Upcoming
Events
Do you
want to list an event on Onzuka.com?
Contact
Us
(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2012
12/1/12
Maui Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(Lahaina Civic Center tentatively)
11/26/12?
Aloha
State BJJ Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
11/11-12/12
Eternal Submission Tournament
(Sub Grappling)
(Kauai)
10/20-21/12
NAGA
Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Radford H. S. Gym)
9/8/12
Destiny: Na Koa
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
9/1/12
Toughman Hawaii
(Boxing)
(Hilo Civic Ctr)
8/18/12
Warpath to Mayhem:
Rumble at the Resort
(MMA)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Lihue, Kauai)
August
King of the Mat
(Submission Grappling)
8/4/12
Maui Open
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina)
7/21/12
Sera's Kajukenbo Martial Arts Tournament
(Continuous Sparring, MMA (Controlled), and Sub. Grappling)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
**CANCELLED**
7/14/12
King of the Cage
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/29/12
Vendetta 5
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
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)
|
|
September
2012 News Part 3
|
O2 Martial Arts Academy
provides 7 days a week training! Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu classes
taught by Black Belts Kaleo Hosaka and Chris & Mike Onzuka
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi.
Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with PJ Dean &
Chris Slavens!
We just started a
Wrestling program in May taught by Cedric Yogi.
Kids Classes are also
available!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from
the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
Want
to Advertise on Onzuka.com?
Click here for pricing and more
information!
Short term and long term advertising available.
More than
1 million hits and counting!
|
O2
Martial Arts Academy
Your Complete Martial Arts School!
Click here for pricing and more
information!
O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and 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 competitor PJ Dean
as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens provide incredibly
detailed instruction of the sweet science.
To top it off, Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima
classes (Filipino Knife & Stickfighting) who were directly
trained under the legendary Snookie Sanchez.
Our wrestling program is headed by Cedric Yogi who was previously
the head coach of the Pearl City High School Wrestling Team.
Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
the ground up!
Experienced martial artist that wants to fine tune your skill?
Our school is for you!
Mix and match your classes so you can try all the martial arts
classes offered at O2!
If you want to learn martial arts by masters of their trade in
a friendly and family environment, O2 Martial Arts Academy is
the place for you!
|
Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA
IBJJF
releases Black Belt Ranking;
Rodolfo, Gabi top the list
Ivan Trindade
IBJJF
Black Belt Ranking
This
Wednesday the IBJJF has released its black belt ranking.
The
organization has divided 150 athletes into two groups: the male
top 100 and female top 50. The ranking takes into account the
points of each athlete who placed at least third in the black
belt adult division at an IBJJF Gi official tournaments since
January 2010.
From
now on, the ranking will be updated after each Gi championship
and will be made available to the public.
The
standings will serve as a parameter for drawing up the brackets
at IBJJF Gi championships (the highest ranked athletes take preference
in the brackets) as well as the qualifying criteria for the IBJJ
Pro League.
In
the male ranking, Rodolfo Vieira tops the standings with 976.5
pts, followed by Bernardo Faria (963pts) and Marcus Vinicius
Buchecha (795pts).
In
the female ranking, Gabrielle Garcia leads with 1530pts, with
Michelle Nicolini in second (1021.5) and Luanna Alzuguir in third
(1006.5).
STANDINGS
VALUE X WEIGHT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP X WEIGHT OF THE YEAR = POINTS
STANDINGS
VALUE
WEIGHT
OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP
WEIGHT
OF THE YEAR
Weight
Divisions:
1st Place– 9 pts
2nd Place – 3 pts
3rd Place – 1 pt
Open
Class:
1st Place – 13.5 pts
2nd Place – 4.5 pts
3rd Place– 1.5 pts
Worlds
– 7x
European, Pan Ams – 4x
Brazilian Nationals - 3x
American Nationals, South American, Asian Open– 2x
International Open – 1x
2012
– 3x
2011 – 2x
2010 – 1x
Examples
of How to Count Points
1st Place Medium-Heavy weight Worlds 2010 = 9 pts x 7 x 1 = 63
pts
2nd Place Absolute Pan Ams 2011 = 4.5 pts x 4 x 2 = 36 pts
3rd Place Light weight Houston Open 2012 = 1 x 1 x 3 = 3 pts
MALE
RANKING
Rank
Athlete
Points
1º
Rodolfo
Vieira Srour
976.5
2º
Bernardo
Augusto Rocha de Faria
963
3º
Marcus
Vinícius Oliveira de Almeida
795
4º
Bruno
da Silva Malfacine
687
5º
Leonardo
Pires Nogueira
628
6º
Rafael
Mendes Godoy
590
7º
Caio
Terra
580.5
8º
Guilherme
Mendes Godoy
457
9º
Otavio
Ferreira de Sousa
453.5
10º
Leandro
Pereira do Nascimento
453
11º
Rômulo
Claudio Barral
414
12º
Claudio
Calasans Camargo Júnior
372
13º
Nivaldo
de Oliveira Lima
363
14º
Sergio
Ricardo de Moraes
350
15º
Antônio
Carlos de F. Barbosa Júnior
347
16º
Antonio
Braga Texeira Neto
289
17º
Michael
Alexandre Langhi
278
18º
Bruno
Frazatto Xavier C. Barbosa
276
19º
Samir
José Chantre Dahás
260.5
20º
Lucas
Alves Lepri
250
21º
Alexander
Riis Hilligsoe Trans
246
22º
Jonathan
Torres
239.5
23º
Rafael
Monteiro Barbosa
223.5
24º
Rodrigo
Henrique Cavaca
223
25º
Ary
de Melo Farias
216
26º
Bruno
Augusto Togni Antunes
214.5
27º
Augusto
Lopes Mendes
206
28º
Lucas
Joas Gomes Leite
199
29º
Alexandro
Ceconi de Souza
195
30º
Roberto
de Abreu Filho
192.5
31º
Marcelo
Garcia Vespúcio
189
32º
Rubens
Charles Maciel
179
33º
Rodrigo
Fajardo
176
34º
Victor
de Oliveira Estima
173
35º
Gilbert
Alexander Pontes Burns
172
36º
Gustavo
Ramos Campos
165
37º
Laercio
Fernandes
162.5
38º
Vitor
Henrique Silva Oliveira
159
39º
Roger
Gracie
157.5
40º
Pablo
da Silva Santos
157
41º
Gustavo
dos Santos Pires
153
42º
Rafael
Freitas
152
43º
Kayron
Gracie
151
44º
Carlos
Vieira Holanda
147
45º
Philipe
Cançado Della Monica
146
46º
Rafael
Lovato Jr.
142.5
47º
Igor
Silva
139.5
48º
Oliver
Leys Geddes
138
49º
Tarsis
Carvalho Humphreys
136.5
50º
Daniel
Beleza G. de Andrade
132
51º
Roberto
Satoshi de Souza
129
52º
Michael
George Wilson
126
52º
José
Tiago da Silva Barros
126
52º
Lucio
Furtado Rodrigues
126
55º
Felipe
P. da Costa e Silva
124
56º
Leonardo
Fernandes Saggioro
122
57º
Bruno
Bastos Cruz
121.5
57º
Murilo
Silva Ferreira de Santana
121.5
59º
Koji
Shibamoto
120
60º
Eduardo
Ramos da Silva
105
61º
Diogo
Sampaio Araujo
100.5
62º
Ricardo
Ferreira Evangelista
99
62º
Andre
Luiz Leite Galvão
99
62º
David
Juliano Lemes
99
65º
Antonio
Carlos Alexandre Peinado
97
66º
Vinícius
Tavares Marinho
94.5
67º
Igor
Rodrigues dos Santos
92
68º
Thiago
Gaia Taciano de Oliveira
90
69º
Renan
Borges
86
70º
Francielio
Fernandes da Costa
84
71º
Pedro
Régis da Cunha Mello
83.5
72º
Vitor
Fabio Martins Toledo
80
73º
Antonio
Antonioli
79.5
74º
Clark
Gracie
79
75º
Mario
Sergio Names Reis
78
76º
Marco
Antonio Giudice Machado
76.5
76º
Yuri
Costa Simões M. da Silva
76.5
78º
Roberto
Camargo de Alencar
76
79º
Bruno
Almeida Alves
74
80º
Zachary
Lantz Maxwell
73.5
81º
Leandro
Martins da Silva
73
82º
Leonardo
Gergis F. Leite
72
82º
Kron
Gracie
72
82º
Carlos
Diego Ferreira Neves
72
82º
Braulio
de Oliveira Estima
72
86º
Jonatas
Novaes do Nascimento
69.5
87º
Osvaldo
Augusto H. Moizinho
69
87º
Raphael
B. Carneiro Fischetti
69
89º
Renato
Guimaraes Cardoso
67.5
90º
Fabbio
Passos de Alencar
66
90º
Stephen
Vincent Hall
66
90º
Paulo
Tarcisio Pessoa Jardim
66
93º
Thiago
Reinaldo de Souza
64.5
93º
Bruno
Matias Soares
64.5
93º
Rodrigo
Leite de Medeiros
64.5
96º
Denilson
de Carvalho Pimenta
64
97º
Alexandre
Couceiro Ribeiro
63
97º
Gabriel
Rodrigues A. Goulart
63
99º
Gustavo
Ernesto Carpio Caceres
58
99º
Leandro
Luiz da Silva
58
FEMALE
RANKING
Rank
Athlete
Points
1º
Gabrielle
Lemos Garcia
1530
2º
Michelle
Zonato Nicolini
1021.5
3º
Luanna
Alzuguir Marton Moraes
1006.5
4º
Luiza
Monteiro Moura da Costa
568.5
5º
Beatriz
de Oliveira Mesquita
472
6º
Fernanda
Mazzelli Almeida Maio
432.5
7º
Leticia
Ribeiro Neves dos Santos
386
8º
Luzia
Carmem Santana P. Fernandes
313.5
9º
Angelica
Vieira Ferreira
247
10º
Hannette
Quadros Staack
234
11º
Marina
Soares de Araujo Ribeiro
226.5
12º
Fabiana
Alves Borges
206
13º
Vanessa
Oliveira do Nascimento
197
14º
Ida
Josefin Hansson
184
15º
Talita
Andrea Nogueira
183
16º
Emily
Wetzel
154
17º
Sofia
Rosa Amarante
150
18º
Penny
Thomas
147
19º
Bianca
Andrade Barreto
144
20º
Kyra
Gracie
136.5
21º
Bruna
Noêmi Ribeiro
136
22º
Hillary
Ann Williams
127
23º
Valerie
Lynn Worthington
93
24º
Bruna
André do Nascimento
90
25º
Oceane
Talvard
84
26º
Lauriane
Clarice dos Santos Mendes
83
26º
Elizangela
Meireles
83
28º
Tammy
M Griego
82
29º
Ana
Michelle Tavares Dantas
73
30º
Monica
Vanessa Fonseca da Silva
66
31º
Katrina
Ann Weilbacher
64
32º
Barbara
Gomes dos Santos
63
32º
Miriam
Cardoso Cerqueira
63
34º
Rosalind
Ferreira
56
35º
Silvana
Cristina Silva Abreu
54
36º
Polyana
Lago Barbosa
52
37º
Bibiana
Dios Tan Pacini S. Silva
51
37º
Erika
Carrarine Correia
51
39º
Elisangela
Silva Fernandes
50
40º
Leticia
Seguetto Tanabe Lalli
42
41º
Claudia
Martinez Kvenbo
40
42º
Hellen
Bastos Teixeira
36
42º
Melissa
Rosales Haueter
36
42º
Vanessa
Maria Silva de Oliveira
36
45º
Lana
Anne Stefanac
35
46º
Emily
R. Kwok
34
47º
Luciana
Tavares Dias
31
48º
Daniela
Lirio Olimpio de Souza
27
48º
Thaizar
Alburquerque dos Santos
27
50º
Tania
Mabel Andrade Barrêto
25.5
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Junior
dos Santos May Want to Fight Alistair Overeem, but He’s
Got Cain Velasquez First
There
has not been a press release, poster, or press conference to
announce the UFC heavyweight championship bout between titleholder
Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, but as far as the challenger
is concerned it is a done deal.
“Not
officially, but we’re looking to fight that day,” Velasquez
told Inside MMA’s Ron Kruck when asked if the fight was
official for UFC 155.
Ever
since Velasquez defeated Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at
UFC 146 and dos Santos defended his belt against Frank Mir, the
two have been expected to fight a rematch of their November 2011
bout.
There
was some questioning of that when a war of words between dos
Santos and Alistair Overeem escalated, especially since they
were the two originally slated to headline UFC 146. Overeem,
however, is currently sitting out until the end of the year on
a de facto suspension in relation to a surprise drug test earlier
this year.
Does
dos Santos want to fight Overeem? Yes. But is that going to happen?
No. At least, not before he rematches Velasquez.
“I
think he would want to fight (Overeem) more, just because of
the words (thrown) back and forth, but he has to fight me first,”
declared Velasquez.
“Right
now, I’m preparing for the rematch to happen. If the UFC
tells me something different, then a I gotta prepare for something
else, but right now I think it’s a for sure thing that I’m
going to be fighting dos Santos on Dec. 29.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Beating
the Odds: UFC 152
By Yael
Grauer
UFC
152 “Jones vs. Belfort” on Saturday belonged to the
underdogs. In fact, only four bouts went the way the oddsmakers
predicted: Jon Jones-Vitor Belfort, Matt Hamill-Roger Hollett,
Michael Bisping-Brian Stann and Seth Baczynski-Simeon Thoresen.
In close matchups, defensive wrestling and relentless striking
were the biggest keys to unexpected victories at the Air Canada
Centre in Toronto.
Six
out of the seven underdogs beat the odds in the preliminary bouts
on Facebook and FX. The upsets started right from the get go.
In the show’s first fight, Kyle Noke was successful in his
welterweight debut and put a stop to his contest with Charlie
Brenneman in just 45 seconds. Crisp jabs, a right cross that
dropped “The Spaniard” and follow-up strikes resulted
in the stoppage. Noke entered the cage as a +175 underdog; Brenneman
was favored at -215.
The
odds were virtually identical going into the next matchup, as
Walel Watson was a -215 favorite, with Mitch Gagnon at +175.
The affair ended almost as quickly, as it only took Gagnon 69
seconds to dispose of “The Gazelle” with a left hook,
some ground-and-pound, a transition to back control and a rear-naked
choke.
Aside
from Jones, Jim Hettes was the heaviest favorite against Marcus
Brimage. The previously unbeaten submission specialist came in
at -475, compared to Brimage at +375. However, Hettes had trouble
on the feet, eating jabs and crosses throughout the fight. “The
Kid” won the second round on all three judges’ scorecards
but did not secure the finishing choke for which he was looking.
Brimage’s takedown and submission defense allowed him to
walk away with the decision victory.
Local
product Sean Pierson, a +180 underdog, scored an upset against
Lance Benoist (-240) after surviving a brutal third round for
a unanimous decision victory. Like Hettes, Benoist is best with
his submissions but had limited time to engage on the ground
due to Pierson’s takedown defense and stellar striking skills.
Benoist went after “The Punisher” with a vengeance
in the final stanza, but it proved too little, too late.
Oddsmakers
predicted Evan Dunham-T.J. Grant would be a close bout; Dunham
was installed as a -150 favorite, with Grant a +120 underdog.
The lightweight tilt was a barnburner and earned “Fight
of the Night” honors. Both men worked their relentless striking
games, with a thudding knee to Dunham’s head serving as
the most significant blow of the 15-minute battle. Although Dunham
landed some takedowns, he did not manage to capitalize on them,
and Grant teed off with kicks, knees and punches in all three
rounds to win by unanimous decision.
Igor
Pokrajac was a -170 favorite entering his light heavyweight pairing
against Vinny Magalhaes (-170), but the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black
belt transitioned from a triangle choke attempt to a successful
armbar and put a stop to the fight in the second round. The loss
snapped Pokrajac’s three-fight winning streak.
While
it momentarily looked like Belfort (+605) had secured a fight-ending
armbar against Jones (-905), the champion survived and scored
a submission of his own, closing the main event via keylock in
the fourth round.
There
were only two upsets on the main card. Cub Swanson (+210) authored
the first, as he defeated Charles Oliveira (-260) via first-round
knockout and took “Knockout of the Night” honors. Swanson
landed a slick body shot to the liver of “Do Bronx”
and followed it up with a brutal overhand right, and it was only
a matter of seconds before the Brazilian collapsed to the mat.
Demetrious
Johnson was a +200 underdog, with his opponent Joseph Benavidez
a -250 favorite. The two fought at a relentless pace for five
rounds in the first UFC flyweight title bout. “Mighty Mouse”
landed the majority of strikes and takedowns, winning the fight
on two judges’ scorecards by 48-47 and 49-46 counts; another
judge saw it 48-47 for Benavidez. Johnson survived a guillotine
choke attempt by the Team Alpha Male representative in the fourth
round.
Anything
can happen in MMA. A Belfort victory would have put a huge exclamation
point on that oft-spoken adage, but UFC 152 was filled with upsets
from start to finish. If a betting man had put down $100 on every
underdog in Toronto, he would have earned $1,575 back and lost
$400 for a profit of $1,175.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Morning
Report: Chael Sonnen re-aims at Jon Jones; Dan Henderson eyes
return to training
By Shaun
Al-Shatti
Chael
Sonnen's title window appeared all but closed after Jon Jones
finished dispatching Vitor Befort last weekend at UFC 152. That
is, until Dana White abruptly hurled it back open with this unexpected
caveat at the ensuing post-fight press conference.
"(Sonnen's)
going to call out Jon Jones, no doubt," the UFC President
chuckled.
"I
think there are other fights that make more sense ... (but) people
do want to see it. If enough people want to see it, I guess I'd
have to make it."
As
it turns out, that little sliver of possibility was all Sonnen
needed, because calling out Jones is exactly what "The American
Gangster" did. And this time he brought the fire.
"Hey
Jon," tweeted Sonnen. "What do you think will cost
more? Your hospital tab or the settlement you made with the two
broads from the backseat?"
Well,
that's about as close to a haymaker as you can get with 140 characters.
In
retrospect, it seems kind of reckless for White to let Sonnen
know all he needs to do to be fast-tracked to a title shot is
drum up some fan interest. It's like telling Carmelo Anthony
all he needs to do to be a superstar is forget he has teammates
and huck up 30 shots a game. It's just unleashing the bull in
the china shop for the fun of it. You know what you're going
to get with this tactic.
But
hey, for all we know maybe it's just one last, subtly brilliant
parting gift to "Bones" from the boss. Because Lord
knows, this is only the beginning.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
How
Roufusport Has Lead Fighters Like Anthony Pettis and Ben Askren
to the Top
by Mick
Hammond
Joining
the pantheon of elite MMA programs isn’t easy, but over
the last couple years, Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wis., has managed
to join the likes of the American Kickboxing Academy, Team Jackson-Winkeljohn,
American Top Team, and others amongst the top MMA programs in
the United States.
Spearheaded
by former kickboxing and Muay Thai champion Duke Roufus, it would
be easy for people believe that the team might have turned out
one-dimensional, but in truth it’s as far from that as possible.
“I
try to go at MMA like a football team,” said Roufus. “I
try to surround myself with good coaches that are going to help
me win in every aspect of the sport, because at the end of the
day that’s what it’s all about. Submissions are just
as nice as knockouts in my book.
“One
thing that I’ve really worked on with our recent wave of
fighters is getting them well-rounded. Even right now, Ben Askren
has focused on being better at jiu-jitsu and kickboxing, and
Anthony Pettis is working on being a better wrestler and improving
his jiu-jitsu.”
Roufus
points out how fighters such as Askren and Pettis have taken
over leadership roles and become examples for the other fighters
on the team by the work ethic they’ve shown.
“The
guys who’ve accomplished the most are still working the
hardest,” said Roufus. “The way it’s supposed
to be is the way it’s supposed to be. Often times the guys
who accomplish the most slow down in their path, that is not
true with those guys and that’s why I admire them so much.”
One
thing pointed out by fighters such as Rick Glenn and Zach Underwood
is just how cohesive things are at Roufusport and how the team
functions more like a brotherhood or family than just a group
of guys in a room together.
“I
think culture in any type of group or team is important,”
said Roufus. “They have to be like-minded people. Not that
they have to be drones or the exact same people, but for the
hours we train, we come together, rally around a common goal
and we’re like-minded, but when everyone leaves, they have
their lives, their identities.
“I
feel like hopefully we’re teaching them more than punching,
kicking, submissions and stuff like that, but hopefully something
about the game of life. Unfortunately not everyone in our practice
room makes it, but they learn some life-building skills through
this sport so they can carry over into other things.”
Roufus’
commitment to life building goes beyond just lessons taught in
the gym. He told MMAWeekly.com that he hopes to be able to help
cement the future for his fighters when they step away from the
sport.
“I
want all the guys to be as successful as possible,” he said.
“One thing I’m trying to help them do is help them
set up their own Roufusport club that we’re launching in
2013.
“We’re
helping guys with a formatted system that will help them build
a really good MMA club just in case they get hurt or as they
get older and stay in the sport and get benefits from their legacy.
Fighting is a great thing, but it’s still a small portion
of your life. I try to teach these guys how to set themselves
up through their legacy so they can lead a fruitful life outside
the cage.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Metamoris:
Kron confirms Rickson to corner him, praises Otávio
Nalty Junior
GRACIEMAG.com:
The promoters of Metamoris Pro, coming up on the 14th in San
Diego, California, matched you up against Otavio Sousa in one
of the no-points, 20-minute bouts on the card. Have you changed
the way you train at all because of the rules?
KRON
GRACIE: Not at all. I’m training the same as I always do.
I’m training hard with my team here at the academy. Everything’s
perfect. I fight targeting the finish, without thinking about
points or time, so nothing has changed. I’m just training
really hard because it’ll be a tough match. I’m rotating
through the students on the team. There’s Patrick, who just
got his black belt not long ago, and other really tough students
who are helping me out too.
You
got injured at the 2012 Worlds. How’s your knee?
It’s
110%. I’m as ready for war as can be. I’m just waiting
for time to come.
What
guidance has your father, Rickson, offered you about the new
rules?
He’s
made some special recommendations, but I can’t reveal them
to you, can I (laughs)? He’ll be there in my corner on the
14th. Truth is, I always have my dad helping me, whether at the
academy or over the phone when he’s in Brazil or traveling.
What
are your thoughts on this no-points format?
To
me it’s like a dream. I’m anxious to see how things
flow. I think I’ll be a lot more at ease, since I’ll
have time to work. I’m certainly a bit happier that we’ll
have a bit more time to see who’s the better fighter.
Are
the rules good for the sport and Jiu-Jitsu fans?
I
think we’ll find that out after the event. As André
Galvão told you, what’s important is that the fighters
don’t go in there just trying for the draw. The rules are
perfect for you to go on the attack and win the fight. That’s
what’s important—wanting to win the fight. If the athletes
are going for victory, and not just aiming to tie or not lose,
the event will be really cool. Otherwise, it could be a boring
20 minutes.
What
do you think of Otavio Sousa as an opponent?
Otavio
is the current world middleweight champion and I think he’s
really tough. He gave me a chance to face him, so I’m honored
to fight the champion. Let’s see who wins.
What’s
your angle on the current Jiu-Jitsu-tournament panorama?
In
my opinion, it’s on the decline. I feel Jiu-Jitsu is getting
worse. These days we see blue and purple belts who think Jiu-Jitsu’s
all about grabbing the sleeve and trying those little sweeps…
I feel they lose time with all that and the sport is getting
worse with that kind of game. But no one can control that—not
me; I can only do my best to see that Jiu-Jitsu keeps moving
forward, upward. I feel beginners these days need to get inspired
by Jiu-Jitsu as a whole, not just sport Jiu-Jitsu. I want to
do this match at Metamoris so fans can see the real Jiu-Jitsu.
How
do you see the future of competition Jiu-Jitsu?
In
the future, I hope there’ll be more events like Metamoris,
events that can make the fighters comfortable to express themselves
and that are more interesting for the crowd to watch. I feel
that that’s how Jiu-Jitsu will make it to TV and to an Olympic
level. That’s the path, and not through the stalled matches
we’re seeing these days. I feel there should be more rules
against stalling in Jiu-Jitsu. Look at judo—you can’t
stop, can’t do certain things.
What’s
it like to train hard while managing an academy?
I
feel it’s like having two jobs. It’s kind of hard;
you have to do everything at the academy and still train not
just to fight, but to try and be at your best. I try doing what
I can as best I can. When it’s possible, it’s possible.
Today I’m focused on training, but soon my focus will be
back on training my students and investing in the business.
André
Galvão had some kind words about you here on GRACIEMAG.com,
saying you stick your neck out at championships. What did you
think of that?
He’s
a great guy who I respect a lot. I feel that when we realize
there are guys out there like us, guys who are going after the
same thing you are, that naturally generates mutual respect,
even if you’re opponents on the mat. He, like the others,
is a warrior who is always in Jiu-Jitsu to win it. I respect
him and other top guys, like Marcelo Garcia, Roger, Rodolfo and
others.
Do
you ever think of doing MMA?
Of
course, that’s certainly on my mind. I love competing, love
representing Jiu-Jitsu and my team. Just let me get to a point
where I can focus on that and it’ll happen. You can count
on it.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
“I’m
hoping that people are grateful for me being here & being
able to entertain them”
By Zach
Arnold
Ariel
Helwani of MMAFighting.com w/ Bones Knows Beards
Jon Jones wants to meet up with Dana White. So, what will they
say to each other?
ARIEL HELWANI: “What are you going to say to him?”
JON JONES: “I’m going to say, Dana… you know,
I’m just going to tell him that I forgive him, pretty much.
I have a general intention of what I want to happen and basically
it’s going to based on forgiveness. I’m not expecting
him to apologize but I’m moving forward, you know, I’m
moving forward and Dana… spoke his mind and, you know, ultimately
he can’t take back what happened, I can’t take back
what happened. I don’t think he wants to and I don’t
want to, so, we’re just going to be men and keep this great
journey that we have going. You know, we’re both ambassadors
for the UFC and as for not being on the same page, as I said
(Tuesday) on Sportscenter it makes no sense for us MMA fans,
MMA nation so, uh, you know, I want to do great things and I
think having them on my side or working with them and not being
known as like, you know, a troublemaker with him will be beneficial
for both of us.”
ARIEL HELWANI: “How do you forgive someone who hasn’t
apologized?”
JON JONES: “You know, I don’t know. I don’t know
how that works but I want to try it.”
ARIEL HELWANI: “How do you think the fans here in Toronto
will react to you? Because obviously you’ve become this
kind of polarizing figure but if it wasn’t for your decision,
they wouldn’t have the chance to see a UFC Light Heavyweight
title fight. So, do you think they actually greet you with cheers
as opposed to boos here in Toronto?”
JON JONES: “Um, you know, I’m hoping that people are
grateful for me being here and being able to entertain them,
ultimately. But, uh, I’m predicting that I’ll probably
get booed more than cheered. But I’m OK with it. I’ve
come to terms with it and I’ll still compete at (my) best.”
ARIEL HELWANI: “I’ve noticed a different Jon Jones.
I said last week after the conference call, that was the most
real Jon Jones we’ve ever seen because it seemed like you
were finally just saying what was on your mind and not worrying
about what people would think about what you say. You said some
strong things about Dana, the fans and whatnot. Has something
happened? Has someone told you to act a little more like yourself?
What’s going on here? Because it seems like finally we’re
getting The Real Deal Holyfield.”
JON JONES: “Well, I think I’ve always tried to be real,
you know, I think Rashad (Evans) called me “fake” at
one point, really made this illusion of me being totally fake.
But, you know, I think I’ve always been pretty legit with
the things that I say. I think that’s why a lot of people
maybe don’t like me. You know, they find some of my statements
to be a little arrogant or not but that’s just me being,
you know, truthful in a lot of cases but, you know, I’m
just becoming more and more comfortable in my own skin. As things
happen I realize more and more each scenario, each fight that
you know I can’t make people like me or not so I’m
just being myself, being comfortable in my own skin and let people
be the judge and ultimately it’s really not my business
what people think about me anyways.”
ARIEL HELWANI: “Vitor (Belfort) keeps saying, ‘I”m
not a diva, I’m not a diva, I step up with the UFC wants
me to step up.’ He doesn’t call YOU a diva but it seems
like he’s sort of insinuating that. What do you make of
that?”
JON JONES: “It’s all right. You know, I could keep
saying, ‘I don’t do steroids or anything like that,’
you know what I mean? I’m not saying he does, but say what
you want. But it’s like, we’re here to fight and, uh,
you know, camp is over. The hard part is over and, uh… ultimately
we’re going to see who’s the better martial artist
and I’m not going to let any words between me and him, you
know, become a factor now this close to the fight. I’m days
away from my goal.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
The
Forward Roll: UFC 152 edition
By Mike
Chiappetta
At
its best, sports isn't just a series of disposable moments. Its
images stay with us through time, its memories mark specific
moments of our lives. Some of the most indelible images of sport
are when an against-all-odds underdog captures victory. That
was nearly the scene at last Saturday night's UFC 152. When Vitor
Belfort latched on to Jon Jones' arm early in the first round
of their title bout, the crowd exploded in anticipation of a
historic upset.
Just
a little more pressure might have broken Jones' arm. An opponent
with less steel in his nerves would have surrendered. Neither
possibility transpired. It turned out that was Belfort's best
opportunity as he eventually succumbed to a keylock submission.
Jones
has been the subject of so much scrutiny over the last few months
that he seems to swallow anything within his vortex. He has that
kind of personality and that kind of presence. But even in defeat,
Belfort deserves more credit than he has been given. Despite
only one month of training, Belfort was able to take Jones into
the fourth round. And even after suffering a knockdown in the
third, he soldiered on.
Professional
athletics isn't a place where simple effort is overly valued.
It is to be expected, because, after all, they are professionals.
But with little preparation and at a size disadvantage, Belfort
delivered the challenge he promised.
On
to the picks ...
Jon
Jones
I'm not going to pretend to know whether Jones' gutsiness in
gritting his way out of Belfort's arm bar will begin to win over
the fans he either lost over the last few months or never had.
In Toronto, he was clearly not the fan favorite. He received
a mixed reception when he walked to the cage, and fans began
several "Belfort" chants during the bout. He did, however,
receive a star reaction upon his win. It seems that even those
who don't like Jones can put aside their feelings when he performs
well, and that begrudging respect is better than nothing. It
is difficult to predict Jones' next challenge without knowing
the extent of his injuries, which won't be known for at least
another few days.
Prediction: He faces Dan Henderson
Vitor
Belfort
"The Phenom" was asked after the fight if he would
be interested at staying at 205 or was going to return to his
normal weight class of 185. Belfort didn't specifically say he
was heading back to middleweight, but there doesn't seem to be
any real reason for him to compete at the higher weight class
against bigger guys. I like the idea of a Belfort fight against
Hector Lombard, but since the Cuban is already booked for a December
fight, let's look elsewhere.
Prediction: He faces Brian Stann
Demetrious
Johnson
It's almost a shame that with all the focus on Jones and Belfort,
Johnson didn't get the attention he deserved for becoming the
UFC's first-ever flyweight champion. Worse, the fight wasn't
appreciated because of criticisms that the two were tentative
to engage. According to FightMetric, Johnson landed 96 strikes,
which isn't a spectacularly high number for a division known
for tremendous output, but he made his opponent miss a staggering
206 times. So it's not that they weren't engaging so much as
he was forcing whiffs. Johnson is never going to be a power puncher,
but his ability to switch from offense to defense is still something
to appreciate.
Prediction: He faces the winner of October's John Dodson vs.
Jussier da Silva fight
Joseph
Benavidez
I've rarely seen someone so shell-shocked after defeat as Benavidez
was on Saturday night. He came to the press conference and sat
on the stage, but you could tell his thoughts were 1 million
miles away, flummoxed by what had just happened. The good news
for him is that he's in a division that is of now fairly thin,
and he is still one of its best. A couple more wins and he'll
be fighting for gold again.
Prediction: A fight against Ian McCall just seems to make sense.
Michael
Bisping
"The Count" wants Anderson Silva, and UFC president
Dana White said the possibility is "interesting" following
Bisping's win against Brian Stann. So, basically, Bisping is
"in the mix," in UFC parlance. But as we know, that's
no guarantee of anything. So I'm guessing that Bisping might
be a backup plan if the proposed Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre
superfight doesn't happen. Other than that, one straight win
shouldn't get you a title shot.
Prediction: He faces Mark Munoz
Cub
Swanson
Swanson suddenly seems to have found his stride, winning three
straight fights after an inconsistent stretch. Swanson is one
of the rare featherweights who brings with him one-punch knockout
power, and that will certainly elevate him faster than a few
grind-'em-out decision wins. Because he has a past with Jose
Aldo, a rematch might make sense somewhere down the road, but
first he needs a win over a top five opponent.
Prediction: He faces Chad Mendes
Vinny
Magalhaes
It was a triumphant return to the octagon for the onetime Ultimate
Fighter finalist, who brings a peerless jiu-jitsu pedigree into
the UFC's light-heavyweight division. Not surprisingly, his finish
against Igor Pokrajac came via submission. Magalhaes will soon
be faced with a situation where he struggles to take the fight
down, and then we'll see just how much he's progressed. But until
then, it's going to be fun to watch his jiu-jitsu.
Prediction: He faces Ryan Jimmo
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Would
you do MMA to save what you love?
by Junior
Samurai
A
bankrupt school needing to cut costs to dig itself out of a financial
hole, and a hilarious but big-time-tough biology teacher—that’s
the plot for “Here Comes the Boom”, opening at US movie
theaters this October 12.
In
the feature film, Kevin James plays the part of Scott Voss, a
goofy teacher looking for a way to save the school where he works.
In one of his attempts, he finds out through a friend (Bas Rutten)
that he can earn good money doing MMA, while also stimulating
his students to fight for what they want. Between grueling but
side-splitting training sessions, the master literally goes to
battle.
The
film is directed by Frank Coraci, and the cast includes the likes
of Henry Winkler, Salma Hayek, Joe Rogan, Mike Goldberg, Greg
Germann, Mark Munõz, Bruce Buffer, Jason Miller and Krzysztof
Soszynski.
Also
noteworthy is the fact that Kevin trains Jiu-Jitsu with Rômulo
Barral in Los Angeles. In preparing for the movie, James practiced
MMA with Rafael Cordeiro, a highly regarded coach from Curitiba,
Brazil, now living in California himself.
“I
appear in the film, which goes to show that I’m not just
another pretty face (laugh). I feel the movie is going to be
a watershed because it’s an MMA movie with established Hollywood
actors. I feel everyone will be impressed by how he trains in
it,” Rafael Cordeiro told the ManiaMMA.com.br website.
Source
Gracie Magazine
|
What
Does the Future Hold for MMA in Japan?
by Mick
Hammond
With
reports by AsainMMA.com saying that Japanese MMA promotion Dream’s
parent company, Real Entertainment, has closed up shop, major
MMA in Japan is at a crossroads right now.
Speaking
to MMAWeekly.com, AXS TV’s Hans Thompson said of Real Entertainment’s
closing, “I don’t have exact numbers on how many staff,
but they essentially haven’t had a staff for much of this
year aside from a handful of individuals.”
Thompson
believes that Real Entertainment had kept Dream on life support
as to not lose booking rights for one of Japan’s premier
areas on one of its biggest entertainment days.
“The
only credible rumors I’ve heard say they were looking to
put something together because they have a real interest in not
losing Saitama (Super Arena) for New Year’s Eve,” said
Thompson. “As long as they continue to have a show there,
they’ll have a priority for booking it.”
AsianMMA.com
also reported that members of the Pride FC staff might be eligible
to return to MMA next year after no-compete clauses that were
part of the Zuffa buyout deal expire. Thompson spoke of one name
in particular that was seen as a driving force in Pride.
“I
don’t know the particulars, but I have heard that (former
Pride president) Nobuyuki Sakakibara is barred from doing anything
through 2013 under the terms of the deal,” said Thompson.
“After I heard that, I did a little digging – nothing
official – and from what I read from commenters and bloggers
is that he’s busy with a Japanese soccer team.”
Thompson
points out that whoever attempts to make a run at creating a
major MMA promotion in Japan, they will face many of the same
issues that plagued other companies and eventually lead to their
demise.
“(Obstacles
such as) the waning popularity of MMA in Japan, the general economic
problems in Japan and mafia ties still remain,” said Thompson.
“There are a lot of good reasons why large scale MMA can’t
succeed in Japan right now, and until somebody proves otherwise,
there’s not really any reasons why it can succeed in that
climate.”
Thompson
also told MMAWeekly.com that bringing coverage of existing Japanese
promotions to AXS TV is something the company is working very
hard on, but has its own problems.
“I’m
doing what I can, but anything to do with Japan is kind of cost-prohibitive,
and there’s the time difference and all of that,” said
Thompson. “We do some Japanese highlights on ‘Inside
MMA’ like Deep, Ruff from China and One FC, so we represent
Asian MMA as much as we’re able to.
“I
have reached out pretty much to everybody from Pancrase to Shooto
to Jewels and it’s proved difficult to get highlights from
them. In terms to broadcasting them on the network, it’s
highly unlikely. “
As
for the UFC, if Mark Fischer is correct, the promotion could
be returning to Japan, but in a smaller capacity more akin to
existing companies.
Thompson
said of this possibility, “I think the UFC will continue
to have a presence in Japan, but there’s something that’s
keeping them from going all-in; and it’s possibly the factors
that I’ve mentioned.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
California
State Athletic Commission backs shady promoters & watches
a scandal brew in Oxnard
By Zach
Arnold
And
here I thought my weekend was going to be a relaxed one with
the UFC 152 PPV on the television schedule. I should have known
better.
On Saturday night, I received numerous phone calls about CSAC-related
problems with two shows – the Friday ShoBox event at Chumash
Casino in Santa Ynez, California and a Saturday boxing show at
Pacifica High School in Oxnard, California. These aren’t
exactly major events on the fighting calendar, but each show
demonstrated regulatory problems caused by decisions made from
Chief Athletic Inspector Che Guevara and others in the Sacramento
office. When I hammer home the fact that Guevara’s leadership
has been terrible, I can point to any number of examples demonstrating
why this guy is in way over his head. Like the fact that many
inspectors don’t know how to properly calculate a box office,
costing the state of California up to 7-figures in cash. Instead,
the front office is worried about nickle & dime BS like money
from $50 fighter licenses instead of hundereds of thousands of
dollars at the box office. We know there is a major problem with
certain inspectors who can’t figure out how to detect illegal
hand-wraps or skinned gloves, which of course is a natural result
given that Che Guevara got a promotion at CSAC after he missed
Antonio Margarito’s illegal hand wraps… right in front
of his face. So, that kind of cheating is rampant throughout
the state of California and can result in significant head trauma.
Of course, the front office is more concerned about manipulating
fighter paperwork that they’ve lost in order to cover their
asses. Backdating paperwork. Great situational ethics there.
Oh, did I fail to mention that there hasn’t been any sort
of training sessions for inspectors in over a year? You might
want to teach the new inspectors how to do drug testing correctly.
Way to do your job, CSAC.
I bring up all of this not because you should care about a bunch
of faceless Sacramento hacks who take no responsibility for their
actions. I bring up these developments because there are real
life consequences for fighters who are now on the receiving end
of some of the worst combat sports regulatory practices in the
entire country. And not only that, but the inspectors who are
doing their best to be professional at California shows are short-staffed
& railroaded by horrible political decisions made from Denise
Brown, Awet Kidane, and the legal department at the Department
of Consumer Affairs.
