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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2012
November
Aloha
State BJJ Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
10/20-21/12
NAGA
Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Radford H. S. Gym)
8/18/12
Warpath to Mayhem:
Rumble at the Resort
(MMA)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Lihue, Kauai)
August
King of the Mat
(Submission Grappling)
7/21/12
Sera's Kajukenbo Martial Arts Tournament
(Continuous Sparring, MMA (Controlled), and Sub. Grappling)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/14/12
King of the Cage
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/16-17/12
State
of Hawaii BJJ Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/16/12
Destiny
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/15/12
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
5/26/12
Toughman Hawaii Presents; King Of The Ring
(Boxing)
(Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium, Hilo)
5/19/12
Scrappler's Fest
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Island School, Lihue, Kauai)
The Quest For Champions
Martial Arts Tournament 2012
(Sport-Pankration, Submission Grappling, Continuous Sparring)
(St. Louis High School Gym)
5/18/12
Vendetta 4
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
5/4/12
King of the Ring
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
Just Scrap XVI
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
4/28/12
Destiny
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(The Waterfront, Aloha Tower)
4/21/12
Amateur Boxing Event
Smoker Fundraiser
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
4/14/12
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom, Waipahu)
Hawaiian
Open Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
3/29/12 - 4/1/12
Pan
Jiu-Jitsu Championship
(BJJ)
(Irvine, CA)
3/3/12
Warpath to Mayhem:
Rumble at the Resort
(MMA)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Lihue, Kauai)
Vendetta 3
(Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom, Waipahu)
Toughman Hawaii: Challengers
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic, Hilo)
2/11/12
Amateur Boxing Event
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
2/4/12
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
1/21/12
ProElite
MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
1/15/12
Polynesia
International BJJ Tournament
(BJJ)
(King Intermediate, Kaneohe)
1/7/12
Toughman Hawaii
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
|
|
June
2012 News Part 2
|
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We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
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Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ
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O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Kaleo Hosaka as
well as a number of brown and purple belts.
We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA champions Kaleo Kwan
and PJ Dean as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens
provide incredibly detailed instruction of the sweet science.
To top it off, Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima
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O2 will start a wrestling program in May headed by Cedric Yogi
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Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
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Rafael
‘Feijao’ Cavalcante Suspended for Failed Drug Test
Strikeforce
light heavyweight title contender Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante
has reportedly tested positive for a banned substance following
his victory over Mike Kyle at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
last month in San Jose, Calif.
The
failed drug was first reported by boxing reporter Gabriel Montoya
on Twitter. MMAFighting.com later confirmed it with California
State Athletic Commission executive officer George Dodd, who
did not identify the banned substance.
Cavalcante
has been suspended for one year dating from the time of the fight
and fined $2,500.
His
manager, Ed Soares, who also did not disclose any details of
the test, stands behind his fighter.
“I
believe he is innocent,” Soares told MMAWeekly.com.
Cavalcante
submitted Mike Kyle just 33 seconds into their fight at the May
19 event at the HP Pavilion. The victory was believed to have
catapulted the former Strikeforce champion into a battle with
Gegard Mousasi for the vacant Strikeforce light heavyweight title
later this year.
MMAWeekly.com
was unable to reach Dodd prior to publication.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Kendall
Grove Fight Blog No. 3 – ‘I Am Winning This Fight’
Ultimate
Fighter winner and ShoFight’s competitor Kendall Grove blogs
exclusively for MMAWeekly.com leading up to his bout Saturday
night against Derek Brunson.
In
this edition, it’s down to the final hours before Grove
gets back in the cage and faces a very tough challenge in last
minute replacement Derek Brunson.
And
we’re official! I flew into Missouri Thursday (long trip
from the Islands, for sure), and finished cutting weight yesterday
morning. Since Derek Brunson was a late-notice opponent change,
we agreed to a catchweight bout at 190 lbs. We both made weight,
and now it’s time to relax and get mentally prepared for
tonight’s fight.
You
know, every promotion does things a little differently. For ShoFIGHT,
this is their first professional fight card, from what I understand.
They’ve done a bunch of amateur events, but this is the
first with pros. And I think they’re doing a good job. It’s
not perfect, but I had what I needed to make weight, I’m
in a nice hotel, and I’m ready to go out a put on a show
for these Midwest fans.
Let’s
talk a little about my opponent. Derek Brunson is a big dude.
He’s a lot more muscular than I am…no doubt about that.
But, as with most of my opponents, I’ve got a significant
height and reach advantage. He’s 6’1,” and I’m
6’6.” So there’s an advantage there. Brunson hasn’t
faced anybody with the combination of height, experience, and
submission skills that I have. So those that think this is going
to be some sort of cakewalk for him need to rethink that.
I
am winning this fight.
Now,
I don’t have any issues with Brunson personally. He seems
like a good guy. We’re both professionals, and we’ve
been respectful of one another. But I have a lot riding on this
fight. I have prepared, gone through opponent changes, prepared
again, and now we’re here. And I’m not losing. I’m
going to do EVERYTHING I can to make sure I come out with my
hand raised. I may be on the mainland, but I feel the support
of my people back home. And it’s going to make the difference.
He’s not ready for someone like me.
So,
what did I do after I made weight? What have I been doing since
then? I’m on Hawaiian time, which is six hours behind Eastern
Time. So I had a little trouble getting to sleep on time last
night. But I slept in, got some breakfast, and had me a light
little workout mid-morning. Now I’m getting ready to head
over to the arena. Once I get there, I’ll test out the cage,
and then head to the locker room to get dressed and get my hands
taped and gloved. Nothing too crazy. Then I’ll spend the
rest of my time stretching and finishing up preparations.
It’ll
be time to hit the cage, and Derek, before I know it.
I
want to thank ShoFIGHT for this opportunity, as well as all my
coaches, sponsors, and training partners. And I especially want
to thank my wife Anna. She’s been so supportive. It’s
been quite a journey to get here, and I don’t plan on wasting
it. It’s my time, no matter what the critics say. And I
will capitalize.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Big
Nog Out of UFC 149, Shawn Jordan Steps in As Replacement
If
you are a fighter competing at UFC 149, it’s probably best
to avoid black cats or walking under ladders.
The
upcoming fight card in Calgary has suffered another change due
to injury as former heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
will be unable to compete, and has been replaced by former Strikeforce
big man Shawn Jordan.
Jordan
will now face Cheick Kongo at UFC 149 in a heavyweight showdown.
UFC
officials announced the new pairing on Saturday.
At
13-3, Jordan is a solid prospect coming out of the Greg Jackson
camp in New Mexico. The former LSU football standout has won
his last two fights in a row including his UFC debut back in
March as well as a submission victory over Lavar Johnson in September
2011.
Now
he takes a major step up in competition as he faces the always
heavy handed Cheick Kongo in a feature bout on the UFC 149 main
card.
As
for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, reports have surfaced that the
long time Brazilian Jiu-JItsu practitioner was still recovering
from the broken arm suffered at the hands of Frank Mir from UFC
140 last year and just wasn’t ready for the July date for
UFC 149.
Nogueira
will continue to rehabilitate the injury and look to return later
in 2012.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Roger
talks about transition from Jiu-Jitsu to MMA
Greatest
champion on Jiu-Jitsu history with ten titles on the black belt,
Roger Gracie is gradually exchanging mats for octagons but knows
it is not a simple journey.
Off
this year’s World to get prepared for confronting Keith
Jardine at Strikeforce, on July 14th, Gracie told TATAME all
about the difficulties on going from one sport to the other.
“You
have many good black belts, world champion who rely their game
on the gi. You can have a good transition or not”, said
Roger, pointing out his friend Romulo Barral, current world champion
and winner or two MMA fights, as an example.
“I
can be wrong, but Romulo (Barral) is a phenomenal guy who has
a dangerous guard and he relies on putting his feet on people’s
biceps and dominating the arm. This is a strong position of his
but it won’t work in MMA. I guess someone like him has to
have other tools. The good things about you when you fight with
the gi is your weakness when you’re fighting no gi”.
Source: Tatame
|
Belfort
says he’s more excited about TUF finals than Wanderlei VS.
Franklin
After
having his hand broken during his training camp for UFC BH, event
that happened on June 23rd, where he would confront Wanderlei
Silva, Vitor Belfort did not lay his head down and intensifies
his recovery to return as fast as I can to the octagons.
“I’m
training my leg and the jabs… I’m getting better. I’m
doing what I can here. Everything I can do, I do. Everything
God allows me to do I have to do”, said the middleweight,
on an interview with TATAME.
Belfort
confided that he is taking the pins off his hand next Saturday,
anticipating two weeks of his treatment. According to the fighter,
his focus is to work hard on the physiotherapy session with Rodrigo
Salviti.
“Saturday
I’ll get this pin off and I’ll start my physiotherapy
sessions. We’re ahead of the our predicted time. I was supposed
to happen in a couple of weeks. We’re doing fine. I see
today. I want to know what I can do today. Tomorrow’s like
a postdated check and we live today as if it was the only day
I had left, as if it was my last day. I live intensively, the
best way possible, responsible and very happy”.
About
UFC BH and the confrontation between Wanderlei Silva and Rick
Franklin, the Brazilian guaranteed to be more excited about TUF
Brazil finals, since he was one of the coaches of the house,
along with “The Axe Murderer”.
“All
UFC fights are good ones. Some more and some less, one are more
awaited and others less. I guess it’s going to be a good
fight, but I’m very excited about the TUF finals, I want
to see the boys fighting. I guess it’s going to be a good
example they’ll set”, said.
To
conclude, Vitor did not forget to thank everyone who has been
helping him to get recovered from his hand injury, mainly the
fans.
“I
want to thank everyone who helps me and give me a lot of support
through this recovery, doing this motivational part so I keep
on fighting for a few more years. This injury came on a difficult
moment for me, but we have to make the best out of a bad situation.
That’s what I’ve done and I thank the fans who have
always been there for me and I’m really happy with that”.
Source: Tatame
|
Rich
Franklin: Always ready to answer the call
(In
conjunction with the UFC, Yahoo! Sports will be featuring exclusive
blogs from Rich "Ace" Franklin as he readies himself
for his main-event showdown with Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147 in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.)
I've
been around long enough in this sport to know it pays to expect
the unexpected. And so, when I heard Vitor Belfort had pulled
out of his main event slot against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147,
I had a feeling I was about to receive an important phone call.
This gut feeling then increased once I'd seen a ton of tweets
sent to Dana White saying things like ‘Now Vitor is out,
put Rich Franklin in, the first fight between him and Wanderlei
was awesome’. I’m someone who always steps up when
the UFC asks me to - and I was now waiting for the call.
I’ve
stepped in before, of course, and even took over from Tito Ortiz
to finish off The Ultimate Fighter series in 2010. This was the
biggest ask yet, though, simply because it would cause plenty
of relocation and days lost traveling.
I
took the inevitable call from my manager in Singapore, where
I'd been training for four weeks ahead my own fight against Cung
Le at UFC 148 on July 7. I had decided to train in Singapore
with Cung specifically in mind. Cung has a Sanshou style, and
I wanted to be totally prepared for those attacks and kicks.
Obviously, now this all becomes irrelevant, as it is Wanderlei
rather than Cung whom I must prepare to face on June 23 in Brazil.
Rich
Franklin won his first fight against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99
via unanimous decision. (Getty)
Needless
to say, Wanderlei is a lot more direct with his attacks and,
in order to prepare for this, I’ve literally just got off
the plane and am back in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I will kickstart
a very short camp with my regular team.
Even
though it has flipped my preparations somewhat, I am more than
happy to accept the fight with Wanderlei. Our first fight in
2009 was great, and I think a lot of fans will be expecting another
great fight second time around. Wanderlei fought me tooth and
claw when we went at it in Germany, and he’ll be even more
motivated fighting in front of the Brazilian fans.
Also,
I think Wanderlei is a different fighter to the one I beat at
UFC 99. And I think I am a different fighter, too. Honestly,
I think every fighter is different fight to fight. How I fight
one night is different to how I fight the next time I am in the
Octagon. That said, you pretty much know what Wanderlei's going
to do and you pretty much know what I am going to do in there.
I think the first fight showed our styles combine for a great
fight.
Having
gone the full three rounds with Wanderlei first time around,
I was happy this rematch was slated for five rounds. Fighting
five rounds is more about how you pace the fight, not what you
do in training. I always prepare to be in the best shape possible,
whether fighting three-rounders of five-rounders.
[Related:
NCAA champ Anthony Robles talks MMA and his next challenges]
When
taking the call to fight Wanderlei, the only thing I asked for
was a couple of additional pounds in weight. I was then told
the fight could be at 190lbs. I made that request because I was
on a timetable to get down to 185lbs by July 6 (the scheduled
weigh-in day for the Cung Le fight) and with days lost through
travelling – first back from from Singapore and then over
to Brazil - I just didn’t think I could make 185lbs under
those circumstances for UFC 147. I know five pounds doesn’t
sound like much, but I will be very glad for the additional pounds
come weigh-in day in Brazil.
All
in all, I’m just happy to be back in a big fight. I don’t
think people realize how serious an injury I've had to live with
these last few months. For those that don't know, I had a 90%
tear in my rotor cuff in my shoulder. I did it training and then,
later in the day, came to the realization that it wasn't your
normal heal itself type of injury. The pain was excruciating.
When
the doctors told me the extent of the injury, it was a little
worrying. As bad as knee surgeries are, you can recover okay
because the knee only moves in two directions. Shoulders, on
the other hand, move more than any other joint in your body.
So, after the surgery, I had to sleep in a chair for over a month.
I couldn’t lie down at all, as that would have torn the
ligaments again. To compensate, I had to build myself a throne
of pillows each night and try to get forty minutes here and forty
minutes there, sleeping while sat straight up.
Gradually,
I was allowed to move it a little and, now, it feels as good
as ever. I’m ready to come back and get back in there. I’m
ready for Wanderlei and Brazil.
UFC
147 will be live on Pay-Per-View, including on Yahoo! Sports,
on Saturday June 23 at 7pm PT, 10pm ET
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Dustin
Pague Pulls a Chris Leben, Accepts Fight at UFC on FX 4 One Week
After Last Bout
Former
Ultimate Fighter competitor Dustin Pague will look to make the
‘Chris Leben move’ when he steps into another fight
just 2 weeks following his last fight in the Octagon.
An
injury to Francicso Rivera has opened up a spot on next weekend’s
UFC on FX 4 card, so Pague has accepted the chance to face Ken
Stone in Atlantic City.
Pague
follows in the footsteps of Chris Leben, who did almost the exact
same thing when he was victorious in a bout against Aaron Simpson
and then returned two weeks later to face Yoshihiro Akiyama.
Leben
went on to defeat Akiyama as well and Pague hopes for the same
kind of success.
The
bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight
with contracts in place. MMAFighting.com first reported the switch.
Pague’s
last fight at UFC on FX 3 ended with a rear naked choke victory
for the season 14 participant on the Ultimate Fighter.
Can
Pague go 2 for 2 in consecutive bouts?
Tune
into UFC on FX 4 from Atlantic City next weekend to find out.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
returns 'The Ultimate Fighter' to a taped format in hopes of
ratings boost
LAS
VEGAS – Though UFC president Dana White said he loves the
live version of "The Ultimate Fighter," the reality
series will return to a taped format for its next season, he
told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday. "The Ultimate Fighter"
will return to a taped format, Dana White told Yahoo! Sports.
In
the recently completed season, the first portion of the show
were scenes from the house where the fighters are sequestered
and was shown on tape. But for the first time ever, the fights
were live instead of taped. That led to some time overruns and
an inability to develop story lines introducing the audience
to the fighters.
The
show will remain on Friday at 10 p.m. ET on FX, though White
said if "this next season isn't up to the standards I expect,
they promised me we can move it to Tuesday or Wednesday."
He said casting for Season 16 would begin in three weeks and
will debut in September. Season 2 on FX will feature welterweight
fighters.
The
UFC typically names two of its high-profile fighters as coaches,
though he said he still had not determined who they will be.
The
first 14 seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" were on
Wednesday nights on Spike, the Viacom-owned network that now
has a controlling ownership interest in the competing Bellator
Fighting Championship.
When
Fox struck a deal last August with the UFC for MMA programming,
it wanted to put "The Ultimate Fighter" on FX. The
only open slot, though, was on Friday night, which is generally
regarded as the worst ratings night.
"FX
wants to try it again on Friday nights," White said. "But
if it's not up to the standards I'm expecting, I'm pretty sure
they'll give me what I want. But this season was a smash hit
home run for them."
[Related:
Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao moved to UFC 149 after injury to
Jose Aldo]
According
to FX spokesman Dominic Pagone, TUF was the second-most watched
series on basic cable on Friday nights among men 18-34 and 18-49,
which is the UFC's key demographic, trailing only "WWE SmackDown!"
on Syfy. Adding women, TUF was the third-most watched series
in that slot on basic cable among adults 18-34 and 18-49.
Pagone
said among adults aged 18-49, FX's ratings with "The Ultimate
Fighter" improved 69 percent year over year. It went up
141 percent among men 18-49 year-over-year, Pagone added.
White
said that although he prefers the live format, he was unable
to delve into the fighters' lives as much as in seasons past.
He
said that the perception that TUF was drawing poorly on FX was
because Spike executives were leaking ratings to MMA web sites
and presenting them in a misleading way. The overall viewership
from the last season on Spike compared to the first season on
FX was less, but it was largely because of the switch in days,
White noted.
He
said Spike also tried to create confusion in the marketplace
by running reruns of TUF programming against the live show on
FX. Spike has the right via its contract with the UFC to run
its UFC-related shows through the end of this season.
Chuck
Saftler, the executive vice president of FX, said there is always
risk involved in television when things such as time slot, day
and network are changed. He said TUF's ratings were on par with
WWE "Smackdown" on Syfy, "which has been an institution
on Friday nights." Saftler said that "was a good thing."
He
also said the timing of the deal, which began in January for
the network and in March with "The Ultimate Fighter,"
created promotional challenges.
All
of the Fox networks are renowned for superb cross-promotion of
shows, but TUF wasn't able to benefit from that in March.
"At
that point, a lot of the big promotional platforms that are within
the company are on hiatus," Saftler said. "The NFL
wasn't there. [Major League Baseball] wasn't there. "Sons
of Anarchy," "American Horror Story," "It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia," which are all big promotional
horses within the Fox and FX world, were all being rested."
"Considering
that we launched when we launched without those promotional platforms,
I'm really happy with where we are ... for it to improve FX's
time period on Friday nights the way it did, that also says good
things."
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Titan
FC 23 Results: Jorge Santiago Wins by Heel Hook; Says He’s
Dropping to 170
Titan
Fighting Championships returned to Fort Riley in Kansas for a
Fight for the Troops show at Titan FC 23, which was headlined
by Jorge Santiago taking on Justin Guthrie.
The
Blackzilian’s, Jorge Santiago, who was cut from the UFC
after being unable to win a fight in his second stint with the
promotion in 2011, forced Justin Guthrie, who came into the fight
on a five-fight winning streak, to tap out after locking in an
inverted heel hook in round one.
The
fight started on the feet, with both men trading shots. Guthrie
was looking to land his big, looping overhand left before taking
Santiago to the mat. Santiago scrambled and locked in the inverted
heel hook from his back to earn the tapout at 1:34 of round one.
“That’s
something I was training for,” said Santiago. “I’ve
seen some of Guthrie’s fights and had planned for it. This
is my last fight at 185 pounds. I want to drop to 170.”
Santiago
now improves his record to 25-10 and is on a two-fight winning
streak following two straight losses in the UFC against Brian
Stann and Demian Maia.
In
the co-main event, Joe “The Nose” Wilk picked up his
14th submission victory out of 17 wins with a guillotine choke
against Josh Huber at 2:09 of the first round. Wilk improved
his record to 17-6 with the win.
Titan FC 23 Results:
-Jorge
Santiago def. Justin Guthrie via Submission (Inverted Heel Hook),
Round 1 at 1:34
-Joe Wilk def. Josh Huber via Submission (Guillotine Choke),
Round 1 at 2:09
-Brandon Bear def. Nick Budig via TKO (Ground Strikes), Round
2 at 2:23
-Jake Lindsey def. Jordan Johnson via Decision (Unanimous)
-Freddy Assuncao def. Andrew Carrillo via TKO (Dislocated Shoulder),
Round 2 at 4:24
-Wayman Carter def. Gregg Van De Creek via Decision (Unanimous)
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC:
Ramos responds: ‘Now he’s gonna know me alright”
Initially
training for Matt Riddle, in December of 2011, Luis Ramos “Beicao”
had his fight cancelled due to his opponent’s injury. Now
the Brazilian is confronting Matt Brown on June 22nd, at UFC
on FX 4.
The
middleweight, on an interview with TATAME, revealed details of
his preparation for the bout against the American, assuring he
has trained like never before.
“I
was training for Matt Riddle but I don’t know what happened
to him. He had an injury and left, that’s what I’ve
been told, nothing more. But I don’t care who they matched
me up with. You only care if it forces you to change your tactic.
They put Matt Brown and my preparation’s been great. I’m
training like I never trained before”.
When
asked about whether he knew Ramos or not, Matt Brown revealed
not to know who his opponent was. About this statement, the Brazilian
did not want to create a big deal out of it.
“Actually
I don’t take personally if he doesn’t know me. I just
got into Ultimate and he’s been here for a long time, it’s
no big deal, he’s a UFC veteran who puts on good shows.
I understand what he’s been saying: he really doesn’t
know me. I’m a former Shooto champion and I come from smaller
events in comparison to Ultimate. Now they gave me a chance on
a bigger event and I’m training a lot more. Ok, not directly
to Matt Brown but I was still training. He said he didn’t
know me. Well, now he’s gonna know me alright”.
About
his game plan, Ramos guarantees that his priority is knocking
out or submitting since he does not want the judges to decide,
since lately they have been making many judgment mistakes and
have been scolding by UFC president Dana White.
“My
game plan is to go for the KO. I’m training hard for this.
But sometimes you have to go for other things because you can’t
do what you wanted to do. You want like a knockout and sometimes
you get a submission or a win by points. I don’t wanna let
it to the judges to decide, I know that. Andre (Pederneiras)
sets my game plan so it doesn’t happen. Like I’m fighting
in America and the judges there are crazy, I wanna look good
on the event, so my focus is to go for the KO or the submission,
but the main this is putting on a good show”.
Showing
a lot of sense of humor when talking about his game, Luis Ramos
guaranteed he will not risk too much but wants to show aggressiveness.
“Of
course I’m not like suicide, but if I’m going to lose
by points I rather go for it and lose it anyway. I’m training
a lot of Boxing, Muay Thai to go for the knockout no matter what.
I’m well accessorized at Jiu-Jitsu, it’s just about
the finish. If I take him down and grab him he’ll be submitted.
If we stand-up I’m going for the KO (laughs)”.
Coming
from a loss on his UFC debut against Erick Silva, at UFC Rio,
the middleweight fighter know the importance of getting a win
on the organization. This way, he revealed that has been depriving
himself of the great pleasures of life and has not seen his daughter
on the last weekends.
“We’re
training a lot, dedicated and I’m abdicating many things
in life. One of the main things is that I’m not spending
weekends with my daughter, which is something very important
to me and Brown will realize it when the day comes. He will meet
Ramos at Ultimate. I’m focused and my goal’s set. Sunday
I’ll travel and I’m only focused on him”.
Source: Tatame
|
Comparing
Original and Current UFC 147 Card: Fan’s Take
With
several factors -- mainly the injury bug -- derailing UFC fight
cards, nothing is what it seems in the world of mixed martial
arts these days. UFC 146 featured a completely different main
card than was originally expected and the same can be said of
UFC 147 and its top two fights. The UFC didn't announce many
fights for the event, and seemed to be banking on the big Brazilian
names to draw in pay-per-view buys. Whether the changes bomb
or strike gold remains to be seen, but how does the original
main event at UFC 147 stack up against the current card from
a fan's perspective?
Original
Main Event: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen for UFC Middleweight
title
Current
Main Event: Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin
The
first fight between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva was a five-round
war at UFC 117. (UFC)
In
Brazil, the fight between Silva and Sonnen could have been the
biggest fight in the history of the country. The Brazilian people
hate Sonnen and he appears to feel the same way towards them,
disrespecting the nation in the buildup to his first showdown
with Silva. He continued to make it personal in the build-up
to the highly anticipated rematch, going so far as to mock Silva
and the Brazilian people in a press conference in Brazil.
With
this as the main event, the promotion wouldn't have needed to
have any other big-name fighters on the card. At this point in
the feud, a person is either a fan of Silva and wants to see
him shut Sonnen's mouth, or a fan of Sonnen and wants him to
end the pound-for-pound reign of Silva.
The
Brazilian people still love "The Axe Murderer," but
a rematch with Franklin isn't exactly the headliner the fans
in the United States are willing to pay for. Franklin is being
the ultimate company man in taking this fight on short notice
after Vitor Belfort was injured, but it may be a difficult task
to get the fans to care.
Original
Co-Main Event: Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva
Current
Co-Main Event: Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Russow
The
fight between the two Brazilian legends could have been a big
seller as the main event without the Sonnen-Silva fight, but
an injury to Belfort ruined those plans. The two men were coaching
on 'The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil' and much like we have seen
with countless other coaches fights from TUF, it won't be until
a later date where they can settle their feud inside the Octagon.
While Werdum is another popular Brazilian, a fight against Russow
doesn't pique as much interest as the fight they are replacing.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Natural
Born Coaches: Maximizing Your Training Time (MMA Mind Power)
MMA
Mind PowerIn this article, Luca Senatore, founder of and Head
Mind Coach at MMA Mind Power, will share why athletes may train
well and perform well with some coaches, but not with others.
He will also look at how a coach can make the best of an MMA
athlete and also how a fighter can maximize his work with a coach.
Natural
Born Coaches
What
makes a good MMA (or any martial arts) coach?
Greg
Jackson at WEC 43Having been training martial arts since a relatively
young age, I have seen many coaches, some better than others.
Some coaches can take a medium-skilled athlete and turn him/her
into a winning machine, taking him/her all the way to the top
of the division. These types of coaches seem to be able to build
winning teams and get most athletes to win competitions and fights.
Some
other MMA coaches seem to experience more difficulties; for some
reason, their athletes seem to fall short most of the time or
end up leaving the club to join another one. These types of coaches,
as well as their athletes, would probably blame circumstance,
bad luck, unfair decisions or the athletes themselves for the
shortcomings. However, the truth often is that these shortcomings
come from the coach that we are training with.
Although
it is a known fact that there are questionable MMA coaches around,
this article is not about them, it this about the good coaches
that for some reasons seem unable to get some of their athletes
to perform and get wins. In the lines that follow, we will look
at why this happens, how coaches can increase the percentage
of athletes who do perform, and how these good athletes (who
keep falling short) can prevent and/or change the situation.
Remember that this article is out to solve the problems of poor
performance of good fighters who are coached by good MMA coaches;
it does not take into account low-skilled athletes or not so
good coaches.
Why
Does This Happen?
Quite
simply, this is down to three main points:
1.
The coaching style of the coach
2.
The rapport the coach has with the athlete
3.
The ability of the coach to understand the personality and drives
of the athlete
The
Coaching Style Of The Coach
Helio
GracieThere are rigid coaches, funny coaches, serious coaches,
talkative coaches, introverts, extroverts, analytical coaches,
and the list goes on and on. When at the age of 14 my karate
master left the country after being my mentor for more than four
years, I tried three different gyms in the space of three months.
All the coaches were great, high caliber athletes and accomplished
karate masters. I was a great Karateka too, black belt at 14,
fourth at my first Italian championship, and still, I gave up
Karate and started doing kickboxing just because I found a coach
that better fit my style even though I liked Karate much more.
Some
coaches talk a lot to elaborate on a drill or whatever else you
are working on, some others prefer to demonstrate, some others
may adopt more unorthodox ways of getting there. Some coaches
incorporate a large chunk of physical preparation into each training
session making the sessions longer, some others do nothing at
all but drills and expect you to do the prep during your personal
time. I have seen coaches sparring at every single session, some
only spar on certain days. Some coaches become your friends,
some others simply stay coaches to whom you will look up to,
but simply will not socialize with.
Considering
that we are talking about good coaches and good athletes, all
of the above styles can be good and, at the same time, all of
the above styles can be bad. They can all be good for some and
not so good for some others.
So
how do you know which style works for you??We have prepared a
short indicative checklist of questions which may help you out.
Ask yourself:
•
What do I like about my coach?
•
What would I change in my coach/coach’s style?
•
Why would I change the things that I would change?
•
Are those desired changes matter of personal preference or are
they rational?
•
How do I feel at the end of each session?
•
How would you like to feel instead (if any different)?
•
If these changes were to happen, would I become a better fighter?
Why?
•
How many of my coaches do I not match with?
I
know that the above seems obvious and yet, you would be surprised
to know how many athletes seem unhappy about their coaches until
they put down answers (in writing – always) to these questions.
At that point they often realize that they have to make some
changes and not the coaches. Other times, it turns out that although
the coach is amazing, he or she is not the right one for him/her.
?If it turns out that you are happy, but there are changes that
in your opinion would make the coach even better, I would strongly
recommend that you talk to your coach; something like “Listen
coach, I am amazed by the things we do and how you can extract
the very best out of me, but I just have one question. I am not
experienced in MMA coaching as much as you are, but when it comes
to XXXX, I wonder how did you choose to do A instead of B?”
Again,
you would be surprised to see that most coaches would not only
react well to this type of question, but they would gladly either
give you a very satisfactory answer or they may actually realize
that, although they are already great, they can be even better
by adopting the change that you subtly suggested. You should
not have problems talking with your coach. If you cannot talk
to your coach then you have just given yourself the most indicative
answer.
I
personally have three main coaches, all pro fighters, accomplished
with great records. I am lucky as I get on with them all. I like
their styles although they are different from one another. They
are able to understand what drives me and truly extract every
single resource out of me.
However,
in the past I had one coach who, although amazing with an incredible
fight record and a very entertaining way of coaching, did not
totally match my style. He would talk a little too much for my
liking, taking a little too long to explain what needed to be
changed, and he would follow a very systematic approach. All
training sessions would include a lot of hard work, but never
to the point where you want to quit and almost feel sick, which
I sometimes like. This was great for most, but I could not get
myself totally excited about it and so, having had the choice,
I chose to spend more time with one of the other coaches.
The
Rapport Between Coach and Athlete
Roger
Huerta and Trevor WittmanAmazing coach, amazing athlete, but
if they don’t like each other or have personal issues (like
Greg Jackson and Rashad Evans) chances are that things are not
going to work out in the long run. You can build rapport, of
course, and there are very many techniques to help you do that.
