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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2013
November
Aloha
State Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(tba)
10/19/13
NAGA
Hawaiian Grappling Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(tba)
10/5-6/13
Senior Master World Championships
(BJJ)
(The Pyramid, Cal State Unversity at Long Beach, Long Beach,
CA)
8/24/13
Battle At The Bay
(BJJ)
(Hilo Armory, Hilo)
August
Maui
Open Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(tba)
7/27/13
State
of Hawaii Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Pearl Cityh H.S. Gym)
7/13/13
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Momilani Community Center)
6/22/13
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Kalakaua District Park Gym)
6/8/13
King of the Cage
(MMA)
(Maui)
5/30/13 - 6/2/13
World
BJJ Championships
(BJJ)
(The Pyramid, University of California at Long Beach)
5/25-26/13
NAGA:
Pacific Grappling Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Radford H.S. Gym)
5/19/13
Amateur Boxing Event this (Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
5/4/13
Mad Skillz
(Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom)
4/27/13
Star Elite Cagefighting: The Foundation
(Kickboxing)
(Aloha Tower Waterfront)
4/13/13
Hawaiian
Open Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
Denny Prokopos
Eddie Bravo Black Belt Seminar
9AM-11AM
$50
@ O2 Martial Arts Academy
3/23/13
Man Up Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
3/20-24/13
Pan
Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(Irvine, CA)
3/20/13
David Kama Seminar
Rickson Gracie Black Belt
8-10PM
$50
@ O2 Martial Arts Academy
2/23/13
Got Skills
(MMA, Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom)
2/16/13
Mayhem At The Mansion
Kauai Cage Match 14
(MMA)
(Kilohana Carriage House, Lihue, Kauai)
Boxing Event
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym District Park Gym)
Uncle Frank Ordonez’s Birthday Tournament
(Palama Settlement Gym)
(Grappling, Sport-Pankration and Continuous sparring)
2/3/13
Diego Moraes Semainr
(BJJ)
(O2MAA)
2/2/13
World
Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship: Hawaii Trials
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(McKinley H.S. Gym)
2/1/13
IBJJF Referee Clinic
(O2MAA)
1/19/13
Destiny
Na Koa 2
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
1/12/13
Reuben "Cobrinha" Charles Seminar
4-7PM
(Ku Lokahi Wrestling Club)
|
|
July
2013 News Part 3
|
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O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Kaleo Hosaka as
well as a number of brown and purple belts.
We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA 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
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Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
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Final
UFC on Fox 8 TV Ratings Down in Absolute Numbers, but Wins in
Key Demographic Battles
Although
the initial fast overnight ratings projections were a little
lower, the final UFC on Fox 8 TV ratings edged back up to tie
the lowest draw for a UFC on Fox event. The numbers were low,
but strong enough to win the key advertising demographics in
a difficult summer viewing season.
UFC
on Fox 8: Johnson vs. Moraga drew an average audience of 2.384
million viewers, according to MMAWeekly.com’s industry sources.
That number virtually ties the event with UFC on Fox 3 and UFC
on Fox 4, which each attracted 2.4 million viewers.
The
UFC on Fox events tend to trend higher in the winter months,
when they reap the benefits of cross-promotion with Fox’s
powerful NFL programming. UFC on Fox 8 fell in the middle of
summer, always a tough draw, and was headlined by a flyweight
title fight. The lighter weight classes have yet to draw the
numbers of some of the UFC’s marquee divisions, which tend
to be at the heavier end of the spectrum.
The
UFC on Fox 8 Prelims, which aired on FX, marked a low point for
the prelims since it moved off of Fuel TV to the broader reach
of FX, drawing just 904,000 viewers.
While
the absolute numbers are down, UFC on Fox 8 was still a hit when
stacked up against other summer season programming.
UFC
on Fox 8 still outdrew the other major broadcast networks to
take top honors on the night in the key advertising demographics
of Adults 18-49, Men 18-49, Adults 18-34, and Men 18-34. Winning
those demographics is a key victory for the UFC and Fox.
UFC
on Fox 8 also helped propel Fox to winning the Men 18-34 demographic
with the entire weekend’s highest rated event in the category.
Even
though the absolute numbers may not appear as appetizing, when
it comes to broadcast television, winning the key demographic
battles is an important victory.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Despite
Bad Blood, Miesha Tate Putting Feelings Aside for UFC 168 Clash
with Ronda Rousey
By Mike
Whitman
Miesha
Tate won’t get fooled again.
At
least, that is the plan heading into her year-end clash with
Ronda Rousey, who took Tate’s Strikeforce title last year
via first-round armbar. According to Tate, she allowed her personal
dislike for Rousey to affect her in that fight -- an error that
ultimately contributed to her defeat. At UFC 168, in her second
meeting with the now-UFC champion, Tate plans to approach the
conflict as a pure athletic contest.
“I
didn’t get into fighting to beat up people I didn’t
like. I’m going out there to test myself, and I’m doing
my best to put the personal dislike aside and look at it like
a competition. The belt is all that matters at the end of day,”
Tate said Wednesday at a UFC press conference in New York City.
“I think I learned a lot in that fight. Before the fight,
I didn’t respect her, and now I do. She’s the world
champ and the best in the room. I underestimated her, and I won’t
make same mistake again.”
Since
their initial meeting, both Tate and Rousey admitted that they
have not always been at odds, with both bringing up the moments
after Tate’s technical knockout loss to Cat Zingano this
past April. Following the controversial stoppage, Rousey approached
Tate to offer her condolences and congratulations on a hard-fought
bout.
“It
was cool to see the respect from her. There have been a couple
glimmers of hope, but I felt disrespected from get-go,”
said Tate. “When she was, like, 3-0 or 4-0, in one of her
first interviews, she said she was going to come down to 135
[pounds] and slap the title out of my hands. [Anybody] would
have taken that personally. It escalated from there, and that’s
really all it is.”
Though
her defeat to Zingano initially cost Tate a chance at coaching
opposite Rousey on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 18,
“Cupcake” was later called upon to replace the injured
Zingano, who seriously hurt her knee in training. As a result,
Tate will receive her sought-after rematch on Dec. 28, live on
pay-per-view from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“I’ve
changed a little bit of training strategy, and I have a better
idea of what it’s like to be in there,” said Tate.
“I always strive to learn and improve, and coming off a
loss is when I learn the most. I learned a lot about my fighting
style, and I’m looking forward to making the most of a second
shot.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
Final
UFC on FOX 8 numbers similar to two weakest shows of last year
By Dave
Meltzer
One
can interpret Saturday’s UFC television ratings in a number
of different ways.
The
UFC on FOX 8 show did the smallest audience, by a smidgen, of
any MMA show on network television, doing a 1.5 rating and 2.38
million viewers. The two weakest shows from last year, headlined
by Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
vs. Alexander Gustafsson, both did 1.4 ratings, but delivered
slightly more viewers, at 2.42 million and 2.44 million respectively.
But both of those shows drew slightly better numbers in the target
demos, and against tougher competition.
On
the flip side, the UFC on FOX show drew more viewers in the Adult
18-49 demographic (1.1 rating), as well as among Men 18-49 (1.6)
and 18-34 (1.5) than any show on television on Saturday. It was
also the highest-rated network television show in Males 18-34
of the weekend, and finished in eighth place in that demographic
among network shows for the entire week.
The
show gained significant audience from start-to-finish, but that
is to be expected from an event of this type where the show builds
to a main event on last.
FOX
sells ads for the show largely based on the Male 18-49 number,
since MMA is considered a strong target buy.
The
numbers were down 36 percent in total audience and 32 percent
in ratings from the previous FOX event, headlined by Benson Henderson
vs. Gilbert Melendez for the lightweight title. But given the
star power and attractiveness overall of the two shows, the decline
should have been expected.
Essentially,
it was the weakest card from a star power standpoint that the
UFC had put on FOX to date. But it probably did as good as expectations
should have been, given the lineup.
In
the key demos, the number significantly beat what baseball does
when put in the same time slot, although baseball does better
overall because it’s is so much more popular with people
above the age of 45 than the UFC is.
Many
would argue that the FX prelims were really the stronger show,
with hot fights including Ed Herman beating Trevor Smith via
controversial decision, which got the best fight bonus, and a
back-and-forth TV main event with Jorge Masvidal submitting Michael
Chiesa with one second left in the second round.
The
FX show, the next to last airing of MMA on the network as far
as current plans go, did a 0.73 rating and 904,000 viewers. While
well under the 1.3 million viewers that FX averaged for its MMA
shows, it also aired from 5-8 p.m. ET as compared with the usual
8-10 p.m.
FX
airs its last MMA show as the prelims this coming Saturday before
UFC 163 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All major UFC programming
starting on Aug. 17 moves to the new Fox Sports 1. As compared
with the April 20 show, the rating was down 14 percent and total
audience down 11 percent.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
USA
TODAY: Chandler on why he's quick to defend fellow Bellator champ
Askren
by Ben
Fowlkes
(This
story initially appeared on usatoday.com.)
Ben
Askren isn't the type to sugarcoat his opinions. Ask him what
he thought of fellow Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler when
he first encountered him on the University of Missouri wrestling
team in 2004, and he'll give it to you straight.
"In
the beginning, he really wasn't very good," Askren (11-0
MMA, 8-0 BMMA), a two-time NCAA Division I national champion
who now reigns as Bellator's undefeated welterweight champ, tells
USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Lightweight
champion Chandler (11-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) doesn't disagree. Askren
was a superstar at Missouri almost from the day he showed up
on campus, but Chandler was a walk-on. His path, he admits, "was
a little bit rockier." But the important thing is where
he ended up.
Tonight
in Rio Rancho, N.M., the former Mizzou Tigers teammates will
be reunited on the Bellator 97 fight card as both look to defend
their titles and their perfect professional records in back-to-back
fights on Spike TV (7 p.m. ET/PT).
To
hear Askren tell it, it's not such a surprise that two guys from
one the nation's top collegiate wrestling programs would go on
to become champions in the same MMA organization.
"People
don't understand how competitive it is when you've got 45 bad-asses
in one room, trying to beat the crap out of each other every
single day," says Askren, who will defend his 170-pound
title against Russian fighter Andrey Koreshkov (13-0 MMA, 5-0
BMMA). "There are zero MMA camps in the world that are as
competitive as a (Division I) wrestling room. Mentally, it just
builds you up to be tough and resilient."
That's
a quality Chandler says he learned from having Askren as a teammate
for three years, and a coach for the next two. When he started
at Missouri, Chandler didn't have much going for him aside from
a little natural ability and a strong work ethic, he says. Being
in the same room with Askren taught him what it takes to become
a champion.
"To
be honest, Ben is a freak of nature," Chandler says. "He
could've gone to any school, under any coach, and still done
exactly what he did at Mizzou. He's just such a ridiculously
hard worker, with a crazy mind-set, and he's the most mentally
tough person I've ever been around in my entire life."
These
days Chandler and Askren have traded places in some ways. They're
both Bellator champs with identical pro records, but it's Chandler
whose star seems to be on the rise. Bellator recently announced
that it had signed the fighter, who meets title challenger David
Rickels (14-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) tonight, to a new eight-fight contract
that would make Chandler "one of the highest-paid lightweights
in all of MMA," according to Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn
Rebney, who seems to have positioned Chandler as the face of
the organization moving forward.
Askren,
meanwhile, continues to win fights, but he's struggled to gain
much of a fan following. Some complain that his wrestling-heavy
style, while effective, is boring to watch. Not that Chandler
sees a problem with it.
"I'm
always the first one to defend Ben whenever anyone says one thing
negative about him, because I'll tell you right now, I would
not be the man I am today or the competitor I am today without
his mentoring in college," Chandler says. "I did not
totally believe in myself in college, and it took years under
his mentorship for me to change that. If those critics knew what
kind of person he is and how hard he works, I think they'd have
a different mind-set."
This
time it will be Chandler who gets top billing in the main event,
yet it may still be Askren who sets the tone for his former protégé.
"He's
going to go out there and dominate, and then I'm going to follow
suit," Chandler says. "Then we'll hang out afterward."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
on Fox 8 Fighter Salaries: Robbie Lawler Towers Over $850,000
Payroll
Robbie
Lawler UFC on Fox 8 Post_9299The Washington State Department
of Licensing on Tuesday released the UFC on Fox 8: Johnson vs.
Moraga fighter salaries to MMAWeekly.com.
UFC
flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson defended his belt in the
night’s main event, submitting John Moraga late in the fight.
UFC
on Fox 8 took place Saturday, July 27, at the KeyArena in Seattle.
The
total UFC on Fox 8 payroll of $850,000 was greater than the $700,081
in revenue that ticket sales generated.
The
following figures are based on the fighter salary information
that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic
commissions, including the winners’ bonuses.
Although
mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining
or a union, the fighters’ salaries are still public record,
just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any
undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but
does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically,
pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are
not included in the figures below.
UFC
on Fox 8 Fighter Salaries
Demetrious
Johnson: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus)
def. John Moraga: $17,000
Rory
MacDonald: $48,000 (includes $24,000 win bonus)
def. Jake Ellenberger: $52,000
Robbie
Lawler: $156,000 (includes $78,000 win bonus)
def. Bobby Voelker: $12,000
Liz
Carmouche: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
def. Jessica Andrade: $8,000
Jorge
Masvidal: $66,000 (includes $33,000 win bonus)
def. Michael Chiesa: $15,000
Danny
Castillo: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus)
def. Tim Means: $12,000
Melvin
Guillard: $84,000 (includes $42,000 win bonus)
def. Mac Danzig: $30,000
Daron
Cruickshank: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. Yves Edwards: $21,000
Ed
Herman: $74,000 (includes $37,000 win bonus)
def. Trevor Smith: $8,000
Germaine
de Randamie: $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus)
def. Julie Kedzie: $9,000
Justin
Salas: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
def. Aaron Riley: $14,000
Yaotzin
Meza: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
def. John Albert: $10,000
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Jorge
Masvidal-Rustam Khabilov Targeted for November UFC Meeting on
Fox Sports 1
By Mike
Whitman
A
lightweight showdown between Jorge Masvidal and Rustam Khabilov
is reportedly in the works for a to-be-announced UFC Fight Night
event in November.
The
booking was announced Tuesday on Fuel TV’s “UFC Tonight.”
No other bouts have been officially revealed for the event, which
is expected to air live on Fox Sports 1.
Masvidal
last competed this past Saturday, when he weathered an early
storm from Michael Chiesa and forced the “TUF 15” winner
to submit with just one second remaining in the second round
of their UFC on Fox 8 conflict. Masvidal, 28, has won five of
his last six, with his lone loss in that span coming in a failed
2011 title bid against then-Strikeforce lightweight king Gilbert
Melendez.
Like
“Gamebred,” Khabilov has also yet to lose in the UFC,
posting first-round technical knockouts over Vinc Pichel and
Yancy Medeiros to begin his Octagon tenure. Known for his sambo
skills and violent suplexes, the 26-year-old Dagestani has finished
nine of his 16 victims by either knockout or submission and has
tasted defeat just once in nearly six years as a pro.
Source:
Sherdog
|
With
divisional challenges ahead, Jon Jones in no rush to move to
heavyweight
By Mike
Chiappetta
When
Anderson Silva was finally dethroned, a cog in two potential
superfights was lost. In his place, the sport's observers have
looked for other possibilities to muse over and imagine. Among
them, the potential for UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones
to move up a weight class and compete with its big men.
The
thinking goes that at 6-foot-4, Jones has the frame to add a
few pounds and fit right in among them. After all, his 84.5-inch
wing span is already a UFC record for any division. Why couldn't
he step in against the world's biggest?
Jones
has faced the question enough that now he's ready to have some
fun with it. During Tuesday's Los Angeles stop of the UFC World
Tour, the champ playfully responded to the expected queries about
such a move.
"Look
at this guy next to me?" he said, smiling as he turned to
heavyweight title holder Cain Velasquez "Would you guys
fight him? I don't know, guys. I don't know."
Somehow,
you knew that wasn't going to be the end of it. After going on
to answer questions about his UFC 165 opponent Alexander Gustafsson,
his odds of beating his NFL brothers Art and Chandler in a fight
-- according to him, Art could "definitely" beat him,
but Chandler definitely could not -- and the difficulties of
growing up in the spotlight, the question came back around.
Hadn't
allusions been made to Jones' move in the past? Why was he backtracking
now?
"I
just said that because Cain’s next to me. I didn't want
it to be awkward," he said, laughing, before moving on to
his real answer.
"Eventually,"
he said. "I’m getting older, I’m growing, I'm
getting stronger. Why not? Yeah, for sure."
But
first, the Swede. At 6-foot-5, Gustafsson is actually an inch
taller than Jones, making it a matchup capable of silencing the
critics who chalk up his success to his size. This time, it's
completely negated.
For
Jones, that's the exciting part, as if he needs to remind people
that he was at a tremendous experience disadvantage when he shot
through the ranks to capture the belt. As if he needs to reinforce
his legitimacy.
"I
don't think your body really has much to do with the game,"
he said. "Obviously it helps, but it’s really about
your mind, your mentality, the way you train. I've been wrestling
since I was 14 years old. I've been wanting to be a winner at
life for a very long time, and now I have this opportunity to
go as far as I can take it. And I know that. Will he be a tough
challenge? Who knows? He could be, or maybe he won't. I’m
going to train hard though."
With
that, it's as if he is saying that the outcome is not up to Gustafsson,
it's up to him. That Gustafsson is just another domino to be
knocked down. All Jones has to do is supply the power.
Past
that, he sees at last one more challenge. When UFC president
Dana White was asked whether a win over Gustafsson would mean
that Jones has swept the division of top contenders, some fans
seemed to disagree, shouting out names.
Jones,
listening intently as he always does, seemed to hear one name
among the many.
"Glover,"
he said, without picking up the microphone, as if he was saying
it to himself. With that, he nodded, perhaps charting his own
future.
World
Tour - Los Angeles notes
Johny
eats jabs
Johny Hendricks was asked about whether welterweight champion
and UFC 167 opponent Georges St-Pierre can keep him away with
his jab, as GSP's teammate Rory MacDonald did to power puncher
Jake Ellenberger last weekend. Rest assured, the former All-American
wrestler doesn't think so.
"I
know he’s good at the jab, right on the mouthpiece. I’ll
eat a jab for a left hand any day," he said. "I know
that all I've got to do is touch him. So, my left hand is going
to do that. I’ll bite down on the mouthpiece all day long
for a jab for a left hand, wouldn't you?"
Ronda
& Miesha, part ?
The only enmity on the stage came from Ronda Rousey and Miesha
Tate, who sat on far ends of the stage but traded barbs throughout
the press conference.
This
judge scored the round for Rousey 10-9, largely on the strength
of a particularly sharp answer Rousey gave when asked whether
she truly views their relationship as a rivalry.
"How
is it not a rivalry? I have everything that she wants in life,"
she said.
That's
cold.
Un-Expendable
Speaking of Rousey, she briefly discussed her upcoming role in
The Expendables 3, saying that she was leaving soon for filming
and that she was going to take some members of her camp with
her so that she could train on set.
"
I can't really say too much except I’m going to probably
play a kickass kind of chick," she said. "That's the
genre I prefer."
GSP
vs. McD's
Georges St-Pierre made at least one surprising admission on Tuesday,
and it wasn't about potentially facing teammate Rory MacDonald.
Nope, on that front, they're still holding the line on not facing
each other.
Instead,
his interesting nugget came about ... Chicken McNuggets? Or,
more specifically his diet, when a fan asked him about it.
"I
don't eat well. You will be really disappointed," he said.
"Where
are you guys eating lunch, Georges?" Jon Jones interjected.
"McDonald's,"
he sheepishly replied.
Missing
in action
There were two faces missing from the World Tour stage, Chris
Weidman and Anderson Silva. According to White, that's because
Silva had many previously planned obligations that will take
him through Brazil and later to Japan before he heads right into
his camp to prepare for Weidman.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Despite
recent pleas, UFC boss Dana White still lukewarm on Paul Daley
by Steven
Marrocco
LOS
ANGELES – UFC President Dana White has heard Paul Daley's
pleas for a new UFC contract, but he remains hesitant to bring
the welterweight back into the fold.
"I
don't know," White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)
when asked for his reaction to Daley's attempts to return to
the UFC. "Bellator cut him for some reason."
When
informed of the assault conviction that prompted Daley's ouster
from the Viacom-owned promotion, White joked, "Sounds fun.
Sounds like something I want to deal with."
This
past weekend at UFC on FOX 8, a reporter suggested the promotion
might use Daley (33-12-2) in his native England rather than attempting
to secure a visa for the fighter in the U.S. It was with that
latter process that White anticipated potential trouble, given
the difficulty in getting permission to enter the country. But
it was also the fighter's negative public statements toward the
promotion following his release from first UFC contract, which
came immediately after he sucker-punched Josh Koscheck three
years ago at UFC 113.
"(The
government is) real strict here now on visas," White said.
"I thought he hated the UFC and said he'd never want to
come back here and never wanted to fight here again. What changed?"
In
a recent interview with MMAFighting.com, Daley said his sour
feelings toward the promotion had dulled with time, and he believed
he would be a perfect fit for the UFC.
"It
would be a dream come true to be back with the UFC," he
said. "The things that I did say bad about the UFC, it was
like what most fighters would do if they weren't in the best
organization in the world. You don't want to be No. 2. You want
to be No. 1. I just think it's fitting that I'm in the organization."
White,
though, isn't sure that's the case. He grew agitated after hearing
the circumstances surrounding Daley's cut from Bellator.
"So
let me ask you a question," he asked MMAjunkie.com. "You're
a media guy, and you're asking me about Biogenesis and all this
other bulls--t, but you're asking me will I sign Paul Daley?
And you're telling me he's just been arrested? Come on, you guys.
Come on."
Outside
the UFC, Daley has done quite well in the past year, winning
four straight bouts, including one with Bellator, which planned
to put him in its Season 8 tournament before his legal woes.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Rampage
vs. Roy Jones Jr.? Dana White Warns, “Get Ready to Lose
Some Money!”
Bellator
has been rumored to be joining the pay-per-view fray, possibly
with a Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Roy Jones Jr.
in a boxing match… and possibly putting that boxing match
up against the UFC’s big year-end pay-per-view, which features
the Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha
Tate rematches.
That
hasn’t been made official yet, but if Bellator and parent
company Viacom do enter the pay-per-view realm, UFC president
Dana White welcomes them, with a warning.
“If
they want to get into the pay-per-view business, get ready to
lose some money boys… real money.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
For
King Mo Lawal, Heading into Wednesday’s Bellator 97, “It’s
About the Belt”
by Ryan
McKinnell
When
former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed “King
Mo” Lawal met career journeyman Emmanuel Newton in the semifinals
of the 2013 Bellator light heavyweight tournament back in February,
he did so as an astonishing -1200 favorite.
On
that night, however, Newton shocked the MMA universe by dispatching
the former Strikeforce champion with a stunning spinning backfist
knockout early in the first round.
Not
only was it one of the bigger upsets in recent memory, it also
marked the first promotional defeat for Bellator’s biggest
free agent signing to that date.
Surprisingly,
for Lawal, a former Oklahoma State All-American, the upset was
much easier to deal with than one might think.
“With
my amateur wrestling background, a loss is a loss,” Lawal
told MMAWeekly.com. “It’s not like MMA is a greater
sport than wrestling. My losses in wrestling hurt me a lot more
than my losses in MMA. My MMA losses are, like, whatever. But
my wrestling losses hurt more. The loss is a loss, it ain’t
going to kill me.
“See,
if he were to dominate me from cage post to cage post –
listen, let’s keep it real. When he landed, he landed like,
‘Oh! What just happened? Oh I landed?!’ He was trying
to act like he meant to do it,” he continued.
“Come
on, man, let’s be real. When I land a punch, I know it’s
over. I’m looking where I’m throwing. I don’t
throw it to hope it lands, or this or that; I’m throwing
it to land and for it to land solid. I’m watching everything
I throw. He had that spinning backfist and he got lucky with
it. When we fight again, it will be a different story, trust
me. I know it will.”
The
loss came as a shock for most pundits across the MMA landscape.
Many experts questioned Lawal’s dedication to mixed martial
arts; especially considering that when Lawal signed with Bellator,
he also signed on with the professional wrestling outfit “Total
Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling,” and would apparently be
splitting his time between the two companies.
For
anyone who understands the business of pro wrestling, the agreement
seemed like a far-fetched idea. Because, despite certain stigmas
surrounding the profession, pro wrestling is very much an art
– an art that you just don’t come in and master after
a few months.
Or
years for that matter.
Since
his upset loss to Newton, Lawal has fought just one other time
in the Bellator cage – a win over “Kimbo Killer”
Seth Petruzelli – and now finds himself in the finals of
another Bellator light heavyweight tournament when he meets Jacob
Noe at Bellator 97, on Wednesday, July, 31, in Albuquerque, N.M.
For
Lawal, anybody criticizing his dedication to MMA just doesn’t
grasp the situation. As far as he is concerned, he’s ready
to fight 365 days a year. And despite what the uneducated masses
may think, pro wrestling is forcing Lawal to toughen up at a
rapid rate.
“I
train year round,” he said matter-of-factly when questioned
if professional wrestling was taking time away from his MMA duties.
“After the match in Ohio Valley Wrestling (TNA’s developmental
league), I was right back in the gym on Monday. I don’t
do training camps; I just train year round.
“I
was surprised with how hard it’s been. I didn’t think
the bumps, hitting the ropes, would be all that hard on you.
I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t know was going
to do a match and then be sore for four or five days later. I
can fight (MMA) and be sore for only like two or three days.”
So
after this initial foray into pro wrestling, has he had a change
of heart when considering pulling double duty?
“I’m
still full-go, but the first few days I was like, ‘what
the hell am I doing?’” he said with a chuckle. “Here’s
the thing; when I tell people pro wrestling is harder than MMA,
they want to crucify me. They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re
a joke,’ and whatever. But they are crazy; this stuff is
hard.
“I
guarantee you, take any old wrestler and watch them try to get
out of bed, running, doing anything. A fighter may train a lot,
but they only fight two or three times a year. Pro wrestlers
do five or six shows a week and they’re always on the road.
Come on, man. They don’t realize that.”
Another
aspect of professional fighting that Lawal thinks fans are neglecting
is marketability.
Sure,
fans love to hate men like Brock Lesnar and Chael Sonnen. But
the fact remains that love or hate them, they still talk about
them. And if G.I. Joe taught us anything in the 80s, it’s
that “knowing IS half the battle.”
So,
as Lawal puts it, it’s important for these fighters to know
what they are selling – intentional, or otherwise.
“Every
fighter in MMA, whether they know it or not, has pretty much
sold a pro wrestling persona at some point in their career,”
said the 32-year-old former Olympic hopeful. “GSP is like
Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart, ‘The Excellence of Execution.’
Phil Baroni, he may have been the Brooklyn Brawler. He’s
a guy who isn’t afraid to fight anybody, and he’s got
the accent too!
“Roy
(Nelson), Chael (Sonnen), and Brock Lesnar, all of them –
Brock Lesnar has a name and he did what he needed to do. He cut
promos in the ring after fights. After he beat Frank Mir the
second time, he said, ‘I stand in front you a humble man.’
“People
went from booing him to cheering him after he won that fight!”
As
the talk shifts from professional wrestling back to professional
fighting, the focus turns to Jacob Noe and the upcoming Bellator
light heavyweight tournament finals.
Lawal
sees Noe as a young fighter who has become far too one-dimensional
in his approach to fighting. Especially when considering that
Noe’s one dimension is boxing – something King Mo doesn’t
think the fighter is especially good at, even though six of Noe’s
12 wins have come via KO/TKO.
“He’s
trying to be a pro boxer, right? Well, I know a lot about boxing,”
he said, beaming with confidence. “There’s this thing
called Boxing Record out there, so I went out and looked him
up. He is, like, 0-1.”
“He
got beat by some dude from Colorado. Colorado might have a few
good fighters, but they’re not really known for having great
boxers. The fact he claims to be a great boxer, and got beat
by some guy from Colorado, is a joke.
“Great
boxers don’t come to MMA unless they are past their prime.
And unless he changes his technique for MMA, he’s in trouble.
Because I don’t see that happening (Noe beating Lawal with
boxing) at all. He just throws lots of arm punches.”
Lawal
has certainly become accustomed to arm punches in the world of
professional wrestling, but on July 31, he will back in the cage
to compete in the finals of another MMA tournament.
With
one discipline on the backburner for now, Lawal is all about
getting the Bellator gold around his waist. And if, down the
road, he gets a rematch against Emmanuel Newton, he’ll just
consider it the icing on the proverbial cake.
“Really
it’s about the belt,” said Lawal. “If I have
to fight Emmanuel to get the belt , then that’s a bonus.
My goal is to get the belt and if I get fight Emmanuel while
doing it, that’s great.
“If
he keeps winning and I keep winning, then we will fight. That’s
how Bellator works; winners fight winners. So as long as we keep
winning, we will fight each other.”
Lawal’s
quest for his first Bellator tournament title culminates as the
summer dwindles to a close. If he gets past the Memphis, Tenn.,
native, Noe, then he will be one step closer to wrapping Bellator
gold around his waist, and earning the title of, “The best
there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
163 ‘Aldo vs. Korean Zombie’ Preview
By Tristen
Critchfield
Few
who watched or attended will forget the last time Ultimate Fighting
Championship featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo fought in his
home country. Moments after the Nova Uniao product knocked out
Chad Mendes with a first-round knee at UFC 142, he raced into
the stands at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate his
victory with a jubilant throng of his countrymen -- a scene of
unbridled joy that ranks among the most memorable moments in
the 26-year-old’s mixed martial arts career.