Two examples of live events from this past weekend’s slate
of shows in California bear out the fruit of Sacramento’s
horrible decision making that is costing fighters their safety
& their shows purses.
Slipping through the cracks in Chumash
At the ShoBox event in Chumash on Friday night, there was a curious
development in the fight between Roman Morales and Jonathan Arellano.
Arellano was sporting a knee brace to the ring and was allowed
to wear it during the early stages of his fight. He shouldn’t
have been allowed to do so, as per California rules there is
a health & safety issue regarding the plastic on the knee
brace possibly injuring the opponent. The knee brace was initially
spotted by lead inspector Dave Rasmussen, who was sitting at
the table doing paperwork. Inspector Rick Estrada was sent to
Arelleno’s corner and asked trainer Henry Ramirez if the
brace was approved by a member of the commission. It wasn’t
approved by a member of CSAC at this particular show. So, the
knee brace was removed and Arellano fought the rest of the bout
on a gimpy knee.
Was it the end of the world that the inspectors initially missed
Arellano wearing a knee brace? No. In fact, I’m happy they
caught the error and resolved the matter. No harm, no foul. There
would have been a problem, however, if Arellano had protested
and said he wouldn’t remove the knee brace. The fight would
have been stopped then.
The reality is more and more people in the combat sports industry
are learning what we have been warning about, which is that the
new “3 inspector policy” crafted by CSAC Chairman John
Frierson and Sacramento’s front office has created absolute
chaos on the ground at shows. In a building like Chumash where
you have multiple dressing rooms to supervise, it is absolutely
impossible for three inspectors to do the job when eight or more
are needed to handle everything from drug testing to hand wraps
to glove inspections. Because of having three inspectors per
show, you end up with things falling through the cracks and mistakes
happening that should have never happened in the first place.
This doesn’t fall on the inspectors — this falls on
Che Guevara, who simply doesn’t know what the hell he is
doing when it comes to regulating shows and how many inspectors
are needed. If he does know, he doesn’t have the guts to
stand up and speak out.
Thankfully, no one was injured by the mistake and the fight went
on as it should have. However, there will be a mistake sooner
rather than later at a show in California that will result in
a fighter getting severely injured or killed. This is the trajectory
that CSAC is on right now because things are spinning out of
the control. The inspectors will be the first ones to tell you
so. The problem is that no one in Sacramento wants to pick up
the phone and take their call. It’s only a matter of health
& safety for fighters.
An “Oh s&^!” moment in Oxnard
The following scenario is a direct result of the decision making
made by Che Guevara and others in the front office of the California
State Athletic Commission.
El Dorado Entertainment is an entity that is new to the promotional
game. Last January, the Ventura County Star newspaper listed
the promoter as a man named Armando Renteria. Renteria is the
media front man for the operation. BoxRec even lists Armando
Renteria as a promoter. The first show under the El Dorado banner
happened on February 25th at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme,
California. They ran a show in May at the same venue. The reason
it’s called El Dorado Entertainment is due in part to Renteria
owning a restaurant in downtown Oxnard with the same name (El
Dorado).
Despite Armando Renteria being labeled as the promoter, his business
partner Raul Orozco is the man who has the promoter’s license
— or at least that’s what the fighters booked for the
El Dorado shows believe.
Orozco, according to one CSAC source, reportedly failed to show
up for his first El Dorado event back in February because he
was supposedly mad at this business partner. A promoter not showing
up for his own debut event?
Renteria, as noted in this Fight News report, is the manager
for boxer Jose Aguiniga. The B & P Code states the following:
18673. (a) All applications for a manager’s license shall
contain a true statement of all persons connected with, or having
a proprietary interest in, the management of the boxer or martial
arts fighter.
(b)
Any application for a manager’s license shall be signed
under penalty of perjury by the sole proprietor, a general partner,
or an officer of the corporation or association, as the case
may be.
18674.
All managers shall submit in writing, for prior approval by the
commission, any change at any time in the persons connected with
or having a proprietary interest in the management of the boxer
or martial arts fighter, including any change in the shareholders
of a corporate entity.
While
El Dorado Entertainment is a new name in the fight game, Renteria
has been around the scene before. As this Sherdog press release
and Ventura County Star article demonstrate, Renteria tried to
get into the MMA scene in 2009 with partner Rene Carranco. Carranco
ended up doing his own thing under the National Fight Alliance
banner. Where is Carranco running shows at? Ironically enough,
at least for this article, at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California.
It’s a small world, after all.
Fly-by-night promoters in the fight business isn’t a new
phenomena. Hang around long enough in pro-wrestling, MMA, or
boxing and you’ll find a million horror stories about promoters.
There’s nothing new with this angle to the story. However,
stick with me here and you’ll discover where CSAC comes
into play.
After the first El Dorado event in Port Hueneme, some of the
checks to fighters reportedly bounced. After the second El Dorado
event at the same building last May, more checks allegedly bounced
— including checks supposedly to commission officials (like
doctors, time keepers, judges, referees).
Instead of suspending the promoter’s license, asking the
commission to revoke it or taking any kind of corrective or disciplinary
action, Che Guevara & the front office allowed Orozco to
continue promoting as if bounced checks to officials and fighters
was OK.
So, why was Orozco allowed to keep his license? According to
multiple sources at the commission (on background), an idea was
formulated to allow Orozco to continue promoting shows as long
as he paid commission officials with certified/cashier’s
checks. However, there apparently wasn’t a guarantee to
pay the fighters with cashier’s checks. El Dorado agreed
to this condition and proceeded to promote an event for this
past Saturday in Oxnard, California at Pacifica High School.
Background information for an Armando Renteria in Port Hueneme
An online search for a Armando Renteria in Port Hueneme turned
up the following.
Business records with the state of California show that an Armando
in Port Hueneme has a suspended corporation (not related to his
fight promotion).
Entity
Name: JET LIFTING SYSTEMS, INC.
Entity Number: C3038630
Date Filed: 04/10/2008
Status: SUSPENDED
Jurisdiction: CALIFORNIA
Entity Address: 261 E. PORT HUENEME RD.
Entity City, State, Zip: PORT HUENEME CA 93041
Agent for Service of Process: ARMANDO RENTERIA
Agent Address: 261 E. PORT HUENEME RD.
Agent City, State, Zip: PORT HUENEME CA 93041
What a suspended corporation means:
The impact of a corporation being placed in suspended status
is substantial. When a corporation is suspended, it has lost
all rights and privileges as a corporation and cannot legally
operate. In that regard, technically a suspended corporation
is required to close its business and stop all business related
activity. Moreover, a suspended corporation cannot sue or defend
any action in court. Furthermore, a suspended corporation that
provides a service, or goods, to third parties while suspended
may not be able to collect payment for such services or goods
since the suspended corporation technically was not permitted
to engage in any business transactions.
A
California corporation can be placed back in good standing after
its has been suspended by being revived or reinstated. Until
the corporation corrects its suspended status, the corporation
is prohibited from transacting business and any contract executed
by a suspended corporation is voidable at the demand of the other
party. The only exceptions to the loss of corporate privileges
upon suspension are that the corporation may (1) change its name
by amendment to its Articles of Incorporation and (2) apply to
the Franchise Tax Board for tax exempt status.
In
the June 22nd, 2012 edition of The Antelope Valley Times, check
out this arrest log:
Arrested by LA County Sheriff’s Department – Lancaster
Station
Armando Renteria, 42, Male, Hispanic of Port Hueneme, CA
2:05 p.m., 6-20-2012
487(A)/PC/F GRD THFT:MONEY/LABOR/PROP
44226 20th Street West
For those wondering about 487, here you go:
487. Grand theft is theft committed in any of the following cases:
(a) When the money, labor, or real or personal property taken
is of a value exceeding nine hundred fifty dollars ($950), except
as provided in subdivision (b).
The area this person was arrested at has stores like Home Depot,
Hardwood Lumber, and Masonry Materials.
In what appears to the Facebook page for El Dorado in Oxnard,
take a look at this screen cap:
Class
of ‘87 would line up with the age (42) listed in the Lancaster
arrest log record.
Broken promises
Matchmaker Hervi Estrada, who booked some of the fighters on
the El Dorado card, reportedly asked for 50% of his fee up front
and the other 50% at the weigh-ins the day before the show. He
got his initial 50% fee up front but didn’t get his other
50%. The reason? The man with the promoter’s license, Raul
Orozco, failed to appear at his own weigh-in. Instead, Armando
Renteria showed up. When CSAC lead inspector Anthony Olivas conducted
the weigh-ins and signed the bout contracts, Orozco was nowhere
to be found. The rules are clear — the promoter, matchmaker,
or officer of the corporation with the promoting license is the
one who signs the bout contracts. Why was Olivas conducting business/weigh-in
and signing contracts with Renteria and not Orozco? In this case,
neither Orozco nor Estrada signed the bout contracts. Renteria
reportedly signed the contracts.
For the fighters that Hervi Estrada booked, they were allegedly
given a purse. Also, for the fighters that Orozco & Renteria
booked, they were reportedly given tickets as compensation. The
question is — did they use the value of the tickets given
to fighters as the value of the purse reported on the bout contract?
Confused? Read the rest of the article and we’ll lay out
a scenario of how this allegedly happened.
It’s not uncommon to see promoters give fighters tickets
to sell in exchange for receiving a % of the sales. However,
you can’t substitute the actual value of the purse by claiming
the purse value is based on how many tickets you gave to a fighter.
Example – you give a fighter 30 tickets at $20 face value
for each ticket. You can’t claim that the purse is $600
in value because… what if the fighter didn’t sell all
30 tickets? How much did the fighter actually make from ticket
sales? This is all critical information for the lead inspector
because they have to calculate the box office and, as one CSAC
source noted to us, you have to calculate the % you take away
for neurological & boxing pension funds from the promoter
based on the ticket manifest and just how many actually tickets
were sold by the fighter. You can’t simply say, “I
gave that fighter $600 in tickets, therefore calculate it based
on the fighter getting $600.” It doesn’t work that
way. The idea that tickets can replace cash as the full currency
value of the purse is insane.
The stink bomb detonates
On the day of the show, about a couple of hours before the first
bout of the evening, a teenage kid showed up at Pacific High
School and approached Anthony Olivas & Hervi Estrada. The
kid, who was reportedly Raul Orozco’s son, told them that
there was no money and that the show was canceled. Before those
at the show figured out it was a joke (or NOT), the kid reportedly
got out of dodge and a cancellation sign was posted at the building.
As soon as Hervi Estrada confirmed that the show was canceled,
he posted this message on Facebook:
WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT TODAY!, @ LEAST 4 ME, BUT I MUST THANK
ALL OF THE FIGHTERS, TRAINERS AND MANAGERS, FOR ALL OF WHAT THEY
WENT THROUGH TO MAKE THIS FIGHT HAPPEN TODAY, 2 BAD IT DID NOT
GO THROUGH, BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO ALL THE LOYAL
BOXING FANS THAT PAID FOR THAT 1 TICKET EXPECTING TO SEE A BEAUTIFUL
NIGHT OF BOXING IN THE BEAUTIFUL 805 WHERE CHAMPIONS ARE MADE.
FOR THE BIG LET DOWN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE BIG LET DOWN…EVEN
THOUGH I AM ONLY A MATCH MAKER. NOBODY DESERVES TO GO THROUGH
THIS. SINCERELY YOURS, HERVI ESTRADA
So,
where did Raul Orozco and Armando Renteria go? In the case of
Renteria, he started talking to the media in the form of the
Ventura County Star newspaper. Renteria claimed that the show
was ‘postponed’ and not canceled. Doesn’t it make
you wonder who exactly is the show promoter, Orozco or Renteria?
I don’t think Che Guevara, the Chief Athletic Inspector,
could tell you.
When contacted over the phone, El Dorado Entertainment’s
Armando Renteria said ticket sales were not doing well and he
had no choice but to pull the plug.
Renteria added the event was postponed to a later date and not
cancelled.
Renteria said the hand injury to Aguiniga and the co-main event
bout featuring Oxnard boxer Irvin Garcia falling through were
reasons why fewer tickets were being sold.
“The show revolves around Aguiniga and Garcia,” said
Renteria, who manages Aguiniga. “How could I leave it to
chance without those two? We had no choice but to postpone the
show. I feel horrible about it.”
How did VC Star writer Francisco Salazar manage to get in contact
with Armando Renteria when others could not? A look at these
two Fight News articles (here & here) provide you with the
answer.
In my opinion, Renteria admitted to violations of the law with
his comments to Salazar.
§ 246. Postponement.
If, through inclement weather (in case of any outdoor show) or
other happening not within the control of the club, a postponement
becomes necessary, the commission may grant an extension of the
contracts and set a new date, and the action of the commission
if a show called off shall be binding upon all parties to the
contracts. A small advance sale shall not be regarded as legitimate
reason for a postponement. Indoor boxing and wrestling shows
shall not be canceled for any reason except with the written
approval of the commission.
§ 247. Notice of Change in Program.
Notice of any change in announced or advertised programs for
any main event boxing contest shall be filed with the commission
and the press at least 24 hours before the contest. Notice of
such change or substitution shall also be conspicuously posted
at the box office, and announced from the ring before the opening
contest. If any of the patrons desire to have the price of their
tickets refunded, such refund shall be made immediately if the
tickets or the ticket stubs are presented at the box office.
The box office shall remain open a reasonable length of time
to redeem such tickets.
This
is important to note because of what Salazar said in the VC Star
article:
El Dorado Entertainment decided to postpone the show just a few
hours before doors were to open at 5 p.m.. The first fight on
the card was scheduled to begin at 6.
If
you read the full article, you will not see the word ‘refund’
anywhere from Renteria in regards to tickets bought for the Oxnard
show. Instead, a promise that those tickets will be ‘honored’
in the future. The commission’s rules & regulations
state that on the cancelation notice for the show there must
be notification for the fans on getting refunds when the top
fights on the card are canceled. That’s a hard-and-fast
rule. You can’t avoid it.
Apparently not, as long as the state gets their money up front.
According to multiple sources, the El Dorado Mexican restaurant
has been swamped with calls from angry ticket purchasers asking
how they can get a refund. One source framed the restaurant’s
response in this manner:
“I called and they said the promoter is having a meeting
tomorrow and they were told to take all the phone numbers and
the promoter will refund the money.”
You will also notice in the VC Star article that Crystal Morales
talked about selling $800 worth of tickets. You don’t say.
It’s one thing to have a side deal with a promoter where
if you sell tickets you get a % but when you try to substitute
the value of a purse by claiming the face value of tickets, we
have a problem on our hands. Was that the case here?
Plus, giving tickets out to fighters is a way to avoid paying
CSAC taxes by having these kinds of side deals.
We’ve talked with multiple lawyers experienced in combat
sports about this matter and not one lawyer agreed with the assessment
that tickets are legal tender for the purse.
If
you click on the image, you’ll see the enlarged version.
On the ticket, it plainly says “NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES.”
That’s against CSAC rules & regulations. Take note of
this code section:
§ 272. Refunds.
Every
club holding either boxing or martial arts matches shall have
printed on the stub of every ticket sold the following statement:
“Retain
this coupon in event of postponement or cancellation. Refund
$________.”
The
price paid for the ticket shall be printed in the foregoing blank
space, and the coupon detached and returned to the ticket holder
at the entrance gate. This coupon check shall also show the name
of the club and date of the contest or exhibition, and shall
be redeemed at its face value by the club upon presentation by
the purchaser if the advertised main event is postponed or does
not take place as advertised. The surety bond shall be conditioned
upon the compliance by the club with the provisions of this rule.
This
rule was clearly violated & no one from the athletic commission
did anything to put a stop to this.
Honoring & dishonoring the bout contract
We
received a copy of Crystal Morales’ bout contract. The contract
states that she was to get paid $1,000 for the purse. At the
weigh-ins the day before the show, Crystal claims that it was
modified to $1,200 because a couple of fights were canceled.
You’ll notice that the promoter listed on the contract is
Raul Orozco. He was supposed to be the one to sign the bout contracts
at the weigh-ins. Instead, Armando Renteria (not listed as the
promoter on the contract) signed the bout contracts that CSAC
approved.
In an on-the-record conversation Monday night, Crystal claims
that Armando Renteria asked her for the money she sold from tickets.
She was allegedly given 100 tickets with a total face value of
$3,000. She didn’t sell all the tickets. After she gave
the money from her ticket sales to Armando Renteria at the weigh-in,
she claims that Renteria turned around and gave the money to
a representative of CSAC.
After the fight was canceled on Saturday, she had not been paid.
On Monday, Crystal claimed that she received a text from Raul
Orozco. To paraphrase what she claims the text message stated,
allegedly the message stated that if she had talked to Armando
Renteria she would have found out that she was not getting paid
her purse because she didn’t sell the 100 tickets she was
given.
In the bout contract, the language clearly states that you have
to pay a fighter reasonable compensation for a bout that is postponed
or canceled.
CONSEQUENCES IF BOUT FAILS TO OCCUR: If the promoter fails to
perform as required by the terms of the contract of any statute,
rule, or policy enforced by the commission, the promoter shall
pay the contestant reasonable compensation as determined by the
commission. Nothing in this contract procludes the commission
from taking immediate disciplinary action against any part to
this contract for a violation of the statute, rule, or policy
enforced by the commission.
We
understand that Crystal is talking with an attorney right now
regarding what kind of case she has.
One respected commission source framed the debacle in Oxnard
this way.
“The fighters train, make weight, and fight. Why are we
not protecting them? It’s not the fighters’ job to
promote.
“This could have been avoided because this particular promoter
had bounced checks in the past, which means his promoter’s
license should be suspended. At his last show he bounced not
just one or two but all his checks bounced to the fighters, officials,
and doctors.”
The punchline? The cashier’s checks to CSAC officials were
reportedly $100 each. While the Sacramento front office is worrying
about $100 cashier’s checks and $50 fighter licenses, they’re
completely oblivious to losing hundreds of thousand of dollars
from mismanaged box office accounting practices. This is as classic
of a penny-wise and pound-foolish scenario as you could possibly
find.
And who gets screwed in the end? The fighters do. The bureaucrats
don’t. But the fighters sure take it up the ass, don’t
they?
Only CSAC could come up with a scenario where fighters get hosed
while commission officials get cashier’s checks. Let’s
see what Che Guevara will do next. Will he take action now or
just continue to close his eyes and let the fighters get screwed
again? Che Guevara and company knew exactly what the background
of Raul Orozco & Armando Renteria was and chose to do nothing
about it.
What about the promoter’s word as their, ahem, bond?
The state’s Business & Professions Code is pretty clear
about where the bond money should go if a situation like the
one in Oxnard happens. The money should not only go to event
officials from CSAC, it should go to pay the fighters and refund
the customers who bought tickets. It’s also allocated to
pay for medical insurance & pension contributions, too.
§ 213. Promoter’s License in the California Code states
the following:
(a)
An applicant shall demonstrate financial responsibility. For
purposes of section 18665(b) of the code, “financial responsibility”
means no less than $50,000 in cash or the equivalent in liquid
assets as demonstrated by the applicant’s financial statement.
The financial statement shall be prepared by and be on the letterhead
of a certified public accountant within sixty (60) days of the
date the application is filed.
(b)
An applicant shall demonstrate either that the applicant possesses
the necessary knowledge and experience to act as a promoter or
employs a person whose possesses those qualifications.
(c)
The bond required by section 18680 of the code, which shall be
set by the commission in an amount no less than $50,000.
In
the case of Raul Orozco & Armando Renteria, there was a $50,000
bond for the show. Matchmaker Hervi Estrada reportedly contacted
Christa Beck, a CSAC front officer worker, to ask if the bond
was in tact and was told it was. Of course, the commission has
to take action in order to get the money from the bond to cover
the fighters who got screwed at the show. Given that some of
the fighters are not from California, you can see why some of
the victims would simply write off their losses and give up.
When fighters get screwed over and costs continue to skyrocket
for small-show promoters in California, the cost of how much
you have to pay for a bond to cover your event also goes up.
The obvious must be stated here about the fighters. They signed
the contracts and honored their end of the bargain. The promoter(s)
did not. CSAC signed on bout contracts that were not signed by
the person with the promoter’s license. In my opinion, they
are legally (if not morally) liable here to take care of the
fighters. If the commission refuses to take care of the fighters
and leave the fighters out to dry to fight on their own for the
bond money, they are asking for lawsuits at that point.
What’s next?
There’s a commission meeting date set for CSAC on October
8th in Los Angeles. Here’s the agenda document. Nothing
so far on Raul Orozco or Armando Renteria. I suspect that’s
about to change.
At that October 8th meeting, the public should put Che Guevara
and company on the spot and demand answers as to why they allowed
deadbeat promoters to continue promoting events in the state
of California. They must demand answers to why the Sacramento
office wanted their officials to get cashier’s checks but
not demand that the fighters get cashier’s checks.
If Che Guevara wants to be the man to run the ship in Sacramento,
then let’s see him push for the revocation of the promoter’s
license for Raul Orozco. (Something he should have already done.)
All he has to do is cite the following B & P code:
18841. Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, licenses
issued under this chapter may be revoked, suspended, or placed
on probation under terms and conditions including, but not limited
to, the making of restitution, for any violation or attempted
violation of this chapter, any rule or regulation adopted pursuant
thereto, or for any cause for which a license may be denied.
Such
action shall be final, except that the propriety of such action
is subject to review, upon questions of law only, by the superior
court. The action of the commission shall stand unless and until
reversed by the court.
18842.
The commission, the executive officer and other employees duly
authorized by the executive officer, shall have the power to
suspend temporarily, any license until final determination by
the commission when, in his or her opinion, the action is necessary
to protect the public welfare or is in the best interest of boxing
or martial arts.
The
suspension may be without advance hearing, but the suspended
licensee may apply to the commission for a hearing on the matter
to determine if the suspension should be modified or set aside.
The application for a hearing shall be in writing and shall be
received by the commission within 30 days after the date of suspension.
Upon receipt of such written request, the commission shall set
the matter for hearing within 30 days.
We’ll
find out soon enough which side the Department of Consumer Affairs
is on. Are they willing to help protect the fighters and inspectors
or are they on the side of bureaucrats like Che Guevara? It’s
pretty sad and pathetic that fighters, promoters, and matchmakers
are approaching me and wanting to talk because they feel they
have no other recourse in terms of moving the needle to get anything
done in Sacramento. It’s says a lot about how impotent and
intellectually-challenged folks like Denise Brown are at the
Department of Consumer Affairs.
Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.
You, along with the rest of the management at Consumer Affairs,
have ran the California State Athletic Commission into the ground.
In the process, you’ve screwed over the state’s taxpayers,
fighters, promoters, matchmakers, and the fans. Consumer Affairs
attempting to ’sunset’ the commission in order to sweep
everything the rug isn’t going to work. The situation on
the ground is deteriorating at a rapid pace. People are already
suffering because of Consumer Affairs’ political decision
making. How many more victims will there be in the future? Many
more.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
on Fuel TV 5 Preview
By Tristen
Critchfield
While
we can acknowledge that the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s
heavyweight division has improved drastically over the past few
years, establishing depth remains a work in progress. The fact
that still-developing talents Stipe Miocic and Stefan Struve
were deemed worthy of a headlining gig at UFC on Fuel TV 5 this
Saturday in Nottingham, England, only serves as further proof
that brighter days are ahead for what is the promotion’s
most lucrative weight class.
Struve
and Miocic emerged with key victories in the much-ballyhooed
all-heavyweight main card at UFC 146 in May. Another win for
either will serve to further establish his viability as a contender.
Most importantly, both fighters provide plenty of violence and
entertainment potential. In addition to the heavyweight attraction,
UFC on Fuel TV 5 features national favorites such as Dan Hardy,
Brad Pickett and John Hathaway to keep the home folks happy.
Here
is a closer look at the card, with analysis and picks:
Heavyweights
Stefan
Struve (24-5, 8-3 UFC) vs. Stipe Miocic (9-0, 3-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: Perhaps we should temper our expectations just a bit
for Miocic, an up-and-coming big man with eight finishes in nine
professional appearances. After all, the Ohioan gave a lukewarm
performance in taking a unanimous decision over an undersized
Joey Beltran in his Octagon debut, and knocking out Philip De
Fries -- who is nowhere near anyone’s Top 10 -- should be
considered business as usual. Even Miocic’s signature win,
a technical knockout of Shane del Rosario at UFC 146, came against
a man who had spent nearly a year on the shelf after hurting
his back in a car accident.
With
that said, the talent pool at heavyweight is improving but still
thin, and Miocic has all the makings of a future contender. A
former amateur boxer and collegiate wrestler, Miocic made significant
progress in his victory over del Rosario. After absorbing some
kicks to his legs and liver early in round one, the Strong Style
Fight Team export responded by landing combinations in the pocket
and scoring a takedown at the end of the frame. In round two,
he executed another takedown and stayed heavy with ground-and-pound
from above, forcing a stoppage with vicious elbows at the 3:14
mark. Miocic was outstruck and likely lost the opening stanza,
but his ability to adjust between rounds bodes well for his future.
Struve,
who, at 24, is six years younger than Miocic, has already acquired
a wealth of UFC experience. Like his opponent, the Dutchman notched
an important victory at UFC 146, submitting the heavy-handed
Lavar Johnson inside of a round to improve to 8-3 within the
promotion. Though Struve is sometimes dismissed because of his
tendency to absorb large quantities of damage, “Skyscraper”
is capable of pulling off the unlikely comeback thanks to his
ability to remain composed in dire situations.
It
would be nice to see Struve begin to utilize his considerable
reach more often, but, in recent bouts, Dave Herman and Johnson
were able to get inside of the Team Schrijber representative
to land significant shots. Where Struve does take advantage of
his length is on the mat, where he uses his lanky frame to control
his opponents. He is among the most prolific fighters in the
UFC at transitioning from one submission attempt to another,
which works well since he has yet to successfully defend a takedown
during his tenure. In fact, Struve will often pull guard in hopes
of luring an overaggressive foe into a triangle choke or armbar.
Miocic
has dangerous power in his right hand, and his three-inch reach
disadvantage is not nearly as pronounced as some Struve opponents.
If the contest hits the canvas, however, Miocic must be measured
in his attacks as he looks to advance position, so as not to
allow Struve to work his guard. Miocic’s wrestling background
suggests he will be able to control Struve and dictate the action
better than some of the Dutchman’s previous victims. On
the feet, his ability to work angles should pay dividends against
a fighter who has not yet grasped how to fully utilize his assets.
The
Pick: Struve has defied the odds on more than one occasion, but
he has also suffered brutal knockout losses at the hands of Junior
dos Santos, Roy Nelson and Travis Browne. Miocic will be the
fourth man to finish “Skyscraper” in the UFC, catching
him with a big right hand and following up with strikes on the
ground for a second-round finish.
Welterweights
Dan
Hardy (24-10, 5-4 UFC) vs. Amir Sadollah (6-3, 6-3 UFC)
The
Matchup: Once upon a time, Hardy was a 170-pound title contender
lauded for his toughness in lasting five rounds against pound-for-pound
stalwart Georges St. Pierre. These days, he is simply a survivor.
The outspoken Brit stopped a four-fight skid at UFC 146 with
a rousing knockout victory over fellow standup artist Duane Ludwig.
The win came just in time; instead of being forced to cut “The
Outlaw,” the promotion was able to give him a co-main event
bout in his home country.
Hardy
has managed to stick around for as long as he has because he
recognizes the fans’ need to be entertained, and it was
not as if he was losing to nobodies: St. Pierre, Chris Lytle,
current interim champion Carlos Condit and the massive Anthony
Johnson make for a formidable quartet of foes. Hardy is at his
best when paired with someone who is willing to stand and trade
with him on the feet.
Despite
his last outing -- a tepid clinch battle against Jorge Lopez
in which he offered little in the way of meaningful offense --
Sadollah is that guy. Hardy and Sadollah struggle against powerful
wrestlers capable of holding them down and controlling the fight.
A takedown-heavy affair is not in the forecast here, so both
men will be free to let fly.
Sadollah
is the better-rounded striker of the two. He possesses smooth
muay Thai technique and does a good job landing with accuracy
and volume. The Throwdown representative fluidly mixes a variety
of attacks, utilizing punches, kicks, knees and elbows to rack
up points. Hardy, meanwhile, wields the superior knockout power;
his left hook, which ended Ludwig’s night, is particularly
dangerous. The Englishman has decent kicks, but he will often
abandon them and rely exclusive on his boxing. Hardy’s reputation
as a one-shot knockout artist is a bit misleading. Though he
does have 12 such victories to his credit, his stoppage of Ludwig
was his first since a knockout of Rory Markham in his second
Octagon appearance.
Clinch
work will also be key. Sadollah has good knees and elbows in
tie-ups, while Hardy has proven capable of landing solid punches
in close quarters. It is here that Sadollah might look to change
the location of the fight, as his offensive submission skills
could give Hardy problems on the canvas.
The
Pick: Hardy has the better chance of ending festivities with
a big punch, but this is a deceptively difficult fight for the
hometown favorite. As long as he can keep his chin away from
Hardy’s left hook, Sadollah is skilled enough to take home
a decision victory.
Bantamweights
Brad
Pickett (21-6, 1-1 UFC) vs. Yves Jabouin (18-7, 3-1 UFC)
The
Matchup: Pickett has 11 wins in his last 13 appearances, with
his only losses during that time coming against interim bantamweight
champion Renan “Barao” Pegado and former WEC 135-pound
title challenger Scott Jorgensen. “One Punch” earned
his first UFC victory in April, submitting the hard-charging
Damacio Page with a rear-naked choke in their UFC on Fuel TV
2 matchup. That bout was typical of what Pickett does well, as
the Englishman set a frenetic pace, traded strikes in the pocket
and kept the pressure on Page through timely takedowns.
However,
Jabouin brings a different type of standup approach to the table
than the go-for-broke method favored by Page. The Tristar Gym
product has utilized a technical, multi-faceted standup attack
to fashion a three-fight winning streak in the UFC, his longest
run of success since his pre-Zuffa days. After living dangerously
in split-decision triumphs over Ian Loveland and Walel Watson,
Jabouin gave a dominant performance in taking a unanimous decision
against Jeff Hougland at UFC on Fuel TV 3. There, “Tiger”
showcased a variety of weapons, as he hurt Hougland with a spectacular
spinning back kick in round one and dropped his opponent with
a left hook in the final frame.
Implementing
his flashy kicks and flying knees will prove more difficult against
Pickett, whose constant pressure makes finding a comfortable
range and timing difficult. While Jabouin might prefer to remain
on the outside and establish a rhythm with low kick-punch combinations,
Pickett will constantly move forward while looking to land his
lead hook and uppercut. Jabouin can counter by working the body
with knees and kicks, but he must be aware that Pickett is adept
at transitioning quickly from striking to takedowns.
On
the floor, Pickett will continue to throw heavy punches, wearing
down Jabouin while looking to improve position. If Jabouin relents,
Pickett will have an opportunity to apply a rear-naked choke
or guillotine.
The
Pick: Pickett has not been knocked out since 2005, and his solid
chin will aid him in forcing Jabouin into a close-quarters firefight.
With an aggressive adversary constantly in his face, the Canadian
will struggle to put anything consistent together. Pickett wins
via unanimous decision.
Lightweights
Paul
Sass (13-0, 3-0 UFC) vs. Matt Wiman (14-6, 8-4 UFC)
The
Matchup: Through 13 professional fights, there have been no mysteries
regarding Sass’ intentions. At some point, the Englishman
is going to find a way to get the action to the ground in hopes
of applying his vaunted “Sassangle” or, occasionally,
another submission.
Despite
showing limited standup and so-so wrestling, that approach has
translated into wins over Mark Holst, Michael Johnson and Jacob
Volkmann in three UFC appearances. Volkmann, a three-time NCAA
All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota, paid dearly
for working in Sass’s guard at UFC 146; despite his credentials,
he tapped to a triangle armbar 1:54 into round one.
For
his next challenge, the submission specialist gets Wiman, a hard-nosed
and experienced opponent with a solid mix of wrestling and standup.
Wiman has been out of action since a decision triumph over Mac
Danzig in October; a knee injured forced “Handsome”
out of a proposed conflict against Mark Bocek at UFC 145. While
he has not quite emerged from the middle of the pack at lightweight,
Wiman’s toughness and aggression make him an interesting
foil for Sass, who has proven that he is more likely to pull
guard than take part in any kind of standup exchanges.
In
bouts where he is outmatched on the feet, Wiman generally uses
a solid one-two combination and leg kicks to allow him to close
distance and get the fight to the ground. Against Sass, he might
want to alter that strategy and remain standing, especially since
the Team Kaobon member seemingly has little to offer as long
as the action is upright.
However,
Sass has an uncanny ability to get the fight where he wants it,
and once on the mat he will constantly shift positions in hopes
of finding an opening for a submission. Wiman thwarted Cole Miller,
a decent submission specialist in his own right, with heavy ground-and-pound,
but he will find that Sass’s guard leaves even less room
for error.
The
Pick: Wiman has a strong base once he moves into dominant position
on the floor, and he will be active with punches, elbows and
hammerfists. Because of his willingness to bring the fight, Wiman
is a good opponent to test Sass’s toughness and composure.
Sass survives some harrowing moments but ultimately uses Wiman’s
aggression in his favor to earn a second-round submission.
Welterweights
John
Hathaway (16-1, 6-1 UFC) vs. John Maguire (18-3, 2-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: After emerging as one of the top welterweight prospects
following his upset victory over Diego Sanchez in 2010, Hathaway
has quietly drifted to the background of the division. The memory
of a loss to Mike Pyle at UFC 120 still lingers, and injuries
have limited the Englishman’s activity in recent months.
Still,
it is important to recognize that Hathaway is just 25 years old,
with six wins in seven Octagon appearances. Since his loss to
Pyle, “The Hitman” has scored triumphs against Kyle
McCray and Pascal Krauss. While neither victory is likely to
propel Hathaway back to the top of the weight class, continuing
to pile up wins will earn him higher-profile bouts soon enough.
Maguire,
meanwhile, has displayed solid grappling acumen in victories
over Justin Edwards and DaMarques Johnson in his first two UFC
appearances. He was particularly impressive in countering a kimura
attempt from Johnson before finishing their UFC on Fuel TV 2
contest with an armbar -- a move he referred to as “gypsy
jiu-jitsu” in the post-fight interview. With seven consecutive
wins under his belt, Maguire should have plenty of momentum and
confidence on his side.
Hathaway
does not have a ton of options on the feet, but his straight
punches and lead knee will be more than enough against Maguire,
who will want to get the fight to the mat as soon as possible.
Making the task even more difficult is the 6.5-inch reach edge
of Hathaway. The London Shootfighters representative has solid
takedowns, and his more proficient striking will allow him to
better set up his shot. Though Hathaway has good ground-and-pound,
his wrestling is not at the elite level where he can hold Maguire
in place with ease. Maguire must look to sweep and force scrambles,
which will create openings for his submission game.
The
Pick: Maguire has a good work rate, but his standup is not enough
to keep his opponent guessing. Hathaway will be able to land
on the feet while mixing in takedowns to capture a decision.
Welterweights
Che
Mills (14-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. Duane Ludwig (21-13, 4-4 UFC)
The
Matchup: Mills was impressive in his UFC debut, knocking out
Chris Cope in a mere 40 seconds at UFC 138. There is a big difference
between Cope and highly regarded 170-pound prospect Rory MacDonald,
however -- a fact that Mills was made painfully aware of in a
lopsided loss at UFC 145. While “Beautiful” held his
own when the fight was vertical, MacDonald was completely dominant
on the mat.
If
Mills wants to remain standing, he will have a willing foe in
Ludwig, a renowned muay Thai practitioner. Ludwig’s willingness
to engage can make for some entertaining stand-and-bang affairs,
but it can also prove costly: witness the first-round knockout
loss to Dan Hardy in his last outing at UFC 146. Ludwig hits
hard and is technically sound, so Mills will want to try and
mix a takedown or two into his game plan.
Mills
has demonstrated a good sense of movement and timing on the feet,
but Ludwig, with his K-1 background, is the more multi-faceted
striker. With that said, Mills’ reach advantage dictates
that Ludwig will not be able to fight on the outside. Ludwig
does not mind trading in the pocket, however, and has proven
capable of doing damage to the body. Mills, meanwhile, must utilize
his solid jab and look for openings to land punishing knees to
his opponent.
After
so many standup wars, Ludwig will never back down from a firefight.
Likewise, Mills has established a reputation as something of
a standup specialist, so fireworks are likely to be in store.
The
Pick: While Mills is the bigger, younger fighter, it is tough
to go against Ludwig’s experience here. As long as “Bang”
does not spend extended periods of the fight on his back, he
will able to unleash a high-volume attack and wear down Mills
for a late TKO stoppage.
Light
Heavyweights
Kyle
Kingsbury (11-4, 4-3 UFC) vs. Jimi Manuwa (11-0, 0-0 UFC): Kingsbury
has been overwhelmed in back-to-back outings against Stephan
Bonnar and Glover Teixeira, but the American Kickboxing Academy
product remains a good athlete who just needs to put a few things
together in order to become a more complete mixed martial artist.
He will face a heavy-handed light heavyweight in Manuwa, who
has finished all but one of his victims by knockout or technical
knockout, many of them inside of a round. Kingsbury’s ability
to use wrestling and knees in the clinch gives him a slight edge,
as he wins by TKO in round two.
Featherweights
Akira
Corassani (9-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Andy Ogle (8-1, 0-0 UFC): This is
an “Ultimate Fighter” fan’s delight, as Season
14’s Corassani meets Season 15’s Ogle in a battle of
UFC debutantes. Corassani has not seen action since February
2011, when he lost to Paul Reed via second-round TKO. Ogle was
forced off “The Ultimate Fighter 15” Finale due to
a concussion suffered in a semifinal loss to Al Iaquinta on the
reality show. Both men have plenty to prove here, but look for
Ogle’s toughness and determination to carry him to a decision
victory.
Middleweights
Tom
Watson (15-4, 0-0 UFC) vs. Brad Tavares (8-1, 3-1 UFC): A former
British Association of Mixed Martial Arts middleweight champion,
Watson has excelled outside the UFC, winning 11 of his past 12
fights, including three title defenses. Tavares last appeared
at UFC on Fuel TV 3, where he took a unanimous nod against Dongi
Yang. Watson has solid kickboxing but can be susceptible to good
wrestlers. Tavares is more of a brawler, but he has shown improved
awareness in his wrestling of late. The Hawaiian wins via decision.
Welterweights
Gunnar
Nelson (9-0-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. DaMarques Johnson (15-11, 4-5 UFC):
A Renzo Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt, Nelson returned after nearly
a year and a half away from the cage to submit Alexander Butenko
in February. The Iceland native has not gone the distance since
a draw with John Olesen in his professional debut. Johnson steps
in for the injured Pascal Krauss on two weeks’ notice; “Darkness”
has lost three of his last four bouts in the Octagon. Nelson
is a cool customer on the mat and has the look of a fighter whose
best is yet to come. He submits Johnson in the third round.
Featherweights
Jason
Young (9-5, 1-2 UFC) vs. Robbie Peralta (15-3, 1-0 UFC): Young
rode takedowns and ground-and-pound to a victory over Eric Wisely
at UFC on Fuel TV 2. He will want to do more of the same against
Peralta, who generally tends to land more consistently and with
more volume than the Englishman on the feet. Peralta will slow
Young’s advances with low kicks and impress with his aggression
en route to a three-round verdict.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Andrei
Arlovski vs. Devin Cole Headlines first World Series of Fighting
Card
The
inaugural World Series of Fighting event now has a main event
as former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski faces former
Strikeforce competitor Devin Cole.
