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2013
November
Aloha
State Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
August
Maui
Open Championship
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(tba)
June
State
of Hawaii Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
6/6-9/13
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)
4/13/13
Hawaiian
Open Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
Eddie Bravo Black Belt Seminar
10AM-12PM
$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)
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March
2013 News Part 2
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O2 Martial Arts Academy
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taught by Black Belts Kaleo Hosaka and Chris & Mike Onzuka
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O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
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We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
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Nick
Diaz Reveals He’s Never Paid Taxes; Dana White is Worried
About Him
by Andrew
Potter
Nick
Diaz caused quite a stir during the UFC 158 post-fight press
conference following his unanimous decision loss to welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre in Montreal, revealing that he’s
never paid taxes in his life.
“I
just have to invest a little more money (in training),”
Diaz said when asked what he would do if he does stay in the
UFC instead of retiring as he hinted at. “Now that I have
a little bit more money. I’ve never paid taxes in my life
and I’ll probably go to jail.
“No
one wants to hear about that, no one wants to hear about that
kinda talk or what’s really going on with me. I might as
well just be a kid.”
UFC
president Dana White told the media following the press conference
that he’s concerned about Diaz and his taxes, and that he’d
rather have ninjas after him than the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS).
“At
the end of the day, Nick has been in the sport forever, he wanted
a shot at the title and he got a shot at the title and he got
paid a lot of money for it,” White said. “What’s
sad is, he’s gotta go pay his taxes, that’s going to
be (expletive); that will be sad.
“If
someone doesn’t take care of that kid and get him set straight,
then you know. He came out here publicly tonight and said he’s
never paid taxes in his life. Holy (expletive)! I mean, that’s
bad. Somebody better handle that with his check and make sure
that kid doesn’t end up with nothing.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Sherdog
Remembers: Rise of ‘The Last Emperor’
By Brian
Knapp
Fedor
Emelianenko was not a household name in mixed martial arts circles
before March 16, 2003. He was a 26-year-old heavyweight with
a gaudy record and two Pride Fighting Championships appearances
under his belt. When Emelianenko climbed into the ring to challenge
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for his heavyweight crown at Pride 25
“Body Blow,” those in the know labeled him an underdog.
Nogueira
was thought to be unbeatable by some, as he mixed an unwavering
fighting spirit with superb conditioning, world-class submission
skills and rugged durability. The Brazilian had not tasted defeat
in nearly three years and had recently posted submission wins
over the monstrous Bob Sapp, the 6-foot-11 Semmy Schilt and two-time
Olympian Dan Henderson in one four-month span. What’s more,
Nogueira had never been dominated, having suffered his only setback
in a split verdict to Henderson in February 2000.
Emelianenko
wiped out his aura of invincibility by establishing one of his
own. Over the course of their 20-minute encounter, the stoic
Russian brutalized Nogueira with ground-and-pound, short-circuiting
his potent submission game. By the end of it, the torch had been
passed, a new era had dawned.
The
exceptional Emelianenko never relinquished the Pride championship
and was regarded as the world’s premier heavyweight for
the better part of a decade. Not until his submission defeat
to Fabricio Werdum under the Strikeforce banner nearly seven
years later did “The Last Emperor” release his spell
on the heavyweight division. In his wake lay a vast variety of
victims, including 2006 Pride open weight grand prix winner Mirko
Filipovic, 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland, the 400-pound
Wagner da Conceicao Martins, the 7-foot-2 Hong Man Choi, 2001
K-1 World Grand Prix winner Mark Hunt and four former or future
Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholders: Mark Coleman, Kevin
Randleman, Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. Even now, the shadow
he casts remains immense.
Pride
25 -- which took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan,
on this day 10 years ago -- also featured a quartet of memorable
first-round finishes, as Quinton Jackson wiped out Randleman,
Henderson thumped Shungo Oyama, Antonio Schembri put away Kazushi
Sakuraba and Anderson Silva leveled Carlos Newton. Spurred by
a spectacular flying knee and follow-up punches, the victory
was Silva’s last inside the Pride ring. His next two appearances
within the Japanese promotion resulted in submission defeats
to Daiju Takase and Ryo Chonan. Few could have foreseen Silva
growing into the inexorable force he has become today.
Still,
Pride 25 will go down in the history books as the event in which
Emelianenko began his reign over the heavyweights. No one before
or since has captured the imagination of the masses quite like
the man from Stary Oskol.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Report:
K-1 exec Tanikawa fires back at Sapp following remarks
Fighting
and Entertainment Group president Sadaharu Tanikawa has fired
back at Bob Sapp (11-6-1) for comments made earlier this week
to MMAjunkie.com.
A
report issued today by Fighters Only translates Tanikawa's response
to Sapp's claims that FEG pulled a bait and switch on him prior
to his ill-fated appearance at DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010."
Unsurprisingly,
Tanikawa is angry with Sapp.
Sapp,
he said, "should not be considered as a normal person,"
and is "the worst, most lamentable dust man."
The
massive heavyweight on Monday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)
that he had been promised $30,000 to fight Shinichi Suzukawa
in a modified-rules bout at the year-end show in Saitama Super
Arena in Saitama, Japan. But when he arrived in Japan, that number
was halved to $15,000. His counter-offer of $25,000 was denied,
and he backed out of the fight just prior to showtime.
DREAM
subsequently announced on-air that Sapp had tried to renegotiate
his contract and he had "lost his fighting spirit."
The
executive also threatened to sue the fighter, according to today's
report, though Sapp's accusations are not directly addressed.
In
an earlier interview with "Sports Graphic Novel" translated
by Japanese MMA Blog Nightmare of Battle, Tanikawa gave a bleak
assessment of FEG's future.
"The
current course is that FEG will die," he said. "There
are probably staff members that will leave as well. The event
name will be left but the promotion will change. If the current
structure remains as it is it will be impossible to continue.
If many investments from companies overseas do not come in, we
can't survive."
The
promotion has been looking for investors since this past July
when it partnered with Japanese investment bank PUJI Capital
in an effort to raise $230 million. So far, it appears that push
has been unsuccessful.
Sapp
claimed the promotion no longer has an office and is holed up
in the office of a longtime advertising partner.
While
the fighter said he's written off the purse he was supposed to
receive – he claims his sponsors paid his full purse prior
to his departure from Japan this past week – the interview
was given because he feels he has been unfairly blamed for the
no-show.
"(Tanikawa
said), 'Bob walked out because his fighting spirit wasn't good,'"
Sapp said. "And I'm just like, 'You know what? I'm done
with all the talk about me. I'm done with them stiffing the fighters.
I'm just done with it. I've seen too much. Start paying people
to show up.'"
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
A
Medical And Scientific Analysis of Transgender MMA Fighters.
Do They Have an Advantage?
Fallon
Fox, MMA’s first openly transgender fighter.
Males
competing in MMA is the accepted standard. Females have begun
to gain widespread acceptance in MMA. Now, what happens when
an openly transgender (male–>female) fighter wants to
compete at the professional level? 37-year-old Fallon Fox was
born a male, but underwent gender reassignment therapy and hormonal
treatment beginning in 2006 to become a female. As such, she
has applied to fight as a professional female MMA fighter.
The
main questions that seem to arise is not whether transgendered
fighters should fight, more specifically will the male–>female
transgendered fighter have an advantage over female fighters
that were born as females. While the Fight Doctor is not an endocrinologist,
I will attempt to analyze this issue on a medical and scientific
basis.
The
key question is whether Fox, being born a male, has a distinct
physical advantage over her genetically female opponents. A cornerstone
of muscle physiology is that a muscle strength, or the force
it can generate, is directly proportional to its cross sectional
area. In other words, bigger muscles can generate stronger forces.
Therefore, if Fox had bigger muscles, than theoretically she
would be able to generate more force than her opponents. This
concept, however, simplifies the biologic make-up of a gender-specific
muscle. It’s not just a question of muscle size, but also
composition.
A
simple equation in physics in Force = Mass x Acceleration. More
specifically, the lean muscle mass a person has theoretically
can determine how much force and damage they can inflict on their
opponent. Genetic males tend to have higher amounts of lean muscle
mass, less fat, and more dense bones than their genetic female
counterparts. So, if Fox was born a male, then she should be
bringing those tools with her into the fight. However, a major
part of gender re-assignment surgery is not just the physical
act of the surgery itself, but also subsequent hormonal therapy.
The effects of this hormonal therapy helps the transgendered
male–>female person look more female. In the process,
lean muscle mass decreases; total body and muscle fat increases,
and bone density decreases. This has been studied in male–>female
transgender individuals compared to male controls. After treatment,
all of these things the transgender females have less lean muscle
mass, more fat, and thinner bones than their male controls. This,
however, has not been studied against female controls. The reason
being is that medical doctors are performing these studies, not
to compare the transgender patients to females, but to study
if the hormonal therapy can lead to diseases such as osteoporosis,
or thin bones.
Before
the 2004 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee ruled
that transgendered athletes may compete as their re-assigned
gender provided they have undergone hormonal therapy for more
than 2 years, or the surgery occurred before puberty. The Transgender
Athlete Policy has also been adopted by the World Tennis Association,
LGPA/PGA and U.S. Track and Field.
The
effects of hormonal therapy over time, in this case testosterone
deprivation and estrogen supplementation, are not completely
understood. However, what is clear is that transgender individuals
that underwent surgery after puberty will retain some male features,
such as increased height. Male–>Female transgender patients
tend to retain more muscle mass than female–>male transgender
patients gain, suggesting that some gender-specific attributes
remain. Whether effects such as height will prove beneficial
in MMA like they do in other sports such as basketball remains
to be seen. Another question is if the fighter is completely
transgendered. Taking estrogens without castration will leak
out testosterone that can maintain muscle mass. Furthermore,
how much estrogen is being taken? If it’s not enough, then
muscle strength can be closer to male levels
Ironically,
with all the recent talk of Testosterone Replacement Therapy,
this certainly falls into the opposite category! This is obviously
a controversial issue with no clear answers. What is clear, however,
is Ms. Fallon’s desire to compete. No scientific or medical
analysis will question her dedication to the sport of MMA.
Jonathan
Gelber, M.D. is licensed to practice medicine in the State of
California
Source:
Fight Medicine
|
Johny
Hendricks is Finally the Concensus No. 1 Contender, Gets Next
Shot at Georges St-Pierre
by Ryan
McKinnell
“I’m happy the fight is done and I can be moving on
with another chapter of my career.” – UFC welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre following UFC 158.
You
know that old saying, “be careful what you wish for?”
For
St-Pierre, language barrier or not, he may need to get accustomed
with that old adage pretty quick. Because after St-Pierre’s
unanimous decision victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 158 on Saturday
night, he may have put away one trash-talking monster in dominating
fashion, but he now faces a garbage man of a different sort;
the no-frills, power-punching, two-time National Champion out
of Oklahoma State, Johny “Big Rig” Hendricks.
UFC
president Dana White, although non-committal on a firm date,
made it very clear whom his number one contender for GSP is.
“(Hendricks)
is your number one contender. No doubt. Done.”
He
reiterated the point on the Fuel TV UFC 158 post-fight show,
“Diaz won’t get a rematch. There’s no doubt Johny
Hendricks deserves the next shot. That fight was amazing tonight.
I’m actually glad that it worked out that way. Those were
the top guys to see who faces Georges St-Pierre. Johny Hendricks
deserves it.”
At
UFC 158, St-Pierre faced a rather predictable Nick Diaz that
all changes when he squares off with Hendricks. The surging slugger,
whose wrestling credentials are just as, if not more, impressive
than his knockout resume… and that’s saying a whole
lot.
Riding
a six-fight winning streak, “Big Rig” is currently
on one of the most impressive runs in UFC history. During his
current wave of success, Hendricks has managed wins over perennial
top-ten fighters Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Mike Pierce, Martin
Kampmann, and on Saturday night, the aforementioned Carlos Condit.
Paired
with Condit, Hendricks (15-1) earned the UFC 158 “Fight
of the Night” honors in a legendary scrap that displayed
the 29-year-old as a serious contender with a varied and adaptable
approach, something he may not have gotten to show in past bouts.
As he pressured Condit with lunging haymakers throughout the
15-minute tussle, he earned an impressive 11 of 13 takedowns,
proving to the crowd in attendance that if he needed to, he could
call on his all-star wrestling pedigree at the drop of a hat.
At
the post-fight press conference, the Team Takedown stalwart found
himself within arm’s reach (literally and figuratively)
of St-Pierre and the welterweight title.
“I’m
just excited. I finally got to the top and now I actually get
to fight him,” said the grinning Hendricks. “That’s
what it’s all about; getting to the top and fighting the
best. So I’m going to go home, study some more and be prepared
the best that I can.”
Sitting
side-by-side with St-Pierre, Hendricks once again reiterated
that there would be very little time between the fight on Saturday
and getting back to work next week.
“I
can’t wait to get back home so I can start training again.
That’s pretty much all I can think about; take Monday off,
then go train on Tuesday.”
When
asked if he saw anything in the St-Pierre vs. Diaz main event
that could help him in his fight with the champ, Hendricks only
asked for the same chance Diaz had.
“Like
Dana said, he stood up with him; he did a little bit of everything.
Hopefully he gives me that chance too,” he said. “That’s
what it’s all about, going out there and putting on a show
for the fans and the people watching on TV. I can’t wait
to go out there and prove to everyone that I belong.”
Hendricks
may be bringing powerful in-ring ability when he squares off
with the French Canadian champion, but what about the ability
to sell a fight? Something UFC 158 co-headliner Nick Diaz was
seemingly able to do so well.
“I
don’t want to sit there and bad mouth somebody,” Hendricks
stated. “Like Georges said, we all train hard. We all put
in the same exact sacrifice every fight. I don’t have to
sit here and say ‘he’s this, he’s this, he’s
this.’ I want my fists and abilities to get the fight.
“I
don’t want to hate someone to fight them. This is my job.
I get paid to go out there and put on a show for everybody and
that’s what I’m going to do. So getting to fight Georges,
I just can’t wait.”
As
long as Johny Hendricks’ hands are wrapped tight, something
tells me fans and pundits will forgive any lack of promotional
ability for “Big Rig.”
In
the endearing words of New York Jet Bart Scott, may we all say,
“Can’t wait!”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Zé
Mario Sperry talks about training for ADCC and leaving Blackzilians:
‘I’ll miss everyone’
Ivan Trindade
The
Blackzilians suffered a fall in its coaching team this week.
Ze
Mario Sperry, head coach of the team based in Boca Raton, Florida,
surprised many by leaving the team. GracieMag.com spoke with
the Carlson Gracie black belt and he revealed why he left the
team of superstars that includes Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans
and Alistair Overeem.
“The
team has grown a lot since I arrived and I was too busy,”
he said. “I wasn’t being able to split my time with
my business in Brazil. I couldn’t stay in the team, where
everyone counts on me, if I’m not 100 percent focused on
the training of athletes.”
Asked
if the decision can disrupt his training for the ADCC 2013 in
October in Beijing, where he will make a special super-fight
against Fabio Gurgel, Sperry surprised by saying, “I believe
that in relation to my training for the ADCC, it will be even
better. I’ll have more time to train and won’t be focused
on MMA.
“I’ll
miss everyone. I made many friends and learned a lot from everyone.”
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
MMA
Trainer Greg Nelson on Smart Training, Injury Recovery, And Sean
Sherk
Last
month, FightMedicine brought you the first in a series of training
advice from MMA veteran and Team Quest trainer Matt Lindland.
If you missed it, check it out here. This month, legendary trainer
Greg Nelson talks about his experience in MMA, the value of smart
training, and how important it was that one his most successful
pupils, Sean “The Muscle Shark”, Sherk worked with
the right doctor. Besides Sean, Greg has trained UFC champions
Brock Lesnar and Dave Menne.
FightMedicine.NET:
How did you get into MMA and become one of MMA’s top trainers?
Greg
Nelson: I started training and mixing different martial arts
far before ‘No Holds Barred’ and MMA was known in the
US. As a 9th and 10th grader in 1979-80 I was wrestling, boxing
and kickboxing…and we were sparring with the goal of winning
through striking, takedown and ground and pound (we did not have
submission skills yet). In 1993, after graduating high school
I started training in the Jun Fan Martial Arts (the art and science
of Bruce Lee). That same year I started wrestling at the University
of Minnesota. Shortly after, in 1984, I started training Thai
Boxing. I was combining all of them, and as new arts, techniques
and training methods were being introduced I started to combine
them as well. In 1989, while living in California and training
with Erik Paulson, Erik introduced me to Rickson Gracie and I
did my first private class in Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Now the submissions
were being introduced to the striking and wrestling. We now had
the basic building blocks of our program; Muay Thai, Wrestling,
and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and . Later in 1989 we started to train
with Sensei Yuri Nakamura with Shoot Wrestling, one of the first
real competitive Mixed Martial Arts competitions. Having a wrestling
base, compounded by Boxing, Muay Thai and Jun Fan Kickboxing,
then progressively adding Gracie Jiu Jitsu (from the source)
and Shoot Wrestling (a compilation of Japanese Jui Jitsu, Catch
As Catch Can Wrestling, Russian Sambo, and Muay Thai) created
the perfect formula of arts that became to this day our equation
for success.
A
competitive wrestler through college, it was not good enough
to simply train, I had to test what we were doing. In 1993, I
fought Thai Boxing in Chicago and Canada, then the 1st Amateur
Shoot Wrestling fights in LA in 1995. After earning my Blue Belt
in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I competed in the Pan Ams in 1999, 2000
and 2001. Competing in every area of the Mixed Martial Arts,
individually and collectively in Shooto, gave me a first hand
understanding of training and fighting. Ever since I started
wrestling I have had a true passion for the Competitive Combat
Arts. I started my school in 1992 for the sole purpose of following
that passion. Even before any competitive outlets were presented
to us, we were training and preparing simply to be better fighters.
What
is your philosophy when it comes to MMA training?
My
philosophy is simple. Be dedicated to the disciplined and hard
working individual, and to the Integrity of the Combative Martial
Arts (MMA, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling,
Judo, Wrestling…). If a fighter has discipline, works hard
and has the passion to maintain the integrity of the martial
arts he can be great. However, very few fighters really possess
the qualities necessary to develop into good fighters, let alone
great fighters. Therefore, as far as professional fighters are
concerned I only train those that are serious, that really want
to be the best they can be. Even then, only a few will live up
to their real potential.
What
mistakes do you see a lot of fighters or trainers make that should
be avoided or corrected?
I
feel the biggest mistake fighters and trainers make is not spending
the time to master the basics of each area of Mixed Martial Arts.
Collegiate wrestlers make strong fighters because they have truly
mastered the clinch, takedown and top control. High level BJJ
Black Belt competitors have done well because they have mastered
submission grappling. Now the most successful fighters have been
disciplined enough to spend the time to master the skills they
need to succeed. Generally, they already have one of the key
areas already mastered. I have been fortunate to have had great
wrestlers to work with, who are willing to work with the great
BJJ/Submission Grapplers and Strikers we have developed. Many
fighters do not have the discipline, patience, persistence or
passion to develop the total game. Likewise, many trainers don’t
demand those same qualities from their fighters, they don’t
demand them of themselves.
What
are some of the common training or fighting injuries that can
be easily avoided or treated?
Injuries
to the knees and shoulders. They are the same injuries that many
wrestlers have and most likely for the same reason: over training.
In MMA a competitor has to develop and maintain high level striking,
wrestling and ground work, in addition a fighter has to be in
great condition. Therefore, they do their fight specific training
and then conditioning, or worse yet, fatigue themselves doing
their supplemental conditioning and then try to push themselves
in wrestling, live grappling or sparring and get injured. If
a fighter is over trained his muscles are not as strong, yet
they keep pushing and then, not wanting to give up or lose, end
up getting injured. It is not just about simply training hard,
it is about training right. Fighters have to listen to their
bodies and trainers have to listen to their fighters. If a fighter
has all the ingredients to be a champion, he probably will also
not want to appear weak, and always want to push hard. It is
up to the trainer to design program that will allow the fighter
to progressively develop their conditioning and skill level so
that they peak on competition day. Then they need to rest, recover
and reevaluate their performance. The fighter can then spend
extra time to develop speed, strength, explosiveness, stamina,
power. Also, the fighter can now spend extra time technically
expanding their game.
What
are some of the injuries you and your bigger fighters have had
to deal with and how were they treated?
One
major injury that could have been a key reason for a loss was
with Sean Sherk and his fight with Kenny Florian. Sean had a
great training camp leading up to that fight. We were coming
up with new and creative drills to improve his guard passing
and top control, while at the same time continuing to ever improve
his lightening fast shot. 10 days before the fight Sean shot
in for a double on one of our bigger fighters (Mistake #1: working
with a bigger fighter with a great sprawl). Sean shot and his
teammate sprawled and dropped his weight perfectly on Sean’s
shoulder. In a split second, Sean went from 100% healthy to having
a torn labrum and a Grade II separation. He continued to train,
but could not use that arm with any real strength. Considering
he was fighting for the 155 lbs Lightweight UFC Title, not fighting
was not an option. We hid the injury up until the pre-fight
medical check at the weigh-ins. Despite having limited motion
and decreased strength, Sean dominated the fight, beating Kenny
Florian by Unanimous Decision to win the UFC Lightweight Title
Belt.
How
did you work with the doctor during that process?
Sean
met with a doctor and told him he wanted to fight, so what could
he do to decrease the pain and give him a better range of motion.
The doctor gave him a cortisone injection to relieve the inflammation,
giving him increased range of motion and decrease the pain. The
doctor at the UFC asked Sean in front of Kenny which shoulder
did he get an injection in. Sean immediately said, “it was
my knee”, the doctor says, “No, this said you had a
cortisone injection in your shoulder.” Up until that point
we had kept the shoulder injury away from everyone. Prior to
the doctor saying that in front of Kenny, and who knows who else
heard, Sean was a 3 to 1 favorite to win. Within an hour after
the medical exam, the odds in Las Vegas went to even. Regardless,
Sean ran through Kenny’s guard and dominated the fight.
What
can the medical community do to help fighters get treatment and
get back into fighting shape?
It
is very important that fighters go to a good sports doctor. Many
regular orthopedic doctors work with the everyday people that
wince at even the slightest pain. A driven athlete is willing
to rehab and build their body, doing whatever it takes. I personally
went to a ‘regular’ Orthopedic Surgeon with an MRI
on my knee. I had a full bucket tear with my meniscus and was
going to have 98% of it taken out. The Orthopedic doctor told
me that I should get a new job. I got my MRI and went to an athletic
Orthopedic Doctor that Brock Lesnar had used. He said, “OK,
we will get you in, clean that up and get you on the mat drilling
in a couple of weeks” What a difference, and I was back
on the mat teaching class and drilling in two weeks. That was
my fourth (4th) knee surgery and my knees feel great. I can do
more now than I could for years. You have to find the right doctor
that understands your sport and the high level athlete in general.
What
do fighters and trainers need to focus on when rehabbing from
an injury?
I
believe in active recovery. Even when rehabbing an injury you
can drill and continue to develop technique. Personally, I have
had four knee scopes. My first knee injury while wrestling the
U of MN in 1986 I partially tore my anterior cruciate ligament
and my medial collateral ligament, had a scope and then went
into rehab. I was in the wrestling room as soon as I could work
safely on the bike, slowly increasing my range of motion, until
I could start to pummel and work upper body. And then I started
to work Greco Roman, kept my knee out of the action, working
the upper body. When I could, I started to shoot and work leg
attacks. I was shadow boxing, then started to add knees and finally
worked the kicks in. Soon enough I was doing Thai Pads, sparring
and training full out. The other 3 surgeries I had scopes to
repair cartilage tears. The last one, as stated above, it was
important to have a top level sports orthopedic surgeon. I can
honestly say that I am living proof of active recover. I even
trained while going through Chemo and used Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
to build my legs ups, when I had to relearn how to walk. As soon
as I could begin kicking and punching, I did.
What
is a safe plan for a training camp?
A
training Camp should be 8-10 weeks max. If a fighter is training
daily, he should be at about 60% of his optimum fight shape.
The training camp is going to be a very directed training camp
that is shaped by the opponent that we are preparing to meet.
A game plan is devised: where the fighter wants fight, do they
want to keep it standing or pressed up against the cage. Are
we fighting a better striker and want to get the fight on the
ground or against the cage. Are we better on the ground and we
are fighting a very good counter wrestler or strong wrestler.
There are many factors that come into play. Where are we weak,
need to improve or stifle our opponents attacks. I am a big believer
in training as many fight specific training methods as possible
during fight camp. I have recently seen many fighters stress
outside conditioning (throwing tires, doing weight training circuits,
sprints, etc…) and they come in tired for the actual fight
training. If a fighter cannot hit the mitts or Thai Pads like
they should, as close to fight pace as possible, or they are
fatiguing too fast in live grappling or sparring, they are most
likely spending too much of their energy with supplemental training.
I cut the outside training quite a bit and focus on hard increasingly
fight paced Thai Pads and Focus Mitts with varied responses,
including shooting for takedowns and defending them. On the ground
the goal, and where many of the injuries occur, is to mimic the
fight, yet keep the fighter from getting cut and/or injured.
Due to the nature of the sport, the fighter will have tweaks,
and muscle pain and strains, but you have to push the limit of
your fighter. In a higher end pro fighters career, he will always
have time to heal after the fight, therefore you can push them
beyond what they are comfortable with, while at the same developing
specific and necessary technique and skills that will be directly
used in a fight. When you consider all of the conditioning (strength,
speed, stamina, reactio/reflex…) methods there are in Boxing,
Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/Grappling, Judo, Wrestling and
MMA it is easy to come up with very intense conditioning session
during or after the primary training session.
How
do you avoid overtraining?
The
most important way to avoid overtraining is to create a training
schedule, what you are going to do, when and why you are doing
it. many fighters feel they have to do more and more, keep pushing
and not know why they are doing it. You should have your training
sessions broke apart and set up throughout the week. For example,
Monday: Wake up and run before eating to increase your metabolism
and build over all stamina. Eat (know what you are eating and
why), rest and mentally prepare for first training session. Monday
morning training focuses on Takedowns and Grappling (Warm Up
and stretch-15 minutes , Strike to Takedown-5 minute round, Strike
to Takedown to Submission-5 minute round, 6 x 5 minute Live MMA
Grappling Rounds, starting with Striking to Takedown and once
your partner hits the ground it is Live, strikes are controlled,
but are placed with enough force to register their potency. At
the same time you are battling for position and submission.
Having
solid and technically sound training partners that are in shape
is absolutely necessary. A tired and sloppy training partner
will do unorthodox and unexpected reactions, that will often
put him and his training partner in jeopardy of injury. After
the 35 minutes of hard goes, Round 7 will be a Striking-Takedown-Submission
Round to build technically sound movements during a fatigued
state. After a short water break a short, sprint style conditioning
session can follow.
In
the afternoon fighters can do a Strength and Conditioning Circuit.
The Circuit should be 20-30 minutes, but very intense and push
the fighters, building what is most needed (Muscular Endurance,
Power & Speed, Agility, Speed…or all of the above).
Again, making sure the fighter is hydrated, has eaten the proper
fuel to allow them to push past their perceived limits, and then
what to eat after the session to rebuild. Again the fighter should
now rest and recover. At this point, having done two hard sessions
it is important to have a serious drilling session where the
fighter focuses 100% on the submission and striking skills he
wants to build. This has to be part of a fighters training, if
not they will not be complete and will have holes in their skill
level. This type of day should happen 3 X a week.
On
two days a week the fighter should focus on sparring, leg and
arm conditioning. Again, starting the day with a run, the fighter
needs to establish that as a habit. Once the fighter eats and
recovers, he then is ready for his sparring session. The fighter
should jump rope 10-15 minutes, followed by shadow boxing for
10-15 minutes. Once the body is warmed up, the fighter is partnered
up with a solid well skilled partner. They then throw combination
back and forth with control, but solid, this prepares the body
and eyes for the sparring to come. We do a variety of striking
drills to warm up the fighter, physically and mentally. We will
do combo for combo, shadow boxing with your partner, All offense
to All defense, and more.
After
the fighters are wholly ready we will initiate sparring. Our
rounds start with Timing Sparring (live but controlled attempting
to build timing over speed), they gradually build up to full
sparring. On the outside the coach and others should monitor
the action, making sure no one is getting hit too much, getting
fatigued and losing focus, or any two fighters are allowing their
emotions to rule their reason. Again, it is important that the
fighter being fully prepared for a hard fight, but the coach
and other trainers should closely monitor the fighters.
Lastly,
there should be a day off for full recovery. It is necessary
that the fighter have a game plan, that increases in intensity
as his conditioning grows. They should always be monitored and
the coach should be aware of all of the supplemental conditioning
that is being done. The fighters must be hydrated, fueled with
a proper diet and get the necessary sleep. It is important that
the fighter is as disciplined with his recovery and rest as he
is with training.
What
are your views on weight-cutting and how to avoid going to extremes?
Weight
cutting is part of the sport. As a wrestler I have cut weight
for years, and in an era where everything was done wrong. Now,
the fighter has many alternatives for diet, and weight cutting.
In fact, weight cutting has become a science and those that choose
to learn how their body works and the different ways the most
successful are cutting weight will be able to safely and successfully
cut weight. All of my fighters cut weight, some more than others,
and none of them cut exactly the same. One thing is constant,
the best weight cutters have a disciplined diet and they stick
to it. With a clean diet and maintaining proper hydration throughout
the camp, and familiarity with cutting weight, a fighter can
easily cut 10-20 pounds and be healthy.
The
Doctor’s Corner
Greg
brings up many good points. One is the danger of over-training,
which has been echoed by many others here on FightMedicine.net.
Sean
still fighting despite a torn labrum (the cartilage rim in the
shouler that deepens the socket) highlights the doctor’s
need to address MMA fighters as a different breed. They can’t
sit out a game or two. There isn’t “next season”.
Many have day jobs and they need to fight to advance up the ladder.
Or if they are at the top of the ladder, they may have only a
brief amount of time to be the best and solidify their career.
Greg echoes the need for a doctor to work with an athlete’s
goals and expectations.
That
being said, a doctor still needs to do what’s best for the
patient in the long run. Sometime that means sitting down and
explaining the risks to the patient of participating in sports
despite an injury. In today’s day and age, doctors are not
seen as the law anymore, so if they give the patient the risks
and benefits of different options, then the ball is in the patient’s
court. Unfortunately, with today’s world where people are
so eager to sue someone else, a doctor will be very cautious
in allowing an athlete to return to sports, especially an elite
athlete. This is why it is important for the doctor, the patient,
and the trainer to be part of the same team and decide what is
best for the athlete, not only for the upcoming game or bout,
but also in the long run. Athletic events come and go, but you
are only born with one body, so use it wisely.
Remember,
education and preparation are the keys to injury prevention!
Jonathan
Gelber, M.D. is licensed to practice medicine in the State of
California
Source:
Fight Medicine
|
Dana
White recalls early history with Mark Hunt – and his UFC
near-miss
by Matt
Erickson
MONTREAL
– Mark Hunt very well could be on the verge of a shot at
the UFC's heavyweight title.
Let
that sink in for a moment.
Hunt
(9-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will meet Junior Dos Santos (15-2 MMA, 9-1
UFC) in May in the co-main event of UFC 160 in Las Vegas. With
a win, he very likely gets a shot at the winner of that night's
title fight between champ Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva.
That
a win over JDS would give Hunt five straight wins in the UFC's
heavyweight division makes a title shot seem fairly obvious.
But you have to go back a few years, back to Hunt's PRIDE and
DREAM days, to understand just why Hunt fighting for the UFC
title would be such a big accomplishment.
Hunt
dropped five straight fights in Japan – all to big names,
mind you. Names like Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem and
Josh Barnett. He was 5-6 in MMA, outside his successful kickboxing
career.
So
when the UFC signed him, it raised a few eyebrows. And as the
story goes, the UFC's purchase of PRIDE came with some fighters
owed some fights – including Hunt.
On
Thursday, UFC President Dana White revealed just how close Hunt
was to not even being in the UFC, let alone one more big win
away from a shot at a belt. Hunt took the fight with Dos Santos
only after White assured him that things he was upset about would
be fixed.
Chief
among those things? That the UFC didn't want to give him fights,
but instead was willing to pay him the money owed him on his
contract to just walk away.
"He
felt very disrespected and felt like he never really belonged
here," White said. "He had a losing record in PRIDE
and we didn't want to bring him into the UFC, so we said, 'We'll
pay you the money and you can ride off into the sunset and do
your thing.' And he was like, 'F--- that. I want to be paid to
fight.' First of all, a losing record, his age, the guy hadn't
fought in a long time. It just made no sense to bring the guy
in."
But
Hunt stood his ground.
"He
fought it and fought it and fought it, and finally we said, 'Fine.
You wanna earn the money and fight for the money, come on in,'"
White recalled.
And
so come on in, Hunt did. He was given a prelims-opening spot
on UFC 119 in Indianapolis against hometown newcomer Sean McCorkle,
and he was submitted with an armbar just 63 seconds into the
fight.
At
that point, it looked like the UFC brass knew what it was talking
about by not wanting to bother with him. But they stuck with
him, and five months later, Hunt got his first MMA win in nearly
five years with a knockout of Chris Tuchscherer. Then he beat
Ben Rothwell. Then he knocked out Cheick Kongo.
And
the highlight of highlights came earlier this month when he shattered
Stefan Struve's jaw for a knockout win at UFC on FUEL TV 8 in
Japan, his second "Knockout of the Night" bonus in
the UFC.
"Even
though we weren't wrong (about not wanting him at first), we
ended up being wrong," White told MMAjunkie.com. "He
proved us wrong, he proved everybody who doubted him wrong. We
just didn't cut him, we kept him – and imagine if we had
cut him."
White
said having the conversation with Hunt to find out how he felt
and straighten some things out made all the difference between
Dos Santos still needing an opponent after Overeem fell off with
an injury and Hunt stepping up for the biggest fight of his career.
"Since
that day, how we didn't want him, and just wanted to pay him
and have him basically go away, he took incredible offense to
that and never felt like he really belonged here," White
said. "I understand that. I said, 'I'll fix the things that
made you feel this way. You're right, and I'm sorry this happened
to you. We do respect you and I think you're one of the greatest
stories in sports right now, to be honest with you.' So I got
everything worked out and now he's ecstatic and I'm happy I could
do it.
"We
have so many guys and as you're doing the daily grind, you don't
think about things like this and this happens sometimes. We deal
with different personalities, and there's always an issue with
guys one way or another, whether it's their professional and
personal life, that have to be dealt with. I'm glad we got it
straightened out."
Hunt's
turnaround has been one of the more remarkable in the heavyweight
division, especially given his 5-foot-10 stature. But as White
said about the chances of a Hunt title shot, if he goes in and
stops Dos Santos, there's no way he could be denied the chance
to fight for a belt.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Top
5 Stories of the Week
By Brian
Knapp
As
soon as an injured Alistair Overeem stepped out of his UFC 160
co-main event with Junior dos Santos, the masses began to clamor
for Mark Hunt as his replacement. Apparently, the parties involved
were listening. Hunt has agreed to lock horns with the former
heavyweight champion on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
in Las Vegas. The event will be headlined by the American Kickboxing
Academy’s Cain Velasquez, as he puts his heavyweight crown
on the line in a rematch with Antonio Silva.
Dos
Santos suffered his first defeat in 10 Octagon appearances in
December, when he relinquished the heavyweight championship to
Velasquez in a one-sided unanimous decision defeat. The 28-year-old
Brazilian burst on the scene in October 2008 with an upset over
Fabricio Werdum and soon emerged as one of the world’s premier
heavyweights.
Hunt
has been on a tear since submitting to Sean McCorkle in his promotional
debut at UFC 119. The 2001 World Grand Prix winner has rattled
off four consecutive wins inside the Octagon, including a violent
knockout of Dutchman Stefan Stuve in the third round of their
UFC on Fuel TV 8 co-headliner on March 2.
Source
Sherdog
|
Nick
Diaz Considers Retiring Following Loss to Georges St-Pierre…
Unless
by Ken
Pishna
Is
Nick Diaz one and done?
Signs
are definitely pointing in that direction… but then again.
Diaz
has been tired of the politics, judging, scoring, and the direction
that fighting style has taken in mixed martial arts for quite
some time. He nearly called it quits after his loss to Carlos
Condit prior to his suspension for testing positive for marijuana
metabolites more than a year ago.
When
a fight with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre came
into the frame, however, Diaz decided to make his return after
a yearlong suspension. He did so on Saturday night at UFC 158
in Montreal, losing a five-round unanimous decision to the champ.
Shortly
after the fight, laying his animosity for St-Pierre aside, Diaz
laid the foundation for retirement.
“I
have to decide if I even want to do this anymore,” he said.
“To be honest, I don’t know if I really got any more.
“I
don’t make excuses; I think I’m done with mixed martial
arts. I’m tired of getting banged up like this.”
The
statement echoed Diaz’s sentiment following his last fight,
when he sounded like he might be done fighting, but following
a fight – and likely a paycheck – the size of the St-Pierre
bout, perhaps, it was enough that Diaz can finally hang up his
gloves for the final time and walk away.
“Hopefully
I made enough money to invest in something,” Diaz admitted.
He
later said that part of his reasoning was that he’s fought
pretty much everybody that he’d wanted to, but shifted gears
a little bit, saying he still thinks he could beat St-Pierre
and would stick around for a rematch.
“I
think I could beat you, I really do,” he said in St-Pierre’s
direction. “I think I could do better against Anderson Silva
too.”
UFC
president Dana White doesn’t think that Diaz necessarily
should retire, but admitted once a fighter starts down that road,
it may not be the best idea to try and turn around. And for Nick
Diaz, he thinks there’s likely no turning back.
“Do
I think Nick Diaz should retire? No I don’t,” said
White. “But when guys say they should retire, they probably
should retire.
“Nick’s
been talking retirement for a while now and after tonight, he’ll
probably retire.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
158 Results: Jake Ellenberger Knocks Out Nate Marquardt in Round
One
by Andrew
Potter
Jake
Ellenberger (29-6) recorded a big first-round knockout over former
Strikeforce welterweight champion Nate Marquardt (32-12-2) at
UFC 158 on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
It
was a measured start by both fighters, opening with leg kicks.
Marquardt
landed the first significant strike, catching Ellenberger with
a right hand, but he poured the pressure right back onto Marquardt,
catching him with a left hand before dropping him with a right.
Ellenberger
went in for the kill and the fight was quickly waved away at
3:00 of the first round as Marquardt was unconscious, face-down
on the canvas.
“It’s
hard to explain my emotions right now,” Ellenberger said.
“It’s just what we do, and I’ve sacrificed so
much for it to make it all worth it. The adversity you really
go through is going to see how bad you really want it. I want
to become world champion more than anything and I’m just
focused on that.”
The
win for Ellenberger was his second in a row and cements his place
in the top few welterweights, while Marquardt is now 0-1 since
moving over from Strikeforce.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Matches
to Make After UFC 158
By Brian
Knapp
Georges
St. Pierre did what Georges St. Pierre does, and Nick Diaz, like
so many others before him, was helpless against it.
St.
Pierre struck for nine takedowns and bottled up Diaz with his
stifling top game, as he captured a one-sided unanimous decision
and retained his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight
crown in the UFC 158 “St. Pierre vs. Diaz” main event
on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
All
three judges levied 50-45 rulings against Diaz. With his 18th
UFC win, St. Pierre pulled into a tie with hall of famer Matt
Hughes for first on the all-time list. He has won his last 11
bouts, eight of them by decision.
St.
Pierre put Diaz on his back in all five rounds and neutralized
the Cesar Gracie protégé’s bottom game with
punches, elbows and suffocating control. According to FightMetric
figures, the 31-year-old champion also outperformed Diaz while
upright, as he out-landed the challenger 81-56 in total standing
strikes and 73-41 in significant standing strikes. The defeat
left Diaz openly contemplating retirement and without a clear
direction forward.
The
same cannot be said for St. Pierre. Despite his extended reign
of dominance -- he has held the welterweight title since April
19, 2008 -- the popular French-Canadian is not without viable
suitors. Johny Hendricks delivered the most significant win of
his career with a unanimous verdict over former World Extreme
Cagefighting champion Carlos Condit in the co-headliner, cementing
his place as the No. 1 contender at 170 pounds.
A
four-time All-American and two-time national wrestling champion
at Oklahoma State University, Hendricks has compiled a stellar
10-1 record since joining the UFC in 2009. The 29-year-old Team
Takedown representative has won six consecutive bouts, three
of them by knockout, often pairing his world-class wrestling
chops with a destructive left hand.
In
the wake of UFC 158, here are seven other matchups that ought
to be made:
Carlos
Condit vs. Martin Kampmann: Condit lost virtually no ground in
losing a decision to Hendricks and remains a factor at the upper
reaches of the welterweight division. Kampmann has not fought
since UFC 154 in November, when he lasted just 46 seconds against
Hendricks. The versatile 30-year-old Dane knows Condit well;
he welcomed the “Natural Born Killer” to the Octagon
in 2009, eking out a split decision at UFC Fight Night 18..
Jake
Ellenberger vs. Robbie Lawler: Ellenberger was spectacular in
wiping out former Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt with a
two-punch combination and follow-up ground strikes. The 27-year-old
Nebraskan has won 12 of his past 14 fights, seven of them by
knockout. Few men in the welterweight division carry heavier
hands than “The Juggernaut,” though Lawler may be one
of them. He returned to the Octagon at UFC 157 in February, dispatching
perennial contender Josh Koscheck in the first round.