In
the UFC 163 headliner on Saturday, Aldo faces Chan Sung Jung,
a huge underdog returning from a year-plus layoff. Could “The
Korean Zombie” be the next addition to Aldo’s personal
highlight reel? It will require a superhuman effort from Jung
if he is to ruin the post-fight party plans of thousands of Rio
de Janeiro residents.
Aldo’s
bid to follow in the footsteps of Anderson Silva and establish
himself as Brazil’s next pound-for-pound great is not the
show’s only attraction. In the co-headliner, Lyoto Machida
looks to cement his place as the light heavyweight division’s
No. 1 contender with a victory over talented wrestler Phil Davis.
Whether such a win actually nets him a title shot is another
story entirely.
Here
is a closer look at UFC 163, with analysis and picks:
UFC
Featherweight Championship
Jose
Aldo (22-1, 4-0 UFC) vs. Chan Sung Jung (13-3, 3-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: After defeating Frankie Edgar at UFC 156, Aldo was all
set to square off with a converted lightweight for the second
straight bout, but a knee injury to Anthony Pettis put an end
to those plans. While the Brazilian will now defend his featherweight
strap within the division, the selection of Jung as his opponent
is not without controversy.
The
popular “Korean Zombie” has not competed since May
2012, when he submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC on Fuel TV 3 in
a bout that garnered its share of “Fight of the Year”
accolades. In the meantime, featherweights Ricardo Lamas and
Cub Swanson have continued to pad their resumes, arguably surpassing
Jung in terms of No. 1 contender worthiness. However, Jung seems
to resonate with fans as much as any 145-pounder, and his tendency
to go for broke virtually guarantees that his showdown with Aldo
will be great fun for as long as it lasts. Again, in today’s
UFC, entertainment often trumps all, even when booking title
bouts.
With
that said, “The Korean Zombie” entering the Octagon
against Aldo is a much improved version of the World Extreme
Cagefighting iteration. Jung once went blow-for-blow with Leonard
Garcia and was knocked out by a George Roop head kick, but he
appears to have at least become more efficient in his aggression.
After exacting his revenge on Garcia with the rarely used twister
submission in his promotional debut, Jung shocked Mark Hominick
with a seven-second knockout at UFC 140, taking advantage of
the former 145-pound title challenger’s overconfidence with
a well-placed straight right hand. The victory over Poirier demonstrated
Jung’s offensive brilliance at its finest, as he showcased
a versatile array of weapons -- elbows on the ground, knees and
uppercuts standing and several submission attempts -- before
finishing the bout with a brabo choke in the fourth round.
None
of those opponents are nearly as formidable as Aldo, who has
not lost a fight since 2005. If the Nova Uniao standout has a
weakness, it is a tendency to tire in the championship rounds.
However, even a faded Aldo can be dangerous, as he proved by
launching a Superman punch off the cage in the final frame of
his unanimous verdict over Edgar in February. The Brazilian’s
combination of speed, power and technique are unmatched at 145
pounds, and his uncanny ability to control distance with strikes
has allowed his underrated grappling to remain largely dormant
over the years.
If
Jung is to survive and drag Aldo into the fourth and fifth rounds,
he will have to take a more measured approach. Moving forward
relentlessly while bombing power punches will only serve to leave
the 26-year-old South Korean open to counters from one of the
best standup artists in the business. Instead of wild uppercuts,
Jung should use straight punches to close distance and force
tie-ups, from which he can attempt to trip Aldo to the canvas
and force the champion to defend from his back.
The
problem with such a game plan is that Aldo’s numbing leg
kicks gradually tend to make any type of pressure and movement
difficult; and if the champion was able to have someone as quick
as Edgar reeling with his combination of jabs and leg kicks,
then it seems likely that Jung will have serious issues combating
his opponent’s speed. Additionally, Aldo’s takedowns,
while underutilized, are explosive, and once on the floor, he
is capable of advancing position with ease.
The
Pick: As fun as Jung is to watch, he will simply not be able
to match Aldo’s ability to throw punches and kicks in combination.
In the past, Jung’s response to getting tagged has been
to engage in a firefight. That will only hasten his demise here.
Aldo wins by knockout or technical knockout in round two.
Light
Heavyweights
Lyoto
Machida (19-3, 11-3 UFC) vs. Phil Davis (11-1, 7-1 UFC)
The
Matchup: Machida’s extended reign as the light heavyweight
division’s top contender continues for the third consecutive
fight. The former 205-pound titlist earned that designation after
each of his last two victories -- against Ryan Bader at UFC on
Fox 4 and Dan Henderson at UFC 157. However, on both occasions,
various circumstances altered Machida’s course. Now, as
Jon Jones prepares to defend his crown against Alexander Gustafsson
in September, a third straight victory over a top 10 opponent
would almost assuredly get Machida another chance at UFC gold,
unless, of course, Daniel Cormier is granted the shot first or
Jones beats Gustafsson and then makes a detour to heavyweight.
Nothing
is guaranteed in the UFC these days, and at 35 years old, time
is not on Machida’s side. Still, the odds are in his favor
against Davis, whose march up the divisional ladder has slowed
since he was outclassed by Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2. “Mr.
Wonderful” has rebounded to post wins against Wagner Prado
and Vinny Magalhaes, but neither fight did much to prepare him
to solve the confounding puzzle Machida presents.
While
Davis showed improved standup in defeating Magalhaes, a decorated
grappler, he will struggle to land punching combinations against
an elusive karateka. Machida utilizes movement, angles, feints
and changes of direction to keep foes off-balance. He has fared
well against wrestlers in the past, limiting takedowns against
the likes of Henderson, Bader, Evans and Randy Couture. The Brazilian
was forced to be cautious against Henderson out of respect for
the fight-altering power in the Strikeforce veteran’s right
hand, but Davis is not nearly as threatening in that regard.
Expect a more aggressive version of Machida to emerge as a result.
With
his takedowns thwarted against Evans, Davis became tentative
on the feet, throwing one punch at a time. This allowed Evans
to counter with multi-punch combinations, and Davis never was
able to find a rhythm. The Alliance MMA representative will own
a five-inch reach advantage against Machida, but “The Dragon’s”
unorthodox movements and attacks will keep the American guessing
throughout the contest and ultimately limit his explosive shot.
Davis,
an NCAA All-American wrestler and national champion at Penn State
University, excels at using his strength and long frame to control
opponents and pass guard from top position. His length also allows
him to be active in pursuing submissions, but if he is unable
to offer anything in the standup game, his chances of grounding
Machida are slim to none.
The
Pick: Machida could get a stoppage with a devastating counter
if Davis gets too desperate in pursuit of the takedown. At the
very least, “The Dragon” wins on points, more decisively
than he did against Henderson.
Middleweights
Cezar
Ferreira (5-2, 1-0 UFC) vs. Thiago Santos (8-1, 0-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: Injuries have hindered the overall depth of UFC 163,
and the Ferreira-Santos matchup is reflective of that. Ferreira,
who was the 185-pound winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil”
Season 1, was originally scheduled to face “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 17 alum Clint Hester until an injury forced
Hester out of the bout.
After
a stint on the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil”
saw him lose to eventual 170-pound winner Leonardo Santos, “Marreta”
moves up to middleweight to make his Octagon debut. A 29-year-old
product of Tata Fight Team, Santos has finished four of his eight
professional victories by knockout. Ferreira, meanwhile, outstruck
Sergio Moraes to earn a clear-cut unanimous verdict at UFC 147.
The Vitor Belfort protégé was expected to return
to action at UFC on FX 8 in May before an injury forced his withdrawal.
Ferreira,
a southpaw who is now based at the Blackzilians camp, has solid
power in his hands and a reputation for being aggressive on the
feet. That approach has largely served him well, though a savvy
opponent might be able to capitalize with a well-placed counter
when “Mutante” is on the offensive. The 28-year-old
dropped Moraes twice in their UFC 147 matchup; as the larger
fighter, he should be capable of inflicting damage should he
land against Santos. Ferreira also has strong finishing instincts,
as he has shown a good sense of when to pounce on a dazed opponent
for a fight-ending submission.
Santos’
best bet is to weather the storm early and build confidence by
mixing up his attacks; he has a decent array of kicks and would
be wise to use them to keep Ferreira from getting too comfortable.
If Ferreira finds he is losing the majority of the exchanges,
he might look to use his size and strength to bully Santos against
the fence and shift the momentum.
The
Pick: Ferreira rocks Santos early and finishes the fight in the
first or second round.
Middleweights
Tom
Watson (16-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. Thales Leites (20-4, 5-3 UFC)
The
Matchup: It has been nearly three years since Leites last set
foot in the Octagon, as he dropped a split decision to Alessio
Sakara at UFC 101 in his second consecutive loss within the promotion.
Just
one fight prior, Leites served as a most unlikely challenger
for the middleweight crown, losing a five-round decision to Anderson
Silva in one of the least memorable headliners in UFC history.
The Nova Uniao product has since righted his ship, winning six
of seven fights and besting the likes of Dean Lister, Jesse Taylor,
Jeremy Horn, Tor Troeng and Matt Horwich in the process. The
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will probably never be a renowned
striker, but he has done enough to earn another shot in the world’s
largest MMA organization.
A
former British Association of Mixed Martial Arts champion, Watson
showcased impressive close-quarters offense in a second-round
stoppage of Stanislav Nedkov at UFC on Fuel TV 7. The Brit battered
his foe repeatedly with knees while mixing in elbows and punches
to the body against the fence, this after nearly being finished
by Nedkov in the opening frame. Perhaps the greatest concern
for Watson, which also surfaced in a split decision defeat at
the hands of Brad Tavares in his UFC debut, is his ability to
remain upright against Leites.
While
not always the most accurate takedown artist, the Brazilian is
persistent in his efforts to get the fight to the floor, where
he can employ suffocating top control and a wicked submission
game. Watson was taken down a combined 10 times by Tavares and
Nedkov, but to his credit, he was often able to return to his
feet. However, Leites is much more adept at transitioning to
advantageous positions on the floor than either of those opponents.
Leites
must use his strikes to set up takedowns; otherwise, he ends
up shooting from too far away, which will leave him vulnerable
to a variety of attacks from Watson. The Jackson’s Mixed
Martial Arts representative is a solid kickboxer capable of mixing
kicks to the legs and body. Leites has been known to engage on
the feet for longer than he should, and if Watson can bait him
into a standup affair, the advantage will be his. As he showed
against Nedkov, Watson is also dangerous in the clinch, but he
must be wary of his opponent’s ability to land trips and
throws from this position.
The
Pick: Watson figures to be more active offensively than Leites,
who is known for periods of inactivity. As long as “Kong”
can avoid spending significant periods of time on his back, he
takes a decision.
Flyweights
John
Lineker (21-6, 2-1 UFC) vs. Jose Maria Tome (33-3, 0-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: Lineker has been a force of nature lately, earning impressive
victories over Yasuhiro Urushitani and Azamat Gashimov in his
last two UFC appearances. The former Jungle Fight titlist’s
only setback in his last 16 fights came in his promotional debut,
as he fell victim to a Louis Gaudinot guillotine choke at UFC
on Fox 3. Even then, the man known as “Hands of Stone”
authored a furious assault, out-landing his foe by 31 significant
strikes over the course of nearly two rounds.
Tome
has compiled a gaudy record on the Brazilian circuit and has
not tasted defeat since July 2008. The Renovacao Fight Team product
is a finisher, earning 28 of his 33 victories by knockout, technical
knockout or submission. While much of the competition Tome has
faced has not been especially stellar, he is a well-rounded,
aggressive flyweight who has proven himself to be equally capable
winning with accurate striking or solid top-control grappling.
Much
like Lineker, Tome swarms his adversaries with a purpose, but
he does have a tendency to keep his hands low. Lineker sets a
furious pace on the feet, attacking with powerful hooks and uppercuts,
and few in the division work the body -- both with punches and
kicks -- as well as he does.
In
a bout where wild exchanges on the feet figure to come early
and often, Tome might want to consider switching gears and taking
his opponent to the mat, where he is adept at controlling and
advancing position while landing ground-and-pound. Lineker, who
has three submission losses in his career, has not yet attempted
to take a fight to the ground in the UFC. His ability to sprawl
and keep the fight upright is paramount to his success.
The
Pick: Despite Tome’s versatile skill set, it seems most
likely that this will evolve into a firefight, and it is tough
to pick against Lineker in such a situation. He wins by TKO in
round two.
Flyweights
Ian
McCall (11-4-1, 0-2-1 UFC) vs. Iliarde Santos (27-7-1, 0-1 UFC):
Once regarded by many as the world’s No. 1 flyweight, McCall
is still looking for his first UFC victory after three Octagon
appearances. He will get his chance against Santos, a former
Jungle Fight competitor who lost a bantamweight fight on short
notice to Iuri Alcantara at UFC on FX 8. While Santos figures
to fare better back at 125 pounds, McCall is on another level.
“Uncle Creepy” captures a decision.
Light
Heavyweights
Anthony
Perosh (13-7, 3-4 UFC) vs. Vinny Magalhaes (10-6, 1-3 UFC): One
of the elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the sport today,
Magalhaes did not have much opportunity to put his skills to
use in losing a decision to Phil Davis at UFC 159. This matchup
should be ideal for the Syndicate MMA representative, however,
as the 41-year-old Perosh is also known for his grappling acumen.
While Perosh is good on the ground, Magalhaes is on another level.
Being the younger, more athletic fighter does not hurt, either.
Magalhaes wins by decision.
Women’s
Bantamweights
Amanda
Nunes (7-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Sheila Gaff (10-5-1, 0-1 UFC): From
May 2008 to January 2011, Nunes authored a six-fight winning
streak, stopping each of her victims by technical knockout. Since
then, “Lioness” has lost two of three, dropping bouts
against foes that were able to overpower her and grind her down.
Gaff, a former flyweight, was unable to unleash her hands in
losing to Sara McMann at UFC 159. This matchup figures to better
suit the aggressive striking of both women, but Nunes’ size
and ability to take the fight to the ground could prove to be
the difference. Nunes takes a submission in round two.
Welterweights
Neil
Magny (8-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. Sergio Moraes (7-2, 1-1 UFC): A three-time
Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Moraes has his work cut out
for him if he wants to drag Magny into his world. “The Ultimate
Fighter 16” alum has a nine-inch reach advantage on his
foe and displayed a stout jab and good takedown defense in dispatching
Jon Manley at UFC 157. Magny fights at a smart range and wins
via decision.
Featherweights
Rani
Yahya (18-7, 3-1 UFC) vs. Josh Clopton (6-1-1, 0-1 UFC): Yahya
has quietly compiled a solid resume inside the Octagon, winning
three of four fights while losing only to former 145-pound title
challenger Chad Mendes. The 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission
Wrestling World Championships gold medalist seems like a safe
bet against Clopton, who has not competed since falling to Steven
Siler at “The Ultimate Fighter 14” Finale in December
2011. Yahya snatches a submission in round two or three.
Light
Heavyweights
Francimar
Barroso (15-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Ednaldo Oliveira (13-1-1, 0-1 UFC):
Originally scheduled to face Robert Drysdale, Oliveira instead
locks horns with Barroso after Drysdale withdrew from the bout
due to a staph infection. Oliveira made his UFC debut at heavyweight,
losing to Gabriel Gonzaga via rear-naked choke at UFC 142. A
member of the renowned Nova Uniao team, Barroso has finished
14 of his 15 victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Oliveira scores a TKO in round one.
Welterweights
Bristol
Marunde (12-8, 0-1 UFC) vs. Viscardi Andrade (14-5): Marunde
drops to 170 pounds after losses to Ronaldo Souza and Clint Hester
in his last two outings. Andrade, meanwhile, carries a six-fight
winning streak into his promotional debut. Going to the judges
probably is not the most desirable option for Marunde here, but
he has not done anything lately to suggest a spectacular finish
is in his future. Andrade notches a decision.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Johny
Hendricks: I know GSP's gameplan, but my goal is to break somebody's
jaw
By Shaun
Al-Shatti
LAS
VEGAS, NV -- Johny Hendricks dragged his director's chair towards
the front of the dais, dark stubble strewn across his face, a
soon-to-be mighty beard in its infancy stages. Whoops of "Johny!!!"
erupted from the crowd within the MGM Grand lobby, each one prompting
Hendricks to raise his fist in salute, while less than 15 feet
away sat the man -- and the belt -- he'd been eyeing for seven
long years. To call it a surreal moment would be a severe understatement.
"It's
weird, because realistically, I'm the average person," Hendricks
told MMAFighting.com at Monday's UFC 167 media day.
"I
got in one fight my whole entire life. I knew nothing striking-wise
or anything seven years ago. Seven years ago in June, I knew
nothing. Just wrestling. To know that I'm still growing as a
fighter, I'm still doing this, and where I'm at now, today, is
huge."
Hendricks
always figured this day would come, but it was only two years
ago, when he stunned the MMA world by flattening Jon Fitch in
12 seconds, that he first know it could become a reality. Yet
even then, the road to Georges St-Pierre was a long one. He'd
hurdle the next man, then wait and wait, yell but not be heard.
Even once the fight was finally booked, Hendricks wasn't quite
ready to believe it.
"I
was a little nervous until the Anderson [Silva]-Chris Weidman
fight happened, because you never know what's going to happen.
If Anderson wins, does the superfight still happen?' Hendricks
said. "So he sort of helped me out, and now it's actually
going to happen. I can't wait."
Hendricks
will be compared to Weidman more than once over the next few
months. It's an easy comparison to make, but that's what happens
when you're trying to upset the natural order of things. For
years, Silva and St-Pierre comprised the big-two of the UFC.
Jon Jones eventually rose through the ranks to cement a new big-three,
but the idea was still the same. Each man, a dominant champion
in their own right, coldly leaving behind a trail of dismantled
opponents.
But
that balance shattered at UFC 162, and Hendricks watched as Weidman's
life flipped upside-down overnight.
"I
know that if I beat GSP, my world's going to change," Hendricks
said. "And I've made corrections to my life for that. I'm
already putting them in place to make myself better and also,
really to enjoy it. Don't take anything for granted. Enjoy every
moment of it, because when it comes, it's going to go."
Like
Weidman, Hendricks is a man many believe to be tailor-made to
topple the champion. A four-time All American wrestler with thunder
in his left hand, Hendricks is undaunted by the challenge that
awaits him. He knows the strategy St-Pierre will employ, and
he welcomes it.
"He's
been the same fighter for a long time now," Hendricks said.
"You
go in there knowing, ‘Hey, I know GSP's gameplan. He's going
to jab, he's going to kick, and he's going to try to take me
down.'"
'I
know that if I beat GSP, my world's going to change.'
That
jab, in particular, has proven to be a disabling weapon. From
Josh Koscheck to Jake Shields, St-Pierre made his career out
of stifling decorated grapplers with a seemingly insurmountable
understanding of distance.
"He
leans with his jab," Hendricks pointed out. "He's got
a 76-inch reach. Whenever he actually does jab, if you watch
him, he'll lean in about three or four inches. In those three
or four inches, you think you can swing back. You end up missing.
Then what happens is you get flustered and you start reaching.
As soon as you start reaching, he starts going underneath.
"The
way you've got to counter that is to slip the jab, parry the
jab, there's a lot of other things you can do to close the distance.
"That's
the difference," Hendricks continued. "Punch me in
the face, I'll punch you twice as hard. When I'm in there, all
my goal is to break somebody's jaw. Let them forget who they
are that night. Let them wake up the next morning and go, ‘What
the hell happened?' That's my goal every fight. So if he's going
to sit there and try to do that jab, watch: I'll bite on my mouthpiece,
I'll eat one to throw my left or right hand, all day long."
It's
clear that Hendricks isn't short on confidence. Without any doubt,
the 29-year-old believes he's a different breed of opponent than
any St-Pierre has faced prior.
But
while Hendricks tries to remain respectful, sometimes his disdain
for St-Pierre's style can't help but rear its head.
"He
does what he has to do to win. I just can't do that," Hendricks
explained.
"I'm
not going in there with that mindset, ‘Hey, I want to take
you down and grind out a win.' No. I want to lay people out.
I want to make it exciting for these people that are lined up
here to see us today.
"The
fans, they predict a little bit of my fight," Hendrick continued.
"If I'm on top and they're booing -- look at the Condit
fight, they booed a little bit when I was on top -- hey, friggin'
get up then. We'll bang it out. They're here, whatever it is,
paying to see me and him go at it. If they start getting stagnant,
and they start getting bored, watch, I'll switch it up."
Ultimately,
Hendricks knows this opportunity will be anything but a cakewalk.
He readily admits, there's a ton of work still to be done, particularly
in preparing for potential championship rounds. St-Pierre's reach
advantage isn't getting any shorter, and that conservative, mistake-free
strategy isn't any growing any less impenetrable.
But
nonetheless, Hendricks holds fast to a statement he first made
last December, when St-Pierre elected to fight a suspended Nick
Diaz instead of the bearded contender, who was fresh off a one-shot
knockout in a supposed title eliminator. Back then Hendricks
loudly proclaimed that the champion was ducking him, and as far
as he knows, that may still be the case.
"I
haven't seen a change in him. I think it's sort of default,"
Hendricks finished with a grin. "Who else does he get to
fight? There's nobody else but me. So we'll see. I'm glad that
the fight's happening now, but does he really want to fight me?
We'll know November 16th."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Vitor
Belfort was UFC 163 fighter Cezar Ferreira's first true sponsor
by Christian
Stein and Dann Stupp
After
winning the inaugural season of "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil"
in 2012, Cezar Ferreira now counts blue-chip companies such as
Gillette and Head & Shoulders among his sponsors. His first
real backer, though, may surprise you.
Like
many Brazilians, Ferreira (5-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who meets Thiago
"Marreta" Santos (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on Saturday's UFC
163 pay-per-view main card at Rio de Janeiro's HSBC Arena, found
his way to MMA through capoeira, a martial-arts hybrid that combines
dance and acrobatics with music. He began his training when he
was just 6 years old.
As
a teen, Ferreira would often travel throughout the country and
search out the best training possible, even though he didn't
have much money. He ultimately ended up at an academy in Belo
Horizonte, a city where UFC fighter Vitor Belfort also trained.
It
was at that academy, run by Master Mao Branca, where Ferreira
first got his nickname, "Mutante" (Mutant). Because
the facility was open to outsiders, an unknown German unknowingly
gave Ferreira a nickname that's stuck to this day.
"Master
Mao Branca's academy is called Capoeira Gerais," he told
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "It's one of the world's
best capoeira groups. When I was training there, tourists from
other countries would always come to see us. Around that time,
I was teaching a group of Germans. They saw a couple of my photos,
one where I was thin and another where I was stronger. So they
jokingly decided I was a mutant.
"After
that, everyone called me 'Mutante.'"
Soon
after, Ferreira eventually crossed paths with Belfort and joined
his academy.
"I
met him through a friend," Ferreira said. "We started
training together at his academy. He gave me full access to his
academy and to his trainers. He funded my membership. He helped
me in various ways. This was nine years ago. We've been together
ever since."
These
days, Ferreira and Belfort are now teammates at the Florida-based
Blackzilians camp. Ferreira's been a member for the past three
months, so nearly his entire fight camp has taken place there.
In
fact, while in Florida, he does nothing else outside of family
commitments with his wife and 5-year-old daughter.
"I
only train," he said. "That's my only focus."
The
array of top-level training partners, including Belfort and Anthony
Johnson, gives Ferreira plenty of confidence heading into Saturday's
bout. In fact, Santos replaced original opponent Clint Hester
just two weeks ago, but Ferreira said he's not bothered at all
by the late change.
That,
at least partially, can be credited to his time on "TUF,"
where Ferreira fought a variety of opponents on short notice.
That also means he doesn't have a problem fighting a fellow Brazilian
in front of Brazilian fans.
"Since
my camp is done, it doesn't matter who I face," he said.
"Since I came through 'TUF,' I feel I'm well equipped for
this. When I was in 'TUF,' I didn't know my opponent one day
before my first fight. And once in the house, my opponents were
only announced three days before our fight. So if that happens
to me going forward, it won't bother me or change anything. I'm
ready anytime."
So
come Saturday, it's business as usual.
"It's
going to be a first-round knockout," he said. "And
if he wants, we can have a beer later."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Jose
Aldo Will Hold Off Decision Concerning Move To Lightweight Until
After UFC 163
by Jeff
Cain
Talk
of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo making the move up to
the lightweight division to vie for the title isn’t new.
When
UFC 163 was announced, the fight card featured Aldo against lightweight
contender Anthony Pettis. Pettis requested the bout, but an
injury forced him out of the fight. When the original match-up
was made, UFC president Dana White said that if Aldo won, he’d
earn a shot at the lightweight belt.
The
timeline seemed to be mapped out for Aldo’s jump to the
155-pound division, but circumstance intervened. Whether the
deal still stands for Aldo getting a lightweight title fight
with a win at UFC 163 is unclear. A win over Pettis would have
justified the opportunity, but a win over Jung may not.
Aldo
has adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
“It’s
hard to say right now. I want to take one step at a time. I want
to focus on the fight I have on Aug. 3 against the Korean Zombie.
We’ll see what happens from there, if I’m going to
make the move, or if I I’m going to stay in my weight class,”
said Aldo during a recent media conference call. “So I
have to take one step at a time.
“I
can’t try to take too big of a step. And I’ve got to
focus on my next opponent to make a decision,” added Aldo.
“I respect my opponent, and I can’t overlook him.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
163 Statistical Matchup Analysis: Aldo vs. Jung
By Reed
Kuhn
And
then there was one. In a sport that has long been heavily represented
by Brazilians, their once seemingly invincible champions continue
to fall. Brazil’s hold on the heavyweight, light heavyweight
and middleweight straps have all been broken. Now Jose Aldo is
the last of the undisputed -- Renan Barao remains an interim
champion -- Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholders from
Brazil.
Aldo
will defend his featherweight crown against Chan Sung Jung in
the UFC 163 main event on Saturday at the HSBC Arena in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, as for the first time in UFC history, a Korean
will challenge for promotional gold. Let us look at how Aldo
and “The Korean Zombie” match up on paper.
The
Tale of Tape shows a negligible size advantage for Jung. He is
sometimes listed as tall as 5-foot-9, but according to FightMetric
and official UFC records, he is the same height as the champion.
Either way, Jung will have a slight reach advantage. The only
times Aldo has faced a larger opponent with a reach advantage
was against Frankie Edgar and Kenny Florian. Aldo lost at least
one round in those fights. If the fight stays standing, which
is where Aldo has kept it for 83 percent of his cage time, this
may become a factor. Otherwise, the two fighters are the same
age and will use the same stance.
One
difference worth noting is that Jung has not fought in more than
a year, which is above the threshold for ring rust. He will need
to be in great shape if he is going to challenge the champion
for five rounds, so the nature of Jung’s layoff and training
camp will be important.
With
that, let us move on to their performance metrics, starting with
striking.
While
at a glance the two fighters seem fairly evenly matched in terms
of their offensive metrics, this is a matchup where the context
of prior opponents plays an important role in evaluation. While
Jung has showed above average striking accuracy, two of his five
fights in World Extreme Cagefighting and the UFC came against
Leonard Garcia, who has been all too willing to stand and trade
-- and to eat a lot of leather while doing so. If anything, Jung’s
stats are likely a little inflated due to this fact. However,
his accuracy may also reflect the precision striking that comes
with being a tae kwon do black belt. That accuracy knocked out
former contender Mark Hominick in just seven seconds, with only
two standing strikes attempted. Regardless of whether or not
Jung is truly comparable in to skill to Aldo, he remains dangerous.
Conversely,
Aldo has a series of five-round fights against elite and elusive
competition. Despite the consistently high level of opponents,
Aldo has still performed very well statistically. His striking
accuracy is above average, and he has scored an impressive seven
knockdowns in his Zuffa career. Even more impressive is his defense,
which is also where he differentiates most from his opponent
in this matchup.
Aldo
has proven difficult to hit, making his opponents miss their
power head strike attempts nine times out of 10. Jung on the
other hand is barely better than average in power striking defense
and woefully below average against jabs. Both fighters have been
good on defense in the clinch, but neither spends more than 10
percent of his cage minutes in that position. For context, that
kind of elusiveness is on par with Lyoto Machida. While Jung
may fare well standing in the pocket against most fighters, he
might sustain more damage than he can deliver trying to do so
against Aldo. In that case, the style of brawling that gave him
“The Korean Zombie” nickname may work against him in
Brazil.
Despite
the small range disadvantage, Aldo should be the one landing
more frequent and harder strikes. He is also twice as likely
to use leg kicks, which he famously utilized to horrific effect
against Urijah Faber at WEC 48. The five-round nature of this
fight makes leg kicks an even greater weapon, thanks to added
time for bruising and swelling to kick in. Although Jung has
been in some barnburners before, he has not faced the knockdown
power of a striker like Aldo. Cardio has cost Aldo some late
rounds one the cards before, but his well-rounded attack and
excellent defense make for a tough matchup for any featherweight.
What
happens when these guys go to the ground?
To
date, Jung’s performance on the ground has been dominant.
Though he has only attempted six takedowns, he missed on just
one. Once on the ground, he has been in control most of the time,
using both strikes and submissions at will. Aldo has not spent
much time on the ground, but his performance metrics are still
above average, although they are not as high as Jung’s.
Qualitatively,
Aldo has the better grappling credentials, thanks to a Brazilian
jiu-jitsu black belt and more experienced training camps. However,
Jung has used submissions more effectively and more spectacularly
of late. Two of Jung’s UFC appearances earned “Submission
of the Night” honors: the twister submission on Garcia and
his brabo choke finish of Dustin Poirier.