If, however, you have personal or rapport issues with your coach
(or vice versa) and, after giving it a fair try, things don’t
work out, you either change camp or, where possible, try to work
more with the other coaches and decrease the amount of work you
do with the “not so my type” coach.
As
a coach, if you have a great athlete with whom you know that
you cannot get on with, then I would probably recommend that
you subtly make it so that the athlete spends more time with
the other mentors and less with you. Things may fix themselves
organically after a while. Also, remember that maybe you don’t
like your coach, but you know he gets results. In this case,
if the situation is not going to degrade, you may want to stick
with him/her, as long as you truly believe that you are giving
yourself a fair chance and, at the same time, you are not wasting
your coach’s time.
The
Ability of the Coach to Understand the Personality and Drives
of the Athlete
This
point must not be mistaken with the previous. Assuming that the
coach and the athlete have amazing rapport, the athlete likes
the coach’s style and everything is perfect, there is still
one aspect that coaches can, and quite frankly should, look into:
the athlete’s personality and drives. We could go into extensive
elaboration of this, but to keep things simple and yet effective,
we can just sum this up as drives and motives.
Is
a particular athlete moved more by pain or pleasure? With this
we mean that some people are motivated more by the idea of winning
(moved by the desire to achieve pleasure) and some others are
more driven by the idea of not losing (moved by the desire to
move away from pain).
If
you find this out, then you, as a coach, will be able to better
motivate your athletes by using the right language with the right
person. This is made of small things, saying to a fighter who
is about to enter the third and final round of a hard-fought
battle something like “this is your round, don’t let
this guy take the win from you, don’t let him take this
away from you.” Or, if you know that your athlete reacts
better to moving toward pleasure, you could say “come on,
this is your round, you can get this W, give it all you have
now and you will enjoy the victory in five minutes.”
These
are of course only examples, you know your relationship with
your athletes and you need to adapt this to your personality
as well as theirs. Also, if you know your athletes’ personalities,
you can push the right buttons, understand where they might mentally
become more fragile and prepare for that.
Please
note that the above does not represent all that a coach can and
should do in terms of MMA coaching skills and tips; there are
plenty more tools that we will soon share with you on this subject.
The
above is only an overview of how different styles, personalities,
and other factors can influence the coaching outcomes even when
both coach and athlete are exceptional and a small outline of
what can be done to maximize results.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Mike
Pierce Happy to Continue His Reign Over Brazilians in the UFC
Mike
Pierce has never been shy about asking for a fight.
Following
a win over Paul Bradley at the inaugural UFC on Fox show, he
then called for a fight with former welterweight title contender
Josh Koscheck, and he got it.
Then
Pierce asked to face a Brazilian fighter because it would be
“an easy fight”, so UFC matchmaker Joe Silva handed
him Carlos Eduardo Rocha, who had gone to a split decision with
Jake Ellenberger in his last fight.
Pierce
beat Rocha soundly last weekend at UFC on FX 3, so with the chance
to call out anybody he wanted after that fight the Oregon based
fighter was a little more reserved.
Just
a little bit.
“I’m
not too sure. I’m okay continuing my reign over the Brazilians
and doing that. That’s always fun. I told Joe Silva before
this fight on Twitter that I wanted an easy fight and told all
the Brazilians to put in their applications,” Pierce told
MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday.
“(Rocha)
stepped up and took the fight and if anybody else wants to do
that, more power to them.”
Since
coming to the UFC, Pierce has amassed a record of 6-3 with his
only losses coming to fighters either currently ranked or ranked
at the time in the top five of the welterweight divisional rankings.
Pierce
went to decision with all of them, but didn’t do enough
to sway the judges to his favor. So now he wants to start building
a winning streak, and if he has to go through a few Brazilians
to do that, so be it.
Eventually,
however, Pierce realizes that there are no more easy fights in
the UFC’s impossibly tough welterweight division.
“Well,
eventually I want to win the belt and a Brazilian doesn’t
hold the belt right now. I can only do that for so long then
I’ve got to move on,” Pierce said with a laugh.
Pierce
did say he will leave his phone on over these next few weeks
in case an injury happens that opens up a spot for him on an
upcoming card. Outside of a bruise on his leg, Pierce was completely
healthy following the 15-minute fight with Rocha and is ready
to step back in if the UFC needs him.
“That’s
always an option; it might happen. I’m not banged up at
all,” said Pierce. “I could probably count on one hand
how many times he actually made contact with me.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
100-Percent
Clean: Chris Lytle Speaks Out Against Performance Enhancing Drugs
in MMA
Former
UFC welterweight Chris Lytle retired from active competition
in 2011, but he’s not walking away from the sport completely.
Still
training and teaching regularly, Lytle will lead a seminar this
weekend at the Huntington Beach Ultimate Training Center with
a focus on fighters avoiding the pitfalls of performance enhancing
drugs in the sport of MMA.
Lytle,
who will proudly proclaim that he has always lived a drug-free
lifestyle, hopes to pass on some of the knowledge he learned
during his nearly 15 years as a pro fighter, as well as show
young MMA hopefuls that there’s no real shortcut to success.
Because
with shortcuts come pitfalls.
“I
always saw the big picture. I love fighting. It’s a big
part of what I’ve done, but I’m not willing to sacrifice
everything for that. I think more people need to look at the
big picture. I’ve seen too many times when people are doing
certain things or going down a certain path, and they pay for
it the rest of their lives,” Lytle told MMAWeekly Radio
on Wednesday.
“That’s
not me, I’m glad I’m in the position I am now. I feel
better now than I have in the last several years cause my body’s
actually healed up and I feel great.”
Like
any fighter, Lytle saw the underbelly of the dark side of fighters
who chose to use performance enhancing drugs like steroids, and
he knew it was something he never wanted to get mixed up in.
He also didn’t want to look back at his career and feel
like he got a win or success based on a shot that he took to
get an edge over another fighter.
“Put
your time and energy into it and you’re going to get better,”
said Lytle. “Now could I go maybe take a couple shots and
maybe start knocking out some people a little faster? Probably,
but how would that help me now, how would that help me in the
long run as far as my career longevity, and how does that help
me when I’m 40 years old. It’s not. There are magic
pills and there are shortcuts, but they all come with consequences.”
The
latest theme running wild in the sport of mixed martial arts
is the testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) usage that has
become a hot button subject of late. Many top fighters including
Dan Henderson, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Chael Sonnen,
and Frank Mir have all admitted using TRT prior to fights.
Lytle
doesn’t want to condemn anybody without knowing exactly
what each individual person was going through at the time, but
he has a hard time believing that any high caliber athlete like
those competing in the UFC need TRT.
“There
could be different situations where somebody might have low (testosterone).
Like I talked to one of my friends and he’s a chiropractor
and he also works at this clinic and (he said) how other people
need hormone replacement and the reason usually is at the fire
department is you don’t get enough sleep, your sleep patterns
are all thrown off and that’s when the majority of your
testosterone is produced during R.E.M. sleep, so a lot of them
have low testosterone,” Lytle explained.
“But
you get blood tested and you’re supposed to be between 400
and 800 levels he’s told me, and some of them will be down
around 200 so they’ll give them shots to get them up in
that range. Now if you’re a fighter and you’re at 600
and you’re getting shots to get bumped up, I think that’s
a problem because in my opinion, from what my friend’s told
me as well, is the more they inject you with the less your body’s
going to produce naturally. Now you’re addicted to that
for life.”
The
lifetime addiction is as big of a problem in Lytle’s mind
as any potential benefit that TRT usage could do in the short
term for a fighter. He just doesn’t understand how low testosterone
seems to be running rampant through MMA lately without something
more going on.
“If
it’s low I think it’s necessary, but I would be very
surprised if too many people have low testosterone through training,”
Lytle stated.
During
this weekend’s seminar, Lytle will speak out about the ill
effects of performance enhancing drugs and how he went his whole
career without them. The free seminar sponsored by 100-Percent
Clean is Lytle’s way of giving something back to the sport
that gave him so much.
“I
feel like this sport has given me a lot, it’s given my family
a lot, it’s done a lot for me, and I feel like I’ve
got a wealth of knowledge since I’ve been around fighting
since 1998, and I feel a responsibility. I’ve got to share
that type of thing. If I can help anybody, I’d be happy
to,” said Lytle.
The
seminar will run from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Huntington Beach
Ultimate Training Center in Huntington Beach, Calif., this Saturday,
June 16.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Stevan
Struve vs. Stipe Miocic Agreed as Main Event for UFC Return to
England
The
UFC’s return to the United Kingdom now has a main event
and it’s a heavyweight showdown.
The
tallest fighter in the UFC, Stefan Struve, meets Ohio born heavy
hitter Stipe Miocic in a five-round bout that will headline the
Sept. 29 fight card in England.
Sources
close to the fight confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that verbal agreements
are in place for the heavyweight main event. The news was initially
reported by ESPN in the United Kingdom on Friday.
Originally
slated to face Mark Hunt at UFC 146 last month, Stefan Struve
instead faced power puncher Lavar Johnson on the all-heavyweight
main card. Struve made short work of Johnson, putting him away
by armbar in the first round.
Also
on that same card, Miocic made his third appearance in the UFC
with equal success. He stopped former Strikeforce standout Shane
Del Rosario with strikes in the second round.
Now
both Struve and Miocic look to make a statement in the heavyweight
division as they face off in the bout expected to headline the
UFC’s return to England, tentatively scheduled as UFC on
Fuel TV 5 on Sept. 29.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
No
prediction of fighting, Ronny Markes helps Renan Barao
Ronny
Markes has fought twice in the UFC and got a couple of wins.
However, last February, against Aaron Simpson, the Brazilian
got a broken hand. After that, the middleweight fighter has been
away from the octagons due to a surgery.
With
no appointments in mind, the athlete, on an interview with TATAME,
explained how he is doing, his expectations for the future and
his trainings at Nova Uniao.
“I’m
still healing my hand. I started training three weeks ago. A
couple of weeks ago I was training and got another injury in
my hand. It was swollen, I went to the doctor and he told me
it wasn’t 100 percent healed yet. He told me to rest one
more month, don’t train hard so my hand is 100 percent.
I came back to Rio de Janeiro to have this first moment of light
training”, said.
“I’m
helping Renan Barao and the expectation is that I come back as
quick as possible so I can get in touch with the organization
so they can match me up”, explained.
Training
on a gym in Rio de Janeiro, the middleweight also commented on
the injury that forced Jose Aldo to step back and decline the
UFC 149 fight, in Canada, on July 21st. Now the main event is
between Renan Barao and Urijah Faber.
“Things
are great here even with Junior out of UFC Canada, which is on
July 21st. He’s out, but Barao is on the main event, so
it’s a big thing for him on the organization. I was said
not to fight the same day as Anderson Silva, but God knows best
and if Jose Aldo wasn’t supposed to fight… It opened
room for a teammate, Renan Barao”.
Source: Tatame
|
“It
has nothing to do with skill. It’s about who’s tougher,
who wants it more”
The
mood in Las Vegas is one of anticipation of yet another “fight
of the century,” when middleweight champion Anderson Silva
defends his title from the big-talking Chael Sonnen this coming
July 7, right after the United States Independence Day holiday.
In
a video released by the UFC, Sonnen restated how his confidence
and desire will be enough to overwhelm the champion’s capabilities—and
wherever the action may be: standing, striking or in Jiu-Jitsu.
“Make
it a boxing bout, I’ll find a way to win. Make it a kickboxing
match, I’ll find a way to win. I’m not going to play
a dance-off with him, but if he wants to make it a combative,
man’s sport, I’ll do it. Make it a Jiu-Jitsu match,
make it a wrestling match, make it an MMA fight—it doesn’t
matter; he doesn’t have anything that I as an athlete won’t
conquer. I am a competitor. I will find a way to win, as I always
do,” says Sonnen, who has been brushing up on his Jiu-Jitsu
skills with ADCC heavyweight champion Vinny Magalhães
of team Gracie Tijuca.
“It
has nothing to do with skills. Commentators love to make it about
skills, but it’s not. It’s about who’s tougher,
who wants it more,” adds Sonnen, who in their first encounter
ended up losing via armbar from within a triangle.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
'Such
Great Heights', a Tale of Impossible Dreams, Irrational Hope
and the Bond of Brotherhood
Jun
17, 2012 - The International Fight League (IFL) never made it
as a competitor to the UFC for a variety of reasons, but it did
openly advocate a novel premise: mixed martial arts was not a
competition between two individuals, but rather, a team sport.
Among other errors, the IFL took this premise too far, believing
fans wanted to think of and see fighters compete as teammates
based on semi-geographic location and mutual interest. Naturally,
MMA fans only have interest in fighter outcomes and could never
be concerned with the teams' well-being. All they care about
is the eventual fighter product. The IFL eventually went under.
If
the new MMA documentary 'Such Great Heights', a film about the
run up in Jon Fitch's life to his title fight with Georges St.
Pierre at UFC 87, proves anything, it's that the IFL may have
been onto something.
Consumers
of MMA don't care about the welfare of American Top Team (ATT)
or American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). They only care that said
teams produce the kind of world-class talent they're accustomed
to enjoying watch compete on Saturday evenings. Fighters, on
the other hand, are deeply invested in their team, needing each
member to buoy their own career and self-esteem. From fulfilling
prosaic training responsibilities to assuaging personal insecurity,
fighters live and die as a function of their team's health.
'Such
Great Heights', therefore, is not about Jon Fitch (the welterweight
offers almost no testimonial insight). His 2008 fight with GSP
serves as the central focus of the team's time and resources,
but the real takeaways of the movie are two-fold. First, as fighters
live it (particularly in the early stages of their career), the
team's importance in MMA is utterly paramount. Second, a fighter's
life is often an irrational sacrifice, a pursuit in trying to
convert imagined greatness into real life.
The
movie is set in San Jose, California. The chapters of the film
are demarcated timestamps - 8 weeks to go, one month to go -
on the road to Fitch's title fight. Fitch - the described unimpressive
talent who never stopped showing up - is held as the great hope
of AKA, the up from the bootstraps talent who would be the first
fighter who started with the team and struggled his way to a
UFC title. But the team doesn't start and stop with him. On concurrent
journeys with Fitch are the myriad other fighters around him.
Most of them are mired in extreme poverty, borderline delusion
and professional as well as personal struggles too significant
in number to enumerate. Keeping them going is the support system
of the team and tantalizing prospect of athletic glory.
'Such
Great Heights' is a success when it juxtaposes the ascetic misery
of a fighter's life with their desperate search for a trace of
validation. At every stage of the professional game, viewers
get to see fighters rely on one another, their coaches, what
family they have and their own grit to push them the unimaginably
grueling gauntlet of training and competition. Through personal
doubt, moments of candid self-reflection and scary uncertainty
- not to mention the tax on mental stability caused by their
life choices - this documentary gives you a window into the lives
of life's true gamblers.
Those
outside of the sport often cover it and its inner workings far
better than indigenous MMA media. This documentary is no exception,
telling Fitch's and AKA's story without hagiography. 'Such Great
Heights is not a recitation of a fighter's selfish perspective
in their pre-fight lives. When fighters are ready to quit, you
see it. When they're living in converted RV's in a strip mall
parking lot, you can almost smell the stale air circling the
sleeping compartment. When an elite UFC welterweight devotes
his early adult life to a cause and falls badly short, the viewer
is there for his back stage tears trying to squeeze their way
through swollen eye sockets and bruised egos.
The
movie also does an excellent job of letting the unique personalities
of the team tell their story and others' stories as they see
it. Nowhere is this truer than in the mouth of Dave Camarillo,
whose Yoda-ish thoughtfulness and articulation of fighter's apprehensions
and desires adds an air of gravitas to the entire enterprise.
There
are, however, a few shortcomings to the film.
In
short, we've seen this story before. By 'we' I mean the dedicated
MMA fan and by 'this story' I mean the rags to riches archetype
so common in professional MMA. It's hard to imagine hardcore
fans are the intended audience, but they're also likely the first
ones to consume this movie. The film is new insofar as we haven't
seen this particular story. Not like this, anyway. Yet, the filmmakers
intended to portray the shared struggles of fighters across all
points of the professional gamut as representative of their universal
struggle. AKA has its own cross to bear, but it's not so dissimilar
to weight carried by fighters of similar size and stature. The
portrayal in this movie is important, but it's by no means groundbreaking.
The
film also misrepresents Fitch's performance against St. Pierre.
That's a fairly egregious error given how central the fight is
to both the narrative and architecture of the film. Partly the
filmmakers were hamstrung by not being able to obtain footage
rights, something the UFC is notoriously stingy about sharing.
But their solution to problem is no solution at all.
In
absence of fight footage, the movie displays quotes and headlines
from media members that make it seem as if Fitch's struggle with
GSP was something approximating 'close but not cigar'. In reality,
it stil stands as one of the greatest beatings in UFC title history.
Fitch lost every round (several of them arguably 10-8) and while
GSP couldn't put him away, he beat the AKA-product handily in
every dimension of the game. Viewers do get to see Fitch's mauled
face and post-fight weeping, but without properly explaining
the context of his sadness the movie ends up changing it.
Still,
Fitch returned to AKA soon after his loss to lick his wounds
among the safe judgement-free companionship of his teammates.
After walking into the gym, each one takes the time to congratulate
him on all the work he put in. They all do their best to console
him without allowing Fitch to feel sorry for himself. The movie
states Fitch even returned to training a week after the loss.
No one talks about what wasn't achieved either for Fitch or the
team itself, although it hardly needs articulation.
That
is the life of the professional MMA team laid naked before the
world: endless work, sacrifice and loss given in the pursuit
of something that likely will never come. But there's no time
for worry and it's not anything one's teammates can't talk a
fighter out of. For now, the only focus that matters and the
only they'll allow themselves to have is their lofty goals. The
achievement, the recognition this has all been worth it. That
they are who they think they are and how right they were to covet
something so dearly.
Such
great heights, indeed.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Today!
Sunday
June 17
Kids Gi & No-Gi
11:00-1:00pm
Adults
No-Gi
1:00-6:00pm
|
If
GSP Isn’t Healthy, Martin Kampmann Ready for Condit Rematch
by Damon
Martin
The
waiting game for a fighter is sometimes the toughest spot in
the world to sit in, but Martin Kampmann is completely okay with
that right now.
The
battle tested welterweight is coming off two hard fought wars
in recent months in which he submitted Thiago Alves and then
knocked out Jake Ellenberger, putting him in prime position as
a top contender in the welterweight division.
The
only problem is everyone is still waiting on word from UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre that he’ll officially be ready
to return in November and face interim champion Carlos Condit
at UFC 154.
If
that happens, Kampmann will face Johny Hendricks on the same
card in November, with the winner getting a shot at the title.
Right
now, however, after a busy start to 2012, Kampmann is ready to
deal with a few nagging injuries and spend some much needed time
with his family.
“I’m
looking forward just to taking some time off and come home and
see the family, and heal up. Then when I come back, I’ll
be 100-percent and back in hard training mode,” Kampmann
told MMAWeekly Radio after his win at The Ultimate Fighter Finale.
Kampmann
just underwent minor knee surgery to clean up some problems he’s
had for his last few fights in the Octagon, and then he’s
headed home to Denmark for an entire month to see his friends
and family.
Upon
his return, Kampmann will be ready to conquer whatever challenge
the UFC puts in front of him.
The
most notable match-up would be a shot at the UFC welterweight
title, and if Georges St-Pierre won’t be ready by November,
interim champ Carlos Condit has stated he would gladly face Kampmann
instead.
See,
Kampmann welcomed Condit to the UFC back in April 2009 and proceeded
to hand the former WEC champion a split decision loss, which
stands as his only defeat inside the Octagon.
Kampmann
knows Condit wants a rematch, and if it just so happens that
there’s a title on the line, all the much better.
“Sounds
great to me, I’m down, I want to fight Carlos. I want to
get that title,” Kampmann said.
“Carlos,
he wants that rematch; he’s told me so himself. Of course
now that he’s got the belt, I’d be more than happy
to give it to him. It’s a perfect opportunity for me to
step in.”
The
unfortunate side of this whole scenario is that it’s all
predicated on St-Pierre’s presumable return. If he’s
healthy and ready to go by November, he’ll face Condit in
a title unification bout.
If
he’s not ready, Kampmann is more than ready to step in against
Condit, but his opinion doesn’t matter, and neither does
Condit’s in the big picture.
It’s
all up to the UFC.
“I
can’t do much besides waiting and heal up,” said Kampmann.
“If it’s a title fight, I’ll take that on any
day. I can’t do much, I can’t change stuff how everything’s
going to go in the UFC. The UFC makes all the decisions in the
end.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
With
No Title Shot, 'Disappointed' Johny Hendricks Looks on the Bright
Side
By Ariel
Helwani - Video Reporter and Writer
Despite
the fact that he was promised a title shot after beating Josh
Koscheck at UFC on FOX 3 last month, Johny Hendricks says he
isn't surprised he'll have to go through Martin Kampmann first.
UFC
president Dana White broke the news last week that the promotion
is looking to set up an unofficial welterweight tournament at
UFC 154, which will feature Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
for the undisputed welterweight title and Hendricks vs. Kampmann
for the No. 1 contender spot.
"It
is what it is," Hendricks told MMAFighting.com on Wednesday.
"I feel like I fought the best guys at 170 in our division
and I've won, but it looks like I have to get through one more
person, and that's just the way it goes. You can either sit here
and complain about it or you can sit there and do your best to
win it."
And
while Hendricks is putting on a happy face, he won't hid the
fact that he was initially disappointed when he heard about the
UFC's plans.
"Of
course you're disappointed. You get promised a title shot and
then something happens and it doesn't happen. But then again,
that's the nature of this business. There's always good fights
going on, you just have to win each one."
Considering
all the injuries that have plagued UFC events as of late, Hendricks
admitted that he's still holding out hope that he will fight
for the title this year. After all, there's no guarantee that
St-Pierre will be healthy enough to fight on the Montreal card
following his ACL injury last year.
"I'm
training for a five-round fight because if one of them gets hurt,
I got to take my opportunity when I can," he said.
Kampmann
recently underwent minor meniscus surgery, but he told MMAFighting.com
that he "shouldn't be out very long." Both Kampmann
and Hendricks have yet to be formally offered a fight against
each other on Nov. 17, but that hasn't stopped Hendricks from
beginning to train for one.
Hendricks
and his jiu-jitsu coach Marc Laimon are currently in New York
City working with famed BJJ instructor Marcelo Garcia, and with
a title shot currently off the table, Hendricks said he has a
new mission he wants to accomplish before the year runs out.
"I'm
always excited for a fight. If you don't go into a fight excited,
you'll lose. He's had some good fights. He's lost rounds but
ends up winning. That's who Kampmann is. You have to go in there
and finish him. My next goal is to do that."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
5
tips for bringing up a healthy child in Jiu-Jitsu
Contributor:
Junior Samurai
What
do you want for your kids the most? Photo by Mike Colón,
a purple belt camera-wielding artist on Gracie Barra
One
of the pillars of the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle is family. Only with
healthy kids and proud parents can we have the peace of mind
and time to train every day, without any greater worries. But
what’s the secret to cultivating and captivating a happy
family? How do you bring up salubrious children with the help
of Jiu-Jitsu?
Our
columnist Martin Rooney, a dedicated father and equally enthusiastic
parent, put together a simple recipe, one that can help us all.
Check out the original article on his blog, www.trainingforwarriors.com.
1.
Lead by Example
Before
you are going to get your kid in shape, you have to get yourself
in shape first. Everything you do is something that your child
is going to be learning from you. Parents that eat right and
exercise have kids that eat right and exercise. Parents that
are sedentary and bring the wrong food into the house, will have
kids that follow suit. Remember there is a reason that they say
that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
2.
Create Good Habits
Once
you start leading by example, you are going to have to stay consistent.
Eating right and exercising is not a “sometimes” thing;
it is an all-the-time thing. Stay the course. Never let off.
Be consistent in your message and actions despite the opportunity
to do otherwise.
By
continuing to make exercise part of the environment, putting
the right things in your cupboards, and limiting TV time, your
kids will eventually form good habits that will last a lifetime.
3.
Find Out The Dream
When
you were a kid, I am sure you had a dream. Well, every kid today
has one too. The best thing you can do is discover that dream
and help help your child create an optimistic expectation. There
is nothing wrong with letting your child believe they can be
the best in the world. Your goals might not always be the same
as your child’s, but a child with a powerful support team
is difficult to stop. One important aspect of that support will
be by developing their first wealth: their health.
4.
Get Involved
Once
you know your child’s dream, the next step is to support
it. The more you are involved in the process, the better the
chances you will both grow healthy together. Kids that work out
with their parents are proven to be less likely to be involved
in drinking, drugs and delinquent behavior. Being involved in
your kid’s life isn’t invasive, it is impressive.
5.
Love Them No Matter What
Just
like you cannot be too motivating, or too positive, it is impossible
to give your child too much love. This is, however, a great goal
to strive for. A great way to love them with good food and a
healthy lifestyle. Once you get involved in your child’s
dream, you may end up wanting things for your kids more than
they do. Even if they occasionally come up short, never forget
the five most powerful words you can tell your child: “I
Am Proud Of You.”
Parenting
a healthy kid is a tough job. But somebody has to do it. Now
Get To Work!
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
BELLATOR
SIGNS UNBEATEN RUSSIAN HEAVYWEIGHT VITALY MINAKOV
By Tristen
Critchfield
Bellator Fighting Championships continues to bolster its heavyweight
stable, as the promotion announced on Thursday that it has added
four-time World Sambo champion Vitaly Minakov to its roster.
Unbeaten
in eight professional bouts, Minakov is coming off a first-round
knockout of former UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez in June. The RusFighters
Sport Club representative turned pro in 2010 and has finished
all but one of his bouts -- a unanimous decision triumph over
Vitalii Yalovenko -- inside of a round.
“There
has been tremendous buzz about Vitaly worldwide,” said Bellator
CEO Bjorn Rebney in a release. “He has an incredible sambo
background and a very solid standup game. His potential after
just eight fights is very high, and we are excited to have him
joining Bellator.”
No
date has been announced for Minakov’s Bellator debut, but
the Russian is relishing his opportunity with the Chicago-based
promotion.
“Becoming
a Bellator fighter means that all my hard work in the gym and
training has all paid off,” Minakov said. “It means
myself and my entire team were working in the right direction,
and we did everything right.”
Eventually,
Minakov wants to earn his way into Bellator’s next heavyweight
bracket.
“With
my current training regimen, I feel like I am fully prepared
for a future Bellator tournament,” he said. “I want
everyone to know that I’m not here just to take part in
a Bellator tournament, but to win it all and become a Bellator
Champion.”
Source: Sherdog
|
John
Gunderson Sees Karo Parisyan ShoFIGHT Bout as Part of His Road
Back to UFC
by Mick
Hammond
Coming
off a disappointing 2011 where he went 1-2, lightweight veteran
John “Guns” Gunderson was more than happy to start
off this year with a win over fellow former UFC fighter Justin
Buchholz for the Superior Cage Combat 155-pound belt in February.
“It
felt good to get that victory over a pretty tough opponent, win
another belt and start the year off with a bang,” said Gunderson.
“Justin is an extremely tough fighter with a lot of talent
and there were a couple spots where he had me in trouble here
and there, and I just kept fighting and dug deep.
“There’s
been other times in other fights where I tried to dig deep and
fight through it and my mind said yes, but my body said no. I
was able to get through it (this time).”
Gunderson
looks to repeat his success against a name opponent when he steps
up to welterweight to take on Karo “The Heat” Parisyan
at ShoFIGHT 20 this Saturday night in Springfield, Mo.
“In
my opinion, Karo’s done more than most fighters will ever
be able to accomplish or ever do,” Gunderson told MMAWeekly.com.
“I have nothing but respect for the guy and what he’s
done in the sport from when he was young until now.
“At
this point and time in my career I want to fight those guys;
the guys with names. I want tough fights. I want fights that
mean something to me and later on look at myself in the mirror
and be proud of.”
While
Gunderson respects Parisyan, he feels that in nearly every aspect
of MMA, he outshines his larger opponent.
“Karo’s
obviously got world class judo, so there’s no way to prepare
for someone’s judo like that, but I’m strong (in areas)
too and I’m not green anywhere,” said Gunderson. “That’s
something he’s going to have to deal with: my wrestling
ability, my striking ability, my grappling ability, and my mental
toughness.”
Speaking
of mental toughness, Gunderson has heard speak of Parisyan’s
erratic mental game in the past, but he’s not buying into
it.
“He
has broken in the past, but sitting there live when he fought
Dong Hyung Kim – who had trained with us at Team Tompkins
– he put Karo in all sorts of bad positions, but Karo showcased
some real heart in that fight,” said Gunderson. “Whether
or not it got overturned, Karo won that fight, and to go out
there and beat a guy with Kim’s skills, I was impressed.
“I
think he’s serious about this. He’s maybe only got
one shot left, he needs to do it now, but unfortunately he’s
got to go through me.”
While
Gunderson feels his opponent may be up against it this weekend,
he also acknowledges the twilight of his career may not be far
off.
“I
want to get a couple more fights in the UFC and finish my career
there,” he said. “I’ve been fighting for so long
– I’ve had fifty-some fights – I deserve that.
“I
don’t feel I performed to my potential there, so if I had
another chance there, I’d make the most of it. If it doesn’t
happen, then it wasn’t meant to be; but if I can make it
happen, that’d be awesome.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Fighter
of the Half-Year: Martin Kampmann
By Mike
Chiappetta - Senior Writer
To
show you how much a few months can mean to a career, think about
where Martin Kampmann was when 2012 began. At the time, he was
coming off a unanimous decision win over Rick Story. While it
was an important victory for him in that it snapped a two-fight
losing streak, the fight itself was considered to be something
in between uneventful and boring. Rest assured, at the time,
no one was clamoring to include Kampmann in the welterweight
championship picture.
Fast
forward to today, when he is considered one of the division's
top four and likely only one win away from a title shot, and
it's clear that that no one in MMA has quite taken advantage
of the intervening time the way he has.
His first big move came in March, in a fight with Thiago Alves.
By all accounts, Alves was coasting on his way to a decision
win after having won the first two rounds. With just one minute
to go in the bout, Kampmann was cut over his nose, and Alves
was hammering on him against the fence when he went for a takedown.
It looked like the end for Kampmann, but instead, he caught Alves
with a guillotine, rolled him to mount and closed the show with
just 48 seconds remaining.