Nick
Diaz vs. Nate Marquardt: Diaz may indeed follow through on his
threat to retire. Should he have a change of heart, the Stockton,
Calif., native will have plenty of options open to him at 170
pounds and beyond. In Marquardt, he would likely find an adversary
willing to engage him on the feet -- a recipe that often brings
out the best in Diaz.
Chris
Camozzi vs. Tom Watson: Spawned by Season 11 of “The Ultimate
Fighter,” Camozzi has quietly rattled off four straight
wins inside the middleweight division. He overcame Nick Ring’s
death-by-a-thousand-cuts game plan in his latest outing, securing
a split decision with a strong finish. Watson is 12-2 in his
last 14 appearances and handed Stanislav Nedkov his first professional
defeat at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in February, dispatching the Bulgarian
with a knee to the body and follow-up punches.
Mike
Ricci vs. Ross Pearson-Ryan Couture winner: Some have compared
Ricci to Tristar Gym stablemate Rory MacDonald, though he has
yet to match that hype with actual performance in the cage. The
26-year-old rebounded from his loss to Colton Smith at “The
Ultimate Fighter 16” Finale in December, posting his first
UFC win with a unanimous decision over Colin Fletcher. Pearson
and Couture will open fire on one another at UFC on Fuel TV 9
on April 6 in Sweden.
Darren
Elkins vs. Rani Yahya: With an assist from referee Yves Lavigne,
Elkins brought down Shooto veteran Antonio Carvalho with punches
3:06 into the first round. The Duneland Vale Tudo export has
emerged as a dark horse contender at 145 pounds, pounding out
five wins in a row since his August 2010 submission loss to Charles
Oliveira. One of the world’s premier submission grapplers,
Yahya spoiled former Sengoku champion Mizuto Hirota’s promotional
debut at UFC on Fuel TV 8 on March 2.
Jordan
Mein vs. Rick Story: Former International Fight League champion
Dan Miller had never been finished -- until he ran into Mein
in Montreal. The 23-year-old Canadian survived an early armbar
attempt and stopped Miller with a brutal volley of first-round
punches. Though he has posted nine wins in his last 10 fights,
Mein has struggled against wrestlers and will need to improve
against them if he wants to fulfill his considerable potential
at 170 pounds. Story, who brutalized King of the Cage champion
Quinn Mulhern en route to a technical knockout of his own, would
serve as a worthwhile test.
Source:
Sherdog
|
GSP-Diaz
was as predictable as we all kinda knew it would be
Nick
Diaz was telling the truth – we were sold wolf tickets.
After months and months of buildup – being told that Georges
St Pierre was pissed off and had dark thoughts, that he wanted
to injure Nick Diaz so badly he would be forced to retire –
we got a fight that was both amazingly predictable but still
surprisingly disappointing. Georges St Pierre did what we all
expected him to do: he took Nick Diaz down with ease and completely
controlled him on the ground. Nick had no answers to Georges’
wrestling dominance, and seemed hesitant on the feet to boot.
Gone was the guy who threw endless punches from all angles –
for the several minutes this fight stayed on its feet, Diaz faked
and postured and did very little.
In
the final 10 seconds of the fight, Georges turned up the intensity
and threw some ground and pound with urgency and bad intentions.
But overall this was another fight where many will make the argument
that St Pierre coasted to a decision victory rather than open
himself up to any risk going for a finish. You could see it in
his grappling style – no matter how completely he had Diaz
trapped under him, his grip remained locked in a way that kept
his opponent down. He never went for a submission attempt. Not
one.
Diaz
was unable to get anything going off his back as well, not that
this was all that surprising. Stylistically this was a terrible
fight for Nick from the start. Wrestlers have been the bane of
his career since his first stint in the UFC and his highly vaunted
Gracie jiu jitsu stylings have never amounted to much with a
dominating fighter working on top of him. But it was on the feet
where we really saw something strange: a less than aggressive
Diaz who was flat and couldn’t pull the trigger and throw
his combinations.
Wolf
tickets. Georges was pissed and was gonna go in to hurt Diaz.
Diaz wanted the belt and would do anything to get it. Both lies.
Georges didn’t fight with any urgency or anger at all. And
Nick Diaz basically admitted after the fight that he came into
it with retirement on the mind. What we saw for five rounds wasn’t
the fight we were sold, it was a match between two guys looking
for a big paycheck.
Fortunately,
Georges’ run of overclassed opponents is coming to an end.
Whether he sticks around at 170 or goes catchweight for a fight
with Anderson Silva, he’s not going to be able to take his
next fight with relative ease. Johny Hendricks is as terrible
a stylistic matchup for St Pierre as St Pierre was for Diaz.
He’s got amazing wrestling, dynamite in his fists, and a
real hunger to dethrone the champ and take his place. And Silva
… well, no need to explain that. So finally we will get
to see what we keep paying for whenever Georges St Pierre is
on a UFC card: a real fight.
Source:
Fight Linker
|
UFC
158 Notebook: The world of Diaz, week's best quotes and more
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL
-- I've spent a lot of time over the last few years trying to
figure out Nick Diaz, long enough to know it's a pointless exercise.
Diaz is just wired differently than most. He has different life
experiences and motivations than most. He sees the world in a
specific way, and expresses himself in a unique style. A novelist
couldn't make this guy up and sell him as a character. He'd seem
too over the top.
Those
traits all blend together to make him a magnetic personality.
We may not always agree with what he says; sometimes, we don't
even understand it. But the way he verbalizes things, sometimes
taking us to some deep, dark places in his past, other times
just scratching the surface, but in ways others haven't explored,
well, it's riveting.
In
this business, you hear a lot of feedback from readers and viewers,
and many of them are quickly angered when they feel an athlete
is being pushed upon them. That often leads to a backlash. It
was like that just weeks ago with Ronda Rousey, when you couldn't
click on a mixed martial arts website without being inundated
with news about her. Even if it was deserved, for some, it was
just too much. But no one ever seems to complain that there's
too much Diaz.
He
walks into our lives a few times a year, stirs up a heaping bowl
of controversy, and then disappears, leaving us to eat it up
all on our own.
I'm
not going to pretend to know what makes Diaz tick, but I do know
this: he wants his respect as an athlete. He wants fans to know
that he didn't take any shortcuts to success, that he doesn't
cheat, that he is the hardest worker no one knows about. And
I may not ever truly be able to figure him out, but I do know
that the more you hear from him, the more you realize he does
care what other people think about him. After being beaten down
by life for so many years, I guess it makes sense that you'd
want people to understand that you pushed back, and that maybe
you won. That you came from a place where hope is a flickering
flame, and that you sparked it into a raging fire. That's the
path he took, so win or lose on Saturday night, Diaz is a story
of success.
More
notes & quotes ...
Wardrobe
function
After years of cultivating a squeaky clean image, Georges St-Pierre
is a magnet for blue-chip sponsors. He counts Under Armour, Gatorade,
Google and Coca-Cola among them. Yet when St-Pierre made his
first official appearance for UFC 158 fight week, he wore none
of their logos. Instead, he wore the red-and-white jacket of
the Montreal Wrestling Club. Was that supposed to be a message
to Nick Diaz, a reminder to himself, or just a favor to one of
his training gyms?
Probably
a bit of all three. Everyone knows that St-Pierre's best weapon
is Diaz's biggest deficiency, and the jacket is symbolic of St-Pierre's
expected margin of victory.
Uniform
bonuses
After years of a nightly bonus structure that was largely dependent
on the venue gates, the UFC has shifted to a more uniform approach,
settling on $50,000 awards for the best fight, knockout and submission
of the night.
UFC
president Dana White said the change was made to make things
more equitable for fighters competing on non-pay-per-view cards,
where gates tend to be smaller.
"Nobody
ever complained about it," White said. "The bonuses
are a gift, so it's like someone getting a Christmas present
and saying, 'I didn't want this, I wanted a f---ing car.' It
was fair to keep them straight all the way across so no matter
what card you fight on, it's the same bonus."
White
added that he had the discretion to increase that $50,000 number
based upon his own whims. For example, 2011's UFC 129 -- which
drew a record $12 million gate, led to bonuses of $129,000 apiece.
UFC
164 set for Milwaukee
The UFC announced an event for August 31 at the Bradley Center
in Milwaukee, the home base of major sponsor Harley-Davidson.
The event will function as the latest in UFC's "Hometown
Throwdown" series, which in 2012 took place in Sunrise,
Florida.
This
will be the promotion's second trip to Milwaukee. The first came
in 2011, when Chris Lytle defeated Dan Hardy in the last match
of his career.
White
bashes Riddle
Matt Riddle was recently cut from the UFC after failing his second
drug test. Riddle then went on the offensive, saying in an interview
that the UFC was "just looking for a reason to get rid of
me" due to his grinding wrestling skill.
Of
course, UFC president had a reaction to that that didn't exactly
paint his former employee in a favorable light.
"We're
not cutting wrestlers, and everybody's going to have an excuse
on with why they're cut," he said. "Matt Riddle did
an interview before that fight where he said, 'I smoke weed so
that I don't beat my children.' Then he tests positive for it.
He's a f---ing moron. That's why he's not here. He's a moron."
Despite
cuts, UFC still looking to hire
White made headlines recently when he announced that 100 or more
fighters could be on the chopping blocks in the coming weeks
as the UFC pares down its roster. When fighters as accomplished
as Jon Fitch get cut, that's understandably led to some trepidation
about employment in MMA's premier organization.
However,
White said there is no hiring freeze in place when it comes to
their roster, and that if some desirable talent became available,
they would pursue him or her.
"We're
always looking for the best guys in the world," he said.
"[The cut's are] not going to stop us."
QUOTES
After
weeks of madness leading up to the fight, here are the champion
and challenger actually saying some nice things about each other
…
"I
fight for the legacy, not to be champion. Diaz has an awesome
pedigree, so for me, it's a great challenge." - St-Pierre
"I
think I’d like to be recognized as an opponent. I’ve
been saying George’s name for a long time because he’s
the best fighter in the world. That’s a compliment. Georges
never considers me something important, and maybe he shouldn't.
That’s fine." - Diaz
Notable
words from the others on the card …
"I
could easily do that, but I don't want to be that kind of douche
bag." - Johny Hendricks on whether there is temptation to
add trash talk into his repertoire.
"I'm
still not over it. Part of me is still disappointed, but I used
it as a learning experience, motivation. I'm ready to come back
with a vengeance on Saturday night, get back in there, get back
in title contention." - Carlos Condit on his recent welterweight
title fight loss.
"I
have him figured out. I know I can beat him." - Jake Ellenberger,
talking about his original UFC 158 opponent Johny Hendricks
"Being
in Strikeforce felt almost the same as UFC, but now being back
in the UFC, it's bigger. A lot bigger." - Nate Marquardt,
talking about his brief exile from the octagon.
"The
UFC made a pretty clear message with all the cuts they made a
month ago. They say they're going to cut more fighters in the
future. The message is pretty clear that when you step in the
octagon, you have to deliver and give a good show. It's nothing
different for me. It's the same thing. I have to go there and
perform." - Patrick Cote on the pressure of his welterweight
debut.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
158 Results: Johny Hendricks Keeps Title Hopes Intact with Decision
Over Carlos Condit
by Ryan
McKinnell
The
talk heading into the UFC 158 co-main event between Carlos Condit
(28-6) and Johny Hendricks (15-1) was whether it would be Condit’s
technical prowess and speed that would prevail, or Hendricks’
freight-train-like power.
Spoiler
alert: It was the power of Hendricks.
As
the Canadian faithful at the Bell Centre in Montreal looked on,
“The Natural Born Killer” and “Big Rig” decided
to live up to their monikers and give the fans in attendance
an absolute classic that saw Hendricks defeat Condit via unanimous
decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Round
one saw Hendricks open with a frenetic flurry of overhand left
hands, some of which made their way through Condit’s famed
defensive guard. As Condit weathered the early storm from “Big
Rig,” he began to work his own attack of stiff jabs and
flashy high kicks. As the round came to a close, Condit dropped
for a Kimura on Hendricks and briefly had his back.
The
second round was more of the same as Hendricks, with a wild eyed
approach, stalked Condit and swung wild hooks looking to floor
Condit like he had so many opponents before. This round also
saw Condit land his best strike – a jumping knee that Hendricks
ate and subsequently used to power into a spectacular single-leg
takedown.
And
that was the story of the fight: Hendricks’ power and his
successful use of well-timed takedowns.
As
the final frame approached, the former two-time National Champion
from Oklahoma State was on his way to an over 90-percent takedown
completion rating (11/13). The two welterweights used the third
round to engage in a wild back-and-forth that saw both fighters
in various spots of trouble. As the fight closed out, Condit
stunned Hendricks with a left hook and then engaged in a vicious
clinch battle to end this classic dogfight.
Post-fight
an elated Hendricks credited Condit for being one of the tougher
tests of his career, “Carlos is tougher than hell, man.
I told you we would steal the show, and me and Carlos did that.
I thank you, Carlos. You’re one hell of a fighter.”
And
when asked if he was surprised at the damage Condit was able
to endure, “Hell no! I’ve seen him get hit by some
tough dudes,” said Hendricks.
“I
knew I wasn’t going to be able to put him out, so I tried
to fight smart and get the win.”
For
Condit this marks his first back-to-back losing streak in his
storied career. With an impeccable championship-level resume
and a star-studded camp at his disposal, they’ll be no shortage
of fans wanting to see “The Natural Born Killer” back
in the UFC, sooner rather than later.
Hendricks
is now on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC welterweight
division with wins over Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and Martin Kampmann.
For Hendricks, he knows exactly what he wants next, “GSP,
if you win tonight, I want to see you here in five months.”
As
the crowd in attendance booed, Hendricks continued, “Please,
Georges, give me the shot. If not, I’ll go to your house,
hire a ref, and we can do something about it.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Jiu-Jitsu
ace Gilbert 'Durinho' Burns fights again at MSA 3 in Rio
Ivan Trindade
Durinho
to fight MMA again
Vitor
Belfort’s pupil, Gilbert “Durinho” Burns (4-0),
is the newest contracted to fight at MSA 3, event to be held
before the main card of MMA Champions League on March 25 at Teatro
dos Grandes Atores, in Rio de Janeiro. Durinho, a Jiu-Jitsu world
champion, faces Rodolpho Coronel.
The
winner of this fight will fight for the organization’s lightweight
belt, a title that will next be fought for between Ronys Torres
and Julio Cesar Field.
Undefeated
in MMA, Durinho was happy with the chance to perform in a major
national event.
“I’ve
been preparing for a long time, maintaining a good level of training,”
he said. “The birth of my son delayed my plans to fight
again a little, but now it’s all right. I am very happy
with the opportunity to fight in such an important event in the
national scene.”
One
of the ground coaches for Belfort’s team on the first edition
of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil,” the Durinho ensures
that he has been improving his striking. A personal friend of
Belfort, he had the opportunity to train with big names in the
MMA world during his stay in the United States. Georges St-Pierre,
Dominick Cruz and Rashad Evans are among the names that helped
him hone his game.
“I
know I’ll face a very tough opponent, left handed and very
good striker,” he said. “Despite having my base in
Jiu-Jitsu, I’m also improving my stand-up. I’ve had
the chance to train with the best athletes in the world. I will
definitely take this luggage to reach my goals in the sport.”
The
MSA was created with the goal of revealing new talents to the
national scene and put athletes of grappling and stand-up fighting
face to face. The first two editions of the competition took
place in August and November 2012, respectively. Holders of each
belt earned the right to make an MMA fight in MSA # 3.
Check
out the card of the event:
MMA
Champions League #1
Teatro dos Grandes Atores, Rio de Janeiro
March 25, 2013
Ronys
Torres (Nova União) x Julio Cesar Field (RFT) – up
to 70 kg 1st belt dispute
André
Chatuba (Team Nogueira) x Cassiano Tytschyo (Chute Boxe) –
Up to 77 kg 1st belt dispute
Raoni
Barcelos (RVT/Nova União) x Cyderlan “Porco Loco”
(PRVT) – Up to 66 kg 1st belt dispute
Ismael
Marmota (Nova União) x Marcelo Barreira (Barreira Team
Santos/Bocão MMA) – Up to 84 kg 1st belt dispute
Joriedson
Reis “Fein” (Machida Team) x Lincoln de Sá (Art
Combat) – Up to 57 kg 1st belt dispute
Preliminary
Card – Mixed Submission and Strike Arts (MSA) #3
Gilbert
Durinho (Team Belfort) x Rodolpho Coronel (Império da
Luta) – up to 70 kg
Celson
Rolim (Brazilian Top Team) x Denison Silva (PRVT) – up to
57 kg
Sergio
Bomba (Nova União) x to be defined – up to 61 kg
Geraldo
Freitas (BTT) x Gustavo Prado (PRVT) – up to 66 kg
Ângelo
Tilapa (Chute Boxe) x to be defined – up to 93kg
Felipe
Nilo (Team Nogueira) x Elias Santos (RFT) – up to 70kg
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Cro
Cop left high kicked his way to a K-1 WGP title last night
Cro
Cop needed a gift decision in the first round, the easiest path
to the final and a severe foot injury for Badr Hari but he won
his first K-1 World Grand Prix last night in Croatia.
The
event was a typical FEG trainwreck featuring bad judging, commentators
unaware of the schedule, out of place dance groups, technical
issues and the order-altering disappearance of alternate Dževad
Poturak. The card was a $20 internet pay-per-view though paying
customers were directed to a laggy, public YouTube stream which
went out before the semifinals only to return two fights later.
Mirko
started by getting bossed around the ring by young American Jarrell
Miller and then still somehow being awarded a unanimous decision,
though he did deserve his decision in the semifinals against
Pavel Zhuravlev.
His
final match was against Ismael Londt, who the commentators first
termed “big Manhoef” before eventually settling for
just calling him “Manhoef.” Cro Cop controlled the
pace and avoided the jumping knees Londt used to break Hesdy
Gerges’ nose, eventually knocking him down with a left high
kick in the second round and winning a fair decision.
Badr
Hari was in the field, having been released from Dutch prison
only a couple months ago while he awaits trial for attempted
manslaughter for beating the shit out of a nightclub owner.
He replaced an injured Ben Edwards in the quarterfinals and pieced
a game Zabit Samedov before dropping out with a broken foot.
Perhaps
the worst part of the “2012 Final” last night was K-1
announcing plans to circle the drain for a full 2013 season.
Glory controls the best heavyweights in the sport including
current K-1 Super Heavyweight Champion Semmy Schilt and unlike
K-1, they have a record for paying their fighters.
Despite
all of the weirdness, it was the K-1 World Grand Prix and in
the tradition of Schilt, Aerts and Hoost, 38-year-old Cro Cop
can call it a career with his very first K-1 gold. Silver linings,
man. They’re everywhere.
Source:
Fight Linker
|
With
Maracanazinho ’90 percent certain,’ ADCC 2013 trials
bring super-fight
Marcelo
Dunlop
Maracanazinho,
the probable stage of ADCC 2013 selective in Rio.
The
Brazilian trials for ADCC 2013 already has a date and host city
scheduled. It will be between April 19 and 21 in Rio de Janeiro,
but the exact location is not 100 percent confirmed yet, GracieMag.com
confirmed with Wagner Gomes, the secretary of ADCC in Brazil.
“It’s
90 percent certain to be in Maracanazinho, but the problem is
that 10 percent,” he said. “I am confident, but the
meeting will be tomorrow when we set everything.”
What
is new is the idea of launching a special super-fight to be held
before the great final of trials in the 66kg, 77kg, 88kg, 99kg
and over 99 divisions.
And
GracieMag.com readers will help to choose the super-fight. You
just need to say which athletes you would like to see facing
each other, no-gi. ADCC Brazil will run after them. The super-fight
will be announced on April 8.
The
main event starts on Oct. 19 in Beijing, the Chinese capital.
According
to organizers, the trials already received confirmation of athletes
from all states from the southeast Brazil region and Amazonas,
Pará, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasilia, Mato Grosso, Goias,
Pernambuco and Bahia.
To
enroll for the trials, please access www.adccbrazil.com.br.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Report:
Rony Jason vs. Mike Wilkinson added to UFC on FUEL TV 10
A
featherweight matchup between "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil"
winner Rony Jason (12-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and "The Ultimate
Fighter: The Smashes" cast member Mike Wilkinson (8-0 MMA,
1-0 UFC) is reportedly in the works for UFC on FUEL TV 10.
SporTV
first brought word of the matchup, though UFC officials haven't
made a formal announcement.
UFC
on FUEL TV 10, which also serves as the finale of "The Ultimate
Fighter: Brazil 2," takes place June 8, likely at Ginasio
Paulo Sarasate in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. The main card airs
on FUEL TV following prelims on Facebook.
Jason
brings a seven-fight win streak to the cage – a run that
includes a UFC win over Godofredo Castro in the final bout of
"TUF: Brazil," as well as a TKO finish of "The
Ultimate Fighter 15" cast member Sam Sicilia at this past
October's UFC 153 event. Jason, who turns 29 years old later
this month, has competed exclusively in his home country thus
far in his MMA career.
Meanwhile,
Wilkinson fights for the second time under the UFC banner. An
Englishman, Wilkinson was cast on "TUF: The Smashes"
but was forced out of the contest with an injury before ever
fighting on the show. The UFC still gave him a fight at this
past December's live finale, and Wilkinson rewarded them with
a decision win over Brendan Loughnane.
With
the reported addition, the UFC on FUEL TV 10 lineup now includes:
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Fabricio Werdum
Rafael Cavalcante vs. Thiago Silva
John Hathaway vs. Erick Silva
Rony Jason vs. Mike Wilkinson*
Caio Magalhaes vs. Karlos Vemola*
Derek Brunson vs. Ronny Markes*
Ildemar Alcantara vs. Jason High*
* - Not officially announced
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
158 Bonuses: Johny Hendricks, Carlos Condit, Jake Ellenberger
Pocket $50,000
By Mike
Whitman
Three
men walked away from UFC 158 with an additional $50,000 on Saturday
night, as Johny Hendricks, Carlos Condit and Jake Ellenberger
were awarded post-fight bonuses.
Condit
and Hendricks took home “Fight of the Night” honors
for their exciting welterweight co-headliner, while Ellenberger
earned “Knockout of the Night” for his first-round
finish of Nate Marquardt. Since no fights ended via submission,
no “Submission of the Night” bonus was handed out.
UFC
158 took place at Bell Centre in Montreal and saw UFC welterweight
king Georges St. Pierre retain his title in a five-round unanimous
decision victory over ex-Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz.
Ellenberger,
27, engaged Marquardt on equal ground early in their main card
affair, looking to find a home for his well-documented punching
power while “The Great” chipped away with kicks to
Ellenberger’s legs and body. “The Juggernaut”
finally found his mark midway through the frame, catching the
former King of Pancrase with a solid combination that dropped
Marquardt to his knees, where his lights were then quickly turned
out with a hard right hand to the temple.
Hendricks
let his intentions be known right off the bat in his pivotal
showdown with Condit, using his heavy left hook to aggressively
pursue “The Natural Born Killer” in the first two frames
while periodically planting Condit on the mat with takedowns.
Though Condit put forth a great effort throughout the contest
and rallied in the third frame, it was ultimately Hendricks who
found himself the new No. 1 contender when the judges’ scores
were read.
Source
Sherdog
|
Bellator
95 lineup finalized with Richman-Khasbulaev final, Parisyan-Hawn
The
lineup is set for next month's stacked Bellator 95 card, which
includes a title fight, two tournament finals, and an intriguing
bout between notable judokas.
The
event takes place April 4 at Revel Atlantic City in New Jersey,
and the main card airs on Spike TV following prelims on Spike.com.
As
previously announced, the headliner pits featherweight champion
Pat Curran (18-4 MMA, 8-1 BFC) against recent tournament winner
Shahbulat Shamhalaev (12-1-1 MMA, 3-0 BFC). Additionally, the
co-headliner features Brett Cooper (19-7 MMA, 6-2 BFC) vs. Doug
Marshall (17-6 MMA, 3-0 BFC) in the Season 8 middleweight-tournament
final.
Bellator
95's main card has two new additions: a Season 8 featherweight-tournament
final between Mike Richman (15-2 MMA, 4-1 BFC) and Magomedrasul
"Frodo" Khasbulaev (20-5 MMA, 4-0 BFC), as well as
Bellator vet Rick Hawn (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) vs. former UFC welterweight
contender Karo Parisyan (22-9 MMA, 0-0 BFC) in a 170-pound clash.
Richman,
who posted a semifinal finish in a Season 7 tournament after
a loss to Shamhalaev, advanced to the Season 8 final with a TKO
of Mitch Jackson and a split-decision victory over Alexandre
"Popo" Bezerra. "The Marine" now meets Khasbulaev,
who advanced to the final with stoppage wins over Fabricio Guerreiro
and Marlon Sandro. The Russian has now won eight straight fights,
including seven via submission.
Hawn,
meanwhile, fights for the first time since a submission loss
to lightweight champ Michael Chandler in January. The title loss
came after a Season 4 tournament runner-up finish and then a
Season 6 tourney championship. He takes on fellow judo standout
Parisyan, a former UFC fighter who makes his promotional debut.
After a 1-4 skid from 2010-2012, Parisyan has posted back-to-back
submission wins in the Gladiator Challenge promotion.
The
full Bellator 95 card includes:
MAIN
CARD (Spike TV, 10 p.m. ET)
Pat
Curran vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev - for featherweight title
Brett Cooper vs. Doug Marshall - middleweight-tournament final
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. Mike Richman - featherweight-tournament
final
Rick Hawn vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com, 8 p.m. ET)
Lyman
Good vs. Dante Rivera
Jessica Eye vs. Munah Holland
Brian Kelleher vs. Jimmie Rivera
Shedrick Goodridge vs. Sam Oropeza
Carlos Brooks vs. Tom DeBlass
Liam McGeary vs. Anton Talamantes
Brett Martinez vs. Brylan Van Artsdalen
Source: MMA Junkie
|
UFC
158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz Gate and Attendance
The
Ultimate fighting Championship returned to the Bell Centre in
Montreal for UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz, and the show lived
up to expectations in the Octagon and at the gate.
Georges
St-Pierre defended his UFC welterweight championship by dominating
Nick Diaz en route to a five-round unanimous decision in the
night’s main event.
UFC
president Dana White, following the fight, said that UFC 158
drew an attendance of 20,145 for a live gate totaling $3.71 million.
Those
are much higher numbers in both categories than the promotion’s
last trip to Montreal.
UFC
154, which took place last November featuring St-Pierre defending
against Carlos Condit, sold 17,249 tickets producing gate receipts
of $3.143 million.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
158: St. Pierre cruises to victory over Nick Diaz
By Zach
Arnold
Event: UFC 158 (3/16 Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
TV: FX/PPV
Bantamweights: George Roop defeated Reuben Duran after 3R by
unanimous decision.
Bantamweights: TJ Dillashaw defeated Issei Tamura in R2 in 26
seconds by KO.
Welterweights: Rick Story defeated Quinn Mulhern in R1 in 3'05
by TKO.
Lightweights: John Makdessi defeated Daron Cruickshank after
3R by unanimous decision.
Welterweights: Jordan Mein defeated Dan Miller in R1 in 4'42
by TKO.
Featherweights: Darren Elkins defeated Antonio Carvalho in R1
in 3'06 by referee stoppage.
Middleweights: Patrick Cote defeated Bobby Voelker after 3R by
unanimous decision.
Lightweights: Mike Ricci defeated Colin Fletcher after 3R by
unanimous decision.
Middleweights: Chris Camozzi defeated Nick Ring after 3R by split
decision.
Welterweights: Jake Ellenberger defeated Nate Marquardt in R1
in 3 minutes by KO.
Welterweights: Johny Hendricks defeated Carlos Condit after 3R
by unanimous decision.
UFC Welterweight title match: Georges St. Pierre defeated Nick
Diaz after 5R by unanimous decision.
Dana White announced that Ronda Rousey would coach a co-ed version
of The Ultimate Fighter next season.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC
158 Results: ‘GSP vs. Diaz’ Play-by-Play & Updates
Reuben
Duran vs. George Roop
Round
1
Roop goes high with a head kick early and has it blocked. Duran
comes back with a right hand, then takes a slapping left high
kick to the cheek. Another right hand from Duran clips Roop,
who pulls up short on his counter. Roop catches Duran under the
armpit with a thudding body kick. One-two combo from Duran has
Roop on rubbery legs momentarily, but he quickly recovers. Duran
is doing well to pick off Roop as the larger man comes inside.
Now he catches a kick and plows Roop to the ground, landing in
his open guard. Roop throws elbows off his back as he puts his
feet on Duran’s thighs and tries to push off. Roop closes
up guard as he wraps up Duran’s head, maybe angling for
a triangle choke. Duran breaks it up by controlling Roop’s
head as they scoot around the canvas. Duran tries to posture
up but Roop has his arms controlled. More elbows from Roop underneath
in the last 20 seconds of the round; Duran is mostly inactive
on top but lands a couple short punches and a shoulder shrug
before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Duran
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Duran
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Duran
Round
2
Roop counters a low kick with a hook, and Duran quickly gets
inside on a single-leg to put Roop on the fence. Roop spins around,
trying to take Duran’s back, and Duran sits down to try
and prevent the back mount. With his right hook in, Roop sits
down behind him and works to secure the position while simultaneously
trying for a rear-naked choke. Duran peels off Roop’s right
hand at the wrist, so Roop peppers with punches until he’s
able to wrap the arm around Duran’s throat again. Again,
Duran defends, and now he posts to stand back up against the
fence. Duran lands a knee to the body and almost escapes before
being shoved back into the cage midway through the round. Duran
catches a body kick, can’t get Roop down but manages to
separate. Another single-leg attempt in the middle of the cage
yields a takedown for Duran, but now he has to fend off a loose
guillotine from Roop. It’s too loose, and Duran pops his
head out with 90 seconds left. Roop throws elbows and short punches
off his back as he squirms and inches backward toward the fence.
Meanwhile, Duran is just keeping control on the ground with a
waistlock; it proves fruitless, as Roop posts and stands as soon
as they hit the perimeter.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Duran
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Roop
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Roop
Round
3
Duran has Roop down at the base of the fence within 15 seconds,
but Roop is back on his feet 10 seconds later. Duran presses
him on the fence while Roop looks for the Thai plum and throws
knees up the middle. Now it’s Roop on the outside, working
Duran’s body and head with solid right hands. Duran lands
a knee to Roop’s body but he’s getting mugged on the
fence by the taller man. Another half-dozen right hands up top
from Roop have Duran struggling to escape. Roop hits a takedown
with 2:45 left in the fight and Duran closes up guard underneath.
Duran opens up guard, posts and stands, but gives up his back
in the process. Duran shakes him off and now puts Roop’s
back to the cage. Referee Philippe Chartier calls for action
as they pummel on the fence. Duran isn’t mounting much offense,
just holding Roop on the fence while Roop gets busy with short
punches, then a pair of hard knees to Duran’s chin. Final
30 seconds now and Roop scores with knees to the body while Duran
digs for the single-leg. They separate just before the horn and
both men keep swinging afterwards.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-28 Duran)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-28 Roop)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Roop (29-28 Roop)
Official
result: The judges score the bout 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 for
the winner by unanimous decision, George Roop.
T.J.
Dillashaw vs. Issei Tamura
Round
1
Tamura moves counterclockwise in an open stance and lands an
inside leg kick. Dillashaw backs him off with a front kick and
grazes with a right hook before hitting the Shooto vet with an
outside leg kick. Tamura cracks Dillashaw with a nice right-handed
counter just before Dillashaw comes forward and plants him at
the base of the fence. Tamura drives forward on a leg but Dillashaw
cradles him and spins around to try and take the back. Nice knee
to the body lands for Dillashaw as Tamura stands back up and
gets pressed against the cage. Dillashaw hits another takedown
but Tamura is right back up. Dillashaw pins him on the fence
and works some knees to the thigh; he’s warned by ref Yves
Lavigne to keep the knees clean. More knees to the leg from Dillashaw
as the bantamweights tangle their arms, working for position.
Dillashaw frees up his right hand and socks Tamura in the ribs
a few times; now Lavigne warns him against holding the fence.
The ref splits them up with a minute left in the round and Tamura
ducks under a Dillashaw high kick as they resume. Dillashaw lands
an outside leg kick and takes a right hook in return. Both men
are swinging hard down the stretch, neither landing cleanly.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Dillashaw
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dillashaw
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Dillashaw
Round
2
Tamura again sets up on the outside as Dillashaw presses on him
from the center. Dillashaw steps in, fakes low, then kicks high
and blasts him with a left head kick. Tamura hits the deck, falling
to his back. Dillashaw pounces immediately and turns out Tamura’s
lights with a barrage of right hands and ref Yves Lavigne rushes
in to save the unconscious Tamura. T.J. Dillashaw picks up the
knockout victory 26 seconds into the second round.
Quinn
Mulhern vs. Rick Story
Round
1
Story creeps in on Mulhern in the southpaw stance while the UFC
newcomer moves around the outside. Story cracks Mulhern with
a left hand and Mulhern goes down, pushing Story off with his
long guard before popping back up to his feet. Mulhern shoots
a double-leg from way out and Story sprawls all over it. Story
comes forward again and clips Mulhern with a right hand. Mulhern
tries to keep Story at bay with long kicks, but Story walks right
through it and lands a right hand, then resets and blasts Mulhern
with a left hook to the body and a hard low kick. Mulhern lands
a left of his own now; Story keeps walking forward, lands a leg
kick and eats another counter hook. Left hook to the body from
Story is followed by a scorching left hook to the right eye of
Mulhern, who circles away holding his eye. Story is all over
him, chasing with more punches until Mulhern falls to the ground.
Mulhern is fetal on the ground and absorbs a shot to the body
before referee Marc-Andre Cote can step in. Rick Story takes
the win via TKO at 3:05 of the first round.
John
Makdessi vs. Daron Cruickshank
Round
1
The strikers feint and twitch as they bounce around the center
of the cage for the first 30 seconds of the bout. Makdessi lands
first with a tapping inside leg kick, answered in kind by Cruickshank.
The Montreal crowd is restless and starts booing after a minute
of inactivity. Cruickshank whiffs on a round kick and Makdessi
fakes a shot. Now it’s Cruickshank looking to pump his jab,
still not landing though. Cruickshank blocks a hook kick from
Makdessi and tries to counter with punches, but nothing really
gets through. Makdessi is starting to string together some hard
leg kicks; it’s still not enough for the fans, who are letting
the lightweights hear it now three minutes into the bout. Makdessi
sticks his jab in Cruickshank’s face and lands an inside
leg kick which strays low. Referee Marc Goddard calls time to
allow Cruickshank to recover, and he does so quickly. They resume
with 1:20 left and the round still up for grabs. A snapping left
hand lands for Makdessi. Cruickshank grazes with a spinning kick
to the body before being denied on a takedown attempt. Makdessi
slaps Cruickshank with an outside leg kick before the end of
the round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Makdessi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cruickshank
Round
2
Makdessi paws at Cruickshank with his left hand, and Cruickshank
answers with a grazing lead round kick. Both men switch stances
as Cruickshank looks to back Makdessi off with a side kick. Makdessi
lands a hard low kick and Cruickshank answers with a chop to
Makdessi’s lead leg. Cruickshank comes inside with an uppercut
and dips out before Makdessi can retaliate. Cruickshank misses
with a spinning backfist and eats a nice counter right from Makdessi.
More boos from the crowd midway through the bout, though they’re
looking more active than in the first. Cruickshank gets stung
and dives on a takedown which Makdessi sprawls on easily. Makdessi
backs off the “Detroit Superstar” with a right hand,
resets and doubles up on his jab. An overhand right from Cruickshank
has Makdessi’s nose bleeding. Outside thigh kick from Makdessi
lands as the round enters its final minute. Makdessi scores with
a left hand but takes a side kick to the face in return. A punching
combo from Makdessi stings Cruickshank, who charges forward with
a wild flying knee and falls to the ground. He hops back up and
both lightweights finish the round swinging.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Makdessi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Makdessi
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Makdessi
Round
3
Makdessi opens the round with a looping left hook, then gets
backed off by front kicks from the taller Cruickshank. More pawing
jabs come from Makdessi as Cruickshank switches to the southpaw
stance. Cruickshank connects with a right straight, countered
by a left hand up top from Makdessi, then one to the body. Makdessi
catches a kick, knocks Cruickshank to the ground and waves him
back up. Makdessi goes to the body with a left, then up top with
a right cross. A wheel kick from Cruickshank comes up short,
and Makdessi defends a long double-leg attempt afterward. Another
nice pair of left jabs light up Cruickshank, who shoots again
from a mile out. Cruickshank pulls guard and Makdessi kicks at
him for a moment this time before letting him back up. Two minutes
left in the fight now and Makdessi is taking control, courtesy
of his left hand. He grazes the body of Cruickshank with a spinning
back kick and dodges a high kick from the American. Makdessi
spins into range with a backfist and catches a finger in his
left eye as he turns around. Ref Goddard doesn’t deduct
a point but warns Cruickshank to keep his hands closed. They
resume with a minute left and “The Bull” comes charging
forward. Cruickshank tries to clinch but Makdessi won’t
stay put. Makdessi scores with a jab-uppercut combo, then doubles
up on a right hand to close out the bout.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Makdessi (30-27 Makdessi)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Makdessi (30-28 Makdessi)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Makdessi (29-28 Makdessi)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, John Makdessi.
Jordan
Mein vs. Dan Miller
Round
1
Mein rushes out to meet Miller and gets backed off by a combination.
Mein is inching Miller toward the fence while Miller looks to
keep him away with jabs. Miller ducks a hook and plows Mein to
the ground, where Mein quickly starts trying to push the New
Jerseyan away with butterfly hooks. Miller catches Mein in a
deep, deep armbar, but the Canadian youngster flips over the
top and stacks up to relieve the pressure. Mein pops to his feet
and lets Miller back up. Miller comes forward and staggers Mein
with a quick right hand. Mein catches a hard body kick and swipes
Miller with a right-hand counter. Miller comes underneath a Mein
combo to counter with a left hook. A cracking left hook from
Mein puts Miller on his posterior, and Mein lets him back to
his feet with just over a minute left. Now it’s a right
hand from Mein finding its mark on Miller’s chin, but Miller
stays standing this time. Popping jabs from Mein, then another,
and Miller’s nose is bleeding. Mein senses that Miller is
in trouble and swarms all over him with punches against the fence,
including some nasty uppercuts to the body. The bloodied Miller
hits the deck; Mein shucks his legs to the side, gets in position
and blasts away with left hands until referee Marc-Andre Cote
intervenes. With a TKO at 4:42 of round one, Jordan Mein becomes
the first man to stop Dan Miller.
Antonio
Carvalho vs. Darren Elkins
Round
1
Carvalho lands a hook to the body and clinches up to land another
before being shoved off. He shoots wide on a double-leg and Carvalho
sprawls against the fence. Elkins digs an underhook and connects
with a couple right hands before separating. Carvalho backs Elkins
off with a chopping outside leg kick. Single-leg attempt from
Elkins doesn’t work, so he stands and pushes Carvalho against
the fence briefly. Carvalho misses with a whipping right high
kick midway through the round. Elkins is looking more tentative
as Carvalho threatens with speedy counter left hooks. A right
hand on the cheek staggers Carvalho, who wobbles just a little
before being set upon by Elkins with a grazing left and a right
straight. Carvalho falls to the ground for a split second, just
long enough for ref Yves Lavigne to jump in and halt the contest.
“Pato” is immediately on his feet, protesting the stoppage,
but it’s too late. Darren Elkins is awarded the win via
TKO at 3:06 of round one.
Patrick
Cote vs. Bobby Voelker
Round
1
Voelker swings heavy right hands early while Cote looks to dip
in and out, picking at the American with quick punches. Cote
scores with a few solid right hands before being wrapped up and
pressed into the fence by Voelker, who is immediately reversed.
Cote takes the outside with an underhook and uses his free right
hand to pepper with short punches. Voelker turns him around,
but Cote gets right back to the outside position. Cote separates
with a level elbow and makes Voelker flinch as he steps in the
pocket to strikes. He ducks a pair of Voelker punches and comes
back with a glancing right hand. Cote lands two hard outside
leg kicks before the welterweights wrap up again. Voelker trips
Cote to the ground with 2:00 left in the opening round, and Cote
closes up his guard. Cote swings his legs around, trying for
an armbar on Voelker’s left arm, can’t get it. Voelker
postures up in Cote’s closed guard and Cote drills him with
some hard elbows from the bottom. Another armbar attempt yields
nothing and Cote instead tries to push Voelker away. Voelker
stays on top, his head controlled by Cote, who looks for another
armbar. Voelker pulls his arm loose to finish on top.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Voelker
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cote
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cote
Round
2
Cote stuns Voelker with an uppercut but the American stays on
his feet and throws hands in return. Outside leg kick lands for
Cote, who backs out of range of the swinging Voelker. Now an
outside leg kick from Voelker connects. Cote is ready for the
next one but can’t find his mark with the right-handed counter.
Short hook to the body from Cote is followed by a left up top.
Voelker rushes Cote into the fence and is quickly spun around.
Cote takes a step back and unloads with about 10 punches, though
some go off the arms of Voelker, who covers up under fire. Voelker
comes forward, throwing wide hooks that back Cote into the fence.
Cote wants the clinch and uses it to get outside and separate.
