the chin of Kaleo Gambill that turned out
the lights in a brutal knock out to get everything started. The
first round of the Heavyweight Grand Prix was a snooze fest with
both fighters sparingly punching. Ryan Martinez won the rounds
based on getting the better of one or two exchanges during the
entire round. Jake Heun and Richard Odoms brought some excitement
back to the tournament with a big slam by Heun to start off the
match and a grappling exchange. Heun took it to the ground, but
an Odoms reversal was costly for him and Odom was able to lock
in a rear naked choke and finish Heun.
The
co-main event featured undefeated, Olympic silver medalist Sara
McMann taking the highly experienced Hitomi Akano. As expected
McMann "man"handled Akano with powerful take downs
and ground control, but Akano continued to look for opportunities
against the dominant McMann. McMann stayed out of trouble and
continued to land punches, but was very cautious and respected
Akano's submission abilities.
Grove
stalked Minowaman, but after some Minowaman theatrics, Minowa
was able to get Grove against the cage and take him down. He
didn't get off any punches, but controlled Grove until the end
of the first round. After getting taken down in the first, Grove
came out more aggressively. Minowa changed strategies in Round
2, pulling Grove to his guard. Grove defended what looked to
be a leg lock set up and then was all over Minowa. He took Minowa's
back, but could not break through the defenses to sink in a choke.
In the final round, Grove stuff a shot and took Minowa's back
again. Minowa has excellent defense from the back mount and prevented
Grove from slipping in a choke or doing a lot of damage with
punches. However, Grove's dominant control easily won him the
decision victory.
PRELIMINARY
CARD
3×3, 165 lbs:
Sebastian Mariconda (2-1) def. Dan Ige (1-0)
Submission via arm bar at 1:12 in Round 1.
3×3,
135 lbs:
Keli'i Valencia (2-1) def. Zach Close (2-0)
Submission via triangle choke at 2:00 in Round 2.
3×3,
155 lbs:
Ray "Braddah Boy" Cooper III (1-0) def. Kyle Foyle
(3-1)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 2:07 in Round 1.
3×5,
170 lbs:
Sean Rush (Debut) def. Jaymes Schulte (Debut)
Submission via rear naked choke at 2:37 in Round 1.
3×3,
170 lbs:
Collin Mansanas (3-2) def. Bryson Kamaka
Submission via rear naked choke at 2:27 in Round 1.
3×5,
145 lbs:
Toby Misech (Debut) def. Steven Saito (3-2)
TKO via Referee stoppage at 1:53 in Round 1.
3×5,
205 lbs:
Tatsuya Mizuno (10-7) def. Ilima Maiava (3-2)
Submission via arm triangle 1:47 in Round 2.
MAIN
CARD
3x5 185 lbs
Brent Schermerhorn (4-1) def. Kaleo Gambill (1-0)
KO at 0:45 in Round 1.
3x5
265 lbs
Pat Cummins (1-0) def. Tasi Edwards (2-0)
Submission via arm triangle at 4:01 in Round 1.
ProElite
Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi Final Match
3x5 265 lbs
Ryan Martinez (6-1) def. Cody Griffin (5-2)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
Grand Prix Semi Final Match
3x5 265 lbs
Richard Odoms (6-0) def. Jake Heun (2-1)
Submission via rear naked choke at 1:56 in Round 2.
Co-Main
Event
3x5 135 lbs Women's Match
Sara McMann (6-0) def. Hitomi Akano (18-8)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
Main Event
3x5 185 lbs
Kendall Grove (13-9) def. Ikuhisa Minowa (51-32-8)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
|
Mike
Whitehead Sentenced in Sexual Assault Case
Ultimate
Fighter alumnus Mike Whitehead on Thursday was sentenced to one-to-four
years in prison for the attempted sexual assault of a woman at
his home, according to a report by the Associated Press. The
alleged incident took place in April 2010.
Whitehead
must also pay $2,400 in restitution and register as a sex offender.
Whitehead,
who struck a plea bargain to avoid other charges, was accused
of attacking a 32-year-old woman while she slept and of groping
a 28-year-old woman, neither of whom the Associated Press identified,
following a party at his home.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Munoz
Injured; Bisping to Face Sonnen on Fox for UFC Title Shot
By Mike
Whitman
Mark
Munoz has suffered an elbow injury and will be unable to face
Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2, UFC President Dana White announced
Tuesday via Twitter.
Stepping
in for the injured “Filipino Wrecking Machine” is surging
Brit Michael Bisping, who now finds himself one fight away from
a title shot against UFC champ and pound-for-pound king Anderson
Silva.
UFC
on Fox 2 takes place Jan. 28 and marks the first of four planned
live UFC events on Fox’s flagship network in 2012. Emanating
from the United Center in Chicago, the show will be headlined
by a No. 1 contender’s bout showcasing elite light heavyweights
Rashad Evans and Phil Davis.
Bisping
(Pictured) had initially been slated to square off with Demian
Maia at the event, but the Brazilian is now left without a foe.
It is currently unknown if Maia will still compete on the card
against a different opponent. Bisping, 32, has won four straight
fights, most recently knocking out former Strikeforce talent
Jason Miller at “The Ultimate Fighter 14” finale in
December.
A
former UFC and WEC title challenger, 34-year-old Sonnen returned
to the cage in October after serving a suspension handed down
by the California State Athletic Commission. Sonnen reentered
the Octagon 14 months after testing positive for elevated levels
of testosterone in his failed August 2010 title bid against Silva,
submitting Brian Stann with an arm-triangle choke at UFC 136.
Source:
Sherdog
|
The
Cut List: Who's in Desperate Need of a Win at UFC on FX?
By Ben
Fowlkes
The
frantic pace of UFC events and the multitude of FOX-owned cable
networks on which to show those events has at least one upside:
more fights means a greater demand for fighters. In turn, that
might mean that some of the pressure to win, win, win just to
stay in the UFC will slacken just a tad, though I wouldn't bet
on it.
The
UFC is still in the business of rewarding winners and jettisoning
losers. As we've seen lately, there is a place for guys who put
on a good show even in defeat. It's just still unclear what that
place is. The UFC might need guys to fill out these FX and FUEL
TV fight cards, but it's not as if there's a shortage of MMA
fighters who want a shot in the big leagues. When in doubt, it's
best to win and keep your neck off the chopping block.
So
who needs a victory in a bad, bad way on Friday night's UFC on
FX card, and what are their chances of getting it? For answers,
we turn to the Cut List.
Pat
Barry (6-4, 3-4 UFC)
Who he's facing: Christian Morecraft
Why he's in danger: First off, let me say that I like Barry.