If
that "Hail Mary" guillotine wasn't impressive enough,
his next time out left most even more wowed. In that bout --
just two weeks ago -- he was matched with the surging Jake Ellenberger.
As
Ellenberger tends to do, he swarmed early. As a result, the fight
started even more disastrously for Kampmann than his Alves outing
did, as Ellenberger dropped him with a left hook in the opening
seconds and looked to finish. Kampmann though, stayed composed
and though bloodied again, hung on. By the second, the fight's
momentum had shifted, and he caught Ellenberger with a short
right that staggered him. Moments later, he used a clinch against
the fence to land a stunning knockout knee strike. In the process,
he became the first man ever to KO Ellenberger, and launched
himself into the title picture. Keep in mind, he did this while
considered an underdog in both bouts.
As
a result, he's likely to face Johny Hendricks later this year
with the division's No. 1 contender spot on the line. All in
a few month's time.
Despite
the increased number of events in 2012, there are only a handful
of major fighters that have won more than once so far this year.
Of course, quantity of wins are not nearly as important as quality
of wins, but it says something about how hard it is to win consistently
and stay healthy when that is the case.
One
of the few who's been able to pull off the feat is Kampmann,
who has given fans their money's worthy by fashioning two of
2012's most impressive comebacks while participating in main
events. Kampmann is a survivor, and he's also the fighter of
the year thus far.
2.
Erick Silva
It may seem strange to have a fighter with an official loss during
2012 on the list, especially as high as No. 2, but there's no
denying that Silva has been among the most impressive fighters
of the year thus far. His "loss" came via disqualification
due to illegal strikes to the back of the head in a fight which
he was about to win by knockout. The call, made by referee Mario
Yamasaki, remains controversial as the finish didn't seem to
be any different than dozens of others where a defensive fighter
turned away from strikes, forcing the connection angle on the
borderline of legality. Regardless, most came away thinking he
was the real deal. He only solidified that belief at last week's
UFC on FX 3 event by refusing to be undone by Charlie Brenneman's
wrestling game and submitting him in the first round. With those
two performances, Silva immediately became a player in the welterweight
division.
3.
Rick Hawn
If you're one of those MMA fans that only tunes into UFC, you
don't know what you're missing with Bellator. The tournament
format is a grueling test endurance, fitness, skill and luck,
and one brilliantly passed by Hawn, who scored consecutive knockouts
of Ricardo Tirloni and Lloyd Woodard before beating Brent Weedman
in the final. A 2008 U.S. judo Olympian, Hawn seems to have embraced
his move to lightweight and has reinvented himself as a legitimate
threat to 155-pound champ Michael Chandler.
4.
Stefan Struve
Still just 24 years old, Struve continues to learn on the job
while working his way into contendership. One of the UFC's most
active heavyweights, he's already captured two wins in 2012,
first knocking out Dave Herman at UFC on FUEL 1, then showcasing
his ground game with an arm bar victory over Lavar Johnson.
5.
Charles Oliveira
Might this year see the rise of a potential featherweight championship
contender? Perhaps, if Oliveira's early returns are indicative
of where he's headed. Granted, he hasn't yet faced elite competition
in the division, but he has been dominant, earning a pair of
decisive wins with submissions over Eric Wisely, and more recently,
former TUF champ Jonathan Brookins.
Honorable
Mention: Demetrious Johnson
"Mighty Mouse" had to suffer through six hard rounds,
trips to two continents and one heartbreak to beat Ian McCall
and advance to the first-ever UFC flyweight championship match.
That journey is certainly worthy of some recognition.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Shogun
talks fighting Vera, the Glover controversy and if he really
asked to get cut from the UFC
Interview
by Eduardo Ferreira
Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua spoke to TATAME in Curitiba, where he
is training for Brandon Vera, whom he fights with at UFC on FOX
4, and talked about the last polemics. On a honest chat, the
former champion revealed why he didn’t accept fighting Glover
Teixeira, making his boss, Dana White, pissed off. He also analyzed
his bout against Brandon Vera.
“They
asked me to fight Glover, then I talked to my team and we decided
not to fight Glover because he’s a top guy but, but he’s
building a career in the UFC. He fought once and it was on an
undercard”, explains Shogun. “It’s not interesting
for me right now. Maybe in the future… If I defeated him
I wouldn’t reach a level of having a chance at the title”.
It’s
a month before the fight and you are already doing great. How
are you?
Thank
you. Actually I have one month and a half (laughs). We’re
using good timing with this and I’m training hard to fight
in Canada. I got a couple of extra weeks and here at the gym
there’re Werdum, Wanderlei, Sergio, who’s fighting
at UFC BH, so I’m training with them. I’m feeling fine
and I just gotta keep training for August 4th.
Wanderlei
and Werdum are also fighting. Does it help on your training?
Absolutely.
It’s a great motivation for us having big champions like
them. It’s very good.
UFC
had to replace you opponent few times. How does it influence
on your training?
No.
To say the truth, the first part of my training is the same independently
of whom I’m fighting with. What changes is on the last month,
which is when I focus on my opponent. The replacement happened
before that, so in a couple of weeks I’ll train focusing
on Brandon Vera. For now I’m training my conditioning.
You
haven’t fought since November, when you fought Dan Henderson.
Is it a bad thing since you’re not active?
No.
Ultimate wants to preserve its athletes. At Pride I got to fight
five times a year. At Ultimate I do three. I’m well adapted
to it now and I’m training for a long time, but I wasn’t
training hard since it was far. Now I’m intensifying it.
My team knows how to handle it, so it’s great.
What
are the expectations for this fight?
He’s
a tall guy who likes to use his Muay Thai and so do I. I always
go for the knockout. I guess it’s going to be a good fight
to watch, fans will like it.
Where
he is most dangerous at?
I
guess at Muay Thai. He kicks a lot, so I have to pay attention
to that part of his game.
You
trained with Sergio Moraes, a two-time world champion of Jiu-Jitsu.
Are you ready for fighting on the ground?
Of
course. Sergio joined us and it was a great acquisition. Besides
being a good athlete, he is a good teacher, is very didactic,
so he was a great guy to add to our team. I’m very motivated
with him and Dida.
Despite
all the mess about who you are fighting against, there was a
rumor about you declining a fight with Glover Teixeira, which
made Dana White mad. What really happened?
They
asked me to fight Glover, my manager told me and then I talked
to my team and we decided not to fight Glover because he’s
a top guy but, but he’s building a career in the UFC. He
fought once and it was on an undercard, so it’s not fair.
I made it clear that it wasn’t interesting for us now. But
in a while it may happen, but not now.
Is
your goal now to have a title shot?
Actually
everyone wants it. It’s not interesting for me right now.
Maybe in the future… If I defeated him I wouldn’t reach
a level of having a chance at the title. He’s a top guy,
but he just got here and doesn’t have a history in the UFC.
Three, four fights from now it’s possible, but not now.
Dana White commented I rather leave UFC than fighting him but
it was not true. UFC never thought about it neither did I. At
any point I said I would leave in case I fought him. I just said
it was not interesting right now and that’s why we had our
agreement. This conversation never happened.
You
usually accept fighting anyone. You said yes to a fight against
Jon Jones three weeks before the actual fight when you were preparing
to fight Rashad Evans. You were fighting Thiago Silva, who’s
a old training partner at Chute Boxe.
Jon
Jones is a guy I fought in 2011. In 2010 he was the most promising
UFC fighter, he was coming from a good sequence of victories,
so he had a history in the UFC. And it’s the same if you
ask me about Thiago Silva. He fought in many main events, fought
with Lyoto, Rashad, Gustafsson, so he’s a very known guy
in the UFC. Thiago is a top guy and has a whole career in the
event, so it’s different.
They
offered you any other name?
No.
First I was fighting Rampage. He got injured. Then came Thiago,
who also got injured. They offered me Glover, we didn’t
accept and then UFC offered me Brandon Vera in August, in Los
Angeles.
What
can the fans hope to see in you on August 4th?
Fans
can hope I’ll do my best because I face fighting as my whole
life. I don’t give up, so they can expect I do my best in
there, for sure.
In
case you win, as Lyoto fights the same day you will, maybe he
can be your next opponent on a second edition of TUF Brazil.
What are your thoughts about that?
Actually
I’m focused on Brandon Vera. After the fight I’ll think
about it. TUF is something I really desire to be part of. I hope
to be a coach there sometime independently of who is the other
coach. I guess it probably is Lyoto (laughs).
Where
will you be at the ranking if you win?
As
I said, I’m thinking about Brandon Vera. He deserves to
be respected, he’s a good athlete and I only hear good things
about him as a person, so I’m focused on him. UFC is going
through a tough moment, there are many athletes getting hurt.
I want to win this fight and then I think about the belt.
Source: Tatame
|
Testosterone
tidal wave keeps gaining energy
By Zach
Arnold
Elephant in the room – Dan Henderson’s win over Fedor
builds momentum for TRT usage/acceptance (August 2nd, 2011)
We’re the most tested sport in the world” ain’t
cutting it no more (April 4th, 2012)
A real crisis – the testosterone HOF grows for UFC (June
1st, 2012)
When the Alistair Overeem news broke a couple of months ago regarding
his now infamous ‘tetra mix’ shot w/ testosterone,
I noted that there were plenty of big MMA name fighters that
would eventually be outed as new testosterone users. The reason
some in the know can’t reveal who is using what is due to
legal reasons. In other words, you have to wait for the fighters
themselves or for the proper authorities to make the disclosures.
I had promised that the testosterone drip torture treatment would
soon happen for MMA fans and now it’s starting to snowball.
Frank Mir was just the latest to get a hall pass from Keith Kizer’s
crew in Nevada to use T. Nate Marquardt mysteriously decided
that, after proclaiming his need for testosterone to have a normal
life, he now suddenly doesn’t want the hassle of using it
any longer.
And now we have Rich Franklin floating a public trial balloon
to gauge reaction to whether or not he should go ahead and use
testosterone. Not because he needs testosterone to function in
daily life but because, according to the man himself, testosterone
could help prolong his MMA career. If you can’t beat ‘em,
join ‘em, right?
The fighters are desperate for using testosterone. It doesn’t
increase their ability to win fights but it does increase their
power and their ability to inflict damage upon an opponent. Fighter
longer also means they absorb more trauma in the process, too.
We know what the four main reasons are for low testosterone issues
amongst active combat sports athletes – anabolic steroid
usage, bad weight cutting, heavy usage of pain killers, and/or
brain damage from concussions.
The proliferation of mark doctors, who are remarkably proud and
boastful about their connections with fighters which results
in writing prescriptions for testosterone, are more than happy
to be a hook-up. We’ve seen doctors of all stripes, from
General Practitioners to age management specialists, who have
done their so-called buddies favors. It’s also easy to get
a prescription if you want to get on testosterone. Use steroids
or testosterone, get your blood levels checked a few weeks later
to get a low testosterone reading, and get your prescription
for testosterone. Forget the debate about primary vs. secondary
hypogonadism since few people want to go there in the first place.
Then you have the promoters who say they’re against PED
usage in the sport but then proclaim that the state athletic
commissions are doing a good job of monitoring & allowing
testosterone usage for fighters. Testosterone is the base chemical
of anabolic steroids. If there wasn’t a performance enhancing
benefit to using testosterone, nobody would want to use it. So,
of course, the usage of testosterone and the way it’s handled
by athletic commissions is a form of legalized doping.
With the athletic commissions, you have the enablers who are
giving a thin veneer of credibility. Of course, given the issues
with commissions like California and Nevada, whatever credibility
that was left is largely out the window at this point due to
the bureaucrats in power. With the commissions seeing declining
revenues and on the receiving end of… suggestions…
from third parties that they better allow fighters to use testosterone
or else they won’t fight in that state, you end up with
the testosterone tidal wave that continues to pick up energy.
It’s hard for veteran MMA fans to explain to new MMA fans
how the drug climate in MMA is any different than in sports like
horse racing or cycling where doping is rampant. There’s
plenty of veterinary drugs to go around.
Back to Rich Franklin’s trial balloon for a second. In the
comments he made on The MMA Hour show, you notice how he flatly
admits that he’s still healthy and has no critical need
for testosterone? His admission blows all the excuses right out
of the water for the testosterone pushers in the MMA industry
who proclaim that lots of adult males suffer from low testosterone
levels and that there’s nothing wrong with using testosterone
as an active fighter.
The testosterone pushers put defenders of Mixed Martial Arts
in a hell of a box. For years, MMA boosters have been arguing
that the sport is safer than boxing and other athletic endeavors.
However, with the proliferation of big name fighters who have
been outed as testosterone users, considering the usage of testosterone,
or using testosterone in the shadows, how can anyone with a straight
face make the argument that MMA is a safe sport to compete in
and market on a mainstream level?
This is where the testosterone pushers must be called out on
their bluff. Either the sport is incredibly dangerous compared
to other athletic endeavors and has major, unresolved problems
that should prevent it from being mainstream like baseball &
basketball… or… the sport is safe and the guys using
testosterone under the guise of needing the drug usage to function
as human beings are doing so for the purposes of doping. This
either-or conclusion is damning one way or another to the image
of the industry, and rightfully so.
Also take note that Rich Franklin said he has talked to doctors
who work for the UFC about using testosterone. Yep.
For the record, a distinction must be made between those who
want to see steroid usage legalized for all versus the testosterone
pushers who hide behind the facade that so many fighters have
low testosterone levels that they simply can’t function
as human beings. There’s a difference here.
Which
brings us to comments Randy Couture made on Inside MMA about
testosterone usage. His comments were brief but intriguing, to
say the least. Couture said that he got his blood levels tested
and that he took supplements to boost his testosterone levels.
He promoted XCAP supplements, which is his label that he promotes.
Two of the products under the XCAP brand are Rigid T and IGF
Blast. Rigid T allegedly boosts testosterone and IGF Blast is
for growth hormone benefits. What caught my eye about the Rigid
T product is that it lists velvet deer antler extract as an ingredient.
Yahoo Sports profiled recent usage of deer antler as a PED in
sports and there are a multitude of articles asking if deer antler
is the new sophisticated PED in sports. You can’t make this
up, this deer antler -> testosterone connection. You can only
detect its usage by blood testing, not with urine testing. Naturally,
Keith Kizer says urine testing is better than blood testing for
detection of drug usage.
When it comes to the issue of supplements, it’s hard to
figure out what’s what. The recent example of what happened
to BodyBuilding.com is a perfect example.
I am reminded of this Luke Thomas post in 2009 focusing in on
Randy Couture and his comments about ‘blood chemistry.’
Before the debate over testosterone usage raged in the MMA community
leading to what we know now, the comments section on that post
are quite eye-opening to read.
The doctor who works with top MMA fighters to check their blood
levels is “The Blood Doc” John Fitzgerald. He works
with Randy Couture for the XCAP supplements brand. He’s
well-known in the sports world. He even has a Youtube channel.
Fighters are always looking for an edge. It’s up to the
bureaucrats and the promoters to stop being enablers… which
seemingly appears to be an impossible request to ask for right
now.
Unfortunately, the only way attitudes will change in the industry
is when someone gets seriously hurt by a fighter who’s using
testosterone and everyone starts blaming each other for the drug
usage being allowed in the first place. Only reactive and not
proactive behavior seems to be par for the course right now.
This will backfire sooner rather than later.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Coach:
Cain Velasquez Healthy, Ready to Fight Junior dos Santos Again
at UFC 152
By Ariel
Helwani - Video Reporter and Writer
Good
news: a UFC fighter isn't injured after all.
Despite
reports out of Brazil stating the contrary, Cain Velasquez is
ready to fight Junior dos Santos at UFC 152 in September.
Dos
Santos' jiu-jitsu coach, Yuri Carlton, told Tatame.com (via Fighters
Only) recently that due to Velasquez's broken hand, the heavyweight
title rematch will probably happen in December. However, Javier
Mendez, Velasquez's head coach at the American Kickboxing Academy
in San Jose, Calif., told MMAFighting.com on Wednesday that Velasquez's
hand is 100 percent healthy and he is already training for the
rematch.
"We're
looking at Sept. 22 as fight day," Mendez said.
Mendez hypothesized that Carlton misread the post-UFC 146 medical
suspension list, which stated that if Velasquez's left hand was
broken, he would be medically suspended until Nov. 20. Fortunately,
x-rays later showed that Velasquez didn't break his hand in his
win over Antonio Silva on May 26.
On
Friday, UFC president Dana White said that the promotion was
hoping to bring JDS vs. Velasquez 2 and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald
to Toronto's Rogers Centre for UFC 152 on Sept. 22. As of right
now, those plans are still in place.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
If
Mark Munoz Wins at UFC on Fuel TV 4, ‘He Has to Be the No.
1 Contender’
by Damon
Martin
There’s
been a lot of talk lately about who is the fighter that will
get the next crack at the UFC middleweight title after UFC 148
is wrapped.
Nine-time
defending UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva faces Chael
Sonnen in possibly the biggest rematch in the promotion’s
history, but who gets the winner is still up for debate.
Michael
Bisping has made his case should Chael Sonnen win after their
fight was closely contested back in January. Tim Boetsch believes
a win at UFC 149 should put him in the crosshairs of a title
shot.
And
let’s not forget former Bellator middleweight champion Hector
Lombard who was calling out Anderson Silva on the day he signed
with the UFC.
The
name that hasn’t been talked about quite as much is the
man who will fight in the main event at UFC on Fuel 4, and likely
has the strongest case of all the contenders to make a run at
the belt.
Mark
Munoz will enter his bout on July 11 against Chris Weidman on
a four-fight win streak, and victorious in seven out of his last
eight bouts.
Add
to that the fact that Munoz was the fighter originally scheduled
to face Sonnen in a No. 1 contender’s bout back in January
before an elbow injury forced him off the card and into the surgical
room. But now that he’s healthy and ready to return to action,
Munoz’s manager is making the case that there’s only
one name that should be uttered when speaking about No. 1 contenders
at 185 pounds.
That
name is Mark Munoz.
“If
and when Mark wins this fight, he has to be the No. 1 contender,”
said Mike Roberts of MMA Inc. when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio.
UFC
officials haven’t told Munoz or his manager that he is guaranteed
a shot at the belt should he win, but there are a lot of signs
that seem to point in that direction.
Beyond
the fact that he was already scheduled in a previous No. 1 contender’s
fight, Munoz faces Weidman just a few days after the rivalry
between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will hopefully come to
a close.
“It
makes the most sense and they’re fighting four days apart,”
Roberts stated. “I think that speaks volumes.”
Munoz
also faces an undefeated phenom in Chris Weidman, who has looked
virtually unstoppable so far in his young UFC career. If Munoz
can get past Weidman and make it five wins in a row, that would
appear to be the perfect scenario for him to face the winner
of Silva vs. Sonnen II.
Now
it’s just up to the UFC to decide who will actually get
the next crack at the belt.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Today
& Tomorrow!
|
Rory
MacDonald is BJ
Penn’s
Shot at Redemption
by Ken
Pishna
BJ
Penn may
not have the most stellar overall record in the world of mixed
martial arts, although unlike boxing, 16-8-2 is still rather
impressive; especially considering that he’s fought the
highest levels of competition throughout his entire career.
Add
to his record that, unlike most modern day fighters, he began
his professional career inside the Octagon more than a decade
ago.
Penn’s
career is quite similar to UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, right
down to the bumpy relationship with UFC brass over the years.
Penn
has fought the best of the best. He won UFC titles in two weight
classes. He’s faced seven different UFC champions. He’s
fought opponents everywhere from lightweight to heavyweight.
In
short, he’s a shoe-in to join Couture in the UFC’s
Hall of Fame.
So
why, after retiring following his loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137,
would BJ Penn come out of retirement a few short months later
to face rising talent Rory MacDonald at UFC 152 in Toronto?
“The
reason I came back to fight Rory after he put that challenge
out, Rory is a guy with a lot of hype around him and it’s
a lot of good hype. That hype is justified. He’s been doing
very well,” explained Penn on a recent episode of UFC Tonight
on Fuel TV.
“I
wanted to go up against him, Firas (Zahabi), the whole Tri-Star
team. They’ve got a good thing going on up there and I want
to try and take a crack at it.”
So
it’s not so much the fight specifically with MacDonald,
but the factor that he would once again be facing someone from
the Tri-Star gym in Montreal, home to Penn’s nemesis, UFC
welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
Penn
has twice fought St-Pierre. He lost a split decision in a war
of a fight at UFC 58 in 2006, but then didn’t have a strong
showing in their rematch three-and-half years ago at UFC 94.
St-Pierre
dominated their second bout, although the fight was later marred
by accusations that GSP was “greased up” for the fight.
Now,
however, Penn seems to believe that, regardless of the “grease
gate” accusations, he didn’t give the best accounting
of himself at UFC 94. He now wants to redeem himself.
“I
really feel that I could have put on a better performance (at
UFC 94). I want to give it another shot and I want to walk away
after that knowing that everything was left in the Octagon,”
said Penn.
“I
definitely want to get redemption for UFC 94. Win, lose or draw,
I just wanna let them know who I am. And going up against all
of (Tri-Star) as a whole, they got a good thing going, they got
many great fighters coming out of that gym, and I know of course
they’re going to have Rory prepared.”
Penn
is a proud man, and he’s always been out to prove something
much bigger than titles and other accolades. The Hawaiian has
always wanted to go down in the annals of history as one of the
best fighters on the planet.
To
many, he’s already done that. To be sure, Penn has a rabid
fan base that believes he has nothing left to prove.
But
perhaps the lone person left that wants proof is Penn himself.
Faced
with the prospect of walking down the beach and into the sunset,
never to look back at the Octagon, Penn doesn’t want to
do that with any regrets.
Perhaps
he just needs to prove to himself that the fire still burns inside;
that whether this is a one-time return to Octagon or not, the
flame that has always driven Penn isn’t going to burn out,
even as his fighting career fades away.
“What
I’m going to use is my inner fire, my inner fight. I always
felt that I wasn’t an athlete, I was a fighter, and I’m
just gonna go out there and just gonna fight my heart out.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
California
State Athletic Commission on a path towards insolvency, could
get shut down
By Zach
Arnold
Investigation: The future of combat sports in California (May
6th)
Investigation: How did (then) 80 year old scandal-plagued politician
John Frierson get an important job promotion? (May 9th)
The politics of MMA’s testosterone push & California’s
coming collapse (June 7th)
Last Monday’s meeting for the California State Athletic
Commission in San Diego proved to be full of landmines that surprised
the politicians populating the committee. On the agenda, two
key items for debate involved modifying rules for hand wraps
and allowing Therapeutic Use Exemptions for testosterone usage.
The director of the DCA (Department of Consumer Affairs), which
technically oversees the CSAC, wants no part of legalizing testosterone
usage. Despite the fact that there are no official guidelines
for testosterone usage by the CSAC, we know that at least one
high profile fighter (Dan Henderson) had TRT for his fight against
Mauricio Shogun in late 2011. If you are trying to figure out
how this is happening while the commission has no guidelines
set in stone for TUEs for testosterone, you’re not alone.
However, the big bombshell that came out of the San Diego meeting
had nothing to do with hand wraps or with drug usage.
Early on during the course of Monday’s meeting, Executive
Director George Dodd went through the agenda that the commission
was going to go over for the many hours they would be in session.
Within minutes, Dodd was confronted by the commission over finances.
He was pressed by a commissioner as to a letter from the DCA
to the CSAC in which it said that the commission was on the path
to insolvency.
In other words, broke.
Dodd was asked about if the commission is already close to ‘overspending
this year’ in terms of their budget and he admitted that
this was the case.
The California State Athletic Commission’s fiscal year for
budgeting is from July 1st to June 30th. Budgetary matters have
to be taken care of before state legislators leave for Summer
recess. According to the DCA, the CSAC is heading towards the
Fiscal Year finish line on fumes and would not have money in
the bank for the upcoming Fiscal Year.
How did this happen?
To put this into perspective, the commission’s April 9th
meeting in Sacramento indicated that finances were tight but
that business would be able to proceed as normal. Within a two
month time span, the DCA fired off an insolvency letter to the
commission stating that everything was going to hell on the finances.
This is why the commissioners on the CSAC got caught flat-footed.
Politicians don’t mind spending other people’s money
but what they don’t like is when you put them in a position
to be publicly embarrassed. That shouldn’t be how the world
works, but it is.
George Dodd talked about how there are spending limits set by
legislation and that he feels the commission is on target to
still make it but the problem is what can be spent versus what
they are taking in for revenue. He stated that the DCA observed
back in March that the math was not adding up. Stunningly, Dodd
said that the revenue projections were off by more than $500,000
because of decreasing revenues as compared to the last few years
of business. He does feel that the commission can remain solvent,
however. As a result of the DCA’s insolvency letter by Denise
Brown, the same boss who does not want the CSAC to allow testosterone
usage, the CSAC is now crafting a letter in response to the DCA.
Dodd noted that the commission has had to relieve some people
of their duties and that more cuts were on the way. He said that
they were looking to replace permanent positions with non-permanent
workers, but that the purging would continue through August when
the CSAC has their next meeting in Sacramento. When pressed about
why there are budgetary problems, Dodd put the bulk of the blame
on the amount of inspectors the commission uses. He claimed that
over half of the commission’s budget is based on paying
for inspectors, who are paid hourly. Dodd noted that inspectors
are stuck in traffic, which means it’s eating up the commission’s
funds.
If this sounds ugly to you in print, you ought to listen &
watch the actual meeting.
Searching for answers
With the heat on, Dodd started quizzically searching for answers
as to why revenues are so out of whack. He pondered if California’s
tax codes were driving away fighters from doing one-off bouts
in the state. Then it was a question about venues perhaps not
giving promoters the right kind of deals.
“It could be based off their venues, they’ve never
pinpointed why they aren’t coming here.”
He then mentioned Zuffa buying out Strikeforce and how it’s
hurt the state from having a local presence. Dodd said that having
a major promotion from California taken away has hurt. He stated
that a big game plan is needed to bring back big-time promoters
to California so they can prosper.
At this point, however, things got uglier. Dodd was pressed about
a recent Golden Boy boxing event at the Home Depot Center in
Carson, California. (June 2nd show w/ Antonio Tarver vs. Lateef
Kayode, Winky Wright vs. Peter Quillin and Austin Trout vs. Delvin
Rodriguez on Showtime). He claimed that the show drew 5,000 (later
clarified as 5,200) with only 1,200 paid. This fact immediately
drew a reaction from the commissioners who were upset. Dodd started
coming up with reasons for the bad gates in California, including
the bad economy, pricing of tickets, venue & fighter issues.
Curiously, Dodd would later say at the hearing that the business
the Golden Boy show drew in Carson lined up with his revenue
projections.
A commissioner promptly asked Dodd why the commission was hiring
staff if the revenues aren’t adding up. Dodd’s excuse
was that the commission hired staffers in March based on December
projections and he admitted that he should have seen what was
coming in terms of declining revenues. He said that the commission
was taking in $1.7M to $1.8M in yearly revenues for the last
three fiscal years but that the numbers are way down now. He
claimed that referees in Nevada & New York are paid by a
static contracted fee as opposed to getting paid hourly.
At this point, it was the inspectors on the CSAC who were promptly
getting thrown under the bus. CSAC Chairman John Frierson wondered
why 7 inspectors are needed at events when 3 or 4 would suffice
to fix the ‘overstaffing’ problem. The discussion led
to the idea of having 3 inspectors per show unless there is a
major title fight. Some of the suggestions to fix the budget
issues by the Executive Director and the commissioners were downright
crazy. The idea of limiting the number of inspectors to 3 per
show was pushed with having one inspector at the table and two
inspectors in the respective corners. To make up for having fewer
inspectors, it was suggested that the referees help out with
hand wrap inspections. Multiple commissioners, who were stunned
by the financial news, vociferously stated that every CSAC agenda
hearing should have items about inspectors and budgetary updates.
Dodd defensively said “I agree” about 20 different
times as he was getting peppered with questions.
When it came to the amount of inspectors (7) per show, former
Executive Director Armando Garcia got thrown under the bus and
blamed for increasing the amount of inspectors per show.
A commissioner chimed in by saying he was at a recent boxing
show in a town called Plymouth, California where a riot broke
out and the two inspectors were overwhelmed by the crowd due
to lack of security. The commissioner stated that inspectors
couldn’t keep fans away from the boxers in the ‘backstage’
area. Frierson immediately rebutted that it’s not the commission’s
job to handle security and that it’s the promoters who are
responsible. He told Dodd that he signs off on all the referees
for fights and that he wants to have the authority to review
& sign off on inspectors who work events.
Political infighting
One commissioner, Linda Forster (political ally of John Frierson),
said that it’s a no brainer to not overspend if there aren’t
funds to put on events. She wondered aloud how the commission
went from ‘close to overspending’ in April to receiving
an insolvency letter two months later from the DCA.
“I expect that not to be the case in the future.”
To which Frierson replied, “It was a shock to me. I’m
the Chair.”
To which Dodd feebly responded, “I didn’t know it was
coming as well.”
Dodd broke down an example of declining revenues, stating that
an event had previously would have netted the commission $90,000
in revenue. The hope was downgraded to $80,000. The actual number
for a big show ended up being $22,000.
One commissioner immediately shot back at Dodd and said that
an examination should be required to look at how promoters are
selling tickets because ‘this looks very fishy to me.’
With the temperature rising in the room, Dodd stated that the
new hirings for the commission would likely get released.
Linda Forster summed up what the other commissioners were feeling.
“Do you know how embarrassing it would be to the state of
California if we can’t put on boxing events?”
Never mind health & safety concerns. It’s all about
the optics. Courage.
“You’ve got to come up with a plan to us for what we
are going to do.”
To which Chairman Frierson replied, “It was really a complete
surprise when we got that (insolvency) letter. I was shocked!”
Of course the Chairman was shocked. He’s too busy running
for political office or getting involved in other CADEM political
matters. However, the Executive Director had no choice but to
play it safe in response.
“It was a shock to me as well.”
After some revealing conversation about the health of the state’s
pension fund for boxers and how the commission would try to have
the press/media contact fighters who might be eligible to collect
benefits from the Raymond James-managed account, it was time
for public comment about the situation regarding commission inspectors.
Throughout the hearing, the commissioners were conversationally
very chatty. That changed very quickly when CSAC inspector Frank
Gonzales stepped up and blistered the commission in a six minute
address that eviscerated the commission’s remarks &
suggestions regarding the inspectors.