Cote lands a leaping jab; Voelker responds with a knee, eats
a right hook and lands another sharp knee up the middle. Cote
puts Voelker on the fence with an underhook and Voelker grabs
the Thai plum. Cote explodes out with a body-head combo, and
he’s sporting a nasty cut on the inside of his left eye
as Voelker connects with another knee. Back on the fence they
go, Cote on the outside. Voelker lands a palm strike before tossing
Cote to the floor, but Cote pops back up. Voelker comes forward
to land a left hand and sprawls on a takedown attempt just before
the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Cote
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Voelker
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Voelker
Round
3
A left hand from Voelker has Cote staggering backwards early,
and Voelker rushes to try and finish the job. Cote recovers quickly
and pins Voelker to the cage, slowing the pace with a single-leg
attempt. Cote lets him go, misses with a leaping knee. They clinch
on the fence, Cote taking the outside position as Voelker tries
to slip out. Cote separates with a standing elbow, but Voelker
comes right at him and rocks him with another left. A level-change
from Cote is greeted by another Voelker knee, and Voelker hits
a takedown at the base of the cage after Cote tries to hold him
there again. Hard right-handed hammer-fists come from Voelker
on top as Cote tries to pivot for an armbar. Cote gets to his
feet for a second, but Voelker has his leg hooked and puts him
right back down. Cote stands again and Voelker again throws him
to the canvas. Cote grabs Voelker’s left arm and throws
up his legs but doesn’t have the angle. Just over one minute
left in the bout and Voelker has Cote stuck on the fence as they
stand, then double-legs him down again. Cote’s armbar attempts
aren’t even coming close now as Voelker mashes the Canadian’s
face with punches and elbows from the top. Cote is covering up
by the end, just trying to avoid Voelker’s steady stream
of left hands before the final horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Voelker (29-28 Voelker)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Voelker (29-28 Voelker)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Voelker (29-28 Voelker)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Patrick Cote.
Colin
Fletcher vs. Mike Ricci
Round
1
The lanky Fletcher opens up on his back foot, flicking out long
outside leg kicks. Ricci nearly connects with a left high kick,
Fletcher comes back with a kick to the body. Ricci comes forward
to strike and gets picked off by a Fletcher right hand. Ricci
backs Fletcher toward the cage, where the “Freakshow”
pushes Ricci off with a front kick to the body. Fletcher catches
a kick and strikes back with a combo up top. Fletcher is connecting
with lots of leg kicks but there’s not much behind them
as Ricci is standing at the end of the Englishman’s range.
Ricci sticks a jab and backs away from another Fletcher kick.
An inside leg kick catches Ricci low and the Canadian takes a
moment to recover. They get back to work and Fletcher taps him
with a jab before Ricci lands a body kick. Fletcher catches a
kick and rushes Ricci into the fence for the last few seconds.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Round
2
Ricci catches a kick and puts Fletcher on the ground early. Fletcher
tries to throw up his long guard as they work at the base of
the cage, but Ricci is heavy on top and bangs him up with some
short elbows. Ricci is in full mount but reversed on top with
Fletcher rolling underneath, maybe trying for a toe hold. Ricci
extracts his leg and spins to take Fletcher’s back as they
stand back up. Fletcher scrapes him off with the help of the
fence and pushes Ricci against the fence with an underhook before
being reversed. Fletcher is sporting damage underneath his right
eye as they work around the outside and split up midway through
the round. Fletcher gets back to throwing his slow low kicks
while Ricci pressures from the center. Body kick lands for Fletcher,
answered by a right-hand counter from Ricci. A left high kick
lands for Ricci and Fletcher gives him a hard leg kick in return.
Ricci goes down the middle with a straight left, gets backed
off by a pair of Fletcher body kicks. Fletcher is getting busier
with his combos by the end of the frame but they just don’t
look to have much behind them.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ricci
Round
3
Fletcher, whose right eye looks almost swollen shut now, gets
inside on a single-leg. Ricci defends by hopping over to the
fence. Level change for Fletcher yields nothing and they wind
up clinching on the cage with Fletcher on the outside. Ricci
turns it around and they stall out until Ricci breaks off with
a standing elbow. Three minutes left in the bout and they’re
back to the familiar pattern, Ricci throwing straight punches
and Fletcher firing off slapping kicks from the outside. Fletcher
gets off a right cross, tries a superman punch and gets picked
off by a Ricci counter. Ricci backs Fletcher into the fence and
lands a one-two before letting him go. They tie up with 90 seconds
left and Ricci drags Fletcher to the ground, though Fletcher
tries to grab hold of the cage and prevent the takedown. Ricci
postures up in Fletcher’s half-guard and drops left hands
while the Freakshow tries to buck and roll. Ricci takes his back
in a scramble and starts working for the RNC with 40 seconds
left. Fletcher fends off the choke, so Ricci tries for an armbar.
It allows Fletcher to roll free and finish the fight on top,
landing a couple elbows before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Ricci (30-27 Ricci)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ricci (30-27 Ricci)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ricci (30-27 Ricci)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 30-27 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Mike Ricci.
Nick
Ring vs. Chris Camozzi
Round
1
Ring opens up with inside and outside leg kicks, and Camozzi
steps forward with a glancing left hook. Now, Camozzi wades in
behind his jab and misses with the follow-up right. Camozzi lands
a hard kick to Ring’s lead leg as the southpaws continue
to feel out the range. Lead uppercut from Camozzi misses. With
his hands at his waist, Ring walks him toward the fence. The
Canadian is having trouble getting inside with Camozzi swinging
hooks. Camozzi strikes with a kick to the body and connects with
a right hook. Ring keeps crouching low and throwing flicking
punches to the body, but he’s not landing clean. Camozzi
connects with a wide right hook that has an off-balance Ring
looking for his footing. Ring ducks a right hook and slips out
to land one of his own. A right hook from Ring is countered by
a left from Camozzi as the last few seconds tick down in a close
first round.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Camozzi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Camozzi
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ring
Round
2
The middleweights trade hard leg kicks to start the middle stanza.
Camozzi catches a front kick but can’t capitalize, and Ring
comes back to pop him with a right hand. Ring connects with a
short left and just gets out of the way of a Camozzi knee. Camozzi
decks Ring with a hard left and comes sailing in behind it with
a knee that misses. Guillotine try for Camozzi doesn’t go
anywhere and they break off. Halfway through the fight now and
Camozzi looks to be breathing hard while Ring still has some
pep in his step. Camozzi doubles up on a jab, eats a right hand
in return. Ring is playing matador, stepping out of the way of
Camozzi’s slow punches and constantly changing angles. Camozzi
grabs hold of Ring’s head and taps him with a knee. Camozzi’s
nose is leaking blood as he comes forward and catches Ring off
balance with a punch. Ring stays up and steps backward, out of
the way of a series of Camozzi’s punches.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Camozzi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ring
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Ring
Round
3
Jabs are exchanged early in the final round but it’s Ring
mixing in leg kicks to keep the tired Camozzi at bay. Camozzi
rushes in with a left hand, then clinches up and works to secure
a rear waistlock. Ring scoots over to the fence and puts his
left side to the cage. Camozzi gets off a couple knees before
Ring slips out and resets in the center of the cage. Ring lands
a right hook and Camozzi waves him on. Two minutes left and both
men are pulling up short with their jabs now. Ring flicks out
a few leg kicks inside, eats a left hand from Camozzi up top.
Camozzi sticks a couple jabs on the backward-moving Ring, who
shoots a bad single-leg and nearly gets his head trapped. Camozzi
snaps back Ring’s head with a jab. It’s Camozzi coming
forward at the final horn, leaping at Ring with a knee.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Camozzi (30-27 Camozzi)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Camozzi (29-28 Camozzi)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Camozzi (29-28 Ring)
Official
result: The judges score the bout 29-28 Camozzi, 29-28 Ring,
and 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Chris Camozzi.
Nate
Marquardt vs. Jake Ellenberger
Round
1
Marquardt lands an inside leg kick as Ellenberger stalks out
from the center of the cage, changing levels. Ellenberger spins
the former Strikeforce champ around with a leg kick of his own.
Marquardt falls on his next leg kick, hops back up. Marquardt
catches Ellenberger coming in and rushes him with a nice right
hand. Ellenberger answers right back with a hard hook. “The
Juggernaut” just misses with an uppercut as Marquardt fakes
a single-leg shot. Marquardt with another inside leg kick as
he steps out of the way of Ellenberger’s right hand. Another
pair of hard leg kicks land for Marquardt, who is sporting a
small cut underneath his eye. Ellenberger decks Marquardt with
a blazing left-right combo and Marquardt drops to his knees.
Marquardt is diving on a shot while Ellenberger stands over him,
throwing bombs. A right hand connects and Marquardt goes limp,
prompting referee Philippe Chartier to intervene. Marquardt comes
to and stands up to protest, but the stoppage was just and this
one is over. Jake Ellenberger collects another knockout win at
3:00 of the first round.
Carlos
Condit vs. Johny Hendricks
Round
1
Marc Goddard is the referee for tonight’s co-main event.
Condit strikes first with a leg kick inside and Hendricks rushes
him, looking to land his big left hand. Seconds later, a punch
grazes Condit’s chin and the “Natural Born Killer”
looks dazed on the fence. Hendricks dumps him to the ground but
allows Condit back up right away. Condit lands a stabbing right
and has to hop backward to avoid another flurry from Hendricks,
who gives chase and takes Condit down again. This time, Hendricks
wants to keep him on the floor, but Condit scrambles up and eats
a knee to the body. Hendricks stays glued to his back and drags
him down again, where Condit first pivots his hips and then closes
up guard. Condit is controlling Hendricks’ head, making
it hard to ground-and-pound, while Hendricks is defending against
Condit’s elbows from the ground. Condit pops Hendricks with
a hammer-fist and scrambles up. Hendricks misses with a lead
uppercut but gets inside with two left hands behind it and dumps
Condit down again. Condit rolls through, stalls out on his knees
and winds up in north-south position with Hendricks controlling
his head and left arm. Condit gets to his feet, blood trickling
from his nose. He misses a leaping knee and Hendricks resets
to blast Condit with a body-head combo. Condit uses a standing
kimura to bring Hendricks down and then latches onto the wrestler’s
back as Hendricks stands. Condit loses his hooks, pushes Hendricks
away with a front kick to the face and zaps him with a hook,
but Hendricks hits one more takedown before the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Round
2
Condit lands a couple front kicks to the body of Hendricks and
steps out of the way of the return fire. A leaping knee goes
for Condit but Hendricks keeps coming. Hendricks wades in behind
some left hooks and pins Condit to the cage, then drops him down
with a double-leg. Condit turns for a kimura and Hendricks quickly
gets his arm loose. An active guard from Condit gets him back
on his feet, where he slugs Hendricks with a straight right.
Hendricks scores with a big left before pushing Condit against
the cage again. Condit defends the double-leg for a moment, succumbs,
but gets back up midway through the round to hit Hendricks with
a pair of knees. Another leaping knee from Condit gives Hendricks
an opening for another takedown, this time in the center of the
Octagon. Hendricks works from half-guard, leaning right to left
on Condit and defending the kimura. Condit posts and stands,
but Hendricks keeps back control and pulls him down again. Condit
stands again and they’re back to striking with a minute
left in the round. Hendricks dodges a front kick to the face,
turns Condit around and hits yet another takedown. Condit nearly
gets back up but Hendricks wraps his legs up and keeps him down.
Condit stands just before the end of the round and misses with
a lunging punch.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Hendricks
Round
3
Hendricks misses with a pair of lefts, can’t get in behind
them to set up a takedown. Condit backs him toward the fence,
but Hendricks comes right off and takes Condit down. Condit lands
a short elbow from his back and Hendricks gives him a couple
rights to the ribs. Condit lands three or four punches to the
back of Hendricks’ head before drawing a warning from ref
Goddard. The former interim champ uses a kimura to post and stand.
He tries to mug Hendricks, who backs Condit off with another
big left and gets a rear waistlock on the fence. He switches
to a double-leg and puts Condit on his back once more. Condit
strikes with elbows from his back and stands with just under
two minutes remaining. A big right hook from Condit snaps Hendricks’
head back, so Hendricks clinches up. Condit scoots out and throws
punches at Hendricks on the fence until he’s taken down
again. Condit is busy off his back while Hendricks isn’t
doing much of anything in the way of offense. Condit’s back
to his feet with 40 seconds left and storming on Hendricks with
hooks and knees. Hendricks wraps him up and takes him down for
what seems like the 20th time in the fight. Condit stands before
the end and finishes with two more right hands at the horn.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 Condit (29-28 Hendricks)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Condit (29-28 Hendricks)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Condit (29-28 Hendricks)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner
by unanimous decision, Johny Hendricks.
UFC
Welterweight Championship:
Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz
Round
1
Yves Lavigne is the referee for tonight’s main event, with
judges Richard Betrand, Sal D’Amato and David Therrien scoring
at cageside. St. Pierre is at the center of the cage even before
Lavigne calls the start. Diaz lands a quick jab and gets double-legged
to the center of the cage. Diaz quickly wraps GSP up in his closed
guard and throws up his legs, maybe hunting for a triangle. Diaz
tries for rubber guard but gets shoved to his knees. GSP tries
to take the back and Diaz looks to roll through. He does roll
and they wind up in north-south position, then GSP has to defend
a double-leg with a sprawl. Right hands from GSP as he works
from the kneeling Diaz’s right side. He switches to the
left side and works to take Diaz’s back, but Diaz puts his
back on the mat and wraps up the champ. A couple short elbows
from GSP land as he moves to Diaz’s closed guard. Another
rubber guard try from Diaz, but St. Pierre stacks him up and
then returns to his back with two minutes left. Diaz grabs the
cage as he gets to his knees at the base of the fence. GSP tears
him off the fence, but Diaz grabs it again to stand back up.
GSP stays on his back, pulls him down again and now sinks in
both hooks. Diaz peels off GSP’s left foot but can’t
escape the champ’s grasp. Diaz stands, tries a standing
kimura and gets dumped on his head for his trouble, then eats
a few more punches to finish the frame. Diaz thinks GSP landed
late, gets up fuming and has to be restrained by the ref.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Round
2
Diaz has some damage on the left side of his face but it doesn’t
look too serious. He slaps at St. Pierre with a leg kick, answered
by the champ. Diaz wants to stick his jab but can’t get
inside on St. Pierre, who moves smoothly backward and then changes
momentum to take Diaz down again. Closed guard for Diaz now as
St. Pierre postures up. Diaz lands a couple short right hands
from his back, but that’s the most he’s done in terms
of offense so far. GSP is all over his challenger, pinning Diaz
to the ground and posturing up to improve his position. Diaz
gets to his knees and GSP drives a knee into the right side of
his body. St. Pierre is punching under the armpit of Diaz, who
looks helpless through the first eight minutes of action. Diaz
puts GSP back in his closed guard and eats a big elbow from the
champ. Getting to his knees, Diaz tries to roll underneath, then
stands up with one hand still on the mat. GSP breaks him right
back down and throws a knee to the body from north-south. Diaz
is back on his feet now with under a minute to go in the round.
St. Pierre snaps Diaz’s head back with a leaping jab and
peppers with outside leg kicks. Diaz sticks a jab and has a spinning
kick blocked before dodging another superman punch. Once again,
Diaz has to be held back by the ref at the end of the frame.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Round
3
Diaz is back on the ground less than a minute into the frame
with St. Pierre glued to his back. Diaz scoots toward the fence
and stands back up. He lands a shot to St. Pierre’s body
but gets turned around as GSP connects up top. A couple solid
leg kicks get through for Diaz, then St. Pierre backs him off
with a few jabs. The welterweights trade spinning kicks, neither
connecting. A stiff jab from GSP precedes a shot, but this time
Diaz is able to stay up. GSP backs off and comes forward with
a straight right. Diaz pumps his jab, clips GSP with a right
hook behind the ear and St. Pierre appears to be on rubbery legs
momentarily. Diaz moving forward now, plucking St. Pierre with
a left, but St. Pierre hits an easy takedown in the middle of
the cage. Diaz tries to roll underneath again but finishes the
round underneath St. Pierre. A late strike from Diaz draws a
stern warning from Lavigne, who says he’ll disqualify the
challenger if it happens again.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Round
4
St. Pierre sticks Diaz with a pair of jabs as he moves around
the outside. Another jab and a leg kick from the champion. Diaz
stuffs a double-leg but gets jabbed again as GSP stands up. Short
left hand from GSP seems to give Diaz pause for thought. Now
it’s a right hand taking Diaz off balance, but he keeps
coming forward. GSP ducks a punch and tries to spin around the
back, gets shoved off by Diaz. They clinch on the fence and Diaz
scores with a few right hands and knees to the body. Another
pair of hooks to the body of GSP land as they separate. Diaz
walks around the outside with his hands down and St. Pierre kicks
the back of his leg. St. Pierre lands a jab and looks up at the
clock, then hits a takedown with 2:00 remaining. Diaz briefly
gets rubber guard, maybe angling for a gogoplata, but GSP snuffs
it out and throws right hands as Diaz gets to his knees. Diaz
crawls up the fence, St. Pierre still clung to his waist, and
he’s suplexed back to the ground. Diaz gets up again with
under a minute remaining and tries a kimura as he pulls guard.
St. Pierre seems unperturbed as he works to secure top position.
Diaz is on his knees, his right side flush to the fence with
St. Pierre punching from the left. Diaz rolls underneath to again
finish underneath St. Pierre; he doesn’t have to be restrained
this time.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre
Round
5
Diaz tries to go up top with left high kicks, gets blocked. He
comes forward with jabs which GSP dodges. Diaz lands a left,
answered by a GSP jab. They tie up with over-unders and Diaz
puts St. Pierre on the fence now. Diaz sneaks a right hand inside
and St. Pierre walks him off the cage. Diaz puts him back and
throws a couple knees up the middle. They split with 3:30 left
in the fight. GSP sticks a jab and Diaz slips on a high kick.
St. Pierre follows him to the ground and traps Diaz on his knees
again. Diaz goes to his back and starts framing up a kimura on
GSP’s left arm. St. Pierre extracts the arm and Diaz gets
to his knees. St. Pierre nearly secures the back but Diaz rolls
out. Heavy pressure on top from St. Pierre, who wants to keep
Diaz on his knees. Diaz slips out and is back on his feet with
1:45 to go. They clinch and Diaz lands a right hand and a knee
to the body, then three more right hands and another knee. GSP
puts him on the fence and Diaz turns him around. They break with
50 seconds left. St. Pierre charges on a double-leg and puts
Diaz on the ground, likely for the final time. Diaz wraps up
the champ’s head and lands a couple peppering right hands.
St. Pierre postures up and blasts Diaz with a few more punches
before the horn, and the Bell Centre goes wild. St. Pierre hugs
his challenger and Diaz raises the champ’s hand.
TJ
De Santis scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre (50-45 St. Pierre)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre (50-45 St. Pierre)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 St. Pierre (50-45 St. Pierre)
Official
result: All three judges score the bout 50-45 for the winner
by unanimous decision and still UFC welterweight champion, Georges
St. Pierre.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Ronda
Rousey to Coach TUF 18 Opposite Tate/Zingano Winner… But
That’s Not All
by Ken
Pishna
There has been talk over and over again about UFC women’s
bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey being a coach on The Ultimate
Fighter ever since she arrived in the UFC.
It is no longer a hypothetical as UFC president Dana White on
Saturday night’s UFC 158 Prelims on FX broadcast announced
that she will indeed coach on TUF 18. He also revealed her opposing
coach… well, he narrowed it down to two people anyway.
“I’m gonna announce tonight the coaches for The Ultimate
Fighter for the next season,” said White. “It will
be Ronda Rousey versus the winner of (Miesha) Tate and (Cat)
Zingano, who are fighting at the TUF 17 Finale on April 13.
“So for the first time ever, two women coaches.”
White, however, wasn’t done there. Not only will TUF 18
mark the first time that women have coached on the show, but
perhaps more surprisingly, there will also be women in fighter
house, as well as men.
“We will have 135-pound men and 135-pound women living and
training in the house together,” White declared.
That obviously opens everything up for all kinds of new twists
and turns to liven up the reality series.
Open tryouts will be on April 15 in Las Vegas. Tryout details
will be released on Monday, March 18. TUF 18 is expected to debut
in the fall of 2013.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Johny
Hendricks promised a title shot, but possible broken hand a worry
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL -- For Johny Hendricks, one wait is over, while another
may be just beginning.
After
edging Carlos Condit in UFC 158's Fight of the Night, Hendricks
demanded a chance to fight UFC welterweight champion Georges
St-Pierre, and that request was summarily granted by UFC president
Dana White.
"He's
the No. 1 contender. Done," White said before offering praise
to both Hendricks and opponent Condit for their action-packed
thriller.
That
announcement thrilled Hendricks, who has spent a large portion
of fight week campaigning for the match. But now he'll have to
hope for some further good news. Hendricks said he hurt his left
hand during the first round of the bout, and had to adjust his
game plan accordingly, using his wrestling more than he originally
expected to do.
That
resulted in a career-best 12 takedowns in a single fight, which
was a big reason he was awarded the win.
Hendricks
said he plans to get the hand examined on Monday.
"I
was hitting him pretty hard, and he was taking them, so once
your weapons are injured, you've got to find another way to win,
and that’s what I did," he said.
White
would not put a timetable on the Hendricks vs. St-Pierre fight,
but said he was interested in hosting it in Las Vegas, which
would be the champion's first time fighting outside of Canada
since defeating Dan Hardy in Newark, New Jersey in March 2010.
St-Pierre
left the Diaz fight with redness and swelling on his face. He
also had a bag of ice on his right hand during the post-fight
press conference, but said he didn't suffer any injuries. Still,
he is planning to take a week off and "forget about my crazy
life for a little bit."
St-Pierre
said he did not have a chance to watch Hendricks' Saturday night
performance, but that he deserved the title shot now. Meanwhile,
Hendricks had the chance to scout out his future opponent after
his own fight was over, though he said he didn't necessarily
learn anything new. If anything, it just reinforced his excitement
to cash in his opportunity.
"Georges
fought a good fight," he said. "It was the fight I
though he was going to fight. The way he actually did more standup
which was good to see. So, I’m just excited. i finally got
to the top and now I’m actually going to get to fight him.
That's what it’s about, getting to the top and fighting
the best. I'm going to go back home, study some more, and be
prepared as best I can."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Desert
Force semifinals present the best of MMA in Jordan
Ivan Trindade
Desert
Force Jordan
The recurring conflicts in the Arabic region are aside when it
comes to MMA. And this is what shows the Desert Force, which
took its seventh edition to Jordan, with the semifinals of the
66kg and 70kg division Grand Prix. The event was held on March
7.
In one of the up to 66kg semifinals, the Jordanian Ahmed Ansari
faced his compatriot Abdul Kareem El Silwadi, who is only 17.
El Siwadi punished Ansari’s legs for nearly three rounds,
causing the judge to interrupt the combat halfway through the
third round by TKO.
For the 77kg semifinals, the black belt of Sul Jiu-Jitsu, Gabriel
Tayeh accepted the frank striking with the Egyptian frank Muay
Thai champion, Amr Wahman, who cut Tayeh with a strong right
above the eye. At the beginning of the second round, the Palestinian-Brazilian
was all over, but when pressing the Egyptian against the grid
he eventually was punched by a strong right, making the UFC referee,
Ives Lavigne, stop the fight.
Another highlight was the fight between Muhammad Karaki and Abdelali
Yachou in which Yachou punished the opponent over him, but as
Jiu-Jitsu saves, Karaki did take a triangle out of his pocket
and submitted the fight before being taken to the hospital.
Check out the results of the event:
Desert Combat 7
Jordan
March 7, 2013
Up to 66kg Semifinals:
Yousif Al Hamad(Kuwait) submitted Malick Quran (Jordan) in R1
Abdul Kareem El Silwadi (Jordan) won Ahmed Ansari (Jordan) by
TKO in R3
Up to 70 kg Semifinals:
Haider Hashid (Jordan) won Mohamed Arti (Kuwait) by decision
Ahmed al Busari( Kuwait) won Sylvester Saba (Lebanon) by decision
Up to 77 Kg Semifinals:
Amr Wahman(Egypt) won Gabriel Tayeh (Palestine) by TKO in R2
Aniss AL Hajjajy (Morroco) won Beschir Majri (Tunisia) by decision
Superfights:
Firas Saadeh (Syria) won Amir Ismail (Egypt) by TKO in R1
Mohamad Fakhredine (Lebanon) knocked out Tareq Suleiman (Syria)
in R1
Aziz Julaidan (Saudi Arabia) submitted Ahmed Daraki (UAE) in
R1
Mohamed Karaki (Lebanon) submitted Abdelali Yachou(Morroco) in
R1
Mohamed Ghorabi (Lebanon) knocked out Ibrahim Al Sawi (Egypt)
in R1
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
158 Results: Chris Camozzi Takes Split Decision Win Over Nick
Ring
by Ryan
McKinnell
As Nick Ring walked into the cage in front of a packed house
on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal at UFC 158,
he did so with a slowed, relaxed stroll that saw him interacting
with fans and singing along to his entrance song.
And when it came time for Ring to meet his opponent Chris Camozzi
in the center of the vaunted Octagon, that relaxed approach may
have cost him when the scorecards were read.
Camozzi (19-5) earned his sixth win in the company as he defeated
Ring (13-2) via split decision. With the win, Camozzi outlasted
the relaxed Ring to earn his fourth win in a row.
The opening frame saw Ring pepper Camozzi with a variety of leg
kicks and jabs. Hands down and near his side, Ring moved laterally
and confused his opponent for the majority of the round.
Throughout the round Camozzi tried to fire off his counter left
hook, but was falling short.
By the start of the second round, Camozzi was beginning to get
through the slowed defense of Ring. As Camozzi pressured, Ring
became susceptible to haymakers and the increasing pressure from
the Colorado native. By the end of the round, it was evident
that momentum had shifted and the lax Ring was in danger of losing
his second career fight.
As the third round started, the pace quickened for Camozzi.
He smelled blood in the water and upped the pressure on Ring,
at one point taking his back from the standing position. With
his mouthpiece hanging on the edge of his lips, a visibly winded
Ring tried to mount a late push, but by the time the final horn
sounded, it was obvious to most that Camozzi had taken the fight
handily.
Post-fight a victorious Camozzi acknowledged that pushing Ring
into the later rounds was a focal point coming into camp.
“I trained to speed up each round,” he explained. “I
always wanted to finish faster than I started.”
Camozzi also acknowledged that it took him a while to adapt to
Ring’s style and approach in the first round.
“We watched some of his fights and he moves quite a bit,”
Camozzi said. “I thought I did enough to win, but you never
know when you leave it in the hands of the judges.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Bradley
survives beating to keep belt
By DAMIAN
CALHOUN / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CARSON
– Timothy Bradley's return to the ring almost ended early
and without any controversy that accompanied his upset victory
over Manny Pacquiao last June.
Bradley
had his hands full with Ruslan Provodnikov from the opening bell.
He was on the canvas in the first round, although referee Pat
Russell ruled it from a slip and Provodnikov tried to end the
night in the second round.
Later,
in the 12th, sensing he needed a knockout, Provodnikov finally
got Bradley to the canvas with less than 30 seconds left. Bradley
beat Russell's count and made it to the end of the fight.
In
the end, Bradley (30-0) survived the night to retain his WBO
welterweight title with a hard-fought unanimous-decision victory
over Provodnikov (22-2).
Judge
Jerry Cantu and Marty Denkin scored the fight 114-113, and Raul
Caiz Jr. scored the fight 115-112 in front of a crowd of about
3,000.
"Tim
was in pain every round," Bradley's trainer Joel Diaz said.
"He was trying to prove a point to trade punches. He was
hit hard in every round.
This
was Bradley's first fight since defeating Pacquiao by split decision
last June.
Bradley
said after the bout that he thought he had suffered a concussion
early in the fight.
"I
came out fast. I wanted to jump on him and control the action,"
Bradley said. "I wanted to show that I wasn't afraid of
him, that's why I kept trading with him."
That
almost cost him.
In
the second round, Bradley appeared to be looking at an early
ending as Provodnikov zeroed in on him, landing combinations
with ease.
By
the third round, Bradley appeared to find his groove and started
boxing and working off of his jab. In the sixth, however, Provodnikov
caught Bradley late with a left that staggered the champion.
Provodnikov,
cut and bruised, wouldn't go away, stalking Bradley and finally
catching him in the 12th. Provodnikov staggered Bradley back
to the ropes on two separate occasions before Bradley took a
knee for the knockdown.
Freddie
Roach, Provodnikov's trainer, said there should have been three
10-8 rounds in favor for Provodnikov, alluding to the first,
second and the 12th round.
“It
was a close fight,” Roach said. “Bradley had some good
rounds also … we were right in the game. I can’t complain
about a close loss. I thought we had the bigger puncher and I
think that should have given us the edge.”
In
a battle of undefeated welterweights, Jessie Vargas (22-0) pulled
out a unanimous-decision victory over Wale Omotoso (23-1-1) in
a close 10-round fight in the co-main event.
Judges
Jonathan Davis and Fritz Werner scored the fight 96-93 for Vargas,
and Gwen Adair scored the fight 97-92.
Omotoso,
who rehydrated from 146 to 164, had the only knockdown, sending
Vargas to the canvas off a body shot in the second.
In
the fifth, Vargas had Omotoso in serious trouble, backing him
up with several overhand rights.
"I
thought I won the fight," Vargas said. "I dropped him
... I deserved to win."
On
the non-televised undercard, featherweight prospect Jessie Magdaleno
improved to 14-0 with his third-round knockout of Carlos Fulgencio.
Magdaleno
had scored knockdowns in the first two rounds. In the third,
he sent Fulgencio to the canvas off of a right uppercut forcing
referee Tony Crebbs to call a stop to fight immediately.
Source:
OC Register
|
After
UFC 158 loss, Nick Diaz says hasn't paid taxes, might 'just be
a kid'
by Matt
Erickson
MONTREAL – Dana White has said all week that he knew exactly
what he was getting into by doing business with Nick Diaz. But
even some of Saturday must have taken him a little by surprise.
After
Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) dropped a unanimous decision to Georges
St-Pierre (24-2 MMA, 18-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC 158,
he basically (again) announced his retirement in the octagon.
At
the post-event news conference at Montreal's Bell Centre, White
said Diaz told him he wasn't going to attend. But 35 minutes
into the proceedings, Diaz strolled onto the dais, ready to greet
the media.
And
once there, it seemed as if he retired, unretired, asked for
a rematch with St-Pierre, asked for a fight with Anderson Silva,
considered whether or not his longtime training home did enough
to help him prepare for the title fight – and perhaps even
put himself on the radar of the Internal Revenue Service. All
in about 10 minutes' time.
Diaz
said he wasn't going to make excuses for the loss, which St-Pierre
won with a 50-45 sweep of the judges' scorecards. But when asked
by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) if he was considering changing
training homes if he elected to stay in the sport, the Stockton,
Calif., product went on a tangent that really can only be described
as Diaz-ian at this point.
"I
can't be jumping teams," Diaz told MMAjunkie.com. "I
just have to do the best with what I have. You know what? I've
never paid taxes in my life, no joke. And no one wants to hear
that kind of talk and what's going on with me. I might as well
just be a kid. I've had fight after fight after fight after fight,
and you don't know what that does to somebody who didn't graduate
high school. Take it into consideration for a second what three
fights a year will do to you your whole life. And the only time
you have some time off, it's not like it's a vacation –
everybody's telling you you're this piece of s---, you're suspended,
you ain't fighting this guy, you ain't fighting that guy, you
have to come back and dance around a bunch of hard hitting people.
It's a rough sport."
And
while the comment about not paying taxes drew a few laughs from
some in attendance, it wasn't a laughing matter for White after
the news conference had wrapped.
The
UFC president earlier in the week said he had come to expect
things like Diaz skipping a pre-fight workout session for fans
and the media on Wednesday. And he expects in-cage antics like
the way Diaz taunted St-Pierre in the fight and even took a swing
at him after the horn – which White said should have cost
Diaz a point.
But
the taxes thing? That one may have been a little hard for even
White to see coming.
"What's
sad is, he better go pay his taxes," White said. "He
came out publicly tonight and said he's never paid taxes in his
life? Holy s---. That's sad. You wanna talk about sad? That's
sad. Somebody better handle that with this check and make sure
that kid doesn't end up with nothing. There's a guy who's Nate
and Nick's lawyer and seems like a decent guy looking out for
them. I'll probably give this guy a call and tell him, 'Nick
said he's never paid taxes in his life, and you probably want
to start working on that f---ing Sunday morning, not Monday morning.'"
As
White has done in the past, he said money shouldn't be an issue
for Diaz, especially after headlining a pay-per-view with St-Pierre,
the UFC's biggest box office draw.
"If
you saw his paycheck tonight, you wouldn't feel too bad for him,"
White said. "At the end of the day, Nick has been in the
sport forever. He wanted a shot at the title, he got a shot at
the title, and he got paid a lot of money for it."
If
Diaz did choose to call it quits, he said it would be because
he's already had most of the fights he was looking for. But he
added that the stress of being suspended for a year following
his UFC 143 positive marijuana text after a loss to Carlos Condit
played a factor in making him consider hanging up the gloves.
"I
just feel like I fought everybody that I set out to fight,"
Diaz said. "Johny (Hendricks) here, he's a new guy. Jake
(Ellenberger)'s been around for a little while. But I just feel
like I've taken care of everything I wanted to do in the sport.
This is hard stuff. I don't ever get any time off. I've only
had a year off one time, and it was a stressful year. I was pretty
bent out of shape that I didn't win that (Condit) fight. Nobody
ever assured me, 'They're going to give you that (St-Pierre)
fight.' I was just sitting around depressed the whole year off.
I can sit here and make a million excuses about why I wasn't
ready for the fight. But I want a rematch. I think I could beat
you. I think I may be a better matchup for Anderson Silva, as
well. But we'll see what happens. I didn't really have a good
first round. I just think I could've been a little better prepared
for this fight. I think next time, if I did get an extra shot,
I think people would try to help me out a little bit."
No
one, of course, is counting on Diaz getting that extra shot against
St-Pierre. Hendricks, with his win over Condit, has been granted
the next shot at St-Pierre.
Diaz,
with two straight losses, finds himself in interesting territory
for who he would be matched up against, especially considering
he already fought Condit just over a year ago. Diaz said if he
doesn't retire, he'd have to consider what a rematch with Condit
might do for his career.
White
said he thinks Diaz should keep fighting, but that if he's having
doubts, he might not be fully behind him staying in the sport.
"Do
I think Nick Diaz should retire? No. But that's not my decision,"
White said. "When a guy starts talking about retirement
in this sport, this isn't baseball or basketball, not to diminish
those sports, but if you head isn't 100 percent in this game,
it's a completely different story. I don't ever question a guy
when he talks about retirement. I don't care how good he is.
If Georges St-Pierre called me up tomorrow and said I want to
retire, I wouldn't go, 'Georges, come on – think about this.'
That's their decision and I don't ever question that. …
"We'll
see what happens from here on out. It's not like I don't know
what to expect being in business with Nick Diaz."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
158 results: Georges St-Pierre defends belt, Nick Diaz ponders
retirement
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL
-- For rivals Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz, the fireworks
were in the promotion. When it came time to fight, there really
was little question of who the superior fighter was. In a one-sided
drubbing, the UFC welterweight champion made his eighth straight
successful title defense, earning a unanimous decision in the
UFC 158 main event.
All
three judges scored it 50-45.
"I
never took it personal," St-Pierre said of the pre-fight
animosity between the two. "He's a veteran, he's been fighting
longer than me. He was in the UFC before me. I'm a big fan, he's
one of my favorite guys to watch. That's one of the reasons I
wanted to fight him. I knew he'd make a good fight."
Diaz
spent time trying to goad St-Pierre into a dogfight, but was
mostly unsuccessful in doing so. He taunted him throughout the
five-rounder, lowering his hands, fighting after the bell, and
talking during the action.
But
after the fight was over, Diaz took a more sportsmanlike approach,
shaking St-Pierre's hand and then raising it in the air, admitting
defeat.
In
his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, the 29-year-old Diaz
said he would consider the possibility of retirement.
"I
think I'm going to have to figure out whether I want to keep
doing this," he said before repeating the same sentiment
later on.
St-Pierre
(24-2) set the tone of the fight almost immediately, taking Diaz
down within the fight's opening 20 seconds, and dominating him
on the mat for the entire first round. While Diaz remained active
looking for submissions and trying to work his way free, St-Pierre
had no problems shutting him down and taking away his base so
that he was stuck. At several points, he was able to land elbows
and right hands, punctuating his control.
That
stretch seemed to slow down Diaz's usually frenetic striking
style, as his usual forward momentum would offer St-Pierre a
trigger for takedowns. But in a sense, it didn't matter. St-Pierre
was going to take him down nearly at will. According to FightMetric,
St-Pierre scored nine takedowns.
Diaz
(26-9, 1 no contest) said he was hoping to put together his punches
somewhere around the third, but admitted that he felt flat as
he struggled to mount offense. FightMetric stats showed St-Pierre
out-landing Diaz by a cavernous 210-80 margin. Still, he credited
Diaz for his gameness, and asked the crowd, which chanted expletives
at Diaz several times during the fight, to give him the ovation
he deserved.
"I
didn't want to fight in boxing range," St-Pierre said. "He's
the best boxer in mixed martial arts. His jiu-jitsu is amazing.
He has a very unusual scramble style. I don't have training partners
like that. When you fight a guy like this it's almost impossible
to get ready."
"I
don't want to make excuses," Diaz said, "I came out
a little flat. I just want to thank GSP for giving me the credit
I think I deserve."
And
like that, the sport's biggest grudge faded away. And so, too,
might have one of its big stars.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
By
the Numbers: UFC 158
By Tristen
Critchfield
Strip
away all the hype and trash talk, and what you ultimately get
is another predictable outcome. While Nick Diaz generated plenty
of interest in the UFC 158 main event with his pre-fight antics,
it was Georges St. Pierre who dictated the action in the Octagon
on Saturday night.
When
all was said and done, “Rush” outstruck and outwrestled
his antagonist in yet another dominant performance to retain
his title in front of a partisan crowd at the Bell Centre in
Montreal. As the reign of the welterweight champion moves forward,
the figures continue to pile up in his favor. Diaz, meanwhile,
is left to ponder his passion for the sport. Here is a by-the-numbers
look at UFC 158, with statistics courtesy of FightMetric.com.
64:
Significant strikes by which St. Pierre outlanded Diaz. The 170-pound
king outlanded Diaz in each round and connected on 105 of his
167 significant strikes attempted, a 63 percent success rate.
210:
Total strikes landed by St. Pierre. The champion landed 138 strikes
to the head, 58 to the body and 14 to the legs of Diaz.
.300:
Significant striking accuracy for Diaz, who landed 41 of his
136 significant strikes attempted.
2:
Unofficial retirement announcements by Diaz in his last two bouts.
The Stockton, Calif., native also said he was going to call it
a career following a loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143.
5:03:12:
Total fight time in the career of St. Pierre, who passed Randy
Couture and Tito Ortiz to move into second place on the promotion’s
all-time list. Only B.J. Penn (5:03:51) has logged more Octagon
time than the Tristar Gym representative.
6:
Consecutive five-round decisions for St. Pierre, who has defeated
Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields, Carlos
Condit and Diaz during that time. His last stoppage victory came
against Penn at UFC 94.
9:
Takedowns landed in 15 attempts by St. Pierre, who was able to
take down Diaz at least once in each frame. St. Pierre has averaged
7.6 takedowns per fight in his last six bouts.
105:
Total ground strikes by which St. Pierre outlanded Diaz. The
Canadian landed 92 strikes to the head and 37 to the body on
the mat during the five-round affair.
84:
Takedowns landed by St. Pierre during his UFC tenure, most of
any fighter in the promotion..
15:
Years since the UFC first introduced the 170-pound division --
originally called lightweight -- with a tournament at UFC 16,
according to MMADecisions.com. Pat Miletich defeated Townsend
Saunders and Chris Brennan to win the bracket that evening.
6:
170-pound bouts on the UFC 158 bill, beginning with Rick Story
vs. Quinn Mulhern and ending with St. Pierre vs. Diaz.
12:
Takedowns landed, in 15 attempts, by Johny Hendricks in his unanimous
decision victory over Carlos Condit. “Big Rigg” landed
four takedowns in each frame -- his previous best of eight takedowns
came against T.J. Grant at UFC 113. St. Pierre landed seven takedowns
in his UFC 154 triumph over “The Natural Born Killer.”
25:
Total strikes by which Condit outlanded Hendricks. The Jackson’s
Mixed Martial Arts product outlanded Hendricks 45 to 21 in round
three. The first two frames were much closer, however, with Condit
outlanding Hendricks 49-48 overall.
27:
First round finishes between Marquardt and Jake Ellenberger after
“The Juggernaut” knocked out the former Strikeforce
champion 3:00 into the opening round of their welterweight encounter.
13-0:
Record for Ellenberger in contests that end inside of a round.
The Nebraskan has stopped Sean Pierson, Jake Shields and Marquardt
in the initial stanza during his time in the UFC.
22:
Significant strikes by which Nick Ring outlanded Chris Camozzi
in a split decision loss. In his last outing, Ring was outlanded
by 40 significant strikes by Court McGee but captured a unanimous
verdict at UFC 149.
11:
Significant strikes by which Bobby Voelker outlanded Patrick
Cote. Voelker outscored his opponent in rounds two (37 to 36)
and three (31 to 10). Voelker, who also landed four takedowns
in five attempts, lost a unanimous decision to his Canadian opponent.
21:
Professional bouts for Dan Miller without being finished. Jordan
Mein became the first person to stop the AMA Fight Club product
with his first-round TKO victory on Saturday night. Miller’s
previous six losses had all been via decision.