The
real question will be whether either fighter can get this to
the mat and take control. Both me have proven to be very difficult
to take down, and neither has ever faced any submission attempts.
With such good grappling defense and the low rate of offensive
takedown attempts that they have shown, we might see these two
choose to keep it standing.
The
Final Word
The
current betting line favors the champion Aldo at -700, with the
comeback for the challenger Jung at +500. That means the market
is giving Aldo an 88 percent chance of keeping his belt at UFC
163. With a lower likelihood of a one-punch knockout than exists
in heavier divisions, chances are good that Aldo and Jung will
stand and trade for at least a few rounds. Jung will have to
be at his absolute best on offense and significantly improve
his defense to steal early rounds, while his fitness will need
to be up to par to win any championship rounds. Interestingly,
it was partially Jung’s cardio that helped him finish Poirier
in the fourth round of his last fight, while Aldo has dropped
the final frame in several of his bouts that went to a decision.
Could the gas tank be the difference or will it all be rendered
moot thanks to the glaring home-field advantage Brazilian fighters
have enjoyed in recent events hosted in Brazil.
What
do you think? Is there any specific factor for Aldo that will
ensure he keeps the local fans happy with another successful
title defense? Is there any metric you think gives the scrappy
“Zombie” a shot at giving Korea its first-ever UFC
title in a huge upset?
Later
in August, we will look at UFC 164, where we have the rare scenario
of Benson Henderson defending his title against an opponent who
already beat him once. That should be interesting.
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
|
Morning
Report: Vitor Belfort calls out Chael Sonnen for catchweight
or light heavyweight fight
By Shaun
Al-Shatti
Suddenly
Chael Sonnen is a very popular man.
As
reported by MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani on Tuesday's edition
of UFC Tonight, Vitor Belfort has finally accepted the fact that
his next fight won't be for a title. But that doesn't mean he
likes it.
Belfort's
wife told Helwani that if Belfort fights at middleweight again,
it'll have to be for the belt. Until then, Belfort is willing
to compete at either 195, 205, or heavyweight, and if he had
his way, his next opponent would be none other than Mr. Sonnen
himself.
"Well
I'll tell ya," Sonnen responded. "Vitor and I can never
quite seem to get this right. I've called him out, and now every
time he calls me out, it always, coincidentally perhaps, but
it seems to be whenever I've got my plate full.
"Look,
here's what I would say to Vitor, Ariel. First off, I accept.
However, Vitor has a title, and his title is that of number-one
contender. If he is willing to put that on the line, not only
will I fight him, I will meet him in that weight class, and I
will do it December 28. Rousey defends, Weidman defends. Vitor,
you've got a title too brother, and I want you to defend it against
me."
7
MUST-READ STORIES
Belfort
wants Sonnen. According to a report on UFC Tonight, Vitor Belfort
won't compete at middleweight until he fights for the belt, but
he will stay active in the interim. And if Belfort had his way,
the next man he faces will be Chael Sonnen.
St-Pierre
reflects. In the lead-up to UFC 162, Anderson Silva spoke at
length about the burdens that come hand-in-hand with a dominant
title run. No man can relate more to Silva's sentiment than Georges
St. Pierre.
Jones
talks heavyweight. Sitting right next to Cain Velasquez at Tuesday's
UFC World Tour press conference, Jon Jones continued to entertain
a potential move to heavyweight. "Eventually," Jones
said. "I'm getting older, I'm growing, I'm getting stronger.
Why not?"
Bellator
97 weigh-in results. All 10 main card fighters met their required
weight at Tuesday's official Bellator 97 weigh-ins, including
lightweight headliners Michael Chandler and David Rickels.
WSOF
plots lightweight course. World Series of Fighting plans to stage
a four-man lightweight tournament to determine the promotion's
inaugural 155-pound champion. Justin Gaethje, Dan Lauzon, the
winner of Nick Newell vs. Keon Caldwell, and the winner of JZ
Cavalcante vs. Tyson Griffin are expected to make up the field.
UFC
on FOX 8 salaries. Robbie Lawler led the disclosed payroll for
UFC on FOX 8, pocketing $156,000 for his thunderous main card
knockout of Bobby Voelker.
Ortiz
responds. Tito Ortiz responded to recent disparaging comments
made by Dana White about his potential comeback. "It sucks
that @danawhite still has the say bad things about me,"
Ortiz tweeted. "One year has passed and still attacks me.
I don't feel I have to attack him in any way. #SHAME I hope one
day he will get over it. Must suck to sleep at night thinking
about me."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Rousey:
'Expendables' role won't impede UFC 168 camp; Tate to train with
judoka
by Steven
Marrocco
LOS
ANGELES – UFC women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey soon
will fly halfway around the world to begin filming her role in
"The Expendables 3."
She
said she won't, however, lose a step in her training camp for
her rematch against Miesha Tate at UFC 168, which takes place
Dec. 28 at UFC 168 in Las Vegas.
"I'm
leaving soon and I'm very fortunate that there's going to be
Victor Ortiz and Randy Couture and other fighter-type people
there, and I'm going to be able to have my camp come and do everything,
so I'm not going to break training for it at all," Rousey
told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on the second stop of
the UFC's current "World Tour" at Club Nokia at L.A.
Live in Los Angeles.
Leaving
the country for Bulgaria, where filming reportedly takes place,
will help her avoid another activity – watching herself
on "The Ultimate Fighter 18." The women's champ leads
a squad of male and female UFC hopefuls opposite Tate, who also
was in attendance at the press conference.
"TUF
18" debuts Sept. 4 on FOX Sports 1, though a preview for
the show is public and already has drawn strong reactions from
both competitors.
Rousey
said she recently watched it and turned the sound off. Tate,
who saw the preview this past Saturday at UFC on FOX 8, said
"it looked pretty intense."
"I'm
happy I'm going to be out of the country while it's playing,
so hopefully it will blow over by the time I get back,"
Rousey said. "It's just going to show a lot that it's not
my best environment to be in.
"I
was focusing more on being the best possible coach that I could,
and if you ask anybody on my team, they will say that they were
completely happy with how I was as a coach, and that's all I
really care about. How I came off personally wasn't really my
biggest goal. Miesha might come off better and her hair look
better, but my athletes love me more."
Although
palpable on its own, Rousey and Tate's enmity was encouraged
by the crowd at Club Nokia, which "oohed" with every
comment they directed at each other. After Rousey said Tate wouldn't
look her in the eyes, Tate rose to her feet and made a point
to do so.
"She
has a lot of things I want, but that's not what makes the rivalry,"
Tate said at one point. "It's the level of disrespect that
I've always felt. I would say everyone, but Ronda, I don't have
any beef with and have a tremendous amount of respect for, but
she just has a way of irritating me, and vice versa."
Of
course, the ex-Strikeforce champ plans to exact revenge. This
past weekend, she said she planned to bring a special guest into
her camp to ensure she wouldn't get armbarred again by Rousey.
"Lucie
Decosse," Tate told MMAjunkie.com. "I was just looking
people up to see who's better than Ronda at judo, so that's basically
my mission to find people that are better than her and train
with them."
Tate,
though, said training with the 2012 Olympic gold medalist in
judo has other benefits, as well.
"The
thing about MMA is that I don't just love it to try to win,"
she said. "Obviously, I want to win, but the reason I fell
in love with this sport was something new to learn. So I'm really
looking forward to learning some of the art.
"Obviously,
another part of it would be to understand judo from a judo person's
perspective. I just think that was the missing link before, and
that's something I'm going to try to implement in this training
camp."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
No
Clear Date or Event, Demian Maia and Jake Shields Agree to UFC
Welterweight Showdown
Brazilian
welterweight Demian Maia was supposed to be fighting on this
weekend’s UFC 163: Aldo vs. Korean Zombie fight card in
Rio de Janeiro, but had the fight yanked out from under him when
Josh Koscheck withdrew due to injury.
Although
Maia was pulled from the fight card altogether, he already has
another opponent lined up.
Maia
will next face Jake Shields, according to a report on UFC Tonight
on Tuesday night.
There
were few details available as to when or where the two would
meet, but both fighters have reportedly agreed to the bout.
Following
a roller coaster ride during his last couple of years at middleweight,
Maia (18-4) dropped to welterweight last year and hasn’t
looked back. He is currently 3-0 at 170 pounds, racking up victories
over Dong Hyun Kim, Rick Story and Jon Fitch.
Maia
hasn’t fought since defeating Fitch at UFC 156 in February.
Shields
(28-6-1, 1 NC) has also bounced around weight classes. He left
Strikeforce as the promotion’s middleweight champion, but
dropped to welterweight upon entering the Octagon.
He
defeated Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut, but then lost back-to-back
bouts to Georges St-Pierre and Jake Ellenberger.
Shields
then jumped up to middleweight where he defeated Yoshiro Akiyama,
but then had a victory over Ed Herman turned to a no contest
after Shields failed his post-fight drug test.
He
returned to welterweight at UFC 161 in May, winning a split decision
victory over Tyron Woodley.
This
is an important bout for both fighters, as a victory over the
other notches the winner at the top end of the weight class.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Banned
back home, Tanji keeps fighting
By Cindy
Luis
Koichi Tanji was banned from boxing in Japan because of a liability
issue. Tanji was born with a right hand that is not fully developed,
but he hasn't let it keep him from boxing. "We put on the
gloves and it's the same," he says.
Some
50 boxers from clubs across the state will compete at the upcoming
Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, Mo.
It is more than a national competition for Koichi Tanji. It is
the Golden Gloves and the Olympics rolled into one for the 27-year-old
Japanese national who was banned from boxing in his homeland.
His crime?
Tanji was born with a deformed right hand and right arm that
is a few inches shorter than his left.
"It was a liability issue they said," according to
his coach, Bruce Kawano. "We were unsure at first, too.
But we took him to a doctor who watched him box and he cleared
him.
"He can't go to the Olympics because he's banned in his
country. He can't go to the Golden Gloves because he's not a
U.S. citizen. But he still wants to compete. He's not that natural
puncher, doesn't have that blinding speed, but he's a good boxer
whose conditioning gets him through."
Tanji, 10-10 at 123 pounds (bantamweight), is a certified personal
trainer and conditioning coach. He is studying nutrition and
diet at the University of Hawaii "because I want to be a
better athlete and a better coach," he said.
But ultimately his goal is to have others see him as he sees
himself. Normal.
"Maybe in Japan I am handicapped, it's what has to be designated
for me to get a driver's license," said Tanji, who moved
to Hawaii 10 years ago. "Here, I have my license. It wasn't
an issue.
"It's all about how you think of yourself. What I have is
nothing. It's not like I'm in a wheelchair. I don't have issues
with mobility. I have all five fingers but my hand is not developed.
I consider myself very lucky."
Tanji said he is pleased when opponents don't realize his right
hand is different.
"We put on the gloves and it's the same," he said.
The tournament, considered the world's largest amateur event
with 1,500 boxers, runs through Aug. 3.
Source: Star Advertiser
|
Forget
About Roy Jones Jr. and Boxing, Bellator PPV Matches Up Rampage
Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz
by Ken
Pishna
While
everyone was focused on the Roy Jones Jr. smokescreen, Bellator
MMA did an end around and signed Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson to fight Tito Ortiz on the promotion’s first pay-per-view
offering.
The
hot rumors recently had Rampage pairing up with Jones in a boxing
match opposite the UFC’s big year-end pay-per-view that
features two huge rematches: Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva
and Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate. The boxing match hasn’t
materialized, however, with Bellator instead luring the recently
retired UFC Hall of Famer, Tito Ortiz, back to the cage.
Ortiz
had recently teased on Twitter that a comeback might be afoot,
and it has now materialized.
Rampage
and Tito will square off on Nov. 2 at the Long Beach Convention
and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, Calif.
The
event, dubbed Rampage vs. Tito, marks Bellator’s first pay-per-view
offering.
“To
have two of the biggest names in MMA headline our first PPV is
awesome,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said.
“Rampage vs. Tito is a fight I’ve wanted to see for
years and to have it as our Main Event on our first Pay-Per-View
is a spectacular next step in Bellator’s evolution. They’re
both re-energized, excited and ready for a war. This will be
a great fight.”
“Honestly,
I feel like I’ve been re-born.,” Jackson said. “My
excitement, energy and aggression, it’s all back and bigger
than ever. I feel like a kid again. The Rampage you’ll see
Nov. 2 will be better than any Rampage you’ve ever seen.
Everybody knows Tito and I have a very long history. He’s
a former teammate and friend, and it’s one of the reasons
I stayed away from the UFC as long as I did. But, I want to
be very clear; any sort of friendship we once had doesn’t
exist when that cage door shuts. I’ve got a ton to prove
on Nov. 2, and unfortunately for Tito he’s the guy I have
to make an example of. He’s in my house now and Saturday,
Nov. 2, on PPV, it’s going to be a horrible night for Tito
Ortiz.”
“I’m
back,” Ortiz stated. “Over the last few years, my passion
for MMA was completely killed, dealing with UFC politics and
with Dana. I didn’t have that drive to compete, my heart
wasn’t in it. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted
off my shoulders. I’m free. Bjorn and Bellator put together
an opportunity that made me part of the promotion, part of the
family. I feel like I can breathe again and my old friend is
going to be on the receiving end of all that happiness turned
into an old school Tito Ortiz ground and pound beating. I’ve
fought and beaten the very best in MMA history and on Nov. 2,
Rampage will be the next huge win on my record. This is a new
era for the People’s Champion.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Smartest
Guy at the Bar: UFC 163 Edition
By RJ Clifford
With
the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the familiar stage,
the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday drags its Octagon
into the Southern hemisphere for UFC 163.
Pound-for-pound
standout Jose Aldo will defend his featherweight title for the
fifth time against Chan Sung Jung in the main event, while 2008
NCAA wrestling champion Phil Davis will attempt to solve the
Lyoto Machida riddle in the co-headliner.
The
Portuguese chants will be loud and proud since the majority of
the card pits native Brazilians against foreigners.
How
We Got Here: The No. 1 contender sweepstakes at 145 pounds eventually
landed on “The Korean Zombie.” Ricardo Lamas was promised
a crack at Aldo after he beat Erik Koch at UFC on Fox 6, but
Anthony Pettis cut in line. All it took was a supposed text message
from “Showtime” to UFC President Dana White stating
he could shed the superfluous 10 pounds and drop a weight class.
However, Pettis, a former World Extreme Cagefighting champion,
withdrew with an injury, leaving Jung and his blitzkrieg style
as the most intriguing matchup in the eyes of Zuffa brass ...
Two light heavyweights on two-fight winning streaks will clash
before Aldo and Jung go at it. Machida thought he had banked
a title shot after edging Dan Henderson at UFC 159. Unfortunately
for “The Dragon,” the win was overshadowed by the lack
of action in the bout, leaving him to tread water at 205 pounds.
He faces Davis, who draws his first top 10 opponent in three
appearances.
Home
Sweet Home: If you bet on Brazilians fighting non-Brazilians
in Brazil, you are probably a rich man by now. UFC on Fuel TV
10 in June featured a host of Brazilians battling foreigners,
and every foreigner who faced a Brazilian lost. Whether or not
this is a premeditated move by matchmakers, Brazilians tend to
fight harder at home, meaning those coming through customs are
faced with an uphill battle. Nine of the 12 matches at UFC 163
pair a Brazilian with a non-Brazilian. Placing locals on a Brazilian
card makes sense from a promotional standpoint: they speak the
language, they do not have to travel and they help rally local
media. Good luck, imports.
Featherweight
Fun: The 26-year-old Aldo is already the most accomplished featherweight
in the division’s short history, having held the UFC title
with an iron fist. He has defeated a diverse crop of contenders,
from former lightweights Frankie Edgar and Kenny Florian to Team
Alpha Male’s Chad Mendes. Luckily for fans, new contenders
sprout as fast as Aldo knocks them down. Jung punched his ticket
to Brazil with a three-fight winning streak. Beyond the South
Korean, three contenders stand out. The aforementioned Mendes
and his wrestling credentials made for an intriguing matchup
since standing with Aldo seems about as wise as grappling with
a cactus. The presence of new Team Alpha Male coach Duane Ludwig
has helped upgrade his standup from rudimentary to dangerous
in a few short months, adding to an already potent arsenal. Mendes
will face Clay Guida at UFC 164. Cub Swanson finds himself on
a five-fight winning streak, boasting four knockouts in that
stretch. He demolished Dennis Siver at UFC 162 and seems to have
found himself as a fighter. Swanson is fighting with vicious
purpose and creativity. Lamas is the only one of the three who
has not faced Aldo yet, and he submitted Swanson in November
2011. An NCAA All-American wrestler at the Div. III level, he
is undefeated since downshifting to featherweight, finishing
three of his four opponents. Lamas is the front runner as far
as the Smartest Guy at the Bar is concerned.
Useless
Fact: Recently retired former World Extreme Cagefighting champion
Brian Stann will fill in for Joe Rogan as color analyst for UFC
163. The former Marine has plenty of plans for retirement. He
will continue in his role as a UFC analyst for pre- and post-fight
shows. Additionally, the Silver Star recipient made such a positive
impression on Fox that he was signed to call college football
games for the network in the fall. It appears Stann, who played
linebacker at the Naval Academy, will be wearing makeup more
often than he wore the five-ounce gloves inside the Octagon.
Say
What: MMA fans love to discuss super fights, as they represent
a break from the ordinary. It should come as no surprise that
fans are intrigued by the thought of Aldo competing against top
lightweights. However, weight classes exist for a reason, and
fighters who ignore them generally do not get their hands raised.
Look at B.J. Penn’s record at 170 pounds. Aldo said all
the right things about the subject during a pre-fight media call:
“One step at a time. I want to focus on my fight against
‘The Korean Zombie’ and then we’ll worry about
a potential lightweight move. I don’t want to take too big
of a step. I respect my opponent and can’t overlook him.”
Awards
Watch: “Submission of the Night” will be tough to pin
down on a card overflowing with Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts
who are matched against foes from countries without BJJ studios
on every street corner. With that said, Vinny Magalhaes is taking
on Anthony Perosh in Brazil; that is all you really need to know
... Ian McCall needs to make a statement, and he knows it. He
remains winless in the UFC, though his three fights have come
against the top two flyweights in the world. Look for “Uncle
Creepy” to right his ship with a “Knockout of the Night”
effort against Illiarde Santos ... In 2011, Jung won “Submission
of the Year” with his twister on Leonard Garcia. A year
later, he was part of the “Fight of the Year” against
Dustin Poirier. He is lined up for another memorable performance
here. Give “The Korean Zombie” and Aldo “Fight
of the Night” honors.
Source: Sherdog
|
Bellator
97 results: Michael Chandler, Ben Askren cruise to easy title
defenses
By Luke
Thomas
They
were favorites for a reason.
It
was a night where the the betting favorites had their way as
Bellator lightweight and welterweight champions Michael Chandler
and Ben Askren easily defended their titles at Bellator 97 in
Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The main card for the night aired on
Spike TV.
In
the main event, lightweight champion Chandler blasted season
8 lightweight tournament winner David Rickels in just 44 seconds
into the first round. After a brief feeling out process, Chandler
connected with a right hand that stumbled Rickels only to follow
with lightening speed to more punches that sent 'Caveman' crashing
to the mat. Chandler followed his falling opposition to the canvas
where a series of blitzing punches forced the referee to halt
the action.
"I
used to be", said Chandler when asked if he was still a
wrestler. "You gotta love wrestling, but I'm just blessed
to be getting better every single day. I love my job. I love
this opportunity to step in the Bellator cage."
"No
weapon formed against me shall prosper," Chandler continued.
"You can't have fear out here. I train my butt off every
single day. Why not come out here and lay it on the line? Nothing
bad can happen if you train your butt off. You make the right
decisions, you surround yourself with the right people, I'm just
blessed, man. It's a phenomenal day."
In
the co-main event, Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren
put on a humiliatingly suffocating grappling clinic on season
7 welterweight tournament winner Andrey Koreshkov. According
to statistics from the Bellator app, Askren outstruck Koreshkov
248-3.
In
all four rounds of their fight, Askren did whatever he wanted
to the RusFighters welterweight. From takedowns to guard passes
to back control to ground and pound, Koreshkov could do positively
nothing but cover up and defend. Askren methodically broke Koreshkov's
will to the point where the champion asked the referee what he
had to do to get the fight stopped. After taking Koreshkov's
back and forcing him flat to the mat, Askren laid in with a series
of punches that officially was stopped by the referee at 2:58
of round 4.
"Andrey
said he's never been broken," said Askren, "Well...
snap, crackle, and pop!"
When
asked by commentator Jimmy Smith what was next for him and his
Bellator career, Askren replied "I'm the best fighter in
the world. Let's get in the cage and let me prove it, baby."
In
the feature bout of the evening, Strikeforce veteran Muhammed
'King Mo' Lawal obliterated fellow Summer Series light heavyweight
tournament finalist Jacob Noe over the course of three rounds.
Lawal used his wrestling from the first offensive exchange to
the last, repeatedly taking Noe down and scoring with stinging
ground and pound. Noe had his moment briefly with a single armbar
attempt from the guard, but Lawal was able to evade the effort
and continue his onslaught. A series of unanswered punches late
forced Noe to verbally submit at 2:58 of round 3.
With
the victory, Lawal wins the light heavyweight Summer Series tournament
and will face Attila Vegh at a yet to be determined date in the
future.
Bellator
97 also saw the finals of the Summer Series heavyweight final
where Ryan Martinez and Vitaly Minakov battled for three rounds
before the Russian was able to score a stoppage victory.
Minakov
pressed Martinez into the fence early and failed to score on
several trip attempts, although one was stuffed by an illegal
fence grab. Martinez was able to land a trip of his own, but
Minakov was able to scramble out as they returned to their feet.
Minakov finally scored an inside trip and went to work with Martinez's
back against the fence. Martinez ate a knee on his way up, but
drilled Minakov with a knee of his own. The two spent the majority
of the round trading occasional shots, but with Minakov doing
most of the pressuring.
In
round two, Minakov pressured Martinez against the fence and landed
a groin strike, so much so the referee elected to deduct a point
without a warning or prior offense. The rest of the round was
spent by Minakov pressuring Martinez back with single shots and
failed takedown attempts.
By
round three, the pattern appeared to be repeating: Minakov pressuring
forward with Martinez circling. After approximately two minutes,
Minakov scored an inside trip and even moved to mount where he
began to unload on his opponent with hard punches and elbows.
Eventually Minakov saw an opening and opened the offensive faucet,
drilling Martinez with a series of crushing right hands. He forced
the stop at 4:02 of round three. He wins the summer series and
faces Alexander Volkov for the Bellator heavyweight title.
In
the opening bout of the night, Patricio Freire faced off against
Jared Downing. Pitbull rocked Downing badly, but elected to try
to finish the fight by jumping guillotine through guard. Pitbill
was able to get to his feet, but the referee separated them for
inactivity once there. From that placement, Ptibull positively
lit Downing up with two and three-punch hooking combinations.
Downing attempted a takedown after being nailed with several
hard strikes, but couldn't make it happen.
By
round two, the end was already written. Pitbull went back to
what was already working, dropping Downing with left and right
hook combinations. Two of them wobbled Downing badly, followed
by a third that planted him hard on the canvas. Downing tried
to get to his feet, but the referee had seen enough, calling
an end to the contest at :54 in round two.
It
was also announced at the event that former UFC light heavyweight
champions Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Tito Ortiz would be facing
one another on November 2nd in the first-ever Bellator pay-per-view.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Ronda
Rousey on media attention: 'I word things more colorfully than
others'
by Steven
Marrocco
Even
with their media exposure, Ronda Rousey takes pleasure in getting
one over on her rival Miesha Tate.
The
UFC women's bantamweight champion said an ESPN story on female
athletes and breasts wasn't just exciting because she was quoted,
but because she got more copy than Tate.
"Know
why it was so awesome?" Rousey asked MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
"Because it was the 'Body Issue,' and my picture with clothes
on was bigger than Miesha's naked picture, and my article quoted
me more than her little snippet."
In
the story, Rousey, a bronze medal winner in judo at the 2008
Olympics, spoke colorfully about about grappling with her own
body as she fought Liz Carmouche at UFC 157, which was the first
UFC pay-per-view event to feature female headliners.
Rousey
recounted trying to fend off Carmouche's choke while also trying
to keep from exposing herself with the limited coverage of a
UFC-branded crop-top.
"You
don't see big titties in the Olympics, and I think that's for
a reason," she said.
Tate
(13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC), of course, bared all for the ESPN The Magazine's
issue that focuses on athletes and bodies in the rough. One year
prior, Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) landed the cover of "The
Body Issue."
The
fighters' rivalry promises sparks on "The Ultimate Fighter
18," which debuts Sept. 4 on FOX Sports 1, and in the cage
in UFC 168's co-headliner on Dec. 28 in Las Vegas.
At
a press conference promoting the upcoming PPV fight, the two
jabbed at each other with Rousey saying Tate couldn't make eye
contact and Tate standing and staring at her to prove otherwise.
Afterward,
Rousey's name was chanted by fans as media members crowded to
interview her. There, her colorful copy showed why ESPN put her
front and center.
"They
interviewed a lot of people, it's just that I word things a little
more colorfully than other girls, so I think they just put me
more in the forefront of it," she said. "They were
like, 'ESPN's calling you,' and I was like, 'Hey guys, how's
it going?' And they're like, 'It's great, can we talk about boobs?'
Incidentally,
Rousey plans a change of wardrobe when she rematches Tate in
December.
"Yeah,
I'm going to go shopping myself," she said. "Because
I told them I wanted exactly what I was wearing for the Sarah
Kaufman fight. That's all I want. And I got two weigh-in bras,
and the wrong shorts. So I thought I could just double up the
bra and that would work. But when someone's ripping your head
off, it's hard to keep things in one place.
"I
used to think that camel toe was my biggest concern, but I think
nip slip takes the cake."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Vitor
Belfort Declines Any UFC Non-Title Fight at Middleweight; Dana
White Offers Rashad Evans
by Ken
Pishna
UFC
president Dana White had plans for Vitor Belfort to square off
with Tim Kennedy, but it looks like those plans have gone awry.
Belfort
recently declined the offer to fight Kennedy, his wife and manager
Joana Prado telling Globo.com that Belfort is the top contender
at middleweight, so it made no sense for him to fight anyone
at 185 pounds other than the champion.
Belfort
is coming off of back-to-back, highlihgt reel knockout victories
over Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold, which he believes puts
him in the catbird seat.
Prado
clarified that Belfort would fight for the UFC, even against
Kennedy or anyone else, as long as it was a catchweight bout
or at light heavyweight or even heavyweight. He just didn’t
feel he should fight anyone at middleweight unless the belt was
on the line.
That’s
fine by White, who seemed to wash his hands of the matter, but
not before offering an alternative and questioning Belfort’s
matchmaking ideas.
“Vitor
doesn’t want (the Kennedy) fight. So I said, okay, let’s
do him and Rashad (Evans) then (at light heavyweight),”
White said Wednesday in New York. “He wants to fight at
a heavier weight, let’s do him and Rashad. I haven’t
heard back on that yet.”
It’s
not clear if that’s something that Belfort would even entertain,
especially considering he trains alongside Evans at the Blackzilians
camp in Florida. It would seem unlikely, however, as Evans helped
coach Belfort for his UFC light heavyweight title challenge against
Jon Jones.
Belfort
has already offered his own alternative… Chael Sonnen.
White
was somewhat baffled by the sense in that match-up as well.
“First
of all, Vitor’s calling out Chael?” he shook his head.
“Chael hasn’t even fought yet. Chael’s fighting
Shogun (on Aug. 17 in Boston).
“Vitor
drives me crazy man. Lorenzo can deal with Vitor, not me.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
163 Prelims: 5 Reasons to Watch
By Mike
Whitman
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship will offer up its second consecutive
week of sanctioned violence on Saturday, when UFC 163 goes down
from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The
pay-per-view card will showcase featherweight champion and pound-for-pound
great Jose Aldo, as he takes on replacement opponent Chan Sung
Jung, who steps in for an injured Anthony Pettis. The bill will
also see former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida lock
horns with fellow world-ranked talent Phil Davis in the co-main
event.
Prior
to the pay-to-play festivities, the free undercard will air live
on Facebook and FX. Here are five reasons to tune in for the
preliminary draw:
Creepy
Feeling
Ian
McCall has been open about his UFC career, effectively calling
his Octagon venture thus far a bust. That type of honesty is
refreshing in the sports world, but it can also be dangerous
if a competitor allows it to affect his or her confidence.
As
the sport’s top-ranked flyweight prior to the UFC’s
creation of a 125-pound division, McCall has struggled against
his fellow flyweight elite, drawing with current champion Demetrious
Johnson last year before falling to “Mighty Mouse”
in the immediate rematch. “Uncle Creepy” last competed
in February, dropping a unanimous decision to former World Extreme
Cagefighting bantamweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez at
UFC 156.
Now
McCall returns to the cage after reportedly making changes in
his personal life -- a shift the fighter claims has put him in
a much better place mentally. Will “Uncle Creepy” earn
his first UFC victory or will Iliarde Santos knock him down another
peg on the flyweight ladder?
Ground
Guys
There
is no other way to put it: once a fight hits the floor, Vinny
Magalhaes is one bad dude.
Getting
it there, of course, is a significantly more challenging task,
as evidenced in the native Brazilian’s April 27 clash with
Davis. Granted, “Mr. Wonderful” is definitely one of
the division’s best, but Magalhaes was nevertheless dominated
due to Davis’ superior wrestling and conditioning.