World
Series of Fighting officials announced the new match-up and headline
fight on Tuesday.
“We
are thrilled to welcome both Andrei and Devin to the World Series
of Fighting roster and to have them headline our first live event,”
said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “Both
of these heavyweights have delivered some incredibly memorable
highlights during their careers and their matchup should be a
barnburner.”
Former
UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski definitely fell on harder
times over the last few years, dropping four fights in a row
between 2009 and 2011. Lately though, Arlovski has returned to
his old form picking up back to back wins before a no contest
against old foe Tim Sylvia at ONE FC: Pride of a Nation in late
August.
Devin
Cole comes into the World Series of Fighting main event off of
two wins in a row as well, with both fights taking place in Strikeforce.
Currently, Cole is scheduled to fight on Oct 6 at CFA 8 in Florida,
but it’s unclear if he will still take the bout with his
newly minted bout against Andrei Arlovski set for Nov 3 in Las
Vegas.
Arlovski
vs. Cole will headline the World Series of Fighting card headed
to Planet Hollywood on Nov 3 in Las Vegas, and the show will
air on the NBC Sports Network.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Exodus:
Kathi Burns, Sarah Waklee out at CSAC office
By Zach
Arnold
The
situation at the California State Athletic Commission continues
to disintegrate in an alarming fashion. The state, which regulates
twice as many shows as the second most active state in the U.S.,
is dealing with a commission that has become the most toxic political
bureau under the umbrella of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Two players in the ongoing mess at CSAC are now out. Sarah Waklee,
the UFC-friendly front office worker at CSAC and inspector for
Northern California shows, is gone (after the end of this week).
She has been reportedly transferred to another state agency,
the Department of Justice. Needless to say, her CSAC front office
antics will not fly at DOJ. This essentially ends her dream of
becoming the next CSAC Executive Officer. Waklee filed numerous
complaints against workers at Consumer Affairs, resulting in
a polarized & politically-charged office environment.
Kathi Burns, who took over in mid-July as Executive Officer as
a replacement for the departed George Dodd, is also on the outs.
Burns was never a combat sports fan nor had any knowledge of
the industry. And it certainly showed during her tenure. When
we highlighted the follies of both Burns & Waklee in our
Strikeforce San Diego drug testing article, needless to say the
writing was on the wall for both individuals. Plus, when internal
CSAC memos were revealed regarding the complete incompetence
of the front office, that pretty much wrapped everything up.
Here is the internal memo that Burns sent out to CSAC staff today
regarding her upcoming departure:
Hello Everyone,
I
wanted to let all of you know that I have accepted a position
at the Office of Legal Affairs at the CHP. My last day at CSAC
will be 10/12. I have truly enjoyed my time working with all
of you and very much appreciate those of you who took the time
to show me the ropes and to share with me your knowledge and
perspective of combat sports in California.
I
will miss working with you and wish you all the best.
Regards,
Kathi
Waklee
has immediately departed, while Burns will be gone in October.
It means the DCA lifer didn’t last three months in the job.
Also, it should be pointed out that her transfer to OAL for CHP
is not a direct, lateral transfer from one DCA agency to another.
This was a transfer from DCA to another state agency. Did someone
pull rank and help Kathi Burns out with a favor? Maybe. After
all, CSAC was supposed to be a safe transfer spot for other DCA
employees who needed to be kept around but had budget cuts at
other agencies. Moving from Consumer Affairs to a non-DCA agency
is certainly a curious move.
With Burns and Waklee out, it all but means that DCA’s golden
boy Che Guevara is now in charge. However, that’s like bragging
about being in charge of Libya at this point. The front office
for CSAC has become an absolute wasteland and the situation is
not getting any better. Guevara, who is the “Chief Athletic
Inspector” at CSAC, has simply not trained inspectors properly
when it comes to managing a box office, figuring out illegal
hand wraps or skinned gloves, fighters using the wrong size of
gloves in order to gain an advantage, screwing up drug testing
protocols, and managing fighter paperwork because it’s been
lost or tampered with.
Regarding these issues, the situation in the office has actually
gotten worse since we last reported on what has been going on.
The good news is that Consumer Affairs has a $25,000/yr person
they call an SSA (Staff Service Analyst) who is now trying to
look over box office records. The bad news is that this person
is messing up their own audits of the box offices and can’t
properly do an audit because the ticket manifests being given
to them by inspectors is royally inaccurate & messed up beyond
all recognition. As for the issue of medical & licensing
paperwork for fighters, we are hearing angst amongst boxing &
MMA fighters who are being told to fill out paperwork again that
they had filled out literally a month ago at a show and got receipts
for. In other words, the minute they are filling out paperwork
it’s gone from Sacramento and the burden is being placed
on the fighters and not the state to resolve the matters. In
all my years of covering screw-ups in the fight business, I’ve
never seen anything quite like the situation I’m witnessing
now when it comes to the CSAC office missing or altering paperwork.
Fighters really don’t have much of a choice, either, when
an inspector goes to them and says either comply with our orders
or else you’re not fighting on the card. The promoters are
in the same bind here. The Sacramento office is driving people
to their breaking point, resulting in business going to tribal
land or to other states.
Che Guevara, the golden boy of DCA, is now going to essentially
run the operations. He thinks he is the cock of the walk. The
man who got a job promotion from Consumer Affairs because he
missed Antonio Margarito’s illegal hand wraps and then perjured
himself at a CSAC disciplinary hearing over the matter is now
going to be the last man standing at CSAC. He thinks that this
is the greatest development in the world. Well, Bill Douglas
also thought he was the cock of the walk when he took over at
CSAC a few years ago and look at him now. He’s gone from
state work and facing seven misdemeanor charges for allegedly
trying to sabotage the commission’s front office.
With everyone else in the old power structure basically gone
now from CSAC, all the blame & responsibility for combat
sports regulation in California falls right onto Che Guevara.
It’s a lot easier to be the finger-pointer than the one
having the finger pointed at… like reportedly telling other
CSAC workers that it’s not his fault but rather Kathi’s
for the implementation of the infamous “3 inspector”
per show policy. He’s about to find out a painful lesson
on just how much powerful politicians in the state of California
(outside of Consumer Affairs) are paying close attention to his
actions. This will not end well for him. Perhaps Consumer Affairs
can channel CSAC’s past and bring in hacks like lawyer Spencer
Walker, staff manager Gil De Luna, or former interim E.O. Dave
Thornton (the man who cost DCA $750,000 in a sexual & racial
harassment suit) to help out Che. You never know.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Bellator
CEO Bjorn Rebney responds to criticism from Dana White: ‘It's
very, very hypocritical’
By Shaun
Al-Shatti
Bellator
Fighting Championships has been making plenty of headlines lately,
but for none of the right reasons. The promotion has come under
fire for a dubious "matching rights" stipulation in
its contracts after public disputes with two fighters -- Tyson
Nam and Roger Hollett -- left many observers soured, the most
recent of whom was UFC President Dana White.
Speaking
with reporters in a UFC 152 post-fight scrum, White launched
into a tirade against his competitor's tactics, referring to
the practice as "borderline criminal."
"I
don't talk much about Bellator, but what they do is one of the
dirtiest things you can do in the business," said White.
"It's dirty, it's grimy, and it's just despicable. Of course
I have the right to match, but once I cut a guy and let him go
and somebody else tries to sign him, I don't come back and say,
`Oh, you're breaking the contract. I have matching rights.' You
made the decision to cut him. You cut him. That's one of the
scummiest, dirtiest things you can do.
"I
guess that's the way those guys do business. We don't do business
like that."
Bellator
CEO Bjorn Rebney listened to White's words on Monday's episode
of The MMA Hour, and did not mince words in his response.
"It's
a very, very hypocritical statement," Rebney mused.
"We
had to go through the exact same process with Zuffa when we signed
‘King Mo.' Zuffa released ‘King Mo' Lawal on March
27, 2012. They went public with their release, they put it up
on their own website, on UFC.com, Dana confirmed the release
of 'King Mo' to the media on the exact same day, and then in
April, when Bellator looked to sign 'King Mo,' we had to submit
our full contract to Zuffa. We sent it certified mail to their
attorneys. Then we had to wait 14 full business days, which is
typically 20-to-21 days in total, for them to decide if they
were going to match or not going to match -- which thankfully
they didn't, and we ended up with one of the most exciting and
entertaining light heavyweights in the world -- but, this is,
to the letter, the exact same process.
"So
it's one thing to call somebody out on doing something,"
continued Rebney. "But when you follow the exact same process,
the veracity of the comments have to be taken in context with
what the real world dictates."
Looking
back, while Nam and Hollett's disagreements with Bellator differed
in the details, the common thread remained that both fighters
were at one time signed to a contract before eventually being
released.
Nam
went on to knockout heralded Bellator bantamweight champion Eduardo
Dantas in a regional show in Brazil. After which, hoping to capitalize
on his newfound momentum, Nam claims he fielded several lucrative
offers from various promotions before being informed by Bellator
lawyers that, due the promotion's matching rights, Bellator still
held claim over his contract. Now, despite never actually fighting
for Bellator in the first place, Nam could potentially be held
out of action for the remainder of 2012, waiting for a spot in
the next Bellator tournament, which is expected to kick off sometime
in the spring of 2013.
A
half-year of inactivity is a tough pill for any up-and-coming
fighter to swallow, and Nam has repeatedly implored Bellator
to "take the handcuffs off." Nonetheless, Rebney maintains
his matching rights clause is just a side effect of the business.
"You
have a limited number of spots," Rebney explained. "So
you're ultimately going to look from a business perspective to
protect yourself as a company, so that if you do give somebody
that big opportunity, you ultimately are not going to be left
out in a position where you're just building someone up for someone
else.
"That's
what the clause is designed for. It's not designed to put the
fighter in a worse position. It's not created to give the promoter
who had the contract with that fighter the opportunity to pay
him less. All you're saying is, ‘Look, give me the opportunity
to pay you exactly what someone else will pay you, and if I decide
to, I get the right to keep you. If I decide not to, in relatively
short order, 14 days, I've got to release you.'"
Rebney
previously admitted those 14 business days can actually stretch
to "20-to-21 days," and in the case of Hollett, that
discrepancy makes a difference.
According
to Hollett, it was only through Vladimir Matyushenko's misfortune
that he ever escaped Bellator's clutches to fight at UFC 152.
Hollett signed with Bellator in 2011, competing just once before
being dropped from season six's light heavyweight tournament
due to a potentially serious heart condition. After receiving
his Bellator walking papers, Hollett remained inactive until
the UFC came calling with a chance to fight on pay-per-view against
Matt Hamill. The 33-year-old jumped at the offer, which was easily
the biggest opportunity of career, but it soon fell apart because,
he believes, Bellator dragged it's feet during the matching rights
period, not signing off until the day after the UFC decided to
move in a different direction.
From
an outsider's perspective, the situation certainly is coincidental
enough to appear like a vindictive attempt to block Hollett from
joining the UFC. However, according to Rebney, that's simply
not true.
"It's
literally a mechanism where you're actually giving a fighter
an opportunity to go out and entertain other offers," said
Rebney. "Because if you keep a fighter under contract and
just keep him on the shelf, if you keep a fighter under long-term
promotional agreement and just keep him on the shelf, you're
not doing the fighter any favors at all.
"A
fighter like Roger Hollett -- he's a talented fighter, he's got
good abilities, he got a good following up in Canada -- we didn't
have a place for him, just based on the depth of that division.
The UFC did, and it took us literally 30 minutes looking at the
offer to say, ‘Hey, Roger, good luck. Go do the best you
can. We wish you all the luck in the world. You can move on to
the UFC.' But, there's benefits to the fighter as well, because
you're not ultimately holding onto fighters, you're just keeping
one small segment of that contract in a position where you can
protect the time and money you've invested into that fighter."
Aside
from Lawal, Rebney also referenced the signing of Roger Huerta
in 2010 as an example of the UFC utilizing its matching rights
to determine a fighter's future. For this reason, Rebney admits
he isn't sure why Bellator is now being singled out if the practice
is so widespread.
"If
you're a fan of the game and you've been watching, you want the
Viacom's onboard," he explained. "You want the Fox's
onboard. You want huge, monolithic entertainment giants supporting
this game and building it up, and building it up both domestically
and internationally. Part of that is investment, and part of
that investment is in the fighters. So, are we going to continue
to follow a process that's been pretty well documented and that
the other large organization in this space follows? We may.
"I
think it would be a different situation if you were saying to
the fighter, hey, we want a right to match, but we want to pay
you 30-percent less than any deal you get. Now that would be
untenable. That would be, in my mind, unfair. But when you do
make the commitment, and you do provide the opportunity, and
you do provide the platform, I don't think it's an unreasonable
thing to ask for.
"These
contracts are 40-something pages long," Rebney concluded.
"And written by some of the smartest minds in the legal
profession. So sometimes people don't have the opportunity to
review them all or see them in totality, or understand the commitment
that our company or another company might make to a fighter."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Shinya
Aoki: Arnaud Lepont Made a Mistake Asking to Fight Me
by Damon
Martin
It’s
been almost six months since Shinya Aoki last competed, and it
appears the time off is giving the former DREAM champion a bit
of a razor’s edge as he heads into his next bout.
Aoki
is scheduled to meet striker Arnaud Lepont in the main event
of the upcoming ONE FC: Rise of Kings show in Singapore, and
he’s fired up to get back into action.
Originally,
Aoki was supposed to be part of the last ONE FC show in late
August, but the promotion was unable to secure him an opponent,
and so the waiting game continued.
“I
leave that to my manager, I think there was a problem finding
an opponent to fight me in Manila. I am very happy to be signed
with ONE FC and am looking forward to fighting in Singapore because
I train at the Evolve MMA camp and my friends and teammates are
here. In the future I hope I will have the chance to fight in
the Philippines as well, I was in Manila and the fans there seem
to love MMA a lot,” Aoki told MMAWeekly.com recently.
The
time off for Aoki has been spent getting better each and every
day, but that doesn’t mean the sting of his last fight,
a loss to Eddie Alvarez in Bellator, doesn’t still hurt.
“Sometimes
it is good for your body and your mind to have a rest. I was
very disappointed after that fight, I do not like to lose, it
is difficult for me. I am happy to have signed with ONE FC and
I expect to fight more regularly in future,” Aoki stated.
For
his next fight, Aoki faces Arnaud Lepont in the main event of
the ONE FC show headed to Singapore. For the weeks leading up
to the fight, Lepont has stated that he’s a big fan of Aoki,
and honored to face him in the cage.
Aoki’s
not sure what his opponent means by ‘he’s a fan’
but he’s certainly sure of one thing – Lepont made
a big mistake signing on for this fight.
“I
don’t know very much about him and I don’t really care.
He says he is a fan but if that is the case then fighting me
is a very stupid thing to do, most of my fans want to take a
photo with me but he wants to fight me? I find that very strange,”
said Aoki.
“I
am not a fan of Arnaud Lepont because I don’t know who he
is and I think he has made a mistake by asking to fight me.”
On
paper the fight looks like a lot of the past match-ups that Aoki
has seen where a striker comes into the bout and doesn’t
look to go to ground with the submission wizard. It’s nothing
new for Aoki, but he says he might have a few surprises in store
for the next opponent trying to knock him out.
“I
have fought more than 30 times and every opponent has said the
same thing. Before I was mainly a Jiu-Jitsu fighter but Evolve
MMA has helped me to change and become an all round MMA fighter,”
said Aoki. “I am sure he thinks his standup is better than
mine and that he can knock me out but maybe I think the same
thing too? My job is just to win but if I could knock out Arnaud
Lepont that would also be fun for me.”
If
plans go accordingly, Aoki hopes to get back on the winning track
by defeating Lepont and then awaiting word on his next fight.
While it appears there will be no major New Year’s Eve show
in his native Japan this year, Aoki is just looking to stay active
as he moves into 2013 after what looks like only two fights in
2012.
“That
is up to ONE FC, if they want me to fight again I am ready but
I know there will be a lot of opportunities in the future because
I believe in ONE FC and am confident I will be able to fight
regularly,” said Aoki.
“I
am sure I will fight more than two times in 2013.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Cristiano
Marcello jabs at rival and comments on spate of UFC Rio injuries
by Victor
Freitas
A
Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Royler Gracie, Cristiano Marcello
is forging ahead with his preparations for UFC Rio, where he
locks horns with Sweden’s Reda Madadi in the card opener.
Cristiano
was part of the cast for the 15th season of “The Ultimate
Fighter” reality show, on which he suffered a knockout in
his second fight, at the hands of Sam Sicilia last February.
But the setback hasn’t cost him any enthusiasm for his impending
battle in his “own backyard”.
Speaking
with GRACIEMAG.com, he analyzed his opponent:
“First
of all, I don’t think much of the guy. We had a rift at
an event in Europe. I got in the ring with him to set up a fight
and he disrespected me. Now I do have to admit he has his qualities
as a fighter. He has solid wrestling and can keep up the pace
from start to finish. My strategy is to work on every facet of
the game so I don’t get caught by any surprises,” the
black belt formerly on the Pride FC roster said.
“I
have a four-fight contract but what’s important to me is
that I get the win. I’ll be fighting at home. Although I’ve
been living in Curitiba for the last 11 years, I have my family,
friends and my eternal Gracie Humaitá academy there by
my side in Rio. That will give me strength in the fight. I like
remembering how I’ve fought at all the biggest events on
the planet. Now, I’m ready to carve out my place in the
UFC,” he said.
The
UFC Rio card went through a major facelift due to injuries, a
subject Cristiano addressed during the conversation.
“These
days, you fight every three months, so you have to keep up the
rhythm the whole time, which drastically increases the risk of
injury, if you don’t watch out. That’s why I’m
always doing preventive physiotherapy with a massage therapist
and taking lots of ice baths and rest. You have to feel when
your body is asking you to take a break,” he explained.
Initially
on the card for the UFC show on the coming 13th, Erik Koch and
Quinton Jackson had to withdraw from the card due to injury.
And José Aldo, scheduled to fight opposite Koch in the
main event, hurt his foot in a motorcycle accident and pulled
out of the event too.
UFC
153
HSBC Arena, Rio, Brazil
October 13, 2012
Anderson
Silva vs Stephan Bonnar
Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira vs Dave Herman
Erick Silva vs Jon Fitch
Glover Teixeira vs Fabio Maldonado
Phil Davis vs Wagner “Caldeirão” Prado
Demian Maia vs Rick Story
Under
card
Rony
“Jason” Mariano vs Sam Sicilia
Gabriel “Napão” Gonzaga vs Geronimo “Mondragon”
dos Santos
Diego Brandão vs Joey Gambino
Francisco “Massaranduba” Drinaldo vs Gleison Tibau
Sérgio Moraes vs Renée Forte
Luiz “Banha” Cané vs Chris Camozzi
Cristiano Marcello vs Reza Madadi
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Showtime
issues statement on Strikeforce event cancellation
By Mike
Chiappetta
In
the early hours of Monday morning, Strikeforce announced that
it had canceled its upcoming Sept. 29 show following an injury
to its lightweight champion and event headliner, Gilbert Melendez.
That
marked the second event cancellation for parent company Zuffa
in just over one month.
In
making its announcement, Strikeforce said the decision was made
to cancel the event when Showtime informed the promotion that
they would not be airing it. Late on Monday, the premium cable
network released its own statement on the decision its executives
made.
Here
is the complete statement (updated):
"On
Friday night Strikeforce informed us that Lightweight Champion
Gilbert Melendez had sustained an injury and would not be able
to compete in their Saturday, September 29 card. Without our
headline fighter and main event or a marquee undercard, we reluctantly
informed Strikeforce that we could not continue with plans for
the telecast."
Melendez
has since said that it was a shoulder injury that knocked him
out of the fight. He was scheduled to face Pat Healy. It is not
known whether Strikeforce or Showtime had any interest in a replacement
for Melendez.
The
other four fights that had been scheduled for the main card were
Gian Villante vs. Guto Inocente, Josh Thomson vs. Caros Fodor,
Isaac Vallie-Flagg vs. Adriano Martins and Jorge Santiago vs.
Quinn Mulhern.
Strikeforce
said that ticket buyers for the show, which was supposed to be
held at Sacramento's Power Balance Arena, would be able to receive
a full refund.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
152 Medical Suspensions: Jon Jones Out Indefinitely; All Fighters
Get Mandatory Rest
The
Ontario Athletic Commission on Tuesday released the list of UFC
152 medical suspensions.
The
list includes every fighter on the card, although several are
standard 14-day rest periods just for having a fight.
Of
particular note on the list, however, is UFC light heavyweight
champion Jon Jones. He received an indefinite medical suspension
due to having his arm hyperextended by Vitor Belfort’s armbar
attempt and must get it x-rayed and cleared before he can return
to action.
UFC
152: Jones vs. Belfort Medical Suspensions
Jon
Jones: 14 days rest and indefinite suspension; needs x-ray of
right arm for medical clearance
Vitor Belfort: 30 days rest; laceration over eye
Demetrious
Johnson: 14 days rest
Joseph Benavidez: 30 day suspension; cut over left eye
Michael
Bisping: 14 days rest
Brian Stann: 14 days rest
Matt
Hamill: 14 days rest
Roger Hollett: 30 day suspension and indefinite suspension; needs
x-ray of left hand for medical clearance
Cub
Swanson: 14 days rest
Charles Oliveira: 60 day suspension and indefinite suspension;
needs CT/MRI for medical clearance
Vinicius
Magalhaes: 14 days rest
Igor Pokrajac: 30 day suspension
TJ
Grant: 14 days rest
Evan Dunham: 60 day suspension; deep cut on forehead
Sean
Pierson: 14 days rest
Lance Benoist: 30 days rest; forehead laceration
Marcus
Brimage: 14 days rest
James Hettes: 14 days rest
Seth
Bacznski: 14 days rest
Simeon Thoresen: 60 day suspension and indefinite suspension;
needs MRI for medical clearance
Michel
Gagnon: 14 days rest
Walel Watson: 14 days rest
Kyle
Noke: 14 days rest
Charlie Brenneman: 60 day suspension and indefinite suspension;
needs MRI for medical clearance
(Medical
suspensions courtesy of mixedmartialarts.com.)
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
TUF
16: Team Nelson Coach Ron Frazier Talks Coaching Philosophy and
Team Selection
TUF
16 Team Nelson coach Ron Frazier joins MMAWeekly.com to blog
about the newest season of the reality show. In this first edition,
Coach Frazier opens up about the team selections, some personal
shots taken at Roy Nelson during the show, and why they made
the match-up they did to kick off the elimination round.
Before
we get to the second episode I would like to introduce myself.
I
am Ron Frazier current head trainer at the House Of RYU Athletic
Center in Las Vegas. I am formally from Xtreme Couture I have
trained or helped train the likes of Randy Couture, Forrest Griffin,
Vitor Belfort, Gray Maynard, Martin Kampmann, Mike Pyle, Jay
Hieron, Johny Hendricks and Gabriel Gonzaga to name a few. And
I have something to get off my chest before we proceed.
On
episode one a fighter professed how happy he was to be on Team
Carwin. In itself all good with the personal attack on Roy Nelson
but, it was uncalled for. I have known Roy for sometime he and
his wife are good people. If you don’t break bread with
them and only know them in passing why attack the way he looks.
Cause
who cares people may not think he takes it serious but ask his
opponents. Since you were happy cause Roy is sloppy and whatever
else.
Let
me let you in on how we decided to choose teams.
One,
we knew that Team Carwin wanted Sam Alvey. So we decided we wanted
to go with match ups if Team Carwin got the first pick because
all of these guys were very close in skill sets. If Team Carwin
picked Sam we would pick Dom Waters etc. But under no circumstance
were we going to choose Bristol Marunde even though he is tough.
Tough
is not a skill set, it is a great attribute but we wanted more.
Since he started his career a year after Roy and had not made
a splash in MMA figured journeyman fighter at best.
Now
on to the second episode, Team Nelson was disappointed in how
we preformed. Coming in season 16 Coach Nelson was the only coach
on either side to be in the house as a participant. So our philosophy
was to treat
the season as a tournament, win and move on and for the guys
to use their teammates as training partners. Cause the goal is
to be the Ultimate Fighter and secure that contract.
Not
to have 15 best friends. If that happens great. As Roy put it
“We do man stuff, if you have a problem or question, just
ask and we will have the answer or will get it .”
The
birthday present for Neil Magny. As you seen in episode one when
they fought to get in the house Neil came out of the blue corner
which I cornered along with Anthony Brown. Roy coached from the
side seated next to Dana White. Roy coached or yelled instruction
to everyone in the blue corner though at that time was only familiar
with 2 of 32 fighters. The guys from Las Vegas Cameron Diffley
and Bristol Marunde.
So
no emotional attachment to any of the competitors. If you recall
that fight, Neil found himself in some bad positions during the
fight. But did show athletic ability, great resolve and listen
very well. Things I told him I wanted, he responded to it well.
After
the teams were picked we decided Cameron Diffley would be up
first. Team Nelson knew of his good BJJ. And we were comfortable
in nullifying Neil reach advantage, close the gap and take him
down. We felt Cameron being long as well and a better grappler
than Neil’s prior opponent. We could expose the same flaws
in his game. What we talked about before the fights ever took
place is that the way fights are being judged. If you’re
on the bottom and you go for a submission and do not get it,
often times the judges view you as losing.
So
in the second round Cameron was told he was behind after he went
for the heel hook in the first round, for a moment it looked
like he had it, but obviously he did not. Roy wanted Cameron
to sweep and come out on top and try to control Neil with his
top game. As the second round began Cameron needed to use his
skill set of BJJ to get the fight to the ground as he did in
the first, but this time he needs to be on top.
The
judges and the public always view whomever is on top is winning.
This is what Cameron needed to do in the first earlier to steal
the round, but Neil controlled the fight and the positions in
the second round better, which allowed him to win the fight.
On that night it was to be for Cameron not Neil but, he was the
better fighter that night. Congrats to him.
But
somethings get lost in translation or editing, and we are in
the entertainment business. So the show must go on and stories
must be told.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
152: Post-Mortem Q&A
By Chris
Nelson
UFC
152 “Jones vs. Belfort” answered a lot of questions
on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto -- questions
like “Can Jon Jones defend against a deep armbar?”
and “What would it look like if Charles Oliveira got shot?”
However,
like any good card, it also raised plenty of new questions and
presented a whole host of new possibilities. We will try to get
to the bottom of some of them in queries posed this week by Sherdog.com
features editor Brian Knapp.
Question:
In hindsight, would Jon Jones have been wiser accepting a short-notice
bout with Chael Sonnen at UFC 151?
Answer: Until Sonnen strings together a few wins -- or at least
beats Forrest Griffin in December -- there is not a lot of upside
for Jones in fighting him, regardless of how much time they have
had to prepare. Sure, taking the match would have spared Jones
from Zuffa’s petulant mud-slinging and kept him on some
UFC 151 fighters’ Christmas card lists, but it is not as
if he was the world’s best-loved fighter before this whole
fiasco anyway. Despite every prediction that the champ would
have rolled to an easy win, we will never know how a fight between
Jones and Sonnen on Sept. 1, 2012, would have played out. What
we do know is that Jones, with plenty to lose and not much to
gain in that particular instance, chose to do what he felt was
best for him. It is tough to fault him when looking from that
angle, especially when he wound up fighting and beating an equally,
if not more dangerous opponent three weeks later.
Question:
Did Vitor Belfort expose Jones’ vulnerabilities?
Answer: If Jones eventually loses his title by submitting to
a first-round armbar, I will be the first to say that Vitor laid
out the blueprint. Aside from that early scare, I did not see
Belfort poking any holes in Jones’ armor during what was
another dominant performance from the King of 205ers. In fact,
the performance may have only added to Jones’ aura of invincibility:
even after having his right arm tweaked in the first 90 seconds
of the bout, Jones was able to grind down and become only the
second person to make Belfort tap.
Question:
Considering the boos that were heard during the five-round flyweight
title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez,
how does the UFC go about kindling interest in its newer, lesser-known
weight classes?
Answer: I cannot believe I am about to say it, but I think UFC
President Dana White is handling this situation the right way.
After Toronto fans jeered what was, to my eyes, a fast-paced
and exciting five-round duel, the UFC boss went off during the
post-fight presser, labeling anyone who failed to appreciate
the fight as a “moron” who does not truly like fighting
or “appreciate great talent.” I might have chosen different
wording, but I certainly agree with the sentiment. This is mixed
martial arts, and just like any art, people should not be bullied
into false appreciation of something they do not enjoy. At the
same time, numskulls should not feel welcome to vocally deride
and sully an objectively good fight. Considering how deftly White
was able to manipulate fans’ vitriol toward Jones in the
wake of UFC 151’s cancelation, maybe his chiding will cause
some boo-birds to give flyweight action another chance -- or
at least be quiet while the grownups are watching.
Question:
Where does Matt Hume rank on the MMA trainer totem pole and does
he get enough credit for the work he has done with Johnson?
Answer: Hume may not be as high-profile as Greg Jackson or Javier
Mendez, but I suspect most in the fight game would agree his
name belongs near the top of the list with those elite trainers.
This is a man who has seen the sport from all angles -- fighter,
promoter, matchmaker, referee, judge, commentator -- both stateside
and abroad, and he has a wealth of knowledge to pass on to his
charges. If he does not get enough credit for the tiny monster
he has helped turn into a UFC champ, it is only because the most
visible aspect of Johnson’s game is his innate speed.
Question:
Would Benavidez be better served to move back to 135 pounds,
where he would hold a significant speed advantage over virtually
every opponent?
Answer: This is tricky, since there are positives for him in
either weight class. At bantamweight, he will be quicker, but
at flyweight, he will have size and power -- provided he can
get his hands on his opponent. It really depends on how much
Benavidez likes eating, but, personally, I would like to see
him stick around at 125 for at least a few more goes. Some fights
might look like his bout with Johnson, but I think more will
look like his encounter with Yasuhiro Urushitani.
Question:
Is Michael Bisping underrated?
Answer: No. He is a solid middleweight who gets a lot of extra
hate because of his persona outside the cage.
Question:
Is Brian Stann overrated?
Answer: No. He is a solid middleweight who gets a lot of extra
love because of his persona outside the cage.
Question:
Why was the Matt Hamill-Roger Hollett matchup included as part
of the pay-per-view lineup?
Answer: I have been wondering the same thing, especially because
Hamill’s last Octagon appearance was an undercard loss to
Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133. Maybe the powers that be saw
the returning “Hammer” as a bigger draw this time out,
since the 2010 feature film based on his life has gradually gained
a wider audience during his brief retirement. Whatever the case,
I think anyone who watched UFC 152 in its entirety would agree
that T.J. Grant-Evan Dunham should have been in that slot instead.
Question:
Does Grant deserve consideration as a Top 10 lightweight?
Answer: Not just yet. Grant’s three wins at 155 pounds have
all been against solid opposition -- Dunham gave him a hell of
a fight and, I thought, nearly stole it -- but he has not faced
the division’s elite. He has certainly earned a step up,
and the UFC might do well to put Grant against someone on the
mid to low end of the Top 10 in his next bout, maybe a Clay Guida
or Jim Miller.
Source:
Sherdog
|
California
State Athletic Commission gets served with $1.9M legal notice
By Zach
Arnold
On
June 22nd, CSAC athletic inspector Dwayne Woodard filed an age
discrimination & retaliation lawsuit against the California
State Athletic Commission and the agency that controls CSAC,
the Department of Consumer Affairs. The lawsuit was filed in
Los Angeles County Superior Court and Woodard’s attorney,
Farzad Tabatabai, made sure to serve the state Attorney General’s
office with papers notifying them of the civil lawsuit. As our
June 25th report displayed, we saw a stamped copy of the court
filing and everyone at CSAC & DCA knew about the court case
at hand. In other words, ignorance is not an excuse in this matter.
The AG’s office in Los Angeles had 30 days to respond to
the matter. For whatever mysterious reason(s), the state decided
not to respond to the court complaint.
60 days after the lawsuit was filed, the state AG’s office
bizarrely didn’t respond to the filing.
Over 80 days after the case was filed, the AG’s office still
hasn’t responded to the lawsuit. Because of the ineptness
of the AG’s office & the bureaucrats in Sacramento,
they just got whacked in court last Friday with an entry of default
notice.
To make a long story short, a lawyer from the Attorney General’s
office will have to respond to the entry of default notice and
explain why they have been dragging their feet on responding
to Dwayne Woodard’s lawsuit. Whomever is sent from the AG’s
office to explain to the court why they didn’t do their
job is going to be walking into their courtroom with their tail
between their legs.
With the entry of default notice comes a statement of damages
— and in the case of Dwayne Woodard’s lawsuit, it’s
a really, really big price tag.
Farzad Tabatabai, the lawyer representing Woodward, filed a statement
of damages on behalf of his client. On the statement of damages,
there’s a claim of $750,000 for age discrimination, $750,000
for retaliation, $164,954.24 for lost earnings, $100,000 for
attorney fees, and $123,715.68 for three years of future earnings.
The grand total for the statement of damages is roughly $1.9
million dollars.
If I had to venture a guess as to where the $750,000 figure came
from for each claim, it’s a number similar to what the Department
of Consumer Affairs had to pay out because former CSAC Executive
Officer Dave Thornton was sued for racial & sexual harassment.
As for the calculation about earnings, we went through our CSAC
tax records article and noticed one record in particular —
Sid Segovia, the highest-paid CSAC inspector that doesn’t
hold a state job. For a refresher course, here are his tax records:
$41,238.56
was what Consumer Affairs claimed they paid Segovia for 2011.
If you multiply that out by three, you get $123,715.68. If you
multiply that out by four, you get $164,954.24. Coincidence?
What’s next in court for the lawsuit
Given the good reputation that Dwayne Woodard has, along with
his attorney Farzad Tabatabai, in terms of credibility &
track record, the Department of Consumer Affairs cannot be happy
about what is coming next.
Will a judge at LA County Superior Court grant a $1.9 million
dollar judgment automatically to Woodard? No, not a chance. So
why would Tabatabai file a statement of damages like this? It’s
a wake up call to the AG’s office to get off their ass and
start responding to the lawsuit. It’s a message essentially
telling Karen Chappelle and company at the AG’s office to
stop screwing around and to start acting like professionals.
Once the Attorney General’s office responds to the statement
of damages, they are facing an outcome in court that will likely
end in a sweet settlement or a jury trial where there’s
a fairly good chance that DCA & CSAC loses their shorts,
monetarily-speaking. In either scenario, someone’s likely
going to get fired in Sacramento for this mess and the finger-pointing
will commence.
In my opinion, a factor to watch out for in the upcoming court
proceedings for this lawsuit is something called the California
Code of Civil Procedure, Section 36. Section 36 says that a plaintiff
or defendant in a civil case over the age of 70 can petition
the court for preference in having their case moved up the court
docket so that the process goes much faster than a civil case
normally proceeds. Given the fact that the AG’s office has
already demonstrated a lack of respect for the court in terms
of responding to the initial complaint, leverage is not on their
side here. They must respond and be on good behavior now.
DCA now has to fight this court battle. They cannot, under current
political circumstances, simply allow the AG’s office to
ignore to the lawsuit and let it go to default for good. The
consequences would be miserable for the attorneys involved. In
front of the California State Bar, you can almost be certain
that any attorney involved in costing the state 7-figures by
not responding to a civil lawsuit would face consequences for
malpractice at a hearing. Any lawyer working for the AG’s
office and the state has a fiduciary responsibility to defend
the state and has a legal responsibility to act in a professional
& timely manner in responding to all cases. There’s
a big difference in terms of what a judge expects from Joe Blow
representing himself pro se versus an attorney working for the
California AG’s office.
Given the public nature of the turmoil at the California State
Athletic Commission and the complicit nature of Consumer Affairs
in ongoing fraud & other criminal activity (such as altering
the date of fighter paperwork), the AG’s office cannot afford
to screw around with a public case like the one Woodard has filed.
Any sort of misstep by the AG’s office that costs state
taxpayers significant cash will result in mews coverage in mass
media outlets.
If the AG’s office stunningly decides not to fight and simply
lets Woodard’s case get a default judgment from LA Superior
Court, it’s an invitation to others to jump into the fray
and go after DCA with their own lawsuits. The end result will
be very ugly for someone like Karen Chappelle at the AG’s
office. She’s a big talker and likes to flaunt the fact
that she handles some legal affairs for CSAC at public meetings.
I suspect that she doesn’t want to lose her job at the AG’s
office for malpractice, but given her past track record you never
know what kind of professional behavior to expect from her. I’ll
elaborate on this later.
Bottom line? The game of chicken that the state AG’s office
& Consumer Affairs is playing with Dwayne Woodard’s
lawsuit isn’t going to last much longer. Now things start
to get serious for the state of California. If they don’t
play ball, it will cost taxpayers a lot of money. It’s the
kind of headline that Governor Jerry Brown & other power
brokers in the California Democratic Party want no part of, given
how sensitive the political climate is right now for Governor
Brown’s tax initiative on the ballot this November. We all
know about the firestorm that has been created by the Parks &
Recreation Fund accounting scandal. If you don’t think that
the Governor’s office would care about the state AG’s
office screwing up cases like Dwayne Woodard’s lawsuit,
I would like to give you this friendly reminder of just how much
attention the big boys in Sacramento politics are paying attention
to what is happening at the Athletic Commission right now. It
should be duly noted that many members of Governor Brown’s
Sacramento staff & cabinet come from the Department of Justice/AG’s
office in Los Angeles.
The history between Farzad Tabatabai and the state AG’s
office
As we outlined in this August 3rd article, Farzad represented
Goossen-Tutor in an arbitration dispute at CSAC over Robert “The
Ghost” Guerrero. The other party involved was Golden Boy
Promotions. From the article:
Again, this is a woman whose arbitration decision in the Robert
Guerrero matter (Goossen-Tutor vs. Golden Boy) was labeled by
a judge as an action based on fraud and/or corruption. The judge
(Robert H. O’Brien) found that Deputy AG Earl Plowman, supervised
by Karen Chappelle, had written the arbitration ruling and had
it signed by someone else other than the arbitrator!
As
Farzad Tabatabai put it:
“Justice
was done. The Court’s ruling correctly recognizes what should
be obvious to everyone: an arbitration decision that is drafted
by someone other than the arbitrator and signed by an outsider
to the arbitration, without ever being seen by, reviewed by,
or approved by the arbitrator, may not be binding on the parties.
The question that remains to be answered is how CSAC and the
Attorney General’s office allowed this to happen in the
first place.”
The
judge cited California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1286.2,
which states the following:
(a) Subject to Section 1286.4, the court shall vacate the award
if the court determines any of the following:
(1) The award was procured by corruption, fraud or other undue
means.
There’s strike one.
Strike two was the Antonio Margarito debacle. From the same August
3rd article:
When (Bill) Douglas was in charge as E.O. at CSAC, you had the
infamous hand-wrapping incident with Antonio Margarito at the
Staples Center when he was preparing to fight Shane Mosley. Che
Guevara, working as an inspector, missed the illegal hand wraps.
If it wasn’t for Nazim Richardson, Shane Mosley’s trainer,
who had caught the infraction then all hell would have broken
loose for the Margarito/Mosley fight. Instead, Richardson caught
the illegal hand wraps and Chief Athletic Inspector Dean Lohuis
came in to handle the situation. Lohuis and fellow inspector
Mike Bray did what needed to be done to rectify the matter.
When
Margarito ended up having his hearing in front of the California
State Athletic Commission, it became a circus thanks to California
Deputy AG Karen Chappelle. What was an open-and-shut case turned
out to be a farce of a presentation. Instead of one viewpoint
being told by the three inspectors in question (Guevara, Lohuis,
and Bray), you ended up with Chappelle & Guevara having their
version of events and Lohuis & Bray giving their version
of events. Even though CSAC ruled against Margarito, Chappelle
had managed to screw up the process.