5:
Featherweight victories for Darren Elkins, who scored a controversial
first-round TKO over Antonio Carvalho. That ties him with Dustin
Poirier for most wins of anyone in the 145-pound division.
86:
Significant strikes landed by John Makdessi in his unanimous
verdict over fellow striker Daron Cruickshank. “The Bull”
outlanded his opponent by 31 significant strikes in round three
alone. Makdessi landed 44 percent of his significant strikes
in the bout, while Cruickshank landed at a 26 percent clip.
Source
Sherdog
|
UFC
158 Recap: Business as usual for Georges St-Pierre
by Mike
Drahota
UFC
158 is in the books from The Bell Centre in Montreal, and the
main event has provided for us what many had easily expected.
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has retained his
title by controlling the fight with a gameplan heavily based
upon wrestling. Nick Diaz never got the range or effectiveness
to implement his puncher’s chance, and the title chances
will now rest upon tonight’s co-main event winner.
Which
brings us to tonight’s best fight, a slobber knocker of
an event featuring Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit. Hendricks
used his vaunted, although to this date largely unneeded, wrestling
to continually take down former interim titleholder Carlos Condit.
Condit was game, and responded well with some great kickboxing
of his own, but ultimately the power and top control of the #1
ranked Hendricks won out.
In
other action, Jake ‘The Juggernaut’ Ellenberger made
what may have been his biggest statement by knocking out Nate
Marquardt with an emphatic victory. The only thing left to prove
for the up-and-coming Omaha native may be a date with the winner
of the GSP-Johny Hendricks bout that is soon to come.
All
in all, UFC 158 showed us just how dominant the UFC welterweight
division has become. From top to bottom, 170 lb. fighters have
shown themselves to be quite the handful. Some may be disappointed
with another controlling GSP win, while others may applaud the
true future that the division holds. What are your thoughts of
the event?
UFC
158 Full Results:
Main
Card:
Georges
St-Pierre def. Nick Diaz?via Unanimous Decision
Johny
Hendricks?def. Carlos Condit via Unanimous Decision
Jake
Ellenberger def. Nate Marquardt? via R1 KO (Punches)
Chris
Camozzi def. Nick Ring?via Split Decision
Mike
Ricci def. Colin Fletcher via Unanimous Decision
Preliminary
Card:
Patrick
Cote vs. Bobby Voelker?
Darren
Elkins?def. Antonio Carvalho via R1 TKO (Ref Stoppage)
Jordan
Mein def. Dan Miller via R2 TKO (Strikes)
John
Makdessi def. Daron Cruickshank via Unanimous Decision
Rick
Story def. Quinn Mulhern via R1 TKO (Referee Stoppage)?
TJ
Dillashaw def. Issei Tamura?via R2 KO (Knee and Punches)
George
Roop def. Reuben Duran via Unanimous Decision
LowKick
MMA Fight Night Awards:
Finish
of the Night: I’d have to say that Jake Ellenberger actually
deserves it, knocking out a former contender to Anderson Silva’s
vaunted title in the first. A welterweight title shot should
be next in the cards for The Juggernaut.
Performance
of the Night: Johny Hendricks is the man to win this award this
evening. He responded so well to Carlos Condit’s never-say-die
attitude, and the results left us with an incredible fight. GSP-Hendricks
is set to be an epic event later this year.
While
it may be predictable, GSP perhaps a close secon here. He faces
a truly tough test next in number one contender Johny Hendricks.
Honorable
Mention: Jordan Mein earns the nod here, finishing off a truly
game opponent in Dan Miller here. The sky may be the limit for
this young contender.
Source:
Low Kick MMA
|
UFC
158 Results: Mike Ricci Grinds Out Decision Over Colin Fletcher
by Andrew
Potter
TUF
16 runner-up Mike Ricci (8-3) was back in his natural weight
class and able to grind out a unanimous decision win over TUF
The Smashes lightweight finalist Colin “The Freakshow”
Fletcher (8-3) on the main card at UFC 158 on Saturday night
at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.
All
three judges awarded the fight 30-27 to Ricci with the 26-year-old
fighting in front of his home town fans.
Both
fighters traded kicks early on, but neither looked to stamp his
authority on the fight. Ricci caught Fletcher with a right hand
down the pipe, which he followed with a spinning back kick, clipping
the Brit to edge out a close opening round.
Ricci
and Fletcher stepped on the gas early in round two with Ricci
landing a head kick before taking Fletcher to the mat. In a dominant
position, the Canadian, Ricci, was able to bust open Fletcher’s
face with strikes. The Freakshow returned to his feet, where
they continued their striking battle, but wasn’t able to
undo any of the damage done by Ricci early in the round.
With
the instruction from Fletcher’s corner to look for the submission,
he shot in for a single leg off the bell, but Ricci was equal
to the task and able to nulify Fletcher’s takedown attempts.
Ricci was able to take Fletcher down inside the final minute,
taking his back, but solid submission defense saw Fletcher take
the fight to the judges’ scorecards.
The
win was Ricci’s first in the UFC, while Fletcher has now
dropped two decisions since progressing from The Ultimate Fighter
series.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
2013
Hawaii State Junior Olympic Boxing Championships
Hi Everyone,
Wanted to let you know our 2013 Hawaii State Junior Olympic Boxing
Championships will be held on Saturday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m.,
and Sunday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m. Winners of the 15/16 year old
divisions advance to the 2013 National Junior Olympic Boxing
Championships in Mobile, Alabama on June 25-29, 2013. 8-14 year
olds will Box for State Titles.
Boxers from Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and Big Island expected
to compete. Admission will be $15 for both days unless card has
less then 12 bouts, then admission will be $12. Number of matches
depend on weigh-ins that saturday morning.
For more info. or any questions feel free to email me at bkawano@aol.com
Thanks for Your Support Always!!!
Bruce Kawano
Amateur Boxing of Hawaii President.
Commissioner for Hawaii State Boxing Commission.
USA-Boxing Coaches/International Task Force Member.
Ringside Board of Advisors.
A.I.B.A. Athlete and Youth Commission.
Head Coach- Kawano Boxing Club.
USA National Boxing Team Coach.
Rock Bottom Sports Bar- General Manager.
Red Lions Manager
Boxing Coach - UFC Gym.
State of Hawaii MMA Inspector.
Honolulu P.A.L. Advisory Council.
|
UFC
164 Hits Milwaukee in August for UFC and Harley-Davidson’s
‘Hometown Throwdown’
by Ken
Pishna
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Thursday announced an extension
to their longtime partnership with Harley-Davidson that will
coincide with a live event in the legendary motorcycle manufacturer’s
home base of Milwaukee.
“We’re
happy to announce we’ve just continued our partnership with
Harley Davidson motorcycles,” UFC president Dana White said
in kicking off Thursday’s UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz pre-fight
press conference.
“To
celebrate Harley’s 110th anniversary over Labor Day weekend,
UFC will be going to Harley’s hometown for the Hometown
Throwdown 2013. We’ll be at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee
on Saturday, Aug. 31.”
UFC
officials later confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that it will be a
pay-per-view event, likely dubbed UFC 164.
The
UFC and Harley-Davidson have used the Hometown Throwdown promotional
angle in the past. Just last year, the Hometown Throwdown was
UFC on FX 3: Johnson vs. McCall at the BankAtlantic Center in
Sunrise, Fla.
UFC
164 will mark the second trip to Harley-Davidson’s hometown
for the fight promotion. UFC on Versus 5, featuring Dan Hardy
vs. Chris Lytle, took place at the Bradley Center in August of
2011.
No
UFC 164 bouts have been announced ye
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
‘TUF
17’ Episode 8 Attracts 1.1 Million Viewers to FX
By Mike
Whitman
Episode
8 of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 averaged 1.1
million viewers for its one-hour broadcast Tuesday night on FX.
Sherdog.com
confirmed the figure Wednesday with an industry source. The reported
viewership marks a slight downturn for the UFC reality series,
which earned 1.26 million viewers during last week’s show.
Episode
8 of the long-running program saw Chael Sonnen defeat Jon Jones
in a coaches’ challenge involving heavy machinery. Dylan
Andrews punched his ticket to the quarterfinals by outpointing
Zak Cummings in a majority decision.
The
episode also featured the season’s wildcard selection, which
UFC President Dana White uncharacteristically left solely in
the hands of the coaches. As a result, Team Sonnen’s Kevin
Casey will face Team Jones’ Robert McDaniel next week to
determine the eighth fighter in the Season 17 quarterfinals.
Source:
Sherdog
|
The
real questions not being asked in Fallon Fox/Florida debacle
(Cynthia Hefren, Frank Gentile, Kathy Gentile)
By Zach
Arnold
ESPN
has posted the fighter application form transgender fighter Fallon
Fox signed to compete last weekend in a women’s MMA tournament
in South Florida.
Look
at page three of the application carefully. See the name of the
“commission representative” who signed off on the application?
It’s Kathy Gentile, an event coordinator for Florida’s
commission. Her husband, Frank Gentile, is the commission’s
boss (along with state auditor Cynthia Hefren). Frank & Kathy’s
son also works as an inspector. With Frank in charge, the whole
deal is a huge conflict-of-interest.
Kathy
Gentile and son have been removed from updated Florida tax records
on the commission front. I guess removal doesn’t mean they
were actually removed from their job positions. Of course not.
Florida’s DBPR is the same outfit that is keeping the disgraced
Jami Alise (McClellan) Molloy & lifer-since-1985 Christa
Patterson on state payroll.
But,
there is one overarching question here regarding the whole process
in Florida. Obviously, nobody did their due diligence in the
state of Florida regarding the medicals of one Fallon Fox. So,
who was the doctor at the weigh-ins and the doctor(s) at the
day of the Miami show that was supposed to follow proper medical
testing procedures regarding ALL the scheduled fighters on the
cards?
Florida
claims the doctors booked for the show were Dr. Allan Fields
& Dr. Jerome Obed. So, are they doctors who didn’t do
the medical checks or are we going to see the bureaucrats (Frank
Gentile, Kathy Gentile, Cynthia Hefren) try to dump their incompetence
on the doctors in question?
Look
at the results sheet. It says that Florida allowed four fighters
to be booked with “pending” license status. For most
commissions at the day of weigh-ins, fighters can pay for their
license there, have the promoter pay the commission for the fee
and take it out of the fighter’s purse, or the fighter can
pay ahead of time by sending the money to the commission’s
main state office.
So,
what happened in Florida then?
On
the Florida form Fallon Fox filled out, it says: “Applicant
must apply for National MMA ID Card in the state/province in
which he/she is a resident.” Fallon Fox resides in Illinois,
so that form was filled out correctly.
“Applicant
understands that he/she will not be allowed to compete without
a National MMA ID Card.”
Why
did Florida sign off on four fighters on the show who didn’t
have a finalized/processed ABC MMA ID card?
Fox
filled out the paperwork on February 18th, 2013. Kathy Gentile
signed off on the paperwork March 1st, 2013, which was the day
of the weigh-ins (before the 3/2/2013 show date).
Ask
yourself this — if Florida can screw up and not figure out
the status of a transgender fighter, what else are they screwing
up when it comes to the medicals of fighters getting booked in
the state?
Unfortunately,
these questions are not being asked in the press. Instead, the
singular angle to this story has been about “Fallon Fox,
transgender fighter.” (see: Salon, TMZ, Huffington Post,
Manolith.)
No,
the real story here is that Florida’s commission is such
a national cesspool right now that Frank Gentile, Kathy Gentile,
Cynthia Hefren, Jami Molloy, and Christa Patterson should all
have their asses fired and put in front of state politicians
to explain why they continue to screw-up so many things at so
many shows. These are the people responsible for the commission
being the disaster that it is (along with DBPR bosses Ken Lawson
and Tim Vaccaro). It’s not enough to accept the press quoting
some third-rate PR flack that has no power or no substance regarding
the matter at hand. It’s time to confront the people responsible
head-on — by name.
I’ve
named the names here and will continue to name names non-stop.
It’s up for the rest of the media, combat sports and general
sports press, to start going after the individuals who are responsible
for this mess and responsible for creating a completely unsafe
environment for fighters to compete in.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
As
word of GSP's Diaz-Hendricks-Silva 'plan' emerges, trainer says
it could be perfect ending for champ
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL
-- On Tuesday, Georges St-Pierre's former manager Stephane Patry,
wrote a column for the website of Canadian sports channel RDS,
in which he divulged what he claimed to be the welterweight champion's
secret plan. Patry wrote that on Jan. 11, while dining with St-Pierre
and a few other friends at a restaurant in the city, the group
discussed his fighting future. And during that time, according
to Patry, St-Pierre discussed a "detailed" and "intelligent"
plan that would take him possibly to the end of his career.
It
would consist of only three fights: his Saturday night UFC 158
bout against Nick Diaz, one more title defense against Johny
Hendricks, and then, the long-awaited super fight with middleweight
champion Anderson Silva.
Of
course, many things would have to go right in order for that
to happen. Not only would St-Pierre have to make two successful
title defenses, but ostensibly, Silva would also have to defend
his belt at least once, in his upcoming match with Chris Weidman.
When
asked by MMA FIghting to confirm or deny if such a plan is in
existence, neither St-Pierre nor his trainer Firas Zahabi would
offer any definitive confirmation or rejection.
"Listen,
you have to verify the source of the person that says that,"
St-Pierre said when questioned.
"That's
why I'm asking you," I told him.
"I
don’t know," he said. "I don’t know. I don’t
remember saying anything like this. I don't think so. I’m
focusing on Nick Diaz right now."
Asked
whether Patry -- who managed St-Pierre for five years -- was
a trustworthy source for such information, Zahabi shrugged.
"I
have nothing bad to say about Stephane," he said "I
don’t think Georges probably said that in that way, the
way it was written. I read the article. It was very strong. I
don’t think Georges thinks that far ahead, honestly. He
would not overlook Diaz. That’s part of the lesson he learned
once upon a time against [Matt] Serra, and I think it’s
so ingrained in George’s brain, he’d never make that
mistake again. I don’t think you can get Georges to say
that."
Yet,
Zahabi also acknowledged that the Diaz-Hendricks-Silva trifecta
would be a worthy exit plan for the champ, who is still just
31 years old.
Zahabi
said that while he personally likes to stay away from long-term
strategizing because of the uncertainty involved in professional
sports, such a sendoff for St-Pierre would be "ideal."
"I
think if that happened, if Georges beat [Diaz and] Hendricks
and Silva, I’d tell him, ‘Retire. It’s over. There’s
nothing else to do. There’s no bigger fight. Just retire.
Enjoy your life,'" he said. "Ideally, the Silva fight
is the last fight of his career, win or lose."
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Carlos
Condit on TRT: “It’s Abused and Misused”
by Jeff
Cain
Testosterone
replacement therapy is a controversial topic in mixed martial
arts. Several fighters have requested and obtained therapeutic-use
exemptions from athletic commissions to use the therapy, but
UFC welterweight contender Carlos Condit thinks TRT is being
abused and misused by athletes.
The
list of fighters that have used the controversial therapy is
growing. The list includes some of the biggest names in the sport:
Dan Henderson, Frank Mir, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin, Quinton
“Rampage” Jackson, and Nate Marquardt have all used
it, among others.
“I
think that some people may have legitimate reasons for doing
TRT, but I think it’s definitely abused and misused so it’s
really a slippery slope,” said Condit during a live chat
on UFC.com on Wednesday
UFC
president Dana White recently took a hardline stance on TRT use
in the UFC.
“What
guys are doing, I believe guys are doing, is jacking up this
stuff through the roof through their entire training camp then
getting back down to normal levels right before the fight, which
is cheating. I hate it. I don’t like it. I’m going
to fight it. And if you are using TRT in the UFC, we’re
going to start testing the (expletive) out of you, through your
entire camp,” said White.
Marijuana
use is prevalent in professional sports in general, including
mixed martial arts.
Following
Condit’s UFC 143 win over Nick Diaz, Diaz tested positive
to marijuana for the second time in his career and was suspended
for a year by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Mathew Riddle
recently tested positive for marijuana for the second time inside
of a year following his win over Che Mills at UFC on Fuel TV
7: Barao vs. McDonald on Feb. 16, and was released by the UFC.
Condit
may not agree with the rule forbidding marijuana use, but says
the rules are the rules and have to be followed.
“As
far as marijuana, I think that it’s not necessarily a performance-enhancing
drug unless you’re high while you’re fighting. But
the rules are the rules right now and you have to follow that,
but I don’t necessarily agree with the rule,” he said.
Condit
takes on Johny Hendricks at UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz on Saturday
at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
ADCC
2013 confirmed for Beijing on Oct. 19
The
land of silk, porcelain, tea and ping-pong also wants to be the
land of Jiu-Jitsu in October.
On
Sunday, organizer Guy Neivens ended the mystery about the ADCC
2013 and announced the date and location.
The
most traditional no-gi Jiu-Jitsu championship will be on Oct.
19 in Beijing, the Chinese capital that received the Olympic
Games five years ago.
Among
the main fights already confirmed in Beijing is Braulio Estima
vs. Andre Galvao and Fabio Gurgel vs. Ze Mario Sperry.
Beijing
will host its first ADCC. Since 1998, the first year of the tournament,
the ADCC was organized in Abu Dhabi, Sao Paulo, Long Beach, New
Jersey, Barcelona and Nottingham
Classified
for ADCC 2013
On
March 2 in Columbus, Ohio, the U.S. trails classified its champions
to fight in Beijing. They were:
-66kg:
Mark Ramos
-77kg:
Gary Tonnes
-88kg:
Josh Hayden
-99kg:
James Puoppolo
+99kg:
Robby Donofrio
Female
+60 kg: Thaysa Silva
The
South American trails will be on April 19, 20 and 21 in Rio de
Janeiro.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Joe
Rogan on Fallon Fox: “You can’t fight chicks, get the
fuck out of here”
By Zach
Arnold
“She
calls herself a woman but… I tend to disagree. And, uh,
she, um… she used to be a man but now she has had, she’s
a transgender which is (the) official term that means you’ve
gone through it, right? And she wants to be able to fight women
in MMA. I say no fucking way. I say if you had a dick at one
point in time, you also have all the bone structure that comes
with having a dick. You have bigger hands, you have bigger shoulder
joints. You’re a fucking man. That’s a man, OK? You
can’t have… that’s… I don’t care if
you don’t have a dick any more…”
“You
can’t fight women. That’s fucking crazy. I don’t
know why she thinks that she’s going to be able to do that.
If you want to be a woman in the bedroom and you know you want
to play house and all of that other shit and you feel like you
have, your body is really a woman’s body trapped inside
a man’s frame and so you got a operation, that’s all
good in the hood. But you can’t fight chicks. Get the fuck
out of here. You’re out of your mind. You need to fight
men, you know? Period. You need to fight men your size because
you’re a man. You’re a man without a dick.”
“I’m
looking at a man with a dress, OK? And you don’t… you
can act as a woman, I will call you a ‘her,’ I will,
uh, call you ma’am. I’ll be respectful but you can’t
fight women when you have a man’s frame. PERIOD. Women aren’t
that wide, that generates to increased punching power. Women
don’t have that sort of muscle structure. I don’t know
what you’re doing, I don’t know, you mean obviously
if you’re transoperational it means you removed your testicles
so your body’s not producing testosterone any more. I don’t
know if you’re supplementing testosterone. If your body’s
not producing testosterone, why are your arms so big? What’s
going on here? There’s a lot of shit going on there and
you can’t fight women. No fucking way.”
“She’s
won two fights by brutal knockout. So, she’s fighting women.
… There’s a variety of small companies that, um, that
are willing to allow a person like this to fight. I say it’s
fucked up. You can’t fight women! You can’t. And just
to look at her record, she’s crushed two women inside the
first round. I mean, she’s crushing these girls…”
“Look,
she’s huge! She’s not just huge, she’s got a fucking
man’s face. I mean, you can wear all the lipstick you want.
You want to be a woman and you want to take female hormones,
you want to get a boob job, that’s all fine. I support your
life to live, your right to live as a woman.”
“Fight
guys, yes. She has to fight guys. First of all, she’s not
really a she. She’s a transgender, post-op person. The operation
doesn’t shave down your bone density. It doesn’t change.
You look at a man’s hands and you look at a women’s
hands and they’re built different. They’re just thicker,
they’re stronger, your wrists are thicker, your elbows are
thicker, your joints are thicker. Just the mechanical function
of punching, a man can do it much harder than a woman can, period.”
“I
support, 100%, anyone’s right to be transgender. This is
not where it lies with me, like I’m not a prejudiced person.
I don’t know what you feel in your body. If you really are
a woman trapped in a man’s body, I support your right to
do whatever you want to do. Go for it. If that’s what makes
you happy, I would not try to stop that at all and I support
it 100%. The real issue comes with violent competition with women
and the reality of the physical structure of your body. The reality
of the physical structure is not fair. You can’t say that
a 145 pound woman and a 145 pound man are even. That’s like
saying, you know, a 30-pound poodle and a 30-pound Pitbull are
just two dogs — because they’re not. One of them has
distributed its mass in quite a different way. It’s built
for quite a different purpose and men are built for smashing
shit. Women are built for getting held down by the stronger male
monkey and, you know, women are built for carrying babies and
doing work and whatever other non-hyperexplosive physical things
you would want to do with your body. But they’re not built
for hyperexplosive physical violence, they’re just not.
They have more dainty frames, their hands are smaller. And even
if they are big, they’re not big like a big man is. It’s
not fair. I’m not trying to discriminate against women in
any way, shape, or form and I’m a big supporter of women’s
fighting. I loved watching that Ronda Rousey/Liz Carmouche fight.
But those are actual women. Those are actual women. And as strong
as Ronda Rousey looks, she’s still looks to me like a pretty
girl. She’s a beautiful girl who happens to be strong. She’s
a girl! [Fallon Fox] is not a girl, OK? This is a transgernder
woman. It’s a totally different specification.”
“How
about some crazy dude who wants to beat the fuck out of chicks,
so he gets his dick chopped off? I mean, that’s not outside
the realm of possibility. There’s a lot of suicidal fucks
out there. There’s a lot of people that are like on the
edge anyway. Like getting your dick chopped off, you know you’re
going to pay attention to me? OK, I’ll chop my dick off,
I’ll be a girl for a while. There’s people out there
that are fucking crazy and you can’t let them fight girls.
You just can’t. So, if this chick fights on Indian land
I guess they could do whatever you want. I don’t see the
Nevada State Athletic Commission allowing a woman to fight a
man, though. … I don’t agree with the (Florida) athletic
commission letting this happen. I don’t know. I don’t
understand it. I don’t know why anybody would ever allow
it. When it comes to competitive athletics, that’s where
you got to draw the line.”
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Dana
White won't rule out possibility of Herschel Walker fighting
in the UFC
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL
-- Fifty-one-year-old Herschel Walker may not have seen his last
action in the cage just yet.
After
competing twice in Strikeforce, Walker has been inactive from
mixed martial arts for over two years, but recently said in a
radio interview that he would like to fight one more time, under
the UFC banner.
"I
would love to do it again," he said on The Lavar Arrington
Show with Chad Dukes. "I absolutely love MMA. I think it's
an excellent sport."
Since
the UFC acquired Strikeforce, Walker has gone unmentioned for
a possible date in the octagon. Maybe that's because most figured
Walker had no prayer of fighting under White, who once slammed
the signing of Walker to Strikeforce as "ridiculous"
and "completely disrespectful to the sport."
Well,
perhaps Walker's two forays -- both TKO wins -- converted him,
because White wouldn't rule out the possibility when it was broached
after the UFC 158 press conference.
"I
don't know," he said. "I'll have to talk to him."
White
noted that at his age, Walker would have to be approved by an
athletic commission before competing. The former NFL and collegiate
star is a well-known physical marvel, who claims to keep fit
by doing thousands of pushups and sit-ups every day. Walker trained
at the San Jose, Calif.-based American Kickboxing Academy for
his two previous bouts.
If
Walker were to get a fight this year, he would tie Ron Van Clief
as the oldest man ever to compete under the UFC banner. Van Clief
was also 51 when he lost by submission to Royce Gracie at UFC
4 back in 1994.
"I've
never even thought about it, but I'm assuming he's under contract
with us from the Strikeforce deal, so I don't know," White
said.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC's
Dana White reaffirms TRT stance, wants athletic commissions to
ban it
by Steven
Marrocco
MONTREAL
– Cornered by persistent questions about drug testing in
the UFC, Dana White said his current goal is to eradicate exemptions
for testosterone replacement therapy.
"Then
when you show up for a fight, the state athletic commissions
will do their testing however they do their testing," White
said following a pre-event news conference for UFC 158, which
takes place Saturday at Montreal's Bell Centre.
The
UFC president has turned a corner on TRT, earlier this year promising
additional testing for athletes that want to legally use testosterone
by obtaining a therapeutic use exemption. Previously, he left
the issue to state athletic commissions.
"If
you ask for a TRT exemption, you are going to be tested brutally,"
White said.
The
Nevada State Athletic Commission, whose former executive director,
Marc Ratner, now works for the Las Vegas-based UFC, has to date
issued six exemptions for TRT. As the number of applications
have grown, the commission has enacted stricter guidelines for
obtaining a TUE, which include multiple pre-fight blood and/or
urine tests and requiring a signed affidavit stating an athlete
has not previously used banned performance-enhancers.
Exemptions
in other states largely go unreported due to disclosure laws.
UFC vet Nate Marquardt, who fights on the pay-per-view main-card
of UFC 158, received a temporary exemption from the New Jersey
Athletic Control Board, but it was revoked when he failed a pre-fight
blood test.
White
said additional testing currently is underway in an effort to
make sure fighters don't use the exemption to make training camp
easier.
"People
who put in for a TRT exemption, we're going to make sure that
throughout your training period, you're not jacked up to these
levels here, and then bringing them back to these levels here
for the fight, when get tested by the athletic commission,"
he said.
But
when it comes to random, out-of-competition testing, which is
widely accepted as the most effective deterrent to illicit drug
use, that's where the UFC defers to regulatory bodies. Of the
larger commissions, the NSAC is considered a leader in out-of-competition
testing, randomly screening select fighters prior to events held
in the state.
"We're
focusing on the things that we can manage," White said,
later adding that he would also test any fighter suspected of
PED use.
At
this point, that means making TRT an unattractive option for
fighters without a legitimate medical need for it.
"This
is baby steps," White said. "I don't just come out
and say, 'Here's what I'd like all the athletic commissions to
do across the country.' I don't know how many times I have to
tell you guys, they don't give a f--k what I think. They regulate
me.
"It's
very easy for me to go with the flow on TRT: 'Hey, commission
says it's fine.' I'm against it. But there's only so much you
can do."
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Dana
White: Winner of UFC 158 Co-Headliner to Become Top Welterweight
Contender
By Mike
Whitman
A
new welterweight No. 1 contender will be named this Saturday
at UFC 158.
UFC
President Dana White announced the news Thursday during a pre-fight
press conference, revealing that the winner of Johny Hendricks’
showdown with Carlos Condit will be regarded as the top contender
at 170 pounds. UFC 158 takes place at the Bell Centre in Montreal
and is headlined by Georges St. Pierre’s welterweight title
defense against former Strikeforce ruler Nick Diaz.
Hendricks,
29, has won five straight fights since suffering the lone loss
of his career to Rick Story in 2010. “Bigg Rigg” fought
twice last year, taking a split decision from former title contender
Josh Koscheck before knocking out well-rounded Dane Martin Kampmann
in just 46 seconds at UFC 154.
Condit,
28, was initially supposed to rematch Rory MacDonald at UFC 158
but was later paired with Hendricks after “Ares” withdrew
due to injury. Condit saw a five-fight winning streak snapped
in his last outing, as “The Natural Born Killer” came
up short in his bid to wrest the title from around the waist
of St. Pierre last November.
Source
Sherdog
|
Bellator's
'Road to the Championship' special airs tonight at 11 p.m. ET
Bellator
MMA takes its customary "off week" this week and instead
of a live show airs a "Road to the Championship" highlights
special.
The
half-hour-long special airs tonight at 11 p.m. ET on Spike TV.
It
recaps the organization's five current Season 8 tournaments,
all of which conclude in the next few weeks.
In
this season's 12-week Bellator run, tournaments were held in
the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and
light heavyweight tournaments. Each winner gets $100,000 in total
pay and a guaranteed title shot.
The
"Road to the Championship" special is hosted by Jimmy
Smith and features special guests Joe Warren, Michael Chandler,
Ben Saunders, Emanuel Newton, Doug Marshall and Manny Rodriguez.
The
schedule of tournament finales includes:
Bellator
93 (March 21): Marcin Held vs. Dave Jansen (Season 7 lightweight
tourney finale)
Bellator 94 (March 28): Saad Awad vs. David Rickels (Season 8
lightweight tournament final) and Emanuel Newton vs. Mikhail
Zayats (Season 8 light heavyweight tournament final)
Bellator 95 (April 4): Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. Mike Richman
(Season 8 middleweight tournament final) and Brett Cooper vs.
Doug Marshall (Season 8 middleweight tournament final)
Additionally, the Season 8 welterweight tournament final of Douglas
Lima vs. Ben Saunders is expected to be scheduled for later this
year.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Chris
Leben vs. Andrew Craig Added to UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman Fight
Card
UFC
middleweights Chris Leben and Andrew Craig will square off at
UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman on July 6 in Las Vegas.
UFC
Tonight revealed the bout on Tuesday night’s edition of
the show.
Leben
(22-9) has been a staple of the promotion since the first season
of The Ultimate Fighter. He has fought 20 times in the Octagon,
more than any other middleweight in UFC history.
With
the UFC roster currently bursting at the seams with more than
400 fighters under contract, the pressure is mounting, even on
the likes of a Chris Leben, to perform.
Leben
has lost three of his last four fights in the Octagon, and enters
the bout against Craig coming off of back-to-back losses to Mark
Munoz and Derek Brunson.
Craig
(8-1) stormed into the UFC with an undefeated record and dispatched
of Kyle Noke and Rafael Natal for a strong start to his tenure.
Ronny Markes, however, put a stop to his run, defeating Craig
by unanimous decision at UFC on FX 7 in January of this year.
Leben
vs. Craig will be part of the supporting cast for UFC middleweight
champion Anderson Silva’s next title defense. He puts his
belt on the line against Chris Weidman in the UFC 162 main event.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
2013
Hawaii State Junior Olympic Boxing Championships
Hi Everyone,
Wanted to let you know our 2013 Hawaii State Junior Olympic Boxing
Championships will be held on Saturday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m.,
and Sunday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m. Winners of the 15/16 year old
divisions advance to the 2013 National Junior Olympic Boxing
Championships in Mobile, Alabama on June 25-29, 2013. 8-14 year
olds will Box for State Titles.
Boxers from Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and Big Island expected
to compete. Admission will be $15 for both days unless card has
less then 12 bouts, then admission will be $12. Number of matches
depend on weigh-ins that saturday morning.
For more info. or any questions feel free to email me at bkawano@aol.com
Thanks for Your Support Always!!!
Bruce Kawano
Amateur Boxing of Hawaii President.
Commissioner for Hawaii State Boxing Commission.
USA-Boxing Coaches/International Task Force Member.
Ringside Board of Advisors.
A.I.B.A. Athlete and Youth Commission.
Head Coach- Kawano Boxing Club.
USA National Boxing Team Coach.
Rock Bottom Sports Bar- General Manager.
Red Lions Manager
Boxing Coach - UFC Gym.
State of Hawaii MMA Inspector.
Honolulu P.A.L. Advisory Council.
|
UFC
158 Nearing Sellout Status, Already Producing Higher Gate Than
Last Trip to Montreal
by Ken
Pishna
As
much attention the Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz have drawn
for UFC 158, the event has yet to sell out, but don’t expect
it to remain that way.
“I’m
expecting a sellout,” said UFC president Dana White following
the UFC 158 pre-fight press conference. “We have like 1,100
tickets left.”
St-Pierre
is the most popular fighter on the UFC’s roster and is its
biggest draw, so selling 1,100 tickets in the final three days
in his hometown isn’t a stretch by any means.
But
even if the UFC couldn’t move all 1,100 remaining tickets,
White is pleased with the revenue St-Pierre vs. Diaz is generating.
It’s already, without being a sellout, blasted past the
promotion’s last trip to the Bell Centre.
UFC
154, which took place last November featuring St-Pierre defending
against Carlos Condit, sold 17,249 tickets producing gate receipts
of $3.143 million. This weekend’s UFC 158 event has already
produced a higher return.
“Last
time we were here the gate was $3.1 million,” said White.
“We’re at $3.5 million right now.”
Sellout
or not UFC 158 is already a financial success for the company,
and that’s not counting St-Pierre’s immense pay-per-view
drawing power, but don’t expect those 1,100 tickets to be
available once the Octagon door shuts on Saturday night.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Pros
Pick: St. Pierre vs. Diaz
By Mike
Sloan
For
nearly five years, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s
welterweight division has remained under the rule of one man:
Georges St. Pierre.
St.
Pierre will defend his 170-pound title against former Strikeforce
champion Nick Diaz in the UFC 158 main event on Saturday at the
Bell Centre in Montreal. The 31-year-old St. Pierre has won his
last 10 fights, establishing himself as one of the top pound-for-pound
fighters in the sport. Diaz, 29, has posted 11 victories in his
past 12 appearances.
Sherdog.com
touched base with a number of professional fighters and trainers
to gauge their opinions on the UFC 158 co-headliner:
Chris
Clements: GSP wins by decision. I think he is too strong for
Diaz and will out-wrestle Nick. Their Brazilian jiu-jitsu will
cancel each other’s out.
Danillo
Villefort: I’d like to see Diaz winning this fight. I like
his style and he fights with his heart, but GSP has the ability
to control where the fight goes -- he is such a great athlete
-- so I believe he will win another fight by decision again.
Jason
High: This is an easy one for me. Unless Diaz has made drastic
changes to his footwork and improved his wrestling, I see GSP
jabbing to set up takedowns, punching and passing and maybe looking
for submissions; rinse, repeat. Not an easy fight by any means
but one GSP should win unless he chooses to fight Nick’s
fight.
Igor
Araujo: I’m curious to see how Diaz will deal with his back
on the ground. I know he’s got very good Brazilian jiu-jitsu,
and I think he will need it, because GSP will take the fight
to the ground like he always does. If Diaz keeps it standing,
he will get it by knockout, but I don’t think he can defend
those takedowns for five rounds, so I go with GSP by decision.
Javier
Vazquez: Although an exciting fight to market and build towards,
I don’t think it will be competitive in the Octagon. Diaz
needs to overwhelm GSP with strikes. He doesn’t have that
one-punch knockout power. He will have to do it with volume while
staying on his feet. The problem is, when GSP wants to take you
down, he does. GSP on the other hand has a clear road to victory.
He needs to take Diaz down, control him for five rounds and avoid
being submitted. It seems to be the most logical way to victory
for GSP, and it’s the safest. Although a win by Diaz would
be exciting and would drive the UFC nuts, I see GSP winning at
least four of five rounds en route to a 49-46 or 50-45 victory.
Travis
Wiuff: Hard to bet against GSP. I like Diaz and his style of
fighting, but I think GSP wins a five-round decision with his
takedowns and top control.
Nam
Phan: I’ve got to go with my man Nick.
Mark
Bocek: GSP wins by decision.
Eric
Prindle: GSP all the way.
Robert
Drysdale: GSP wins.
Travis
Lutter: GSP-Diaz should be a fun fight to watch. I really think
GSP will win this one. Diaz is always dangerous with a possible
knockout or submission, but GSP hasn’t been submitted since
UFC 50. So if I was placing a bet, I would bet on GSP.
John
Gunderson: I would love for Diaz to win. Diaz is one of the most
entertaining fighters in the sport, but GSP knows how to control
fights and is the best chain wrestler in MMA. GSP wins by decision.
Mitch
Clarke: GSP wins a unanimous decision by takedown and control
for five rounds.
Spencer
Fisher: Georges is more athletic and explosive, but Nick has
a tough style to deal with and is aggressive off of his back.
Nick typically doesn’t go backwards, and Georges is great
with his wrestling. It’s just going to come down to who
is going to be able to employ their will.
Jeff
Hougland: I hope Diaz wins because I like watching his style
of fighting more than GSP. Plus, I think it would be cool to
see the division shook up.
Steven
Siler: Diaz’s takedown defense isn’t good, and I think
GSP will avoid the subs for a decision win.
J.J.
Ambrose: I’d love to see Diaz win just to shake things up
a bit, but I have GSP doing his thing. He wins by unanimous decision.
Zach
Makovsky: Diaz’s best weapon is his pressure and volume
striking. He wears people out by making them constantly react
to him, but GSP is too smart and won’t let Diaz control
the pace. GSP will pick Diaz apart with speed and kicks, and
when Diaz does apply enough pressure, Georges will plant him
on his back. GSP wins the fight in all areas and gets the W.
Caros
Fodor: As much as I want Diaz to win, I think GSP will get a
decision. GSP is too smart to box with him and has the ability
to get takedowns and score points, so I’m going to go with
him.
Jason
Dent: St. Pierre is too smart, to talented, too fast, too strong,
too experienced and I believe it will be his night. I’m
a fan of Diaz inside the cage when it comes to his skills, but
I’m a fan of St. Pierre in and out of the cage, as he represents
our sport the way it should be represented.
Mike
Ciesnolevicz: GSP will win his sixth straight decision here.
The hype for this fight is better than the actual fight will
be. I see GSP using his wrestling and athleticism to control
Diaz. GSP is great at what he does, but, unfortunately, he is
not very fan friendly as a fighter. Most wrestling matches are
usually six to seven minutes for a reason. Nobody really wants
to see 25 minutes straight of it. It would be nice to see GSP
try to finish, but he will ride out the unanimous decision once
again. GSP is consistently ranked in the top three pound-for-pound
of the sport, yet he hasn’t finished a fight in four or
five years, which is very strange to me.
Joe
Duarte: Everybody loves Raymond, except Diaz. Diaz wins by submission.
Gabe
Ruediger: Although I’m hoping that Nick will get the fight
he wants and is able to change the outcome, I see another five
rounds of GSP getting a takedown, getting to half guard, rinse
and repeat. He will then apologize for his performance and tell
his fans that next time will be different -- again.
Ben
Saunders: GSP wins by lay-and-pray, but Diaz might be able to
tag him up on the feet a bit and work a tricky ground game. I’m
rooting for Diaz, as I love his style, aggression and overall
attitude about fighting, but GSP is GSP, with a pound-for-pound
skillset that can be unquestioned. If GSP uses his kicks well,
particularly his low kicks, it will help him in the standup game
extensively.
Ricardo
Liborio: I’m a big Diaz fan, but I think that this will
be a hard matchup for him. GSP wins by decision.
Tom
DeBlass: St. Pierre will grind out a decision.
Ramsey
Nijem: This is a hard one because I’m a huge Nick fan. I
think it’s going to be a war, and if GSP comes to knock
Nick out, I think Nick will win that fight. GSP is smart and
near impossible [to stop with] his wrestling, so I think GSP
wins in a decision.
Michael
Chiesa: This is a very interesting fight. GSP has showed nothing
shy of domination since he lost the title to Matt Serra. Condit
definitely gave him some problems after the third round. Ring
rust may have been a factor. Nick is a guy that’s going
to show up and bring it every single time. If you try to fight
Nick, you'll lose, but if you try to outpoint him, it’s
a different story, only because judges have some unspoken vendetta
with the Diaz boys. Tough one to call, but I'm taking Diaz just
because Georges is going to try to fight him instead of play
the points game.
Brock
Jardine: Every time I think GSP is going to lose, he comes out
and proves me wrong, so I'm going with GSP on this one.
Andy
Ogle: GSP wins by decision.
Kyle
Kingsbury: I like GSP by ground-n-pound.
John
Hackleman: I think Nick is probably the most exciting and skilled
fighter on the planet. I think GSP is one of the most technically
proficient and skilled fighters on the planet. I think it is
a very interesting match up, with the potential to be the greatest
fight ever if Nick dictates the pace, with the edge in a very
exciting brawl going to Nick. However I feel if GSP dictates
the pace it might be a lot more slow-paced, and technical with
the edge going to GSP. Either way I feel it will be a very exciting,
and entertaining match.
Vitor
Vianna: GSP [is] going to smash [Diaz] like Benson Henderson
did against Nate Diaz.
Pros
Picking St. Pierre: 27
Pros Picking Diaz: 3
No Pick: 3
Source:
Sherdog
|
In
response to former manager, Mirko Cro Cop digs a deeper hole
By Zach
Arnold
By: Brian J. D’Souza
During
the last year, there have been reports from a variety of news
outlets and publications that have revealed shocking new details
regarding the fall of PRIDE FC. In February 2012, the debut episode
of Spike TV’s MMA Uncensored aired a segment with an interview
conducted by veteran MMA journalist Dan Herbertson that showcased
Miro Mijatovic—former manager of Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor
Emelianenko. Mijatovic revealed how his extortion by the yakuza
led to the criminal investigation that had PRIDE pulled off of
Fuji TV in 2006. Rick Wallace of The Weekend Australian Magazine
produced a general-interest feature about Mijatovic’s involvement
in the fight game that was published on December 8, 2012. Prior
to this, lawyer and anti-yakuza crusader Toshiro Igari’s
final book, dealing with Mijatovic’s management of Cro Cop
and Fedor, and Mijatovic’s criminal complaint against DSE’s
yakuza owners, was published posthumously following Igari’s
death in August 2010.
More
recently, I published Pound for Pound: The Modern Gladiators
of Mixed Martial Arts, a book that chronicles the lives and careers
of five men who I consider the greatest MMA fighters of all time,
a list that includes Fedor Emelianenko. In order to promote the
book, this week I did a two-part Q & A on Liverkick.com (Part
1, Part 2) with Miro Mijatovic where we discussed the career
of Mirko Cro Cop.