The
former no-gi Mundials and Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling
World Championships champion should not run into a similar problem
against Anthony Perosh, who is also known for his world-class
jiu-jitsu game. Though Perosh has not achieved the same heights
as his opponent on the mat, the Australian should still be able
to make this fight technical and competitive if they end up on
the floor.
Let
us hope that is the case, because I foresee a ground battle between
these men proving quite entertaining. However, if neither man
can take the other down -- an unlikely but nonetheless realistic
possibility -- we could be in for a long 15 minutes.
Tank vs. Lioness
If
you are a fan of women’s mixed martial arts, you could hardly
ask for a more promising pairing than Sheila Gaff and Amanda
Nunes.
Both
of these women fight with the same type of ferocity that made
Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino a well-known name for even
fringe MMA fans. Gaff showed her capabilities in her last bout
before joining the UFC, blitzing Jennifer Maia with a violent
stream of punches -- at the expense of touching gloves -- that
rendered the Brazilian unconscious just 10 seconds into the fight.
Nunes
has shown a similar potential in the cage, as exhibited by her
14-second demolition of Julia Budd more than two years ago and
a first-round submission of Raquel Pa’aluhi last summer.
Both
women are at their best when they establish themselves as dominant
forces in the cage from the get-go. When that process is either
delayed or suppressed, however, they both seem to struggle. Which
striker will assert herself early in this contest?
Hot
Start for Rani
Though
he may not be the best-known commodity in the UFC, Rani Yahya
is still a really solid featherweight.
The
jiu-jitsu ace made his UFC debut at 145 pounds after spending
most of his World Extreme Cagefighting career at bantamweight,
outpointing former featherweight ruler Mike Thomas Brown in January
2011 before dropping a unanimous verdict to Chad Mendes later
in the year.
The
2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships
gold medalist responded with a pair of wins, however, taking
Josh Grispi to school on the ground roughly one year ago and
then edging former Deep and Sengoku lightweight king Mizuto Hirota
in March. Few can compete with Yahya’s ground game on a
purely technical level, but the Brazilian has nevertheless shown
a tendency to get sloppy late in fights. Can once-beaten American
Josh Clopton avoid getting caught in an early submission and
make the fight competitive?
Magny’s
Moment
Neil
Magny probably is not going to win a world title any time soon,
but that does not change the fact that he can be a blast to watch.
A
veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter 16,” Magny has used
his range and speed effectively in the past, continually utilizing
the rarest technique in all of MMA -- the jab. Jokes aside, Magny
fights tall, and his great hand speed allows him to throw long,
dangerous combinations when he has the inclination. His ground
game is also decent, as his slender torso and long legs allow
him to create submission openings and worm his way out of bad
positions. I think his wrestling and conditioning still leave
something to be desired, but when Magny can string together effective
offense early, he can be tough to beat.
He
will undoubtedly be at a disadvantage on the ground against Sergio
Moraes, but if Magny can keep the fight standing, it should be
a good night for him. Which welterweight will come up with the
win?
Source: Sherdog
|
Rivalry
between Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate leads buzz of UFC world tour
By Mike
Chiappetta
NEW
YORK -- A world tour wouldn't live up to its name without a stop
in the Big Apple. While cities like Los Angeles and Tokyo and
Paris can occasionally dominate the world stage, few compare
year-round with Manhattan, with its concentration of media outlets
and trendsetters, movers and shakers. It's a place to see and
be seen, to make the boldest of bold statement. And so despite
the fact that the UFC can still not legally bring a fight to
the state, they proved that they can still bring an event to
the City.
With
all eyes on them -- with FOX news and ESPN and numerous other
outlets who rarely raise a brow at rapt attention -- the UFC
brought out its high-voltage stars and made its pitch.
And
with several of its biggest names -- Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones
and Cain Velasquez among them -- in attendance at the famed Beacon
Theatre before hundreds of raucous fans, it was the women who
stole the show. The rivalry that won't die was front and center,
Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate providing the day's spark and fire.
For
all of Velasquez's toughness and efficiency, for all of St-Pierre's
technical mastery, when the two open their mouths, they rarely
say anything particularly noteworthy. In fact, when last year,
GSP said he had no real interest in women's MMA, the story blew
up, as though his disinterest was an assault on the sport. In
fact, he noted at the time that he only tended to watch the matches
of personal friends; aside from that, he was an equal opportunity
ignorer of fights. But that's what it's like as the champion,
an often overbearing spotlight and endless scrutiny.
Faced
with that statement again on Wednesday, St-Pierre said that he's
begun to come around on it after watching Rousey's last match,
a battle with Liz Carmouche. And so the women's assimilation
continues.
So
does the rivalry of Rousey and Tate. Perhaps purposely, the UFC
through two tour dates has sat the two on opposite ends of the
stage, as far from each other as possible. But no distance is
far enough for their conflict. When they speak of each other,
their answers crackle, popping with venom. It's all real, as
everyone around them acknowledges.
But
if that's the case, how do they separate the emotion from the
competition? Or do they collide?
"They
did the first time for me but I won't make that mistake again,"
Tate said. "Sometimes if you have a dislike for someone,
it’s hard to separate that but I didn't get into fighting
to beat people up I don't like. I still see it as competition.
I'm going out there to test my skill set as the best Miesha Tate
I can put in the cage. And really that’s what it’s
about. I'm doing my very best to put my personal dislike for
Ronda aside and just looking at it like competition. There’s
a belt on the line and that’s really all that matters at
the end of the day."
"It
really doesn't matter to me," Rousey said of the rivalry.
"I really fight emotionless when I'm out there. I don't
need opinions about anything. I see things going on and I see
all the options they're trying to do and narrow them down to
a finish. I don't have any time to feel one way about my opponent.
Compartmentalizing sets champions apart. I've had terrible, crazy
days and weeks that lead up to a fight. You just have to turn
that off and just do it. I’m not undefeated because I had
perfect circumstances leaden up to every fight; I’m undefeated
because regardless of circumstances, I still win."
The
rivalry, now deep-seated, has roots in what Tate perceived to
be Rousey's disrespect when Tate was the reigning Strikeforce
champion, and Rousey was still fairly new to the organization.
Tate said it was the first interview she'd ever seen with Rousey,
who said she planned to slap the belt out of Tate's hands.
Since
then, it's mostly been enmity.
The
two had a lightning quick period of peace when after Tate lost
to Cat Zingano, Rousey approached her to shake her hand and say
she had fought well. Rousey said she felt the fight was stopped
prematurely and could empathize with Tate's lost opportunity.
"It
was cool to see that kind of respect from her," Tate said.
"There's been a couple of glimmers of hope here and there
that maybe we could squash the beef. The problem that I have
with Ronda is that I felt disrespected from the get-go."
Tate
also acknowledged her biggest mistake was the same thing: she
disrespected (and underestimated) Rousey before they went to
battle. It's a mistake she says she won't repeat.
Even
if the two can't stand to be within shouting distance of each
other, there's no denying that their combined presence puts a
spark in the room. Their answers brought howls from the assembled
crowd, and even Jones, who seems to have loved his front-row
seat to the rivalry on the stage in between them. It is exactly
151 days until UFC 168. For both of them, it can't come soon
enough.
New
York world tour notes
Heavy
thoughts
For the second straight day, Jon Jones was asked about his move
up to heavyweight, something that is likely to happen in the
future. This time, Cain Velasquez was asked about his thoughts
on facing Jones.
"I
think Jon Jones is a great champion. He's amazing at what he
does out there. If he does be champ for a while, definitely I’ll
accept the challenge for sure."
With
that, Jones stood up with a smile on his face, and the two squared
off, teasing the fans of what might one day come.
Bones
vs. Klitschko?
Speaking of super fights, while Jones admitted one day he'd likely
move up to heavyweight, he also brought up a surprise when asked
about his dream match.
"I’d
like to be heavyweight champ of the world in MMA, and the heavyweight
champ in boxing one day, maybe beat up a Klitschko brother,"
he said. "You never know, it's a possibility."
Not
surprisingly, UFC president Dana White, a longtime fan of boxing,
was not exactly on board with the idea.
"I
don't know what the hell he's thinking on that one," he
said. "When MMA guys start getting too cocky about their
boxing, it gets a little weird. Two totally different sports.
I'll do it in MMA. I respect boxing."
Big
Nog update
Junior dos Santos plans to have Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his
camp when he starts camp, even though the heavyweight legend
is still on the mend.
"He’s
doing very well," he said. "He’s in Rio now. He
got some problems in his arm again after that fight. But for
sure he’s going to come to Salvador when I leave to help
me with training for my next fight."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
champ Jon Jones delays heavyweight move, says Teixeira bout is
'interesting'
by Steven
Marrocco
UFC
light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will move to heavyweight, but
he might not do it as soon as expected.
"Oh,
eventually," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on
Tuesday. "I'm getting older, I'm growing, and I'm getting
stronger. Why not? Yeah, for sure."
Jones
was responding to a question of whether his plans had changed
given his previous statements about a move upward. His dominance
of the light heavyweight division has prompted questions about
a move up to heavyweight, and the 26-year-old and his camp have
spoken several times about the possibility.
In
January, he said it could happen as soon as 2014.
"I
think heavyweight is going to come along around 2014 – maybe
even late this year," Jones (18-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) said. "Who
knows. It'll definitely be a fight for the fans."
Three
months later, he said he planned to target superfights and heavyweight
fights after breaking UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz's record of
five successful UFC light-heavyweight title defenses.
Jones,
however, was a lot more tentative at a pair of press conferences
this week in Los Angeles and New York as part of the UFC's current
"World Tour" promoting its fall and winter pay-per-view
schedule.
"Look
at this guy next to me?" he said, turning to UFC heavyweight
champ Cain Velasquez, who was hyping his upcoming rubber match
with ex-champ Junior dos Santos at UFC 166. "Would you guys
fight him? I don't know, guys. I don't know."
But
really, he just didn't want to come off like a jerk.
"I
just said that because Cain's next to me," Jones said with
a smile. "I didn't want it to be awkward."
Jones
is next scheduled to defend his title against Alexander Gustafsson
(14-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC 165, which takes place Sept. 21 in
Toronto.
If
Jones is able to break Ortiz's record at the pay-per-view event,
it would appear to be a perfect segue into the big-man division.
UFC President Dana White said challenges remain before the fighter
can be considered to have cleared out the division. But he said
he would like to see Jones eventually take on a new challenge.
"If
he gets to the point in his career when he wants to move up to
heavyweight, I mean, what he accomplished in the first year and
a half as a light heavyweight was incredibly impressive,"
he said. "The fact that he can move up – I've been
waiting for Anderson Silva to move up to 205, but he never wanted
to do it. I'd like to see it."
Whether
he's just being nice or seriously considering the idea of lingering
longer at light heavyweight, Jones did express interest in one
hot prospect in the division: Glover Teixeira (21-2 MMA, 4-0
UFC), who's won four straight to put himself in the conversation
for a title shot.
"He's
a guy on my radar, and that's a fight that I want," Jones
said.
So
there might be more work to do, after all.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Dana
White Guarantees Georges St-Pierre and Rory MacDonald Will Fight
When the Time Comes
by Jeff
Cain
Teammates
Georges St-Pierre and Rory MacDonald’s career paths seem
to be on a collision course, but the two continue to say they
will not fight each other.
St-Pierre
holds the UFC welterweight title and MacDonald is currently ranked
third in the division. An eventual match-up appears to be inevitable.
“Those
two will fight,” said UFC president Dana White during the
UFC World Tour stop in New York on Wednesday.
“Here’s
what they’re not going to do: they’re not going to
publicly sit here and call each other out and go up and see each
other in the gym and face each other. They’re both professionals.
They understand that they’re both on this path to collide,
and I think when the day comes, they’ll deal with it then.
I think that’s the way they’re looking at it,”
added White.
MacDonald
(15-1) is on a five-fight winning streak. He defeated top-five
ranked Jake Ellenberger on July 27. The only blemish on his
record is a loss to former interim welterweight titleholder Carlos
Condit in 2010.
White
believes the two are saying they will not fight to maintain a
normal atmosphere at the Tristar Gym.
“First
of all, Rory lives in his house, meaning his gym. He lives in
Montreal, trains with him, Georges says all kinds of good things
about him. How weird would it be after the fight the other night
if he got on the mic and said, ‘I want Georges St-Pierre
and I want his belt’? It would be a little awkward flying
back to Montreal and training on Monday,” said the UFC president.
When
the time comes, White has no doubts that the fight will happen.
“I
think these guys are handling it like professionals, doing their
thing and when the day comes when they’re there, I guarantee
you they’ll fight.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Bellator
Signs Lightweight Champ Michael Chandler to Eight-Fight Contract
Extension
by Ken
Pishna
Michael
Chandler-Bellator Am FlagBellator lightweight champion Michael
Chandler is currently preparing to defend his belt at next week’s
Bellator 97 in Albuquerque, but he didn’t have to wait until
after the fight to get a new deal done with the promotion.
Bellator
MMA on Thursday revealed that it signed Chandler to an eight-fight
extension to his current contract.
“In
all my years in combat sports, I’ve never seen the growth
and development in a fighter like we’ve all witnessed with
Michael Chandler,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney
said. “I believe Michael is the best lightweight in MMA.
And, given that, I felt it was paramount to keep Michael at Bellator
for the long term. Both inside and outside the cage, Michael
is a tremendous representative for our Bellator. And, now as
one of the highest paid lightweights in MMA, he’s without
question earned that distinction.”
Chandler
(11-0) was a relative unknown until he upset then-champion Eddie
Alvarez for the Bellator lightweight title late in 2011 in what
many considered the Fight of the Year.
He
has since fought just twice. Chandler’s first bout after
winning the belt was a non-title victory over Akihiro Gono in
May 2012. He then made his first title defense with a second-round
submission of Rick Hawn in January of this year.
Chandler
was expected to make his second defense last month at Bellator
96 against Dave Jansen, but Jansen fell out due to injury. He
will now defend the belt against David Rickels on Wednesday at
Bellator 97 instead.
“Since
I signed with Bellator back in 2010, Bjorn laid out a plan for
me of how he saw my career progressing and what type of levels
we could reach together, and everything has come true,”
Chandler said.
“I
couldn’t be happier with the situation I’m in right
now. Bellator is my home, it’s where I want to be, and it’s
where I’m going to continue to defend my belt,” he
continued.
“Over
the last few months, you’ve continued to see Bellator go
out and sign some of the best talent in the world, and the tournaments
continue to be loaded with talent that I’m ready to take
on. I believe in this format and what Bellator is doing, and
I’m thrilled to be a part of it. My focus right now is solely
on David Rickels, and making sure we put on a show July 31.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Frank
Shamrock on Fight Master, Episode 5: ‘I was looking forward
to putting Joe Warren back in his place'
By Shaun Al-Shatti
Another
week of Fight Master is in the books, as another pair of welterweights
inch ever closer to a life-changing $100,000 grand prize.
Last
night's episode featured two grinding tournament match-ups, the
latter of which ended with the arms of our guest, Frank Shamrock,
outstretched to the heavens once more in victory. A former Strikeforce,
WEC, and UFC champion, Shamrock will join us every Thursday to
elaborate on the week's episode, share stories from the set and
highlight some things we may have missed.
If
you have any questions you'd like Shamrock to answer next week,
please write them in the comments below. Remember that rec'd
comments will get first priority. And with that said, let's have
some fun.
Star-divide
Al-Shatti:
We kick off this week's episode with Mike Bronzoulis (Couture)
vs. Jason Norwood (Warren). This is the first non-Shamrock fight
so far, but during the training montage we see a couple shots
of Mike and Jason outside running the streets. In TUF, contestants
are confined to the house. Were these guys allowed to leave the
set?
Shamrock:
There was about a half-mile perimeter of where they could go.
It was made on a running track, but other than that, they weren't
really allowed out. So it was very much a high-tense, confined
situation.
Ep. 4: Joe Williams returns as a wildcard
If
you open your door and you look out, there's a cage sitting there.
It's always lit. It's just waiting. Every single day, walking
by the cage, it's always lit, it's always just mouth open, waiting
for something. It was almost like a living being and we're just
kind of getting around it. It's so surreal. You're sitting right
next to a guy, and you're just like, ‘Yeah, we're going
to fight this weekend.' It was an experience like I haven't experienced
before.
Al-Shatti:
Ultimately Bronzoulis ends up tiring Norwood out before crushing
him in the third round. Looking back on your career, what's the
one moment that stands out to you in which cardio proved to be
such a deciding factor, either for or against you?
Shamrock:
The biggest one for me would be fighting Tito Ortiz. I knew he
didn't have the vascular strength to go at the speed I was going
to go at, and I knew I did. I knew once he crossed that line,
he couldn't go back. He was going to crumble. It just goes back
to, conditioning is your biggest weapon. A lot of these guys,
they don't get that yet. They saw a perfect example. Mike broke
him, and then Mike just started beating on him.
Al-Shatti:
When the second bout arrives, and Ishmael Gonzalez picks your
guy, last ranked Joe Williams, you like the match-up from the
get go. Why?
Shamrock:
Joe's ranking was not based on his abilities. I saw Joe pull
off some really high-level wrestling techniques in his fight
against Cole Williams, so I knew he had wrestling skill. He got
ranked last because he got picked last. He lost and got in on
a wildcard. So he organically got that spot, and Ishmael made
a huge mistake by picking him, because Ishmael doesn't have high-level
wrestling. He's got high-level striking, but a poor grappling
game and I knew it. I just knew it. The minute he picked him,
I was like, ‘Oh, Joey, you lucked out on this one.'
Al-Shatti:
Before the fight Joe said something that struck me. He told his
teammates: ‘You guys just want to win. I want to redeem
myself.' Is there a unique strength in that mindset?
Shamrock:
Joe is such a passionate person. When he speaks, he speaks right
to the heart. When he's saying stuff like that, he's bringing
you into his world, into his journey. That's very powerful for
these guys. They're just starting, a lot of them really believe
they can't do it. If you suck, Joe's going to be like, ‘Dude,
you suck.' But if you have a positive attribute, he's going to
pump that up. He's going to be honest with you in a way that
makes some people uncomfortable, but for a lot of people, it
makes them think, ‘Yeah, maybe I could do that.'
He's
a visionary when it comes to what he wants to achieve, and he's
able to get that across to the guys and get them to believe in
things that I don't know if they should be believing in. (Laughs.)
He's one of the those guys that talks and you go, ‘Man,
that sounds good. I think I want to try that.' It could be the
craziest thing in the world, but he has such passion and honesty
that he captures you.
Al-Shatti:
Well it played out almost perfectly. Once the fight started,
Joe immediately snagged a takedown into half guard. You couldn't
have asked for anything better.
Shamrock:
Oh yeah. I knew the minute it went down, it was over. That's
why I was picking on Joe Warren and having a good time.
Al-Shatti:
Oh man, I was just about to ask you that. Three minutes in, you
actually started talking noise to Ishmael. That blew me away.
Joe Warren's expression was classic. I've never seen something
like that before. Where did it come from?
Shamrock:
(Laughs.) ‘Hey, Ishmael, just come to my camp! Warren doesn't
know that!' (Laughs.) You know, that was basically for Warren.
He got out of the gate real strong and it gave him a lot of confidence.
He went from being, ‘Oh, I don't know,' to, ‘Hey, I'm
the greatest wrestler in the world.' I was looking forward to
kind of putting Warren back in his place a little bit.
I
felt bad for Ishmael at the time. But we're in a competition
and I'm trying to win, and in know that beating up Warren a little
bit in this stage of the competition is really important. I had
a lot of confidence in Williams and I wasn't really worried about
it strategically, so I knew that I could take the time to pick
on Warren, and that would pay off as the game went on.
Al-Shatti:
It actually seemed to get Warren frustrated. He started pacing
around then gave up on the first round with time still left on
the clock.
Shamrock:
That's all I needed! Because all Ishmael needed to do was stop
Joe's shots, lower himself down a little bit and create distance.
If he'd have done that, he could of really hurt Williams.
'That was my chance just to kick him hard, and you know, I kicked
him hard. Then I kicked him again.'
So
I knew I couldn't let up, because if I let up on Warren, he's
going to get more and more confidence and he's just going to
build Ishmael back up. I was like, ‘No, no, no. You keep
picking on Warren, Warren will never tell Ishmael how to get
up, and Ishmael will never get up, and then we'll all be good.'
I mean, I felt bad afterwards because it was pretty aggressive,
what I was doing, but I felt like that's what needed to be done
in the moment in the game for my guy to be victorious.
Al-Shatti:
Even between rounds, you kept it going. Be honest with me, how
much delight were you taking away from this? Because I felt like
your glee was radiating off my screen.
Shamrock:
(Laughs.) Yeah, I was pretty happy. You know, Warren's a rough
guy. He likes to play around and play pranks and stuff. I didn't
know Warren until this game started, but on that stage I saw
him getting stronger and stronger and stronger, building up his
team, and when he really started making moves, I was like 'Wow,
I was worried about Randy and Greg, and now I have to worry about
Joe.' So that was my chance just to kick him hard, and you know,
I kicked him hard. Then I kicked him again. (Laughs.)
Al-Shatti:
The kicker for me was your last little gem, when you're yelling
to Williams, ‘Joe has no idea how to teach him to get up!
Joe is not a teacher!' Warren couldn't believe it. He actually
stopped giving directions, then Ishmael just kind of gave up
at the end.
Shamrock:
He stopped everything! He, like, [accepted] it. He took the words
I was telling him and was like, ‘Yeah, he's right. He's
right.' He shut down. It felt so good. It really felt like I
was winning all around on that one. (Laughs.)
Al-Shatti:
Man, realistically, that could've backfired so hard...
Shamrock:
Oh, I could've looked terrible! It was one of those gut feeling
things. And it was also for Joe Williams. It wasn't about the
other team. It was all about us empowering these guys, giving
them words of strength and backing those up with techniques.
That's what I do. Williams had all the skills but his confidence
had been rattled from that loss. So I knew he needed something
extra to help him believe, and that's fine. As silly as it was,
it helped Williams believe, and it also made Warren crazy and
it made Ishmael distracted. So it helped win the game for my
whole side.
Al-Shatti:
Well we end the episode with you and Randy Couture each carrying
two guys through to the next round, and everyone else winless.
How did you feel at that point in the game?
Shamrock:
I felt pretty awesome. I knew Mike (Dubois) was going to be a
tough one. He just doesn't have the skill. He fought a skilled
guy, so I knew that was a one-in-a-million chance that he was
going to beat Cole Williams. But I loved my team. The guys, they
could see the glaring holes in their styles, and they were just
like, ‘We're good. Tell me what to do and I'll do it.' Just
that honesty and that faith in my vision, it was so cool to be
around.
Star-divide
READER
FEEDBACK
gentleway
asks: Along with mind, body and spirit are you incorporating
meditation with their training? Is it something any of them brought
with them?
Shamrock:
Yeah, I incorporated meditation, relaxation, visualization pretty
consistently into my training program, which is what I do anyway.
And especially for guys like Lozano, he needed an extra mental
edge. Guys like Mikey who didn't have the technical prowess,
but had a real strong mind, I think it helped strengthen some
of those guys. I do it everyday anyway, so all you've got to
do is hang out with me and I'll get you doing it.
Star-divide
Jamesglory
asks: Given the quality of episode 4's action, would you be exaggerating
if you said the fights are all of this quality, and is there
still even better action to come?
Shamrock:
There's better action to come, but Chris Lozano makes every fight
amazing. Like, he's that guy. But yeah, you're going to see fights
that are just really compelling because of the stylistic match-ups.
The reason why Chris' fights are exciting is he can take an easy
fight and make it exciting. He fights the fight that he needs
to fight for himself personally, and the win and all of that
is something extra. He's working on his own issues out there,
and to watch him struggle through and fight through that is very
entertaining. He just puts his heart on the line and you cant
deny how awesome it looks.
Star-divide
Clone
Of Moth Yup asks: Does Greg Jackson's ringside shouting irritate
you as much as it irritates me?
Shamrock:
I think it may irritate me more! (Laughs.) I mean, how hard can
you yell, ‘Complete the position!' Why don't you just send
a note to the judges? Be like, ‘Look, my guy is really good,
guys.' I mean, I appreciate what he's doing and I understand
his style, but I don't think anyone's ever seen it until now.
Because you don't really hear it when you're in a fight, and
here you sort of hear him real loud. People are kind of split
on whether it's effective, using it in that situation.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Report:
Whistleblower says MMA fighters also were Biogenesis PED clients
ufc-empty-cage.jpgIn addition to some high-profile MLB players,
the Florida-based Biogenesis clinic also supplied performance-enhancing
drugs to MMA fighters, a whistleblower reportedly claims.
According
to ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Biogenesis employee-turned-whistleblower
Porter Fischer said the client list stretches beyond MLB and
includes "athletes from the NBA, NCAA, professional boxing,
tennis and MMA, in addition to other professional baseball players
who have not yet been identified."
He
hasn't yet identified the athletes.
After
backpay issues with clinic founder Tony Bosch, Fischer turned
over documents to the Miami New Times in 2012. It ultimately
led to an MLB investigation and the recent suspension of Milwaukee
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, the 2011 National League MVP.
However, his intention to spark a federal investigation of Biogenesis
and Bosch never came to fruition. Fischer said Bosch passed himself
off as a medical doctor, though he has no medical degree. Bosch
previously administered Fischer weight-loss regimens of prescription
drugs, and Fischer ultimately invested in the company and briefly
became its marketing director before the backpay issues.
While
the initial media focus has been on Braun, Alex Rodriguez and
20 or so other MLB clients who also could be facing suspensions,
Fischer said documents identify athletes from the other sports
going back to 2009.
"In
just the four years that I know, it's got to be well over a hundred
(involved athletes), easy," he told "Outside the Lines."
"It's almost scary to think about how many people have gone
through [Bosch's treatments] and how long he's gotten away with
this."
Fischer
didn't say if the alleged MMA clients hail from Florida, which
is home to major MMA camps such as American Top Team and the
Blackzilians.
However,
details are likely to emerge in the coming weeks.
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Fox
Sports 1: We won’t focus on drug usage in sports (like UFC)
By Zach
Arnold
One
of my favorite sports sites, Awful Announcing, has been doing
a great job in covering the impending launch of the Fox Sports
1 channel. I’ve always had a soft spot for Awful Announcing
but they have really stepped up their game lately and two reports
on their site deserve your attention.
With
four big fight cards coming up for UFC in August, the launch
of Fox Sports 1 is critical for Zuffa’s success. The channel
needs to be strong. So, having a big launch will be important.
Given that FS1 is a rebranding of the Speed channel, you would
think that the launch would be easier… but Fox Sports 1
is having trouble with cable and satellite companies. The problem?
Carriage fees.
According
to a report in this week’s Sports Business Journal, John
Ourand reports that three cable and satellite providers, Dish
Network, DirecTV and Time Warner Cable are still negotiating
carriage agreements. Awful Announcing has learned that a fourth
provider is also negotiating and perhaps balking at Fox’s
proposed 80 cents per subscriber cost. In Ourand’s report,
the deal to carry Fox Sports 1 would eventually increase to $1.50
per subscriber.
The
whole financial model for Fox Sports 1 is to basically accomplish
what ESPN has accomplished, which is swallow up your television
bill with an excessively high carriage fee in order to make an
exorbitant profit. It’s the whole point of all of the Fox
Sports television properties, from the regional networks to the
Big Ten channel. When Rutgers entered the Big Ten, the excuse
publicly was that it would be good for recruiting to enter into
the New York market. The real answer as to why Rutgers was so
key for the Big Ten is that the Murdoch empire would be able
to soak up carriage fees on cable/satellite systems in the Northeast.
So, everyone who is a subscriber has to pay for the carriage
fee whether or not they actually watch the station in the first
place.
If
the television providers balk at the FS1 carriage price, then
that puts a damper on FS1 expansion plans. Furthermore, it reminds
us to John McCain’s attempts to create an a la carte system
for pay TV subscribers. Such a system would basically slash ESPN’s
revenue by at least 50% and shrink the universe in terms of number
of cable channels in existence because many conglomerates own
a family of channels (think: Discovery, A & E, Lifetime,
etc. in same universe) and a la carte would burst that bubble.
So,
negotiation over carriage fees is one hurdle for FS1. However,
these types of disputes generally end up in some sort of settlement
no matter how nasty they get publicly. That’s one issue.
The second issue, however, is much more critical regarding the
creative direction of Fox Sports 1 as a channel. If Fox Sports
1 wants to be a serious player, they need to be a real alternative
to ESPN and part of that strategy should be focusing on the fundamentals
of reporting and doing the things right that ESPN currently is
not. The celebrification of sports by ESPN creates a myriad of
conflicts, tension, and frankly some unwatchable programming
on the network. It also impacts what kind of reporting is done
on Sportscenter regarding stories that should or should not be
focused on.
Awful
Announcing warns, however, that Fox Sports 1 will be an ESPN
alternative… but will it be the one many critics want?
A
quote Fox Sports senior vice-president (marketing) Robert Gottlieb
gave to Cynopsis (via Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch)
is interesting on that front:
“It’s
pretty simple, while it’s not a tagline, the message is
that it’s time for sports to be fun again. There’s
the perception that sports and sports television has gotten too
corporate and fans ultimately want to come for fun. The fun of
the great comeback, the fun of performances that we will never
forget that give you goose bumps. It’s not about steroids,
Tim Tebow and other BS that keep getting crammed down our throat.
So for FOX Sports 1, it’s in our DNA. We make things more
fun, more colorful and more vivid and that’s our position
of what we are promising to viewers. Fans want an alternative.”
So,
if we’re to believe Fox Sports management, the ‘alternative’
to ESPN will basically be a Spike-ified version of a sports channel.