I like him as a person, and I enjoy watching him fight. This
is his eighth fight in the UFC, and he's yet to have a boring
or even mediocre one. That said, Pat Barry needs to win. He's
lost two straight, and three of his last four. This trend simply
cannot continue much longer. The tough part is, it's not like
he's getting outclassed. He had Cheick Kongo all but knocked
out before that one slipped away, and he seemed to be well on
his way to beating Cro Cop before he broke almost every bone
that he needed for that fight. I know every fighter has to deal
with his share of bad luck now and then, but the way Barry's
career has been going I'm started to suspect he hit a gypsy with
his car or built his gym on top of an Indian burial ground. The
good news is, he's well liked by fans and has the guns-a-blazing
style that the UFC loves. It seems like just about everybody
wants him to be successful, and how could you not? Just read
this, this, and this, and then try and tell me he's not the most
down-to-earth, self-aware fighter in the UFC. But if you're going
to stay in the UFC, you have to win some fights. Eventually even
the nice guys run out of second chances.
Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. He should beat Morecraft, who
has a size but not a skill advantage over him. Even if he doesn't,
I predict at least one more go-round for Barry. He's too much
fun to have around for the UFC to cast him out before it absolutely
has to.
Jorge
Rivera (18-9, 7-7 UFC)
Who he's facing: Eric Schafer
Why he's in danger: Rivera had the best run of his UFC career
in 2009/10, beating a trio of guys who have since left the organization
to seek their fortunes elsewhere. His current two-fight skid
began with the TKO loss to Michael Bisping, which you could argue
was a very raw deal in many respects, then continued with a split
decision loss to Constantinos Philippou. That rough stretch has
dropped him from co-main event territory to the prelim portion
of a Friday night fight card. Where's the next stop if he can't
halt his fall there? The 39-year-old Rivera would probably rather
not find out.
Outlook: Hopeful, but fading fast. It's Rivera's age more than
his record that gives one pause. He'll be 40 next month, and
his is not a fighting style that tends to age well. Maybe he
can beat Schafer, but even then, how much time is left on the
clock? Rivera's a good dude and a tough fighter, but no one gets
to do this forever.
Eric
Schafer (12-6-2, 3-5 UFC)
Who he's facing: Jorge Rivera
Why he's in danger: If you're like me, you reacted to the news
of this pairing by shouting out loud, 'Hold up, Eric Schafer's
still in the UFC?!' Then, when the grouchy librarian came over
to tell you that you had to either be quiet or leave, you used
your remaining seven minutes of internet time to research Schafer's
recent career stats in search of an answer. Turns out he's been
victorious just three times in his eight trips inside the Octagon,
and all three of those opponents were booted from the UFC immediately
after losing to him. Granted, Houston Alexander was later brought
back for a fight with Kimbo Slice, but that doesn't change the
fact that, thus far in his MMA career, Schafer has been the guy
who helps the UFC decide if you should be fired or not. Don't
get me wrong, there's a place for that. But what happens when
that guy loses? Better yet, what happens when that guy hasn't
won a fight in the UFC in three years, and the last person he
beat in the Octagon then went on to lose five of his next seven
in the smaller shows? The last time Schafer lost two in a row,
he got cut. Then he won one fight outside the UFC before coming
back to lose to Aaron Simpson at the start of his current stay.
If he can't beat Rivera, that's another two-fight skid for Schafer.
He's been around this sport long enough to know what that would
mean for his career.
Outlook: Grim. Look, this is a winnable, though by no means easy
fight for him. What it definitely isn't is a losable fight. Not
if he wants to stick around.
Daniel
Roberts (12-3, 3-3 UFC)
Who he's facing: Charlie Brenneman
Why he's in danger: Roberts got off to a rough start in the UFC
with a brutal KO loss to John Howard, but then he rebounded with
three straight victories -- two by submission. That led to a
step up in competition, which in turn led to some hard times
for Mr. Roberts. After losing back-to-back decisions to Claude
Patrick and Rich Attonito, he now finds himself just one loss
away from the dreaded three-fight skid. The worst part is, not
many people expect him to win this one. Brenneman is a 3-1 favorite
according to most oddsmakers, and the bout itself is stuck in
the middle of the FUEL TV prelims. With his 3-3 mark in the organization,
this bout feels like a fork in the road for Roberts, who has
some genuine talent. You just wonder if he's good enough to stay
at this level. You also wonder how many chances the UFC will
give him to prove it.
Outlook: Slightly pessimistic. Brenneman is a tough draw for
a guy in Roberts' shoes, but that's life in the UFC. As long
as he's upright and conscious, he's got a chance to pull off
the upset and turn this thing around. If he doesn't, he might
be headed straight off a cliff.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
Issues Statement on Erick Silva Disqualification; Result Stands
Erick
Silva wasted no time at UFC 142 Rio recently getting Carlo Prater
to the mat and pounding him out in 29 seconds.
It
appeared that Silva had run his streak to five consecutive victories.
It
wasn’t to be, however, as referee Mario Yamasaki disqualified
Silva, saying that he had warned him about repeated blows to
the back of Prater’s head, and when the fight had to be
stopped, it was due to illegal blows.
The
crowd, not seeing what Yamasaki saw, booed the decision heavily.
Even
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan felt that Yamasaki’s call
was wrong and expressed that opinion in his post fight interview,
questioning the referee.
“I
was telling him, ‘don’t hit the back of the head,’”
Yamasaki said following the disqualification. “I have to
decide right then and there. There’s nothing else I can
do.”
UFC
officials felt strongly enough that Silva shouldn’t have
been disqualified that they still paid him his win money.
Because
the event was at an international location without a sanctioning
body, UFC vice president of regulatory affairs, Marc Ratner,
oversaw the event. He reviewed the stoppage and disqualification,
issuing the following statement on Thursday:
“Based
on the referee’s verbal warnings and his determination that
the blows were intentional and a disqualifying foul, this is
not the type of decision that can be reviewed. Therefore, the
decision stands.
“Recently,
Zuffa has decided to implement the use of instant replay at all
international events that are self-regulated, and to encourage
all regulators to consider the feasibility and effectiveness
of instant replay in the sport of MMA. While instant replay would
not have reversed the call in the Silva-Prater bout, we believe
that it could be valuable to referees and the sport in the future.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Boxing:
Mayweather calls Pacquaio … on the phone
by Damian
Calhoun
And
now for your nightly Mayweather-Pacquaio news item … aren’t
you loving this?
Thursday,
news broke that Mayweather actually called Pacquaio on the phone.
That’s a call from Las Vegas to the Philippines.
According
to a television interview in the Philippine, Pacquaio the conversation
was about a potential fight doing it on a 50/50 purse split.
As
it was reported last night, Pacquaio has already picked an opponent
for his June 9 date, just in case the talks with Mayweather fall
apart.
Will
this conversation lead to the ultimate, mega-fight everybody
is waiting for? Or will it fizzle into nothing more, leading
Mayweather to more Twitter rants?
Source:
OC Register
|
Rousimar
Palhares: “I fight whoever they tell me to”
By Guilherme
Cruz
Rousimar
Palhares proved at UFC Rio he has the most dangerous Jiu-Jitsu
in MMA nowadays. In one minute, he took Mike Massenzio down and
fit his so feared heel-hook, getting to his seventh win in Ultimate,
all according to his game plan.