In
response to Part 1, Mirko Cro Cop posted a long-winded rant on
his Facebook page (full translation at the end of this article)
in Croatian that attempted to minimize the role Miro Mijatovic
played in his camp. Cro Cop’s post was subsequently republished
in Vecernji list, one of Croatia’s two largest daily newspapers
(Note that the Ve?ernji list article incorrectly identifies the
Liverkick.com interviews as excerpts from Pound for Pound). Among
Cro Cop’s claims:
I
met Mijatovic in the beginning of 2002 and I can’t remember
who introduced us
He started to offer his services cause he lived in Japan and
spoke excellent Japanese but I refused his offer
I have to acknowledge that he was very useful for us to order
food at Japanese restaurants cause he spoke Japanese and that’s
all he did
Mirko Cro Cop correctly remembers the date that he was first
introduced to Miro Mijatovic, which was in March 2002. Cro Cop
was at the Shinjuku Hilton in Tokyo, where he was awaiting his
fight with Mark Hunt (Cro Cop won via decision) to occur at the
2002 K-1 Grand Prix in Nagoya. Croatian national football (soccer)
team member Igor Cvitanovic made the introduction between Cro
Cop, his then-manager Zvonimir Lucic and Miro Mijatovic. As Igor
Cvitanovic was playing for Japanese club Shimizu S Pulse, he
was good friends with Cro Cop, and they often traveled to Cro
Cop’s fights together. Cvitanovic can be seen on-camera
carrying Cro Cop’s bucket in ring walk-ins—so the idea
that Cro Cop “forgot” who introduced him to Mijatovic
is hard to believe.
Miro
Mijatovic in the background, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
in the foreground after Cro Cop’s August 10, 2003 win against
Igor Vovchanchyn
Cro
Cop himself provided evidence that Miro Mijatovic was, indeed,
his manager when he published a letter on January 4, 2004 on
the front page of Japanese sports newspaper Sankei Sports announcing
the termination of Mijatovic as his manager. Furthermore, many
internet articles dating from several years back consistently
reference Miro Mijatovic as Mirko Cro Cop’s manager.
Far
from being a groupie or hanger-on, Mijatovic had intimate knowledge
of Mirko Cro Cop’s career, contracts, business affairs and
other insider details. Beyond supplying information about Cro
Cop’s trajectory from K-1 to PRIDE, Mijatovic recalled the
small personal details that only an insider would pick up on.
For instance, Cro Cop’s preference for American fast food—which
could be ordered in English—as Cro Cop was a picky eater
who did not like Japanese food.
Astute
Croatian fans needed little time to pick apart Mirko Cro Cop’s
claims that he barely knew Mijatovic. They found photo evidence
of Mijatovic’s presence at Cro Cop’s fights, where
he served as a manager from the fall of 2002 to January 2004,
and began a spirited discussion of Cro Cop’s inconsistencies
on various message boards.
News
report of Mijatovic splitting from Cro Cop’s team as manager
published in the April 2004 issue of Black Belt magazine
Considering
all the evidence that shows that Mijatovic was Mirko Cro Cop’s
manager, why is Cro Cop posting a flimsy-worded denial years
later, in 2013?
Cro
Cop’s Facebook post was intended to discredit Mijatovic,
but the message inadvertently confirmed two things 1) There was
yakuza involvement within K-1 and PRIDE and 2) Cro Cop refused
to fight at Shockwave for $150,000, and only appeared on the
show for $300,000. Did Cro Cop go out of his way to share the
exact figures involved in his salary dispute with a groupie whose
main duties supposedly involved ordering his sushi at restaurants?
Only
an idiot can say that I agreed $150,000 and then when I arrived
at the stadium and saw 100,000 people there that I then asked
for $300,000. Firstly I’m not that crazy or that brave since
they would have buried me in concrete in some Tokyo bay if I
did that, the real truth is that when we negotiating that fight
a few months before they offered me $130,000 and I wanted $150,000
and they didn’t accept it and so we said we’d talk
later. After 3 weeks the Japanese call me and I tell them I got
injured in training, which was the truth. I hurt my back wrestling
and I was under therapy at Dr Bucan. He told me it wasn’t
serious but I should rest for 2-3 weeks and I told the Japanese
the doctor has ordered rest and that the promoters should find
a replacement for me. They laughed and said ok ok we’ll
pay you $150,000 but I tell them, you haven’t understood
me, I’m in a lot of pain so my price is $300,000. They got
really pissed off but they called me back the next day accepting.
The
yakuza who allegedly would have buried Cro Cop in concrete in
Tokyo Bay were prominent in K-1 and PRIDE. On January 4, 2004—the
same day that Mirko published his termination letter to Mijatovic
in Sankei Sports—members of yakuza Yamaguchi-gumi subgroups
who owned PRIDE were threatening Miro Mijatovic at gunpoint in
order to extort the rights to promote then-PRIDE heavyweight
champion Fedor Emelianenko from Mijatovic.
As
for Cro Cop’s story of hurting his back? Cro Cop is fond
of telling stories about hurting his back, as happened before
Inoki-Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 (promoted by Miro Mijatovic), where Cro
Cop was slated to face Japanese pro wrestler Takayama for a purse
of $150,000. Cro Cop claimed that he’d hurt his back in
December 2003, and was forced to pull out of the show. Cro Cop’s
unreliability due to suffering such “back injuries”
made him a headache for K-1 as it was a standard Cro Cop negotiation
ploy to get more money once a bout had been announced by the
promoter.
Part
2 of the Liverkick Q & A reveals details of the extreme favoritism
Mirko Cro Cop received from PRIDE. This information is corroborated
by Cro Cop’s opponents.
American
Heath Herring, a well-regarded journeyman, was Mirko Cro Cop’s
first opponent after Cro Cop made the switch to PRIDE full-time.
For three months, Herring had been told by DSE that he was fighting
a grappler.
“With
the Cro Cop fight, for two weeks before it I had no idea I was
fighting him. So when it happened I wasn’t ready mentally
for the fight,” Herring later told MMAWeekly.com after losing
via first round TKO to Cro Cop.
Cro
Cop could also handpick easy opponents like Dos Caras Jr. Mirko
did not select the Mexican wrestler outright; he just asked for
a pushover, which was conducted for smaller fight money in the
PRIDE “Bushido” league.
“I
was supposed to fight someone else but he was injured and they
asked me to fight Mirko,” a naive Caras explained of the
match.
Caras,
a pro wrestler who was then 3-3 in MMA, was head-kicked into
unconsciousness in just 46 seconds. Perhaps if as much time had
gone into Caras formulating his strategy as the debate over whether
the Lucha Libre performer could wear his mask in the PRIDE ring,
he would have lasted longer.
When
Cro Cop transitioned to the UFC, just months after winning the
2006 PRIDE open weight Grand Prix—the pinnacle achievement
of his career—he overcame easy opposition like Eddie Sanchez
and Mostapha al-Turk, but faltered against stronger non-journeyman
opponents. Cro Cop often made excuses about lingering injuries
when he lost, and never truly performed up to the expectations
of a former PRIDE champion.
It
was in the UFC that Mirko’s unreliable nature surfaced yet
again: scandal erupted after UFC 99 when Cro Cop reneged on a
verbal agreement for a three-fight deal with UFC president Dana
White to sign with DREAM; Cro Cop then pulled out of his DREAM
10 bout scheduled against Mighty Mo to face then-unheralded Junior
dos Santos at UFC 103.
After
Cro Cop’s UFC 99 bout with al-Turk, Dana White let it slip
that Cro Cop had refused tougher opponents, saying “He turned
down every other…fighter I offered him, because I needed
him to fight Cain.”
Today,
even in the twilight of his career, Mirko Cro Cop enjoys name-recognition
and popularity in Croatia. It should be remembered that it was
Miro Mijatovic who had the foresight business acumen to negotiate
with the FEG and DSE brass in order to secure those broadcast
rights to air Cro Cop’s fights in Croatia. With Mirko’s
K-1 fight against Bob Sapp, his IBBY fight with Kazuyuki Fujita,
as well as his PRIDE classics against Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchyn
and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira airing on Croatian television,
the fervently nationalistic Southeastern European nation discovered
a new sports hero.
People
need sports heroes. But if there’s anything to be learned
from the cases of O.J. Simpson, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong
or even K-1 stars like Badr Hari, sports heroes aren’t necessarily
the most trustworthy sources of information. This is doubly true
when said athletes are asked to comment on the cases where they
acted in a selfish, dishonorable, self-serving or criminal manner.
If
Oscar de La Hoya can admit to being a cross-dressing, cocaine-binging,
alcoholic sex fiend or Lance Armstrong can admit to doping, then
certainly Mirko Cro Cop can acknowledge kicking the man who essentially
saved his career during perilous times in Japan to the curb for
a fistful of dollars. It’s unlikely that Cro Cop would release
a statement acknowledging the truth, as he dislikes doing media
and prefers the much more favorable view that the public takes
of him and his career that bloomed in the vacuum of information
he created. But if Cro Cop were able to take such a stance, it
would be an action more courageous than any opponent he has faced
in the ring.
FULL
TRANSLATION OF MIRKO CRO COP’S FACEBOOK POST HERE:
Hi
Guys, a few words from me since I haven’t said much lately.
My preparations are almost finished and everything is done as
planned, my condition is excellent and I’m waiting for 15/3
to see what god gives. Stipe Glavica told me about an article
on the net in which Miro Mijatovic mentions me and talks about
my psychological profile and in some parts slanders me and talks
nonsense and makes up stuff. Unfortunately I have to respond
because that man is talking idiocy and falsehoods that not even
a dog would eat with butter. I’ve said many times that those
who want to promote themselves should do so with their results
and successes and not call out people for something that is nonsense
just so that they can read their names in print, it’s really
sad. I’m writing this for people who respect means follow
my career cause I can’t let some Idiot Attack me with unprovoked
falsehoods and mud. I met that Mijatovic in the beginning of
2002 and I can’t remember who introduced us but he started
to offer his services cause he lived in Japan and spoke excellent
Japanese but I refused his offer because my mother didn’t
nurse me with ink so that I’d need some representative who
would “negotiate” for me and of course something for
himself and as for his “Successful” advocacy and management
all he did was wait for me the lobbies of hotels before each
fight and then after the fights he’d try to hang around
with us. so I have to acknowledge that he was very useful for
us to order food at Japanese restaurants cause he spoke Japanese
and that’s all he did. Then he started to put himself with
Fedor and they eventually fucked him off as well and now he wants
to talk about some stories about “insider” information.
I’m shocked, if Stipe didn’t tell me about this story
I would never even have thought of this man. Only an idiot can
say that I agreed $150,000 and then when I arrived at the stadium
and saw 100,000 people there that I then asked for $300,000.
Firstly I’m not that crazy or that brave since they would
have buried me in concrete in some Tokyo bay if I did that, the
real truth is that when we negotiating that fight a few months
before they offered me $130,000 and I wanted $150,000 and they
didn’t accept it and so we said we’d talk later. After
3 weeks the Japanese call me and I tell them I got injured in
training, which was the truth. I hurt my back wrestling and I
was under therapy at Dr Bucan. He told me it wasn’t serious
but I should rest for 2-3 weeks and I told the Japanese the doctor
has ordered rest and that the promoters should find a replacement
for me. They laughed and said ok ok we’ll pay you $150,000
but I tell them, you haven’t understood me, I’m in
a lot of pain so my price is $300,000. They got really pissed
off but they called me back the next day accepting. And now this
has turned into a story that I arrived at the stadium saw it
full of people and then I disrespected people which is total
stupidity of an idiot. Like everything else he said. But if that
makes him happy or if he gets some benefit from this then good
on him
***
Read
more untold stories about Mirko Cro Cop, Fedor Emelianenko and
the fall of PRIDE in Brian J. D’Souza’s new book Pound
for Pound: The Modern Gladiators of Mixed Martial Arts.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Dana
White encouraged by New York governor's words on MMA
By Dave
Doyle
New
York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stated Tuesday that he has no moral objection
to the legalization of mixed martial arts in his state. He even
went so far as to say he's watched a fight from time to time.
For
the sport's biggest promoter, UFC president Dana White, this
was welcome news. Speaking on Jim Rome's nationally syndicated
radio show Wednesday, White repeated his vow to bring MMA to
the state in 2013.
"Yeah,
its obviously music to my ears," White said. "I'm very
confident that it's going to happen this year and get this thing
done, and hold an event in New York this year."
A
bill repealing the 1997 law which bans MMA in the Empire State
has already passed the state Senate. The big question mark now
is whether it will be called up for a vote in the Assembly, where
the bill has stalled and died for the past several years.
Still,
Cuomo's opinion indicates that if the bill can get through the
Assembly, he's not going to keep it from being signed into law.
White,
for his part, says that by the time the UFC puts on an event
in the Big Apple, people will wonder why the sport was banned
in the first place.
"After
we roll into New York, put on an event, and leave, New York will
wish they got this thing done five years ago," he said.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Dana
White Says Georges St-Pierre Wants to Retire Nick Diaz After
Diaz Chased Him Around Hotel
Courtesy
of Damon Martin and official MMAWeekly.com content partner Bleacher
Report.
Everyone
has been wondering what Nick Diaz did to get Georges St-Pierre
so rattled that he personally called UFC president Dana White
to ask him for their main event fight at UFC 158.
Diaz
has obviously tried everything under the sun to press the buttons
to get under St-Pierre’s skin, but it’s well documented
that it’s nothing new to the Canadian champion who has been
called out, criticized and insulted by almost every opponent
he’s ever faced.
Now
White has revealed the real incident that caused the rift and
it goes all the way back to 2011 when Diaz called out St-Pierre
at UFC 137 following his win over B.J. Penn.
White
was a guest on the Jim Rome Show on Wednesday and he told the
story about how Diaz literally stalked St-Pierre around the event’s
host hotel looking to fight him, and it obviously wasn’t
about finishing their business in the Octagon.
“Nobody
has talked about this, I haven’t said anything about it,
but at one of the fights, the one where he really starts calling
Georges out, he was chasing Georges around the hotel and like
yelling at him and stuff. Georges thought he was going to try
to fight him in the hotel. He was just waiting for the elevator
doors to open and see Nick Diaz,” White explained when speaking
to Rome.
“Like
at the last fight where he said all that stuff after his last
fight when he said all that stuff about Georges, he was really
messing with Georges bad at the fight, like trying to fight him
at the hotel. That really pissed Georges off.”
White
downplayed the reality of Diaz actually fighting St-Pierre in
the hotel (although Diaz has fought an opponent in a hospital
before), but said the incident caused the Canadian to snap and
work very hard to eventually get a shot at the Stockton bad boy.
“I
don’t think that would ever happen, but Georges St-Pierre
felt like it was,” said White. ”Georges has said publicly
many times when he was younger he used to get bullied. That’s
what got him into martial arts. He just has this crazy thing
about bullies and he thinks Nick Diaz is a bully.”
St-Pierre
has faced criticism over his last five fights for all of them
ending in decision, but from the sound of things, he’s focused
on not only beating Diaz but obliterating him in the Octagon.
“Georges
St-Pierre I talked to him last week, he said ‘Dana, you
have no idea what I’m going to do to this kid, I wanna make
him retire’,” said White
St-Pierre
gets his chance on Saturday night in Montreal at UFC 158.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Nick
Diaz the best boxer in MMA? Freddie Roach says that’s ‘bulls**t’
Erik Fontanez
According
to world-class boxing trainer Freddie Roach, Nick Diaz’s
boxing isn’t the best in the UFC. Roach referred to his
ability as just “okay.” (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa
LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD,
Calif. — Boxing trainer Freddie Roach has cornered world
champion boxers throughout his career. Being in his position,
Roach has dissected what many call “the sweet science”
with a watchful eye, and been able to point out advantages and
flaws by fighters for years. As much experience as he has, Roach’s
opinion on technique is widely respected by many of the sport’s
aficionados.
Roach
has also worked with MMA fighters, such as UFC welterweight champion
Georges St-Pierre and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. St-Pierre
defends his title against Nick Diaz this Saturday at UFC 158,
and Roach told GracieMag.com that he and GSP have devised a game
plan to counter whatever Diaz throws.
“For
the hands, we’ve already set a good game plan and we know
how we’re going to fight with Diaz’s so-called best
[boxing] in UFC,” Roach recently said at his gym, Wild Card
Boxing. “To make an adjustment to fight Diaz is not hard.”
Diaz,
a Cesar Gracie black belt, is known not only for his Jiu-Jitsu,
but also his stand-up game. His boxing is regarded by many in
the MMA community as being some of the best in the UFC. However,
when asked of what he thinks of Diaz’s boxing prowess, Roach
was quick to shoot down any notion that he has the best hands
in the UFC.
Famed
boxing trainer Freddie Roach isn’t impressed with Nick Diaz’s
boxing ability.
“Bulls**t.
I know it’s bulls**t,” Roach said. “He fires arm
punches … walks forward and crosses his legs, his balance
is off. I’m not impressed.”
Diaz
is durable and tough, he added, but the thought that Diaz has
the best boxing in MMA is something Roach doesn’t believe.
He was equally as critical, however, about Rua and St-Pierre
when the MMA fighters first arrived at Wild Card.
“When
Georges St-Pierre first came here his technique wasn’t that
good, but it’s getting better and better now,” he explained.
“The thing is that most of the guys in MMA or the UFC have
history in the ground game and so on, so it’s more new to
them. A lot of times they’ve never been taught on how to
do it correctly.”
Now
Roach says GSP is more than ready to counter Diaz’s striking
when the two face off Saturday in Montreal. Also, Roach said
Rua is already getting wowed by his coaching, saying that the
fighter is pivoting the right way and punching off the correct
foot.
But
as far as Diaz goes, Roach has no impression that the fighter’s
boxing is world-class.
“He’s
very durable, got a lot of balls,” he said of Diaz. “But
the thing is his boxing ability — It’s okay.”
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Dave
Meltzer: Ronda Rousey is the number five PPV draw in #UFC
By Zach
Arnold
A
summary from a Sunday radio interview on Sherdog:
The
early estimate for the UFC 157 PPV buy rate is in the 400,000-500,000
range, more or less in the middle of that range. Dave claims
UFC budgeted itself for 250,000 PPV buys for the Anaheim Pond
event, hoping that Ronda would draw around what the smaller fighters
like Jose Aldo & Frankie Edgar draw. Drawing 250,000 PPV
buys is fine, 300,000 is good, and 400,000 is very good.
“A
big success” even though “it’s still Liz Carmouche
in the main event.” Both women made north of $150,000 USD
in terms of money from the fight.
When
Dave first saw the original PPV barker ad for the UFC 157 show
(the now infamous Rousey mean/smile combo ad), he said it hit
him that it’s two girls fighting and that it wasn’t
going to draw so well. The early ticket sales in Anaheim were
around 4,000 sold for $600,000 at the gate. However, unlike normal
UFC business trends, the event ended up sold out and had more
momentum for the close.
While
the amount of paid tickets sold and gate wasn’t as high
as a typical big UFC show is concerned, there were a few reasons
for this. The first reason is that Los Angeles/Anaheim is a very
tough market for UFC to draw big numbers in. Second, “there
was fear” when they put Ronda Rousey on top of the Anaheim
Pond card. When the early indications showed slow ticket sales,
“they had to be scared” that a ton of empty seats would
have Ronda look like a flop to the masses. Over 7,000 tickets
were sold in the last couple of weeks. The momentum for the fight
surged greatly two weeks before the event and Ronda Rousey being
a Southern California girl made it a big deal.
Dave
thought the fight would draw 200,000-300,000 PPV buys tops, similar
to what Frankie Edgar or Jose Aldo draw. Instead, it drew much
stronger numbers.
“She’s
gonna be a good PPV draw.”
Dave
claims that DirecTV is stating that no other UFC PPV show has
ever sold more buys for the High Definition telecast than UFC
157 drew. The early web PPV buys UFC got for the show led them
to think the show would draw 300,000 PPV buys but momentum grew
and then they started feeling that the show could hit the 500,000
PPV buy mark.
The
belief is that Ronda was able to attract a different kind of
PPV audience — one more affluent and female. However, the
live audience at the Anaheim Pond was still 80% guys and pretty
much standard UFC event far.
Jack
Encarnacao asked where Ronda Rousey ranks as a UFC PPV draw,
given that she’s a bigger attraction than Frankie Edgar,
Dan Henderson, Urijah Faber, and Ben Henderson. Dave said Rousey/Carmouche
out-drew Anderson Silva/Stephan Bonnar and was parallel to the
Jon Jones/Vitor Belfort fight. The fight had some novelty appeal
and drew way more media coverage than any other UFC fight.
“I
suspect Ronda (will be) no worse than the #5 draw in the company
if she continues to win.” Dave says that one UFC company
source believes Ronda can draw 700,000 PPV buys a fight if she
continues her winning streak over the next year. Dave says it’s
a “wait and see” situation regarding whether or not
Ronda can regularly draw more than 400,000 PPV buys per fight.
However, if she loses…
“Will
the people stay with her when she’s lost once?”
Ranking
UFC’s top 5 PPV attractions: Georges St. Pierre, Jon Jones,
Anderson Silva, Cain Velasquez, and Ronda Rousey. Each fighter
appeals to a certain fan base. St. Pierre appeals to Canadians.
Jones is the superstar, dynamic athletic. Anderson Silva attacts
tons of Brazilian fans. Cain appeals to Hispanics. Ronda appeals
to female fans and non-traditional UFC fans with cash to burn.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Ronda
Rousey is critical of athletes, fans who look the other way on
PED usage
By Dave
Meltzer
UFC
star Ronda Rousey gave an emotional response when the subject
of performance-enhancing drug use, and the idea sports fans don't
care, during a guest appearance on the Jim Rome on Showtime show
Wednesday night.
When
Rome brought up that fans don't care about PED use in sports,
Rousey thought that was a negative reflection of fans.
"That
seems like a terrible fan to me," she said, in a panel discussion
that included former NFL player Dhani Jones, and famous sports
psychologist Dr. Harry Edwards. "The fans should care about
the athletes and the athletes' well being. They should care if
the athlete feels pressure that they need to somehow do all these
drugs to be good enough for them. Why can't I be good enough
for you just the way that I am? I shouldn't have to put my health
at risk in order to entertain you."
Cristiane
Santos' name never came up in the response, but steroid use is
hardly an unspoken aspect when it comes to Rousey vs. Cyborg,
the potentially biggest women's fight rivalry in history. Santos,
with her unnatural muscularity for a man, let alone a woman,
failed a steroid test after her last fight 14 months ago. Rousey
has stated numerous times that she feels it has made Santos'
career success a fraud.
She
was also upset at those who come up with rationales why it's
not so bad.
"No,
it is putting your health at risk," said the UFC women's
bantamweight champion. "It's the kind of people who say,
'Oh, everybody else is doing it,' `Oh, it's just the system.'
That's the kind of things people say to make it okay, to justify
it to themselves.
"So,
I don't care, you can take as many drugs as you want, and I'm
going to have to be good enough to beat you."
Still,
Rousey has insisted on having Santos fight at 135 pounds, figuring
that some of any advantages she would think Santos has in strength
would be negated by having to cut down in weight.
"Certain
people are always going to feel like they aren't good enough,"
she said. "Ultimately, it comes down to insecurity. If you
feel the best that you have isn't good enough to make it, that
insecurity is going to push you into making those decisions to
take those drugs. And those are the kind of athletes who aren't
going to be that good, anyway. If you think like that, you're
never going to be the best anyway. I'd like to try and have faith
in people and think the best of the best aren't really going
to do that."
Rousey
was adamant that sports in general should be taking a hard line
when it comes to testing and discouraging use.
"We
should try and catch those people who are cheating, because the
second we give up and stop pursuing them, then we stop supporting
the athletes that really matter," Rousey said.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
UFC
president calls for meeting with injured champ Dominick Cruz
on future
by Steven
Marrocco and Matt Erickson
MONTREAL
– The UFC might not be able to hold up the bantamweight
division much longer for injured champ Dominick Cruz (19-1 MMA,
2-0 UFC).
"He's
our champ, he's our guy, and he needs time," UFC President
Dana White on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
"But we're getting to the point now where we really need
to make a decision."
White,
who spoke to reporters following a pre-event news conference
in support of UFC 158, wants to schedule a meeting with Cruz
in Las Vegas to talk about the champ's future. Cruz hasn't fought
since October 2011, when he made his second title defense against
now-flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson.
In
the meantime, the UFC has crowned an interim bantamweight champion,
Renan Barao, who defended his title this past month against Michael
McDonald.
The
promotion could strip Cruz of his undisputed title and give it
to Barao. Whatever is decided, though, White said it needs to
be done soon, as much for Barao's sake as for Cruz.
"We've
seen in the past, you can't sit around and wait for guys to come
back or you will make no money and you'll be out too long, yourself,"
he said of the interim champ. "So he's got to get out there
and stay active. Every time this kid fights and wins, it benefits
him financially and physically. You have to stay active as a
fighter."
A
torn ACL scratched Cruz's return at UFC 148, and complications
from corrective surgery further delayed his recovery. This past
month,
"Everybody wants a timeline as much as I do," he said.
"I would like to say, 'In six months, starting today, I
will be back.' I can't do that. It's up to my doctors. It's up
to my physical therapists."
That
uncertainty is the cause of White's concern. Although the UFC
president expressed great respect for Cruz, he admitted that
no champ had ever been sidelined so long.
"This
poor kid ... I've never seen anybody with more bad luck than
Cruz, man," White said. "And for him, coming back into
this division, you know the way the sport is to have been off
for over two years."
White,
however, wouldn't commit to a cutoff date for possibly stripping
Cruz of the title. That decision will be made behind closed doors,
if at all.
"This
is stuff that needs to be talked about with him, and even if
I had a decision about him, I wouldn't say it here," White
said. "He deserves the respect to come out to Vegas and
sit down and talk about it."
In
the meantime, Barao will defend the interim title for a second
time when he meets Eddie Wineland in the main event of UFC 161
this June in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
For
the latest on UFC 161, as well as the rest of the UFC's upcoming
schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
UFC
158 Statistical Matchup Analysis: St. Pierre vs. Diaz
By Reed
Kuhn
One
of the most memorable media calls of all-time has thrown fuel
onto the fire of the long-awaited showdown between reigning Ultimate
Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Georges St. Pierre
and former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz. The contrasting personalities
that verbally sparred on the teleconference foreshadow clear
stylistic differences between the two highly skilled and physically
fit fighters. The incumbent is a tireless technician who excels
across the board in skill metrics -- a true mixed martial artist.
The challenger is a bold and dangerous striker-grappler, whose
brawler mentality belies a sophisticated, multi-pronged attack.
The fight for which fans have been calling for years will finally
go down at UFC 158 on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
It is safe to say the local fans in the arena will be biased,
but with the help of some diagnostic analysis of the two fighters,
we will be armed with the facts.
Between
their performances in the UFC, Strikeforce and EliteXC, there
were almost 30,000 data points through which to sift. Here is
what those numbers tell us:
Starting
at the beginning of the Tale of Tape, we see two fighters in
the range of their physical peaks, with not much of an age difference.
Though St. Pierre has a slightly longer reach, but Diaz counters
by being a natural left-hander. Over the years, however, St.
Pierre has effectively learned to switch stances, depending on
the opponent and strategy. Though slightly younger, Diaz has
the longer and more diverse fighting career, including a win
in the boxing ring in 2005.
The
biggest differentials here are Diaz’s finish rate and layoff.
Diaz is a finisher, by strikes or submission; he is a dangerous
competitor who hates hearing the judges’ scorecards as much
as UFC President Dana White. However, some may argue that the
quality of his opponents has been lower than St. Pierre’s,
given that more of Diaz’s career was spent in other promotions.
Perhaps his finishing instinct will be less effective at the
highest levels of the fight game.
In
contrast to his last fight, St. Pierre is now the more current
competitor after defeating Carlos Condit less than four months
ago. Diaz, on the other hand, is coming off of a loss and a suspension
that has kept him out of competition since his own five-round
fight with Condit way back in early February 2012, more than
one year ago. Conditioning does not appear to be a problem for
Diaz, however, as he competes in endurance sports recreationally
and has been highly motivated training for this fight. Still,
it does raise questions about how long it will take for him to
get comfortable again in the cage. In his prior fight with Condit,
Diaz struggled with his opponent’s long-range fighting style
and was only successful closing the distance late in the bout.
Against St. Pierre, he will need to figure out a game plan quickly
in order to avoid succumbing to the champion’s notoriously
methodical, bell-to-bell style.
Regardless
of where this fight goes, there are reasons to be interested
in how they match up. With that said, these two will begin the
fight standing across from each other, so I will start with the
striking statistics.
Unsurprisingly,
both fighters have great technical skills, and, offensively,
they have similar profiles. They both utilize the jab effectively.
Each fighter throws more jabs than power strikes and does so
with very high accuracy. They also both have knockdown power,
higher than the welterweight average, logging eight knockdowns
apiece in the fights analyzed. Punch-for-punch, St. Pierre’s
is higher. Their power strikes land with good accuracy, though
again St. Pierre has an edge. The widest differentials here are
Diaz’s pace and St. Pierre’s defense.
In
prior fights, Diaz has controlled the cage, using his dangerous
“Stockton Slap” in high volume. He generally outpaces
his opponents in standup striking by about 50 percent, though
he was unable to do so in his recent fight against Condit. Overall,
Diaz’s pace of significant strike attempts is the highest
of any fighter on the card. While he is accustomed to dictating
the pace of fights, St. Pierre’s technical and controlling
style is the perfect foil to Diaz’s volume.
On
the flipside, St. Pierre may match his opponents in pace, but
between his own high accuracy and his opponents’ poor rate
of landing strikes against him, the champion gets the better
of standup exchanges in the long run. His head striking defense
is actually quite amazing when put in context: St. Pierre continually
faces the best welterweights in the world, and, yet, they cannot
land strikes at even half the average rate of accuracy for the
division. Diaz’s power head striking defense is slightly
above average, but his jab defense indicates some willingness
to eat a few extra shots. Fortunately for Diaz, the numbers show
he is much less likely to be knocked down than the champion per
strike landed, which again complicates the balance of power.
In
terms of varying the standup attack, St. Pierre will be more
likely to work the body and legs, while Diaz focuses primarily
on boxing and head strikes. St. Pierre’s standup will be
more varied, and, as is always the case with a disciplined fighter,
the strikes and combinations will often serve as setups for more
dangerous or strategically important attacks. Diaz, in contrast,
tends to wade forward, eating some combinations but stalking
opponents with a barrage of punches almost exclusively to the
head. Only two percent of Diaz’s standup strikes are leg
kicks, the lowest of any fighter on the UFC 158 main card. These
tradeoffs will certainly make for an interesting first few exchanges.
Even so, let us not overlook where this fight might end up going,
and that is to the floor.
The
defending champion’s wrestling is one of the most effective
weapons in the UFC, and he attempts takedowns at a rapid clip.
His 78 percent takedown success rate has resulted in 75 takedowns
landed, which puts him atop both FightMetric UFC career records
lists. While Diaz has historically attempted takedowns almost
as often, his success rate is much lower. In fact it is one of
the only metrics in which he is below average for the division.
GSP also has the edge in takedown defense over Diaz, so the numbers
give the edge to the champion if he wants to fight on the ground.
Once
on the ground, each fighter has been successful in prior fights.
Both vastly out-strike their opponents, attempt submissions at
similar rates and have good submission defense. While Diaz’s
submission game may be more honed than St. Pierre’s, it
is not as if the champion has not fought inside the guard of
dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners before. This could
end up being the key to the fight: St. Pierre’s ability
to put Diaz on his back and do damage without exposing his neck
or arm. Diaz taking top control does not look as likely but would
certainly make for an unexpected twist to the plot.
The
story here is that GSP is more likely to get ground control,
and once there, he can effectively work ground-and-pound while
avoiding submission attempts. Given that Diaz is a dangerous
striker, this may be a sound strategy for the incumbent champion,
but it is not without risk. Catching Diaz in a submission seems
unlikely, but St. Pierre has the stamina to work on the ground
for five full rounds if he needs to. There will be a delicate
balance for St. Pierre to maintain position and control while
still mounting an offense and minimizing openings for his opponent.
If Diaz cannot defend the inevitable takedowns, he will undoubtedly
become more and more frustrated and desperate as the fight goes
on. His likelihood of securing a submission will also decline
with time, as fatigue and sweat begins to affect him, so the
first rounds of match will be critical.
The
Final Word:
The
current betting line favors the champ at -500, implying an 83
percent probability of victory based on that market price. That
is a bit higher than St. Pierre’s last line of -350 against
Condit, presumably because the questions about his rehab and
layoff have now been answered. That fight also saw the biggest
threat of defeat that we have seen for the champion since he
began his current winning streak back in 2007. The head kick
that almost ended GSP’s latest reign added to the one blemish
on the St. Pierre stat line: knockdown resiliency.
While
he is elusive to the point where most opponents never connect
with a clean shot, St. Pierre’s likelihood of being knocked
down with a landed power head strike is multiples higher than
the same value for Diaz, who has demonstrated a solid chin in
recent years. Diaz’s closest recent knockout scare came
against the powerful striker Paul Daley, just before Diaz was
able to knock out the Brit with strikes of his own. While we
see clear advantages for the champion to control the fight on
the ground, the greatest threat to him will be Diaz’s boxing.
What
do you think? Any particular stats you think reveal the key difference
in this matchup? Who wins and how? I will be back next month
to run the numbers on “Ultimate Fighter” coaches Jon
Jones and Chael Sonnen, as they stop playing nice and fight at
UFC 159. Let the lyrical Sonnenisms begin.
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
|
Florida’s
commission jacks up prices, approves faulty rings, allows a transgender
fighter to compete in women’s MMA tournament
By Zach
Arnold
Keeping
disgraced wife of former boss Tom Molloy, Jami Alise (McClellan)
Molloy, and Molloy’s lifer-since-1985 assistant Christa
Patterson on Florida state payroll? Check.
Putting
a state auditor, Cynthia Hefren, with no combat sports experience
into the role of running Florida’s commission? Check. Paying
her an average of over $2,000 per show for a calendar year? Check.
Putting
a Molloy-favored pro-boxing, anti-MMA referee (Frank Gentile)
with no real world management qualifications in position of handling
Hefren’s business at fight shows? Check.
Putting
fighters like Valentijn Overeem in a ring deemed by the commission
to be faulty & lacking in structural integrity, leading to
accidental falls outside the ring? Check.
Allowing
a transgender fighter named Fallon Fox (SI story here) to fight
in a women’s MMA tournament without checking her medical
records for themselves? Check.
On
her application, a copy of which was provided to SI.com, Fox
stated that she held an MMA combatant’s license issued in
2013 by the California State Athletic Commission. However, CSAC
Executive Director Andy Foster confirmed that Fox’s application
for licensure was still under review, though the fighter and
her manager, Brett Atchley, believed she had received notice
of her licensure in the mail in late February. Licensure secured
in other jurisdictions — particularly in a key state like
California — can weigh heavily on a regulatory body’s
review of a new applicant’s information.
In
addition, Fox admits she did not disclose her transgender history,
and presumably the pertaining medical documents that would have
accompanied her Florida application, because she was not asked
to.
“CSAC
staff handled this without notifying me of the unusual circumstances,”
said Foster. “Because this is the first of its kind situation,
this matter should have been referred to me for review under
the commission’s medical review panel, which ultimately
makes a decision in how to proceed in a case like this. I’m
taking appropriate actions to make sure this protocol is followed
next time.”
(Read
the comments section of this article to see the criticism directed
towards me on this point.)
The
Florida promoter wants Fallon Fox to continue fighting in his
women’s tournament. Memo to Florida promoter: if Ericka
Newsome, the female KO’d by Fox, didn’t know she was
fighting someone of transgender status… then the promoter
should be concerned about getting his ass sued in court (along
with Florida’s commission).
It’s
time for Florida DBPR nitwits Ken Lawson and Tim Vaccaro to save
their sorry asses by firing the sorry asses of Frank Gentile
& Cynthia Hefren instead of being cowards and keeping them
on state payroll.
Killing
the club circuit in Florida
It’s
the classic scenario you get when you put a pencil-pusher auditor
in a position of running a combat sports commission. Instead
of recruiting promoters to run shows in the state, you jack up
the licensing rates and hope that the rates combined with state
budget money gets the books back in the black rather than actually
growing activity of boxing & MMA in the state.
The
state, which drew 50 shows for a calendar year, is on pace to
draw about 40 events this year. They’re not in the same
league as New Jersey, Nevada, Texas, or California in terms of
activity — and yet they are now going to charge licensing
prices that you would see in those states.
Ring
Announcer – California: no charge, Florida: $100
Booking Agent – California: no charge, cno, Florida: $100
Judge – California: $150, Florida: $100
Manager – California: $150, Florida: $100
Matchmaker – California: $200, Florida: $250 (asst. matchmakers
$200)
Participant – California: $60, Florida: $100
Physician – California: no charge, Florida: $100
Promoter – California: $1,000 fee for unlimited amount of
shows, Florida: $250
Referee – California: $150, Florida: $100
Rep of booking agent – California: no charge, Florida: $100
Second – California: $50, Florida: $100
Timekeeper – California: $50, Florida: $100
Trainer – California: $50, Florida: $100
Concessionaire – California: $0, Florida: $100 (plus cut
of revenue)
By
jacking up the prices, the bean counters are killing off any
hope of a club show scene in the state. It means fighters will
have to fight on tribal land or out of state rather than becoming
stars in their home state. The excuse has long been that Florida
is an “event-only” state where big names sell but the
club shows don’t. Well, you can’t have a grassroots
scene if you choke the golden goose and force promoters out.
Florida is a state with 10 different media markets and millions
of tourists visiting each year. This should not be hard in terms
of getting a genuine grassroots scene going. Instead, you can
throw that out of the window with the new licensing costs.
We
all know what the zero sum game here is for Cynthia Hefren: get
the books to look profitable rather than improve the actual health
of the combat sports scene in Florida, get out of dodge and get
a raise to work another job for the state of Florida and use
the commission as résumé enhancement.
Unfortunately
for Hefren, the following stains on her watch are anything but
résumé enhancements.
Ruling
a fight a no-contest for a faulty ring used by other fighters
There
was an event at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami
(Coral Gables campus) on February 23rd under the banner of S1,
which is some sort of hybrid stand-up MMA with-no-ground-game
deal. Florida allows these kinds of weird events to happen often,
which is another story in and of itself. The Florida commission
classified it as a kickboxing show.
The
main event featured Valentijn Overeem vs. James Wilson.
The
event was stopped due to “an unsafe ring structure.”
Even Florida’s commission officially deemed the ruling as
“fight stopped because of ring failure.”
Both
Overeem and Wilson fell out of the ring once. Then there was
another accident. As you can see from the photo, the ropes were
so loose and low that it was only natural an accident would happen.
The
scandal here, of course, is that the show was even allowed to
go on with a ring that was deemed to be lacking in structural
integrity. Rather than stop the show from taking place and getting
a new ring, the show went on and the main event putting the two
combatants at risk for serious injury. Sending a third-rate PR
flack to the Tallahassee Democrat or Miami Herald and saying
there will be “an investigation” is utter BS. Gentile
& Hefren didn’t do their jobs in putting a stop to the
show and put the fighters in a (legally-defined) ultrahazardous
sport in serious risk. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen
and the fighters would be in their rights to sue the state for
allowing this circus to go on.
Allowing
a transgender fight to fight women without checking medical records
Florida’s
record under the disgraced Tom Molloy for checking up on medical
suspensions and records from other states speaks for itself.
It was professional malpractice. Well, the malpractice is continuing
in the state of Florida.
Not
doing basic due diligence on medical records for a fighter has
now put Florida in a shameful position. They let a transgender
fighter KO a woman. Even if Florida’s excuse here is that
the fighter in question (Fallon Fox) didn’t list transgender
status on licensing paperwork, that doesn’t excuse the fact
that Hefren & Gentile didn’t bother checking medical
paperwork. Gentile was at the weigh-ins for the show last Friday
in Miami. There are no excuses. Just like the ring situation
with Valentijn Overeem and James Wilson, Florida’s commission
put the health & safety of fighters at risk by not doing
their jobs as professionals.
Someone
could get paralyzed or killed by their actions. If the trajectory
of BS doesn’t change, it will be sooner rather than later.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
India’s
Super Fight League Signs 5-Year TV Deal with ESPN STAR Sports
ESPN
STAR Sports on Wednesday announced a five-year broadcast deal
with the India-based Super Fight League.
The
network will cover 23 SFL Fight Nights live on a fortnightly
basis (every two-weeks) from the 2013-14 season, which kicks
off in Mumbai on March 29, 2013, and will continue year round
until March 2014.
Ever
since its launch in 2012, SFL has gained a lot of traction amongst
MMA enthusiasts in the country. This year, a total of around
250 fighters, male and female, from India and abroad will fight
it out for the coveted championship title belt and the right
to be crowned SFL World Champion. This season will see participants
from countries like Japan, Brazil and the United States. A lot
of non-resident Indian MMA fighters from countries like Australia,
UK, Canada, Germany and the United States will also compete.
“We
believe in offering the best of sporting content to the Indian
sports fans across genres and this acquisition firmly reiterates
our constant endeavor in this direction,” said Vijay Rajput,
Chief Operating Officer, ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. “This
acquisition enables us to expand our content in MMA fighting
and we think this property will get a lot of traction with fight
fans across the country. We will soon start a high decibel marketing
campaign across our entire network leveraging top fighters of
the league and Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt to build up to the
season launch.”