Or, to put it more grotesquely, a Best Damn Sports Show Period
programming cycle on steroids. I guess they can put the clip
of James Toney dropping his pants in a parking lot on a loop.
Robert
Gottlieb is right — sports fans want an alternative. They
want a network that will honestly report on all sports leagues,
including the ones in which the network has television &
business relationships with. That has been a heavy point of contention
between viewers and ESPN for many years. What viewers seeking
for an alternative from ESPN want is a network with a more serious
approach to reporting. They want a network that is willing to
go against the establishment and do things in a non-corporate
fashion.
When
Fox Sports talks about wanting to be different than ESPN, we
should take them at their word. Both Fox & ESPN have deals
with Major League Baseball. On the various Fox properties, the
issue of baseball’s drug problem is rarely discussed. On
ESPN, however, they have let their A-team tackle the steroid
scandals in baseball and the network has done a remarkable job
of reporting what is happening with baseball’s drug culture.
Bob Ley with Outside the Lines and TJ Quinn, the gold standard
of all scandal writers, have carried the day and brought an amazing
amount of sunlight onto baseball’s biggest drug users. Pedro
Gomez also has done remarkable work. This is ESPN’s strength.
Despite ESPN/Disney having so much cash tied into MLB, the network
has made the conscious decision to let Quinn and others do their
job. The proof is in the pudding.
This
is what viewers respect about ESPN. They just wish ESPN would
be aggressive in reporting on all their sports properties and
acknowledging the competition when it comes to reporting on big
stories.
So,
when Fox Sports management starts mocking ESPN about their core
strengths, it’s a warning sign of things to come. Those
looking for an ESPN alternative aren’t looking for Skip
Bayless wannabes. They aren’t looking for softball-style
celebrification programming. They want red meat. So far, NBC
Sports Network has failed big in this category. It’s why
their upcoming Premier League agreement is really a make-or-break
moment for the network’s future. The NHL is the only sports
property saving NBCSN in terms of relevance. Who would have ever
thought that OLN slash Versus slash NBCSN would be nostalgic
for the days of WEC events?
Right
now, all sports league have drug problems. However, the UFC &
MMA in general has a really bad drug culture. From pain killers
to testosterone to diuretics, combat sports right now is as dirty
as horse racing and track & field. The UFC is the face of
this problem in Mixed Martial Arts, given how many high-profile
names are testosterone users and are not punished for such drug
usage. When a drug scandal rocks the UFC in the future, and it
will soon enough, how will Fox Sports 1 handle the situation?
What will the critics of ESPN, looking for an alternative sports
network with gravitas, think then?
If
we are to gather how serious a network Fox Sports 1 will be,
then it’s fair to say that the recent hirings the network
has made will give us a clue as to what ‘alternative’
means. They have Jay Onrait & Dan O’Toole from TSN for
comedy. They have their own college football version of Skip
Bayless, mind you a more polished & presentable version,
in Clay Travis. And then there are the impending flood of ESPN
refugees like No-Charissa-ma Thompson & Mike Hill. Will these
personalities be heavy hitters when it comes to handling major
sports stories like drug scandals, given the current philosophy
of Fox Sports management?
When
Fox Sports talks about being an ‘alternative’ to ESPN,
most people assume that they will aim to be a sports network
with a more serious, cutting, biting programming philosophy.
Instead, it appears that they are going to go for the Michelle
Beadle playbook. Beadle, the former host of Sportsnation, never
believed in taking sports seriously and always felt that sports
coverage needed a strong tie-in with pop culture. After she left
Sportsnation, she went to NBCSN for Olympics coverage but has
now moved onto Access Hollywood and hosting episodes of Breaking
Amish on TLC. I kid you not.
If
Fox Sports 1 goes for the full Beadle-ification, then don’t
expect the network to cover any scandals involving the UFC seriously
at all. It will open the door, however, for ESPN to go after
sports properties closely aligned with Fox. The UFC has had an
amazing ability to control their message recently on ESPN. They
had Chris Weidman do the Bristol car wash and got the network
to allegedly go along with a request to not show the actual finishing
punches from the Weidman/Silva fight. Will this blackout policy
extend to the promotion of the rematch in December?
Let’s
see how long that creative control lasts with Bristol once Fox
Sports 1 is active and ignores scandals involving sports properties
they have relationships with.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
162: Silva vs. Weidman Gate Officially Lands in Nevada’s
Top 5 MMA Draws
Anderson
Silva and Chris Weidman UFC 162 staredownThe official numbers
are in and UFC 162 is officially a success… at least at
the box office.
The
Nevada State Athletic Commission on Thursday revealed the final
tally for UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman confirming an attendance
of 12,964 for gate receipts totaling $4,826,450.
UFC
162 took place on July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las
Vegas and aired live on pay-per-view.
There
were 10,157 tickets sold for UFC 162, while company officials
gave away 2,807 complimentary tickets.
New
UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman made the event one for
the history books, capturing the belt by knocking out Anderson
Silva in the second round. While many fellow pro fighters predicted
that Weidman had the ability to win the fight, the way the fight
ended came as a surprise to nearly everyone.
The
two will now meet in a rematch at UFC 168 on Dec. 28, again at
the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC
162’s $4,826,450 gate puts it on the list as the No. 5 top
grossing MMA event in Nevada history.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
ACJ
Injuries in MMA
by Seth Wimmer in Injuries
ACJ
Injuries
The
acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) is the joint sitting atop the shoulder
between your deltoid and the base of the neck, and is where the
top of the shoulder blade meets the clavicle bone.
Commonly
in contact sports such as American football, rugby and combat
sports such as wrestling, the top of the shoulder can forcefully
strike an opponent and cause injury at this joint. As such, rather
than running congruently with the top of the shoulder, deformations
of the joint can occur when placed under strain as demonstrated
clearly by Gil Melendez in his recent UFC on Fox 7 lightweight
title fight against Benson Henderson (see picture above).
The
ACJ is usually injured from a direct impact to the point of the
shoulder or outer point of the collar bone. The amount of joint
damage is classified commonly in terms of the amount of joint
displacement (separation) which infers a specific degree of injury
to the acromioclavicular joint ligaments.
Classification
& Diagnosis
ACJ
injuries are classified as follows:
I:
An ACJ sprain only (Minimal- <50% collar bone elevation or
subluxation)
II: ACJ ligament and joint capsule tear, 50% collar bone elevation
or subluxation)
III: Disruption to ACJ ligament, capsule and coracoclavicular
ligaments. 100% dislocation of the collarbone upwards and loss
of contact between collar bone and shoulder blade.
* IV: Disruption to ACJ ligament, capsule and coracoclavicular
ligaments. 100% dislocation backwards into or through the trapezius
muscle.
* V: Disruption to ACJ ligament, capsule and coracoclavicular
ligaments. Dislocation with 100-300% separation between collar
bone and shoulder blade. Detachment from collarbone and deltoid
& trapezius muscles.
* VI: Disruption to ACJ ligament, capsule and coracoclavicular
ligaments. ACJ dislocated with collar bone moving beneath the
acromion and coracoid process(downwards)
*
NB: For grades IV- VI early surgical intervention is required.
Management
Grade
I-III injuries are usually managed conservatively with anti-inflammatory
medications, analgesia and physiotherapy interventions.
In
my experience there are a few type of presentations for these
grade ACJ injuries which individuals will suffer from.
1.
Pain only
Grade
I injuries will commonly not demonstrate laxity or movement of
the clavicle out of joint, but will report pain specifically
on palpation of the joint, on loading of the arm above head height
or at end of range elevation or reaching across the body. Usually
this will settle within the correct healing times for ligaments
(8-10 weeks) with relatively non-strenuous activity being undertaken.
Pain can be managed by icing frequently to prevent swelling accumulating
and disrupting joint mechanics, and by keeping active to gently
increase the load bearing tolerance of the ligaments.
2.
Hypomobile with no laxity
These
patients may have initially a higher degree of ligament sprain,
with laxity or collar bone movement, which has now become stiff
but not out of place in the joint. These patients will have no
obvious deformation, similar to those described above, but on
pressure through the collar bone will have lost the small but
important movement in this joint which is essential for good
joint mechanics. They may require joint mobilisation to ensure
the joints are able to function appropriately.
3.
Hypomobile with laxity & deformation
This
group of patients will demonstrate with a “step deformity”
as Melendez does above which is always present, as their collar
bone is being held “out of place”. Their ability to
elevate their arm may be much more limited (to usually about
90°). These individuals will need mobilisation to a greater
degree to improve joint motion, but then may require taping regularly
to ensure the joint remains in place to allow the ligament to
attempt to heal in position.
4.
Instability
These
patients will demonstrate a transient step deformity, with the
movement of the collar bone changing dependent upon their activity.
They will have less joint stiffness and pain is dependent upon
the joint position. Taping is essential for these patients to
ensure the joint stays in position.
General
Rehabilitation Foci
Some
specific components of rehabilitation should be undertaken to
ensure a successful management of this injury.
•
Classify properly and identify what is mechanically occurring
at the ACJ
• Utilise closed chain exercises (where hands remain in
contact with a stable surface), such as plank holds or push ups
early to activate muscle stabilisers around the joint and the
shoulder blade- whilst controlling movement of the ACJ.
• Start strengthening the arm below 90° before elevating
higher, and ensure the joint remains in place.
• Tape, re-tape, teach your patient how to tape, get them
to re-tape (if you feel the collar bone is elevating)
• Train the trapezius through exercises which retract (or
bring backwards) the scapula, as this is an essential muscle
to control the shoulder blade (e.g. Y’s or T’s/ Blackburn
exercises)
Key
Tips
•
Do not over stress ACJ ligament tissue whilst it is healing
• Avoid prolonged immobilisation
• Muscle balance around the shoulder blade is essential
(think 3 pulling exercises for every 1 pushing)
• Spend time of shoulder blade muscle strength (especially
the trapezius)
• Improve posterior shoulder flexibility
• Consider proprioception and neuromuscular control
Stay
Healthy and Keep Fighting.
Chris
Tack is the lead physiotherapist and owner of All Powers Rehabilitation
& Conditioning in London, England.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Journo
to Journo: Coach Mike Riordan discusses wrestling in MMA
By Steph
Daniels
In
the latest 'Journo to Journo' installment, Bloody Elbow's wrestling
guru, Coach Mike Riordan discusses all things wrestling in relation
to MMA.
Tweet (19) Share (4) 41 Comments Rec (9)
Another
installment of my 'Journo to Jorno' weekly segment is in the
books. This week's offering is another Bloody Elbow staffer,
'Coach' Mike Riordan. Mike brings our readers the wrestling flavor
they didn't know they craved, until it was already in front of
their eyes. His breakdowns are some of the very best around,
so I couldn't resist getting some time with him.
My
co-host, Iain Kidd gets the snaps, kudos, props and whatever
other cool pats on the back there are for his speedy transcription
of this awesome interview. Here's what Mike had to say:
His
Twitter 'Debate' With Jon Snowden
Well
... I don't want to blow that one out of proportion. It's just,
there's a pattern, I think, in mixed martial arts writing, of
when people get their hands on somebody who has a wrestling background,
and they have sort of an outsider's perspective, and they discuss
it the way an outsider would. When you're somebody inside the
world of amateur wrestling like I have been, and am, it's sort
of sticks out to you, it's discordant when you hear these outside
perspectives.
It's
ubiquitous in MMA; people talking about wrestling in ways that
show they don't quite understand, or have a fully nuanced view
of what somebodies accomplishments mean, and I think I do. I
think I have a strong grasp of what they mean, so I try to enlighten
people if I can.
Background
I
wrestled Division One in South Carolina. I wasn't very good,
I wasn't terribly successful at a college level, but I did it.
What it did, is it prepared me. I wanted to coach, and I became
a high school wrestling coach. My goal was to coach and explain
wrestling in a logical and conceptual manner to people. That's
kind of what led into me being a writer, thinking about wrestling
in a deep way.
Wrestlers
Who Vastly Outperform Their Credentials in MMA
Ben
Henderson. Ben Henderson was an All American, but an NAIA All
American, and that's really the lowest division of college wrestling.
It still means he's good, but the fact he has used his wrestling
ability in such an effective way to become a UFC champion, and
really control the way a lot of matches have gone, and outwrestle
guys with better credentials than him, like Shane Roller, shows
he has out performed his wrestling credentials.
Demetrious
Johnson is another one. He doesn't have any real college pedigree.
He was a good high school wrestler, but not a national calibre
guy. He's one of the very best, and most visually impressive
wrestlers in MMA. Pedigree, from my perspective, matters. Generally
the better amateur wrester is going to make the better MMA wrestler,
and the better fighter, but there are guys, fairly regularly,
outperforming the accolades they received in their amateur backgrounds.
Biggest
Adjustments Between Wrestling and MMA
The
obvious thing is stance. I think you've seen guys like Jake Rosholt
fighting a little with their heads forward too much. The biggest
adjustment, I would say, from wrestling to striking is that for
most wrestlers, most of your shooting and most of your offensive
wrestling, is going to be off of your right foot. You lead with
your right foot. If you're striking, your right foot is going
to be the trail foot, because your power hand is going to be
your right hand.
So
guys who are left footed shots in wrestling have a built in advantage,
because they can fight in a conventional stance, and still be
in a position to shoot off that front foot, but if you're a right
footed shot, that leads to a little bit of confusion, and some
real choices you have to make in terms of how you're going to
fight in the stand up game.
Relationship
Between Wrestling and MMA
I
have seen camps and teams try to reach out to the wrestling community.
I've seen, a few years ago I think, American Top Team was posting
on the USA Wrestling message boards saying, 'hey, are there any
top wrestlers who want to fight? Come here.' And it worked. I
don't know if it's a direct result, but they've got some damn
good wrestlers now. The UFC and promotions themselves though?
I don't think they are tapping wrestlers on the shoulder.
I
think MMA and Wrestling should have a more symbiotic relationship.
You see a sport that's thriving like mixed martial arts, and
a sport that's really struggling at college and Olympic level,
which is on the verge of death. Mixed Martial Arts is becoming
a professional league for college wrestlers, and to not have
some greater level of symbiosis between each other is foolish.
It's stupid on the part of wrestling to not embrace that, to
not try to strengthen that bond.
Now,
will it happen? I don't... The powers that be, that are in charge
of running wrestling as a sport, I don't have much faith in their
ability to make savvy decisions like that. Wrestling has never
been relevant in any popular, modern sport, until now, but I
just... I'm very sceptical of the sports ability to take advantage
of it. There's not much innovation in the way it's run. It's
getting better though, things are changing a little bit, so maybe
it will. I'm hopeful, but not too optimistic.
Here's
something I'd like to address. MMA has still barely, just barely,
scratched the surface of the talent pool available in Division
I, II and III wrestling. You go to Division One nationals and
there are 320 something of the best, toughest wrestlers in the
nation, that are aged 18-23. Not every one of them could be a
world champ, but probably any one of them could be a UFC level
fighter if they played their cards right, and almost none of
them go into MMA. A very small percentage, a very tiny little
fraction of them will go into MMA, and it's scary to think about
what would happen if that percentage started to rise, and I think
it will.
You're
going to see more success, and more wrestlers, and more guys
like Chris Weidman coming out of the woodwork and really taking
to MMA and taking to the submission game, and becoming world
champion calibre guys.
Standout
Wrestlers to Watch Out For
In
terms of people who are amateur wrestlers now, and could be great
fighters ... First off, it's super hard to predict. There are
so many different kinds of wrestlers who have succeeded in MMA,
it's not just a simple bang a guy on the head and shoot a fast
double type that's going to succeed, though those guys probably
will.
Jordan
Burroughs would obviously be your number one seed, your first
pick there, of course he has indicated that he's not going to
do MMA, and he has no reason to. He has parleyed his wrestling
success to make himself very financially comfortable.
I
would say after that, there is a guy who wrestles for Penn State
right now, he has won two NCAA titles in a row, he hasn't lost
in two years and he wrestles at 174lbs. His name is Ed Ruth,
and the way he moves, the way he wrestles, there's just a certain
indescribable talent about him. Whether he goes the Olympic route,
or the MMA route, remains to be seen.
I
wish there was more openness from these guys in college saying,
'Hey, yeah I'm going to do MMA when I leave', but there have
only been a couple of guys who have said that before their last
college match, that's rare. There's just so much talent out there
that just hasn't been exploited.
Source: Bloody Elbow
|
UFC:
Nothing confirmed for Brazil in October, but more 2013 events
planned
by Matt
Erickson
marshall-zelaznik-10.jpgThe UFC cannot yet confirm a rumored
return to Brazil in October, but that probably doesn't mean the
promotion isn't trying to lock something up.
Marshall
Zelaznik, the UFC's director of international development, on
Thursday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that a rumored
Oct. 9 show in Brazil can't yet be confirmed – but there
indeed are plans in place for more events in the country in 2013
after the next two.
UFC
163 takes place next week in Rio de Janeiro, and on Sept. 4,
the promotion returns to Belo Horizonte for UFC Fight Night 28.
The rumored Oct. 9 show does not yet have a location attached
to it – part and parcel, perhaps, to the UFC not being able
to announce some Brazil cards farther in advance.
"We've
got our event in September in Belo Horizonte, which just went
on sale, so we have effectively two events on sale in Brazil
at the same time," Zelaznik said. "We are bringing
more events to Brazil, but as far as October is concerned, we're
not in a position to confirm anything. Venues are always an issue
for us to try to find the right venue that fits into our schedule.
While we do have plans to bring more events beyond the two currently
on sale, we don't have any dates or venues yet committed for
those."
So
far in 2013, the UFC has been to Sao Paulo for UFC on FX 7 in
January, Jaragua do Sul for UFC on FX 8 in May and Fortaleza
for UFC on FUEL TV 10 in June. The August and September events
will make five in the South American country this calendar year,
which will equal as many as have been held there in all prior
years combined.
So
it's obvious the UFC's push there will continue in a major way.
"The
one thing we know is that there's an appetite in Brazil for UFC
live events," Zelaznik said. "Between our (television)
partners with Globo and Globosat, and Combat Channel, there's
also a huge demand for television media to cover the events.
We're trying to satisfy all the demand there, and we're committed
for the year and years to follow to bring five-plus events into
the region. I see that happening – I see us bringing more
events."
In
2014, Brazil hosts the FIFA World Cup for soccer, and in 2016,
the Olympic Games take place in the country. Looking long-term,
Zelaznik believes that will open up the door to make things even
easier for the UFC to put on shows with the same kind of regularity
2013 ultimately will see, and then some.
"I
think after the World Cup and Olympics, more venues will become
available to us," he said. "But we've now got a very
strong foundation in Brazil and we're going to keep bringing
events there. We've got amazing Brazilian talent that the fans
there want to see, so we're going to do our job to bring their
fellow countrymen to watch them fight."
UFC
163, which takes place at Rio's HSBC Arena with a main card on
pay-per-view after prelims on FX and Facebook, features a featherweight
title fight between Brazilian champion Jose Aldo and top contender
Chan Sung Jung, "The Korean Zombie."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Twist
of fate made UFC on FOX 8's Julie Kedzie a Jackson's fighter
By Dave
Doyle
SEATTLE
-- A memorable 2007 fight against Gina Carano was a pivotal moment
in Julie Kedzie's career. For more than one reason.
First,
there's the obvious one: Carano's thrilling unanimous decision
win over Kedzie in Southaven, Miss., is considered the bout which
put women's mixed martial arts on the map. The fight was held
on the inaugural Elite XC card and the first Showtime MMA broadcast,
and without women fighting in the UFC, the match was many viewer's
first WMMA exposure.
But
fight week also marked the first time Kedzie, who makes her UFC
debut against Germaine de Randamie at UFC on FOX 8 at Key Arena
on Saturday, made contact with legendary trainer Greg Jackson.
"What
happened was, my trainer up in Indiana at the time had a medical
condition and wasn't able to fly," Kedzie said. "So
I flew down and I had a couple days to kill before my trainer
got there. And I end up meeting Greg and Joey Villasenor and
hanging out with them, and they were really cool guys. Greg comes
off so laid back, I didn't even know he was this big trainer
and a big deal in the business."
Up
until that point in her career, Kedzie was based in Indiana and
had done the majority of her fighting in the Midwest. After coming
up short in her fight with Carano, Kedzie realized she would
have to branch out if she was going to make the jump to the next
level. So after the Carano fight, she accepted an invitation
to come out and visit Jackson's famed camp in Albuquerque.
"I
got out there and I know, right away, that this was it,"
Kedzie said. "Greg really was a big deal. It really was
like a family out there, a great group of people. I knew right
away that New Mexico was going to be my new home."
While
Jackson's is best known for hosting men's champions like Jon
Jones, Georges St-Pierre and Rashad Evans, WMMA is as well-represented
there as in any major camp in the sport. In addition to Kedzie,
at one time or another, Carano, Sarah Kaufmann, Tara LaRosa,
and current Invicta atomweight champ Michelle Waterson have trained
at Jackson's.
That's
helped Kedzie push herself to a day she never stopped believing
she'd she. Twenty-seven fights into her career Kedzie finally
becomes part of MMA's biggest promotion as she meets de Randamie
in the opening fight of the FX portion of the crowd.
"All
those years, Dana [White] said he'd never have women fight in
the UFC, and I didn't believe it," the 32-year-old Kedzie
said. "I'd tell people: 'I'm going to fight in the UFC one
day,' and people would say 'yeah, sure.' You can call it destiny
or fate or whatever you want to call it, but I always believed
this day would come."
Kedzie
(16-11) hasn't fought since last Aug. 18, when she lost via third-round
submission to Miesha Tate in an outstanding Strikeforce bout
in San Diego. Shoulder surgery kept Kedzie sidelined for six
months. But de Randamie (3-2), an American Kickboxing Academy
fighter who comes from a kickboxing background, also hasn't fought
since that same night, when she scored a unanimous-decision win
over Hiroko Yamanaka.
"She's
a kickboxer, but I mean, so what?" said Kedzie. "She's
come over from straight kickboxing, but I think I'm stronger
in kickboxing for MMA. I think I know how to better apply it
to MMA. So I'm not afraid to stand with her and I'm not afraid
to take this fight wherever it goes."
And
who knows? If Kedzie didn't find herself with time to kill that
week in Southaven and had the chance encounter with Jackson,
this day may have never come.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Rampage
Jackson vs. Roy Jones Jr. in a Boxing Match? It’s Agreed
to for a Year-End PPV
by Bleacher
Report
Courtesy
of Damon Martin and official MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher
Report.
Rampage
Jackson UFC on Fox 6 Former UFC champion Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson has apparently booked his first fight since signing with
Bellator MMA, but it won’t be in an MMA bout.
Instead,
Jackson is strapping on the boxing gloves and facing former multi-divisional
champion Roy Jones Jr. in a boxing match at a pay-per-view event
later this year.
According
to a report from MMAJunkie.com, Jackson and Jones have agreed
to a boxing match at an unspecified weight limit at a Viacom/Bellator
produced pay-per-view to close out the year.
Bellator
officials were unavailable for comment at the time of publication
when contacted by Bleacher Report.
Jackson
has been out of action since January when he lost a unanimous
decision to Glover Teixeira in his final bout in the UFC. Following
that fight, Jackson was granted his free agency and opted to
sign a long-term deal with Bellator as well as additional deals
in place with parent company Viacom as well as TNA pro wrestling.
Since
signing his new deal, Jackson has been appearing on TNA wrestling
while rehabbing an injured knee that ailed him for the biggest
part of his last few fights with the UFC. There was no timetable
for his return to action, although he speculated it would be
before the end of 2013.
Now
all signs are pointing towards Jackson stepping back into the
cage/ring later this year while facing a former boxing legend
in his return fight.
Roy
Jones Jr. has had his name tossed around MMA circles for the
last few years, most notably by former UFC middleweight champion
Anderson Silva who long talked about facing him in a boxing match.
UFC
president Dana White even teased that he was talking to Jones
during UFC 162 fight week about possible making a deal to put
him in the cage with Silva. Unfortunately that plan all fell
to the wayside thanks to Chris Weidman ending Silva’s reign
as champion with a second round knockout victory.
That
left Jones without any potential opponents, but it seems Bellator
and Viacom were still interested in matching him up with somebody
from the MMA world and that somebody is Quinton “Rampage”
Jackson.
It’s
unknown at this time how Viacom or Bellator would promote such
a fight given the fact that they are not in the business of boxing,
but the skeletal work is at least started on putting this bout
together pitting Jackson against Jones in the boxing arena.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
on Fox 8 Preview Johnson vs. Moraga
By Tristen
Critchfield
Demetrious Johnson will enter the cage on a three-fight winning
streak.
If
the average MMA fan has been slow to warm to the Ultimate Fighting
Championship’s most diminutive division, Fox executives
have not seemed to notice.
For
the second straight fight, flyweight king Demetrious Johnson
will defend his crown in front of a network television audience.
The first time around, ratings returns were solid for a UFC on
Fox 6 card that saw “Mighty Mouse” vanquish John Dodson
in Chicago. At UFC on Fox 8 this Saturday at KeyArena in Seattle,
Johnson shares top billing with John Moraga. With increased exposure,
the flyweight fan base should only continue to grow.
Johnson
and Moraga will not have to shoulder the ratings burden alone,
however. In the co-main event, Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger
square off in a pivotal welterweight encounter, while Liz Carmouche
attempts to build on her strong performance against Ronda Rousey
by knocking off Octagon newcomer Jessica Andrade. Throw in the
violence potential of Robbie Lawler, and you have the makings
of a pretty solid evening, so crank up the Pearl Jam and take
a closer look at the UFC on Fox 8 lineup, complete with analysis
and picks:
Moraga
is 2-0 in the UFC.
UFC Flyweight Championship
Demetrious
Johnson (17-2-1, 5-1-1 UFC) vs. John Moraga (13-1, 2-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: After competing in the opening bout in each of his first
two UFC appearances, Moraga seems like a curious choice to challenge
for the flyweight title. However, the promotion has been slow
to add talent to the new division, so fresh contenders are scarce
-- and it is still too early to give someone like Joseph Benavidez
another shot at the gold. It also does not hurt that Moraga has
finished two high-level flyweights in Ulysses Gomez and Chris
Cariaso in those two outings.
For
the second time in a row, Johnson headlines a Fox card -- he
toppled Dodson in the UFC on Fox 6 main event -- and the added
exposure can only serve to raise his profile. “Mighty Mouse”
established himself as a champion with staying power against
Dodson, surviving a pair of knockdowns early before outworking
his opponent down the stretch to capture a unanimous decision
victory. Dodson was probably the foe best equipped to deal with
Johnson’s speed, but the champion countered the Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts product’s athleticism by wearing him
down in the clinch in the championship rounds.
While
the Thai plum proved to be a nice addition to Johnson’s
arsenal against Dodson, Moraga figures to be far more comfortable
in such situations. Against Gomez, Moraga effectively landed
knees in the clinch throughout before sealing his first-round
technical knockout win with a vicious elbow. With that in mind,
expect Johnson to rely more on his speed to deliver punching
combinations while moving in and out of danger. Johnson’s
punching is accurate, but he has yet to finish an opponent during
his UFC tenure. Moraga has a solid chin and will look to push
the pace as much as possible, especially since he will not be
afraid of Johnson’s power.
Moraga
has used his wrestling to keep fights standing thus far, and
he will want to do the same here. Johnson’s ability to land
rapid-fire combinations in the pocket allow him to set up takedowns
effectively, however, as he took down both Dodson and Benavidez
five times apiece in their bouts. Dodson had not been taken down
in UFC competition prior to facing Johnson. “Mighty Mouse”
usually gets the best of scrambles on the mat, as well.
Moraga
has yet to endure the rigors of a five-round fight, and 25 minutes
against the frenetic champion tends to take its toll. The Arizonan’s
best chance of victory comes if he can look for a finish by hurting
Johnson with elbows and punches in close quarters. Like many
before him, Moraga could tire after constantly being forced to
defend Johnson’s relentless blend of striking and takedowns
in a long fight, as the champion has not experienced any conditioning
issues since his first fight with Ian McCall.
The
29-year-old Moraga might be able to find encouragement in the
fact that both Dodson and Benavidez rocked Johnson with punches,
but for the most part, the World Extreme Cagefighting veteran
remains extremely difficult to hit, and his ability to recover
from damage is impressive.
The
Pick: It is too much to ask of Moraga to overwhelm a still-improving
Johnson in the clinch for 25 minutes, and “Mighty Mouse”
almost always lands more strikes than his opponents on the feet.
Unless Moraga can somehow control Johnson with wrestling, the
champion wins via decision.
Welterweights
Rory
MacDonald (14-1, 5-1 UFC) vs. Jake Ellenberger (29-6, 8-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: MacDonald is one of the most interesting characters
in the welterweight division, an intriguing blend of athleticism
and awkwardness who is as capable of the jaw-dropping performance
in the cage as he is the cringe-worthy interview outside of it.
While
MacDonald’s personality might be difficult for the average
fan to relate to, most anyone can appreciate his versatile and
violent skill set. Since suffering a heartbreaking loss to Carlos
Condit at UFC 115 when he was 20 years old, “Ares”
has reeled off four straight victories in the Octagon. His triumph
over B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5 was so lopsided that he drew the
ire of some fans for taunting the former champion instead of
finishing the bout in the final frame. Still, MacDonald’s
dominance against respected veterans such as Penn, Mike Pyle
and Nate Diaz demonstrate why the young welterweight has been
tabbed as the heir apparent to teammate Georges St. Pierre.
Ellenberger
was nearing a title shot until a loss to Martin Kampmann at “The
Ultimate Fighter 15” Finale in 2012 slowed his charge. The
Reign MMA representative has rebounded to post wins over Jay
Hieron and Nate Marquardt in his last two outings. The 28-year-old
“Juggernaut” possesses formidable knockout power, but
that has been counteracted by his tendency to fade against opponents
who can survive his initial onslaught.