“At
the first UFC Rio I wasn’t looking for the submission, I
wanted to win the fight. This time I wanted to finish”,
tells Palhares to TATAME, explaining what have changed. “15
days before the fight I had a cut in my face, and it was really
big, so I couldn’t stand-up much because it could get worse.
There was no other way, I would have to grapple”.
Despite
of 13 stitches on his face, Rousimar guarantees he did not fear
that a bleeding would stop the contest. “Let me tell you
this: I wanted that fight so badly he could take a piece off
my face and I wouldn’t stop”.
To
the future, he warns he would fight anybody. “I don’t
worry about it. I just worry about my trainings”, tells.
His managers Murilo Bustamante and Alex Davis want a title shot
after one or two more wins, and the athlete claims to be ready
for it. “When they give me the chance, I’ll take it…
I’ll fight whoever they tell me to”.
The
middleweight fighter’s night was so great that he earned
US$ 65 thousand for the best submission of the night, but he
still does not plans for the extra cash.
“I
haven’t visited my family yet, I want to check them all
out. It came on a good moment, thank God”, tells Toquinho,
who bought a house for his mother and started an apartment financing
with the purse he got from the UFC. “Now I can buy my own
stuff, I’m living in my own apartment”, celebrates.
Source:
Tatame
|
Update:
‘King Mo’ Lawal Tests Positive for Steroid; Manager
Denies Use
By Chris
Nelson
Former
Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal tested
positive for the steroid Drostanolone in his most recent bout,
the Nevada State Athletic Commission disclosed on Tuesday.
Lawal,
better known by the ring name “King Mo,” scored a second-round
knockout of previously unbeaten Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce
“Rockhold vs. Jardine,” which took place Jan. 7 at
the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. While the win seems
likely to be overturned, NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer
says no ruling has been made on the issue at this time.
“The
matter has been referred to the Attorney General’s office
for issuance of a complaint for disciplinary action,” Kizer
stated when reached for comment by Sherdog.com.
Contacted
for comment shortly after the NSAC disclosed the test results,
Lawal’s manager, Mike Kogan, repeatedly stressed that Lawal
is unfamiliar with the substance for which he reportedly tested
positive.
“He
doesn’t even know what [Drostanolone] is,” Kogan told
Sherdog.com.
Drostanolone,
also known as Drolban, is an anabolic steroid popular in the
bodybuilding community and commonly used for weight-cutting.
Sold under the trade name Masteron, it is also used in the treatment
of certain forms of breast cancer.
A
former NCAA Division II wrestling champion, 31-year-old Lawal
has compiled a 9-1 record in MMA after debuting in 2008 with
a shocking upset of 60-fight veteran Travis Wiuff. The Tennessee
native, who recently joined the renowned American Kickboxing
Academy, has knocked out Larkin and Roger Gracie since dropping
his Strikeforce belt to Rafael Cavalcante in 2010.
All
other fighters from the Jan. 7 Strikeforce event, including middleweight
champion Luke Rockhold and challenger Keith Jardine, tested negative
for prohibited substances.
Source
Sherdog
|
UFC
Production Changes in Motion with New Hires
When
the UFC signed a new seven-year broadcasting agreement with the
Fox family of networks, UFC president Dana White said that there
would be numerous changes coming down the pike, including many
production changes.
That
doesn’t mean that Fox is taking over; far from it. White
said that the UFC would retain control over production, but as
their television deal moves to the next level, he wants to do
the same with production.
“I
look at this Fox deal as a fresh start for us, so I want to change
everything,” White stated. “I want to change the look
of the pay-per-view, graphics, show open, the show opens in our
Fight Nights, everything’s going to have a different feel
to it.
“We’ll
be working with these guys, I love what they do in sports, and
to enhance the look and feel of a UFC event.”
While
the announcement itself may not seem splashy, the UFC on Wednesday
put out a statement revealing the hiring of two new staff members
in the production department that surely signals some of the
change that White previously mentioned.
The
UFC announced the addition of former ESPN Deportes coordinating
producer Kieren Portley, who joins UFC as Vice President of Studio
and Spanish Production, and former ESPN producer Zach Candito,
who takes the role of Event Producer for UFC’s weigh-in,
pre- and post-fight shows on Fuel TV.
Portley,
an Emmy Award-winning producer, spent 10 years at ESPN and was
responsible for the creation of shows such as MMA Live, Fantasy
Football Now, and other high profile content. While at ESPN Deportes,
the University of Rhode Island graduate was responsible for all
cross platform original content and sales integration. In his
new role, Portley will oversee a variety of UFC studio productions
with a concentration in Spanish-language broadcasts. He will
be based out UFC’s offices in Los Angeles.
Also
an Emmy Award-winner, Candito spent five years at ESPN, producing
MMA Live and Fantasy Football Now, while also creating digital
content for ESPN.com. A graduate of Quinnipiac University in
Connecticut with a degree in broadcast journalism, Candito will
manage and produce UFC’s weigh-in, pre- and post-fight shows.
He’ll also work closely in production elements surrounding
UFC events on Fox, FX and Fuel TV. He will be based out of UFC’s
Las Vegas corporate headquarters.
“The
next two years are going to be big for us and we’re going
to produce a lot of new programs for our fans,” said White.
“We’ve got some of the most talented people in the
world on our staff and it’s great to bring on accomplished
guys like Kieren and Zach to our production department.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Zuffa
Institutes Mandatory, Pre-Contract PED Testing for New Signees
By Mike
Whitman
All
fighters hoping to compete under the Zuffa banner must now provide
proof that they are clean prior to signing with either the UFC
or Strikeforce.
UFC
officials today announced that all potential UFC or Strikeforce
fighters will be subjected to mandatory, pre-contract screens
for performance-enhancing drugs.
“We’re
committed to the health and safety of our athletes, and we take
it very seriously,” UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta
stated in a release. “We already work closely with athletic
commissions to protect our athletes, and now we’re taking
it one step further. We’re going to test any potential UFC
or Strikeforce fighter before finalizing their contract. This
shows that we don’t want performance-enhancing drugs in
our sport.”
The
announcement comes hours after former Strikeforce champion Muhammed
Lawal’s positive steroid test following a Jan. 7 victory
was revealed Tuesday morning by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
According to the regulatory body, Lawal’s post-fight test
came back positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone.
Sherdog.com
contacted Lawal’s manager, Mike Kogan, following the announcement.
Kogan repeatedly asserted that “King Mo” was unfamiliar
with the banned substance for which he reportedly tested positive.
Last
month, former Strikeforce women’s 145-pound champion Cristiane
“Cyborg” Santos tested positive for Stanozolol, another
anabolic steroid, following a one-sided title defense against
Hiroko Yamanaka on Dec. 17. Santos was suspended one year and
fined $2,500 by the California State Athletic Commission in addition
to being stripped of her title by Strikeforce. Her victory over
Yamanaka has been changed to a no-contest.
Santos
accepted the CSAC’s ruling and apologized, but denied knowingly
using the performance enhancer in a statement on her website,
instead attributed the positive test to her use of a dietary
supplement to aid in cutting weight.