This
is a nice way of saying that Chappelle had Che Guevara perjure
himself at the CSAC disciplinary hearing in regards to what happened
with the Margarito hand wraps. This was largely a clear cut,
open-and-shut case with the illegal hand wraps. There was no
need to manipulate any of the evidence or testimony. However,
Chappelle inexplicably decided to screw up everything by having
DCA’s golden boy Guevara tell one story while Lohuis &
Bray told the truth. Instead of Guevara simply admitting to making
a mistake and moving on, you had the circus that broke out at
the CSAC hearing.
After this fiasco, DCA terminated Dean Lohuis from his job and
put Che Guevara in his place. That’s right, they gave the
stooge a job promotion after he screwed up in a high-profile
manner. Mike Bray ended up being retaliated against by Consumer
Affairs, as our tax records demonstrate here.
When
Consumer Affairs decided to terminate Lohuis “for cause”
(with a notice of adverse action) in front of the State Personnel
Board, they decided to trot out Karen Chappelle, Che Guevara,
and… Earl Plowman, the same man from the AG’s office
who a judge determined was involved in writing the arbitration
decision for CSAC regarding Robert Guerrero. Yes, the decision
that a judge determined was based on fraud and corruption.
Take a look at how Consumer Affairs in their prehearing conference
statement attempted to frame Chappelle’s actions at the
Margarito CSAC hearing:
Che Guevara: Guevara will testify to the events and circumstances
involving the Margarito disciplinary hearing in February, 2009.
On or about February 4, 2009, prior to the Margarito disciplinary
hearing, Lohuis attempted to have a portion of Inspector Che
Guevara statement altered. In his statement regarding observation
of the wrapping of Boxer Margarito’s hands, Inspector Guevara
relayed that Lohuis initially refused to have Margarito’s
right hand re-wrapped asserting that the Commission had already
approved that hand or words to that effect. Following insistence
from Inspector Guevara and Shane Mosley’s trainer, Nazim
Richardson, the wrapping on the right hand was removed. In the
presence of two deputy attorney generals, Lohuis sought to have
this statement withheld from the disciplinary record. This attempt
to alter the record placed the Commission in a compromising position
and harmed the integrity of the disciplinary process and of the
agency.
Supervising
Deputy Attorney General Karen Chappelle: Chappelle will testify
regarding the events and circumstances involving the Margarito
disciplinary hearing in February 2009. On February 4, 2009, prior
to the Margarito disciplinary hearing, Lohuis attempted to have
a portion of Inspector Che Guevara statement altered. In his
statement regarding observation of the wrapping of Boxer Margarito’s
hands, Inspector Guevara relayed that Lohuis initially refused
to have Margarito’s right hand re-wrapped asserting that
the Commission had already approved that hand or words to that
effect. Following insistence from Inspector Guevara and Shane
Mosley’s trainer, Nazim Richardson, the wrapping on the
right hand was removed. In the presence of two deputy attorney
generals, you sought to have this statement withheld from the
disciplinary record. This attempt to alter the record placed
the Commission in a compromising position and harmed the integrity
of the disciplinary process and of the agency.
Deputy
Attorney General Earl Plowman: Plowman will testify regarding
the events and circumstances involving the Margarito disciplinary
hearing in February, 2009. On February 4, 2009, prior to the
Margarito disciplinary hearing, Lohuis attempted to have a portion
of Inspector Che Guevara statement altered. In his statement
regarding observation of the wrapping of Boxer Margarito’s
hands, Inspector Guevara relayed that Lohuis initially refused
to have Margarito’s right hand re-wrapped asserting that
the Commission had already approved that hand or words to that
effect. Following insistence from Inspector Guevara and Shane
Mosley’s trainer, Nazim Richardson, the wrapping on the
right hand was removed. In the presence of two deputy attorney
generals, you sought to have this statement withheld from the
disciplinary record. This attempt to alter the record placed
the Commission in a compromising position and harmed the integrity
of the disciplinary process and of the agency.
A
week after this document, lawyer Farzad Tabatabai (on behalf
of Dean Lohuis) responded to the charges from Consumer Affairs.
This is perhaps the most outrageous of Respondent’s pretexts
for terminating Mr. Lohuis. CSAC claims Mr. Lohuis attempted
to have Inspector Guevara’s statement altered or withheld
from the disciplinary committee. Nothing is further from the
truth. Mr. Lohuis did not attempt to alter Mr. Guevara’s
testimony, only to ensure that truthful and honest testimony
was presented to the Commission.
Furthermore,
it is not Mr. Lohuis’s role, and it is not even within his
authority, to determine what testimony is offered before the
Commission. That decision rests with the Attorney General(s)
who handled that case. Therefore, any question or comment Mr.
Lohuis may have made, even if misunderstood, is not grounds for
terminating him.
Furthermore,
we expect the evidence will show that Inspector Guevara did in
fact perjure himself in his testimony before the Commission,
and Mr. Lohuis would have been justified in questioning the truth
of testimony Mr. Guevara intended to offer to the Commission.
After
this response, the state reached a settlement with Dean Lohuis.
They didn’t get the clean firing they wanted, as they wanted
Lohuis fired without having any sort of consequences for their
actions. Chappelle’s middle name, appropriately, is Burden
and she’s proven herself to be a hell of a burden for the
AG’s office in Los Angeles. Strike two for Chappelle and
Consumer Affairs.
Strike three is coming up for Chappelle, the AG’s office,
and the Department of Consumer Affairs if they don’t get
their act together in responding to Dwayne Woodard’s lawsuit.
A can of worms could very well be opened up by the lawsuit. After
all, one of the remedies in the lawsuit is a court order to terminate
the employment of anyone who was involved in the process of age
discrimination & retaliation that Woodard is alleging took
place. Woodard has the right attorney with the right experience
in dealing with the AG’s office to get the job done in court.
The question is how hard will Consumer Affairs and the AG’s
office fight back. They have no choice but to respond now with
the $1.9 million dollar statement of damages being filed in court.
If the state doesn’t respond, somebody’s going to get
fired in a hurry.
The CSAC office is already in a state of disrepair. Let’s
see how fast the rats start to jump off this sinking ship.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Rampage
Jackson Talks Final UFC Fight, Free Agency, Fame, Jon Jones And
More
By Mike
Chiappetta
Faced
with one last bout on his UFC contract, Quinton "Rampage"
Jackson says he has no concerns about his future. On Monday's
edition of The MMA Hour, the former UFC light-heavyweight champion
suggested that his current relationship with the promotion's
president Dana White is fine, but insisted that he still plans
on testing the free-agent market after the completion of his
current deal.
In
a one-hour, in-studio interview, Jackson toned down some of his
criticisms of the UFC, but said he would like to capitalize on
his remaining time in the sport by earning enough money to set
up his family far into the future. He also said his competitive
fire has been reignited by a desire to prove that he's still
one of the sport's best.
During
the lengthy interview, Jackson touched on many topics, including
his current health situation after withdrawing from a scheduled
fight with Glover Teixeira, his views on fame, what he really
thinks about current champion Jon Jones, and more.
The following are some of Jackson's sound bytes on various topics.
On
injury withdrawal
"You know, in my last fight, I fought injured and had all
those problems behind that. I said, I'm not going to risk that
again. I said, I'll just pull out of this fight and come back
strong. I want my next fight to be as close to 100 percent as
possible and show the world what I can do."
On
his last opponent, Ryan Bader
"I just regret losing to a person like Ryan Bader. He sucks.
He sucks. I’ll say it to his face. He sucks. He talked all
that trash on how he was going to knock me out. Obviously he
knew I was injured because I didn't make weight. I talked to
him man to man and said, 'Look, lets make it an exciting fight.'
I knew there was a chance I was going to lose, but I don't want
to lose a boring fight in Japan. He made the fight really boring.
I got no respect for a guy like that. He sucks."
On
why he agreed to fight Glover Teixeira when no one else wanted
to
"I fight to pay my bills. I got kids I've got to put through
college, and I got some kids I've got to save up for lawyer fees
and bail money. I got things. I like to have fast cars and I
like the good life. I like to go in the club and make it rain
sometimes. So, I don't fight to be famous. I don’t. So,
I don’t care if he’s a big name or a little name. I
just want to fight, put on an exciting fight and get my bills
paid."
On
losing some of his passion for the sport
"I lost my love when I lost that Forrest [Griffin] fight.
I know that I won that fight. Honestly, I wanted to cry racist
stuff. I did want to do that. Us black folks, we're good at that
… I know I took the fight lightly. I was like, 'Oh, Forrest.'
I didn't train my hardest, I was coming off that Dan Henderson
fight and I had just a little injury on my knuckle so I didn't
keep up training. It was like, 'Oh Forrest, I’ll just knock
this guy out.'"
On
the reaction to that loss
"After the fact, I didn't react the way people thought I
would. I accepted the defeat. I knew that I won the fight, but
said, 'he kicked my butt.' I held my head up high, and I walked
out because I didn't want to act the fool. People don't know
that when I went back home to Memphis -- I'm from the south --
a lot of white people were coming up to me saying derogatory
stuff. There was some racist s--- they were saying. It shows
your true colors."
On
bias in the UFC
"When I did The Ultimate Fighter with Forrest, and they
gave him special treatment, I felt it was racist, but when I
did the Ultimate Fighter with Rashad [Evans], it was the same
thing, and I was like, 'Oh, couldn't be that, because Rashad's
blacker than me. And then I felt it was because they came from
The Ultimate Fighter. And that's what it was. I don't think that
they screwed me out of that fight with Forrest because I'm black,
it's because he’s their baby."
On
why his fire is back
"I'm thinking the world hasn’t forgotten about me.
I used to be one of the best fighters in the world, and my people
out there, they still support me even though I haven't been doing
great. It’s giving me back my love for the fight. I want
to make the people who still support me proud, and I want to
show my family and myself that I can still be one of the best
in the world, and I know I can."
On
the drawbacks of fame
"Honestly, money's not everything. Honestly, I can say that
if I could turn back time, if I could live a normal life with
my family, if I could have all my privacy back, I would have
stayed a construction worker."
On
the positives of what his life turned out to be
"I’m thankful, because, honestly, people don't know
this. Maybe I'll write a book or something one day, but I’m
not even supposed to be here right now. I was supposed to die
a couple times in my life. So, I’m happy. A lot of people
in my neighborhood didn't make it or are in prison or stuff like
that. I could be one of the guys on a street corner begging.
So, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful."
On
what's next for him after the final bout on his UFC deal
"Me being a free agent is looking very promising right now.
I’m not in a rush. I’m not saying the UFC paid me like
a slouch. Honestly the UFC pays me pretty good, I have to admit.
I’m not a greedy person. I'm happy with it but like I was
saying, it's not worth it for the stuff I have to go through
with privacy issues. I'm still going to have that elsewhere,
but elsewhere is offering me more money."
On
some of Jon Jones' tactics
"Vitor took the fight on short notice, and this is how you
respect him, by kicking his knee backwards and stuff like that?
He's supposed to be a man of God. You can injure somebody, you
can sever their career. You can mess people up for life kicking
their knee back like that and he does it repeatedly, over and
over. To me that has no honor. I take a lot of honor in fighting.
He has no honor."
On
wanting another crack at Jones
"He's fake. I don't agree with his fighting style. I think
I could beat Jon Jones. I know I can beat him. Jon Jones is the
type of of guy you have to fight twice."
On
his relationship with Dana White
"Dana’s a cool guy, I’m telling you, but he’s
looking out for his brand but what I think they don't understand
is that I'm looking out for my brand. After I retire, the UFC
is still going to be there. The UFC is going to make money and
the UFC will still be going strong after I retire, but after
I retire, I have to find other ways to make money. I have to
find other ways to put my kids through school, put my son through
private school. I have to find other ways to make it rain in
the club, but UFC's still going to be going strong."
On
whether he's still using TRT
"After the fight, I went back to see my doctor and he took
me off of it. I don't need it. I did it, it helped me out and
he took me off. I'm not saying I wouldn't go back to it if I
needed it again."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Gilbert
Melendez ‘Bummed’ for Fighters Who Suffered After Strikeforce
Cancelled Show
by Damon
Martin
In
five days, Gilbert Melendez was set to once again put his Strikeforce
lightweight title on the line, but instead he’s going to
be starting rehabilitation and recovery on a separated shoulder.
Melendez
suffered the injury 12 days ago when a hard sparring session
with teammate Jake Shields resulted in his shoulder popping out
of place.
“What
happened was I separated my shoulder. I was just going with Jake
Shields, a tough day of sparring, and we’re both fighting
for takedowns, defending it hard and we both just landed all
of our weight up on my shoulder. The impact separated my shoulder,”
Melendez told MMAWeekly Radio on Monday.
“The
timing of it, just 12 days out, there’s no way I could recover
from it.”
Melendez
shared the news of his injury with Strikeforce right away, but
tried valiantly to push through the injury. Last Friday, when
he was still unable to lift his arm above his head or even pick
up his daughter, Melendez knew it was time to make the dreaded
call to matchmaker Sean Shelby and inform him that he was not
going to be able to fight.
It
was a tough decision for Melendez, who admits he wanted to battle
through it and still take the fight, but he knows deep down that
he made the right call.
“I
still have that in me that I have to fight, I must fight, the
show must go on, but my family and my team helps me re-evaluate
and realize it’s a business, and I am a top fighter. Yes,
if I want to go in there and fight with one arm that’s on
me, but that’s just stupid. It’s not the right decision,”
said Melendez.
When
the final call was made that he would be unable to take the fight,
Melendez picked up the phone and called opponent Pat Healy to
tell him about the situation. It wasn’t about making amends
because injuries are part of the sport, but Melendez says Healy
deserved the call from him personally.
“I
respect Pat and I respect the sport of MMA. Pat deserves it,
and I just know how it feels to train for seven weeks and not
be able to run the race. Especially for him, where he’s
healthy and ready to go. Just doing what I think any real man
should do,” Melendez stated.
He
knew that when he dropped out of the fight with Healy it was
going to put Strikeforce in a tough spot, but what he didn’t
expect to find out next was that the entire card was going to
be scrapped and pulled from Showtime.
It
was a shock to the Strikeforce lightweight champion, and he was
gutted for the other fighters on the card that now don’t
get to compete.
“I
was bummed for the fighters. I’m bummed for the show. I’m
bummed for Showtime. I weighed everything out right before I
pulled out like the fans are going to be disappointed, then all
of a sudden I cancelled the paychecks of a lot of fighters, that
bums me out,” said Melendez.
“It
bums me out that’s what had to happen. I’m partially
responsible for that, not all of it, but my injury is partially
responsible for that, it sucks for all the fighters.”
Now
that the tough call to pull out of the fight has been made, Melendez
has to focus on getting his shoulder back to 100-percent so he
can fight again and defend his title. While surgery appears off
the table for now, Melendez knows there is still a road ahead
of rehabilitation before he can start full-time training.
“We’re
looking at about five more weeks and then we’ll re-evaluate
things,” said Melendez.
As
far as timing for his return to action, Melendez would be unable
to compete on the upcoming Strikeforce card on Nov. 3, and as
of now there are no other card scheduled for the remainder of
2012. The main concern for the champion is to get healthy so
he can compete again, and if everything works out he’d still
love to give Healy the shot, assuming he’s willing to wait.
“Yeah,
most definitely if he decides to wait it out or if he does not
and he wins, then yes. If Pat decides to fight and loses, he
might lose that shot, but yeah of course I think he’s next
in line. I think he’s done a lot, and he’s been on
a long road to get here and it would be a bummer for him to lose
that chance,” Melendez stated.
“I
think he deserves it.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
DJ
Jackson: “Jiu-Jitsu gave me direction in life!”
Ivan Trindade
Jiu-Jitsu
was not what De’Alonzio Jackson was looking for when he
first entered Lloyd Irvin’s academy,in Camp Springs, Maryland,
a few years ago. DJ, as he is called by his friends, went there
to train wrestling, which he already did at school. Upon his
request, Professor Lloyd Irvin allowed him to attend an advanced
Jiu-Jitsu class and he fell in love with the gentle art. The
relationship has been fruitful for the competitor, now 23 years
old, recently promoted to black belt. Since the lower belts,
DJ has established himself as one of the athletes with the most
impressive performances. Medals piled up and now DJ has a brand
new challenge, to repeat his results as a black belt, where difficulties
grow considerably.
He
started out great. At the recent Atlanta International Open,
DJ conquered two gold medals. The medium-heavy win demanded only
one fight, against Ian McPherson. In the open class, the final
match put Jackson face to face with world champion Lucas Lepri.
In a very studied duel, DJ got his first open class gold as a
black belt. In this exclusive chat with GRACIEMAG.com, he talks
about the feeling of accomplishment, addresses the difference
between fighting in the lower belts and at black belt and plans
his future, which includes bold goals in the octagon.
GRACIEMAG.com:
How did you first come in contact with BJJ?
DJ
Jackson: I first started training Jiu-Jitsu when I was in the
offseason for wrestling. I came to Lloyd Irvin Mixed Martial
arts academy because they had a very good wrestling program ran
by Jim Kelly and Mike Denny. Master Lloyd Irvin allowed me to
do an advanced class one night and I loved it. Didn’t know
what I was doing but everyone at the gym helped me a lot and
I never stopped coming.
GRACIEMAG.com:
How important is Jiu-Jitsu for you?
DJ:
Jiu-Jitsu is the most important thing to me right now. I want
to be the champion of the UFC but without Jiu-Jitsu I would have
no job and no direction. Master Lloyd Irvin helped give me direction
in life through Jiu-Jitsu and other martial arts.
GRACIEMAG.com:
You were promoted to the black belt less than three months ago.
What was the feeling of achieving that rank like? Was it something
you dreamed about?
DJ:
It is a surreal feeling. When you put your all into achieving
a goal and then you finally achieve it it’s an extraordinary
feeling.
GRACIEMAG.com:
You had a lot of success in competitions in the lower belts.
What do you have to improve to keep that level of achievement
as a black belt?
DJ:
Everything. At team Lloyd Irvin we are constantly trying to improve
all aspects of our Jiu-jitsu. Whether we win the tournament or
lose first round there are always things to work on and improve
on.
GRACIEMAG.com:
What is the main difficulty for a newcomer to the black belt
division?
DJ:
The main difficulty for me so far has been the experience. I
am fighting very good black belts and there is nothing they haven’t
seen. But it excites me for things to come. I want to and can’t
wait to go to war with the best fighters in the world.
GRACIEMAG.com:
In Atlanta, you won the medium heavy and the open Class, when
you defeated Lucas Lepri (a black belt world champion) in the
final. Did it matter to you who he was? Did it affect your game
plan and performance at all?
DJ:
It did matter because he is one of the grapplers I have watched
a lot to try and learn from. But once you step on the mat past
accomplishments don’t matter. It is just you versus your
opponent and who is better in that 10 minutes.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Matt
Mitrione Challenges Rampage; Jackson Willing to Bet His Fight
Purse He'll Win
By Mike
Chiappetta
Quinton
"Rampage" Jackson says he'd be willing to fight anyone
for the right amount of money. Apparently, he's even willing
to do it when risking big amounts of money.
On
Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, the former UFC light heavyweight
champion spent an hour in studio discussing various topics related
to his career, and towards the end, he confirmed that he had
recently received a text message from UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione
challenging him to fight.
"I'm
a fighter, I respect that," he said. "I don't care,
I’ll fight a guy bigger than me. If he thinks he can knock
me out, let’s go."
But
that was the beginning of the end of the civility between the
two, as Mitrione took that as his cue to call in to the show
and formally challenge Jackson.
"We
can get down," said Mitrione, who is as of now tentatively
scheduled to fight Philip De Fries in December. "We'll put
a weight limit on it. I'll have to make a catch weight, make
a cut and get to a number. It'll be a fight I think the fans
will love. They know we'll get in there and scrap and earn our
money. We both have heart, we both bring it. I think it'll be
a beautiful fight."
While
Jackson appreciated the direct approach, he couldn't help but
warning Mitrione he might be playing out of his league.
"He
does bring it, but if he steps in the cage with me he’s
going to regret that damn phone call, he's going to regret that
text," he said.
That
began this exchange between the two, who have heat stemming from
their time together on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter:
Mitrione:
"I've never regretted going to the bank a day in my life.
I've never regretted going with that win bonus, either."
Jackson:
"You're going to regret going to the hospital, trust me."
Mitrione:
"That's OK. If I come with a check with me, it'll be alright."
Jackson:
"You ain't going to enjoy spending it. You're lucky UFC
pays for your doctor bills, because that's where your money would
be going, homie."
Later,
when Mitrione said that Jackson might resort to wrestling for
a rare time, Jackson dismissed that, then upped the ante. First,
he called his shot, saying he would predict his win method --
left hook knockout -- and then said he'd be willing to gamble
his payday.
"Let's
do it like this then, winner takes all," he said. "Yeah.
I got a big boy purse, too, baby. Winner takes all. I'm talking
about your sponsor money, everything. Winner takes all. Put it
on the line. Winner takes all. That's how confident I am I'm
going to hand you the worst motherf------ ass-whipping of your
mother-f------ life."
After
Jackson said Mitrione would need surgery after their fight --
"they're going to put some cement in your chin," he
said -- Mitrione shot back.
"You
actually think you have hands enough to put on me? You actually
think you do, dude? I train with people like Tyrone Spong, and
[Alistair] Overeem. I bang with them every damn day, son. You
got nothing on what I got. Nothing. I can't wait to touch you,
bro."
"I
don't care who you're sparring with," Jackson said. "They
can't fight for you, dog. They can't take these f------ bungalows
for you."
Since
withdrawing from a proposed October fight with Glover Teixeira,
Jackson has nothing scheduled, although he said he is reaching
100 percent health following injuries to his elbow and ankle.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Dan
Hardy Isn’t in This for the Money, Only the Love of the
Fight
by Damon
Martin
It’s
a rare moment in the UFC when a fighter gets another shot after
four losses in a row, but Dan Hardy knew going into his last
bout that he was in a do or die situation.
Even
with the support of UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta, who is a big
fan of Hardy, the British welterweight had to know a fifth loss
would likely mean the end of his career inside the Octagon.
Well,
Hardy certainly made the most of the situation because he knocked
out Duane “Bang” Ludwig midway through the first round
to get back on the right track.
While
Dan Hardy’s story is far from over, the ending at UFC 146
was the kind of perfect tale that rarely happens that way, but
it was a great moment that he surely needed.
“For
me it was the way it was supposed to end. It was the way all
my fights are supposed to end, and how I always predict them
ending,” Hardy told MMAWeekly Radio. “Sometimes, it
just doesn’t happen.
“The
thing with Duane, and I’ve said it before, and I’ll
say it again, it could have been either way that night. He hit
me with a good shot early on, and it’s just one of those
things you roll the dice and you’re willing to stand there
and trade punches, you’re going to get caught, and it was
my night that night.”
The
win lifted a world of pressure off of Hardy’s shoulders,
but in a sport where you’re only as good as your last fight,
he knows that his next fight is just as important. The next one
may even end up being more important because it’s Hardy’s
return to his home country of England where he faces Amir Sadollah
at this weekend’s UFC on Fuel TV 5 show from Nottingham,
England.
It’s
been nearly three years since Hardy won in his home country and
the bitter taste of a loss to Carlos Condit on his home soil
still hurts, but now this is his chance to return to England
and give the fans what they’ve been waiting for – a
Dan Hardy victory.
“It’s
essential, especially with it being in Nottingham. There have
been a lot of fans waiting for me to come back to the U.K. and
fight in front of my hometown crowd, and it’s just not been
feasible recently. I have a lot of people that have been waiting
a long time that maybe can’t travel to Vegas to watch my
last fight, and I’ve got to go back and give those fans
the show that they deserve for the support that they’ve
given me,” Hardy stated.
Coming
home to England means a lot to Dan Hardy, but he’s not going
out for his bout against Amir Sadollah thinking “win at
all costs.” He’s thinking about the primal nature of
fighting, and if he’s successful, so be it, but ultimately
he just wants to fight.
“I’m
doing this sport for no other reason than I love it and that’s
really the bottom line for me. If I was looking to make a load
of money, I would be a boxer. Obviously, now we’re seeing
Jon Jones picking up Nike sponsorships, there’s money to
be made now, but when I got into it, it was because I loved the
sport,” Hardy commented.
“Nothing’s
changed. I want to get in there and fight guys. I’m a fighter
and I come to fight, and I think as long as you show up with
that mentality, the fight is going to be exciting because you’re
trying to beat the guy up.”
So
when the fans show up in Nottingham this weekend, they can expect
and old-school Dan Hardy performance, and judging by his record
in those kinds of fights, he’s going to do just fine.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
NEW
UFC CHAMP DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON EYES DODSON-‘FORMIGA’
WINNER AS NEXT FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER
Demetrious
Johnson thought he had done enough to become the UFC’s inaugural
flyweight champion, but he couldn’t be sure.
Roughly
a 2-to-1 underdog heading into his UFC 152 clash with Joseph
Benavidez at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, “Mighty Mouse”
edged Team Alpha Male product Benavidez in the evening’s
co-headliner.
“You
can never be confident [about the judges’ decision], but
as the fight wore on, I felt I won the standup exchanges, and
I defended every takedown he threw at me,” Johnson told
Fox Sports after his split-decision win. “I took him down
multiple times, had him in side control and almost had him in
a kimura, and got some great ground-and-pound on his stomach.
I felt I won every aspect of the game, but Joseph Benavidez is
a tough opponent, and he’ll be back.”
Johnson
used his well-documented speed to keep Benavidez on his toes
throughout their five-round affair, darting in and out to land
straight counter punches while sprawling on his opponent’s
shots and circling away from his power punches.
Benavidez
finally found his mark in round four, however, countering a Johnson
kick with a looping right hand that put the Washingtonian on
the canvas. Benavidez immediately jumped on top of his wounded
foe and looked to finish, clamping down on a topside guillotine
choke that appeared to put Johnson in serious trouble. Nevertheless,
Johnson managed to squirt out of the hold, bucking Benavidez
out of the mount before attempting a leg lock and escaping back
to his feet.
“I
can’t remember what happened. I remember I kicked, and I
think he rocked me. All I can remember is my mind [saying], ‘Danger!
Danger! Danger!’ You know, like [the video game] ‘Star
Fox?’ Then he started getting that choke,” said Johnson.
“I remember [coach Matt Hume] saying all the time that I
needed to get my arm underneath him and make sure to pop him
up. I stayed confident, and when he mounted, I went for a heel
hook and tried to blow his ACL out. I didn’t want to do
that, but I think that if he would have had the chance, he would
have done it to me.”
Up
next for Johnson will obviously be his first title defense, and
the UFC’s lightest champion is already eying his next challenger
only hours after capturing the gold.
“John
Dodson is about to fight [Jussier “Formiga” da Silva]
next. I’m sure the winner of that [will be in the running
for a title shot]. My job is just to go back home, let my body
heal and then get back in the gym and start training hard,”
said Johnson. “I started this sport as a hobby, and I worked
my butt off. I’m happy to be the world champion, but this
is just the very beginning for me. That’s what this is about:
working harder and trying to always achieve more.”
Source: Sherdog |
UFC
152 Aftermath: Vitor Belfort Does Jon Jones a Favor
Sep
23, 2012 - Vitor Belfort did Jon Jones a favor Saturday night
the rest of the light heavyweight division will most likely come
to regret.
To
the untrained eye, as well as many trained ones, the UFC light
heavyweight champion has appeared a near-flawless fighter.
But
in less than a minute at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, Belfort
not only put Jones in the most challenging spot he's ever faced
in his mixed martial arts career, he's also given the champion
something to obsess over going forward.
While you and I might see Belfort's almost-submission of Jones
via armbar in the opening moments of their UFC 152 main event
as simply the handiwork of a master jiu-jitsu practitioner who
has seen and done it all, Jones, in the manner of elite athletes
across the sporting spectrum, came out of the situation seeing
a glaring hole in his game that's in dire need of work.
"I
would rate the performance, I think it was a good performance,
but there was definitely a lot of room to improve," said
Jones, wearing a sling on his right arm at the post-fight press
conference. "Vitor had me second-guessing myself. I've just
got to get more comfortable in the Octagon. I work so hard on
my wrestling and so hard on my standup. I definitely need to
embrace jiu-jitsu more and practice what I preach, being a true
mixed martial artist and embracing all martial arts. I have to
admit I don't practice my jiu-jitsu every day."
Jones
went as far as to say he was grateful for nearly getting his
arm snapped.
"I
just remember getting to that second round, thanking God that
I had gotten out of that armbar, and thanking God for that adversity.
... I honestly thank God just for having a hurt arm, just to
prove to myself and prove to my coaches that all the speeches
and all the stories I heard about warriors, just to be able to
prove that I can be a warrior as well, I was grateful to be able
to come back from something."
All
the more remarkable was that, in spite of the hurt limb, Jones
went ahead and fought a near-flawless bout the rest of the way,
picking the former champion apart before finishing him in the
fourth round with an Americana.
The
performance capped a week in which Jones hit all the right notes
in his campaign to remake his image after UFC 151. He stood his
ground against UFC president Dana White and stuck with his beliefs
without being drawn into arguments; stayed poised in the face
of relentless questioning; and then did the most important thing
in showing courage under adversity in the heat of battle.
"I
think I have a lot of fans behind me," said Jones. "Obviously
there are going to be people who support you, and people who
want to see you fall, and that just goes with the position I
am in. The biggest thing is focusing on the people who are pulling
for you. And want to see you make it and wanting to focus on
them."
UFC
152 Notes
"Let
me tell you what: If you didn't like that flyweight fight, please,
I'm begging you, don't ever buy another UFC pay-per-view again.
Don't ever buy another one. I don't want your money. You're a
moron, you don't like fighting and you don't appreciate great
talent or heart if you didn't like that flyweight fight."
Gee,
Dana, tell us what you really think.
I
won't go so far as to call the people who disliked Demetrious
Johnson's flyweight title win over Joseph Benavidez "morons,"
(and let's face it, those most loudly decrying White's comments
will, in fact, tune in for UFC 153), but sometimes you've just
got to wonder.
Johnson's
basically a smaller Frankie Edgar, using speed and elusive footwork
to frustrate and pick apart his foes. Edgar's rightly lauded
throughout the sport for his courage and tenacity, but when Johnson,
who like Edgar also spent years going up against bigger opponents,
fights the same stye, he's boring and deserves to be booed? Really?
This
is the second straight event in which Canadian MMA fans, who
have long had a reputation for being more knowledgeable and educated
than most, have jeered a good technical fight, on the heels of
the Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao bout at UFC 149 in Calgary.
There seems to be a pattern developing here.
UFC
152 Quotes
"People
do want to see it. I don't know. Who knows? People do want to
see it. If enough people do want to see it, I guess I'd have
to make it." -- White, on the possibility of Jones vs. Chael
Sonnen
"I
could go on and on forever, but the top five pay-per-view draws
in this company are Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Chael
Sonnen makes the list now, Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. So there
are your facts, my friend." -- White, as part of his rant
against Toronto Star columnist Steve Simmons, the entirety of
which you can hear here.
Good
Call
To
referee "Big" John McCarthy, who seemed to have been
teleported straight from the 1990s into the Octagon at the Air
Canada Centre on Saturday night. McCarthy put on an officiating
clinic in how to call a main-event fight, starting with his first
and most important non-call in letting Jones continue despite
being stuck deep in Belfort's armbar. A lesser referee might
have pulled the trigger in that spot. McCarthy was equally adapt
in recognizing Belfort could continue later in the round, despite
being deeply cut open by several of Jones' nastiest elbows. Throughout
the bout, McCarthy knew when to let the fighters do their thing
and when to step in. In other words, he was exactly what you'd
expect from a main-event ref. There have undeniably been times
in recent years in which McCarthy has looked a step slow, but
Saturday night was a vintage performance.
Bad
Call
There
was nothing egregious at UFC 152, but there's some nitpicky stuff:
Like, the stoppage in Kyle Noke's win over Charlie Brenneman
came a bit quick. And how did a judge see the flyweight title
fight for Benavidez? But all in all, any night which doesn't
end with everyone howling about the officials a good one.
Stock
Up: Cub Swanson
So
how do you think this works over at Jackson's MMA? Does Greg
Jackson hold nightly "how to kill the sport" training
sessions, but make attendance optional? Is there a line painted
down the middle of the gym, like some sort of wacky ‘80s
sitcom, leaving the exciting fighters to train on one side of
the gym, and the boring ones on the other side? Either way, Swanson,
a Jackson's product, doesn't seem to agree with White's "sport-killing"
take on his coach. He's been one of 2012's most consistently
exciting fighters, with three KO/TKO wins to his credit and back-to-back
Fight of the Night awards. After his highlight-reel finish of
Charles Oliveira on Saturday night, Swanson, the winner of four
out of his past five fights, has earned the chance to test himself
against an upper-echelon 145er.
Stock
Down: Matt Hamill
I
don't mean this to come off as disrespect to Hamill, because
I'll always respect someone who overcame his disability and got
as far as he did. But as I watched his fight with Roger Hollett,
I couldn't shake the thought that Hamill might have best stayed
retired. It's not that Hamill isn't a competent fighter, he is.
But he's also one who had multiple chances against elite competition
before he took time off, and he came up short in each fight.
While Hamill got his hand raised at UFC 152, I saw nothing during
Hamill's fight that suggested his game will evolve. And if that's
the case, what's the point?
Fight
I want to See Next: Michael Bisping vs. Chris Weidman. The UFC
seems eager to push Bisping into an undeniably bankable title
fight with Anderson Silva, even if White stopped just a bit short
of saying so Saturday. Weidman's boosters put on blinders and
act as though he's the only logical choice to fight Silva. But
the truth is, neither guy has a clear-cut case for the next shot.
At this point, only the most irrational Bisping hater won't give
him his due as a much-improved fighter. But Bisping hasn't come
close to cleaning out the pack. And Weidman, while clearly a
star in the making, still only has one victory of note to his
credit. I know I'm looking past Tim Boetsch, Weidman's next opponent,
and that Boetsch seems to derive magic powers from being counted
out. But Bisping vs. Weidman intrigues me. A victory over Weidman
would give Bisping's credibility the final boost he needs for
a title shot; a win over Bisping would give Weidman the big-name
win he needs to bolster his profile. Whether you think Weidman
is No. 1 contender and Bisping No. 2 or vice versa, there's only
one way to settle it
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
152: Jones vs. Belfort Gate and Attendance
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Toronto at the Air
Canada Centre on Saturday night for UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort.
UFC
152 drew an attendance of 16,900 for a live gate of $1.92 million,
according to UFC president Dana White at the post-fight press
conference.
Jon
Jones put on another masterful performance, despite an opening
round near-miss, submitting Vitor Belfort with an Americana in
the fourth round of their bout.
The
promotion also headlined UFC 140 with Jon Jones last December,
but drew a live gate of $3.9 million with an attendance of 18,303
fans.
The
UFC’s first foray into Toronto was a record-setter, pulling
in 55,724 fans and earned $12.075 million with UFC 129 at the
Rogers Center. UFC 129 featured Canada’s favorite son Georges
St-Pierre defending his belt against Jake Shields.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Jones: DWI Arrest ‘Set Me Free’ From Expectations and
Trying to Be Perfect
UFC
light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was by far the most talked
about athlete heading into Saturday night’s UFC 152 card
for a myriad of reasons.
At
the top of the list were the questions about Jones turning down
a short-notice fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 151, an event that
was ultimately cancelled when no main event could be retained
for the show.
But
prior to UFC 152 on Saturday, commentator Joe Rogan sat down
with the 205-pound king to discuss another matter – his
arrest and conviction earlier this year on charges of driving
under the influence.
Jones
was arrested on May 19 for suspicion of driving while intoxicated,
and ultimately led to the New York native being fined $1,000
and having his driver’s license suspended for the next six
months.
Looking
back on the situation, Jones says that the DWI was a wake-up
call, but mostly served notice that he wasn’t perfect and
showed everyone he was capable of making mistakes.
“I
believe in some cases MMA fans, and just fans of sports in general,
have short memories. I actually believe my DUI set me free in
some ways. It set me free from a lot of fan expectation. I was
definitely coming into a sport as a young man trying to be perfect
for people, and that’s why people call me fake. I wasn’t
doing myself justice at all,” Jones said when speaking to
Rogan during the UFC 152 prelims on FX.
Jones
admits that the end result of driving drunk could have been deadly
for others as well as an obvious danger to his own health, but
he tries to turn the whole ordeal into a positive.
Now,
Jones looks back on his DWI as a way to grow as an adult and
he’s looking forward to pressing through the adversity as
he heads into his next fight on Saturday against Vitor Belfort
at UFC 152.
“I
guess the biggest thing I learned from the situation is how things
could have gone wrong. I could have hurt someone; I could not
be sitting here right now. I could be dead and I’m blessed
that didn’t end up happening. My life, I’m doing so
well at a lot of things and you can find yourself becoming bored
in a way. Bored with such a routine in life and everything,”
said Jones
“So
to go through such struggle and have so many people criticizing
me, whether it’s about the (UFC 151) cancellation or the
DWI, it’s all a blessing. It’s another opportunity
to grow as a man.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Roger
wants to fight with no errors Buchecha: 'I consider myself superior'
Ten
times world champion of Jiu-Jitsu, Roger Gracie is the greatest
name in the history of the gentle art competitions. Missing the
last two World Cups, by being more focused on his MMA career,
where he has five wins in six matches. But who is longing to
see "Rojão" kimono in action will have a great
opportunity, since "finishing machine" is back and
will face none other than Marcus Buchecha, current world champion
and absolute.
The
'duel dream' happens in the event Metamoris Pro and will run
for 20 minutes. The detail is that the fight will not score and
if there is no end, the tie will be enacted. Check out the exclusive
interview below the expected Roger to fight with Buchecha, evaluating
its descent class in MMA, among many other subjects.
What
did you think of the initiative Event Metamoris Pro struggles
to marry without punctuation?
I
do not think it is an innovation. It is an idea that has always
existed. The hard part is making a championship with this idea,
it has not submission, fight without time and without point.
It is not feasible with many people competing, the tournament
would last a month. But, this way they did, I think they are
excellent little fights. It's 20 minutes, then gives more than
enough time to finish. The fact that, if not ending, it ends
in a draw, extra motivation is a pro athlete seeking completion,
but, regardless of the domain you have about each other during
the fight, if you do not finish, ends tied. Make two points or
200 makes no difference. The fight will end in a draw. This idea
is pretty cool.
What
did you think of the choice of his opponent: Marcus Buchecha,
weight and absolute champion? Has accompanied the Jiu-Jitsu?
Look,
I've been following. Until I saw the finals of the World. He
was there in Los Angeles. I saw the championship round, but saw
the finals. I think it's a choice more than expected because
it was athlete in this World, gained weight and absolute. Many
people were talking about before Rodolfo Vieira, but he lost
the final to the absolute Buchecha then gave a disqualified him
to face me. I think if he had won, I would not be struggling
with Buchecha. Marcus is a top athlete, this showed in the last
world championship. You recently in the black belt, but has started
gaining weight and absolute, then I think it will be a very interesting
fight.
You
are more focused on MMA. How are the training of gi?
I
was a long time without wearing the kimono, choked one time or
another, but very little because I fought in July. I ended up
staying a while longer there in the United States, and I think
I gave a training kimono. When I returned to London, I started
teaching, I was not about seminars and training kimono, only
with my students, teaching. Opportunity came to this fight, I
thought a nice idea, and then I had to go back to the rhythm.