Gonzales stated that having 7 inspectors at an event to do the
job asked of them is ‘barely adequate’ in terms of
the amount of business they have to conduct in one day. He asked
the commissioners to consider that they are essentially running
one-day businesses by bringing a heavy suitcase containing medical
documentation, licensing forms, and tools needed to set up shop
to collect the money in order to pay the fighters & establish
that everyone is credentialed and licensed. Inspector Gonzales
brought up that the inspectors at shows also are in charge of
handling drug testing. He noted that if a fighter does not immediately
produce a urine sample for a drug test, the inspector by law
is told to stay with the fighter until the sample is produced.
This means that if you have only a couple of inspectors per show,
you will have major workload problems. He invited the commissioners
to attend a show and to watch the inspectors do their job.
(If all of this sounds familiar to you in regards to the CSAC,
it should. These types of issues regarding commission documentation
and handling of paperwork were covered in the commission’s
2011 sunset review report on things that needed to be fixed.)
Inspector Gonzales finished off by claiming that with fewer inspectors
at shows, there could be potential problems regarding fighters
getting paid and elements of gambling being involved. He noted
that fewer inspectors at shows means more security issues because
the inspectors are no longer permitted to wear badges.
The response from the commissioners to Inspector Gonzales’
comments? Dead silence. The commission proceeded to move onto
other matters on the agenda.
Running out of time, money, and answers
The commission is in a money crunch. As Linda Forster said, how
will they ever look if the commission gets shut down… right
before they have to produce a sunset report to John Frierson’s
buddy, California state senator Curren Price, to justify why
the commission should stay open for business.
Later on during the San Diego hearing, another shining example
of promoter troubles was highlighted. A promoter testified that
he lost $23,000 on a show and didn’t have enough money from
the gate to pay the fighters. The promoter claimed that he had
to get a loan to pay off what was needed to be taken care of.
The reason this became a story for the commission is because
the promoter was pressed as to why he wasn’t listing people
who were putting up money to back shows on the public paperwork
as ‘investors.’ The back story here is that the promoter
in question was told to get cashier’s checks ready for both
the event officials & fighters. However, the promoter initially
claimed he didn’t have time to go to the bank to get the
funds for the fighters. On the promoter’s application, he
allegedly listed having the liquid assets to be able to cover
the costs of paying the fighters. At the San Diego hearing, the
promoter in question was characterized by George Dodd as never
having the funds available to pay the fighters via check(s) in
the first place.
Towards the end of the San Diego hearing, the Zuffa family showed
up to quickly comment on AB2100. Given that AB2100 died on May
25th in Appropriations, there wasn’t much for the Zuffa
family to worry about. The commissioners made it very clear that
they do not want to deal with such regulation, no matter how
watered down it is. Executive Director George Dodd warned, however,
that he heard that AB2100 might be revived and attached to another
piece of legislation in Sacramento soon. Larry Epstein, Lorenzo
Fertitta, Marc Ratner, Chuck Liddell, Ronda Rousey, and Dominick
Cruz were at the hearing to voice their opposition to AB2100.
Only Mr. Epstein spoke and he didn’t need to say too much
to know that the commission is on board with him. For a state
that is already over $500,000 off of their revenue projections
for this year alone, they are not going to have anything to do
with AB2100 as long as they are open to the public.
Which is not something that may be happening for much longer.
A lack of revenue/insolvency means the California State Athletic
Commission would have to be shut down. If the commission gets
shut down, that means all boxing & MMA events would no longer
be allowed to take place in California.
Towards the end of the exhaustive three hour session, one commissioner
stated to George Dodd a rather revealing comment.
“You’re the boss, you took the hit today.”
Yes. A mild verbal lashing is really going to fix incompetence
and inspire others to have confidence in the behavior of the
California State Athletic Commission.
As the Executive Director was scheduling the next commission
hearing in August (Sacramento), a debate broke out over airplane
fares and debates about why Mondays are chosen for CSAC hearings.
John Frierson, the same man who was embroiled in a ticket/gift
scandal, wanted to know why it took so long to get reimbursed
after he paid for flights using his credit card. Dodd replied
that he didn’t have to worry about this and that he should
let his staff book the plane tickets for the commission members.
The commissioners and Executive Director politely debated what
days of the week work best to schedule future hearings. A date
for the August hearing was agreed upon.
“It really takes away (from) my poker night, which is on
Tuesday,” remarked Chairman Frierson.
“Hey, Tuesday screws up my poker tournament.”
And everyone laughed.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
SHERDOG
PROSPECT WATCH: SERGIO PETTIS
By Yael Grauer
When
Sergio Pettis faces Tom McKenna at Legends of Fighting Championship
53 “Memoriam” on Friday at the 8 Seconds Saloon in
Indianapolis, a contract with the Tachi Palace Fights promotion
will be on the line. Pettis will replace Roufusport teammate
Chico Camus, who recently signed a UFC contract.
As
the brother of former WEC lightweight champion and current UFC
star Anthony Pettis, Sergio was pegged as a prospect long before
he stepped into the cage. Although “The Phenom” believes
he is up for the challenges ahead of him, including an eventual
stop in the Octagon, he does not see any reason to rush.
Sergio
went the distance for the first time as a professional in his
most recent outing, a back-and-forth war against Christopher
Haney at a North American Fighting Championship event on May
4. The 18-year-old won every round, but Haney’s aggression
provided a bit of a wake-up call.
“I
learned a lot from this fight,” Sergio told Sherdog.com
afterward. “I don’t think I’m ready for the UFC
for two, three more fights. This fight kind of opened my eyes
[to the fact] that I just need to be more aggressive.”
His
trainer, four-time world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus, echoed
those sentiments.
“Sergio
is so good that sometimes he goes in there and spars, and I want
him to have a little bit more ... to make things land, because
everybody that fights Sergio wants to kill him,” he said.
“He needs to come in with that same attitude. He’s
getting it, though. He knows what he wants to get better at,
and he’ll get better. He’s only 18 years old. Sergio
has unlimited potential. It’s just ... my biggest thing
when I’m coaching him is making sure he has the mindset.
“He’s
been sparring since he was a little kid,” Roufus added.
“Then, it’s more fun, but you have to realize that
when you let that door close behind you, technique goes out the
window and [it is about] someone who just wants it worse, who’s
badder and tougher. When you get into the cage, it’s a different
mindset, but he’ll get it and I’m always proud of him.
He’s a big show in his hometown, and I think he handles
that quite well. I feel great about how he’s doing.”
Much
like his brother Anthony, Sergio has unlimited potential.
Roufus believes Sergio will start making the transition from
prospect to fighter who can begin looking toward an eventual
career in the UFC when he meets McKenne in the final of the Tachi
Tournament.
“If
he were to win that, he’d go into [the Tachi Palace Fights
promotion], and that’s really going to be his next maturing
place,” Roufus said. “I think it’d be good for
him. He’s going to be fighting guys with deeper records
[and would] get pretty good fights. He might be able to come
back here [to Milwaukee] later in the year, but, definitely,
he’s going to be looking to fight deeper [and to] get more
experience.”
Sergio,
who has compiled a 4-0 professional record thus far, has been
compared to his highly regarded older brother from day one.
“I’ve
got all these people talking about me, saying, ‘Hopefully,
he’s as good as his brother.’ It has its negatives
and positives, but I just try to look at the bright side,”
he said, citing Anthony’s composure as a trait he would
like to adopt. “I think once I get that experience I’ll
be more relaxed, more comfortable performing. I’m still
young, so I get the jitters and stuff, but we have a similar
style. We like to kick; we like to keep it standing.”
Roufus
draws some clear differences between the two Pettises.
“[Sergio
is] a little more textbook,” he said. “Anthony fights
outside the box a little more. Anthony does some things really
good, and Sergio does some things really good. He’s a work
in progress, and Anthony [is], too. All the guys are getting
better at wrestling. That’s a big part of fighting, whether
it’s defensive [or] offensive. That also gets you really
mentally strong in fighting.”
Bellator
Fighting Championships welterweight titleholder Ben Askren oversees
the wrestling training for the Pettis Brothers. A four-time NCAA
All-American and two-time national champion at the University
of Missouri, Askren describes Sergio as a calm and reserved student,
willing and open to learning new techniques.
“[His
wrestling] is getting better all the time,” said Askren,
who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. “He’s
a quick learner. He works hard. He’s at practice all the
time. He’s very dependable. You know he’s gonna be
there every day.”
Askren
believes Sergio has developed at a faster rate than his brother:
“I would say for the age he’s at, he’s probably
a lot better than Anthony was at his same age.”
Embracing
a killer instinct may be Sergio’s greatest hurdle.
“He’s
a very caring individual,” Roufus said. “He’s
always happy. He’s very unselfish, and, in fact, that’s
what I’m trying to do -- is make him a little more, as an
athlete, is make him a little more selfish. He’s such a
good kid, but I’m trying to turn him into a little bit more
of Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde.”
“He
knows what he wants to
get better at, and he’ll get better.
He’s only 18 years old. Sergio
has unlimited potential.”
-- Duke Roufus, Roufusport trainer
While
Sergio works on fine-tuning the less-refined aspects of his game,
he seems to understand the value in taking his time.
“I’m
young. I have plenty of time to grow, so I just need to get more
experience and get to the big show when I’m ready,”
he said. “I don’t feel ready now, but, sooner or later,
I will.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Gigi
and Worlds: “The kids don’t try winning from the top
anymore”
Marcelo
Dunlop
Alexandre
Paiva with his son, now a brown belt world champion / Personal
archive photo, 2011
Team
Alliance, under the captainship of Master Romero Jacaré,
won the World Championship yet again this year, but not all the
school’s teachers are 100% pleased with what they saw in
the Long Beach Pyramid on the first week of June.
That’s
the case with Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva, who witnessed
his son return home to Rio the brown belt champion of the world
in the featherweight division. But that wasn’t reason enough
for the Jiu-Jitsu professor to be fully satisfied with what he
saw.
“I’m
happy about my son winning the title. But I noticed that Victor
was the only little guy who won playing on top, and I’m
not just talking about brown belts. In the other finals—forgive
me if I’m being unfair to anyone—I only saw guys with
their buts on the ground trying to win. Horrible, in my opinion,”
said Paiva.
“The
way I see it, Victor showed it’s still possible to win by
playing on top. And he won in fine form, since he finished all
his opponents except [Gianni] Grippo,” he explained.
Watch
the featherweight brown belt final between Victor Genovesi and
Gianni Grippo.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Shogun
Rua Taking High Road Following Dana White Revelation
By Ariel
Helwani - Video Reporter and Writer
Mauricio
"Shogun" Rua and his team are done talking about UFC
149 and Glover Teixeira.
Less
than a week after UFC president Dana White said on the UFC on
FX 3 post-fight show that Rua told him he would rather be cut
from the UFC rather than fight Teixeira at UFC 149, his manager
Julio Heller told MMAFighting.com that they would have no further
comment on the situation.
"We
want to look to the future," he said, "not the past."
Heller
had no interest in getting into public he said, she said argument
with White, noting several times that, "We have respect
for Dana White and his opinion." He said Rua was content
with the way things played out in the end following Thiago Silva's
injury, as the promotion announced last week Rua would face Brandon
Vera in the main event of UFC on FOX 4 on Aug. 4.
When
asked whether Rua really said he would rather be cut than face
Teixiera, Heller only laughed and said, "What do you think?"
The
32-year-old Teixeira (18-2) won his Octagon debut last month
when he submitted Kyle Kingsbury in 1:53 at UFC 146. The UFC
has yet to announce what's next for him.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Bellator
71 Features Light Heavyweight Tournament and Brett Rogers’
Debut
Bellator
Fighting Championships is headed to “The Mountain State”
on Friday, June 22 for Bellator 71 and the start of the Bellator
Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament from The Mountaineer
Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, W.V.
Featuring
a main card that includes Travis Wiuff facing off against Chris
Davis, as well as Attila Vegh taking on Zelg Galesic, Bellator
71 will also host the debut of hard-hitting knockout artist,
Brett Rogers. Additionally, a loaded Bellator 71 preliminary
card full of the area’s top talent will be on display. Tickets
for Bellator 71 are on sale and are available through Etix.com
or at the Mountaineer Casino Players Club. Tickets are priced
from $25-$200.
After
agreeing to terms with Bellator Fighting Championships, Brett
Rogers is ready to make his promotional debut as he takes on
the heavy-handed Kevin Asplund in a heavyweight affair. Former
training partners and close friends, the two massive combatants
no longer have a relationship and both men are eager to lock
horns on June 22.
The
Bellator Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament field is
now complete as Roy Boughton will meet “The Hardcore Kid”
Emanuel Newton.
Boughton
joins Bellator after compiling an impressive 8-2 record, including
wins over “Ninja” Rua and Misha Cirkunov. Training
at the world-renowned Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the 22-year-old
Boughton is looking to make a statement in his first Bellator
fight.
For
Newton, “The Hardcore Kid” enters the Bellator Summer
Series Light Heavyweight Tournament riding a five-fight win streak
and holds 17 career victories, including wins over MMA veterans
James McSweeney and Roger Hollett.
A
battle of undefeated lightweights will get the preliminary card
started as four-time Bellator veteran E.J. Brooks will look to
keep his unblemished Bellator record intact when he meets Ohio’s
Joey Holt. Holt, who earned a spectacular flying knee knockout
win over Clint Musser at Bellator 51, will look to add “Pretty
Boy” to his growing resume.
Pennsylvania
featherweight Brylan Van Artsdalen will look to earn his first
victory inside the Bellator cage when he meets Virginia’s
Neil Johnson in his promotional debut. Both men will have an
enormous amount of support from friends and family when they
square off from the Mountaineer Casino on June 22.
After
stopping Plinio Cruz and Daniel Gracie in his two previous Bellator
appearances, Duane Bastress will look to keep his momentum going
when he meets West Virginia’s own Jason Butcher in a matchup
at 185 pounds. For Butcher, a drop from light heavyweight to
middleweight will earn him the biggest test of his career as
he squares off against Bastress with the hometown support behind
the West Virginia product.
Also
on the card, well-rounded Bellator veterans Tim Carpenter and
John Hawk will look to build off recent wins over Ryan Contaldi
and Marcus Vanttinen respectively when they lock horns in an
exciting light heavyweight bout that will have the crowd at The
Mountaineer on the edge of their seats. Carpenter, whose lone
defeat came at the hands of Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion
Christian M’Pumbu, is coming off the first knockout win
of his career while Hawk will look to build off a hard-earned
split decision win at Bellator 66.
Rounding
out the card will be a rematch from over two years ago as nearby
Ohio light heavyweights Dan “The Dragon” Spohn and
Josh Stansbury meet in a highly-anticipated bout. Back in November
of 2009, it was Spohn who submitted Stansbury in his professional
debut, however, both men have improved their games since that
time, earning a combined record of 8-2.
MAIN
CARD:
Travis Wiuff (66-14) vs. Chris Davis (10-3)*
Attila Vegh (25-4-2) vs. Zelg Galesic (11-6)*
Roy Boughton (8-2) vs. Emanuel Newton (17-6)*
Beau Tribolet (7-1) vs. Richard Hale (19-4-1)*
Brett Rogers (11-4) vs. Kevin Asplund (15-1)
PRELIMINARY
CARD (Spike.com):
Dan Spohn (6-2) vs. Josh Stansbury (3-2)
Tim Carpenter (8-1) vs. John Hawk (7-4)
Jason Butcher (3-0) vs. Duane Bastress (5-1)
Neil Johnson (6-4) vs. Brylan Van Artsdalen (6-3)
E.J. Brooks (7-0) vs. Joey Holt (3-0)
*Light
Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal Fight
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bibiano
says he's not injured, he simply never signed with the UFC
Champion in two weight classes at Dream, Bibiano Fernandes was
a sure thing on the Fertitta brothers organization for UFC 149,
when he would debut against the Canadian Roland Delorme. But
this Monday (11th) UFC official Twitter account posted that the
Brazilian is out but did not give a reason why. On an open letter
to the press, Bibiano clarified the situation and assured that
never signed a contract with the UFC. Check below the complete
letter from Bibiano Fernandes.
I”
would like to make perfectly clear the news concerning my involvement
with the UFC. It was announced that I, Bibiano Fernandes have
been contracted to fight for the organization at UFC 149 which
will take place in the city of Calgary on the 21st of July. I
would like to make it clear that I am not a UFC athlete as I
did not sign any contract with the UFC organization.
Negotiations
between the UFC and myself did take place, however, we could
not resolve the issues on the table and as a result we did not
come to an agreement. The recent reports that have been circulating
in the media are false, contrary to what is being said, I am
not a UFC athlete. I am a family man before anything else and
my profession as an athlete in this sport provides me with the
ability and the necessary means to provide for my family.
I
did not find the terms set before me by the UFC beneficial to
my family and as a result an agreement could not be reached and
no contract was signed. It should be noted that the UFC is the
largest MMA organization in the world however, my personal and
professional obligations have brought me to the decision that
I will not be a part of the UFC organization at this point in
time.
The
day that an agreement is reached and the terms set forth are
beneficial to both parties involved, I will have the most pleasure
and satisfaction to fight for the organization while always representing
my beloved country. In conclusion, I would like it to be known
that I am still the Bantamweight Champion for the Dream organization.
Last but not least, I would like to thank God and all my fans
and hope they understand my decision”.
Source: Tatame
|
Thursday
a day of action in Nevada over Pacquiao/Bradley
By Zach
Arnold
So, Keith Kizer has decided to go all-in as far as backing the
judges for the Manny Pacquiao/Tim Bradley fight. Here’s
an ESPN article laying out the tomfoolery at work.
ESPN has been running quotes from both Kizer and judge Duane
Ford on their channel all day long. Their opinion shows have
also been weighing in, albeit with uneducated discussion about
the Nevada State Athletic Commission and who is doing what. Nevertheless,
Keith Kizer had an easy political chance to play politics and
announce that an ‘investigation’ would happen soon.
He could have announced this at the upcoming NSAC public hearing
on Thursday. He’s declined to do so.
There is a Thursday hearing (PDF of agenda here) starting at
8:30 AM in Las Vegas. The location:
Grant Sawyer State Office Building
555 East Washington Avenue, Suite 1412, First Floor
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
There will be a public comment session at the hearing early on.
If you want to show up and give a statement on the record about
the matter, you can do so. You may think it’s a waste of
time but what’s a bigger waste of time is having these hearings
and no one bothering to show up or pay attention as to what the
bureaucrats are up to. That’s what the politicians are counting
on — you throwing your hands up and not caring.
If you are a Nevada resident who went to the Pacquiao/Bradley
fight or paid for it on PPV, you have every right to show up
and voice your displeasure in a reasonable manner. Put the commission
on notice. You have that right. There’s nothing wrong in
doing so. Simply relying on the media to carry the water of the
commission won’t cut it. The politicians want the controversy
to go away. It’s not. Apply some public pressure.
Even if you are an out-of-stater and show up at the hearing,
they have to listen to your public comment. Showing up in person
at the hearing and putting a voice & face to the matter is
a lot more effective than a flood of e-mails.
However, that’s not to say that you shouldn’t contact
the commission if you can’t be in person at the Thursday
hearing. The NSAC’s phone number is 702-486-2575 and their
FAX number is 702-486-2577. Their e-mail address is boxing@boxing.nv.gov.
You have every right to contact these officials and lay out your
case for what went down on Saturday night in terms of wanting
reform. However, you have to understand that when you submit
a comment to a state regulatory body like Nevada, it’s for
public record. So, don’t make stupid or threatening remarks.
Be concise and to the point but passionate & accurate. The
more political pressure that is applied, the better.
In addition to contacting the Nevada State Athletic Commission…
The regulatory body that technically oversees the NSAC is the
Nevada Department of Business and Industry. The department director
is Terry Johnson, who essentially acts as a liaison to Governor
Brian Sandoval. If you’re going to contact the NSAC about
your displeasure in regards to what went down on Saturday night,
you should contact Business and Industry as well.
They are located at:
555 E. Washington Avenue, Suite 4900
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Their phone number is (702) 486-2750 and their FAX number is
702-486-2758. Their e-mail address is biinfo@business.nv.gov.
If you are a Nevada resident, you can also use this contact form
to send a comment to the department.
*****
Why did I bother to write this out? Because there are plenty
of boxing fans online who have been asking what they can do and
who they can contact to voice their displeasure about what went
down on Saturday night.
Will your public comment to the NSAC or Business and Industry
radically change their behavior? No, but that’s not the
point here. The point is that these regulatory bodies exist and
they are supposed to serve you (in theory), even if they don’t
always do so in practice. When key political decisions are made,
politicians love nothing more than an apathetic populace that
isn’t active and won’t put up a fight.
So, you have a chance to take a public stand here. The Thursday
NSAC hearing is worth showing up in person and issuing a public
comment. Make it happen.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
on FX 3 Fighter Salaries: Mike Pyle Takes Home the Bacon
The
UFC on FX 3 fighter salaries were released to MMAWeekly.com on
Wednesday by the Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation.
Demetrious
“Mighty Mouse” Johnson won a unanimous decision victory
over Ian McCall in their main event rematch. Johnson now moves
on to face Joseph Benavidez for the first ever UFC flyweight
championship at an undetermined future event.
The
following figures are based on the fighter salary information
that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic
commissions, including the winners’ bonuses.
Although
mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining
or a union, the fighters’ salaries are still public record,
just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any
undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but
does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically,
pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are
not included in the figures below.
UFC
on FX 3 Fighter Salaries
Demetrious
Johnson: $40,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus)
def. Ian McCall: $9,000
Erick
Silva: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Charlie Brenneman: $18,000
Mike
Pyle: $66,000 (includes $33,000 win bonus)
def. Josh Neer: $14,000
Eddie
Wineland: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Scott Jorgensen: $20,500
Mike
Pierce: $40,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus)
def. Carlos Eduardo Rocha: $8,000
Seth
Baczynski: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Lance Benoist: $8,000
Matt
Grice: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Leonard Garcia: $20,000
Dustin
Pague: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Jared Papazian: $6,000
Tim
Means: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Justin Salas: $8,000
Buddy
Roberts: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Caio Magalhaes: $8,000
Henry
Martinez: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Bernardo Magalhaes: $6,000
Sean
Pierson: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Jake Hecht: $8,000
UFC
on FX 3 Disclosed Fighter Payroll: $423,500
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Man-up
& Stand-up
Blaisdell Expo Hall, Honolulu, Hawaii
June 15, 2012
Das
right, Man-up & Stand-up is set for some major action at
the Blasedell mma expo on Friday June 15. The best part is that
everyone who buys a ticket for the 20+ fights on the Man-up &
Stand-up show automatically gets to check out all of the opportunities
the mma expo has to offer. And please believe it has a lot to
offer. A two for one package deal is what you get on Friday night
after you pau work. Okay, since you guys have already seen what
the mma expo has in store for you Friday night. Let’s go
through what kind of entertainment that Man-up & Stand-up
has got planned.
First off, with the main event featuring Eric “The Executioner”
Edwards taking on O2’s super heavyweight standout Damon
Applebaum. Waianae’s Eric Edwards has really lived up to
his fight name and has been crushing all of his opponents with
the greatest of ease. Edwards has put guys down with his look
low, kick high technique and not to mention his fight in my regular
stance and then switch stance when you come in so I can knock
you out with my right hook technique. This guy didn’t just
buy a bag of tricks. He bought the whole store. Applebaum has
his hands full in this fight. Applebaum has his hands full alright,
full of bad intentions. He knows exactly what he’ll be facing
come June 15 and has come a long way in just a year and a half.
Yup, das right, only a year and a half at 20 years old, this
young boy from WAIMANALO is looking to shock the Man-up &
Stand-up world and take Edward’s title away so he can put
it up with the rest of the O2 accomplishments. .He has good power,
good speed, don’t know about the good looks though, nah
just kidding Damon. Both fighters are armed & dangerous but
only one can be called the champion. Be there.
Welterweight champion Isaac Hopps from O2 will be banging with
one of his coaches old friends and well-known kickboxing veteran
Tony “The Tiger” Rodriguez. Waimanalobuilt Isaac Hopps
is lightning fast with his hands and his legs. He has never been
caught in a bad situation on Man-up & Stand-up because this
guy uses the ring well. He’s usually the one that is handing
out bad situations to his opponents. Waianaebred Tony Rodriguez
is no newcomer to the game. At one time, The Tiger was on top
of the food chain. He has good power for someone his size, especially
when he goes to the body. Heehee. The Tiger will be facing a
younger and faster fighter on June 15. Will his power be able
to slow down the lightning fast Hopps. Sometimes when lightning
strikes, it causes power outages. But does lightning strike tigers?
Only one way to find out.
Another championship match where the Eastside faces the Westside
when O2’s Bryson Lum of Waimanalo will test Papakoleia”s
Justin Kahalewai who has now made his home in Nanakuli. Bryson
had a bad start in the beginning of his career but has now found
his way in holding the super welterweight title. This guy is
relentless on the attack and is game til the end. He throws every
punch, every kick with everything he has. Justin on the other
hand is the same way but has more attitude. This kid may live
in Nanakuli but he knows where his roots are. Not like some other
Papakoleia sellouts. Papakoleia has built this no fear soldier
for this moment. Justin will be tested on June 15 and we all
know that Bryson Lum does not give passing grades. Don’t
miss this fight Nalo and Papakoleia.
Here’s some other possible entertaining bouts. Eastside’s
Kalai Kwan goes toe-to-toe against Westside’s Chante Stafford.
These two young boys have unreal skills and will put on a show
for you all. Also Nanakuli’s Elias Velasco tries his luck
for the semi-pro featherweight title against Waianae’s Evan
Quizon. Also, Chris Miyose goes up against the kid who can swing
all night if need be Eugene Anguay. And the list goes on. Tickets
available @ Walmart (electronics department), ticketmaster or
at blasedell by phone. Check it out.
Man-up & Stand-up Kick(ASS)boxing
Friday June 15, 2012
Neal Blasedell Center (Exhibition Hall)
Doors open @ 5:30pm
DAMON APPLEBAUM SHW ERIC EDWARDS
ISAAC HOPPS 146 TONY RODRIGUES
BRYER NAGAHAMA 135 JAYDEN RAPAUL
JAY 150 DARRYL DANO
KALAI KWAN 125 CHANTE STAFFORD
JOSH BENNETT 160 JOHN PAULO
JOE HOPPS
155 MICHAEL
ULIBIS
MARTIN DAY 148 JACOBY VISTANTE
DARIUS
LANDO 160
MATT FISHER
THOMAS REYES 140 DONALD PETERS
JAMES REYES 175 RONALD MATAUTIA
KEANU REYNOLDS 130 KAWIKA VINANO
ELIAS VELASCO 130 EVAN QUIZON
TOFI 135 ANTHONY MURAKAMI
BRYSON
LUM 152
JUSTIN KAHALEWAI
DAHWEN BRIGHT 125 NALU NOTIVEROS
MAURICE PHILLIPS 130 CANAAN
KAWAIHEA
EUGENE ANGUAY 135
CHRIS MIYOSE
ALVIN KANEHAILUA 220 BEN BOYCE
ISAIAH WALLER 125 DONTEZ COLEMAN
CHAZ KANAE 145 ANTHONY REYES
BRONSON YASUI 125 MAKANA BALAI
KAIMI GARCIA 135 CHARLES REGO
FREDDY RAMAYLA 145 CORY ESTRADA
JENNA GANAGAN 125 HALEY PAISION
JEFF LAGAMAN 140 NALU GARCIA
JONAH AFOA 185 MIKE ELI
MARK KUMAI 185 LEON KLEE
DEON MILLER 160 ZANE WARD
All matches and participants may be subject to change
SEE YOU ALL THERE
Source:
Derrick Bright
|
Tomorrow
and Sunday!
|
Bibiano
Fernandes ‘Is a Grown Man, He Can Go Fight Somewhere (Besides
the UFC)’
by Ken
Pishna
Almost
as fast as Bibiano Fernandes was announced to be fighting TUF
alum Roland Delorme at UFC 149 in Calgary, the Brazilian featherweight
was out.
Well,
to be more accurate, it appears that he was never in.
Even
though the UFC announced his fight for UFC 149, they removed
him from the fight card on Monday then Fernandes took to his
Facebook page to explain why.
“I
would like to make it clear that I am not a UFC athlete as I
did not sign any contract with the UFC organization,” Fernandez
stated, before adding, “Negotiations between UFC and myself
did take place; however, we could not resolve the issues on the
table and as a result we did not come to an agreement.”
“If
the guy says he didn’t sign, he didn’t sign,”
UFC president Dana White told MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday.
“That’s
why I don’t like announcing a lot of stuff, because these
guys will have a verbal, and verbals suck. You can’t get
anything done with a verbal.
“He’
a grown man, he can go fight somewhere else if he wants if he
doesn’t have a deal.”
That
appears to be the option Fernandes is pursuing.
There
are relatively few options for a fighter of Fernandes’ ilk,
particularly to make the type of money that the UFC generally
offers.
Having
spent the majority of his career fighting in Japan, it wouldn’t
be out of the question if Fernandes winds up fighting for One
FC, currently the top Asian promotion.
Bellator
Fighting Championships could be another option, but at this point,
Fernandes has yet to say where he intends to fight.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
The
Ultimate Fighter Returns to Taped Format Next Season, but Stays
on Fridays
By Mike
Chiappetta - Senior Writer
The
UFC's flagship reality show The Ultimate Fighter will abandon
its "jive live" format in favor of its previous incarnation
as an all-taped show when it returns for its next season.
UFC
president Dana White confirmed the news to Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday
night, following a season of declining ratings on new cable outlet
FX.
According
to television sources, the most recent season of TUF drew an
average of just over 1 million viewers per episode, a number
fairly significantly below the 1.5 million that tuned into the
final season broadcast on Spike in 2011.
The
"jive-live" format presented taped segments showing
the fighter's daily lives and training, leading into a weekly
fight, which was aired live from Las Vegas. It had been hoped
that producing the weekly fights live would help retain the show's
longtime audience and make the show DVR-proof.
However
after a good opening with almost 1.3 million viewers tuning into
the season premiere episode, ratings settled a bit lower than
that as the season wore on. According to FX, however, its year-over-year
key demographics were up significantly with TUF airing in the
Friday slot.
The
Friday night airings affected ratings, according to White, who
during a recent group media interview, noted that the swiftness
of the UFC-FOX deal left both sides scrambling to put together
a schedule. Because FX's 2012 schedule had already been set before
that, they were left with Fridays as an air date, a night he
admitted was not ideal due to the sport's fairly young demographic.
The
next season of the show, which will begin in September, will
also air on Fridays. It will feature welterweights, as well as
the longtime format that originally made it a hit on Spike.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
THE
DOGGY BAG: BIG AND SMALL EDITION
Everyone
answers to somebody, so we, the staff at Sherdog.com, have decided
to defer to our readers.