When
MacDonald is doing his best GSP impersonation, he can be overwhelming
with positional advancements and heavy ground-and-pound from
top position. However, Ellenberger is a physical fighter who
often uses a strong wrestling base to keep fights standing. With
MacDonald likely to find it difficult to bully Ellenberger, he
will have to resort to using a well-rounded kickboxing arsenal.
The Canadian was proficient in landing combinations against Penn,
mixing his strikes to the head, body and legs. A versatile striker,
“Ares” also was effective delivering standing elbows.
Ellenberger
is more basic, relying on his solid jab and counter left hook.
He will look to press the action early in hopes of the finish,
so MacDonald must use his three-and-a-half inch reach advantage
and timely kicks to control the distance in the opening frame.
If
MacDonald avoids Ellenberger’s heavy hands, more openings
should present themselves in rounds two and three. While Ellenberger
demonstrated a more measured approach in his triumph over Hieron,
he needs to prove that he can be consistently strong in the latter
portion of a fight.
The
Pick: If MacDonald continues to progress as one expects a young
fighter would, he should have the necessary tools to capture
the most significant triumph of his career. Making it through
round one -- when Ellenberger is most dangerous -- will be crucial.
Look for MacDonald to begin conservatively and then pick up the
pace to earn a late stoppage or decision victory.
Welterweights
Robbie
Lawler (20-9, 5-3 UFC) vs. Bobby Voelker (24-9, 0-1 UFC)
The
Matchup: After an extended run at middleweight, Lawler returned
to 170 pounds for the first time since 2004 against Josh Koscheck
at UFC 157. The move worked wonders for Lawler, who had struggled
in recent bouts against wrestling-minded foes at 185 pounds,
as he scored a first-round technical knockout against the former
NCAA champion wrestler. Despite having Koscheck velcro-ed to
him for much of the first frame, “Ruthless” utilized
effective guard work from his back before sprawling on a takedown
and finishing the fight with heavy punches.
In
Voelker, the former Miletich Fighting Systems standout faces
an opponent who will likely be willing to engage in a slugfest.
Perhaps best known for his Strikeforce Challengers trilogy with
Roger Bowling, Voelker dropped a competitive unanimous decision
to Patrick Cote in his Octagon debut at UFC 158. The Finney’s
MMA representative ate some solid shots on the feet from Cote
but was at his best in the third frame, where he scored takedowns
and battered the Canadian with ground-and-pound.
Voelker
has an established reputation as a finisher, earning 19 of his
24 wins via knockout or submission, but he must proceed with
caution against Lawler, an able counterpuncher with good timing
on his left hook and overhand right. A fighter as experienced
as Voelker is not likely to become flustered when Lawler is throwing
bombs, and he might even be able to take advantage of the fact
that the Illinois native is sometimes careless when in pursuit
of the explosive finish. However, Lawler’s chin has lasted
through many a war -- only Nick Diaz has been able to stop him
with strikes in 30 professional bouts.
While
Voelker has proven to be plenty durable over the course of his
career, Lawler’s power can put most anyone to sleep. He
would be wise to utilize a varied striking attack to set up takedowns,
minimizing the chances of a knockout.
Grounding
Lawler is no small task: his tremendous upper-body strength and
excellent sprawl allow him to keep the action standing against
most opponents, and he is adept at setting up his power punches
just outside the pocket. Voelker will have to utilize smart pressure
against Lawler to throw off his timing and pick his spots to
change levels for takedowns.
The
Pick: This one could get wild early, as Voelker might find it
too tempting to engage in a slugfest. Lawler does not need much
of an opening to unload a kill shot, and he wins via knockout
in round one or two.
Women’s Bantamweights
Liz
Carmouche (8-3, 0-1 UFC) vs. Jessica Andrade (9-2, 0-0 UFC)
The
Matchup: A high-profile bout against Miesha Tate fell through
for Carmouche when an injury left Cat Zingano unable to oppose
Ronda Rousey on “The Ultimate Fighter 18.” While Tate
was tabbed to resume her rivalry with the women’s bantamweight
champion, Carmouche gets the relatively unknown Andrade, a 21-year-old
Brazilian whose nickname, “Bate Estaca,” means piledriver
in English.
Carmouche
proved herself under high-pressure circumstances at UFC 157,
threatening Rousey with a rear-naked choke and a neck crank in
the first-ever women’s bout inside the Octagon. That “Girl-Rilla”
eventually succumbed to an armbar late in the first round is
secondary, as the former Marine will forever be a part of mixed
martial arts history. Carmouche’s performance against the
Olympic judoka briefly illustrated her skill in transitioning
to advantageous positions. Faced with a superior athlete, the
Team Hurricane Awesome product was unable to dominate through
takedowns and ground-and-pound as she had done so well in previous
bouts. However, Carmouche figures to have more opportunities
to impose her will against Andrade, who has limited standup but
still finds ways to close the distance against her opponents.
A
product of the Parana Vale Tudo camp, Andrade has finished all
nine of her victories by knockout or submission. She has utilized
her grappling in the majority of her most recent triumphs, choking
out five of her past six victims. Andrade has proven to be tenacious
and relentless, and she constantly looks for takedowns and throws.
She is especially opportunistic when it comes to applying the
guillotine choke, so Carmouche must be cautious not to leave
her neck exposed.
Andrade’s
skill set seems to match up poorly with the physical Carmouche.
The Invicta Fighting Championships veteran usually dictates the
tempo of her fights through clinches and wrestling, draining
her foes’ cardio before unloading with heavy ground-and-pound
from above. Her steady pressure and aggression will gradually
wear down Andrade over the course of the fight.
The
Pick: Unless Carmouche makes a tactical error while hunting for
a takedown, she should be able to gradually overwhelm the young
Brazilian. She wins by TKO in round two or three.
Lightweights
Jorge
Masvidal (24-7, 1-0 UFC) vs. Michael Chiesa (9-0, 2-0 UFC): A
former Strikeforce lightweight title challenger, Masvidal blended
striking and takedowns to capture a unanimous verdict against
Tim Means at UFC on Fox 7. The well-rounded “Gamebred”
looks for his second Octagon triumph against “The Ultimate
Fighter 15” winner Chiesa, who has made a habit of pulling
out come-from-behind victories. Masvidal will be able to do damage
in exchanges, but Chiesa has a knack for forcing scrambles and
taking his opponent’s back after absorbing punishment. However,
Masvidal’s experience proves to be too much, as he wins
via late TKO or decision.
Lightweights
Danny
Castillo (15-5, 5-2 UFC) vs. Tim Means (18-4-1, 2-1 UFC): Castillo
showcased intelligent ground-and-pound and solid submission defense
in his most recent outing against Paul Sass at UFC on Fuel TV
7. The Team Alpha Male product blends punching power with a wrestling
base, but he will have to navigate the four-inch reach advantage
of the lanky Means, who is also capable of landing significant
offense from his back should he be taken down. Means needs to
stay upright more than he did against Jorge Masvidal, however,
because judges still tend to reward fighters in top control.
Castillo wins by decision.
Lightweights
Melvin
Guillard (30-12-2, 11-8 UFC) vs. Mac Danzig (21-10-1, 5-6): It
has been a rough stretch of late for Guillard, who has lost four
of his last five fights. That slump prompted “The Young
Assassin” to leave the Blackzilians camp in hopes of a return
to his previous home at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, but
his request was voted down. Now situated at the Grudge Training
Center, Guillard still has the physical tools that once had him
on the cusp of 155-pound title contention. Danzig has been up
and down for a while now, most recently dropping a split verdict
to Takanori Gomi in November. While Danzig throws solid combinations
and has good footwork, his best asset here is his jiu-jitsu game.
Danzig takes this by submission in round two.
Lightweights
Daron
Cruickshank (12-3, 2-1 UFC) vs. Yves Edwards (42-19-1, 10-7 UFC):
Edwards lost a hard-fought split decision to Isaac Vallie-Flagg
in his last appearance at UFC 156, but the “Thugjitsu Master”
remains a crafty veteran with a versatile offensive arsenal.
The flashy Cruickshank never got untracked at UFC 158, as he
was outstruck by John Makdessi in losing a unanimous decision.
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 15 alum has a chance
of scoring a knockout with his dangerous array of kicks, but
expect Edwards to keep him off balance throughout the bout. Edwards
captures a decision.
Women’s
Bantamweights
Julie
Kedzie (16-11, 0-0 UFC) vs. Germaine de Randamie (3-2, 0-0 UFC):
One of the true pioneers of women’s MMA, Kedzie returns
to action after a shoulder injury shelved her for nearly a year.
In her most recent bout against Miesha Tate, Kedzie showcased
excellent striking and held her own in scrambles and transitions
on the mat, only to get caught by a desperation armbar late in
round three. De Randamie does not have anywhere near Kedzie’s
MMA experience, but she is a dangerous muay Thai specialist.
A balanced approach from Kedzie nets a decision victory.
Middleweights
Ed
Herman (20-9, 7-6 UFC) vs. Trevor Smith (10-3, 0-0 UFC): Herman’s
last encounter with a Strikeforce veteran did not go so well,
as he crossed promotional boundaries to be submitted inside of
a round by Ronaldo Souza in January. A decent grappler in his
own right, Herman’s mechanical movements matched up poorly
with the fluid athleticism of “Jacare.” Smith, a former
All-American wrestler at Iowa State, has a good submission game
but has faltered against better competition. Herman, using heavy
ground-and-pound, wins by TKO in round one or two.
Lightweights
Aaron
Riley (30-13-1, 3-5 UFC) vs. Justin Salas (10-4, 1-1 UFC): Riley’s
UFC roots date back to 2002, when he lost his Octagon debut in
an exciting slugfest with Robbie Lawler. The Jackson’s MMA
product has not competed since a breaking his jaw in a loss to
Tony Ferguson at UFC 135. Riley is as hard-nosed as they come,
and Salas, a wrestler based out of the Grudge Training Center,
will want to plant him on his back as often as possible. Riley
takes a decision.
Bantamweights
John
Albert (7-4, 1-3 UFC) vs. Yaotzin Meza (19-8, 0-1 UFC): Albert
brings nothing but action to the cage in each appearance, which
is probably why he remains on the roster after three consecutive
losses. Each of those defeats has come inside of a round but
each has been wonderfully entertaining. Meza, meanwhile, took
on a tough opponent on short notice in his UFC debut, suffering
a first-round knockout against Chad Mendes in December. Expect
Albert to go for broke early, and this time it works in his favor.
He wins via submission in round one.
*
* *
TRACKING
TRISTEN 2013
Overall
Record: 122-69
Last Event (UFC 162): 8-3
Best Event (Strikeforce “Marquardt vs. Saffiedine): 9-2
Worst Event (UFC 156/UFC on Fuel TV 8): 5-6
Source: Sherdog
|
Lyoto
Machida Thinks Daniel Cormier Should Have to Earn a Light Heavyweight
Title Shot
by Jeff
Cain
Lyoto
Machida UFC 157 Pre 6-478x270Undefeated heavyweight Daniel Cormier
has talked about making the move to the 205-pound division well
before he even arrived in the UFC.
Following
his final Strikeforce bout on Jan. 12, the former Olympian said
he planned to drop to the light heavyweight division by the end
of 2013 and kick Jon Jones’ (expletive).
During
a recent episode of UFC Tonight, it was revealed that Cormier’s
UFC 166 match-up with Roy Nelson would be his final fight in
the heavyweight division and he plans to ask for an immediate
title shot in the 205-pound weight class if he’s victorious
on Oct. 19.
The
possibility of Cormier dropping down and jumping in line for
a title shot doesn’t sit well with top light heavyweight
contender and former champion Lyoto Machida.
“I
believe that there’s a ranking and it should be followed,”
said Machida during a media conference call on Thursday. “There
are a lot of guys in line right now in the weight class to fight
for a title. I’ve been waiting in line. There’s Glover
Teixeira, there’s Phil Davis, so there’s a lot of guys
in there in the mix.”
According
to Machida, title shots should be earned and not given.
“If
he’s going to move down to 205, he’s going to need
to put a couple of fights in, or at least have a significant
win in a big fight,” he said. “I don’t think it’s
right for him to just come in and cut the line. I think he’s
going to have to show that he deserves that title shot.”
Machida
faces Phil Davis at UFC 163 on Aug. 3. If he wins, it will be
his third consecutive victory since losing to champion Jon Jones
at UFC 140 in December 2011.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Has
Jake Ellenberger gotten into Rory MacDonald's head?
By Dave
Doyle
SEATTLE
-- Jake Ellenberger got what he took as a clue that his verbal
warfare with Rory MacDonald is starting to pay off on Thursday,
when the two crossed paths at the UFC on FOX 8 media day.
Held
in a cramped conference room at the Westin in downtown Seattle,
it was inevitable opponents were going to cross paths. And the
way Ellenberger puts it, MacDonald wanted nothing to do with
him.
"I
looked at him and his eyes went straight to the ground,"
Ellenberger told reporters.
The
welterweight showdown between the veteran Ellenberger (29-6)
and the 24-year-old MacDonald (14-1) seems to have drawn the
most interest of any of Saturday's bouts at Seattle's Key Arena.
That's
in part due to the divisional consequences of the fight, as the
winner figures to rocket up to the short list of contenders for
Georges St-Pierre's title. But it also has to do with the dynamics
building up the fight, as Ellenberger has relentlessly teased
MacDonald; while MacDonald has absorbed it with a curious passive-aggression.
Asked
whether he thinks he's gotten into MacDonald's head, Ellenberger
answered in the affirmative, but then tried to play it off like
he was just having fun.
"I
do, for sure," Ellenberger said. "I think people take
things too seriously. I've done that a lot of my career. I've
been in the military, a lot of my life is so strictly in training.
You might as well enjoy it. We're still going to fight. Whether
I say something or not, we're still going to fight. And I gotta
perform, which is exactly what I'm looking forward to."
To
that end, Ellenberger feels MacDonald's only pro loss, a UFC
115 fight with Carlos Condit which MacDonald was winning handily
before Condit rallied for a third-round finish, is proof that
MacDonald's spirit can be broken.
"I've
seen him break before and that's all I needed to know,"
said Ellenberger, who later confirmed he was talking about the
Condit fight. "Like I said, I don't have anything personal
against Rory at all. None whatsoever. It's he still hasn't, he
kind of lives in a little bit of a fantasy world and I know what
I do well."
MacDonald,
for his part, insists Ellenberger isn't winning any sort of mental
war. "It's just a part of fight sports," MacDonald
said of the trash talk. "Sometimes it happens, sometimes
it doesn't. But it doesn't affect my mindset going into this
fight. ... At the end of the day, this is a fight, underneath
all the illusions, and all the pressure people want to put on,
it is a fight. And I'm looking at that obstacle. Nothing else."
Pressed
on why he decided to take this route, Ellenberger said."We're
in the entertainment business. I think Chael [Sonnen] said it
best, we're in the entertainment business. And Rory doesn't say
much, he's not the most outgoing guy, but if anything, it's more
intriguing for the fans and I had fun doing it."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC's
Moraga says 'boring' talk blown out of proportion but stands
by claim
by John
Morgan
john-moraga-6.jpgSEATTLE – John Moraga (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
knew the minute he labeled UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson
(17-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) as "boring," fans and media
alike were going to focus on that claim. And while the flyweight
title challenger thinks his comments may have been a little bit
misconstrued, he sure isn't backing away from that opinion.
"As
soon as I said it, I knew that was going to happen," Moraga
told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "But you know what?
That's just me. I don't like to fake it, front, nothing. You
ask me a question, I'm going to answer you.
"Sometimes
I don't get to explain things the way that I really want to.
That was my first interview ever really doing anything. But he
is boring to me."
Moraga
first uttered those words in May, when UFC officials brought
him to Las Vegas to speak with media members gathered to cover
UFC 160. At the time, Moraga was a mystery to most fans and media
alike, having competed just twice previously for the UFC, with
both fights taking place on the unaired prelims.
"He
just bounces around," Moraga said in May. "He runs
around too much. He doesn't fight. He doesn't put on exciting
fights. He's got a lot of technique and a lot of skill, but he
doesn't finish people, I don't feel.
"I
think he's boring."
Johnson
and Moraga now meet in the main event of Saturday's UFC on FOX
8 event, which takes place at Seattle's KeyArena and airs on
FOX. The quotes have been a focal point in the pair's pre-fight
buildup, and Moraga thinks there's probably been a little too
much attention paid to his words.
But
he's not suggesting they aren't true.
"In
my opinion – and they asked my opinion – that's my
opinion," Moraga said. "The thing that I don't like
is reporters leave out one word here or there, and things get
twisted around and it gets mistranslated and misinterpreted.
That's how things get blown out of proportion. They criticize
me for saying he's not a finisher, which is not true. I said
he doesn't try to finish people.
"There's
a lack of effort in what he does, and that's the difference between
me and him. I'm going to go in there and take the risks that
I need to take to give effort to finish. I don't feel he does
that."
Elementary
analysis would seem to back Moraga's claim. After all, his two
UFC appearances each resulted in stoppage wins, while Johnson's
seven UFC bouts have all gone the distance. Of course, there's
something to be said about the level of competition each man
has faced, but Moraga isn't interested in splitting hairs. He
knows critics like to suggest that flyweights don't possess the
power needed to finish fights, and he believes that's a poor
assessment.
"No
one has power if you don't sit down on your punches and you're
going to be moving your feet the whole time while you're throwing
punches," Moraga said. "If you can learn how to move
your feet and then sit at the right time? That's what you're
going to see from John Moraga."
Moraga
is a decided underdog heading into Saturday night's contest,
but he's not lacking in confidence. Training alongside UFC lightweight
champion Benson Henderson, Moraga believes he has all the tools
needed to join "Smooth" as a UFC title holder.
"For
the most part, [Johnson] plays it safe," Moraga said. "He
uses footwork. He's cool with running around for the whole fight
if you're going to be chasing him, such as Ian McCall and Joseph
Benavidez both did to him. But you can't play his game.
"The
ball's in our court this fight."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Trying
to Avoid Gym Politics, Nate Marquardt, Cat Zingano, Others Form
Elevation Fight Team
by Mick
Hammond
As
MMA has become big business, so have the gyms that produce the
fighters who perform at all levels of the sport. And while a
good pro team can help a gym grow, sometimes that growth can
come at the cost of the team itself.
It
is with that issue in mind that some of Colorado’s top fighters
such as Cat Zingano, Brandon Thatch, and Nate Marquardt recently
joined with The Ultimate Fighter 16 Team Carwin coach Leister
Bowling to form the Elevation Fight Team.
“First
of all, it’s not a gym, it’s a team,” said Bowling.
“The difference is someone’s representing a gym; they’re
representing someone’s business.
“The
thought process behind this is that these guys are professional
MMA fighters. Nate Marquardt should be in the Nate Marquardt
business, not trying to help build somebody else’s gym.
So a lot of the guys were looking for a new team that was more
focused on the fighters and asked me if I’d be the head
coach and start the team.”
Training
out of the MusclePharm and Easton Training Centers, the Elevation
Fight Team allows fighters to still be involved with their current
gyms, but gives them a haven to focus on their own development
without having the hassles of business affect their training.
“There
are a lot of good guys in Denver, but because of gym politics,
not all the best guys are necessarily training together,”
Bowling told MMAWeekly.com. “This way they can still represent
a gym all they want and still be part of this team.
“MusclePharm
is a 100-percent private only gym. If you don’t have an
invite, you can’t train there. So you don’t have to
worry about a cardio kickboxing class going on while you’re
trying to train for a UFC fight.”
Having
been a head coach for individual fighters, running a whole team
is a different experience for Bowling, but he tries to keep the
same mentality when applying his coaching technique to a larger
group.
“It’s
definitely more time consuming, for sure,” he said. “I
was head coach for Brendon Schaub, Nate and Cat before, but a
whole team, I’m just trying to keep it structured. I come
from a wrestling background, so I understand how you have to
run a team based on individual performances.”
With
an emphasis on the fighters, Bowling is confident that Elevation
– with its coaching staff of Eliot Marshall, Mauricio Zingano,
Mark Beecher, Christian Allen, Loren Landow and Eric Telly –
will produce great performances out of its athletes in the coming
years.
“It’s
a fighters-first team and we really emphasize that,” he
said. “I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of guys who
believe in me enough to be their coach, and we have a great team
of guys whose results will speak for themselves.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Demetrious
Johnson: Future could hold UFC superfight with bantamweight champ
by John
Morgan
demetrious-johnson-31.jpgSEATTLE – For the past several
years, any talk of UFC superfights has centered around former
middleweight champion Anderson Silva either moving down to fight
Georges St-Pierre or up to meet Jon Jones. With Silva's recent
loss, those discussions have cooled, but if UFC flyweight title
holder Demetrious Johnson has his way, that talk may start centering
around the sport's lighter divisions.
Right
now my focus is John Moraga," Johnson told MMAjunkie.com
(www.mmajunkie.com). "But I think if everything goes well
with this fight and I tackle this challenge and come out victorious,
everybody is talking about the superfights and middleweight with
Anderson Silva and Jon Jones and 'GSP.' I think there are superfights
to be had in the flyweight division and bantamweight division."
Johnson,
of course, used to compete in the UFC's bantamweight division
and even competed once for the title in that weight class, though
he ended up losing a unanimous decision to current champ Dominick
Cruz. But when the UFC added the 125-pound division, "Mighty
Mouse" dropped to flyweight and claimed the promotion's
first title in that division. On Saturday night, Johnson (17-2-1
MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) meets Moraga (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the main
event of UFC on FOX 8, which takes place at Seattle's KeyArena
and airs on FOX.
According
to oddsmakers, Johnson is as much as a 5-to-1 favorite to retain
his title, which would mark the second consecutive defense of
his belt. While the UFC's flyweight division is still in its
developmental stages, according to UFC President Dana White,
Johnson believes his future could include moving back up to 135
pounds.
"When
I fought at 135, I did pretty well there, and I think since my
time being there, I've evolved as a fighter and got more used
to fighting," Johnson said. "I think once Renan Barao
and Eddie Wineland and Dominick Cruz sort their things out, if
Dana White wants to do a superfight with us – and obviously
if the contract is right, now, let's not kid ourselves –
(I'd be willing to move up).
"I'm
always up for that. This is about doing stuff for fun and tackling
challenges and making history. I wouldn't mind being part of
the first flyweight fight against a bantamweight."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Liz
Carmouche builds on list of firsts in UFC on FOX 8 bout with
Jessica Andrade
By Dave
Doyle
USA TODAY Sports
SEATTLE
-- Liz Carmouche's lists of first is getting almost as long as
her fight record.
First
openly gay fighter in the UFC. Participant in the first women's
fight, title fight, and pay-per-view headline fight all rolled
into one.
The
San Diego-based fighter will add more to her trailblazing list
on Saturday night. Her bout with Jessica Andrade -- the first
Brazilian woman to fight in the UFC -- is both the first women's
MMA fight on network television and the first fight between two
gay fighters, as Andrade, like Carmouche is openly lesbian.
When
asked about the various distinctions at the UFC on FOX 8 media
day Thursday at the Westin in downtown Seattle, Carmouche said
she's more hyped about appearing on network television.
"I'm
honestly more excited it's the first on national TV more than
anything," Carmouche (7-3) said.
That
said, Carmouche still appreciates the opportunity to fight to
another gay fighter. "I do think it's great," Carmouche
said. "It shouldn't be a focus on our sexual preference
as fighters, it's an aspect of who we are as people. So it's
nice to finally drift away from that and just focus on who are
these fighters."
Which
is fair. Not much was known about Andrade, who was a replacement
for the originally planned fight between Carmouche and Miesha
Tate, which was scuttled when Tate was pulled to appear opposite
Ronda Rousey on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.
That
said, Carmouche accepted the fight without hesitation.
"It
was disappointing [losing the Tate fight], but the fact they
kept the fight for me and I didn't have to lose it," Carmouche
said. "I still get to be fighting in the same [spot], I
would have had to wait months down the road for the opportunity
to fight Miesha."
Andrade
(9-2), who lives in a small town outside Curitiba, doesn't look
like a fighter at first glance. She's 21, generously listed at
5-foot-3 by the UFC, and has fought as low as 115 pounds. But
she's picked up the sport in a hurry, fighting seven times in
2012 alone and earning all of her victories via stoppage.
"There's
some pressure because she's the first Brazilian fighting in the
UFC, she's on the card so the whole country is watching,"
Andrade's interpreter said. "She goes from being on small
cards with 2,000 people to the whole country being behind her.
So that leads to pressure, but it's good pressure."
Andrade
is well aware of Carmouche's reputation as an all-action fighter.
"Liz
is pretty good on the ground, she's good standing up, and above
all she's very strong for the division," Andrade said. "But
she's trained very hard for everything she can throw at her.
You never know what's going to happen in there, but she did all
the preparation to deal with."
Carmouche,
for her part, didn't know as much about Andrade at the beginning,
but has become well-acquainted with her foe's style.
"Initially,
when the matchup was offered, between my management and in between
my coaches, we did all the research and we watched the video
on her and now we're ready," said Carmouche, who feels a
win over Andrade would put her in position for a Rousey rematch.
"I think she has a lot of power. She's 9-2 and she's only
21 years old, that says a lot. I mean she's really great at jiu-jitsu,
and her standup, she stands and throws and won't stop until the
fight's over."
Like
Carmouche, Andrade is aware of her role as a trailblazer in the
sport.
"[Andrade}
hope she's opening the door for other people to be open about
who they are and their sexual orientation," Andrade's interpreter
said. "And to show that they're not different from everybody
else. It doesn't affect who they are and what they do."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Wrestler,
Promoter Antonio Inoki Elected to Upper House of Japanese Parliament
By Mike
Whitman
Former
professional wrestler Antonio Inoki, who famously fought then-heavyweight
boxing champion Muhammad Ali in 1976, has been elected to Japan’s
upper house of legislators.
Inoki
was elected to the House of Councillors as a member of the Japan
Restoration Party after spending nearly two decades away from
politics. The New Japan Pro Wrestling founder was previously
elected in 1989 as a member of the defunct Sports and Peace party
but lost his seat in 1995.
Likely
the most famous professional wrestler Japan has ever produced,
Inoki fought Ali to a draw in their cross-discipline match 37
years ago, which many view as a pioneering step toward the eventual
creation of mixed martial arts.
The
Japanese grappler made his in-ring debut in 1960 and went on
to found NJPW in 1972, later creating the Inoki Genome Federation,
which has hosted several mixed martial arts bouts in addition
to its pro wrestling matches. Inoki was elected to the World
Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2010, making him the
first Japanese native to receive the honor.
Source: Sherdog
|
UFC
163 Fighter Ian McCall: “I’ve Kind of Blown My UFC
Career So Far”
by Jeff
Cain
Ian-McCall-WEC-38-478x270When
former Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champion Ian McCall inked
a deal with the UFC in late 2011, he had high expectations. He
entered the 2012 UFC Flyweight Tournament to determine the inaugural
UFC 125-pound champion.
He
faced Demetrious Johnson in the opening round and the two fought
to a draw. Johnson was originally declared the winner, but after
a scoring error correction, the fight was ruled a draw. Johnson
defeated McCall by unanimous decision in a rematch.
In
his next outing, McCall faced Joseph Benavidez and lost via unanimous
decision. He’s gone 0-2-1 in his three UFC fights, and was
not in a good place mentally. His personal life was coming unraveled
as well as his career.
The
29-year-old fighter made changes in his life, eliminated some
relationships, distanced himself from others, and is ready to
move forward inside and outside of the cage.
“I’m
in a much better place. You know, I’ve kind of blown my
UFC career so far, but now it’s time to earn what’s
rightfully mine,” McCall told MMAWeekly.com content partner
Knockout Radio.
“I’ve
always been physically ready. Every fight, I’ve always been
in shape. I’ve always been there. Just for me it’s
a mental thing because I can be a head case and that really has
been what’s gotten me down in the past, but I took personal
steps in my personal life, new relationships, new whatever it
may be to just change for the better. I really am just happier
and in a much better place than I can really ever remember, which
is nice,” he added.
McCall
has gone from being a headliner two fights ago to being the first
preliminary fight on FX in his upcoming UFC 163 bout against
Iliarde Santos. That would be discouraging to some, but McCall
sees it as an opportunity to earn his way back to main card status.
“I
haven’t earned (expletive). It’s probably where I deserve
to be,” he said. “Some people can look at it as a slap
in the face not being on the main card, but who cares who I’ve
fought and where I ‘ve been on previous cards? There are
some big names that deserve to be there and I’m just ready
to earn it. That’s my outlook on everything. I like earning
things. I like being the good dog that gets petted. I want to
earn this title shot and my first step to do that is by knocking
this guy out.”
Work
ethic has never been an issue for McCall. He works hard in the
gym, but has lacked focus.
“Training
has always been the same. I always put in the work; I bust my
butt. I’m just more mentally clear. Not to say that it’s
completely someone else’s fault, of course, I put myself
in every situation I am in. I was in a bad relationship and any
man knows that can really drag you down,” he said.
“I
was dropping the ball. I wasn’t focused. I had flashes of
brilliance, but that’s all done now and I’m excited
to move forward and prove myself. I was brought in as No. 1.
I was supposed to be something special and I haven’t really
shown that yet,” he added.
McCall
expects to put on a show on Aug. 3 when he faces Santos in Brazil.
“He
is going to go in there and try to knock my head off, that’s
for sure. I’m in his country. I am the person standing across
from him. He’s fought, what 30 almost 40 fights, probably.