It was almost three months without training kimono right, but
I think now I'm into the rhythm, feeling much better, the footprints
are back, even more here for the fight ... There is less than
a month and I'll certainly be there 100 %.
When
you were in their camps Jiu-Jitsu, used to do these longer workouts
to get? What difference do you see the traditional ten minutes
to 20 now?
To
tell you the truth, I think the training is the same for me.
The only thing that changes is the strategy to fight because
the concern is not 20 minutes and ten. I think that ten minutes
to give you more blow as the fight ends. I think, in 20 minutes,
if you start blasting too, is a fight much longer, so in that
sense, I think the athlete has to take far more care, at least
in my view. I think more changes accordingly. In a matter of
training, I'm training like always trained like every championship
I fought lately. The training, for me, does not change. Changes
only come fight time.
What
are the names you want to call to give you strength?
Look,
I'm here in England. The Braulio was traveling. He fought last
month, nor gave him a workout. I trained a lot with Victor Estima,
but he lives half away from me, two hours from London to the
north, so we meet once a week. Vitor has evolved quite Jiu-Jitsu,
has given some good workouts here. Other than that, I train with
my students even. I have some brown belts, black belts here are
already well advanced. Has some black belts here in London who
have their academies that teach classes. We get together a few
times a week here and there trains at my gym. But it has no champion.
I think I'm turning here. I live in London ten years ago. For
better or worse, was the way I've been training lately. Until
the last two world I fought, I did all my training here in London.
What changed suddenly does Braulio participated more because
he'd fight too, so twice a week we met with his brother, Vitor.
Another time or another had a black belt here to train with us.
But apart from that, I was doing my fitness even with my students.
And
Jiu-Jitsu competitive? You came back because it is a tournament
that you like or want to continue reconciling Jiu-Jitsu to MMA?
Reconciling
the two is a very difficult task. I've been trying to do this,
but I felt a lot in recent years. Sometimes I was feeling that
I was not one nor the other well done. From a year ago, I decided
to devote myself almost exclusively to MMA. Of course I do not
leave the training cloth aside, but in relation to competition,
it is even more difficult if you have a fight on top of another,
which is what happened to me the last two times in the last two
World I Fought: 2009 and 2010. I had a very near Vale Tudo World.
And with that, I felt pretty. But this fight is not near any
MMA fight, so I think the time has influenced more than anything
else. If the opportunity is good to fight the kimono, with further
Buchecha, who was world champion now worth. I think it will be
a legal test, but I think the time has greatly influenced me
to make this decision because I did the fight in July, so now
I was kinda no fight scheduled. Ia or fight in November, December,
but it turned out my next fight will only be in January, then
had a time now that I can dedicate myself more to kimono. If
I were to fight in November, a few weeks after this fight, it
would be very difficult. It is very difficult to train for two
types of struggle at the same time: the kimono and Vale Tudo.
If so, I would not be fighting. But as the date is removed, I
think it's good.
Regarding
the new weight, midfielders, how did you feel? Are you comfortable
in the category?
Look,
I felt better than at heavyweight. You fight with lighter opponent,
you can print a rhythm game better, by weight. I think it requires
less physically to overthrow, try to tangle with the other person.
When heavier, harder. At my first fight with Ron Waterman, he
was much heavier than me and I felt that, I try to bring it down,
I would spend a very large energy, so I think now, fighting to
84kg, because the guy being lighter, I can try to overthrow and
implement my game without wear very large energy without having
to play defensively. I can go over to the offensive. I think
it influenced a lot and the fact that I think I'm mild to 93kg.
I weigh 97kg normally. If you see all the other people who struggle
to 93kg, everyone weighs more, much more than 100kg. The last
time, I suffered enough for weight loss, but I think I missed
a lot in the last three weeks: I have not lost any weight, then
came up and I suffered a bit more than I should. I think we learned
a lot, and that next time will be different.
Returning
to duel with Buchecha, what fans can expect Jiu-Jitsu of their
struggle?
I
think they can expect a performance I always like my act when
I enter the ring: 100% focused even more on this rule. I'll go
for 100% completion because there is no point. I think this will
be the goal of the struggle. Fighting is fighting. Every player
is considered higher than the other. Can I say that I consider
myself superior to Buchecha and I'm sure he will speak what is
considered superior to me and will want to finish this fight.
I think it will be a game of chess, I think if you get a good
position ... The Buchecha is a strong athlete, ended enough people
in this last World Cup. Who will make the first mistake dancing.
Source: Tatame
|
Dana
White Reveals Top Five UFC Pay-Per-View Draws – GSP Sits
at No. 1
It’s
not often that UFC officials talk about their pay-per-view numbers
outside of saying they were very happy with the results.
But
an angry Dana White lashed out at a Toronto reporter on Saturday
night who apparently wrote an article laced with mistruths, and
it led to the UFC President revealing a little bit of inside
company information about their biggest draws on pay-per-view.
In
the original article, the Canadian reporter had stated that former
UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar left the promotion, and
he was their biggest draw.
White
disputed that fact and fired back with one of his own, something
he’s stated on several occasions, that it’s UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre who tops the list as the biggest moneymaker
for the company.
In
addition to that revelation, White also named the other biggest
draws in terms of numbers for the UFC when they head to pay-per-view.
“The
top five pay-per-view draws in this company are Georges St-Pierre,
Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen makes the list now, Jon Jones and
Rashad Evans,” White stated.
If
there is a surprise in that list it may be former middleweight
contender Chael Sonnen, who has yet to hold a title in the UFC,
but remains one of the most talked about fighters in the entire
sport.
UFC
light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who competed and won on
Saturday night came in 4th overall, while old rival and training
partner Rashad Evans rounded out the top five.
With
St-Pierre and Silva coming in strong at No. 1 and No. 2 it’s
no wonder why a super fight between the two champions has been
proposed for 2013, but it remains a ‘hypothetical’
fight according to White until both of them get through their
next bouts.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Metamoris
Pro: André Galvão comments on event rules; prods
Ryron
GRACIEMAG:
Do you train differently for a 20-minute match where points don’t
count? How are you preparing to face Ryron Gracie at Metamoris
Pro this October 14?
ANDRÉ
GALVÃO: I’m still training normally. For me nothing’s
changed. I’m going there to win. I’m going to do my
job as always. I see all this as being normal. The only difference
is that it’s a challenge. This is the second time that Ralek
Gracie [organizer of the event] and his brothers invite me to
a challenge of this sort. So I accepted it under their rules.
Now I’m just going to go there and do my job. I want to
show my Jiu-Jitsu. I want to leave with my arm raised.
What
do you think of the innovative rules? Is a 20-minute match with
no points good for the fans? Is it good for Jiu-Jitsu?
In
my opinion, the rules are fine for someone who wants to drag
out a draw; in other words, for someone who wants to play defense
the whole time. These rules were made to favor someone; that
much is obvious. I prefer a points system, and I’ll explain
why. It’s the same thing as doing judo and only ippons counting,
or wrestling where all that counts is the touch, or boxing and
MMA for the knockout. And all that within regulation time. I
don’t feel it’s good for Jiu-Jitsu. A fight to the
finish without a time limit is different deal. But to the finish
with a time limit, that changes things, since the fighter has
to work against the time factor just like a normal competition.
I prefer Rickson’s rules for Budo Challenge, for example,
with points for the one who attacks more.
Were
you surprised when you were invited to face Ryron at Metamoris
Pro?
I
accepted because I like challenges. I like it. This is my life.
Surprised? No, because there’s always someone who wants
to fight me, especially those who need to make a name for themselves.
There
are those saying he’s the underdog. There are others saying
that’s not quite the case. What do you think?
You
have to ask him what Jiu-Jitsu titles he holds. Look, I gave
him an opportunity to compete against me. To try and say that
I’m the underdog is a joke, isn’t it? I’m going
to compete because I love Jiu-Jitsu. And if I win, they’ll
say, “Sure, but it was against Galvão…”
But if he beats me they’ll be shouting, “Dude, did
you see what happened at the Metamoris Pro in San Diego???”
So he certainly has a lot more to gain than I do… So I’m
going to go there, compete like I always do, stick my neck out
like I always do. Whatever happens, I’ll still be the same
André Galvão I’ve always been.
You’ll
be fighting right where you live, in San Diego, California. Do
you think the crowd will be on your side?
I
think they [the opposing team] will even take a band to cheer
for them, and maybe even give free tickets away to their students…
And it’s not far from Los Angeles, either. But I do hope
to have my own noisy cheering section. I love when people cheer
for me.
What’s
your view of Jiu-Jitsu’s evolving into what it is today?
In
the past, Jiu-Jitsu was real crude. Sometimes there was a really
heavy atmosphere about it. The gang was really reserved and there
was no contact between people who trained at different teams.
Today things have evolved a lot. Jiu-Jitsu’s a sport. The
gang trains a lot and the positions evolve a lot. It’s really
different, much more professional. Look at how much has happened
since the first Worlds, in 1996… In the future there will
be even greater evolution in terms of sport, education and health.
In five years Jiu-Jitsu will be at a different level. And it’s
beautiful to see all that! Folks already recognize that there
is no martial art more beneficial than Jiu-Jitsu.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Jon
Jones At Peace with Dana White Now; Has ‘Unfinished Business’
with Dan Henderson
The
last few weeks have served as a major lesson to UFC light heavyweight
Jon Jones.
Following
his decision to turn down a late notice fight with Chael Sonnen
at UFC 151 and the eventual cancellation of the event, Jones
has been vilified by the majority of the media and fans for passing
on the bout and right or wrong the bulk of the blame landed squarely
on his shoulders for the first UFC event being cancelled in 11
years.
As
far as the fight business goes, Jon Jones is doing just fine.
Outside of a submission attempt in the first round, Jones dominated
former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort for the better
part of 15+ minutes en route to a fourth round victory.
In
regards to his personal and business relationship with UFC President
Dana White, well that appears on the mend after the two of them
met on Friday following the UFC 152 weigh-ins.
Jones
says that after meeting with White face-to-face for the first
time since UFC 151 was cancelled, they have a better understanding
of the situation, and their relationship will actually grow stronger
now.
“I
think me and Dana are forever going to be a lot closer. We really
got to talk to each other on the level as two grown men, not
boss and an athlete. It was more two adults talking like adults.
I got to express to him how I felt about what he said, he got
to really put me in his shoes, and tell me where he was at as
the president of an organization and explain the loss that he
suffered,” Jones said when speaking to Fuel TV after his
win at UFC 152.
“Neither
one of us was necessarily apologetic about anything but we really
just came to a greater understanding.”
A
few weeks ago White was using words like ‘selfish’
to describe Jones, but after their meeting on Friday, the UFC’s
top light heavyweight believes it can all be water under the
bridge now.
As
far as his next challenge goes, Jones first must have his arm
examined after Belfort’s first round submission attempt.
At the UFC 152 post fight press conference, Jones stated that
the original diagnosis was potentially nerve damage in his bicep,
but he had not had time to have his arm x-rayed yet.
Jones
will visit with doctors late on Saturday night and await word
on his recovery time once a full diagnosis has been given.
In
terms of challengers however, Jones still looks at the man he
was supposed to fight at UFC 151 as the most likely competitor
to next challenge for his UFC light heavyweight title.
“Honestly,
I think I have some unfinished business to do with Dan Henderson,”
said Jones. “When he heals up I would love to pick up where
we left off.”
Henderson
is still on the road to recovery from a knee injury that forced
him out of UFC 151, but sources have indicated the long time
Team Quest member is ready to get back into training. Henderson
is expected to travel to Singapore in the next month to work
with long time friend and coach Heath Sims, who is now a full
time teacher at Evolve MMA, where he will also train alongside
former opponent and UFC champion Rich Franklin.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Michael
Bisping States Title Case; Dana White Thinks Anderson Silva Fight
Would Be Interesting
Michael
Bisping has been on the UFC’s case for a long time now to
get a shot at the UFC middleweight title wrapped around Anderson
Silva’s waist. His case became all the more stronger at
UFC 152 in Toronto, as he took a unanimous decision over “All-American”
Brian Stann.
“I’m
not the most talented person in the world, but I’m hungry
and I want (the title shot), and that overpowers anything,”
Bisping said after defeating Stann. “My desire to be the
world champion is not going away. The owners of the organization:
hook a brother up!”
Bisping
isn’t lauded as the most talented fighter in the world,
but throughout his time in the UFC, it’s been obvious to
see that he has worked on his overall game and added bits and
pieces over the years. He also has a quality that his bosses
and fans appreciate, he throws caution to the wind and tries
to go for the finish.
“It’s
fighting, you go out there and are going to get hit, but at the
end of the first round, he did hit me with a good shot, but I
took it, recovered and fought back.”
While
no one is sure if Bisping will be the next in line for the title,
UFC president Dana White was impressed by what he saw by the
former Ultimate Fighter winner and admitted that he spoke to
matchmaker Joe Silva about a match-up between the Brit and Silva.
“Me
and Joe (Silva) were talking earlier about how interesting a
fight between Bisping and Anderson Silva would be,” White
said. “(Bisping) doesn’t get the credit he deserves,
but there’s a line of guys that are next, the Middleweight
division is stacked, but Bisping looked great and always brings
it.”
“My
desire to be the world champion is not going away,” Bisping
stated. “The owners of the organization – hook a brother
up!”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Jones can break records of Anderson Silva, UFC boss says
Jon
Jones equaled the record for the UFC title defenses of the heavyweight
category at the end of Vitor Belfort on Saturday night at UFC
152, and the fact that only 25 years indicates that it may expand
the brand.
To
Dana White, president of the franchise, the young champion can
overcome even the numbers reached by Anderson Silva, most record
the history of the franchise, if you keep your ascension.
"Jon
Jones is without any doubt one of the greatest talents we've
seen in this sport. He is doing very well. He is on track to
be one of the best, maybe breaking the record for Anderson Silva,
"extols.
Jones
spent a difficult period facing the U.S. justice after suffering
a car accident while driving drunk and pick a fight with the
UFC organization and forcing the cancellation of issue 151. Still,
the topper sees walking in a correct direction out of the cage.
"There
is only the fight, has to manage his life, and that's what he's
doing."
Source: Tatame
|
CHAMPION
JON JONES TAPS VITOR BELFORT IN UFC 152 MAIN EVENT; ‘MIGHTY
MOUSE’ CROWNED AT 125
For
an instant, it appeared as though Vitor Belfort might get the
best of Jon Jones. Then reality set in.
Jones
(17-1, 11-1 UFC) retained his light heavyweight crown in the
UFC 152 headliner, as he submitted “The Phenom” with
a fourth-round keylock on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre in
Toronto. His arm bent at a grotesque angle, Belfort tapped out
54 seconds into round four, a victim to submission for just the
second time in his long and storied professional career.
Against
an undersized light heavyweight, Jones was far from flawless.
Belfort attacked from his back after succumbing to a first-round
takedown and trapped the champion in a tight armbar. Jones escaped
after a brief struggle but remained in visible pain in the immediate
aftermath of the fight.
“He
got that armbar in every way, shape and form,” he said.
“I’ve never had my arm pop like that before. I felt
it, but I worked too hard to give up. I was honestly waiting
for it to break, but I wasn’t going to tap out. It just
felt numb.”
Jones
admitted it affected his arm throughout the bout.
“My
brain is trained to throw it, but it definitely didn’t feel
powerful at all,” he said. “It was just a really numb
feeling, so I’ll have to see what is wrong with it.”
Belfort
(21-10, 10-6 UFC) knew a golden opportunity had come and gone.
“It
was cracking and popping,” he said, “but he was tough.”
Once
Jones freed himself, he settled into Belfort’s guard and
hammered away at the Brazilian with his trademark elbow strikes
from top position. It was not long before the blood was flowing.
Belfort’s situation did not improve. Jones kept him contained
on the feet -- he even dropped him with a side kick to the solar
plexus in the third round -- and battered him on the ground.
Belfort
elected to pull guard on a number of occasions, but the tactic
did not serve him well. Less than a minute into the fourth round,
Jones jumped into a topside crucifix, isolated the challenger’s
arm and finished the fight with the keylock. Belfort had not
been submitted since Alistair Overeem put him away with a guillotine
choke more than seven years ago in Pride Fighting Championships.
“I
was trying to work my jiu-jitsu, but I couldn’t catch my
breath,” Belfort said. “He was long and moved his pace
pretty well, so that’s why he’s the champion.”
Johnson
became the first.
Split Verdict Gives Johnson Flyweight Gold
AMC
Pankration representative Demetrious Johnson threw and landed
more kicks and punches, mixed in five takedowns and captured
a split decision over Joseph Benavidez in the co-main event to
become the first flyweight champion in UFC history.
Two
of the three judges, Jeff Blatnick and Doug Crosby, scored it
for Johnson (16-2-1, 4-1-1 UFC) by 48-47 and 49-46 counts; a
third, Richard Bertrand, saw it 48-47 for Benavidez (16-3, 3-1
UFC).
“I
was a little shocked [that it was a split decision],” Johnson
said. “I felt that on the standup I got him there. I took
him down a lot more. He didn’t get me down once. I controlled
him and had his back. The judges are doing their jobs, and I’m
doing mine, which is to fight.”
The
two flyweights engaged one another for the full 25 minutes in
a dazzling display of skill, speed and technique. Benavidez made
his most significant moves in rounds two and four, nearly finishing
it in the fourth, where he staggered Johnson with a right hand
and jumped into a mounted guillotine choke. “Mighty Mouse”
struggled to free himself from the hold and was ultimately successful,
threatening Benavidez with a leg lock before returning to his
feet.
Johnson
-- who opened a cut near his foe’s left eye with a stout
right hand in the third round -- answered the championship call
in the fifth, as he delivered a pair of takedowns, countered
beautifully and finished with a flourish.
“Joseph
is a great competitor,” Johnson said. “I train hard,
and I dedicate my life to this sport. It means the world. I still
have to prove a lot of things. It’s like I said. If I become
a champion, the same thing is going to happen. I’m going
to go home and rest, get back in the gym and get ready for the
next battle.”
Bisping
Denies Stann, Eyes Title Shot
Michael
Bisping strengthened his case for a title shot at 185 pounds,
as he weathered a harrowing encounter with Brian Stann’s
right hand and outdueled the Marine en route to a unanimous decision
in their high-stakes middleweight showdown. All three judges
sided with Bisping (23-4, 13-4 UFC) by identical 29-28 counts,
giving the 33-year-old Brit his fifth win in six outings.
Bisping’s
13 Octagon victories tie him with Jon Fitch for 10th on the promotion’s
all-time list.
Stann
(12-5, 6-4 UFC) had his chance late in the first round, when
he clobbered “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner
with a searing right hand. Bisping found himself on rubbery legs
in a blink, but he survived and escaped to new life in the second
round. There, Bisping took control with accurate, high-volume
punching. He also exploited Stann’s most glaring deficiency
-- takedown defense -- as he grounded the American twice in each
of the final two frames.
“I
always try to push a fast pace,” Bisping said. “I was
never a particularly gifted athlete. I just want this so bad,
and I train so hard. Ask any of my coaches. No one trains as
hard as me. Listen, I’m not the most talented person in
the world, but I’m hungry and I want it. That overpowers
anything. My desire to be the world champion is not going away.
To the owners of the organization: come on, hook a brother up.”
Hamill
Returns to Decision Hollett
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 alum Matt Hamill returned
from a year-long retirement to defeat Bellator Fighting Championships
veteran Roger Hollett in a featured matchup at 205 pounds. All
three cageside judges scored it for Hamill (11-4, 10-4 UFC):
29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.
Hamill
did his best work in rounds one and three, as he took down the
Canadian repeatedly and racked up the points with punches. The
35-year-old Ohioan held fatigue at bay down the stretch, leaning
heavily on his wrestling chops and suffocating top game. Hollett
(13-4, 0-1 UFC) entered his promotional debut on a five-fight
winning streak and left it a defeated man.
Surging
Swanson KOs Oliveira
Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts standout Cub Swanson knocked out Charles Oliveira
with a looping overhand right in the first round of their featherweight
showcase. Swanson (18-5, 3-1 UFC) sealed it 2:40 into round one,
as he won for the third time in as many appearances.
Oliveira
(16-3, 4-3 UFC) struck for a takedown inside the first minute
but failed to capitalize. Once he returned to his feet, Swanson
landed a crippling left hook to the body and, not long after,
delivered the fight-ending blow. Oliveira remained upright for
a brief moment before crumpling to the canvas in a bizarre delayed
reaction.
“He
was tough. He threw me off for a little bit, and it took me a
minute to get my rhythm,” Swanson said. “My coaches
had a lot of confidence in my power, and they told me that if
I landed one big punch, he was going down for sure. I dipped
down to make him think I was going to the body again, and then
he dropped his guard. I went up top and hit him with that one
to the eye.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Dana
White: (Spike TV) Is the Worst Channel in the History of the
World
Divorce
is always hard and while both parties involved try to remain
amicable, it happens quite often that things break down and end
up in a shouting match between the two parties.
It’s
no different in the world of sports and television because when
relationships are going well, there’s nothing but smiles
and handshakes all around. But when things break down, and the
mud starts slinging, it’s open season on any and all comments
made towards each other in the press.
For
months after leaving Spike TV in favor of a new 7-year deal with
Fox, UFC President Dana White remained on fairly solid ground
with his former television partner.
He
wasn’t likely going to send much business their way, but
still White stayed fairly friendly towards his competitors at
Spike TV after their long relationship helped build the UFC and
the network to new heights.
Now,
the gloves are off and both seem ready to aim and fire at one
another whenever the gun is loaded, and following UFC 152 on
Saturday night, White blasted off a few shots at his former television
home.
It
all swirls around the Ultimate Fighter, the flagship reality
show that first launched on Spike TV in 2005, and the ratings
for the 16th season, which had the lowest audience ever for a
season premiere of the long running program.
The
new version of the Ultimate Fighter airs on Friday nights on
FX, as opposed to the Wednesday night slot they had on Spike
TV. White explains that FX has so much original programming that
they have to put the Ultimate Fighter where it fits best, and
right now that’s on Friday nights, but Spike TV doesn’t
have room to criticize anybody’s ratings or programming
choices.
“You
know who keeps leaking this stuff out and all the negativity
is ‘Spuke TV (Spike TV). These guys don’t have a (expletive)
program on that show to save their life, it’s the worst
channel in the history of the world, nothing they do on that
channel works,” White stated following UFC 152 on Saturday.
White
says that the Ultimate Fighter debut was still No. 1 in the key
demographic of 18-34 year old males, and FX sees the show as
a big success in terms of their programming goals for Friday
nights.
“That’s
a homerun for FX. Is it a homerun for us because it’s not
doing the numbers I wish it could do if we were on Tuesday or
Wednesday? No, but it’s an absolute homerun for FX,”
said White.
The
UFC’s contract for past programming on Spike TV runs through
the end of 2012, and once it expires, all of the UFC’s library
of fights shift back into their control. At that time, Spike
TV will then begin airing Bellator Fighting Championships, who
they bought a stake in the promotion in 2011.
No
matter what happens, don’t expect friendly handshakes and
smiles to come from either side in what has become a seemingly
volatile relationship between two past business partners.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
152 Fighter Bonuses: Cub Swanson Leads $65,000 Winners with Knockout
of the Night
There
were a lot of great finishes and a lot of great fights at UFC
152: Jones vs. Belfort on Saturday night in Toronto, but as always,
UFC officials narrowed it down and handed out post-fight bonuses
to four fighters.
While many people expected UFC light heavyweight champion Jon
Jones to defeat last-minute replacement Vitor Belfort, not many
expected the fashion by which he did it.
After softening Belfort up with his striking game through the
better part of the fight, Jones hit the mat with Belfort in round
four, quickly submitting him with an Americana. The finish netted
Jones an extra $65,000 for the Submission of the Night.
The UFC 152 Knockout of the Night caught hardly anyone by surprise
as Cub Swanson is know for the power in his hands. He displayed
it once again, knocking out Charles Oliveira midway through the
opening round of their fight, putting an additional $65,000 in
his pocket.
T.J. Grant and Evan Dunham were on the FX prelim portion of the
fight card and took their fight to a decision, but the fashion
with which they fought earned them the UFC 152 Fight of the Night
bonuses. Grant and Dunham went nose-to-nose the entire fight,
but it was Grant that was more proficient, bloodying Dunham’s
face en route to the unanimous decision victory.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Is
Michael Bisping Becoming a Fan Favorite?
For
the past few years in the world of MMA heroes and villains, Michael
Bisping has almost always been rated as public enemy No. 1.
The
brash Brit never holds his tongue, doesn’t mind speaking
out about any subject, and has no problem dropping a few expletives
for an opponent or anyone really when the mood strikes him.
But
something strange happened to Michael Bisping on his way to the
stage for the UFC 152 weigh-ins on Friday – he received
a loud ovation from the Toronto crowd and most of the noise came
from cheers, not jeers.
Bisping
has routinely soaked in the boos from fans in the past, and has
even admittedly reveled in the moment when he gets to play the
bad guy. Over the past few months however it appears Bisping
might be turning a corner with the fans, who are starting to
enjoy his personal brand of delivering pre-fight hype and exciting
fights in the cage.
“It
does seem that way a little bit. Certainly on my Twitter account
everyday I get a lot of tweets saying ‘I used to absolutely
hate you but now I kind of like you’ so that’s nice,”
Bisping said after his win over Brian Stann at UFC 152.
Now
at 33-years of age, Bisping is a wiser and more accomplished
fighter and understands a bit more now how things work with fans.
“I’ve
been here a long time now and have I done things I regret over
the years? Of course I have. I’ve grown up, I’ve said
things, I’ve said stupid things, I’ve done stupid things.
I’m 33 now, I’ve got three kids, I’ve grown up
a bit. I’ve acted like an (expletive) at times, of course
we all make mistakes,” said Bisping.
Now
just because Bisping has grown up a little doesn’t mean
he’s going to change who he is or how he behaves. He’s
just learned a few lessons from past experiences, but Michael
Bisping is always going to be Michael Bisping – it’s
just now the fans can appreciate that a bit more than before.
“I’m
still me, I’m still doing exactly what I do, I haven’t
really changed,” Bisping stated. “I like it though,
it’s nice.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
152 Knockout of the Night Winner Cub Swanson Eyes Rematch With
Jose Aldo
Cub
Swanson left the UFC fans at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto
in awe of his handywork.
From
the opening bell, you could see the fire in Swanson’s eyes
and you could tell he was ready to mow through the tough Charles
Oliveira at UFC 152. The 28-year-old was able to get in Oliveira’s
face early and didn’t let up.
Swanson
finished Oliveira with a devastating body shot and an overhand
right to the temple, earning the UFC 152 Knockout of the Night
bonus.
“I’d
love that fight,” Swanson said at the UFC 152 post-fight
press conference. “Ever since the first fight, it hurt to
lose like that, just because I felt like the fans were robbed
of that fight and I’ll do whatever it takes to get back
there.”
Swanson
first fought Aldo at WEC 41 back in 2009. Aldo dispatched Swanson
quickly with a horrific flying knee in the opening seconds of
the fight. Since then, Swanson breathed new life into his featherweight
career and has looked phenomenal.
The
victory over Oliveira is now Swanson’s second Knockout of
the Night performance along with Ross Pearson. After earning
his third knockout win in a row, the Jackson’s MMA standout
has made UFC president Dana White take notice.
“He
looked phenomenal tonight,” White said. “In his last
fight, he looked amazing. He was awesome tonight; he had one
of the craziest knockouts I’ve ever seen. I’m happy
for him man. He’s on his way.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
With
sling on his arm, Jones hails defiant: 'Vitor gave me work'
Vitor
Belfort came close to dethroning Jon Jones in the first round
in the main event of UFC 152, to fit a fair armbar. The champion
of middle-peados escaped the trap, but the sling that supported
his arm at the press conference, an hour after finishing the
Brazilian, showed that the attack left the Brazilian brands.
"It
took the x-ray yet, but there may be an injury. Do not know,
"said the champion, the post-fight conference, praise for
tearing challenging. "I think I had a good performance,
but there is still much room for improvement. Vitor gave me work.
I worked so hard in the standup game and must now work harder
Jiu-Jitsu. "
"I
know he is a black belt from Carlson Gracie. He is strong and
has great confidence in himself. He pulled guard and that's one
thing he was very old. That does not surprise me, "amended
on the fact that the Brazilian has pulled guard a few times.
Jones
is known for his striking and unusual Wrestling at high quality,
but the gentle art was exposed as its weakness. And he knows
it.
"I
am passionate about all martial arts and Jiu-Jitsu is what I
have to improve. The ground on the pound was good, well struck.
"
Jones
commented yet his feeling after returning to the second round,
minutes after feeling in his arm snapping armbar.
"In
the second round, I thanked God for having escaped that key-in-arm.
I worked both my strength. If you can breathe well ... Being
with my arm aching, I thought I had to endure to prove to my
teachers that, as the Warriors had to endure. "
Source: Tatame
|
Rodolfo
Vieira: “I was invited to fight Ryron at Metamoris”
Current
world heavyweight-title holder Rodolfo Vieira returns to competition
Jiu-Jitsu this Saturday at the CBJJ Brazilian Team Nationals,
and before taking to combat, the GFTeam ace had a quick chat
with GRACIEMAG.com.
GRACIEMAG:
A lot of our readers called for you to be added to the Metamoris
card, where big-name Jiu-Jitsu competitors face off in 20-minute,
no-points-counted supermatches. What’s your take on the
event, set to go down October 14 in San Diego, California?
RODOLFO
VIEIRA: Man, that’s one event I’d do anything to watch.
Ralek Gracie [promoter of the event] even invited me to face
Ryron [the Gracie will be facing André Galvão].
But it’ll be on the same day as another event, in Brasilia.
I thanked him for the opportunity and told him, this year I’ll
have to pass. Now I’m rooting for my buddy Bochecha. He
has a really tricky match ahead of him against Roger Gracie,
and Roger’s Roger, right? One mistake against him and that
could be it, especially in a 20-minute match. I feel that [match
duration] works more in the Gracie’s favor. I’m happy
Bochecha has been given this opportunity; he’s a good kid
and deserves it. Sparks are going to fly in their match. It’s
got the makings of the fight of the night.
What
are your expectations for the contest you’re entering now?
I
always expect the best. I trained so hard and am really confident—not
just in myself but in my team. We’ll be going into this
Brazilian Team Nationals strong at all belt levels.
How
did your seminar tour of Brazil go?
It
was well worth it. I got to see cool places and could see how
my work is being recognized, and that’s really gratifying.
I’m pleased with all the demand. I really didn’t expect
it… I took some time off to train for this championship,
but I’ll take it back up again afterwards. It was nice to
get some time off, because travel can be kind of tiring. I couldn’t
take being in any more airports…
What
did you teach people?
I
taught them what I do best, my guard passes, which is what I
enjoy the most. It’s hard to get any guard stuff in (laughs).
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Dana
White Hopes Boxing Continues to Do Great Numbers; Won’t
Play Bob Arum’s Game
There’s
an old myth out there that mixed martial arts and boxing just
can’t co-exist.
The
two combat sports are perceived to constantly battle for the
same audience despite both having successes in their own arenas
over the last few years.
Some
of that rivalry has been pushed by boxing promoter Bob Arum,
who pokes and prods at the UFC and their president Dana White
whenever the subject of MMA comes up. For his part, while White
is no fan of Arum, he remains a boxing fan and hopes that the
sport continues to succeed.
Last
weekend, a middleweight title fight between Sergio Martinez and
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. pulled in upwards of 475,000 pay-per-view
buys, which were great numbers for HBO and the boxing community.
White
watched the fight and says he was happy to see boxing pull big
numbers on pay-per-view. The rise and success of the UFC doesn’t
come at the cost of boxing says White, and he’s more than
supportive a sport he still loves.
“I’m
happy for them. Whenever boxing does good things and they pull
killer pay-per-view (numbers), I’m always watching to see
what they do on pay-per-view. And I’m not like those (expletives),
they did this much, I’m happy for them. I want to see combat
sports do better,” White said following UFC 152 on Saturday.
“I
want to see boxing pull bigger numbers.”
White
explains that his willingness to support boxing is the biggest
difference between him and boxing promoter Bob Arum, who slams
MMA any chance he gets.
“I’m
not Bob Arum that crusty (expletive). I’m not out there
smashing everything we do, and saying negative things about boxing.
Boxing is (expletive) great it’s an incredible sport. I
wouldn’t be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for
the sport of boxing,” White stated.
“I’m
not going to play Bob Arum’s little (expletive) game.”
Over
the past few years, boxing has gone head to head with UFC events
a number of times. The next major head-to-head night will be
on Dec 8 when UFC on Fox 5 takes place in Seattle, while on the
same night Manny Pacquaio battles Juan Manuel Marquez for the
fourth time.
It’s
a formula that White is used to seeing, and something that boxing
has done for years. There were even times when boxing would go
head-to-head with other boxing shows, just to try and go after
the competition.
“That’s
what they do, they went head to head the same night on TV. They’re
crazy,” said White.
No
matter what, White remains a big boxing fan and he will surely
be tuning in to see Manny Pacquiao’s next fight right after
he wraps up UFC on Fox 5. He says he’ll always follow the
‘sweet science’ and no amount of poking and prodding
from promoters like Bob Arum will make him change his mind.
“Bob
(Arum) is a (expletive). For some reason he hates the fact that
this sport is doing well, other guys are able to make money,
other athletes are able to perform and do great things,”
said White.
“For
some reason that bothers that old bastard.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jon
Jones shows mettle, looks 'unbeatable' in gritty title defense
against Vitor Belfort
TORONTO
– A familiar script was playing out only seconds into the
light heavyweight title fight Saturday in the main event of UFC
152 at the Air Canada Centre.
Champion Jon Jones quickly took down his opponent, this time
Vitor Belfort. And just as quickly as he got Belfort to the mat,
Jones was preparing to unload the most lethal elbows in mixed
martial arts.
It's a formula that has, in just 18 months, made him one of the
most decorated and dangerous fighters in UFC history: takedown,
batter with elbows, finish. His opponents usually come out of
fights looking like they had their faces raked along barbed wire.
His ground and pound is the deadliest in the sport, bar none.
The script flipped early, this time, though. Belfort, the massive
underdog, didn't come to be pummeled and surrender meekly. And
as Jones was preparing to do his thing, Belfort caught him in
an arm bar. He appeared about to snap Jones' right forearm as
the crowd roared.
"I heard it popping," Belfort said of Jones' arm.
But Jones, who was on his way to becoming Public Enemy No. 1
among UFC fans, refused to tap and give away his title. And he
fought an entire fight with an arm that he believed to have suffered
nerve damage.
He fought flawlessly and methodically, breaking down Belfort
before submitting him in the fourth with an Americana keylock.
It would have been a brilliant performance under the best of
circumstances, but considering Jones may have trouble using the
arm to hold his coffee cup on Sunday, it was beyond amazing.
"Jon Jones did look unbeatable," UFC president Dana
White said.
That invincibility, along with the quirky, carefree personality
he showed at the post-fight news conference, will make him plenty
of fans.
He angered a large portion of them by declining to fight Chael
Sonnen on Sept. 1 at UFC 151 on eight days' notice, which resulted
in the first cancellation in UFC history.
But he put that long past him on Saturday, in a way reminiscent
of his early days as champion.
On March 19, 2011 at UFC 128, the night he won the title from
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jones stopped a mugging. At
the post-fight news conference that night, he animatedly described
it, drawing laughs from all who heard him speak.
He brought that light-hearted version of himself with him on
Saturday. He said he knew he would be booed, and so he tried
to counter it by walking to the cage to Bob Marley's "Could
You Be Loved?"
Jones beamed as he recounted his decision to pick that particular
song.
"How can you boo Bob Marley?" he said.
That same question should be asked of the UFC fan base: How could
one boo Jon Jones? The man is a brilliant talent, perhaps the
greatest individual talent in UFC history. He comes to fight,
is always in entertaining matches and has made finishing an art
form.
Saturday's win was his fourth title defense and all five of his
title fight wins came over current or former champions.
There were few doubters of his physical gifts entering Saturday's
bout. However, he was derided as a phony and an egotist by many
in the fan base and had been hearing more than his share of boos
for a guy so gifted.
What wasn't so well-known, though, was whether he had the toughness
or intestinal fortitude to grind through a difficult situation.
He's been so much more talented than anyone he's faced, he hadn't
faced a desperate situation before until Belfort caught him in
the arm bar.
At that moment, Jones proved he's a rare breed of fighter. The
prudent move would have been to tap and prevent a serious injury,
surviving to fight for the title another day. Just a little more
than nine months earlier in the same cage, Frank Mir snapped
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's forearm with a Kimura when Nogueira
refused to submit.
Jones took the same approach.
"Honestly, I was waiting for it to break," Jones said.
"I was not going to tap out, but I've never felt that before."
He gritted it out and went on to dominate the fight, a bout in
which Belfort fought passionately, as well. Many believed that
Belfort, who took the fight on Aug. 23, was just showing up for
a big paycheck. Clearly, though, he came to win.
But even with the use of one arm, Jones was dynamic in rolling
to his 17th victory in 18 fights. His only loss was a disqualification
that was an error by the referee.
In the 17 previous bouts, though, he never showed the kind of
grit and moxie he showed on Saturday.
"He got caught in the arm bar there," White said. "He
got out of an arm bar that looked deep, tight and was popping.
Vitor even said he heard it popping. There's no way it wasn't
popped. He pulled it out and started fighting like his arm didn't
get popped. In no way, shape or form did that guy show any weakness
whatsoever.
"His arm was hurt. He couldn't throw punches with it any
more. He couldn't drop elbows with it any more. He made an injured
elbow look like it wasn't [injured]. I think the guy looked phenomenal
tonight. He took great punches from a real puncher and a guy
who wanted to win that fight. … I think Jon Jones did look
unbeatable."
It was an eventful card with a series of stellar performances.
Demetrious Johnson was masterful in outdistancing Joseph Benavidez
to win the flyweight title, a bout in which there surprisingly
were boos from the crowd of 16,800.
That made White irate and at the post-fight news conference,
he asked any fan who booed to never buy a UFC pay-per-view again.
"I don't want your money," White said to the booing
fans.
He was also irate at a Toronto newspaper columnist, calling him
a vulgar name before reading off parts of his column he said
were inaccurate.
It was creating tension on a night that should have been a celebration.
And then he was asked about his Friday meeting with Jones, at
which they'd discussed their war of words after UFC 151's cancellation.
White said the talk went well, then eyed Jones' mother, Camille
Jones, in the audience. "You can imagine what Mama Jones
said to me," White said, chuckling. "The Jon Jones
conversation went much better." The conversation about Jones
should be overwhelmingly positive from this point forward. Jones
proved his mettle in the world's toughest sport and still performed
like a superstar. Later, he had all the right answers to all
the hard questions. A week that started horribly for Jones and
the UFC couldn't have ended any better for either of them.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
UFC
154: St-Pierre vs. Condit Official, Tickets on Sale Sept 29
It’s
been a long time coming but Georges St-Pierre‘s return to
the Octagon is now official.
UFC
officials announced on Sunday that St-Pierre’s return will
indeed take place as expected at UFC 154 in Montreal on Nov 17
against UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit.
Tickets
for UFC 154: St-Pierre vs. Condit will go on sale on Sept 29
for the event that will be held on Nov 17 at the Bell Centre
in Montreal. UFC Fight Club member will have the ability to purchase
tickets starting on Thursday, Sept 27, and UFC newsletter subscribers
will have a special pre-sale event starting on Friday, Sept 28.