Source
Sherdog
|
ProElite
– Da Spyder vs Minowaman
Today!
Neal Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Saturday, January 21, 2011
Doors open 2PM
Preliminaries start at 2:30PM
Main card starts at 5PM
Get Tickets Now!
PRELIMINARY CARD
3×3, 165 lbs:
Sebastian Mariconda (2-1; Honolulu, Hawaii) vs Dan Ige (1-0;
Honolulu, Hawaii)
3×3,
135 lbs:
Zach Close (2-0; Kalihi, Hawaii) vs Keli’i Valencia (2-1;
Honolulu, Hawaii)
3×3,
155 lbs:
Ray “Braddah Boy” Cooper III (1-0; Waianae, Hawaii)
vs Kyle Foyle (3-1; Haleiwa, Hawaii)
3×5,
170 lbs:
Sean Rush (Debut; Maui, Hawaii) vs Jaymes Schulte (Debut; Honolulu,
Hawaii)
3×5,
170 lbs:
Collin Mansanas (3-2; Kailua, Hawaii) vs Thomas Sedano (2-3;
Kalihi, Hawaii)
3×5,
205 lbs:
Ilima Maiava (3-2; Honolulu, Hawaii) vs Tatsuya Mizuno (10-7;
Tokyo, Japan)
3×5,
145 lbs:
Steven Saito (3-2; Kahuku, Hawaii) vs Toby Misech (Debut; Hilo,
Hawaii)
MAIN CARD
3x5 185 lbs
Brent Schermerhorn (4-1) ) vs. Kaleo Gambill (1-0)
3x5
265 lbs
Tasi Edwards (2-0) vs. Pat Cummins (1-0)
3x5 135 lbs Women’s Match
Sara McMann (6-0) vs. Hitomi Akano (18-8)
3x5
265 lbs
Ryan Martinez (6-1) ) vs. Cody Griffin (5-2)
3x5 265 lbs
Jake Heun (2-1) ) vs. Richard Odoms (6-0)
Main Event
3x5 185 lbs
Kendall Grove (13-9) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (51-32-8)
Source: ProElite
|
UFC
on FX ‘Guillard vs. Miller’ Results and Play-by-Play
Bridgestone
Arena in Nashville
Nick
Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval
Round
1
Denis comes out with hooks, throwing lead lefts and power rights
all over Sandoval. Sandoval tries to clinch up, and Denis gets
the collar tie. The Canadian unloads four vicious right elbows
to the temple, crumbling Sandoval as Denis' fifth elbow whizzes
over his foe's falling head. Sandoval is toast and Josh Rosenthal
steps in, halting the bout in just 22 seconds. Sensational UFC
debut by Nick Denis.
Daniel
Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
Round
1
Pineda throws a double jab and follows with a low kick, but clashes
shins with Schilling. Pineda returns with powerful hooks, and
Schilling is on his heels. Pineda clinches and slams Schilling
to the ground, moving into mount in the blink of an eye. Schilling
is getting tooled now, rolling to his belly and getting smashed
with right hands from Pineda. The Minnesotan gets to his feet
with Pineda riding his back. Pineda immediately locks up a rear-naked
choke, and Schilling walks to the fence before collapsing in
defeat to the choke. The tap comes at 1:37 of the first round
for the victorious Daniel Pineda.
Fabricio
Camoes vs. Tom Hayden
Round
1
The southpaw Hayden paws with his jab while kicking low. Camoes
throws a wild overhand that Hayden slips by. A Camoes' shot is
blocked by Hayden, who goes for one of his own in the ensuing
scrambling, getting a rear waistlock. As they drop to the mat,
“Morango” tries to get a belly-to-back kimura, but
Hayden pulls out and stands up. Hayden jabs inside and eats a
knee from the Brazilian, but powers through for a takedown into
guard. However, the Ohioan chooses to stand right back up. Camoes
shoots a low single, and Hayden tries to counter to take his
back. Camoes tries to sit out and reverse matters, but Hayden
escapes and takes top. As soon as Hayden sets up on top, Camoes
gets an omoplata. As Hayden pulls out, Camoes trips him and gets
top position. “Morango” is all over him, as Hayden
tries to kick Camoes away from butterfly guard. As Hayden scrambles,
Camoes gets his back and sinks his hooks in, instantly pursuing
the choke. Hayden tries to fight it, but when his foe goes palm-to-palm
to finish the choke, it's a wrap. The tap comes at 4:03 of the
first round.
Charlie
Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
Round
1
Brenneman sneaks a quick right in on the quickly advancing southpaw.
Roberts lands a hard left, but Brenneman power doubles him to
the canvas. Brennenman moves into side control, but “Ninja”
gets half guard back. Roberts reaches over Brenneman's neck and
looks for a guillotine for a moment, but relents. Brenneman controls
his opponent, and tries to free his left leg to pass the half
guard. “The Spaniard” finally slips his leg free and
get to side control. He doesn't stop there, instantly moving
to the top crucifix, and punching away with rights on the trapped
Roberts. After 30 seconds of getting peppered, Roberts gets his
arm free from between Brenneman's legs, and gets half guard back.
Brenneman gets back to side control, but Roberts stops his attempts
to get knee-on-belly. Brenneman continues to pepper Roberts with
short shots on top, driving him into the fence as he tries to
shrimp away. With 10 seconds to, Roberts gets to his feet, only
to get slammed to the mat from the rear waistlock by Brenneman.
They end the round caught awkwardly on their backs against the
fence.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Brenneman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Brenneman
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Brenneman
Round
2
Brenneman opens with another takedown, as Roberts attempts to
counter with a guillotine, but the New Jersey native passes to
the far side and gets to half guard. Brenneman controls Roberts'
posture, passing to side control once more and seeking the top
crucifix. Brenneman lands a few salvos of rights, but can't quite
trap Roberts. A third crucifix attempt gives Brenneman more control,
as he uses his right instep to pin Roberts' bicep while punching.
Roberts finally escapes and gets back to guard, where he instantly
pursues rubber guard and looks for an omoplata. Roberts can't
get close to the omoplata, but he locks down his position, stalemating
Brenneman and forcing Herb Dean to stand them up. Brenneman closes
in fast on the restart, getting in on a single-leg takedown.
Roberts elbows away while framing up a kimura on Brenneman who
continues to push the takedown. Roberts scissors around Brenneman's
body, and is looking for an armbar over the top, or a reverse
triangle. Brenneman tries to posture up, and Roberts locks up
a reverse triangle that “The Spaniard” sweats out for
the final moments of the fight.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Brennneman
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Brenneman
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Brenneman
Round
3
Brenneman jabs his way into the clinch, and quickly gets an outside
trip from the bodylock, straight into side control. Brenneman
chips away with short right hands and digs a few knees into Roberts'
body. Roberts trying hard to defend Brenneman's crucifix now,
keeping his left arm well off the mat. Brenneman continues punching
away with his right hand and kneeing “Ninja” to the
ribs. At the halfway part of the round, Roberts regains full
guard but referee Herb Dean quickly stands them back up. Roberts
fakes a left and shoots a double-leg, but Brenneman easily defends.