He knows what he’s doing. He’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu,
so obviously he’s dangerous just like any opponent. You
have to respect everybody,” said McCall.
“I
have to go out there and just do work. I’ve got to stop
having so much fun getting punched in the face and I’ve
got to punch people back.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Roy
Nelson Inks New 9-Fight Deal with UFC
Roy-Nelson-UFC-143-Workout-460x270UFC
heavyweight Roy Nelson has inked a new nine-fight deal with the
Ultimate Fighting Championship and plans to retire with the organization.
Nelson
(19-8) won the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series
tournament to earn a six-figure UFC contract. In his ten fights
in the organization, Nelson has logged four Knockout of the Night
performances and has won one Fight of the Night award.
Nelson
fulfilled his previous 10-fight contract at UFC 161: Evans vs.
Henderson on June 15, losing a unanimous decision to Stipe Miocic.
It
was clear that Nelson had a new contract when the UFC announced
on Monday that he’ll face undefeated Daniel Cormier on Oct.
19 at UFC 166, but the details of the new deal were unknown.
According
to UFC Tonight, the 37-year-old expects to compete for another
five years, well into his 40’s, and retire in the UFC.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Pros
Pick: MacDonald vs. Ellenberger
By Mike
Sloan
Jake Ellenberger has a history of finishing fights quickly.
They
represent the new breed of welterweight.
Inching
towards title contention, Tristar Gym representative Rory MacDonald
will lock horns with the heavy-handed Jake Ellenberger in a pivotal
170-pound showdown at UFC on Fox 8 on Saturday at KeyArena in
Seattle. The once-beaten 24-year-old MacDonald will enter the
Octagon on the strength of four consecutive victories. Reign
MMA’s Ellenberger, 28, has won eight of his past nine bouts.
Sherdog.com
touched base with a number of professional fighters and trainers
to gauge their opinions on the UFC on Fox 8 co-headliner:
Ricardo
Liborio: I can’t see this fight going to a decision. The
hard part is to say who’s going to win. I pick Ellenberger
by TKO or submission.
Keith
Berry: Ellenberger wins by KO.
Michael
Guymon: I’ve had the luxury of fighting Rory and having
trained hard with Jake in MMA. Both are strong with good wrestling
and striking. I believe Rory has a better submission game than
Jake, but Jake has a stronger striking game with more power than
Rory. Also, Jake has a much better chin. I dropped Rory with
the straight right, whereas with Jake, I have hit him with the
kitchen sink and shovel in the face and he did not bat an eyelash.
I see Rory getting uncomfortable with Jake on the feet and going
for the takedown. Jake will have no problem shutting down the
takedowns. Ellenberger will end up getting the KO in the second
round.
Benji
Radach: I have to go with Ellenberger on this one. He has better
wrestling and packs a punch.
Cameron
Diffley: I am going with Marines vet Ellenberger by decision.
He brings in more experience against a higher amount of superior
opponents. I think he can frustrate MacDonald with his movement,
timing and a good ability to mix takedowns and strikes. MacDonald
is a force, but I see Ellenberger starting to steal round two
and then three, closing with a hard-fought decision.
John
Dodson: I have Ellenberger because Rory has never been hit by
someone like Jake; and Jake’s wrestling is some of the best
in the division.
T.J.
Waldburger: That’s a tough pick. I’d give strength
to Jake and overall technique to Rory, so I’d lean more
towards Rory, expecting him to be more strategic.
Daniel
Downes: Ellenberger has the clear advantage when it comes to
power and Twitter insults. Much like a college degree nowadays,
though, the usefulness of those two things tends to be overrated.
MacDonald’s footwork, speed and ability to string more combos
together lead him to a unanimous decision victory.
Tom
DeBlass: I believe Rory will win. He’s too technical and
well rounded. He will win a 30-27 decision.
Brock
Jardine: I’m going with Ellenberger in this fight. I think
he wins by KO.
Joe
Duarte: This is a tough fight to pick, but I have to go with
Ellenberger.
Tarec
Saffiedine: I think Ellenberger is on a good run and hungry for
the W. I see him winning.
Luke
Barnatt: Ellenberger wins by KO.
Caros
Fodor: Have to go with McDonald for this one. I have a few friends
who train with him, and they say he is the truth.
Igor
Araujo: This fight can be a crazy fight or a boring one. If this
thing goes crazy, I have Burger King, oops, sorry, MacDonald
by decision.
Simeon
Thoresen: Jake wins by decision.
Brian
Melancon: I think it is a very even fight, but I’ll give
the edge to Ellenberger due to his ability to end the fight with
one shot.
Scott
Jorgensen: Ellenberger wins. He’s a wrestler, his striking
is always improving ... and he’s a wrestler. Yes, I’m
still that guy who loves his “home” sport.
Zach
Makovsky: I see Ellenberger as a tough matchup for Rory, and
I think the fight will be very competitive early on. Overall,
though, I see Rory figuring Ellenberger out and using his versatility
to pick Jake apart en route to a late third-round finish.
Chris
Clements: Tough fight to pick. I give Rory the edge in technical
striking and grappling, but Jake has the one-punch power and
I think his wrestling is too good for Rory to take him down.
I’m going to take Rory by decision.
Eric
Prindle: I think Rory wins by decision.
Nam
Phan: Jake wins by crushing left and right hooks.
John
Gunderson: Rory is a great athlete and fighter, but I’m
a huge fan of the way Jake fights; and after he smashed Nate
[Marquardt], who is one of the best mixed martial artists in
the game, you have to go with Jake’s power and ability to
KO anyone.
Martin
Kampmann: This is a tough fight to pick. I think Ellenberger
can get a finish, but the longer the fight goes, the better it
is for MacDonald. Ellenberger has shown [a tendency] to fade
a little bit as the fight goes on because he comes out hard.
He’s going to come hard in this fight, but I don’t
know. They are two great guys, so I’m looking forward to
watching that one.
Vinny
Magalhaes: MacDonald is a great fighter. I know a lot of people
don’t like his style outside of the Octagon, but he’s
a fun fighter to watch. He’s a great fighter, but I have
to go with Jake. He’s a friend of mine, and I like his style
of fighting because he always goes for the finish. I like his
style in every fight, and I think he’ll get the knockout
or TKO by about the second round.
Travis
Wiuff: I’m taking the wrestler. Ellenberger wins by decision.
Eric
Bradley: MacDonald wins by decision. He’s been looking crazy
good his last few fights.
Colton
Smith: “The Juggernaut” wins by good, old American
ass whooping.
Pros
Picking Ellenberger: 18
Pros Picking MacDonald: 9
No Pick: 1
Source: Sherdog
|
Backtracking
from previous request, Jose Aldo no lock for move to 155 upon
defending belt
By Mike
Chiappetta
Jose
Aldo never really wanted to fight Anthony Pettis. It wasn't fair,
he thought, that the lightweight could move down a division,
jump several contenders, and face him for the belt. Eventually,
he was convinced to take the match with a promise: with a win
at UFC 163, he would get a chance to make a similar move, up
to lightweight and an automatic title shot.
Of
course, his matchup with Pettis did not happen. The American
fighter suffered an injury and bowed out of the match, making
way for "The Korean Zombie," Chan Sung Jung, a natural
featherweight.
And
with the quasi cross-division match off the table, it appears,
so is the stipulation that went with it.
On
a Thursday conference call for UFC 163, Aldo took a step back
from his previous request, and said he'd made no decision about
what would come next, assuming he performs as he usually does
and emerges with his 16th straight win.
"It’s
hard to say right now," he said through his interpreter
Derek Lee. "I want to take one step at a time. I want to
focus on the fight I have on August 3 against the Korean Zombie.
And we'll see what happens from there, if I make the move or
I stay in my weight class. We'll have to take one step at a time."
It
is a match that few saw coming at the current time, if only because
Jung has spent over a year away from the action, restoring his
health after shoulder surgery last summer. With Ricardo Lamas
riding a four-fight win streak, he seemed a more likely choice
-- even Jung himself thought Lamas would be the UFC's pick to
step in for Pettis.
As
a result, Jung could hardly believe it when he received the word
that he'd been chosen. In fact, he said he still harbored a bit
of skepticism about the whole thing until he heard Dana White
officially announce it to the world
The
change forced Aldo to change parts of his training, going from
the smooth and creative Pettis to the aggressive but evolving
Sung, but this fight, he had no reservations about. This time,
he saw a deserving adversary.
"I
think he’s fought his way through. He deserves to be there,
and he’s shown he deserves to be the contender," he
said. "Everyone wants to fight for the title but right now
he deserves it."
The
fight could serve as a boon to Korean MMA. Jung said there has
been a strong response from both the mass media and the general
public, growing interest not only in his fight, but in the sport
itself.
But
Aldo is not yet ready to give away his crown, at least not yet.
With Anderson Silva's recent loss, Aldo boasts the second-longest
reign of any current UFC champion, with 1,346 days at the top
since capturing the former WEC belt back in 2009.
Perhaps
one day soon he will tire of the weight cut and vacate the belt,
an unbeaten champion. That's just something he can't say for
sure right now.
"I
can’t try to take too big of a step," he said. "I've
got to focus on next opponent to be able to make a decision.
I respect my opponent and I can’t overlook him."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Benson
Henderson: “I’ve Definitely Been Waiting to Get My
Hands on Pettis Again”
by Ken
Pishna
Benson
Henderson UFC on Fox 7 Pre-478x270UFC lightweight champion Benson
Henderson recently had his UFC 164 fight with TJ Grant derailed,
only to find himself in a rematch with Anthony Pettis, the man
that took his WEC belt.
Henderson
was slated to defend his title against Grant, but the Canadian
fell out of the fight due to an injury.
Stepping
into his place is former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis,
who had given up his slot as the lightweight No. 1 contender
to drop down to 145 pounds and challenge Jose Aldo. Pettis, however,
had to withdraw from the Aug. 3 Aldo fight due to an injury,
but is far enough along in his recovery to be ready for Henderson
on Aug. 31 and steps back into the lightweight championship bout.
Henderson
and Pettis have some history. Henderson had been the WEC lightweight
champion and riding a 10-fight winning streak before he ran into
Pettis at WEC 53, the final event in the promotion’s history
before being merged into the UFC.
Pettis
landed the now infamous Showtime kick, bouncing off of the cage
wall, in that fight en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Henderson
hasn’t lost since, racking up seven consecutive victories
and taking possession of the UFC lightweight championship.
He
always knew that he would one day face Pettis again, but didn’t
expect that day to come so soon.
“At
some point in time, I knew we were gonna dance again. I was gonna
be able to get my hands on Anthony,” Henderson recently
said in an interview on Inside MMA. “Turns out, I’m
gonna get my hands on him a little sooner than I thought.
“Looks
like I got Anthony next. Gonna get my hands on him, after that
it’ll be TJ.”
Always
calm, cool, and collected, Henderson looks forward to fighting
Pettis again, possibly avenging the only blemish on his professional
record since 2007, but it doesn’t define his career.
And,
as champion, it’s not up to him to pick and choose his opponents.
“I’ve
definitely been waiting to get my hands on Pettis again,”
said Henderson. “It’s not for me to say this guy earned
that. You’ve got to earn way to a title shot.
“(But)
I’m excited for it. I go in there and beat guys up.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC's
Jorge Masvidal worried about catching syphilis from Michael Chiesa's
beard
by John
Morgan
jorge-masvidal-10.jpgSEATTLE – UFC lightweight Jorge Masvidal
hasn't had many good things to say about UFC on FOX 8 opponent
Michael Chiesa. Actually, he hasn't anything good to say at all.
"I
really just don't care for him," Masvidal told MMAjunkie.com
(www.mmajunkie.com). "I didn't like his sportsmanship toward
one of my teammates in his last fight. He was kind of a jerk.
I just don't care for him at all.
"I
just think he's a punk, and I'm going to go out there and prove
it."
Masvidal
has been outspoken in his contempt for Chiesa leading up to the
pair's UFC on FOX 8 meeting this Saturday at Seattle's KeyArena.
In a recent interview with MMAjunkie.com Radio, he struggled
to find anything that impressed him about the undefeated winner
of "The Ultimate Fighter 15."
"There's
nothing nowhere that impresses me about him," Masvidal said.
"He's like a watered-down Royce Gracie. I don't see anything
on this guy."
But
at a Thursday media session, he took things a step further, attacking
Chiesa's trademark beard, which Masvidal said he may seek to
have the Washington State Department of Licensing address.
"I'm
going to tell the commission to wrap that thing up," Masvidal
said. "I don't want to get no mat herpes or nothing on my
face. I've been in this game a long time, and I ain't got nothing
on my face. I ain't about catch some syphilis or whatever he's
got going on in that beard, you know?"
For
his part, Chiesa has thus far refused to engage in a trashtalking
battle. The even-keeled 25-year-old admits he's read some of
Masvidal's quotes but isn't interested in bothering with a reply.
"Whatever
pumps him up," Chiesa said. "I'll let my actions speak
for themselves.
"I'm
not a talker. I'm a performer, and I'm going to perform on Saturday
night."
Whether
or not the preliminary-card matchup, which airs on FX in advance
of the FOX-televised main card, has developed into a full-fledged
grudge match remains to be seen. Whether or not Chiesa's beard
will become an actual point of contention also remains a mystery,
as an official complaint has yet to be filed with the governing
commission.
But
one thing is crystal clear: Masvidal is not a Chiesa fan, and
it appears nothing is off-limits.
"It's
not like I'm going to see him in the street and fight him or
nothing like that," Masvidal said. "It's not like he
owes me money. I just don't like the dude. I really don't care
for him at all.
"As
long as he keeps that beard out of my face, we'll be cool."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
UFC
166 Fight Card Grows with Addition of Sotiropoulos vs. Noons
and Gonzaga vs. Jordan
UFC
LogoThe UFC 166 fight card slated for Oct. 19 in Houston continues
to grow by the hour.
The
latest additions are George Sotiropoulos vs. KJ Noons in the
lightweight bout, and a heavyweight bout pitting Gabriel Gonzaga
against Shawn Jordan.
The
Age first reported the Sotiropoulos vs. Noons fight, while Gonzaga
vs. Jordan was reported by The Advocate. UFC officials later
confirmed both bouts.
Sotiropoulos
(14-5) enters the fight with Noons in desperate need of a victory,
having lost three consecutive bouts. Noons (11-7) also steps
into this one looking for some rays of sunshine. Like Sotiropoulos,
he has lost three straight, including his UFC debut in May.
Gonzaga
(15-7) is in the midst of his second UFC tour, having won three
of his four bouts since returning at UFC 142 in January of last
year. Jordan (15-4) is also in the midst of a 3-1 run in the
Octagon, including a victory over Pat Barry at UFC 161.
UFC
heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez puts his belt on the line
against Juior dos Santos in the UFC 166 main event.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Paul
Daley, Maiquel Falcao released by Bellator MMA
by Steven
Marrocco
paul-daley-18.jpgPaul Daley and Maiquel Falcao are no longer
under contract with Bellator.
Today,
the promotion suddenly announced a decision to release the welterweight
and middleweight fighters, who've both landed in trouble with
the law after reported assaults.
Bellator
rep Anthony Mazzuca told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that
the promotion will not retain matching rights and the fighters
are free to compete for any other promotion.
"We
examine each situation on a case-by-case basis, and in these
two instances, the violent nature of both situations has led
to our decision to release both fighters from the organization,"
he said.
Mazzuca
cited Falcao's involvement in a brawl in his native Brazil and
Daley's conviction on a charge of assaulting and obstructing
a police officer, which contradicts public statements given by
the fighter about the incident this past December in the United
Kingdom.
Daley
manager Wad Alameddine said he received word earlier today that
Daley had been cut, but was unable to reach his client.
"I'm
definitely disappointed," he said.
In
June, Daley told Bleacher Report that the case had been thrown
out for "lack of evidence and contradicting witness accounts."
Alameddine,
however, confirmed that the welterweight had, in fact, been convicted
of assault and fined for the charge. He said the conviction was
noted on a police certificate that recently was forwarded to
Bellator, after which communication dropped off.
He
also said Daley recently gave hints that he might leave Bellator
after recent one-to-one communications with the promotion's officials.
"I
would assume that they've taken it to their immigration team,
and their immigration team has probably advised them it's unlikely
he'll get a visa, and the result is they've released him,"
Alameddine said.
MMAjunkie.com
was unable to reach Falcao, who was also cut from his MMA team,
Renovacao Fight Team in Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
which resides near the scene of the brawl in which he and a teammate
were involved.
Falcao
and Kaue Mena were at a gas station when Falcao allegedly slapped
a woman and a group of men assaulted them in retaliation. Surveillance
footage of the incident, which was obtained by a local TV station,
showed Mena beaten by several men after being struck by a wooden
beam. He lapsed into a coma and was later placed in intensive
care. (His latest condition could not be verified at the time
of this writing.)
Falcao
(31-5 MMA, 3-1 BFC) won Bellator's Season 6 middleweight tournament
before being knocked out by Alexander Shlemenko in February in
a battle for the promotion's then-vacant title. He has not commented
publicly on the incident, which reportedly is being investigated
by Brazilian authorities.
Daley
(33–12–2), meanwhile, fought just this past weekend
at Cage Warriors 57, where he won a first-round TKO over Lukasz
Chlewicki. Prior to his legal woes, which scratched him from
Bellator's Season 8 tournament, he fought once in the Bellator
cage, where he delivered a first-round knockout of Rudy Bears.
Asked
whether Team Daley has a plan moving forward, Alameddine said,
"No, in short.
"This
is all very much fresh. The only thing that Paul does have on
his side is that he is a very exciting, entertaining mixed martial
artist, and people will always want to see him, wherever he goes.
Whether relies on that a bit too much for my liking is one thing,
but wherever he goes, he'll keep doing what he's doing, and keep
knocking people out."
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Sotiropoulos
vs. Noons, Jordan vs. Gonzaga added to UFC 166 fight card
The
UFC 166 fight card is quickly taking shape.
A
lightweight contest between George Sotiropoulos and K.J. Noons,
and a heavyweight clash between Shawn Jordan and Gabriel Gonzaga,
have been added to UFC 166 on Oct. 19 in Houston.
Sotiropoulos
is on a three-fight skid and hasn't fought since Dec. 15, 2012
when he was knocked out in the third round by Ross Pearson. Noons
has also lost three fights in a row, and five of his last six.
He lost via unanimous decision to Donald Cerrone at UFC 160.
Jordan
has won three of his past four fights, including a first-round
knockout of Pat Barry at UFC 161. Gonzaga has won four of his
past five fights, including a first-round knockout of Dave Herman
at UFC 162 in 17 seconds.
Cain
Velasquez will defend his heavyweight title against Junior dos
Santos in the main event.
The
UFC 166 fight card currently looks like this below:
Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos
Daniel Cormier vs. Roy Nelson
Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shawn Jordan
Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Boetsch
Nate Marquardt vs. Hector Lombard
George Sotiropoulos vs. K.J. Noons
Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Chris
Weidman’s Trainer Ray Longo Worried for Anderson Silva Due
to Age, KO
Anderson
Silva will get a chance to avenge his knockout loss to Chris
Weidman when they meet again Dec. 28 at UFC 168.
However,
Ray Longo, Weidman’s striking coach, isn’t so sure
the 38-year-old Brazilian should have pursued the rematch so
soon.
“In
boxing, it’s very rare, and these are young guys, like 23-year-old
guys [who are] 30-0, if they get knocked out, they’re never
the same,” Longo told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown”
show. “This is a 40-year-old man, 39, whatever he is, just
got his head bounced off the [canvas]. I mean, even going to
the doctor, what doctor is going to recommend, ‘Let’s
just jump back in there in a couple of months’?”
Silva
entered the bout undefeated in the UFC and widely recognized
as the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Weidman clocked
him with a left hook, though, and finished him with punches on
the ground 2:18 into the second round of their middleweight title
fight.
“I’m
actually worried about the guy,” said Longo when discussing
the rematch. “That’s my gut feeling. … That was
a pretty bad knockout. That wasn’t like a flash knockdown.
He got hurt. He’s not a young kid.”
Longo
compared the former middleweight champion to a boxer he has long
wanted to fight: Roy Jones Jr.
“Never
the same after he got knocked out,” Longo said of Jones.
“He was probably about mid-30s, 33, 34, never was the same
fighter, Roy Jones. He ended up getting knocked out again. I
think if you go back and look at what data you have on that stuff,
you’ll change your mind on what’s going to happen [in
the rematch].”
In
Longo’s view, Silva won’t be getting any better, but
the 29-year-old Weidman will continue to improve for years. Plus,
said Longo, there’s the fact that Weidman has already beaten
Silva.
“We’re
going to obviously not let [Weidman] get overconfident with that,
but I think that’s a huge edge,” Longo said. “You
knocked the guy out and you’re a wrestler? I think that’s
pretty good. I could easily see the fight going this way: Chris
puts him down, doesn’t go for the leg lock. He doesn’t
go for the kneebar. He just grinds the crap out of him down there.
The guy’s not getting back up.”
Despite
Weidman’s success on the feet against Silva in their first
bout, Longo suggested they’ll form a new game plan for the
rematch. He believes Silva’s best chance to win the fight
is standing and that Weidman simply has more options.
“From
a statistical standpoint, the smart money’s on [Weidman
taking Silva] down and doing what you do best, but he’s
proven that he doesn’t have to do that and he can stay in
the pocket a little more if he wants,” Longo said. “He’s
not flustered by the guy, and I think it’s going to make
the takedowns that much easier in the second fight.”
For
that reason and more, Longo is confident Weidman will prevail
again Dec. 28. He’s less confident Silva should be trying
to bounce back five months after getting knocked out.
“If
he can come back from that, I’ll be in shock,” Longo
said. “I’m not even kidding. It’s not like the
guy’s 25 years old. You’ve seen it in boxing over and
over again.”
Source: Sherdog
|
One
FC: Kojima vs. Leone Gets Three More Bouts for September 13 Event
in Jakarta
One
Fighting Championship presents One FC: Kojima vs. Leone live
on September 13 from Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia
One
FC Kojima vs Leone PosterONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) returns
to Indonesia on Friday, Sept. 13, with three additional bouts
added to the event. Pakistani MMA pioneer Bashir Ahmad is set
to clash with No-gi World Champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black
belt Bruno Pucci. Also, Dutch-Indonesian mixed martial artist
Vincent Latoel will make his ONE FC debut opposite Dutch veteran
Willy Ni in a Lightweight contest. Indonesian grappling champion
Brianata Rosadhi has also stepped in to face Malaysia’s
Raymond Tan in a contest set to reignite the rivalry between
both countries.
CEO
of ONE Fighting Championship Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC
will be back in Jakarta on 13 September with a fight card that
is sure to get the adrenaline pumping for the passionate Indonesian
fight fans. Bruno Pucci and Bashir Ahmad are two of the most
electrifying Featherweights in Asia and their encounter will
deliver non-stop action. Indonesian standouts Vincent Latotel
and Brianata Rosadhi are exciting fighters who always come ready
to put on a show and I’m sure they will be looking to give
the home fans something to cheer about. Thousands of fans in
attendance and the millions watching live around the world are
set for another evening of world-class MMA featuring the best
in Asia.”
Tickets
for ONE FC: KOJIMA VS LEONE are on sale now at Kiostix (www.kiostix.com).
Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cage-side
experience for VVIPs at IDR 2,500,000. Tickets priced at IDR
1,500,000, IDR 750,000, IDR 500,000, and IDR 250,000 are also
available. All applicable service charges apply.
Fans
in Asia can catch all the action live on STAR Sports. Check your
local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness
the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv.
The first four undercard fights are available for viewing free-of-charge
and the main card fights will be available for purchase at just
US$9.99.
Bashir
Ahmad is credited as being the pioneer of MMA in Pakistan. He
is undefeated in his professional MMA career, with his last win
coming in an exhilarating back-and-forth slugfest against Thai
fighter Shannon Wiratchai at ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS that
saw Ahmad get his hands raised at the end of three rounds. Always
ready to stand and strike, he will look to keep the fight standing
against a grappling specialist like Bruno Pucci.
Bruno
Pucci is a two-time grappling No-Gi World Champion and a Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Since transitioning to mixed martial arts,
he is currently undefeated with two impressive submission victories
against established Brazilian opponents. He now trains out of
the prestigious Evolve MMA gym alongside Muay Thai, Boxing and
BJJ world champions and is looking to make his mark in the competitive
Asian MMA scene.
Vincent
Latoel is a Dutch-Indonesian kickboxer that hails from the famed
Golden Glory gym. He is a veteran with more than 30 fights on
his record and will look to make his mark in Asia for the first
time. With roots in the Indonesian state of Moluccas, Latoel
will look to give the 15,000 Indonesian fans in attendance something
to cheer about with a victory.
Willy
Ni is a Shooto veteran from the Netherlands. He has faced some
of the best Lightweights in Europe, including British slugger
Dan Hardy. He is especially proficient with his grappling skills,
having finished nine of his opponents by submission. Having been
out of action for four years, he is relishing the opportunity
to get back into competition and will be looking to notch another
win over an experienced opponent.
Brianata
Rosadhi will step in to replace the injured Stefer Rahardian,
who had to withdraw from the planned bout against Raymond Tan.
Rosadhi is a Wushu champion who has also impressed in the grappling
circuit. With a diverse arsenal of skills, Rosadhi is relishing
the opportunity and will be looking to use his versatility to
catapult him to a victory. Bragging rights will be at stake as
he takes on Raymond Tan from Malaysia. Indonesia and Malaysia
have a storied sporting rivalry that will be reignited in this
contest.
Raymond
Tan is a founding member of Penang Top Team and ranked as one
of the best Bantamweights in Malaysia. He initially began training
in Taekwondo before he moved into mixed martial arts as he grew
older. He will be looking to use his long reach to devastating
effect with crisp striking and signature kicks when he faces
Brianata Rosadhi on 13 September in Jakarta.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Cub
Swanson Wants a Title Shot, but Isn’t Going to Wait for
One
by Jeff
Cain
UFC featherweight contender Cub Swanson wants a title shot against
champion Jose Aldo, but isn’t going to sit around and wait
for it to happen.
Riding
a five-fight winning streak and finishing four of his last five
opponents, Swanson has positioned himself on a short list of
names at the top of the 145-pound division.
Aldo
is scheduled to face Chan Sung Jung, “The Korean Zombie,”
on August 3 at UFC 163 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and if Swanson
has to take another fight before getting a crack at the title,
he has some names in mind.
“Well,
if they are going to give someone else Aldo then that’s
way too long for me to wait. I’m in prime position right
now. I’m doing well. There’s no sense in me waiting,
but I do want that fight and if I have to fight one more time
then I would like the Ricardo Lamas fight or the Frankie Edgar
fight,” Swanson told MMAWeekly.com content partner Knockout
Radio.
“There’s
also Chad Mendes, but he’s got to get through my teammate,
Clay Guida, first,” he added. “So my first choice would
be Aldo. I don’t think The Korean Zombie is going to beat
him and so then after that it would either be Lamas or Edgar.
They’d be my next choices.”
Taking
another fight in the talent-rich 145-pound division is risky,
but it’s a risk Swanson is willing to take.
“I’ve
thought about that and I just think that if I did, for some reason,
lose because the talent is so high, I wouldn’t get down
on myself. I would just make the adjustments and try to get right
back on a win streak because at this point of my career and in
my life, I’m having so much fun fighting and I just like
to get out there and do it,” he said.
“The
way I think about it nowadays, I put so much work into my camps
and so many hours. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, man.
And I’ve put in so many hours that people don’t see
me training, so that 15 minutes in the cage or so, that’s
my opportunity to showcase everything that I’ve been working
and shine. So I get super excited to be able to be in that opportunity
to be on a stage like that to do it and that makes me happy,”
added the 29-year-old Californian.
Swanson is one of the most exciting fighters in the featherweight
division. In his UFC tenure, he’s accumulated two Knockout
of the Night bonuses and one Fight of the Night honor. That does
not include his three Fight of the Night awards while competing
in the WEC.
“Here
is something that I actually brag about where a lot of people
wouldn’t. Even my losses have all been Submission of the
Night, Knockout of the Night, which I take pride in because I
refuse to be in a boring fight. Either I’m going to win
big or I’m going to lose big. And I want the fans to know
that I come to fight and I’m not trying to be boring,”
said Swanson. “I’m trying to have fun. I’m trying
to put on a show.”
Swanson
would like a little time off to heal up from some minor injuries,
but plans to be back in action before the end of the year.
“Probably
sometime later this year just because I’d like to heal up
a little bit. You get these little knick-knack injuries through
training camps and I like to do long training camps. I like to
do usually 12-14 weeks gradually getting better and better. So
I want some time to prepare because I know it will be a big fight
whoever it is and I want to be ready and want to be healed up
and want to do one more this year,” he said.
Whether
his next fight is a title shot or a top contender’s bout,
Swanson is ready to put on another show.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
162 FALLOUT: ANDERSON SILVA’S LOSS ELICITS STRONG REACTIONS
IN BRAZIL
BY MARCELO
ALONSO
Anderson Silva’s knockout loss to Chris Weidman at UFC 162
hit new mixed martial arts fans in Brazil like an atomic bomb.
The
so-called Globo generation, which began following the UFC when
Brazil’s biggest TV network purchased broadcast rights to
the promotion, is having a hard time accepting what happened
to the pound-for-pound king. Discussion of Silva’s demise
has been rampant in the South American nation -- never in the
history of Brazilian MMA has a subject prompted more mainstream
debate.
On
Sunday, Rede Globo’s two most important news programs, “Esporte
Espetacular” and “Fantastico,” both dedicated
extensive coverage to the fallout from UFC 162, including interviews
with Silva and many other fighters attempting to clarify to the
Brazilian people what really happened.