In
addition to ticket sale information, UFC officials also confirmed
a Sept 27 press conference that will be open to the public at
the Montreal Science Centre that will be attended by UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre, interim champion Carlos Condit and
director of UFC Canadian operations Tom Wright.
The
press conference will kick off just about 6 weeks before St-Pierre’s
return to the Octagon. The UFC’s reigning and defending
welterweight champion has not fought since April 2011 when he
defeated Jake Shields at UFC 129 in Toronto.
Later
that year, St-Pierre suffered a serious knee injury, blowing
out his ACL, and required surgery that sidelined the champion
for the better part of the last year. Now medically cleared to
return to action, St-Pierre will look to unify the welterweight
titles when he battles interim champion Carlos Condit at UFC
154.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
If
You Didn’t Like UFC 152 Flyweight Title Bout, Dana White
Doesn’t Want You or Your Money
Demetrious
Johnson and Joseph Benavidez put on a fight for the ages in the
inaugural UFC flyweight championship bout, but their efforts
went unappreciated.
Both
men fought with a never-say-die attitude at a ridiculous pace.
The fans at UFC 152 the Air Canada Centre, however, booed and
UFC fans on twitter were fervent in their disdain of the two
flyweights.
After
reading several tweets and listening to the boos, UFC president
Dana White had enough and fired back at the people who didn’t
appreciate Johnson and Benavidez’s efforts.
“It
doesn’t matter what we do, how many fights in a row we put
on, or how these guys perform,” White said at the UFC 152
post-fight presser. “I was reading Twitter tonight and these
people were ripping on the flyweights. If you didn’t like
that flyweight fight, please, and I’m begging you, don’t
buy another UFC pay-per-view again. Don’t ever buy another
one again; I don’t want your money. You’re a moron,
you don’t like fighting and you don’t appreciate great
talent or heart if you didn’t like that flyweight fight.”
The
UFC president went as far as to say that if you didn’t like
Johnson vs. Benavidez that he doesn’t want you ordering
UFC pay-per-views any longer, because he feels if you can boo
an all-out war, he doesn’t want you as a fan. Ultimately,
White feels that the fight was an underappreciated, thrilling,
five-round technical battle.
“That
kid fought his ass off tonight, look at (Benavidez’s) face,
going after a guy who is incredibly talented and picking him
apart and moving. He never gave up and went five straight rounds.
When I get on Twitter and I see that stuff, I get crazy man.
Please, please, please, those of you that said that, I don’t
want your money.
“I
wasn’t surprised, I was horrified by the booing,” White
continued. “I tell these guys in the back that after the
weigh-ins are over and the way that this relationship works is
that these guys are our partners. You know we go in and do this
and that and everything else and these guys go out and they deliver.
“Every
fight you’re going to see in the UFC, two guys aren’t
going to run into each other and just start swinging like mad
men. These two guys worked their entire life to get to this point
and it’s a five-round title fight. If they can get the knockout
or the submission quick, sure they’re going to go for it.
But the guys are so talented that you have the world champion
right here and the second best guy in the world. It’s insane;
it drives me crazy.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Belfort
says 'relieved' arm-lock to not break the arm of Jones
Vitor
Belfort came close to beat Jon Jones at UFC 152, to fit an armbar
in the first round, but the champion managed to escape. At the
press conference, the Brazilian revealed that instinctively 'relieved'
to feel the pressure arm of American pop.
"I've
always had great respect for Jon Jones and know he is a great
champion. When I felt his arm snap, decrease the pressure, and
he managed to get out, "said Belfort.
Jones
came to the press conference after this statement the Brazilian.
With the arm supported in a sling, he praised the stance of the
former champion.
"I
do not know if this is true or not, but it shows the kind of
man he is. It was an honor to fight with Vitor, "praised
Jones.
Source: Tatame
|
GFTeam
wins 2012 Brazilian Team Nationals
The
always riveting Brazilian Team National Championship delivered
first-rate Jiu-Jitsu at Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca Tennis Club
this Saturday. Amid a storm of noisy cheering sections, celebrations
and heated contests, the gentle art’s most traditional teams
again made the tournament well worth attending. In the overall
team standings, GFTeam came out on top, with last year’s
winner, Nova União, taking second, and Alliance in third.
Rodolfo
Vieira made his competition return in the gymnasium that first
thrust him into the limelight, with his teammates Igor Silva,
Leonardo Maciel, Ricardo Evangelista and Wancler Santos winning
alongside him in the brown/black belt division.
The
lightweight master division was Nova União’s, though,
with representatives of the old guard like Rodrigo “Feijão”
and André Motta coming up spades. GFTeam won the heavyweight
leg of the competition.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
152 Results: ‘Jones vs. Belfort’ Play-by-Play
Air Canada
Centre, Toronto, Canada
September 22, 2012
Charlie
Brenneman vs. Kyle Noke
Round
1
Noke flicks out a few jabs and just misses with a front kick
up the middle. Another jab, this one stiffer, finds Brenneman’s
chin and staggers “The Spaniard.” Seconds later, a
right cross drops Brenneman to his knees. The wrestler begins
grabbing for Noke’s legs in survival mode, but referee Dan
Miragliotta steps in after a few more punches from Noke. Brenneman
hops up and protests the stoppage on wobbly legs, but it’s
too late. Kyle Noke gets the finish just 45 seconds into his
welterweight debut.
Mitch
Gagnon vs. Walel Watson
Round
1
The much taller Watson uses long kicks and feints to keep Gagnon
at bay for the first 30 seconds, but Gagnon steps inside and
crumples Watson with a massive left hook. Gagnon chases the American
to the ground and throws a flurry of punches before taking control
of Watson’s back. Gagnon goes straight for the rear-naked
choke and gets the tap 69 seconds into the opening round.
Seth
Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen
Round
1
Baczynski throws hands to the body early and flicks out a leg
kick; Thoresen steps forward and tries to find the range with
some jabs. Baczynski has a right high kick blocked and pulls
up short on a combination. An outside thigh kick from Thoresen
makes some noise and the welterweights trade right hands. A few
right hands from Thoresen have Baczynski’s upper lip cut
open. Baczynski gets inside and tries the Thai plum but gets
shoved off. Thoresen is finding more success with his punches
and keeping Baczynski on his back foot. With less than two minutes
remaining in the round, Baczynski accidentally gouges Thoresen’s
eye. Thankfully, Thoresen recovers quickly and gets back to throwing
punches and leg kicks. Baczynski slips a right hand and counters
with a crushing left hook that sends Thoresen slumping face-first
to the canvas. Ref John McCarthy immediately recognizes that
Thoresen is out cold, though it takes some effort to pry Baczynski
off. The official time of the knockout is 4:10 of the first round.
Jim
Hettes vs. Marcus Brimage
Round
1
Brimage ducks low and punches to the body, then sends Hettest
to the canvas with a quick right hand. Hettes pops back up and
Brimage gets him backing up with a left over the top. A shot
from Hettes yields no result as Brimage sprawls backward and
then sprints away. Another body shot and a left to the jaw connect
for Brimage; a low kick from Hettes catches him low, but the
featherweights keep going. Brimage chops the leg out from under
his rangy opponent, drawing an “ooh” from the crowd.
A left sends Hettes to the ground again, but the Pennsylvanian
recovers and puts Brimage in his guard. Brimage backs out and
lets Hettes back to his feet. Brimage keeps the snappy punches
coming but now gets tagged with a short right hand. Another short
right from Hettes gives Brimage reason to pause. A straight left
from Hettes splits his man’s gloves; Brimage sends one over
the top but Hettes doesn’t go down this time. Brimage lands
a right hook and rushes forward. Hettes seems to consider a guillotine
but quickly gives it up. For the first time tonight, a fight
will go to the second round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Brimage
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brimage
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Brimage
Round
2
Brimage goes straight back to swinging in the second, this time
mixing in some body shots. Hettes takes this for about 40 seconds
before grabbing hold of the smaller man and tripping Brimage
to the canvas in the middle of the cage. From half-guard, Hettes
cracks Brimage with a pair of stiff elbows, but Brimage is able
to flip Hettes and scramble back up. After a cracking knee from
Hettes, Brimage is brought down again, and this time Hettes is
able to secure back control. Hettes switches from hooks to a
body triangle on the back and begins working for the rear-naked
choke. Brimage does well to defend, peeling off the wrists and
breaking the body control to get back to his knees. Hettes locks
up the body triangle again and goes back to punching, trying
to soften up Brimage for the choke. Brimage powers out of the
bad position and gets back to his feet with about 75 seconds
remaining in the round. Brimage shuts down a shot from Hettes
and finds his jaw with a left. Another shot is stuffed by Brimage,
who tries to steal the round with a last-second flurry of punches
and a missed flying knee.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hettes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hettes
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hettes
Round
3
Both featherweights are swinging for the fences early in the
final frame, with Brimage repeatedly unloading his wide left
hand. Hettes is giving chase and has begun bleeding from an unseen
cut behind his right ear. Solid one-two from Brimage finds Hettes’
chin; Hettes keeps walking forward and takes another hard left.
Brimage lands a low kick; Hettes pulls his man’s head down
in the Thai plum but misses a knee. Hettes tries to pick the
ankle and Brimage jogs away, then catches Hettes coming in with
another left. Brimage misses a combo and takes a counter right
on the cheek. Ninety seconds remain and Brimage -- now cut underneath
his left eye -- backs Hettes away with a left. Brimage turns
away another takedown attempt from Hettes and resumes back-stepping
and counterstriking. Brimage turns Hettes around with a leg kick
and gets the youngster to bite on two more feints.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Brimage (29-28 Brimage)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brimage (29-28 Brimage)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Brimage (29-28 Brimage)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Marcus Brimage.
Lance
Benoist vs. Sean Pierson
Round
1
Both lefties come out swinging hands until Pierson slows the
action with a clinch against the fence. They break off and leg
kicks are exchanged, then Pierson floors Benoist with a corking
left hand. Benoist hops back to his feet and is shoved into the
fence again. Benoist works out, only to be put back on the cage.
Benoist lands a hard leg kick and a left over the top. The next
leg kick is caught by Pierson, who slugs Benoist back down to
the ground. Pierson goes to the ground, but Benoist is ready
and swings up his legs for an armbar attempt. Pierson extracts
the limb but stays in the danger zone and nearly gets triangled.
Benoist switches to an omoplata; Pierson escapes from this as
well and now wants the fight back on the feet. A left hook from
Pierson has Benoist stunned, and Pierson bullies him on the fence
again with a minute to go. Benoist lands a hard outside leg kick
and takes a hard one-two in return at the end of the round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Round
2
Benoist overextends on a punch and gets caught behind the ear
by Pierson, who once again puts Benoist’s back to the chain-link.
Another long punch from Benoist gets him clipped, so he chops
at Pierson with a leg kick. An attempted takedown from Benoist
is reversed; Pierson grabs a front headlock and controls position,
waiting perhaps to take the back of the kneeling Benoist. The
chance doesn’t come and Benoist works an underhook to scramble
back to his feet. Benoist is working some leg and push kicks
but is still taking jabs and the occasional combo from Pierson
up the middle. Pierson has a shot stuffed just before the end
of the round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Pierson
Round
3
Pierson catches a kick from Benoist and throws a punch, but this
time Benoist is ready and fires a one-two from his back foot.
The southpaws trade right hooks and circle off. Pierson sticks
a finger in Benoist’s left eye and immediately apologizes;
Benoist is blinking but motions that he’s alright to continue.
Benoist lands a short elbow before being backed away by a pair
of Pierson punches. A left scores for Benoist, but Pierson gives
him a right hand in return and shoves him into the fence. They
don’t stay there long, and Benoist lands a loud outside
thigh kick as the fight enters its final two minutes. Pierson
is working his jab, keeping his distance until a left hand from
Benoist puts him on rubbery legs. Benoist smells blood and swarms
with punches, smashing Pierson on the ground while referee Josh
Rosenthal hovers nearby. The ref looks close to stopping the
fight until Pierson sweeps and gets back to his (unsteady) feet.
Benoist runs out of time, and this one is headed to the scorecards.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Benoist (29-28 Pierson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Benoist (29-28 Pierson)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Benoist (29-28 Pierson)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Sean Pierson.
Evan
Dunham vs. T.J. Grant
Round
1
Dunham gets off to a good start, swinging a right hook around
Grant’s guard, followed by a sharp lead uppercut. Another
uppercut lands for Dunham and Grant responds with a knee that
has Dunham’s right eye reddened less than a minute into
the bout. Grant keeps going for the plum and punching underneath
while Dunham swings (and lands) over the top. Both lightweights
are throwing flurries of punches but it’s Dunham getting
the better of the exchange until he’s backed off by a Grant
front kick. Grant connects with a right hand that has Dunham
shaking his head. They take turns catching kicks and Grant taunts
Dunham to bring it on as Grant chases him along the fence. Dunham
nods to acknowledge a hard inside leg kick that lands right on
his knee. Grant shoves Dunham into the cage and cracks the American
with a pair of short elbows. Grant breaks off with a one-two
but keeps the distance short, still working Dunham around the
perimeter. Dunham drags Grant to the canvas with 30 seconds left
but can’t do any damage before the end of the round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Grant
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dunham
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Grant
Round
2
Dunham misses with his opening combo and head kick, but soon
finds his range again with hard, hooking punches. Grant is standing
just out of range, stalking toward Dunham and pushing him on
the fence when he sees the opportunity. A knee up the middle
causes Dunham to start streaming blood from his forehead almost
immediately. Dunham seems unfazed as he continues to throw and
take punches. Grant is controlling the action with his jabs and
range, however, and now it’s becoming apparent that Dunham
is having trouble seeing through the red coating his face. Dunham
hits a takedown with 45 seconds left and now his blood is all
over Grant as well. Grant gets to his feet, blocks a high kick
and walks Dunham down. They trade punches and Grant stuffs a
last-second takedown attempt from Dunham.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Grant
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grant
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Grant
Round
3
Dunham wastes no time swinging for the fences in the final round,
unloading with vicious punches and head kicks. Despite the blood,
Dunham looks the fresher fighter, and it’s showing in the
speed of his combinations as Grant circles the outside, throwing
sporadic punches. A knee to the body lands for Grant but doesn’t
slow Dunham down for long. Dunham lands a right hook behind the
ear, has a body kick caught and shoves Grant away. Grant answers
with a right hand to the body and a left up top. Grant strings
together a few punches and Dunham decides to change levels for
a takedown. Grant won’t go down, so Dunham gets vertical
again and resumes punching. Grant lands a right and goes for
a takedown of his own, but gets shut down by Dunham with 90 seconds
to go. Grant catches a kick and socks Dunham with a straight
shot; Dunham grazes Grant with a head kick and then has a shot
sprawled on. Dunham finally drives Grant down to the ground with
40 seconds remaining. Blood continues to pool on Grant’s
chest as Dunham works on top in the Canadian’s open guard.
Dunham keeps the punches coming to the final horn and the lightweights
embrace after 15 hard-fought minutes.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Dunham (29-28 Grant)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dunham (29-28 Dunham)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Dunham (29-28 Grant)
Official
result: The judges score the bout 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28, all
for the winner by unanimous decision, T.J. Grant.
Igor
Pokrajac vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Round
1
Magalhaes catches an incoming punch from Pokrajac and works the
clinch with an overhook. Pokrajac puts the Brazilian on the fence
and Magalhaes tries to kick out the knee of Pokrajac. After 70
seconds, Magalhaes trips Pokrajac to the floor and drops a pair
of hard punches through the Croatian’s open guard. Magalhaes
stands up and crashes back down, whereupon Pokrajac closes his
guard. Pokrajac scores with some hard elbows and is warned by
ref John McCarthy to mind the back of the head. Magalhaes peels
off for an armbar but is forced to let go when Pokrajac rolls
on top and stacks him up. Magalhaes dodges punches from his back
and pulls rubber guard and throws elbows up the middle until
Pokrajac lets him back up. Pokrajac clinches Magalhaes into the
cage, landing a hard right hand just before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Magalhaes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Magalhaes
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Magalhaes
Round
2
Magalhaes gets his overhook again and this time is tripped to
the floor by Pokrajac. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt swings
his legs up immediately, hunting for a triangle choke. Magalhaes
can’t cinch the triangle and switches to an armbar. Pokrajac
tries to roll free, but Magalhaes has perfect position and extends
Pokrajac’s right arm all the way. Pokrajac taps immediately
and remains on the ground, clutching his arm as he’s attended
to by the cageside physician. The end comes officially at 1:14
of round two.
Cub
Swanson vs. Charles Oliveira
Round
1
The taller Oliveira sticks out his jab and whips out long kicks,
then covers up when Swanson comes in to throw. Oliveira takes
a hard punch on the chin but grabs hold of Swanson and dumps
him to the ground away from the fence. Swanson keeps it tight
on the ground, wrapping up Oliveira and avoiding punishment until
he can open his guard and scramble up. Swanson misses with wide
left hands while Oliveira comes up short as he charges in with
combos. Outside leg kick from Oliveira and Swanson punches hard
to the body. A massive overhand right connects flush on Oliveira’s
temple. The Brazilian hits the ground and Swanson stands over
him menacingly until referee Yves Lavigne calls a halt to the
bout at 2:40 of the first round.
Matt
Hamill vs. Roger Hollett
Round
1
Hamill rushes across the cage and goes right at Hollett with
awkward low kicks and punches. Hamill controls the distance with
Hollett’s back to the fence in the first minute of the round,
but Hollett swings back with a right hand that backs up the veteran.
Hamill walks him down again and paws with his jab. Whenever Hollett
comes forward to strike, Hamill covers up and steps backwards.
Hamill gets off a few good punches to the body and one to the
head before diving on Hollett’s legs and dragging him to
the floor. Hollett turtles up with his right side to the fence
and covers up the left side of his head under a heavy barrage
of left hands. Hamill’s ground-and-pound doesn’t relent,
and while Hollett isn’t offering anything back, he is covering
up. As such, ref Dan Miragliotta allows the pummeling to continue
until Hollett explodes to his feet and socks Hamill with a few
hard shots just before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hamill
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hamill
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hamill
Round
2
Hollett attacks Hamill’s body with punches in the opening
minute before going to the gut with a spinning kick. He shuts
down a shot from Hamill and throws right hand over the top. Another
body shot from Hollett hits the tiring Hamill, who plows Hollett
to the floor with a powerful takedown. They’re in Hollett’s
closed guard for 30 seconds before ref Miragliotta tells the
pair to get busy. Hollett throws some elbows from his back before
standing and looking to hit Hamill’s body some more. Hollett’s
spinning kicks don’t land but his punches do, and a hard
outside leg kick lands as well. Hamill is clearly exhausted as
he has another takedown denied. There’s sparse offense from
either man down the stretch. Hollett botches a spinning backfist
and gets ragdolled to the ground by Hamill before the end of
the frame.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hamill
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hollett
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hollett
Round
3
Hamill hits a takedown and bullies Hollett against the fence
in the same position as the first round, but this time with about
a third of the punching power in his left arm. Nonetheless, Hollett
is unable to get up with Hamill’s heavy top control. Hamill
goes to the other side and punches with his right hand before
winding up on top when Hollett tries to roll. They’re in
the opposite position now, Hollett kneeling with his left side
to the fence, and Hamill slugs him with right hands until Hollett
scrambles up. Hollett lands a punch to the body but is hustled
to the ground again, this time with Hamill in side control. Hollett
gets guard and Hamill scoots him around until the ref orders
them up with about 45 seconds remaining. Hamill hits another
takedown in short order and spends the last half-minute grinding
from half-guard.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hamill (30-27 Hamill)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hamill (29-28 Hamill)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hamill (29-28 Hamill)
Official
result: The judges score the bout 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, all
for the winner by unanimous decision, Matt Hamill.
Brian
Stann vs. Michael Bisping
Round
1
Stann is the aggressor early, headhunting with overhand rights
while he chases down the Brit. Once they get in close quarters,
Bisping puts Stann’s back on the cage and grinds for 30
seconds before Stann pushes him away. Good bit of head movement
from Bisping as he slips some murderous shots from Stann. A few
straight rights get through for Stann before Bisping drives forward
for a takedown. He wraps up Stann but can’t trip the American
down and instead settles for clinching on the cage again. Stann
cracks him with a right as they break off but the action pauses
a moment later when Bisping clips Stann in the cup with a low
kick. Stann wants to keep going and the middleweights throw hands
for only a few seconds before Stann returns the favor on Bisping
with a low blow. Bisping takes a moment to walk it off and they
resume with 70 seconds left. Bisping lands a right hook but a
harder one comes back from Stann. Nice leg kicks from Stann,
and he closes it out with a huge right hand that sends Bisping
stumbling back to his corner.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Stann
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round
2
Bisping hits a powerful slam takedown into side control but gets
reversed and winds up pinned to the fence as he’s scooted
around the ground. Bisping powers back up and punches a kneeling
Stann, and there’s some confusion as Stann motions to referee
Josh Rosenthal. The fighter’s complaint goes unnoticed --
possibly a finger in the eye -- and the pair gets back to their
feet. Bisping uses the clinch to control before circling off
and reestablishing his jab. Stann keeps his kicks going, working
both legs of Bisping but taking some stiff punches in return.
Bisping charges on Stann with a full head of steam and floors
him with a big double-leg. Side control for Bisping and he frames
up a kimura as he leans right to left on Stann; he gives it up
quickly and the round expires.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Bisping
Round
3
Bisping resumes jabbing and Stann goes back to leg-kicking, with
“The Count” landing the higher volume of strikes. Bisping
dives on the legs again, but this time gets stood up and winds
up clinching on the cage. They stay there only a few seconds
and Bisping drills Stann with a sound one-two. More clinch work
on the fence from Bisping grinds a few seconds off the clock.
When they break, Stann kicks at the legs some more and lands
one up top which doesn’t seem to bother Bisping. More jabs
and more combos from Bisping are followed by another takedown
inside the final minute. Stann escapes once again, shuts down
a shot and gets a good right hand in just before the end.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bisping (30-27 Bisping)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Bisping (29-28 Bisping)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Bisping (30-28 Bisping)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Michael Bisping.
UFC
Flyweight Championship
Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson
Round
1
Referee Yves Lavigne is the third man in the cage for this inaugural
UFC flyweight title bout. Benavidez strikes first with an outside
leg kick that stumbles Johnson momentarily. Benavidez ducks inside
and gets caught with a short left hand before clinching. They
jockey for position on the fence, break off and Benavidez comes
back for more, this time pinning Johnson on the fence. Benavidez
sends a knee to the body of Johnson, who gives Benavidez two
in return. Johnson catches Benavidez coming in again, this time
with a straight right. Benavidez dives on the legs of Johnson
but falls on his face, then stands and socks Johnson with a right.
Johnson ties up the next time Benavidez comes in, but Benavidez
rushes him against the cage. Benavidez tries to pin Johnson again,
but “Mighty Mouse” is slippery and won’t stay
on the fence. Down to the final minute of the round and Benavidez
is still chasing down Johnson, who is doing well to slip Benavidez’s
punches. Johnson gets off a good knee to the body and clinches
late, sending Benavidez rolling for a leglock just before the
horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
2
Benavidez comes forward again, walking through some more knees
to the body in order to tie up. Johnson still won’t stay
in one place and quickly escapes Benavidez’s grasp. Benavidez
charges Johnson and finds some success with a pair of right hands
and a leg kick. He takes a low blow but shakes it off as Johnson
apologizes. Thirty seconds later, Benavidez gets hold of Johnson
again and throws few knees to his thighs before Johnson escapes
again. Benavidez goes to the body with a punch and slugs over
the top to counter Johnson’s leg kick. Benavidez has a shot
denied, sticks a hard right straight in Johnson’s face and
then loses on another takedown attempt. Johnson extracts his
leg and circles out, then gets on Benavidez’s back standing
when Benavidez charges in with a reckless combo. Benavidez gets
out of trouble in a few seconds and gets back to attacking with
punches. Johnson’s circling on the outside is not as dynamic
now, and the movement allows Benavidez to find him with a right
hand. Another hard right follows closely behind, closing the
round out strong for Benavidez.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
3
Benavidez maintains his aggression at the start of the third,
still trying to hunt down the elusive Mighty Mouse with power
punches. Johnson is sidestepping Benavidez’s attacks and
countering with well-angled punches. Benavidez -- now bleeding
from the corner of his left eye -- is coming with more force,
trying to throw heavier shots over the top of Johnson’s
counters. Diving for a takedown, Benavidez again is unable to
pin down Johnson, and the pair soon get out of the clinch. With
a minute left in the round, Benavidez takes a finger in the eye.
Referee Lavigne says he didn’t see the foul and Benavidez
must continue. He paws at the eye for a moment but quickly gets
back to throwing. Johnson gets off some good right hands on Benavidez’s
blind side as the round winds down.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Round
4
Johnson shuts down another takedown from Benavidez early in round
three and gets off another pair of good right hands. Ref Lavigne
tells Johnson to mind his fingers. A thudding right from Benavidez
sends Johnson to the ground and Benavidez is all over him, cinching
up a guillotine choke and rolling on top. The choke looks deep,
but Johnson struggles underneath, refusing to tap and kicking
his legs to try and break the position. Benavidez finally loses
the choke but remains on top. Johnson slips out and the flyweights
grind along the fence, throwing punches and knees in tight quarters.
A botched takedown from Benavidez finds him beneath Johnson,
then defending his back once they stand up. Benavidez turns around
and steps to the other side of the cage to reset. Johnson hits
a quick takedown but Benavidez scrambles back up. Johnson ducks
a punch with 30 seconds left and muscles Benavidez to the ground
with a double-leg. Johnson spends the last moments of the round
in side control, punching the body of Benavidez.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Benavidez
Round
5
Johnson opens the final round with a leg kick; his next kick,
this one to the body, is caught by Benavidez, who throws a right
hand counter. Johnson slams Benavidez to the ground seconds later,
then again when Benavidez gets back up. Benavidez is on his feet
again within seconds of the double-takedown, and the pair snipe
with punches, now with 3:30 to go. Johnson gets another takedown
and moves straight to side control, then north-south position
when Benavidez gets to his knees. They’re back standing
with 2:15 to go and Benavidez is still coming forward. A right
hand misses and Benavidez shoots. He comes up empty as Johnson
steps away and gives Benavidez a kick for good measure. Johnson
dives on a single-leg and is turned away by Benavidez, who misses
a spinning backfist upon exit. One last clinch from Benavidez
ends Johnson landing a knee to the body, and the horn sounds.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson (48-47 Benavidez)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson (48-47 Johnson)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Johnson (49-46 Johnson)
Official
result: Judge Jeff Blatnick scores the bout 48-47 for Johnson,
while judge Richard Bertrand sees it 48-47 for Benavidez. Judge
Douglas Crosby scores the bout 49-46 for the winner by split
decision and first UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson.
UFC
Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort
Round
1
Referee “Big” John McCarthy is in charge of tonight’s
205-pound main event, with judges Richard Betrand, Jeff Blatnick
and Douglas Crosby scoring the bout. Jones crouches in the corner
and crawls across the cage toward Belfort, who greets the champion
with a kick. Jones grabs hold of a leg and Belfort momentarily
flashes a guillotine before being put on his back. Working from
Belfort’s open guard, Jones lifts up and slams Belfort,
who is wrapped up tight. Belfort lashes on an armbar and forces
Jones to defend a very deep submission attempt. Jones stacks
up Belfort and resists, then extracts his arm and goes back on
top. A chant of “Vitor!” breaks out in the crowd as
the Brazilian works off his back, eating a few hard elbows on
the way. Belfort angles for another armbar but this one doesn’t
take, and Jones makes his challenger pay with some heavy punches
on top. Blood is leaking directly into Belfort’s right eye
as he holds on underneath with a minute remaining in the first
round. Jones grinds with punches and forearms from side control,
gets kicked off and dives onto his challenger one more time before
the end of the round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Jones
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jones
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jones
Round
2
Jones sees a roundhouse kick whizz past his face as he walks
down Belfort toward the fence again. The champ misses a spinning
elbow and gets shoved off by Belfort, who follows with a blocked
high kick. Jones is working on the thigh and knee of Belfort
with a side kick; he’s warned by ref McCarthy to keep his
hands closed during punches. Belfort circles out midway through
the round, as he’s been unable to get inside on Jones during
this period. Jones just stalks forward again and pops Belfort
in the face with a side-kick. Belfort tries to come over the
top with a right hook, but Jones wraps him up and Belfort pulls
guard away from the fence. Belfort closes his guard this time
and wraps up, limiting Jones’ offense more than in the earlier
round. Jones still keeps busy with punches as he moves Belfort
around the cage. Belfort looks for an armbar just as the round
expires.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Jones
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jones
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jones
Round
3
Jones resumes his attack on Belfort’s lead leg, both with
push-kicks to the thigh and traditional low kicks outside. A
front side-kick lands on Belfort’s liver and the Brazilian
hits the ground without another touch from the champ. Jones goes
down to the guard of Belfort, who tries to control Jones’
arms again. They’re too slippery this time -- Jones stands
and wants the challenger back up as well. Ref McCarthy warns
Jones again to mind his fingers while punching. Jones is still
finding a home for his kicks and right hands, looks for another
spinning elbow. They clinch up and Belfort again pulls guard.
The idea works out just about as well as the last time, as Jones
spends the final minute on top, dropping elbows and punches from
side control in the closing seconds.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Jones
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jones
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jones
Round
4
After clinching with Jones, Belfort pulls guard again, and this
time Jones moves straight into a crucifix position from cross-side
position. Jones leans from left to right and cranks a nasty keylock
on Belfort’s right arm. The hold is deep and Belfort is
forced to tap almost immediately. Jon Jones retains his UFC light
heavyweight title with a submission win 54 seconds into the fourth
round.
Source: Sherdog
|
One
FC 6 Expected to Host Promotion’s Inaugural Featherweight
Title Fight
Filipino
Honorio Banario will meet Korean Bae Young Kwon at One FC 6 in
One FC’s inaugural featherweight title fight. AsianMMA.com
sources confirmed the fight, which was first reported by BloodyElbow.com.
Kwon
and Banario first met at One FC 2 in a fight that was a pushover
for Kwon. Kwon submitted Banario in less than a minute, which
earned him a fight with top Filipino prospect Eric Kelly, a fight
he would go on to lose.
At
7-3, Kwon has made the rounds in Asia. Fighting with promotions
such as One FC, Shooto, Road FC, and M-1, the Korean has been
a formidable opponent to all challengers and finished five of
his seven fights: three by submission, two by knockout.
Banario
is a hot prospect out of the Philippines. His loss to Kwon was
his first and only loss in his eight-fight career. Banario is
not as well traveled as Kwon, having fought with two promotions
(URCC and One FC). In all eight fights, Banario has yet to see
one go to the judges as he has submitted five of his opponents
and knocked out two. Banario is the URCC lightweight champion
and one of the promotion’s most talented prospects.
Banario
has a full plate for the end of 2012. He is not only in a championship
fight with Kwon, but has a fight signed with Eric Kelly at URCC
22 in the Philippines.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Tim
Kennedy meets Trevor Smith at Strikeforce's November show in
Oklahoma City
by Matt
Erickson
After
his July middleweight title fight setback, Tim Kennedy will return
to work in November.
Kennedy
(14-4 MMA, 5-2 SF) is set to meet Trevor Smith (10-2 MMA, 2-1
SF) when Strikeforce heads to Oklahoma City on Nov. 3. Company
officials on Thursday announced the new fight booking.
The
show takes place at Chesapeake Energy Center in Oklahoma City
with a main card on Showtime and prelims on Showtime Extreme.
Daniel
Cormier, a former standout wrestler at Oklahoma State University,
originally was set to headline against former UFC champ Frank
Mir. But Mir suffered a knee injury earlier this week and was
pulled from the card. Strikeforce is seeking his replacement,
and Cormier still is expected to fight in the main event.
Kennedy
in July dropped a unanimous decision to middleweight champ Luke
Rockhold in Portland, Ore. That loss dropped him to 0-2 in Strikeforce
title fights after a loss to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza
in August 2010 for the then-vacant 185-pound belt.
After
the loss to Souza, Kennedy looked impressive with a first-round
submission of Melvin Manhoef and a unanimous decision win over
Robbie Lawler in 2011. But he missed nearly a year with injuries
before finally returning to face Rockhold for the title.
Smith
returns to the Strikeforce banner after a win outside the promotion
this past June. Smith started his Strikeforce career 2-0 with
back-to-back submission wins in 2011 of Ketih Berry and T.J.
Cook. But in January, he was finished by Gian Villante in just
65 seconds in Las Vegas.
Of
Smith's 10 wins, nine have come by submission, and eight in the
first round. The lone win that wasn't a tapout was a 37-second
knockout in his pro MMA debut in January 2009.
Source: MMA Junkie
|
King
of the Cage Gearing Up for First Live Show on MAVTV
For
the first time in its 14-year history, King of the Cage will
promote a live TV event Friday that’s not on pay-per-view.
If you have MAVTV, you’ll be able to watch it at 10 p.m.
EST.
“It’s
a big deal for us,” King of the Cage executive Chris Cordeiro
told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show.
MAVTV
is available on Dish Network and select cable systems, including
Comcast and Time Warner. The channel, which has no affiliation
with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, was recently rebranded.
MAV stands for Movies, Action and Variety.
“MAVTV
was sort of a smaller channel in the past,” Cordeiro said.
“They were featuring our greatest knockouts series for a
long time. Then they were purchased by a company called Lucas
Oil, which is a really big company. They own the NHRA racing
and that sort of thing, and they’re actually going to be
moving that racing onto this network in hopes to pick up more
cable companies. I believe they already have the deal in place
for DirecTV later on in the year. They have much better financing
now and they’ll probably be available on DirecTV soon.”
King
of the Cage will promote five live events on MAVTV per year,
Cordeiro said, alongside a weekly series that airs recent cards
on tape-delay. Middleweight champion Sean Strickland had been
scheduled to headline Friday’s event, which takes place
at the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Okla. However, he suffered
a knee injury and also a staph infection. Shonie Carter will
be his replacement against Josh Bryant.
“We
have some talent that’s so athletic, people are going to
be blown away when they’re exposed to these guys,”
Cordeiro said. “In the past we’ve brought a lot of
people into the light that way.”
Quinton
Jackson is one name often mentioned in discussions of fighters
who came up in King of the Cage. At one time, the promotion regularly
hosted cards full of recognizable or established fighters, but
it now focuses more on up-and-comers.
“In
the early days, there was a lot of push and excitement behind
King of the Cage,” Cordeiro said. “We had a partnership
with Pride. Later on we became part of ProElite for the short
existence of ProElite. We had about a year legal battle, after
ProElite sort of went under, to get the intellectual property
rights back, owning King of the Cage, but I think we’re
moving in the right direction. Now we’re moving in with
partners like Lucas Oil and MAVTV that are going to sink some
money into doing a live promotion and some big things. I think
we’re going to be more relevant than we have been. We’re
moving in the right direction, but we’re not one of those
companies that comes along and they just sort of throw a lot
of money out there and hope that it works. What’s good about
our structure is that we’ve always been profitable and we’ve
always been building in the right direction.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
Strikeforce
Adds Tim Kennedy vs. Trevor Smith to Nov. 3 Oklahoma Fight Card
Still
reeling from the loss of main eventer Frank Mir, Strikeforce
on Thursday added a new middleweight contest to its Nov. 3 event
slated for Oklahoma City, Okla.
“Just
added to the Nov. 3 card in Okla. City: an exciting middleweight
bout between @TimKennedyMMA & Trevor Smith,” tweeted
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.
Tim
Kennedy (14-4), while one of Strikeforce’s top middleweights,
has failed in his two attempts to strap the gold around his waist.
After losing a battle with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for
the vacant title in late 2010, Kennedy won consecutive bouts
against Melvin Manhoef and Robbie Lawler. He then, however, dropped
his most recent contest to current champion Luke Rockhold.
He
faces submission specialist Trevor Smith (10-2), who is 2-1 under
the Strikeforce banner. Although he lost his most recent bout
for the promotion – to Gian Villante in January – Smith
has since bounced back with a submission victory outside the
Strikeforce cage.
Kennedy
vs. Smith will be a portion of the supporting cast, although
Strikeforce is still searching for a replacement for Frank Mir,
who was slated to challenge Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix
winner Daniel Cormier in the main event.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Zé
Mario talks Fabio Gurgel and Belfort vs. Jones: “It’ll
only last 2 rounds”
By Vitor
Freitas
GRACIEMAG:
How did you take the news of the offer to do a supermatch with
Fabio Gurgel at ADCC 2013?
ZÉ
MARIO SPERRY: I was overjoyed. It’s always a pleasure to
fight in the ADCC, now imagine against one of the greatest in
the history of the sport.
Fabio
quipped that he’s going to ask you to pull guard… What’s
your game plan for the match?
Fabio
can do whatever he wants in this kind of competition: he can
trade grips on the feet or pull guard. He’s got the technique
for it. But it’s still early to define strategies.
He
said there’s a 90% chance the ADCC will be in São
Paulo next year. Does it make any difference to you if it’s
in Brazil, the USA or Europe.
I
found that out myself. I think the deal only hasn’t been
finalized yet because of the municipal elections in Brazil. It
doesn’t make a difference to me. Still, I’d love to
compete at home. I just haven’t decided yet where I’m
going to do my training, if it’ll be here in Florida or
in Brazil. But there’s still time, like I said.
What
was the main factor in your moving to Blackzilians team in the
USA?
I
feel it was a set of factors. The offer was a good one; but there
were other offers as well: the athletes I get to work with, the
proximity to Brazil, the freedom I have to come and go between
here and Brazil, the climate, the synergy with [team founder
and manager] Glenn Robinson, the autonomy to do what I want in
terms of training, to work in the USA doing what I like…
In a nutshell, I’m really happy here.
What’s
your daily routine like at the helm of the Blackzilians?
It’s
great. I head two training sessions per day. Sometimes I teach
some private lessons to professionals, and in the afternoon I
work on the business I have back in Brazil.
UFC
152 is coming up. What is it that leads you to believe Vitor
Belfort will beat Jon Jones?
His
speed. Of course it’ll be difficult. But who can beat Jon
Jones? I believe that to beat the champion you have to have the
speed of a Rashad or Lyoto—they tried, lost, but I feel
we could see them in situations where they could end the fight.
I see the fight lasting no longer than two rounds. I want to
believe Vitor’s going to surprise him with a high-speed
combination of straight punches and hooks once he finds his range.
If the fight lasts longer than that, I think Jon Jones will take
it to the ground and start what would be the beginning of the
end of the fight.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
UFC's
Tom Wright: Company 'learned a lot of things' from UFC 151 cancellation
by Matt
Erickson
TORONTO
– The talk about UFC 151's cancellation eventually will
die off, even if history never agrees over who was most to blame.
But
it would be hard to argue that Saturday's UFC 152 card is not
better because of the scrapping of UFC 151. After all, the card
in Toronto got a second title fight because of it – a pay-per-view
rarity.
But
Tom Wright, the UFC's director of Canadian operations, said the
company merely was making the best of a bad situation.
UFC
151 was scheduled for Sept. 1. But when Dan Henderson pulled
out of his light heavyweight title fight with Jon Jones, and
Jones turned down Chael Sonnen as a replacement, the UFC elected
to cancel the Las Vegas show altogether. Jones was moved to UFC
152 to face Vitor Belfort – but only after Lyoto Machida
turned him down.
"My
first reaction was, I was really disappointed," Wright on
Thursday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I was
looking forward to seeing Jon Jones and Henderson fight –
I was really looking forward to that. And from a business point
of view, we didn't want to cancel that fight."