Raj
Kundra, Founder Chairman, Super Fight League, said, “The
broadcast tie-up with ESPN STAR Sports will provide a major boost
to our efforts to promote this property across South Asia. We
are very enthused with the response that SFL has been able to
generate in its very first year of operation. The league is today
ranked amongst the top 5 MMA leagues in the world. In fact, SFL’s
exclusive YouTube channel has recently crossed an impressive
10,000,000 video views over the past one year.
“As
a result, we have seen a lot of interest from leading MMA fighters
to compete in SFL season 2. Good quality fighters from India
and abroad will help the league reach new highs. We are also
expanding in a big way. The new season will see 11 title belts
on offer, up from 5 title belts in the first edition. Male participants
will fight it out across 8 weight categories from bantamweight
to heavyweight while the ladies’ section will see action
in 3 weight categories from flyweight to featherweight.”
“SFL
is about real heroes, real fight, real action. SFL fights are
also intense where one good move can help an underdog come up
triumphant over an established champion. One has to be alert
as there are no second chances here,” added Sanjay Dutt,
Co-Founder, Super Fight League. “I get inspired when I see
these fighters prepare for action. The broadcast deal with ESPN
STAR Sports will give SFL a big boost especially riding on the
success of the first year.”
SFL
Season 2 is set to kick-off in Mumbai on March 29 this year and
will take place bi-weekly until March of 2014. For more information
on all the action, visit www.superfightleague.com.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Johny
Hendricks is a Win Over Carlos Condit Away From UFC Title Shot
by Jeff
Cain
UFC president Dana White said during Thursday’s UFC 158:
St-Pierre vs. Diaz pre-fight press conference that if Johny Hendricks
defeats Carlos Condit this weekend, he’ll have earned the
No. 1 contender slot in the welterweight division.
“The guy who comes out of this fight (Hendricks vs. Condit)
the winner is definitely the No. 1 contender,” said White.
Condit was defeated by Georges St-Pierre in his last outing at
UFC 154 in November, but had his moments in the fight. He defeated
Nick Diaz at UFC 143 in February 2012 to earn the shot at St-Pierre.
If Condit defeats Hendricks, it will not gain him a rematch with
the titleholder, unless of course Nick Diaz wins the main event
on Saturday. In that case, he may very well face Diaz next. A
rematch between the two was scheduled before Diaz was suspended
for a year following their first meeting for testing positive
to marijuana.
“Obviously, if (Hendricks) beats Carlos Condit, I just think
that Carlos Condit is the right fight for him to make him the
No. 1 contender. Condit just fought him (Georges St-Pierre),
you know what I mean,” said White following the press conference
when explaining why Hendricks would get a shot at GSP, but not
necessarily Condit.
Hendricks is on a five-fight winning streak with first-round
knockouts over contenders Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann. He’s
the top ranked UFC welterweight following Georges St-Pierre.
Hendricks, whom most feel is the true No. 1 contender at 170
pounds, reacted to the news.
“That’s what I was hoping for, one more fight to get
better and also face another top opponent. If I get a win over
him, that’s awesome,” he said.
Hendricks feels he matches up well with the champion, and anticipates
that St-Pierre will retain his title on Saturday.
“I’m pretty sure Georges St-Pierre’s going to
win; so I want to face Georges St-Pierre,” said Hendricks
during Wednesday’s UFC 158 open workouts.
“The only way to beat Georges St-Pierre, there’s two
ways: knock him out, or do the same thing he does to everyone
else, and guess what, my wrestling is good enough to make sure
I can do what he does to everyone else. I promise you that.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
158 ‘St. Pierre vs. Diaz’ Preview
By Tristen
Critchfield
Just
in case you forgot that Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz do not
like one another, an epic conference call between the UFC 158
main event combatants took place last week to serve as a not-so-subtle
reminder. Despite all of Diaz’s flakiness when it comes
to media obligations, the Stockton, Calif., native sure is capable
of dropping memorable sound bites when finally cornered, and
if he can manage to enrage the usually cordial St. Pierre, then
all the better.
There
are probably more worthy title contenders than Diaz, who has
not won a fight since October 2011, but is Johny Hendricks capable
of making the welterweight king lose his unflappable cool? Probably
not, which is why this match was made, as mixed martial arts
is as much about entertainment as it is about sport. UFC 158
features two more solid welterweight conflicts -- Hendricks vs.
Carlos Condit and Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt -- but
St. Pierre-Diaz gets people to spend their money.
Here
is a closer look at UFC 158, with analysis and picks:
UFC
Welterweight Championship
Georges
St. Pierre (23-2, 17-2) vs. Nick Diaz (26-8, 7-5 UFC)
The
Matchup: Diaz planted the seeds for this bout back at UFC 137,
where he called out the welterweight champion in the Octagon
shortly after defeating B.J. Penn in the show’s headliner.
The normally level-headed St. Pierre has not forgotten that moment,
and now, nearly a year and a half later, he finally gets his
desired meeting with Stockton, Calif.’s resident bad boy.
Diaz
has been out of action since falling to Condit in an interim
title clash at UFC 143. The Cesar Gracie product tested positive
for marijuana metabolites after the bout, and, despite the tireless
efforts of his legal team, Diaz was dealt a one-year suspension
by the Nevada Athletic Commission. It seems strange to reward
a fighter coming off a loss and a suspension with a title shot,
but the masses remain intrigued by the Diaz-St. Pierre dynamic,
so the match was made -- a nod to entertainment over fairness.
Such is the climate of the Ultimate Fighting Championship these
days.
St.
Pierre showed no ill effects from reconstructive knee surgery
in his return against Condit at UFC 154, as he assaulted the
interim titlist with a steady diet of takedowns and ground-and-pound
to capture a unanimous verdict. Outside of a Condit head kick
in the third round that briefly had St. Pierre on the defensive,
“Rush” was in vintage form throughout the fight.
Diaz’s
wrestling deficiencies were exposed during his first stint with
the UFC, as he struggled in losses to physical opponents such
as Diego Sanchez and Sean Sherk. As time progressed, Diaz developed
a dangerous submission game from his back, so much so that few
Strikeforce opponents were willing to go to the ground with him.
Instead, they elected to take their chances against his volume
punching, a battle few were capable of winning. Diaz was dominant
against Penn at UFC 137, battering the Hawaiian with a whopping
178 significant strikes in a unanimous decision triumph. The
former Strikeforce king struggled against the movement and versatile
striking of Condit, however, and was out-struck in a fight for
the first time since a loss to K.J. Noons at an EliteXC event
in 2007.
Diaz
has an uncanny ability to make opponents freeze as he constantly
moves forward while landing pitter-patter punches. He does not
fear eating a few shots thanks to a durable chin, and in the
long run, Diaz will give more than he gets if he can bait an
opponent into trading in the pocket with him. Diaz will press
forward at all costs, and if he can force St. Pierre against
the fence, he will begin to unload with devastating body punches.
No one in MMA is better at changing levels with punches while
avoiding counter strikes.
In
theory, that is how Diaz will score a major upset. However, St.
Pierre is accustomed to dictating tempo in the majority of his
bouts. By transitioning seamlessly between striking and takedowns,
the Tristar Gym representative will not allow Diaz to get into
any kind of rhythm. On the feet, “Rush” is well-versed
in using feints and angles, and he uses his jab to control range
and rack up points. The odds of Diaz being able to get St. Pierre
moving backward are slim, and if the champion does feel overwhelmed
during an exchange, he can simply drive the Californian to the
mat with an explosive double-leg takedown.
Like
Condit, Diaz is no match for the sheer physical strength of St.
Pierre, who excels at holding position and landing meaningful
ground-and-pound, whether in mount or in guard. While “The
Natural Born Killer” did a decent job of staying busy on
his back, he was not able to sweep or create scrambles to get
back to his feet. As crafty as Diaz is from the bottom, rarely
do GSP foes attempt submissions against him -- the last came
when he fought B.J. Penn at UFC 58 -- which is why Diaz must
work diligently to get to his feet.
The
Pick: Diaz will get in his share of taunts and posturing, but
St. Pierre’s takedowns will prove to be an irresistible
force. A decision victory is the most predictable outcome, but
it is possible that a hailstorm of punches and elbows from above
bust open Diaz for a doctor’s stoppage as the championship
rounds arrive. Either way, St. Pierre gets the justice he has
been seeking.
Welterweights
Carlos
Condit (28-6, 5-2 UFC) vs. Johny Hendricks (14-1, 9-1 UFC)
The
Matchup: Perhaps no UFC welterweight has a more concrete claim
to the division’s No. 1 contender spot than Hendricks, who
was bypassed in favor of Nick Diaz despite a resume that includes
emphatic knockout victories over top 10 regulars Martin Kampmann
and Jon Fitch.
“Big
Rigg” was originally scheduled to face fellow heavy-handed
wrestler Jake Ellenberger as part of the promotion’s unofficial
170-pound mini-bracket, but an injury to Rory MacDonald shuffled
the deck and paired Hendricks with Condit, the former No. 1 contender.
Condit is a far more diverse striker than Ellenberger, who would
likely have been content to trade power punches with the Team
Takedown member.
Although
“The Natural Born Killer” was largely controlled for
the duration of his five-round meeting with Georges St. Pierre
at UFC 154, he was able to score a third-round knockdown with
a head kick that the reigning welterweight champion never saw
coming. Condit’s ability to change levels with his kicks
and punches while utilizing intelligent movement will provide
Hendricks with a different type of challenge.
While
Kampmann is a versatile offensive fighter in his own right, Hendricks
was able to capitalize on the Dane’s tendency to start slowly,
unloading with a right hook followed by a decisive straight left.
Condit has better footwork than Kampmann, which he demonstrated
by consistently frustrating Diaz in their interim title bout
at UFC 143. The Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts product is
able to control striking exchanges by throwing combinations and
then retreating from danger. Condit is 6-foot-2 and owns a five-inch
reach advantage against Hendricks, so he should be able to control
range with his kicks while avoiding the powerful left hand of
his opponent.
Hendricks’
chances of another resounding knockout victory are slim, but
he can control this fight by using his punches to move into clinch
and takedown range. A two-time NCAA national champion wrestler
at Oklahoma State University, Hendricks should try to bully the
lankier Condit with dirty boxing in the clinch before dragging
the action to the mat. What Condit lacks in defensive wrestling
he makes up for in activity on the canvas; he owns 13 victories
by way of submission and will also stay busy with punches and
elbows from his back. Although he was unable to do so against
St. Pierre, Condit proved he can return to his feet after being
taken down against Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 132.
The
Pick: Look for Condit to outpace his adversary with a high-volume
and versatile attack on the feet, before Hendricks shifts gears
and attempts to impose his will through wrestling. The bout could
come down to a tense third frame, with a key takedown or significant
strike shifting the momentum. A split decision would not be a
surprise here. Condit keeps Hendricks guessing just enough to
eke out a narrow victory.
Welterweights
Jake
Ellenberger (28-6, 7-2 UFC) vs. Nate Marquardt (32-11-2, 10-4
UFC)
The
Matchup: Marquardt steps in as a replacement for Johny Hendricks,
who moved to the co-main event to face Carlos Condit after Rory
MacDonald withdrew from the card due to a neck injury. The former
middleweight King of Pancrase had an abbreviated stint as Strikeforce
welterweight king, capturing the vacant crown by defeating Tyron
Woodley in July before falling to Tarec Saffiedine at the promotion’s
swan song earlier this year. Despite being a solid favorite,
Marquardt had no answer for Saffiedine’s steady barrage
of leg kicks, marking yet another disappointing loss in a high-profile
bout for “The Great.”
Ellenberger,
meanwhile, displayed a more measured approach in earning a unanimous
verdict over Jay Hieron at UFC on FX 5 in October. After starting
fast and fading in a loss to Martin Kampmann and a win over Diego
Sanchez, the Nebraskan was more patient against Hieron, landing
the occasional power punch while mixing in takedowns in a workmanlike
performance.
In
45 professional fights, only Anderson Silva has been able to
finish Marquardt with strikes, so Ellenberger must be careful
not to empty his gas tank in the opening frame against the High
Altitude Martial Arts representative. Marquardt is durable, but
his striking defense is hardly impenetrable; both Saffiedine
and Woodley were able to rock him with well-placed punches. Ellenberger
and Marquardt are dangerous counterpunchers, which could lead
to an extended feeling-out process.
Marquardt
fares well when he is the better wrestler, but Ellenberger should
be able to employ his favored sprawl-and-brawl tactics should
his opponent decide to shoot for a takedown. Conversely, Ellenberger
might be able to fare better with his own takedown shots, since
Marquardt is not known for exceptional defensive wrestling. If
he is taken down, Marquardt’s ability to create space with
his guard and escape to his feet will be crucial, as Ellenberger
employs heavy ground-and-pound from top position.
On
the feet, Marquardt is the more diverse striker, capable of landing
a variety of combinations once he establishes a rhythm. Ellenberger
relies on a stout jab to control distance, while the counter
left hook is his knockout punch. Both men are aggressive offensively
in the clinch and are capable of generating powerful strikes
with knees or elbows in close quarters.
The
Pick: When both fighters have fight-ending power in their hands,
there tends to be a certain level of respect during standup exchanges.
Assuming he does not wear down in the later portion of the fight,
Ellenberger will turn the fight in his favor with a few key takedowns
and ultimately win via decision.
Middleweights
Nick
Ring (13-1, 3-1 UFC) vs. Chris Camozzi (18-5, 5-2 UFC)
The
Matchup: Ring was expected to face top 10 middleweight Constantinos
Philippou at UFC 158, but he became ill following the event’s
weigh-ins and the bout was removed from the card. “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 11 cast member last competed at UFC 149,
where he took a contentious decision over Court McGee despite
being out-landed by 40 significant strikes.
Camozzi,
also an alumnus of “The Ultimate Fighter 11,” has quietly
compiled a three-fight winning streak in the Octagon, besting
Luiz Cane, Nick Catone and Dustin Jacoby in succession. In his
most recent outing against Cane, Camozzi was the aggressor throughout,
stalking his opponent while landing punches and kicks to the
legs and body. He also displayed decent submission defense by
escaping from a rear-naked choke in the opening frame.
Ring
and Camozzi have managed to compile impressive ledgers in recent
years, but there is still plenty to prove here, as neither man
has been especially overwhelming in victory. Considering the
kickboxing backgrounds of both fighters, much of this contest
could play out on the feet. Camozzi can earn the favor of the
judges by moving forward and attacking with a multi-faceted arsenal
of kicks, punches and knees. Ring throws accurate kicks and punches,
but he is often content to let his opponents set the tone while
he looks for countering opportunities. The 6-foot-3 Camozzi is
accustomed to having the reach advantage in most of his bouts,
but his 1.5-inch edge here is not especially significant. Still,
it is more likely that Ring will circle and attack from the outside
with leg kicks while the Factoryx Muay Thai product attempts
to force the issue.
If
anyone is going to attempt to change the location of the fight,
it will be Ring. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt has solid
submission skills and succeeded in scoring multiple takedowns
in a victory over James Head at UFC 131. Camozzi, meanwhile,
has yet to attempt a takedown in eight Octagon appearances.
The
Pick: This could play out as a closely contested kickboxing bout
in spurts, but Ring has a distinct edge on the mat, giving him
just enough diversity to take a close decision victory.
Lightweights
Mike
Ricci (7-3, 0-1 UFC) vs. Colin Fletcher (8-2, 0-1 UFC)
The
Matchup: Both Ricci and Fletcher struggled to combat takedowns
and positional dominance of pressure-oriented opponents in their
UFC debuts -- Ricci against Colton Smith at “The Ultimate
Fighter 16” Finale and Fletcher against Norman Parke in
the 155-pound final of “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes”
at UFC on FX 6.
A
natural 155-pounder, Ricci overcame a size disadvantage while
competing on the reality show as a welterweight, but he mounted
very little offense against the relentless Smith, as he was taken
down seven times over the course of the three-round contest.
The lanky Fletcher, meanwhile, did hold a striking advantage
against Parke, but he, too, was grounded repeatedly in dropping
a unanimous verdict.
With
the UFC promising more cuts to its bloated roster, two consecutive
defeats could prove to be fatal for either man’s Octagon
aspirations. Ricci, in particular, has struggled lately. After
beginning his career 5-0, the Tristar Gym product has gone just
2-3 since. The Canadian is a well-rounded fighter and a good
athlete capable of having success in all aspects of MMA when
presented with the right matchup. The southpaw Ricci has solid
power in his left hand, and the elbow that knocked out Neil Magny
on “The Ultimate Fighter 16” remains a highlight of
that season. “The Martian” also has solid ground-and-pound
and transitions well on the mat when not faced with a dominant
wrestler.
Fletcher,
who likes to control distance with kicks, will have a two-inch
reach advantage against Ricci. Despite his length, “Freakshow”
will allow opponents to get inside and land offense. The Sunderland,
England, native is comfortable on the floor and owns a variety
of dangerous chokes, having finished seven of his eight victories
via submission.
The
Pick: Ricci is a fluid athlete who should be able move in and
out while landing combinations against Fletcher. A diverse striking
attack that includes kicks to the legs and body will allow the
Canadian to transition to takedowns, as well. Ricci wins by submission
or technical knockout in round three.
Welterweights
Bobby
Voelker (24-8, 0-0 UFC) vs. Patrick Cote (18-8, 5-8 UFC): After
a proposed rematch with Alessio Sakara fell through, Cote drops
to 170 pounds to face Voelker, a staple of the Strikeforce Challengers
circuit. Voelker is a hard-nosed competitor coming off back-to-back
triumphs over Roger Bowling. Much depends on how Cote handles
the weight cut, as he has not looked impressive in two bouts
since returning to the UFC. Voelker, with plenty to prove, wins
a decision.
Featherweights
Darren
Elkins (15-2, 5-1 UFC) vs. Antonio Carvalho (15-5, 2-1 UFC):
Elkins has been on a roll of late, winning his last four bouts
to develop into a quiet contender in the 145-pound division.
Carvalho, who has won two straight inside the Octagon, is known
for his judo and grappling skills but has displayed solid striking
in his last two victories. Elkins will use his wrestling to nullify
his foe’s ground game and win a decision.
Welterweights
Dan
Miller (14-6, 1 NC, 6-5 UFC) vs. Jordan Mein (26-8, 0-0 UFC):
Just 23 years old, Mein is an entertaining fighter with aggressive
standup and plenty of potential. He will have to remain upright
against Miller, who submitted Ricardo Funch in his most recent
outing at UFC on FX 4. Miller will not allow Mein to get comfortable,
scoring takedowns and eventually winning via submission in round
two.
Lightweights
Daron
Cruickshank (12-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. John Makdessi (10-2, 3-2 UFC):
The flashy striking of Cruickshank and Makdessi could produce
some fireworks in this lightweight bout. Cruickshank knocked
out Henry Martinez with a highlight-reel head kick at UFC on
Fox 5, while Makdessi relied on a stout jab to halt a two-fight
skid against Sam Stout at UFC 154. Cruickshank uses his four-inch
reach edge to outpoint Makdessi and take a decision.
Welterweights
Rick
Story (14-6, 7-4 UFC) vs. Quinn Mulhern (18-2, 0-0 UFC): Mulhern,
a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, steps in to replace Sean Pierson
in a 170-pound clash against a physical wrestler in Story. The
former King of the Cage champion might want to take notes on
Story’s submission loss to Demian Maia at UFC 153, where
the Washington native tapped to a brutal neck crank from the
Brazilian grappler. Look for Story to rebound with a physical
performance here, winning via third-round technical knockout.
Bantamweights
T.J.
Dillashaw (6-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. Issei Tamura (7-3, 1-1 UFC): Tamura
is going to have difficulty landing his right hand consistently
against Dillashaw, who will waste little time imposing his will
through takedowns and ground-and-pound. The Team Alpha Male product
will use his solid right hand to close the distance before finishing
the bout on the mat via first-round TKO or submission.
Bantamweights
Reuben
Duran (8-4-1, 1-2 UFC) vs. George Roop (12-9-1, 2-5 UFC): Duran
was rocked in his last outing, as an overhand right from Hugo
Viana knocked him out in the first round of their encounter at
“The Ultimate Fighter 16” Finale. Duran was on shaky
ground throughout the bout, as he was dropped twice before the
knockout. Roop has had his struggles, but he is certainly capable
of the spectacular knockout; just ask Chan Sung Jung and Josh
Grispi. Roop takes this by KO or TKO in round two.
*
* *
TRACKING
TRISTEN 2013
Overall
Record: 49-29
Last Event (UFC on Fuel TV 8): 5-6
Best Event (Strikeforce “Marquardt vs. Saffiedine): 9-2
Worst Event (UFC 156/UFC on Fuel TV 8): 5-6
Source:
Sherdog
|
Is
the GSP/Nick Diaz fight a harder fight to sell to the public
than first thought?
By Zach
Arnold
Remember
when Dana White said he wouldn’t put with the antics Nick
Diaz demonstrated while fighting for Strikeforce?
Is
the pressure to sell the fight mounting? Nick was a 3-to-1 underdog
to start and now all the money has come in on GSP winning decisively.
So,
instead of making his case in the press as to why he’ll
win Saturday’s fight in Montreal, Nick Diaz has avoided
the press. He reportedly turned down an ESPN feature from Josh
Gross on Nick and the hard times Stockton is currently facing
with bankruptcy. It makes this new item from Josh (Diaz reveals
an image-conscious side) quite ironic.
Today,
Nick no-showed the open fighter workouts and Dana White promised
some sort of punishment (maybe a sternly-worded letter).
The
only media Nick has done for the fight is last week’s conference
call. The advertising budget for this fight is nowhere near the
blanket coverage that was used for Ronda Rousey’s Anaheim
fight.
In
the words of evil Smoogy, “I guess Evil GSP (with his dark
place) was a flop and now we’re going all-in on Generally
Disobedient But Not Exactly Evil Nick Diaz.” Just keep the
Honda sponsorship away from him. Soccer-mom approved.
Twitter
was full of wise cracks about the white smoke puffing from Vatican
City while Nick Diaz was AWOL.
Cesar
Gracie told Ariel Helwani that Dana White approved Nick not showing
up at the Wednesday workouts. Dana told Jim Rome that if Diaz
no-shows the press conference, there will be punishment. Perhaps
Dana’s in an extra-foul mood given that TUF drew only 1.12
million viewers last night on FX and the programming afterwards
drew 2.4 million viewers.
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
UFC
158 a welterweight tournament of the bizarre
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL -- At one point, while fans and media were waiting around
at the Complexe Desjardins, speculating on whether or not Nick
Diaz would show up, it struck me what a bizarre scene that UFC
158 is.
Carlos
Condit wants Rory MacDonald, but can't have him. Jake Ellenberger
wants Johny Hendricks but can't have him. Hendricks wants Georges
St-Pierre but can't have him. St-Pierre wants Diaz but is now
in jeopardy of not getting him. And Diaz? Nobody knows what he
really wants.
Yes,
UFC 158's welterweight rumble is a series of plan B's for most.
If you subscribe to the theory that the underdogs have the most
to gain, then Diaz could be the night's big winner when Saturday
night is done. He's a major underdog, with most books seeing
St-Pierre bet up to around a 5-to-1 favorite. Yet on Wednesday,
Diaz put his title shot in serious jeopardy by skipping a mandatory
open workout. For now, he's still in the fight, but that will
almost certainly change if he doesn't show up for Thursday's
press conference.
It's
a fight he's spent years asking for, but his willingness to risk
it a second time puts into context what a theater of the bizarre
this is turning out to be. Bizarre is not always bad. Diaz is
a one-man cult of personality, a counter-culture anti-hero who
is a perfect match for a sport that began its life as an outlaw
endeavor. As it has mainstreamed, its athletes have also moved
towards the center. There are few real outliers, and Diaz is
one.
Diaz
has never really been a troublemaker on any grand scale. He's
not a regular on police blotters, and truth be told, he has an
enviable work ethic. But yes, he's had his problems. He's failed
drug tests for smoking marijuana. He's missed media obligations,
and flights, and interviews, but most of that stuff is quickly
dismissed by most of this sport's observers, young and progressive
as they usually are. This is a sport for individuals, and Diaz
is about as individual as it gets.
He
also seems to have the ability to bend reality to fit him, rather
than the other way around. For example, it was supposed to be
Hendricks fighting St-Pierre now, especially after knocking out
Martin Kampmann in 46 seconds last November. But instead, it's
Diaz, who lost in his last fight, but got deep enough under St-Pierre's
skin that the champion couldn't scratch him out, not without
fighting him first.
"When
Georges was sidelined with his injury, when Diaz said, 'Hey,
you're faking your injury, I don't think you're really hurt,'
I think it pissed Georges off because he was kicked when he was
down," GSP's trainer Firas Zahabi told MMA Fighting. "That
was a very dark time for Georges, when he was injured. Georges'
whole life is based on training and he was sidelined. It crushed
him emotionally because he couldn't do what he loves the most.
And then some guy came along and kicked him while he was down.
That pissed Georges off, and he's still carrying that with him
a little bit."
That
sent a domino effect through the elite of the welterweight division.
Hendricks was sent to fight Condit, and Ellenberger drew Nate
Marquardt. Yes, the same Marquardt who was once cast out of the
UFC forever. Bizarre, right?
But
for Hendricks, his sights haven't changed. While he says he's
exited to fight Condit, it's only because a win would be inarguable
proof he's a worthy contender.
"If
I beat Condit, nobody's in my way. GSP can't hide forever,"
he said.
He's
not the only one with eyes past this weekend. Ellenberger understands
the value of a name opponent like Marquardt, but couldn't hide
his frustration with losing the bout with Hendricks.
"I'm
still looking forward to getting in there with Johny," he
said. "That's the fight I wanted. I didn't have the argument
he wasn't the No. 1 contender. He was. But that's the fight I
want."
It
all makes you wonder if everyone is truly focused on what they
should be focusing on. It's hard to imagine professional athletes
could lose their concentration and let their attention wade too
far into the future, or the past, or anywhere other than where
it's supposed to be, but it happens. Marquardt, for instance,
blamed his recent loss to Tarec Saffiedine on issues with his
mind set in the days before the bout.
On
the other hand, there are 24 hours in the day. It is possible
to focus 100 percent on one topic for a few hours, and then move
on to something else with the same intensity. It is possible
for Hendricks to voice his championship desires in one moment,
but be completely devoted to preparing for Condit in another.
It is possible for Diaz to loathe the process of standing around
and talking about himself, but to love the competition of the
sport. It is possible for St-Pierre to have mentally lined up
Diaz, then Hendricks, and then Anderson Silva, as some have suggested.
Mixed
martial artists are by definition, multi-taskers, capable of
moving from one discipline to another in a flash. Their minds
are capable of the same instant shifts. But that doesn't make
UFC 158 any less bizarre. On a card where most of the welterweight
six are thinking about something other than what they're getting,
what role will those distractions play, if any? Who knows. But
at least in this case, bizarre isn't a bad thing. With Diaz involved,
it almost couldn't be.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
John
Makdessi Found His Road, Hopes It Eventually Leads to a Title
by Ryan
McKinnell
When John “The Bull” Makdessi steps into the cage at
UFC 158 on Saturday night, he will be doing so with a new mindset
and fervor for fighting.
Makdessi (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) made his debut in the UFC after
just seven professional fights. Prior to competing in the world’s
premiere fighting organization, the Halifax, Nova Scotia, native
tore through his local circuit, dispatching six of seven opponents
via TKO.
By his eighth fight, he was already basking in the main stage
spotlight, fighting Pat Audinwood at UFC 124. Makdessi won a
decision on that night and followed it up with highlight-reel
spinning backfist knockout of TUF 12 alum Kyle Watson at UFC
129. Unfortunately, after the two initial outings, Makdessi hit
a rough patch and suffered back-to-back losses to MMA veteran
Dennis Hallman and the flashy Anthony Njokuani, respectively.
Like many young prospects, somewhere along the way, the pressure
started building for Makdessi.
It wasn’t the fear or pressure of failure as much as it
was the pressure to excel.
“The pressure started before my losses. I turned professional
at the age of 23. I always thought guys were more experienced
than me,” Makdessi told MMAweekly.com.
“It was my style and skills that, I believe, got me to where
I am at now. My first couple of fights I had some exciting wins,
and I don’t know, I guess I just let the pressure get to
me. I wanted to perform.”
Apparently the problem stemmed from not being able to curtail
his desire to learn and absorb as his career skyrocketed.
“I made it (to the UFC). I had no life. It’s all I
did. Learning, training – I let it consume me. It’s
all I’d think about. Sometimes it’s just a love-hate
relationship. I just had to learn how to re-focus and focus on
the present.”
As the pressure mounted, Makdessi suffered back-to-back losses
in his next two UFC outings. With the current climate of fighter
cuts and shaky job security, he sought out a professional to
help get his mental game on par with his physical prowess.
“The thing is, I did let the pressure get to me,” he
recounted. “I never imagined I’d have to go through
talking (to a mental coach). I never imagined I’d be in
the UFC. I always believed in my fighting. I always believed
in myself. I always believed in my skills, but I just went with
the process.
“Now, I’m working with a mental conditioning coach,
Brian King, and he’s been great. I love the way he works.
He’s been helping me a lot. I remember him saying, and it
made a lot of sense, ‘Once you reach a certain level, it’s
no longer about your skill level or how hard you work. It then
becomes about your mental game.’”
This new mental approach allowed Makdessi to view the fight as
it was; a one-on-one contest between two like-minded scrapers.
“At the end of the day, we’re both punching each other
– he trains, I train – it then becomes about who did
the mental preparation. I truly believe that. Now I’m training
my mind more than my body.”
A workhorse in the gym, this Tri-Star product has a laundry list
of champions and former champions to question at the famed Montreal
sweathouse if he’s ever struggling with the finer nuances
of mixed martial arts. Luckily for the proud Canadian, one of
those partners just so happens to be UFC welterweight champion
and countrymen Georges St-Pierre.
“(St-Pierre) is my inspiration; I look up to the guy. He’s
a veteran. He’s been around a long time and he’s the
perfect example of a true martial artist,” Makdessi proclaimed.
“He’s never satisfied and he’s always trying to
get better. I truly believe that’s why he one of the best
fighters on the planet – because of his mind state.”
Having a world champion like St-Pierre to impart valuable fight
wisdom upon him is something that’s not lost on the young
fighter.
“He would always tell me – because I went so hard at
practice – ‘save it for the fight, save it for the
fight.’
“And I understand that now. It’s not about how hard
you train; you have to train smart. You hear about all these
fighters getting injured in training and it’s probably because
they go so hard in the gym. Don’t get me wrong, I still
train hard. I’m a believer in ‘the harder you train,
the easier the fight.’ But you have to learn when to save
it and I’m doing that now.”
It’s not only St-Pierre’s fight rhetoric that’s
rubbing off on Makdessi; the Canadian brethren also share a propensity
for walking softly and carrying a big stick.
“I’m not much of a big talker. They say actions speak
louder than words, and I’ve always believed in that,”
he said. “Some guys have to sell fights, and for some guys,
their fighting sells the fight. I’ve already proven in the
cage that I’m an exciting fighter and I still haven’t
reached my full potential. And that’s a dangerous thing
because knowing that I’m still learning every day and there’s
still so much I can bring out in the cage, that’s really
dangerous.”
In his most recent outing, “The Bull” was able to showcase
his expanding talents with a unanimous decision victory over
fellow Canadian stand-up wizard Sam Stout at UFC 154. A win,
that he says, put to rest any questions he may have had about
his place in the sport, and set in motion a wave of confidence
heading into his UFC 158 bout this Saturday with TUF: Live alum
Daron Cruickshank.
“The Stout win really showed me that I belong,” stated
Makdessi. “There are a lot of doubts as a fighter. People
don’t understand that professional athletes are some of
the most negative people. I don’t know why we have that
syndrome, honestly. It’s probably because we’re always
wanting to be the best.
“But I found my road. I found my journey. It showed me that
I do belong in the big leagues and that I do belong with the
best fighters in the world.”
As the newly refocused 27-year-old prepares for his showdown
with Cruickshank (12-2 MMA; 2-0 UFC), the tae kwon do expert
is treating this fight like all the others before it; like a
proverbial nightmare.
“Every opponent I have, I dream about being a monster,”
said Makdessi. “That’s what makes me wake up every
day and train as hard as I can and be as dominant as I can be.
I never underestimate any of my opponents, but at the same time
I think I am a pretty dangerous fighter. He’s tough, obviously,
but so am I.”
And Makdessi’s toughness leads him to other bigger goals,
and Saturday night’s fight is just one step in the process
of achieving his goals.
“My goal is to be world champion. I got a picture of the
belt at home and I look at it every day.
Obviously I’m not focused on the outcome, but it’s
a process. It’s something to have as a goal. You never know,
I may never become a world champion, but at least I’ll die
trying.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Nick
Diaz ‘probably’ cut if tested positive for marijuana
metabolites, says UFC boss
Erik Fontanez
According
to UFC President Dana White, Nick Diaz will “probably”
get cut if he tests positive for marijuana metabolites again.
If UFC welterweight Nick Diaz tests positive for marijuana metabolites
following UFC 158, he may get cut from the organization, according
to UFC President Dana White.
White told reporters on Thursday that the UFC will likely take
the action of releasing Diaz if the fighter repeated the offense
as he did following his last fight.
“Probably,” White said when asked if he’d cut
Diaz with another positive test.
Diaz has tested positive for marijuana metabolites two times
before, the first time being after his 2007 Pride fight with
Takanori Gomi, and the second coming after his UFC 143 loss to
Carlos Condit.
Both positive tests prompted the Nevada State Athletic Commission
(NSAC), the governing body overseeing both fights, to suspend
Diaz for a year retroactive to the dates of the fights.
UFC 158 will be Diaz’s first fight back from his last suspension.
If he produces another positive test, it may be the last time
he’s seen in the Octagon, according to White.
The UFC has said in the past that they have a “strict, consistent
policy” regarding illegal substances. The company has viewed
use of marijuana, for example, as a breach of contract because
of this policy.
Former UFC fighter Matt Riddle was the last athlete cut from
the organization stemming from a positive test for marijuana
metabolites.
“The UFC organization is exercising its right to terminate
Riddle for breach of his obligations under his Promotional Agreement
as well as the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy,” the company
said in a release when they terminated Riddle in late February.
Following the UFC 158 pre-fight press conference, White added
that Riddle was released because because he’s a “moron,”
citing an interview the fighter did where he said he smokes marijuana
to avoid beating his children.
“Matt Riddle is a moron,” White said. “That’s
why he got cut.”
Diaz was unavailable for comment regarding a potential cut with
a positive test at the time of this publication.
UFC 158 will take place this Saturday, March 16, at the Bell
Centre in Montreal.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
158 (3/16 Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
By Zach
Arnold
TV:
FX/PPV
Welterweights:
Rick Story vs. Quinn Mulhern
Bantamweights: TJ Dillashaw vs. Issei Tamura
Bantamweights: George Roop vs. Reuben Duran
Middleweights: Patrick Cote vs. Bobby Voelker
Featherweights: Antonio Carvalho vs. Darren Elkins
Welterweights: Dan Miller vs. Jordan Mein
Lightweights: John Makdessi vs. Daron Cruickshank
Lightweights: Mike Ricci vs. Colin Fletcher
Middleweights: Nick Ring vs. Chris Camozzi
Welterweights: Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt
Welterweights: Carlos Condit vs. Johny Hendricks
UFC Welterweight title match: Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Challenger
Nick Diaz riles champ Georges St-Pierre, criticizes UFC
by Steven
Marrocco
MONTREAL – Get your wolf tickets to the show, if you can.
Only
1,100 reportedly remain to see UFC 158, which takes place Saturday
at Montreal's Bell Centre, but there's another one to see whenever
Nick Diaz (26-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) picks up a microphone.
Although
slightly simmered down from a longer night of sleep, the UFC
welterweight challenger was in classic form at the press conference
for Saturday's event.
In
under 30 minutes, he apologized for no-showing an open workout
in support of the event, compelled UFC President Dana White to
come to his defense, riled champ Georges St-Pierre (23-2 MMA,
17-2 UFC), cast doubt on his ability to pass a post-fight drug
test, and introduced a new term into the lexicon of pop MMA culture:
wolf tickets, which, according to the Urban Dictionary, means
to speak aggressively to someone without intending to back it
up with violence.
All
in a day's work for the man from Stockton, Calif., whose inscrutable
character has won him a fight with the most dominant welterweight
champ in UFC history.
Diaz
opened the gathering with an explanation for his latest misbehavior:
missing a chance to hit pads and answer questions from media.
Of
course, like most Diaz explanations, the misbehavior was justified
because circumstances had forced his hand. The UFC had flown
him in late the night prior to workouts, and he would have gotten
only two hours of sleep had he shown up.
"It
was either I miss that, or I miss this," Diaz said. "I
was going to have to catch up on a bunch of sleep. I was on some
later hours, and I think it outweighed the repercussions, and
I'm sorry. I put on a show for the fans, but I also like to put
on a show for the fans Saturday night. So I'm just trying to
make the best decisions to make a showing at 100 percent."
UFC
President Dana White cut off further inquiries on the reasons
for Diaz's absence and promised there would be no more hiccups
in the official schedule. But again, he took issue with Diaz's
reasoning for bowing out of promotional obligations.
"I
understand it gets a little frustrating, but it's part of the
job," he said. "When everybody talks about the money
that Floyd Mayweather and all those guys make, you ever see the
tours that those guys go on? They're city-to-city, non-stop tours
throughout the entire country. It's part of our gig."
Diaz
made it clear that despite his issues with promotion, he would
like more exposure. He said he wanted the opportunity to be the
good guy, though he said the UFC has other ideas. He chafed at
the UFC's promotional poster for the event, which featured his
mean-mug in blue-stained relief against St-Pierre.
"They're
pretty much making me out to be the evil villain," he said.
"I fit the description. I think Georges, he fits the description
of the good guy. But you look at my poster. No offense, but you
guys have plenty of time to switch the poster. That poster is
like from years ago. Can I get one buttered up, photoshopped
picture in a magazine or on a poster?"
But
Diaz said the UFC isn't the only one that paints him as the villain.
St-Pierre shares responsibility, too, for equating him to a schoolyard
bully, as the champ did in the buildup to the fight.
"How
many times have you had a gun to your head, Georges?" Diaz
said, looking straight at the champ. "How many of your best
friends been shot through the chest with a .45, or how many of
your best friends been stomped into a coma? How many kids put
gum in your hair growing up? Should I go further? It's hard times
for everybody."
As
he had during a conference call in support of the event, St-Pierre,
who sat on the opposite side of the podium, attempted to defend
the latest of accusations from Diaz.
"I
don't even know why were even asking this question? The reason
why we're fighting is because I believe Nick is the best guy
in martial arts right now, and I'm fighting him because he's
the best guy."
Diaz
cut the champ off.
"Yeah,
but you tell the fans that I deserve to get beat down,"
he said.
Again,
Diaz had sucked all the air out of the room. He offered that
St-Pierre and the UFC are putting on a front, which, if previous
gripes are interpreted correctly, means that they aren't supporting
the spirit of martial arts.
"They're
selling you all wolf tickets, people," he said. "You're
eating them right up. Georges here is selling wolf tickets. Dana
here is selling wolf tickets. The UFC is selling wolf tickets.
You guys are eating them right up."
And
the challenger was only getting warmed up. He went on the offensive
about St-Pierre's fighting style, saying teammate Jake Shields
and previous challenger Carlos Condit beat him, and again railed
against an MMA scoring system he felt wasn't a true representation
of the sport.
"The
strong guy on steroids would love to ignore it," Diaz said.
"He wants to go in there and avoid the fight, and hold on
and get the takedown and win the round. I'd love a 10-minute
round. See who could work through a 10-minute round."
It
was when Diaz recounted his version of a now-infamous run-in
between the two on the weekend of UFC 137 that St-Pierre started
to lose his cool. After Diaz implied that St-Pierre had been
afraid to confront him when they ran into each other at a hotel
hosting the event's fighters, the champ interjected.
"Do
you really think I'm afraid of you?" said St-Pierre. "You
think I'm afraid of you, man? Are you crazy in your head, man?
I'm not scared of you. You'll see Saturday night if I'm afraid
of you."
Away
they went, trading more verbal jabs. For the first time, St-Pierre's
normally calm exterior began to crack. The more upset St-Pierre
got, the more satisfied Diaz seemed to be. There were more skirmishes,
and with each, the champ expressed more emotion than he ever
had before. And yet there was no indication that the conflict
would escalate when the two faced off for photographers at the
end of the press conference.
But
when St-Pierre disengaged from the face-off, his frustration
was palpable. Hurricane Diaz had blown through another press
event, and the show had been at his expense.
Source:
MMA Junkie
|
Johny
Hendricks: 'GSP can't hide forever'
By Mike
Chiappetta
MONTREAL
-- The left hand of doom locked and loaded, Johny Hendricks comes
to town as a prospector, hunting for a chance at gold. Like every
other fighter who signs a UFC contract, this has been his single-minded
quest since he made his octagon debut. But Hendricks' path is
different; he has come tantalizingly close, only to see extra
road blocks thrown his way as he neared his end goal. Hendricks
thought he might receive a title shot after he beat Josh Koscheck
last May. It didn't happen. Then, he was promised one after crushing
Martin Kampmann in November. That opportunity never materialized.
And so here is again, trying to hammer home the same message
he thought he sent those two other times.
It's
a position he never thought he'd find himself in, but the way
he figures it, it's not his fault. He did what he was supposed
to do in order to get to the champion. And he'll keep doing that
as long as it's necessary.