“The
Doggy Bag” gives you the opportunity to speak about what
is on your mind from time to time. Our reporters, columnists,
radio hosts and editors will chime in with their answers and
thoughts, so keep the emails coming.
In
this edition, readers respond to a host of topics, both big and
small. With Demetrious Johnson-Ian McCall 2 now in the books,
some folks are hand wringing about 125ers only going 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, longtime fan favorite B.J. Penn has put on a few pounds
since his fight with Nick Diaz late last year. Is why so many
folks are skeptical about the Hawaiian's chances in his return
bout against Rory MacDonald?
When
we are talking weights and measures, four-division UFC veteran
Kenny Florian is bound to show up, especially since he just called
it a day in the cage. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir
is not ready to hang up his gloves, but what he has been doing
in the gaining-and-shrinking department has some folks unhappy.
For
bigger or smaller, 145 or 155, we also look at the best talents
from this past season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and
even what futures might await some of the beloved-and-light-weighted
of the now-defunct Dream.
After
watching both fights between McCall and Johnson back-to-back,
I don't know if these guys were made for three rounds. I thought
Johnson won both fights, two rounds to one, but after both fights,
I felt like they were lacking a resolution. Both fights felt
like were “getting started” when they ended. Both fighters
even looked like it. It seems like 125-pounders are just getting
warmed up by the time the three rounds end. Doesn’t it defeat
the purpose to have such dynamic fighters but only rarely give
them the five rounds or more necessary for their skills to come
out? -- Matthew from Phoenix
Jordan
Breen, administrative editor: You’re obviously speaking
my language, discussing the pressing necessity to have more 25-minute
fights. It’s true. At this point, most guys of true, legitimate
UFC caliber should be going five rounds as a matter of course.
However, that world isn’t about to be bestowed upon us anytime
soon.
McCall-Johnson
1 and 2 were both unsatisfying for me, personally, because I
did want that extra 10 minutes of action, and I do feel strongly
that those rounds could’ve played a real role in how either
fight may have developed. However, we knew ahead of time McCall
was a slow starter, and he could’ve identified it, too.
The style of Johnson is not a mystery, either. Both men knew
the length of time they were to fight one another. If McCall
-- or Johnson -- had the actual desire to leave their gas tanks
on E and fight tooth and nail, they would have in either context.
However,
the charge that flyweight fights won’t unfold favorably
over 15 minutes intrigues me. What was wrong with the John Lineker-Louis
Gaudinot bout we just got? The fact is I’m not sure anything
we saw was different from McCall's or Johnson’s WEC bouts.
They were in tough against another high-level fighter and couldn’t
implement their game as well as they’d hoped. Two great
fighters can often do that to one another.
I
do see some potentially pernicious futures over three rounds.
The real issue for flyweights, especially as they try to sort
out themselves, is fighting against some wacky judging. Bad judges
in MMA struggle to keep up in general, and setting them loose
on smaller, fleeter fighters can have questionable results. When
the Zuffa-era WEC moved heavily to the 135- and 145-pound weight
classes, I’d argue we saw exactly this. Who knows what scorecards
we would’ve got for that Gaudinot-Lineker fight?
I
do have some fear for the flyweights, but the 15 minutes isn’t
why. Yeah, it stinks, but we’ll get 25-minute classics at
125 pounds soon enough. Just watch out for those folks with the
scorecards. They’re bad news.
A Prodigious
Pairing?
I'm
a big B.J. Penn fan and always have been, but this comeback fight
sucks. It is desperate. Rory MacDonald should be fighting other
contenders right now. Instead, he's going to fight an undersized,
unmotivated Penn who UFC President Dana White talked into coming
back for the UFC's sake. I think this might be a one-sided blowout
that people will look back on and wish never happened. Penn is
a legend, but I want to see MacDonald face real top guys now.
-- Noel from Toronto
Tristen
Critchfield, associate editor: Although Penn’s temporary
retirement only raises more questions about his motivation to
compete, I would argue that the Hawaiian is far closer to “a
real top guy” than anyone MacDonald has beaten -- his near-miss
versus Carlos Condit doesn’t count -- to date. Dominant
performances against the likes of Michael Guymon, Mike Pyle and
Che Mills proved that MacDonald is one of the sport’s brightest
prospects, but all of those guys are mid-level competitors at
best.
While
some might argue that “Ares” does own a signature victory
-- his UFC 129 decision over Nate Diaz -- it has become clear
that Diaz is much better suited to contend at lightweight. Assuming
he’s healthy and in reasonable shape, Penn has the well-rounded
skill set to test the Canadian like no one has since Condit.
In addition, Penn has name recognition and drawing power that
is surpassed by only Georges St. Pierre in the welterweight division,
which is part of the reason why White wants him back. I believe
that Penn-MacDonald would have made the top of the UFC on Fox
4 card look much more desirable, as well. At the very least,
Fox would be compelled to put more promotional muscle behind
such a headliner.
Right
now, many of the other top welterweight contenders are either
waiting for fights, have just fought or are on the shelf. If
MacDonald is able to dominate Penn, it should not be looked at
as a regrettable pairing but as something of a coming out party.
Just ask Mike Pierce -- who has come up just short against the
likes of Jon Fitch, Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck -- what
it would mean to have a career-defining win. Without it, Pierce
found himself on the UFC on FX 3 preliminary card.
Something
tells me that Penn will give MacDonald a stern test when they
lock horns at UFC 152. At 33, Penn can have several solid years
of fighting ahead of him if he so chooses. Despite talk of his
decline, Penn has only lost to Top 10 and hall of fame-caliber
opponents during his UFC tenure. A win over “The Prodigy”
would only serve to put MacDonald in some pretty elite company.
Comparing
KenFlo
What
professional athlete would you compare to Kenny Florian? I am
inclined to call him a Dan Marino-type who never won “the
big one,” but I’m not sure he stacks up with a guy
like Marino statistically. No one would ever call Florian “the
best fighter to never win a title” in the UFC, for instance.
However, he was very good, maybe even underrated at some times.
What was important about Kenny Florian as a fighter and who would
you say he compares to in the hall of all-time sports notables?
-- Stan from South Carolina
Brian
Knapp, features editor: It is an unfortunate group to which Florian
belongs. Because he failed in all three attempts to win “the
big one,” he will likely never get the credit he deserves
as a mixed martial artist. Florian has plenty of company, as
the world of professional sports is littered with such figures.
Jim
Kelly was selected to four Pro Bowls and threw for more than
35,000 yards. Yet, he will be remembered largely as the man at
the controls of a Buffalo Bills team that lost four consecutive
Super Bowls. Elgin Baylor was an 11-time NBA All-Star for the
Lakers, averaging 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and nearly five
assists per game throughout his career. He never won an NBA championship.
Ted Williams, a man many consider the greatest hitter of all-time,
batted .200 in the only World Series in which he played and lost
it in seven games. Marcelo Rios won nearly $10 million and 18
tournament titles on the ATP Tour. He never won a Grand Slam
event. Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie finished second five
times in Major Championships, including the 1994, 1997 and 2006
United States Opens.
At
least Florian had his chances. The opportunity to play for all
the marbles avoided some of our most beloved athletes entirely.
Ernie Banks played in 2,528 career games with the Chicago Cubs
and not once tasted the fruits of postseason.
Oftentimes,
championships or lack thereof create the gulf that exists between
the very good and the truly great. At this point, perhaps no
one in MMA knows that better than Florian.
Personally,
I will remember Florian as a consummate professional, inside
and outside the cage, a man willing to accept the steepest of
challenges, even when he was outgunned in matchups with fighters
like B.J. Penn and Jose Aldo. However, Florian’s greatest
contribution to the sport may come during his retirement years,
as an ambassador and television analyst. MMA, in general, and
the UFC, in particular need well-spoken, intelligent men like
Florian to stick around and poke holes in the arguments of those
who continue to unfairly brand the sport as barbaric and repulsive.
Another
Week, Another TRT Email
How
on earth did Frank Mir get a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone?
He's already massive. Am I supposed to believe he had problems
producing testosterone when he was putting on muscle for Brock
Lesnar? This shows what a sham TRT is. Mir looked awful against
Junior dos Santos, and the fact he was allowed to use testosterone
at all proves this is all a crock -- in case Todd Duffee wasn't
enough for you. -- Dustin from Reno
TJ
De Santis, Sherdog Radio Network program director: Yup, another
fighter is on TRT. Yeah, this one is a former champion. And,
yes, he is another one under 40 years old. When I listen to the
radio, I hear spots for men who have a low sex drive, lack of
energy and general depression. The ad goes on to say that men
suffering from these symptoms may want to consult a physician
to see if they are in need of testosterone replacement therapy.
The men targeted in these ads are 50 years or older.
So,
in a politically correct world we are to believe that Chael Sonnen,
Alistair Overeem, Todd Duffee and now Frank Mir all suffer from
an ailment that plagues men past the middle stages of life. I
find it funny that so many fighters are willing to proclaim "my
body does not work like a normal man's should" just to gain
a transparent competitive edge.
Then
again, no one really focuses on the point that these gentleman
are saying their bodies aren't functioning like normal males.
Fans that dislike TRT in the sport just play the "cheating"
card. I feel your sentiments regarding Mir. This is a man that
has been featured on the cover of Muscle and Fitness. He is also
a much larger man than he was in the earlier days of the UFC.
Mir
has gone in front of the commission and has been granted an exemption
to regulate his testosterone levels. The commission and his doctor
feel that they have sufficient proof that Mir suffers from ailments
that generally only effect men 15-20 years older than him. Is
it insulting to him that I am comparing him to men with AARP
cards? Maybe. But that is something I am sure he thought about
before applying for a TUE.
Fighters
seem oddly willing to say, "I am not a normal man, please
help me resemble one." In a sport where "peacocking"
is rampant and alpha males go out of their way to wear the tightest
T-shirt, it is strange so many fighters are willing to, at best,
admit, and, maybe worse, pretend, to have low testosterone.
TUF'est
of 'Em All
This
season of “The Ulimate Fighter” had a lot of young
prospects who hadn’t quite developed yet, all in a talented
class like lightweight. Do you think many guys will drop to 145?
It seems this show could really populate that division with some
new faces. On a similar note, do you feel Mike Chiesa will be
the fighter we really talk about from this season? His storybook
ending was awesome to see, but I wonder what might happen if
a fighter like Justin Lawrence cuts to 145 or what a fighter
like Al Iaquinta could do with more experience on the mat. --
Huddy from Oklahoma City Mike Whitman, news editor: First off,
Huddy, congratulations to your Thunder for making the NBA Finals.
The team's wealth of young talent has guided the people of Oklahoma
to a shot at the holiest of basketball holies. It was impressive
to witness, even if everyone in the Sooner State is still drenched
in Supersonic blood.
Anyway,
let us examine another young squad also known to perform well
while coated in plasma: the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter
15.” There is a lot to like about this class of grads, and
I think quite a few members of the house have a chance to hang
around. That said, I'm not ready to roll out the red carpet for
any of these guys just yet.
The
way I see it, this is a four-dog race, be it at lightweight or
featherweight. Certainly there are talented fringe guys like
Vinc Pichel, Joe Proctor, Daron Cruickshank, John Cofer, Sam
Sicilia and Andy Ogle who could earn a living in the Octagon
with some necessary adjustments, but if I had to lay my money
on a Top 4, I would go with Iaquinta, Lawrence, Chiesa and James
Vick.
Yes,
I know three of those four made it at least to the semifinals
and the other one was the show's overall No. 1 pick. Sue me.
Obviously,
all of those aforementioned fighters are projects, and they all
need to add something significant to their games if they hope
to thrive. I don't think there is a clear-cut favorite to be
“the guy,” as they all bring different strengths to
the table, even as they sport gaping holes in their various in-cage
approaches. As you mentioned, Iaquinta needs to work on his ground
game, while Chiesa absolutely must become less rigid while vertical
if he hopes to find success in the ultra-deep waters of the UFC.
How can you not love Chiesa's tenacity, mental toughness and
mountain man beard, even if he does constantly leave his chin
hanging out while trying to close the distance?
In
regard to Vick, I tend to agree with Dominick Cruz. That kid
could be a real noisemaker at 155 pounds, but it is imperative
that he improves his takedown defense and develops at least some
type of bottom game so he's not a doormat after being taken down.
That
leaves Lawrence. No doubt this young man is an impressive prospect,
but I do worry about him a little bit. At only 22 years old,
he has plenty of time to further develop both his striking and
submission defense, but neither of those are my biggest concerns.
He looks like a million bucks when he is the hammer in the equation.
When he's the nail? Not so much.
Technical
aspects of the game appear to be engrained easier into a fighter
than an intangible sense of resilience and defiance -- a quality
much harder to teach than a proper right cross or a new guard
pass. Truly great competitors almost always have it, regardless
of their style, sport or whence they come.
Maybe
Lawrence has it buried inside somewhere, too. It should be fun
to find out.
A Dream
of the Future
Dream
is closed, to no one’s surprise. How many fighters do you
think end up heading to One FC and who will try to make it to
the UFC or Bellator? I’m more interested in a fighter like
Tatsuya Kawajiri, who has looked very good recently but might
not have a lot of their prime left for the UFC. Also, what are
the odds on my dream of having Hideo Tokoro in the UFC for just
one fight? You can be brutally honest. -- Mike from Hartford
Chris
Nelson, associate editor: First, let me admit that I actually
was a bit surprised to hear that Dream had finally gone under.
Folks had been predicting it for years, and with good reason,
but somehow Real Entertainment carried it this far. Dream died
such a long, slow death that at some point I started believing
it was already deceased and that it would continue lurching along,
zombie-like, staging a show or two per year -- just enough to
keep its few stars active.
Regarding
those stars, it seems two of the choicest free agents to emerge
from the shutdown are already settling in elsewhere. The UFC
announced the signing of bantamweight champ Bibiano Fernandes
last week -- the day after the Dream news broke. In my eyes,
he was the most interesting commodity to be snatched up; as he’s
a supremely gifted athlete and still relatively young, I think
he has gone to the right place. It doesn’t hurt that he’s
based in Canada, either. If he finds success in the Octagon,
there’s even a built-in storyline for a potential rematch
with Urijah Faber down the line.
Then
there’s Shinya Aoki, who sources say is close to signing
with Singapore’s One Fighting Championship and may appear
on its Sept. 1 card in Manila. That’s all well and good
if Aoki just wants to keep busy, but breaking back into the lightweight
Top 10 from there will be an arduous task, if not downright impossible.
While One FC has managed some exciting shows with its first three
outings, it is not exactly sitting on a stockpile of top-tier
155ers. In fact, the most prominent name it has had in that weight
class so far is the unranked Kawajiri, who Aoki submitted not
two years ago.
It’s
impossible to say which or how many fighters from Dream will
end up with One FC and which will head stateside, but Fernandes
and Aoki seem to represent the two options well. In Fernandes,
you see a guy in his prime looking to improve his standing by
fighting even stiffer competition than he has been handed. But
it sounds like Aoki -- who recently dropped his long-held Top
10 spot after being knocked out by Eddie Alvarez -- might be
content to tread water and continue fighting the caliber of opponent
he has been getting in Dream. Of course, not every fighter will
have the option of joining the UFC, but there’s no doubt
Sean Shelby and Co. are aware of the guys deserving of a shot,
like Hiroyuki Takaya, Kazuyuki Miyata and Takeshi Inoue.
Kawajiri
seems like he could go either way, but it sure would be nice
to see him in the UFC at 145 pounds. As you say, his window might
be closing, and I’d hate to see one of the best Japanese
fighters round out his career thumping blown-up bantamweights.
As
for Tokoro ... in your heart, you already know the answer to
this one, right? Even if he’s beloved by fight heads and
even if he's a potential draw for a future Saitama show, the
UFC’s not in the habit of signing guys for one-off fights
and certainly not guys coming off back-to-back losses. Sorry
to be a downer, but on the upside, at least you won’t have
to watch Tokoro get smashed as a tune-up opponent for Scott Jorgensen
or somebody.
Source: Sherdog
|
Is
winning the Worlds brown belt absolute as tough as winning at
black?
Contributor:
Junior Samurai
João
Gabriel Rocha, absolute brown belt champion of the 2012 Worlds:
constancy wins it for him with "certain ease". Photo
by Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG
In
the recent history of the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, not too
many winners of the brown belt absolute didn’t go on to
become superstars of the sport.
In
the galley of former brown belt kings, perhaps the sternest gateway
to black belt, are Daniel Gracie (1996), Claudio Moreno (1997),
Murilo Rupp (1998), Aurélio Fernandes (1999), Marcio Pé
de Pano (2000), Alex Paes (2001), Roger Gracie (2002), Ronaldo
Jacaré (2003), André Galvão (2004), Vinny
Magalhães (2005), Antonio Braga Neto (2006), Otavio Sousa
(2007), Rodolfo Vieira (2008), Léo Nogueira (2009), Marcus
Bochecha (2010) and Alexander Trans (2011).
This
year, the grand champion was superheavyweight João Gabriel
Rocha, 20, of team Soul Fighters, who thanks to his experience
at brown belt, took his divisional and open weight titles with
certain ease, in the view of his BJJ professor, Leandro “Tatu”
Escobar. The secret, to the teacher as well as the athlete, was
his consistency in the academy and not letting sloth and excuses
get in the way of his training.
“João
has been doing Jiu-Jitsu since he was four years old and almost
never missed a class. At Soul Fighter in Rio we hold competition-team
training every day, and sometimes he trains twice on the same
day, plus conditioning,” said Leandro. “His father
always invested a lot in his career. João practiced judo
at Flavio Canto’s Instituto Reação, did wrestling
with the Brazilian national team, and he always trained more
than the other kids his age.”
At
the June World Championship in Long Beach, California, João
took out two beasts in the finals: Felipe “Preguiça”
Pena in the absolute and Luke Costello at weight, both from team
Gracie Barra.
“The
interesting part is that just gets more motivated with every
trip to the top of the podium. His sights are always set on the
top, and because of it he always wants to train more and more;
he understands that his career hasn’t even begun. And he
grows a lot at each competition. Every time I see him fight I
feel he’s become a better and more mature competitor. It’s
a process of evolution. When he gets to black belt he’ll
do awesome at the top level. His strength is that he never tires—not
because he’s young, but because he’s so dedicated.
Just like at the Pan and the Brazilian Nationals, he did a good
job of physical conditioning with Ítalo, which made him
stand out all the more.”
Like
any good teacher, Tatu can spot the chinks in his pupil’s
armor. “His biggest defect is his lack of concentration.
I have to always get on him about taking things seriously, paying
attention to some of the details.”
Keen
as he is to the crowd of superchampions at brown belt, would
he say that winning a brown belt absolute at the Worlds is as
or more difficult than scoring gold at black belt?
To
Leandro Tatu, black belt is still up a level. “I don’t
feel it’s the same level of difficulty, even though winning
it is quite an achievement, mainly in the case of João,
who has been a cut above the rest at brown belt for some time
now. Just look at how the only matches he’s ever lost in
this division were always dubious, in my opinion. In other words,
he’s always been way ahead of most of the competitors. But
now his time has come, and at the end of this year we’ll
put him to the test, because he’s going to compete in Rio
at the Copa Pódio Heavyweight Grand Prix—only black
belt beasts, like Rodolfo, Bochecha and the rest,” said
the teacher in closing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Hell
in a handbasket after UFC 146
By Zach
Arnold
Think the fights were crazy on Saturday night in Las Vegas? Everything
else surrounding the show is just as crazy. A cliff notes version
of what to keep your eye on:
Vitor Belfort broke his hand, having surgery. He’s out for
the UFC 147 Brazil card.
If there is any possible way for UFC to back out of that Brazil
show, they should run from it as fast as they can. That and relying
on Vitor Belfort for a top slot on a fight card at this point
is something you do at your own peril.
Mayhem Miller reportedly had a backstage incident at UFC 146.
Mayhem Miller has had two of the most frustrating fights you
could possibly imagine in the UFC. He looked awful against CB
Dollaway, who himself also looked stagnant & stale. Get position,
do nothing. That’s basically what happened here.
Darren Elkins exposed Diego Brandao’s gas tank.
Elkins did what Dollaway should have done on offense. He took
a beating but administered one of his own. It was gritty, gutty,
and awesome.
Dana would prefer not to have TUF Live on Fridays but Fridays
is what works for FX.
Friday night is a death zone for MMA given the core audience.
The major flaw for having live fights on Friday is that the only
base of fans you’re going to attract are the hardcores.
Given the fighters selected for TUF shows and the fact that the
majority of fans watching the show don’t think any of the
selected fighters have much of a long-term prospect of making
it as a top-tier contender in the UFC, the show’s purpose
is inherently paralyzed.
It’s also been strange to see the way UFC has promoted Urijah
Faber. In WEC, he was the big fish in a small pond. Predictably,
UFC presents him as just another guy. The aura of superstardom
got stripped — and I’m not talking about just the losses
to Mike Brown, either. I can’t put my finger on it, but
something is badly missing here in terms of enthusiasm.
Dana and Brock may work out a deal for Brock to fight in UFC
and WWE.
Brock/Mir III will do hot numbers on PPV. And then everyone will
wonder why Lesnar didn’t draw well on PPV against John Cena.
First of all, WWE’s PPV market outside of Wrestlemania is
fried like a bucket of KFC. Wrestlemania is the one PPV that
draws for them now. Wrestlemania is as big, if not bigger than
the WWE brand at this point. When WWE tried to push The Rock
& John Cena against R-Truth & Miz in that tag match at
Madison Square Garden for Survivor Series 2011, the PPV number
there was way below expectations. If The Rock can’t save
WWE’s PPV business, Brock Lesnar isn’t going to, either.
It’s a company thing as opposed to being the fault of the
stars.
Dana thinks Daniel Cormier should go to 205 but will honor him
with a shot against the UFC big boys.
If Dana makes the offer to set up Cain Velasquez vs. Daniel Cormier,
will the teammates split apart to make the fight happen?
Thoughts of the day from our friend MMA Supremacy:
“Not only will Overeem stick around, but he will most likely
get a title shot… or close to one, when he returns.
“Regarding Lesnar coming back, it makes total sense. UFC
is struggling big time selling PPV’s and Lesnar not doing
great drawing on WWE.”
It looks like a Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos rematch
is coming. Even money fight?
A truly illuminating (in a horrible way) moment for the Nevada
State Athletic Commission when an NSAC official asked Frank Mir
where he was after the first round and Frank said, “Mandalay
Bay.” The fight happened at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Yes, the same commission that let Tito Ortiz fight Forrest Griffin
while Tito said he had a ‘fractured skull’ and Forrest
had a broken foot. The same commission that is letting TUF Live
guys fight two or three times in three weeks in the State. Health
& safety, kids.
I found the choice of Jamie Varner as Evan Dunham’s replacement
against Edson Barboza to be mind-boggling and it was even crazier
once Varner, a 4-to-1 underdog, pulled off the upset. I figured
UFC would want a replacement for Edson in which if the upset
happened, the replacement would be a prospect with a future.
I don’t think anyone believes that Varner has a future against
the top Lightweights in the UFC. It’s a really bad loss
for Edson and hurts UFC.
I am happy to see Varner make the most out of his final chance
with UFC. He was put in a tough spot and he won. Congratulations.
Arianny Celeste getting arrested in Clark County, Nevada (Vegas)
based on allegations of domestic violence.
Whether she is guilty or not guilty, the legal system will sort
that out. However, the wisecracks from (men) commenting online
and joking about domestic violence because it’s a woman
who got arrested for it is just stupid. We don’t celebrate
domestic violence when men are the instigators, so what’s
the point in celebrating women when they’re the instigators?
Dana’s full-throated defense of Arianny here is what it
is.
When it rains, it pours.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Tito
Ortiz to Join UFC Hall of Fame; Akiyama Plays Dodgeball in Suit
of Armor
By Shaun
Al-Shatti - Staff Writer
Back
on May 23, 2008, when Tito Ortiz was parading across a Las Vegas
stage with a pitch-black t-shirt and "DANA IS MY B****"
sprawled on his chest, I don't think any of us could have ever
predicted this next sentence would be written.
"The
Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is about to be a UFC Hall of Famer.
It's
an honor completely deserved, if only for the first-half of his
career where he streamrolled to a 14-4 record, defended his UFC
light heavyweight title a then-record five consecutive times,
headlined the two highest selling pay-per-views of the pre-2008
era, and at times appeared to be one of the most unstoppable
fighters on the planet.
Never
mind the part that came after when he plummeted on a 1-6-1 run,
and somehow went winless from late-2006 until an absolutely stunning
upset over Ryan Bader in 2011. Regardless of how polarizing he
was to fight fans, that's just what happens when age starts creeping,
and a sport in it's infancy catches up. It eventually leaves
you in the dust. It happened to all the old guard, it just happened
to Tito over a more prolonged stretch.
But
again, none of that matters now. His place in UFC lore is sound.
So congratulations to Tito Ortiz, "The People's Champion."
Going out on a win would be a memorable capper for such an integral
member of MMA history, but unfortunately Forrest doesn't seem
like he wants to retire from life.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
in China is Happening This Year, Including The Ultimate Fighter
by Ken
Pishna
The
UFC officially opened offices in Asia in August 2010 when they
hired former NBA executive Mark Fischer to spearhead the efforts
overseas.
It’s
taken them a little time to lay the groundwork there, but it
appears the promotion’s Chinese debut is just around the
corner, and they’re going all-in.
“We’re
going to do a fight in China. So imagine our first fight in China,
we’re talking about doing it in conjunction with the Venetian
out there,” said UFC president Dana White just a few short
months ago. “Imagine the first fight in China; it’s
going to be huge.”
White
on Tuesday confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that the UFC will make
its debut in China sooner than you might think, and that expansion
there will take on much the same approach as elsewhere.
“We
are going to China this year, that’s already happening,”
said the UFC’s head honcho.
“We’re
doing an Ultimate Fighter there too; that’s all gonna happen.”
White
fell short of providing a date or other details for the UFC’s
first event in China. It’s also premature for most of the
details about the first TUF China, but the UFC is used to moving
fast.
Once
the dominoes start to fall, expect the promotion to go full steam
ahead into the Chinese market.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Marco
Ruas says Rizzo should not fear Fedor: "Fedor my ass! Go
there and knock him out"
By Guilherme
Cruz
Wrestling icon, Marco Ruas is looking forwards to see his pupil
Pedro Rizzo in action on June 21st, when the former UFC fighter
duels with Fedor Emelianenko. On a chat with TATAME, Ruas analyzed
the bout, highlighting the importance of the Brazilian’s
mind preparation for the bout.
“Pedro has all the tools, it’s up to him, his mind”,
warns Marco. “He told me he wants it. ‘I wanna prove
to myself I’m a fighter and I have all conditions to pull
out good fights’. He has all the chances to do so”.
Fedor is known for his efficient striking and tight submissions
game while Pedro is a Muay Thai expert. In Ruas’s opinion,
the Brazilian needs to be alert to his opponent’s striking
skills.
“He can’t stay still in front of the guy because he’s
dangerous and explosive. He’s gotta go for it and get the
knockout”, explains the coach. “He can’t have
a boring fight, he must believe his potential and run through
that guy. He can’t keep thinking ‘oh, it’s Fedor,
it’s Fedor’. Fedor my ass. Go there and knock him out.
It’s kill or die, he must go for it”.
Source: Tatame
|
Dana
White: This PED issue in UFC is not as big as it’s made
out to be
By Zach
Arnold
There
have been many horribly frustrating interviews when it comes
to media sycophants giving UFC President Dana White a pass on
the issue of Performance Enhancing Drugs, but this recent interview
by Ron Kruck really takes the cake.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — on
certain issues, Dana White still sounds very reasonable and can
communicate effectively problems that need to be addressed in
the sport (such as bad officiating). However, on the drug issue,
Dana is completely out of his league. The only people more out
of his league are the media writers who follow him around covering
the issue. The majority of said writers (not the Ben Fowlkes’
of the world) are either clueless/uneducated about the topic
or tend to have a pro-legalization bent, so the end result is
that you have power brokers in the fight industry who get a total
pass. This interview is a perfect demonstration of this principle
at work.
For anyone with a solid education on the drug crisis in MMA,
this is a horribly frustrating interview to watch. Dana’s
talking out of both sides of his mouth here. On one side, he’s
saying that the drug problem is not nearly as bad as it’s
made out to be. Later on, he praises the various state athletic
commissions for their level of drug testing and praises the way
they are handling the Testosterone issue. He puts over just how
’strict’ the UFC’s drug testing protocols are
and says that UFC, when compared to other sports, has the most
stringent drug testing protocols of all. He keeps pushing the
line that “The Government” regulates them, which is
beyond obnoxious.
And, yet, out of the other side of his mouth he’s talking
about how UFC needs to take drug testing ‘to the next level’
and that they are going to take steps to make sure guys aren’t
using drugs once they get into the UFC. As the worst-case scenario,
Dana is horribly undereducated on the issue and is lying out
his ass. As a best-case scenario, the man is suffering from an
extreme case of cognitive dissonance about the problem his sport
is facing. I’m not sure which scenario reflects worse on
the company.
Dana kept harping about how ‘we’re not the NFL, we’re
not Major League Baseball’ and how he’s not out to
punish guys but rather ‘more designed to help guys.’
“I’m not out to hurt guys. The Government does that.”
If there is anything intriguing about this interview, it’s
the way his tone shifts when talking about Nick Diaz getting
in trouble for marijuana usage as opposed to his attitude about
Chael Sonnen getting a hall pass for TRT and Jon Jones getting
in trouble for DUI. He genuinely comes off as feeling let down
by Diaz and yet is making excuses in the same interview for Jones
getting in trouble.
Mike Chiappetta: Jon Jones pleads guilty to misdemeanor, escapes
major legal trouble
If you’re looking for an interesting news-ish takeaway from
the interview, it’s the part of the interview where Dana
talks about being ready to set up satellite UFC offices around
the globe to run territories. This has long been rumored &
discussed to the point of no return, but you get a real sense
here that it really is about to go down no matter if it turns
out to be a major success or a colossal failure.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Derek
Brunson Steps in to Face Kendall Grove at ShoFights This Weekend
by Damon
Martin
A
change has been made to this weekend’s ShoFights card in
Missouri and now there is a new co-main event.
Terry
Martin has been forced out of the fight with former Ultimate
Fighter winner Kendall
Grove,
and will be replaced by Strikeforce middleweight Derek Brunson.