"Residential
pay-per-view, closed circuit, all the tickets – it was a
big impact on our business. I run the business in Canada, and
it affected me from a business point of view. So my first reaction
was, 'I'm really disappointed.'"
But
though Wright was essentially just a bystander as UFC 151 went
down for the count, he knew the aftermath would wind up benefitting
UFC 152 in Canada.
"In
the end, I'd say Las Vegas' loss was Toronto's gain," Wright
said. "So we quickly wanted to make sure we could maximize
the value of that. Obviously adding Jon Jones fighting Vitor
on our card was going to have an impact – and it has had
an impact."
Wright
said ticket sales picked up quickly after the announcement. Not
that fans weren't coming out to see the first flyweight title
fight in UFC history between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious
Johnson, the card's original headliner, but adding a polarizing
champion like Jones to the top of the bill helps.
"Absolutely
(the ticket sales increased)," Wright said. "We're
going to be really close to selling out. The house is going to
be full – it's going to be a great energy."
While
it could be argued that in the long run, the UFC getting the
cancellation of an event out of the way, so to speak, might be
a good learning experience for the company, and might ensure
that the scenarios that led to it would be hard-pressed to happen
again, Wright stops short of saying there was anything good about
the situation.
"I
would never say (it was a good thing)," Wright said. "Did
we learn something from it? For sure. You always learn something
from those kinds of events, and there's no question we learned
something from that. We learned a lot of things. But to say it
was a good thing? No."
UFC
152 takes place Saturday at Air Canada Centre in Toronto with
a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Mendes
bros comments on training with André Galvão for
Metamoris
By Vitor
Freitas
GRACIEMAG:
André Galvão is a great friend to you and all,
but what’s your breakdown of the 20-minute, no-points match
he’s going to do with Ryron?
RAFA
& GUI MENDES: André’s been coming up to our academy
in Costa Mesa, California, every day. We’re positive he’ll
be in his best physical and technical shape. And he’s got
plenty of heart, the only factor that you can’t train to
have. He doesn’t back down or give up, even when he’s
tired. We respect his opponent but bet the house on André.
Who
takes the main event, Roger Gracie or Marcus Bochecha?
That’s
an interesting matchup. Bochecha’s really explosive and
talented. He just made it to the top in Jiu-Jitsu and is totally
motivated. Roger’s got a tight game, doesn’t let positions
slip away. We feel the rules are really propitious to Roger’s
style but Bochecha will surely have been training a lot. It’ll
be a great show. We’re dying to watch this fight too!
Why
aren’t you guys participating at Metamoris Pro?
We
were invited but the offer wasn’t enticing enough to get
us to cancel our seminars. We’d have to turn our focus to
competition, and everything we’ve ever done in our careers
we’ve planned. After the Worlds we decided we weren’t
going to compete in the latter part of the year, since our focus
wasn’t on that. As trained as we may be, our focus right
now isn’t on competition, so we opted to sit this one out.
When we enter a competition it’s to win, and we gear our
minds and bodies towards that. We don’t want to mix things.
If you want too much, you don’t achieve anything. It’s
all about taking one step at a time, but each step has to be
taken with maximum precision.
What’s
it like managing your first academy?
It’s
awesome. It’s an incredible experience that teaches us something
with every day. It’s the academy of our dreams. It’s
beautiful and we’re putting our all into doing the best
work we can, like we’ve always done. It’s incredible
to see the students evolving and fighting using the same posture
and techniques we do. We love our work, and when you love what
you do like this, everything happens smoothly and as best it
can.
After
opening your academy, what changed in your routine?
We
were used to teaching and training. We’ve been doing that
since we were purple belts, always helping our teacher [Ramon
Lemos] in the academy and training for championships at the same
time… What changed now is that we have our own students,
so we have to work on getting them to evolve too. It’s excellent
for them and great for us too, since we gain training partners
that just keep getting tougher every day. We’ve always spent
the whole day on the mat training and teaching Jiu-Jitsu, ever
since we were little. This is our life and what we love doing,
so our routine didn’t change all that much.
After
both of you won at the Worlds, what changed in your lives?
We
take turns teaching class, since we have several groups each
day – while one is teaching, the other is always working
on the teaching method we’re creating for our academy. On
the weekends, we travel to teach seminars or just enjoy California
with the family. We’re hosting athletes from all over the
world who come to train with us, and soon we’ll have a really
strong competition team. Our white belt class is growing with
every day, and that makes us happy, since it’s really cool
to get to teach a student ever since their first Jiu-Jitsu class
and see them evolve. Some want to learn self-defense. Others
want to lose weight. But all of them end up loving the sport
and improving their quality of life. Teaching kids has made our
days more fulfilling, since we too started at 11 and 12 years
of age, and Jiu-Jitsu changed our lives. We’re dedicating
ourselves to making our school the biggest Jiu-Jitsu school for
kids in the USA. That’s our goal.
Are
you guys thinking of doing MMA anytime soon?
MMA
isn’t in our plans at the moment. We want to continue our
work in our academy, with our students. We take this opportunity
to invite everyone to come learn from us. Even if you’re
far from Costa Mesa, you can still learn from the Mendes bros
by visiting our web page.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Friday’s
Titan Fighting Championships 25 Postponed Due to Inclement Weather
Forecast
By Mike
Whitman
Titan
Fighting Championship 25 has been postponed due to weather concerns.
Titan
CEO Joe Kelly announced the news Tuesday evening to MMAJunkie.com,
and Sherdog.com confirmed the development with the promoter shortly
thereafter. TFC 25 was slated to take place outdoors at Dwight
Davis Tennis Center at Forest Park in St. Louis on Friday, but
a rainy forecast for that morning has forced Kelly to postpone
the event.
Although
a backup venue had been reserved, Kelly said that the space would
be unable to accommodate the show due to ticket sales which exceeded
expectations. Alterations to the outdoor venue to provide the
necessary cover were not feasible, the promoter said. Kelly hopes
to announce a new date and indoor venue for the event in the
coming weeks and told Sherdog that he plans to start scouting
a new location soon.
TFC
25 would have aired live Friday night on AXS TV, topped by UFC
veteran Drew McFedries (Pictured) taking on onetime Bellator
and Strikeforce talent Zak Cummings.
Source
Sherdog
|
Following
2nd Neck Surgery, Mike Brown Takes on Role as Full Time Coach
at American Top Team
by Damon
Martin
Following
his second neck fusion and 10th overall surgery, former WEC champion
Mike Brown has taken on a full time role as coach at his home
camp at American Top Team in Florida.
Brown
underwent surgery in mid-September after suffering from extreme
neck pain and weakness in his left hand. The surgery was a complete
success, but while Brown is on the mend, he’s opted to start
looking towards his future away from active competition.
Following
his last fight and win at UFC 146, Brown had mulled over the
idea of retirement, but ultimately signed a new five-fight contract
with the promotion.
While
this latest surgery doesn’t rule out Brown’s return
to action, he’s decided to take on a more full-time role
as coach at American Top Team during his recovery. According
to representatives at American Top Team, Brown will be a full-time
assistant coach for their pro fight team, and will take on the
day-to-day duties of coaching, traveling and cornering fighters
coming out of the Florida-based gym.
A
release from the team regarding his fight career states “he
will see how his rehab goes and take it one day at a time. He
hasn’t ruled out fighting in the future.”
Brown
will begin his new role as coach with American Top Team immediately
as he continues his rehabilitation from neck surgery.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Molokai
Southside Boxing Club is hosting a Amateur Boxing Event
Hi Everyone,
Wanted to let you know that Molokai Southside Boxing Club is
hosting a Amateur Boxing Event this Saturday the 22nd at 4:30
p.m. at the Molokai High School Gym. We've been doing research
and this looks like the first time ever Molokai is having an
Amateur Boxing Event that we know of. Masa Nakaoka who's been
in Amateur Boxing since the 50s can't remember a show there as
well as Eiichi Jumawan.
There will be a Coaches and Officials Clinic on sunday, the 23
in Molokai from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Email
me
for more info.
Bruce Kawano
Amateur Boxing of Hawaii President.
Commissioner for Hawaii State Boxing Commission.
USA-Boxing Coaches/International Task Force Member.
Ringside Board of Advisors.
A.I.B.A. Athlete and Youth Commission.
Head Coach- Kawano Boxing Club.
USA National Boxing Team Coach.
Rock Bottom Sports Bar- General Manager.
Red Lions Manager
Boxing Coach - UFC Gym.
State of Hawaii MMA Inspector.
|
Jon
Jones Respects Vitor Belfort as a Legend, but is Working on a
Legacy of His Own
by Ken
Pishna
Following
the cancellation of UFC 151, after a couple false re-starts,
the reset finally came with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon
Jones set to put his belt on the line against Vitor Belfort in
the UFC 152 main event.
Jones
had originally been slated to head UFC 151, challenged by Dan
Henderson, who fell off the card due to injury.
Belfort
had been busy working his way back up the UFC middleweight division,
but when push came to shove and the UFC needed an opponent for
Jones, Belfort stepped up and was granted a title shot.
A
war can be waged over whether the former UFC light heavyweight
champion deserves a shot at Jones or not, but what really can’t
be argued is the fact that anyone on any given day, at this level
of the sport, can win. And that simple fact hasn’t slipped
past Jones.
“Vitor
Belfort is a UFC original, a real, true legend,” said Jones
at Wednesday’s UFC 152 open workouts in Toronto. “He
has so much experience at so many different weight classes and
I cannot underestimate him.”
Belfort,
35, is one of the most experienced fighters in the UFC. He began
his professional MMA career at just 19 years of age, shredding
through the opposition. With the fastest hands in the sport,
he knocked out his first four opponents, mowing three of them
down inside the opening minute of the fight.
The
fight that etched in everyone’s mind, however, is when Belfort
blitzed a young “Axe Murderer,” laying out Wanderlei
Silva in front of a fervent crowd of countrymen at UFC Brazil
in 1998.
When
he’s on his game, Belfort still possesses the speed and
power to knock out anyone that sets foot in the Octagon.
Jones
knows that, but he doesn’t fear it.
“He’s
a very powerful striker, but in this situation, I feel I am the
more versatile striker in the fight,” said the champ. “I
won’t shy away from a striking battle just because he has
a punch. He’s got a unique style and I enjoy matching up
against guys like that.”
Much
like Belfort in his day, Jones has stormed the completion, rolling
over the likes of Vladimir Matyushenko, Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans.
Just
as Belfort was known as “the Phenom,” so is Jones.
That
can be a dominant champions ultimate downfall, buying into the
hype that surrounds him. Belfort, when he was in his zone, rolled
over anyone in his path, but given to distraction, his alter
ego, the vulnerable Vitor, could appear.
Jones
has yet to show that he has that alter ego, but he’s surely
being put to the test now, falling under a heavy dose of criticism
for everything from a recent DWI incident to turning down a short-notice
fight that may have saved UFC 151 from cancellation.
He
also faces the calls of those who say he has decimated his division;
that he needs to move on to superfights against the likes of
Anderson Silva or perhaps move up to new challenges in the heavyweight
division. But Jones isn’t buying.
“In
no way have I ‘cleared out’ the division,” remarked
the champ. “Everyone’s style is a puzzle for me, and
who knows which style I will have the most trouble with.”
At
25 years of age, there’s a lot of life left in Jones’
career, and he’s got a clear vision for it.
“I’m
about to fight my fifth straight UFC champion – which I
was told is a UFC record – and I’m very proud of fighting
the best guy available in each of my fights,” Jones stated.
“That’s how you build a legacy in a sport.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
152 Prelims: 5 Reasons to Watch
By Mike
Whitman
Has
it already been a month since UFC 151 achieved Super Mario Bros.
lost levels status? Guess that means it is time to roll up on
some UFC 152 “Jones vs. Belfort” prelims and preach
that prophetic propaganda about why we should all watch these
free fights.
Some
have questioned the rationale behind matching light heavyweight
champion Jon Jones against self-proclaimed “young dinosaur”
Vitor Belfort in the main event. Luckily, we get to steer clear
of all that business and get straight to the underdogs, the sleepers
and the “Fight of the Night” thieves that may just
be lurking in the shadows of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Here
are five reasons to tune into the FX network and Facebook on
Saturday to catch the UFC 152 prelims:
Escaping
the Pack
Despite
being a serious lightweight talent, Evan Dunham may find himself
lost in the shuffle of the UFC’s most competitive division.
Part
of this has to do with back-to-back losses to Sean Sherk -- robbery
though it was -- and Melvin Guillard that halted much of the
momentum Dunham had built. Equally responsible was the pair of
injuries that clogged up the fighter’s schedule just enough
to make things frustrating for the viewing masses. Because the
lightweight division is so rife with talent and includes guys
like Donald Cerrone, who fought a whopping five times last year,
most fringe fans have likely found it difficult to remember many
of Dunham’s in-cage exploits, impressive though they have
been.
Dunham
needs to make a statement against T.J. Grant. Just like the Oregonian’s
last two opponents, Shamar Bailey and Nik Lentz, Grant is unlikely
to draw a ton of attention to this matchup, despite being a significantly
underrated talent himself. In a way, Dunham finds himself in
a lose-lose situation by facing a tough opponent with very little
name recognition stateside.
If
Dunham beats Grant and extends his winning streak to three fights,
one would think that would prompt UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to
give him somebody near the Top 10. Likewise, if Grant can make
it three in a row against a test as stiff as Dunham, American
fans just might be forced to take notice of the former welterweight.
From
Russia, No Love
If
you missed out on Vinny Magalhaes’ feud with M-1 Global’s
Evgeni Kogan, I feel bad for you.
Magalhaes’
contempt for the M-1 director of operations came to a head in
October, when he publicly claimed Kogan was actively rooting
against him at ringside during his final light heavyweight title
defense for the promotion. As a result, “Pezao” pretended
to put his strap up for grabs on Ebay after his contract expired,
presumably to send a message to his former boss while waiting
for M-1’s matching period to end.
As
expected, Magalhaes then found his way back to the UFC, and that
is a good thing for American viewers. Many will likely remember
Magalhaes’ run on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season
8, as the Brazilian-born fighter carved out a path to the final
before castmate Ryan Bader blasted him at the live finale. A
loss to Eliot Marshall followed, along with Magalhaes’ promotional
release.
Since
then, the Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts representative has
made great strides in his evolution as a mixed martial artist,
winning seven of his last eight and earning finishes in all of
his victories. Magalhaes’ standup remains a work in progress,
but his ground game should be without equal among UFC light heavyweights.
Will
Magalhaes make a splash in his return or can Croatian veteran
Igor Pokrajac throw cold water on the reigning Abu Dhabi Combat
Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist?
Border
Brawl
There
is nothing like a couple of guys who do not mind taking two to
land one. Sean Pierson and Lance Benoist may not be two names
you will see topping a marquee anytime soon, but that does not
mean they will not take huge chunks out of each other in Toronto.
A
Toronto native, Pierson is undoubtedly looking to erase the memory
of his last fight on home soil, when he was knocked senseless
by hard-hitting wrestler Jake Ellenberger at UFC 129 in 2011.
Benoist, meanwhile, steps in as a replacement for former middleweight
Dan Miller and will attempt to rebound from his first career
defeat.
If
you saw Benoist’s three-rounder with Matt Riddle a year
ago, then you know what type of entertainment this kid is capable
of producing. Regardless of who comes out on top in this one,
it should be worth your time to take a peek.
Old
School
A
sprawl-and-brawler with heavy hands facing a pure grappler with
a mighty aggressive submission style? Sign me up.
Marcus
Brimage and Jim Hettes are both poorly and aptly equipped to
deal with each other, meaning the winner will be determined by
who can decide where the fight takes place. Standing, Brimage
is light years ahead of his foe. If Hettes lingers for too long
in punching range, I would bet on him taking a nap in short order.
Likewise, if Hettes can put the man from Alabama on his back,
I imagine it will resemble a python murdering a house cat.
Do
not expect this one to go three rounds, as the skill sets are
too diverse and too skewed to be reconciled. I think the first
two minutes of this fight will likely tell us all we need to
know. Hettes will either be well on his way to contorting or
constricting his opponent, or he will be grasping for a takedown
while Brimage laces some bombs upside his dome.
Tell
me that does not that sound like fun.
A
Lighter Nok
It
was not so long ago that Kyle Noke had his mojo working. After
a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11, the Aussie
put together a trio of victories that culminated with a 95-second
finish of reality show castmate Chris Camozzi that earned him
“Submission of the Night” honors in front of a partisan
Sydney crowd at UFC 127.
Back-to-back
losses followed for the middleweight, however, as the 32-year-old
was submitted by an Ed Herman heel hook and then outlasted by
Octagon newcomer Andrew Craig at UFC on FX 2 in March. The defeats
apparently told Noke he needed a change, and now we have a new
addition to the UFC’s 170-pound ranks.
“KO”
has not been dealt a “gimme” in his welterweight debut.
Though Charlie Brenneman was dominated by Erick Silva in his
most recent outing, he is not to be taken lightly. For those
who do not remember, the AMA Fight Club representative’s
only losses have come to Silva, Anthony Johnson and Johny Hendricks.
He also took a unanimous nod over Rick Story last summer, switching
opponents on short notice and replacing Nate Marquardt at UFC
Live 4.
Will
Noke’s drop to 170 pounds go as planned, or will “The
Spaniard” spoil the Aussie’s welterweight debut?
Source:
Sherdog
|
MICHAEL
BISPING BELIEVES HE'S A KO THREAT AGAINST BRIAN STANN
By Mike
Chiappetta - Senior Writer
At
some point, Michael Bisping will cease hearing about the night
when Dan Henderson knocked him unconscious. Many great fighters
have suffered a similarly embarrassing fate and lived it down,
yet the moment never seems to recede far into the past for the
brash Brit. The clip is played endlessly on video montages and
brought up whenever great knockouts are discussed. Perhaps worse,
it resurfaces whenever he is matched up with a heavy-handed striker.
That's
just the kind of matchup he faces at UFC 152. Despite the fact
that he's stood up to the firepower of other bombers like Rashad
Evans, Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben, Bisping still hears the
questions about whether he can stand up to the big punchers,
and if he has the firepower to answer back.
After
adding boxing coach Jason Parillo to his training team, Bisping
believes that not only does he have the striking advantage, but
cautioned that it could be Stann who is in danger of the knockout.
"Well, I've only been stopped once in my career, and that
was by Dan Henderson," he said. "He got stopped by
a guy called Steve Cantwell. Yeah, I don't know who that is,
either. But he got stopped against him. I got stopped by Dan
Henderson. So, make of that what you will. I know what I make
of it. Listen, if you get caught on the chin, anyone can go down.
And Brian Stann? That rule also applies to him. He can also go
down."
Of
course, things have changed plenty for Stann since that time.
It was only two months before the Cantwell fight that he finished
his active duty service in the U.S. Marine Corps and became a
full-time fighter. He was hardly the well-rounded product he
is now, with improved grappling to go with his heavy fists. Bisping
admits that he has respect for the fighter that Stann has come,
even if he thinks he's well-equipped to shut down most of his
attack strategies.
"I've
said a few things, but they're tongue-in-cheek," he admitted
on Wednesday. "I have to say I have nothing but respect.
I think it's going to be a tough fight. He hits hard but I think
I'm better all-around. I've certainly got better wrestling and
jiu-jitsu."
While
working with Parillo, Bisping believes that through improved
technique, he's even closed the gap in punching power.
The
fight is an important one for both fighters, but perhaps more
so for Bisping, who is in danger of losing two in a row for the
first time in his career. In his last fight at January's UFC
on FOX 2, he lost to Chael Sonnen by decision.
A
second straight loss would be a major setback for his title hopes.
Bisping has been quite vocal about his career resume, as well
as in his belief that he has done enough to warrant inclusion
on the list as a middleweight top contender. That argument will
be much less compelling with a loss on Saturday night.
The
title picture is complicated by the fact that the middleweight
belt could potentially be on ice for the foreseeable future.
Champion Anderson Silva will take his next fight out of the division
at 205 pounds when he faces Stephan Bonnar in October, and after
that, a potential superfight with welterweight champion Georges
St-Pierre looms.
That
would likely mean that even if he wins, Bisping will have to
stay active and fight again before securing a date to fight for
the belt. And make no mistake, for Bisping, it's about the belt.
Now 33 years old, he's not quite so young anymore, and the sense
of urgency grows.
"The
title's everything," he said. "Don't get me wrong.
If I was to fight for the title and lose, I'd keep plugging along.
It's not like that's my only goal, to fight for the title and
then that's it. I enjoy doing what I do but I want to fight for
the title. I've been around long enough and it'd be a shame not
to. To be around this long and be this competitive and be this
close for so long and never get the shot, that'd be heartbreaking."
Advancing
his case can be accomplished with a simple win. A surprise knockout,
however, would supercharge his pursuit and begin to offset the
memory that still follows him around.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Debuting
Gunnar Nelson Now Draws DaMarques Johnson at UFC on Fuel TV 5
Just
24 hours after announcing that Rich Attonito had stepped in for
Pascal Krauss, who had to drop off of the UFC on Fuel TV 5 fight
card due to injury, UFC officials have shifted gears once again.
Gunnar
Nelson, making his Octagon debut at the Nottingham, England,
based event, will now face DaMarques Johnson in a 175-pound catchweight
bout with the show less than two weeks away.
UFC
officials informed MMAWeekly.com of the change early Tuesday
morning.
Attonito
apparently had concerns over getting his weight down for the
fight, according to a report by MMAJunkie.com. Johnson surely
had similar concerns with just 11 days until fight time, so they
settled on a catchweight instead of the initial 170-pound welterweight
limit.
An
Ultimate Fighter season 9 runner-up, Johnson (16-11) is trying
to get back on track after losing his last two consecutive bouts
and three of his last four.
Nelson
(9-0-1) is a Renzo Gracie black belt with a stellar grappling
background. Born in Iceland, Nelson has compiled his undefeated
MMA record fighting primarily in England and Ireland, but now
makes the jump to the Octagon.
Stefan
Struve vs. Stipe Miocic heads UFC on Fuel TV 5 on Sept. 29 at
Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Artur
Mariano studies Belfort’s strategies for Jon Jones
Vitor
Belfort between former UFC champion Rashad Evans and Jiu-Jitsu
champ Braulio Estima at Blackzilians team / Photo by Ryan Loco
On
the coming 22nd of September in Canada, Vitor Belfort will be
taking a stern test in trying to oust reigning light heavyweight
champion of the UFC Jon Jones.
Jones
has 16 career wins in MMA and a single loss, albeit one that
hardly counts as a blemish, as it came via disqualification for
an illegal elbow after thoroughly dominating Matt Hammill in
December 2009. Since then, Jones has amassed an impressive string
of seven wins, four of which came in defending his title against
the likes of Mauricio Shogun, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida
and Rashad Evans, all former divisional champions.
The
young American with a wrestling background is considered an all-around
complete fighter, with all the different cornerstones of MMA
(takedowns, striking and grappling) thoroughly mastered, underscored
by the eight knockouts and five submissions on his record. Belfort,
who will be moving back up to the weight class and had only a
few weeks to prepare for the challenge, will have to come up
with the perfect strategy to get back what had once been his
after an accidental eye injury to Randy Couture in their January
2004 encounter at UFC 46 briefly left the belt in his possession.
A
commentator for Brazil’s Combate channel, a Thai boxing
master and former MMA fighter, Artur Mariano offers the Phenom
a little help in his upcoming endeavor:
“Vitor
needs to work the distance and, at the start, not attack. The
champion generally waits for the challenger to attack, and Vitor
shouldn’t fall for it. He has to let the fight go lukewarm,
mess with Jon Jones’s head for him to lose his patience
and come after him. When Jones attacks with strikes, holes open
up. This is the exact moment when Vitor should use his trademark
straight punches and explosiveness,” says Artur, whose perhaps
greatest accolade in the ring is having won a fight with Pride
FC and UFC star Wanderlei Silva.
“If
he attacks at the precise moment, without exposing himself, Belfort
will make things tough on Jones. He could even capitalize on
the moment to try and take him down and put his Jiu-Jitsu to
practice, as that’s something that sets him apart. Once
on the ground, he shouldn’t just limit himself to ground
and pound, but to going for submissions and control positions.
It would be a good opportunity to finish the fight,” adds
Artur.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
AS
UFC 152 STORM NEARS, JON JONES FINDS PEACE FROM 'MMA DRAMA'
By Mike
Chiappetta - Senior Writer
TORONTO
-- If the demands of being a champion, the pressure of living
up to the highest of expectations, and the backlash of controversial
actions have crept into Jon Jones mind over the past few months,
you couldn't tell it on Wednesday. Not by looking at Jon Jones,
and certainly not by listening to him.
The
UFC light-heavyweight champ comes into UFC 152 with plenty of
chaos swirling around him. Personally, he has a sit-down planned
with Dana White to clear the air following a heated outburst
against him by the UFC president. Professionally, he has Vitor
Belfort and the business-side of a crushing left hand awaiting
him on Saturday.
But
in the midst of the madness, Jones is all smiles.
How, you might wonder, is this so? With more media, more sponsorship
attention and more negative energy than he's ever encountered
-- and a short-notice fight to boot -- how is he so calm?
To
hear him tell it, the thing about it is this: on fight night,
everything else melts away. He gets to leave it all behind. And
fight night is fast approaching.
"It
has been a long time," he said in a Wednesday press interview
at the Xtreme Couture gym. "And I'll tell you what: fighting
is my livelihood. No matter what I'm doing, fighting is my livelihood.
To be back here, it is like my sanctuary. This is my place, and
it's always good to be home."
From
his answer, you couldn't quite tell whether he was talking about
Toronto or the octagon, because in reality, it hasn't been too
long since he's been in either place. The last time he visited
the city was last December, and he was last in the cage just
five months ago. Yet so much has happened between then and now.
Toronto
is at least a place with good memories for him. It was here he
awaited his most challenging personal test against the crafty
Lyoto Machida, before leaving Machida an unconscious heap on
the mat, a victim of a standing guillotine choke. At that point,
everything was going right. Until everything started going wrong.
He went to a decision against Rashad Evans in a fight that was
considered by many to be lackluster (a first for Jones). He was
arrested for DUI. And then, he committed the cardinal sin of
declining a title challenger, a decision that was just one factor
in the cancellation of an event.
The
passage of time was evident in Jones' appearance. On his face,
he wore a thick, bushy beard, just something new to "keep
the fans guessing," he said. On his body, a Nike T-shirt,
with the slogan "Bones Knows." Both combined to at
least subtly extend the suggestion that Jones is offering an
older, wiser soul in a newer, shinier package, or more simply,
that he is willing to show different sides of himself. At the
least, he appears to be growing more comfortable with his dueling
public images. If you can simultaneously wear the beard of a
mountain man and represent the polished Nike swoosh, well, maybe
you're not two-faced; maybe you're like everyone else, a person
with many different sides.
Much
of the flak that's come Jones' way has been from those who suggest
that he is not being genuine in what he says. One night probably
won't change that perception. One year might not even be enough.
But Jones seems as though he's past caring about those judgments.
He's still blunt enough to offer his own opinion, even if it's
likely to rankle some feathers. Like when he answered a question
about Belfort's quickness by suggesting that his own speed was
in the same ballpark. Or when he offered forgiveness to the fans
and fighters who ripped him for his decision not to fight at
UFC 151, even though they haven't asked for it.
As
a public relations project, Jones is no finished product, but
maybe he doesn't need to be one. There was a time it seemed as
though he took criticism to heart, that he wanted to be all things
to all people. Maybe this situation helped him realize he cannot
be. He's 25 years old; these realizations happen in time.
"At
the end of the day, all my drama is based around a game,"
he said. "It's really just a sport. It's MMA drama. It's
not real-life. It's not real-life stuff. So I can deal with people
hating me or loving me. It is what it is. Ultimately my job is
to entertain people and I think this whole situation has definitely
done that in some ways. It's definitely affected some people
in a negative way. The people who lost out on money, which I
apologize for 1,000 times. But I guess keeping everything in
perspective is what helps me deal with things. Realizing that
my world is not that serious. It's a game. We're all here to
watch a sport being played. It's not life or death."
Jones
says that he stands by his decision to turn down a UFC 151 slot.
He suspects that Dana White also stands by his choice to cancel
the event. When the two sit down and talk, whether they reach
an understanding on their respective positions is almost besides
the point. He is at peace with where he has been and content
with where he is going. On Saturday, as is his custom on fight
day, he will find a tranquil spot and meditate and envision the
competition that will ensue. Everything in the past will be left
behind. Everything in the future will be in sharp focus.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
to announce UFC 154's Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit headliner
next week
TORONTO
– Georges St Pierre (22-2 MMA, 16-2 UFC) is back.
Next
week UFC officials will announce the long-reigning welterweight
champion's return to the cage for a November title-unification
bout with interim champ Carlos Condit (28-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC).
UFC
executive Tom Wright today confirmed the plans at a pre-UFC 152
press conference. The UFC 154 kickoff press conference takes
place Sept. 27 in Montreal.
UFC
154, of course, takes place Nov. 17 at Montreal's Bell Centre.
UFC officials previously announced they hoped the St-Pierre,
who's on the mend following knee surgery, would headline the
card, which also features a No. 1 contender's bout between Johny
Hendricks (13-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Martin Kampmann (20-5 MMA,
11-4 UFC).
Condit,
a former WEC champion who won the interim belt with a February
win over Nick Diaz at UFC 143, opted to wait for St-Pierre rather
than take another fight and risk his big-money opportunity.
Pierre,
one of MMA's top pound-for-pound fighters, most recently earned
a decision victory over Jake Shields at UFC 129 in April 2011.
He's won nine straight fights while posting six consecutive title
defenses over the likes of Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn and Josh Koscheck.
However, he'll have to shake off 19 months of ring rust.
While
Condit officially is next up for "Rush," St-Pierre
and UFC middleweight Anderson Silva have expressed interest in
a super fight, UFC President Dana White recently confirmed. The
bout could be part of a stadium show in 2013, especially if St-Pierre
gets by Condit in November (and Silva gets by Stephan Bonnar
at UFC 153 next month).
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Smartest
Guy at the Bar: UFC 152 Edition
By RJ Clifford
If
there was one winner in the whole UFC 151 debacle it was the
good people of Toronto. The Ultimate Fighting Championship will
fly into Canada on Saturday swirling with controversy and a shiny
new main event, as former champion Vitor Belfort will challenge
Jon Jones for his UFC light heavyweight crown. The fun, inaugural
flyweight title bout between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrius Johnson
dropped to the co-main event, while a fantastic middleweight
duel between Michael Bisping and Brian Stann rounds out the top
three pay-per-view matchups.
If
UFC 151 was a casualty, UFC 152 is a resurrection.
How
We Got Here: “Bones” was originally matched up with
Dan Henderson, the man on the greatest late career surge this
side of Randy Couture. That all changed with Henderson’s
42-year-old medial-collateral ligament acted like a 42-year-old
medial-collateral ligament. A couple of turned down fights later,
the UFC settled on Jones-Belfort for the light heavyweight strap.
Jones opened as a 9-to-1 favorite over the Brazilian ... A four-man
flyweight tournament kicked off the long-awaited arrival of the
125-pounders in the UFC. Benavidez made easy work of Yasuhiro
Urushitani, while Johnson-Ian McCall did not go quite as smoothly.
Toronto received the first flyweight championship fight in UFC
history with the help of an Australian commissioner who could
not add. A scorecard error robbed the crowd Down Under of a fourth
round between Johnson and McCall at UFC on FX 2, so the two were
forced to settle it again three months later in Florida. Johnson
won, and, hopefully, closure is just days away ... Bisping and
Stann are undefeated since 2010, with one glaring exception:
they both lost to Chael Sonnen. Stann was manhandled and choked
out by Sonnen -- it remains the Oregonian’s only finish
in the UFC and WEC -- while Bisping put forth a valiant effort
in a close, controversial decision loss. The Bisping-Stann winner
will be on the short list of contenders at 185 pounds.
Useless
Fact: This is the second time Belfort has earned a title shot
inside a weight class in which he was not previously competing.
He knocked out Rich Franklin at 195 pounds to earn his shot against
middleweight king Anderson Silva, and he submitted Anthony Johnson
in another catchweight appearance to earn his shot against Jones.
At least Urijah Faber fights in the actual weight class before
going for gold.
Bulls---
Storyline: Can we get over the Jones-Dana White drama already?
Minutes after announcing that he was forced to cancel an event
for the first time, the UFC president went on a trademark tirade
telling the world Jones and trainer Greg Jackson killed UFC 151,
cost the undercard fighters their purses and made the dinosaurs
die -- all because “Bones” would not accept a fight
against Sonnen on eight days’ notice. Later, he sent out
an official press release reaffirming his displeasure with the
champion and the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts head. How
did White punish Jones once the dust settled and his temperature
returned to 98.6 degrees? He gave him a multi-million-dollar
fight three weeks later against a man many view as an easier
matchup than Sonnen. No matter what inner animosity these two
proud men feel for each other, their business relationship is
not changing as long as people are willing to pay to see Jones
rearrange faces in unique and terrifying ways.
Buried
Narrative: This event will be the answer to an MMA trivia question
decades from now. At UFC 152, the UFC will crown a champion in
its eighth -- and hopefully last -- weight class, fitting into
place the smallest piece of its promotional puzzle. It is an
underrated moment. Good luck, little guys.
Say
What: Tristar Gym trainer Firas Zahabi has spent time with both
Jones and Belfort. During an interview on the SiriusXM Fight
Club, he described how Belfort could dethrone Jones. “He’s
got an incredible left hand,” Zahabi said. “Anybody
he hits that left hand with is going down. I’ve seen him
in practice. I’ve trained with him. I’ve held pads
for him. I’ve coached him in sparring. He’s got a left
hand I’ve never seen before, and he can end anybody’s
night. That left hand is a blessing and it’s something very,
very special.”
Sign
of the Times: The middleweight division of the UFC has never
been healthier. Stann-Bisping at UFC 152, along with Chris Weidman-Tim
Boetsch and Alan Belcher-Yushin Okami at UFC 155, gives the promotion
some options for Silva once he is done moonlighting as a light
heavyweight. Remember when Patrick Cote and Thales Leites were
title contenders?
Chopping
Block: Kyle Noke and Walel Watson are both coming off consecutive
losses in the UFC and need wins to guarantee paychecks with “Zuffa”
written over the top of them. Watson takes on submission machine
Mitch Gagnon, while Noke deals with wrestler Charlie Brenneman.
If your thing is watching fighters fend off grapplers with their
jobs on the line, do not miss the prelims.
Coming
Home: “The Ultimate Fighter” alums Matt Hamill and
Vinny Magalhaes return to the Octagon after extended layoffs.
Magalhaes finds his way back after getting cut for two consecutive
losses, while Hamill ends his brief retirement. Magalhaes has
not heard Bruce Buffer call his name in nearly three years, but
he kept busy, racking up a 7-1 record and winning a championship
inside M-1 Global. Hamill simply missed the opportunity to fight
and the ensuing paychecks that follow. Both are known names to
fight fans, and, with fighters dropping like flies to injuries,
expect more UFC veterans to re-enter the fold.
Awards
Watch: Cub Swanson and Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira
are on alert for “Fight of the Night,” as many expect
them to go nuts in the opening bout on pay-per-view. Both men
consistently score fight night bonuses. Jim Hettes has to be
the favorite for “Submission of the Night.” His one-sided
thrashing of Nam Phan was no fluke, but it marked the first time
in Hettes’ career that he did not deliver a submission.
Do not expect Marcus Brimage to be as savvy as Phan. Jones is
not a one-punch-knockout kind of a guy. He prefers to stretch
out his beatings over the course of a few rounds. However, with
an undersized, overmatched foe like Belfort, Jones will pull
something fun out of his back of tricks for “Knockout of
the Night.”
Source
Sherdog
|
Vitor
Belfort Building a Legacy of Honor, Respect, and Appreciation
by Ken
Pishna
Vitor
Belfort has won tournaments, titles, and nearly every accolade
one could expect in a mixed martial arts career. He’s fought
around the world. He’s competed at the highest of highs,
and during the lowest of lows.
It’s
common when he has a bout coming up to hear many wonder, “which
Vitor is going to show up?”
But
nearly two decades into a career that began as a teenager, Belfort
seems at peace with whatever outcome results from his fights
– particularly the one with Jon Jones at UFC 152 this weekend
– and is now, as he reminds us, enjoying the journey, wherever
it leads him.
“I’ve
been fighting all over the world for many years, 17 years of
career,” Belfort stated at Thursday’s UFC 152 pre-fight
press conference. “Man, I’m still surfing that wave.”
Belfort
is a man of accomplishment, but also of faith, and seems to have
melded the two harmoniously in his mind.
He
once chased the same championship dreams as every young fighter.
Now, however, an aging Belfort is chasing the dreams of an athlete
that realizes his career is finite, realizing that one day –
perhaps one day soon – he will have to hang up his gloves
for the final time.
“I
think in life we all have goals and dreams to fulfill,”
Belfort contemplated. “I learned something that is really
important in life. Things that you accomplish, when you’re
young, in the past, we make history, but the most the most important
thing is living the right present moment.”
Asked
to rekindle his past, Belfort expresses a deep appreciation for
the journey that brought him to this point in time, where he
surprisingly finds himself with the opportunity to once again
become a UFC champion.
“From
what I remember, it’s a great (memory), Carlson Gracie;
I came to America with a dream and actually my dream is not just
being a champion, my dream is to my sport become a mainstream
sport,” he recounted.
“I
fought in a time, a lot of people criticize us; they used to
say that we never going to succeed. Just to see the sport, where
it is going and where it has been. This is our living, but most
important thing for me is to leave a legacy in the sport so everyone
can respect what we do.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Strikeforce
Not Immune to Injury Bug, Frank Mir Injured and Out of Daniel
Cormier Bout
The
fight wasn’t slated to take place under the UFC banner,
but the UFC injury bug has bitten once again as former UFC heavyweight
champion Frank Mir has been knocked out of his bout against Strikeforce
Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier.
Sources
close to the bout confirmed the news to MMAWeekly.com late Tuesday
night.
The
two were slated to square off in the main event of Strikeforce:
Cormier vs. Mir on Nov. 3 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Strikeforce
and the UFC share the same ownership, so it’s no surprise
that the injury bug has crawled out of the Octagon on over to
Strikeforce cage. It was expected to be the first big crossover
fight between the two promotions with Cormier moving over to
the UFC after the bout since Strikeforce will be doing away with
the heavyweight division.
Cormier
(10-0) most recently defeated Josh Barnett in the Grand Prix
final back in May. He had been sitting on the sideline, healing
up some injuries of his own, before the fight with Mir was announced.
Mir
(16-6) also last fought in May, losing via a second-round TKO
stoppage at the heavy hands of UFC heavyweight champion Junior
dos Santos.
Mir
had been a late replacement for Alistair Overeem when the Dutch
fighter was placed on a de facto suspension after displaying
an elevated ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone following
a surprise drug test at a UFC press conference.
The
news of Mir’s injury was first reported by Sports Rage.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
152 ‘Jones vs. Belfort’ Statistical Matchup Analysis
By Reed
Kuhn
The
betting line favoring Jon Jones at UFC 152 on Saturday in Toronto
is the second most skewed Ultimate Fighting Championship title
fight in history. The only other championship bout with odds
more extreme than -750 was at UFC 112, and it ended with Frankie
Edgar’s epic upset of B.J. Penn.
With
a history like this, it is hard to count anyone out of a fight,
even a longshot underdog stepping up in weight on short notice
like Vitor Belfort. Yet unlike Penn, the youthful champion, Jon
Jones, has yet to show that he is even beatable.