In
Carlos Condit, he sees a perfect delivery system for his message.
The former WEC welterweight champion and UFC interim champ recently
went the distance with 170-pound king Georges St-Pierre. Condit
is tough and skilled and credible, and he also becomes an easy
point of comparison for divisional status. If Hendricks wins?
That's impressive in itself. If he one-ups St-Pierre and finishes
Condit? Well, let's just say it couldn't easily be ignored.
"I
gotta get past Carlos Condit," Hendricks said at Wednesday's
UFC 158 open workouts. "Once I do, it's GSP time. If I beat
Carlos Condit, nobody's in my way. GSP can't hide forever. I
think after this one, if I beat Carlos Condit, it's GSP."
Asked
if he really thought St-Pierre was hiding, Hendricks said "it
seems like it," pointing out that GSP could have taken the
Diaz fight after first facing him. Since the matchup was personal
rather than merit-based, there was no expiration date on making
it happen.
What
he doesn't like is St-Pierre suggesting Hendricks isn't worthy
of fighting for the belt because the champ believed Koscheck
should have been awarded the decision against him. Hendricks
pointed out that St-Pierre is on the record as saying he thought
Condit out-pointed Diaz, and yet he was not just willing to take
that fight; he demanded it.
"I
want to look across the octagon and say, 'You have not faced
anybody like me,'" Hendricks said. "That's what his
little quote is: 'you've never faced anybody like me.' Bulls---.
You've never faced anybody like me. That's why he didn't take
the fight."
The
insinuation there is that St-Pierre at best, didn't like the
matchup, or at worst, feared Hendricks. The four-time collegiate
All-American wrestler believes his mixture of power striking
and top-level wrestling will be the one to flummox the cerebral
champion.
"Maybe
he didn't feel comfortable enough to take a tougher fight,"
Hendricks said. "I don't know. I don't know what's going
through his head. I just wish he'd tell me."
If
this all sounds like Hendricks is obsessed with St-Pierre, he
insists that is not the case. It is all about wanting to be the
undisputed best. Right now, that title belongs to St-Pierre.
If St-Pierre were to win and then vacate the belt to move up
to middleweight and fight Anderson Silva, Hendricks will gun
for a slot in a title match. And if the belt was to change hands
on Saturday night and shuttle off to Stockton with Nick Diaz,
Hendricks said he would turn his sights towards him.
It's
not like he doesn't have any impetus to fight Diaz, turned off
as he was by Diaz's statement that nobody wanted to see Hendricks
fight for the belt.
"Obviously
he's never seen me fight because I knock people out," he
said. "What does Diaz do? He talks trash, he throws his
hands up. That's it. I knock people out."
Ultimately,
whether it's St-Pierre or Diaz, or someone else, Hendricks insists
his target is locked down. Eventually, there will be no more
hiding spots.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
UFC
158 Prelims: 5 Reasons to Watch
By Mike
Whitman
UFC
158 “St. Pierre vs. Diaz” poses more than a few interesting
questions about the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight
division.
Can
Nick Diaz find a way around Georges St. Pierre’s wrestling?
If Diaz proves up to that task, how will St. Pierre react to
the inevitable rat-a-tat-tat boxing attack that will soon be
flying at his face? Is Johny Hendricks as good as he has led
us to believe up to this point? Can Carlos Condit keep the stocky
power puncher on the outside, where the former World Extreme
Cagefighting champion can best use his sharp straights and kicks?
On
Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal, the UFC 158 main draw
will also provide answers about whether Nate Marquardt still
has some fight left in him after the beating he took at the hands
of Tarec Saffiedine and whether Jake Ellenberger is ready to
make another run toward the top 5. Even with all of that lying
in wait, however, the free undercard is arguably just as intriguing.
Here
are five reasons to watch the UFC 158 prelims on FX and Facebook:
Un
Petit Predator
There
is a certain charm to Patrick Cote dropping to welterweight at
this point in his career. If the weight cut does not kill him,
Cote could be fun to watch at 170 pounds.
“The
Predator” is only 33, but I would argue that he is actually
much older in fighter years due to his decade of competition
and the injuries that go along with his choice of profession.
Cote returned to the UFC riding a four-fight winning streak but
saw that stretch turn to dust after taking a fight with Cung
Le on just five weeks’ notice at UFC 148.
After
that lackluster performance against the 40-year-old former Strikeforce
champion, Cote’s most recent fight ended amid controversy,
as Alessio Sakara was disqualified for launching roughly 43 hammerfists
at the back of Cote’s skull. A win is a win, but that that
is not exactly what I would call a confidence-inspiring result.
Cote’s
punching power has never been questioned, and neither has his
granite chin. I expect he should retain both qualities as a welterweight,
and he will need to if he hopes to get past underrated Strikeforce
import Bobby Voelker.
Ultimate
Kickfighting Challenge
I
am so happy that Daron Cruickshank is fighting John Makdessi.
You
had to be there in person to fully appreciate exactly what Cruickshank’s
head kick sounded like when it collided with Henry Martinez’s
skull at UFC on Fox 5. At the time, I described the sound as
“God open-hand slapping the entire arena.”
This
kid can flat out throw. His fight I.Q. is a work in progress,
but when he lets his hands and feet fly, he turns into an instant
“Knockout of the Night” threat. I think Cruickshank’s
real problems will come when he fights a wrestler who wants no
part of the standup. There is a real chance that someone like
the recently departed Jacob Volkmann or “The Ultimate Fighter”
Season 15 winner Michael Chiesa could make “The Detroit
Superstar” look thoroughly unspectacular. Luckily for Cruickshank
-- and all of us watching UFC 158 -- Cruickshank has been paired
with Makdessi, an everlasting fountain of round kicks and spinning
backfists.
There
is one factor to consider that could throw a monkey wrench in
this whole deal. Cruickshank is not a great wrestler, but there
is a chance that he could try to take “The Bull” to
the mat, simply because that is likely where he will hold the
greatest advantage. However, if Cruickshank decides to stand
and bang it out, I think we could be looking at “Fight of
the Night.”
Thinner
George Roop is heading back to the bantamweight division, but
is it a smart move?
The
fighter seems to think so and has called this the easiest weight
cut of his life. His first experiment at 135 pounds did not go
so well, however, as he was outpointed by Eddie Wineland under
the WEC banner in 2010. Now with a nutritionist by his side,
the 6-foot-1 Arizonan meets Reuben Duran, who has shown to be
an excellent athlete but recently left himself exposed to the
power punches of Hugo Viana.
Anyone
with a decent memory will recall Roop’s nasty knockouts
of Chan Sung Jung and Josh Grispi. Can the 31-year-old halt a
two-fight skid in his bantamweight reboot?
What’s
the Story?
It
still sounds odd when I say it out loud, but Rick Story really
needs a win right now.
It
was not so long ago that Story was the talk of the town -- and
for good reason. The Washingtonian had won six straight fights,
topping the likes of former title challenger Thiago Alves and
arguable No. 1 contender Johny Hendricks.
Then
came Charlie Brenneman and his smothering wrestling attack and
Martin Kampmann’s precise combinations and Demian Maia’s
otherworldly jiu-jitsu. Yes, Story picked up a unanimous decision
win over Brock Jardine last summer, but that is hardly a victory
that stopped the presses.
Now
paired with former King of the Cage champion Quinn Mulhern, can
Story right his ship and get back in the win column?
Elkins’
Effort
I
have grown to like watching Darren Elkins fight.
Granted,
he was definitely gift-wrapped a decision over Michihiro Omigawa
in a fight I felt he clearly lost, but his last three performances
have been excellent. First, the wrestler was dominant in his
win over Tiequan Zhang and then put on a positively endearing
display of guts and resilience in his come-from-behind victory
against Diego Brandao. Most recently, the Hoosier dismantled
“The Ultimate Fighter 14” veteran Steven Siler in arguably
his best performance to date.
In
Antonio Carvalho, Elkins faces a 10-year pro riding back-to-back
wins fighting on home soil. Can the American overcome a pro-Carvalho
crowd to pick up his fifth straight win?
Source
Sherdog
|
Upcoming
UFC Events
UFC Sweden 2013 (4/6 at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden)
TV: Fuel TV
Welterweights:
Papy Abedi vs. Besam Yousef
Welterweights: Ben Alloway vs. Ryan LaFlare
Middleweights: Tom Lawlor vs. Michael Kuiper
Featherweights: Marcus Brimage vs. Conor McGregor
Heavyweights: Matt Mitrione vs. Philip De Fries
Middleweights: Chris Spang vs. Adlan Amagov
Lightweights: Michael Johnson vs. Reza Madadi
Featherweights: Akira Corassani vs. Robert Peralta
Featherweights: Diego Brandao vs. Pablo Garza
Featherweights: Ross Pearson vs. Ryan Couture
Bantamweights: Brad Pickett vs. Mike Easton
Light Heavyweights: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Gegard Mousasi
Event: The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale (4/13 Las Vegas, Nevada)
TV: FX
Featherweights:
Sam Sicilia vs. Maximo Blanco
Featherweights: Justin Lawrence vs. Daniel Pineda
Featherweights: Cole Miller vs. Bart Palaszewski
Heavyweights: Travis Browne vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Miesha Tate vs. Cat Zingano
Bantamweights: Urijah Faber vs. Scott Jorgensen
Event: UFC on Fox (4/20 San Jose at HP Pavilion)
TV: Fox over-the-air
Middleweights:
Clifford Starks vs. Yoel Romero
Lightweights: Tim Means vs. Jorge Masvidal
Roger Bowling vs. Anthony Njokuani
Bantamweights: Hugo Viana vs. Francisco Rivera
Lightweights: Norman Parke vs. Jon Tuck
Lightweights: Ramsey Nijem vs. Myles Jury
Middleweights: Lorenz Larkin vs. Francis Carmont
Flyweights: Joe Benavidez vs. Darren Uyenoyama
Featherweights: Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida
Welterweights: Dan Hardy vs. Matt Brown
Lightweights: Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson
Heavyweights: Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier
UFC Lightweight title match: Ben Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez
Event: UFC 159 (4/27 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey)
TV: FX/PPV
Featherweights:
Jim Hettes vs. Steven Siler
Featherweights: Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie
Bantamweights: Johnny Bedford vs. Erik Perez
Light Heavyweights: Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante
Lightweights: Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros
Welterweights: Nick Catone vs. James Head
Lightweights: Al Iaquinta vs. Joe Proctor
Sara McMann vs. Sheila Gaff
Lightweights: Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller
Heavyweights: Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo
Light Heavyweights: Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Middleweights: Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher
UFC Light Heavyweight title match: Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Nick
Diaz Explains Why He Missed the UFC 158 Open Workouts
by Jeff
Cain
Challenger
to the UFC welterweight title, Nick Diaz, explained during Thursday’s
UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz pre-fight press conference why he
missed Wednesday’s open workouts.
According
to Diaz, he simply needed to get some rest.
“Either
I missed that or I missed (this press conference), but I was
going to have to catch up on some sleep. I was on some later
hours. I think it outweighed the repercussions,” said Diaz.
“I’m sorry I didn’t put on a show for the fans,
but I’d like to also put on a show for the fans on Saturday
night, so I’m just trying to make the best decisions to
make a showing at 100-percent.”
Diaz
didn’t arrive in Montreal until midnight after boarding
a late fight on Tuesday.
“I
got off the airplane at 12 o’clock, and I recommend for
any fighter, as I would for any of my students, go ahead and
sweat out some of that toxic water than you’re holding from
the airplane. It’s got to happen. You can not be going to
bed with that toxic (expletive) inside of you when you have a
fight in the next couple of days, and I wanted to catch up on
some sleep.
“I
was going to do it the first night and miss this press conference,
but I’m here. I’m well rested. I’d like to think
I’m here at my best today and I think that’s more important
than the open workout. I’ve given a lot of open workouts.
Like I said, I apologize to the fans that they missed out on
that excursion.”
During
the open workouts, Georges St-Pierre commented that he didn’t
like doing the media obligations either but he showed up, and
said it wasn’t fair that Diaz didn’t. Diaz took offense
to that comment.
“I
just felt a lot better about getting my workout after I got off
the airplane and catching up on some sleep as soon as I got here.
I’ve had to train hard and work hard, and I had to pick
a day to get some rest. I got here a 12 o’clock at night.
Georges lives here and he’s trying to say it is unfair,
and it’s not fair that he had to do it and I didn’t.
You live here, bro. You got to do an open workout. I would have
liked to do an open workout. I would have liked that, so I’m
sorry I didn’t make it.”
UFC
president Dana White was clearly not happy that Diaz bailed on
a scheduled media obligation, but expected some bumps in the
road when he put the fight together.
“When
I made this title fight, I knew what I was getting into with
Nick Diaz,” said White following Thursday’s press conference.
“I don’t think Nick Diaz is a bad guy. He has never
been in trouble in his life. He has no police record; he has
none of that. He’s a martial artist. He’s everything
that he says he is, it’s just that he’s got this…
call it unique personality.
“Nick
Diaz has done more for this fight than he ever has in the past,”
the UFC president continued. “Everybody wants to focus on
he didn’t show up (for the open workouts), but there’s
a lot of (expletive) he did show up for. And I know he’s
gonna be here on Saturday.
“He’s
here today and I guarantee he’ll be there tomorrow at the
weigh-ins, and I guarantee you he’ll be there on Saturday.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
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Mark
Hunt Steps In to Face Junior dos Santos at UFC 160
Mark-Hunt-UFC-135-Post-460x270Mark
Hunt will face former UFC heavyweight champion Junior do Santos
at UFC 160 on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
MMAFighting.com
first reported the news, and UFC officials later confirmed the
match.
The
announcement comes days after UFC president Dana White said Hunt
had turned down the fight with dos Santos. A phone conversation
between Hunt and White seems to have been what made the fight
happen.
dos
Santos was originally scheduled to face Alistair Overeem on the
UFC 160 card, but a quadriceps injury in training forced Overeem
out of the bout.
Hunt
(9-7) is on a four-fight winning streak and is coming off of
a knockout win over Stefan Struve at UFC on Fuel TV 8 on March
3. dos Santos (15-2) is coming off of a loss to Cain Velasquez
at 155 in December, where he lost the heavyweight title.
UFC
160 is headlined by a rematch between Velasquez and Antonio “Bigfoot”
Silva. Hunt vs. dos Santos will be the co-main event.
There’s
no word yet on whom Overeem will face when he returns.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Johny
Hendricks: “The Most Important Thing Is To Win”
UFC
158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz features the who’s who of the 170-pound
division. Georges St-Pierre faces Nick Diaz in the main event
for the welterweight title, but the highest ranked welterweight
on the card not named St-Pierre is Johny Hendricks.
Hendricks
was originally scheduled to take on Jake Ellenberger at UFC 158,
but an injury to Carlos Condit’s opponent, Rory McDonald,
shook up the card.
Hendricks
was removed from the bout with Ellenberger and placed against
Condit, while Ellenberger got a new opponent in Nate Marquardt.
Hendricks
spoke about the change of opponent on a recent UFC 158 media
conference call.
“You
got to constantly be adaptable, meaning that, of course I wanted
to fight Georges St-Pierre, but he chose somebody else; fine,
cool. I had Jake Ellenberger. I trained very hard for him then
I was able to get Carlos Condit, an excellent fighter, that’s
what it’s all about,” said Hendricks.
“You
take it fight by fight, day by day. That’s how I live it.
That’s how I train. Nothing else matters but Carlos Condit
at this point. If I even think about overlooking him, he’ll
definitely beat me. So I got to go out there and nothing else
matters but Carlos Condit,” he said.
On
the same media conference call, Nick Diaz commented that “nobody
wants to see” a “wrestling match” between Hendricks
and St-Pierre. Hendricks said Diaz’ comments didn’t
bother him.
“No
it doesn’t because if he’s watching my fights, when
have I ever took anybody down? You know what I mean? I have wrestling,
yes, I do; my background is wrestling. I have knockout power.
Just because I don’t go out there and use it all, you don’t
have to use it all to win fights,” said Hendricks. “He
has his opinion and I’ve got mine; it doesn’t matter.”
Hendricks
is on a five-fight win streak, including knocking out Martin
Kampmann and Jon Fitch in a matter of seconds in the first rounds
of their fights. But winning is what is most important to Hendricks.
“The
most important thing is to win fights. It doesn’t matter
how you do it. If that means you got to take that end to get
a win like Georges does, then do it. It’s about getting
your hand raised and the fans like that. So it is what it is,”
said the welterweight contender.
“The
only thing that matters is like Georges said is everybody’s
got to be on top, but there can only be one and we’re all
fighting to get there.”
UFC
158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz takes place on March 16 at the Bell Centre
in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
|
What
has Rafael Formiga learned after his defeat against DJ Jackson
in Boston?
Rafael
Barbosa, Soul Fighters’s “Formiga,” was the king
of Boston until last Sunday. The black belt from Rio had won
the absolute in the first two Boston Open editions, in 2011 and
2012, but this year he was stopped by DJ Jackson. But at this
IBJJF winter event he didn’t lose, he learned something.
“I’ve
learned a good lesson in Boston. I simply can’t, under any
circumstances, let DJ put his head on my chin, when he’s
trying to pass my half-guard,” said the middleweight champion
in conversation with GRACIEMAG.com.
“In
the end, it was a positive thing. I won the weight category,
submitting, and during the absolute final I made a very tough
fight against an opponent of the highest level that just became
the light heavyweight champ. Even though I kept my game open
and forward, trying my positions, ” he added.
After
winning the middleweight category, the professor living in the
U.S. was thankful for training with his fellows from Soul Fighters
in January in Rio.
“Now
the goal is to do well in Pan,” he said. “I will prepare
myself with several friends at Caio Terra’s gym in San Jose.”
Formiga
also praised the drug test news about Pan 2013.
“I
thought the idea of drug test is the best thing IBJJF has done
for our sport. Now we will see much more fair fights where the
technique will prevail and not the muscles of each athlete,”
he concluded.
Source:
Gracie Magazine |
Dealt
Tough Hands When Life Unravels
The
hot dogs and potato salad must have tasted great that day. Richard
Perez never had a chance to take a bite. He consumed the high
blue sky that seemed as bright as the sun itself and the cool,
clean mountain air that filled his lungs. Then, all went blank.
Something grabbed Perez, locked up his whole body like a vise
grip. A perfect day was ruined.
The
next thing Perez knew, he woke up in a hospital bed wondering
what happened to him. He was 13 years old then and does not remember
much of the incident.
Now
one of today’s best mixed martial arts trainers -- he has
been a driving force behind Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz for years
-- Perez learned he had epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder
characterized by seizures. Some forms of epilepsy involve recurrent,
unprovoked seizures, while others require only a single event
combined with brain alterations that increase the chance of future
seizures. An estimated 50 million people across the globe have
been diagnosed with epilepsy, the onset of which occurs most
often in infants and the elderly.
It
visited Perez that fateful day, but it has not stopped him from
pursuing his dreams and he never let it define him. In fact,
his ailment has inspired him to strive harder. He has battled
his whole life, fighting off rejection from those closest to
him who thought him crazy. He even turned down the lure of the
streets.
The
youngest of four children, Perez grew up in a fighting family,
so the struggle was nothing unusual for him. Still, the thought
of being afflicted with epilepsy rocked him at his foundation.
He had gone deer hunting in the mountains the day it first struck.
It all started so innocently.
“I
was at a picnic table getting ready to eat, and the next thing
I know, I woke up in a hospital feeling so bad [that] I [had]
destroyed this family’s trip,” Perez told Sherdog.com.
“I had a plate of potato salad and a hot dog in a bun sitting
at a picnic table. After that, I don’t remember anything.
I went through a depression, but that day changed a lot of things.”
The
gym was his salvation. He found it liberating to hit the speed
and heavy bags, and he sparred with different fighters who exhibited
various styles. Over time, Perez began to absorb everything:
angles, speed, footwork and leverage for punching power. He also
conquered his personal demons, as some of the best minds in the
fight business opened their doors and provided him with an opportunity.
“I
was angry growing up,” Perez said. “What helped me
was the gym and working out, working out, working out a lot.
I was always in the gym sparring, and it taught me a lot. Sparring
different people and seeing different styles, you find out what
you like and how you pick up different things. It saved my life.
It’s in my blood, I guess.”
The passion started in a tiny garage. Perez was the youngest
of four boys, all born in a seven-year span. Their father taught
them to hit the bag, along with all the little nuances they needed
to be successful.
“I
learned a lot from my brothers,” Perez said. “We lived
in Herndon, Calif., first and boxed the kids around the street.
Then we moved to Fresno and we’d spar with everyone, and
then we moved to Modesto. My brother, Johnny, was once ranked
No. 8 in the world. Then Johnny got drafted to Vietnam. He served
in Vietnam and when he came back, he was never the same again.
Bernie, who is three years older than me, lost in the 1968 Olympic
Trials.”
As
he grew older, life began to unravel. Perez’s father became
so fearful of his condition that he put his youngest son in a
hotel by himself when he was 14. Perez was a pass-around kid,
and, for a time, he lived on the streets. Perez’s mother
visited on weekends to wash his clothes, and she would occasionally
sneak him $10 a week. Perez performed odd jobs, like picking
tomatoes, for food money and sometimes was forced to live with
less-than-desirable people. He had no other choice.
“I
really don’t know how I survived that time,” Perez
said. “It was God. It was all God. That saved me. I used
to deal drugs at 18, 19, and I even got into it a little bit.
A friend got busted and that scared me and I went cold turkey
and stopped. That wasn’t me. I look back at all of that
and I just thank God for being alive. I made it. I still don’t
know how.
“I
was jumped one time by six guys when I was 17. It was really
rough,” he added. “I had no parents, no home. There
were times I used to sleep on the streets. There were a few times
I even slept in a laundry mat -- I busted in the backdoor. My
parents didn’t want me to live with them because of the
epilepsy. My brother used to ask me how I lived through that.”
Boxing
saved him. That was the one constant in his life.
“I
used to ask why this had all happened to me,” Perez said.
“God helped me and gave me focus. It’s why nothing
bothers me. I didn’t want anyone to define me. I used to
keep the epilepsy a secret and go around to different gyms to
test myself. You overcompensate for certain things, and fighting
made me feel good, really good. It still does.”
Perez’s
affliction slowly lost its hold.
“It
doesn’t bother me to train and work out; the punches don’t
seem to faze me,” he said. “I haven’t had a seizure
in about 20 years. I used to take a heavy dose of medication.
I lessened it myself. I did that myself and felt a lot better.
When I went to the doctor, he was amazed. Doctors go by the books.
They originally told me I shouldn’t be doing that, but once
I did, I felt better.”
Reynaldo
Zaragoza, the brother of boxing hall of famer Daniel Zaragoza,
took notice of Perez’s talents and style. At the time, Perez
had found work at the Manteca Unified School District in San
Joaquin, Calif., where he was employed for 34 years before retiring
four years ago. Perez began training with Zaragoza. However,
what really launched his career was his work with Rodney Jones,
an accomplished junior middleweight who fought Corey Spinks for
the IBF title in February 2007.
Nick and Nate Diaz bounced around before they landed at Cesar
Gracie’s jiu-jitsu academy in Pleasant Hill, Calif. They
trained regularly but lacked a definitive direction.
“I
was doing student karate, real ghetto stuff in the backyard,
and I was working with a bunch of trainers; I didn’t have
a regular trainer,” Nick said. “It was all kind of
rough.”
An
encounter with a boxing prodigy forced the elder Diaz to re-examine
his approach.
“Cesar
one time took me to the CYC Gym when Andre Ward was a teen-ager
just coming up,” Nick said. “I noticed people focused
on training Andre, and he was a lot younger than me. I began
working a lot harder and saw the talent Andre had. That’s
when I had to focus harder on my game.”
Finish
Reading » “I was 16 years old when I started fighting.
I was always looking for a good boxing trainer. I could only
hope for someone like Richard. I doubt I would be where I am
without Richard. I might have amounted to something but probably
a lot different.”
Source:
Sherdog
|
Undefeated
Women’s 135-Pound Prospect Lauren Taylor Shooting for the
Top
Legacy
FC women’s 135-pound prospect Lauren Taylor knows that the
fight game is a work in progress, and that’s fine with her,
as her work ethic is one of her defining features.
“The
biggest thing about me that maybe other women don’t have
is that I’m going to out-work every single one of them,”
she said following her Legacy 18 victory over Jennifer Scott
on March 1.
“I’m
going to out-work them in the gym and if they beat me it’s
not going to be for lack of hard work or preparation.”
Taylor’s
work ethic targeted at continually get better not only comes
through in the gym, but in her fights as well, as evidenced by
her win over Scott.
“I’m
not entirely thrilled that she was getting the better of me on
the feet,” said Taylor. “I’ve watched the video
of it a couple times and once I started to relax I started to
do a little bit better.
“I’m
a huge fan of throwing elbows on the ground. I don’t even
punch when I’m on the ground anymore. (Throwing elbows)
just comes natural. Once I had her on the ground, I knew it was
over.”
The
TKO victory raises Taylor’s record to 5-0, making her one
of Legacy’s top female fighters. Still, while she’s
enjoying where she’s at in the company, it’s where
she can test herself against other top female fighters in her
weight class where she ultimately wants to find herself.
“The
135-pound division is full of really talented females,”
said Taylor. “I’d like to make a name for myself and
I think even with the toughest women out there, I can put on
a good show and hang with them.
“I
think what fans can expect to see from me each fight is the best
Lauren Taylor they’ve ever seen. I’m going to work
on improving as fast as I can. And while I might not always pull
out a win, I guarantee it’s definitely going to be a fight
everyone’s going to want to see.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Dave
Courchaine Getting His Act Together, Rising Up the Ranks
Dave
CourchaineFor Washington welterweight Dave Courchaine, when things
got difficult in his career it wasn’t so much changes in
his training or mindset that helped get him on track, it was
the people surrounding him that made the biggest impact.
“It’s
having strong people behind me,” Courchaine said. “I
got engaged last year and she keeps me in line and gives me extra
motivation, so to say.
“I
have a lot of friends on the next level and when I spar against
those guys I know I’m going to be there shortly, it’s
just a matter of time.”
With
the support of those around him, Courchaine has won seven in
a row, including his most recent victory at King of the Cage:
Free Fall 2 on Feb. 22 against Rex Payne.
“Rex
is a tough, seasoned fighter and I knew he was no slouch, but
I’ve just been on a tear right now,” said Courchaine.
“He came out really hard and crazy at me, and I like when
guys try to throw punches in bunches because I just sit down
and wait for my opportunity, and it did.
“I
threw one punch and it landed cleanly. I decided to let him back
up and threw a knee – which I don’t know where it came
from, I don’t train knees that much – but as soon as
I hit him I knew it was a good shot and there was no way he was
getting up.”
Now
that he’s gained some consistency, Courchaine is focused
on joining his teammates at the next level, and perhaps doing
so in a promotion he at one time lost an opportunity to fight
for, the MFC.
“I
couldn’t get into Canada because I was a knucklehead as
a 22-year-old and got a DUI, and they don’t let you into
Canada with something like that on your record, so I had to turn
down a big fight up there,” he said. “The past catches
up with you at times, but what doesn’t kill you makes you
stronger.
“(MFC)
is thinking about coming down in September to the States. Nathan
Coy is the 170-pound champ in the MFC and I lost a controversial
fight in my pro debut against him. I was young and wasn’t
ready for it (at the time), so I’d like to get back in the
ring with him.”
Regardless
of where he ends up, Courchaine told MMAWeekly.com wants to remain
busy this year and establish himself as someone that deserves
a shot against the toughest competition possible.
“My
record’s up to 14-5 and it would be nice to finish the year
at 20-5,” he said. “Hopefully I can get to that next
level.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Carlos
Condit Weighs In on Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz
Carlos
Condit has gone the distance with both UFC 158 headliners, Georges
St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. There may be no one in the world more
qualified to give an opinion on a St-Pierre vs. Diaz outcome
than Condit.
Condit
defeated Diaz at UFC 143 on Feb. 2, 2012, to earn a title shot
against St-Pierre. He and St-Pierre met in the main event of
UFC 154 in November 2012, where he was defeated by the champion
by unanimous decision.
Condit
was asked his thoughts on the UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz main
event during a media conference call promoting the event on Thursday.
“It’s
an interesting match-up. Their styles are really different,”
said Condit. “I think Nick can pose some problems for Georges,
but ultimately I see Georges coming out on top.”
Condit
also fights on the UFC 158 fight card that is stacked with top
UFC welterweights.
He
was originally scheduled to rematch Rory McDonald, but McDonald
was forced out of the bout with an injury. He now faces Johny
Hendricks, who most feel is the real top contender in the 170-pound
division.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
|
After
another brutal fight, should Wanderlei Silva walk away from mixed
martial arts?
After
nine minutes and eight seconds of unmitigated violence Saturday,
Wanderlei Silva was, once again, on top of the mixed martial
arts worlds.
Silva
isn't about titles or decision wins or game plans. He's as fierce
a fighter who has ever stepped foot into a cage, a guy who cares
more about bringing the fans from their seats than having his
arm raised.
He
managed to do both on Saturday, sending the crowd at the Saitama
Super Arena in Tokyo into delirium with a brutal knockout of
Brian Stann at 4:08 of the second round in one of the great slugfests
in UFC history.
Returning
to the arena where he made his reputation as one of the sport's
most exciting fighters while starring in the PRIDE Fighting Championship,
Silva survived a back-and-forth shootout with the ex-Marine hero
by landing an overhand right and a left hook with about a minute
left in the second.
Stann
went down and Silva landed four punches from the top before referee
Marc Godard stepped in to halt it.
If
Silva had lost, it likely would have been his final fight. He
hasn't won two in a two since 2005-2006 and he's taken a brutal
amount of punishment en route to becoming one of the sport's
most beloved warriors.
Instead
of going out on a loss, though, perhaps it's time for the 36-year-old
to walk away on his own terms. He'd be leaving after one of his
most memorable wins, won while standing and trading toe-to-toe
with one of the sport's most heavy-handed punchers.
Silva
loves to fight – and entertain – so much that he'll
probably never go willingly. Retiring is likely the last thing
on his mind.
It
would be, however, a wonderful way to go out, winning in Japan
in a typically brutal Silva style.
"I'm
so happy," said an emotional Silva, who wrapped himself
in the Brazilian flag and jumped into the stands to embrace several
fans before heading back to the locker room. "Thanks to
[UFC president] Dana White; thanks to the UFC for the wonderful
opportunity to fight here."
It
was a show from the minute the bell rang until the second that
Godard jumped in to stop it. For the most part, it wasn't technique
or strategy. It was guts, heart, power and courage, as they stood
in front of each other and fired haymakers.
Stann
seemed to badly hurt Silva twice in the first round, but Silva
got in plenty of his shots and appeared to break Stann's nose.
Blood was gushing from Stann's nose from the early moments of
the fight.
The
end came when, with both men standing square to the other, their
feet wide apart, Silva fired a looping right that caught Stann
on the cheek. He quickly followed with a left hook and Stann
fell to the canvas.
Silva
landed four shots on the ground to prompt the end.
The
loss continued a disappointing trend for Stann, who has lost
the majority of his most significant matches in the UFC. Stann
has now lost three of his last four fights, with a knockout of
Alessio Sakara his only win compared to losses to Chael Sonnen,
Michael Bisping and Silva.
Stann,
though, played a big role in the entertaining match and was classy
as usual afterward.
"I
knew what I had at risk when I signed on the dotted line to face
Wanderlei, fighting here in Japan," Stann said. "Wanderlei
is one of my favorite fighters ever. He inspired me to start
in this sport. I'm proud to be a part of his career, as much
as this hurts. My heart is broken, but I'm proud I fought him."
Stann
landed hard, and hurt Silva several times. Silva has been hurt
far too often in his career, knocked cold on many occasions.
He's one of the classiest guys away from the cage and one of
its grittiest competitors inside of it.
It
would be great to see him walk away, his health intact, and go
out on top.
Much
like one-time rival Chuck Liddell, though, it's that love of
the fight and the gunslinger's mentality that will bring him
back.
It
may not end pretty for Wanderlei Silva, but it was a wonderfully
violent nine minutes on Saturday.
Source:
Yahoo Sports |
Freddy
Assuncao Sidetracked by ACL Tear, Still Gunning for UFC by Year’s
End
It’s
difficult enough to make a name for yourself in mixed martial
arts, but when you’re rocketing up the ranks and get hammered
by a severe injury, it gets that much more difficult.
That’s
exactly the position that Freddy Assuncao found himself in recently,
but the younger brother of UFC fighter Raphael Assuncao and UFC
veteran Junior Assuncao won’t be denied.
Assuncao
was riding a six-fight winning streak into his second bout for
Titan Fighting Championships, but was derailed by a torn anterior
cruciate ligament. It’s an injury that keeps many athletes
on the sidelines for several months, just ask UFC bantamweight
champion Dominick Cruz, who has been out of commission for a
year and a half since he tore his ACL.
Assuncao
tore the ligament in training, helping one of his teammates prepare
for an upcoming fight, so he had to pull out of Titan FC’s
January event to seek treatment.
Not
wanting to lose any more momentum than he had to, Assuncao sought
out renowned surgeon John W. Xerogeanes – who is affectionately
known as Dr. X by patients and staffers at Emory Sports Medicine
– and a strong team of experts on rehabbing professional
athletes.
He
ended up going a slightly different route than Cruz, and the
results thus far have been extremely encouraging.
“I
made sure I wouldn’t make the same mistake UFC champ Dominick
Cruz made,” said Assuncao. “Dr. X used an autograft
tendon from my quadriceps. The healing is longer, but it’s
from my own body; unlike Cruz, who used a cadaver tendon, which
his body rejected after nine months of recovery.”
Assuncao
is already about five weeks removed from surgery and says that
his rehab has been going better than expected.
“I
have been ahead of schedule compared to other athletes,”
he told MMAWeekly.com. “So I think and hope to be clear
to start training camp July or August. That’s six or seven
months after surgery.”
Still
staring at several more months of rehab, Assuncao doesn’t
have any concrete plans yet for his return, but he is hungrier
than ever to get back in the cage, and couldn’t be more
resolute that he’s going to make it to the biggest stage
in the sport.
“In
another month or two, I’ll start shopping around for fights.
I’m on a six-fight win streak, I’m 7-1, and I’m
hungry for fights. I’m coming back to make a statement!”
Assuncao declared.
“My
plan is to win 2 more fights impressively this year, and get
a UFC contract by year’s end.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Sarah
Kaufman Hoping for UFC 161 Debut, Eyes Future Rematch with Ronda
Rousey
Sarah
Kaufman 478x270Former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion
Sarah Kaufman hopes to debut in the UFC on the June 15 UFC 161
fight card in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The
Canadian feels the timing would be perfect and that the fans
want to see her on that card.
“It
would be perfect timing. Fight in April, have some time to get
ready for a fight in June, fight in front of my home country,
in front of my home country fans. I think that a lot of people
are really excited that I’m coming to the UFC,” Kaufman
told MMAWeekly.com.
When
the location of the UFC 161 event was announced, fans took to
twitter and other social media expressing their interest in seeing
Kaufman on the card. Kaufman feels the fans can be the catalyst
to make it happen.
“I’ve
had a lot of really positive feedback from fans from all over
on Twitter and Facebook, direct messages, emails, and it’s
really exciting for me as a fighter to have that support and
feel that love from the fans and know that they’re excited
to see me fight and they want me to get in that cage,” said
Kaufman.
“I
really think that if the fans can get behind it, they can push
Sean Shelby, push Dana White, let them know that they want to
see me fighting on that Winnipeg card. I think that it’s
going to happen,” she added.
Kaufman
was defeated by Ronda Rousey in her last outing. She is scheduled
to face Leslie Smith in Invicta FC 5 on April 5 and hopes for
a quick turnaround and an eventual rematch with Rousey.
“I
really don’t think (a title shot) is very far off for me.
My last performance, I don’t even consider it a fight,”
said Kaufman. “I had a great camp for it. There are no excuses.
Ronda came in and started fast. I didn’t really get to showcase
any of my skills at all, and I really don’t even consider
it a fight in my career. It happened. It’s on my record,
but mentally it was more of a hiccup than anything else.
“I
truly believe that I’m one of the best in the world and
that I will be the best in the world according to all the rankings
and I’d like to do that in the next year. You know, fight
Leslie, fight hard, get the win, hopefully a knockout,”
she continued. “At the end of the day, fight in the UFC,
get a win and get that title shot and really prove why I deserve
it and why I would be number one.”
Some
still criticize Rousey, calling her a one-trick pony because
she’s won all of her fights by armbar. Kaufman isn’t
one of those critics. She believes Rousey uses what she does
best and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
“She
uses the one thing she’s good at, her Judo into a fast transition
into the arm bar. She sticks with it. She gets it. Sure, it’s
one trick, but it’s been working, so why would you change
it? You keep evolving your game, and if you need to, use it,
but if you don’t need to, if you can get that win as fast
as she has been doing, then why change that?”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
|
Caio
Terra: “Testing is a step in the right direction”
Caio
Terra is always exciting, on and off the mats. The roosterweight
displays the same sharpness both going for sweeps, locks and
chokes or giving interviews. In an exclusive chat with GRACIEMAG.com
, the fighter sits down to talk about his plans for 2013, preparation
for the Pan, the new IBJJF drug policy and his successful association
of academies, the Institute of Martial Arts, with its headquarters
in San Jose, Ca.
Speaking
of the 2013 Pan, you are the 2011 and 2012 Pan champion, how
are your preparations coming along to defend your title?
I
am not too focused on winning or losing, I just want to train
and do the best I can. If that means I win again then great and
if that means I lose in the first round it’s ok too as long
as I do the best I can. Right now it’s a little hard to
train as I am doing a lot of seminars, focusing on my association
and our students. Hard training will begin soon and I am very
excited for our 2013 Pan Camp. Every year this camp gets us ready
to compete and it really is phenomenal training. We have champs
like Leandro Lo, Samir Chantre, Osvaldo Queixinho and others
pushing each other to be the best we can be. Where else in the
US can you train with two, three or sometimes four world champs
in the room? The camp is open to everyone and it doesn’t
matter your affiliation, belt level, etc. Anyone out there who
wants to improve in Jiu-Jitsu, I highly suggest you attend! Typically
there is one black belt for every three students!
The
IBJJF recently announced they will be doing random test at the
2013 Pan. Did you get happy with the news?
When
I first heard the news I was extremely excited. Although they
are only testing ten random black belts (less than 1/8 of all
the people who podium), it is a step in the right direction.
A lot of people have been critical of the IBJJF in the past and
with the Pro League (paying black belts to compete) and now drug
testing, I think they are starting to listen.
How
big is the issue of PED in our sport?
If
one person uses, that is one person too many and when there are
numerous champs using then there is an epidemic. As a champion
and someone who loves Jiu-Jitsu,when I won in 2011 I did my best
to make the public aware that people were/are using PEDs and
this isn’t right. As martial artist, honor and integrity
are values we all shoul dhave; and when you cheat and compete
you are dishonoring yourself, your opponent, your school and
your association. My mentors Comprido and Felipe Costa have always
been against it and live by these values and are grateful they
have instilled them in me.
You
mentioned your association, how is that going?
The
association is doing very well. Our newest affiliate just opened
up in England and that’s exciting. It is smarter; I feel
to water and tend a tree so it has strong roots than to planting
a lot of new seeds hoping that one of the trees grows strong.
With this philosophy in 2013, we are limiting the number of affiliates
so we can really focus on building our foundation and to ensure
all of our schools do well. To be clear, by well I don’t
mean just doing well in competitions, I want to see people grow,
their businesses do well and every member in our association
getting the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu and because of this I am spending
a lot of time with each affiliate. In Oregon for example, I have
two affiliates, one in Hillsboro and one at Portland Judo, and
a third one opening up in Vancouver, WA. In the past four months
I have been there twice, once for a week to teach and train with
the. I want to know every student who wears our patch!
What
other things do you have planned for 2013
I
am really focusing on my school, the Institute of Martial Arts,
in San Jose, CA, our students and association. Personally, I
plan to compete in all the major events and I am really looking
forward to our Pan camp and the phenomenal Mundial Camp we are
currently planning. Both should be fun. I’m also looking
forward to the Brasa camp this summer with Comprido and Felipe
Costa. Win or lose, 2013 will be a great year!
Want
to leave a message for the Jiu-Jitsu community around the world?
Keep
training, have fun, and focus on technique. Stay clear of PEDs,
because they won’t make your Jiu-Jitsu better, in the long
run, as we get older we lose strength and flexibility, but you
can never lose technique. Jiu- Jitsu has so much to teach us,
on and more importantly off the mat. There are no short cuts,
so enjoy the journey.
Source:
Gracie Magazine |
|
With
hard times behind him, heavyweight Mark Hunt credits his faith
for his UFC resurgence
There
was a time in his life when Mark Hunt was angry. He was upset
by what he didn't have and was consumed by this feeling that
the world owed him something.
He
looks back now and is thankful that he didn't do something extraordinarily
violent, because it was something he was capable of doing.
New
Zealand native Mark Hunt , left, faces a tall order against Stefan
Struve. (Getty Images)"Had I not found martial arts,"
he says, calmly, "I'd probably be in jail or who knows where
right now. Fighting saved my life, I believe."
The
change in Hunt's life has been so dramatic that now, as he's
become one of the top mixed martial arts fighters in the world,
he says there is nothing material that much interests him.
Even
the UFC heavyweight title belt draws a sigh from the New Zealand
native.
"I
don't care much about a title," Hunt said, only a few days
before he's to meet Stefan Struve on Saturday (Sunday in Japan)
in the co-main event of UFC on Fuel TV 8 at the Saitama Super
Arena outside of Tokyo. "A belt, things like that, are meaningless
to me."