Brenneman grabs a front headlock and tries to turn the corner
to the back, but Roberts bails and flops to his back. Roberts
turns to look for an attack on Brenneman's right arm, but Brenneman
attempts to counter with a hammerlock behind Roberts' back, a
la Ryan Schultz on Chris Horodecki. Roberts extricates his arm,
and turns to attack Brenneman's left arm. Brenneman clears to
side control, but with 10 seconds left, Roberts cranks a kimura
from the bottom. Brenneman bases up to relieve some of the torque
and holds on until the final horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Brenneman (30-27 Brenneman)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Brenneman (30-27 Brenneman)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Brenneman (30-27 Brenneman)
Official
result: The judges score the bout 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28, all
for the winner by unanimous decision, Charlie Brenneman.
Kamal
Shalorus vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Round
1
Shalorus closes the distance and wings away on Nurmagomedov,
but the Dagestan product stops the takedown and collapses into
top position for a minute. Shalorus gets back to his feet and
clinches, driving knees into his foe's body. Left head kick by
the orthodox Shalorus is blocked by Nurmagomedov. Shalorus continues
to wing his left hook, just glancing the constantly circling
Nurmagomedov. “The Eagle” lands his best punch with
a short left, but Shalorus continues to press forward. The Iranian
digs to the body with a cross and Nurmagomedov shoots, but Shalorus
stuffs it. When he gets back to his feet, Nurmagomedov pops up
and flattens him to the canvas with a wild left hook as he stands.
Nurmagomedov is all over his man, pounding him as Shalorus looks
for a desperate takedown. Referee Mario Yamasaki looks on, but
shows strong judgment in letting Shalorus fight on. Magomedov
tries to get Shalorus' back, but “The Prince of Persia”
escapes, and they resume standing. Shalorus isn't fazed by the
knockdown, and resumes throwing powerful, flailing hooks with
his foe. Each man gives as good as he gets in the waning moments,
and they glance one another with winging shots until the horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round
2
Shalorus opens up with more wild right hooks, but finds himself
surprised by a takedown from Nurmagomedov. From full guard, Nurmagomedov
postures up and jacks some right hands into Shalorus' face. However,
his pace doesn't please Mario Yamasaki, and the lightweights
are stood up with three minutes to go in the second frame. Nurmagomedov
wings a right hand that misses, but comes underneath with a double-leg
that puts Shalorus on the ground. Nurmagomedov moves into side
control quickly, but steps back into half guard. Nurmagomedov
tries to jump across to side control on the other side, but can
only get to half guard before Shalorus tries to scramble up.
Nurmagomedov shuts him down and reassumes top position. Nurmagomedov
chips away, but Yamasaki stands them up once more with one minute
to go. Once reset, it is Shalorus moving forward, but his right
hand can't find its target. Nurmagomedov feints a flying knee,
but lands wide. The first two parts of a three-punch combo miss,
but Nurmagomedov tags Shalorus with a long uppercut before the
horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round
3
A wild uppercut from Nurmagomedov misses, and then a wild right
hook from Shalorus misses. More than anything, the fight has
been an exhibition of missing haymakers. Nurmagomedov leaps into
a Shalorus left hook, but undeterred, goes for another takedown.
Nurmagomedov gets in on a single-leg, but Shalorus locks up an
arm-in guillotine. Nurmagomedov pops his head out and he sets
up shop in top position once more, quickly moving to side control
then to mount. Shalorus turns his back, but only gets halfway
before Nurmagomedov locks on a rear-naked choke. Shalorus is
stuck, and is forced to tap out after a brief struggle. Khabib
Nurmagomedov wins his UFC debut at 2:08 of the third round.
Jorge
Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
Round
1
Schafer tries to move to the clinch quickly, but Rivera steps
back and looks to counter with his right hand. Schafer is determined,
and gets Rivera to the ground from the bodylock. Schafer ends
up on top in quarter guard, nearing a quick pass on Rivera. However,
“Red” instead smoothly goes to side control on the
other side. Rivera doesn't let him set up in side, however, getting
half guard back and trying to stop Schafer from landing short
elbows. Rivera moves to butterfly guard and uses an overhook
to escape to his feet. Schafer pressures him and looks for a
single-leg takedown along the fence, but Rivera breaks his grip.
Schafer partially elevates the Milford, Mass., native and lands
in side control. Schafer posts on Rivera's face, and cracks down
with short elbows. Rivera looks for double butterfly guard again
to try to get back to his feet, but Schafer shuts him down, and
gets busy on top with his most powerful punches thus far. Rivera
continues to try to stand, scooting to the fence, but Schafer
continues to control his posture. As Rivera tries to wallwalk,
Schafer threatens to take his back, so Rivera falls to his back.
Rivera is able to scramble and get to top with less than 20 seconds
to fight in the round, but winds up in a Schafer omoplata at
the bell.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Schafer
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Schafer
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Schafer
Round
2
Rivera stalks Schafer to start the second, but Schafer drops
levels and gets in on another single. Rivera defends this one
much more valiantly, pushing Schafer's head down and limplegging
out. As Schafer gets desperate, Rivera yanks his foot free, and
dives into top position. Rivera pins Schafer's head and is just
punishing him with punches. “Red” is bleeding from
the nose, and he's in trouble already. Schafer looks tired and
compromised as Rivera continues to post on his head and smash
him right rights. Schafer finally turtles up, and Herb Dean warns
him to fight back. Schafer stays turtled along the fence, and
takes punches until the bout is halted. Jorge Rivera, in what
he has announced as his retirement bout, is the winner by knockout
at 1:31 of the second round.
Christian
Morecraft vs. Pat Barry
Round
1
Morecraft jabbing and throwing the right cross to begin, but
Barry is blocking it easily. Barry leg kicks, but Morecraft catches
his leg and trips him up. Morecraft bulls his way straight into
the full mount just 40 seconds into the bout. Barry is trying
to belly down, but Morecraft's partial choke attempt is preventing
it. Barry is able to get free and escape to his feet. On the
restart, Barry lands a stiff jab and a low kick on Morecraft,
snapping his head back. Another hard low kick lands for Barry.
Morecraft closes the distance and looks for a takedown, and the
diminutive Barry looks for a guillotine. However, he ends up
on bottom again, and Morecraft passes to mount. Barry rolls again,
and Morecraft passes over his back and locks up an armbar. Barry
answers perfectly, stepping over Morecraft's legs and spinning
free. Back on the feet, a Barry head kick is mostly blocked by
Morecraft. Morecraft throws a lead hook, and Barry slips it,
ripping him with a left hook. Morecraft stumbles to the mat,
and Barry dives in with a barrage to seal the deal. Two final
crushing right hands leaving Herb Dean no choice but to intervene
at 3:38 of the first round.