What
does it all mean? Everyone will have an opinion, but only some
of you will be armed with the numbers. Let us see how these guys
stack up on paper and in the critical performance metrics for
the UFC 152 main event.
Tale
of the Tape
The
Tale of the Tape instantly tells of the significant physical
differences between these two fighters. Jones is four inches
taller, with more than a 10-inch reach advantage. However, Jones
will not enjoy his usual southpaw/switch stance advantage, as
Belfort will also come out as a southpaw. Overall, this is nothing
new, since Jones is almost always the bigger, rangier fighter
in his matchups. Jones also has two more brothers in the NFL
than Belfort; it is just hard to argue with favorable genetics.
Still,
what is more important here is the 10-year age differential.
On average, fighters who are 10 years younger than their opponents
win about two thirds of the time. The reason is that older fighters
have less knockdown resiliency, a trend that really kicks in
when fighters reach the age of 35. Belfort turned 35 in April
and suffered his only true knockout loss against Anderson Silva
two years ago. He is now stepping up two years later against
a bigger, heavier champion who is just entering the front end
of his peak physical age range.
The
upside of age is experience, and Belfort brings a wealth of it
into this matchup, having been one of the “old-school”
UFC fighters of the pre-Zuffa era. Belfort won the UFC heavyweight
tournament at UFC 12 in 1997. That night, he became the youngest
fighter to win inside the UFC Octagon at the age of just 19.
“The Phenom” returned to the Octagon in 2004, getting
past Randy Couture for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC
46. The record of youngest titleholder would eventually be taken
by none other than Jones. This current run represents Belfort’s
third stint under the UFC banner, and he has certainly swum through
the rest of the MMA promotion ocean in between.
A
few other items jump off the tape. One is the layoff. Fortunately
for Belfort, he has had plenty of rest. His last fight looked
like an easy run through of Anthony Johnson way back in January.
He then suffered a hand injury, preventing him from completing
his “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” coaching matchup
against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147. Injury aside, psychologically,
Belfort has not had any recent hiccups, while Jones seems to
have attracted nothing but controversy since his unanimous decision
victory over Rashad Evans in April. Despite the lengthy layoffs,
neither fighter will have had much time to prepare for the other.
Another key question centers on whether or not Belfort will be
in the right condition. He will not have to cut his usual weight,
but he also may not have had a full camp to be at peak form.
The
last stat to recognize here is the finish rate. Jones clearly
has finishing instinct with his submissions, but even more impressive
is Belfort’s 100 percent finish rate for his 10 UFC wins.
Since returning to the Octagon in 2009, he has put away Rich
Franklin, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Anthony Johnson, all in the first
round and in a grand total of less than 10 minutes. Those victories
were only interrupted by a single loss to “The Spider,”
who also got right down to business with his trendsetting front
kick knockout in the first round. For the record, Silva was doing
front kicks before it was even cool; cue the Steven Seagal interview.
The
Striking Matchup
The
striking accuracy statistics reveal two very evenly matched,
left-handed strikers. Both Jones and Belfort have a crisp jab,
with about average power striking accuracy for light heavyweights.
The biggest difference is that Jones tends to control the pace
and mix in more jabs, while Belfort swings for the fences. Jones
has definitely been controlling the pace of recent fights by
using his size and a nearly even mix of jabs and power strikes.
Belfort, on the other hand, throws a high mix of power strikes,
averaging three power strikes for every jab.
In
this matchup, Belfort will not be able to dictate the exchanges
with Jones, though he is well equipped to counter strike. Mixed
in with his martial arts background is some classic Shotokan
karate, which has influenced his striking stance, as well as
his wait-then-flurry style of striking. The last time Jones faced
a Brazilian southpaw with that kind of style, the champion struggled
in the first round against Lyoto Machida and ate some shots.
On
defense, both fighters are better than average, but Belfort has
shown very good recent evasiveness in avoiding jabs. Maintaining
this against Jones’ lengthy reach will be a challenge. Against
Rashad Evans, Jones effectively used his range to control the
cage and pick apart his smaller opponent, out-landing Evans by
more than a 2-to-1 ratio. Belfort is now training with Evans,
presumably to figure out how to avoid this exact scenario.
If
this goes to the clinch, Jones will have a huge advantage with
his height and more accurate striking, plus the ability to work
the kind of knees that eventually proved to be the end of Mauricio“Shogun”
Rua. From the clinch, where most of his takedowns originate,
Jones can also push the bout to the ground. This aspect of the
fight will favor the champ significantly and also nullify Belfort’s
most dangerous weapon.
When
it comes to knockdown power, Belfort is the more dangerous striker.
Like Jones, he has dropped opponents from a distance and from
the clinch. However, keep in mind that the fight time for this
part of the analysis has exactly double the Octagon minutes for
Jones compared to Belfort, so the challenger has scored more
knockdowns in half the fight time. The phrase “a puncher’s
chance” keeps coming up in this matchup, and, with Belfort’s
accuracy and knockdown power, he certainly has that chance and
then some. Belfort even dabbled once in professional boxing,
winning his debut by knockout. Even so, never underestimate Jones’
physical advantages. The champ has the size and range to control
the action, and he has done so against other dangerous strikers
like “Shogun” and Evans.
Surviving
Belfort will require vigilance against his left hand. Jones needs
to use kicks to establish range and keep Belfort guessing by
mixing in the full range of his striking arsenal. Belfort, on
the other hand, will be looking to dodge the initial entrance
and counter hard, unless, of course, he gets taken down early
in the fight. Let us see how they match up on the ground.
Takedowns
and the Grappling Matchup
Belfort
brings great experience into the cage, as well as black belts
in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. However, coming from a wrestling
base, Jones has shown freakish grappling skills. He has handled
high-level wrestlers like Ryan Bader, Matt Hamill and Vladimir
Matyushenko, as well as BJJ black belts in Machida and Rua.
The
numbers show that Jones has done much more with his grappling
in the UFC. He attempts takedowns at a much higher pace and has
never been taken down himself. The champ will have the advantage
getting this to the ground if that is where he wants to go. Once
there, he has excelled at advancing to dominant position and
making the most of it. Jones has outstruck opponents on the ground
by an 11-to-1 ratio and secured four of seven submission attempts.
No one has ever taken him down, let alone advanced position or
attempted a submission on him.
Jones
has won more of his fights in the UFC by submission than by strikes,
while Belfort has been more notable for his hands than his grappling.
The matchup here is far more skewed in Jones’ favor than
the standing matchup, so one has to wonder: Will the Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts game plan be to clinch and put Belfort on
his back? Keep in mind that the explosive 35-year-old Belfort
has not been tested over three rounds for five years, and, generally
speaking, he has been on the losing end of decisions more often
than not. If the Jones camp believes it can exploit Belfort’s
cardio, expect the champ to use ground-and-pound and submissions
early to wear down Belfort and nullify his greatest threat.
The
Final Word
Depending
on where you look, Jones ranges from a -750 to -905 favorite.
That means the market is basically saying he has a 90 percent
chance of winning. History tells us that when a UFC title is
on the line there are no guarantees. The numbers tell us the
striking matchup could get interesting if Belfort stands his
ground and fires his left, but they also suggest that Jones may
try to take this down early and win it on the ground.
What
do you think? Is this fight, as the odds suggest, the biggest
layup yet for Jones, or does “The Phenom” make the
most of his puncher’s chance and make history with another
epic UFC title upset?
In
October, we will take a look at how an even more skewed matchup
looks on paper, as Silva and Stephan Bonnar step in on short
notice as the main event for UFC 153 in Brazil.
Note:
Raw data for the analysis was provided by, and in partnership
with FightMetric. All analysis was performed by Reed Kuhn. Reed
Kuhn, Fightnomics, FightMetric and Sherdog.com assume no responsibility
for bets placed on fights, financial or otherwise.
Source:
Sherdog
|
AS
UFC 152 NEARS, JON JONES STILL ANSWERING FOR CANCELED UFC 151
EVENT
By Mike
Chiappetta - Senior Writer
TORONTO
-- Just two days from UFC 152 and a matchup with Vitor Belfort,
Jon Jones still hasn't been able to let UFC 151 and a declined
opportunity to face Chael Sonnen fully go. Part of that is because
the media and the sport's followers won't let him, but part of
that is because Jones himself isn't quite ready to put it behind
him.
During
a Thursday press conference, Jones repeated twice that he was
never told that if he turned down the proposed Sonnen fight that
a scheduled show on Sept. 1 would be canceled, an assertion that
contradicts UFC president Dana White's August statement that
Jones knew "what the consequences were and what would happen."
Nearly
one month later, Jones and White haven't yet cleared the air.
In fact, they've yet to be in the same room together. That should
have changed on Wednesday, when the pair should have been side-by-side
at the UFC 152 press conference, but White was a no-show for
the pre-fight event held at the Real Sports Bar and Grill downtown
after reportedly being held up by traffic.
Instead,
the two will meet behind closed doors on Friday just prior to
the event weigh-ins, much to Jones' chagrin.
"I don't know why we're meeting at that time because obviously
my mental state won't be as clear being dehydrated and hungry,
but that’s when our meeting is scheduled," he said.
Jones
has always felt that he unfairly became the scapegoat for the
cancellation of that show, and while he acknowledged that he
feels "horrible about how it all played out," he also
suggested that he will accept the feedback even if he doesn't
believe it's warranted.
"Even
if I get booed, I’m still happy to be here, guys,"
he said. "I'm going to put on the best show I can for you
guys, for sure."
The
statement got a mild cheer from the crowd assembled to watch
the proceedings, and for the second straight day in the city,
Jones received more cheers than boos. While Belfort clearly received
the louder, more impassioned response, Jones so far hasn't been
viewed as public enemy No. 1 since touching down on Canadian
soil.
Whether
that means his message has been received or that the fans here
are simply happy to see another title fight added to a card is
unclear, but either way, Jones is using the pulpit to further
explain himself.
He
mentioned his preference of going into a fight with a well-crafted
game plan. He mentioned the changes of going from Dan Henderson
to Sonnen as an opponent. He mentioned that he wasn't a UFC executive
capable of making the ultimate decision to pull the plug on an
event. He even mentioned that adversity can help a person mature.
But
even after all he's gone through, after all the fan backlash
and the blowback from the UFC executive offices, Jones couldn't
really say he would have made a different decision even if he
had known the card would be canceled with a refusal to fight.
"I
really don’t know," he said after a few moments of
thought.
"Being
a champion means more to me than it means to any fan," he
said later.
He
went on…
"If
I lost that fight, Dana wouldn't have lost a night of sleep over
it," he said.
"I
can't really carry the weight of what happened because it wasn't
my thing," he said.
"I
think some real questions need to be asked of Dana about why
those fights got canceled," he said.
And
on it went, Jones occasionally coming back to a point he wanted
to make, perhaps fine-tuning his upcoming words to White in the
process.
A
few feet away, Belfort was always watching, peering around the
podium between them to get a better look at Jones' body language
and mannerisms. His name only came out of Jones' mouth a few
times, but when it did, Jones had only good things to say. Belfort,
he said, was evidence that he has no fear of fighting anyone.
"Vitor
Belfort, in my opinion, is a lot more intimidating than Chael
Sonnen," he said. "Chael Sonnen does not have knockout
power. He has double-legs [takedowns] but I've wrestled since
I was 14 years old. I’m not Anderson Silva. I can defend
double-legs very well. I believe, for the people who question
whether I'm afraid or not, that I just accepted a fight that
is way harder than fighting Chael Sonnen or Dan Henderson."
It
was one of few times when Jones mentioned his opponent by name.
Whether that's a sign that he's still thinking about UFC 151
or that he's simply answering the questions that are asked of
him, Jones has had plenty to think about on that goes past what
he will be doing.
And
in the end, he says he's comfortable with it all, even if it
has to be addressed one final time before moving on.
"I’m
grateful that I did decline that fight because I get to fight
for you guys here in Canada, so I'm grateful to be here,"
he said. "I do believe that with a good performance, it
will be behind me. For the people that actually brought tickets
to that [UFC 151] fight, I apologize to them for not being able
to see the fight. I think it's very awesome to be holding one
of those 151 tickets. I would like to have one myself. It's kind
of monumental in a way. But yeah, I believe a good performance
will help people forget. And for people who refuse to forget,
well, I don't think there's anything I can do about that but
move forward."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Atlanta
Open: DJ Jackson absolute; Alliance, Traven BJJ battle for Teams
supremacy
Ivan Trindade
Recently
promoted, Lloyd Irvin’s talent De’ Alonzio Jackson
conquered this Saturday his first black belt open class IBJJF
gold medal.
In
the final, he defeated world champion Lucas Lepri in a very strategical
fight.
The
first six minutes were entirely of standing game, with Lepri
managing to open the score 2-0.
Soon
after, DJ tied the score with a takedown and started working
the guard pass.
Lepri
defended well and Jackson was unable to get the pass.
When
time ran out, the fight went to referees decision and the side
refs gave a 2-1 win for the American.
In
the black belt weight classes, Lepri was the lightweight champion,
Jackson was the medium-heavyweigh champion, Wesley Davi was the
featherweight champion, Daniel Ray O’Brien was the heavyweight
champion. Guybson Sá (super-heavy) and Jonathan Warren
Tooker (ultraheavy) got their medals without having to fight.
Team
Lloyd Irvin also conquered the male open class adult divisions
of the blue belt (Devon Delbrugge), purple belt (Timothy-Michael
Spriggs) and brown belt (Keenan Cornelius).
In
the team’s competition, a fierce battle between Atlanta
rivals Alliance and Roberto Traven BJJ.
Romero
“Jacare” Cavalcanti’s team came out on top with
552 pts over 533 pts for Traven. Team Lloyd Irvin came third
with 153.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
152's Michael Bisping, Joseph Benavidez all smiles after faux-spat
TORONTO
– Joseph Benavidez certainly was in strangling distance
seated beside Michael Bisping during UFC 152's pre-event press
conference.
But
despite a tirade and promise from Bisping to issue payback to
Benavidez for saying he was a harder puncher, the two jovially
squashed their beef.
"The
strangling has already taken place," Bisping said. "We
have photographic evidence on Joseph's phone. I strangled him.
We've settled our differences."
Bisping
joked he was unsuccessful at getting the flyweight contender
to fight his 11-year-old son, as he offered in a previous interview
with MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
"He
knows his place: He's one of the little guys, I'm one of the
big guys," Bisping said of Benavidez.
"You're
an average-sized guy," Benavidez quipped. "Way to go."
Benavidez,
who initially poked fun at Bisping's blowup, buried the hatchet
with the Brit middleweight earlier in the week.
"I
said, 'You said you were going to choke me – how about you
do it,'" he said. "And it wasn't very strong –
I'm going to tell you the truth. I wasn't impressed."
A
video blog featuring Benavidez riled Bisping. When Benavidez
was asked by training partner Urijah Faber whether he could hit
harder than "The Count," he said, "Yes, I hit
harder than Bisping."
Bisping
then lashed out. But now, it appears there's much ado about nothing.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
MORNING
REPORT: WEIDMAN 'SHOCKED' AT SILVA VS. BONNAR; WERDUM, ARLOVSKI
VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT CORMIER
By Shaun Al-Shatti - Staff Writer
While
the MMA world turns it's focus towards Canada for UFC 152, south
of the border Strikeforce officials are still scrambling to find
a replacement opponent for heavyweight grand prix champion Daniel
Cormier.
With
a single fight left on his Strikeforce contract, Cormier was
slated to go out in a blaze in glory against former UFC heavyweight
champion Frank Mir. But the first cross-promotional superfight
in Zuffa history predictably collapsed when Mir became the latest
casualty of 2012's injury plague.
However,
fortunately for Strikeforce, a few well-known names have already
thrown their hats into the ring to challenge the former Olympian.
Chief
among the challengers is top-five heavyweight Fabricio Werdum,
a man who fans were calling for the moment the bad news broke.
Speaking with MMA Interviews, the accomplished Brazilian admitted
the Cormier bout would interest him if his Zuffa bosses dialed
the right number.
"If
(the UFC) tries to call me, and [Kings MMA trainer] Rafael [Cordeiro]
says it's okay, I'll fight for sure," Werdum declared.
While
Werdum is likely the optimal outcome for Showtime -- and it's
not even blasphemous to say that's a better fight than the first
match-up -- another old fan favorite is making a hard push to
get back into the fray.
"I'm
getting a lot of tweets about fighting (Daniel Cormier),"
former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski tweeted yesterday.
"And if the fans want to see it, I'm sure we can make it
happen!"
Arlovski
eventually deleted his initial tweet, however his timeline quickly
became inundated with a flood of retweets and quotes from fans
calling for "The Pitbull" to return to his old Strikeforce
stomping grounds.
Both
men are currently riding two-fight win streaks, with Werdum recently
crushing Mike Russow and Roy Nelson, and Arlovski picking up
knockout wins over Travis Fulton and Ray Lopez. And for what
it's worth, Arlovski's streak could debatably be stretched to
three if it weren't for a dubious no contest against Tim Sylvia
last month, a decision that was so bad, the offending rule was
actually changed two days after the event.
For
all we know, Strikeforce officials could have an ace up their
sleeves. But given the dearth of talent at heavyweight, the odds
on that are about as long as the Bonnar-Silva line in Las Vegas.
So as of right now, which match-up sounds the most enticing?
6
MUST-READ STORIES
Werdum,
Arlovski willing to replace Mir. When asked if he would be open
to filling the vacant spot opposite Daniel Cormier for November's
Strikeforce event, top-ranked UFC heavyweight Fabricio Werdum
responded, "If (the UFC) tries to call me and (my coach)
says it's okay, I'll fight for sure." Former UFC champion
Andrei Arlovski also voiced his desire to fight Cormier.
Jones
forgives White, finds peace. In advance of his upcoming title
defense, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones said that while
he has yet to speak to Dana White, he forgives White for throwing
him under the bus after the cancellation of UFC 151. Jones also
explained how he has found peace despite all the recent drama,
stating, "No matter what I'm doing, fighting is my livelihood.
To be back here, it is like my sanctuary. This is my place, and
it's always good to be home."
Weidman
'shocked, confused.' Middleweight contender Chris Weidman said
he was "a little shocked and confused, and a little disappointed"
to find out Anderson Silva would be fighting against Stephan
Bonnar after promising to sit out the rest of 2012.
UFC
152 predictions. Check out picks and predictions for the entire
five-fight pay-per-view main card of UFC 152, which takes place
this Saturday night.
Johnson,
Benavidez talk flyweight title. Flyweight title contender Demetrious
Johnson said that while he's glad the 125-pound division was
introduced to the UFC, he's confident he could've fulfilled his
potential at bantamweight if things had worked out differently.
Meanwhile, Joseph Benavidez discussed his frustrating year sitting
on the sidelines waiting for the Johnson-McCall fiasco to resolve
itself.
Stann
not asking for title shot. Brian Stann admitted he doesn't plan
on calling out Anderson Silva, even if he defeats Michael Bisping
at UFC 152. Stann went on to say the only viable solution to
the current rash of injuries is fighters being more careful while
they train.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
152 ‘Jones vs. Belfort’ Preview
By Tristen
Critchfield
All
eyes will be on Jon Jones as he looks to erase at least some
of the bad feelings from the canceled UFC 151 card with a dominant
performance against former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.
Even if Jones cannot find forgiveness by way of knockout or submission,
his villainous image has likely only increased his drawing power,
if only because the critics will be watching in hopes of seeing
him fall.
UFC
152 on Saturday was the main beneficiary of Jones’ decision
not to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice three weeks earlier.
Now the Air Canada Centre in Toronto has the aforementioned light
heavyweight title tilt, the flyweight tournament final between
Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson and a marquee middleweight
clash between Brian Stann and Michael Bisping. Due to a rash
of injuries and withdrawals, such loaded cards have become less
common in recent months.
For
those of you who have been suffering MMA withdrawals, UFC 152
has the cure for what ails you. Here is a closer look at the
card, with analysis and picks:to 205 pounds.
UFC
Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon
Jones (16-1, 10-1 UFC) vs. Vitor Belfort (21-9, 10-5 UFC)
The
Matchup: When inside the Octagon, Jones has done nothing but
good work, besting the likes of Ryan Bader, Mauricio “Shogun”
Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad
Evans during his rise to prominence in the UFC’s light heavyweight
division. In the minds of many, much of that good work was undone
when the 205-pound king declined a short-notice fight against
Chael Sonnen at UFC 151.
The
result was the cancellation of an event for the first time in
Zuffa’s history, and UFC President Dana White made it a
point to lay all the blame on his young champion. Whether White
was justified or not, Jones carries a large burden into the fourth
title defense of his UFC tenure. Thus far, “Bones”
has proven himself oblivious to outside distractions on fight
night. He might very well be entering the cage as the UFC’s
No. 1 heel here, but that does not make him any less excellent
at his craft.
The
good news for Belfort is that his UFC 142 bout at middleweight
against Anthony Johnson -- who missed weight by 11 pounds --
served as something of a dress rehearsal for the Brazilian’s
return to 205 pounds. The bad news is that “The Phenom”
was taken down with relative ease on a couple of occasions by
Johnson, who just a day before claimed his body had shut down
as a result of a grueling weight cut. Belfort was the beneficiary
of a few hasty restarts by referee Dan Miragliotta that night,
and he eventually took advantage by submitting Johnson near the
end of the opening frame. Still, if Belfort struggled to defend
the wrestling of a drained “Rumble,” it does not bode
well for his future prospects against Jones, who has made a habit
of dumping decorated wrestlers on the canvas.
What
made Dan Henderson an interesting opponent for Jones was the
proverbial puncher’s chance -- his howitzer of a right hand
could, at least in theory, have the Jackson’s Mixed Martial
Arts product in trouble at a moment’s notice. Belfort’s
best chance also lies in his hands, but, unlike Henderson, his
hope rests on speed instead of pure power. Even at 35 years old,
the former light heavyweight champion possesses some of the fastest
hands in the sport today. When given an opening, Belfort can
unload a fearsome barrage of punches, ending a fight in a matter
of moments. However, doing this against the likes of Jones is
a much trickier proposition.
The
New York native will use his 10-inch reach advantage perfectly,
punishing Belfort with a wide variety of punches, kicks and elbows,
all while staying out of harm’s way. On more even terms,
Belfort would prefer to sit back and create angles in order to
land combinations. Here, he will have to wade through dangerous
waters to get close enough to have a chance at doing any significant
damage to his opponent.
Jones
will also control the action when distance is closed. His Greco-Roman
wrestling background allows him to control all tie-up situations,
as well as set up takedowns from unusual angles. Once on the
mat, he uses his long frame to control his foe while landing
his trademark elbow strikes. Should Belfort become impatient
or desperate, he will find himself struggling to escape the grasp
of the champion, who is capable of locking up chokes from positions
nobody else can.
The
Pick: Because of his striking, Belfort might actually be a more
dangerous opponent for Jones than Sonnen would have been. Other
than the slight chance that Belfort blitzes Jones and ends the
bout with a flurry of punches, all the advantage lies with champion.
Look for Jones to land some shots on the outside early before
taking Belfort to the canvas, where he ends the bout with nasty
ground-and-pound by the late first or early second round.
UFC
Flyweight Championship
Demetrious
Johnson (15-2-1, 3-1-1 UFC) vs. Joseph Benavidez (16-2, 3-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: Originally slotted as the UFC 152 main event, Johnson-Benavidez
figures to benefit from the added exposure that comes with appearing
on the same card as light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Benavidez
enters the bout as the favorite, but it has been a little more
than six months since the Team Alpha Male member blasted through
Yasuhiro Urushitani in a 125-pound tournament semifinal at UFC
on FX 2.
Meanwhile,
Johnson has battled through six grueling rounds with former Tachi
Palace Fights titlist Ian McCall to get here, significantly improving
his performance in the rematch to earn a unanimous verdict against
“Uncle Creepy.” It looked as though Johnson would have
suffered a loss to McCall had their initial meeting reached a
sudden victory frame, and he deserves credit for making the adjustments
needed to achieve victory the second time around.
Johnson’s
evolution will need to continue against Benavidez, who has the
ability to negate nearly everything “Mighty Mouse”
does well. The AMC Pankration export relies on his speed to allow
him to move in and out of danger while landing pinpoint combinations.
While statistics show that Johnson is the more accurate striker,
Benavidez generally lands with more power, as he demonstrated
by leveling Urushitani with a counter right hook in March. Benavidez
likes to establish himself on the feet early to set up takedowns,
so it is imperative that Johnson do his best to control distance.
In
the McCall rematch, Johnson demonstrated better endurance in
finishing the final frame strong, and he proved more than capable
of holding his own in tie-ups and on the mat after struggling
in those areas the first time he faced “Uncle Creepy.”
Benavidez will be the physically stronger fighter here, and much
of this fight will come down to who can get the best of the many
transitions and scrambles that are likely to ensue once the action
hits the floor. Not only will Benavidez be more likely to maintain
a dominant position, but the California resident also has the
more dangerous submission game. Any critical error by Johnson
when trying to escape from the bottom could result in Benavidez
securing a rear-naked choke or guillotine. Johnson’s frenetic
pace normally wears down most of his foes, but he cannot count
on Benavidez’s gas tank dwindling as the contest enters
the championship frames; his conditioning is excellent, as well.
Keeping the fight upright -- where he can land with more volume
-- and stout takedown defense will be key to victory for “Mighty
Mouse.” Johnson will want to consistently mix in kicks to
slow Benavidez’s shots, though he must be wary of counters
should he stick with such an approach.
The
Pick: Benavidez will come out firing early and pop Johnson before
gradually asserting himself through takedowns and ground-and-pound.
Do not be surprised if Johnson outlands Benavidez on the feet,
but the Team Alpha Male representative will land the harder shots
and dominate positioning to capture a unanimous decision and
become the UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion.
Middleweights
Brian
Stann (12-4, 6-3 UFC) vs. Michael Bisping (22-4, 12-4 UFC)
The
Matchup: Although he came up short in a title eliminator with
Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2, Bisping gained respect for the
way he fought the Oregonian tooth-and-nail for three rounds.
It was a performance that keeps “The Count” relevant
in the middleweight division, and a couple more solid wins could
elevate him right back into title contention.
Bisping
figures to settle into his customary bad-guy role against Stann,
a decorated United States Marine and one of the sport’s
all-around good guys. The UFC on Fox 4 broadcast was going to
center around the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts product until
Stann was forced out of a proposed bout with Hector Lombard due
to injury. An articulate war hero with a penchant for exciting
finishes when paired with the right stylistic matchup, Stann
needs only to shore up a few holes in his game to become a serious
title contender.
Eventually,
Stann’s wrestling is going to improve to a point where it
is not mentioned every time he faces an opponent with moderate
takedown skills. In recent victories against the likes of Chris
Leben, Jorge Santiago and Alessio Sakara, Stann’s takedown
defense was not significantly tested, and he was allowed to engage
in the type of stand-and-bang affair he favors. However, he appeared
woefully overmatched in falling to Sonnen at UFC 136, as the
former No. 1 contender allowed virtually nothing in the way of
offense thanks to constant pressure.
While
Bisping is not known for his wrestling, he is one of the most
tactical fighters in the sport and has been known to shoot for
takedowns in the appropriate moments. If the outspoken Brit finds
himself on the receiving end of too many powerful punches from
Stann, he could very well look to change levels and plant the
American on his back following one of his patented one-two combinations.
On
the feet, Bisping typically lands with more volume than Stann,
his boxing buoyed by precise punches and accurate footwork. Since
his WEC days, Stann has evolved from a brawler to a more technical
striker, showing more patience during exchanges. Still, the Naval
Academy graduate’s most valuable assets on the feet -- especially
as a converted light heavyweight -- are his power and athleticism.
Bisping’s
defensive style can be frustrating, as he consistently lands
pitter-patter combinations while moving in and out of danger.
Much of this fight hinges on how the judges will score the striking
encounters, with Bisping landing more frequently but Stann likely
landing the harder shots. Stann can also diversify his attack
by mixing in kicks to the legs and body.
The
Pick: This will be a close bout, and a key takedown or two could
sway the fight in Bisping’s favor. However, if Stann effectively
employs a sprawl-and-brawl style, sticks to his game plan when
“The Ultimate Fighter 3” winner gets on his bicycle
and gets the best of tie-ups, the fight will be his. Look for
Stann to display just enough improvement to capture a narrow
decision triumph.
Light
Heavyweights
Matt
Hamill (10-4, 9-4 UFC) vs. Roger Hollett (13-3, 0-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: It has been a little more than a year since Matt Hamill
announced his retirement following a loss to talented Swede Alexander
Gustafsson at UFC 133. “The Ultimate Fighter 3” alumnus
claimed a constant battle with injuries following his appearance
on the reality show factored into his decision to hang it up,
and, considering the brutal nature of his loss to Gustafsson,
no one was really begging him to reconsider. Staying away can
prove to be especially difficult for those who have grown accustomed
to competing at a high level for the majority of their lives,
however, and now “The Hammer” makes his return against
a promotional debutante.
Hollett
was supposed to be Hamill’s opponent at UFC 152 from the
start, but contractual issues with his previous employer, Bellator
Fighting Championships, forced the Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,
native off the card. Vladimir Matyushenko agreed to step in for
Hollett, but the Belarusian had to withdraw from the contest
after tearing his Achilles’ tendon. That gave Hollett, whose
UFC contract was not matched by Bellator, another opportunity
at Hamill. The Canadian carries a five-fight winning streak into
the bout after earning a split verdict against John Hawk in his
lone Bellator appearance in November. A five-time veteran of
the Maximum Fighting Championship promotion, Hollett owns 11
of his 13 career victories via knockout or submission.
Despite
Hamill’s layoff, this will be the most significant test
of Hollett’s career, though he does own a victory over two-time
UFC veteran Victor Valimaki. While Hamill will not overwhelm
anyone with his athleticism, he is heavy-handed and does a decent
job mixing in kicks with his attacks. Hollett will not have much
trouble closing distance against a fairly slow-footed opponent,
but he will likely struggle to outmuscle the Ohioan in tie-ups
and takedowns. Though he has favored more of a standup-based
attack in recent fights, Hamill’s ground-and-pound is effective
when he chooses to employ it. Standing and banging with Hollett,
who has solid power of his own, is a more risky route to take.
The
Pick: Hamill has a fair amount of wear-and-tear on his body,
so it will be interesting to see if Hollett can take advantage
and impose his will. Assuming he is 100 percent, Hamill’s
wrestling base and experience give him a slight edge here. Look
for Hamill to make a triumphant return and earn a hard-fought
unanimous decision.
Featherweights
Cub
Swanson (17-5, 2-1 UFC) vs. Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira
(16-2, 4-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: The fact that this matchup is leading off the pay-per-view
portion of UFC 152 speaks to the overall depth of the card, as
both Swanson and Oliveira are perhaps just a win or two away
from making serious noise in the 145-pound division.
With
a laundry list of injuries seemingly in his rearview mirror,
Swanson has posted back-to-back impressive victories in 2012,
scoring technical knockout triumphs over George Roop in January
and Ross Pearson in June. Swanson has long been known for his
flashy attacks, but his boxing has carried him in recent outings.
The WEC veteran dropped Roop with a powerful overhand right at
UFC on Fox 2, and superior speed and movement allowed him to
consistently counter Pearson effectively before he landed a decisive
left hook in their UFC on FX 4 encounter. In addition to his
camps at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Swanson has trained
with the likes of boxer Timothy Bradley -- the man who recently
earned a controversial win over Manny Pacquiao -- in his native
California, and the work seems to be paying dividends.
He
will have to be as technical as possible against Oliveira, because
the Brazilian will not be fazed by Swanson’s overall athleticism.
“Do Bronx” is plenty fast and explosive himself, and
he looks to have found a permanent home at featherweight after
consecutive wins over Eric Wisely and Jonathan Brookins. What
is scary is that, at just 22 years old, Oliveira still has plenty
of room for growth. The Macaco Gold Team product is not afraid
to let his hands go because, should he be taken down, he is supremely
confident in his submission game. However, Oliveira is becoming
more patient overall; when he floored Brookins with a right cross
at “The Ultimate Fighter 15” Finale, he remained committed
to his boxing and leg kicks instead of trying to force the issue.
This
will be an action-packed duel no matter the location. On the
feet, Swanson will showcase various spinning and high kicks to
go with his punches, while Oliveira likes to explode for flying
knees. Swanson is more susceptible to takedowns, but he compensates
with an active guard and ability to create scrambles from his
back. Of course, such activity could prove dangerous against
Oliveira, who averages nearly four submission attempts per 15
minutes, according to FightMetric.com. The Sao Paulo, Brazil,
native excels at making his opponent uncomfortable with elbows
and punches from above, then transitioning to various fight-ending
holds once his foe attempts to escape. Swanson will be best served
to keep the bout upright as long as he possibly can.
The
Pick: In recent years, Swanson has only lost to top-flight competition
like Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas. This will be a
good test for Oliveira to see if he is ready to take his career
to the next level. However, he has not faced someone this skilled
in all areas since a loss to Donald Cerrone in 2011. A smart
and tactical Swanson wins via third-round technical knockout.
Light
Heavyweights
Igor
Pokrajac (25-8, 4-3 UFC) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (9-5, 0-2 UFC):
After a rough start to his UFC tenure, Pokrajac has won three
straight, most recently riding power punches and knees in the
clinch to a victory over Fabio Maldonado at UFC on Fuel TV 3.
Pokrajac will put his heavy hands and wrestling to use against
Magalhaes, a former M-1 Global champion who returns to the Octagon
for the first time since 2009. Pokrajac stymies his opponent’s
jiu-jitsu and wins via technical knockout in round two.
Lightweights
Evan
Dunham (13-2, 6-2 UFC) vs. T.J. Grant (18-5, 5-3 UFC): After
losses to Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard derailed title talk
for Dunham, the Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts export has
returned to form with victories against Shamar Bailey and Nik
Lentz in his last two outings. Formerly a welterweight, Grant
has defeated Shane Roller and Carlo Prater since making the move
to 155 pounds. Grant’s grappling chops are well known, but
Dunham is well-rounded enough to emerge with a decision here.
Welterweights
Lance
Benoist (6-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Sean Pierson (12-6, 2-2 UFC): Benoist
suffered a hard-fought split-decision loss to Seth Baczynski
at UFC on FX 3, while Pierson rode superior striking and decent
grappling to a win over Jake Hecht on the same card. Pierson
will be able to keep himself upright and land the more significant
combinations en route to a decision victory.
Featherweights
Jim
Hettes (10-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Marcus Brimage (5-1, 2-0 UFC): While
Hettes went the distance for the first time in his career at
UFC 141, he was still dominant in earning a pair of 30-25 scorecards
in a unanimous verdict over Nam Phan. Meanwhile, the most memorable
aspect of Brimage’s win against Maximo Blanco at UFC 145
was the gymnastics duel that occurred after the bout. Brimage
will have to figure out a way to maintain distance to win this
fight. Hettes takes it by first round submission.
Welterweights
Simeon
Thoresen (17-2-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Seth Baczynski (17-8, 3-0 UFC):
A Power MMA Team representative, Baczynski carries a five-fight
winning streak -- including three UFC triumphs -- into his bout
with Thoresen, who submitted Besam Yousef in his Octagon debut
at UFC on Fuel TV 2. Baczynski is both aggressive and resilient,
and he will be willing to do what it takes to swing the momentum
of the fight in his favor. Baczynski wins by decision.
Bantamweights
Mitch
Gagnon (8-2, 0-1 UFC) vs. Walel Watson (9-4, 1-2 UFC): Gagnon
appeared to be getting the better of Bryan Caraway for two rounds
at UFC 149, but the “The Ultimate Fighter” 14 alumnus
was able to weather the storm and recover for a third-round rear-naked
choke victory. Still, it was a promising beginning for Gagnon,
who shared “Fight of the Night” honors with Caraway
for his efforts. Watson was absolutely brutalized by T.J. Dillashaw
in his last outing, as he struggled to combat his foe’s
ground-and-pound. Look for Gagnon to get inside Watson’s
reach and land some offense from top position before inducing
a tapout in round three.
Welterweights
Kyle
Noke (19-6-1, 3-2 UFC) vs. Charlie Brenneman (15-4, 4-3 UFC):
It is the UFC 170-pound debut for Noke, who suffered a knee injury
during his loss to Andrew Craig at UFC on FX 2 in March. Brenneman’s
standup will not scare anyone, but “The Spaniard” will
look to push the pace and close the distance quickly against
his Australian opponent. Noke neutralizes Brenneman’s wrestling
and lands just enough on the feet to earn a decision.
Source
Sherdog
|
One
FC 6 Features Bantamweight Grand Prix, Includes Jens Pulver and
Masakatsu Ueda
One
FC on Tuesday announced the first round of its Bantamweight Grand
Prix, which is slated to take place at One FC 6 on Oct. 6 in
Singapore. Jens Pulver will fight Chinese fighter Zhao Ya Fei
in a first round match, and Min Jung Song will face Shooto and
Bellator veteran Masakatsu Ueda.
One
of the promotion’s biggest signings to date, Ueda is a Japanese
MMA legend. He most recently took his game to the United States,
where Travis Marx defeated him in the first round of the Bellator
bantamweight tournament.
Ueda,
a former Shooto featherweight champ, defended his crown on numerous
occasions and is one of the best fighters with the Shooto organization.
The
grand prix will end in 2013 with two finalists clashing for the
One FC Grand Prix bantamweight title.
One
FC: Rise of the Kings will be available on pay-per-view in the
United States on Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Fans
from around the world can witness the action online via live
streaming at www.onefc.com/livestream. The first two undercard
fights are available for viewing free of charge and the main
card fights will be available for purchase.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
'UFC
on FOX 5: Henderson vs. Diaz' main card set, tickets on sale
Oct. 5
by Dann
Stupp
The
main card is set for December's UFC on FOX 5 event, which features
a championship headliner between lightweight titleholder Benson
Henderson (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and challenger Nate Diaz (16-7
MMA, 11-5 UFC).
The
event takes place Dec. 8 at Seattle's KeyArena, and tickets go
on sale Oct. 5.
UFC
on FOX 5 is the final FOX-televised event of 2012, and the main
card features four fights in all.
Also
slated for the main card, which follows prelims on FUEL TV, are
light heavyweights Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (21-6 MMA,
5-4 UFC) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (14-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), welterweights
B.J. Penn (16-8-2 MMA, 12-7-2 UFC) vs. Rory MacDonald (13-1 MMA,
4-1 UFC), and welterweights Mike Swick (15-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) vs.
Matt Brown (15-11 MMA, 8-5 UFC).
"The
fans in Seattle are amazing, and I love holding events there,"
UFC President Dana White stated. "Well, on Dec. 8 we are
bringing them an absolutely stacked card.
"Not
only do we have the UFC lightweight title fight between Benson
Henderson and Nate Diaz, but also 'Shogun' vs. Gustafsson, B.J.
Penn vs. Rory MacDonald, and Mike Swick vs. Matt Brown. This
is an incredible card for the fans in Seattle."
Tickets,
which range from $50 to $300, go on sale to the general public
on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT local time). However, UFC
Fight Club members can purchase tickets on Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. ET,
and UFC.com e-newsletter subscribers can buy tickets on Oct.
4 at 1 p.m. ET.
The
full UFC on FOX 4 card includes:
MAIN
CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)
Champ Benson Henderson vs. Nate Diaz (for lightweight title)
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV, 5 p.m. ET)
Lavar Johnson vs. Brendan Schaub
Dennis Siver vs. Ediie Yagin
Mike Chiesa vs. Rafaello Oliveira
John Albert vs. Scott Jorgensen
Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
Daron Cruickshank vs. Henry Martinez
Tim Means vs. Abel Trujillo
Source: MMA Junkie
|
|