The
38-year-old's lack of interest in things that greatly motivate
his peers is because he has, he said, surrendered his life to
god.
A
one-time K1 kickboxing world grand prix champion, Hunt turns
nearly every question on virtually every topic into a discussion
of his faith. Now that his eyes have been opened to God, he said,
he realizes how useless things that once seemed important to
him were.
He
lives his life now, he said, not to accumulate wealth and material
things but to please God. The result, he said, is a happier and
more successful person.
"The
reason why I do things is because I have surrendered my life
to God, man, and that's it, really the easy way of saying why
I do what I do. … People say I can't do something; it goes
in one ear and out the other," Hunt said. "I know,
it's kind of funny.
"The
things that were important and really mattered to me in my life
before I was a follower of Christ, Jesus Christ, they don't matter
that much any more. It's kind of crazy, but it's like I was in
the darkness walking around and someone turned the light on.
Money doesn't matter; a lot of things don't matter any more.
It's just funny. I don't know how better to explain it, but my
life is now all about God and understanding more completely what
He wants."
The
UFC acquired Hunt's contract when it purchased the PRIDE Fighting
Championship in 2007. It's no secret that UFC president Dana
White had little interest in Hunt, who had lost five fights in
a row in PRIDE when the UFC bought the company.
Hunt
had three fights remaining on the contract that the UFC purchased,
and White was willing to buy out the deal and let Hunt walk.
Hunt, though, wasn't so willing.
He
wanted to earn what he'd worked for and so he asked White to
allow him to fight.
He
was coming off consecutive losses to Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko,
Alistair Overeem, Melvin Manhoef and Gegard Mousasi, but Hunt
felt he should earn his money. White agreed, and matched him
with Sean McCorkle.
McCorkle
submitted Hunt at UFC 119 on Sept. 25, 2010, and it seemed that
Hunt's MMA career was over. But he was given another shot and
hasn't lost since.
He
knocked out Chris Tuchscherer and Cheick Kongo and won a decision
from Ben Rothwell. Suddenly, improbably, Hunt was in the title
mix.
Hunt
said it was simply a mental adjustment.
"After
I won the K-1 World Grand Prix title [in 2001], I was pretending
like I trained and pretending as if I was preparing properly,
but I wasn't doing it," Hunt said. "It was a mental
thing, I guess. I tried to get on the right track by changing
my training and all that jazz. It kind of feels like my first
fight."
A
win over Struve, one of the UFC's hottest heavyweights, will
put him squarely in the title mix.
Hunt,
though, sloughs off the significance.
"My
job is to go out there and fight, and I'm going to fight with
everything I have," Hunt said. "[Struve] is just a
human being and what he has doesn't really matter to me. The
fight will be what the fight will be. Whatever it is, it is.
Win, lose or draw, it doesn't matter. What will matter is to
give the people an entertaining show and for me to continue to
give glory to God."
Source:
Yahoo Sports |
Georges
St-Pierre is Focused on Nick Diaz, Not a Superfight with Anderson
Silva
Georges
St-Pierre isn’t thinking about a potential superfight with
Anderson Silva, his focus is zeroed in on Nick Diaz.
During
a UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche question and answer session,
UFC president Dana White said a superfight between Anderson Silva
and either Georges St-Pierre or Jon Jones will happen this year.
“GSP
is going to defend his title against Nick Diaz. Anderson Silva
will defend his title this summer, and before the end of this
year we will soon see a superfight with either GSP and Anderson
Silva, or Anderson Silva and Jon Jones,” said White. “One
of them is coming.”
St-Pierre
was questioned about a potential fight with Silva during a UFC
158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz media conference call on Thursday, and
said he doesn’t care about anything but the upcoming fight
with Diaz.
“I
don’t care about it at all. I’m not thinking past Nick
Diaz. It’s a mistake everybody does, and I respect my opponent,”
said St-Pierre.
“I
want the big fight, but the big fight for me right now is Nick
Diaz. I don’t look past Nick Diaz. All of my focus is on
him. I don’t think past him. I don’t care about what
is coming next.
“For
me, my life ends March 16, when I fight Nick Diaz. It’s
going to be another chapter in my career. After is what is going
to happen after, but now I’m only focusing on what is going
to happen next,” he added.
Silva
is set to defend his title against Chris Weidman at UFC 162 on
July 6.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Bellator
92 Results: Khasbulaev Crushes Sandro; Cooper Scores Comeback
KO
Bellator
MMA LogoBellator 92 on Thursday night at Pechanga Casino and
Resort in Temecula, Calif., featuring both semifinal bouts of
the featherweight and middleweight tournaments.
Frodo Khasbulaev vs. Marlon Sandro
Sandro
was trying to make it his third trip to a Bellator tournament
final, but it wasn’t to be.
Sandro
started aggressively, holding his own in the stand-up, but when
the two came together and exchanged knees, Sandro landed an errant
knee to Khasbulaev’s groin, leaving the Russian reeling
in pain.
Given
time to recover, Khasbulaev came back strong, tripping Sandro
to the mat. Sandro attempted and omo plata, but couldn’t
secure it.
They
returned to the feet and Khasbulaev cracked Sandro hard with
a right hand. Sandro tried to take Khasbulaev down, but the Russian
turned the tables and secured a deep armbar, but Sandro escaped.
They scrambled and Khasbulaev caught Sandro in a Kimura, but
the BJJ black belt wouldn’t tap and eventually escaped again.
Khasbulaev
didn’t relent in round two, chasing Sandro down with kicks
to the body and head. Sandro tied him up, but Khasbulaev scooped
him up and tossed him to the mat with a fireman’s carry,
although Sandro landed in a half guard/half mount position. Sandro
went for an arm triangle, but Khasbulaev defended well and escaped
back to his feet.
Khasbulaev
again took Sandro down, punishing him with ground and pound before
moving to full mount. Sandro escaped the mount, but Khasbulaev
punished him with some big ground and pound shots before the
bell.
One
of the blows may have broken Sandro’s nose.
Khasbulaev
opened the final round with another leg-trip takedown and as
he started landing shots to the face, it was clear that Sandro
wanted nothing to come close to his nose, doing everything he
could to cover his face or turn it away from any punches.
As
Sandro’s focus on protecting his face grew, he left himself
open for more attacks and Khasbulaev took advantage, eventually
finishing the fight with a tenacious ground and pound assault.
The
win carries Khasbulaev into the featherweight tournament final.
Doug Marshall vs. Sultan Aliev
This
was supposed to be an explosive battle between two of Bellator’s
most powerful middleweights.
Realizing
it’s a numbers game if two knockout artists go toe to toe,
Aliev came into the cage with a different game plan, taking Marshall
to the canvas in an attempt to negate his punching power.
The
plan worked well in round one, Aliev using his Sambo background
to keep Marshall on the mat for most of the round, although he
did little damage.
Marshall,
frustrated by his opponent’s tack, landed a head kick early
in round two, and became very aggressive in going after the knockout.
Aliev again put Marshall on the mat, but was doing little offensively
once the fight was down and got stood up by referee John McCarthy.
Marshall
kept up his aggressive approach, walking Aliev down, and swinging
for the fences. Aliev kept trying to score the takedown, but
found it a little more difficult in he second round.
If
possible, Marshall was even more aggressive in the final stanza;
Aliev continually backing up, while Marshall chased and leapt
in with power punches.
Aliev
again scored the takedown, but did little with the position,
other than cause Marshall to smirk with frustration. The Rhino
clearly wanted to test his power against Aliev’s, but the
Russian stayed true to his takedown-heavy game plan.
Marshall
quickly tied Aliev up on the mat, forcing the standup, and going
right back to trying to take Aliev’s head off.
The
judges favored Marshall for his aggressive approach, awarding
him a split decision victory.
Marshall
looked truly surprised to win the decision, clearly expecting
the Russian’s takedowns to trump his aggression.
“He
was a whole lot better wrestler than I gave him credit for,”
said Marshall after earning his spot in the middleweight final.
“He hit like a little girl, but he hit me about 800 times,
so it kind of built up.”
Brett Cooper vs. Dan Cramer
Cramer
opened the fight strong, dropping Cooper with a right hand just
seconds into the first round. He followed Cooper to the mat,
dominating with ground and pound and taking Cooper’s back
for most of the second half of the round, but didn’t really
come close to finishing the fight.
Cooper
tried hard to take Cramer down in the second round, but mostly
ended up eating numerous knees and punches for his trouble.
Cramer
was well ahead in the fight going into the final frame. He looked
like he might coast to a decision victory, once again dominating
the striking game. Cooper finally scored a takedown a couple
minutes into the round, but Cramer quickly returned to his feet.
As
time was slipping away from him, Cooper dug deep and landed a
huge uppercut that left Cramer wide-eyed. Cooper didn’t
let up, pressing with a series of combinations before landing
a right cross that sent Cramer reeling into the fence. Not letting
the moment escape him, Cooper followed with another right cross
that sent Cramer falling to the canvas for the win.
Cooper
was extremely emotional after the fight, barely able to speak,
but happy to be moving on to face Doug Marshall in the middleweight
final.
Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra vs. Mike Richman
Bezerra’s
strategy was obvious from the opening bell: get Richman to the
mat and go for the submission. That’s exactly what Bezerra
did in round one, taking Richman to the mat and keeping him there
for the duration. He worked his ground and pound attack, took
Richman’s back, but couldn’t sink the choke.
Bezerra
seemed content to stand and trade with Richman in round two,
but that didn’t seem to be the smartest strategy. Richman,
while not dominant, had the edge on the feet, and bloodied Bezerra’s
face, which is often the tipping fight for a judge in a close
round.
They
traded shots again to open the final round, Richman again edging
ahead, but Bezerra took the fight to the mat less than two minutes
into the round. Bezerra immediately passed to side control, peppered
Richman with ground and pound, and once again took his back and
secured the body triangle, like he did in round one.
This
time, however, Richman reversed position and forced Bezerra to
stand with a little over a minute left in the fight. The former
Marine dominated the remainder of the bout with his boxing.
Richman
earned a split decision victory from the judges to make his way
into the featherweight final opposite Frodo Khasbulaev.
Bellator 92 Results
Main
Bouts:
-Frodo Khasbulaev def. Marlon Sandro by TKO (Strikes) at 2:38,
R3
-Doug Marshall def. Sultan Aliev by Split Decision (27-30-27,
29-28, 29-28)
-Brett Cooper def. Dan Cramer by KO (Punches) at 3:19, R3
-Mike Richman def. Alexandre Bezerra by Split Decision (29-28,
28-29, 29-28)
Preliminary
Bouts:
-Nick Piedmont def. Cleber Luciano by TKO (Strikes)at 0:55, R1
-Ricky Legere def. Sabah Homasi by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
at 2:52, R2
-Akop Stepanyan def. Chris Saunders by TKO at 3:55, R3
-Keith Berry def. Richard Rigmaden by Submission (Kimura) at
1:31, R1
-Josh Appelt def. Manny Lara by Unanimous Decision (30-24, 30-24,
30-24)
-Aaron Miller def. Shad Smith by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)
-Brandon Halsey def. Rocky Ramirez by Submission (Arm Triangle
Choke) at 0:50, R3
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
For
many young fighters, retirement calls early
For
Mark Hominick, the pinnacle of a well-worn career came in April
2011. Before 55,724 fans at the Rogers Centre in his home province
of Ontario, just 90 minutes east of where he grew up, Hominick
walked into the UFC Octagon to challenge featherweight champion
Jose Aldo. The match at first was one-sided, but as it wore into
the championship rounds, the drama ramped up. Bloodied and with
a massive hematoma on the right side of his forehead, Hominick
summoned the energy to take over and dominate the final round.
While Aldo ultimately held on until the closing bell and won
a decision, it was the culmination of everything Hominick had
worked for. While he was fiercely competing for the belt, at
the same moment, his wife Ashley was in her ninth month of pregnancy
with the couple's first child, Raeya.
Without
knowing it, though, the seeds for his exit from MMA had been
planted. He had been so close to being world champion, but within
less than 20 months, he was out of mixed martial arts and on
to retirement at the age of 30.
"I
look at my life now and where I'm going and I know I can't make
the same sacrifices that I could before," he told MMA Fighting.
"I know what I was doing when I was on a winning streak
and what I was doing now. I can't leave for two months at a time
to go train for a bout. I don't want to be a fighter who is just
competing to be in the UFC. I think I belong fighting against
Aldo and those top guys. And if I'm not competing and winning
at that level, I'm not in it."
Hominick
is part of a surprising trend in the upper echelons of MMA of
fighters who are retiring or contemplating the decision to walk
away at a young age.
Among
those who have called it quits since the start of 2011 include
Hominick (30 years old at the time of his announcement), Nick
Thompson (29), Nick Denis (29), and Cole Konrad (28). Other young
fighters like Jason "Mayhem" Miller (31), Kyle Kingsbury
(30) and Jonathan Brookins (27) are currently in limbo, deciding
their futures.
Tom
DeBlass has been there. The UFC veteran was 30 when he decided
he'd had enough, announcing his retirement just days after his
second career loss.
For
DeBlass, the reason for quitting was simple: burnout. After dedicating
most of his early adult life to jiu-jitsu, he began his pro MMA
career in June 2010, and in less than 20 months, he was 7-0.
That led him to his UFC debut, a short-notice opportunity as
a replacement. Despite the fact that he was injured and out-of-shape
("I was eating Fruity Pebbles when Joe Silva called me,"
he said), DeBlass took the fight. And lost. Then seven months
later, he fought again. This time, he had a good camp. And lost.
After less than three years of competing as a pro, he decided
he was done.
"I
got back into the locker room and I was like, 'I don't want to
do this anymore," he said. "It's too much time away
from the family. It's too much time away from my academy. I had
to pick up and leave everything that was important to me. I had
to spend money to travel. In looking at the pros and cons, I
didn't feel it was worth it anymore."
DeBlass
said the feeling had started creeping in even before his last
fight. During his final camp, he went through a phase where he
was "miserable" while training. It got so bad that
he told his family a few times that he was ready to move on.
For
some, like DeBlass, the decision to retire is like a slow-moving
wave, which builds momentum before finally crashing on to the
shore. For others, it's a completely different phenomenon; an
unexpected bolt of lighting.
Of
all the retirements in 2012, none was more surprising than that
of Konrad. The 6-foot-5 powerhouse had been the reigning Bellator
heavyweight champion when he quietly called it quits, releasing
the information to a local newspaper.
In
Konrad's case, the end came when he was recruited for a promising
employment opportunity as an agricultural commodities trader.
Though he had become publicly known for his power and brawn,
Konrad had earned a masters degree while in college, and yearned
to put it to use. His situation was complicated by a few factors.
He had just gotten married and hoped to start a family, and Bellator's
heavyweight division wasn't deep enough to rapidly generate contenders
for him to fight. From the start of 2011 until the date of his
retirement in September 2012, he competed only twice. That meant
only two paychecks.
Even
though Bellator was readying a major move to Spike -- a change
which promised more exposure and eventually, more money -- it
wasn't enough to keep Konrad in the fold.
Colekonradwins_medium
"When I was weighing the opportunity I was given vs. fighting,
I had to face the reality that fighting is a pretty dead-end
job," he said. "Am I going to be 35 or 40 and still
fighting? Then where do I go when I'm done, when I've never had
a real job? Was I going to make as much money where I would be
able to retire at that age? It's possible. But the reality is,
given my physique, I didn't see that happening. However you want
to look at it, that definitely plays a part. You have to look
the part, act the part, be the part to cash big checks. I was
pretty successful fighting, but in other aspects I wasn't exactly
what was being sought for a high-profile fighter."
Konrad
said that Bellator's CEO Bjorn Rebney made a play to keep him,
but by then, his mind had been made up.
The
decision isn't quite so easy for everyone. Take Kingsbury, for
instance. The 30-year-old came on the major MMA scene in 2008
as part of season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter. Almost five years
later, Kingsbury is still on his original UFC contract. In his
last fight, he made $12,000. To ease the financial burden, he's
had to work full-time jobs during each of his last two camps,
but that's taken away from his training as well as robbed him
of valuable rest and recovery time. It's become something of
a vicious cycle.
To
make matter worse, in his last fight against Jimi Manuwa, he
took a pounding. According to FightMetric, Manuwa landed 53 significant
strikes against Kingsbury, who was the victim of a TKO loss after
the cageside doctor stopped the bout, fearing for the health
of his swollen-shut left eye. At the time, Kingsbury wanted to
fight on, but as he later learned, it was the right decision;
his orbital bone was fractured in two places.
But
it was really his fight with Glover Teixeira that first set career
doubt into his mind. Here he'd had the best camp of his life.
He'd never sparred better or felt better. And yet Teixeira mopped
the floor with him, stopping him in less than two minutes.
"It's
really easy to get caught up in the moment when you're on a win
streak," he said. "You think this is great. You start
buying into the hype. You start believing the money is going
to keep coming. But when you get cut back to size, it's a lot
harder to deal with."
It
wasn't just the losing. In the gym, Kingsbury had been alarmed
by what he'd seen from teammates and others in the fight game.
He'd heard some slurring words. There were others who drooled
sometimes without realizing it. With his proclivity for wars,
was that where he was headed?
"I've
had my face broken twice in my last four fights," he said.
"This last fight it was broken in two different places.
Taken all that into consideration, I’d be a fool to believe
it won't have long-term affects on my body and my brain."
At
the money he was making, it just didn't seem worth it. Yet Kingsbury
hasn't officially shut the door on his career. For now, he is
straddling the line between two worlds. In the gym, he continues
to train but refuses to spar and take more blows to the head.
He's working towards his jiu-jitsu brown belt -- which would
catch him up to his father, Rick -- and he still does mitt work,
trying to improve upon his head movement and make himself a less
available target. But he's also chasing his goal of becoming
a firefighter. He plans to apply and test with several departments
but doesn't know how things will turn out. That's why he's not
necessarily ready to say he won't fight again. He might have
to.
Contrast
that with the situation of Denis, who like Kingsbury, had second-thoughts
about the future effects he might suffer. Denis, who was working
towards a Ph.D. in biochemistry when he began chasing his UFC
dreams, could not help but analyze the situation critically.
At
first, he simply accepted as true the talking points about MMA's
safety, but as he looked deeper into studies on concussive and
sub-concussive trauma, he began to truly understand the potential
dangers he was facing. In his mind, as long as he continued to
fight, he was making an implicit trade, dealing his own long-term
health for a paycheck and some temporary glory.
"It
was sad but when I made the decision, it had to be done,"
he said. "I wasn't going to second-guess myself, and say,
'These things aren't going to happen to me.' If I didn't have
an education to fall back on or any other interests, that might
lead to me thinking this is all I have. But I came to the realization
this isn't the healthiest thing for me."
Denis
has now almost completely divorced himself from the sport. He
says that while he tries not to think about any future brain
issues, there are little moments, like forgetting the name of
a famous actor, for instance, that make him wonder how much damage
was already done. He's also haunted by the thoughts of the damage
he might have caused his opponents and sparring partners.
Denis
said at one time he was obsessed with the sport, but the love
affair has burned out. Asked when was the last time he watched
a fight, he pauses for several seconds. Ultimately, he can't
remember. "Part of me doesn't want to support it,"
he says. But he also believes that people have the right to do
what they want with their own bodies. They just need to understand
the risks.
Some,
like Kingsbury, know the risks, but still consider fighting on
anyway. After a two-month retirement, DeBlass decided he'd come
back. He signed with Bellator, where he's scheduled to fight
on their April 4 show. He says the changes he's made in his camp
will allow him to spread out his time between his training, his
two-year-old daughter Isabelle, and the gym he owns, Ocean County
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. That, he hopes, will alleviate the feeling
of the unending grind that overtook him the first time.
Family
was among the reasons most cited by those who walked away from
the sport young. For others, it was the unrelenting pace of training
multiple disciplines day after day, even through injuries. For
yet more, it was fear about future unknowns, whether regarding
health or finances or self-identity. Even for the youngest and
fittest athletes in MMA, the lure of walking away is sometimes
more magnetic than the attraction of fame and the possibility
of fortune.
Nearly
to a man, though, they all say they can take positives from the
experience. Kingsbury said after facing the pressure of a fight,
common life problems don't seem quite as big. Hominick made some
of his best friends through the sport. And even Denis, who voiced
the most fear over what the sport did to him, admits that it
was a "great part" of his life.
But
at some point, for all of them, what fighting brought to the
table was no longer enough. And even at a young age, they walked
away from something they once loved.
"In
MMA, you train year-round, every day," Denis said. "You
put in tons of hours. Your job evaluation -- what your boss sees
-- is only 15 minutes, maybe every 4-6 months. And your boss
and everyone else judges you on that. They don't see everything
else that you do. They don't see the grueling training. On top
of that, at any time, you could lose your job. If you have a
family and bills, you probably wouldn't want to stay there too
long. There are people out there who think this is the best job
in the world. But when you have intelligent fighters leaving
young, what does that say?"
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Nick
Diaz is Looking Past Georges St-Pierre to Even Bigger Fights
Nick
Diaz is heading into the biggest fight of his career at UFC 158
against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, but the Stockton,
Calif., native is admittedly looking past St-Pierre to even bigger
fights.
Diaz
has been eyeing a fight with St-Pierre for a long time, years.
He finally has his shot at the reigning king of the 170-pound
division after leaving the UFC and coming back, having the fight
scheduled and then canceled and then scheduled again for March
16. But for Diaz, the fight with St-Pierre is just a cobblestone
on his path to pound-for-pound greatness.
“I’m
always on that, looking to the future. Me and Georges St-Pierre,
we’re a lot different,” said Diaz on a UFC 158 media
conference call on Thursday. “For me, I look past every
opponent because I know I’m in this. I’m not just looking
at one obstacle. I think for me it’s easier to deal with
when I accept the fact that I’m never going to get out of
this.
“It’s
not just good fights, it’s fighters. I’m looking past
every opponent to get to the No. 1 spot of the welterweight division
and then I look past that. I look further beyond that.”
If
Diaz were in St-Pierre’s position, he would have accepted
a fight with middleweight champion and pound-for-pound best Anderson
Silva.
“Like,
if it were up to me, I’d take that fight with Anderson Silva.
I would say, yeah, of course, I’m looking forward to being
the best that can be, always,” said Diaz. “The next
best thing has always been the next closer fight to the No. 1
fight, and that’s what I’ve been working toward this
whole time. I always have that mindset.”
Diaz
isn’t just looking past St-Pierre for a potential fight
with Silva, he wants to win titles in multiple divisions in the
UFC. It’s only ever been done by Randy Couture and B.J.
Penn.
“If
I had that option available to me I would be honored to be in
that position and I would be gratefully accepting of that position
or fight if you will with the 185-pound champion or the 155-pound
champion (Benson Henderson),” said Diaz. “I would take
either fight, and I think I could beat either guy. I would like
to be the guy to win a title at both weights.
“I’d
like to be a runner-up in the pound-for-pound rankings. That’s
the No. 1 goal aside from the No. 1 ranking in the welterweight
division.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Gordo
ensures presence in Pan and analyzes Rafael dos Anjos’ rival
For
old times’ sake, Professor Roberto “Gordo” Correa
decided to compete in Jiu-Jitsu Pan in California, at the end
of this month.
The
black belt from Rio hasn’t fought in the competition since
2003 when he competed for the adult gold. This time, Gordo is
in heavyweight senior 2, and will enjoy the trip to sharpen the
ground game of his pupil Rafael dos Anjos, UFC lightweight who
now lives in Newport Beach.
Gordo
will prepare for the Pan in a special camp at his partner Sandro
Batata’s gym between March 9 and 17, which will be attended
by Braga Neto and Rafael dos Anjos, who is preparing to face
Evan Dunham in the UFC. Gordo liked the chosen opponent.
“Today
Rafa is ranked 8th in the official UFC rankings and Dunham isn’t
in the top ten, but it really does not matter,” Gordo said
in a telephone chat with GracieMag.com. “The guy is a black
belt of Xtreme Couture coming from a win against Tibau and he’s
a good name. What calls my attention is that he, like Rafa, likes
to go for it all the time, so it’s an interesting challenge.
It will be a good fight for the Brazilian fans.”
Dunham
(14-3) is a good back taker. He has collected six submissions
in his career, especially with the guillotine and armbar. In
his last successful win by submission, he grabbed the arm of
Efrain Escudero in January 2010 – it was the Submission
of the Night. Still, nothing impressive to Gordo when it comes
to Jiu-Jitsu.
“I
haven’t seen anything he does related to Jiu-Jitsu that
impressed me, but I’m going to meet Rafael in California
to analyze it better. Rafa will go for it and we will bring another
victory if all goes well,” concluded Gordo.
Pan
2013 filled with teachers
Besides
Gordo, senior and master divisions of Pan bring many classic
names of Jiu-Jitsu. The ones already enrolled are Rodrigo Comprido,
Alberto Crane, Raphael Abi-Rihan, Marcos Torregrosa, Renatinho
Tavares, Ricardo Franjinha, Bruno Bastos, Fabio Leopoldo, Suyan
Queiroz, Bernardo Pitel, Reza Monfaradi, Léo Peçanha,
Ricardo Feliciano and Adriano Silva.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
|
Hoping
to challenge ESPN, Fox betting big on UFC
Fox
Sports wants to compete directly with ESPN, and one of the staples
of its plan will be its UFC programming.
Tuesday's
announcement of the creation and Aug. 17 launch of Fox Sports
1, which will feature Major League Baseball, soccer, college
football and basketball and NASCAR in addition to the UFC, is
the culmination of Dana White's dreams.
For
more than two years since announcing his company's broadcast
partnership with Fox Sports, the UFC president has alluded to
a game-changing moment coming down the road.
On
Tuesday, when that game-changer became a reality, White was literally
giddy.
"This
is such a great day for us, I can't even begin to tell you,"
White said over and over during a telephone interview with Yahoo!
Sports. "This is a massive step. I said a year-and-a-half
ago when we did this deal that our next two years of work would
be more important than the first 13. And now, it's always clicking
and all becoming a reality."
After
a Fox-run news conference in New York on Tuesday to announce
FS1, White, UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, middleweight
champion Anderson Silva and women's bantamweight champion Ronda
Rousey were brought on stage and introduced to 1,300 major advertisers.
It
was the kind of exposure White could only dream of less than
a decade before. But now, here were executives from some of the
world's most familiar brands roaring like fan boys when Velasquez,
Silva and Rousey were introduced.
It
sent a powerful visual, with a black man, a Hispanic man and
a white woman being received so well by potential advertisers
and sponsors: The UFC cuts across all races and genders.
Eric
Shanks, the Fox Sports Media Group's COO and co-president, shared
his vision of FS1 with White and his partners, Frank and Lorenzo
Fertitta when they first began to discuss a partnership.
The
launch of FS1 will allow viewers to find virtually all UFC programming
in one place. As the first year of the UFC-Fox partnership played
out, they had to deal with the fallout from the promotion's former
broadcast deal with Spike, as well as educate fans on which of
the Fox networks would carry which shows.
Now,
with the exception of the four cards a year that will appear
on the broadcast network Fox, all UFC programming will be found
on FS1.
When
the viewers finally get used to finding all UFC-related content
on FS1, it should significantly boost the promotion's rapidly
improving ratings.
"When
we began talking with Dana, Lorenzo and Frank almost three years
ago now, they were really the first to hear the inkling of an
idea of Fox Sports 1," Shanks said. "We said, 'Look,
together we can make the UFC front and center on a national sports
network that is going to be cleared in almost 100 percent of
the country.' The UFC really bought into our concept years ago
of what we were trying to do with [FS1].
"
... This is one of the final major levers to pull, because now
everything is finally in one place. Dana and Lorenzo have been
saying for a long time that fans, honestly, in that first year
were a bit confused. Some of it was on Fuel, some was on FX and
some was on Fox. This is really that last lever to pull, and
it puts everything in one place. It's going to be huge going
forward, starting off Aug. 17, and we're kicking off with a prime-time
fight that night." White would not discuss whether the announcement
applies to the reality series "The Ultimate Fighter,"
saying, "We're not ready to talk about that yet." "TUF"
is currently in its second season on FX.
White
is a long-time boxing fan and has dreamed of having a national
fight night kind of like what the "Tuesday Night Fights"
were on the USA Network in the 1980s and 1990s. That series featured
some of boxing's greatest stars in compelling matches.
The
deal with FS1 will bring that vision to reality for White. Starting
with the network's launch on Aug. 17, the shows that would have
been on Fuel and FX previously will now be on FS1. The opener
will be on a Saturday, but the majority of those will be on Wednesdays.
When
the UFC has a pay-per-view event or is on Fox, the preliminaries
will all be shown on FS1.
FS1
will be in more than 90 million homes at launch. Rupert Murdoch,
the CEO of News Corp., which owns Fox, dreams of the network
competing with, or surpassing ESPN.
That
may be impossible to do, given the sheer magnitude of ESPN and
its deals with the NFL, MLB, NBA and throughout college sports.
But
ESPN doesn't have UFC programming and that will be a boon for
FS1. Though the total viewership numbers for its live fight cards
haven't been overwhelmingly large, the UFC has delivered for
Fox in the coveted demographic of 18-to-34-year-old and 18-to-49-year-old
males.
That's
happened across all three of the networks – Fox, FX and
Fuel – and Shanks believes it's only going to increase once
the public is familiar with FS1. Saturday's UFC on Fuel 8 show
from Japan attracted an average of 485,000 viewers, nearly double
the previous UFC record on Fuel and making it the most-watched
program in network history.
Shanks
insisted that there is no fear of over saturating the market
– "Does anyone say there is too much NFL out there,"
he said, noting the UFC's numbers are trending in the right direction.
"We're
still building fans," Shanks said. "We're building
the right generation of fans, in this concentration of the 18-to-34
[demographic]. What's going to happen when those fans move into
the next [demographic], which they will, and you still have a
new generation of fans coming in?
"If
you are looking at a bell curve of sports, the UFC is clearly
on the left side of the bell curve, heading straight up. If you're
building something, you obviously want to build with the youngest
possible demo. There are other sports that would fall all over
themselves to get that concentration of young men the UFC gets."
The
UFC's deal with Fox runs through 2018, but White is already eager
to sign an extension.
"Give
me another 22 years," he said. "We love this. These
people are the best in the business at what they do and they
have been phenomenal partners. I couldn't have asked for anything
better. What you see now is just the beginning of what is to
come."
Source:
Yahoo Sports |
Alistair
Overeem Reveals Injury That Nixed UFC 160 Bout; Mark Hunt Won’t
Get Junior dos Santos
News
broke on Wednesday that Alistair Overeem had suffered an undisclosed
injury, forcing him out of his scheduled UFC 160 fight with Junior
dos Santos.
Overeem
on Thursday revealed the nature of the injury.
“Injured!
Caught a slight tear in my quad so unfortunately out of May 25?s
UFC. Not happy to let you guys down!” he tweeted.
The
fight had been a long time coming since dos Santos and Overeem’s
public war of words last year. dos Santos, usually a fairly reserved
talker, even called for a fight with Overeem because he was tiring
of the Dutch fighter’s trash talk.
The
fight finally came together when dos Santos lost his UFC heavyweight
belt to Cain Velasquez and Overeem lost his shot at the title
to Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
After
Overeem dropped out of the bout on Wednesday, Mark Hunt, who
is on a four-fight winning streak, lobbied to step in and fight
dos Santos.
“I
want in troops and only the boss @danawhite can make it happen
lets go army ATTACK the general wants in on this fight,”
Hunt tweeted.
UFC
president Dana White, however, told MMAFighting.com on Thursday
that Hunt would not be granted his wish.
“It’s
not gonna happen. JDS vs. Overeem will,” said White.
Overeem’s
injury isn’t expected to keep him sidelined for long, so
apparently the UFC is willing to wait for him to heal up and
keep the grudge match intact.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Johnny
Eduardo and Yves Jabouin Removed from UFC 158 Fight Card Following
Injury
UFC
158 PosterWhile the UFC has been busy blowing up the schedule
with a number of fight announcements this week, one fight has
fallen off the radar.
The
UFC 158 bantamweight battle between Johnny Eduardo and Yves Jabouin
has been pulled from next week’s fight card due to an injury.
Eduardo
on Wednesday tweeted that he has been forced out of the fight
due to a shoulder injury that worsened after a fall during training.
Eduardo said that he was willing to move forward and fight with
one arm, but his doctors nixed the idea.
The
fight has been pulled from the fight card altogether due to little
time to find a suitable replacement, and a UFC schedule that
is ballooning by the day.
UFC
158 was already loaded to the gills with 12 bouts, so losing
this one fight isn’t much of a blow to the event.
UFC
welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre headlines UFC 158, putting
his belt on the line against Nick Diaz. The two already took
part in a verbal slugfest on the UFC 158 media conference call
on Thursday, but will step into the Octagon on March 16 at the
Bell Centre in Montreal.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Top
10 Welterweight Jon Fitch Signs with World Series of Fighting
Jon
Fitch at UFC 117Top 10 welterweight Jon Fitch didn’t stay
out of a job for long following his release from the UFC.
Fitch
has signed on with the World Series of Fight. MMAWeekly.com confirmed
the signing with WSoF senior executive vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz,
following an initial report by MMAFighting.com.
Fans
won’t have to wait long for Fitch to make his promotional
debut. Abdel-Aziz said that Fitch will make his debut at WSoF
3 on June 14.
Fitch
has a 24-5-1 overall professional record and is 14-3-1 in the
Octagon. He is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, but that victory
was over Erick Silva in October in a Fight of the Night performance
that was also considered by many to vie for Fight of the Year
honors.
Many
in the fight world were surprised when the UFC released the 35-year-old
Fitch, following his seven-year tenure.
UFC
president Dana White, however, explained the decision by saying
that Fitch was on the downside of his career and too expensive
to keep around when heading in that direction. He also added
that Fitch was just the first in several aggressive cuts to come.
“We
have 470-something guys under contract,” explained White.
“We have over 100 guys too many on the roster right now.
The blood has not all been spilled yet.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Michael
Langhi: ‘It’s great to come back to Pan’
Alliance
will have a respectful reinforcement in 2013, in its campaign
for another team title at the Pan Championship.
After
staying away last year due to problems with his visa, Michael
Langhi will be back to fetch the gold among the lightweights.
Champion in 2010, silver in 2011 (after closing out with his
partner Lucas Lepri) and bronze in 2008, Langhi is eager to fight
again at UCI’s Bren Events Center, in Irvine, Calif.
Relieved
with now having the visa to travel to the United States, the
fighter from Sao Carlos, Brazil gave an exclusive interview to
GracieMag.com. During the chat, he spoke of his preparation,
and if something has changed in his game since the last time
we saw him in action on American soil. He also praised the new
drug testing and assured that he is prepared for the usual hardness
that best describes the lightweight in major championships.
GRACIEMAG.com:
You have spent time away from competitions in the U.S. due to
your now-solved visa problems. What happened and how did it feel
to receive a positive response this week and to know that you
will compete in the 2013 Pan?
Michael
Langhi: I had a problem with my visa in 2011 because of a misunderstanding,
but thank God I explained everything and the problem was solved.
I’m happy to return to the world stage of Jiu-Jitsu. This
was an even greater motivation for me to train even more.
How
is your preparation for the Pan? Is Michael Langhi in 2013 any
different from the fighter we know?
The
preparation is being great, I am very anxious to compete again
in the U.S. and meet some friends. I also really want to train
with my professor Rubens Cobrinha. I will finish my camp with
him. There’s nothing different about me because I was always
very professional, and prepared myself as best as possible. I’m
doing it again and the changes are some technical details that
we evolve day by day in the gym. I have extra motivation to be
back to Pan.
The
IBJJF will perform drug tests in the Pan and should go on with
it in other big events. What do you think of the measure and
what extra care do you take now so you don’t get surprised
with a positive result?
Langhi:
It was a good measure. It’s good to professionalize the
sport. The care that I’m taking is to train, train and train.
No substance replaces hard work.
The
lightweight division in which you are enrolled for Pan brings
some new names, like Tanner Rice and Oliver Guedes, besides old
acquaintances such as JT Torres, Tanquinho, Lo, etc. How do you
evaluate the category?
Langhi:
The lightweight catagory is always very competitive and that’s
why I like to fight at this weight. I expect a very tough league
and I’m certainly keeping an eye on everyone. It is always
good to have tough opponents as you engage in further training.
I hope to have a good championship.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Hall
of famer Mark Coleman retires, UFC doesn't seem to notice
UFC
Hall of Famer Mark Coleman has officially retired from mixed
martial arts. Maybe someone should tell the UFC, because as of
Sunday, March 10, there was no mention of Coleman's decision
on UFC.com or the promotion's official Twitter feed.
On
Monday, March 4, the former UFC heavyweight champion and Pride
Fighting Championships 2000 Openweight Grand Prix champion, posted
the following statement on his Facebook page:
"Total
hip replacement next Monday. Ouch," Coleman wrote. "The
Hammer is done fighting. I know [I've] been done. Just looking
for some prayers. I thank everyone who will help me get through
this. You have to pay to play sometimes. [My] only regret is
[I] could have worked harder. Love you all. Live your dream."
Mark Coleman was the UFC heavyweight champion in 1997. (MMAWeekly)
Coleman,
48, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008 and was the
organization's first heavyweight champ.
"The
Godfather of Ground-and-Pound" made his MMA debut at UFC
10 in 1996, grinding his way to a first-round victory over Moti
Horenstein. Coleman went on to amass a 16-10 record with 12 stoppages.
The
Team Hammer House founder fought a laundry list of great competition
like Gary Goodridge, Don Frye, Dan Severn, Pedro Rizzo, Igor
Vovchanchyn, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko
"Cro Cop" Filipovic, and Mauricio "Shogun"
Rua, before making his final appearance in the Octagon against
Randy Couture at UFC 109 in 2010.
The
former NCAA Division I wrestler's long and storied career was
filled with classic matchups and a thrilling rivalry with Chute
Boxe in PRIDE. They were the kind of fights that laid the foundation
for the sport and paved the way for wrestlers in MMA.
Coleman's
retirement was unceremonious - though perhaps overdue - and was
covered by many MMA outlets. The UFC was not among those who
honored him.
There's
no doubt the week was loaded with big headlines: the sport's
first transgender fighter, St-Pierre vs. Diaz, Hunt vs. dos Santos,
MMA's fight for New Year, and Fox Sports 1. Maybe Coleman's announcement
was lost in the shuffle.
The
legend was polarizing over the years, but an acknowledgement
from the promotion he helped build is the least the UFC could
do.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
UFC
champ Benson Henderson advocates for blood and random drug testing
to ‘keep the playing field even’
Tour
any high-school locker room in America and you’d likely
find more than a few athletes who regularly take whey protein
or fish oil.
So
it's somewhat remarkable that a world class athlete like UFC
lightweight champion Benson Henderson could abstain from both
supplements throughout his entire fighting career, until finally
succumbing late last year.
"My
strength and conditioning coach, Jarret Aki, was on me about
it for years and years, and years," Henderson chuckled.
With
that knowledge, it’s not altogether surprising that Henderson
has emerged as one of the foremost advocates against the use
of performance enhancing drugs in mixed martial arts. The 29-year-old
recently lambasted PED users as "mentally weak," and
despite facing some scrutiny, he’s not backing off his comments.
"I’m
fine with it if you choose to use [PEDs], because I understand,
as a competitor you want to do whatever it is to get you that
one little extra edge," Henderson said. "If it’s
eating Skittles before whatever, I’m going to eat a whole
bunch of Skittles before. Whatever it is to get you the edge.
For some people it’s steroids, for some people it’s
TRT. Whatever it is. They want that little bit of an edge, especially
in our sport, any little edge can give you an advantage. That
can be the difference to getting your hand raised or not.
"But
for those guys who need a little extra bump, a little extra edge,
they know it’s illegal. They know they shouldn’t be
doing it. Those guys are mentally weaker. They don’t have
that fortitude to push through and say, ‘Yeah, I didn’t
do this, but I’m still going to beat your butt.’ I’m
okay with guys taking it, to be honest. If you want to take all
the steroids you want, and it cuts off 20 years of your life,
but you want that five years of glory -- cool. That’s your
decision. Go ahead and do whatever you want with your body. But
it’s still not going to pan out for you in the long run,
because I’m still going to beat you."
There
have been 11 documented failed drug tests or TRT exemptions handed
out by the UFC since October -- a startling high number, but
one that only seems to be on the rise.
After
supporting TRT for some time, UFC President Dana White recently
took a stand against users of the controversial drug. Believing
that fighters are abusing testosterone throughout training camps,
only to taper down to reach the legal limit prior to their fight,
White ominously promised, "if you are using testosterone
replacement therapy, get ready motherf--ker, because we're going
to test the s--t out of you."
Henderson
not only supports White’s new stance, but the UFC champ
would also be in favor of stretching testing one step further
to include both blood testing and random testing.
"I’d
be for increased testing," explained Henderson. "It
keeps the playing field even. It makes it so guys have to do
a better job of either hiding it, or just not taking it. I think
a lot of guys would actually just do a better job of hiding.
Like guys in the NFL, some get busted, but the guys who get busted
are just the, not very intelligent ones, because it’s not
the hardest thing just to time it correctly to where you don’t
get caught whenever you get tested.
"That
being said, I’d be for more rigorous testing. They want
the blood doping testing? We can do that, too. I’m cool
with that. Random testing? I’d be for that.
"I’m
all for any testing," Henderson finished. "Random,
blood testing; whatever you want to do, let’s do it, because
for me, I never even considered it."
Source:
MMA Fighting
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