Jared
Papazian vs. Mike Easton
Round
1
The fight begins with wild swinging from both bantamweights inside
the clinch, pounding away with short hooks. Easton rams Papazian
into the cage as Papazian looks for wrist control while Easton
drives knees into his thighs. Papazian and Easton take turns
pummeling and putting the other on the fence, jockeying for position
and launching knees. Mario Yamasaki separates them with three
minutes to fight in the round. A Papazian right hook is blocked
by Easton. The bantamweights trade leg kicks. With a minute to
fight, they finally exchange wild hooks. Neither man lands firm,
but Easton lands a knee on the exit. A spinning back kick glances
for Easton, and he follows with a lead left hook. Easton is cutting
Papazian off and landing sparse shots. The round ends as it began,
with both men throwing heavy hooks and uppercuts in the clinch,
hockey fight-style.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Easton
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Easton
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
2
A two-hook combo for Papazian begins the second round, but Easton
responds with a heavy left hook of his own. The same dynamic
remains, as Easton circles to his left, then his right, cutting
off Papazian and keeping his back on the fence. More quick punching
exchanges ignite with neither man landing hard until Easton cracks
Papazian and closes with a jab. The former KOTC champ runs Easton
into the fence once more. Both men trade knees to the guts inside
until the crowd starts to boo, and Mario Yamasaki separates them
just past the halfway mark of round two. Easton looks for a right,
and Papazian tags him with a two-piece and a spinning back kick
for good measure. Easton clinches now, and Papazian puts his
back on the fence once more. Easton bulls forward with an inner
reap, putting Papazian on the mat, but he regains his feet with
30 seconds to go in the round. Easton lands a hard knee to the
body before they disengage. A right cross and right hook land
for Easton, prompting an unsuccessful Papazian shot at the horn.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Easton
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Easton
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Easton
Round
3
More heavy hooks fly to begin round three, each man giving as
hard as he gets. Easton punctuates with a low kick, and Papazian
lands a right hook. They quickly find themselves clinches along
the fence once more. Mario Yamasaki breaks them just as Papazian
takes a low knee to the groin. “The Jackhammer” takes
just a brief second before restarting. As Easton stalks Papazian
to the cage, he unloads a heavy right hook that puts him on his
heels for a second. A second is all it lasts, as Papazian steps
into the phone booth, and it's another festival of short, heavy
hooks inside. In the short flurries, Papazian lands more, but
it is Easton's power that marks the exchanges. Papazian initiates
another clinch along the fence, but Easton shrugs him off, and
walks him down again. One-two-outside low kick is Easton's attack.
Both men now trade a one-two-outside low kick combo. Papazian
digs to the body and tries to follow with a knee, but Easton
shoves him to the ground, and cracks him with a right on his
way up. Papazian stumbles into another clinch, trying to control
Easton along the fence and get a respite. In the last 20 seconds,
Papazian turns into a punching machine, throwing hook after hook.
He mixes in a right uppercut that snaps Easton's head back for
a moment just before the horn. Entertaining contest.
Jordan
Breen scores the round 10-9 Papazian (29-28 Easton)
Freddie DeFreitas scores the round 10-9 Papazian (29-28 Papazian)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Easton (30-28 Easton)
Official
result: The official scores are 30-27, 29-28 and 29-29 for the
winner by majority decision, Mike Easton.
Duane
Ludwig vs. Josh Neer
Round
1
Neer tries to close the distance quickly, but as he charges in,
the backpedaling Ludwig is able to land clean right crosses.
Neer gets the fight into the clinch, but Ludwig thwarts his trip
attempt, and lands a knee on the break. Neer lands a jab of his
own, but Ludwig grabs the clinch and hits him with a row of knees.
The pattern is repeating now, as Neer continues to rush forward,
eating knees and right hands in pursuit of the takedown. Neer
gets one of Ludwig's legs off the ground, and gets Ludwig to
the floor. “Bang” kicks Neer away, but he exposes his
neck, and Neer jumps a quick guillotine, getting his elbow high
and finishing with the C-grip. There is no tap; Neer tells referee
Josh Rosenthal that Ludwig is out, and he stops the bout, rescuing
the unconscious “Bang” at 3:04 of the first round.
Melvin
Guillard vs. Jim Miller
Round
1
Guillard misses a flying knee in the opening moments, but finds
more success with a left hook that drops Miller to the seat of
his pants. Guillard tries to follow up, but Miller searches for
a single-leg which Guillard defends. Miller uses the scramble
to get back to his feet. Miller connects with a right hand counter
that backs Guillard up to the fence. Guillard then charges forward
with a knee and is swiftly taken down to the canvas. Guillard
scrambles up, but Miller takes his back standing and immediately
looks for the rear-naked choke. His choking arm is already in
position, so when he cinches is up and sucks Guillard to the
ground, it's a no-brainer. Guillard taps out at 2:04 of the first
round.
Source: Sherdog
|
Belfort
Spent $100,000 on Trainers in Preparation for UFC 142
By Mike
Hodges
Vitor
Belfort was very well-prepared heading into his bout with Anthony
Johnson at UFC 142 last weekend.
The
Brazilian was able to submit Johnson via rear naked choke just
before the end of the first round, signifying his first win in
his home country in over ten years.
Brazilian
journalist Gustavo Noblat was with "The Phenom" prior
to the event, spending time with Belfort and his family. Following
the win, Noblat was able to chat with Belfort at a local restaurant
about his training camp for Johnson.
“A
wrestler won’t be able to take me down and give me a hard
time. I came from jiu-jitsu,” Belfort told O Globo.com.
“I had seven trainers working with me during the last three
months. I spent around $100,000 with them.”
With
the win, Belfort extended his win streak to two fights after
falling short to the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva
at UFC 126 last year. With satisfying victories over the likes
of Yoshihiro Akiyama and now Johnson, Belfort will face off against
a familiar foe in Wanderlei Silva in a rematch later this year.
The long-awaited rematch will happen at the conclusion of the
upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brasil, scheduled to
begin in March.
But
as he celebrated with joy and rejuvenation, the 34-year-old said
the two UFC events hosted in Brazil will bring a positive impact
on the economy.
“Now
I’m sure the UFC will explode and reach a new level in Brazil,”
he said.
Source:
Bleacher Report
|
Bellator
61 Fight Card Laid Out; Joe Warren Defends Against Pat Curran
Bellator
Season 5 Featherweight Tournament winner Pat Curran has been
anxiously awaiting a date with champion Joe Warren… and
now he has one.
Promotion
officials on Thursday announced that Warren will defend his belt
against Curran at Bellator 61 at The Venue at The Horseshoe Casino
in Hammond, Ind., on March 9.
Tickets
for the event go on sale on Friday. It will be broadcast on MTV2
and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. The preliminary card will
be streamed live on Spike.com.
“Everything
is falling into place right now,” Curran said. “My
hometown is really close to where I’m fighting and I know
I’ll have the support of my family and friends. This is
something that is meant to be.”
Even
though Curran admits he will have the “home-cage advantage”
on March 9, the 24-year-old Crystal Lake native knows the challenge
that is right in front of him.