Brunson
accepts the fight on just a few day’s notice and the fight
will now take place as a catchweight bout at 190lbs.
Sources
close to the fight confirmed the news to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday
with bout agreements issued for the fight taking place this Saturday,
June 16.
At
9-0, Derek Brunson is considered to be one of the brightest rising
stars in the middleweight division, but he has been out of action
since last November. Brunson was set to return in March at the
Strikeforce card in Columbus, OH, but a pre-fight eye test revealed
his vision was not up to the standards of the Ohio Athletic Commission
and so he was pulled from the card.
Brunson
immediately had LASIK surgery to repair his eyes, and is now
back ready for action. The expectations were that Brunson would
compete on the upcoming Strikeforce card on July 14 in Portland,
Oregon, but he was still awaiting word when he got the call for
the bout at ShoFights this weekend.
Brunson
was contractually able to take another fight outside of Strikeforce,
and will now battle Grove at the 190lb catchweight this weekend.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
|
Penn
says looking
to finish contract, not make title run after MacDonald
B.J.
Penn may be stepping out of retirement for a bout against Rory
MacDonald at UFC 152 in Toronto, Canada (in MacDonald’s
backyard no less), but it doesn’t mean that the Prodigies
return will stick afterwords. For Penn it’s about two things;
letting Tri-Star know that their star pupil Georges St-Pierre’s
dismantling of him was a fluke, and to finish out his contract
obligation with the UFC. Via Just Scrap Radio:
My
last fight against Tri-Star didn’t go so well, so I would
love to take another crack at Tri-Star to show them. But you
know what, the past is the past. There is nothing for me to really
talk about on that end that is definitely left in the past. But,
yeah, it would be nice to let them know that fight was a fluke
and that the fight is not going to go down the same way. Rory
is not just going to walk in there and take me out and beat me
up for four rounds straight and put me away. I really believe
the fight is going to go different and I think they are going
to realize that when we start fighting. This isn’t the same
guy that they fought that night and its going to be a whole different
thing. But, there is no bad blood. I see Firaz all the time,
I see Georges. Everything is in the past, but I’d like to
get up there and show Tri-Star gym and their fans, or whatever,
that I am a worthy opponent and that I am not just a guy that
is going to walk in the ring and somebody is just going to walk
across and crush me, that is not going to be the story.”
Penn
is quick to give respect to the young up-and-comer, but still
feels that he is highly motivated, and will be a great test to
go out on.
Rory
is very good, he is still young but I think he has been in the
game so long and he’s got a lot of miles on him, I think,
not miles to where he is worn down or anything, I Just think
he’s got a lot of experience for being so young. He has
been at a high level for a couple of years now and he is a great
test. I was actually watching a video of his yesterday and he
was saying, “I am 22 and at 24 I am going to be a world
champion.” So he is very good, he has got a lot of confidence,
I am sure his team has a lot of confidence in him, also, so I
think that this is definitely a great challenge and a great test.
So with that said, I like everything, I am definitely motivated
for this fight, I like everything that’s going on with this
fight. Rory is one of the best guys, Firaz and everyone says
he is going to be the champion in two years. I’m not thinking
about any kind of title runs. I’m just coming back and doing
this fight and I am pretty sure this is the last fight on my
contract, I will have to go back and check again, but I think
this is the last fight on my contract and I would like to finish
out my contract, so.”
With
the UFC in talks of a upcoming Hawaii event, Penn was asked if
he could be enticed to return to the cage for a fight in his
home state. Unfortunately the answer does not sound like a resounding
yes.
I
am going to go to the belly of the beast, I just want to over
there and take care of this. I am going to go to the belly of
the beast and see a fire breathing dragon and take out my sword.”
Source:
Caged Insider |
Judging,
Refereeing, and Regulating Errors Continue to Plague Events
Jun
9, 2012 - Dana White was clearly frustrated with his promotion's
trip to Florida. While it was bad enough for the UFC president
that the event didn't draw particularly well, the other issue
was far more problematic for the long-term health of the sport.
Namely, the Florida State Boxing Commission, which regulated
the UFC on FX 3 event, turned in an atrocious performance, making
a variety of errors.
White
held back on slamming the team because of their relative inexperience
as compared to the UFC's home state in Nevada, but this was a
group that could barely handle the simplest of tasks, like correctly
adding up the scorecards for the Henry Martinez vs. Bernardo
Magalhaes fight.
It's
not the first time we've seen that problem, of course, and if
the mistakes were limited to just that, it could be forgiven.
But that was just one in an epic evening of gaffes.
Here's
a list of the screw-ups the team made...
Weigh-Ins
On Friday's weigh-ins, the commission incorrectly announced the
weights of not one, but two fighters. In one instance, the attending
official announced lightweight Tim Means at 158 pounds, two pounds
over the limit. Means looked confused as UFC matchmaker Joe Silva
came over to the scale to find out what was going on. As it turned
out, the official simply was not using the doctor's office style,
balance-beam scale properly. It was Silva and fellow UFC employee
Burt Watson who had to instruct him. After further review, Means
was actually right on the money at 155. Incredibly, this happened
a second time during weigh-ins with Lance Benoist. This is simplest
of commission tasks, and again, one blunder can be excused as
a mindless flub. Two? Ineptitude.
Math
Problems
It didn't long on fight night for more head-scratching issues
to transpire. In the second fight of the night, Martinez was
originally announced as a unanimous decision winner. After further
review, whoops, it was actually a split decision. A simple math
error in adding three numbers. Again, a basic, simple task. Luckily,
the nod still went in Martinez' favor, but it was still confirmation
the previous day's weigh-in issues were no isolated incident.
Late
Stoppage
Means' KO of Justin Salas was officially at 1:06 of the first
round, but it probably could have ended many punches sooner.
Salas wasn't unconscious, but he was clearly out of it for a
while as he wobbled around the cage like a zombie while getting
smashed. Ref Chris Adams gave him every chance to recover, and
then two or three more he didn't need. Watching from home, fighter
Gerald Harris tweeted, "Hey ref wait until his heart stops
beating next time!" Refereeing is generally hard, thankless
work, but yep, it was that bad.
Make
Up the Rules as You Go
During the Dustin Pague vs. Jared Papazian match, ref Frank Gentile
repeatedly admonished Papazian to get his feet off the cage while
trying to fight off Pague's rear naked choke try. The only problem
is that there's no such rule. It simply doesn't exist. Fighters
are not allowed to hold or grab the fence, but they can push
off it at any time, according to the Unified Rules. In fact,
the Unified Rules explicitly say "A fighter may place their
feet onto the cage and have their toes go through the fencing
material at any time," with the caveat that they can not
grab the fence with toes to manipulate their own or their opponent's
body position. I thought perhaps it was possible that Florida
had amended it, but nope. I checked their regulations, and under
Chapter 61K1-1, the only rule is against "holding the ropes
or fencing." Afterward, Papazian justly complained about
the development, saying it went against everything he'd learned
in the gym.
"It
completely took away the defensive strategy that we had worked
for this fight," he said.
Judging
Disgrace
The Mike Pierce vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha fight was certainly
not a thrill-ride, but it was clearly one-sided. According to
FightMetric, Pierce out-landed Rocha in every round. He also
took Rocha down in every round and held him there for long stretches
while occasionally working him over from the top. The final strike-count
was 117-38, and he out-struck Rocha by 30 landed blows or more
in each of the last two rounds, yet judge Ric Bays somehow scored
the fight 30-27 for Rocha. His fellow judges scored it 30-27
for Pierce, the obvious score to anyone watching with two working
eyes. If that was really his honest opinion, he should never
be allowed to judge again, because there is no way anyone with
an understanding of the sport can rationally come to that conclusion.
Overactive
Refereeing
Troy Waugh is generally a good official. He's reffed some big
fights and seems competent enough. Maybe something was in the
air, but during the Matt Grice vs. Leonard Garcia fight, at one
point, Grice was working from the top, quite actively, and just
moments after Grice landed a couple of crushing elbows from the
top, Waugh warned him to stay active. Admittedly, this is the
least offensive item on this list because nothing was truly affected,
but it still came off out of place as Grice was working hard
to take advantage of the position.
Two
Illegal Blows, No Point Deduction
In the Seth Baczynski vs. Lance Benoist fight, Benoist landed
two illegal strikes when Baczynski was a downed opponent, one
in each of the first two rounds. Yet despite this, ref Chris
Adams declined to deduct a point. These penalties are at a referee's
discretion, but it's fairly rare to see two illegal strikes without
a point deduction. I'd have no problem with him issuing only
a warning on the first infraction, but if he doesn't offer a
point deduction on the second, what is the point of having rules?
At what point would enough be enough?
Luckily,
most of the biggest problems took place on the prelims, because
three of the four main card fights ended with a finish, allowing
the fighters to control their own fates. But there was still
way too much wrong, even if the commission is inexperienced,
even if White held back ever so slightly on his criticism.
"It
was bad," he finally said. "It was bad as bad gets."
It
was probably even worse than that. For the Florida State Boxing
Commission, it's not a night to forget. It's a night to remember,
to learn from, so the mistakes are never repeated. Even in the
professional sports world, no one is perfect, but no one should
be that bad, either.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Falling
Action: Best and Worst of UFC on FX 3
Jun
9, 2012 - It took a couple tries, but the UFC’s flyweight
tournament finally has a final. And beyond the frenetic action
in the 125-pound main event, UFC on FX 3 brought us plenty of
fireworks throughout the main card. The prelims, well, they definitely
happened as well.
Now
that the dust has settled and the blood has dried, let’s
take a look at the biggest winners, losers, and everything in
between after the UFC on FX 3.
Biggest
Winner: Demetrious Johnson
Three frantic rounds, and "Mighty Mouse" still ended
the fight looking like he was ready to go for a jog, maybe play
a couple sets of tennis. Watching his action-packed battle with
McCall only reminds why it was high time the UFC added flyweights.
In a true mixed martial arts bout with a little bit of everything,
Johnson proved to be just a little too fast. At least the rematch
was more conclusive (not that anyone would’ve complained
about seeing another round of that one) and the flyweight tournament
can now move toward what ought to be a thrilling conclusion.
Is Johnson’s quickness and crafty striking enough to beat
Joe Benavidez, who seemed to many like the de facto 125-pound
champ from the moment the division was created? I can hardly
wait to find out.
Biggest
Loser: Charlie Brenneman
He tried to turn it into a wrestling match so he could test Erick
Silva on the mat. All he got for his trouble was a first-round
submission loss. Brenneman is obviously a gifted athlete and
a fierce competitor (don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten
about how he stepped up and beat Rick Story after Nate Marquardt’s
testosterone fiasco in Pittsburgh), but at times it seems as
if he might not have the full compliment of skills that one needs
at this level. Of the four guys he’s beaten in the UFC,
only one is still gainfully employed with the organization. That
doesn’t mean Brenneman’s no good, or that he’s
not still a threat to a lot of the welterweights out there (many
of whom would have trouble with Silva, by the way), but he’s
got to find a way to give his opponents more to worry about than
just takedowns and ground control. Nobody can say much when you
win those kinds of fights, but when you try to turn it into a
grind and end up with a forearm on your throat before the first
round is over, it doesn’t bode well.
Least
Concerned About Open Head Wounds: Eddie Wineland
In the Roman legions, men died from gashes like the one that
Wineland had on his forehead by the end of his fight with Scott
Jorgensen. Infection got some of them, but a few probably died
of freakout after accidentally catching a glimpse of themselves
in a still pool. Who could blame them? When you realize that
your head now looks like the work of a frustrated jack-o-lantern
carver, you have a right to get upset. But not Wineland. He somehow
squinted through the blood and did what needed to be done, dropping
Jorgensen with a vicious right hand. Good thing, too, because
when you have a cavern in your forehead that’s pouring blood
down into your eye, cageside doctors tend to get a little squeamish.
Maybe the most amazing part is that even when Wineland had a
chance to look at his cut on the big screen after the fight,
he still didn’t seem too upset. A lot of guys might have
asked for a plastic surgeon and wheelbarrow full of morphine.
All Wineland asked for was more fights. That’s the kind
of guy you want standing next to you when you’re going toe-to-toe
with the Gauls. It’s definitely not someone you want to
have throwing right hand bombs at the more delicate areas of
your face.
Most
Surprising: Mike Pyle
I picked him to win, but I sure didn’t see it coming via
one-punch knockout. With time ticking down in the opening frame,
Pyle threw that right hand like he thought it would be one of
many on the night. Even he couldn’t have expected that it
would put Neer nose-down into a sponsor logo. It was just the
fourth TKO win of Pyle's career, and the only true knockout.
He showed in his last fight that he’s getting more and more
dangerous on the feet, but you still don’t think of him
as the kind of guy who can erase your short-term memory with
a single punch. As Jon Anik pointed out in the post-fight interview,
Pyle’s no young buck in the fight game. Mid-30’s isn’t
ancient for a fighter with his style, but let’s just say
he’s not getting carded when he goes to buy beer. Maybe
he doesn’t have the time to rise through the ranks and build
a case for a title shot, but he’s clearly still capable
of putting on a show and beating some very tough fighters. And
hey, if he’s going to add one-punch power to his arsenal,
who knows how far he might go?
Most
Impressive in Defeat: Ian McCall
Johnson might have been just a half-step ahead of him at the
most crucial moments, but McCall kept the pressure on and didn’t
give him anything for free. It didn’t result in a win for
"Uncle Creepy," but he’s got nothing to be ashamed
of after that performance. In that division, and with only three
rounds to work, so much depends on so little. A punch here, a
takedown there, and the fight might swing in the opposite direction.
It didn’t, of course, so he’s probably going to wallow
in his own despair for the next couple weeks, but he’ll
be back. The good news is, the UFC’s flyweight division
is still so thin that he shouldn’t have too much trouble
making his case for a shot at the eventual champion.
Least
Impressive in Victory: Mike Pierce
"Mike Pierce doing what Mike Pierce does," Anik observed
at one point in the broadcast. Near as I could tell, he did not
intend it as a compliment. We all know Pierce’s game at
this point. He’s a suffocating wrestler in the Jon Fitch
mold. He’s nearly impossible to look good against, win or
lose, and he brings a guaranteed 15-minute lull to any broadcast.
There’s no rule against winning that way. If people don’t
want to be crumpled up in a ball against the fence, it’s
up to them to stop it from happening. At the same time, these
performances aren’t doing much to bolster the ranks of the
Official Mike Pierce Fan Club. I’m sure there are MMA fans
out there who get excited by three rounds of perfunctory boxing,
takedowns, and top control, but I can’t say I’ve ever
met them.
Best
Bilingual Interview Duo: Erick Silva and Wallid Ismail
It was another impressive win by Silva, who looks like a nightmare
for most UFC welterweights. But things got really fun when the
Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend and notorious wild card Ismail handled
translation duties in the post-fight interview. At least, he
started out translating. By the end, he was no longer letting
Silva speak before launching into a speech of his own. That’s
what you get when you put those two on TV. You can count on Silva
to give you an aggressive performance and, more than likely,
a finish; you can count on Ismail to do or say something that
leaves people wondering, who was that guy? Do yourself a favor
and look him up.
Least
Official Officials: Florida Commission
From referees who seemed not quite clear on the rules to judges
who seemed not quite clear on which fighter was which, the Florida
State Boxing Commission did not come off looking like seasoned
professionals on Friday night in Sunrise. On the prelims, referee
Chris Adams declined to deduct a point from Lance Benoist after
two illegal knee strikes, opting instead to go with the favorite
disciplinary tool of the summer camp counselor: the stern warning.
Things didn’t get much better on the scorecards, either.
Even after three rounds of a solid Mike Piercing, Carlos Eduardo
Rocha somehow managed to win every round according to one judge’s
tally. "Mighty Mouse" Johnson had a similar clean sweep
against McCall on one scorecard, despite pretty clearly losing
the second round. In both those fights, the right guy got his
hand raised anyway, but it’s almost beside the point. These
people -- judges, referees, cageside officials -- have important
jobs to do. They’re responsible for fighter safety, for
fairness, and for deciding who goes home with a win and twice
as much money in his pocket. With all that on the line, how do
we end up with people who seem to have only a passing interest
in this stuff? If you’re going to take the time to regulate
a combat sports event, why not take a little extra time to do
a good job of it?
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Doggy
Bag: The Big and Small Edition
Everyone
answers to somebody, so we, the staff at Sherdog.com, have decided
to defer to our readers.
“The
Doggy Bag” gives you the opportunity to speak about what
is on your mind from time to time. Our reporters, columnists,
radio hosts and editors will chime in with their answers and
thoughts, so keep the emails coming.
In
this edition, readers respond to a host of topics, both big and
small. With Demetrious Johnson-Ian McCall 2 now in the books,
some folks are hand wringing about 125ers only going 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, longtime fan favorite B.J. Penn has put on a few pounds
since his fight with Nick Diaz late last year. Is why so many
folks are skeptical about the Hawaiian's chances in his return
bout against Rory MacDonald?
When
we are talking weights and measures, four-division UFC veteran
Kenny Florian is bound to show up, especially since he just called
it a day in the cage. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir
is not ready to hang up his gloves, but what he has been doing
in the gaining-and-shrinking department has some folks unhappy.
For
bigger or smaller, 145 or 155, we also look at the best talents
from this past season of “The Ultimate Fighter” and
even what futures might await some of the beloved-and-light-weighted
of the now-defunct Dream.
After
watching both fights between McCall and Johnson back-to-back,
I don't know if these guys were made for three rounds. I thought
Johnson won both fights, two rounds to one, but after both fights,
I felt like they were lacking a resolution. Both fights felt
like were “getting started” when they ended. Both fighters
even looked like it. It seems like 125-pounders are just getting
warmed up by the time the three rounds end. Doesn’t it defeat
the purpose to have such dynamic fighters but only rarely give
them the five rounds or more necessary for their skills to come
out? -- Matthew from Phoenix
Jordan
Breen, administrative editor: You’re obviously speaking
my language, discussing the pressing necessity to have more 25-minute
fights. It’s true. At this point, most guys of true, legitimate
UFC caliber should be going five rounds as a matter of course.
However, that world isn’t about to be bestowed upon us anytime
soon.
McCall-Johnson
1 and 2 were both unsatisfying for me, personally, because I
did want that extra 10 minutes of action, and I do feel strongly
that those rounds could’ve played a real role in how either
fight may have developed. However, we knew ahead of time McCall
was a slow starter, and he could’ve identified it, too.
The style of Johnson is not a mystery, either. Both men knew
the length of time they were to fight one another. If McCall
-- or Johnson -- had the actual desire to leave their gas tanks
on E and fight tooth and nail, they would have in either context.
However,
the charge that flyweight fights won’t unfold favorably
over 15 minutes intrigues me. What was wrong with the John Lineker-Louis
Gaudinot bout we just got? The fact is I’m not sure anything
we saw was different from McCall's or Johnson’s WEC bouts.
They were in tough against another high-level fighter and couldn’t
implement their game as well as they’d hoped. Two great
fighters can often do that to one another.
I
do see some potentially pernicious futures over three rounds.
The real issue for flyweights, especially as they try to sort
out themselves, is fighting against some wacky judging. Bad judges
in MMA struggle to keep up in general, and setting them loose
on smaller, fleeter fighters can have questionable results. When
the Zuffa-era WEC moved heavily to the 135- and 145-pound weight
classes, I’d argue we saw exactly this. Who knows what scorecards
we would’ve got for that Gaudinot-Lineker fight?
I
do have some fear for the flyweights, but the 15 minutes isn’t
why. Yeah, it stinks, but we’ll get 25-minute classics at
125 pounds soon enough. Just watch out for those folks with the
scorecards. They’re bad news.
I'm a big B.J. Penn fan and always have been, but this comeback
fight sucks. It is desperate. Rory MacDonald should be fighting
other contenders right now. Instead, he's going to fight an undersized,
unmotivated Penn who UFC President Dana White talked into coming
back for the UFC's sake. I think this might be a one-sided blowout
that people will look back on and wish never happened. Penn is
a legend, but I want to see MacDonald face real top guys now.
-- Noel from Toronto
Tristen
Critchfield, associate editor: Although Penn’s temporary
retirement only raises more questions about his motivation to
compete, I would argue that the Hawaiian is far closer to “a
real top guy” than anyone MacDonald has beaten -- his near-miss
versus Carlos Condit doesn’t count -- to date. Dominant
performances against the likes of Michael Guymon, Mike Pyle and
Che Mills proved that MacDonald is one of the sport’s brightest
prospects, but all of those guys are mid-level competitors at
best.
While
some might argue that “Ares” does own a signature victory
-- his UFC 129 decision over Nate Diaz -- it has become clear
that Diaz is much better suited to contend at lightweight. Assuming
he’s healthy and in reasonable shape, Penn has the well-rounded
skill set to test the Canadian like no one has since Condit.
In addition, Penn has name recognition and drawing power that
is surpassed by only Georges St. Pierre in the welterweight division,
which is part of the reason why White wants him back. I believe
that Penn-MacDonald would have made the top of the UFC on Fox
4 card look much more desirable, as well. At the very least,
Fox would be compelled to put more promotional muscle behind
such a headliner.
Right
now, many of the other top welterweight contenders are either
waiting for fights, have just fought or are on the shelf. If
MacDonald is able to dominate Penn, it should not be looked at
as a regrettable pairing but as something of a coming out party.
Just ask Mike Pierce -- who has come up just short against the
likes of Jon Fitch, Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck -- what
it would mean to have a career-defining win. Without it, Pierce
found himself on the UFC on FX 3 preliminary card.
Something
tells me that Penn will give MacDonald a stern test when they
lock horns at UFC 152. At 33, Penn can have several solid years
of fighting ahead of him if he so chooses. Despite talk of his
decline, Penn has only lost to Top 10 and hall of fame-caliber
opponents during his UFC tenure. A win over “The Prodigy”
would only serve to put MacDonald in some pretty elite company.
Comparing KenFlo
What
professional athlete would you compare to Kenny Florian? I am
inclined to call him a Dan Marino-type who never won “the
big one,” but I’m not sure he stacks up with a guy
like Marino statistically. No one would ever call Florian “the
best fighter to never win a title” in the UFC, for instance.
However, he was very good, maybe even underrated at some times.
What was important about Kenny Florian as a fighter and who would
you say he compares to in the hall of all-time sports notables?
-- Stan from South Carolina
Brian
Knapp, features editor: It is an unfortunate group to which Florian
belongs. Because he failed in all three attempts to win “the
big one,” he will likely never get the credit he deserves
as a mixed martial artist. Florian has plenty of company, as
the world of professional sports is littered with such figures.
Jim
Kelly was selected to four Pro Bowls and threw for more than
35,000 yards. Yet, he will be remembered largely as the man at
the controls of a Buffalo Bills team that lost four consecutive
Super Bowls. Elgin Baylor was an 11-time NBA All-Star for the
Lakers, averaging 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds and nearly five
assists per game throughout his career. He never won an NBA championship.
Ted Williams, a man many consider the greatest hitter of all-time,
batted .200 in the only World Series in which he played and lost
it in seven games. Marcelo Rios won nearly $10 million and 18
tournament titles on the ATP Tour. He never won a Grand Slam
event. Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie finished second five
times in Major Championships, including the 1994, 1997 and 2006
United States Opens.
At
least Florian had his chances. The opportunity to play for all
the marbles avoided some of our most beloved athletes entirely.
Ernie Banks played in 2,528 career games with the Chicago Cubs
and not once tasted the fruits of postseason.
Oftentimes,
championships or lack thereof create the gulf that exists between
the very good and the truly great. At this point, perhaps no
one in MMA knows that better than Florian.
Personally,
I will remember Florian as a consummate professional, inside
and outside the cage, a man willing to accept the steepest of
challenges, even when he was outgunned in matchups with fighters
like B.J. Penn and Jose Aldo. However, Florian’s greatest
contribution to the sport may come during his retirement years,
as an ambassador and television analyst. MMA, in general, and
the UFC, in particular need well-spoken, intelligent men like
Florian to stick around and poke holes in the arguments of those
who continue to unfairly brand the sport as barbaric and repulsive.
How on earth did Frank Mir get a therapeutic use exemption for
testosterone? He's already massive. Am I supposed to believe
he had problems producing testosterone when he was putting on
muscle for Brock Lesnar? This shows what a sham TRT is. Mir looked
awful against Junior dos Santos, and the fact he was allowed
to use testosterone at all proves this is all a crock -- in case
Todd Duffee wasn't enough for you. -- Dustin from Reno
TJ
De Santis, Sherdog Radio Network program director: Yup, another
fighter is on TRT. Yeah, this one is a former champion. And,
yes, he is another one under 40 years old. When I listen to the
radio, I hear spots for men who have a low sex drive, lack of
energy and general depression. The ad goes on to say that men
suffering from these symptoms may want to consult a physician
to see if they are in need of testosterone replacement therapy.
The men targeted in these ads are 50 years or older.
So,
in a politically correct world we are to believe that Chael Sonnen,
Alistair Overeem, Todd Duffee and now Frank Mir all suffer from
an ailment that plagues men past the middle stages of life. I
find it funny that so many fighters are willing to proclaim "my
body does not work like a normal man's should" just to gain
a transparent competitive edge.
Then
again, no one really focuses on the point that these gentleman
are saying their bodies aren't functioning like normal males.
Fans that dislike TRT in the sport just play the "cheating"
card. I feel your sentiments regarding Mir. This is a man that
has been featured on the cover of Muscle and Fitness. He is also
a much larger man than he was in the earlier days of the UFC.
Mir
has gone in front of the commission and has been granted an exemption
to regulate his testosterone levels. The commission and his doctor
feel that they have sufficient proof that Mir suffers from ailments
that generally only effect men 15-20 years older than him. Is
it insulting to him that I am comparing him to men with AARP
cards? Maybe. But that is something I am sure he thought about
before applying for a TUE.
Fighters
seem oddly willing to say, "I am not a normal man, please
help me resemble one." In a sport where "peacocking"
is rampant and alpha males go out of their way to wear the tightest
T-shirt, it is strange so many fighters are willing to, at best,
admit, and, maybe worse, pretend, to have low testosterone.
This season of “The Ulimate Fighter” had a lot of young
prospects who hadn’t quite developed yet, all in a talented
class like lightweight. Do you think many guys will drop to 145?
It seems this show could really populate that division with some
new faces. On a similar note, do you feel Mike Chiesa will be
the fighter we really talk about from this season? His storybook
ending was awesome to see, but I wonder what might happen if
a fighter like Justin Lawrence cuts to 145 or what a fighter
like Al Iaquinta could do with more experience on the mat. --
Huddy from Oklahoma City Mike Whitman, news editor: First off,
Huddy, congratulations to your Thunder for making the NBA Finals.
The team's wealth of young talent has guided the people of Oklahoma
to a shot at the holiest of basketball holies. It was impressive
to witness, even if everyone in the Sooner State is still drenched
in Supersonic blood.
Anyway,
let us examine another young squad also known to perform well
while coated in plasma: the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter
15.” There is a lot to like about this class of grads, and
I think quite a few members of the house have a chance to hang
around. That said, I'm not ready to roll out the red carpet for
any of these guys just yet.
The
way I see it, this is a four-dog race, be it at lightweight or
featherweight. Certainly there are talented fringe guys like
Vinc Pichel, Joe Proctor, Daron Cruickshank, John Cofer, Sam
Sicilia and Andy Ogle who could earn a living in the Octagon
with some necessary adjustments, but if I had to lay my money
on a Top 4, I would go with Iaquinta, Lawrence, Chiesa and James
Vick.
Yes,
I know three of those four made it at least to the semifinals
and the other one was the show's overall No. 1 pick. Sue me.
Obviously,
all of those aforementioned fighters are projects, and they all
need to add something significant to their games if they hope
to thrive. I don't think there is a clear-cut favorite to be
“the guy,” as they all bring different strengths to
the table, even as they sport gaping holes in their various in-cage
approaches. As you mentioned, Iaquinta needs to work on his ground
game, while Chiesa absolutely must become less rigid while vertical
if he hopes to find success in the ultra-deep waters of the UFC.
How can you not love Chiesa's tenacity, mental toughness and
mountain man beard, even if he does constantly leave his chin
hanging out while trying to close the distance?
In
regard to Vick, I tend to agree with Dominick Cruz. That kid
could be a real noisemaker at 155 pounds, but it is imperative
that he improves his takedown defense and develops at least some
type of bottom game so he's not a doormat after being taken down.
That
leaves Lawrence. No doubt this young man is an impressive prospect,
but I do worry about him a little bit. At only 22 years old,
he has plenty of time to further develop both his striking and
submission defense, but neither of those are my biggest concerns.
He looks like a million bucks when he is the hammer in the equation.
When he's the nail? Not so much.
Technical
aspects of the game appear to be engrained easier into a fighter
than an intangible sense of resilience and defiance -- a quality
much harder to teach than a proper right cross or a new guard
pass. Truly great competitors almost always have it, regardless
of their style, sport or whence they come.
Maybe
Lawrence has it buried inside somewhere, too. It should be fun
to find out.
Dream is closed, to no one’s surprise. How many fighters
do you think end up heading to One FC and who will try to make
it to the UFC or Bellator? I’m more interested in a fighter
like Tatsuya Kawajiri, who has looked very good recently but
might not have a lot of their prime left for the UFC. Also, what
are the odds on my dream of having Hideo Tokoro in the UFC for
just one fight? You can be brutally honest. -- Mike from Hartford
Chris
Nelson, associate editor: First, let me admit that I actually
was a bit surprised to hear that Dream had finally gone under.
Folks had been predicting it for years, and with good reason,
but somehow Real Entertainment carried it this far. Dream died
such a long, slow death that at some point I started believing
it was already deceased and that it would continue lurching along,
zombie-like, staging a show or two per year -- just enough to
keep its few stars active.
Regarding
those stars, it seems two of the choicest free agents to emerge
from the shutdown are already settling in elsewhere. The UFC
announced the signing of bantamweight champ Bibiano Fernandes
last week -- the day after the Dream news broke. In my eyes,
he was the most interesting commodity to be snatched up; as he’s
a supremely gifted athlete and still relatively young, I think
he has gone to the right place. It doesn’t hurt that he’s
based in Canada, either. If he finds success in the Octagon,
there’s even a built-in storyline for a potential rematch
with Urijah Faber down the line.
Then
there’s Shinya Aoki, who sources say is close to signing
with Singapore’s One Fighting Championship and may appear
on its Sept. 1 card in Manila. That’s all well and good
if Aoki just wants to keep busy, but breaking back into the lightweight
Top 10 from there will be an arduous task, if not downright impossible.