“Nobody
likes to lose,” Silva told “Fantastico” from his
academy in Los Angeles.”I trained four months to win, [and]
I lost in the worst way. I have never lost by knockout, and of
course it will be marked on my history. After everything passed,
I felt that I needed to answer many questions to myself. I don’t
want to take anything from Chris Weidman, but I lost to myself,
and that’s the worst loss that can happen.” Silva also
commented on the attitude of the fans.
“I
respect a lot of what the fans have to say, but I don’t
fight only for the fans – [I fight] because I love this
sport,” he said.
Clearly
upset with rumors that he had thrown the fight, Silva added:
“I would never do that out of respect to the fans, to the
sport and also to Brazil.”
Later,
Silva addressed criticisms leveled by middleweight contender
Vitor Belfort, who took to Twitter to accuse his countryman of
disrespecting his opponent.
“If
it were Muhammad Ali saying that I was not humble, then I [might
think about it],” Silva said. “But I can say there
was no lack of respect. I respect all opponents. I think provocations
are part of the game, part of the show. If it had worked, people
would think it was awesome.”
At
the end of the interview, Silva reviewed the loss to Weidman
with a Globo reporter before promising vengeance in their Dec.
28 rematch.
“If
I had taken one step back I would not have been hit,” he
reflected.
Earlier
that day, Brazilian fighters Demian Maia, Renzo Gracie, Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira and Rafael Cavalcante appeared on “Esporte
Espetacular” to offer their thoughts on what happened in
the middleweight championship bout.
Maia
didn’t think that Silva disrespected Weidman: “In my
opinion, he lost his concentration because of the excess of jokes,”
he said. Meanwhile, Silva’s antics surprised Gracie, who
was well aware of the Serra-Longo Fight Team product’s toughness
and reach.
Nogueira
recalled a post-fight meeting with the fallen Silva shortly after
the bout’s conclusion.
“He
called everybody in the room, we held hands and prayed together,”
Nogueira said. “It was a pretty moving moment.”
Cavalcante,
a training partner of Silva’s, denied that the former champion
had sold his title.
“How
will someone selling a fight fall unconscious on the ground like
that?” Cavalante said. “I know him very well. He doesn’t
like to lose -- not even in video games. If the [rematch] were
today, he would fight much more aggressively. This fight would
finish by knockout.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Anderson
Silva plots revenge, defies 'clowning' critics: 'It should continue,
it's part of the show'
By Mike
Chiappetta
It took just days for Anderson Silva to change his mind. His
legacy as a champion was not over. His immediate rejection of
a rematch would not stick. He wanted a sequel with Chris Weidman,
and there was no reason to wait.
So
on Saturday, exactly one week after "the Spider" got
caught in Weidman's web, the Brazilian legend signed a bout agreement
for UFC 168 on Dec. 28. He is favored to win the rematch, at
least according to oddsmakers, but most think he will need to
fight more conservatively, to tone down his antics of bobbing,
weaving and taunting. After all, it was in the immediate seconds
after pretending he had been wobbled when Weidman stepped in
and landed the game-changer.
But
Silva? He doesn't want to hear any talk that he's gone too far.
"If
Muhammad Ali came up saying I wasn’t humble, then I’d
think if I was humble or not," he said in a Sunday interview
on Brazil's Globo TV. "There was no lack of respect. I respect
everybody. All the provocation, hands down... It should continue,
it’s part of the show"
Still,
he acknowledges that he made mistakes.
His
longtime coach Cesario Bezerra, speaking in a separate interview
with Globo, alluded to issues with focus that dated back to his
time in training camp.
"He
regrets it, lost his focus," Bezerra said. "He apologized,
but it’s done. The important [thing] is that he has a chance
to do it all over again. We lost three months. Anderson is complicated,
there are too many things around him. We recently had a problem
in the gym and I told him: ‘Anderson, your job is with the
hands, legs. Don’t listen to those people, you’re not
a Hollywood star. Don’t forget where you come from, things
you’ve been through. You’re the UFC champion. You’re
the star inside there, but here you need to be a simple man.
That good and humble man. I don’t understand what’s
happening to you.' I’m one of his oldest coaches here in
Rio, so he listens to me. He answered me: ‘Do you think
so, master?’ And I said: ‘Of course. It wasn’t
nice. I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re
letting success come to your head, losing humility.' He got upset
when I said that, but he later recognized."
Bezerra
said even in Silva's corner on fight night, his team tried to
wake him up, "scolding" him on one occasion, but there
was a sense that Silva knew exactly what he was doing, and that
he would emerge victorious as he always had.
After
he lost, though, he admitted that he struggled, and that he couldn't
hit Weidman. At least part of the problem, in Bezerra's mind,
is too many cooks in the kitchen; as many as 40 coaches for various
things. That means too much information and not enough focus.
But he said, that is how Silva likes it.
"Nobody
likes to lose," Silva said. "I train four months to
win. But you end [up] learning with your mistakes, and I learned
the worst way possible. After everything that happened, we calm
down and I realized I had something to question, even question
Anderson Silva. I lost to myself, and that’s the worst loss.
Losing by knockout shakes you, [it] will be in history, but will
leave a lesson."
Silva
also seemed annoyed by rumors of a fix, saying no true fan would
ever suggest such a thing given his respect for the sport's fans
and for Brazil. In December, he plans to show the win was just
a harsh lesson. One day, the 38-year-old "Spider" will
fight no more. But for now, he has designs on proving he is still
the best.
Bezerra
certainly thinks he'll prove that, guaranteeing "100 percent"
that Silva will get the belt back, and that if his charge fights
seriously, he'll finish Weidman inside of two rounds.
"Everybody
has to retire, but it’s not my time yet," Silva said.
"I’ll get a rematch. Chris gave me this opportunity
and we’re fighting again. That’s another chance to
overcome, reinvent myself as a person and athlete."
[Editor's
note: Brazilian journalist Guilherme Cruz contributed the translations
for this report.]
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
on FOX 8 weigh-ins set for July 26 in Seattle, Benavidez hosts
Q&A
Official
fighter weigh-ins for "UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Moraga"
are slated for July 26 at KeyArena in Seattle.
The
same venue then hosts the following night's event, which features
a flyweight title fight between champion Demetrious Johnson (17-2-1
MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) and challenger John Moraga (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).
Also on the card, welterweight contenders Rory MacDonald (14-1
MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Jake Ellenberger (29-6 MMA, 8-2 UFC) meet in
the co-main event.
The
first fighter steps on the scale at 4 p.m. PT local time, and
doors open to the public at 3 p.m. The weigh-ins are free and
open to the public.
Prior
to the weigh-ins, UFC Fight Club members are invited to a Q&A
session with top flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez, who fought
Johnson for the UFC's inaugural 125-pound belt, losing a close
split decision. Benavidez has since won two straight with a decision
win over Ian McCall and a second-round TKO of Darren Uyenoyama
this past April at UFC on FOX 7.
Doors
for the Q&A open to Fight Club members at 1 p.m. PT with
the Q&A taking place at 2 p.m.
The
latest UFC on FOX 8 card includes:
MAIN
CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)
Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga - for UFC flyweight title
Jake Ellenberger vs. Rory MacDonald
Robbie Lawler vs. Bobby Voelker
Jessica Andrade vs. Liz Carmouche
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)
Michael Chiesa vs. Jorge Masvidal
Danny Castillo vs. Tim Means
Mac Danzig vs. Melvin Guillard
Yves Edwards vs. Spencer Fisher
Ed Herman vs. Trevor Smith
Germaine de Randamie vs. Julie Kedzie
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4 p.m. ET)
Aaron Riley vs. Justin Salas
John Albert vs. Yaotzin Meza
Source: MMA Junkie
|
A
perfect example of Sacramento politics and the California State
Athletic Commission
By Zach
Arnold
Yesterday, Governor Jerry Brown’s office made a last-minute
announcement regarding a new appointee to the California State
Athletic Commission. The 7-member board had just gotten filled
up with new members. Here is a look at the terms of each member:
John Frierson (Chairman) – appointed on August 18th, 2008
and expires on 1/1/2015. His appointment is via Assembly Speaker.
Van Buren Ross Lemons – appointed on October 15th, 2009
and expires on 1/1/2015. His appointment is via the Senate Rules
Committee.
Martha Shen-Urquidez – appointed on March 28th, 2013 and
expires on 1/1/2017. Her appointment is via the Governor.
Mary Lehman – appointed on March 28th, 2013 and expires
on 1/1/2017. Her appointment is via the Governor.
Christopher Giza – appointed on April 13th, 2007 and expires
on 1/1/2015. His appointment is via the Governor.
James Carvelli – appointed on May 1st, 2013 and term expires
on 1/1/2014. His appointment is via the Governor.
Dean Grafilo – appointed on June 25th, 2012 and term expires
on 1/1/2014. His appointment is via the Governor.
As we have previously outlined, the appointment of Carvelli was
fascinating on a political level. He’s a big-time health
care lobbyist in the Capitol who has ponied up a lot of cash
to both Republican and Democratic politicians. He’s had
to deal a lot with Darrell Steinberg, the Godfather of the state
Senate. Steinberg and company have used an invisible hand, both
behind the scenes and through the Department of Consumer Affairs,
to really screw around with the lowly California State Athletic
Commission. Carvelli’s appointment was pure politics.
Dean Grafilo is another shining example of California politics
at work with CSAC. Grafilo was a representative of the local
SEIU in Sacramento, a former chief of staff to Assemblyman Warren
Furutani, a legislative aide to Assemblyman Alberto Torrico,
and the associate government relations director for the California
Medical Association. In other words, there’s nothing in
Grafilo’s background that suggested he had a role on CSAC’s
board and yet he got appointed. Why? Because Grafilo was appointed
the day before DCA & CADEM tried to oust George Dodd at a
public meeting in El Monte, California. Grafilo was sent to El
Monte to essentially be a go’fer, a hatchet man to tell
the other board members to fire George Dodd. When that didn’t
happen, Grafilo stayed busy in other various political projects.
The culmination of this has now led Grafilo to become the chief
of staff for Assemblyman Rob Bonta, an Oakland Democrat.
It’s men like Grafilo, political lifers, who have been sent
to control to influence the Athletic Commission. It’s these
kinds of politics that have created a non-stop chaotic atmosphere
for CSAC meetings. When there is constant turnover and political
meddling by the most powerful forces in Sacramento, it’s
impossible to maintain stability.
And rather than helping new Executive Officer Andy Foster out
with additional staff members in the front office or even giving
the man a FAX line, the front office has to deal with political
sharks all the time. The political shark he now has to deal with
in place of Dean Grafilo is a mover-and-shaker in California
politics.
The Governor’s Office dropped this surprise yesterday:
Leslie Lohse, 58, of Glenn, has been appointed to the California
State Athletic Commission. Lohse has been chairwoman of the California
Tribal Business Alliance since 2004 and tribal council treasurer
and assistant administrator for the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki
Indians since 1998. She is a member of the Rolling Hills Clinic
Board of Directors and member of Tehama County, Girls Inc. Lohse
was chair of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Central California
Agency Policy Committee, vice president at the National Congress
of American Indians, board member of Northern Valley Indian Health,
member of the Bay Delta Public Advisory Committee and served
on the National Indian Health Services Budget Committee. This
position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is
$100 per diem. Lohse is a Republican.
The
California Tribal Business Alliance is a 501(c)(3) charitable
organization.
If you’re a sports fan, the last name looks familiar to
you. That’s because she is the mother of veteran baseball
pitcher Kyle Lohse, who’s a very wealthy man to say the
least.
Lohse views herself as a player in California’s Indian gaming
scene. Lohse and the CTBA are opposed to New Jersey’s new
online gambling bill. She’s opposed to online gambling in
general and does not believe that tribes should be building casinos
off their native soil like some tribes are currently doing. Her
politics also put her in an interesting position compared to
the Fertittas, who manage several tribal casinos in California
and have a ton of lobbyists in the state. It’s the Fertittas
who are now pushing their Ultimate Poker site in Nevada and online
gambling is becoming a red hot issue in California because the
bigger tribes want to get in on the action. Read this Press-Enterprise
article about Lohse getting into a feud with scandal-plagued
Democrat Rod Wheeler of Inglewood.
Here’s a bio snapshot of Lohse from her tax-exempt group:
Leslie Lohse has served as Tribal Council Treasurer of the Paskenta
Band of Nomlaki Indians of California since 1998. Over this period,
she participated in putting together the Paskenta Band’s
purchase of over 2,000 acres in Tehama County, the tribe’s
aboriginal territory. She was instrumental in getting this land
federal government trust status and then completing the construction
of a 70,000 square-foot casino that includes three restaurants.
Her tribe has successfully negotiated leasing transactions with
private investors that have brought two new hotels and a private
hunting club to the tribal lands. In the October 2007 the John
Daly signature 18-hole, links style championship course was opened
to the public.
Leslie
has chaired and sat on numerous committees over the years (US
Bureau of Indian Affairs Central California Agency Policy Committee,
National Tribal Budget Advisory Committee, Pacific Region Representative;
Chairperson; National Congress of American Indians Executive
Committee, Vice-President; National Caucus of Native American
State Legislators, Tribal Representative; CALFED Bay Delta Advisory
Committee, Member; CALFED Environmental Justice Subcommittee,
Co-Chairperson; and, California Film Commission, Member) and
currently serves on the California Native American Heritage Commission,
California International Relations Foundation, and Tehama County
Girls, Inc..
Under
the careful guidance of the Paskenta Tribal Council, the tribe
has been able to secure a Small Business Administration 8A Corporation
certification. This has enabled the tribe to broaden its economic
development portfolio and secure greater job opportunities for
the tribal members. The Tribe has also invested in a renewable
energy business, which has teamed with a renowned waste management
company, to address the need and desire for green energy and
improved waste management practices.
At
a tribal forum, held in January 2004, on “Threats To Sovereignty”
Leslie spoke of “tribal complacency” and tribes allowing
themselves “to be defined by what we do instead of who we
are” as contributing factors to the diminishing recognition
and understanding of sovereignty. On July 13, 2004, Leslie testified
before the US House of Representatives Committee on Resources
about her tribe’s concerns with “reservation shopping”
and how the practice of such would be an additional attack on
sovereignty. At a follow-up field hearing held in Sacramento,
California on June 6, 2005, Leslie reiterated her tribe’s
concerns. Off-reservation gaming continues to be a concern for
Leslie because history has shown that when tribes are either
“in the way” or “not it the right place,”
they can be mislead or forced to enter areas that can lead to
their own and other tribes’ diminished sovereignty.
Understanding
the need to work cooperatively, Leslie’s tribe continues
to commit funding to meet the needs of the Tehama County government
and citizens. Over the past 6 years, the tribe has provided $1.5
million to the County’s general fund, $300,000 to the District
Attorney’s Office and $300,000 to the Sheriff’s office.
Along with this funding, the tribe has contributed safety equipment
to local and state agencies, helped fund local women’s and
children’s programs and continues to support many of the
local schools and numerous charity groups. Leslie and the other
council members know that outreach and cooperation are the keys
to a respectful and positive relationship between tribal governments
and local and state governments.
These
are the kinds of individuals who are now involved in making decision
of behalf of the state Assembly the state Senate the Department
of Consumer Affairs the Athletic Commissions at meetings. What
kinds of decisions? Decisions like what to do about youth Pankration.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
MMA
Top 10 Rankings:
Cris Cyborg Reclaims Top Spot From Ronda Rousey
The
updated MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings were released on Monday,
July 15. This system ranks the Top 10 MMA fighters from across
the world in each of the seven most widely accepted men’s
weight classes and the Top 10 pound-for-pound women fighters.
Taken
into consideration are a fighter’s performance in addition
to win-loss record, head-to-head and common opponents, difficulty
of opponents, and numerous other factors in what is the most
comprehensive rankings system in the sport.
Fighters
who are currently serving drug-related suspensions are not eligible
for Top 10 consideration until they have fought one time after
the completion of their suspension.
Fighters
must also have competed within the past 12 months in order to
be eligible for Top 10 consideration unless they have a bout
scheduled within a reasonable time frame.
Notes:
Dominick Cruz is ineligible for consideration because he hasn’t
fought in more than a year. Pat Healy is ineligible for consideration
because he is currently serving a drug-related suspension.
(Fighter’s
previous ranking is in parenthesis.)
Below
are the current MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings:
WOMEN’S
POUND-FOR-POUND (all weight classes)
1. Cris Cyborg Justino (2)
2. Ronda Rousey (1)
3. Cat Zingano (3)
4. Sarah Kaufman (4)
5. Miesha Tate (5)
6. Jessica Aguilar (6)
7. Megumi Fujii (7)
8. Sara McMann (9)
9. Alexis Davis (10)
10. Carla Esparza (n/a)
HEAVYWEIGHT
DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
1. Cain Velasquez (1)
2. Junior dos Santos (2)
3. Daniel Cormier (3)
4. Fabricio Werdum (4)
5. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (5)
6. Alistair Overeem (6)
7. Frank Mir (7)
8. Josh Barnett (8)
9. Mark Hunt (9)
10. Stipe Miocic (10)
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
1. Jon Jones (1)
2. Lyoto Machida (2)
3. Alexander Gustafsson (3)
4. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (4)
5. Glover Teixeira (5)
6. Rashad Evans (6)
7. Dan Henderson (7)
8. Phil Davis (8)
9. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (9)
10. Ryan Bader (10)
MIDDLEWEIGHT
DIVISION (185-pound limit)
1. Chris Weidman (1)
2. Anderson Silva (2)
3. Vitor Belfort (3)
4. Michael Bisping (4)
5. Mark Munoz (5)
6. Costa Philippou (6)
7. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (7)
8. Yushin Okami (8)
9. Luke Rockhold (9)
10. Tim Kennedy (10)
WELTERWEIGHT
DIVISION (170-pound limit)
1. Georges St-Pierre (1)
2. Johny Hendricks (2)
3. Carlos Condit (3)
4. Martin Kampmann (4)
5. Jake Ellenberger (5)
6. Rory MacDonald (6)
7. Demian Maia (7)
8. Robbie Lawler (8)
9. Nick Diaz (9)
10. Erick Silva (10)
LIGHTWEIGHT
DIVISION (155-pound limit)
1. Benson Henderson (1)
2. Gilbert Melendez (2)
3. Anthony Pettis (3)
4. TJ Grant (4)
5. Gray Maynard (5)
6. Michael Chandler (6)
7. Eddie Alvarez (7)
8. Josh Thomson (8)
9. Nate Diaz (9)
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov (10)
FEATHERWEIGHT
DIVISION (145 pound-limit)
1. Jose Aldo (1)
2. Chad Mendes (2)
3. Ricardo Lamas (3)
4. Cub Swanson (4)
5. Pat Curran (5)
6. Frankie Edgar (6)
7. Chan Sung Jung (7)
8. Dustin Poirier (8)
9. Erik Koch (9)
10. Nik Lentz (10)
BANTAMWEIGHT
DIVISION (135 pounds or less)
1. Renan Barão (1)
2. Urijah Faber (2)
3. Michael McDonald (3)
4. Eddie Wineland (4)
5. Bibiano Fernandes (5)
6. Raphael Assuncao (6)
7. Brad Pickett (7)
8. Erik Perez (8)
9. TJ Dillashaw (9)
10. Mike Easton (10)
FLYWEIGHT
DIVISION (125 pounds or less)
1. Demetrious Johnson (1)
2. Joseph Benavidez (2)
3. John Dodson (3)
4. John Moraga (4)
5. Ian McCall (5)
6. Jussier da Silva (6)
7. Darrell Montague (7)
8. Louis Gaudinot (8)
9. John Lineker (9)
10. Tim Elliott (10)
Source: MMA Weekly
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UFC’s
four big August shows
By Zach
Arnold
Events: UFC 163 (Saturday, August 3rd in Rio at HSBC Arena)
TV: FX/PPV
Light Heavyweights: Robert Drysdale vs. Ednaldo Oliveira
Welterweights: Viscardi Andrade Guimaraes vs. Bristol Marunde
Flyweights: Ian McCall vs. Iliarde Santos
Featherweights: Rani Yahya vs. Josh Clopton
Middleweights: Thales Leites vs. Tom Watson
Welterweights: Sergio Moraes vs. Neil Magny
Ladies (135 pounds): Amanda Nunes vs. Sheila Gaff
Light Heavyweights: Vinny Magalhaes vs. Anthony Perosh
Flyweights: John Lineker vs. Phil Harris
Middleweights: Cezar Ferreira vs. Clint Hester
Welterweights: Demian Maia vs. Josh Koscheck
Light Heavyweights: Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida
UFC Featherweight title match: Jose Aldo vs. The Korean Zombie
Events: UFC on Fox Sports 1 (Saturday, August 17th in Boston
at the Garden)
TV: Fox Sports 1
Lightweights: Ramsey Nijem vs. James Vick
Light Heavyweights: Cody Donovan vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Featherweights: Manny Gamburyan vs. Cole Miller
Featherweights: Diego Brandao vs. Daniel Pineda
Featherweights: Akira Corassani vs. Mike Brown
Featherweights: Conor McGregor vs. Andy Ogle
Bantamweights: Brad Pickett vs. Michael McDonald
Lightweights: Joe Lauzon vs. Michael Johnson
Middleweights: Uriah Hall vs. Nick Ring
Welterweights: Matt Brown vs. Thiago Alves
Bantamweights: Urijah Faber vs. Yuri Alcantara
Heavyweights: Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne
Light Heavyweights: Mauricio Shogun vs. Chael Sonnen
Events: UFC on Fox Sports 1 (Wednesday, August 28th in Indianapolis
at the Fieldhouse)
TV: Fox Sports 1
Featherweights: Darren Elkins vs. Hatsu Hioki
Welterweights: Justin Edwards vs. Brandon Thatch
Welterweights: James Head vs. Bobby Voelker
Middleweights: Brad Tavares vs. Bubba McDaniel
Middleweights: Court McGee vs. Robert Whittaker
Bantamweights: Erik Perez vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Ladies (135 pounds): Sara McMann vs. Sarah Kaufman
Welterweights: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Paulo Thiago
Lightweights: Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Welterweights: Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann
Events: UFC 164 (Saturday, August 31st at the Bradley Center
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
TV: FX/PPV
Flyweights: Louis Gaudinot vs. Tim Elliott
Heavyweights: Soa Palelei vs. Nikita Krylov
Bantamweights: Chico Camus vs. Kyung Ho Kang
Ben Rothwell vs. Brandon Vera
Featherweights: Erik Koch vs. Dustin Poirier
Featherweights: Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida
Heavyweights: Frank Mir vs. Josh Barnett
UFC Lightweight title match: Ben Henderson vs. TJ Grant
Source: Fight Opinion
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T.J.
Grant informs conspiracy theorists he has no guaranteed title
shot upon return
By Mike
Chiappetta
From the moment it was announced that T.J. Grant had withdrawn
from a UFC lightweight championship match against Benson Henderson
and been replaced with Anthony Pettis, the conspiracy theorists
drew conclusions. It just seemed too convenient, they said, that
Grant would pull out due to a concussion, of all things, in favor
of Pettis, a man who has a storied history with Henderson and
deep ties to the UFC 164 host city, Milwaukee.
Grant
himself drew hundreds of new followers on Twitter in the hours
that followed, all eager to let him know what they thought.
"I
think they all got on there just to tweet that I'm a lowlife,"
he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour.
But
Grant said that he suffered a medically documented concussion.
The
incident that caused it occurred in June, when Grant was rolling
jiu-jitsu in practice. There was nothing out of the ordinary
about the session, and as the routine wore on, Grant's training
partner went for a sweep. As he did so, his heel slammed Grant
in the ear.
At
the time, it just seemed like a good, solid impact. But by the
end of their next roll, the No. 1 contender was done. He had
a headache and difficulty concentrating.
He
went home to rest, but the next day, Grant had to travel to Winnipeg
for a UFC appearance, and suffered the same kinds of problems.
He also had problems when he'd look at text messages on his phone
too long, or when sounds were too loud, or had other sensory
overloads.
It
was all so out of the ordinary, and as the days wore on, worrisome,
as his condition didn't improve. He began to ponder the idea
of fighting Henderson without any sparring, just focusing on
stamina.
"I’m
not scared to fight anyone," he said. "If I was healthy
and I knew that I could get in shape, I would’ve [tried
it.]. It’s a little scary. I wanted to kind of make the
best decision for myself."
Grant
also knew there was the chance of a setback in camp, which could
have knocked him out of the fight late and put the UFC in a bad
position. So even when he got a clean MRI result, he knew he
wasn't just right.
By
this point, he had informed the UFC of his issue, but the improvements
weren't coming. It all crystallized in his mind on the weekend
of UFC 162, when he watched Chris Weidman beat Anderson Silva.
Grant watched the match with no sound, and like many fans, got
a little carried away watching the main event. In the aftermath,
he suffered the same troublesome affects he'd felt when he first
had his concussion.
Fighting
Henderson was the opportunity of a lifetime, but it was clear
there was more to consider.
"I
want to do what’s best for me," he said. "I want
to fight for a long time. I want to live a long time. I want
to enjoy my baby girl and all that stuff, so I thought about
it a lot and talked to the UFC doctor and all the doctors here.
The decision was 100 percent mine."
And
so, he pulled out.
To
the conspiracy theorists, Grant would like them to know that
he wouldn't sell out for anything. And besides, he wasn't even
guaranteed a title shot by matchmaker Joe Silva upon withdrawing.
Sure, Grant hopes to fight the winner of Henderson-Pettis, but
the only thing Silva told him is that if he has to take a step
back, it will only be one, minor step; in other words, another
likely title eliminator.
Either
way is fine with him. Of course he would prefer to fight for
the belt, but right now, his health takes precedence. He thinks
November would be about the ideal return date, giving him enough
time to recover and then train. Grant is hoping to start some
light exercise this week and then work slowly into things.
He'd
be fine fighting Josh Thomson, but of course, he'd prefer to
sit back and watch Henderson-Pettis II, take some notes and set
his sights on the future.
"I’m
not rooting for anyone," he said. "Honestly, I don’t
really care. I hope they have a good fight, they beat each other
up good. I hope the winner doesn’t get injured though, because
I want to fight him."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Oscar
nominee Edward James Olmos part of 'extraordinary' film with
UFC's Silva
To
borrow from the Beatles, Edward James Olmos hopes his latest
project can get by with a little help from his friends.
And
right now, those friends include the likes of Anderson Silva,
Frank Shamrock – and the potential for thousands of others.
The
Oscar-nominated actor is part of a new film project called "Monday
Nights at Seven" that stars actor/director Marty Sader in
a love and life story against the backdrop of the MMA world.
But what is unique about the movie in its infancy is that the
team behind it is seeking to have it funded through Kickstarter,
a crowd-funding site that lets supporters contribute financially
in exchange for rewards once the financing goal is hit.
Want
to have a speaking role in "Monday Nights at Seven"?
You can with a contribution of $10,000 toward the film's $500,000
goal. Want Olmos to follow you on Twitter, and get a t-shirt
and some other swag, too? That'll run you $30.
Olmos,
whose acting credits include the longrunning TV series "Miami
Vice" and the film "Stand and Deliver," for which
he received a Best Actor Academy Awards nomination, said Kickstarter
has the potential to change the way smaller films are made –
projects that don't have the backing of major studios, but still
could become significant pieces of work.
"What
an extraordinary contribution to the arts Kickstarter is,"
Olmos recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
"It's a thing where people can give a dollar, $5, $10 and
make this art form come to life. It helps support the arts in
a way we never could have done before. If you had been a part
of giving $10 or $20 to 'Raging Bull' or 'Rocky' or 'Stand and
Deliver,' one of my pictures, you'd say, 'Wow – I was able
to help in the creation of this piece of work.' That becomes
something so special to the people involved.
"Their
participation helped make this a possibility. That's what's happening
here with 'Monday Nights at Seven.' It's been phenomenal. There
are $2.8 million worth of rewards for people to choose from,
and we're looking for $500,000 to get the film done and made."
The
Kickstarter period for "Monday Nights at Seven" lasts
through the end of July. So far, toward a $500,000 goal, the
project has raised just north of $10,000.
But
this won't be just another MMA movie, Olmos said.
Not
only is Sader writing, directing, producing and acting in the
film, should it come to fruition, but he also has been training
in MMA – and will have an actual fight for Resurrection
Fighting Alliance that will be part of the film's climax. As
such, the ending is open until he gets that fight – he might
win, he might lose.
"We're
not trying to use this as a gimmick for the director, a first-time
fighter going into the ring," Olmos said. "It's part
of the dream Marty has had, and he's been training four or five
years and been doing extremely well. The outcome, no one's going
to know. At the end, he's got to go fight. He's going to go into
the ring."
Olmos
will play Sader's father in the film, and he said Silva will
play his trainer and coach. Olmos described the movie as a love
story about a widowed father of an 8-year-old daughter seeking
love again, and perhaps a measure of redemption to not follow
in the dysfunctional footsteps of his father.
"It's
a beautiful love story between a man trying to understand who
is is, and he's a widower trying to raise his daughter,"
Olmos said. "It's the triumph of moving past the obstacles
life has given him. One of the things he's given is the chance
to have love again in his life, and a chance to live his dream
and go into the cage. And he goes into the cage in the end –
and the exciting part is he's going in for real. That's one of
the reasons the studio can't really take a part in it. This guy
really wants to go in and fight."
For
a chance to contribute to the "Monday Nights at Seven"
Kickstarter project, visit MNA7.com. You also can follow the
project's principles on Twitter – Marty Sader, Edward James
Olmos, Anderson Silva and Kickstarter.
Source: MMA Junkie
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