“Even
though he’s coming off a loss, he’s a very dangerous
opponent,” Curran said of Warren. “He is a very strong
wrestler who’s going to try to close the distance and work
the clinch against me. I’m looking forward to a great fight.”
After
a one-fight stint at bantamweight, Warren is back defending his
Bellator featherweight championship. Winner of his last five
featherweight fights, the 35-year-old Denver product has the
experience and the cage savvy to bust up Curran’s homecoming
party.
“The
Midwest is known for great fighters and great fight fans,”
Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “To be hosting
an event of this magnitude in our backyard is like Christmas
morning.”
The
Bellator Season 6 Featherweight Tournament also kicks off at
Bellator 61. Season 5 finalist Marlon Sandro takes on Roberto
Vargas, UK featherweight Ronnie Mann faces Brazilian jiu-jitsu
black belt Wagnney Fabiano, Alexandre “PoPo” Bezerra
enters his first Bellator tournament to fight fellow Brazilian
Genair da Silva, and Daniel Straus returns to the Bellator cage
after nearly a year against the undefeated Jeremy Spoon, who
brings a spotless 12-0 record to the cage.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Zuffa’s
IQ test
By Zach
Arnold
“Today,
kids, let’s learn a new word in class, OK? The password
is… Drostanolone.”
Perhaps
we’re starting to find out why UFC has been so aggressive
against ESPN for their report on fighter pay and other issues
relating to treatment of fighters in Zuffa. The pressure cooker
has been boiling lately for the company and now we know why –
King
Mo failed a Nevada steroid test. Not a WADA test, not a VADA
test, not even a California test… a Nevada test. Within
the time span of a couple of weeks, King Mo and Cris Cyborg,
two of the most identifiable names for Strikeforce, got busted
on steroid tests. These two suspensions come right after UFC
and Showtime recently signed a new deal for Strikeforce programming.
Bet the executives at Showtime are thrilled. In response to more
fighters failing drug tests, UFC announced that any fighter who
signs a UFC, Strikeforce, or Ultimate Fighter contract will have
to pass a drug test in order to get the deal. Standard operating
procedure at many companies, so I don’t know how much of
a PR boost this really will be other than weeding out the stupidest
of fighters.
A postponement of UFC’s upcoming Montreal event in March.
We’ve been screaming that they’re running too many
shows and that the talent is stretched too thin. With today’s
event postponement, finally we may start to see some scheduling
sanity. Or maybe not.
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping for Fox broadcast means a lot
more than Sonnen/Munoz and Maia/Bisping, two fights that I was
interested in seeing but probably not fights that were going
to pull in casual fans. The IQ test for booking got passed here
at the last minute. Good.
Jamie Penick: Looking at Lorenzo Fertitta’s full ESPN interview
on fighter pay, perceived UFC monopoly, Bellator, and more
As
I noted here yesterday, UFC’s ham-handed, overaggressive
PR response to ESPN seemed over-the-top and really insecure.
After all, why should they give any sort of oxygen to a network
program with only a couple of hundred thousand viewers? Instead,
Zuffa got too clever by half. They went on the offensive before
the segment aired, giving people a reason to actually watch the
segment instead of ignoring it. Then, once the segment aired,
they went and gave ESPN more oxygen. Dana White getting into
a Twitter battle with ESPN boxing Dan Rafael was just plain goofy.
It
would be one thing if the ESPN report was damaging… but
it wasn’t. Yes, the network wanted to create the impression
to sports fans that fighters are as afraid to speak out against
Zuffa management as political dissidents are in North Korea.
However, most sports fans would simply shrug their shoulders
at that and tell those athletes, ‘if you want better pay,
find another profession.’ All of the PR huffing and puffing
by Zuffa here on this little report has to be concerning. Why?
The topics discussed on the ESPN piece have been discussed for
years online, back and forth, non-stop. From a Zuffa perspective,
none of the issues raised is exactly new. So why make it into
a bigger deal?
What
if a real scandal hits? Take a look at recent history to see
what kinds of scandals we’ve had: a fighter dying in the
ring/cage, organized crime scandal (PRIDE), blood testing scandal
(as alleged against a trainer in Georgia), so on and so forth.
Now, these are real scandals that can take down a company. If
UFC is that paranoid about a Sunday morning ESPN report on fighter
pay, how will they control their emotions in public when something
grave eventually happens?
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
For
Mark Munoz, Lost Opportunity Tough to Swallow, But Title Hopes
Unfazed
By Mike
Chiappetta
Mark
Munoz, the goal remains the same. It's just the timeline that
needs to be altered.
On
Thursday morning at 10 am PT, the UFC middleweight will go from
surging contender to surgery center when he undergoes a procedure
to remove floating bone chips in his right elbow. The surgery
will be performed by Dr. Ronald Kvitne of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic
Clinic, the same medical group that recently performed UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre's successful ACL repair.
Munoz
aims to scale the same heights that St-Pierre has reached in
his career, namely as king of his division. It is a goal that
seemed in his sights as recently as one week ago, when he was
preparing to face Chael Sonnen at UFC at January 28's UFC on
FOX 2 for the right to face middleweight champ Anderson Silva.
Munoz
told MMA Fighting that during a training session last Friday,
he was engaged in a wrestling scramble when his elbow slipped
out and he felt two pops. He sparred four more rounds that night,
but by the end of his workout, he couldn't even pick up his gym
bag.
By
the next day, he'd flown to Las Vegas, had his arm examined,
and received a cortisone shot in hopes of going through with
the fight, but it was not to be. The injury had rendered his
arm nearly useless, and Munoz's hopes of becoming No. 1 contender
were forced to give way to the reality that he would instead
need surgery.
"It's
definitely a hard pill to swallow," he said on Tuesday afternoon,
less than 24 hours from his surgery. "Everything happens
for a reason. In my mind I can't see it right now. But I truly
believe in my heart, soul and mind, I'll be stronger because
of it. I don't want to be consumed with negative thoughts. With
the guys around me, my kids, my family, I can't think that way.
I'm a man of faith, and I truly believe everything will work
out for the good. So now it's just being confronted with what's
in front of me, going about it the best I can and seeing what
the future holds for me."
At
least he can rationalize the setback with the knowledge that
the operation was an inevitability.
In
fact, Munoz (12-2) had already mentally prepared himself for
surgery following his last fight, a TKO stoppage of Chris Leben
at last November's UFC 138. The victory was his fourth straight,
and seventh in his last eight fights. But just as Munoz began
to make plans to go on the shelf, Silva was diagnosed with an
injury of his own, leaving Sonnen with no opponent for early
2012. When Munoz got the call from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva for
a chance to fight Sonnen for top contender status, he instantly
decided to go for it.
That's
the same as it had been for Munoz for a while. He said the initial
injury that began his elbow problems took place in his first
WEC fight, way back in June 2008. But the fights and opportunities
came so fast and furious, he could never find the appropriate
time to address the issue.
"It's
been a problem a long time but I never got it fixed," he
said. "Over time, it kept hurting, but I'd fight through
it, because I was sparring well and grappling well. But now the
loose bodies there make it so I can't even move my arm. It locks
up every time."