While One FC has managed some exciting shows with its first three
outings, it is not exactly sitting on a stockpile of top-tier
155ers. In fact, the most prominent name it has had in that weight
class so far is the unranked Kawajiri, who Aoki submitted not
two years ago.
It’s
impossible to say which or how many fighters from Dream will
end up with One FC and which will head stateside, but Fernandes
and Aoki seem to represent the two options well. In Fernandes,
you see a guy in his prime looking to improve his standing by
fighting even stiffer competition than he has been handed. But
it sounds like Aoki -- who recently dropped his long-held Top
10 spot after being knocked out by Eddie Alvarez -- might be
content to tread water and continue fighting the caliber of opponent
he has been getting in Dream. Of course, not every fighter will
have the option of joining the UFC, but there’s no doubt
Sean Shelby and Co. are aware of the guys deserving of a shot,
like Hiroyuki Takaya, Kazuyuki Miyata and Takeshi Inoue.
Kawajiri
seems like he could go either way, but it sure would be nice
to see him in the UFC at 145 pounds. As you say, his window might
be closing, and I’d hate to see one of the best Japanese
fighters round out his career thumping blown-up bantamweights.
As
for Tokoro ... in your heart, you already know the answer to
this one, right? Even if he’s beloved by fight heads and
even if he's a potential draw for a future Saitama show, the
UFC’s not in the habit of signing guys for one-off fights
and certainly not guys coming off back-to-back losses. Sorry
to be a downer, but on the upside, at least you won’t have
to watch Tokoro get smashed as a tune-up opponent for Scott Jorgensen
or somebody.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Matches
to Make After UFC on FX 3
Sometime
later this year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will crown
its first flyweight titleholder. Demetrious Johnson made sure
he would at least have a chance to partake in history.
Johnson
outdueled the top-ranked Ian McCall in the UFC flyweight tournament
semifinals, as he used superb timing and incomparable speed to
walk away with a unanimous decision victory at UFC on FX 3 on
Friday at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. “Mighty
Mouse” swept the scorecards by 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 counts,
handing McCall his first defeat at 125 pounds.
The
win -- which comes three months after Johnson battled McCall
to a controversial majority draw in their first matchup -- propels
the AMC Pankration export into the final of the flyweight tournament,
where Joseph Benavidez awaits. A protégé of former
WEC poster boy Urijah Faber, the 27-year-old Benavidez looked
downright dominant in his 125-pound debut, as he flattened Japanese
veteran Yasuhiro Urushitani in March.
Johnson
will have his work cut out for him, as Benavidez has won his
last four fights. An athletic wrestler with potent finishing
ability, he has secured 12 of his 16 professional victories by
knockout, technical knockout or submission. His list of victims
includes former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres, onetime
International Fight League featherweight titleholder Wagnney
Fabiano and 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World
Championships gold medalist Rani Yahya.
In
wake of UFC on FX 3, here are five other matchups that need to
be made:
Ian
McCall vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani: By now, UFC brass should have
a firm grasp on what a marketable commodity it has in McCall.
The mercurial Californian and his handlebar mustache will likely
remain factors in the promotion’s fledgling flyweight division
for years to come, either as a perennial contender or as an invaluable
litmus test for other 125-pound hopefuls. McCall simply could
not deal with Johnson’s overwhelming speed, dizzying lateral
movement and ability to escape disadvantageous positions. That
will not be as significant a problem for him against most other
flyweights. Urushitani’s debut in the Octagon was brief
and violent, as Benavidez halted him on strikes 11 seconds into
the second round of their tournament semifinal. Time may be running
out for the 35-year-old Japanese standout, but he at least deserves
one more crack at the division’s elite before the UFC weighs
the possibility of moving him down in the pecking order or even
cutting him loose. A showdown with McCall, with both men on the
rebound, sounds like a plan.
Erick
Silva vs. Siyar Bahadurzada: No one in South Florida did more
to up their stock than Silva. The Brazilian prospect was utterly
electrifying in submitting respected AMA Fight Club representative
Charlie Brenneman in the co-main event. Silva, a former Jungle
Fighting champion, appears to have few, if any, weaknesses. Perhaps
a showdown with a heavy-artillery striker would reveal even more
of his potential. Bahadurzada has a date with Chris Clements
at UFC 149 on July 21. He has finished his past five opponents
with strikes, four of them inside the first round. If Bahadurzada
clears the Clements hurdle, a matchup with Silva could prove
golden.
Charlie
Brenneman vs. Josh Neer: Brenneman had a night to forget, tapping
out to a rear-naked choke from Silva. Neer did not fare much
better, as he found himself face down on the mat after his encounter
with a Mike Pyle right hand. Despite their defeats, Brenneman
and Neer remain valuable parts of the UFC’s welterweight
division. A bout between them makes plenty of sense.
Eddie
Wineland vs. Mike Easton-Ivan Menjivar winner: Wineland notched
his first UFC victory in spectacular fashion, as he put away
the durable Scott Jorgensen in the second round of their bantamweight
scrap. Though his stout right hand packs quite the wallop, toughness
remains Wineland’s most endearing quality. The 27-year-old
former WEC champion fought through a nasty gash -- the result
of a first-round knee strike -- to defeat Jorgensen. The performance
puts him in contention for a Top 10 ranking and positions him
for another high-profile matchup at 135 pounds. When the dust
settles from the Easton-Menjivar scrap at UFC 148, throw Wineland
the winner and let the sparks fly.
Mike
Pyle vs. Mike Pierce: There may be no more underappreciated welterweight
than Pyle, who, at age 36, has never looked better. The Xtreme
Couture Mixed Martial Arts export wiped out Neer with a devastating
right hand in the closing seconds of the first round. Pyle has
developed an effective standup game to go along with the smooth
grappling skills for which his has become known, rattling off
five wins in six outings. In the last three years, he has only
lost to Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald. Perhaps the time
has come to up the ante once again. Pierce grinded through Carlos
Eduardo Rocha with surprising ease, but, despite the high regard
with which most hold him, the Oregonian has alternated between
wins and losses in each of his last four appearances. Why not
give Pyle a shot?
Source:
Sherdog
|
Ian
McCall's UFC flyweight rematch with Demetrious Johnson will be
his latest adventure
Ian
McCall had a muted reaction when ring announcer Bruce Buffer
read the verdict of the judges after his fight March 3 with Demetrious
Johnson in Sydney, Australia, declaring Johnson the winner and
sending him to the finale of the UFC flyweight tournament.
Ian
McCall gets his rematch against Demetrious Johnson in the main
event of UFC on FX 3 on Friday.
There
was no tantrum, no kicking, no cursing. More than anything, McCall
was angry at himself. He believed he'd done enough to deserve
the decision over Johnson, but he also knew he didn't fight the
way he needed, or wanted.
Only
an hour later, though, McCall learned he'd gotten a reprieve.
The commission had tallied the scores incorrectly and instead
of a majority decision loss, the bout was a majority draw. That
meant there would be a rematch for the right to meet Joseph Benavidez
for the title.
Again,
though, McCall had a muted reaction. There was no wild celebration
in light of his second chance. His rematch with Johnson will
be Friday at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., in the
main event of UFC on FX 3.
He's
pleased at the opportunity, but it wasn't like he was doing cartwheels
when he got it. Given McCall's wild life story, though, it's
quite understandable.
McCall
has been through more in his nearly 28 years than most men go
through in their lifetimes. He began drinking and smoking at
8 years old and lived a life that he said "definitely, without
question, has taken a few years off of my life." As a young
man, he said, "I wanted to be a bad guy and live on the
wild side, and so that's the life I led."
McCall
was once declared legally dead after ingesting a potent mix of
drugs, including marijuana, Xanax and Oxycontin, as well as alcohol,
while preparing to get a tattoo. If there was a high-risk behavior,
he engaged in it.
He's
not the first person to live that kind of life and, sadly, he
won't be the last. But for a man with the talent to become one
of the elite fighters in mixed martial arts, the abuse he inflicted
on his body was confounding.
He'll
turn 28 on July 5, but he might be 33 in fighter years given
what he's done to his body.
"I've
been through a lot of adversity in my life," McCall said.
"Let's face it: I'm on borrowed time here. I died once from
drugs and was in a coma. I have crashed cars at high speed. I've
lived my life on the edge for a long time."
And
he's been around many others who have lived the same type of
high-risk lifestyle. He said probably 30 people he was close
to have died prematurely, many from drug issues, others from
suicide.
It's
all taken its toll on him, and that pain and those memories will
never leave him.
Still,
he said, his life has turned in the right direction.
"I
did plenty of bad things in my life, more than I like to even
really remember," he said. "I sold drugs. I carried
guns. I did some horrible, horrible things, to myself and to
other people. But I learned from it, you know? I changed my ways.
"MMA
really saved my life. It got me back on the straight and narrow.
And since then, I've gotten my act together. I have a family
now. I have a wife and a daughter and two dogs and a cat that
I love and I have to feed and provide for and take care of. I'm
lucky, I guess, because I realized that the old me would be worthless
in doing that. I needed to change the way I lived so that I could
do what I needed to do for my family. There's always going to
be risk and temptation for me, but it's not just about me anymore."
It's
interesting how perspective changes after a brush with death.
He didn't hear a choir of angels sing and God never spoke to
him.
Surviving,
though, impacted his life in a way he can't entirely explain.
"It
was like I woke up from a sleep and I wondered, 'Why do I have
all these tubes in me?' " he said. "I remember the
doctor wagging his finger at me and saying, 'You screwed up.'
I guess I'm just lucky, genes or whatever, but I recovered pretty
quickly from that.
"I
could have been dead and gone forever, buried and forgotten about,
and the earth would have continued on without me. But I'm fortunate
to have survived not only that, but everything I did in my life,
and to be at this point where I have a beautiful family that
means the world to me. I don't want [my prior] life anymore because
I know all that will do is hurt the people I don't want to hurt."
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
|
Brock
Lesnar to Become the King Mo of the UFC and WWE? Don’t Bank
On It
Brock
Lesnar at UFC 100The mixed martial arts and professional wrestling
worlds were up in arms after Brock Lesnar attended UFC 146 in
Las Vegas over Memorial Weekend.
Well,
it wasn’t just that Lesnar attended the event; it was more
UFC president Dana White revealing that he was meeting with the
former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE performer after
the show.
Everyone
immediately jumped to the conclusion that the meeting was about
Lesnar inquiring about a possible return to the UFC.
That
very well could be, but Lesnar just signed a one-year, multi-million
dollar contract with the WWE and is playing up an angle where
he is unhappy with the contract and suing the professional wrestling
giant… which very well could have led to White’s statement
in his post-fight interview with Fuel TV on Saturday night.
When
asked about his meeting with Lesnar, White said, “It was
probably one of the worst meetings we’ve ever had with Brock
Lesnar and I honestly have not talked to him since.”
Now,
as contentious is Lesnar can be, White and Fertitta have typically
worked well with the WWE superstar.
“It
was the worst meeting I’ve ever had with Brock Lesnar. It
was me and Lorenzo. In my opinion, it couldn’t have gone
worse,” he added.
Lesnar’s
appearance at UFC 146 and the subsequent meeting with White and
Fertitta could have been part of the WWE superstar’s pro
wrestling angle, whether or not the UFC brass knew anything about
it going into the meeting.
Maybe
it was all staged for Lesnar to sell his WWE lawsuit, acting
like he was interested in coming back to the UFC. It would seem
a bit out of character for White and Fertitta to actively take
part in such an angle, but it wouldn’t be all that off the
wall for Lesnar and “legal advisor” Paul Heyman to
have met with White and Fertitta in an attempt to further the
storyline they’d conjured up for WWE.
Regardless
of why the meeting went down or the intent behind it, don’t
expect Brock Lesnar back in the Octagon any time soon, unless
White and Fertitta are willing to make him the King Mo of the
UFC and WWE.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Bochecha
explains part played by camp and Rodrigo Cavaca at Jiu-Jitsu
Worlds
Via
Facebook, the 2012 absolute black belt champion of the world,
Marcus Vinicius “Bochecha” Almeida, recounted a bit
of what he went through in the lead-up to his unforgettable campaign
at the Long Beach Pyramid, where the nine matches he won netted
him two hard-fought gold medals.
GRACIEMAG.com
filtered out some of the highlights of his post, which follow
below. To remember all the champions, visit the IBJJF.org website
by clicking here.
“In
2002, my sister Ana Kelly Almeida started practicing a sport
called Jiu-Jitsu. Then my dad, Clayton Ferreira de Almeida, who
hadn’t a clue what it was all about, bought a gi and started
practicing just to accompany his daughter and find out what she
was getting into. He ended up getting addicted to and fanatical
about it, and after that he convinced me to practice with them.
I remember the first Jiu-Jitsu magazines that he bought. At the
time, he and I were fans of Marcio Pé de Pan, among others,
and I never imagined that ten years later I’d be competing
at a Jiu-Jitsu World Championship as a black belt and against
one of our first idols in the sport.
“I
had the pleasure of competing against him and knowing that I
am a part of his story, since he and Comprido said that this
year would be their last as competitors. Of course, besides him,
I faced athletes of the highest caliber and friends of mine too.
Thank God, after all these years, I managed to fulfill a dream
that I always had: of being a world champion at weight and open
weight—the same dream every practitioner of the art has.
“Ever
since 2008 I’ve been achieving this at the other belts.
I won at weight and open weight for the first time as a blue
belt, and in 2009 again I won two gold medals, as a purple belt,
along with Yuri Simões. In 2010, I won weight and absolute
again, but this time with Antonio Carlos Junior. In 2011, on
my debut as a black belt, I ended up losing in the absolute semifinal
and came up short at weight, But in 2012, after dealing with
numerous problems, I got focused and became closer with my buddy
Lucas Leite when I went to live and train with him and everyone
who lives here. Halfway through the training camp, an unexpected
visitor showed up, my other buddy Raphael Chaves, who moved to
California to live with us. He’s the one who helped me a
lot when I moved to America in 2011.
“At
the camp I was certain I’d become champion, since I trained
like never before in my life and learned so much. A lot of what
I learned in the days leading up to the championship was essential
to my winning. Of course, my master, friend and brother Rodrigo
Cavaca was also there. He’s the one who always told me I’d
make it to where I am, that I’d achieve my goal.
“In
the absolute final, I was losing by 4 to 0 and had already given
up on the match—I was complaining of stalling. Then I looked
at him. It was Cavaca who gave me the strength and showed me
the way to win. He always believed in me even more than I did
myself. I think in every match where I was losing or getting
squashed I’d remember all the people who were part of the
training camp and who were always rooting for me, whether in
the Pyramid, Santos or in Catiapoã. Before going in to
fight, I also remembered a talk with Alan do Nascimento: ‘Finfou,
to beat me today they’ll have to choke my lights out or
break something, because I’m not leaving without giving
everything I’ve got.’ And that’s what I did; I
didn’t give up at any moment, and after nine hard-fought
matches, I managed to become the ultraheavyweight and absolute
champion of the 2012 World Championship as a black belt.
“I
can only thank all these people and my friends from Santos who
were with me and Thiago Abreu, who was with me and was a part
of numerous international titles, because everyone knows how
much he helped me, besides him getting really sad that I didn’t
show up for the party (laughs)! Besides him, I remember everyone
who was here—there are so many names, but everyone who was
a part of it knows who I’m talking about. Of course I can’t
forget my number-one fan, my mother, Elisabete de Almeida! I’m
so thankful to you all from the bottom of my heart, and of course
to God. Thank you so much! OSSSS”
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
|
Erick
Silva and Eddie Wineland big winners at UFC on FX 3
Several
contenders distinguished themselves at UFC on FX 2 in Fort Lauderdale
on Friday night.
Erick
Silva continued his path of domination through the welterweight
division with another first round win. This time, the victim
was Charlie Brenneman.
Though
Brenneman held off early submission attempts, he couldn't stay
out of Silva's clutches for long. After getting the fight to
the ground, Silva easily stretched out Brenneman and sunk in
a rear naked choke to stop the bout at 4:33 in the first round.
With that tapout, Silva won a $40,000 Submission of the Night
bonus.
Silva
now has two wins in the UFC, and his loss came by a weird disqualification.
He's taken a step up in competition with every bout, and should
continue to move up the crowded welterweight class.
Eddie
Wineland sustained a large cut early in his fight with Scott
Jorgensen, but that didn't slow either man. With blood gushing
from his face, Wineland matched up with Jorgensen's wrestling
for a tight first round. Wineland blew the bout open with a right
cross in the second round. Jorgensen immediately dropped and
the bout was stopped at 4:10 in the second round to give Wineland
his first UFC win. For their exciting bout, Jorgensen and Wineland
were rewarded an extra $40,000 each for Fight of the Night.
Josh
Neer started strong against Mike Pyle, wobbling him several times
in the first round, but Pyle got his revenge with a huge right
hand. Neer was moving forward when Pyle caught him with a short
right hook that sent Neer to the ground. The fight was stopped
at 4:56 of the fight round. Like the other main card fighters,
Pyle won $40,000, but for Knockout of the Night.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
Paul
Daley Released from Strikeforce Contract
Paul
Daley at UFC 108UFC and Strikeforce veteran Paul Daley, anxious
to pursue other career options, has been granted his release
from his contract with Strikeforce.
Daley’s
manager, Wad Alameddine of Fight Management Limited, on Saturday
informed MMAWeekly.com of his client’s contractual status
in a prepared statement.
Daley
fought just four times for Strikeforce since signing on for his
second tour of duty with the promotion in late 2010, amassing
a 1-3 record. He did supplement those bouts by also fighting
for BAMMA in England and Ringside MMA in Canada when it didn’t
conflict with Strikeforce’s schedule.
Daley’s
last two Strikeforce bouts were nine months apart. He fought
one other time for the promotion, back in 2007.
“I’m
happy that Strikeforce has granted my request to be released
from their roster as I found it difficult to fight so infrequently,”
said Daley. “My whole career I’ve wanted to fight as
often as possible as it keeps me in the best form and condition.
“I
felt that I put on nothing but entertaining fights while at the
organization. The KO’s of Ludwig and Scott Smith were some
great memories for me, as well as the back and forth fight of
the year I had with Nick Diaz. My manager has already started
speaking to some promotions about my future today following the
official release papers from Strikeforce, and I’m looking
forward to the next part in my journey.”
Despite
his rocky road with Strikeforce, Daley has amassed a 29-12-2
overall record, highlighted by 20 knockouts. He’s an exciting,
if not brash, fighter that can be controversial, but usually
leaves people talking.
He
is perhaps most infamous for his cheap shot of Josh Koscheck
following their UFC 113 bout in Montreal. That incident led to
Daley’s subsequent exile from the Octagon by UFC president
Dana White.
“I
am personally disappointed to see Paul leave Strikeforce,”
added Alameddine. “He is without question one of the most
charismatic personalities and talented MMA athletes to come out
of the UK. We have parted ways with Strikeforce on good terms.
“Now
that Paul is a free agent, I’m expecting plenty of interest
in him from promotions both within the sport of MMA and K-1 Kickboxing,
as he’s interested in competing in both. With his strong
fan-following and exciting fight style I expect Semtex to be
very busy wherever we go next.”
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
Invicta
Fighting and JEWELS Form Strategic Partnership for Women’s
MMA
Invicta
FC and JewelsInvicta Fighting Championships and Japan-based JEWELS
this week announced that the two women’s mixed martial arts
promotions have formed a strategic partnership to cross-promote
the world’s top female fighters on their respective fight
cards in the United States and Japan.
As
part of the new alliance, JEWELS champion Akaya Hamasaki (7-0)
of Yamaguchi, Japan, will head to Kansas City, Kan., to square
off with fellow undefeated star Jasminka “Impressive”
Cive (5-0) of Graz, Styria, Austria, in a flyweight (115 pounds)
match-up at Invicta FC 2: McMann vs. Baszler at Memorial Hall
on July 28.
Hamasaki
is one of two fighters from the JEWELS roster who will do battle
on the Invicta card. The other, Hitomi “Girlfight Monster”
Akano (18-9) of Tokyo, will square off with Japanese Jiu-Jitsu
black belt and Cesar Gracie-protégé Alexis Davis
(11-5) of Colborne, Ontario, Canada, at bantamweight (135 pounds)
in the co-main event.
“We
are excited to enter this partnership with JEWELS, which was
essentially founded with the same goal of placing professional
women’s MMA competition at its highest level on a major
stage,” said Invicta president Shannon Knapp. “This
relationship with an overseas promotion will effectively make
it more turnkey for us to bring in some of the best women fighters
in the world to compete in the Invicta cage and to send our top
athletes to Japan to compete at JEWELS events.”
“We
are very honored and extremely excited about this partnership
with Invicta Fighting Championships,” added JEWELS president
Yuichi Ozono. “We appreciate the opportunity that Invicta
Fighting Championships is extending to our fighters, including
the current JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki and Pro Elite and
Strikeforce veteran Hitomi Akano. We are excited to be able to
collaborate and cooperate with Invicta Fighting Championships
to achieve our common goal, which is to promote the appeal of
women’s Mixed Martial Arts.”
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
Carlos
Condit Clears the Air on Waiting for GSP and Wanting to Fight
Martin Kampmann
Carlos
Condit wants to clear up a few misconceptions about some things
he’s supposedly said lately.
The
UFC’s reigning interim champion has been out of action since
February when he won the belt with a unanimous decision victory
over Nick Diaz.
But
lately Condit’s come under fire for a number of things that
he really didn’t have any control over. First off, there’s
the ideology that Condit was just sitting and waiting for the
return of UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, and turned
down defending his interim title in the meantime.
Well,
according to Condit the fight the UFC has offered him has been
the bout with St-Pierre to unify the titles, and it’s definitely
the fight he wants.
“I
don’t make the matches. If UFC wanted me to fight somebody
else, they’re the boss, they can ask me to fight and I would
be up for it. They want me to fight Georges St-Pierre, and that’s
who I want to fight as well, so that’s what I’m going
to go with,” Condit said in an interview with Fuel TV on
Friday following UFC on FX 3.
St-Pierre
is still rehabbing his surgically repaired knee after tearing
his ACL, but his current schedule will put him back in the Octagon
in the latter part of 2012. Despite some reports that have stated
the Canadian champion may be a little behind schedule, everything
that Condit has been told is that they are targeting a showdown
for November in St-Pierre’s hometown of Montreal.
“As
far as I know, I’ve seen some videos recently of him out
running, doing sprints, doing some of his rehab and conditioning,
looks good. As far as I know, we’re on for November 17th,
and if anything changes then we’ll kind of reconsider our
options,” said Condit.
Those
options somehow got muddied recently after Condit was asked about
who he would like to fight in the event St-Pierre isn’t
ready come November. His answer was simple – he would like
to face the one person in the UFC that holds a win over him,
Martin Kampmann.
But
somehow the part about facing Kampmann only if St-Pierre wasn’t
ready got lost, and Condit was now passing over Johny Hendricks
and wanted the Kampmann fight instead of GSP. It couldn’t
be further from the truth however.
“The
question that was put to me was ‘if Georges isn’t ready
to fight in November, who would you like to fight?’ and
so my answer to the question was Martin Kampmann. He was my first
loss in the UFC, my only loss (in the UFC), my only loss in the
last six years or so. Not taking anything away from Johny Hendricks,
he’s obviously a top contender, had some great wins recently,
but it’s a more compelling fight. It’s a fight I was
absolutely be motivated for if Georges isn’t ready,”
said Condit.
“Georges
is the guy I have my eye on and as far as I know he’s going
to be ready to go in November.”
In
Condit’s eyes his next fight will be with Georges St-Pierre
in November and that’s what the UFC has set forth for him
as well, and it doesn’t appear anything is likely to change.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
The
UFC's Summer Minefield and the Promise of Going Big in Canada
The
past couple of weeks have seen some of the most wide-sweeping
changes to fight cards in the history of the UFC.
With
fighters dropping like flies, several of the promotion’s
heavy-hitting events over the summer have undergone massive changes,
while its fall and winter events in Canada are starting to come
together… if they can be held together.
UFC 147 Goes From Blockbuster to Just Another Number
UFC
147 started out with the potential to be the biggest blockbuster
event in the history of the promotion, if not all of mixed martial
arts. UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva was to rematch Chael
Sonnen with TUF Brazil coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva
squaring off in the co-main event in a soccer stadium in Brazil.
Originally
planned for Sao Paulo, the event was moved to Rio de Janeiro.
But when a United Nations convention derailed Rio, with no sizable
venue available at the appropriate time, the UFC moved Silva
vs. Sonnen II to UFC 148 in Las Vegas.
Belfort
vs. Silva II was upgraded to the main event and UFC 147 was moved
to Belo Horizonte. An injury then knocked Belfort out, so now
UFC 147 will still take place on June 23 in Belo Horizonte, but
with Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin II as the new main event.
UFC 148, UFC 149 and UFC on Fox 4 Exchange Program
Early
July is annually one the promotion’s biggest events of the
year. UFC 148 started out with Dominick Cruz putting his bantamweight
belt on the line against Urijah Faber in a rubber match following
their stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. It also featured
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz III and a middleweight clash between
Michael Bisping and Tim Boetsch.
UFC
148 only grew in status with the addition of Silva vs. Sonnen
II, even though promotion officials moved Bisping vs. Boetsch
to the UFC 149 fight card in Calgary. But shortly thereafter,
that’s when the wheels fell off.
Griffin
vs. Ortiz III remains on the UFC 148 card in Las Vegas, as does
the Silva vs. Sonnen II headliner, but several more changes again
altered UFC 148, UFC 149 and UFC on Fox 4.
Cruz
injured his ACL and will be on the sidelines for several months,
so Renan Barão was matched up with Faber to declare and
interim bantamweight champion.
Brian
Stann fell out the UFC on Fox 4 headliner due to injury, leaving
UFC debutant Hector Lombard without an opponent. Then Bisping
followed suit, leaving Boetsch without a fight. The UFC moved
Lombard over to UFC 149 to face Boetsch.
Needing
a headlining bout for UFC on Fox 4, the promotion pulled Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua off of the UFC 149 fight card, where his
opponent, Thiago Silva, withdrew due to injury. They moved Shogun
into the headlining slot for UFC on Fox 4 to face Brandon Vera
after the Brazilian told White that he would quit before facing
countryman Glover Teixeira.
As
if that weren’t enough, UFC featherweight champion Jose
Aldo was the next fighter bitten by the injury bug. Moving swiftly,
the UFC shelved Aldo vs. Koch altogether, transferring Faber
vs. Barão from UFC 148 into the UFC 149 main event.
So
that’s where we stand on the UFC’s summer events after
the latest casualties, but don’t be surprised if further
changes emerge as we’re still two weeks out from UFC 147,
the first of the mentioned events.
Moving
on to later Canadian events, the UFC is putting together some
solid main and co-main events for its next stops in Toronto and
Montreal.
UFC 152 Goes Big… Literally and Figuratively
White
recently announced that UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos’s
rematch with Cain Velasquez – after both were successful
at UFC 146 – will happen at UFC 152 on Sept. 22 in Toronto.
Not only will the promotion go big, literally, in the main event,
they’ve also finally enticed BJ Penn out of retirement to
face rising welterweight contender Rory MacDonald in the co-main
event.
Heavyweight
main events are typically a big hit amongst fans, and Penn always
is. Should these fights remain intact, Toronto will once again
be a big score for the promotion.
Is UFC 154 Just a Dream?
Although
the promotion’s return to Montreal on Nov. 17 isn’t
set in stone, it would be blockbuster event at the Bell Centre
if it comes to fruition.
Georges
St-Pierre, pending his return from knee surgery, is penciled
in as the UFC 154 main event, putting his belt on the line against
interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit. And if that holds
up, White would like to supplement that bout with a No. 1 contender’s
bout between Johny Hendricks and Martin Kampmann.
So
there you have, the minefield also known as the UFC’s summer
schedule and the promise of future blockbusters. Will they hold
up as planned? Doubtful, but we can always hope.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
|
Dana
White: Shogun Would Rather Be Cut Than Face Glover Teixeira
As
announced a few days ago, the new main event for UFC on Fox 4
will be a showdown between former UFC light heavyweight champion
Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and Brandon Vera.
More
than a few eyebrows were raised at the curious matchmaking due
to Vera’s 1-2-1 record over his last 4 fights, but UFC officials
had another fight in mind before this one became a done deal.
Prior
to Brian Stann suffering an injury that forced him out of his
main event bout against Hector Lombard for the UFC on Fox 4 card,
the UFC had planned on Shogun facing his fellow countryman Glover
Teixeira at UFC 149.
But
according to UFC President Dana White, Shogun wanted no part
of that fight for whatever reason. He was so serious in fact
that he said he’d rather be released than to fight Teixeira
for his next bout.
“Shogun
didn’t want to fight Glover Teixeira. He said he would rather
be cut then fight him,” White revealed in an interview with
Fuel TV following UFC on FX 3.
“Shogun
didn’t mind fighting Brandon Vera, so he is fighting him.
Shogun is a warrior; he has fought everyone from PRIDE, to Dan
Henderson in his last fight. It’s just a weird situation.”
Weird
situation indeed, but all parties have now moved on and Shogun
will face Vera in the main event of UFC on Fox 4, and Teixeira
will wait to make his next appearance in the Octagon at a later
date.
Rua
has yet to make a public statement about the situation regarding
his desire to face Vera or displeasure with the match-up with
Glover Teixeira.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Joseph
Benavidez Ready to Face Mighty Mouse After Impressive Showing
on Friday
It’s been a rough few months for UFC flyweight competitor
Joseph Benavidez considering his next bout will be for the first
ever 125lb title.
It’s
been a tough go because after knocking out Yasuhiro Urushitani
back in March, Benavidez has been forced to the sideline after
a scoring error caused Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall to have
to fight a second time after their initial meeting in March.
Well
on Friday night Benavidez finally found out who he’ll be
facing for the first ever UFC flyweight title later this year.
Demetrious
Johnson won a unanimous decision over Ian McCall, and did so
impressively according to his next opponent.
“Demetrious
went out there and looked like he improved from the last fight.
He wanted this more. This time he improved his takedowns and
he went and got the takedowns. He had more attempts. Demetrious
was more active on his feet. When he can get takedowns of his
own, he is unstoppable. They both got to go back and look at
tape and improve and he had tremendous takedowns,” Benavidez
said during the Fuel TV post UFC on FX 3 show.
After
watching Johnson fight McCall twice now, Benavidez has already
started to break down and analyze how he’ll approach the
fight, but mostly he’s just excited to finally get back
in action after so much time off.
The
former bantamweight stand-out is ready to face Johnson whenever
he’s healed up from this fight so they can finally crown
the first ever UFC flyweight champion.