Munoz
says the bone fragments are stuck in his elbow joint, making
him unable to properly flex his right arm. He can't push or pull
with the arm, making it essentially useless during the grind
of a fight. The surgery will clean out the loose pieces, and
Munoz said he's been told he'll be unable to train for 4-6 weeks
as it mends.
He
hopes to fight again as soon as late April or early May, saying
he's hoping to get on the "fast track" to coming back.
As such, he said he's already working on increasing his physical
therapy frequency from three sessions a week to five.
But
it won't be enough to get him the opportunity he wanted. Somehow,
he said, he'll bring himself to watch the UFC on FOX show, a
event that was supposed to announce him as the next contender.
He expects Sonnen to take Bisping down and grind out a win, setting
up a rematch with Silva. And when that happens, Munoz will be
there, breathing down their necks, promising to eventually find
the winner down the line.
"It's
been the goal since I started fighting," he said. "I
want to be at the top."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
142 Rio Prelims on FX TV Ratings Lower Than Any on Spike
The
UFC’s first preliminary bout telecast on the FX Network
clearly shows that fans aren’t yet used to the promotion’s
switch to the Fox family of networks.
The
UFC 142 Rio Prelims, which aired four bouts live on FX, drew
just 880,000 viewers, which is the least watched UFC Prelims
broadcast since the series began on Spike TV with UFC 103 in
2009.
The
least-watched UFC Prelims broadcast ever on Spike TV was UFC
136, which drew in an average audience of 1,045,000 viewers.
Over the life of the series on Spike TV, the UFC Prelims averaged
1.41 million viewers per episode.
UFC
142 Rio had been widely criticized as not having much drawing
power, as far as name value goes, outside of the main event pitting
Jose Aldo against Chad Mendes and Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson
in the co-main event on pay-per-view.
FX
Network is available in nearly 100 million homes, the same as
Spike TV. FX, of course, has yet to benefit from the years of
established audience that Spike built with The Ultimate Fighter,
numerous live events, and other specials before the UFC Prelims
series began.
The
true test of the effect of the move to the Fox family of networks,
and FX in particular, will come over time as the UFC and Fox
are able to build significant cross-promotion around UFC programming,
which also includes moving The Ultimate Fighter to FX.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Mark
Cuban Says HDNet Name and Format Changes Will Mean More MMA
By Mike
Chiappetta
On
Wednesday, it was announced that HDNet, a channel that was launched
in 2001 and has regularly broadcast MMA since 2004, would undergo
a change in name and identity.
Around
the summer, the channel will be rebranded AXS -- a joint venture
between entrepreneur Mark Cuban, TV host and producer Ryan Seacrest,
talent agency CAA and venue owner/tour promoter AEG -- and feature
a heavy rotation of lifestyle and live entertainment programming.
That led to fears about the future of mixed martial arts on the
channel, but late on Wednesday night, Cuban told MMA Fighting
via email that the sport will still be a major component of the
new network.
In
fact, he said it may lead to even more coverage of the sport.
"Yes,
and more," he said when asked if AXS would show as much
live MMA as HDNet currently does.
"Inside
MMA will move to our new studio at LA Live overlooking the plaza
and we will have access to AEG venues hosting fights without
truck pools," he said. "Which means we can do more
live."
HDNet
first broadcast MMA on January 23, 2004 -- even before The Ultimate
Fighter debuted on Spike -- with a tape-delayed offering of a
World Extreme Cagefighting event.
Since
then, it has become the TV home to several promotions, and has
featured live events from locales around the world. Among the
many promotions that are expected to continue being featured
on AXS are ProElite, DREAM, Maximum Fighting Championship and
Titan Fighting Championship. Inside MMA will also continue on
as a weekly news show.
When
the network relaunches with a new name in the summertime, it
will be available in around 35 million homes, an increase of
8 million over its current distribution after an expanded deal
with Dish kicks in.
"This
is very good for our MMA business," Cuban said.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Zahabi:
GSP Doing Great After Surgery
UFC
welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre has begun the process
of recovering from a torn ACL and he’s doing well, according
to trainer Firas Zahabi.
“He’s
doing great. He’s doing fantastic,” Zahabi told the
Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show. “He’s
doing the post-surgery rehab, and then after he’s done doing
that -- it should be done in March -- he’s going to start
his sports rehabilitation.”
St.
Pierre underwent surgery in December. He’ll soon be rehabbing
under the guidance of Gavin MacMillan, the founder and head trainer
at Sport Science Lab.
“He
trains Troy Polamalu from the NFL,” Zahabi said. “Tremendous
trainer. I’ve been corresponding with him for the last little
bit since Georges got injured. We have complete faith in him.
He’s been through this process before with NFL players.
The doctor was more than happy with the results of the surgery.
Things are looking really good. Georges is extremely motivated
to come back. He’s very excited. He’s got that fire
roaring now bigger than ever. Everything is lined up for success
hopefully.”
A
knee injury forced St. Pierre out of an October title defense
against Carlos Condit. He was expected to recover for a fight
against Nick Diaz on Feb. 4, but instead he tore his ACL in early
December and that bout was also scratched.
“He
had an existing injury before the tear,” Zahabi said. “He
kept training, and it tore. He realized he was trying to save
time and not miss a fight, and it turned out that he’s going
to miss a whole year. I don’t think he’ll come back
too fast. It was a mistake he did before, and I think he’ll
be sure not to repeat it again.”
Diaz
has suggested St. Pierre’s injuries are the result of how
he trains. Zahabi acknowledged that St. Pierre trains explosively,
but he also said they’re careful to minimize injury risk.
“For
Georges, working explosively has always worked for him,”
Zahabi said. “… You can get an injury from any type
of training. Anything you do a lot of, you can get hurt at. You’ve
got to manage the risk and do the training that’s best suited
for you. [Endurance training] works for Nick, and Georges’
training has been working for him.”
Source
Sherdog
|
Cormier
wouldn’t try to avenge Velasquez’s loss against 'Cigano':
“You have to eliminate emotions”
By Eduardo Ferreira
Daniel
Cormier chocked the world as he knocked Antonio Silva out on
the heavyweight GP of Strikeforce, in 2011, and he is waiting
for the finale against Josh Barnett. While the time has not come,
he trains hard at AKA along with the former champion Cain Velasquez
and nurture the dream of being on the UFC.
And,
who knows, conquering the title that once belonged to his friend.
TATAME
went to California and, during the trip, talked to the heavyweight
about the possibility of fighting the one who defeated Velasquez,
the current champion, Junior dos Santos, but he said there’s
no revenge feeling.
“You
have to be a professional, you have to eliminate emotions. If
I got ever the opportunity to fight Junior dos Santos looking
to revenge someone else’s losses, I think it puts you in
disadvantage. Once I did that and it put me in disadvantage,”
he said, talking about a potential match-up with the UFC champ.
“I know one thing, you can’t do is try to box with
the guy (laughs)”.
Source:
Tatame
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