“Demetrious
has always impressed me and tonight he impressed me even more.
He improves every fight and today he looked the best in this
weight class. We are the two best guys in the world and he is
going to be good at everything and I’m going be good at
everything. I just have to go home and train hard and he has
to go home and train hard and I want this,” said Benavidez.
“It’s
a dream come true.”
The
timing part of the fight is still to be determined. Johnson didn’t
get to take much time off following his last bout with McCall,
and also managed to get married recently and obviously hasn’t
had any down time to spend with his new bride.
UFC
President Dana White isn’t sure either when they will try
to stage the Benavidez vs. Johnson flyweight title fight, but
even he admits with the recent rash of injuries causing more
and more fights to be canceled, the sooner the better.
“I
don’t know. It depends on how healthy the two guys are.
I haven’t spoken to Demetrious yet, I don’t know how
he is feeling right now. I know Joseph is ready to fight,”
White stated.
“We
have guys dropping like flies, so we need fights.”
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Bigfoot
bets: “I see Cigano winning again”
After
Junior “Cigano” dos Santos defeated Frank Mir at UFC
146, the champion might confront Cain Velasquez next. The idea
came up after the Brazilian’s win and Dana White seemed
to like the thought. Both fighters met in the past, on November
2011, when Junior knocked Cain out on the initial round.
On
an interview with TATAME, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva,
defeated by Velasquez on his UFC debut, believes on his friend’s
win.
“If
he didn’t want to stand-up with me he’s not going to
do it with Cigano. I guess Cigano will also be very alert to
Velasquez’s takedowns. From where I’m standing, I see
Cigano winning again”.
Questioned
about a possible confrontation with Frank Mir, defeated that
night, Bigfoot guaranteed he won’t have to think twice before
accepting the invitation, but says he would fight anyone UFC
pairs him up with.
“It
would be great. He’s a tough guy, a submitter and at a great
position on the rank. Mir is a big name in the UFC, but I’m
up to whatever Ultimate decides for me. After my fight I talked
to Dana White and said I would fight whoever they thought that
was best”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Leandro
Lo and the recipe for becoming a world champion in Jiu-Jitsu
At
the 2011 World Championship, young black belt Leandro Lo got
tapped out. In 2012, the talent lapidated by Jiu-Jitsu professor
Cícero Costha was simply the world champion of a lightweight
division boobytrapped at every turn. What changed in Lo’s
mind and game?
“I’m
really pleased to have had such great matches. In the semifinal
and final in my weight division I faced two really tough guys,
[Roberto] Satoshi and Lucas Lepri. Thank God everything worked
out and I became champion. I knew how consistent Lucas Lepri
is in his matches, how he never makes mistakes, and that’s
why the main thing I had to do in the final was impose my game
from the get-go and take the lead in scoring,” said Leandro,
now a Worlds, Pan, Brazilian Nationals and Abu Dhabi WPJJC champion.
Indeed,
in the final he beat Lucas Lepri by an advantage point, scored
thanks to an attack from his always dangerous, nearly insurmountable,
open guard.
In
the end, Leandro only changed one aspect of his fighting style
between 2011 and 2012: his vision.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Man-up
& Stand-up
Blaisdell Expo Hall, Honolulu, Hawaii
June 15, 2012
Das
right, Man-up & Stand-up is set for some major action at
the Blasedell mma expo on Friday June 15. The best part is that
everyone who buys a ticket for the 20+ fights on the Man-up &
Stand-up show automatically gets to check out all of the opportunities
the mma expo has to offer. And please believe it has a lot to
offer. A two for one package deal is what you get on Friday night
after you pau work. Okay, since you guys have already seen what
the mma expo has in store for you Friday night. Let’s go
through what kind of entertainment that Man-up & Stand-up
has got planned.
First off, with the main event featuring Eric “The Executioner”
Edwards taking on O2’s super heavyweight standout Damon
Applebaum. Waianae’s Eric Edwards has really lived up to
his fight name and has been crushing all of his opponents with
the greatest of ease. Edwards has put guys down with his look
low, kick high technique and not to mention his fight in my regular
stance and then switch stance when you come in so I can knock
you out with my right hook technique. This guy didn’t just
buy a bag of tricks. He bought the whole store. Applebaum has
his hands full in this fight. Applebaum has his hands full alright,
full of bad intentions. He knows exactly what he’ll be facing
come June 15 and has come a long way in just a year and a half.
Yup, das right, only a year and a half at 20 years old, this
young boy from WAIMANALO is looking to shock the Man-up &
Stand-up world and take Edward’s title away so he can put
it up with the rest of the O2 accomplishments. .He has good power,
good speed, don’t know about the good looks though, nah
just kidding Damon. Both fighters are armed & dangerous but
only one can be called the champion. Be there.
Welterweight champion Isaac Hopps from O2 will be banging with
one of his coaches old friends and well-known kickboxing veteran
Tony “The Tiger” Rodriguez. Waimanalobuilt Isaac Hopps
is lightning fast with his hands and his legs. He has never been
caught in a bad situation on Man-up & Stand-up because this
guy uses the ring well. He’s usually the one that is handing
out bad situations to his opponents. Waianaebred Tony Rodriguez
is no newcomer to the game. At one time, The Tiger was on top
of the food chain. He has good power for someone his size, especially
when he goes to the body. Heehee. The Tiger will be facing a
younger and faster fighter on June 15. Will his power be able
to slow down the lightning fast Hopps. Sometimes when lightning
strikes, it causes power outages. But does lightning strike tigers?
Only one way to find out.
Another championship match where the Eastside faces the Westside
when O2’s Bryson Lum of Waimanalo will test Papakoleia”s
Justin Kahalewai who has now made his home in Nanakuli. Bryson
had a bad start in the beginning of his career but has now found
his way in holding the super welterweight title. This guy is
relentless on the attack and is game til the end. He throws every
punch, every kick with everything he has. Justin on the other
hand is the same way but has more attitude. This kid may live
in Nanakuli but he knows where his roots are. Not like some other
Papakoleia sellouts. Papakoleia has built this no fear soldier
for this moment. Justin will be tested on June 15 and we all
know that Bryson Lum does not give passing grades. Don’t
miss this fight Nalo and Papakoleia.
Here’s some other possible entertaining bouts. Eastside’s
Kalai Kwan goes toe-to-toe against Westside’s Chante Stafford.
These two young boys have unreal skills and will put on a show
for you all. Also Nanakuli’s Elias Velasco tries his luck
for the semi-pro featherweight title against Waianae’s Evan
Quizon. Also, Chris Miyose goes up against the kid who can swing
all night if need be Eugene Anguay. And the list goes on. Tickets
available @ Walmart (electronics department), ticketmaster or
at blasedell by phone. Check it out.
Man-up & Stand-up Kick(ASS)boxing
Friday June 15, 2012
Neal Blasedell Center (Exhibition Hall)
Doors open @ 5:30pm
DAMON APPLEBAUM SHW ERIC EDWARDS
ISAAC HOPPS 146 TONY RODRIGUES
BRYER NAGAHAMA 135 JAYDEN RAPAUL
JAY 150 DARRYL DANO
KALAI KWAN 125 CHANTE STAFFORD
JOSH BENNETT 160 JOHN PAULO
JOE HOPPS
155 MICHAEL
ULIBIS
MARTIN DAY 148 JACOBY VISTANTE
DARIUS
LANDO 160
MATT FISHER
THOMAS REYES 140 DONALD PETERS
JAMES REYES 175 RONALD MATAUTIA
KEANU REYNOLDS 130 KAWIKA VINANO
ELIAS VELASCO 130 EVAN QUIZON
TOFI 135 ANTHONY MURAKAMI
BRYSON
LUM 152
JUSTIN KAHALEWAI
DAHWEN BRIGHT 125 NALU NOTIVEROS
MAURICE PHILLIPS 130 CANAAN
KAWAIHEA
EUGENE ANGUAY 135
CHRIS MIYOSE
ALVIN KANEHAILUA 220 BEN BOYCE
ISAIAH WALLER 125 DONTEZ COLEMAN
CHAZ KANAE 145 ANTHONY REYES
BRONSON YASUI 125 MAKANA BALAI
KAIMI GARCIA 135 CHARLES REGO
FREDDY RAMAYLA 145 CORY ESTRADA
JENNA GANAGAN 125 HALEY PAISION
JEFF LAGAMAN 140 NALU GARCIA
JONAH AFOA 185 MIKE ELI
MARK KUMAI 185 LEON KLEE
DEON MILLER 160 ZANE WARD
All matches and participants may be subject to change
SEE YOU ALL THERE
Source:
Derrick Bright
|
Destiny
Blaisdell
Expo Hall, Honolulu, Hawaii
DESTINY - FURY III - JUNE 16, 2012 - BLAISDELL CENTER
Hawaii MMA Events
WHAT: DESTINY FURY III
WHEN: SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2012 - 5PM
WHERE: NEIL BLAISDELL CENTER, HONOLULU, HAWAII
-155lbs Title Match
Ray “Bradah” Cooper III (808 Fight Factory) vs Louis
Pauole (BOSS MMA, Big Island)
-125lbs Womens Title
Kailin Curran (Animal House Gym) vs J.J. Aldich (Team Bad Girlz,
Colorado)
-205lbs Title Match
Kevin Aguigui (Animal House Gym) vs Jacob Smith (UKA)
-185lbs Amateur Title Match
Neale Johnson (SOMMA) vs TBA
-155lbs
Lowen Tynanes (808 Fight Factory) vs Cody Young
-135lbs
Bryanna Fissori (SOMMA) vs Lavida Givens (Team Bad Girls, Colorado)
-135lbs
Cody Santos (Bulls Pen) vs Joe Gogo
-145lbs
Robert Catley (SOMMA) vs Randy Kamaiolili (No Remorse)
-170lbs
Cody Andrade (SOMMA) vs Brady Spiridigliozzi (UFS)
-155lbs
Dustin Akiyama (Bulls Pen) vs Hiro Ito (UFS)
-155lbs
Josh Cypriano (Team Savage) vs Robert “Cholo” Aguirre
(Team Xtreme)
-Heavyweight Title Match
Paea Paongo (Team Xtreme) vs Nalu Jones (UCS)
-145lbs
Joseph Yeampierre (HMC) vs Josh Coleon (Kodenkan)
-125lbs
Geremy Martyn (Boars Nest) vs Nicholas Rodriguez (freelance)
-140lbs
Jory Faasili (Bulls Pen) vs Jai Troche
-170lbs
Bear Baily (Boars Nest, Kauai) vs Markus Kindblad (UFS)
-145lbs
Daniel Joseph (Bulls Pen) vs Josh Tabar (freelance)
-185lbs
Curtis "Dirty Curty" Pedro (Team Submit) vs Dwain Uyeda
(UCS)
-170lbs
Marlon Calventas (Bulls Pen) vs Juan Berdon Jr (freelance)
-130-139lbs
Drake Fujimoto (Gracie Waterfront) vs Zach Close (SBJJ)
-205lbs
Jason Bray (Team Mixed Plate) vs Jon Ferrell (Alliance BJJ)
-140lbs
Ricky Ing (HMC) vs Charles Rego (TCK)
-145lbs
Eric Clarke (Team Mixed Plate) vs Cameron Hayashi (Lion Tribe
Combat)
-175lbs
Makana Fronda (Bulls Pen) vs Robert Banis (TCK)
-155lbs
Nui Wheeler (Team Soljah/WBC) vs Jason Racamara (UCS)
-135lbs
Tofi Mika (TCK) vs Isaiah Manalo (Waimanalo)
-125lbs
Cameron Tani-Kiyokane (freelance) vs TBA
|
State
of Hawaii Championships of BJJ
June 16&17,
2012
Neil Blaisdell Arena
www.hawaiitriplecrown.com
Registration
NOW Open
***NOTE:
We have made changes to our registration process.
If you would like to Compete GI and NO GI, just choose the
selected tabs and verify on checkout.
Combo
Specials & Registration Dates:
You may choose the divisions you want to enter for all the same
price..
Early
Registration w/Tshirt
Adults = $85.00 until the 3rd of June
Kids = $65.00 until the 3rd of June
Late
Registration w/Tshirt
Adults = $95.00 until the 4th-10th of June
Kids = $75.00 until the 4th-10th of June
Closing
Registration No Tshirt
Adults = $105.00 until the 11th-13th of June
Kids = $85.00 until the 11th-13th of June
***If
there are no competitors in your weight class, you will be moved-up
to a higher weight class.
***There
will be absolutely no Registrations taken on the day of the event.
ALL ERRORS IN THE PRE-REGISTRATION PAGE MUST BE ADDRESSED ASAP
Weigh-In
These are the weight classes for the Triple Crown Championships.
Each competitor must not exceed the maximum weight limit for
each class. When registering, check the appropriate weight class.
If the competitor does not make his/her weight,they will be charged
$20 to be added to the appropriate weight class. Please make
sure that you are in the correct weight division. No refunds
will be given for those competitors that do not make weight.
Each
competitor must weigh-in to be able to compete. Competitors will
only be allowed to weigh-in during their designated time (i.e.
Adults will not be allowed to weigh in during the Kids designated
weigh-in time). Competitors will be weighed in without their
gi, regardless if the competitor is competing in a gi or no-gi
division.
GI
& NO-GI DIVISIONS
WEIGHT CLASS
MEN
WOMEN
ROOSTER
UP
TO 121 lbs
SUPER
FEATHER
122-136
lbs
UP
TO 113 lbs
FEATHER
137-149
lbs
114-124
lbs
LIGHT
150-162
lbs
125-136
lbs
MIDDLE
163-176
lbs
137-147
lbs
MIDDLE
HEAVY
177-189
lbs
148-158
lbs
HEAVY
190-203
lbs
OVER
159 lbs
SUPER
HEAVY
204-216
lbs
SUPER
SUPER HEAVY
OVER
217 lbs
Rules
If the contest does not end by submission, the match will be
decided via the above point system. If the score is tied at the
end of the official match time, there will be a 2 minute overtime,
with the “first to score” being appointed the winner.
If no points are scored in overtime, referee will determine the
winner based on aggressiveness or advantageous positioning.
GENERAL
RULES / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Illegal
Techniques – All Belts and all Levels
No Neck Cranks (Cervical without chokes)
No Leg Locks or Toe Holds (Exception: Purple Belt and above/Advanced
No-Gi) Straight Ankle allowed for all Belts & Levels.
No Heel Hooks
No Wrist, Bicep, or Calf Locks (Exception: Purple Belt and above/Advanced
No-Gi)
No Attacks to Windpipe, Eyes, Small joints or Groin. No Fish
Hooks, Hair Pulling, or Biting.
No Hands, Elbows, Knees on Face
No Scissors Takedown
No Striking of any kind
No Slamming your opponent to the mat.
Any intentional use of an illegal technique, abuse of an official
or show of poor sportsmanship will result in immediate disqualification
or ejection of the competitor, coach, or spectator.Refereeing
is a subjective task, and as such, is prone to personal interpretation,
judgment, and human error. Any dispute of match or calls must
be made before the next match commences. In the name of fairness,
Referee will make all attempts to resolve disputes and disagreements,
but REFEREES possess the FINAL authority on all decisions and
designations of winners.
All
Competitors are required to attend their designated rules clinic.
Competitors will be allowed to address questions and concerns
surrounding competition rules and match point scoring system
during the rules clinic.
The
Kimono must be washed and dried with no unpleasant odors. The
kimono must be free of tears and of proper length. The jacket
is to be of sufficient length down to the thighs, sleeves must
reach the wrist with arms extended in front of the body.
Competitors
who fail to appear when their name is called will forfeit their
match.
In
case of victory the athlete must remain at the designated mat
until the next match.
MATCH
POINTS
TAKE DOWNS – 2 POINTS
SWEEPS – 2 POINTS
KNEE RIDE – 2 POINTS
GUARD PASS – 3 POINTS
MOUNT – 4 POINTS
BACK HOOKS – 4 POINTS
|
2012
BIG BOYS & MMA HAWAII EXPO
JUNE 15-17, BLAISDELL CENTER
Hawaii MMA Events
WHAT: BIG BOYS TOYS & MMA HAWAII EXPO
WHEN: JUNE 15-17, 2012
WHERE: NEIL BLAISDELL CENTER
To
Purchase Tickets: 1-800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com and at the
Blaisdell Box Office
SPECIAL
GUEST - UFC FIGHTER TRAVIS "HAPA" BROWNE
SPECIAL
GUEST - UFC FIGHTER RASHAD EVANS
•
June 14, 2012: Ala Moana Center GNC; 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard,
Suite 1211 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 (2 Hours appearance)
• June 15, 2012: Navy Exchange (NEX) 4725 Bougainville Drive
Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 (2 hour appearance)
• June 16, 2012: MMA Hawaii Expo; Neil Blaisdell Center;
777 Ward Avenue,Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 (2 hour appearance)
• June 16, 2012: Dinner on Saturday night with contest winners. |
|
Dos
Santos vs. Velasquez II, Penn
vs. MacDonald Expected to Headline UFC 152 in Toronto
UFC
152 in Toronto just got a lot more interesting.
The
event currently planned for Sept. 22 in Canada was announced
several months ago, but now it appears the UFC has targeted a
main and a co-main event for the show.
UFC
president Dana White confirmed following UFC on FX 3 that the
promotion is hoping to lead the card with the heavyweight title
rematch between champion Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.
While
nothing is a done deal at this point, White stated they are hopeful
to have the heavyweight title fight head to Toronto in September.
The
last time dos Santos and Velasquez met was in November 2011 with
dos Santos coming out on top by knockout at just over one minute
into the first round. Since that time, dos Santos defended his
title against Frank Mir at UFC 146, while Velasquez came back
strong from the defeat and put away former Strikeforce fighter
Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
In
addition to the heavyweights leading the way, the co-main event
will feature the return of a future UFC Hall of Famer against
one of Canada’s youngest and brightest rising stars.
Following
a call out by Rory MacDonald just days ago, former lightweight
and welterweight champion B.J. Penn accepted the challenge, and
now it looks like the UFC is on board as well.
“Yeah,
we’re going to do it,” White said about Penn vs. MacDonald.
“Joe (Silva) is calling B.J. and his crew tonight to make
sure that was the case, and then that fight’s going to happen.
“It
will happen on the Toronto card, probably be the co-main event.”
It
will be Penn’s first fight back since announcing his retirement
following a loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137 last year.
Look
for UFC officials to make official announcements about the card
in the coming weeks.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
UFC
on FX 3 Gate and Attendance; Dana White Has No Plans for Quick
Return to Florida
The
UFC returned to Florida on Friday night for UFC on FX 3, featuring
the flyweight rematch between Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall.
The
fights delivered in spades, particularly the main card with several
knockouts and a submission finish, but don’t call UFC president
Dana White a fan of the turnout in the Sunshine State.
“I
think it sucked,” said White. “It’s tough down
here.”
The
attendance for UFC on FX 3 was in line with the majority of the
UFC’s past events in Florida, drawing an attendance of 6,635
and a gate of $329,110
“Everybody
is great every time we come down here. We had tons of media,”
White added, “(But) Florida has always been tough; it’s
a tough market.”
It’s
been so tough, that the UFC’s head honcho doesn’t sound
like he wants to come back any time soon.
“I’m
not saying we’ll never come back, but it’s gonna be
a while.”
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
GSP
vs. Condit and Hendricks vs. Kampmann Penciled In for UFC 154
in Montreal
Everyone
has been shying away from it, but UFC president Dana White put
a target to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre’s
return from knee injury.
It
wasn’t hard and fast, obviously pending St-Pierre’s
recovery, but the planned UFC 154 event in Montreal this November
has a GSP bullseye on it.
White
said as much when confirming that the UFC is pairing Johny Hendricks
with Martin Kampmann. Hendricks vs. Kampmann would don the UFC
154 undercard in support of a Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
main event.
St-Pierre’s
rehabilitation, which he has been posting updates about on YouTube
and Facebook, has been going well. He recently posted a video
of his workout, commenting that he was feeling no pain at all
in his knee.
If
both fights come together for Montreal, it would become a welterweight
blockbuster similar to UFC 146’s heavyweight focus.
The
main event would serve to unify St-Pierre’s belt with Condit’s
interim championship, while Hendricks vs. Kampmann would likely
determine the unified champion’s next contender.
Hendricks
bested perennial contender Josh Koscheck in his most recent fight,
while Kampmann recently TKO’d Jake Ellenberger.
White
fell short of guaranteeing the scenario, but if St-Pierre is
healthy, it’s more than likely that it will play out as
planned.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Tarot
and numbers: predictions for the most awaited rematch to come
With
the Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen fight coming closer, the fans
can’t wait for the rematch after a bout in 2010. Aware of
that, TATAME relied on numerology and tarot to try to predict
the outcome of the bout slated for July 7th, which will decide
the middleweight champion of Ultimate.
The
numerologist Aparecida Liberato affirms is not possible to say
who the winner will be, but that the best vibe will leads to
the winner of the fight.
“Sonnen
is under 3 energy in 2012 and it bring him great luck, visibility
and great news. His energy in July, 1, will give him strength
and his powerful and admired character will be notable. And on
the 7th of that month the universe will bring him number 8 energy,
which is exactly what strikes the most about his name, powering
his authority, determination and conquer power”.
If
Aparecida’s prediction are not good for the Brazilian, according
to tarot reader Adriana Kastrup, Spider will keep his belt, but
it will not be easy.
“I
guess Anderson Silva will win again. It will not be easy and,
for what I could understand, it will take a long time. The Brazilian
will come out as the winner, but he will have to go through a
hard time to do it. Fans will like it. I guess Anderson will
win the same way he did last time, but he will come out in pain”.
Source:
Tatame
|
Lyoto
Machida talks about Ryan Bader
Lyoto
Machida is in Los Angeles, California, training hard for his
bout against Ryan Bader, slated for UFC’s edition of August
4th. On an exclusive interview with TATAME, the former champion
analyzed the bout, talked about training on the United States
and, among other subjects, about the possibility of being a coach
at a Brazilian edition of TUF, against countryman Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua, besides commenting on Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen and Jon
Jones-Dan Henderson fights.
Since
when you’re here? Are you staying here until your fight?
Well,
I came to stay here for a couple of months, but I’m really
liking the training here. It’s pretty intense, there’re
many guys helping me out here, like Rafael, Johnson, Werdum,
Babalu Sobral, so it’s been great for me. I might stay here
until my fight so I can be great when the day comes.
You’re
training your technique and not focusing on Bader yet, right?
Yeah.
We’re on basis trainings, like if I would fight anyone.
I’m correcting my Wrestling, improving ground game and also
my stand-up. It’s a basic camp for anyone I would fight.
I’m waiting for the right moment to intensify my focus training.
He’s
very tough, a TUF champion and a great wrestler. Are you focusing
on the takedowns? Are you going to try to keep him on the stand-up
game?
Of
course. I’ll try do it and I’ll be prepared for his
attacks. We’re fighting MMA, so I’m supposed to expect
him to punch me too. A combination is always possible and I’m
getting ready for it but of course I’ll try to block his
game the most I can and put my game into action.
You’re
coming from a loss to Jon Jones on a title fight and you’re
fighting a top 10 guy, who’s coming from a win. Where would
you be on the division in case you beat him up?
He’s
coming from a win over Quinton Jackson, so I believe a good win
and maybe one or two fights would put me on the line for the
title. But that’s not my plan. I’m focused on doing
a good fight. I’m training here on the United States, which
is a new thing for me. I believe that, in case I win, I’ll
be closer to the title.
Many
people criticized your trainings in Belem and you bringing people
over to help you. This time you don’t have to bring people
close to you because they are all here already. Roger, Werdum,
Ta Danado, Rafael dos Anjos, besides the American wrestlers are
here. Does it make a big difference?
Well,
I think so. I used to train and on the last 25 days I would call
the sparring guys who would mimic that fight for me and help
me. But not this time. This time I’m having them besides
me from the beginning and they put me on a bad situation every
time and they’re the bests at their divisions, like Rafael
dos Anjos, Werdum. It’s not that I’m undermining people
I’ve always trained with because it’s always worked
for me, but I guess going for new things is very important too,
especially when you’re on a position like I am in my career
and you’re going through what I’ve been going through.
I guess it’s a good thing for me.
You
don’t fight since November. Is it bad?
It’s
both a good and a bad thing. It’s good because we can rethink
and we can fix our mistakes better, try to improve, but we lack
fighting rhythm. When you fight every three months you’re
better conditioned. We try to compensate with training and my
recovery for this new bout. I guess it’s all important.
It’s not by chance it’s happening to me, that’s
how I try to see this. It’s best trying to understand it
and see it for what it is.
Jon
Jones is defeated Rashad and now he’s fighting Dan Henderson.
What are your thoughts about it?
I
guess from the moment you get in there, you have a chance. But,
if you stop to analyze their games, I guess Jon Jones is not
a good fight for Henderson because of his bigger height and reach
and Henderson’s style. I guess Jon Jones has more tools,
but it doesn’t make impossible for Henderson to win this
fight. He proved that because he’s beaten up many tough
opponents, many Brazilian fighters, has many titles, like Pride’s,
Strikeforce’s and is now fighting for UFC’s. he’s
a tough fighter and deserves to be respected, but I guess Jon
Jones is better than him technically.
It’s
possible you will be a coach at TUF Brazil 2 against Shogun Rua.
Who do you like it?
Of
course. It’s a great opportunity both for me and Shogun
in case it really happens. But now I’m not really thinking
about it because it’s not official. No one has approached
me to talk about it. It will bring the sport closer to people
because it’s broadcasted every Sunday and people watch it
and we’ll have a new rematch, a fight everyone wants to
see again. Who may win? We want to bring a great show to the
fans. It’s very professional. I have nothing personal against
him, we’re professional colleges but we’re here to
fight each other and see who’s better on that day.
Almost
every Brazilian athlete in the UFC has fought in Brazil. Do you
have this wish?
Absolutely.
I guess it’s a different vibe fighting in front of Brazilians.
I was there on the Brazilian’s editions and we could see
fans screaming, the crowd crazy about each fight. Despite you’re
on a bad place, people root for you all the time. Cane was on
a bad situation and people kept on cheering him up. It’s
beautiful and I guess everyone wants to go through it and I guess
it’s only a matter of time. I’m patience enough to
be a part of this. Fighting in Brazil is a consequence of my
work.
Anderson
is fighting Sonnen now is Las Vegas. What are your thoughts about
it?
It’s
hard to say because Sonnen dominated the first fight, despite
Anderson having been more technical and having defeated him with
his technique, but it’s hard to fight him. I have no doubts
that Anderson has the technical advantage, but it’s a matter
of how you are on that day, a matter of preparation, momentum.
Maybe Anderson wasn’t on his best day and I believe Anderson
will win. We all know it’s a tough fight, he can’t
play him out, but in case Anderson imposes his game on the beginning,
Sonnen won’t stand a chance.
Last
time you helped Anderson, but this time you didn’t.
Yeah.
Last time I was there and they shoot Anderson’s film and
I was with him at the time. This time, Anderson is training in
Brazil, where I guess he feels better and stronger, so it’s
best this way.
Good
luck for you on your fight.
Thank
you. I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you guys from TATAME.
Source:
Tatame
|
5
things you should know about Erick Silva’s big rear-naked
choke of the UFC
There
were two submissions at last night’s UFC on FX 3, and both
were rear-naked chokes. The one earning “Submission of the
Night” honors was former soccer player Erick Silva’s
on Charlie Brenneman, earning him a first-round win and a 40,000-greenback
bonus for displaying the most efficient Jiu-Jitsu of the night.
Executing
a rear-naked choke like Erick does may seem simple but there
are some tricks of the trade involved. GRACIEMAG.com put together
a list of just some of them. Got any of your own?
1. HOOKS, ONE AT A TIME
According
to Jiu-Jitsu black belt Ricardo “Cachorrão”
Almeida, one of the most common mistakes in launching a back
attack comes when sticking in the hooks; that is, placing your
feet between the opponent’s legs. “I see a lot of blue
belts losing the position by trying to get both hooks in at once.
The right thing to do is pull the opponent on top of you and
put one hook in at a time,” expounded the Jiu-Jitsu professor
living in New Jersey. That was precisely what Erick did, and
one by one he sunk his hooks before ultimately arriving at the
decisive chokehold.
2. DON’T CROSS YOUR FEET
You
can fasten your legs around your opponent’s waist with a
figure-four—it works well for some. But when it comes to
open hooks, don’t cross your feet. Dig your hooks into your
opponent’s thighs; that way when he tries to turn, you turn
with him and maintain the pressure.
3. HEAD
When
teaching how to get a choke from back control at his New York
academy, Renzo Gracie puts it like this: “Always get your
head right up against your opponent’s ear, as though whispering
a secret to him.” That way you shore up the hold and leave
no wriggle room. Heed how Erick closed the gap with his head
before applying the final squeeze.
4. ELBOWS ALWAYS TOGETHER IN JIU-JITSU
When
setting up the hold, bring your elbows together and pull them
to you, at your opponent’s belly. Don’t exert all your
strength at once or you’ll tire.
5. REAR-NAKED CHOKE ARM PLACEMENT
To
Marcelo Garcia, the big secret to the rear-naked choke is in
being flush up around the opponent’s neck. “I don’t
even need to squeeze too hard. If I’m coiled around the
neck there’s no escape, and the pressure’s enough to
make him desperate and tap out,” the submission wizard explained.
UFC
on FX 3
SUNRISE, FLORIDA
JUNE 8, 2012
Sean
Pierson defeated Jake Hecht via unanimous decision
Henry Martinez defeated Bernardo Magalhaes via split decision
Buddy Roberts defeated Caio Magalhães via unanimous decision
Tim Means defeated Justin Salas via technical knockout at 1:06
min of R1
Dustin Pague subbed Jared Papazian via rear-naked choke at 3:21
of R1
Matt Grice defeated Leonard Garcia via unanimous decision
Seth Baczynski defeated Lance Benoist via split decision
Mike Pierce defeated Carlos Eduardo Rocha via split decision
Eddie Wineland knocked out Scott Jorgensen at 4:10 min of R2
Mike Pyle knocked out Josh Neer at 4:56 min of R1
Erick Silva subbed Charlie Brenneman at 4:33 min of R1
Demetrious Johnson defeated Ian McCall via unaninmous decision
Bonuses
(40,000 dollars):
*
Fight of the Night: Eddie Wineland vs Scott Jorgensen
* Knockout of the Night: Mike Pyle
* Submission of the Night: Erick Silva
Source:
Gracie Magaazine
|
|